This is the first of what I hope will be many discussions about the rights and responsibilities of what it means to be an American citizen. To understand where we are now as a nation, we need to reflect on our past.   

My hope is that Civics in Seconds fulfills a need, that is, to offer information that is quick to read and remind us of the civics lessons from school we may have forgotten, so that when we are faced with choices, we make will informed decisions.  Knowledge is power. 

Our democracy is fragile.  We must all be vigilant.

At its best, our democracy entitles each of us, man or woman, rich or poor, black or white, to have an equal voice in how our country is to be governed.   We are entitled to equal protection under the law.

Democracy is too often taken for granted, particularly by those politicians whose sole purpose is to get reelected by any means, and by too many citizens who see voting as nothing more than an inconvenience.  

President Kennedy in his inaugural address challenged us to, “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”  Among the things that we can do for our country is to make informed decisions, to vote and even think before we vote, to challenge authority when our civil rights are unfairly curtailed, and to get in “good trouble” as Congressman John Lewis urged us to do, so that we may continue to form a more perfect union.

In a few short weeks, we will once again, participate in the most important responsibility we have in our democracy.  We will vote, a right for which people fought and died.  Approximately 138 million people voted in the 2016 presidential election (Business Insider), representing about 60% of the voting eligible population.  

We can do better.  We must.  

The very future of our democracy depends on it.   

Thank you to all of the people who continue to keep us safe and healthy, including our military and our first responders, our medical personnel and those in our service industries.