2005.01.28
Our Democratic Faith, circa 1940
It is America’s destiny, in these days of rampant despotism, to be the guardian of the world heritage of liberty and to hold aloft and aflame the torch of Western civilization.
I found this gem (excerpt below) while doing research for a future article many days delayed in posting; it is getting ungainly. Anyways, I found a great site called The American Presidency Project, whose goal is to present free of charge many of the great speeches, writings, and platforms of modern Presidents.
This is from the Democratic Party Platform of 1940. Reading the whole thing shocked me because it indicates that many of the issues we face today were faced then; Social Security, poverty, national security, energy independence, and economy. I am quoting this bit, however, because it is truly inspirational and I love how it says democracy is faith in ourselves and our future.
Democracy is more than a political system for the government of a people. It is the expression of a people’s faith in themselves as human beings. If this faith is permitted to die, human progress will die with it. We believe that a mechanized existence, lacking the spiritual quality of democracy, is intolerable to the free people of this country.
We therefore pledge ourselves to fight, as our fathers fought, for the right of every American to enjoy freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, petition, and security in his home.
It is America’s destiny, in these days of rampant despotism, to be the guardian of the world heritage of liberty and to hold aloft and aflame the torch of Western civilization.
The Democratic Party rededicates itself to this faith in democracy, to the defense of the American system of government, the only system under which men are masters of their own souls, the only system under which the American people, composed of many races and creeds, can live and work, play and worship in peace, security and freedom.
The message still rings true for, I believe, all true Americans.
Categorized: political
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