The final sentence in the famous U.S. Declaration of Independence says this:
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
We ask you to adopt the same spirit in the daily conduct of your lives as American citizens. Consider every citizen in this country to be an American, worthy of your support and help, regardless of whether
- they look like you or not;
- they were a mask to protect others from COVID-19 or not; or
- they uphold your political views or not.
Democracy in our republic is all about ballots, not bullets. The framers meant it to be a competition of problem-solving ideas, not a contest of intimidation.
Remember, too, the famous saying “United we stand, divided we fall.”
Want to learn more?
The Center for Free, Fair, and Accountable Democracy (CFFAD) is all about civic education. We have two goals: (1) help Americans understand why democracy is precious; and (2) help them understand, protect, and improve the foundations of trust in our republic.
You can download our educational materials for free at our website https://cffad.org/
Art credit: John Trumbull, 1817-19