Let’s Start Loving Democracy Again

In the blog post “Let’s Start Loving Democracy Again,” posted in the Burnt Orange Report, State Rep. Celia Israel speaks to all Americans as she reflects post-Fourth of July on the importance of patriotism and what it means – a love for democracy. 

Written on July 6th, post-Fourth of July, she writes to Americans that patriotism is not just about fireworks, American flag paraphernalia, or a love for football. “To love our country, I believe you must also have a love for our democracy,” she writes. To me, this parallels how we, as Americans, tend to get so caught up in the “fluff” and consumerism – “the showy” stuff – of holidays, that we can tend to forget what we’re actually celebrating. Democracy and patriotism should go hand-in-hand, she states. This means taking a stance and stepping up to vote. With that comes the fireworks and celebration. 

She goes on to tell her experience of serving on the Elections Committee, where she saw many Texans show their love for democracy by trying to pass laws that make voting a simpler process for Texans. They fought to make ballots clearer for elderly and the disabled, and to allow other forms of identification such and veteran IDs and student IDs. “Nearly every effort to make it easier to vote was either unable to move through the Legislature or vetoed by the Governor,” she writes. 

I share the frustration with State Rep. Celia that this has got to change if we truly want to be a democracy. As we’ve been learning in GOVT2306, there’s a dire need for more people to be involved in politics and vote. A mere 25% of Texans voted in the Governor elections of 2014. We are also below the national average for voters in General Elections.

How can we show patriotism through democracy if the state isn’t helping to make it any easier for its citizens to vote? For Texans to step up, Texas Legislature has to step up.