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Medium: Why American Democracy Was So Easy To Destroy

Americans tend to think that “democracy” is the exercise of voting every few years, and watching cable news in between. But it is no such thing. When we speak of “elections,” we merely refer to the means of democracy. Democracy, more properly thought of, is the enactment — and the expansion — of equality, freedom, and justice. The daily practice, if you like, of these three great endowments — they are the fundamental democratic goods, the ends to which the means of democracy, elections, votes, and so on, merely exist to sustain and nurture. And yet it is precisely in these three ways that American democracy never really became much of a democracy at all. When Americans were busy sorting themselves into tribal castes, enacting their hierarchy of personhood — or being sorted that way, if you like — then it can’t be said that democracy was really occurring in any real way. Precisely the opposite was, in fact — a kind of flight from, corrosion of, refusal to consent to, genuinely democratic norms, values, and institutions.

Hard reading, but boils it down pretty effectively, I think. And yes, I see this in the Americans defending what's happening right now. They're so caught up in the fairytale of equality, freedom, and justice for all that they won't see what's actually happening. Or they don't care so long as they got theirs.

thoughts on thoughts on how to write a good "dear author" letter

Everyone focuses on the letter and how it's written. Nobody tells the Dear Author to assume good faith and best intention and Optional Details Are Optional.

Dear Yuletide author

Dear Yuletide author,

Thank you so much for writing for me!

( various )

As always, these are just ideas to kick-start your writing. If they don't work for you, go with something that does. I look forward to reading your story!