We can tell them the truth. We can tell them that America isn’t just a place. It’s an idea, a continuing experiment that depends on rules. And those rules are being tested. And when leaders ignore the rules, when institutions are being weakened, when checks and balances are dismissed, that’s when our democracy breaks down. We can tell them that not everything they see is normal, that it’s OK to question it. In fact, it’s necessary. Because pretending things are fine when they’re not, isn’t optimism. It’s denial, and that leads to enablement and dysfunction. We can tell them that elected leaders should serve, not seek power at any cost, that real leadership is about responsibility, not dominance. We can tell them that when laws are ignored, when power is abused, when voices are silenced, that’s a crisis. Not just political, but moral. Because a government that stops listening to its people, stops being a government of the people. We can tell them it’s OK to feel uneasy. That just means that we care and caring about fairness, integrity, and justice isn’t weakness, it’s responsibility. Because a democracy is only as strong as the people willing to defend it. And we can tell them that caring is the first step to change, and the second step is action and the third, well that’s making sure that the next generation knows the difference between leadership and exploitation, between patriotism and blind loyalty, between justice and power. So that when it’s their turn, they’ll know what to do.
Slade Wentworth @thedadbriefs
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIzz1HksGG8/
Originally Posted By u/Carolineintheciti At 2025-04-28 03:00:22 PM | Source