To be hopeful in the midst of corrupt times is to be brave. There are agendas being set in motion that threaten the American way of life. We know that throughout the history of the world, people can be mean, greedy, controlling and even vindictive, but we must never forget that there are people who can counterbalance and dare I say, defeat, the evil among us through great amounts of kindness, mettle, compassion and heroic efforts. There are many good people these days who are fighting to preserve democracy despite the workings of some powerful people. If David and Goliath have taught us anything, it’s that sometimes the good guy wins against all odds. In the case of our republic, the good guys would be our country’s citizens, because it has become clear that in order to save America, it will be the voters who have to be the ones to do it.

The Supreme Court has just rolled back the constitutional foundation of our country that was formed solely to get away from a king and authoritarianism only to deem the president as being above the laws by which all other Americans must abide. In order for democracy to exist, there has to be room for freedom, checks and balances and opposing views. For nearly 250 years we’ve had just that. One person, party or set of people are not to dominate and rule the country as one extreme wing of conservatives would prefer. One such example is Project 2025. (https:// static.project2025. org/2025_MandateFor-Leadership_FULL.pdf).

When a Supreme Court Justice states that she fears for our democracy that should scare every American citizen. Justice Sonia Sotomayor disagreed with the recent 6-3 Supreme Court decision that presidents should not be immune from criminal prosecution if he or she were to use the trappings of his/ her office to violate the criminal law. What no one seems to be mentioning is that we never needed a presidential criminal immunity until we had a lawless president. Now that the court ruling reversals have begun, citizens’ rights will more than likely begin to be rolled back as regularly as the prices of seasonal items at a Walmart.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson are true examples of integrity in action as they disputed the ruling. They are in a minority as many Americans feel they are, speaking out for justice and for what is right. Sotomayor wrote in her dissent that the “extraordinary rule has no basis in law” and makes a “mockery of the principle” that no one is above the law.

The November election is no longer about the two major candidates, it’s about saving democracy and who selects the next Supreme Court Justices. All rights are at stake for everyone if the wrong president is in office paired with the current Congress and this Supreme Court ruling the country. Civil liberties are being dismantled before our very eyes. We have approximately five months to protect our rights and six reasons sitting on the Supreme Court to vote for democracy. Let us not forget the wise words of Thomas Paine, “Because a body of men, holding themselves accountable to nobody, ought not to be trusted by anybody.”

There are a lot of people right now who are praying that leaders and people in positions of power will dig deep and find their seeds of common sense that have been lying dormant waiting to sprout. That time is now. But it’s going to require more than that. It is going to demand that each of us step up and use whatever gifts or skills we have in order to combat this siege on our country. Every one of us has a job to do. We must pay the price for our liberty. And it’s up to us to discover what that activity is based on our skillset. If we lose our democracy, we will never get it back, at least not in the way it has been preserved. Too many men and women have fought for their rights to take the U.S. back to an antiquated time. As much as I wish the world could be Mayberry-esque in nature, too much beneficial growth and change occurred in the 20th century.

As long as there are people who will stand up for what is right in this world, who have honest convictions and are brave enough to uphold them, as long as we can maintain our compassion in an increasingly brutal world, then all is not bleak.

Hope is future focused. For those feeling depressed, concerned or upset about the direction the country is heading, this is a call to action. Get involved in local or state politics as you can have a big influence in your community to implement positive changes. Find a cause, a candidate that you can endorse, or an organization, donate; if possible. Write letters to the editor in your local paper. Sitting around and worrying does no good, but getting involved can be a positive thing for both you and your community.

What we choose to focus on will make or break us. I want to believe that people are working from a place of ‘doing the best they can’ with no intention of creating havoc or harm; however, we can’t allow ourselves to be fools and when people show us who they are, we must believe them. We are being shown that a majority of the Supreme Court is not impartial and lacks integrity. We are being shown that certain members of Congress would rather the country go to hell in a handbasket in order to maintain power than to honor and serve the people who elected them. We are being shown that there is a section of our country that wants to control or take the rights of others. This is not the election year to declare you’re not voting because you don’t like either candidate. This election is far bigger than these two men. In 2024, nonengagement in the election process is a vote to veto democracy.

Right now, to be hopeful is courageous and needs to be championed with your vote. In the 2024 election, voting will be a heroic act and the vote you cast may very well help to save our country. People around the world are watching and holding their breath, wondering if Americans will do the right thing. Other countries have tried to destroy America and have been unsuccessful, but if we continue on the current trajectory, we will implode our country from the inside. This is OUR country. Presidents come and go, but democracy is our birthright. It’s We the People, who believe it’s our sacred legacy. The stakes are so high in this election that any U.S. citizen who casts a vote in favor of our democratic system truly deserves the Presidential Medal of Freedom for civilian service and meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States and its citizens.

The words of John Philpot Curran have never been truer than in 2024, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”

It’s said that words can change the world, and I truly believe they can. If you believe it too, read your local newspaper. It’s there for you like a faithful friend, a provision of stability as a trustworthy news source, and a key to democracy. And I’ll meet you here for our conversations in The Lowe Down.

Pam Lowe is the editor of the Clay County Courier. Readers may contact Pam at plowe@cherryroad.com