"A Republic, if you can keep it."
Wise words from nearly 230 years ago reverberate through the present. So what does that look like to me? Above all, I think it looks like acceptance and inclusion of one another as human beings. And then, I think it looks like: Preference for unity over separation. Civility and empathy. Checks and balances. Respect for the rule of law. A belief in the power of justice, fairness and equality to bring us together, to bring us along together, to inspire faith in what we aspire to be as a nation for all of us, not just some of us. Personal accountability every day - owning up to mistakes and making things right so we can live with each other in harmony. Compassion for those who need help. Humility with power. Self-improvement - a desire to be a better version of ourselves individually and collectively. Opportunities to make our lives better and to achieve our dreams. A willingness to listen to one other's pain - and a genuine desire to understand its source. A commitment to help one another see our own ignorance and bias. A rejection of hatred and violence in all its forms. Love for one another. I'm not perfect. I may never fully achieve each of these principles in action, but I strive to. And if you strive with me, in our individual imperfection, together we can be perfect. Together, we can keep our Republic.
