America and the Belief in Things Better

by Nathaniel Whittemore

categories: history, Society

Published July 04, 2009 @ 10:11AM PT

There is no part of the American mythology so important as the idea that individuals and communities have the power and obligation to close the gap between the world as it is and the world as it should be. Indeed, there is no element of our conception of democracy so essential as the notion that people are not just the objects of change, but instead have the power to be the agents of personal and societal transformation.

July 4th is a time for connection to our larger narrative. "America" means different things to different people; our experiences and the experiences of those around us inexorably shape what we think and feel about this land.

Few would argue that it is a perfect place. The issues that cover the pages of Change.org are, in many ways, the stories of America's warts, maladies, and imperfections. The stain of homeless veterans; the farce of indefinite incarceration; the individual and collective financial ruin that our heaving health care system can bring; the horror of modern day slavery which still runs rampant in the shadows of our proudest buildings and grandest ideals.

Yet Change.org is also a part of the profound legacy of American civil society and progressive reform. The very first people to advocate in formal ways against slavery were Quakers in the 17th century Pennsylvania colonies. The abolitionists who took their mantle built momentum in the mid 18th century for freedom for those in chains. The progressive reformers around the turn of the century saw the scourge of unchecked urbanization and advanced legislation with fundamental protections against our most unjust practices. Throughout the 20th century, the Civil Rights movement, Women's movement and more have combined with the ground-up work of community organizers to provide a platform for change. And in the last half-century particularly, nonprofits and civil society organizations have exploded to respond to our myriad social challenges.

What's important to remember is that these things are not counter to the popular narrative of America, they are the counter-narrative of what is America. The beliefs animating these activists almost always drew their power from the words and ideals, if not always the actions, of those who came before them and from the very fabric of the idea of America itself.

The freedom of religious expression promised by William Penn's colony allowed the Quakers to advocate against slavery without fear of state reprisal. The protection of free speech enshrined in our constitution allowed Jacob Riis and other muckrakers to expose the exploitation of labor and horror of unjust living conditions during the Gilded Age. The imploring that All Men Are Created Equal has been the constant and inexorable nag for those who would exploit and enslave, and the beacon of hope for those who would liberate.

Democracy is an essential context for our understanding of how to approach social change. For while philanthropy has the potential to promote the "unconscious division of the world into the philanthropists and those to be helped," as Jane Addams put it, Democracy is, at it's core, about the fundamental equality of those who participate in a society. One idea implores us to give back in recognition of our success, the other fundamentally entwines our destiny with the health and well-being of others.

Today is a day for celebrating where we came from, the glory of accomplishments past and the strength of our ideals, it would not be America if it was not also about how we look forward to improving ourselves, our country, and the wider world around us.

I'm proud to be from this place, warts and all, and I believe in our immense potential as a collective force for good. One of the most astute observers of American democracy Alexis de Tocqueville wrote:

The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.

Happy Fourth of July.

Photocredit: Respres