Former General, United States Air Force
I used to focus on places like Bosnia, or Iraq, or North Korea. And I always thought America would be OK. But now, I’m worried about our democracy. I worry for my children and my grandchildren. Our democratic republic has had three major challenges: the Revolution; the Civil War; and now. We need The Election Pledge, because if we can’t conduct fair elections, America will be devastated. We won’t be America any more. I hope all Americans will sign it.
Pledge Supporting Documentation
Our democracy is in serious jeopardy. As Americans, we are polarized and divided. We’re becoming bitter occupants of opposing ideological camps. I’ve seen how bitter divisiveness can quickly turn to extremism and even violence. Our form of government has withstood the test of time for nearly 250 years. I don’t want to be part of the last generation to enjoy the freedoms and democracy that we’ve defended for two and a half centuries. So we need our elected leaders to commit to supporting safe and fair elections and the peaceful transfer of power. And voters need to hold them accountable. Sign the Pledge, and insist that your candidates sign it too.
Pledge Supporting Documentation
What I worry about most in America today is disinformation, and what that’s produced: deep polarization of our society, and difficulty in coming together to protect things like our democracy. It’s important to speak out now, because if we’re silent, critical institutions can simply erode, and lose their power to keep our democracy safe. America’s national security has always been based not on military power, but on the idea that we are a strongly united republic. When our enemies think that we’re not, we become weaker. Now is the time for us all to commit to a common pledge to support the one thing that makes us special, and that makes us a democratic republic.
Pledge Supporting Documentation
Elections are the vital link between the American people and our government. We need to protect that link. What I worry about at night isn’t our external threats. It’s what’s going on here at home - the political divisions and the challenges to our democratic system and processes that connect voters to elected officials. I’ve spent 40 years watching the steady erosion of democracies around the world. And now we see some of those same signals in the weakening of our own democracy here at home. We’re at risk. Our democracy is fragile. And we’re too complacent about this. Democracy requires maintenance and we need to attend to it. Signing The Election Pledge is a good starting point.
Pledge Supporting Documentation
Early in my career, I saw Americans who thought differently, but I didn’t see a divided nation. Unfortunately, too many of us have been led to believing that only “our” way is right, and so, no one else matters. We’ll always have challenges as a nation, but we have to get back to the point of respect, and trying to understand each other’s point of view. We need to learn from our history, and not repeat the mistakes of the past that brought our republic to the brink of ruin. The Election Pledge is an important way of bringing us back together, no matter what our politics might be.
Pledge Supporting Documentation