Let’s unite to meet needs
Legend has it that upon leaving Independence Hall on the last day of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked what kind of a government he and the other founders had created. “A republic, if you can keep it,” he quipped.
His sardonic words convey an essential truth: that the survival of our democracy depends on each successive generation to defend and improve it. His warning has particular resonance in the current moment. Judging by the deepening divisions in our society, it would appear that our republic is coming apart.
Our challenges are indeed enormous; we should face them with clear eyes. Yet the drumbeat of pessimism and cynicism reverberating from Washington, D.C., is both unwarranted and dangerous. If you turn off social media and turn into your community, you may just find reasons for hope, perhaps even the seeds of a national renewal.
The end of the year is a time of reflection. Because we are Marines, when we think about safeguarding the republic our minds inexorably turn to the citizen-soldiers who have defended America against threats beyond our shores. This year the veterans we lost included two giants: John McCain and George H.W. Bush.
Franklin’s words, however, remind us that defense of the nation is so much more than a call to arms. In 1787, America had won the war and faced the challenge of fostering unity among a diverse group of people with all their prejudices and passions. Then as now, unity required a collective commitment to citizenship and a prevailing respect for the humanity of our neighbors, regardless of their identity.
In the years since 9/11, natural disasters have proven to be the events that offer the strongest reminder of our nation’s vulnerability and, conversely, resilience. We, as a state, were unfortunate witnesses to this phenomenon in the fall. In eastern North Carolina, the home of thousands of Marines, Hurricane Florence rattled the military and civilian communities equally. As many military families drove westward under evacuation orders, scores of first responders and volunteers traveled east to provide relief.
With immense gratitude, we in uniform recall passing streams of emergency vehicles from far-off fire stations and utility companies heading into the very storm we were fleeing. Those who sacrificed to help strangers in need embodied characteristics normally ascribed to those serving in the military. They are beacons of hope and serve as a benchmark for our rededication to active citizenship in the new year.
When the flood waters receded, the hard work continued. We had the privilege of helping our neighbors in Havelock over Veterans Day in an effort led by the Travis Manion Foundation and Veterans for American Ideals. Together we laid sheetrock and pulled down siding for two retired Marines whose homes were severely damaged by the flooding.
The question is, how do we remain united after the crisis passes, as our ideological differences reassert themselves? Those differences are real; we shouldn’t duck or deny them. Nor, though, should we let them prevent us from fulfilling our responsibilities to our neighbors.
Times of calamity, whether brought about by man-made or natural causes, call for leaders on the national stage to unify unfamiliar factions to achieve a common purpose. But trying times also require individuals in local communities willing to put differences aside to address problems for the good of others. Taking part and pitching in may be the best way to meet Benjamin Franklin’s enduring challenge, for keeping a republic takes all of us.
Ben Radford and Eric Davids are Marines currently stationed in eastern North Carolina. The views expressed in this article are the authors’ alone and do not represent those of the United States Marine Corps, the Department of Defense, or the United States Government.