The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Richard Brusca
If you are experiencing angst and worry that America is going to lose its democracy, let me remind you of some things.
The American experiment with democracy is still very young, just 250 years old. We are a young nation in every way. The Maya culture has existed for 5,000 years and is still flourishing, despite the genocide by Spanish conquistadors and later by their own government in Guatemala. The Tohono O’odham are probably 6,000 years old. Aboriginal Australians have been around for 50,000 years, and the San People of Southern Africa may have had a continuous culture for over 100,000 years.
America is nowhere near its point of cultural maturity. In our history, there have been many anti-democratic movements, and we’ve so far managed to overcome them (not the least being our Civil War).
We also aren’t the first democracy. That was in ancient Athens around the 5th century before Christ. Nor are we the only democracy; about 15% of the world’s countries are full democracies and 35% flawed democracies (e.g., France, South Korea, the U.S. currently).
The good news is, most Americans still believe in democracy. The Nov. 4, 2025, election proved that. The midterm elections this year will give us all the chance to once again turn out for democracy.
There are still plenty of politicians who believe that holding a public office is about helping all Americans; not about personal power, or self-enrichment, or persecuting perceived personal enemies. And there are plenty of Americans who believe that our energy should come from renewable resources, that healthcare should be universal, and the rich should pay their fair share of taxes. There are plenty of politicians who still believe that their role is actually as a functionary, to serve the people, not judge or sideline them. To help all Americans achieve the dreams they have for themselves and their children. Plenty of politicians who believe all men are created equal and should not be judged by the color of their skin or their religious beliefs or the language they grew up speaking.
The most important thing you can do to preserve democracy is to get out and vote in every single election for politicians who believe in democracy.
Americans are still producing beautiful, transcendent music and art, and some of the most creative and delicious food on Planet Earth. Great books, especially mind-expanding novels, are still being written in America (even if they do get banned in schools of red states).
Enjoy and support the arts and cultural events, and remind yourself that there is still beauty and love and wisdom in America; you just have to look in the right places.
