Sept. 7 (UPI) — The nation’s 13 presidential centers — a cherished collective of libraries, foundations and museums — issued a joint statement Thursday urging Americans to come together to preserve democracy amid troubling times.
The proclamation, titled “Presidential Centers Affirm that ‘Democracy Holds Us Together,'” was led by the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas and called on Americans to “reaffirm our commitment to the democratic values on which this country was founded.”
The statement said the nation has been in a continuous state of disharmony, with citizens not consistently living up to the principles of the Founding Fathers while citing the Declaration of Independence and appealing to other fundamental American values.
“We reaffirm our commitment to the principles of democracy undergirding this great nation, protecting our freedom, and respecting our fellow citizens,” the collective wrote. “When united by these convictions, America is stronger as a country and an inspiration for others.”
Most notably, the statement criticized the United States as a “house in disarray” — with growing internal divisions that were undermining America’s foreign interests, and weakening respect for human rights efforts around the world.
“The world will not wait for us to address our problems, so we must both continue to strive toward a more perfect union and help those abroad looking for U.S. leadership,” the statement said.
The memo also stressed the need for increased unity through fellowship, civility, compassion, and racial and religious tolerance.
It also alluded to the rancor of election-year politics that emerged after the 2016 presidential campaign, along with the current surge in extremism, hate crimes, and deadly mass shootings that have come to define American culture.
“We represent a wide range of views across a breadth of issues,” the statement says. “We recognize that these views can exist peaceably side by side when rooted in the principles of democracy. Debate and disagreement are central features in a healthy democracy. Civility and respect in political discourse, whether in an election year or otherwise, are essential.”
The statement urges citizens to take more individual responsibility for decorum in everyday life and calls on lawmakers to clean up the rhetoric, saying “each of us has a role to play” to uphold the republic.
“Our elected officials must lead by example and govern effectively in ways that deliver for the American people. This, in turn, will help to restore trust in public service,” the statement said. “The rest of us must engage in civil dialogue; respect democratic institutions and rights; uphold safe, secure, and accessible elections; and contribute to local, state, or national improvement.”
The statement was signed by the Obama Presidential Center, George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Clinton Foundation, George & Barbara Bush Foundation, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, the Carter Center, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, Richard Nixon Foundation, LBJ Foundation, John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, Truman Library Institute, Roosevelt Institute, and Hoover Presidential Foundation.
