We Are The Government
This week, I talked to a friend about some of today's trending topics, and he said something that stuck with me: "We are the government." His statement is accurate, and it made me think about how we use, acknowledge, criticize and shape what we traditionally think of as the "government." Most of us operate as though the government is outside of our being, and we view it as something bigger than us, an agency or system beyond our control. However, the foundation of our government is our constitution, and it begins with us as it starts with ... we the people.
Preamble to the Constitution: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
So, we are the government, and as individuals and as a collective, we must try to uphold the principles and laws of our democracy. So, as we think about the people affected by the mass shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, Oklahoma, Michigan, etc., we should ponder our involvement because we had a role. Maybe we were not the ones who pulled the trigger but did we do or not do to contribute to these shootings. Did we do all we could to ensure the domestic tranquility of those harmed? We, as a collective, certainly didn't protect those kids in Uvalde. We are accountable because the policies and people we elected, selected, and entrusted failed to do what was needed. Their failure is our failure. So, while we blame and shame officials on the scene, the sequence, and tragedy of that shooting started long before that day.
When it comes to "promoting the general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty to ourselves," we fall short. For the last few days, I have been in several meetings where people asked questions and expressed concerns about safety in public spaces. While most people don't buy and carry guns to hurt others, some do, and lately, we have been bombarded with incidents of those who did. So, as the government, what are we doing about guns and mass shootings. Our quality of life is being highjacked because some want to own weapons that have no other advantageous use but to do what the perpetrators of the last few mass shootings have done, kill people. Do our current gun rights laws help promote the general welfare of America?
Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, is credited with saying, "the government is us; we are the government, you and I." This sentiment puts ownership and responsibility for our nation on us. So even though we elect people to represent us, we need to ensure they represent us. We need to know who they are and stay informed about how they vote and why they vote that way. We can't become complacent after they are elected. We need to call them to task when they don't fight for our fundamental rights. We need to vote them out when they neglect to be a voice for the people and use their positions for their own profit and interest. We need to purge lobbyists and special interest groups that pad the campaigns of spineless politicians and officials who vote for saving money over saving people. We have to take control of the government; our safety and security depend on it, and it is one of the essential responsibilities of being a citizen. So, if we want our elected officials to do something about gun violence, we need to demand it. If they don't vote in our interest, we need to vote them out and perhaps consider running for a political office ourselves. Rather we run or not; we are responsible for the way things are.
We are the government, so the next time you call out the government for something happening or not, look in the mirror and call out your government name because you are talking about yourself.
Sophia Brewer (M.L.I.S.) is Collection Development and Serials Librarian, Grand Rapids Community College; Co-President of the Greater Grand Rapids History Council; member of the Grand Rapids Study Club and serves on the Grand Rapids Public Library, Board of Library Commissioners (Elected 2016-2021). She is a former Head of Programs, Grand Rapids Public Library and former Branch Manager, Madison Square Branch, Grand Rapids Public Library Congresswoman
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