Laconia Human Relations Committee: What gives legitimacy to government?

If legitimacy is our acceptance for government, where does it come from? Is it our Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the laws we pass that give legitimacy to us as a nation of a highly diverse citizenry? Does legitimacy come from the values we hold for accepting the responsibilities of living truthfully and responsibly with and by these documents in what we call a democracy? Both are true.

Democracy is a form and a process of government. The quality of governance under our Constitution requires consensus and debate. This is bound together by our values, the rule of law, and the belief in equality for all.

Our strongest values are experienced in our sense of community and the trust and care we show one another. These values of justice, truth, and honesty need to be supported with verifiable facts. Equality of opportunity is a basic part of these values. These are the foundations of a democratic society.

Our democratically-based government functions best when it is built on practices of equity and fairness. It feels oppressive when these do not support the freedom for all to be the best they can be. This includes the freedom of dissent, to choose, and to experience equality under the law. An additional concern is how our Union has become progressively more vulnerable with the staggering wealth gap.

Our system of government, our Union, is never finished evolving. It is an on-going challenge to make it work. Each generation decides for itself how our system of government will function and how to live within it and how to care for it. Knowledge of our history helps us to be aware of what needs to be upheld and what needs to be improved and what needs to be discarded. The best change requires insightful analysis. This is a necessary part of our evolving system of government.

Our nation needs to be an inclusive place in which we live together with honor and support. Our Union is strengthened by the diversity among its citizens. If we disparage those of other cultures, it is difficult to come together in friendship and respect. What makes our Union legitimate is how we live every day with diverse friends and neighbors. It promotes a sense of well-being within each of us. This is what builds vibrant and caring communities.

The underlying principle that gives legitimacy for our government and a more Perfect Union is a democratic form of government based on truth, honesty, and respect for all.

•••

This is part of a series of essays on the topic "Toward a More Perfect Union." The Laconia Human Relations Committee envisions a world where everyone is treated with dignity, fairness, respect, and kindness.