What is Democracy

By Rhys Allison, TWR Youth Action Fellow ‘20

Can we do better

What is democracy

A dream

A fleeting memory

Is it something real or just something we feel

Do we have to sit here and believe

Believe

Do we move forward

Is it still here

Do we have to believe in it for it to be there

Do we still believe

Do we act

Keep the system in place

Do we survive

Or do we evolve

Fight to make something better

Where we don't rely on compliance

On people believing in the system

On people staying

On people accepting what happened

Now that people don't believe

Where do we go from here

Does the system persevere

Do we find something new

What is democracy 

A dream

A fleeting memory

Do we still believe

Or do we make something better

Something that protects

Something where we are heard

Something where the marginalized are no longer in the margins

Can we make discrimination

A dream

A fleeting memory

If this is where democracy dies

Can we make something better

Something where this never happens again

With a system that protects

And does not allow for a fascist coup

How can we save ourselves

Evolve

Dream

Remember

And make something better

What is democracy

And can we do better


Rhys Allison, they/them pronouns, is a YAN Fellow and a senior in Philosophy at George Mason University. They enjoy writing, art, and their cat. They plan on going to grad school in Philosophy and Social Policy.


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