Restoring Democracy: Uniting and Healing a Divided America

Edwin Buggage Editor-in-Chief

A New Direction for America

Last week, the nation began a new chapter with the Inauguration of the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the President and Vice-President.
The theme throughout was one of healing, hope and redemption of a sharply divided nation.

As the nation is making history, with Kamala Harris, becoming the country’s First woman of color being elected as Vice-President; conversely this is happening against a backdrop of an insurrection by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump.

Also, the administration will have New Orleans native and former Louisiana Congressman Cedric Richmond, who will serve as a Senior Advisor and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

The direction of this experiment in Democracy finds itself again at a crossroads and Data News Weekly spoke to several New Orleanians getting their thoughts on the historic election, the inauguration, and the direction of the country.

Democracy Reconsidered

During this election, many spoke of former President Donald Trump as an existential threat to Democracy. With him exiting the office, he is leaving a nation divided along many lines that includes race, class, age, urban vs. and many others are the fault lines that threaten to tear at the fabric of a country that’s continually amended its way into becoming “A More Perfect Union.”

“I feel optimistic about our future as a country and that we have turned a page on darkness that has bruised our democracy but not broken it.” says Dr. Kyshun Webster, Founder and Chairman of Compassion Society Benefits Inc.

While some are optimistic with the incoming of a new administration, others are proud of the election of Kamala Harris breaking the barrier of race and gender with her election, but that this nation must address the historic issue of systematic racism.

“This is an important time for our Democracy and also how issues of race affect this country. We have recently witnessed history on two fronts with the election of Kamala Harris, becoming the first Woman of Color elected Vice-President. This is inspiring, but we’ve also had citizens that support the former President Donald Trump storm the Capitol. This seditious act in my view was handled very differently by law enforcement and shows the racial double standard that continues to be a problem in America. It is my hope that this administration put polices in place to help heal the wounds of this divided nation,” says Anthony Bean, founder of the Anthony Bean Community Theater (ABCT).

We the People

It is a time in America that many in the country because of the COVID-19 Pandemic are seeing the American Dream slip through their fingertips as many do not have the means to maintain themselves and are struggling to survive.

This is a time where compassion and empathy must be front and center in creating policies that have a positive impact on American citizens.

Oliver Thomas is a former City-Councilman and popular radio talk show host on WBOK. He is one who has his ear to the street. Echoing the words of many of his listeners he says, “This potentially is a time to reverse directions in one of the most important times in the history of this Nation and World. A chance to put PEOPLE FIRST! A chance to make our Nation one that is ‘For the People, and By the People’ a chance to create a better future for our children and an opportunity to lead with our, Souls, and our Humanity, not our Ideology and Political Party.”

The divisions that led to the election and the storming of the US Capitol are real, but some believe that with the new administration in the Oval Office there is hope but much work still needs to be done to unite Americans.

“The inauguration of President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris has brought much needed hope to our divided nation. Our country is at a pivotal crossroads. Our new President and Vice President have been given a clear mandate — restore America’s reputation globally; heal our country; and deliver strong results for the working class, not just the powerful few. President Biden made bold promises to invest in working class communities and communities of color. He has built a strong, capable team, and I’m confident he will deliver,” says Jason Hughes State Representative Louisiana House of Representatives, District 100.

“The 2020 presidential election revealed Americans haven’t shifted much. We remain entrenched in our positions, bitterly divided, and ill-served by our two-party system. It’s tempting to celebrate the election of Biden and Harris as a repudiation of ethno-nationalism, but in fact if it wasn’t for the Pandemic Trump might have won again. Too many of our fellow countrymen and women remain fixated on a toxic vision of White supremacy and resentment, when we should be working together as a multi-ethnic democracy. Talk of unity seems simplistic to me, but I do feel we need solidarity to solve the crucial issues of our day, such as the virus, social inequity, and the climate crisis,” says Bart Everson, Chair of the Green Party of New Orleans.

Restoring Hope and the Soul of America

This year the nation found itself soul searching in a divided nation. This have created an environment that’s been a call to arms for many to get involved in the fight for justice, fairness, and equality.

While this have spawned new movements of people dedicated to change; it’s also taken many traditional Civil Rights Organizations and placed them squarely in the fight for positive change. One such organization is the National Urban League. A group that’s nationally led by former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial and locally by Judy Reese Morse, President and CEO, Urban League of Louisiana.

Morse sees the potential for charting a different and positive direction for the nation with the new administration.

“The Urban League of Louisiana welcomes the new administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as they begin the necessary work of unifying America and advancing policies and programs that reflect all of our country’s residents. We stand ready to join the Biden/Harris Administration in efforts that will address the issues of economic and educational inequities, the dual Pandemics of COVID-19 and race and create more opportunities for African Americans and other communities to thrive.”

“We understand that this work will not be easy. America has, for far too long, been afraid to face its truth and demonstrate an understanding of a need to right its wrongs. But when has anything worth achieving been easy? The Urban League of Louisiana has more than 82 years of history fighting for the civil rights and economic justice of those who have been discriminated against and systematically excluded simply because of their skin color. We are clear that the time has come, the time is now.”
“I feel optimistic about our future as a country and that we have turned a page on darkness that has bruised our democracy but not broken it,” says Dr. Kyshun Webster, Founder and Chairman of Compassion Society Benefits Inc.

“This is an important time for our Democracy and also how issues of race affect this country. It is my hope that this administration put polices in place to help heal the wounds of this divided nation,” says Anthony Bean, founder of the Anthony Bean Community Theater (ABCT) pictured with President Biden.

“This potentially is a time to reverse directions in one of the most important times in the history of this Nation and World. A chance to put PEOPLE FIRST,” says former City Councilman and WBOK radio host Oliver Thomas.

“The inauguration of President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris has brought much needed hope to our divided nation. Our country is at a pivotal crossroads,” says Jason Hughes State Representative Louisiana House of Representatives, District 100.

“Too many of our fellow countrymen and women remain fixated on a toxic vision of White supremacy and resentment, when we should be working together as a multi-ethnic democracy,” says Bart Everson, Chair of the Green Party of New Orleans.

New Orleans native and former Louisiana Congressman Cedric Richmond, will serve as a Senior Advisor and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

Kamala Harris, making history as the first woman Vice-President of the United States. This is especially a source of pride and inspiration for African-Americans and South Asians.

President Joe Biden, pledges to build bridges of togetherness and unity in the nation and restore Democracy and decency in America.

The New President and Vice-President represents a changing direction for the nation.