By Stuart Adelberg
Those who read my periodic columns will note that I rarely meander into politics. Like most Americans, I am not lacking for strong opinions, but I choose not to step into the fray for several reasons. I am not an expert on many of the subjects being debated, and I am loathe to enter into a public debate unless I have confidence that I have considered all the facts. Additionally, I have had the good fortune to develop friendships and sincere admiration for people who are politically miles away from me. Because I value these relationships, I try my best to focus on subjects on which we agree, steering away from the parts of their lives that I will never understand. Thoughtful debates are healthy. Arguments? Not so much.
Notwithstanding the above, I am an avid consumer of news and political commentary. I eagerly read and listen to a variety of news sources from varied perspectives as I believe it gives me a good understanding of what is actually happening. Intelligent commentators are no less intelligent simply because their points of view differ from my own.
Despite my stated misgivings, today I step gingerly into the world of political commentary. I woke up early Saturday morning to the news that the United States had carried out a military operation in Venezuela ending with the capture of that nation’s controversial president. I listened with concern to learn what I could about this event before departing for the airport for a trip to Athens, a place often referred to as the birthplace of democracy. I promised that I was not going to spend my vacation fixating on the politics at home, but, to be honest, the streets of Athens are virtually covered with living reminders of the history of participatory governance, so it is difficult to think of anything else.
From the moment we arrived in Greece, we were struck by the pride of the people we met. Our taxi driver, upon learning that this was our first visit, proudly pointed out all the noteworthy vestiges of early civilization. This continued throughout our time in Athens. The Greeks, while certainly aware of the less savory periods in their past, honor the role their ancestors played in the introduction of modern ideas and their sophistication in creating civil societies. Their ancient landmarks are revered and protected, and the history seems to be known to all.
I could not help but compare this to the challenges confronting modern America, a society that disagrees on which parts of our history actually occurred, what should be taught, and argues if anything is worthy of our collective pride. I am neither scholar nor historian, but I wonder why the Greeks can preserve and celebrate thousands of years of history, despite their challenges, while some Americans now ponder if we will make it past 250.
As I visit the landmarks of ancient democracy, I feel strongly that it is long past time for us to get back to the principals we were all taught years ago – the idea that it is through political discourse and honest debate that we build consensus and lay a hopeful path forward based on the will of the majority and the collective responsibility to care for our most vulnerable. The history of Greece has examples of societies that villainized those with whom they disagreed and rigidly asserted that their ways were the only ways. The evidence, throughout Athens, demonstrates that those societies didn’t ultimately fare very well. We can and must do better.
Stuart Adelberg has had a long history of active involvement and leadership in the nonprofit arts and human services communities throughout the region. He appreciates the opportunity, provided by Greenwich Sentinel, to share his occasional thoughts and observations.
