HIAS Pennsylvania’s Post

As we gather to celebrate the 4th of July, a day synonymous with freedom and independence, it's essential to acknowledge the complex emotions many of us may be experiencing. Recent events, including the Supreme Court ruling granting former President Trump immunity for the actions of January 6, 2021, have undoubtedly cast a shadow over our national conscience. While this ruling may seem to challenge the very principles we celebrate today, it also serves as a poignant reminder of the work that remains in safeguarding our democracy. Independence Day is not just a time for barbecues and fireworks; it's a moment to reflect on our nation's journey and the values we hold dear. I encourage you to spend this day with friends and family, cherishing the moments that bring us together. Simultaneously, let’s take this opportunity to educate ourselves on policy, government, civics, and law. Understanding these areas is crucial as we navigate an era where our freedoms may feel increasingly precarious. This Independence Day, let’s commit to not only celebrating our liberty but also to actively participating in the democratic process, ensuring that the principles of justice, equality, and freedom remain the cornerstone of our nation. Enjoy the day, reflect deeply, and look towards a future where our collective actions can bring about the change we wish to see. Happy Independence Day.

🌐✨ Uniting for a Stronger Republic: Embracing Diversity and Dialogue ✊🤝Greetings fellow advocates of democracy! 🗽Let's explore the incredible opportunity we have to come together, transcending party lines, for the greater good of our nation. 🌈💙 🌟 A Call for Unity: The need to address authoritarian threats is clear and urgent. The good news? We have the platforms and conditions to create a diverse, cross-partisan coalition dedicated to advancing liberty, justice, and opportunity for all. 🌍🌐 🤲 Celebrating Diversity: Our strength lies in embracing the remarkable diversity of the American people. Whether in race, gender, religion, geography, education, economic status, or orientation, we commit to inclusivity as a source of strength. 🌈🤝 🤝 Cross-Partisan Harmony: This coalition is not about forming a new party. Instead, it's a commitment to respect and value the full spectrum of political perspectives — center-right conservatism, center-left liberalism, and bipartisan approaches. It's time to foster open-minded dialogue and collaboration. 🤗💬 📜 Core Principles: Rooted in the foundations of our constitutional republic, we stand firm on core principles like election integrity, protection of minority rights, the rule of law, and the ideals of liberty, justice, and opportunity for all. 🗳️⚖️ 💪 Movement Strength: Despite differing partisan preferences, we unite under the banner of respectful consideration, discussion, and discovery. Together, we can find common causes and shared destinies. 🌐🤲 🌈 A Bright Future Awaits: Let's embark on this journey, recognizing that our nation thrives when diverse voices are heard and respected. Join us in building a more united and resilient republic! 🌟🇺🇸 #UnityForLiberty #CrossPartisanUnity #UnitedWeStand 🌐✊

Degrading a United States of America, a former POTUS argues "presidential immunity" from criminal prosecution even in a scenario of ordering Seal Team Six to assassinate a political opponent (unless first impeached and convicted by the US Senate). 🤢 It made me feel sick to my stomach. It is symptomatic of a sickness we've long endured within the American experiment with democracy. 🎯 "Democracy has not so much failed us as we have yet to try it." In 2024, as we steel ourselves, traumatized, with business as usual, our long endured racialized sickness may finally extinguish any hope for healing that could, at last, realize the promise of democracy: justice then liberty then peace then prosperity - but only in that sustainable order. 🙏🏼 If/when we recover, and a United States of America emerges where race no longer predicts outcomes, then, we will truly know that the American experiment with democracy succeeded. We will never get there unless we work the steps necessary to make that happen. #12swa #highereducation #inclusion #recovery #democracy Cognella NAL Speaker's Bureau Three-Fifths Magazine

Wishing everyone a Happy Independence Day and this message from Dr. Kennedy, President of ACIR. Best, Kevin Once again, the 4th of July is upon us. The gathering of family, a cookout, a fun day, ending with fireworks in the evening. However, I wonder how many reflect on the true meaning of the day. Yes, it is the day in 1776 that Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence. But it is much more. It set the path to the founding of our great democratic republic, an experiment in self-government, on a scale not matched in history. Acknowledging the tyranny of the King and fearing its repeat in their new government, the Declaration of Independence was soon followed by a Constitution that, underwritten by the rule of law and checked by the vote of the people, was not only to protect the rights set forth in the Declaration, but also expressly designed to limit the powers of the president. To further limit the rise of tyranny from any one governing body, the Founding Fathers created three separate branches of government – legislative, executive, and judicial, to serve as a check on each other. Today, too often, we take this detail of our democracy for granted. We have allowed the deterioration of these basic tenants to be commonplace and unnoticed. We have forgotten the great sacrifices made to establish and strengthen our democracy, the battles fought to maintain it, and the struggles to advance the ideals set out by the Declaration and Constitution. We have become complacent. If our democracy is to endure, it must be constantly nourished. It is not the price of butter that has made our nation great. It is not the price of a gallon of gas or a head of lettuce. It is our democracy. It is our ideals as a nation, however slow and imperfect the realization of those ideals has been. It is the opportunity, the creativity, the dynamic environment afforded by our democratic government, and the rule of law that cause people to flock to our shores that make this country the envy of people around the globe. Protect it or lose it. Bob Kennedy President Atlanta Council on International Relations

Dit, en ook: "When [we] think of freedom, we usually imagine a contest between a lone individual and a powerful government. We tend to conclude that the individual should be empowered and the government kept at bay. This is all well and good. But one element of freedom is the choice of associates, and one defense of freedom is the activity of groups to sustain their members. This is why we should engage in activities that are of interest to us, our friends, our families. These need not be expressly political: Václav Havel, the Czech dissident thinker, gave the example of brewing good beer. Insofar as we take pride in these activities, and come to know others who do so as well, we are creating civil society. Sharing in an undertaking teaches us that we can trust people beyond a narrow circle of friends and families, and helps us to recognize authorities from whom we can learn. The capacity for trust and learning can make life seem less chaotic and mysterious, and democratic politics more plausible and attractive." (Uit "On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century" van Timothy Snyder) --> Whatever the problem, community is the answer <--

### Executive Summary :Part 1 **Title: "Evolving Democracy: The Role of Selected Groups and Grammatical Nuances in Shaping Justice"** **Introduction:** This summary delves into the dynamic nature of democracy, as influenced by selected groups of individuals who possess the power to alter and adjust democratic principles over time. It emphasizes how these changes are intricately linked with grammatical connotations, particularly through the use of prepositions such as "of," "by," "to," "for," "in," "on," and "from." These linguistic elements play a crucial role in defining the relationships between the majority and minority factions within the frameworks of democracy and justice systems. **The Role of Selected Groups in Democracy:** Selected groups within a democracy, often comprising individuals with significant influence or authority, have the capacity to reshape democratic values and practices. Their decisions can lead to adjustments in how democracy is conceptualized and implemented, directly impacting the balance between majority rule and minority rights. This evolving nature of democracy underscores the importance of constant vigilance and engagement from all segments of society to ensure that changes serve the broader interests of justice and equity. To be Continued

Abraham Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech of June 16, 1858, details a long-standing plan to destroy American democracy. Lincoln outlined the steps that the United States had taken away from freedom toward tyranny. [Thursday], by a vote of 6–3, the Supreme Court overturned the lower court’s decision and signed off on the new South Carolina congressional map that dilutes Black votes. It approved the map because, it said, the gerrymander was politically, rather than racially, motivated. And, it said, “as far as the Federal Constitution is concerned, a legislature may pursue partisan ends when it engages in redistricting.” But in 2024, those of us eager to protect the idea of human equality outlined in the Declaration of Independence have an advantage that Lincoln’s generation did not. The [Biden] administration has used the power of the federal government to begin to unwind the trickle-down economy that between 1981 and 2021 transferred $50 trillion from the bottom 90% of the U.S. to the top 1%, hollowing out the middle class. The result has been solid economic growth of 5.7% in 2021, 1.9% in 2022, and 2.5% in 2023. But [President Biden] might be stymied by a news system that has many Americans not just unaware of the good economic news, but believing the opposite. Now the details in today's HCR Letter. https://lnkd.in/eWnRew5q

Let's all remember this Memorial Day - we are in this together for the good of all people, and this is the freedom those we remember fought so hard and so often to preserve. When the United States was created, the founders envisioned a novel model of government - a series of independent states united by a set of core values, laws, and norms. They even enshrined it in the name - "The United States of America". This unique idea (for its time) enshrined the fundamental dichotomy we still face today - the autonomy of a state to make its laws and governing principles vs the value of a federal government that creates an equitable approach across all states to protect an open and fair society with a larger impact in the world. In many ways, this is the same model businesses today use to drive value in their marketplace - leverage the value of smaller business units to drive larger market share through a united set of values and goals. Along the way, the larger corporate entity must create standards and practices that organize and support the smaller units fairly and equitably. Good practices allow the smaller units to operate efficiently and move nimbly through the market while providing resources and accountability mechanisms they might not apply on their own. Government and business share many of the same goals and objectives. What should remain the top priority for both is a fair and balanced system that creates opportunities for all. #goodbusiness #fairnessforall #equity #governance #memorialday

The significance of the Declaration of Independence cannot be overstated. It marked the establishment of a new nation based on revolutionary principles that shaped the course of history. For the first time, a nation was founded upon fundamental ideals such as the rule of law, unalienable rights, limited government, the Social Compact, equality, and the right to alter or abolish oppressive government. Contrary to misconceptions, the American Revolution was not waged for trivial reasons like lower taxes or the preservation of slavery. The catalysts for revolution were rooted in the pursuit of justice and liberty. The Declaration of Independence boldly declared the foundational beliefs of the Founding Fathers, proclaiming the self-evident truths that all men are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights by their Creator. The six founding First Principles articulated in the Declaration were revolutionary in their time and remain so today: The Rule of Law: The Declaration affirmed the principle that both government and citizens are bound by the law, rejecting the notion that rulers are exempt from legal constraints. Equality: Despite falling short of this ideal in practice, the Founding Fathers were the first to espouse the principle of equality, challenging the historical reality of entrenched privilege and inequality. Unalienable Rights: The Declaration introduced the concept of rights inherent to every individual, not granted by government but derived from a higher authority and thus beyond government infringement. Social Compact: It proposed that government exists by the consent of the governed to safeguard their rights, marking a departure from authoritarian rule and coercion. Limited Government: The Declaration advocated for restricting governmental powers to the protection of citizens' rights, preventing overreach and tyranny. Reform and Revolution: Asserting the right to reform or overthrow unjust governments, the Declaration underscored the revolutionary spirit of the American people and their commitment to liberty. The enduring influence of the Declaration of Independence cannot be overstated. While humanity has often fallen short of its ideals, the document has served as a beacon of hope and progress, inspiring transformative changes across time and nations. Without the principles enshrined in the Declaration, the world would likely still be mired in the darkness of oppression that plagued earlier eras. #USA, #americanrevolution, #liberty, #4thofjuly, #independence

In Orlando, V. Issa White, a dedicated community leader, has stepped into the political arena, challenging incumbent Congressman Maxwell Frost. White, an advocate for the marginalized, criticized Frost for prioritizing entertainment over substantive change and expressed dissatisfaction with the Democratic leadership, including President Joe Biden. White highlighted Congressman Maxwell Frost’s missing advocacy for student protests and the urgent need for leadership that addresses domestic poverty and rising living costs, while questioning U.S. foreign policy and immigration. Agree or disagree with our opinion? Please share your comments with us to continue the conversation or DM us on our socials. Stay informed with our newsletter, “The Informer”: https://lnkd.in/e_9F2s5s We appreciate it if you "Like" and comment to continue the conversation. Join our #community by subscribing to our YOUTUBE channel: @J-Washington, and hit that notification button! #Florida #flapol #vote #politicalinnovation #politics #campaigns #strategy #canvassing #campaignmanagement #trends #Election2024 #TimeToWin #OrlandoPolitics #IssaWhite #MaxwellFrost #DemocraticPrimary #PoliticalChange #CommunityFirst @MaxwellFrostFL @IssaWhite @JoeBiden @NAACP @OrlandoSentinel DISCLAIMER The views and opinions expressed in the J & Washington Network belong solely to the content creators and do not represent the views or opinions of J & Washington clientele or its business partnerships.