Rickey L. Cole: What Democrats stand for
I would respectfully submit that political parties have important roles to play in American society. Our partisan identity says a great deal about us as individuals, and now perhaps more than ever in living memory our partisan loyalty says a great deal about our world view. I think partisanship is an indicator of our disposition toward humanity and of our hopes and fears for the future. In a cultural climate with so many failures in communication, our partisan identities communicate for us, and the decision to affiliate with a political party has an impact upon the world around us.
I cannot speak for the Republicans among us, except to say that I believe that by and large they want what is best for our country according to their views. I will not assign nefarious motives to such a large group of my fellow Americans, even if some of them show no similar restraint toward Democrats. I figure Republicans are mostly good people who just happen to be wrong most of the time….
…And finally, Democrats are at our best when we extol the great and historic American “can-do” spirit of optimism. Whether it was Franklin Roosevelt challenging fear at the height of the Great Depression and the Second World War, John Kennedy reaching for the moon, or Barack Obama daring to make healthcare universal, Democrats are at our best when we look around us to all our fellow Americans with Hope in our hearts and regardless of the challenge before us say: “Yes, We Can.”
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Mississippi. We’ll see you next year on the campaign trail.
Rickey L. Cole, Chairman, Mississippi Democratic Party
The Mississippi Link
12/18/14
