Rather: It's Up To Us To Form A More Perfect Union

 President's Day was yesterday, but I liked what Dan Rather had to say on his Facebook page about it. He tells us that none of our presidents have been perfect, and it's up to all of us (the voters) to forge a more perfect union. He's right.

Here is what Rather had to say:

On this Presidents' Day weekend, thoughts naturally turn to Presidents Washington and Lincoln. Both men are rightly revered for their character and leadership in times of crisis. Each, through determination, inspiration, and at great personal sacrifice, dedicated themselves in service to their nation. They helped forge paths of greater justice. Yet we also know both men were deeply flawed, captives of their times and the limited imagination born from the inherent bigotries that also have been a hallmark of the United States. 

We see these bigotries, and their legacies, particularly around race, shape our national discourse today. The presidency of Donald Trump and the election campaign have heightened the fissures that have always been there. We have made progress, but not nearly enough, something people of color have known all along. 

As we reflect on our history, we must confront that even our biggest heroes have been far from perfect. Positive leadership is about nudging, willing, and convincing others towards a safer, healthier, more equitable and more empathetic future. It is about interactions, community building, and energy between the populace and those whom they elect into office. The choices for 2020 are far from determined. Everyone should seek out the candidate they like best. We should ask hard questions and demand satisfactory answers. We should judge their record and their vision. Yet, in the end, it will be up to us to vote. Whomever is elected will not be bigger than the nation she or he leads. Washington wasn't. Lincoln wasn't. And both men understood that. It is why they were so effective and why we continue to bestow on them the cloak of greatness. 

Presidents' Day should be as much about celebrating the system that allows good leaders to rise. That system is under threat and the leaders of the future depend on how we, the American public in this perilous moment, decide to act, with our votes, our energy, and not only our belief, but our determination, to forge a more perfect union.