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I am completely "sold" on American democracy in particular and democracy in general, so long as the latter includes the right to vote, to have elected representation, and to speak of one's political views and religious beliefs.

I am thinking seriously about writing a little book for publication before November's presidential election in the United States. I will try to come up to the challenge.

 

The concept's working title is: America's Fading Freedom? The subtitle is: Roots, Identity, and Democracy (or its Absence) in the World at Large.

 

Who am I to consider such a project? I ask this question even as I know others will ask it of me.

 

The only answer I have is that any American with the interest and will could do this. Anyone of any nationality interested in freedom could contribute much to it. I hope that many people will send me their ideas and share what they know, think, and experience. 

 

This desire arises due to a new awareness of how much Americans, including myself, tend to drift into assumptions that the U. S. will remain a vital influence for freedom in the world. I now consider, after some reading, that I have not appreciated what makes the U. S. not only strong but also very appealing to people of other countries.

 

The main recent influences on my thinking have come in quick succession:

 

---In recent weeks the book, "Roots," by Alex Hailey has been on my mind. In conjunction with that book, Thomas Friedman's book, "The Lexus and the Olive Tree," has returned to my attention.

 

---About the same time as the first two, above, I heard Natan Sharansky on C-Span. The former Soviet dissident received the U. S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006. One of Mr. Sharansky's major themes is "identity."

 

---Then, yesterday I read a May 2008 Newsweek feature adaptation from Fareed Zakaria's new book, "The Post-American World." The Newsweek title of the excerpt is "The Rise of the Rest."

 

In my mind, these four writings have much to lend to American voters' awareness and decisions for the upcoming presidential election in November 2008.

 

For now, I intend to focus research and commentary ideas on the following: 

 

• Roots - by Alex Hailey - and will briefly mention the context of the authenticity debate about the book.

• The Lexus and the Olive Tree - by Thomas Friedman

• Defending Identity - by Natan Sharansky

• "The Rise of the Rest" - Newsweek article by Fareed Zakaria, from his book, "The Post-American World."

 

I am interested to learn and share views about what Alex Hailey, an African-American writer and descendant of slaves, and an American economist, plus a former Soviet dissident who later became an Israeli official, and, finally, a writer of Fareed Zakaria's cultural and national backgrounds---which I have yet to learn more about---may offer to a consideration of important matters facing the U. S. now.

My goal will be to increase interest in the early days of American formation and how that foundation has withstood, up to now, every change of subsequent history and every non-democratic threat.

Update: I must add the John Adams biography by David McCullough. The panoramic view of not only Adams but Ben Franklin and others reminded me of what we owe to the early Americans.