by Dr. Lisa Dunne
November 5th is commemorated in history for two key deliverances. The first, November 5, 1605, was the discovery of a plot to destroy the Houses of Parliament. The English celebrate “bonfire night” with a little “nursery rhyme” that my British husband taught me almost 40 years ago:
“Remember, remember, the 5th of November
Gunpowder, treason, and plot
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.”
The second historical event is the anniversary of the landing of King William the third in Torbay. As Charles Spurgeon notes, on this day, November 5, 1688, “The hope of Popish ascendancy was quashed, and religious liberty was secured.”
Will November 5, 2024 be a third key day in history, a day commemorating the freedom of the American people? That depends. Our central governing structure in America is not parliamentary or papist or even pastoral. It is we the people. Our national engine is driven by the consent of the governed.
In his book Return of the Gods, Rabbi Jonathan Cahn describes three dark anniversaries in American history, June 26 2003, 2013, and 2015, each representing a moment where a significant law was passed undermining the sanctity of marriage and family.
We live in a culture where people are socioculturally conditioned to spectate instead of participate, to scroll from the sidelines rather than engage on the field. Few landscapes in society display this spectatorship tendency more overtly than an election.
In 2020, the US actually had the highest level of voter turnout in a presidential election since 1900, which sounds impressive. But when we dig a little deeper into those numbers with Pew Research, we see that glaring sideline status: Of the 240 million people who were eligible to vote, about 66% did, which sounds great. However, that also means that 81 million eligible voters did NOT vote in the last presidential election. Yes, you read that right: 81 million people dropped their ballots in the trash and surrendered their right—their responsibility—to vote.
If you’ve been scrolling on the sidelines and haven’t yet spoken up, consider this your formal invitation/correction/call to action. Your vote is your voice. It’s time to stop spectating and start participating. Our nation was founded on the concept of participation, of engagement, of sacrifice. We the people.
In 41 states, key measures on the 2024 ballot will decide how humanity responds to five significant arenas: abortion, criminal justice, healthcare, education, and, in California, the definition of marriage.
As the saying goes, what walks in fathers runs in sons. What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace. Isn't it time we left a legacy of truth, purpose, and honor for the next generation? Isn't it time we stopped the intergenerational transmission of ignorance and apathy?
How we answer these propositions today will determine the outcome of families tomorrow.
How will November 5, 2024 be recorded in the annals of history? Will liberty be secured today as it was in 1605, in 1688? Or will liberty be undermined as it was in 2003, 2013, 2015? The question that will mark the making or breaking of history today in 2024 is a question of action versus inaction, spectatorship versus participation. Will America shake off her slumber, rise up, and vote?
Comentários