In recent months news reports of events in Israel/Palestine, Xinjian, Cashmere and Afghanistan have caught our attention. Because we care about people and hold justice and human rights as values, we are drawn to speak and act.

Good.

Actually, not just good, but AWESOME! A representative democracy like ours needs all of us to actively participate in the policy debates of the United States. We need rigorous debates among us about the impact of our policies and how we can help create a more peaceful and just world.

Democracies die when citizens abdicate their civic responsibilities – inc...