THE AMERICAN PROMISE
[Congressional Record, Page: E1857]
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HON. SAM GEJDENSON
in the House of Representatives
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1995
- Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, what is the American promise? It is as diverse as Americans themselves. Each of us defines it in our own way, based on our own experiences. Some call it freedom; some call it individual rights; some believe it's passing on a legacy to their community.
- The upcoming PBS special, the American Promise, seeks to remind us of these commitments, to help us remember what made America great, to give our children a better understanding of American democracy in action. During the 3-hour program, stories of community spirit and involvement come to life, through real life stories currently being played out and through reenactments of significant events in American history.
- One of these recreations describes how a French aristocrat, Alexis de Tocqueville , first viewed our infant democracy in 1831. De Tocqueville was one of the first Europeans to recognize how different America was from other democratic republics. The series' producers went to Mystic, CT, in my district, to recreate the scene of de Tocqueville marvelling at the busy seaport. Noting the clipper ships in port and the energy and enterprise of their crews, de Tocqueville determined that in a free country, all is activity and bustle, and that such energy in the conduct of commerce typifies our democracy.
- America's rush to prosper financially was reflected in other areas of life as well; in the whirlwind of American grassroots politics and the restless activity and energy of civil society. Americans were constantly involved in all facets of public life. According to de Tocqueville , Americans deprived of such involvement and reduced to occupying themselves only with their own affairs would become incredibly unhappy. He believed that no country could work harder to be fulfilled.
- This attitude, de Tocqueville claimed, was a direct result of the nature of American freedom. Freedom's achievement must be to forge common bonds, a common purpose. We must learn what de Tocqueville called the habits of the democratic heart, the balance between individual concerns and collective thought and action.
- The American Promise, which airs October 1, 2, and 3, shows us that the nature of American freedom has not changed very much over the years. We may have to look harder for it because stories of carving a carousel as a community project and channeling graffiti artists into painting murals that celebrate the community do not often make front page news. The promise is still alive but must be nurtured in each individual and in every community.
- I applaud PBS and the series underwriters, the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, for bringing the American Promise to television. This partnership reflects de Tocqueville 's theory of public spirit in America, where individuals are as interested in the public good as well as their own, and where each person takes an active part in the government of society.