Of course you want your holiday gifts to not just draw some “ooohs” and “wows,” but you’re looking for the perfect gift that really does keep on giving.
Nothing says “I really care” like giving the gift of democracy.
We know how much you care about the health of U.S. democracy, and how worried so many people near and far worry about it.
As you might have read this week in the Sentinel, a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 62% of adults say democracy in the U.S. could be at risk.”
Experts from all political ranks, going back to the Founding Fathers, agree three critical things protect democracy: accountability, transparency and a vibrant and free press.
Last week, reporter Kristin Oh at the Sentinel shone a light on school board members from across the state holding what should have been local public school board meetings in Colorado Springs. They met on local matters during an annual statewide convention as a matter of convenience — for them, not the public.
Just days earlier, the Colorado Court of Appeals decided unanimously that the Sentinel was correct in accusing the Aurora City Council of making an important decision on whether to censure a city council member, illegally in a closed meeting.
And the Sentinel cover story last week shines light on a city controversy about whether privatizing Aurora’s public defender unit is an effort to save tax dollars. Critics say it’s a disingenuous effort to undermine the Constitutional rights of poor people of color accused of crimes by a police department under state scrutiny for mistreating poor people of color.
Also last week, the city was host to a visit by El Salvador Vice President Félix Ulloa. Aurora is home to a large Salvadoran community, which the Sentinel has written about during the past few years. Ulloa wanted to talk about that nation’s unique efforts to adopt bitcoin as an economic solution to the violence torn nation. The Sentinel however, and other local news media, including the local Spanish language newspaper El Comercio, wanted Ulloa to answer questions about more pressing issues. El Salvador suspended its constitution in a state of emergency because of astonishing gang violence and murders. Ulloa repeated national claims that more than 500 days have now passed since that nation has had a single homicide. Just two years ago, El Salvador was given the dubious moniker as the murder capital of the world.
Ulloa refused to answer reporter questions about proof of his murderless nation’s claims, about tens of thousands of people sent to a massive gangster prison without due process and how leaders will ensure democracy there continues without a working constitution.
The Sentinel and El Comercio wrote about Salvadoran problems anyway.
This nation’s defenders and Founding Fathers knew that democracy is stronger — and only possible — under the scrutiny of a free and strong press.
You can’t find that on Amazon or the department store.
But you can have it delivered faithfully every day on-line, in your E-mail box — and if you like, at home in your mailbox.
Give the gift that you can see every day just how much gives back to you, by giving as little as $5 today or $5 per month, or more.
We can do our part to strengthen democracy. You can do your part with a gift to the Sentinel that treats yourself, or someone else.
It’s fast, easy and secure. Just click here or send your contribution check to Sentinel Colorado, 2600 South Parker Road Suite 4-141 Aurora, CO 80014.
Then, have yourself a very merry democracy. We all will.
Follow @EditorDavePerry on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon, Twitter and Facebook or reach him at 303-750-7555 or dperry@SentinelColorado.com
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