This opinion piece, limited to one double-spaced page, is in response to the prompt, "What two qualities are required of a democratic citizen and why?"

One of the most important abilities for a participant in a democratic society is what
Darrin Hicks describes as a “habit of freedom”, that is, “to know how to reconcile our personal
convictions with the political demands of others.” We hear it elsewhere in the communication
studies conversation as remaining in the tension between holding your ground while staying
open to others. I agree with the “mental hygiene” scholars in Hicks’ essay only to the point of
agreeing that this characteristic can be developed and should be normalized as the way to
approach public discourse. A thriving democracy requires that a citizen look beyond personal
perspective to see how public policies could affect those with different needs and concerns from
her own. Simultaneously, this citizen must stay moored by her personal convictions so that her
own needs and concerns are counted along with the rest of the community. Put another way,
democracy requires this person to be the kind of citizen she depends on others to be.

Another attitude crucial to healthy public discourse, demonstrated by the Long Beach debate
team in “Resolved”, is the conviction that democracy is an ongoing process that is worth the
trouble. Although such debate was intended to develop the democratic citizen, the model fails
when it results in Winner A and Loser B. This may reflect the ballot process, but in everyday
city halls and community meetings, policies are crafted based on broad interests and
compromise. Decisions, and appeals to decisions, are ideally considered for their practicality
and focus on public interest. The process doesn’t stop, should not stop, with political “victory”.
Also, democracy will not thrive unless anchored by a sense of ideology that transcends win or
loss. Citizens must believe the process stands for something greater than the exercise itself, as
the Long Beach debaters clearly believed. The U.S. Congress makes my point for me this
evening, as we see nihilism and cynicism effectively repressing our democracy.