Our democracy is designed to speak truth to power.

The words of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—“Our democracy is designed to speak truth to power.”—resound like the cry of a herald calling the people to remember their inheritance. In this declaration, she reminds us that democracy is not merely a system of laws or a structure of government, but a living covenant between the governed and those who govern. Its heart beats not with silence or submission, but with courage: the courage of the people to hold rulers accountable, to confront authority with honesty, and to wield their collective voice as a shield against tyranny.

The origin of this principle lies deep in the soil of democratic thought. From the ancient Athenians who first gathered in the assembly, to the American founders who declared independence from kings, the purpose of democracy was always this: to prevent power from becoming absolute, to prevent rulers from silencing the many. For power, unchecked, grows arrogant and blind. But when the people rise, when they speak truth to power, they recall rulers to humility and justice. Thus democracy is not simply governance—it is resistance to corruption, a constant struggle to keep truth alive amidst the temptations of authority.

The ancients gave us vivid examples. In Athens, Pericles himself declared that the greatness of the city was not in wealth or empire, but in its citizens’ right to challenge leaders openly. In Rome, tribunes of the plebs stood before consuls and emperors alike, daring to confront injustice with the voice of the people. And in every age since, whenever democracy has flickered to life, its flame has been kindled by the same spirit: ordinary men and women refusing to be silent, insisting that truth must be heard by power.

History bears witness to this sacred struggle. In the United States, the Civil Rights Movement embodied this very principle. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and countless unnamed souls spoke truth to power when they declared that segregation was unjust, that dignity could not be denied. They confronted governors, police, and even presidents with the moral reality of equality. Their courage did not topple power in a day, but it bent the arc of history toward justice. Democracy fulfilled its design in their voices.

But Ocasio-Cortez’s words also remind us that democracy is fragile. It is not self-sustaining; it requires vigilance. If the people grow weary, if they grow fearful of speaking, then truth falters, and power hardens into tyranny. The design exists, but it must be used. A democracy unused is no democracy at all—it becomes a shell, a mask that hides silence and submission. To live within such a system, citizens must not only have rights on paper but the will to exercise them with courage.

The lesson, therefore, is clear: never surrender your voice. Do not imagine that truth is the property of the powerful. Truth belongs to the people, and it gains strength only when spoken aloud. Confront injustice when you see it, whether in the halls of government, the workplace, or the home. In your daily life, refuse to be cowed by fear of authority when integrity demands speech. For democracy is not sustained by rulers, but by citizens who speak truth to power without trembling.

Therefore, take these actions: educate yourself so that your voice is informed. Stand with others, for truth spoken in unity resounds more deeply than truth spoken alone. Defend those whose voices are silenced, lending your courage to theirs. And above all, remember the design of democracy: it is not a gift to be admired but a duty to be lived. For as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has declared, our democracy is designed to speak truth to power—and when we forget this, we lose not only our freedom, but the very soul of our nation.