Image by Alex Radelich.

In early April, I attended the Hands Off! Rally in Washington, DC. Living near the nation’s capital, I’ve always tried to engage in protests and events to support causes I believe in, often as a family with my wife and children. I fondly remember attending Barack Obama’s first inauguration, watching it on jumbotrons with thousands of others.

In January, I turned 65 and have been thinking about what my next chapter will look like. And I’ve reached the conclusion that defending democracy must be the focus.

I want to thank three people for helping me reach that decision. The first is my high school social studies teacher, Mrs. Jean Algier. She passed away a few years ago but for many years taught at Parkville High School in Maryland, where I graduated. She was a caring diminutive person but had a commanding presence in the classroom. She believed in the democratic foundations of this country and instilled in students an appreciation for our system of government, a belief in our ability to make positive change, and a desire to engage with those of different cultures and backgrounds. She encouraged me to run for student government president to which I was elected. If more students had........

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