David J. Kramer, the executive director of the George W. Bush Institute, organized a joint statement from 13 presidential libraries expressing concern about the state of democracy in the United States.
This is the first time that the libraries have rallied together to make a public declaration on the nation’s state of affairs, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The document acknowledges that while the U.S. is a country of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints, citizens are all bound together by the principles listed in the Declaration of Independence regarding the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
“We are a country rooted in the rule of law, where the protection of the rights of all people is paramount,” the statement reads.
The letter states how crucial it is for elected officials to lead with the nation’s democratic ideals in mind, but it does not call out any individuals.
Former presidents Bill Clinton, left, and George W. Bush, right, stand on stage acknowledging applause from an audience after a discussion at the Presidential Leadership Scholarship graduation ceremony Thursday, July 13, 2017, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
President George W. Bush (R) and former President Jimmy Carter (L) at the White House on November 18, 2002, in Washington, DC. (Robert Trippett/Getty Images)
President Barack Obama watches first lady Michelle Obama embracing former president George Bush, accompanied by his wife, former first lady Laura Bush, on September 24, 2016, in Washington, DC, (Astrid Riecken/Getty Images)
“This, in turn, will help to restore trust in public service,” the statement continues. “The rest of us must engage in civil dialogue; respect democratic institutions and rights; uphold safe, secure, and accessible elections; and contribute to local, state, or national improvement.”
The thirteen libraries, dating back to Herbert Hoover’s presidency, call upon the United States to support “civility and respect in public discourse” whether it is an election year or not.
In addition, the letter states it is in the nation’s best interest to support democracies overseas, for it contributes to the United States’ own prosperity at home.
“But that interest is undermined when others see our own house in disarray,” the statement reads. “The world will not wait for us to address our problems, so we must both continue to strive toward a more perfect union and help those abroad looking for U.S. leadership.”
The statement is signed by the Obama Foundation, the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Clinton Foundation, the George & Barbara Bush Foundation, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, the Carter Center, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, the Richard Nixon Foundation, the LBJ Foundation, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, the Truman Library Institute, the Roosevelt Institute, and the Hoover Presidential Foundation.