lucky time ‘Tune Back In. Our Democracy Depends on It.’

To the Editor:lucky time

Among national universities, Princeton was ranked No. 1 again, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard. Stanford, which tied for third last year, fell to No. 4. U.S. News again judged Williams College the best among national liberal arts colleges. Spelman College was declared the country’s top historically Black institution.

Calls for school crackdowns have mounted with reports of cyberbullying among adolescents and studies indicating that smartphones, which offer round-the-clock distraction and social media access, have hindered academic instruction and the mental health of children.

While watching “Saving Private Ryan” one night recently, I had a profound realization. In the final scene at the Normandy gravesite, the soldiers’ bravery resonated with me like never before.

They faced unimaginable fear but never said, “I can’t do this” or “I’m too scared.” They understood the cost of inaction, the sacrifice needed to protect something greater than themselves.

In the same way, our democracy is under threat — not from foreign invaders, but from our own disengagement. After the presidential election, millions, like me, tuned out. We stopped listening, reading and engaging. When we disconnect from the conversations that shape our society, we allow democracy to wither.

It’s time to change that. We need to re-engage with the same passion we had before the election. Just as those soldiers didn’t back down, we must stay informed and involved. Let’s grab the remote again, read the articles we neglected and support journalism that protects democracy.

The soldiers gave their lives for our freedoms. The least we can do is stay informed and committed. Let’s tune back in. Our democracy depends on it.

Mitch GoldstoneIrvine, Calif.

To the Editor:

Re “Lance Morrow, Esteemed Essayist for Time Magazine, Is Dead at 85” (obituary, Dec. 8):

In unsettling, yet hauntingly beautiful prose, written hours after 9/11, Mr. Morrow counseled against grief counselors, there “merely to make everyone feel better as quickly as possible. We shouldn’t feel better.”

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.lucky time