Democracies like the U.S. should do more to stand up for freedom - The Dallas Morning News

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Democracy and freedom have been under attack around the globe for more than a dozen years from an authoritarian upsurge that includes Russia’s unprovoked invasion of a democratic Ukraine, China’s saber-rattling toward the island democracy of Taiwan, and Iran’s support for terrorism.

Almost two-fifths of people around the world live in countries classified as “not free” by Freedom House’s annual Freedom in the World report, the highest level since 1997. But courageous activists and citizens living under and/or facing assault from repressive regimes are pushing back, defending their freedom and demanding that their human rights be respected.

The United States and other democracies must do more to support them. The United States has a strong stake in supporting those striving to live in freedom. We want to see those yearning to break free from repression possess the same universal rights that those of us living in democratic societies enjoy. Indeed, the advance of democracy and freedom around the world serves American national interests.

Democracies make better and more reliable trade and security partners; they are our true allies in times of need. We do not go to war with fellow democracies, nor do democracies pose the kinds of challenges and threats to us that authoritarian regimes do. We don’t always agree with fellow democracies — in fact, disagreement without recriminations is a key part of the democratic way of life — but those differences never risk spinning out of control into direct confrontation as they do when autocracies are involved.

The way governments treat their own people is often indicative of how they will behave beyond their borders.

When the regime of Vladimir Putin in Russia doesn’t respect the rights of its own people and engages in an ugly crackdown against critics and others inside Russia, we should not be surprised when it invades neighboring Ukraine or supports the brutal regimes of Bashar Assad in Syria or Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua.

As China’s Xi Jinping maintains control and cracks down on Uyghurs and those living in Hong Kong, we shouldn’t be shocked by growing threats from Beijing toward Taiwan.

And when the Iranian regime uses brutal tactics against peaceful protesters inside the country, its role as a leading state sponsor of terror shouldn’t be surprising.

Brave activists seeking a more democratic future for their countries and respect for human rights are deserving of our support. A handful of them will be coming to Dallas this week to speak at “The Struggle for Freedom” conference organized by the Bush Institute in collaboration with two of the leading democracy and human rights organizations in the world, Freedom House and the National Endowment for Democracy. Several other activists will be featured in video testimonials.

Our conference will feature a conversation between President George W. Bush and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose country literally is on the front line of freedom. We will also hear from President Tsai Ing-Wen of Taiwan, which is a shining beacon of hope in Asia. We stand with the brave people in both Ukraine and Taiwan, and those striving for freedom everywhere else in the world.

These courageous individuals, and millions of others like them, have risked their freedom and even their lives in advocating for free and fair elections, an independent judiciary, free speech, a free press and vibrant civil society.

Some of these democracy activists have had to flee their homelands and have found refuge here in the United States. All of them hope to return to their place of birth and help their countries in the transition to a more democratic future. These courageous individuals remind us every day of the difference one person can make.

These are challenging times for democracy, and we know from our country’s own experience that democracy is hard work. There is nothing automatic about developing or even maintaining democracy, and it takes a commitment to democratic principles and support from friends.

The desire to live free from oppression is universal; no country, no people are doomed to live under strongmen forever. But sometimes the people in these countries need a boost — moral, political, even financial. That’s where the United States comes in, together with our democratic friends and allies.

Our three organizations actively work to support the cause of freedom, from providing emergency assistance to activists and supporting free and fair elections to making it easier for citizens to access independent information and helping expose the corruption of kleptocratic regimes. We speak out in support of democracy and against human rights abuses.

We hope you will join us and join the cause of freedom.

Michael Abramowitz is president of Freedom House; David J. Kramer is executive director of the Bush Institute; and Damon Wilson is president & CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy. They wrote this column for The Dallas Morning News.

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