Well, I made it. I am 100 years old today. I wake up every morning grateful that I’m still alive.
Reaching my own personal centenary is cause for a little reflection on my first century — and on what the next century will bring for the people and land I love. To be honest, I’m a little worried that I might be in better shape than our democracy.
I was deeply disturbed by the attack on Congress on January 6, 2021—by supporters of former President Donald Trump who tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Those concerns have only grown with each revelation about how far Mr. Trump was willing to go to remain in office after being rejected by voters — and about his ongoing efforts to install loyalists in positions with the power to prevent future elections. to influence.
I don’t take the threat of authoritarianism lightly. As a young man, I dropped out of college when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and joined the United States Army Air Forces. I flew over 50 missions in a B-17 bomber to defeat the fascism that consumed Europe. I am a flag-waving supporter of truth, justice and the American way, and I don’t understand how so many people who call themselves patriots can support efforts to undermine our democracy and our Constitution. It’s alarming.
At the same time, I’ve been touched by the courage of the handful of conservative Republican lawmakers, lawyers, and former White House staffers who have opposed the bullying of Mr. Trump. They give me hope that Americans can find unexpected connections with friends and family whose politics are different, but who are not willing to sacrifice fundamental democratic principles.
Encouraging that kind of conversation was a goal of mine when we started broadcasting “All in the Family” in 1971. The kinds of topics Archie Bunker and his family argued about — issues that separated Americans from one another, such as racism, feminism, homosexuality, the Vietnam War, and Watergate — were certainly discussed in homes and families. They just weren’t recognized on television.
Despite all his faults, Archie loved his country and he loved his family, even when they cried out at him about his ignorance and bigotry. If Archie had been about 50 years later, he would probably have watched Fox News. He probably would have been a Trump voter. But I think the sight of the American flag used to attack the Capitol Police would have sickened him. I hope Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger’s determination, and their commitment to bringing the truth to light, would have won his respect.
It’s remarkable to think that television – the medium for which I am best known – didn’t even exist when I was born, in 1922. The internet came decades later, and then social media. We have seen that any of these technologies can be used destructively – spreading lies, fomenting hatred and creating the conditions for authoritarianism to take root. But that’s not the whole story. Innovative technologies are creating new ways for us to express ourselves and, I hope, will enable humanity to learn more about itself and better understand each other’s ideas, failures and achievements. These technologies have also been used to create connection, community and platforms for the kind of ideological sparring that would have drawn Archie to a keyboard. I can only imagine the creative and constructive possibilities that technological innovation could offer us in solving some of our most intractable problems.
I often feel discouraged by the direction our politics, courts and culture are taking. But I am not losing faith in our country or its future. I remind myself how far we’ve come. I think of the brilliantly creative people I’ve had the privilege of working with in entertainment and politics, and People for the American Way, a progressive group I co-founded to defend our freedoms and build a country where all people benefit from the blessings of freedom. Those encounters renew my belief that Americans will find ways to build solidarity on behalf of our values, our country and our fragile planet.
Those closest to me know that I try to keep looking forward. Two of my favorite words are ‘over’ and ‘next’. It’s an attitude that has served me well through a long life of ups and downs, along with a deeply felt appreciation for the absurdity of the human condition.
It is a privilege to reach this birthday with my health and sanity largely intact. Approaching loving family, friends and creative collaborators to share my days has filled me with a gratitude I can barely express.
This is our century, dear reader, yours and mine. Let’s encourage each other with visions of a shared future. And let’s bring all the courage and candor and creative spirit we can muster to come together and build that future.
Norman Lear produced “All in the Family,” “Maude,” “The Jeffersons,” and “Good Times,” among other groundbreaking television shows. He is a member of the Television Academy Hall of Fame and has received the National Medal of Arts and Kennedy Center Honors. An activist and philanthropist, he was a co-founder and board member of the People for the American Way advocacy group.
The Times is committed to publication a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d love to hear what you think of this or any of our articles. Here are a few tips. And here’s our email: letters..
Follow DailyExpertNews Opinion section at: Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.