Why Free Societies’ Best Days Are Still Ahead
An uplifting note before the weekend and a taste of RDI’s Heroes of Democracy gala last month
On a crisp New York evening last month, the Renew Democracy Initiative gathered its friends, allies, and supporters for a gala unlike any other. Of course there was champagne, terrific food, and great company, but what set it apart was the truly unique assortment of speakers and guests: from astronauts to dissidents to political leaders and social media stars, we pulled together an event whose purpose was to re-inspire us about the potential of the future instead of being focused only on the threats of the present.
Our chairman, Garry Kasparov, spoke about the need to be on our guard against the “Putinization of America” and in the keynote, Admiral McRaven reminded us that we are the good guys and challenged us to think about what our nation would look like if that ceased to be the case.
In my speech, after the requisite thank you’s and acknowledgments, I made the case that democracy isn’t the natural state of things. Protecting it from threats cannot alone guarantee its survival and growth. Yes, we have to defend it. But we also have to nurture it, build in on it… and ultimately, renew it.
As the son of immigrants, one of the things that always stood out to me was how unique the American dream truly was. Because it’s the only national dream that isn’t tied to blood and soil. It’s about values. It transcends nationality and at its most ambitious, it strives for the good of humanity. We should be open-eyed about the risks facing our democracy without giving in to despair or fear, either of which would put the American dream at even greater risk.
As a reminder of democracy’s cost, we honor those who have taken significant personal risks in order to do the right thing. This year, our honorees included the brave Venezuelan opposition leaders who managed to unite their people to resoundingly defeat Dictator Nicolas Maduro at the polls.Below, I am also sharing the speeches recorded by Venezuelan President-elect Edmundo González and opposition leader María Corina Machado, who are paying the price for their efforts to restore freedom in their homeland.
Voices of Venezuela: María Corina Machado’s Defiant Hope
Maria Machado is in hiding, but nevertheless recorded a video for us from a nation gripped by repression yet pulsing with democratic spirit. Her address was not simply an acceptance of an award; it was a voice of unflinching resistance, carried from a land where dictatorship is not an abstract construct, but a daily reality. Ms. Machado concludes by highlighting that Venezuela’s fight is not just for Venezuela—it is a signal to the world that no regime is too strong to fall, and no people too oppressed to rebuild.
Standing Firm: Edmundo González on the Sovereign Mandate of the People
Echoing and expanding on Machado’s words was President-elect Edmundo González. His speech was a solemn reflection on the high cost of truth-telling in an authoritarian state. From the imprisonment of thousands to the personal pain of seeing his own son-in-law arrested and held without contact, González bore witness to the violence and cruelty of the Maduro regime.
But his message was not despair—it was determination. He spoke of the July 28th election not just as a political event, but as a moment when the Venezuelan people reclaimed their voice. “Our strength is in our hearts and our minds,” he said. The legacy of democracy is alive in Venezuela, carried by ordinary citizens who refuse to be silenced. González’s remarks reinforced a theme of the evening: that democratic values are not imposed from above but upheld from below, by the collective will of people who still believe in freedom even when it costs.
A quick announcement: Our Substack Live this coming Monday (06/02) at 5pm ET/2pm PT will feature Four-Star General Stanley McChrystal. The former commander of US Forces in Afghanistan and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Stan recently published On Character: Choices That Define a Life.
We don’t talk enough about character. Talking politics is fine, but what actually motivates people, what gets them to behave a certain way is character. It matters on a societal level and it’s something that the pro-democracy community doesn’t usually discuss. I’m honestly not sure why, but it’s one of the things that we’ll be focusing on at The Next Move.
So I’m excited that to have Stan joining me and Garry on Monday, 06/02 at 5pm ET/2pm PT. I hope to see you there!
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Having spent a number of weeks in Venezuela during the mid 80's, I truly felt the warmth of the local people we met. Yet, the military run government was overwhelming, as well as the military check points throughout the area we visited.
During our trip, two foreign workers being chauffeured in a car were gunned down by a checkpoint military guard standing on the passenger side of the vehicle. The driver had stopped at the checkpoint, presented the passengers' passports and was flagged through the gate. Yet, the military guard on the passenger side of the vehicle, began shooting through the rear window, killing those two passengers. Throughout the area, there were young soldiers with rifles slung from their shoulders, who were drinking beers & liquor shots at the outdoor cafes where we had eaten several times. The atmosphere was extremely tense as we traveled the southern areas by car.
There seemed to be so many impoverished people with children appearing to be malnourished with extremely thin bodies, swollen bellies and sunken eyes staring out from their small wooden and tin roofed shacks.
Various neighborhoods were gated to prevent robberies which had become a constant fear within these foreign country communities.
These foreign countries had established steel mills employing Venezuelan laborers along with foreign management. It definitely was a culture shock which I had never experienced to that degree.
However, later flying into the southern border area, we experienced the true beauty of the region, the local communities and the culture.