Last December marked the 10th anniversary of my monthly column in the Ogle County Life. Thanks to those who have read it, and to the Ogle County Life for faithfully publishing it during that time.

My column will no longer appear in the Life, but I’ll continue to post it on the internet. You’ll be able to read it by going online at medium.com@l_harp47, or by friending me on Facebook.

My biggest concern during those 10 tumultuous years has been the health of America’s democratic political system. The column’s overarching theme has been that democracy is a fragile web, and that damaging any part threatens the whole. I have, with that in mind, again and again advocated for democratic principles that I believe we need to revive and strengthen, including:

• Relying above all else on facts and reason instead of judging ideas based on their emotional appeal.
• Respecting the unwritten rules of democracy, including – and especially – civility in public discourse.
• Rejecting tribalism and emphasizing what we all have in common.
• Refraining from overreach with policies that don’t have broad public support, even if we believe they would be for the best.
• Reforming political institutions, including the Constitution, to strengthen the moderate core of American public opinion and weaken the influence of extremists in both political parties.
• Upholding the importance of moral strength in leaders, and rejecting those who lack it, even when their political positions align with our own.
• Practicing humility when it comes to political opinions. None of us are 100% right. Politics works best when it’s a forum for dialogue instead of a battlefield in which one side tries to destroy the other.

These principles have been under attack during this past decade, but not for the first time. Our political system has overcome threats of this magnitude and worse. Events leading up to the Civil War, the riots and assassinations of the 1960s, and the Watergate crisis come readily to mind.

Each led to reforms and to new life for democratic institutions. There is in our time plenty of cause for concern, but equal ground for hope. I like to think that this column has been a voice for both.

Lowell Harp is a retired school psychologist who served school districts in Ogle County. For previous columns, follow him on Facebook.