Since elementary school we are taught about George Washington, our founding fathers, and their great experiment. Henceforth, the word Democracy is enshrined within the hearts and minds of Americans as being the pillar of liberty and justice. Despite our convictions and commitment to democracy one must question whether our actions as citizens, especially in the classroom, are actions that create and reflect democratic principles. Democracy goes beyond what we are taught in school. The principles of our founding fathers and the ideals guaranteed in the constitution exceed our traditional notions of democracy. Democracy cannot be restricted to being a form of government, or an ideal that promotes freedom. Democracy is a fundamental philosophy that promotes equality and ensures that all Americans have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Do we as citizens and social architects promote democratic principles or stand in opposition because of a fear, mistrust, entitlement, or a lack of hope and faith in ordinary citizens. Do we as teachers and political leaders keep people in a state of dependency due to a feeling that they as citizens are inadequate? Is it solely our government that is responsible for the increasing lose of our civil liberties or is it we as citizens who recreate an autocratic society that is afraid of its own citizens and freedom?

We must also look at ourselves as citizens and social architects. Did we loose our voice? Having a voice is the central pillar in the infrastructure of democracy, and therefore as social architects we must be persistent in making sure our voice is heard among the people. We are political leaders! We must think of ourselves as political leaders due to the position we hold within the community. Over the last 2 decades many citizens have lost faith in their political leaders and politics in general. As a result, many individuals have neglected to participate in the political process. Participation is the political process is paramount and regardless of the atmosphere we as social architects need to raise of voice. The education field has and always will be political. Politics will always occur when people gather, and people will always disagree. The job of a social architect is to ensure that one voice is favored over the others and that the environment respects all individuals. However, the education field has fallen guilty to favoring one voice over the other. The implementation of Standardized tests, subject emphasis, NCLB, labeling, and standard curriculum all infringe upon equality. As a result, teacher preparation is centered upon following "the law" and is not based upon democratic principles. As teachers, it is our responsibility to voice our opinion, and lobby on behalf of equality. We cannot remain silent or else we become part of the machine. Silence is the death march of democracy. Reflect, Voice, and Act.