At least one elected Democratic Party official, it appears, will attend the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the birth of representative government in North America at Jamestown later this month: Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax. While making clear that he shares the animus of other Virginia Democrats toward President Trump, he is choosing not to boycott the event.
Writes Fairfax: “I intend to honor, in this 400th anniversary year, our proud achievements as a representative democracy and the achievements of the enslaved African-Americans and their descendants who have contributed mightily to Virginia’s success. That is more important than the frenzied and fickle politics of the moment.”
Trump has demonstrated that on occasion he can conduct himself in a dignified, non-partisan manner. He surprised everyone with his 4th of July speech, and I expect the Jamestown commemoration will be similar. Democrats boycotting the ceremony will be the ones who come across as petulant and partisan. Fairfax is to be credited for not joining them.
The commemoration is a big deal. The birth of representative government (and, the same year, the arrival of the first African slaves) is a milestone in Virginia history and the development of democratic institutions. It is bigger than Trump. It is bigger than the partisan divide of 2019. Let all Virginians, for one brief moment, join to celebrate what unites us. We’ll have plenty of time later to fight over what divides us.
