"Liberty Incognito" Photo by: Erin Gore

So I recently stumbled upon an ad by Democracy Now, encouraging people to submit a photo that made them ponder the true meaning of democracy.  As a part of the rules, you had to submit your photo and write a caption which completed the sentence, "Democracy is..."  Hmmm. What is democracy?  What really IS democracy?  You would think having a degree in International Relations and Foreign Policy would undoubtedly make it easy for me to state what democracy was right? Well of course!  It's the right of citizens to choose their leaders and partake in a government which is based on the consent of the governed. Citizens exercise their voices freely in government and are equally protected under a set of laws.  Is it really that simple though? Does it guarantee liberty and equality?

About a year ago, I was in NYC for work and had a free day on the weekend to take my camera out and explore the streets.  There's nothing better than capturing and freezing moments in a city that doesn't stop moving.  After pounding down a bagel and black coffee, I noticed a street performer across the way dressed as Lady Liberty.  He coyly moved side to side, placing his hand on his sunglasses--wanting to be both seen and unseen.  I couldn't help but think about the definition of freedom at this moment---the sacrifices, the wars, the determination--everything that has gone into guaranteeing our freedom to express ourselves in this country.  The question--is liberty always guaranteed?  Is equality always guaranteed? Democracy may not always be what it seems.

A democratic system gives us, as citizens, the freedom to choose our government; however, it does not guarantee the morality of our system or the actions our elected officials decide to take.  It also does not guarantee the choices citizens will make.  These choices can ultimately affect individual freedoms, protections and rights.  A few heated examples: Marriage equality, Abortion, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Jim Crow Laws.

In the end, it occurred to me that Democracy is not always a guarantee of freedom and equality.  The symbol of our Liberty may be evoked on a street corner,  but behind the shades of our democracy lies a much deeper meaning--which is often seen and unseen. Perhaps this street performer was on to something...