Skip to content
Project 2025
Search

Latest Stories

Follow Us:
Top Stories
Supreme Court

The Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act Decision Will Fuel the “Disuniting” of the United States and the Unraveling of American Democracy

Trump’s Denaturalization Push and the Erosion of Legal Immigration

Trump’s Denaturalization Push and the Erosion of Legal Immigration

Judicial Courage?

Judicial Courage?

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell sitting with his hands folded in front of him.

Why the Decision Not to Prosecute Jerome Powell Damages Democracy

Some MAGA loyalists have turned on Trump. Why the rest haven’t

Some MAGA loyalists have turned on Trump. Why the rest haven’t

Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty
David L. Nevins
By David L. NevinsOct 19, 2021
David L. Nevins
David L. Nevins serves as publisher of The Fulcrum. Additionally, Nevins serves as co-founder and Board Chairman of the Bridge Alliance. Nevins brings business acumen, vision and a tireless this-must-and-can-be-done zeal to the burgeoning movement to bridge divides to transform the political process. As a business leader, Nevins excels at building bridges between people and organizations from the right, left and center for civilized conversation and then action. He co-founded the Bridge Alliance because, as he says, “No matter how well managed and how well funded anyone organization is, significant political reform will not happen without an alliance to further collaborative interactions. Together we can and will raise the collective impact of all.” He is a member of the Aspen Institute Society of Fellows, with a focus on the Aspen Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, he established and continues to work with The Nevins Democracy Leaders program at Penn State University. Nevins graduated with honors in economics from Penn State in 1969 and received an M.B.A. in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1971.
See More Writings by author

I was recently talking to an 86-year-old friend of mine, Michael Stapler, about The Fulcrum and our new Pop Culture section.

The Fulcrum believes there is a deep connection between democracy and American culture, and this new coverage area is designed to deepen the understanding of our differences and similarities, and discover our shared interests and common destinies.

Whether it is music of all types, poetry, dance, literature, painting and drawing, comedy, or drama, we will appeal to the human spirit — a spirit that expresses the joys, sorrows and harmonies of the heart and soul.

Michael, whose hobby is painting, took my words seriously and I was taken aback when he presented me with a beautiful painting he did that was inspired by our conversation about the connection between art and democracy.

His painting, "LIBERTY - Celebrating Freedom in America," is his expression of what celebrating freedom in America means to him.

His painting was accompanied by these words expressing how art is connected to democracy, and perhaps they were his inspiration for the painting:

  • Art represents one of the key components of Democracy, the freedom of expression.
  • Art examines and expresses culture, human rights, and diversity.
  • Art can view ways of life that differ from one's own.
  • Art is a universal language.
  • Art often promotes citizen participation.
  • Art engages one's emotions.
  • The Statue of Liberty represents freedom, democracy and justice.

Many artists are drawn to the Statue of Liberty. Iconic pop artist Peter Max has been enamored with the statue, completing his first portrait of it 45 years ago. He has done many more over the years.

Standing at 305 feet tall, the Statue of Liberty for many is a symbol of freedom, optimism and friendship among nations. A gift from France in 1886, her base has these words inscribed:

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Each one of us as we look upon Michael's painting and read these words will feel different emotions and have different perceptions as to what the Statue of Liberty means to them. And that is America: a diversity of thought, a melting pot of ideas.

As you look at this painting and read the words inscribed on Lady Liberty, what emotions do you feel? Email us at pop-culture@fulcrum.us to share your thoughts.

Latest news

Medicaid Cuts Could Threaten Key Student Services at IL Schools
Health

Medicaid Cuts Could Threaten Key Student Services at IL Schools

Activists march across Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Rule of Law

Racism & MAGA-Gerrymandering—Combating the Noxious Mix

The Bipartisan War on Independent Voters
Elections

The Bipartisan War on Independent Voters

A male senior stands in the shadow of a Social Security card with bite missing.
Economy

Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Has a Hidden Cost: Social Security

Read More

Stapleton’s Colbert Performance Shows Power of Nonpolitical Messages

Chris Stapleton performs onstage during the 59th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on November 19, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee..

(Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/WireImage)

Stapleton’s Colbert Performance Shows Power of Nonpolitical Messages

On May 6th, I watched Chris Stapleton perform “Living in the Promiseland” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The song, a Willie Nelson classic from 1985, hit me hard. Originally, Nelson released it at a time when debates about immigration and the American dream were in the headlines, and the song became an anthem of hope and inclusivity. These days, almost everything gets viewed through a political lens, but the song’s opening lines felt powerful without being political:

Give us your tired and weak, and we will make them strong
Bring us your foreign songs, and we will sing along
Leave us your broken dreams, we'll give them time to mend
There's still a lot of love living in the promised land

Keep ReadingShow less
​Bruce Springsteen on stage, holding a microphone in one hand and a sign that reads, "No Kings," in the other hand.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band perform during Land of Hope & Dreams American Tour at Target Center on March 31, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Getty Images,

It’s All About Soul — And the Future of American Democracy

American democracy is experiencing an unparalleled stress test. The headlines churn, the rhetoric hardens, and the daily spectacle can make it feel as if the country is losing its footing. The deeper danger, many observers note, isn’t simply that a political figure says outrageous things — it’s that the public grows accustomed to them. When shock becomes routine, the unacceptable becomes normalized. And once that happens, the standards that define who we are as a nation begin to erode.

When we get used to being shocked, things that should be unacceptable start to seem normal. When that happens, the values that shape our nation begin to fade.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bruce Springsteen Launches Protest Tour as Warning for American Democracy

Bruce Springsteen performs during the "No Kings" Rally Concert at the Minnesota State Capitol on March 28, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

(Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images)

Bruce Springsteen Launches Protest Tour as Warning for American Democracy

When Bruce Springsteen spoke out from a Manchester stage in May 2025, many saw it as just another celebrity taking a political swipe. It was anything but. What happened that night and in the weeks that followed now looks less like a moment and more like the opening chapter of something broader. Springsteen wasn't merely criticizing a president; he was diagnosing a democracy in distress.

Now, with the announcement of his upcoming protest tour, he is making that diagnosis impossible to ignore. The protest tour is not just a series of concerts; it is a call to action. By combining music with onstage discussions and inviting local community leaders to each event, Springsteen hopes to inspire citizens to reengage with democratic values and speak out against rising authoritarianism. The tour aims to create spaces where attendees can learn practical ways to get involved, register to vote, and connect with others who care about defending democracy. In short, Springsteen's goal is to transform audience members from bystanders into participants in preserving our republic.

Keep ReadingShow less
Strange Days Indeed: Why ‘Nobody Told Me’ Echoes America Today

Political Polarization and Extremism

Getty Images

Strange Days Indeed: Why ‘Nobody Told Me’ Echoes America Today

I was driving in my car the other day when a familiar song from my youth came on the radio. The opening line of John Lennon’s “Nobody Told Me” immediately hit me with unexpected force . A song I loved fifty years ago suddenly felt like it was written for this very moment.

Nobody told me there’d be days like these. Strange days indeed.

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2026