A posterized image from the film version of George Orwell's novel "1984" depicting a terrifying dystopian future for humanity. Photo: 20th Century Fox merican President Joseph Biden recently concluded his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Switzerland. Biden's performance so far has been exemplary, warning Putin that America will respond in kind to continued malign behavior from Russia. Under Biden, the office of the United States president appears to be slowly regaining the global stature it lost during the four years of the Donald Trump administration. However, despite Biden's best efforts, America still has a long way to go before it can again be that "shining city upon a hill," as former President Ronald Reagan so aptly described it. From the mid-1940s through the 1980s, Americans indeed led the world. They were head and shoulders above everyone in science, technology, innovation, creativity, art, and entertainment. Unfortunately, America today has lost that edge. Once the envy of the world, America's education system was allowed to deteriorate to the point where today, American students lag far behind those from other developed countries. Evidence of America's decline is everywhere. From the insincerity and duplicity of many of its elected officials to the deep divisions and general rudeness of its citizens, America seems due for a major overhaul if it is to remain relevant. America must recommit to making education its top priority. Every American should have the right to the very best education available. Competing in the 21st century with anything less than a highly educated populace is like entering a boxing ring with one hand tied behind one's back. And America must not just compete; it must also lead, the way it has in the past. The country still enjoys the reputation and the ability to assemble the largest number of allies across the globe. So long as it remains a beacon for liberal democracy and human rights, the free world will place its trust in America. However, it is difficult to trust, much less follow, a deeply divided country seemingly at war with itself. After education, America must find a way to bridge the gaps and unite its citizens. Although a tall order and a challenge to accomplish, Americans will have to find ways to once again unite as one. Global democracy is humanity's larger goal It is important to remember that after Sparta defeated Athens in the Peloponnesian war in 404 BCE, it took more than two millennia before democracy reappeared on our planet. The future of humanity is at stake here. Will tomorrow's humans still have the freedoms and individual liberty we enjoy today? Or will they live and fear and repression, with little or no meaning to their miserable existence? Given the undemocratic trends now taking shape in many countries, advocates of liberal democracy across the globe need to step up to the challenge and do whatever it takes to keep democracy alive. As the wealthiest and most powerful country on earth, America should lead this effort. Across the globe, tyrants and autocrats are pushing their alternate reality. They should be confronted at every turn. Freedom, democracy, and human rights should be for all of humanity and for all time. Published 6/19/2021