Moral Certainty, Political Blindness

During the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Michelle Obama coined one of her most memorable expressions: "When they go low, we go high."

It was a powerful statement, but ultimately poor advice. While the principle behind it—maintaining moral clarity in times of turmoil—is admirable, it ignores an uncomfortable truth: people who “go low” often don’t recognize the “high road” you claim to be on, nor do they appreciate being told they’re somehow lower than you. Arrogance is what they perceive, and it only deepens the division in our nation.

Ultimately, Michelle Obama’s words backfired because they confirmed a more profound frustration among those deemed not on the high road: if you don’t see things our way, there must be something wrong with you.

It isn’t for the Democratic Party—or any party, for that matter—to define the moral path of the United States. That is a question that each citizen should answer for themselves. Moral direction emerges when individuals choose their paths and chart a moral course for the nation through cooperation, debate, compromise, and dealmaking. This is how it’s been done since our nation’s founding.

That’s not to say the nation is immune to moral failure. A cursory glance at American history reveals moments when our collective conscience veered far off course, including episodes like the virtual genocide of Native Americans, the enslavement of Africans, the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, and wars driven by conquest. These dark chapters remind us that what one generation accepts as moral can be condemned as deeply immoral by the next. That’s why history matters: it gives us a mirror, not just to reflect on the past, but to question the moral frameworks guiding our decisions today.

Today, the true danger lies in declaring a moral truth as absolute and condemning others for failing to follow it. People on both the left and the right often fall into this trap. Doing so is not just historically short-sighted; it also reveals a lack of empathy and openness, key ingredients for a free nation as it struggles to survive in a dynamic world. A free democratic society cannot thrive when one side assumes the exclusive right to define morality.

The bottom line is this: declaring oneself morally superior is neither effective nor righteous. It alienates people and fortifies opposition. Instead, it is incumbent upon each of us to lead by example and demonstrate how certain values and behaviors yield better results. Additionally, we must recognize that overall moral behavior is a collective action; it rarely, if ever, aligns with an individual’s definition of morality.

So when others disagree with you, the moral high ground is not yours to claim. Just keep moving forward and stay true to your convictions. If your path is righteous, others will join you.