Former U.S. attorney urges civic action to defend democracy
Former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance delivered a pointed message Thursday evening at the Club., declaring that American democracy is vulnerable and must be actively defended by its citizens. Speaking about her new book, “Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy,” Vance told attendees that civic engagement is not a choice — it is a responsibility.
“We are not powerless,” Vance said. “But we are perilously close to becoming so if we choose silence over action.”
Vance, who served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama and now teaches law at the University of Alabama, addressed a full audience as part of the Press Club’s Headliners Book Events. Her remarks focused on the erosion of democratic norms and the role of ordinary Americans in reversing that trend.
“Democracy [does] [not] die in one dramatic moment,” she said. “It dies in the quiet when good people stop paying attention.”
Throughout the evening, Vance emphasized the dangers of disengagement and political fatigue. She acknowledged that many Americans feel overwhelmed by the current climate but said that tuning out is not an option.
“I understand the impulse to tune out,” she said. “But tuning out is a luxury we cannot afford.”
She added, “Giving up is easy. But [it] [is] also a betrayal of our values, our history, and our future.”
Vance cited several threats to democratic institutions, including the spread of disinformation, attacks on the rule of law, and the normalization of political violence. She said these issues are not hypothetical. They are unfolding in real time.
“We have seen elected officials embrace lies and reject accountability,” she said. “We have seen violence normalized and truth devalued. These are not just warning signs. They are flashing red lights.”
Despite the gravity of her warnings, Vance laid out a roadmap for civic action. She encouraged Americans to vote, volunteer, engage with their communities, and consider running for local office.
“You do not need a law degree to defend democracy,” she said. “You need to resolve. You need backbone. You need to care enough to act.”
She also addressed the decline of civic education in schools and communities, calling it a foundational issue that must be addressed to strengthen democratic participation.
“We have neglected the basics,” she said. “And now the foundation is cracking.”
Audience members responded with applause and posed questions about how to stay hopeful and engaged. Vance responded by framing hope as a deliberate practice.
“Hope is a discipline,” she said. “It is something you practice, not something you wait to feel.”
She concluded the event with a call to action, reminding attendees that democracy is not self-sustaining. “We are the stewards of this democracy,” she said. “And stewardship means showing up, speaking out, and refusing to quit.”
Following her remarks, Vance signed copies of her book and spoke with attendees, reiterating her central message: “We have faced darkness before. We have never overcome it by standing still.”
The event affirmed Vance’s position as a leading voice in the national conversation about civic responsibility and democratic resilience. Her message was clear as democracy can survive, but only if Americans are willing to fight for it.