Christian Democrats in the United States
Domestic Issues - Democracy We think that, in addition to Republican, Executive and Judicial institutions, good government should provide states and the nation as a whole the facilities with which to participate in legislation, directly and/or in a cameral house chosen by lottery. The American people do believe we are sufficiently edumacated to direct our own affairs. Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
Thursday, April 1, 2010
1:06 PM
In America we are free to call things for what they are, and to speak our minds even if we are wrong, because we trust each other enough, and work actively together to keep a system that is honest enough to deal with our common problems fairly. (It's not perfect, but we try pretty hard, actually; voting and free speech are a source of personal pride for most Americans.)
In Sudan, the opposition is not "boycotting" their election. Let's call it for what it is: they are afraid of getting shot.
Democracy is a global issue. The mentality of a "false democracy" ruled by violence and putting on a show is more dangerous to democracy than if they ruled as dictators outright. It can seep into our language, poisoning our own sense of freedom.
One of the ways our sense of freedom is poisoned is by our own news broadcasts, which encourage every fear to amp up our adrenaline before the commercials. The commercials then substitute their supposed problem as the mental focus of your physical anxiety, and propose the product or service as a solution, an idea that brings your body physical relief from the fight or flight response pumped in by the fear-mongering news anchors. They even echo this pattern with their own stories, first a car crash, then a gruesome murder, then puppies, then something resembling facts, then something foreboding again, even terrifying, preparing you for a commercial break that repeats the cycle of the puppies.
You see, they are trying the same tactic here at home, on a grand scale. This does not empower you. This does not give you the personal courage you need to face the threat to human survival posed by problems of authority. Daniel did not find the holy spirit to face down the lions by watching CNN.
Everyone struggling to achieve freedom and open democracy will face death. That is the nature of the struggle to confront unjust authority, and it is inevitable. If you chicken out and do not confront that unjust authority, the unjust gain more power, and you will die anyway, and without bearing any truth or goodness into the world. America and other democracies must do everything to help where they can, but ultimately, the only lasting democracy comes from the will of its own people to face down those lions.
democracy is a global issue
Sudan opposition afraid, not "boycotting"In America we are free to call things for what they are, and to speak our minds even if we are wrong, because we trust each other enough, and work actively together to keep a system that is honest enough to deal with our common problems fairly. (It's not perfect, but we try pretty hard, actually; voting and free speech are a source of personal pride for most Americans.)
In Sudan, the opposition is not "boycotting" their election. Let's call it for what it is: they are afraid of getting shot.
Democracy is a global issue. The mentality of a "false democracy" ruled by violence and putting on a show is more dangerous to democracy than if they ruled as dictators outright. It can seep into our language, poisoning our own sense of freedom.
One of the ways our sense of freedom is poisoned is by our own news broadcasts, which encourage every fear to amp up our adrenaline before the commercials. The commercials then substitute their supposed problem as the mental focus of your physical anxiety, and propose the product or service as a solution, an idea that brings your body physical relief from the fight or flight response pumped in by the fear-mongering news anchors. They even echo this pattern with their own stories, first a car crash, then a gruesome murder, then puppies, then something resembling facts, then something foreboding again, even terrifying, preparing you for a commercial break that repeats the cycle of the puppies.
You see, they are trying the same tactic here at home, on a grand scale. This does not empower you. This does not give you the personal courage you need to face the threat to human survival posed by problems of authority. Daniel did not find the holy spirit to face down the lions by watching CNN.
Everyone struggling to achieve freedom and open democracy will face death. That is the nature of the struggle to confront unjust authority, and it is inevitable. If you chicken out and do not confront that unjust authority, the unjust gain more power, and you will die anyway, and without bearing any truth or goodness into the world. America and other democracies must do everything to help where they can, but ultimately, the only lasting democracy comes from the will of its own people to face down those lions.
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