(no subject)
Nov. 3rd, 2004 04:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
winterbadgerWhile I understand and share the frustration, the anger, the bitterness, let me say to all my dear, dear friends who are going into hypersonic overdrive about the result of the election: get a grip.
We elected Bush for another term. Yes, *we* did so. Because, as citizens, we do things together. Those of us who didn't vote for him are certainly entitled to (IMO, required to) complain, bitch, protest, and, to the extent allowed by law, obstruct those parts of his agenda to which we are opposed. If you're prepared to go to jail for what you think is right, ignore even that "to the extent..." phrase.
But this is not the end of the world. It's not the end of American democracy. America did *not* vote to rescind the Constitution.
To return to one of my favourite speeches:
That cuts both ways, people. Democracy only works when we are prepared, after the debate, after the discussion, after all argument has been made and the votes have been counted, to abide by and accept the result. Otherwise, what we are saying is that we wish to have a tyranny. A tyranny of righteousness, perhaps, since naturally we would want nothing but what is right and fair. But we are refusing to accept the fundamental principle of republican democracy: that we are governed not by the best or the wisest or the richest, but by the consent of our fellow citizens, expressed in the election of executives and legislators who carry out the nation's business on our behalf.
We elected Bush for another term. Yes, *we* did so. Because, as citizens, we do things together. Those of us who didn't vote for him are certainly entitled to (IMO, required to) complain, bitch, protest, and, to the extent allowed by law, obstruct those parts of his agenda to which we are opposed. If you're prepared to go to jail for what you think is right, ignore even that "to the extent..." phrase.
But this is not the end of the world. It's not the end of American democracy. America did *not* vote to rescind the Constitution.
To return to one of my favourite speeches:
America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours." You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.
That cuts both ways, people. Democracy only works when we are prepared, after the debate, after the discussion, after all argument has been made and the votes have been counted, to abide by and accept the result. Otherwise, what we are saying is that we wish to have a tyranny. A tyranny of righteousness, perhaps, since naturally we would want nothing but what is right and fair. But we are refusing to accept the fundamental principle of republican democracy: that we are governed not by the best or the wisest or the richest, but by the consent of our fellow citizens, expressed in the election of executives and legislators who carry out the nation's business on our behalf.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-05 09:36 pm (UTC)Votes, yes, successes, doubtful. The Republicans still do not have a supermajority in the Senate, let alone 3/4 of the state legislatures.