From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I'm getting almost as fed up with people churning out
the word "democracy" as I am with Labour politicians
and their news-media sycophants banging on about
the threat to "schools & hospitals" whenever anyone
suggests a slightly less crushing tax burden might be
a good idea. When Robin Cook said "We don't live
in a free society, we live in a democratic society" on
BBC Radio 4 (1315 hrs on 25/3/97) it reminded us of all
we need to know about his, and many others' idea of
"democracy". Look, North Korea and Libya call themselves
democracies.
Big deal.
It seems to me that when people on this list parrot the
D-word, as they have been doing too much lately, they
follow Joe Public on the Clapham omnibus in assuming it
means something like the crude and automatic imposition
of the arbitrary whims of the majority. Tyranny and
oppression are no more welcome if imposed by a majority
than if imposed by a despot like Genghis Khan, or an
oligarchy of geriatric gangsters such as the late
unlamented Soviet Union.
Representative democracy (sorry about the D-word) is
supposed to be government according to a set of
principles which protect us from the majority as much
as from the minority. A century ago, this principle was
still honoured, even if the country was run largely in
the interests of the landed classes, and people were
left alone. Now, politicians (we no longer have statesmen)
follow no discernible principles except those of
self-interest and ever-greater powers for the State.
So when anyone (e.g. Paul M) suggests the handgun ban
was "the will of the majority" I say, Balderdash!
Poppycock! Or something even stronger. Shooters were,
and remain, the victims of a corrupt, cynical power game
played by competing political lobbies who care nothing
for such old-fashioned notions as liberty. Understanding
this is necessary if we are to begin to fight back.
"Democracy" be damned for a piece of cant.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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