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2004-apr
4/20 freedom rally
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us75.com/calendar/log/2004-04-20
[Liberty Bell] 3rd annual
freedom rally
our celebration of our cherished liberties,
and investigation of our taboos.
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The reason common experiences are a necessary condition for the survival of democracy and its thriving as a morally responsible way of life is that without them other important constituents of democracy; namely, the ultimate dignity and value of each person and their free association into units protective of such expressions of individuality, will generate conflicting forces strong enough to split such identity groups into opposing forces destructive of democratic values.
The survival of democracy is dependent on successful representative government; and that is conditioned upon the practice of electing to public offices only those individuals who are technically trained, intellectually competent, socially loyal, and morally fit. Only by such provisions can government of the people, by the people, and for the people be preserved.
Democracy, to be real and effective, needs to regain the pre-requisites of smallness, freedom and, most of all, abstinence from intrusion in people's lives even if committed in the name of the people. A more appropriate word to characterize democracy in future might be 'polyarchy' because it conveys the idea of variety that could exist but only if the three pre-requisites (smallness, freedom, abstinence) are satisfied. Democracy, especially representative democracy, is based on the contrast between a dominating majority and subjected minorities. Polyarchy goes beyond the opposition between majority and minorities because it supersedes the very ideas of majority-minority in favour of the idea of variety, dignity and acceptability of existence of any entity (provided it does not want to impose itself on others, reintroducing the devious opposition of majority vs. minority). Polyarchy is characterized by the move from the central state, one and indivisible, to the individuals forming communities, many and multipliable (from "ex pluribus unum" to "ex uno plures").
Elections are a good deal like marriages, there's no accounting for anyone's taste. Every time we see a bridegroom we wonder why she ever picked him, and it's the same with Public Officials. -Will Rogers

The merit of our Constitution was, not that it promotes democracy, but checks it. -Horatio Seymour

[Statue of Liberty]FREEDOM LINKS
us75.com/
calendar/
log/
2004-apr
4/20 freedom rally
cafe/
studio/
market/
contact/
us75.com/calendar/log/2004-04-20
3rd annual
freedom rally
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