Marsha- "Oh, George! How Could You!?"
We are interrupting your programming to bring you this important news bulletin.
As Noam Chomsky has put it many times, there are two definitions of democracy.
State doctrine has it that democracy is defined by whatever exists here in the U.S. So, if a convicted felon serves their time and is still denied the right to vote, that is democracy. If a police captain can lock into a black woman into a cell and have her beaten viciously, as happened in the case of Fannie Lou Hamer in Winona, MS, then that is democracy.
If the CIA under Reagan brings cocaine into this country, and manufactures the crack epidemic, in order to fund an secret and illegal war in Nicaragua, then that is democracy.
If a peaceful organizer in the black community is shot and killed by Chicago police using intelligence gathered by the FBI under the Counter-intelligence Program (COINTELPRO), as happened to Fred Hampton, then that is democracy.
If our government spends "more than 30.7 percent of total governmental funding on the military," then that is democracy. It's even democracy, if that amount is greater than the rest of the world's military expenditures combined.
It's even democracy, if 9 million children are not covered by health insurance and have to rely on the cheapest healthcare or none at all, and even if 45 million Americans total have no health insurance.
It's an especially safe democracy that locks away in prisons over 2 million of its own citizens, 1 in 142 Americans, most for non-violent crimes. That's more than Communist China at 1.5 million.
We've all got to understand that democracy sometimes requires the government to harm certain individuals for the greater good. The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments carried out in rural, black communities in Alabama are a good example. The human experiments on vulnerable populations using radioactive and nerve agents is even better. If certain people with power are willing to go this far to make the world a safer place, then we certainly live amongst the plenty of democracy.
Another definition of democracy holds that citizens participate in meaningful ways (that means more than a term-defined referenda on select candidates fielded by the elites) on policies commensurate with how much the policy will affect their lives. We've never experienced democracy here, nor are we likely to under the elite boot of capitalism.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
George- "Marsha, I've only tried to act decisively to keep democracy safe from democra...I mean *hrmph* safe from terrorism, drugs, communists, and black men who want to PROCREATE with Our Daughters!"
Marsha- "Oh, George!"
George- "Oh, Marsha."
Hugs and Kisses abound.
And now, this. Want to get your teeth whiter and your breath fresher! Try Sprigley's new Wrearmint Gum!
-insert cute jingle here with shot of manly man taking hot girl home after first date and getting that special, first kiss-
As Noam Chomsky has put it many times, there are two definitions of democracy.
State doctrine has it that democracy is defined by whatever exists here in the U.S. So, if a convicted felon serves their time and is still denied the right to vote, that is democracy. If a police captain can lock into a black woman into a cell and have her beaten viciously, as happened in the case of Fannie Lou Hamer in Winona, MS, then that is democracy.
If the CIA under Reagan brings cocaine into this country, and manufactures the crack epidemic, in order to fund an secret and illegal war in Nicaragua, then that is democracy.
If a peaceful organizer in the black community is shot and killed by Chicago police using intelligence gathered by the FBI under the Counter-intelligence Program (COINTELPRO), as happened to Fred Hampton, then that is democracy.
If our government spends "more than 30.7 percent of total governmental funding on the military," then that is democracy. It's even democracy, if that amount is greater than the rest of the world's military expenditures combined.
It's even democracy, if 9 million children are not covered by health insurance and have to rely on the cheapest healthcare or none at all, and even if 45 million Americans total have no health insurance.
It's an especially safe democracy that locks away in prisons over 2 million of its own citizens, 1 in 142 Americans, most for non-violent crimes. That's more than Communist China at 1.5 million.
We've all got to understand that democracy sometimes requires the government to harm certain individuals for the greater good. The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments carried out in rural, black communities in Alabama are a good example. The human experiments on vulnerable populations using radioactive and nerve agents is even better. If certain people with power are willing to go this far to make the world a safer place, then we certainly live amongst the plenty of democracy.
Another definition of democracy holds that citizens participate in meaningful ways (that means more than a term-defined referenda on select candidates fielded by the elites) on policies commensurate with how much the policy will affect their lives. We've never experienced democracy here, nor are we likely to under the elite boot of capitalism.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
George- "Marsha, I've only tried to act decisively to keep democracy safe from democra...I mean *hrmph* safe from terrorism, drugs, communists, and black men who want to PROCREATE with Our Daughters!"
Marsha- "Oh, George!"
George- "Oh, Marsha."
Hugs and Kisses abound.
And now, this. Want to get your teeth whiter and your breath fresher! Try Sprigley's new Wrearmint Gum!
-insert cute jingle here with shot of manly man taking hot girl home after first date and getting that special, first kiss-
Published by Divestment Supporter
Hello! I wish I could stick around and chat, introduce myself even, but...Yeah, I'm really busy working on a new queer manifesto. Make yourself at home! View profile
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1 Comments
Post a CommentThank you for sharing. I often wondered what democracy meant. I have also wondered why the government enforces education paid for with tax dollars to teach me about "of, for and by the people" and how we are all created equal. I have heard two things about Senator Obama. One that we should not vote for him simply based on his skin color and we should not vote for him because he is not black enough. I see him as the best hope to bring true democracy to the US due to his unique upbringing and ethnicity. Wish both groups that say those things would listen to him as a human being and consider electing him in 2008.