What does it Mean to be Democratic?
What does it mean to be democratic?
With the events taking place in our country these days, I have noticed that it seems as though our "democracy" is beginning to slowly dissapate. Those who have the nerve to stand up against the mistakes of the Bush Administration are coming under fire for not being "patriotic" and "American" enough. Is it just me, or doesn't the ideal of democracy state that we should question our leaders? Is it not our responsiblity, as a democratic state, to question our government policies when we see something going as terribly wrong as the Iraq war? I think it is.
Why are we not standing up for our beliefs as strongly as those in the 1960's during the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War? It seems as though we are letting these politicians in control of the White House get away with the destruction of our country. They are not listening to those they are supposed to represent and are bringing their own values and morals into their policy making process while ignoring the public outcry for change. These "values" (if you can call them that) are not representing the majority of America's people. The majority of Americans want us out of Iraq. We believe it to be a lost war (yes, I said... THE WAR IS LOST!!!!!). We are not all followers of the Christian faith as Mr. Bush would like to believe. And we want Mr. Bush too, if not step down, at least to be a man and admit his administrations mistakes. Why isn't something being done? Why are we allowing ourselves to be intimidated into submission??
Harry Reid has recently come under fire for declaring the war in Iraq as being "lost". He has been made out to be a traitor to our country and the men and women who are fighting in Iraq. He has done nothing more than to state the obvious. We have entered Iraq in hopes of bringing together a democratic state while doing nothing more than speeing up the escalation of a Civil War. Did we not, at the very least, review the history of the country we invaded first?! By invading Iraq and removing Saddam Hussein we have reopened a centuries-old wound between the Sunnis and Shiites that has no possibility of resolve in sight. No matter how much we try, no matter how many men and women our country loses in this fight, we are NOT! going to bring together a democratic state to Iraq.
Does this statement make me less patriotic????
1 comment:
That is SO true, we had this huge conversation about how the iraq and vietnam wars were so alike. I agree that democracy is changing, and our views are going down the drain with it. But I believe it's hard for us to just stand up. It's strange, you can write about standing up and believing in yourself, but you might not do it.
I remember I read this Japanese manga once about these two 'suicidal' girls. One was really suicidal, while the other felt like she was, but she didn't really want to. It wasn't like she wanted to die, she just know what to do with her life. One day, the real suicidal girl tells her friend to drink a poison and they'll die together. But the other girl pauses for a long time. The real suicidal girl takes the poison and throws it in the river and says, "there wasn't poison in it. you didn't really want to die. Saying you do and actually doing it are two different things." I know, I know, what the hell does suicide have anthing to do with this? Absolutely nothing. It's just that quote that struck along with me these past few years..that doing it and saying it are two different things. Not just suicide, but decisions about life in general.
It's weird that American history would have so many heroes and people who voice their opinions while today all we have are lumps of beans on a bench - and a donkey. Maybe it's the increase in technology? I don't know. I feel like in these past recent years, people have become introverted. People have increased typing on blogs and writing out their thoughts and talking with people online rather than actually doing anything. Maybe the fact that I'm making a comment like this instead of putting it in action is saying something.
ah crap, it's 2:05 AM in the morning, LOL I must be going. Sorry about the long rant.
Take care.
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