Monday, June 30, 2008

The ‘Danger’ to Democracy — Part 3

What is really damaging—downright dangerous—to democracy.

So....

...what is a more serious ‘danger to Democracy’ than the musings of one religious leader, e.g., Dobson, or another, e.g., Wright?

There are quite a few of them, if you think about it. I’ll mention two of those I consider more dangerous than others, as they tend to be root-causes of so many other dangers.

In my opinion, one of these REAL dangers is that neither Dr. Dobson nor Reverend Wright, or any of those how identify with them, listen to each other.

In his speech of 28 Jun 2006, Senator Obama calls upon everyone to engage in a dialogue about the role of religious belief in making policy. Whether or not he is being honest about engaging others in dialogue about this remains to be seen. But that’s beside the point I’m attempting.

The truth of the matter is that when people no longer listen to each other in the exchange of ideas, they are then ‘telling’ each other. It becomes a one-way communication. Not a dialogue. And, if they realize the the other party in the dialogue is not listening either, then they tend to be come angry. And from there, thinks go down hill. And we end up with 60 vehicles in vandalized with anti-Obama and racist spray-paint jobs....or worse....bullet-riddled cars ....or much worse....people.

Another REAL ‘danger to democracy’ is someone saying that someone else’s voice should NOT be heard. It’s called ‘intolerance’ and it has been a serious problem of human nature for as long as people can recollect.

Anytime someone says that someone else’s honestly held views should not be heard they are tearing at the very fabric of democracy. And once the fabric is torn enough, on the other side you find totalitarianism.

UPDATE As I Was Saying.... 301221 Jun 08: No sooner do I post this and within a few hours here is evidence of what I was talking about immediately above.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

The ‘Danger’ to Democracy — Part 2

Dr. ‘Focus on the Family’ Dobson vs. Senator ‘Change We Can Believe In’ Obama, via My Neighbor; a fisking.

I’ll preface this item with the honest statement, “I don’t pay much attention to the ‘good doctor’ Dobson”; evangelical christian that he is alleged to be. I haven’t read anything he’s written in the last 18+ years, i.e., ever since I became a REAL christian; January 1990. That is up until THIS business came up.

I’ve got too many other thinks on my mind to spend too much time following other real believers in Christ very closely. I figure that if they’re reading the same book and following it pretty much the way I understand English, they’re on the right track. Therefore they don’t need much from me in the way of ‘guidance’.

So that being said, when I scanned Saturday’s topics in the Pueblo Chieftain, I noticed a headlines that ALWAYS catches my attention.

Dobson’s rhetoric is damaging to democracy

You can read the article here, while its available without charge.

[Note: I think it reprehensible that the Pueblo Chieftain buries thinks and requires you pay for them, if you didn’t catch it within so many days. Some of our political issues go WAAAAAAY back; think WATER and/or SDS. Well beyond free access to an important article in the Pueblo Chieftain, by THEIR ‘lights’. And I consider this money-grubbing on their part as anathema to democracy. Much more so than Christian Piatt’s opinion about the ‘good doctor’ Dobson’s Freedom of Expression.]

Whenever I see someone saying something is damaging ‘democracy’, specifically the one US established, I pay closer attention. I do this because about 38 years ago, I swore to defend our democracy, when, in 1970, I raised my right hand and took an oath to defend it against ALL enemies; foreign AND domestic. During the course of the time spent in service, I nearly died several times. So, you can understand that I take this sort of think rather seriously.

The headlines proclaimed that the ‘good doctor’ Dobson might be an ‘enemy’ of the domestic persuasion. The thought intrigued me. Sort of what we call in the Army a yellow smoke-grenade....a visual ‘heads-up’ warning if you will. Or even if you won’t. Therefore, between bouts of doing code and/or database design, I decided to take a look at the article. And....having read it....I decided it was worthy of fisking,

So....here goes.....

MORE...

Saturday, June 28, 2008

The ‘Danger’ to Democracy — Part 1

Sometimes, you have to ‘die’ to actually live.

Long ago and far away, in a life where I wore a ‘green suit’ every day. I came upon a truism.

You haven’t lived until you’ve almost died.

I encountered the truth of this on several occasions. Things that included plummeting out of a black-night sky with a malfunctioning parachute, getting into a ‘snit’ with an 18-wheeler on I25 one winter night, almost being crushed by an Army jeep, that I had—moments before—been riding in. Simple stuff like that there.

What’s my point, here?

Life is not what most of us expect of it.

And today....I read an article that brought all of that, and past experiences, together.

Tomorrow.....I’ll post my response to that article.

Begin thinking.....NOW......