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From: desj@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (David desJardins)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Democracy has atrophied
Message-ID: <12638@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Tue, 25-Mar-86 03:26:48 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.12638
Posted: Tue Mar 25 03:26:48 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Mar-86 09:16:12 EST
References: <468@ucbjade.BERKELEY.EDU>
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: desj@brahms.UUCP (David desJardins)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
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In article <468@ucbjade.BERKELEY.EDU> michael@ucbiris.BERKELEY.EDU
   (Tom Slone [(415)486-5954]) writes:
>Where has the democracy in this republic, in which I was born, gone
>to?  "Congress shall make no law... prohibiting the free exercise... to
>petition the Government for a redress of grievances," so states the
>Bill of Rights.

   And it hasn't!  Wonder of wonders!

>I have found apathy and hostility to be widespread in reaction to
>these simple democratic exercises....
>At peaceful rallies, both large and small, I have had my Americanness
>questioned, I have been called a communist, and I have been taunted.  I
>received this abuse for believing in the Constitution and in the Bill
>of Rights.  I received this abuse for wanting to exercise democracy,
>rather than let it wither like a crushed flower.  I received this abuse
>even though I have never sought the overthrow of the United States.

   So you think you are "exercising democracy"?  You don't even seem to
know what it means.  You are in favor of freedom, as long as it is the
freedom to go along with *your* ideas and *your* petitions.
   What about the freedom to ignore you?  The freedom to taunt you?
The freedom to be hostile to you?  Are these not also guaranteed by
the Constitution?  Are these not also the "exercise of democracy" of
which you are so proud??

   -- David desJardins