Life Is Not Purgatory
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Rehash
Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by the majority.
- Originally posted Wednesday, September 17, 2003
I have to ask myself - we live in a supposedly democratic society where we are supposed to respect the rule of law. Why do we insist on attempting to yield our rights to the government over an issue of simple semantics?
Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by the majority.
- Originally posted Wednesday, September 17, 2003
I have to ask myself - we live in a supposedly democratic society where we are supposed to respect the rule of law. Why do we insist on attempting to yield our rights to the government over an issue of simple semantics?
:: posted by Lazarus, 7:29 AM
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Sunday, June 13, 2004
Our Democracy
Most people who know me understand that I have (more than) a few political opinions. I have always been interested in the political process. It’s pretty much well known that of the role-playing community I am likely the most conservative of the bunch. And in many respects I am small ‘c’ conservative but I also strongly object to the rampant bigotry and ignorance that pervaded most small ‘c’ conservative political parties in Canada.
In elections, I vote for candidates generally, party affiliation is secondary and in this election I am doing something I have never done before… voting for an NPD candidate.
As we see voter turnouts decreasing, I feel there is an actual increase in political awareness, but instead of participation in the electoral process, people have latched on the activism to express their views.
Don and I have been discussing the formation of a new political party… a party that while it could ‘run’ candidates for election, it’s primary goal would be enlist candidates of other political parties as members – a party that as it’s chief goal, is to establish a direct democracy in Canada.
We have the technology able to do so, and with effort and infrastructure directed there we could have an elected executive branch, with the people as the legislature, with a string judicial branch to ensure that minority rights are protected from oppression of the majority.
Stay tuned… I’ll keep you informed.
Most people who know me understand that I have (more than) a few political opinions. I have always been interested in the political process. It’s pretty much well known that of the role-playing community I am likely the most conservative of the bunch. And in many respects I am small ‘c’ conservative but I also strongly object to the rampant bigotry and ignorance that pervaded most small ‘c’ conservative political parties in Canada.
In elections, I vote for candidates generally, party affiliation is secondary and in this election I am doing something I have never done before… voting for an NPD candidate.
As we see voter turnouts decreasing, I feel there is an actual increase in political awareness, but instead of participation in the electoral process, people have latched on the activism to express their views.
Don and I have been discussing the formation of a new political party… a party that while it could ‘run’ candidates for election, it’s primary goal would be enlist candidates of other political parties as members – a party that as it’s chief goal, is to establish a direct democracy in Canada.
We have the technology able to do so, and with effort and infrastructure directed there we could have an elected executive branch, with the people as the legislature, with a string judicial branch to ensure that minority rights are protected from oppression of the majority.
Stay tuned… I’ll keep you informed.
:: posted by Lazarus, 1:27 PM
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Apology
Pleas accept my sincere apologies for the all-too lengthy delay in actually posting to my blog. It certainly has been an interesting few (three) weeks since my last post.
Pleas accept my sincere apologies for the all-too lengthy delay in actually posting to my blog. It certainly has been an interesting few (three) weeks since my last post.
:: posted by Lazarus, 1:26 PM
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