Liberal Democracy
Jul. 3rd, 2008 08:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloWestern Liberal Democracy tolerates and even protects those who desire its downfall. That's its nature. It cannot launch pre-emptive strikes against its internal enemies without destroying itself.
It values freedom of speech so highly it allows the speech that could bring it down.
It accepts that freedom cannot be defended by curtailing freedom.
It gambles on goodwill always being stronger than evil will, on love being stronger than hate.
It is prepared to take risks with its own security.
Its enemies call it weak; it would be more accurate to call it complacent in its strength.
It may seem fragile, but it is held together by a balance of forces, by tension- like a gothic cathedral or a suspension bridge.
We should be proud of it.
For all its faults, it is the best society we've built- as yet.
It values freedom of speech so highly it allows the speech that could bring it down.
It accepts that freedom cannot be defended by curtailing freedom.
It gambles on goodwill always being stronger than evil will, on love being stronger than hate.
It is prepared to take risks with its own security.
Its enemies call it weak; it would be more accurate to call it complacent in its strength.
It may seem fragile, but it is held together by a balance of forces, by tension- like a gothic cathedral or a suspension bridge.
We should be proud of it.
For all its faults, it is the best society we've built- as yet.
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no subject
Date: 2008-07-03 12:54 pm (UTC)Super patriots are often in love with a dream version of their country and not with the thing itself.
Towards the end of his life John Wayne was so disgusted with the USA that he seriously considered moving to Mexico.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-04 07:57 am (UTC)