I haven't got blogging all figured out yet but I figure I'm more likely to take the time and effort to "figure" it out if I start posting some of my thoughts. I actually did try to use blogger help but their help system is down at the moment. My big plan is to do like my two progenies and use the sidebar to list the books I am reading.
Besides the newest Harry Potter...yeah yeah yeah.... I know I'm behind the masses... what can I tell you... my heavy reading [it is a paperback but it weighs a ton!] is J.M. Roberts' The New Penguin History of the World. Roberts is a British-born world-renowned scholar. He died in 2003.
On more than one occasion, I have experienced a moment of epiphany while reading Roberts' insights and analysis of world events. Of course I already know how past historical events are dramatically impacting current events. Globalization, for example, is not a new idea; the world has been moving towards globalization for centuries.
But, (at long last, the point of this particular blob) on page 728 Roberts remarks on the adoption of democratic principles by our American forefathers. We have all learned in our various history classes that the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with the phrases we have all memorized..."government of the people, by the people, for the people" was indeed, as Roberts put it, "epoch-marking". We all have also learned that several of our forefathers were gravely concerned about exactly what the "people" might do and sought ways of restricting their ability to do so, without appearing to dilute the power of the people.
However, he goes on --here it comes...a moment of epiphany....read at your own risk! "Americans have always found it easy to be somewhat confused (especially in the affairs of other countries but even in their own at times) about whether [drum roll] democratic principles consist in following the wishes of the majority or in upholding certain fundamental rights."
WHICH IS IT?
To me it is very clear that our American nation is struggling mightily at this moment on many different fronts with this question. Puts a new perspective on the issues of today, doesn't it?
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It's taken me awhile to comment on this post, because it actually made me think (for shame!) My first reaction is the good ol' adage that a person may be smart, but a group of people tends towards idiotic chaos. I also think its quite intriguing how senators from all over were backing America's withdrawal of troops in Iraq (presumably because that's what they thought their constituents wanted to hear) but when push came to shove and it was put to a vote, hardly anyone voted in favor of the withdrawal. I guess as far as the quote is concerned, my comment is - who decides on the certain fundamental rights to be upheld? isn't it the wishes of the majority? ... and round and round we go...
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