Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Democracy: my take

Democracy: a lot of words ... ideas and images come to mind. The big one for me is FREEDOM - free speech, free elections, freedom to travel, freedom to study, freedom to work, freedom to pray and freedom to play! 

But with freedom comes responsibilities: the responsibility to be informed, to participate in government, to vote, to uphold the laws, to pay taxes....

I think many people think democracy is only about freedom - their freedom. Freedom to have whatever they want, when they want it, just for the asking. They forget about the responsibility bit.

Quebec Students riot


In Canada this winter and spring, we have watched young and not so young Quebecois strike and protest about tuition increases. At least that is how it started. Now it seems to be about everything. The other night, I heard on the news, a young man say "it was about democracy." I wonder what democracy he was talking about. The majority of the people of Quebec may beg to differ about his notion of democracy.

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