July 25, 2012, on this blog: Anti-government, anti-democracy
But that is not the source of their anger. Their scorn is not directed at our failure to more fully realize the noble ideal of “government of, by and for the people.” Their scorn is directed at the belief that this is a noble ideal or that it is worthy of realization. Quote that glorious phrase from Lincoln and they will roll their eyes and sputter because they think you’re a fool to believe that such a thing could ever be even partially true.
They do not believe in it. They do not believe in government of the people, by the people and for the people. They cannot believe in it because they do not believe in government. That word, to them, means one and only one thing: tyranny. And so they respond to Lincoln’s phrase accordingly — as though he were advocating tyranny of the people, tyranny by the people and tyranny for the people.
And so again I ask, if not democracy, then what? If we are not to govern ourselves, then how are we to be governed?
That’s just it, comes the reply, we shouldn’t be governed at all.
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