Quote:
Originally posted by Claeren+Dec 12 2004, 07:16 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Claeren @ Dec 12 2004, 07:16 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Thunderball@Dec 12 2004, 03:25 AM
So, being religious and having morals is suddenly grounds for insanity?? wow... dangerous ground some of you are treading on... please never become a politician with ideas like that.
Seriously though, I have yet to see a reason why there shouldn't be a referendum.
It was mentioned earlier that minorities need special treatment, but thats not the way democracy works... its rule of the majority, simple as that... if the majority wishes to grant special rights to minorities, great, then lets do so... if not... well, thats the lay of the land, like it or not. We can't have a select few making sweeping societal choices like this. We elect representatives to represent us in daily matters... when something important and controversial comes up, its up to the people to decide, not the goons we elect. Remember, politicians are not our leaders, they are our representatives... and this is an issue where 1 representative of 100000 give or take is not gonna cut it.
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Actually it is fundamentally the way democracy works. I cannot explain it to you here other then to say that perhaps you should invest some time in learning, from decently legitimate sources, about the history and intent behind not only democracy as a form but modern democratic tools like constitutions and charter rights. Minority rights in the face of a hostile majority is a PILLAR of democracy in Canada and around the world. Dictatorship, Communism, Authoritarianism, and many other subtle variations thereof all embrace or at least allow for the abuse of a minority by the majority. Democracy theoretically is the single exception, THAT is why it is supposed to be so good, not because it allows you to boss people around as long as there are less of them and more of you...
There was a story on a study about this topic in Saturdays Herald, from the U of L. It showed that the Christian right in Alberta is overwhelmingly the only group strongly against gay marriage. Buddhists and Jews are for it, Muslims and Christians against it, Hindus in the middle.
Old people are against it FAR more then young people and there is a DIRECT correlation with non-acceptance of gay rights and regular attendance at a Christian church, the more often you go to church the more likely you don’t support gay rights, with no variation at all from this rule.
Kind of ironic, the self described most 'holy' can be directly linked to the most hateful, exclusive, elitist, and/or prejudice views in Canada.
Nothing new though I guess….
Claeren. [/b][/quote]
Hmmmmm, I think you have it backwards. Look at the way the world has gone under the types of government you have suggested.
Dictatorship- Ultimate Example (Nazi Germany), originally a smal group of people who took power and persecuted another group (the jews). Were the Nazis the majority? No, I'm pretty sure the average citizen was not a jew hating Nazi, but the minority who were had all the power, hence forcing their beliefs/way of life on the majority.
Communism- USSR Small group (Pollit bureau, probably misspelled) who ravaged the coutry for decades. Pretty small minority exploiting a pretty large minority.
Democracy- Early America, The very large white MAJORITY enslaves the small white minority and tries to kill off the native minority.
I'm not getting in on the whole gay marriage debate, as if I really felt like it I could debate both sides. But I think that your assumption that democracy is different because it prevents the majority from forcing thier will on the minority is flat out wrong.
Can I give examples the other way, of course.
Dictaorship - Iraq, Sadam and tnd the Sunni Moslem majority, persecuted and killed thousands of Kurds (the Minority)
Communism- China, the chinese majority are have been persecuting the tibetan minority for decades
Democracy- Blacks get the vote despite opposition from the white majority (in the south at least, though I'm sure there were some in the north none to happy about it).
That being said, I think you should really think about what you say before you tell someone to go study up on a subject and then throw around incorrect absolutes to back up your point.