July 23, 2004
The core of any true democracy doesn't lie in elections, it lies in free speech. Compromise free speech, and the delicate fabric of democracy unravels. The need for unfettered free speech must take precedence over all else. If a crime goes unpunished due to protecting a reporter's anonymous source, if a political fundraiser is "needlessly" disrupted by protestors, if explicit pornography masquerades as "art", if you are outraged by misleading bias in a news source, then democracy is working. These aren't failures of the system, they are tributes to it.Only through exercise of free speech do individuals become part of the collective public voice. Criticising your government isn't unpatriotic, it's the primary responsibility of every citizen of a democracy. Only by facing the criticism and outrage of the voters is the goverment itself governed.
So if you run around waving a flag, make sure you know *why* you're waving it. "Proud to be an American" shouldn't mean proud to have the best smart bombs, the biggest cars, the most money, the highest standard of living, or the best opportunities. Those aren't things to be proud of, they're things to be grateful for. It should mean proud to have a government which is, by virtue of free speech, subordinated to the Will Of The People. It should mean proud that you take a role in shaping the future of your country and your world.
So be a true American patriot: Be informed, voice your opinion, scream and holler every time your government does something you disagree with, and equally importantly, listen respectfully when others do the same.
If we ALL were to do those things, what a great country we really would be.
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