Althouse: "The basis of democratic freedom is freedom of speech... Democracy is when the people keep a government in check."

November 14, 2010

"The basis of democratic freedom is freedom of speech... Democracy is when the people keep a government in check."

"Please do not give up hope. There is no reason to lose heart. Even if you are not political, politics will come to you."

17 comments:

Anonymous said...: Just waiting for the next trumped-up charge the military rulers of Myanmar will use as an excuse to imprison Aung San Suu Kyi again ...

Word verification: teducci. (Delicioso!); 11/14/10, 10:36 AM
Unknown said...: For a second, I thought Ann was going all Meade on us.; 11/14/10, 10:46 AM
lemondog said...: Person of the Decade.; 11/14/10, 10:46 AM
Beth said...: 'Even if you are not political, politics will come to you.'

Her face, those words: the anti-Che t-shirt.; 11/14/10, 10:53 AM
Greg Hlatky said...: Democracy is when the people keep a government in check.

Racist teabagger.; 11/14/10, 10:56 AM
Chef Mojo said...: Democracy is when the people keep a government in check.

Sounds a lot like a Tea Partier to me.; 11/14/10, 10:57 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: "Even if you are not political, politics will come to you."

Now ain't that the truth!; 11/14/10, 10:57 AM
lemondog said...: Her celebration cake reads 'Victory....Freedom at last' but she remains captive to the political whim of a brutal regime.; 11/14/10, 11:09 AM
Jason (the commenter) said...: Democracy is when the people keep a government in check.

What a misguided statement. Majority rule has led countries to their ruin since Democracy began. It's a constitutional government with explicit minority rights that keeps governments in check, and even that is fragile.; 11/14/10, 11:31 AM
Big Mike said...: Even if you are not political, politics will come to you.

Beth and I are in full agreement, which is not unusual. The trouble is, Beth, that I see your side trying to ram your politics down my throat, while you see my side trying to ram Christian morality down your throat. You'd think we could get together and figure it out but right now I don't see that it's possible.; 11/14/10, 11:38 AM
Beth said...: Big Mike,

We'll keep trying. I resist the idea of there being only two "sides." Unfortunately, come election time, that's what we have to choose from.; 11/14/10, 11:42 AM
Aurelian said...: Democracy actually sucks. A democratic republic would have been the way to go.; 11/14/10, 11:47 AM
William said...: She has a lovely, expressive face and a graceful carriage. She could pose for an Asian Statue of Liberty. Just look at her next to those jowly generals with all their asshole medals, and she wins the argument.; 11/14/10, 3:34 PM
Penny said...: "She could pose for an Asian Statue of Liberty."

She doesn't need to "pose" as long as she has breath and access to those who share her love of liberty.

Her supporters are right to worry for her personal safety.; 11/14/10, 4:09 PM
Anonymous said...: The Burmese government could have just labeled her a "terrorist" and then America would have been a-okay with her permanent incarceration, no questions asked.

But I see that she has been kept locked up since 1990. That's before the "terrorist" label started being useful to oppressive regimes like this.; 11/14/10, 5:18 PM
Penny said...: "Labels" are for those people that don't have the time to make some time to think.; 11/14/10, 7:09 PM
Ankur said...: This is such fantastic, fantastic news. I just wish the Indian government would support true democracy in Burma, instead of trying to walk a fine line.; 11/15/10, 1:14 AM