Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Spring 2011 - 2301 - First Written Question

I'm almost finished with the introductory written question for 2301 and I need to make two points about topics most people missed.

1 - I wanted you to get familiar with the manner in which each of our governing institutions is and is not democratic in the sense that they are controlled tightly by the electorate and subject to its whims.

2 - I was also hoping for some appreciation of the dilemmas governments that claim to be both democratic, and based on individual freedom must confront. Majorities often do not like it when vocal minorities exercise their rights. It takes institutions removed from the majority often to in fact secure the unalienable rights. This is a point we will hammer later this semester.

To help understand the dilemma, consider whether these people have the right to do what they do. And if they do, how is that right secured?