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FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY - HO HO HO

By Donald M. Heavrin

From the Libertarian Radio Network, www.lrni.us

   Hamas won. In the celebration of democracy, the losers, the Fatah, went

out and burned a few cars. The brilliant editors of the local paper mewled,

‘There is no choice but to accept the outcome of a free election.’ Again,

democracy revealed the dangers of the concept, and newspaper editors again

proved they are disconnected from reality.

   In March of 1933 Hitler received 44% of the popular vote. He did not get

a majority, but he was the largest vote getter. As a result, the

Nationalists added 52 seats to the 288 the Nazi party held, which gave

Hitler’s backers a majority of 16 in the Reichstag. The Reichstag then

passed The Patriot Act (or was that the Enabling Act), which conferred upon

Hitler’s cabinet the exclusive legislative powers for four years. Along the

way civil rights were discarded. Put on the trash heap was the right of

privacy in postal, telegraphic and telephonic communications. Warrants,

orders of confiscation and restrictions of property were permissible ‘beyond

the legal limits otherwise prescribed.’ Also included were restrictions on

the right of free speech and expressions of opinion and the right to

assemble.

   When Manuel Noreiga was up for election, the CIA funneled millions of

dollars in aid to opposition groups that were trying to defeat Noreiga. The

opposition group lost in spite of the efforts of the CIA. Rather than risk

another free election, the USA invaded Panama, captured Noreiga. Ultimately, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison without the possibility of parole, allegedly because he was a drug lord.

   Hugo Chávez was elected president of Venezuela. He survived a USA-backed coup in 2002 and a recall referendum in 2004. Despite the fact that Chávez has survived a coup and won two elections, the CIA declared that he is a threat to democracy. How can he be a threat to democracy when he was

elected?

   In 1949, Ferdinand Marcos was elected as a representative from his home

province to the Philippine parliament. He was re-elected in 1953. In 1957 he

was again re-elected. In 1959 he shifted from the lower house to the senate

and became the opposition leader in parliament. In 1965 Marcos was elected

president. In 1969 he won a second four-year term in a free election. In

1981 Marcos declared the end of martial law and won an overwhelming majority in a presidential election. But the CIA said the vote was rigged, and it was not a fair election. After substantial internal controversy Marcos flew to Hawaii. He was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury in New York for mail fraud and obstruction of justice. How could he obstruct justice in the United

States?

   However, Marcos, the clever fellow, outfoxed the United States and died

of a heart attack on September 28, 1989, before he could be tried. In 1990

his wife, Imelda Marcos, was brought to trial in New York for an assortment

of crimes, but was acquitted on all counts.

   Democracy’s becoming more bizarre by the moment. In a 2005 post-death

election, the Filipinos voted that Marcos was the best of the country’s last

five best presidents. I assume the CIA thinks he rigged the election from

the grave.

   The next time a politician or a newspaper editor plays the democracy

card, join me in a good barf.

   Freedom means free from each other and nothing more. In a republic there

are inalienable rights that cannot be abridged even by the largest majority.

What’s wrong with the west bank government is the same thing that’s wrong

with the United States government. There are no inalienable rights.

Individual rights can be discarded at the whim of the majority, and there’s

no longer any protection for minority views. Our society isn’t close to

being free.

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