Comments on: Democratic Protest? http://www.questionpresented.com/2008/11/06/democratic-protest/ (the blawg formerly known as Law School Chronicles) Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:55:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Christopher Meredith http://www.questionpresented.com/2008/11/06/democratic-protest/comment-page-1/#comment-108 Christopher Meredith Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:36:54 +0000 http://www.questionpresented.com/?p=34#comment-108 Greg, your response highlights many of the problems with moral relativism. First of all, you suggest we are "duty bound..." How? What binds us to such a duty? Next, what constitutes the protection of "the interests of minority voices?" This is an important question since the past 40 year or so have demonstrated an increasing propensity on the part of the government to treat the minority voice almost as a super-majority. The minority voice has become one of the strongest simply by the fact of its minority. Put another way, it is nearly the case that if you don't agree with any given minority voice, you must be some sort of bigot. The implicit assumption is that there can be no valid objection to a minority viewpoint. Is that what you're suggesting? Or is it that the minority nature of a certain opinion trumps any legitimate objections to it? Also, your response seems to neglect that fact that we ARE a majoritarian government. That's the entire point of a democracy: majority rules. Now there are many legitimate critiques of such an approach, but they do not change the fact that it is what we have. Lastly, I don't doubt the sincerity of the anger caused by this issue. It is certainly to be expected. But it makes my point, in a way. No one is happy about losing a vote. But to complain about the process after the fact, once you've gotten an adverse outcome is very much "sour grapes." Before Nov. 4, both sides campaigned. There were "YES" ads on TV, there were "NO" ads on TV. Both sides did their best to get their messages across. Then when one side comes out on the wrong end of the vote, they begin protesting, filing lawsuits that the measure is unconstitutional, and complaining about the process. Again, my purpose is not to say which side is right, but to ask whether there are any other examples (besides perhaps the 2000 Florida Recount) where the loser of a fair democratic procedure complained afterwards to this extent. Greg, your response highlights many of the problems with moral relativism. First of all, you suggest we are “duty bound…” How? What binds us to such a duty? Next, what constitutes the protection of “the interests of minority voices?” This is an important question since the past 40 year or so have demonstrated an increasing propensity on the part of the government to treat the minority voice almost as a super-majority. The minority voice has become one of the strongest simply by the fact of its minority. Put another way, it is nearly the case that if you don’t agree with any given minority voice, you must be some sort of bigot. The implicit assumption is that there can be no valid objection to a minority viewpoint. Is that what you’re suggesting? Or is it that the minority nature of a certain opinion trumps any legitimate objections to it?

Also, your response seems to neglect that fact that we ARE a majoritarian government. That’s the entire point of a democracy: majority rules. Now there are many legitimate critiques of such an approach, but they do not change the fact that it is what we have.

Lastly, I don’t doubt the sincerity of the anger caused by this issue. It is certainly to be expected. But it makes my point, in a way. No one is happy about losing a vote. But to complain about the process after the fact, once you’ve gotten an adverse outcome is very much “sour grapes.”

Before Nov. 4, both sides campaigned. There were “YES” ads on TV, there were “NO” ads on TV. Both sides did their best to get their messages across. Then when one side comes out on the wrong end of the vote, they begin protesting, filing lawsuits that the measure is unconstitutional, and complaining about the process. Again, my purpose is not to say which side is right, but to ask whether there are any other examples (besides perhaps the 2000 Florida Recount) where the loser of a fair democratic procedure complained afterwards to this extent.

]]> By: Greg Spore http://www.questionpresented.com/2008/11/06/democratic-protest/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Greg Spore Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:36:12 +0000 http://www.questionpresented.com/?p=34#comment-107 "sour grapes"? surely you kid. In your effort to dodge social commentary you invite it all the same. perhaps you should revisit Plessy and then Brown. think constitutional democracy not majoritarian government. we are duty bound to protect the interests of minority voices. those protesting are justifiably angry. and I am angry too. “sour grapes”? surely you kid. In your effort to dodge social commentary you invite it all the same. perhaps you should revisit Plessy and then Brown. think constitutional democracy not majoritarian government. we are duty bound to protect the interests of minority voices. those protesting are justifiably angry. and I am angry too.

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