Letter to the Editor

This is my friend Judson's letter to the local paper:

Tyler Paper

To the Editor

Because an election takes place and people vote, democracy is not guaranteed. Because a constitution is written and a parliament or congress convenes, a democratic government does not automatically follow. A supreme court can be formed to decide the constitutionality of laws, yet, democracy can be absent. Even when rights are written down, they can still be in jeopardy. All the forms can be in place. There still must be leaders who preserve, protect, and defend a democratic constitution. A republic must be defended from tyranny which follows naturally from uncontrolled power. Never trust government to government. Trust it only to yourself.

Representatives must above all preserve the rights of citizens. In a democracy, the minorities must be protected from the tyranny of the majority. If the majority wants slavery it must not happen. If the majority wants a theocracy it must not happen. Common defense must not be turned into international aggression.

To say that the United States has brought democracy to Iraq is absurd. The Iraqi Constitution creates a Supreme Court in which the judges are all Islamic Clerics. The constitutionality of a law is based on the Koran. Would that be democracy in the US or anywhere? Spreading "democracy" to countries and people who do not wish to have democracy is not a worthy cause upon which to sacrifice loyal and faithful military servants of the nation. It is folly.

All the stated purposes of the invasion and occupation of Iraq have been failures. It appears that the unstated purposes of the invasion have failed.

The United States should make democracy work at home.

Judson