By D.M. Farris
Mr. Lowell Grant”s Guest Commentary of Oct. 29 appears to be mixing apples and oranges. My understanding of our government, learned in the fifth grade, is that we live under a republic and not a democracy. A democracy is a majority rules (50 percent plus one dictates the government). Our Founding Fathers understood that a democracy did not protect the 50 percent of the people, less one, so they devised a republic which added a constitution to establish individual rights and limits what a majority could do. In other words, makes it so a majority can not make laws such that only people with blue eyes could be citizens! In our Constitution it established rules that the Constitution could be changed only if a very large majority of the citizens and the states voted for the change, along with a large majority of the Congress, etc., and of course, improving amendments have been made.
Applying this to Mr. Grant”s opinion, and I hope personal beliefs, makes many of his damning comments of our republic (government) totally out of context. We are not selling our republic-type of government to anyone, because most could not make it work, but in my way of thinking, attempting to stabilize a very threatening Middle East situation, such that the peoples of the area could possibly adopt a more peaceful government for ours and the world”s sake. Singling out and demonizing corporations specifically as buying legislators is wrong. Unions, our boards of realtors, Democratic Party, Republican Party, special interests and individuals have been known to contribute to legislators, too. Our messes may need some cleaning up, but I must remind him that, as the greatest country in the world today, that we are the only country that continues to give aid and support freedom for all.
As a citizen of the United States of America for 81 years, I am proud of our government and nation. As a new nation, we have and will continue to make misjudgments, but I will not apologize to any country, because we have at least tried to do the right thing. I ask you to check our history against the others. As a real estate broker and having served our country for 27 years, I hope Mr. Grant”s guest commentaries do not represent either.
D.M. Farris
Lakeport
