| The hallmark of a decent regime is moderation. Dictatorships multiply reasons to punish, and exact harsh penalties. Liberal democracies mostly stay off of people's backs, allowing them to grouse, demonstrate, publish, and organize pretty much with impunity. In a liberal democracy, no one gets shot just for being a political imbecile. There are no political prisoners, per se, in a liberal democracy. There are no purges. As long as you do not shout "Fire" in a crowded theater, engage in terroristic acts, take up arms against the government, or other overt acts of destruction, you are pretty much left free to be a jackass, and the competition for the mind of the electorate is left to the market of ideas. It counters the very idea of liberal democracy to use immoderate rhetoric to promote an atmosphere of alarm, contempt, and virtual civil war against political opponents. We have CyberBenito as a case study in what is inappropriate behavior for someone professing to love and defend the United States......... |
