But there are those who obviously have an interest in oppressing others and denying them their rights.
So your analogy with regard to gays and the S. Baptists breaks down because in a civilized democracy, the rights of both are to be preserved to the extent that they don't infringe upon one another. When they do, there must be compromise.
So while Baptists can't force all gay people to become "born-again", neither can gays force their alternative life-style upon the Baptist convention.
You miss the point. The point is that there are a great number of "born-again" Baptists who are gay. They are the gay children of good Baptists and grew up within that church. I assume many of them would like to remain within it, given a choice. There are also many (50%+) born-again female Baptists. Both are 2'nd class citizens in that denomination (one much more so than the other). So it is a very good analogy. Some outside source like radical gay or feminist comes along to force an internal change in how the group treats its own 2'nd class citizens, to make them truly equal.
Thats precisely the point that "American Democracy" runs up against in the rest of the world, including Iraq. Whats going on now in Iraq is a change of who is 2'nd class. Before it was the minority Sunnis in control = undemocratic. Now it will be the democratically empowered Shia. But in neither case have they accepted the American version of strong protection of minorities, religious freedom, freedom of speech, etc. When I say we are trying to cram democracy down unwilling throats, its those finer (but IMO very essential parts) points of democracy that are sticking points.
BTW, I agree whole heartedly with your view that democracy is a political and social evolution, but many in the USA, especially on the conservative side don't like that view. They seem to think the Constitution was handed down by God, and we need to always go back to the original intent.
Democracy represents the rights of individual human beings to have a say in how they are governed, as well as the current and future status of their personal lives. It is the natural instinct of the very people who choose civilization rather than a state of nature.
You should watch the movie "Mr Johnson". |
