Lifted from this page
Some reflections: -
What makes us so sure that the export of 'Democracy' to places like Afghanistan and Iraq is a good thing?
Democracy doesn't work in this country. It is cynically manipulated. Or the vast majority decline to get involved.
People vote for leaders that will make decisions for them so that they don't have to think for themselves.
The questioning minds that led to Greek Philosophy and spawned Democracy are a thing of the past with children and adults not encouraged to think. Education these days teaches them what they need to know - not to question. People give little spare time to think around the pros and cons of important topics - affordable housing, the raising of their children.
Gangs of young people turn to violence because they are told they are failures and feel excluded from society. We avoid engaging with them through fear - which encourages them to feel 'good' about themselves - this is their source of self-esteem - not what they have achieved.
Their parents have low self-esteem because they don't feel they are coping well with their problems, even their own children.
We need to encourage all people to talk to each other, debate issues, and have the belief that they have some effective input/control over their lives - to feel good about themselves and walk tall.
The export of democracy is a distraction - we need to sort ourselves out!
