Maybe not very stable http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/world/americas/western-liberal-democracy.html?smid=tw-nytpolitics&smtyp=cur&_r=0
A democracy is mob rule, which is why the anti-Trump rioters didn't get their way when they began destroying public and private property, and began burning American flags. Fortunately, the U.S. is a Republic and not a democracy.
Nice job trying to equate destroying other people's property with burning the U.S. flag. Assuming it's their flag, it's their call. Property rights works both ways.
Thank you. During several anti-Trump protests, many foolhardy demonstrators burned American flags. Video is also available, if you'd like to see it. Yes, you are correct: SCOTUS has upheld that burning the American flag is a First Amendment right. It's a reprehensible act, but it's also a Constitutionally protected act.
I found this quote to be especially interesting: mainly because it seems the opposite of how people, especially younger, more idealistic people, oftentimes think in Western countries. Methinks that this response may more likely have to do with people wanting to appear "open" or "more worldly" in recognizing non-democratic government formats throughout much of the less developed world.
People generationally forget where they came from; the economic hardships of the forefathers are forgotten and are replaced with ideologies that do not work in reality, such as socialism (the "left" in the U.S.) or Marxism (totalitarian dictatorships). The U.S. has been God's gift to humanity and to the world. No other nation has ever been so richly blessed with innovative ideas, a large middle class, and a Constitution that allows freedom of expression without the threat of getting locked-up by the government (flag burning is a classic SCOTUS example). 1. The U.S. is not a democracy and is not "mob rule." 2. The U.S. is a Republic. 3. Long live the Republic! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8PRZXQa56L1c_z-QgzjfPg (35 second video)
Democracy is only "mob rule" if one considers the people to be a "mob". That's an anti-democratic idea that I vehemently oppose. The founding philosophy of the United States is that we aren't ruled by a king or by an aristocratic class. In America, it's the people who are supposed to be sovereign. From the very beginning, that vision's been under continual challenge by those who desire to replace democracy with various forms of oligarchy, such as an aristocracy of the (self-styled) best and brightest. (University professors, Hollywood and sports celebrities, government officials, journalists...) I wasn't able to read the New York Times opinion piece that led off this thread, since it's behind a pay-wall. But I'm guessing that the Times is feeling some frustration due to the recent presidential election (and perhaps similar events in Europe). The Times loves to believe that America's agenda is established in their daily editorial conference. Well, Trump's victory demonstrated that much of the American people were tuned out and weren't thinking as publications like the Times were directing them to think. I suppose that the people's unwillingness to be led and their damnable tendency to think for themselves can look like anarchy, like instability to the would-be elites, to those who sense their power and influence slipping away. But I'm more inclined to think that what we just saw was an illustration of the success of democracy and of how it's working the way it was intended. When the country's leadership loses the trust of the people, it's time for the people to vote that leadership out. In countries where democracy doesn't exist, the people have no option except to launch armed revolutions.
Asked at the close of the Constitutional Convention; "What have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?” Benjamin Franklin - “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
