I'm from the Netherlands. That may sound like a weird statement to start a column with-- don't worry, at the end of this week's Sunday Eve Column you'll understand why I put my nationality so bluntly up front.
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Member since:2005-07-06
Kindof on a tangent, but if the US government stayed what it was supposed to be: "Of the people, by the people, and for the people", then it would be saying the same thing...
Things have gotten bad when people can say "the government" as if it was someone other than a group that we were all supposed to be a part of.
Member since:2005-07-12
Kepe in mind, however, that the US government was created in such a way as to keep it somewhat separate from the people, mainly to prevent the kind of "tyranny of the majority" that could so easily occur in a true democracy.
That's also one of the reasons why there are so many checks and balances in place in Washington. The fact that so much inertia exists is a royal pain at times, but it also prevents kneejerk reactions on the part of the government in most cases.
Obviously Iraq is an exception. :-(
Member since:
2005-06-29
Except it's the law in Netherlands and not in other countries.
Exactly, it might be the same as the similar paragraph in the US constitution, but it is completely different at the same time. The US constitution says:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The American paragraph speaks for the government; while the Dutch variant speaks of the whole society; not only the government, but also individuals.
They seem the same, but are completely different at the same time.