Thursday, March 24, 2005

MH - An End to Democracy?

Catholics in the Public Square reminds us of the provocative 1996 First Things symposium on "The End of Democracy? - The Judicial Usurpation of Politics." As Christopher tells us,
"The stated purpose of the symposium was not to advocate 'noncompliance to resistance to civil disobedience to morally justified revolution,' but to question the future prospects of a country host to 'a growing alienation of millions of Americans from a government they do not recognize as theirs . . . an erosion of moral adherence to this political system' and 'the displacement of a constitutional order by a regime that does not have, will not obtain, and cannot command the consent of the people.' "

This symposium was much-discussed at the time, and in light of the reprehensible court rulings regarding Terri, this seems a timely reminder. Excerpt:
The government of the United States of America no longer governs by the consent of the governed. With respect to the American people, the judiciary has in effect declared that the most important questions about how we ought to order our life together are outside the purview of "things of their knowledge." Not that judges necessarily claim greater knowledge; they simply claim, and exercise, the power to decide. The citizens of this democratic republic are deemed to lack the competence for self-government. . . .

Take some time and read the whole discussion here. If one suspects, as I do, that some type of Divine Retribution may be in the offing, then one might also ask if it will be even harder to convince Christians that this is a country worth fighting for.

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