Heard in passing

[plonq]

This morning on local radio they were interviewing a farmer who was quite vocally opposed to the Canadian Wheat Board.  It was his contention that it violates the rights of farmers who want to pursue their own buyers and markets, and that it should either be disbanded, or at least optional.  Of course what he didn't mention was that making it optional would have much the same effect as disbanding it, since it would lose much of its clout.

At one point the guy who was interviewing him pointed out, "In the latest survey of farmers, it was found that a large majority of farmers voted to keep the Wheat Board intact.  That sounds like democracy at work to me."

The farmer took exception to that, and suggested that democracy was nothing more than another form of tyranny - in this case tyranny of the majority.  Then he said something that probably didn't come out sounding quite as erudite as he'd hoped.

"Canada is great because of its freedoms.  Canada is not great because of its democracy."

To be fair, I have to concede him partial points on that one because we're not exactly renown for the greatness of our democracy up here.

Democracy - it's a wonderful thing until it actually affects you.

Comments

[fetlock.livejournal.com]

how true how true.

-Fetlock

[furahi.livejournal.com]

Well, honestly I think Democracy is overrated.
I mean, sure it's nice and it works.. but not for everybody.
I hate people (coughbushcough) that use it as a speech 'wildcard'.. like ''we're on a quest to bring democracy for every person on earth''... I mean, not everyone wants a democracy, it wouldn't work for everyone, so why shove it down their throats?
Then there's the ones that don't quite get what a democracy is..
Like "oh, he badmouthed the president, that's anti democratic" or like "They have to release John Doe from Prision because this is a democracy and a lot of people want him out" (ok, that happens more in Mexico than in Canadia, I suppose)...
I digress though, so I better stop :X