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fandomhigh2011-03-17 10:22 am
glasses-justice.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2011-03-17 10:22 am
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Nation Building and the Origin of Government, Period 5, Class 10, Thursday, 3-17
Alex had a cup of tea with her as she entered class, and was dunking the tea bag thoughtfully. She had yet to drink any. You could tell by the rosy glow of her non-green skin.
"Deceptively simple topic this week," Alex said. "Do your citizens have any say about law-making? Let's say there's a dangerous practice going around, and your citizens lobby to have it outlawed. Do you listen? You're the ruler, after all. It's your say.
"What if it's not a dangerous practice so much as a morally objectionable one? Or one that some people condemn on religious grounds? Or, conversely, an activity that a particular religion promotes, which others outside the religion object to, such as ritual scarring or animal sacrifice."
She took a sip of her tea. "This could be anything from drug use, to sexual activity, to something like driving while intoxicated -- or while texting on a phone. The people in your land want something to be outlawed, or they want to allow something that you, in your infinite wisdom, have deemed to be illegal, for whatever reason. How much weight to you put on public opinion?
"Democracy is supposed to be by the people, for the people, and of the people -- not that any of you are constrained to leading democracies -- but at the same time, you're obliged to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority. Which means --"
Alex broke off abruptly, staring at her hands. "Am I green?"
"Deceptively simple topic this week," Alex said. "Do your citizens have any say about law-making? Let's say there's a dangerous practice going around, and your citizens lobby to have it outlawed. Do you listen? You're the ruler, after all. It's your say.
"What if it's not a dangerous practice so much as a morally objectionable one? Or one that some people condemn on religious grounds? Or, conversely, an activity that a particular religion promotes, which others outside the religion object to, such as ritual scarring or animal sacrifice."
She took a sip of her tea. "This could be anything from drug use, to sexual activity, to something like driving while intoxicated -- or while texting on a phone. The people in your land want something to be outlawed, or they want to allow something that you, in your infinite wisdom, have deemed to be illegal, for whatever reason. How much weight to you put on public opinion?
"Democracy is supposed to be by the people, for the people, and of the people -- not that any of you are constrained to leading democracies -- but at the same time, you're obliged to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority. Which means --"
Alex broke off abruptly, staring at her hands. "Am I green?"
During the Lecture - NAT10