The kind of factious spirit edarrell displays in his comment is the subject of Madison’s Federalist Paper 10. It is entitled “The Utility of the Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection.” Madison states, that a “pure democracy”, that is “a society consisting of a small number of citizens who assemble and administer the government in person can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction” and concludes that leads to there being “nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual.” Even back in 1787, it appears, obnoxious individuals used the same kind of argument that edarrell used in attempting to convince people they were “right!”

What James Madison said in Federalist Paper 10 about democracy was:

”Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would, at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.”

It is obvious that President Obama and the Democrats in Congress support democracy. They have passed the Health Bill and have promised other bills designed to limit our liberty, control our thinking and redistribute wealth. As a result, we are seeing a rapid increase in turbulence and contention that is incompatible with our personal security or our rights of property.

Mary Mostert

Then she whines about “sectarian control,” butchering the legal understanding of that phrase (religious), and joining you in your crusade for sectarian control, but demonizing the word “democracy.”

Both Oak and Mary need to go back to school, to study history, government and law.

How can we remain free when we are not being taught what real freedom is and should be?

I would propose that all of us be more involved in the processes of our school district and make sure that: correct moral, ethical and historical education be taught in our schools to our children. Math, English and History in their correct and complete forms are necessary to keep us from falling into the destructive patterns that other nations have and are falling into. In fact, few other courses need be added to those basics of education. I feel that TOO MANY other courses detract from and confuse and do not prove to be productive in educating our next generation. After our youth have the basics, then they are better able to move on to higher education, having a firm foundation in those things that really do matter.

My basic education was obtained at the hands of Provo School District and my children received theirs in the Alpine School District, many districts have fallen into this pattern. We need to know the difference between a Republic and a Democratic form of government and make sure that our children do too.

Buffy Snell