In a letter-to-the-editor published in the New
Jersey Star-Ledger on July 29, 2019, Gabriela Kaplan wrote, in part:
Be you Democrat, Independent or Republican (in alphabetical
order), please come out to vote for the American dream and fulfillment of the
American promise. Please remember that this country was founded on the
principles of Democracy.
My italics. Since the Star-Ledger no longer
publishes letters online, I posted Kaplan’s entire below. Meanwhile, I
submitted the following letter on 7/29/19, which was subsequently published on
August 5, 2019 under the title U.S founded on individual rights.
Again the letter appears only in the print edition:
Dear editor;
A recent letter stated “this
country was founded on the principles of Democracy” [‘Vote for American
principles’, 7/29/19].” That's a dangerous myth. America was founded on the
principles of inalienable individual rights, the purpose of which was, in large
part, to shield our freedom from democracy.
The democratic process in our
constitutionally limited republic should not be confused with democracy. The
founding generation did not fight a risky, bloody Revolutionary War for
Independence to secure the mere right to vote. Voting had been around for
millennia, including in the colonies. They revolted to protect our individual
rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness from all tyranny, not to
switch subordination of our liberties from the mercy of a King to the whims of
the vote.
The “principles of Democracy”
and the principles of a free society are not the same thing. As the Founders
well understood, freedom is not the right to vote. Freedom is the right to live
one’s life and pursue one’s chosen values regardless of the outcome of any
election.
Sincerely,
Michael A. LaFerrara
54 Lazy Brook Road
Flemington, NJ 08822
908 782 1088
The only thing I wish I included is to add “, or
the voters’ elected representatives” at the end of the second paragraph. That’s
implicit, but should be explicit.
Related Reading:
The
Conscience of the Constitution: The Declaration of Independence and the Right
to Liberty – Timothy Sandefur
FULL TEXT of Letter to the NJ Star-Ledger, 7/29/2019
Vote for American principles
Doonesbury, by Garry Trudeau, this past Sunday, painted a very
dismal picture of the president. If his premise is true, we are destined to
four more years of hate, racism, anti-Semitism and just plain poor leadership.
I call on all American citizens to wake up and smell the coffee.
Be you Democrat, Independent or Republican (in alphabetical
order), please come out to vote for the American dream and fulfillment of the
American promise. Please remember that this country was founded on the
principles of Democracy.
Let’s deliver the ultimate impeachment process; let’s not re-elect
the current leader.
Gabriela Kaplan Elizabeth
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