Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to [email protected]
Are civics classes no longer taught in high schools? On the BDN’s digital OpEd page on July 8, there were three opinion titles that include the word “democracy.” Could you perhaps remind your readers that the United States is not a democracy? It is a constitutional republic and the two things are not equivalent — in fact, they are direct opposites.
“Democracy” is mob rule. A “constitutional republic” is a federation of states (or similar entities), in union with each other, with the union governed by an established set of base-level laws. Throughout history, from Plato to the Founders of the United States, “democracy” has been considered the nadir of governmental options, and this is why our republic includes, for example, an electoral college.
Someone may not be pleased that the country is a constitutional republic but that displeasure doesn’t convert the country to a democracy.
John Shannon
Bangor
