Blackout Sheds Light on Democracy

Considering the way the news has been lately, the reaction of Canadians and Americans to the loss of electricity in their neighborhood was stunning and disheartening. Democracy depends on an actively involved citizenry. Yet, instead of participating, most of us merely weathered the discomfort with good humor, kindness and a help-thy-neighbor attitude.

How sharply this contrasts to the more robust display of participatory direct democracy we see from our brothers in Iraq. There, the lack of electricity results in swift community action.

Instead of passivity, we see real civic involvement! Rocket-propelled grenades launched at those engaged in repairing the damage to the electric grid, snipers shooting at policemen, hand grenades lofted into cafes where fellow citizens have retreated to make the best of the situation, and the occasional car bomb aimed at an embassy. Why, compared to their enthusiastic engagement in the system, the cheerful camaraderie displayed yesterday and today in North America suggests that the grand traditions of the founding fathers (and our northern Tory friends) are on their last legs indeed.

How can a people raised in a tradition of freedom like ours just sit back and let their elected officials concentrate on the business of getting the power back on? Shouldn’t someone at least make a symbolic effort to blame someone else for this mess? A quick round fired at a policemen directing traffic to help prevent tragedy would be the least I would expect. At least in trend-setting California, they’re making the effort to recall the single individual totally responsible for their mess!

Sometimes a charitable spirit of self-sacrifice is just not enough for those trying to help. Clearly, Iraqis have learned this lesson well. They’ve remained steadfast in their commitment to consistent complaining, riots, anarchy and targeted killings of these workers. Doubtless this will help these repair folk concentrate all the more on their reconstruction efforts.

Besides, it is not as if the trouble with the Iraqi power grid, and other essential services, is the fault of those who live there, is it? Who attacked their neighbors for almost 20 years at great cost in blood and treasure to themselves and the rest of the region? Did they accept the rule of a terrible dictator? Do they, even now, do everything they can to wind up once again under the rule of corrupt strongmen, instead of a government that might include their fellow citizens whom they consider unworthy of an equal share of power?

Not the Iraqis! Such claims, says the conventional wisdom on the their “street,” are mere propaganda by infidels from outside. The very same whose fault all the Iraqi misery is.

If only these outsiders would all leave now. Every day, Iraqis mass in the streets, a mob of eager volunteers offering to pitch in to help, together with their true allies who have flooded the country bearing all manner of small arms and bounty money.

As I say, the contrast is all too clear. We should take a page in civic involvement from our Iraqi brothers. Their lesson to us? If you are going to fix an electric system, you better work fast. Otherwise, someone may just have to urge you on by making a concerted effort to kill you.

That’s real democracy at work. We can hope that their point will be driven home to all of us: that everything is all the fault of whoever is in charge. That the only way to get things fixed is to hold everyone else accountable.

What a contrast to the degenerate citizens of North America. We should all be ashamed.
¶ 6:42 AM