DIALOGUE AND DEMOCRACY

In theory, dialogue is the most fundamental practice in a democracy. It is the practice that keeps alive and  keeps healthy the democratic spirit.

As Cornel West says, it may be the institution of the Demos. But is it effective in terms of decisions and policy? The doctrine of unfettered markets and monopoly corporatism has, he suggests,marginalized and demonized the working class and the poor. After forty years, nobody takes responsibility for social consequences of what was espoused.

Changing the government does not change the power structures. The system in the US is more broken than could be expected. The rule of law takes on a ominous implication. Now it is argued in effect, the President is a constitutional dictator. Opponents, whether they are ACLU or individuals such as David Swanson, can it seems be ignored. The Demos, Dr West observes is heterogeneous and diverse. There are ignorant and xenophobic elements as well as moral courage and multiculturalism.

So in Cornel West’s own words:

Related articles

• Cornel West Keynote Address at George Washington University. (ressurrection.wordpress.com)
• Building ‘slow democracy’ based on transparency and dialogue – Genichiro Takahashi via The Asahi Shimbun (underpaidgenius.com)
• Al Sharpton, Melissa Harris-Perry Clashing With Cornel West (huffingtonpost.com)
• Philipp Schwind: Why Cornel West Supports Unionizing Cafeteria Workers at University of Miami (huffingtonpost.com)
• Cornel West @ St. Sabina, 2/12/2012 // @cornelwest #CHICAGO (shazrasul.wordpress.com)
• Russian election: a managed democracy is not a true democracy (theglobeandmail.com)
• Faith in democracy (nation.com.pk)
• Are corporations threatening our democracies? [Lucas Wyrsch] (ecademy.com)
• One-legged democracy (nation.com.pk)
• Security and Democracy in the wake of the Arab Awakening (istanbulavrupa.wordpress.com)
• Best Friends of Democracy (strongerdemocracy.org)
• Illusions of Democracy (wmmbb.wordpress.com)
• WEEKLY: The Age of Authoritarian Democracy (project-syndicate.org)

Glenn Greenwarld observes that “Attorney General Holder defends execution without charges”.