Government.

[txen]

I am not a subject of my government. You see there was a war fought in north america at the end of the 18th century by a group that was fed up with being subjects. Things started going downhill again soon after, but I consider myself a citizen. It is a subtle but important distinction. In my travels I have met many who referred to themselves as pohm's or prisoner of her majesty. Now that seems more subject like.

Another distinction is republic vs. democracy. In republics concepts like a constitution and rights are more than just words. Subjects have no rights. It's how those things like the 70% against yet the policy still stands. Just because 51% of the population wants something does not make it right.

I hate to say it, but fair just doesn't really come into it. When has the world ever been fair? I've not seen much of that. It would be nice though. At least we can complain about it and that is a great improvement compared to the situation over history. I can even severely criticize my government and as long as I'm not making violent threats, it's mostly tolerated. Try that in a more unfortunate spot on this globe and the results can be violently different. All governments rule with the barrel of the gun. It's how tolerant they are that is the real difference.

I live under the most enduring continuous constitutional democratic republic the earth has ever seen. I happen to think our government is messed up most of the time, but it's must be doing something right.