Perhaps certain words stick out to me more, but once again, while driving through my hometown, I observed dozens of peaceful protesters gathered in opposition to the democratically elected president, Donald Trump. As I have seen elsewhere, a couple of signs protesters were holding read “Save Democracy.” Others warned that our American democracy is under attack from Donald Trump.
Democracy is the system that puts people like Donald Trump in power. Donald Trump is not a threat to democracy, but rather, is its proper implementation. A majority of American voters elected him. To oppose Trump and his voters is to oppose democracy.
There is no getting around this. To be a minority attempting to overthrow the majority (such as protesting Trump, trying to work against him, or obstructing his will) is to oppose the majority, to oppose democracy and its rightfully elected candidate, President Trump.
These protesters are upset that Trump is acting tyrannically, imposing his ideas on the country and on minorities (such as Vermonters who desired Harris). But this is democracy in action; this is what democracy gives us: the rule of the majority. It creates minority groups with no say in governance; it hears only the cries of the loudest and largest group; and implements their desires while ignoring the needs of the rest. They are furious about their own loss of self-governance, and they blame Trump for not desiring what they desire, or the majority in the country for not agreeing with them, as a minority.
But the blame should not go to people who have different opinions; we don’t want to force everyone to think the same as we do, that is the opposite of the diversity we Vermonters embrace. Instead, the issue is a system of majority rule that allows the majority to impose its politics on smaller minorities, such as Vermonters.
Angry at Trump for imposing the majority’s will? Trump is democracy in action; when you are in the majority and the government does as you wish, you love it, and others hate it. But these things did not begin with Trump; instead, they started with a system of majority rule that creates minority groups and then takes away their ability to be governed as they desire, which leads to anger and protest in the streets.
As a libertarian-minded individual, it surprises me to see Democrats upset about not having the president they wanted. They win half the time and have majorities within our state, as well as others across the country. In contrast, no matter how many times I vote libertarian, I will never get the policy I desire because we are a small minority of about 4% of the population. No one cares to hear our “voice” or to give us self-government … to provide us with equal quotas or representation as they do for other minority groups. But I am OK with that.
One thing I won’t be doing, though I am sure all these protesters will, is voting or attempting to force my way on others; instead, I will follow the Golden Rule and treat others the way I want them to treat me. I do not want others to use government coercion and power to force me to do what I don’t desire or support what I would rather not, and even though they will continue to do that, from now on, I choose to turn the other cheek and not repay evil for evil.
Jeb Smith lives in Rupert.
