Wednesday, February 2, 2001
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Wednesday, February 2, 2001 |
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Lenox off-base on 'Tyranny of majority' response Reply to Mayor Bob Lenox: Despite my 960-word response to your published letter you answered me in just 13 words! For those who care, your response to my letter was, "Try John Stuart Mill, "On Liberty," published 1869. An interesting and provocative essay." Of my 18 questions, you answered one. You answered the slightest and least important of all, the source of your phrase, "Tyranny of the majority." I know what you think you said. But do you understand what you really said? In what follows I will quote Mill and his contemporaries. Better get a bag to put over your head if you plan on any public appearances! Here are a few other quotes from his works you may want to think about: "Liberty consists in doing what one desires." ("On Liberty," ch. 5.) "The sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number is self-protection." ("On Liberty," introduction.) "If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind." ("On Liberty," ch. 2.) "Instead of the function of governing, for which it is radically unfit, the proper office of a representative assembly is to watch and control the government." ("Dissertations and Discussions," 1859.) "He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that." ("On Liberty," ch. 2.) These quotes are but a sample of his thinking. He was an idealist who assumed all people would act as brothers if they were put on an equal social basis. Sound familiar? The Chinese and Cubans are still saying this. It doesn't work, of course. Maybe, after my research, just maybe, he is indeed the perfect profile for you to quote. He is not realistic. His term, "Tyranny of the majority," of which you are so fond, refers to the repression of individual rights of expression, NOT the rights of one interest group to usurp the safety and well-being of the majority. Now, with that said, what can we, the simple citizenry majority of PTC, conclude? After all, we are not the intelligentsia Mill would consider correct to judge governmental issues. Your example is excellent and your are a very adept pupil of Mill. But Mill is not the issue here. Peachtree City's future is! You advocate use of public resources for the select few with total disregard of the majority interests. Like Mill, you consider the rights of the individual above the interests of the majority. America, and yes, PTC, is, or should be, a community governed by the voice of the majority. Many Americans have died to make this point valid and keep it alive. Mill wanted to "socialize" public assets. Mr. Mayor, this is simply put, Marxism, Communism by 20th century terms. The PTC elections are on the horizon. You are out due to term limitations. But I am sure you have other aspirations. A word to all PTC citizenry: We made Mayor Lenox the PTC czar! We did it. Our complacency allowed the mayor and the board (Mr. Tennant excepted) to do what they wanted with our apparent approval. I, for one, do not approve. Your "pleasant island amid the chaos that's out there" is crumbling, and fast. This past week, ending Jan. 28, 2001, saw two major accidents in front of the proposed entrance for the Wal-Mart/Home Depot super stores which, according to you, will make no significant impact on our traffic condition. If the PTC citizenry allow your brand of politics to continue to rule, they deserve what they get. Rick L. Gauthier Peachtree City rickg4@juno.com
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