Are Americans ready for democracy?

The view from the porch looking south on this morning of the autumnal equinox, one of two times a year when the sun crosses the equator, and the day and night are of equal length. Thank you, Mr. Seagull, for gracing our field of vision just as the shutter clicked.  With the Pentax Optio 450, love of our image-making life, it's always touch and go, as there's a slight delay between pressing the button and when the shutter opens.

"To any who still would question whether Muslim societies can be democratic societies, the Afghan people are giving their answer," our President told the U.N. General Assembly yesterday, noting that "They've adopted a constitution that protects the rights of all, while honoring their nation's most cherished traditions."

If the Afghans can do it, why can't we?  As with the autumnal equinox, our political landscape is divided equally between two spheres.  Here on earth they're colorfully known as the blue states and the red states -- liberals vs. conservatives -- which sometimes seem at least as different as the celestial sphere's night and day.  During this emotionally overwrought election season, all too many of our fellow Americans seem to prefer physical violence to friendly persuasion.  Lots of instances lately, from that little girl on her father's shoulders who had her Bush/Cheney poster torn to pieces by an angry Kerry/Edwards fan, to our blog pal Frank's physical assault by anti-Bush folk outside the Republican National Convention, to this latest, particularly egregious example of a soldier on leave in Columbus, Ohio, who was attacked for wearing a pro-Iraqi-Freedom T-shirt [via Sherry of Bittersweet]:

Foster Barton, 19, of Grove City, received a Purple Heart for his military service in Iraq. He almost lost his leg last month after a Humvee he was riding in ran over a landmine. 

Barton said he was injured again Friday night in a crowded parking lot as he was leaving the Toby Keith concert at Germain Amphitheatre. The solider was injured so badly that he can't go back to Iraq as scheduled. "I don't remember getting hit at all, really," said Barton, a member of the 1st Calvary Division. "He hit me in the back of the head. I fell and hit the ground. I was knocked unconscious and he continued to punch and kick me on the ground."

Barton and his family said he was beat up because he was wearing an Iraqi Freedom T-shirt. Barton's mother said she has a message for her son's alleged attacker, who police said ran into the crowd after the incident and was not arrested. "He needs our prayers, just like the insurgents, because he's a coward," Cindy Barton said.

Then, too, there's the phenomenon of anti-Bush citizens' keying (scratching with a key) their neighbors' cars for the sin of displaying a Bush/Cheney '04 bumper sticker. Are Americans ready for democracy?  The jury is still out.

Note:  Today is Wictory Wednesday. Every Wednesday, hundreds of bloggers ask their readers to donate to an important Republican Senate campaign.  At PoliPundit's suggestion, we're asking our readers to consider contributing to the campaign of Mel Martinez, Republican candidate for Senate from Florida.  If you'd like to help, here's the link.

Comments

[e m butler]

The French Revolution was about unity; the American was about rights...the French shortened a lot of people for that unity...
generally (just a personal observation), unity is important to those who want to present a unified face to the outside world, and they usually get it by killing alot of people..