Cynical or Real?

For generations we Americans have said that we're beacons of democracy. The current rationale for the war in Iraq is the spreading of democracy. Here at home, however, laws are being proposed and, in some cases passed, that have the effect of supressing the number of eligible voters who will be able to register and, in some cases, registered voters who will be allowed to continue to vote. These laws target the poor and/or elderly voters and the groups, like the League of Women Voters, who toil to register them.

That doesn't look or smell democratic. Rather it both looks and smells anti-Democratic. Lily Tomlin was inspired when she said that no matter how cynical [you] become it is hard to keep up. Parents who are alcoholics or who take drugs have a hard time preaching the evils of the same to their children. Behavior counts for more than words.

Our biggest and best tool for spreading democracy abroad would be to spread it at home.

Maybe I'm just cynical.