Tear gas “democracy”

CS gas, disingenuously called “tear gas” by the western media, is poisonous and can, and regularly does, kill people. The use of poisonous gas, toxic chemical sprays like mace, high velocity steel slugs coated with rubber and if these aren’t enough, bone breaking, skull cracking police baton charges have become standard operating procedures in too many “democratic” countries to list.

The very word “democratic” has been bastardized to the point where it stands next to “terrorism” in the extent of its misuse.

“Democracy; government by the people, exercised directly OR through elected representatives . . . Democratic; of or for the people in general; popular . . . Believing in or practicing social equality” (American Heritage College Dictionary).

In other words, if a country’s leaders are not popular amongst its own people and there is no social equality in the country, then that country is NOT democratic. Also one has to note that a country does NOT have to have elections to be democratic if that country’s leaders are in fact doing what their people want.

With the airwaves these days filled with brutal examples of tear gas “democracy” in action, it is surely past time for those of us who are looking for a way out of this growing global crisis to begin questioning the very definition of what a “democratic” system of life is really all about.

We hear so much about “corruption” from those most corrupt themselves. What is a “campaign contribution” of tens of thousands of dollars made by a businessperson to a politician? Or a $100 million from a bankster or financial terrorist to a human rights organization or NGO? A contribution towards good government or for the good of humanity (LOL)? Or is it just plain common sense that they want something in return, influence or favors and are giving cold hard cash in exchange?

“Bribe; something offered or given to a person in a position of trust to influence that person’s views or conduct” (ibid).

Simply put, campaign contributions by those seeking a favor in return is bribery, corruption in essence, no matter how many laws are passed making it all “legal.”

The fact is without “campaign contributions,” a.k.a. bribery, Western style “democracy” simply cannot function. Could Obama, Merkel, Cameron or any of the Western (or increasingly third world) leaders fund their multimillion (or billion) dollar national campaigns without taking bribes, engaging in corruption?

With Western style “tear gas” democracy having taken over most of the world, shouldn’t we be taking a second look at those countries that take care of their people first and foremost and quit being constipated with diehard beliefs in the sacredness of “elections”? Especially when these elections are undeniably bought and paid for by the antisocial equality brigands known as the 1%?

There is so much tear gas democracy these days you can almost taste it coming out of your TV screen and I can only be thankful that I live in a country where I don’t have to worry about such. For the police here don’t have any poisonous gas, toxic chemical sprays, body armor and riot shields, steel bullets coated with rubber or instruments used to electrocute people such as Tasers. As a matter of fact, our police don’t even carry firearms, that’s left to the army defending our borders.

But then I live in a country that is reviled as “undemocratic” by those who are bribed, or blinded by tear gas democracy.

Thomas C. Mountain is the most widely distributed independent journalist in Africa, living and reporting from Eritrea since 2006. He can be reached at thomascmountain_at_yahoo_dot_com.