Pastoral Resources

Liberty, freedom and democracy are very fuzzy words, but human rights is very specific.

We discussed the history of postwar Japan and how Japan had missed an opportunity to build a more functional democracy because of the focus on fighting communism driven in large part by the American occupation.

The US constitution's First Amendment rights only cover Americans, but I believe that in a democracy the competition of ideas and free speech should combat beliefs that it does not agree with - more speech and debate, not censorship.

Now that our media companies and it appears are policies are traded for cash, what is there to check the continuing consolidation of power and diminishing of democracy?

I noticed that democracy was broken and tried to work on fixing that in Japan. Then I realized that it was broken all over the place and decided to work on that too.

The thing about democracy, beloveds, is that it is not neat, orderly, or quiet. It requires a certain relish for confusion.

Democracy shows not only its power in reforming governments, but in regenerating a race of men and this is the greatest blessing of free governments.

Deliberation and debate is the way you stir the soul of our democracy.

People in so many countries look up to the United States as a model of democracy, but I doubt if that can continue. It leaves me with a great sense of loss.

The Paris Commune was first and foremost a democracy. The government was a body elected by universal suffrage.

You have to stand guard over the development and maintenance of Islamic democracy, Islamic social justice and the equality of manhood in your own native soil.

A constitutional democracy is in serious trouble if its citizenry does not have a certain degree of education and civic virtue.

So in Asia I want to make - I want to succeed to make a model of what success, practicing democracy, and market economy. Then that will give a good influence over Asian countries.

The deadliest foe of democracy is not autocracy but liberty frenzied.

I think Russians today have a distorted picture of capitalism, liberal democracy and market economy.

I think that it's a vital moment now for Russian democracy to convince people that it's only our actions, our joined actions and protests that could force Kremlin to reconsider its plans to abolish presidential elections.

I think Russian people are learning that democracy is not an alien thing; it's not a western invention.

The Communists automatically violated the daily practices of democracy to which I was accustomed.

Democracy without morality is impossible.

Integrity is the lifeblood of democracy. Deceit is a poison in its veins.