Michael Rectenwald responds to "Republic Yes - Democracy No!!!"

Contactus@legitgov.org received the following email from Marvin S. on June 23, 2002, questioning whether or not CLG has done its "historical homework." Michael Rectenwald's reply is above.

Reply to Marvin S. from Mike Rectenwald, June 23, 2002

Marvin, We've heard this point hundreds of times, and certainly we know what we are talking about. Surely we know that these United States are Republics! But each Republic is based on democratic principles, and in fact, if you would look up Republic, you will see that it means "a state wherein the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote, and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them." The states in the US have granted the right to vote to all law-abiding adult (after long struggles for women, people of color and others), which approaches democracy. And, when our leaders refer to this nation, they invariably claim that we are a "great democracy." Our group is pro-democracy, not because the US is a "Democracy" proper, but because we believe in the principle of democracy--and we want the US to be more democratic!!! Furthermore, in the last presidential "election," the rights of many legal voters were abrogated by criminal and other means. We are fighting to restore this lost right, as well as fighting the result of this loss--the far rightwing Bush regime, a regime resulting from election theft and fraud.

By the way, the establishment of this nation by the founding fathers has been subject to interpretation and struggle for some time, and there are many many laws, such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, that modify and expand the democratic basis of the United States.

Thanks, but we don't need your history lesson. I happen to be a Ph.D. candidate in history (albeit 19th c. British cultural and science history), and certainly understand the words I am using.

Sincerely,
Michael Rectenwald
Founder and Chair
Citizens for Legitimate Government
June 23, 2002

Original email sent to Citizens for Legitimate Government from Marvin S. , June 23, 2002

Citizens For Legitimate Government™is a pro-democracy activist group - Sounds like to me you haven't done your homework yet. To inform other people you have to be informed yourself. I think you should give considerable thought to changing your pro-democracy stance to one of a pro-republic. You will never make any headway towards improving this country until you do your historical homework of the last 100 years. Here is to your success !!!!

Respectfully
Marvin S.
June 23, 2002

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