Who is the greatest champion of democracy in the last 50 years?

[Gabi Hayes]

Is it King Juan Carlos? I don't know about you, but when I think democracy, I usually think....kings!

just curious, seeing as how I've been reading that here today.

seriously, though.....what names come to mind?

first one that came to me was

Martin Luther King

then Desmond Tutu

then, the woman in Myanmar

somebody from the old Soviet Union?

who would rank highest from India? Bangladesh? lots of people there, and they sort of have democracies now, kinda like we do, or used to.

then various recent South American heads of state

the good King was pretty far down on my list, right after Martin Short

so, does anybody have a thought on this?

[robinlynne]

1. Don't forget Dennis Kucinich.

[Gabi Hayes]

4. thanks for that

at least one serious answer

[Bicoastal]

2. Dios Mio...

No one wants to nominate King Juan Carlos for the sainthood.

Hugos not very high up on my list, though...

[bbinacan]

3. Well it has to be

Hugo Chavez:eyes: :sarcasm:

[Gabi Hayes]

6. yeah all those venezuelans hate him, don't they?

all 60 percent, plus, who voted to re-elect him

I'd much rather have a man who dresses like this, wouldn't you?



just oozes plebian, doesn't he?

[bbinacan]

9. I think a lot do. n/t

[Gabi Hayes]

13. really? and those people would be......

the rich, the powerful, those favored by entrenched interests? those who ran the TV station that openly supportedc the coup against him?

those people?

these people:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,688071,00.html

jesus, that's the lamest answer I've seen in quite some time.

[bbinacan]

16. Chavez want make it through

the decade. When are you moving to this utopian society?

[Gabi Hayes]

18. why do you deflect the discussion like that? I never brought up Chavez.

sounds like a ''love it or leave it'' assertion, as well, long as we're diverting the flow of the thread. thanks for highjacking

and whether he lasts the decade is immaterial. do you think the majority of Venezuelans are better off today than they were when the oil companies took most of the profits from Venezuelan resources?

[bbinacan]

20. So you're saying the ends

justifies the means? So, you're willing to give up their liberties for the progress.

From Human Rights Watch.

"By broadening laws that punish disrespect for government authorities, the Venezuelan government has flouted international human rights principles that protect free expression.

José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch"

So let me get this clear. Because Chavez has helped the poor, he is beyond reproach for his stampede toward dictatorship?

on edit: here's the link http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/03/24/venezu10368.htm

And don't dare offend Great Leader. "Anyone convicted of offending these authorities could go to prison for up to 20 months. Anyone who gravely offends the president, on the other hand, can incur a penalty of up to 40 months in prison."

[cali]

5. well, it's definitely not Juan Carlos

in fact it's probably impossible to quantify such a thing, though doing so certainly appeals to linear and simplistic thinking.

[Gabi Hayes]

10. did you mention that on the original thread?

how about this:

who comes to mind when you think of the most influential voices for democracy in the last fifty years?

is that non-linear enough?

btw, I was very interested to hear about your town's support of that place in Nicaragua. that's tangible support for democracy. thanks for doing what you've done.

My brother's church is doing similar work in a town destroyed/rebuilt in El Salvador. a hardcore capitalist who learned excellent spanish while working for GE and Caterpillar in Venezuela and Peru, he's been there four or five times, along with his family.

[cloudbase]

7. This guy

[treestar]

8. I think you're right

[bbinacan]

12. Yes. That is perfect! n/t

[edhopper]

11. Spain was the last Western Europian country

to become democratic. King Juan Carlos was the man responsible for that transition. Where you rank this is of little importance.
He is a great man who brought democracy to his people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Carlos_I_of_Spain

[Gabi Hayes]

15. did you see the other thread? do you think that the OP might have

had something to do with this one?

Prince Juan Carlos and his mentor, Franco, do you think, might have had something to do with the fact that Spain WAS the last country in Europe become democratic?

that's like crediting King Louis the whatever for being in power during the French Revolution.

but you're right. whenever I think 'democracy,' King Juan Carlos jumps right into mind

what was I thinking?

[H2O Man]

14. In my opinion

it is the people who are not famous, who are the greatest champions of democracy.

[Gabi Hayes]

19. thanks. Howard Zinn, anyone?

movements championed by anonymous heroes, like the one pictured above, in the famous Tiennamen Square photo

man vs. tank...one of the most inspiring pictures/videos ever

[Wednesdays]

17. JFK.

eom

[stillcool]

21. I think of those that sound the alarm...

whistle-blowers...like Stephen Heller..the guy from Diebold, and DU's corpgovactivist, Bunny Greenhouse, Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski and so many others I've never heard of, or completely forgotten.. and writers like Steve Kangas, Danny Cosalaro, Norman Solomon, Gary Webb, Seymour Hersh, William Blum, Pepe Escobar, Dahr Jamail..there are so many. I will never know what personal price these people have paid for their extraordinary contributions to me and people like me, who if not for them would be a truly and completely ignorant American. How can their be democracy when there is no truth?

[AngryAmish]

22. Bob Probert

[Selatius]

23. I got your champion RIGHT HERE!

The soft humanity of democracy vs. the hard iron of tyranny.

[RaleighNCDUer]

24. And your problem with Juan Carlos is what?

Franco held absolute power. On his deathbed, he handed that power to Juan Carlos. And Juan Carlos, without pressure, voluntarily relinquished it, and gave it to the Spanish parliment.

It could have gone very differently, but instead he made himself a figurehead who is essentially powerless - far more powerless than the British royals who still have political influence and a shitload of money.

He may not be at the top of the list, but he certainly belongs right up there.