Quote:
Originally Posted by thinkxingu
No, you're getting the freedom of speech and democracy confused. The first amendment protects your, and others', rights to criticize, but democracy cannot work by criticism alone.
If people here have issues with the construction of a new MP headquarters, they are free to complain, but it's useless to the larger picture unless they're going to get involved. And uninvolved complainers are annoying. I think that was the original point.
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I'm not confused at all. Free speech is a product of a functioning democracy. What you view as complaining is actually someone voicing his/her opinion.
When I was on Town Meeting I got comments just like the one above from people in my precinct, especially during the annual town budget. I chose not to see them as "uninvolved complainers" but as tax paying townspeople with every right to their opinion. I would never discount feedback or an unsolicited opinion. Being able to listen to viewpoints other than mine is essential to the committees I am and have been on.