We are a republic, not a democracy

A recent column by Esther J. Cepeda suggests students are unprepared to participate in a democracy due to a double standard in civics education, and that students have only a partial understanding of the rights and duties of citizenship in America’s constitutional democracy. Maybe Ms. Cepeda could benefit from attending a civics class herself before exposing the inequalities of education. Our Constitution was formed strictly for a republic, not a democracy.

Some people may be surprised that the word democracy does not appear in our Declaration of Independence, our U.S. Constitution, or any of the constitutions in the 50 states. There is good reason: democracies fail (witness the Roman Empire). Even our forefathers had the option to set up our country as a monarchy or an oligarchy form of government, but they didn’t — and for good reason. A republic ensures limited government, it protects the personal and property rights of citizens, and the rule of law prevails.

Democracies are governed by a majority (mob) rule and largely unrestrained. Sam Adams is quoted as saying, “Democracies never last long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself.” Recently, we have tea party patriots being given access to local schools to teach civics and bolster the education of all students; I trust they will be teaching students America is a republic, not a democracy. Big difference!

Gerald Bromley

Schaumburg