What are true "Freedom" and "Liberty" ?

Submitted by Debanjan Banerjee (India), Dec 10, 2010 at 02:12

Dear Mr. Tovey,

I have gone through the history of USA and in my understanding the American founding fathers never ever intended to create a state with freedom and liberty for all. Some of them were staunch Calvinists and because of their Calvinist beliefs they believed the Native-Americans and the African-Americans were "divinely non-elected" to receive any equal rights whatsoever. In my viewpoint American democracy was meant to become a system whereby a tiny , "divinely elected" elite would lord over the overwhelming majority of unworthy and "divinely non-elected" peoples. William Livingstone and Fisher Ames (two of the founding fathers) were strong Calvinists.

Thereby even today reflections of Calvinist thought can be found in leaders like Reagan and Bush who think they are divinely "Elected" to either fight the Communists or Islam. Now when these Calvinism-influenced people come face to face with people like Assange ( a man from the non-elected social class of peoples) who is ready to challenge the status quo , these Calvinism-influenced people go berserk. Thats why you have people like Sara Palin and Mike Huckabee calling for Assange's head.

Now I would like to know your viewpoints regarding Calvinist influence behind the persecution of Assange and authoritarian nature of US constitution.

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