# White America doesn't understand democracy **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 8, 2018, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169 "2018-11-08T00:39:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/1 "2018-11-08T00:39:28Z")
Seriously, it’s obvious beyond belief that white America has this cartoonish understanding of what democracy really is. I think the only people who understand democracy in America are people who’ve been denied it, people who’ve been threatened with persecution. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/2 "2018-11-08T00:44:22Z")
So, tell us what democracy really is. Please. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/3 "2018-11-08T00:45:19Z")
Those are some pretty broad strokes you’re using there. Care to expand at all? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/4 "2018-11-08T00:45:55Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Seriously, it’s obvious beyond belief that white America has this cartoonish understanding of what democracy really is. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/5 "2018-11-08T00:54:08Z")
Democracy is when every single person casts a vote on every single issue. Anything less than that is some sort of (ugh) _republic_. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/6 "2018-11-08T01:06:16Z")
Representative Democracy you mean. Some of us are civilized enough to not have a republic. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/7 "2018-11-08T01:44:20Z")
You know what I don’t understand? Bitcoin, for one thing. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/8 "2018-11-08T02:00:36Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I think the only people who understand democracy in America are people who’ve been denied it, people who’ve been threatened with persecution. Who do you think has been doing all the denying and persecuting and voter suppression? You know who understands democracy? The people who’ve been succeeding at it all these decades. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/9 "2018-11-08T02:03:34Z")
If I get a tan, can I understand it a little better? ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/10 "2018-11-08T02:20:59Z")
Democracy. Isn’t that when two wolves and one sheep vote on what’s for dinner? What do I know, I’m just a wolf (i.e. white male). ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/11 "2018-11-08T02:57:55Z")
An overly broad and simplistic stereotype that demonizes and belittles an entire racial group…hmmm. If only we had a single word that could express that concept. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/12 "2018-11-08T03:04:50Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Seriously, it’s obvious beyond belief that white America has this cartoonish understanding of what democracy really is. I think the only people who understand democracy in America are people who’ve been denied it, people who’ve been threatened with persecution. Just out of curiosity, are you a white American? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/13 "2018-11-08T03:13:15Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Just out of curiosity, are you a white American? Yes, and I think white Americans have no clue about their own society and politics. They have a whitewashed, sanitized version of it that they’ve never had to live because they’ve inflicted their shit on other people. You all call Huey Freeman a troll and dismiss him whenever he rants - without having any understanding and without trying to understand his perspective. But go ahead and be smug. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/14 "2018-11-08T04:33:22Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Seriously, it’s obvious beyond belief that white America has this cartoonish understanding of what democracy really is. I think the only people who understand democracy in America are people who’ve been denied it, people who’ve been threatened with persecution. I agree with this. Red state America are monsters, but white Blue state Americans are fucking children who think instagramming an I Voted sticker is going to get Texas to elect a dress wearing front man of a punk rock band to the senate; and then when the election plays out exactly like we thought it would, they get weepy. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/15 "2018-11-08T04:48:18Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > But go ahead and be smug. I’d like to be Loretta. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/16 "2018-11-08T05:33:04Z")
The OP sucks, though I happen to agree with it. You could fit popular understanding of democracy onto a Hallmark card. But a good rant requires, you know, a little substantiation. Even if it’s anecdotal. Most asahi posts have more content than the OP. ## Rev it up asahi, and try again. Growing up I shared the Pollyanna view of US democracy enjoyed by most whites. My Jewish friends were also pro-democracy of course, but their take had a pronounced skeptical streak. Even dubious at times. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/17 "2018-11-08T05:44:29Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I think white Americans have no clue about their own society and politics. So you, a white American, are telling all of us about a topic that you admit you have no clue about. Let me guess - you’re also a man. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/18 "2018-11-08T08:14:19Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Seriously, it’s obvious beyond belief that white America has this cartoonish understanding of what democracy really is. I think the only people who understand democracy in America are people who’ve been denied it, people who’ve been threatened with persecution. If your measure of an individual’s intelligence, perspective, beliefs and understanding is driven primarily by the colour of their skin then you are a racist and a bigot. You and your mindset are part of the problem. Try judging people on the quality of their character. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/19 "2018-11-08T08:24:36Z")
Confused. Didn’t the Democrats win last night? Or did I miss something? Or have I fallen back into a time portal and its 2016 again? (If it is, BRB, have bets to place). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2018, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169/20 "2018-11-08T08:46:47Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Didn’t the Democrats win last night? Not really, no. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-america-doesnt-understand-democracy/824169.md?page=2)