Definition of Democracy

[Undertoad]

IOW I do not understand what protection protects the minority from the majority. I see protection of all from government.

Popular speech doesn't need protection; unpopular speech does. Popular groups don't worry about cops breaking up their meeting; only unpopular groups do. Constitutional rights protect the minority harder.

The majority can only do to minorities what is allowed under the law. The government is only involved with managing the law.

It's imperfect, because we are imperfect.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Popular speech doesn't need protection; unpopular speech does. Popular groups don't worry about cops breaking up their meeting; only unpopular groups do. Constitutional rights protect the minority harder.

But again you assume government is 'owned' by the majority. Unpopular speech can come from the majority - Vietnam antiwar. And the majority needed protection from government. Currently government even suspended writ of Habeas Corpus from everyone - including the majority. So who need protection from whom? UT - you assume majority and government are same. They are not. We are discussing three different parties - the majority, minorities, and government.

The question is how minorities are protected from the majority; not how minorities (and majorities) are protected from government.

I have heard it said often - our democracy is setup to protect minorities from the majority. Well maybe in laws. But how do the Constitution and its amendments do that? Not protect everyone from government. How does it protect minorities from a majority? I do not understand what is meant by (the perspective of) that statement.