The Scottish Games

As we spread 'democracy' eastward by force, it is important to convey also the perspective seen by the individual who actually stands up and asks to be heard. If you've never stared down the maw of 'democracy' one on one, it really is something to behold.

As leaders of the industrialized world prepare to convene the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland this week, hundreds of thousands of voters take to the street worldwide to be heard on such subjects as global warming, poverty and famine. A worldwide television audience of several hundred million more are believed to have seen the Live 8 concerts speaking to the same. It's hard to miss, really, unless your very existence and claim to power depend in large part on your ability to look the other way. Keep in mind that none of these people are asking for personal wealth, power or oil, but food and clean water for others.