“Democracy is the worst form of government,” Winston Churchill once noted,”except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”And that’s the whole story.
Today is a celebration of democracy here. Millions of voters are going tothe polls. In a few hours we will know who has been elected by theIsraeli people. Many will celebrate, many will grieve.
Now, a few hours before the end, we can all together worship at the altarof this miracle called Israeli democracy. It is a magnificent tree withno visible roots. Where do all of our democrats and their ancestors hailfrom? From Russia of the cruel Tzars, from Yemen of the kings ofdarkness, from Poland of Marshal Pilsudski, from Morocco of HisMajesty, from the Soviet Union of Stalin the terrible,from Palestine of the High Commissioner. Neither the Jewish Shtetlin Europe nor the Jewish Melah in the Moslem countries weredemocratic.
So where has this democracy sprung from? Just like the rebirth of theHebrew language, it is a miracle. It grew out of our parents’desire to establish on this soil an ideal society, one to be thesubject of envy and admiration for the world. Something different,something better. They succeeded. Israeli democracy has withstoodsevere trials, from the storming of the Knesset by the Heruthordes inflamed by Begin in the fight against German reparations,to the vrbal assault on the Court by Deri supporters.
Let us thank God (who has never been a democrat) for being able to claimas ours one of the few countries in the protective shade of democracy, ata time when the vast majority of humanity is groaning under the rule ofmilitary and civilian despots, armed bands, secret police and ideologicalmafias. (And let us not forget that we ourselves are maintaining a systemof suppression in the occupied territories.)
But, in the words of the great Churchill, democracy is a bad system. Thiselection campaign demonstrates just how bad.
Paradox number one: When there are two equally strong camps facing eachother (as it happens here, in the U.S., and in many other countries), bothare forced to hunt for the “floating” votes. The result is that bothcamps begin to speak the same language, concealing their true identity.Both leaders know that they can rely on their loyal voting blocs, and thatthe propaganda must be directed at those floating voters, some of whomhave no opinion or knowledge (which is why they are still “floating” atsuch a late stage). This is the price of democracy: A small number ofcitizens, and in particular those most ignorant in politics, who do notread newspapers and who do not exhibit any interest in politics throughoutthe year, who may have arrived at our shores only yesterday and who arenot cognizant of our problems, are the ones who may determine today’soutcome.
Paradox number two: Of all voters, it is many of the most politicallyaware voters who intend to vote with a blank ballot today. To those onecan apply the English saying, “Cutting off your nose to spite your face.”If the candidates and the present parties are not to their liking — letthem get up tomorrow morning, roll up their sleeves and work in thecoming four years in order to bring up different candidates andcreate new parties. Instead of griping and ranting, let themdemonstrate in the streets instead, establish new organizations,found new publications, embark on campaigns of information. Inshort, utilize all the means which democracy puts at their disposal.And let them bless their luck for that democracy.
Paradox number 3: Democracy is based on the principle of freedom ofexpression for all, even for its enemies. And so it happens that intoday’s elections there are those participants whose expressed goal is thedestruction of democracy. There are those who wish to abolish the rightof the majority to legislate, for the sake of a 2,200 year-old Torahand a medieval Halacha (religious law). Others seek to deny civilrights to Arab citizens, who comprise 20% of our population. All ofthese partake in celebrating the very democracy which they are tryingto destroy. It is worth noting: The gravedigger of German democracywas elected in a democratic manner.
Paradox number 4: The skills required for governing a state are differentfrom those required to win an election. But those who want to govern thestate must first be elected. Soon we shall know whether we have electedthe person in whose hands we can entrust with relative confidence thesteering of our ship of state.
Today is the true day of celebration for our country. Not the Day ofIndependence, which has lost its meaning. Not the days of mourningwhich have turned into routine events, but today, when we determinewith our own hands our destiny, for good or for bad.