[opinion] There is no Dignity in a Mob

I cannot imagine anything more antithetical to human dignity than to leave a minority group's civil rights in the hands of a secret ballot. Some people will gloat that "the people have spoken," but they are incorrect: the people have not spoken--they have hidden away in a curtained box and whispered one of their secret prejudices, which they would have uttered in public only with awkward qualifiers and apologetic backpedaling.

Direct democracy initiatives don't provide any give and take, no debate, none of the haggling over wording or conflicting policy concerns that are the hallmark of effective legislatures. They are simply a headcount, not of what should be, but of what is: X% of the population has nothing to lose by simply voting their gut, regardless of who in the world it hurts. Through the unreal pressures of the political system, elected officials always have something to lose: voters, legacy, dignity, and career. That's how we designed it, that no one in power should make a substantive decision without being held accountable for its havoc as well as rewarded for its virtue.

In direct democracy initiatives there is no accountability, and thus there is nothing to brag about: it took no feat of bravery for the people of Texas (my home state) to reaffirm the status quo. Individually they had nothing to gain and nothing to lose. Mob rule comes in no clearer form. We will simply have to wait until the mob loses steam before legislatures feel safe to take up the issue directly and discuss its contours and effects with the dignity it deserves.

(link to article about Texas election results)