Jimmy Carter's quote: "Dictators speak for their people"

[MN Patriot]

This quote by Jimmy Carter just blows me away:


"In a democracy, I realize that you don't need to talk to the top leader to know how the country feels. When I go to a dictatorship, I only have to talk to one person and that's the dictator, because he speaks for all the people. But in a democracy like Israel, there is a wide range of opinions and that counterbalances the disappointment that I have in not meeting with the people shaping Israeli power now in the government."

Does the former Democrat president honestly think dictators speak for their people? This mindset is truly scary, if modern liberals think legitimate governments are ones with only a few people running the country. I don't quite understand what the last sentence means. Apparently he didn't meet with Israel's government.

Liberals say they want diversity, presumably that includes diverse opinions. Don't dictatorships have a wide range of opinions, too? Except nobody can express them.

This quote could haunt the Democrats for a long time.

Here is a link to the whole story from an Israel website:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/974464.html

[Truth Warrior]

What else would you reasonably expect from a NWO shill, stooge, lackey peanut farmer?

[hypnagogue]

You are clearly misinterpreting his statement. He ways saying in a dictatorship only one opinion is available to the people. I don't think you could pose a justified argument that Jimmy Carter believes that dictatorships best represent the opinions of it's citizens.

[0zzy]

You are clearly misinterpreting his statement. He ways saying in a dictatorship only one opinion is available to the people. I don't think you could pose a justified argument that Jimmy Carter believes that dictatorships best represent the opinions of it's citizens.

Especially considering his life work is on allowing countries to have democratic elections. Hell, the US fails his 5 points which make a suitable election. I wouldn't say he is a fringe for dictators.

[MN Patriot]

You are clearly misinterpreting his statement. He ways saying in a dictatorship only one opinion is available to the people. I don't think you could pose a justified argument that Jimmy Carter believes that dictatorships best represent the opinions of it's citizens.

I don't understand how one opinion is available to the people. Each person has an opinion, it's an intangible object, not something that can be issued like a grey jumpsuit.

I think both you and Jimmy need to explain clearly what you mean about dictatorships.

The whole dictatorship issue is tough to deal with. Do we have a moral obligation to free people in a dictorship? Should we invade their country? What about refuges fleeing a dictatorship, or a crappy country like Mexico? Should we make them return and solve their own problems? Should we prop up a petty dictatorship in order to counteract a larger dicatorship? Should we even recognize dictatorships? A bunch of questions that would make lively debate in an ethics class.