Spirit of Democracy

Democracy is government of, by, for people

• Govern by consent of the people
• Committed to rule of law
• People have the right to
  
  - Vote
  - Participate
  - Freedom of speech
  - Petition government
  - Dissent
  - Civil disobedience

Respect Personal Rights

• Security
• Know
• Own property
• Privacy / property
• Physical privacy of personal
  
  - Information
  - Communications
  - Space
  
  
• Free from surveillance

Respect Democratic Diversity

• Right to believe differently
• Right to act differently

Due Process of law

• Judicial Fairness / Justice
• Equality before the law
• Equal protection under law
• Abide by judicial fairness
• No arbitrary
  
  - Seizure
  - Detention

Fundamental Freedoms

• Substantively upheld
• Judicial due processes
• Freedom of
  
  - Conscience
  - Religion
  - Thought
  - Belief
  - Expression
  - Press
  - Freedom

Fundamental legal rights

• Right to
  
  - Life
  - Liberty
  - Security
  
  
• Right of due
  
  - Search/Seizure
  - Detention
  - Imprisonment
  
  
• Rights on arrest / detention
  
  - Promptly informed
  - Given proper reasons
  - Retain / instruct counsel
  - Access without delay
  - Informed of legal rights
  - Substantative evidence
  - Release invalidly detained
  
  
• Rights of charged person
  
  - Informed without delay
  - Tried in reasonable time
  - Not compelled to witness
  - Presumed innocent
  - Not denied due bail
  - Trial by jury
  - Not guilty by omission
  - No double jeopardy
  - Benefit lesser punishment
  
  
• Right to
  
  - No cruel treatment
  - Witness protection
  - An interpreter

Express Loyalty

• Right of Civic Nationalism
  
  - Shared rights/freedoms
  - Common values
  - Be patriotic
  
  
• Right of ethnic identity
• Right to honor heritage

Act Responsibly

• Understand and obey laws
• Participate in democracy
• Vote in elections
• Allow others their
  
  - Rights
  - Freedoms
  
  
• Honor multicultural heritage
• Informed political activities
• Better your
  
  - Communities
  - Country as a whole
  
  
• Build community well-being
• Steward other's welfare
• Engage in public discourse
  

Strive for Equality

• Equality before the law
• Equal protection under law

What IsDemocracy? (U.S. Department of State - International Information Programs)

http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/whatsdem/homepage.htm