Tuesday, November 05, 2013

Contemplating Lao modernity and democracy


My op-ed, "Contemplating Lao modernity and democracy" is now up at the Twin Cities Daily Planet. It comes from numerous discussions held with my colleagues and counterparts across the United States and abroad. Any political system will have flaws in its full implementation, one that needs checks and balances to keep things running.

Given that most Lao live within democracies of one sort or another, we should all be participating to the fullest to model the best of the system for each other and for other nations. How might Lao implement a more effective vision of democracy, one that might be a model to the rest of the world in these changing times? This is a question our community should constantly be asking itself.

It's also a good time to revisit an earlier column I did in June on "Considering Lao Minnesotans," and to consider the questions I was asking as we head into the voting booths this Tuesday. Lao Minneapolitans will be choosing only the 4th person in 30 years since our journey began in the US to be Mayor. This is an important decision given the coming directions ahead both for the Lao Minneapolitan community and Minnesota in general.

No comments: