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Entry from October 09, 2011

“One man’s mob is another man’s democracy”

After some had called the 2011 “Occupy Wall Street” protests a “mob” (unlike the tea party rallies), White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said in October 2011:

“I don’t understand why, you know, one man’s mob is another man’s democracy.”

“One man’s mob is another man’s militia” has been cited in print since 2000, “One man’s mob rule is another man’s democracy in action” has been cited in 2002, “One man’s mob, is another man’s democratic assemblage” has been cited in 2005, and “One man’s mob is another’s democracy” has been cited in 2006.

A somewhat similar phrase is “Democracy is mob rule (but with income taxes).” An older, similar saying is “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.”

Wikipedia: Jay Carney
James “Jay” Carney (born May 22, 1965) is an American journalist and President Barack Obama’s second White House Press Secretary. Prior to his appointment as Press Secretary, replacing Robert Gibbs, he was director of communications to Vice President of the United States Joe Biden. Carney previously served as Washington Bureau Chief for Time magazine, a post he held from September 2005 until December 2008, and as a regular contributor in the “roundtable” segment of ABC News’ This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

Google Books
Jumpin’ Jim Crow:
Southern politics from civil war to civil rights
Edited by Jane Dailey
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press
2000
Pg. 67:
Chapter 3 Stephen Kantrowitz
One Man’s Mob Is Another Man’s Militia:
Violence, Manhood, and Authority in Reconstruction South Carolina

Google Groups: uk.rec.naturist
Newsgroups: uk.rec.naturist
From: Tim Forcer

Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 08:52:21 +0100
Local: Mon, Sep 30 2002 2:52 am
Subject: Re: Pin the man on the willy

One man’s mob rule is another man’s democracy in action? “Power to the people”?

Democratic Underground
stopbush
Tue Nov-11-03 08:19 PM
175. One man’s mob is another man’s constituency.
I agree that a Senator should for the most part vote his heart, that’s what representative democracy allows for. But when the voters you represent take to the streets en masse, they amount to more than a focus group. They’re sending a message. If you listened to their message to “go to Washington” when they gave you their votes, why are you ignoring their message when they take to the streets? How often do Americans take to the streets these days? Not often. Being elected to a 6-year term as a US Senator doesn’t mean you ignore the wishes of your constituency for 5 years, 9 months and start listening just in time for the next election, does it?

Google Groups: PoliticalForum
From: “RJ”

Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005 16:21:50 -0700
Local: Fri, Apr 22 2005 6:21 pm
Subject: Re: The American Dream is Dead!

One man’s mob, is another man’s democratic assemblage,

Google Groups: alt.tv.the-west.wing
Newsgroups: alt.tv.the-west-wing
From: Pat Farrell

Date: Sun, 01 Jan 2006 20:38:45 -0500 Local: Sun, Jan 1 2006 8:38 pm Subject: Re: Tess is a troll Depends on whether you agree with the mob or not, right? One man’s mob is another’s democracy. 😊 Google Books Anti-Christ: A Satirical End of Days By Matthew Moses Bangor, ME: Booklocker.com 2007 Pg. 215: “One man’s mob is another’s protest.” 37signals Is the web killing our culture? Matt Jun 29 2007 (...) Keen’s got a point in some areas but it all seems rather elitist. One man’s “mob rule” is another’s democracy. If individuals can’t decide for themselves what to like, who should do it? Is he proposing we all obey a Committee of Good Taste or something? The Common Sense Gamer Pai says: July 12, 2010 at 3:38 pm One man’s mob rule is another’s democratic process / free market correction. CNNMoney Obama, Cantor spar over Occupy Wall Street By Chris Isidore @CNNMoney October 7, 2011: 2:54 PM ET NEW YORK (CNNMoney)—The Occupy Wall Street protests have sparked another fight—between Republicans and President Obama. Speaking Friday at a “Values Voter Summit” in Washington, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor called the protesters a “mob” and suggested they had been encouraged by the Obama administration. (...) After Cantor’s remarks Friday, White House press spokesman Jay Carney said the Republican leader’s criticism of the Wall Street protests was “hypocrisy unbound,” when compared to his support of Tea Party protests. He said both were examples of American democratic traditions. “I don’t understand why one man’s mob is another man’s democracy,” Carney said. Washington (DC) Times White House challenges Cantor over anti-Wall Street ‘mob’ By Dave Boyer Friday, October 7, 2011 The White House is criticizing House GOP Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s description of Wall Street protesters as a “mob,” saying the activists compare favorably with the tea party movement. “I don’t understand why, you know, one man’s mob is another man’s democracy,” presidential press secretary Jay Carney said Friday. He added that he sees “a little hypocrisy unbound” in Mr. Cantor’s comments because the GOP leader previously has described tea party activists as democracy in action.

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