Statement from my interlocutor:

"As an American Socialist, my first question to everyone is a rather simple one. 
Are you beleivers in democracy? Do you believe that democratic control of an 
institution is a more effective way of meeting the needs of society, and the 
individuals living therein? This is supposing the goal of the institution is to 
meet the needs of society. The first institutional example I give will be 
government, because I think many of us can agree that its objective ought to 
be to meet the needs of society. Of course some may not even agree to this. Who 
here believes government ought to be democratically controlled? "

And my response:

  Forgive a little philosophical interjection here, but you seem to be presenting
some false alternatives.

  One may believe in democracy as an end in itself (as you seem to do) or as a 
means to an end (like many of the American founders did).  It is perfectly 
consistent with a democratic form of government to supress all liberties or 
some liberties for some ideal you find worthy.  Indeed, many believe that the 
humanist cause is the only worthy goal of government, and by removing certain 
freedoms previously enjoyed in the name of health and pleasant living for the 
most people, democracy once again justifies itself.

  However, I myself hold with the Enlightenment thinkers who informed the 
founding, that only unfettered liberty is an end in itself, and a severely 
limited constitutional democracy is merely the best government for preserving 
that liberty.  If any particular democracy acts to supress freedom for some 
dubious, if loving end, that government becomes the enemy of the people.  By 
denying God-given rights, and supressing those unalienable liberties, these 
long-forgotten and seldom considered words take on new force:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that 
they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among 
these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these 
rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from 
the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes 
destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish 
it, and to institute new Government... "

  Indeed, if you offer your "democracy" with the supression of freedom, you can 
count me the ENEMY of your democracy.

   God bless you all,
    Bo Zimmerman

 P.S. (Note where is says "whenever ANY form of government becomes destructive 
to [certain unalienable Rights]...")