The least bad option

It is depressing how easy it is for the majority in a democracy to rule over the minority, when they want to. It's almost like the founders tried to prevent this fact, but failed. To be fair, it has been 225 or so years, so at least until the 20th century they did a decent job on that part. Although, slavery existed prior to 600,000 Americans dying in the Civil War, so it was hardly perfect. I still hold that (thank you Randy Barnett) Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, and what it took to achieve emancipation of the slaves is both the realization and destruction of the founders ideas. All in one!