What do public swimming pools have to do with democracy
#258
My Dear Friend of Democracy,
Democracy means that everyone has the same rights. However, this equality would be of little use if it only existed on paper; if, for example, only those with enough money could hire a lawyer to defend themselves in court.
There is a term that describes a democracy that includes all people: equal opportunities.
In a democracy with equal opportunities, all people have the same opportunities. De facto equal treatment in court is one of them.
Others: access to the health system and education, mobility for all, knowledge of how politics and democracy work—and thus participation in democracy.
Also, by the way, the opportunity to learn to swim.
In a society where only the rich can afford a (private) pool, most have little chance of learning to swim. They miss out on joy and, in the worst case, their life.
✊ Democracy needs public swimming pools like the one I pass every morning while running (photo). Maybe this swimming pool will not exist for much longer. Eighty public swimming pools are closed in Germany every year. Because maintaining them is expensive. However, swimming pools are part of a functioning democracy. We should afford them. They enable equal opportunities.
See you in Democracy,
Johannes
📸 Berlin, Germany / 18 December 2024