Goa, Aug. 12 -- PETER F BORGES

Democracy thrives on questions. It grows stronger when cit izens challenge ideas, de bate policies and hold in stitutions accountable. Yet somewhere along the way, something appears to have changed. Somewhere be tween the question and the answer, the questioner has become the issue. Some where between the protest and the policy, the protester has become the headline. Instead of debating ideas, we increasingly dissect indi viduals. Instead of respond ing to concerns, we respond to personalities. If this trend continues, the greatest casualty will not be a polit ical party or a government. It will be the willingness of children and young people to participate in democracy itself. The recent student-led protes...