Welcome to a breakpoint, a daily look and an ever-changing culture through the lens of

unchanging truth.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, a record 4.2 billion people could vote in

elections around the world this year.

Ballots will be cast on every continent except Antarctica, and that's only because

penguins aren't allowed to vote.

To be sure, too many of these elections will not be free or fair or secure.

And in too many places, an election could only escalate political tensions and further the loss of freedoms.

A couple weeks ago, voters in Taiwan elected a new president from the Democratic

Progressive Party, increasing tensions there between the Independence-minded Taiwanese

and the Chinese Communist Party.

India's incumbent prime minister, a Hindu nationalist, is expected to easily win a third term

in election this spring, which likely means that persecution against Christians and Muslims

will continue to intensify there.

The election in Bangladesh earlier this month is widely believed to have then ate sham,

and the upcoming election in Russia this year will likely have even less credibility.

Some view these failures as proof that democracy just doesn't work.

L.A. Times columnist Joe Matthews predicted after seeing all the what he called ugliness on display

and so-called Democratic elections this year, people might finally start looking

for what he also called a better way. Still the very fact that so much of the global community

recognizes corruption and unfair elections as ugliness is itself a

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