"a far cry from having laws dictated to them by someone else"
It seems you fundamentally don't understand what I'm talking about. Laws are always dictated by someone else. Today 48% of British citizen had the other 52% impose something that will have a lasting impact on their lives against their will. How is that not a law dictated to them by someone else? Unless you think about "British" as a kind of Borg monolithic entity.
Ah, you're crusading for the whole "citizens of Earth" thing.
It's not that difficult a concept for non-crusaders, though. There's a vast difference between having your elected politicians, from your culture, whom you have more control over with people from your culture (i.e., by voting), make the laws, and some massive bureaucracy formed of people you have no connection with and different values with make them for you. I know that goes against the whole kumbayaah-let's-all-of-us-hug-all-cultures-are-equal thing, but that's not how most people think.
The logic is simple. Do you want to make your own decisions? What if you can't, who would you rather have make them for you? Your neighbor or your parents? What if your parents can't, your neighbor or some guy living in the countryside? What if your neighbor can't? The guy living in the countryside, or someone from another country close by? What if the country dude can't? The someone from a country close by, or a dirt farmer from Afghanistan?
The closer the decision making process is, the better. The vast majority of the world's population agrees with this sentiment.
