Monday, January 23, 2006

Please sit down and read tonight

I have lots of fun things to report lately, but no time to blog about it--- There was Max's (or was it David's?) award winning entry into the Bryker Woods Boy Scout Pine Car Derby, Emma's amazing first day of cookie sales, Joey.... well just doing something goofy, but I am putting the fun stuff on hold for a bit.

I have been too busy to read the news, or watch the news. Just too damn busy. I've had too many volunteer jobs hitting me at once. I've been trying to get projects done around the house with David. I've been engrossed in Life--in general. So tonight I sat down and read the newspapers that had piled up around me.

I had heard references to Al Gore's speech given on MLK day. But since I haven't even seen the evening news in a week, it sort of passed right by me. The speech was given in Constitution Hall. And it should be required reading for any registered American voter. I Googled and found it online tonight. The text of the speech is long, it took me a long time to get through by skimming, and I still didn't pick up on everything. And I know there are many people who will discount the speech because of its author. But it raises important issues that we (if we are "TruePatriots who Value Democracy") must address.

I feel like my education was somewhat better than adequate. In high school I read Orwell's 1984, I took Government with Marvelous Mr. Mitchell.

Today, I read the paper and enjoy the debate of the editorial pages. I do not have cable, and do not listen to Rush Limbaugh OR Air America. I do not know who is on CNN, or MSNBC, or even the Daily Show (I feel worst about that last one!) but it has probably been to my benefit not hearing all that retoric.

I force myself to read the editorialists I disagree with.

But anyone who doesn't notice and fear what is currently happening in our government is taking the easy way out. They are letting other people's sound bites and their own political parties, do their thinking for them. We currently have an executive branch that embraces secrecy. We have a Legislative branch without the will to ask questions. We have a judiciary that is compromised and weak.

We have been told that to stay safe we must submit and surrender our liberties. We are currently in a war against a concept... Terrorism. Terrorism can not sign a treaty to end the war, so any cost in freedoms our Commander in Chief claims are needed to fight the war are surrendered indefinitely.

Al Gore raises many points, and I urge you to read them. If the link doesn't work, here it is:

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Text_of_Gore_speech_0116.html

Thanks.

I promise to write about "The Pine Wood Derby's Coolest Car Trophy" and "The Eight Delicious Varieties of Cookies You Can Order TODAY! From a Brownie I Know", the next time I sit at the computer.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow. I just read the Al Gore speech and I'm all pumped up! I want so badly to do something about the horrible state our government is in right now. I cringe when I imagine what life will be like for my children if the status quo is allowed to continue unchecked for the next 20 years. The trouble is we're all so busy just trying to make a life for ourselves in the "ownership society" that it's tough to devote much time to changing things, Regrettably I think it's going to have to get a whole lot worse before it gets any better.