It's Been Too Long

Nearly eight years ago, we were faced with the choice of a guy you'd like to have a beer with, or the leadership of a person with a real, functioning brain between the ears. We chose, or it was chosen for us, to get the beer drinking buddy.

Now, we are in the position of electing one whose record as resident of a prison camp, a senator who is a follower in the vein of Bush, a cookie cutter leader, with a cookie baking Mom at his side, or a law professor, with some experience in state and national governments.

The fact is, neither candidate is attending to the Constitution, and both have participated in the undoing of the Bill of Rights. The law professor, who was possibly only an adjunct member of the faculty of one of the best law schools in the country, should know better. The former POW should know that the Bill of Rights, if present lawmaking trends continue, will result in tyranny, dictatorship, and the worst nightmares of the founding fathers of this once great nation.

We've been treated to scandal in the Veep Sweeps, won by a Hockey Mom and a vocal supporter of a war based on lies.

Is this really the best this nation can do for its people?

Really?

I think not.

We have, in my hometown, a police state where "preemptive arrests" are taking place to silence dissent, to squelch assembly, and to prevent those messy things like vocalizations of people who simply want their voices heard. We didn't used to have "preemptive" anything in law enforcement.

Is this the result of our two wars of choice? We invaded Afghanistan and Iraq after a gang of thugs run by a dialysis patient from a cave in the Pakistan/Afghanistan border regions allegedly brought down 3 buildings in New York and caused the most protected airspace in the world to be invaded by a supposedly unarmed passenger jet, lo these seven years ago. Since then, we have heard, "noun, verb, 911". It has motivated everything except sense.

"They hate us for our freedoms", so our government has dis-assembled those freedoms. Are we more "liked" by those that "hated us", as a result of this liberty-grab? I think not.

Did we apply good common sense, law enforcement to the gang of invaders?

Did we galvanize anything other than fear in the wake of those attacks?

Did we strengthen our resolve to honor and adhere to the rule of law in the wake of terrorism?

Are we safer now? Will we ever be safe with these policies? Can removal of human rights from humans result in a citizenry of this nation, or the world, being admirers of what was once the "shining beacon on a hill"?

We need our Constitution back. Go out and demand that. It has been too long since the day when peaceable assembly for presentation of demands upon our government for their adherence to law and upholding principles of human rights, has been applauded.

I may not agree with everything a protester may say, but I will sacrifice to my dying breath for their right to their voice. If our leaders do not show that same resolve, then bring in other leaders.

Spare us the ideology, give us the substance of what has been missing far too long in this nation. Give us back our Constitution, and let the chips fall where they may. What worked for Jefferson, just might work even better in a world, now more aware of the value of democratic ideals.

We cannot impose on others what we deny to ourselves. We cannot be an example to others, if our actions belie our words. Forget the spin and palaver. Give me a braniac who knows and loves the Constitution. Count every vote as cast. Register every citizen. And for goodness sake, let us put fear behind us. It is no way to show our real strength as a nation, a nation of laws, not of men.