A Funhouse, or A Madhouse?
By Catfarmer

Political activism leads people to run amok like bulls (or donkeys and elephants) in the china shop of precious individual liberties. I've learned that from experience, and from the bull's perspective I can vouch for the fact that it's exhilarating exercise - I can also vouch for the china's more fragile perspective. Speaking as someone who's witnessed enough destruction of priceless liberties, this doll isn't prepared to take any more bull.

Political thinking encourages us to wrestle with our inner demons as though they lived next door. Instead of tackling the responsibility of overcoming whatever evil spirit (lust, avarice, envy, sloth, violence, etc) lurks within us we grapple with distorted reflections mirrored by others, and in the political house of mirrors we find plenty of reflections to grapple with. It's easy to believe that one is fighting the enemy with so many fellow shadow wrestlers to exchange hostilities with, but what if we're all wrestling with bogus adversaries because we fail to recognize the true enemy? What if the one truly dangerous adversary that any one of us has were resourceful enough to keep us all too busy fighting amongst ourselves to pay him any genuine attention? (Read the rest here)

The Absentee President
By Ted Lang © 2004

The controversy surrounding President George W. Bush’s Air National Guard record is about as relevant to this year’s presidential election as is candidate John Kerry’s sex life. What does either have to do with the issues? And what are the issues? When will the campaign focus on our abolished Bill of Rights via the USA Patriot Act? When will the debates home in on the unbelievable record spending by Republicans that is propelling our nation, our children and grandchildren into irreducible debt? How can tax reduction make sense in a perpetual war economy created by an administration that has proclaimed the right to conquer and rule the world?

We are terrorizing all other nations on the planet. We are indeed the most powerful and most dangerous threat to world peace. Where once American government was the culprit, the nations of the world are now convinced that it is the government of the United States propped up by its supportive masses that comprises the total threat. Hence, 9-11, the terrorist act warranted by American belligerence in the Middle East, and capitalized upon by our own government to direct the anger of the masses at Iraq and Saddam Hussein, was the payback. (Read the rest here)

Ah, but the Constitution IS the Answer!
By Randall Hofland

Those who call themselves "Americans" are often that by birth alone. Others have much more invested in their citizenship, yet many, if not all of us have lost sight of what binds us and makes us great both as a people and as a nation.

We, as a people, often forget the shed blood and tears that have tortured bodies and soul, and thus forged the unique national identity, and forgotten the valuable lessons learned as a consequence. Bigotry seems to be an inevitable affliction of mankind, perhaps the consequence of the weaknesses of our personal and collective psyches. Our insecurities haunt and drive us apart, and so we have lost sight of the potential of a great nation based on even greater ideals and pulling together not just for our own welfare but for the greater good of all despite what flaws may be found in that union. (Read the rest here)

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