FREE SPEECH (A CLARIFICATION)

Remember 'Bro' (from the post below?) A number of people complained that him being denied the opportunity to take his non-sensical, directionless rant disguised as a question with a preface to the never-ending lengths to which he strived was an infringement of his right to free speech (as given to him in the bill of rights). Lets clarify exactly what the 1st Amendment says and means... Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. So... the government shall not make a law keeping any citizen from speaking their mind. Well, it hasn't. Anyone is still free to say whatever they want in a public forum. Of course there are some common sense guidelines that apply to this. For example: One can't yell "fire!" in a crowded movie theatre. One can't level threats to other individuals. One can't lie to a police officer or file false police reports. The idea behind amendment #1 is that because we are a government of the people, by the people, for the people the government won't restrict what the people say about the government. Our collective and individual voices will not be impeded. But that right doesn't supersede every other right and law in existence. In other words: One can not break into someone's house and start making a speech on the dangers of free economy. You still broke into someone's house! Just because you're yapping away during your breaking and entering doesn't nullify the fact that you broke and entered. Whatever point 'Bro' was thinking he was getting to while at the microphone, he was still on private property at a limited seating function and his attendance was a privilege granted to him not a right. He was still bound to conduct himself by the guidelines set by those conducting the event. If 'Bro' had chosen to cooperate with police he would have been free to continue his ramblings out on the sidewalk... as our forefathers intended us to be able to do. So, again... a note to those up in arms that 'Bro's' rights were violated. They were not. No one stopped him from saying what he felt like saying. The organizers of the event simply wanted him to stop saying it in their private forum. Much like all of you would want someone to stop screaming on your doorstep at 1 o'clock in the a.m. As Joe Strummer and The Clash says: Know Your Rights... beofore you bellyache that they've been violated.

I'M SMARTER THAN THAT 'BRO' (and all the other bros defending him)

You've all seen the video so I won't bother linking it or briefing you with the details... A bit of advice: Anyone who decides to become unruly and disruptive while a U.S. Senator is in the room then refuses to cooperate with police as they try to escort him out, that person is going to get tazered! Plain and simple. End of story. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Andrew Meyer was looking for his 15 minutes of fame. He found it. Anyone who thinks he was treated unfairly is as idiotic as he is. It's a damn shame the police have to be put on paid leave while a state investigation is conducted into the way the matter was handled. Now a group of students want tazers banned from school campus? Is this the same group of students who complained that VT campus police should have done more to protect students last spring? What do they suggest police carry with them while on campus? Guns that can obliterate vital organs? Billy clubs that can break bones and cause brain damage? Mace that will have everyone within a 10 foot radius vomitting uncontrollably? Or a tazer that leaves a welt on 1 person and hurts like hell for 5 seconds until he is subdued? You want police present to protect you when danger is present but not a nano-second before? You all should run for president. You're as short sighted as our current one!

MORE POLITICAL MUMBO JUMBO

I mentioned a few posts down how the national debt has ballooned during the current administration. It was little reported that a few days ago Congress once again increased our national debt limit up to $9.82 trillion in order to keep the U.S. from going bankrupt. As if the testimony of the Surgeon General against the Bush Administration and all of it's incapacities wasn't enough, now Alan Greenspan, often referred to as 'The Smartest Man in America' and a lifelong Republican (no comments on the blatant oxymoron there) comes out swinging against The Bush Administration in his new book. Greenspan says he has no doubt that oil and not WMD's was the motivation for entering into Iraq. Greenspan has been highly praised by Republicans and Democrats alike since his time with The Nixon Whitehouse. For him to be so critical of an administration of which he was an insider until recently is surprising. One of the more alarming moments in the book is Greenspan's account that "Deficits don't matter" became the mantra for the current whitehouse. The most important issues were selling the war to the American People and keeping the Republicans in control of Congress, regardless of the costs. Criminal.

ASPEN QUOTE #34 (and a bonus brico quote)

Aspen came up with this gem on her own she says. I dunno, sounds to eloquent to come from my loins. Is she putting one over on me? Anybody heard this one before? "Nothing is more interesting than an open book." In my quick smarts I added this... "And nothing is more pitiful than a closed mind." On the other hand, maybe she does get it from me.

ASPEN QUOTE #33

I am Buddhist. Aspen's mom is now Christian after being Wiccan for as long as I've ever known her. We both share our beliefs with Aspen but I periodically remind her that they are just that, 'beliefs', and that Aspen or anyone else should never be 'told' or scared into forming their beliefs against their own better judgement. Last night she says this... "Daddy, I don't know if God exists or not. But if he does, I'm sure glad he made you my daddy." Excuse me, seems I have something in my eye. Sniff.

ASPEN QUOTE #32

On Wednesday I picked Aspen up from school early due to a fever (101.1). She was in good spirits and asked me to carry her. "Oh sure" I says (sarcastically). "Yea!" she does her best to sound excited. "You're not familiar with sarcasm are you?" I inquire A moment later I change the subject... "Your teacher and I have a meeting next Wednesday." "Oh goodie" she says. "You think your report will be that good huh?" I say pleased that she is enthusiastic about us talking about her school behavior. "You're not familiar with sarcasm are you?" she says dryly. Hmmm, I think the doctor has a shot for that condition.

AMERICA...

...A government of the people rich elite, for the people energy companies, by the people Christian conservatives. This is the Republican Party's philosophy, not just The Bush administration's. Our national treasury has been raided by the war machine coorporations. Our traditional allies have distanced themselves from us to unprecedented levels. Our leader is met with violent protests in every corner of the world he visits. Since February 2000 our national debt has risen from $5.7 trillion to $9 trillion. We are now the world's largest debtor nation. Every child in The U.S. is born with an automatic $50k debt as their portion. Someone making $1 million a year pays 1/3rd % the tax of someone making $50k a year. Federal grant monies are being given to non-profit religious organizations for distribution.

STEADY AS SHE GOES CAP'N

Happy Labor Day to all! Sunday Aspen, her friend and I took to the lake for some tubing. The keen observer may have noticed that this is not Seaweeder. She remains drydocked for now do to very low water levels. Funny that, there are fishing boats cruising flooded streets of small midwestern towns throughout our country yet lack of rain out east makes Lake Wylee four feet low subsequently closing nearly every public access ramp. This is Aspen's stepdad's boat which docks at a marina. Hence, low waterlevels do not impede it from venturing out.