Marking Time

Tomorrow is the first day of Spring and today marks the end of the fifth year of this horrendous war. Spring, of course, is the season of new beginnings and war, of course, is the season of endings.

First and foremost it is the ending of life. Four thousand of our best and brightest cut down in their prime. Wives and husbands, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers gone, not in some glorious crusade, but in an increasingly ignored and ever more expensive and worthless quest for goals never truly spoken by those that would have us continue down this road that has no apparent end.

War is also the ending of innocence. Nineteen year old boys who should be deciding between careers or schools or between girls are forced to decide between life or death. For themselves, or their comrades, or for people living thousands of miles away from their homes and families. Choices which may well haunt them until the end of their days. It is also the end of the innocence of the nation. The exuberant Nineties gives way to the grim and foreboding 21st century where the America of economic and moral leadership has become a tired and fearful place. Where outsiders are to be distrusted and the idea that we can do anything is replaced by arguments about whether we should do anything at all.

It's been a long Winter. I can't remember a harder one and I've seen plenty. But with Spring comes the hope, no, the knowledge, that longer, sunnier, warmer days are ahead. I also have some hope that this country is ready for a change in direction. The political season has not brought the public scrutiny of our policies, both home and abroad, that I might have hoped for, but there is still time for America to examine what needs to change. And to select the people who might actually effect that change. As I said, with Spring comes hope.

Who Are The Terrorists?

Often when I go to post, either here or other sites, I find that I ask myself whether my comments may go too far. Even though I may want to say that certain members of the administration are on track for capitol punishment, I usually temper my attack.
The Flyover Journal today has an article which suggests that I may be right if I want to avoid the interests of the long arm of homeland security wannabees.

A Blogger who goes by the name of John Adams has come under the scrutiny of his home town police chief. Chief James Coan of Whitewater WI has initiated an investigation of Adams in order to determine who he is. Adams has been critical of the police department's attitude towards the UW Students and personal and the growing Hispanic population. The WSJ article says: According to Whitewater Police Department e-mails obtained by Adams under the state's open records law, Coan involved at least two detectives, the city's director of public works, its information technology officer and the city clerk — all working on city time and using taxpayer-funded resources — to find the identity of a man described as a "suspect" but who had not committed a crime.
Another individual, who had been incorrectly identified as the blogger, was visited in his home by police and warned against voicing anti-government opinions. You can read this dangerous screed at freewhitewater.com..

I grew up in small town America and often witnessed the administrations of local-yokel police departments, but Whitewater isn't rural Wisconsin. It's a University town with over 12000 well educated students and faculty. When you see this sort of vicious attack on free speech, I can only believe the current governmental disregard of our 1st amendment rights is dripping down to the local level.

Finally

Back in December I posted about the legislature (and even some republicans) getting their act together and passing the Compassionate Care Bill. The legislation requires hospitals to provide emergency contraception to rape victims. It seems to be a no brainer, but that is never a phrase that should be used about the state lege.
Well Thursday, almost 3 months to the day after I wrote about it, Gov. Doyle signed the bill into law. I would love to look back and say that this was the day that Wisconsin started to bring public discourse about sex, women's' rights, and reproduction into the 21st Century but I suspect that the troglodytes are merely regrouping for the next moronic outburst.

We are one less

I thought I'd mention the passing of a truely great American. Percy Julian died two days ago and while most people don't know his name, he was one of the people who spent their life making this a better country. He spent his life defending the constituition and more importantly the citizens it was written for. If you would like to learn a little more, please scroll down to his obit here. He was a great man and made one hell of a key lime pie.

Yaaawn

I've been hibernating. As the sun gets higher, I feel the need to post again. Hopefully, I actually have something to say.

Friday Cat Blogging

This is for Rorschach at No Capital. Moe and Gracie say "Baskets? Meh!"

Texas Tea

A little late for christmas, but the perfect gift for the economy that has everything, our New Years treat is $100 a barrel oil. Just when you thought you could afford to drive to the job that may or may not be there, bang, up goes the price of gas. For those who are in the throes of poverty or those on the edge, increased gas prices, increased food prices, and the harsh winter weather over much of the country means that existence here in the Home Of The Brave And The Land Of The Free will become just that much harder in the coming months.
The next time a republican friend complains about gas prices, make sure you remind them about a certain Energy Task Force meeting in 2001. You know, the one between Darth Cheney and the major oil producers? Remind them that oil was $20 a barrel until the Bush Crime Cartel came into power. Oh, and one last thing, the oil in Iraq was going to pay the war costs. Then ask them real quick "Who ya gonna vote for?".