Day 7 9/26/07

First off, thanks to my old friend, Stonee, for his comments concerning CBA. If you,haven't read them you should, they're good. Secondly, sorry about the long delay in between posts. It's been busy lately and this is a hobby.
Lots of concern and hand wringing in the news this week over Iran's President Ahmadminejad's appearance at Columbia University. Here in the "Land of Liberty" we have citizens actually bitching about some guy speaking at a university. Before anyone loads a rifle and hunts me down, hear me out. I hate this guy as much as any Republican pointing a finger at any Democrat and lecturing on state sponsored terrorism. I don't think that is the point, not for one moment. We are a also a nation that believes in the freedom to express our own ideas. No matter how twisted, we've allowed the KKK to march down Main Street American too many times to count.
Recently we saw a young man, Andrew Meyer, tasered at The University of Florida. This guy is being brought under control by five police officers, with two more on the way. You can argue that he deserved it, or you can argue that he didn't. I've heard that he was too dramatic, that he set it up and that he is known for this type of grandstanding. How many of those police officers knew that? My guess is none. I don't think any of them knew anything about this guy. I think this reaction by the police is too common. I also think too many of us think it is okay.
When is the last time you got stopped by a police officer for a traffic violation? Or even perhaps, a perceived violation? Or maybe because you just looked suspicious? What happens when you try to speak and the officer already has his mind made up about you or your actions? You're told to shut up and be quiet.
Several times since the imaginary War on Terror began, anytime that a protestor, even silent ones with nothing more than a sign or t-shirt, has shown up a Bush administration speech or function they have been escorted out and arrested. This has NEVER happened before in the history of our country. Yes, there were protestors arrested during the Viet Nam era, but those occurred during riots, sometimes involving trespassing, assaults, White House security and National Guard foul ups. This administration has boogie man tactics such as the Patriot Act, Terror Alerts, torture legislation, name calling and labeling anyone who "isn't with them is against them" or maybe we're just unpatriotic and don't get it.
So, President Alphabet speaks at Columbia University and the new hybrid neo-cons want to take Lee Bolinger, the President of the university out to have him drawn and quartered. Never recognizing for one moment in their thick heads that this is an important moment in history. What if we'd had a similar exchange with Hitler prior to WWII? Stalin? It has been said that when Khrushchev visited America in 1959, when Eisenhower was president, that he was pleased with his trip and enjoyed the trip very much. His views of Americans changed. It was supposed to be one of the favorite trips of his life. Many think that it may be what kept us in a "Cold War". Most certainly, it didn't hurt us.
I think that President Alphabet's career in politics will end soon. His country seems unhappy with him. He is dillusional, as evidenced by his both of his appearances. What I truly wish is that every leader of all of countries would come to speak not only at the United Nations, but at other Universities. We need to hear from these men. We owe it to ourselves, our youth and the other nations who look to us for leadership. We need these forums to hear what they have to say, even when it is garbage. That is the most important time to hear them, when it is garbage, so that everyone can hear it.
This is the "Land of Liberty". Let all of the world leaders come here to speak. Please don't forget that we need to speak as well. "DON'T TAZ ME, BRO!"