December 1, 2006

This is the first day of the annual Christmas Marathon. The days when the economy based on consumption sees how much its red ink can become black. We acquire the useless goods before the first of the year. Besides the cold weather nipping at our nose, the first frosts and the heating bills building up, there are more disquieting events taking place than a shopping marathon.
I am less concerned with the festivities than I am more with the gradual erosion of our liberties. Our most precious liberty is freedom of speech. I don't have to agree to what you say but I have a moral obligation to defend your rights to say it. Today, it seems that it is our leaders have declared war on freedom of speech and I am dumbstrucked that there is no uprising of the masses. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about check out the news on Newt, that's Newt Gingrinch. Perhaps, the Grinch that steals this Christmas! Why bother with such fundamental liberties like the freedom to think when you have the right to spend more than one earns so we can have the newest bauble on the electronic menu. I hope our children and grandchildren, don't look to harshly on us and wonder what were we thinking. Wake up! America! Liberal, conservative and all the shades in-between. Freedom of press since its inception is meant to offend, sometimes in your face; and, at other times with more finesse. If my shrinking newspaper of events is any indication, we are well on our way to the Orwellian world of controlspeak. As I walk around my local shops, I'm going to think long and hard on this disquieting news and spend less on shopping and more on getting on the good word. Stop the Grinch!