I've been arguing with a long-time friend of mine and fellow Everythingian about the future of
freedom in the
United States...
He was in a lecture today with about 120 students, and the professor asked who among them would give up significant personal freedoms to feel more secure.
Half the class raised their hands, uttering things like, "totally."
Congressmen on the tee-vee have been saying things like "I would support legislation that provides security in exchange for personal freedom." Halspal informs me that this is in the context of tightening airport security a few years ago, which makes me feel slightly better.
Still, jumping Jesus on a pogo stick... Half the class? Assuming this isn't some fluke, and, by extension, half the nation would raise their hands and say "I'd give up my personal freedoms to feel secure" does not make me feel confident about my fellow Americans. Well, not that half of them, anyway...
I'm sorry, but, living in the midwest as I do, I really don't feel any more directly threatened by terrorists today than I did last weekend. That's not very smart. Even I think that. But what I think, and what I feel are different. This upsets me deeply. Time for some serious introspection.
I don't want to go further on some political rant. Not even in a daylog. I'll leave that to professionals, like Michael Moore.
But I will not say, "Baaa."
In other news:
The literary magazine I edit has found a new printer who will give us higher quality at lower prices and a faster turn-around time.
I am one step closer to getting that internship at Argonne National Laboratories.
I like dance class. So much so that I'm going to go out and buy me some dancin' shoes tomorrow.