the death knell of freedom comes blacking through my mind

Why are so many fucking yahoos out there so full of hate and willingness to sacrifice the very core of freedom for the illusory appearance of order and safety? Are their lives so empty and meaningless that they need to lash out at anyone who holds a different belief than themselves? Some recent news to highlight the increasingly censorious and divided society we live in:

• Homeland Security Spies on Student Anti-War Groups - how much of our tax dollars do you suppose is being wasted by our government on this nonsense? Who's next up for surveillance, your grandparents local bridge club, where one lady made the mistake of calling our king,...er, el presidente, an expletive?...


• Arrest, Death Threats, for Farmer with Upside Down Flag - next up for arrest and harassment - boy scout who places his left hand instead of his right against his heart during the pledge of allegiance?...


• NYC Police want to regulate even small, sidewalk protests - last I recall, the sidewalks were public property - the authorities have no right to regulate (and by default, squash), peaceful, spontaneous free speech or rights to assemble and address grievances...


• The Color of "Transparency" Is Black - while Bush touts our "transparent" system of government and his administrations sham-efforts to police itself, the very concept of transparency is disappearing right before our eyes. The ever expanding cloak of national security (and with it the stench of bullshit coming from government talking heads) keeps getting thicker...


• Good overview of all the current government actions that suppress civil liberties
  

Of course, there have been a few bright beams of positive action on the news front: conservative-proposed discriminatory law against immigrants has at least been put off, N. Carolina's ban on unmarried cohabitation was deemed unconstitutional, the anti-gay constitutional amendment was soundly defeated, and efforts to resist our growing surveillance society is growing by the day. Uggghhhh, still - this entry is NOT helping my negative outlook today!

ps: for you perceptive JC fans out there - yes, a part of this entry title is lifted from the lyrics of his excellent cover of the already brilliantly melancholy Bonnie "Prince" Billy song, "I See a Darkness."