Friends, Countrymen
Lend me your eyes for a second.
My conservative/libertarian friend Bruce thinks that I've been uncivil on the blog lately, even though I'm calling for more civil conversation in this country.
Perhaps he's right. Perhaps the stress of moving has finally gotten to me. Or perhaps it's just my sense that the country really is headed in the wrong direction and the president, along with those who work for him, are in deep denial about it, because they can not accept responsibility for the mistakes they've made.
But no matter about that now. I'm headed off tomorrow for a weekend away, and I want to wish all of you a happy 4th of July. Let's try to put partisan politics aside for a few days, and remember that this is still a remarkable country, and we all hope that its best days lie yet ahead. Let's give some thought to the men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq, and thank them for putting their lives on the line, whether or not we agree with the war.
And as we celebrate the 4th of July, let us celebrate most of all the freedom that we have—the freedom to engage in these arguments, to get pissed off at one another and argue without violence, to write blogs or post comments on them. It is this right—the First Amendment—that more than any other, I think, helps to preserve liberty even when—especially when—we disagree with those in power.
Red state, blue state; Democrat or Republican; gay or straight; black, white, or whatever...happy 4th of July, everyone.
