Dangerous and Out of Control

Without a doubt the health care reform bill is the hottest topic out there.  Where you stand on it will either leap-frog you to political stardom or bury you in the legendary elephant graveyard,  although with the number of political resurrections I have seen in my lifetime, there doesn't seem to be any such thing as actual political death.  However, if you are on the unpopular side you can definitely get voted out of office for a while and no political divo (or diva, for that matter) wants that no matter how temporary a situation it may be.

What I want to make very clear to our badly behaved citizenry is that this country, our America, our Land of the Free and Home of the Brave, was founded on dissenting opinion, the absolute right of our citizens to believe DIFFERENTLY from one another and to act on those divergent beliefs as long as those actions to do not injure or violate the rights of others.  People have given up their lives for that principle.  The American Civil Liberties Union exists for the sole and sacred purpose of defending and thereby assuring those rights.  Let none of us shame the memories of those who died to guarantee us the right to disagree.

The other thing I feel compelled to mention is that we were all raised in polite society.  You don't throw a brick through somebody's window to make a point and you don't publicly attempt to insult and humiliate others because they disagree with you.  You have a home in a world where you can differ in your opinions, but let us be civilized, polite and humane beings about those differences.  What happened to the art of persuasion?  the formal argument of debate?  overwhelming the opposition with facts?  Grow up, people!  Only small children and utter bullies use such tactics.  Mature people use reason and rational discussion.  Let us prove that we deserve the magnificent concept of America.