Damage Control
If you have been reading this blog for any length of time you know what side of the bread on which I butter. No, I'm not referring to my sexual orientation. I'm talking about my political views. Funny thing about this country. We are aloud to complain about our current politicians. We are aloud to complain about other governments. We are aloud to be annoying and obnoxious. As long as we do not cause harm to others and allow them to do the same. Well something like that anyway.
I freak out a lot about the Middle East in general. This week it is Iran. Last week (and still this week really) it was Syria. Before that it was Iran again and before that it was some other country. Sometimes it is China that I complain about. Lets face it, I'm paranoid. I accept that. I have not been diagnosed, but I have all the symptoms of paranoia. Oh, then 9/11 happened. Before that it was the ship that was manually torpedoed in a foreign port. Oh, there were some plane hijackings. Let's face it. The U. S. is a target. Why, I have some ideas, but I cannot prove anything.
I have chosen sides. One must choose a side before one can properly argue a point. It is kind of required in a true debate to have chosen a side. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I choose the United States of America. There, it is done. I can be just as open as any one else in the world. I can be just a  accommodating. I could forgive a man who picks up a speer to proverbial home against whomever. That is, I can be all these things as long as the U. S. is winning. You see, I've chosen sides. That will conflict with every single person on the planet who has chosen a different side. Since the population of the U. S. is only like 2% or so of the Earth, that is a gaggle of folks out there who will not agree with me on most topics.
So, what prompts this gross of rhetoric? There is an intelligent concerned woman who is a Palestinian who I know. She has a diametrically opposite viewpoint from mine. She asked me about some of the points that I covered in my blog and wanted to try to communicate her feelings to me. I asked her to comment on the blog entry in question. For all I know she is typing her response to my sometimes damning words aimed toward the vicinity in question. That is wonderful in my book. I found someone who believes perhaps more strongly than I in the opposite direction. She is intelligent. She is well spoken as far as I can tell. I cannot wait to read what she has to say.
I am proud to live in a country where two people on opposite sides of the very catalyst that might start WWIII have a venue and yes, the right, to face off and try to convince each other of our points of view. We do not have to hide our debate. We do not need to sneak off to some small corner where no one will hear. We can stand on the mountain top and shout to the world. We have the freedom.