by Carla Sutherland

Created on: August 19, 2008

American democracy. This concept is supposed to instill hope and joy into the hearts and minds of people. Like the dreams that people once had of the many opportunities in America, and the streets paved with gold. It's amazing how in so short a time, this wonderful vision of 'the land of the free' has been shattered and demoralized.

Many topics that I hear and read in the news has caused me to shake my head, get angry and just wonder where good old common sense has wandered off to. For example, John McCain speaking of the Russian/Georgian conflict, "...in the twenty-first century, nations don't invade other nations." Was he just born yesterday? Does he not recall the invasions of Afghanistan, Iraq and quite possibly Iran? And what of Haiti? Though Haiti was not so much an invasion as it was a coupe ousting out a democratically chosen Prime Minister, the previous most certainly are examples of nations invading other nations. And for what? Freedom of the people? The same old rhetoric is no longer to be believed. Neither is anything that comes out of their mouths.

Coming up soon will be the Democratic National Convention in Colorado. Already it's looking like something out of WW2. Protesters will be held in cages, safely away from the convention itself. The protesters that will be arrested will also be housed in cages. The Denver CBS news reports "...city police have set up dozens of metal cages inside a warehouse to hold jailed protesters at the upcoming Democratic National Convention. The five-by-five-yard cages are made out of chain link fence material and secured by rolls of barbed wire. A sign reads "Warning! Electric stun devices used in this facility." Protesters have dubbed the site "Gitmo on the Platte," a reference to the Guantanamo Bay prison and the Platte River..." Basically, if you are planning to protest there, you will be in a cage, either in one of their Protest cages, or should you protest outside of those designated Protest cages, you'll be arrested and sent to another cage in a warehouse. This reminds me of the Republican National Convention in New York in 2004. Many arrested protesters were held in cages in poorly shaped warehouses where many got sick and were held for days on end. How democratic is that when you can get jailed for holding up a sign? Is this truly the land of the free? Does this scream common sense to you?

Now lets turn to the PMC's, or Private Military Contractors. Scary times are ahead, most especially if John McCain is elected

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