Breathes there a man with soul so dead . . .

. . . who never to himself has said
This is my own, my native land?


I love my country. I always have, and have not the least doubt that i always will.

My grandfather served in the United States Army from 1916 to 1919. My mother and father both served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945. One of my brothers served in the United States Navy from 1961 to 1967, the other served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970. I enlisted and served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1973.

Every time i have left this country, and returned, i feel a profound sense of relaxation and pleasure at returning. I belong here, and have as much right to be here as anyone else in this world.

I am heartily sick and tired of being told by right-wing hate mongers what it means to be patriotic. I am sick of being accused of being a friend to Muslim terrorists and an enemy of American servicemen and -women because i condemn the dirty little war that the Shrub and Cheney and Rummy got us into through willful fabrications, and the exploitation of a false belief in Iraqi involvement in the tragedy of September 11, 2001. I am disgusted with the cynical exploitation of that event by venal men and women with an agenda established well before that tragedy. I'm sick of the accusations of conservatives, many of whom have never given one goddamned day of their miserable lives in service to this nation.

This is a free country, still, despite the best efforts of the religious right lunatic fringe, despite the Oberkommando des Homeland Security, despite the attempts of political and corporate America to stiffle dissent, and brand all who are not with them as cowards, wimps and traitors.

Because this is a free country, i will condemn the current adiminstration and its venality when and where i choose.

Because this is a free country, i will condemn the insipid attempts to force religious values on society.

Because this is a free country, i will condemn the Supreme Court for interferring in the Florida recount, and the Federal court which denies access to information on Cheney's energy task force.

Because this is a free country, i will condemn the homophobic rantings of insecure and hateful hypocrites, whose pathetic lives are so devoid of interest that they can't keep their noses out of other peoples' bedrooms.

I am registered to vote, and i do my best to remain informed and vote each and every year.

I will not let sanctimonious slanderers tell me what is and what is not patriotic. If any one of those clowns ever accused me of being a supporter of terrorists because i condemn the Shrub's dirty little war, and had the courage to do it to my face, i'd pop 'em in the mouth so hard their mamas would pass out.

Therefore, i cordially invite every snotty, holier-than-thou conservative who doesn't like this screed to bend down and KISS MY RED IRISH ASS.




Enough said.