My take for July the 4th, 2005

"were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter." - Jefferson
.......Why is it that we continue to hear about the biased liberal press? 90% plus of talk radio is right wing. And even when they contradict themselves or are charged with drug offenses or sexual harrassment it is looked upon as no more than a bump in the road. But Bill Clinton gets a hummer and he's a pervert, a law breaker and in no uncertain terms a bad leader.
........The damaging Downing Street memos were reported on less than any other news worthy story. If the press was as liberal as it is described it would have been a top story.
.........Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances......I am afraid of the religious right and this so called Christain agenda that appears to be going on. In “War Propaganda,” Hitler makes the point that for propaganda to be effective, there cannot be any gray areas – you must keep the message simple, repeat it over and over and not deviate from it. People respond to this very effectively as people need a feeling of security and black and white does just that. Just hold fast to the party line or religious dogma where the letter of the law always rules over the spirit of the law. Indeed, it ceases to exist.
I am most often unwilling to discuss political opinion but lately this quote has been haunting me.
'First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me.'