I have gone over this subject before but it deserves repetition.  Instead of building barricades in the streets and waving the red flag of revolution, we should practice the art of saying no, respectfully of course, to stupidity, high handedness and power politics practiced in the halls of Congress, the Executive Office and in the bed-room.

Cindy Sheehan tried to use her ticket to enter the balcony of the House but because of her T-shirt she was denied her seat and hauled away in HANDCUFFS and put in jail although the next morning she was released.  She was prevented from doing damage to the festivities of celebration of a new Supreme and the unrepentant President who was claiming to now try to implement the programs the Democrats were pushing for over 50 years – or more.  Ms. Sheehan wanted to say no unequivocally by showing the numbers of American dead in the Bush wars but she was declared un-American and hauled off by the Patriot Police.

In another incident reported much later was the removal of a supporter of President Bush, the wife of a Representative, who wore a long-sleeved, high neck shirt with words of support for our troops.  She, too, transgressed the rules that said that demonstrators in the balcony of the chamber must be stopped at the pass. Neither woman shouted, yelled or made a demonstration.  They merely wore clothing with markings on the shirts to make a point.  Obviously, the rules are such that the representatives of the people didn’t want to hear or see from these two people.

This is shameful!  This happened to Americans in an American public building by American police during a love-feast by Republican Americans.  On a tiny scale it is reminiscent of the use of Ohio State Militia to break the heads of students at Kent State College who were protesting a war of that time. I think you can safely say there is divisiveness in this country.  It could be worse but it could be a lot better if the news was reported accurately and without the spin and bias of the organizations that lobby for the minds and hearts of Americans.

We could just say no.  Dissent is good. But we could be compared to the violent reaction of Muslims to cartoon depictions of Muhammad in Europe.  Actually, what we should beware of – other than really read the messages on shirts and billboards – is to bear witness to what people do.  There is a lot of hot air out there and you can learn to say no to it.  Dissent is good – but be careful.