we live in a free society???

Hmm...we talk about spreading freedom throughout the world, eh? Why don't we start at home. I am so sick of hearing how we want to liberate the rest of the world...while we keep limiting people's freedoms in this own country.

My new anger...at everything in the Bush Administration is at the reaction from the protester at the ceremony for Chinese President Hu. Here is an article if you didn't hear about it.

Does it upset me that she was taken out of there by secret service? Not really. She was there with a press pass and if she wasn't doing what she was there for...then fine, remove her. My problem is that she was arrested and now she is being charged with a felony. She was already charged with a misdemeanor of disorderly conduct. I didn't know speaking your mind and saying something to a political leader was disorderly conduct. Why isn't John Kerry in jail...he said a lot of things to a political leader. Why isn't Jon Stewart in jail? He makes a living off saying negative things about political leaders. But in reality, I am not as upset about that...I could see the other side. She was there for an alternative reason, so she was charged with disorderly conduct. Fine. I don't agree, but fine. I understand that freedom of speech doesn't allow you to say whatever you want, whenever you want....but there is a fine line there. She didn't yell fire in a theatre...she told political leaders that she wants their discriminatory policies to stop. *grumbles*

But now...she is being charged with a felony. Or at least the press says she should be charged with it sometime today. The official charge will be "Intimidating or disrupting a foreign official." Hmm...so that is something that someone can go to prison for? Really? Wow.

I am just so disappointed in our country, in this administration, in our President.

It seems to be becoming illegal to speak your mind these days...if you disagree with what the President has to say. He arrested numerous protesters who came to his campaign events during the election. Freedom of speech, eh? He had Cindy Sheehan taken out of the State of the Union address and detained because he didn't like the political message on the shirt she was wearing. She was released and a quiet apology was given after the fact. Freedom of speech, eh? And now this...a woman who was there as a newsperson for Falun Gong, a banned religious group in China, ended up having something to say. She was removed, detained and now is being charged with numerous crimes. Freedom of speech, eh?

I had better stop this post right now...before my freedom of speech ends up with my being detained and possibly heading off to prison.