Newspaper Confetti

I remember so well during the final stretch leading up the 2006 General Election the frequent Guest Columns submitted by Mia Rushing and how she was always rushing to place judgment on each and every Democrat. Initially, I was aghast at such vehemence of distrust of her opposition party. Labeled a “grassroots activist”, I made my own judgment that she was every bit as “radical” as any protester in the 70’s.

At one point, I decided to stop reading her words of ragged patriotism, but the temptation to check out her latest rant found me a regular reader, deciding to accept her words as propaganda, at which she did the best of efforts to get her message across: vote straight Republican on the General Election ticket or face years of flimflam government, which was ironic considering the six years of George W.’s bush-hogging the freedoms given with the Constitution. I eventually took humor in her words.

I don’t expect Mia to contribute her words on the Opinion page this election. I would welcome her uncompromising positions (strictly for entertainment purposes, I assure you) but her work at providing support and services to senior citizens is of much more relevance.

Here we are: another election and another writer taking a turn at bat, although this time the swing is from the left. Frances Earl issues a Call to Patriots but there are so few true patriots enlisting in the military that her . Until there are sufficient troops to fulfill the needs of their service, we will continue to be labeled with a ragtag army.

A draft system would get those American fat-assed kids away from their computer games, cable and wireless services. There’s nothing patriotic about sitting on a sofa while real patriotism lies with others who are risking their lives, any more than it is for a cheerleader to root for a football player – at least the quarterback will get immediate and thorough medical treatment; there’s always a back-up player to take his place.

Don’t worry, I’m not voting against McCain… I’m voting for Obama. Just as I was very concerned in 2004 that Bush would be re-elected, I again feel a sense of dismay and fear that another Republican presidency will further endanger the middle class, continue to be at odds with historic alliances and wage conflicts against an ideology of an unseen threat of terror, and put the world at risk of expanding global war initiatives - with or without a sufficient military force.

There, I’ve done my best to make peace with the former vice-chairperson of the Hernando County Democratic Executive Committee. What could anyone ask for but to have a voter on the right side of your own personal view? Although.... as I would have voted in 1968 if I had been but two months older for Eugene McCarthy, I would place my for Ron Paul this election season.