Thanks, I needed that.

Via a comment at I Shame the Matriarchy: thanks, Kristin.

As a mom, I get it. Truly, I hear you. Having seen other parts of the world that are in better or worse shape than we are, I hear you. And being fed the fuck up, sad, sorry and disillusioned, I still hear you. But there is no way on God's green earth I am ever going to give up on the people I see here. We have come too far. We have managed more since this country's inception than almost any other country on the globe by way of revolution, reform, advance and political change. Very little of this was at the hands of the government. It came from the demands and persistence of the people to see these bills enacted, to change the way we are regarded, to get something better for ourselves. You are exactly the kind of person that's needed because you're willing to say FUCK NO. Give that to your daughter. It's applicable in a lot more situations than citizenship. I won't be bullied out. God help me, but I believe in 'We the People'. I've had this classic punk song stuck in my head for the longest time. Only now am I realizing that I'm scoring the political climate, putting music to what I read and see and think about what's going on in this country.

When they kick out your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh- the guns of Brixton

So maybe the Clash isn't the most articulate way to discuss the intricacies of polisci and the realities it presents: Don't fucking care. I am at leisure to say whatever I please, whenever I please. My country gave me that and I'm giving it right back to them - both barrels.

***

On a related note, if you scroll down along the blogroll, you may notice I've added a section entitled "Civil Rights/Civil Liberties." It's a bit sparse as of now, but I'm really looking for more on that right now. Besides the usual organizational suspects (PFAW, ACLU), this morning I figured: you know what, what with all the handwringing I've been hearing about how no one in the U.S. seems to be educated in Civics 101 anymore, much less basic history. And I am all about the history. So here's one I found and just started looking at: nice 'n' straightforward. "BillofRights.com."

and, may as well take advantage of the free info on the Internets: if'n you need a refresher (and I know I did): Primary Documents in American History, via the Library of Congress online.

I'd like to make this a project--self-education American civics class, and hope you'll join me. Because I think there are some people out there who could really, really use a reminder. Some of them, sadly enough, may be "representing" you right now.

So, if it's gonna be back to basics, then let's make it a positive thing. Right back to the beginning. What are we fighting for, again? Let's be absolutely clear on that, at least. We owe ourselves that much.