My husband writes letters to the editor; he corresponds with our elected officials; and he speaks at town meetings. My in-laws donate large sums of money to their causes. My mother is a voting official and a veteran of the Women's Army Corps. My father watches Fox News from his well-worn armchair and screams at Alan Colmes.
Me? I suppose I've got some causes. But my passion is not so much political as it is practical. It's a palpable presence in my life all day, every day. It's how I make friends; it's why I have enemies. It's the reason I write. It feeds the fire of my fierce American pride. It's the thing I could not live without and it's the reason I'm grateful to those who have died to secure it.
It's freedom of speech. I will not censor myself and I will not allow others to do it for me. I find the exchange of ideas to be the ultimate form of honesty and the only way to find truth. It's ingrained in the basic functioning of my brain: I cannot really comprehend something until I get it out in the open, preferably on paper. It's the act of expressing something that makes it real to me. It's no exaggeration to say that if I couldn't write, I couldn't think--not deeply, not in a way that creates change.
The antithesis is fear. If I am afraid, or if my goverment is afraid, I cannot express myself. Then what am I? I am quiet and confused. I'm bored and bitter. I am everything that is wrong with the world.
Her Bad Mother gave us bloggers a call to action. She asked us to write about a cause we're passionate about, and to provide links, information and guidance. Well, I have no resources for you. No links. Not much in the realm of guidance. But I have my own call to action.
This weekend, shock someone with your honesty. Leave wide eyes and gaping mouths in your wake. Make someone think. Make someone laugh. Do a dance. Take your child to the library for your own banned book story time. Send an overdue thank-you note. Change someone's mind.
Friday, September 08, 2006
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11 comments:
Amen, my friend. That's why I write, too. Well said, as always!
Dude, this totally counts! Totally. It's a call to action, and that's all that matters.
Ooh, I've got a dinner tonight with some Mom friends and their husbands. This could be either really, really good or really, horribly bad timing.
Who am I kidding, by just showing up I'm guaranteeing that I'll stop the conversation at least once with something I say. Here's to power of the voice and pen.
When Amy (see lynsalyns, above) was a reporter, she used to tell people that she was the personification of their first ammendment rights.
The right to dissent peacefully is key.
An eloquent and fiercely stated call-to-arms. I'm off to leave some people quaking in the wake of my unwavering stance on...well...you name it.
Well done.
Just thought of this ... check out the Sunshine Laws in your state. Stay aware of what is and, more importantly, is NOT being shared.
And I did say that. Wow. Was I annoying, er what?
This comment isn't in responce to your blog. This is in responce to the comment you left on linda's blog page. I am the one who wrote a commment on why people seem to focus on the tragedy that happened to law enforcement officials on 9/11. I wasn't asking linda to justify her comments. I truly loved her post and as I stated in the beginning of my comment I'm glad someone is paying tribute to 9/11. I was simply asking why so much attention is payed to the law enforcement and not the people on the planes or in the towers or at the Pentagon. This has been a question on my mind since the beginning. I simply feel an equal amount of respect should be payed to all the victims of that horrible act of terrorism. I hope this helps you to understand my comment. It was in no way ment to be demeaning or rude in anyway. AMBER
Great post, chicky.
I must now go and find a cause.
But first, thanks for not forgetting about me.
I'm back and I'm blogging.
I need to learn to be more honest. I'd get less annoyed that way.
Very well put.
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