Got too fired up last time....

OK, so not really, but now I feel like I need a big issue to get all biblical about. Oh well, I got nothing. There's a lot of pressure on being a blogger...

Well, since I did title this blog to be pretty generic, let's go off on a tangent (I know, big surprise). So, I'm going to a talk about where I am in life. I realized this weekend that I am DAMN HAPPY! That's a great feeling! I'm looking forward to meeting my daughter, I'm enjoying my religious persuits (of sorts, still enjoying the debate of is Buddhism a religion...I say it's not, it's a philosophy), I'm becomming happy with my house, I'm becoming a semi-talented carpenter on the side, I'm enjoying my job (I want more money, but who doesn't). all in all, I'd say I'm doing pretty darn well.

So it's Tax season, and this is the first year in my 18 years of paying taxes that I'm not getting a refund. IT SUCKS. Of course, my desire was totally selfish, as I wanted to get a new PC, but I also wanted to do some work around the house. Oh well, this too shall pass.

Woo, Hoo - I do have something to bitch about! I was distracted, and I forgot! And this may (will) piss off many of my friends, but I'm going to bitch about Personal Rights and Freedoms. I adore free speech, freedom of religion, right to bear arms (or bare arms even), hell I like all of the Bill of Rights, and I understand everyone's fighting to keep all those rights open, but here's the thing, there are times when you can't use the bill of rights to get out of some form of moral responsibility. Here's what set me off. There was a lovely gentelmen from NYC traveling from Canada back to the US. At the border, when he was asked to show his laptop, it happened to be on, and the Border agent was able to clearly see child pornagraphy. Now child porn is against the law, and rightfully so, but as soon as this guy realized he was in trouble, he lcoked his PC, and is now refusing to give anyone the password. And, as per the current interpretation of the 5th amendment, he has the right to not provide that password because it will incriminate him. Now, I know a few of you reading this are lawyers (I don't hold this against you, I still like you), and I'm all for freedom, but abuse of freedoms, to me is just as reprehensible as abuse of power. This is an exaggerated case, not everyone crossing our borders is trafficking child pornagraphy, but those laws that protect everyone else, are going to let this guy get away with it. Now, there is a little good news, because I'm guessing this guy won't be able to pee without some scrutiny right now, so maybe he'll make a mistake, buthe's still getting away with crossing into this country with illegal material on his laptop.

OK, so, you're probably asking yourself, what's my point. Well, I don't know. Every ounce of my being wants to scream from the rooftops that if you are breaking the law, I don't CARE how you're caught. I know, I know, someone's going to compare me to a nazi, and say that I'm trampling on the constitution, well, screw them. I am not, unlike many of my peers, I have read the constitution, in fact I make it a point to read it regularly, and I have a good friend who actually carriers a copy with her (MR - You ROCK for that, and many other reasons), and I believe in it with all my heart, and would fight to defend it. BUT, by letting criminals and pederasts, and murders, and spies, and on and on hide behind it, it cheapens it, and makes it a worthless document. Now, I could go on about the politicians that I feel are doing the same thing, but that's another post...

If you do, good, if you succed, better, if you don't try, shame on you, if we don't help, shame on all of us.

Picchi