Name the first country that comes to mind when I say ...

There are things that, if my young self had heard of them, I would NEVER have assumed were references to my country. Here are some:

The torture of prisoners of war.

Organized torture of civilian prisoners.

Police seizing the possessions of citizens upon as punishment for common crimes.

Imprisonment for debts.

Statutes outlawing acts of human kindness, such as feeding the poor.

Government kidnappings.

Wars of aggression without provocation.

Internal assassinations of political foes.

People toting guns at polling places.

Laws against the teaching of accepted truths.

Children imprisoned with adults.

Prisons consisting of tents in a desert surrounded by razor wire.

Near-starvation of prisoners.

Elevation of the views of one religion to legal status.

Guns in churches.

Forcing a raped woman to bear her rapist’s child.

Here are the countries, types of countries, or regions that would have popped into my head if you’d quizzed me:

The torture of prisoners of war -  Japan in WWII.

Organized torture of civilian prisoners – the Soviet Union.

Police seizing the possessions of citizens upon as punishment for common crimes – Latin America

Imprisonment for debts – Anywhere, but long ago.

Statutes outlawing acts of human kindness, such as feeding the poor – I honestly don’t think I could have thought of any place that weird.

Government kidnappings – Latin America.

Wars of aggression without provocation – Germany in WWII.

Internal assassinations of political foes – the Soviet Union.

People toting guns at polling places – Africa or the Middle East.

Laws against the teaching of accepted truths – Communist China and the Soviet Union.

Children imprisoned with adults – a poor, third-world country.

Prisons consisting of tents in a desert surrounded by razor wire – Africa or the Middle East.

Near-starvation of prisoners – Dictatorships anywhere.

Elevation of the views of one religion to legal status – Gosh, I guess anywhere outside of North America and Western Europe.

Guns in churches – Dictatorships.

Forcing a raped woman to bear her rapist’s child – the Middle East.

It’s chilling to think how rapidly and thoroughly citizens of the US have come to accept these things as religiously acceptable and compatible with American values.

CIA Whistle-Blower on Torture Prosecuted

Huffington Post reports that , "... the same month (CIA whistle-blower) Kiriakou was indicted, former CIA officer Jose Rodriguez, who oversaw the interrogation program, was on a book tour, proudly defending waterboarding and his own decision to destroy videos of interrogations in which it was used." I understand the outrage. A man who did not torture might go to jail, while a man who did torture and destroy the evidence is free. And of course the blogosphere is full of condemnation of Obama. So many people raise the specter of an America gone awry: buy guns, stock up on food and water, dig a shelter...

I don't want to live in that world. They're playing a kid's game of Cowboys and Indians with real weapons and they're the Indians. If that nightmare scenario comes true it's because it's already too late and the police and the military will kill you.

But ... imagine ... Maybe Obama HAS to do certain things in order to convince the majority of America's secret agencies and high-level military that Democrats CAN and HAVE kept America safe from outside attacks, whereas the Republicans did NOT.

I, too, have been deeply disappointed, but stop blaming the one person - the President. WE the people have foolishly sat back and let Congress become a home for fools and let the Supreme Court pick our President. THAT was the day for Al Gore to become a hero for all time. On that day we should have flooded the streets in protest!! This is America of course we're going to do a recount, even a new vote, if necessary. THAT'S what I wish Mr. Gore had said. Of course, he would have been assassinated.

Who is most likely to engage in "mass incarcerations" - Obama or ANY Republican President? I'm voting for Obama. He yanked us from the brink of the cliff of full-blown fascism. He is leading us back to the center, opening the door for a future wherein the American people wake  up to the fact that we have been robbed by the rich. Unfortunately, he has not yanked us all the way to Disneyland, but with Obama we have a chance to regain sanity. The Republican Party leaders are insane.