I used to be an optimist - I really was.
That was until 5 years ago and my country was hijacked and all that I believed started dying a slow, agonizing death.
I used to believe that the Supreme Court protected the constitution and were above politics: until they appointed Bush president and the government was hijacked.
I used to believe that America was interested in what the rest of the world thought of us - and they showed it when we were most vulnerable: until the appointed president destroyed that goodwill by lying to attack an unarmed country and killing our kids and innocent citizens while flipping the world off.
I used to believe that our military's mission was to protect us by doing everything they could to keep the peace: until my son was sent to Afganistan, and then Iraq, and then Irag again (last month) with no end in sight.
I used to believe our elected officials were there to represent their constituents: until people like Delay, Frist, and Cunningham padded their pockets and the pockets of their cronies on the backs and blood of the military troops, veterans, and the most vulnerable in this country.
I used to believe that if, on the off chance that those elected officials got out of line, our media would report the truth - no matter what the consequences: until the corrupt government allowed the media to be bought off and they started flipping us off too.
I used to believe in checks and balances - if you lied you were not admired and/or if you broke the law you would go to jail: until the government - with the help of the media - lied, broke our laws, flipped us off, continues to flip us off, stole our elections, and decided to privatize schools, the military, and every and all government services.
I used to believe that if you had a solid work ethic you would be fairly compensated and taken care of in your old age: until Enron destroyed my 401k and the rest of the corrupt corporations destroyed lives and families to line the executives and their corrupt government officials' pockets.
I used to believe that it didn't matter what your faith was, that your personal relationship to whatever higher power you believed in (or didn't believe in)didn't matter - what mattered was honesty, integrity, and ethics: until our faith was hijacked by liars and crooks in the name of God (for our own good) and we were told that we had to believe a certain way and buy into the lies or we would burn in hell and God would forsake us.
I fear all hope is lost - because if they can steal the media, rig elections, buy our elected officials, pad the Supreme Court, hijack our faith, and then step on people, and kill our kids in the process Democracy is dead.