ryan.freebern.org

Here’s why it’s important for you, and everyone you know who cares about the future of our country and the world, to vote. Voter registration deadlines are very soon; make sure everyone you know who wants to vote can.

“I don’t care either way who wins. I am going to vote in the fall; I’m going to do what I do with every election: bring a coin to flip.”

“While it may be true that ‘every vote counts’, I choose not to vote because I have never been well enough informed (by choice) on either candidate’s issues or causes in any election. Also, when the person elected totally fucks up I can say, ‘Well, I didn’t vote for them.’”

“Personally I have to vote for Bush, otherwise my mom won’t pay for my apartment. Vote for the party, not the man, and all…”

(All quotes found on random blogs. Sorry, no attribution.)

My sister attended the RNC protests in New York City at the start of the month, and, thankfully, didn’t get arrested. However, at least 1,500 others were arrested, and many of them held in inhumane conditions at facilities like Pier 57, also known as “Little Guantanamo.”

Via Tuttle SVC, I have come across this letter on ZNet from the mother of one person detained at Pier 57. She claims to have inquired as to the leaseholder of Pier 57 at the time and found out that it was the Republican Party itself.

Reuters has the story that one of the 30 Guantanamo detainees reviewed so far (out of 585 currently held) has been found to be innocent. My first post here said that I hoped that wouldn’t happen, just so that holding these people for the last two years without any judicial review would be justified. Oops.

Bravo to Pandagon, who echoes my earlier thoughts about an “average guy” for president, almost to the word. Here’s what I said:

…you don’t want an average joe. You want someone exceptional…

and here’s what he said:

…it is not a job that requires an “average person”. It requires an exceptional one…

Just touching base: I’m still alive, and I’ve been working for a few days on writing up my thoughts on the various Republican National Convention speeches. That’ll come later, though. Right now, I want to point out the excellent discussion of methods of reducing abortion rates over at Alas, a Blog. Ampersand makes some excellent points and I really think his argument is worth reading and considering.