Don't mess around with Mohammad

The recent outrage in the Islamic world over the publishing of cartoons depicting Mohammad in, shall we say, an unfavorable light; has caused some people to suggest that fundamental Islam is opposed to freedom of speech.

I beg to differ.

Apparently, as far as the fundamentalist Islamic world is concerned, you CAN have freedom of speech, as long as:

A. You are male, of the faith, and think like everyone else.
B. You are female, of the faith, think like everyone else, and don't actually speak.
C. You advocate violence against America or any other "infidels" (as determined by your local Islamic Cleric, Hamas, or Al-Qaida).
D. You advocate the teachings of the Koran (as interpreted by your local Islamic Cleric, Hamas, or Al-Qaida).
E. You are willing to commit suicide for your beliefs (please consult your local Islamic Cleric, Hamas, or Al-Qaida to determine what your beliefs should be).

Violators of these tenets shall be kidnapped, bombed, have their flags or effigies burned, etc.

Having seen the recent success of fundamental Islam in the Arab world, the Bush administration has decided to adopt a similar approach...

The first amendment shall be honored, provided:

A. You are male, of the faith, of the party, think like everyone else, and use the administration talking points whenever possible.
B. You are female, of the faith, of the party, think like everyone else, don't claim ownership of your own body, and don't actually speak. (only approved t-shirts, please)
C. You advocate surveillance against all enemies, foreign, domestic, and imaginary (as determined by George Bush, Dick Cheney, and all their cronies).
D. You advocate the teachings of the King James Bible (as interpreted George Bush, Dick Cheney, and all their cronies).
E. You are willing to kill, injure, or imprison others for your beliefs (please consult George Bush, Dick Cheney, and all their cronies to determine what your beliefs should be).

Violators of these tenets shall be smeared, labeled unpatriotic, and if worse comes to worse, their wife's CIA cover will be blown in the media.

Seriously though...

I agree that the current manifestation of fundamental Islam is a true threat to our national security, as well as that of the rest of the world. However, how can we espouse such an objection to this ideology and it's practices and not appear as hypocrites to the rest of the world when we practice similar totalitarian abuses in our own society??

I mean really, how can one justify hauling someone off to jail for simply wearing a t-shirt that the current party in power objects to? If we truly live in a free society, then the first amendment CANNOT be suspended while in the House gallery. If anything, that is where this fundamental right should be most celebrated.

How can our president preach about spreading freedom and liberty around the world when his administration seeks to quell it here at home?

When we established the Department of Homeland Security, we should have also created the Civil Liberties Protection Agency. How else can we "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity" if we do not have checks in place to reign in the obscene power grabbing of this administration.

What I really want to know... How is it that the entire legislative branch of our government seems resigned to allowing this administration to make them irrelevant?! You would think that there are some truly ambitious members of both houses who like the idea of having some authority in the structure of our government. Yet I see no real outrage, no attempts to check the authority of the current regime. Perhaps the new "terrorist surveillance program" has been used to gain some leverage over any dissenting voices within, as well as without this government.

Those of you out there who aren't disturbed, who aren't afraid, who aren't downright livid about what is going on in this country... you'd better check to see if you still have a pulse.