talking around the fire pit – click to enlarge
Yesterday was a long day for Tina Beans and me.
We had a shoot during the afternoon. We raced out to Downers Grove for dinner with family in the evening. And we ended the day at an engagement party for two of the greatest guys we’ve met … ever.
Torturous Commuting
If Pol Pot were around today, one of his favorite tortures would be to force people to drive to Downers Grove on Friday after 5 p.m.
On the way out to the ‘burbs, I was eager to hear more about the Pussy Riot trial in Russia so we listened to NPR for most of the stop-and-go ride. There’s no denying that the band went out of their way to make a rebellious statement, in a church no less, degrading President Putin. And maybe they deserved backlash in the way of strong, retaliatory disgust or boos.
But prison time in a labor camp?
What year is this?
If you, you, you back there — and especially you in the shorts and t-shirt — haven’t made the connection between the Dan Cathy uproar here in the You Ess of Aaa and Pussy Riot, let me take your hand and guide you.
Chick-fil-A’s Dan Cathy made a politically charged declaration and did not find himself in prison, jail or fined for the statement. In fact, he and his company benefitted from it. Freedom of speech is not one directional; it’s multi-directional.
Masses of people mistook Cathy’s soapbox for a pulpit, where church congregations don’t have a voice to respond.
Pussy Riot made a statement that landed them a total of two years — away from their friends and families — for making a what, disagreeing with the powers that be? What uterine lottery did Putin win that he is exempt from criticism?
Free Speech is an American luxury that Dan Cathy enjoyed to its fullest degree.
And regardless of whether you are mystified by one group calling another group hate mongers, paint the picture any way you like, we’ve got free speech and Pussy Riot does not.
Hell, 90% of the world doesn’t enjoy the same freedom we get. My brother just got back from China where he couldn’t access Facebook.
So go stick your miserable kvetches in your goddamn butthole. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Jeremy 
