Our solemn hour

Sent out an e-mail that is basically the same thing, so I apologize if you are seeing this twice.

Bill
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Truth or overreacting? Personally, I don't know. After learning about the military coups in Latin America & the U.S.' involvement in them-- especially concerning the SOA-- this does make me feel uneasy. Because even if the bill is really going to focus on actual violent force, I bet that there are going to be those that abuse it to get the "subversives." In other words, people thinking differently from the government, students, young people, writers, musicians, artists, &c. They are all considered "dangerous" & "subversives." What happened in Latin America could happen here. That was what I was afraid of.

The idea & dream of this country seems to have completely died. Things that used to seem secure & safe no longer seem so. Things that seemed innocent & helpful no longer seem so. Ideas & beliefs are suddenly completely shattered.

But they can't do this. To pass a bill that would stifle original thought, or abused to such ends violates our First Amendment rights. It sounds horribly pompous & idealistic-- & I've never had much patience for idealists-- but I refuse to let this happen. I will be damned if the government takes away my First Amendment rights, if they sink so low as to imprison people for-- God forbid-- thinking, whether they like what's being said or not. I am not supporting the fundies & extremists (I think they suck), I just seriously think that this Bill is either a wolf in sheep's clothing or that it can & will be abused. There is a saying, you know: I may not like what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Though it's easier said than done.

When I found out about the SOA & the dirty wars, I worried & wondered, What does that mean could happen here? Could this be it? Could it be an overreaction?

Regardless, life goes on... Bought things yesterday. Got presents for people, then got home & saw that I didn't have nearly as much as I thought, which made me feel rather ashamed. So I still need to maybe get a few more bits & baubles for people. Also got a few things myself, like markers that hopefully work a bit better than the other ones I've got, sparkly bird ornaments (the one's plastic string already broke; oops), a small pack of Andes mints, & a small Jack Sparrow notebook because it's a caricature & the expression is brilliant. Also got some stuff to send to Toriko in Australia (have quite a few foodstuffs to send to her now). All that at the Dollar Tree: nine items from there in all. (I know, dollar stores. I am a horrible person.) Then went to Borders & got two gifts, & also bought A Wizard of Earthsea, because looking through The People's Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien (by TORn), Tehanu mentions it a lot, so I decided to read at least the first book. It's fairly interesting thus far. So I spent money, & can't help but generally feel guilty over it. Can't even say "at least I got people presents," because I don't think I've gotten enough for people yet!

Here's something nice to do. :)

Really need to work on finals stuff today & tomorrow. Drawing II final is due Tuesday; have eight more paintings/drawings/whatever to go. Also still need to talk to my painting track advisor about getting credit for skipping Drawing I. Also need to type up my final English essay, which I began to do, but it's rambling & not even making any sense to me. (Then you know it's bad.) The paper has to do with the humanities, so I'm going to do it based off of literature, more specifically The Lord of the Rings (with sides of stuff like Sil) & Harry Potter... something about the relevance of fantasy in today's world? But it's very disorganized, despite only being about two paragraphs thus far, so should probably draw up a hasty list of what to include & hopefully finish it before tomorrow. After such things, I can start to try & work on sending things to people that would like things sent to them, like Rose & Maggie(AK).

Feel really thirsty & very tired & melancholy & worried. (Great, now I am going to turn crazily paranoid. Goddammit.)

Some lyrics (& you could probably find the songs on YouTube, which you should. And also look at the lyrics):

And Then There Was Silence-- Blind Guardian

Our Solemn Hour-- Within Temptation

We Will Rise --Arch Enemy

My Spirit Will Go On-- DragonForce

Black Winter Night-- DragonForce (really, so much of their stuff works if you're angry or something, if only because it's power metal)

Bright Eyes-- Blind Guardian

Planet Hell-- Nightwish

Born in a Mourning Hall-- Blind Guardian

May It Be-- Enya (Fellowship of the Ring OST)