For the past few days I've been working in Arizona and other than the breathtaking mountains, bearable heat and cute lizards I've also noticed that ribbon stickers/magnets are everywhere. From the black "POW/MIA" to the red, white and blue "God Bless America" to the yellow "Support Our Troops". Everyone seems to have a ribbon worthy cause.

Free speech is awesome and all these people have the right to express themselves using the fake ribbons, but it's getting too much. We don't need anymore bumper politics, we need actual discussion, we need talk.

In philosophy, the essential part of gaining freedom for yourself is to analyze and reflect. Without it, we're just static robots living by habit and not by thought. This can be in any thread of life: business, home, politics. I see those standing by Bush, chanting old slogans, talking the same words he does... I see those people as having the sad flaw of being unreflective upon their beliefs and themselves. If they truly want freedom, if they truly believe in America, its laws and its future, they would look and analyze Bush's actions. They would see his anti-freedom, pro-politik, pro-himself tract and I hope they would begin to question him and his government. You do not have to give up your faith in "the mission" to spread freedom and democracy (albeit I think it’s a naïve, destructive belief). Asking questions is not unpatriotic or pro-terrorism. It’s mature and intelligent to question. Without questions, how do we learn? Without learning, how can we progress?