I am glad that we are building a democracy in Iraq...

[CoffeeCat]

....because I live in a country where the government can tap my phones; read my email and open my packages and mail--without my knowledge or a court order.

It's nice to know that democracy is flourishing around the globe--because I live in a country where I can be detained--indefinitely--without charges being brought against me or without access to an attorney.

Furthermore, I live in a country where the pResident speaks only to pre-screened audiences of sycophants. Outside of these pResidential speeches, protesters are only allowed in "free speech zones"--which keep our pResident blissfully unaware of how the majority of America thinks.

I also live in a country that can define me--by way of the Patriot Act--as an "enemy combatant." The Patriot Act classifies "enemy combatants" into subcategories. "Enemy Combatant "E" is classified as: "e) Security Detainee. A civilian interned during a conflict or occupation for his or her own protection." In other words, the government could deem any "civilian" an "enemy combatant"--therefore exempting them from Geneva Convention protections and allowing indefinite imprisonment--while keeping all information about the person's identity from the media.

I live in a country where media members do not report on the truth of our government. They play along like propagandists.

I'm glad that Iraqis experienced "free and fair elections" because I live in a country where we use voting which are manufactured by companies owned by the Republican party. These machines are hackable and unreliable. During the last pResidential election, voters in most states watched helplessly as their votes for the Democratic candidate--switched on screen--to the Republican candidate.

Since free elections, democracy, freedom and civil rights are currently fading in America--it's nice to know that other countries aspire to these noble goals.

[uppityperson]

1. exactly. Keep our eyes on the big things