Freedom for them, repression for us? A nation's dichotomy

It's a sad day for our nation when in the same day, people continue to die in a baseless, senseless war in the name of promoting freedom abroad, yet at home, our freedoms continue to be limited by a  government attempting to regulate morality.

 As some of you may have seen, three more soldiers were killed from North Carolina in Afghanistan fighting a baseless war that at worst, is am expensive misguided invasion based on false intelligence, at best, a modern-day holy war, promulgated by a government delusional and drunk on power.  In ten years, the occupation in Afghanistan has resulted in $1.3 trillion dollars in debt.  

(To see a real-time calculator of the cost of war, click on:  http://costofwar.com/en/ )

But where's the benefit?  Sure, the terrorist regime has been toppled, but the countries of the middle east we have invaded still exist in a draconian culture, their people repressed and angry at an occupation to which they see no end.  What's the point of the war?  Clearly, a small team of dedicated specialists were able to take out the biggest terrorist mastermind in the world, so what was the basis and reasoning behind the full-scale invasion?  

 To promote democracy, naturally.  I mean, hey, why shouldn't everyone want to be as free as the United States?  We have the right to free speech, freedom of religion, freedom to date and marry whomever-

Wait, hold that thought.  

On this same day three soldiers from North Carolina died in Afghanistan, North Carolina voted on and passed the controversial Amendment One, which defined marriage as being "between one man and one woman."  This law wouldn't only affect same-sex couples who wished to legally wed, but the children of those couples who might be denied benefits such as health insurance from the non-biological parent.*

 (It's OK, I'm sure Obama will let them qualify for Medicaid.)

It's surprising to think that in 2012, with our economy precariously balanced on the precipice of a collapse, our national debt mounting, and our credit rating plummeting, that voters should care what two consenting adults do.  I understand and respect everyone's right to their own religious beliefs, but do not wish to impose mine upon them.

However, the government seems to think it's OK to impose laws that define morality.  In Afghanistan, we in the U.S. watched in aghast as women were treated like second class citizens, denied education and other basic rights as men.  Yet in the great state of North Carolina (proud recipients of one of the lowest literacy rates in the country), we feel it's OK to treat our neighbors of a different sexual preference like second class citizens.

Our generation was supposed to be one of progress- we were supposed to make great strides as we entered the new millennium.  While our cell phones and computers have advanced, we are no closer to advancing freedom either here or abroad.  The hypocrisy of the voters in North Carolina today proved that.  God Bless America, but not all of it.

Here's hoping that the future is better and that some day we can be the nation the brave men and women who died for it thought it to be.

*Single parents in NC?  Well, come on down to the welfare office!  We have PLENTY of benefits for you.  Food stamps?  Housing?  TANF?  Welfare check?  Baby carriers for your four illegitimate children?  OK, you got it. Of course, as long as the baby is not gay!