That's right, everybody. Get over the shock now. That is a picture of the US flag burning to the left here. And no, I am not a communist and yes I am fond of the United States (not that you have to be to live here). To read about the dangers of flag burning, please read here. To read about why I have chosen this image for my politics site, keep reading!

In eighth grade, Junior Scholastic (that grade school journalistic endeavor we used to periodically receive for current events class) held a contest for an essay about what else? Capital P, PATRIOTISM. I am a bit competitive and I really wanted to win, so I came up with a novel idea. I would write an essay explaining how flag burning was a patriotic act. I am sure you will be surprised, but I did not win the contest. It turns out they were looking for something a little bit more puritan.

I have always felt a bit cheated by losing that contest, because I thought it was THE way I could get my message out to people. Much like when I tried out for Rose Festival princess in high school, almost solely to have the chance to be interviewed by the media and actually say something meaningful — lost that, too. I started to think someone was trying to keep me quiet. The internet has changed all that for me and so many other crazed people who think everyone wants to hear what they have to say. Well, I am not forcing anyone to read this, so lay off! This page is my warehouse for all things political from essays to sidenotes to the eventual online storage of my undergraduate thesis on the death penalty. And though I do not have that poignant essay on patriotism, I hope I can capture its spirit on these pages.