Free Speech

Free speech is a funny thing. Everyone agrees in principle that they’re for it until someone exercises theirs to criticize or disagree or just plain voice an unpopular opinion, then everything changes. Look at the recent Ward Churchill debacle. However one may view his opinions expressed regarding 9/11 you have to revel in the fact that such a right exists to express that opinion. When the most outrageous or controversial members of our society exercise their right to express themselves, whether it’s nonsense or truly progressive, we as a society grow stronger. Public discussion of ideas and theories is how we’ve evolved this far as a society. 

Recently the hate mongers1 came to Helena to express their opinions to all who would listen, and the local Helena community responded and took the opportunity to likewise express their opinions. The result was a prime example of free expression in a public forum. I would hate to see that forum jeopardized. As Salmon Rushdie said recently on his Montana visit when you squash free speech you sensationalize and give power to that speech when it may otherwise shrivel up on its own were it to see the light of day. 

All individuals have the responsibility for independent investigation of the truth and free expression of ideas is how to make an informed opinion of where that truth lies. Only then can the issues be truly judged on merit, or lack thereof.1 hatemongers.com is their self titled website

There is a light at the end of the tunnel

California courts have once again ruled that same sex marriage bans are unconstitutional. This will be a tug of war for many years to come, but the courts keep coming up with the same conclusion and eventually the social tide will turn. Just as California was the first to rule interracial couples could marry, they are again at the cutting edge of this issue.

Oscars

Okay, I was dreaming when I thought Clive &  Natalie might actually win, but they sure looked great as did the rest of the stars. Not an Oooops in the bunch. Always good to see Clint Eastwood get the recognition he deserves, but this year it could've easily been a tie with Aviator. 

I love Sean Penn, but lighten up! Jude Law WAS in every movie this year, so the joke was appropriate. Not too long or ridiculous this year, with the one exception of the all Beyonce music show, after the overkill it was appropriate that none of her 3 songs won, although the French one was great, but the others were Blah. Very sheek and beautiful on both the men and women, many notables, Salma Hayek, Hillary Swank, Scarlet Johannson, Julia Roberts, Oprah, Cate Blanchett and especially Kate Winslet. 

It really was a stellar year for movies this year, we should be so lucky in 2005. No real notables on the horizon yet, but we can hope.

Oscar Day

Well this is it, Oscar Night. Just saw Million Dollar Baby, a real tear jerker. Very good. I'm just happy it's a packed field this year with lots of great films, no Lord of the Rings spoiler this year. Think it will be a split best movie/best director this year. But still think Ray will walk away with best picture, usually the nostalgic factor plays a roll and I think it will this time, plus it is a deserving film. Clint Eastwood for Director though. We'll see! !

Plagiarism

all the boys believe she’s a spy
but not in the manner you think
she observes your most savage desires
how at home you appear on the brink

Dreams

Been having really vivid and some disturbing dreams. Had one the other night where I was in an airport only instead of going down the long expandable walkway to get to the plane it was a very narrow slide, not unlike a waterslide tube only much tighter, if you were fat you wouldn't fit. Then when I got to the end I was compact with my arms to my side, waiting for someone to open the trap door at the bottom. A few minutes passed and I was deciding if I should scream or have a panic attack as claustrophobia began to set it, then I abruptly awoke. When eating my raisin bran in front of the Today Show a little while later, I saw where a 16 year old girl and 65 year old man in rain soaked California had been killed by way of mud slide. Then I got to wonder about dreams, as so many are very realistic, what if when you have vivid dreams you are in some other reality sharing experiences with others, only you wake up and they don't. Last month I had a dream where I was driving a little car fast and went flying off the road into the air and I thought "oh, I'm dead this time" and woke up. What if someone at that same time left the roadway and really was in the car? Hillary Swank had the recurring dream she saved someone's life and finally after several months decided she should take a life saving class, and did. Shortly thereafter when she was walking through an airport a man fell to the ground in cardiac arrest and began to turn blue. Newly trained, she immediately started CPR and did so until the paramedics arrived. He didn't make it. Now the question is whether or not she'll at some future time truly save someone's life with her newly learned skilled, as the dream indicated, or if this time she simply avoids the awful feeling "God, I should've taken that CPR class afterall, I could've saved him." Dreams are very instructive, but also need to be held at a distance so we don't drive ourselves crazy wondering the significance of each. The question remains, which ones do we listen to and which ones do we put out of our mind and try to forget? Well, that's all the cheerful thoughts for now.

Almost Valentines Day

Well, it's that special time of year again when all of us single folks get to feel left out in the cold for that romantic day of the year. Single rarely sucks, but I plan on wearing black on Monday. Always think about sending myself flowers but I'm too cheap for that even!