Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could easily defeat us all.

Political correctness has gone way too far in this country. A boy in Pennsylvania was punished, because he wore a T-shirt that had an image of a gun on it to school. The shirt was meant to honor his uncle, a soldier who's fighting in Iraq. He got suspended when he refused to turn it inside out, because "there's a much higher level of sensitivity these days." Here's the link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080310/ap_on_re_us/t_shirt_gun.

In another story, some people are upset about a South Carolina shop that sells KKK robes, pictures, and other paraphernalia. At the end of the article, the pastor who's trying to close the shop down says he wants to "destroy the concept of hatred." That comment is one of the stupidest ones I've ever heard. Destroy the concept of hatred? How would that work? And how is closing someone's legal shop going to further that aim? Hate is never going to be destroyed, and it's naive to think it will. And I for one would rather know someone hates me than think everything is fine and have that hate percolating beneath the surface instead. Jeez, grow a thicker skin, people. Here's the link: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/K/KKK_STORE?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US.

Finally, you can't dye your own dog, even if you just use beet juice, because that's animal cruelty. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,336719,00.html.

So much ridiculousness out there these days. And there are many stories out there that are even more egregious, but of course I can't find them when I'm looking for them. Anyway, the point is, we as Americans need to get our act together before we end up like Britain. Now "offending" someone at work can get you fired- but things could get even worse. And they will if people don't stop being so sensitive. There are some things that don't need to be said at work, but we're beyond that by a long shot. Now most people are hyper-sensitive and easily offended. People either can't take a joke or are afraid of telling a joke because someone who hears it might not be able to take a joke. We need to ask ourselves where we're heading with all this political correctness, and whether it might not be getting silly- and perhaps even detrimental to our ability, or willingness, to relate to someone of a different skin color or gender.

The title of today's post is a quote by Justice William O. Douglas.

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