Thank you birdstrike. I'm glad to see there are others on here who "get it."

As for so called "USA Bashing" I have the right to criticize any policy I see fit. The underlying implication is that anyone who criticizes our government is unpatriotic and should be ashamed. That's all a part of the new "patriotism" that has swept our country since 9/11. In my opinion anyone who is a true patriot and defender of our nation's values will speak out against the rapid erosion of our civil rights. The sheeple have traditionally been the majority in every great civilization. The ability to rule over and keep them believing the official doctrine is what has made many nations so powerful. Our nation is no different. A sheep rarely if ever realizes s/he is a sheep.

I think the point we were making is that it is actually nice to see little things that remind us of a nicer and more innocent time in our own country. I can remember going with my dad to the airport as a child, walking him to the gate and staying until his plane departed. There was no one there to say who can and cannot walk freely about the building and no "sterile" areas. Those were better times and the threat of hijacking seemed to be more of a punchline than a cause for paranoid and delusional behavior.

My family has a lineage in the US for at least 16 or more generations, with the previous 5 generations of males on my father's side being active servicemen serving in Vietnam, both theaters of WWII, WWI and numerous conflicts throughout our nation's history. I have always been proud of my country but I am ashamed of my government and the current trends intended to keep us "safe" from terror. As an active cynic I can pretty much assume anytime the alphabet agencies (DHS, TSA, IRS, FBI, insert your own personal favorite here) declare "War" on anything it is more or less a way to infringe upon the rights of many.

I lost a personal childhood friend on 9/11 so to imply I have no respect or am trivializing the lost lives is quite insulting and ignorant. It's strawman argument at best. I would never disrespect his memory by walking around like a paranoid delusional freak, always thinking someone is lying in wait to slip a bomb inside my bag when I'm inside the airport. Ridiculous.

We have been lied to for years and told that cave dwelling fundamentalist hate us because of our "freedom." I guess thats why every time I leave the country and return I feel as if the Iron Curtain came down upon deplaning. Face the facts, we have one of the most restrictive police states in the world, the highest prison population in the world, highest number of arrest, etc. We are trained via the government and media to believe everyone is a potential terrorist, pedophile, rapist, thief, etc. Every time something tragic happens we are bombarded with it on idiot tube (think Nancy Grace, Geraldo, etc.) and the sheep are feverish in their support of new laws that will restrict the rights of everyone. How many people spoke out when "Patriot Act" was slid under the radar? And all of this is to keep us "Safe"??? Don't make me laugh.

Does this sound like "freedom" to you?