Another year down

Happy Independence Day to you all!

How old would you put America, in person-years? I'd put it at about 16...a disaffected, frustrated, adolescent year with some Goth tendencies. Either that or a late 80's demented guy with some disinhibition issues.

Either way, I don't think this past year has been reflective of the fundamental principles of America, and will be one that it looks back on with a powerful urge to go back in time and talk some sense into itself.

Surprisingly, one of those voices seems to be coming from none other than Christopher Hitchens, the reasonable guy turned neocon turned, it now appears, reasonable guy. He's been a big supporter of the Iraq invasion, and a notable apologist for all that has come with it. But he just did something quite noble -- something that I'm surprised more self-respecting journalists and politicians haven't done. He got himself waterboarded. With all this talk about what that means, talk that never seems to come from personal experience, it's so refreshing to see someone just get it done to themselves and tell us what it feels like. And the fact that he didn't like it very much, despite being someone predisposed to downplay the negative effects, speaks volumes.

JEK
Partly cloudy patriot