I clearly remember "campaigning" for Al Smith against Herbert Hoover back in 1928. I was all of 7 years old. So I guess you could say I've always been a Democrat. I have, however, worked and voted for Republican candidates in the South when it was clear than the Democratic candidate was a racist bigot. I was only 12 years old when Franklin Roosevelt was first elected, and for most of my youth, he was "my" president. But I also remember when it was an honorable thing to be a Republican. I'm sad to say, however, that that was a LONG time ago. During World War II, I served in the US Navy, and I remember the thrilling pride I felt to see our flag waving in the breeze and to hear our national anthem. I respected the integrity of Harry Truman and I campaigned for Adlai Stevenson in 1952 and 1956, and cried bitter tears when he was defeated.

        Today again, I weep....literally.....for my country. I feel very strongly that we are the victims of a genuine and extremely dangerous coup d'état!! Hundreds of thousands of wonderful people, with the help of the corporate-controlled media and the ultra religious right, have bought the BIG LIE.....and are not even listening any more. There seems to be no way to reach them.

        Well, my friends, I cannot accept that..........and I feel certain that this feeling is shared by a majority of my fellow Americans. Many of us feel frustrated, angry and helpless to change the situation. We feel betrayed by our fellow Democrats in Congress....we see dangerous American foreign policy being dictated by appointed officials of an un-elected president, and we see the funds for important federal programs going down the Republican drain. And, even more alarming, we are seeing our Constitution being rewritten by the people presently in power. "First Amendment Zone"....indeed!!! And because we feel helpless to do anything about it, we comfort ourselves by writing about our outrage and reading articles and letters of other outraged Americans.

        But I am convinced that we CAN do something. We can stand up and be counted. I remember when the American flag was displayed on the front lawn of the John Birch Society members. I guess that was when my patriotism began to sag. But I also remember the millions of yellow ribbons around lamp posts and trees when our fellow Americans were being held hostage. Well, today the fact is our country is being held hostage, and we can demonstrate our protest the same way...not by flying the flag, but by tying yellow ribbons around trees. Even better....we can tie the yellow ribbons around flagpoles. And we can keep those ribbons there until our country is freed from the HOSTAGE situation in which it is being held by the media whores and the Republican rapists.

        Maybe if millions of yellow ribbons started appearing all over the US of A, it WOULD be reported, and more and more honest people would go out and buy more and more yellow ribbon for more and more tree trunks!!! This is a simple idea. It would only cost a few cents for each person who wanted to demonstrate his protest, and this kind of protestor could not be herded into a "first amendment zone!!!!" It might be a quiet and inexpensive way to "stand up and be counted." It would be a way to say to our friends and neighbors that we are seriously concerned about the present situation. It might be a good idea to buy extra yellow ribbon to give to your friends and neighbors. We can get INVOLVED, and involved people are more likely to vote, which in the final analysis is what we really need.

Matilda Lipscomb
matilda@letstalksense.com