Freedom. Say the word out loud. Sounds nice as it rolls off the tongue. The foundation by which our great nation was founded. The fading glory. Gone is our freedom to decide for ourselves, to choose what's right for ourselves for our children and for our families. We've become a police nation of laws, rules and regulations and all of them are for your own good, your protection, your security and wellbeing.

Without them you are left to control your own life, make your own decisions. You are doomed.

Gone are the days when I decide whether or not I want to wear my auto safety belt, have a smoke at my corner bar, pack my shampoo in my carry-on luggage and ride my bicycle without a helmet. No more dodge ball during recess. God knows how many fatalities are a result of this outlandish activity. No more homemade cupcakes or cookies delivered by mothers to special school events. It's unsafe. No more playing in the dirt with a stick or pitching stones because there are too many germs. And absolutely, no jumping rope, skipping or hopscotch. Someone might get hurt.

My vote doesn't count and neither does yours. My local supermarket is overloaded with antis. Antiperspirants, antibacterials, antihistamines, antifungals, anti-plaque and antivirals. Our children are forcibly injected with anti-agents to "protect" them from just about everything except for the contents of the injection itself and don't you dare erect an outdoor basketball net outside your gated community home. Your house can be painted green but not blue or red, due to their possible political significance, and in case you're still awake, no laughing out loud in public places or asking for your money back and absolutely, positively, no prayer of any kind outside of your own special place of worship. After all, God forbid, someone might hear you. Amen.

A. Johnson

Millstone