I am a Coward

This past Thursday, while enjoying my Healthy Choice microwavable meal for lunch, I learned that the island where I work was hosting not only the President of the United States on Saturday, but also Vice President Dick Cheney. Without getting too much into a political discourse, let me just say that I think that they are evil, evil people and I was disgusted to learn that they are polluting the shores of my adopted home. Ew.

Dick (can we pause a moment to praise his parents for choosing such an appropriate name?), was arriving at Kiawah as I was leaving work on Friday. Kiawah is one of the barrier islands off the coast of South Carolina. This means that it is about a forty-minute drive just to get to the nearest freeway from Kiawah. Most of the drive is down a two-lane road, lined with live oaks, historic churches, and numerous signs for small stores selling local shrimp. It really is a beautiful drive.

As I began my drive home on Friday, I noticed numerous unmarked cop cars parked on the side of the road. After about twenty minutes of driving, a large herd of motorcycle cops came down the road in my direction. They were using their left arms to wave every vehicle traveling towards them, including mine to the side of the road. I pulled over and rolled down my window.

Being, my father's daughter, and an American citizen guaranteed the right to free speech, I began contemplating how I should express my feelings towards Dick and the rest of the executive branch. My first instinct was to hang my arm out the window with my middle finger extended, but I thought, "Nah, that would be banal, a little passe and unseemly." Then I hit upon what I thought was a stroke of brilliance. Classic, and pseudo-respectful... the good old, "thumbs down."

During this six second internal debate, the motorcycle cops are still riding past my car, repetitively waving their arms as if I wasn't already on the side of the road and practically in the ditch. I could see in the distance a black limousine. This was it! Dick was about to pass my car! Here was my chance to let the man know that one more American was tired of his war-mongering, lies, and destruction of this great country's reputation.

I was about to pull my arm out the window when another thought struck me. I had learned from a friend a couple of days prior about man who was arrested and charged with assault when he approached Dick in a mall and told him that Dick's policies in Iraq were despicable."

I thought of my daughter, my family, my house and my job. Could I afford to lose any of those things if I was arrested because I gave Dick a thumbs-down? No, I couldn't. My arm remained inside the car, and Dick's limo passed my car.

I feel ashamed that I now live in a country where I am afraid to express my opinion to the elected officials who are running it into the ground. I feel ashamed that I have been so cowed by them. I regret that I didn't do my part to show Dick that American's are disgusted by him and the president, but I can't afford to fight back if they decide to trample all over my rights as a citizen.

What has happened to our country? What has happened to us? Jesus, I think I need a drink...