151 Band

Monday, September 17, 2012

It Could Be Worse

Taking freedoms for granted has almost become a national pastime in this great country of ours, forgetting the immense sacrifices made by our forefathers and our men and women in uniform today.  Life in America is hectic; friends, family, work and the ever-present political hoopla bogs us down, forcing us to take our eyes off the prize.

Blogging, for example, is a great freedom we have in this country - a place to express thoughts and ideas to the world and do so in an uncensored manner.  People across the globe see us, admire our freedoms and often are punished for their desire to have the freedom our Creator has given us. 

This, from the Washington Post:

MUSCAT, Oman — A journalist and blogger in Oman has been sentenced to one year in prison for alleged anti-government writings in a widening crackdown on political dissent in the strategic Gulf nation.

The official Oman News Agency says Mukhtar bin Mohammed bin Saif al-Hinai was convicted on Sunday of slander and violations of media codes, but gave no further details.

Al-Hinai works at the Azzaman daily, which came under pressure last year for coverage that angered some officials in the tightly ruled nation.
And lest we forget, Oman is a supposed ally of America.

Whether it be rural communities or big cities, our access to the Internet and our freedom of speech is priceless and should be defended aggressively.  Our government has taken a turn for the worse, going so far as to seriously consider taxes on the web and even using the Internet to investigate individuals who are what they deem to be derisive.  It's truly sad, but always remember:  It could be worse.

We could live in Oman.