D-E-M-O-C-R-A-C-Y

Here's tonight's sunset on the Burlington, Vermont shoreline. 'Twas kind of special, eh?  And warm like a spring evening. This was taken at 4:40 p.m. - alas, the season of the early night is upon us! But the light, the light that counts, has begun to shine in America after a very, very long absence.

I've been deliberately letting it all sink in slowly. Deliberately savoring the tactile restoration of my faith in democracy. Did I ever tell you about Uncle Peter?

"Member of the IRA. Killed in Action Against Forces of the Crown, North Wall, Dublin. April 11, 1921. He Died for Ireland." 

Democracy was but a dream for the 17 year old Kilkenny farm boy who became a gunman and freedom fighter in the Michael Collins IRA of 1920-21. The Anglo-Irish Treaty reached in December 1921 spared my captured and imprisoned father-to-be, Frank Freyne, 19, his execution in Kilmainham Gaol. Kind of made it possible for me to be here in 2006 blogging away about subjects like democracy!

On Tuesday, November 7, 2006 A.D., the American people, through a mechanism, a procedure, a system called "democracy" non-violently changed the political power structure of the most powerful nation on Earth - without firing a shot.

D-e-m-o-c-r-a-c-y. Use it or lose it. Ever catch the Ol' Leonard Cohen tune?  Been echoing around my head the last couple days....

It's coming from the sorrow in the street,
the holy places where the races meet;
from the homicidal bitchin'
that goes down in every kitchen
to determine who will serve and who will eat.

From the wells of disappointment
where the women kneel to pray
for the grace of God in the desert here
and the desert far away:

Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.

(lycrics here)

Let's all take a few deep breaths. Thursday's "news" can wait, eh? 

A Montpeculiar triple-header it was: Speaker Gaye Symington in the Cedar Creek Room at 10: Pat Leahy in his office down the street at the Montpelier Post Office at 11, then back to the Guv's Statehouse "ceremonial office" for reelected GOP Gov. Jim Douglas' first, regular, open-plate presser since August 31.

Landslide Scissorhands Rules!!!

Comments

[jdlaughead]

I think to get back to a Democracy, from a Republican Rubber-stamp Dictatorship, is a great Christmas Gift, for there is nothing like Freedom. But as you can see, we have to fight, to keep Democracy, no matter in what country you are in.

I find it is to bad, that the media, has hardly mention Howard Dean, who to me made it all possible, with his determination to go into enemy territory, the RED states( I bet the Conservative republicans, like to be called the RED states)LOL,LOL. If he hadn't ran for President, it wouldn't of happen, so all the money you contributed to Howards Campaign, paid off.

Below is the website where the Lying photo, that got us into this Iraq mess is. Better look at it before the Bush Regine erases it off Google, Images. It seems they erased most all the other photos of Colon Powell and him Lying at the UN. This photo is a outright pre-meditated lie, and Bush and Cheney should resign! Tenant already has, but should be investigated, as he lined out half of everything that was in the transcript of them lying at the U.N.

http://rviews.com/images/spyphotos.jpg

[Addison]

Peter, thank you for the gorgeous photo of the sunset. It's now my desktop background! :-)

[Arty LaVigne]

Thank you..couldn't of asked for a better end to this very dark day in America. DEMOCRACY works, all praise to the founding fathers.

Great Blog!

[RH factor]

Troubling to think....not letting up on this thought!!!

http://www.rawstory.com/showoutarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.miserywatch.com%2F2006%2F11%2Fa_particularly_.html

[Michael]

Great photo. Fun blog. I definitely enjoy Vermont's politics ... And thanks for the help

[GiveTexasBack]

You had potential for a great photo... were I not left with a feeling of falling sideways.

PHOTO TIPS:
1) Hold the camera straight.

2) Practice the 'rule of thirds'. That means never put the horizon straight through the middle of the photo. Try putting it either in the top third of your photo or the bottom third. Works for vertical pitcures as well.

[Charity]

Peter, I just want to let you know that I love the pictures. Sometimes the words become a blur and I have to stop reading a post half-way through, but I always come by to see the pictures. Nice work!

[nick]

I'm glad I had a chance to see the waterfront sunset in the picture above. I remember driving home that afternoon, catching only a glimpse of the sunset, but from what I could see, it was another classic $7,000 sunset on Champlain. I regretted not being able to see it from the waterfront. And then the next day it shows up on your blog. There is a god after all.