Let me start this mini-rant by affirming the fact that I do, in fact, consider myself to be patriotic. However, at this time, I am pretty fed up with the new buzzword that seems to be the defining title of the current era- "FREEDOM." From Freedom Fries to Freedom Toast, the Ford Freestar, and on and on, ad nauseam, everything/everyone has to demonstrate patriotism and "love of freedom" and GO USA!!! on our sleeves.

Now the latest and most egregious of the entire freedom bandwagon is the new 1,776 feet tall Freedom Tower, due to start construction on, you guessed it, July 4, on the site of the former WTC.

I suppose now I will be labeled an enemy of freedom, or a sympathizer of "th' evil-doers" who "hate freedom." Quite the contrary, I am pro-freedom in all forms- freedom of choice, speech, assembly, thought, movement, etc. etc. etc. But this "freedom™®" that is splattered all over the news and any statement issued by the White House is a mockery of true freedom. We are not free in this country, despite the best efforts of the founding fathers to create a society where all were free and equal.

Just today in the news, Michael Moore's latest screed against W, a film called Farenheit 911, is being withheld by its distributor, an arm of the Disney conglomerate. Now, Disney has a right to withhold films from distribution based on certain criteria (NC-17 rating or bloated budget), neither of which are met by this film. I am not a blind follower of Moore's; on the contrary, I think he has become a one-note blowhard since the success of Roger & Me. Nevertheless, it is fear of reprisal from the White House and Jeb Bush that is causing this film to be withheld.

It's becoming increasingly clear that criticizing this country's "leadershitp" is quickly being excused from 1st Amendment protection. The FCC is squelching dissent as well; Howard Stern was not muzzled until he publicly voiced his opposition to the current administration. W and his cronies have been hailed by John Dean, counsel to Nixon during Watergate, as the most closed and secret administration to date. W has alienated scads of foreign leaders, not to mention a large portion of the population he claims to represent, speaking in broad general terms to the effect of, "either stand with us or you are against us."

Even as this new tower is born, the irony of the current dearth of freedom is inescapable. Until this is truly a free country, where speaking your mind, being French and being neo-conservative are all equally respected and protected, it's pretty humiliating that our great monument to the destruction wreaked on 9/11 is this weak conglomeration of tired rah-rah cliches.