https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/promotions/2007-11-10/560002/

aHA! Why thank you Chronicle

, November 10, 2007, 5:41pm,

When my husband came home this afternoon (actually, the condo where we're temporarily staying) he said, you know you got published in the Chronicle? The letter to the editor I posted on one of my previous posts here actually made it in.

( http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Community/Postmarks?StartTime=2007-10-26 , opposing viewpoints )

Funny thing when you get 'published' is not the wee vain part in you that says, aHA! My name is in print. It's interesting to hear who actually has read it and acknowledges it. (how politically correct, I mean 'who tells you that they read it') My first time I 'got published' was a letter to the editor of the Austin-American Statesman. Since I emailed it in, they require you to have your email attached to it so naturally, I got "acknowledged"!

Not too much hate mail thank goodness, and I even made a friend with a very insightful gentleman who has encouraged me to become American and join one of the two parties. He dismissed my notion of wanting to be out there as an Independent, saying that, in the history of this country, no third party candidate has had enough influence to encourage change. However, the alternative of joining up with one of the two still does not appeal to me. I'm too much of an Independent thinker. I'd like to think that with my Dutch background, it is even more inevitable to speak one's mind. Toe-ing (sp?) the party line would be very difficult for me to do.

Since I'm still not American (the last 8yrs or so haven't been very encouraging), so it won't really matter. But political and politically independent I will always be. That is why I encourage anyone to check on their representative, those people in Congress regardless of their affiliation. How independent are they? With the upcoming election, a little thought and research would be appreciated.

Thinking independently should be natural for an American. At least, isn't it something any American prides her/himself on? Somehow Americans must not be as proud as they claim to be. Independence is not a state of affairs, but a state of being. That is why there are the checks and balances (see Jim Hightowers article: http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/column?oid=oid%3A558972)

The current state of being seems to be more of laziness, wanting to be entertained or fed easy to swallow info nuggets. Don't just follow the lemmings of whatever your party is, but stop to think for yourself. At least you can vote. Make it count.

Please.