Dear Dean,
I've just read your last column and the article you were referring to.
It's exactly what I've always thought of the USA and what kept me from going there (except from money problems because I'm unemployed).Sometimes I think especially in the USA you just have to be at the wrong place at the wrong time to end up in prison for the rest of your life.
It seems to me Americans give a damn shit on human rights. It always surprises me that not more people see it. See the danger in the USA playing such a big role in world politics. What if someone worse than George W. becomes president one day?
Too many people seem to be of the opinion that nothing bad can happen to them as long as they simply ignore the problems. What I don't see can't be there.
Especially in Germany many people do still say that we have to be very very grateful the Americans won the 2nd world war and helped us afterwards, so that we must not say anything against the USA.
Take care!
Julia