"Hello? Is anybody home? Can Karin come out and play?"

I have a friend currently living and working in China; she's been there for the past few years teaching English. The internet is her lifeline to the outside world - in fact that's how we "met" and became friends ... through sharing a love of photography, poetry, nature and more.

On the very day that my grandson received a package from Karin - filled with a grand assortment of items introducing him to the many wonders of China and its culture -

the very day that Zachary's world grew larger because of her kindness and his new knowledge of things outside his own country and people -

Karin's world was reduced to very small ... to only China. A block was placed on communication to/from China in an attempt to prevent any acknowledgement or notice to the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protest and massacre.

We take so many of our freedoms for granted ... and too often I fear we aren't paying enough attention to the workings of our society - and we blindly trust that "whoever is in charge" will do what is best for our nation. I'm feeling especially challenged and motivated away from that mindset for myself - and challenge every reader to dig, research, learn - and have an active part through your voting voice to protect our nation's freedoms.