Big Brother Sam wants you!

Guarding our city streets, police are trusted to prevent crime and pursue offenders of the law. But the fear that deprives me of sleep at night remains: While law enforcers are preoccupied with defending peace and safety in our communities, which department is maintaining order in our department stores? Until recently, I thought I was alone in my distress, but Crossgates Mall of Albany, N.Y. shares my concern.\nStephen Downs and his adult son Roger were on a shopping expedition last week. They purchased a couple of custom-made T-shirts, one carrying the slogan "Give Peace a Chance" and the other reading "No War with Iraq" and "Let Inspections Work." Both men immediately put the shirts on over their clothing and headed to the food court for dinner.\nOne can only imagine the mass chaos their action must have caused that evening. Luckily, the Crossgates Mall security was primed to seize initiative.\nThe men were confronted by security guards and asked to remove the shirts or leave the premises. When Stephen Downs refused to comply, he was arrested and charged with trespassing. Guilderland police chief James Murley said the mall dropped the charge two days later, but this wasn't the first arrest by the mall against customers displaying anti-war messages on their clothing.\n"The individuals were approached because of their actions," explained Tim Kelley, director of operations for Pyramid Mall Management which owns Crossgates. "Their behavior ... to express to others their personal views on world affairs was disruptive of customers."\nCongratulations Crossgates Mall security! Your new title has been elevated to Thought Police.\nIn outrage, more than 150 people wearing T-shirts with anti-war slogans rallied on the mall's property in Downs' defense. The organizers said one of the demonstrators was punched by a customer who shouted, "Remember 9-11." However, Crossgates Thought Police didn't make an arrest.\nYou can't expect Crossgates to catch every single one of its disorderly patrons. \nOn the brink of a possible war, it comes as no surprise that dissent and protest are surging through our nation. It's an inherent reflex. For once, let's just set the record straight: Sticks and stones may break our bones, and words will indefinitely be able to offend us. Now more than ever, people are concerned with the words that seem "unpatriotic" against America rather than the sticks, stones, bombs and biological-chemical warfare that may break the bones of innocent lives. Along with the twin towers, our confidence in Homeland Security has been demolished. Our country is so confused with who the true antagonist is that we have begun blaming anyone, even each other for our political and ideological differences. \nWe often underestimate how profound language can be when we articulate opinions, beliefs and attitudes. With words, we can express revolutionary ideas and evoke emotional responses. The pride of democracy resides in our freedom to communicate without the threat of subjugation. Opposing views don't yield terrorism but prejudice and intolerance do. Instead of celebrating our melting pot diversity, we actually fear it. It's unfortunate that in America we have to demonstrate on behalf of our right to demonstrate.\nWhere will the censorship stop? Will we be forbidden to bare our crosses, yarmulkes and turbans? Will we be asked to leave public places for wearing colors other than red, white or blue? Patriotism should mean more to us than a flag rippling from our car antennas. We have to uphold the freedoms indoctrinated by our founders.\nAt least we can all sleep tonight knowing the mall is a safe and thoughtless place.