There is a private space that each of us has when we are in public; it is a mental space between the conscious and unconscious, a state between vulnerable and secure. It only exists when you feel safe enough to let down your guard. It is a comfortable space that allows daydreaming, thinking, zoning out and observing, whether you are in a museum or a cafe, on the subway or a quiet street. Your private space allows you to be completely yourself; thinking the thoughts you want to think. It is a particularly American privilege; the right to be, uniquely who you are, wherever you are. That vulnerability is what a democracy protects. But living in a democracy also means being part of a balancing act. It's the tug-of-war between protection and the erosion of the right to privacy. The conflict gets worse when it becomes difficult to decipher who among us is a threat. It could be anyone.
A moment of silence, please, for those who never get the chance. They show up to the party, but they're never asked to dance. The losers, the liars, the bastards, the thieves, the cynicists, the pessimists, and those that don't believe in nothing.
