"The Family Dinner Table"

Those of you who have looked at my profile have read that I come from a large traditional family , obviously my real name is not Thomas Paine , but he is a hero of mine for his forthright opinions and his love of freedom . My ethnic heritage is Italian . Our home comprised of Mom , Dad , six children , my Grandmother (Nona) , and my great uncle Salvatore . Needless to say every meal was like a party , yet when the holiday season arrived family gatherings went into overdrive . The dinner table expanded adding my uncle Sammy , aunt Pookie their two children , my great uncle Louie and aunt Mary , and anyone else who my Dad might invite . To say the least the foods was remarkable , my mother and Nona would spend about two days preparing the banquet , fresh pasta , antipasto , a fish and seafood course , at least two meat courses , and deserts that would rival the finest restaurants anywhere . These meals took about three to four hours to consume , and interlaced with all the eating was conversation about everything under the sun , but when the subject turned to politics it really got interesting , uncle Louie was just to the left of Karl Marx and Uncle Salvatore was just to the right of Mussolini , two brothers at opposite ends of the political spectrum. Uncle Louie loved F.D.R. uncle Salvatore used Roosevelt campaign buttons to close his fly . Their "discussions" could become quite heated , and by the end of the evening they had resolved nothing . The freedom of speech and thought expressed at that table has stayed with me my entire life . Free exchange of ideas is the greatest gift we have been given , and any threat to that freedom should be taken very seriously. President Obama has a man named Mark Lloyd his diversity "czar" , who is a great admirer of Hugo Chavez , a communist who has virtually eliminated free speech and dissent in his personal kingdom. Lloyd has lauded Chavez's management of the media to suppress opposing opinions through whatever means necessary , to insure Chavez is not questioned . Conservative talk radio , and Fox news have been singled out as a threat to this administration , those Americans who have spoken out at town hall meetings or attended "tea-partys" have been labeled as "astro-turf Americans" or worse "un-American". What is happening at our American "dinner table" , is the free exchange of ideas now becoming off-limits , is a segment of the American public now considered an enemy of the state . Why did president Obama deny Fox an interview about his health-care program while speaking to virtually every other news organization on the planet . A man like Lloyd ,with his radical views against free speech should not have a place in the most powerful decision arena we have. I ask Mr. Obama to reconsider his decision to have a man of Mr. Lloyd's ilk in a position of influence. Our greatest freedom is free speech don't allow Mark Lloyd or men like him to put a gag in the mouth of the American people. Mr. President for the sake of our basic American freedoms please respect our constitution and let Mark Lloyd find employment elsewhere!