If ever a salutation was more ironic: Happy New Year in this of all years is it.
There is no way on God's earth that 2008 will be a good year. The events set into place over the last seven tortuous years have unfortunately made prospects for a Happy New Year virtually impossible in the foreseeable future. This sad reality is anathema to the very nature of the American spirit which has been traditionally positive and bravely optimistic. So it is particularly disheartening when the actions of our own government consistently and cruelly crush the basic instincts of the people and their desire to attain "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"! This heartless and cruel government has forever damaged our image in the world and cynically reinterpreted the law and lied and lied and lied to the point of the surreal. The whole country is on the verge of a nervous breakdown and aside from divine intervention there is no cure for this psychic and spiritual mugging by our so-called leaders.
Albert Camus wrote that the first and foremost question of our existence is: Is life worth what we have to go through to live it? Most people cherish their very existence and try their best to live a life worth living. In spite of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in our way we somehow hope against hope and find a way to be as life-affirming as humanly possible! How? Love! This is no glib or trite assessment! Without love there is no humanity and humanity is what used to define our country. So slowly but surely in spite of the awesome challenges that face us the indomitable human spirit just might overcome the seemingly impossible odds against it and triumph. So on second thought:
Happy New Year!