A little overdue, but eh, no biggie. I'm sure you were all okay stumbling along without my fierce wit and persuasive point of view for a few days (an ego complex? me? nooooooo).

This week's edition is inspired by September 11th and on the country's admirable resolve in the face of terrorist acts. I have a bone to pick, pardon the cliché (actually this is my column and I don't need your pardon, I'm just saying so for courtesy's sake) with the folks who don't like the display of American flags in the form of bumper stickers, pins and patches.

I mean, I know that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but it really ticks me off when someone says they're not into all the "patriotic stuff". Get off your liberal asses and look around. People died! Thousands! Our country faced it's greatest disaster with courage and a unifying determination and all you can think about is about "being an individual" and "stating your ideas". Oh please, like anyone cares.

It's not like I'm some zombie who eats out of the media's hand. They don't play me or pull on my heartstrings. But I do respect the message they try to convey with every commercial and speech and news special. And if you're one of those people who's snubbing you're nose at me and thinking that America is smothering you, than tough. This is my column and you can bite me!

Everytime I see some embelm of red, white and blue it makes me feel warm inside. Whether it be on the back of a car, on a backpack or in the form of a horrendously garish scarf (truth - my old english teacher wore one yesterday on the one year anniversary of 9/11). The knowledge that there are people who love this country as much as I do and who are willing to show it to the world is inspiring. Even if there's a driver in front of me who cuts me off, if he has that USA sticker on his rear, I don't yell and swear my head off nearly so much.

I am not ashamed to say that I had tears in my eye during one of the President's speeches yesterday, on the anniversary of September 11th. He spoke of how firefighters wrote their social security numbers on their arms and then raced into the hazardous remains so that if they died their bodies could be identified later. Such an act leaves me deeply questioning if I could find the strength of character to do the same.

I will never know the true pain of all those families afflicted by the attack on the World Trade Center but my heart goes out to them and I am filled with compassion. The sight of the American flag will always move me and it holds great meaning and deference to all the lives lost.

So if you think of slandering it I'll hit you. Hard. And repeatedly.

And thus, with a threat of violence looming over the reader's head, the 2nd issue of the Weekly Fume comes to a close.