Mangos, Melons and Mangosteen

Earlier today (it's night time in Thailand right now) as I was sitting out on my verandah sipping ice tea, watching the ocean and working on the follow up novel to GROOVE - I was wondering what the world will be like in four years - I've had a few days to allow the election to sink in - spoke to a friend of mine who told me that her polling station was suddenly moved and that know one in the neighborhood was advised about it.
I heard that flyers were dispersed in low income neighborhoods that said: "Republicans vote on Tuesday Novemeber 4th and Democrats vote on Wednesday November 5th"
I saw on the news that an elderly couple walking down the street wearing "Anti Bush" t-shirts were arrested.

It saddens me to think that it seems that America is starting to become a police state -- what happened to democracy, freedom of speech and expression and the right to vote???

I'm not saying things here in Thailand are perfect - but one can certainly fool herself into thinking that it is.....