The Freedom Bank of Georgia

When I heard today that the latest bank to fail in the United States was the Freedom Bank of Georgia, Josh and I decided that we really needed to learn more about the whole idea of "freedom." What does freedom mean to you, individually, as a nation? (to both Canadians and Americans, and well anyone else that finds this!) What does it mean to you in terms of history and at this moment in history? How does a government function in your idea of freedom? Why is the concept so integral to the American identity? Is there a similar component in Canadian identity? Do you feel that you are free?

Debate history

Did you talk about politics and social matters as a family growing up? Do you talk about these things as a family now? What inspired a desire in you to think about the world and care about what is happening in the halls of power? What hang-ups do you have about conversations like these?

Inagural hoopla

No one (ok, no one I know) in Canada cares or watches when our PM gets sworn in. Why is there SUCH a difference? Why all the money every 4 years? There certainly does seem to be a direction change. Is it like this every year?
What is with all the talk surrounding the inauguration? "This couldn't have happened anywhere else!" said by educated people makes me wonder where the line between patriotism and myth is drawn. (Hmm.. if that sounded mean, please don't take it that way! I'm not sure how else to word it.) Why is there all this emotion?
After the election there were so many editorials either hating Obama or thinking he was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Is that because there won't be any chance for change for 4 years? In Canada we (or at least the people I know) go "Oh, well that was disappointing. (no matter who gets in :) ) Well, it won't be long before we're back at the polls." But our PM doesn't seem to have the same power as the US President to change the people of a great majority of the important positions. Although, I must say that with the last few years of Canadian politics, I've been amazed at the powers our PM has exercised outside of Parliament.

Israel

Why?
Why does the US turn a blind eye to what is happening?
Why is Canada suddenly turning it's back on decades of inparitality to fully support (more than any other country) Israel?
Why is Israel so determined to kill so many people? What happened to "an eye for an eye"?

Also, I'm sorry this doesn't sound more impartial, after so many weeks I'm having a hard time not yelling about all of this.