I hoped a few weeks' respite from writing this column might refresh my usual optimism for America. But while immersing myself in the kids, the new puppy and summertime fun, some patterns are repeating in the news, themes that make an uneasy backdrop for our July Fourth celebration.

For instance, have you noticed recently how justice has become quite selective?

Here in Cobb, we've seen the Jessica Colotl case at KSU, in which the illegal alien student seems to have sidestepped any penalties for her alleged law breaking. Despite Sheriff Neil Warren's attempts to uphold the law, Colotl is back in school. Her traffic charges magically disappeared down a rabbit hole, despite her illegal status and after enjoying specially arranged transportation by KSU. She's been the star of her own reality show at open borders pep rallies, and I still haven't decided if she is Bridezilla, full of unreasonable demands, or the subject of those over-the-top Sweet 16 parties, where everyone lavishes praise on the spoiled brat and pretends that all is well.

Meanwhile, the Regents, those well-meaning political appointees, try to ignore the thorn in their side (anti-illegal activist D.A. King) while waiting for the story to die a quiet death. We'll probably never know how many of them want to take a real stand, but I wish they could talk, as I have, to Georgians whose kids - kids with 4.0 and better GPAs - were unbelievably not accepted into the institution of their choice and forced to go out of state. Or, how about the military veterans turned away for not meeting standards? What do the Regents say about rejecting these men and women, despite their much-touted VA funding, simply because they might not have the greatest SAT or once upon a time a million years ago before watching their buddies get blown up they weren't the cream of the crop of students? And all the while, illegal immigrants are sitting in their seats, no questions asked? That's just disgusting.

Locally, justice is MIA from Glover Street also, as the CCSD continues to violate all kinds of Sunshine Laws - watchers can barely keep count - and its transportation management arrogantly persists in operating a messy, if not dangerous, shop. Certainly there must be a law against jeopardizing children's lives by intentionally putting sub-standard buses on the road. Two grand jury investigations later, despite calls for major changes and continued scrutiny, no controlling authority, including the State DOT (who is either on the take or completely blind to allegations), will take action. Negligence.

You can holler all you want, it seems, but if there is no hammer, nothing changes.

And how about 27-year Cobb resident Bill Borden, John Abraham's preferred successor for his north Cobb school board seat? It's cool to visit Alaska, but not cool to hoard the license plates, shirking Georgia taxes, so far without penalty. What makes him special? His sled dog hobby?

My Marine, who was hauled to jail last year for driving my car with his valid California license (along with his military I.D.) was dismayed to learn about that one. I bet him $149.50 (the price it took, in cash, to pay the fine and get him out of the Kennesaw City Jail) that Borden would somehow get through the brouhaha without paying a dime, going on to manage our school budget. Call me cynical, but unless north Cobb voters wake up to their civic duties, it could easily happen.

For many of us "small people," the ones lady liberty was intended to serve, oversight and the law have become hit or miss.

Though, if you are a school bus driver sent to CCSD's grand dame of the pink slip, Mary Finlayson, oversight is all too real. Her motto should be "BAM!"

Same for hundreds of teachers, forced to beg for their jobs before sketchy tribunals of board-picked former CCSD administrators who don't know the teacher's work but don't worry. They've been "trained" by lawyers who feed at the taxpayer trough and take their marching orders from the Superintendent's office while elected officials claim not to know. Plausible deniability for those in charge and this tangled web make a fair outcome for CCSD employees nearly impossible.

And just peek at the national level, if you can stand it. Recently, the Black Panther voter intimidation case was deep sixed by Obama's Justice Department. Google J. Christian Adams (the Justice Department attorney who resigned in protest) if you're interested in this civil rights scandal, which has been completely hidden by our national mainstream media.

Of course, Obama and Attorney General Dude Man Holder don't think thugs in voting lines with baseball bats should face the law, but those Navy SEALS who fat-lipped a terrorist really, really need to pay.

This disturbing trend is finally reaching print, however.

Victor Davis Hanson in the National Review last week wrote a column called, "The law, how quaint!" in which he said:

"The law itself is becoming negotiable...subservient to what elite overseers at any given time determine is a higher calling of social change."

My friends at Powerline Blog dubbed it "When justice is politicized."

It could be that the idea of Lady Liberty, morphing into a sort of tilted, twisted old bag lady, has motivated many of my fellow Tea Partiers, but they haven't been able, so far, to verbalize it. There's an angle for the pollsters.

This Independence Day, mull a moment what this phenomena could mean for America. And then resolve to pay better attention to your civic duties and responsibilities, the strength of any nation, but especially ours.

Be a grown-up, acknowledge the realities, and take a stand somehow.

Be a patriot, have courage and let's change this course. You won't regret it.

Lbarmstrong3378@comcast.net