Dissent?  In many ways, the history of the world is a history of dissent.  History is driven by people who decide or dare to think differently, who take issue with what is obvious and apparent, who challenge what is, who refuse to accept the ways things are at a given moment.
     Dissent, however, is wide ranging.  It can come in the form of new invention, new political structure, even a new religion.  Though in itself, the word "dissent" stirs up connotations of disorder, as many a historian has noted, sometimes disorder is constructive, even necessary to advance the human adventure.
     Yevgeny Yevtushenko, a Russian poet who died a few weeks ago in his Soviet homeland, was well known for his dissent. Decade after decade Yevtushenko used his poetry to challenge the mores of the prevailing power structures, to question the legitimacy of how the leaders of Russia were running the government.  He was brave, he was strong, he was clear and precise in his words about the powers that be.  For this, those of us who live in the relatively free West, can admire Yevtushenko greatly.  While dissent is generally available to us, for too many people around the world it is not.  For them, to dissent is to incur the wrath of powerful authorities, people who think little about assigning lengthy prison terms or even execution to those who dare contest their hegemony.  It is a thoroughly audacious and frequently dangerous enterprise.
     Such dissent therefore deserves our support.  Although we can debate for many hours about what exactly constitutes a "right," we can surely agree that no government ought to restrict the ability of people to speak and live freely as they choose.  God did not make us in his image for fun; he made us in his image so that we could be, like he forever is, free.
     Thanks, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, and thanks to all who dare dissent.  God loves us all.