Don't fence me in

"Do not forsake me o my darlin'"

from w
I am glad I do not live in Sydney. When a cowboy comes into town, there's such a massive security that tall fences are put in place, high walls, and it takes forty cars to meet a plane. What a society we live in! And barely a horse in sight. I laughed about one story though - heard on the radio this morning. Two guys were sitting at the bar in the hotel where the esteemed visitor is about to arrive, and they were asked for their IDs. Don't have any, the guys say. They are hussled out quick smart and excorted over the road and into the sunset. I pinched the two pics, not my drawing or photo. I don't go near huge fences or huge protests.

Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above,
Don't fence me in.
Let me ride thru the wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evening breeze,
Listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees,
Send me off forever, but I ask you please,
Don't fence me in.

Just turn me loose,let me straddle my old saddle
Underneath the western skies, on my cay-use
Let me wander over yonder till I see the mountains rise.
I want to ride to the ridge where the West commences,
Gaze at the moon till I lose my senses;
Can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences,
Don't fence me in.

And a cartoon from today's Age by Michael Leunig: