All the nation is a flutter for the book tour of former governor of Alaska and vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, who is making news either by her fans standing in long lines as if she were a rock star or by malicious bashing of her character through print media or late night jokes. Oprah, Barbara, Diane, O’Reilly, have grilled Palin about all the aspects of her life, including her guest list at Thanksgiving. I would love to interview her too, asking if Levi would be the turkey?

The title of her book, “Going Rogue,” alludes to her desire to be herself which in the reality of the presidential campaign and to the McCain team as going rogue. What does that really mean, to go rogue?

A quick look at the dictionary gives several possibilities such as the unflattering definition of someone unprincipled, deceitful and unreliable. I can’t imagine a candidate would ever choose someone as described for their running mate, so that couldn’t be it.

Another meaning for the word rogue is a wandering beggar or vagrant, so that can’t be it either. Could they be referring to one who is playfully mischievous? Now that one I like. But, I fear they were referring to a vicious and solitary animal that separates itself from the herd, large and destructive and unpredictable. Add to it the final description — operating outside normal or desirable control — and that sums up rogue.

Sarah follows the drum to her own beat. That is what appeals to her followers. She is an average folk who doesn’t conform to the usual portrait of political strategist. Many Americans can relate and feel she understands their concerns.

Lately, I have noticed several others going rogue.

Last week, on the American Music Awards, the rogue behavior which was very destructive to his career was Adam Lambert, who crossed the line of good behavior on national television and that is tall line, especially for such an event.

The over the top performance could have been a publicity stunt to make a statement or just poor judgment in the heat of the moment, whatever the case it did his career no favors. He was so in to his activities that his singing suffered greatly. His reputation from American Idol was that of a flamboyant, talented singer, but if you judge him from that performance it would be just tacky and mediocre.

The ultimate going rogue was the Kanye stunt but that horse has been beat.

Move over Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn, because wedding crashing is now old school. The White House security people are in an uproar and Congress is investigating. Shame, shame on President Obama’s social secretary, Desiree Rogers, for making a whopping boo boo.

A rogue couple, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, crashed the state dinner and had photos taken with the president, the guest of honor, India’s prime minister, and other celebrities and honored guests. They made a fool out of the security, but Rogers wasn’t at her post to catch any ill-mannered guests that were trying to get in.

It seems so easy to crash the White House, maybe I will show up for the next big event such as a state dinner for Donny Osmond winning the disco ball trophy from Dancing with the Stars. They are giving one for that, aren’t they?

The rogue behavior of Tiger Woods has all our tongues a wagging. Why does a family man leave home at 2:25 in the morning unless under duress or going for pickles and ice cream?

What knocked the famed athlete unconscious? The water hydrant, the tree, the air bag, or the wife’s golf stroke?

He reported his “courageous wife” smashed the window to retrieve him from the car, which was probably true, but that was to get his sorry bottom out of the vehicle so she could knock some more sense in his alleged cheating heart. Nice touch to use a golf club on a golf legend. He should be glad he wasn’t a famed NFL player because she could have attacked him with a 350 pound, six-five foot left tackle.

Bad behavior is not always the result of being a rogue individual, but going against the herd represents the bad judgment of U.S. District Judge Tom Lee who suspended James Billiot’s death sentence on November 3, this year and ordered the Mississippi death row inmate who killed his Leetown family on Thanksgiving in 1981 to be sent to the State Hospital at Whitfield. The other option was to set him free.

I was shocked. It seems that rogue judges in this country keep pushing their own agendas, keep going against the wishes of the people. I believe anyone who takes a life is considered insane. If sentenced to die, then fulfill the law, but unfortunately this lowlife has spent decades living, breathing, eating, thinking, while his victims can not. The brutality of the attack he committed deserves little sympathy.

Hasn’t the judge seen the movie Halloween where the killer was in the mental hospital until he felt compelled to escape and kill a few more innocent people?

My heart goes out to the family that survived, Stephen, the brother who was given the chance to live a full life only because he had spent the night with his friend Chris. He went on to serve our country in the military and is a good guy, and does not deserve this slap in the face.

But, if given the choice of state hospital or release, my suggestion is to go ahead, set the killer free, but make sure you announce the day and time and set him free in downtown Leetown. Justice will be served just like any vicious animal that separates himself from the herd in a destructive manner.

Watch out all you rogue folks, the next time you think about going rogue, remember you could lose your campaign, your reputation, your consciousness, your freedom and sometimes your life.

Tracy Williams is a guest columnist and can be reached at her website: myhometowncolumn.com