3.18.2003
A link to a letter by Rachel Corrie.
I've happened into some pretty distasteful, hateful and ignorant writing concerning this young woman. I'll admit I did see a picture of her seething with anger holding what looked to be a destroyed facsimile of an American flag. She was surrounded by children.
A pretty reasonable seeming man offered this to me as documentation of her being an America-hater. By that logic Mr Bush is an Anti-Semitic person for his quote stating that Jewish folks can't get into Heaven, insinuating they don't have Gods favor. I would not use my rather facile example of how you can't typecast folks by just one incident to bring in the Bushfamily/Nazi historical angle... alright, I will, cuz if you read the hateful, judgemental tripe I have today about the death of this young woman, a little fact based criticism is a relief. Or perhaps that he hates born-again Christians due to his mockery of Karla Faye Tucker("During an interview with Talk Magazine, Bush mocked Karla Faye, whimpering "Please, don't kill me" in an imitation of her voice").
Here is a quote from Christianity Today about Tucker:
""It's no secret that evangelicals have been stalwarts behind the death penalty." But Tucker's execution, he said, produced a "moral revulsion" among evangelicals "because she is a woman of such obvious spiritual change." This change led Pat Robertson and other conservative leaders to plead her case. "Any justice system that is worthy of the name must have room for mercy," said Robertson. Executing Tucker "is more an act of vengeance than it is appropriate justice."
Not all people killed by the IDF are terrorists. These extrajudicially killed young men were Isrealis.
Young people dying is a tragedy. Rachel Corrie, Yoav Doran and Yehuda Ben Yousef are all victims. Our hearts should go out to their loved ones... In a situation like this the people on all sides of the equation are victims. Killers as well as killed. Where is the humanity?
Rachel Corrie was a complex multifaceted human being like we all are. One quote, one photo cannot do justice to the portrayal of our character.
Read the letter linked above. Get a thumbnail sketch about life under occupation. You don't hear about it on the evening news; and you should, because you fund it.
3/18/2003
|
I mentioned the Mother Jones Article " The Thirty-Year Itch" by Robert Dreyfuss a while back, read it now.
3/18/2003
|
Buzz Flash brings us a straightforward interview: "Janeane Garofalo, Concerned American Citizen and Patriot".
Here is Howard Dean from his website:
Those Americans who opposed our going to war with Iraq, who wanted the United Nations to remove those weapons without war, need not apologize for giving voice to their conscience, last year, this year or next year. In a country devoted to the freedom of debate and dissent, it is every citizen's patriotic duty to speak out, even as we wish our troops well and pray for their safe return. Congressman Abraham Lincoln did this in criticizing the Mexican War of 1846, as did Senator Robert F. Kennedy in calling the war in Vietnam "unsuitable, immoral and intolerable."
This is not Iraq, where doubters and dissenters are punished or silenced --this is the United States of America. We need to support our young people as they are sent to war by the President, and I have no doubt that American military power will prevail. But to ensure that our post-war policies are constructive and humane, based on enduring principles of peace and justice, concerned Americans should continue to speak out; and I intend to do so.
I just got This American Prospect in the mail containing this article. I'm still trying to suss Dean out. Tell me what you think...
And to the kind folks sending me links, both audio and print, Thank You. I appreciate the help in making this site better.
3/18/2003
|
I was going to comment on last nights War speech and I can't bring myself to do it. It seems so fraught with projection, hypocrisy and utter contempt for the intelligence of American citizens and the Democracy that is our birthright
Here's the transcript.
What comes to mind is "who is disturbing the worlds peace" as inspections were working? Didn't the US change its mind about the disarmament/lift sanctions deal of resolution 687? We've been peacefully and diplomatically waiting for 12 years? Look at our record of bombing Iraq. Iraq bugged folks, you mean like our NSA bugging the other members of the Security Council? Couldn't Mr Bush better uphold the Constitution he swore to stand by, by following it's dictates? Congress declares war. Not the executive branch. And on and on...
What has become of America?
The Pope is still speaking out for Diplomacy: pointing out that the aggressors are responsible before God and history.
The World Council of Churches has spoken out against this fatal folly
File under "Oh The Irony"- While the richest 1% of Americans will likely be enjoying record tax breaks the survivors of those who die in battle will lose a prospective tax-break:
" It was a setback for organizations representing military families, which have fought for years for the provision. It would have eliminated all taxes on a $6,000 special payment the military makes to the survivors of a service member killed in combat. Currently, $3,000 of that amount, called a ''death gratuity'' by some, is tax-free".
3/18/2003
|
The woman who answered when I called the Pope today said that the it would better serve the Pontiff to recieve faxes (as opposed to phone calls) concerning saving the innocent people of Iraq from the horror of the "shock and awe" bombardment. This would also save our president from committing a crime against humanity and disgracing America; flying in the face of all it stands for.
Here is the telephone contact number
011-39-06-69-82
Fax number the Vatican person gave me: 011.39.06.69.88.5255
The fax number listed with the Caldicot information I posted earlier does not work
3/18/2003
|
|
|
