3.01.2003
The Parliament of Turkey decides not to let US troops deploy there. 94% of the population is against the US attack on Iraq.
"In the counsels of Government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the Military Industrial Complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes."
- President Dwight Eisenhower, January 1961.
The above quote is taken from an article by William Rivers Pitt entitled "Blood Money" . In it you'll see that it pulls together some of this weeks postings; from the neoconservative lot that have been pushing for American hegemony with Central Asia as lynchpin since before Reagan and are shaping White House policy now to just who is going to profit from this attack, unprecedented in our nations history.
It looks as though the press will be effectively controlled in Iraq so as to be sure a sanitized picture of the conflict will be aired here.
Yesterdays last entry was a really frightening piece on what North Korea plans to do if it feels it is under attack. Today we read about the Pentagon's planning for a possible strike against Korea.
A quick quotation from the Times article:
"Recently Mr. Bush seems to have become more hawkish. He is said to have been furious when Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage (one of the few senior Bush aides who know anything about Korea) told Congress that the U.S. would have to talk to North Korea."
Here is some context on Mr Bush and North Korea
Looks to be a pretty full day Wedneday. We've mentioned the International Day of Poetry Against the War. If for many folks it will be Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting that begins the Lenten season. March 5th is also a day of Moratorium Against the War- a day to show where you stand on the Iran issue:
“One day in March the Air Force and Navy will launch between 300 and 400 cruise missiles at targets in Iraq…more than the number that were launched during the entire 40 days of the first Gulf War…‘so that you have this simultaneous effect, rather like the nuclear weapons at Hiroshima, not taking days or weeks but in minutes.
(CBS News, Jan. 27, 2003)
"If you had known about Hiroshima in advance, what would you have done to stop it? Today’s war-makers are telling us what they plan to do, including the possible use of nuclear weapons. This war will visit unspeakable terror and suffering on the people of Iraq, in the name of “liberating” them. It will put people all over the planet at risk, in the name of protecting them. It will, no doubt, be accompanied by even more severe repression within the U.S. against immigrants and against resisters. "
A day of conscience expressed all around, in voice, in fasting, in... well, I hope you find a way to affirm life and celebrate our common humanity.
3/01/2003
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Where is the Poets Against the War reading going to be near you?
" Poets Against the War announces an International Day of Poetry Against the War on Wednesday, March 5th. Poets around the world will schedule readings and/or discussions of poetry and protest for that day."
In my neck of the woods the good folks at the Nashua NH Unitarian-Universalist Church are hosting the event at 7:30 in the evening. Click above to find out where you can support/participate in this event.
3/01/2003
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2.28.2003
Mr Bush's actions don't match what he says, stroll through this link and you be the judge. Yup, I posted it yesterday but thanks to you, the reader I have come to a realisation...
I realize my long postings are a bit much to wade through, and good links get lost 'in the mix' - thank you for the comments and e-mails pointing this out. There is so much going on though...
Right click on the resources on the sidebar; click on "Open in New Window" and open it in its own window. You really don't need me, lots of pertinent information is at your fingertips. Talk about it, forward it, just be sure to pass it on!
Did you see this? Gleaned from Atrios at Eschaton. (Check the sidebar<= )
2/28/2003
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Children are children, no matter where they live. People are people.
"The Connection" radio show (in RealAudio) about Fred Rogers entitled "So Long, Neighbor".
A NY Times link from the person who did (yesterdays link) the "This American Life" piece.
2/28/2003
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2.27.2003
Mr Fred Rogers has died. He is a hero to me, an example of solid, dependable decency. Shining humanity.
Counterspin Central has offered up a feast of links about him...
Mr Rogers offers advice on real life neighborhood conflict on the radio show This American Life . Scroll down to show 184. The Rogers piece is about five minutes into the show.
Thank you Ira for sending me the site "straight up", scroll free (amended 2.28.03)
I offer this song written by Mr Rogers, lyrics lifted from A Wolf Who Sends Flowers (more links there too).
To Mr Bush:
What do you do with the mad that you feel
When you feel so mad you could bite?
When the whole wide world seems oh, so wrong...
And nothing you do seems very right?
What do you do? Do you punch a bag?
Do you pound some clay or some dough?
Do you round up friends for a game of tag?
Or see how fast you go?
It's great to be able to stop
When you've planned a thing that's wrong,
And be able to do something else instead
And think this song:
I can stop when I want to
Can stop when I wish.
I can stop, stop, stop any time.
And what a good feeling to feel like this
And know that the feeling is really mine.
Know that there's something deep inside
That helps us become what we can.
For a girl can be someday a woman
And a boy can be someday a man.
Apt advice.
2/27/2003
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Career diplomat John Brady Kiesling has quit, citing
"Our fervent pursuit of war with Iraq is driving us to squander the international legitimacy that has been America's most potent weapon of both offense and defense since the days of Woodrow Wilson."
in his resignation letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell. Hats off to Mr Kiesling. Silence is complicity.
"Controlling Iraq is about oil as power, rather than oil as fuel" says Michael Klare, proffessor of peace and world security studies at Hampshire College and author of 'Resource Wars'. "Control of the Persian Gulf translates into control over Europe, Japan and China. It's having our hand on the spigot.
"Iraqi exiles have approached us saying, 'You can have our oil if we can get back in there,'" says R.Gerald Bailey, who headed Exxons Middle East operations until 1997.
"American Oil companies will have a big shot at Iraqi oil" says Ahmad Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress...
All three quotations taken from Robert Dreyfuss' incredibly informative article 'The Thirty~Year Itch' that appears in the current (March/April) issue of Mother Jones.
Read about Ahmed Chalabi in The American Prospect. Here is a quick excerpt from that article:
" ...Chalabi is scorned by most of America's national-security establishment, including much of the Department of State, the CIA and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is shunned by all Western powers save the United Kingdom, ostracized in the Arab world and disdained even by many of his erstwhile comrades in the Iraqi opposition. Among his few friends, however, are the men running the Bush administration's willy-nilly war on Iraq. And with their backing, it's not inconceivable that this hapless, exiled Iraqi aristocrat and London-Washington playboy might end up atop the smoking heap of what's left of Iraq next year."
"Almost no one, not even the INC itself, thinks that Chalabi has any cachet inside Iraq. Entifadh Qanbar, the earnest, young ex-Iraqi officer who heads the INC's office in Washington, says that Chalabi represents Iraq's "silent majority." Asked whether people in Baghdad have even heard of Chalabi, Qanbar says: "They may not know the man. But he represents their views."
Read here a bit about the Iraqi opposition, and I'll repeat this link from yesterday...
"Something on the order of several hundred thousand soldiers are probably, you know, a figure that would be required," General Shinseki told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee today. "We're talking about post-hostilities control over a piece of geography that's fairly significant, with the kinds of ethnic tensions that could lead to other problems."
Golly, thats not in our budget, is it Mr Bush. We know who is going to be paying for the attack and occupation, yup, us regular folks- possibly with blood as troops and definitely with our tax money, meaning vital services and infrastructure upkeep.
I read The Watch (you should too, what is happening in Venezuela could happen here- this site has a wealth of information on what has been going on there) daily and I thank Natasha for pointing out The Left Coast where I got the following link (heavily quoting Mr Chalabi who you've already read about above) that explains a buch about oil in Iraq as well as poining out that Mr Cheney's friends at Haliburton stand to make a killing out of this
conquering Iraq stuff.
Thank you to Atrios at Eschaton for linking to the blog Counterspin Central that linked to Bushes Credibility Gap. Point by point factual refutations to Mr Bush's penchant for, shall we say "stretching the truth" or maybe commiting the "sin of ommision" since he does claim to be a religious man, perhaps a religious term is appropriate for manipulating the citizenry while offering a veneer of truth. Lying.
At Counterspin Central I also read about Phil Donahues firing for presenting a:
"difficult public face for NBC in a time of war......He seems to delight in presenting guests who are anti-war, anti-Bush and skeptical of the administration's motives." The report went on to outline a possible nightmare scenario where the show becomes "a home for the liberal antiwar agenda at the same time that our competitors are waving the flag at every opportunity." Write the NBC honchos at this address. I did. viewerservices@msnbc.com I thought they needed to be reminded that Democracy is enlived by the amount of accurate information "We the People" have.
I had already sent off the Donahue letter when I went back to Eschaton and caught his posting about Michael Savage. Following the link to GLAAD I found important contact information as well as links for further background that offer some quotes from a really sad example of humanity:
"The nation is being taken over by the freaks, the cripples, the perverts, and the mental defectives."
"With the population that has emerged, since they [Hispanics] breed like rabbits, in many cases the whites will become a minority in their own nation.... the white people don't breed as often for whatever reason. I guess many homosexuals are involved. That is also part of the grand plan, to push homosexuality to cut down on the white race."
"Today in America, we have a 'she-ocracy' where a minority of feminist zealots rule the culture...Together, they have both feminized and homosexualized much of America to point where the nation has become passive, receptive and masochistic."
"These thieves in dirty nightshirts have created nothing in a thousand years. Just check the tags on your clothing. Ever see a label, 'Made in Iran' or 'Made by the Taliban'? Of course not. They cut throats and blow things up."
"Gays bore the hell out of me. They're the least important members of our society."
"Time to Arrest the Leaders of the Anti-War Movement, Once we Go To War? We Must Protect Our Troops!"
In a time of war, possible war I suppose it is in the best interest of the ruling class to air these sorts of hate spewer, Coulter, O'Reilly, Limbaugh and now Savage. Slobodan Milosevic cranked up the hate in his country by using the media, putting bigots on air...
Read this link from Eschaton. Is this lack of tolerance in keeping with what it is to be American?
Get the book 'War is a Force that gives Us Meaning' by Chris Hedges.
2/27/2003
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Here is contact information to let UN Security Council ambassadors know how you feel, to show your support . Note that it is a FAX not phone contact number.
CONTACT INFO FOR MEMBERS OF SECURITY COUNCIL (Ambassador, email and fax):
S.E. Ambassador M. Jean-Marc de LA Sabliere
france-presse@un.int (212) 207-9765
H.E. Ambassador Mr. Sergey Lavrov
rusun@un.int (212) 628-0252
H.E. Ambassador Wang Yingfan
chinamission_un@fmprc.gov.cn (212) 634-7626
H.E. Ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock
uk@un.int (212) 745-9316
H.E. Ambassador Mr. Stefan Tafrov
bulgaria@un.int (212) 472-9865
S.E. Ambassador Martin Belinga Eboutou
info@cameroonmission.org (212) 249-0533
H.E. Ambassador M. François Lonseny Fall
guinea@un.int (212) 687-8248
S. E. Embajador Adolfo Aguilar ZĂns>
mexico@un.int (212) 688-886
H.E. Ambassador Dr. Mikhaâ?Till Wahbi
syria@un.int (212) 983-4439
S.E. Ambassador Dr. Ismael Gaspar Martins
ang-un@angolamissionun.org (212) 861-9295
S.E. Ambassador Juan Gabriel Valdés
chile@un.int (212) 832-0236
H.E. Ambassador Dr. Gunter Pleuger
contact@germany-un.org (212) 940-0402
H.E. Ambassador Inocencio F. Arias
spain@spainun.org (212) 682-4460
H.E. Ambassador Munir Akram
Pakistan@un.int (212) 744-7348
2/27/2003
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2.26.2003
Are you familiar with Russell Mokhibar and his practice of asking Ari Fleisher substantive questions about the glaring inconsistencies he offers us in the name of the Bush administration? Here are a couple examples:
2/25/03: Ari, the Washington Post reported yesterday on its front page that "many people in the world increasingly think that President Bush is a greater threat to world peace than Iraqi President Saddam Hussein." Why do you think that millions of people around the world hold that view?...
More importantly:
2/19/03: Ari, you said last week that, "Every step will be taken to protect civilian and innocent life in Iraq." But Pentagon officials have said that under a battle plan called 'shock and awe,' "there will not be a safe place in Baghdad when we attack."...
Secretary of State Madeline Albright, when asked in a May 11, 1996 interview with 60 Minutes correspondent Leslie Stahl whether the more-than-500,000 Iraqi children killed by the sanctions was worth it, Albright said, "It's a hard choice, but I think, we think, it's worth the price."
Civilian casualties did not occur accidentally as a side effect of sanction against Iraq; contrary to the Geneva Convention and moral decency civilian infrastructure such as electricity and water treatment was targeted. Please read that link and then this one, Australian Experts Warn Attack on Iraq Could End in International Court .
Here is an excerpt from an article on the "Shock and Awe" proposed conflagration of Baghdad:
Although missiles would likely focus on infrastructure including electricity and water supplies, an average of one missile striking a city of 5 million inhabitants every four minutes around the clock could kill and maim thousands of civilians.
"There will not be a safe place in Baghdad," according to an unnamed Pentagon official quoted by CBS. "The sheer size of this has never been seen before, never been contemplated before."
An excerpt from the International Court link above:
The group said even if the use of force against Iraq could be justified, the Geneva Convention significantly limits the means and method.
These include prohibitions on targeting civilian populations or civilian infrastructure and causing extensive destruction of property not justified by military objectives.
Intentionally launching an attack knowing it would cause "incidental" civilian casualties and which would be clearly excessive in relation to the expected military outcome "constitutes a war crime."
"The military objective of disarming Iraq could not justify widespread harm to the Iraqi population, over half of whom are under the age of 15."
Haven't the people of Iraq suffered enough? Saul Landau's article " five days in Iraq: Before the War".
2/26/2003
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It seems that Iraqi citizens would like to govern their own country, rather than have Tommy Franks administer it. Here we have Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a very respected leader given his perspective as leader of Iraq's largest opposition group. He has long been in opposition to Hussein. Looks like he has the bona fides to rule the nation. Entifad Qambar of the Iraqi National Congress also says installing an American military government in Iraq would be disastrous in the future; I'm guessing the INC, a group of western business friendly Iraqi expatriates would like to shoehorn their way into governance in the projected Saddam-less power 'Vacuum'
The high tech boondoggle "Missile Defense" has recieved a much needed reality check. This weapons system has done nothing succesfully other than enriching defense and high tech campaign contributors.
This Nicholas D. Kristof op-ed piece from the Times helps to put our current siuation in historical context . Really interesting, it touches on President Eisenhower's political confrontation with Gamel Nasser's Egypt. I do have to take issue with Mr Kristof's mention of Nicaragua (Cuba may have been a threat during the missile crisis, but otherwise? And Vietnam? Ho Chi Minh asked for US help in the mid 1940's...):
In the 1950's and 1960's, the hawks magnified the threat from Vietnam and Cuba. In the 1980's they obsessed about Nicaragua (only a one-week bus ride from Texas!). None of these threats were imagined, but they were exaggerated.
Any threat the tiny nation of Nicaragua had to the United States was not military. As a poor country that decided to put its peoples welfare above the profits of foreign corporations it was a threatening example of how Democracy should work. America cut their aid leaving them to look to the Soviet Union. As the present administration pushes to prosecute aggresion on Iraq it would do to remember the brutal Somoza dictatorship and the way our country installed it and kept it in power. Rumsfeld may have said something akin to this after delivering Reagans gift of gold spurs to Saddam Hussein.
" He [Somoza] may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch"
Franklin D. Roosevelt
2/26/2003
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The US administration buying cooperation with its military plans?
An excerpt from a larger article (with CNN video links) from those good folks at Buzzflash:
Then she (the reporter) started to press the issue by saying "they (the French) are quoting two US State Dept. Diplomats that Bush intends to give work permits to Colombia and Mexico."
WOW. WOW.... Ari just drew himself up with imperious indignation and said something like "you're implying that the President is buying the votes of other nations and that's just not a consideration" or words to that effect.
And guess what happened? The whole press corps, normally sheep, broke out in laughter... sweet, derisive laughter. They kept on laughing as Ari turned on his heels and strode out. Sheesh.
2/26/2003
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2.25.2003
Iraqis are people like us. It is their "regular folks" that will be killed in the US "Awe and Shock" blitzkrieg, a show of force analagous to an atomic attack that is planned to 'kick off' our nations aggression on the nation of Iraq.
Sometimes I think "fuck it all"; how can it be that we need to be reminded to realize the personhood of others, widening the terms of discourse. I guess mainstream media so effectively directs public thoughts past, around and by this basic fact. It is hard to believe we actually need people to attempt to communicate the humanity of this people we are going to massacre. The inhumanity of our present leaders. But I am trying... We should not need an effort concerned with Popular Education to remind us we are all human, no matter where we live... What is happening to our collective mental environment?
Please go here and spend a moment looking at the victims of both Saddam and, potentially our lust for power and oil. People. Like you and me. With hopes and dreams for their children, just like we have; love for their parents and grandparents... It will just take a moment.
Listen to this twelve year old girl, Charlotte Aldebron, remind us that about 50% of the Iraqi population is under fifteen years old.
Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
That bit of scripture has to be contained in even the most fundamentalist interpretation of the Bible.
2/25/2003
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Well, the U.S is willing to bully and bribe to get support to attack Iraq. Oil and Bush Family concerns stand to make a killing in this attack.
Sad to say the lawsuit brought to give Congress back its power to declare war has been derailed. Norman Mailer too fears for American Democracy.
An admirer of American democracy, he feels the United States has lost its bearings.
"I see a darkening of the spirit," he said. "I think that by this war, America and Britain are only bringing a curse upon themselves."
- Godfrey Meynell, 68 year old "Human Shield" presently in Baghdad.
Saddan Hussein Challenges Bush to a debate; which has gotten as much credence as his October duel idea, which because it would save lives while letting our Chickenhawks still do the macho act seemed like a good idea. Hussein is also saying no to destroying his stock of Al Samoud 2 missiles that fly, depending on the report, somewhere around 5 miles further than UN rules allow. Which will be interpreted as saying "yes"to US aggresion as it shows "his unwillingness to disarm".
Let's take a look at who sold him everything from missile parts to items giving him possible nuclear capability. America is well represented.
An interesting article on political nepotism.
2/25/2003
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Please read this piece by Jane Akre taken from her site excerpted below:
By JANE AKRE
Filed February 19, 2003
Accepting a defense rejected by three other Florida state judges in at least six separate motions, a Florida appeals court has reversed the $425,000 jury verdict in favor of journalist Jane Akre who charged she was pressured by Fox Television management and lawyers to air what she knew and documented to be false information.
In a six-page written decision released February 14, the court essentially ruled the journalist never stated a valid whistle-blower claim because, they ruled, it is technically not against any law, rule, or regulation to deliberately lie or distort the news on a television broadcast. (italics mine)
In the lawsuit filed in 1998, Akre claimed she was wrongfully terminated for threatening to blow the whistle to the FCC. After a five-week trial that ended August 18, 2000, a six-person jury was unanimous in its conclusion that she was indeed fired for threatening report the station’s pressure to broadcast what jurors decided was “a false, distorted, or slanted” story about the widespread use of growth hormone in dairy cows.
In overturning the jury on what amounts to a legal technicality, the court did not dispute the heart of Akre’s claim, that Fox pressured her to broadcast a false story to protect the broadcaster from having to defend the truth in court, as well as suffer the ire of irate advertisers.
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To get further background check out the PR Watch website's coverage of the story. I first read of this in "Trust Us We're the Experts" by John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton of PR Watch (note the Tom Tomarrow flyleaf on the book) a book I recommend if you'd like to get a sense of the insidious effects PR companies and their flacks have on what we call 'news'.
Jesse Jackson feels that US media gave Mr Bush a 'free ride' when it comes to opening any dialogue about our rush to attack Iraq. What are your thoughts?
Robert Fisk gives us some insight on the quality of journalism we can expect here in the US concerning information about the war.
2/25/2003
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2.24.2003
Where there is art, there is life, there is hope. Let Poets Against the War temper your spirit in these complex times. A quick reminder that thinking, conscious folks, are the backbone of America. We have reason to be concerned, to be 'ticked off', and there are many creative ways to work with these feelings, to work for positive change. Learning and spreading knowledge that causes others to give in to their curiousity and ask questions, search for context so as to think. Spirited conversation brings out the best in people- if they listen actively as well as offer their perspectives. Volunteering in an area that 'rings a bell' with you. Writing letters to your representitives, to the editor of the local paper; letting others know that there is a groundswell of citizens that are going deeper than the few minute veneer of 'news' that many folks base their worldview on. Sure beats shopping. Or sitting in a chair watching television images go by of two dimensional portrayals other folks actually living.
Apathy borne of a sense of despair is what an elite counts on as being the largest, most effective tool of social control. When people find their sole value, their very identity in what they buy, how they earn money rather than who they are as reflected in their way in the world, their actions, their relationships, they are much easier to lead around. Self reflexive people seem more able to see through the eyes of others, and to use this wider perspective to be more fully human. A wider perspective has us consider societal 'givens', question what we are told. Mental freedom helps revive the sense of life that feeds us, enlivening our communities as we break out of atomistic consumer cultue training, partaking of and participating in larger life. Real people are a good antidote to the shallow dittoheads and Ann Coulter clones:
"We need to execute people like John Walker in order to physically intimidate Liberals, by making them realize that they can be killed too! Otherwise they will turn out to be outright traitors!"
Ann Coulter ( thank you to Tom Tomarrow for this quotation)
Ms. Coulter claims that 'Liberals' engage in name calling rather than substantive debate. Give her a listen on CounterSpin and as always, you be the judge. Here are some more quotes...
I note her because she is a fine example of both Conservative philanthropy and what thinking folks are up against in mainstream media. They might have the money and the media but we are right- and in the majority.
I could mention Bill O'Reilly and his 'wetback' comment, but his treatment of Jeremy Glick, whose father died in the September 11 tragedy speaks volumes.
Go to Media Whores Online to vist a list of sites that watch and analyze the stuff they say... Sad to say these narrow, sensationlist pundits, unconcerned with honesty and accuracy, affect the thought of a great many people.
2/24/2003
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Presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich has thought out his stance on a womans right to choose. He and Howard Dean are two Democratic Party presidential candidates that clearly speak out against attacking Iraq.
The transcript to 'Meet the Press' is pretty interesting; we have Kucinich vs. Perle on attacking Iraq as well as Dick Gephardt stumping for the nomination.
Are you aware of the Republican National Commitees ire (scroll down a bit) at Helen Thomas for speaking her mind? "This is the worst president ever. He is the worst president in all of American history." Also scroll down further to read David Gergans comments on Mr Bush, including:
GERGEN: One of the interesting questions that I don't think anybody knows the answer to is whether, to--to--to some extent, he believes that--that providence intervened in his life at an earlier stage and whether, somehow, providence is now on the side of America and that he somehow may be an instrument of providence that--par--part of what he's on [...] is a mission that has so--some sort of theological roots.
Maybe roots in his Yale Skull and Bones Society, certainly not Christianity. This is "those crazy kids" mantra:
THE HANGMAN EQUALS DEATH!
THE DEVIL EQUALS DEATH!
DEATH EQUALS DEATH!’
Pretty damn creepy.
About as UnChristian as one can get.
Here is a bit more on Skull and Bones to read if you have some time on your hands... An interesting aside- John Kerry is also a member. I find it interesting that a 'secret society' once known as 'The Brotherhood of Death' could have a member rushing us headlong into war. That there are only 15 members a year inducted and that two of them may be head to head running for president does bear remark.
I am happy that the Pope, like so many other world religious leaders is calling people to think of Peace.
The U.S and Britain are going to introduce a new resolution to the UN Security council declaring Iraq in breach of its' obligation to disarm...
2/24/2003
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Thanks to the excellent blog The Watch I can offer you this transcript of Bill Moyers interviewing (on the PBS show NOW) the authors of 'Our Media, Not Theirs: The Democratic Struggle Against Corporate Media', John Nichols and Robert McChesney. If you are interested in the influence of media on our mental environment, particularly in its influence on Democracy this is an eye opening interview. Also, at toward the top of the interview there is a link having to do with media history. Interesting stuff.
One thing I didn't see touched on was the thought that, in the beginning, radio was to be used for popular education, the airwaves a resource for the community, not for propfit. As the commercial possibilities of the medium became apparent, hearings were held on divvying up the communities radio frequency spectrum- politicians that dare support the people in this endeavor would be guaranteed less than good press from the print media of the day, print and broadcast meda were hand in hand... Go figure. McChesney speaks of the history of broadcast media in depth in an earlier book 'Rich Media Poor Democracy Communicaton Politics in Dubious Times'
Robert McChesney has a radio show himself; 'Media Matters' which is broadcast live Sundays 1-2 oclock Central Time or you can access the RealAudio archives.
2/24/2003
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2.23.2003
"Nothing is so unworthy of a civilized nation as allowing itself to be governed without opposition by an irresponsible clique that has yielded to base instinct. Who among us has any conception of the dimensions of shame that will befall us and our children when one day the veil has fallen from our eyes and the most horrible of crimes - crimes that infinitely out-distance every human measure - reach the light of day?" The White Rose Society, The First Leaflet
Yesterday was the 60 year anniversary of the execution of three young students, member of The White Rose Society that spread leaflets urging people to think and to passively resist Adolf Hitler. This link will give you their history as well as the text of their leaflets. If you have the time you should give them a read.
Saw the movie 'About Schmidt' today and the thoughts it evoked in me tie in nicely with commemorating these heroic people of conscience. Regular people like you and I. At one point Schmidt, the main character mentions aloud a basic truth - the fact that after we are gone, after the folks that remember us have passed; it is as if we were never here. What sort of world, what sort of legacy will we leave to our children if we don't speak out, if we don't work to further the vision of America our forefathers had, one that spoke to equality and social justice. Heros are ordinary people acting consciously in tumulteous times. Martin Luther King reminded us in 1967 that Silence is Betrayal of all we hold dear and of the future. Dan Handelman reminds us that it holds true today
"As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality." -George Washington
"The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government."
-Thomas Jefferson
"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people."--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Mother Jones Magazine features a really informative article in their March/April edition entitled 'The Thirty~Year Itch' by Robert Dreyfuss that speaks to my posting of the twenty first concerning the long range plans to seize the Persian Gulf. It contains a bunch of facts and figures- a real 'must read' to gain a full understanding of the scope of the basis for an attack on Iraq.
2/23/2003
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