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April 30, 2003
The Tim Robbins Affair
So Tim Robbins WASN'T censored on the Today Show after all? According to THIS he definitely wasn't. Let's hope others who have said/written otherwise read this and maybe rescind their comments.
You're in Control.
So, You STILL Don't Think Bush Is Out To #?%&! You?
Think about it. You work overtime and take home one-and-a-half times your normal wages. The Republicans want to take that guaranteed income away from you. In a new proposal by the Bush Administration (and strongly supported by business), the overtime becomes "comp" time, meaning you get to convert the overtime into paid time off at some future date. Problem? The time off is at the discretion of the employer, and the employer is allowed to make you wait up to more than a year to reap the time. Plus, business won't have to pay its taxes on the otherwise additional wages. The proposal is currently making rounds in Congress as the Family Time and Workplace Flexibility Act (Senate version) and the Family Time Flexibility Act (House version). Do I smell a scam? Is the Pope Polish? Molly Ivins has the scoop. Also read HERE and HERE. If you are paid hourly, read this and start spreading the word. If you haven't figured out by now that anything the Republicans toss your way that sounds too good to be true is really just good for the deep pockets of big business, then you deserve what you get from them. Remember the famous words of Sister Mary Elephant: "Class, class... WAKE UP!"
April 29, 2003
Coach of the Year
THIS story will bring tears to your eyes.
New Blog for a Dry But Important Subject
It's Still The Economy, Stupid is a new blog that covers the U.S. economy and Bush's economic policies. Strongly recommended.
Payback and a Mad Senator
According to The Guardian, Bush is starting his reprisals against friendly states that did not support his immoral invasion, including Chile, Canada, Mexico, France and Germany. Hillary rants about Bush.
April 28, 2003
Following is a comment to a post at SmirkingChimp by either a right-winger or a really pissed-off Democrat: "My suggestion? Crawl out from your basement apartments and do something other than whine and cower before the GOP onslaught that proceeds almost entirely unchecked by Democratic leaders. GOPers fight. GOPers back up their views with $$$. GOPers unite behind simple messages that resonate with voters. GOPers kick the crap outta Democrats on a regular basis all too often. Fantasies are a poor substitute for reality." Since I agree, then I must be either a conservative or really pissed-off.
There are two faces to Americans
Here is the REAL STORY about the saving of Private Jessica Ryan. Don't read it unless you are willing to chuck the original "heroic" story out the window.
A Matter of Emphasis
HERE is a must-read article from Daily KOS about the WMD lies Bush used in order to start the Iraq War.
Welcome to our newest addition to the Political Opinions links page: Disturbing Trends.
"As soon as men decide that all means are permitted to fight an evil then their good becomes indistinguishable from the evil that they set out to destroy." __Christopher Dawson
"Success is the sole earthly judge of right and wrong."__Adolph Hitler
 (I'm posting this mainly for my youngest son who is a Star Wars and SciFi enthusiast.)
Bulletin: Iraq Has WMD and Links to al-Qaeda
Haven't I heard this somewhere before? Let me think... Oh, yeah, about a gazillion times from Bush and Blair since last summer. "Blair: No Doubt Saddam Had Banned Weapons
LONDON 4.28.03, 8:20a --
Prime Minister Tony Blair said Monday he had no doubt that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and predicted that evidence would emerge linking Saddam Hussein to terrorist groups. Blair told reporters that coalition forces had identified about 1,000 suspicious Iraqi weapons sites but rebuilding the country was a bigger priority than finding illegal arms. "There isn't any doubt that Iraq has had weapons of mass destruction," the British prime minister said at his monthly news conference. "That is not in dispute, not by anybody. I remain confident they will be found."
Saddam's alleged program to develop biological, chemical and nuclear arms was the main justification for U.S.-led war that ousted the Iraqi dictator. But no such weapons were used against coalition forces, and Blair's critics say the failure so far to find illicit arms proves war was unnecessary. No weapons of mass destruction have been found by coalition troops. Blair suggested Saddam hid his banned weapons before the arrival of U.N. inspectors."
April 27, 2003
How Does It Happen?
How does the Bush Administration reach the point where it is now walking over any nation it desires, and dragging the downtrodden and the powerless middle class of the U.S. into this rapidly forming hellhole they are deceptively calling a "mild recession"? It's happening in small, tolerable steps, not large enough to enrage, only large enough to keep us confused, fearful and indecisive. Milton Mayer wrote the definitive work on this subject, and it sounds, almost word-for-word, like a history of the past 2+ years and a forecast of the next ?+. Excerpts: "Each act, each occasion, is worse than the last, but only a little worse. You wait for the next and the next. You wait for the one great shocking occasion, thinking that others, when such a shock comes, will join with you in resisting somehow.
"What happened here was the gradual habituation of the people, little by little, to being governed by surprise; to receiving decisions deliberated in secret; to believing that the situation was so complicated that the government had to act on information which the people could not understand, or so dangerous that, even if he people could understand it, it could not be released because of national security. And their sense of identification with Hitler, their trust in him, made it easier to widen this gap and reassured those who would otherwise have worried about it.
"This separation of government from people, this widening of the gap, took place so gradually and so insensibly, each step disguised (perhaps not even intentionally) as a temporary emergency measure or associated with true patriotic allegiance or with real social purposes. And all the crises and reforms (real reforms, too) so occupied the people that they did not see the slow motion underneath, of the whole process of government growing remoter and remoter.
"And one day, too late, your principles, if you were ever sensible of them, all rush in upon you. The burden of self deception has grown too heavy.......
"You see what you are, what you have done, or, more accurately, what you haven't done (for that was all that was required of most of us: that we do nothing)." These are from his book, They Thought They Were Free. The most intriguing section is not terribly long reading (maybe 4 minutes) and is posted HERE. Oh, you say, another comparison of Bush to Hitler. Another extreme-leftist whack at the government. You know what, he who does not learn from history IS doomed to repeat it. We are, today, all passengers of this Christian Fundamentalist-piloted speedtrain to Hell. Before December, 2000, Armageddon was a fascinating concept and a study of doomsdayers. Never before has it seemed so real. Never before has world war and political instability existed to such a degree in conjuction with so many nations (stable or otherwise) each armed with enough power to destroy the world. PLEASE read it and pass it on. It's what's happening in America now.
THIS is not in the least surprising, yet you had always hoped it would never become true. Damn it, Bush.
4-Year Vacation of the News Media
Mary Lynn F. Jones in TAP analyzes the retreat of the news media from straight, unbiased reporting of the Bush Administration. Snippet: "Unfortunately there is no indication that the media will provide a check on power by offering more thoughtful or critical coverage anytime soon. The growing popularity of conservative news outlets, such as talk radio and cable news, make for friendlier audiences for Bush and fatter profits for media CEOs. A press defensive about being labeled liberal, especially in wartime, will bend over backward to prove that it's not. An administration famous for being tight-lipped will only become more so as it wages war. As Naureckas says, "The default mode of U.S. journalists is an over-regard for people in authority." The role of the press is to give the public the information it needs in a nonbiased way so that citizens can make informed decisions. There's never a more important need for that than at a time of war." I couldn't agree more.
April 26, 2003
"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." — Albert Einstein
SARS SOS
If you have doubted up to this point the severity of SARS, then this article from the NY Times should more than convince you. And this article discusses the chance of containment. If your time is limited, read the first one. (You'll need to do a one-time registration, but it's worth it).
More Liberal Than Today's Democrats
"As a matter of general principle, I believe there can be no doubt that criticism in time of war is essential to the maintenance of any kind of democratic government. Perhaps nothing today distinguishes democratic government in England so greatly from the totalitarianism of Germany as the freedom of criticism which has existed continuously in the House of Commons and elsewhere in England. Of course that criticism should not give any information to the enemy. But too many people desire to suppress criticism simply because they think that it will give some comfort to the enemy to know that there is such criticism. If that comfort makes the enemy feel better for a few moments, they are welcome to it as far as I am concerned, because the maintenance of the right of criticism in the long run will do the country maintaining it a great deal more good that it will do the enemy, and will prevent mistakes which might otherwise occur." Robert Taft, Conservative Republican Senator (Ohio) This statement made shortly after the Pearl Harbor Attack, 1941 ( emphasis added)
Bush: "We Don't Count Civilians Killed"
If you've been following IraqiBodyCount on the side bar, you'll get a better understanding why this group of volunteers set up the site in the first place. Read it HERE.
Can't remember where I found this - it's not mine - couldn't pass it up. 
April 25, 2003
Target: Bush
Bush To Stay On USS Abraham Lincoln As It Returns To California
WASHINGTON 4.25.03, 8:51a -
President Bush will travel to California next week to talk about the economy and national security and spend the night on an aircraft carrier as it returns from the war in Iraq, the White House announced Friday. Bush will fly to San Diego and make a speech Thursday aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea for nearly nine months, longer than any U.S. carrier group now on duty. On Friday, he will leave the ship and travel to Santa Clara, where he will make remarks on the economy and national security. "He will depart the ship Friday morning prior to its pulling into port," said White House press secretary Ari Fleischer. "That way the families can be reunited as quickly as possible without delay." I kinda wish the press wouldn't announce stuff like this to the world, so that some terrorist group can then target the carrier. No, no, I'm not concerned about Bush; I'm concerned about Cheney getting full control of the Administration once Bush is vaporized. No, no, I know Cheney "really" runs things, but there is currently that protracted delay in implementation while Bush must listen to Cheney's orders, find his way around the West Wing corridors (or around the telephone speed-dial buttons) to "give his" orders, and then remember what to say. There is always the chance that Cheney's pacemaker could short out during one of those delays.
Hysterical Liberal Magic Eight Ball
Try THIS SOURCE for answers to questions for Liberals.
Rules for Voicemail
I wish everyone would follow these simple rules for setting up their voicemail.
Those Crazy Germans
From Harper's April 22, 2003, Weekly Review: "A wild boar charged into an elderly German couple's house and leapt into bed with them, waking them from their afternoon nap. Police in Berlin confiscated an air-raid siren from a 73-year-old man who had been using it to stun his talkative wife into submission. Tony Blair's wife pointed out that the prime minister was not doing enough housework." Read the entire article HERE.
Welcome Balkinization to the POLITICAL OPINIONS blogroll.
Still Waiting, Mr. pResident
From SIVACRACY.Net: NYTimes columnist Nick Kristof reminds us:
President Bush, in his State of the Union address, described a vast Iraqi weapons program and talked about several mobile labs, 30,000 munitions, 500 tons of chemical weapons, 25,000 liters of anthrax and 38,000 liters of botulinum toxin. These weapons were supposedly deployed in the war and controlled by field commands that we have long since overrun - so where are they?
US to Tehran: Hands Off
From Reuters: Iran Denies Promoting Shi'ite Role in Iraq
Thu April 24, 2003 10:47 AM ET
By Parisa Hafezi
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran rejected U.S. suggestions that Tehran was interfering in Iraq and said on Thursday it was not seeking to promote the political role of fellow Shi'ite Muslims in its western neighbor. Washington on Wednesday said Tehran should stay out of Iraqi politics amid concerns that Shi'ite Iran was seeking to encourage the creation of a fellow Islamic republic there. Okay, let me get this straight... the U.S. is accusing Iran of interfering in Iraq? Whaaaaa? God only knows WE would never do such a thing.
Man-on-Dog?
In case you haven't followed this story over the past few days, here are excerpts of the AP interview with Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania on Tuesday. In my opinion, this guy is just moonstruck and shouldn't be allowed anywhere near children or pets.
Can't Even Find a Peashooter
In England, pressure increases on the British government to justify their claims that Iraq had massive amounts of WMD ready to go at 45 minutes notice. HERE'S the article from The Guardian.
April 24, 2003
Fall of the Empire
Jason sends along this apt quote: "The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life."
-- Theodore Roosevelt
(1858-1919) 26th US President
Source: letter 01/10/1917
To Halliburton and Bechtel Go the Spoils of Invasion
Arriana Huffington uses quite colorful language in her latest rant. Read the entire column. Snippet: "Talk about cozy. Sneaking a peek through the blackout curtains the Bush administration has used to cloak the awarding of contracts to rebuild Iraq is like catching a glimpse of a very special incest episode of "ElimiDate": a bunch of muscular, cash-drunk, hand-picked corporate Lotharios vying for the affection of their governmental kissing cousins. The relationship between those doling out these fantastically valuable deals and those receiving them is so intimate taxpayers should demand that the participants be checked for STDs before the first mega-buck check is left on the dresser. An orgy of unsafe corporate intercourse has been going on. For full impact, this column should be a flow-chart. Like the ones the FBI uses to show the inner workings of a mafia crime family. But instead of illustrating the interrelationships of the Soprano crew, this chart would lay out the connections that guaranteed that the big winners in the post-Saddam sweepstakes would be those two ultimate Washington insiders, Halliburton and Bechtel Group."
Free Porn Britney Spears
I just put these words into the post title to increase the number of hits on this site.
Staying One Step Ahead of the Enemy
Nuclear Bunker BustersAlso, just wanted to let my massive blog readership know that I've been very sick the past couple of days, but starting to feel better.
April 22, 2003
How Your Government Works
HOW YOUR GOVERNMENT WORKS. (Courtesy Quiddity)
Prius
Check out the new 2004 Toyota Prius. I've owned a Prius for 8 months and think it's the greatest passenger car ever made. I get around 70-100 mpg in rush-hour traffic. If you want to ask me specific questions about my experiences with it, e-mail me (see side-bar).
Just and Unnecessary War
Geoffrey Wheatcroft in The Guardian discusses why the liberal hawks' reasons for the war don't hold water. Snippet: "And so the difference is this: with Bush and Blair, the conclusion might be right, but the premises are wrong; with the liberal hawks, the premises are right, but the conclusion is wrong. Most of us accept - as Blair concludes - that force is sometimes necessary. And yet, while there might be good arguments for any war, including this one, the arguments he used could not be good, because they weren't true. Saddam Hussein did not pose a threat to this country's security, he did not possess atomic weapons, and he did not back Islamic terrorists."
April 21, 2003
Bless Jon Stewart
In our household " The Daily Show" is hands-down required viewing. It allows us to go to sleep with at least a semblance of sanity after a day full of interacting with the endless stream of flag-waving, pro-war, pro-Bush populace at work and in our town. Jon Stewart is "the medically prescribed antidote to CNN and Fox" as described by Susan J. Douglas in this enjoyable article in The Nation. Also, Frank Rich gives a dead-on review in the NY Times (you'll need to do a one-time registration, but it's worth it).
Are They Serious?
Israel seeks pipeline for Iraqi oil
US discusses plan to pump fuel to its regional ally and solve energy headache at a stroke
Ed Vuillamy in Washington
Sunday April 20, 2003
The Observer
Plans to build a pipeline to siphon oil from newly conquered Iraq to Israel are being discussed between Washington, Tel Aviv and potential future government figures in Baghdad. The plan envisages the reconstruction of an old pipeline, inactive since the end of the British mandate in Palestine in 1948, when the flow from Iraq's northern oilfields to Palestine was re-directed to Syria. Now, its resurrection would transform economic power in the region, bringing revenue to the new US-dominated Iraq, cutting out Syria and solving Israel's energy crisis at a stroke. It would also create an end less and easily accessible source of cheap Iraqi oil for the US guaranteed by reliable allies other than Saudi Arabia - a keystone of US foreign policy for decades and especially since 11 September 2001. If you haven't already reached the conclusion that the Bush Administration is going to continue doing more and more bad, stupid and insideous things until someone finally stops them, then maybe this will convince you. Entire article HERE. And THIS is the icing on the cake.
Where Do I Sign Up?
Raelians Celebrate The Cloning Of Jesus Monday, 21 April 2003, 11:02 am Press Release: Raelian Movement Raelians Celebrate The Cloning Of Jesus Raelians around the world will gather this coming Sunday in all the cities in the world to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus through cloning achieved by the Elohim 2000 years ago. His Holiness RAEL will himself be attending the gathering that will take place at the Gesu room in Montreal. He will emphasize the current scientific project of the artificial womb which will one day enable us to reach the next step in the human cloning process: accelerated growth process. This technique was used for cloning Jesus and will allow us to clone an adult directly in a few hours followed by the transfer of memory from one brain to another. In the end, once waking up in our clone, we are still ourselves i.e. with personality and memories intact but in a brand new body. From: SCOOP MEDIA
April 19, 2003
Remember the Real Victims of the Iraqi War
Our "Colossal Military Force"
Victor Hanson of The New Republic gives us his skewed view of US military domination. Snippet (emphasis added): "The United States military is now evolving geometrically as it gains experience from near-constant fighting and grafts new technology daily. Indeed, it seems to be doubling, tripling, and even quadrupling its lethality every few years. And the result is that we are outdistancing not merely the capabilities of our enemies but our allies as well — many of whom who have not fought in decades — at such a dizzying pace that our sheer destructive power makes it hard to work with others in joint operations. In that context, we might reassess the need to take technology to its theoretical -nth degree: How many new sophisticated stealthy $1.5 billion bombers do we need, when the equivalent expenditure would pay for a more mundane but vital mechanized Division for an entire year?
Such unprecedented military power brings with it enormous moral responsibility as the world — its utopians especially — in the decades ahead will vie for a hand in the decisions on how to use it and for what purposes. There quite literally has never been a single nation that has exercised such colossal military force to change almost instantly the status quo, and used it under the auspices of a consensual government to free — Grenada, Panama, Serbia, Afghanistan, and Iraq — rather than to enslave peoples. How long it will last, we do not know, but we should at least realize that we are living in one of the most anomalous periods in recorded history." Honestly, is he serious? Equating Grenada, Panama, Serbia, Afghanistan, and Iraq with real military powers? I'd like to see the same army divisions currently in Iraq try to take over, oh, I don't know, maybe South Central L.A.?
The End of Republican Crony Capitalism?
Here is a heartening essay on the upcoming demise of Bush et al. by Dr. Gerry Lower.
Bush Gives the Finger to USA
Ericf Alterman in The Nation: "This is an eerie moment in American political history. George W. Bush was defeated in the popular vote by his more liberal opponent but rules from the most extreme wing of his party. He campaigned as a fiscal conservative but has pushed tax cuts that will create a deficit larger than any in US history. As a candidate, he articulated the need for a "humble" foreign policy but now conducts it with a degree of hubris that makes Lyndon Johnson look like the Dalai Lama. His hypocrisy, in other words, is so great as to be almost unfathomable, and yet he has somehow managed to convince the media to admire him for his "moral clarity."
Thanks to Bush & Co., America is hated the world over as never before. Deficits are exploding, unemployment remains high, the stock market is still in the tank and interest rates are poised to take off. The country is headed to hell in a handbasket from so many directions one can barely keep track. And yet the increasingly Foxified media tell a story only of heroism: of the US military, of the American people and of the President of the United States, who has so far managed to avoid service to either one." Read the entire article HERE. Plus: more on the looting of the Baghdad Museum, Mark Fiore on looting, and just where are those WMD?
April 18, 2003
Colon Hysteria
You know you've always wanted to look inside a colon. Well, your chance is coming up!
Bunny Business
In honor of Easter, here is a lovely and true story.
Wow
HONDA ADAfter seeing this amazing film, check out the story behind its production. And yes, everything you see is real (no CGI), and it took 606 takes to get it.
I Had A Dream...
 "U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, former President Ronald Reagan, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Pope John Paul II and South African political icon Nelson Mandela were among the world figures mistakenly reported dead yesterday when CNN accidentally made mockups of their obituaries publicly available." (Thanks, GMSV)
The Bush Touch
Bush's Successes: Invasion of a third-rate military dictatorship (Afghanistan). Invasion and decimation of a fourth-rate dictatorship (Iraq). Higher rates of poverty. Higher rates of homelessness. Higher unemployment. Higher crime rate. Higher rates of un(der)-educated minorities Higher pollution levels. Higher gas (and other energy) prices. Higher levels of public fear of terrorism. Higher levels of corporate fraud and tax evasion. Higher health care costs. And last-but-not-least... LOWER taxes for the very, very wealthy. Have I left anything out?
WMD and Freedom
Mr. Bush, we're still waiting. Oh, and how's your "liberation" going?
LEST WE FORGET:
The 96,837 votes that Nader received in Florida resulted in Al Gore's defeat. In New Hampshire, Nader won a mere 22,156 votes and tipped the balance toward George W. Bush. It is because of these Green Party votes that George W. Bush is our President today. Despite the havoc that votes for Nader caused in the Presidential election, the Green Party failed to receive the 5% of the vote required to receive federal funding for the 2004 election. Votes for Nader served no other purpose than to defeat Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore. ( Source) UPDATE: HERE is a critique (a bit tough at times) by Daily KOS on why Ralph and the Greens must get serious if they want to become a viable political influence.
April 17, 2003
The Real Liberation of Iraq - Is It Just Beginning?
Read Robert Fisk's commentary on how the Iraqis must now rise up and liberate themselves from the army of occupation. Snippet: It's going wrong, faster than anyone could have imagined. The army of "liberation" has already turned into the army of occupation. The Shias are threatening to fight the Americans, to create their own war of "liberation".
The Americans have now issued a "Message to the Citizens of Baghdad", a document as colonial in spirit as it is insensitive in tone. "Please avoid leaving your homes during the night hours after evening prayers and before the call to morning prayers," it tells the people of the city. "During this time, terrorist forces associated with the former regime of Saddam Hussein, as well as various criminal elements, are known to move through the area ... please do not leave your homes during this time. During all hours, please approach Coalition military positions with extreme caution ..."
So now – with neither electricity nor running water – the millions of Iraqis here are ordered to stay in their homes from dusk to dawn. Lockdown. It's a form of imprisonment. In their own country. Written by the command of the 1st US Marine Division, it's a curfew in all but name.
"If I was an Iraqi and I read that," an Arab woman shouted at me, "I would become a suicide bomber." And all across Baghdad you hear the same thing, from Shia Muslim clerics to Sunni businessmen, that the Americans have come only for oil, and that soon – very soon – a guerrilla resistance must start. No doubt the Americans will claim that these attacks are "remnants" of Saddam's regime or "criminal elements". But that will not be the case. As I've said many times, It's really only begun. Look out, Bush; look out, America.
Good News/Bad News
Good News from The Washington Post: Citing "the wanton and preventable destruction" of Iraq's National Museum of Antiquities, the chairman of the President's Advisory Committee on Cultural Property has submitted his resignation to President Bush. Another of the committee's nine members is also resigning over the issue.The bad news: Fewer and fewer people with even a modicum of ethics and good values are still in government.
Letter to Anti-War Activists
Gilbert Achcar asks the anti-war movement to not become depressed. Excerpt: "The project of building a global empire dominated by the US by means of brute force is inexorably doomed to failure. In this respect Washington has at this early stage already suffered major political reverses, contrary to the impression that its military victory in Iraq might temporarily give. Never since the end of the Cold War has US hegemony been so widely challenged in the world; never has the consensus around this hegemony been so lacking. This is the case at the level of international relations: the grumbling and fractiousness of countries that Washington considered its loyal allies have never been so widespread. Even the Turkish government refused to let US troops pass through its territory. Washington failed to buy it, just as it failed to buy enough members of the UN Security Council to get nine measly votes for its war on Iraq!" Read the entire essay HERE.
Republican-Sponsored Apocalypse is Near. Rise Up and Fight.............SPAM?
It's good to see our Democratic Leadership Council tackling such important issues as SPAM. With all the truly world-changing events and decisions being made by our fearless Republican Administration, you'd think the primary opposition party would have more important things on its mind. Oh well...
Photos
Here are some wonderful photos depicting the overwhelming joy and elation of the Iraqi people as "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is spread across their land. If that wasn't enough, here's some more. Enjoy!
April 16, 2003
Planned Chaos
Joshua Micah Marshall has a good column in the Washington Monthly Online that analyzes the current Bush doctrine of Middle East domination and compares it to the many potential scenarios that may follow the current Iraq war. Snippet: "This cavalier call for regime change, however, runs into a rather obvious problem. When the communist regimes of Eastern and Central Europe fell after 1989, the people of those nations felt grateful to the United States because we helped liberate them from their Russian colonial masters. They went on to create pro-Western democracies. The same is unlikely to happen, however, if we help "liberate" Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The tyrannies in these countries are home grown, and the U.S. government has supported them, rightly or wrongly, for decades, even as we've ignored (in the eyes of Arabs) the plight of the Palestinians. Consequently, the citizens of these countries generally hate the United States, and show strong sympathy for Islamic radicals. If free elections were held in Saudi Arabia today, Osama bin Laden would probably win more votes than Crown Prince Abdullah. Topple the pro-Western autocracies in these countries, in other words, and you won't get pro-Western democracies but anti-Western tyrannies." If you are looking for a good read on what is going on in the heads of our administration these days, this column is a good starting point.
April 15, 2003
New World Order
HERE is a fun video...
Funny!
My Endless Love
"10 Iraqi Civilians Killed In Mosul By U.S. Troops"
Here is our peacekeeper force hard at work.
Statue
HERE is the real story, in photos, of the toppling of Hussein's statue in Baghdad.
Today
Steve Gilliard summarizes today well: "Good morning, today is tax day, where your money leaves your wallet and goes to make the wealthiest one percent that much richer. Remember that as working class Americans dodge car bombs in our new possession of Baghdad, rich Americans are dodging millions in taxes with Bermuda shell companies. Just another day in Bush's America. Can't you smell Operation Iraqi Freedom in the air as yet another Baghdad cultural institution is looted and burns to the ground? Yesterday the library, today who knows?
Steve Gilliard"
April 14, 2003
Boycott
Great article by Matt Taibbi about what we should be doing now. Snippet: "After a while, it’s simply not dignified to freak out over each of these things individually. The dignified thing to do is to recognize once and for all the essential nature of what we’re up against, and then fight it. Don’t write petitions or make appeals, don’t sing songs, don’t wait for someone up there to change their "minds." Just fight it. And make it hurt.
Wall Street supports this war. How do you think it would react if all 30 percent of the country that opposes the war decided one day to dump all of its stock? A self-defeating gesture, to be sure, but we didn’t get to drink the British tea, either. CNN and FOX are making a killing waving a flag for the Pentagon. Why not start boycotting their advertisers one at a time until they pull their spots? Does Dell really want that "Dude, you’re getting a Dell" kid to be turned into a symbol of the war machine on college campuses? Hell, forget about boycotting just Dell. Boycott everything. If even this minority of the population could go a month without over-consuming, it would give corporate America an aneurysm. Just one month of no new cars, no new hoop shoes, no Atlantic records, no Kellogg’s Fruit Harvest, no nothing but the bare minimum.
For years, corporate America and the media have tried to convince us that buying things is a political act, a way of expressing our individuality (Fruitopia instead of flower power, Nikes sold to the tune of "Revolution," peace signs on the walls of Starbucks). Well, let’s call their bluff. Let’s non-participate. Let’s go on consumer strike. Pull a slowdown. We don’t have a lot of choices when it comes to voting for politicians, but when it comes to buying, where our existence is actually necessary, we have a thousand choices a day. It might be the only method we have of making the decision-making class pay attention to our concerns.
Hell, let’s try something, anyway. Because what we’re doing now is just what they expected–nothing."
Died for Their Country, or for Their Government?
Howard Zinn defines patriotism. Snippet: "I suggest that patriotic Americans who care for their country might act on behalf of a different vision. Do we want to be feared for our military might or respected for our dedication to human rights? With the war in Iraq over, if indeed it is really over, we need to ask what kind of a country will we be. Is it important that we be a military superpower? Is it not exactly that that makes us a target for terrorism? Perhaps we could become instead a humanitarian superpower."
How do They Feel?
Published on Sunday, April 13, 2003 by the | 
