G/Z was an interesting night tonight. I showed up, expecting to do my normal thing, either crossover (watching both clubs), the Front, or one of the doors. Instead, Troy asked me how my back was. When I said “fine”, he put me on training for bar-back – hauling beer and liquor to the bars and making sure everything is stocked.

As I was getting trained in, I found out that John, a person whom I respect and admire who has been working for the club for years has wanted the job for a long time. I talked with him after hours and apologized and expressed the fact that I had nothing to do with it. I’m sure that he understands that, but I know that he is still angry over the situation and it really sucks. He deserves it more than I.

Granted, it would be a good gig, it actually pays enough to make the job “worth it” rather than the hobby it is now, but it isn’t worth screwing over a friend. I talked with my boss(es) and let them know that I’m fine doing my current job at the club – security is just fine with me. We’ll see what happens.

I guess my perfect solution would be that they give him a raise and some respect. The thing is that he’s an EMT, so they want him on the security staff so that if anything comes up, he can take care of it. Of course, that won’t matter if they piss him off to the point where he quits.

Bar back would be cool because it is really clear what I’m supposed to do (keep places stocked) as opposed to security (where I’m always wondering if I’m doing my job well enough) The other benefit is that hauling cases and bottles and stacking kegs is like a free workout. Even just working security I’m noticing that my body is starting to get back to where I want it, so even if the pay isn’t great, I like the bennies.

*heh*

There was a bummer tonight. After hours, we were hanging out, drinking, and screwing around. I got Adam to start sparing on the main dance floor which went cool for a few minutes. Unfortunately, we got in a spin in which he started to go down and he took me down with him. I locked my elbow as I hit the concrete and threw my shoulder out of joint. I hate that. Hopefully it will be better in a day or two.

It certainly hurts less now than it did earlier. Sczeez, I need to start working on my martial arts again, I’m getting really sloppy.

Oh. One other cool thing tonight. Somebody pulled me aside and asked me if I was “Jason Goray”. When I said yes, she thanked me for my postings to the Minneapolis Politics list and said they looked forward to my posts which counter some of the reactionary right wing posts. It wasn’t a huge thing, but given the criticism I get over my views, it is nice to get some positive feedback from time to time.

*sigh*

Well, I was supposed to get a ton done today, but it hasn’t been quite as productive as I’d hoped.

G/Z went pretty well last night even though we were a bit understaffed.

There were a lot of drunk frat/sororiety types, but everyone cooperated when we asked them to do whatever (like no, you can’t go into the boy’s bathroom. no, I won’t buy you a drink. no, I’m not going to help you fix your hair, it’s time for you to leave). Wierd job.

Anyway, after cleanup, we hung out and talked politics. Some of the folks went down to the march in St. Paul today, but I had too much work to do to make this one. Hopefully when I get my CPN work completed, I’ll have a bit more time.

Today got a late start and has been pretty mellow. I’ve gotten some stuff done, but as I said, not enough.

Well, back to it. Tomorrow better kick ass. Still don’t know if we’re practicing, but we probably better since we’re playing the Terminal Bar on Thursday. I suppose, it’s better to be busy than to be bored.

I think I remember what bored is, but it has been a while.

The timing of this astounds me.

The house budget committee just passed a budget resolution that will : Cut $844 million from veterans’ medical care next year and $9.7 billion over the next 10 years. Additionally, there’s another cut of $15 billion from disability compensation and other vet benefit programs.

Disabled American Veterans has a link to let you send a response on this: Here. It appears that the budget passed this morning, but I couldn’t tell if these changes made it in or not.

Through the looking glass and down the rabbit hole. War is Peace: NPR Commentary: Logic of War?

I went to the response protest yesterday. It was a pretty incredible turnout for cold rainy weather on a week night – at least 5x larger than anything I’ve ever seen during the week. I heard somewhere over 5200 ppl showed up.

Incidently, I heard that Blair called Bush yesterday and “expressed his strong disappointment with the fact that the British military and political leadership was informed about the planned start of the combat operations just 20 minutes before the first air strike. Blair called this decision by Bush ‘unfriendly’ and characterized the US actions as a breach of trust between the two allies.”

Great.

One of the toughest things about protests is that there are people there who I completely disagree with. At an anti war protest, you’ll get people who are disgruntled Democrats who are anti-bush (never mind that Clinton was bombing Iraq 3x/week in the late 90s), you’ll get the hard core “purist” anarchists who are against any form of hierarchy or state, you’ll get socialist anarchists who are against any coercive state actions, you’ll get people who just like making noise, you’ll get people who are pissed off at the government for whatever reason, you’ll get people who are looking to mix it up with the cops, you’ll get patriot libertarians, you’ll get isolationists, you’ll get all kinds of people.

Some of these people I disagree heavily with, some I agree with. Some people carry signs that really tick me off and some chants I definitely disagree with.

Its hard to deal with, and its where progressives and radicals always get into trouble – if their allies are not “ideologically pure”, they can’t be allies. For example, I think animals should be treated well, but PETA really wouldn’t want me around ’cause I wear leather boots, a leather jacket, and eat meat.

*heh* reminds me of a joke!

Why do animal rights activists focus more on fur than leather?

Because it is safer to throw paint on old ladies in fur jackets than on biker gangs!

Well, I can either wait for the other three people in the world who think exactly like me or I can stand up when I feel it is right and explain the difference between my point of view and other protesters points of view when people challenge me on it.

I was glad to see that a large number of the demonstrators yesterday had some sort of “Support our troops” theme going. The one that really got me was a group of people who had “Bring XXX Home” where I assume that XXX was a brother or loved one currently in the Gulf.

As I think about the friends and friends of friends over there right now, I just hope they all come home safe. And soon.

…

So, anyway, the rest of the evening was really nice.

Joy came over and hung out. We were thinking of going somewhere to meet a couple more people and hang out, but for various reasons that didn’t work out. One of these days, hopefully!

Instead, we cooked dinner and we watched a “Young Ones” tape that a coworker lent me. Now I’ve watched some brit comedy before, but this was really … um… something. Joy assures me that to properly appreciate it I would have needed to be drunk. I tend to concurr.

All in all, it was nice mellow evening in. Conversation and all that. It was good.

Namaste

A conversation with and comments by my father inspired the following:

When we consider the men and women of the American military, we must be grateful. These are people who have offered their very lives to our nation. It is our sacred duty to these soldiers and the constitution they are sworn to defend that we must be absolutely certain that any war we engage in is just, righteous, and absolutely necessary.

Jonathan Freedland’s 03.19.2003 editorial in the Guardian titled Dilemmas of war does a pretty good job of seperating support of the war from supporting our troops.

An excerpt:

For some, the start of war will mean an end to the anti-war campaign. For them, to do anything less would be to undermine our armed forces just asthey place themselves in harm’s way.

But this is one of those cliches of political protocol that makes little logical sense. As Robin Cook put it in his spellbinding resignation speech to the Commons: “It is false to argue that only those who support war support our troops. It is entirely legitimate to support our troops while seeking an alternative to the conflict that will put those troops at risk.” Indeed, opponents of war can say it is precisely because they value the lives of our service personnel that they wish they were not risking their lives in a questionable cause.

It’s true that anti-war movements have sometimes made the mistake of failing to support troops exposed to danger. The treatment of US soldiers returning from duty in Vietnam – often ostracised as if personally responsible for that tragedy – is a shaming example. But an anti-war position hardly entails such behaviour. Those who believe this war is unjust have no beef with the men and women fighting it – only with the leaders who gave them the order.

31. MAINTAINING PEACE

Weapons of war are instruments of fear,
and are abhorred by those who follow the Tao.
The leader who follows the natural way
does not abide them.

The warrior king leans to his right,
from whence there comes his generals’ advice,
but the peaceful king looks to his left,
where sits his counsellor of peace.
When he looks to his left, it is a time of peace,
and when to the right, a time for sorrow.

Weapons of war are instruments of fear,
and are not favoured by the wise,
who use them only when there is no choice,
for peace and stillness are dear to their hearts,
and victory causes them no rejoicing.

To rejoice in victory is to delight in killing;
to delight in killing is to have no self-being.

The conduct of war is that of a funeral;
when people are killed, it is a time of mourning.
This is why even victorious battle
should be observed without rejoicing.

– Tao Te Ching

If you want to sign the MoveOn.org petion :

A CITIZENS’ DECLARATION

As a US-led invasion of Iraq begins, we, the undersigned citizens of many countries, reaffirm our commitment to addressing international conflicts through the rule of law and the United Nations.

By joining together across countries and continents, we have emerged as a new force for peace. As we grieve for the victims of this war, we pledge to redouble our efforts to put an end to the Bush Administration’s doctrine of pre-emptive attack and the reckless use of military power.

Go to http://www.moveon.org/declaration/

Well, it comes at no surprise, the war against Iraq has begun.

The UN Charter, which we helped draft, makes two provisions for attacking another country. One is in self defense and the other is to ward of an imminent attack. Any other military actions are to be passed by the security council.

What makes this war different is Iraq has not attacked us and to all appearances had neither the intention or capability to do so anytime in the foreseeable future.

It has been suggested that this makes us a rogue state, and at this point in time, I have a hard time refuting it.