September 27, 2004
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Don’t worry, we’re here to help you
international politicsWell, this is popping up all over the place, but it looks like even according to Iraqi government numbers collected between April and September, the Coalition has been responsible for twice as many civilian deaths than the Opposition has.
Should I stay or should I go now?
international politicsAndrew Sullivan brings us a quote worth considering:
“Obviously there will be people who have never been convinced about the original decision. But the fundamentals of the situation in Iraq are absolutely clear. You have a government supported by the United Nations. You have got massive reconstruction. You’ve got an attempt to bring democracy to the country and you’ve got these people trying to stop it. I can understand why people still have a powerful disagreement about the original decision to go to war, but what ever that disagreement, surely now it is absolutely clear we have to stay and see it through. Because the consequences of not doing so is that global terrorism will get a tremendous boost. By contrast, if we succeed and defeat these people and help the Iraqis to get what the Iraqis want, then global terrorism will suffer a defeat… So my point to people is: which side should we be on now? You might have disagreed about the conflict, but there is only one side to be on now, and that’s the side of people who are trying to bring democracy and hope to the country, not trying to plunge it into terror and chaos.”
- Tony BlairDefinitely points to consider.
Imagine.
national/international politicsThis article from reuters discusses the many people who have been arrested and incarcerated by the U.S. in relation to the “War Against Terror”. In many, many of these cases, they are eventually released without charge.
Imagine.
There is a country that is at war with a group of people that have some similarity to you. Perhaps it is race. Perhaps it is religion. Perhaps it is social/political beliefs.
You may or may not be a citizen of this country. You probably do not support all of this country’s international policies.
Their agents arrest you and lock you in a secure but unpleasant containment facility like Guantanamo Bay. You are repeatedly interrogated and possibly psychologically “pressured”.
You are held for a couple years. You are not allowed regular access to a lawyer. You are not allowed any access to your friends and family.
Eventually, they release you. No charges. Either you haven’t done anything wrong, or they couldn’t prove that you’ve done anything wrong. At one level, you’re glad you are free, and that you haven’t been “disappeared”.
However, you’re probably not overly pleased that this country did this to you. Stole your freedom, fundamentally your life, for a couple years.
Could they make it up to you? What would it take?
Would you be more or less likely to support this country in the future? Would you be more or less likely to actively oppose them in the future? How about your friends and family?
Would you believe that this country was a noble nation based on the principles of freedom and justice for all?
Kerry, the Abortion candidate?
national politicsThe GOP is trying to woo the Catholic vote by painting Kerry as The Abortion Candidate. I’m not a Catholic, so I’m not going to say who is better from that religion’s point of view, but you may enjoy reading John Pieper’s take on the subject.
However, facts are facts, and Fact Check debunks one of the attacks.
For those of you who are Catholic, you may wish to consider the petition at the end of John’s post.
Trading with the Enemy
national politicsStrangeBlackCat and I have mentioned the topic in the past, but TurkShady pointed me at a Guardian article dicsussing Prescott Bush’s financial involvement with Nazi Germany.
ow.
national politics/societyThis truly hurts:
“[A]nother Ohioan interviewed for the same article said she is against the war in Iraq because, like 42 percent of her fellow Americans, she thinks Iraq was behind 9/11: ‘We shouldn’t be over there building them back up because they didn’t build our towers back up.’
From A Ted Rall article.
While I have some sypmathy for Ted’s main point, it is a dangerous dance on a slippery slope.
One definite point of disagreement:
“Both women are entitled to their unawareness. We can’t pass a law to force them to read the paper”
Ted is implying that reading the paper will make you more informed. You may get more information, but as anyone who follows The Daily Howler or Derelection2004 knows, that information may not give you an accurate view of what’s going on. Note: Both the Howler and Derelection display their own biases as well.
It requires multiple sources and critical thinking skills to have even a chance at an accurate assessment of reality.
When I was a kid, my mom used to be annoyed that I would use Mad Magazine as a news source. The funny thing was, sorry Mom, it worked – what I took to be true from it generally was. The trick is to be able to figure out what the reality is and what is spin or humor. Once you figure out how to “filter” it, almost any source can give you some additional perspective.
IP Back on the Ballot Soon?
state politicsI’m still pissed, but it looks like I may be free to vote for Democratic or Republican candidates come November.
PRESS RELEASE
9-23-04 For Immediate Release
Laura Knudsen, Public Relations Chair (651) 283-1166
Jim Moore, State Party Chair (612) 306-6563Kiffmeyer and Hatch Back Pedal
Pawlenty on BoardHaving had time to review the Independence Partyís petition to the Supreme Court, the three highest-ranking officials in Minnesota all agree that Independence Party candidates should be on the November ballot. This does not rectify the joint action of Kiffmeyer and Hatch who used their constitutional offices to control ballot access.
After six years in office, Secretary of State Kiffmeyer should have attempted to clean up contradictory election law such as Statute 204D.10, Subdivision 2. Instead of lying in the weeds to pull 26 major party candidates off the ballot, Kiffmeyer should have clarified this law well before the primary,. She claims she had no choice but to apply the law this year. Regardless of the archaic computer system she inherited, Kiffmeyer could have applied the law in 2000 by simply using an Excel spread sheet or even a calculator.
“The ‘nice guy’ act doesnít play with me. You don’t take a baseball bat to our head and then tell the public you hope we stop bleeding.”. says Independence Party chair, Jim Moore. Kiffmeyer was wrong. Hatch didn’t correct her. The result: Independence Party candidates are all in complete limbo and nine days after the primary, no candidates are
certified.After the Canvassing Board met on Wednesday, Kiffmeyer certified the primary results but did not certify any candidates of any party for Novemberís general election. What is she waiting for?
This is precisely why the Secretary of State should be a non-partisan office, said Moore.
Prepared and Paid for by the Independence Party of Minnesota, PO Box
40495, St. Paul MN 55104 (651) 487-9700I still want a clear ruling, and I’d like to see some sort of attempt at compensating for the damage that has been done. If the law is NOT on the books, then Kiffmeyer and Hatch interrupted Independence Party candidates’ campaigns for no good reason.
Poster Offensive
local/national politicsOn the local front, a gallery near my house opened an event called “Poster Offensive” which features posters of a political nature.
Interestingly our local paper, The Star Tribune, refused to print an ad for the opening.
The Ad can be viewed at our local Indymedia.
The information on the poster:
There have been 1,097 coalition deaths; 966 Americans, 65 Britons, 6 Bulgarians, 1 Dane, 2 Dudtch, 1 Estonian, 1 Hungarian, 19 Italians, 1 Latvian, 10 Poles, 1 Salvadoran, 3 Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, 2 Thai and 8 Ukranians, in the U.S. led war in Iraq as of August 24, 2004. (taken from www.cnn.com)
At least 6,497 U.S. troops have been wounded in action, according to the Pentagon. The Pentagon does not report the number of non-hostile wounded.
That (Roughly) Equals:
6,582 Quarts of Blood
50,462 Years of Life that will never be lived.
2,040 Children who will never be born
3,291 Pounds of Brain Matter
1,024 Tons of Human Flesh & Bone
136,660 Fingers
396,314 TeethThat now creates ONE New Generation of U.S. made orphans.
Many posters from the display can be seen in the Indymedia article.
Take care of moms to be.
societyOf interest: this BBC article discuses a Swedish research teams has determination of factors at birth contributing to a child’s chance of attempting suicide. I was born as the third child to a college educated mother in her late 20s, weighed 3.63kg and was about 50.8cm long, so I definitely had most of the factors in my favor.
Where Have All The Flowers Gone?
personalTo (very roughly) paraphrase the Guitarist of Rève du Faun at the Renassaince Festival on Sunday:
Back in the 60′s Pete Seegar wrote this song. We thought we didn’t need to sing it anymore. A couple years ago, we found out we were wrong
All I can say, is about halfway through, I lost it. I couldn’t help it. I just kept picturing the faces of all these young adults who are dying – American, Iraqi, and otherwise – dying because humanity can’t seem to figure out any other way to deal with our differences than killing each other.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the flowers gone?
The girls have picked them ev’ry one.
Oh, when will you ever learn?
Oh, when will you ever learn?Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the young girls gone?
They’ve taken husbands, every one.
Oh, when will you ever learn?
Oh, when will you ever learn?Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the young men gone?
They’re all in uniform.
Oh, when will you ever learn?
Oh, when will you ever learn?Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the soldiers gone?
They’ve gone to graveyards, every one.
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the graveyards gone?
They’re covered with flowers, every one.
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago.
Where have all the flowers gone?
Young girls picked them, every one.
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?When will we ever learn?
