[About BTJ]
Name: BLT - E-mail me
Age: 28
Why BTJ:"I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways; I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight; I can divine it by conscience. And from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice. Things refuse to be mismanaged long."
-- Theodore Parker
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
-- Martin Luther King Jr.
"No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse."
-- Theodore Roosevelt
"No longer do we take the sword against any nation, nor do we learn war any more, since we have become sons of peace."
--Origen
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Puts things in perspective
Our thoughts with the people of the
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Do you stand for goodness, or for BADNESS?*
Peggy Noonan is outraged by the
outrage. She is of the opinion that we should catch terrorists
first and apologize later.
Let's make it our highest national priority. Let's find those
who mean to end the lives of hundreds, or thousands, or tens of
thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of innocent people. Then, once it
looks like all or most of the bad guys are captured, let's turn our
national attention to studying how we could have done it better, more
gently, more justly, more competently. But first the capture, then the
criticism.
I see. The ends justify the means to the nth degree.
But mostly Amnesty is talking about this because they don't
really like us, they don't know what time it is, they have to do
something for a living, they think we're more competent than we are,
and they still don't understand Sept. 11.
They will understand terrorism better after the next attack. But
Americans don't have to wait. We were there.
Hmm. Peggy, like most Americans, remains blissfully unaware that the
rest of the world does understand terrorism - because
it's happened to them. It would not be too far off
the mark to say that the USA was a latecomer to the war-on-terrorism
game. And yet somehow, most of the rest of the world seems to be
perfectly fine with, say, ensuring that there are some checks on their
behavior so as not to throw the baby out with the bathwater - to, as
Al Gore recently alluded to in his excellent speech, maintain a
United States worth saving.
I agree extensively with Ms. Noonan that our goal should be to create
a world without fear for our children and grandchildren. But a country
in which an American lawyer can be arrested and held without charge
based on a series of mistakes and assumptions is a far cry from her
utopia. Without seriously questioning the abuses at Gitmo and Abu
Ghraib, how long will it be until we are quietly accepting identical
abuses at Leavenworth?
* With apologies to Caddyshack. You know - Noonan! N-o-o-nan!
outrage. She is of the opinion that we should catch terrorists
first and apologize later.
Let's make it our highest national priority. Let's find those
who mean to end the lives of hundreds, or thousands, or tens of
thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of innocent people. Then, once it
looks like all or most of the bad guys are captured, let's turn our
national attention to studying how we could have done it better, more
gently, more justly, more competently. But first the capture, then the
criticism.
I see. The ends justify the means to the nth degree.
But mostly Amnesty is talking about this because they don't
really like us, they don't know what time it is, they have to do
something for a living, they think we're more competent than we are,
and they still don't understand Sept. 11.
They will understand terrorism better after the next attack. But
Americans don't have to wait. We were there.
Hmm. Peggy, like most Americans, remains blissfully unaware that the
rest of the world does understand terrorism - because
it's happened to them. It would not be too far off
the mark to say that the USA was a latecomer to the war-on-terrorism
game. And yet somehow, most of the rest of the world seems to be
perfectly fine with, say, ensuring that there are some checks on their
behavior so as not to throw the baby out with the bathwater - to, as
Al Gore recently alluded to in his excellent speech, maintain a
United States worth saving.
I agree extensively with Ms. Noonan that our goal should be to create
a world without fear for our children and grandchildren. But a country
in which an American lawyer can be arrested and held without charge
based on a series of mistakes and assumptions is a far cry from her
utopia. Without seriously questioning the abuses at Gitmo and Abu
Ghraib, how long will it be until we are quietly accepting identical
abuses at Leavenworth?
* With apologies to Caddyshack. You know - Noonan! N-o-o-nan!
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Not sure if this is an indictment of American education or politics
Last night on Super Millionaire (yeah, I watched it, so what?) there
was a question - I think it was a $50,000 question:
Arabic is not the official language in which of the following countries:
a) Syria
b) Jordan
c) Afghanistan
d) Kuwait
Neither the contestant nor his lifeline had the slightest idea.
Is it ignorance or arrogance to know so little about a country we were
bombing into oblivion just two years ago? Or just the standard
American conflation of "all terrorists are Arabs" (not to mention "all
Arabs are terrorists")?
was a question - I think it was a $50,000 question:
Arabic is not the official language in which of the following countries:
a) Syria
b) Jordan
c) Afghanistan
d) Kuwait
Neither the contestant nor his lifeline had the slightest idea.
Is it ignorance or arrogance to know so little about a country we were
bombing into oblivion just two years ago? Or just the standard
American conflation of "all terrorists are Arabs" (not to mention "all
Arabs are terrorists")?
Monday, May 24, 2004
So, basically what liberals were suggesting all along, then
US proposes multi-national force to
keep peace in Iraq.
No idea a good one unless our people suggested it, eh?
keep peace in Iraq.
No idea a good one unless our people suggested it, eh?
Okay, not really, really big, but it's a post that's been begging to
be written, and so I'm having trouble thinking of anything else. It
may not turn out to be too exciting, but I think it's something that
needs saying. It should show up in the next couple of days. In the
meantime, go read Jesus'
General for awhile. His little soldier will fill any empty space
you might have.
be written, and so I'm having trouble thinking of anything else. It
may not turn out to be too exciting, but I think it's something that
needs saying. It should show up in the next couple of days. In the
meantime, go read Jesus'
General for awhile. His little soldier will fill any empty space
you might have.
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy
The always-excellent Juan Cole eviscerates Andrew Sullivan on Iraq.
(Thanks Eschaton commenter Dave for the tip.)
(Thanks Eschaton commenter Dave for the tip.)
On May 9, Newsweek published an article about the Brandon Mayfield
case, in which a US official was quoted as saying the following:
"If that print had matched with some little old lady in Peoria,
that would be one thing," says a U.S. official. "But what are the odds
it would be somebody with this background?"
This background, of course, was that Mayfield was the lawyer for
Jeffrey Battle, a member of the "Portland Seven."
What are the odds, indeed?
Brandon Mayfield, 37, was released soon after Spanish officials
said fingerprints found on a bag near the bombing site were that of an
Algerian. U.S. authorities had previously said the prints were
Mayfield's.
I think I may just buy a Powerball ticket tomorrow.
Mayfield was released before his children could finish crocheting
a pair of yellow and tan socks for him. "Dad, you got out sooner then
we thought," his 10-year-old said, according to Avnell
Mayfield.
case, in which a US official was quoted as saying the following:
"If that print had matched with some little old lady in Peoria,
that would be one thing," says a U.S. official. "But what are the odds
it would be somebody with this background?"
This background, of course, was that Mayfield was the lawyer for
Jeffrey Battle, a member of the "Portland Seven."
What are the odds, indeed?
Brandon Mayfield, 37, was released soon after Spanish officials
said fingerprints found on a bag near the bombing site were that of an
Algerian. U.S. authorities had previously said the prints were
Mayfield's.
I think I may just buy a Powerball ticket tomorrow.
Mayfield was released before his children could finish crocheting
a pair of yellow and tan socks for him. "Dad, you got out sooner then
we thought," his 10-year-old said, according to Avnell
Mayfield.
Just how ineffectual is Alan Colmes?
Bill Moyers just told Terry Gross that most of the people carping
about the liberal media were right-wing voices like "Limbaugh, Hannity
& Colmes, and Bill O'Reilly."
Doing a bang-up job making your liberal presence known, there, Alan.
about the liberal media were right-wing voices like "Limbaugh, Hannity
& Colmes, and Bill O'Reilly."
Doing a bang-up job making your liberal presence known, there, Alan.
Is all fundamentalism fundamentally flawed?
Irshad Manji in today's
Wall Street Journal, contends that Muslim moderates who
describe the Nick Berg incident as "utterly repugnant to the Islamic
rules of war" are either dissembling or wishfully thinking.
Wishful whitewashing. The Koran verse that's cited as
"unequivocal" actually bestows wiggle room. Here's how it fully reads:
"We laid it down for the Israelites," meaning those who believe in one
God, "that whoever killed a human being, except as punishment for
murder or other villainy in the land, shall be regarded as having
killed all mankind." Sadly, the clause starting with "except" can be
deployed by militant Muslims to fuel their jihads. That's precisely
how Nicholas Berg's executioners justified their travesty.
She then goes on to state that "moderate Christians and Jews
acknowledge the nasty side of their holy texts" and that the Bible
isn't perfect, which may or may not be true - and is certainly not
true of Christian fundamentalists - but the thesis of her column is
that moderate Muslims cannot simply say "you must put such verses into
context."
Ironically, however, whenever the Israelites' slaughter of, say, the
Canaanites is brought up, Christians and Jews fall all over themselves
to bring up context. That verses from the Bible like "When the Lord
thy god hath delivered (a City) into thine hands, thou shalt smite
every male thereof with the sword" (Deut 20:13) are not being used to
justify violence is welcome*, but seemingly not due to any qualitative
difference between the Old Testament and the Koran.
* Although we should ask an abortion provider how they feel about the
peaceful intentions of fundamentalist Christians.
Wall Street Journal, contends that Muslim moderates who
describe the Nick Berg incident as "utterly repugnant to the Islamic
rules of war" are either dissembling or wishfully thinking.
Wishful whitewashing. The Koran verse that's cited as
"unequivocal" actually bestows wiggle room. Here's how it fully reads:
"We laid it down for the Israelites," meaning those who believe in one
God, "that whoever killed a human being, except as punishment for
murder or other villainy in the land, shall be regarded as having
killed all mankind." Sadly, the clause starting with "except" can be
deployed by militant Muslims to fuel their jihads. That's precisely
how Nicholas Berg's executioners justified their travesty.
She then goes on to state that "moderate Christians and Jews
acknowledge the nasty side of their holy texts" and that the Bible
isn't perfect, which may or may not be true - and is certainly not
true of Christian fundamentalists - but the thesis of her column is
that moderate Muslims cannot simply say "you must put such verses into
context."
Ironically, however, whenever the Israelites' slaughter of, say, the
Canaanites is brought up, Christians and Jews fall all over themselves
to bring up context. That verses from the Bible like "When the Lord
thy god hath delivered (a City) into thine hands, thou shalt smite
every male thereof with the sword" (Deut 20:13) are not being used to
justify violence is welcome*, but seemingly not due to any qualitative
difference between the Old Testament and the Koran.
* Although we should ask an abortion provider how they feel about the
peaceful intentions of fundamentalist Christians.
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Reminder
Oregonians who haven't mailed your ballots:
VOTE TODAY!
And if you're in precinct 4027, Multnomah County, vote for me!
VOTE TODAY!
And if you're in precinct 4027, Multnomah County, vote for me!
Monday, May 17, 2004
We found the WMD's
And they're, apparently, one Sarin gas shell found by the roadside and booby-trapped, presumably by insurgents.
Wingnuts are jumping on the meme that anti-war "moonbats" will deny that the gas was there, or that it was planted by coalition forces.
I think neither, of course. But if there are large caches of Saddam's chemical weapons remaining in insurgent hands, why aren't they using them?
The obvious answer is, of course, that they don't have them. The Telegraph says that Brig Gen Kimmit "believed the insurgents who left the bomb did not know it contained sarin since the dispersal of the nerve agent from such a device 'is very limited.'"
The same article has a confusing quote from a member of Blair's cabinet:
"This does not represent a new capability but it does appear to be part of a programme declared to the UN. That munition should have been handed over [to UN weapons inspectors].
"It appears to be in breach of UN Security Council resolutions and backs up what we have been saying all along that Saddam did conceal some of his stock."
So the smoking gun is one shell which the UN knew existed, and whose chain of custody is suspect at best? Maybe Saddam didn't turn the weapon over because it had already been stolen, or sold on the black market. Chemical weapons going missing is not an unheard-of occurence.
In the interest of fairness and of sharing random finds, here's a 1984 fact sheet from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute which is of the opinion that, although the US certainly knew of Iraq's use of mustard and nerve gas twenty years ago, at least the evidence suggests that we didn't sell it to them. So we've got that going for us.
Wingnuts are jumping on the meme that anti-war "moonbats" will deny that the gas was there, or that it was planted by coalition forces.
I think neither, of course. But if there are large caches of Saddam's chemical weapons remaining in insurgent hands, why aren't they using them?
The obvious answer is, of course, that they don't have them. The Telegraph says that Brig Gen Kimmit "believed the insurgents who left the bomb did not know it contained sarin since the dispersal of the nerve agent from such a device 'is very limited.'"
The same article has a confusing quote from a member of Blair's cabinet:
"This does not represent a new capability but it does appear to be part of a programme declared to the UN. That munition should have been handed over [to UN weapons inspectors].
"It appears to be in breach of UN Security Council resolutions and backs up what we have been saying all along that Saddam did conceal some of his stock."
So the smoking gun is one shell which the UN knew existed, and whose chain of custody is suspect at best? Maybe Saddam didn't turn the weapon over because it had already been stolen, or sold on the black market. Chemical weapons going missing is not an unheard-of occurence.
In the interest of fairness and of sharing random finds, here's a 1984 fact sheet from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute which is of the opinion that, although the US certainly knew of Iraq's use of mustard and nerve gas twenty years ago, at least the evidence suggests that we didn't sell it to them. So we've got that going for us.
There's a lot of grave, serious news...
But I wanna talk about this.
Ball lightning, my Aunt Fanny.
I'll be back this evening.
Ball lightning, my Aunt Fanny.
I'll be back this evening.
I was doing some research for a future post and came across a treasure trove of quotes, all in one place, by one former president, which have amazing relevance to the situation in which we find ourselves. Let's read, shall we?
But I contend that the strongest of all governments is that which is most free...
The plea of necessity, that eternal argument of all conspirators...
A decent and manly examination of the acts of government should be not only tolerated, but encouraged."
-- William Henry Harrison
Harrison, by the way, argued against two-term presidents; he went a little overboard by dying 30 days into his first term, but perhaps we should take his advice this November.
I may pull those quotes out again in the future, but they were so perfect I wanted to share them with you now.
But I contend that the strongest of all governments is that which is most free...
The plea of necessity, that eternal argument of all conspirators...
A decent and manly examination of the acts of government should be not only tolerated, but encouraged."
-- William Henry Harrison
Harrison, by the way, argued against two-term presidents; he went a little overboard by dying 30 days into his first term, but perhaps we should take his advice this November.
I may pull those quotes out again in the future, but they were so perfect I wanted to share them with you now.
Saturday, May 15, 2004
I'm shocked, shocked to find that torture is going on in here!
Your winnings, Mr. Rumsfeld.
The rules governing the secret operation were "grab whom you must. Do what you want," the unidentified former intelligence official told the New Yorker.
Rumsfeld left the details of the interrogations to Cambone, the article quoted a Pentagon consultant as saying.
"This is Cambone's deal, but Rumsfeld and Myers approved the program," said the Pentagon consultant in the article.
Might as well be frank, America. It would take a miracle to get you out of Iraq, and the neocons have outlawed miracles.
The rules governing the secret operation were "grab whom you must. Do what you want," the unidentified former intelligence official told the New Yorker.
Rumsfeld left the details of the interrogations to Cambone, the article quoted a Pentagon consultant as saying.
"This is Cambone's deal, but Rumsfeld and Myers approved the program," said the Pentagon consultant in the article.
Might as well be frank, America. It would take a miracle to get you out of Iraq, and the neocons have outlawed miracles.
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Tiny hiatus
Family issues will limit my posting today and probably tomorrow. If you're here because you've received one of my 100% recycled, discreetly placed namecards, click here to learn a bit more about me and please come back in the future for more!
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Certainly a possibility
Pfc England says she was ordered
to pose for the photos:
"I was instructed by persons in higher rank to 'stand there, hold
this leash, look at the camera,' and they took pictures for PsyOps
(psychological operations)," she told the station.
"I didn't really, I mean, want to be in any pictures," she said. She
also said she thought "it was kind of weird."
"Kind of weird" indeed. Still, it seems to me that, based on what
we're learning about the way Abu Ghraib is being administrated, this
seems quite realistic if not likely.
Asked whether worse things happened than those already seen on the
photos, she said yes but declined to elaborate.
She said her superiors praised the photos and "just told us, 'Hey,
you're doing great, keep it up."'
"Hey, you're doing great, thanks for making it possible for us to
further endanger the lives of American prisoners and stoke the fires
of terrorism."
to pose for the photos:
"I was instructed by persons in higher rank to 'stand there, hold
this leash, look at the camera,' and they took pictures for PsyOps
(psychological operations)," she told the station.
"I didn't really, I mean, want to be in any pictures," she said. She
also said she thought "it was kind of weird."
"Kind of weird" indeed. Still, it seems to me that, based on what
we're learning about the way Abu Ghraib is being administrated, this
seems quite realistic if not likely.
Asked whether worse things happened than those already seen on the
photos, she said yes but declined to elaborate.
She said her superiors praised the photos and "just told us, 'Hey,
you're doing great, keep it up."'
"Hey, you're doing great, thanks for making it possible for us to
further endanger the lives of American prisoners and stoke the fires
of terrorism."
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Har. De har.
Glad to see Sullivan has his sense
of humor unruffled by the Nick Berg killing:
BBC WATCH: "His killers shouted "Allah is great" before holding
what appeared to be a head up to the camera." What appeared to be his
head? Who do they think Zarqawi is: Penn or Teller?
Oh, clever, Andy.
of humor unruffled by the Nick Berg killing:
BBC WATCH: "His killers shouted "Allah is great" before holding
what appeared to be a head up to the camera." What appeared to be his
head? Who do they think Zarqawi is: Penn or Teller?
Oh, clever, Andy.
If Haloscan crashes in the forest, does anyone hear it?
Soliciting ideas (by e-mail, apparently) for new free commenting. I've heard only bad things about the new Blogger system.
You know what I'm talking about.
Reading foxnews.com so you don't have to
Dick Cheney will soon emerge from the crawlspace under an unidentified ranch home in the midwest to undergo a pacemaker checkup.
Spokesman Kevin Kellems said the tests at George Washington University Medical Center would include a physical exam, an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram and a stress test.
About three headlines down, a completely unrelated story...
[H]ospitals had to absorb the cost of $22 billion in unpaid bills last year. In the last decade, hundreds of emergency rooms have shut down because of budget problems...
According to the 2002 Census, more than 43 million Americans or 15 percent of the population are without health insurance. That number is up by 2.4 million from the previous year...
Taylor said that this system should be replaced with "what I have characterized as a low cost government health care loan program. Because right now I am the low cost loan program. Let the federal government take on that burden. Get me out of that business."
Taylor argued that this system would make sense because then the federal government is paying for the care or at least assuming the financial risk of the care, which Congress mandated that hospitals provide.
Now, I'm very surprised that Fox News ran such a pro-socialized medicine story. I'm equally impressed with the nonexistent sense of irony it required to run the story about Cheney's receipt of federal government-funded health care above the story about the millions of uninsured in this country.
Spokesman Kevin Kellems said the tests at George Washington University Medical Center would include a physical exam, an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram and a stress test.
About three headlines down, a completely unrelated story...
[H]ospitals had to absorb the cost of $22 billion in unpaid bills last year. In the last decade, hundreds of emergency rooms have shut down because of budget problems...
According to the 2002 Census, more than 43 million Americans or 15 percent of the population are without health insurance. That number is up by 2.4 million from the previous year...
Taylor said that this system should be replaced with "what I have characterized as a low cost government health care loan program. Because right now I am the low cost loan program. Let the federal government take on that burden. Get me out of that business."
Taylor argued that this system would make sense because then the federal government is paying for the care or at least assuming the financial risk of the care, which Congress mandated that hospitals provide.
Now, I'm very surprised that Fox News ran such a pro-socialized medicine story. I'm equally impressed with the nonexistent sense of irony it required to run the story about Cheney's receipt of federal government-funded health care above the story about the millions of uninsured in this country.
Hesiod is leading the charge against the anti-Kerry Vietnam veterans.
[T]he people who are still bitter about John Kerry are, to borrow a phrase from our embattled Secretary of Defense, nothing but a bunch of "dead enders."
By the way: I just realized how random that title is considering the way I worded my post. In my mind, it was "Up is down" :: "Kerry has a tarnished Vietnam record." Just wanted to clear that up.
[T]he people who are still bitter about John Kerry are, to borrow a phrase from our embattled Secretary of Defense, nothing but a bunch of "dead enders."
By the way: I just realized how random that title is considering the way I worded my post. In my mind, it was "Up is down" :: "Kerry has a tarnished Vietnam record." Just wanted to clear that up.
Monday, May 10, 2004
Think globally, act really really locally
I would like to announce a write-in campaign for Precinct Committeeperson, Precinct 4027, Multnomah County, Oregon. If you are here because you received a card, you know my name, although this blog is published semi-anonymously. You also know that I bill myself as "A Progressive Voice in Local Party Politics." If you spend a little bit of time perusing my blog here, you will understand a little more about where I'm coming from.
Rest assured that if elected, I intend to bring my practical-idealistic sensibilities to bear on the local Democratic Party, to do my part to open the party again to the progressive values of old. Many of our friends and neighbors are disillusioned by the Democratic Party's perceived willingness to betray liberal principles at the behest of corporations or other pressures. Well, I still believe in the Democratic Party, but I understand that disillusionment.
That's why, if elected, I will be an important piece of the process of "re-liberalizing" the party. I will work to ensure that local Democratic candidates are not "Democrats in Name Only" but voices for liberal values in our community and across the nation.
So please, if you have any questions, e-mail me and I will be happy to discuss them with you. I am a member of your community and your neighborhood and will be accountable to you.
Note: Precinct committeepersons are part of the Democractic Party Central Committee which, as the committee's web site puts it, is "the body that establishes the policies, articulates the beliefs and establishes the standard of all local Democratic candidates."
Rest assured that if elected, I intend to bring my practical-idealistic sensibilities to bear on the local Democratic Party, to do my part to open the party again to the progressive values of old. Many of our friends and neighbors are disillusioned by the Democratic Party's perceived willingness to betray liberal principles at the behest of corporations or other pressures. Well, I still believe in the Democratic Party, but I understand that disillusionment.
That's why, if elected, I will be an important piece of the process of "re-liberalizing" the party. I will work to ensure that local Democratic candidates are not "Democrats in Name Only" but voices for liberal values in our community and across the nation.
So please, if you have any questions, e-mail me and I will be happy to discuss them with you. I am a member of your community and your neighborhood and will be accountable to you.
Note: Precinct committeepersons are part of the Democractic Party Central Committee which, as the committee's web site puts it, is "the body that establishes the policies, articulates the beliefs and establishes the standard of all local Democratic candidates."
Saturday, May 08, 2004
Oh, this sounds like a winning idea
Judge orders couple not to have children
Monroe County Family Court Judge Marilyn O'Connor ruled March 31 that both parents "should not have yet another child which must be cared for at public expense."
"The facts of this case and the reality of parenthood cry out for family planning education," she ruled. "This court believes the constitutional right to have children is overcome when society must bear the financial and everyday burden of care."
Okay, now. Let's all take a deep breath. The fact is, these parents have four children in foster care already, and no one in their right mind would think that another child is the best idea in the world. But doesn't this sound an awful lot like eugenics?
The couple may choose to be sterilized at no cost to them, O'Connor ruled.
But the more I read about this ruling, the more I'm willing to give the judge a smidgen of the benefit of the doubt. For one thing, she advocates family planning education, which presumably (or at least hopefully) means she's against abstinence-only sex education and is acting symbolically to point out that this situation is one of the results of the current atmosphere of silence about sexual issues.
This couple definitely should not have any more kids. The court definitely should not be dabbling in eugenics
Monroe County Family Court Judge Marilyn O'Connor ruled March 31 that both parents "should not have yet another child which must be cared for at public expense."
"The facts of this case and the reality of parenthood cry out for family planning education," she ruled. "This court believes the constitutional right to have children is overcome when society must bear the financial and everyday burden of care."
Okay, now. Let's all take a deep breath. The fact is, these parents have four children in foster care already, and no one in their right mind would think that another child is the best idea in the world. But doesn't this sound an awful lot like eugenics?
The couple may choose to be sterilized at no cost to them, O'Connor ruled.
But the more I read about this ruling, the more I'm willing to give the judge a smidgen of the benefit of the doubt. For one thing, she advocates family planning education, which presumably (or at least hopefully) means she's against abstinence-only sex education and is acting symbolically to point out that this situation is one of the results of the current atmosphere of silence about sexual issues.
This couple definitely should not have any more kids. The court definitely should not be dabbling in eugenics
Thursday, May 06, 2004
Everything Old is New Again
Florida to purge 40,000 "felons" from voting rolls
Look, I'm fine with Florida deciding that convicted felons are no longer eligible to vote. I'm not, to say the least, fine with a repeat of the year 2000. The article does say that the NAACP has "approved" this year's list, so maybe it's all about nothing. But between stuff like this and black box voting, it's starting to add up a little too familiarly.
Look, I'm fine with Florida deciding that convicted felons are no longer eligible to vote. I'm not, to say the least, fine with a repeat of the year 2000. The article does say that the NAACP has "approved" this year's list, so maybe it's all about nothing. But between stuff like this and black box voting, it's starting to add up a little too familiarly.
According to MSNBC/Newsweek online, the FBI have taken a suspect in the Madrid bombing into custody.
The man was identified as Brandon Mayfield, a convert to Islam who is tangentially linked to one of the chief defendants in the so-called "Portland Seven" case—a suspected terror cell in Oregon whose six surviving members pled guilty last year of plotting to fight for the Taliban against U.S. soldiers during the war in Afghanistan.
The man was identified as Brandon Mayfield, a convert to Islam who is tangentially linked to one of the chief defendants in the so-called "Portland Seven" case—a suspected terror cell in Oregon whose six surviving members pled guilty last year of plotting to fight for the Taliban against U.S. soldiers during the war in Afghanistan.
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Ted Rall: Scorched-earth "liberal"
It's people like Rall that made me start this blog in the first place. It's people like Rall that give neocons who rant about the deconstructionist left some connection, however tenuous, to reality. These are people who do not really care about change, or the moral high ground, or other people - because if they did, they would actually attempt to do some good.
Rall is entitled to his opinions - about Pat Tillman, about the US Army's similarities to the SS, or about the best ways to deliver his opinions for maximum effect. But just as anarchists practice physical violence, Ted Rall seems determined to practice, well, metaphysical violence.
The politics of alienation is the politics of cowardice. The politics of firebombing Starbucks, of spiking trees so that loggers are at risk, of throwing bottles at police at a "peace" rally, or simply of closing people's hearts and minds - is the politics of those whose worst nightmare is apparently their own success.
True change for the better comes not by force but by convincement. Not by polarism but by compromise. Not instantly but in stages. The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.
Laurence J. Peter said, "A man convinced against his will is not convinced." Ted Rall has apparently surrendered all hope of convincing anyone.
Rall is entitled to his opinions - about Pat Tillman, about the US Army's similarities to the SS, or about the best ways to deliver his opinions for maximum effect. But just as anarchists practice physical violence, Ted Rall seems determined to practice, well, metaphysical violence.
The politics of alienation is the politics of cowardice. The politics of firebombing Starbucks, of spiking trees so that loggers are at risk, of throwing bottles at police at a "peace" rally, or simply of closing people's hearts and minds - is the politics of those whose worst nightmare is apparently their own success.
True change for the better comes not by force but by convincement. Not by polarism but by compromise. Not instantly but in stages. The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.
Laurence J. Peter said, "A man convinced against his will is not convinced." Ted Rall has apparently surrendered all hope of convincing anyone.
I think they get it, Mr. President
The wisdom of George W:
"The people in the Middle East must understand that this was horrible."
Also,
Asked why Bush himself had not apologized, McClellan said: "I'm saying it now for him."
Perhaps he just forgot. Maybe he had his mind on another potential defector from his administration - and this one's kind of high-profile.
"The people in the Middle East must understand that this was horrible."
Also,
Asked why Bush himself had not apologized, McClellan said: "I'm saying it now for him."
Perhaps he just forgot. Maybe he had his mind on another potential defector from his administration - and this one's kind of high-profile.
Newsmax shows its true colors:
In fact, what the photos show is not "torture" - or Iraqi prisoners being subjected to "atrocities," another term being tossed out to hype this story.
Instead, these GI's were likely doing what they were told to do - soften up their prisoners for interrogation that next day by using humiliation and intimidation.
Funny. The Geneva Convention defines torture as "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession." (emphasis mine)
The Bush administration needs to announce that while this entire episode may be regrettable, there was no "torture," "atrocities" weren't committed - and suggestions to the contrary by American reporters give aid and comfort to the enemy.
Oh right! The definition of treason! Well, I'll tell you, Newsmax, what really gives aid and comfort to the enemy - seeing their enemy behave the way the United States is right now. Stirs up a righteous anger and helps expand the resistance, you see.
Meanwhile, if the Muslim world considers it "torture" to have female GIs looking at their undressed prisoners, they ought to consider how upset Americans get when the folks we sent over to rebuild one of their countries are shot, burned, have their corpses dragged through the streets and used for bridge ornaments.
Oh - so this was payback. Well, at least someone finally said it.
In fact, what the photos show is not "torture" - or Iraqi prisoners being subjected to "atrocities," another term being tossed out to hype this story.
Instead, these GI's were likely doing what they were told to do - soften up their prisoners for interrogation that next day by using humiliation and intimidation.
Funny. The Geneva Convention defines torture as "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession." (emphasis mine)
The Bush administration needs to announce that while this entire episode may be regrettable, there was no "torture," "atrocities" weren't committed - and suggestions to the contrary by American reporters give aid and comfort to the enemy.
Oh right! The definition of treason! Well, I'll tell you, Newsmax, what really gives aid and comfort to the enemy - seeing their enemy behave the way the United States is right now. Stirs up a righteous anger and helps expand the resistance, you see.
Meanwhile, if the Muslim world considers it "torture" to have female GIs looking at their undressed prisoners, they ought to consider how upset Americans get when the folks we sent over to rebuild one of their countries are shot, burned, have their corpses dragged through the streets and used for bridge ornaments.
Oh - so this was payback. Well, at least someone finally said it.
Satan's lacing up his ice skates
I'll tell you why in a minute. First read this:
After 9/11, however, our neoconservatives, who had been prattling on about "global hegemony" and a "crusade for democracy" since the end of the Cold War, sold President Bush on their imperial scheme: a MacArthur Regency in Baghdad.
And so it is that we have arrived at this crossroads...
Empire requires an unshakeable belief in the superiority of one's own race, religion, and civilization and an iron resolve to fight to impose that faith and civilization upon other peoples.
We are not that kind of people. Never have been. Americans, who preach the equality of all races, creeds, and cultures, are, de facto, poor imperialists. When we attempt an imperial role as in the Philippines or Iraq, we invariably fall into squabbling over whether a republic should be imposing its ideology on another nation. A crusade for democracy is a contradiction in terms.
While it would be nice if Brazil, Bangladesh, and Burundi all embraced democracy, why should we fight them if they don't, and why should our soldiers die to restore democracy should they lose it? Why is that our problem, if they are not threatening us?
And now ask yourself, when's the last time you agreed with Pat Buchanan?
Neoconservatives make strange bedfellows.
After 9/11, however, our neoconservatives, who had been prattling on about "global hegemony" and a "crusade for democracy" since the end of the Cold War, sold President Bush on their imperial scheme: a MacArthur Regency in Baghdad.
And so it is that we have arrived at this crossroads...
Empire requires an unshakeable belief in the superiority of one's own race, religion, and civilization and an iron resolve to fight to impose that faith and civilization upon other peoples.
We are not that kind of people. Never have been. Americans, who preach the equality of all races, creeds, and cultures, are, de facto, poor imperialists. When we attempt an imperial role as in the Philippines or Iraq, we invariably fall into squabbling over whether a republic should be imposing its ideology on another nation. A crusade for democracy is a contradiction in terms.
While it would be nice if Brazil, Bangladesh, and Burundi all embraced democracy, why should we fight them if they don't, and why should our soldiers die to restore democracy should they lose it? Why is that our problem, if they are not threatening us?
And now ask yourself, when's the last time you agreed with Pat Buchanan?
Neoconservatives make strange bedfellows.
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
What Kerry might be up against
Open letter to John Kerry from a Green voter.
Wrestling the truth to the ground and pulling its hair
NTodd at Dohiyi Mir brings us the annotated Richard Perle.
Monday, May 03, 2004
Move over Google
The most exciting IPO of the week (well, for some of us at least) was actually here. Of course, by the time we realized we had been listed we had already seen an exciting uptick and a downgrade to "Sell." Oh well, at least we can applaud the analysts for being conservative and avoiding a "blog bubble."
Sunday, May 02, 2004
Fundamentalism as self-parody
From Jesus' General comes one of the funniest New York Times articles ever:
Darwin-free fun for creationists
The article tells the story of a fundamentalist who got offended at Disney World - and no, for once, not by gay day. No, Mr. and Mrs. Passmore were offended by the claim that dinosaurs roamed the earth millions of years ago.
It is to laugh - everyone knows the earth began in 4004 B.C. So they sought out a place that would tell the truth about natural history - Dinosaur Adventure Land.
The validity of this particular worldview can be summed up in one hilarious sentence from the article:
"[Did] the Colorado River formed the canyon over millions of years[?] "This is clearly not possible. The top of the Grand Canyon is 4,000 feet higher than where the river enters the canyon! Rivers do not flow up hill!"
Or this science experiment, mixed with just the right amount of dark undertone sure to please fundamentalists everywhere:
"A child stands before the ball, and then a park guide gives it a shove from a specific angle, so that it comes careering back at the child's face only to stop just in front of it. The child wins if he does not flinch, proving he has "faith in God's laws" — in this case, that a swinging object will never come back higher than the point from which it took off."
And they even have a fancy web site, with games and virtual tours and - ah yes, there it is! Armageddonism!
"[Come see] How awesome the world used to be and how it will be again very soon!"
Darwin-free fun for creationists
The article tells the story of a fundamentalist who got offended at Disney World - and no, for once, not by gay day. No, Mr. and Mrs. Passmore were offended by the claim that dinosaurs roamed the earth millions of years ago.
It is to laugh - everyone knows the earth began in 4004 B.C. So they sought out a place that would tell the truth about natural history - Dinosaur Adventure Land.
The validity of this particular worldview can be summed up in one hilarious sentence from the article:
"[Did] the Colorado River formed the canyon over millions of years[?] "This is clearly not possible. The top of the Grand Canyon is 4,000 feet higher than where the river enters the canyon! Rivers do not flow up hill!"
Or this science experiment, mixed with just the right amount of dark undertone sure to please fundamentalists everywhere:
"A child stands before the ball, and then a park guide gives it a shove from a specific angle, so that it comes careering back at the child's face only to stop just in front of it. The child wins if he does not flinch, proving he has "faith in God's laws" — in this case, that a swinging object will never come back higher than the point from which it took off."
And they even have a fancy web site, with games and virtual tours and - ah yes, there it is! Armageddonism!
"[Come see] How awesome the world used to be and how it will be again very soon!"
