[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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Conscientious Objection
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Thoughts on Fahrenheit 9/11
If we truly had a liberal media, or even an evenhanded one, nothing in
this film would come as much of a surprise to anyone, just as it
didn't to me. The connections between the Bush administration and the
Saudi royal family and the bin Laden family should be well known, as
should the true effects of war. That so many people view Moore's film
with surprise or disdain is a sign of how one-sided the news we
receive really is.
Just as in Bowling for Columbine, there are some claims made by Moore
that are not objectively true. This does not mean that they are
objectively false; for example, there is still confusion over whether
and why the bin Laden family was allowed to leave the United States at
a time when all other American flights were grounded, for example.
Happily, Michael Moore keeps his on-camera time to a minimum,
appearing only to call attention to the fact that only one member of
Congress has a child in the military or, in a moment of surreal,
couldn't-have-scripted-this-better amazement, be approached by the
Secret Service - who have been called to investigate a camera crew
standing outside the Saudi Embassy!
"Does the secret service usually protect foreign embassies?" Moore
asks. "Not usually," replies the officer.
Among the most chilling and convincing scenes were those who not even
Moore's most rabid enemies could possibly question the veracity of: A
public beheading ceremony in Saudi Arabia; defense contractors
literally salivating over the money to be made from the death and
destruction in Iraq; a North Face-jacketed yuppie woman simpering that
"this whole thing is staged" as a grieving mother stands talking to a
protester on the Mall.
Moore has his excesses, and I question many of his methods and even
some of his views. But even in his narcissism and bombast, his is, by
an order of magnitude, a more realistic view of international
relations and cause and effect than any member of the Bush
administration. These people will be the ruin of us. Do not be fooled.
this film would come as much of a surprise to anyone, just as it
didn't to me. The connections between the Bush administration and the
Saudi royal family and the bin Laden family should be well known, as
should the true effects of war. That so many people view Moore's film
with surprise or disdain is a sign of how one-sided the news we
receive really is.
Just as in Bowling for Columbine, there are some claims made by Moore
that are not objectively true. This does not mean that they are
objectively false; for example, there is still confusion over whether
and why the bin Laden family was allowed to leave the United States at
a time when all other American flights were grounded, for example.
Happily, Michael Moore keeps his on-camera time to a minimum,
appearing only to call attention to the fact that only one member of
Congress has a child in the military or, in a moment of surreal,
couldn't-have-scripted-this-better amazement, be approached by the
Secret Service - who have been called to investigate a camera crew
standing outside the Saudi Embassy!
"Does the secret service usually protect foreign embassies?" Moore
asks. "Not usually," replies the officer.
Among the most chilling and convincing scenes were those who not even
Moore's most rabid enemies could possibly question the veracity of: A
public beheading ceremony in Saudi Arabia; defense contractors
literally salivating over the money to be made from the death and
destruction in Iraq; a North Face-jacketed yuppie woman simpering that
"this whole thing is staged" as a grieving mother stands talking to a
protester on the Mall.
Moore has his excesses, and I question many of his methods and even
some of his views. But even in his narcissism and bombast, his is, by
an order of magnitude, a more realistic view of international
relations and cause and effect than any member of the Bush
administration. These people will be the ruin of us. Do not be fooled.
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
See if this sounds familiar
A police officer pursuing the driver of a stolen car Wednesday
was seen on videotape beating the
suspect after he appeared to have surrendered.
Next up: A former football star will be accused of murdering his wife
and her lover.
was seen on videotape beating the
suspect after he appeared to have surrendered.
Next up: A former football star will be accused of murdering his wife
and her lover.
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Gross incompetence
And an ignorance of cause and effect.
Monday, June 14, 2004
The Pledge
John Ashcroft, spin master:
In a written statement, Attorney General John Ashcroft praised
the ruling saying it "ensures that school children in every corner of
America can start their day by voluntarily reciting the Pledge of
Allegiance."
It may be too obvious to mention, but Ashcroft hilariously ignores the
fact that the Supreme Court decision had little or nothing to do with
the actual issues at hand. In fact, some of the justices bemoaned the
fact that the Court didn't address the Constitution at all. All in
all, a huge cop-out sure to be trumpeted by Christianists all over the
nation.
I have no real problem with the Pledge as it stands - as Ashcroft
describes it. My only problem is that I can't imagine Ashcroft or even
the Supreme Court stating the reverse:
"School children in every corner of America can start their day by
voluntarily refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance."
Let me know how that one plays in Peoria.
In a written statement, Attorney General John Ashcroft praised
the ruling saying it "ensures that school children in every corner of
America can start their day by voluntarily reciting the Pledge of
Allegiance."
It may be too obvious to mention, but Ashcroft hilariously ignores the
fact that the Supreme Court decision had little or nothing to do with
the actual issues at hand. In fact, some of the justices bemoaned the
fact that the Court didn't address the Constitution at all. All in
all, a huge cop-out sure to be trumpeted by Christianists all over the
nation.
I have no real problem with the Pledge as it stands - as Ashcroft
describes it. My only problem is that I can't imagine Ashcroft or even
the Supreme Court stating the reverse:
"School children in every corner of America can start their day by
voluntarily refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance."
Let me know how that one plays in Peoria.
Sunday, June 13, 2004
Even when they spin, they lose
Remember when the global terror report came out showing a decline in terrorist attacks, and I showed how bogus the conclusions were?
Turns out the data was bogus, too.
The department has said that one of the mistakes was that only part of 2003 was taken into account.
One of the mistakes? Let's hope it was one of the biggest ones. Powell reassures us that the mistakes weren't politically motivated. Too bad his credibility is about as healthy as Rodney Dangerfield.
I'm not saying that all members of the Bush administration lie about everything, but I guarantee you that the words "not politically motivated" have never truthfully passed a Bush official's lips.
Turns out the data was bogus, too.
The department has said that one of the mistakes was that only part of 2003 was taken into account.
One of the mistakes? Let's hope it was one of the biggest ones. Powell reassures us that the mistakes weren't politically motivated. Too bad his credibility is about as healthy as Rodney Dangerfield.
I'm not saying that all members of the Bush administration lie about everything, but I guarantee you that the words "not politically motivated" have never truthfully passed a Bush official's lips.
At the Portland Rose Festival this weekend, a surprising number of people were wearing Bush/Cheney 04 stickers. Presumably there was a campaign booth somewhere around the midway, but I certainly never saw it. Lucky for them.
Surprising, though, how many diverse people were wearing the stickers and putting them on their kids' strollers (yecch). The backlash is not as widespread as I would have expected - especially in a crowd which included a lot of people waiting for the Violent Femmes show.
America is waking up, but it may not be as quickly as some of us thought.
Surprising, though, how many diverse people were wearing the stickers and putting them on their kids' strollers (yecch). The backlash is not as widespread as I would have expected - especially in a crowd which included a lot of people waiting for the Violent Femmes show.
America is waking up, but it may not be as quickly as some of us thought.
Friday, June 11, 2004
In Memoriam: The 40th Presidential Administration, 1981-1989
On Saturday, June 5th, approximately 600 people in the United States died of complications related to Alzheimer's Disease.
A while back, I took Ted Rall to task* for his Pat Tillman cartoon, reasoning that gloating over the death of anyone was unseemly and counterproductive, not to mention unfair. Now, when many are taking the same position over his recent comments about Ronald Reagan, I find myself coming to Rall's defense.
It's a seeming contradiction, but I don't necessarily see it that way. The main reason is that if anyone is gloating over Reagan's death, it's his supporters. Luminaries like Peggy Noonan are cackling over the meme that "this wall-to-wall media coverage must be driving the lefties insane."
Well, in a way, she's right. It is driving us insane, not that the nation is mourning the man - an honor arguably due any president - but that the mourning is treated as whitewash, giving rise to the idea that the country is happier, healthier and safer thanks to the Reagan presidency.
This idea is being pushed heavily by the right, thereby bringing Reagan-era nostalgia into the realm of "fair game" for criticism, even now.
Fine, Rall says. Let's really look at what Reagan did for this country. And he does, much better than I ever could.
As for the other reason: I was 5 years old when Reagan took office, and 13 when he left. My entire elementary education, in other words, was framed by his presidency. Even at that age, I understood the danger of "Evil Empire" posturing and the irresponsibility of "Just Say No." In many ways, Ronald Reagan is entirely responsible for my depth of liberal sentiment. To see history revised right in front of my eyes is not something I am particularly interested in respecting, no matter how much I grieve for any bereaved family. For someone who enters political life - with both feet and guns blazing - there must be disconnect between displaying respect for the man and speaking truth to the power the man wielded.
On Saturday, June 5th, approximately 600 people in the United States died of complications related to Alzheimer's Disease. Probably only one of them had all of his medical care and medications paid for by the taxpayers. Funnily enough, that same person - the one who drew more money from the treasury than any other ex-president - once called the idea of universal health care "Marxist."
* I'm sure he's still stinging from my criticism.
A while back, I took Ted Rall to task* for his Pat Tillman cartoon, reasoning that gloating over the death of anyone was unseemly and counterproductive, not to mention unfair. Now, when many are taking the same position over his recent comments about Ronald Reagan, I find myself coming to Rall's defense.
It's a seeming contradiction, but I don't necessarily see it that way. The main reason is that if anyone is gloating over Reagan's death, it's his supporters. Luminaries like Peggy Noonan are cackling over the meme that "this wall-to-wall media coverage must be driving the lefties insane."
Well, in a way, she's right. It is driving us insane, not that the nation is mourning the man - an honor arguably due any president - but that the mourning is treated as whitewash, giving rise to the idea that the country is happier, healthier and safer thanks to the Reagan presidency.
This idea is being pushed heavily by the right, thereby bringing Reagan-era nostalgia into the realm of "fair game" for criticism, even now.
Fine, Rall says. Let's really look at what Reagan did for this country. And he does, much better than I ever could.
As for the other reason: I was 5 years old when Reagan took office, and 13 when he left. My entire elementary education, in other words, was framed by his presidency. Even at that age, I understood the danger of "Evil Empire" posturing and the irresponsibility of "Just Say No." In many ways, Ronald Reagan is entirely responsible for my depth of liberal sentiment. To see history revised right in front of my eyes is not something I am particularly interested in respecting, no matter how much I grieve for any bereaved family. For someone who enters political life - with both feet and guns blazing - there must be disconnect between displaying respect for the man and speaking truth to the power the man wielded.
On Saturday, June 5th, approximately 600 people in the United States died of complications related to Alzheimer's Disease. Probably only one of them had all of his medical care and medications paid for by the taxpayers. Funnily enough, that same person - the one who drew more money from the treasury than any other ex-president - once called the idea of universal health care "Marxist."
* I'm sure he's still stinging from my criticism.
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Rest in peace, Mr. Reagan. As for Mr. President...
"His errors glide past unchallenged. At one point...he alleged that
almost half the population gets a free meal from the government each
day. No one told him he was crazy. The general message of the
American press is that, yes, while it is perfectly true that the
emperor has no clothes, nudity is actually very acceptable this year."
--Simon Hoggart, in The Observer (London), 1986
No one told him he was crazy because, Alzheimer's references aside, he
knew exactly what he was doing. Ronald Reagan truly believed that
all poverty is a moral defect. Homelessness and drug abuse,
too.
It takes a special kind of cynic to tell people to "Just Say No" while
supporting the international drug
trade.
almost half the population gets a free meal from the government each
day. No one told him he was crazy. The general message of the
American press is that, yes, while it is perfectly true that the
emperor has no clothes, nudity is actually very acceptable this year."
--Simon Hoggart, in The Observer (London), 1986
No one told him he was crazy because, Alzheimer's references aside, he
knew exactly what he was doing. Ronald Reagan truly believed that
all poverty is a moral defect. Homelessness and drug abuse,
too.
It takes a special kind of cynic to tell people to "Just Say No" while
supporting the international drug
trade.
Monday, June 07, 2004
Ronald Reagan, 1911-2004
Rest in peace.
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Hiatus ain't just an aperture in the diaphragm
As you've probably noticed, I haven't been posting recently. That is
because I am on a self-declared one week (more or less) break due to
the Memorial day weekend and other such issues. It's a bad time to
take a break, I admit, with so much going on in Iraq and elsewhere but
I will be back with a vengeance* next week, if not this weekend.
* A peaceful vengeance, of course.
because I am on a self-declared one week (more or less) break due to
the Memorial day weekend and other such issues. It's a bad time to
take a break, I admit, with so much going on in Iraq and elsewhere but
I will be back with a vengeance* next week, if not this weekend.
* A peaceful vengeance, of course.
