Politics, society and Faith from a Christian liberal prospective. We believe that we can all accomplish great things in the world if we can just get past the lust of the powerful and the fear of the comfortable.
I hate using the fear word but its going to be prominent in ’08. Fear of Iran, Al Qaeda, terrorists everywhere among us, immigrant hordes, liberals and worst of all taxes.
I have hope that none of it will work; Hope that the best Democrat will win the nomination; Hope that this Democrat will be president; Hope that war crimes will be on the road to justice; Hope that the fascist threat from the right-wing will be left in the dustbin of history.
Torture provides nothing positive, it only destroys, both the victim and all who come in contact or support of it. . Psychologist: Gitmo detainee to be released is 'broken into pieces' David Edwards and Jason Rhyne Published: Friday December 28, 2007 http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Gitmo_detainee_faces_psychological_struggle_after_1227.html . Direct from Guantánamo Bay March 27, 2007 Jumana Musa Advocacy Director for Domestic Human Rights and International Justice http://www.amnestyusa.org/waronterror/reportonhicks.html . David Hicks pleads guilty on one count. AI observer attends arraignment at Guantánamo http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGAMR510522007 . His confession was the result of torture and ill-treatment making it completely invalid. We are also expected to take the word of only his military accusers. This was a highly unconstitutional, immoral and again it must be stressed a completely un-American exercise in shame with much more in likeness to the old Soviet Union, China, or any other authoritarian government. . Justice delayed and justice denied? Trials under the Military Commissions Act(PDF) http://www.amnesty.org/en/alfresco_asset/04466604-a2cd-11dc-8d74-6f45f39984e5/amr510442007en.pdf . Close Guantanamo! Amnesty Speaks Out
. Once we believe that torture is okay, that we're still pure and clean and good for having accepted it, we open ourselves up to many evil embraced horrors of our own making. We already believe in pre-emptive war and collateral damage without a conscience thought, for even a moment of the results of our actions. . picture from: Amnesty International Volunteers http://www.amnesty-volunteer.org/
The assassination of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto highlights the folly of Neocon policy in this region.
.
When we disserted the people of Afghanistan and our troops who fought and died there in favor of an ill-conceived oil war in Iraq we aided in the situation that manifested itself as a murderous attack on the hope of democracy in nuke armed Pakistan.
It doesn’t matter who we think is responsible or who benefits as much as it matters who the people of Pakistan believe who is responsible and our response to them. .
The Cheney/Bush administration screwed the Afghanistan people and our troops who were fighting the terrorists who really did attack our country on 9/11 by running away from the ‘war on terror’ hijacking it for neoconservative desires in Iraq and at home.
.
The Taliban is regaining strength in Afghanistan. Osama Bin Laden is still free and in charge of Al Qaeda which is gaining strength and free reign in western Pakistan. We can’t do anything to curtail their growth because we are bogged down in Iraq while seriously running down the morale and readiness of our military. Our continuing occupation of Iraq is harming us while allowing Al Qaeda to grow in organization, strength and territory to be able to set up training camps along with a platform to attack us.
.
General Pervez Musharraf is a military dictator who acquired power by way of a coup. He’s just the latest example of ‘our dictator in the pocket’, at least until it all falls apart. Human Rights in Pakistan are horrendous, they have weapons of ‘mass destruction’, those who would attack us are educated, harbored and trained within their borders, and bin Laden is protected there.
.
So we are stuck with a dictator with the Bomb, pointed at India, facing a Taliban-like insurgency that will have the Bomb, pointed at whomever, if they launch a successful coup. There is general dissatisfaction and protest among the population who Musharraf abuses for his own power-lust.
.
The ‘declare success then cut and run’ tactic employed by the Bush administration in Afghanistan so we could engage in their dirty little occupation in Iraq has left this area of the globe much more unstable. And were left coddling another human rights violating dictator for short term gain hoping he will do for us what we should have done ourselves.
.
If we know where Bin Laden is we should get him regardless of what Musharraf might say but to launch any military attack against Pakistan after the mess which was made in Iraq would be fool hardy at best especially with this current group we have occupying the Whitehouse.
.
The next administration is left with diplomacy with human rights as its cornerstone. In all international dealings most feel that our national interests should be first and foremost. But when we side with a dictator against the best interests of the countries own citizens it always does them and us a great disservice.
The most threatening country to world piece, besides our nations threats on Iran, is Pakistan. If our little dictator ally falls to extremists we will have a radical Islamic government with the 'Bomb'.
Makes you wonder what they have planned for us if they view Musharraf's response to a puplic rising up peacefully against a military dictator as acceptable.
.
Zardari rejects claim of al-Qaida link to Bhutto's murder Declan Walsh in NauderoTuesday January 1, 2008
. The real threat is the existence of conditions which allow terrorism to grow within third world countries, such as poverty, ignorance, lack of adequate health care and human rights.
.
Those are the conditions which exist under the rule of self-serving dictators. The seeds of terrorism are sown in this environment and gradually grow to maturity. The mistake we make is that once terrorism rears its ugly head in a country, we support the dictatorship even more, thereby losing the trust and respect of the average citizens in that country.
.
Someone in the United States might say, "How can anyone choose an extremist form of Islam over democracy?" But if America supports your leader and you’re living on a dirt floor while your baby is dying and your brother is rotting in prison because he spoke his mind, you might think, "How could radical Islam be any worse than the way I have it now?".
.
If we wish to stop the rising tide of terrorism we must stop supporting or tolerating dictators and let the people of the country know this. At the same time we must encourage and help growth in the economy, education and human rights of these countries and not the military weaponry of tyrants.
.
War is a poor answer to a human problem; a diplomatic problem. Don’t let the militaristic neoconservatives lead you to believe the only road to peace is by the gun. They are wrong.
.
The threat and fear of radical fundamentalist Islam is morphing into a paranoid dread of all Islam.
I found this a few days ago and have been showing it to all the ‘young dudes’ in my home. They never watch the whole thing. They usually walk away laughing about the time the sunburn comparison is attempted. I would have seen parts of this at about the first or second grade. I remember having images in my little kid imagination of enemy soldiers attacking our school ‘Combat’ style. I wonder if this is one of a multitude of reasons why so many of the ‘peace generation’ has been so easily given to seeking violent solutions as a means for feeling safe.
That and they got a whole lotta stuff to lose and a credit rating to maintain and ‘what about the children?’.
There's no success in Iraq without a political solution and reconciliation between all groups including rights for women that keeps them from extremists fundamentalist oppression. Here's a bunch of links contradicting administration propaganda.
Destroying the evidence of a war crime is a crime deserving the strictest of penalties. These people will be out of power in a little over a year and those Dems in the Whitehouse and Congress better not let the investigations, charges and penalties languish. However, this is just another example of why impeachment should be on the table now!
I wrote this awhile ago and I thought I would go ahead and post it up here again. I'm not sure how the Republicans are going to handle the 'Iran not building nukes problem' but it looks like their pundits are going to take the enemy among us route who hate George Bush and the Iraq War. I think they're going to yell about illegal immigration, the threat of terrorism and scaring the common sense out of everyone they can suck in on Iran, all the more. This is just to shine another little light on the hypocrisy of right wing Christian zealotry.
Immigrants should be treated justly.
The most extreme conservative opinion, regarding undocumented workers and their families, is to arrest them all and ship them back to their country of origin. While there are people here illegally from many parts of the world this is first and foremost a reaction to the Spanish speaking Latinos from South of our border.
Massive roundups of those that are unjustly judged ‘unacceptable’ have never worked well for those being arrested or for the offending country involved. We have recent horror stories from Cambodia and Nazi Germany and in the United States with the Japanese internment and the Trail of Tears both of which were a disgrace. Tearing apart Latino families on our ‘liberty loving’ soil would be comparatively disastrous for obvious reasons for them but also for our national spirit which has suffered enough wounds already, most recently through the Bush years..
These people our not from the far flung reaches of the world, they are, especially from Mexico, our neighbors who share history with us. They are a part of the New World family, an ingredient of who we are. Their poverty and status has been used against them, as it was in the past for other immigrant groups deemed unacceptable, for the benefit of unprincipled business interests for many generations now.
It is immoral to use people then throw them away when they become inconvenient. Christian (isn't that the kind of country the religious right repeatedly says we have) kindness would dictate care and forgiveness for these people. Those who wear the bible on their sleeve should know very well how the Lord expects us to treat immigrants and all others who fall into need whether financial or medical. The arguments rationalizing this away do not come from God it comes from a much darker, hotter unholy place.
We need to protect the border as Democrats have been screaming about since 9-11, only to fall upon deaf administration ears. Many business interests seem to prefer the status-quo while others want the border closed simply out of unjustified prejudice. . Bring them into citizen ship in a manner that's just.
We need to have strict consistent punishment for all those who hire these people with the intent of misusing them for their own benefit.
Strong penalties need to be given for all those who pay substandard wages.
Any corporation that moves south of the border must pay livable wages and conform to rational environmental controls or risk a high tariff or lose the ability to trade with the United States. We must realize US involvement in many of the economic and political hardships suffered by others who share the Americas. We have a moral duty to work to make things right and that doesn’t begin with exploitation.
Any other solution that comes from Congress based on economic maltreatment or cloaked on hate and paranoia is unacceptable. . Imagine
May Day Immigration Reform Protest(scared angry people using understandibly bad language)
The president was his usual goofy self, actually embarrassing for the nation, during the press conference today. One person and only one person asked about the woman who was gang-raped in Saudi Arabia and sentenced to receive 200 painful bashes from a whip or cane or some such instrument.
Bush Doesn’t Recall if He Mentioned Saudi Rape Case to King Abdullah By: billw on Tuesday, December 4th, 2007
Saudi gang rape sentence 'unjust' A lawyer for a gang-rape victim in Saudi Arabia who was sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in jail says the punishment contravenes Islamic law. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7098480.stm Saudi Arabia has much less freedom than Iraq even under Saddam. Iran has somewhat more freedom than Saudi Arabia and a greater chance of obtaining their own homegrown democracy with greater human rights. Saudi citizens are the most responsible for funding of Sunni insurgents in Iraq who did kill our troops. They are the primary foreign aggressors in the Sunni areas of Iraq who local Sunni leaders grew tired of and decided to eliminate. They were after the Taliban in Afghanistan (and the great ineptitude and inattentiveness of the Bushies) the country most responsible for 9-11.
President Bush: a Nuclear Iran Risks World War III
Neocons along with their other cohorts on the right are not happy that Iran suspended it's nuclear weapons policy in 2003. The administration has been caught in many lies and this is just another one in a long stack. I've often thought their lies, ineptitude and corruption would bring their downfall but they just keep going with a little help from the spinal disorder afflicting the Democratic leadership. They still want a vigorous, all weapons options on the table policy toward Iran. They will still lie, exaggerate and enthusiastically pound the drumbeats of war.
. They worship at the Alter of Commerce in the Church of Supremacy. Their dungeons are full of skeletons and sinister secrets. Half truths, self- aggrandizement and trepidation are the subjects of their sermons. The virtues they cherish are greed, pride, gluttony and tyranny. The fruit they bare is misery, death and devastation. Darkness follows in their wake; And ruin is their toll. . Holy Dirt
"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." George W. Bush
Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way around to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise. " AdolpHItler
"Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of State and corporate power." Benito Mussolini
"We stand for the maintenance of private property... We shall protect free enterprise as the most expedient, or rather the sole possible economic order." Adolph Hitler
"The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to the point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group or any controlling private power. " President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Fun with Fascism
I am veteran of the Air Force and I fully understand that the military is essential in guarding the borders of a country and in rare circumstances its overseas commitments and interests but it's existence is not the sole reason for freedom and democracy. One of the many misguided beliefs of the conservative right is that whenever there is a protest against any conservative policy or military adventurism it is only by virtue of a strong military that allows it to exist.
Many countries have had strong militarys either relevant to the world or their own citizens and have no freedom of speech or assembly. Any challenge to established power is a tortuous prison sentence or worse, possibly much worse.
Dissenting voices are considered wrong, portrayed as un-American, traitorous, or evil. Anyone who is not like them is not to be respected or trusted and they are routinely attacked, ridiculed and dehumanized. They advance hate for all those who fall outside their twisted moral view of society. Orwellian double speak, lies, half-truths, and distortions are their tools of choice.
Anyone or group who disagrees with or contradicts the administration or its allies and benefactors are trashed mercilessly.
I often hear neoconservatives or their blind disciples speak of reviving anti sedition laws. It seems they don’t just want to discourage criticism of the Iraq occupation or other military campaigns, such as a war with Iran, but to link all public disapproval of the President or his administration to giving aid and comfort to the enemy. This would be a great restriction on freedom.
Remember when the old Soviet Union had a powerful army but no freedom. When a love for freedom became manifest among the population it came into being despite the strength of the military loving politicians trying to hold it back.
Dissent is a stalwart guardian of freedom and in every country where it is allowed to flourish, while government may be a bit more chaotic, freedom is great.
* Wow! They're doing what all totalitarian governments do. They're asking us to spy on each other so everyone is afraid to express discontent about anything. Their spies are even willing to glean information from people in an over-stressed crisis situation. . Firefighters asked to report people who express discontent with the government David Edwards and Muriel Kane Published: Thursday November 29, 2007 It was revealed last week that firefighters are being trained to not only keep an eye out for illegal materials in the course of their duties, but even to report back any expression of discontent with the government. more + something from Olbermann... http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Homeland_Security_turns_firefighters_into_domestic_1129.html
Our Bill of Rights was placed on a pinnacle of honor by our forefathers and continues by the choice of all the following generations who have equally cherished it. Freedom flows from the hearts of the people and is dependent on the amount of love for freedom dwelling there and their courage to keep it or obtain it. If love for freedom is only for ones own close-knit cultural identity or financial security then freedom is less. If on the other hand love for freedom is extended to other cultures and races then freedom is more expansive; more genuine. If fear, hate or greed enter the picture then freedom is subjugated to that adoration.
For the first time in our history we are in a period of retreat from civil rights and the respect for the dignity of humanity. The Bill of Rights is under assault from this administration.
Amendment 1 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Amendment 2 A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Amendment 3 No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. Amendment 4 The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Amendment 5 No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Amendment 6 In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence. Amendment 7 In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. Amendment 8 Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Amendment 9 The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. Amendment 10 The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Olbermann-HabeusCorpus- and the death of the bill of rights
The Bushies, during this election year, will want us to see terrorists behind every tree and to believe they have many allies living among us...
If your from a Muslim society; If you’re a Democrat; If you’re progressive/liberal; If you’re an outspoken Mom of a dead soldier; If your speaking out against presidential ineptitude; If you speak out against the lies that drove us away from Afghanistan and into Iraq; You may be considered by the Bush administration to be an enemy. * What is a terrorist? http://www.peacetakescourage.com/terrorist.html * They don’t leave much room for loyal opposition because if you don’t walk in lock step with them you are unacceptable and viewed as a threat. You’re seen as someone not deserving of the Bill of Rights. Anyone voicing dissent of administration policy is viewed with suspicion. Anyone voicing dissent of administration policy is viewed as un-American. Anyone voicing dissent of administration policy is viewed as a traitor.
JFK Speech on Secret Societies and Freedom of Speech
I love the flag but I hate what these right wing ideologues have done to it. This same flag is now being dirtied because it is being used as a banner for creeping fascism in our own country. I’m talking about the Neocons running our nation. They do not embrace Hitler’s, Mussolini’s, Franco’s, or anyone else’s version of fascism. They are fooling with their own Neoconservative version. It’s not fully realized but they already fit many descriptions of fascism which has been a disaster in every country it has existed in. Ours would be no exception. These people who have welcomed this filthy ideology have disgraced our flag and our forefather’s sacrifices. They must have their actions restricted or stopped by Congress and they must by voted out of office.
When Democracy failed
They are fascist.
From the very beginning of the Bush administration they began to marry corporate goals with administration goals. It started with the secretive energy meetings conducted by Cheney. The Bush administration accommodates their needs over that of America in most every instance. They place cronies, many of whom are unqualified, into positions of importance who end up catering to corporate interests over that of the American people. Neocons desire to rid the country of responsible government regulation of business and urgently needed social programs that they feel might interfere with their conservative vision of the way they would like to see business conducted. They believe those programs they are willing to let survive should be placed into private hands (the ownership society). They don’t just want to unravel everything positive that FDR did for our nation they want to destroy progressive advancements back to the time of Teddy Roosevelt. Propaganda assails us all day long. The AM radio is dominated by extreme right wing viewpoints spewing pro-administration talking points and distortions across the dial twenty four hours a day. They also have the Fox news network along with many local stations affiliated with all the other networks, The Mooney owned Washington Times along with many other newspapers and publications. Multiple media outlets are owned in each city thanks to FCC deregulation. The other television network outlets are under the ownership of large profit centered corporations who have generated timid news crews. Courageous, independent and honest media sources are becoming harder to find in this country and those that do exist are constantly assailed.
Mike Papantonio - Hate Radio
The neoconservatives are gifted at what I call ‘misdirection’. Just like what magicians do to distract an audience’s attention. It’s used most often when there is news or some other event they would like to draw our attention away from. Most often the device they chose is terror alerts or some threat of terrorism. They bring out some old report and present it as new, give partial information presented in the most threatening manner or completely fabricate the threat. The lapdog corporate media dutifully covers the administration tale ignoring what it was meant to hide. Sometimes the misdirection is as simple as an attack on a political enemy or policy such as gay marriage, some other conservative hot button issue or the sensational crime du' jour. The sad thing is legitimate threats are lost in the world of 'the boy who cried wolf'. I can't help but wonder if any terrorist acts or something similar would be used to Neocon advantage.
They stage political rallies where only people who sign a loyalty oath are allowed to attend. The people run a gauntlet of security to make sure no dissenters of any kind manage to slip inside to see who are supposed to be the leaders of everyone in the country. If you’re curious or just want to see your president or other top administration officials and hear them speak; you’re not getting in without the right papers. Many other rallies are attended only by the military on their turf, listening to a civilian president decked out in military garb. These events are highly orchestrated to sway the emotions while presenting an attractive stage for television news going about the business of providing colorful sound bites for a gullible public. Their propaganda is meant to control opinion in their favor by distorting and hiding the truth. It's in their interests the Neoconservative Bush administration is operating, not the United States.
THE BEST WAR EVER by John Stauber & Sheldon Rampton
They're setting up the framework where people, including US citizens, can be locked up without charge, only suspicion is necessary, indefinitely with no access to counsel, the Red Cross or human rights groups. Anyone who looks Middle Eastern is targeted as a possible terrorist and deserves intense scrutiny and possible indefinite detention. Immigrants to our country including children can be and are being held indefinitely without charge.
Habeas corpus, posse comitatus and personal privacy have been thrown on the ash heap. Our homes, mail, medical records, the books we borrow from the library, the web sites we visit, and the groups we associate with are all subject to secret FBI or Homeland Security snooping without legitimate judicial review.
Elections have become guarded events with suspicious activities such as purging voting rolls, caging or having too few polling places forcing lines many hours long in predominately black districts or intimating a threat of arrest. Why, because they most often vote democratic.We’re allowing ourselves to be taken advantage of by those who would desire to see our freedoms lessened for their own lustful purposes. They believe they are allowed, they have good reasons, and that domestic or international law does not apply to them.
Sadly so many good people who are still moved emotionally by 'God Bless America' have filled their lives with so many voluntary and involuntary distractions that they've allowed themselves to become easy prey for the propagandists. That's why so many of us keep begging and screaming.
This president has lost all credibility in matters of foreign policy. He talked about diplomacy before the Iraq war and it was all a lie. Most believe he's spreading more fear and distortion while ignoring tough effective diplomacy before attacking Iran.
The real threat is the existence of conditions which allow terrorism to grow within third world countries, such as poverty, ignorance, lack of adequate health care and human rights. . Those are the conditions which exist under the rule of self-serving dictators. The seeds of terrorism are sown in this environment and gradually grow to maturity. The mistake we make is that once terrorism rears its ugly head in a country, we support the dictatorship even more, thereby losing the trust and respect of the average citizens in that country. Someone in the United States might say, "How can anyone choose an extremist form of Islam over democracy?" But if America supports your leader and you’re living on a dirt floor while your baby is dying and your brother is rotting in prison because he spoke his mind, you might think, "How could radical Islam be any worse than the way I have it now?" . If we wish to stop the rising tide of terrorism we must stop supporting or tolerating dictators and let the people of the country know this. At the same time we must encourage and help growth in the economy, education and human rights of these countries and not the military weaponry of tyrants. . War is a poor answer to a human problem; a diplomatic problem. Don’t let the militaristic neoconservatives lead you to believe the only road to peace is by the gun. They are wrong. . The threat and fear of radical fundamentalist Islam is morphing into a paranoid dread of all Islam.
US knew Musharraf planned to institute emergency rule: report John ByrnePublished: Friday November 23, 2007 http://rawstory.com/news/2007/US_knew_Musharraf_planned_to_institute_1123.html Makes you wonder what they have planned for us if they view Musharraf's response to a puplic rising up peacefully against a military dictator as acceptable.
to readNational Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directiveplease go here... . police state
.
Bush More Emphatic In Backing Musharraf He Says Leader 'Believes in Democracy' By Michael Abramowitz and Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writers Wednesday, November 21, 2007
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/20/AR2007112002304.html?hpid=topnews . The United States was at one time considered the leader of the world in human rights (at least we were striving in that direction). We liked to call ourselves the greatest nation in the world. . Oh, it's true we stumbled along the way but we always moved ahead in a positive direction. We haven’t always lived up to the fullness of what our Constitution and Bill of Rights calls us, so there were bumps and sometimes giant ruts along our shared histories path that brought great trials, success and shame, sorrow and pride, and often costs many lives.
.
But America grew brick by brick laid by the tough hands of our forefathers and foremothers, of all races and creeds, whose lifeblood flows throughout the heart of our land. History is full of the tales of their labored lives, hardships, troubles, accomplishments, the struggle for their very existance and to have the freedom to be called a human being. The dust of their bones will be desecrated if we take a wrecking ball to the foundation they set. . Now, because of a desire for power, secrecy and control among those in the Bush administration our nation has embraced a cancer of cruel suppression of the dignity of humanity. A sheepish fear among their followers, has allowed them to become mesmerized by a calculating group masquerading as trustworthy, giving the neoconservatives approval to disregard, as if it didn’t exist, the law and ethics of our nation. Acting as all cancers do if not removed it will grow and bring death to our democratic republic.Are children will be left to grow in a world of suppression and fear that never existed for us. . The loyal dissenters of Neocon policies believe this to be a horrible wrong. Driven more by the love we have for this country than by fear, we believe that all must speak out; that every one must shout’ STOP’. We believe it is time for all to demonstrate the courage of our ancestors and love America more than fear the unknown. And that goes especially for our one year old Democratically controlled Congress who have given us a new found hope for a return to constitutional order, an end to Iraqi occupation and a halt to military adventurism. To them I say this... . Don't cave in. Push your fellow party members and the Republicans to stop this horrible occupation. Enough is enough and enough is, too much.
.
No Iran war.
.
Restore Constitutional order.
.
Quit spending our children’s and grandchildren’s future. . We our now facing our giant rut along the path, will we dishonor the legacy of those who stood so bravely on this land before us? . From the first 5 Star General President(listen)
I thought they decided not to print this but it was in the paper the next day after I faxed it to them. Somehow I just overlooked it.
Letters to the editor
Torture disgraces us Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Waterboarding is torture. Torture is and always has been evil. Information gained is unreliable and dangerous to the well-being of our troops. We hanged people in Nuremberg for the practices we carry out today. You who accept this horrendous practice are too blind to see you are denying your faithfulness to what you so proudly proclaim as God and country. You are swept up by passion, following along aimlessly, duped by voluntary ignorance and fear of going against what seems popular with your peers, causing you to halt any questions you may have floating around in your conscience. You're willing to throw away what others who came before you suffered and died for because of fear mixed with a healthy dose of ignorance and a smattering of hate for those who have the strange religion and frightening ways. No amount of evidence can convince you seriously misguided adherents of anything Bush that you are willing victims of propaganda and lies. You don't realize you have foolishly surrendered your loyalty to the USA to a man. You people who have welcomed this filthy practice of torture have disgraced our flag, our ancestors' sacrifices and the dust of their bones.
Ken Wells - Spokane
The Spokesman Review http://www.spokesmanreview.com/ . Once we believe that torture is okay, that we're still pure and clean and good for having accepted it, we open ourselves up to many evil embraced horrors of our own making. We already believe in pre-emptive war and collateral damage without a conscience thought, for even a moment of the results of our actions. . Nuremberg Trial Proceedings - Indictment: Count Three - WAR CRIMES http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/Count3.html . Collateral Damage
This is a great example of going way to far; by people hijacking a protest for their own purposes. Anarchists are alive and well in the northwest. It's important to point out that their methods and outlook in no way represent the peace movement, however, I also suspect that much violence and vandalism may have been carried out by those 'loyalists' of the Bush agenda in an effort to discredit all those expressing dissent.
"In struggling for human dignity the oppressed people of the world must not allow themselves to become bitter or indulge in hate campaigns. To retaliate with hate and bitterness would do nothing but intensify the hate in the world. Along the way of life, someone must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate. This can be done only by projecting the ethics of love to the center of our lives."
In addition to declaring we do not seek to have permanent bases in Iraq and redeploying the military forces we need to insure that the refugees are well taken care of. This administration and the military, outside of protection and support, have no business running refugee operations. This should be left up to the groups who have experience in these areas and have proven themselves capable. This is our mess. The Bush administration foolhardily got this ball rolling making us fiscally andmorally responsible for the lives of these people.
I’m greatly concerned that given the Bush administration's abysmal track record on world diplomacy any war like action in Iran will blow up in their faces bringing great harm not only to the innocent men, women, and children in Iran but also to our nation.
I worry about Russia’s closeness to Iran; they are joined by the Caspian Sea and they have sent defensive missiles to Iran. Will they be drawn into this war?
Saudi citizens are sending money in the millions to the Sunnis of Iraq. Will they be drawn into the war?
Will they be igniting the spark, similar to the flash that lit WW One, which causes nations to divvy up sides for another world war?
Will the world view us as the aggressors and retaliate economically if not militarily against our interests?
Are we just using questionable evidence of Iranian involvement, at whatever level, as an excuse for war with Iran?
Are we seeking support from both Saudi Arabia and radical elements among the Sunnis, loyal to Al Qaeda, for an attack against Iran?
Are we doing the bidding of Saudi Arabia?
Are we going to attempt to replay the old Iran-Iraq war? It sure seems we may be heading in that general direction.
Where is the national debate?
Where is the congressional authorization?
Where is the Bush administration credibility on intelligence leading to military adventurism?
US 'Iran attack plans' revealed Last Updated: Tuesday, 20 February 2007, 10:28 GMT US contingency plans for air strikes on Iran extend beyond nuclear sites and include most of the country's military infrastructure, the BBC has learned. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6376639.stm
FOX ATTACKS: Iran
Bush On Iran
KEITH OLBERMANN - Declaration Of War wIth Iran
I worry about this powerful and arrogant man being in such a weak position politically. All the issues were arguing about, the corruption investigations, bringing the troops home from Iraq and even his very low approval rating will all be on the back burner once he decides to attack Iran.
Democrats who voted for Mukasey who disrespected themselves, the party, the nation and all those who must undergo torture in our names. Bayh (IN) Carper (DE) Feinstein (CA) Landrieu (LA) Nelson (NE) Schumer (NY)
Democrats who didn't vote for or against (NV) Mukasey who disrespected themselves, the party, the nation and all those who must undergo torture in our names.
Here we go again. Another attempt at doing what's right. Another opportunity for those opposed to doing what's right to block.
.
thanks to rawstory...
House to Vote on Bill That Would Pay for War, Begin Bringing Troops Home ANNE FLAHERTYAP News Nov 08, 2007 14:53 EST
Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House will vote as early as Friday on legislation that would spend $50 billion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but require that President Bush start bringing troops home. The money is about a quarter of the $196 billion requested by Bush. It would finance about four months of combat in Iraq, Pelosi told reporters on Thursday. more... http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/House_readies_another_Iraq_vote_11082007.html
They knew ahead of time this was a bad idea.
. When we made these same arguements before the current occupation of Iraq we were called un-American and traitors. We were right then and we are still right now about the warnings we are raising about an ill-advised attack on Iran.
Military Reporter Recalls Bush's Objections To Iraq Invasion On A Previous Veteran's Day By Joe Strupp Published: November 12, 2007 1:00 PM ET NEW YORK Sig Christenson, a founding member of Military Reporters and Editors who has worked five assignments in Iraq since the war began, reached back some 10 years for a Veteran's Day piece that noted President George Bush's early opposition to an Iraq invasion. more... http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003671351 . These guys all knew ahead of time what would happen when we invaded Iraq and they did it anyway. WHY?
OIL?
WAR PROFITEERING?
PNAC ROAD TO IMPERIALISM?
PATH TO TOTALITARIAN CONTROL IN U.S?
ALL OF THE ABOVE?
IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE U.S.?
NOOOO!
Conservatives like to claim that the liberals are to blame for the problems in Iraq. Complete nonsense.
The Republicans were in charge;
when warnings about terrorism were ignored before 9/11, when Afghanistan and the battle against the Taliban and Al Qaeda was abandoned, when a war of choice against a country that was not an imminent threat was begun, when a war in Iraq was begun based on lies, when this ill-advised war was begun without a cultural understanding of the people, when far too few troops were used for that illegal action in Iraq, when lawlessness and looting were tolerated ,when the Iraq army was disbanded, when troop armor and gear were kept sup-par for the mission, when a forced vote was held too early before Sunni concerns were addressed, when torture was allowed to become administration policy, when illegal detentions became administration policy, when spying on Americans became administration policy, when support for war profiteers became administration policy, when habeas corpus became something not available to all, when posse comitatus became abandoned, when spying on American citizens became an okay thing to do, when a culture of corruption was allowed to flourish at home, when congressional oversight was abandoned, when doing the same failed thing over and over without success became the plan, when our war dead became something to hide in shame, when the injured military and their families were treated without proper care or respect, when terrorism was allowed to grow world wide while claiming success, when fear became a weapon of propaganda against the American people, when failure became always someone else’s fault, and when lies and propaganda became an acceptable substitute for truth when dealing with the public. For these reasons and many more Iraq has become the losing mess it now is.
For these reasons and many more impeachment is well deserved for the Bush/Cheney cabal.
“In Germany, they first came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist....
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.....
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist....
Then they came for the Catholics
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Catholic....
Then they came for me –
and by that time there was nobody left to speak up.”.....
Martin Niemoller
I hate using the fear word but its going to be prominent in ’08. Fear of Iran, Al Qaeda, terrorists everywhere among us, immigrant hordes, liberals and worst of all taxes.
