With news that President Bush will request an additional $50 billion from congress for the war in Iraq, I'm left to wonder how this war could be allowed to expand in light of the unjust damage our military continues to cause. Isn't knowing that our invasion was uninvoked, without merit and intentionally deceptive enough to warrant an end to this entire fiasco, let alone to even speak of expanding it? If it isn't, then this should be. Our war is having a severe strain on the civilian Iraqi population, causing severe power and water shortages which are having devastating health related effects on the population. It is morally corrupt to allow this war to continue in light of the terror we have brought to Iraq.
With heat reaching 120 degrees some days during the blistering Iraqi summer, it is unfathomable from an American perspective that people could live without electricity or water for 23 hours out of the day and survive, but that is the reality in Iraq. Prior to the U.S. led invasion in 2003, residents of Baghdad received on average 16-24 hours of electricity per day. As of now they receive merely one hour per day, far short of the amount of power needed to supply the water needs of the population. Furthermore, the situation has created unsafe drinking water, making what little water available toxic. Currently, 70% of Iraqi's lack proper water supply, up from the 50% lacking in 2003.
http://www.antiwar.com/ips/fadhily.php?articleid=11464
All we ever hear from the President is how the war must be won at all costs, and that by leaving now we would admit defeat, but there is no ground for him to stand on. We have done serious damage to this region, and continue to every second spent supporting this assault. None of the propaganda this war has been based on was ever true, but what is true is our place in the wrong. It is appalling the conditions we have created for this people, hailing ourselves as the bringers of hope. All we have done is bring death, devastation and unlivable conditions to a land we had no business invading. No good can come about from this through as much bad as has already taken place. We cannot allow this war to be expanded any further. It is far past time for Congress to hold the President in check and refuse his request to expand on the war. It is an atrocity how far our nation has been misled.
In the words of Baghdad resident Nabhan Mukhlis, "The problem is that we do not have a government like any other country. We should just stop complaining and surrender to the death penalty that was issued the day Americans decided to invade our country."
Those who support this war should let that settle in.
Iraq is not Afghanistan, and Afghanistan was never the truth.
Digg it
http://digg.com/political_opinion/The_reality_of_the_war_in_Iraq
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Michael Vick: race, reality and society
Michael Vick's crime is much more than a dog fighting case. Beyond what has been purported to have occurred, it is the social ramifications that have caught my attention. Beginning back when the story first broke, the race card played by both the SCLC and the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP begat cries of racial injustice. I failed to see then, nor now, how race factors into the equation. SCLC President Charles Steele, Jr. said, "We need to support him [Vick] no matter what the evidence reveals." In response Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, President of the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny, accurately replied,
"The NAACP and the SCLC are so corrupt and racist that they're oblivious to their own hypocrisy. The groups have no objectivity or proper sense of moral outrage against any black offenders. These same groups didn't have a problem rushing to judgment during the Duke rape scandal when three innocent white athletes were wrongfully accused of raping a black female. Their outrage only applies to white offenses, real or contrived. "
"Michael Vick is not a victim of racism. He will have his day in court and he's wealthy enough to afford the best legal representation money can buy. But for the leader of a civil rights group once associated with Dr. King to state that blacks should support Vick 'no matter what the evidence reveals,' demonstrates just how morally bankrupt modern day civil rights groups have become and how little respect they have for the character of black Americans."
http://www.earnedmedia.org/bond0801.htm
Aren't such racial stances racist in themselves? I don't see how you can support someone just because of the color of their skin while calling for racial equality, in spite of how damning and disturbing the evidence is to the crime. It's almost as if those groups are suggesting that Michael Vick should be let off because he is black. Despite whatever ones cultural views are, dog fighting is cruel and inhumane, bringing life into being only to torture and kill. And regardless of ones views, it's a crime. Race has no place in this issue.
Equally as troubling is the acceptance of the plea Vick is entering, in which he will admit to the interstate dog fighting conspiracy charges, but not admit to gambling allegations or assisting in the tortured executions of eight pit bulls, which he admits being present for. He has admitted to supplying the money used in the gambling ring, but claims he did not place bets himself and did not share in the winnings. It is a travesty of justice that our courts allow such loopholes to exist, as if Vick, after all the lying he has done, is worthy of the benefit of the doubt. No way is it acceptable for Vick to get off on the Animal cruelty charges, nor the gambling allegations, simply by copping a plea, promising to serve as an informant to testify in other federal dog fighting cases, as part of the deal. What kind of source is he, and how is this plea acceptable? Vick has done nothing but lie from the get go, lying to the Atlanta Falcons, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the media, outrightly denying any wrong doing or involvement with dog fighting. Now our government wants to take him for his word and use him as a trusted informant? This whole case stinks of elitism, not racism. It wreaks of celebrity justice. The average American citizen isn't afforded such privilege and opportunity, possessing neither the ability or resources to so obviously sidestep the law. There is no reason to allow differing sets of norms to rule differing classes of people. Perhaps U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson will see it this way when sentencing Vick, who still could see the maximum five years instead of the recommended 12-18 months as sought by federal prosecutors. It's just reflective how broken our system is, how un-democratic our society has become. Inequality is deeper than race.
http://www.ktre.com/Global/story.asp?S=6987352
Click to digg it
http://digg.com/political_opinion/Michael_Vick_race_reality_and_society
"The NAACP and the SCLC are so corrupt and racist that they're oblivious to their own hypocrisy. The groups have no objectivity or proper sense of moral outrage against any black offenders. These same groups didn't have a problem rushing to judgment during the Duke rape scandal when three innocent white athletes were wrongfully accused of raping a black female. Their outrage only applies to white offenses, real or contrived. "
"Michael Vick is not a victim of racism. He will have his day in court and he's wealthy enough to afford the best legal representation money can buy. But for the leader of a civil rights group once associated with Dr. King to state that blacks should support Vick 'no matter what the evidence reveals,' demonstrates just how morally bankrupt modern day civil rights groups have become and how little respect they have for the character of black Americans."
http://www.earnedmedia.org/bond0801.htm
Aren't such racial stances racist in themselves? I don't see how you can support someone just because of the color of their skin while calling for racial equality, in spite of how damning and disturbing the evidence is to the crime. It's almost as if those groups are suggesting that Michael Vick should be let off because he is black. Despite whatever ones cultural views are, dog fighting is cruel and inhumane, bringing life into being only to torture and kill. And regardless of ones views, it's a crime. Race has no place in this issue.
Equally as troubling is the acceptance of the plea Vick is entering, in which he will admit to the interstate dog fighting conspiracy charges, but not admit to gambling allegations or assisting in the tortured executions of eight pit bulls, which he admits being present for. He has admitted to supplying the money used in the gambling ring, but claims he did not place bets himself and did not share in the winnings. It is a travesty of justice that our courts allow such loopholes to exist, as if Vick, after all the lying he has done, is worthy of the benefit of the doubt. No way is it acceptable for Vick to get off on the Animal cruelty charges, nor the gambling allegations, simply by copping a plea, promising to serve as an informant to testify in other federal dog fighting cases, as part of the deal. What kind of source is he, and how is this plea acceptable? Vick has done nothing but lie from the get go, lying to the Atlanta Falcons, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the media, outrightly denying any wrong doing or involvement with dog fighting. Now our government wants to take him for his word and use him as a trusted informant? This whole case stinks of elitism, not racism. It wreaks of celebrity justice. The average American citizen isn't afforded such privilege and opportunity, possessing neither the ability or resources to so obviously sidestep the law. There is no reason to allow differing sets of norms to rule differing classes of people. Perhaps U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson will see it this way when sentencing Vick, who still could see the maximum five years instead of the recommended 12-18 months as sought by federal prosecutors. It's just reflective how broken our system is, how un-democratic our society has become. Inequality is deeper than race.
http://www.ktre.com/Global/story.asp?S=6987352
Click to digg it
http://digg.com/political_opinion/Michael_Vick_race_reality_and_society
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Bush compares Vietnam war to Iraq
President Bush has invoked the Vietnam war in defending his own personal and illegal war in Iraq. Of all possible defenses, this is the last one I saw coming. In addressing the members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Bush stated from part of his speech,
"In 1972, one antiwar senator put it this way: 'What earthly difference does it make to nomadic tribes or uneducated subsistence farmers in Vietnam or Cambodia or Laos, whether they have a military dictator, a royal prince or a socialist commissar in some distant capital that they've never seen and may never heard of?' A columnist for The New York Times wrote in a similar vein in 1975, just as Cambodia and Vietnam were falling to the communists: 'It's difficult to imagine,' he said, 'how their lives could be anything but better with the Americans gone.' A headline on that story, date Phnom Penh, summed up the argument: 'Indochina without Americans: For Most a Better Life.'
"The world would learn just how costly these misimpressions would be. In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge began a murderous rule in which hundreds of thousands of Cambodians died by starvation and torture and execution. In Vietnam, former allies of the United States and government workers and intellectuals and businessmen were sent off to prison camps, where tens of thousands perished. Hundreds of thousands more fled the country on rickety boats, many of them going to their graves in the South China Sea."
"Three decades later, there is a legitimate debate about how we got into the Vietnam War and how we left. There's no debate in my mind that the veterans from Vietnam deserve the high praise of the United States of America. (Applause.) Whatever your position is on that debate, one unmistakable legacy of Vietnam is that the price of America's withdrawal was paid by millions of innocent citizens whose agonies would add to our vocabulary new terms like 'boat people,' 're-education camps,' and 'killing fields'."
"There was another price to our withdrawal from Vietnam, and we can hear it in the words of the enemy we face in today's struggle -- those who came to our soil and killed thousands of citizens on September the 11th, 2001. In an interview with a Pakistani newspaper after the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden declared that "the American people had risen against their government's war in Vietnam. And they must do the same today."
How in the world can Bush be suggesting that we never should have left Vietnam, and by doing so, is he legitimizing the cause and pursuit of that war? That would be no surprise, as both wars are examples of our imperialistic government overextending it's reach into foreign affairs. How hypocritical we are in our stances on freedom. Freedom for us through oppression of others. And it's not un-American to say that. It's the truth. I don't see how blindly following our leaders is patriotic, ignoring the bad that comes with the good. Look what Bush is saying. He is advocating the biggest military blunder in United States history, save for his present day travesty in Iraq, through Afghanistan. He even invokes 9/11 in this speech, despite the fact that the only link between 9/11 and Iraq is himself.
Had we stayed in Vietnam, we still could be fighting it today. That war could not have been won, as we had no business being there. The Vietnamese were fighting for their freedom, on their land, while we were the foreign invaders. If Bush wants to make comparisons, it is along these lines he is best suited. We have no right, especially as "defenders of freedom", to instill our imperial will over the weaker nations of the world. This is what got us to 9/11.
In the words of Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung, "With regard to the American war in Vietnam, everyone knows that we fought to defend our country and that this was a righteous war of the Vietnamese people, and we all know that the war caused tremendous suffering and losses to the Vietnamese people."
Ton Nu Thi Ninh, a former chairwoman of the National Assembly's committee on foreign affairs said, "The price we, the Vietnamese people on both sides, paid during the war was due to the fact that the Americans went into Vietnam in the first place,"
Those are the comparisons to make with Iraq.
Digg it
http://digg.com/political_opinion/Bush_compares_Vietnam_war_to_Iraq
"In 1972, one antiwar senator put it this way: 'What earthly difference does it make to nomadic tribes or uneducated subsistence farmers in Vietnam or Cambodia or Laos, whether they have a military dictator, a royal prince or a socialist commissar in some distant capital that they've never seen and may never heard of?' A columnist for The New York Times wrote in a similar vein in 1975, just as Cambodia and Vietnam were falling to the communists: 'It's difficult to imagine,' he said, 'how their lives could be anything but better with the Americans gone.' A headline on that story, date Phnom Penh, summed up the argument: 'Indochina without Americans: For Most a Better Life.'
"The world would learn just how costly these misimpressions would be. In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge began a murderous rule in which hundreds of thousands of Cambodians died by starvation and torture and execution. In Vietnam, former allies of the United States and government workers and intellectuals and businessmen were sent off to prison camps, where tens of thousands perished. Hundreds of thousands more fled the country on rickety boats, many of them going to their graves in the South China Sea."
"Three decades later, there is a legitimate debate about how we got into the Vietnam War and how we left. There's no debate in my mind that the veterans from Vietnam deserve the high praise of the United States of America. (Applause.) Whatever your position is on that debate, one unmistakable legacy of Vietnam is that the price of America's withdrawal was paid by millions of innocent citizens whose agonies would add to our vocabulary new terms like 'boat people,' 're-education camps,' and 'killing fields'."
"There was another price to our withdrawal from Vietnam, and we can hear it in the words of the enemy we face in today's struggle -- those who came to our soil and killed thousands of citizens on September the 11th, 2001. In an interview with a Pakistani newspaper after the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden declared that "the American people had risen against their government's war in Vietnam. And they must do the same today."
How in the world can Bush be suggesting that we never should have left Vietnam, and by doing so, is he legitimizing the cause and pursuit of that war? That would be no surprise, as both wars are examples of our imperialistic government overextending it's reach into foreign affairs. How hypocritical we are in our stances on freedom. Freedom for us through oppression of others. And it's not un-American to say that. It's the truth. I don't see how blindly following our leaders is patriotic, ignoring the bad that comes with the good. Look what Bush is saying. He is advocating the biggest military blunder in United States history, save for his present day travesty in Iraq, through Afghanistan. He even invokes 9/11 in this speech, despite the fact that the only link between 9/11 and Iraq is himself.
Had we stayed in Vietnam, we still could be fighting it today. That war could not have been won, as we had no business being there. The Vietnamese were fighting for their freedom, on their land, while we were the foreign invaders. If Bush wants to make comparisons, it is along these lines he is best suited. We have no right, especially as "defenders of freedom", to instill our imperial will over the weaker nations of the world. This is what got us to 9/11.
In the words of Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung, "With regard to the American war in Vietnam, everyone knows that we fought to defend our country and that this was a righteous war of the Vietnamese people, and we all know that the war caused tremendous suffering and losses to the Vietnamese people."
Ton Nu Thi Ninh, a former chairwoman of the National Assembly's committee on foreign affairs said, "The price we, the Vietnamese people on both sides, paid during the war was due to the fact that the Americans went into Vietnam in the first place,"
Those are the comparisons to make with Iraq.
Digg it
http://digg.com/political_opinion/Bush_compares_Vietnam_war_to_Iraq
Monday, August 20, 2007
Playing the race card, turning a profit
The actions that have resulted from Don Imus's derogatory comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team offer an interesting glimpse into the interworkings of our society, especially in the realms of capitalization and personal gain. Kia Vaughn, a star player for Rutgers, has filed a lawsuit seeking monetary damages against Imus, C Vivian Stringer, the head coach of Rutgers, has received a book contract out of the deal, and the media has profited directing this soap opera. Yet I am left wondering at the end of the day what real harm, if any, was caused by Imus's comments? There is no doubt that Imus's words were insensitive, derogatory and told with the wit of a fifth grader, but they were nothing more than offensive. What has resulted through the continued attempt to capitalize off of the incident is offensive.
Don Imus is a foolish bigot, a fairly worthless member of society, and ignorant to boot, but that doesn't make him any lesser of a member of society, one founded on the belief of freedom of speech. Our society attacks many of it's problems backwards, being reactive in punishing wrongdoers rather than proactive in reforming the cause. You cannot simply eliminate a voice like Imus and expect bigotry and racism to cease to exist. Only through education and a more equally structured society will that come about, yet the energies of the media and civil rights groups have been expended villanizing Don Imus. The fact is regardless of how offensive his words were, Don Imus had an American right to say them. In keeping with the status quo, the media ignored the constitution. Imus was wrong, but the national reaction was worse. Since when did offending someone become a criminal act?
I am troubled more by the actions of Kia Vaughn and the opportunistic firestorm created by C. Vivian Stringer at the press conference she called, escalating this into a media frenzy, in light of her upcoming 2008 autobiography "Stepping Up and Standing Tall". Again, Imus was wrong with what he said, but he did nothing more than offend. Calling a press conference over such an act is unprecedented, and it clearly built up the national interest, as it was no doubt intended to. Did you here the dramatic wavering in coach Stringer's voice? Did you hear the drama in her words? She used that stage, a nationally televised press conference, to make this event up to be much more than it ever was. C. Vivian Stringer recognized this occasion as an opportunity to push herself and her team into the spotlight, and they've played it for all that they could. This was opportunism defined, as our nation's been played by the race card. Below is a link to the transcript from the Rutgers press conference.
https://lists.riseup.net/www/arc/ezilidanto/2007-04/msg00004.html
Vaughn has now filed a lawsuit against Don Imus, CBS radio, MSNBC, Westwood One, Viacom and surely anyone else who she can induce a settlement from. It seems money will help mend the wounds she has incurred from being labeled as a 'nappy headed ho', as if anyone took the claim literally. All of this comes after Vaughn accepted Imus's apology, as did the rest of her team, though clearly money is what matters to Vaughn. Playing the race card in such incidents where opportunism is apparent further divides the racial lines. There is one quote from C. Vivian Stringer's speech though I felt rang true, perhaps the most telling point she made: "And as much as I speak about that, it's not even black and white: the color is green." We all would have been better to realize that.
Click to digg it
http://digg.com/political_opinion/Playing_the_race_card_turning_a_profit
Don Imus is a foolish bigot, a fairly worthless member of society, and ignorant to boot, but that doesn't make him any lesser of a member of society, one founded on the belief of freedom of speech. Our society attacks many of it's problems backwards, being reactive in punishing wrongdoers rather than proactive in reforming the cause. You cannot simply eliminate a voice like Imus and expect bigotry and racism to cease to exist. Only through education and a more equally structured society will that come about, yet the energies of the media and civil rights groups have been expended villanizing Don Imus. The fact is regardless of how offensive his words were, Don Imus had an American right to say them. In keeping with the status quo, the media ignored the constitution. Imus was wrong, but the national reaction was worse. Since when did offending someone become a criminal act?
I am troubled more by the actions of Kia Vaughn and the opportunistic firestorm created by C. Vivian Stringer at the press conference she called, escalating this into a media frenzy, in light of her upcoming 2008 autobiography "Stepping Up and Standing Tall". Again, Imus was wrong with what he said, but he did nothing more than offend. Calling a press conference over such an act is unprecedented, and it clearly built up the national interest, as it was no doubt intended to. Did you here the dramatic wavering in coach Stringer's voice? Did you hear the drama in her words? She used that stage, a nationally televised press conference, to make this event up to be much more than it ever was. C. Vivian Stringer recognized this occasion as an opportunity to push herself and her team into the spotlight, and they've played it for all that they could. This was opportunism defined, as our nation's been played by the race card. Below is a link to the transcript from the Rutgers press conference.
https://lists.riseup.net/www/arc/ezilidanto/2007-04/msg00004.html
Vaughn has now filed a lawsuit against Don Imus, CBS radio, MSNBC, Westwood One, Viacom and surely anyone else who she can induce a settlement from. It seems money will help mend the wounds she has incurred from being labeled as a 'nappy headed ho', as if anyone took the claim literally. All of this comes after Vaughn accepted Imus's apology, as did the rest of her team, though clearly money is what matters to Vaughn. Playing the race card in such incidents where opportunism is apparent further divides the racial lines. There is one quote from C. Vivian Stringer's speech though I felt rang true, perhaps the most telling point she made: "And as much as I speak about that, it's not even black and white: the color is green." We all would have been better to realize that.
Click to digg it
http://digg.com/political_opinion/Playing_the_race_card_turning_a_profit
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Tillman's misuse has impacted us all
What a horrible story the death of Pat Tillman has become. To bring further injustice to the situation, the United States Army has chosen not to pursue criminal charges against any of the officers involved in the cover up of Pat Tillman's friendly fire death, yet their actions were nothing short of criminal. It seems like every day we learn of another breach of conduct occurring within our government, yet nobody ever seems to be held accountable. What is it going to take to truly invoke the wrath of the American citizens? I would have thought this would be enough, but our leaders continue unswayed.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070810/ap_on_re_us/tillman_friendly_fire
I don't know what's more disgusting, the fact that Tillman's death turned into a marketing venture for President Bush's misleading war, or the fact that no one is going to pay for these crimes while our leaders continue unchecked. The actions taken after Tillman's death were deliberate by our government and intentionally deceptive for a purpose. Multiple levels of authority were involved in numerous breaches of conduct, yet the bureaucratic nature of the Army and our government have made it all too easy too simply plead ignorance, free from the hand of the law.
What are we to take from the actions our government is committing, deceiving our nation of the truth and manipulating our understanding of the reality of these situations? Are the American citizens too far removed from any semblance of power to usefully make their beliefs felt, and opinions heard? What can be done to hold our leaders more accountable for their negligent actions? These questions need to be answered, and they need to become a priority to a nation which is quickly watching their basic freedoms and rights being stolen from them.
Look at the facts from this cover-up and tell me it doesn't stink of murder or a much larger conspiracy. Tillman was shot three times in the head from a distance of ten yards, making it difficult to believe that the shooter didn't know his target. Tillman's uniform was burned immediately after his death, despite the fact medical examiners immediately ruled out death by enemy fire, an obvious act to destroy evidence. Despite the fact that friendly fire was immediately suspected by Army medical examiners, Army officials did not open an investigation into Tillman's death and instead created a false account of his death, which the quote below addresses.
"He made the call. He dismounted his troops, taking the fight to the enemy, uphill, to seize the tactical high ground from the enemy. This gave his brothers and the downed vehicle time to move off that target. He directly saved their lives with that move. Pat sacrificed himself so his brothers could live."
Those were the words by Steve White, a Navy SEAL, who addressed a crowd of roughly 2,000 people on live television at Tillman's memorial service. However, those weren't really his words. White claims he was contacted by an ARMY representative shortly before giving his speech for Tillman at the memorial, and was coached on what he was to say. ESPN, of all media outlets, has done an excellent job of investigative reporting on this issue and made it into a four part series. The link is below and I recommend anybody who is the least bit concerned about this issue, and our governments operation, to fully read all the facts and become vocally active.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=tillmanpart1
The deception goes even further. Tillman was posthumously awarded a silver star in battle, an award which has never been given to a soldier killed by friendly fire. It is now being seen as a PR move by the Army, and a quote from the recommendation is as follows:
"Corporal Tillman put himself in the line of devastating enemy fire as he maneuvered his Fire Team to a covered position from which they could effectively employ their weapons on known enemy positions. While mortally wounded, his audacious leadership and courageous example under fire inspired his men to fight with great risk to their own personal safety, resulting in the enemy's withdrawal and his platoon's safe passage from the ambush kill zone."
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070814/OPINION01/708140352/1035/OPINION
None of that occurred. Why is it we continue to allow our government officials the benefit of the doubt, especially when it is so obvious these officials are anything but honest? This whole war has been one giant deception, and still the wheels continue to churn. Our government is one giant conflict of interest, and as such, justice is not a possibility, especially when our government is suspected of wrongdoing. Tillman was effectively murdered, and our country is turning it's back on an individual who refused to turn his back on his country. Every American citizen should feel compelled to act out against this injustice. These criminals need to pay for their crimes, but our corrupted, conflicted government is above criminality. How can we be expected to defend a nation which refuses to defend it's fallen? These weren't innocent mistakes people, these were hideous acts that were intended to mislead. And in typical American fashion, capitalization was the goal. I demand more accountability from our leaders, though that will not come within our elitist run bureaucracy, as our system is inherently flawed. We need to rekindle the democracy this nation was founded on and make criminal examples of those who have operated above the law. No one should have to lose their life in such a disrespectful way as Pat Tillman. This is not a political issue. It is a leadership issue, it is a systemic issue, it is an issue that equally affects everyone from the left, middle and right. This is not the way our government should be allowed to operate. This is not what we have to accept.
Click the link to Digg the article:
http://digg.com/political_opinion/Tillman_s_misuse_has_impacted_us_all
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070810/ap_on_re_us/tillman_friendly_fire
I don't know what's more disgusting, the fact that Tillman's death turned into a marketing venture for President Bush's misleading war, or the fact that no one is going to pay for these crimes while our leaders continue unchecked. The actions taken after Tillman's death were deliberate by our government and intentionally deceptive for a purpose. Multiple levels of authority were involved in numerous breaches of conduct, yet the bureaucratic nature of the Army and our government have made it all too easy too simply plead ignorance, free from the hand of the law.
What are we to take from the actions our government is committing, deceiving our nation of the truth and manipulating our understanding of the reality of these situations? Are the American citizens too far removed from any semblance of power to usefully make their beliefs felt, and opinions heard? What can be done to hold our leaders more accountable for their negligent actions? These questions need to be answered, and they need to become a priority to a nation which is quickly watching their basic freedoms and rights being stolen from them.
Look at the facts from this cover-up and tell me it doesn't stink of murder or a much larger conspiracy. Tillman was shot three times in the head from a distance of ten yards, making it difficult to believe that the shooter didn't know his target. Tillman's uniform was burned immediately after his death, despite the fact medical examiners immediately ruled out death by enemy fire, an obvious act to destroy evidence. Despite the fact that friendly fire was immediately suspected by Army medical examiners, Army officials did not open an investigation into Tillman's death and instead created a false account of his death, which the quote below addresses.
"He made the call. He dismounted his troops, taking the fight to the enemy, uphill, to seize the tactical high ground from the enemy. This gave his brothers and the downed vehicle time to move off that target. He directly saved their lives with that move. Pat sacrificed himself so his brothers could live."
Those were the words by Steve White, a Navy SEAL, who addressed a crowd of roughly 2,000 people on live television at Tillman's memorial service. However, those weren't really his words. White claims he was contacted by an ARMY representative shortly before giving his speech for Tillman at the memorial, and was coached on what he was to say. ESPN, of all media outlets, has done an excellent job of investigative reporting on this issue and made it into a four part series. The link is below and I recommend anybody who is the least bit concerned about this issue, and our governments operation, to fully read all the facts and become vocally active.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=tillmanpart1
The deception goes even further. Tillman was posthumously awarded a silver star in battle, an award which has never been given to a soldier killed by friendly fire. It is now being seen as a PR move by the Army, and a quote from the recommendation is as follows:
"Corporal Tillman put himself in the line of devastating enemy fire as he maneuvered his Fire Team to a covered position from which they could effectively employ their weapons on known enemy positions. While mortally wounded, his audacious leadership and courageous example under fire inspired his men to fight with great risk to their own personal safety, resulting in the enemy's withdrawal and his platoon's safe passage from the ambush kill zone."
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070814/OPINION01/708140352/1035/OPINION
None of that occurred. Why is it we continue to allow our government officials the benefit of the doubt, especially when it is so obvious these officials are anything but honest? This whole war has been one giant deception, and still the wheels continue to churn. Our government is one giant conflict of interest, and as such, justice is not a possibility, especially when our government is suspected of wrongdoing. Tillman was effectively murdered, and our country is turning it's back on an individual who refused to turn his back on his country. Every American citizen should feel compelled to act out against this injustice. These criminals need to pay for their crimes, but our corrupted, conflicted government is above criminality. How can we be expected to defend a nation which refuses to defend it's fallen? These weren't innocent mistakes people, these were hideous acts that were intended to mislead. And in typical American fashion, capitalization was the goal. I demand more accountability from our leaders, though that will not come within our elitist run bureaucracy, as our system is inherently flawed. We need to rekindle the democracy this nation was founded on and make criminal examples of those who have operated above the law. No one should have to lose their life in such a disrespectful way as Pat Tillman. This is not a political issue. It is a leadership issue, it is a systemic issue, it is an issue that equally affects everyone from the left, middle and right. This is not the way our government should be allowed to operate. This is not what we have to accept.
Click the link to Digg the article:
http://digg.com/political_opinion/Tillman_s_misuse_has_impacted_us_all
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Wiretapping, Money and Power
We have never seen a Presidential administration abuse it’s authority in as many varied and intrusive ways as has occurred under President George W. Bush. In the name of terrorism, a misleading pursuit as we are the international terrorists, this administration has overstepped it’s boundaries in so many offensive ways, it is apparent that serious reform is the only option. Bush has recently signed into law an expansion onto the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which itself was in breach of the Constitution, which now gives our Government unprecedented power to tap into the phone line of any suspected foreign terrorist without the consent of a warrant. In effect, the President now has absolute authority to intrude on the privacy of whomever he deems a threat, with us citizens losing our basic freedom in the process.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/06/washington/06nsa.html?ei=5088&en=5e759f9bfd611cd7&ex=1344052800&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1186757201-2XL1YkfLfJyY4qdZYYKNbQ
The true threat is that the United States is quickly turning into the police state so many Americans fear, the same fear that has been falsely associated with structured economies. Isn't that what the big knock on Socialism and Communism has always been in this country, through Capitalist backed propaganda, that Communist and Socialist governments are too intrusive, lack freedom and are too controlled? Aren't we experiencing all of those breaches of freedom now, without the assurance of a more equal standard of living and the realization of basic social programs for those in need? And that's what this is all about: money.
The elite in this country play by a different set of rules than the rest of our citizens, afforded opportunity and privilege the average citizen could hardly Dream of. Laws such as FISA would never have been passed by the founding fathers of our country. Our Constitution was written to prevent such invasions of privacy and obtrusive governmental practices, but that has been overcome by the powerful force of elitism currently dictating the laws of our nation. The power of our current ruling class was not envisioned by our founding forefathers. That's why our system no longer works. The top 1% of our nation account for a third of the wealth in the United States. With the elite in control of Congress, the masses are not being represented, only the privileged. Who can really hold Bush in check? There is real power in money, and the average citizen lacks the wherewithal to make themselves usefully heard. Furthermore, the wealth and power President Bush has accumulated has distanced himself from the reality of the situation, in that his actions are not reflective of the beliefs of the American people, and that he can afford the right legal representation to circumvent the law, much as O.J. Simpson mockingly displayed financing his freedom in the 1990's during his murder trial. The unprecedented power Bush has displayed through his issue of law and policy making is directly due to the disparity of wealth in this nation, and the unfair system of checks and balances accompanied with it. We are not a democracy in this country, we're an unaccountable bureaucracy at this point, and one run by the interests of the elite. If the gap in wealth were lessened between the elite and the masses, more power would logically reside in the people and their interests would be more equitably served. We do not need to be ruled by a government which has taken to dictatorship under the guise of a democracy. We do not need to be spied on while claiming to be free. What we do need is to become more vocal and bring politics back into the mainstream. We need to organize and reject the commercial values of the elite. We need to recognize when governmental authority has gone too far and fight back. We need to know that money is behind it all.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/06/washington/06nsa.html?ei=5088&en=5e759f9bfd611cd7&ex=1344052800&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1186757201-2XL1YkfLfJyY4qdZYYKNbQ
The true threat is that the United States is quickly turning into the police state so many Americans fear, the same fear that has been falsely associated with structured economies. Isn't that what the big knock on Socialism and Communism has always been in this country, through Capitalist backed propaganda, that Communist and Socialist governments are too intrusive, lack freedom and are too controlled? Aren't we experiencing all of those breaches of freedom now, without the assurance of a more equal standard of living and the realization of basic social programs for those in need? And that's what this is all about: money.
The elite in this country play by a different set of rules than the rest of our citizens, afforded opportunity and privilege the average citizen could hardly Dream of. Laws such as FISA would never have been passed by the founding fathers of our country. Our Constitution was written to prevent such invasions of privacy and obtrusive governmental practices, but that has been overcome by the powerful force of elitism currently dictating the laws of our nation. The power of our current ruling class was not envisioned by our founding forefathers. That's why our system no longer works. The top 1% of our nation account for a third of the wealth in the United States. With the elite in control of Congress, the masses are not being represented, only the privileged. Who can really hold Bush in check? There is real power in money, and the average citizen lacks the wherewithal to make themselves usefully heard. Furthermore, the wealth and power President Bush has accumulated has distanced himself from the reality of the situation, in that his actions are not reflective of the beliefs of the American people, and that he can afford the right legal representation to circumvent the law, much as O.J. Simpson mockingly displayed financing his freedom in the 1990's during his murder trial. The unprecedented power Bush has displayed through his issue of law and policy making is directly due to the disparity of wealth in this nation, and the unfair system of checks and balances accompanied with it. We are not a democracy in this country, we're an unaccountable bureaucracy at this point, and one run by the interests of the elite. If the gap in wealth were lessened between the elite and the masses, more power would logically reside in the people and their interests would be more equitably served. We do not need to be ruled by a government which has taken to dictatorship under the guise of a democracy. We do not need to be spied on while claiming to be free. What we do need is to become more vocal and bring politics back into the mainstream. We need to organize and reject the commercial values of the elite. We need to recognize when governmental authority has gone too far and fight back. We need to know that money is behind it all.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
The true Patriot swallows their pride
I wish more people knew the reasons we were attacked on 9/11, were aware of the terror our government invoked on Afghanistan for roughly a ten year period costing more than 1,000,000 lives, and understood the significance of it all in regards to the American way of life and the illegal war our government is responsible for in Iraq. But mostly, I just wish people cared. There is a great majority in this country, through either pride, ignorance or spoiled apathy, who refuse to see ourselves as anything other than the victim of 9/11 (not the target of retaliation we became after the blood we spilt through our own form of international terrorism) ,who choose not to act and continue on with their narrow minded pursuits as if no harm can come to them. We as a culture are desensitized to the reality of the rest of the world, and of what could result through our negligent actions. Too many are failing to see their role in the process. Facts are facts, and I've listed them in the link below as a refresher from a posting on the 25th of July.
http://americanwhistleblower.blogspot.com/2007/07/we-are-to-blame-for-creating-terror-us.html
When I learned of the acts that our Government committed which invoked the ire of the Afghanistan people, I was wholly appalled. I suddenly saw the big picture and realized that I too played a role in this process by supporting the system, by not acting, and that there were much darker days than 9/11 awaiting us if we continued on this irresponsible, capital driven path. You see, the Elite hold too much control over this country, and they're not serving the interests of the people. They're serving themselves, and they've been doing this for too long. We became involved in Afghanistan in 1979 to invoke the Soviets into a war they couldn't win, to give them their own Vietnam, which eventually led to the Soviet demise. We did this to defeat "Socialism" and strengthen Capitalism, the economical ally of the Elite, using Afghanistan lives to accomplish this goal. I should quit saying We, as this was all the result of our Elite, but as a supposed democracy, We are responsible for the whole. But we did much more than that. We created fundamentalism and the arms driven terror of the Middle East. By striking back as we did after 9/11, we ignored the complaint and displayed our arrogance for all the world to see, victimizing ourselves instead of the victim.
I urge all fellow Americans to let the truth be known, for if our economy and international politics continue to serve the few as is now occurring, we will experience a form of terrorism never conceived of on American soil, the likes of which only Japan could relate to. We are not invincible, and if we continue to enrage the masses on this planet, the numbers will eventually catch up with us. All good things have always come to an end, and it's with this thought we should consider our existence. Consider our human past. Every great dynasty in human history has met with it's end. The Romans are no more, the Ottoman empire is perhaps better contemporarily known for a footrest than a dynasty, and the once mighty Britain is no more than a middling player on the global stage, though we are an extension of them, which is a prime example of what happens when the oppressed choose to fight back. Every great civilization has fallen by overextending it's reach, by oppressing too many in serving too few. The writing is on the wall, we just need to learn how to read it.
Forgive me for my pessimism, but it's the optimism this country has taken to over many successful decades which is restraining the seriousness of the situation. A day very well could soon come when our Government falls to another, much as we have deposed of foreign governments we do not approve of who threaten our economical expansion. I hope I am wrong, as repayment will be harsh, but there are steps we can take to avoid such horror if we can collectively swallow our pride. We must right our wrongs in the international community, offering the same respect to foreign governments we so greatly demand for ourselves, giving back what was taken while atoning for our mistakes. This means taking less and offering more. This means self restraint. We need to defeat our internal elitism through much stricter taxation to ensure more equal economic distribution, thus lessening the political sway of the Elite. There is power in money and money is steering our ship. But most importantly, we need to educate others to ensure this is done. We need to empower people to believe in themselves, to make the masses believe that individually they can achieve great feats. We need to make this issue up to be as big as it is. Change cannot come by one person, but only through the solidarity of the majority, and the majority is who is oppressed. Politics need to become our primary concern, not the valueless releases our culture in so many ways gravitates towards. Television, sports, pop culture, none of this matters in the big scheme of things. Life is what matters, and our Government, in the name of money, has taken much. And look at what we value as Americans. We need to have less pride and admit where we were wrong and atone for our wrongs however we can. Otherwise, we’ll have no one to blame but ourselves when America gets what is due. Hope is not lost, though the American vision is. Make sure the truth becomes known. This is far more important than any personal pursuit. This isn’t idealism, it’s the terrible truth.
http://americanwhistleblower.blogspot.com/2007/07/we-are-to-blame-for-creating-terror-us.html
When I learned of the acts that our Government committed which invoked the ire of the Afghanistan people, I was wholly appalled. I suddenly saw the big picture and realized that I too played a role in this process by supporting the system, by not acting, and that there were much darker days than 9/11 awaiting us if we continued on this irresponsible, capital driven path. You see, the Elite hold too much control over this country, and they're not serving the interests of the people. They're serving themselves, and they've been doing this for too long. We became involved in Afghanistan in 1979 to invoke the Soviets into a war they couldn't win, to give them their own Vietnam, which eventually led to the Soviet demise. We did this to defeat "Socialism" and strengthen Capitalism, the economical ally of the Elite, using Afghanistan lives to accomplish this goal. I should quit saying We, as this was all the result of our Elite, but as a supposed democracy, We are responsible for the whole. But we did much more than that. We created fundamentalism and the arms driven terror of the Middle East. By striking back as we did after 9/11, we ignored the complaint and displayed our arrogance for all the world to see, victimizing ourselves instead of the victim.
I urge all fellow Americans to let the truth be known, for if our economy and international politics continue to serve the few as is now occurring, we will experience a form of terrorism never conceived of on American soil, the likes of which only Japan could relate to. We are not invincible, and if we continue to enrage the masses on this planet, the numbers will eventually catch up with us. All good things have always come to an end, and it's with this thought we should consider our existence. Consider our human past. Every great dynasty in human history has met with it's end. The Romans are no more, the Ottoman empire is perhaps better contemporarily known for a footrest than a dynasty, and the once mighty Britain is no more than a middling player on the global stage, though we are an extension of them, which is a prime example of what happens when the oppressed choose to fight back. Every great civilization has fallen by overextending it's reach, by oppressing too many in serving too few. The writing is on the wall, we just need to learn how to read it.
Forgive me for my pessimism, but it's the optimism this country has taken to over many successful decades which is restraining the seriousness of the situation. A day very well could soon come when our Government falls to another, much as we have deposed of foreign governments we do not approve of who threaten our economical expansion. I hope I am wrong, as repayment will be harsh, but there are steps we can take to avoid such horror if we can collectively swallow our pride. We must right our wrongs in the international community, offering the same respect to foreign governments we so greatly demand for ourselves, giving back what was taken while atoning for our mistakes. This means taking less and offering more. This means self restraint. We need to defeat our internal elitism through much stricter taxation to ensure more equal economic distribution, thus lessening the political sway of the Elite. There is power in money and money is steering our ship. But most importantly, we need to educate others to ensure this is done. We need to empower people to believe in themselves, to make the masses believe that individually they can achieve great feats. We need to make this issue up to be as big as it is. Change cannot come by one person, but only through the solidarity of the majority, and the majority is who is oppressed. Politics need to become our primary concern, not the valueless releases our culture in so many ways gravitates towards. Television, sports, pop culture, none of this matters in the big scheme of things. Life is what matters, and our Government, in the name of money, has taken much. And look at what we value as Americans. We need to have less pride and admit where we were wrong and atone for our wrongs however we can. Otherwise, we’ll have no one to blame but ourselves when America gets what is due. Hope is not lost, though the American vision is. Make sure the truth becomes known. This is far more important than any personal pursuit. This isn’t idealism, it’s the terrible truth.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Ignorance is no excuse for accountability
There once was a time when results were what mattered, where intent lay only secondary to the end result. People were held accountable for their actions, rewarded when successful, while punished in failure. In fact such times still do exist, though apparently not for our elected leaders. I am amazed by, though quickly becoming desensitized to, the lack of accountability exhibited by the White House during Bush's run in office, with seemingly no one at fault despite several admitted mistakes. Take the phantom Weapons of Mass Destruction We were told as a fact did exist which promptly pulled us into the war. Consider the link between Osama Bin Laden and Sadaam Hussein which never existed, which we were told threatened our national security, serving as intentional false propaganda. Most recently, consider the dismissal of personal guilt by Donald Rumsfeld over the cover-up and national conspiracy over the death of Pat Tillman. Rumsfeld actually had the gall to argue this past Wednesday during questioning by the House committee investigating the blown cover-up, that blame should be placed on the Army not him, a group he directly presided over and was accountable for in his role as Secretary of Defense. As Secretary of Defense he is, in essence, the Army.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12430130
What matters isn't whether Rumsfeld knew about or authorized a cover-up to mislead the nation about Tillman's death, using his murder as a sick marketing ploy. What matters is that this occurred while under Rumsfeld's watch, and it is fully his responsibility. The fact is people were talking and Rumsfeld wasn't listening, nor were any of the people he surrounded himself with, who he is also accountable for. Army medical examiners ruled out the friendly fire scenario immediately and ordered an investigation into Tillman's death as a possible murder. As Secretary of Defense, it is Donald Rumsfeld's responsibility to be on top of the game and on top of the facts. He failed in his capacity, regardless of how or why, to hear the whole story before going forward with the propaganda the White House issued from Pat Tillman's death. That is a huge leap to take without sifting through all the facts. It is Rumsfeld's responsibility to assure the information he is receiving is factual. It is his fault if he acts upon faulty intelligence. Rumsfeld was negligent in his capacity as Secretary of Defense, and he should pay a price for his actions and be held directly accountable for the cover-up. It's the same as with Bush and Cheney and the intentional deception they have built this war upon. It's unacceptable to allow justice to be sidestepped simply by pleading ignorance. Such an environment allows our leaders to do as they please with nothing to be held accountable to, knowing full well the privileges they will be afforded by our loophole-ridden legal system. Considering this whole war has been one giant deception, why allow these leaders the benefit of the doubt? They have lied to and manipulated the American people. If no one is willing to come forward and accept responsibility, they all should be charged equally in their role of ineptitude. We are judged by the results of our actions in society. No American citizen is afforded any higher privilege than any other, or at least that's how it should be, and in theory is practiced. Why is it then, when the stakes are greater than ever, it some how becomes OK to pass off the blame onto others with acts as offensive as theirs? If our courts allow such actions to stand unpunished, then it's time to dismantle the courts, the Constitution and all other systems of American justice and law, and reform them into a practice that fits the changing times, recognizing ignorance as no excuse for failure, and founded in the court of common sense. It is unacceptable in this day and age for such offensive acts and breaches of responsibility to go unaccounted for. It is high time to fight back against our leaders and punish them for the harm they have caused. Justice has become a thing of the past, as it quickly is ceasing to be.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12430130
What matters isn't whether Rumsfeld knew about or authorized a cover-up to mislead the nation about Tillman's death, using his murder as a sick marketing ploy. What matters is that this occurred while under Rumsfeld's watch, and it is fully his responsibility. The fact is people were talking and Rumsfeld wasn't listening, nor were any of the people he surrounded himself with, who he is also accountable for. Army medical examiners ruled out the friendly fire scenario immediately and ordered an investigation into Tillman's death as a possible murder. As Secretary of Defense, it is Donald Rumsfeld's responsibility to be on top of the game and on top of the facts. He failed in his capacity, regardless of how or why, to hear the whole story before going forward with the propaganda the White House issued from Pat Tillman's death. That is a huge leap to take without sifting through all the facts. It is Rumsfeld's responsibility to assure the information he is receiving is factual. It is his fault if he acts upon faulty intelligence. Rumsfeld was negligent in his capacity as Secretary of Defense, and he should pay a price for his actions and be held directly accountable for the cover-up. It's the same as with Bush and Cheney and the intentional deception they have built this war upon. It's unacceptable to allow justice to be sidestepped simply by pleading ignorance. Such an environment allows our leaders to do as they please with nothing to be held accountable to, knowing full well the privileges they will be afforded by our loophole-ridden legal system. Considering this whole war has been one giant deception, why allow these leaders the benefit of the doubt? They have lied to and manipulated the American people. If no one is willing to come forward and accept responsibility, they all should be charged equally in their role of ineptitude. We are judged by the results of our actions in society. No American citizen is afforded any higher privilege than any other, or at least that's how it should be, and in theory is practiced. Why is it then, when the stakes are greater than ever, it some how becomes OK to pass off the blame onto others with acts as offensive as theirs? If our courts allow such actions to stand unpunished, then it's time to dismantle the courts, the Constitution and all other systems of American justice and law, and reform them into a practice that fits the changing times, recognizing ignorance as no excuse for failure, and founded in the court of common sense. It is unacceptable in this day and age for such offensive acts and breaches of responsibility to go unaccounted for. It is high time to fight back against our leaders and punish them for the harm they have caused. Justice has become a thing of the past, as it quickly is ceasing to be.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Watering the lawn: Viewing the elite through uneeded excess
This is as odd of an approach as I'll ever take in writing an article, but I feel that my point is telling, albeit from a seemingly innocuous observation. While driving my car this past Monday, during the heat wave and drought we are experiencing in south central Wisconsin, I noticed a clear distinction between the practices of the differing classes residing in the villages of Waunakee and Dane, two small towns lying on the outskirts of Madison. Both areas are relatively wealthy, though Waunakee possesses far more upscale housing and suburban like living than Dane, and attracts a younger, more elitist type of crowd, whereas Dane is far more of a farming community and much more rural. I noticed that as you ventured closer and closer to the wealthier housing developments in Waunakee, the grass in these developments grew greener and greener. And not only that, the environmental irresponsibility grew greater and greater. We've seen rain twice since the end of June, and I didn't mow my lawn once in the month of July, yet on one of the hottest days of the year, during one of the longest draughts in recent years, many residents in the Savannah Village and Southbridge developments of Waunakee watered their lawns during the hottest part of the day, where real estate easily exceed the $400,000 mark. Where are the priorities of these people? What does this say about their societal worth? Leave the village of Waunakee and head to the more rural Dane, and you'll find lawn after lawn which reflect the recent draught, not lawn after lawn reflecting excessive status. And that’s what this is about, superficial status. As it is, the water tables in Wisconsin have been lowering for years, and this waste of water is a glaring concern. Head a little north of Madison and you'll find dried lake after dried lake in the rural farming communities, resulting from mass irrigation over time during long periods of draught. There is also the added element of wasted energy (that is the energy used to treat the water for human consumption prior to being used on the lawn), which is perhaps the most troubling (this takes into account both well water and city water). Perhaps were we not in a draught, watering the lawn would be justifiable, but even that is debatable with the energy concerns we currently face linked to the reality of Global Warming. Furthermore, you couldn't water your lawn during a worse time of the day than the middle, for the sun evaporates a good portion of what has been used (This is why it's suggested to water at night), but these wealthy citizens simply didn't hold that concern. Their concern is themselves and the pointless status of their lawn, not the social irresponsibility they are displaying in wasting vital natural resources on something as unimportant as the color and health of their grass. But that's what's troubling. This is important to these people! This is the end result of what their lifestyle has afforded. No, watering ones grass and obsessing over ones lawn isn't one of the grave concerns currently affecting humanity, but what has made this obsession a desire, is. The elitism of our country is built upon status, and that is the troubling fact. Status is superficial. There is too much emphasis placed upon status in this country, and social irresponsibility is the direct result. Excess is something to be frowned upon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)