The War

"Every war is the war for those who fight in it." So said Bill Moyers moments ago on his Bill Moyers Journal. He was referring to the Ken Burns documentary The War being broadcast this week on the Public Broadcasting network. And surely the Iraq War is the war for the men fighting it.

We in America, living our lives with our own daily concerns, often act as if we are oblivious to the reality of death in the middle east. Death comes suddenly there, at night and at day, often with no notice, except for the awful spector which haunts and permeates the very air. I am speaking of Iraq but also of Gaza, of Lebanon, and any place which bears the terror of violence.


To say that we in the United States are fortunate is something of an irony, because our fortune co-exists with our complicity in a policy which has brought devastation to the country of Iraq. It is true that our leaders and our media have lied to us. Yet, unlike in Hitler's Germany we do have the means to get the truth. There is the Internet and there are alternative media. Of course, it is also true that most Americans must work very hard to pay daily and monthly bills. For them, researching world events is a luxury, even if they happen to have research skills.

Thus one must return to the culpability of the press and media. They are the ones who knew or should have known the rationale given for this war was bogus. They knew or should have known this war was illegal under international and U.S. law. Yet, the overwhelming majority opted for position and access to the Bush administration over the truth.

Even as I excoriate the press, I admit I did not do all I could have. Yes, I called my congressmen before the Iraq invasion to express my opposition to the planned attack on Iraq. Yes, I had an "Attack Iraq? No!" bumper sticker. I still feel I could have done more.

A guest on the Moyers program stated tonight that we are seeing the final failure of the Bush administration policy in Iraq as refugees from the forlorn country run out of money and are forced to return. This is a huge and virtually ignored humanitarian crisis which we in America must face.

Election 2004 Up-date

A pre-cursor to this blog was a series of e-mails I sent out beginning several years ago. These letters to friends highlighted items of special interest.

Beginning almost immediately after the Election of 2004 I began sending links to articles questioning the announced result of a win for George W. Bush. At that time such questioning was being done by very few people. I received criticism, some of it harsh, for raising the possibility of a stolen election. Now, almost three years later, I feel more like an excavator than a radical. That is, I am now more of a historian, rather than a firebrand.

However that may be, the issues surrounding a Presidential election which was the first to be debated by Congress since the nineteenth century are still current. In the article referenced below, writer Michael Collins looks at the election break-down. How is it possible, he asks, that in an election in which the increase in turn-out in big cities, historically Democratic-leaning, was 66 per cent -- how was it Bush did so well, causing him to win the election? The article is must-reading. In a future post I hope to connect the import of the Dan Rather suit against CBS (and corporate parent) with the Collins article.


http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0708/S00284.htm

Astonishing Allegation

I use the word "astonishing" in the title of this post in the context of Presidential history, not in the context of the history of the current Presidency. The allegation in the article linked below is right in line with other lies told by this administration. Who can still believe that this Bush/Cheney administration represents the American people?

Briefly, Keith Olbermann of MSNBC has alleged that Bush claimed an attack on the Capitol was imminent right before the vote to extend Presidential snooping. Surely, this is a new low in Presidential machinations. It is to be most strongly condemned.


http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092507B.shtml

Events Are a Prelude to Consideration

Important events have been numerous during the last two weeks. This, along with a busy schedule, has encouraged me to take a bit of time for reflection.

During this time I have begun reading John W. Dean's new book Broken Government which contains solid research and many excellent points. I will have more to say about this book later.

For the time being, I have felt it wise to be more thoughtful than usual about my postings here. As things come clear I will certainly post my conclusions.

News of My Schedule

My September schedule has turned out to be rather hectic and exhausting. Thus when I am not busy I am resting. Unfortunately, that has meant an absence of more than a week from this web log. My schedule will once again be busy throughout the coming week-end. However, if there arises some free time, I will attempt to post here.

It is clear from a monitoring of events that a great deal is going on in the political world. And even more is going on, one can assume, behind the scenes. The world is at a critical juncture. One must decide which side one is on and act accordingly.

Be well, dear reader.

Labor Day Snapshot

On Labor Day 2007, it is time to reflect for a moment on the state of workers in America and around the world. We know from statistics that the welfare of workers in the U.S. is at severe risk -- from out-sourcing, from stagnant wages, and from diminishing health care.



Such a state of decline is not accidental. Such conditions are the result of greedy company owners trying to maximize profits at the expense of workers in order to enrich corporate executives and stock holders. The stock holders do no work, yet claim a share in the fruits of the labors of the workers. Such a system, I have seen, is evil in intent and effect.



It is hoped that the coming year will see a stiffening of the backbone of labor and an increasing resistance to a system which is so injurious to the best interests of working men and women.

Resuming After a Break

I have spent my dog days of August on vacation, both at home and out of state. Now that I am getting back into the swing of things, it is time to resume my blog entries.

As I commence anew the United States is getting ready for a new Attorney General. This, of course, is an extremely important matter. At the same time, I cannot help but reflect on the sorry state of the public discourse in this country. I cannot help but remember the botched "election" of G. W. Bush in 2000 and the election fraud which denied John Kerry the Presidency in 2004. In addition there is all the circumstantial evidence of inside knowledge of the September 11, 2001, tragedy.

Explanations tying all these events are available on the Internet. I have mentioned some of them here. In the past I have charged that the economic portion of the British Empire has been continued and -- along with collusion by American corporations -- has continued in operation around the world. Operating under a greedy profit motive these powerful financial forces have worked to undermine the democratic republic of the United States in increasinlgy sophisticated ways.

Not to acknowledge these facts, painful as they are, only seeks to obscure the truth and delay a solution to our problems. Thus, if democracy is not yet practiced here in its real form, we have the opportunity to establish it. If the corporations are too powerful, we have the opportunity to rein them in, modify their function, or dissolve them. We must remember, of course, that, as they say, Rome was not built in a day. But let us be about the business of securing between these shores a truly representative democracy -- one worthy of the best of our people and one which will truly serve as a light to the world.

Reason on the Throne

I have learned from chapter two of Al Gore's new book The Assault on Reason that the founding fathers, although not unalterably opposed to religion, nevertheless understood that in the old world, religion and the church had often stood with the forces of oppression and against the common man. This abuse of religion they were firmly oppososed to and sought to proscribe in the new United States. This is the meaning of the establishment clause in the First Amendment.





Thomas Jefferson said that state-sanctioned religious authority "has been hostile to liberty." In our time we have seen the rise of religious sects which claim a direct pathway to the mind of God. Anyone who opposes them is declared an enemy of God by definition. This outrageous, arrogant, and supercilious attitude is dangerous both to the common good and to freedom. That persons with such an attitude have reached the highest levels of the federal government should give every patriot pause.





As Christ Hedges has recently pointed out, the only thing a tolerant society cannot tolerate is intolerance. Thus I call for the elimination of "The 700 Club" and its like from our cable TV channels. If this sounds like over-reach I believe supporting evidence can be marshalled. Such evidence and support for this call will be given in coming days. (In the meantime you can consult American Fascists by the aforementioned Chris Hedges for details.)





The time to act is now. Well-financed individuals and groups are working every day to establish a narrow theocracy in America.

Fear Overcomes Reason

In chapter one of his book The Assault on Reason, Al Gore writes about the relationship between fear and reason. Both, he says, are necessary for survival. Yet fear can shut down reason. This, he posits, is what has happened in America in recent years.

Surely Mr. Gore is right about this, even as others have made the same observation. We are a long way from President Franklin Roosevelt's statement that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. The message of the current administration is Be afraid, be very afraid.

This is a big subject and much can be said. For a further understanding you may consult Gore's book and also The Culture of Fear by Glassner.

Let us not be consumers of fear. Rather let us be consumers of knowledge and purveyors of reason. Such an approach is the only true antidote to unreasonable fear.

Al Gore's Defense of Reason

It is a pleasure to take in the message of Vice-President Al Gore as given in his new book The Assault on Reason. In this introduction to a series of reviews I will present some opening comments.

First, although I cannot say I agree with every statement in the book, the introduction and first chapter of the book alone are worth the purchase price. Mr. Gore presents in clear terms how the public sphere -- the area in which the national discussion of great issues takes place -- has been co-opted by a shallow one-way delivery system known as televison. This is no diatribe, nor is it any vindictive essay of regret about the 2000 election. This is a thoughtful and well-researched description of the loss of a method for learning about our nation's problems and collectively coming to solutions. Later in the book, Gore presents some beginning solutions to the problem.

For now I can say that the elucidation of the history of print media, public discourse, and the degeneration of this discourse currently being experienced chiefly through the national television media, and to a lesser extent through radio, is an extremely valuable explication of the vital role played by the press and media in a democracy and how the degradation of these media has seriously threatened our democracy. I am grateful for this book! It is a pleasure to recommend this book not simply for enjoyment but for its necessity in helping to maintain one's sanity in a deeply anti-intellectual environment. Get this book, and get it soon. You will be glad you did.

Cancelling the Vote

At the hyperlink shown below is an important new article by elections experts Harvey Wasserman and Bob Fitrakis. This intrepid pair has closely investigated the vote rigging which went on in Ohio before, during and after the 2004 election. This kind of vote rigging and suppression went on all over the country.

Now these modern-day Paul Reveres are alerting us to the preparations by certain Republican operatives regarding the 2008 election. Knowing they are not favored to win, these Republicans are doing everything they can to undermine democratic elections in this country. There are even plans to "cancel" the election next year in the event a Democratic out-come becomes a forgone conclusion.

Read and weep or read and get busy. The choice is yours. I will write more on this subject in the future.

http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20070730235557492

July Goes Out With a Bang

Something unexpected happened between July 1 and July 31. Perhaps it was that subversive holiday in the United States known as Independence Day. Perhaps it was the sheer joy of long, warm and sunny summer days. Whatever the cause there is something in the air. There is a spirit of anticipation among freedom lovers as two "Bush administration" figures suffer.



While I am not a sadist, I do see the pain being experienced by Alberto Gonzales as justified. It is ironic to see Mr. Gonzales going to such lengths to protect his "boss", George W. Bush, when the latter man lets Gonzales twist slowly, slowly in the wind. We are now seeing the United States Congress becoming the independent branch of government it truly is. Certain members of Congress simply are not amenable to the spin machine of the White House. This does not bode well for Mr. Gonzales. There are now calls for Mr. Gonzales' impeachment. I support and applaud such calls.

The second ailment is a physical one being endured by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. The seizure had by Mr. Roberts was his second reported seizure of this kind. I now quote from the Associated Press story: "By definition, someone who has had more than one seizure without any other cause is determined to have epilepsy, said Dr. Marc Schlosberg, a neurologist at Washington Hospital Center, who is not involved in the Roberts' case." If no cause is found for the seizures, John Roberts has epilepsy according to Dr. Schlosberg. Can things get any stranger?



Is there some relation between an Attorney General whose memory seems to fail him at critical points and a Supreme Court Justice whose brain blacks out? Is there an aversion to truth as such? And do they share this trait with both George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney?



America is coming to its senses. America is in the process of returning to its roots. The process, though sometimes painful, is necessary because it is beginning to bring a small but real sense of hope.



Now if we can only prevent R. Cheney from launching an attack on Iran in August.





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Coming soon: A review of Al Gore's new book, The Assault on Reason. I am coming to the end of this important book and look forward to writing about it.

A Cascade of Events

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a large national music conference, one which was beneficial to me. I got to see old friends and I met new ones.

Thus I was not able to submit more than one post last week. Then this week I have been getting ready for vacation. If this sounds like a short litany of excuses, I will have to let the matter rest there.

While my own personal life has been proceeding apace, national events have seemed to cascade. One of the most important events was the sit-in at John Conyers' office after an unproductive meeting on the subject of impeachment. I know many people are very disappointed in Mr. Conyers at this moment, and justifiably so.

Among inadequately-reported events, there is a huge build-up in the middle east in preparation for a U.S. attack on Iran. There are reports that the Cheney-Bush administration is waiting for a "false flag", a pretense for launching an air war against that sovereign nation. (And in this instance I have seen fit to interchange the order of characters in the Bush-Cheney administration.)

The concern is that with Congress almost daily issuing statements condemning Iran, the stage is being set for such an attack. What folly we have come to! What preposterous and criminal nonsense all this is! Whatever the intemperance of the Iranian leader, with no evidence of a nuclear weapons program we have already pre-positioned a large expeditionary force in the waters off Iran. It would be little wonder that some trumped-up charge against Iran could set off a dire chain of events. This would be the Iraq War, Part II.

This is only one reason why Cheney and Bush must be removed from office through impeachment. The very health and safety of the world is at stake. It is Congress' responsibility to take the appropriate action and launch an impeachment inquiry immediately.

Coming soon: my review of Al Gore's important new book, The Assault on Reason.

A Landmark Event

Nichols' argument...bases the power of impeachment in the hands of the people, rather than the [C]ongress.

For those of you in the U.S. who may not have seen the Bill Moyers Journal program last Friday evening on the subject of impeachment, I am happy to tell you how very refreshing and exhilarating it was.* Two experts, one from the left and one from the right, were essentially in total agreement about not only the need but the requirement for Bush and Cheney to be impeached. This program was a breakthrough for national broadcast television and thus for the country as a whole. It is essential viewing for anyone who either a) needs an uplift during this dark time; and/or b) anyone who cares about our country.

The program combined scholarship, eloquence and passion to present a rock solid case for impeaching these two governmental rascals. In fact, said John Nichols, and Bruce Fein, if they are not impeached it would be a grave injury to both the Constitution and the Republic.

As a result of this program, I have decided to make impeachment my number one civic project. I do believe, as Scott Ritter has stated, that impeachment cannot be the only remedy in our society. And, of course, my special fields of interest are both ethics and spirituality. But Nichols and Fein have made clear to me, nothing is really going to happen until the people rise up and take charge of the impeachment issue.

I will write more later about this. But for now I hope you will be able to see the program!


*The program is available for viewing on line here:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07132007/profile.html

The Unspoken Co-conspirators

We hear much these days about the lies of administration officials which brought the U.S. to the sorry state of affairs in Iraq today. What we hear little of is the role played by the U.S. media in carrying the Bush administration propaganda directly to the people with precious little analysis, skepticism or criticism. Such lack is a colossal and criminal negligence on the part of what used to be an adversarial (if often friendly) relationship between the press and media and the White House.



As Americans rightly express their outrage with the failure of the Bush Iraq policy, we must remember the central role played by the media in pumping up a kind of mass hysteria surrounding alleged weapons of mass destruction. In the future it will be shown that certain people in the administration knew exactly what they were doing in playing the fear card. It will also be shown that the media, cowed by the fall-out from the attacks of September 11, 2001, instead of maintaining an objective distance from the President, instead simply asked where to line up and salute (as Dan Rather infamously offered.) There must come a time of accountability for the press and media as well. May God have mercy on these slimy people of the pen. In a sense of Christian charity may they be spared the fate they consigned thousands of American soldiers and many more thousands of Iraqi citizens to, dear in their humanity, even as each of us in this great land is dear and precious.