Downing Street Memo - Conyers Receives 100K Signatures

Downing Street Memo - Conyers Receives 100K Signatures
It has been announced (on Air America radio) that Congressman John Conyers' letter has received his goal of 100,000 signatures in 3 days. He's upped the goal to 250,000.

We can do that.
BBA

Blog Carnivals

Blog Carnivals
At Idea Consultants, Bora Zivkovic has posted an excellent piece on Blog Carnivals and the Future of Journalism.

Rushdoony - Ayatollah of Holy Rollers

Rushdoony - Ayatollah of Holy Rollers
Don't miss Steve Weissman's series on "America's Religious Right - Saints or Subversives?"

The last entry in the series is Part V: The Ayatollah of Holy Rollers

Past articles in the series:
- Part I: The Lure of Christian Nationalism
- Part II: Hang Ten and Fight!
- Part III: A Deadly Culture of Life
- Part IV: Pie in the Sky

Book review: The New American Militarism

Book review: The New American Militarism

John at Aaargghhh!Blog has done a thorough job of reviewing "The New American Militarism" by Andrew Bacevich.

The thing that disturbs me most is something Bacevich mentions in his book - and something that I have long realized - that there is a definite and strong political affinity between the neoCons, the Bush administration, and Evangelical Christian leadership. John describes it as the Military being used as "Warrior Monks", which is a very, very dangerous way to abuse our Military. Evangelical Christians have abandoned their traditional role in society and have come to Crusader-like views - not dissimilar to the neocons.

Watch out for these "Patriot Pastors". I've seen enough misuse of our fine men and women in the Military and I plan to fight back with all my strength against these wolves in sheep's clothing who infiltrate our American churches with the not-too-secret hope of increasing their bloody Crusade.

I am a Patriot - and I will not stand and watch while troops are sent to spread and/or protect the word of Jesus Christ. It isn't their job. I'm not one of those people who will forget that I am free and powerful because my nation has been kept free and powerful by the support of our Armed Forces.

Because I have a grateful heart and a powerful voice, I'll use it to help keep the Armed Forces strong, which means pointing out public abuse, governmental abuse, and even intramilitary abuse of troops when I see it. James (Mullah) Dobson and Ted (Pastor Ted) Haggard and their gang of Theocrats must keep their hands off those who make the plans for our fighting forces. Neocons are pushing the envelope, too. They've come too close to espionage on behalf of Israel to cause me to trust them as far as I can throw them.

If it's blood for oil and a matter of survival, we're always going to have to deal with the fact that war will come. The Far Right lunatics of the Evangelical Christian Leadership must get the hell out of the Oval Office and the Pentagon, because they have no place in deciding why we war. Iraq carries the stench of the Far Right Evangelical Christian involvement, and it's tainted the way the Bush administration is viewed by millions of Americans because of it. Not only that, it has tainted Christianity itself.

Thanks again to John for the interesting review.

After Downing Street - Updates

After Downing Street - Updates

86,000 Signatures and Counting
By Congressman John Conyers

Late last week Congressman Conyers asked for 100,000 signatures on a letter to President Bush, and said he would deliver it personally to the President. As of Thursday afternoon, he had collected 86,000 signatures. Let's make sure we put it over the 100,000 mark today! Sent this to all of your friends.

Sign the Letter


Backbone Campaign Demands Resolution of Inquiry
The Backbone Campaign writes:
Please join us in sending Spine postcards to your Senators and members of Congress to let them know they should join the Inquiry into the Downing Street Minutes/Memo. You can click here to download a pdf file that can be printed on cardstock or other paper and sent to you members of Congress. This version of the pdf file refers directly to the Downing Street Minutes/Memo issue.



If I Want to Ask Bush or Cheney About the DSMinutes, Where Will I Find Them?
Those inclined to organize peaceful nonviolent demonstrations aimed at asking Bush or members of his administration about the Downing Street Minutes may benefit from this schedule of upcoming appearances.


A Poster to Take With You

Teach-In is Today
Former C.I.A. Analyst Ray McGovern and Attorney John Bonifaz Will Headline Progressive Democrats’ Panel Discussion In Washington, D.C. on Friday, June 3


Website Getting 1 Million Hits Per Day
The www.AfterDowningStreet.org website has become extremely popular, and now receives a little over 1 million hits per day. Alfredo Lopez, whose www.people-link.org hosts the AfterDowningStreet.org site said, "I'm elated. This is what we're on Earth to do, but we've never had a site get a million hits in a day before."


What Does Your Brother In Law Think of the Downing Street Minutes?
If you speak face-to-face or by phone or Email with your family members, neighbors, and friends, we would love to hear what they think of the Downing Street Minutes, especially if you convince someone that a congressional investigation is needed. How did you persuade them? What did they start out thinking? What did they learn from you? What did you learn from them? Please open this article and post Comments at the bottom.


PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION ON BLOGS AND BY E-MAIL

BBA

John Edwards: The Third Podcast

John Edwards: The Third Podcast
by Jude Nagurney Camwell

Washington "insiders" are talking about John Edwards, and so are his grassroots supporters.

John and Elizabeth have taken time from their busy schedules to talk a bit about themselves, so you won't have to consult the "insiders" in order to find out what's happening in their public and private lives. Their third podcast is available for listening at this link.

What Has John Edwards Been Doing This Month?

John Edwards has recently returned from a trip overseas, which ended in London. There, he had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Tony Blair. They discussed issues such as Europe, the EU Constitution, Iran and their nuclear program, Russia and Putin, Blair Initiatives on Africa, Global Climate Change, China, Global Poverty, and some politics.

Sen. Edwards also met with Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown about the issue of Poverty. (Rumor has it that that Brown will succeed Blair.) Edwards gave a speech at the London School of Economics, where he'd found an interesting attitudinal dichotomy between British and U.S. students, which he gleaned by participating in an hour-long political Q & A session with students after the aforementioned speech. There was much more of a sense of hostility in the questions from people coming from outside the U.S. regarding topics such as the Guantanamo Bay prison (Gitmo), the alleged abuse of the Koran, America's methods of interrogating terror detainees, the treatment of enemy combatants, fair legal represenation for prisoners, etc. You can listen to speech (and future speeches) at the One America website (and see my own summary here).

Edwards has been attending events and working for Democratic state legislative caucuses in South Carolina, Michigan, and other states - as part of his Raising the States project for the building of more effective grassroots political organizations. (See Raising the States from the One America site) Sen. Edwards and his wife Elizabeth say there are two fronts on which they believe there must be a fight. First, it's important to have state legislatures who believe in the things we, the people, believe in. We must understand the role of an active government in order to do what must be done. However, a secondary point is that we need to see this as a virtual building bench for people who'll run in future gubernatorial, senate, and presidential contests.

Patsy Madrid, the current attorney general of New Mexico, has been aggressive - as has the attorney general of North Carolina Roy Cooper, on keeping tabs on predatory lending and other issues. Now, the Federal government wants to usurp state law and have federal law take precedence so the state laws are, in effect, made useless by the federal pre-emption.

There is not enough being done to build the party from the ground-up, and we need to empower people at local levels to get involved with Democratic party. You can read a synopsis of prospective State candidates at the One America site. Sen. and Mrs Edwards ask you to get involved with choosing your state legislators and to support these candidates, even if you are not from their respective states.


Council on Foreign Relations: Committee

John Edwards just returned from first meeting of the Council on Foreign Relations' new Independent Task Force for the review of current U.S. policy toward Russia. They will make recommendations on future policy - from global security to Russia's evolution as a democratic state. Edwards will be co-Chairing the Task Force with Jack Kemp. They've been working on the plans for the new Committee for many weeks now, with some of the foremost experts on Russia in the world. Issues they'll cover are: co-operating against terrorism, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, strategic energy partnerships, (de-)democratization, Russia's relations with its neighbors, Cold War legacy issues, and Chechnya.


The main question is: What will happen over next three years? Putin cannot run for President again, and with an election coming in 2008, there is no successor to have been groomed by Putin at the present time.

The Family

Jack and Emma Claire both had birthday celebrations this month. The "Jack-event" included real lizards and snakes, along with improvisational theater. Feeling "old age" setting in, Jack said to his father:
"I just can't believe I'm turning 5, Dad!"

John was happy to report that Elizabeth has finished her last treatment for breast cancer. She'd had chemotherapy first, then surgery, then a series of radiation treatments. Elizabeth plans to take a relaxing summer and spend it with the children, along with doing some reading and writing, and she hopes she will be in fighting form in the fall.


______________________


The Book forum at One America

John and Elizabeth have started a book forum at the One America site.

The book they've chosen for June's forum focus will be "The Working Poor" by David Shipler, which is an easy and compelling read. Anyone interested in participating is welcome. David has kindly agreed to participate in the forum.

If enough people are interested, the Book forum will be continued. Please send book suggestions to OneAmericacommittee.com. A "Bookcast" (podcast) with David Shipler will be forthcoming. Visit the Book Forum.

Currently, these are the books John and Elizabeth are reading:

Elizabeth - 'Gilead' by Marilynne Robninson
John - by "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman, "The End of Poverty" by Jefferey Sachs, "Ugly Americans" by Ben Mazrich, and "1776" by David Mccullough (He says he's reading them all a bit a at a time and that he's about halfway through all of them except "1776", which he's just started to read.


___________________

Now Available: Video Blog

A new video blog was launched Thursday, June 2 at the One America site. Edwards will videoblog while traveling, and it will be informal but substantive.

Visit the new videoblog at One America.

RSS feeds to which you can subscribe are listed here.

____________________

Questions


Q: Mark LeVine asks about the problem of the United States' ever-increasing debt held by China.

Sen Edwards says that the bigger issue is the rising economic power of China and India. U.S. jobs are steadily leaving, and are being outsourced, for China and India. Over next 20-40 years, China will undoubtedly become an increasingly powerful competitive global economic force. America is going deeper and deeper into debt under President Bush, and China is holding more and more of America's debt. These countries understand that the best way to compete is through the field of Education. In the fields of Math, the Sciences, and Technology, we could lose economic advantage and opportunity for ourselves if we fail to maintain educational standards comparative to those of nations like China and India.

A crackdown is necessary on the Chinese government's ability to manipulate their own currency, allowing them to dump goods on the American markets much cheaper than they otherwise would be able to.

We need an American President (not George Bush) who will stop putting the United States deeper and deeper into deficit and get us back on a path to operating our government in a responsible way. We need to invest more in graduate education for young people, especially in the areas of concern. (Math, Sciences, Technology). We should be finding ways to create incentives for young people to become interested in those areas.

Elizabeth Edwards commented that President Bush has taken us down the wrong path on trade in his failure to enforce existing trade agreements and in his failure to act agressively against China's currency manipulation. In his most recent press conference, President Bush said that we shouldn't leave a burden for our children - and he's talking about Social Security - but he should be concentrating on the deficit he's leaving for our children. We can't stop the Chinese from buying
T-bills when they're auctioned, but we know it has left us vulnerable to China's rapidly increasing economic power; leaving us at a disadvantage. We have ourselves - our own government - to blame. We've gotten ourselves into this. Because China has become such a huge creditor, they have a big stick with which to hit us. But, the truth is, it comes at a price to them, too. They'd have to have some real hesitation before dumping - or doing something to ruin the credit of the United States.

_____


Q: Tammy Lane asked, regarding the Nuclear Option:
"What do you think of the compromise that was reached?"

First, Sen Edwards stated that he has "no idea what the Republicans were thinking." The reality is, he says, that one of two things would have happened had there been no compromise and they got rid of the filibuster:
- Democrats could have shut the Senate down.
- So much hinges upon cooperation in the Senate, as politically confident the Republican leadership in the Senate may feel at this time, one thing that is certain is that the Democrats will be back in power someday They would be remiss to throw away the Senate's long-standing tradition of cooperation since they will be affected by the rule change someday.

Although Sen. Edwards considers the compromise a win for Senate Democrats, these right wing judges going through because of the compromise agreement are unacceptable. They are, in a word (said twice for effect) "terrible, terrible choices" and they run against everything we believe in as Democrats.

_____

Q: When are the Edwards moving back to North Carolina?

On June 8, the kids will finish school for the year - and teh Edwards plan to make the move in mid-June. They will eventually move to a new home in Chapel Hill (next Spring), but for now, they will be at their house in Raleigh. Elizabeth said she was pulling out stuff for summer vacation and is having a lot of "fun" deciding what to pack - and for where?

June 10th is John's birthday, and they'd all like to be in one place for that special family celebration.

_____

The Edwards want to hear from you. Your questions are very imporatnt to them. Send them by e-mail, by videoblog, however you can get your questions to them.


Other Summaries:

Podcast One
Podacst Two

ADDITIONAL NOTE: See Edwards' speech today at the Take Back America Conference.


P2008

My Right to Rant: Jeff Jacoby is Full of Crap

My Right to Rant: Jeff Jacoby is Full of Crap

Can't the Boston Globe at least get a reasonably honest Conservative to write for them?

I think this is the most unfair (and untrue) statement I've ever heard.

"..there is a difference. Nixon really did a face an overwhelmingly hostile press corps. Kerry, Gore, and Clinton, by contrast, benefit from a news media that is overwhelmingly liberal, as countless surveys have shown." - Jeff Jacoby

Surveys schmurveys. Clinton was not protected by the alleged "liberal" media during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. The supposedly "liberal" MSM "news" networks piled on him and smothered all of us with the tawdry details 24/7, just like those who hawk gossip rags.
As Marvin Kalb said in 2002, "According to Bernie [Goldberg's] thesis, the Washington press corps is a very 'elitist liberal press corps'. Why in God's name, if he's right, would they have gone out and lacerated and destroyed a liberal president? That doesn't make any sense whatsoever!"

During the last election season, the partisan Swift Boat vets were given free reign by MSM with barely a challenge.

Howard Dean's yell was turned into a circus when only the version of his yell with the blown-out-of proportion volume was shown again and again and again by the MSM. (And the Democratic party allowed him to be eaten alive without a peep)."If the media are “liberal” and the media had anointed Dean as the “liberal” – why would they beat the scream to death over the airwaves during the most critical moments of Dean’s campaign? In fact, if the mainstream media were truly “liberal”, they would have downplayed it to Dean’s benefit." - Ilpundit


Mainstream Media:
If they're so powerful and "liberal",
why do Republicans keep kicking ass
in the elections?
MSM is not "liberal."
It's "ineffective"."

If any of the following was true (which it's not) - if "liberal" MSM were doing something newsworthy and if they were effective at doing so - then John Kerry would surely be President today:

"The right-of-center Fox News cannot hold a candle to the combined left-of-center output of ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and PBS."

"Cannot hold a candle"?!!
Hello??
Obviously, they CAN.
CNN is not any more liberal, in a political sense, than Entertainment Tonight. CNN has gone from a reputable news organization to a lame entertainment network since FOX starting kicking their kiesters in viewer ratings. One of their best newsmen, Eason Jordan, was sent flying when CNN allowed themselves to be cowed by Conservative pressure. CNN no longer knows the meaning of real investigative journalism, with the exception of Lou Dobbs and some of their reporters in Iraq ie: Christiane Amanpour (and she admits that the press has muzzled itself).
Jacoby never mentions MSNBC, who has enough Conservative schlock (like Scarborough's verbal diarrhea and the recently-cancelled Dennis Miller's boring Dem-hating "humor") to turn any liberal's stomach.

How Much Longer Can the Boston Globe Continue to Prop Up
Such A Buffoon as a Credible Columnist?

I know this sounds crass, but I think Jeff Jacoby is full of crap and I can't think of any plainer way to say it.
Who does he think he's kidding?
Doesn't intellectual honesty mean anything at all to the Boston Globe editorial staff?
It's time for Americans to wake up and see what Jeff Jacoby is trying to get away with and how much the Boston Globe editors allow him to get away with. My intelligence and common sense is insulted by his categorization of the press as "hostile" to a President who was a proven criminal. Those Nixon-era press people did their jobs! The people on the inside also did the right thing. Where are those people today? George McGovern made this statement to Fox News Radio:

"We need someone like that who is highly placed to tell us what's really going on. We know that we were misled on Iraq."

Parallels are easily drawn to what Bush and Cheney have been allowed to get away with because we no longer seem to have an accomplished investigative press or brave, ethical editors. Geov Parrish recently wrote the opinion that Watergate, as it was reported in 1974, would never have been reported today. Parrish says:

"It's hard not to contrast the frenzy that greeted the revelation of a 30-year-old secret with the thudding indifference U.S. media has given the Downing Street Memo. The memo has scarcely been mentioned in the country's leading newspapers, and has been completely ignored by evening network news."

So much for the "liberal media."

BBA

The I-Word

The I-Word
The Downing Street memo is causing the I-Word to be brought up quite a bit lately. The Blogworld is abuzz.

In an editorial, The National Catholic Reporter states:

"In the rush to war, the memo shows, both Britain and the United States trampled international law ostensibly on the way to establishing the rule of law elsewhere."

BBA

59 Bloggers

59 Bloggers
First there was Blogumentary, by Chuck Olsen. Now, there will be 59 Bloggers. (50 have been chosen - nine slots still remain undecided).

Time Magazine Sucked In by Blogebrity?

Time Magazine Sucked In by Blogebrity?

From Steve Rubel:

Blogebrity Fools Time Magazine
Time magazine has a blurb on Blogebrity in this week's Blogwatch column that makes it all seem very real. Amazingly, they seemed to neglect that it was all part of a big viral marketing campaign. Hey. some are even calling it a hoax. Did Time drop the ball here?

I've got to admit, it's easy, at first glance, to be fooled by the website (I'm on their C-List).


Jesus cries while eating

Crying While Eating is beating Blogebrity at the contest in which both are competing. I can see why. The home-made videos of people melodramatically sobbing while munching on their tastefully chosen morsels (pun intended) are nothing short of hilarious. Jesus' video is one of my personal favorites at the CWE site, eating his potatoes and ketchup while crying about the wasted promise of youth.

Inauguration Day 2005

Sorry - it takes me forever nowadays to get my photos developed.



These were taken at



President Bush's inauguration in January, 2005.



The young man in the second photo, who happens to be my son, is the same as the one in the photo directly above. Only the President was different then.

Perhaps you can spot him in this photo (along with another person who will more than likely run for President someday).




All photos property of Jude Nagurney Camwell

Downing Street Googlebomb

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Take Back Christ for Christianity - Jacksonville Declaration

Take Back Christ for Christianity - Jacksonville Declaration

Have you seen the "Jacksonville Declaration"?
From The Christian Alliance For Progress:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sign the Jacksonville Declaration

Help make justice and compassion the hallmarks of our country. Add your signature to this letter. Let the Political and Church Leaders of the Religious Right know they do not speak for you. Help them hear a different understanding of Christian values. Add your voice below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To The Political and Church Leaders of the Religious Right:

As responsible and patriotic Americans, we can be silent no longer. In light of the deepening polarization in our country's social and political life, we feel compelled to speak out to you in a spirit of sincerity.

For many people, your words and actions have identified Christianity with radical, far right politics. We believe that your use of Christianity has sown the seeds of deep discord in our nation and throughout the world. Hear some of your own words:

"You owe liberals nothing. They despise you because they despise your Christ."
-- Church Leader Bob Jones, to George W. Bush after 2004 election

"I hope the Supreme Court will finally read the Constitution and see there's no such thing, or no mention, of separation of church and state in the Constitution."
-- House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas)

"Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost. As the vice regents of God, we are to exercise godly dominion and influence...in short, over every aspect and institution of human society."
-- Dr. D. James Kennedy, Coral Ridge Ministries

"...the liberal, anti-Christian dogma of the left has been repudiated..."
-- Tony Perkins, Family Research Council

"I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians ... the ACLU, People For the American Way ... I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen'."
-- Rev. Jerry Falwell, on Pat Robertson's 700 Club discussing the WTC attacks

We must tell you now that you do not speak for us, or for our politics. We say "No" to the ways you are using the name and language of Christianity to advance what we see as extremist political goals. We do not support your agenda to erode the separation of church and state, to blur the vital distinction between your interpretation of Christianity and our shared democratic institutions. Moreover, we do not accept what seems to be your understanding of Christian values. We reject a Christianity co-opted by any government and used as a tool to ostracize, to subjugate, or to condone bigotry, greed and injustice.

If your politics flow from your faith, then we do not know the Jesus you claim to follow. We cannot imagine a Jesus who would say:

"You are strong and powerful; your ideals are noble. Make war to spread those ideals."
"The end is near - So it doesn't matter what you do to my Father's creation."
"Heal the sick - Provided they can pay."
"All are welcome at the table - As long as they are the same as we are."
"Follow me - And help me form a government to force others to follow."

Do you believe such statements truly reflect Christian or American values? Do these views follow what Jesus taught? Do you think it is genuinely American to steer our country toward a Christian theocracy? Is it Christian to foster intolerance? Is this the path to which Jesus leads us?

We say "No". Instead, we say "Yes" to values Jesus plainly and passionately practiced. Listen to his words:

"I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
-- John 13:34-35

We hold up to all fellow Americans the heart of Jesus' teaching: his unwavering commitment to justice, compassion, responsibility, equality, and care "for the least of these". These are values Jesus taught, and they also serve among America's finest traditional values. Our political views flow from these values.

We also reaffirm a well-established American commitment to a clear separation of church and state. In your statements you often characterize America as a "Christian nation". We strongly disagree. As a nation of immigrants, America has been a land of freedom and diversity. Separation of church and state helps ensure liberty and justice for all Americans - not just those who are like-minded. Hear these words:

"The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Know that you do not speak for us. We oppose so many of your words and deeds. But though we may disagree with you, we offer this declaration in a spirit of openness. We hope you will respond in kind. We call on you to stop dividing our country with your words and actions, and we invite you to turn to compassion and justice, values that Jesus lived.

In Truth and Faith,
Christian Alliance for Progress

Sign On To The Jacksonville Declaration Here

A Primer on American Interrogation and Torture

A Primer on American Interrogation and Torture

"The Torture Feature" is an amazing creation by Slate writers Emily Bazelon, Phillip Carter, and Dahlia Lithwick.

It includes an Introduction: "What Is Torture? - A Primer on American Interrogation".

The Chain of Command is an impressive interactive feature.

The Legal Memos section is thorough and detailed.

Taxonomy of Torture has illustrations and well-detailed descriptions. Example: Mock Execution

Military Reports related to interrogation are explained as well.

Thanks to Josh Shear for posting about this.

Jim, Dona, Jess, Ty, and "Ava"

Jim, Dona, Jess, Ty, and "Ava"

Listen to these kids. They're wise beyond their years. I couldn't look Jim, Dona, Jess, Ty, or "Ava" in the eye and tell them I think they're wrong. These kids already have more common sense and maturity in their fingertips than some MSM reporters have in the entirety of their hollow skulls.

In the age of the Internet, new journalists are maturing and they know there's no going back. Our leaders need to be consistent and they need to make sense. They need to tell the truth.

In their future, the Judith Millers will not get away with what this Judith Miller got away with. Presidents will not get away with lying a nation into war.

How did THIS generation of journalists and editors let them get away with it?

It boggles the mind.

I commend Third Estate Sunday and The Common Ills for their fine, consistent coverage of the fall of Daniel Okrent.

John Edwards to Co-Chair Council Task Force on Russian-American Relations

John Edwards to Co-Chair Council Task Force on Russian-American Relations

John Edwards and Jack Kemp will co-chair the Council on Foreign Relations' new Independent Task Force. They will review current U.S. policy toward Russia and make recommendations on future policy - from global security to Russia's evolution as a democratic state.

Issues which they will focus upon making recommendations are:

Co-operating against terrorism
Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
Strategic energy partnerships
(De-)Democratization
Russia's relations with its neighbors
Cold War legacy issues
Chechnya

I'm glad Sen. Edwards is co-chairing this Task Force. To me, it's almost like an answer to a prayer.

If you read my thoughts after the Beslan tragedy, (and before the 2004 election), you will see that I asked a question:

"We can either proceed with our unilateral war on terror and push US/Russian relations toward a new cold war or we can start offering some genuine diplomacy....

Every one of our actions should be geared for the strength of America in pure harmony with a caring for liberty and justice for all throughout our world.


Ask yourself who will lead us to the strongest and truly safer America when you vote on November 2.
Is it the man who cuts down and mocks international alliances or the man who promises to restore and strengthen them?"

It's good to know Sen Edwards will be there. Honestly, I'll sleep better at night knowing he's there.

__

Other task force members are as follows:

Stephen E. Biegun (Ford Motor Company), Coit D. Blacker (Stanford University), Robert D. Blackwill (Barbour Griffith & Rogers, International), Antonina W. Bouis(Andrei Sakharov Foundation), Mark F. Brzezinski (McGuire Woods, LLP), Richard R. Burt (Dilligence, Inc.), Lorne W. Craner (International Republican Institute), Robert J. Einhorn (Center for Strategic & International Studies), John L. Gaddis(Yale University), John A. Gordon (General, USAF, Retired), James A. Harmon (Harmon & Co.), Steven E. Hellman (OILspace, Inc.), Fiona Hill (The Brookings Institution), George Joulwan (General, USA, Retired; One Team, Inc.), Clifford A. Kupchan (Eurasia Group), Jessica T. Mathews (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), Michael A. McFaul (Hoover Institution), David R. Slade (Allen & Overy), Walter B. Slocombe (Caplin & Drysdale, Chartered), Strobe Talbott (The Brookings Institution), Judyth L. Twigg (Virginia Commonwealth University), Margaret D. Williams (World Wildlife Fund), Daniel H. Yergin (Cambridge Energy Research Associates), Dov S. Zakheim (Booz Allen Hamilton).

PressCon: Bush Serves Up A Crock of Malarkey

Bush Serves Up A Crock of Malarkey at Press Conference
Takes Americans for Fools

"I think the Iraqi people dealt the insurgents a serious blow when we had the elections."

- G.W.Bush at today's Press Conference

Hewitt on Brownstein

Hewitt on Brownstein

Hugh Hewitt has a very good point about L.A. Times columnist Ron Brownstein.

"...how in the world are we supposed to believe that employment by a significant Washington player and probable presidential candidate [John McCain] of a spouse of a reporter [Brownstein] who covers Washington players and probable presidential candidates won't affect Brownstein's judgments?"

New Media on the Rise

New Media on the Rise

In today's WSJ, Glenn Reynolds asks a very important question:

"...when you take content from correspondents around the world, organize it in an easy to navigate form, and deliver the eyeballs that it attracts to advertisers, you've created something that looks rather a lot like . . . a newspaper. But it's a very different kind of newspaper, one that takes advantage of the big-media capabilities that, thanks to technological progress, are now in the hands of individuals worldwide.

Will traditional newspapers be able to keep up?"

Honor Our Troops With the Truth

We Honored Them on Memorial Day, Now Let's Honor Our Troops with the Truth

TPM Cafe

TPM Cafe
TPM Cafe is up and running.

Instruction Manual HERE



TPM's First Guest Blogger

John Edwards has posted HERE - "Being Poor is Expensive."

UPDATE: John Edwards has a new entry titled "Things We Know We Can Do".

Matthew Yglesias is HERE.

My own first shot at blogging the TPM Cafe is HERE.

From Ivo Daalder's 'America Abroad' contribution "We Don't Do Treaties":

"..This division between the nuclear haves and nuclear have-nots is not new, and neither is the failure of an NPT review conference (which has happened once before)....What is new is the lack of concern shown by an American administration over the failure to strengthen the nonproliferation regime. While other countries sent foreign ministers to the conference, all we could do was send a mid-level state department official. Rice, so we were told, couldn't even find one hour to fly up to New York anytime this month.

What explains this lackadaisical attitude towards a treaty that is meant to curb the spread of nuclear weapons and help prevent weapons or materials from falling into the hands of terrorists (which Bush in his debate with Kerry last year agreed constituted the gravest threat to America's security)?"

Find out by reading the entire essay.

David Hackworth

David Hackworth

Today, the US military will lay to rest Colonel David H. Hackworth -- among its most decorated heroes of all time -- at Arlington National Cemetery. A recipient of two Distinguished Service Medals, 10 Silver Stars, eight Bronze Stars, and eight Purple Hearts, his bravery consisted not only of his service and heroism during WWII and the Korea and Viet Nam wars, but more predominantly of the fact that he questioned the Pentagon when his fellow soldiers wanted to, but didn't feel comfortable raising complaints with superiors. A father figure to thousands of grunts, he wouldn't have cared that Washington's top Brass is shunning him today. I'll bet a league of angel Vets are gathering in Heaven this morning to guide David to a shining place.

Bryan Bender has written a great tribute to Hackworth. [ Boston Globe ]

Don't Look Back, Muscle Jesus!

Don't Look Back, Muscle Jesus!
An American Catholic's Reflections on Pastor Ted and his anti-Catholicism

"...As a Republican, I'll say goodbye to "old Jesus" and hello to "new Jesus. " Sure Christ started out as a liberal Jew, and look where that got him. Compassion, love and diatribes against the rich only encourage the weak and punish the most successful among us. The Jesus that Republicans worship is a muscular, decisive, pro-war crusader hard at work cleansing the world of evildoers, not, God forbid, turning the other cheek..." - LINK

___

Jeff Sharlet's Soldiers of Christ is available for reading at Harper's Online.

Jeff has covered related stories at The Revealer for quite a while, and I'm glad Harpers continues to pick up on some of them.


"Pastor Ted"
Click photo to see related story by Jeff Sharlet

Pastor Ted Haggard, leader of Colorado Springs' New Life (mega)Church, and head of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), talks to President George W. Bush (or his advisers) every Monday.

I am a Catholic. I get a real sense, after reading about Ted Haggard, that he is anti-Catholic. It seems to me that Pastor Ted, for all intents and purposes, thinks that Catholics are losers because we "look back" to the works and examples of the Saints and, darn it, we just aren't blood-thirsty enough.

"Muscle Jesus" has bulk and fangs. Haven't we learned?

Ted blames poverty and third world conditions in Mexico on Catholicism. (Instead of placing blame where it lies: corrupt, inefficient government and pure greed).

Listen to his stereotyping, his smackdown of the value we Catholics place on the compassionate works of the Saints, and his arrogance:

"Catholics," he said, “constantly look back.” He went on: “And the nations dominated by Catholicism look back. They don’t tend to create our greatest entrepreneurs, inventors, research and development. Typically, Catholic nations aren’t shooting people into space. Protestantism, though, always looks to the future. A typical kid raised in Protestantism dreams about the future. A typical kid raised in Catholicism values and relishes the past, the saints, the history. That is one of the changes that is happening in America. In America the descendants of the Protestants, the Puritan descendants, we want to create a better future, and our speakers say that sort of thing. But with the influx of people from Mexico, they don’t tend to be the ones that go to universities and become our research-and-development people. And so in that way I see a little clash of civilizations.”

I think Pastor Ted is using his pulpit to divide Christians - and that is anti-Christian.

This, my friends, is the fellow who has our President's ear.

Take a look at the violence in Belfast, Ireland that continues today, and think about America's society and how we've learned that the separation of church and state can alleviate a lot of stupid and senseless fighting over religion. Imagine Pastor Ted on a Belfast street - in a Catholic neighborhood - preaching about the benefits of Protestantism. Those Belfast Catholic boys would beat the daylights out of old Ted - and if I weren't a Christian myself, I might be tempted to applaud.

The 'Muscle Jesus' is at work in the hearts and minds of men with old grudges.

Pastor Ted thinks the Catholics are "out", and evangelicals are 'in'.... and the battle boils down to evangelicals versus Islam.

QUOTE from article:

“My fear,” he says, “is that my children will grow up in an Islamic state.”

And that is why he believes spiritual war requires a virile, worldly counterpart. “I teach a strong ideology of the use of power,” he says, “of military might, as a public service.” He is for preemptive war, because he believes the Bible’s exhortations against sin set for us a preemptive paradigm, and he is for ferocious war, because “the Bible’s bloody. There’s a lot about blood.”

Pastor Ted is down with the idea of engaging in a Crusade. Isn't that stealing directly from the Catholics? Is that not "looking back?"

As a progressive Catholic who subscribes to Liberation theology, I think Pastor Ted should get 40 lashes from the power-whip of his own created "Muscle Jesus".
That'll learn him!

I promise not to look back.

___

"Our lord loves the country, he's with you at the polls
He knows the lever that you pull
He's keeping track of souls

The way it used to be
The way it ought to be
The way it's going to be again
And when we're in heaven you'll be sorry
When we're in heaven you'll be sorry
When we're in heaven you'll be sorry then.."

-From Soldiers Of Christ by Jill Sobule

__

"I think we Christian believers are responsible not to lie, but I don’t think we’re responsible to say everything we know."

- From the Christian wisdom of Pastor Ted

Memorial Day Parade

Memorial Day Parade, Camillus, N.Y.
Monday, May 30, 2005

"To honor them, why speak of duty
or the will of governments?
Think first of love each time you
tell their story.
It gives their sacrifice a name and takes from war its glory."

- Sam Hazo (Real Audio)

See 2LT Cowherd, Final Roll Call - I think this is the best Memorial Day Tribute available on the blogs today. See this related post, also.

TAR HEEL TAVERN

TAR HEEL TAVERN

MAY 28, 2005

Greetings, everyone. I am hosting my first Tar Heel Tavern at Iddybud and I'd like to start by thanking everyone who participated. It was great to hear from you. I enjoyed meeting many of you last week in Greensboro, and in honor of that May 18th Meet-Up, I am including my entry about it.

It was also the deciding factor in this week's Carnival Theme: "Virtual Meet-Up".

I asked each participant to consider this week's Tar Heel Tavern to be a Virtual Meet-Up...a round wooden table with plenty of comfortable chairs in a neighborhood tavern or coffee shop, and to sit back and discuss events of the day - or whatever was on their mind.

GREENSBORO:



• David Wharton of A Little Urbanity asks: Is the building of Disneylike, fake downtowns a good thing? He has concerns about Greensboro's Starmount Company, which is developing the West Friendly Avenue property on which Greensboro's Burlington Industries building stood until last Monday as a shopping center. Since this week's theme is the Virtual Meet-Up, David says he's hoping the new center won't be the
preferred meet-up spot for Mickey, Goofy, and Donald!

• At Lewis Byers' Barber Shop Blog, the entry "To who's IS Concerned- District $20.00" talks about the concerns that the folks in District 2 in Greensboro have. The social experience of being in the barbershop is well represented by links to photos, an mp3 of conversation, and various online topics of the day.

• I had linked to Stewart of Lenslinger earlier this week regarding his blog coverage of last Monday’s staged implosion of the Burlington Industries building. Lenslinger's chosen Tar Heel Tavern entry discusses the "new breed of onlookers" who had risen up to record the event. Read more about his belief that, "whatever new paradigm takes hold, it’s a safe bet the two-person news crew is an endangered species" by going to the link.

• Billy the Blogging Poet points to The Red Hook Community Justice Center in New York State, the nation's first multi-jurisdictional community court, which has been a success in a neighborhood known to be a high crime neighborhood for almost a century. Billy asks: "Why should East Greensboro wait a century to have restorative justice when we could have it today?"



• VFW NC asks you to listen to words taken from a video, made during the WW II era, on safeguarding Military Information. They warn of consequences that have relevance and apply to our world of bloggers today, at all times. They say: "Your blog can be a weapon, your words and images ammunition, so be careful how and where you point it."

• Tara Sue says "Show Me the Jobs," and she cites a mission for Greensboro, which is primarily to avert unemployment. Ideas: Support the restructuring of industry; contribute to the growth in traditional manufacturing; work effectively to reintegrate marginalised social groups; create jobs for young professionals; bring new life into redundant historic monuments or industrial buildings; facilitate the regeneration of run-down city districts; provide the soft infrastructure of cultural tourism; develop the knowledge economy; and demonstrate the value of contemporary culture and stimulate innovation.


• Jerry McClough's ThatsWhatzUp! blog speaks of "Going Forward." The entry is about the things that he sees that he believes are going wrong, not only in Greensboro, but all over the world. He says: "If you are aware that there are unjust things going on and you are not standing up for what is right, then you are as guilty as the person that is doing the wrong." Jerry expresses some disillusionment with the blogging community, but stresses that progress cannot be stopped, he offers some 'street love' to his community members, and closes by expressing the hope that everyone will take a moment and just think about a positive future - where you are at this time, and where are you heading.




ASHEVILLE


photo: AcousticSyndicate.com

• At Scrutiny Hooligans, Funk-o-Meter posts on the final days of a western North Carolina musical institution, the killer bluegrass band known as Acoustic Syndicate. Their last show is this weekend. It's a personal story told by the Hooligan who knew the Sugar Hill recording act - up close and personal.



CHARLOTTE

• The Charlotte Capitalist Many in Charlotte
Mecklenburg are upset about schools, taxes, the arena...The list goes on.
The ideas of two men can reverse this trend. Who are they? He says: "Check it
out!"

• Anonymoses was surprised to learn that the NY Times best selling book titled "1000 Places to See Before You Die" had only talked about a few North Carolina destinations. Suspecting "they just didn't look hard enough," Dave has supplemented the guide with his own entry, "1000 Places in North Carolina to See Before You Die".



TRIANGLE


photo credit: ABC11


• When I read this week's entry at Pam's House Blend, I double-checked my calendar to make sure I was in 2005. "This sh*t shouldn't happen here: crosses burned in Durham" discusses how three crosses were burned in Pam's progressive hometown of Durham, one only a couple of miles away from her own house, near a middle-class, suburban subdivision. Pam says "There's no place here for this kind of bull, and people came out to show that it won't be tolerated." She has provided the link to a follow-up post about Durham vigils -- and speculation about the motive for the cross burnings.


• Coturnix has some thoughts on the use of animals in research and teaching. He is disturbed by the fact that, in the course of his work, he is writing proposals guided not by the importance of experiments that need to be done, but by how likely is it that the experiments will be approved by IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.) He believes what is needed is the freedom to use whatever technique and approach is suitable for a particular question he or his colleagues are asking. He says that the activity of IACUCs have had a 'chilling effect on animal research in the USA', resulting in a precipitous decline in whole-animal research in this country. The result is a slowdown for Science.

• Photoblogger Mandie from It's a Pixelated Life displays a lovely photo of TJ's Deli

• phin's boss doesn't like a few of phin's work habits. He's made it clear, and phin shares the 'Not to-do List' in "A memo from the boss."

• What's wrong with this picture? At Words Fitly Spoken? by Maximilian Longley, a post titled "George Bernard Shaw: Playwright, vegetarian, Socialist propagandist . . . and right-wing gun nut?" points to a quote by Shaw that may surprise you.

• If you've ever hung out at a coffeeshop or a bar in a college town, you have heard geeks argue about Star Wars. Robust McManlyPants says it's just that simple. Here is his contribution - the random, perhaps uncouth but heartfelt defense of a silly subject: "Star Wars Analysis, Now With More Idiot."


• Josh Staiger has a nice write-up on "Roth IRAs and a nod to Vanguard Funds." He adds a recommendation: that you take a stroll down to your local art house movie theater and see Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room in order to "build up your mistrust of corporate America and investment bankers before you give them your money."

• William at Pirates Cove has a photoshop creation to share. He is amazed/maybe not so amazed that Democrats are "all over" the story featured in the now-infamous Isikoff Newsweek (Newsweak) article. Deciding that 'the word of Islamic extremists who want to kill Americans as more credible then that of American soldiers and citizens' is the way he views the attitude of some Democratic citizens. I would imagine this would raise much discussion at a Meet-Up. How about you?

• Jennifer of Open Book provides us with some "Scraps," which she describes as bits and pieces of her mind on a Saturday morning.


photo: Peers & Peerless

• At Peers & Peerless, Alex gives us "Balloon Animal," including photos and a write-up about a film shot in Carrboro last weekend.

___


• A Reminder: Hoggfest is tomorrow in Greensboro. I hope many will attend.

• NEXT WEEK'S TAR HEEL TAVERN WILL BE HOSTED BY BILLY THE BLOGGING POET.

John Edwards Will Guest-Blog at TPM Cafe Debut

John Edwards Will Guest-Blog at TPM Cafe Debut

Josh Marshall has announced that John Edwards will join him for the debut week of the new Talking Points Memo Cafe. Josh will be launching the site on Tuesday, May 31st. John will have the guest blogging seat from Tuesday May 31st through Friday June 3rd.

John just got back from a trip to London. See his post at the One America blog.

Edwards was the commencement speaker at William and Mary Law School last week. A transcript of his speech is available here.

"...it matters who's with you on this journey. It does. So many times life is going to be hard. It's going to seem that heartache and struggle just won't go away. So it matters whose hand you reach out to; whose advice you rely on and whose kindness you depend on to get through the day.."

That is so very true - it really does matter. I consider that a golden piece of advice for young people. I'm thankful for the hands of kindness which help to lead me through those inevitable dark days and I wish each one of you the blessings and benefit of the same.

While you're at Josh's link, check out Fox News' David Asman's totally unprofessional slip of the lip. One of those things that make you go "Hmmmmm".


UPDATE: Matthew Yglesias has actually closed down his old blog in order to join Josh's TPM Cafe. Josh AND Matthew? Man, this is sure to be a POWERHOUSE! I am thrilled for them and for us readers.

Parry: Fear Used for Conservative Success

Parry: Fear Used for Conservative Success

"What the American conservative movement has done so effectively over the last three decades is to perfect a dynamic of fear and inject it into the key institutions for generating or disseminating information."

This article by journalist and author Robert Parry is one to print out and put into your political strategy reference books. How did the American conservative movement succeed so well in saturating the mainstream media with their talking points? How did they turn what was once an investigative and critical press into their lapdogs?

From where we stand today, it's not only the press about whose democratic integrity we must be concerned.

What is perhaps even more troubling is that this fear is spreading to other institutions. Academia is now feeling the heat from conservatives who want to eliminate it as the last bastion of liberal thought. Corporate leaders also appear to be suffering from paralysis in the face of policies that are threatening the long-term future of the United States...CEOs are mostly staying on the sidelines in these crucial debates.

All is not hopeless, as Mr. Parry states that he believes there are solutions.

It’s simply not enough to tell journalists, politicians and others that they must buck up and do the right thing, especially when people who do show courage are systematically destroyed and made into object lessons for colleagues left behind.

If individuals are expected to be courageous, there must be courageous institutions to surround and protect them. That’s why the creation of a counter-infrastructure – one that will take on both the powerful conservative infrastructure and the cowardly mainstream media – is so vital.

Examples of how this counter-dynamic could work can be found in the take-no-prisoners ethos of the anti-Bush Internet sites, or in the irreverent comedy of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” or in the unabashed liberalism of the fledgling progressive talk radio.

All have shown toughness in refusing to genuflect before Bush and his enormous political power.

Read the article. It's a keeper.

John Edwards: The Four Pillars to Develop A Just New World

"Went to see John Edwards speak at the LSE today. Wonderful speech and an hour spent answering the audience questions. It is nice to see liberal causes of egality and ending poverty put across so well. Hopefully he is a future President of the United States."

- From a London blogger

John Edwards: The Four Pillars to Develop A Just New World

Re:Remarks By John Edwards
London School of Economics
May 25, 2005
Audio (Podcast411)
text (One America)

The first pillar:
America and Europe must both prepare for the challenges of globalization.

Nations like India and China are in a race to be on the cutting edge of innovation and technology. Europe is transforming to deal with this reality. It is in America's interest for the European Union to succeed. America needs to remain competitive.

- The American education system must be reformed. Rising tuitions are increasingly putting the hope for a college degree out of reach for many families and their children.

- American budget deficits cause our dependence upon other nations, and we have become less competetive in the world because of those deficits. Our budget must be balanced.

- In the American health care system 46 million people are uininsured and health care costs are exorbitant. This works against America's interests, putting our companies at a competetive disadvantage. Example: Health care adds approximately $1400 to the cost of building each American car.


The second pillar:
We must ensure that people live in a world that is free from want

- In America, 36 million people wake up in poverty every day. We need to strengthen the foundation for families that work and that means health care for everyone and child care for parents who need it.

- One idea to provide hope and assistance is, using Great Britain's example:

"Britain has led the way with the Child Trust Funds. We ought to consider the same thing in America—providing $500 to every child at birth, and perhaps an additional $500 for lower-income families. If parents could contribute too, then by the time a child turned 18 years old, they could have as much as $40,000 in the bank. Money to spend on college or a home.. or money to store up for retirement. Imagine what it would say to a poor boy growing up in my home state of North Carolina...if he knew that if he studied hard..if he stayed in school...then he would have $20 or $30 or $40 thousand dollars in the bank when he turned 18. Imagine what it would do to his sense of hope and possibility for the future. It could change whole communities."

The third pillar:
America and Europe must work together to eliminate the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

- We need critical organizations like NATO to remain strong.

- We must close the loopholes in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty by creating a new "Global Nuclear Compact.

- America and Europe must ensure that the know-how to build nuclear weapons never reaches terrorists by strengthening existing plans which ensure that nuclear scientists are employed for peaceful purposes.


The Fourth Pillar:
The final pillar is promoting liberty and democracy around the world.

"Ordinary men and women, from Egypt to Morocco to Indonesia, need to be convinced that democracy and liberty are the pathway to possibilities."

- Just as poverty and disillusionment isolate and drain hope from our own people in our own cities and towns, it does the same thing for every person around the world who feels like they don't have a chance. General John Abizaid has said that the war against terrorism is "a battle of ideas as much as it is a military battle."

[Freedom]stirs the soul and makes all people long for that fundamental human right to be free. And a world where poverty and despair are accepted is a world that's going nowhere—a world that isn't really free. Think about it. Freedom is meaningless if your children are dying of preventable diseases like Malaria. Freedom is meaningless to a child that shows up at a school but is turned away because that child can't pay for a uniform. And freedom is meaningless when 1 billion people live on less than a dollar a day.

There's been a lot of talk about freedom in America and around the world. Let me be clear: the idea that America stands for freedom is not new. It is not owned by any political party. It is not owned by any one country. It is an idea that is borne from our words and our wishes, and given life through our actions.

* the reaction was resounding applause

president2008

Photo

Coturnix (Bora) and Iddybud (Jude)
at Chapel Hill last week
Photo by David K. Beckwith (Anonymoses)

Sign This Letter Re "Downing Street Memo"

Sign This Letter Re: "Downing Street Memo"

On the same day President Bush said that 20 years from now, historians will look back on the Iraq war as "America's golden moment," Raw Story reports that Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) seeks to amass 100,000 signatures from U.S. citizens calling on President Bush for more answers about a 2002 meeting during which a senior British official said intelligence was "being fixed" to present a case for the Iraq war.

Please sign the letter and tell others to sign as well.

From JohnConyers.com:

"...Along with 88 of my colleagues, I wrote to the President requesting answers about this grave matter. Thus far, our search for the truth has been stonewalled and I need your help. I believe the American people deserve answers about this matter and should demand directly that the President tell the truth about the memo. To that end, I am asking you to sign on to a letter to the President requesting he answer the questions posed to him by 89 Members of Congress...

..Please pass on this important letter to your friends and colleagues, and ask them to sign as well.

Thank you for your help and support."

John Conyers, Jr.

Letter to President Bush Concerning the Downing Street Memo

Raw Story has learned that a coalition of activist groups running the gamut of social and political issues will ask Congress to file a Resolution of Inquiry, the first necessary legal step to determine whether President Bush has committed impeachable offenses in misleading the country about his decision to go to war in Iraq. It cites the Downing Street Memo and issues surrounding the planning and execution of the Iraq war. A resolution of inquiry would force relevant House committees to vote on the record as to whether to support an investigation.

NOTE: Telling us that history will judge this as our "golden moment" is quite a leap from Bush's reply to Bob Woodward when he asked the president how history would judge Bush on Iraq. Back then, Bush had replied:

‘History,’ and then he took his hands out of his pocket and kind of shrugged and extended his hands as if this is a way off. And then he said, ‘History, we don’t know. We’ll all be dead.’”

Reference: AfterDowningStreet.org

___

From "the farmer" at Corrente:

Is this a lie...?
"I have no knowledge of the Downing memo."

Is that a lie? That's what the host of this mornings episode of CSPAN's Washington Journal told a caller when asked to briefly explain the Downing Street memo. (Friday, May 27, 2005).

So noted informed tv-journalist host, after informing the caller that he had no knowledge of such things, then suggested the caller might try searching about on the internet to find what they were looking for.

That's our liberal media!

BBA

Memorial Day - Fair and Balanced

Memorial Day - Fair and Balanced

Fox News tells us, by it's slogan (which, ironically, they betray every day), that we should be fair and balanced.

Memorial Day is approaching.
With the world as it stands today, I wanted to find a way to be Fair and Balanced about the American Holiday's observation.

I have chosen to honor soldiers' sacrifices in the face of my bitter and realistic heartbreak over our current foreign policy.

I recently thought to myself, "If the world is watching me, what will I say, as an American who wishes to honor my nation's war dead - knowing fully well that some perfectly innocent people have died in a war which, after knowing what we now know, my nation never had to initiate?"

That's a difficult question.

Diane, a writer at Daily Kos, has written a poignant story called "One Hundred Names You Won't Hear This Memorial Day". From the photo of the first young man on her list, who resembles my own son, I cannot turn away from what is true and what is real. I am Pro-Life. I believe innocent boys and girls should never die in the name of collateral consequence, regardless of the material benefit an optional war provides for us as citizens of a nation.

Stem cell research has little to do with Memorial Day, but asking for logic that would follow a straight path has a lot to do with the point I'd like to make. On ABC News' This Week, Rev. Billy Graham's daughter, Ann Graham Lotz, recently said:

"My father has Parkinson's disease. I have a son who has cancer, a mother who has degenerative arthritis and I have a husband who has diabetes. And those are four very close family members, each one of whom has a disease that I have read, anyway, could be possibly affected by stem cell research, which is exciting to me, but embryonic stem cell research, which is still distressing to me. I would not want any one of my family members to benefit from the willful destruction of another human life."

If that is true, and unless she is a complete hypocrite (which I do not believe she is), then we can put Ann Graham Lotz in the category of "Anti-war". After all, given her logic, the many innocent deaths we have willfully caused in Iraq, which were of a secondary (collateral) nature to our intent to win in an optional war which benefits our nation would surely not be morally acceptable.

Yet, listen to what Anne Graham Lotz said when asked by Jane Clayson on the NBC Today Show about 9/11:

Clayson asked, "I've heard people say, those who are religious, those who are not, if God is good, how could God let this happen? To that, you say?"

Lotz replied, "I say God is also angry when he sees something like this. I would say also for several years now Americans in a sense have shaken their fist at God and said, God, we want you out of our schools, our government, our business, we want you out of our marketplace. And God, who is a gentleman, has just quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life. Removing his hand of blessing and protection.."

Anne Graham Lotz blamed American culture for 9/11. Basically, she's saying "God's gonna getcha for that." Wouldn't that mean that Anne Graham Lotz believes that God, with vengeance, was, in some way, with those hijackers on that fateful September morning? Is that what the "gentleman God" in Lotz' head is all about? Perhaps she'd believe, following her logic, that her "gentleman God" was so angry and saddened with American culture that He allowed the President and his administration to lie to the American public and send us to unnecessary war? I wonder what Anne would say about Iraq? In my search for any comment whatsoever on Google, I am only met with her glaring silence on Iraq.

This and many other moral confusions and hypocrisies are what makes America such a mockable spectacle to secularists around the world. I'm sick to death of these hypocrisies (whether or not the people truly believe what they're saying). I'm hoping Americans will soon come to their senses and work together for a land where we can exist at peace with one another and tend to our common values and goals.

God has been used to raise emotion on Memorial Day, and I believe there is a proper and fitting place for God in the National observance of the holiday. It doesn't rest with the loons of the far right, however. It rests with the trust, love and devotion that the individual soldier holds in his or her heart.

One listen to the music and poetry of "Each Time You Tell Their Story" (Real Audio) by Sam Hazo will help you to understand this.

"To honor them, why speak of duty
or the will of governments?

Think first of love each time you
tell their story.

It gives their sacrifice a name and takes from war its glory."

I weep for the men and women we've lost in Iraq. My heart is torn to shreds over their loss. They have my undying love, thanks, and respect.

I believe in God. My faith has not been shaken by 9/11 or by the sickening path by which President Bush's foreign policy has led us. My fervent prayer is that God forgives us for the careless and arrogant mistakes the Bush administration has made in Iraq - in the name of the People of America.

I dedicate this post and Memorial Day to Pat Tillman and his family.

Arianna on Hillary's Confusing Iraq Statement

Arianna on Hillary's Confusing Iraq Statement
Why on Earth is Hillary speaking this way?! Arianna Huffington points out the importance of clarity and longs for a 2008 Democratic presidential candidate who owns a dictionary where the words "political poison" appear under the definition of "equivocate".

Why can’t Democratic leaders talk straight about Iraq? The latest example is Hillary Clinton on CNN: "You know, I am not one who feels comfortable setting exit strategies. We don't know what we're exiting from. We don't know what the situation is moving toward…. How do we know where we're headed, when we don't know where we are?"

Wow. Very existential. Very Zen koan. If a foreign policy disintegrates in the desert and no one hears it fail, what does this mean for our country and for our safety? Do you hear that? It’s the sound of one Greek gagging. I’ve just decided that I do have a litmus test for the 2008 Democratic nominee: someone who can utter, in plain English, an unambiguous, unequivocal sentence about Iraq.

Read more here.

Jim Goldsborough on John Bolton

Jim Goldsborough on John Bolton

Jim Goldsborough continues to be a strong voice of reason. In his recent column titled "We Deserve John Bolton", he says:

"The new Anglo-Saxon Crusade against the infidels is a disaster. We have killed tens of thousands of innocent people with our bombs and turned a functioning nation into a hellhole. The murdering will not stop and our reputation will not begin to be restored until we are gone -- and even then it will take decades or even centuries. Our armed forces, which opposed this war, have seen their reputation besmirched again, and we are implicated in torture and human rights abuses as never before.

This is the America Bush has given us. This is the America that deserves John Bolton at the United Nations."