Looking For Your Own Face


Your face is neither infinite nor ephemeral.
You can never see your own face,
only a reflection, not the face itself.

So you sigh in front of mirrors
and cloud the surface.



It's better to keep your breath cold.
Hold it, like a diver does in the ocean.
One slight movement, the mirror-image goes.

Don't be dead or asleep or awake.
Don't be anything.

What you most want,
what you travel around wishing to find,
lose yourself as lovers lose themselves,
and you'll be that.

--Attar
Persian Sufi poet, 12th Century
as translated by Coleman Barks

Pat Tillman was a man who believed in a cause, died for his country

Pat Tillman was a man who believed in a cause, died for his country

The cause in which his country was engaged mattered more to Pat than the dull emptiness of greed. It mattered more to Pat than life.

Buffalo Bill's
defunct
who used to
ride a watersmooth-silver
stallion
and break onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat
Jesus
he was a handsome man
and what i want to know is
how do you like your blueeyed boy
Mister Death

--ee cummings
from a wonderful Sports Illustrated article

I saw this line in an article today:

[Pat] Tillman has been lauded by many Americans, including President Bush, as a hero for walking away from a $3.6 million contract in the prime of his football career to join units serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

How do we reconcile Bush's applause regarding one decent and honorable man's walking away from millions for a cause in which he felt so strongly that he gave all for country --- while nearly every policy of the Bush administration is filled with the motives of the greediest among us? It makes me so sad. I honor Pat's service. I honor the life he gave for this country. I honor every man and woman who died, was wounded, or is going through a non-stop hell because of the greed that brings people to the point of war. They all walked away from shelter, safety, beloved family, for their country. Those are the things our president should be applauding. During his State of the Union speech last January, he never gave tribute to the dead at all. I respect the office of the president, but I have to say, from what I've seen of his political face (which is the only way I could possibly be able to judge), that I don't think I like Mr. Bush very much as far as human beings are concerned. His values are so very different from my own.

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

I saw a headline at World Net Daily: "Firm will give Tillman's jersey to family--Could have made up to $4 million selling pieces with trading cards"
A businessman is meant to look like a hero for not being a sleaze who'd cash in on the back of a dead American hero. I'm sorry, I think I'll refrain giving him any special pat on the back. Why do we glorify the greediest-worst of businesspeople when they finally do something ethical? What does that say about our society?

Sgt. Pat Tillman wore two uniforms that Americans will always remember: the Army fatigues in which he died, and the NFL jersey he sacrificed first..... Before his death, Pat Tillman's NFL jersey might have been lost in the 55,000-square-foot building near the Ballpark in Arlington, where Donruss Trading Cards assimilates iconic souvenirs, putting small pieces of history on collectors' cards. The pieces of a typical game-worn jersey will yield about 2,000 trading cards. In the case of Pat Tillman, the company estimates it could have made up to $4 million. "What Pat Tillman is going to mean to the United States of America is better left to his family and who they want to write that chapter ... not us," said Dully.

Coming Tomorrow to a 9-11 Commission Near You...

Coming Tomorrow to a 9-11 Commission Near You

No..it's not Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy...it's..

THE DICK CHENEY AND DUBYA MCBUSHY SHOW!

Frank Lautenberg sticks it to VP Cheney

Frank Lautenberg sticks it to VP Cheney

At ABC's Political Note, it says:

Sen. Lautenberg on "chicken hawks":

"The lead chicken hawk is the Vice President. He's been attacking Kerry. What nerve. Where was Dick Cheney during the Vietnam War?... Cheney said he had other priorities, he should tell that to others who served and died in Vietnam."

Lautenberg on Bush:

"Last July, he said bring 'em on, he wasn't brought on the field of Vietnam when there was a chance for him to do something."

McCain responds to Lautenberg "chicken hawk" charge, calls for peace, reasonableness, bipartisanship, ratcheting down of the rhetoric while sticking up for both Bush and Kerry, ABC News' Linda Douglass reports.

By the way, VP Cheney took in a cool $178,437 from Halliburton in 2003.

In another news story about Frank Lautenberg: He accused American companies this week of collecting "blood money" by doing business with terror sponsors and said he would push for legislation to stop it.

Jim McDermott is a godless Marxist and other assorted fables

Jim McDermott is a godless Marxist and other assorted fables

OH MY GOD!!
He didn't say GOD!
*I can't wait to see World Net Daily's headline on this one*

If Jim McDermott had left out the words "..one nation, indivisible.." out of his recital of the Pledge, we'd have a bona fide problem. Only the truest patriot understands that, in order to maintain the bonds of a strong nation, our common faith lies not in believing that God exists, but that we have an undying drive to survive as a united force in the cause of freedom for all.

Trivia: Yesterday, April 27 was the 50th anniversary of when the phrase "under God" was added to the original pledge (which never before contained it).

Congratulations go out to Arlen Specter

Congratulations go out to Arlen Specter

One thing the president has done as (begrudging) political necessity is to have backed Arlen Specter in this attempted coup by the extreme right wing Norquistian crowd. Toomey fooled some of the people in Pennsylvania with his faux-drumbeat about strict social and economic conservatism, but he couldn't fool all of them. Toomey will fully support Specter after this defeat. The Club for Growth claims it was Specter's "grit" and "money" that snared the win.
Just what we look for in our greatest leaders... grit...money....... (*whatever happened to character, accountability, respect for true freedom, respect for the rule of law and ethics, intelligence, trustworthiness and honesty, anyway?)

On the Drudge report, the headline reads: Specter ekes out win in Pennsylvania primary.
When you look at the results..Specter had 526,120 votes, or 51 percent, to Toomey's 509,507 votes, or 49 percent...you'll see there's a division in the Republican party mirroring today's national overall polarizing political numbers. Trouble in Republican paradise? It's no wonder the president felt he had to back Specter.

I honestly like Arlen Specter and I'm very happy for his victory.
Now it's on to face the Democratic candidate Joe Hoeffel this November.

Bush's gift to Osama..

Bush's gift to Osama..

George W. Bush has given Osama bin Laden everything he could ever have wished for.

Bush invaded a Muslim country without just cause and in defiance of practically the entire world, and delivered to bin Laden a terrorist recruitment poster for the ages. The Middle East is coming together in unprecedented ways to fight the United States, a crucial step along the path towards bin Laden's desire to create a pure Islamic Caliphate. The bloodshed spurred by the Shi'ite uprising, aided by the unlikely alliance with the Sunnis, have left Iraq in utterly unsolvable turmoil. American soldiers, and Iraqi civilians, continue to die. There is absolutely, positively no good side to this situation.

Osama bin Laden need only sit back and watch everything go his way. He is almost certainly aware of the old military rule which states, "Never interfere with an enemy who is in the process of destroying himself."

--William Rivers Pitt [LINK]

Dems sorry they "screwed" Howard Dean?

Dems sorry they "screwed" Howard Dean?

James Ridgeway poses the possibility in the Village Voice, stating: "..the dim-bulb Dem leaders are going to be very sorry they screwed Howard Dean."

Mr. Ridgeway seems very doubtful about Kerry's ability to beat Bush this November. He first cites Kerry's wealth as a roadblock to the Oval Office...and then the fiasco about the medals (To which I say: ..at least he earned medals, unlike the other rich boys who deliberately avoided the overseas gig in Viet Nam). I feel that his "wishy-washiness" (especially on the Iraq resolution) has always been a point of weakness-in-truth, even though Senator Kerry may have seen giving Bush authority on Iraq as "political insurance" at the time. Read Ridgeway and decide for yourselves.

Personally, I still think The "Real Souls" of the Democratic Party-Bruce Reed and Al From are among the worst of the Democratic party's leading figures. Ridgeway doesn't mention them, but since he did mention what was done to Howard Dean, I make reference to two of the biggest culprits. It's nice to pretend "we're" all one happy unified party, but take just one look at Reed and From's "Real Soul" and you'll realize "we--the happily unified" never were, in actuality.

The only thing we have in common is the need to find someone to replace Bush in November. The world really needs for that to happen. America really needs for that to happen. Ivy league or not, Bush has been too easily convinced by a God-voice (imagine him relying on something like this). He's been led by human voices around him who have proven to be unworthy of American trust. He admits to ignoring newspapers. His arrogant and ignorant stubbornness has caused the world to back off from dealing with him. (I believe they all hope for Kerry or another Democrat to win in November..and if that doesn't happen, God help us). Our soldiers are being abandoned by "coalition partners". The Wizard of Oz wouldn't have given Bush a small token of recognition of any qualities that make for someone with a semblance of a brain.

Do you remember the Charles Krauthammers, the Robert Novaks and the David Brooks of the right-side of the media aisle begging for Howard Dean to be the Democratic nominee? Do you now see the reverse psychology in that? I'd imagine they would have wanted Senator Kerry all along because he lacked the clarity of some other candidates. I hope he can learn to convince others about the importance of this election. If he's our only hope...and if he fails, so fails America.

I wish the Dems hadn't sabotaged Howard Dean. I know they did. Alas, what's done is done. Kerry won the Democratic presidential primary in Pennsylvania tonight. The Democrats have somehow become sure he's the one they want. I wonder how things will be different in Iraq when he's in power...it really isn't clear just yet.

Today at Linfield College in northwestern Oregon, Dennis Kucinich said:

"Americans should have a better choice than a decision whether to have a Republican or Democratic version of the war. We are being told we have to stay the course, that we can't cut and run. We are dedicated to this war despite the fact that it is wrong..."

Bottom line, there's few major differences between the two major parties when it comes to the Iraq war. On top of that, the entire country seems to be missing the Ben Franklins and the James Madisons of yesteryear. As Gore Vidal said: "Apparently, a democracy is a place where numerous elections are held at great cost without issues and with interchangeable candidates." At the same time, I don't believe Gore would consider Senator Kerry to be "deranged, a despot, part of an alien army who's managed to openly take everything over..." (as he does, indeed think of Bush).

Is John Edwards doing anything this November?

Disclaimer: This is not to tick off Kerry supporters. I'd certainly consider voting for him if it came to Kerry v. Bush.

After Najaf..........

U.S. troops have moved into a base in Najaf that Spanish troops are currently abandoning. What a shame.

This is where Spain's pull-out is really showing how our leader's George W. Bush's failure to get this whole thing right is going to sink our cause. (Unless he goes to the U.N. now and makes an apologetic plea for a renewed global constituency, which we know he is simply incapable of doing).

Najaf is "Revolution Central" to the Shi'ites in Iraq. There is strong anti-American sentiment..the resisting Sh'ites there see America as nothing more than Saddam's replaced occupier. Najaf is their holiest city, blood-rich with their cultural history.

Spain's abandonmemt of the base near Najaf will more than likely prove to be a grievous turning point in the battle for the Shi'ite heart and mind. There's no question that we'll be the political loser. Wars are not only won with brute force, although, after Najaf, it appears that sheer brute force may have to be arranged since America is never going to strike a familiar political chord with the average Iraqi.



In Fallujah on Monday, a mosque's minaret was destroyed during a fight between Iraqi Sunni insurgents and U.S troops.Today it is reported that the U.S. forces promise to stay away from the sensitive Shiite shrines at the heart of the Najaf.

I hope they can keep that promise, but I wonder if it truly matters anymore? A mother sees her child, who is seeking shelter from the crossfire under an Army tank, run over like a sack of rice. What cares she about the shelled minaret?

"Fanatics and Fools" Website


*Now on sale at Amazon.com*

The official website is up and running!

At Arianna's blog, she says there's everything you'd want to know about the book at the official site -- plus a petition you can sign letting John Kerry know which of the 10 issues that make up the book's "Contract for A Better America" you support the most. So visit the site, sign the petition, and help reset our nation's priorities.

You can also send a postcard!

Love and suffering

"I maintain that all sorrow comes from love of those things of which loss deprives me."

--Meister Eckhart




The source of my grief and loneliness is deep in my breast.
This is a disease no doctor can cure.
Only union with the Friend can cure it.

____________________

The heart longs for God, and seeks to find its true Beloved. If we follow our longing, if we allow ourself to be pierced by the pain of separation from the source, we will be drawn back to God.

Longing is the central core of every mystical path, as the anonymous author of the fourteenth-century mystical classic, The Cloud of Unknowing, simply states: "Your whole life must be one of longing."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Love and suffering are powerful transformative agents because they embrace the mystery of being human. Longing is love's call to "return to the root of the root of your own self," to the place within the core of our being.. where we are always whole.

We are conditioned to avoid pain, but the mystic pain of the heart is the thread that leads us; the song of the soul that uncovers us. Meister Eckhart said, "God is the sigh in the soul," and this sigh, this sorrow, is a most precious poison. How love heals us from the sufferings we inflict upon ourself is always a mystery.

Thanks to Nurihsan for the referral to the article from which I took the above statements.

WTO says no to U.S. cotton subsidies; sides with Brazil

The WTO has issued a landmark decision denouncing U.S. cotton subsidies (which were approved democratically by our Congress). The WTO sided with a complaint from Brazil claiming that the payments unfairly boost U.S. production and exports while lowering world cotton prices. We probably won't be the number two cotton producer in the world much longer. This is the first time a country has been challenged over its domestic agricultural subsidies. This is probably just the first of more complaints to come against our nation.

Coffins: The White House has totally lost the P.R. war

Mainstream radio and news are totally against the government's policy to ban and/or censor these photos.
For only one example, see this article from Editor and Publisher.

"Americans deserve to see who is paying the ultimate price for this war."
--Virginia Pilot

"...as the United States continues a war that is -- at this moment, at least -- being waged on the pretext of freedom, the government tries to censor images of flag-draped coffins. But the censorship has failed because it defies common sense and federal law. ... These images are what they are: a sad reflection of our president's war of choice. Yes, they are sobering. That is even more justification for their prompt and public release."
--Daily Camera, Boulder, Colo

An interview with James Moore/ A letter from the family of a Soldier

At Buzzflash, there's an interview with James Moore, author of the recently-published book "Bush's War For Re-election: Iraq, The White House, And The People". On the book's back cover, Buzzflash offers its support by saying the book 'masterfully details how Bush's war for re-election has real victims: the families of soldiers who have died in Iraq and American citizens who have dared to tell the truth'.

In the Buzzflash interview, Moore states:

There are families whose lives have been ruined by the President's decision to attack Iraq. And because that was unnecessary, these families are even more shattered by it. They try and try to believe that their child died for something important, but they're struggling to do that now. And in some of the cases, these families have been split apart in the same way that the Civil War split families apart. [By politics]

I read a letter to the Editor of the Syracuse Post Standard today from the mother-in-law of a soldier in Iraq. The following is an excerpt:

How will we justify it if Jon comes back broken and mutilated - or not at all? Will we say it was worth it?

I hear so many families saying "He believed in what he was doing," and "He was fighting for freedom." I won't be believing that. I've never believed we should be killing Iraqis to set them free. Will I have to mouth those words for the rest of my life to comfort a distraught young woman whose husband paid a price he shouldn't have to pay?

My mother's heart fears the future. I pray, and hope, and honor the young men and women doing what they have to do. But I do not honor the president who keeps them in the way of harm to serve his own twisted interests.

American Political Jihad and Myths about Iraq

How many coffins have to come back to Dover before politicians acknowlege how myth and coffin have married to share an American legacy?

At Skippy the Kangaroo, I was interested to read about a recent article by Steve and Cokie Roberts titled Party purists paralyze Congress by political jihad. I especially appreciated Skippy's take on the topic.

Kevin Hayden thinks it's probably late in the day to change many Americans' false perceptions about the war in Iraq and that John Kerry may find it an exercise in futility to continue to make that an important part of his campaign. He cites Juan Cole's April 25th commentary regarding the sad fact that so many Americans still believe Saddam gave substantial support to al-Qaeda (and worse, 45% actually say that "clear evidence" has been found in Iraq to support this allegation!)

Juan Cole makes the astute observation:

Democratic party leadership has not developed an effective critique of Bush administration approaches to the 'war on terror,' and that in effect the Republicans are poaching on Democratic territory successfully in this regard.

Democrats have their work cut out for them. I don't know that I agree that Kerry should abandon attempting to dispel the myths about Iraq. If not Kerry, then who? America has bought into the myths and there's no one on the Right who will risk political damage by bringing significant truths to the light of day. This is probably nothing new in the political realm. I think we can all recall seeing a determined look-away from truth for politics' sake occur during the Viet Nam era. The question is: Didn't we learn anything from that American experience? How many coffins have to come back to Dover before politicians acknowlege how myth and coffin have married to share an American legacy?

Juan Cole contrasts Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee's decided independent search for truth with the Republican Right, who keeps with the partisan line in perpetuating the myths about Iraq. He cites recent Associated Press worries that centrist Republicans like Chafee and Spector are a "dying breed." I saw Republican Senator Chris Shays (CT) speak about the U.N. Food-for Oil investigation on FOX Sunday show yesterday and I got a clear sense of a non-partisan in his search for truth. Democrats should recognize and give positive reinforcement to independent-minded Republicans whenever possible. Public speaking about great respect and value placed on idependence of the individual political mind (regardless of party line) is the only way to turn the tide of polarization and civil division in America. Hit Americans in their mass consciousness. They don't have a clue where they're being led today...and the cliff edge is fast approaching. (Which takes me back full-circle to Skippy's commentary as referred above).

I believe it would serve the Democrats well to educate Americans about the authors of myth. Grover Norquist, for all intents and purposes, is a democracy-criminal and I believe he should be exposed as often as possible as it is his Club For Growth which is strong-arming and hijacking the People's true and responsible American represention. Representation is the life-blood of American democracy. It's being poisoned without our knowlege. The debate about these unpatriotic political tactics need to be raised to mainstream media debate as often as possible.

I never thought I'd see the day that the Northestern Republican would be a threatened species... eaten by their own party. Democrats have a stake in reaching across party lines to defend Republicans of independent mind. Kerry recently made a public plea for improvement in the tone of civil discourse in Washington, D.C., stating:

"The high road is harder, but it leads to a better place."

I think he's onto something there. If he can develop a way to throw the truth about the Norquistian-style hijacking of American politics in the mix with a more effectively-developed critique of the Bush administration's wrong-minded approaches to the 'war on terror', he may find empowerment via truth-in-politics. What a refreshing, unwaffling idea.

Polarized



In today's Washington Post, David Von Drehle discusses just how pervasive the political split is in today's America. It is the first of three promised articles. Both Kerry and Bush reach for the center, Mr. Von Drehle claims, yet their "basic colors" show through...especially in a political system that is intent on pulling them apart with the production of perfect archetypes of Red and Blue.

Estee is gone


The beauty is left behind. She was quite a lady.
*click photo to read her story*

Robert Fisk: "Shut up. Don't criticise Israel."

[LINK]

If you or I suggest that the Palestinians are getting a raw deal under Israeli occupation, then we are "anti-Semitic"? BALONEY!

In America, the great land of free speech...the land whose very freedom and security rests upon accuracy-in truth in our foreign policy....in a post 9-11 world gone mad with strife borne of hatred in the Middle East...we will not be censored or silenced by those who would employ political psychology to protect and promote their agenda. We are not anti-Semitic. We are solution-seekers with a clear moral goal. That goal is peace and justice for all people.

What is Ariel Sharon's goal? What is the Palestinian Authority's goal? If either side aims for peace, their respective sides have certainly done an abominable job of showing it over the past 50 years. The hatred spewing from the conflict has spilled over to America. In case anyone hasn't noticed lately, the World Trade Centers are missing. If we choose to speak out about actual history and if we can seek truly peaceful solutions, we are not anti-Semitic. As a matter of fact, the solution-seekers hold the higher moral ground. Those who would finger-point and cry "Anti-Semite!" should hang their heads in moral shame.

Americans recite the words "..with liberty and justice for all..." in the Pledge of Allegiance every day. It's an ingrained American value. So shoot us already if we apply that nugget of wisdom to our ideas about fairness in the Middle East!

Incidentally, we Americans DO pledge allegiance each day...to AMERICA. We are not one and the same as the State of Israel. They are in political propinquity with the U.S....but never admitted to this American union as far as I recall. (Did I miss something?) We must act in the utmost best interests of the American people. If that must include brutal honesty about the spill-over effects of terror on our American security, then let's have at it.

Maureen Dowd on BushWorld


Kudos to Maureen for an entertaining and all-too-true tale about the alternative America "brought on" by the world o'Bush.
I'm so glad she's taken up a collection of prescient observations already made and spread throughout the blogdom.

anonyMoses
... Posted by: " title="permanent link">Dave / 3/12/2004 10:22:29 PM. | News from BushWorld. ... Thursday,
March 11, 2004. BushWorld Too Unstable for Market Strength. ...
anonymoses.blogspot.com/ 2004_03_07_anonymoses_archive.html - 72k - Cached - Similar pages

The Fallujah fight is looming


Our forces will likely soon converge upon Fallujah. There will be many deaths. We are confident that God the best technology will be on our side. We will militarily prevail. Hearts and minds don't really matter anymore. Resistance was a bloody and atrocious inconvenience to the propaganda-hopefuls.

Perhaps if we kill some of them we can get back on the road to winning the surviving hearts.

Right?



A blinding sandstorm sweeps across Fallujah, Marine commanders study maps and plan lines of attack for an approaching battle....Marines encircle the city, awaiting a president's decision...awaiting an unknown fate... a mother in the city holds her child close to her breast. In America, the television says a free society in the heart of the Middle East will begin to change the world for the better...In America, the soldier's loving wife longs to hold her man in her lonely arms once again.

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

Afternoon Update:
At 12:40 pm, the Washington Post has reported:

Backing away from warnings that a new U.S. offensive on the city of Fallujah may be imminent, U.S. officials on Sunday announced that the occupation authority has shifted to a "political track" in an attempt to defuse the month-long crisis.

"I think we are going to show some combat patience and see if we can deliver this on a political track."
--Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt