"Faith means not wanting to know what is true."
-- Friedrich Neitzsche
Has there ever been a better description of the Bush administration's driving force?
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Thursday, April 13, 2006
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
In Memorium to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
THEY DIE YOUNG:
(Read at first anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King -- Jonesboro, AR, 1969 by Bill Stroud, Ph. D.)
"Has anybody here seen my old friend Martin?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people. But it seems the good--
They die young. I just look around and he's gone."
Yes, they die young. But they die young because they lived before becoming old. They live centuries within the span of youth. They died young, convinced that life must be measured by its dimension and not by its extension. They die young, yet with hoary heads of ageless wisdom learned in the search for justice. Martin died young but not before he lived.
You look around and he's gone? You look too much around. You must have looked around the hope which Martin sparked in thousands of youngsters; for with raised chins poised in flinty determination, black youth now view themselves in dignity, demanding their just place in American culture. You must have looked around that tear shed in pride as the aged black parent watched the son and daughter set their faces steadfastly toward positions of high repute. Look around, but see the hundreds of organizations which have come to life through his death, organizations which are dedicated to the alleviation of suppression of peoples. Martin died young but he was the father of the black American dream.
Some people merely live and die; others die and live. Some cannot really die because their lives extend beyond their own history. Some men merely make history, others change it. Martin's death creates life, for because of his life even the past seems to change. What was once our religious heritage of days of yore now seems spotted with inequity and pain. The great South with its antebellum homes which once evoked a feeling of repose, hospitality and comfort, now has moved out of focus as black hands are seen busily grasping the cotton within the hot fields behind the proverbial magnolias. That past is now seen as it really was, is criticized as it is, and will continue to be pressed to become what it should be.
Martin is yet alive because he has become a symbol which transcends the mere human form. As a symbolic personage he transcends time and his signification reaches beyond that small span of history sandwiched between birth and death. A resurrection has been actualized already for Martin because his spirit of love and peace yet permeates new flesh which will make up the new humanity of the new America.
Has anybody here seen my ole friend Martin? Look for him among the Abrahams. Martin echoed Lincoln's words: "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." Like Lincoln, Martin took his stand and forced the recognition of the breach within the social structure of America, the breach which was nothing but a crevice which for years had been skillfully covered with the veneer of expediency. And like a Lincoln he died.
Has anybody here seen my ole friend Martin? Look along the paths of John and Bob. He made God's work truly his own; he showed what he would do for his country. We must become a part of what he could do. He "helped a lot of people;" and oh, how he did die young!
We just look around and he's gone? No, we can see him in every determined effort which is made to gain for his people their deserved heritage. We must envision his dream; in every pledge of allegiance we must commit ourselves to his America of humanity, where colors are used for flags and humans used for nothing.
Yes, Martin is still working and marching as every effort is made to heal the prejudiced eye which blinks at blackness. He is reborn in every child who is black and proud. He walks your streets today in every soul who loves humanity first, humanity second, and humanity last.
"The good--they seem to die young. . .
Has anybody here seen my old friend Martin?"
(Read at first anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King -- Jonesboro, AR, 1969 by Bill Stroud, Ph. D.)
"Has anybody here seen my old friend Martin?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people. But it seems the good--
They die young. I just look around and he's gone."
Yes, they die young. But they die young because they lived before becoming old. They live centuries within the span of youth. They died young, convinced that life must be measured by its dimension and not by its extension. They die young, yet with hoary heads of ageless wisdom learned in the search for justice. Martin died young but not before he lived.
You look around and he's gone? You look too much around. You must have looked around the hope which Martin sparked in thousands of youngsters; for with raised chins poised in flinty determination, black youth now view themselves in dignity, demanding their just place in American culture. You must have looked around that tear shed in pride as the aged black parent watched the son and daughter set their faces steadfastly toward positions of high repute. Look around, but see the hundreds of organizations which have come to life through his death, organizations which are dedicated to the alleviation of suppression of peoples. Martin died young but he was the father of the black American dream.
Some people merely live and die; others die and live. Some cannot really die because their lives extend beyond their own history. Some men merely make history, others change it. Martin's death creates life, for because of his life even the past seems to change. What was once our religious heritage of days of yore now seems spotted with inequity and pain. The great South with its antebellum homes which once evoked a feeling of repose, hospitality and comfort, now has moved out of focus as black hands are seen busily grasping the cotton within the hot fields behind the proverbial magnolias. That past is now seen as it really was, is criticized as it is, and will continue to be pressed to become what it should be.
Martin is yet alive because he has become a symbol which transcends the mere human form. As a symbolic personage he transcends time and his signification reaches beyond that small span of history sandwiched between birth and death. A resurrection has been actualized already for Martin because his spirit of love and peace yet permeates new flesh which will make up the new humanity of the new America.
Has anybody here seen my ole friend Martin? Look for him among the Abrahams. Martin echoed Lincoln's words: "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." Like Lincoln, Martin took his stand and forced the recognition of the breach within the social structure of America, the breach which was nothing but a crevice which for years had been skillfully covered with the veneer of expediency. And like a Lincoln he died.
Has anybody here seen my ole friend Martin? Look along the paths of John and Bob. He made God's work truly his own; he showed what he would do for his country. We must become a part of what he could do. He "helped a lot of people;" and oh, how he did die young!
We just look around and he's gone? No, we can see him in every determined effort which is made to gain for his people their deserved heritage. We must envision his dream; in every pledge of allegiance we must commit ourselves to his America of humanity, where colors are used for flags and humans used for nothing.
Yes, Martin is still working and marching as every effort is made to heal the prejudiced eye which blinks at blackness. He is reborn in every child who is black and proud. He walks your streets today in every soul who loves humanity first, humanity second, and humanity last.
"The good--they seem to die young. . .
Has anybody here seen my old friend Martin?"
-Couldn't have said it better. . .
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Saturday, April 01, 2006
The Biggest of Bush's Many Deficits. . .
--David Mamet, huffingtonpost.com/theblog, 04/01/2006
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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
The Senate at Work?
Watching the Senate Judiciary Committee the other day (on C-Span) going through a tortuous process of trying to put together an outline of an immigration policy reform bill, was excruciating. Yet, without getting into the specifics of the varied proposals themselves, it was quite a telling scene.
First, it was a oft not seen example of the 'sausage making' of legislation. Generally, hearings of its sort are held behind closed doors. Those doors only open usually to public purview after some finished legislative proposals are offerable (or none at all, sometimes). Although much work had already been done by various Senate staffers, the hearing was still a good example of the painful give and take of an on the surface, honest effort at legal reform.
Second, one came away with a good idea of the thoughtfulness and work ethic of various senators. It seemed the more ideologically driven the legislator, the higher their degree of legislative input and personal participation in the give and take. I note particularly Sens. Kennedy (D-MA) and Kyl (R-AZ) as examples here.
This exercise in public disclosure on Capitol Hill is somewhat rare. It was mostly the result of public and right wing extremist peer pressure on reasonable and moderate senators to come up with an immigration bill- fast. Also, it is easy to assume the Senate wanted all to see that they take the matter seriously and are actually working on a solution. Still, the urgency of the hearing was palpable with the threat of passage of more draconian legislation (like that of the House), i.e. the Frist measure.
Of course, a final bill with inevitable ensuing amendments is far from the Senate floor. There is much wrangling to be done. Yet, it was refreshing to see our legislators doing some important and yes, honest work- something Americans don't usually associate with them these days.
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First, it was a oft not seen example of the 'sausage making' of legislation. Generally, hearings of its sort are held behind closed doors. Those doors only open usually to public purview after some finished legislative proposals are offerable (or none at all, sometimes). Although much work had already been done by various Senate staffers, the hearing was still a good example of the painful give and take of an on the surface, honest effort at legal reform.
Second, one came away with a good idea of the thoughtfulness and work ethic of various senators. It seemed the more ideologically driven the legislator, the higher their degree of legislative input and personal participation in the give and take. I note particularly Sens. Kennedy (D-MA) and Kyl (R-AZ) as examples here.
This exercise in public disclosure on Capitol Hill is somewhat rare. It was mostly the result of public and right wing extremist peer pressure on reasonable and moderate senators to come up with an immigration bill- fast. Also, it is easy to assume the Senate wanted all to see that they take the matter seriously and are actually working on a solution. Still, the urgency of the hearing was palpable with the threat of passage of more draconian legislation (like that of the House), i.e. the Frist measure.
Of course, a final bill with inevitable ensuing amendments is far from the Senate floor. There is much wrangling to be done. Yet, it was refreshing to see our legislators doing some important and yes, honest work- something Americans don't usually associate with them these days.
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Tuesday, March 21, 2006
The Sad State of Congress. . .
-by J. B. Handelsman in the New Yorker of 06/17/1996
(La plus ca change. . .)
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Thursday, March 09, 2006
Bush Is a Big Fat Loser!
Most of the world has known this for a longtime, but today it is official. . .
The House and Senate have both made it clear: Bush will not be allowed to force the go ahead of the Dubai port deal. Yesterday, the powerful House Appropriations Committee voted overwhelmingly to force a vote on the floor stopping the Dubai port giveaway. Then today in the Senate, the dems forced a cloture vote and won on an amendment to the lobbying reform bill that would essentially kill the Dubai deal. Both chambers made it clear what the feelings were of the American people and their opinion of the utter incompetency of the administration in this matter (let alone every other matter that they have touched).
Both actions established that Bush would not be able to surmount veto proof votes for the first time in his presidency. Paraphrasing the reaction of Chris Matthews on MSNBC this afternoon, 'Bush is no longer the head of the repug party'. It is obvious, that the House leadership in particular, as well as important repug Senators running for reelection this year, weren't going to be dragged down at the polls hanging onto Bush's sinking in the polls coattails.
In the meantime, as a face saving device for themselves as well as for the president, Dubai has agreed to withdraw from its contract and sell port operations to an American company. . .
Not a Moment too Soon!
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The House and Senate have both made it clear: Bush will not be allowed to force the go ahead of the Dubai port deal. Yesterday, the powerful House Appropriations Committee voted overwhelmingly to force a vote on the floor stopping the Dubai port giveaway. Then today in the Senate, the dems forced a cloture vote and won on an amendment to the lobbying reform bill that would essentially kill the Dubai deal. Both chambers made it clear what the feelings were of the American people and their opinion of the utter incompetency of the administration in this matter (let alone every other matter that they have touched).
Both actions established that Bush would not be able to surmount veto proof votes for the first time in his presidency. Paraphrasing the reaction of Chris Matthews on MSNBC this afternoon, 'Bush is no longer the head of the repug party'. It is obvious, that the House leadership in particular, as well as important repug Senators running for reelection this year, weren't going to be dragged down at the polls hanging onto Bush's sinking in the polls coattails.
In the meantime, as a face saving device for themselves as well as for the president, Dubai has agreed to withdraw from its contract and sell port operations to an American company. . .
Not a Moment too Soon!
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Thursday, February 23, 2006
FUCK You Back Bush. . .
Turned out to be an ugly, incompetent, corrupt s.o.b., didn't he?
Monday, February 20, 2006
Enough Is Enough!
President George Bush is coming to Congress – to the American people, really – to ask for another $65 billion for war in the Middle East. It’s the fourth time in three years the Administration has asked for extra, unplanned billions to be taken from other needs. What will he do with the money? We’re told this $65 billion (in addition to the $241 billion spent so far) will be used to "stay the course".
To "stay the course" in a civil war ravaged Iraq is the only plan Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld et al have, and it has failed miserably. The loss in blood and treasure is the proof.
To "stay the course" is costing our nation $100,000 a minute. Our soldiers, our children and our nation are not served by continuing to plunge heedlessly ahead, and we look to Congress to exercise responsibility for our future.
Contact your congress persons directly through the sidebar resources or go to: True Majority
NO MORE MONEY FOR IRAQ!
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To "stay the course" in a civil war ravaged Iraq is the only plan Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld et al have, and it has failed miserably. The loss in blood and treasure is the proof.
To "stay the course" is costing our nation $100,000 a minute. Our soldiers, our children and our nation are not served by continuing to plunge heedlessly ahead, and we look to Congress to exercise responsibility for our future.
Contact your congress persons directly through the sidebar resources or go to: True Majority
NO MORE MONEY FOR IRAQ!
Blog On
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
FUCK Mohammed. . .
Turned out to be an ugly s.o.b., didnt' he?
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Wednesday, February 01, 2006
A Quote Worth Quoting:
Repugs Have Agenda for Corps and Rich only!
More than half of Americans disapprove of Bush and his repug Congress. Why? Its because they failed to answer the real questions ordinary Americans have about the state of our union:
When will we have an exit strategy for Iraq? Violence is non-stop. Incompetent management is ongoing. And worst of all, the war has cost the lives of thousands of Americans and Iraqis and billions of dollars in fraud.
When will we secure our ports and chemical and nuclear plants, which remain vulnerable? Probably never if the repugs have there way- there's no profit in it, public safety be damned.
When will the repugs put their responsibility to the people before their greed and thirst for power? The repug culture of corruption in the executive and legislative branches has violated the law and cost taxpayers billions.
When will the repugs acknowledge the economic crisis tens of millions of Americans face? Good jobs are leaving this country in droves, and many of the jobs that remain exploit working families by denying them adequate benefits. Millionaires and corporations receive tax breaks while Americans can't afford to save, and the gap between rich and poor continues to widen to levels unseen since the 19th century.
When will we finally do something for the 46 million Americans who lack health insurance? Many have had their lives ruined financially when the worst happened, and many more no longer seek the care they need because they cannot afford it.
When will we make serious strides towards energy independence? We get a greater percentage of our oil from cartels and dictatorships now than we did in 2000.
When will he take steps to further ensure retirement security for every American? Growing old with dignity is a right, not a privilege, and dismantling Social Security in favor of private accounts is the wrong direction for our society.
What about the poor? To claim the economy is good when a quarter of the populace is in poverty or on its edge is ludicrous.
These and other pressing public matters are ignored by the repugs in the fervor to please the corporate rich and fundamentalist fanatics who keep their party coffers and pockets full. As long as they control our government, they can execute the same incompetent, dishonest and destructive government without paying a price at the ballot box. Its time to VOTE the bums out!
--inspired by a Democratic Party newsletter by Howard Dean
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When will we have an exit strategy for Iraq? Violence is non-stop. Incompetent management is ongoing. And worst of all, the war has cost the lives of thousands of Americans and Iraqis and billions of dollars in fraud.
When will we secure our ports and chemical and nuclear plants, which remain vulnerable? Probably never if the repugs have there way- there's no profit in it, public safety be damned.
When will the repugs put their responsibility to the people before their greed and thirst for power? The repug culture of corruption in the executive and legislative branches has violated the law and cost taxpayers billions.
When will the repugs acknowledge the economic crisis tens of millions of Americans face? Good jobs are leaving this country in droves, and many of the jobs that remain exploit working families by denying them adequate benefits. Millionaires and corporations receive tax breaks while Americans can't afford to save, and the gap between rich and poor continues to widen to levels unseen since the 19th century.
When will we finally do something for the 46 million Americans who lack health insurance? Many have had their lives ruined financially when the worst happened, and many more no longer seek the care they need because they cannot afford it.
When will we make serious strides towards energy independence? We get a greater percentage of our oil from cartels and dictatorships now than we did in 2000.
When will he take steps to further ensure retirement security for every American? Growing old with dignity is a right, not a privilege, and dismantling Social Security in favor of private accounts is the wrong direction for our society.
What about the poor? To claim the economy is good when a quarter of the populace is in poverty or on its edge is ludicrous.
These and other pressing public matters are ignored by the repugs in the fervor to please the corporate rich and fundamentalist fanatics who keep their party coffers and pockets full. As long as they control our government, they can execute the same incompetent, dishonest and destructive government without paying a price at the ballot box. Its time to VOTE the bums out!
--inspired by a Democratic Party newsletter by Howard Dean
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