Do You...YOU...Feel Like I Do...

Pete Frampton. 70s. "must'uv been a dream, I don't believe where I've been...c'mon lets do it again..."

My cousin Bonnie (who looked like the daughter of Rachel Welch and Faye Dunaway -- a complete knockout, who looks now like she's been knocked-out a few times) was a Pete Frampton fan. In fact, it was her Frampton Comes Alive album that I played over and over again on my record player. She brought the album with her when she stayed with us one summer. She left and the album became mine, along with Alice Cooper's "Welcome to My Nightmare". My favorite: Cold Ethel. I later learned that Cold Ethel was about, well, necrophilia. But what did I know? I was a kid. Same thing with "Puff the Magic Dragon" one of my favorites as a child, only to learn as an adult that it was a tribute to weed. All I know is that I liked dragons. They were neat. They could fly, had talons and blew fire. Pretty cool. I knew nothing of "weed", only that it "is a plant whose virtue has not yet been discovered" (so says Emerson).

But lately, I wonder if I'm alone in how I feel...are folks tired of the anger, having to choose sides, trying to figure out what's right, what's wrong, what's not, what is? And I think back on simpler times, at least they were simple for me, as a kid, growing up in the 70s. And even though there was a war raging on the other side of the world, all I knew was music and friends and family and kickball and long summers and cool nights that seemed to last forever and life seemed, well, quite clear...

Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms
Quite clear, no doubt, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

-Bob Dylan

IF...

If we rushed to war in Iraq (18 months), did we rush to war in Afghanistan (1 month)?

If there is genocide in Sudan (blacks, Christians), was there genocide in Iraq (Kurds, Shiite)?

If it is o.k. to do something i.e. exert force in Sudan to stop genocide, was it o.k. to stop genocide in Iraq (Kurds, Shiite)?

If it was o.k. to stop the killing and mass graves in Kosovo, was it o.k. to stop the killing and mass graves in Iraq?

If it was o.k. to go to Afghanistan with no threat of WMD should we not go into Iraq with a threat of WMD?

If there are too many troops dying in Iraq, what is the acceptable amount of troop causalities while engaged in conflict?

If the coalition, especially U.S., troops leave Iraq, will the killing stop?

If we should withdrawal troops from Iraq (150,000), should we withdrawal troops from Kosovo (1,500), Japan (35,000), Korea (33,000), Europe (100,000) and other places around the globe?

If colonialism in Africa was/ is bad and oppressive, what is civil war, despotism, genocide, famine, disease, mass rapes, etc?

If American imperialism is bad, is American money and aide good?

CAMERA IN HAND, READY TO “ACT”

The past 6 years feels like one big long whine-- a lot of wind pushing dirt around and not going anywhere. One event after another seems to fill the sky with dust clouds, resulting in inaction and an inability to see clearly.

Now, George Clooney and dad are promoting the Darfur situation as is Angelina Jolie et al. And yet, we've had the knowledge that genocide was occuring in Sudan for years, only to twiddle our thumbs and sit by idly expecting OTHERS to step in and do something while we complain about how BAD things are here in good ‘ol USA-- griping about the war, WMDs, George Bush, Karl Rove, DeLay, Hillara, Leaks, Dems, Repubs, etc. A tremendous amount of energy put to waste instead of to good use.

Something about George walking around with a mike and camera just put me off. His tourist approach to the situation made my stomach churn—it felt too smug, too comfortable, too much like “I’m DOING something. Let ME inform YOU because I’ll sure be the better for it…” (It's unclear how Darfur will be the better for it.)

Will Darfur get better now that we SEE, thanks to George and company? Will we, after years of mass killing, look back via first-hand survivor accounts, books, documentaries and films (money-making enterprises) on the tragedy of it all and say “we should have done something” like we did with Rwanda? Is this our way of appeasing and congratulating ourselves at the same time for NOTICING even though we refuse to speak the truth of what action must be taken?

Would George Clooney go to a car wreck with mike and camera in hand asking the victims what they thought, how they felt, etc? I should hope not. One would hope he’d call for help, maybe administer first aide, put out the fire, etc. Darfur is a burning car with men, women and children inside and bringing attention will not save those people, DOING something will.

I'm not picking on George. He appears to be sincere. But how many deaths must occur before we stop talking and start doing? Time for action. Do what was not done in Rwanda. Put down the cameras. Bring in the troops.

http://www.darfurgenocide.org/

Clean Air Calabasas: A smoke-free, family-friendly atmosphere of moralistic intolerance

An article on more busy-bodies working to eliminate our freedoms. Excerpt:

The city council, which unanimously approved the ordinance last month and has started calling the Los Angeles suburb "Clean Air Calabasas, a Smoke-Free City," predicts the state government (which already prohibits smoking in indoor workplaces) will follow its example. If so, judging from the history of smoking bans, Calabasas-style restrictions eventually will move from California to the rest of the country. Before that happens, Americans should consider whether they really want to embrace the Calabasas spirit of moralistic intolerance masquerading as "public health."

Tellingly, a provision that would have permitted outdoor smoking in the presence of nonsmokers with their consent was removed from the final version of the Calabasas ban. So if you're in some deserted part of the city in the middle of the night with a friend who smokes, he is allowed to light up only if you do too.

If he lights up and you don't like it, you can file a complaint with the city, which can charge your friend with a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and a jail sentence of up to six months. You also can sue him, seeking compensation for injuries inflicted by his tobacco smoke or statutory damages of $250 for each violation, plus attorneys' fees and court costs.

If you can show your friend was guilty of "oppression, fraud, malice, or conscious disregard for the public health and safety," you can recover punitive damages too. By that point, of course, he might not be your friend anymore.

. . .

Which is why they decided to resolve the minor annoyance of drifting outdoor tobacco smoke through criminal charges and lawsuits—instead of, say, public stoning. Presumably the city council members also had the minimization of punitiveness and disruption in mind when they chose to criminalize not only unauthorized smoking but "allowing, aiding or abetting" it by looking the other way or putting out ashtrays.

. . .

The logic of forcing people to set a good example for the kids—which also would justify banning fat people and motorcyclists from public places—reduces adults to the level of children whenever they venture out of their homes.

No Action "Hero"?

Lately, Governor Schwarzenegger has been sounding like a big baby. Now, I don’t know if he’s being positioned this way because many of the reports have paraphrased his so-called statements, but he’s been using a lot of un-leader-like words:

Schwarzenegger: Feds should be worried about California levees

"They are spending $100 billion in New Orleans right now because they were not acting fast enough. And here is the time for them to redeem themselves, to go and say, 'We made a mistake before; let's not ever make that mistake again.' And again they are missing the boat."

"We must let the president know that we need help," the governor said. "We want to put the pressure on the federal government, because they already have made a big mistake with New Orleans. Here is a chance for them to do really good."

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says he's going to complain to President Bush tomorrow about government inaction on his requests for help in repairing the state's antiquated levees. [notice it's “government” inaction as though there are no State responsibilities]

There are a lot of hands held out for Federal $$. What ever happened to STATES standing up and DOING the work for their citizens and not waiting for the Feds to save them? Why does everything get directed and shifted to the Federal Gov’t to DO something? Where’s the State’s self-reliance? Waiting for the Feds means nothing gets done.

Schwarzenegger has fallen into victim-hood mentality; his language is that of a loser rather than winner. He sounds like he’s whining instead of DOING. He should be saying “we can not wait for the Federal gov’t to respond, WE must act. Here is a chance for US to not make mistakes and to take care of our citizens, our state.”

He needs a better script with a hero’s dialogue and lots of action.

Who's Keeping an Eye on the FREE Press?

I’m for a Free Press. I don’t have much confidence or trust in government, no matter who’s in the WH and the Press can provide balance, perspective, insight and truth as it informs us citizens. However, I find the recent broohaha regarding the CIA leaks/Pulitzers/NSA Wiretappings, etc. rather perplexing, hugely irritating and extremely hypocritical.

It seems the Press (i.e. old media) has the right to expose government programs such as the NSA wiretappings and the “secret” CIA prisons, but don’t have to mention their sources or provide perspective—that their right to protect sources usurps the gov't responsibility to preserve & protect, our rights as citizens to be protected or even to have a SAY in what is released. O.K. Fine.

Well, no, it’s not fine…

Who are their sources for these stories? How are they verified? Did someone, other than the “source” SEE the prisons? Did someone, other than the “source”, witness the wiretappings? Who has come forward that has been wiretapped? Where are their stories? There is so much missing and I feel cheated—I want the whole story, not just the part they choose to tell. The Press is acting like a 5^th Column and giving us citizens the 3^rd Finger.

The Press has engaged in the very thing it accuses the Administration of: stonewalling, secrecy, corruption, manipulation and down-right lying.

Why is there one set of rules for government and a different set of rules for the Press? The Press has placed themselves in a position of superiority—serving up their own interests with We the People having NO say. At least with government, you can vote the culprits out of office (except in the case of leaking CIA rats et al fat cat Bureaucrats).

What can we do about this old media “FREE” Press? Give ‘em the boot I say. Stop reading their crap and watching their celebrity reporters on talk shows. Read multiple blogs and free news sites, get different perspectives from the right, left and center. Take it all in and leave the Free Press really free…free of readers.

New Orleans Chooses No Change

Well, the “citizens” of N.O. (notice the acronym for New Orleans is "NO") have chosen Nagin and Landreau as mayoral candidates beating out several interesting and probably more earnest, though less polished, contenders.

Since N.O. has absorbed billions in federal funds and will continue to soak up more to “rebuild” and federal funds come from federal tax dollars paid by American citizens in large part, shouldn’t WE have a say in how the city is governed? I mean, shouldn’t we have some input in our investment? When I buy stocks, I become a stockholder and therefore have some input in who manages the company and how the company performs, etc. (I VOTE for board members, acquisitions, etc.)

How are my interests and the interests of other Americans served in New Orleans? How do we know our investment will not go down the drain as it has for years with little or nothing to show for it?

As a taxpayer, I have no rights, no say, no vote and this seems not only unfair, but much like taxation without representation.

Tea anyone?

Mr. Mahoney Speaks...Out of Hiding...Unafraid

There's a saying in the Bible: "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Cardinal of Sin, Mahoney, recently conducted an interview:

What has happened in the last few years is that we as bishops have had opportunities to have a public voice and role, but have been very hesitant, and just kind of sat out a number of these things. I’m thinking of local things -- for example, police abuse and overreactions in certain communities. We’ve had a lot of that across the United States. I think bishops normally would have said something, saying police are overreacting and categorizing people in ethnic groups, but in many cases they just remained silent. The gap, the chasm, between the wealthy and the middle class … the fact there’s almost no middle class left. The minimum wage, affordable housing, we just kind of sat it out, because we were afraid to appear above the sandbags. We were hiding. … Had this come up two years ago, three years ago, I don’t know what the reality would have been then. I just know that in our archdiocese, this issue is so important that even during these years I always spoke up. [emphasis added]

No mention of the molestation and rape of boys and the suicides committed because of pediphile priests. Disgusting.

The immoral Mahoney and his ilk have blood and more on their hands and are the reason for the continued demise of the Catholic Church. This issue is important because it means MORE MONEY for the church. The Catholic Church seems to be returning to its roots of corruption, greed and social injustice at the expense of its soul.

I'd like to help Mr. Mahoney remove that plank...and then hit him over the head with it.

Follow the Money

Cardinal Mahoney of Los Angeles and his Catholic Cardinal cronies have stepped into the political arena "willing to take the heat" and fight illegal immigration bills presented by the House and the Senate.

A cynical view: Mahoney couches his position in "treating people humanely", yet I do not recall the same fervent stance against pedophile Priests under his domain who routinely treated young boys inhumanely—raping and molesting them and robbing them of their innocence. No, Mr. Mahoney was inhumanely quiet on this issue.

Losing billions of dollars through lawsuits directed at the church’s immoral cover-ups, the LA church can't turn off the tithes spigot they receive from their largest constituents: Hispanics. So, they turn on the rhetoric and shameless pandering to illegal people (Hispanics mostly) entering the U.S.

They had their chance to do the right thing and didn’t. Mahoney and the rest of his gang are morally empty but hoping for a full coffer come Sunday Mass.