The Women
Joan Baez: Marching up to Freedom Land
October 2007 archive
Oct 28 2007
Pony Party: Sunday music retrospective
Oct 28 2007
Am I a conspiracy theorist?
Well, not really–that’s just what I am called because I actually believe conspiracies are an important part of our socio-political reality–so I will cop to the plea no matter how bad it sounds. Of course, we have all seen conspiracies in our lives and no one doubts it. What we have trouble is understanding that those in power are in power largely because they are part of groups or cliques that work together often in conspiracy to gain and maintain power. We seem to be of the opinion that things just “happen” and that things are unconnected. We are surprised when we find our government lies to us. Why that surprise exists has always astonished me–government always lie, always will lie, and currently lie. If they did not they would lose power. What we have to do is understand how power works.
Oct 28 2007
Chicago Treasures: Peace Rally and March – October 27
Crossposted from Daily Kos
Yesterday turned into a beautiful day in Chicago. It started out grey and drizzly, but by the time people met in Union Park, the rain had passed – and when people started to march, the sun came out.
Thank you to dmsilev for agreeing to go to the rally and march and I’m sorry we missed you to Got A Grip. We had the sign out, but we completely missed you.
Please join me over the fold for many photos.
Oct 28 2007
New Hampshire primary ballot to include Kucinich w/poll
With the lastest Rasmussen Poll showing that Dennis has moved to 7%, he has officially entered the New Hampshire primary!
Oct 28 2007
The Eagle and The Condor
The Wiphala are the flags of the Andean First Nation’s people. Each variation represents a different territory, or Suyu.
Oct 28 2007
A Line In The Sand
clammyc asked this morning in his essay Selling out values for political expediency is disastrous:
…we progressives constantly find ourselves banging our heads against the wall or just shaking our heads as we read, see or hear about yet another situation where our core values are being sold out for reasons that I can’t fathom.
…
Why is this? Is it out of fear? Is it out of complacency? Is it out of not wanting to rock the boat in order to potentially win big next year? Either way, the answer isn’t a good one. Right now, we are at a crossroads as the general public still trusts Democrats more on nearly every issue, yet we have always been good at being ahead of the curve.What happens if a few things that I mention above backfire?
Magnifico noted yesterday in A Tale of Two Iraqs:
If Americans prove incapable of even admitting we have a problem, let alone working on solutions, in the coming months, then America might be in need of an intervention.
It appears that that intervention is happening, and has been in the works for some time.
The world has had enough of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, and of those who enable them.
Time to pay attention, Nancy. Now you are free to concentrate on avoiding an electoral debacle in 2008, by ending the occupation of Iraq.
Oct 28 2007
Moral Oral in Trouble
Moral Orel is a really snarky cartoon on Adult Swim that chronicles the faith contradictions of Orel Puffington, son of an evangelical Christian family in the town of Moralton in Statesasota.
Orel’s name was probably taken from Oral Roberts, one of the first and most famous of the televangelists. Roberts, 89, is still alive; but one of his most enduring legacies, Oral Roberts University, is in considerable difficulty.
ORU is an interesting place. Having been to Tulsa several times for training, I can tell you from first hand experience it dominates an otherwise declining city; the main tourist attraction in a harsh landscape of boarded up storefronts and empty streets. Like Liberty (Falwell) and Regent (RobertSON) it is a monument to the fundraising power of its founder.
In fact what most people may remember about Oral Roberts the man is his famous fundraising appeal in 1987 where he demanded $8 million from his followers “Or God will call me home.”
“Call me home!” below-
Oct 28 2007
Selling out values for political expediency is disastrous
Rahm tells freshman Congressional officials and candidates to take a harder stance against illegal immigration at a time when republicans are turning off entire segments of the population because he doesn’t want the republicans to attack Democrats as being weak on immigration.
Nancy Pelosi takes impeachment off the table before any investigations are even underway, leading to Contempt of Congress charges being ignored because, well, the thought is “what are you going to do about it anyway?”.
A horrific FISA bill was passed in August because, well, a number of prominent Congressional Democrats didn’t want to stand firm and were afraid of being accused by the republicans as “soft against terror”. Never mind the fact that it is the same republicans who rubber stamped a cut-and-run from Afghanistan, the escape of bin Laden (still at large if he is still alive), the reconstituting of al Qaeda and the Taliban in Pakistan pretty much unfettered and have been the party of torture.
Oct 28 2007
Barack Obama is ready to take on the enemy!
Senator Barack Obama has finally decided to forcefully take on the enemy!
Bush?
“I think you reserve impeachment for grave, grave breaches, and intentional breaches of the president’s authority,” he said.
As opposed to the trivial breaches committed by Bush.
The war?
The leading Democratic White House hopefuls conceded Wednesday night they cannot guarantee to pull all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the next presidential term in 2013.
“I think it’s hard to project four years from now,” said Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in the opening moments of a campaign debate in the nation’s first primary state.
Maybe for someone who is not ready to lead.
FISA?
Obama said only that “if the bill comes to the Senate floor in its current form, he would support a filibuster of it” — a transparent hedge given that it is virtually certain that the bill (being marked up this week by the Senate Judiciary Committee) will not come to the floor in its “current form.” That makes Obama’s statement virtually worthless, filled — as intended — with plenty of room for him to vote for amnesty if and when the Senate votes on it.
Following in Dodd’s footsteps, but not following all the way.
Bigots?
“First, Pastor McClurkin believes and has stated things about sexual orientation that are deeply hurtful and offensive to many Americans, most especially to gay Americans. This cannot and should not be denied.
At the same time, a great many African Americans share Pastor McClurkin’s beliefs. This also cannot be ignored.
Finally, we believe that the only way for these two sides to find common ground is to do so together.”
Common ground? With bigots?
Well, okay- not those enemies. This enemy…
Oct 28 2007
Pony Party: Sunday music retrospective
Oct 28 2007
Docudharma Times Sunday Oct. 28
This is an Open Thread: Don’t Be Shy.
USA
Father gains sense of son’s last moments in Iraq
By James Ricci
Los Angeles Times
Darrell Griffin Sr. has gotten down to work on his final collaboration with his son and namesake.
The book taking shape is a compendium. It will blend an account of a father’s melancholy journey to Iraq with the dire experiences and searching meditations of a son, the latter written down by Darrell Griffin Jr. before a Sadr City sniper’s bullet pierced the back of his head in March.
Darrell Jr. was a Fort Lewis-based Army infantry staff sergeant, 6 feet 2 inches of muscled warrior. Married, with no children, he had been an emergency medical technician in Compton, Calif., before finding his life’s work as a soldier.