The White House Remains Embedded in a State of Denial. Is the Media Waking up?

Despite the White House's state of denial, the civil war has exploded in Iraq and the US is losing control day by day. Soon, we won't have any control, and, may I dare say, Iran has more control in Iraq today than the US! Like any problem to be remedied, it all starts by correctly identifying the root cause, and the greater the problem the greater the necessity to leave the state of denial. I wonder if Dickey Cheney--who as recently as last summer reaffirmed his "last throes" claim--still believes that Iraq has "turned a corner"? You know, turn a couple corners and you can be heading back... I don't think this is progress.

The media--a very important component in a democracy--has today sniffed the winds of change and is now focusing more on the destructive aspects of the US involvement in Iraq. The White House misled the American people and the Congress while the media was complicit in this crime by failing to investigate the administration's claims and ask the tough questions. I think had the media presented a more accurate picture (factually and in depth) the public would have demanded an end to this war of choice much sooner. The war was a big issue in this election, when it should have been the deciding issue in 2004. I don't know how many lives would have been saved but the last two years haven't done anything to improve the situation there.

Some "deciders" claim to have divine knowledge and they are just instruments of their God

I do think the truth was known prior to the last election but most Americans weren't paying attention on, say, the 9-11 Commission's report, and on other accounts of how we got into the war. Although the availability of the facts was not the problem in my opinion, the media failed in the dissemination of the facts. Cheney's "last throes" statements weren't only laughable but should have been the basis of totally discrediting BushCo's Iraq policy. Further, most (except those with relatives in the military) Americans have not experienced any sacrifice or their lives directly affected by this war. Stick this magnetic ribbon "Support the Troops" on the car [bumper stickers are too hard to remove later] and ..business as usual; our leaders even suggested that consumerism was a form of good patriotism!

This situation cries for more pubic media, like NPR, PBS, and PRI, because the commercial media wants ratings regardless of how to obtain them. In addition, all commercial media is owned by big corporate interests whose priorities are how to get preferential treatment from the government not how to get to the truth. A sociologist at Penn State, Andrew Lindner, showed that embedded reporting influenced war coverage--and this was what the government wanted us to see. Reporters' movements were controlled by the military resulting in less access to the Iraqi people and eventually downplayed the effects of the war on Iraq. They developed a closer relationship with the soldiers that protected them and the stories that came out reflected this bias. The news coverage was more about human-interest stories of the Americans fighting over there. Throw in a generous amount of propaganda--like exporting democracy and liberating people--and you've got a nice package for mass consumption. Lindner found out that most Americans (and the media?) bought Bush's "Mission Accomplished"! Of course, reality often has a nasty habit of slapping you out of your state of denial, but usually not before much ill has taken place. It has and it stings. Staying the course now would be the definition of insanity--hoping the same conditions that have produced the current results will produce different, more favorable results in the future!

Update, 11/27/06: Since the election of 2004, the media has covered more stories about the killings in Iraq, Americans aren't really aware of the full picture there. CNN Iraq correspondent, John Roberts, says the media "can't fully capture the scope" of this horror. We may hear of what's going on, but daily body counts and the number of violent "incidents" only reveal part of the story. "The place is a mess. It's an absolute mess. There is nowhere you can go in the Baghdad area as a Western journalist without an escort, where you could feel safe from being kidnapped, shot at, whatever. The amount of death that's on the streets of Baghdad for U.S. forces and for the Iraqi people is at an astronomical level..." Roberts says. And, several media (including the New York Times) have been editorializing in choosing what & how to cover this conflict. Check Media Matters for more on this.

People don't just die, they are blown off, burned alive, tortured with power drills, and are killed because of their ethnic & religious affiliation. We sanitize the war, because its unpleasant reality is disturbing; it's no accident that the White House is trying to hide the extend of the death and destruction. Do people learn from history and past mistakes? It's doubtful as they repeat the same mistakes. Even the Vietnam lessons (not exactly ancient history) have been forgotten today!

The Republican Party Represents Authoritarian Policies, Totalitarian Views

Opinions & Facts,Though not Mutually Exclusive, not Identical Either!

I admire people who don't give up in the face of obstacles or after experiencing setbacks. However, this perseverance is admirable only if the goal is attainable and the choices wise. President Bush has elevated stubbornness and futility into a political philosophy when it comes to his policy in Iraq. He not only wasted the opportunity of the century--when most people and countries were sympathetic to us after 9-11 and supported the US fight against terrorism--but he's the leader of an increasingly diminishing segment of our society that wants to "stay the course." What's this course? Honestly I don't know--and I doubt Bush knows either--other than never admitting a mistake despite the terrible consequences, and keep praying for a ..miracle.

The Baker study group on Iraq will be a political compromise I dare to guess. It will try to offer cover for everyone, so I don't think we'll learn anything new or that it will show us a path to victory. Of course, Bush, on his trip to Vietnam, quoted another ..architect of "victory", Henry Kissinger, that "we'll win unless we pull out"! Whatever. This man, who until he became president, hadn't been outside our country and never had any interest in world affairs, has done so much harm to US interests and must be stopped. The American people perhaps don't own the actions of their leaders, but they are responsible for the ones they elect--and elections do have consequences! Sadly, we lack historical knowledge and the idea of civic duty hasn't gotten much traction with many, many Americans. [Watch this clip of Richard Dreyfuss who makes some excellent points]

I don't understand how any sane person--besides the ones who benefit from the skewed economic policies--would be a Republican today. Oh, all right, I forgot to mention the theocons--those who want a theocracy established here in preparation for the Rapture! OK, those who are under many impenetrable illusions qualify to be a Republican too. I would welcome an honest, rational, non-corrupt Republican party that would offer new ideas and competent people to implement those policies. This would serve as a counter-balance to the Democratic party. But, that Republican party would have to elevate the quality of the dialogue and see its interests as the interest of most Americans! At this point, this is in the realm of fiction. Not science fiction mind you, because this Republican party has an aversion to science and reason!

This is the party that loves power and unquestionable authority. It's what linguist George Lakoff describes as the "strict father approach" [as compared to the Democrats' "nurturing mother approach"] where those individuals who need to exercise power and those who want to be guided come together. It also has a totalitarian vision, that is, absolute truth can be obtained [and the GOP holds the truth with a capital T] through obedience and faith--not faith only in religious terms but also faith in the leader/decider/vanguard party/Big Brother/ideology, etc. Obviously, both models may be necessary for a society to function but the trick is to know where to draw the line and how much of a dose to take--much like medicine, too much it can kill you, the right amount can cure you! Of course, getting the right dose depends on knowledge & responsibility.

Good change happens when people are ready for it or when there's leadership that introduces it to the people and the latter see the benefits of change. Unfortunately, the Republican party still wants to appeal to the lowest common denominator, play the game of the emotional buttons, draw support from bigots, foster intolerance, and continue with its strategy of extreme polarization in the hopes of energizing its shrinking base. Let's see, they just elected Trent Lott and Mitch McConnell to leadership positions in the Congress. Who are they? Lott likes racial segregation and dislikes civil rights. McConnell wants to see more theocons on the bench & in government.

In the last 12 years since the GOP took control of Congress, we've seen a considerable attempt to dumb down America. From Bush on down, science [i.e. evolution, environment, medicine] and scientific inquiry pale in the face of the elite's economic interests and dogma. As long as there's someone somewhere holding a view contrary to scientific facts, Bush and his fans will say that "there are two sides to a story!" Right... Any unqualified opinion is equated with facts in this bizarro world. We've also seen that incompetence (never mind mediocrity) gets you positions of power in the Congress and the government, and there's a good chance that, if you combine incompetence with loyalty to Caesar, you'll get you promoted; it could possibly get you a medal too! How can you really argue with someone who says, why worry about global warming and other environmental disasters when "God is up there"?!! Ignorance is one thing, but applied ignorance is dangerous.

And, please don't tell me about the "maverick" John McCain! This man has flipped-flopped more times than Flipper! But, rhetoric and a constructed image sometimes is more important than substance in our politics. Yeah, the guy who has a ranch and can have a beer with us is more qualified that someone who knows his stuff but talks in a way we have to pay attention to understand him! After all, many of us decide at the last minute how to vote after watching those ..informative political ads! If I didn't care about the quality of our political discourse, I'd argue for another ..Republican party, Faux News channel, and lots of ..swiftboating. You know, to treat the GOPers with some of their own ..koolaid. Anyway, I'm sure many Americans are saying good riddance to the thecons and the brand of conservatism that has seriously damaged our republic. Hopefully, the lunatic fringe will be sent back to the margins of our society again.

Now, let's see why "the wicked witch of the West" Pelosi and her ..gay agenda hasn't solved our problems already...

PS. I think you'll enjoy the links in this post, so click on!
The sketch above from xkcd

A Justified Case of Schadenfreude--And it's Guilty-Free!

What to do next?

Schadenfreude means pleasure taken from someone else's misfortune, and I have to admit this week (after the election on Tuesday) I'm full of such guilty-free pleasure. Well, now we know that there's been a backlash against Bush's policies and the Republican majorities that enabled the "decider." Obviously everybody tries to assign specific meaning to the outcome of this election, and there are a few interesting trends, but this election is far from being a historic national re-alignment--that is, not yet; it will depend on what happens next. It seems to be, though, a re-affirmation that the Northeast and the west coast are indeed very blue. The old South is the remaining bastion of conservatism and we see that the winner can achieve governing national majorities without having a majority of the South's delegation. This, perhaps, will free the Dems to push a more progressive agenda without having to pay homage to a conservative ideology and the politics of the South. The progressive states can lead the way and show the rest of the nation that there's much to be gained by being a cosmopolitan and tolerant society.

President Bush is the biggest loser today, and I'm glad to see that his frat-boy mentality, his stubbornness to recognize reality, and his presiding over a disastrous incompetence were defeated at the polls. His name was not on the ballot, but his policies were. I'm not convinced that the Democratic alternative would have fared as well if the Republicans had been more competent. For example, had the Iraq war--a wrong war of choice, and a bad foreign policy choice--been conducted with a degree of competence, I dare to guess that Americans would be supporting it today. This is a great opportunity for the Democrats and the progressives to steer the country forward, but only if they exhibit good government skills and make the sweep in 2008. As Paul Krugman said, we could see the end of "the movement of conservatism--the potent alliance of wealthy individuals, corporate interests and the religious right."

The new Democratic leadership will have to run Congress in a more democratic way--giving more rights that the Republicans never considered giving the minority, because the GOP never accepted the legitimacy of the opposition. After Bush "won" in 2000, he talked about a mandate; same with the GOP that swept Congress in 1994. In 2004, Bush won by 2% and claimed imperial powers; Congress went along with it. The Dems won by larger margins this year, but they should not repeat the arrogance of the Republicans and of the lunatic fringe that had captured power. Solidifying the Democratic gains in 2008 [a very good prospect] will help our country and the GOP in the long run for this will force the Republicans to re-examine the efficacy of their divisive politics and may lead to a resurgence of the moderate Republicans--the most endangered political species in the last 12 years.

President Bush has lots of power--as any president does--but the most important power a chief executive has is the power to convince! The sitting president seems more and more as a sitting duck that even Dick Cheney can hit. This president has not done good for us, for the world. He wasted the opportunity of the century to make the US a true leading force for positive change in the world--a change that enhances the quality of life when it matters--by improving the human condition and reducing violence.

We liberals & progressives see the world as a marketplace of ideas, of individual freedoms, that representative government has a role to play in protecting the commonwealth, and that the culture of life means policies that giving people opportunities to realize their own potential. President Bush wasted the world's good will toward us after 9-11 and in turn he managed to divide our friends and unite our enemies. Inadvertently, his failures gave the Dems the chance to govern.

This century is still young but we Americans have to show more maturity in selecting our own leaders and hold them accountable. In a country were there's too much political indifference, those of us who accept the responsibility of political activism and civic engagement have an important role to play: keep our representative government accountable, improve & contribute to the political dialogue, and be the change we want to see!

Being Ignorant of the Past Condemns the Future

Weapons of Mass Deception was a great book about the deception [remember, it's illegal to intentionally give false information to and to mislead the Congress] that led our country to the Iraq war & occupation. This new book,
The Best War Ever, hopes to remind Americans about the similarities between this war of choice and the Vietnam war. We seem to be repeating terrible mistakes of the past. Unless we as a nation become more critical, educated about the issues, and willing to question our leaders, we'll continue to be exploited by the warmongers and Big Brother.


Editor's note: I meant to publish this earlier, but remained as a draft for several days because I got busy with work and the elections. It's worth a look. Click the arrow to play the video.

Vote For a Progressive America, For a Enlightened & Nicer Future

The Nature of Our Polity (part 2)

Facilitating incompetence and enabling morons to do more damage is irresponsible! If for nothing else, there has to be a change of the guard in our Congress after this election because the worst of our fears have materialized under this Republican leadership. We cannot change the nature of our politics unless we change the people we send to Washington DC. And, there has to be a price to be paid by those who steal & waste our money, violate the Constitution, and put our country in grave danger.

Is it all about incompetence? Well, the so-called independent voters who move back and forth should definitely be concerned about the condition and direction of the US. Many who in the past voted for the Republican party have very little to be happy about today. The theocrats and the very socially conservative people may like what they've seen thus far of the Republican agenda; they are not going to be convinced to switch or support "secular" candidates. On the other hand, all the scandals have dampen their enthusiasm and will affect their turnout on election day. If Bush doesn't have a tape of Osama bin Laden endorsing his ..friends the Democrats, I don't see how the latter will lose the House. The Dems are also poised to win the Senate if they net a 6-seat margin--I'd be more confident of a Democratic senate if the Virginia and the Missouri races were in blue states (like New Jersey where Menendez will win).

I'm a believer in that our politics reflect our people, even if much of the ills we see today result from people's apathy. Unfortunately, this country is more conservative than we hoped for, although it can be moved towards a more progressive direction. Liberalism is good polity for most people, because it provides the best possible conditions for individuals to realize their potential. We just need to articulate our ideas better, in a more clear way, and to make the Democratic party a true alternative to the conservatives--change it from"Republican-Lite". We have to realize that some 20-25% of the country will never be convinced, because they believe the hold the truth with a capital T. Those who believe that we're in the end of times, [check the Rapture Index for fun!] have little concern for reason, global warming, the environment, and see the conflicts today as the prelude (if not the prerequisite) of Rapture.

We have to send the lunatic fringe back to the margins, because it doesn't represent traditional American values. We progressives have stronger ideas so we should begin to talk about them. Intuitively, we tend to talk about the rationale of public policy, the vision for the future, and use complicated reasoning--all those things are good, but there's a place & time for them. We have to learn how to speak to the audience and to American values. How many people know, for example, that Liberalism was the ideology/movement that replaced the Old Regime (ascribed status, religious conformity) and that even modern Conservatives have adopted liberalism's values, as articulated in our Bill of Rights?

A positive attitude is needed, much as the concept of positive freedom, therefore, we have to offer an alternative to the Conservatives. They talk about values and ideas either in the abstract or in terms that contradict the principles upon which our country was founded. I understand that most of Americans are sick and tired of this failed & incompetent regime and the failed occupation of Iraq has lots to do with the dissatisfaction. Yet,we have to offer a positive alternative if we are to move the country forward. These are some of my reasons for voting for the Democrats:

• America stands for individual freedom and due process of law. We should not give up those rights & privileges that have made us strong; if we become like our enemies, then they'll win. Giving up something very specific for something undetermined is not a good idea. Suspending Habeas Corpus and the Bill of Rights shows that we are not sure of ourselves. The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave must remain so and not surrendered to the politics of fear--and to the War on Terror that takes place everywhere and has no end! This is the legacy of Bush & Co not of America!
  
• We need to leave a healthy planet to our children and future generations. Republicans are not willing to use the government to exercise oversight to benefit the public good. Their actions (or inaction) have resulted in polluted land, air, and water. As long as there's someone, somewhere that has an opinion contrary to the known facts, BushCo will tell us that "there are two sides to a story!"
  

• We should stand for meritocracy and egalitarianism, and one way to express this is through equality of opportunity and a strong social safety net. After all, being part of a very wealthy nation there should be dividends for the commonwealth. We are not strong when we run a huge deficit. I haven't seen anyone having the upper hand with a banker who holds his lien. Having to pay debts means less available money for other things.The Saudis, the Chinese, and other foreigners own much of our national debt. We were told that there wasn't enough money for a universal health care system, but we ended up paying up to a trillion dollars in a war of choice! Access to education has become costlier in the last 5 years (more so than in the last 30) because state and federal subsidies are cut. Where is this equality of opportunity our country was known for? Public services are needed for the ..public, not the very wealthy. From the bankruptcy bill, to Medicare, to transportation & infrastructure, to libraries, to Internet neutrality, to health care (includes preventive care) available to all citizens, are some of the things we should be concerned about. We should act to enhance the quality of life when it matters. "A culture of life" is something we progressives can easily understand.

• Change without forethought is foolish, but we have to embrace the scientific inquiry and progress. We give value to our actions and we have the ability to do harm and good. Stem cell research is very promising, as all the science that tries to explore and understand who we are and the cosmos around us. Perhaps this isn't what some people are looking for, but everyone has benefited from the advances in technology and medicine, not to mention the exhilarating experience of accumulating knowledge. It's time we stop with this nonsense of debating what science is and what kind of it we should be teaching in our schools. Science is one thing: empirical evidence, testing, re-testing, observation, open inquiry, and open to revision when better evidence or a theory come along! Sadly, there are many Republicans who do not accept ..Enlightenment!
  

• We have to elevate our polity from the gutter, from bumper-sticker issues, pushing of the emotional buttons, and cynicism. Dumbing down our society isn't good for our freedom, our way of life, and our future well-being. We have to demand to be treated as responsible adults--not deferring judgment to Big Brother. We should demand honesty from our elected leaders. A progressive attitude means critical thinking, tolerance, respect for evidence and appreciation for science.
  

Look around and examine which candidates come closer to your ideals, priorities, and expectations. We as a progressive human beings have an obligation of civic duty. We care enough not to be cynical and indifferent; we know enough to make an informed decision.

IMPORTANT RESOURCE ON ELECTION DAY: VOTER ASSISTANCE HOTLINE, 1-866-OUR VOTE. Call for help if you notice a problem at the polling station BEFORE you cast your vote.

Differences Between Liberals and Conservatives. Where do YOU Fit in?

The Nature of Our Polity. (Part 1)

The Republican levies have broken and it seems there will be a flood next Tuesday. Just six months ago, the margins between the two parties and the seats in play today (both in the House & Senate) would have been unthinkable. I don't believe the country is becoming more Democratic but rather it's the corruption and the incompetence exhibited by the party who has controlled the Congress and the White House that will result in such a reversal of political fortunes. We are far from being in an Age of Enlightenment, but this can be an Enlightenment Age for our country. We have to turn America from the Dark Ages back to a progressive path and into the future.


It matters a great deal who is in charge, who holds the megaphone and sets the national agenda. Politics reflect the people involved and our elected representatives reflect our common attitude. We have to learn to be more sophisticated in our political expressions--no more picking people because they appear to be nice, photogenic, or because we'd like to have a beer with them! We should examine the important issues and be willing to expend some effort in doing so. The days before an election should not be a period of learning about the issues. You can't possibly expect to be educated by watching political ads or even the "debates"--which are more like press conferences. Usually, there are too many people who--even if they're presented with two different choices, like in 2004--can't seem to make up their minds and they end up voting without serious consideration. Again, negative ads and void-of-substance ads exist because they work on impressionable minds

I often find people who are frustrated by politics because of the corruption and the cynicism. But endemic corruption happens when we hire idiots & crooks to manage our affairs, and when we stop paying attention. Politics can be frustrating because they can be disappointing--I know, I've been there many times. That's because we're a huge country and we have a plurality of strong preferences. As I say in the classroom politics is like ordering and dividing a pizza pie; the group has to compromise if its members are going to eat!

I also understand that gradualism isn't very attractive. A person shouldn't give up his idealism or stop trying to get to the ..promised land, but since we have to move collectively, progress can be painfully slow at times. If we lived around the Civil War era, for example, freeing the slaves would definitely have been a good thing to do. Right? But, we'd die before we could see blacks emerging from racial segregation and achieving equal status in American society. Yet, even though many millions of people didn't get full rights as Americans, escaping bondage was surely a progressive step. And progressive steps we must take today, the faster the pace the better.

Yet, why are so many people averse to change? What is it to be conservative? What's to conserve? Are most humans conservative by nature? I think so. First, the view a person has about himself and others has to do with what he thinks human nature is. Human beings are imperfect, but the question is, what is their potential. Most conservatives believe that humans are marked by original sin--in some sense, theological or psychological. The story of Adam & Eve reveals something fundamental about human nature, literally or symbolically.

The conservatives think that human beings are not as good or as intelligent as we think we are, and that we can't govern by the light of reason since we, for the most part, are weak and impotent, unable to control our passions. Which brings us to innovation... Change is risky, change is tiring, change presents a threat to the status quo and to the "known devil." Conservatives since Edmund Burke have argued that "every new generation is a wave of savages who must be civilized by their families, schools, and churches." It's no surprise that modern conservatives (especially the ones infused with religious fervor) speak of the need to "promote the moral fitness of America" and speak of "known truths"--absolutism! E.J. Dionne once observed, a liberal democratic society presents a certain challenge to the religious people, because they believe, fundamentally, that they have the truth with a capital T.

The conservative disposition is rooted in human nature, and I think it has correctly identified a large segment of American society. The reality of the frontier is long gone, and along with it the spirited people who, as Alexis De Tocqueville observed, established democracy in America from the bottom up because they got involved in the affairs of their village, town, state, country. Many people are more prone to being lazy than energetic. If they find an acceptable situation that get things done and the world still goes on, they are not going to be looking for trouble! They are reluctant innovators and when they accept change it's because it's inevitable!

We progressives are facing a huge challenge in pulling our country forward. I think we have an obligation to get involved and articulate our progressive values and show the rest of our fellow countrymen that liberal democracy is the best system for it's self-correcting and affords the individual the best chances for reaching his full potential. The blue states have a tradition of promoting the "three Tees": Technology, Talent, and Tolerance. Changes in these three spheres demonstrate to the conservative red states the benefits of progress. For example, the commonwealth of Massachusetts didn't collapse after it recognized same-sex marriage. This state has the lowest divorce rate and a lower rate of teenage pregnancies, and abortions than the Bible-belt states!

What makes certain persons to want to question, to re-evaluate the past & the present, explore new horizons? I maintain that change requires forethought, inquiry, imagination, courage to step forward and courage to admit your own mistakes. The courage to think for yourself and not defer judgment and responsibility to a "decider", or Big Brother. Liberals appreciate the conditions of freedom because we have the courage to break the chains of perpetual (and childish) dependency. Exploring new ideas, evaluating competing arguments, challenging the "true & tried" is not harmful but it is what an enlightened and sophisticated mind does.

I understand that identity is an important component in the psychological makeup of a person and it has a very high value--so much that people go to extremes to maintain & reinforce their sense of identity. The group, culture, their "true & tried" ways provide comfort. The more things a person accepts without critical thinking, the less likely to be tolerant of challenging views, less adventurous, and more conservative!

Progressives place a premium on science and the scientific method--the best tool of inquiry we have. We liberals accept responsibility and can handle the truth, even if it's unpleasant at times. We like being adults and we demand to be treated as such by our leaders. Yes, we are all imperfect--and we don't want to see a forceful attempt to remake human nature--but we have a positive attitude in that we believe in the potential we humans have to be compassionate, create greatness, blaze new paths, and promote & enhance life.

I know, this long essay may not be on the menu of the fast-food consumption of politics these days, but I think you come here because you appreciate some intellectual stimulation. I opened up the comments section--though all have to be approved by the moderator--because no trolls are allowed here. (Part 2 in a couple days.)

The Godless Hedonists, the Gays, the Liberals, the Terrorists (& their Friends the Democrats) are all Against Motherhood & Apple Pie. Now Vote!

We should demand a new menu, but we must develop a discriminating taste first!

We like to complain, right? Americans say they don't like negative ads, but why are the negative ads out there? Because they work! But why do they work? Because Americans don't really pay attention but in the last minute and they don't know much about the issues. At best, during a high-polarized presidential election, maybe half of the eligible voters participate. This extremely critical election [I think it's about representative government, rule of law, and progress] will be decided by a rather small minority of voters.

That's why we have a plethora of personal attacks, and ads that have nothing to do with reality. It's like the attraction of an accident that everyone slows down to watch. Let's face it, for most Americans politics is boring or perceivably irrelevant to their lives. OK, there are many people who are disgusted with the quality of our politics, but I want to ask them what have they done to improve it? Ignoring it? Acting like a tourist in one's own country?

What can an average citizen do? There are many activities that even if they're small cumulatively though they make a big difference. Volunteer for a worthwhile cause, write a letter or email to our elected representatives and to a media outlet, talk about politics (yes, why not?) and raise awareness about an important issue, vote, but, at the very least, be an informed citizen. I'm not saying that we have to know everything or the minute details of a plan, but we should know enough to make an informed and responsible decision when we hire the people to do a job of governing! Voting for someone because that person has a "ranch" [don't laugh, some NASCAR guys said they'd vote for Bush because "that dude has a ranch"... that's all they needed to know! Apparently the fact that dude didn't know anything about ranching and had bought the "ranch" a couple weeks before the election wasn't important] or that he seems like a person to have a beer with are not good reasons!

Isn't logical to say that, if the people are truly disgusted by the negative ads, couldn't they elevate the quality of our politics by making sure that those ads had no impact? The politicians and their consultants know what works today and they use those means! Surely the menu available isn't all that appetizing, but don't just blame those who feed you crap if you're willing to consume it! If people (at least the ones that ..bother to vote) base their decision on a few glimpses of the TV ads and cursory look at the selected but irrelevant issues presented to them by the politicians, then how are things going to change for the better? In other words, ignorance breeds incompetence and we end up electing morons to decide very important issues that affect our lives. Guess who benefits from and who's hurt by the dumbing down of our society? Perpetuating cynicism and apathy works well for the powers that be.

We have a bumper sticker mentality, we respond to the pushing of our emotional buttons, and we don't want to spend the time analyzing the important issues. "Support the Troops" magnetic stickers are on millions of American cars, but what does this really mean? Is anyone against the troops? Is really anyone against his/her own country? Come on now! Though after the initial stance of ..supporting the troops, the next steps would require engaging our grey matter and investing some time examing the facts of this war of choice! But, who has the time to do that?.... That's why the country re-elected GW Bush in 2004 and less than a year later the majority of Americans began to see that they had been lied to and that the war was a bad mistake! OK, it's good to change your mind, but what Americans discovered after the election was actually known before the election--though many Americans ignored the facts and were "swiftboated" by the misleading ads.

Those who are regular readers of this blog know that I'm very much in favor of improving our commonwealth through civil discourse, civic responsibility, and enlightenment. I do believe that we need to elevate our national dialogue, whereas persons like O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, etc, would be laughed out of town because their merchandise would be totally worthless. Yet, those vile and intellectually dishonest individuals have millions of followers that buy the garbage served. I know, there's a dictum in politics: don't offend the people! That's not my intention, but without a sizable mob behind him even the ..Antichrist would be irrelevant--especially if his power derived from the hordes obeying him.

The quality of our politics depends on the quality of the people involved, so in a democratic society we, collectively, get what we deserve. I'm not saying complaining about gutter politics isn't good, but it has to be followed by specific steps to improve our polity. Yes, sometimes tar & feathers are needed for the scoundrels (and there are many out there), but it's rather frustrating to hear someone complain after his car was destroyed when he was the one that gave the car keys to a blind man.

Help End This War: The Republican War on Science

I'm willing to bet that most of you who read this blog would not have been able to do so if it weren't because of science. Yes, advances in technology have made this activity possible, you know, like electricity, technology, and ..leisure time. Yet, most importantly, science has extended life and enhanced its quality considerably. Not so long ago, 40 was "old age" and many people died long before that for a variety of causes, primarily from diseases and because we were unable to treat what today we consider minor injuries.

The ones who believe in nonsense and are anti-science have been around for ever--but they should be the lunatic fringe. Unfortunately, the lunatic fringe is nor marginal anymore as it has captured power--and the Republican Party have been a conduit. I think it's rather emabarassing that we have so many ignoramuses in our 21st century America. If for nothing else, we cannot afford to elect anyone to any considerable position of power that doesn't believe in the scientific method & inquiry. Being ignorant is one thing if your actions don't have much effect, but applied ignorance is deadly! There's so much at stake when it comes to moving our country forward by making wise decisions that affect our commonwealth and, being a superpower, the whole world. Progress is good; we owe it to ourselves and the future generations. The say politics is local but that's not always the case.

Watch this video and vote to end one war--the Republican war on science. We can't elect anyone who has enabled or will enable "the decider." The ignoramus-in-chief, in his 6 years in office, used his veto power only once: to stop stem cell research! Republicans like him are bad for our health!



We have to win this war. By the way, we liberals realize that not every war should be fought with bullets and intimidating force but with ideas and by doing good!

Reform is Possible Only if the Public Wants it. Apathy & Cynicism Works Against Us!

Question: Who Owns Our Government?

The majority of Americans now give the Democrats the advantage on major issues. Will this translate into a serious victory in a few weeks time? By serious, I mean a change of the Republican guard in the Congress. It took a major scandal like Congressman Mark Foley’s pedophilia and the Republican cover-up to make many Americans pay attention. This scandal is simple and torrid, unlike the Abramoff [learn more about it here] scandal/bribery/Republican corruption, which is “boring” and with too many details.

Most of our citizens don’t pay attention, even if they end up being screwed by those they elect to power. If both chambers of the US Congress change over on November 7th, it will definitely be a momentous event and a significant change. Yet, despite the importance of this and the inflated rhetoric surely to follow, most Americans won’t be part of this decision, won’t exercise their right to vote, because they don’t know or care enough. I’m willing to bet, that fewer than half of eligible voters will cast ballots in this midterm election. Some of them will base their vote on false impressions & inadequate information, while others will vote against their own interests--when they can least afford it. Multi-millionaire Bill Clinton can afford to vote against his own economic interests for example, but I'm disappointed in that the majority of Americans want to give Paris Hilton a tax break--one that will only benefit the top 1%, the super rich.


At any rate, like the Electoral Vote poll tracking [updated daily, check on left sidebar] indicates, the Dems are ahead slightly. Of course, with a great deal of gerrymandering in the redistricting, the “safe” congressional districts may be immune to even a wide national popular uprising. Democracy can produce non-democratic results; our Congress today is not a democratic institution. Dennis Hastert--the disgraced Speaker of the House (and his former Majority Leader Tom Delay who faces serious criminal charges)--has said that he only cares about the majority of the majority! The other party, representing half of the country, doesn’t matter to him! Sometimes, even his own party doesn’t matter if it wants to produce legislation that the Speaker doesn’t like!


Currently, on the War on Terror, Dems have a +7 points advantage. (This has changed since another recent poll that had given the Repubs the edge) Interestingly, the students I polled at the university where I teach, favor Repubs over Dems as the party with better ideas & policies to deal with terrorism! It's alarming that the young generation is not aware of past historical events regarding threats to democracy, and is not sensitive to the importance of safeguarding our civil liberties.

Anyway, on the Iraq War, the Dems have an advantage of +7 points. On Moral Values, they have +6 points; on Immigration, +9; on the Economy, +22; and, on Healthcare, +33 points advantage! But, don’t count your eggs until they hatch on the night of November 7th. I’m not a pessimist, on the contrary, but two years ago, while working for the Kerry campaign in Ohio, we were elated to see negative numbers (admittedly not like these) against Bush and his prospects for re-election. Unfortunately, Bush won the approval of the majority of the voters. It was of little comfort that only a few months later, most Americans began to realize that they had been misled into a war of choice not of necessity. And, it is the people who keep paying for this mistake in large sums of money and blood.


The Republicans have failed to produce policy that would benefit most of the people—if this is the aim of representative government. The enablers and "the decider" have led our country into dire straits whose negative consequences will be felt for many years to come. We’ve paid dearly for the mistakes and the incompetence of our elected leaders. We deserve better, but we don’t deserve anything if we are not willing to put some effort towards improving our commonwealth. Reform is indeed possible but only if the public wants it!


The Republicans like government despite their rhetoric! They use it to accumulate power and redistribute our nation’s wealth, usually from those who don’t have much to those who already have a lot. And, the government's size has increased under Bush. Ronald Reagan once said that the scariest thing for Americans to hear was, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” Well, I’m sure the energy giants (including oil), and the pharmaceutical companies, for example, are very happy to hear this announcement, because it was the government that gave them huge benefits—never mind the talk about the marketplace (free competition) economics! The persons who wrote our national policy on energy and Medicare reform came from those industries! Many went back to work for those industries. Where do you think Rice, Rummie, Dick will go after they leave their posts? It’s a revolving door of corruption and our Congress is totally dysfunctional and unwilling to fulfill its role in our checks & balances political system. We’re not paying attention either. At least we should fire those who act in our name and not in our interest, but before we do that we have to know what's going on!

For many people life isn't easy, I do understand this. Daily pressures may not leave us much time or energy to devote to politics. However, the fact is that we bear the consequences of the bad decisions made by those we hire to take care of our nation's affairs. We simply cannot afford to be ignorant and apathetic. The scammers have been laughing behind our backs for far too long.


You see, Republicans and all those who want to scam the public love the status quo of ignorance and people not paying attention. It's no accident they foster the dumbing down of our society. As proof I offer the horrible quality of the political discourse, the bumper-sticker mentality, and the pushing of the emotional buttons by many politicians. They want to perpetuate cynicism and apathy. This makes it so much easier for them. Sadly, collectively we comply.

We Can't Trust Republicans With Our Children

A guide to political messaging for this election.

Any person who votes for any Republican this election will vote to keep the current Congressional leadership in place. If you like what you've seen, then, by all means, vote Republican! But, it's clear, they don't love America... especially our children! A variation of this theme should be used in all races the last few weeks before this critical election. This is my advice.

Since 2006, the Republicans have been in control of the Executive, and both chambers of the Congress. We have to remind people of this--and don't tell me that they know, because I teach at a university and if many students don't know I assume much of country doesn't either! Then, it's a simple connection between the enablers and the decider(s). Let's chase the evil-doers where ever they are! [Obviously, there has to be a different strategy for state-wide, and local races. Phil Angelides,for example, should concentrate on framing "Aanuld" as a concervative who doesn't represent the state's progressive tendencies. The Terminator isn't responsible for Bush but Congress is!]

1. We can't trust Republicans to educate our children. If equality of opportunity is still part of the American dream, then it has become dimmer. Funding to education (including ancillary programs & services, such as libraries) has been cut. Standards and quality have been sacrificed in order to conform to the monstrous No Child Left Behind program--which has meant move children forward but leave their brains behind. The cost of getting a higher education (grants, loans, interest on student loans) has risen dramatically.

2. We can't trust Republicans to help the 9 million children that have no health insurance. Millions of children live in poverty in one of the richest countries in the history of the world. We witnessed in horror the plight of the children in New Orleans (along with their "under-privileged" parents) drown and starve for days. Over a year later, many are nomads in their own land. Since 9-11-01, more American children have died because of malnutrition, inadequate health care (if any), and from preventable accidents and violence than the terrorist toll.

3. The Republicans don't care about the qualtiy of the air, food, and the environment. The Republicans are bad with your food, water, and the air you breathe! The children are particularly vulnerable to polluted air, water, and dangerous environmental hazards. Leaving public health to the good will of the market forces is not a good way to protect and enhance the common good. Without regulations, supervision, and inspections, e-coli will more easily contaminate spinach again, the last fish will be taken out of the water, and the last tree will be cut down. Besides, some things aren't supposed to be profitable, like, libraries, schools, hospitals, because certain services promote the commonwealth. After all, being part of a civil society should have as many benefits as possible for the greater number of people.

4. We can't trust the Republicans with our children in the military. It's very irresponsible (if not outright crazy) to take a country like the United States into war on a pack of lies. This cost of war has been enormous. The burden is not shared equally, but it is the younger and the poorer who're being killed over there. Incompetence at the highest level of our government has cost America thousands of young lives, and have made us more open to terrorism! War profiteering is not a victimless crime. Not only they sent our troops to an unnecessary war (invasion of Iraq) and exposed to them to unnecessary dangers (occupation of Iraq), but they did not give them the proper body armor to protect themselves! Just the other day, several generals of the joint chiefs testified that they receive 47 reinforced armor vehicles (when they need thousands) a month, while in WW2 our country could build & deliver 20,000 aircraft a month!

5. While they talk about morality and are busy accusing the Democrats of not loving America, the Republicans harbor paedophilia. As you must have heard by now, Republican Congressman Mark Foley is a paedophile, but the problem is that the Republican leadership knew about it and of his inappropriate advances towards a minor but the Republicans chose to cover it up! Politics above morality. [Interesting point to hightlight: Sex between two consenting adults was deemed worse by the Republicans than the sexual advances of a Republican Congressman towards a teenage boy!] The culture of corruption--whose scope and breadth is unprecedented--of the Republicans now shows that their priorities are not about morality and the love of America, but of money, power, and utter selfishness. They clearly hate America!

In a traditional fashion and a return to the "ole good ways" these people deserve some frontier justice. If the involved Republicans and their supporters in the media had any decency, they should have disappeared from sight, or ran out of town covered in tar and feathers. This is not a time for the Democrats to rejoice as their chances of taking over Congress are improving day by day. This is a very serious situation. Obviously you need power to make things right: correct the mistakes, re-allocate the resources available, re-establish new priorities, punish the crooks, and plan for the future. But, I will not be surprised if the Dems screw this up. They're prone to doing something stupid to divert the public attention from the real & burning issues and have the nation focus on unimportant distraction! What could they do, you ask? I could list several possibilities here but I don't want to tempt fate....

Update: I couldn't resist to include the following gem. Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the House--one of the Republican leaders who knew and covered up this latest scandal--is also the one responsible for running the House as a personal fiefdom and for passing the student strip search bill. Hastert bypassed the committee and brought it to the floor where it passed by voice vote, so the constituents wouldn't find out how their rep voted!

The Abramoff scandal has more legs folks. By the way, although I don't normally use certain terminology (ie. "hate America," "evil doers"), it's fun to use others' language to further highlight their hypocricy! Also, wouldn't it be nice to find out with whom male prostitute Jeff Gannon (a.k.a. James Guckert) slept during his many visits (hundred or times) to the White House? Somebody has to be debriefed and spill the beans!

Update 2: This Jon Stewart video is hilarious and to the point! Worth spending the time watching it if for nothing else but for an "explanation" of the Foley scandal. Oh, and btw Republican Senate leader Bill Frist now believes the Taliban [you know the ones that supported Osama Bin Landen and that we invaded Afghanistan to overthrow] should come back to govern there! Frist also hates America! We knew that Fox News didn't care about the truth--even if hiding the truth is not good for America--so this conservative propaganda machine had the Foley sexually-explicit emails but chose to protect a Republican pedophile rather than some underage pages on Capitol Hill. Yeah, "no big deal" or, in other words, what's a few innocent victims' importance as compared to the great work the Republicans have been doing for America! It's a "vision thing"!

Democracy Exported Hits a Snag with a Murder of a Woman

A Hard Lesson In Democracy

The murder of Safia Ama Jan, a few days ago in Afghanistan, was a serious blow to women's rights in that country we "liberated" in 2001 and to which we supposedly exported democracy. Ama Jan fought for the rights of women in a chauvinistic society and she paid for her efforts with her life. You see, democracy isn't something like a car--we build it, you buy it, and you can start driving around. Democracy isn't just a political system, but also an attitude, part of people's culture. If you're in the minority, you don't have to pay with your life because you have a different opinion. Democracy is also a work in progress. Sadly, even in a democratic country the movement isn't always forward--we've seen this several times in our recent history, especially under the regime of el Presidente.

<- An Afghani Sentenced to Death for Being a Christian

The Taliban that killed Ama Jan would like to see their idea of an ideal society everywhere and are willing to kill and die in order to force a crude & intolerant regime on the rest of us. They've found allies even in the camps of their sworn enemies, because feeble minds abound everywhere; these are people who don't know history, are anti-science and anything intellectual, are sauvinists, racists, insensitive to hard-won human rights & liberties. Their power-hungry leaders--often with their own perverse apocalyptic visions and a Taliban-like mentality--are eager to oblige in raising the level of angst, terror and, of course, stupidity. That kuckle-head frat boy attitude resonates well with too many people, Oh yeah, we can beat you up, you blead, we can outblead you, yep, we're tough.

Ama Jan said this two years ago,"This country has had two-and-a-half decades during which both males and females have been left uneducated. You cannot change their minds overnight. We need some time." Sadly, she didn't have any time left. In a society where women are treated like chattel, this sends a message to all those who dare to speak up in dissent to the powers that be. It would've been hard anyway to change the very narrow minds of uneducated people or make the male elites give up some of their privileges. Women who were allocated 25% of the seats in the new Afghani parliament aren't taken seriously; many have been pushed out of government posts or just left politics altogether already. The status of women in a country reveal aplenty about that country.

Today when we look around to find a democratic system, we only find liberal democracies; simply stated, there aren't any other free societies out there! Even most conservatives now have given up on their defense of the Old Regime [ascribed status, religious conformity] and have adopted the liberal ideas of majority rule but with minority rights. Liberalism focuses on the individual as a main actor in politics and economics. But, liberty and rights are necessary conditions in order to progress and achieve. Further, a liberal democracy is the best environment where a person may have the best chance to fulfill his/her own potential.

Democracy is messy because human character varies, and because there are different priorities and opinions. It takes time to cultivate such an environment and promote the commonwealth. Civilizations don't happen overnight. Yet, the bottom line is that the quality of contemporary politics depends on the quality of the people involved.

Being Part of Change Starts at Home. Get Involved Today!

Before We Run Them Out of Town in 2008, We Need To Restore Some Checks & Balances First.

As this very important election approaches, here's a link about how you can help. No, it's not about money, it's about volunteering for a campaign near your home. Even if you can give a few hours on the phone, or knock on doors on a crispy Autumn day, or put up lawn signs. Whatever you can do to help. This is about citizens' getting involved to change this do-nothing Congress, and impact on local races too.

Act Blue

And, by the way, register to vote today if you haven't done so already, if you haven't voted in a couple presidential elections, or if you've moved. Usually your voter registration must be received by your local Board of Elections no less than 30 days before the next election. Google-search it. Here are the ones for the New York State, and for New Jersey.

Clinton Smashes Faux News & the "Truthiness" it Promotes

Not Everyone Can Handle the Truth. Indeed, Reality has a Liberal Bias!

Do you think it’s important to understand? Can you handle the truth even if you don’t like what it reveals? Do you have the courage to amend your ideas, perceptions? If so, that’s good, and this country needs more people like you! Impressions do matter, we all form them often on skimpy evidence, but a reasonable [emphasis on reason] person has the ability of revision. Yet, much of our politics are based on false impressions, on images that have little or no relation to reality, on rumors & innuendos, and on ..truthiness! [Stephen Colbert coined this word which means something that feels right is the truth. For example, “I'm no fan of reality, and I'm no fan of encyclopedias. I've said it before: Who is Encyclopedia Britannica to tell me George Washington had slaves? If I want to say George Washington didn't have slaves, that's my right. And now, thanks to Wikipedia, it's also a fact."]

Much of our collective “memory” rests on fictional Hollywood characters and distorted historical facts. Besides, we are a nation that doesn’t know its own history. We’re not readers, we are consumers of convenience. We like it easy (filtered, sweet & mushy), and big & loud. And, we don’t care to know what the rest of the world says. After all, "We’re number one!" In this light, it’s no wonder why so many Americans believe all sorts of conspiracy theories, UFOs, and Bill O’Reilly. These are the same people who make the vile & ignorant Ann Coulter a multi-millionaire.

If it feels right, it’s true. Ask Homer Simpson, he’d tell you that if it’s on TV it’s a fact! A few days ago, ABC showed “The Path to 9-11”—a fictional (and libelous) account of a period in our recent history. It “confirmed” what many people already “knew” that is, the Clinton administration was to blame for not destroying Osama and his Al-Qaeda “because Clinton was too distracted with Monica and didn’t go after Bin Laden when he had the opportunity to capture or kill him.” The same people also blame president Clinton for the terrorist attacks on 9-11-2001.

Faux News has been promoting all this nonsense and more. It’s OK to have an ideological & political bend, but this network is nothing more than a brain-washing machine. Well, it doesn’t have to try too hard anyway, because it’s job is not to clean the misconceptions but to enhance and perpetuate them. Dumbing down your audience never requires seeking the truth by examining the facts. Truthiness will suffice!

As I’m writing this, Fox News is planning to air an interview with Bill Clinton on Sunday, 9/24. If you can’t watch it, you can read the full transcript here. Clinton was masterful in destroying the myths the conservatives have been creating regarding 9-11. Chris Wallace asked Clinton questions that were based on the falsehoods shown in the Path to 9-11. Here are some excerpts:

WALLACE: When we announced that you were going to be on Fox News Sunday, I got a lot of email from viewers, and I got to say I was surprised most of them wanted me to ask you this question. Why didn’t you do more to put Bin Laden and al Qaeda out of business when you were President? There’s a new book out which I suspect you’ve read called the Looming Tower. And it talks about how the fact that when you pulled troops out of Somalia in 1993, Bin Laden said “I have seen the frailty and the weakness and the cowardice of US troops.” Then there was the bombing of the embassies in Africa and the attack on the USS Cole.
CLINTON: OK..
WALLACE: …may I just finish the question sir. And after the attack, the book says, Bin Laden separated his leaders because he expected an attack and there was no response. I understand that hindsight is 20/20.
CLINTON: No let’s talk about…
WALLACE: …but the question is why didn’t you do more, connect the dots and put them out of business?
CLINTON: OK, let’s talk about it. I will answer all of those things on the merits but I want to talk about the context of which this arises. I’m being asked this on the FOX network…ABC just had a right wing conservative on the Path to 9/11 falsely claim that it was based on the 9/11 Commission report with three things asserted against me that are directly contradicted by the 9/11 Commission report. I think it’s very interesting that all the conservative Republicans who now say that I didn’t do enough, claimed that I was obsessed with Bin Laden. All of President Bush’s neocons claimed that I was too obsessed with finding Bin Laden when they didn’t have a single meeting about Bin Laden for the nine months after I left office. All the right wingers who now say that I didn’t do enough said that I did too much. Same people.

And, here Clinton takes aim at the Conservatives:

WALLACE: Do you think you did enough sir?
CLINTON: No, because I didn’t get him.
WALLACE: Right…
CLINTON: But at least I tried. That’s the difference in me and some, including all the right wingers who are attacking me now. They ridiculed me for trying. They had eight months to try and they didn’t…I tried. So I tried and failed. When I failed I left a comprehensive anti-terror strategy and the best guy in the country, Dick Clarke… So you did FOX’s bidding on this show. You did you nice little conservative hit job on me. But what I want to know..
WALLACE: Now wait a minute sir…
CLINTON:…
WALLACE: I asked a question. You don’t think that’s a legitimate question?
CLINTON: It was a perfectly legitimate question but I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked this question of. I want to know how many people in the Bush administration you asked: Why didn’t you do anything about the Cole? I want to know how many you asked: Why did you fire Dick Clarke? I want to know…

The former president made a comparison between his priorities regarding terrorism and Bush’s demonstrated incompetence:

CLINTON: What did I do? I worked hard to try and kill him. I authorized a finding for the CIA to kill him. We contracted with people to kill him. I got closer to killing him than anybody has gotten since. And if I were still president we’d have more than 20,000 troops there trying to kill him. Now I never criticized President Bush and I don’t think this is useful. But you know we do have a government that thinks Afghanistan is 1/7 as important as Iraq. And you ask me about terror and Al Qaeda with that sort of dismissive theme when all you have to do is read Richard Clarke’s book to look at what we did in a comprehensive systematic way to try to protect the country against terror. And you’ve got that little smirk on your face. It looks like you’re so clever…
WALLACE: [Laughs]
CLINTON: I had responsibility for trying to protect this country. I tried and I failed to get Bin Laden. I regret it but I did try. And I did everything I thought I responsibly could. The entire military was against sending special forces into Afghanistan and refueling by helicopter and no one thought we could do it otherwise…We could not get the CIA and the FBI to certify that Al Qaeda was responsible while I was President. Until I left office. And yet I get asked about this all the time and they had three times as much time to get him as I did and no one ever asks them about this. I think that’s strange.

Of course, I have no illusions that anything like this can penetrate a very narrow frame of mind. What facts fall outside this small frame are discarded. In that universe not only everybody is entitled to his opinion, but to his own facts too!


Editor's note: Fixed the link ["here" above] to the transcript of the Clinton interview. Also, this is how Faux News is promoting the interview:

Darfur: The New Century's First Genocide. More to Come on October 1, Unless...

The Culture of Life Should be Universal

400,000 dead, 2.5 million displaced, 10,000 dying every month. Yes, I'm talking about human beings. Not much more to add. Just click on the links to learn all there's to know about this first genocide of the 21st century. Then do whatever you can to help, but at least add your voice to the cries for immediate help. And, take notes on who's listening so you can hold accountable the powers that be.

[A couple pictures I took at the rally to Save Darfur in NYC, 9/17/06]

Watch George Clooney's poignant testimony on the urgency of the Darfur situation. Also, this Clooney & Power interview.

Go to SaveDarfur.org to find out how you can help.

Be aware of the world around you. Many of the worst crimes take place because of people's apathy--that's why the government of Sudan & its allies have been killing with impunity.

A Darfur victim pictured (left). Unless the US, the UN, and the whole international community step in with peace-keeping forces by the end of this month, then, for those who care to watch, we'll witness wholesale murder, again. Read more on the Human Rights Watch site.

PS. Is this a reflection of our collective priorities? Media coverage of the ongoing genocide in Darfur has been woefully inadequate. The Center for American Progress found that during June 2005, CNN, FOX News, NBC/MSNBC, ABC, and CBS ran 50 times as many stories about Michael Jackson and 12 times as many stories about Tom Cruise as they did about the genocide in Darfur.

UPDATE, 9/19/06: I suppose it's good that President Bush appointed a special envoy to coordinate our response to this crisis. Except, the incompetence and patronage--two main characteristics of BushCo--are into play, again, despite the huge costs in human lives a possible failure in management may bring. Andrew Natsios is going to be this person to manage the Darfur situation. But, Natsios has proven himself as incompetent and corrupt. He "managed" the Big Dig in Boston--the most mismanaged public works project in US history! Yeah, he's the same person who told us that the Iraq reconstruction costs would be no more than $1.6 billion. Ignorance & incompetence are bad but applied ignorance & incompetence are worse because of the effect! I hope Natsios won't add to the series of deadly mistakes of BushCo regarding Darfur, but, sadly, I'm pessimistic.

Personal Reflections on the Meaning of 9-11

On every important date, it’s good to take a few moments to reflect on the meaning of the occasion; and I did just that when I was asked to say a few words to a gathering of faculty and students on the 5th anniversary of 9-11. This is what I said:

When we bow our heads in a moment of silent prayer or introspection, when we shed a tear for fellow human beings, when we ask what we could do to save lives, how to comfort the grieving, when we give, when we care, when we feel the pain of a tragic loss, then we are affirming our own humanity! And we are re-affirming that we are capable of greater acts of kindness, altruism, and unconditional love.

I believe that there’s something positive to be learned even from a horrible experience. After all, we are equipped with a wonderful mind that has the ability to create, conceptualize, and guide us by reason. We’re standing here in this educational institution because we have a purpose—to pursue our own dreams, to fulfill our potential, to make a difference! Education is indeed the key to a better world, for it provides us with the tools to better understand ourselves and others! Fanaticism and its consequences come from a narrow mind. We are here in a quest to broaden our horizons. And this is good!

I appreciate the concept “a culture of life”—a phrase often uttered but not quite understood to mean: making a difference when it matters. In other words, enhancing the human condition & the human experience. I believe we have a fundamental connection to each other, despite our differences and personal preferences, because we all have the same basic potential: to understand and to love.

We feel the loss. We grieve for those who cannot be with us today. But, as long as we are alive, we cannot surrender our humanity to those who act inhumanely, or to those who seek to manipulate & exploit our emotions though fear!

Let’s not forget the sorrow and the reasons behind it. But let us not forget that we have an obligation to ourselves and to humanity. So, asking I must do of you today. I ask you to decipher and disseminate the knowledge you acquire here. I ask you to help build a better world that extends far beyond our borders. I ask you to be engaged and involved citizens. I ask you to be the change you want to see!

Like Martin Luther King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”