I haven't lost sight of the irony behind the plethora of right-wing, hate-laced editorial columns attacking Barack Obama that appeared in the media during Easter week. Most of the editorials were poignant reminders of how little we’ve actually learned from Christ and just how low people will stoop to destroy a message of hope.
Take Michelle Malkin, for example. Her syndicated right-wing column entitled "Say Goodbye to the Glowbama Mystique", had a field day calling Barack Obama every political name in the book and chastising the candidate for his association with a fiery pastor whose views on a number of subjects, including the immorality of war’s violence, aren’t in line with Ms. Malkin’s extreme right-wing ideology.
The visceral nature of Ms. Malkin’s attack against Obama reminded me of similar attacks on Christ by the religious establishment of His day, who objected greatly to Christ’s association with tax collectors, prostitutes and the poor - people who were generally regarded as the sinners of society. Christ brought His message of hope to the marginalized, and those in power felt angry and threatened and saw to it that He was nailed to a tree.
Barack Obama is not Jesus Christ, nor is he America’s religious savior. But he does carry a message of hope for a better America, and there are many, like Ms. Malkins, who feel threatened by that message and will stop at nothing to nail Obama to a tree.
Hope can bring out the best in people. It can also bring out the worst
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Eliot Spitzer Should Resign
New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's career as a corruption fighting prosecutor was worthy of admiration and acclaim, as he relentlessly championed the rights of society against institutions attempting to subjugate the interests of the common man. Given that track record, it was heartening to see the citizens of New York elevate Mr. Spitzer to the State's highest office where he could also use his vast influence and experience to continue that legacy.
Now that Governor Spitzer's effectiveness as a champion for the common man has been destroyed through his own personal failing, it's time for the Governor to step aside. Yes, it's grating that the sanctimonious crooks that inhabit New York's legislative majority are demanding an immediate resignation or they will commence impeachment proceedings, but the fact is that resignation is the only honorable thing left for Governor Spitzer to do.
An immediate resignation may not repair his reputation in the court of public opinion, but it is the one thing he can do to maintain his own self-respect. At this point in his life, it may be the only thing he has left!
It behooves the rest of us to remember that none of us are without personal failings...and regardless of the personal failings of Eliot Spitzer, he was no worse than the rest of us.
Now that Governor Spitzer's effectiveness as a champion for the common man has been destroyed through his own personal failing, it's time for the Governor to step aside. Yes, it's grating that the sanctimonious crooks that inhabit New York's legislative majority are demanding an immediate resignation or they will commence impeachment proceedings, but the fact is that resignation is the only honorable thing left for Governor Spitzer to do.
An immediate resignation may not repair his reputation in the court of public opinion, but it is the one thing he can do to maintain his own self-respect. At this point in his life, it may be the only thing he has left!
It behooves the rest of us to remember that none of us are without personal failings...and regardless of the personal failings of Eliot Spitzer, he was no worse than the rest of us.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Recession - A Political Dirty Word
Last week, Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Banks, in testimony before Congress, and President Bush, at a press conference, both remarked that the U.S. economy was not heading for a recession. Even if they’re right, which many economists find highly doubtful, such claims are largely meaningless in light of the fact that tens of millions of individual U.S. economies – the economies of individual American households – are already experiencing recessions and there is little hope of changing the landscape anytime soon
2.83 million Americans collected unemployment benefits last week, the largest level since September of 2005.
Employers slashed 63,000 jobs from the economy last month, the largest decrease in five years.
Home foreclosure rates have skyrocketed to their highest point in 23 years.
Because of the tanking housing market, 10% of American homeowners have no equity or negative equity (mortgage higher than a home is worth) in their home.
The average price of a gallon of gas has surpassed $3.27 and is expected to hit $4.00.
The value of the U.S. dollar is in a free-fall in money markets around the world.
The stock market has lost over 600 points spanning the last 5 trading sessions.
Consumer confidence is at its lowest point since 2002.
Health care and College education expenses have soared through the roof.
Inflation could top 7% in 2008 if the current rate-climb continues.
Against this backdrop, millions of Americans are eagerly awaiting the ‘stimulus’ checks the government is planning to send out, starting in May. Unfortunately, most of that money will not be spent on stimulating the U.S. economy, or individual household economies for that matter, it will be spent by ordinary Americans in a vain attempt to keep from drowning. That is to say, it will be spent trying to stay current on the bills.
America needs a stimulus package that does more than simply mail out checks. It needs a package that creates millions of real jobs, shores up America’s infrastructure and stimulates long-term growth that individual economies can then experience. And it’s going to take leaders willing to admit that for many, recession is already here. If you can’t admit there’s a problem, you’re not going to be working towards a solution.
2.83 million Americans collected unemployment benefits last week, the largest level since September of 2005.
Employers slashed 63,000 jobs from the economy last month, the largest decrease in five years.
Home foreclosure rates have skyrocketed to their highest point in 23 years.
Because of the tanking housing market, 10% of American homeowners have no equity or negative equity (mortgage higher than a home is worth) in their home.
The average price of a gallon of gas has surpassed $3.27 and is expected to hit $4.00.
The value of the U.S. dollar is in a free-fall in money markets around the world.
The stock market has lost over 600 points spanning the last 5 trading sessions.
Consumer confidence is at its lowest point since 2002.
Health care and College education expenses have soared through the roof.
Inflation could top 7% in 2008 if the current rate-climb continues.
Against this backdrop, millions of Americans are eagerly awaiting the ‘stimulus’ checks the government is planning to send out, starting in May. Unfortunately, most of that money will not be spent on stimulating the U.S. economy, or individual household economies for that matter, it will be spent by ordinary Americans in a vain attempt to keep from drowning. That is to say, it will be spent trying to stay current on the bills.
America needs a stimulus package that does more than simply mail out checks. It needs a package that creates millions of real jobs, shores up America’s infrastructure and stimulates long-term growth that individual economies can then experience. And it’s going to take leaders willing to admit that for many, recession is already here. If you can’t admit there’s a problem, you’re not going to be working towards a solution.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
...and the Anti-O'Bama Hate E-mails Keep Coming
Nobody is as prolific at creating and spreading "hate" e-mails as the right-wing ideologues in this country are, and now that Barack O'Bama is leading the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination, right-wing hate-mongers have focused their high-powered machinery on him. I've received a slew of anti-O'Bama hate e-mails in my mailbox this week, and I'm sad to report that many have stooped to a new low in hateful content.
Hatred sickens me. It pollutes the human experience. When I see e-mail cartoons that represent nothing more than hatred wrapped in caricatured form, I have the same reaction.
When hatred infects politics, it becomes even more dangerous because it provides whole societies with excuses for attacking or eradicating others. Arab cartoons, for example, often advocate the killing of Jews and the extermination of Israel...and the "overt" quality of their cartoons openly telegraphs the message that Jewish people are worthless and eradicating them from the world would be a good thing. U.S. cartoons, on the other hand, are way more subtle in their conveyance of hatred, which in some respects, can do far more damage because the reader does not immediately recognize the hate message, but takes it in, and ever so slowly has their normal defenses to hatred eaten away. Unfortunately, however a message is spread, whether subtly or overtly, the damage it causes is widely felt.
The term, "political correctness" has acquired a negative connotation in this country, but the underlying aim of the term, to encourage people to consider how their acts and what they say will affect those who hear and see them, is a goal worth pursuing since the practice fosters a harmonious existence for everybody.
When "PC" meets resistance, very often it's because folks don't want to recognize, or deal with the discomfort of recognizing their own personal stereotypes...or simply don't want to change their viewpoint because they like the way it makes them feel.
The point I am trying to make here is that, far too often in our lives, hate seems to be acceptable as long as it's not directed towards us, and we're willing to turn a blind eye towards hate so long as we're not in its ugly cross-hairs. I personally find that condition unacceptable, as I recognize that hate, in all its ugly forms, is nothing short of a cancerous growth on the soul of humankind.
Hatred sickens me. It pollutes the human experience. When I see e-mail cartoons that represent nothing more than hatred wrapped in caricatured form, I have the same reaction.
When hatred infects politics, it becomes even more dangerous because it provides whole societies with excuses for attacking or eradicating others. Arab cartoons, for example, often advocate the killing of Jews and the extermination of Israel...and the "overt" quality of their cartoons openly telegraphs the message that Jewish people are worthless and eradicating them from the world would be a good thing. U.S. cartoons, on the other hand, are way more subtle in their conveyance of hatred, which in some respects, can do far more damage because the reader does not immediately recognize the hate message, but takes it in, and ever so slowly has their normal defenses to hatred eaten away. Unfortunately, however a message is spread, whether subtly or overtly, the damage it causes is widely felt.
The term, "political correctness" has acquired a negative connotation in this country, but the underlying aim of the term, to encourage people to consider how their acts and what they say will affect those who hear and see them, is a goal worth pursuing since the practice fosters a harmonious existence for everybody.
When "PC" meets resistance, very often it's because folks don't want to recognize, or deal with the discomfort of recognizing their own personal stereotypes...or simply don't want to change their viewpoint because they like the way it makes them feel.
The point I am trying to make here is that, far too often in our lives, hate seems to be acceptable as long as it's not directed towards us, and we're willing to turn a blind eye towards hate so long as we're not in its ugly cross-hairs. I personally find that condition unacceptable, as I recognize that hate, in all its ugly forms, is nothing short of a cancerous growth on the soul of humankind.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Terrorsim No Cause to Celebrate
On a day filled with the unspeakable horror of a Palestinian gunman massacring 8 Jewish seminary students and wounding numerous others at a rabbinical seminary in Jerusalem, it is unconscionable to witness the sight of throngs of Palestinians pouring into the streets in Gaza to cheer in celebration of the murder and mayhem. It brings to mind a similar display of Palestinian callousness following the bloody Al Qaida attacks on the United States on September 11th, 2001.
Peace will never come to the Middle East as long as terrorism, in any form, is celebrated in the hearts and minds of ordinary citizens.
Peace will never come to the Middle East as long as terrorism, in any form, is celebrated in the hearts and minds of ordinary citizens.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Bush/Cheney Rap Sheets Get Another Entry
Wth three DUI's between them, and offices in the White House on their resume, one might have figured that the criminal rap sheets of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney were as long as they were going to get, but apparently not! The Vermont towns of Brattleboro and Marlboro voted yesterday to press criminal charges against Bush and Cheney for "violation of the U.S. Constitution".
No doubt, the media today will focus heavily on Hillary Clinton's big primary wins in Texas and Ohio, but the Vermont towns' symbolic gesture deserves top-billing as a step, albeit one of questionable Constitutional legality, towards holding both the President and the Vice-President accountable for their systematic dismantling of the rights, privileges and protections guaranteed to all citizens by the U.S. Constitution.
While the charge of "crimes against humanity" would have been more apt, considering this Administration's immoral invasion in Iraq, the charge of crimes against the U.S. Constitution will suffice to put historians on notice that, far from being protectors of the pillars of our national foundation, Bush and Cheney were leaders in the campaign to tear it down.
For those efforts, both deserve to have their rap sheets lengthened.
No doubt, the media today will focus heavily on Hillary Clinton's big primary wins in Texas and Ohio, but the Vermont towns' symbolic gesture deserves top-billing as a step, albeit one of questionable Constitutional legality, towards holding both the President and the Vice-President accountable for their systematic dismantling of the rights, privileges and protections guaranteed to all citizens by the U.S. Constitution.
While the charge of "crimes against humanity" would have been more apt, considering this Administration's immoral invasion in Iraq, the charge of crimes against the U.S. Constitution will suffice to put historians on notice that, far from being protectors of the pillars of our national foundation, Bush and Cheney were leaders in the campaign to tear it down.
For those efforts, both deserve to have their rap sheets lengthened.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Go Vote Folks!
This is a short message to the folks in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont: Go out and Vote! (Especially all you Democrats) The Democratic race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama offers a historic choice that any registered Democrat should relish making. Both are well-qualified candidates worthy of this Nation's highest office. Let your voices be heard! Go Vote
Monday, March 3, 2008
Abusing Our Juvenile Offenders
According to a recent study conducted by the Associated Press, reports of youngsters being abused and mistreated in juvenile detention facilities has reached epidemic levels in the United States. The Associated Press found that over 13,000 claims of abuse were filed between 2004 and 2007, a time period when approximately 46,000 youngsters were detained in the juvenile justice system. The AP study opined that the number of abuse claims filed is actually much higher than they reported because the study was not able to include private contractor facilities, who universally refuse to divulge the kind of abuse-related information the Associated Press was seeking. Sadly, the findings of the report seem to suggest that 1 in 4 juvenile detainees in the U.S. are abused in some form while detained.
In many instances, the juvenile justice system marks the final opportunity society has to readjust childhood behavior and set a youngster on the proper course of law-abiding citizenship. Unfortunately, that opportunity is far too often lost or seriously undermined when the last thing a juvenile experiences before adulthood is physical and emotional cruelty and sexual abuse.
The numbers reported by the Associated Press are alarming in and of themselves, but they mask an even deeper problem - the cavalier attitude many in this country possess when it comes to treatment of juvenile offenders. It’s not uncommon to hear somebody express the sentiment that a kid must have done something awfully bad to land in juvenile hall, and if they’re that bad, they ought to get a taste of what real prison life can be like – as if a youngster actually deserves the kind of abusive treatment they receive. Said attitude reflects a sense of ‘frontier justice’ still popular in this country, but it does not serve this Nation well when it comes to providing unruly juveniles with a healthy blueprint for leading a productive life. In fact, just the opposite is true.
When that taste of prison life includes cruelty and sexual abuse, juveniles overwhelmingly conclude that said behavior is not only acceptable, but it is necessary to achieve a sense of control over their lives. Hence, they leave the juvenile system not seeking to adjust their anti-social behavior, but rather seeking out situations where they can inflict cruelty and abuse on others or continue to experience said ill treatment from people more powerful than them. In both instances, the lives of those juveniles are markedly scarred, and many end up right back in criminal institutions – the very result juvenile facilities were created to avoid.
If Americans are sincere about the desire to reform wayward youth, its high time we demand said youth be treated with dignity and respect. If we do not take this one last opportunity to provide an example of how proper citizens should behave, our wayward youth will never get the message!
In many instances, the juvenile justice system marks the final opportunity society has to readjust childhood behavior and set a youngster on the proper course of law-abiding citizenship. Unfortunately, that opportunity is far too often lost or seriously undermined when the last thing a juvenile experiences before adulthood is physical and emotional cruelty and sexual abuse.
The numbers reported by the Associated Press are alarming in and of themselves, but they mask an even deeper problem - the cavalier attitude many in this country possess when it comes to treatment of juvenile offenders. It’s not uncommon to hear somebody express the sentiment that a kid must have done something awfully bad to land in juvenile hall, and if they’re that bad, they ought to get a taste of what real prison life can be like – as if a youngster actually deserves the kind of abusive treatment they receive. Said attitude reflects a sense of ‘frontier justice’ still popular in this country, but it does not serve this Nation well when it comes to providing unruly juveniles with a healthy blueprint for leading a productive life. In fact, just the opposite is true.
When that taste of prison life includes cruelty and sexual abuse, juveniles overwhelmingly conclude that said behavior is not only acceptable, but it is necessary to achieve a sense of control over their lives. Hence, they leave the juvenile system not seeking to adjust their anti-social behavior, but rather seeking out situations where they can inflict cruelty and abuse on others or continue to experience said ill treatment from people more powerful than them. In both instances, the lives of those juveniles are markedly scarred, and many end up right back in criminal institutions – the very result juvenile facilities were created to avoid.
If Americans are sincere about the desire to reform wayward youth, its high time we demand said youth be treated with dignity and respect. If we do not take this one last opportunity to provide an example of how proper citizens should behave, our wayward youth will never get the message!
Responding to a South American Bully
Some bullies are always looking for fight, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is no exception. Chavez has ordered a slew of his army battalions to the Venezuelan border with Columbia in an audacious saber-rattling move equaled only by his belligerent diatribes against the Columbian government and the United States.
Columbia poses no danger to Venezuela, nor are Columbian leaders seeking to wage war against a well-armed adversary at the same time as they are fighting drug lords in that country’s jungles. Nevertheless, Chavez continues to sound the drumbeats of war as if his country is on the verge of a massive home invasion. Clearly, Chavez is not satisfied with limiting his combative politics to Venezuela; so he’s decided to spread it to the rest of South America as well, a move that will bring much suffering and tragedy to the region.
Standing up to Chavez’ bellicose attitude without resorting to military force will require great courage on the part of this Nation’s leadership, and a willingness of our citizenry to pay the price (at the gas pump) for our courage because Chavez will certainly stop the flow of Venezuelan oil into the United States to test our resolve.
As individual citizens, we must not allow our government to make the same mistake with Venezuela that it made with Iraq. Nothing good can come from using violence against Venezuela. This time, cooler heads must prevail.
Columbia poses no danger to Venezuela, nor are Columbian leaders seeking to wage war against a well-armed adversary at the same time as they are fighting drug lords in that country’s jungles. Nevertheless, Chavez continues to sound the drumbeats of war as if his country is on the verge of a massive home invasion. Clearly, Chavez is not satisfied with limiting his combative politics to Venezuela; so he’s decided to spread it to the rest of South America as well, a move that will bring much suffering and tragedy to the region.
Standing up to Chavez’ bellicose attitude without resorting to military force will require great courage on the part of this Nation’s leadership, and a willingness of our citizenry to pay the price (at the gas pump) for our courage because Chavez will certainly stop the flow of Venezuelan oil into the United States to test our resolve.
As individual citizens, we must not allow our government to make the same mistake with Venezuela that it made with Iraq. Nothing good can come from using violence against Venezuela. This time, cooler heads must prevail.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
The Mukasey Threat to Democracy
It should come as no surprise to anyone that U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey is refusing to fulfill his duty as the government’s top attorney and pursue contempt of Congress charges against former White House aides Harriet Miers and Joshua Bolton. Like his refusal to pursue charges against C.I.A. agents engaging in torture, Mukasey has once again demonstrated complete repugnancy for the rule of law when it conflicts with the political purposes of the Bush Administration.
When Mukasey took the oath of office such a short time ago, he vowed to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the laws of this Nation over any other concern. Apparently, Mukasey had no intention of honoring said pledge, and his subsequent refusal to enforce the laws of this country place him squarely among the plethora of dishonorable liars who have inhabited the current Administration.
When people speak of terrorists, they invariably link such individuals as threats to the very core of our democracy. If that’s the case, then the likes of Mukasey deserve a spot in Guantanamo Bay as much as any foreign terrorist does, for their abuse of power represents no less a threat to the rule of law in this nation.
When Mukasey took the oath of office such a short time ago, he vowed to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the laws of this Nation over any other concern. Apparently, Mukasey had no intention of honoring said pledge, and his subsequent refusal to enforce the laws of this country place him squarely among the plethora of dishonorable liars who have inhabited the current Administration.
When people speak of terrorists, they invariably link such individuals as threats to the very core of our democracy. If that’s the case, then the likes of Mukasey deserve a spot in Guantanamo Bay as much as any foreign terrorist does, for their abuse of power represents no less a threat to the rule of law in this nation.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Immigrants, Bigotry, Flag-Waving and Idol Worshipping
There's an anti-immigrant e-mail floating around that depicts a group of Hispanic high school students raising the Mexican flag above the American flag on a flagpole outside their high school. The creator of the e-mail expresses utter outrage at the lack of respect for our national symbol and urges the viewer to pass on the e-mail if they are similarly enraged.
I recently received the flag e-mail again, and this is how I responded to its sender:
"I’ve seen that e-mail before, and it never comes accompanied with a note urging folks to keep things in perspective. Then again, I never was big into idol worship, even when the idol was a piece of cloth, so I guess I just don’t have the same visceral feeling others get when they see an American flag so depicted.
The first thing that strikes me when I look at those photographs is that they depict a bunch of kids, who by their very nature as kids don’t grasp the depth of emotions they trigger in folks here who revere the flag like a god. Five years from now, they’ll know better.
The other thing that strikes me about the e-mail is how it’s engineered to create the impression that all Hispanic immigrants are disrespectful, flag-hating people. It takes the actions of a handful of nitwits and attempts to use them to smear a whole class of people; a classic example of bigotry in action.
I can’t decide which I loathe more – the bigotry or the idol worshipping."
Subsequently, the sender took issue with my reference to flag adoration being akin to idol worshipping. Here is my rebuttal:
"One reason I'm so negative about the 'pro flag' sentiment that has reached a crescendo over recent years is the corresponding willingness of those same flag wavers to shed every freedom and value that the flag was said to represent - all in the name of maintaining national security. If the events of 9/11 proved anything, it's how little we actually treasure our freedoms...because we quickly jettisoned them at the first sign of adversity. If Americans defended their freedoms and time-honored values with the same intensity as they worship the U.S. flag, this country would be a place worthy of national pride...and so would the flag.
I remember, back when I was a kid, asking my grandmother why God was so mad about the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. It was just a large piece of gold, she said. Some people thought it could do something, but it was just an object and God was upset that it took their focus away from Him and what was really important.
Today, I look at the flag in the same light. It's just an object that takes every one's focus away from that which is truly important. If that viewpoint makes me unpatriotic, so be it, but I tend to think that defending freedom is a far higher calling than defending a collection of strands of cotton, polyester and nylon."
I recently received the flag e-mail again, and this is how I responded to its sender:
"I’ve seen that e-mail before, and it never comes accompanied with a note urging folks to keep things in perspective. Then again, I never was big into idol worship, even when the idol was a piece of cloth, so I guess I just don’t have the same visceral feeling others get when they see an American flag so depicted.
The first thing that strikes me when I look at those photographs is that they depict a bunch of kids, who by their very nature as kids don’t grasp the depth of emotions they trigger in folks here who revere the flag like a god. Five years from now, they’ll know better.
The other thing that strikes me about the e-mail is how it’s engineered to create the impression that all Hispanic immigrants are disrespectful, flag-hating people. It takes the actions of a handful of nitwits and attempts to use them to smear a whole class of people; a classic example of bigotry in action.
I can’t decide which I loathe more – the bigotry or the idol worshipping."
Subsequently, the sender took issue with my reference to flag adoration being akin to idol worshipping. Here is my rebuttal:
"One reason I'm so negative about the 'pro flag' sentiment that has reached a crescendo over recent years is the corresponding willingness of those same flag wavers to shed every freedom and value that the flag was said to represent - all in the name of maintaining national security. If the events of 9/11 proved anything, it's how little we actually treasure our freedoms...because we quickly jettisoned them at the first sign of adversity. If Americans defended their freedoms and time-honored values with the same intensity as they worship the U.S. flag, this country would be a place worthy of national pride...and so would the flag.
I remember, back when I was a kid, asking my grandmother why God was so mad about the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. It was just a large piece of gold, she said. Some people thought it could do something, but it was just an object and God was upset that it took their focus away from Him and what was really important.
Today, I look at the flag in the same light. It's just an object that takes every one's focus away from that which is truly important. If that viewpoint makes me unpatriotic, so be it, but I tend to think that defending freedom is a far higher calling than defending a collection of strands of cotton, polyester and nylon."
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