McNamara

Howard Zinn's analysis of Robert McNamara on Democracy Now!(7/07/09) included a connection with our current administration. Zinn authored "The People's History of the United States" and the "People's History of American Empire", among other works. He said that the intellectual ability to process and recall information is revered in the American culture. Instead, we should revere and teach "moral intelligence". He compared our current policy of "winning" in Afghanistan with that of "winning" in Viet Nam. He contended that we are making the same mistake of not looking at why we are there from a wider moral perspective. He also pointed out that when McNamara realized that we were losing, he resigned, but he remained silent about it instead of speaking out. This is the malady of involvement in government, when dissenting opinions are not disclosed and mistaken policies are permitted to continue in a downward, destructive spiral. McNamara regretted the failures but never moved to correct them. Is this the road on which we are traveling in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan? Even though we are supposedly engaged in a staged withdrawal in Iraq, we are building a one-billion dollar fortress/embassy in Pakistan and killing Taliban terrorists with drones. Too bad the technician in Arizona with the joystick is vaporizing innocent civilians as well. It's more than "collateral damage" on the ground there, and we are creating new rage daily with our plan for a permanent presence. Is this the change we believed in? --- undertoad57

Smackdown

We don't have cable at home. We are on a two-day hiatus in Salida, Colorado, staying in a motel. I viewed a segment of Anderson Cooper's show, AC360, in which he interviewed Al Sharpton about Michael Jackson. Cooper focused his questions on custody of Jackson's children, questions about drug use, Jackson Family dysfunction and other controversial subjects. Sharpton became visibly annoyed by this line of questioning and referred to Cooper and other media people as only being interested in negative issues, instead of looking at what Jackson had contributed during his lifetime. He cited his call to social awareness in the production of "We Are the World", his philantrophic generousity to poor children and the overall love within the extended Jackson family. At that point, the interview ended abruptly. As Cooper looked into the camera while he made his closing comments, I flashed on the character in "Zoolander", whose success hinged on "The Look". He couldn't have parodied it better, with the intense,squinty-eyed stare. What a vacant, stereo-typical, corporate-media moment. At least cable tv has the History Channel. --- undertoad57

International Seizure

The Israeli Navy recently seized a converted ferry carrying humanitarian supplies in international waters, according to many news sources. 21 activists on the way to Gaza were detained. Many major news organizations have not even mentioned this. When the Somali pirates boarded a vessel in international waters, it was such a big deal. OK, rightfully so. The name of the vessel is "The Spirit of Humanity", of the "Free Gaza Movement". Oh, WOW! What a threat they posed to the Israeli Navy! When activists are trying to bring attention to the devastation in Gaza while simultaneously providing pragmatic assistance, why should anyone care? How about asking the parents of the 300 children who were killed in the Israeli offensive that took place just before the Obama inauguration? That is, if they are not among the other estimated 600 dead innocent victims of the assault. Maybe they can be found in an under-supplied hospital, suffering from unimaginably severe burns. (Can you say: "White Phosphorus"?) I looked in vain today for any report in the Denver Post. ABC News did have a report about it on its website; here is the link to the Edinburg Scotsman on this event: http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Scot-among--British-.5416254.jp --- undertoad57

Health Insurance Reform

The private sector was so enthusiastic about competing with the public sector in the field of education. Too bad that the underlying agenda was to get public funding for education in the bible-thumpers' schools and the elite country day schools (OPM: Other Peoples' Money). Oh, vouchers and charter schools would be great for competition with those crappy public schools. (Read: blame the victim. Remember when the catch-phrase was, "You can't just throw money at the problem."?) Now the tables are turned. The health insurance cabal doesn't want competition from the lowly public sector. SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!!!!!!!!!!!!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! You can read a great explanation of this issue by "Something The Dog Said" at "The Oxdown Gazette" or at http://www.squarestate.net/. The title of the article is: "This Is Why Insurance Companies Fear The Public Option". --- undertoad57