A host of “secular” sociological, political issues
More from the Riverside speech, and “head-on” with the policies and practices of the United States (which was in its “Overthrow” mode before then, during then, and since then….Stephen Kinzer’s book, Overthrow, which I read back in the summer gives historical detail, and James Carroll’s House Of War chronicles the history of the Pentagon and its constant hosting of the Continue Reading
Juan Cole on MLK and Vietnam/Iraq points out what our “liberal media” won’t; that MLK staunchly opposed Kennedy-Johnson on Vietnam. He hurt himself immensely in a political sense by not “sticking to civil rights”, linking the war to issues of justice. You don’t hear much about THAT Martin Luther King when the holiday is on the news. Neither do you Continue Reading
via Gavin , a rabbi worries about what he sees as “anti-Christian” backlash. He seems unable to distinguish between “anti-Christian” and “worried about fundamentalists”. The books the rabbi cites as evidence that there is a “war against Christianity” are books that are wary of the Christian Right. The same rabbi also worries about the curtailing of “freedom” by the banning of Continue Reading
I realized something just a few days ago as I was continuing my reading in Taylor Branch’s Parting The Waters: America In The King Years 1954-63 (I had borrowed it from the public library last January and got through about 300 pages of it before it had to go back……I anticipated buying it, but then the hardback version disappeared from Continue Reading
Something that occurred to me just now. If Obama runs and wins in ’08 , would that make the United States an “Obama-nation”? Heh heh. Maybe James K.A. Smith would think so ? (see Link to Fors Clavigera: Barak Obama: Another Reason to Leave the Christian Left ) Just kidding. But I was trying to explain to my wife about how Continue Reading
Richard Clarke has written a piece about what the Iraq debacle has done to divert attention from all else; many things of some magnitude. Global warming tops the list (it is of some doubt how long it would , or still will take them to awaken to the extent of the problem, without the Iraq diversion of resources and attention) Continue Reading
This response to Kuo’s Tempting Faith sounds a theme that occurred to me as well as I read it and noticed the conspicuous absence of church life as an informer of what true politics is; or from what life it springs. He barely mentions church, and only then as a place to meet friends. The Ekklesia Project is dedicated to helping Continue Reading
Juan Cole quotes journalist Bill Gallagher (Detroit’s Channel 2 News) Gushing over Rummy and Dick Cheney, the two principal thugs who lied to get us into Iraq and designed the disaster, Bush claimed they “are doing a fantastic job and I strongly support them.”The remark prompted conservative columnist Andrew Sullivan to raise the question of Bush’s mental fitness. Sullivan told Continue Reading
Dave Winer expresses one small hope of mine: I pay taxes, I wish they were lower, but I don’t believe any of the bullshit the Republicans throw around about Democrats. I see the money they channel to themselves, the billions they spend on Iraq, as a major major tax, one that they’ve managed to hide, for now, but it won’t Continue Reading
All in the name of “means to an end”. Saddam was habitually “crossing the line” WHILE he was being propped up by the Reagan administration, WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE. 1982 was when the infamous Rumsfeld meeting with Saddam took place, when the US was taking Saddam’s side and putting most of their eggs in that one basket. It seems that these Continue Reading
This sickens me: As for the role of race in the Tennessee contest: The poll suggests that a Republican ad mentioning that Ford attended a Super Bowl party attended by Playboy playmates and featuring a white woman telling Ford to “call me,” hurt Ford. A whopping 81 percent of likely voters saw the ad. While 67 percent said it would Continue Reading
Maher is hilarious here:
At lunch in a restaurant, just an hour ago or so I saw a clip On CNN from what seems to be this clip from Letterman in January. I looked up Letterman O’Reilly when I got home, but only got references to this interview/debate in January. So why was CNN showing this today? I couldn’t hear it well, and it Continue Reading
As I readied for work this morning, I heard on NPR’s Morning Edition a review of some of the “Shelf full of books” chronicling any one or several of the many debacles being carried out by the Bush administration. This one highlights what is the pattern of the administration on EVERYTHING: the appointment of cronies and cheerleaders, irregardless of actual Continue Reading
On his blog at beliefnet, Jim says what I have often thought , especially lately as the administration stresses how North Korea should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. I don’t believe any country should possess nuclear weapons. But the attempt to restrict the development of nuclear weapons by other countries, while continuing to upgrade and modernize our own, is simply Continue Reading