diesel's political rants

[Non-Fiction]

What has caused this shift between so much squawking and so much walking? We can only wonder. Are we to really believe that people have finally "woken up" or "fed themselves ill on the garbage they once voted for?"

I dont know where to begin. I am young still (21) and just beginning to really grasp the Politics in our country. I was in high school on 9/11, now in college and living in nyc. I could barely understand what was going on then and I barely do now. I'm probably emphasizing whats obvious and has been pointed out before, but I just feel like I don't know where to begin with educating myself about this huge issue. I have so many different opinions influencing at me, I cant sort them all out to make my own: growing up in a mostly jewish liberal suburb outside N.Y.'s capitol, being a 'neutral' middle eastern (armenian - raised christian), having many relatives and friends in the military, and living/studying with liberal artist peers, yo this can get confusing! Seems like most kids my age are getting all their information from Colbert Report and the Daily Show and with no doubt conclude their assumptions there, seeking no further information to educate themselves - and then act like they can spit knowledge! The moment I try to look on CNN.com or in my newspapers here I get frustrated, everything just reeks of biasness. Am I wrong? Can somebody lead me in a direction that holds truth, where I can learn and maybe make my own opinions, or am I just being dense and its all there in front of me?

Also, I feel there is extreme censorship in our country these days...it makes me nervous. Maybe people are either afraid to speak out or dont know enough to (ignorance bliss?) im talking about big name musicians who have a huge advantage with their exposure to the public, but dont execute it. What happened to protest songs, like during the Vietnam War, that had a huge effect on banding American college kids together, hardening a solid idea on how that group felt. Oh...well with the exception the dixie chicks and even after the D.C's comment they were bashed! What happened to free speech!? Are public figures afraid to speak out because of situations like that, ultimately compromising fame and money? (I dont expose myself to much mainstream music so if there is a real protest out there, again, I am completely unaware)

What I am trying to say is, as an American 'young adult' I dont feel any unity with the rest of the country and my peers, there is nobody leading us, we have no one voice, just a bunch of "squawking". Where is the revolution? (Nathan - we need you buddy.)

Also, in reply to the trite, flat and banal "all middle easterners are savages" comment, obviously as one I am offended, but further isn't that the attitude we should all working to avoid? Isn't that what instigates these conflicts? Thats all to say there are a lot of fucking problems among each country in the ME and just being friendly wont fix it, but I dont think bombs and foul opinions will either. My dad was Armenian born and raised in Syria and he lived everyday in the face of political, racial and religious opression, coming to America as all of our ancestors did to seek freedom. I have a lot of friends and family still living in Syria, Armenia, Lebanon, and Turkey (all peaceful, most of them are Armenians living among Arabs). Armenians really have no choice but to be neutral on issues (other than their own and still can't seem get anywhere) at this point. Although my friends say there aren't a lot of very good, rich or prolific things for them to say about most people and the current issues overseas, they wish there were and all do their best to better it. I could get into personal accounts and anecdotes but its probably not appropriate.

Not to make this a separate topic or to preach about something else, but it seems you are all open to debatable topics, especially when it comes to social and/or human rights. Heres an article from wikipedia I read today about an Armenian-Turk assassinated for exercising free speach...just to give you a perspective on other things going on in the middle east separate from the U.S.'s agenda (i mean if you are really interested you can pm me about the fight for recognition of the Armenian Genocide)....i may as well throw in another fight and say FREE TIBET! I think this is another huge issue with our government, that obvious human rights issues go on ignored and are most immediate, beyond any political concerns for power/oil.....if thats what its all about, again I'm not sure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hrant_Dink

If you read my rant thank you, and know that I have so much appreciation for all your 'rants'.

[maggles]

very intelligent sincere post there, nonfiction.
keep looking... the truth is out there.

your appeal to nathan made me smile. if you're not already aware, frogville records has a message board too, we're often known to rant about similar things over there in our little cyber-pond. new voices are always welcome. http://www.frogvilleplanet.com/tsp1/index.php

and as for protest songs, check this out:
http://www.neilyoung.com/lwwtoday/

[diesel]

non fiction: (which is an interesting name, b/c even the truth can be fiction...)

for news check out alternet.org and npr shows like democracy now. you have to educate yourself, dont ever depend on a snippet you read or hear from (corp) news. read howard zinn and noam chomsky for starters. some of the colleges around here have speakers on a usual basis and theyre always a good source of info and perspective, im sure nyc has some too.

about musicians and public figs, theyre just too scared to get hit in the pocket to speak out. but a few have, and continue to do so. pearl jam supported ralph nader and theres always u2, neil young, and other politically open acts. but you're right, not enough speak out. keep in mind that musicians/entertainers are just part of the same society we're in. it seams as a whole we're too worried about our income and buying shit that in the end we didnt really need, to really care about the 'world'.

we're not alone either, most of the people act this way. i dont blame them, its just a rat race. but, i do feel that we as americans, should be more aware of foreign affairs and our own countries influence on the world. i think our freedom has made us naive and almost too lazy to care. we depend too much on our government to rule and decide, and it does, and its not always what would benefit the majority, but tends to be the opposite. so its up to us to keep up.

now, what ever happened to the impeachment campaign? the bastard just sent more troops over and hes threatening other sovereign countries in the region. he needs to go back to his home, b/c somewhere in texas a village is missing its...

[Non-Fiction]

diesel youve not quite caught onto my name, almost though.

thanks for the tips all, i hope to come back to this forum with a lot more to say...for now ill just drop my current motto: Live with our world, not just in it.

[diesel]

Senator Russ Feingold Justifies Cutting off Bush's War: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing re: Exercising Congress’s Constitutional Power to End a War

http://alternet.org/blogs/video/47445/

http://feingold.senate.gov/index.html

[diesel]

news flash! we're to blame for global warming?! what? i thought it was those pesky trees and polar bears. damn it, i should have know exxon mobile was lying.

yup the IPCC (intercontinental panel on climate change) released its 20 some page report detailing the impacts of human activity on the earths climate. by 2100, average temperature will be about 5 degrees warmer, and the sea levels will be 2ft higher. that means those of you living in SF or NY, get the hell out or buy a houseboat.


news here

full report here

[diesel]

with the buzz about the role of iranian forces and agents in the insurgency in iraq, i wanted to post a few clips that ive been watching recently. these are clips of a documentary about the history of saddams reign and the support he received from the u.s. and other western states during that time and especially in the war against iran post the 78 revolution.

note- some of these clips are pretty graphic

i think these are in order:
http://alternet.org/blogs/video/46831/

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/47041/

http://alternet.org/blogs/video/47227/

[diesel]

good article from NPR about the role of the u.s. invasion in iraq and the consequences of it regarding the shiite - sunni rift. theres also a brief summary of the history of these two sects.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=7439998

[tote]

Keeping on with my birdflu related conspiracy paranoia, I give you this from tuesday's democracy now headlines:

Bush Given Power to Deploy US Troops Domestically & Declare Martial Law
In news from Capitol Hill, Congress is coming under criticism for approving a little noticed provision last year that makes it easier for President Bush to declare martial law and to send US troops into American cities. At the administration's request, Congress approved the changes to a law known as the Insurrection Act without ever holding a public hearing. Under the new law, the president now has the authority to use both active-duty armed forces and the National Guard on American soil -- not just during a rebellion -- but also a natural disaster, terrorist attack, pandemic or other chaotic situation. All 50 of the nation's governors have opposed the rule changes. Earlier this month Senators Patrick Leahy, the chair of the Judiciary Committee, and Republican Christopher Bond introduced legislation to repeal the changes Congress approved last year.

So, I have a very bad feeling about the next couple of years, but hopefully it's just a totalitarian mutual fund in power instead of gold, not an imminent threat of police state.

[diesel]

Earlier this month Senators Patrick Leahy, the chair of the Judiciary Committee, and Republican Christopher Bond introduced legislation to repeal the changes Congress approved last year.

well, thats the good news. this could probably pass in the house, but i dont know what it takes to repeal in the senate. 2/3 vote?

[tote]

Seems like another symbolic protest bill. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's just hard to watch the freedom slip through our fingers like this. I believe it is a 2/3 majority that would be required. Anyway... Who knows anything about writing grant proposals? Shoot me a private message.

Tote

[harrymcq]

What really scares me is the "any other chaotic situation" clause. Seems pretty open-ended to me. I haven't been totally convinced by the 9/11 conspiracy theorists but when I read things like that it does make me wonder how far they are willing to go to get what they want.

[tote]

That's the scary part Harry. If this passes, it will be lying dormant waiting for another Katrina like situation and then wham!!

I saw Spike Lee's movie on Katrina, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, and I understand fully the great benefit the national guard can bring to a situation of that magnitude of chaos. Chaos, however, that was a direct result of government inneficiency, and stupidity, and instead of asking more of our public servants in the job they were given, this law is designed to make it easy and dumb it down for them.

My question, for those of you who saw the Spike Lee film on HBO or can imagine the great hope that a noble, tough as nails african american colonel or even general could bring to a situation that was deteriorating rapidly under the lesser ranking guardsmen, is this: What if that noble colonel or general never comes? Why is this apt? Because of the absence of our commander in chief? Perhaps.

By the way, I believe I was mistaken when I said the senate would need a 2/3 majority, as this is a whole new law instead of a vetoe. So I guess it should only take a majority, which, given its sponsorship by a republican senator, we may just have.

Thank You Bond, Chris Bond

[tote]

www.democracynow.org

Everyone who can, please watch this show. We are on the brink of a major political event with the Alberto Gonzales incident, as this episode clearly shows. The most informational, succinct, and revolutionary news coverage I have ever seen. EVER.

please, get as many people to watch this as possible. It's really stuff we all should know but that the mainstream media takes care to obscure.

tote

[magpie]

tote,
(for clarification)
are you requesting we watch a particular show date, or democracy now in general?