Good evening. We'll start with three things from Democracy Now!
U.S./Iraqi Attack on Tall Afar Kills 200
In Iraq, at least 200 are dead in the city of Tall Afar after U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a major assault on the northern city over the weekend. On Monday the Iraqi Red Crescent Society sent in aid for families displaced by three days of bombardment. It was the largest attack since the siege of Fallujah. U.S. officials originally portrayed the bombing as essential to stop the flow of foreign fighters from Syria. But the Washington Post reports the targets were largely Sunni Turkmen. According to the Post, the Kurdish militia known as the Peshmerga - not the actual Iraqi army - led the assault. Meanwhile the U.S. is denying an accusation that the military used toxic gases in the attack. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi reportedly posted an audio message online claiming the U.S. was using some type of chemical weapons in the city.
Are Americans even paying attention to this story? If we are, what are most of us saying? "Yee-haw! Killed 200 more!" Or are we starting to get how we go city to city and wondering if we'll end up visiting every city before long? This is "winning?" For who? The Iraqis? For us? Notice that Amy Goodman's citing the Washington Post. That's because the New York Times keeps printing "military officials said" and nonsense like that.
Lawyers For Frances Newton Seek Stay On Execution
Lawyers for Texas death row inmate Frances Newton has asked Texas Gov. Rick Perry for a 30-day stay to try to prove that authorities erred in linking her to a presumed murder weapon. Newton is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday night. She is set to become the first African-American woman executed in the state since Reconstruction. Meanwhile the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused on Monday to stop the execution and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted unanimously not to recommend that Perry commute the sentence to life in prison.
This is tomorrow, Frances Newton's execution. I don't think most people even know about it.
There is so much going on right now. I really feel like a month from now we'll all be asking how she was allowed to be executed. I hope I am wrong and that she is not executed. She had a lawyer who didn't seem to know the case. There are questions about the gun used and there are a whole host of questions. But tomorrow, it looks like she'll be executed.
I'm Catholic and I don't believe in the death penalty. But I don't just think she should be spared, I think she deserves a new trial for the original charges.
Journalists Released From Haitian Jail
In Haiti, two journalists have been released after spending the weekend in jail. Independent journalist Kevin Pina and Jean Ristil of the Associated Press were arrested while covering a police raid on a church led by the jailed priest Gerard Jean Juste. Pina is a regular contributor to the Pacifica Radio program Flashpoints.
I wonder why most of the big papers didn't want to talk about this story? But like Ava's pointed out, they don't really cover Haiti. I'm glad Pina and Ristil are free but I'm wondering how much longer it will be before they or some other brave reporters are arrested. There are a few brave ones. Be sure to visit Elaine's site, Like Maria Said Paz, because she's running down the same three stories.
We hear a lot about polling and polls. Right now, if I was polling, I think my first questions would be about people's opinions of the Bully Boy. Hurricane Katrina and his refusal to meet with Cindy Sheehan hurt him. I'd want to know who support him, who supports his programs, do they support the nomination of John Roberts Jr. and a host of other questions.
Zogby, a famous polling institution, isn't concerned with any of that. Here's latest Zogby poll and thanks to C.I. for passing this on from a Common Ills member.
Thank you for taking the time to participate in this survey. We have questions on a variety of topics and really appreciate your input.Are you registered to vote in the United States?
Yes
No
Not sure
How likely are you to vote in national elections?
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Not likely
Not sure
In which party are you either registered to vote or do you consider yourself to be a member ...
Democratic
Republican
Independent
Libertarian
Constitution
Green
Natural Law
Reform
Other
Not sure
Please tell me if your overall opinion of George W. Bush is very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable, or very unfavorable, or you are not familiar enough to form an opinion.
Very favorable
Somewhat favorable
Somewhat unfavorable
Very unfavorable
Not familiar
Not sure
Have you watched or read news coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath?
Yes
No
Not sure
Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree that the coverage of Hurricane Katrina helped produce better results from government than would have otherwise occurred?
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Not sure
What term do you think should be used to refer to the people who have been displaced because of Hurricane Katrina?
Victims
Refugees
Evacuees
Survivors
None of the above
Not sure
Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree that New Orleans WILL be re-built as it was before the hurricane?
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Not sure
Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree that New Orleans SHOULD be re-built as it was before the hurricane?
Strongly agree
Somewhat agree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Not sure
Would you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose increasing taxes to pay for rebuilding New Orleans?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Not sure
Would you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose increasing taxes to pay for improvements to levees around the country to avoid future floods?
Strongly support
Somewhat support
Somewhat oppose
Strongly oppose
Not sure
Some estimates are that as many as 50,000 pets have been stranded by Hurricane Katrina. Do you agree or disagree that official rescue efforts for any disaster - flooding, earthquakes, storms, fire, etc. - should include rescuing pets?
Agree
Disagree
Not sure
Current FEMA and Red Cross rescue policy excludes allowing the rescue of pets? Do you agree or disagree with this policy?
Agree
Disagree
Not sure
Reports are that pets, left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, are on the verge of starvation and dehydration. Who do you think should be most responsible for getting food and water to these pets or getting them to shelter?
Government disaster relief agencies, like FEMA
Private relief agencies, like the Red Cross
Animal welfare or animal rights groups like the Humane Society
Individual pet owners
A combination of all of them
Not sure
There are some reports that animal rescue groups were not allowed into the flooded areas to begin rescuing animals until much of the rescuing of people was complete. Do you agree or disagree that animal rescue efforts by these groups should be allowed to take place at the same time rescue efforts for people by the Red Cross and others are taking place?
Agree
Disagree
Not sure
As many as 10,000 people in New Orleans may have refused evacuation because they stayed behind to care for pets and other animals. How likely would you be to refuse to evacuate an area before a disaster struck because you were not able to take your pets with you?
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Not very likely
Not at all likely
Not sure
How likely would you be to refuse to be rescued after the disaster has struck because rescuers refused to allow you to take your pets with you?
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Not very likely
Not at all likely
Not sure
Which do you think should be the top story on the nightly news: the confirmation hearings for Chief Justice nominee John Roberts or the ongoing relief efforts in New Orleans?
Confirmation hearings
Relief efforts in New Orleans
Neither
Not sure
And now, some questions about popular culture.From the following list of movies, which would you consider the greatest World War II movie of all time?
The Longest Day
A Bridge Too Far
Saving Private Ryan
Big Red One
Das Boot
Patton
Pearl Harbor
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Twelve O'Clock High
Guadalcanal Diary
Sands of Iwo Jima
Midway
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Other
None of the above
Not sure/not familiar
From the following list of movies, which would you consider the greatest World War I movie of all time?
All Quiet on the Western Front
Gallipoli
A Farewell to Arms
Paths of Glory
What Price Glory?
Sergeant York
Lawrence of Arabia
Other
None of the above
Not sure/not familiar
From the following list of movies, which would you consider the greatest Vietnam War movie of all time?
We Were Soldiers
Hamburger Hill
Platoon
Full Metal Jacket
Apocalypse Now
The Green Berets
Other
None of the above
Not sure/not familiar
From the following list of war movies, which would you consider the greatest war movie of all time?
The Longest Day
A Bridge Too Far
We Were Soldiers
Blackhawk Down
Hamburger Hill
Platoon
Saving Private Ryan
Full Metal Jacket
The Patriot
Gettysburg
Glory
Gods and Generals
Cold Mountain
All Quiet on the Western Front
Gallipoli
A Farewell to Arms
Big Red One
Thank you. Please give us some information about yourself.
What is your age?
From which sources do you get most of your news?(Choose all that apply.)
Television
Newspapers
Internet
Radio
News magazines
Other
Not sure
How often do you shop at Wal-Mart?
Every week
A few times a month
A couple times a year
Never
Other
Not sure
Which of the following best describes your highest level of education?
Less than high school graduate
High school graduate
Some college
College graduate
Refused
Which of the following best represents your race or ethnic group?
White, non-Hispanic
Hispanic
African American
Asian/Pacific
Arab American
Other-Specify
Refused
Which of the following best represents where you live?
Large city (100,000 or more residents)
Small city (less than 100,000 residents)
Suburbs
Rural area
Not sure
Refused
Which description best represents your political ideology?
Progressive/very liberal
Liberal
Moderate
Conservative
Very conservative
Libertarian
Not sure
Refused
Which of the following best represents your religious affiliation?
Roman Catholic
Protestant/other non-denominational Christian
Jewish
Muslim
Mormon
No affiliation
Other-Specify
Refused
Are you or is anyone in your household a member of a union?
Yes
No
Not sure
Refused
Are you a parent or guardian of a child under 17 who is living at home?
Yes
No
Refused
Which of the following best describes your marital status?
Married
Single, never married
Divorced/widowed/separated
Civil union/domestic partnership
Not sure
Refused
Are you or is any member of your family a member of the Armed Forces?
Yes
No
Not sure
Refused
Do you have any pets?
Yes
No
Not sure
Do you consider yourself a NASCAR fan ?
Yes
No
Not sure
Refused
How often do you attend church, mosque, synagogue or other place of worship?
More than once a week
About once a week
Once or twice a month
Only on religious holidays
Rarely
Never
Not sure
Refused
Would you consider yourself to be a member of the "investor class?"
Yes
No
Not sure
Refused
Do you own any stocks, including mutual funds or 401K plans?
Yes
No
Not sure
Refused
Which of the following best represents your household income last year before taxes?
Less than $15,000
$15,000-24,999
$25,000-34,999
$35,000-49,999
$50,000-74,999
$75,000 or more
Refused
Are you male or female.
Male
Female
Refused
What state do you live in?
State
Thank you for taking time to complete the survey.
So what do you think? Is that poll really on any pressing issue? Does it have anything to do with anything effecting our lives right now? Do you even know all the movies they list? How about most of them? Did you notice that films about the after-effects of war didn't make the list? Born on the Fourth of July. What about the homefront during wartime? The Best Years of Our Lives. Jane Fonda's Coming Home.
I find the poll worthless. Maybe you'll see something in you like.
Last night I noted the attitudes of Ma and Dad. The e-mails split almost evenly with a slight edge for Ma. The people who sided with Dad felt like the left has taken enough crap over the years. Terrell wrote that he's tired of turning the other cheek.
Just to clear it up, Ma wasn't saying that. She was saying fight back. Call something wrong, make fun of it, rage against it. She was saying don't sell out what you believe in. If I wasn't clear last night, that was my fault.
Bo wrote that Ma has a point and that when he reads something with a headline that says one thing and he reads the item itself and it turns out the headline is really a distortion it pisses him off because we're "supposed to tell the truth." He said he usally responds like Dad and then thinks about it and feels like Ma, that we have to hold on to what we believe in and to what our standards are.
To quote 1 more e-mail, Linda thinks that you hit them hard "with whatever you have and whatever it takes and you worry about the fallout later." A lot of people agreed with Linda and Terrell. The people who felt like Bo were only 3 more than the ones who felt like Linda and Terrell. (There were 63 e-mails. 33 of you felt like Linda. 30 of you felt like Linda & Terrell.)
Now I want to talk about what ABC did. Colin Powell said this on TV to Barbara Walters:
Powell: Well it's a, it's a, of course it will. It's a blot. I'm the one who presented it on behalf of the United Nations, uh, United States, to the world. And it will always be uh, part of my, uh, my record.
Walters: How painful is it?
Powell: (shrugs) It was -- it *was* painful. (shifts, shrugs) It's painful now.
Here's how ABC reports it on their website in "Exclusive: Colin Powell on Iraq, Race, and Hurricane Relief:"
"It's a blot," Powell said. "I'm the one who presented it on behalf of the United States to the world, and [it] will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It's painful now."
In one of them, Powell's fumbling and the other he isn't. Why don't they want America to know the truth?
Ava and C.I. reviewed the interview "TV Review: Barbara and Colin remake The Way We
Were" (Third Estate Sunday Review). Today C.I. did an entry on ABC altering the quote ("ABC 'fixes' Colin Powell") and so did Ava ("Note from Ava on ABC's altering Colin Powell's remarks").
The media polishes for Powell and you have to wonder what's in it for them? They give him the kissy-kissy treatment and make him look better. The war mongers always are made to look better.
If you saw Powell speaking, you heard a man who spoke badly. If you read the quote, he's the smartest man in the room. Guess it would hurt the media too much to pull back the curtain on the great and powerful Oz?
