Saturday, April 08, 2006

Get Him Some Depends, Bully Boy's Leaking!

All the leaves are brown,
And the sky is grey.
I've been for a walk
On a winter's day.
I'd be safe and warm,
If I was in L.A.
California Dreamin'
On such a winter's day

That's spelled "grey" by the way. I'm looking at sheet music and that's how they spell it in that.
It's a song, "California Dreamin'", by the Mamas and the Papas and it was written by John Phillips and Michelle Gilliam which is Michelle Phillips' maiden name. I'm opening with it because we all migrated to California for the weekend. :D

Last night we went to see Sir! No, Sir! and that's a documentary about the G.I. resistance to the war in Vietnam in the sixties. I always word it that way, by the way, because my dad would smack me upside my head (upside the butt when I was younger! :D) if I called it the "Vietnam war." Because it was an undeclared war and an illegal war. It was a war and you could call it that in my house but if you were going by like a title you had to say "Vietnam conflict" because that was a big issue -- that it was illegal -- and it's just something that was drilled in all of us growing up. And look where we are today, in another illegal war so maybe more people should have had my dad for a father?

You can go to Sir! No, Sir! for more information on the movie and here are the rest of the dates scheduled for this month:

17 - Preview Screening New York, NY, IFC Center
327 6TH AVE.
NEW YORK CITY, NY
(212) 924-7771
www.ifccenter.comClick here for more details
19 - THE IFC CENTER
327 6TH AVE.
NEW YORK CITY, NY
(212) 924-7771
www.ifccenter.com
28 - THE STARZ FILM CENTER
9th STREET AND AURARIA PARKWAY
DENVER, CO
(303) 893-3456
www.denverfilm.org
28 - THE ORPHEUM THEATRE
216 STATE STREET
MADISON, WI
(608) 255-0605
www.orpheumtheatre.net

Go see the movie if it's playing near you.

Usually, I steer you to something by C.I. and what I want to steer you to this morning isn't up yet. C.I.'s already written it and we all crowded around the computer screen as we woke up to read it this morning. It needed tags and links and Jim asked C.I. to put something in, which C.I. did, but since it wasn't posted, C.I. kept saying that the thing added should really go up at The Third Estate Sunday Review and if it did, it would be the basis for one less feature we'd have to start from scratch on. So Jim was finally persuaded when Dona pointed out to him how much we had to do today. You can read this about the spying coverage in the paper of misrecord and it's worth reading but I really did love the thing that was going up this morning. It still is going up but at least one section's being pulled for us to use in the edition.

So let's do Democracy Now! and these are from Friday's headlines that started the show.

Bush Accused Of OKing Leak of Classified Info
Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff has testified that President Bush authorized him to leak a highly classified intelligence document on Iraq to the press in an effort to defend the administration's decision to go to war. This marks the first time Bush has been linked to the leaking of classified information and raises new questions if Bush was directly tied to the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's grand jury testimony was cited in court papers filed by prosecutors late Wednesday. Libby was indicted in October on charges that he lied to investigators about his role in the outing of Plame, the wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson who was a vocal critic of the war. On Sept. 30, 2003, President Bush warned against anyone in his administration leaking classified information. "Let me just say something about leaks in Washington. There are too many leaks of classified information in Washington," Bush said. "There's leaks at the executive branch; there's leaks in the legislative branch. There's just too many leaks. And if there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is." On Capitol Hill, Bush was widely criticized by Democrats on Thursday. This is Senator Charles Schumer of New York. "It is increasingly clear that this case goes far beyond Scooter Libby. At the very least, President Bush and Vice President Cheney should fully inform the American people of any role they played in allowing classified information to be leaked," said Schumer. "Did they believe they have the right to do this and if so, in what circumstances? Or is this just something that may have been done to accommodate the president's momentary political needs? According to court documents today, Scooter Libby said that the president authorized the vice president to direct him to disclose classified information to reporters in order to bolster support for the war in Iraq."

Remember Bully Boy playing dumb about the leaks? It may be hard because he plays dumb a lot and sometimes it doesn't seem like he's playing. But after all the chest beating by the Bully Boy, turns out he had some fingers in the whole thing. Wally's "THIS JUST IN! BULLY BOY SAYS 'DO AS I COMMAND NOT AS I DO'" went over just one of Bully Boy's many talks about the leaks and how opposed he is to them so check that out. Bully Boy's been leaking, somebody put him in Depends! :D


Sen. Harkin Urges Democrats To Back Censure of Bush
Meanwhile Democratic Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa has admitted in a radio interview that he is embarrassed that more Democrats have not supported Russell Feingold's motion to censure the President for illegally ordering the NSA to conduct domestic spying.

On KPFA yesterday, we heard about a new poll on the Bully Boy. I don't remember which show, sorry. (It may have been more than one.) But the new poll has Bully Boy even more in the toilet and like almost 70% of Americans think he's taken the country down the wrong road. So it's a real tragedy that Democrats don't know how to use their power when they have some. They just want to stand there and stuff. C.I. wrote a thing awhile back and I don't remember where but it was about how standing there while you're in the lead is losing. You can't just go, "I'm in the lead so I will win." You think that in a track meet and you're going to lose. You need to push yourself to win. Right now, if the elections were today, Dems would have control of at least one house of Congress. But if they're just going to spend the time between right now and the election standing still (or watering down what they believe in) then they'll lose the way they did in 2002 and in 2004. Harkin's right about this being embarrassing, they need to start doing stuff. John Kerry had a proposal that's made fun in the New York Times today and I may write about that Monday. But right now, be sure to check out Like Maria Said Paz for Elaine's thoughts and since I already copied and pasted the stuff below into a post this morning, I may beat her in posting this morning! :D

Have a great weekend and right below my tags is Maria's rundown of ten important headlines from Democracy Now! covering the week we're about to finish. I'm going to add something to this. I saved the draft because C.I. yelled, "Save now! Save now!" right as various computers were going down. We were all in the same room and typing away quickly to get our posts completed. I'll leave the original time on this post and I was able to save. Others weren't so lucky. If you're not happy with the amount of posts today, take it up with someone else. Elaine's redoing her post (at an undisclosed location :D) but I don't know who else will attempt to. We're all busy today and we were using our lunch break to eat and write at the same time.


















Bush acusado de autorizar filtración de informacion clasificada

Maria: Buenos dias. De parte de "Democracy Now!" diaz cosas que vale hacer notar este fin de semana. Paz.

Bush acusado de autorizar filtración de información clasificada
El ex jefe de personal del vicepresidente Dick Cheney, declaró que el Presidente Bush lo autorizó a filtrar a la prensa un documento de inteligencia altamente confidencial sobre Irak, en un intento de defender la decisión del gobierno de comenzar la guerra. Este hecho vincula a Bush por primera vez con la filtración de información clasificada y hace surgir nuevas interrogantes con respecto a si Bush estuvo directamente vinculado con la revelación de que Valerie Plame era agente encubierta de la CIA. El testimonio de Lewis "Scooter" Libby ante un gran jurado fue citado en documentos de la corte, presentados por fiscales el miércoles. Libby fue acusado en octubre, por cargos de mentir a los investigadores sobre su participación en la revelación de que Valerie Plame era una agente encubierta de la CIA. Plame es la esposa del ex embajador Joseph Wilson, quien criticó públicamente la guerra. El 30 de septiembre de 2003, el Presidente Bush formuló advertencias contra cualquier persona de su gobierno que filtrara información clasificada. Bush dijo: "Permítanme decir algo sobre las filtraciones en Washington. Hay demasiadas filtraciones de información clasificada en Washington". Y agregó: "Hay filtraciones en el Poder Ejecutivo; hay filtraciones en el Poder Legislativo. Hay demasiadas filtraciones. Y si se produce una filtración en mi gobierno, quiero saber quién es el responsable". En Capitol Hill, Bush fue muy criticado por los demócratas el jueves. El Senador Charles Schumer de Nueva York dijo: "Cada vez queda más claro que este caso va más allá de "Scooter" Libby. Al menos, el Presidente Bush y el Vicepresidente Dick Cheney deberían informar a la población estadounidense de cualquier participación que hayan tenido en permitir la filtración de información clasificada". Y agregó: "¿Creyeron que tenían derecho a hacerlo? Y si es así ¿en qué circunstancias? ¿O simplemente es algo que hicieron para satisfacer las necesidades políticas del Presidente en ese momento? Según los documentos judiciales de hoy, "Scooter" Libby dijo que el Presidente autorizó al Vicepresidente a que le ordenara revelar a los periodistas información clasificada, para incrementar el apoyo a la guerra en Irak".

Comunidades de Wisconsin aprueban medida de retirar soldados
En Wisconsin, dieciocho comunidades aprobaron una medida votada el martes, que solicita a Estados Unidos retirar inmediatamente a todos los soldados de Irak. Seis comunidades rechazaron la medida. El tema fue sometido a votación tras la campaña de base organizada por grupos contrarios a la guerra.

Mujeres británicas afrontan condena de un año en prisión por protestar frente a base militar
En Gran Bretaña, dos abuelas de más de 60 años de edad podrían ser condenadas a hasta un año en prisión, por haber realizado protestas frente a una base militar. Estas mujeres, Helen John y Sylvia Boyes, serán procesadas en virtud de las leyes contra el terrorismo que prohíben todas las protestas frente a bases militares e instalaciones de investigación nuclear.

Camarógrafo iraquí es absuelto pero permanece en prisión
En Irak, un camarógrafo iraquí que trabaja para "CBS News" fue absuelto el miércoles de los cargos que lo mantuvieron un año en prisión. Sin embargo, a pesar de la absolución, el juez ordenó que lo llevaran de vuelta a su celda en Abu Ghraib. El camarógrafo, Abdul Ameer, estaba filmando enfrentamientos en Mosul cuando soldados estadounidenses le dispararon y lo arrestaron. Ameer fue acusado de incitación y de reclutamiento para la insurgencia contra Estados Unidos. El abogado de Ameer, Scott Horton, dijo luego de la audiencia: "Primero me gustaría decir que este ha sido un gran día para la justicia en Irak, creo que ninguna de las personas que haya presenciado los procedimientos de esta mañana pensará que ha sido justo, pero pensemos en otra cosa; en una sala de tribunal de prácticamente cualquier otra parte del mundo, cuando un acusado es absuelto y se determina que es completamente inocente de los cargos presentados en su contra, queda libre a partir de ese momento. Hoy no sucedió eso. Las autoridades estadounidenses aún tienen detenido a Abdul Ameer. Todos debemos enfocarnos en el hecho de que aunque fue totalmente absuelto permanece en prisión, y debemos dirigir nuestras preguntas sobre su liberación a las fuerzas estadounidenses".

Senador Harkin exhorta a demócratas a respaldar censura de Bush
Mientras tanto, el Senador demócrata de Iowa Tom Harkin, admitió en una entrevista radial que se avergüenza de que más demócratas no apoyaran la moción de Russell Feingold para censurar al Presidente Bush, por ordenar ilegalmente a la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional (NSA) que lleve a cabo espionaje interno.

Asesor legal de Nixon, John Dean, pide censura de Bush
En Washington, el ex asesor legal del Presidente Nixon, John Dean, declaró el viernes a favor de censurar al Presidente Bush por ordenarle a la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional que lleve a cabo vigilancia interna sin las órdenes judiciales que exige la ley. Dean habló en la audiencia del Comité Judicial del Senado para discutir los pedidos del Senador Russell Feingold de censurar al presidente. Bruce Fein, un jurista conservador y ex funcionario del gobierno de Reagan, también declaró a favor de la censura. Fein dijo que la afirmación de Bush de que tiene facultad constitucional inherente "no tiene fin". Hasta ahora, Feingold ha recibido poco apoyo de su propio partido, ya que sólo dos demócratas asistieron a la audiencia del viernes: Patrick Leahy de Vermont y Herb Kohl de Wisconsin.

Cardenal de Los Ángeles oficia misa para apoyar a los inmigrantes indocumentados
Mientras tanto en Los Ángeles, el Cardenal Roger Mahoney ofició una misa especial en señal de solidaridad con los inmigrantes indocumentados. Mahoney prometió ordenarle a los curas que ignoren una ley propuesta, debido a que dicha ley convertiría en delito que tanto curas, como trabajadores sociales y trabajadores de la salud, ayudaran a los trabajadores indocumentados. Mahoney dijo: "Bien, estamos en un momento realmente crítico en la historia de inmigración de nuestro país, y tenemos la oportunidad que no hemos tenido en muchos años de aprobar una ley que es humana y justa y que trata todos los asuntos referidos a la inmigración". Dolores Huerta, co-fundadora de sindicato United Farm Workers (Agricultores Unidos), también habló en Los Ángeles: "Es muy bueno que esto ocurra ahora. Estamos viendo el inicio de un nuevo movimiento por los derechos civiles constituido por latinos. Que el Cardenal oficie la misa es un gran apoyo, porque ésta es una organización nacional. Al decir que el Cardenal cometerá desobediencia civil en nombre de los inmigrantes, el Cardenal estará inspirando a otros a hacer lo mismo. Esto repercutirá en Washington". Grupos de inmigrantes de todo el país planean protestas masivas a nivel nacional el lunes.

Subsecretario de Prensa del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional arrestado por seducir a una menor en Internet
Volvemos a Estados Unidos. El Subsecretario de Prensa del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional fue arrestado en Maryland el martes, por intentar solicitar relaciones sexuales con una niña a través de Internet. Brian Doyle fue arrestado luego de haber contactado a través de Internet a un oficial de policía encubierto que se hizo pasar por una adolescente de 14 años de edad. Doyle fue acusado de 23 cargos por utilizar su computadora para seducir a una adolescente y trasmitir materiales perjudiciales a una menor. Según la policía, Doyle se había identificado en sus comunicaciones a través de Internet, y había proporcionado el número de teléfono de su oficina.

Sunitas de las milicias protegerán los barrios
En otras noticias sobre Irak, nuevas estadísticas indican que el número de iraquíes que murieron en marzo en asesinatos de tipo ejecución superó en casi ocho veces al número de iraquíes que murieron en atentados suicidas con bombas, o en atentados con bombas al costado de las carreteras. Esto provocó que muchos iraquíes que anteriormente no estaban involucrados en luchas, ahora porten armas para protegerse. El Financial Times informa que los barrios sunitas de clase media ahora están formando sus propias milicias para contraatacar a las milicias chiítas y a los escuadrones de la muerte.

Estados Unidos no alcanza meta de construir 142 clínicas de salud en Irak
Esta noticia es sobre la reconstrucción de Irak. El "Washington Post" informa que Estados Unidos está lejos de alcanzar su meta de construir 142 clínicas de salud con servicios básicos. El gobierno estadounidense le entregó a la empresa Parsons 200 millones de dólares para terminar el proyecto, pero hasta el momento sólo se han construido 20 clínicas. El sistema de salud de Irak fue devastado por la guerra, y por una década de sanciones impuestas por Estados Unidos.

Maria: Good morning. Now in English, here are ten stories from Democracy Now! Peace.

Bush Accused Of OKing Leak of Classified Info
Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff has testified that President Bush authorized him to leak a highly classified intelligence document on Iraq to the press in an effort to defend the administration's decision to go to war. This marks the first time Bush has been linked to the leaking of classified information and raises new questions if Bush was directly tied to the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's grand jury testimony was cited in court papers filed by prosecutors late Wednesday. Libby was indicted in October on charges that he lied to investigators about his role in the outing of Plame, the wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson who was a vocal critic of the war. On Sept. 30, 2003, President Bush warned against anyone in his administration leaking classified information. "Let me just say something about leaks in Washington. There are too many leaks of classified information in Washington," Bush said. "There's leaks at the executive branch; there's leaks in the legislative branch. There's just too many leaks. And if there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is." On Capitol Hill, Bush was widely criticized by Democrats on Thursday. This is Senator Charles Schumer of New York. "It is increasingly clear that this case goes far beyond Scooter Libby. At the very least, President Bush and Vice President Cheney should fully inform the American people of any role they played in allowing classified information to be leaked," said Schumer. "Did they believe they have the right to do this and if so, in what circumstances? Or is this just something that may have been done to accommodate the president's momentary political needs? According to court documents today, Scooter Libby said that the president authorized the vice president to direct him to disclose classified information to reporters in order to bolster support for the war in Iraq."

Wisconsin Communities Approve Troop Withdrawal Measure
And in Wisconsin, eighteen communities approved a ballot measure Tuesday that calls on the US to immediately withdraw all troops from Iraq. Six communities voted down the measure. The issue was put on the ballot following a grassroots campaign organized by anti-war groups.

British Women Face One-Year Prison Term For Military Base Protest
In Britain, two grandmothers above the age of 60 years old are facing up to a year in prison for protesting outside a military base. The women, Helen John and Sylvia Boyes, will be prosecuted under anti-terrorism legislation that outlaws all protests at military bases and nuclear research facilities.

Iraqi Cameraman Acquitted, Yet Remains Imprisoned
In Iraq, an Iraqi cameraman working for CBS News was acquitted of charges Wednesday that have kept him in prison for one year. But despite the acquittal, the judge ordered him returned to his cell at Abu Ghraib. The cameraman, Abdul Ameer, was filming clashes in Mosul when US troops shot him and arrested him a year ago Wednesday. He was accused of incitement and of recruiting for the anti-U.S. insurgency. Ameer's lawyer, Scott Horton, commented after the hearing: "I would like to observe first that this is has been a great day for justice in Iraq I think no one who witness the proceedings this morning would think that justice was served there, but let us think about something else - in a court room almost anywhere else in the world when an accused is acquitted, is to determined to be completely innocent of charges brought against him, he walks free from that court room. That didn't happen today. Abdul Ameer is still in detention by the American authorities. We should all focus on the fact even though he was completely acquitted he remains in prison and we should all direct our question to the Americans forces about his release."

Sen. Harkin Urges Democrats To Back Censure of Bush
Meanwhile Democratic Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa has admitted in a radio interview that he is embarrassed that more Democrats have not supported Russell Feingold's motion to censure the President for illegally ordering the NSA to conduct domestic spying.

Nixon's Legal Counsel John Dean Calls For Censure of Bush
In Washington, President Nixon’s former legal counsel John Dean testified on Friday in favor of censuring President Bush for ordering the National Security Agency to conduct domestic surveillance without legally required court warrants. Dean spoke at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to discuss Sen. Russell Feingold's calls to censure the president. Also testifying in favor of censure was Bruce Fein, a conservative legal scholar and former Reagan administration official. He said that Bush's claim of inherent constitutional authority "has no stopping point." So far Feingold has received little support from his own party -- only two other Democrats attended Friday’s hearing: Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Herb Kohl of Wisconsin.

Los Angeles Cardinal Offers Mass In Support of Undocumented Immigrants
Meanwhile in Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahoney held a special mass as sign of solidarity with undocumented immigrants. Mahoney has vowed to order priests to ignore a proposed law that would make it a crime for priests, social workers and health care workers to help undocumented workers. "Well, we are at a very critical moment in the history of our country with immigration and we have the opportunity that we haven't had in many years to actually pass a law that is humane and just and deals with all the issues around immigration," Mahoney said. Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers also spoke in Los Angeles: "This is really great right now. We're seeing a new civil rights movement being formed by Latinos. The Cardinal having the mass is such good support because this is such a national organization. When the Cardinal says he's going to commit civil disobedience on behalf of the immigrants, then this is going to inspire others to do the same. This will have an effect on Washington." Across the country immigrant groups are planning for massive nationwide protests on Monday.

DHS Press Secretary Arrested for Online Seduction
Back in the United States, the deputy press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security was arrested in Maryland Tuesday for trying to solicit sexual relations with a child over the internet. Brian Doyle was arrested after he made contact online with an undercover police officer posing as a 14-year old girl. Doyle has been charged with 23 counts for using his computer to seduce a child and transmitting harmful materials to a minor. According to police, he had identified himself in his communications online and given his office phone number.

Sunnis Form Militias To Protect Neighborhoods
In other news from Iraq, new statistics show that nearly eight times as many Iraqis died in March in execution-style killings than in suicide and roadside bombings. This has prompted many Iraqis not previously involved in fighting to begin carrying weapons for protection. The Financial Times is reporting middle class Sunni neighborhoods are now forming their own militias to counter the Shiite militias and death squads.

U.S. Falls Far Short of Goal to Build 142 Health Clinics in Iraq
In news on the reconstruction of Iraq the Washington Post reports the U.S. is far from reaching its goal of building 142 primary health clinics. The U.S. government gave the private company Parsons $200 million to complete the project but so far only 20 clinics have been built. Iraq's medical system has been devastated from the war and a decade of U.S.-imposed sanctions.






sylvia boyes
helen john
Posted by at

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Tom Delay, Abdul Ameer, Brokeback

Good evening, it's Thursday! So I'm in my socks and boxers, eating a TV dinner, since my blog twin's not around. :D That's a joke. Let's kick things off with Democracy Now!

Delay: McKinney "Is A Racist"
Meanwhile, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has weighed in on the case. In an interview with Fox News, Delay said McKinney "is a racist." Delay went on to say: "Everything is racism with her. This is incredible arrogance that sometimes hits these members of Congress, but especially Cynthia McKinney." Delay announced his resignation this week after a months of political turmoil that included his criminal indictment, corruption probes and guilty pleas by two key members of his staff.

Thank goodness NACCP chair Tom DeLay is speaking out on the topic of racism! :D Poor Tom DeLay, still under indictment. It probably feels good for him to trash someone else and considering how his policies hurt women and people of color, he's probably thrilled to be trashing Cynthia McKinney. Maybe in prison, DeLay can expand upon his theories on race and racism?
Here's a song Tom DeLay should sing:

I am the bug man
I am the asshole
Cuckoo-Cuckoo-Cuckoo me.



Iraqi Cameraman Acquitted, Yet Remains Imprisoned
In Iraq, an Iraqi cameraman working for CBS News was acquitted of charges Wednesday that have kept him in prison for one year. But despite the acquittal, the judge ordered him returned to his cell at Abu Ghraib. The cameraman, Abdul Ameer, was filming clashes in Mosul when US troops shot him and arrested him a year ago Wednesday. He was accused of incitement and of recruiting for the anti-U.S. insurgency. Ameer's lawyer, Scott Horton, commented after the hearing: "I would like to observe first that this is has been a great day for justice in Iraq I think no one who witness the proceedings this morning would think that justice was served there, but let us think about something else - in a court room almost anywhere else in the world when an accused is acquitted, is to determined to be completely innocent of charges brought against him, he walks free from that court room. That didn't happen today. Abdul Ameer is still in detention by the American authorities. We should all focus on the fact even though he was completely acquitted he remains in prison and we should all direct our question to the Americans forces about his release."

That is disgusting that he was forced to return to Abu Ghraib after being acquitted. The whole case was disgusting. He was targeted and held for a year. What was that? Some might call it kidnapping. And at his trial? C.I. noted this article yesterday but the person C.I. dictated it to must have forgotten to put in the link:

Between appearances on the witness stand, he had to kneel on the floor in the back of the courtroom, facing a wall. A half-dozen American soldiers in full body armor stood nearby, guarding him and other Iraqi defendants, who also faced the wall.

Now that sounds like American justic, right? The person on trial has to kneel on the floor in the back of the courtroom? Facing the wall? While armed men stand watch. That's just disgusting.
His being imprisoned was disgusting, his trial was disgusting and the fact that he was acquitted but has had to return to Abu Ghraib is disgusting.

But we're not supposed to say that reporters are targeted in Iraq so I guess we should also just look the other way and twiddle our thumbs?

Elaine's off tonight but go read her thing from yesterday. "This isn't finished but Blogger's about to go down" was she managed to write in the brief time before Blogger went down yesterday. When it came back up, it didn't for her account. So Rebecca's going in tonight and adding the links for her. (Elaine's got group tonight.) I don't care if it was rushed, it's really incredible. So go read it and go read Rebecca's "Mini Essay" which just lays it on the line about candidates and what so many lack.

Now on Monday, Rebecca wrote that it was too bad I wasn't gay because then she could have phoned me and we could have watched the game together. (Good we didn't, I was rooting for UCLA and they lost -- and played bad -- so I would've been griping the whole time.) Tony pointed that out to me. I usually read Rebecca right away but Monday night, I was actually watching the game and cursing the TV the whole time. Afterwards, I was so mad, I just went to bed.

But Tony brought it up because I was telling him a story about a guy we went to school with. Nina and I bumped into him last weekend. He was like, "This is your girlfriend?" And I was all, "Yeah, why?" And he goes he thought I was gay because I'd written here that people should see Brokeback Mountain. I don't remember when I wrote that but I know I did because that's a great movie. Tony and me were just laughing about that today, about how the guy was convinced that if some guy enjoyed the movie, he had to be gay. That kind of homosexual panic is really something we should leave to past generations, dude.

That's what I told him. It's a good movie and if you watch it, you'll like it, trust me. It's kind of like Ghost cause you don't need to be dead to enjoy that movie! :D

Tony and I were trying to figure out what movie we saw in junior high with some friends and we still can't figure it out. But in it, there was a gay character and maybe two but there may have been a male kiss or maybe just a hug, but when that happened this guy who I won't name but he was on our basketball team in junior high and in high school, starts blowing his top and going, "That is so gross! That is so wrong!" Now I wasn't sprouting a chub at whatever happened onscreen, but I wasn't grossed out. Tony? He says he wasn't.

:D I'm joking.

But this guy wouldn't shut up in the movie or after. And he was like that at other times too. Long story short? He's gay now. He hasn't told his parents. That's why I'm not putting in his name. He was probably gay then too! :D But he put on this whole act. Now he lives with this guy and everybody our age knows that they are a couple. I think his family is the only one who doesn't know. It's two guys, one bedroom, they have to know! But they tell people that "the boys" are really practical and saving money by sharing a one bedroom.

I've only bumped into him once since high school and he was with his boyfriend and embarrassed. I didn't want him to think I was offended or something and I didn't want to embarrass him in front of his boyfriend so I just said "Hi" and made small talk. But if I bump into him sometime and his boyfriend isn't around, I will bring up the movie and I will bring up how me and Tony had to stay on his case junior year to get him to stop picking on this freshman kid who was openly gay. I'd want to ask him if he knew back then? If he did was he putting on an act or was he trying to fight who he was or what?

I wouldn't ask him about that in front of his boyfriend and I sure wouldn't in front of his family but I really would like to know why he always acted like that? Nina just asked who he is and I told her but she goes "Who?"

That's cause he was such a jerk by senior year that I really avoided him. It was all "homo" this and "f*g" that. Tony always said, "He's gay" and I would always go no and go "he's just a creep." But Tony would go, "Dude, if you think it's gross you're not sitting there talking about it all the time." And he would too. He would go how "gross" it was and then launch into these really description filled comments. So Tony knew what was going on.

Then anyway. Now he think the dude was just fronting because he couldn't face it. Tony may be right there too.

He was pretty cool up until about eighth grade and then it was all that "homo" talk where he'd be saying "Oh homos are sick" and worse. And it just got worse and worse each year. If he thought it made him look tough, he was wrong because everyone on varsity got sick of it. Only time guys wanted to be around him was on the court and even then . . .

He'd had a lot of friends and I think if he did know and he'd been honest about it, he would have still had friends. Some people might have been grossed out but if someone's not going to like you because of who you are, they aren't going to like you. You can't spend your life hiding who you are. I think I would've stayed his friend and other guys would have too. Maybe not everyone but the way it ended up, by senior year, he didn't have any friends because his trashing gay people just got on everyone's nerves. You could go, "I think it's going to rain" and he'd launch into "Yeah, and you know some homos are going to be walking in it, pressed up against each other under an umbrella and . . ." It didn't matter what the topic was, he'd take it to trashing gay people.

Be sure to read C.I.'s "NYT: A funny kind of 'balance'." And if you're wondering about Wally, he joined Ava, Jess and C.I. today. I think he's planning to post but he had to fly out there and then it was busy-busy. Tomorrow, I'm probably going to post late because Nina and me are going to the movies. So FYI.


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Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Ireland

Good evening, let's get started with Democracy Now!

Sinn Fein Member Who Spied for British Found Dead
In Ireland, a former Sinn Fein member who spied for the British government has been murdered. The man, Denis Donaldson, admitted last year he spied on fellow Irish nationalists. Donaldson's murder comes as the Irish and British governments are attempting to relaunch stalled peace negotiations. Both the Sinn Fein and the Irish Republican Army denied involvement in the killing.


C.I. was all over this topic this morning. Here's what I want to know? Why is the Associated Press quoting another British spy? Or "turncoat"? Shawn Pogatchnik is the writer of the fairy tale. Here's the turncoat: "It was certainly an act of revenge by Irish republicans." It was? Certainly? Were you there? Maybe he was.

Because maybe this wasn't the IRA, maybe it was British intelligence trying to halt a peace process AGAIN.

This is Donaldson confessing in public to being British spy:

My name is Denis Donaldson. I worked as the Sinn Fein Assembly group administrator in Parliament Buildings at the time of the PSNI raid on the Sinn Fein offices in October 2002, the so-called Stormontgate affair.
I was a British agent at the time.
I was recruited in the 1980s after compromising myself during a vulnerable time in my life.
Since then, I have worked for British intelligence and the RUC/PSNI Special Branch. Over that period I was paid money.
My last two contacts with Special Branch were as follows: two days before my arrest in October 2002, and last night, when a member of Special Branch contacted me to arrange a meeting.
I was not involved in any republican spy ring at Stormont.
The so-called Stormontgate affair was a scam and a fiction. It never existed. It was created by Special Branch.
I deeply regret my activities with British intelligence and RUC/PSNI Special Branch.
I apologise to anyone who has suffered as a result of my activities as well as to my former comrades, and especially to my family who have become victims in all of this.

So do you get what happened? British intelligence created a phoney scandal in 2002 to thwart the peace process. Why wouldn't they attempt to do the same again? We do realize that Ireland's had to fight for self-governance, right? Call it a colony or an occupied territory but they have had to fight for their rights.

So maybe an angry IRA killed Donaldson. But why now? His location was revealed months ago. (And I doubt that the IRA wouldn't have known where he was before the press did.) Why kill him now? Who gains?

People who don't want peace gain. Who worked to destroy the peace in 2002? That would be British intelligence.

From December to now, people he betrayed waited to kill him? And who did he betray when he got honest? Read his statement because he's outing British intelligence. So why the assumptiong that it has to be the IRA? British intelligence was probably pissed at his confession.

I'm not saying that happened but I'm saying no one knows. But the press wants to run with "It was the IRA!" And they tell you, at the same time, that this might derail the peace process. Who derailed it in 2002? British intelligence. So why aren't they mentioned in all the speculation?

I'm sure Gail Collins will prove herself to be the neoliberal lapdog once again by slamming the IRA with no evidence. She did that last year. She went to town on them, on Gerry Adams and on Sinn Fein. She never apologized for that nonsense. I don't think the Times like Irish readers. It's real funny how Brian Lavery can report on violence at a parade if it's Irish-Catholics doing the violence but the parade right before where they were the victims didn't get a single mention.

Instead of attempting to shade with rumors, reporters should report the facts. If they're going to pass off speculation from one side, they better be prepared to do the same for the other side.

22 Killed in Iraq Violence
At least 22 people were killed in violence around Iraq on Tuesday. The deadliest incident came in Baghdad, when ten people were killed in a car bombing.

Violence continues in Iraq and Elaine and me wanted to note it. She's covering Iraq tonight so go check out Like Maria Said Paz.

This is late going up because Blogger went down in the middle of me writing. I'm going to stop here.






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a note

I'm blogging tonight but Blogger's about to go down and I'm still working on this post. If you see this but nothing else, come back later.
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Tuesday, April 04, 2006

DeBug crawls away



Isaiah's "A Bug's Lie" is always funny but on this hump day, it's fitting as well. Going straight to Democracy Now!


Former GOP Majority Leader Tom Delay to Resign
Republican Congressman Tom Delay has announced he is resigning and will give up his House seat within the next few months. The former House Majority Leader has been one of the most powerful -- and controversial -- Republicans on Capitol Hill. DeLay announced his resignation just days after a former top aide, Tony Rudy, pleaded guilty in connection to a lobbying scandal involving Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Last November, Delay's former press secretary Michael Scanlon also plead guilty to related charges. Delay was up for his re-election but polls showed he would likely lose. Last year Delay was forced to give up his position as House Majority Leader after he was indicted on criminal charges of conspiracy to violate Texas election laws. Federal investigators have also probed Delay's personal dealings with Abramoff. DeLay's wife worked for the lobbying firm Alexander Strategy Group which had close ties to the Republican lobbyist.

A former top aide pled guilty, a former press secretary pled guilty. But we're supposed to believe that DeLay's hands are clean? My favorite story of what a jerk Tom DeLay is was when he was smoking inside in DC and a guy who was working at the place asks him to put out his cigar because smoking's illegal there and DeLay responds that he is the federal government.
When you can make a statement like that, it's obvious that you are out of control. Brought down by his own ego because he thought he could get away with everything.

Always check out Like Maria Said Paz but especially tonight because Elaine's got some stuff to talk about here. Me? I just want to focus on the fact that even the biggest bullies get brought down to earth sometimes. Today it was Tom DeLay. Maybe soon it will be the Bully Boy?

People like that think no one can touch them. They go from bully in a small pond to bully in a big pond. And they scare people who end up going along with them just for peace. The thing to do with a Tom DeLay is to stand up to him right away. Let him know he can't push you around.

I was really disappointed by Sheila Jackson Lee's remarks on Democracy Now! today. She wanted to talk about people getting along and ending the partisanship.

We're in an election year and if this were a Democrat, they'd be going crazy on the Republican side. They'd be hammering it home. In fact, they're trying to do that with Cynthia McKinney right now. I'm on her side and think it was a case of racism based on what's come out. But Republicans aren't saying, "Let's make peace."

This is why Democrats lose. They always want to make peace. Here they have a huge scandal that's only going to get bigger because Abramoff is talking to the feds and instead of doing anything to demonstrate that what Tom DeLay has done in his position is digusting and vile, Sheila Jackson Lee doesn't want to talk about it. Not about today, not about Weststar, not about redistricting, money laundering, not about any of it.

I like her, I think she's smart. But I think her remarks were dead wrong.

Nine U.S. Troops Die in Deadliest Day of Year
In Iraq, the deaths of nine U.S. troops were announced on Monday making it the deadliest day of the year for the United States. 13 U.S. troops have already died this month, nearly half the number who died in all of March.

On this, I think C.I. said it all in "NYT: Operation Happy Talk explodes in Kirk Semple's face."

That's what happened for Kirk Semple. Sunday, he and Edward Wong has happy talk about an apparent corner turned -- one that required underestimating casualities -- and turns out that corner was actually a loop and things are right back where they were before.
He really hasn't learned a great deal since Monday. You'd think after he did what he did in the room, in front of everyone, without so much as an "excuse me," he'd have learned but then "turned corner" and "learning curve" are both apparent dead ends in the coverage of Iraq.
So Semple wants to tell you about nine American military deaths in Iraq Monday. (Total for April is currently 14.) And he wants to act as though he hadn't just penned (in print Sunday) happy talk about a decline ("have steadily declined"). He also wants to continue to use "casualty" when the more precise term ("fatality") is available. Anything to confuse the issue, apparently.

Sunday, you couldn't turn on the TV without hearing some gasbag saying that we had "turned a corner." Deaths were down. Blah-blah-blah.

How many times is the press going to push that nonsense before the remember it always blows up in their face?

I want to highlight an article now and I think it's an interesting one but here's why it stood out to me. Ruth does her reports and talks about different shows. One Saturday, I'm reading her report and she's going in details about what an author said on WBAI the day before ("Nonfiction hosted by Harry Allen"). And then, my sister shows me something in the entertainment section of the Saturday New York Times. And I look at what she wants and then go to the section where they do quick news summaries. And there's this thing "by" a New York Times writer and it's like he just listened to WBAI and took the information and remarks broadcast. Now maybe he interviewed the author and the author just repeats the same thing everytime he gives an interview but it didn't seem like that to me. And I can't imagine that the paper would have a reporter interview someone just to write a paragraph. So what I thought then and think now is that they used information broadcast on WBAI without giving WBAI credit.

So here's Gary Corseri's "Osama's Favorite Writer?" or a part of it:

Q. In his January 19, '06 audio tape message to the world, Osama bin Laden stated: "If Bush carries on with his lies and oppression, it would be useful for you to read the book, ROGUE STATE." Then, he quoted the line in which you write that you would end US interference in the nations of the world as soon as you become president Now, I've read ROGUE STATE, and I know that your projected first 4-days in office would actually be even more interesting than that. How do you conceive the first 4 days of a Blum Administration?
A. The first day, I'll apologize-publicly and sincerely-to all the widows and orphans, the impoverished and the tortured, to all the many millions of other victims of American imperialism. I would announce to the world that America's global military interventions have come to an end The second day, I would tell Israel that it is no longer the 51st state, but, oddly enough, a foreign country ... On the third day I would reduce the military budget by at least 90% and use the savings to pay reparations to the victims and repair the damage from the many American bombings, invasions and sanctions. There would be more than enough money. One year's US military budget is equal to more than $20,000 per hour for every hour since Jesus was born. On the fourth day, I'b be assassinated."
Q. Soon after bin Laden's endorsement, ROGUE STATE leapt from below 200,000 on Amazon's book list of sales, to number 21. Some media people asked if you had any regrets about OBL's recommendation-if you wanted to renounce it--and you stated that you did not. You've called the public attention your fifteen minutes of fame. It's now 10 weeks since the bin Laden tape. How are things going? Are you still enjoying your 15 minutes?
A. It probably lasted about a month, a month and a half It was very nice while it lasted. When I think about it, the fact that I had the ear and the eyes of tens of millions of Americans who normally would never hear anything from me, or about me, and I could say things they normally are never exposed to at all by the mass media. So it really was marvelous. On a personal level it was very time-consuming; I had to put aside all kinds of things. But on a political level, it was excellent.

So that's it for tonight and it's not my fault that there's a delay in posting tonight. Blogger was down so I had to wait for it to come back up before I could even start blogging.












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Monday, April 03, 2006

Rummy, Conid, Dave Zirin and Law and Disorder

Good evening. Let's kick things off with Democracy Now!


Gen. Zinni: Rumsfeld Should Resign
Here in this country, calls for Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfled to resign are increasing. On Sunday, Gen. Anthony Zinni, the former commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, accused Rumsfeld of committing a "series of disastrous mistakes" in Iraq.

This is like if in Titanic, right before Leonardo dies, someone decided to fire the head chef.
Rumsfeld needs to go but this goes way up. Firing Rumsfeld would be a good first step. I'd probably do a little dance for a day or two each morning when I hopped out of bed. But he didn't do anything without Bully Boy's approval or knowledge.



Condoleezza Rice: U.S. Made Thousands of Mistakes in Iraq
Meanwhile Condoleezza Rice admitted that the United States had probably made thousands of errors in Iraq. She made the admission on Friday during a meeting in Britain. "I know that we made tactical errors, thousands of them I'm sure," Rice said. "This could have gone that way or that could have gone that way, but when you look back in history what will be judged is did you make the right strategic decisions and if you spend all your time trying to judge this tactical issue or that tactical issue I think you miss the larger sweep."

Now see, that should be fired number two. After her, Dick Cheney, then Bully Boy. Impeach Cheney and Bully Boy. By the way, I thought she was supposed to be educated? "When you look back in history what will be judged"? When you look back in history, you judge by what was . . .

I don't know, her senetence just seems bad to me and if I'm noticing it, you better believe other people are too. And did you notice all the protests on the news that were greeting her in England? That was so cool. I think that sort of stuff's going to be happening a lot more because people are just sick of it. They're sick of the war, sick of the administration and sick of the lies.
Like Wally's new post says "THIS JUST IN! BAD DAYS FOR BULLY!" and I don't think they're going away. It's like this bully is in school picking on all the other kids in the sandbox and then 1 kid stands up to him. After that, the bully's never so scary. He just becomes a joke. That's our Bully Boy.


I hope everybody caught Ruth's "Ruth's Public Radio Report" this weekend. She ran down some really important public radio shows you shouldn't miss. (Real public radio, not NPR.)
And Leigh Ann e-mailed asking why I didn't talk about Law and Disorder here last week? I did listen. I'm listening right now while I write this because they do the new episode on Mondays and Nina tapes them. So they did a thing about Guantanamo and a thing about a break in that might have been the government breaking into a place illegally. But right now, they're talking about the protests that have been going on over the efforts to turn immigrants into felons and stuff.

The break in story is probably my favorite because they are talking about how the government did break ins under Nixon and then in the eighties and how now this could be one too. The Brecht Center may be the name of the place. If it's not, use the link to find out for yourself. But they got their computers stolen. That was the only thing that was stolen.

And Michael Ratner and I guess his sister Margaret Ratner Kunstler talked about how they had a bumper beeper from a client one time, a tracking device put on someone's bumper, and they locked it in an office safe and the FBI broke in and stole the safe to get the beeper back.

So that was really interesting. You should listen. I'm trying to learn everyone's name. I know Michael Ratner's name because he's mentioned a lot by Ruth and at The Common Ills and he's on Democracy Now! a lot. Michael Smith sounds a little like Michael Ratner and you really do have to listen to the growl or gravel of Ratner's voice if you're trying to figure them out. Those are two of the four hosts. The other two are Dalia Hashad and Heidi Boghosian and I can tell them apart easy. Dalia actually sounds like my sister Kelley and Heidi's got a voice that I would call "creamy." Like if she were a soup, she'd be cream of something. (I like all the cream soups, cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, cream of brocoli, ice cream! :D)

All four have really cool voices. But I have never heard anyone with a voice like Heidi Boghosian. It's really cool. So all four are lawyers and they take a look at stuff that's going on and give you a legal look. It's a really great show and you should be listening to it.

Here's two other things you shouldn't miss:

"EXCLUSIVE...Noam Chomsky on Failed States: The Abuse of Power and the Assault on Democracy."
"Noam Chomsky on Iraq Troop Withdrawal, Haiti, Democracy in Latin America and the Israeli Elections"

Those are from Democracy Now! and you don't want to miss them.

And you never want to miss Dave Zirin's "The Press Mob, Their Rope and Barry Bonds:"

Is Barry Bonds the object of a racist witch-hunt? Over the last week I have had to publicly argue this issue against some of the finest minds of my generation (all right, John Rocker and Jose Canseco). In addition, I have duked it out on talk radio, sports radio, email chats, and various blogs. The dominant argument I hear repeatedly, whether from Mr. Rocker or Mr. Liberal Blogger, is that I am an idiot if I think that the Bonds steroid-mania is all about bigotry run amok. Unfortunately that is not my argument.
To be clear:
I don't think that everyone against Bonds is a racist. I don't think every sportswriter who wants Bonds punished is a racist. And I certainly don't think anyone who believes in harsh penalties for steroid use is a racist. One can hate Barry Bonds and also spend Sundays singing "We Shall Overcome" with the Harlem Boys Choir before reading select passages from Go Tell it On The Mountain. But to argue that race has nothing to do with the saga of Barry Bonds is to practice ignorance frightening in its Rocker-ian grandiosity.
Of course you can always simply agree with San Francisco Giants owner Peter Magowan, CEO of Safeway Supermarkets and anti-union zealot, who believes that it is a remarkable sign of racial progress that Barry Bonds is flayed before the public. Magowan said, "I don't believe this is a case of racism. In fact, I think this shows how far we've come. If the media brought this up 20 years ago, they would have been considered racists."
Now that's progress. The media can be as racist as they want without being called on it.
The fact is that racism smears this entire story like rancid cream cheese on a stale bialy.

I don't know which of C.I.'s things to recommend because I've got a list of four things I wanted to note. I asked Nina to help me and she said to recommend "And the war drags on . . ." because it's got one of C.I.'s "passionate speeches." We got to hear C.I. speak right before the third anniversary and that was way cool. Since then, Nina always gets excited when it's an entry that reads like a speech. (I've heard C.I. do stuff like when we're all writing together at The Third Estate Sunday Review. But it was really cool to sit there and watch all these people just get inspired and stuff.)

Be sure to check out Like Maria Said Paz for Elaine's take on today's news.















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Saturday, April 01, 2006

Good morning. We're going to dive right in with Democracy Now!

Pentagon Bars Non-Issued Body Armor
In military news, the Pentagon has announced it will no longer allow soldiers to wear body armor other than what is given to them as part of their army service. Thousands of soldiers and their families have turned to purchasing extra armor amid complaints they have not been equipped with adequate protection. A secret Pentagon study last year concluded that up to 80 percent of the marines who have been killed in Iraq from upper-body wounds could have survived had they been given extra body armor. The Pentagon says it is banning outside armor because of concerns soldiers are purchasing untested or insufficient gear.

They won't provide "inside" armor, but they'll ban outside armor? Sounds like the whole "Canadian drugs might not be up to standard!" medical "cure" Bully Boy was pushing awhile back, doesn't it? They won't address the situation but they won't let individuals address it either. We have an incompetent administration or a non-caring one or maybe a combination of both. But there should be a huge outcry over this latest announcement of policy change.

And it should also be remembered that from the safety of DC Bully Boy issued his infamous "Bring It On!" boast -- putting a bullseye on the back of every man and woman in Iraq. Not just American troops but on other troops, other observers and Iraqis themselves. Did no one wonder about that? About the fact that he was then (and continues to) claiming that we were there to liberate and bring democracy while at the same time boasting that we would fight "terrorists" there to avoid having them in the United States?


Carroll Criticized For Saying Captors Treated Her Well
Meanwhile, Jill Carroll is already coming under attack for saying that she was treated well by her captors. Writing for the National Review, John Podhoretz wrote: "It's wonderful that she’s free, but after watching someone who was a hostage for three months say on television she was well-treated because she wasn’t beaten or killed -- while being dressed in the garb of a modest Muslim woman rather than the non-Muslim woman she actually is -- I expect there will be some Stockholm Syndrome talk in the coming days."

Elaine's covering that item this morning and C.I. noted the attack Friday morning in "Other Items (Noam Chomsky on Democracy Now! today)" so I'll just say that I think it's interesting who the press decides to put on the couch and who they decide not to.

My guess? They would have been happier if Carroll wouldn't have made it out alive. Then they could have spoken "for her" and used her death to justify that the illegal war go on. The same way they tried to use Jessica Lynch to sell their war. Since they can't hide Carroll away on a military base and prevent her from talking to the press, they get their flunkies to attack her. And if you read Friday's New York Times you weren't surprised by "Reporter Freed in Iraq, 3 Months After Abduction" because this war hasn't had a bigger cheerleader than Dexter Filkins.
Actually a bigger "liarist." :D

C.I. used that in "And the war drags on ...(Indymedia Roundup)" -- calling fluffers "liarists" instead of "journalists" and saying they practiced "liarism" instead of "journalism." I liked those word.

Yes, C.I. did do "And the war drags on ...(Indymedia Roundup)." When I went to bed Thursday night, it wasn't up and I was thinking, "Good, C.I. needed a night off." But C.I. was doing it it was just taking a lot of time.

"And the war drags on ...(Indymedia Roundup)" didn't get read by Technorati so I'm going to stick in C.I.'s tags for that entry. If you see something below that interests you, click on
"And the war drags on ...(Indymedia Roundup)" to read about it. Here are the tags:




















































All of that, and a lot more, is in "And the war drags on ...(Indymedia Roundup)" so check it out and be sure to check out Like Maria Said Paz for Elaine's take on the news. We both thought we'd have time to blog Friday evening and that didn't happen. We did have time to go out to eat and see a play with Rebecca and Fly Boy. That was a lot of fun. It was late when we were winding down so we dropped Nina off and came back home (they're staying over through Sunday). Elaine had packed some CDs and she and Dad were going through them and playing them and we were all just talking and the next thing I know, it's almost two o'clock.

It was a really fun evening and a great way to start the weekend. And I got to hear Etta James' new CD. It's called All The Way. Reading "Kat's Korner: Etta James Takes It All The Way," I thought, "That sounds interesting." But it's not one I was going to rush out and buy. I just got Ben Harper's Both Sides of the Gun and have been listening to that nonstop. But that's one of the CDs Dad and Elaine picked to play and it's really great. I probably won't buy it because I know Dad or Ma will and I can just be a cheapskate and listen to their copy. :D

But you should really check it out. Ma's planning to do her usual Saturday posting at Trina's Kitchen later today but I don't know if she will. It was a pretty late night. I think everyone's asleep except for me and maybe Elaine. She was going to blog and then go to bed and she types faster than me -- an elephant types faster then me. :D

But one good thing about waiting is that I get to note Maria's roundup of headlines from Democracy Now! which is how I'll end this post.

Before that, though, did you watch Democracy Now! today or listen? ""EXCLUSIVE...Noam Chomsky on Failed States: The Abuse of Power and the Assault on Democracy" was the interview for the hour. ("For the hour!" as me and Wally like to holler. :D) Here's some of that and hopefully you'll make time to check it out if you missed it:

AMY GOODMAN: It's good to have you with us. Failed States, what do you mean?
NOAM CHOMSKY: Well, over the years there have been a series of concepts developed to justify the use of force in international affairs for a long period. It was possible to justify it on the pretext, which usually turned out to have very little substance, that the U.S. was defending itself against the communist menace. By the 1980s, that was wearing pretty thin. The Reagan administration concocted a new category: terrorist states. They declared a war on terror as soon as they entered office in the early 1980s, 1981. 'We have to defend ourselves from the plague of the modern age, return to barbarism, the evil scourge of terrorism,' and so on, and particularly state-directed international terrorism.
A few years later -- this is Clinton -- Clinton devised the concept of rogue states. 'It's 1994, we have to defend ourselves from rogue states.' Then, later on came the failed states, which either threaten our security, like Iraq, or require our intervention in order to save them, like Haiti, often devastating them in the process. In each case, the terms have been pretty hard to sustain, because it's been difficult to overlook the fact that under any, even the most conservative characterization of these notions -- let's say U.S. law -- the United States fits fairly well into the category, as has often been recognized. By now, for example, the category -- even in the Clinton years, leading scholars, Samuel Huntington and others, observed that -- in the major journals, Foreign Affairs -- that in most of the world, much of the world, the United States is regarded as the leading rogue state and the greatest threat to their existence.
By now, a couple of years later, Bush years, same journals' leading specialists don't even report international opinion. They just describe it as a fact that the United States has become a leading rogue state. Surely, it's a terrorist state under its own definition of international terrorism, not only carrying out violent terrorist acts and supporting them, but even radically violating the so-called "Bush Doctrine," that a state that harbors terrorists is a terrorist state. Undoubtedly, the U.S. harbors leading international terrorists, people described by the F.B.I. and the Justice Department as leading terrorists, like Orlando Bosch, now Posada Carriles, not to speak of those who actually implement state terrorism.
And I think the same is true of the category "failed states." The U.S. increasingly has taken on the characteristics of what we describe as failed states. In the respects that one mentioned, and also, another critical respect, namely the -- what is sometimes called a democratic deficit, that is, a substantial gap between public policy and public opinion. So those suggestions that you just read off, Amy, those are actually not mine. Those are pretty conservative suggestions. They are the opinion of the majority of the American population, in fact, an overwhelming majority. And to propose those suggestions is to simply take democracy seriously. It's interesting that on these examples that you've read and many others, there is an enormous gap between public policy and public opinion. The proposals, the general attitudes of the public, which are pretty well studied, are -- both political parties are, on most of these issues, well to the right of the population.

I'm going to do my tags and I'll only add ones that aren't already noted above. After that, you got Maria offering twelve items Amy Goodman covered this week. First up, Spanish, then English.









Soldado estadounidense declara en audiencia de asilo en Canada
Maria: Buenas noches. De parte de "Democracy Now!" doce cosas que vale hacer notar este fin de semana. Paz.

Periodista secuestrada, Jill Carroll, liberada en Irak
Luego de estar cautiva durante casi tres meses, la periodista estadounidense secuestrada, Jill Carroll, fue liberada. Carroll es una periodista independiente que trabaja para el periódico "Christian Science Monitor" en Irak. Fue secuestrada en enero frente a las oficinas de un destacado político sunita en Bagdad. En una breve entrevista televisiva en Bagdad, Carroll dijo que se encuentra en buenas condiciones y que los secuestradores la trataron bien. Los secuestradores la liberaron dejándola en una calle cercana a las oficinas del Partido Islámico iraquí. Carroll entró a las oficinas y los empleados llamaron a los funcionarios estadounidenses. A pesar de que los secuestradores amenazaron dos veces con matarla en grabaciones, Carroll dijo que nunca la golpearon o amenazaron con hacerlo. Carroll dijo que la mantuvieron encerrada en una habitación con una ventana y una ducha, pero que no sabía donde estaba. Y agregó: "Simplemente estoy feliz de estar libre. Quiero estar con mi familia". El miércoles, la hermana de Jill Carroll, Katie Carroll, había leído una declaración en la televisión árabe suplicando que su hermana fuera liberada sana y salva. Hacía dos meses que no se tenía noticias de los secuestradores de Carroll. Los secuestradores habían exigido que liberaran a todas las mujeres detenidas en las prisiones iraquíes. Se calcula que cinco de cada nueve prisioneras fueron liberadas en enero.

Soldado estadounidense declara en audiencia de asilo en Canadá
Y en Canadá, el caso de asilo de un soldado estadounidense que huyó para evitar luchar en Irak, está siendo considerado por un tribunal de inmigración. Josh Key, que sirvió en Irak durante ocho meses, dijo que decidió desertar del servicio militar tras presenciar varias atrocidades cometidas por las Fuerzas Armadas estadounidenses. En una entrevista con la BBC, Key dijo: "A las únicas personas que estábamos dañando era a las inocentes; eran personas iraquíes inocentes y soldados inocentes".

Iraquí acusa a Estados Unidos de masacre en mezquita chiita
Funcionarios iraquíes acusan a las Fuerzas Armadas estadounidenses de masacrar a por lo menos 16 devotos chiitas durante el asalto a una mezquita chiíta el sábado por la noche. El periódico "Guardian" informa que los asesinatos han provocado la mayor ruptura hasta el momento entre Estados Unidos y los chiitas iraquíes. Los líderes chiitas suspendieron las conversaciones acerca de la formación de un nuevo gobierno iraquí. El ministro del interior iraquí calificó el ataque de Estados Unidos de injustificado y horrible. La alianza gobernante dirigida por los chiitas está exhortando a Estados Unidos a que le devuelva a los iraquíes el control absoluto de la seguridad. El gobernador provincial de Bagdad suspendió toda la cooperación con las fuerzas estadounidenses. El jeque Abdul Arman Al-Shwaili dijo: “Los ocupantes deben rendir cuentas de este crimen despreciable. Fue cometido por los ocupantes contra devotos desarmados y exhortamos al gobierno iraquí que adopte una postura honesta y positiva con respecto a este ataque despiadado contra el Islam y los devotos”. A pesar de la gran protesta política, las Fuerzas Armadas defendieron el asalto del lunes. Un funcionario lo describió como una operación “muy exitosa” contra un escondite insurgente. Estados Unidos negó que sus soldados hayan matado a iraquíes y dijo que la masacre fue planeada.

Ex jueces de FISA exhortan al Congreso a rechazar argumento de vigilancia
En Washington, cinco ex jueces del tribunal de Vigilancia de Inteligencia en el Extranjero (FISA, por sus siglas en inglés) exhortaron al Congreso a rechazar el argumento del gobierno de Bush de que tiene autoridad inherente para realizar espionaje sin ordenes judiciales. Los jueces expresaron en la audiencia del Comité Judicial del Senado el martes, su apoyo a una medida propuesta por el Senador Republicano Arlen Specter, para otorgarle al tribunal la participación formal en la supervisión de la vigilancia del gobierno.

Nueva York admite que filmó regularmente manifestaciones políticas
La ciudad de Nueva York reveló que oficiales de la policía encubiertos han filmando regularmente manifestaciones políticas durante los últimos dos años. La ciudad sostiene que la vigilancia era legal en virtud de las facultades de la policía que fueron ampliadas en 2003 para detener ataques terroristas. En una audiencia de un tribunal esta semana, un abogado de la ciudad dijo que era necesario filmar porque las manifestaciones podrían convertirse en blanco de ataques terroristas. Pero Jethro Eisenstein, un abogado de derechos civiles, cuestionó las filmaciones y dijo que la política era "orweliana", y acusó a la ciudad de adoptar "una postura intimidante sobre la amenaza del terrorismo para impedir el pensamiento crítico".

Figura independentista puertorriqueña arrestada en San Juan
Y una destacada figura del movimiento independentista de Puerto Rico fue arrestada en San Juan. El martes, agentes del FBI arrestaron a Antonio Camacho Negron por presuntamente violar los términos de su libertado condicional. El arresto se produjo sólo meses después de que el líder independentista, Filiberto Ojeda-Rios, fue asesinado en un allanamiento federal.

40.000 estudiantes se retiran de clase para protestar en Los Ángeles
La votación del Comité Judicial del Senado se produjo dos días después de que más de 1 millón de personas protestaran en Los Ángeles contra el proyecto de ley contra los inmigrantes de la Cámara de Representantes. El lunes, continuaron las protestas en todo el país. En Los Ángeles, 40.000 estudiantes se retiraron de clase. También se informó de este tipo de manifestaciones estudiantiles en Dallas y Phoenix. En Detroit, miles de manifestantes marcharon por la ciudad. Y en Washington, cientos de líderes religiosos y activistas llevaron a cabo sus propias protestas. Muchos se pusieron esposas para protestar contra una propuesta en el Proyecto de ley 4437 de la Cámara de Representantes que convertiría en delito que los grupos religiosos y de caridad ayuden a los trabajadores indocumentados.

Huelga nacional en Francia mientras más de 1 millón de personas protestan
En Francia, estudiantes y sindicatos llevaron a cabo una huelga masiva en todo el país que cerró las escuelas, negocios, paralizó los servicios públicos y provocó que más de 1 millón de manifestantes salieran a las calles. La huelga fue convocada en respuesta a una ley del gobierno que facilita que los empleadores despidan a los trabajadores jóvenes. En Francia, se efectuaron más de 800 arrestos. En París, la policía arrojó gas lacrimógeno al final de una manifestación luego que algunos oficiales fueron golpeados con proyectiles.

Trabajadores británicos protestan contra medida de jubilación del gobierno
En Gran Bretaña, más de 1,5 millones de funcionarios gubernamentales llevaron a cabo el martes una huelga en todo el país para protestar contra una medida del gobierno que dificulta que los trabajadores se jubilen a una edad temprana. Once sindicatos participaron en la huelga, una de las más grandes de Gran Bretaña en los últimos 80 años.

Universidad de Miami acepta exigencias de trabajadores tras protesta estudiantil
Y esta actualización es sobre una noticia que hemos estado cubriendo. Los estudiantes de la Universidad de Miami llevaron a cabo una sentada el martes para apoyar a los conserjes que están en huelga. La sentada terminó hoy temprano luego que funcionarios de la Universidad de Miami emitieron una declaración que aseguraba el derecho de sus trabajadores a formar parte de los sindicatos sin ser intimidados. Los conserjes que trabajan para la empresa contratista de la Universidad UNICO, dicen que la empresa ha intentado impedir que se unan al Sindicato Internacional de Empleados de Servicio.

Miles de personas conmemoran el 30 aniversario del golpe de estado en Argentina
En Argentina, miles de personas se congregaron este fin de semana para condenar el aniversario número 30 del golpe de estado apoyado por Estados Unidos, que provocó la muerte y desaparición de decenas de miles de personas.

Documentos: Kissinger ordenó apoyo estadounidense para junta militar argentina
Mientras tanto, documentos desclasificados recientemente revelan que el Secretario de Estado Henry Kissinger, ordenó apoyo inmediato de Estados Unidos para la junta militar poco después de que esta tomó el poder en Argentina, hace 30 años. Según las actas de una reunión, Kissinger dijo: "Quiero alentarlos. No quiero dar la impresión de que Estados Unidos los está hostigando". Kissinger dijo esto a pesar de que su principal delegado en América Latina predecía que Argentina afrontaría "bastante represión [y] probablemente mucha sangre" bajo el nuevo régimen. Además, los cablesgramas del Departamento de Estado indican que los funcionarios estadounidenses conocían de antemano los planes de dar el golpe de estado. Más de una semana antes del golpe, el comandante de la Armada argentina le pidió a la embajada de Estados Unidos que le recomendara empresas de relaciones públicas en Estados Unidos que trabajaran para la futura junta militar.

Maria: Good evening. Now in English, here are twelve news stories from Democracy Now! Peace.

Kidnapped Reporter Jill Carroll Freed in Iraq
After nearly three months in captivity, kidnapped U.S. reporter Jill Carroll has been released. Carroll is a freelance reporter working for the Christian Science Monitor in Iraq. She was seized in January outside the offices of a prominent Sunni politician in Baghdad. In a brief television interview in Baghdad, Carroll said she is in good condition and had been treated well by her captors. Her captors freed her by leaving her in a street near the offices of the Iraqi Islamic Party. She walked inside, and people there called US officials. Although her captors threatened twice in videotapes to kill her, Carroll said they never hit her or threatened to do so. Carroll said she was kept in a room with a window and a shower, but she did not know where she was. She went on to say: "I'm just happy to be free. I want to be with my family." On Wednesday, Jill Carroll's sister, Katie Carroll, had read a statement on Arab television pleading for her sister's safe release. There had been no word from Carroll's captors in nearly two months. They had demanded the release of all women detainees in Iraqi prisons. Five out of an estimated nine women prisoners were released in January.

US Soldier Testifies at Asylum Hearing in Canada
And in Canada, a US soldier who fled to avoid serving in Iraq is having his asylum case heard in front of an immigration board. Josh Key, who served in Iraq for eight months, said he decided to desert military service after witnessing several atrocities commited by the US military. In an interview with the BBC, Key said: "The only people that were getting hurt was the innocent; that was innocent Iraqi people, as well as innocent soldiers."

Iraqi Accuses U.S. of Massacre At Shiite Mosque
Iraqi officials are accusing the U.S. military of massacring at least 16 Shiite worshippers during a raid on a Shiite mosque Sunday night. The Guardian newspaper reports the killings have opened the biggest rift yet between the United States and Iraqi Shiites. Shiite leaders have suspended talks over forming a new Iraqi government. Iraq's Interior Minister called the U.S. raid unjustified and horrible. The leading Shiite governing alliance is urging the U.S. to return full control of security to Iraqis. The Baghdad provincial governor has suspended all cooperation with U.S. forces. "The occupiers should be bought to account for this despicable crime,” said Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Shwaili. “It is committed by the occupiers against unarmed worshippers and we urge the Iraqi government to take an honest and positive stand towards this vicious attack against Islam and the worshippers Despite the political outcry, the U.S. military defended the raid on Monday. One official described it as a "hugely successful" operation against an insurgent hideout. The U.S. has denied its troops killed any Iraqis and said the massacre was staged.

Ex-FISA Judges Urge Congress to Reject Surveillance Argument
In Washington, five former FISA court judges have urged Congress to reject the Bush administration’s argument it holds the inherent authority to conduct warrantless eavesdropping. Appearing before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, the judges voiced support for a measure proposed by Repubican Senator Arlen Specter to grant the court a formal role in overseeing government surveillance.

New York Admits To Routine Videotaping of Political Rallies
The city of New York has revealed undercover police officers have been routinely videotaping political demonstrations over the last two years. The city maintains the surveillance was legal under police authority expanded in 2003 to stop terrorist attacks. At a court hearing this week, one city attorney said the taping was necessary because rallies could become targets of terrorist attacks. But Jethro Eisenstein, a civil rights lawyers challenging the videotaping, said the policy was "Orwellian," and accused the city of adopting "a bullying view of the terrorism threat to block critical thinking."

Puerto Rican Independence Figure Arrested in San Juan
And a major figure in the Puerto Rican independence movement has been arrested in San Juan. On Tuesday, FBI agents arrested Antonio Camacho Negron for allegedly violating the terms of his parole. The arrest comes just months after independence leader Filiberto Ojeda-Rios was killed in a federal raid.

40,000 Students Stage Walk-Out in LA to Protest
The Senate Judiciary committee vote came two days after upwards of one million people protested in Los Angeles against the anti-immigrant House bill. On Monday protests continued across the country. In Los Angeles, as many as 40,000 students walked out of classes. Student walk outs were also reported in Dallas and Phoenix. In Detroit, thousands of protesters marched through the city. And in Washington hundreds of religious leaders and activists held their own protest. Many wore handcuffs to protest a proposal in House Bill 4437 that would make it a crime for religious and charitable groups to aid undocumented workers.

France Hit With Nationwide Strike As Over 1 Million Demonstrate
In France, students and unions staged a massive country-wide strike that shut down schools, businesses and public services and brought more than a million demonstrators into the streets. The strike was called in response to a government law that makes it easier for employers to fire young workers. More than 800 arrests were made around France. In Paris, police fired tear gas at the end of a rally after some officers were hit with projectiles.

British Workers Demonstrate Against Government Pension Measure
In Britain, up to 1.5 million government workers went on strike across the country Tuesday over a government measure that would make it more difficult to retire at an earlier age. Eleven unions took part in the strike -- one of the biggest Britain has seen in 80 years.

U. of Miami Agrees to Worker Demands After Student Sit-Ins
And this update on a story we've been following -- students at the University of Miami held a sit-in Tuesday in support of striking janitor workers. The sit-in ended earlier today after University of Miami officials released a statement affirming the right of its workers to join unions free of intimidation. Janitors working for the university contractor UNICO say the company has tried to prevent them from joining the Service Employees' International Union.

Thousands Mark 30th Anniversary of Coup in Argentina
In Argentina, thousands gathered this weekend to condemn the 30th anniversary of the U.S.-backed coup that resulted in the deaths and disappearances of tens of thousands. "The Mothers are here with you, the people, and we will continue to be with you in this fight until we know what happened to each and every one of our children," said Marta Vazquez of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. "What was their final destiny? Who gave the order? Who executed it? Because it's the least we could demand to know."

Papers: Kissinger Ordered U.S. Support for Argentine Military Junta
Meanwhile newly declassified documents reveal that then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger ordered immediate U.S. support for the military junta shortly after it seized power in Argentina 30 years ago. According to the minutes of one meeting, Kissinger said "I do want to encourage them. I don't want to give the sense that they're harassed by the United States." Kissinger said this even though his own top deputy in Latin America was predicting Argentina would face "a fair amount of repression [and] probably a good deal of blood" under the new regime. In addition State Department cables show that U.S. officials had prior knowledge of coup plotting. More than a week before the coup, the commander of the Argentine Navy requested the U.S. embassy recommend public relations firms inside the United States which would work for the future military junta.








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