'Tiz the season to be trampled?

Oftentimes I think we all see news stories that make us twist our heads to the side like a confused dog and go "argh?" For some it's gang violence, others it's mothers killing children, for me its the mayhem and chaos surround by....shopping for the holidays. Please explain this to me, because I just don't get it. Why do people whip themselves into a frenzy to by the crap that Walmart sells for a dollar less than it usually does? What even fuels this motivation? Will our families not love us if we don't heap upon them gobs of stuff they will ultimately throw away or toss in storage?

At what point can we honestly ask ourselves how long we can maintain the consumerism paradigm that American society lives by? It has absolutely ruined our culture! The quest for things has put our families in thousands of dollars of debt, which then traps them in a cycle of limited options and wasted dollars on interest payments. It has destroyed our value systems as we leave our children at home by themselves or with immigrant nannies while parents work themselves to death and are never home so they can heap toys, private schools, vacations, and big houses on their kids, when all they really want is their parent's attention. It has put our planet on a downward spiral as it struggles to maintain its delicate balance of life while we plunder it to meet our ever growing demands for more crap. More energy. More food. More, more, more. And apparently, it is stripping us of our humanity. I can't think of what other conclusion I should come to when a 34 year old Walmart employee gets trampled to death as hundreds of people stampede into the store at 6 AM in a desperate frenzy to buy....I dunno, more stuff?

Let's use our current economic and environmental crisis to stop and re-evaluate, shall we? What really matters in life are the friends, family, and companions we share our time with. Instead, why not skip all the stress and worry that comes with buying people presents we can't really afford anyway, and instead focus on giving your loved ones something infinitely more valuable, your time. And, as an alternative to buying things people won't use or appreciate for long, why not visit the Wildlife Adoption Center and adopt a wild animal for each person on your shopping list? The money goes to rescue operations for wildlife and your loved ones will each get a cool kit that includes a picture, certificate, plush toy, and reusable gift bag. You can enter WILD15 to get a 15% discount on your adoptions at checkout.

Happy Holidays everyone (That's right Bill O'Reilly, I said Happy Holidays, not Merry Christmas), 'tis the season to be trampled!

Buona notte equo orso polare...

In 50 years, we probably won't have any polar bears left due to climate change.

The human side of politics

Politics may sound abstract or perhaps like a rich man's game, but there is a very human side to it all. Political decisions may be made by a few people dressed in suits, but these policies affect our communities. Bad policies kill, or make families poor, seperate parents from their children, and send our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, or moms and dads to foreign lands to protect resources. Although we covered a lot this quarter, from energy and the environment, to using the threat of terrorism to control people, to the mainstream media influencing the outcome of our elections, to the financial crisis and the war on drugs, we weren't able to cover everything.

That's were you come in. For your final blog, please watch one of three Frontline reports on abortion clinics, health care systems, or the Darfur tradgedy and write a short report answering the following questions:

Paragraph 1. Summarize the issue. What is the problem, according to Frontline? Who are the people and/ or groups involved?

Paragraph 2. What are your feelings on the matter? What did you learn from the news report about the issue you did not know already? Did your opinion change at all from this information?

Paragraph 3. Why is this issue important? How does policy affect this issue? What is the solution in your opinion?

Paragraph 4. Finally, apply what you have learned about group dynamics and teamwork to solve big problems and explain HOW you would organize a grassroots movement to address this issue in your community. (I actually want you to lay out a general plan.)

That's it! You have come a long way and learned a lot (despite your best efforts not to!) so give yourself a pat on the back. I bitched at you a lot, but you guys stuck it out and did a great job. Happy Holidays and remember, yes we can!

How to steal an election....

In February 2003 David Brock published his book "Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative" and in it, he chronicled the ideology and methodology of the current conservative movement that has dominated this country's political landscape since Regan came to power in 1980. Brock's tale deals mainly with his role as a media hitman, who published stories in a right-wing rag called the American Spectator. After working for the movement for 15 years, he finally came to realize that the people involved were not trying to save the world from moral decay or from terrorists, but rather were so corrupt, they would break laws and lie to stay in power. After Brock published his book and revealed the details of the Arkansas Project in the film The Hunting of the President, he started a non profit organization called Media Matters for America to chronicle the lies and inconsistencies that are aired in the mainsteam media.

The political and media communities are well aware of the news organizations that are maintained and funded by Richard Melon Scaife, which includes the Spectator and the Washington Times. Richard Melon Scaife is a right wing billionaire who uses his money and power to spread his message and ideas through the media, so the publications he owns are filled with "journalists" who support the conservative agenda by either hunting down or making up stories about liberal polititains they want to bring down. Scaife also funds a think tank that pretends to be a research organization called The Heritage Foundation.

The next character you should be familiar with is Rupert Murdoch. He is another right wing billionaire who owns the Fox News Network. In the film "Outfoxed" Robert Greenwald does a brilliant job of outling the Fox strategy as a mouth piece for the conservative movement and how the network manipulates its audience. Murdoch owns a massive quanitity of TV stations, radio stations, and newspapers so he has no problem saturating the public with his version of events and his political opinions. Although Fox news has long been powerful, they acheived their biggest coup-de-tat in the 2000 election by playing a MAJOR role in helping George W. Bush come to power despite the fact that he did not win the popular vote.



How did the media helped the Republicans steal the election in 2000, starting with the public execution of President William Jefferson Clinton's personal reputation and ending with the Supreme Court appointing George Walker Bush as the 43rd president of the United States?

I Heart Keith Olbermann

Give me Liberty, or give me....Security?

"No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings."

"Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it."

"They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable--and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come."

"It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" ~Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775

This speech was given on the floor of the assembly when the members of the various colonies were trying to decide if they should really go to war against England, which was at the time the most powerful military force in the world. I draw a parallel to this speech for our present times because it addresses a very important issue.

In a democratic society, there will always be opportunities for people to do us harm. You cannot have total freedom and total security. The more freedom you have, the easier it is to plot and carry out secret schemes. However, the more "security" you have, the more liberty you must give up, the less privacy you will have, and the less personal decisions you will be able to make about what to do in your own life, with your own body, and in your own beliefs.

So a balance must be struck and vigorously maintained by the people between security and liberty. As a country, we must say "give me liberty or give me death!", because we are not willing to accept the chains of slavery, which in our modern society are made of fear. Fighting the war on terror means we are willing to battle the forces who wish to terrorize and take away our personal freedoms that make life worth living. Fighting the war on terror does mean send troops to Arab countries to murder civilians. It means that citizens of democratic countries must battle against any group, organization, or individuals that try to take away our constitutional rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Weigh in on the debate and tell us where you think the balance should be? What liberties, freedoms, and privacy are you not willing to give up for the illusion of security? What rights, privacy, and liberties do you feel are a fair and effective trade for some security? What must we do as a society to ensure that the War on Terror does not take these precious rights away?