Rigth-wing Venom Machine at Work

The killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson Mo shows how the right wing media spews hatred and lies. The whole mob of right wing bloggers and reporters have been spreading lies, such as that Brown stole cigars from a store (false), that he charged at Officer Darren Wilson, and even that Wilson suffered an eye injury (completely false). Once again, as Mark Twain said, a lie can travel around the world while the truth is putting on his shoes. The agenda, once again, is to stir up white fears about "black crime," because racism is the only domestic agenda that the Right has.

Remembering 1974

This year also marks the 40th anniversary of another tempestuous year, 1974. In this country it is most remembered for the resignation of Richard Nixon. People may remember the scandal but not the meaning, or the harm that Nixon did to this country. Those of us who still remember the late 60's and early 70's can recall that America was still hopeful and optimistic in spite of the Vietnam war, riots, and assassination. What really soured this country was Nixon's conduct throughout the Watergate scandal, the sight of an American President behaving like a two bit crime boss left a scar upon this country that has never healed. Nixon's career, from his first run for Congress, was built on slander and divisiveness, and he remade American politics in his own grotesque image.

Remembering 1914

This year, 2014, has been a tumultuous one in its own right. But this is also the 100 anniversary of the outbreak of World War I. Much has been written about the war and its impact, which is still being felt today. One very clear point is the danger of needless escalation. What happened in 1914 should have only been a regional war between Austria-Hungary and Germany. It only became a World War because the "great powers" Germany, France, Britain decided to jump in. They were motivated by a fatal combination of arrogance and overconfidence: they were sure that the war would be over by Christmas and that they would win. It turned out to be the second most destructive war in history in which there were no real winners.

Today, the GOP is trying to push the US into an aggressive military posture which could have serious consequences. Foreign policy needs to be based on careful consideration, not aggressive bluster. If we need to fight, that's one thing, but war should only be the last option.

Mark Twain Revisited

PBS re-aired Ken Burns' documentary on the life of Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens). Twain's works, and his persona, have come to be overlaid with nostalgic sentimentality but a closes look at his writings show a much more complex reality. His novels, "Tom Sawyer" and "Huckleberry Finn" on close reading, are actually about children discovering the cruelty that underlies everyday reality. Some have criticized Twain for not fully confronting the issue of racism but within the context of 19th century the only White Americans who truly have a clear conscience on the issue were a small group of hard core abolitionists. Most white Americans failed to deal with the issue: the ex-Confederates invented the "Antebellum" myth which their descendants cling to this very day. Most moderate whites gave up on social reform by the end of the 1870's and embraced a culture of financial speculation (which parallels what's happened to America during the last four decades of the 20th century). Twain was no different from most people of the time although he did not become a total sell out. Twain always continued to denounce racism and imperialism as well as advocating voting rights for women. Twain embodied a time and place; 19th century America in all its promises and failures.

Rick Perry: Show of Force or Farce?

Rick Perry is actually thinking about the Presidency in 2016. Apparently he's got the eye of the Washington Media who have declared him to be "handsome" (Perry does bear a marked resemblance to "Jump the Shark" actor Ted McGinley). So Perry gets to "swagger" around like he's got a cactus stuck up his ass. Now he want to take on the "illegal immigration crisis" by sending the National Guard to the Mexican border. This move will cost up to $12 million a month. This from an administration that begrudges every penny spent on education and healthcare.

The Congressional GOP isn't any better. They turned down the President's request for $3 billion (about what was spent in a day's fighting in Iraq). Then they GOPers went on vacation without passing any bill. It's obvious that the GOPers don't want to solve the problem, just have at as a campaign issue. If they get away with it then this country is probably hopeless.