Blog Box

June 3, 2005
Compiled by Delilah Boyd, A Scrivener's Lament

The Cost Of Freedom

During the war of my childhood, Crosby, Stills & Nash asked, "Do we find the cost of freedom buried in the ground?" Memorial Day this year felt eerily similar to those earlier days.

George W. was the incredible shrinking president this week, our "news" was suspended for extended coverage of "Good News About The War," including the "capture" of Dread Pirate Terrorist Mohsen Abdul-Hamid (the "voice of reconciliation").

Too bad for Rummy and George W! That FUBAR raid turned out to be the "kidnapping and hooding" of an Iraqi politician; consequently, it barely rated a corporate-owned media mention... never mind about the botched capture/kidnapping crap. Quick! Look over there! It's that Nixon-hating traitor, Deep Throat!

The Incredible Shrinking President

George W. Flightsuit sure has had a strange week. Between his brief annual visit to Arlington National Cemetery and his sudden "Curious George" response to the revelation that W. Mark Felt, is Deepthroat, poor George W. barely had time to spew more lies about Social Security.

Unqualified Offerings thwacks George W. but good for calling the Amnesty International report "absurd."

Cry me a river and stock it with trout already. President Bush complains that Amnesty talked to detainees, "who hated America and were trained to lie." Unlike President Bush, who comes by the skill naturally. In talking to detainees, Amnesty simply did what it has done everywhere else on the earth where it has investigated official mistreatment of prisoners, which is everywhere else on earth. (One of the annoying memes squirming throughout the Apologist Right is that Amnesty has somehow singled out the US and ignored a whole bunch of countries on which, in fact, it has published regular reports.

Deeper Than Deep, His Throat

Suburban Guerrilla's post on W. Mark Felt's Deep Throat revelation is short and sweet: "Finally."

On my blog, A Scrivener's Lament, I offer Dem talking points for dealing with right-wing Nixon apologists, whose mantra is, "Deepthroat doesn't exist; but if he does exist, he's a criminal and a traitor who was disloyal and single-handedly destroyed a great president!"

Honestly! Trotting out G. Gordon Liddy and Chuck Colson to lecture us on morality and the rule of law? Whatever the cable news execs are smoking has killed a few too many brain cells.

The I's Have It!

Preemptive Karma revisits John Dean's FindLaw article on possible impeachment charges against George W. Bush: "The I word(s)."

In January of 2003, John Dean (I = ironic... given the recent revelation of Deep Throat) wrote an article for FindLaw that was picked up by CNN entitled, "Is lying about the reason for a war an impeachable offense?" (I = impeachable/impeach)

Dean's piece outlines specific charges made by Bush that we know to be untrue.

Buck up, Little Busharoo! Your puppet press has been burning the midnight oil for you...

Good News About The War (And Malkin's Hot Loose Lips Alert)

Desperately seeking more (cough) fair and balanced (cough) information about Iraq? Blogs Of War has a feature called "Voices Of Freedom," where only good news about the war in Iraq is showcased. Blogs Of War also links to BetOnIraq.com, where you can throw away your money invest in Iraqi Dinars:

There has never been a better time to Bet on Iraq, and we will continue to do just that.

Place your order now.

Reference links: Press Release from Under Secretary for International Affairs United States Treasury

Sigh. There's still one born every minute! For the reality-based news on the war in Iraq, Today in Iraq is the site to click:

Bring 'em on: British soldier killed by IED and four injured in al-Amarah.

Bring 'em on: Twenty five sacked ex commandos queuing for back pay killed and one hundred injured in twin suicide bomb attack in Hilla.

Bring 'em on: Iraqi police general critically injured after attempted assassination in Kirkuk.

Bring 'em on: Leader of largest Sunni political party, considered a moderate, arrested along with his three sons and four guards in Baghdad.

Bring 'em on: Two Iraqi police sergeants working for the Iraqi Cabinet gunned down in Baghdad.

And the list goes on...

Absent any truly good news from Iraq, Michelle Malkin (R-Oppress My People, Please!) thinks that we liberals think that the troops aren't real people:

The members of our military are more than just an expedient means to a titillating magazine cover or juicy scoop or Peabody Award. Too often since the "War on Terror" was declared, eager Bush-bashing journalists have forgotten that the troops are real people who face real threats and real bloodshed as a consequence of loose lips and keyboards.

Oh. Thanks for the warning, Michelle. Speaking truth to power might delay George W.'s discovery of those weapons of mass destruction and evidence of Iraqi involvement in 9/11. I remember Vice President Agnew (before his humiliating resignation) issuing the same warning to those who opposed the war in Vietnam. Read a history book, Michelle!

By the way, Grugblog asks this week's burning question: 2 Years In Iraq. Why?

Wellstoning Interrupted

What a Keystone Kops way to FUBAR your planned, feel-good, "Memorial Day/ Operation Lightning" War Story! Fortunately, Juan Cole keeps tabs on all things Middle East for us:

Al-Hayat Muhsin Abdul Hamid, a former president of Iraq under the American Coalition Provisional Authority and the leader of the Iraqi Islamic Party who was mistakenly arrested by the US military and then released, said late Monday that he considered the arrest to have been "deliberate." Party spokesmen said that the arrest was a piece of American "stupidity" aimed at alienating the Sunni Arabs from political participation.

"Courage, Mom" took on added (and distinctly unfunny) meaning this Memorial Day: the Gold Star Mothers decided to go all DAR on one mother's petition to join their organization.

Marc, at A Voice Crying Out From The Thickness, cries out against the Gold Star Mothers' rejection of a slain soldier's mother

If it were my son who was killed and my wife (who is also Filipina BTW) who could not be accepted by Gold Star as the mother of a son who had sacrificed his life for the cause of freedom, well let's just say I would not be happy. It's ironic, but I would almost call their decision not to allow this mother to join as un-American.

Hm. I always thought that all mothers of dead soldiers were equal. I guess some mothers of dead soldiers are more equal than others. How ridiculous is that?

From the excellent October 2004 archive of the blog, ain't no sleep better than a waking sleep.. your soma from the ministry of lies: Is al-Zarqawi a U.S. Agent Provocateur?

To answer the second author's question: unequivocally, YES.

Al-Zarqawi has been caught, captured, or killed more times than can be counted on one hand.

The Power of Critical Thinking vs. Rick Santorum

Reflecting on the gravity of Memorial Day, 2005, Dave, at Dave Friedman's Soul Of Wit, reminds us that a free society depends on our right to independent thinking:

Thomas Paine famously said, "Give me liberty or give me death" before being executed, by which he meant, in part, "Allow me to think for myself." The American Revolution was founded on the explicit premise that man is his own agent: man can think for himself.

--snip--

... Without independent thought, we would have had no Benjamin Franklin, no Emancipation Proclamation, no New Deal, and no internet, no blogosphere, no Microsoft, no Google, and no pontificators such as me.

World War II continues to define our nation's modern history, even for revisionists. Jake's Lament (gotta love those lamenting bloggers!) responds to the Santorum "Dem/Hitler" comparison:

I know that Santorum is generally one of the biggest pricks to ever hold a seat in the senate, but what the hell? Does he even know what he's saying? Is he now saying that the filibuster is a Nazi tactic? I guess I missed that part of history where Hitler conquered Europe by waiting them out until they capitulated.

Or is it that maybe his subconscious realizes that he's the one acting like the little Austrian corporal, and he's comparing the Republican hold on the senate to Hitler's occupation of France. Who knows what is going on in that Santorum-soaked brain of his.

I Hope Jesus Is A Blogophile!

Speaking of Santorum-soaked brains, this week's fascist fundies make my skin crawl. Don't laugh! This is serious religious news! Seriously. I mean it, damn it!

From ass-bitingly funny blogger Reconstitution:

Somebody better call Alan Jackson

And all the other rednecks who sing the virtues of having a Ford truck.

The Jesusistanis are howling yet again about a Corp glorifying hedonism! I'll give you a piece of the front page so you don't have to go there-you can thank me later.

If one looks for the company which has done the most to affirm and promote the homosexual lifestyle, he would be hard-pressed to find a company which has done more than Ford Motor Company.

Reconstitution also weighs in on the fundie judge, who sentences folks to church services:

Jesus Saves! (your ass from jail)

Church-or Jail? Yeah, this one sounds real "voluntary." We now have a Government organ marching people into Church. I believe what we see here is the first squirming of the newly-born theocracy.

The Fashion Of The Christ. I'm not kidding. That's the name of a blog post by serious fundie David Alan Black at CovenantNews.com. It has something to do with tassels and blue threads on your garments' hems. If you understand the present day significance of this blog post, enlighten me.

And, while you're digesting the subject headlines at Covenant News, check out "Aborted Baby Beauty Treatment," "More Babies, Less Cancer," and my personal favorite, "Killing 10 Week Old Fetus Charge."

I don't think they're talking about metaphorically "killing" a "charge" against a 10-week-old fetus... surely, they mean "Killer of 10 Week Old Fetus Charged." I could be wrong, of course.

Outrage Relief

Tired of feeling outraged? Never fear! Outrage Relief is only a few mouse clicks away! The People's Email Network asks, "SHOULD THERE BE AN INVESTIGATION OF THE DOWNING STREET MEMO?" Scroll down (after you read the post) to the feedback form, which allows you to send your own comments on many important topics to your elected officials.

The People's Email Network is affiliated with the amazing Choice America Network, where you can find several excellent pieces, including one by Thom Hartman on the George W. Bush/ John Adams parallels.

Jeri Smith Ready, at Seething in The Wilderness, links us to AfterDowningStreet.org: "ADS is a coalition of veterans' groups, peace groups, and political activist groups, which launched on May 26, 2005, a campaign to urge the U.S. Congress to begin a formal investigation into whether President Bush has committed impeachable offenses in connection with the Iraq war." If you're ready to take action, ADS offers several different options.

Can't get enough of those Google Bombs? DUer Ladyhawk will teach you how to help Google.com recognize "Commander Cuckoo-Bananas" when searching for "George W. Bush."

Activism Keeps Hope Alive

Meet Brad Russell.

With very little money and a burning desire to expose Bushco's greed, lust for power and neo-imperialism, Brad Russell, (DU's own DistressedAmerican), burns the midnight oil to bring us some of the best online graphics we love to snatch. You've no doubt seen his work at Make Them Accountable, All Hat No Cattle, Bartcop, Buckfush, and at Brad's virtual home, Seeds Of Doubt. Brad winters in Albany, where he is completing his doctorate in Anthropology, and summers in Mexico (on archeological digs); but, he resides year round in Republican Hell...

Self-taught and always sharpening his skills, Brad uses FrontPage and Photoshop to focus on the war in Iraq, torture associated with the "war on terror," and other human rights abuses that have been committed by this administration under the guise of life in a post 9/11 environment. Brad admits that his DU addiction has reached "dysfunctional" levels; however, he notes that DU has become one of his primary sources for news and valuable links.

Brad's advice to fledgling bloggers:

Find reputable sites that have large communities. The larger the community the better the fact checking. To me that is one of the best features of DU.

Do not allow yourself to get discouraged. A lot of things you post drop like rocks. Many times, as I have seen, lots of folks are reading those posts even when they do not reply.

One more thing. Be generous kicking DU threads and try to remember to recommend good threads for the greatest page. DUers like replies too! Get involved!

Brad plans to continue adding content, and he even has a submission page for your original poetry, songs, and art work. If you're a big Brad Russell fan (like I am), check out Distressed Gear and watch for his DU posts. Let Brad know that we all appreciate his dedication and talent!

Keep Hope Alive And Fight The Right!

Do we find the cost of freedom buried in the ground? Sadly, yes. But our future doesn't have to be that way. After all, our War Department became the Department Of Defense, didn't it? That name change was a major turning point in our nation's history and was carefully designed to influence all subsequent U.S. policy decisions related to armed conflict.

Right-wingers delight in calling those of us opposed to this current war (as well as all other wars) "cry babies" and "whiners" for our refusal to "study war," but we refuse to abandon the very foundation of our democracy: the right to stand up and be counted in our quest for peace.

MIA in this year's corporate-owned media Memorial Day coverage was our traditional American sense of hope, but take heart. Hope is alive and well in blog posts by today's virtual pamphleteers.

Know a hot blog that needs some coverage? Send your recommendations to Delilah.

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