We can only hope that somehow, someway ... someday

There is more to democracy than voting.

There was an OpEd column in the NY Times, July 29, regarding the ideas Baruch Spinoza introduced in the 17th Century:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/29/opinion/29goldstein.html

We—I mean, us ... the good old vaunted USA—have abandoned reason in our pursuit of what we ought to be, and with it our posture of a rational broker of the world’s future. We can only hope that somehow, someway ... someday we will escape from under the grinding power of the concentrated wealth now imprisoning us.

Note: First written as Comment #15867 by Hilding Lindquist on 7/30 at 5:20 pm in response to www.truthdig.com Ear to the Ground article,
"Welcome to the New Middle East Paradigm"

My god, my god, why have we forsaken thee?

I take a summer break ... and all hell breaks out!

When are we going to learn that it is up to the strong to end the cycle of violence!

Are we not a Christian nation? Didn't Jesus teach, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God"?

What is happening between Israel and Hezbollah is total insanity on Israel's part. Of course Hezbollah started it IN THIS INSTANCE by capturing the Israeli soldiers ... but, my god, Israel then decided to make heroes of Hezbollah through collective retribution toward the civilian population of Lebanon?

And now after making a complete mess of everything, Israel wants the UN to come in and bail them out with a peacekeepng force?

Sure thing, stir up the hornets nest and then run for cover.

Any metaphor quickly loses relevance in this situation.

Let's be clear. Hezbollah IN THIS INSTANCE stung the Israelis first. Dah! Let's not even ask why, let's just stipulate first causes. How does that justify collective retribution against the civilian population ... something Israel is saying is justified because the they claim the civilians are hiding the Hezbollah soldiers?

Under the 1949 Geneva Conventions collective punishments are a war crime. Article 33 states: "No protected person may be punished for an offense he or she has not personally committed," and "collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited."

By collective punishment, the drafters of the Geneva Conventions had in mind the reprisal killings of World Wars I and II. In the First World War, Germans executed Belgian villagers in mass retribution for resistance activity. In World War II, Nazis carried out a form of collective punishment to suppress resistance. Entire villages or towns or districts were held responsible for any resistance activity that took place there. The conventions, to counter this, reiterated the principle of individual responsibility. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Commentary to the conventions states that parties to a conflict often would resort to "intimidatory measures to terrorize the population" in hopes of preventing hostile acts, but such practices "strike at guilty and innocent alike. They are opposed to all principles based on humanity and justice."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Geneva_Convention

Addendum added July 31, 2006 at 11:25 AM

As Bob Herbert writes in today's NY Times OpEd Section, "Yes, Virginia, the world is going mad."

He's writing regarding the spread of nuclear weapons capacity/capability ... it's all about escalating the tolerance for violence.

On the other hand, maybe we're simply reverting to Jehovah as God ... forsaking our the enlightenment taught by Jesus, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God."


King James Version, Old Testament, Joshua 6:17-21:

"And the city shall be accursed, [even] it, and all that [are] therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that [are] with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

"And ye, in any wise keep [yourselves] from the accursed thing, lest ye make [yourselves] accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

"But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, [are] consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

"So the people shouted when [the priests] blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

"And they utterly destroyed all that [was] in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword."

http://www.blueletterbible.org/

Which version of God do we follow? Which do we forsake?

One of the valuable lessons we learn from the New Testament is that the strong must break the cycle of violence ... if it ever is to be broken. If we allow the bullies to have their way, we subscribe to fear and the jungle rather than hope and civilization.

It isn't just the lessons of their prior occupation and the ten years earlier bombing of same village with the same outcome that Israel has failed to learn, it is the lessons of their own ancient history.

Violence ALWAYS sets in motion payback, until someone is willing to step forward and say, "It stops here."

How many times do we have to crucify the Christ in us before we learn the lesson?

Now that the Supreme Court has spoken ...

Congress will have to weigh in on what Bush and Company—led by the MBA President—have been doing in George's name.

They've been avoiding it, spending their time on spending our money to ensure their re-election with tactically (strategically?) placed earmarks. Somehow the Neocon Republicans thought "core values" meant public-purse projects in the home district. (Of course there's nothing new in that! They are—above all else—politicians.)

So now the Neocon Republicans are going to actually have to vote on their interpretation of the meaning our REAL core values, CLEARLY stated in our Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights ... and, oh yes, since so many of them keep calling us a CHRISTian nation, maybe the will get around to reflecting on the Christ's Sermon on the Mount ... Jesus's CLEAR statement of HIS core values.

There is so much divine right of kings (George as God's Chosen leader with unimpeded executive authority) and OLD Testament (Jehovah smiting the heathen, Joshusa killing every living thing in Jericho) rhetoric spewing out of these Neocons that it is hard to believe that they are either American or Christian.

Could it be that they are wolves wearing lambskin? (Good Christians will REALLY appreciate that metaphor.)

Dr Yoo, I assume ...

Thoughts on the day after tomorrow, July 4, 2006:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Yoo

Dr. John Yoo, I assume you are a brilliant idiot.

It appears that you have dedicated your genius to the pursuit of power as the ultimate arbiter of human destiny. This is in keeping with the Old Testament god, Jehovah, illustrated by Joshua and the Battle of Jericho. (Note: More about this later.)

You see, John, Jesus introduced a transcending ideal, the seed of a new paradise to emerge after him. It is ideal that the Creator's strength rests in the strong nuturing the weak ... the father, the baby; the big brother, the little sister; the healthy, the sick;, welcoming the stranger; offering peace to one's enemy ... that it is up to the strong to nuture the diversity of the bioshphere.

This transcending ideal of nuturing, this "holy spirit", transforms us.

We have other transcending ideals to guide us while rejecting violence as a solution ... violence may be a defense, but it is never a solution or a tool for seeking one.

Our transcending ideals are clearly stated in our Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/index.htm

And in our Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to our Constitution:

Original Ten Amendments: The Bill of Rights

Passed by Congress September 25, 1789.
Ratified December 15, 1791.

Amendment I
Freedoms, Petitions, Assembly

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II
Right to bear arms

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III
Quartering of soldiers

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV
Search and arrest

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V
Rights in criminal cases

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb, nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI
Right to a fair trial

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed; which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defence.

Amendment VII
Rights in civil cases

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII
bail, fines, punishment

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX
Rights retained by the People

The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X
States' rights

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

http://www.ushistory.org/documents/amendments.htm

Article I Section 1 of our Constitution reads:

Article. I.

Section. 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

http://www.ushistory.org/documents/constitution.htm

And John, from your resumé I also assume that you have lived your adult life within the legal bureacratic systems of our nation. It has been my experience that individuals who succeed in that environment are too often those who suck up to the "powerful who reward those who suck up to them". It is a fairly standard outcome of the classroom environment where those who do best are typically those who learn what the professor/teacher wants and then provide that for the professor/teacher. On the surface this seems to be a reasonable arrangement, but when it is used to maximize power and stiffle original thought or creativity that threatens the power base, then it becomes the arthritis of aging cultures.

Gonzales, Libby, Rove, Yoo ... a set of brilliant ass-kissers. No wonder our nation has wandered so far from the transcending ideals of our founders ... ideals that should re-invigorate us in each new generation with new ideas based on original thought and creativity. Instead we are becoming brittle with the attempt to hang on to old ways (the absurdity of God as "The Invisible Hand"), old wealth (oil), and old power (a military strategy based on "we have nukes").

While Joshua won the Battle of Jericho, the victory foreshadowed the future for the Israelites at the hands of their enemies. What we now know in all human relationships from families to nations, breaking the cycle of violence is the real sign of strength. Jesus was right. Sorry, Dr. Yoo. Reality dictates awarding you a failing grade on your life.

On the meaning of being a conservative

Ooh boy! Seems like we need a little lesson in the meaning of being a conservative ... don’t you think? Not naming any names, or nothing.

“To a conservative, the goal of change is less important than the insistence that change be effected with a respect for the rule of law and traditions of society.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative

Now, as my favorite Conservative (with a Capital C) Columnist (’nother Capital C), Paul Mulshine of the New Jersey Star Ledger, likes to point out, Bush and Company are NOT Conservatives. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Mulshine

I could spend a lot of time listing all the ways the “Gang Who Can’t Shoot Straight” aren’t Conservative, but let me list two biggies: Conservatives do NOT believe in nation building and Conservatives do NOT believe in passing on current costs to future generations.

Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass” could help us form a parallax/gestalt of the Neocons.

Simply taking some time and exploring the heritage of these so-called “brilliant” theoreticians would smoke ‘em out for the radical bunch of neo-fascists (mirroring fascism) that they are.

Briefly, the Neocons are entwined in their machinations with monopolists cloaking themselves in free market capitalism AND religion a la God as “The Invisible Hand” to avoid having to pay the cost of the damage (the externalities) of their “legal” economic system in acquiring wealth and power. (Note: Any “brilliant” economist who talks about the current economic system as “the free market” who does not also simultaneously discuss wringing externalities out of that so-called “free market” is blowing smoke--like in the second-hand smoke of the cigarette business or exhaust emissions of burning fossil fuels--up our backsides.)

The first requirement of a democratic people is that their leaders tell them the truth. In the ebb and flow of human existence there are times to be conservative, there are times to be progressive, there are times to be liberal. It is our ability to adapt to the needs of the particular epoch in which we find ourselves that allows us to continue to survive and grow while remaining a free people through abiding by such transcending ideals as laid out by our founders in our Declaration of Independence. And as the Good Book teaches in John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” http://www.blueletterbible.org