The Power

I can’t sit idle as a blogger, journalist, american, and world citizen; while a highly unqualified and corrupt judge is nominated to the supreme court. This has to be one of those times we take a stand; bloggers, journalists, and activists together. To fight back in this information war, where the major media puts his rich, white, christian face on the front page and fails to report on what is unacceptable about this nomination.

Oh shit. James Ridgeway exposes, Roberts has been a major contributor to the Gw Bush presidential campaigns as well as other republican members of the senate. That alone is evidence of corruption. And of course, he has ruled in support of the Bush admin.’s wishes to hold so-called military tribunals for all the secret prisoners held without evidence or charge in Guantanamo.

As if that weren’t enough, he’s a proven enemy to workers everywhere; having ruled against mine workers and supporting the idea that strikers should be arrested.

The last part isn’t a surprise but it’s still another impetus to fight this; he has said he wants to overturn Roe vs. Wade and his wife was the president of a pro-life association.

All these characteristics would be quite standard if he were a politician, but they should never belong to a judge presiding over such a powerful court.

So let’s do this internet. This medium, though not the most powerful, still has influence – now would be a good time to use it. (more on my next podcast)

Il faut pas tuer

Readers round these parts probably know that I consider myself a world citizen. And as such, the only organized government that I remotely believe in is the United Nations. Flawed and perpetually in crisis, I believe in the concept of all nations working together for peace, justice, and a decent standard of living. And so, though a pacifist, I believe in many of the functions of the blue helmets who are deployed often in the most tense situations, to maintain peace without a mandate to kill.

Brazilian Peacekeepers Are BloodthirstyUnfortunately they have a mixed record, which isn’t too big of a surprise considering how imperfect the governments involved are. But still, I hate seeing it and I demand better.

I’m thinking particularly of the latest slaughter in Cité Soleil, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Carried out by a majority Brazilian military force, who I originally thought would provide competant and restrained assistance, following the secretly US supported removal of president Aristide, over one year ago.

The UN says the 20 or more civilians who were killed in a recent battle, were criminals who attacked them. The Haitians who managed to get access to media and relatives in New York City, say otherwise. Women and children, innocent civilians were gunned down.

Though I’m a fan of the United Nations, I know who I believe. And the testimony is slowly coming to light, it was a massacre, and the whole world keeps its eyes closed to anything that goes on in poor Haiti.

Irony of Community

Reflection Eternal The reoccuring thought in my little brain, and the frequent topic of conversation with some old high school friends who happenned to be in town: community.

It’s part of the reason why you’re here. It’s a good part of the reason why I write. Community. In this case, online. But regardless of the venue, it is what we often seek, myself included.

Despite having moved a few times in my adult life, between countries, it is ironically what I secretly desire. If you’ve stayed put over the last 10 years or so, without thinking too much about it – it is probably what you have; you know your neighbors. You know the dude at the corner café, the cutee bartender at that pub across town, maybe the postal worker who comes to your door daily. It could be just a matter of personal taste, but I like to imagine that sort of thing will bring me lots of personal satisfaction. Asense of being right with the world, belonging, being an appreciated part of a whole.

And so it seems ironic, especially when speaking with old high school friends who now work at that very high school, that I left that town where I knew so many. I run around Amsterdam trying to get on a first name basis with the girls at the bagel shop, or that homeless dude who sells the streetpaper. Again, believing that if I can do that, I’ll have that sense of community that I probably walked away from way back when. – Don’t get me wrong, I love where I am, but I won’t pretend to not see the ironies.

Speaking of community, Jamie’s hangin in our south jersey hood. And the midnight mailman is launching a film career.