Tag Archives: education

UnCivil War and the American Public

Public opinion oh public opinion…. so often I find the significance public opinion to be one of the worst side effects of this era of alleged instantenous communication.

Not to undermine the importance of people’s thoughts, experiences, and ideas… those things are fundamentally of interest and should ideally – be shared. But often times I look at public opinion reports, consider the kinds of initiatives different publics have supported throughout history, and I start to think – why the hell should we trust what is called “public opinion”? Seems like more often the public has behaved like an angry and fickle mob, who will support some very violent or irrational practices and then change their minds a year later, only to change their minds again sometime later. And what contributes to such poor judgement and dangerous behavior? – Misinformation. Poorly educated – or rather – educated in such a way that their world view is skewed to be based on half-truths and nationalistic revisions of history.

I bring this up because lately I see the news stories and blog posts about the American public opinion regarding the occupation of Iraq. I see them all the time on blogs like Americablog and Talkleft – pointing out the lack of support the government has from its citizens on this issue.
Granted – this matters in this type of democracy, especially when an election is coming up. But what strikes me is the idea that this opinion is a good barometer to measure what is happenning in Iraq. It almost assumes that the American public is very in tune with what is REALLY going on in that country. This, in turn, suggestions that the more popular sources – CNN, FOXnews, NYTimes (less popular than the first two obviously) – that they provide enough information for the viewing public to make a proper evaluation. Which at a certain level, I do not agree with.

Some will say it’s very Machiavelli of me, to distrust the public. But I am one of the public, and one thing I know for sure, is that the basic education combined with the dominant media outlets, did not give me the critical tools and a broad world view, which would allow me to see world events unfold through a wider and more informed lense. That ability came from other sources, university professors, people in my life, the internet, life experience abroad… not the typical education the average person can afford or will seek. Which means although I respect collective action and social consciousness, I refuse to accept “public opinion” as a reliable measure of how foreign policy should be carried out. That may not add up within the American political system, but that is my personal opinion.

That being said – there are voices that have proven themselves more qualified over the years, especially as first hand observers of the events as they unfold. And one major source for me regarding Iraq observations, over the past 3 years, has been Chris Albritton at Back-to-Iraq. And indeed – he has described the situation as a medium-grade civil war. Similar observations have been made by a man who’s been at the epicentre for years – Robert Fisk. And then I look to infrequent bloggers like Dear Baghdad, and I get another clue to what’s going on.

Anyway all this to simply say – public opinion polls are nice and important in the foggy context of american politics. It is also nice, but somewhat wishful, to think that the American public is just now waking up from a deep sleep, and seeing things more clearly. But do I actually trust the opinion of the american public when I look back over the past 6 years? Hell no.

bm103 Zionism, Liberation, and Oppression

Growing up in Berlin during Hitler, then moving to British controlled Palestine, witnessing the creation of the Israeli state, Hanna Braun talks about the underlying agenda and the undeniable hypocracy therein.

AudioCommunique #103 (mp3)

In this show:

Edward Said on Finding the Truth
The way Arabs are drawn now, the was Jews were then = history repeating itself
Germany in the 30’s
Palestine and the zionists
The dream of a secular state
Defence Force, Paramilitary, and the use of violence
Evictions and clearing of villages
Ben Gurion, Ariel Sharon, etc.
Opposing Voices not allowed, Leaving Israel
Education
Activism

Music:

Edith Piaf – Jerusalem
Alpha Blonde – Jerusalem

I’m off to Winterberg, Germany again.. to practice my snowboarding and drink hot cocoa.

bicyclemark89: Playing Politics with Education in New Jersey, my Mother Explains

Im somewhere in South Jersey hell. Where the only wi-fi I could find was in the parking lot of this helliday inn. On the drive down here, with my parents, my mother started talking about the details of the presidents’s beloved No Child Left Behind initiative, and whats happenning to schools because of it.

AudioCommunique #89(mp3)
32min+, 80kbps, 18Mb+

Discussed:

Im sitting in a car in the parking lot, I can’t be bothered to write the highlights.

Music:

Bright Eyes – something from Digital Ash Digital Burn
Phil Ochs – Outside…
Joanna Newsome – Bridges and Balloons Dedicated to my roomate Amy

Next show Ill talk about the Vlog Calender and wouldnt you know it, IM IN IT!

Tomorrow: Philly!

How a Nation Should Use A Surplus

Anytime you start to compare Canada and the United States, you always get those guys wrapped in the flag who denounce Canada as weak and proclaim their health system as falling apart and hated. And then you might hear a Canadian defend his/her health system and their extremely positive international image. As much as I hate to attract those dam people, I have to talk about the Canadian government’s budget surplus and how I believe they are acting as a prime example of how a stable, mature, and future oriented government SHOULD use their budget surplus. 13.4 billion canadian clams per year is roughly what we’re talking aboot, by the way.

So let’s see, how is the prime minister’s government planning to use it’s surplus:

  1. Personal Taxcuts, specifically including a cut for the lowest income brackets.
  2. Investment in education (brilliant idea not often followed by some!), for research and student funding (39 billion over 6 years)
  3. And for all ye maple syrup producers, a reduction in the corporate tax rate

And actually, before any of those, the biggest reason the Canadian government deserves a bit of respect is that they are one of the very few nations in the world that can balance a budget. Take note EU with your broken budgets, and US with your drunken spending on weapons of mass destruction distraction.

Little Green Laptops for the Poor

I was recently talking with a new friend, in Brussels, who was a frequent visitor to this here blog. And at some point in the discussion she said something that I’ve heard others mention to me as well. – While being critical and pointing out problems is good, coming up with solutions or suggestions will also be good. I felt it was a good point, though I fancy myself a critic above all, and let readers and better minds find solutions… something like that. I digress; I shall strive to pay more attention to solutions and at least glimmers of hope in my blogging.

But it is so hard to find the silver lining when I look at this World Summit on the Information Society. How bright and free can the future for information and society be, when you host the grand event in a one-party dictatorship? And of course, they decided before the meeting even took place, that in fact the regulation of internet domains will continue to be controlled by the American ICANN. You know, so the internet stays American and out of the hands of say – the world. But i guess I should expect nothing more from an event hosted by president Ben Ali who specializes in making journalists disappear and keeping European tourists nice and tan.

But wait— a ray of hope! Yes… if we forget just for a second about world poverty, hunger, injustice, lack of access to clean water, sanitation, shelter, health care, education.. oh the list goes on and on. – If we put all of that aside, the conference has shed light on a wonderful new invention that will bring laptops to the poor! The green machine, as they call it, will be rechargable with a crank, have wi-fi, and run on linux! There ya go little starving, traumatized, war-ravaged congelese youth… now run along and surf the net.

OK I’m using sarcasm, but I do love the idea of the anyone and everyone having computers. I just think there are, oh, a few basic needs that should get the same priority as laptops. But maybe if the summit tried to address those problems the Tunisian secret police would rush in and break all their computers and legs.

My Ho Chi Min Trail

There was one specific New Jersey summer, when I was 16, that I picked up a copy of “On Revolution” – selected writings of Ho Chi Min. The book was 25 cents, and I recognized the name as one of those personalities from history that public school education teaches you was basically evil. Of course I was a skeptical kid, -still am-, so I knew I had to read the words of this alleged tyrant.

Though many of my memories from that year may have faded a bit, I still remember that book and how it captured my mind and my heart. Nevermind if you like him or don’t like him. Nevermind the good or bad he may have done in his life, I’m speaking about the person that came through in that book. To me, those words were filled with passion and dedication to basic principles, about the right of people not to be colonized or enslaved, and also to determine their own collective future. A bigger point that stood out for me, was how he spoke about patriotism. I can’t remember the exact quote, but I think it was that the greatest crimes in the history of the world have been committed in the name of patriotism.

That statement has always stuck with me throughout my life. I had always found all the flag waving and patriotism in the US unsettling. I actually felt a similar odd feeling when I lived in France and observed the patriotism that sometimes shows its face there. And when I look at this so called “WAr on Terrorism” and all the propoganda that comes with it, I can’t help but think of Ho Chi Min’s simple but often ignored conclusion.- The greatest crimes in the history of the world, continue to be commited in the name of patriotism.

By the way I’ve finally gotten back into reading Back To Iraq which is one of the best and first sources of blog journalism in Iraq.