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A Bitter Anniversary
There's a ceremony taking place this morning at Ground Zero: a commemoration of the fallen of September 11th. For the families of the victims of the attack on the World Trade Center, the arrival of this day will always be the cause of profound anguish. I wonder, however, if it’s possible that there will come a time for the rest of us, both here in New York and across America, when this day will become less an occasion of grief and anger, and more a day of thoughtful reflection?
So long as Osama Bin Laden and his lieutenants remain free, this day must remind us of our unfinished business. Treachery cannot be allowed to go unpunished. We owe it to our dead to see that justice is done. In a very real sense, by focusing United States' efforts on occupying Iraq, rather than dismantling al Qaeda, President Bush has only exacerbated the pain and suffering of New Yorkers.
Yet, at some point, once Bin Laden and his lieutenants have been captured or killed, Americans are going to have to at least consider the possibility of closure. Again, perhaps not the friends and families of those who lost loved ones that day. We cannot, and should not, expect that. But the rest of us are going to have to come to grips with an equation: at what point is enough, enough? At what point does a thirst for vengeance become, to borrow a phrase from Mohandas Gandhi, “an eye for an eye, making the whole world blind?”
The Body Count
Nearly 3,000 Americans died in the attacks on the WTC and the Pentagon. The revised estimate for the number of Americans who died in New Orleans last week remains much higher than 3,000. Some have suggested, and I think the evidence is compelling in support of this position, that many of these Americans died last week because resources that should have been devoted to repairing and upgrading that city's levees, and responding once the storm had hit, had been instead diverted to supporting President Bush's grandiose "war on terror".
The number of innocent civilians who have perished as a result of our military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq may surpass 30,000, or even 100,000 - depending on which source you rely on, and how you calculate the number of dead. For instance, do you count the nearly 1,000 Shiites who died in that horrible stampede last week – after the spread of a rumor that a suicide bomber was in the procession created a panic – as part of the death toll? It’s a fair question. As far as I know, there were no suicide bombers in Iraq until after the UN weapons inspectors were forced to leave by President Bush.
At what point will the loss of our 3,000 no longer be sufficient to justify the collateral damage that accompanies the "war on terror"? This is a question that I believe every American has an obligation to ask. In a democracy, every invasion or police action that our government becomes involved in is ultimately done in our name. Do we really believe that American lives are exponentially more valuable than the lives of people in other nations? And if we believe such a thing, should we be at all surprised when the world begins to hate a nation that they once looked to for hope and inspiration?
Emotion, Spirituality, and Democracy
If I stumbled across Osama Bin Laden on the street today, my first instinct would be to tear him apart, limb by limb. That said, I find myself still conflicted about this instinct - since I know that virtually every spiritual teacher that I have read or encountered would frown on it. Jesus, for instance, commands Peter to forgive his brother “not seven times, but seventy-seven times”.
I could never forgive Bin Laden. Still, I wonder if it is possible to let go of hate, while still working tirelessly to bring dangerous individuals and groups to justice. That's certainly the approach that Krishna urges on the warrior Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita, one of the foundational scriptures of Hinduism. But this is, of course, easier said (and read about) than done.
I worry that a steady diet of dark, reactive emotion has left this country so powerfully in its thrall that we’ve collectively lost our sense of balance, and ability to think our way to resolution in a war of ideas. And make no mistake, that is what we will eventually have do - think our way to resolution.
In my view, a substantial segment of the people who voted for President Bush in November 2004 did so on the basis of this kind of reactive emotion – and a sense that he would be better able to keep the American people safe and secure. But this week, in the aftermath of the Second Battle of New Orleans, more and more Americans are beginning to understand just how misguided that attitude was.
A New York State of Mind
The people of the City of New York, I’m proud to say, never bought into that mindset. The city that was brutally violated on September 11th gave nearly 75% of its votes to John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential Election. Which brings me to make a make a point that I don’t believe has ever been formally made.
President Bush, you do not have our permission to use the attack against the people of New York City as a justification for your elephantine "war on terror".
Let me reiterate that message: You do not have our permission to justify your war in Iraq on the basis of our suffering, and our loss.
We voted against you in 2004 in overwhelming numbers – in large part because so many of us believed that your policies were only adding gasoline to the fires of hate, and making New York City even more of a target in the years to come.
We further believed that resources which should have been devoted to safeguarding America's harbors and coastlines from a potential biological or nuclear terrorist attack were instead being squandered in an ill-conceived, premature, incompetently run military campaign that, it now appears, will bring an Iranian-influenced de facto theocracy to Southern Iraq.
Furthermore, we know that the plan to invade Iraq was hatched by the Project for the New American Century years before September 11th. We know that key members of your Administration were signatories to that groups’ dubious charter.
Thanks to Paul O’Neill, we know that you were obsessed with deposing Saddam Hussein long before 9/11; and Richard Clarke has described how you were looking for a way to exploit our national trauma within days of the attack.
Your deliberate manipulation of the fears and trauma of the American people in the aftermath of September 11th, for the purpose of eliciting support for your invasion of Iraq, is behavior that more reflects lessons learned from a snake in the Garden of Eden than any religious or spiritual teacher that I’ve ever encountered or heard of. These are strong words, but words that I believe that history will judge as measured, reasonable, and fair. Mr. President, shame on you.
If there is a single authentically religious bone in your body, then I call on you to cease and desist in justifying your misguided ideological crusade in the name of the good people of my city. You do not act in our name; you do not represent our insights, perspectives, and values. If the 2004 Presidential Election results conclusively demonstrate anything, it is that.
In Memoriam
On this solemn occasion, the fourth anniversary of the destruction of the Twin Towers and the attack on the Pentagon, I join with Americans everywhere to mourn the dead of Alabama, the District of Columbia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and New York. Today we are again one country, united by our grief and anger. Perhaps one day soon we will come together as Americans to demand that Congress hold this President accountable - and through doing so, again embrace the sacred challenge that our ancestors set before us so long ago, that "more perfect union".
Excellent post Matthew,
I am reminded of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness when I consider the millions of people who voted for Bush. How long will it be before they realize that we have put Kurtz in power?
Oncall,
Interesting analogy. Need I mention that we tried sending a former Swift Boat Commander upriver to stop our Kurtz. But too much of the electorate had had gone native for the mission to be successful in November 2004.
U.S. won't ban media from New Orleans searches
CNN filed suit for right to cover search for bodies of Katrina victims
Saturday, September 10, 2005; Posted: 11:13 p.m. EDT (03:13 GMT)
HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Rather than fight a lawsuit by CNN, the federal government abandoned its effort Saturday to prevent the media from reporting on the recovery of the dead in New Orleans.
Joint Task Force Katrina "has no plans to bar, impede or prevent news media from their news gathering and reporting activities in connection with the deceased Hurricane Katrina victim recovery efforts," said Col. Christian E. deGraff, representing the task force.
U.S. District Court Judge Keith Ellison issued a temporary restraining order Friday against a "zero access" policy announced earlier in the day by Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who is overseeing the federal relief effort in the city, and Terry Ebbert, the city's homeland security director.
In explaining the ban, Ebbert said, "we don't think that's proper" to let members of the media view the bodies.
Army Lt. Col. Richard Steele, a member of Honore's staff, told CNN Saturday night that Honore was partly misunderstood. Steele said Honore meant that no media would be allowed to be imbedded with teams recovering bodies. However, recovery groups would not prevent reporters from doing their jobs, he added.
"He did not say we're going to ban anybody. We're not going to restrict them from any public areas whatsoever," Steele said. "We don't have any legal recourse to do any kind of law enforcement or anything like that in our role. So the only thing we do is we can control who goes with us; on our aircraft and on our trucks and in our boats, if that applies."
The judge was to consider granting a permanent injunction Saturday when the government announced its decision not to enforce the "zero access" policy.
Reacting to the decision, CNN News Group President Jim Walton said, "We are pleased by the decision. The free flow of information is vital for a free society."
In an e-mail to CNN staff on Friday, Walton said the network filed the the lawsuit to "prohibit any agency from restricting its ability to fully and fairly cover" the hurricane victim recovery process.
"As seen most recently from war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, from tsunami-ravaged South Asia and from Hurricane Katrina's landfall along the Gulf," Walton wrote, "CNN has shown that it is capable of balancing vigorous reporting with respect for private concerns."
CNN filed suit against Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, arguing that the officials who announced the decision were acting on FEMA's behalf.
"For an agency to unilaterally ban all coverage of a major component of its governmental function, that is, recovery of the deceased victims of the tragedy, is unprecedented," CNN argued in its legal brief. "Instead, the agency has made a subjective, content-based determination that publicizing the operation would be 'without dignity.'"
CNN's brief argued, "It is not the place of government to replace its own internal judgment for that of a free and independent media."
Because of controversy about how FEMA and other agencies handled the disaster response, CNN lawyers argued, "it is even more vitally important for the public, Congress and the administration to have an independent view of the conduct of this important phase of the operation."
http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/09/10/katrina.media/index.html
Indy,
What frightens me about this decision is that CNN seems to think tht, up until that moment, they WERE a "free and independent media".
YIKES.
Matt,
GREAT piece--it made me weep.
Mathew,
Excellent piece. And today, while they have the misguided attempt to bring their sheeples back to the fold, all of us will remember the pre-determined mindset to attack Iraq pre-9-11 and will remember their abuse and CRIMINAL neglegence in N.O. to the poorest of the poor in our country.
Cover-up: toxic waters 'will make New Orleans unsafe for a decade'
By Geoffrey Lean, Environment Correspondent
Published: 11 September 2005
Toxic chemicals in the New Orleans flood waters will make the city unsafe for full human habitation for a decade, a US government official has told The Independent on Sunday. And, he added, the Bush administration is covering up the danger.
In an exclusive interview, Hugh Kaufman, an expert on toxic waste and responses to environmental disasters at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said the way the polluted water was being pumped out was increasing the danger to health.
The pollution was far worse than had been admitted, he said, because his agency was failing to take enough samples and was refusing to make public the results of those it had analysed. "Inept political hacks" running the clean-up will imperil the health of low-income migrant workers by getting them to do the work.
There is more...
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article311818.ece
I would like to share a letter to a reporter that I wrote earlier this morning. I have also included the article which prompted me to send the letter:
By Marni Pyke
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Thursday, September 08, 2005
Some angered with event held at forest preserve
The DuPage County Forest Preserve District distanced itself Wednesday from an event involving one of the most controversial figures in the anti-war movement held on its property.
“We do not support it,†district President Dewey Pierotti said of a candlelight vigil featuring Cindy Sheehan, a vocal critic of the Iraq war, at Danada Forest Preserve in Wheaton.
The event was hosted by Jenny Sampson and her husband, Matt Trynoski, Danada equestrian center supervisor, who live in a house at the preserve.
It originally was intended to be a small potluck dinner for three cyclists participating in the Bike For Peace movement, Trynoski said. Bike for Peace supports reducing dependence on cars and oil and opposes the Iraq conflict. The cyclists are on a cross-country trek.
But the potluck snowballed after local peace activists asked if Sheehan could participate because she was in Illinois that day.
“Our initial purpose was to host three cyclists,†said Trynoski. He said he has empathy for Sheehan and her son and believes her tragedy has become politicized.
Trynoski added, “I believe most people are proponents of peace in the world.â€
Meanwhile, the forest preserve coped with numerous calls from residents upset about the presence of Sheehan.
“It’s got people livid who want it stopped, but there’s nothing we can do,†Commissioner Gwen Henry of Wheaton said.
Officials said people at the gathering are protected by the First Amendment and did not need a permit for the potluck dinner. They asked district police to patrol the event.
“They have constitutional rights,†Pierotti said. “Unfortunately people blame the forest preserve.â€
Wheaton VFW Post Commander Wayne Milligan is one constituent who is upset with the situation.
“I pay taxes here, and I don’t feel that it’s proper to have it on forest preserve land at all,†Milligan said.
Pierotti said it’s possible the district will review its policy on procedures for people living on district property in future.
Here is my letter
Dear Ms. Pyke
I want to comment about your article. Understandably and intentionally it was one sided. That is not my complaint. However you do fail to mention that a public park in Wheaton, Memorial Park, is being used September 11 for a pro-war rally with the benign name "Patriot Day". The event is sponsored by the Republican Party. I am not a Wheaton resident. However the hypocrisy of people claiming that their tax dollars should not be used for political purposes to support peace while their tax dollars are being used to for a rally to support a war that most Americans oppose is conspicuously missing from your article. Perhaps you were unaware of the event at Memorial Park, then it is understandable that it wasn't mentioned. One of the things that I find most objectionable however is that a solemn day like September 11 is being politicized by pro war advocates. How can supporting peace be against the public interest?
Thank-you,
Why were the swiftboat cowards not in N.O. helping with the rescues last week? Perhaps they should be publicly condemmed conidering they call themselves American heroes.
Also next week, actually tomorrow, we should be letting Senator Specter know that yes we think that asking John Roberts asbout stare decisis is a good start, but why is he telling us that he thinks that asking Roberts specifically whether Roberts will oppose overturning Roe v Wade is a question that is off limits? Why give Roberts this wiggle room? That is not a question about future appeal and rulings that reaches the potential Chief Justice but about upholding the right to privacy which my genration spent their lives protecting. Will he be allowed to use legal theories like state's rights to say that state's rights in 2006 now overide Privacy Rights determined in the 1970s. Now that Roberts has been appointed to be Chief Justice why are we not entitled to a clear and precise answer to that question. Both the left and right are waiting for that answer Mr. Roberts.
And why is Senator Specter a "supposed" champion of choice now refusing to take a stand on that vital issue, central to the lives of millions of young women in this country. And why Sen Specter did you take millions from NARL and after almost losing a very close elction after your support of right wing justice Thomas and besmirching Anita Hill, did you lie to Pa voters and tell them that that you would take a principled position on Roe v Wade which today you apparently are once again renigging on.
Also Newsweek now has Bush at a 38% approval rating this week. Anyone know the exact dumbers of Richard Nixon at the end of Watergate? I think its a pretty good comparison.
Posted by: oncall at September 11, 2005 10:39 AM
Oncall,
Do you have a link to that article? Great response as well. Perhaps other members of your group can write letters as well, or you could post your letter with an email link in the Illinois section of D.U. and ask others to call/write as well.
Also Newsweek now has Bush at a 38% approval rating this week. Anyone know the exact numbers of Richard Nixon at the end of Watergate? I think its a pretty good comparison that we should be make making. Richard Nixon/ George Bush two peas in a pod. What a slap at Richard Nixon. While Nixon was as dishonest and as dispicable a President as we have ever had, at least Nixon was compitent.
And shouldn't we know if Prescilla Owens, Edith Jones, Rogers, Luttig or other right wing extremists jurists will be nominated for the O'Connor vacanacy which could potentially change the balance of the highest court, Before Senators begin voting to confirm Roberts for Chief Justice. That aint going to happen, I am just raising that issue.
Althought this is not high on the list of priorities in the grand scheme of things, it's another example of the "you're either with us or against us" mentality, not to mention more Rovian tactics...
Lawyer Is Fired After Talking About Rove
AUSTIN, Texas - A lawyer with the Texas secretary of state was fired after she spoke to a reporter about presidential adviser Karl Rove's eligibility to vote in the state.
Elizabeth Reyes, 30, said she was dismissed last week for violating the agency's media policy after she was quoted in a Sept. 3 story by The Washington Post about tax deductions on Rove's homes in Washington and Texas.
--snip--
While Reyes said she didn't know she was talking to a reporter, she said the press policy doesn't bar her from speaking with the media.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050910/ap_on_re_us/rove_voting_eligibility
Posted by: Ira at September 11, 2005 10:59 AM
Did you see the story I posted last night that claimed that Gonzales was still in the running for a court seat?
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/09/scotus.gonzales.ap/index.html
Haven't checked today's news to see if there's an update...
The Show Must Go On!
Was awakened by thunder rolling inthe distance and shaking th window sills...but the storm appears to be breaking.
Off to provide relief!
Will try to send pictures!
Peace.
Here is another thoughtful, beautifully written piece on America and what it offers...
a reminder of who we are...
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/9/11/6215/76561
Is anybody here who can join me in the IRC for a moment?
Ira,
For you:
http://politicswithrichard.blogspot.com/2005/08/approval-ratings-going-down.html
I worry that a steady diet of dark, reactive emotion has left this country so powerfully in its thrall that we've collectively lost our sense of balance, and ability to think our way to resolution in a war of ideas. And make no mistake, that is what we will eventually have do - think our way to resolution.
Posted by Matthew Carnicelli at September 11, 2005 08:46 AM
Matthew, thank you for remembering those today in your article who were our first mass victims.
I have also been wondering why we as a nation are so reactive, and thinking, as you say, that we have been led by our emotions way too much since 9-11.
There have been so many emotions - grief, anger, frustration, bewilderment, fear....and the list goes on and on.
I wonder if that's how they keep us controlled. We are constantly being hit with all kinds of attrocities that produce suffering and anguish for millions. Between the grief and anger we have grown stronger, but we need to get to the point that we are much stronger. Proactive action is the only salvation we have.
Thanks for another thoughtful and reflective article.
Every day is a bitter day under this regime.
Only Pat Buchanan was left to support Nixon in 1973, don't think even he now supports Bush's policies in Iraq. Bush less popular than Richard M. Nixon. Never thought I would live to ever see that day.
"Bush: Less Popular Than Nixon During Watergate
Via Atrios, an American Research Group poll released today shows that George Bush has dropped to staggering new lows:
George W. Bush’s overall job approval ratings have dropped from a month ago even as Americans who approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president are turning more optimistic about their personal financial situations according to the latest survey from the American Research Group. Among all Americans, 36% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 58% disapprove. When it comes to Bush’s handling of the economy, 33% approve and 62% disapprove.
Among Americans registered to vote, 38% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 56% disapprove, and 36% approve of the way Bush is handling the economy and 60% disapprove.
For a little perspective, recall that Richard Nixon’s approval rating in the summer of 1973 (when the Watergate scandal was in full swing) was 39%.
Compared to Bush, that’s downright sunny."
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 11:28 AM
Truth,
I actually think we've been led by emotions and hate since Vietnam and before!
Look at what they did to Clinton--it wasn't about America, nor Democracy, it was about outright revenge!
And the only difference 9-11 made was they discovered they could re-use FEAR, the same way they used fear during McCarthyism and the long ago days of the witch hunt.
People desiring great power have no moral code against using human emotions against the other side. Much as we say as a human race that we want peace, love, and properity for all; it's really more about the instictive hate, anger, and greed.
A record 28% approve of the general direction Bush has taken us. According to msgop.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9280375/site/newsweek/
When Clinton lied, nobody died. Same with Nixon.
How many more people have to die for this stooges incompetence?
Home of the brave, my ass.
I forgot to mention the survey there:
Do you approve of President Bush's handling of Katrina's aftermath? * 71958 responses
Yes
11%
No
87%
I don't know
2%
How Bush Blew It
Bureaucratic timidity. Bad phone lines. And a failure of imagination. Why the government was so slow to respond to catastrophe.
By Evan Thomas
Newsweek- Sept. 19, 2005 issue
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9287434
Newt's railing against the mayor of N.O. on This Week. The mayor stated clearly its inappropriate to keep showing photos of the 500 school buses under water when the bus drivers had mostly all left N.O. by the time of the evacuation; Newt attacks the miserable N.O. school system which I posted last week, but refuses to recognize it is a product of the Republican envisioned undefunded tax system in Louisiana which he goes across the country supporting. George Will makes a snide remark about out of wedlock births. People expect a Homeland Security Dept that is functional, Farid says. Newt also talks about more privitaization needed by Bush in the next 3 years which is interesting b/c that is exactly what got FEMA in trouble in the first place. Farid Zacaria said its not an issue of big govt vs privatization; its time for 'Effective' Govt. and I would ad its also time for the return of Compitent Govt to return to D.C.(sounds like Michael Dukakas).
So here is another article on MSGOP about Bush and now Rove's failures--and even a "semi-weakened" Bush. BUT at the end of the article, it has to take it to "Dem bashing". I think it's still a sign of the MSGOP still trying to direct peoples' thoughts on how to think of the Demorcratic party.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9287435/
Posted by: Ira at September 11, 2005 11:51 AM
In general, I can understand how privatization can be effective, as long as there are qualifiers, accountability, measurable goals, & penalties in place for not meeting those goals.
The problem with privatization under this regime is that it means putting more money in their cronies' pockets with no accountability or even serious consideration of competitor's bids. And then there are all the cover-ups when bad things happen...
You know, it's one thing when we private citizens live in our own little bubble because we have relatively little impact on the world. It's another thing when our government leaders live in a bubble...
But look at this article--Reconstruction NOLA=Reconstruction Iraq. I think it adds into madame's comment at 11:58am.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/2873
defarge: we saw privatization by default when 10s of thousands of volunteers came to the Dome b/c FEMA was so slow and incompitent. That is why I posted my urgency of the motto of Let's return Effective and Compitent Govt back to Washington, maybe a phrase the DNC should consider.
Certainly you would agree there are things like the military,police, roads, bridges, education, social security and yes even healthcare that are more cost effective by govt then by business.
they have tried privatizing prisons and guards here in Texas that has turned out to be been an exersize in waste, inefficieny and futility as well as the debacle with school vouchers. There are probably lower level bureaucratic functions of govt like call centers, data processing and administrative functions that might be more effeiciently privatizied, but defarge I just don't see how those larger functions of govt we all depend on like FEMA and National Security should ever be touched by the hands of privatization. Except for the massive volunteering and charitable good will of Americans in response to FEMA's mass failures, I think that Katrina should be the poster child of Bush's failed efforts to privatize all of America.
defarge getting back to your comment about croanism with privatization the best example would be KBR's privatized food delivery to our troops in Iraq and the corruption that brought. The same for the school voucher program and the corruption with privatizing prisons that we saw here in Texas.
Posted by: sparrow at September 11, 2005 10:45 AM
Here is the link:
http://www.dailyherald.com/community/zonestory.asp?zone=wht&id=92241
I'm stealing Cali-dems thunder. Look at her post on her blog.
http://niteswimming.blogspot.com/2005/09/seizing-opportunity-for-change.html
Posted by: oncall at September 11, 2005 12:24 PM
Thank you Oncall,
I googled it but I couln't find that article.
So here's something I was thinking about this morning...why is it that Katrina has exposed a complete vacuum of leadership among politicians of all stripes, at all levels?
I have heard a lot of griping but that is not leadership.
Someone should have stepped forward and stated that out of this grisly disaster, there were opportunities for hope. Someone should have welcomed displaced citizens into their home, and then encouraged other Americans across the country to do the same. Someone should have authorized (or lobbied for) public-private partnerships that would have provided displaced citizens with temporary housing in desirable communities across the nation. Someone should have said that this was an opportunity for all Americans to reach out and open their homes and hearts and pocketbooks to welcome in their brothers and sisters from New Orleans and Gulfport and Biloxi. Someone should have said that we had an opportunity rarely presented in our nation, for people trapped in a seemingly endless cycle of poverty, crime, drugs, and hopelessness to be welcomed into the open arms of the American dream, if only for a year until they insist on returning and rebuilding.
Someone should have taken the opportunity to quickly establish a visible chain of command from the local level to the federal level that ensured every city had a disaster plan and every plan accounted for the poor. Someone should have quickly stated that every city would be required to submit a revised disaster plan once a year and to test their plan once a year tabletop, once every three years full-scale. Someone should have reached out to ASPCA, PETA, etc to develop plans for pet shelters and pet evacuations in emergencies. Someone should have reached out to car manufacturers and created public-private partnerships to ensure every person needing a ride out of a city could get one...even if it was in a brand-new car (the cars would be damaged and written off as losses anyway). Someone should have reached out to grocery stores to make plans for disasters that involved free access to their abandoned goods (again would have been written off as a loss) for those in need.
Someone should have made noise about price gouging for oil products, no-bid contracts to government insiders, the bankruptcy laws, and the trumping of wage-labor laws. Someone should have allowed the media full access...and placed the onus firmly upon them to fairly and accurately report what they saw, and to give the deceased all due respect.
Someone should have, above all, sworn that never again would a country who proclaims to welcome the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to be free - never again would this country abandon those very people...the poor, the elderly, the disabled, the jobless...that have been our ancestors, that have made us why we are great today.
Where is this person? Where are not only our President and Vice-President, but where are our Senators, our Representatives, our Governors, our Mayors? Where is the man or woman who can truly lead and not just complain? I have seen more leadership in the past two weeks from rock stars and sports figures than from politicians of any party.
Where are the leaders of our country?
Veritas,
Why do you think they waited 3-4 days to send in help?
Woops Defarge just saw your post
For anyone interested, the Dalai Lama is being interviewed on Larry King tonight 8:00 p.m. Central time.
Oh Veritas... you are so right... where was that leader?
Could it be that we've gotten so used to a life of comfort and sameness day in and day out that we no longer think in terms of the random dance of events that injure and terminate life as we know it? And therefore we no longer think in terms of managing our lives, our communities and our nation in terms of guarding against those events but instead direct them to protect our comfort which is an altogether different standard.
And the people who we elect as leaders, by and large, fall short of that other standard because they are focused on comfort and preserving sameness and privelege.
Posted by: Ira at September 11, 2005 12:17 PM
Ira, please understand that I don't think everything should be privatized. I don't have the expertise to even suggest what should be privatized & what shouldn't. Clearly, there are government agencies that need to operate under an effective system. And clearly, the government does rely on private organizations & corporations to do some of their work. Again, maybe there needs to be stiff penalties in place to ward against the corruption (along with ways to actually persecute the offenders) and likewise, bonuses in place to reward the successes.
I can see areas where privatization might be a benefit -- and especially in infrastructure projects for roads & bridges, and in fact, I'm sure this is being done. Private schools already exist, obviously, and it's a choice people can make if they can pay the price.
Healthcare is a very very hard problem to solve. Is it better to be able to provide socialized mediocre health care to everyone and provide extended & better private care to those who can afford to pay the price? I don't know...seems unfair and just another example of the class distinctions that exist and have existed forever.
Posted by: Veritas at September 11, 2005 12:28 PM
Excellent points Veritas.
The only specific politicians acts that I've heard of is Al Gore flying people out of there and JK flying food and supplies in (as soon as he discovered about the hurricane.)
BUT the story is how every state is contributing something, most citizens have donated, people around the world have sent money, supplies, offers of help, etc...and while the after organization leaves much to be desired, the overall effectiveness of those in power to USE their authority has been absent.
Posted by: Veritas at September 11, 2005 12:28 PM
Upon returning to the U.S., John Kerry released the following statement today on Hurricane Katrina relief efforts:
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the citizens of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama as they struggle with the aftermath of this devastating storm, and to their loved ones and families viewing the disturbing photos coming out of the region. I also would like to commend the brave men and women who are leading the rescue operations; from emergency service officers to health care professionals to the power and water crews working around the clock to save lives.
“Hurricane Katrina devastated significant portions of the Gulf Coast and disrupted millions of lives. The situation in New Orleans is heartbreaking.
“We cannot and must not give up on the people left stranded and destitute by this storm. This is a national tragedy and it demands a national response. At home in Massachusetts, citizens and corporations are donating time, money and their expertise to help out and I know the same thing is happening in every state in the country.
“Now is the time for all of us to come together to help our fellow Americans rebuild the communities that have lost so much.
“Elected officials, emergency personnel and incredible volunteers are working round the clock. These emergency workers are heroes.
“While Americans are united and determined to help the people who are suffering, there is no question that we share a collective anguish and frustration over the inadequate response of the federal government over these past several days. Federal officials must act swiftly in coming hours and days to direct more aid to the region as rapidly as possible.
“Last night the Senate allocated $10.5 billion to help fund immediate relief efforts. Although that is a welcome first step, I plan to work in coming days to find more ways that we can help joining with my colleagues in the Senate to support those who have lost so much and those working so hard to help them.
“I am also directing my team at johnkerry.com and my leadership committee Keeping America’s Promise to help. This week we have sent out fundraising appeals for the Red Cross and teamed up to help victims find housing at www.hurricanehousing.org. The response has been incredibly heartening. We will be doing more in coming days as we learn more about the best to provide assistance.
“I just returned from spending the week in Iraq, seeing firsthand the bravery of our troops as they face chaos and destruction. Our country has a huge heart and an incredibly strong spirit. We came together to support of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families, now we will come together to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. We will endure and we will survive but we can’t stop working until we get help to all those left suffering. For more information on how to help, visit FEMA’s website at http://www.fema.gov/ or visit the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org. Thank you for your support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.”
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=414
Oncall--back to your subject of the anti-Cindy protestors saying they shouldn't use that park for "political speech" because their tax dollars go to it and they disagree with what she's saying.
I would just counter with the following argument: if YOUR tax dollars can only be used for causes YOU support then by the same token MY tax dollars should only go to the causes I support! Therefore--I will use MY tax dollars to support a preserve for PEACE and even whatever causes I support--such as healthcare, education, and jobs...and let THEM use their tax dollars to payoff the war in Iraq. My tax dollars should not go towards a war I don't support--though I emotionally support our troops who are there fighting this illegal war and I want to bring them home safely!
Like Cindy, I don't want one more family to receive a messanger at the door and a flag drapped coffin.
Posted by: Veritas at September 11, 2005 12:28 PM
Veritas, see the following link regarding actions that democratic congresspeople have proposed. I think it will answer most of your questions:
http://dnc.org/a/2005/09/senate_democrat_13.php
Why do you think they waited 3-4 days to send in help?
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 12:40 PM
*********
Analysis paralysis, people afraid to make decisions. On all sides.
Posted by: sparrow at September 11, 2005 01:02 PM
Sparrow,
Thank-you for your excellent points. I may write another e-mail to the journalist or the editorial department including those points.
Veritas,
One of the saddest things I'm hearing is that surrounding neighborhoods REFUSED to let the (poor) black folks walk to safety and instead forced them to starve.
Racism sucks!
And stealing Cali-dem's thunder once again...here's what she posted on that subject...
"This is what I consider leadership!"
http://niteswimming.blogspot.com/2005/09/this-is-what-i-consider-leadership.html
"So here's something I was thinking about this morning...why is it that Katrina has exposed a complete vacuum of leadership among politicians of all stripes, at all levels?
I have heard a lot of griping but that is not leadership."
Posted by: Veritas at September 11, 2005 12:28 PM
The vacuum is not surprising. The issues defining this one simply scare the hell out of every politician in the country.
The reason that vacuum has happened is simple. Fear of true emotion.
We have always been taught that our politics is above passion, that we get elections stolen so what we move on and try to deal. We come together and sell our collective soul to the devil of political correctness.
We forget to scream. They forget to hear us.
Maybe some of them CAN ACTUALLY empathize with the stricken. But even if they do God help them for saying so.
For a moment picture Martin Luther King, now imagine him with no passion. No SELF RIGHTIOUSNESS.
Not only did he tell the truth but he did so in a way they COULD NOT FIGHT.
To 'them' he HAD to die because they could not hide the fact his words of truth, longing, and hope.. COMPLETELY neutered them.
One of the more interesting character traits all great generals in history shared is the ability to tell his men they would die at his command that day, and make them believe it was poetry.
Political correctness is an empty phrase that MEANS nothing. Hunger ALWAYS burns.
The democrats did EVERYONE a great disservice by buying into the lie that somehow the passion of simple truths did not belong in the halls of power.
When most people speak of our founding fathers they almost always speak of men of great dignity. I agree, they WERE very PROUD men, most WANTED to do the right thing, BUT dignified...???
In our first congressional activities most Americans simply forget how very undignified it was. Did you know for example they BANNED walking sticks in Congress because the men at the hieght of thier passion would use them to bash one another. I suppose they say dignified because it is comfortable, and does not remind us that WIDE OPEN ROBUST DEBATE was how we got here in the first place. Wide open robust debate IS freedom.
If you think George Washington was DIGNIFIED imagine that moment, as a general, watching his army fall apart.. Imagine that moment he ordered thier DECIMATION...
Decimation...Line Up. Count Off Down To Ten. All Tens Step Out. Threes Are ORDERED to Shoot The Tens. Could he have done that with no feeling??
When he watched them freeze to death with nothing but thier shoes to eat and horrifically outnumbered by the bloody Red Coats, do you think he EVER for a moment considered approaching it WITHOUT frantic emotion.??
It did not make him weak to be a passionate man. In fact, it made him immortal. He WAS one HELL of a man. Even his enemies, Jefferson, were great men full of deep wells of forethought and reflection.
The way our 'proffessional politicians' speak to us is a disgrace. They pretend using gentle words for acts such as genocide, murder, TREASON will make us all calm down and indeed just get over it.
The time for getting OVER IT is done.The time for polite discussion is OVER.
The women and children left to eat thier boots in the convention center and Super Dome were NOT soldiers fighting for our freedom. They were AMERICANS left to starve to death in the face of a society that wanted to believe true hunger does not hurt like hell. That words like 'abandonment' do not apply.
When a leader does come forward with the TRUE fire of PASSION in thier voice, it will be he that we will follow.
But so far, they are all still trying to be OH so politically correct. And it is up to us to bring forth our own who are NOT afraid to say the things that need to be said. Tell them to get mad, and stay that way.
And buy a walking stick, maybe two.
Here's a very interesting opinion from Craig Crawford in the Congressional Quarterly. It's particularly impressive because he seems to be part of the mainstream media...
(Full article posted with my usual excuse that it's too good to snip...)
Craig Crawford‘s 1600: The Whiplash Effect
By Craig Crawford, CQ Columnist
Katrina has given President Bush and his party a case of political whiplash that could very well be their undoing. Anyone who has suffered whiplash from a car accident knows its delayed effects and the lingering pain that, in some cases, never goes away.
Who knew that a hurricane’s wrath could threaten the president and the Republicans with such a grinding pain in the neck? The trouble for the GOP is how Katrina exposed to the bone what many consider Bush’s true persona. We’ve seen it all in the two weeks since her mighty winds decimated the Gulf Coast: his patrician instincts, the seemingly disingenuous posturing and a stubborn refusal to fully take responsibility for what goes wrong.
The more frantically Bush now tries to compensate for early mistakes, the more serious those initial failings seem.
Bush could throw a trillion dollars into the Mississippi Basin, dispatch hundreds of spinners to shift the blame — even fly to the region every other day until he is out of office — but to many Americans none of that would undo their first impressions of his above-it-all response to Katrina. Not because they think he’s personally responsible for the hurricane’s disastrous aftermath. Only his most partisan foes take that stand.
The president’s handling of this disaster reveals a part of his nature that explains so much more than the arguably preventable extent of Katrina’s unprecedented wreckage. It explains such things as his refusal to back down on Social Security revisions that even his own party leaders don’t want anymore. It explains how the “compassionate conservative” proclamation of his first presidential campaign translated into little of significance, especially for the urban poor. And it explains why he hasn’t gone to one funeral for an American soldier killed in Iraq.
In short, rising numbers of Americans perceive Bush as someone who thinks he’s always right, who believes his critics are know-nothing wimps, and who considers the little people as mere tools for the rich and powerful to do what he considers right for America.
Of course, plenty of people see him much differently and quite positively. But even if this harsh view of him is completely wrong, Republicans cannot afford to let it expand to include the party as a whole. Perhaps that is why none of the 2008 Republican presidential contenders stepped forward to defend Bush or his administration in the early days of Katrina’s aftermath.
Watching the president in his most unguarded moments of hurricane damage control, you had to wonder if he really gets it — if he really cares about average people unless their suffering threatens his political power. His priorities became suspect almost as soon as he landed for his first on-the-ground inspection tour after the hurricane.
Hoping to show empathy for the victims, Bush chose Sen. Trent Lott, the Mississippi Republican whose home was washed away, to be his prime example for demonstrating how he would fix things. “Out of the rubble of Trent Lott’s house — this guy lost his entire house — there’s going to be a fantastic house and I’m looking forward to sitting on the porch.”
Privileged Characters
There is no way that anyone with a brain in Bush’s inner circle would have scripted those remarks, at least not at this critical opening juncture of the president’s first ground tour. That is why it was so revealing. Bush’s world view seems mostly about the life experiences of his rich and powerful friends. He did not have a clue that in this widespread human tragedy, most Americans do not give a damn whether Lott gets his porch back or not.
A few days later the president’s mother demonstrated quite clearly where his patrician instincts come from. Former first lady Barbara Bush said the Houston shelters she toured were “working very well” because the evacuees “were underprivileged anyway.”
Bush sympathizers and Republican loyalists might deride claims that his arrogant ways threaten them politically, but they would do so at their peril. Enough Americans — it wouldn’t take that many — could soon decide that the Republican Party is so out of touch with the masses that it no longer deserves to control every branch of government. Katrina already threatens key parts of the agenda that Republicans hoped to take to the polls in the midterm election. They scrapped plans to vote on more tax cuts. And the staggering price tag for rebuilding the Gulf Coast will certainly galvanize those who are demanding to draw down or pull out U.S. troops in Iraq.
What Katrina unleashed in our politics could well move voters in November 2006 to conclude that the president’s party cannot be trusted to look out for average people, or at least not for those who are “underprivileged anyway.”
Such is the nature of political whiplash. You don’t always feel it right after the initial injury. The pain often comes much later.
Contributing Editor Craig Crawford is a news analyst for MSNBC, CNBC and “The Early Show” on CBS. He can be reached at ccrawford@cq.com.
http://www.cq.com/public/crawford_current.html
Posted by: oncall at September 11, 2005 01:05 PM
But Oncall,
I just need to add...
IF my tax dollars only support the causes I believe in, that means I want my tax dollars to support those who agree with me; like why should I provide healthcare to those who won't put their money towards it too? And same with education; why should I pay to educated EVERYONE'S child while those who disagree with me won't pay their fair share but will reap the benefits.
Maybe we just need to segregate things by states: everyone who believes in War, healthcare and education--go live here, everyone who believes in Peace, education but no healthcare, and go live there--and so on and so forth.
Ok...so we're not the UNITED STATES of AMERICA any more but then at least we know our tax dollars are supporting the causes we want them to support.
hmmm...gee..is it sounding like Segregation?Apartheid? resurrection of Jim Crow Laws? Maybe even the same laws that had Jewish people wearing star of davids on their clothes and putting stars on their businesses? Sound like the Civil War again? Remember--Some states allowed slavery and/or segregation, some didn't and some were sort of in the middle on it.
Somehow, the United gets lost in all the wrangling over where MY tax dollars go and where my doesn't.
Isn't that why our founders decided that in order to form a more perfect union, they would allow free thought, free speech, free will to asemble, free rights to whatever religion you wanted?
They understood in order to remain UNITED we had to allow everyone to have their opinions and we had to agree to a "community pot" of funds and protection.
This is exactly what we're in danger of losing when we have crazy talk like that article implied. (and what my response was not explicitly saying but it is what I now am saying explicitly.)
Posted by: oncall at September 11, 2005 01:00 PM
Here Here!
"Where is this person? Where are not only our President and Vice-President, but where are our Senators, our Representatives, our Governors, our Mayors? Where is the man or woman who can truly lead and not just complain? I have seen more leadership in the past two weeks from rock stars and sports figures than from politicians of any party.
Where are the leaders of our country?"
~~Posted by: Veritas at September 11, 2005 12:28 PM
Veritas, below you'll find less than one week's worth of posts about what Democrat leaders are doing and saying from just ONE blog. I'm sure if you do a google search, you'll find much more.
Hope lives. :-)
Kerry Challenges GOP Where it Lives
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=499
Kerry Bashes Bush at Corzine Rally
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=498
John Kerry Stumps for Corzine in NJ
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=496
John Kerry to Deliver Supplies to New Orleans Area
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=493
John Edwards New America Initiative
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=490
John Kerry Offers Major Package of Legislation to Help Small Businesses, Others Devastated by Hurricane Katrina
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=484
Democratic Leaders to Boycott Republican Led Katrina Committee
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=471
After Katrina Fiasco, Time for Bush to Go
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=469
Democrats Step Up Criticism of White House Response
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=467
Senator Kennedy on Katrina, Poverty, and the Government Response
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=466
Howard Dean: Race Played Role in Katrina Death Toll
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=462
John Kerry: Tax Cuts for the Wealthy? Don’t You Dare!
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=460
Cindy Sheehan’s Protests, Strikingly Reminiscent of John Kerry’s
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=459
Katrina Communications Breakdown to be Among Congress’ Priorities
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=457
ps. Hi Matt! Came over for my usual Sunday read!
Posted by: madame defarge at September 11, 2005 01:51 PM
Excellent article Madame.
That's exactly what I meant in my post at 11:54 AM.
Your article stated in its thesis that the discussion was about BUSH and his party and it ENDED at Bush and his party.
It that author choses to be "equal" to the Democrats and their representative, they can write an article about them separately.
BUT in the MSGOP article, they totally did the bait and switch. (Talk about Bush's shortcomings (bait) but switch to their perceived Dem's shortcomings.(switch))
WOW!!!
Check this out!!!!
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/2877
Oncall,
Here's your letter:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/2875
Here's a must read from Newsweek...
How Bush Blew It
Bureaucratic timidity. Bad phone lines. And a failure of imagination. Why the government was so slow to respond to catastrophe.
By Evan Thomas, Newsweek
Read the article here...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9287434/site/newsweek/
--------------
Here's the beginning of an excellent analysis of the article by kos poster ThomasC
Newsweek published its hurricane post-mortem this morning. It is as scathing an indictment of a president as I've ever seen.
The article begins on a note of a disdain for bush's carefully cultivated image: It's a standing joke among the president's top aides: who gets to deliver the bad news? Warm and hearty in public, Bush can be cold and snappish in private, and aides sometimes cringe before the displeasure of the president of the United States, or, as he is known in West Wing jargon, POTUS.
The bad news? Mr. President, you've got to cut short your five week vacation by two lousy days. WH aides then begin the delicate task of piercing bush's bubble of obliviosness with unpleasant realities in New Orleans. Bush was, according to the article, totally ignorant about the devastation wrought by the storm. "How this could be-how the president of the United States could have even less "situational awareness," as they say in the military, than the average American about the worst natural disaster in a century-is one of the more perplexing and troubling chapters in a story that, despite moments of heroism and acts of great generosity, ranks as a national disgrace."
The paragraph I just quoted regarding bush's obliviousness is the fourth paragraph of the Newsweek article. Believe it or not, it's downhill for bushie from there.
read more:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/9/11/101312/486:
The New Yorker has Bush support crumbling in 2 polls.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/09/11/polls-show-support-for-bu_n_7175.html
Oncall,
Here's your letter:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/2875
Posted by: sparrow at September 11, 2005 02:16 PM
As soon as "they" find out who I am, I am sure to be on every no fly list in this country.
Posted by: oncall at September 11, 2005 02:49 PM
Not to worry. "They" couldn't find their butt from a hole in the ground. And besides, you obviously don't fit the profile of those who are on the no-fly list; you're clearly older than 1 yr. and you're evidently not a sweet old grandma...
Posted by: Christy at September 11, 2005 01:46 PM
amen sister
...The slow, disorganized federal response to hurricane Katrina has tarnished not only the President but also the nation's view of the Republican party. The AP-Ipsos poll finds that 65 percent think the country is on the wrong track. And according to Newsweek, only 38 percent of registered voters now say they would vote for a Republican if the Congressional elections were held today. 50 percent of registered voters say they would vote for a Democrat.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/09/11/polls-show-support-for-bu_n_7175.html
I am sorry, but 50% support for Democrats is a poor showing for an opposition party when the party in power has failed in every conceivable way. 50% support is very poor when we know that the elections are rigged in favor of the Republicans. Those numbers not only reflect dissatisfaction with Republicans, but also dissatisfaction with politicians in general. That number in no way should be considered a strong endorsement of the Democrats. Conversely it should be viewed as a warning for Democrats.
We can sit here and argue about the irrelevence of political parties, but they are a reality that can't be ingnored. Given the fact that the Democrats are doing so poorly, in my opinion, I wonder when the Democrats will demonstrate the leadership necessary to enhance their public opinion. Sure some idividual Democrats have demonstrated acts of bravery and charity. Yet, the Democratic Party is viewed as bereft of viable alternatives with realistic solutions to our current situation. I humbly suggest that the Democrats call a spade a spade and tell Americans that just as we faced adversity during the depression and World War II, we all have to sacrifice in order to make this a better country for all Americans. It is our patriotic duty.
I think Veritas should become a national leader...
Here's a great article by Bill Moyers:
9/11 and the Sport of God
By Bill Moyers
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0909-36.htm
Here's a paragrah from near the end:
"As I look back on the conflicts and clamor of our boisterous past, one lesson about democracy stands above all others: Bullies - political bullies, economic bullies and religious bullies - cannot be appeased; they have to be opposed with a stubbornness to match their own. This is never easy; these guys don't fight fair; "Robert's Rules of Order" is not one of their holy texts. But freedom on any front - and especially freedom of conscience - never comes to those who rock and wait, hoping someone else will do the heavy lifting. Christian realism requires us to see the world as it is, without illusions, and then take it on. Christian realism also requires love. But not a sentimental, dreamy love. Reinhold Niebuhr, who taught at Union Theological Seminary and wrestled constantly with applying Christian ethics to political life, put it this way: "When we talk about love we have to become mature or we will become sentimental. Basically love means...being responsible, responsibility to our family, toward our civilization, and now by the pressures of history, toward the universe of humankind."
Let's make them live up to their words.
Article published Sep 11, 2005
NBC's Williams: Journalists' Gloves Off
By DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer
NBC's Brian Williams says the lasting legacy of Hurricane Katrina for journalists may be the end of an unusual four-year period of deference to people in power.
There were so many angry, even incredulous, questions put to Bush administration officials about the response to Katrina that the Salon Web site compiled a "Reporters Gone Wild" video clip. Tim Russert, Anderson Cooper, Ted Koppel and Shepard Smith were among the stars.
The mute button seemingly in place since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has been turned off.
"By dint of the fact that our country was hit we've offered a preponderance of the benefit of the doubt over the past couple of years," the "Nightly News" anchorman said. "Perhaps we've taken something off our fastball and perhaps this is the story that brings a healthy amount of cynicism back to a news media known for it."
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20050911&Category=APE&ArtNo=509110703&SectionCat=&Template=print
Posted by: oncall at September 11, 2005 03:13 PM
Well, everyone going to DC has the chance to speak to every Democrat and Republican.
Tell them personally what you think!
I intend to!
Posted by: Beth at September 11, 2005 03:25 PM
Beth, that was a wonderful article by Moyers, ran across it yesterday and it made my day. :-)
NOnononononononoNONONONONONONO
We had to kill our patients
by C AROLINE GRAHAM and JO KNOWSLEY, Mail on Sunday
09:01am 11th September 2005
New Orleans: Doctors forced to 'play God'
Doctors working in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans killed critically ill patients rather than leaving them to die in agony as they evacuated hospitals, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
With gangs of rapists and looters rampaging through wards in the flooded city, senior doctors took the harrowing decision to give massive overdoses of morphine to those they believed could not make it out alive.
In an extraordinary interview with The Mail on Sunday, one New Orleans doctor told how she 'prayed for God to have mercy on her soul' after she ignored every tenet of medical ethics and ended the lives of patients she had earlier fought to save.
Look here too...
Skip gossip links to more articles
News: Click here for free newsflashes
More: The rest of today's top headlines
News: Stories from around the world
Her heart-rending account has been corroborated by a hospital orderly and by local government officials. One emergency official, William 'Forest' McQueen, said: "Those who had no chance of making it were given a lot of morphine and lain down in a dark place to die."
Euthanasia is illegal in Louisiana, and The Mail on Sunday is protecting the identities of the medical staff concerned to prevent them being made scapegoats for the events of last week.
Their families believe their confessions are an indictment of the appalling failure of American authorities to help those in desperate need after Hurricane Katrina flooded the city, claiming thousands of lives and making 500,000 homeless.
'These people were going to die anyway'
The doctor said: "I didn't know if I was doing the right thing. But I did not have time. I had to make snap decisions, under the most appalling circumstances, and I did what I thought was right.
"I injected morphine into those patients who were dying and in agony. If the first dose was not enough, I gave a double dose. And at night I prayed to God to have mercy on my soul."
The doctor, who finally fled her hospital late last week in fear of being murdered by the armed looters, said: "This was not murder, this was compassion. They would have been dead within hours, if not days. We did not put people down. What we did was give comfort to the end.
"I had cancer patients who were in agony. In some cases the drugs may have speeded up the death process.
"We divided patients into three categories: those who were traumatised but medically fit enough to survive, those who needed urgent care, and the dying.
"People would find it impossible to understand the situation. I had to make life-or-death decisions in a split second.
"It came down to giving people the basic human right to die with dignity.
"There were patients with Do Not Resuscitate signs. Under normal circumstances, some could have lasted several days. But when the power went out, we had nothing.
"Some of the very sick became distressed. We tried to make them as comfortable as possible.
"The pharmacy was under lockdown because gangs of armed looters were roaming around looking for their fix. You have to understand these people were going to die anyway."
Mr McQueen, a utility manager for the town of Abita Springs, half an hour north of New Orleans, told relatives that patients had been 'put down', saying: "They injected them, but nurses stayed with them until they died."
Mr McQueen has been working closely with emergency teams and added: "They had to make unbearable decisions."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=361980
Posted by: Christy at September 11, 2005 04:21 PM
And yet, when Terri Shciavo's family begged for help the Republican majority shut down government and pResident Bush hopped onboard airforce one, signed the one-person law into effect and "God help HIS SOUL" he decided he needed "to err on the side of the living". Now how is that for the b*llsh*t of the century!
I DARE neoCONS to say they are the culture of the living now! I just DARE them!
Posted by: Christy at September 11, 2005 04:21 PM
Christy,
A friend e-mailed me that story earlier today. I wondered if Bush and the Congress had known about this would a special midnight Congressional session been called and would Bush have flown back any earlier from his vacation?
I do not even have words for how I feel anymore.
On topic:
September 11, 2005
Breakdowns Marked Path From Hurricane to Anarchy
The official autopsies of the flawed response to the catastrophic storm have already begun in Washington, and may offer lessons for dealing with a terrorist attack or even another hurricane this season. But an initial examination of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath demonstrates the extent to which the federal government failed to fulfill the pledge it made after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to face domestic threats as a unified, seamless force.
Instead, the crisis in New Orleans deepened because of a virtual standoff between hesitant federal officials and besieged authorities in Louisiana, interviews with dozens of officials show.
Federal Emergency Management Agency officials expected the state and city to direct their own efforts and ask for help as needed. Leaders in Louisiana and New Orleans, though, were so overwhelmed by the scale of the storm that they were not only unable to manage the crisis, but they were not always exactly sure what they needed. While local officials assumed that Washington would provide rapid and considerable aid, federal officials, weighing legalities and logistics, proceeded at a deliberate pace.
SNIP
Response to Sept. 11
An irony of the much-criticized federal hurricane response is that it is being overseen by a new cabinet department created because of perceived shortcomings in the response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. And it is governed by a new plan the Department of Homeland Security unveiled in January with considerable fanfare.
The National Response Plan set out a lofty goal in its preface: "The end result is vastly improved coordination among federal, state, local and tribal organizations to help save lives and protect America's communities by increasing the speed, effectiveness and efficiency of incident management."
The evidence of the initial response to Hurricane Katrina raised doubts about whether the plan had, in fact, improved coordination. Mr. Knocke, the homeland security spokesman, said the department realizes it must learn from its mistakes, and the department's inspector general has been given $15 million in the emergency supplemental appropriated by Congress to study the flawed rescue and recovery operation.
"There is going to be enough blame to go around at all levels," he said. "We are going to be our toughest critics."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/11/national/nationalspecial/11response.html?ei=5094&en=cd7ee70e1622076b&hp=&ex=1126411200&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
And yet, when Terri Shciavo's family begged for help the Republican majority shut down government and pResident Bush hopped onboard airforce one, signed the one-person law into effect and "God help HIS SOUL" he decided he needed "to err on the side of the living". Now how is that for the b*llsh*t of the century!
I DARE neoCONS to say they are the culture of the living now! I just DARE them!
Posted by: sparrow at September 11, 2005 04:26 PM
BINGO!!! Someone MUST come up with a new name for the "death" culture (Repubs) and the "life culture" (Dems).
ALL WE NEED is a few good men right now. To step up and step out like the newscasters are doing.
And K.J., I am proud of John Kerry, and John Edwards, and Howard Dean (he smoked this week), and Ted Kennedy. I know they will step up and step out. But if I didn't know better, I would think you were using this blog to promote the heck out of another one.
Actually several references to the material you linked to were mentioned and discussed here already, but thanks for dropping by.
It's always great to see you here.
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 01:58 PM
Hi KJ. Sorry that I missed you. I was watching the Jets stink up the joint.
Only Bush's FEMA could have played worse than the Jets did today.
Truth, I thought I might be accused of blogwhoring, but that wasn't my intent.
I come over here every Sunday to read Matt's posts, because he was and is still a friend of mine.
I noticed Veritas' post. Did what I could to cheer him/her up. The Democratic Daily is an upbeat blog that focuses on positive actions, so, a good one to recommend when someone is seems down about Democrat leaders.
You know Truth, no, you probably don't know, but my ego doesn't rule my actions.
Cyrano! Hey, are you going to DC? I'm working on going and would love to see you.
Probably, but I have to make plans. Depends what the situation is at Chez Bell.
"And K.J., I am proud of John Kerry, and John Edwards, and Howard Dean (he smoked this week), and Ted Kennedy. I know they will step up and step out. But if I didn't know better, I would think you were using this blog to promote the heck out of another one.
Actually several references to the material you linked to were mentioned and discussed here already, but thanks for dropping by.
It's always great to see you here."
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 05:01 PM
DCP members should feel free to drop by The Democratic Daily ANYTIME and Blog Whore.
Last I knew we were all on the same team and it's damn shame that people can't work together. I'm more than happy to link to other blogs on a regular basis. The first thing I did with The Democratic Daily was add the DCP to my Blogroll. I've yet to see a reciprocal link, nearly 2 months later.
The whole point of the liberal blogosphere is to build traffic and relationships for all. I get that some on DCP understand that, as a few from DCP Blog Whore on other Blogs as well.
Why the snarky comments need to be made when we should all be working together for the same goal is beyond me.
If you want to accuse anyone of Blog Whoring here, please accuse me when I post links to The Democratic Daily, it's my blog, not KJ's.
And Truth, The Democratic Daily isn't my blog. It belongs to "The First Blogger" Pamela Leavey.
Truth, check this out: http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=474
Cyrano, if we both get there, we'll hook up, that's a threat as well as a promise. @;-) LOL
P.S. TruthShallPrevail,
I just posted here the other day that I had linked to DCP. It wasn't the first and it won't be the last, because after 10 years of marketing my own business on the internet, I understand the power of promoting through links whether it is a business website or a blog.
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 05:20 PM
Of course. If we're going to protest, we should all do it together.
Cyrano, as always. :-)
This is my idea of a hero.
Friends in need
Another ordinary hero is Kirby Robinson, a resident of Houston, Texas.
In the days after the storm, Robinson was contacted by a childhood friend, Demond Lemon, who called to say he had been flooded out of his New Orleans home.
So Robinson took in Demond and his immediate family. Then Demond's mom and a friend of hers needed a place to stay. Then five children from Demond's neighborhood needed shelter. Then more friends and relatives called.
Before Robinson even had time to catch his breath, he found himself housing 27 people.
"I can't see nobody who could actually turn people away. If you have any space in your house, you should at least let 'em in," Robinson told CNN.
Robinson, who was late with the September rent payment for his own small apartment, doesn't have any room at his place. So he is housing everyone at his mom's ranch house, which sat empty since she left to work in Iraq as a contractor.
"She's not gonna know about this until she sees it on the news ... that all these people are in her house," Robinson said.
Food stamps pay for some food. Robinson is pitching in with whatever money he has left after supporting his three kids and his wife, Tiffany, who has decided to put off college this semester to help care for her unexpected guests.
more here:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/08/katrina.heroes/
Ironically...The Disaster Relief was cancelled due to RAIN!
We will be back bigger and better next week on Sunday with an all star Austin line-up and will be held at the Continental Club in Austin and Jo's Coffee house (just across the street) and every Sunday for at least a month.
The people in Austin have been GREAT!
BINGO!!! Someone MUST come up with a new name for the "death" culture (Repubs) and the "life culture" (Dems).
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 05:01 PM
New name: death squad, mass murders of the poor, and if you can't throw the poor in debtor's prison...
New name for progressives: Defenders of the little guy, defenders of earth, defenders of the universe.
KJ I am sorry. I misunderstood your intention. Please forgive me?
Very hard week with mom at death's door, and was grieving for the NOLA when I received an ugly email late last night from a "christian" person saying we shouldn't play the blame game with the Bush administration for the way the people were ignored and left to drown and die from lack of water and food, because it was "God's will" this happened. Not exaggerating either.
The email from the fundie aunt last night put me in a pissy mood, and I am sorry I took it out on you.
It's hard to watch people die all week then have someone tell you you are wrong for blaming the government when God wanted it to happen.
Mea Culpa!!!
Sorry everyone....Pamela too. DCP, you too.
TruthShallPrevail
We're all hurting right now, and need more than ever to work together. On a whole before I post something here that has been posted at The Democratic Daily, I check to see if it's something already posted or discussed here.
Honestly, I would love if folks from DCP would come to The Democratic Daily and let our readers know what you all are posting here. There's only so many hours in the day to get around to all the blogs.
There's enough strife in our country right now, with out adding to it, by namecalling amongst people whom I always thought were friends.
I'm sorry about your mother. Prayers to both of you.
Truth, without a doubt there are some here that prefer to think of my actions in the light of their own projections. That's okay, but I didn't except it from you, we've had civil interactions in the past.
I'm very sorry to hear about your mother. The loss of my mother at age 16 was a defining moment of my life. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Namaste
Group hug?
Oncall, LOL I think one is past due, so I'm in. @;-)
Folks, we were one family before, and we will be one family again.
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 05:01 PM
Do you hear yourself?
Stereotyping all Republicans as bad and all Dems as good...
Do you know how insane you saound TSP?
Some are bad, some are good, but HOW in hell can you define politics as being moral or immoral?
Be careful of how you generalize please.
I love your faith, Matthew Carnicelli.
Group hug?
Posted by: oncall at September 11, 2005 05:49 PM
OMG!!!
MY MOM warned me about people like that!!!
(just kidding Oncall)
Indy,
Aren't you the one who said if you have something to say, email me?
I don't sound any more insane than you have on more than many occassions.
I did not generalize.
I was speaking about the framing principles that Lakoff talked about in his book. Have you ever read it? He talks about framing as being the way Dems are portrayed and Republicans are portrayed.
I am going to forget your insanity comment and consider the source.
US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM...US and THEM
Quit your bitchin', deal with your own personal problems and prejudices and get to work figuring out how to HELP the situation. Learn how to have dialogue with people of differing political views and maybe...JUST MAYBE you might make a difference.
Sometimes the ignorance and bigotry on BOTH sides makes me sick!!!
You play into the Neocons plans when you segregate the rights of the few from the rights of all.
All Americans are equal (ideally)in status and stature upon the scales of law and in their natural rights.
Deal with it.
Posted by: Matthew Carnicelli at September 11, 2005 05:51 PM
Lyrics We Are Family Sister Sledge
CHORUS
We are family
I've got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing!
We are family
I've got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing!
Everyone can see we're together
as we walk on by.
And we fly just like birds of a feather
and we'll tell no lie.
All of the people around us they say
can they be that close.
Just let me state for the record
we're giving lovin a family dose
CHORUS
We are family
I've got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing!
We are family
I've got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing!
Living life is fun and we've just begun to get our share
of this world's delights
High hopes we had for the future
and our goals in sight
No we don't get depressed here's what we call our golden rules
have faith in you and the things you do
you won't got wrong oh no
this is our family view
CHORUS 2X
We are family
I've got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing!
We are family
I've got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing!
We are family
I've got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing!
We are family
I've got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing!
KJ, you know that our President is a uniter, not a divider.
Sooner or later, he always does something that forces us to realize that we're better working together than in our own camps.
Indy,
I have watched you rant, heard you when you are so frustrated with the state of this nation that you weren't making sense, and liked you through it all.
I would never, ever, accuse you of sounding insane privately, or publicly.
You have had your moments, too.
War
Bob Marley and the Wailers
Until the philosophy which hold one race
Superior and another inferior
Is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned
Everywhere is war, me say war
That until there are no longer first class
And second class citizens of any nation
Until the colour of a man's skin
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes
Me say war
That until the basic human rights are equally
Guaranteed to all, without regard to race
Dis a war
That until that day
The dream of lasting peace, world citizenship
Rule of international morality
Will remain in but a fleeting illusion
To be pursued, but never attained
Now everywhere is war, war
And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes
That hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique,
South Africa sub-human bondage
Have been toppled, utterly destroyed
Well, everywehre is war, me say war
War in the east, war in the west
War up north, war down south
War, war, rumours of war
And until that day, the African continent
Will not know peace, we Africans will fight
We find it necessary and we know we shall win
As we are confident in the victory
Of good over evil, good over evil, good over evil
Good over evil, good over evil, good over evil
Dark is the light,
The man you fight,
With all your prayers, incantations,
Running away, a trivial day,
Of judgment and deliverance,
To whom was sold, this bounty soul,
A gentile or a priest ?
Who victored over, the Seljuks,
When the holy land was taken
We will fight the heathens, We will fight the heathens
We will fight the heathens, We will fight the heathens
Was it the riches, of the land,
Powers of bright darkness,
That lead the noble, to the East,
To fight the heathens
We will fight the heathens, We will fight the heathens
We will fight the heathens, We will fight the heathens
We will fight the heathens, We will fight the heathens
We will fight the heathens, We will fight the heathens
We must call upon our bright darkness,
Beliefs, they're the bullets of the wicked,
One was written on the sword,
For you must enter a room to destroy it,
International security,
Call of the righteous man,
Needs a reason to kill man,
History teaches us so,
The reason he must attain,
Must be approved by his God,
His child, partisan brother of war,
Of war, we don't speak anymore,
Of war, we don't speak anymore,
Of war, we don't speak anymore,
Of war, we don't speak anymore,
We will fight the heathens, We will fight the heathens
We will fight the heathens, We will fight the heathens
We will fight the heathens, We will fight the heathens
We will fight the heathens, We will fight the heathens
I just want to add that my wife has left for the evening to provide medical care (she is a doctor as well) to evacuees who have arrived in the Chicago area. There are several doctors attending to the evacuees at the evacuation center in Elgin. The hospital at which we are both on staff is providing free medicine.
SADE LYRICS
"War Of The Heart"
I could aim
But I could not fire
Got a bullet to spare
To kill my desire
Who's calling the shots
One of us must make the Peace
To have or to have not
The fire has got to cease
I'm loaded
Don't know where to point this thing
It's a sin
How we hit where it hurts
Who's calling the shots
One of us must end this masquerade
To have or to have not
Let's heal the wounds that we've made
It'a a war of the heart (it's a war of the heart)
It's a war of the heart
Got a bullet to space, don't wanna send it your way
Who's calling the shots
One of us, must make the peace
To have or to have not
The fire has got to cease
It'a a war of the heart (it's a war of the heart)
It's a war of the heart
I'm loaded
Don't know where to point this thing
(it's a sin) It's a sin
How we hit where it hurts (where it hurts)
One of us
Gotta end this masquerade
Got to heal the wounds that we've made
I've got a bullet to spare
Don't want to send it your way
If you want to end it
If you want to end it just say
It'a a war of the heart (it's a war of the heart)
It's a war of the heart
(Got to end this masqurade)
I've got a bullet to spare
Don't want to send it your way
If you want to end it
If you want to end it just say
It'a a war of the heart
It's a war of the heart
It'a a war of the heart
I forgot to mention that I have a nearly equal responsibility. I am watching the kids.
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 06:03 PM
I'll say it again.
I am a centrist.
I believe in America.
Your statement, after being here for as long as you have seems quite INSANE!
There are more urgent needs in this country RIGHT NOW!!!
I am sick of all the whinning.
Anyone want to do something?
Get your butt on a plane and go help the people who have been devastated by the hurricane...see their destroyed or broken and flooded homes...look into their eyes and see the sorrow and pain and helplessness...hug someone who is a perfect stranger providing comfort to them because it is the first human contact they have had in a week...talk to someone who has lost their whole family and lives with the guilt that they have survived this horrendous disaster and then...THEN if you think all this partisan bickering is important than have at it, I have nothing to say to you again.
Otherwise I suggest you re-evaluate your opinions as to what is really important at this moment in time.
Indy just warned that we need to be careful of generalizations on the blog. I agree completely. There's another thing we need to be careful of on here, and that's posting links to articles that are only from one news source ( a slightly questionable one at that) and reporting them as true. The article about the doctors euthanizing their patients in New Orleans is a single article in the Daily Mail, and as far as I know, hasn't been verified by any other news source. We do NOT want to become the Matt Drudges of the liberal left, and this is a very serious accusation to make about doctors in a state in which euthanization is not legal. I know what the response to my saying this will be, that it's censorship and that I'm attacking another blogger with whom I've differed many times, but I still would like for this blog, at least, to maintain it's integrity. Until these accusations are proven, they are damaging to the reputations of a lot of doctors in New Orleans who did their best for their patients and obeyed the law to the best of their ability. Since I know I'm not gonna be attacked, I'll just go away and come back next week. Byeeeeeeee. And hi KJ- you're always ok in my book.
And now a little wisdom from Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen:
You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene
(To illustrate his last remark
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they do
Just when everything looked so dark)
Man, they said we better
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
No, do not mess with Mister In-Between
Do you hear me, hmm?
(Oh, listen to me children and-a you will hear
About the elininatin' of the negative
And the accent on the positive)
And gather 'round me children if you're willin'
And sit tight while I start reviewin'
The attitude of doin' right
(You've gotta accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between)
You've got to spread joy (up to the maximum)
Bring gloom (down) down to the minimum
Otherwise (otherwise) pandemonium
Liable to walk upon the scene
To illustrate (well illustrate) my last remark (you got the floor)
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark
What did they say (what did they say)
Say when everything looked so dark
Man, they said we better
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
No! Don't mess with Mister In-Between
Posted by: Matthew Carnicelli at September 11, 2005 06:05 PM
You this Aries, sooner than later is my speed. ;-) But, DaLynn (spelling) would counsel patience, wouldn't she? BTW, the woman that played her is now "the French chick" on Lost.
Oncall
Group hugs work for me.
Matt
I certainly hope so! Seems to me that more can be done together than at odds.
Wow--Kj...
Look what I just saw!!!
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/2882
Posted by: oncall at September 11, 2005 06:09 PM
I didn't realize that. I thought she was a musician.
Hi Linda E., you were sure in my head the past week. Couldn't help but think of the virtual tour you took me on to New Orleans. Glad to hear you're okay.
Sparrow, that's great!!! If all works out, and I end up in DC, have already planned to wear my Poets Against the War tee-shirt.
Oncall: thanks for the headsup about your wife. And you're right, I think you're pulling your share by watching the kids.
Truth, I'll light some of my good, Tibetan incense for you.
Ok...speaking of working.
I just discovered there is a concert and fundraiser tomorrow night for the victims of the hurricane. So I'm going to create my flyer now and post it to the "Michigan" cell activities. I've already emailed others who have a bigger list and hope some people come to help out.
See..I learn quickly!!!
Pamela, hello! LOL
Truth, I'll light some of my good, Tibetan incense for you.
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 06:28 PM
phew..incense! You had me scared for a moment there!
LOL It's just incense, promise. @;-)
Otherwise I suggest you re-evaluate your opinions as to what is really important at this moment in time.
Posted by: Indy at September 11, 2005 06:10 PM
Excuse me, but it is important. It is all important. I am looking ahead.
Who gave you the authority to judge who's views are acceptable around here and who's aren't?
I don't care if you never say another word to me.
I can live without your ups and downs too.
Since we are going to get so honest about personalities today....I have had many, many (too many) times when I have watched your sorry butt come on and dictate what goes here and what doesn't.
One day you love everybody, the next you are leaving here. Take a look, the proof is in your past posts. A few days later you are back as if nothing happened.
I don't consider you to be anyone I would ever take seriously in your judgement of me. Not after all the whacko swings of mood I have seen you demonstrate this past year. Many, many more than mine. Yet I held there for you. I encouraged you. Because you went to Camp Casey and Louisiana all of a sudden you are an expert on how to "help" the situation? Don't demean me or my intent or my service to this nation.
Should I take a look at how you are handling this situation as a model on how to handle differing viewpoints?
Take a look in the mirror:
"Learn how to have dialogue with people of differing political views and maybe...JUST MAYBE you might make a difference."
Until you practice what you preach, back off.
Kj...
I didn't know they did stuff like this. Look:
A Writers-at-Large Panel Discussion
at the
Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center
Writers-at-Large, a California-based writers' advocacy group which operates under a small grant from the California Arts Council, is delighted to bring you “ Writers of the Storm: Fake News and Public Decency in the Age of Terror. ” The panel will deal with our role, as writers, in speaking to what the concept of decency means, who gets to decide that, and why, as well as whether that decision diminishes the power of the pen, the dignity of writers, as well as the importance of diversity of opinion.
The panel discussion will feature Bay Area artist, and president of The First Amendment Project, moderator, Clinton Fein , and panelists Floyd Salas , author, and president of PEN Oakland, author, journalist, and former speechwriter for New York Governor Mario Cuomo, Jeff Gillenkirk, playwright Scott McMorrow, journalist and author, David Ewing Duncan , novelist, and social commentator, Stephen Elliott, KPQQ news broadcaster, writer, and director of Walter Benjamin Research Institute, Scott J. Thompson , and radio journalist, Noelle Hanrahan. Co-sponsored by: Berkeley Richmond JCC, City Lights Books, Dutton's Books of Brentwood and Beverly Hills , the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, and the Peninsula Beverly Hills . Special thanks to Ed Asner , friend of Writers-at-Large , for his help with this event.
On Wednesday, September 28 th from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley (the event will be in their 300 seat auditorium).
KJ,
Thanks for the incense. Again, I am sorry. I wasn't throwing the thing about my mom in there for sympathy or an excuse, just to help explain.
Have a good week, everybody.
We're so smart...we knew this already:
Bush 'squandered' post 9/11 goodwill: Gulf press 14 minutes ago
DUBAI (AFP) - The administration of US President George W. Bush has squandered the global goodwill generated by the September 11 attacks of four years ago, Gulf newspapers said.
"There is a sense of deep unease at the direction the Bush White House is taking," said the English-language Gulf News in the United Arab Emirates.
It cited "the go-it-alone attitude, the abject failure to catch Osama bin Laden, the inability to stabilize Iraq, the inability to even guarantee an electricity supply for Baghdad."
"Most serious of all is the good will that has been spent so callously by the White House. In the words of that famous French newspaper headline four years ago 'We are all Americans'... It is difficult to imagine that sentiment being expressed today," the paper wrote.
A total of 2,749 people died when the twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed after being hit by two hijacked airliners in the most spectacular and devastating attack of bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.
Al-Bayan, another Emirati daily, said that four years after 9/11, the United States was still "on the loose" while terrorism gave no sign of abating.
The United States has become obsessed with tracking down its adversaries abroad "under the banner of 'fighting terrorism'," while the terrorists have "widened the cycle of indiscriminate violence under the banner of fighting the external Western enemy," the paper said.
Saudi Arabia's Al-Watan slammed the United States for tarring all Arabs and Muslims with the terrorist brush "without differentiating between the Al-Qaeda organization -- which includes Americans, Europeans and Asians within its ranks -- and the Arab countries, chiefly Saudi Arabia, to which some Al-Qaeda elements belong."
"Washington justifies this generalization by the fact that most of those who carried out the attacks held Saudi citizenship, overlooking the role Saudi Arabia played in uprooting Al-Qaeda... from Saudi society."
Saudi Arabia, bin Laden's country of origin, has been battling Al-Qaeda suspects who have carried out a spate of shootings and bombings in Saudi Arabia since May 2003, many targeting Westerners.
Al-Watan said this month's meeting of the United Nations should seek to find a common denominator on which all countries agree to define terrorism, drawing a distinction between that scourge and resistance to occupation, "as happens chiefly in Palestine."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usattacks4years
Truth, no worries. Grief has its own progression, timetable and expression. I don't think any of us have it figured out. You're in one of those "veil" times, at least that's what I call them. The other world very close. Take care of your Self, your spirit and your soul, as I'm sure you're already doing.
KJ,
Not sure you saw it upthread. The Dalai Lama is going to be interviewed on Larry King CNN tonight.
Al-Watan said this month's meeting of the United Nations should seek to find a common denominator on which all countries agree to define terrorism, drawing a distinction between that scourge and resistance to occupation, "as happens chiefly in Palestine."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usattacks4years
Posted by: sparrow at September 11, 2005 06:41 PM
Um...hate to throw a wrench into their international reasoning, but why is it ok for Palestinians to be terrorists? Isn't that a little anti-semetic?
And wasn't it Bushie who framed it as "suicide-murderers" just a few short years ago?
Why don't we instead make a deal: you don't bomb me and I won't bomb you?
Let's take it a step further: you take care of me--give me decent food, wages, living expences, and respect, and I will not threaten you with bombs if I don't like something you do?
Peace, man...is it so hard to understand?
It's NEVER ok to kill someone and no matter what name you call it-- war, terror, or occupation--you're still bombing innocents!
Hi guys, I am thinking of you today from down under I left a rememberance on,
http://www.rebellenation.blogspot.com/
can anyone tell me what happened with the civil disobedience sit in or the freedom march, I have not heard anything at all
Kangaroo
Truth
CNN had him live this afternoon. Very refreshing to hear knowledge,honesty and passion from one man. I'll be watchng tonight also.
kj- I'm glad you're back too. My husband and I fell in love in New Orleans in November of 1970- sitting all night long and talking in my broken down 1961 Buick Skylark . Its water pump went out, and there was nowhere to get one after 10 PM on a Saturday night. We had to park in a field in front of the Bunny Bread factory and wait until the next morning to see if we could find a pump to repair my car. Now we can't even get Bunny Bread in P'cola- but we're getting a huge influx of jazz performers from the French Quarter, which is about the only good thing I can say about that storm. They're getting jobs at Seville Quarter here in Pensacola, and we've also gotten 20 or so new school teachers in our system already from that area. Since Pensacola has a severe teacher shortage, that part is a blessing to us. None of that makes up for the loss of our second home though- New Orleans is where we sought refuge for several weekends after Ivan. When we'd get depressed and tired, we'd head over to the French Quarter for some much needed diversion. Now the people from that area are coming here- and from all reports, they're finding a city that is warm and welcoming to them. This thing is going to be over with eventually for them, just as Ivan is finally to us. And it will be over with whether or not George W Bush gives a damn about that city or not. It's the spirit of the people of New Orleans who'll go home and rebuild. That is, if the federal government lets them. That's what frightens me the most- I don't see why people whose houses weren't damaged have to leave the city- as long as they don't drink the water or live near a gas leak, they should be allowed the freedom to stay in their own homes. We stayed in our home after Ivan- ran the generator, waited until the water was proclaimed clean, and did just fine. If all those National Guardsmen can go door to door now clearing out the city's residents, why couldn't they have done that two weekends ago. The whole thing is just an outrage. The Saints won today, by the way- and the water will be pumped out of the city by the first of October instead of the 80 days originally predicted. I'm gonna predict Mardi Gras parades downtown in New Orleans next year. Anyone want to make any bets?
Truth
CNN had his message live this afternoon. Very refreshing to hear knowledge,honesty and passion from one man. I'll be watchng tonight also.
Hello from Busboys and Poets
to old friends and new!
We are not blog whoring here, we are MARKETING!
The joint is jumping! It's a Katrina fundraiser!
But now our table is expanding, so more later!
http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1020
OMG- this poll says that W would now lose to every modern president since Jimmy Carter (even to his own father), but not to John Kerry.
What's up with that?
Makes no sense to me.
ABQ,
I am interested in seeing him too. "Seven Years In Tibet" was a movie based on a true relationship between him when he was a child, and a man who visited Tibet. He seemed very wise and gentle.
Very hard week with mom at death's door, and was grieving for the NOLA when I received an ugly email late last night from a "christian" person saying we shouldn't play the blame game with the Bush administration for the way the people were ignored and left to drown and die from lack of water and food, because it was "God's will" this happened. Not exaggerating either.
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 05:37 PM
You are NOT alone in facing this crap. Barbara Bush saying that the underprivileged are "better off" sounds downright humane and compassionate when a neocon like my father says these lazy-a$$ people got what they deserved. As lazy-a$$ people who squandered all opportunities they were offered, they have NO right to blame the government, and only themselves to blame.
I told him in return that the Koreans like him did NOT get their "American dream" through honest hard work. They got it through massive tax evasions. Otherwise how could they be the poorest Asian community - and yet Koreatown overflows with Lexuses?
I sincerely hope that Koreatown gets destroyed soon - either through an earthquake, or a riot by fed-up gay activists from nearby West Hollywood, or a massive IRS audit operation when we get our power back. No mercy on these bastards. Destroy them before they wield the kind of power that the Cubans in Miami have!
Posted by: Karen at September 11, 2005 06:56 PM
Karen
Exactly - marketing.
Posted by: Linda Enterkin at September 11, 2005 07:17 PM
Linda,
Those are the vagaries of statistics. In that same poll Clinton beats Bush 46 to 44. Yet, Bush beats Kerry 48 to 47. You are right, it makes no sense. It never made sense to me that Bush "won" in 2004 either.
Oncall to me he did'nt win in 2004,but you still got them in power anyways, I am wondering what is going to happen in 2006.
Anyone got any news of the happenings in Washington at all
Subject: Hurricane Katrina.
We think in a good faith demonstration of REAL family values, the Bush family should open up the Crawford Ranch for victims of Hurricane Katrina. There's plenty of room. It's relatively close. and it shows a willingness to do more than a symbolic kissing of babies. We'd like to see this spread around the web as a grass roots movement until it's heard at the Ranch. So spread the word....
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. --Margaret Mead
You are NOT alone in facing this crap.
Posted by: AllyMcLesbian at September 11, 2005 07:22 PM
You know, Ally, in a perfect world, I would have risen above her comment and email. But when you watch the tragedy unfold before your eyes and feel helpless to help them, (I was where I was supposed to be last week, where I was needed most, it was not a normal week) and you know it is a result of neglect, you can't help but empathize with them. We can't know how it really is because we aren't there with them. But we can care, and we can feel emotion.
My anger at the callous email wasn't because it was partisan, it was because it was inhumane, in my opinion. Didn't have a thing to do with anything other than a lack of compassion while people are in the darkest hour of their lives. While America is in one of her darkest hours.
It sounds emotional, but it is emotional. Unless one can look at suffering, death, and dying in a completely logical way. The flippancy of the attitude really got me!!! I have been the better man many, many times. This was not one of them.
We will all rest, we are all probably a little raw from the emotion of it. I am not ashamed for getting emotional over it, if I wasn't, then I would be worried.
We will learn how to do this. We will cry for our moment, then pull ourselves together and move on. I saw some of the saddest images this past week I have ever seen in my life. I am damn mad when somebody comes along to tell me not to blame this administration because God willed it. He did not will lack of compassion, neglect, incompetence, and deceit. Again, I just wasn't in a place where I wanted to hear that. Not now.
Maybe this tragedy is bringing many of us to a place where we have to take a stand no matter what. Many may be deciding if they are going to continue to believe the lies, or accept reality. Many who have accepted the reality will now be challenged to walk more uprightly, speak a little clearer and stronger, and choose their path. Fence-sitting time, and denial time, is clearly coming to an end.
Things are getting alot more interesting. Maybe a line is being drawn in the sand.
Yes, Ally, I see what you mean about your having to listen to the same kind of "crap". How on the earth can people think this way?
"Lazy ass niggers"? Barbara Bush and her "beautiful mind"? They were "underpriviledged so are better off now anyway"?
I don't know. What am I missing!
I guess we are all "getting it" from all sides. Maybe I shouldn't bring it here, maybe this IS nuts. I didn't think so, it is reality, it is humanity, it is the crux of what we are really up against, and dealing with every day, isn't it?
I have always believed people have their own unique gifts. Matthew inspires through his writings and reflections. Sparrow is a merciful angel. Indy is our brilliant tempestuous but very lovable child. Ally, you come with your eyes of old wisdom and speak your truths to us. We all bring to the table what we have to offer. We minister (administer) each in our own ways, with different abilities and opportunities.
It takes community effort, and we are community.
What we learn here, we take with us out there.
God, let us learn more quickly.
Speaking of blogwhoring, ie. marketing (LOL) check out this site: http://www.aromatherapygoddess.com/
:-)
Subject: Hurricane Katrina.
We think in a good faith demonstration of REAL family values, the Bush family should open up the Crawford Ranch for victims of Hurricane Katrina. There's plenty of room. It's relatively close. and it shows a willingness to do more than a symbolic kissing of babies. We'd like to see this spread around the web as a grass roots movement until it's heard at the Ranch. So spread the word....
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. --Margaret Mead
Posted by: rossiann at September 11, 2005 08:06 PM
Amen...and not just him, but every politician with a vacation home (or two) to spare.
lol.... ;)
"I'm gonna predict Mardi Gras parades downtown in New Orleans next year. Anyone want to make any bets?"
~~Posted by: Linda Enterkin at September 11, 2005 06:51 PM
Linda, I expect no less.
kj - Hi
Howdy Bro.
Posted by: Linda Enterkin at September 11, 2005 06:10 PM
Doctors in NO killed dying patients
http://www.rawstory.com/
Patients put down
September 12, 2005
DOCTORS working in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans killed critically ill patients rather than leave them to die in agony as they evacuated.
With gangs of rapists and looters rampaging through wards in the flooded city, senior doctors took the harrowing decision to give massive overdoses of morphine to those they believed could not make it out alive.
One New Orleans doctor told how she "prayed for God to have mercy on her soul" after she ignored every tenet of medical ethics and ended the lives of patients she had earlier fought to save.
Her heart-rending account has been corroborated by a hospital orderly and by local government officials.
One emergency official, William Forest McQueen, said: "Those who had no chance of making it were given a lot of morphine and lain down in a dark place to die."
Euthanasia is illegal in Louisiana and the doctors spoke only on condition on anonymity.
Their families believe their confessions are an indictment of the appalling failure of US authorities to help those in desperate need after Hurricane Katrina flooded the city, claiming thousands of lives and making 500,000 homeless.
"I didn't know if I was doing the right thing," the doctor said.
"But I did not have time. I had to make snap decisions, under the most appalling circumstances, and I did what I thought was right.
"I injected morphine into those patients who were dying and in agony.
"If the first dose was not enough, I gave a double dose.
"And at night I prayed to God to have mercy on my soul."
The doctor, who finally fled her hospital late last week in fear of being murdered by the armed looters, denied her actions were murder.
"This was not murder, this was compassion. They would have been dead within hours, if not days," she said.
"What we did was give comfort to the end. I had cancer patients who were in agony. In some cases the drugs may have speeded up the death process.
"We divided the hospital's patients into three categories: Those who were traumatised but medically fit enough to survive, those who needed urgent care, and the dying.
"People would find it impossible to understand the situation.
"I had to make life-or-death decisions in a split second.
"It came down to giving people the basic human right to die with dignity.
"There were patients with 'do not resuscitate' signs. Under normal circumstances some could have lasted several days. But when the power went out, we had nothing.
"Some of the very sick became distressed. We tried to make them as comfortable as possible.
"The pharmacy was under lockdown because gangs of armed looters were roaming around looking for their fix.
"You have to understand these people were going to die anyway."
Mr McQueen, a utility manager for the town of Abita Springs, half an hour north of New Orleans, told relatives that patients had been "put down", saying: "They injected them, but nurses stayed with them until they died."
Mr McQueen, who worked closely with emergency teams, added: "They had to make unbearable decisions."
http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,16566858-5001022,00.html
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 08:12 PM
Don't call me an "angel" or merciful!
I have no mercy...grrrrrr
Posted by: sparrow at September 11, 2005 08:39 PM
Have moycy, sistah!!!!
Posted by: monkey at September 11, 2005 08:47 PM
No mercy!
I trained in with the mean guy from the Karate kid!
God, let us learn more quickly.
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 08:12 PM
That post might have just catapulted into my Top 5, all-time.
God Bless The Truth
Thank you, my favorite long-tailed primate.
Where is my "Me and My Monkey" song?
Ahhh. Here it is, for our witty articulate compassionate Monkey:
Beatles - Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey
Come on come on come on come on
Come on is such a joy
Come on is such a joy
Come on take it easy
Come on take it easy
Take it easy take it easy
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and
my monkey.
The deeper you go the higher you fly
The higher you fly the deeper you go
So come on come on
Come on is such a joy
Come on is such a joy
Come on make it easy
Come on make it easy.
Take it easy take it easy
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and
my monkey.
Your inside is out and your outside is in
Your outside is in and your inside is out
So come on come on
Come on is such a joy
Come on is such a joy
Come on make it easy
Come on make it easy
Make it easy make it easy
Everybody's got something to hide except for me and
my monkey.
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 08:13 PM
KJ,
That is too funny.
Oncall, glad you and Sparrow both caught the joke. Besides, just couldn't resist being a bit outrageous. ;-)
Okay, can't resist this either. Go check out this site if you have time. FANTASTIC article on flood control and the responsibility of government. Extremely well written, clear and concise.
http://www.laweekly.com/ink/printme.php?eid=67667
A quarter-century of libertarianism is washed away
in New Orleans
by Harold Meyerson
Posted by: Linda Enterkin at September 11, 2005 06:10 PM
Why does it seem she goes out of her way to directly contradict any damn thing i add..??
Still in love with me...eh..??
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 09:49 PM
I saw that article kj. It was very well-written and too the point.
Small government does not equal working and efficient government and it doesn't help the people who pay its taxes.
On another note: I'm disappointed to hear that some people are still doing the blame N.O. devastation on the gay thing. I can't believe they call themselves Christians.
I fear--greatly fear--to discover that my fundie in-laws may fall for this too.
I mail them a lot of sojournors...and a lot of "facts." I get no response, except a "send a petition to Bush to lower the gas prices..." of course sent right after the Hurricane flooded N.O. and Bush's administration failed to get FEMA to act quickly to save lives.
FYI, Linda E., I think I'll wait until Reuters picks up the doctor story, as well. Not that I can't imagine it happening, I just can't imagine a doctor going to the press with the story and neither can I imagine a publication printing the story with one anonymous source and no byline.
Could always be wrong, of course.
Raw story is also leading with it
www.rawstory.com
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 09:49 PM
Well, I'm not getting the joke.
I'll go back and look some more.
I fear--greatly fear--to discover that my fundie in-laws may fall for this too.
Posted by: sparrow at September 11, 2005 09:55 PM
Damn them all to heck. The wonderful people of Nawlins have more faith in their pinky than the fundies all have... combined.
Faith that runs soul deep, a sprit that has sustained them for centuries, through times so hard, few of us, if any, could comprehend. It spawned the blues, jazz, virtually every form of American music.
The football team is called the Saints, for God's sake! Stop Dissin' The Crescent City.
Yellow Fever
So is www.bradblog.com
Posted by: sparrow at September 11, 2005 09:55 PM
too-to-two the point! I must be tired!
Kj, Christy, Oncall, Linda,
I actually noticed all of the latest stories on the Doctor and on Recruiters do not have more than one source and no documentation either.
I'm not jumping to the conclusion that it's real, nor saying it's false. Just saying that our expectation that it happened is probably justified, but that without documentation we could find ourselves the victim of another 'Rathergate'.
Keep in mind...I'm not trying to fight or downgrade anyone. I still respect everyone's hard work!
Sparrow, wasn't the flood/Nile article well written? I so want to send it to a few Libertarians I know.
And, what do you suppose the outcry will be about the movie "Brokeback Mountain" with Keith Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal??? A homosexual cowboy movie... I just can't imagine the shock that one will have!
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 09:55 PM
Actually I saw on television news an interview with a doctor who described what was done. It was clearly stated that some patients were given large doses of morphine because it was obvious that they were not going to survive any means of transportation out of New Orleans. I have no doubt that the story is true.
The football team is called the Saints, for God's sake! Stop Dissin' The Crescent City.
Yellow Fever
Posted by: monkey at September 11, 2005 10:03 PM
AMEN MONKEY!!! Preach On Brother Man!!!
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 10:01 PM
The joke is, that site is Pamela's business site. :-) Okay, so my humor is a bit odd. I mean well.
What Sparrow said. I don't doubt a story like the doctor's could be true, I'll just wait, as I do a lot of things, for the kind of confirmation I'm comfortable believing.
Okay, Ron has his Sunday Cocktail Blogging up. I think it used to be Friday Cocktail Blogging, but things can get sort of loose over there.
Ron gives a history of the cocktail.
http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 10:05 PM
lol
I'm glad you told me. I would have been studying that thing for hours! ;)
I have pictures of dogs eating our dead.
Either way the worst has happened.
Political correctness is a lie. Time to start filling in our message with the passion of selfrightious anger. Thousands of people are dead and our entire world as we know it has become something murderous and ugly.
If we SCREAMED it they would piss themselves.
Time to SCREAMING IT IN THIER FACES.
If not, we may be in the NEXT batch of 40,000 they leave behind to die. What happened was a disgrace. And our American dream died with those babies in the convention center.
Wide open robust debate IS freedom.
Time to take it back.
christy- I think you and I both know about our sentimental feelings towards each other. I'm not contradicting what you wrote- just saying that this is a huge story, if it is true. And that it's odd that it's only in the London Daily News and Daily Telegraph, both of which have often been questionable sources for news stories. I do think it's important to wait on some more "reliable" sources before opening up accusations of doctors killing their patients. I'm not anti-mercy killing, by the way, but it is illegal in New Orleans. And I don't want to accuse the doctors in New Orleans who were working so hard to save their patients lives, without any help from any governmental agencies, of committing what is murder under the laws of the State of Louisiana. Yes, I do think you tend to believe stories too quickly and put them on the blog- and I think this is one of those instances. And I think it undermines the credibility of the blog. You take it personally, I know that. So be it. Argue your head off with me- I'm heading off for bed now. Nighty night from good ol' P'cola.
A HUGE story...
Yall LEFT US TO DROWN IN OUR BEDS
wtf does the truth MEAN ANYMORE?????
I'm looking outside for a full moon.
Try cocktail blogging. So far, I'm the only taker. I think Ron needs to add more history though. I'll go tell him.
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 09:49 PM
KJ,
Excellent succinct article. I have e-mailed it to my brother the libertarian.
Posted by: Christy at September 11, 2005 10:16 PM
Send the pictures Christy.
And political correctness isn't what the doctor piece is about. It's about making sure nobody can say we lied because they had someone set a trap.
Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at September 11, 2005 08:12 PM
TSP, I don't have "old eyes of wisdom." I'm just a hot-tempered woman with some Ann Coulter moments thrown in - except that Coulter hails from the right (right as in not left) and I hail from the right (right as in correct - in other words, left).
At least unlike Coulter, I don't hide my transgender background. It is a very integral part of my political identity.
Thanks for your support though ;)
Oh, and my father's blaming the '94 Northridge earthquake right here in SoCal on the porn industry so prevalent in the San Fernando Valley. Seriously, that earthquake struck 20 miles too far northwest...
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 10:22 PM
I'm in! (Seriously.)
Did everyone see Bill Mahr's Shrub Recall request? It's hilarious.
http://politicalhumor.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/09/10.html%23a4892
"Yet, at some point, once Bin Laden and his lieutenants have been captured or killed, Americans are going to have to at least consider the possibility of closure. Again, perhaps not the friends and families of those who lost loved ones that day. We cannot, and should not, expect that. But the rest of us are going to have to come to grips with an equation: at what point is enough, enough? At what point does a thirst for vengeance become, to borrow a phrase from Mohandas Gandhi, “an eye for an eye, making the whole world blind?”
~~Matthew Carnicelli
Matt, without going into great detail, and freely acknowledging I was not (after finding out my brother was NOT in the Pentagon) personally affected by 9/11, I can tell you, I have reached the point of enough is enough. The final cycle in the process of grieving for me was Election 2004. A devasting time for many of us. From the months that followed, as you know, I am now only looking forward. Grieving is done. And I'm one of those who did not advocate going into Afghanistan.
Thanks for your blog. You said a lot.
Posted by: oncall at September 11, 2005 10:04 PM
Really?
Good! Then that is much more likely to stand up to questions.
the pics are up on my site
but ill send you the one i saved
its not so...nevermind its all horrible
Posted by: kj at September 11, 2005 09:49 PM
I am posting this article on my blog.
And I am making sure the Little Havana West - er, I mean Koreatown, tax evaders see this. I want them to pay their fair share. If they have to trade their Lexus for a Hyundai, so be it - at least they can "proudly" drive their own product.
Posted by: Linda Enterkin at September 11, 2005 10:16 PM
A lightbulb moment!!!
Ok..it's murder in N.O. and Louisiana...SO WHY would they save the proof to use against themselves?
AND what if they get caught? Will they be tried?
Ok...so it's probably likely but why would anyone want to implicate themself?
Sparrow youve got mail
Posted by: Christy at September 11, 2005 10:34 PM
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO...Please don't send it to me!
I have nightmares!
Send it to the MEDIA.
Send it to Truth's fundie aunt...
Send it to the White House...BUT don't send to me
PLEASE!
Sparrow youve got mail
Posted by: Christy at September 11, 2005 10:39 PM
Posted by: Christy at September 11, 2005 10:34 PM
I ain't openin' it!
But send it to the media. Do you want a link?
It WAS NOT MURDER
It is called battle field triage and by the number of ARMED soldiers down there it sho nuff looks like a battle field
Posted by: AllyMcLesbian at September 11, 2005 10:32 PM
Well, anyone who wants to say, "Don't blame Bush, God was trying to fix the world" needs to accept God has terrible aim then. Cause maybe God was aiming for Crawford, Tx and instead didn't realize he was offcourse and Bush wasn't partying in N.O. in 2005--probably partied there in the 70's though!
Sparrow..
Im having a major malfunction looking at them anymore too..
I started chewwin on Rossi yesterday for posting duplicate pics of the dead and she was just takin it then i realized omg..they ARE all different..
When they float like that after a while it all looks exactly alike, its just.. the worst
Oncall and Ally, good. The more that article is read, the better. Yes, succinct. That's good writing, imo. Short, historical and "government for the people" is clearly and neatly framed.
'Nite all.
To quote Scarlett, "Tomorrow is another day."
Oh and by the way...
"christy- I think you and I both know about our sentimental feelings towards each other."
No. You SERIOUSLY misinterpreted that. I know nothing of the sort.
Ok everyone...too much WAR here and not enough PEACE.
I'm officially pulling this blog over and torturing all of you with the Purple Dinasaur's theme song.
You asked for it...
Barney's theme song:
I love you You love me
we're a happy family
with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you.
won't you say you love me too
Now TRUCE or I'll sing another!
OMG- this poll says that W would now lose to every modern president since Jimmy Carter (even to his own father), but not to John Kerry.
What's up with that?
Makes no sense to me.
Posted by: Linda Enterkin at September 11, 2005 07:17 PM
I think it makes perfect sense. As horrible as Shrub has been as president, he's a known, along with the other former presidents mentioned. Although JK has nearly equal support, he's still an unknown and unproven. The other guys have been president before, JK hasn't. They have a huge advantage there. And there is a bright side in these numbers for JK. He has a higher percentage of support than Clinton and Bush I.
ok..nite from this person here.
Someone else has to take over the blogtunes.
Night Sparrow
Approx. 300 Mississippi Guard soldiers from the 155th have lost thier homes and have been DENIED leave
We are back from rehearsal--SO SORRY we missed all the excitement!!
NOT.
But the piece is looking great and we have ice cream and chocolate, so we are feeling ready for our audience tomorrow night.
Passions run high when we are close to truth and still feeling distant from it. Today we drove over to the Mall looking for Bushville or the Freedom March. We found neither. It was eerily quiet down at that end of the Mall, in contrast to the liveliness of the African-American Family Reunion, at the Capitol end.
I am sure the March took place, and Clint Black entertained each and all with his feel-good and safe songs. I can't help but wonder whether or not anyone felt unease as they walked along safe protected pathways, without the interference of difficult questions. But they were SO safe that they were invisible today.
We will, no doubt, see the happy pics in the morning.
The moon was beautiful over the Capitol tonight--when it shines like this, the dome resonates and shimmers too. I think about the soaring ideals of the people who built it, and who made it what it is.
I wonder what they would think now.
Let's try and live up to all that they hoped for.
Goodnight all. And I do mean ALL.
re march-caught a few minutes on nPR that said-among other things-
1. Mostly govt employees
2. Not as many as signed up
Did not mention if they wore brown shirts .....
It's sad that a thread that started out with such an eloquent beginning which prompted some eloquent posts in reply... deteriorated into an exchange of banalities and bickering that are much more suited for a more ephemeral venue such as IRC or Instant messaging or a more private venue such as email.