I'll admit that we shouldn't use this list for political comments, but,
HEY, it's Christmas. Indulge me.
First of all, it isn't GW that concern should be focused on. Now let me
get this straight:
First of all, our President attacks one country that is harboring a true
terrorist network. So far, so good.
Then, just before the objective is completed, he invades another country
based on the WMD premise (at least I think that was what was declared to
be the original reason). Kinda curious from a strategic point of view.
Then, after denying it for months, even years, he admits that this was
"mistaken" information. Well he did promise an administration of
accountability.
But he doesn't fire anyone or take any other action toward holding
anyone responsible for providing information that erroneously led us to
war. Maybe he chose forgiveness over accountability.
To top this off, he says that even though this information was wrong,
his decision to go to war was right. Now hang on a minute, that one has
to make your head spin at least a little. Maybe it follows the same
logic as "We do not torture, but we oppose any law that would restrict
us from torturing if we chose to."
Meanwhile, he also assures us his staff had nothing to do with the
identification of a CIA operative simply for political gain. Yep,
strong, concise, and decisive. I was beginning to get confused.
But when it's proven they were, he takes no action; other than, of
course, declaring that those responsible both for the misinformation,
the mistakes in the war, AND the leaking of the CIA operative's identity
are all doing "A heck of a job." Well, I suppose I would agree, but I'm
not sure it would be in the same way that he meant it.
Now we discover that he has been engaging in what only seems to be
illegal surveillance, based on the Congress giving him authority to
conduct military action in defense of the U.S. By the same argument, he
could have people gunned down in the street, but let's not split hairs.
Besides, could be he just hasn't thought about it yet, or maybe he has
but has yet to acknowledge it.
Who knows, this is all so confusing.
And our Congress IMPEACHED a president for sexual indiscretion!?!?! Is
it just me imagining this? Maybe I need my medication changed?
I suppose you have to appreciate his political shrewdness at not saying
his staff have done a "hell of a job", thereby avoiding any truly
impeachable activity. Help me here, I'm trying to make sense of all
this.
But the book that would be interesting isn't about GW. It's should be
about a Congress, a press, and a culture whose head doesn't explode at
the outright ridiculousness (sp?) of it all. (I think!)
And while we're at it, I am still struggling with the rhetorical logic
of "Let's not worry, complain, or point fingers about how we got into
this. We need to focus on giving our President the support to win it."
I can't help but imagine if my neighbor set my house on fire, then
chastised me for being caught up in accusation and blame rather than
helping him put out the fire (and in the process, passionately
encourages me to go in the house to look for anyone trapped while he
goes home to call the fire department). Don't I least get to question
his ability or appropriateness as a firefighter I would choose to fight
fires with?
All this cogitating and imagining certainly puts me in the Holiday...
whoops, CHRISTMAS... spirit.
Hope I don't spend it in Guantanamo or some undisclosed location in
Eastern Europe.
-----Original Message-----
From: UTC Staff E-Mail List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Layton T Jackson, III
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 3:25 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [UTCSTAFF] Reading lists and travel are dangerous now?
Welcome to the New America
He can do his next book on Bush totalitarianism and fascism! Aren't we
fortunate that our president will go to the mat for his patriot act
(lower case intentional as anything so totally unpatriotic as this act
does not merit capitalization.
-----Original Message-----
From: Adam Trowbridge <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 13:42:14 -0500
Subject: [UTCSTAFF] Reading lists and travel are dangerous now? Welcome
to the New America
NEW BEDFORD -- A senior at UMass Dartmouth was visited by federal agents
two
months ago, after he requested a copy of Mao Tse-Tung's tome on
Communism
called "The Little Red Book."
Two history professors at UMass Dartmouth, Brian Glyn Williams and
Robert
Pontbriand, said the student told them he requested the book through the
UMass Dartmouth library's interlibrary loan program.
The student, who was completing a research paper on Communism for
Professor
Pontbriand's class on fascism and totalitarianism, filled out a form for
the
request, leaving his name, address, phone number and Social Security
number.
He was later visited at his parents' home in New Bedford by two agents
of
the Department of Homeland Security, the professors said.
The professors said the student was told by the agents that the book is
on a
"watch list," and that his background, which included significant time
abroad, triggered them to investigate the student further.
(story continues in link below)
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/12-05/12-17-05/a09lo650.htm#thisish
owit
starts
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