From Arianna on DC Conventional Wisdom

As I wrote in an earlier post today, the Washington DC Zombies control our news media outlets with their versions of "truth" and "fact" to the detriment of the nation's well-being and/or welfare. The example shown in Huffington's column demonstrates this long practiced deception of twisting others' statements into questions that need to be addressed. This keeps the lie or conventional wisdom up front in the minds of listeners or viewers and unfortunately the refutations are subordinated and left un-highlighted.

With the lack of audience engagement with critical analysis of the news they get, it is easy to see one of the reasons for citizen apathy. Of course, this 24/7 cycle of news tends to overwhelm even the most thoughtful person. Could that be the reason for non engagement with civic issues?

NYT End of Year Editorial

If we are to maintain a democracy or return the US to its higher values, then we must have leaders who have true integrity and not the facade which recent politicians have used. The NYT's editorial comes at a time when the little dirty secrets of the Bush administration are finally being aired. Why has it taken so long to publicize this? Those of us who want peace need to count on a vigilant press and on men and women of honor and integrity to assume leadership positions, more importantly, we need citizens who care and take action when the government makes bad policy and poor decisions concerning war and peace issues.

I still feel we should call the Department of Defense by its old name, the "Department of War" and that we should form a Department for Peace.

Once Again Republicans "Eat" One of Their Own

As the story from the Huffington Post points out, members of the Republican party are after one of their own. John McCain on the verge of making a comeback finds himself under dirty political trickery ===yet again. How can we develop a plan for peace when politicians vie for power and control instead of for who has the best ideas to help our country?

Benazir Bhutto: From the Oxford Union to Her Last Rally in Rawalpindi

Arianna Huffington wrote a decent piece on the death of a woman who like herself came to leadership position in a British university club. I find it interesting that as foreigners in England they overcame any possible stigma of "other" through the kind of fearlessness that Huffington writes about. I am a woman whose realm is not that of the elite with which these two women associated. However, I have fought through bouts of fearfulness to do what I can in my little corner of my world. Tomorrow, after all the initial hoopla over the former prime minister's death is tamped down, I will plod along to do what I can to listen better and help those whose lives I may influence.


Women leaders who represent what is good in human kind are rare in the rarefied atmosphere of international/world politics. Women, who like me, work toward making their ideals a reality are rarer still because idealism interferes with the status quo of acquiring and keeping power to the detriment of people one is supposed to lead, guide, and help. Despite the contradictory comments about Bhutto's political history, I tend to honor her. After all her history is frequently transcribed by men whose own attachment to power and corruption is challenged by women such as Bhutto. May she be at peace. May her family feel her strength and love in the months and years ahead, and may the many decent people of Pakistan get leaders worthy of their support. That is my small prayer from Tempe Arizona on a day such as today.