Kerry Rips MSNBC On Wright: 'You People Need To Let Go Of This' - Politics on The Huffington Post

If ever we are to have a peace movement we need to get rid of yellow journalism in the mainstream media. This little story from the Huffington Post and MSNBC has John Kerry standing up to the media. Perhaps he could have contributed to a diminished war in Iraq if he'd fought back as strenuously during his failed run for the presidency. Many people I know believe that there is a reason for everything; others of us believe that good can come from evil if we learn and grow from the struggle with it. Thus, perhaps Kerry can grow into a powerful voice for righting the wrongs created by the Bush administration and the NEOCONS who run it.

Kerry Rips MSNBC On Wright: 'You People Need To Let Go Of This' - Politics on The Huffington Post

Arianna Huffington: Shameful Days: Why Won't The Media Pursue the Pentagon Propaganda Scandal? - Media on The Huffington Post

Since the weaning days of Eisenhower's presidency, the pentagon has grown and taken huge chunks of political clout and government funding to itself. The media has shrunk due to the fact that just a handful of people own the major news outlets. Focus on peace has diminished and war mongering has increased. These are all my opinions which with time I am certain I could substantiate; however, I can't really be surprised as Arianna Huffington seems to be that what passes for mainstream media does not pursue and highlight important issues. Instead, this entire week has been spent on Obama/Wright controversy. What a presidential candidate's pastor says is given more importance than the lies and propaganda that comes out of the pentagon and that impacts the lives of our service personnel in war zones far from home.

Arianna Huffington: Shameful Days: Why Won't The Media Pursue the Pentagon Propaganda Scandal? - Media on The Huffington Post

Alice Walker on Obama | Views | TheRoot.com

Alice Walker on Obama | Views | TheRoot.com

I haven't hear Alice Walker's beautiful voice in a long time. Recently a good friend forwarded the link to a story Ms Walker wrote for The Root online journal and once again I wept. This time in the good way that we can weep when the connection is deep and good. Our lives matter and our connections remain more important than the particular things that "seem" to project deep divisions and differences. I cannot have Ms Walker's experiences but I can relate to them in ways that are meaningful to me and to any work I choose to do with other women of color. Bell Hooks once wrote that too often the feminisms we encounter in academia do not lend themselves to the realities in the lives of women of color. She was right and Walker's sharing is another way of showing ways of working with the distinctions and more importantly making connections with one another.

I hope again and have begun to work for the "greater" good by working with like minded people in my corner of the world. Walker and other women inspire the hope as does the young man who seems to resonate the ideas and words of heroes of younger years. So Walker's metaphor of the goddess who sees three views is excellent for those of us who need to hope for the future, recall the past and work in the present.

Words, Words, Words

Recent weeks show that politicians can seduce us with words or destroy our public discourse with them. Sometimes, as during the past two weeks, the seduction and destruction takes place simultaneously.

YouTube - She without arm, he without leg - ballet - Hand in Hand

War can destroy much but not the human spirit. At least this is so in the ballet scene performed below.

Humor from Colbert, Stewart, and O'Brien

Will this lead to peace? I think not. Will Huckabee become the next president because he can laugh at silly situations? Perhaps.

Moderate Conservative McCain

The following video was developed to pair with Obama's Yes We Can hip hopped video. However, McCain's video does not engender a feeling that Peace will be promoted or even sought by the McCain administration should he become president. This fact is truly sad as until now I'd believed that people who had endured great suffering while serving their country would be among the first to do all possible to prevent wars and to end wars they would inherit.

ABC Distorts Story on Obama

Mainstream media must have "drama" so they resort to distortions. This video first came to my attention from Huffington Post and The Horse's Mouth.

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.

Burning Fires in CA -- National Guard in Iraq

Paul Rieckhoff writes at Huffington's post and he experienced the Iraq war. He works toward helping veterans of both Iraq and Afghanistan through an organization he and other veterans began. The point of the particular article he recently wrote in The Huffington Post is that while many if not most young men in the National Guard throughout the 50 states joined the Guard to be of service to their home states, these young men find themselves in Iraq. With the recent fires in California, it must have been difficult for many of the marines leaving Camp Pendleton to go to Iraq when many of their neighborhoods were in danger and when they could have been available to help put out fires--except for the war intended to keep us safe.

A Courthouse in Iraq

David sent pictures of the "landscape" where he is at. According to his note this is a courthouse where the soldiers have protected renovations or improvements.

Promotion for David

Despite my oposition to the war, I do have friends and family over in Iraq and Afghanistan. David has been over in Iraq three times now. He is happy to be a noncommissioned officer at a higher rank than the private first class which is my grandson's rank.

Some days are good for some of these youngish men.

Peace and Justice?

Pat Tillman's death continues to enlighten us as to the perverse lengths this administration will go to in order to "cover up" the true nature of a young man's death. The story from Alternet provides the essentials. I pray this family gets justice since their son cannot be restored to them.

AlterNet: MediaCulture: Taking Apart Bill O'Reilly's Shoddy Journalism

I really must save this link for my classes. O'Reilly and his ideological journalism is a prime example of what contributes to the diseased civic discourse we all experience today. How can peace be achieved with such a distortion of facts? Rhetorical question but one that we can consider mulling over.

AlterNet: MediaCulture: Taking Apart Bill O'Reilly's Shoddy Journalism

Clinton Hits Back at Pentagon Official - The Huffington Post

In addition to not answering questions, the War Department has attempted to muzzle those who want to see contingency plans for our withdrawal from Iraq. Once again, members of the Bush Administration would classify questions as unAmerican and traitorous behavior.

I'm not a great fan of Senator Clinton but in this instance she is 100 per cent correct.


Clinton Hits Back at Pentagon Official - The Huffington Post

Fourth of July 2007

Fourth of July this year finds two of my grandsons enrolled in military service and of course my cousin's son in Iraq. So while we here, stateside, sing patriotic songs, set off fireworks, and gather together to celebrate the nation's birthday, many of our young sons, grandsons, cousins, husbands and fathers are away in less comforting situations.

I pray for all our citizens and our boys overseas. I pray for an end to war and hate and pray for more understanding among people around the world.

Peace and JFK

Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind. John F. Kennedy (1) 05/29/1917 - 11/22/1963 35th president of the USA

Reading the new book on the Kennedy brothers merely underscores the accuracy of this quote. I do hope someone will be courageous enough to follow up on such an idea--peace--that can lead us out of the quagmires of war.