Wednesday - On the Brink

Wednesday June 10, 2009

. . . . .Really, people, no exaggeration, we are on the absolute brink of insanity.

. . . .This afternoon, an armed gunman walked into the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. and opened fire. As of right now, there is one confirmed wounded, the gunman himself and the security guard who confronted him has died as a result of his injuries sustained. As of right now, there is an I.D. on the shooter, he is a white male named James Von Brunn, 88 years old, from the East Coast of Maryland, who was wearing khaki green pants that resemble uniform issue, the kind that can be picked up at any Army-Navy surplus store. Von Brunn was tied to extreme Right wing hate groups and considered himself a "true believer" trying to save America from "Negro's", "Jews", non-whites and such, who ran a website called Holy Western Empire.org (I will not provide a hyperlink). Continuing coverage throughout the day here, and here, and here.

. . . .The museum was full of tourists; couples, visitors, children. If it gives you any clue as to where I stand, I'm damn glad that security took him down hard. The murdered security guard deserves our highest respect and honor for protecting those inside and falling while standing fast in his duties to protect elders and children.

. . . .This got sent along to me, a posting from NDN News Today, that details how the current version of the Supreme Court of the United States Affirms that Tribes really don't have any religious rights in today's America.

. . . .I'm going to re-run a couple from yesterday, I don't care if it's recycling, they were prescient, and yes, you could catch them below, but I want them up top here again.

. . . .On a subject that I've harped on here ad nauseum, the need to calm down the incendiary rhetoric and find a common ground as Americans, Eric Boehlert over at Media Matters:

If Fox News is going to continue to traffic in hateful rhetoric, then folks at Fox News, as well as their apologists in the GOP Noise Machine, are going to have to come up with better talking points to spin away the atmosphere of vigilantism fomented by their words and actions. . . .
. . . .The Fox News crew is going to need better talking points because I fear the violence -- the bouts of right-wing domestic terrorism -- are likely to continue. As long as Fox News and the Noise Machine refuse to back off the incendiary language that they're actively mainstreaming, the political violence, visible just months into Obama's historic first term, may have only begun. . . . .
. . . .Why the silence? Because militia-style vigilante rhetoric has become a cornerstone of the conservative media movement in America, and it's now proudly championed by Fox News on a nearly hourly basis.That's why the Fox News crew and its eager apologists are going to have to come up with a better line of defense. Because as long as Fox News peddles its incendiary vigilante rhetoric, the right-wing violence in America will continue, and Fox News is going to have to answer for it.

. . . .And the best of what I've read so far on that same subject from Larry Gellman:

What we are seeing could be the harvest of the seeds of the vile and unrestrained anger and hatred that have been planted, spread and nurtured by the sleazemeisters of the Right Wing--self-described media stars and politicians who claim to be true conservatives, real Republicans, and patriotic Americans exercising their First Amendment rights.

This gutterization of discourse hit full stride during the presidential campaign last year when Obama was characterized repeatedly as a friend of terrorists, a secret Muslim, and a person who wanted to destroy America, slit the throat of Israel, and desecrate values that all true patriots hold dear.

Since he became president, the attacks have actually picked up in volume, intensity and scariness. I have seen President Obama portrayed as a Nazi, a socialist, a communist, an enemy of Israel, the destroyer of capitalism, and a racist. And that's in the self-described "mainstream" media.

When you troll with the true bottom dwellers (Limbaugh, Hannity, Liddy, O'Reilly, Savage, Beck, Gingrich, Cheney. Levin, and such) it gets really ugly. Each of these scumbags claims to speak for the Republican party. While none holds any elective position, the party leadership treats them with deference and respect. Is it any wonder that fewer people identify themselves as Republicans today than at any time in a generation and the number continues to drop on a daily basis? Anger and hate apparently just aren't in vogue this season.

But there is absolutely no doubt that we are suffering mightily as a society from the spread of hatespeech and the decline of civility in our public discourse. The truly racist, bigoted, and inaccurate attacks against Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotamayor have taken the level of discourse to a new low--not just because of the outrageous and ugly rants themselves but even more so due to the way they have been legitimized and spread by the true mainstream media.

This has nothing to do with the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment. People are free to express their opinions--that's what makes America great. But people do not have a constitutional right to viciously attack and slander people with lies at hateful comments on our commercial airwaves. The decision to provide these vermin with an electronic soapbox is a commercial decision that is made daily by owners of radio and TV stations who are putting their desire for profits ahead of the public good.

We are paying a huge price as a society for our unwillingness to marginalize these evil people and the media outlets that provide them with airtime and credibility. Unless and until we start making better choices and acting more responsibly, we will continue to reap the bitter harvest that will continue to sprout from the toxic seeds being sown in our midst.

Edmund Burke is credited with telling us that "all that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." We can all start by changing the channel when these egomaniacal zealots are posturing or are being quoted by others and inform the station management that we are V-chipping them until they start acting responsibly.

It is not necessary or even good if all of us agree about the issues. But we cannot afford the luxury of tolerating those who are angry and hateful and want us to be the same. The one value we can all stand for is the importance of civility.

We can't honestly call ourselves civilized until we learn to disagree like grownups.

. . . .Which all ties into one from USA Today this morning on a new Gallup poll. Those of you who identify yourselves as Republicans are at least in agreement on one thing. Your leaders are Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich and Dick Cheney. Three men who hold no elected office, who have no say in American policy, but they speak for you. A sweaty, drug-addled windbag with a bully pulpit, who advocates violence, separatism, and the failure of your government (all acts of treason, by law) speaks for you, as far as you're concerned.

. . . .Over in Iran, on election eve, it's tense and violence there is ready to break out. Ahmadinejad is threatening to cut off any his critic's hands, has gone after his opponent's wife, and Tehran is on the brink of riots, the divisions are so deep between the reformist party and Ahmadinejad's party that is supported by the Ayatollah and Shariiya law. Coverage here, and here.

. . . .Krugman, the economist I've read and listened to all along through this, in the New York Times this morning:

Just a quick note: is it just me, or has the economic news started to darken again? Up through about March, every report was worse than you expected, often worse than you could have imagined. Since then, most reports — although continuing to be bad in an absolute sense — have “surprised on the upside.” But my sense is that in the last few days we’ve been getting reports — Korean trade, Japanese orders, German exports — that are once again surprising on the downside.

This thing ain’t over yet.

. . . .I'm going to ask you to keep reading and catch up with yesterday's and Monday's columns just below here, and the numbers there, it's not good folks, and it's not getting better, it's getting worse. That's not doomsaying, it's a realistic look at the numbers.

. . . .Folks, we're losing it, and losing it big. We are on the brink of losing this Nation forever, for our kids and grandkids and generations to come. On the one side we have the brown-shirted Fascists of the neoCon Right; Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, Cheney, Rove, Beck, Gingrich, Palin, Coulter, Malkin et al who would see this country destroyed, and seem to delight in the prospect of it. They want it all to fail, and are now openly advocating violence and revolt, yet always in some cowardly fashion manage to distance themselves from extreme actions like today's shooting at the museum. If they can't be in charge of you and your life, of me, of our personal day-to-day actions, they want to see it all destroyed. On the other hand, we have the incipient nanny-state of the Left that is getting ready to bury our grandchildren and greatgrandchildren in a mountain of debt that they will not be able to get out of, and are preparing to regiment our lives "for our own good".
. . . .They're polticians, and media figures, all of them, and they don't live like you and me, and ultimately, don't care about you and me.
. . . .It's time for a third party, a movement that speaks for us, that looks to the future. One that is fiscally conservative, and open as hell on matters of personal and private choice. One that doesn't see itself as the "world's policeman" and isn't so damned concerned with spreading democracy everywhere.

. . . .As of the 5 PM hour Eastern Time, Glenn Beck, one of the largest fear-momgers out there is one the air trying desperately to tie Von Brunn, today's extreme Right Wing white supremacist to Al-Queada. What an incredible piece of shit!!! Face it Glenn, you don't know jack. A White supremacist would have nothing to do with a Mideastern jihadist. You're part of the problem Glenn.

. . . .Enough of all that, the solution is to pull back, take a deep breath, realize that we can't ignore the problem any longer, that standing around and hoping that things get better will not make them better. Say a prayer, and then TAKE A STAND!!! STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN PEOPLE AND START SHUTTING DOWN THE FEARMONGERS AND THOSE WHO WOULD STIR THE POT AND THROUGH THEIR WORDS AND ACTIONS GIVE IMPLICIT PERMISSION TO WINGNUTS LIKE TODAY'S GUNMAN.

. . . .If you don't have something to believe in, something to stand for, you'll fall for anything and for no reason.

. . .OK, I'm over it, I'll go back to talking in non-bold and not all caps, and hope, somehow hope that I'm appealing to your sense of reason.

. . .And while I'm at it, let me tell you that Tarwater and Charla have been down there at Hawkwind for over 2 decades, providing a safe space and giving folks the opportunities for personal growth and transformation. They, along with Lulu are always a blast to hang out with. Charla has some new programs that she's starting up, check her out at the Blue Star Portal.
. . . As always, for great ink and rockin' good time, check Tarwater and Lulu out at the Red Queen, up in Chattanooga, TN.

. . . .Charla sends this one along this morning, about a Gathering of Seers down at Hawkwind, and upcoming mystery school. Check it out.

. . . And another shout right here for Mary Thunder, down at Thunder Ranch, who sends along notes of encouragement to keep this going and keep on keeping on. Mary does good stuff down there, especially in helping people in recovery find a path to spirituality that works for them and speaks to them. Keep it up Mary.

. . . The Rev Charla down at Hawkwind, sends this link. I found it fascinating in light of what's going on the world these days, she's always been on top of how the information flows. It's a link to a website that spends some time with Drunzalo Melchizedek in an interview concerning the Mayan and Hopi prophecies and how they apply to this time. Check it out, it's worth your time. Melchizedek was able to gain some real insights and spend some time with indigenous elders that most of us never, or will never, get to. From my standpoint, with a foot in both worlds, his explanation in mathematical terms, especially the Fibonacci sequence, opened me up to some new things.
. . . .This one is personally important to me. I went to wonderful high school, Comstock High School, where I was given an opportunity to participate not just in sports and academics, but be part of the arts as well, being in high school plays, debate, forensics, the works. I think, if you're a regular reader, you know how passionate I am about music, (turn the volume knob UP on your computer if you don't know it by now, you'll figure it out pretty quickly), it's vital and important, music carries our soul as a society, and not everyone can be a musician, but they can be part of spreading it out and it's messages. Aimee sends this along, to help save 45 years of education radio after school, and I urge you to support it.

Many of you have met my sister Jenny or at least heard about her.
She's a good teacher and this is a good program. She loves her kids
and goes above and beyond for them and the radio station has always
been open for them.

California - you may not make it here, but please send an email and
share with friends. Course, you could always come for a visit, would
love to see most of you:)

Want to come with or meet me there? Let me know. This is a good
cause and community. If you can't make it, please email the
superintendent


WPHS 89.1 FM
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
7:30pm - 10:30pm
Warren Consolidated School Administration Building
31300 Anita
Warren, MI

Tell the Warren Consolidated School board why WPHS should stay on the
air. Are you a listener, an alumni, a current student, a parent or
just a fan of local radio? WCS is trying to shut down their student
run radio station after school- which will effectively kill the
program, eliminate the one place many kids have to go, and quiet the
voices of hundreds of future broadcasters.
Can't make it? email the superintendent
livernois@wcskids.net
or any of the board members
http://www.wcs.k12.mi.us/content/boardofed.htm
with your opinion.

Thanks
Aimee

. . . .Some days it all just sucks, and it doesn't look like there are any solutions, but those are the days, you suck it up, strap it on and go out into the fray and put one foot in front of the other, those days pass, and it gets better, you find out that you're not alone, and there are real solutions.

. . . . .Kiss your kids, tell the ones you love out loud that you do, seize the precious moments before they slip through your hands, this rodeo is a one-way ticket and no one gets out alive, and we don't get to dictate the terms and circumstances of how the ticket gets punched. It's not about yesterday, or tomorrow, it's about right here, right now. This ain't no dress rehearsal, so go change yourself and change your world, the world around you will change.

The Desolation Angel
[where: Hell, Michigan 48137]