A few days ago, Joe Biden called Julian Assange a “terrorist.” Regardless of what you think of Assange, “terrorist” is not the right word. In the 50s and 60s they would have called him a “communist.” It’s the very same syndrome at work. Biden was simply demonizing Assange. I didn’t vote for this kind of bullshit. It’s precisely what I was hoping we could move away from. Like a lot of people on the so-called Left, I’ve been increasingly disappointed with Obama and Company. I generally attribute the course they’ve taken to the influence of “The Empire,” of being in charge of the unholy entity that runs the world. But whatever the reason, they are losing me. Something still clings tenuously, but they are losing me.
Tags: Joe Biden, Julian Assange, Obama, Terrorist, the Empire
December 21, 2010 at 10:55 am |
I feel the same. Thanks for putting it so simply.
December 21, 2010 at 11:33 am |
Agreed about the Obama administration. I was horrified that a Democratic president would propose cutting funds to Social Security. I realize the 2% holiday in the payroll tax is supposed to be “temporary” and repaid, BUT if they needed to cut a tax and stimulate the economy, why not do it from the general revenue taxes? How is it going to be possible to “increase” the payroll tax with a Republican party so determined to kill Social Security?
As for Assange — I suppose if you are an emperor and someone points out you aren’t wearing any clothes, you might feel like you’re being terrorized. However, said emperor could put on some clothes and stop acting like a bully and a thug and then there would be no anti-social behavior to publicly “out.”
December 21, 2010 at 2:01 pm |
Mark,
Perhaps you’ve touched on this before, but is there any reason why you didn’t vote for a non-Democratic/Republican candidate (ie – Nader) in ’08?
When Obama made a pre-election speech committing to a continued war in Afghanistan, he lost my vote.
December 21, 2010 at 4:11 pm
I don’t think I’ve touched on this before, but I was impressed by his book. I figured he’d seen enough of what really happens in life, knew the counter arguments to imperialism and whatnot, had seen enough of other countries, that he wouldn’t fall into the trap he’s apparently fallen into. Also, I think Nader’s full of himself—although I did vote for him over Gore in 2000. One thing that’s important to remember, too, is that Obama doesn’t really have the support to do what we want him to do. We are in the minority.
December 29, 2010 at 6:31 pm
I agree re: Afghanistan issue. I won’t say much here but will quote a recent scholarly article, “With the blessing of the Afghan government and a nod from the United States, a Chinese mining company intends to begin extracting the metal and provide this desperately poor country with much-needed revenue” Who gave the nod? Who is getting the “revenue” anyway? At any rate, the article is here: http://www.archaeology.org/1101/features/afghanistan.html. Peace and generosity, Glenn.
December 25, 2010 at 5:48 am |
This may seem like an odd comment, but there are times when I almost miss Lyndon Baines Johnson. That old bulldozer would NEVER have truckled to the Repugs as Obama has done. And he managed–sometimes by hook and crook, I’ll admit–to get an amazing amount of crucial civil rights legislation passed against ferocious opposition. His legacy was stained by the Vietnam war. We need somebody with that kind of unstoppable strength and practical vision–and where on earth is he?
December 27, 2010 at 10:08 am |
Mark, there’s precious little difference between the Democrats and Republications when you get right down to the dirt. It’s like the Ford vs Chevy argument.
The political scene as it stands is very dangerous, and becoming more so, to all Americans. The sooner “we the people” get together and recognize it, the sooner we’ll be able to do something about it.
I agree, Assange is not a terrorist. He’s about to find out the hard way that democracy and free speech is just an expression.
December 27, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Stephen Gaskin once made this point about the difference between the Democrats and Republicans: After the 1980 elections, when the right wing governments of Central America saw that Ronald Reagan was going to be the next president, they started killing off the peasantry at a much faster rate, and that was enough of a difference for him.
December 29, 2010 at 4:35 pm |
Hello Mark….I just viewed your movie – the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill” and I was so comforted to know there are people out there like you….I guess I knew it, but do not see it enough.
Politically speaking: I am disappointed in politics in general…and no one man can fix it…it has been a group effort to destroy a nation. Basically it is people who are everything that you are not…they are greedy and want power. I suppose some politicians go in to the ring thinking they can do something good…but I do not see the good guys winning.
There was a time when the AGED ones were called on to lead the people….because of their wisdom and lack of desire for gold and fleshly lusts…today, the AGED are basically ignored…which is a bad thing.
It seems that Politics has become a CAREER for the HUNGRY YOUNG POWER SEEKERS….
Stick to the birds…..they ARE wise…simple…innocent…and fun to be with…
December 29, 2010 at 6:20 pm |
Many of us are not sure what O will do next. Here’s my bit of freedom of speech and Buddha bless amerika…. Obamascare, as it might be called, is steamrolling private and good physicians who would rather not answer to insurance companies. the requirement to have certain software and certain credentials is also very costly. now physicians must join with accountable care organizations AHCO’s aka ACO’s. they maintain their coveted physician’s pay, but must answer to the AHCOs which when said phonetically sure sounds like a**holes. equally Obamascary is the proliferation of real estate purchases made by hospital scorpionations to house their a**holes. ironically more folks will soon qualify for medicaid but that is actually in the 2014 window, how about dangling that in front of folks in the next election, 2 years after re-election-day… thanks for an opportuntity to exercise my opinions. peace and generosity, glenn.
December 29, 2010 at 9:17 pm
The new law is complicated and I’m not sure what I think of it. A friend of mine was in England recently and had a serious medical issue while there. He went to the hospital and they took care of it and then released him. He was in for several days and it didn’t cost him a dime. That’s the kind of health care system I want here.
December 30, 2010 at 5:05 am |
Many of us are unhappy with the current administration. It seems that there is really no difference in either party, The republicans say they want less government, but that is only if they aren’t the ones in charge, while democrats say they want less government but that is only when the aren’t the ones in charge. I see it as both sides milking the system to gain the most for themselves and their buddies. They seem to take turns. We (the American people) are the biggest cash cow to come along, in centuries. Now it’s more about controlling us and keeping us down and under their control, because they know that we are being pushed to the edge, and once we reach it they can’t milk it any more. The congress members get well paid for what little they do, they get good pensions and free health care. And once they leave office, which they don’t do generally until they die, they can become advisers to some big corporation and get really rich, if they haven’t had a chance to milk the public cow enough while they are in office. I think we need to vote them all out of office from the bottom to the top. The new ones won’t be any better, but it will take them a while to learn just how to steal from us.
December 30, 2010 at 6:31 am |
Dear Mark, I just discovered you through PBS and am so glad. RE: politics and things like medical insurance/reform. As one who purchases a minimum plan and is currently paying down nearly 10K in medical bills for a recent surgery … permit me to say this: While in Beijing last year, I had a similar excellent experience in Beijing Clinics as you relate your friend’s story in England had been. However, we cannot isolate an issue like this. As you’ve indicated, there are many complications in national policies that contribute to each cultures’ health policies.
… One scene in your “Telegraph Hill” film I found remarkable was when the other parrots were brutal toward the injured and fragile juvie parrot. For me it illustrated so clearly the difference between the parties. I vehemently disagree with those who say there is no difference. The democrats believe in assisting those weaker and less able; the republicans believe in survival of the fittest. They do not see the “Oneness in Life”. Te mundo un luz, Bey
December 30, 2010 at 6:35 am |
Glenn, your slippery language can’t obscure the most basic fact about Obamacare: because of it, tens of millions of Americans–many of them children–who could not afford good medical care will receive it. They will be healthier and happier because of it. That’s good for us, and good for our country.
Personally, I can’t wait for my tax dollars to help fund a project so worthwhile. It will be a refreshing change from being steamrollered (your word) into ponying up for idiot wars and porkbelly scams.
December 30, 2010 at 12:24 pm |
OK I fell off the Obama Train quite awhile go – ALL POLITICIANS suck! Its about being in the Club – Those w/money and we w/out.
December 31, 2010 at 11:21 am |
Dear Mark,
A friend sent me a link to your site, and I’m enjoying it. About the government thing: I’m sorta getting to the point where I’m feeling the fracturing of politics (government) is a reflection of our own narrowing definitions of politics. The poet Adrienne Rich speaks much more eloquently than I on this, but I think Mr. Obama is just the beginning of the changes we (those who believe in people over corporations) have been hoping for. As we hear more often the language of hope, we begin to more clearly define how we want our self government to be extended. Too many people are becoming dis-satisfied with the old status symbols and are looking for answers beyond what elected officals can offer. Eventually, I believe, this people-centered politic body will become the norm. Thank you for your insights. Also Margaret – you are right on about LBJ. What he was always was a mover and shaker. He understood completly, how to get people to do for you what you could not do yourself. Has anyone been to Vietnam recently. Please tell me, what were we so afraid of? and why did so many have to die, as they are now, for exactly the same hurtfulness.
February 5, 2011 at 7:23 pm |
I, like many others, found your blog through the film. Inspiring and sweet. I’m constantly tell my college student daughters that there are good people out there who will do good things because it is the right thing to do. My oldest daughter doubts that members of our society will do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.
This brings me to Assange. I feel that Assange does both harm and good simultaneously. I have been in the military, married to a law enforcement officer (for almost 25 years), a journalist and for most of my adult life- Democrat. So from my perspective, it upsets me terribly that some of those leaked documents may have led to the death of some of our military and civilians.
However, I would love to see Assange dig into some of these large corporations, financial corporations and details of business practices. There is so much regarding the financial crisis and we should know what happened and how it happened. It would be interesting to see how the stocks were manipulated, how corporate greed influenced the crisis and how lobbyists and government were involved in the process.
Finally, I think that political parties are doing more harm than good. I am not a member of any political party and I have no intention joining one. It just seems that the parties combined with the efforts of lobbyists and political action committees are creating a negative political atmosphere.
Thank you for helping these beautiful birds and sharing your story with us.