Sunday, August 06, 2006

We sure could use a little good news

I admit that in a lot of ways, I'm very jaded and cynical about the world we live in. I, along with millions of other sane people, lost a lot of hope when George Bush stole the 2000 and 2004 elections.

As many credible authors such as Vicnent Bugliosi and Alan Dershowitz, along with dozens of others including Greg Palast have noted, the Supreme Court gave Georgie his crown in 2000. Al Gore should have been president, and if he had been president, I'm wondering whether there would be such inane slaughter in Iraq, or whether America would be the laughing-stock that it is within the world community.

And never have the words, "Hey children what's that sound, everybody look what's goin' down," meant more to me than when the stealing of Ohio votes in 2004 to place, in order for King Georgie to keep his throne.

And it's not that most of us who bother to read alternative sources for our news, instead of the pabulum that spews from the corporate owned newspapers and TV networks, don't know this happened. We all do. It's that no major news outlet will even attempt to make the assertions and back them up with the cold, hard facts that statesmen like Rep. John Conyers (D--Michigan) have already done.

Again, I tip my hat to Gore Vidal and reporter, David Barsamian from The Progressive for such an insightful article concerning the real 'state of the union.' Here is another brilliant quote from Vidal:

"Conyers is the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, and he went up there with a bunch of researchers. They went from district to district, and they found out how the election was stolen. He wrote a report that was published by a small press in Chicago. To help out, I said I’d write a preface for him on how the election was stolen. We were thinking that might help. But The New York Times and The Washington Post were not going to review the book about how we had a second presidential election stolen. They weren’t going to admit it."

If that is not depressing enough, think of all of the innocent Iraqi citizens who are being blown away in the name of 'democracy;' Think of how we basically took a stick to the hornet's nest of different religious/political factions and sects within the Muslim country. With our usual hubris, we pronounced "mission accomplished" way before troops even stayed a week in Baghdad.

The only mission we accomplished was getting rid of Sadaam Hussein, however we all know that there are no WMDs, and that Hussein was nothing more than a saber rattler. Yes, he was a brutal dictator, and the mass graves that are being uncovered prove it. I don't disagree that he was a tyrant, along with is brain damaged sons, but don't you think it's awfully interesting that this administration picks and chooses what vile dictator needs to be overthrown?

There are several brutal dictators in power as we speak, across the globe, with atrocities far greater than those perpetrated by Hussein. We all know deep down, why King Georgie picked Iraq. And I'm sure the owners of Haliburton thank him so much for his true 'bravery' in standing up against 'tarr-er-ists.'

So, the body bags pile up on each side. There is no end in sight, and most high-level officials are saying that it will probably take about 6-10 years to reasonably end this conflict. As much as I believe we should have never been there in the first place, it is too late to just 'pull out' of Iraq. The damage is already done. King Georgie has seen to that. We leave now, and the instability will cause tsunami-like waves of instability throughout the whole region.

We are feeling the first waves with Iraq and the Israel/Lebanon conflict, and if King Georgie has his way, we'll just hop, skip and jump over to Iran, also. Don't even start with me, concerning writing about the current economy, including how our debt has far exceeded the surplus that Bill Clinton left us when he vacated the White House. If we are not careful, we might all be tattooed with "Made in China" in the near future.

Add to that, what we are finding out about how the US doesn't feel the need to abide by Geneva Convention rules at all. Not at Gitmo, or in Abu Grahib, nor anywhere, really. Now, we've even recruited members of the APA, for psychological torture and interrogation.

What this means, domestically, is that bit by bit our rights are being stripped. There is nothing patriotic about the Patriot Act I and II. Right now, if martial law was enacted, or for whatever trumped up reason this government could have after tapping into your phone lines, federal agents could come take you in the middle of the night, with no warrant, and could hold you indefinitely. Ask Jose Padilla.

If the things I write don't upset you, or make you think about another time in history, maybe you are too numbed out on American Idol or Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes sightings to realize what is happening.

Without sounding like a whacked out survivalist, I do believe that we are headed down a scary path within this country, period. If there is another 9/11 incident, don't be surprised if martial law is enacted. Also, don't be surprised if many of us that are considered subversives, for simply reading 'Mother Jones' magazine, voting as a Democrat, or attending a rally in support of Cindy Sheehan, end up in American Gulags/concentration camps.

If you think it could never happen here, think again. Take a look at the following article:

http://www.rutherford.org/articles_db/commentary.asp?record_id=400

If I have to wake up to one more day of seeing innocent Lebanese and Israeli children killed or maimed, or one more young man or woman from our own armed forces blown away, I feel I might puke. When I start to think about what a mess 'the monkeys' have gotten is into at this point, it's enough to make me roll up into a fetal ball.

I keep telling my partner that soon she will have to unroll me out of the fetal ball every morning.

With that said, I'd like to post the lyrics to a great Anne Murray tune that I remember from 1984. What's so interesting and ironic is that in 1984, we were all talking about the fighting in Lebanon.

I remembered this song, and it is so fitting today, not only about war, but the price of gasoline, the bleak economy. I wrote an email to Ms. Murray, asking her to re-record this song, with updated lyric references. The song is called, "A Little Good News Today."

Read the lyrics. Powerful.

A Little Good News
Anne Murray
Written by Charles Black, Rory Bourke, and Thomas Rocco

Peaked at # 74 on the Pop chart in 1983 while hitting #1 on the Country chart

I rolled out this morning
Kids had the mornin' news show on
Bryant Gumbel was talkin' 'bout the fighting in Lebanon
Some senator was squawkin' 'bout the bad economy
It's gonna get worse you see, we need a change in policy

There's a local paper rolled up in a rubber band
One more sad story's one more than I can stand
Just once how I'd like to see the headline say
"Not much to print today, can't find nothin' bad to say", because

Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town
Nobody OD'ed, nobody burned a single buildin' down
Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain
We sure could use a little good news today

I'll come home this evenin'
I'll bet that the news will be the same
Somebody takes a hostage, somebody steals a plane
How I wanna hear the anchor man talk about a county fair
And how we cleaned up the air, how everybody learned to care
Whoa, tell me

Nobody was assassinated in the whole Third World today
And in the streets of Ireland, all the children had to do was play
And everybody loves everybody in the good old USA
We sure could use a little good news today

Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town
Nobody OD'ed, nobody burned a single buildin' down
FADE
Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain
We sure could use a little good news today

Also, read the lyrics from my buddy, singer/songwriter, Martha Ann Brooks. She's a semi-local writer, but I'm telling you she's got real talent. I feel she is on the cusp of being one of our more relevant and powerful singer/songwriters. She can warble a hardscrabble blues tune like you wouldn't believe, and then turn around and write/sing a poignant song about our men and women in the military that can really make you think.

It makes me think of Cindi and Patti, two women on a Web group we belong to. As soon as Cindi and Patti make a commitment to be together as partners, Patti was called to duty in Iraq. She returned with a severe case of PostTraumatic Stress Disorder. To top it all off, Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home. Now, our lovely government won't pay for Patti's much needed therapy. She's a veteran of this nutty war, and she served her country well. I am so reminded of Patti, when I listen to Martha Ann's song.

Martha Ann is really great, so I will frequently tout her here in any way I can. Check out her cool Web site, and if you are in the Chattanooga, TN/North Georgia area, look for her. You will not be disappointed.

Check out the song by Martha Ann. It's been voted as a top song about the war on Neil Young's Web site. I think that's awesome.

This will make you think and it will make you want to thank all of our soldiers in active duty and those who are veterans:

When Your Soldier Comes Back Home
© 2005 Martha Ann Brooks BMI


When your soldier comes back home
You will be happy
You want things to be like they were before
But your soldier has been forged through trial by fire
After all he lived through war
Be patient when you see he’s not the same
Your soldier’s changed

When your soldier comes back home
He will be different
He’ll think about those that gave their lives
He might be feelin guilty that he’s living
He will keep that guilt inside
It may show sometimes in things he’ll say and do
Please help him through

Chorus:

War is never over
For the ones who fought side by side
They are bruised and battered
The deepest wounds don’t show outside

You may think that time will heal
There is no healing
The days are like sandbags around him
But ghosts will not be held back by a wall
Bad memories always win
If you love him you must be the one who stays
You must be strong
When your soldier comes back home

Chorus:

War is never over
For the ones who fought side by side
They are bruised and battered
The deepest wounds don’t show outside


© 2005 Martha Ann Brooks BMI Published by Brux Music

2 comments:

RevCindi said...

Thanks for your inclusion of us in your blog. Patti and I long for a time when our veterans will receive the benefits they were promised by our government, as well as the honor due heroes.

I agree with your post. We are fast descending into martial law. I read this week where Bush wants control of the National Guard, taking that control away from Governors. That will bring about the police state that Bush wants.

When, near the beginning of his (p)residency, Bush quipped that governing would be much easier if this were a dictatorship and he the dictator, he wasn't kidding.

God help us. God help the world.

Blessings,
Cindi

Min O'Pause said...

Cindi,

That really freaks me out. I didn't know that. Thanks for posting.

Lisa