agoodfight

2006-03-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

The government has finally declassified some of the names of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay. It is appalling when after so many years and fighting the only thing the U.S. public has received is names in terms of the "enemy combatants." We still know very little about charges. What I didn't know about many of the detainees was the fact that some are very young (in their teens). The fight needs to continue to force the government to bring charges against these people and prove they are holding them for a reason. Here is a compiled list of the names I found (the government did not put much work into it and simply provided thousands of pages of script with the names embedded).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Guantanamo_Bay_detainees

2006-03-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

It seems as though the debacle surrounding the NSA wiretaps has had no effect on the government as the Senate approved the renewal of the Patriot Act. With all the discussion surrounding the president's executive power and the need to curb it, in the end only four senators have opposed the Act to bolster that power more. Although that was a win for the Bush administration and the GOP as a whole, the administration looked like a fool again with the uncovering of a video. The video shows the ex-FEMA chief briefing George Bush about hurricane Katrina and the thought that the levees were going to be breached. George Bush did not ask a question throughout (all my teachers always told me the smartest people were the ones asking questions) and in the end assured the officials that the federal government was well prepared. Not only is this a mistake, but the administration and George Bush himself has tried to cover up and rewrite history. They have consistently denied the idea that anyone thought the levees would break. This video proves differently and has foiled another attempt of the Bush administration to rewrite history. Thank God for technology.

2006-02-28T15:25:00.000-08:00

It's hard to work in wartime circumstances and apparently Halliburton has had a lot of trouble. The Pentagon's auditors found ~$250 million in suspicious spending/costs. The army has let Halliburton off the hook and paid the full amount, leaving Halliburton's profits from the war (constructed by a former exec and his crew) in the billions of dollars. It makes you wonder what the government might have been able to do with that $250 million. Rebuild New Orleans (not just for Mardi Gras either, let's start talking about the poor people)? We'll never know.

2006-02-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

The United States and Israel, two supposedly democratic nations, are planning on starving Hamas of money and international connections in order to oust them from leadership. Whether this is the right thing to do or not is up for debate. What is appalling is that the United States has justified its war in Iraq and attempted dominance in the Middle East with claims of democracy and freedom. This is clear hypocrisy posed again by the Bush administration. There is no attempt to hide the fact that the administration wants certain people in power in the Middle East and does not respect the people's choice.

2006-02-13T11:53:00.000-08:00

Well it's finally happened. Dick Cheney has shot someone. Despite his ducking out of Vietnam, the old man has found a way to shoot another, even older man. Dick shot 78 year old Harry Whittington while hunting quail (no he wasn't hunting Bin Laden). Cheney sprayed the elderly gentleman with his shotgun despite the man wearing bright orange and being in a clear line of sight. I suppose it had to be expected, as we all know that the vice-president has an itchy trigger finger (even if he usually uses it to send thousands of Americans to kill thousands of Iraqis). But perhaps we shouldn't be too quick to judge. Perhaps Mr. Whittington had made a call overseas and in turn deserved to not only be wiretapped but shot. In the end Mr. Whittington should probably count his lucky stars as Dick refrained from torturing the old man.

2006-02-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've posted, and a lot has happened. More corruption charges against Republican lobbyists, Hamas election in Palestine, Mohammed cartoons inciting riots, Alito being approved and much more. George Bush gave a low key State of the Union address earlier this week. The Nation has written about it and I'll let that link do my talking.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060220/editors

2005-12-27T22:18:00.000-08:00

The New Orleans police are in the news again, and yet again they have screwed up. Another life is lost in New Orleans because of the ineptness of the police. A man was wielding a knife and the police, at least 15 of them, were pointing their guns at the man. They seemed to have everything under control and yet the man lunged at a police officer with the knife. The man did not have any other weapon and yet the police found it necessary to shoot 10 times at the man. Non-lethal bullets of course were not used and no good explanation was to given as to why not. The police's 'right' to kill has created numerous problems. Common sense is replaced with a trigger finger and this is truly unacceptable.

2005-12-27T12:47:00.000-08:00

Today is a great day. The city officials in Graz, Austria have removed the Schwarzenegger name from the stadium of his home town. The city officials did this in response to Schwarzenegger's lack of reprieve in the case of Stanley Tookie Williams. The death penalty is, of course, illegal in the country and many politicians and citizens find the act barbaric and rightly so. The death penalty is a stain to civilization and a ridiculous part of an already ridiculous judicial system.

2005-12-25T18:11:00.000-08:00

The United States government proposes to put up 700 miles of wall between the United States and Mexico around Mexico's most populated areas. The Mexican government is furious calling the plan stupid and shameful. What I find most interesting about this story is the potential Latin America has to resist the power the administration is flexing in the world. With leftist leaders being elected, and their access to oil I think that the Latin American countries should be seen as the beacon of hope for resisting the imperial American government.

2005-12-22T21:59:00.000-08:00

As Dick Cheney has implied, and at times outright stated, the administration is attempting to extend its executive power. What they don't mention, but is extraordinarily obvious is that it is extremely inappropriate in terms of maintaining true democratic values. Fortunately it seems as though the administration has started to overextended themselves. Today it seems as if the judicial branch has finally caught up and started to put checks on the administration. Jose Padilla's case (interesting to see how former gang members have been in the news lately) is important in regards to a stop to the extension of power. Unfortunately, this is one small step forward as there have been steps back. In the same day Dick Cheney has been the tie breaking vote to make huge budget cuts taking away foster care programs, medicare and much more.

2005-12-21T19:56:00.000-08:00

News the past week has been centered around the U.S. government's work to extend the executive power of the president through spying on their own citizens. Not only do these actions amount to ridiculous illegal, infractions on civil liberties but on top of that the government continues to lie about the situation. In defending spying (sounds a lot like defending torture) the administration stated that the wiretaps were only used when one of the individuals was outside the United States (as if this made it alright). It turns out that the wiretaps are flawed occasionally and even if the NSA thinks that the person is outside the United States they may be within its borders. Sounds like another giant recipe for mistakes.

2005-12-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

The central government, full of its lies and misinformation, continue to try and extend their power. Recently Pentagon papers were leaked citing 'threats.' Threats against what is another question, because they were peace organizations who were organizing protests against the war. Homeland security at its best: paranoid. The administration has done an unbelievable job creating a paranoia in this country. Homeland security does not apply to keeping our citizens secure in shelters as thousands of home loans were denied to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Nor does it apply to immigrants to our country, because undocumented workers are now felons and offspring to illegals who are born here may soon be considered illegal immigrants as well. Securing decent quality of life is not part of the agenda for the administration, but rather securing their own power is their ONLY agenda. Although this is all discouraging I think there is hope, not only in the resistance to this administration but also in the administration's mistakes. They are becoming overextended and their credibility is lowering by the day. The resistance movement needs to take advantage of this (resistance movement does not equal democrats in my mind necessarily). So how can we take advantage and further discredit this administration that does not provide its citizens with a good life and instead concentrates on creating an American empire within and without its borders.

2005-12-14T13:16:00.000-08:00

Stanley Tookie Williams was brutally murdered early Tuesday morning. The hypocrisy of the death penalty is perhaps the most obvious illogical travesty in the United States. That is even without speaking about its reliance on a very imperfect judicial system. Lessons we learn as a child apparently go out the window with the death penalty. The United States is already a moral joke, especially these days when torture camps are being promoted by our leaders, but the United States continues to act in a morally reprehensible way (usually perpetrated by those who claim to be moral leaders). Leaders around the world are speaking out against the execution, but the Austrian response is my favorite. Officials there are calling for Schwarzenegger's citizenship to be taken away and for a football stadium to be renamed the 'Stanley Tookie Williams Stadium.' It is truly sad when our prison system, an already racist institution, continues to promote punishment over reform.

2005-12-11T17:54:00.000-08:00

There is a push in Washington to make those persons born IN the United States to illegal immigrants, illegal themselves. In Kansas City a student was suspended from school for speaking Spanish in the hallway. None of the articles I read about these topics spoke of xenophobia, but when discussing the Ivory Coast and the tensions between the North and South the article was quick to mention xenophobia. It is amazing the hypocrisy within American culture when it comes to racism and xenophobia as well as other topics. Saadam Hussein's lawyers made this point very well when asking whether or not a witness had been electrically shocked and sexually humiliated as in Abu Ghraib. When 'others' are the perpetrators of such actions they are taken to court, while the perpetrators in this country are usually immune to the international court. This needs to come to an end. Those who are guilty of such actions must be held responsible. If this does not happen the danger becomes the perception of such actions will be that they are acceptable.

2005-12-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

US Air Marshals shot a U.S. citizen yesterday at the Miami International Airport. The report I read said the air marshals refused to say how many shots had been fired. I'm terribly worried this story is on the track of the London underground story. A shoot to kill policy is unacceptable. Too many mistakes happen. To add to my thoughts, it was the first time since 9/11 that air marshals had to shoot at a passenger. Why are we living in such fear? The administration and the media have created a culture of fear that serves their purposes quite well (Iraq anyone?).

2005-12-04T13:08:00.000-08:00

I posted earlier in the year about the new Liberian president. I wrote that I was appalled by the lack of media in the United States about such a seemingly big step for women in Africa. I would like to mend previous ignorance on my part and provide a more critical analysis of the situation. Although I still see it as a step, in the most vague ideological way, in the right direction for women in Africa, we should not blindly accept her win as progress. Ellen is a Harvard economist who worked for the World Bank and was a strong supporter of Taylor. We must keep in mind the detriment that the World Bank and structural adjustment programs have caused and continue to cause on Africa. A push to a global economy and neoliberalism have forced Africa into further poverty. Unfortunately, I see that Ellen's lead will push this agenda further and push Liberia further down. What were the choices? Her competitor was a footballer. Granted a very good footballer (George Weah), but a footballer none-the-less. It's is already pathetic that a movie star, Arnold, can become a governor, but to be the leader of a country is quite a different story. So, it seems that there wasn't much choice (sounds like home). Africa is very rarely given any sort of choice.

For news on the new strategist for the Bush administration check out http://pbd.blogspot.com

2005-11-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

Information, misinformation.
Amidst reports about the military paying Iraqi newspapers to print American friendly reports, there has been debate about who should control the internet (http://www.slate.com/id/2131182/?nav=tap3). The Bush administration has done an awe/disgust inspiring job in misinforming the American public as well as the world. Furthermore the conservative bloc has taken over mainstream media by firing anti-war employees, and proposing to bomb Al Jazeera. The internet has become the medium in which dissent can be voiced (whether this is good or bad is a debate to be held), but we must not become complacent and allow the same thing to happen to the internet. Now the question becomes should the United States or some transnational organization control the internet? Or is there another entity that might do a better job? These are important questions that must be raised before we lose this medium too.

2005-11-28T17:29:00.000-08:00

I read an article today about a Russian political party called the Motherland that is coming under attack for airing xenophobic adds which seemingly attack people in the Caucaus region. One leader in the party made an interesting comment asking (and I paraphrase from memory) that if their party was in America they would be Republicans and last time he checked Republicans weren't fascists. I guess fascists might be a bit harsh, but they're working at it. All joking aside, the party could pose a serious threat in elections and that is what is truly scary.

2005-11-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

Today, an American citizen, a Chicagoan (as if this should matter), was finally indicted (sounds like a familiar word heard with names like DeLay and Scooter) after 3 and a half years in a South Carolina jail. When finally charged with a crime, he is not charged with the crimes the government said he was being held for, but rather the very ambigious participating in terrorist activities overseas. The same charge that has held thousands in detainment with no rights. The blatant disregard for human rights is disgusting in terms of the Bush administration and the sloppy, slow response by the Democrats is pathetic. It says to me that political parties are not the solution for social change. It's a shame all the power they have.

2005-11-22T10:12:00.000-08:00

A New Way to Control the Media

A new Downing Street Memo has been leaked stating that George Bush said to Tony Blair that he wanted to bomb the Al Jazeera News Agency headquarters in Doha. Blair rebuffed him in fear of causing further revenge attacks. Quite a way to control the media. Apparently the Rendon Group wasn't enough in the Arab world.

Reinventing History

On the heels of McLellan's "that's accurate" fiasco the government has attempted to rewrite history and failed miserably. The Pentagon finally admitted to using white phosphorous in the invasion of Fallujah after consistently denying it, and now has rejected that white phosphorous is a chemical weapon. As if that claim wasn't ridiculous enough, as white phosphorous is comparable to napalm, a 1995 Pentagon document has the quote 'white phosphorous chemical weapons' in it. It is appalling that the government has taken on a mission to rewrite history in such a blatant manner. Dick Cheney today is denying claims that the administration misled the American people with false information, but it seems like they are just being consistent with current actions. Information is very powerful and the production of information is also very powerful. Fortunately the reproduction of information is also powerful and the last two attempts of the administration to rewrite history have been thwarted by recordings and recorded documents. What we must do is continue to fight against the rewriting of history. Even though the administration failed in these two attempts they have been successful and persistent in other rewritings. We must continue to fight those attempts at history/information reproduction and we must win. The most important being why the administration went to war.

2005-11-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

There is so much to write about. Washington alone provides for most of the blog ideas these days, as well it should. I would like to shift the focus today a little bit and discuss Zimbabwe. There is news today that the government is turning to the army to assist in the food crisis the country is in. Thousands die because of starvation, thousands more become homeless because of Mugabe's 'taking out the trash' scheme, Mugabe enacts laws to crush opposition, and much of the world ignores the crises. I see the army's involvement in this process another bad policy taken on by the despotic regime. The action has been delayed for a few days, but just what will come of the project is unclear. What is clear is that these measures will not do enough to save the Zimbabwean people. Goals are not being met, and the general programs for agricultural reinvigoration seems to be more land programs that will fail miserably. What is interesting to note is the importance of land and the rural population not only in Africa but much of the South. In a time when free market thinking rules (George Bush and APEC springs to mind) the rural populations of the world are the people who will suffer from forced integration and the rule of agribusiness. Rural movements must begin to fight this globalization movement. The how is the big question.

P.S. After all it's hard to shift the focus from Washington for too long. George W. Bush's ratings continue to drop....www.pbd.blogspot.com.

2005-11-18T16:41:00.000-08:00

Lies, lies, torture, lies...
There is news today of more torture in Iraq. In this case a large group of prisoners were found in a compound belonging to the Interior Minister. Some of the prisoners showed signs of torture, including bruising and cuts. The Interior Minister made the audacious statement that only seven of the prisoners had been tortured, as if there was a quota to be filled before it became inhumane. Along with this news there is talk in Washington about leaving Iraq immediately. John Murtha, a respected war veteran, is the first to call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq. It seems like everyone else, on the other hand, sees work to be done in Iraq. Perhaps more contracts to win. The torture in Iraq must be condemned and further more the torture by the United States MUST come to an end. We cannot allow our Vice-President to condone such acts. Furthermore if the torture wasn't enough we find that it is combined with big business...who would have guessed? A company called Aero Contractors are used by the CIA to fly detainees in "extraordinary extradition circumstances" to countries where torture is practiced. There are activists protesting in North Carolina, and perhaps we can help the cause. Send complaints to the Johnston County Airport who services Aero by emailing (numerous times if you like and I hope you do) webmaster@mail.co.johnston.nc.us. You could also call and hold up phone lines if that's more your style (919) 934-0992. Perhaps we can anger the airport enough to enact some change in this business's practices. The United States cannot go on allowing for such hypocricy in our government.

2005-11-17T08:26:00.000-08:00

Dick Cheney lambasted critics of the Bush administration calling them dishonest and their actions reprehensible. Surely it's outrageous to suggest that the administration misled, wait let's just say it...lied, about why they were going to war with Iraq. That would be crazy, I mean there are no WMDs found, and there is a closer link between George Bush and Osama bin Laden than with Sadaam Hussein. If any actions are reprehensible the man pictured is engaging in them. To call for torture to be allowed in interrogations is inhumane. The Senate itself has attempted to call for a 'compromise' on detainees rights, but it still does not allow the basic rights they should be allowed. On John Marshall's blog Talking Points Memo he mentions that the administration is in a dire situation and even though the statements they make are seemingly ridiculous to the logical and inquisitive mind, they must make some sort of response, else they look even more ridiculous. How can this be? The administration has lied consistently. Recently they attempted to lie about what the press secretary said in a RECORDED interview. And the stick by it?? How can they get away with this? Is it because not enough people are even interested in politics? Is it because they've accepted they can not change any minds? Is it because they think their 'moral' leadership will sustain them in the public's mind? Even then it's amazing that people think this administration is morally right when they call for torture and war.

2005-11-15T14:24:00.000-08:00

I read just a couple minutes ago on guerillanews.com and allafrica.com that Liberia has unoffically elected the first woman as a head of state. Ellen Sirleaf beat George Weah for the Liberian presidency. I then searched for any stories in major American papers about the story (NY Times, LA Times, CNN, etc...) I couldn't find anything. I just find it amazing that the United States is so far behind. We would be amazed if a woman RAN in a presidential election let alone win it. Liberia has only been a truly independent country (politically of course, neo-colonialism still reigns true) for no more than 40 years and much of that time it was ravaged by civil war. Still they have been able to achieve progress that our country rich in education and wealth, and a nation that has existd for 200 some years, has failed miserably to do. Feminism needs to begin to take a stronger hold in the United States.