Global
Three quarters of Americans surveyed say they admire Laura Bush, while only one third have a favorable view of Teresa Heinz Kerry. The result is unsurprising because this is a misogynistic country that insists its First Ladies must play the role of June Cleaver, dutifully frying bacon while tastefully adorned with a string of matching pearls. The American people also exalt mediocrity, hence Miss Laura is cherished for being uninspiring just as Bob Hope was revered for being unfunny.
As viewed by Middle America, Heinz Kerry suffers greatly on a comparative basis: Laura is ingratiatingly mundane, while Teresa is disturbingly brilliant. Laura is pleasingly subservient, while Teresa is annoyingly independent. Laura is obediently traditional, while Teresa is maddeningly nonconformist. And Laura cares about her own little world, whereas Teresa cares about the whole, wide world.
As viewed by Middle America, Heinz Kerry suffers greatly on a comparative basis: Laura is ingratiatingly mundane, while Teresa is disturbingly brilliant. Laura is pleasingly subservient, while Teresa is annoyingly independent. Laura is obediently traditional, while Teresa is maddeningly nonconformist. And Laura cares about her own little world, whereas Teresa cares about the whole, wide world.
Can anyone cite one instance where GW Bush voiced concern about the welfare or liberation of the Iraqi people BEFORE his war, and before he was sworn in as president? There is no evidence that Bush has demonstrated any concern for any other person except himself through his entire life. Bush never spoken out for the rights of the common man. Bush never spoken out against injustice, oppression, or genocide.
Where was Bush when 500,000 Kurds were being killed in Iraq by Saddam when his father, GHW Bush was president? Where was Bush when 500,000 Iraqi children were dying of hunger due to the allied bombings in Iraq after the Gulf War? Where was Bush when the massive acts of genocide were occurring in Rwanda? Where is Bush now while a million Sudanese people are being killed?
Where was Bush when 500,000 Kurds were being killed in Iraq by Saddam when his father, GHW Bush was president? Where was Bush when 500,000 Iraqi children were dying of hunger due to the allied bombings in Iraq after the Gulf War? Where was Bush when the massive acts of genocide were occurring in Rwanda? Where is Bush now while a million Sudanese people are being killed?
Less than two weeks before Election Day 2004, the ABC
television network cancelled Miss America. Fifty years after it
premiered on national TV, the famous "beauty pageant" has fallen on
hard times. Last month, the annual show drew just 9.8 million
viewers, the smallest audience ever.
"The pageant has changed, but not for the better," commented an editorial in a New Jersey newspaper, the Asbury Park Press. "Eliminating most of the talent portion of the competition from this year's broadcast was a mistake. Trotting the contestants out in string bikinis rather than one-piece suits probably did more to alienate traditional viewers than attract new ones."
Despite this year's modernizing make-over, the Miss America pageant is a throwback to the 1950s, the decade that launched it onto the nation's TV screens -- an era when sexism was inseparable from supposed Americanism. Women were reduced to competitors in bathing suits who could sing and flash their shiny white teeth while they briefly made conversation. Perhaps subtly but pervasively, the spectacle was an exercise in humiliation.
"The pageant has changed, but not for the better," commented an editorial in a New Jersey newspaper, the Asbury Park Press. "Eliminating most of the talent portion of the competition from this year's broadcast was a mistake. Trotting the contestants out in string bikinis rather than one-piece suits probably did more to alienate traditional viewers than attract new ones."
Despite this year's modernizing make-over, the Miss America pageant is a throwback to the 1950s, the decade that launched it onto the nation's TV screens -- an era when sexism was inseparable from supposed Americanism. Women were reduced to competitors in bathing suits who could sing and flash their shiny white teeth while they briefly made conversation. Perhaps subtly but pervasively, the spectacle was an exercise in humiliation.
Dr. Howard Dean paid a visit to the Vote Mob
headquarters on Wednesday, October 20th, where he
spoke and answered questions for almost 200 excited
but cramped progressive youth who were packed tightly
into a small office space on North High Street.
Dean, after dropping out of the Democratic primary race, is focusing on helping the Democratic Party achieve success in the election. He founded the political action committee Democracy for America, which is part of the recent onslaught of groups that is committed to getting progressive voters to the polls. Vote Mob and its parent organization, 21st century Democrats, are allied with Democracy for America under the umbrella organization America Votes, along with thirty or so other groups such as America Coming Together, the League of Conservation Voters, and MoveOn.
The purpose of Dean's visit was to "take an opportunity to thank the volunteers of his partner organization and to stress the importance of the youth vote," according to Rose Steller, a Vote Mob worker.
Dean, after dropping out of the Democratic primary race, is focusing on helping the Democratic Party achieve success in the election. He founded the political action committee Democracy for America, which is part of the recent onslaught of groups that is committed to getting progressive voters to the polls. Vote Mob and its parent organization, 21st century Democrats, are allied with Democracy for America under the umbrella organization America Votes, along with thirty or so other groups such as America Coming Together, the League of Conservation Voters, and MoveOn.
The purpose of Dean's visit was to "take an opportunity to thank the volunteers of his partner organization and to stress the importance of the youth vote," according to Rose Steller, a Vote Mob worker.
In the greatest comeback in sports history, the Boston Red Sox have done the impossible---and so can John Kerry.
As all the world knows, the fabled Red Sox were down three games to none in a seven game series. That meant they had to win four in a row.
It had never been done before. In fact, no big league baseball team down three-zero had ever come back to even a series by winning three to tie, let alone taking four to win.
But the Red Sox did it. Cursed for the ill-fated trade of Babe Ruth to the Yankees back in 1920, the Red Sox haven't won a World Series since 1918.
Red Sox history is filled with horrific moments of terminal frustration. A 1986 ground ball slipped through the rickety legs of an inappropriate first baseman after they had the Mets beat. There've been endless last-minute losses to the Yankees. Bizarre twists of fate have cursed them, year after year.
Whatever it took, the Red Sox, who usually had very good teams, managed to lose the Big One.
As all the world knows, the fabled Red Sox were down three games to none in a seven game series. That meant they had to win four in a row.
It had never been done before. In fact, no big league baseball team down three-zero had ever come back to even a series by winning three to tie, let alone taking four to win.
But the Red Sox did it. Cursed for the ill-fated trade of Babe Ruth to the Yankees back in 1920, the Red Sox haven't won a World Series since 1918.
Red Sox history is filled with horrific moments of terminal frustration. A 1986 ground ball slipped through the rickety legs of an inappropriate first baseman after they had the Mets beat. There've been endless last-minute losses to the Yankees. Bizarre twists of fate have cursed them, year after year.
Whatever it took, the Red Sox, who usually had very good teams, managed to lose the Big One.
There has been a lot of verbal sabre rattling from Iran saying they want to preemptively attack Israel because Israel poses a threat to Iran's budding nuclear facilities. And guess what "model" they are citing as an excuse to attack Israel? GW Bush's preemptive strike against Iraq model, that's what. After all, GW Bush and the GOP have established "preemptive strikes" as a way of dealing with terrorists, even if the country they attack has no terrorists.
Iran has a valid reason, according the Bush Preemptive Strike Doctrine, or "BPSD", for wanting to attack Israel. Israel has stated that they want to attack Iran's atomic capability. Since Iran would consider that to be an act of terrorism by Israel, then Iran has every right to preemptively strike Israel to defend themselves, according to the BPSD. Since Iran would be following in the same insane footsteps of GW Bush, and the GOP, how can republicans denounce Iran? They can't, and continue to justify their preemptive strike against Iraq, a country that posed a zero threat to the United States and a country that had nothing to do with the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks.
Iran has a valid reason, according the Bush Preemptive Strike Doctrine, or "BPSD", for wanting to attack Israel. Israel has stated that they want to attack Iran's atomic capability. Since Iran would consider that to be an act of terrorism by Israel, then Iran has every right to preemptively strike Israel to defend themselves, according to the BPSD. Since Iran would be following in the same insane footsteps of GW Bush, and the GOP, how can republicans denounce Iran? They can't, and continue to justify their preemptive strike against Iraq, a country that posed a zero threat to the United States and a country that had nothing to do with the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks.
Back on our organic commune in western Massachusetts we often laughed about a fabled farmer who owned a manure spreader. This fabulous device flung cow, horse and chicken droppings high and far onto corn and hay fields.
We had one. It worked great.
Allegedly this mythical farmer once used his to render the home of a corrupt Selectman terminally fragrant. It was a great story.
So amidst our endless disputes with local officials and polluters, we fantasized about arming our own crap flinger for a few choice passes at town hall or the local utility office.
But there was nothing explicit in the law books about airborne poop, and we weren't sure Gandhi would have approved. So despite the great laughs, we never actually did it.
No such qualms plague Dick Cheney or Karl Rove, disciples of the ultimate filthy trickster, Dick Nixon.
We had one. It worked great.
Allegedly this mythical farmer once used his to render the home of a corrupt Selectman terminally fragrant. It was a great story.
So amidst our endless disputes with local officials and polluters, we fantasized about arming our own crap flinger for a few choice passes at town hall or the local utility office.
But there was nothing explicit in the law books about airborne poop, and we weren't sure Gandhi would have approved. So despite the great laughs, we never actually did it.
No such qualms plague Dick Cheney or Karl Rove, disciples of the ultimate filthy trickster, Dick Nixon.
Dear America,
“My silences had not protected me. Your silences will not protect you.”
–Audre Lorde The Cancer Journals
I begin my letter with this epigraph because I routinely have been labeled as a member of a silent generation; I am twenty-four years old, a woman, and a college student. Three markers which have led to me and others like me being labeled apathetic when it comes to politics. As the election date nears, I can be silent no longer. America I am here to tell you that our apathy is caused by the feeling that we don’t count. In the year 2000, our government told us our voice doesn’t matter. It is the Supreme Court and the Senate who choose the president, not the American people. Now, I come to you on bended knee to beg that you reignite in me the belief in democracy.
The presidential election of 2004 is all about fear.
That is the simple yet complete truth. November 2, 2004 is a referendum on fear: should we, a nation of 260 million people, make all of our major political and life decisions based on the actions of nineteen monsters who hijacked four airplanes on a beautiful morning in September three years ago and murdered 3000 of our fellow citizens? Are we obliged due to our natural and understandable terror on that horrible day to eliminate civil liberties and common decencies for which Americans have fought and died since our country’s inception?
When the citizens of the United States step into their voting booths, they should understand that the choice is not between George W. Bush and John F. Kerry. The ballots should read Fear and Freedom.
Anyone who votes for Bush, regardless of their stated reasons, is casting a ballot for fear; for making decisions based upon what scares them, or what they are told by the Bush administration should scare them.
That is the simple yet complete truth. November 2, 2004 is a referendum on fear: should we, a nation of 260 million people, make all of our major political and life decisions based on the actions of nineteen monsters who hijacked four airplanes on a beautiful morning in September three years ago and murdered 3000 of our fellow citizens? Are we obliged due to our natural and understandable terror on that horrible day to eliminate civil liberties and common decencies for which Americans have fought and died since our country’s inception?
When the citizens of the United States step into their voting booths, they should understand that the choice is not between George W. Bush and John F. Kerry. The ballots should read Fear and Freedom.
Anyone who votes for Bush, regardless of their stated reasons, is casting a ballot for fear; for making decisions based upon what scares them, or what they are told by the Bush administration should scare them.
Fahrenheit 9/11 is based on facts, good journalism, and truth. The film uses interviews with relatives of victims of 9/11, soldiers fighting in Iraq, soldiers who have returned after duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, and veterans organizations against the Iraq War. Because President Bush stopped all attempts to form a 9/11 Commission to determine what happened that allowed the 9/11 attacks, the relatives of the victims who died on 9/11 had to sue the government and GW Bush. Bush was able to delay the formation for almost a year and a half. He did this because he was afraid of what a 9/11 Commission would dig up, particularly Bush's failings which allowed the attacks to occur.