The King Has Spoken

The king of Saudi Arabia has condemned U.S. occupation of Iraq.

I wonder what swayed him. Was it the two million Iraqi refugees? Or the hundreds of thousands of dead civiians? Was he finally moved by the rape of Iraqi women by American soldiers?

Whatever it was, I sure am glad he spoke out. Now we can finally put an end to this nonsense.

Or is it just more lip service?

And where was he four years ago?

Not a Good Reason

British sailors are being held by Iran.

It wasn't in retaliation for the U.N. sanctions, because the sailors were captured before the vote was cast. In fact, for a day or two the story barely registered on the national news.

Either the sailors were in Iranian waters, or they weren't. Someone is lying. It's all a matter of who you trust.

World War I began with assassination of a monarch. There didn't have to be a war, but students are taught that "entangling alliances" drew a number of countries into the local conflict, creating havoc.

Has our Archduke Ferdinand moment arrived?

A Sliver of Hope, and a Nice Surprise

This afternoon I read the news bulletin. I had to read it twice.

The Senate voted for a deadline on troop withdrawal from Iraq. Not just Democrats. The movement is growing.

I wonder if the Congress can muster up the courage to override a veto.

Connecting the dots

The Iranian president was not allowed to come to the United Nations because of difficulties in receiving visas for his aides.

British sailors were seized after allegedly entering Iranian waters.

The U.N. Security voted to impose sanctions against Iran.

Do you believe in coincidences?

Neither do I.

The Missing Media

In a perfect world, the media would serve the people's right to know.

But our world is far from perfect. Instead of impartial journalism we get paid shills promoting the latest propaganda. Up is down and right is left. Bush is always right. Protest is bad. War is peace. Peace is terrorism. . . .

As often as possible, I turn off the TV news--my husband likes to watch it, so sometimes I suffer in near silence--and get my news from the internet. Besides offering me a wealth of information, the internet delivers quietly, without the endless pontificating of self-appointed experts. I have hundreds, probably thousands, of choices. And if I don't want to hear one more word about Anna Nichol Smith, I don't follow the link.

It would be nice to see mainstream media working for the people, but that's really too much to ask.

Government 101

Members of Congress are challenging the White House. Some political commentators appear to be shocked. The White House is dismissing the challenge as partisan politics.

It's not partisanship. This is democracy.

It's been so long, we've forgotten how democracy actually works.

Missing Nixon and Agnew

Why won't this Administration do the honorable thing and resign?

All of them. I'll help them pack.

Score Card

Four years.

Over three thousand American dead.

Countless thousands of Iraqi civilians dead.

Billions of dollars wasted.

Destruction of cities.

No weapons of mass destruction.

Who wins?

True Confessions

So Khalid Sheikh Muhammad planned 9/11, killed Daniel Pearl, and sunk the Lusitania. Right? Have I missed anything?

There is been something peculiar about Khalid Sheikh Muhammad. Have you seen his picture? Which one? Some weeks before his capture, the newspaper ran a story about him, accompanied with a photo. He was quite dapper. Well-trimmed beard. Nicely dressed. And he was thin. Suddenly he morphed into an overweight slob. And that earlier picture disappeared.

So who is Khalid Sheikh Muhammad? Did he assist the Grinch and sabotage the Hindenburg? Maybe he's the hairy stranger blamed for so many murders. According to this week's confession, he has perpetrated all terrorist attacks of the last 15 years. I wonder what he's still hiding.

Will Rogers said it best. Don't believe everything you read in the papers.

Family Values?

Rudy Guilani has been married, what, three times? But that's okay, because Newt Gingrich tell us so. You know him. The guy who cheated on his wife.

The Republican party pretends to be the party of values. They're pro-life--but the deaths of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan are regrettable but necessary to bring freedom to the region. They're pro-family--but a little adultery never hurt anyone. They're anti-homosexual--but don't dare talk about Cheney's daughter.

How long will the American people be fooled by these double standards?

A Turbulent Life

Today I received copies of my newly published book, Turbulence. It is always a wonderful experience to hold my own book in my hands.

Turbulence is the story of three years in the life of Brad Adams. Brad has rarely known peace in his life. A rough childhood led to his own personal demons. Now he must slay them.

There are many like Brad Adams in real life. Many adults who were scarred as children. Many who carry their own secret demons.

Brad ultimately survives. Some don't. Some are never able to build the necessary resilience or find the elusive peace.

Being a Woman

An on-going news story is the outbreak of "girl violence"--girls fighting one another, sometimes with weapons.

I have always considered myself an advocate of women's rights, but we've lost our focus. I remember the 60s, when a woman couldn't open a bank account or own property in her own name. It wasn't done. As a ninth-grader, I successfully petitioned the superintendent to allow the girls to expand the dress code so we could wear jeans rather than simply dresses or those terrible pastel polyester pants suits. I wasn't allowed to take shop class in high school because no girls were allowed. It wasn't done. Women had to stay in our places.

Things were changing then, but it has taken another generation to create an atmosphere in which women are taken seriously. Many women have leadership positions in business and education. And, finally, we have a female Speaker of the House and a woman who is a viable presidential candidate.

But while we have made strides in women's rights, we've also lost ground. Part of the feminist movement was to rebel against the notion of women as sex objects. I myself am tired of seeing nearly-naked women in the media. Society also encourages aggression in women. If men can do it, why can't we?

I'm raising six sons, and I've taught them to be peaceful rather than aggressive. Just because men are doesn't mean it's the way to be. Many young women are now lowering their own standards to reflect the worst of what has been allowed for men, rather than raising the bar.

Being a woman is complicated. We have many roles which often conflict. Society still places many expectations upon us. And sometimes, whether or not we want to admit it, we're confused about who we want to be.

But I want to see young women who retain higher values. We shouldn't abase ourselves, but instead must respect and elevate ourselves. In the process, we will elevate the society in which we live.

"The 'P' Word"

I actually heard a network news anchor use this term this evening. (I miss Walter Cronkite.)

At first, I thought of the word 'president.' I came of age, politically, during Watergate and so I imagined the guilty verdict in the Libby trial leading eventually to the White House. But I am too naive. It was the other 'p' word, also from the 70s.

Pardon me? Isn't there any accountability anymore? Will anyone in power be held responsible for his or her actions? Not Libby? Not Rove? Not Cheney? Not Bush?

Reagan was called the Teflon president, but this White House has him beat. No repercussions. No consequences.

And, no, I don't think we'll find a newspaper brave enough to trace the charges back to the president.

Progress

I was heartened, a little, when the major media outlets questioned the official government story on the killing of Afghan civilians. How, indeed, can a "suicide attack" result in the deaths of so many Afghan citizens while the Marines reported no casualties? Stories trickled in of military censorship.

It's a small thing, but it's progress. The mainstream media must stop allowing themselves to be used and begin reporting the truth. The only casualties will be the liars, and we know who they are.

Why the Weird Weather?

Is it because of global warming?

Is it el Nino acting up again?

Or is it a sign?

The U.S. is involved in countries throughout the world. Killing innocent civilians who happen to get in the way. Selling arms to dictators--Egypt and Pakistan come to mind, and Saddam Hussein gained much of his military strength with the help of the U.S. Dictating forms of government in "third-world" nations. Greedily hoarding natural resources while exploiting indigenous populations.

We the American people don't suppor this. Not exactly. But are we doing enough to stop it? Can we do more?

Is the weird weather a reminder of our human frailties?

Or is it just a coincidence?