2008
Genocide 2011
In 2008, President X campaigned on a platform of A, B and C. Never talked much about genocide, except to express anger over Darfur to score points with the base. Never made any serious commitment to “never again,” cause what is that besides a phrase everyone says but no one means?
But now it’s 2011 and yesterday some lurid reports came out of _______. A couple days ago, there were massacres in the north, ___ on ____ violence. A couple villages massacred---the men and boys being immediately executed, women and girls taken out and raped, then executed. Unknown number of dead. Possible government involvement. It appears as a little paragraph in the global roundup sections of major newspapers.
Intelligence '08
To me, stupidity---or at least the very worst brand of it---is having the ability to fix a problem but not actually following through. I'm stupid for not fixing my door before my laptop was stolen. Live and learn. I'll never do it again. But what about when you're taught a lesson and you don't apply it? What if it's glaringly obvious, and you're told over and over again, at regular intervals, and it's hurting you all the time, and yet you still do nothing to fix it? What does that make you?
Tuesday Open Thread
Downing Street distanced itself yesterday from an attack by Hilary Benn on the Bush administration's strategy for the "war on terror", in which he claimed military force alone would not defeat al-Qa'ida.
The International Development Secretary called, during a visit to New York, for the strategy to be redirected at winning the trust and support of communities where the terrorists prospered. He said he would not use the phrase "war on terror" - a favourite expression of President George Bush - because it helped to unite fragmented terrorist groups under one banner.
Old vs. New
It’s kind of sad to see people who are afraid to embrace something new, mainly because they are too scared to let go of everything they ever knew. They’re afraid of losing power, so they resist all new opportunities to grow that come along.
Why I won't be volunteering for any '08 candidates
I just saw this post over at Future Majority that made a few points I really liked. The article's about Obamamania and basically why it's a little naive to think that he's the savior of all mankind, and of young people in particular.
As someone who's perpetually frustrated with the lack of attention Gen Y issues get in DC and someone whose support for Obama is fading as I see him turning into justanotherplasticpolitician, one paragraph in particular struck a cord with me.
Action Alert: Employee Free Choice Act - SMASH THE GOP FILIBUSTER!
As we all know (or should know) by now, the Employee Free Choice Act passed the House 241 to 185. That is roughly 56.6%. Translated into Senate terms, that percentage would be 57 votes at best, 3 short of breaking a filibuster. And make no mistake, Republicans are planning to filibuster to block Workers Rights. A closer look at the House votes, however, shows some of the most vulnerable Republicans for 2008.
The first two things you can do to help turn the tide in the Senate is to sign this petition and write a letter to the editor.