Election day smears aren't new, but for Obama and Sarah Palin they never end. The Republican Party has been getting ever more rigid when it comes to war policy for a long time. In 2006 Richard Warner dropped out, and Chuck Hagal lost, Lincoln Chafee in 2004. Arlen Specter was squeezed out of the Republican party, due to his abortion stance, and became a Democrat. In the last election, Dede Scozzafava was trounced by fake campaign ads, that looked like they were sponsored by her, shrilly overstating her pro-choice position,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-kelly/bias-media-dirty-tricks-a_b_341141.html
The polls were so bleak that she dropped out and endorsed the Democrat. Some people cheered a Democrat winning a district that was Republican since the Civil War, as some ultra-conservative ideologists cheered the Republican Party becoming more pure. But no one seems to be trying to punish or get restitution from Arkansas businessman, Jackson Stephen, who sponsored the dirty tricks. It's as if all sides seem to now think that dirty tricks is the norm.
But recently certain things have clicked back in the direction of being civil, besides Sarah Palin and Hillary comments on wanting to have a casual chat,
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/hill_up_for_coffee_talk_with_palin_3us1GLNzJEZZYZ0rj2hCdP
More importantly Mike Huckabee condemned those who can only find fault with the President. He criticized those who claim that Obama having kids on the White House lawn for Halloween was using children. Huckabee is happy that the kids had a rare opportunity and unlike some of his Republican comrades is honored that the President paid his respects to the returning dead soldiers. Since he was already condemned for being a softy in the 2006 primaries he can speak out without getting additional flack,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/19/huckabee-calls-knee-jerk_n_364023.html
I confess that I was one of those who thought something cute was going on, when ideologists accused John McCain of not being really a Republican due to McCain making conciliatory comments toward the President right after Obama won the election, instead of being frightened that a civil handshake after a rough campaign was no longer allowed.
When it comes to the ethic issues communities something more amazing has suddenly been occurring, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) came out with a report criticizing Glenn Beck as the number one fear-monger in the country. So much for the hysterics of the pro-Israel lobby, for allegedly trashing Obama for not giving Israel everything it wants,
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/11/17/2009-11-17_glenn_beck_is_scarier_than_rush_limbaugh_sean_hannity_says_antidefamation_league.html
In the Cuban-American community something amazing has been happening as well. A conservative Cuban-American group, Free Cuba Foundation, sponsored an online petition against the death-threats against Cuban entertainers who were thinking of playing at a peace concert in Cuba,
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/denounce-death-threats-against-juanes.html
I wish pubic heath care protesters in this country had an online petition against the "Bury Obama next to Kennedy" placards that a few brought to the protests.
Another piece of good news is changes at the Washington Times which had been heavily funded by Sun Myung Moon. Rev. Moon came to America with the Korea-gate lobbying scandal. The Korean lobby back then was assertive like the Israeli and Cuban-American lobbies. It later became a go-between, between the Religious Right and the Political Right. Moon's News World Communications, besides owning the Washington Times and United Press International owned the now defunct Rising Tide Newspaper, that according to Scoobie Jackson originated the "Obama is a Muslim" smears,
http://realsunmyungmoon.blogspot.com/2009/06/frank-gaffney-spreads-obama-is-muslim.html
However back in Korea it maintained businesses in North Korea and had direct dealings with the North Korean government and I suspect helped prevent a war between North Korea and the West. Sun Myung Moon retired and turned over his church to his three sons. Recently Hyung Jin Moon took over the control of the Washington Times from Hyun Jin Moon. There is an exciting possibility that Hyung Jin Moon is undoing his father's right-wing policies in pursuit of Moon's other goals of a united Korea and a united world. If anyone remembers, George Bush, when it first came to office, couldn't decide if he wanted to be an interventionist or an isolationist and compromised by only going after the small (and in his mind) the particularly bad powers which he called "The Axis of Evil". Since North Korea isn't the kind of country to back down under threats, it is very possible that Moon's go-between activities prevented war between North Korea and the Bush administration. If the Unification Church undoes some of its harsh past while still pursuing a united world, the US, if not the world, could be better off.
The efforts of the Cuban-American Foundation and the ADL reminds me of something the US stopped noting since it stopped bragging about being a melting pot. A huge number of Americans are particularly interested in another part of the world, if you include the Czech and Polish-Americans upset that the defense shield isn't going to be extended there, people who get excited on St. Patrick's Day, and the native-American tribes partial to Brazilian President Lula who is a native Indian and partial to the peasants. I suddenly realize that this fights the polarization that is going on.
There is one problem where there is not yet this kind of glimmer of hope. Following the Nidal Hasan's massacre of 13 US soldiers, there has been greater polarization between American Muslims and non-Muslims. The load condemnation of Muslim-American organizations of Hasan's murders never gets reported. Rev. Pat Robertson is insisting that Islam itself is a terrorist organization not a religion, something David Horowitz is also spreading around. If they do manage to get the army to stop enlisting Arabic translators and those who have a feel for Afghan culture, and Muslims start leaving the US, it will play into al Qaeda's goal of making this a Balkanized world. George Bush applied the term "terrorist" to Green Peace and animal right's activists. Now there is a concerted effort by David Horowitz and Tigre Hill to paint Mumia abu-Jamal who was convicted of killing Officer Faulkner as a terrorist. I guess their real goal is to get anyone accused, or convicted, of a heinous crime be deigned any rights at all. The word "terrorist" seems to be beginning to be thrown around the way "Communist" was during the Joe McCarthy witch-hunt days. Whatever Mumia's involvement or lack of involvement in Officer Danny Faulkner's death, he clearly feels empowered by his writings, and no matter what he did or didn't do the night of the murder, and never felt empowered by putting a gun to someone's head and pulling the trigger. Tigre Hill's movie on Mumia is not yet out but the trailer has David Horowitz philosophizing about terrorism, has headlines which it doesn't explain where they came from, "Pipe Bomb Damages 12 Police Cars", "Machine Gun Fire Kills 2 Cops". The words "kill a pig" repeated several times. And the words "pig" in bold letters repeated twice as the audio hurled it like a curse word,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2w_WntxpLE
Glenn Beck and Tigre Hill's help with his trailer, using Marc Hill's quotes surrounded by inflammatory material helped manage to get Marc Lamont Hill fired from Fox News for supporting Mumia, and got Van Jones fired or on his own decided to leave the Obama administration because Glenn Beck was making such a fuse. Perhaps the ADL could speak out about the misuse of the word terrorism, and counter Geert Wilders who on a tour with Horowitz, had been claiming that the Koran is a book that should be banned.
I wish to apologize for thinking it was cute that McCain was accused of being a Democrat in disguise when he tried to make conciliatory comments after the election was over. Thank you Hillary and Sarah Palin and all the others I mentioned on for your efforts. I urge us all to join them, but caution conciliatory comments need to be made during a heated effort for a particular bill or foreign policy, more than when a skirmish is over or one might end up facing what McCain faced.
By Richard Kane
Also available at,
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/16402
http://www.phillyimc.org/en/vicious-smears-threaten-us-future-suddenly-there-hope
Read more!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Let’s Stop the Spiral of Hate!
There is intense tension between Muslims in Holland and the wider community. Some of this extends to the rest of Western Europe as well. This hasn’t happened in the US as of yet despite broad accusations concerning Islam since the Fort Hood killings by conservative papers and web-sites and which sometimes got repeated on Fox News. Only Joe Leiberman claiming that the Homeland Security Committee will investigate the Fort Hood killings for terrorism, has created public worry from progressive groups and those concerned about pushing US Muslims in the wrong direction,
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/13820
I’m not making excuses. Al Qaeda likes to attack locals who translate for the US. If mistrust created by Nidal Hasan, interferes with Arabic-speaking Americans translating, al Qaeda would consider this a real plus.
Once the US was proud of what was once called the American melting pot. Obama is attempting to bring back the America the world loved after World War II. Bush after 9/11 urged that Muslim businesses not be defaced, humbly visited a mosque, and repeatedly called particularly the King of Jordan, US’s friend. Obama and Bush while very different, don’t have the opposite visions when it comes to the need for friends. At a certain point tensions could snowball like in Holland. Remember the anger all over the Muslim world when the USSR was fighting in Afghanistan. The US hasn’t faced united Muslim anger, and it is a warped sense of patriotism to think that it shouldn’t be avoided.
Arab translators would be needed even if the US would embark on exploring a rapid orderly exit policy from Afghanistan. During the Cold War Condoleezza Rice, learned Russian, as what she felt was a matter of patriotism. I haven’t heard of bloggers, urging Muslims be removed from the army, learning Arab to replace Muslim translators.
A problem is that many people believe that the liberal media is sanitizing the facts, and thus expect more detail from the conservative media. However the NY Times may have had more detail then any other publication or blog,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/us/10inquire.html?hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/09reconstruct.html?
Perhaps as much of the liberal media claims Nidal Hasan snapped from the insults hurled at him for being a Muslim. However, he bought a $1,000 automatic pistol in July,
http://prairiepundit.blogspot.com/2009/11/hasan-spent-1000-at-guns-galore-before.html
Snapping might have occurred long before November 6. Not that he couldn’t have hesitated until November 6. Witnesses say he carefully chose which soldier to shoot, so I think he was very calculating.
In 2002 Daniel Pearl who was with the Wall Street Journal, was lured by terrorists in Pakistan. In a gruesome Internet broadcast he was tortured and beheaded. Instead of reacting with hate and helping the terrorists Balkanize the world, his friends and relatives organized the Daniel Pearl Foundation with interfaith peace concerts, dialogues and prayer services,
http://www.festivaloffaithskc.org/
http://www.danielpearlmusicdays.org/
I think this is what bin Laden doesn’t want. Driving Muslims out of the West while Westerners were driven out of Middle Eastern countries would in bin Laden’s mind shield Muslims from dangerous Western influence.
Somehow many Americans think 9/11 gives us a unique responsibility to stop al Qaeda. The Madrid commuter train backpack bombings, could have killed more people had one train arrived at a station moment later. Many Spaniards can’t go to work without being reminded of that dreaded day.
To discombobulate US efforts for a coalition government in Iraq, al Qaeda at several points in 2006 and 2007 attacked and destroyed the Shiite Golden Mosque the holiest sight in Shiite world, causing massive tit-for-tat violence, and millions to have to relocate in fear of their lives,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_al-Askari_Mosque_bombing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Askari_Mosque
Since al Qaeda has no anger at Shiite Islam, much of the Muslim World hates al Qaeda causing mass mayhem, just for a temporary strategic reason. US policy toward Iran, distracts Iran from its anger at the mayhem bin Laden caused.
Nidal Malik Hasan’s rampage enhanced the ignorance of the American public to the nuances of the Muslim attitudes toward al Qaeda. My guess is that creating tension between Arabic translators and the US government was intentional, and in different ways modified what he did for maximum effect. Another tragedy that should be faced is that he can become a larger-than-life example for some. Al Qaeda members got drunk before 9/11. As part of their disguise was avoiding the mosque or appearing to be a Muslim. One Muslim web-site that I haven’t yet relocated dwelt both on the accusation that one of the 9/11 hijackers had a relative who was an Israeli spy and in almost the same breath the accusation that one of the hijackers visited a brothel. Prophet Mohammad wouldn’t have taxed drugs like the al-Qaeda-ized Taliban is doing, nor put up with a Joan or Arc, or child lookouts and spies, much less equipt a child with any kind of weapon at all. A child or an elderly lady both with down syndrome being outfitted with a remote-controlled suicide vest, is something foreign to any kind of historic tradition. One son doing this to his mother violated what every religious teacher ever advocated. Sadly, for a change, Nidal Malik Hasan gives the appearance of seriously practicing his religion. A possible silver lining in this whole affair would be if I and other could induce Americans to start paying attention to what the Muslim world thinks.
I would like to see Obama to ask France or some country to supervise a cease-fire between us and the Taliban with a clear timetable for withdrawal as long as Americans are not fired upon. But bin Laden wouldn’t want anything in the way of his vision of a permanent Muslim warring-class as long as there is a divided world, and may want to sabotage such a deal. Those who don’t have a clue claiming the war relates to an oil pipeline I don’t think helps to solve the difficulties that the US and the world is in.
Don’t forget that the attitude of Daniel Pearl’s relatives are very important whether or not at what point the US government should or should not engage in force in dealing with foreign affairs.
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/blog/2419
RichardKanePA.blogspot.com
RichardKanePA
Read more!
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/13820
I’m not making excuses. Al Qaeda likes to attack locals who translate for the US. If mistrust created by Nidal Hasan, interferes with Arabic-speaking Americans translating, al Qaeda would consider this a real plus.
Once the US was proud of what was once called the American melting pot. Obama is attempting to bring back the America the world loved after World War II. Bush after 9/11 urged that Muslim businesses not be defaced, humbly visited a mosque, and repeatedly called particularly the King of Jordan, US’s friend. Obama and Bush while very different, don’t have the opposite visions when it comes to the need for friends. At a certain point tensions could snowball like in Holland. Remember the anger all over the Muslim world when the USSR was fighting in Afghanistan. The US hasn’t faced united Muslim anger, and it is a warped sense of patriotism to think that it shouldn’t be avoided.
Arab translators would be needed even if the US would embark on exploring a rapid orderly exit policy from Afghanistan. During the Cold War Condoleezza Rice, learned Russian, as what she felt was a matter of patriotism. I haven’t heard of bloggers, urging Muslims be removed from the army, learning Arab to replace Muslim translators.
A problem is that many people believe that the liberal media is sanitizing the facts, and thus expect more detail from the conservative media. However the NY Times may have had more detail then any other publication or blog,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/us/10inquire.html?hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/09reconstruct.html?
Perhaps as much of the liberal media claims Nidal Hasan snapped from the insults hurled at him for being a Muslim. However, he bought a $1,000 automatic pistol in July,
http://prairiepundit.blogspot.com/2009/11/hasan-spent-1000-at-guns-galore-before.html
Snapping might have occurred long before November 6. Not that he couldn’t have hesitated until November 6. Witnesses say he carefully chose which soldier to shoot, so I think he was very calculating.
In 2002 Daniel Pearl who was with the Wall Street Journal, was lured by terrorists in Pakistan. In a gruesome Internet broadcast he was tortured and beheaded. Instead of reacting with hate and helping the terrorists Balkanize the world, his friends and relatives organized the Daniel Pearl Foundation with interfaith peace concerts, dialogues and prayer services,
http://www.festivaloffaithskc.org/
http://www.danielpearlmusicdays.org/
I think this is what bin Laden doesn’t want. Driving Muslims out of the West while Westerners were driven out of Middle Eastern countries would in bin Laden’s mind shield Muslims from dangerous Western influence.
Somehow many Americans think 9/11 gives us a unique responsibility to stop al Qaeda. The Madrid commuter train backpack bombings, could have killed more people had one train arrived at a station moment later. Many Spaniards can’t go to work without being reminded of that dreaded day.
To discombobulate US efforts for a coalition government in Iraq, al Qaeda at several points in 2006 and 2007 attacked and destroyed the Shiite Golden Mosque the holiest sight in Shiite world, causing massive tit-for-tat violence, and millions to have to relocate in fear of their lives,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_al-Askari_Mosque_bombing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Askari_Mosque
Since al Qaeda has no anger at Shiite Islam, much of the Muslim World hates al Qaeda causing mass mayhem, just for a temporary strategic reason. US policy toward Iran, distracts Iran from its anger at the mayhem bin Laden caused.
Nidal Malik Hasan’s rampage enhanced the ignorance of the American public to the nuances of the Muslim attitudes toward al Qaeda. My guess is that creating tension between Arabic translators and the US government was intentional, and in different ways modified what he did for maximum effect. Another tragedy that should be faced is that he can become a larger-than-life example for some. Al Qaeda members got drunk before 9/11. As part of their disguise was avoiding the mosque or appearing to be a Muslim. One Muslim web-site that I haven’t yet relocated dwelt both on the accusation that one of the 9/11 hijackers had a relative who was an Israeli spy and in almost the same breath the accusation that one of the hijackers visited a brothel. Prophet Mohammad wouldn’t have taxed drugs like the al-Qaeda-ized Taliban is doing, nor put up with a Joan or Arc, or child lookouts and spies, much less equipt a child with any kind of weapon at all. A child or an elderly lady both with down syndrome being outfitted with a remote-controlled suicide vest, is something foreign to any kind of historic tradition. One son doing this to his mother violated what every religious teacher ever advocated. Sadly, for a change, Nidal Malik Hasan gives the appearance of seriously practicing his religion. A possible silver lining in this whole affair would be if I and other could induce Americans to start paying attention to what the Muslim world thinks.
I would like to see Obama to ask France or some country to supervise a cease-fire between us and the Taliban with a clear timetable for withdrawal as long as Americans are not fired upon. But bin Laden wouldn’t want anything in the way of his vision of a permanent Muslim warring-class as long as there is a divided world, and may want to sabotage such a deal. Those who don’t have a clue claiming the war relates to an oil pipeline I don’t think helps to solve the difficulties that the US and the world is in.
Don’t forget that the attitude of Daniel Pearl’s relatives are very important whether or not at what point the US government should or should not engage in force in dealing with foreign affairs.
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/blog/2419
RichardKanePA.blogspot.com
RichardKanePA
Read more!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Fort Hood Shooting Spree
It looks like bin Laden, Dick Cheney, Glenn Beck, and the people at the Washington Times and Fox News might have got their way, a world at war, but there may be still time for Obama and sober folks to help us get along with each other instead.
In Europe Muslims are seen as freaks, in the US we tend to have a touch of a melting pot and Muslims tend to get such jobs as back tellers because Islam preaches honesty, but it may not be enough and the world could end up dividing into warring camps like bin Laden and Beck craves, but groups like the Daniel Pearl Foundation are trying to bring us all together instead.
RichardKanePa.blogspot.com
RichardKanePA
Read more!
In Europe Muslims are seen as freaks, in the US we tend to have a touch of a melting pot and Muslims tend to get such jobs as back tellers because Islam preaches honesty, but it may not be enough and the world could end up dividing into warring camps like bin Laden and Beck craves, but groups like the Daniel Pearl Foundation are trying to bring us all together instead.
RichardKanePa.blogspot.com
RichardKanePA
Read more!
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