I read it's already happening.
Posted By: dee on 2008-09-25
In Reply to: Obama and ACORN... - sam
Democrats cheating again - but why does that surprise me.
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Yep, that's happening to me
I'm stalking no one....I'm not being nasty just blatantly honest like you all requested me to be.
what is happening here?
I was never a fan of Rush.....until lately. I agree with much of what he says. Even we don't or the government doesn't, what the heck gives them the right to petition anything? Why cant Rush say what he wants? Isn't that one of our BASIC freedoms? I cannot believe that supporters of O are not MAD about this. Let Bush (who I am NOT a fan of) or his administration or congress or dems or repubs or anyone working in the government at the time that he was in office, let them try to do something like this and there would be a huge deal over it with the people. This is just the beginning of the takeover for us. Flame if you will but you guys made a huge mistake!
It's already happening in my city
People are getting fed up here with the lack of law enforcement and judicial enforcement that they are taking the law into their own hands. On average of three times a month owners are shooting intruders and attackers in their own home or own their property because they know that law enforcement will either #1 show up way to late to stop the crime or #2 not show up at all! Even if the subject is apprehended the likelihood that they'll only get a slap on the wrist (if even that) by the judicial system is very high.
People are plain fed up where I live---especially with crimes against children and families.
No chance of that happening...but
The last time we had a democrat president most of my family, freinds, and freinds family WERE homeless. Lost their jobs, lost their homes, lived in their cars, went to the soup kitchens once a day for a meal. The last democrat president implemented NAFTA (not sure implemented is the right word - but was responsible for the start of our jobs going overseas). Continued the deficit (not a surplus like he conned everyone he did). So luckily Bush is not running again so no chance of us being homeless. McCain and Palin gives us experience, loyalty, and a fresh face and ideas for the country. Obama and Biden gives us inexperience, lies, and false hopes. I don't want to end up homeless and broke so therefore I will NOT be voting for Obama. Obama is more of the same except with different packaging.
He reminds me of that commercial by Microsoft for the Mohave experiment. Its the same ol crappy Vista system only being hidden under the disguise called the Mohave experiment. And nobody knows its Vista until they are told.
I just can't imagine that happening.
I mean....wouldn't that look bad for the Dems for the VP to just say....I don't want to do this....I've changed my mind and then this close to the election start with a new running mate? Besides....Hill doesn't want to play second fiddle to Barry. Personally, I don't think true Hill supporters will like her lpaying second fiddle to Barry either. I will be truly surprised if this happens. I guess I will believe it if I see it but not until then.
I think this is happening all over the country where...sm
independents are moving over the the Obama side because of the prevalent nastiness in this campaign by the republicans. That is why Obama is gradually creeping up in the polls.
I don't always agree with you but do appreciate your honesty and civility and willingness to look at things objectively.
Been happening for years
Ever heard of public aid or food stamps? From what I have gathered, the difference is that Obama's plan will help people who are working and being paid crappy wages as opposed to the ones who sit on their butts watching soaps all day. As for your situation with your employees, try firing them when they don't show up and don't be so lenient. I would bet it would only taking getting rid of a few to set an example for the others as to what is acceptable and what isn't.
my point was it is already happening -
You may not realize it, but already a girl does not have to notify her parents about her reproductive choices. It is not just going to happen later when Obama is elected.
Are you so blind as to what's happening in
this country that you truly still think McCain should've won? Do you not see what republicans do to our economy EVERY TIME? Are you enjoying this Bush Depression which is only just beginning? Our only hope is that Obama can at least slow it down, but Bush has already done the damage. Unemployment rates are soaring, homelessness is soaring, jobs are flying overseas with the blessing of republican corporate tax cuts and loopholes, the deficit is astronomical now, etc. etc. etc. The rich are getting richer & the middle class is getting poorer. It's a deja vu of the Reagan/Bush years. Get your head out of the sand & pay attention to what's happening economically to this country. I don't give a flying flip about this idiotic birth certificate argument or any of the other thousand fake issues Fox has invented to get it's viewers fired up. What I DO care about is the economy & Americans losing their jobs and homes because of republicanomics.
It would appear that the likelihood of that happening....sm
in this twisted charade of an election would be less than slim to none.
What is happening now is a runoff of
the Bush economy.....two wars, tax cuts, deregulation of banks/financial institutions, and greed has bled this nation to where we find ourselves now. This will NOT be healed overnight, in a year, maybe two years. Where was all the vitriole with Bush and his cronies as they demolished the economy and the constitution? Separating Bush policies from the mess now is pure fantasy.
There's nothing good happening yet.
It's still all an experiment.
Our town just lost another 2 businesses and we only had 4 to begin with. So.....tell me everything is hunky-dory.
What is happening in my state.
Greetings!
In just the past six weeks, a phenomenon has occurred across America. By now you have heard of the Boston Tea Party style of tax protest called Taxed Enough Already (TEA). It is truly a decentralized grassroots movement that has been joined by a wide spectrum of fiscal and social conservative organizations. Such varied groups as American Family Association, FreedomWorks, Resistnet, Americans for Prosperity, the Republican Party and other conservative parties, as well as Concerned Oregonians, have joined with the "engaged and enraged" across America. As you read this newsletter, please identify a party near you where you can join in to make your voice heard!
To add to the occasion, I have written and recorded a humorous tax protest song called "Taxed Enough Already", which you can listen to and read on the ConcernedOregonians.com website. The lyrics are also included below.
JOIN US for TAX DAY TEA PARTIES
Craig Myers of Concerned Oregonians, will be speaking at the following two events. In Salem, he will be joining a group of speakers including House Minority Leader Bruce Hannah, Senate Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli, Oregon FreedomWorks Chair Russ Walker, Americans for Prosperity Oregon President Jeff Kropf, Marion County Republican Party Chair Pat Hazell, and others.
State Capital Steps
April 15th
11:00 to 2:00 pm
Portland's Main Pioneer Courthouse Square
April 15th
6:00 to 7:30 pm
See below for complete list of Tax Day Tea Party locations throughout Oregon.
People in cities and towns across the country are joining together to protest the obscene bailouts, wasteful spending, earmarks, and "porky little projects" that our government is passing through with little deliberation and no accountability, and promising more to come. This spending is putting our nation into staggering debt and creating a crippling bill that our children and grandchildren will be forced to pay.
It's time for all who care about the direction of our country to stand up for the future of America and let our voices be clearly heard - Silent Majority No More!
Consider it a civic duty, just as voting, to become personally involved to preserve America, Our Freedom, Our Liberty. JOIN US
taxdayteaparty.com
Should we bring signs?
Yes, please. Here are some resources to use in construction:
Suggested slogans are available here: http://oregonteaparty.com/private/89624584/BttUTSxXJlh7u20rUsQS94pS
A video on how to make a wind-proof protest sign taught by those with the most experience -- union members is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0tXmzAWiVk&feature=player_embedded
I want to execute a Tax Day Tea Party in my city, what do I need to do?
To help you plan and execute the Tax Day Tea Party event in your area, here are the official resources you can consult:
Guide to starting new tea parties: http://taxdayteaparty.com/guide.html
Tea Party Team Planning wiki (you'll have to request access):
http://teapartyteam.pbwiki.com/
What's a wiki? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki
Has a page just for Oregon where you can access and post Oregon specific information.
Also has resources such as press release templates, graphics, photos ...
Fresh Tea Blog: http://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/
How to get off-line organizations involved in your events: http://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/2009/03/how-to-get-help-from-existing-organizations/
Additionally, your event will benefit by creating a facebook event page and, promoting your event via the friend networks that facebook automates. http://www.facebook.com is a free-access social networking website. Users can join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region to connect and interact with other people. People can also add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. Here is a link to a page that explains how to create a facebook event: http://www.ehow.com/how_2031207_event-facebook.html
To get your event listed on OregonTeaParty.com and TaxDayTeaParty.com, please submit the following to Geoff Ludt at geoffludt@gmail.com ASAP:
City: %%City%%
Date: April 15th, %%time%%
Location: %%Street%%
Organizer: %%Organizer%%
Contact: %%Email%%
P. %%Phone%%
Other info: %%facebook event URL, web page URL, instructions, etc.%%
"Taxed Enough Already"
Sung to the tune "Oh, Susanna"
Lyrics by; Craig Myers 3-21-09 Copyright 2009 Craig Myers
Recorded and printable versions available at: www.concernedoregonians.com
MAIN THEME
1.
We are from through-out A-mer-ica, the land of lib-er-ty
With a her-i-tage of Min-ute-men, home of the brave and free.
We're a na-tion born in free-dom, a - light for all to see
Now the so-cial-ists and thought po-lice, are(en)-slav-ing you and me.
Chorus:
"We the Peo-ple", are(the) ru-lers of this land
And we're Taxed E-nough Al-rea-dy, so were mak-ing this our stand.
2.
The peo-ple rule this coun-try - , it's(the) found-ing fa-thers' plan
Ov-er time a troop of ren-e-gades, have kid-napped Un-cle Sam.
Now were vic-tims of ex-tor-tion, and we miss what we now lack
So if it's all - the same to you, we'll take our coun-try back!
Chorus:
"Give me free-dom", or lay me in my grave
For I'm Taxed E-nough Al-rea-dy, and(my) na-tion I must save.
3.
We are men like Boone and Croc-kett and, we stand for what is right
We op-pose nine thou-sand tons of pork, sold in the dead of night.
Ba-il-outs and bo-nu-ses re-ward, the most in-com-pe-tent
And pro-tect the gree-dy from their sin, rather than make them re-pent.
Chorus:
Stop law-mak-ers, who steal from those who work
Re-dis-trib-u-ting our na-tion's wealth, with wel-fare plans and pork.
4.
They pro-mised lots of good-ies - , to those who'd vote them in
Then taxed and robbed the rest of us, to fi-nance their aw-ful sin.
It is time to rise, Ye Pa-tri-ots, we'll be crushed if we don't try
Let's in-sist on ho-nest can-di-dates, that money can-not buy.
Chorus:
Stand for virtue, it's(the) on-ly thing that lasts
Sell-ing out to spe-cial in-terests, ne-ver blessed us in the past.
ENVIRONMENT
5.
We have toiled and sweat, and risked and died for our pos-ter-it-y
Now op-pres-sive reg-u-la-tions work, to end pros-per-it-y.
We have sub-si-dized new ener-gy, and im-port in-stead of pump;
And we're hos-ta-ges of cli-mate freaks, who'd make our land a dump.
Chorus:
"Give me free-dom", or lay me in my grave
For I have a god-ly her-i-tage, and(a) na-tion I must save.
6.
We're a-bout to pay a car-bon tax, to tran-sfer lots more cash
As our dreams of pri-vate en-ter-prise, are head-ed for the trash.
They think they run the plan-et - , and all the CO2 -
And plan to tax the very breath - , exhaled by me and you.
Chorus:
Stop global-goverment, for we want our sovereign-ty
It is glob-al dom-in-ation and, it leads to ty-ran-ny.
OBAMA
7.
Joe Bid-en said - , "just wait and see, this job will make you slip - "
But halo-wear-ing rock stars - , ne-ver fail be-cause their hip.
They said they'd found our sav-ior - , down at M-S-N-B-C
The Of-fice of the Pres-E-lect, was su-pris-ing news to me.
Chorus:
Lib-ral med-ia, your(re) port-ing is-n't fair
The same soap op-era e-very night - , "A Slob-bring Love A-ffair."
8.
Eve-ry-thing's im-proved e-no-rmous-ly, since just three months ago
Now-we've crowned our mon-arch King Hu-ssein, and(a) spend-ing he will go!
We-don't-know what land he comes from, a cer-ti-ficate he does lack
But per-haps in just a short time they'll, a-gree to take him back.
Chorus:
Flush this stimu-lus, a-long with all this tea
For it is A-bama-nation and, its out-right ty-ran-ny
CORRUPTION
9.
They say Chi-ca-go pol-i-tics, is-a mod-el for our land
It'-ll bring us so-cial justice of, the na-tion-shred-ding brand.
Now the hon-or-able Har-ry Reid, with(the) Sen-ate he is sweet
I wish he'd run - for pres-i-dent, so I could buy his seat.
Chorus:
"We the Peo-ple", must take this mess in hand
We are fed up with cor-rup-tion so, were ma-king this our stand.
10.
They say an A-CORN ne-ver falls - , far from the par-ent tree
And ima-gin-ary votes count in, e-lections that are free.
So let's sub-si-dize the en-e-mies, of all that we hold dear
And pa-tro-nize Big Bro-ther whose - , in-tol-er-ance we fear.
Chorus:
Stop this mad-ness, its got-ten out of hand
It is time for mass re-tire-ment of, Pe-losi and her band.
HEALTH CARE
11.
I en-vy all those fine Can-uks - , with health care that is free
They may have to wait for seve-ral years, but(it's) bet-ter than a fee.
When health-care czars and bureau-crats, are de-ciding on our fate
They'll add the costs sub-tract our age, and de-cide that we must wait.
Chorus:
Health-care re-search, it's ne-ver worth the bread
With un-funded man-dates grow-ing, you are less ex-pen-sive dead.
12,
I am sure we would - all glad-ly trade, for what our vete-rans share
At Wal-ter Reed - its par-a-dise, like stand-ard Com-mie care.
In Eur-ope where it's so-cial-ized - , the pop-u-la-tions shrink
Sur-vi-val of the fit-test - , must be what those peo-ple think.
Chorus:
Univer-sal health care, will prob-ly fin-ish me
Thro-ugh fund-ing euth-an-asia - , that is com-pul-sor-y.
EDUCATION
13.
They pol-lute the minds of our own kids, all(but) Dar-win they de-spise
It's a mod-el ed-u-ca-tion, guar-an-tee-ing they're not wise!
Voo-doo-sci-ence is our pas-sion, no in-tell-i-gence al-lowed
We a-rose from ooze by ac-ci-dent, and of(that) were ver-y proud.
Chorus:
I've no mas-ter, there's no God ov-er me
I'm an ar-ro-gant di-saster, a threat to so-ci-ety.
14.
We know there's no cre-a-tor - , who we'll an-swer to some-day
So we have no need of mor-als, nor the right to stand and pray.
Let's pro-tect our youth from all i-deas, of God in whom we trust
And hide the fact there's some-thing more, when their bod-ies turn to dust.
Chorus:
Public ed-u-cation, not what it used to be
It's be-come in-doc-trin-a-tion, and re-writes our his-tor-y.
CONCLUSION
15.
We are from through-out A-mer-i-ca, our home-land for to save
Let's all stand firm, for what is right, not be-come its grove-ling slave.
We've been send-ing folks to Wash-ing-ton, to rep-re-sent all us
But they shred the Bill of Rights so much, it makes us want to cuss.
Chorus:
If they arrest me, for sing-ing out this song
You can be darn sure they'll come for you, and(it) won't be very long.
16.
Our land was born in right-eous-ness, and de-clared its li-ber-ty
For the Lord af-firms our con-science, and His Truth will set us free.
We're com-pelled to pay our taxes, to sup-port what is not right
So please join us in this tax re-volt, caus' were ready for a fight!
Chorus:
Don't lose heart friend, you're(a) true A-me-ri-can
We'll re-place un-fit in-cum-bents, in the year two-thou-sand-ten!
Concerned Oregonian Suzanne Galligher shared the following:
It takes a student to tell us what is happening to our COUNTRY. Somehow, this needs to get to the Halls of Congress and the Supreme Court to read. Thanks,
WRITTEN BY A 15 yr.. Old SCHOOL KID IN Arizona :
New Pledge of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME) !
Since the Pledge of Allegiance
And
The Lord's Prayer
Are not allowed in most
Public schools anymore
Because the word 'God' is mentioned. ..
A kid in Arizona wrote the attached
NEW School prayer :
Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.
If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice..
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.
We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks..
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong..
We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.
It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess..
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen
If you aren't ashamed to do this,
Please pass this on.
Jesus said,
'If you are ashamed of me,
I will be ashamed of you before my Father..'
Dear friends,
Please share this newsletter with your friends and urge them to sieze this historic moment to
reclaim their heritage as citizens of America. This is a republic, "...of the people, by the people, and for the people...", which will not perish!
Sincerely,
Craig Myers
Execultive Director, Concerned Oregonians
Hard to defend something that isn't happening.
No problem getting ammo here in the great NW.
In little baby steps it is happening. sm
I call myself a Republican in recovery. Sooner or later, I hope the sheep stop sleeping or God bless them or us all. Remember Always stand on principle, even if you stand alone. John Quincy Adams
What is happening now is affected by what happened then...
and the fact remains that the Democratic party did, as a whole, seek to keep African Americans enslaved and after the Republicans, led by Abe Lincoln, abolished slavery, the Democrats (and yes, a minority of southern Republicans), did effectively deny African Americans the right to vote for another 90 years. The 60's are also part of history...and it was then and only then that African Americans got the clear right to vote. I think that is a bit more than a "bad decision." And yes it has changed, albeit after the fight (the civil war) and after numerous attempts by Republican congresses to try to override it...finally enough Northern Democrats did cross over and the right to vote was given. Certainly things have changed. It is just incorrect to state that the Democratic party has always been of a "liberal" view. They have not. That does not mean that Democrats of today follow that same mantra (some do, but they are leftovers of the past). DW, it should be hurtful to know that this occurred. Revisionist history has caused the majority of African Americans in this country, in fact most young people of this country, not to know what happened in those days. I am sure if you polled African Americans on the street they would have no idea that the Democratic party and a minority of the Republican party as well sought to keep them oppressed for 90 years AFTER the Civil War. Most of them probably think the Republican party was responsible for the whole thing. And before the attacks start...I do not consider myself Republican. I have tendencies that go both ways, and I don't think there is a name for that...other than Independent.
Yes, Bush bashing is hurtful in my mind not because I am a big Bush fan, but I do not understand why some people get such joy in making fun of someone. It reminds me of kids in a schoolyard. I don't see why people can't discuss his policies they object to and that sort of thing, but the incessant ya-ya'ing about his intelligence, he's an embarrassment...yada yada. Yes, that is hurtful on a purely human level.
The past was brought up in response to someone talking about how conservatives were probably "afraid" of the Salt Lake City major because he was liberal and worked for civil rights, yada yada. While working for civil rights may be a liberal trait, as recently as the 60's it was not. I have been called down many a time for things that happened in the "past." We really cannot shove the past under the rug. It is part of who, and what, we are.
And I think we can all agree that thank God, we all learned from it.
If it's 'not meant to be', when why is it happening,
There are actually natural, biologically sound reasons for homosexuality that can be found in all species. Get yourself a library card, and read up on it.
Do you know what's happening on the Pakistani border?
Wake up. Even Squawkbox Obama admits we need MORE military, not less.
Of course, he's also announced he already plans to bomb Pakistan, which was really retarded and only served to heighten the urgency of the Muslim extremist freaks who are organizing their next attack on the U.S. Way to go, doofus.
I've heard of that happening here too
in town. Our house was broken into a few weeks ago. Our food wasn't taken but a fairly good amount of cash which my husband had left on the dresser WAS taken.
It is happening now on a small scale....
we have one refundable tax credit now that I know of...the earned income tax credit. What Obama wants to do is expand that dramatically, and that is most definitely new. That credit does not stretch to that entire 30-40% of people who don't pay federal income taxes. Obama's plan WILL. Because those people comprise part of that 30-40%. How can he give a tax CUT to 95% of Americans otherwise? THAT is my point. Why on earth tax small businesses and yes, even large corporations MORE, so you can give people on welfare a refundable tax credit check?? In my opinion, extending refundable tax credits to people already on the government t*t is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Yes, we have a refundable tax credit now that benefits some persons. What Obama proposes is taking that from where the earned income tax credit is all the way to the bottom. That is his starting from the bottom theory. How many times have we heard that?
Apparently that is happening in a lot of places...sm
I posted below about a change in polling places in a city here in Texas.
There was a person at the polls today that was not on the list as a registered voter. I happened to overhear part of the conversation from where I stood but did not hear the solution to the voter's problem.
Not unless I am making over 250K and that's not happening. nm
.
So what! - How about keeping your mind on what is happening now
And if you want to start prosecuting Clinton better be right at the top.
That time has passed. Obama better not decide that there is a right time to prosecute anyone. If so Clinton and himself should go down the tubes along with the rest of them.
This is now old news. Lets stick to the problems we are facing currently. There is enough to keep our minds busy for the duration of the term (4 years - well actually 3 and 1/2 now).
We don't need this type of distraction. That is where there is American Idol an Survivor - keeps poeple dumbed down.
Interesting thing happening in the markets....sm
All the big stocks are up, you know, all those pesky businesses that Obama wants to put out of business? Oil, coal, energy....
My husband says that means the market is betting/predicting a McCain win.
Just food for thought....
Trouble brewing baby...happening already...
//
Quote is true with what is happening in America today
I am putting the quote in perspective for what is happening today in America.
Yeah, it's the reverse racism thing. Happening in
nm
They know what is coming but they failed to stop this from happening in the first place?
They didn't have to stand and who really cares? They let us go down the toilet in the first place and did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. The doom and gloom you speak about will be your existence because that is all you can see.
This looks interesting. A long read, so will read it when I get home from work. nm
nm
Obviously u didnt read, I said NONE of them are moral. Read the post before spouting off.
I read on CNN (yes, I do read liberal stuff too..hehe)...sm
...that Karl Rove was actually very disappointed in the McCain campaign for airing negative type ads against Obama.
So I would say that Rove is definitely not in the hip pocket of the McCain campaign.
Good research sam - but a lot to read right now so gotta read it later
I've been goofing off too much from work. I appreciate what you wrote and will read when I'm done with work here.
sorry, should read I did not read post that way.
,
All you have to do is read up on Marxism, read up on...
black liberation theology, and look at what Obama is proposing. All of it a matter of public record, most of it from his own mouth. Your denial of it does not change the facts. If you support socialism, vote for him. Certainly your right. You are already wanting to squelch any kind of dissent...what's up with that? If you seriously consider calling someone a socialist a smear, you really need to read up on your candidate. I did not post a smear, I posted a fact. Redistribution of wealth is socialist and he already said he was going to do it...I heard him say it and it is now a campaign commercial. Sigh.
Some on this board can only read what they want to read (nm)
x
READ THE ARTICLE-READ OTHER
READERS COMMENTS!!!
Nan please read what I have to say
I've read your latest posts. You fit the decription of a troll at times, but I don't really care about that. DOesn't matter. What I do notice is that you incite other posters with calculated insults, condescension and twisted and sometimes cruel logic. Then when the object of your insults becomes angry and lashes back you pretend to be an unfairly accused innocent and the object of someone else's crazy, uncalled-for rage.
This is compatible with borderline personality disorder. My mother had it, a brother-in-law battles it and I am all too familiar with it.
I did read it.
Not posting the whole article puts the quote out of context. It's not really a way to do things on a chat forum, but then maybe you don't post in a lot of other forums. Those I frequent always post the whole article or at least a link. It would give you a lot more credibility. Take it for what it's worth.
Read this...
Pandora's Box
September 22, 2005
By Ken Sanders
You have to hand it to the Bush administration. No matter how bad things might be in Iraq, and no matter how dim the prospects are for Iraq's future, Bush & Co. still manage to look the public straight in the eye, smirk, and insist that the decision to invade Iraq was a good one. Call them determined, even stubborn. Call them dishonest, perhaps delusional. Regardless, the fact is that by invading Iraq, the Bush administration opened a Pandora's Box with global consequences.
Bush and his apologists have frequently promised that the invasion of Iraq will spread democracy and stability throughout the entire Middle East. That naive declaration could not be farther from the truth. Not only is Iraq itself in the clutches of a civil war, the U.S.-led invasion threatens to destabilize the whole of the Middle East, if not the world. It may have irrevocably done so already.
By most definitions and standards, Iraq is already in the throes of civil war. Whether defined as an internal conflict resulting in at least 1,000 combat-related fatalities, five percent of which are sustained by government and rebel forces; or as organized violence designed to change the governance of a country; or as a systematic and coordinated sectarian-based conflict; the requirements of civil war have long since been satisfied.
While our television screens are saturated by images of chaos and death in Iraq, the stories beneath the images are even more disturbing. Purely sectarian attacks, largely between Iraq's Sunni and Shiite populations, have been rising dramatically for months. According to Iraqi government statistics, such targeted attacks have doubled over the past twelve months. Police in Iraq are finding scores of bodies littering the streets, bodies of people who were blindfolded or handcuffed, shot or beheaded. The Baghdad morgue is constantly overwhelmed by bodies showing tell-tale signs of torture and gradual, drawn-out, agonizing death.
In Baghdad, Sunni neighborhoods live in fear of Shiite death squads like the Iranian-backed Badr Brigade of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), Iraq's leading Shiite governing coalition. Such death squads operate openly, in full uniform, and with the deliberate ignorance, if not outright sanction, of the Iraqi government. On a single day in August, the bodies of 36 Sunni Arabs were found blindfolded, handcuffed, tortured and executed in a dry riverbed in the Shiite-dominated Wasit province.
At the other end, Shiites face each day burdened by the terror and trauma of being the targets of constant suicide bombings. The army and police recruits killed by suicide bombs are predominantly Shia. In Ramadi, a Sunni stronghold, Shiites are fleeing their homes, driven out by murder and intimidation. On August 17, 43 Shiites were killed by bombings at a bus stop and then at the hospital where the casualties were to be treated.
There are less-violent examples of the deepening rifts between Iraq's Sunnis and Shiites since the U.S.-led invasion. By some estimates, nearly half of the weddings performed in Baghdad before the invasion were of mixed Sunni/Shiite couples. Since the invasion and its resulting instability and strife, such mixed weddings are all but extinct. This new-found reluctance of Sunnis and Shiites to marry each other is just another indication of the increasing isolation and animosity between the two populations.
The recently finalized Iraqi constitution does little to bridge Iraq's growing sectarian divides. The culmination of sectarian feuds passing for political debates, Iraq's constitution only ratifies the sectarian divisions of the nation. In the north are the Kurds who long ago abandoned their Iraqi identity, refusing to even fly the Iraqi flag. In the south is a burgeoning Shiite Islamic state, patterned after and influenced by Iran. Both groups have divvied up Iraq's oil reserves amongst themselves. Left in the nation's oil-free center are the Sunni Arabs, dismissed as obstructionist by the Kurds and Shiites. So unconcerned are the Kurds and Shiites with a unified Iraq that they both maintain their own large and heavily-armed militias.
Of course, the constitution still has to be ratified. If it is ratified, it will likely be by a Shiite/Kurdish minority, effectively maintaining the status quo that motivates, in part, the Sunni-led insurgency. If, on the other hand, the constitution is defeated, there's little reason not to believe that the three major factions in Iraq won't resort to forcibly taking what they want. Either way, in the words of one Iraqi civilian, God help us.
The discord in Iraq is not limited to fighting between Shiites and Sunnis. In Basra, for instance, rival Shiite militia groups constantly fight each other. The notorious Badr Brigade, backed by SCIRI, have repeatedly clashed with dissident cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi militia. The Badr Brigade frequently works in conjunction with Basra police and are suspected of recently kidnapping and killing two journalists. Suspecting that the Basra police have been infiltrated by both the Badr and Mehdi militias, the British military sent in two undercover operatives to make arrests. The British operatives were themselves arrested by the Basra police. When the British went to liberate their men, they found themselves exchanging fire with the Basra police, their heretofore allies, and smashing through the prison walls with armored vehicles.
Iraqis aren't merely growing increasingly alienated from each other, as well as progressively opposed to coalition forces. Iraq's estrangement from the rest of the Middle East and the Arab world is widening as well. Seen more and more as a proxy of the Iranian government, the Shiite/Kurd dominated Iraq finds itself at odds with the Sunni-dominated Middle East. For instance, since the U.S.-led invasion, not a single Middle East nation has sent an ambassador to Baghdad. And, despite promises to do so, the Arab League (of which Iraq was a founder) has yet to open a Baghdad office.
There are, clearly, many reasons other than sectarianism for Iraq's estrangement from the Middle East and Arab nations, security being the foremost. However, Iraqi diplomacy, or lack thereof, is also to blame. From chiding Qatar for sending aid to Katrina victims but not to Iraq, to arguing with Kuwait over border issues, to blaming Syria for the insurgency, Iraq's fledgling government seems to have taken diplomacy lessons from the Bush administration. In fact, with the exception of Iran, Iraq has butted heads recently with nearly every Middle East nation.
Iraq's constitution hasn't won it any friends in the Arab world, either. For instance, Iraq drew strong condemnation from the Arab world when a draft of its constitution read that just its Arab people are part of the Arab nation. Only after the outcry from the Arab League and numerous Arab nations, did Iraq change its constitution's offending language. (The argument by Bush's apologists that the Iraqi constitution's alleged enshrinement of democratic principles threatens neighboring countries is unconvincing. Syria and Egypt both have constitutions that guarantee political and individual freedoms. In practice, however, such guarantees have proven meaningless. Why, then, should they feel threatened?)
Iraq's varied relationships with Middle Eastern nations will be immeasurably significant should Iraq descend further into civil war. For example, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Jordan would most likely come to the support of Iraq's Sunnis. (There are already signs that the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq has impacted Saudi Arabia's Sunni population. According to a recent study, the invasion of Iraq has radicalized previously non-militant Saudis, sickened by the occupation of an Arab nation by non-Arabs.) Iran would only increase its already staunch support for Iraq's Shiites. Turkey would also likely be drawn in, hoping to prevent any Kurdish success in Iraq from spilling across its border. Moreover, Iraq's violent Sunni-Shiite discord could easily spark similar strife in Middle East countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
In such a worst-case scenario, Iraq's instability would spread and infect an already unstable region. If the Gulf region were to further destabilize, so too would the global economy as oil prices would skyrocket, plunging the U.S. and so many others into recession.
Put another way, Bush's illegal, ill-conceived, short-sighted, and naive venture in Iraq could reasonably result in total chaos in not just Iraq and the Middle East, but the world over.
A Pandora's Box, if there ever was one.
Sorry, but can you read?
pizza. Don't you think they've thought of moving? It isn't always practical to simply uproot. In this case, there is an elderly family member and children. Again, from the throne passing judgement.
This makes no sense: I'm talking about a certain segment of our society who refuse to learn, refuse to work, and who YOU wish to bring up to an equal place as the rest of society who works hard and earns what they have. Huh? You still missed the point...good grief.
I read that. And then MT goes on
to criticize you for suggesting that posters visit eXtremely Political and is aghast at the post that calls for shooting someone who doesn't agree...... she just FAILS to mention that it's a NEOCON who wants to shoot LIBERALS!!!
This is what she wrote:
Sorry, had to answer this one. There have a Whine to Management option. That is PERFECT for gt. Talking about shooting other posters, atheism and porno. Yeah, that's a great place alright. And now they have THE gt as a member. Does it get any better than that. Although, my thoughts are they won't suffer her long. Those people are pirrhanas.
Well, if that ain't the pirrhana calling the shark hungry!
Perhaps you need to read
No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor... otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief... All men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain their opinions in matters of religion, and... the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities. --Thomas Jefferson: Statute for Religious Freedom, 1779. ME 2:302, Papers 2:546
Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry. --Thomas Jefferson: Statute for Religious Freedom, 1779. ME 2:301, Papers 2:545
We have no right to prejudice another in his civil enjoyments because he is of another church. --Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Religion, 1776. Papers 1:546
I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another. --Thomas Jefferson to Elbridge Gerry, 1799. ME 10:78
Religion is a subject on which I have ever been most scrupulously reserved. I have considered it as a matter between every man and his Maker in which no other, and far less the public, had a right to intermeddle. --Thomas Jefferson to Richard Rush, 1813.
I never will, by any word or act, bow to the shrine of intolerance or admit a right of inquiry into the religious opinions of others. --Thomas Jefferson to Edward Dowse, 1803. ME 10:378
Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to God alone. I inquire after no man's, and trouble none with mine. --Thomas Jefferson to Miles King, 1814. ME 14:198
and many more: http://www.theology.edu/journal/volume2/ushistor.htm
You need to read that again.
Yes, it is US law, according to the Constitution.
The United States signed the UN Charter -- which is a treaty. Let me repeat:
Article VI of the U.S. Constitution makes treaties into which the U.S. has entered the supreme Law of the Land.
In other words, we made a treaty with a bunch of other countries to abide by certain rules, including the use of force. Since we entered into this treaty with the UN, that makes it the supreme Law of the Land -- US Law.
Sure, you can say, So what? Nobody's going to take us to court. We can do anything we want. But if we as a country aren't going to respect our agreements with other countries and our own laws, why should anybody else? Nobody is above the law, right?
By the way, I think we were fully justified in invading Afghanistan.
I have read this...
So what. At one point you say he was involved with AIM and had a lackey break someone's arm. Now you are providing us with an article that disavows any connection with AIM at all. Which is it? Could it be that some folks who were involved with AIM in the late 60s early 70s are no longer involved, or are dead or have had major disagreements along the way about what should be done. Banks, Russell Means and Peltier don't even speak to each other any more. That is sad, in my opinion. Trudell, on the other hand, is still around. (I had the pleasure of meeting him last Saturday in Hollywood Florida at the Native American Music Awards) and still fights the good fight although his wife and children were burned to death in an FBI arson. There is a video, called simply Trudell. It has aired on PBS stations. It is also available from Trudell's web site. It you get a chance, see it. There is so much information out there that no one seems to care much about as regards the American Indian from Columbus to today. The history is always written by the victor and the American Indian history is distorted.
You can read whatever you want...
into what people say. Some are not very tactful and some, like our president, just can't get a syntax together to save their souls. I still think the sentiment was not that these Americans do not want democracy. I still think they thought we **deserved** to be surprised because we have ignored Middle East history, the British colonization, the politics, the culture, the nature of Islam when, in reality, bearing in mind our support for Israel and our dismissal of the Arab states, it should not have been a surprise. This has been brewing for quite some time. That is not the same thing. I really don't know what those 2 had in their hearts but I truly believe that one saying the US has treated the Arab states badly in the past does not make one a **terrorist** or a communist or a democracy hater. These people attempt to see all sides of things, in all colors, not just black and white. Those are the people who will ultimately garner peace if it is at all possible. It will not come at the barrel of a gun, no matter what has happened in the past.
Yep, I know, I can read. NM
Well, I don't read the
leftist blogs or any other blogs for that matter, too much like talk radio. I also don't need to plagerize anything; I can think for myself, thank you very much.
I have read this one over and over...s/m
What has happened in this country over the years? Why the almost blind acceptance of things, almost anything that is done? Where are the idealistic youth? Their future is at stake, so many, many issues, yet, where are they? Why the banket of almost deafening silence? It scares me.
have you read...
anything written by Michelle Obama? she is truly a racist. Your remarks about her scare me. Make sure you are truly informed. John McCain is a down-to-earth person who would do well in office, but the reality is no president can make the changes outlined above. It takes all the members of the house and senate to begin to make change, not just one man.
Where can we read about this? TIA - nm
can't read and can't
recognize inappropriate behavior in temprament. Oy.
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