Wednesday, May 25, 2005

21st Century Gulag

So maybe my blog has turned into a culling-point for various pieces of depressing news, sans commentaire. So what? There's a lot of depressing crap out there this week. And since I listen to NPR all the long way to work, I hear a lot more of it. And I don't have time to comment, only to cut and paste. Would you really rather hear about Noisette's vie quotedienne? No, you wouldn't.

Amnesty International has issued a report stating that America's tendency to torture while prosecuting our "war on terror," and to couch that torture in "management terms," and to be cavalier about it when challenged, has done much to erode human rights progress throughout the world.

Et je cite:
The blatant disregard for international human rights and humanitarian law in the “war on terror” continued to make a mockery of President George Bush’s claims that the USA was the global champion of human rights. Images of detainees in US custody tortured in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq shocked the world. War crimes in Iraq, and mounting evidence of the torture and ill-treatment of detainees in US custody in other countries, sent an unequivocal message to the world that human rights may be sacrificed ostensibly in the name of security.

Isn't that awesome? Aren't you proud?

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Quick thought

That was NOT A COMPROMISE. That, my friends, was complete capitulation.

Sigh.

Monday, May 16, 2005

Paul Krugman, America's Conscience.

How many of you have heard about the Downing Street Memo? It confirms what we all knew to be true; what is more disturbing is how little media coverage it got, even while news media was perfunctorily covering Tony Blair's re-election.
Here's the smoking gun within a smoking gun (keep in mind that this email was penned July 23, 2002):
"Military action [in Iraq] was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action."

Oh, and then this:
"It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran. We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal justification for the use of force."

Ouch. Tony Blair squeaked into office despite this- but at least Britain's press covered the damn thing. Where have you gone, NY Times? They buried this story. Why? Did they figure it was "old news?" Did they figure no one cared about memo leakage in the UK, relevant though it is to our own situation? Are the news media as completely in the pockets of Turner, Murdoch, GE and Disney as all that? Have they thrown up their collective hands and acquiesced in this country-wide atmosphere of zero accountability?

Once again, the source of my knowledge and anguish is Paul Krugman's op ed. Our nation turns its jaded eyes to you, Paul. In the era of the corporate "free press," voices like his are about all we have to go on.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

REAL Bullshit

I don't have time to write original, clever posts now but wanted to get this on here regardless-
REAL ID passed. Yes, it means that it will be much harder to get a driver's license now, but quit yer gripin' because you ain't got it bad. Not really.
People coming to America to escape persecution, torture, rape, you name it, however, are screwed. Under this new law, asylum seekers are effectively prevented from obtaining asylum in the US. Read this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/30/AR2005043000856.html

Welcome to George Bush's America, suckers.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

The Seal Has Been Broken

I'm really not posting from work. Am I? Yes, I am. But I'll keep it short. All is well. Lillyfirm is a big improvement- heaven compared to Superfirm. If you must work for a law firm, work for Lillyfirm. Then quit. I promised myself that I would not blog from work anymore, it's dangerous and counterproductive, but I couldn't help myself this morning. Nevertheless, my usual self-restraint will probably mean the veritable end of my little blog. Don't give up on me completely, though, I'll blog long and hard on weekends. Long... hard. Tee hee.