Tonight we're writing about co-opting. This is due to e-mails stemming from Wednesday's snapshot and from this morning's second entry.
Shouldn't we be applauding the effort of John Kerry and Joe Lieberman on the environment? That's the question coming in e-mails to the public account. No, we shouldn't. As noted in the snapshot, corporations love, LOVE, their proposal. Read their endorsement sheet. It's not about the environment.
It's a bunch of garbage that actually weakens our entire eco-system. There are a lot of efforts like that and many of them also pimp nuclear power as 'safe' and 'needed'. We don't note the vet group that plays environmentalist for that reason.
They aren't independent, they aren't honest and they are co-opted by Big Energy and by the Democratic Party. They are no different than the jokes of VoteVets which is really VoteDemocraticVets and will do anything to excuse Democrats and not hold them accountable. Remember when VoteVets pretended to want US troops out of Iraq now -- back in 2006?
They're co-opted.
This ties into this morning's entry because a friend of David Swanson's wants to know if we want blood?
He needs to sit his butt down if he can't be honest.
The movement can't afford him otherwise. And we need to notice that he wants to 'lead' on Iraq as . . . election season approaches. In other words, it may be because people may be voting and he wants to influence (or try to) those votes.
I'm not interested. David Swanson needs to get honest about what he did. If he can't, he needs to stop trying to lead. We cannot afford to see the peace movement derailed yet again as someone tries to prove their loyalty to the Democratic Party.
I'm not in the mood. We can't afford them anymore. They have destroyed the peace movement. They have refused to call out War Hawk Barack Obama the same way the way they did War Hawk George W. Bush.
I don't have time for them and to make time for them is to slide backwards.
Why should they be leaders to begin with?
Leaders show bravery. When have they done that? When have they loudly called out Barack?
They haven't. And they whine in private about how they can't. It would hurt them. They just can't. Please, if you can't speak up, then shut up. And I'm not who person who uses that phrase. But I'm not in the mood.
I'm tired of these candy asses who don't even have the strength to call out a War Hawk. How many Iraqis have to die in the ongoing war before you find your comfort zone and can call out a War Hawk? It's a serious question. How many Afghans have to die? And, Nixon wanna-be that he is, he's expanded the war, he's taken it to Pakistan. Bush argued that he could imprison anyone he wants to. Barack tops that by claiming he can kill anyone he wants to.
Where's the outrage?
After September 11th, calling out Bush took courage and those of us who did shouldn't be the same ones who have to again carry the load. In a year or two, some of the silent will find the courage to call Barack out. Of course, it really won't matter then because their silence will have allowed the country to be further destroyed.
I didn't vote for Barack -- the first time in my life that I did not vote for the Democratic candidate (I voted for either Cynthia McKinney or Ralph Nader -- and that's as much as I'll reveal my vote). But I sure heard all the pimps from the Liar Class tell us what a Barack victory would mean and what it meant. It was going to turn back all of Bush's abuses. Instead all it did was advance the abuses -- make them bi-partisan.
And what do we get from our 'brave' Liar Class? Endless articles about Sarah Palin. A woman who probably will never be president and who doesn't even hold a public office at this point. But she's the great focal point for the 'left' while they refuse to call out the destruction of our country and our Constitution.
The Nation thinks they went out on the ledge with their editorial insisting that Elana Kagan face tough questions. That passes for bravery. (And, goodness the self-stroking on the phone from two friends at the magazine over that dumb ass editorial.) Elana Kagan isn't fit to serve on the Supreme Court. She will not represent the people's interests. When Bush nominated Harriet Miers, the right was able to storm the gates. But the 'left' -- our Liar Class -- thinks asking that she face tough questioning (before being confirmed) is hitting hard.
I'm sick of it and we can't afford it. As a country we cannot afford. All you have to do is look to the disaster in the Gulf and you have your answer that Barack Obama is not only in over his head, he is as inept as George W. Bush.
His 'answer' was to militarize the operation. Golly, I kind of thought the country was in a recession and people were desperate for jobs. Seems a real rescue effort could have been put together by relying on science and not on the military.
But having relied on the military, he needs to wrap this up pretty damn quick and then send the bill to BP. Instead the pollution and destruction goes on and on and on. And Lieberman and Kerry want to pretend that their stupid, corporate friendly bill does a damn thing for the environment?
Where are the leaders on the left? We've got Peace Mom Cindy Sheehan and damn few others.
Those who want to be leaders -- and I don't think Cindy wants to be a leader, I think she feels she's being pushed into that role (I could be wrong) because no one else will lead. She's got to be the grown up so everyone can play in the Kool Aid. Again, I could be wrong, that's the impression I get.
David Swanson needs to take accountability and do so publicly. That accountability needs to include a promise that he will not attempt to steer votes to any political party. He and others whored out the peace movement for the Democratic Party and they need to make pledge that they won't do so again. They need to get honest about what they did because if they don't, they'll just try to do it again.
If he's worth listening to, he should have no problem taking accountability. Real leaders aren't afraid of it and know they learn from it and so do we. Which is why it's very telling that, for example, Norman Solomon has repeatedly refused to take accountability. He thinks he can do a switcher-roo and all's forgiven and everyone forgets. No. We can't afford that. If we want a real movement, one that demands accountability from our elected officials, we need to see accountability on the part of those who present themselves as leaders and spokespersons.
If we can't get even that, forget about ever holding elected officials accountable.
It's over, I'm done writing songs about love
There's a war going on
So I'm holding my gun with a strap and a glove
And I'm writing a song about war
And it goes
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Oh oh oh oh
-- "I Hate The War" (written by Greg Goldberg, on The Ballet's Mattachine!)
Last Thursday, ICCC's number of US troops killed in Iraq since the start of the illegal war was 4397. Tonight? It remains 4397, three away from 4400.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
iraq
i hate the war
the ballet
