We feel
[that] what threatens this country, [is] not the reds, but the
crimes which we are committing that threaten it, that we have to
speak out….We saw Vietnam ravaged equally by American bombs and
search and destroy missions, as well as by Viet Cong terrorism –
and yet we listened while this country tried to blame all of the
havoc on the Viet Cong.
We
rationalized destroying villages in order to save them. We saw
America lose her sense of morality as she accepted very coolly a
My Lai and refused to give up the image of American soldiers who
hand out chocolate bars and chewing gum. We watched pride allow
the most unimportant battles to be blown into extravaganzas,
because we couldn’t lose, and we couldn’t retreat…
We are
here in Washington to say that the problem of this war is not
just a question of war and diplomacy. It is part and parcel of
everything that we are trying as human beings to communicate to
people in this country – the question of racism which is rampant
in the military, and so many other questions such as the use of
weapons; the hypocrisy in our taking umbrage at the Geneva
Conventions and using that as justification for a continuation
of this war when we are more guilty than any other body of
violations of those Geneva Conventions; in the use of free fire
zones, harassment interdiction fire, search and destroy
missions, the bombings, the torture of prisoners, all accepted
policy by many units in South Vietnam.
Then he notes how bellicose Kerry has gotten on war on Syria. Most of all he notes how 1971 Kerry used facts while 2013 Kerry uses appeals to emotion.
That Kerry's lost his way isn't shocking or surprising. Few can maintain their ethics over time. There's a lie that we've told -- I've told it myself -- that women become radical with age while men become more conservative. Men do become more conservative as they age -- not all, but some. But so do women.
Not all.
I haven't. I won't.
But the lie was popularized by Gloria Steinem who I have no use for anymore. She'll be hitting 80 this year, right?
So where's the radical?
She can't call out Barack, she can't defend women, she's worthless and she needs to get off the stage. Needs to get off the stage.
She's a liar.
A Socialist who couldn't get honest about it and has now handed over to anti-feminists the pinless grenade that will explode all over second wave feminism.
Gloria couldn't tell the truth while making herself a leader and we all look like liars as a result.
When you add in Betty Friedan's political secrecy, it's as though we're all going pay for their sins and lies.
Gloria's the one who has repeatedly stated women grow more radical as they age but where is her proof?
It's not in her own life.
She's grown more scared, more timid and more useless.
She's been running scared since 1976 and it has hurt the feminist movement.
Is there any purpose to her at this point?
Her weak-ass approach to feminism -- she can never move beyond Feminism 101 and pretends it's due to the fact that she's the equivalent of a pre-K teacher of feminism -- is as weak ass ever. She's an embarrassment when she goes on Stephen Colbert's show. Jane's an embarrassment as well but she's an actress. Gloria's supposed to be a political leader.
We all remember well, those of us who were in Miami in '72, how the big issue was the betrayal of the McGovern campaign on abortion. And we all remember how Gloria's big issue -- even as she publicly cried over the abortion sell out -- was that a news magazine had insisted Gloria picked out McGovern's ties.
No, it wasn't fair. Yes, it was sexist. In 2000, it would resurface with Naomi Wolf, an advisor to the Gore campaign, being said to have offered Al Gore fashion tips.
No, that's not why Naomi was with the campaign.
First off, McGovern and Gore would be idiots to hire Gloria or Naomi for fashion advice. Have you looked at how the two women dress? No one would pay good money for fashion advice from those two women.
Second off, it's sexist to assume that a woman who advises a campaign is unable to advise on ideas and strategy and must instead being offering tips on dressing.
Again, look at Gloria, look at Naomi, no one would try to emulate their 'style.' They have none.
And there's no reason for Gloria to go on Stephen Colbert's show 'satirizing' feminism. It's not satire and it's not leadership.
Gloria exists today to celebrate Gloria.
She's got no new ideas, she offers no leadership, she and her cronies are happy to talk about the awards they're handing out.
Turning feminism into a joke is not funny.
When does that radical kick in? Because all I'm seeing is a woman who grows ever more cowardly and useless, one who can't speak out against war unless a Republican's in the White House.
I think Robert Abele has written an important article. I think we move beyond readers to thinkers when we use it to explore the other disappointments. And when we call them out publicly, we make it clear that peace is not a partisan issue.
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!)
The number of US service members the Dept of Defense states died in the Iraq War is [PDF format warning] 4488.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
iraq
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