japherwocky's posterous

It's that feeling, when something seems so obvious - yet, nobody seems to notice. Listen to what Ron Paul is saying. He talks about the Constitution, about principles, and he quotes great Men from our past.

This guy is speaking honestly, and talking about things that nobody else is. Nobody really disagrees with him, they just kind of change the topic. He wins the debates, but the mainstream media portrays him as a fringe candidate.

We've got to quit looking in the mirror, and start looking at the reality we've inherited.

"Preventive war was an invention of Hitler. I would not even listen to anyone seriously who came and talked about such a thing." - Dwight D. Eisenhower

Is that simple enough for you? Do we all still agree at least that Hitler was bad?!

I was reminded of this by another article, about the fact that most people don't really understand what fascism actually is. It's just a word to our masses, with connotation but no meaning. Which is why it's a threat again.

Naomi Wolf:

"...

Because Americans like me were born in freedom, we have a hard time even considering that it is possible for us to become as unfree - domestically - as many other nations. Because we no longer learn much about our rights or our system of government - the task of being aware of the constitution has been outsourced from citizens' ownership to being the domain of professionals such as lawyers and professors - we scarcely recognise the checks and balances that the founders put in place, even as they are being systematically dismantled. Because we don't learn much about European history, the setting up of a department of "homeland" security - remember who else was keen on the word "homeland" - didn't raise the alarm bells it might have.

...

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
...
2. Create a gulag
...
3. Develop a thug caste
...
4. Set up an internal surveillance system
...
5. Harass citizens' groups
...
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
...
7. Target key individuals
...
8. Control the press
...
9. Dissent equals treason
...
10. Suspend the rule of law
...

Of course, the United States is not vulnerable to the violent, total closing-down of the system that followed Mussolini's march on Rome or Hitler's roundup of political prisoners. Our democratic habits are too resilient, and our military and judiciary too independent, for any kind of scenario like that.

Rather, as other critics are noting, our experiment in democracy could be closed down by a process of erosion."

Naomi Wolf points out how each of these steps have been initiated by our current government, with clear simple facts.

This is the stuff that terrifies me. Not Muslims. There are serious parallels between our government and Nazi Germany. That peace sign not only represents an end to the Iraq War, or any other War, it also represents real freedom and liberty and democracy. Real, capitol D, Democracy.

It is time for our generation to grow up and accept the reigns of this country, and to shape it's role on this Earth as a peace loving nation. End this War, already.

"We can’t afford to keep being this stupid! We have got to get our groove back. We need a president who will unite us around a common purpose, not a common enemy."

Maybe, we could try doing something to make the world a better place. Or hell, maybe we could just wear peaceshirts.

Buy a peaceshirt.

The Economist has been covering the buildup, since the beginning of the month. The pattern is: the Burmese government does something particularly nasty -> the people protest -> the government responds with force -> and the people stop. Since nothing's really changed, give it another 20 years or so. A new generation will be ready to test the government's morals.

Pitting words and ideas versus tanks is a very romantic idea, but history makes some pretty strong odds for the guys with the tanks.

So I guess that makes peaceshirt a bit of an underdog.

"This is a song called Livin' In the Future. But it's really about what's happening now. Right now. It's kind of about how the things we love about America, cheeseburgers, French fries, the Yankees battlin' Boston... the Bill of Rights... v-twin motorcycles... Tim Russert's haircut, trans-fats and the Jersey Shore... we love those things the way womenfolk love Matt Lauer.

But over the past six years we've had to add to the American picture: rendition, illegal wiretapping, voter suppression, no habeus corpus, the neglect of that great city New Orleans and its people, an attack on the Constitution. And the loss of our best men and women in a tragic war.

This is a song about things that shouldn't happen here happening here.

So right now we plan to do something about it, we plan to sing about it. I know it's early, but it's late. So come and join us."

I'm going to send that man a peaceshirt.

When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.

Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.

When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."

A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.

If we don't show them that peace is the right path, who will?

- Peaceshirts.

As seems to be the usual case, the US is involved in ways which have no clear motive or purpose. The Free Burma Coalition has a background primer on the country, but it's a bit dense.

"Restrained and peaceful, the monks clad in saffron and red robes have urged people not to chant political slogans as their processions snake through the main city Yangon, but to recite prayers of peace and compassion." - The Taipei Times

And that is how I know which side to support. And if you were wearing a peaceshirt , I'd know what side you supported too, I think.

AZNAR: The only thing that worries me about you is your optimism.

BUSH: I'm an optimist because I believe that I'm right. I'm a person at peace with myself. It was our turn to face a serious threat to peace.

I mean, I'm not so sure that Bush understands the concept of Peace. It's about being big enough, strong enough, confident enough, that you don't have to take the first swing. He's an optimist, but (as Slate points out) for the wrongest of reasons.

We need an army of peaceshirt wearing citizens, to let the government know that they don't need to step in on our behalf. We'd really rather they didn't.