Palin, McCain, Giuliani continue to insult: Community Organizers Unite

I am a community organizer, and so are many of my closest friends. We have built houses for people, found jobs for people, advocated on their behalf before government bodies. We have done more to benefit people in Central Florida than any career politician has ever done. To denigrate the work of community organizers is to insult the backbone of every non-profit, every church, and every public school across the country.

I expect that this display of sheer ignorance by the McCain/Palin campaign will stick with every one who has ever worked directly with their local communities.

If you are a community organizer send a donation to the Obama campaign A.S.A.P. I already did. www.barackobama.com Give them a dollar at least.

War Against Iran: Update

Yesterday's post entitled: WAR ON IRAN: IMMINENT was a speculative piece based on little more than personal opinion. Today, however, I stand much more firmly on that idea as the former US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton discusses the policy towards Iran. At about 1:22 into the video Bolton is asked about the right policy and he answers:

"...If there is any possibility of the use of force by Israel before the next President takes office..."

Here is the video:

When Bolton speaks of the the next President taking office it is not clear whether they are referring to the November election or the January inauguration. Politically the former would be more useful to the neo-conservative agenda. We will be watching.

WAR AGAINST IRAN IMMINENT

As the Republican house of card begins tumbling down, the likely "October Surprise" is an attack on Iranian soil by the United States or Israel. Granted, this is speculation, but speculation based on a number of salient truths.

1) A foreign policy incident, as bad as American foreign policy has been managed by the Bush Administration, is still the best argument for a John McCain Presidency.

2) There are only about 60 days left until the November 4th Presidential election and John McCain still has not unified his party behind him.

3) The neo-conservative agenda was once delayed for eight years by Bill Clinton's Presidency, and Obama threatens another eight year pause in those plans.

4) The Bush Administration has no qualms about starting a war without provocation.

5) The Bush Administration sees itself as beyond accountability or responsibility.

6) Iran has been played up as a national security threat for almost eight years now (remember the Axis of Evil).

7) Few will shed a tear for Iran. In fact many Americans too ignorant to know better will think its a good idea.

8) An attack on Iran places Sen. Obama in a difficult position of having to support the attack even if he disagrees with it.

9) Provides the administration with almost complete control of the subsequent news cycles leading up to the election.

10) FOX NEWS gets to run anti-muslim/pro-America specials and call all democrats traitors. Reigniting the "I'm-more-patriotic-than-you-debate" for Sen. McCain.

Counting back from November 4th, the attack would have to take place before early voting begins, or at least before early voting crests. But the attack must begin after the Republican Convention. So sometime between the second week in September and the second week in October.

If I were Karl Rove this attack on Iran would take place shortly before the first debate which is scheduled for September 26 at the University of Mississippi. That first debate is themed upon domestic policy an area where McCain has proven to be at a gross disadvantage. Doing so will force a discussion on foreign affairs by allowing McCain to refer to Iran and divert the conversation away from domestic issues.

Which means that said attack would best be scheduled for the beginning of that week probably on monday September 22 or there abouts.

Anyone who doubts the machiavellian capacity of the Bush administration to carry this out has not been around for the past eight years.

** Cartoon by Mike Keefe of the Denver Post

Mercenaries 2 Spreads Bush Propaganda

Released on August 31, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames is easily dismissed as just the latest incarnation in a long list of shoot'em-up games released in the last decade, but this game is different. While previous such games usually focus on such traditional "enemies" as the Nazies, Communists, and non-descript muslims, Mercenaries 2 takes aim at a democratically elected government of Venezuela.

The game's synopsis from Wikipedia describes the plot:

The story follows the player's hunt for Ramon Solano, a large political figure who contracts the player's mercenary for a job then subsequently refuses to pay and tries to kill him/her. Following a militaristic coup, Solano becomes the dictator of Venezuela. He uses his position to seize control of the country's oil supply, resulting in an international incident and distress among OPEC. Alongside Solano's Rebel Forces, a large portion of the Venezuelan army fiercely supports the dictator's cause.

Simply by changing the name of Ramon Solano to Hugo Chavez, you have basically described the Bush Administration's perception of Venezuela.

This could also be dismissed as just the work of a game developer taking cues from recent headlines. However, that would be easier to do if the game developer was not also a defense contractor for the Pentagon. Pandemic Studios, the developer of Mercenaries 2 has responded to the alegation by releasing this statement: "Pandemic Studios is in the business of entertainment. It has not been contacted by a U.S. government agency concerning the development of Mercenaries 2. All persons, storylines and events are purely fictional and bear no relation to real events. As with any number of games, movies and books, the decision to choose interesting events and locations is purely designed to tell a compelling story, as well as provide a fun and rich experience for the gamer."

Which would be highly believable if this were not the same studio that produced, Full Spectrum Warrior, a training simulation for the U.S. Army released commercially in 2004.

Overall, there's no real conspiracy here. As shoot'em-ups go the fan base doesn't care who they get to shoot as long as it looks cool. So the propaganda is nullified by the nature of its primary target audience.

But I wonder how it would be received in the US if other countries began making games promoting the destruction of the American Government and the assassination of its president. Somehow I don't think it would be so easily dismissed.

Here's the game's trailer:

RNC Protest: MASS ARRESTS [VIDEO]

St. Paul Police have begun arresting protesters and journalists.

OFFICIALLY THERE ARE NO CIVIL RIGHTS LEFT IN ST. PAUL.

The End of American Hegemony

Some have called the 20th century the "American Century". Others, recalling the height of the Roman Empire, have been so bold as to claim the past 50 years or so as the period of "Pax Americana". To be fair these names are justified from a limited perspective only, but are ultimately inaccurate. The last century was certainly a period of great American influence and power, capped in its last decade by the emergence of United States as the only global superpower and for a period of time political scientists even began referring to the US as a "hyper-power", a new nomenclature invented to better describe the seemingly unparalleled, and unopposed stature of the United States among the nations of the world. No matter the terminology, all such characterizations implied the establishment of a unipolar world centered on the United States.

The sustainability of a unipolar world, however, has always proven to be elusive. As Great Britain found out in the early decades of the 20th century, as Spain found out in the 17th century, and as Rome, Greece, Persia, and Babylon before them found out, the dream of a unipolar world is at best unstable and seemingly increasingly so as time passes and the world shrinks around us.

Certainly, things have changed in many ways for the better, a situation Americanists are quick to attribute to the influence of American mores and political institutions. We can spend quite a bit of time debating this, and surely it will be debated with much fierceness in the coming decades. It does seem nevertheless that the greatest claim to success in the modern era is the relative peace and willingness for cooperation found among nations today.

While conflicts still rage across many parts of the world the nature of such conflicts is better describe as domestic power struggles among ideological opposites, revolutionary uprisings against post-colonial regimes, or nationalist struggles for self-determination and sovereignty. But military conflicts focused upon territorial gain, border disputes, the redress of past wrongs, or based upon economic self interests have remarkably disappeared from the strategic dosier of foreign nations. Only the United States it appears continues to hold the perspective that "might makes right" in the 21st century.

The perception of the world as it is carried forward by Americans stands in contrast to reality. Where others see the hopes of political and social progress, the United States sees a sea of troubles.

The truth however is that Europe, perhaps the bloodiest continent in recorded history, now stands almost entirely peaceful, economically unified, and politically stable.

Africa, is gradually, albeit slowly, settling into stable relations among its countries. The African Union is beginning the process of economic and political consolidation, while countries like Nigeria and South Africa settled into the roles of regional leadership.

Among the East Asian countries prosperity is largely due to the recognition, acceptance, and nominal respect towards each other. While China, Japan, and Korea stand historically as mutual enemies, more is being accomplished on a day to day basis through regional cooperation than at any point before. All in spite of the clear differences towards democracy and capitalism.

Likewise in Latin America, despite the American media's portrayal, events are moving closer towards a regional union and a shared economy. Not surprisingly the only points of real contention among these nations is directly related to their individual relationship with the United States, a source of friction which is felt less year after year.

The world is undoubtedly moving towards a global government, a confederacy of nations with equal representation, and this is seen as a positive step for world peace. Regional bodies electing rotating presidencies and adopting regional currencies, all positive signs. In all corners of the globe this developing tide moves forward at an unprecedented pace. Meanwhile the United States seems stuck in the muck of warfare and international double-dealings, and stands as the only country where the thought of a global government is seen as a negative outcome.

But at some point in the near future the people of the United States will realize that the world no longer cares for the American perspective and that day comes closer every day. In a country where its people are so self-assured of their privileged perspective to a point of blindness towards the other worldly perspective, the point of awakening will be a rude one.

So what happens to a people convinced of a false truth when the veil is lifted from their eyes? What will happen when the world's leadership shifts into the hands of another country or more likely into an international grouping of nations? What will the day look like when Americans realize they are no longer the hegemonic superpower?

The world will continue with or without the United States, but the United States will need the world to continue. If things remain as is, if Americans cannot or will not accept the changes happening around the world, if the political leadership of this nation doesn't begin to lead the country in the right direction, you can be sure that in those coming days the America so enshrined by popular history, will give way to the America of our worst nightmares.

RNC Protest: Direct Action on the streets of St. Paul [Videos]

RNC Protests: Police harassment continues

Gustav Hits Cuba [Video]

Hurricane Gustav hit Cuba as a category five before quickly dropping back to category four. This Associated Press Video shows the damage left by Gustav. So far 81 people have died across the Caribbean, no deaths were recorded in the Caymans or in Cuba. Our best goes out to all lifting themselves from the rubble. Stay safe.

Where's McCain's Hispanic Strategy?

Senator McCain, you may know him as "Maverick" though there is no relation to Tom Cruise's character in Top Gun, missed a prime opportunity to really earn the title. With the electorate leaning towards Senator Barack Obama, McCain could have made a play for the other brown meat of the Democratic Party, Hispanics.

SO WHAT HAPPENED?
First of all, there are virtually no nationally recognized Republican Hispanics eligible for the Vice Presidential position, considering they must be born in the U.S. Of the 26 Hispanics in Congress (24 in the House, 2 in the Senate) only five of them are Republicans. Of those, only 2 are natural born citizens.

One is Luis Fortuño, who is technically eligible, but as the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico and a resident of the same has never voted in Congress or as far as I could tell for any American election. Not exactly what you might want in a Vice President.

The other is Mario Diaz-Balart the Congressman from Florida - born in Fort Lauderdale and therefore eligible - also known as the most right-wing of all Hispanic members of Congress. The kind of right-winger that only the most affluent Cuban-Americans can appreciate, the kind of guy who believes everyone who disagrees with him is working for Fidel Castro. However, all that is a plus on the Republican scales of worthiness.

So given that George W. Bush made such historic strides into the Hispanic community, at times reported as having won 40% of the Hispanic vote, and with Republican support among Hispanics now hovering lower than 20%, why would McCain not choose someone to help him split the Hispanic vote like Bush did in 2004? With such a close race against Senator Obama and with Florida in play, why would he not be the "maverick" and name Mario Diaz-Balart as his running mate?

Well, here's the rub. McCain definitely wants the Hispanic vote and will surely continue to pander about for it, but he cannot afford to lose the right-wing vote while he's pandering some more. Specially if you consider that he might be asking those voters to support a Hispanic Vice President who may become President as soon as McCain dies. Not that he would die in office, at least not right away, but we all must admit that it is a consideration. How would right-wing America motivated by xenophobic anti-Hispanic sentiments react to such a consideration?

You might just as well hand over the Republican Party to Ron Paul and his backwards revolution. Ron Paul of course is the non-candidate/candidate most likely to declare war on Mexico faster than on Iran.

Basically to summarize, there is no Hispanic strategy, only "un aguaje" like we say in Puerto Rico**.

Meanwhile, Republicans are trying to spin Sarah Palin as a "maverick" choice, since she's a political dark horse. But how "maverick" was it really to choose an evangelical, anti-abortion, creationist, lifetime-NRA member, pro-oil, anti-environment Republican. If anything he's chosen exactly what the Christian right hoped he would choose, other than the fact that she's a political nobody, she's a safe bet for the hearts and minds of the conservative right.

So here's my final question... at what point does McCain bend-over enough for the Christian-right, that we may stop calling him a "maverick"?

**"aguaje" = faking it.

Gilberto Rincón Gallardo's death - a loss to the world

Gilberto Rincón Gallardo died yesterday August 30th in Mexico City at the age of 69 from cardiopulmonary complications. He was a fighter for social progress who confronted corporations and government for a more just civil society. Rincón Gallardo fought for the rights of indigenous peoples, advocated for the poor, women, and homosexuals. In 2000 he ran for the Presidency under the social democratic party and was instrumental in making social justice a primary concern of Mexican politics throughout the last decade. Gilberto Rincón Gallardo will be missed by many who were inspired and especially by those directly helped by his commitment for a better, more just Mexico.

The following is one of his essays in spanish entitled Culture and Discrimination:

Discriminación y Cultura
by Gilberto Rincón Gallardo

Generalmente cuando se aborda el problema de la discriminación se piensa en la negación de derechos y oportunidades que padecen grupos sociales estigmatizados y con la cual queda bloqueado, en buena medida, su acceso a los sistemas educativo, de salud y laboral, que son fundamentales para el desarrollo y la calidad de vida de cualquier persona. El problema de la discriminación, sin embargo, tiene otras facetas, como veremos en las siguientes líneas.

Negar a alguien un derecho o darle un trato indigno no se puede atribuir a un mero capricho, ya que más bien forma parte de toda una manera de comportarse ante los demás y, en general, de ver el mundo. En esa perspectiva, la discriminación es, en parte, un problema de cultura; incluso podría hablarse de la existencia de una cultura de la discriminación que ha estado muy arraigada durante siglos, si por cultura entendemos un conjunto de costumbres, valores y creencias que se manifiestan en la vida cotidiana de un pueblo. Es usual que todavía en nuestros días muchos consideren que las mujeres deberían quedarse atendiendo su casa y a sus hijos, que los adultos mayores y las personas con discapacidad son una carga o son inútiles, que los indígenas son flojos y sucios, o que quienes tienen alguna creencia religiosa distinta a la hegemónica pertenecen a una secta y son peligrosos. Todo lo anterior forma parte de una manera de entender el mundo que provoca múltiples injusticias en la vida de millones de personas. Se comienza con expresiones ofensivas, convirtiendo el lenguaje en un instrumento discriminatorio, y se pasa a acciones más contundentes que incluso terminan generando hechos violentos que ponen en peligro la vida misma de las personas afectadas por este fenómeno social tan grave. Por eso, cuando se toca el tema del combate a la discriminación se plantea la necesidad de crear una nueva cultura de la igualdad.

La creación de dicha cultura pasa, entre otras cosas, por una ardua labor educativa, informativa y de sensibilización de la sociedad, cuyo objetivo es la eliminación de estereotipos y prejuicios que conducen tanto a la violación de derechos y libertades de individuos y grupos sociales, como a darles tratos que van en contra de su dignidad, sea por motivos de condición socioeconómica, edad, género, discapacidad, creencias religiosas, preferencias sexuales u origen étnico o nacional.

Se trata de crear una cultura que abra horizontes nuevos a toda la sociedad, y esto es un punto esencial si pretendemos hacer frente a la discriminación. Una cultura que tenga como base el conocimiento y la valoración de modos de vida y pensamiento diversos, lo cual contribuiría a asumir actitudes de respeto y tolerancia hacia quienes son distintos y a lo largo de la historia han sido estigmatizados y marginados. Una transformación cultural, pues, que promueva relaciones sociales realmente equitativas e incluyentes y que tenga como fundamento el respeto a la dignidad de todas las personas.

En esta cambio de carácter cultural no puede perderse de vista la situación del mundo, sobre todo ahora que no faltan quienes difunden ciertas ideas sobre un conflicto entre civilizaciones -con claros tintes racistas- y que buscan a toda costa avivar el odio entre pueblos y sobajar y someter a quienes no son ni piensan como ellos, provocando violencia o desatando guerras de conquista en que la población civil es la que invariablemente sufre todo clase de atrocidades.

De ahí que el asunto no le resulte ajeno a quienes están inmersos en el mundo del arte y las actividades culturales, que, ante todo, son expresión del espíritu humano, cuya diversidad es esencial para toda sociedad libre.

*Presidente del Consejo Nacional para Prevenir la Discriminación (CONAPRED)
---Gilberto Rincón Gallardo

RNC Protests: Minneapolis-St. Paul the new police state

Minneapolis-St. Paul Police have begun a series of raids and detentions against the affectionately named "RNC Welcoming Committee". The group is actually a conglomeration of activists from around the country calling for an end to the war in Iraq and the loss of constitutional protections. The irony of it all is that the real criminals are the ones gathering inside the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Here are videos of the raids and the activists whom are being targeted:

McCain picks Palin: Insults entire American nation

Sarah Palin is now John McCain's running mate. Sarah Palin is Alaska's freshman governor with only 20 months in office. Prior to that she was the mayor of Wasilli, a town of 6,000 people. And prior to that she was Miss Wasilli the runner-up for Miss Alaska. She has 5 children, and she believes that killing animals is fun, wearing fur is fashionable, and saving the environment is akin to a waste of space.

She also believes that creationism is science, and that evolution is the religion of others. That is even more surprising given that she has a son with Trisomy 21 (a.k.a Down Syndrome) which is a genetic disease. But then again, there is very strong speculation that that son is actually her daughter's son which she is passing off as her own to maintain an idyllic family values image. But that is now just speculation.

She is also an anti-abortion advocate, which with five kids I wouldn't expect anything different. But she is a far-right advocate of no abortions no matter what. No exceptions for rape, incest, or health risks to the mother. On this issue she is an ideologue with little civil or policy sense. She's essentially a heartbeat away from throwing pregnant women into jails to make sure they go through labor even if its a 9-year-old raped by her father, or a 40-year-old in danger of dying in labor.

She claims to be "pro-contraception" though there is very little evidence she has ever used it. At least we know of five distinct times when she did not use it.

She is pro oil even as she claims to have stood up to the oil companies.

Finally, she is NOT Hillary Clinton.

I am a strong advocate of Ms. Clinton, even if I chose to support Barack Obama. But my support for Obama came from my want for a fresh start for the party. I rejected Hillary's campaign just as I would have rejected Ted Kennedy or Al Gore had they campaigned for the Presidency, and just as I did reject Edwards, Dodd, and Biden, during the primaries. But nobody, NOBODY, can take away from us who Hillary Clinton is, the best advocate for health-care, unions, and working families.

But Sarah Palin is not Hillary Clinton, She isn't even Laura Bush.

Sarah Palin is a gimmick. A news cycle oddity. A distraction at best, a disaster at worst for the Republican Party.

If the McCain campaign chose her, a complete unknown and after meeting her only once, it is because she fits neatly into an election year strategy. One that targets women motivated by Hillary Clinton's campaign, and equally placates the evangelical crowd.

But putting God first has always meant putting women last in American politics. Palin is a clear example of this.

Even if she was as qualified as Condoleezza Rice, the whole women-have-no-right-to-their-bodies thing would anger most women, and many men.

As a Masculine American I am upset that Palin is anti-abortion, but especially in cases of rape and incest. How utterly heartless and irresponsible do you have to be to tell women that they cannot have an abortion after being raped. Or tell me that my wife, girlfriend, or daughter must carry to term the baby of a rapist. Do you have any idea, Ms. Palin what that does to a woman already traumatized by rape? What it does to a family? No, of course not, because that's what happens when you live in an extremely conservative state where most people are the same religion and live 100 miles from each other. You forget to care for others.

But Palin is more than an insult to women's rights, she is the latest embodiment of the disdain for the intelligence of the American Voter constantly exhibited by the McCain Campaign.

For months the McCain campaign has made an issue of Obama's supposed inexperience and youth, but instead they chose someone less experienced to complete McCain's ticket. And let there be no doubt, if elected he is going to die of old age in office.

When Obama chose Biden as his running mate, McCain blasted the decision saying that Obama was disregarding the will of 18 million Democrats who voted for Hillary. And yet he disregards all republican primary voters by not even choosing one of the other primary contenders. Again there's that streak of hypocrisy, accusing Obama of something which he then exemplifies himself.

If the respective political campaigns are any measure of the readiness of the candidates for the office of the Presidency, these most recent antics of McCain compounded by the campaign's behavior during the past six months, leaves little doubt that his potential effectiveness as an administrator and executive of the nation will leave much to be desired and a nation in peril. For now, its just a nation insulted.