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We will only win this one by not fighting it.
In the words of the Hopi Prophecy, we need to "abolish the word struggle from our vocabulary"
As is said in the Dhammapada, "Hate is not conquered by hate, hate is conquered by love."
This one is not going to be won by legislating to make better people or to contain foul behaviour. Trying to impose any top down solution will only excite more oppositionality in these already childish people.
With our government under the control of fascist-Nazi groups their MO will be the sick justice for our citizens.
January 25, 2011
Information is power. Americans who receive correct and truthful information have power. One great source for information is Thom Hartmann. With the information he shares I feel empowered to also share information. The conservatives seek to control you and me through hatred, lies, fear, and manipulation.
@rladlof, isn't going to such groups to voice your opinion and represent your views exactly what Thom is asking? I mean I've heard him push for Republican'ts to show up to their party meetings and take the party back, but I doubt he is voicing support for the Republican't party. I have been going to my local Green Party meetings since last June, mostly because of Thoms' prodding listeners like me to do so. Now I wouldn't say I agree entirely with every members point of view, and well I can't say they have put forth any such divisive platform as PDA seems to have done. I'm happy to contribute what I can. Perhaps you should try (if you haven't already) going to different group meetings, find like minded people and contribute. Grass roots need to grow everywhere, can't hurt to try out different gardens.
N
@rladlof, I think more than Thomas is impeachable, but where is the outrage that will push for it, not to mention other SCrOTUS members.
N
Perhaps, we have to take a serious look at teen years. It isn't right that at 17 years and 364 days your a child, and the next day your an adult. That's not realistic. The other big issue, as I alluded to above, is this, whether parents like it or not, around the age of 13 nature takes charge. I mean some parents would outlaw puberty if they could, but guess what, its not going to happen. So instead censoring what a teenager sees, perhaps it is better to discuss what they are seeing, as well as what they are going through... and perhaps, just perhaps it might be wise to address such issues around 10 or 11 years old. I don't know, but obviously pretending a 14 year old doesn't know a hell of a lot about the basic function of sex, is just ludicrous. I saw a few of the first episodes of Skins when it appeared on the BBC. It didn't seem any more intense then the Daytime Soaps my wife watches. Besides whats the problem with teens seeing simulated sex acts, it happens all the time on TV. So is the big problem Thom is having is that teen actors are simulating sex on TV?
N
Thomas's bad acts fails under high crimes and misdemeanors . . . AND was bad form. He IS impeachable.
@THOM: You have gotta review on an on-going basis just who you speak support for . . .
I have been to PDA meetings . . . AND left due to them adopting their "Israel has no right to exist" platform.
Sometimes the enemy of your enemy will kill you just to watch you and your family die.
Limbaugh is an idiot for (among countless other reasons) saying Obama gets ideas from the Communist Manifesto. The Manifesto has no ideas in it; it's just a statement on the progress of the communist movement. Limbaugh should have referred to Das Kapital.
I, also, have real issue with the infantilization of adults. Teens are not just old children; they are young adults . . .
Umm, its been a while since I was a teenager, but even so, whether or not there was programming promoting sex, was probably pretty irrelevant. My raging hormones did more promotion of sex in my mind than any advertisement would. Now cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, those needed peer pressure and advertising to enter my conscience, but sex, no need to push that on my teenage years.
Besides should we ban Romeo and Juliet?
N
So is the Justice Department pursuing Thomas and Scalia, or are we just being redirected to look over here... look at the shiny State of the Union address, look at the probable Republican Presidential candidate polling numbers, look at.... well anything other than apparent evidence that incriminates two Supreme Court Justices that could very well lead to their impeachment.
By the way, does impeachment of Supreme Court Judges originate in the House of Representatives as does impeachment of the President?
Either way, I'd really want to know why this story is being ignored not only in main stream media but barely even discussed in progressive media.
N
With an ignorant work force, we could vie for the title of "Welfare Queen of The World" except the "Defense" industry wrapped that up years ago. But, we could become so ignorant that we'd export our "Defense" industry to other countries. That'll show 'em! At least until we try to get the guns, bombs, missiles, ships, and planes shipped to us ...
Never mind the previous series of non-sequiturs - I didn't pass logic or history.
My View on This Evenings State of the Union Speech:
President Obama has made real progress on 70 to 80 percent of his campaign pledges. That said, there is real work left to do AND thanks to low-information 'independent' voters, our wishy-washy, just-right-of-the-center-of-the-road, pro-corporatist President has to contend with a crap-load of proto-fascists to get it done. The outcome will not be good for We, the People.
On the other hand, the SotU will be less likely to be a drinking game than it was when President GWBush delivered it.
Obama has proven to be an excellent lawyer. When he talks, he gives the listener an impression, an impression that cannot be proven from his words. Case in point, he campaigned using two grandiose words, Hope & Change; but when it comes down to it, hope for what and how is change enacted? Those answers were left to the audience to imagine, but when a constituent complains that he hasn't delivered upon what he promised, it becomes a philosophical argument. Such arguments can be debated to the end of time, with no definitive answer as a result. Now some would say that Obama is an excellent politician, but IMHO a politician is not concerned about being honest, they will lie whenever it suits them; however Obama, like any great lawyer, uses words to create impressions, but if you parse his words, no actual lie can be found. (Not saying lawyers don't lie, just saying the great ones know how to create a false truth, if you will).
Whether or not you agree with his eventual choices, listen carefully to what Obama says prior to any decision, you'll find more often than not he always leaves his options open ended.
I don't know if I care to be frustrated about it or not, in a lot of ways, he has delivered some worthwhile policies, though on the other hand he has ignored or enabled terrible policies. When it comes down to it, I feel I have at least got a few good policies out of this administration, which is far more than I expect I would have received from a Republican admin. I'll probably always vote for any Democratic candidate over a Republican one, even though I'm a Green Party member, I doubt I'll ever have the chance to vote for a Green Politician at a national level with any serious hope of an outcome I desire. I wouldn't even say I'm choosing the lesser of two evils, no I guess I choosing the slower of two evils, in hopes that it will give the progressive movement time to act.
Always feels like a Pyrrhic victory though. It is my guess many that supported Obama feel likewise too.
N
"Most of Us are getting tired of the "business as usual politics" and some are ready to take action...even drastic action. Some personalities are more impatient than others and they will rise first. They will be seen as "radicals", or "martyrs". Examples of what not to do, or the "courageous first" who show the rest of Us a way."
Most of Us? How many is that? 10-20-100? You mean there are people and groups "Out There" ready willing and ABLE to commit treasoneous acts of murder against the US? Is that what you saying? MOST OF US? Gee, who will it be next?
This is CRAZY TALK, DANGEROUS TALK and seditious! People die because of this HATE TALK". If you want to change or fix government, organize and amend the constitution peacefully! NOT the mantra of "Pick up your guns and kill some Politician!
I know where you are coming from with your comment. Question: Do you know of any call from our "Government" to pick up arms and murder specific group(s), person or entity? Any? Name one. And please, no Waco or Ruby ridge!
This is Crazy talk, and if this Individual made a call to arms to kill more Politicians, he made a death threat and thankfully his guns were taken away.
I believe in Beck's right to say what he wants. However, common decency dictates not talking about shooting and killing people. Also, at a certain point, if it crosses over to advocacy of killing someone, it is probably a crime.
Regarding his comments about Piven wanting to to break the government, it is kind of ironic because that is what the Norquistians and others in the regressive movement want to do with their continuing call for tax cuts. My belief is that they want a government so weak it can't act as a balance to corporate malfeasance.
Unfortunately, the bipartisan corporatization of America and Second Gilded Age has already led to a representative corporatocracy. We need democracy, not corporatocracy.
Looks like Beck is right.
On Dec. 22, 2010, Frances Fox Piven wrote an article for The Nation entitled "Mobilizing the Jobless". In the article she writes,[28]
Glenn Beck likes to flip flops on issuers. No clue what his bag is. I guess it depends on which way the wind blows, for his excitement and publicity of public attention. This is what sells you know.. People buy his books, watch his shows, jump up and down cheer him on and fly off their seats.. By the way, That's a Good way to exercise you know. Anyway, He is making his money and selling his books and He has you to be thankful for. I think as a skilled entertatainer he would be much better fit if he became a dancer because I do not know why anyone would listen to him anyway, Could you imagine how cool he would look doing the cool jerk. It fits! NO! That would be much more suitable for him in my opinion, Or perhaps a cartwheel now and than across the floor.
Best thing about it is that CCR's letter to Fox News President Roger Ailes and their response is now too documented. Bittersweet.
Mama grizzly commited assault when she wrote her hit list.
Becky incites violence everytime he speaks, every reference boils down to "grab yur guns and yur beef jerky cause the commie socialist cannibals want to take yur money and give it to brown people".
Deer in the headlights bachman calls for her followers to be armed and dangerous.
First amendment rights being taken away from people who can't stay out of the media spotlight for twenty four hours, talking about second amendment solutions.
They all make noise about removing illegitimate government, and toss around words like rebellion and revolution, but lest they forget they are the very people on top and that is not a good place to be during a revolution. Just ask Marie Antoinette.
this "thinking" is a parallel to that which sustained the illegal Iraq war -that we couldn't let the terrorists win when we bombed, invaded and devastated a country that had done nothing to us. We invaded to control their oil, the lies were told, were escalated and the lies continue now. The fact that we constantly spawn more terrorism has fallen on deaf, stupid ears. With regard to the shooter, the NRA has allowed anyone to buy semi automatic weapons which are solely for killing people. For people to play chicken with words under these circumstances is not only stupid, but irresponsibly dangerous.
What happened to we all have a voice in "our" democracy.
I forgot Glen Beck;s rule 1, not if we can stamp you out first.
What a terrible bunch these people are, just mean and nasty, oh I forgot, and so Christian. My opinion is Jesus would have little to do with this bunch, they are all as un-Christian as it gets.
Politicians haven't been challenged for their lies and idiot remarks on TV since Tim Russert died and, you know, if they are, never show up again on Chris Matthews or whoever. Ailes and Murdoch are laughing their butts off, as are Disney, Comcast - they've won! Maybe not all, but Congress, the Judicial Branch and the Executive are full of finger puppets. I badger my congressional delegation until postage costs break me on two issues only. Reform campaign financing. Rewrite and reform corporation laws.
Here is historical evidence that caustic rhetoric leads to violent behavior.
In Robert Bonfil's "Jewish Life in Renaissance Italy," the same tactics were used with the same tragic results:
"But the preachers were not always so explicit in their sermons. Frequently ambiguous, they were not above playing upon double entendres, thereby encouraging the climate of violence without openly preaching it." "However ambiguous they might be, the semantics of the terms "usury" were sufficiently clear as to leave no doubt as to their immediate target: the Jews."
The above citation is not an attack on a particular religion as a whole. It's provided as an example of how invective, if not held in check, will cause harm.
Now the target seems to be anyone who disagrees with certain ideas, and plenty of lables are applied without examing sources, contexts and the actual practices of the accused.
This is an actual example of how media personalities who use these tactics are fostering an environment of hate and violence in our day. Many times calling their targets "nazis, marxists, etc." Do they ever point out what exact ACTIONS are being taken by their targets that make them "nazis, marxists, etc."? Do they ever admit that similar if not identical actions were taken by members of their own political party? Are the labels applied to Democrats, liberals, progressives, leftists applicable to Republicans who agree with or have taken the same actions?
Now another high profile Republican is going about insinuating in the same 'round-about way, that Obama, liberals, leftists and such are un-American/anti-American. Same tactic again.
Let's see now, what about the vehement anti-government rhetoric spewing forth from these people? It's our government, of the people, by the people and for the people. Could they be considered un-American/anti-American subversives for talking about dismantling the insitutions of the people, for the people and by the people?
Dismantling our institutions will leave a vacuum that would most likely be filled by interests not held accountable to the people. Our government can be has been changed, we do it every election cycle. It appears that some want to replace it with that which will not be held accountable to the electorate.
Tea Party folks need to be careful in what they wish and are fighting for.