The Consortium of Progressive Thinkers

Media Bias II

2006-06-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

As a former sports journalist, I often studied various media outlets to sharpen my reporting skills.  With the Internet, I browsed the various sport sections of the nations newspapers, listened to national and local talking heads and viewed the various web sites of the East Coat based, corporate media giants.  Just as my local media counterparts warned me, I found a strong East Coast bias in the national media, but never felt led to write about it.

Throughout the college football season last year, I watched possibly the greatest football player of all-time lead his team to a national championship and receive no respect from the national media.  Meanwhile, a Notre Dame team with strong ties to the nation’s East Coast, led by a fat man from New Jersey, lost multiple games, yet managed to be the media darlings.

Throughout the NBA basketball playoffs, I’ve listened to NBA “experts” such as Bill Walton and Charles Barkley trash the Dallas Mavericks, but chalked their animosity up to envy.  Meanwhile, a very average Richard Jefferson, leads a very average New Jersey Nets team to the Eastern Conference semi-finals and the media lauds him as the next Michael Jordan.  The Mavericks beat the San Antonio Spurs in one of the most electric playoff series in NBA history, yet the story must compete with Larry Brown’s troubles with the New York Knicks.  In spite of all of this, I felt it futile to discuss the level of bias in the national media.

However, my mind changed this morning.

A day removed from the start of the NBA Finals, I sought out the help of ESPN radio to get a national perspective on the Mavericks/Heat series.  I set my web browser to ESPNradio.com and tuned into the Colin Cowherd Show.  Indeed, Mr. Cowherd’s show focused on the exploits of Texans, but not on the hard wood.  Instead, Mr. Cowherd’s show centered on the minor league appearance of Roger Clemens.  Mr. Cowherd, a Yankee die-hard, went on to show his total lack of sports knowledge by calling Nolan Ryan, “overrated”, when compared to “The Rocket”.  Clearly, Mr. Cowherd is not lucid, but I would think that even he would realize that the NBA Finals is far more important minor league baseball.  I can assure you, had Roger Clemens pitched in Kansas City and Milwaukee, instead of Boston and New York, his return would have been ignored.

Finally, I found a national perspective of the NBA Finals—kind of.  Dan Le Batard, a Miami radio show host and ESPN analyst, welcomed Scottie Pippen, another ESPN/ABC analyst, on his show.  Pippen assured the Heat fans that Miami had the better ball team in this series.  Evidently, Pippen watched plenty of tape on the Nelly-led Mavs, because he referred to their desire to play up-tempo offense and their defensive struggles.  I assume that Mr. Pippen has not taken the opportunity to watch this year’s establishment of the Mavs. Other national media outlets reported on the new dynamic duo of O’Neal/Wade and treated the Mavericks as a one-man team.

Sadly, I’ve deal with media bias towards all my favorite teams, throughout my life time. Growing up in the remote pine hills of East Texas, I attended a high school that often swam under the radar of the state media.  As you know, Texans go crazy over their high school football and fans crave the media attention offered by the Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, Texas Prep Xtra.Com, & Fox Sport’s High School Xtra. Normally, these outlets focus on the major media markets in Texas—D/FW, Houston/Galveston, and Austin/Cen-Tex regions.  Occasionally, the Tyler area gets the interest of the Dallas media, but areas north and east of Tyler remain oblivious to the rest of the state.

I’ve had the pleasure of watching a lot of football in my 27 years on Earth and I can say, without a doubt, the team Atlanta High fielded in 1994 was one of the most talented high school football teams I have ever seen for its size.  Atlanta High School has less than 600 total students, yet this team featured two future NFL player’s, Randy Garner and Derrick Blaylock, and more speed than many college teams.

My Atlanta Rabbits met up with the Gainesville Leopards in the regional semi-finals.  The Dallas media loved to write about Gainesville.  Again, this was another small school, but it featured players that had committed to Nebraska, Florida State and Miami (Fl.). No one, not even the Texarkana media, gave Atlanta a shot at winning the game.  All of the media attention focused on Gainesville’s three Division I athletes.  Adding insult to injury, Atlanta was forced to play the game in Carrollton, Gainseville’s backyard.  Well, the mighty Rabbs fought through the media biased and shocked the Leopard, 41-6.  While the NBA Finals are a totally different animal than the Texas high school football playoffs, I find solace in knowing that the media ugly duckling often rises to the top.

Media Bias???

2006-06-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

As a self-described progressive, I often shy away from terms like “left wing media” or the Limbaugh phrase, “drive-by media”.  Sure, humans control the media and a certain level of bias will seep through, but I do not think that the mainstream media is actively engaged in a conspiracy to destroy everything American.  However, over the weekend, the coverage of the Canadian terrorist arrests has changed my view.

While not completely ignoring the story, the mainstream media has, for the most part, buried the Canadian terrorist arrests behind gay marriage, flag burning, Ivy League masochists and a morbid tale of mistaken identity.  Initially, I learned of the story from a brief blurb reported on MSNBC Saturday morning.  The weekend anchorperson simply said that Canadian officials arrested a group of young Canadians accused of plotting an “Oklahoma City style attack.”  While this accurately describes the means of attack (ammonium nitrate), it fails to capture the essence of the attack.  Not once in this initial report did the report reveal the ethnicity or religious background of the accused.

The next morning, the nation’s leading newspapers treated the story in a similar fashion, discussing the similarities between the Canadian terrorist plot and the Oklahoma City tragedy.  Not until the last paragraph did the AP story reveal the name of the accused.  Guess what?  All of the men have Islamic names.

The story hinted that these men attended mosques known for fundamentalist teachings, yet they refused to come out and say—17 Muslim men arrested in Canadian terrorist plot.

When Madrid was attacked, we could dismiss it for Spain’s active role in assisting the U.S. in combating global terrorism and a centuries old conflict between Spain and the Muslim people.  Likewise, when London was attacked, the motive was clear.  The United Kingdom has long been the United States strongest ally on the war on terrorism.

But Canada?  Canada has provided refuge for disgruntled Americans fleeing the Bush regime and what they perceive as an illegitimate war.  Like France and Germany, Canada scoffed at the United States’ planned invasion of Iraq and many of the tenants of the so-called, “Bush doctrine”.  Indeed, if anyone were going to plot to attack Canada, it would seem to be some right-wing militant group from the United States, not Arabic terrorists.

I write this blog on the eve of June 6, 2006—6/6/06—a magical date to evangelical Christians all over the world.  You see, “666” is the number used in apocalyptic, Biblical literature to reference the “mark of the Beast.”  The word “apocalypse” stems from the Greek word apokalypsis, which means, “to uncover”.  Just as the Biblical prophets used “666” to uncover the face of true evil, a good journalist would have uncovered the face of true evil with this story.  Emasculated by sense of political correctnesss, the mainstream media purposely ignored the root of this story, failing not only the American people but the world at large.

Never in my life did I think I would echo the words of George Bush, a man I feel is the worst president the United States has ever seen, but we, as global citizens, did not choose this war, Muslims did.  Again, not all Muslims, but Muslims nonetheless.  To ignore the ethnicity and religious background of these Canadians, spits in the face of all peace loving, non-Muslim citizens.

Talking 'Bout Da Vinci

2006-05-10T16:38:00.000-07:00

I love talk radio and I spend a lot of time listening to various pundits on both sides of the political aisle.  In fact, talk radio engendered many of the posts on this very blog.  Over the course of the past few weeks, several radio stations (especially those owned by the evil empire known as Salem Communications) have run ads regarding the upcoming release of The Da Vinci Code.  Apparently, some on the “religious right” feel that Dan Brown’s work of FICTION causes the reader to think too much and they feel obligated to dissuade Christians from seeing the movie and using the release of the movie as a proselytizing tool.

This morning, a local talk show featured a call-in segment about this very issue.  The host, a man notorious for aligning with the far right, admitted to never reading the book, but proceeded to attack the work on several grounds.  The callers seemed even less informed.  One caller noted that The Da Vinci Code was “very well written” and should be treated as a work of literature.

Hold up playa…let’s stop the boycotts and let’s stop labeling the work, “literature” and instead examine The Da Vinci Code for what it is, a means for entertainment.

Like many Americans, I drank the Mona Lisa laced Kool Aide and read The Da Vinci Code. Normally, I stray from reading mainstream best sellers.  After all, bad writing is like cheap after-shave—it’s everywhere, it’s hard to get rid of the stench and it’s no replacement for the real thing. Yet, The Da Vinci Code was different. Honestly, it reminded me of the Left Behind series—poorly written, yet sinfully entertaining, a true guilty pleasure.  Both use bad theology to exercise their points, but neither should be read as a replacement or supplement to the Bible.

Scripture tells us that with faith the size of mustard seed we can move mountains.  Surely, the same amount of faith can protect us from a secular work of fiction.   The people who boycott this movie based on Brown’s portrayal of the Christ story lack the very entry-level faith Jesus begged of his disciples.  These Christians require a very controlling pastor and church that will dictate every move in their life and live life perpetually as a puppet, never experiencing life as a true child of God.

I say read the book and watch the movie.  Judge it based on its entertainment quality.  Is this Tom Hanks’ next Forrest Gump or has he stumbled into another Joe Versus The Volcano?  How does Brown’s novel translate on screen?  For an hour and a half you’ll relax and be treated to an entertaining story.  An hour later, you won’t even remember the name of the main character.

An Open Letter To David Stern

2006-05-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Stern:

I just wanted to write and share a few thoughts with you.  However, I feared that sending a letter via “snail mail” or a regular e-mail would not get your attention.  My friends suggested that I devote a blog entry to sharing my thoughts with you, but I told them that you didn’t read blogs.  After all, the playoffs are in full swing and require your full attention.  I told them that you were busy reviewing tapes of the games to ensure that the officials called each game properly and that you couldn’t possibly find time to read a blog.

Imagine my shock and joy to discover that you do indeed read blogs.  Apparently, Mr. Cuban decided to share a few ideas on how to ensure the playoffs feature the best officiating possible.  I guess these comments hurt your feelings and you felt that $100,000.00 fine would cheer you up.  Indeed, fining Mark Cuban in the past has made you swell with joy.

Sorry about the loss last night.  I know that watching the Spurs fall to the Mavs truly breaks your heart.  I can only imagine the pain you must have felt watching Mr. Duncan sob like no grown man should.  I can only imagine the pain in your heart watching Little Manu bite his precious little lip.  I’m sure you will find some way to ease the pain caused by the organization you love so. After all, you and your media buddies will not be happy unless you can draw even less of an audience than last year’s Finals.

Obviously, the Mavs fans, players and owner are way too passionate for your taste.  The bitter taste of the Knicks continual slide has made you quiet callous and you no longer enjoy this game.  A bit of advice, let go, Willis Reed is forever gone.

In closing, I look forward to June.  I wonder how awkward it will be for you to present Mr. Cuban with the Larry O’Brien Trophy.  For once, you will have to swallow your pride and admit that you are not the smartest man in the NBA and that the “maverick” in Dallas got it right.

With kindest regards,

Josh H. Ellis
M.F.F.L.

Aubrey

2006-05-09T15:58:00.000-07:00

Recently, a close friend blogged about the passing of a generation, losing the last of the “Survivors” and the continual passing of World War II veterans.  After initially reading his post, I found his entry to be highly informative, but I failed to grasp its true relevance—until this weekend.

As chronicled in yesterday’s entry, I spent the weekend traveling East Texas and visiting with Clay’s relatives.  Many of you know Clay’s paternal grandfather, “Grandpa”, as we know him.  Others of you have heard Clay or me share humorous vignettes about our time with Grandpa.  Anyone associated with Clay understands the role Grandpa plays in his life.  Indeed, few men like Grandpa exist.

In September, Grandpa turns 80.  Like other members of the “Greatest Generation”, Grandpa saw a “Great Depression”, a world war against an evil dictator, a Cold War and the rise of the United States as the world’s lone super power.  However, Grandpa’s story stands out even among this group of American icons.  Not only did Grandpa serve his country, he also served time for murder on more than one occasion.  Not only did Grandpa survive the Great Depression, he also survived lung cancer and regained his vision after being blind for over a year.  Not only did Grandpa’s service to America foster and nurture her growth into the world’s only super power, he also fostered and nurtured six kids and later in life became the sole guardian/supporter of three grandchildren—two of which still depend on him to this day.  While many members of the “Greatest Generation” retired years ago and spend their days playing bingo, Grandpa continues to work in the garage in his backyard.

With each story that Grandpa tells, he paints a picture that captures the true essence of Americana—all on a 4th grade education.  While books sales and movie ticket sales continue to plummet, Grandpa finds no trouble in entertaining people with his stories told through his unique voice.  Harvard educated students must plagiarize in order to capture an audience; this “shade tree” mechanic just talks about his life.  Sadly, Grandpa will not live forever.  In fact, he told us over the weekend that he recently purchased his headstone.  Apparently, he feared that his children would spend the money on other things if he left it to them.

Grandpa’s mortality reminds me of the importance of oral history. In college, I had a history professor who constantly talked about oral history.  He spoke about interviewing Orval Faubaus prior to his death and using that as an oral history of the Civil Rights movement.  I feel it is imperative that the same attention be paid to Grandpa’s story—his recounting of becoming a “born again” Christian, how he gave up alcohol and cigarettes, his memories of Korea, Woodstock, Watergate and Reagan.

Welcome to Atlanta: A Reflection

2006-05-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

While I tend to stray from the cliché, going back home never ceases to flood my mind with countless memories, often serving as an impetus for deep thought,

Clay and I traveled into the Piney Woods this past weekend to introduce our girlfriends to our native culture and way of life, causing me once again to pause and try to reconcile the psychological and emotional disconnect formed through years of living in rural East Texas.  Indeed, Uptown living in Dallas is a long way from the streets of Texas’ ATL.  Here are a few random thoughts from my trip:

First, a note to all Atlanta (Texas) natives, the town is DEAD!   Drive through downtown Atlanta and count the vacant buildings.  Perhaps, it would be easier to count the actual businesses (2 antique shops, one female dress shop, one drug store and countless churches.)  Do members of the Atlanta City Council not understand the concept of economic development?  Remember when there were Ellises on the city council?  Downtown wasn’t so depressing then…..Maybe I should move back and run for mayor.

By the way, doesn’t Stephen Frost call Atlanta home?  Shouldn’t he try to help out with Atlanta’s economic woes?  If not, you that are registered to vote in Atlanta should vote his ass out.

I pick up the Texarkana Gazette on Saturday and evidently they are still burning crosses in Fouke, Arkansas.  For those of you not from East Texas/ Southwest Arkansas or Northwest Louisiana, Fouke is an “all-white” town in a region where African-Americans outnumber Caucasians.  Fouke comes complete with a “hanging tree” in a residential neighborhood that has been used to deter African-Americans from moving into the area.  Two years ago, Fouke schools consolidated with Bright Star schools, which had a few African-American students. Fouke citizens referred to the state mandated consolidation as “the integration.”  Well, apparently, some Fouke residents recently placed a burning cross in the yard of a white lady who had invited her black boyfriend to move in with her.  The men were arrested and the Gazette wrote an article about Fouke’s racist past.  They interviewed Fouke’s mayor, Cecil Smith, who tried to play down many of the points the Gazette raised.  My favorite quote from Smith was, “When colored folks come in here and ask for different types of things, we treat them like our next door neighbors.”

A mayor using the phrase “colored folks” in 2006?

I really do miss the cooking from my homeland.  On Saturday afternoon, Clay’s mother prepared a huge feast for us that included fried catfish, fried alligator, fried shrimp, stuffed crab, boiled shrimp and bacon wrapped grilled shrimp; the only thing missing was the crawfish.  It’s nearly impossible to find good seafood in Dallas—all the seafood is so bland and don’t even try to find good gumbo here, it is impossible. Luckily, Clay’s mother taught our girlfriends how to prepare this meal, so hopefully they will be able to duplicate the culinary experience.

Finally, East Texas is not a good place to travel if you are trying to quit smoking.  It seems like everyone in the area smokes and it is so tempting to pick-up the habit once again after three months of being nicotine free.

The Kids Are Not Alright!

2006-03-30T18:57:00.000-08:00

I aim to keep my promise and write about the influence of the evangelical church on suburbia, but due to the recent student protests in Dallas, I’d like to first address the immigration issue.

I watched with disgust as thousands of area high school students walked-out of class and marched down to Dallas city hall.  I fully support the student’s right to peacefully assemble and protest, however, I expect anyone who protests to understand the concepts they protest.  Many of the students failed to understand the concepts at play in the immigration debate.  They know that many of their parents face possible jail time with the pending legislation, but they seem to overlook the fact that parents committed a crime, coming to the United States ILLEGALLY!  Furthermore, if any of the students are not citizens of the U.S., they do NOT have the constitutional right to assemble and protest.

It sickens me to see people march in our country, carrying another country’s flag, shouting chants like, “Viva Mexico!”  A TV news journalist asked a Dallas student why she carried a Mexican flag and not an American flag, the student replied that first she was a Mexican and she didn’t need an American flag, even though she was born in the States.  I say we don’t need people like her in our country.

A photo in Tuesday’s Dallas Morning News showed a Hispanic student draped in the American flag; the caption said that other Hispanic taunted this student because of the American flag.  I support free speech for American citizens, but if any the students that taunted her were not legal, they should immediately be arrested.

If you’re tired of the protests and want your voice heard, I invite you to join the “pro American” rally that will be held on April 9, 2006, at the Dallas City Hall.  On that day, thousands of immigrants are expected to march through downtown Dallas to city hall and the “pro American” rally was organized in response to this March.

The Great American Schism

2006-03-27T19:13:00.000-08:00

Peering out across the Dallas skyline, I see the thousands of twinkling lights of the “Northern front”—the vast void of suburban sprawl, devouring the Texas plains and destroying the heart of the city.

Drawn by the promise of a “neo-cult of domesticity”, thousands of young, white families reject the lure of the city and flee to places like Plano, Frisco, Southlake, McKinney and Wylie. Like a leach, these families suck their host dry, depending on their host (Dallas proper) for their entertainment, their culture and their money, while giving nothing in return. While not a new phenomenon, the suburbs represent the darkest corner of American culture—filled with lusts, lies, lunacy and, most of all, hypocrisy!

Indeed, ask any suburbanite the impetus for their outward migration and inevitably they will reel off a litany of charges—a better life, better schools, and a higher standard of living. In fact, the roots of the suburbs lie in something far more sinister.

At the end of the nineteenth century, our great nation existed as a collection of a few large urban areas and thousands of small “island communities” scattered across the country. The dawn of revolutions in the fields of economics, communications, transportation and industrialization expedited the transition of the United States from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, post-industrial society, paving the way for the great American schism of the 20th Century.

Historians will tell you that the conflict between the shared/corporate values of the rural society and the individual liberties espoused by the urban society, exist today as the most basic tenants of the Republican and Democrat Party platforms respectively. What started as a direct reaction to African Americans’ Great Migration to the cities in the United States following World War II, soon evolved into what we know as modern day “Suburbia.”

In 1947, William Levitt began the construction of homes in a former potato field on Long Island, thirty miles from Manhattan. By 1951, he had completed Levittown, which held seventeen thousand homes, curved streets, parks and playgrounds. This sparked the mass exodus and during the 1950’s, the twelve largest U.S. cities lost two million white, while gaining 1.8 million non-whites. In short, the minorities were left to live in rotting cities.

As with most things, it took this movement time to reach the South and Texas. With the federal courts eradication of de facto segregation in the 1970’s, white Southerners and Texans fled their urban homes and established outposts around the urban center. When these people spoke of “better schools,” they actually meant monolithic schools, catering to the needs and desires of one particular culture—the Caucasian. Indeed, many school districts in the northern Dallas suburbs refuse to observe the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to this day.

In part two of this series, we will examine the role of evangelical Christianity in the life of the suburbs and the growing influence of the “megachurch” on suburbia and American culture as a whole.

For now, just know that those beautiful bedroom communities just north of Dallas, were born out hate and not hope!

The Death of a Nation

2005-12-12T19:05:00.000-08:00

In a matter of hours, the state of California will murder a murderer.  Stanley “Tookie” Williams, the infamous founder of the street gang “The Crips”, lived a deviant life, culminating with the murders of Albert Owens, Yen-I Yang, Tsai-Shai Chen Yang and Yu Chin Yang Lin in 1979.   Clearly, Mr. Williams deserves a harsh punishment for his behavior, but it seems to me the state might be letting him off a bit lightly.

Obviously, I oppose the death penalty on moral grounds, but on philosophical grounds as well.  Last night, I watched an old Seinfeld episode, in which Jerry opens with a bit about murder, not about the death penalty, but about the fallacy of the idea of a murder as a means for revenge.  He stated that murder lets your enemy off to easily and made the point it would be more enjoyable to watch your enemy suffer through years of psychological turmoil than to simply kill them, and in killing them release them from their sentence.

In essence, the state of California will release Mr. Williams from his sentence tonight.  Mr. Williams no longer has to wake up with the picture of his victim’s faces etched in his mind.  He no longer has to listen to their cries for help.  The demons that have tortured Mr. Williams every day since 1979 will be released and Mr. Williams will head home to meet his maker.

For the night, California will join the state of Texas as a barbaric government, intent on delivering an archaic form of “justice” that accentuates our violent nature as a nation.  By murdering Mr. Williams, the state of California will not prevent a single murder, nor will they bring closure the families of the victims.  Gang violence and activity will still flourish and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will continue to fall in public opinion polls.  Tonight, the Owens, Yang and William’s family lose, the state of California loses and we as Americans lose.

The Game of the Century

2005-12-10T15:26:00.000-08:00

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/121005dntexstadium.2195ab11.html

Growing up in East Texas, few things excite me like Texas high school football.  Scenes depicted in movies like Friday Night Lights and Varsity Blues, though a bit over the edge, capture the passion, pageantry, and poignancy associated with this rite of Autumn.

I attended a high school that exhibited many of the traits of the fictitious West Canaan, Texas of Varsity Blues and the real Odessa of Friday Night Lights. On Friday nights, Atlanta shut down and residents, clad in maroon, packed the local stadium.  From 1984 to 1999, I missed one Atlanta football game and in 2003 I saw my beloved Rabbits capture their first state football.  From 2003 through 2005, I worked for the Internet’s largest website devoted to Texas high school football, covering the East Texas region and attended many games across the state.  Needless to say, I think this gives me the credentials to critique this game I love.

All week long, the Dallas Morning News published stories concerning today’s showdown between Highland Park ( one of the states most tradition rich programs with names like Doak Walker and Bobby Lane) and Marshall (another tradition rich program that boasts Y.A. Title and was briefly spotlighted in the aforementioned Friday Night Lights).  In the Texas high school playoff system, governed by the U.I.L., opposing coaches come together to mutually agree on a neutral location or flip “hone-and-home” to decide the venue for a game.

Many East Texans feel the key to beating D/FW schools involves getting them out of the Metroplex, so a proposal that would have set the game for Texas Stadium was nixed. The Marshall and Highland Park coaches failed to agree on a location, so a coin-flip ensued.  Marshall won the toss and chose Rose Stadium in Tyler, Texas, to host this state championship game.  While aesthetically pleasing, Tyler’s Rose Stadium seats only 15,000.  State championship games in Texas routinely draw over 30,000 and Highland Park’s 48 year title drought added interest among the Scott’s faithful.

It took mere hours for both schools to sell their allotment of tickets.  Stories of frustrated fans served as the top story in the Dallas Morning News and on local television stations. Fans auctioned off tickets to the game for $500-$1000 a piece on Internet sites. Finally, the schools agreed on a proposal for television coverage and Sirius satellite radio picked up the game for nationwide broadcast and the controversy appeared to die.

However, I woke up this morning to find a page 3 article in the Dallas Morning News, regarding State Representative Dan Branch’s (R-Dallas) attempt to hold public hearings on the way in which the site for state championship games are determined.  I agree with Mr. Branch that the system currently used represents “a broken system,” but our state legislature has bigger problems involving our high schools.

Currently, the Texas education system stands on the brink of financial ruin.  In fact, Mr. Branch admits, “this makes school finance look like a minor issue.”  I suspect members of the Texas legislature dream big when considering the power they could have over high school football in the state.  State representatives like Mr. Branch know all too well the profits generated by playoff games and seek to get their hands in on some of the action.

The News reports that Mr. Branch “leads a House subcommittee charged with finding revenue sources for schools…” Couple this with the corporate sponsorships picked up for the game (e.g. Wachovia Securities) and the $500-1000 ticket prices and you have the perfect cash cow based your school funding on—commercialization of Texas high school football.  National television broadcasts of Texas high school football games are not uncommon, but UIL rules currently prohibit the live broadcast of Friday night games.  Look for the legislature to next challenge this stance.  By allowing more national broadcasts, the legislature could unlock even more revenue.

Paul: The First Liberal Christian Theologian

2005-12-08T00:34:00.000-08:00

After leaving the ministry, I developed a certain disdain for the writings of Paul. Any progressive will tell you, Paul represents what’s wrong with the modern Christian church. After all, most theologians agree that Paul’s writing forms the foundation for the rigid legalism native to the evangelical wing of the Christian church. However, I recently set out to read each of Paul’s letters in an attempt to decipher his true message.

What I found may shock many. You see, outside of Jesus, Paul may well be the most liberal Christian to ever walk the face of the Earth.

I aim not to debate the divinity of Paul’s work, but rather examine his writing in its’ proper context. With that said, begin with the premise that Paul’s letters represent a collection of writings from one man to a group of people, similar to a pastor writing his or her church. Decades after the death of Christ, the early Christian church struggles to take hold in Asia and Europe. Paul never met Jesus, never talked to Jesus, but His life impacted Paul’s life in a way only a “born again Christian” can understand.

Paul dedicates his life to establishing the Christian church and ensuring that the early Christians have the nurturing necessary to survive in the face of harsh persecution.

You see, Paul advocates a religion-free religion, based on a personal relationship with God. Allow me to quote from Romans 14:13-23:

“Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If you brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by me.

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he east, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

I share this passage not to illustrate a strict Christian diet, but to expose a sense of moral relativism in Paul’s writing. Paul urges the Romans to not focus on establishing a Christian community based on legalism (whether or not someone was sinning was between that person and God and not to be defined by neither man nor book), but encourages them to instead focus on their own personal relationships with Christ and to build a Christian community that would support one another in their faith walk. I think verse 19 sums it up perfectly, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

Throughout his letter to the Romans, Paul tackles numerous difficult issues such as “justification,” “righteousness,” “grace,” and how Christ’s sacrifice freed us from “the Law.” In fact, Paul points out that, due to “original sin,” “the Law” served as a stumbling block for the Jews. Paul realized that the Romans would be tempted to establish a Christian community like the Jewish community, steep in rigid legalism that no one would be able to abide. Instead, Paul reveals the true beauty of Christ’s love—a love that transforms the heart and mind and controls our thoughts and actions.

2005-07-30T23:46:00.000-07:00

Ban Christian Extremism

Finally, Bill Frist returns to medicine. After replacing Trent Lott as the Senate Majority Leader, Frist gradually aligned himself with the Christian extremists that push for revoking science and reading literally a book that begins with the premise of a geocentric universe. This past week, Frist returned to a speech he delivered in 2001, pushing for federal funding of embryonic stem cell research and in doing so, reconciled his policies with the Hippocratic oath.

While Frist lacks my admiration, I applaud him for taking a firm stance against a regressive administration's attempt to quash medical progress. Perhaps even more encouraging, Frist's action represents yet another instance of the hardline moving away from the Rapture Right. Remember, Frist attempted to offer a diagnosis of Terry Schiavo based on video tape shot 5 years prior to his viewing. Frist's actions engendered the fiasco we now know as the Terry Schiavo Circus and spawned a new breed of macabre Christian extremist.

The Republican base, formed by representatives of "corporate America", recognized that the Rapture Right alienated "mainstream America" with their shenanigans and sought to, ever so subtly, push the nuts back into the proverbial closet. The "mainstream" American sees hope for their ailing friend or family member in embryonic stem cell research; "coporate America" understands the economic opportunities the research could create for pharmaceutical companies. Either way, "mainstream America" and "corporate America", stand to gain.

After reading Frist's speech, only the most primitive Christian extremist would object to his proposal. He suggests funding for research, "...only on embryonic stem cells derived from blastocysts leftover from fertility therapy, which will not be implemented or adopted but instead are otherwise destined by the parents with absolute certainty to be discarded and destroyed." First states that research would only be allowed with "transparent and fully informed consent of the parents."

2005-07-27T16:12:00.000-07:00

Who Represents Me?

Everyday, I fight "the good fight", dissenting against the regressive policies of an opressive regime. For fun, I wage intellectual warfare with conservatives nationwide, educating those lost souls still nibbling on the carcass of a morally bankrupt political ideology. I represent a true brand of progressive politics custom fitted for the common man. Often, I find myself at odds with the leaders of both the "left wing" and the Democratic Party, but I refrain from attacking the "left" the way I have the "right." Until now...

During the 2002 mid-term elections, I watched quitely as the Democrats tried in vain to run a campaign against an opponent beyond their realm of understanding. Similarly, in 2004, I followed orders working with the Kerry campaign, even though I knew the party's presentation of John Kerry and his public policy alienated much of the region I knew as home.

I know the "rural South"--the heart of "Red State America." Born on a bayou, raised mid' the pine hills, my rural uprbringing engendered an understanding of the economic hardships, racial tensions, and religious concerns relevant to the "Chicken Fried Nation."

How can a Harvard educated, white male, from an affluent Northeastern family, expect to relate to my people? Men like John Kerry and Ted Kennedy probably never associated with their first African-American until well after their teenage years. Men like Howard Dean and Patrick Lehay rarely step outside their economic circle. Imagine women like Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein trying to comprehend the importance of God, high school football and the Dallas Cowboys to millions of Texans. Can Ralp Nader possibly understand the importance of the timber and oil industry to the economy of a place like East Texas?

I grew up in a town that was 60% African American, where 5% of the population controlled 95% of the wealth, where the town shut down on Friday nights for football games, and on Sunday the churches overflowed. My family owned stakes in both the timber and oil industry. I understand the frustration my people have when looking at the left or Democratic Party.

I understand that as Democrats, we need to exploit as much money out of Hollywood as possible, but that doesn't mean allowing them to be a mouth piece for our party. The average East Texan turns in disgust each time they see the smug and pretentious manner with which Alec Baldwin carries himself. Lectures on the benefits of a vegan diet by Gwenyth Paltrow have no relevance in a land where beef is king. Vietnam vets boil at the mention of Jane Fonda starting a new "anti-war" tour. Clearly, Hollywod prevents the Democrats from truly relating to the common man.

While the Bush administration wages an illegitimate war abroad, Democrats ignore the domestic issues most relevant to the "red states." Ignore the idiots on the right and focus on what brought you to power in the 20th Century. Help the common man, fight the corporation and improve education.

2005-07-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

Most, if not all my post on this blog, deal with my critiques of the current political environment. Allow me to post one non-political thread.

Football is king in Texas! Whether it's traveling the roads on Friday night to see you favorite high school team, filling Kyle Field, Royal Memorial Staidum, or Jone Stadium on Saturday, or of course watching your beloved Dallas Cowboys on Sunday--football will shape you as a Texan.

My earliest memories revolve around the Dallas Cowboys. Sundays, after church, my parents, sister and I would walk to my grandparent's house where we would eat Sunday lunch glued to the TV to watch the Cowboys take the field. My early heros were men like Tony Dorsett, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Danny White, Randy White, and of course "the man in the hat", Tom Landry.

Somewhere around 3rd grade, the luster started to fade on the star on the helmet--a few years laters, Landry was gone . The Cowboys posted a 1-15 season the next year, but I still watched every game. Led by a young quarterback and passionite wide-out, fans caught a glimpse of the glory to come. The next year, a highly-heralded running back stopped into "Big D". The pieces were set for one of the most dominanting runs in sports history.

Three Super Bowl titles in four years, these three men restored the Cowboys to the team of glory I had known as a child.

Today, I learned that these three men--Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin will be inducted into the Cowboy's Ring of Honor at half time on September 19, when the Cowboys host the Washington Redskins. To me, the Dallas/Washington series is what the Yankees/Red Sox series is to Northeasterners. To have "The Triplets inducted into the Ring of Honor at halftime of a Washington/Dallas game on Monday Night Football is the ultimate experience. The only thing that could be better would be a 6th Lombardi Trophy being brought home to Valley Ranch at the end of the season.

How 'bout them Cowboys!

2005-07-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

Initial Thoughts on John Roberts

While he appears to be physically fit, sports a full head of hair, and trots out two young children to prove his virility, George W. Bush's Supreme Court nominee, John Roberts appears to be the typical neo-Con, the Rapture Right hoped for. His cheesey comb over elicits memories of a fellow hardliner, John Ashcroft. His wife's choice of dress, suggests a Puritan, fixated on the Victorian ideas of modesty and chastity.

This entry serves as the first of what will be numerous posts dealing with Bush's attempts to trick the opposition into supporting a candidate who , ultimately, seeks to overturn a century of American progress.

Since I lack the necessary information to write an informed dissent on Judge Robert's noimnation at this time, I wish to offer an apology to the generations prior to mine,who worked so tirelessly to ensure future generations enjoyed freedom, liberty and equality.

My generation failed you; my generation failed this nation.

November represented a chance for my generation to turn out at the polls and confirm the work of Martin Luther King, Jr., Betty Freidan, Rachel Carson, Stokely Carmichael, and other great Americans. Instead, our generation stayed at home.

November represented a chance for my generation to affirm the values of LBJ's "Great Society" and destroy, once and for all, the dangerous "Cult of Domesticity." Instead, our generation chose apathy.

November represented a chance for my generation to choose a leader who would recognize the importance of places such as Seneca Falls , Selma, and Stonewall. Instead, my generation chose not to choose and in doing so, allowed an administration the power of the Legisilative, Executive and now Judicial branches of our government.

We failed you! My generation spoke by not voting; we allowed four Kent State students, brutally murdered by our government on May 4, 1970, to die in vain--their cause forgotten. We failed to follow the example set forth by the SDS. We lacked the balls of previous generations.

As George Bush attempts to turn the back the clock on social progress, the time dawns for the rebirth of the New Left, the SDS, and counterculture. I leave you with the one of my favorite counterculture songs. Take the words to heart with you everywhere you go.

"Volunteers"
Jefferson Airplane

Look what's happening out in the streets
Got a revolution Got to revolution
Hey I'm dancing down the streets
Got a revolution Got to revolution
Ain't it amazing all the people I meet
Got a revolution Got to revolution
One generation got old
One generation got sold
This generation got no destination to hold
Pick up the cry
Hey now it's time for you and me
Got a revolution Got to revolution
Come on now we're marching to the sea
Got a revolution Got to revolution
Who will take it from you
We will and who are we
We are volunteers of America

2005-07-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

Satan's Svengali

One of the hallmarks of Conan O'Brien's late night TV show is a segment where Conana and his team imagine what a baby would look like if two celebrities mated. The more I look at Karl Rove, the more I am convinced that he is the love child of Rush Limbaugh and Dick Cheney, but I'm not here to critique Rove's look, I want to examine the recent events surronding the man I consider, "Satan's Svengali".

Republicans hail Rove as the most "brilliant man alive." I counter with, a truly "brilliant man" doesn't drop out of college nor does he lose a campaign to a dead man (Rove was the campaign mananger for John Ashcroft's unsucessful bid for a seat in the Senate from Missouri in 2000. Ashcroft lost to Mel Carnahan who died in a plane crash before the election). Don't let Rove's failings fool you--what he lacks in formal education and "juice" he makes up with a cunning, criminal nature that will devour anyone or anything that tries to stand in his way. Ask Anne Richards! Ask John McCain! Ask John Kerry! While Cheney and the rest of the "Big Oil" industry serve as Bush's handlers, Rove serves as the bulldozer who clears the way for the Puppet President to dance across the stage.

Like all Republicans, Rove realizes that Bush lacks the cognitive skills necessary for balancing a check book, let alone running a totalitarian regime and quashing detractors. Rove steps in, attempts to destroy the character of anyone attempting to stand up to the Bush administration, and Bush walks to the podium and butchers the English language once again.

As you know, Rove recently came under fire for his involvment in the "outing" of a CIA operative. While Republicans view homosexuals "coming out" as a bad thing, "outing" of CIA operatives is apparently condoned by this band of villians.

In a nutshell, here's what happened. In the midst of the Bush administration build up for war with Iraq, the CIA wanted to investigate a set of documents from an Italian agency (later proved to be forged documents) that indicated Sadam Hussein had attempted to purchase uranium from the African nation of Niger. The CIA wanted to send someone to Niger to investigate, so an operative recomended her husband, a man named Joseph Wilson who had built strong ties in Africa, serving as a diplomat in the Clinton administration. Wilson travels to Niger, finds the claims to be false and returns to the US to report his finding to the CIA. The CIA in turn tells the White House that the claims of Hussein buying uranium were bogus; the White House refuses to listen and instruct all mouth pieces of the GOP and of the administration to stick with the uranium story and push towards a war in Iraq.

Wilson, acting as a patriot, decides to let the American people know the truth of his findings and writes an article for The New York Times discussing his findings. The Bush administration immediately searches for ways to discredit Wilson; Colin Powell orders an investigation of Wilson's past and the search reveals that Wilson's wife, Valarie Plame, serves as a CIA operative. Rove leaks this information to certain reports and Robert Novak runs a story identifying Plame as a "CIA" operative. Time magazine reporter, Matthew Cooper contacts Karl Rove, initially for an interview on welfare, but then finds interest in Novak's claim; Rove confirm's Novak's claim to Cooper.

What would posses someone to commit such a travesty?

Bitterness! Revenge! Low self esteem! All make up the Republican mantra.

Conservatives, such as Rove, exhibit many similar traits--obesity, male-patterned baldness, and often impotence, which leaves their life void of pleasure and meaning. They view the world as one that has long since passed them by--progress ripping at the core of the archaic, Victorian values. Scared of change, they respond with a vehement charge that seeks to destroy all those who do not share their "old world view." Since they lack a proper appreciation for the humanities, these men fail to see the beauty of change and fail to understand the world around them. Like leeches, these men search for a host to suck dry to sustain their lives. For the conservative, the religious right serves as the host, drained to a point of delerium, the religious right turns from God's love to outright hate. Instead of focusing this hate on the parasite, they project their hate on secularists and progressive Christians.

The conservative leech, now at full strength, looks for ways to feed its own hedonistic desires (bolstering the coffers of corporate America). This gives the conservative leech the necessary nutrition it needs to advance a level in the evolutionary heiarchy, to that of serpent.

Think of the modern conservative as a black mamba. Yes, they are cursed below all animals and forced to crawl on their bellys, but they can also strike at the heel of mankind with a mighty blow full of venom, often leading to death.

2005-07-16T22:54:00.000-07:00

How Do You Read The Newspaper?

As long as I have been able to read, I have read the newspaper. It started as a kid reading the sports section to keep up with the baseball standings and soon grew to accomodate my interests in current events and the news.

Since high school, it has been my daily routine to read The Dallas Morning News and whatever small, East Town's I may have been living at the time daily newspapers over lunch. Living in East Texas, not many people read the newspaper at lunch. If they did, it was just the Sports section.

Working in downtown Dallas, I often eat lunch at large food courts and tend to take in a bit of "people watching" as I eat my lunch and read the newspaper. I watch with interest at the section each person reads first; I think it can tell you a lot about a person.

Personally, I start with the front page. I then turn to Page 3, which in the Dallas paper gives you all the latest celebrity gossip. After I've had my fill of Lindsey Lohan's love life, I go straight to the Op./Ed. section and look for letters from conservative writers that will anger me and make me laugh at the same time. By this time, I need something that will cool me down, so I go to the Sports section and read how the 3-4 defense will bury my beloved Cowboys further in the hole. After Sports? Texas Living--this is where Dallas-ites hide their Arts & Entertainment section, followed by the Metro section. I then go back and read section A completly. Finally, I turn to the business section.

For some reason, people who go to the Business section first really disgust me. I get so mad when I see someone sit down, pull out the Business section and discard the rest of the paper.

After lunch, I usually read the on-line version of the New York Times and Washington Post, but "hard news" and Op./Ed. only. I find the Sports section of the Times and Post to be mediocore at best. While the Times has the best Arts & Entertainment section in the world, I usually wait until I buy a hard copy of the Sunday Times to read that section.

2005-07-15T22:56:00.000-07:00

Reflections of a Friday

Allow me to preface this post with the following, I spent the past week hosting an "ex" who was in town doing research for her thesis. While it was nice to spend time with an old love, it was also very straining mentally and emotionally. Following her departure on Thursday, I sat aside Friday night as "Josh Time", free from any outside intrusions.

The night began simple enough, a trip to the store for a pack of cigarettes. As I walked from my car to the store, I noticed a man running from the store, carrying boxes to a truck parked directly in front the door. Internally, I felt somthing pulling me back away from the door. Sure enough, the running man threw the boxes in the bed of the truck, jumped inside, as the drive "peeled out" and several clerks ran out of the store trying to stop the truck.

While my life was never in any real danger, I couldn't help but to think, "what if I had continued to walk and not stopped?" Would the truck have hit me? Obviously, the truck wanted to flee the scene as quickly as possible and any parking lot obstacles were fair game. It took me back to high school and the countless sermons I heard, and even some that I preached, involving some variation of the line, "...if you were to walk out these doors right now and die, do you know where you would go?"

This wasn't a spiritual reflection as much as it was a cultural reflection. The evangelical church preys on fear and guilt. It incapacitates communities all over the South and Midwest to a point where they literally choke social, cultural and economic progress.

Come with me, if you will, to the 1880's in the United States. Fresh off the the Civil War, our nation stood on the edge of becoming what we now know as the greatest nation in the world. This time period marked the beginning of a great revolution in America both socially and economically. This revolution would transform the United States from a rural to an urban nation.

The rapidity of the transition of America from a rural to an urban nation created pressures in the society that influence social, cultural and political conflicts even today. The economic revolution caused a shift in power, wealth and status from rural to urban America. The shift included a transition in values from corporate to individualistic and resulted in a culture war we still struggle with today. Moreover, the gap between the promise and problems of the economic revolution influenced the development of the modern day American notions of conservative and liberal political ideologies. Basically, this laid the ground work for what we know as "red states" and "blue states" today.

If you don't understand this division, then you cannot understand any of American 20th Century History nor can you understand the political climate of today.

Well, I still had a movie to catch, so I left the store, cigarettes in hand. I'll spare you a movie critique, but will recomend that everyone go and see "Heights" with Glenn Close--it is an amazing movie. The movie, set in New York City, caused me to yet again examine this city we know as Dallas and make comparisions to that great center of culture we know as New York City.

Originally, I am from East Texas.

Before you go any further, I recomend you first read my post entitled "Your Redneck Past." If you don't, you will miss many of the cultural references.

If you have ever driven through East Texas, you have probably noticed sporadic disruptions in your cell phone signals. Chalk it up to the majestic pine trees towering towards the sky that dot the East Texas landscape. The same pine trees have been blamed for blocking out the signals of change—politically, socially, & artistically. This was my home for the first 26 years of my life and as I grew up and built an extended network of associates, I listened as they lampooned and criticized this area.

Perhaps, my business associates in Dallas offered the harshest criticisms. Most had never been to East Texas except in passing on their way to the casino boats in Shreveport, yet they were able to offer a cultural critique and weigh a towns’ merit based on its local Dairy Queen.

I finally moved from East Texas to Dallas in February, looking for a new start to my life. I came in hopes of finding an environment conducive to engendering and fostering ones’ artistic self based on the talk of my aforementioned associates. I quickly learned that Dallas is not as big as Dallas-ites like to think and that East Texas is not as small as Dallas-ites believe.

As one local radio personality puts it, Dallas is the heart of the “chicken fried nation.” Living in the Uptown area of Dallas, I have the great privilege of observing some of Dallas’ most pretentious and misguided citizens. While I usually refrain from using a broad brush, watch as I paint this picture.

The typical Uptown resident is somewhere between the age of 25-35 and unlike any other major city in the US, these “kids” are still attached to their parent’s umbilical chord. I love standing in my parking garage and playing “Count the Audi’s” and determining how many were bought with daddy’s money and how many were actually earned through hard work (I estimate that only 10% of Uptown residents have earned what they own.) This lack of independence is sure to affect one’s emotional maturity and their attitude towards life. Uptown residents desire to make money, present an image of success, and in engage in drunken acts of debauchery Thursday thru Saturday, but these kids lack culture.

Try and stop an Uptown resident and question them about Sartre, Moliere, Botticelli, Anguissola, Gentileschi, or even Whitman or Ginsberg and you are bound to be faced with silence. Even though we live in a metro area of over 3 million people this is still Texas and the same basic ground rules apply. These Uptown simpletons subscribe to the same values and moral code as their neighbors in East Texas—but like my friends to the East, Dallas-ites try and cover their “Redneck past” as well.

In Dallas, they cover their “redneck past” with Audi’s, Mercedes, Land Rovers, with Louis Vuitton, Coach and Prada, with various hair gels, mineral waters, and imports, and to top it all of, an accent that defies logic. They don’t want to sound like they are from Texas, so they turn to a pseudo-West Coast meets Texas accent that defiles the rules of the Standard English Dialect. I feel like Professor Henry Higgins and Dallas is my Eliza, I must shape her into a lady presentable to the world.

My first week in Dallas, Bright Eyes played in Fort Worth. Lead singer Connor Oberst took a lot of heat from the local media for his remarks about the state of Texas at the show and the more I reflect on his comments, the more truth I find in them. Dallas will never be mentioned in the same breath as New York City, LA, Miami, or San Francisco, because her conservative roots will cause her to show up in boots and ruin the black tie affair.

If Dallas wants to truly bury it’s redneck past, it must be willing to cut its conservative roots and move into the 21st Century. Otherwise, she’s just the twin sister of East Texas, only with fancy clothes and a nice car.

2005-07-14T21:50:00.000-07:00

The Ultimate Protest CD

I figured the best way to christen this new blog was to unveil my latest creation, the "Ultimate Protest CD." Every progressive should own a "Protest CD". Put it in when you have a friend in the car with you, play it at work, play it around your roommates. Music can give those yet-to-be-progressives the added boost they need to leave the "Dark Side" and come enjoy peace, harmony, and the American way.

Most of the songs I put on this CD are from the 60's. The "artists" of our day seem too scared to write "protest songs." Anyway, here we go.

1.) Almost Cut My Hair--Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: " I Feel like letting my freak flag fly...I'm not giving in an inch to fear..."

2.) Volunteers--Jefferson Airplane: "One generation got old...one generation got sold...this generation got no destination to hold."

3.) Eve of Destruction--Barry McGuire: "The Eastern world/It is exploding/ Violence flaring/Bullets loading..."

4.) For What It's Worth--Buffalo Springfield: "There's something happening here/What it is ain't exactly clear/ There's a man with a gun over there/ Telling me ...I got to beware."

5.) Vietnam--Country Joe and the Fish: Perhaps the greatest lyrics ever..."Put down your books and pick up a gun...we're going to have a whole lot of fun"

6.) War--Edwin Starr: War? What is it good for? Absolutely ...NOTHING...tell them Edwin.

7.) San Francisco--Scott McKenzie: Take me to the Promise Land...the land of the Beats and Haight Asbury...the land of Berkley....this is my Mecca....all the "gentle people with flowers in their hair."

8.) Heart of Gold--Neil Young: "I want to live/I want to giver/ I've been a searcher for a heart of gold...."

9.) It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)--Bob Dylan: Can I quote the whole song?

10.) Subterranean Homesick Blues--Bob Dylan: "YOU DON"T NEED A WEATHERMAN TO KNOW WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS."

11.) Ohio--Neil Young: WE WILL NEVER FORGET KENT STATE!!! FOUR DEAD IN OHIO...KILLED BY NIXONS MERRY MEN.

12) We Won't Be Fooled Again--The Who: " I tip my hat to the new constituion/Take a bow for the new revolution"

13.) Aqaurius--The 5th Dimension: If you have never seen the musical Hair, this song probably doesn't mean much to you, but seeing it performed in the context of the musical, protesting another illegitimate war, and the finale when the chorus sings Let the Sunshine In, naked...it's truly powerful. Rent the movie!

14.) Let's Not Shit Ourselves--Bright Eyes: The lone modern day addition to the CD....."Well I should stop pointing fingers/Reserve my judgement/For all those public action figures, the Cowboy President/So loud behind the bull horn/So proud they can't admit/When they made a mistake"

15.) Alice's Restaurant--Arlo Gutherie: When the Bush administration brings back the draft in the next year or so, go in front of your local draft board and sing them a chorus of Alice's Restaurant and see what happens.

I welcome any and all comments.

2005-06-30T23:24:00.000-07:00

Sushi, Carrie Bradshaw and Valet Parking

I bet you are wondering what these three things have in common?

Well, these among others, are some of the most ANNOYING recent trends.

1) Valet parking-- I realize that valet parking is not new, nor is isolated only to Texas, but I find irony in the growing number of valet parking sites in Dallas and Texas' overall obesity rate. Do we live in a city full of people too lazy to park their own cars and walk a distance to their destination. Do people not realize that when they choose to use valet parking they are contributing to exploitation of workers... Their emplyees are too cheap to pay them good wages so you as the parkee must tip to accomodate for the employees cheapness.

2) Sushi-- Everywhere you look, all over the country, countless twenty somethings are flocking to sushi bars and asian fusion restaurants. They proclaim the divinity of the food. I have had my share of various types of sushi and asian fusion food and it's alright, but definitely not worthy of a movement. Everywhere I go it's "sushi this" and "sushi that"..it's fucking food...leave it be.

3) Sex and The City-- Ok, this show has been off the air for like three years now...it's time for every female in between the ages of 18-32 to quit pretending they are Carrie Bradshaw.

4) The phrase "it is what it is"--- I hear more people say this phrase everyday and it really irks me. "Well, it is what it is..." No shit!! Let's try using active voice for once and refrain from the passive voice.

Call me cynical ...call me old..but these are just a few current trends that really drive me crazy....feel free to copy and paste this and then creating your own list of "current trends that piss you off."

2005-04-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

Over the course of the past few weeks, it has come to my attention that many Americans lack a "working understanding" of our government.

Allow me to share some of the "left-wing" education I gleaned in college. Per the United States Constitution, our government is to be divided into three seperate branches, each with equal power, and a system of checks and balances between the three of them.

The legislative branch exists to introduce and make the law; the judicial branch exists to interpret the Constitution and the law generated by the legislative branch, and the EXECUTive branch exists to EXECUTE the law (not people).

With that said, these branches were not created to mingle with one another. The legislative branch has no business in the courts, the courts have no business creating laws, and the executive branch has no business creating laws nor stepping into court decisions.

This is the system established by our forefathers and favored by the liberals; it allows for a truly democratic (with a little "d") society. It is a system favored by many conservatives (with a little "c") as well, but not favored by the Conservatives (with a big "C").

The Big "C" Conservatives are the big government, religious Republicans who wish to legislate every part of your life. I've read the Constitution many times and never have a read a part that gives the government the right to legislate morality. The name of God is NEVER invoked in the Constitution. A higher power is never referenced; in fact, Amendment one of the constution begins with, "Congress shall make NO law RESPECTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

Conservatives have the fale impression that liberals, like myself, want to ban religion. We simply believe religion belongs in church, not in the government or in ventures supported by the government. Conservatives counter with the Bible teaches them to take their Word with them into the world; we fight back with "your rights end at your nose," refer back to the clause that reads "CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION". I would also refer you to the Treaty of Tripoli in which United States officials proclaim that the United States is not in any way a Christian nation. Biblical rules are null and void in the realm of politics.

With that said, we respect each persons right to worship as theyh choose as long as their "worship" doesn't violate another person 14th Amendment rights. Since Republicans don't much care for the 14th Amendment, I will share it with you ..."...No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, LIBERTY, or property, without the due process of law; nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

Intrepreting the 14th Amendment is where the real split begins in America. It is extremely broad. When a judge INTREPRETS, remember that's what the judicial branch is prescribed by the Constitution to do, the 14th Amendment as saying that blacks should have the same rights as white people, well a lot of people in the Jim Crow south of the 60's jumped up and down and screamed "reactionary judges. When courts INTREPRET the 14th Amendment as saying that homosexuals should have the same rights as straight people, Christian extremists jump up and down and yell "Reactionary judges." Nevermind the fact that the 14th Amendment explicitly defends a persons right to LIBERTY. Websters defines "liberty" as " the power to do as one pleases", including sexual orientation.

Of course there have to be restraints, remember the illustration of "your rights end at your nose". You cannot take from another person, that's beyond your nose. You cannot harm another person, that's beyond your nose. It's called common sense in the absence of religious morality.

We as liberals believe the government's place is in Washington, NOT our bedrooms. We believe congressmen should stay on Capitol Hill, NOT at hospices. We truly believe in less government, emphasis is placed on PERSONAL LIBERTIES and NOT moral values, again values are oppinion NOT fact.

Now people are going to say, "But Josh, you pinko's want to raise taxes." Yes, we do believe the wealthy have an obligation to help out those less fortunate in our society. Our LACK of rules allowed them to HAVE the money they do, some of it deserves to go back to the source to lift others out of the pit of poverty. We also have an obligation to educate our young people. Currently, the United States ranks 49th...let me repeat that 49th in the world in literacy, only slightly ahead of Mexico. Taxes are necessary to fund our schools, help our poor, keep our air clean, etc. If you become rich in the United States, it's because the law, which represent the people, allowed you accumulate that wealth. This makes the American people collectively, investors, and they deserve returns for their investments. Those returns are called taxes.

2004-12-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

Looking back, I wish I had purchased a camera phone to ensure that I have at all times, a means of digitally recording those thought provoking moments in life that words cannot explain. As I pulled the drive through of local fast food restaurant on a recent evening, I noticed a beer can, standing upright, on the bumper of the truck in front of my car. On closer look, I noticed that the beer can was positioned directly over a “W ‘04” sticker. Initially, a million humorous thoughts about “redneck Republicans” and George W’s own documented past with DWI’s ran through my head, but after further reflection I now realize it represents a more serious thought.

As well know, drinking and driving do NOT mix. The drunk driver represents a person who has bad judgment. The beer can on the bumper of the truck kind of symbolizes the Republican party to me—a party full of bad decisions, which may be bring temporary relief but sure to end in tragedy.

During the height of the “Reagan Revolution”, conservative thought dominated our nation’s foreign policy. Stretching back into the Nixon and Ford administration, we see this same “what works now” type of philosophy. Whether you realize it or not, Donald “Rummy” Rummsfield, Dick “The Cardiac Kid” Cheney, and many other members of the present Bush administration had a direct hand in placing Sadam Hussein in power in Iraq. They saw it as a temporary means to defeating the evil “Iranians”. They didn’t bother to think of future consequences. So, when you think of the atrocities committed by men like “Chemical” Ali, thank Rummy for his own brand of “drunk driving.” (but keep in mind Westerners, Winston Churchill specifically, were the first ones to consider gassing the Kurds). When you hear the horror stories from the people of Iraq, thank a Republican, they put the system in place that allowed the torture to occur. When you see an innocent Iraqi child murdered in the streets of Bagdhad, when you hear of American soldier killed in the line of fire, thank America’s most notorious “drunk drivers”, the Republican Party.

For those of you still searching for the link between 9/11 and Iraq here you go…the Republicans are responsible for both. Not only did the Republican Party put Sadam Hussein in power, but they also made Osama bin Laden and the Taliban very rich and powerful. You see, during the 1980’s, we had a much different threat. Ronald Wilson Reagan was still living in the 1950’s…a time when he led a witch hunt against his friends in Hollywood trying to weed out suspected communists….He carried that fervor with him into the White House and was determined to battle communism regardless of the cost. Forget that he destroyed our economy with his spending, instead focus on the fact that he funded, with money and weapons, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban in their fight against the Soviets occupying Afghanistan. Like a drunk driver, the Republicans in power didn’t bother to think, “what potential harm could this have on our country”…they saw it merely as a means to fight communism…NEWSFLASH: Communism was…and ultimately did kill itself…no man..no political system..no Star Wars program brought the Iron Curtain down…it fell because of the laws of nature.

Drunk drivers make very bad decisions. Sometimes their decision to drink and drive ends in tragedy, anger and outrage are expected and acceptable forms of response to their actions. It doesn’t necessarily make them bad people, just shows they are incapable of making competent decisions. They need treatment and our love and support. Republicans are the same way, incapable of rational thought but not “bad people” by nature.

2004-11-26T23:04:00.000-08:00

“Your Redneck Past”

Choose from any number of magazines
Who do you want to be?
Billy Idol or Kool Moe Dee?

If you’re afraid they might discover your redneck past
There are a hundred ways to cover your redneck past
They’ll never send you home

Roots!
The funny limbs that grow underground
That keep you from falling down
Don’t you think you’ll need them now?

Just find a place where no one knows of
Your redneck past
Yeah, you can easily dispose of your redneck past
You’ll show them all back home

Desole
Je suis American
Please cook my steak again
Je suis American
Desole
Je ne parle pas francais

Laws vary from state to state
Getcha some books on tape
Learn about holes in space

If you’re afraid they might discover
Your redneck past
There are a hundred ways to cover your redneck past
It’s good to be back home

From the full length CD by Ben Folds Five, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.

Ahhh, Thanksgiving time in Texarkana—a time when thousands of Generation X’ers and Y’ers descend back on the city they left seeking freedom—seeking in essence to disguise their redneck past. Like Ben Folds said, there are hundreds of ways to cover your redneck past and they are all on display here during this time of the season.

First, let’s establish the setting for this collection of vignettes. On Tuesday night, my friend, a man we will call “Luke”, arrived from North Carolina wanting to take in some of the culture he had left behind many years ago. “Luke” is the epitome of someone trying to cover up his redneck past. Raised in a trailer deep in the woods of East Texas by his grandfather—a shade tree mechanic who had murdered more than one man in his lifetime—“Luke” went off to college, got a job as a youth pastor and has since lived all over the US.

On Tuesday night, we decided to first start at the local shopping mall, thinking it would provide the best opportunity to possibly run into someone from our past. We made the walk from one end of the mall to the other and as we near the end we were approached by two ladies with clipboards. They asked if we would be interested in participating in a survey, involving watching a movie trailer and answering some brief questions. Normally, people would try it all costs to avoid these situations but we were feeling loose so we went with it. One of the young ladies proceeded to lead us down long, dark corridor, raising suspicion in myself and my friend.

We were relieved to find the mall office of some marketing firm and we were greeted by a receptionist who scribbled something on a small piece of paper and the two of us were lead to separate rooms. I could hear “Luke” carrying on with the individuals assembled in the office, doing his best to impress and entertain as always. We did our duty to the marketing firm and the staff begged us to “hang out” and “entertain” them for a bit longer.

We struck up a conversation with the receptionist—a lady I soon realized I had met previously. She impressed both of us with her ability to construct complete sentences and the absence of a harsh, East Texas accent.

“You guys don’t have that East Texas glow about you, you aren’t from here are you?”

Of course “Luke” made clear that he was from “Raliegh/Durham, North Carolina—a place of cultural refinement and diversity.”

“It’s so different in Chapel Hill…in Raliegh…in Durham…everywhere you look there is a college….in a college town…”

On and on, he used the same lines with anyone we met throughout the next few days. We soon learned that the receptionist was originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada—she was a “resident alien” who had lived in the US for almost 10 years with her mother. This created the perfect opportunity for us to discuss our disgust with the Bush administration and for some of the natives assembled to express their patriotism.

Somehow, we managed to get out of there after 2 hours of trying to convince the “rednecks” of the benefits of “universal healthcare” and trying to teach them the difference between “socialism” and “communism”. The receptionists background, looks and intelligence made her very appealing to both “Luke” and me and so we invited her to my house later for a “party.” The party never developed and the girl never showed, but the night was young.

Next, we hit a local casual dining restaurant that was managed by a good friend—this meant free food and drinks and possibly more women. We walked in and saw two young women sitting at the bar sipping on cocktails and decided to join them. “Luke” gains all sorts of confidence when in these parts and loves to charm women with his sardonic humor; I was more hungry than horny so focused more on the menu. “Luke” began a conversation with the two ladies as I listened in. He fed them the same lines about how he was from “Raliegh/Durham..in town visiting…there’s party at my friend’s apartment…” yada, yada, yada.

One of the girls asked me where she knew me from, I had no idea. She had a thick twang to her voice and talked about her fiancé who loved to hunt and fish and the proper techniques involved in “hiding” a deer. I noticed the other girl had no accent, which always perks my interest, so I began lightly flirt with her. The drinks kept on coming and the girls became more and more talkative. We learned that the one with no accent had grown up a military brat and spent the majority of her life in California. She moved to the area when her father decided to retire in Simms, a small community located about 20 miles outside of Texarkana.

Most of East Texas features a racial ratio of approximately 50 % caucasion, 40 % African-American, and 10% Hispanic. Simms is one of the few communities in the area that features an ethnic make-up of close to 100 % Caucasion and it had gained a notorious reputation for some definite racial elements. I began to discuss this fact with the Cali native and she told me how unsafe she felt, even as a white female, in that town. I learned that she was married, but very unhappy with her man, yet she refused to talk any further about it, only to say that she had been with him since she was 13.

We both realized this was going no where so “Luke” and I decided to look elsewhere. Next up, Fat Jacks—the ultimate in late night entertainment in Texarkana. We arrived and did the normal walk through of the establishment, searching for familiar faces. Outside, in the covered patio area, I found a good friend from the theater playing pool with two females. “Luke” joined in the game of pool as I talked to my friend, he let me know that a mutual friend was moving to Austin on Monday and having a going away party that night and that we should come. “Luke” was side-tracked by the young women so we stuck around for a bit. My friend informed me that girls were only 18; Luke, like myself, is 26.

My friend and I began to discuss the theater and how repressive the Texarkana theater was towards the theater, censoring almost every show that local companies tried to produce. My friend longs to leave this area as much as I do, but like me has yet to find the proper medium to do so. Actually, come to think of it, my friend and I attempt to hid our “redneck past” in much the same manner. You see, I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t admit that I have a redneck past as well—everyone here does, and we all search for ways to hide and overcome it.

The pool game ended and we headed to my friends house. On the way over, I informed “Luke” that the girls would be “rolling” and that there would be “hard drugs” present. Now, I’m not a drug user but I have been around them since I was in college. “Luke”, on the other hand, attended a Christian college and has never really been exposed to anything but marijuana, so I tried to prepare him for what he would see.
“Cool. Just don’t let them know I’m a youth pastor. Let’s think of a job for me.”

We pulled up the house and noticed there were a ton of cars parked out front but no lights on. As we walked inside, we could hear the steady thud of trance music coming from the living room, still no lights. Upon entering the living room, we found a group of guys zoned out on the couch and DJ spinning in the middle. “Luke” had never seen such a set-up. My other friend told us to wait in the kitchen as he went from bedroom to bedroom searching for my friend that was moving. Instead we chose to follow him. Behind each locked door was a bedroom full of people either engaged in acts of free love or partaking in mind altering substances, but we could not find my friend.

So the three of us returned to the kitchen and had a beer. A blonde girl emerged from one of the bedrooms wearing hospital scrubs and a pacifier in her mouth. She poured a glass of orange juice and “Luke” and I began to talk to her. He leaned over to me and asked why she had the pacifier in her mouth and I had to describe to him the effects of “X”.

We realized there was no “real action” here and I had to work at 8:30 the next morning—it was nearing 2 A.M.—so we decided to leave.
The next night we went to a local hockey game. The radio station I work for gave me a couple of tickets, so “Luke” and I decided to check it out. We met another friend and his girlfriend at the game, but I managed to find the “VIP bar” towards the end of the 2nd period and stayed there for the remainder of the game. Gathered in the “VIP bar” were people from the front office and scouts and few of the players family members, but nothing terribly exciting. At least it wasn’t the normal East Texas/Southwest Arkansas crowd and they did have Grey Goose, so I was happy.

After the game, the four of us, “Luke”, our friend and his girlfriend, and I, went back out to Fat Jacks. Tonight, the place was packed—literally, shoulder to shoulder through the entire establishment, inside and on the patio. We saw a couple of people from we had gone to high school, but for the most part it was a sea of nameless faces—a sea of nameless faces that all looked the same.

You could easily spot people who belonged to the same sorority or fraternity, spot who went to the University of Texas, who went to A&M and who went to the University of Arkansas. A cheesy cover band provided the entertainment; they launched into a version of Pink Floyd’s, “Another Brick in the Wall.” Now, I usually despise Pink Floyd—a bunch of bloody posers if you ask me—but the song really fit the environment. The majority of the people gathered here would never amount to anything more than “yes man/woman”, as they continued to conform to the world with their dress, rhetoric, and actions, in essence becoming nothing more than “another brick in the wall.”

“Luke” began to talk with a blonde, wearing a duck hunting t-shirt and no make-up. I eventually learned that she was a professional bow hunter and was amazed that “Luke” continued to talk to her. He tried his best to get her to come back to my apartment but refused because she had to drive back to Genoa (another all white community in the area) to bake a cake.

We were sure that Thursday night, Thanksgiving night, would prove fruitful in our quest to run into old, high school friends. This time we started the night at Fat Jack’s, arriving at 7:30 P.M. The place was full of people in their 30’s and 40’s and an authentic, delta blues band took the stage on the patio. The temperature had dropped into the lower 40’s so “Luke” and I made our way towards the fire pit.

He began his “Raliegh/Durham” speech with a couple of ladies standing next to the fire and introduced me. Both of the girls were from Simms—remember Simms—and informed us that they normally drank a case of beer over the course of a night. One of the girls was 29, divorced with three kids—the oldest being 10, the youngest in kindergarten. From that point on I lost interest, but “Luke” continued on.

They invited us to join them at The Electric Cowboy, a real life honky tonk. Clay was driving so I had no choice but to join him. On the way to the “Cowboy”, I began to probe “Luke’s” mind for his motives for chasing these women who clearly weren’t his type.

“You know as well as I do, there are no women who our type around here, Josh. But it’s the rush of the game.”

Now, when I describe the “Cowboy” as a honky-tonk, that’s a little misleading, within the “Cowboy” there is another club, Bananas, that offers “Top 40” and “dance music” (in this area that means nothing but rap all night long). We went to high school with the bartender at Banana’s so I made my way to that part of the club to enjoy free drinks; “Luke” continued to chase the two girls from Fat Jack’s. After about an hour in Banana’s, I decided to go back in the “Cowboy” and find “Luke.” I found him sitting with the two girls and a group of their friends. Both “Luke” and I felt unsafe in those surroundings, so he ditched the girls and we returned to Banana’s.

Around 11 P.M., a group of people started arriving—beautiful women, dressed to impress. We started a conversation with a group of them, but soon I lost interest. I sat at a table near the dance floor and began to withdraw myself from the conversation and instead began to observe. I noticed another group of attractive, upper class, white college co-eds leaving the dance floor. They were stopped by a group of African-American males, which they quickly brushed aside. I found irony in the whole setting…these rich, white women…dancing to music made by African-Americans…yet they came from families that still held to the “plantation mindset.” Black people to them existed only for entertainment—they should spend tons of money on music, movies and sports featuring black stars—but yet wouldn’t hold a conversation with a group of black men waiting on the edge of the dance floor. Things really hadn’t changed since 1960 and these people…no matter how hard they tried…could not cover up their redneck past.

2004-08-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

Throughout the Democratic National Convention speakers referenced the immortal words from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first inaugural address, “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Roosevelt’s words spawned over 30 years of progressive politics, government reform, and foreign policy that made this country what we see today. During this span, from Roosevelt’s first term through the Johnson administration, the United States went from an isolated power in the grips of a “Great Depression” to a shinning beacon of freedom, prosperity and equality for all the world to see.

The policies of this period engendered an internal metamorphosis of the Republican Party, which transformed the Republicans from the “party of Lincoln” to the party of fear. Conservatives launched gratuitous attacks against the “New Deal, “Fair Deal”, and the “Great Society”, pandering to public fears caused by economic and social changes. In a similar fashion, Republicans today feed off fears of an American public caught in the midst of a changing world. The Bush administration understands the simple precepts of fear: Fear is the product of ignorance. Keep American’s uninformed or present only partial information and fear will rein supreme.

Recently, Annie Jacobsen wrote an article for the conservative publication Women’s Wall Street, detailing “suspicious activities” of 14 Syrian passengers on a flight. On the surface, Jacobsen’s article delivers an alarming report on government oversight and inactivity on the part of air marshals, but the questions not asked confirm the true nature of the article. Terrorists proved through 9/11 that with five people they could bring down an aircraft, why sacrifice 14 terrorists on one flight when their numbers could be better divided on more flights and inflict more damage? Could these people be traveling together and wish to associate with each other for that reason? Authorities determined that the 14 Syrian passengers were musicians traveling to a show in Las Vegas—is it not logical that musicians, traveling in a country where people judge them by their ethnicity, would stick together?

While Jacobsen paints a poignant picture of families crying, the stewardess desperately searching for someone to take action, and even Jacobsen’s own “spiritual rebirth”, the article clearly illustrates how many in our nation have become incapacitated by fear. On September 11, 2001, passengers on Flight 93 saw suspicious activity and instead of being paralyzed by fear, they rose to the occasion and saved countless lives in the Washington, D.C. area. Where were the heroes of Jacobsen’s flight?

Republicans hope to incapacitate voters by fear. Not only do they constantly raise and lower the “terror threat level” without giving us hard evidence, but they also issue ambiguous warnings about election terror and are seeking powers to postpone the election in the event of a terrorist attack. Wouldn’t a terrorist attack be the perfect time for an election? Obviously it would be a sign that our elected officials had failed us.

Perhaps even more frightening are the “social fears” raised by the Bush administration. While our economy continues to sink and our own soldiers continue to die in Iraq, Bush felt a threat from homosexuals who seek to participate in the rights of marriage. They warned American’s that homosexuals threatened the “sanctity of marriage”. Clearly, Bush has never associated with homosexuals and neither have the people who buy into his thinking. Homosexuals present no threat to anyone. The only threat to marriage is marriage itself. Evangelicals try and convince my generation that marriage is the only appropriate vehicle to engage in certain activities. As a result, many young people flock to the altar to marry for the sake of marriage and the honeymoon is short lived, divorce rates skyrocket. Until we dispel the Puritanical myths of the “right” marriage will continue to crumble.

Republicans tell American’s to “fear” Democrats because they will raise taxes. Yes, Democrats do wish to raise taxes but only on those who make $200,000 or more a year and deserve and can afford to contribute more to this great nation. To those of you in the upper class I say congratulations you’ve made it, but with your wealth comes extra social responsibility.
In his acceptance speech, John Kerry said, “The future doesn't belong to fear; it belongs to freedom.” How fitting to close the convention with these encouraging words. The same convention that introduced the world to young, vibrant leaders such as Barak Obama, pushing a message of unity and strength, closes with a message to combat fear in our homeland.

2001-09-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

War confounds me! The simple theory that mass destruction, mass murder, and mass hysteria brings peace, harmony and justice. This paradox gained more reality throughout the course of the past two weeks due to the terrorist acts we experienced. Extremists attack our nation; the people grow outraged; the president feeds on emotionalism and charges his citizens for war. Events, such as the terrorist attacks, require an educated review and assessment not an emotionally charged battle cry. I fault the United States dealing with the attacks because war will not prevent future attacks; this war is an attempt at an Eastern battle with a Western mindset and the hypocrisy of returning violence for violence.

War cannot prevent future terrorist attacks. During World War II our nations soldiers fought in Europe against a demented dictator. Wiping out Nazi Germany did not rid the world of evil dictators. Castro soon rose to power in Cuba and more recently Hussein took power in Iraq. Terrorist groups run on abstract principles impervious to bombs or special operation forces just as dictators’ feed on the abstract principle of world domination. It seems to me that as long as the principles exist the acts will follow.

These abstract principles stem from an extreme form of Islam, a subject many Americans are oblivious to. An attack on Afghanistan represents an attack on Islam. Attacking Islam results in a jihad. Western civilizations recognize certain shared values. When a coalition enforces these values by might they become the standard, not so in the East. Extreme Muslims stand firm on their beliefs. They realize inevitable opposition threatens their survival and believe that the award of Allah awaits them if they die protecting the sacredness of their faith. Such devotion creates a stubborn warrior unyielding to reason. Resolution depends on reason. Thus, attacking Afghan people unleashes a vicious cycle of incessant violence.

The hypocrisy associated with violence returned for violence bewilders me. Attacking Afghanistan accomplishes nothing except the destruction of innocent lives. Terrorism is defined as “the calculated use of violence to obtain political goals through instilling fear, intimidation, or coercion.” An Untied States attempt to overthrow the Taliban and annihilate the terrorist groups, through force and fear, is by definition terrorism. Consequently, each bomb we drop, each soldier killed represents a terrorist act condoned by our government.

America faces a quandary. The realization of our vulnerability unleashes an outpouring of fervent emotions. Acting on these emotions, instead of analyzing the facts and formulating a diplomatic resolution, lacks logic. The Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s exemplifies this philosophy. Dr. Martin Luther King’s rhetoric moved this nation towards looking past the color of one’s skin. Similarly, Gandhi’s firm stand against the British government resulted in India’s independence. When Americans stand united, helping each other in times of need, we defy the intentions of these terrorists.

I fault the United States dealing with the attacks because war will not prevent future attacks; this war is an attempt at an Eastern battle with a Western mindset and the hypocrisy of returning violence for violence. Violence accomplishes nothing but ruin. Peace and love preserve liberty and freedom.