Dumbing it down yet again

There is a story, often told, that upon exiting the Constitutional Convention Benjamin Franklin was approached by a group of citizens asking what sort of government the delegates had created. His answer was: "A republic, if you can keep it."

In that vein, David Schantz asks, "What is the purpose/meaning of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution?"

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

There are quite a number of rights and liberties enshrined within the First Amendment, all condensed into one short paragraph. One primary purpose of this amendment's inclusion in the Bill of Rights, in my opinion, is in order that people should not be forced (quoting the Declaration of Independence) "to suffer, while Evils are sufferable".

Of course, when the First Amendment is rendered into fiction, as is the case in contemporary American society, we always have the fallback plan; I call it the Second Amendment.

Amendment II

A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Why was this amendment included in the Bill of Rights? Let's have another look at the Declaration:

...when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce [mankind] under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such government...

And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, homies and homos, is why I am an anarchist.

If you can keep it, indeed.

What if the military practiced truth-in-advertising?

What if the Military had to provide disclaimers in their recruiting commercials, in the same way that pharmaceutical companies must list every possible side effect?


False advertising is a redundancy
Funny V-word: osdivda

Phony Soldiers

Much has been said about this topic already. Rush Limbaugh called the veterans who speak out against the war in Iraq "phony soldiers" - he and his dittoheads then tried to claim that he was only talking about Jesse "pathological liar" Macbeth, but that excuse doesn't hold any water.

The caller, Mike from Olympia, was complaining about all these veterans that come up "out of the blue" to speak out against the occupation. Mike must have been under the impression that if he didn't see them at his DFAC or PX, they came out of the blue; not realizing that there's a handful of personnel in the U.S. Army whom he would never have met because they're not in his battalion.

If you've ever listened to Rush taking a call from one of the dittoheads, this is his modus operandi. He lets them get riled up and complain, then sticks in a helpful word or two to guide them along. In this case, Rush suggested to Mike from Olympia that he refer to these anti-war veterans as "phony soldiers" and Mike took the bait. Of course, Rush Limbaugh has every right to call out those who claim to have been in Iraq as phonies, given his own record of honorable and heroic service in the line of duty when war was raging in Vietnam and he was a young, able-bodied...

(What? Are you sure about that?)
I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, it appears as though I stand corrected.
-from bet-settler:

He attended Southeast Missouri State University, where he earned a "D" in a speech class. (Some contend it was an "F".) Limbaugh dropped out after two semesters and one summer; according to his mother, "he flunked everything", even a modern ballroom dancing class. This would have normally made him eligible to be drafted for service in the Vietnam War but he was classified as "1-Y" (later reclassified "4-F") due to a diagnosis of Pilonidal disease.

Pilonidal Disease is medical jargon for a cyst near the tailbone, or a blister on one's ass. Godamn, I really can't make this kind of shit up!
Excuse me, Mr. Limbaugh; if you avoided answering the call of duty when your country needed you because you literally had a blister on your butt... don't fuck with the veterans.

Chickenhawks, the whole fucking lot of them.

Brian McGough was in Iraq with me. He took shrapnel to his head near Mosul in the summer of 2003.

To support and defend

SGT Christopher R. Little, a U.S. Army recruiter, sent the following e-mail to the national office of Iraq Veterans Against the War:

Correct me if I am wrong, but all you 'ivaw's' took an oath to defend this country against all enemies...and now you are trying to weaken it? What kind of garbage is that? I can understand being against the war, but what about your country? By attacking the recruiting efforts, you are, exactly what you swore an oath to protect our country against. Wright a letter to your congress man, write a letter to the president, protest the war, but don't weaken a nation. Would you rather have no military at all? Cause that is what it sounds like you are trying to do. And all because you could not hack it in the military. I am against the war, but not the nation.

Thank you for your patriotism.

Sgt,

United States Army
1 tour in Iraq, and about to do another in Afghanistan...PROUDLY.

SGT Little,

Personally, I would recommend against using your military email address to send hate-mail; in order to avoid having your actions reflect negatively on USAREC (United States Army Recruiting Command) and on military servicemembers in general.

That having been said, you are wrong and stand corrected. The oath that I took was "to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; and to bear true faith and allegiance to the above."

The Constitution of the United States of America is a sacred document, it is the supreme law of the land and one of the foundational documents of our democracy. Unfortunately, we live in a day and age when the President and most of the members of congress consistently ignore the will of the people, precisely what the framers of the Constitution were trying to protect us from. The president of the United States committed treason, in 2005, when he referred to the Constitution as "just a goddamn piece of paper".

I resent the insinuation that I couldn't hack it in the military. I served proudly and honorably for four years with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), of which time I spent six months in Afghanistan and a year in Iraq. While I was in Iraq, I came to the conclusion that the military in the 21st Century is not upholding the oath, and I made the decision to not reenlist when my contract was up. According to the Constitution, Congress and only Congress has the power to declare war. Congress has never issued a declaration of war on Iraq. Instead, with the Iraq resolution (AUMF) passed in summer of 2002, the spineless wimps who currently occupy the seat of government abrogated their power and brought our nation one step closer to tyranny.

By doing all that is in my power to end this war, I am upholding the oath that I took when I enlisted; and if the military is indirectly weakened by my actions, so be it. A standing military, though it might serve a function in enforcing the will of the nation's rulers, does nothing to guarantee individual freedoms and liberties. According to the second amendment, a well-regulated militia is what is necessary for the security of a free state; yet the gun-control-freaks have managed to weaken our nation to the extent that I would be arrested if I walked down the street in any major American city (in a non-threatening manner) with a firearm slung over my shoulder.

Writing a letter to my congressman won't accomplish anything; some office lackey will scan the letter and send me a one-size-fits-all response.
Writing a letter to the President would accomplish even less.
Protesting in the streets would make a lot of noise; but would realistically accomplish nothing unless I backed up my words with action.

To me, integrity means that my actions are in line with my life's guiding principles, and honor means a life lived in unwavering defense of the rights that our forefathers fought so hard to establish.

I'm neither summer soldier nor sunshine patriot. Even in the cold and dark of winter I will stand firm. I hope that someday you will find yourself standing by my side, supporting and defending our nation's Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Especially domestic.

Sincerely,
-Sholom Keller
Defender of Liberty

This just in! Senator Chuck Schumer is a domestic enemy of the U.S. Constitution

I just got off the phone with his DC office, which has confirmed this.

I had contacted the senator's office in order to discuss the veterans' disarmament act, a bill which tramples one of the fundamental Constitutional rights of those who have sworn their lives to support and defend said supreme law of the land.

From Infowars:

HR 2640, which has been dubbed the "veterans disarmament act" by gun owners, would place any veteran who has ever been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on the federal gun ban list.

The bill passed in the House in June and was later passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee both times without a recorded vote. Gun owners have been trying to raise awareness and beat down the legislation ever since.

The bill, sponsored by outspoken anti-second amendment representatives Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), also applies to anyone who has been diagnosed with ADHD as a child and to anyone who develops Alzheimer's. Gun owners fear that in time the diagnosis of any kind of mental affliction could end with rights being stripped.

Another of those behind the legislation is Senator Chuck Schumer who, according to Gun Owners of America, is circulating an "agreement" which would waive the Senate rules in order to bring up and pass the bill.

When word of this reached my laptop, I jumped into action. The second amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, supreme law of the land and one of the foundational documents of our democracy, says that "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

As I've often stated, I took a solemn oath at the age of 18 to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Fearing that Senator Schumer might be considered a domestic enemy of the Constitution, I contacted his DC office posthaste. (The number there, incidentally, is 202-224-6542)

During my conversation with the individual representing Senator Schumer's office, I informed him of the oath that guides my life's actions; I then inquired as to whether Senator Chuck Schumer was a domestic enemy of the U.S. Constitution.

His response was short and simple: "Yes"

TO ARMS! TO ARMS!

Dave Cline, a giant amongst men, dies at the age of 60

Wise Warrior (photo credit: Mathieu Grandjean)
They killed Dave forty years ago, the government of the United States killed Dave in Vietnam; but Dave had too much in him to die right away. Too much heart, too much soul, too much spirit, too much of a passion to fight for what is right and true and just; it took him 40 years to die.

David Cline, President of Veterans For Peace from January 2002-February 2007, died in his Jersey City, New Jersey home in the early morning hours of Saturday, September 15, 2007. He was 60. Cline was known as champion of veterans' rights and victims of war. He was a determined organizer who stood in solidarity with people of all struggles for justice. His death is a loss for the national and international antiwar/peace movements.

Cline was born and raised in Buffalo, New York where he was drafted into the US Army in 1967, one week after he turned 20. He served as a rifleman (11B20) with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam. During his tour of duty, he was wounded three times and was awarded three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star for bravery, the Combat Infantryman Badge and other military medals. His was determined 100% disabled from his wounds.

Shortly after his return to the US, Cline joined the GI antiwar movement while still on active duty, working with the underground paper "Fatigue Press" at Fort Hood, Texas and after his discharge, as a staff person at the Oleo Strut coffeehouse outside the base. He joined VVAW in 1970 where he became a tireless organizer.

After the Vietnam War ended Cline dedicated his life to waging peace and opposing war. Over the past 40 years he was involved in many efforts for peace, justice and healing including: the continuing campaign for Agent Orange victims in the U.S. and Vietnam, working for an end to the US Navy's bombing of Vieques, Puerto Rico, assisting homeless veterans through Stand Down operations, promoting reconciliation and friendship with the people of Vietnam, helping people recover from war trauma (PTSD) and substance abuse, educating young people about war and military service and opposing U.S. military interventions in Central America and the Middle East.

During Cline's tenure as President, Veterans For Peace experienced tremendous growth and emerged as a leading voice in opposition to the invasion of Iraq and the subsequent occupation. His recognition of VFP's role as a place for veterans of all eras to work for peace and the need for a blending of anti-war veterans and military families in the national debate has led to an unprecedented number of veterans and military families working together to oppose a war in U.S. history. Today this alliance is a cornerstone of domestic opposition to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Cline was also a key figure in the creation and guidance of Iraq Veterans Against the War, named to honor and follow the tradition of Vietnam Veterans Against the War.

David Cline is survived by his life partner Gladys Simer and her daughter Sabrina, his daughter Ellen Gregory and her son Jacob, his son Daniel, his father and mother Donald and Ruth Cline, his brothers Steven and Bruce, and his sister Linda.

In final rest, Dave will find the peace he fought for throughout his life.

Fulfilling the oath

1. When I enlisted in the United States Army, I took an oath "to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and to bear true faith and allegiance to the above."

2. The Constitution of the United States of America delineates the powers of congress, one of which is to declare war (Article I, Section 8).

3. The Constitution of the United States of America delineates the powers of the President, none of which are to declare war (Article II, Sections 2-3).

4. In the event that Congress declares war, the President is appointed commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy; and of the state militias, if they're called into service for the federal government (Article II, Section 2).

5. Congress never declared war on Iraq. On March 19 of 2003, the President declared war on Iraq - a declaration which is null and void, since he does not have that power.

6. The executive branch has shown a complete disregard for the Constitution of the United States of America, the President has even gone so far as to call it "just a goddamned piece of paper."

7. The Constitution of the United States of America is supreme law of the land (Article VI) and is one of the foundational documents of our democracy; therefore, showing a disregard for the Constitution is tantamount to treason.

8. Congress has the power to impeach the President, Vice President and all civil officers for treason, among other things (Article II, Section 4).

9. The members of Congress care more about their political careers than about democracy; therefore, they have no intentions of ever carrying out impeachment proceedings.

10. When a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government (Declaration of Independence of the United States of America - July 4, 1776).

TO ARMS! TO ARMS!

Celebrating six years since the rise of neo-fascism

In an effort to engage our community in dialogue about the Iraq war, the Philadelphia chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), Chapter 16, will hold a moderated panel discussion on the six-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Four Iraq war veterans will discuss their personal experiences fighting in Iraq, their readjustment upon coming home, and their work to end the war and bring their brothers and sisters home. The discussion will follow Philadelphia’s one-time only performance of Simon Levy’s acclaimed, one act docudrama, “What I Heard About Iraq: A Cry for Six Voices.”

“What I Heard About Iraq” tells the story of the Iraq war from its beginnings until nearly the present day using quotes from politicians, administration figures, troops, and military family members. This powerful drama condenses the past half-decade of war into one riveting act. By following this performance with the real-life stories and perspectives of Iraq war veterans, audience members will get an insight into how the U.S. occupation is affecting our active-duty troops, veterans, and their families. Iraq Veterans Against the War encourages others to educate themselves about the war and its human costs, and to take action to bring our troops home now.

“We hope that by seeing how the war actually unfolded and listening to us tell our stories, more Philadelphians will play an active role in demanding that we end the occupation of Iraq and take care of our veterans. We also want the community to know that IVAW is active in Philly and serves as a resource for returning vets,” said former sergeant Kelly Dougherty, IVAW Philly chapter secretary.

“I fought for a year in Iraq as a cavalry scout and lost three men in my platoon. Once I came home, I had people asking me why we were over there. I took an oath to defend my country and Constitution; the least I can expect from my fellow citizens is for them to know why they are asking me to fight and possibly die in a war. I’m speaking on the panel to let them know the truth about the occupation,” said Steve Mortillo, IVAW Philly chapter president.

Long Time No Post aorn

I've moved to Philly, and have begun to rent a room. I've been appointed editor of a brand-new publication, more details to be coming shortly.

NO WAY! Sholom, you're no longer homeless?
That's right. Help me keep a roof over my head. If 1,002 people read this, and each one of them (except Mohammed and Yachne) contributes $10, that's six months of guaranteed income for me. Can't afford it? Host a house party.
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The third edition of the Carnival for Peace is in the works.
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The Infamous Leah Kleim got some fresh ink.
For those of you who can't read from right to left, it says "Lots and lots of Hebrew mumbo-jumbo"
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NEXT STOP: Washington, DC

What makes the green grass grow?

WAR IS NOT A GAME!

America's Army is a video game that is owned by the U.S. Government and is used as a recruitment tool. As a first-person-shooter, it sucks; probably because it was made by an LFB (lowest fucking bidder). Additionally, there are several aspects of the Army experience that the game fails to offer potential recruits:
1) In real life, there is no "reset" option.
2) The players don't sweat when they're sitting on the couch and pushing buttons.
3) The game fails to adequately portray non-combat elements of war such as shit-burning.

In their largest action to date, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War confronted the military-industrial complex with a truth-in-recruiting action; dedicated to our battle-buddies who spent all of basic training bitching about how their recruiters lied to them.

Melissa the Loud hates gentrification

Can you believe this won't exist anymore?
Yeah, that shit pisses me off.

In Requiem Pax, Coney Island; you will be sorely missed by true Brooklynites.

Several months ago, at a party in DC, some guy asked me where I'm from. I said "Brooklyn" and he replied "me too" - when I asked "Where at?" he said "Bed-Stuy."

The individual was extremely white. I looked right at him and said, "No, you're not. You may have lived in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood for several years, but you're not from there."

Ow! Fuck! discusses contemporary anarchism in practice

You can learn as much about anarchy from anarchists as you can learn about Christ from Christians.

Jacob on the inefficacy of long and boring consensus meetings.

Friday's New York Times, p. A9

The keyword in this article's headline is "Appointed" i.e. not democratically elected. The Palestinians voted a Hamas-led government into parliament, but the U.S. and Israel have an itty-bitty problem with that; since they refuse to "negotiate with terrorists".
Paragraph 6 explains why Hamas are classified as terrorists:

the United States and Isreal refused to deal with Hamas, which they classify as a terrorist organization, unless "it" accepted Israel's right to exist and agreed to give up violence.

Now, dumbing it down to your limited level of understanding:
The United States (and Israel) unilaterally decide exactly what the fuck a "terrorist" is; and in this case, they seem to feel that the reason Hamas is to be classified as such is due to
A. Hamas's refusal to accept "Israel's right to exist," and
B. Hamas's use of "violence"
- Point A is moot from the get-go. Hamas cannot, by any stretch of the logical imagination, be coerced into accepting Israel's right to exist, since Israel does not have a "right to exist" -- Israel has the ability to exist, thanks to billions in U.S. military aid and the use of a police state (thereby mootifying Point B), but not the right to do so.
Bar Kochba, go fuck yourself.

Ogle my handsome mug

Aboard the Yellow Rose of Texas
Powerfist in Philly

This moment brought to you by pretentious self-obsession.
Photo credit: Iraq Veterans Against the War

Judaism and Anarchism

The anti-authoritarian tradition in Judaism has a long and rich history, tracing back to Korach's rebellion against Moses's leadership in the desert.

The Bible indicates that pre-monarchic Israelite society was anarchistic.

בימים ההם אין מלך בישראל. איש הישר בעיניו יעשה -שפטים כ"א, כ"ה
Transparaphrasing: In those days there was no king in Israel, each one did what was right in their own eyes. -Judges 21, 25

Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag, a 19th century Orthodox Jewish Kabbalist, used this verse as a critique of statism. "There is nothing more humiliating and degrading for a person than being under the brute-force government."

When the Israelites came to Samuel and asked him to appoint a king for them "in order to be like all the other nations," the prophet rebuked them harshly.

Avot, the tractate of the Talmud which discusses ethical matters, has two relevant quotes on this topic.

Love labor, hate mastery over others, and avoid a close relationship with the government. -1:10
Be careful with the government, for they befriend a person only for their own needs. They appear to be friends when it is beneficial to them, but they do not stand by a person at the time of his distress. -2:3

A number of Hassidic teachers advocated similar principles:
In worship of God there are no rules, and this statement is also not a rule. -Simcha Bunim of Peshischa
Someone whose spiritual root is good does not have to restrict himself. Whatever he does is good in God's eyes. -Mordechai Yosef Leiner (The Ishbitzer)
In a place where holiness is revealed, there is no rulership and honors. -Kalonymus Kalman Shapira

Overstating the obvious

The second amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America reads as follows:

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Why was this included in the Bill of Rights?

"When a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government" -United States Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776

Free Propaganda aorn

I'm in a coffeeshop in Philly. It's raining.

Ether and Filthy have revamped the Starving Iguanas FREE online art community.

Quote of the day (With a tip of the hat to Zara): “War helps you to see the illness of the whole body.” -Janusz Korczak

Jake and the Infernal Machine played their first New York Show at Jacob's place. Evan Greer will be playing a show there this coming Friday.
Der Baron von Bornstein recently wrote about senseless non-violence.

Serf City is a Libertarian newspaper published by Jim Lesczynski.


On the inefficacy of politicians (hattip: Gunny Leonard)


Standard 9/11 Conspiracy


Occupation 101 - Primer on Israelestine

Military-industrial complex

CQ Today is a publication that is made available on Capitol Hill every day that Congress is in session. The advertisements therein are meant to influence the decisions of the various office moles who write policy on behalf of democracy's enemies, the forked-tongued vermin in three-piece suits. When military contractors run advertisements for the latest much-flouted technology, it serves the same purpose as advertising among the general American public; namely, convincing others to spend money that they don't have on shit that they don't need.

The July 10th edition of CQ Today carried an advertisement for an aircraft from Northrop Grumman called the KC-30, which is more commonly known as the Airbus A330 MRTT. One line of the advertisement states that "From Fort Bragg to Kandahar, a KC-30 can move a brigade 30 percent faster" blah blah blah. However, to my knowledge, the pavement on the airstrip at Kandahar International Airport (where I spent six months in 2002) is not thick enough to bear the weight of said aircraft. From Bet-settler:

The term military-industrial complex (MIC) refers to a close and symbiotic relationship among a nation's armed forces, its private industry, and associated political and commercial interests. In such a system, the military is dependent on industry to supply material and other support, while the defense industry depends on government for revenue.

Case in point, the MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle). MRAPs are currently billed as an "urgent need" for the U.S. Military in Iraq and Afghanistan, as a response to the use of IEDs by local militia. The IED (Improvised Explosive Device), less euphemistically referred to as a "homemade landmine," is one of a variety of tactics. MRAPs are built with a V-shaped hull which helps deflect the IED blast, as well as having a reinforced hull and a raised chasis. Based on a cursory scanning of contracts awarded thus far, I have ascertained that the MRAPs tend to cost approximately half-a-million dollars apiece.

Let's get this straight. As a response to a specific tactic used by the people of Iraq in fighting the occupation, the military-industrial complex fields a new piece of equipment. Thousands of these will be purchased, each one costs the American taxpayers five-hundred-thousand dollars; and, given the bigger picture (2GW vs. 4GW), the very existence of these is pointless from a strategic perspective.

So, how long until Arnold Schwarzenegger starts driving the civilian version?

I will close by calling the average idiot's attention to a particular pet peeve of mine, the distinction between a Hummer and a HMMWV. The HMMWV (pronounced "hum-vee") is a four-wheel-drive vehicle used by U.S. Soldiers and Marines while they fight wars, whereas the Hummer is an ostentatious piece of crap that people who think they're badass drive on the freeways in America.

Mr. Butch is Dead!

Mr. Butch, the Boston area's most famous vagrant, died yesterday morning from injuries sustained in a scooter accident. From the Boston Herald:

Butch came into the public consciousness by hanging around the Kenmore Square area in the 1980s, playing guitar outside of the nightclub The Rathskellar (known as The Rat) and interacting with the local punkrockers who congregated there.
“We thought he was funny and he was awesome,” said Sue Jeiven, owner of Regeneration Tattoos on Harvard Avenue. Jeiven used to see Butch when she came to Boston on tour with rock bands. “Everyone was always psyched to see him,” she said.

Donations in his memory can be sent to:
Regeneration
155 Harvard Avenue
Allston, MA 02134

In our hearts forever! Rest In Peace, Harold Madison; we'll miss you.

Silly image of the day

Jacob's opinion of the Iraq WarJacob has responded to the eighth Tuesday Topic.