With the on-going news stories coming out of Iraq this week, the “war birds” in the US Congress are already calling for the US to once again get involved in a fight that can’t be won and that has nothing to do with us. It’s amazing how short some people’s memories are!
As American’s let’s rise up and say: We must not, We will not……Get Fooled Again……
Every great movement needs a theme song……for ours I propose this great 1973 live performance of Won’t Get Fooled Again from Philadelphia, the birthplace of the American Constitution……
Twenty five years ago, Chinese authorities brutally suppressed the student-led Democracy Movement in Tiananmen Square. Troops backed by tanks massacred an unknown number of unarmed Chinese citizens that were attempting to block the advance of the military to Tiananmen Square. The photo above is a zoomed out view of a student blocking a column of advancing tanks armed with nothing but a briefcase. If you ever doubt that you can make a difference in the world pull this picture out to remind yourself just how much one person can accomplish.
Mary Chapin Carpenter wrote a great song about the Massacre, 4 June 1989. The story behind the song is summarized in the following extract from an August 26, 2010 article posted on the Washington Post website. Read the article and then listen to the song below.
It was [inspired by] an article in the New York Times during the 20th anniversary week of the Tiananmen Square massacre. It was a profile of an artist in China who was 17 at the time, and he was a soldier in the army. The first verse is his recollections of what it was like to be there — and to be sent in “imposter’s clothes,” when the authorities were trying to infiltrate the protesters. He was haunted by his part in it. He’s an artist now in China and he works all the time trying in a way to almost provoke the authorities. They have this game that they play where they allow him to put his work on the Internet for example, and it’ll stay up for a day or two, and then all of a sudden it’s taken down. The lyric about “vanishing into the ether” is my sense of it. His story was exceedingly moving to me and I just tried to write about it.
I’m an idealist who believes that music has the power to make the world a much better place. Maybe it’s the fact that I grew up during the 60s! I also believe that people that don’t like music are normally not to be trusted. With that as context take a look at the following CNN International article about the jailing of six young Iranians that made a video of Happy…..
Sources report that seven to eight young Iranians have been arrested in Tehran, for the simple crime of being “Happy.”
Three men and three women danced unveiled to Pharrell Williams’ smash hit in a video that was widely shared on social media, garnering over 30,000 views before it was taken down. Copies have been quickly re-uploaded as news of the arrest has broken, sparking the hashtag #FreeHappyIranians.
Many Iranians praised their joyful video, but it was met with censure by the conservative religious forces which have ruled Iran since the Revolution in 1979.
“After a vulgar clip which hurt public chastity was released in cyberspace, police decided to identify those involved in making that clip,” Tehran police chief Hossein Sajedinia told the ISNA News Agency, according to ABC.
Footage from Iranian state TV appears to show seven men and one woman being interrogated about the video, which is shown in the clip with the dancers blurred out.The BBC reported that the exact number of detainees has not been released.
“If there’s something wrong, speak up.” – Pete Seeger
I won’t bore you with a tribute to Pete today….if you want to read one, they are easy to find.
Instead, I ask each of you to think about which side you are on. Pete was always on the right side whether it was supporting the labor movement in the 40s, fighting McCarthyism in the 50, or marching for civil rights and protesting the Vietnam war in the 60s. We have issues today that are just as important as the ones that Pete sang about but very few people today seem to be willing to take a stand. If you want to honor the life of Pete Seeger pick a side, speak up, and make your life count.
Today’s Sunday Session features one of my all time favorite performers, Jackson Browne, performing with the group that released my favorite record this year, Dawes, during the Occupy Wall Street protests. Enjoy….
So…..today it seems like the Senate might be on the verge of a deal to temporarily end the Government Shutdown and temporarily raise the Debt Ceiling. Not the long term solution that we need but one that is being touted by the media as a big break through. I don’t want to bring anyone down but I suggest that we not count our chickens before they hatch! Here’s what I predict is going to happen……
The Senate is going to reach a deal on a bipartisan bill, pass it, and send it to the House relatively close to the debt default deadline. The House will get the bill, load it up with ransom demands, and send the modified bill back to the Senate where it will not pass. Game Over……..US defaults on debt!
I hope I’m wrong but time will tell……part of my rationale for this prediction has to do with a recent statement by Mo Brooks (as reported on AL.com). Here is what he had to say……
Mo Brooks says he’s not bluffing
on debt ceiling
Congressman Mo Brooks says he is not bluffing.
If Congress does not slash welfare programs, or take steps to adopt a balanced budget, he will vote against raising the debt ceiling.
“We address the cause of the problem or else I vote against it,” said Brooks, R-Huntsville, during a phone interview with AL.com this afternoon. He said public benefits program would also include Obamacare.
Brooks, who campaigned on the issue of a balanced budget in 2010, said the nation’s greatest threat is bankruptcy.
He said he would rather face the consequences of an unprecedented federal default — which could happen if Congress fails to raise the borrowing limit within the next 10 days — than allow the nation to continue piling up long-term debt and face “total devastation” of insolvency.
“We’re down to bad choices,” said Brooks, ”due to decades of financial irresponsibility and we’re having to choose a path that does the least amount of damage to our country.”
Brooks compared the current government shutdown to a 3 or 4 on the Richter scale. A few folks felt tremors and there was some localized damage. He said failure to raise the debt ceiling could be a greater earthquake of 5 or 6, with greater economic damage. But he said insolvency would be a devastating 10.
Earlier today, Brooks told the House: “As bad as government shutdown and debt ceiling risks may be, they are relatively inconsequential compared to the economic devastation resulting from an American bankruptcy.”
During his remarks in Congress, Brooks compared the trajectory of the United States to Greece and to Detroit, arguing pensions would be lost, assets seized or left valueless in the face of a federal bankruptcy.
“No question, not raising the debt ceiling poses economic risks. No one knows for sure how much risk because America has never crossed this threshold before,” he said on the House floor. “Whatever it is, it can be overcome.”
And he did not adhere strictly to partisan lines. Brooks said he was combating financially irresponsible members of both parties. On the phone, when asked, he said it was irresponsible not to budget for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Specifically, Brooks said he would urge Congress to reduce spending in two areas, public benefits and foreign aid.
He said he would limit public housing and food stamps and other welfare programs to the physically disabled. “The welfare programs, we don’t have the money for them,” he said, adding later: “It will force more people to work.”
He mentioned Obamacare only when asked, but added: “That is a big one.”
As for foreign aid, Brooks said he would maintain aid to Pakistan and Israel, as well as Afghanistan while U.S. troops are still present. “Outside of that, the rest of it has to go,” he said, adding: “I’m at a loss why we would borrow money to give it away.”
The only alternative to steep cuts, said Brooks, would be a long-term deal to break with the federal practice of deficit spending. The nation is approaching $17 trillion in debt and estimates show roughly $750 billion more in deficit spending this year.
He said a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution would require that federal spending cannot exceed tax revenues except during extraordinary circumstances approved by a supermajority in both houses of Congress.
When asked why now was a moment to draw a line in the sand, Brooks said it’s not. He noted that in August of 2011 he also broke with fellow Republican and voted against raising the debt limit.
Brooks had earlier shared concerns that Republicans would be blamed for the shutdown, but today he said the White House “overreach” was changing perceptions, as federal agents blocked off access to national monuments. “They are open air. You actually have to spend money to shut them down,” he said.
Thanks a lot Mo for pledging to destroy the US economy. Unless I’m mistaken that’s not what North Alabama was hoping for when they decided to vote you into the House of Representatives! So guess what…..you gotta go……
Although things look grim at this point we (all reasonable non-Tea Party Americans) all need to remember two things: 1) we have the power to change things and 2) this land is our land.
Shutting down the US Government is not enough for the Right Wing Extremist Tea Party. They’re now intent on causing the US to default by preventing the US Congress from raising the debt limit. These people are insane and this latest gambit has the potential to plunge the US, and the rest of the world, into another Recession (or even worse) a Depression.
As I sat in my house a day ago feeling helpless I listened to the following song and felt re-energized. Like Patti says in the song, “People have the power”. I believe that in the end the American people will come together vote the Right Wing Extremist that are responsible for our problems out of their positions of power. Today I am adding a new song, Revolution, by Jefferson Airplane…..trying to add in a little 1960’s activism to the mix.
I hope you like these songs…..I plan to listen to them each day until our Shutdown/Default crises are resolved. I will post them each day so you can listen with me.
Shutting down the US Government is not enough for the Right Wing Extremist Tea Party. They’re now intent on causing the US to default by preventing the US Congress from raising the debt limit. These people are insane and this latest gambit has the potential to plunge the US, and the rest of the world, into another Recession (or even worse) a Depression.
As I sat in my house tonight feeling helpless I listened to the following song and felt re-energized. Like Patti says in the song, “People have the power”. I believe that in the end the American people will come together vote the Right Wing Extremist that are responsible for our problems out of their positions of power.
I hope you like this song…..I plan to listen to it each day until our Shutdown/Default crises are resolved. Of course I wouldn’t leave you out so I plan to post each day as well so you can listen with me.
thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard 