The John Ashcroft Memorial Concentration Camp

Greetings, friends,
First of all, for those in the LA area, you'll be glad to hear that I went out to see a movie tonight and KCRW *finally* cut a new promo. Too bad, it's even worse than the last one. They're also showing plugs for Turner Classics at the art houses...what's up with THAT?

I'm trying to lighten the mood (and shorten the screed, yah right). Josh sends a link to this article (thanks to others who sent it as well) comparing Halliburton with the Dixie Chicks (as far as patriotism goes, eh). I've also sent along a nice picture of the Chicks new album.
Halliburton vs. the Dixie Chicks
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/22/opinion/22HERB.html

And besides the newfound popularity of the Chicks in Europe, there's another silver lining to all the death and destruction and chaos, that's right, it's romance. I actually took a peek at this lefty on-line meat market, and other than way too many people who don't smoke or have other "questionable" habits, there's some nice boys and girls who'd like to march close beside you.
Site Seeks Matches for Politically Active
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030521/ap_on_fe_st/actforlove

You can march against our newest military atrocity (thanks, Mark):
And when you thought there was no way for this administration to surpass themselves in viciousness, it turns out they're planning death camps:
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,6494000%255E401,00.html

But real activism should focus on the erosion of our own rights...don't laugh this one off...those French reporters they just kicked out of the country could be you in a year. My involvement in anti-Patriot Act organizing notwithstanding, your librarian warns you that big, big trouble is coming. Some of your more radical librarians and bookstore workers (and the city of Arcata, as noted last time) are taking the oath of noncompliance with the Feds; the ACLU has assembled a large coalition (heard that word lately?) of interested parties (unions, peace groups, Muslims, Jews, Asian Americans, Methodists, you name it) to petition for repeal of the Act. First on the local, then county, then state level. Alaska (!) already passed a rather harsh condemnation of the Patriot Act:
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=12703&c=206

Look for more updates and even opportunities for you to join the California Libre revolution right here.

And here's why this is no time for drinking binges and head-sand conjunctions:
Patriot Act Use Expands
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052203H.shtml
Ashcroft to Appear Before House Panel on Patriot Act
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052403J.shtml
Pentagon Readies Massive Spying System
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052103C.shtml

But your elected State officials are, yes, getting the message. All those e-mail petitions end up somewhere, eh?
Attorney General Lockyer: Don't Link Activists, Terrorists
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052203J.shtml

And now, for something completely different.
All this war and oppression is starting to take a toll on our animal friends, I'm afraid. Anyone remember "Day of the Animals"? I kid you not, all these weird articles appeared in the last week; we're confronted by wild dogs:
Miniature Dogs Chase Off Flasher
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030523/od_nm/odd_germany_flasher_dc
Meow Mix Chief Executive Bitten by Dog
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030524/ap_on_fe_st/meow_mix_ceo

Deer:
Deer Walks Through Airport Security
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030522/ap_on_fe_st/airport_deer
And even a goat (this one's better than it sounds at first):
Thief Leaves Goat for Wisconsin Police
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030523/ap_on_re_us/escape_goat

Yeah, but at least we're all good buddies at the UN again, right? Yah right. It's business as usual...and why wouldn't the Iranians want an A-bomb, when they look around their borders?
NGOs Decry 'Bribes' and 'Threats' Behind U.N. Vote
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052403G.shtml
Iraq: France Worries about American Resentment:
Paris and Washington Have not yet Gotten Over their Crisis
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052403F.shtml

But they're gonna need to sell a lot of oil, to dig a lot of new graves. How many got killed today? (This question will work on any day of the week.) This next article is rather startling, and gives both your indignation and depression a nice foothold on that slippery slope into the next war (thanks, Ellen).
Headline: Surveys pointing to high civilian death toll in Iraq
Byline: Peter Ford Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
Date: 05/22/2003
(BAGHDAD) Evidence is mounting to suggest that between 5,000 and 10,000 Iraqi civilians may have died during the recent war, according to researchers involved in independent surveys of the country.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0522/p01s02-woiq.html

But we're supplying the Iraqis with plenty of American know-how to make up for it, aren't we smart?
War Profiteers Shell, Bechtel, Fluor Take Record of Terror From Africa to Iraq
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052303A.shtml

Yep, nothin' like a smart guy in the White House.
US Post-War Effort Seen as on the Brink of "Fiasco"
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052103G.shtml

And an article that begs for a huge, screaming AND THEN????
Trust in Leaders is Lost if WMD Are Not Found
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052303H.shtml

Whereas our allies Down Under are worrying over other matters.
Macadamia Shells to Fuel Power Station
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030522/od_nm/odd_australia_macadamia_dc

Here's the interview I mentioned before. Is this guy for real? You be the judge. All politicians rank pretty high on the bullshit scale (sorry Mom) but if Howard Dean is to be believed, he's got ideas and doesn't mind talking about them. And, like Mr. Clinton, he's not a moron. But as they say in the South, even a cloudy day looks good from the bottom of a well.
TO Interview with Howard Dean
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052203A.shtml

If you like to hear how they used to "orate" in the old days, Senator Byrd is the last (literally) of a dying breed. Here he's laying it all out on the table:
West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd:
Iraq War, Unprovoked Invasion of A Sovereign Nation
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052203B.shtml

And finally, just for Kobe, another nice article about Belgium...and Europe's growing pains (OUCH!)
A MODEL FOR EUROPE?
MAY 22ND 2003
Belgium's peculiar system of national politics is failing to heal
ethnic divisions or to stem the rise of the xenophobic far-right
http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displayStory.cfm?story_id=1800764

Vive le Screed!