135 results for author: Dave Svetlik

DEMONIZATION

  Just some quotes:   “[Wars] are fought against people, 98 percent of whom are resistant to killing, and most of whom had little or nothing to do with bringing on the war. One way to dehumanize those people is to replace all of them with an image of a single monstrous individual.”                                                                                    - Excerpted from War Is A Lie by David Swanson.   “Words have consequences. You cannot compromise with unmitigated evil. So, once you’ve established that your adversary is a ...

FOR HUMANITY’S SAKE – SEE THE OBVIOUS

When the United States places missiles on Russia’s borders that can incinerate Moscow and St. Petersburg in 5-7 minutes, and Russia does not place any missiles near US borders, it is the United States that is being “aggressive.” Not Russia. This is obvious. But the Orwellian message that has been foisted on Americans by all major media for years has been: “Russian aggression!” “Russian aggression!” “Putin is a monster!” When the United States spends $5 billion in 2014 to orchestrate a violent coup in Ukraine to overthrow the democratically elected president of the nation because he favors neutrality and doesn’t want to break ...

FROM DREAM TO NIGHTMARE REALITY

I had the strangest dream last night. I dreamed that Russia and China had placed nuclear missiles and troops all along America’s northern and southern borders. Russia had armaments on the Canadian front that, should America show aggression and begin a war against Canada, in 5-7 minutes could incinerate Seattle, St. Louis, Minneapolis/St Paul, Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City, and Washington DC. China had placed arms along the Mexican border and in 5-7 minutes could level San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Miami, and Atlanta. Both Russia and China could wipe out the US electrical grid ...

DEAR LEGISLATORS

“Unchecked militarism is the fatal disease of empires.” - Historian Arnold Toynbee   “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some 50 ...

BALLOONS AND CIRCUS CLOWNS

Grab your cell phone. Go to google maps. Click on satellite view. Search for Beijing, China. Zoom in. Want to sit on the roof of the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong? Zero in – you’re there. How about the Beijing Marriott Hotel? Not a problem. Wander around Tianamen Square? Go for it. Check out the curving roof ridges on the buildings in the Forbidden City? It’s all yours. Hungry? Head for Hongrongyuan Dumpling or Wankelai Beefsteak Hotpot. Heard they’re great! Ah, but let’s head back to America. Do a search for the White House, Pennsylvania Ave. Wander around the South Lawn. Isn’t the shadow from the flag and flag pole on the roof of the White ...

THE WISDOM OF NIKITA

Older Americans remember well the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. The then Soviet Union had placed nuclear armed missiles on the island nation mere minutes from being able to destroy most major American cities, including Washington D.C. and New York. As a sovereign nation, Cuba, like Ukraine today, had every legal right to have Soviet missiles placed within its borders. Of course, these Soviet missiles were an existential threat to the U.S. and President John F. Kennedy was left in an impossible situation. No matter the international legalities, under no circumstances was America going to allow the missiles to remain in Cuba. The U.S. military ...

TECTONIC SHIFTS

History matters. As World War II came to an end in 1944, Europe and Japan were in ruins while the U.S. had become the world’s economic powerhouse. At a historic meeting in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, forty-four countries agreed to fix their currencies to the U.S. dollar and the dollar was made convertible to gold at $35 per ounce. Thereafter countries would settle their international trade in dollars, and the dollar became the world’s reserve currency. As one might expect, having the dollar as the world’s reserve currency proved enormously beneficial to America. The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank, and the large Wall Street banks that control it, ...

THE ADDAMS FAMILY

  Anyone who was of high school or college age in the 1960’s remembers the black comedy sitcom, The Addams Family. It was a delightful show with strange and morbid characters one couldn’t help but love. One of these characters was the little girl named “Wednesday.” There have been subsequent productions of The Addams Family, but the most recent is the new TV series “Wednesday,” based on the original little girl, but now as a young woman (played by American actress, Jenna Ortega) coming of age and “leaving her family’s spooky mansion for the halls of Nevermore Academy.” A wonderful video of Wednesday dancing at a school ...

BUT WOULD YOU LIKE ANOTHER AIRCRAFT CARRIER?

Average American to US Congressman: “Congressman, my city’s water is supplied through aging lead pipes. Children are showing high levels of lead in their bodies that damages brain development and their overall health. I’m terrified for my own children. We need congress to provide the money to replace these dangerous pipes.” US Congressman to Average American: “Yes, yes, I know – these pipes are a real problem and believe me, I feel your pain. But you know, times are tough and we just don’t have the money right now. Maybe you can buy bottled water for the kids and cooking and have everyone take quick showers. We’ll sure look at this ...

IF THE B-21 COULD SPEAK

The First Commandment: “I am the Lord thy God – thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Idolatry: the worship of a physical object as a god   The dignitaries, the VIP’s, the CEO’s, the top brass had gathered. Hundreds had come on a warm, a beautiful, California evening. The dusk sunlight still lit the air. The national anthem was sung. Hands covered hearts, the brass stood in uniformed salute as the ear shattering military aircraft flew overhead. It was perfection. Hollywood was humbled. The stage was set. The CEO of Northrup-Grumman extolled the great accomplishments, the dedication, the unimaginable advances. But this ...