Politics
Immigration: Reality vs Demagoguery
A recent news headline from National Public Radio reads, “Despite efforts of 3 U.S. administrations, migrant families keep crossing the border.” Migration from Mexico and Central America has increased over the past several years. In contrast to the past, this increase in migrants is being fueled by families. In August alone about 91,000 family groups were detained at the border.
Clearly efforts to seal the border to prevent, deter, or otherwise frighten immigrants away are not working. Yet, as the NPR headline indicates, for decades we have continued the same, ...
BUT THE WORLD ASKED WHY?
When the attacks on the World Trade Center towers in New York City occurred on 9/11/2001, no one asked – Why? Surely not the Bush Administration and surely not US establishment print and broadcast media. Of course, President George W. Bush did give us an answer:
We’re good – they’re bad. We’re moral – they’re evil. We’re a peace loving, freedom loving people – they hate peace and freedom. Evil people attack good people just for fun. That’s what an evil axis does. Simple. No further inquiry required. The only solution? War.
It was well known that ...
An Ounce of Prevention…
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is much easier – and cheaper – to prevent problems than to suffer the consequences or clean up the mess later. Too often this common sense adage is ignored.
We could have taken steps to mitigate or prevent many environmental problems including climate change. We could have a sensible, less expensive, national health program instead of a bureaucratic for-profit mess. Similarly, wars – like the latest tragedy in Palestine – could be prevented. But this requires taking action before hostilities begin.
Often ...
WHITE HATS
Never look at history. It can confuse a person with the facts. Life is prettier without history. We wear white hats, they wear black. We’re good, they’re bad. Simple. Let it go.
I thought long and hard before assembling this article. There is a fine line between constructive and counterproductive criticism, and I lack certainty about its location. But given the ongoing mass murders being committed in Gaza with American support, and the absolute and unethical failure of western print and broadcast media to present anything resembling the truth, whether in Gaza, or ...
Israel and Palestine – My Two Cents
The utter absurdity of the current situation in Israel/Palestine could have been predicted for the last 75 years. Did anyone really believe that you could move into a man’s house and “give” him the hall closet to live in and he would accept it?
Yes, I understand that the Jews had suffered horribly under Hitler’s attempt to eradicate them. And long before that, the history of their horrific treatment deserves understanding and condemnation. But why did anyone think that what existed in Palestine could be rearranged like chess pieces and no one would care?
Je...
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
It was to be the “American Century.” Ordained by the Universe and God Himself. America, the “exceptional nation,” was destined to rule the world. At long last, Mackinder’s Heartland, Ukraine, would be brought into the American orbit. Russia would fall, be broken into pieces, its resources opened for plunder. China would be next – Taiwan the sacrificial puppet. It was to be the “American Century.” It would also be the greatest moment of imperial hubris in human history.
Rather than allowing Ukraine and Western Europe to live peacefully, with mutually ...
Fair Maps Rally
The Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the Clarke v. Wisconsin Elections Commission redistricting lawsuit on Tuesday, November 21 at 8:45 AM in the Supreme Court Hearing Room, 2nd Floor, East Wing of the State Capitol, Madison, Wisconsin.
RALLY
in the Wisconsin State Capitol
TUESDAY, NOV. 21st
9:00 AM
Sign up and RSVP link
Can't make it to Madison?
Join a companion rally near you at NOON in:
Milwaukeeat State Office Bldg, 819 N. Sixth St.
Green Bay at Brown County Courthouse, 100 S. Jefferson St.
...
Repeating Past Mistakes in Palestine
The United States is, once again, exacerbating the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians. Once again we are rushing to support military actions by Israel that will not resolve the animosities that have festered for over 100 years. Once again we are part of the problem and not the solution. How many times do we have to repeat the mistakes of the past before we get a clue?
President Biden has expressed unconditional support for Israel and their military response to the Hamas attack on October 7th. Biden said “In this moment, we must be crystal clear: we stand ...
THE LONG MEMORY
In 1958 the musical film “South Pacific” hit the big screen. Elders remember well the beautiful movie based on the work of author James Mitchner that left us with such lovely music as “Some Enchanted Evening.” The film was set on a South Pacific island and though the major theme was about the World War II conflict between the US and Japan, the film was really about people trying to understand one another.
One of the sub-plots in “South Pacific” was about a young American naval officer who had fallen in love with a young Polynesian woman, and how he ...
It’s 1933
Why would I be surprised by some of what goes on in our county government? I am referring to Supervisor David Baker's proposal to not only pull funding from the Marathon County Public Library but to assemble a “Library Standards Alignment.” Supervisor Baker's ideas go as far as a possibility of abolishing the county library system altogether. Supervisor Tony Sherfinski also buys into this ideology by saying that adding pressure by pulling on purse strings is a good idea.
I will be the first to say these people terrify me. This is government over-reach at its finest. ...