Preventive Warriors

I have heard about documentary some time ago and found it quite interesting. One my say it was not surprising considering the people that participated in the project. The Preventive Warriors is constructed as series of interviews with authors and activist like Tariq Ali, Rahul Mahajan, Phyllis Bennis, Noam Chomsky and others. You can read more about the film and its creators at the website and perhaps can stumble upon it in a rental store somewhere or buy it online if you want. However it was broadcasted in full on Democracy Now!, which I usually watch or listen to online.

You can watch the archived copy of that broadcast here or alternatively here (requires RealPlayer)
This is a must see for everyone interested in finding out more about the new national security doctrine adopted by this administration.

Still Defining "values"

There are numerous articles on values published in many places. It is certainly not surprising, as the Media still wants us to believe that this election was really won over the "moral values”, although more and more evidence suggests that it is not exactly the case. Nonetheless the evaluation of true values and principles is certainly called for.
Here are few more articles that I found interesting and whose authors I believe deserve a hearing.

First one is by George Lakoff, whom many of you may or should know, especially if you follow the shaping of progressive idea and rhetoric. You may learn about this linguistics professor from the webpageof Rockridge Institute, which he has co-founded in order to work on re-shaping or rather re-framing the progressive politics. Also if you are interested in his works and in the issue of framing in general I would also recommend reading his book - Don't Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate.

The article was published in The Nation – “Our Moral Values”

Like in his other writings Lakoff does a great job summarizing the true progressive principles in a concise manner that should be clear to everyone:

We came together because of our moral values: care and responsibility, fairness and equality, freedom and courage, fulfillment in life, opportunity and community, cooperation and trust, honesty and openness. We united behind political principles: equality, equity (if you work for a living, you should earn a living) and government for the people--all the people.

The second article is by Michael Zweig, who is a professor of economics in SUNY and also directs the Center for Study of Working Class Life there. I’ve seen him on TV when he was a guest on Bill Moyer’s show – NOW. I enjoyed listening to him and decided to follow up and seek some more of his writings. His books include:
What's Class Got to Do With It? and The Working Class Majority: America’s Best Kept Secret among others.

His article was originally published in Baltimore Sun – “Stand up For Moral Value of Economic Justice”

The United States of Europe and the new "Cold War"

I've been observing EU's progression into the future with careful curiosity and confused feelings. I was predicting its rise, but was wondering how soon can they truly unify. The recent developments in the world clearly suggest that they are well on their way and this article does a great job of analyzing the situation. I found it very interesting and inspiring to a certain degree. What is also interesting is that it puts recent elections here in a different perspective, although I believe some of us were already seeing it that way. I suggest reading it when you get a chance. Some thoughts are somewhat amusing like:

"...There is a large class of people in this country who are sympathetic to the
"European dream" of a managed market economy in which cooperation is mphasized over competition, leisure is privileged over work, and the social costs of capitalism are closely regulated -- and you know who you are, gentle readers. But to most Americans "freedom" still means untrammeled private-property rights, open markets, workaholism and the belief that somehow we'll all die rich..."

Some other paragraphs, like the one about the new EU constitution, almost brought tears to my eyes:

"... It (EU constitution) should also serve as an inspiration to progressives around the world. It bars capital punishment in all 25 nations(YES !!!) and defines such things as universal healthcare, child care, paid annual leave, parental leave, housing for the poor, and equal treatment for gays and lesbians as fundamental human rights. Most of these are still hotly contested questions in the United States; as Rifkin says, this document all by itself makes the European Union the world leader in the human rights debate. It is the first governing document that aspires to universality, "with rights and responsibilities that encompass the totality of human existence on Earth..."

RE: Congress Pushes to End the Financing of NPR, PBS, and the National Endowment of the Arts!!!!

This is in response toe the e-mail bellow.

The risk with PBS/NPR is not only funding (although it is quite vital), but also the ideological influences. The conservatives certainly hated the idea of public TV or radio (as public anything) and there certainly has been a long-time effort to eliminate the funding. However, in addition to that they deiced that "if you can't fight the media, be the media" - PBS in this case. For some reason ever since I came here I hear how "liberal" the NPR is... Well, I don't want to go into that discussion, but I can't figure out what is it that makes them liberal. I always thought of them as professional and (at least seemingly) fact based outlet for good reporting. So does it mean that liberal in the media is a euphemism for professionalism and integrity? Sorry... a little detour. Back to the issue. There has been a covert and sometimes not so covert move to make PBS more conservative (culturally/politically speaking).
Few month ago there was a peculiar article in the New Yorker magazine titled "Big Bird's flight to the Right" (or something to that effect). It described quite nicely the ongoing efforts to "penetrate" the "Liberal" network. It ranged from seemingly naive things like having Dick Cheney's wife hosting children's reading program to having more conservative analysts (pundits) on the air. I am not sure what happened to the Lynne Cheney's literary project (although I would suggest checking her prior venture into writing with her, reportedly steamy, lesbian novel "Sisters", - which she tried very hard to stop from reprinting recently... I haven't really read it and can't judge it's content, but it appears that the homosexual content of the novel is suddenly undesirable publicity for Cheneys - not surprisingly). But the latter move seems to be materializing. Bill Moyers is retiring from PBS and his great program "Now". The program will stay on the air and will be hosted by his current co-host, but it will be cut down to 30 minutes, instead of the whole hour.
To admittedly "balance" this short program PBS is adding three, yes three, conservative analytical shows. One is already on the air - "Unfiltered with Tucker Carlson (of CNN crossfire)", which suggests he was somehow "filtered" on CNN. They will have another famous right wing commentator - Michael Medved - with his own show, and I can't remember the third show.
Yes...We can certainly say that is balanced now...maybe too balanced.
The bad part is that this is very smart strategy for the conservatives. If this penetration is successful and the network survives they will have another propaganda outlet. On the other side they are probably betting that the "liberals" will get so upset with this that they will stop pledging money to the network and will leave it at the mercy of the government funding. We can see what is happening to that piece of the puzzle from your e-mail bellow.
Looks like we will be left with totally independent (but small) information sources and some of the foreign press.

-----Original Message-----

Hopefully NPR can survive on public donations (they always have those fundraisers). This is just the beginning. I hear conservatives have already put potential healthcare and education cuts on the table- they were saving it for after the election. Conservatives Republicans want to reduce the ballooning deficit and curtail Bush's spending. However, I think many would like to do this while at the same time preserving Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy and preserving military defense spending. That means cuts to social programs for children, the poor, funding for the arts, and on and on. I think this is where the real fight will be over the next four years. I think we have a better shot at defending civil liberties (especially at the Supreme Court level)- and especially if moderates in the Republican party (i.e. Arlen Specter) stand up for themselves. However this means Democrats, as the minority party, are going to have to broker deals in closed door meetings. I think we'll probably concede defeat and allow conservative judicial appointments at the lower court levels, and even cuts in spending on many Democratic initiatives. It's very sad, but hopefully Republicans will pull back on some of their more radical proposals (whether they be economic, social, or environmental). What's even more sad, most of my information (including what I wrote here) comes from NPR!! And how about all those old ladies who watch "Masterpiece Theater" on PBS- what will they do!!

Back to serious reading.

I think it is time to get back to serious and fundamental reading (if you are up to it of' course).
Something beyond partisan politics or demographic make-up of the country. We need to continue the understanding of underlying philosophical and/or ideological framework. Therefore I suggest us to seek and share information that allows us to distance from the technicalities of the reality and see the bigger picture.
To start I would suggest checking these two links bellow. The second one is quite long so you nay want to read it in parts if you don't have time:

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2004/11/09/religion-of-the-rich/

http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/pagre/conservatism.html

Please let me know if you find anything interesting to read as well.

I can't stop..Help...Say it isn't so

Please tell me this is not true. Someone, please say this is not really happening, but is merely a nightmare and is about to be over?Otherwise I feel like the lights are going off. And I cannot help but feeling it more and more after I read.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1108-01.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1106-01.htm

Or if it is happening please tell me it is not going to be so much, so bad, so soon? I am slowly descending into a state of panic and utter depression?So I am looking for some assurance?please give me something?
I really want to think that I am overreacting and my feelings are caused by my being new here and not yet understand everything. Maybe this is frustrating to me because of pre-existing expectations I may have had when arrived here. Many new comers do harbor idealistic and sometimes even romantic notions about what this country is. Some of them turn out to be false, but it is most painful to witness the ones that are true to start crumbling in front of your own eyes?
Back home there were many critics and even haters of America. Most of them never been in the States and were simply blinded by remnants of old propaganda. I always argued with them and tried to prove them wrong although I had never been here either. I tried to clear my mind of any opinions to be able to see and judge by myself. However deep down I think I always thought of America as force for good in the world, striving to make it better and fairer, and a paradise for its own citizens where everyone is supported and no one forgotten. But above all I thought of it as not simply a country, but as an idea, principle, a state of mind everyone is looking for?Despite of everything that happened during past several years and in spite of the darkness slowly surrounding us, I will keep looking and hope to find it. But for now I can't help but ask ? "Where is America?"

Post-mortem

I know that I am running a risk of becoming annoying, and that I said we would grieve for a while. So I apologize for that. As much as I tried to stay away, there is a lot being said and written in this crucial "post-mortem" period.

Here are some "get even madder" kind of news for masochists:
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1104-36.htm

Or some "why did he do that.." type for the still angry ones:
http://www.progressive.org/webex04/wx1103a04.html

And some "silver lining" news for everyone:
http://www.mydd.com/story/2004/11/4/151035/208
or
http://dailykos.com/story/2004/11/4/20722/9797
or
http://www.moveon.org/pac/news/hope.html

There is obviously lot of talk about re-thinking and regrouping and so on for Democrats
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1104-01.htm it is hard to read all of them.

And there seem to be a movement developing to pull them towards faith, God, heartland...in other words to the right. (don't have an example handy). Although I have nothing against religion or faith, this worries me a little. Therefore I am uneasy with Dem's new choice for minority leader - Harry Reid. Another semi-southerner, another moderate or conservative, centrist, anti-Roe… I am afraid when these people speak for Dems they sound too much like the GOP (as they are worried for their immediate constituency and those illusive and presumably centrist swing voters). Hence they do not offer any reason to choose them over their opponents except for "we can what they do better"…
Thankfully others like our great friend Paul Krugman are issuing calls of "No Surrender" - http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/05/opinion/05krugman.html?hp

Yes, it is obviously clear that resistance should be mounted on all levels from school or town boards to federal offices.
There is certainly lot more to read (if one wants to), and I am sure you all found something else worth reading (please send me links).
Until next time…goodbye

Some more stuff to read....If you need to.

Do not be dispirited...this is not the time (although we can grieve for a while). But people need to regroup. After all in only few years we almost broke what they where building for decades... It's just going to take longer than everyone hoped for. Let's still hope there is not enough damage in next few years to make it irreversible.
It should finally be clear - you need to stand firm for what you believe, and not be afraid that there may not be enough people that agree with it. You can't be accepted for being slightly better, kinder version of the other guy... But most importantly you need to make it clear who you are instead them defining you....(non of this is new of' course). I can write lot more, but there is no need.
Although I do not want to read much about what happened and how it happened. But this gives some good summaries:
(also make sure to scroll down to check couple of links at the bottom)

From www.dailykos.com

.....
Valuesby kosWed Nov 3rd, 2004 at 12:35:44 PSTIt wasn't the war or the
economy that killed us. It was the notion of "values". Massachusetts has the
lowest divorce rate in the nation, yet Kerry was bad because he had "Massachusetts values" or other such nonesense. We need to retake the language. We need to reframe the notion of "value". That's why Obama's speech below is so brilliant. He speaks of God in a way that not just fails to offend this atheist, but inspires me. It's faith used for the purpose of living a good life, rather than faith wielded as a weapon against a whole class of people. The wedges: gays, abortion, and guns. Democrats
have abandoned guns as an issue, and over the next three or four cycles it will prove an increasingly ineffective wedge. The NRA won. Good for them. That leaves the
two "faith based" wedges -- gays and abortion. And with great skill, the Republicans have equated those two issues with the word "value". That's going to have to change. .........

Some more

Remember Goldwaterby kos
Wed Nov 3rd, 2004 at 10:19:11
PSTDon't ignore history
In 1964, the Lyndon Johnson beat Barry Goldwater by 23 points. Goldwater anaged to carry just 6 states and Johnson won the electoral college 486-52. But the conservatives didn't give up. They didn't spend a lot of time wringing their hands. They regrouped and fought back. By 1968, Nixon crushed Humphrey in the
electoral college 301-191 and won the popular vote by a million votes. If you oppose Bush, now isn't the time to feel sorry for yourself. Now is the time to get to work.
....

Let's hope it becomes our 1964...
Also check this article.
AND on a lighter (but serious) note read this about why not to move to Canada.

Remember this defeat is certainly terrible by itself.... But it would be disastrous if nothing happens as a result of this...