Posted 7:58 PM by Blah blah

McCarthy's ghost (The Guardian): "Democracy is under threat in the United States; anyone who objects to the conflict in Iraq is not allowed to say so....

The rally to smash the Dixie Chicks' CDs and much of the impetus for the boycott of their single came from radio stations owned by Clear Channel Communications of Texas, which has close ties with Bush. The company's stations also called for the pro-war rallies that have cropped up in the past week....

[A]uthorities have been demanding records from Internet providers and libraries about what books people are taking out and which websites they're looking at.

The result is a symbiotic relationship between the mob and the legislature, whereby official repression provides the framework for public scapegoating with each gaining momentum from the other.

Most vulnerable are those who are most vulnerable anyway---Arab immigrants and non-white Americans. Men from countries regarded as potential sources of terrorism and who do not have a green card, are now required to be registered, fingerprinted and photographed by the immigration service. Many who have committed no crime but simply have their applications for a work permit pending are routinely arrested. 'Basically, what this has become is an immigration sweep,' said Juliette Kayam, a terrorism expert at Harvard. 'The idea that this has anything to do with security, or is something the government can do to stop terrorism, is absurd,' she told the Washington Post."

Here's to Moderation and Courtesy

On RBJ, Sarah started this talk about "damn the French" for their desire to have a commercial role in post-war Iraq.

Now regardless if you agree or disagree with the French, I despise all the vilifying and nastiness in America towards France and other Europeans the last few weeks, partly fueled by the Bush people. We need to work with them after the war. We need to heal the wounds that nasty words and arrogant acts have already caused. We need tact, something that is sorely lacking in both pro-war and anti-war zealots.

As Cyn said so nicely:

what if it were china instead? would it be damn the chinese? and that doesn't seem wrong to you, to damn a whole country for the action of their leaders, whether or not they support it? even if they do support it and it just happens to be against your own personal views.

see, i know there is a lot of damn those big headed shove down our throats with their democracy americans sentiments out there.

not only from 'the french'.

i think it's sad, and people at their worst, when we despise one another like this. it doesn't say much of humankind to me at all.

I replied: Hear hear, Cyn!

I say damn the EXTREMISTS on either the pro or anti-war sides.

Here's to moderation. Here's to not dehumanizing people simply because they disagree with you. Here's to having faith in others and not automatically resorting to cynicism and suspecting their motives.

Here's to respect for fellow human beings despite their opinions. Here's to courtesy.

While I'm at it, here's to Tony Blair and his push for the middle ground between two increasingly ugly, nasty sides. While I disagree with the French position, I love France and Europe.