EU speaks against Syria strikes

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The EU has urged the U.S. to wait until the U.N. report comes back before it takes any action.  Note how the French have made a stupid statement that the U.N. report is basically not needed.  Yep.  That tells me more than anything the U.N. is very important to the assessment of what is going on and who is doing it.  I am increasingly suspicious that it isn’t Syria doing it….then the question is…who is…?

The lie of privatization and schools

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Two topics that might not seem interrelated popped up this morning–the mindless demands that children perform like cogs….and the privatization of Walter Reed.  Note that the only ones who truly benefit from this are the profiteers.  The children don’t reach their true potential and the most vulnerable–the sick and elderly–don’t get the care we are capable of giving them….

(hat tip Diane Ravitch for Robert Rendo’s comment)

 

 

…and now, a view from the non-sponsors of war…**edited

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(This post is on religion, so if it’s not your thing…)

I thought I’d dig up info on churches that don’t believe in war.

First, the Quakers. …the belief of inner light…of God’s presence within…

Second, the Church of the Brethren.

The Mennonites and Amish are also peaceful churches.  Some Amish were jailed during the Vietnam war because they refused to obey the draft notice.

From the Mennonite link:

It is easy to fall into the common belief that democratic freedoms can only be attained or preserved through war. But history proves that democracy and freedom have also been preserved by brave people who stood up for justice.

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**edited to add:  Gah, how could I forget the Unitarians, who also believe in peace.

Finally, a bumpersticker I have:

Honor the dead…

…with peace

(which I have never put on my car, ironically because I feared my car getting even more scratched up than it did when I put the Kerry bumpersticker on it.  Pretty sad, eh?)

Selling the war

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It is truly disgusting watching the mainstream media falling all over themselves trying to sell this war.   My past blog on the media’s culpability in selling Iraq….

As yet, I haven’t seen any of them mention the Russian warships en route to Syria.  Putin states that Russia will help Syria.  Note that “help” includes weaponry.

Last night, CBS shows a visual of people being forced to kneel as the captors aim their rifles.  Scott Pelley then says “we won’t show you them being shot….but you will hear the gunfire…”  and then proceeds to air the execution.  Shame on you, CBS, for using such graphic tactics.

It’s hard for anyone to ignore that.  You want to help these people.  You don’t want to see anyone suffer. 

…but what you don’t see is the media’s same concern, for, say, Chicago.  To take a nod from Stephen Colbert, who rightly pointed out that “if we were going to war over people being shot, we should invade Chicago. ” 

Why isn’t the media that concerned with what is going on at home?

Dianne Feinstein said that her constituents are very much against us bombing Syria….but with a smug smile on her face says, “…but they don’t know what I know….”  She reminded me of a middle schooler who says “I know something you don’t know.”   ::giggle giggle::  It was patronizing and once again shows how little D.C. is concerned with the opinions of war weary Americans.

Has anybody else noticed that they’re not talking about the uptick in the stocks since the announcement of going into Syria?

This just in from Canada’s Global News.  Note that other world leaders are questioning whether Assad  is to blame for chemical use. 

Weiner goes off on Rabbi

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Another angry voter has words with Anthony Weiner.

Notice that he doesn’t dismiss the Rabbi like he did this lady.  He doesn’t tell him to “relax” and he doesn’t accuse him of trying to get attention like he did the angry woman who voted for him.

This drives home his view of women, imo.  Angry women who call him on his bull are to be patronized and dismissed.  Angry men are not.

….and you don’t see men on the sidelines encouraging Weiner to put the angry man in his place….