iconoclasm

Move Over Merriam-Webster!

2006-07-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know what expressions like "bust a nut" mean, this website should be quite enlightening:
Urban Dictionary

Painful

2006-07-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

The situation in the Middle East is hard to watch. Considering the wide range of opinions and sides that people take on this issue all around the world, it is also clear that coming to any resolutions is virtually impossible.
I have been reading as much as I can about the current imbroglio, while keeping in mind the human lives that are lost as a result of it. It is often easy to overlook that part, especially when it is painfully obvious that news organizations seem to glorify war (e.g., using "captivating" slogans like "INTENSE FIGHTING" and "CRISIS: MIDDLE EAST," etc.), instead of using their tremendous power to incite meaningful action. I would say that, like most Americans, I have no stock in this whole catastrophe, but the fact is that what goes on in the Middle East ultimately affects the United States in many ways. The methods we use to respond to such events can either unite the world or further advance the image that the United States acts in ways that are anything but fair and balanced. Taking the latter path makes us extremely vulnerable to future acts of terror. I do not favor appeasement (remember, the world dealt that way with Hitler and then we ended up with a world war...), but I simply suggest that we need to be very careful.
As much as I usually disagree with Israel's actions and with how the United States overly favors it, I believe that Israel has every right to defend itself this time. I do wish that my tax dollars were not indirectly behind the killing of innocent civilians, but Israel is dealing with groups that deny its very right to exist as well as with leaders who want to see it "wiped off the map." It is pretty simple, really. If your neighbor wants to annihilate you, would you stand by and wait for him to do it, or would you take some sort of action to defend yourself? The Arabs and Iranians I know do not support terrorist organizations, and they want to see a peaceful coexistence with Israel as soon as possible. I think that we get to the crux of the problem here: the voices of those Arabs need to be heard and their corrupt "governments" have got to go, but how do you do that without killing innocent civilians?

Forget What's Logical!

2006-07-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

An old friend commented yesterday that we could not have an argument about the gay marriage issue because she claimed that her views were not based on "logical reasoning." Well, if we can't have discussions based on what makes sense, then there is no reason to have democratic rights in the first place. Let's just do things based soley on religious passages taken out of context. Who cares how absurd a given idea is in the 21st century, as long as it's in the Bible and interpreted "correctly" by those who consider themselves enlightened and in possession of "the truth!" Yuck.

Zizou, tu es fou!

2006-07-16T10:55:00.000-07:00

By now the whole Zinedine Zidane headbutt fiasco has basically been forgotten, but I just thought that I would put in a word about it. I don't care if the Italian player called his mother a whore, a terrorist, or any other names. The fact is that there is no excuse for such a display of immaturity. Headbutting a player because he called you a name? Honestly, didn't we get over that in the third grade? I recognize that Zidane had a tough time growing up in France as the son of Algerian immigrants, but let's stop making excuses for him. He made a grave mistake, and I hope that he pays heavily for it. Having written that, I'm glad that the Italians won because it allows me to say that Germany was eliminated by the eventual world champions in the semi-finals. Watch out though, in 2010, the world will be singing "Deutschland siegt!" instead of "Viva Italia!" when the final game is played in Johannesburg!

Rockets?!

2006-07-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

It's misleading of CNN and other news organizations to label Hezbollah's weapons "rockets." "Katyusha" are essentially artillery devices used predominately in guerrilla warfare (don't misinterpret what i'm writing, I'm not trying to justify Hezbollah's use of "Katyusha" or of any other weapons). To place these weapons in the same category as Israel's vastly superior arsenal makes it seem as if these two sides are fighting a battle on an equal playing field. I guess I should not refer to Israel's arsenal as superior, considering that their "precision" weapons do not seem to be working well...

From the State House

2006-07-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

I had to reflect a few days before writing anything about my experiences demonstrating this past Wednesday at the State House in Boston. If I had sat down on Wednesday night to write about them, my ideas would have been obscurred by an emotional sea of rage, frustration, and anger. As many of you know, legislators met at a constitutional convention (Concon) to discuss a host of issues, including of course a proposed amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Massachsetts. I have been fighting this draconian amendment for quite some time now, and I will continue to use every ounce of strength I have to spread equality to those who are willing to embrace it. This is not simply about gay rights, it is about protecting and improving democracy in the United States of America. Those opposing same-sex marriage are supporting homogeneity, something that I see as dangerous to and incongruent with a progressive democracy. I came to this country twenty years ago this August, and I can state unequivocally that one thing that distinguishes the United States from other nations around the world is how well it functions when it takes advantage of the many talents its diverse population has to offer.
When I arrived at the State House around 2:30pm, I came from the direction of the Park Street station. This meant that in order join our side, the side supporting same-sex marriage, I had to walk through several voteonmarriage.org supporters. I have a short temper, and I really had to restrain myself from using violence to plow through these ignorant fools. The first lady I encountered is in the picture above (courtesy of Bay Windows). When I made eye contact with her, I felt hate and fear looking directly at me (perhaps it was the Devil?).
To disregard these people, all I had to do was look across the street. A huge crowd of grass-roots volunteers, lead largely by MassEquality, warmly welcomed me. As soon as I proudly joined them, a middle-aged lady energetically commented, "It's much nicer over here. We're fighting the good fight." I hugged her and looked at her sign: "People of faith for equality." This exchange instilled a sense of camaraderie in me that only strengthens my commitment to this cause.
Our side chanted things like: "Gay, straight, black or white, marriage is a human right," "What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Now!," and "Hey-ho, discrimination's got to go!" We held many creative signs, including: "What if we had voted on Brown vs. Board of Ed.?," "Focus on your own family," and, my personal favorite, "Tell me, exactly how does my marriage affect you??" The opposing side had one message, chanted largely in broken English: "Let the people vote!" I find that slogan to be ironic. It signals that the public should vote on this issue, yet the groups behind it obviously want the public to legislate hate! It is a completely misleading mantra that makes it seem as if people are being denied their democratic rights when the only group affected by the proposed amendment to ban same-sex marriage is the GLBT community who would be denied basic civil liberties! The most striking difference, however, between our group and the detractors of same-sex marriage crowd was that their side had a suspicious uniformity in their protest. Their signs were all manufactured, and the people were dressed in a cookie-cutter "white-American" fashion. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with white Americans! Interestingly enough though, a chunk of these people were ethnic minorities, primarily Latinos and Asian Americans. They were "cleaned up," of course, dressed to fit the part of the typical, "proper" Southern Baptist church-goer. This difference between our group and their group leads me to suspect more shady business just like voteonmarriage's prior signature-gathering campaign that orginally sparked this crap. I also believe that people with hate in their hearts will use any means necessary to secure their goals. My conclusion: our group consisted of volunteers who came to the State House from every part of the state, taking time off from work and from other commitments, while their side bused in lots of paid people to stage their dirty show. The bottomline is that their appearance makes it look as if there are far more supporters of the amendment than there really are. If the Boston Globe is right that the majority of Massachusetts residents support same-sex marriage, then that lends even more credence to my hypothesis.
After three years, the only lives that have changed as a result of same-sex marriage are those of the GLBT persons getting married!
To be continued...

Go Away!

2006-07-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

It really pisses me off reading the latest news reports about how much Bush's visits to Germany cost. When he arrives in a city like Rostock, for example, people living in its environs are not allowed outside, shops depending heavily on tourists' expeditures have to close up, and even banners with local symbols are erected to block emblems with "Peace" written on them. I guess seeing rainbow "Peace" flags hung out of windows of ordinary German citizens' homes would just be too offensive to the President. I blogged last year about another Bush visit to Germany and how the only people who were really affected by it were ordinary folks. Since Bush decided to land in Frankfurt, Europe's second largest commercial and cargo airport, thousands of passengers were stranded for hours while the President took his merry time deplaning. Lufthansa, having its hub in Frankfurt, was forced to cancel thousands of flights that day. Losses exceeding several million Euros were reported by the airline. A single person's visit should never cost millions, but the fact that this is exactly the case with Bush's most recent visit and that it is happening in Germany's most economically depressed area is especially insulting. Will there be any kind of compensation? No, of course not. Germany "owes" the United States eternally for WWII. If I were President, I would not want to be received this way, and I would at least apologize for the inconvenience of my visit. Who am I kidding? Bush only cares about power. The concerns of the masses are irrelevant. I can only imagine the ego trip he gets out of knowing that his presence can shut down an entire city. Mr. President, please get out of Germany!

Don't Diss!

2006-07-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

I find it strange that Howard Dean's campaign for the Democratic nomination was halted because the press decided to buy into ring-wing plans to make him look "unpresidential." Apparently, you cannot give your supporters any enthusiasm, but you can say things like, "It was quite humorous, not to DISS my friend the vice president." Quite presidential, I must admit.

GERMANY DEFEATS ARGENTINA

2006-06-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

DEUTSCHLAND SIEGT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UND JETZT AB ZUM ENDSPIEL!
GOOO TEAM KLINSMANN!!!

As if she had...

2005-12-21T12:06:00.000-08:00

...a chance anyway:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/21/ny.pirro/index.html

No More Clapton

2005-12-19T17:59:00.000-08:00

More good news out of Iran:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/12/19/iran.music.ap/index.html
Man, the Iranian government is not keen on making friends as of late.

Reaction to Bush

2005-12-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

The President's speech today is alarming news. It shows that the administration's campaign of fear is not going away any time soon. Americans are told that the next attack is inevitable. "Blanket alerts" are issued. While the public is preoccupied with the thought of the next 9/11, the government surreptitiously takes away civil liberties. These rights are being taken away, not to fight the war on terror, but so that this administration can more closely monitor its political enemies and inocculate itself from accountability. In order to have the broader goals of PNAC realized, this administration needs to stay in power for a long time. Unfortunately, this formula is beginning to get old. People are catching on. Get these neo-cons out of office, NOW!
How can Bush argue that his war on terrorism is being fought mainly here at home when he's taken the war "to the enemy," "defeat the enemy abroad so we don't have to face them here at home?" How long will it take this administration to realize that the events of 9/11 could not have been prevented had the provisions of the Patriot Act been in place then. 9/11 happened primarily due to the failure of airport security. Four years have passed, and the latest in airport security technology (which exists) has yet to be put into place.
My other major point of contention (I know I sound like a broken-record by now, but I have to repeat it) with his speech is his claim that his job is to protect the civil liberties of Americans. Bullshit. This is coming from someone who wants to pass an Amendment that specifically takes away equal rights for GLBT Americans.

Good news...and bad news...

2005-12-16T18:30:00.000-08:00

Relieving news about the "Patriot" Act: http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/16/patriot.act/index.html ...Are we finally returning to respecting our Constitution, could it be?
Today's bad news (thank you, NY Times):
The Bush administration is spying on its citizens (surprise, surprise). I think this adds to the long list of grounds for impeachment. It's amazing that Clinton barely got away with getting a blowjob in the White House while this President essentially gets away with war crimes and violating International Law, specifically Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. Enough "eavesdropping" and issuing "blanket alerts!" The "war on terror" has become the administration's way of rationalizing its way out of not confronting serious issues. I'd like to see just half the money spent on our exorbitant military budget invested in education and the environment. That is the way to make our country safer. In the words of Scott Ritter, "You can train a monkey to wave a flag, but you can't train it to read and understand the constitution." Let's return to creativity.

Listen More Carefully

2005-12-15T08:14:00.000-08:00

While no intelligent person accepts Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's offensive assertion that the Holocaust is a "European myth," the international community has failed to listen to the second part of his comment. Ahmadinejad is basically arguing that Europeans should have been the ones giving up their land for the creation of an Israeli state and that Palestinians should not be the ones paying the price for European atrocities. I personally do not find that part of his diatribe offensive. When Germany was carved up after WWII, couldn't the province of Silesia have been the cite of an Israeli state? Although I cringe at the thought of an Israeli state located where 3 million Germans used to live (they were essentially raped and tortured by the Russians before being relocated), at least it would have been placed in a much more stable region.
Assuming the reason Israel was created was to give Jews a homeland in the wake of the Holocaust, then the second part of Ahmadinejad's argument is actually valid. If furnishing a homeland had nothing to do with the Holocaust and everything to do with religious ties (doubtful), then Ahmadinejad's statements are completely out of whack. Nonetheless, I urge the international community to listen more carefully to what was said. The Iranian President knew that his thoughts on the Holocaust, as disgusting as they were, would get him attention. Perhaps he hoped (foolishly) that people would focus on the second part of his statement.

YEAH!!

2005-12-13T10:20:00.000-08:00

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/13/golden.globes/index.html

Bush reads?

2005-12-12T12:39:00.000-08:00

"I read a book by David McCullough, '1776,' " he said. "You know, France helped us win the war. They didn't stay there after we won the war and try to tell us how to run the government.

"And we're not going to be able to run the government in Iraq. They're going to have to do this themselves."

Enough said.

Mongolia

2005-11-21T18:12:00.000-08:00

President Bush is currently in Mongolia, thanking the country for sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan: http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/11/21/mongolia.us/index.html
I guess Mongolia is one of the few places left where he is welcome. I certainly sleep better at night knowing that we have such a great "coalition of the willing" supporting us.

Ya Think!?!?

2005-11-21T14:43:00.000-08:00

Ariel Sharon has decided to leave the Likud party: "I decided to leave the Likud today. The Likud in its current format is unable to lead Israel to its national goals."
Why did it take him this long to figure that one out?

Icky

2005-11-19T15:25:00.000-08:00

I HATE seeing Bush wearing uniforms in order to symbolize solidarity with the United States army. Bullshit. This is nothing short of insulting coming from a man who has not served a day in his life and who was definitely AWOL. Sick.

Jarhead

2005-11-19T13:17:00.000-08:00

I don't care if "Jarhead" is a good movie or not, I still want to see it because there is a lot of Jake Gyllenhaal being naked and such...YUM. Anyone up for it? I know I am ;)

More on Madonna, errr...Esther?

2005-11-18T16:36:00.000-08:00

So Madonna's new album, "Confessions on a dancefloor," came out this week. Despite an awful new video, "Hung Up," meant to help launch the album, the new music material on it is a real trip. Put it on (preferably on a really good audio-system) and blast it...that is the only way to listen to this music. Thanks to DJ Stuart Price, the album is full of infectious beats. While critics have noted that the album seems too "pre-packaged" and "pre-remixed," I think that Madonna accomplished her goal: Return to making dance music. Also, I happen to appreciate when songs on albums blend into one another the way they do on this album. Again, she accomplishes her goal of making you feel like you're in a club. My favorite tracks are: 1.)"Hung Up," 3.)"Sorry," 7.)"Forbidden Love", and 8.)"Jump." I really wish she had left the song "Issac" off of the album. "Rollingstone" wrote that even Stuart Price had no idea how to effectively make this song a part of the album-I definitely agree with that.

They Should Be Ashamed...

2005-11-18T16:02:00.000-08:00

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/11/18/turner.cheney/index.html
Gross.
Also, don't forget that Rumsfeld SPECIFICALLY approved of 25 different torture techniques for interrogating suspected "terrorists." There has not been one documented case in which torture has actually worked. If you can find one, please let me know! The fact that this Administration is trying to change what has become customary, international post-WWII law is completely unacceptable.
Yuck.

Awkward

2005-11-08T21:30:00.000-08:00

I had a fun moment in the library elevator today that I just have to write down before I forget about it. I entered the elevator on the 12th floor with a stack of books for my Camus paper under my right arm. My intention was to quickly leave the library because I did not have a lot of time left to get to work. On the 8th floor, a very slutty-Southwest-sorostitute-type chick with the letters "B-I-T-C-H" printed across the ass portion of her sweatpants entered, looked me right in the eye, and said seductively, "Do you go...I mean...are you going down?" (Mind you, we were the only ones in the elevator) I tried to contain myself and almost answered, Sorry, I don't go for bitches, but I figured that that might not be the best way to handle the situation. In any case, "going down" from the 8th floor of the library seemed like an eternity...

?

2005-11-02T22:28:00.000-08:00

Is anyone else annoyed by cars excessively marked with bumper-stickers? Honestly people, placing a sticker on your car does not equate actively participating in a cause. The more is not the merrier. Many stickers just scream: attention-seeking (usually) ultra-liberal hippy. I was behind a car today that had the following two (amongst others) bumper-stickers:
1.)"End American Imperialism"
2.) A British flag
Hmmm, clearly this person is adhering to a consistent set of values...

Madge

2005-10-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

I just got around to watching Madonna's latest video, "Hung Up," and I have to say that I am really disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I really do like the song, but her video is lame. I think she is too talented to waste her time with a video that shows her dancing around as a sexy, 47-year-old yoga mom. Madonna calls this video "a tribute to dance;" unfortunately, the dancing in the video is neither creative nor well done, especially the "restaurant dancing" sequence (it's not even synchronized correctly). Final grade: C-

You grow up...

2005-10-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

...once you become conscious of time and understand the finite nature of life.

Love

2005-10-21T00:48:00.000-07:00

What people have said about love:

Love is not enough. It must be the foundation, the cornerstone-but not the complete structure. It is much to pliable, too yielding.
-Bette Davis

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: If there is any reaction, both are transformed.
-Carl Jung

Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence.
-H.L. Mencken

Love is the big booming beat which covers up the noise of hate.
-Margaret Cho

To me, love is just another one of those forces in the universe that evades categorization, it is something that we should thus not define or try to understand; we should just let it do its thing.

Aufwaerts!

2005-10-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

So, jetzt geht es mal vielleicht aufwaerts mit Deutschland:

Obwohl eine grosse Koalition in Deutschland moeglicherweise den Stillstand bedeutet, findet ich es die richtige Entscheidung Frau Merkel als Bundeskanzlerin zu erkennen...mal sehen was das "Schulmaedchen" bringt!

SC

2005-10-04T05:20:00.000-07:00

I believe in giving everyone a fair chance, but I feel a little bit uneasy about Bush's nominations in general. The record the public has access to about John Roberts is agruably tenuous, and now it seems as though a similiar situation is unfolding involving Harriet Miers. While Clinton tended to surround himself with intellectuals, carefully weeding out the most qualified persons for important jobs, President Bush selects his old buddies for governmental positions. The only real litmus test for Bush is loyalty. The perfect example is the Ambassador to Germany, William R. Timken. Other Presidents may not have done a much better job of selecting German Amassadors in my opinion, but this guy rewrites the definition of unqualified nominations. A businessman with minimal knowledge of the German language, Timken is clearly not the best choice for this position! Yes, his grandfather might be from Bremen and the United States and Germany are great business partners, but I think that the fact that he donated $300,000 to the Bush-Cheney campaign last year might be the reason why he finds himself in his current position.

Fuck It

2005-10-04T00:34:00.000-07:00

I don't buy any of this bullshit that Harriet Miers is going to vote in a manner that is advantageous to GLBT persons. I don't need evidence to back up what to me is absolutely common sense: Friends of Bush do not like gay people, to say the least. The interview she gave in 1989 proves that she is evasive on the topic and that she is also one of those Christians who supposedly have no problem with homosexuality just as long as homosexuals actually do not touch one another. Give me a fuckin' break! Both Roberts and Miers are poster-children for 1950s America, duh.

Memories

2005-10-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

I listened to The Darkside of the Moon today for the first time in a very long time. Never has this album seemed so short. Granted, it is only just over forty minutes, but it always seemed to last much longer back "in the day (yeah, I know, but I am actually not referencing the obvious conflation with certain substances)." As is true for so many people, this album brings back so many memories, both amazing and disappointing...

What Comes Around Goes Around

2005-09-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

All I have to say is karma: http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/28/delay.indict/index.html

Cool

2005-09-27T19:37:00.000-07:00

I found a great website: http://www.againstbombing.com
Also, be sure to have a look at http://www.againstbombing.com/peacegroups.htm, a website that essentially encapsulates how I feel about the dangers of Zionism and shows how extremist Israeli groups influence United States foreign policies.

And in other news...

2005-09-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/09/27/playboy.suit.ap/index.html

I need to find myself a 90 year-old sugar Daddy...

Es ist ja kein wunder...

2005-09-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

...dass aus dieser politischen Suppe keine Mehrheit zu stande kommen kann: http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/09/19/germany.election/index.html

Des fois, elle me parle...

2005-09-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

Quelques mots de G. Sand qui correspondent exactement a mes pensees et a une certaine situation qui m'enrage a ce moment:

"Moi, je crois qui l'opinion politique d'un homme, c'est l'homme tout entier. Dites-moi votre coeur et votre tete, et je vous dirai vos opinions politiques."
Indiana, deuxieme partie

War on the Weather

2005-09-18T11:07:00.000-07:00

My fellow Americans, a few weeks ago, our nation was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Our country now faces a new enemy, one that knows no limits. The weather and the environment are the new enemies of the 21st century. They can run, but they cannot hide. Therefore, I am declaring a war on the weather and any environment that supports it. We're also creating a new Department of Weather Control. We will hunt down and kill any storms by any means necessary. Our strategy is to remain firm and resolute, defeating these natural disasters abroad so we don't have to face them here at home.
Thank you, and may God bless America.

Wanderlust

2005-09-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

I still feel really overwhelmed. Although I really like all of my classes, I feel like it is literally impossible to stay on top of all of the reading. Also, I do not like Marcel Proust. My great-uncle would surely tell me that this appreciation will come later in life, just as his appreciation for certain musicians came to change over time. Right now, however, that does not do me any good. What is strange is that I am in fact enjoying the book, How Proust Can Change Your Life (Alain de Botton). It's witty and fun to read. I still wish I could say the same for Proust's actual writing en francais. Pour le moment, c'est certain que je prefere un bon roman de George Sand qui n'eloigne pas le lecteur de l'intrigue...
Random transition. Things are changing rapidly, and I cannot really yet decide whether or not these changes are good or bad. I am concentrating on what is important and trying not to be too upset over things that are somewhat out of my control, for example, certain close friends going insane. C'est la vie.

Dear Amherst College Elitists,

2005-09-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

I heard today that you are passing around a petition demanding the withdrawal of your great institution from the 5-College Interchange Program. Although you could have chosen other perfectly valid reasons for this proposal, you instead decide that your main reason for this is that students from "less reputable" schools are somehow polluting your classes. You feel that those students are less motivated and less willing to work hard. Unfortunately for your argument, the opposite is decidedly true: Students from other colleges who take classes at other schools have made the effort to do so. Some of these students commute rather large distances in order to take these classes. It is also my experience that students participating in the Interchange are highly motivated, otherwise they would not be interested in the program in the first place.
I will confidently add that the average UMass student works harder than the average Amherst College student. In addition to an average course load of five, the average UMass student also has a job in order to help pay for their education.
I am currently taking a class at Amherst college. I must say that the French classes at UMass I have taken have so far been more engaging in comparison to this class. In terms of the intellectual prowess of the students in this class, I must add that I am somewhat disappointed. I have yet to be enlightened by your wisdom.
Sincerely,
A hard-working UMass student

Overwhelmed!

2005-09-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

Classes have started again, and I am feeling pretty overwhelmed. It might be a while before I generate another meaningful post!

It's amazing...

2005-09-05T12:16:00.000-07:00

how one man can undo so much progress in such a short period of time. It's amazing how one President cannot get away with having an affair while another gets away with actions that adversely affect the lives of millions of people. It'll get worse before it gets better because we still have three more years of dealing with this fool.

HELP!

2005-09-01T15:12:00.000-07:00

Please donate to the American Red Cross to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
http://www.redcross.org

Remember?

2005-08-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

From the second presidential debate in the year 2000:

MODERATOR: Should the people of the world look at the United States, Governor, and say, should they fear us, should they welcome our involvement, should they see us as a friend, everybody in the world? How would you project us around the world, as president?
BUSH: Well, I think they ought to look at us as a country that understands freedom where it doesn't matter who you are or how you're raised or where you're from, that you can succeed. I don't think they'll look at us with envy. It really depends upon how our nation conducts itself in foreign policy. If we're an arrogant nation, they'll resent us. If we're a humble nation, but strong, they'll welcome us. And it's -- our nation stands alone right now in the world in terms of power, and that's why we have to be humble. And yet project strength in a way that promotes freedom. So I don't think they ought to look at us in any way other than what we are. We're a freedom-loving nation and if we're an arrogant nation they'll view us that way, but if we're a humble nation they'll respect us.

Besides the fact that he is not really conservative at all, I could never support this President because of the endless list of broken promises and lies that are synonymous with his record.

Don't Mess With Texas

2005-08-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

I'm off to the great state of Texas! I'll be spending time with my parents, my dog, and I'll be seeing my sister for the first time in almost two years. As much as I wouldn't want to live there, I still appreciate how different this state is, and I enjoy learning about its interesting history. I look forward to new beginnings and to facing new challenges when I return. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Where Do I Sign Up?

2005-08-03T01:27:00.000-07:00

I'm genuinely concerned about President Bush's lazy schedule. Honestly, I think it's insulting to every American that the man who supposedly has the world's most important job gets this much time off:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/08/03/bush_poised_to_set_vacationing_record/
Highlights:
He's about to take 33 days off. He refuses to work nights and weekends. His days include a two-hour breaks for "exercise sessions!"
I think I could do his job . . .

Sketchy...sketchy...

2005-08-03T00:34:00.000-07:00

Personally, I'd like to see the governor stay here and do some work: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/08/03/romney_plans_official_trip_to_israel/

Change

2005-08-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.
-R.W.E.

Fantastic!

2005-07-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

I went to Starbucks this morning to get my daily fix, and the baristas were joking around about a new initiative by corporate to make customers feel good. As a former barista, I had to ask what this was all about. One of the workers told me that key words were now placed around the register and pastry case areas. The baristas have been instructed to use wonderful words like "fantastic," "thoughtful," and even "fabulous" to ensure that customers have an "exciting" day. I can't help but think about "Office Space" and flair. All of this makes me glad that my days of working retail are over!

Somewhat Relieved

2005-07-24T01:52:00.000-07:00

I read an article in The New York Times Magazine today that calmed (some of) my fears regarding the recent nomination of Justice Roberts to the Supreme Court.

"What's more, if the Supreme Court over-ruled Roe v. Wade or its school-prayer decisions tomorrow, abortion wouldn't become mandatory. Instead, the states and Congress would have the power to regulate abortion or to allow prayer if they chose to do so. That means that the most controversial questions in American life would ultimately be settled in the court of public opinion, regardless of what the Supreme Court says."

While I'm not sure that I trust the "court of public opinion" on all issues, I definitely feel that there has been a lot of unfounded hysteria surrounding the Supreme Court. If you find yourself caught up in that, check this article out.

There You Have It

2005-07-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

Today's wrongful killing by London police proves yet again that the "killed or be killed" mentality does not work.

Kerry Quote

2005-07-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

I remember a quote from the second Presidential debate that still feels eerily relevant:
"The President didn't find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, so he's really turned his campaign into a weapon of mass deception."
That campaign lives today.

X&Y

2005-07-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

My advice for today: Go out and buy a copy of the new Coldplay album, it rocks! Much like A Rush of Blood to the Head, X&Y is a muscial journey that is perfect for a long drive. Don't forget to turn it up though so you can hear the subtle sounds that are the foundation of this band's effectiveness. Chris Martin also does not shy away from being emotional (not maudlin, there is a difference), and he sings about the joys and pains of love. The song "Fix You" definitely made me cry, and I can't remember the last time a song did that to me. I also like picturing him singing because I find him so...yum.

Just A Smile...

2005-07-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

...from a stranger can have a huge impact on your day. As I was driving a passenger this morning, a middle-aged woman across from me at an intersection warmly smiled at me. These exchanges are exactly what the world needs.

Who Are These People?

2005-07-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

Some guy from Washington state called in on C-SPAN this morning to ask Senate Judiciary Committee member Leahy a question that really irked me. The topic of discussion, of course, was Leahy's opinion about Bush's nomination of Justice Roberts to the Supreme Court. Leahy simply stated that Roberts ought to be evaluated in the same way that all nominees have historically been evaluated. I cannot quote the caller directly, but in response to curbing violence against women (an area of contention many critics apparently have with Roberts) in this country, the caller claimed that violence against women would somehow diminish if abortion laws were changed. In other words, if abortions were illegal, violence against women would clearly decline. Yes, Mr. Washington state caller, you got it!

Just A Thought (Or Two)

2005-07-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

I do have to give President Bush credit for artfully nominating a very young judge to the Supreme Court. Justice Roberts is only 50, so if he is confirmed, Bush knows that the conservative agenda will be alive and well in the United States even long after the end of his presidency. Notwithstanding, I believe Roberts deserves a fair chance, and that certainly includes a thorough inquiry about his record.
Let's get Karl Rove back into the headlines!

The Civilian Death Toll

2005-07-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

Here's what I've been anxiously awaiting, and now I'm really upset.
25,000. Wow.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0719-12.htm

One Of My Favorite...

2005-07-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

...Bushisms:

"Well, we've made the decision to defeat the terrorists abroad so we don't have to face them here at home. And when you engage the terrorists abroad, it causes activity and action."—Washington, D.C., April 28, 2005

Yes, Mr. President, you've caused quite a flurry of activity and action. Thanks to your policies, terrorists are now more motivated to strike than ever in history. Oh, and we're more alienated from our allies than ever before. Yikes!

Untitled

2005-07-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

When the smoke cleared
The rest was just anticlimactic
I saw someone drive onto my road
Then they went through the gates
That used to always be closed
I didn't follow
Home was where my conscience lead me anyway

Off to...

2005-07-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

Where to?
London, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, or Rome?
It's a guessing game
That makes me smile
I usually know the answer
Though it's the moments
Of uncertainty
That make this all worthwhile
Watching
I can pretend to go
Where I would want to go
So
Thanks to them
I can almost feel the sand
Or see the wrinkles on my grandmother's hands

Was It Worth It?

2005-07-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

It is tragic that the number of American service personnel that will be dead (1,700 so far) by the end of the war in Iraq will perhaps equal or exceed the number of Americans who died when terrorists attacked on September 11th, 2001. Unfortunately, I do not have a report on the number of civilian casualties resulting from this war (not that it even matters to some Americans because American lives are obviously the only ones that count anyway), but coupled with that number, the total loss of human life is staggering and it becomes clear that all of this was prodigal. This administration has not learned that fighting death with even more death is plain ridiculous, and it has not even caught the architect of the September 11th attacks. What happened to the old adage that "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind?"
All of this death and destruction has done nothing to make the world a better or safer place. This administration has ignored domestic issues (except seeking to pass amendments that tell Americans how to lead their lives and giving jaundiced tax cuts) and turned all of its energy to a flawed foreign policy predicated on fear and hatred. The fact is that this agenda has done much more harm than good and has done nothing to improve the actual safety of Americans here at home. For Americans, the world is a more dangerous place because the populations of most nations now consider the United States, not Al-Qeada, the greatest threat to world peace. The war in Iraq has cost $300 billion precious tax dollars that could have been spent on education, health care, the environment, or any number of domestic issues and that spending would really have improved the well-being of Americans.
What happened to the days of pragmatic politics that gave us the longest boom in United States history, a multi-billion dollar budget surplus, an economy that created 15 million jobs, and a forty-year-low unemployment rate? All of this seems far away because Americans are constantly told to be afraid, and this leaves Americans unable to seriously focus on getting back on track. Is that not what the terrorists want to accomplish?

Is It Any Wonder...

2005-07-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

...that the world hates us given what these people have to say:

1. From Karol at alarmingnews.com :
She wrote a silly blog and entitled it "Remember to hate them back."

2. From the insightful Jessica at thenewvintage.blogspot.com :
It could be that the terrorists are doing some more 'clever' math by striking on 7/7/2005, or perhaps, if you add the 2 and 5, you get three sevens in a row which is supposed to mean something. What, I don't know. Is that Allah's number?

Anyway, just speculating.
The fact that she would not even begin to understand how this might be offensive reveals her character (or lack thereof) almost entirely.

3. From Jason :
Yo betteratFL350, perhaps your ideas do make more sense to people at Flight Level 350 (approximately 35000 ft.), but those of us closer to sea level, with proper oxygen running through our brains, beg to differ.
In other words, anyone who disagrees with him is a moron. Also, the blatant fallacy of this statement speaks for itself.
(How he has added anything constructive at all to any conversation is still a mystery)

4. From Mary :
Which campaigns to "spread democracy" are you objecting to? WWII? The Korean war? If we restrict the count to the war against terrorism, the Islamists, like most genocidal totalitarians, are already responsible for a huge body count.
Another blogger who thinks that Islam is synonymous with terrorism. The fact that she cannot enumerate the campaigns I was alluding to leads me to believe that she is just plain myopic.

I could go on, but I think these little examples illustrate why the world believes Americans are ignorant and still have a cowboys and Indians mentality. I wish these bloggers would rid themselves of their hubris, but something tells me that this is already too much of an atavistic feature of their personalities.

A340-600

2005-07-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

She's a real beauty.

The Irony of Vintage

2005-07-14T16:27:00.000-07:00

At first I was upset that a certain blogger attacked me personally and twisted my words in a feeble attempt to make me look ignorant, but now I find that blogger's rant simply amusing on the basis of its utter stupidity. One of the definitions of vintage is "marked by excellence and maturity." Can anyone take this blogger seriously or consider her even remotely mature when her foreign policy ideas are based solely on the welfare of Israel?
Here is her racist blog: http://thenewvintage.blogspot.com
Pay close attention to her comment about Allah. It is scary how acceptable it is nowadays to write something like that! If someone posted an equivalent comment about Jews, charges of Anti-Semitism would be flying left and right! I guess there is more than one irony here . . .

Justice Racist

2005-07-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

Rehnquist's record (just a brief list):
-Supported Plessy v. Ferguson
-Did not support the Brown v. Board of Education decision
-Wrote an memorandum in 1970 that suggested limiting the implementation of the Brown v. Board of Education decision
-Supported "Whites Only" primaries in Texas in Terry v. Adams
-Voted to grant tax exempt status for Bob Jones University (Yes, that's the wonderful institution of "higher education" that wants to sustain the purity of the white race)
-Owned property containing restrictions on the sale of his property to non-whites and Jews.
This is merely a compendium of "Justice" Rehnquist's record. I am not even going to begin to write about how his pernicious decisions in the Supreme Court curtailed rights for gay Americans . . .

Annie Dillard

2005-07-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

I've been reading a book called The Writing Life by author Annie Dillard. I came across a remarkable passage:
"Out of a human population on earth of four and a half billion, perhaps twenty people can write a serious book in a year. Some people lift cars, too. Some people enter week-long sled-dog races, go over Niagara Falls in barrels, fly planes through the Arc de Triomphe. Some people feel no pain in childbirth. Some people eat cars. There is no call to take human extremes as norms." (14)

London

2005-07-07T14:29:00.000-07:00

In response to the United States raising the terror level to "orange" or "high," I have to state that this action is utterly ridiculous. Reports have been conflicting all day, but I do remember repeatedly hearing journalists cite that no specific information of any attack regarding the United States exists. In other words, our government knows absolutely nothing, so it is going ahead with raising the threat level because it can come up with no other solution. Better to be safe than sorry, right? Again, Americans are being hoodwinked into a state of panic, and as I wrote earlier, scared Americans might be more willing to accept the curtailment of personal liberties by the government under the pretext of "homeland security." The fact is that we can actually do very little to protect our citizens from people who want to strap a bomb to themselves and then detonate it. Bush and Blair are right that the terrorists do not have an iota of respect for themselves or for mankind, but they are wrong in assuming that the solution rests in responding with more violence. While my suggestions are certainly not infallible, I believe, until proven otherwise, that the correct response rests in strengthening our internal security.

Storms

2005-07-06T14:39:00.000-07:00

I watched a thunderstorm develop today as I was driving my van at work. It is incredible how perfectly synchronized the elements in the atmosphere have to be in order for this natural phenomenon to take place. The moment before a storm hits is strangely halcyon. While wild animals take this as a portent and run for cover, most humanoids barely take notice, continuing to do whatever it is that they were doing. I watched one girl on her cell-phone, eating a burger. I wonder if she made it to safety or if she ended up with soaked buns . . .

Freakin' Texas

2005-06-30T17:24:00.000-07:00

"If there's a state that has more lenient views than Texas, maybe that's a better place for THEM to live." -Texas Gov. Rick Perry, June 5th, 2005

"A Jew is for me an object of disgust. I feel like vomiting when I see one."
-Joseph Goebbels, April 1936

My question is: Why doesn't Gov. Perry just come right out and say how he really feels about gay people? At least the Nazis were explicit . . .

When will the hatred end?

It Looks Like A . . .

2005-06-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

The Jingoist

2005-06-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

I have had just about enough of this president! His speech last night was reminiscent (as so many of his other speeches have been) of a nationalist party rally: It was filled with vague terms designed to engender fear in the hearts of American citizens. If nothing else, this administration understands that a frightened public will be eager (or so it thinks) to do almost anything to protect its safety and that has historically been one of the ways nationalistic governments both gain and retain power over a populace. I have to add: No, Mr. President, the United States is not yet the beacon of freedom you presume it to be because a lot of people are not free. It is hypocritical to sell freedom abroad when you do not have it at home. You are, afterall, the President who proposes writing discrimination directly into the constitution . . . so much for strict interpretation and classical conservatism! Does he really call himself a Republican?

It is time for the United States to move out of this jejune position and to transition into adulthood. Seriously, I feel like I am parenting a teenager when I critique this administration. It is only logical that a primary way to bolster our national security is to implement the necessary measures here at home. Mr. President, this is not a game of G.I. Joe! The time has come to do more to secure our ports and to protect our vulnerable nuclear power plants. Airport security is nothing short of laughable. Would you take your job working for airport security seriously for minimum wage payment? The United States needs a smarter foreign policy, not one dictated by fear, special interest and lobbyist groups, and missionary zeal.

Route 128

2005-06-29T00:58:00.000-07:00

We left the house around the usual time at shortly after nine in the morning, took a left out of our driveway and headed directly toward the first intersection. I could feel the black, plastic seat cushion of the bike digging uneasily into my buttocks. My short legs felt heavy, dangling uselessly and uncomfortably beneath me as I looked up to feel nothing but the dull March air on my face. My mother pushed the bike rapidly, and as we crossed the street, I could see tiny pearls of sweat building on her pasty face. She had black bags under her eyes which crept even below the frames of her unnecessary sunglasses. It did not, however, seem as though she would ever end this trip because of something as trivial as fatigue. My mother, possessed by some force I could not understand, would stop at nothing to get what she needed.
We continued down the crumbling sidewalk along the busy road, passing the unorganized parking lot of the IHOP to our left. A corpulent woman in a gray coat got out of her Oldsmobile and mumbled something to my mother. It sounded something like, “B-e-c-a-r-e-f-u-l.” What she had said was a mystery, but I figured out that the woman seemed discomfited by our presence. In response, my mother sloppily waved her hand at the woman, gesturing disapproval. Perhaps the headphones my mother wore tightly around her ears also prevented communication from happening. She was blasting the music so loudly that I could almost make out each word in a song, even with the din of the traffic passing us on the right.
Suddenly, I realized that the scariest part of the trip was just beyond the next intersection. I could feel every tiny hair on my body shoot straight up as I thought about the crossing. I could smell the gaseous air approaching. I had done this so often that one might assume a certain comfort out of pure familiarity with the situation, but there is nothing calming to a young boy about crossing a bridge over highway, sitting on a bike being pushed by a frail mother. Before making it anywhere close to safety, we would have to cross an off-ramp, an on-ramp, the actual bridge, another off-ramp, and the final on-ramp.
Crossing the first off-ramp was not a problem because I was easily distracted by the enormous car dealership on our left. In my mind, the big red letters seemed to span the distance of a football field. MUZI FORD, they read. The sheer number of cars being sold was also a diversion for me. I thought, how could there be nearly enough people in the world to buy all of them? As the dealership faded behind us, a narrow path continued ahead to the first on-ramp. I was not distracted anymore. The only thing to look at was a completely naked tree with its thin, dark branches clinging on for dear life. Somehow, that tree gave me strength. I wondered how long it had stood there, completely alone, right near a highway. Did it ever get lonely? If the tree could endure being there everyday, I thought, I should surely be able to survive a few moments of closeness to the highway.
Right before the going over the on-ramp, I looked down at the yellow grass, which wasn’t ever any other color, no matter the time of year. Its blandness seemed to indicate that life was not meant to exist there. The only signs of human existence were empty gum wrappers and cigarette butts defenestrated from passing cars. When I looked up again, we stood directly before the on-ramp, watching the cars rocket by. It took several minutes before the crossing could be made because the traffic was quite heavy mornings. I watched those drivers intently. They all had looks of confusion, sometimes even of disgust, on their faces. Their expressions established that something was out of place about our presence.
As we began to cross over the bridge, I felt my entire body tremble. The sidewalk was extremely narrow, such that my whole body shook each time a car passed us on the right. I tried to focus on the fissures on the path but even that did not distract me sufficiently because on the left, the only thing that separated us from the depths of the highway was a poor excuse for a fence that curved just slightly above our heads. I imagined the most terrific scenarios. What if my mother were to somehow slip, tipping the bike over? I closed my eyes and tried to let the draft created by the rushing cars, now both from the right side and below from the highway, carry me away. That calming technique hadn’t ever worked before, but I wanted it to. I wanted to escape. When I opened my eyes again, I predicted what it would be like to jump onto one of those moving cars below. Where would they take me? I thought about how jumping onto one of the trucks would be even more exciting because I could lay flat down on an elongated roof and watch the sky. I watched the way one truck, strikingly red in color, rushed toward me. Like a freight train barreling ahead, it created a howling sound under my feet, and it seemed as if the entire earth rattled as a result of its passing. It was fantastically frightening. Oh yes, jumping on it would have been grand. I wanted to be a hero.
“Watch out!” I shrieked as the sound of a car horn droned out quickly. We had reached the second off-ramp by now, and my mother’s lack of attention had created a nerve-wracking situation. That car had only been a few inches away from annihilating us.
“Yeah, yeah,” was the only response my mother was able to let out, not even fazed by what had just happened.
“Mom!” I retorted, quickly realizing that she wasn’t even listening.
My mother took out a cigarette. A Marlboro Red, the “fastest ticket to death,” according to my father. She coughed as she lit up, sounding almost as if she were choking. As usual, I got really worried and hit her back gently, trying not to fall off the bike. It was a false alarm, just one of her smoker coughing-fits. An odious plume of smoke proceeded to fill the air around us as we continued to forge ahead in our quest to cross the last on-ramp. This on-ramp was easy to cross because the traffic-light ahead was red, leaving no on-coming traffic to worry about.
We trudged down the sidewalk, only ten feet from a Shell station.
“Hey, got a light?” A husky voice asked, startling us.
“Yes. Just a moment,” my mother said. She took an usually long time to find the matches she had just used seconds ago to light her own cigarette.
“Here you go,” she lit his butt for him.
“Thanks, God bless ya,” the man responded, quite hurried. He coughed as he ran back to the gas station. A strange, however familiar, bitter-sweet smell trailed closely behind him.
The image of that man stayed with me until we reached our destination. He was quite a hefty individual, his beat-up, army-colored clothes stretched almost to the point of breaking around his body. For some reason, I pictured him stumbling down a street, being interrogated by cops. He seemed to be the type. Dirty, smelly. I knew that someone like him could only be up to trouble. As my imaginative thoughts about that man faded, we had finally reached the store where my mother let me roam around a bit. She went to the usual corner of the store, picking up a bunch of little clear bottles. She also picked up some beer: Six red cans. Standing between the aisles, I felt like all of the towering wine bottles above me would cave in on me, so I quickly ran back to the front of the store where my mother was already paying. She was laughing with the man at the register. Interesting, I rarely saw her laugh at home. What was there to laugh about in this awful place?

GRE woes

2005-06-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, I've been spending a lot of time learning new vocabulary for the GRE test I will be taking in the Fall. Now that I've learned quite a bit of new words, I can't help but question the utility of them. Seriously, if I'm going to call someone a coward, I'm actually going to call them a coward and not a dastard. I'm not going to refer to them as pusillanimous either. If I see an impecunious mendicant on the streets, I'm definitely just going to call that person a poor beggar or, better yet, just a beggar. I'm convinced that all of this GRE vocabulary is merely catered towards pedantic erudites.

Pourquoi?

2005-06-24T00:28:00.000-07:00

Lorsque on ecrit ou on lit en francais, presque chaque phrase peut apparaitre intellectuelle. Il vaut bien la peine de decouvrir pourquoi on a cette impression de la langue francaise. J'ai une amie qui a dit une fois en classe qu'elle lit un roman en anglais quand elle veut se divertir, mais quand elle veut s'engager de maniere plus profonde, elle lit en francais . . .

PBS

2005-06-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

I am glad we have Molly Ivans to elucidate the drama surrounding PBS: http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0617-27.htm

Independence Air

2005-06-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

I flew Independence Air yesterday from Hartford to Washington, D.C., and I must say that I like the fact that these kinds of low-cost carriers do not pretend to be something they are not. Although I was almost offended by the fake blue leather seats, I weighed the pros and cons carefully and concluded that I would rather pay less than engage my visual sensations. Why do I need a snack on a fifty minute flight anyway? Again, I would rather pay less than receive a tiny pack of desiccated gold fish. On the whole, my experience with Independence Air was somewhat sketchy, but it was punctual. I cannot recall being on-time on any previous domestic flights on more "respected" carriers . . .

Ein deutscher Spruch

2005-06-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

So lange Du noch Kind kannst sein, so lange ist der Schluessel zum Paradies noch dein.

The Light

2005-06-14T13:18:00.000-07:00

I took the scenic route to my friend's house last night, and while driving I saw hundreds of fire-flies illuminating a corn field next to an old barn. Had I not been running late, I would have stopped to watch for a while. This sight reminded me to stop bitching about the humidity and to enjoy the beauty of the season. These creatures thrive in humidity, and if the weather had been any different, I would not have been graced by their luminous display. Not long ago, I was complaining about the frigid winter, looking forward to warm summer nights. I guess living in the moment sounds good but is sometimes really hard to do. A special thanks to those fire-flies who reminded me to be alive and aware.

They Don't Really Care About Justice

2005-06-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

I have to vent about the allegations against Michael Jackson and about how unfairly he is portrayed by the media. To see Jackson dragged so shamelessly through the mud is painful. I grew up listening to this man's music, and I even emulate (to the best of my abilities) many of his trademark dance steps. Yes, I have been known to put on a performance of Billie Jean at parties, especially after a few good drinks in my system. I not only admire Michael Jackson as performing artist, I also applaud how much he has done to help people. Jackson is not just in The Guinness Book of World Records for having furnished the world's biggest selling album, Thriller, or for having put on the highest-grossing world tour in history, but he is also in it because he contributes to more charities than any other celebrity. He has used his status to make a difference, whereas a lot of today's artists engage in relentless self-aggrandizing. Jackson is a humanitarian as much as he is an entertainer. He is a maverick who launched the music video as a respectable art form, and with Billie Jean he was the first African American artist to have a music video on MTV.

What does any of this have to do with the sordid situation he is in today? Everything. If it were not for his enormous celebrity, no one would have gone after Michael Jackson. It is around the time when Jackson reached the zenith of his career (I call it the Dangerous-era), that the first allegations of child molestation surfaced. By this time, he had become a billion-dollar empire. With the song Heal the World and with the subsequent Heal the World Foundation, Jackson's love for children really became synonymous with his persona. At award shows and press conferences, Jackson talked about how many of the world's problems could be ameliorated by giving children unconditional love. More than anyone else, Jackson understands this because of his own troubled childhood. At the 1993 Superbowl half-time show (watched by 120 million people), Jackson even performed Heal the World surrounded by children. Stop. Put one and two together here. An "eccentric," "bizarre," and conveniently super-wealthy popstar plus an unwavering love for children equals what? Extreme vulnerability. Thus, the golden opportunity for extortion: Use Jackson's love for children and turn it into something salacious for eventual personal profit.

It did not take very long before someone, Evan Chandler, had the same idea, and in August of 1993, the first allegations came out. Evan Chandler is the father of Jordy Chandler, the first accuser. The Chandlers met Michael Jackson when he stopped by their car dealership to fix his car, and he invited the family to visit Neverland. Jackson became close with Jordy, in exactly the same way Jackson had always befriended literally hundreds of other children. Jordy's father became upset with Jackson when he realized that Jackson was not going to provide him with money to bolster his failing screen-writing career. The perfect scheme was hatched. Evan Chandler tried to get his son to admit misconduct on Jackson's part; when Jordy refused to comply, father Chandler drugged his son up and brought him to a psychologist. Under the influence of heavy drugs, Jordy revealed to his shrink what his father had asked him to detail. The media had a field-day with the news when the psychologist alerted authorities, and Jackson's image was sullied.

In 1994, GQ magazine printed an uncovered phone conversation of Evan Chandler's in which he says, "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I've checked that inside-out. I will get everything I want, and they will be destroyed forever . . . Michael's career will be over. It will be a massacre if I don't get what I want." Michael Jackson eventually settled this case out of court for a whopping sum of about $22 million dollars. The media claims that he "paid off" his accuser. However, Jackson never admitted any wrong doing in the settlement. I think he had the power to make the nightmare of the allegations go away and so he decided that that would be the best way stop the onslaught on his character. Nevertheless, the question must be asked: If Evan Chandler wanted justice, why was he so quick to take Jackson's money and run? As soon as the word settlement got out to Evan Chandler, he dropped all charges. I know that if my child had been molested, I would not rest until a criminal conviction was attained. This case, just like today's case, was about one thing and one thing only: Money.

Indeed, Michael Jackson is a strange man when compared to the hoi polloi. His own words, however, say a lot: "When you grow up in front of 100 million people since the age of five, you're automatically different." While this explanation fails to cover the plastic surgery, Bubbles the Chimp, or any of the other oddities we associate with Jackson, it captures the general picture. When a person grows up under such constant scrutiny, coupled with childhood abuse, he or she barely has a chance at escaping severe psychological scarring. There is, however, a perfect reason why Michael Jackson makes a lot of people uncomfortable: He evades our schemas and causes incongruence. His skin no longer appears to be black, yet he is certainly not white. He is neither masculine nor truly feminine. His sexuality is somewhat of a mystery (although I have my own thoughts on that matter). In this sense, Jackson is like the serpent in Greek mythology, eluding conventional categories. Thus, instead of accepting him for who he is, people make jokes and use other humor to come to terms with him. It would be nice if people could finally surmount such rebarbative defense mechanisms.

While it would be ideal if Michael Jackson produced another amazing record and again dazzled the world with his magic, I now only hope that he stays out of the limelight and concentrates on healing himself. Besides, he does not need to make a "comeback" because his influence is and has always been everywhere. Never again will an artist produce a record that sells over fifty million albums worldwide. Michael Jackson will always be the King of Pop and that's that.

Welcome!

2005-06-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

My best-friend inspires me to join the burgeoning world of blogging and its bloggers. Also, I am in desperate need of a forum where I can express my feelings, and it seems like this blogging thing might just fill that void. Aside from that psychoanalyic drivel, I also honestly attribute my sudden interest in blogging to summer boredom in bucolic Western Massachusetts. I would never do this during a school semester . . .

My weekend consisted of enjoying gay-pride in Boston. I read an article in The Boston Globe today that reported how in 1971, there were about 100 marchers in the parade. According to event organizers, over 8,000 people marched in the parade on Saturday. While I know that there is so much left to do in terms of civil rights and that the road to equality is practically infinite, those numbers are comforting. It's okay to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, etc., at least here in Massachusetts. In Galveston, Texas, however, the situation seems to be nothing less than harrowing. My mother just told me about "conversion signs" she has been seeing everywhere, even on highway billboards. I asked her if she woke up any given morning with the question, "Do I want to be a lesbian today?" Case in point: If straight people cannot become gay, then gay people cannot become straight. I have an idea: Let's open conversion schools for confused (cute) straight men. Who cares about their feelings, at least my dating pool would increase significantly!