Philadelphia Folk Festival

Last year I wrote about attending my first Philadelphia Folk Festival in years. Last year I was incredibly huge and couldn't volunteer, but we'll be pulling our weight this year. It's 3 days (this year, August 17th to the 19th) of music and harmony (in every sense of the word) and I would say that it can be an almost religious experience. For 3 days a year on a farm in Schwenksville, everyone gets together (some camp, some don't) to enjoy amazing music (this year's theme is Through the Looking Glass!!!) by mostly independent artists. There are plenty of things for families to do together, and there are even children's music performers!

Last year a lot of people wrote me and said, 'Why didn't you tell us a month beforehand so that we could plan to go?" So, here's your warning. If you'd like to go and you don't want to camp, we're about a mile from the site. Bring your bike and you can ride up there (warning: there are hills in PA).

On the Eve of Our First Revolution

We don't feel much like celebrating. On the eve of our first revolution, we do not feel independent, not when our President can wiretap our phones and check our library records. We are in a country so currupt that a political movement is nothing but an empty gesture. I want so badly to believe in my country and those who have sworn to protect it. I am embarrassed that there are men and women fighting and DYING because they believe in the ideals of this country and we're letting it happen because we don't.

We're having a wake instead. We are mourning the passing of the presence of the American People in politics as well as the deaths of those men and women who died truly defending freedom. The 3,584 US Soldiers who died in Iraq have lost their lives for a lie, and the 26,350 US Soldiers wounded in the Iraq war will have to live with that for the rest of their lives.

To prove that you're worthy of this country, take part of the naturalization test. My husband and I both got a 100%.

No News, Part 2

I was watching the Colombian news this morning and it struck me - our news really isn't as relevant to us as Caracol is to its people. In addition to the sports, weather, and major news stories for the world and the country, they always impart some sort of cultural or societal information and go to the various regions of the country to get their take on whatever the subject happens to be. From watching the Colombian news for a few weeks I can learn about how to eat right, cultural food traditions from all over the country, what various regions feel their contribution to Colombian culture is, how language and dialect varies throughout the country, favorite vacation spots and how (and why) the preference for beach, mountain, or jungle resorts changes depending on their state of origin, and many other things (including history, science, technology, etc...).

In a country of 30 million people with a struggling economy that has been mired in civil war for over 50 years, journalists can bang out a spectacular 60 minute news program (with commercials) filled with relevant news from the country, the region, and the world, and report what's significant, regardless of where it's happening. In contrast, in a country of 300,000 million people with one of the strongest economies in the world, the news from America will be 30 minutes long, have possibly one ACTUAL story that MUST be relevant to Americans, will contain NO cultural or societal analysis, and will avoid (all all costs) any REAL questioning of the government or its politicians.

And CNN.com's new format has made this information MUCH more difficult to find:
3,576 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
26,350 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

And Now For Something Incredibly Frightening

c/o The Department of Homeland Conspiracy

Contingencies for nuclear terrorist attack

Government working up plan to prevent chaos in wake of bombing of major city

As concerns grow that terrorists might attack a major American city with a nuclear bomb, (why the concerns? Is there something you're not telling us) a high-level group of government and military officials has been quietly preparing an emergency survival program that would include the building of bomb shelters, steps to prevent panicked evacuations and the possible suspension (ending) of some (all) civil liberties.

Many experts say the likelihood of al Qaeda or some other terrorist group (Bush & his Dick) producing a working nuclear weapon with illicitly obtained weapons-grade fuel is not large, but such a strike would be far more lethal, frightening and disruptive than the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. (The attack "they" didn't stop) Not only could the numbers killed and wounded be far higher, but the explosion could, experts say, ignite widespread fires, shut down most transportation, halt much economic activity and cause a possible disintegration of government order. (Oh no "we"can't have that)

The efforts to prepare a detailed blueprint for survival (who's Survival? the governments?) took a step forward last month when senior government and military officials and other experts, organized by a joint Stanford-Harvard program called the Preventive Defense Project, met behind closed doors (why the the closed doors? what do "they have to hide?) in Washington for a day-long workshop.

The session, called "The Day After," was premised on the idea that efforts focusing on preventing such a strike were no longer enough, and that the prospect of a collapse of government order ("they" seem obsessed with keeping ORDER) was so great if there were an attack that the country needed to begin preparing an emergency program.

Please read the rest of the post here.

Faith-Based Decisions

The Supreme Court seems to be making a lot of decisions based on faith and very few based on justice lately. One of the most recent involves giving millions of tax dollars to faith-based charities with the justification that taxpayers do not have the "standing" to challenge the White House. What the HELL does that mean? We don't have the "standing"? Aren't we the ones who pay their salary? Aren't we the ones who elect them? And we don't have the political standing to sway their decisions or forced them to make moral and ethical ones.

But to show I'm not biased, I agree with the Supreme Court's ruling on the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" case. Though I think the student has a right to free speech, and the school shouldn't be able to do anything if he's talking, say, in the cafeteria, about doing bong hits for Jesus, to put it in writing at a school-sponsored event is a violation of school policy and he should have been punished. Parents have the right to expect that their children won't be exposed to advertisements seemingly promoting drug or alcohol use (though I believe profanity should be allowed).

3,566 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
26,129 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

Stop the Hate

On Flimsy Sanity there is a discussion going on about racism. Several people have taken the "what can you do" approach, and that it really disturbing for me. The don't-make-waves culture of America has gone to far and everyone is so concerned about Political Correctness that they have completely forgotten about Actual Correctness.

It is NOT okay to be racist. It's just not. Don't make excuses. Don't say, "everyone has to hate someone". Don't laugh uncomfortably and walk away. It is WRONG to hate someone because of their race. Yes, everyone has a right to their opinion, but if their opinion is offensive or intolerant, YOU have the right to call them on it. all you have to do is say, "I am not a racist person and I would really appreciate it if you would not make those comments/jokes around me." How hard is that?

It is NOT okay to proselytize. Again, let's not make excuses. It is not okay for someone to come to my home and try to convince me that the way I am living my life is wrong. It is WRONG to try and make everyone think that if they don't believe what you believe, they are going to hell. You shouldn't have to hide inside, turn the TV down, and pretend you're not home. Open the door. Say, "I am an adult. I know all about religion and I am not interested in hearing what you have to say. I don't appreciate you coming to my home to tell me that how I'm living my life is wrong. Please don't come back here again." Then shut the door.

In Other Countries...

I am getting a little tired of the argument that because something isn't working perfectly in another country, that it cannot possibly work here. Why do people assume that Americans, with all their intelligence and ingenuity, would not take an idea and run with it? Why do they assume that we cannot make something our own. Yes. There are problems with Universal Health Care in other countries. Okay. What can we do to minimize those problems? Yes. France has issues with immigration, too. Does that mean it's okay for us to have an old an outdated system that causes us nothing but problems? Absolutely not! And you say that I've lost hope. our education system is leaving millions of children behind a year, but let's not look at Japan, Switzerland, or Canada, because those countries have problems, too. Just ignore that their students have fewer problems and higher test scores. If a system has ANY PROBLEM AT ALL, it MUST be a failure.

I'm also annoyed at how often this principle is applied to politicians, as in, "they're all corrupt" or "they all spin information". Does this make it right? HELL NO!!!! This is play yard mentality that I attribute partially to the American education system, but that's besides the point. Yes. ALL politicians lie about one thing or another. Does that mean we should accept it when they do, especially when those lies do something like SEND US TO WAR WITH A COUNTRY WHO DIDN'T ATTACK US? Are you kidding me? If all of your children lie instead of just one, does that make it more acceptable?

And does ANYTHING make this more acceptable:
3,501 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
25,830 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

Worth Reposting

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler, Mussolini, Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos slogans symbols, songs and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

Media Cover-Up

In this article, 20 journalists (such as Dan Rather) describe the ways in which corporate media ownership prevented them from reporting important - and often troubling - stories. Rather than allowing these stories to air and letting the people decide their importance, they were stifled by corporate brass and the threat of pulled sponsorship. Some writers and journalists have even been fired.

Not all of these stories would be detrimental to the government, but they would have an impact on the profits of key government employees. Some expose things like the expensive and pointless war on drugs or the hormones put into our milk supply, but others talk about the detaining of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay and voter fraud in the 2000 election. Most important is the reason why all this censorship is possible - the consolidation of the country's major news outlets.

Let's not forget that in a fascist government the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives, sometimes under the guise of consumerism. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

Especially this weekend, but as always, take a look at these faces:
3,435 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
25,378 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

Military Censorship

The military has put MySpace and YouTube on a list of sites that are banned for soldiers to access from government computers. They say they are doing this to boost productivity, just as other employers have done, and I would believe that if MySpace and YouTube weren't the major means of communication among soldiers in Iraq. I know my cousin uses it to check in with his wife and the rest of the family, all in one click. If it weren't for MySpace, we would never know what's going on with him because he just doesn't have the time to email all of us.

Another friendly reminder: In a fascist nation media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

These voices have already been silenced:
3,400 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
25,245 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

Military Sexual Trauma

Sexual assaults on women in the military are on the rise, and it's safe that the military is attributing it to a better reporting program rather than an actual rise in crime. This means that military officials were aware that women in service were being raped and assaulted. 2,947 sexual assaults were reported last year, but women who work in fields dominated by men are less likely to report an assault, and much less likely to report an assault by someone they work with. For women who have been assaulted and do report it, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a major problem, and Veteran's Organizations have made help available, but with the morals and ethics we expect of our soldiers, this really shouldn't be happening in the first place.

Just a friendly reminder: The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution. It's time for women to band together. One my first actions will be to attend the Mother of a March on May 14th, the day after Mother's Day in Washington DC. We'll be meeting in Lafayette Park at noon. It's time, ladies.

And let's not forget about the mothers of these men and women:
3,380 US Soldiers killed in Iraq
25,245 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

The Long Arm of the Law

An peaceful and legal immigration rally turned into a nightmare for many when police officers used clubs to hit people and fired rubber bullets into a crowd, hitting women, children, and journalists. Due to the controversy, 60 police officers have been taken off the streets. LA is lucky that Latino immigrants were a lot more peaceful than those who rioted after the Rodney King verdict, but it seems not much has changed in the police force since then.

In the area of Kansas torn apart by tornadoes, 4 uniformed soldiers from Fort Riley Army Base and a uniformed reserve police officer who had not been called to duty after the disaster were arrested for looting.

Governor Corzine of New Jersey is back to work today, only weeks after his driver, a State Police Officer, slammed the car into a guardrail at 91 miles an hour. The Governor would have been in better shape if he had been wearing a seat belt (as required by state law).

So, if we cant trust the local police, the state police, the soldiers who are supposed to defend us, state officials, and those running our federal government, who can we trust?

3,377 US troops killed in Iraq
25,090 US troops wounded in Iraq

National IMPEACHMENT Day

Today is National Impeachment Day. For those of you who disagree with the job President Bush has done and will continue to do, please call attention to the administrations impeachable offences today on your blog. If you can't do that, put up a sign in your front yard, in your window, on your car, or write it on your forehead. Here are just some of the reasons why President Bush and Vice President Cheney should be impeached:

President Bush pressured the EPA to clear the area around Ground Zero so that construction crews and first responders would get to work earlier.

The Bush Administration has consistently denied the existence of Global Warming until recently, and has taken no steps to improve the condition of the planet.

President Bush and his Administration completely mishandled everything involved with Hurricane Katrina, including the evacuation, the housing of survivors, and the clean-up effort.

President Bush introduced and The Patriot Act, which puts no limits on what the government can do to form a case, arrest, and detain a US Citizen without telling them what they're being accused of or allowing them access to a lawyer.

President Bush ordered the illegal wire-tapping of US Citizens.
.
Presdident Bush allowed the torture of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghrab.

President Bush and his Administration initially lied to the American people about why we were going to war with Iraq, and has continued to lie about the purpose of the war, the management of the war, and what is happening to our soldiers.

And let's not forget:
3,334 US Soldiers have died in Iraq
24,912 US Soldiers have been wounded in Iraq

The Imus Double Standard

I think Don Imus is an asshole. I don't like him, but I don't get to decide how people choose to entertain themselves. Imus was fired for making a racist and sexist comment, but no one has really mentioned all of the other people on the air whose comments have been just as bad or worse. Bill O'Reilly, for example, has referred to Mexicans as wetbacks and has NEVER apologized. Ann Coulter recently called John Edwards a faggot, but apparently that doesn't count because she had to go to rehab. Rosie O'Donnell has used a very offensive "Chinese" accent on The View. I haven't even mentioned all of the rap "artists" who use offensive language on their albums, but no one is stringing them up.

And while America was paying attnetion to Don Imus, few people noticed that Karl Rove and his staff deleted hundreds of emails over the course of several years.

3,302 US soldiers killed in Iraq
24,645 US Soldiers wounded in Iraq

Disney - Gays Are OK

Though Disney has never actively discriminated against homosexual visitors, they have made their policy even more inclusive by changing the requirement that those participating in their Fairy Tale Wedding program have a legal marriage licence. Of course, this probably has more to do with revenue than common decency, but for a major US company to publicly admit that there is a large enough population of homosexuals for them to make a profit from could be the beginning of some actual social change. Most of this country revolves around money, after all, and once it becomes okay to exploit the gay population, it also becomes okay to BE homosexual. The military HAS actively discriminated and continues to do so.

3,268 US soldiers have died in Iraq
24,476 US soldiers have been wounded in the us

12,000 more National Guard soldiers (if they're in Iraq, who will guard the nation?) are being sent to Iraq in addition to the 21,000 "Troop Surge" that President Bush said would stabilize Iraq. Tell me again how this ISN'T just like Vietnam.

The Death of Habeas Corpus

I was going to say that I have no idea how this was overlooked by the American people and the American media, but I know exactly how. The breaking of the Mark Foley scandal was timed exactly to cover up the Senate's passing of a Bill giving the President the ability to bypass the Writ of Habeas Corpus. For those who are unaware, bypassing the Writ of Habeas Corpus gives the government the opportunity to hold detainees who have been labeled as "the enemy" for extended periods of time without contact with a lawyer and with no idea when the accused will be granted the right to appear before a judge or receive a fair trial. But let's not talk about impeachment.

Profanity

As an English teacher, the significance of words means a lot to me. Words are powerful, if you use them correctly. I have always been intrigued by the power people give to certain words, as it they should somehow mean more when there are other words that mean the exact same thing but are somehow less offensive. For example, I heard one of my neighbors tell her ten-year-old son to use the word buns instead of ass and I thought, "What's the difference? He's just substituting one word for another, and all you're really telling him is to use a different word around you." Why should he do that, especially when everyone knows he's going to say ass when he's around his friends and buns when he's around his mom. It's not a sign of respect that he doesn't use "bad" language around his mother.

The truth is, there's really no reason not to use "profanity". The actual definition is "to treat (something sacred) with abuse, irreverence, or contempt", and the last time I checked, asses, shit, and sex certainly weren't sacred (unless you're uber religious, in which case your opinion doesn't count). Some of the smartest people I know say fuck all the time. Does that cancel out the rest of what they say? No. So what's the big fuckin' deal? Why does it really matter if you say poop instead of shit or ass instead of tushie? It only really offends those who have a fucking stick up their asses so far that they believe their shit doesn't stink. Why humor those people? Why limit our freedom of speech just because it upsets someone? Putting up a front so as not to offend anyone is pretty much just lying about who you really are.

*NOTE: Please note the definition of profanity in the title link. Words that are considered to be name-calling or hate-speech, such as bitch, cunt, nigger, spic, etc... are not in the same arena as the so-called seven words you can't say on TV. Though people have the freedom to use these words if they chose, they are considered to be inflammatory when directed at a particular person, and are NOT socially acceptable for general usage. In any case, I DO NOT demand that people stop using them, however, I will not allow their usage in my presence. Part of a free society is the ability to walk away (or delete if necessary).

Freedom From Want

This is another one I think should be reworded. I think this should have been stated as, "freedom from need". No one is ever free from want. There's always something bigger or better or more beautiful, and it's only natural to desire those things. But it's the needs Teddy Roosevelt was trying to take care of.

He wanted us to have affordable shelter, which is steadily becoming an impossibility for landlords to provide and renters to find. He knew that healthier workers were more productive, and so he thought health care for those who couldn't afford it was a good idea. The problem is, now most Americans can't afford health care without some help from their employer. He thought we should be fed at least once a day if we weren't working, and should be able to afford three squares if we were. The price of organic food is so high only a small percentage of the population can afford it. Processed and engineered food is so expensive that even soldiers and teachers are on food stamps. The air we breathe and the water we drink is polluted.

We are not and can never be free from want, and even Mr. Roosevelt was aware of that. It would be nice, though, to know that we can take care of the basic necessities of life without morgaging our futures and closing out our bank accounts.

Freedom of Speech

I think this is a natural succession from the Freedom From Fear post. Fear is what limits our freedom of speech. Censorship is nothing more than the fear that people will repeat what they hear or that someone will be offended by what is said. I'm pretty sure the Bill of Rights doesn't grant the freedom of speech as long as it doesn't offend anyone. One of my favorite quotes is from a song Fern's friend wrote. "PMAC (Parents Music Advisory Committee), you are not my parents and never will be." Warning labels on music, videos, TV shows, and video games are really for lazy parents who don't take the time to find these things out for themselves before allowing their children to listen to, play with, or view them. Putting an age limit on the purchase of such material is also wrong. If parents don't know what their kids are buying, that's their problem.

Here's another one of my favorite quotes, this time by someone much more famous. Voltaire said, "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Besides the whole perjury and yelling fire in a crowded room thing, I think people should say anything they choose and must be prepared to be judged by what they say. No one should ever have to apologize for their words if they mean them. In fact, it takes a much bigger person to stand behind a view that is unpopular than it does to apologize for making their true feelings known.

Freedom from Fear

Despite President Roosevelt's carefully written and well-meaning words decades ago, I do not feel free from fear. In fact, I believe my government has become the personification of fear.

As a woman, I am afraid. I am terrified that myself or my child will be raped, become pregnant, and be forced to have the baby when the decision of what to do with our own bodies is finally taken out of our hands. I fear I have few advocates within the government. Women make up a small percentage of all three branches even though we are a little more than 50% of the population. Maybe affirmative action isn't just for schools and businesses anymore. I am afraid that I will not be able to afford the health care that being a women entails - regular visits to a gynecologist, birth control, breast exams, etc... I am afraid that my child will eventually be sent off to fight in a war that has no merit, no benefit, and no hope of being "won".

As an educator, I am afraid. I shudder at the thought that my lessons will have to be scripted to ensure that they are preparing students for standardized testing. I fear that I will be forced to pass students who have not earned a passing grade so that the "success rate" of the school looks good on paper. I already have too many students who come to me in 8th grade not being able to write a coherent sentence, form a decent paragraph, or read anything longer than two pages. I am afraid that I am failing them, that I am not doing enough to fight for them, and that in the end, this will be a less educated nation because I was too scared to stand up for them and therefore, lose my job.

As a citizen, I am afraid. I do not trust that those in government are looking out for the best interests of their non-corporate constituents. I do not believe that my tax money is being spent responsibly. I fear that accountability and transparency in government are things of the past and we are moving toward an era of secrecy and betrayal. I feel that my government is an intruder, not a protector. I am afraid that in 10 years, we will all be speaking Chinese. I am afraid to run for office because I know my privacy will be invaded, those around me will be targets, and every mistake I have ever made will be quietly scrutinized and made public when it suits my opponent.

We are not free from fear. We are a nation of people cowering under our beds, waiting for the White House to crash down around us any minute. We have become used to fear, almost comfortable with it, and do more to ignore it than to rid ourselves of it. Isn't it about time we refuse to be afraid?