Category Archives: Current Affairs

Varieties of Racism: the Carolina Confederate Flag Campaign

The feelings associated with this argument can run high. On August 14, 2017, a Confederate memorial statue at the courthouse in Durham was pulled down by protesters. Some of the same protesters moved on to Alamance County, and on the night of August 19, 2017 approached the Confederate statue in front of its “historic” courthouse.

The Confederate Memorial in Alamance County NC: Bigger, taller, well-guarded; still standing.
They had no luck there. The Alamance statue is much taller, much larger, and looms much higher over the courthouse square. It was also guarded by many ACTBAC sympathizers, not to mention police and sheriff’s deputies. After a several hour standoff, the protesters and anti-protesters dissipated in the dark.

Not long thereafter, yard signs began appearing on a scattering of Alamance lawns, calling for protection of such monuments as history.

So far, NC hasn’t seen a repeat of the August 12, 2017 Charlottesville VA violence over racial symbols. But as the “mega flags” proliferate, the waters are still stirring.

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The Embassy, the White House & the Bigots: Tears For Jerusalem.

Jeffress is, sadly, right that religious bigotry is not unique to him: lots of people share it. But there’s a difference between murderous bigotry and dissent:  after all, I happen to think there’s stuff that’s both nutty and dangerous in Mormon doctrine & theology; I also have serious doubts about various tenets in Islam, and others in some Jewish subgroups. (And did I mention my quarrels with much of so-called “Christianity”?)  Jeffress’s theology represents some of the worst of all (Speaking of “heresies from the pit of hell . . .”) and seeing him put by the White House front and center in a U.S. embassy anywhere, and especially in such a critical and hazardous spot, is way beyond belief.

Except that it’s true.

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After Blowing Up The Iran Deal: Anybody Feeling a Draft?

Thinking about the “backing-up-new-Iranian-sanctions-with-War” scenario, I did some searching &quickly came across several disquieting facts:

1. Iran’s population is at least twice as big as Iraq’s;
2. it’s also more homogenous, linguistically, culturally & especially religiously (90+% Shi’a Muslim; Iraq, 60/40 Shia vs Sunni); further,
3. Iranians tend to be quite proud of their country & culture even if they despise their government . . . .

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The Spooks Vs. The Brass: Will This Duel Stop Haspel’s Rise?

the generals flatly reject the excuses & assurances by Brennan and the spymasters:

We understand that some well-respected former senior government intelligence officials have spoken highly of Ms. Haspel’s experience and long record of service to the Agency. However, we do not accept efforts to excuse her actions relating to torture and other unlawful abuse of detainees by offering that she was “just following orders,” or that shock from the 9/11 terrorist attacks should excuse illegal and unethical conduct. We did not accept the “just following orders” justification after World War II, and we should not accept it now. Waterboarding and other forms of torture or cruel and inhuman treatment are—and always have been—clearly unlawful. Individuals in the service of our country, even at the lowest levels, have a duty to refuse to carry out such actions.”

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Urgent – Act to Stop Torturer Gina Haspel

Yes, torture IS already a crime. A federal felony. We don’t need Congress to pass new laws about that. Just enforce the laws already on the books. And one big step toward such accountability would be to stop the Haspel nomination.

Time is short for action to stop Haspel’s ascent. A hearing on her nomination is slated for early May.

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