I just had to post this.

It's about time someone wrote this article. I know it's grossly unpopular to not support our troops, even in the peace movement, but I still don't. I don't get weepy and choked up every time I see a yellow ribbon or an American flag. Our soldiers made a conscious decision to join the military - and yes, I'm well aware of the racial and economic bias involved - and they had to know that war is always a possibility. Killing someone so you can get money for college is pretty damn revolting, and I'm not going to let that be an excuse for someone who should be held accountable.

Ha. Ha ha. Hahahahah. Hahahahahahahahahaha.

Two posts in one day - look out!

If you too are a sports nut, it is integral to your dating relationship that she enjoy being a sports spectator as well.


No, it's not. It's never been "integral" in any relationship I've been in to suddenly become a fanatic of whatever hobby my boyfriend had. And maybe the reason women don't get crazy over sports is because we don't really find it interesting to watch men with substandard IQ's scratch their balls and chase each other, unless of course, you're talking about gay male porn.

I gave this man the best years of my life. Evidently it wasn't it vain.

If you start to really look at this war - I mean really contemplate and extrapolate all the consequences of it, you begin to wonder why you were blessed with intelligence and rational thought.

I’ve always had qualms with the military in this country (well, any country, to be specific). As a woman, I've been fascinated with women who have joined our military despite the blatant sexism involved, especially since women typically have the "nurturing" gene to deal with. I would personally go to any front line and bandage the wounded, but I could never pick up a gun and kill someone, no matter how great the cause. That has a lot to do with my politics, but my biology as well.

Women who join the American military already have several strikes against them. They are considered the brains and not the brawn of the situation. They can operate fighter jets, manufacture weapons, devise battle plans (if given the chance), but no military man wants to see a woman with PMS with a gun fighting alongside him.

What's worse (you've got to see this one coming) is that our female soldiers stationed abroad are denied a fundamental right (for the time being) as an American woman: the right to a safe medical abortion in a military hospital. They are left with the choice of carrying the baby and being assigned to a desk job, or to seek inferior medical care. And the government will not pay for abortions that are the result of incest or rape. Seeing as how our military leaders can't seem to cap the sexual assault problem in our military, this is worrisome.

It's bad enough that I'm sure the majority of these assaults aren't reported. If they are, it's extremely rare that the person who perpetrated the assault will be punished. Only one male cadet has been faced with a court marshal, and he was acquitted.

The stunning lack of equality here is sickening. When you control a soldier’s body - with violence or sexist politics - you also control her options. Women are allowed to be grown-ups in their military careers, but aren't to be trusted with the decisions that affect their bodies and the rest of their lives. Women will never be seen as truly equal until they are able to have a life and career that progresses like a man's - without the burden of a child.

Also important to think about: the brutalization of women by our soldiers who are overseas. I know, I know, no one wants to think about Yankee Doodle Dandy sticking it to some 10 year old Iraqi girl, but trust me, it's happening. In addition to the fact that the majority of refugees left by this war will be women and children (eighty five percent, to nail it down), it's estimated that twenty-five percent of them will be pregnant, either from the "coalition" or assaults within their own community.

When considering a relief package to help the Iraqi people, we need to remember what's happened in Afghanistan. After our blessed military whooped up on the area, they hightailed it and now the country is run by thugs who use almost any means necessary to intimidate the Muslim population. One particularly threatening tactic: rape gangs. In addition to pregnancy, these victims have to worry about HIV, and the social humiliation that comes with "adultery" (i.e. being stoned to death).

Reproductive care has to be essential to any relief package that is drawn up by our country, the UN - whoever will take it on. Not only will it save lives, but also it will give a small amount of power back to women who have had everything stripped from them by this war. In a crisis situation, access to health services is limited, and implementation must be immediate. Risking women's health and lives with additional harmful restrictions is unacceptable and inhumane.

Think about it. Support it. The whole world is watching.

It's been a little over a week since the confirmed start of the war, and I'm happy to see that closet liberals (or people with common sense, as I like to call them) are finally getting their act together and doing something. Even locally, two groups have cropped up in support of peace. If you live in the 64468 area and are interested in participating, email me and I'll give you the info.

Susan Sarandon got booted from hosting a luncheon given by the United Way of Tampa Bay (Florida again!?) because of her anti war stance. The chairwoman of the organization said they didn't want to give Sarandon a "platform" for her politics. According to the United Way of America web site, the philanthropic organization helps rally funding for "helping children and youth succeed, strengthening and supporting families, promoting self-sufficiency, building vital and safe neighborhoods and supporting vulnerable and aging populations." Therefore, one would assume that possibly they would extend that mission, if in nothing other than thought, to the rest of the world, resulting in opposing the war. Evidently there were a little over three dozen complaints about Saradon speaking, and this was enough pressure for the board to cave in.

Again, I ask, and whoever can give me reasonable answer gets dinner on me: What is so subversive about promoting peace, diplomacy, justice and deomcracy?

"Speak with your voice of flaming insight, that kept us awake at night, in one bed and apart, my old flame..." - John Vanderslice

You know, if a kid did something like this, we'd accuse them of being childish. Of course, it's also childish to beat up someone for no reason, but let's not get too picky.

Mac has such a great mind and ability to write. Check him out.

I want to write about reproductive freedoms and the war, but I'm having such a good day I don't want to ruin it. Instead, I'll give everyone a dose of hipness!



Music you should be listening to:

Hot Hot Heat: Especially the last two albums. "Touch You Touch You" is my favorite song right now, and my roomates are so sick of hearing it I think they're going to dump me into the 102 River.

John Vanderslice: May 7th is the release date for "Life and Death of a Fourtracker" - so preorder it now on Barsuk.

The Mars Volta: Suspicious links to At the Drive-In.

Nada Surf: Yeah, that's right - the "I'm Popular" band. They're back and kicked everyone's ass at SXSW. Check these cats out. I'm serious.

The Fire Theft: SDRE reprise. I've been waiting for this since I last saw Jeremy.

Afro Cuban All Stars: Can't beat 'em with a stick.

Mirwais: Some of these things belong together, but this isn't one of them. This is Steven's influence on me. Check out "Junkie's Prayer".

The Dismemberment Plan: Despite the fact that Travis is a warmonger and they're essentially breaking up, they will always be one of my top ten bands. Listen to "Emergency and I" and you'll be a fan for life.

"Why are you wired in to the wall? Why are you wired in it at all?" Hot Hot Heat - Touch You Touch You

What a surprise!

Well, Bush has asked Congress today for the Yearly War Bonus - to the tune of $75 billion. Here's the breakdown, at least the one that's being made public:

*$63 billion for the war effort ($53 billion to deployment of troops for five months, $5 billion to restock weapons, and $1.5 billion in payment to Pakistan and "other unclassifed expenses"...CIA?)
*$8 billion for international aid and relief (but only to nations that are in the "coalition", not Iraq)
*$4 billion for my personal favorite, Homeland Security
*$3.5 billion for Iraq ($2.5 billion for the all important oil feild repairs - let's not lose sight of why we're fighting)
*any left over will go to various other countries that kiss Bush's ass

All in all, this could spell a $400 billion deficit for our country - and it's doubtful this war bonus will even cover the majority of the war. And after you do the calculations with this budget, this does not leave much for the rebuilding of a "democratic" Iraq. Is that because that's not a priority for Bush, or because he doesn't plan on following though at all?

Sometimes I really hope that this is some horrible, terrible nightmare I'm having. It's so surreal, at times I think I must be delusional. Is all this really happening? I would like to say truth is stranger than fiction...but to reference Micheal Moore, we are living in ficticious times.

Several good friends attended the international Sigma Tau Delta conference this weekend. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Brian Fish for winning third place in the personal essay category, and Jed Murr for winning first place in the research paper category. Two of my friends - internationally recognized authors! Way to go guys!

Bravo to Micheal Moore for showing some balls last night. I wish that man had more internationally televised platforms to speak through. Gael Garcia Bernal, who needs his own web page, also broke from the script and spoke out on the war. Considering I was already in love with him, I am now convinced he is as near perfect as can be.

It's rather shameful that an industry that prides itself on freedom of expression did it's very best to suppress anything that might cause ratings to drop. While I realize the majority of the "artists" there last night think with their bank accounts rather than their souls, it would have been nice to see people express such subversive ideas as peace and justice. And I think I just hit on something there...why is promoting democracy and dimplomacy so offensive? I consider those particularly mature political ideals. I just wish our government did. Everyone who is opposed to this war has the obligation to make their views known, in any medium they can...and those who did last night reached millions. For us ordinary citizens who would love to have a chance to do that, it's hard to understand why so many were silent. Silence equals complicity.

Yesterday I decided to go hiking to kind of clear my head. I'd been listening to arguments about the war, endless media coverage, and slogans from the previous night's protest were still ringing in my ears. Luckily, I hadn't been in Chicago, where the slogans were "Killers!" countered by "Idiots!"...but I digress.

So I drive on down to Burr Oak Woods and head to the nature center before I start trailing. They had a new display...and it was of...

SOFT SHELL TURTLES!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who are unaware, I have a strange and unnatural fear of soft shell turtles. I'm not sure where it came from, because I've never actually encountered one in real life or anything, but just the thought of them is enough to make me cringe. I don't know why...I think it's the way they look...their snouts, their feet, eyes...icky ew! Disturbing on so many levels.

So of course, I couldn't tear myself away from the display. There were two of them in the tank. I was actually shocked to find out they live in Missouri (I'm not exactly a wildlife buff, you know), so now I suppose when I'm out walking late at night by myself I'll be terrified a soft shell turtle will attack me out of the dark.

Eventually, I had to be literally drug away from the tank. It's a good thing too, because if not, I'd probably still be there pondering what a trip Mother Nature is.

Recently, a not so serious "love interest" asked if I could love someone, or be in a relationship with someone, if they supported the war.

No.

Why? Well, this war comes down to fundamental issues of peace, death and justice. The convictions I hold that shape my pro-peace stance in this conflict are representative of the way I choose to live my life, and in time, choose to teach to my children. I don't think I could build a life with someone who, in theory, felt it was better to kill than negotiate diplomatically, and thinks the United States has the role of political bully on the international stage.

Is it overly dramatic to say that a person who will jump at the chance of war might also let that attitude slip into their everyday lives? Maybe. It's not just that they're for war, but what that attitude says about their entire system of principles and effectively how they live their lives and treat other people.

Perhaps it isn't just that they support legalized murder - maybe it's that I have a sneaking suspicion that the majority of people who support this war haven't really considered what it means. Blindly following the masses - that's something I cannot abide in. Anyone who reasons this situation is bound to come to the conclusion that peace is preferable. I can't love someone who hates, and furthermore, doesn't think.

To quote a certain filmmaker, war is fun when you know you won't die. It's true. Journalists are ready to piss themselves to give a report wearing a gas mask. Peter Jennings has hit critical exhaustion and is ranting about his patriotism. Average Joe Bob is finding a platform for his unoriginal American pride tirade on talk radio. Kids wearing "Visualize whirrled peas" teeshirts are spewing anti-war rhetoric on the front lawns of schools - but only during lunch hour. Your local neighborhood protest has turned into a mass drug deal and/or meat market.

Is anyone really thinking about this war out there?

Don't give up, and don't stop protesting. Use this link to find demonstrations in your area. Call the president, the senate, your city council - any phone number you can get your hands on. If you were loud before, double it. Show Bush that you still care not because you will win, but because you are right.

I'm sure we could all use some cheering up, and nothing will do that better than an advertisement for a feminine hygiene product put out by LYSOL, for the love of god. That is seriously screwed up. Although I'm sure it doubled well as a spermicide.

I don't really know what to say. I knew this was coming, but had some idealistic hope that the majority of the public opinion of the world might impact the decision more than it has.

I am ashamed to be an American. We are greedy, arrogant and prejudiced. This is an unfair military action disguised as a humanitarian regime change, which disguises the fact that it's motivated by oil, which in turn disguises the fact that it's motivated by the hatred of a culture and a religion. Innocent people have needlessly died. Many more will. And because these people don't reside in Manhatten, much the governement of this country will consider that "collateral damage", if they acknowledge it at all.

Instant karma's gonna get ya.

Sticky note found on desk in Oval Office:

Dear Democracy,

Fuck you.

Sincerely,
George W. Bush

Oh, it's a cruel world.

If you have not seen "Y Tu Mama Tabien" yet, get your lazy caboose out to your neighborhood rental place and rent it! I watched it again last night and was pleasantly surprised by it's beauty.