Posts by patio34

This is all so interesting. I've put some books from this thread on my list now too. Barbara Kingsolver is very enjoyable, but I read only Turtle Moon (was that the name?).

Oh, Mulan, I read Princess by Jean Sasson---very interesting and tragic!

So many books and so little time, lol!

Pat

19

Hope Negative? Why humans r violent

by patio34 in

i thought this little poem purports a lot about the damage that hope in unreality can do and why there are "bad" humans.

at the point where hope and reason part, .

lies the spot where madness gets a start.

Well put, Mark. I think all these aspects are true inasmuch as humans, because of their intelligence, are very diverse. Survival of our species will be a very strong determinant I think in not letting things go too far---I hope!

Pat

11

Limbaugh on the Front Line!!!

by patio34 in

this is really hard to believe.

talk about propaganda.

i've signed the petition.

patio34

This is really hard to believe. Talk about propaganda. I've signed the petition. It's all so unfair!

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-farrell25jun25,1,2680437.story

COMMENTARY

Limbaugh Has No Place on the Front Line

By Mike Farrell

June 25, 2004

"Do the right thing." These were Secretary of State Colin Powell's words of advice to the Wake Forest University class of 2004 in his May 17 commencement address. Then Powell issued an incontrovertible condemnation of the actions of U.S. soldiers' abuse of Iraqi prisoners: "Our nation is now going through a period of deep disappointment, a period of deep pain over some of our soldiers not doing the right thing at a place called Abu Ghraib?. All Americans deplored what happened there."

Well, perhaps not all Americans. There's at least one American who has publicly praised, condoned, trivialized and joked about the abuse, torture, rape and possible murder of Iraqi prisoners. This American does not appear to be going through "a period of deep pain." This American has instead called the abuse "a brilliant maneuver" and compared it to a college fraternity prank: "This is no different than what happens at the Skull and Bones initiation," he said.

He excused the actions of our soldiers this way: "You know, these people are being fired at every day. I'm talking about people having a good time, these people, you ever heard of emotional release? You ever heard of need to blow some steam off?"

Who is this American so unlike "all Americans," as Powell described us? Rush Limbaugh, host of the nationally syndicated radio program, "The Rush Limbaugh Show."
Limbaugh, of course, is entitled to express his views, however bizarre, ill considered and offensive. I would never dream of telling him what he should or shouldn't say. But that doesn't mean that radio stations have to pick him up. Just as he can speak his mind, they can choose to air his show or not.

That's why I was stunned to learn that one full hour of "The Rush Limbaugh Show" is broadcast every weekday directly to our soldiers in Iraq and around the world ? to nearly 1 million U.S. troops in more than 175 countries and U.S. territories. Moreover, it is the only hourlong partisan political talk show broadcast daily to the troops.
Limbaugh's show is broadcast by the Department of Defense's American Forces Radio and Television Service, or AFRTS. According to its website, "The AFRTS mission is to communicate Department of Defense policies, priorities, programs, goals and initiatives. AFRTS provides stateside radio and television programming, 'a touch of home' to U.S. service men and women, DoD civilians and their families" outside the continental United States.

Why should American taxpayers pay for the broadcasting of such inexcusable views to U.S. troops? Why, at a combustible moment like this one, would we be funneling Limbaugh's trivializations to our men and women at the front? Does Limbaugh's pro-torture propaganda really qualify as "a touch of home"?

On CNN on June 2, Pentagon official Allison Barber defended the continued broadcasting of Limbaugh, saying broadcast decisions are "based on popularity here in the States." But Barber also acknowledged that AFRTS based its programming decisions not only on ratings but on content too. Barber explained that AFRTS did not carry Howard Stern's radio show ? which draws more than 8 million listeners a week, but which has also recently been the target of massive FCC fines for "indecency" ? because "his issue is one of content that is not appropriate." AFRTS carries programming from National Public Radio, but only news and features. It does not carry any partisan political talk show other than Limbaugh's.
By choosing the Limbaugh show over any other, even in the wake of Limbaugh's recent remarks, the Pentagon and indeed Congress, which holds AFRTS' purse strings, deems his content to be "appropriate." I disagree, and along with 30,000 other Americans I signed a petition at the website mediamatters.org calling for Limbaugh's removal from AFRTS.
In general, I believe all reasonable views should be aired. Quite aside from the Abu Ghraib controversy, I'd like to see AFRTS broadcast a fuller range of political views to our troops rather than giving Limbaugh a monopoly at the microphone ? and I applaud the Senate for approving an amendment to the defense authorization bill offered by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) that calls on AFRTS to provide political balance in its news and public affairs programming. But in this case, nothing short of removing Limbaugh will suffice. The issue goes beyond ideological balance ? this is an issue of national security and national unity.

Limbaugh's comments, and their tacit endorsement by the U.S. government, send a message to U.S. servicemen and servicewomen that torture is not a subject to be taken seriously and that these are actions that can be excused. Nothing could be more wrong than that.

*

Mike Farrell is an actor, human rights activist and former Marine.

If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at latimes.com/archives.

Article licensing and reprint options

102

9/11(Film) - Freedom burning alright

by catchthis in

so have you seen the film yet?

what was your impression of it?

here was mine: .

patio34

Hi Capt. S,

Lila was very moving and brought tears to my eyes, but the one that started the tears flowing was the Iraqi woman wailing "God, save us from them!!" So sad and to realize my country is "them." And GW just leans on the lectern and smirks.

Pat

19

Hope Negative? Why humans r violent

by patio34 in

i thought this little poem purports a lot about the damage that hope in unreality can do and why there are "bad" humans.

at the point where hope and reason part, .

lies the spot where madness gets a start.

patio34

Really good points Dan and Pete!

Pete, I concur that brutish thugs isn't ALL we are, but it's definintely part of the human race. And there are predatory behaviors prevalent more in some individuals than others!

I liked what Dennis Kucinich said about "conscious evolution," meaning now that we have more intelligence that we can affect our evolution in positive ways. On second thought, it sounds like eugenics, and I don't think that worked out!

Pat

102

9/11(Film) - Freedom burning alright

by catchthis in

so have you seen the film yet?

what was your impression of it?

here was mine: .

patio34

Hi CT,

I'm seeing it again tomorrow with my sons. There was plenty in it to mull over a few times. The movie is going to be "fast-tracked" to DVD before this fall, I believe, so that more people can see it.

I'm attending a local peace group's party Monday night wherein it's connected someway to Michael Moore for a live "town meeting." It's organized by MoveOn.Org.

Pat

19

Hope Negative? Why humans r violent

by patio34 in

i thought this little poem purports a lot about the damage that hope in unreality can do and why there are "bad" humans.

at the point where hope and reason part, .

lies the spot where madness gets a start.

patio34

I thought this little poem purports a lot about the damage that hope in UNreality can do and why there are "bad" humans.

At the point where hope and reason part,
lies the spot where madness gets a start.
Hope to make the world kinder and free--
but flowers of hope root in reality.

No peaceful bed exists for lamb or lion,
unless on some world out beyond Orion.
Do not instruct the owls to spare the mice.
Owls acting as owls must is not a vice.

Storms do not respond to heartless pleas.
All the words of men can't calm the seas.
Nature--always beneficial and cruel--
won't change for a wise man or a fool.

Mankind shares all Nature's imperfections,
clearly visible to casual inspections.
Resisting betterment is the human trait.
The ideal of utopia is our tragic fate

From the Book of Counted Sorrows (penned by Dean Koontz, of all people!)

This is my take on it:

At the point where hope and reason part,
lies the spot where madness gets a start.

It's "mad" to have hopes that are simply wishes

Hope to make the world kinder and free--
but flowers of hope root in reality.

It's useless to have hopes that simply cannot come true or that have no basis in fact or grounds for belief.

No peaceful bed exists for lamb or lion,
unless on some world out beyond Orion.
Do not instruct the owls to spare the mice.
Owls acting as owls must is not a vice.

The peace between animals has been shown to never have occurred, from the tiniest virus and parasite to the mighty dinosaurs. Nature's way is that there are prey and there are predators.

Storms do not respond to heartless pleas.
All the words of men can't calm the seas.
Nature--always beneficial and cruel--
won't change for a wise man or a fool.

Mankind shares all Nature's imperfections,
clearly visible to casual inspections.
Resisting betterment is the human trait.
The ideal of utopia is our tragic fate

Some humans are "bad" and predatory. Thinking someday that paradise will be the condition of earth is tragic because it stops us from dealing with the world as it is and getting the happiness that we can. What I mean is something like if someone told you you were going to inherit a billion dollars at age 50, 60, or 70, everything in between will be diminished somewhat because you're waiting for the big event. But what if it never was going to come? If a person keeps comparing this life to a utopia, then they're inherently dissatisfied with this life, which, imo, is the only chance they get. It's as Paul says "If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are most to be pitied of all men."

My two cents,

Pat