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27 de Abril, 2007
Truth Accidentally Slips Into Candidate Debate
Categorized under Política Estados Unidos | Tags: Mike Gravel, Support the Truth
I REALLY, REALLY like this cat. Mike Gravel (D), Senator representing Alaska. Damn. Not only is he the man responsible for making the Pentagon Papers public—and that is no small thing—he kicked ass in the debates. Of course for simply telling the truth (along with some other gems about the Military Industrial Complex's grasp on our political system, he points out that the biggest violator of the non-proliferation treaty is—gasp—America), he is called "radical." But to my mind, what is horrifically radical is to be going along with the party line madness that is so popular today. As Gravel pointed out, having a memory that still can recall the horror of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War—preemptive war, nuclear war, is simply "immoral, and has been for the last fifty years!"
Ah...refreshing, refreshing. Perhaps everyone can chuckle at him, devaluing him and negating him as some old, feisty, holdover who "showed some sand," but to me that only says they are hypnotized by that horror and banality which we have made our common political discourse. To my way of seeing it (and given I didn't watch but a few clips!) Gravel made those dummies next to him look like practiced morons and panderers and fools. (Kucinich had some good moments, too.)
Q: Other than Iraq, three most important enemies to the United States?A: We have no "Important Enemies!" What we need to do is to begin to deal with the rest of the world as equals, And we don't do that. We spend more as a nation on defense than all the rest of the world put together. Who are we afraid of? Who are you afraid of, Brian? I'm not!
The Military Industrial Complex not only controls our government lock, stock, and barrel, but they control our culture."
—Mike Gravel
As my readers know, American politics to me is a sham and a failed system, and it is safe to say that this is because people like this have no chance to be elected. So thank you Mike Gravel, for proving politicians don't necessarily have to be insane, dull, or predictable. Below (and here's another small clip) watch this vato kick it on the Real, if you haven't already. I promise the man will put a smile on your face.
I'm not planning to nuke anybody right now."—barack obama [my emphasis, obama's choice of words]
update: Reader RickB makes a very important point about how not only did Gravel make the others mostly look like cardboard cutouts with polling data for brains, he showed them to be utterly unashamed of their violent predelictions, in their servitude to the machine with the bloody footprints. In such a time as this...with all the violence that continues to rage over the face of the planet and put the lie to the idea that we are a thinking, feeling, intelligent species—to be so happily warlike...it's tragic to see. It makes me fear we'll not learn in time.
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Comentarios (9)
RickB dijo:
Hey Nez, I've just watched those clips and some others on youtube and the immediate conclusion I came to was that only candidates with a sociopathic willingness to demonize and then attack other counrtries are in the first rank. The military/industrial/political complex acting as a filter to ensure only those with its interests at heart survive the long run at the presidency. Again and again the subtext was an appeal to a moronic id -are you gonna kill some more foreigners cuz they is all evil and want to kill us- and the big name candidates almost with a nod and a wink said- Hell Yes!-.
1 country spends more than the rest of earth put together on war.
1 country has over 700 military bases in 130 countries and 6,000 in its own 'territories'.
Here's a clue- It ain't Liechtenstein.
Palabras por RickB spat forth on el 27 de Abril, 2007 at 09:23 AM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
how can grownups not see it, my friend. it scares the living shit out of me.
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 27 de Abril, 2007 at 09:28 AM
Dead Inside dijo:
Please do note that Senator Gavel said he would not start a pre-emptive war with nukes. He did not oppose pre-emptive war in general, not from the clip I saw.
I could be wrong, as I did not see the debate itself, but only the selected clips, probably the same ones you saw.
Palabras por Dead Inside spat forth on el 27 de Abril, 2007 at 11:14 AM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
noted.
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 27 de Abril, 2007 at 11:17 AM
RickB dijo:
Hey that's a great update! Oh yeah when Obama said that my blood ran cold, I guess we are down to the bottom of the ethical barrel where might-makes-right lives. But hey it's friday let's find a positive here, and this is it, this thing, this network, these blogs where people gather, become friends and make a stand against the darkness. That's different to before, so that changes the odds. There's hope. Happy Weekend!
Palabras por RickB spat forth on el 27 de Abril, 2007 at 12:24 PM
nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez dijo:
well, right on, my friend. tho i didn't leave off here. there are two newer posts on the blog. i hear you. it's a beautiful day and i mean...amazing. warm, sunny, blue, calm wind. i'm loving it. and i left off on a less dire note on the most recent post, simón...
it does feel good to find other people, other energy involved in the same movements through this sometimes bleak space. agreed! shine on, RickB. and enjoy your weekend.
Palabras por nezua limón xolagrafik-jonez spat forth on el 27 de Abril, 2007 at 12:32 PM
Sylvia dijo:
That man is wonderful. Brought a smile to my face to hear someone speak plainly. :)
Palabras por Sylvia spat forth on el 27 de Abril, 2007 at 04:31 PM
Pat Logan dijo:
I've felt that the Congress has been lacking in plain courage for a long time. It was refreshing to hear this man speak.
Palabras por Pat Logan spat forth on el 27 de Abril, 2007 at 05:45 PM
thinking girl dijo:
thanks for posting that clip, Nezua. American politics for me, as a Canadian, is at a distance, but not a long one. I have the luxury of standing back and looking at it with some separation, some wonderment, like animals in a zoo or something. I think it's wonderful that Gravel is running for the Democratic nomination - he is unafraid of speaking the truth as he sees it even when it ruffles feathers. It is entertaining to me to watch the faces of the other candidates, who clearly don't want to appear to take his words too seriously. good on him.
Palabras por thinking girl spat forth on el 28 de Abril, 2007 at 06:42 AM