Of Monitoring And Muslims

I emailed the Prime Minister of Australia today. I wasn't too happy about his anti-terrorism efforts and I thought I should tell him. Monitoring Muslim schools and mosques isn't really what I'm for. I've decided to post my email to him below (I've edited out my name). Drop him a line here.

Dear Prime Minister Howard,

Not to question your judgment or decisions to ensure the safety and "values" of the Australian people---but I strongly believe someone should. Now I'm sure that an email requesting you to stop your measures of monitoring Muslim schools and mosques probably won't do a bit of good; I simply figured that if there can be one more voice of opposition, there might be a better chance of rash decisions being stopped before they get out of hand.

Your statement, "We have a right to know..." carries quite a lot of weight for the Muslim people in your country and across the globe. Now, I'm sure that you have the best interests for all your people, which makes me question if your political decisions are always right in line with your values. You know, that knowledge that keep you doing what's good and just, that tell you what's right and wrong. Is it possible that the new actions to have intelligence agencies spy on places of religious worship and education aren't really what you want, but rather another group that supports, and might have elected you wanted?

Said simply: they aren't the right changes to make. This will accomplish nothing to ensure the values and security of the Australian people. The best it can do is erode the civil liberties of each and every Muslim individual. It doesn't matter if they are a minority, nor if they might have had their rights trampled on before. It's the wrong thing to do and you are aware of that. To simply fall back into the arms of your supporters will make you ignorant. That's the last thing a developed country needs with the power it has.

By all means I encourage you to stop your futile actions. I call them futile only in the context of a nation governed by true morals and liberty which includes freedom of the individual (the Muslim community) and always the freedom of thought no matter what position you hold in society (I don't think I need say who that's intended for).

Yours,

Midguard

And always remember Prime Minister: Though your status now may guarantee power, it can never guarantee you respect.

A Bit Like Journalism

It's like sitting in a room with someone you thought was interesting. But all they do is sit there. Nobody's talking, and it gets really awkward.

That's when I don't post anything new.

Canada legalized same sex marriage--and no one really took notice. It seemed to not really be that big of a deal to anyone....except for gays and lesbians in Canada. Though I haven't heard anything from them either. This is another example of the poor coverage by the media and why it has really become an entertainment-news source. It's got to stop, plain and simple. Everyone becomes dependent on the filth on TV, and the news tries to compete by being the same.

It would even be more tolerable if, say, they all didn't report on the same things. Why doesn't anyone say, "Oh, Channel 4 is already doing that story so how about we go report on something interesting?" And here's where their brainwashing media powers really have an effect: It seems like there is a fewer and fewer amount of people who actually look for real news. So the vast majority, as I see it, get on their knees and are violated by the media who "persuade" the viewer into watching what is interesting. The real job of the media, having legitimate reporters (I know, I have high expectations) and not wasting time with repetetive stories and unjustified opinions: is to bring journalism to the public, and though not always exact, to do that to the best of their ability. But none of that seems to be happening, it always keeps reminding me things are going more and more downhill in this highly influential and important part of modern society.

To bring this full circle, blogging is a bit like journalism. I say a bit, to those of you who would quickly reject my saying it's anything more. And I say it's a lot like journalism to anyone else who believes that.

Bush Experiences Deep Impact

Scrape! Crackle! Cop!
As Conan O'Brien quoted the Bush's physician: He'll be back on his big wheel in no time. That's good to hear, but because it's not the first time Bush has hurt himself.

Don't worry folks, I think he'll be okay, I sent him one of these in case of future... mishaps.

George W. Bush must be pacing frantically right now that he's heard same sex marriage is close to being legalized just above the border. How could they be achieving a more equal society faster than the United States? We're supposed to be the best at everything (for good or worse, in many cases)!

That NASA group seems to be having a lot of...experience. I say this because Deep Impact is so damn cool. It's kind of a like that movie I saw. When I heard about the project a while ago, I thought of how cool it would be that we were spending tons of money to blow things up in space. And then that's when I was overwhelmed when scientists told me that it would be going to scientific use. How wonderful, it works out for everyone. If this little cavity we've created gets us some special little information, we will have...expanded our knowledge! Yeah, it doesn't sound too exciting but it could mean that we have made a new discovery on how the planets and universe were formed. Could possibly debunk a few myths. That's right, they're only myths.

In the "what would've been cool had it worked" category, we have for you: solar sails. But NASA's sure on this one that the first launch was just a fluke and it will work. Hope so.

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George W. Bush must be pacing frantically right now that he's heard same sex marriage is close to being legalized just above the border. How could they be achieving a more equal society faster than the United States? We're supposed to be the best at everything (for good or worse, in many cases)!

Runaway Bride>Possible Democracies

Alright, you must have read about 1984 about a billion times now. Sorry about that.

There is some wicked cool news that obviously interests me. Apparently, a democratic group is looking to take down the dictator that has ruled over them since he last led a coup. Well, maybe another one will happen and it will be worth while (for everyone). The last thing I want to see is a successful coup where they establish a non-secular "democracy". Do we need another one?

It could also be said that there isn't much of a chance for a secular democracy to last either. But really, and don't hold me to this Libyan people, things can only get better, right? I believe (though I've never experienced) that coups started by the people (and won) are a lot more satisfying than other government reforms. But Castro became a dictator, which wasn't necessarily what he promised the Cuban people. Go for it also, Cubans. Viva la revolution. But hopefully something like the Rose Revolution which didn't end of up in a mess of civilian and revolutionary bodies. In fact, they did it without more than a large bruise...to the ousted leader's pride.

Just let me rant on this topic one more time: Americans do not pay attention to foreign matters. It's not they don't have the access, they have more than anyone else on Earth. It's simply that they do not care. This fact embarasses me, especially when in mass numbers they turn on the evening news as their only source of information and connection to the outside world. They all think it's terrible and somewhat interesting and then go about their lives.

Nobody cares though.

There is no more amount of real sympathy than the news reporters let you feel. Journalistic quality is often no different on the news than from what I type at my computer. They've got credentials, and I've got a real interest in what's going on.

Nineteen Eighty Four

About two weeks ago, I finished reading George Orwell's 1984, and it is required reading. For all humans. Anyone into politics, this is a must. Freedom loving people or anyone concerned about protecting their societies, 1984 is the book for the analytical thinker.

This book is serious and thought provoking. If you never make any connections to present day society...well, how can you not? In the book three superpowers constantly fight each other, because that is how their government works. Every citizen is absolutely loyal, or else they "disappear" during the night. This is still happening in many countries, on different levels, of course. Symbolism is non-stop and even more common is the book's direct approach on what it means. If anyone ever used the Cliff Notes for this book in some report when they were in school, it's worth a re-read (or rather, a first read).

It's a classic, and what's more, I've really got to stop rambling about it. But I continue on from reading 1984, to Noam Chomsky. Just a couple of hours ago, now, I picked up "Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest For Global Dominance". Sounds a tad liberal. Sounds like very good reading. So far, from what I've read (page 3), Chomsky lives up to his reputation of being an insightful intellectual. After all, the man is a professor in linguistics.

Revenge of the Wal-Martians

Of the many things I dislike about the human race, one of them is certainly their ability to forget, or to really never take note of human tragedies. But the thing is people do not always see them as human tragedies, it's just someone else's problem.

Yeah, everything I bought at Wal-Mart today was made by adults and children in China that get paid eight cents an hour. Good thing for me they do it that way, because now everything is within my budget.

This has got to stop. If this is some sort of perfect capitalism, with it's sweatshops and rich executives, I want the world to be different. Who can stop this? I can only hope there is some president in the future who demands it's end. Maybe the U.N, if they get their stuff together and something or somebody can get people motivated.

There are special interest groups, but really, this is not enough. I'm not in favor of this, "It's not fair to take money from wealthy people, they earned it." Now I do not advocate total communism here, but all over the world the rich should have a moral obligation to give to the disadvantaged. This is why I am in support of the U.N's plan to eradicate severe poverty.

This guy says it perfectly. A good article, read it. Distribute.

I've still yet to find an answer to find out how this could've happened. The United States is supposed to be free, and the mantra stands, if one of us is not free, then none of us are. How could people of all nations and different places come together and give in to a combined corporate culture? Forty percent (facts taken from article) of all Wal-Martians can afford health care, which they only receive after two years of unemployment. As a strong health care advocate, I believe it should be a required immediately for any line of work, except for, of course, the doctors that are so skilled they can operate on themselves. How cool is that. But for the rest of us...

Unions, what I see as one of the most American of all employment opportunities, are prohibited from Wal-Mart. They are threats to the absolute power of the Empire. The damn Sith-like Empire. I'm not sure exactly how to go about this, but think tanks need to be focused, email chains started, fliers distributed, and information of all sorts passed on with the complete effort and concentration on the liberation and liberalization of Wal-Mart.

There have been victories over the corporate culture, but certainly not enough. Unions exist in order to give a collective voice of the workers. If it is not reasonable for them to be applied to all employments, then it must be obvious that with the size of Wal-Mart and the numbers of people employed, that they'd have some freedom and free speech. Not disruption, not rioting, but only would I (and hopefully all people) should try to demand rights in the places that need it through due process. Obviously, companies of the "successful" capitalist sort wouldn't like this, but it is not American to allow massive amounts of people have their rights trampled and violated!


See that exclamation mark? Yeah, I thought I'd put that in there for effect, and it looks pretty good. Flaming rhetoric is fun for everyone.

And in case you were wondering, on Thursday I was lucky enough to see Star Wars. It was spectacular to see the dark side take over and Anakin transform to become Darth Vader. The amount of symbolism in the complex plot of the series (I-VI) comes together and all the ends are tied. I won't give away too much, because it's way you might want to see it, too. See, I thought I'd be nice like that. Revenge of the Sith is fun for everyone...except maybe small children.

I love the guy, but hate everything he stands for.

The bully, er, Reverend Ken Hutcherson has had his victory, but maybe a loss, as well.

Hutcherson being the nice fellow who threatened a national boycott of Microsoft if they continued their support of a Washington state anti-discrimination bill for gays. Anti-discrimination, why would any right-thinking human being be against that? And here's the kicker: Ken Hutcherson is black. He grew up in the south, destitute and black. How do you think his life was? Yeah.

And I read the article this morning, and they brought this up, but he pretty much said, "Shut up, alright? That's entirely different. Entirely. " This bill had nothing to do with legalizing gay marriage, or anything of the sort. But what they obviously are trying to do is to destroy it at the stem of their individual freedoms. If you cut their throats, they cannot speak up.

What this bill was doing was adding to the list of illegal discrimination against people of color, disabled, and all the other groups you'd expect to receive equal rights. But he scared (though Microsoft denies it) the software giant into taking their name off the list of supporters for the legislation.

The bill was rejected by one vote in the state senate.

And what's pretty funny, is the news that came out today. That's right, the adventure's not over, as Microsoft again claimed they would support similar legislation in the future. Just two weeks after it gets shot down in the senate. No, they weren't intimidate by the good reverend. Maybe now they can stick to their convictions and urge the congress to make a new bill as soon as they can.