Dear Michael Moore,
Let me preface everything by explaining that one of the reasons that I called this blog "Letters to the Wasteland" is because I primarily wrote letters pleading for sanity from those to whom I was writing. Basically, I wrote to those who desperately needed to hear what I had to say.
It is perhaps fitting that, in what will likely be my final blog entry here, I write to you, Mr. Moore, someone who probably really doesn't need to hear what I have to say as, deep down, perhaps you know what I'm about to say. Perhaps you've even heard it by now.
I saw your new movie "Sicko" last night. Much like your other movies, I enjoyed watching "Sicko." Undoubtedly, you intended many of the scenes to be disturbing, particularly those involving people getting crushed by health insurance companies as if they were ants. Well, as one of your favorite targets would say, mission accomplished. I was extremely disturbed by the extreme mistreatment given American citizens by their health care companies. I shook my head in disgust and anger over how other countries are more than capable of giving their citizens free and adequate health care, and I appreciated your point about how those countries care for their citizens in a way that our country does not.
However, I sensed extreme distress from you, Mike. At times in the movie, even you seemed disturbed and exasperated at how much better other, less wealthy countries do at providing health care for their people. At times, you even seemed downright depressed at what you were hearing. I can't say I blame you.
At the end of the movie though, you kinda surprised me. You essentially asked what has happened to the America you thought you knew, the America where people look out for each other down to their worst enemies, where people have consideration for one another and really CARE about things, and where people aren't so apathetic and/or scared of their own government.
This surprised me, Mike, because I thought that, in all of your experience, you would know by now that the America you speak of doesn't exist, and maybe never has.
Oh sure, to an extent, there's the example of rural America. They are blindly loyal to Republicans, unfortunately, but at least they tend to care about themselves and their neighbors.
But look at the rest of the nation. In big and moderately big cities, people care about one thing and one thing only: money. They would beat, punch, kick, and step over their own relatives to get it.
Like I said, I know that you probably know this and that you're probably frustrated by it too.
To be honest, I don't know when this started exactly, but it is by no means a new switch in American thought. For years and years now, America has been marked by companies making outrageous profits at the expense of other human beings. Look back to slavery, the turn of the 20th century, and the countless wars that America has entered into. Clearly, America has a history of being solely concerned with profit at the expense of others.
Especially in the big cities today (Chicago is a perfect example), the people will run into you on the sidewalk and not apologize. They will walk through the door that you held open for them and not even given you a second glance. They will try to kill you with their cars and then act like it's your fault. Most importantly, they will take money from almost anyone if it puts them in a bigger house.
It's sad and it's sick, but it illustrates my point.
Mike, you also made the point that Americans are essentially afraid of their government, and not vice versa. I disagree. In actuality, I think that it's not that Americans are afraid of their government, it's just that they don't think they can change anything. America is a big country, and lobbyists spend hard to win over the politicians that people think (or feel like) they're electing. No one in Congress is free of big money any more. What can one citizen do?
All in all, it's a hopeless system and unless someone breaks through the money that holds this nation's consciousness like an iron fist, nothing will change.
Mike, I don't fault you for seeing the best in America. I see it too. I also don't fault you for truly believing in the ability of this country to change. I hope for this change every day.
The fact is though, too few people in this country care more about their fellow citizens than money, and whatever the reason for that, it's wrong.
But I still hope that America can turn itself around. I still hope that things can change. I still hope that there's something I can do as an individual to help people care about their fellow citizens. I still truly hope that I can do something to make a difference.
And I'm convinced now that it doesn't lie in typing things here.
If there's anything that your films teach, Mr. Moore, it's that the problems this nation faces are monumentally large. They call for action, not words.
So stop talking America, and do something about this mess.
I think it's about time that I did.
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics. Show all posts
Friday, July 06, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Digging Your Own Grave
Dear Rossford, OH School Board,
I see that yesterday, your school levy failed.
Normally, I would shake my head and think that this was a bad thing; however, I will show you no sympathy.
Why should Rossford voters fund your school district when you apparently have over $150,000 to settle a lawsuit with a Christian rock band, despite the fact that you won the lawsuit in court?
For that matter, why should voters have ANY confidence in you or your decisions, when the aforementioned settlement was approved by school board President Dave Kleeburger, whose son happens to be in that Christian rock band?
I think the answers to those questions are self-evident. In this particular instance, it looks like Rossford voters got it right. They rightfully had no confidence in you, and yesterday, they told you as much.
Good luck gaining that confidence back.
I see that yesterday, your school levy failed.
Normally, I would shake my head and think that this was a bad thing; however, I will show you no sympathy.
Why should Rossford voters fund your school district when you apparently have over $150,000 to settle a lawsuit with a Christian rock band, despite the fact that you won the lawsuit in court?
For that matter, why should voters have ANY confidence in you or your decisions, when the aforementioned settlement was approved by school board President Dave Kleeburger, whose son happens to be in that Christian rock band?
I think the answers to those questions are self-evident. In this particular instance, it looks like Rossford voters got it right. They rightfully had no confidence in you, and yesterday, they told you as much.
Good luck gaining that confidence back.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
This Has Got To Stop
Another day, another foiled plot to attack students and faculty at a school.
I've asked before, and I ask again: why does this keep happening?
Look, it's nice that the plots are being uncovered before they happen, but why does the very idea of attacking a school continue to promulgate? Why do kids repeatedly want to resort to this tactic? What can be done?
It is too much to ask the current "Lame Duck" Congress to tackle this problem (or any relevant, meaningful problem that isn't moral in nature, for that matter). It is also too much for our President to address the issue, as his administration's response is repeatedly, "Teachers and parents need to do more together." The Supreme Court may address this issue soon, but they'll likely say that it isn't their place to address these matters (and they're correct).
This problem is much too deep to ask teachers and parents to "do more together." I am planning on writing my Congressperson, and I encourage everyone to do the same, to request that this next Congress form a committee investigating the problem of school threats.
It is time for the causes of these problems to find a solution. The root of the problem must be found first though, and it must be found before it is too late.
I've asked before, and I ask again: why does this keep happening?
Look, it's nice that the plots are being uncovered before they happen, but why does the very idea of attacking a school continue to promulgate? Why do kids repeatedly want to resort to this tactic? What can be done?
It is too much to ask the current "Lame Duck" Congress to tackle this problem (or any relevant, meaningful problem that isn't moral in nature, for that matter). It is also too much for our President to address the issue, as his administration's response is repeatedly, "Teachers and parents need to do more together." The Supreme Court may address this issue soon, but they'll likely say that it isn't their place to address these matters (and they're correct).
This problem is much too deep to ask teachers and parents to "do more together." I am planning on writing my Congressperson, and I encourage everyone to do the same, to request that this next Congress form a committee investigating the problem of school threats.
It is time for the causes of these problems to find a solution. The root of the problem must be found first though, and it must be found before it is too late.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Justice Perlaky, dissenting (I like typing that)
"If you become a federal judge in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan), you can't raise a family on what the salary is"
So says United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, the controversial and conservative Supreme Court Justice, commenting in a recent speech that the annual Federal Judicial salary of $165,200 (in 2006) is too low.
And now to respond in a judicial opinion-like blog entry:
History and tradition have never seen any federal employee being paid well. Justice Scalia would like to see this change, at least for the occupation that he himself holds. I suppose I should take that to mean that Justice Scalia's own salary of roughly $200,000 yearly is not enough. From this ridiculous and untenable premise, I must dissent.
As an American citizen who pays his taxes, I do not feel the need to apologize to Justice Scalia for his inability to buy that Acura last year. Nor do I feel the need to apologize for him being unable to construct that indoor pool that he always wanted. I simply cannot see fit to say that a salary of over even $80,000 yearly is "not enough," especially in light of the fact that many teachers, auto workers, truck drivers, social workers, soldiers, and other people who keep this country humming along do not make even half that amount.
"Something must be done!" Justice Scalia cries, "or the judiciary will only appeal to those who...GASP!...LIKE doing public sector work!" Silly me. Here I was, thinking that the U.S. Government WAS the "public sector," as serving the public seems to have been exactly the goal that the Framers of the Constitution sought to achieve. Not so, says Justice Scalia, who believes that at the current judicial salaries, the federal judiciary "cannot attract the really bright lawyers." Actually, Justice Scalia may have a point here, at least if his own presence on the U.S. Supreme Court has been any indication. Further, I do not see how a higher salary necessarily makes a smarter worker. Wasn't former Enron CEO making a salary into the millions of dollars before he came up with the foolish idea of cheating and bankrupting his company and all of its investors, thinking that he would get away with it?
Justice Scalia also outright mocks the interpretation of the Constitution as a living document that has evolved over time. Without such "evolution" of Constitutional theory, however, I wonder how Justice Scalia and his brethren would be paid at all. Article III of the Constitution, which controls the federal judiciary, mentions only that a "compensation" is due to said judges. Under Justice Scalia's interpretation of the Constitution, I believe we must interpret history to show that John Jay, John Marshall, and Oliver Wendell Holmes all earned nearly $200,000 at some point. This is despite the fact that the salaries that federal judges make today might shock all of these aforementioned individuals, if they were living, into the graves that they in reality inhabit.
As is usually true with him though, reality has no place in the thoughts of Justice Scalia. Never mind that it is doubtful that there are many "families" living the in the wealthiest part of Manhattan in the first place, Justice Scalia must outright deny that the Constitution is evolving right before his eyes, even though many men who have come before him on the Supreme Court have made it so. Really now, if the Constitution was not a living and evolving document, would Justice Thurgood Marshall have sat next to him on the Court for a number of years? The original document said that Justice Marshall was not a person. On that note, would either Justice Clarence Thomas, also African-American, and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O'Connor have ever served with Justice Scalia, if the Constitution was not a living and changing document?
At least this observer is grounded in reality enough to see that Justice Scalia is too old and obstinate to realize his errors. Since this is the case, our living and evolving society deserves a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court who interprets a living and evolving document.
It is a shame then that Justice Scalia will not step down, probably more out of fear that his pension will be too low than anything else.
So says United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, the controversial and conservative Supreme Court Justice, commenting in a recent speech that the annual Federal Judicial salary of $165,200 (in 2006) is too low.
And now to respond in a judicial opinion-like blog entry:
History and tradition have never seen any federal employee being paid well. Justice Scalia would like to see this change, at least for the occupation that he himself holds. I suppose I should take that to mean that Justice Scalia's own salary of roughly $200,000 yearly is not enough. From this ridiculous and untenable premise, I must dissent.
As an American citizen who pays his taxes, I do not feel the need to apologize to Justice Scalia for his inability to buy that Acura last year. Nor do I feel the need to apologize for him being unable to construct that indoor pool that he always wanted. I simply cannot see fit to say that a salary of over even $80,000 yearly is "not enough," especially in light of the fact that many teachers, auto workers, truck drivers, social workers, soldiers, and other people who keep this country humming along do not make even half that amount.
"Something must be done!" Justice Scalia cries, "or the judiciary will only appeal to those who...GASP!...LIKE doing public sector work!" Silly me. Here I was, thinking that the U.S. Government WAS the "public sector," as serving the public seems to have been exactly the goal that the Framers of the Constitution sought to achieve. Not so, says Justice Scalia, who believes that at the current judicial salaries, the federal judiciary "cannot attract the really bright lawyers." Actually, Justice Scalia may have a point here, at least if his own presence on the U.S. Supreme Court has been any indication. Further, I do not see how a higher salary necessarily makes a smarter worker. Wasn't former Enron CEO making a salary into the millions of dollars before he came up with the foolish idea of cheating and bankrupting his company and all of its investors, thinking that he would get away with it?
Justice Scalia also outright mocks the interpretation of the Constitution as a living document that has evolved over time. Without such "evolution" of Constitutional theory, however, I wonder how Justice Scalia and his brethren would be paid at all. Article III of the Constitution, which controls the federal judiciary, mentions only that a "compensation" is due to said judges. Under Justice Scalia's interpretation of the Constitution, I believe we must interpret history to show that John Jay, John Marshall, and Oliver Wendell Holmes all earned nearly $200,000 at some point. This is despite the fact that the salaries that federal judges make today might shock all of these aforementioned individuals, if they were living, into the graves that they in reality inhabit.
As is usually true with him though, reality has no place in the thoughts of Justice Scalia. Never mind that it is doubtful that there are many "families" living the in the wealthiest part of Manhattan in the first place, Justice Scalia must outright deny that the Constitution is evolving right before his eyes, even though many men who have come before him on the Supreme Court have made it so. Really now, if the Constitution was not a living and evolving document, would Justice Thurgood Marshall have sat next to him on the Court for a number of years? The original document said that Justice Marshall was not a person. On that note, would either Justice Clarence Thomas, also African-American, and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O'Connor have ever served with Justice Scalia, if the Constitution was not a living and changing document?
At least this observer is grounded in reality enough to see that Justice Scalia is too old and obstinate to realize his errors. Since this is the case, our living and evolving society deserves a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court who interprets a living and evolving document.
It is a shame then that Justice Scalia will not step down, probably more out of fear that his pension will be too low than anything else.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
I repeat, not even a week after a study was released saying that winning the Iraq war was impossible...
From cbs11tv.com:
President Bush, standing alongside his chief Iraq war ally, asserted Thursday that success in Iraq depends on victory over extremists across the "broader Middle East."
Not even a week after a study was released saying that winning the Iraq war was impossible...
And now, an open letter to President Bush:
Dear President Bush,
Ahem.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
(smacks him on the nose with a newspaper)
No.
And I CANNOT make the message any clearer than that.
Sincerely,
Me
President Bush, standing alongside his chief Iraq war ally, asserted Thursday that success in Iraq depends on victory over extremists across the "broader Middle East."
Not even a week after a study was released saying that winning the Iraq war was impossible...
And now, an open letter to President Bush:
Dear President Bush,
Ahem.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
(smacks him on the nose with a newspaper)
No.
And I CANNOT make the message any clearer than that.
Sincerely,
Me
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Sadly serious
Wait...
I mean, seriously...
Some things just strike you as, "No freakin' way this is for real."
The pop duo Prussian Blue falls into this category.
I didn't really think they existed, but according to Wikipedia, and their website, they are apparently very real.
And so are their fans.
Prussian Blue is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl duo that apparently spews racism, Holocaust denial, and in general, the eradication of black people from the Earth.
Oh, and they think that Hitler had some good ideas.
Unless this is the greatest hoax ever unleashed upon mankind, I could not make this stuff up.
They have received death threats. According to the Facebook Group "Please Join In Protest Against Prussian Blue," their father has been shot and the girls were sent into hiding.
I haven't been able to confirm statements that the group has made it onto the Billboard charts.
In any case, it is unbelievable that there are still people out there who teach their kids this shit.
I don't even know what to say about people who still believe that Hitler had the right idea and that blacks should be eliminated as a race. I don't know what to say to those people who believe that the white race is in danger.
Except, maybe, "get help."
But I'm not even sure why Prussian Blue bothers me.
Maybe it bothers me because I see a young duo like Prussian Blue, and I lose hope for the future. Prussian Blue means one more generation will be around to spew hatred and bigotry. Prussian Blue means that any advancements that might have been made to eliminate hate are marginalized, if not outright forgotten.
I don't have a fix-all cure for racism. I do know, however, that groups like Prussian Blue mess things up even more. So do rioters.
It is naive to think that racism doesn't exist anymore, and that differences are not apparent. However, society will only advance once people work together in spite of those differences. Hate groups, on either side of the racial equation, accomplish nothing. There are problems between these groups, and with that comes inherent mistrust. Solutions are needed, and none are clearly in sight.
I think it's legitimate to point out that the numbers of these hate groups seem to grow when domestic problems are ignored. I realize that it is impossible to address every domestic political problem that exists, but the growth of hate groups underscores the fact that not enough attention is being paid to these people and their problems, and these people are generally afraid. Fear helps them grow, and this fear needs to be addressed.
As it is, our government tends to address issues that don't need attention. The citizenry appeared to speak loudly against such tactics in the past election. This gives me hope for the future because it shows that our nation as a whole does care about problematic issues and will move to address them.
So maybe, in the long term, hate groups will see their numbers decline as time moves on.
The appearance of Prussian Blue doesn't give much hope though. They're just one more setback.
I mean, seriously...
Some things just strike you as, "No freakin' way this is for real."
The pop duo Prussian Blue falls into this category.
I didn't really think they existed, but according to Wikipedia, and their website, they are apparently very real.
And so are their fans.
Prussian Blue is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl duo that apparently spews racism, Holocaust denial, and in general, the eradication of black people from the Earth.
Oh, and they think that Hitler had some good ideas.
Unless this is the greatest hoax ever unleashed upon mankind, I could not make this stuff up.
They have received death threats. According to the Facebook Group "Please Join In Protest Against Prussian Blue," their father has been shot and the girls were sent into hiding.
I haven't been able to confirm statements that the group has made it onto the Billboard charts.
In any case, it is unbelievable that there are still people out there who teach their kids this shit.
I don't even know what to say about people who still believe that Hitler had the right idea and that blacks should be eliminated as a race. I don't know what to say to those people who believe that the white race is in danger.
Except, maybe, "get help."
But I'm not even sure why Prussian Blue bothers me.
Maybe it bothers me because I see a young duo like Prussian Blue, and I lose hope for the future. Prussian Blue means one more generation will be around to spew hatred and bigotry. Prussian Blue means that any advancements that might have been made to eliminate hate are marginalized, if not outright forgotten.
I don't have a fix-all cure for racism. I do know, however, that groups like Prussian Blue mess things up even more. So do rioters.
It is naive to think that racism doesn't exist anymore, and that differences are not apparent. However, society will only advance once people work together in spite of those differences. Hate groups, on either side of the racial equation, accomplish nothing. There are problems between these groups, and with that comes inherent mistrust. Solutions are needed, and none are clearly in sight.
I think it's legitimate to point out that the numbers of these hate groups seem to grow when domestic problems are ignored. I realize that it is impossible to address every domestic political problem that exists, but the growth of hate groups underscores the fact that not enough attention is being paid to these people and their problems, and these people are generally afraid. Fear helps them grow, and this fear needs to be addressed.
As it is, our government tends to address issues that don't need attention. The citizenry appeared to speak loudly against such tactics in the past election. This gives me hope for the future because it shows that our nation as a whole does care about problematic issues and will move to address them.
So maybe, in the long term, hate groups will see their numbers decline as time moves on.
The appearance of Prussian Blue doesn't give much hope though. They're just one more setback.
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