'Hunter Gray' hunterbadbear@hunterbear.org [marxist]
2014-09-24 18:50:49 UTC
Note by Hunter Bear:
A very good friend indeed wrote a thoughtful off list note to me with regard to the CREDO petition. The friend wondered if a War vote by Congress could result in a much longer conflict -- and was therefore leery of the petition. I could see the friend's point -- but also gave my own thoughts -- now very slightly expanded:
Certainly, as always, good to hear from you!
I see your point. While not pretending to be a Middle Eastern expert by a long shot, here are a few thoughts of mine:
The CREDO petition, and one or two others, make up the only reasonably sensible dissidence that I've seen so far as the promise of no "mission creep" is replaced by a rush into war -- with the official expectancies being a very long one. (I am sure there are some other examples but not many.)
Given past practice, reasonable domestic security efforts will give way to violations of Constitutional rights very quickly. The Climate Change demos are critically important for sure -- timely and timeless -- but the national silence from the peace movement is sadly striking. That national -- national -- peace movement has been pretty moribund since the "first African American president" took office. Some good local peace efforts have continued.
ISIS and its kin are certainly hideous. But the Obama/Kerry combo is rushing, sans much reflection, into what could be a morass. Most of "the Allies" strike me as being very unreliable. I've heard virtually no mention of one of the major actors in this latest sanguinary socio-drama: Oil.
Most American media are fanning the War flames. We hear little from those outlets about the more than 3,000 Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli forces.
Any sensible dissidence now, before the mid-terms, seems very timely to me. After the mid-terms, there will likely be some kind of Congressional vote -- reflected by the status of the New Crusade. At the least, sensible dissidence now and later may result in come curbs being placed on war things and might strengthen Obama's probably fragile promise not to send any more American troops into the situation. Rather long shots, maybe, but worth several tries.
On a minor note, I hope the cliches -- "boots on the ground" and "at the end of the day" follow some of their trite but harmless bretheren of the '50s into the dumpster of History: "peachy keen" and "hotcha."
Anyway, all best to you. Please keep in touch.
Hunter or John
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq /
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk
Protected by NaÂŽshdoÂŽiÂŽbaÂŽiÂŽ
and Ohkwari'
Check out our massive social justice website:
www.hunterbear.org
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO
The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm
(Photos)
My expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000
word introduction by me. Covers much of my
confrontational social justice organizing life to
date. Contains much how-to grassroots organizing
methodology: http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm
Forest Fires in the West (including the life of an old-time
fire lookout: http://hunterbear.org/forest_fires_in_the_west.htm
A very good friend indeed wrote a thoughtful off list note to me with regard to the CREDO petition. The friend wondered if a War vote by Congress could result in a much longer conflict -- and was therefore leery of the petition. I could see the friend's point -- but also gave my own thoughts -- now very slightly expanded:
Certainly, as always, good to hear from you!
I see your point. While not pretending to be a Middle Eastern expert by a long shot, here are a few thoughts of mine:
The CREDO petition, and one or two others, make up the only reasonably sensible dissidence that I've seen so far as the promise of no "mission creep" is replaced by a rush into war -- with the official expectancies being a very long one. (I am sure there are some other examples but not many.)
Given past practice, reasonable domestic security efforts will give way to violations of Constitutional rights very quickly. The Climate Change demos are critically important for sure -- timely and timeless -- but the national silence from the peace movement is sadly striking. That national -- national -- peace movement has been pretty moribund since the "first African American president" took office. Some good local peace efforts have continued.
ISIS and its kin are certainly hideous. But the Obama/Kerry combo is rushing, sans much reflection, into what could be a morass. Most of "the Allies" strike me as being very unreliable. I've heard virtually no mention of one of the major actors in this latest sanguinary socio-drama: Oil.
Most American media are fanning the War flames. We hear little from those outlets about the more than 3,000 Palestinian civilians killed by Israeli forces.
Any sensible dissidence now, before the mid-terms, seems very timely to me. After the mid-terms, there will likely be some kind of Congressional vote -- reflected by the status of the New Crusade. At the least, sensible dissidence now and later may result in come curbs being placed on war things and might strengthen Obama's probably fragile promise not to send any more American troops into the situation. Rather long shots, maybe, but worth several tries.
On a minor note, I hope the cliches -- "boots on the ground" and "at the end of the day" follow some of their trite but harmless bretheren of the '50s into the dumpster of History: "peachy keen" and "hotcha."
Anyway, all best to you. Please keep in touch.
Hunter or John
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq /
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk
Protected by NaÂŽshdoÂŽiÂŽbaÂŽiÂŽ
and Ohkwari'
Check out our massive social justice website:
www.hunterbear.org
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO
The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm
(Photos)
My expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000
word introduction by me. Covers much of my
confrontational social justice organizing life to
date. Contains much how-to grassroots organizing
methodology: http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm
Forest Fires in the West (including the life of an old-time
fire lookout: http://hunterbear.org/forest_fires_in_the_west.htm