Al Gore's LIVE EARTH: Why the Controversy?

The UK Guardian has an extensive report about the Live Earth concerts to be held around the globe on Saturday. Some estimate that 2 billion people will be watching. Why could this be a 'bad thing?'

Seems to me that scientists from around the globe have determined that the earth is in some sort of early-stage climate shift. Many predict large scale consequences for people if it goes unchecked. Human activity is one major cause: excess CO2 emissions; the greenhouse effect.

Who would object to such an 'awakening' event as Live Earth? Wouldn't all 6 billion earth-dwellers benefit from the knowledge to be shared at these events?

Of course, the energy industries would object; after all, it is their by-products that are adding to the CO2 of the atmosphere. Surely they have been working diligently these past weeks figuring out how to 'spin' the bad news. No doubt many congressmen and women have been in closed-door meetings with the executives of these energy corporations, making quid pro quo deals. Naturally this is very sad, but not unexpected.

What confuses me are the ordinary folks out there who 'object' to this concert. Many will ridicule it and make fun of Al Gore as they did of his film. This puzzles and alarms me greatly. How could 'knowledge' be dangerous?

Or is it something else altogether? Is it nothing more than petty politics? Would ordinary American citizens be blinded to the truth because they wear thick political glasses? Would a strong Republican, for example, disavow the information being presented about global warming solely because Al Gore is a Democrat? If so, this is politics at its most nonfunctional extreme. Say it ain't so.

The erratic weather experienced right here in the United States ought to be some sort of clue that things aren't normal. Record heat in the West [moving here next week], drought in the South all the way to southern Ohio, Florida burning, and record floods in Texas should give a bit of hint that, perhaps, just maybe, there is some change in the air.

Ask the corn farmers here in northwest Ohio. The soybean farmers in Wood County. They are praying for rain and not those hit-and-miss showers of late. Farmers know something is amiss. Their livelihood depends on predictability. We ought to hear from them first. Yet it takes a former vice-president to have the clout to bring the message forward for the farmer, for us.

Tonight I will spend the evening in the home of a right-wing relative and I will broach the subject. Tomorrow I will let you know their reaction to Live Earth.

"We the People" -- yeah, sure

"The best quality of a democracy is that the leaders are afraid of the people." - a British politician

Unless, of course, a group of thugs takes over the leadership. Like the present knot governing America right now.

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On C-Span this morning a caller phoned in and said, " These people are 'representatives' for sure, but they represent the armaments industry and big business, not we the people....."

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Exactly. These people now in government are agents. Yes, agents. Agents disguised as servants of the people. They are slick, too. They have the propaganda lines down pat and they look so all-American in their business suits with those flags in their lapels. Slick. Smooth.

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Never before have agents of outside interests been able to seize power from The People until this time. Who is to blame, besides these scoundrels themselves?

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Who? The People. The media. Knots of selfish interest groups. All have led to this. Yet the most troubling aspect of it all is this: The People still don't get it. They are still duped. Many don't even know that our nation is in the most serious crisis since the Great Depression. They go about their lives in an ignorant state, coping with the troubles through food, alcohol, and mindless entertainment.

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Who will rise up? As we have no leaders anymore, then We the People need to. Let's call a Million Citizen March on Washington this August with people displaying a singular, simple sign, WE THE PEOPLE. I bet the ordinary citizens watching their TVs would 'get it.'

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Give Congress one month to bring impeachment charges against Bush, Cheney and Rice. If it does not happen, then these one million folks begin placing barricades on the streets of their hometowns all across America. Barricades to disrupt commerce, the almighty dollar. That might awaken the sleeping giant.

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We the People.

The Toledo Catholic Bishop [again]

I wonder how often the Bishop of Toledo has been in the news in the past 10 years? Predominantly, his newsworthiness has been associated with the priest sexual abuse issue or the Fr. Gerald Robinson murder case. Now the bishop is back again in the news.

It seems that he and the pastor of St. Rose Parish in Perrysburg have a personality clash going on and the negative fallout from it bolsters the negative opinion of the Catholic hierarchy once again.

Fr. Tom Leyland wants to stay on as pastor, bit the very conservative bishop has other ideas. The Blade has a story about this. Leyland is one of those liberal priests left in the Toledo Diocese who has been openly critical of the church in the past. His views are unwelcome by the new bishop who, of course, has the power.

It's not right vs wrong; its a power play and Fr. Leyland strikes out. But the 'loss' is racked up against the Church.

update June 27

How's this for the ultimate power play by the church: The bishop WILL meet with the parishioners of St. Rose Parish on MONDAY. Conveniently, that is the day AFTER Fr. Leyland will retire.

Are these the Middle Ages?

Lee Iacocca: Where have all of the Leaders Gone? Part 3

He writes: Why don't we bring democracy to our friends the Saudis? Iacocca asks why George W. didn't first attempt to 'bring democracy' to the Saudis, the Bush Family friends. After all, he notes, wouldn't it be much easier to try 'spreading democracy' to a friendly nation before one tries it on an unfriendly one?

Of course, this is all tongue-in-cheek because he and I and many well-read Americans know thwo things about this democracy thing: 1. it was a ruse, a shift in purpose after the initial reason for war [WMD's] fell through; 2. the Bush family is way too tight with the house of Saud to demand that they change their brutal monarchy.

Fifteen of the sixteen 9-11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Does that ring a bell? Of course, Bush family friend James Baker defended Saudi Arabia in a law suit brought by the 9-11 families; he won.

Iacocca notes that in Saudi Arabia: there is no constitution, no legislature, no due process of law; no demonstrations against the government; one legal religion [Islam]; corporal punishment; publicv executions; women cannot vote; a woman must have written permission from the husband to work, study, or travel; religious police monitor women's clothing; there is no alcohol permitted.

Iacocca notes the poverty in the nation except for the royal family. There are hundreds of gold-encased palaces, hundreds of wives, millions blown on vacations, gambling, and high living . He says: these guys make Saddam Hussein look downright middle-class.

Here's a final note: to top it off, every schoolchild in Saudi Arabia is taught that their sole duty in life is to destroy everything America stands for.

He concludes: Why do we tolerate this? It's the oil. We have sold our souls for oil.

Lee Iacocca: Where have all of the Leaders Gone? Part 2

That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a call to action for people who, like me, believe in America. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the horseshit and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had enough.

Shake off the horseshit? But, Mr. Iacocca, it has been layered onto us thickly for more than 6 years already. We've been accustomed to it and, besides, it takes work, time, and frankly, some rocking of the boat; most Americans don't like to rock the boat. Of course, many don't understand that the boat s already sinking.

Let's tell 'em all we've had enough. OK, lets do that, but who are 'them?' Surely you don't mean that we should address our Congressmen and women? After all, they are major players in the problem scenario. They voted for the war and continue to fund it. They are the ones who will not consider universal health care. They are the ones who will not act to limit outsourcing of jobs as well as imports from China. They are the ones who vote for tax cuts for the wealthy. They are the ones who only meet for 98 days a year, yet fritter away their valuable time on silly things like gay marriage and flag burning.

We've tried 'them.' They are an exclusive club whose main interest is winning the next election. There aren't enough good ones to dilute the corruption and it will take too many years to replace the bad ones. By then, our ship will be sunk completely.

What's wrong with another American Revolution? After all, it has been over 230 years since we've had one. I'm in favor of another one, hopefully bloodless. We surround the Capitol and the White house and demand that they leave. We'd give them 24 hours to pack up and wildly cheer as they got into their limos and drove away.

Could it hurt? Iacocca had the idea that we suspend Congress for one year and have all 535 of them gather for a conference to discuss and defend all of the legislation it had passed the previous year. He argues that this has 2 advantages: 1. they will look at what they have done to us and 2. they will not be able to pass any legislation during this time.

Great idea, but that will not stop 'them.' They will make a mockery of all of this and will quickly return to their old ways when they get back to their 'job.'

We've given them enough chances; they have let us down time and again. No more 2nd or 3rd chances. Bush, Cheney and Rice, too. They have to go: ALL of them.

So much Hate...so little Time

I attended the funeral service of a grand and gracious woman this morning. Alvetta Moore was a charming 68-year-old who was struck down by a fast-growing brain tumor.

At the service, one of the readings was the Beatitudes, that short summation of righteous living. Blessed are the peacemakers...Blessed are the poor in spirit...Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake.

She was a black woman who grew up in Alabama. That says quite a lot in itself. Surely she was subjected to racial taunts and name-calling, discrimination, and bigotry. Yet, for the 16 years that I knew Alvetta, I never heard a single complaint fall from her lips. She was one of those positive people who sought the good in others.

The congregation was mostly black and elderly and I wondered as they were singing one of those powerful Negro Spirituals: what had they seen and experienced in their years as a black American? What injustices had they suffered? What humiliation had they endured?

Bless you, Alvetta. Rest in peace.

How odd....more of the same in Iraq

We shutter. The Mosque of the Golden Dome is once again bombed. The Shia and Sunni are at each other's throats, once again.

American soldiers are sitting ducks in the Civil War.

Who knew??

Had a more wise and learned man been our leader, the headline would have had little impact on us.

But no. American citizens were hoodwinked into believing that they had a wise and learned man as their leader.

Ignorance is rampant.

History is Gone and Forgotten

NPR's Day to Day, June 11, 2007 posted the interesting story of Gen. Vang Pao, a leader of the Hmong immigrant community in America. He will appear in a Sacramento courtroom Monday. Vang Pao is charged with trying to overthrow the government of Laos. The general's defense attorney Thomas Heffelfinger, says Vang Pao will plead not guilty.

He talks with Madeleine Brand.

Apparently, the lack of knowledge of recent history is amazing. No, not amazing; rather, criminally pathetic.

"We Died for You"

During our 2 week visit to Germany, my wife and I visited Berlin and the various WWll sites that we had read about in our school books. One of the most chilling was the bombed-out Kaiser Wilhelm Church. The people of Berlin decided to leave what was left of this magnificent church as a reminder of the horrors of war. "Never again."

Naturally there were also many other reminders of the consequences, as Emerson wrote, of "a whole nation roaring Patriotism at the top of its voice." The Holocaust Memorial built atop Hitler's bunker is yet another visual warning to those who would easily forget the past. The recently completed Jewish Museum led the visitor on a visual tour of the horrors of genocide.

Our nation is now entrenched in its own aggressive, preemptive war, a war begun on false statements and innuendos. Yet this administration would not have succeeded in promoting the war had the majority of American citizens not demanded it. Why were so many of our citizens 'roaring Patriotism' just before the invasion of Iraq in 2003? In many Berlin museums were yellowing posters of rallies led by Joseph Goebbels, the NAZI Propaganda Minister. What was said to the German people during those fiery speeches? What caused their citizens to demand a preemptive war?

The Last days in Germany were spent in the Black Forest village of my grandfather. One of my relatives presented me with some letters written in 1947 by my great aunt who lived in Heilbronn, northwest of Stuttgart. She described the horror of the 4th of December, 1944, the day that her city was bombed with phosphorous explosives. After 7 hours of bombing, she and her family crawled out of their cellar and witnessed, as she said, 'Sodom and Gomorrah.'

I returned to Toledo the day after Memorial Day with this letter in my suitcase. No doubt there were many parades here in America on that day. Interestingly, I was told that parades are not held in Germany any more. Apparently the German people had their fill of patriotic-fever parades during the NAZI years. I snapped a final photograph in a cemetery of a small village before leaving for Toledo. There was a memorial on a back wall to dead soldiers. The inscription above the names read, "We Died for You."