Strangely enough at present two extremely intelligent, mid thirties African American men employed in the service of their country are headed in quite separate directions. One worked at the National Security Agency, America's most secretive intelligence agency, charged with assessing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capability based on intercepts of Iraqi communications and interviews with NSA counter-proliferation specialists. The other is a Congressman in the House of Representatives who seeks to displace the highest ranking member of the Senate, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and would be only one of a few African Americans to be elected to the Senate since Reconstruction. One did his job dilligently, the accuracy of which would be proven before all the world. The other would sacrifice the truth and betray those nearest and closest, alive and dead, for selfish and short sighted gain. As a result, one is on his way to prison. And the other may yet accomplish his dream.
Yet in a United States gone completely twisted and perverse, it's the truthteller who's going to jail.
Kenneth Ford, Jr., former uniformed Secret Service member for President Bill Clinton, moved into the NSA as a fast track intern and worked on preparing a report on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction at a time when Vice President Dick Cheney was coercing the intelligence departments to "cherry pick" negative information regarding Iraq's WMD program. He produced a report in 2003 that not only contradicted Cheney warmongering plans, but ended up on his desk. From that point on it appears that a decision was made to "take him down," and apparently a paid informant named Tonya Tucker, befriended Ford, then planted confidential government documents in his home then alerted the authorities to arrest Ford. (more information here, scroll to bottom) He was apparently simply another government employee to be fingered by Cheney a la Joseph Wilson and Valerie Plame. And despite flimsy evidence and several factual inconsistencies, he was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison.
(see March 31 entry)
Meanwhile, Harold Ford, Jr., law school graduate and son of a former Tennessee Congressman, is viewed as one of the young rising African American democratic leaders, comes from a prominent family, and was even selected by People Magazine as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2001. Furthermore, when confronted with an attack by Bill Frist,whose party operatives opened up a website mocking Ford, Ford was quick to respond with a parody of his own. Yet in a move that should remind the world that race really seems to matter in America, or, at a minimum, in the South, Ford's own actions seem to warrant raised eyebrows.
Ford has recently given interviews in major media outlets talking about his family's ability to overcome race through the efforts of his white grandmother and black grandfather. Problem is his grandmother was not white, and not only was listed as "Negro" on her death certificate, but the same was listed on the death certificates of BOTH of her parents. And while this infraction is surely not as bad as lying about weapons of mass destruction or any other motives for going to war, it has in fact irritated some African Americans who might have otherwise supported him. But perhaps more importantly than which consituency is offended or what political gain such a statement or story may serve, there is the simply issue of integrity. If someone is willing to sacrifice the race and identity of his deceased grandmother, what will he NOT lie about?
The weaz is no political consultant, but it would be most unfortunate if some political calculation about racial attitutes in Tennessee suggested that Harold would be more likely to win his Senate race with this canard, and he along with some members of his family (his aunt denies that her mother was white) agreed with this strategy. It would thus highlight a very strange reality in 2006 America: tell the truth about the most critical issues relevant to America's national security and go to jail; tell lies about ancillary matters that should be of concern to no one and become a Senator.
Orwellian times in the United States. And a strange tale of two Fords.
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7 comments:
ERINYES; THIS THREAD'S FOR YOU:
(refering to your yesterday)
Your entire thread reveals the deeply flawed nature of your educational background. It does so by never mentioning the most terrifying evils confronting mankind: Marxism and Islaam.
Nothing you say makes sense if one honestly evaluates Marxism and Islaam. For example, it would be easy to see why Europeans are angry with America if you realize that they are deeply infected with Marxist propaganda, and that socialism, in all of its manifestations, has failed miserably.
All that collectivism produced, after over 100 years of socialist history, is graft, poverty, brutality and propaganda. That Propaganda is all that you know of socialist history
The horribly failed Communist experiment has left behind it an angry, disillusioned, politically lost generation. That's you! And even more unfairly, your educators have passed their heartbreak on to you by failing to teach you about the murderous, oppressive, and completely incompetent nature of Communism.
The only countries that are rabid America haters are heavily socialist. France, Germany, Russia, and China were our main detractors in the Iraq thing. They have also been the main arms suppliers for Islaam (including nuclear), and perpetrators of the Oil for Food Scandal criminals involved with Saddam Hussein.
They are desperate to save what is left of their basket-case economies, and supporting one of the most heinous dictatorships ever to show it face on the planet did not bother them a bit.
Yes, yes. Now you are going to tell me about American chicanery. Some of which may in fact be accurate. But your description will not factor in that we were fighting Communism.
Now you’re going to tell me that communism was only an excuse to invade various countries and inject American Business interests. I have no doubt that American Business' were favored in political overthrows. How could it be otherwise? But that is not the point.
The point it that Communist governments executed 200 million of their own citizens during the last century in an effort to get the Communist System to function. They imprisoned tens of millions more. They instituted internal secret service agencies that spied on every single citizen. No life was safe from the KGB or Stasi. People were beaten, tortured and shot for the most trivial of infractions.
Children were made to be informants against their parents. The ownership of a book or radio was enough to land you in the Gulags for life, which was a very brief stay. Artists couldn't write or paint without fear of execution. Travel was out of the question. Communist citizens lived their lives in terror looking over their shoulders for the dreaded secret police.
And all the time the much vaunted new socialist economy was a dreadful failure. The bread-basket of Europe starved for 75 years. "From each according to his ability and to each according to his need" absolutely did not work.
It still doesn't work...Anywhere!
That is the oppressive failure that Americans would not allow to take over the world. You, living in Europe, were once again protected by the United States of America. If it had not been for us, you would be living under KGB rule.
And once again, you are ungracious. We squandered our riches on you. We bled our precious blood for you, and you are still ingrates!
This time it will be different. We are going to let the Muslims have you. In fact, they already do have you, and there is nothing that we can do about it. We will have to fight them in an all out battle. That battle will partially fought out in Europe, and it will be nuclear.
Given the century of warfare that we dedicated to your freedom, and your lack of understanding, you deserve what you’re going to get.
I know that your beliefs stain you too deeply to wash clean in one thread, but just keep what I have said in mind.
ISLAAM WILL MAKE MY POINT CLEAR. YOU WILL KNOW THAT I WAS RIGHT BY THE DEPTH OF YOUR SUFFERING.
PERSONALLY, I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE IT.
(DOC HATES INGRATES!)
doc
Doc, thanks for the swift and comprehensive answer. I enjoyed reading your words of wisdom, they enlightened me. Just a couple of things were left unclear though….
“Your entire thread reveals the deeply flawed nature of your educational background”
My post, dear chap, my post. Thread refers to the whole set of comments (posts) But to respond to you: How? First off, you don’t even know my educational background, I just told you what I currently study. Secondly, you know, it’s easy to make statements like the above, but if you really think about it, there is absolutely nothing that you are presenting in support of your statement.
“It would be easy to see why Europeans are angry with America if you realize…that socialism, in all of its manifestations, has failed miserably.”
This doesn’t make sense, doc, my friend. If we were socialist, which we’re not as there’s not a single socialist country in Europe, then why would we blame America for the failure of our economic system? Wouldn’t we look up to America, if your system was better?
“All that collectivism produced, after over 100 years of socialist history, is graft, poverty, brutality and propaganda. That Propaganda is all that you know of socialist history”
Doc, my dearest, you are really on fire today, aren’t you darling? First you claim that we are blinded from realizing that our socialism () has failed, and then you state that we are infected with propaganda about socialism having produced graft, poverty, brutality, and propaganda. You are contradicting yourself, old man!
“The horribly failed Communist experiment has left behind it an angry, disillusioned, politically lost generation. That's you!”
Ehh….nope, that’s not me, dude! I never lived in a communist state. Also, I am not angry. How could I be when your posts entertain me so much?
“And even more unfairly, your educators have passed their heartbreak on to”
Would this be my educators in the US? In the UK?
“The only countries that are rabid America haters are heavily socialist. France, Germany, Russia, and China were our main detractors in the Iraq thing.”
Hmmm…France is not a socialist country; in fact, they have a right-wing government. So does Germany. And Russia is more capitalist than the US will ever be. China is not socialist. See, if you ever read Marx and Engels, which I doubt, you’d know that in socialism the means of production are collectively owned. I suggest taking a trip to, say Shanghai, and looking around you. Quite a good deal of private (many of them American) companies there…
“They have also been the main arms suppliers for Islaam (including nuclear)”
Wait, I thought the US has armed the Taleban and Saddam. I guess recorded history is incorrect… Oh, and wait, now that were on the subject of nuclear weapons and the mid-east, it is my understanding that the only nuclear states in the area are Pakistan and Israel, both of which are close US allies. Ouch!
“Now you are going to tell me about American chicanery. Some of which may in fact be accurate.”
Looks like I don’t have to tell you, right?
“But your description will not factor in that we were fighting Communism.”
Are you fighting Communism in Iraq? In Afghanistan?
“I have no doubt that American Business' were favored in political overthrows. How could it be otherwise?”
This is the way it could be otherwise: American businesses would not be favored. Is it not the market that should decide which business is successful? Or are American businesses so weak that they need the US government’s help. Shit, I didn’t know.
“They instituted internal secret service agencies that spied on every single citizen.”
Sort of like McNamara, right?
“People were beaten, tortured and shot for the most trivial of infractions”
You guys seem to proudly continue this tradition in Iraq, random shootings and torture. The difference is that you use private companies to do it.
“The bread-basket of Europe starved for 75 years.”
Which 75 years would this be? By the way, did you know that the EU economy is bigger than that of the US? We have bread!!!!!
“And once again, you are ungracious. We squandered our riches on you. We bled our precious blood for you, and you are still ingrates!”
Did you know that ungracious is a synonym for discourteous and rude? In case you meant ungrateful, then you are simply wrong because I did mention that many Europeans, including me, are thankful to the role of the US in providing us with security. You know, you should be thankful for it was Europeans that discovered America. Do I hear Thanks? Or should we apologize for those (Native Americans) whose land you eventually stole? Alternatively, in case you call me ungracious, I suggest you take a look at your own posts, which to me are an epitome of ungraciousness. Looks like double standards extend beyond your government….
“We are going to let the Muslims have you. In fact, they already do have you, and there is nothing that we can do about it.”
Yes, there are Muslims living in Europe, as there are in the US. In fact, there are Muslims living in the very building that I inhabit. They’re nice people; I have tea with them sometimes and look after their kids in the yard. There much more polite than the Finns, by the way (=self-criticism, ever heard?).
“That battle will partially fought out in Europe, and it will be nuclear.”
OK, now you got me scared. I mean, after all, the US is the only country in the world that has used nuclear weapons, the most dangerous weapons in the world, in warfare. As I said in my earlier post, I fear the US.
“Given the century of warfare that we dedicated to your freedom”
Which century would this be? Not the 20th, because warfare only lasted 1914-1918 and 1939-1945.
“ISLAAM WILL MAKE MY POINT CLEAR. YOU WILL KNOW THAT I WAS RIGHT BY THE DEPTH OF YOUR SUFFERING PERSONALLY, I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE IT.”
How rude! Nah, just kidding doc, you make me smile. Keep up the good work!
See, doc, no need berating the weaz. If you're nice someone may pick apart and devour your arguments, and tolerate the typos with elevated magnanimity and refined manners.
Speaking about typos, someone should tell you that Islam does not have an alef (long a), but a fatha (short a). Maybe someone told you that your spelling was the key to an esoteric understanding of Islam, but to the rest of us it reveals your lack of understanding regarding the subject of which you discuss, rather than your mastery of it.
But here's a tip that you might want to learn from erinyes: Why don't you copy and paste some of the text about which you're writing, thereby ensuring you don't wander too far off the beaten path.
Weaz, just tryin' ta help.
I appreciate your intelligence and clarity. Although I dissagree with you, I am enjoying our debate.
I don't care if you study veterinary science. If you comment on political science, and you leave out massively cogent facts, your education on the subject is flawed. Now I take it that you are European, or British, and that Government is a subject of study in where ever it is that you studied. The subject of Government was either not taught accurately, or it was intentionally miss-taught.
I know that because you describe history with an enormous logical deficit. And that deficit is the socialist and Islaamic factors in European history.
You describe a dance with a partner missing. It is obvious that you have been taught to be blind to one side. You ask how you know that there is a partner missing. Because so many of us, on my side of the pond, see that you have failed to describe that partner. That makes me know that you have been carefully schooled...some how...to ignore obvious facts. Propaganda!
Yes, Europe is Socialist. Socialism is not a static political condition. It exists on a continuum. Hence, one country can be more socialistic than it's neighbor. And, a country can be very socialistic with out identifying itself as such.
Europe has a veritable stable of socialist parties. Some of them are not even called 'socialist'. But they are all committed to one similar goal: The collectivization and redistribution of wealth to produce a childishly hopeful, and totally unworkable, utopian economy. That veritable hoard of socialist parties constantly agitates to infuse their collectivist programs into European economies. And they have been very successful at doing that. Each socialist success makes the host economy less effective, which encourages the Left to try and correct the inefficiency with even more socialist fixes. The French are currently in the streets to insure that at-will employment will be illegal. That will never work!
Suffice it to say that human beings simply don't operate in the socialist way. No inducements, including: religion, altruism, patriotism, torture, mass murder, imprisonment, oppression, begging, pleading, or whining have been able to get socialism to operate efficiently. It is dumb to even continue trying. But Europeans, including you, plod on pathetically believing that some where down the road a failure will magically transform itself into a utopian success. Silly!
Your efforts produce very poor economies. And you are angry that our economy works swimmingly. Instead of finding your own errors, you blame us of illegal behavior.
When compared to Europe, our commerce is far more (not perfectly) ethical. Yes we provided the Contras, Mujhadeen, Iraq and others with weaponry. We did that to defeat Communism. We discontinued that supply when our goals were accomplished. France, Germany, Russia, and China have been supplying violent dictatorships with arms, including nuclear and biological, as gainful commerce since World War Two. No, I’m wrong. Europe has been supplying evil regimes with arms since the 1600’s!
(It amazes me that Europeans accuse America of empirical aggression when it has been Europe that has been engaged in that pursuit for hundreds of years, right up to the last part of the twentieth century. Even more astounding is the tacit European support for the Soviet, and now Islaam, two of the most brutal and socially unfair empires ever to exist, while vilifying the only country to ever dedicate itself to the irradiation of tyrannies. )
Now, as far as Islaam is concerned. Europe is no longer European. It looks as though it is, but it is not. Part of the hysterically excessive liberality of European politics after WWll was open borders. Now there is no going back. Muslims are out numbering you in every country of Europe and Scandinavia. You have lost your culture and your lands.
What is your answer to the demise of European Culture? Burning American flags! Brilliant!
Now what is it that you don’t understand about my position? Would you like to know why Kennesian economies (supply side) can work while colectivist economies cannot?
doc
Poor little Jeffie,
Trying to raise some hell with little ammo in the pistol except namecalling and vapid stereotypes emboldened by indifferent ignorance. Doc "may be right" or he may be wrong (more likely), but at least he spells out his ideas and can be a bit polite. You, little Jeffie, are quite smug in your ignorance, quite disrespectful, and still have yet to say anything of substance.
You're still invited to write, because you can be our court jester. We can laugh at you while you think that you're not as dumb as you look. Of course, that's not nice, but hard to argue when this is your fourth or fifth post, and you've provided us no evidence to the contrary.
And willing an attack on Syria and Iran reveals your further intertwined ignorance and hatred. Georgie Porgie's done such a good job in Iraq (and handling Katrina)that only someone drunk on Cult-of-Bush juice could think he could "clean up" anything, the low grade moron he is.
And here's some fact for you to chew on so I don't slide into the abyss in which you live. Since all the geniuses moved from Europe long ago, and the dregs remain, please explain statistics like this:
Quality of Life
http://www02.imd.ch/documents/wcc/content/overallgraph.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Index_of_Economic_Freedom
Yo Jeff,
Thanks for the delightful and open-minded comments. Just a few remarks though, for clarity’s sake.
Save your Eurotrash agitprop for self loathers like Weasel
Why is Weasel a self-loather? I don’t think that if you are critical of your government it means that you hate yourself. I think a critical civil society is necessary in a functioning democracy. Moreover, could you specify the exact paragraphs of my text that you took to be “Eurotrash agitprop”? It’s kind of hard to engage in intelligent argument with you when you don’t make any point…
Western Europe is a quasi-socialist playground riddled with economic malaise.
Lucky I’m not from Western Europe then. Seriously, there is nothing socialist about the western European states. In fact, one of the biggest driving forces of European integration has been the free market ideology encapsulated in the European Economic Area. The economic problems that the EU faces are due mostly to nationalism (protectionism), not socialism. And while we’re at it, I happen to come from Finland, which has had a social-democratic government and president for a long time now. World Economic Forum chose Finland as the world’s most competitive nation in 2005-2006 with other social-democratic countries Sweden and Denmark coming in the third and the fourth place. This for me is not a high accolade, however. I don’t boast about it. I think the functioning and the well-being of the people is more important than the numbers in the state budget. So I look to the UN’s World Development Report, which is widely used to measure human development around the world. The top spots in 2005 were taken by Norway (1st) and Iceland (2nd), with 7 out of the top 10 being European nations. The US did alright, being in position 10, but its education level and life expectancy were considerably lower than those of the European states.
The failure of the world-wide communist movement to sway the masses has produced an angry, disillusioned, politically lost generation of perpetual whiners.
Oh, quite the contrary. Europeans are much more politically active than the Americans. We have a rich variety of political parties as opposed to your two big parties, and we have a higher voter turnout in our elections. The most recognized international organization that measures voter turnout in different countries is called IDEA, look at their recent survey at http://www.idea.int/vt/survey/voter_turnout_pop2.cfm. USA is in position 139 with their average voter turnout of 48,3%. Here is a list of just some countries that have a higher turnout: Burma, Uganda, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, RUSSIA, Gambia, Bangladesh, SYRIA, Jamaica, Sao Tomé and Principe, Lebanon, Bolivia, Belarus, Nepal, Moldova, IRAN, Belize, Burundi, Mongolia.
Oh, did you know that communism was overthrown in many eastern European states by an active civil society, so one could even argue that communism resulted in increased political activism.
The best and brightest of Europe emigrated to America long ago.
Nope, it was the unemployed who emigrated. You had a newly-industrialized economy at that point whereas the European economies were fairly saturated by then.
If France becomes a Muslim country, America will nuke it in self defense
In self-defense? What, you own them now?
It must be warm to rest in your cocoon of ignorance, especially when it's clear you didn't even look at the statistics. For even if you'd clicked the blue button, you'd have found the link to the Economist, far from a free encyclopedia and generally well regarded, definitely not liberal.
Your name calling yet again reveals you for a fool, and the only embarassment ensuing to me is that some twist of fate, whether accidental or otherwise, caused such an abject idiot to blow this way onto this site. Anyway, Jeffie, you've probably never been to Europe, probably never learned a language other than English, and your idea of an international trip would be heading to one of the coasts. You contribute nothing, and are proud of it.
As you would know, being from where you are, if you wrestle with a pig, two things happen: you get dirty, and the pig enjoys it.
I guess being a city boy, I learned that one late. But chatting with you, it'll be a lesson well learned.
And I apologize to other readers to have to experience this idiocy. But it's better for the world to see such ignorance in full bloom. I couldn't make Jeffie up, and if I did no one would believe me.
Thanks, caricature.
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