The Dumbing Down of America

Fascinating editorial in Commondreams...eye popping quote:

The Princeton Review analyzed the transcripts of the Gore-Bush debates, the Clinton-Bush-Perot debates of 1992, the Kennedy-Nixon debates of 1960 and the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858. It reviewed these transcripts using a standard vocabulary test that indicates the minimum educational standard needed for a reader to grasp the text. During the 2000 debates George W. Bush spoke at a sixth-grade level (6.7) and Al Gore at a seventh-grade level (7.6). In the 1992 debates Bill Clinton spoke at a seventh-grade level (7.6), while George H.W. Bush spoke at a sixth-grade level (6.8), as did H. Ross Perot (6.3). In the debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon the candidates spoke in language used by 10th-graders. In the debates of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas the scores were respectively 11.2 and 12.0. In short, today’s political rhetoric is designed to be comprehensible to a 10-year-old child or an adult with a sixth-grade reading level. It is fitted to this level of comprehension because most Americans speak, think and are entertained at this level. This is why serious film and theater and other serious artistic expression, as well as newspapers and books, are being pushed to the margins of American society. Voltaire was the most famous man of the 18th century. Today the most famous “person” is Mickey Mouse.

Dasheke--Some kind of special mustache

Hilarious video from 23/6! I am currently emailing this to every person who has ever emailed me the Obama is a socialist/radical black christian/muslim/gun taker/baby killer emails. Enjoy!

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Daily Jefferson

To Dr. Benjamin Rush Washington April 21, 1803

Regarding public proclamations of one's faith & religion:

I am moreover averse to the communication of my religious tenets to the public; because it would contenance the presumption of those who have endeavored to draw them before that tribunal, and to seduce public opinion to errect itself into that inquisition over the rights of conscience, which the laws so justly proscribed. It behoves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others; or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own. It behoves him, too, in his own case, to give no example of concession, betraying the common right of independant opinion, by answering questions of faith, which laws have left between God & himself.

My personal thought is how did this guy ever get elected? Can you imagine Obama or another candidate when asked about his religion by the press to say simply "It's none of your business". Could it be that this country is more religiously radical and thereby requiring more of a religious test for its President than it had 200 years ago.....thanks to the Religious Right driven GOP for our regression!

Waterboarding, Enhanced Interrogation & World War II War Crimes

New story from the Common Dreams Newswire regarding the Bush Administration's continued attempt to block the citizens of this country from knowing exactly what is being done in their name. I know many believe that the ACLU sometimes is involved in matters that are not relevant to its mission and are frustrated by some of its actions, but in these last years of an monarchical administration, they have been one of the few to continuously push the government in court. They have already been successful in having reams of memorandums released under the Freedom Of Information Act. Some that specifically demonstrate that the Administration continues to encourage waterboarding as an "enhanced interrogation". Now I often have arguments with my conservative friends about waterboarding, they of course state that it is not torture due to the fact that no physical injury results. But lets actually look at a description of someone who has undergone the procedure:

A towel was fixed under the chin and down over the face. Then many buckets of water were poured into the towel so that the water gradually reached the mouth and rising further eventually also the nostrils, which resulted in his becoming unconscious and collapsing like a person drowned. This procedure was sometimes repeated 5-6 times in succession. They would lash me to a stretcher then prop me up against a table with my head down. They would then pour about two gallons of water from a pitcher into my nose and mouth until I lost consciousness.

An account of an Al Queda suspect? possibly an Iraqi insurgent? Wrong again, this is a recounting of an American soldier who was captured by the Japanese in WWII. The quote was part of testimony in you guessed it a trial for war crimes. So the question is if it was torture then, why is it not torture now? I have yet to hear a reasonable response from my conservative friends. A great quick read on this is an article that ran in the Washington Post in 2007 by Evan Wallach.

The Raving Radical Movie Review

So tonight I sat down and watched Chicago 10 out on DVD. This is a documentary film that splits between actual footage of the 1968 Democratic Convention and animation of the actual court proceedings of the Chicago 10 trial. For a little background the Chicago 10 were a group of, you guessed it, 10 people mainly anti-war & civil rights protestors who organized a protest of the Democratic Convention in Chicago. Overall I thought the movie was great. I have read much of Abbie Hoffman's writings as well as William Kunstler, who represented Abbie, so I did have a basic knowledge going in what the movie was about. I was afraid that the constant switching from animation to actual footage would be distracting to the overall story which is powerful enough as is, but it really was very smooth. In fact, seeing animation Abbie as opposed to real Abbie was hmm let me use the generation venacular "quite a trip". After watching the Convention footage and Obama give his speech on election night, both of which happend at Grant's Park in Chicago, it just seems fitting bookends to see where the Democratic Party really lost its soul and where it hopefully will be reborn. Anyways I would give this movie an All Power To The People 4 out of 5. Here is the trailer:



Also if you enjoyed this I would also recommend Steal This Movie, which deals specifically with the life of Abbie Hoffman.

Daily Jefferson

I am currently reading Jefferson's Letters, which are a treasure trove of wisdom. In that vein I hope to enter a daily entry from Jefferson, so without further ado:

Freedom Of The Press-- To Judge John Tyler Washinghton June 28, 1804

I may err in my measures, but never shall deflect from the intention to fortify the public liberty by every possible means, and to put it out of the power of the few to riot on the labors of the many. No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact, that man may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The most effectual hitherto found, is the freedom of the press. It is therefore, the first shut up by those who fear the investigation of their actions.

If you are a Jefferson geek like me then I strongly suggest listening to The Thomas Jefferson Hour, a radio program by Clay Jenkinson. In the first half hour Jenkinson plays Mr. Jefferson and the second half hour both the commentator and Mr. Jenkinson discuss the topic in today's terms. All the episodes are divided into topics which really lets you pick and choose what interests you and what Jefferson thought about it.

Help Me Obi Anderson Kenobi Your My Only Hope

Hilarious Dave Barry editorial concerning the election, makes me want a martini. I don't know if anybody watched CNN election night coverage when they brought the hologram of Will I Am in, but it was pure comedy, it looked just like Star Wars. I was half expecting Will. I. Am to repeatedly say "Help me Anderson Cooper your my only hope!"