BuzzFlash presents Barbara's
Daily BuzzFlash Minute
exclusively on BuzzFlash.com
A collection of insightful ruminations, reflections, and rants on the events of the day (with the exception of the weekend). Come visit each weekday to see what's pushing Barbara's buttons.
August 4 , 2005
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How can members of the Peace Corps be welcomed once it's known some have been, or will also soon be, members of the U.S. Military?? Is America so "war minded" the definition of PEACE is beyond the realm of understanding? The Peace Corps was established to promote world peace and friendship, not bombs and bullets! By interconnecting the Military and the Peace Corps, this government has inadvertently compromised the safety and security of Peace Corps volunteers the world over! Even though there is agreement that this legislation was initiated with good intentions, as my grandmother used to say, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." In this instance, we would be wiser if we listened to granny!
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If I were a devious minded Repuglican, and I believed Academia was promoting "liberal" causes, how would I silence and eliminate that particular irritation? Hmm, I wonder, would I create an intelligence gathering cadre of informants, spies if you will, to gather information in order to thwart those "liberal" opinions? If I wanted it to appear benevolent and benign, what could I call it? I know, PRISP, for Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program!! And if I could provide them up to $50,000 over two years for their "education," perhaps that would entice these students for a clandestine "on the job training" effort to expose those guilty "liberals" and legitimately compensate them for doing a job well done! You bet your bippy I would, if I were a Repuglican!! Alas and alack, here I am, late at the gate of the slick and underhanded, the Repuglicans have already done that lock, stock, and spy worthy barrel!! And wouldn't you know it, they slid the whole thing in on a little known and certainly unpublicized provision of the newest version of the Patriot Act! Oh, those Repuglicans, what will they think of next?
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Even though the Bush administration seems to think their positive rhetoric regarding Iraq is "intelligently designed,"our sons and daughters continue to die in an unnecessary war! How many families will experience the horror of the loss, before America says ENOUGH? How many deaths will it take before America says it's OVER?
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Beware of a religious zealot in Judge's clothing! Haven't the American people learned anything from having religious radicals on the bench? What with the likes of Scalia and Thomas, you would think the country would be wary of yet another theocrat anxious to make their interpretation of God's law, the law of the land. How long before the Inquisition will be reinstated? Torture and abuse, because you happen to practice another religion, is already taking place thanks to this bunch perched in the White House. How long before executions follow? Separating Church and State is considered unthinkable these days, due to Repuglicans' playing to the radical religious right in America! Combining church and state is now the preferred norm! And to all you protestants out there who think you're safe and secure in your beliefs, because you are Christians, better think twice, because you're considered offshoots, upstarts, of the one true religion, the Universal Catholic Church -- at least that was what was taught some time back in Catechism class. As I've watched religious zealots from every sect quietly and some not so quietly steal into politics, I've wondered which religion will win out, who will be the victor in this fight for the power over the people in order to save their souls???
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In an attempt to downplay a positive trend for the Democrats regarding the special congressional election in Ohio, statements made by CNN Political Analyst Stuart Rothenberg on Inside Politics give further credence as to why voting via machine leaves any and all future elections conducted by machines suspect! When asked, "Why was this election so close?" Rothenberg (who in my opinion has always had a Repuglican bias) replied, "... the Republican candidate, Jean Schmidt, was an accidental nominee. ... She … ended up running a very amateurish campaign. ... the Republican situation in Ohio is disastrous … Governor Bob Taft's job approval is 19 percent. The state Republican Party is fending off charges every day -- every day, ethics charges about the administration." I do believe even the Repuglicans in Ohio are fed up with politics as usual. I don't believe they would continue to elect one party's candidates when that party isn't responding to what's best for the people.
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Jayson Blair isn't the only reporter that gave The New York Times a bad name, enter stage far right and we have, Judith Miller. Both Jay and Judy wrote front page articles for the Times without ever having spoken to the people they were writing about! Theirs was a flair for writing that defies all journalistic ethics. Mr. Blair's offenses were easily revealed, but Ms. Miller's, because of "national security," "classified information," and "clandestine identities" are not so easily exposed. Ms. Miller's tales went towards supporting an unnecessary war, which continues to result in widespread death and destruction. The question in the end becomes, why was the so-called "community of journalists" so quick to denounce Mr. Blair and equally as quick to jump on the bandwagon in support of Ms. Miller?? Do you suppose that, perhaps, there are more journalists who are guilty of the same deeds done by Ms. Miller, do you suppose that in exposing her they just may open that can of worms and, gasp, expose themselves?
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