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Part II of II | Click Here for Part I
Subj: CNN Joins MSNBC in Misrepresenting Analyst as Reporter
CNN has failed to disclose ADEQUATELY that Bill SCHNEIDER is a Resident Fellow of the wingnut American Enterprise Institute. Perhaps CNN said something about it somewhere or has it in credits somewhere, but nowhere that a viewer for years would notice. Instead a viewer gets the impression that he is some kind of a reporter, but one who slants to the wingnut side of things. It turns out that he is an "analyst" or commentator. CNN's self-advertising as being "the most TRUSTED" has been slipping with the media-wide tilt to the Wingnut and AWAY from the even-playing-field of "journalism," TOWARDS political propaganda. CNN ought to caption the screen "AEI Analyst" with SCHNEIDER's every appearance. And, actually, all media outlets should post the affiliations of their myriad of "experts". This lapse is familiar over at MSNBC where Chris MATTHEWS routinely presents wingnut operative Frank LUNTZ as a mere "pollster", and did so extensively during Campaign 2000.
This is the second bit of outrageous news this week. The first was from Chris MATTHEWS on the Don IMUS show on 02-28-03, in which he revealed that the Neo-Con guests on his show, when they are finished with their appearances DEMANDING that Iraq disarm or else, with the microphone turned off, then chuckle and say that the LAST thing they want is this disarming because they would lose the reason for launching the invasion and Iraq attack. This is not the first war launched with media collaboration----remember the Maine? It is minimally professionally unethical for MATTHEWS and all the others who know this to collaborate like this, and for the actual perpetrators of these policies in the government it is in the range of war crimes.
John Garza
Subj: Terror Alert Colors
Dear BuzzFlash,
I agree with Barbara from NYC. The terror alert color is bound to go up about three days before the next major demonstration. But what color will it be? Here are a few possibilities:
TERROR ALERT COLORS
Chicken
Hawk Yellow
Big
Brother Blue
Exxon Black
Better
Dead than RED
White
House Spin White
Imperialist
Purple
Bush
Brindle Brown
Pentagon
Propaganda Pink
Any other suggestions are welcomed by Ari's "Department of Motherland....uh....Homeland Propaganda".
Rob Moitoza
Seattle,
WA
Subj: The difference between Clinton and Bush--IMPORTANT
MASSIVE HYPOCRISY ALERT!!!!
Remember when W was governor? HE AVOIDED JURY DUTY AND LIED ON HIS COURT AFFADAVIT--didn't want to mention that pesky DWI that was, at the time, a state secret. Contrast that with the Big Dog.... a guy who actually SERVES his country, not rapes it.
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/060/region/Bill_Clinton_tapped_for_jury_d:.shtml
Under previous jobs held, the respondent answered President of the United States. He also wrote that he thought he could be fair and impartial, despite his ''unusual experience with the O.I.C.,'' or Office of Independent Counsel.
David E. Kendall, Clinton's lawyer, said that Clinton is ready and willing to serve. ''The former president is subject to jury duty, he's done his part, and if selected he would serve,'' Kendall told The New York Times in Saturday editions.
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subj: Bush talks to friends off the cuff / Up Close and Personal
Buzz,
"Jerry Lathan is convinced that President Bush would rather be cutting wood on his Texas ranch than lobbing missiles at Baghdad."
Hey, Pretzel-pRez, don't feel like the Lone Ranger - the majority of patriotic, peace-loving American citizens would rather you be sawing logs back home on the farm, too. Just go do it! and make all our wishes come true!
T Quigly
Subj: On O'Reilly and his threats to Liberals
Dear BuzzFlash,
Why don't we start a campaign to let Fox and their sponsors know this demagogue has crossed the line...
Same deal as the virtual march... a solid day of calling and faxing and emails....it'll get their attention but what's more important it'll get the rest of the media's attention on Fox and O'Reilly...
with some well timed interviews to see what other conservative leaders think of his statements... it could bring out a whole LOTT of attention...
So I am asking BuzzFlash to get it kick started...
Roger Barbosa
Subj: what I said yesterday, now on Dateline London: How COULD Bush bring troops home?
Dear Buzz,
It would be impossible, he HAS to go to war...
The only thing that will bring them "to their senses" (AFTER war, presumably, or in the midst) is public opinion, people out on streets in scale of Vietnam protests.
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subj: Bush League Democracy
Dear BuzzFlash,
Bush says he is going to bring democracy to Iraq. To do this he must invade Iraq from Turkey. Ninety-five percent of the Turkish people are opposed to a war on Iraq. What does Bush think the word "democracy" means?
Quilp.
Subj: World History
Dear BuzzFlash,
Emperor Julius Bush has stated that "world history will be written by us"? In foreign affairs you cant get more humble than that!
Quilp
Subj: Emblem for Homeland Security Department
Dear BuzzFlash,
Something's been bugging me about the emblem for the new Department of Homeland Security and I finally figured out what it is. The top part features white stars on a blue background and the lower part, red and white stripes, the classic American-flag-bunting motif. But it's the shape of the thing that's odd: like a policeman's badge or shield. Then it hit me: the Bush cartel has provided us with a graphic symbol that we are now a police state, with traditional American values of freedom and liberty subservient to the need for command and control. I realize that the Department of Homeland Security is the outgrowth of a bipartisan commission headed by such distinguished leaders as former Senators Warren Rudman and Gary Hart, but I don't think this was what they had in mind.
Liberty si, police state no,
Jon Krampner
Subj: Defang Limbaugh
Dear BuzzFlash,
My favorite newspaper The Progressive Populist, who you don't list in your sources of input, credits www.takebackthemedia.com/rushbusted.html with a list of of that anal cyst infested chickenhawk's sponsors complete with 800#s. If you think that possibly your money is used thru their profits to support this '"entertainer" is a good thing, call and congratulate them on their sound economic judgement. If not you can make them follow the money, call 'em and say I'm putting my money where my mouth is, or something in that vein. MONEY TALKS! ps I was stunned to find that the Armed Forces Network broadcasts this teller of lies and half truths to our troops, a captivated audience of impressionable of young folks. I shudder to think of the implications of this hateful fatass' rantings on these young people, rightwingnut conspiracy, your goddamn right.
DJ Kostelac
Dear Buzz,
An article in The New York Times on Thursday reported that the Bush administration will seek to get a majority of nine votes on the U.N. Security Council for its bombs-away policy in Iraq. Six countries, known as "The Middle Six" because they have not declared their positions on the issue, will be the subject of an intense lobbying campaign by the Bushies. "These countries are really feeling the heat, and they're going to be feeling even more heat in coming days," an administration spokesman told The Times ("US Seeks Nine Votes to Confront Iraq," The New York Times, 2/20/03).
Those opposed
to Bush administration policy can generate some heat of their own by
contacting these six countries: Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Pakistan,
Mexico and Guinea. I've gotten full U.S. embassy information for five
of these countries and partial information for Guinea's, and thought
you might like to post this information on your website. Those so inclined
can let these swing countries know how they feel about this misguided
policy on the part of our thuggish, autocratic, reactionary and illegitimate
regime. ANGOLA:
Embassy of the Republic of Angola
2100-2108 16th St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20009
Tel.: (202) 785-1156
Fax: (202) 785-258
e-mail: angola@angola.org
CAMEROON:
Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon
2349 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
Tel.: (202) 265-8790
Fax: (202) 387-3826
e-mail: cdm@ambacam-usa.org
CHILE:
Embassy of Chile
1732 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Tel.: (202) 785-1746
Fax: (202) 887-5579
e-mail: embassy@embassyofchile.org
PAKISTAN:
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
2315 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
Tel.: (202) 939-6200
Fax: (202) 387-0484
e-mail: 1) parepwashington@erols.com
2) embassyofpakistan@hotmail.com
MEXICO:
Embassy of Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
Tel.: (202) 728-1600
Fax: (202) 728-1615
e-mail: mexembusa@sre.gob.mx
Embassy of the Republic of Guinea
2522 K. St. N.W., Suite 405
Washington, DC 20005
Tel.: (202) 393-0525
Keep on buzzin', Buzzflash!
Jon Krampner
Dear BuzzFlash,
We should all work to see that "no child is left behind." After all, another "child left behind" may someday be appointed President of the United States of America.
Keep up the good work, Buzzy!
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subj: Kerry a "Judas Catholic"???
So Bob Dornan, the nut who used to give spittle flecked speeches to an empty senate house late at night, has decided that Kerry is a "Judas Catholic" for not supporting Bush's Iraq Attack Policy?
Gee. I wonder what he calls Pope John Paul, then?
a BuzzFlashreader
Hi BuzzFlashers,
I just thought I'd share something ridiculous. In the Sunday New York Times, there was an article questioning the validity of celebrities speaking out against the war. Some woman has actually started a petition on a website called www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/hollywoodceleb - which calls for celebrities to basically stop talking. Amazing, you should see some of the comments on the petition. Their lack of understanding of democracy is absolutely stunning. They say things like "liberals really hate freedom" - this while they're signing a petition to stop an entire group of people for speaking their minds! Unbelievable. They are also boycotting Hollywood celebrities. I'm sure that will really hurt the celebs!
A BuzzFlash Reader
Dear BuzzFlash:
It appears that the Bush Administration is preparing to privatize the nation's air traffic controllers by using a little-known executive branch process to reclassify their jobs from "inherently governmental" to "commercial". Their jobs can now be put out for bid, with the lowest bid winning. The idea of controller staffing, training, etc., being delegated to businesses with the bottom line always uppermost gives me cold chills! Senator Frank Lautenberg (Dem--NJ) is leading a fight against this. If you would like to read his statement on this, go to www.senate.gov, then to the New Jersey site, and then click on his name to bring up his web site. I urge you to access your own senators through this www.senate.gov site and tell them to support S.338, the Safe and Secure Skies Act.
R. M. Johnson
Subj: Light a Candle
March 2, 2003
Dear BuzzFlash
I had taken down the tree, put away the outside decorations, removed the line of hanging Christmas cards from the living room doorway and had come to the last thing to go. The candles in the windows. I reached to remove the first one but paused. An overwhelming feeling came over me. My family places the candles in the windows as a sign of peace and hope, two things that seemed to be missing this past Christmas. It seemed to me that this Christmas had come and gone with the true meaning hidden behind consumer confidence, or lack thereof, a crashing economy, the constant beating of the war drums and last but not least the administrations terror warnings.
This Christmas did not seem to be the haven it usually is. The time for all of us to wish for peace and feel the hope that this season is supposed to bring. Gone was the GOOD WILL TOWARDS MEN. Gone were the friendly smiles that are usually the norm and not the exception. Gone was the joy for many who worried how they would survive without a job or unemployment benefits. Gone was the hope of many that they would ever be able to retire with the expected level of comfort they thought they had secured. Gone was our overwhelming and usual comfort of HOPE and PEACE.
I pulled my hand back and did not dare remove that candle, nor any of the others that were in the windows. They still burn brightly every night, through the entire night as my way of showing that I refuse to let go. Let go of what these candles symbolize to me and to my family. HOPE AND PEACE! These candles will not be removed until both have been restored.
It's only a little sign, but I'm asking all who's wish is for HOPE and PEACE to return the candle to the window. Imagine the message this would send.
Please feel free to publish this and to email this to everyone you know. Let us shed some Light.
A BuzzFlash Reader
Mike Andrews
Pawtucket,
RI
Sent to Autozone:
Subj: Advertising
To Whom It May Concern:
Please be aware that I am taking part in a boycott of Rush Limbaugh advertisers, Autozone being one such advertiser. This pains me as I have always been a loyal Autozone customer. Still, I take great offense at being characterized by Rush Limbaugh as anti-American and unpatriotic because I do not believe that war with Iraq at this time is in the best interests of America's national security, in fact, I believe that a war with Iraq now will only serve to decrease America's national security as it is an unnecessary war that will supercharge anti-American terrorist recruiting efforts.
I would argue vehemently with Limbaugh's premise that I am anti-American, in fact, I believe that I am more concerned with America's national security than Limbaugh or the Bush Administration appears to be and that I am much more of a true patriot than Limbaugh. I am offended not only by the remarks of Limbaugh but I am equally as offended that Autozone endorses these remarks by their refusal to discontinue advertising on his show.
This means that I now must go out of my way to get auto parts and supplies, in some cases paying more more money for them, however, this is a small price to pay for what I believe in. I will continue to take my business elsewhere until Autozone publicly denounces Rush Limbaugh and stops advertising on his show and I will continue to spread the word and encourage others to take part in this boycott.
Sincerely,
Troy Torstrick
Former
loyal Autozone customer
Subj: Backers of War on Iraq Rally Against Hussein
Craig Timberg
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23658-2003Mar1.html
Sunday,
March 2, 2003; Page A12
I was somewhat amazed at the amount of coverage given by the Post to a pro war rally of some 150. If correct that actually is a big improvement over past rallies. When there have been 100's of thousands marching for peace, the Bush supporters have struggled to get 100 to counter demonstrate for war, although the media has down played that fact.
Surely the point of your story should have been that this demonstrates how little support there is for war when the freepers can only mobilize 150. Why in their chat rooms they normally can get at least that many calling Bill and Hillary bad names. And they never tire of it.
I do wish you had clarified what Dornan meant about Kerry being a Judas Catholic. I knew he was a Roman Catholic but what in hells name is a Judas Catholic? Well, Dornan says some strange things. I recall that when he was in the House whenever the ERA legislation would come up he would wave a dildo in the air and yell "this is what women really want".
Of course it went largely unreported. It would have hurt his image and revealed him to be as nutty as many suspected him to be.
Certainly a man, Dornan, who lied about his own military service shouldn't have been criticizing a legitimate hero like Kerry. It shows how out of touch he is , since Kerry, to his shame, voted for the Iraq resolution. On the other hand, another man who lied about his service is the President, and he and his administration have no problem with questioning the courage of others. So why shouldn't Dornan.
A lot of coverage for a non event. You can be sure the White House has been doing its best to muster demonstrations in support of war. This just shows how little support there is regardless of what the polls allegedly show and regardless of how hard Rove and the freepers work to show support.
As for it being because of the cold and the weather, what a bunch of wimps. The warrior wimps, the AF deserter, and the chickenhawks are taking us to war with the support of literally 10's upon 10's of people.
If it weren't so tragic it would be laughable.
Robert E. Reynolds, Orange Park, Fl
Subj: Ari Press Conference
Dear Buzz,
Thought you'd be pleased to know that C-Span's #1 most-watched video for the week was Ari's "Think of the implications" followed by laughter press-conference. http://c-span.org/
Jim P
Subj: From Florida - Patently Unusual
Dear BuzzFlash,
At a time when the Florida Legislature is grappling with a huge budget shortfall, the state Department of Transportation has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal costs to defend four highway contractors who lost a federal patent infringement suit last year -- and has promised to cover the $9.5 million verdict against them if they lose their appeal.
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subj: Carlyle Group Seeks Control of Universal Artists
Dear Buzz,
Please read the attached Reuters article below.
Even if Carlyle's ownership turns out to be a small percentage, one has to wonder what business does the oil-military-industrial complex have in owning a major part of the American entertainment industry!? A visit to www.vivendiuniversal.com shows:
"UMG's unparalleled artist roster includes: Ashanti, Erykah Badu, Mary J. Blige, Andrea Bocelli, Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, Eminem, Johnny Hallyday , Enrique Iglesias, Jay-Z, Elton John, Ronan Keating, Diana Krall, Limp Bizkit, Nelly, No Doubt, Florent Pagny, Luciano Pavarotti, Sandy & Junior, Shaggy, Sting, Texas, Shania Twain, U2 and Russell Watson."
Not to mention all the stars under contract at Universal Studios! Don't like the idea of the takeover? Write:
If I had the time, I'd hit every Universal star fan site on the net and stage a major public uprising by informing them to go to Google.com and ask who the Carlyle Group is. Is that who we want pulling artistic strings? NO WAY!!!!!!!
*******
Carlyle Joins Davis in Vivendi Offer
Sat Mar 1, 6:05 PM ET Add Business - Reuters to My Yahoo!
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Carlyle Group, one of the world's top private equity firms, has joined with oil tycoon Marvin Davis and others in a bid to buy U.S. entertainment assets of media giant Vivendi Universal (V.N), the Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday.
The Carlyle Group, whose advisors have included former U.S. President George Bush and former British Prime Minister John Major, has teamed up with Davis and private equity firms Bain Capital and Texas Pacific Group to buy a controlling interest in Vivendi's assets.
The media giant's U.S. entertainment assets include Universal's movie studio, theme parks and music company.
The Davis consortium recently renewed a $13 billion offer for a controlling interest in the assets. Vivendi, whose empire spans from Hollywood to European pay-TV, has been selling off chunks of its assets to slash its debt.
The Washington, D.C.-based Carlyle Group could not be reached for comment.
Subj: Fwd: Capture of alleged Al Qaeda "mastermind"--Here's the US FBI Most Wanted ...
Dear BuzzFlash,
I heard about this on NPR this morning. The reporter who was being interviewed by Linda Wertheimer was asked where Mohammed was located now. He answered, "In a world of hurt." He then explained that US practice is to move those whom they want to interrogate "vigorously" [I can't remember the exact adverb but this was the sense of it. E] to third countries that have no laws against torture.
Then I read this morning's NY Times in which this appeared:
" . . . the apprehension of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed , , , came at a critical juncture.
"President Bush's critics have been complaining that his focus on President Saddam Hussein had distracted the nation from the war against Al Qaeda. The steady movement toward a war in Iraq had only seemed to escalate the risk of another terrorist attack.
"But Mr/ Mohammed's arrest was a heavy blow to Al Qaeda and good news for the United States, when that had been a scarce commodity."
So,
1. either the US has captured this man and is torturing him--an illegal, savage act, unworthy of civilized people
2. or it has made up the whole thing to enhance Bush's popularity, and it has captured and tortured nobody, merely lied about it, as is the admin's practice
3. or it has captured and is torturing someone who either does or does not have a connection with Al Qaeda--an illegal, savage act, unworthy of civilized people but well within the capabilities of the Bush admin, both lying and torturing.
I can't decide which of the three alternatives above is the most disgusting.
A BuzzFlash Reader
Subj: Scalia lied when he said he was a strict constructionist! He should be impeached!
Dear Buzz,
By his own admission he doesn't believe in democracy. He believes in a doctrine that used to be called "the Divine Right of Kings" something our founders clearly fought a revolution against. He recently stated that he condemned the" tendency of democracy to obscure the divine authority behind government".
Please read his essay:
http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft0205/articles/scalia.html
If he ever was a strict constructionist, he isn't anymore. He doesn't believe in the Constitution, or the principles that animated this republic, and he should be removed from the bench.
Jenn
Subj: Act on March 5/ UN addresses/ Article: War or Not To War, That Is the Question
Dear BuzzFlash,
I was invited to a press conference in Konstantin Wecker's offices here in Munich. After the journalists left, I stayed and was shown photos of his recent Iraq trip. I was amazed to see how it really looks there...like the photos of Germany AFTER 1945. Half of the population under 18 years of age...bright eyes shining with innocence, unaware of the disaster that may well await them. Children with leukemia from the bombs with enriched uranium the US has been dropping for the last twelve years (I did not know that!!), who can not get the medicine they need due to the embargo. An architect phoned direct from Iraq and told us that 250,000 will die, nearly three million refugees who have no food/water as they walk, without transport to get out...For a moment I was overcome and sobbed to think my country is the cause of this humanitarian tragedy...yet the people of the world do not want this war, and the UN may still prevent it. Join the www.moratoriumtostopwar.org on Wed., March 5
Yours in peace, Patricia in Munich (the snow has melted!)
Re: "Bush can't tell the difference between a democracy and...."
Dear BuzzFlash,
Thank you for your excellent editorial entitled "Bush can't tell the difference between a democracy and a puppet government."
You assume that true democracies in the Middle East would lead to fundamentalist Islamic states. That may be true in individual instances and in the short term, but my reading of the situation is that states like Saudi Arabia are not at all popular among the average Middle Easterner. In my opinion, the far more likely result of democracy in countries like Iraq would be far more objectionable to the Bush cartel, namely left-leaning governments that nationalize the oil and let the people of the country benefit from their oil. That's the real danger. In addition to spouting lies about how he will promote democracy in Iraq, Bush likes to lie about how the benefits of the oil will go to the people of the region. Iran had a democracy in the early fifties, they decided to reap the benefits of their natural resources, and the US responded by overthrowing democracy and installing a fascist thug. Bush would never allow the benefits of Iraqi oil go to the citizens of Iraq, a very likely consequence of true democracy in Iraq. That's one important reason why Bush will never allow democracy in Iraq.
Sincerely,
Eric Foss
Seattle,
WA
re: Info on March 15 in DC!!
"Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country!" -- President John F. Kennedy
Your country needs you today! March 15 2003 Americans who believe in liberty for all peoples will travel to Washington D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco bear witness against g.W. Bush's war against Iraq!! Stand up America and say NO to those madmen who are in control of our country Pass this on!!
If you can't make it to the Capital of America send your Brother, His Son etc.
Hope you can make it to Washington D.C.!!! I look fowled Seeing you there!!!
http://internationalanswer.org/campaigns/m15/index.html
Peace
Tom
Subj: Attack Turkey
Dear Buzz,
If Bush deploys US troops in Turkey against the will of both the Turkish government and people, is that an invasion? Didn't Bush insist that NATO defend Turkey in case of attack? As part of NATO would we have to join a NATO force in Turkey to fight our own soldiers? Where is this guy leading us?
Quilp
Subj: Clear Channel
Dear BuzzFlash,
Thanks for the link to Salon's reporting on Clear Channel. I was wondering what happened to pop radio. I was born in 1952 and started listening to baseball games and Hank Williams Sr. on a little transistor radio when I was about 8. Then in my teenage years came the Rolling Stones, James Brown, the Supremes and the early days of FM when "underground" radio stations would play entire sides of Cream, Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. I remember talk radio covering the peace movement, too.
Today radio is nothing but crap. Crappy talk. Crappy music. Crappy commercials. Drunken fart-happy disc jockeys make fun of the peace movement. No baseball, either. They sit there in their own shit and embrace ignorance.
This is a shame because there is plenty of good pop music out there today. Just go to a CD store and find a kid with blue hair to tell you about Orb, Chemical Brothers, DJ Shadow, Rage Against the Machine and other hot stuff. The best of the new stuff is just as good as the best of the old stuff, sometimes better. And there are plenty of activists who could make talk radio relevant, too. Instead, all we get is right-wing barking loons.
The Salon articles explain why good content never makes it to the radio anymore. Corporate toads have ruined pop radio, a once-marvelous, once relevant, once-entertaining institution.
I've turned it off entirely.
a loyal BuzzFlash reader
Subj: Take Back The Flag!
Dear BuzzFlash,
I loved Bill Moyers commentary about wearing the flag. If more folks on the left wore the flag, carried the flag, and generally claimed the flag as their own, we could effectively neutralize the attempts of the right wing to wrap themselves in that particular potent symbol of America.
Boy ... I hope someone picks up the ball and runs with this one! Imagine a sea of American flags carried by patriots protesting the war. The fascists on the right shouldn't be allowed to have a monopoly on the flag as a symbol of patriotism. Take back the flag!
Richard Maack
Subj: Savage on MSNBC
Buzz,
This is a letter my son sent to MSNBC about Michael Savage's show. I asked him to have everyone on his buddy list write a letter. Would you publish it without using his name and maybe more people will follow suit? Michael Savage should never be allowed a voice, much less on MSNBC.
Gigi
* * *
Dear Sirs:
I am sorry to see that your network has scheduled Mr. Savage for his own TV show to be aired regularly. I realize that there is a component of sensationalism that prompted the decision give him air time, after all this sort of programming does sell. However, just because the public is willing to watch him doesn't mean they should. Are we really serving the public by appealing to an innate tendency of discrimination in some or should we appeal to their sense of good will, charity and tolerance in order to bring out the best in them?
I believe the socially conscious action in this situation would be to cancel his program. Anything short of this will be considered to be a strong statement on the part on MSNBC (and possibly NBC and GE) as acceptant of discrimination and hate in America by ethnic, women's and religious groups, as well as the otherwise the ever increasingly socially conscious. I hope you will give serious consideration to my request.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mark Garzotto
Portland, OR
Dear BuzzFlash:
To the readers who suggest a timed boycott of right wing newspapers, I suggest we go a step further.
How about a national cancel your cable TV day. How many BuzzFlash readers would make that kind of commitment for such a worthy cause as seeing the war mongers swallow their tongues? It would get their attention.
Greg
St.
Augustine, Fl
Subj: Bush and Democracy
A recent New York Times article states:
"Trust between the United States and Turkey is in breakdown," said Huseyin Bagci, professor of International Relations at Ankara's Middle East Technical University. "The decision is good for Turkey's democracy, but bad for the U.S.-Turkish strategic relationship." (http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Turkey-US-Iraq.html)
Like Turkey, the world's democratic leaders go against their people if they side with Bush. To be with Bush is to be against democracy. To be against Bush strengthens democracies around the world.
Makes sense, I guess. I mean, who elected him anyway?
A Loyal BuzzFlash Reader
Subj: The Bush/Cheney Secret
Dear Buzz,
Why is it that no one talks about the pow wow Dick Cheney held with oil executives soon after the Bush appointment to the White House. These guys claimed that they were formulating the nation's energy policy, but the details of these meetings were kept secret from the public.
In fact Cheney et al fought mightily to make sure that the American people - the taxpayers - did NOT have any access to these discussions or who was involved in them. Why would this be?
Given their bent for secrecy and knowing what has transpired since, we can only speculate.
To me it is very obvious. Cheney informed his oil drilling cronies that the Bush administration had plans to ensure that US oil interests would have access to Iraqi oil. This has been a part of the Bush plan from day one. Long before September 11th and long before the United States economy crashed. The Bush focus on this objective is so strong that other obstacles such as world opinion, a failing economy or any other reality cannot be bothered with.
Daniel C. Kennedy
Subj: Zogby Polls
Dear BuzzFlash,
Here is a letter I sent to the Zogby Poll.
Rob Moitoza
I dare you to ask some real questions of the American public. Here are a few off the top of my head.:
How many
Iraqi children's lives are you willing to sacrifice to win the war?
1,000
10,000
100,000
1,000,000
Any
number is acceptable
How many
American lives are you willing to sacrifice to win the war?
1,000
10,000
100,000
1,000,000
any
number is acceptable
President
Bush's stated goal is to remove Saddam Hussein. If war does not achieve
this goal, would you consider the war a success?
Yes
No
Don't
know
According
to today's Seattle Times, Kuwait is no more "liberated" today
than it was before Gulf War I. Women do not have the right to vote,
and the country is run by warlords. If you knew that this war was not
about " liberating the Iraqi people" but about the United
States seeking to gain control of the middle East and the world's oil
supply, would you still be in favor of the war?
Yes
No
Don't
know
Did you
know that over ten thousand American military vets have died from Gulf
related illnesses since Gulf War I?
Yes
No
Didn't
know
If it were
proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Iraq had no weapons of mass
destruction, would you still be in favor of war or opposed?
In
Favor
Opposed
Don't
know
President
Bush has said, "The dictator will not be allowed to intimidate
and blackmail the civilized world..." Do you think that George
Bush is blackmailing the United Nations with arm-twisting and threats
of irrelevance?
Yes
No
Don't
know
Did you
know that the United States supplied many of the "weapons of mass
destruction" that Bush claims Iraq still has?
Yes
No
Don't
know
If "yes" do
you think that United States companies should be held accountable for
the current mess we're in?
Yes
No
Don't
know
After millions
of people all over the world protested the war, Bush referred to the
people as a "focus group" on which would would not base policy
decisions. Do you think the president of the United States has the
authority to ignore the will of the people?
Yes
No
Don't
know
These are just a few. I have lots more, but I don't think Zogby has the nerve to ask the tough and meaningful questions.
Rob Moitoza
Re: "How Much Is Fair?"
Dear BuzzFlash,
The rich get richer, while the average citizen else doesn't...
When I read the article today in Parade Magazine by Andrew Tobias about CEO's income "How Much is Fair?" I was once again totally disgusted. In brief, just a few figures on this subject, which is a hint as to where this country is headed. And these are the persons W. wants to give their tax money back to because they deserve to pay less taxes, even if everyone else has to make up the slack!
The completely irresponsible fiscal policies of this administration will drastically damage this country beyond belief, in addition to all of the other domestic and international policies which are just as bad.
In 1980, the typical CEO was paid 42 times as much as his average worker... In 1990, it was 85 times as much...in 2000, 531 times as much! In 2001, corporate profits fell 35%, but the median CEO saw his compensation rise 7%. (True, some of the biggest pay packages collapsed with the stock market, so average CEO pay fell 8%. But most CEOs saw their pay rise.) Overall figures for 2002 won't be out for another month, and it was likely another tough year--as 2003 may be, because of the stock market. But there's this to lessen CEO pain: lower taxes. If Bush succeeds in eliminating the tax on dividends, Citigroup CEO Sandy Weill will save $2.3 million a year...
A BuzzFlash Reader
Dear BuzzFlash,
Are Liberals, cheap bastards? If you check the New York Times bestseller list you will find four right wing books:
The Savage Nation, A radio talk show host who wants to save America from " the liberals" It went straight to #1.
Bush at War, Woodward's kiss-ass book to Bush is at #5
Useful Idiots, by Mona Charen. The idiots she is referring to are liberals of course. It went straight to #6
The Right Man by David Frum another kiss-ass book about Bush
Stupid White Men is still on the list. But what has happened to books like " What Liberal Media " by Eric Alterman and Susan McDougals' book.
Let's support our own and get these books on the list
Valerie in Orinda
Dear BuzzFlash,
From the Archives - Royal Mess
Muhammad Khilewi [was] the high-ranking Saudi defector who abandoned his U.N. post to join the opposition. Khilewi produced documents for the London Sunday Times showing payments of up to five billion dollars from the Saudi treasury for Saddam Hussein to build a nuclear weapon. Between 1985 and 1990, up to the time Saddam invaded Kuwait, installments of the generous gift to Saddam from the princes' coffers were paid on condition that some of the bombs, should the project succeed, be transferred to the Saudi arsenal.What the defector did not know was that the Fahd-Saddam nuclear project was also a closely held secret in Washington. According to a former high-ranking American diplomat, the C.I.A. was fully apprised. "I knew about it," the diplomat says matter-of-factly, "and so did they." A senior White House official, asked about the Saudi government's involvement and American complicity, told us, "They did spend billions on the Iraqis. It was a different world. We were ready to overlook a lot of things the Saudis were doing for the Iraqis. It's consistent with all the other terrible things we did at the time" -- to shore up Saddam.
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/content/?011015fr_archive01
Chewgababy
Subj: Davis Recall
Californians,
You don't want to recall Davis. The Green Party doesn't know what it is doing by trying to get him out of there. You know perfectly well that the last time a Green Party candidate did this thing of kissing up to the GOP, we got stuck with Bush. Do you want a rabid Republican in the governor's office, so that later on you can say, "Davis wasn't so bad after all?"
mev
Re: Bill MOyers
Bill Moyers commentary hit the nail on the head. During the early days of Vietnam war the same thing occurred, OUR flag was taken over by " patriots" and anyone who criticized those in power that be were " traitors." The symbolism of the flag got thrown into the mix and became the "logo" of those who were pro-war.
Immediately following the events of September 11th, the flag was everywhere. It was OUR flag, a symbol of what this country stood for: an open, democratic society that would unify to protect everyone's right to be part of a system that protected all voices, all peoples from those who would trample human rights.
What has followed since that moment in history is the rise of the true believers, of a fascist-like government that bullies its citizens to be wary of descent, to loath other countries who see the world differently. Take back OUR flag, we still have a chance to live in a democratic society, Carry the flag in our protests. Don't let our government be hijacked by the "moralistic ideologues in Washington."
Francia
Dejasu
Rehoboth,
MA
Subj: Mexico City Policy-Memorandum from the White House to USAID
Dear BuzzFlash,
On January 22, President George W. Bush announced the restoration of the Mexico City Policy, originally announced by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. This regulation prohibits non-U.S., non-governmental organizations to which USAID provides population assistance funding either directly or through subawards from using their own or other, non-USAID donor funds to provide or promote abortion as a method of family planning.
http://www.usaid.gov/pop_health/pop/mcpolicy.html
Chewgababy
Subj: Yes we can fight the War on Bongs? It's a priority.
Dear Buzz,
I never thought much about these stories. However, I feel Mr. Ashcroft is nuts! The majority of the US media continues to cover this nut. Why?
Perhaps,
BuzzFlash might consider linking this page.
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n331/a09.html?397
Thanks for all of your work
Pete/ Lakeland FL
