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Subj: No Balance in Coverage

Dear BuzzFlash, Amazing........Each time bush appears before a microphone it is covered from stem to stern, live on the tv news channels and nothing but positive remarks are made by the anchors of the hour........but today, when MSNBC gives the anti war demonstrations a few bleeps of coverage, all the interviewer does is pose negative questions to the participants.

The last time I remember protesters being arrested in the same manner as they no doubt will be today was back during the Nixon administration.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: X-President Bush Declares Plan for World Order on CSPAN

Dear BuzzFlash,

X-President Bush said this morning, on CSPAN celebrating 10 years of NAFTA, "he" wants to see the New World Order of trade and democracy before "he" dies. It would consist of 34 countries. He can't understand why so many countries don't see the "magic in World Order trade". This means open borders with S. America, etc. So, it isn't a conspiracy theory after all. It is obvious to all...his son is to deliver this "magic trade world" to him.

What's to celebrate about NAFTA? It has not done as promised to the American people. Jobs are gone to "cheaper labor" and "lawless" environmental countries. Illegal immigration at an all time high from Mexico, etc. Our trade deficit and debt growing larger everyday. Our economy in the dumps, etc. This is not the usual cycle of business with recovery on the horizon. NAFTA's Chapter 11 is a danger to our treasury and democracy. Why won't Congress admit NAFTA, WTO is a failure? Yes, it seems the answer is...for the New World Order Corporate government.

Guess, the Bushes don’t care what workers or other countries want. Even Napoleon only wanted a united Europe. Look how everyone got behind his idea? Even now, European workers are not happy about the trade organization becoming government without their consent. The problem is...corporation CEOs (large international company CEOs are not democratically elected) making policy decisions for ruling a country. It is for profit, not long term benefit. Bush says, he doesn't like protesters like in Seattle at the WTO meetings. They showed the world who they really are...anarchists.

Hey...Bush this is democracy...the right to protest the actions of your leaders and government. Guess, he wants workers to be slaves and not complain about not having good jobs to support their families, health care, safe working conditions, and ruining the environment. This is why his World Order will not work. It is pretty arrogant for him to force this on us. This is why we put him out of office in the first place.

They use "9-11" agenda bills for secrecy and robbing our treasury for their profiteering and it seems also for World Order agenda. Bush democracy would be.....CEOs voting on laws, wages, etc.?

Impeach GW Bush because, he is a traitor to our democracy...our way of life...our freedoms. We did not elect any government official to do this. Father and son are crazier than we would imagine.

Citizens have a right to know so they can decide on what to do in the future. It is, as the President stated, "the people's money".

"They control the people through the people's money" -- Louis Brandeis

BuzzFlash Reader

Judy Stevens

Subj: Snow for Treasury

Dear BuzzFlash,

The Washington Post in its story notes the loan forgiveness CSX provided Snow. The details probably can be checked out by a member of your staff going to the CSX 10ks and other statements filed with the SEC.

Are you going to find out if he paid the appropriate income taxes on the forgiven loans? Or will he get a pass on any close scrutiny as so many other Bush appointees have?

Bush himself has uninvestigated problems of the same type and this might be a good opportunity to bring them up, if you care to or dare to.

RE Reynolds
Orange Park Fl

Subj: Lott, Apologies and Enablers

Hi Buzz

First, you were right about the prewarning of the judicial, pro-right, leanings. How sad it is.

About Lott and his comments -- they were directed to and meant to be heard by his specific right leaning audience. Delivered, job done!

His apology is worthless. What is said is said. The apology is only another form of stating that it is 'inappropriate' for anyone in the audience to whom it was not directed to have heard, read or learned of it.

To the contrary, to ask for an apology is in fact inappropriate -- there is nothing to be asked. What is left is a Demand for Lott to step down from his leadership post and to leave the Peoples house of the Senate. Enablers only prolong the agony.

Best

Cole...

Subj: Venezuelan Coup tonight?

Dear BuzzFlash,

If you go to vheadline.com you will find a number of stories and reports relating to the current crisis, including speculation by Chavez on a coup and his own assassination. They plan an attack on the Presidential Palace and as in the last coup, an announcement that Chavez has resigned. With the new Brazilian President visiting Bush, a coup in V would provide a nice warning. They will stage a provocation using the dissidents in the Plaza Altamira.

Robert Reynolds

Dear BuzzFlash,

Well, not a word from the media or any (credible) politicians about Trent Lott's latest foray into the dark side of racial politics. Except, of course, for those repugs who claim it was just lighthearted fun. Can't we dems take a joke? There have been a few remarks made in the media, sort of as an aside, but no heavy griping at all. Oh, but let's not ignore Tom Daschle's comments: "Senator Lott, in my conversation with him this morning, explained that that wasn't how he meant them to be interpreted. I accept that. There are a lot of times when he and I go to the microphone, would like to say things we meant to say differently, and I'm sure this is one of those cases for him, as well." Would you mind telling me how else those words can be interpreted. Why doesn't Lott just do us a favor ride off into the sunset. And why does Tom Daschle just stop talking?

Barbara in NYC

Subj: Slanted Media Coverage of Carter Peace Prize

Dear BuzzFlash,

After seeing the link on BuzzFlash to the CBS article about former president Jimmy Carter's acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/10/11/world/main525181.shtml), I have spent an interesting morning examining national news coverage of this story.

Only two newspapers that I read, the NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/10/international/10CND-CART.html and the Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33947-2002Dec10.html, presented an article about the Nobel Peace Prize on the theme of...peace. These two papers were the only ones to include any mention of Carter's critique of the United States and his extended remarks on world peace in the headline article.

The majority of national newspapers on the other hand (LA Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, ABC--after that I was too depressed to go on), parroted the same Associated Press story that CBS ran--a "peace" article rife with subtle war propaganda.

The article claims the world is "uneasy that a new war in Iraq may erupt if it fails to obey UN Security Council resolutions," but glosses over two uncomfortable facts.

#1 War does not "erupt" spontaneously, without an agent or an aggressor. The war the world fears is a unilateral US invasion.

#2 The more egregious error lies in the misrepresentation of world opinion. The Bush administration wants the American people to believe the international community mistrusts Iraq's cooperation with the UN, and to accept the unavoidable imminence of war.

However, as BuzzFlash readers know, even a casual reading of international press will reveal the world is most concerned by the Bush administration's efforts to discredit and hinder inspections and manufacture a pretext to invade Iraq in a pre-emptive (sic) strike-unilaterally and outside international law.

The world does not fear Iraq so much as it fears America's imperial arrogance.

When the media misrepresents both world opinion and the warmongering of the Bush administration, it is tacitly complicit in the Bush war machine, and it does a gross disservice to both its audience and the integrity of the UN Inspections process.

I hope when BuzzFlash readers find the AP article in their local media that they will write to the editor in protest. (I'll let you know if any of the big news companies print my letter.)

Shaula Evans
Dallas, Texas

Subj: Voices from the Back on the Room

Dear BuzzFlash,

I wish to give Susan Sarandon a big thank you and a tremendous amount of credit for speaking out about the war bush wants to have.

Susan appeared on the Montel Williams show this morning, a welcome relief from the usual paternity tests, make up with your father type show. Montel asked her about some of the causes she supported, and she told him quite a bit. She spoke about being in the huge Washington, D.C. group that the NY Times gave an inch or so in their paper. She asked why there was no reporting of these gatherings.

Susan also spoke about the fact that if one questions anything at all, that person is said to be unpatriotic. Montel let her speak without interruption for quite some time.

The audience applauded after listening...with a silence that was deafening. The second applause gave me the feeling that the audience was uncertain whether they should applaud or not. I felt great pride for Susan Sarandon She wasn't afraid to speak out. So, let's follow her lead and speak out wherever and whenever we can.

Thank you SUSAN.

Stephanie
Dearborn

Dear BuzzFlash,

Nancy Pelosi has become Nancy Gephardt. Nancy who? Nancy Gephardt.

How about a "Nancy who?" T shirt?

Michael Caputo, Sr

Subj: Cost of War

Dear BuzzFlash,

I just heard on CNN that Paul Wolfowitz is in Turkey shoring up their support for us to use their air bases. We will be giving them $35 million in "aid" and numerous other concessions. The Bush regime has been traveling all over the Mideast handing out money like Santa Claus, but yet when it comes to domestic issues, there are nothing but cutbacks. Bush's war on Iraq to avenge Poppy Bush and to gain control of their oil is estimated to cost $200 billion, not to mention the thousands of innocent people that will die. We have an arrogant madman illegally occupying the White House that is putting all of us in more danger from terrorists' attacks by his "tough talk" and cowboy swagger. Bush is good at bullying talk, but seems to run when there is actual danger involved. Remember how he ran all day in hiding on 9/11 and how he went AWOL during the Vietnam war? The greatest threat to world peace right now is not Saddam Hussein. It is George W. Bush, the true monster!

Gigi

* * *

Buzz,

Here's an update from Lou Dobbs at Moneyline as to how much we will be giving to Turkey to use their airbases. He said it could be as high as $5 billion!!!!.The Bush administration sure likes throwing taxpayer money around to further their political agenda. Money for war is flowing like water.

Gigi

Subj: Recent Alerts re: Bush, Et AL

Hi,

Here are some recent alerts for you.

CNN, I think it was reported earlier that somehow ... the Bush Administration got its hands on the Iraq report of weapons --- as you recall, Kofi Annan (sp?) said that no one including the U.S. would be allowed access to that material until AFTER the U.N. had completely reviewed it - then there was a report that Iraq is concerned that the Bush Administration will alter the contents to make it look like they have the weapons calling what Bush, et al did Blackmail.

Not long after that report was shown -- they are reporting that U.S. and Spanish forces have stopped a boat headed for Yemen and discovered about 12 scud missiles that were from North Korea.

I caught on C-Span I (42) a Congressional hearing about mercury in vaccines -- they said that mercury is in flu shots and mercury is known to cause Alzheimer's in older people -- that issue is getting heard because of the concerns over whether it is causing an epidemic of Autistic kids who were 6' - 150 lbs and were attacking their parents and families -- members asked a panel of doctor/pharmaceutical people WHY they have not gotten testing done and complained about Bush's "Homeland Security Act" that give breaks to Pharmaceutical companies and prevents people from being able to sue them. They didn't really get any answers but, said that there would be a continuation of that hearing with more questions.

KGO radio reported this a.m. that Bush is trying to change Retirement Policies to the effect that people would see thousands of dollars and health benefits reduced in their retirement plans.

Thank you for your Great BuzzFlash page that reports Bush is trying to reverse the Family Leave Act and there is a judge who would like to reverse the Miranda Rights. Can you please post some editorials on the above -- plus, I'm concerned about proposed vaccinations for Smallpox where there are sometimes fatal reactions. Per Bush's "Homeland Security Act" -- the FDA isn't testing vaccines -- where would the oversight be on vaccines -- do all vaccines have mercury in them?

Thanks again for your GREAT WORK!

Barb Mauz
El Granada, CA (San Mateo County Coast)

Dear Folks--

On Military Occupation

Has anyone thought to look at other military occupations and their outcomes? The US has, until recently, been able to change regimes with little more than large amounts of money and a few "advisers." This puts the grief of murder, torture and other nastiness on the local comprador class -- leaving the US free to bemoan the lack of commitment to human rights common to the the peoples of the South. And for the most part, the US has reaped the benefits, while the immiseration has been contained within the borders of the subject countries. Only rarely is the government we so carelessly provided overthrown by subject peoples chanting "Death to America."

But military occupation is a different matter entirely. That's why, in modern times, there have been relatively few of them. But they have been universally ugly. The British army has occupied northern Ireland for nearly 30 years to the detriment of both the Irish and the British. No one could possibly want to repeat anything like the occupation of East Timor by the Indonesian armed forces. And then, of course, there is the occupation that should teach us the evil of all occupations -- the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. Not to mention China's occupation of Tibet, which has cost the Chinese government more than Tibet will ever be worth.

And I do wonder why we are, as the only superpower, forced into military occupation. What political dynamics prevent us from having our way with the world through our tradition of dependence on the comprador class? Is the comprador class too weak, as in Noriega's Panama, to do our bidding? Do they no longer see enough goodies in government overthrow for themselves? If either or these arguments is true, we may be forced into a whole series of military occupations, some longer, some shorter, but all requiring that we murder and torture the subject populations into submission. Or until we just give up and walk away...

Alison Brennan

Subj: Best way to counter the press is to do an end around

Dear Buzz,

More and more people are coming to realize how bad the mainstream press has become these days. The question is, what to do about it?

Some have suggested that the Democrats need to start their own TV channel, get more radio talk shows, and start buying up radio and TV stations like the repugs have been doing for quite some time. While that's all fine and dandy, I believe there is a better way.

That "better way" is for each of us to do what we can within our own sphere of influence (i.e., friends, neighbors, work acquaintances, etc.) to convince others that what is taking place in this country is a disaster. The best way to change the country is from the grass roots. In other words, there's no reason we can't bypass the press altogether. While BuzzFlash is a great example of bypassing the mainstream press, the problem is that it is "preaching to the choir." Anybody who regularly reads BuzzFlash probably already is anti-Repug. We need to reach Repug supporters and change their minds. Each of us could do this, just with the people we know personally.

I used to work with a guy always voted straight Republican. I made it a point every day to bring up all the crap the Repug leaders were spewing out, and get him involved in a conversation about it. At first, I would always approach the conversation from a very reasoned, calm, middle of the road, cautious viewpoint, and simply use "common sense" arguments. He probably knew I was a Democrat, but I never said that I was. Ever so slowly, I saw this guy's opinions change. While transformation took place, I would gradually sound a little more pro-Democrat, and get a bit more blatant about it.

Eventually my friend came to also dislike the Republicans very much. I doubt now that he votes Republican at all. I doubt he is strong Democratic supporter either, (not that I blame him the our supposed "leaders" are behaving like Repug-lite), but I'm sure he would not vote for Bush next time around under any circumstances.

That's the way to change this world - one person at a time.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Award

Dear BuzzFlash,

I am so proud of you! I read all about it in the meantime. I knew you had it in you, and everyone who loves this website, I am sure, is as proud as I! Keep the thing going for all of us...we love it and will try to keep you going with our little donations from time to time...we know very well that you need it!!! Love you all, because you keep us buzzers so sane!

Shirley..........St.Louis

Subj: "Garafalo/Farrell 2004"

Dear BuzzFlash,

If anyone out there knows someone who knows someone who knows Janeane Garafalo, could you please pass along my marriage proposal to her? Please? I'm totally serious.

See, I just saw Janeane appear on Connie Chung Live opposing the war. Mike Farrell was on too. They and 104 other celebs just signed a letter to Bush opposing war with Iraq.

http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/12/10/sproject.irq.celebrity.letter/index.html

They were both amazing. I was jumping around in front of the TV every time they slam-dunked a point through Connie Chung's tough defense. Farrell had all the facts, and that cool-headed, wise, "I-played-a-doctor-on-MASH" tone of voice.

Janeane was cool-headed too, but she said all the things you aren't supposed to say while live on CNN--all the things we're all absolutely dying to hear said live on CNN. She slammed the media for underreporting the peace movement, and she slammed them for hyping the war like it was a made-for-TV-movie. Connie Chung looked aghast. She tried to intimidate Janeane, but our heroine did not back down. She stuck to her assertions with charm.

It reminded me how important it is to have celebs in the movement. Not only do they get attention, but many of them are actually good in front of a camera, and good communicators.

I'M PSYCHED!

I'll enjoy the feeling while it lasts. Soon they'll probably start up the Hollywood blacklists again.

Peace out,

Zack Exley, GWBush.com

Sen. Daschle,

I believe that the statement by Trent Lott advocating the Mississippi status-quo of 1948 was the second most reprehensible utterance by a public figure in recent memory. This is almost as reprehensible as your response to this outrage.

What the hell are your values? Do you really believe that your job is to cover for the most egregious excesses of the opposition party? Did you actually hear what was said? This was not a mere slip of the tongue, but a reasoned and forcefully delivered position. To not respond in the strongest possible terms is unacceptable and unforgivable.

I add my voice to the growing chorus of Democrats demanding new leadership. You had your chance, and you failed to deliver.

Go. Now. Please.

Regards,

S. R. Whiteley
Sunnyvale, CA

Dear BuzzFlash,

Ye gads, Aaron Brown ask Dan Burton who put the drug company bill in the homeland defense bill and Burton told him the White House did it. Didn't Ari Fleischer tell us the White House knew nothing about it?

Diane Anderson

Sent to CNN, ABC and MSNBC:

Subj: Bush is a Liar

Senator Dan Burton was on Newsnight Tonight and said the White House was behind the pharmaceutical company candy in the Homeland Defense Bill, The White House has denied it. Either Burton is lying or the White House is once again lying to us! If this was the Clinton White House, that's all you would be talking about! But since it is Bush, he can lie all he wants!

Randi

subj: the danger of poo poo!

for the republicans to poo poo what trent lott said and say the democrats are making too much of it just shows they agree with lott! it does not matter what any white person thinks. what will matter on election day 2004 is what the black people think of the republican leader. it aint looking good! if bush does not repudiate what trent lott said then he must agree! as for jc watts, he is just plain pathetic.

sharon (shorty) swift
memphis tn.

Subj: We should protest the media

Dear BuzzFlash,

I have pondered this for some time now. And at this point it seems not just another way to voice our opposition, its looks like this is the ONLY way we are going to get anything done.

There have been numerous protests, more than I could count. Almost everywhere Bush goes, depending on the size of the town.. there are anywhere from a 100, up to 10's of thousands of people who show up to protest.

But there has been little or no news coverage of any of them.

Hell, most of time protesters are rounded up before the press (and Bush) gets there and moved far away to a secure 'First Amendment Zone'.

Then came the big one.. There were 150,000 people in Washington on Oct. 26, and what kind of coverage did the media give it?

Either they ignored it completely, or published belated reports a week later apologizing that they didn't notice those 150,000 Americans.

The only way we are going to get the media to cover us is to MAKE the media report it.

Forget the 1st Amendment zones, instead we should go right to the horses mouth, at the newspaper or television station and do the protest right in front of them!

I would love to see the New York Times report a week late about a protest going right down their street. I can hear it now.. "We just didn't notice the 50,000 people making a ruckus outside our window, actually no one in the NYT newsroom even knew about it until a week later"

There was a protest recently at CNN headquarters, about 100 people showed up to voice their concerns about CNN's blatantly biased news coverage. CNN had no choice but to report the protest at their doorstep, but quickly scrubbed all the reports from the CNN website.. Literally confirming the protesters concerns.

CNN can get away with that once or twice, but each time they do it they risk losing more of what little is left of their credibility.

If we were to do that everywhere Bush goes it would be too much for the media to cover up, they would have NO CHOICE but to cover it.

We should take our protests directly to the media and DEMAND that they report it!!

Any thoughts, suggestions, or ideas about that?

Thanks,

Kelley Kramer

Hi BuzzFlash,

TRENT LOTT HAS TO GO!

Enough said!

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: Senator Lott

Dear BuzzFlash,

Here we are, in the 21st century, and still haven’t progressed beyond the Civil Rights era. Everyday, people fight for equality, on many levels, and someone such as Senator Lott makes a remark that sets us back 50 or 60 years. Although, in his remark, we realize that we never progressed at all. We’ve just been tolerated. The way I see it his thinking is like this; "if we give them a little, they’ll shut up."

A leopard never changes his spots. He can lie, deceive, and cover up, but at some point, he will reveal his true nature.

It would be much easier to deal with if people wouldn't hide their views, and just came right out and said what they truly feel. It's much easier to fight back against open racism vs. closet racism. At least one can see it coming.

What I truly don't understand is the "President" has chosen not to say anything. Which in my view is he is condoning such views. We don't want to hear it from his mouthpiece Ari, but from the mouth of the man who is supposed to be in charge of this country. His silence speaks volumes. If those remarks were made before a presidential election and it made the difference whether he would get re-elected, I'm sure he would be all over the airwaves trying to do damage control. But since he only needs Black America's vote during election time, what the hell.

Anyone, no matter ethnic background, should be offended by such a remark, even if the remark was not intended to be a racist view, as Senator Lott says.

There are a lot of people who probably think that this country should have remained segregated as it once was in the past. I'm also sure that there are people who feel that no one but the white man has a right to power. It's a sad way to live. Diversity is very important, and through learning to deal with our difference through patience and understanding, there would be no need for such outdated thinking.

As long as we keep silent and do nothing, we all condone such views. That keeps us stuck where we are.

Deep down, I think he meant just what he said. It's too late to take it back now. At least we know where he stands. And in knowing where he stands, we can fight back. He just showed his true colors. Maybe the rest of them should do the same. It's easier to fight the enemy when he makes himself known.

A BuzzFlash Reader

Subj: A Letter to Joe Conason

Hi Buzz,

The following is an email I sent to Joe Conason in grateful response for his article "Gore's Moral Victory" about Gore's critical comments about Trent Lott's racist remarks at Strom Thurman's 100th birthday party

* * *

Dear Joe Conason,

Thank you for writing the article "Gore's moral victory " in your journal. I think you're right not to endorse politicians, but it's such a wonderful and rare experience to have someone actually say something nice (and true) about Al Gore. I think most reporters and journalists are afraid to say anything other than something dismissive about Gore for fear that somehow they'll be made to look ridiculous.

It's past time for some serious fact facing by the mainstream media and the Democratic Party. Al Gore exists, and he represents something that went terribly wrong and that this country must make right again. Whether the media and the punditry and the politicians in Washington like it or not there is a gaping gash where our Constitution used to be.

There are literally millions of us who voted for Al Gore because we wanted him to be the President of the United States. Because we knew he would fight for all of us, and for the environment and for our international stature by providing progressive world leadership. We knew then, and we still believe now that the world would be in caring and committed hands with Gore as the President of the US.

Speaking for myself I want to say that I find that Al Gore is meeting all the criteria of a strong leader and a true patriot who is standing and fighting against everything that is going so wrong under the Bush administration (which I have always considered illegal). You as well as a few other risk-taking journalists have pointed out the mysterious and rampant lack of courage of the members of the Democratic Party and even of the moderate Republicans. The silence of any sensible opposition in Washington is deafening and most terrifying and time is running out quickly, if it hasn't already, to stop this slide into imperialism and dictatorship.

Thanks,

Judith Foster

Subj: Turning the Tables on the Moniker (sic) King

Buzzards,

It's about time we "evil liberals" played hard ball with the "Moniker (sic) King" and his party. His Royal Bush loves to pin monickers on people but I doubt he knows that monicker is a synonym for a nickname or that the word synonym is not something you put on buns. Plus, I am sure Shrub would say something like "Hey don't call me Moniker, I didn't even have sexual relations with that woman". Additionally, Moniker has "monkie" in it..and the primal links for Dubya have already been established- not even Chomsky thinks he is as yet hard wired for language.

You refreshed my memory on the hypocrites such as Delay and Hyde but your Lott article really clinched the Nickname mandate. Let's now call 'Ol Trent... "Vacant Lot".

-KG

(I can't as yet release my name because as you have inferred recently, Henry Kissinger might get his hands on it and authorize a break-in into my psychiatrist's office or something).

Subj: The Crap Flies

Dear BuzzFlash,

So much crap is coming down it is hard to keep my breath. President Junior and his chicken-hawk cold warriors have now pushed through a pork-filled monstrosity of a bill to establish the Department of Homeland Security. The "less government" party has just created the second largest bureaucracy in history. Everyone who knows anything and who isn't an 'elected' official or a tv talking head says that this is actually a setback for national security because it will take years to get everything organized. and billions of dollars. Now as this is going on the administration has put a lock on funds that truly would increase our security. Money for training and equipment for first-responders in the event of an attack? on hold. Money to buy Geiger counters to scan all incoming shipping containers for radioactivity? On hold.

Associated happenings: the bushies have set up the ominous office of Total Information Awareness. This new agency's goal is to collect every piece of information possible on every single American. Your tax records, credit card numbers, kids grades in schools, drivers license, mortgage data, telephone records, travel history, where you buy your gasoline, magazines you subscribe to, books you buy and check out at the library, every email you ever send...EVERYTHING. That doesn't bother you because you are a fine, law-abiding citizen? Well, you remember the 'watch' list the government distributed shortly after 9/11? The one that was supposed to help airlines spot a terrorist before he boarded a plane? Well, the list has morphed and grown and today all sorts of people are being red-flagged and prevented from getting on airliners. Civil rights lawyers, Green Party members, members of the Catholic Peace Action group, environmental activists and members of Amnesty International have already been denied to board at airports. One lady lawyer was forced to pull down her pants in view of other travelers at the Newark airport a few weeks ago. The security agent told her "the computer spit you out". He didn't know why and he didn't have time to talk to her about it.

And who, pray tell, has President Junior put in charge of the Office of Total Information Awareness? One Mister John Poindexter. The mastermind of the Iran-Contra affair. The man who violated our laws and traded arms with our then Number One enemy, the Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran. He was convicted on five felony counts of lying to Congress, destroying evidence and obstruction of justice. When questioned about the oddity of putting a convicted felon in charge of the ominous and scary new office, Mr. Bush said he believed Poindexter "has served his country well." Well, well enough to have buried any information about Junior's daddy's involvement in Iran-Contra, that's for sure.

Junior just this appointed another felon to be head of the White House office overseeing "International Human Rights". Another Iran-contra team player, he plead guilty to lying to Congress. It is common knowledge that Abrams could have implicated Daddy Bush's involvement in that mess. As president, Daddy Bush gave him a pardon. For serving is "country" well, no doubt.

A Bush-appointed judge just dismissed the GAO suit against Dick Cheney. Judge John Bates said the investigative office of the government had no right to know who Dick talked to about his energy policy. A few years ago, lawyer Bates was working hard arguing that the Clinton administration had to release documents because the people had a right to know about the dealings of people in government. He wanted Hillary Clinton's billing records from her days as a citizen lawyer because, the thinking was, it might show she'd over-billed or done some nefarious work for a failed savings and loan. Cheney is party to a massive, billion dollar rip off of California consumers and his man Bates says we citizens got no right to know anything about who he talked with or when.

Oh, and today I see Colin Powell has been dispatched to the Middle East to preach 'democracy' to the Arabs. The first of this year, the administration supported a coup against the legally elected president of Venezuela. Why did they do that? Because his country is a top supplier of oil to the US and big oil bidness didn't like what he was doing, raising taxes on the oil. He was using the money to pay for education and healthcare for his poor people. Condi Rice said at the time that just because President Chavez had won a majority in the election (twice by over 60%) didn't necessarily make his a "legitimate" government. But of course her administration would think that way, eh?

Do we really think the rest of the world does not see these criminals and hypocrites in the top jobs in our government and then think nothing about it? Is this who you want running your life and your future, Mr. and Ms. American?

Call your Senator and Congressman and ask 'em what the hell they are doing up there. Get on the internet and go to Google. Type in a few names or topics and do a little reading. Tom and Peter and Dan and Fox and CNN are not telling you what you need to know.

Steve Warren
San Marcos TX

Subj: Letter from New Zealand - "Trent Little"

Dear BuzzFlash,

Trent Lott is just plain awful. Interesting to note that a while ago my 17 year old had been involved in a group discussion at school, looking at the media, movies and associated links with cultural impressions. (These particular group discussions are organised and run by the kids without teacher influence or input) The kids all felt that "American History X" was most reflective of American culture. That too is just plain awful.

D.M.Reid(NZ)