Category: take action

politics, social justice and ways you can make a difference in the world around you.

David Swanson says ‘Memorial Day THIS’

David Swanson writes:

Imagine if at some point during the 1990s or 1980s the President of the United States had given a speech. And this was his speech:

My fellow Americans, I’ve been regularly shooting missiles into people’s houses in several countries. I’ve wiped out families. I’ve killed thousands of people. Hundreds of them have been little children.

I’ve killed grandparents, wives, daughters, neighbors. I’ve targeted people without knowing their names but because they appeared to be resisting an occupation of their country. I’ve killed whoever was too near them. Then I’ve shot another missile a few minutes later to kill whoever was trying to help the victims.

I don’t charge these people with crimes. I don’t seek their extradition. I don’t even try to kidnap them. And I don’t do this to defend against any imminent threat. I don’t make you safer by doing this. It goes without saying (although the people in the countries I target keep saying it) that I’m generating more new enemies than I’m killing. But I urge you to remember this: All but four of the people I’ve killed have been non-U.S. citizens.

Is it just me or are we complacent about drone attacks as a country? Is it because it’s not boots on the ground? Or do we somehow believe it’s just a means to an end?

Love and Peace… or else

Lay down
Lay down
Lay your sweet lovely on the ground
Lay your love on the track
We’re gonna break the monster’s back
Yes we are…
Lay down your treasure
Lay it down now brother
You don’t have time
For a jealous lover

As you enter this life
I pray you depart
With a wrinkled face
And a brand new heart

I don’t know if I can take it
I’m not easy on my knees
Here’s my heart I’ll let you break it

I need some release, release, release

We need
Love and peace
Love and peace

Lay down
Lay down your guns
All your daughters of Zion
All your Abraham sons
I don’t know if I can make it
I’m not easy on my knees
Here’s my heart I’ll let you break it
I need some release, release, release

We need
Love and peace
Love and peace

Baby don’t fight
We can talk this thing through
With me, me and you
I’ll call on your phone
The TV is still on
But the sound is turned down
And the troops on the ground
Are about to dig in

And I wonder where is the love?
Where is the love?
Love and peace
Where is the love?
Where is the love?
Where is the love?

Jon Stewart on the NRA Convention

 

So much to appreciate here…

  • Pointing out both sides use fear to promote their agenda — one of my BIGGEST complaints with our political system.
  • Showing the irony in calling the government the evil tyrant that we must protect ourselves from and then applauding the government for being the good guys.
  • Pointing out that there’s no way to always know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are — and if they’ll always stay that way.
  • And pointing out that if a good guy becomes a bad guy (as sometimes happens) in the NRA’s mindset, you’ve already given them a gun.

A co-worker pointed out last week that if the real reason we need guns is to protect us from the evil tyrant of a government – he wants an F-16. Because an AR-15 isn’t going to protect him from the largest military in the world.

I agree.

Seems we’re going to either really have to up our own personal weapons arsenal – or drastically downgrade the U.S. military.

—
Also – for some additional fun, The Daily Show came to Dallas this past week to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

The clincher line – “They do the jobs we don’t want to do, staying sober and staying politically engaged.”

Defense Distributed claims working 3D printed handgun

What does it say about handguns in our country when the ability to print your own handgun using a 3D printer isn’t a game changer?

And although this is a fascinating provocation, it is not (yet) a game-changer, especially in America where traditional guns (capable of firing thousands of rounds without melting down) are cheap and easy to get. You can even "3D print" a gun by asking different CNC shops to cut and overnight you all the parts to make up a working gun, breaking the job down into small pieces that are unlikely to arouse suspicion.

via Defense Distributed claims working 3D printed handgun – Boing Boing.

Bono on poverty

After fighting against poverty for the last 25 years, Bono was asked to share his story and his dreams at TED.

Turning from rockstar to “factivist” Bono points out that in the last 25 years we now have 7526 less children dying per day. Things ARE getting better – but there’s still a lot to be done.

Like he did at Georgetown last year, Bono quoted Wael Ghonim, who launched a Facebook group that spurred the uprising in Egypt last year:

“We’re going to win because we don’t understand politics. We’re going to win because we don’t play their dirty games. We’re going to win because we don’t have an agenda. We’re going to win because the tears that comes from our eyes actually come from our hearts. We’re going to win because we have dreams. We’re going to win because we are willing to stand up for our dreams. We’re going to win because the power of the people is so much stronger than the people in power.”

What stat stands out to you the most during the video?

A big HT to Charles Lee for pointing this video out.