Do You Still Believe In Change?

I do. Big Brother Obama changed my perception of “The Sons of Liberty” this morning. In my youth, I was taught that they were patriots, doing what was necessary to protect what was to become The United States from tyranny. As it turned out, I was wrong; they were spies, lurking about the streets at night trying to see what the British were up to. How could I have been so wrong? I suppose I was blindsided by the revelation that the NSA had been gathering personal information about me through text messages, phone calls, and other nefarious ways. Luckily I have been shown the error of my ways . All quotes of Obama cited from The Guardian.

At the dawn of our Republic, a small, secret surveillance committee borne out of the “The Sons of Liberty” was established in Boston. The group’s members included Paul Revere, and at night they would patrol the streets, reporting back any signs that the British were preparing raids against America’s early Patriots.

Still I can’t help thinking that looking for British raiding parties is not exactly the same thing as raiding personal data about one’s own citizens in the hopes of finding a terrorist and thwarting an attack. Maybe it’s because I don’t think of myself as a terrorist even though I do have opinions about what my government should or should not do. Again, how could I be so wrong? Perhaps it’s because I didn’t think of the larger question.

We cannot prevent terrorist attacks or cyber-threats without some capability to penetrate digital communications – whether it’s to unravel a terrorist plot; to intercept malware that targets a stock exchange; to make sure air traffic control systems are not compromised; or to ensure that hackers do not empty your bank accounts.

On the other hand, there is considerable doubt about whether any terrorist plot has been prevented nor attacks on air traffic control, and no one stopped Target from losing my daughter’s atm and credit card information to hackers, causing her to wait while our credit union issued new cards and pin numbers. Unfortunately, she can not easily change her name and address, although I suppose she could ask that her cell phone number be changed. On the other hand, I don’t really care about the stock exchange being targeted because I am not wealthy enough to have stock (shocking selfish of me, I know). I also doubt that anyone would find emptying my bank account profitable. I do know, however, that there has been considerable effort expended to weaken the security of the internet by placing “back doors” into computer programs and operating systems, and forcing telephone companies to hand over “metadata,” text messages, possibly photos, and other personal information about my family’s mobile phone. Of course, Big Brother Obama does not believe that such things happen. How could I have been so wrong?

Let me repeat what I said when this story first broke – this program does not involve the content of phone calls, or the names of people making calls. Instead, it provides a record of phone numbers and the times and lengths of calls – meta-data that can be queried if and when we have a reasonable suspicion that a particular number is linked to a terrorist organization.

There is no mention of text messages. Perhaps, Obama has just not read The Guardian lately. Anyone with any sense of the grandiose position of the United States of America in the view of the rest of the world would have delighted in this comment from our Commander-in-Chief. It certainly justifies a number of our actions throughout the world, including the Wars on Terror that led us from Iraq to Afghanistan and the Drone attack which enable “protection” of many civilians and terrorists alike.

Meanwhile, a number of countries, including some who have loudly criticized the NSA, privately acknowledge that America has special responsibilities as the world’s only superpower; that our intelligence capabilities are critical to meeting these responsibilities; and that they themselves have relied on the information we obtain to protect their own people.

Finally, I am personally delighted to see that our President is acting swiftly to ensure my privacy in this digital age by creating at least two more committees to review and report to him on the several matters that most concern those citizens who think that Orwellian measures must be stopped now.

I believe in Change Now. Do you?

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If you don’t want to wait, you can start using Don’t Track Me for your computer, phone, and credit cards and no I am not connected to them and this is not an ad, just a personal suggestion. Add your own suggestions in comments if you will.

Reason triumphs in California

Proposition 8, which passed in California in 2008, was overturned today by the California 9th circuit court. The decision reaffirmed the right of gays to marry, although it will not take effect immediately. The ruling does not apply to other states, but the reasoning behind the ruling, that no state has a legitimate right to legislate against, should eventually lend support to challenges by other states and to eventual Federal endorsement of gay rights.

The main argument against gay rights is based on religious beliefs that marriage is a privilege or duty reserved only for one man and one woman. The strength of this belief has prevailed for years against the logical assumption that everyone ought to enjoy the same rights in the country as others, so long as it does not impinge on anyone else. Needless to say there will be challenges to this new ruling. However, the argument that the ban violates the 14th Amendment should eventually carry the decision to victory.

There is hope yet, that the “Puritans” among us will lose their ability to dictate right and wrong to all citizens in the U.S. and that those decisions will be based on reason, not belief.

link to story.

Maybe not Hillary

I don’t want appear to be wishy-washy, but I may not vote Hillary after all. For one thing, I was upset that she went to work for Obama after what the party did to her. Granted she was a terrific Secretary of State. And there is no doubt that she would have done the country much good had she been elected instead the the big zero.

Still, for years I have really only had two viable options Democrats or Republicans; every time I voted an alternate party I knew I had no chance of success. This year, Ron Paul is off to a good start against Obama. Obama 39%, Paul 38% The possibility that I might be able to vote against Obama and still vote for someone who is not a rigid stale generic Republican causes me to ponder the very thing I once thought impossible: not voting for Hillary.

Hillary now the only hope for change for Democrats

Despite being a registered Independent voter, I chose to vote for Hillary Clinton in 2008. Three years later, I am certain I made the right choice and the country has paid the price for allowing corrupt election practices to steal the election from her and give it to Obama.

As 2012 looms, I ask myself: Is there anyone more prepared, more knowledgeable, and more capable than Hillary of leading this country out of the morass the clueless one has lead us into? For me the answer is clear: no. I would like to see her run again (selfish perhaps, as I would have to vote for anyone or thing rather than vote for Obama).

If you voted for Hillary, would you do so again? If not would you vote for her in 2012?

Vote and add a comment if you are inclined.

Rod Blagojevich convicted of all counts

Jury convicts ex-US Gov. Blagojevich at retrial.      AP  HERE

No word about whether anyone else was involved.

Oh NO! NATO troops spotted in Libya

HERE

The only thing about this post title that should surprise you is that they were spotted (of course they went away ASAP). Whether you call them spies, spotters, or advisers, “Western men” have always interfered in the events of countries whose policies do not please the politicians or corporate powers. Usually such interference is justified as necessary to protect our “way of life,” even though it is not always necessary to explain their role to their own citizens. But you can find them if you read Western history

Salvador Allende, the first democratically-elected Socialist, was opposed by Richard Nixon who feared the spread of Communism and ordered the CIA to do anything they could to stop Allende.  HERE foreign involvement section. Advisors (and yes they had weapons) were in Viet Nam as early as 1962. The CIA set up the rebels in Afghanistan in an effort to destroy the USSR, my previous post HERE

Find your own example of any western insertion of troops despite government or international regulations against them and post it in the comment section here for others to read.

dandelions and poppies

I’ve just come in from weeding dandelions in my front garden. It’s been neglected for about a year and a half. Where there were once native California wild flowers from spring to fall, there are now just a few stragglers struggling to survive in the tall grass and dandelions. The poppies, however, are growing stronger each spring and spreading far beyond their original position in the garden. I look forward to seeing them trumpet the arrival of spring – even this year.

My father-in-law used to wax poetic about dandelion greens as a tasty side dish and he knew how to make dandelion tea (which he didn’t like), but to me as lovely as dandelions appear at times, they destroy the harmony of my garden so I dig them out. I am not interested in dandelion greens as a meal – though if the economy gets much worse I might.

Unfortunately, the dandelions developed a survival technique (not consciously of course): they grow close to the poppies and dig their long hard roots right into the roots of the poppies, making it extremely difficult to dig them out. I took my long digging tool out to the yard, bent down and started carefully loosening the wet soil – thanks to the long rainy days it was easier than usual. One poppy plant came up when I tugged on the dandelion root, but I patted it back into the ground and hope it will survive. If it doesn’t, it’s roots will still throw up more “offspring” next year.

While working in the garden, I thought of the two drivers who gave me dirty looks while they were breaking the laws of traffic and civility, one stranding me in oncoming traffic and the other simply running a red light as I began my left turn. I’m no prude and I don’t mind occasionally bending rules that don’t endanger anyone’s life and property, but I couldn’t help thinking of them today as an example of the dandelions in the fabric of our society.

This country’s Constitution is based on respect and dignity, and on the value of human life. Without these ideals, I fear we will degenerate into dystopia – a society far worse than Orwell imagined.

On the other hand, I suppose others view poppies as a weed.

Feminism and Gender Equity.

This is how I finished part five of my posts on Patriarchy”

What did/do women want? To be equally valued and equally free to make decisions for themselves. Society and religion still stand in the way of most women. Women also stand in the way of other women, depending on their own social mores and religious upbringing to criticize and demean other women for their choices. Many women have achieved independence and success in their careers. Many have achieved independence and success in their marriage. But there is still much unhappiness about the pace at which this has been accomplished.

I had intended to come back to the subject before my “real” life interfered again.  Today, when I discovered this post at Forbes, I thought I would let it raise some of the issues I’d meant to discuss.  It seems that women are beginning to realize that “equality” does not mean we all think or act alike; rather it means that we are free to pursue our own dreams in whichever direction they lead us.  Not every woman needs to burn her bra nor “break a glass ceiling” to feel empowered.

Thank you to Lisa Quast for writing about the research and to Dr. Hakim for publishing it.  You can download the report at the Forbes site.

Another broken promise: hold Obama accountable for his words.

 

h/t to Cannonfire who suggested this video be widely circulated.  Keep it going.

Interested in feminine equality?

click here