Obama, "War is Necessary" + Political Art on Display at the Northern

Recently, in a commencement address at a military school (West Point,) President Obama said that while war is abhorrent, that it is also "necessary". I see it differently.

I believe that war is only necessary because the USA has policies of taking without asking. Policies and politics, a political economy, of territorial conquest - of resource acquisition at gun point - under the threat of violence.

I believe that war is not necessary for the legitimate security needs of the people of the USA, nor of anyone.

Instead, war is only necessary to defend what are essentially violent and destructive economic and political policies.

Another world is possible, a world of economic and ecological sustainability and justice, fairness and equity. A world where people treat each other well, and do not exploit each other. A respectful, peaceful, harmonious world where people do not put each other down, nor beat each other up.

Peace is possible!

In other news, there is some political art on display at Northern, an All Ages Venue in downtown Olympia, Washington. I think the art is really great. I recommend checking it out. Here's a short slideshow introduction to some of the works.

You can find more information about the displays and the venue here: Northern | The Olympia All Ages Project.

The path TO PEACE is THROUGH PEACE! A Letter to the President

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Dear President,

War is no way to work for peace.

The way to peace is through peace.

There is no way to achieve peace when the supposed "interests" of America depend on conquest and domination, oppression and exploitation.

It is time to end these war and these polices (and economics) of domination and subjugation. It is time to begin international policies of cooperation and respect, harmony and reciprocity.

Mr. President and Administration, it is time to be honest about the destructive and oppressive relationship that America wields against the world. It is time for America to grow up and become a responsible world citizen. It is time to curtail consumption, and seek community solutions to make the world a better place for all people.

It is wrong for people to seek dominion and control over each other. There is another way. Another world is possible.

We can learn to live in harmony with each other and with the living systems of the planet, or we can continue on a path of destruction.

What is sure is that the current way is totally wrong and the cause of tremendous unnecessary suffering around the world.

Real Change is in order.

Please, take my message to heart.

Thank you for honestly and seriously considering my comments.

Sincerely,
Berd



p.s. Dear White House,

These wars are not about defense. These wars are about geo-political and economic control and dominance.

These wars are flat out immoral. These wars are illegal.

End these wars. End these criminal policies of dominance!

Yours Truly,
Berd

American Disillusion

I grew up with the idea that the USA was the greatest nation on Earth. That this is a land of equal opportunity, a land of altruism. It's easy to see why that story could get confusing in light of the historical realities of the enslavement of Africans and the virtual genocide of Native Peoples. It's hard to know what to believe, I suppose. But the reality on the ground is that America is a very violent place. Ranging from domestic violence to state violence against civilians. Ranging from harmful economic activities to colonialism and outright wars of aggression.

When Obama was elected, and inaugurated, it would have been hard not to feel hopeful. The rhetoric, if not completely correct, was in a pretty good place. But in what's now over a year since the Obama Administration assumed power, there has been a degeneration in the rhetoric, and certainly a widespread feeling of disappointment with the real politic. An example of degeneration of rhetoric is the difference between talking about opportunity and prosperity for all, to the more recent focus on propping up the "middle class." The degeneration has been gradual, like the flim-flam approach to Universal Health Care, and the Obama plan to increase military spending; and yet it has also been spiked with notable events, like the use of the Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance speech to advocate America's supposed need for war, and the dreadful showing at the Copenhagen Climate Conference.

The disillusion is driving home some simple and chilling truths. The socio-economic political system of the United States is broken. It is corrupt. I have been saying this for over 10 years. And articles like the following only make it more and more clear. So what to do...

The fact is that human activities - industrial activities - over the past 200+ years have done tremendous damage to the living systems of this planet Earth. Earth is our home. We would be wise to take care of it. After all it either belongs to all of us, or to none of us at all. The policies coming out of Washington D.C. and other locusts of political power in the USA (as well as other places in the world) make little to no sense. A drastic change in focus is needed. A change toward the direction of taking care of the planet, and taking care of each other. The adversarial, profit-oriented model of destructive competition endangers the future of humanity and most of the life on this planet. Change is due.

First, there needs to be a disruption of the two-party duopoly that represents the amoral corporate profit motive.

Then there is the need to remake the system anew - to make a system that is altruistic and grounded in the intention to serve life.

Yep. So, check out this article for more reason to challenge and oppose the unmanageable and amoral status quo:

February 9, 2010

Obama's "Change" Drops Its Mask

The Democrats are Coming After Social Security

By SHAMUS COOKE

It’s official: the Democrats are coming after Social Security and Medicare. All the backroom scheming and political conspiring is finally out in the open.

In an unusually long, 1,800 word editorial, entitled The Truth about the Deficit, published February 7, The New York Times -- cheerleader for neoliberalism -- gives its solution to the country’s debt problems. The main idea is summed up thus:

“To truly tame deficits will require serious health care reform [Obama’s plan slashes Medicare], the sooner the better. Other aspects of the long-term fiscal problem — raising taxes and retooling [reducing] Social Security — must take place in earnest as the economy recovers.”

read more: http://www.counterpunch.org/cooke02092010.html

President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Protest

President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Protest

“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

Obama Peace Prize Protest

Obama didn't mention the obvious common sense reality - that it is American policies of militaristic violence, imperialism and economic exploitation that are the principle underlying causes of anti-American terrorism...

It's wrong to use violence against people. It's wrong to profit from harmful activities.

Very disappointing. The empire rages on.

President Obama with Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal

President Barack Obama meets with Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the new U.S. Commander for Afghanistan, in the Oval Office Tuesday, May 19, 2009. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)
This official White House photograph is being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way or used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.

My comment:

The best way to counter terrorism is by confronting the cause. I believe the root cause of terrorism are the fundamentally exploitative and abusive international policies of the USA. Namely - the policy of Global Dominance.

I wish for the USA to do away with this policy of economic dominance. Do away with the mentality of dominance at all levels.

I wish for people to live with each other harmoniously. I wish for people to live cooperatively and consensually with each other.

I believe that terrorism largely amounts to blowback from unjust economic policies and practices.

True security can be found through policies of cooperation and generosity, and mutual respect for the dignity and well-being of others - respect for the dignity of all people.

A New Way Forward

Another world is possible. It's time to steer in a new direction. Here's some advice from James Kunstler to Barack Obama. Fundamental economic change is in order. It's time for divorce with the old ways.

The Coming Siege of Austerity
by James Howard Kunstler
Barack Obama, charming as he is, had better drop his pretensions about kick-starting the old consumer economy, fire the Wall Street clowns and parasites who are running that futile exercise, and start preparing a US Lifeboat Economy aimed at reducing the scale and scope of our outlays so we can survive the coming siege of austerity. Meanwhile, I'm glad that he finally got a dog for the White House, because the President knows full-well where to turn in Washington if you want some genuine love and affection.

Want for an End to War

The USA has a new President. Obama's victory over McCain signals a mandate for change - for deep and substantial change - a mandate to end war. We are very much experiencing a different America; the new President does not refer to other nations as components in an "axis of evil," but he instead pushes for dialogue between nations.

Do you want an end to war. Can you imagine another world? What might it look and feel like?

I want an end to war. I can imagine another world. Among other aspects, it's a world without the fear that is created by violence between humans.

How can we make the possibility of another world into the reality of another world? How can we best effect change in the direction of a world where human beings do not hurt each other?

Talk about it.

Dear President Obama: Please Stop Bombing Pakistan

Stop Bombing! Stop Imperialism! Put an end to policies of global hegemony!

Obama, you say you are a friend to the American People. Prove it. Kick the corporations out of Washington D.C..

You have the power to say "no." Please. Please, it's your duty.

If government doesn't protect people and planet against the harms and abuses of powerful businesses, industries and corporations, then what or whom will? The planet and humanity must be protected.

Currently, the government of the USA is not protecting people. Currently, the government is more or less corporatist, and enabling and facilitating a system of corporate theft from the commons. The government of the USA is accomplice to social and environmental degradation.

The people and planet are not served by a government that is insufficient to the task of proper regulation against harmful economic activities. The people and planet certainly don't need a government that enables and works with corporations to promote these iniquitous controlling and imperial doctrines of hegemony.

Stop bombing Pakistan. Withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan!

Stop the global resource war! The problem are policies and practices of taking by force, of taking without asking -this is imperialism.

There are answers, which include (among many other concepts, ideas and specifics) curtailment, efficient use and finding alternatives.

But please: Stop Imperialism!