upcoming tests for democracy in september

Soundtrack in my head: Holly Beth Vincent, "For What It's Worth (Stop Hey What's That Sound)" It turns out that this month of September will have several critical tests for democracy coming up. The U.S. Senate will be voting on a constitutional amendment to overturning Citizens United most likely sometime this week.  For the first … Continue reading upcoming tests for democracy in september

everything we know about politics is wrong (paranoia run amuck version)

Soundtrack in my head: Talking Heads, "Life During Wartime" geralt / Pixabay In my last three posts I talked about the revelation of the mass surveillance program in which our emails, internet searches, and mobile phone data are collected, stored and subject to review by the U.S. government at any time. It could be said … Continue reading everything we know about politics is wrong (paranoia run amuck version)

everything we know about politics is wrong (creeping authoritarianism version)

In my last post I wrote about the PRISM surveillance scandal and how creeping authoritarianism is oozing outward from the United States government/ Why would this happen? A number of theories abound, of course--everything from the Illuminati to the United Nations to the accusation that President Obama is a socialist. What has been very noteworthy … Continue reading everything we know about politics is wrong (creeping authoritarianism version)

everything we know about politics is wrong (Big Brother version)

Uncle Sam has hit the fan. He has removed his disguise, and we now realize that it's Big Brother behind the mask. The events of the several weeks should erase any doubt that the U.S. government has gone off the Big Brother deep end. Revelations of systematic monitoring and reading of our electronic communications and … Continue reading everything we know about politics is wrong (Big Brother version)

a message about justice found underneath the couch, wrapped in cellophane

Soundtrack in my head: The Alarm, "The Stand" I received my Bachelor's in Political Science many moons ago, and for most of the period since then, I have struggled with my feelings about politics, social justice, and political activism. This inner struggle has only intensified since I became a Bahá'í. To document the evolution of … Continue reading a message about justice found underneath the couch, wrapped in cellophane

bury my heart at Schoolhouse Rock–the depth of American Indian genocide denial

Soundtrack in my head: Buffy Sainte Marie, "Now that the Buffalo's Gone" rauschenberger / Pixabay Recently, I've been struck by the extent of American Indian genocide denial. Certainly, there is debate over the extent to which this was, in fact, a genocide.  The guesses about the number of people living in the Americas immediately before … Continue reading bury my heart at Schoolhouse Rock–the depth of American Indian genocide denial

everything we know about politics is wrong (spitting out the political conventions kool-aid version)

Soundtrack in my head: Green Day, "American Idiot" geralt / Pixabay We're down to less than sixty days before the finish of the chest-beating, truth-twisting, anything-but-informative ritual know as the American presidential election and the respective political conventions. As a both a Bahá'í and the holder of a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, I'm a … Continue reading everything we know about politics is wrong (spitting out the political conventions kool-aid version)

everything we know about politics is wrong (shooting oneself in the foot with military drones version)

Soundtrack in my head: The Doors, "Peace Frog" What is there to be said about the attacks of September 11, 2001 that hasn't yet been said?  Well, to start with, pretty much everything. Everything we know about politics is wrong. Or at least everything our politicians and mass media tell us. Five years after the … Continue reading everything we know about politics is wrong (shooting oneself in the foot with military drones version)