Tony Blair's Memoir Should Be On Fiction List
By David Mixner
Copyright By David Mixner
Sep 8 2010
http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/09/tony-blairs-memoir-should-be-on-fiction-list.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DavidMixnerCom+%28DavidMixner.com%29
People who are used to historical accuracy and truth should avoid Tony Blair's new memoir. There is no question that a memoir is an opportunity for a person to share their view of the events of their life journey. Of course, many people might view those events differently. However most memoirs enlighten and challenge with new knowledge. Sadly, new knowledge is neither a goal nor achievement of this book.
One would have to think of Robert McNamara's mea culpa on the Vietnam War to find a book any more self-serving.
The former British Prime Minister does not even attempt to put an intellectual or thoughtful approach to his policies in Iraq. Let's us be clear, that the Iraq War was created and started on deception, misinformation and outright lies. To pretend after years of war and nearly 100,000 civilian causalities that Iraq is in a better place is to strain all credibility. Have we forgotten already the city of Fallujah which was leveled to the ground in order to save it? The entire infrastructure has to be rebuilt and in today's papers we are told that we might have to spend hundreds of millions dollars annually to rebuild the nation over the next decade.
Blair's sections on Iraq are just shameful. He says, " I don't regret the decision to go to war" and proclaims that Saddam Hussein and his sons were evil men. That is true but over six million have died in the Congo from evil men and I don't see any troops there. Clearly he doesn't believe it is a universal principle or tenet of policy. Even more outrageous is his clearly incredulous statement of, " I didn't see the Iraq nightmare coming." Exactly what rock was he hiding under because everyone else had no problem knowing the consequences of this war.
Finally, while explaining and praising George Bush for his leadership, he blasts his loyal ally former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He hits Brown for being unemotional and unavailable - as if his friend George Bush is Mr. Warmth? Brown is the man who stepped aside to avoid a bitter inter-party battle so Blair could be Prime Minister. Brown was the architect of his economic policy that put Great Britain on the map again. Finally, Prime Minister (and Ms. Brown) understood the battle for LGBT liberation more than almost any public leader in history.
One can only chalk up such a lack of appreciation for an such a great intellect, leader and friend as disloyal and petty. In writing this memoir, Prime Minister Blair has left a great stain on his legacy.
What Is A LGBT Democrat To Do In 2010?
By David Mixner
Copyright By David Mixner
Sep 9 2010
http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/09/what-is-a-lgbt-democrat-to-do-in-2010.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DavidMixnerCom+%28DavidMixner.com%29
Gay Democrats Listen up. People start early voting in many states in about 25 days. That is right. In less than a month the future of our country once again goes to the polls. Every two years it seems we struggle with a complex world filled with "the lesser of two evils" choices. Sometimes life is not fair and sometimes our choices just stink.
Especially in this year of the Tea Party nominating in Republican primaries for Congress some really extreme candidates who have even put the fear of God into traditional Republican conservatives. The temptation is to go into panic mode and just support anything the Democrats want you to do in an effort to stop this craziness. The desire to keep the nut jobs out of the Congress is a legitimate one and we must do our part.
Now I know there are those who have had it with the Democratic Party and in many cases with good substantive policy reasons. Certainly the LGBT community can legitimately feel rejected, deceived and abused by the Party this year. With a vastly Democratic Congress and a Democratic President, the results for our community are pitiful. Some of that can be chalked up to a failure of leadership in our own national organizations. There is no question after the elections it is time to look at the results of the last year and hold our leadership accountable.
As a result, many of you are tempted to stay home or vote Green. There is a lot to be said to use a vote to increase the presence of the Green Party but I do not believe that is an effective strategy in a case it coule either cause the defeat of a 'full equality Democrat' or elect a total destructive nut job like Sharron Angle to the United States Senate. As for you LGBT Republicans, I hope you will continue to get prominent Republicans on the full equality bandwagon. You have done an amazing job recently. Continue to put your resources to build those bridges to our community. Please stay away from those Palin crazies.
However, if you choose to vote Democrat, then this year you most certainly have choices and some good ones. This is a year we can be good citizens, participate in the battle for the best government we can achieve in these times and not blindly support any old Democrat. Here are some guidelines on those choices.
1. Vote. For any person of any ideology not to vote is just criminal in my mind.
2. Contribute to those candidates who support 'full equality including marriage equality' who are in tough races. I will do my best over the next weeks to point these tough races out to you. We have a number of US Senate races and Congressional races where the Democratic nominee supports us 100%. We should be there for them.
3. Contribute to openly LGBT candidates who have a real shot either directly or through the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.
4. Do not contribute to Democratic Party entities. Do you want your money to go to Senator Ben Nelson or Congressman Ike Skelton who oppose us to the hilt? If you contribute to the Party establishment then you are contributing to them.
5. Do support organizations that only support candidates for full equality. If they are supporting candidates with less than full equality then don't give to them.
6. Also the battles in states like New York, California and Minnesota for marriage equality should be on the top of our lists. The Governor and Attorney General races are crucial to us. Organizations like FightBackNY and ESPA deserve our support in New York.
There is a lot we can do to help as LGBT Democrats in this year's elections without being blackmailed or guilted into supporting horrible conservative blue dog Democrats. So if you are Democrat, don't bitch, sit on the sidelines, relinquish your rights to participate and not vote.
Hillary Had It Right; Press Should Have Not Covered The Florida Pastor
By David Mixner
Copyright By David Mixner
Sep 10 2010
http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/09/hillary-had-it-right-press-should-have-not-covered-the-florida-pastor.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DavidMixnerCom+%28DavidMixner.com%29
Watching this total nut job in Florida threatening to burn the holy book of Islam speaks volumes about our brave new world. Even now that he has stepped down, he is still one disturbed man (of God no less!) with about 50 followers who in this new world of media saturation could have put the lives of thousands at jeopardy. He had forced everyone from the Pope, the President and General Petraeus to urge him not to commit this hideous - not to mention boneheaded - act. There is no question that the good pastor simply "ain't right" and enjoyed the media circus that has migrated to Florida.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg had it right about how this case tests the limits of free speech. But we are not powerless in this situation. Secretary Clinton had it right on Wednesday when she mentioned perhaps the media should have just not cover it. What a brilliant idea.
Because of the modern media outreach through the Internet, cell phones, video phones, IPADS, etc, almost any person can blackmail a nation. Nowhere is there a better example than this religious idiot in Florida. The press has a responsibility in this, too. They should have unplug their trucks, move them out, leave him alone with his sick fantasies of power. The press should have simply say, "this person is a nobody and there will be no pictures, no tape and no stories. He is not a national leader, he has no following and he is dangerous." Why in the world are we being treated to live broadcasts with press conference outside this demagogue's church?
What a good precedent for a new responsibility by our press in a brave new world of media. This man has gotten more exposure than the President's stimulus package to rebuild America's infrastructure. This is just wrong. Wouldn't it have been better in the beginning to have just block the road, leave him alone and allow him to spout his twisted views and actions into the air. We all should just stop listening.
Video By NOM Illustrates Why Boxer and Feingold Need Our Support
By David Mixner
Copyright By David Mixner
Sep 10 2010
http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/09/video-by-nom-illustrates-why-boxer-and-feingold-need-our-support.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DavidMixnerCom+%28DavidMixner.com%29
Earlier in the week I wrote that the LGBT community has choices this year. We can support directly those who support us. In that article I promised you to share information where you can with comfort and pride send checks, volunteer and generate votes for our friends who support full equality.
This week the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) started ads attacking Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Senator Russell Feingold (D-WI) for being two of only fourteen United States Senators who voted against DOMA. In addition, you should know that both of these good friends have endorsed full equality including marriage equality.
Watch this video then go online and make a contribution now to help both of these stalwart friends. Even $5 is an important contribution but you should give until it hurts. We are blessed with senators who now support us fully and we must support them.
Click here to give to Senator Boxer andclick here to contribute to Senator Feingold. This ad should convince you. (via Towleroad.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment