Youtube: Diane V. McLoughlin
Showing posts with label Diane V. McLoughlin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diane V. McLoughlin. Show all posts
August 10, 2014
Diane V McLoughlin speaking at #Gaza protest - #Ottawa - Aug 09 2014 [3mins]
Youtube: Diane V. McLoughlin
July 27, 2012
Bankruptcy Obama War Romney Liberty Paul
Bankruptcy Obama War Romney Liberty Paul
July 21, 2012
by Diane V. McLoughlin
main website mcloughlinpost.com
Two candidates remain in competition for leadership of the Republican Party: former one-term governor Mitt Romney and 12-term Congressman and obstetrician, Dr. Ron Paul. The Republican National Convention takes place this August, in Tampa, Florida.
Proxies have unleashed a barrage of attack ads in what appears to be an almost frantic attempt to magnify the minor differences between President Obama and Mitt Romney. The expense of these ad campaigns are expected to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars - a wasteful sum in these troubled economic times.
Obama's healthcare insurance mandate forces the taxpayer to purchase private health insurance. But private industry must seek to maximize profit while minimizing expense. Government forcing people to purchase a privately produced product risks weakening further a system already accused of stingily doling out healthcare, with little accountability. To be sure, there is plenty of blame to go around when it comes to the woeful state of healthcare in the U.S.. Everybody demands a rich cut - insurance companies, healthcare providers and drug companies - while many sick people are neglected or forced to go bankrupt. The fact of the matter is that the majority of people who do go bankrupt due to exorbitant healthcare costs have insurance. How the government guaranteeing insurance companies the taxpayers' business is going to help improve healthcare while controlling costs is the billion (or is it trillion?) dollar question.
'Obamacare' was modeled directly from the Massachussett healthcare model, which was rolled out during Mitt Romney's one-term as governor there.
All eyes are on the GOP. Ron Paul has qualified to be on the ballot in Tampa. Will the Republican Party follow the rules and register Ron Paul? It is certain that along with the underhanded activities of some, there are Republican Party leaders who have conducted themselves with grace, dignity and honor. Time will tell. Heads democracy wins regardless of the outcome at the convention. Tails, Mitt Romney or Barack Obama win the White House. In that case it may well be national bankruptcy and world war.
---------------------
Notes: In state contests where Ron Paul won the majority of delegates, the national Republican Party has indicated that the papers to register Ron Paul for the Tampa leadership convention need to be filled out and sent in.
I will hopefully get this posted to my main website in the next day or two.
Ron Paul on the Issues ;
A Ron Paul Youtube playlist
July 21, 2012
by Diane V. McLoughlin
main website mcloughlinpost.com
Two candidates remain in competition for leadership of the Republican Party: former one-term governor Mitt Romney and 12-term Congressman and obstetrician, Dr. Ron Paul. The Republican National Convention takes place this August, in Tampa, Florida.
Proxies have unleashed a barrage of attack ads in what appears to be an almost frantic attempt to magnify the minor differences between President Obama and Mitt Romney. The expense of these ad campaigns are expected to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars - a wasteful sum in these troubled economic times.
Obama's healthcare insurance mandate forces the taxpayer to purchase private health insurance. But private industry must seek to maximize profit while minimizing expense. Government forcing people to purchase a privately produced product risks weakening further a system already accused of stingily doling out healthcare, with little accountability. To be sure, there is plenty of blame to go around when it comes to the woeful state of healthcare in the U.S.. Everybody demands a rich cut - insurance companies, healthcare providers and drug companies - while many sick people are neglected or forced to go bankrupt. The fact of the matter is that the majority of people who do go bankrupt due to exorbitant healthcare costs have insurance. How the government guaranteeing insurance companies the taxpayers' business is going to help improve healthcare while controlling costs is the billion (or is it trillion?) dollar question.
'Obamacare' was modeled directly from the Massachussett healthcare model, which was rolled out during Mitt Romney's one-term as governor there.
Both Obama and Romney support the continuance of formless, ill-defined, illegal wars. These regional pots we are stirring may represent - like a gathering storm on the horizon - a poorly organized (wildly unnecessary) yet potentially explosive World War Three. Not knowing when to quit is not new. The difference is that, be it tribe, country or empire, nobody was armed with nuclear weapons. Nobody held the power, at the push of a button, to launch war with the potential to destroy all life on Earth. (Beware the nihilists itching to deploy nuclear bombs. )
Both Obama and Romney support the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an odious set of new laws President Obama sanctified by signing during the Christmas holidays just past. (Irony.) The NDAA destroys all natural meaning of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights by empowering the government to kidnap and lock up anyone, including American citizens, and detain them indefinitely, in secret, without charge or trial.
However, given that President Obama claims the executive power to order the assassination of U.S. citizens on his say-so alone, the NDAA is merely a tattered corner of the rule-of-law shredded picture. Obama is handed the stats on individuals on cards, like baseball, only they're for intel on what suspects have done, are accused of having done, or are accused of thinking of doing. Then the President gives a Caesar-like thumbs up or thumbs down. Mistaken identity; falsely fingered by some guy being tortured at one of the country's many secret torture chambers around the world; well, too bad for you. There is no appeal. You won't even know you're in the cards in the first place, most likely.
It would be wrong to suggest that President Obama is coming up with these ideas entirely on his own. It's the fact that he chooses to cooperate with what has devolved into a rotten political, bureaucratic, military, industrial system. Barack Obama campaigned on the slogan, 'Change - Yes We Can!' He could have. But he hasn't and isn't.
Mitt Romney surrounds himself with Bush Junior's neocon foreign policy advisers. His foreign policy stump speeches are so belligerent one wonders if he's got 'bomb, bomb, bomb Iran' going around in his head like John McCain, before him. All indications point in that direction.
Mitt and Obama pass the system's muster because both are pro-war 'team players'.
However, given that President Obama claims the executive power to order the assassination of U.S. citizens on his say-so alone, the NDAA is merely a tattered corner of the rule-of-law shredded picture. Obama is handed the stats on individuals on cards, like baseball, only they're for intel on what suspects have done, are accused of having done, or are accused of thinking of doing. Then the President gives a Caesar-like thumbs up or thumbs down. Mistaken identity; falsely fingered by some guy being tortured at one of the country's many secret torture chambers around the world; well, too bad for you. There is no appeal. You won't even know you're in the cards in the first place, most likely.
It would be wrong to suggest that President Obama is coming up with these ideas entirely on his own. It's the fact that he chooses to cooperate with what has devolved into a rotten political, bureaucratic, military, industrial system. Barack Obama campaigned on the slogan, 'Change - Yes We Can!' He could have. But he hasn't and isn't.
Mitt Romney surrounds himself with Bush Junior's neocon foreign policy advisers. His foreign policy stump speeches are so belligerent one wonders if he's got 'bomb, bomb, bomb Iran' going around in his head like John McCain, before him. All indications point in that direction.
Mitt and Obama pass the system's muster because both are pro-war 'team players'.
As it stands, troops are being positioned in the Pacific (American; Canadian; presumably other countries, too.) Literally hundreds of military bases (and bombs) are set up all over the planet.
The U.S. has its bloodied military fingers in so many overseas pies that it is difficult to keep them all straight, or to trust that it's possible that we can know them all given the machinations of clandestine networks such as the CIA. The list includes Yemen; Iraq; Afghanistan; Pakistan; Libya; Syria; Palestine; Egypt; Bahrain and Iran (war ships being positioned directly off of Iran's coast now.)
The real 'prize', the goal, appears to be somehow 'controlling' Russia and China.
The closest we have come so far to nuclear war is during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The U.S. had placed nuclear weapons in Russia's backyard. Russia retaliated by placing nuclear bombs in Cuba. It became a dangerous nuclear stand-off. We are again ringing Russia with missiles. They don't like it. It is clear that this course could lead to MADness: Mutually Assured Destruction.
Something else raises the risk of nuclear war further. The longer nuclear weapons exist without large-scale and catastrophic use, the more complacent we become that such an eventuality could ever occur. There was no complacency or false sense of invincibility in America during the Cuban missile crisis fiasco. There are older apartment buildings in New York that, to this day, still have the signage posted indicating that the basements are to be used for nuclear fallout shelters. In point of fact, I and my elementary-aged school chums once howled with laughter when our teachers instructed us on how to cower beneath our desks, during a nuclear attack drill. We could kiss our asses goodbye.
The U.S. has its bloodied military fingers in so many overseas pies that it is difficult to keep them all straight, or to trust that it's possible that we can know them all given the machinations of clandestine networks such as the CIA. The list includes Yemen; Iraq; Afghanistan; Pakistan; Libya; Syria; Palestine; Egypt; Bahrain and Iran (war ships being positioned directly off of Iran's coast now.)
The real 'prize', the goal, appears to be somehow 'controlling' Russia and China.
The closest we have come so far to nuclear war is during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The U.S. had placed nuclear weapons in Russia's backyard. Russia retaliated by placing nuclear bombs in Cuba. It became a dangerous nuclear stand-off. We are again ringing Russia with missiles. They don't like it. It is clear that this course could lead to MADness: Mutually Assured Destruction.
Something else raises the risk of nuclear war further. The longer nuclear weapons exist without large-scale and catastrophic use, the more complacent we become that such an eventuality could ever occur. There was no complacency or false sense of invincibility in America during the Cuban missile crisis fiasco. There are older apartment buildings in New York that, to this day, still have the signage posted indicating that the basements are to be used for nuclear fallout shelters. In point of fact, I and my elementary-aged school chums once howled with laughter when our teachers instructed us on how to cower beneath our desks, during a nuclear attack drill. We could kiss our asses goodbye.
The fusing of private corporations and public governance is dangerous. It's a big part of the reason we are on the road we are on.
Ron Paul:
Ron Paul has fought corruption his entire Congressional career. Corporate lobbyists learned not to bother knocking on his door. His nickname on Capitol Hill: 'Dr. No'.
Ron Paul:
Ron Paul has fought corruption his entire Congressional career. Corporate lobbyists learned not to bother knocking on his door. His nickname on Capitol Hill: 'Dr. No'.
Above: Congressman Dr. Ron Paul seated at his desk
In contrast to Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, Ron Paul has the backbone to say, Enough!, to the evil twins of endless war and government corruption.
The media is answerable to only a few corporate masters. If you haven't heard of presidential candidate Ron Paul, or if you have and its been to marginalize him as a goof or a bad guy there are reasons for that - none of them, I am sorry to say, are honest.
The Republican leadership contest began with a field of nine contenders. That field is now down to two. That is not how it has been played out in the corporate press.
The media is answerable to only a few corporate masters. If you haven't heard of presidential candidate Ron Paul, or if you have and its been to marginalize him as a goof or a bad guy there are reasons for that - none of them, I am sorry to say, are honest.
The Republican leadership contest began with a field of nine contenders. That field is now down to two. That is not how it has been played out in the corporate press.
The fact that Ron Paul has qualified to compete against Mitt Romney for leadership of the Republican Party is testament to his popularity, accomplished in spite of alleged state and national Republican Party leadership cheating, vote fraud, ballot box stuffing, and physical intimidation - broken fingers; a dislocated hip - and other shady works (example, Youtube clip, 'Interview Nevada Delegate Fraud'; at 4:56mins).
Below, award-winning news anchor, Ben Swann, discusses the current situation in Massachusetts. Seventeen elected delegates have been stripped of their appointed duty to vote for the next Republican Party leader, by the Mitt Romney camp within that state's party apparatus. Legal proceedings to reverse this sham are underway:
During the Republican leadership campaign, Ron Paul has garnered far and away more donations from veterans and active-duty military than all other candidates, combined. The following short Youtube was posted early January, 2012. To-date, it has garnered two million-plus views.
'Ron vs. Mitt (see why so many people believe in Ron Paul)':
Army veterans are organizing to march on the convention to pay their respects with a salute to Ron Paul - the only presidential candidate who is, himself, a veteran. As is so often the case, the one with military experience is the one most mindful of when, and when not, to send troops into harms' way. It is Ron Paul's conviction that it is well past time to bring the troops home. Defend the country by all means. But it is unconstitutional, as well as dangerous, to continue to try to be the policemen of the whole world.
The march in Tampa to salute Ron Paul will not be the first such march. A similar march was held earlier in 2012 on President's Day, to honor Dr. Paul as the choice of the troops. In addition, a dedication was conducted in front of the White House for all soldiers who have fallen in Iraq since Obama pledged to bring the troops home from there. The ceremony was held with backs symbolically turned to President Obama, because he broke his promise, with tragic consequences.
Below, award-winning news anchor, Ben Swann, discusses the current situation in Massachusetts. Seventeen elected delegates have been stripped of their appointed duty to vote for the next Republican Party leader, by the Mitt Romney camp within that state's party apparatus. Legal proceedings to reverse this sham are underway:
During the Republican leadership campaign, Ron Paul has garnered far and away more donations from veterans and active-duty military than all other candidates, combined. The following short Youtube was posted early January, 2012. To-date, it has garnered two million-plus views.
'Ron vs. Mitt (see why so many people believe in Ron Paul)':
Army veterans are organizing to march on the convention to pay their respects with a salute to Ron Paul - the only presidential candidate who is, himself, a veteran. As is so often the case, the one with military experience is the one most mindful of when, and when not, to send troops into harms' way. It is Ron Paul's conviction that it is well past time to bring the troops home. Defend the country by all means. But it is unconstitutional, as well as dangerous, to continue to try to be the policemen of the whole world.
The march in Tampa to salute Ron Paul will not be the first such march. A similar march was held earlier in 2012 on President's Day, to honor Dr. Paul as the choice of the troops. In addition, a dedication was conducted in front of the White House for all soldiers who have fallen in Iraq since Obama pledged to bring the troops home from there. The ceremony was held with backs symbolically turned to President Obama, because he broke his promise, with tragic consequences.
In addition to Ron Paul's support from troops, there are not one but two liberty-celebrating events being held in Tampa the weekend before the convention. Attendees who support Ron Paul for president will be travelling in from around the country to be there and could well be counted in the tens of thousands.
All eyes are on the GOP. Ron Paul has qualified to be on the ballot in Tampa. Will the Republican Party follow the rules and register Ron Paul? It is certain that along with the underhanded activities of some, there are Republican Party leaders who have conducted themselves with grace, dignity and honor. Time will tell. Heads democracy wins regardless of the outcome at the convention. Tails, Mitt Romney or Barack Obama win the White House. In that case it may well be national bankruptcy and world war.
---------------------
Notes: In state contests where Ron Paul won the majority of delegates, the national Republican Party has indicated that the papers to register Ron Paul for the Tampa leadership convention need to be filled out and sent in.
I will hopefully get this posted to my main website in the next day or two.
Ron Paul on the Issues ;
A Ron Paul Youtube playlist
August 09, 2010
Free Gaza
by Diane V. McLoughlin
August 9, 2010: Israel's September, 2005 withdrawal of troops and colonizers from Gaza did not cause the Hamas 'problem'. Israel turning Gaza into the world's largest prison camp, did.
Israel, the United States and the European Union refusing to respect the results of the January, 2006 Palestinian election - an election that was internationally monitored and deemed free and fair - in which Hamas won 74 of 132 seats (56%) - is the problem.
The U.S. colluding to arm the electoral losers, encouraging an attempted coup (1; 1a) against Hamas in Gaza, forcing Hamas to defend the voters' democratic choice while hardening political and philosophical differences between Palestinians - these are all problems squelching prospects for peace.
Israel utilizing terrorism on the 1.5 million men, women and children of Gaza in the effort to so demoralize them that they will accept crumbs in place of life's banquet to which they are entitled, as all free peoples are - again, this is the root of the Israel-Palestine problem.*
In the most recent humanitarian crisis in Gaza, it has come about that Gaza's hospitals have had to declare a state of emergency. (2) Gaza's main power plant has had to curtail electricity generation for twelve hours of each day due to a severance of fuel supply over a payment dispute. Without power to run medical equipment, such as dialysis machines and new-born incubators, dozens of lives are at risk of being lost.
Gaza, into its fourth year of a vicious military siege by Israel, is dependent upon a tenuous supply chain that runs through both the West Bank and Israel, for its fuel. As relayed in the press, who should have paid the bill, but didn't, is unclear to me. But if the problem emanates from Gaza, the fault lies with Israel's programme of Gaza's economic destruction.
The darkest of ironies is that Gaza is rich in off-shore energy resources. (3) There are natural gas fields valued in the billions situated within Gaza's territorial waters. Gaza's natural gas field is being exploited by Israel with the collusion of Egypt - while Gaza starves, shivering in rags, in the dark:
It is factually untrue that Hamas cannot be tested on peace. They have made numerous gestures and sacrifices that were, have been, and are opportunities that Israel could and should have seized upon - but Israel chooses otherwise. In a 2006 interview with the Washington Post, Ismail Haniyah, Hamas's prime minister stated: "If Israel withdraws to the '67 borders, then we will establish a peace in stages." (4) Which, of course, hasn't happened.
In fact, as recently as May, 2010, Hamas has explicitly restated this position: Withdrawal by Israel from Palestinian land occupied by Israel in 1967, and the armed struggle would end. (5)
There isn't a group of people on this Earth that is entirely comprised of saints - that includes Hamas. But the main problem is Israel. The problem will remain Israel until the U.S. - which donates over 3 billion in U.S. tax dollars every year to Israel - actually means peace when it talks peace.
Israel does not want peace as much as Israel wants the land - and of course, the debate is, really, with or without the Palestinians in it.
And the two-state solution? Israel chose to destroy that option by occupying and populating Palestinian land. Israel today is an Apartheid regime - rights, status and privilege for Jews - oppression for the Palestinians. And when the Palestinians try to defend themselves, Israel and allies throw up their hands in faux-despair, 'See?!'
In their collective self-delusion, they fail to realize that yes, more and more do see.
We see.
----
*The West Bank is currently occupied and terrorized as well; Palestinian population of West Bank approx. 2,000,000 (CIA World Fact Book); efforts at ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from East Jerusalem continue.
(1) 'The Coup Against Hamas'; Eric Margolis; LewRockwell.com; June 26, 2007 ;
(1a) Noam Chomsky on the Israel-U.S. 'project'; 2007, as published in New Internationalist.
(2) 'Gaza hospitals declare emergency'; Press TV; August 8, 2010 ;
(3) YouTube link for above; Press TV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWNb5Oho-Wg ;
(4) 'We Do Not Wish to Throw Them Into the Sea'; Lally Weymouth interview with Ismail Haniyah; February 26, 2006 ;
(5) 'Hamas renews offer to end fight if Israel withdraws'; with editing by Kevin Liffey; Reuters; May 30, 2010
August 9, 2010: Israel's September, 2005 withdrawal of troops and colonizers from Gaza did not cause the Hamas 'problem'. Israel turning Gaza into the world's largest prison camp, did.
Israel, the United States and the European Union refusing to respect the results of the January, 2006 Palestinian election - an election that was internationally monitored and deemed free and fair - in which Hamas won 74 of 132 seats (56%) - is the problem.
The U.S. colluding to arm the electoral losers, encouraging an attempted coup (1; 1a) against Hamas in Gaza, forcing Hamas to defend the voters' democratic choice while hardening political and philosophical differences between Palestinians - these are all problems squelching prospects for peace.
Israel utilizing terrorism on the 1.5 million men, women and children of Gaza in the effort to so demoralize them that they will accept crumbs in place of life's banquet to which they are entitled, as all free peoples are - again, this is the root of the Israel-Palestine problem.*
In the most recent humanitarian crisis in Gaza, it has come about that Gaza's hospitals have had to declare a state of emergency. (2) Gaza's main power plant has had to curtail electricity generation for twelve hours of each day due to a severance of fuel supply over a payment dispute. Without power to run medical equipment, such as dialysis machines and new-born incubators, dozens of lives are at risk of being lost.
Gaza, into its fourth year of a vicious military siege by Israel, is dependent upon a tenuous supply chain that runs through both the West Bank and Israel, for its fuel. As relayed in the press, who should have paid the bill, but didn't, is unclear to me. But if the problem emanates from Gaza, the fault lies with Israel's programme of Gaza's economic destruction.
The darkest of ironies is that Gaza is rich in off-shore energy resources. (3) There are natural gas fields valued in the billions situated within Gaza's territorial waters. Gaza's natural gas field is being exploited by Israel with the collusion of Egypt - while Gaza starves, shivering in rags, in the dark:
It is factually untrue that Hamas cannot be tested on peace. They have made numerous gestures and sacrifices that were, have been, and are opportunities that Israel could and should have seized upon - but Israel chooses otherwise. In a 2006 interview with the Washington Post, Ismail Haniyah, Hamas's prime minister stated: "If Israel withdraws to the '67 borders, then we will establish a peace in stages." (4) Which, of course, hasn't happened.
In fact, as recently as May, 2010, Hamas has explicitly restated this position: Withdrawal by Israel from Palestinian land occupied by Israel in 1967, and the armed struggle would end. (5)
There isn't a group of people on this Earth that is entirely comprised of saints - that includes Hamas. But the main problem is Israel. The problem will remain Israel until the U.S. - which donates over 3 billion in U.S. tax dollars every year to Israel - actually means peace when it talks peace.
Israel does not want peace as much as Israel wants the land - and of course, the debate is, really, with or without the Palestinians in it.
And the two-state solution? Israel chose to destroy that option by occupying and populating Palestinian land. Israel today is an Apartheid regime - rights, status and privilege for Jews - oppression for the Palestinians. And when the Palestinians try to defend themselves, Israel and allies throw up their hands in faux-despair, 'See?!'
In their collective self-delusion, they fail to realize that yes, more and more do see.
We see.
----
*The West Bank is currently occupied and terrorized as well; Palestinian population of West Bank approx. 2,000,000 (CIA World Fact Book); efforts at ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from East Jerusalem continue.
(1) 'The Coup Against Hamas'; Eric Margolis; LewRockwell.com; June 26, 2007 ;
(1a) Noam Chomsky on the Israel-U.S. 'project'; 2007, as published in New Internationalist.
(2) 'Gaza hospitals declare emergency'; Press TV; August 8, 2010 ;
(3) YouTube link for above; Press TV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWNb5Oho-Wg ;
(4) 'We Do Not Wish to Throw Them Into the Sea'; Lally Weymouth interview with Ismail Haniyah; February 26, 2006 ;
(5) 'Hamas renews offer to end fight if Israel withdraws'; with editing by Kevin Liffey; Reuters; May 30, 2010
February 08, 2009
Hi
This blog is a new addition to my web writing and publishing. I am a writer and I maintain the website The McLoughlin Post.
Over the past month or so, I have expended a lot of time and energy searching out and going over the various blogging platforms trying to decide what would work best for me so that I could maximize what I can accomplish in a day.
For anybody who has set out on such a quest you know just how many options there are out there and how difficult it is to find information to quickly compare systems - for yourself. I found many blogging sites to be hopeless at demonstrating exactly what features they offer and what great things you can do with them.
Wordpress seems to be the platform of choice for many web publishers, but having suffered a brief sojourn with it a year ago, I do not want to go there because of the frustrations involved in getting up to speed with the code. (But I may still end up there someday if I find it offers features I can no longer live without.)
So for the moment and possibly for a long time to come, here on Blogger I can quickly share articles and editorial (with a 'comments' feature that works! Ugh. Another story.) My main site is great because I can create and add to pages such as my Links and Resources on Gaza, Israel and Palestine.
Over the past month or so, I have expended a lot of time and energy searching out and going over the various blogging platforms trying to decide what would work best for me so that I could maximize what I can accomplish in a day.
For anybody who has set out on such a quest you know just how many options there are out there and how difficult it is to find information to quickly compare systems - for yourself. I found many blogging sites to be hopeless at demonstrating exactly what features they offer and what great things you can do with them.
Wordpress seems to be the platform of choice for many web publishers, but having suffered a brief sojourn with it a year ago, I do not want to go there because of the frustrations involved in getting up to speed with the code. (But I may still end up there someday if I find it offers features I can no longer live without.)
So for the moment and possibly for a long time to come, here on Blogger I can quickly share articles and editorial (with a 'comments' feature that works! Ugh. Another story.) My main site is great because I can create and add to pages such as my Links and Resources on Gaza, Israel and Palestine.
Hovering over-all is the hope that I can somehow make a living with my independent editorial writing. Once upon a time I wrote cozy pieces about family life. Some of those got published. As my horizons broadened and I began to develop a need to express my political convictions though, things changed.
I began to write opinion articles that expressed the conviction that mankind needs to maintain the integrity of the living earth's genetic codes; I began to defend the rights of the suffering underclasses of the world; I argued for justice equaling peace in the Middle East.
These ideas, ideas I felt were basic and so obvious when one looked at the facts, I was unhappily to learn ran against the grain of corporate media. Letters of mine were published to be sure, some of them. But such views were not welcome in articles - not even on Op Ed pages, where the idea in theory is to publish opinion opposite the majority view of the editorial board or owner(s).
Now, if there was a healthy diversity otherwise of views in the Main Stream Media (MSM), that would be one thing. But over the course of the last twenty-five years things have changed for the worse in a multitude of ways.
Access to information and lively debate over the facts has withered on the democratic vine. I am able to draw a direct line between this and unfettered war. Our minds have been muzzled. It is a very dangerous thing.
So I write. And I try to make connections and find ways to get myself out there which is tough, because you don't want to be found guilty of the capital offense of self-promotion. (How any business got ahead without promoting itself I have no earthly idea.)
I am a proud member of the Alternative Media (aka Alt. Media or Indy Media.) Alt. Media is independent, it is diverse, and it works hard at finding creative ways of reaching you. Feed it. If having an independent media and a healthy democracy is important to you, if you can afford it, those donate buttons are there on Alt. Media pages for a reason. Because we need your support.
Visit often. Come see me at The McLoughlin Post, too.
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