Joan Baez at Crawford; More Abu Ghraib Photos
Nobody conjures up the 1960s and Viet Nam more than Joan Baez. When she played a concert near Bush’s Crawford ranch, she really brought home the parallels between Iraq and Viet Nam. All we need now is Jane Fonda and the Chicago Seven (whichever ones are still alive) to descend on Crawford. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Emperor kept on cowering inside.
Joan Baez doesn’t quite push the Hate buttons of the Far Right the way Jane Fonda does. People of all political views probably have a grudging respect for Joan Baez. She has strong pacifist convictions, and she actually lives these convictions. She practices what she preaches. She walks the walk.
She played for about 500 people. She said “in the first march I went to (opposing Vietnam) there were 10 of us. This is huge.” She performed on a 1-acre lot near Bush’s ranch; the land is owned by an opponent of the Iraqi war.
Nearby, about 150 people
Cindy Sheehan is expected to return to Crawford in a few days. Undoubtedly she’ll stir up a new round of hatred and fury from rightwing columnists and bloggers.
There's been an ongoing battle between the ACLU and the government. There are more unreleased torture videos and photos from Abu Ghraib. The ACLU is suing — under the Freedom Of Information Act — to have them released. General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has warned of worldwide outrage and violence if these photos are released.
There are some contradictions here. OxyContin “Rush” Limbaugh and other badass warriors of the Chairborne Division have dismissed the Abu Ghraib and Gitmo tortures as “harmless fraternity pranks.” And at the same time, General Myers says there’ll be global outrage and violence if these photos and videos are released.
OK, which is it? There’ll be worldwide outrage and rioting if we release pictures of harmless fraternity pranks?? Maybe America’s favorite blathering chickenhawk and General Richard Myers could get together and try to reach a consensus — is it torture or just a little harmless fun? The world will not erupt into riots over pictures of fraternity pranks. What are our “leaders” hiding?
posted by Tom Harper @ 6:50 PM
10 Comments:
The righties couldn't come up with anything more original than to copy Cindy and name their camp (tent) after a dead soldier of pro-war parents? Regarding the photos, Bush can't afford to take another hit right now. They will fight this one to the end.
Fred: With those photos, the more the Right fights their release, the more it's gonna look like they're hiding something. Something must be in those pictures that they don't want us to see.
All those supporters need to sign up for the military if they are so willing to travel all around the country to support Bush they should at least fight his war that way people who don't like Bush (me) don't have to.
You would also be happy to know someone bought me one of those stickers about freedom. I put it on my truck but if it was a support the troops sticker I would have done like you suggested and bought fifty of them and try and start a trend. I think I will add a vote hemp sticker to my truck there is nothing that will offend the radicals more than that.
Jake: Yup, if they have the time and energy to travel all over the country demonstrating in favor of a war which is understaffed, there's something much more useful they could be doing.
A Hemp sticker would sure set off the Rightwingers.
I think it was Seymour Hersh who characterized the additional Abu Ghraib photos and videos as nuclear. (Something like that.) I have a sneaking feeling that support for the war will fall dramatically if they're ever released.
Brother Kenya: I think you're right; whenever these photos are released it'll be a disaster for Bush. Unfortunately, they'll probably be released around the same as the records of Dick Cheney's secret meetings with energy CEOs. Sometime after 2009.
I love Joan Baez!
Sally: Me too! She's had more impact and significance than 99% of the politicians out there.
I was thinking of Joan Baez and Passim where she played...or Club 47 as it used to be called.
Sally: I saw Joan Baez once. I thought she’d be all somber and serious, since her lyrics are so political. But she joked around between songs; really connected with the audience.
Thanks for the link to Passim/Club 47. Sounds like a great place; the kind of music venue we need more of.
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