The Red Pill Society
How Deep is the Rabbit Hole?

I ran across this pic on the net and had to share it with you guys. The text has been added by someone but it’s rather true, don’t you think? Especially for someone who wants to stand on such a high moral ground regarding Trig and the worlds comments about down syndrome people, politicians words behind closed doors, bombastic radio personalities public words and an animated comedy show.

By the way for those who have not read the response from Andrea Fay Friedman,  the 40 year old actor who did the voice over for the bossy character Ellen on the animated comedy series “Family Guy”, I’ve added an excerpt of an article and a link to the full article about her response. By the way, Andrea is down syndrome.

I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line “I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska” was very funny. I think the word is “sarcasm.” In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life.

Click here for the complete article.

In a previous article, USA 2008 Election: the Country’s Call for a Leader, I examined the needs and desires of the USA itself for the 2008 election. In this article I want to illustrate how President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and their leadership team contribute to the needs of the country at this time in history. I previously illustrated how the natal, progressed and diurnal chart reflected the current needs of the country, the call that was sent out for a person to fulfill those needs, the electorate doing their job through their voting process, and the seed planted the day of the election itself. Now we will turn our attention to the men who have moved to the top and backup presidential position and the teamwork that will do the job the USA was seeking for its current lessons and evolution. This article is written in English for non-astrologers and for astrologers alike.

I must begin with a quick recap of the three charts of the USA or the balance of the article will make no sense. For astrologers, I am using the USA Virgo rising natal chart (July 4, 1776, 9:36 am LMT, Philadelphia, PA), the progression for the 232nd year of our country’s existence, and the day chart (diurnal) for Election Day itself all using the natal coordinates. Because this article is also directed toward non-astrologers, I have removed the tech talk and limited myself to tight conjunctions and oppositions only. There will always be “more” to read no matter how deeply you work, feel free to enlarge the reading.

The natal (birth) chart reflects the energy pattern of that first moment of existence, the basic blueprint for such existence. But we do not remain a blank slate for long. We grow, experience and become and that is reflected in the progressing chart, using the year for a day method. Every day after birth constitutes a year in the life of whatever is being charted. Since the USA was 232 years old at the moment of the 2008 election, the progressing chart reflects the 232nd year energy pattern for the USA. The chart for the day (diurnal) reflects the energy of the day itself, what it contributed to or activated in both the USA natal and progressed charts. It also reveals the seed that was planted on that day.

What called these two men to the presidency, one who became president in fact and one who is a half-step behind and able to step into that position if it becomes necessary? Once both contended for that role and now they have presented themselves as a team to support that role. Each man has a personal energy pattern to contribute, plus the team itself has an individual energy pattern to contribute. They have offered themselves in service to the country individually and as a team. If they are right for the job and for the need of the country at this time, it should reveal itself through connections between the three country charts described and the three “people” charts.

What was up for the country at that time? What kind of person or skill was the country seeking? Three primary energy patterns are at the core of the USA makeup, the Mercury/Pluto opposition, the position of Neptune and the strongest of all our Uranus/Aquarius/Moon energy. They were all active for the 2008 Election. I need to spend a few sentences setting this stage. In English please…

The progressed midheaven (current goals, ambitions, accomplishments) at 24 Cap 15 was almost exactly opposite the USA natal Mercury setting off stressful but powerful communications used for good or for ill and we witnessed that in full action. It continues to this day because it is still active. The progressing midheaven (current goals, ambitions, accomplishments) is moving toward our international or cultural relationships (Node), but in a way that requires us to admit any past misuses (South Node) and to work on building up new relationship skills. Progressed (current) Mercury (communication, youth, grass roots) was right on (conjunct) the USA Moon (the people, emotions, independent and future seeking), tight (strong) and getting stronger. The internal progressed (current) opposition (tug of war, conflict) between of social/financial values and our need to take action, be aggressive and assertive, is further defined by animosity between the do-it-yourself-ers (Aries) and the we-are-in-this-together-crowd (Libra). Does any of this sound familiar?

As if that was not enough to deal with, Election Day was the moment of truth (exact connection) for the Saturn/Uranus opposition that is currently giving us a fit. Saturn defines the past, Uranus defines the future, and opposition is a tug of war with the country playing monkey in the middle. The status quo and change itself are locked in a difficult battle and it is occurring right on the point that represents our spiritual essence as a country (Neptune). This has not been nice and will not stop until the end of July 2010. Also the 2008 Election Day Capricorn Moon (responsible emotions, feeling emotionally trapped) was right on the natal Pluto/Mercury opposition, making it a hot button for the presidency. The Election Day’s energy is the seed that will sprout and develop throughout the term of any presidency. I also found it interesting that the day’s Jupiter opposed progressing Jupiter and had been doing so for some period of time (our immediate past). Can you say that we have had trouble with excess and entitlement that actually caught up to us and bit us right where it hurt? Okay that’s the country in brief, what about the leaders called to service?

President Obama’s natal Saturn (duty, responsibility, obligation is right on (conjunct) the USA natal Pluto (power of the country) setting off that USA Mercury/ Pluto natal opposition (powerful communications for good or for ill). Obama is attempting to bring truth, transparency, and responsibility to our powerful communications. That fits. His personal coping skills and public face (independent, forward seeing and intelligent) is located close to the USA Moon (the people, our futuristic, independent, unique qualities). The USA’s and President Obama’s social and financial values are just about in lock step (conjunct).

President Obama’s progressed midheaven (current goals, stature, ambitions) are opposite (conflict) our national identity. Wait a minute, is that good? Think of a pencil with a writing tip on one end and an eraser on the other end. You can’t wiggle one end of the pencil without the other end wiggling because it is an axis. Our national identity has been trashed for several years. The President must take an active role to resuscitate and heal that open wound and that can only occur under stress. His progressing Saturn/Jupiter (responsibility and expansion is right on that USA natal Mercury/Pluto opposition (powerful communication conflict) and will be there throughout his presidency. And my favorite connection of all, his progressing Moon (his feelings, emotions, sense of clan or extended family) was so close to our country’s natal Moon (same keywords) in the sign of Aquarius (future, change, independence) that by Inauguration Day they would merge…and they did. And, there’s always more,

Vice President Biden is a competitor turned into a personal asset to the man who defeated his dream of the presidency. That’s a real test of character for VP Biden. He has joined that team (of rivals) for the good of his country, pledged his loyalty to his competitor the president and us, and is a fully participating extra pair of hands for our president and our country. Good stuff here! VP Biden has his midheaven (goals, ambitions, achievements) on the USA’s spiritual essence and his Saturn/Uranus conjunction (responsibility/inventive cooperative) energy right on the USA point of independence (Uranus) and achievement (Midheaven), our natal Midheaven/Uranus conjunction. This occurs on VP Biden’s point of partnership. That works! His Jupiter (expansion, society at large) is right on (conjunct) the USA Mercury (communication) again keying into that lesson we are learning at the moment, the use or misuse of powerful communications.

He has one other really valuable asset to our country that I must mention. His point of personal power (Pluto) is joined to (conjunct) the USA’s North Node (international/cross-cultural development); the man has probably more international knowledge and credentials than anyone else out there. Team Obama/Biden is an asset for our country. That nodal connection I just mentioned is strengthened by VP Biden’s progressed (current) chart, engaging his Mercury (communication), Sun (identity), Ascendant (coping skills and public face) and his Descendant (partnership and alliances). That is a really strong pattern. His progressed connection to our USA point of independence and achievement is even stronger. His progressing value and financial value systems (Venus) sits right on (conjunct) our lovely Aquarius Moon (the people, sense clan, family) with the Nodes thrown in for good measure (more to learn/do about cross-cultural relating) I think the man is definitely an asset!

Last but not least, the Obama/Biden Team. They are both individuals who must also function as a team. The team has its own individuality and contribution. There are a number of hits and if by now you’re cross-eyed, which are my favorites? I like that the team’s Mercury (communication) is right on (conjunct) our Sun (national identity). We need someone to be proud of us, represent us honestly and with great integrity and not speak with a forked tongue. I like that the team’s joint social and financial values (Venus) are right on (conjunct) our personal projection and coping skills (Ascendant). I like that the team’s urge to take action (Mars) is on the USA point of responsibility and organization. I like that the team’s Uranus (future orientation, independence, change) is right on our national identity (Sun). Forward, yes. Progressive, yes. Change, yes. Yes they can! The team’s spirituality (Neptune is right on the USA’s responsibility, Saturn). Can you imagine– spirituality and responsibility hand in hand?

Uncomfortable to us but probably necessary to right the wrongs, the team’s sense of power must confront the public’s emotions. We as a people are scared, angry and feeling betrayed. It does not matter who is standing in the leadership position, we will direct those negative feelings toward whoever that is. They must be strong enough to stand up to this onslaught because scared people are just not logical and orderly. This is particularly true of the cross-cultural, international activity in which we are embroiled. We don’t like what has happened or what is happening. We just have to remember that we as relatively uneducated international citizens are probably not qualified to make such judgment. We are reactive at the moment, not pro-active and the team has to be able to handle that.

So have I proved my point? I said the natal, progressed and day chart for the country was intimately tied to the personal and progressing charts of President Obama, Vice President Biden and their leadership team. It is not all poetry and roses. Running a country the size and stature of the USA will have rough spots. The country called, the electorate responded on Election Day. Based on that vote these men assumed leadership of the country. There was no error. These were the right men for this job at this time. They fit the needs expressed by an evolving country. Now it would be nice if we just let them do their job, wouldn’t it?

Author: Marilyn Muir
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Electric Pressure Cooker

Osama bin Laden

I just read an article on Yahoo that a recent US Senate report states Osama bin Laden was within our grasps and the decision was made NOT to go after him. An excerpt from the article is below:

WASHINGTON – Osama bin Laden was unquestionably within reach of U.S. troops in the mountains of Tora Bora when American military leaders made the crucial and costly decision not to pursue the terrorist leader with massive force, a Senate report says.

The report asserts that the failure to kill or capture bin Laden at his most vulnerable in December 2001 has had lasting consequences beyond the fate of one man. Bin Laden’s escape laid the foundation for today’s reinvigorated Afghan insurgency and inflamed the internal strife now endangering Pakistan, it says.

Staff members for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Democratic majority prepared the report at the request of the chairman, Sen. John Kerry, as President Barack Obama prepares to boost U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

The Massachusetts senator and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate has long argued the Bush administration missed a chance to get the al-Qaida leader and top deputies when they were holed up in the forbidding mountainous area of eastern Afghanistan only three months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

While I applaud John Kerry for pushing this into the hands of the senate and into the public eye. I have to ask, what the hell took you so long to stand up man? Certainly it not something NEW to you guys now is it? Anyone who thought our presence in Iraq was a bag of manure from the start has been saying this from the beginning. Hell, even 60 Minutes reported it last year.

I’ve said for a long time now that we were never allowed to ‘really’ go after Osama bin Laden. The PNAC needed him as a scape goat for 9/11 so they can justify the invasion of Iraq. For this belief me and others have been labeled ‘conspiracy theorist’ and dismissed by the masses. Well, as with anything, time will tell. This report from the Senate is the first step in revealing the REAL TRUTH behind it all.

With the Olympic Games winding down the day before, the Democratic National Convention is one of the most widely anticipated television events with little on the air to compete for it. Yet aside from the verbose speeches, heroic figures, and good food, the largest spectacle of the convention will be the Democratic presumptive nominee Barack Obama and his freshly chosen running mate: Joe Biden. His choice of a running mate was widely anticipate to be an 8am surprise announced via text message sent to close supporters and it would be spread like wildfire (notice any web 2.0 concepts there?). Yet, we quickly found out that CNN had spoiled the surprise by announcing his V.P. pick at 3am. Though many were outraged at the surprise spoil, it leaves us to wonder just how much of a surprise Obama’s choice for his running mate was.

The possible choices as a vice presidential running mate were well known names such as: Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, John Edwards, Al Gore, Evan Bayh, and the most wanted, contested, and debatable of possibilities: Hilary Clinton. With at least 50% of the delegates going to the convention clamoring for Clinton to be put on the joint ticket, it’s a huge surprise that Obama would even consider anyone else for the right hand position at the White house; or is it? Let’s take into account all of the tension and personal hate created between the two candidates who fiercely opposed not necessarily each other’s policies; but the each other’s personalities, morals, and views. This obvious disgust for one another transferred over into their grass roots support; so much so that many Hilary backers poll that they will simply not vote for Obama because is not Clinton; regardless of their party affiliation. These feelings caused an irreparable rift between the two candidates in such a way that a joint ticket would more than likely cause even more embittered feelings between the two.

The other candidates such as Al Gore, John Edwards, and Chris Dodd all have (very ineloquently put) a proven track record of losing which makes them very unlikely to boost Obama’s credentials among voters looking for reassurance that he truly has an honest shot at becoming the next President of the United States. This narrows the choices for Obama’s running mate considerably. Yet, despite the logical calculations behind guessing Obama’s running mate, the most compelling evidence that his choice was not a surprise comes from the Obama/Biden graphic t shirts that were ready that same morning. Now it may seem small, but let’s analyze that. It would take one day for a graphic designer to come up with the actual graphic for the t shirt, and about a day to print a significant amount so that they could be handed out to supporters or sold online. This means that the graphic designer knew who the running mate was going to be and probably spread the word on top of the people at the t-shirt factory who saw the shirts. These graphic t shirts, surprisingly, offer substantial proof that Obama’s VP pick was not a surprise.

Author: Fred McCoy
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: How Electric Pressure Cookers Work

Mistaken identity and imprisonment is not uncommon in America. I myself have been the victim of identity theft with such a common name.

The federal government was ordered this year by Judge Nancy Gertner of the Federal District Court to pay $101.8 million for framing and falsely convicting four men for a murder they did not commit.
Beyond the framing of innocent men, FBI officials broke laws, violated rules, and ruined lives to protect the killer Vincent Flemmi their prized informant.

In another proud moment in American history, a German citizen named Khaled El-Masri was detained and abducted by CIA operatives from December 31, 2003 through May 28, 2004 in Macedonia and Afghanistan where he was unjustly held and tortured in the CIA prison known as the “Salt Pit”.

More concerning than the mistakes made are the intentional injustices that occur. I guess the U.S. Justice Department doesn’t have time to deal with injustice since it has been busy firing its best federal prosecutors who weren’t on board with the political agenda of the Bush administration. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales serving “at the pleasure of the President” eventually had to resign when interrogated himself. Suddenly he no longer could “recall” his own evil doings.

I wonder how many African Americans and Latinos go to prison unnecessarily to make some police chief look good and keep society feeling that they are safe. I question why so many non-violent offenders are imprisoned for so many years for abusing the own bodies and minds with drugs? Is it not possible to rehabilitate these addicts and users instead of imprisoning them for an excessive amount of years away from their family?

Could it be privatized prisons are financially lucrative and it is advantageous to warehouse criminals who in turn can be made into a labor pool for next to nothing payment? If so, than what economic incentive is there to release prisoners?

Author: Paul Davis
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Pressure cooker

Much of the hype about whether Barack Obama was “black enough” for the African-American community had died down when reports began to surface that the Reverend Al Sharpton had complained about Obama’s “blackness.” Specifically, the reports alleged, Sharpton was concerned that Obama had never been active in the black community and that his campaign was largely driven by white Americans.

As the first serious black contender for the Presidency, Obama came under fire early for not being “black enough” to fully represent African-Americans. Jolivette Anderson-Douoning, facility and program supervisor for the Black Cultural Center, said the following: “His father didn’t experience Jim Crow. He was a black man not defined by Jim Crow America.” She went on to say that the black community was concerned with Obama’s family’s lack of the “black experience” and his politics towards blacks.

But is this really important? We will never be able to move away from judgments based on skin color as long as people insist on voicing such ridiculous questions. Yes it is an accomplishment that for the first time an African-American is a serious contender for the Presidency. But the color of his skin should not matter beyond that achievement. What should matter is what Obama believes, and what qualifications he possesses that would make us comfortable entrusting to him the leadership of the most powerful nation on Earth.

Vibe.com ran an article on March 23, 2007 that really gets at what is important. In the article, columnist Allison Harvey writes: “The question America should be asking has nothing to do with who is a black enough candidate….The real question for 2008 is this: Does Barack Obama have the chops to stand up as a competent Commander-in-Chief?”

Ms. Harvey is right on the money with her question. We, as Americans, should be asking why Barack Obama is the best man for the job. Unfortunately, so far candidate Obama has done little to let us know the answer to that question.

As soon as he announced his candidacy, Mr. Obama began to get pelted with questions about his lack of experience and demands for details of his plans for America. Those details have been very slow in coming as the Obama campaign focuses instead on calls for bipartisanship and unity in Washington, D.C. The central theme of the Obama run for the Presidency seems to be “Can’t we all just get along?”

With the candidate and his campaign tight-lipped about what a President Obama would stand for, we are forced to look at his limited time in the Senate for some answers. That time has been short, to be sure, but the two years Senator Obama has been serving the people of Illinois do in fact provide us with some clues about what we could expect from an Obama Presidency.

Steven Thomas, writing recently for the McClatchy Washington Bureau, called Barack Obama more liberal than even radical left-wing Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, and that’s no small accomplishment. Thomas bases his assessment on a National Journal analysis of votes cast by all the members of Congress currently in the race for President. That analysis ranked candidates based on comprehensive voting records, resulting in a ranking for Obama that made him the most liberal Senator after two full years in that legislative body.

That’s what voters should be focused on. For liberals, Obama’s ranking is probably uplifting. For conservatives and moderates, though, there is cause for worry if Senator Obama succeeds in becoming President Obama.

All of the time wasted focusing on Obama’s “blackness,” or lack thereof, would have been better spent educating Americans about what a President Obama would mean for government spending, taxes, foreign policy and national security, immigration, and social problems faced by this country.

Instead of focusing on candidate Obama’s skin color, or the skin color of those running his campaign, we should be focused on what he has to offer the citizens of this nation. When the debate moves to one of substance over race, then we will have truly progressed.

Author: Greg Reeson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Wordpress plugin Guest Blogger

Well many have complained that the FBI and CIA dropped the ball in the 9-11 attacks. But I submit to you that the days of Paul and the “One if by land, two if by sea” and the Trojan Horse Story are not the only possible attacks methods of operindi available these days. Today it could be: “one if by land, two if by sea, three if by underground, four if by under sea, five if by air, six if by space, seven if by computer, eight if by germ, nine if by Trojan horse, ten if by wave length, eleven if by weather, etc, etc. So the game is much more complicated than sitting behind your cotton tails not saying a thing. Or telling the people every ship must sail and somewhere on that ocean, I know she’s got to be? Think about the situation where the bad guys are as smart as you and have unlimited time to plan and unlimited ways to do it. How can you protect yourself against that? Only by though and infiltration of networks. All this would amount to the strength and unity of the people. Of all these; ones through elevens; are possible scenarios.

Think of the entire array of types of attacks. By germ, well there must be some 200 possibilities. By computer virus attack, think of the unlimited technological targets from plants to business. By space, you have satellites, intercontinental ballistic missiles, land based energy units which can flash a satellite, etc. From the ground you have Earthquakes, dust storms weather, shipping containers, soda machines, buses, trucks, trains, passenger cars, suicide bombers of a multitude of possibilities. When we look at air we see combinations such as spraying AG planes, stealing a jet airliner and using it as a kamikaze, crude technology UAVs, missile, fighter/attack, etc. By sea, underwater submersibles manned and un manned, hijacked ships. By wavelength well we won’t even go there. By the way if you think the National Security team is not doing their job or you are worried about false alarms, being prepared and alert, every American is of ultra importance and there is no such thing as being too prepared. The game has changed and the information flow is intense and the number of possibilities has grown and therefore the job is harder.

Did the FBI or CIA fail, or are we simply looking in hindsight and looking for someone to blame? Before we condemn our own team or the never stop world of intelligence we should remember that the midnight ride was over 200 years ago now and all Paul had to do is spot them coming and let the town know how. Today, they could be coming or be here already and they could be amongst us or invisible to the eye. Big difference my friends. Stop pointing fingers and start listening and thinking, it is the eyes and ears of the people and the education of a society to be alert and not get hurt, we, the people are just as much to blame if you are looking for such. There were people at the airport, people issuing licenses, people doing training, foreign neighbors allowing meetings, people in every piece of the equation, if any of those people would have been observing they may have prevented the whole thing, learn to be observant and pay attention, you that means everyone is responsible for our future.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Author: Lance Winslow
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger

Currently you can go onto the Internet and find conspiracy theorists everywhere, it is amazing indeed. You can find links to Alien Abductions and secret Men in Black websites, which explain how the human race is being controlled and you are next! You can find old Cold War embellishments of covert secret NSA projects and stories of NAZI spies who joined the CIA. If you search you will find secret groups like the Illuminati, Skull and Bones and high-levels of the Masonic Right. Now you must know that many people who run these websites have entirely too much time on their hands and some suffer from borderline Schizophrenia. Some even suffer from worse bizarre disorders of the mind. Yet some of what you read maybe real, it would be less than 5% as the Intelligence Community often says. Recently I met such a Conspiracy Theorist at a coffee shop and he just kept talking and talking. So, I thought it was an interesting idea for a Movie Script, here is what he told me;

I am not a conspiracy theorist, although, I do believe that our CIA is working from outside the country in Canada and on Indian reservations now spying on Americans who maybe in cahoots with susceptibles or foreign nationals who may or may not be Al Queda. Some of these outside our nation working for the intelligent agencies might be attempting entrapment pretending to be bad guys calling a citizen they suspect is dirty, so that is an issue. Once the CIA contacts them from outside the country pretending to be Al Queda, well now they have a reason to use surveillance on a person and track them until they break some law.

When hearing this, I thought to my self that his scenario was plausible indeed, but highly unlikely. Yet his conspiracy theorist mind had come up with what appears to be a great concept for a video game scenario for the new Xbox 360, as it could be made around a story and seem very reality based they way he had described this. Which is indeed an Orwellian type scenario and would fit well in not only a video game, but perhaps a movie script or Sci Fi novel too, you see? If you are designing video games, writing Sci Fi Novels or making movie scripts you should listen to at least some of these conspiracy theorists every once in a while, just dont start believing them, you may catch what they have got? Think on this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Author: Lance Winslow
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

The torture debate may be a classic example of the old magician’s “sleight of hand” routine. Watch what I’m doing over here in my right hand, while the actual trick is happening in my left.

Osama Bin Laden clearly stated the reason for Muslim hatred was the American presence in Muslim nations. Infidels on Muslim soil. Our mere physical presence has generated new legions of fighters and suicide bombers. In addition, the knowledge of American torture of Arabs and Afghanis is one of the best recruiting tools our enemies have.

And Arabs and Afghanis have made us pay dearly. The American occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan has led to over 5,000 US military deaths, and tens of thousands of horrible injuries and disabilities.

But, knowing the clear reasons for Arab anger, the American military and intelligence agencies still use torture…just like always.

The various American intelligence agencies, both military and non-military…you know, the “three initials” agencies like CIA, FBI, NSA, etc…have been capturing people and using “enhanced interrogation” techniques since their inception. The American populace simply doesn’t know much about their history.

Why did the Bush Administration make a decision that they would disclose to the world that they had captured “enemy combatants?” They went further and disclosed that they had moved them to locations around the world, outside of the reach of American law. Then they started talking about “renditions,” and various forms of torture like sleep deprivation, sensory deprivation, electric shock and simulated drowning, otherwise known as “waterboarding.”(I refuse to disinfect and redefine the act of simulated drowning.)

Could it be to create a diversion?

Torture is the least of the many crimes that the American Federal Government has perpetuated over the last 150-plus years. Yet, while the American media trots out this story continually over months and years…even though it deserves the ink…it obscures the greater crimes done by the American Federal Government.

Greater atrocities are ignored while the feigned outrage in this country is largely focused on this single crime.

Here is a short list of atrocities performed by the US Federal Government:

Theft of land from native Americans from sea to shining sea
Abrogation of all treaties between the American government and Indian nations
Murder and genocide of native American tribes
The Civil War
Internment of American citizens of Japanese origin at the beginning of WWII, and confiscation of their assets
Atomic weapons used against civilian targets at Nagasaki and Hiroshima
Overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and theft of the Hawaiian Islands
The enactment of the individual income tax
Attempted overthrow of Fidel Castro
Ruby Ridge murders by FBI
Branch Davidian massacre, Waco, TX
Overthrow of other governments like Chile and most Central American nations
Use of Depleted Uranium ordnance in Iraq, rendering the entire country radioactive and lethal, causing illness and horrific birth defects
The Patriot Act
The Department of Homeland Security

The American government has not strayed from its high principles. It does not possess any high principles. It simply had a moment of hubris mixed with indiscretion when it disclosed that it uses torture. It could have been a diversionary tactic, but I doubt it. The government is pretty sure that it can get away with anything because it does not fear its citizens. And why would it?

President Obama has not repudiated the use of torture with his actions, only with his words. He is simply returning the system to the secrecy that it enjoyed for the last 60 years. He encourages America to look forward, not backward, which in essence guarantees the status quo and immunity from prosecution for the torturers and the politicians who ordered it.

Don’t get any weird idea that America is special, God’s chosen nation to bring freedom to the world. The mass perception of American citizens is not reality. It is not that “city on a hill” that Ronald Reagan called it. Every king, potentate, Caesar, Czar, or Emperor throughout human history has committed mind-numbing atrocities on the populations they wished to subdue, conquer and plunder.

Including their own people.

Get some perspective, America. Torture is heinous, but your government is doing a lot worse things than torture. Save your anger and outrage for the really bad stuff.

Copyright 2009 by Russell D. Longcore

Author: Russell Longcore
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

In a brazen move, North Korea warns the world that a nuclear war on the Korean peninsula is coming and vows to step up its nuclear weapons program. One of North Korea’s state run newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, claimed that the United States has 1,000 nuclear weapons in South Korea. Another commentary published in another state run weekly paper, Tongil Sinbo, states the U.S. has been deploying a vast amount of nuclear weapons in South Korea and Japan. North Korea “is completely within the range of U.S. nuclear attack and the Korean peninsula is becoming an area where the chances of a nuclear war are the highest in the world,” the Tongil Sinbo commentary said. Kim Yong-kyu, a spokesman at the U.S. military command in Seoul, called the latest accusation “baseless,” saying Washington has no nuclear bombs in South Korea. U.S. tactical nuclear weapons were removed from South Korea in 1991 as part of arms reductions following the Cold War.

Quoted from a BBC article: North Korea’s threat to “weaponise” its plutonium stocks is “provocative” and “deeply regrettable”, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says. She said the move had been denounced around the world and would isolate North Korea’s government further. The North said it would start enriching uranium and use the plutonium for nuclear weapons hours after a UN vote for tough new sanctions against it. The US would vigorously enforce the new sanctions, Mrs Clinton said. Speaking during a visit to Canada, she said that the latest UN moves provided the tools needed for “to take appropriate action” against North Korea. The North says it will view any US-led attempts to “blockade” it as an “act of war”.

Apparently North Korea has, at the moment, 8,000 spent fuel rods and one-third of those have been processed and all the plutonium would be used to make atomic bombs. If all the rods are reprocessed, North Korea could harvest13-18 pounds (6-8 kilograms) of plutonium – enough to make at least one nuclear bomb. In addition, North Korea is believed to have enough plutonium for at least half a dozen atomic bombs.

My personal commentary is that this small man, Kim Jong-il, is throwing a temper tantrum. He has a Napoleon complex and unfortunately is in the position to make good on his threats. Pathetic as he may be, he is going to kick and scream like a small child until he is dealt with. The worlds problem is that he wants to be important and he thinks building bombs makes him important. Personally I think someone should just kill the stupid little fucker and get it over with. China is against North Korea’s defiant steps but they reserve their greatest words against them. They are another concern here but it seems, on this issue at least, they’re more closely aligned with the general global community’s stance against North Korea than they are with Kim Jong-il.