Thursday, February 14, 2013

An Obama Credo

Leave it to a black religious leader to recognize the truth when he see's it - Specially from someone of his own kind. This is on Democracy Now Headlines this morning.
Desmond Tutu Blasts Idea of Special Court to Review Targeting of U.S. Citizens, Not Others 
U.S. lawmakers have also floated the idea of creating a special court to review strikes on U.S. citizens. South African Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu weighed in on that plan in a letter to The New York Times. He wrote: "Do the United States and its people really want to tell those of us who live in the rest of the world that our lives are not of the same value as yours? That President Obama can sign off on a decision to kill us with less worry about judicial scrutiny than if the target is an American? Would your Supreme Court really want to tell humankind that we, like the slave Dred Scott in the 19th century, are not as human as you are? I cannot believe it."
Finally, after 35 years, someone has the backbone to speak the truth about a certain class of Americans. The fact is, that is exactly what they are saying. That is exactly the way they are acting. It is what America is doing that speaks to the truth. So, lets see what happens when the whole world comes to grips with that reality. Israel might take a lesson, but then they set the precedent.
--Joe 

Dave Stancliff''s Expertise

#LearnTalk Twitter Chat: “Bias in the Media,” with Dave Stancliff, Febrauary 11, 8PM
It’s time for #LearnTalk again! This week’s moderator is Dave Stancliff.  Dave, a retired newspaper editor and publisher with over 20 years experience, has been writing an op ed column, As It Stands for the Eureka, California Times-Standard for the past 5 years. His successful column has also grown to include a blog by the same name.  Dave’s area of expertise is political news and analysis. On this #Learntalk, he intends to discuss “Bias in the Media.”
Join the #LearnTalk community to discuss this issue. In the era where the news cycle often trumps the news, it is a critical issue to consider. [ Emphasis Added ]

I had started this article about a week ago, then had to other things of more importance to do. Anyway...

As someone that reads the Times-Standard Sunday edition regularly for the past five years now, and observed Mr. Stancliff's column, I've got to ask how many of his As It Stands opinion columns are about "political news and analysis"? Probably count them on one hand - maybe two. Most of his opinions have been nothing more than spoon-fed, milk-sop pablum. He will, on a rare occasion, take a stand on a subject. But then, I've found, he totally misses the real point of of the issue he's writing about. Mind you, on rare occasions the ability to engage and actually "take a stand."

I know he demonstrated a lot of "expertise" when it came to his "bias" when defining me. Based upon that "experience," I'd have to state he probably has a lot of "expertise" on bias, but not on "political new and analysis." A legitimate truth and a moral standard is always backed up by personal experience. Everything else comes from the mind and is by its very nature lies and worthless opinions.

Anyway, today is Valentine's Day, the program is long past, and I missed it - Darn! Everything changes. So, maybe we can expect some sort of substantive engagement from Dave. One can always hope, but don't ask me why.
[Link] and [Wrapup Link]
--Joe