By: Harry Waisbren
Jon Stewart strikes again, this time by way of a race genie able to analyze the media's simultaneous obsession and arousal from the race card. This particular spat came in response to a McCain ad that included various dogwhistles specifically designed to conjure the racist id of conservative wingnuttia, which was shortly followed by McCain insidiously declaring that Obama had played the race card himself. This set forth the media's inner confused adolescant and the results are rather telling for the state of journalism in America (via Raw Story):
I guess we shouldn't be too surprised considering we have a media in which Reverand Wright was the dominant topic of the democratic primary campaign, but this is certainly pathetic. At least a commentater didn't say a black man was acting uppity this time.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
New Valerie Plame Song
By: Harry Waisbren
Check out this new song from Colin Meloy entitled "Valerie Plame" (via Firedoglake):
The outting of a CIA agent as retribution for her husband debunking the lies that took us into war remains one of the greatest crimes in the history of our nation. This is why the White House is concerned about the case reopening, especially since former Press Secretary Scott McClellan insinuated that Bush and Cheney were personally invovled.
Check out this new song from Colin Meloy entitled "Valerie Plame" (via Firedoglake):
The outting of a CIA agent as retribution for her husband debunking the lies that took us into war remains one of the greatest crimes in the history of our nation. This is why the White House is concerned about the case reopening, especially since former Press Secretary Scott McClellan insinuated that Bush and Cheney were personally invovled.
Open Letter to Obama: change WE can believe in
By: Harry Waisbren
I just became the 16,395 to sign this open letter to Obama that will run in The Nation's next issue. Check it out below, and most definitely consider adding your name:
Dear Senator Obama,
We write to congratulate you on the tremendous achievements of your campaign for the presidency of the United States.
Your candidacy has inspired a wave of political enthusiasm like nothing seen in this country for decades. In your speeches, you have sketched out a vision of a better future--in which the United States sheds its warlike stance around the globe and focuses on diplomacy abroad and greater equality and freedom for its citizens at home--that has thrilled voters across the political spectrum. Hundreds of thousands of young people have entered the political process for the first time, African-American voters have rallied behind you, and many of those alienated from politics-as-usual have been re-engaged.
You stand today at the head of a movement that believes deeply in the change you have claimed as the mantle of your campaign. The millions who attend your rallies, donate to your campaign and visit your website are a powerful testament to this new movement's energy and passion.
This movement is vital for two reasons: First, it will help assure your victory against John McCain in November. The long night of greed and military adventurism under the Bush Administration, which a McCain administration would continue, cannot be brought to an end a day too soon. An enthusiastic corps of volunteers and organizers will ensure that voters turn out to close the book on the Bush era on election day. Second, having helped bring you the White House, the support of this movement will make possible the changes that have been the platform of your campaign. Only a grassroots base as broad and as energized as the one that is behind you can counteract the forces of money and established power that are a dead weight on those seeking real change in American politics.
We urge you, then, to listen to the voices of the people who can lift you to the presidency and beyond.
Since your historic victory in the primary, there have been troubling signs that you are moving away from the core commitments shared by many who have supported your campaign, toward a more cautious and centrist stance--including, most notably, your vote for the FISA legislation granting telecom companies immunity from prosecution for illegal wiretapping, which angered and dismayed so many of your supporters.
We recognize that compromise is necessary in any democracy. We understand that the pressures brought to bear on those seeking the highest office are intense. But retreating from the stands that have been the signature of your campaign will weaken the movement whose vigorous backing you need in order to win and then deliver the change you have promised.
Here are key positions you have embraced that we believe are essential to sustaining this movement:
§ Withdrawal from Iraq on a fixed timetable.
§ A response to the current economic crisis that reduces the gap between the rich and the rest of us through a more progressive financial and welfare system; public investment to create jobs and repair the country's collapsing infrastructure; fair trade policies; restoration of the freedom to organize unions; and meaningful government enforcement of labor laws and regulation of industry.
§ Universal healthcare.
§ An environmental policy that transforms the economy by shifting billions of dollars from the consumption of fossil fuels to alternative energy sources, creating millions of green jobs.
§ An end to the regime of torture, abuse of civil liberties and unchecked executive power that has flourished in the Bush era.
§ A commitment to the rights of women, including the right to choose abortion and improved access to abortion and reproductive health services.
§ A commitment to improving conditions in urban communities and ending racial inequality, including disparities in education through reform of the No Child Left Behind Act and other measures.
§ An immigration system that treats humanely those attempting to enter the country and provides a path to citizenship for those already here.
§ Reform of the drug laws that incarcerate hundreds of thousands who need help, not jail.
§ Reform of the political process that reduces the influence of money and corporate lobbyists and amplifies the voices of ordinary people.
These are the changes we can believe in. In other areas--such as the use of residual forces and mercenary troops in Iraq, the escalation of the US military presence in Afghanistan, the resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the death penalty--your stated positions have consistently varied from the positions held by many of us, the "friends on the left" you addressed in recent remarks. If you win in November, we will work to support your stands when we agree with you and to challenge them when we don't. We look forward to an ongoing and constructive dialogue with you when you are elected President.
Stand firm on the principles you have so compellingly articulated, and you may succeed in bringing this country the change you've encouraged us to believe is possible.
I just became the 16,395 to sign this open letter to Obama that will run in The Nation's next issue. Check it out below, and most definitely consider adding your name:
Dear Senator Obama,
We write to congratulate you on the tremendous achievements of your campaign for the presidency of the United States.
Your candidacy has inspired a wave of political enthusiasm like nothing seen in this country for decades. In your speeches, you have sketched out a vision of a better future--in which the United States sheds its warlike stance around the globe and focuses on diplomacy abroad and greater equality and freedom for its citizens at home--that has thrilled voters across the political spectrum. Hundreds of thousands of young people have entered the political process for the first time, African-American voters have rallied behind you, and many of those alienated from politics-as-usual have been re-engaged.
You stand today at the head of a movement that believes deeply in the change you have claimed as the mantle of your campaign. The millions who attend your rallies, donate to your campaign and visit your website are a powerful testament to this new movement's energy and passion.
This movement is vital for two reasons: First, it will help assure your victory against John McCain in November. The long night of greed and military adventurism under the Bush Administration, which a McCain administration would continue, cannot be brought to an end a day too soon. An enthusiastic corps of volunteers and organizers will ensure that voters turn out to close the book on the Bush era on election day. Second, having helped bring you the White House, the support of this movement will make possible the changes that have been the platform of your campaign. Only a grassroots base as broad and as energized as the one that is behind you can counteract the forces of money and established power that are a dead weight on those seeking real change in American politics.
We urge you, then, to listen to the voices of the people who can lift you to the presidency and beyond.
Since your historic victory in the primary, there have been troubling signs that you are moving away from the core commitments shared by many who have supported your campaign, toward a more cautious and centrist stance--including, most notably, your vote for the FISA legislation granting telecom companies immunity from prosecution for illegal wiretapping, which angered and dismayed so many of your supporters.
We recognize that compromise is necessary in any democracy. We understand that the pressures brought to bear on those seeking the highest office are intense. But retreating from the stands that have been the signature of your campaign will weaken the movement whose vigorous backing you need in order to win and then deliver the change you have promised.
Here are key positions you have embraced that we believe are essential to sustaining this movement:
§ Withdrawal from Iraq on a fixed timetable.
§ A response to the current economic crisis that reduces the gap between the rich and the rest of us through a more progressive financial and welfare system; public investment to create jobs and repair the country's collapsing infrastructure; fair trade policies; restoration of the freedom to organize unions; and meaningful government enforcement of labor laws and regulation of industry.
§ Universal healthcare.
§ An environmental policy that transforms the economy by shifting billions of dollars from the consumption of fossil fuels to alternative energy sources, creating millions of green jobs.
§ An end to the regime of torture, abuse of civil liberties and unchecked executive power that has flourished in the Bush era.
§ A commitment to the rights of women, including the right to choose abortion and improved access to abortion and reproductive health services.
§ A commitment to improving conditions in urban communities and ending racial inequality, including disparities in education through reform of the No Child Left Behind Act and other measures.
§ An immigration system that treats humanely those attempting to enter the country and provides a path to citizenship for those already here.
§ Reform of the drug laws that incarcerate hundreds of thousands who need help, not jail.
§ Reform of the political process that reduces the influence of money and corporate lobbyists and amplifies the voices of ordinary people.
These are the changes we can believe in. In other areas--such as the use of residual forces and mercenary troops in Iraq, the escalation of the US military presence in Afghanistan, the resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the death penalty--your stated positions have consistently varied from the positions held by many of us, the "friends on the left" you addressed in recent remarks. If you win in November, we will work to support your stands when we agree with you and to challenge them when we don't. We look forward to an ongoing and constructive dialogue with you when you are elected President.
Stand firm on the principles you have so compellingly articulated, and you may succeed in bringing this country the change you've encouraged us to believe is possible.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Lebron James Donates $20K to Obama
By: Harry Waisbren
Glad to see the Lebron endorsement is out of the way. Donating that much money is also a sign of his enthusiasm for Obama, and as crazy as it is to say, I can see black athletes and entertainers alike making an impact on this election.
Obama is already getting compared to Jackie Robinson, so why shouldn't this be an election where athletes' opinions matter? The sports world certainly knows a lot about integration, and they might have some lessons to give our lily white establishment that is more concerned with Obama's response to McCain's racist dogwhistles than the racism itself (via digby):
Glad to see the Lebron endorsement is out of the way. Donating that much money is also a sign of his enthusiasm for Obama, and as crazy as it is to say, I can see black athletes and entertainers alike making an impact on this election.
Obama is already getting compared to Jackie Robinson, so why shouldn't this be an election where athletes' opinions matter? The sports world certainly knows a lot about integration, and they might have some lessons to give our lily white establishment that is more concerned with Obama's response to McCain's racist dogwhistles than the racism itself (via digby):
Saturday, August 2, 2008
August 3rd edition of Forward Forum
By: John Quinlan
This is John Quinlan. Please join me, my co-host Harry Waisbren, and producer Stephanie Woods for the week's Forward Forum.
On the eve of the Beijing Olympic Games, we'll be joined by an author Judy Polumbaum, describing her thought-provoking new book, "China Ink: The Changing Face of Chinese Journalism," based on interviews with 20 young Chinese journalists.
We begin our program at 7pm with a potpourri of the week's events, including a preview of this Tuesday's South Madison "National Night Out." Neighborhood leader Leslie McAllister joins us to describe this important statement of neighborhood pride and solidarity for a part of Madison plagued by recent violent incidents in the midst what most of the rest of the city may not realize is a close-knit mutually-supportive community. See details below.
Judy joins us at 8pm on the phone from the University of Iowa at Iowa City, where she is an affiliated faculty member in a number of international and interdisciplinary programs and centers at Iowa, including the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies and International Studies.< face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Her research has focused on journalism and media in mainland China. She did her undergraduate work in East Asian studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada and has a master’s from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a doctorate in communication from Stanford University. She’s worked as a newspaper reporter in Vermont, California and Oregon, and also has worked for English-language news organizations in China. She joined the University of Iowa faculty in 1989.
Recent news describes a China not quite willing to open itself as completely as promised to outside eyes, as news spreads of selective Internet site blackouts and other examples of censorship. And yet Judy's book also describes a surprisingly robust new journalistic tradition in China, especially among younger journalists. Is this is a sign of things to come, or will these new freedoms be curtailed--and, in a world where the frontiers of Internet and press freedoms have implications for us all, what are the consequences for the rest of the world?
As James Fallows of the Atlantic Monthly writes: "Journalists in China have the headaches shared by their counterparts around the world--plus their own unique set of challenges... In response some journalists become complete cynics, and some are just careerists. But a surprising and admirable number keep looking for ways to expand what the Chinese public can know about its own country and the outside world. China Ink is a fascinating window onto the environment in which these reporters operate. Among the book's most striking revelations is the wide variety of personalities, tactics, values, and aspirations with which China's journalists approach their task."
As usual, this was a busy week in Madison. Also in our 7 pm hour, we be revisiting Madisonian Ben Skinner's visit to Madison Rotary on Wednesday, where he gave a compelling talk about his book "A Crime So Monstrous, Face-to-Face with Modern Slavery." And we'll be engaged in a discussion arising out of this week's Nonstop Radio Conference about the past and future face of radio. And as part of an inspiring and forward-looking ongoing project he's leading, co-host Harry Waisbren will also tell us about his ongoing efforts to bridge national progressive groups, campus activism, and activist-produced television.
As always, we welcome your participation in our conversation. Please call us at 321-1670 locally, * 123 for US Cellular users or 1-877-867-1670 toll free from elsewhere in the US. We stream live and podcast at www.wtdy.com. Show website: www.forwardforum.net. Show blog: www.madprogress.com.
A Special Thanks to accomplished longtime community activist Dan Guerra, who joined me as a presenter on the intersections between Activism and Progressive Talk Radio yesterday at the Nonstop Radio Conference.
This is John Quinlan. Please join me, my co-host Harry Waisbren, and producer Stephanie Woods for the week's Forward Forum.
On the eve of the Beijing Olympic Games, we'll be joined by an author Judy Polumbaum, describing her thought-provoking new book, "China Ink: The Changing Face of Chinese Journalism," based on interviews with 20 young Chinese journalists.
We begin our program at 7pm with a potpourri of the week's events, including a preview of this Tuesday's South Madison "National Night Out." Neighborhood leader Leslie McAllister joins us to describe this important statement of neighborhood pride and solidarity for a part of Madison plagued by recent violent incidents in the midst what most of the rest of the city may not realize is a close-knit mutually-supportive community. See details below.
Judy joins us at 8pm on the phone from the University of Iowa at Iowa City, where she is an affiliated faculty member in a number of international and interdisciplinary programs and centers at Iowa, including the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies and International Studies.< face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Her research has focused on journalism and media in mainland China. She did her undergraduate work in East Asian studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada and has a master’s from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a doctorate in communication from Stanford University. She’s worked as a newspaper reporter in Vermont, California and Oregon, and also has worked for English-language news organizations in China. She joined the University of Iowa faculty in 1989.
Recent news describes a China not quite willing to open itself as completely as promised to outside eyes, as news spreads of selective Internet site blackouts and other examples of censorship. And yet Judy's book also describes a surprisingly robust new journalistic tradition in China, especially among younger journalists. Is this is a sign of things to come, or will these new freedoms be curtailed--and, in a world where the frontiers of Internet and press freedoms have implications for us all, what are the consequences for the rest of the world?
As James Fallows of the Atlantic Monthly writes: "Journalists in China have the headaches shared by their counterparts around the world--plus their own unique set of challenges... In response some journalists become complete cynics, and some are just careerists. But a surprising and admirable number keep looking for ways to expand what the Chinese public can know about its own country and the outside world. China Ink is a fascinating window onto the environment in which these reporters operate. Among the book's most striking revelations is the wide variety of personalities, tactics, values, and aspirations with which China's journalists approach their task."
As usual, this was a busy week in Madison. Also in our 7 pm hour, we be revisiting Madisonian Ben Skinner's visit to Madison Rotary on Wednesday, where he gave a compelling talk about his book "A Crime So Monstrous, Face-to-Face with Modern Slavery." And we'll be engaged in a discussion arising out of this week's Nonstop Radio Conference about the past and future face of radio. And as part of an inspiring and forward-looking ongoing project he's leading, co-host Harry Waisbren will also tell us about his ongoing efforts to bridge national progressive groups, campus activism, and activist-produced television.
As always, we welcome your participation in our conversation. Please call us at 321-1670 locally, * 123 for US Cellular users or 1-877-867-1670 toll free from elsewhere in the US. We stream live and podcast at www.wtdy.com. Show website: www.forwardforum.net. Show blog: www.madprogress.com.
A Special Thanks to accomplished longtime community activist Dan Guerra, who joined me as a presenter on the intersections between Activism and Progressive Talk Radio yesterday at the Nonstop Radio Conference.
Friday, August 1, 2008
August 1st episode of Meet the Bloggers
Mad Progress is a syndication outlet for Meet the Bloggers which airs every Friday at 12pm central time. The show is a live online video show that focuses on unconventional political opinion and analysis in the mold of Meet the Press. The show will be airing live in the embed video below if you care to check it out:
This week's guest is Rachel Maddow of Air America and MSNBC. There will also be a panel of bloggers including Roberto Lovato of Of America, Liliana Segura of AlterNet and Baratunde Thurston of Jack & Jill Politics will be discussing U.S. policy in Afghanistan. David Dayen of D-Day will be the show's guest co-host this week as well.
If you'd like to participate in the show, simply ask a question or pose a comment in the liveblog here:
Shhh...Presumptuous Might Mean Uppity
By: Harry Waisbren
So our cable news stars hit the air with a wave of righteous indignation over Obama's "presumptousness". All they were armed with was a second hand, misquouted, out of context line from our black democratic presidential nominee for them to begin judging. And of course, this issue is so very much more important than the collapse of the rule of law in this country that it clearly deserved such breathless analysis from our pearl clutching media elite.
TPMtv released a video today highlighting and exposing this farce:
Of course, such analysis is exactly what this definitional example of a racist dogwhistle intended to do. Digby expertly dissects this smear and points to this indicative gem from Karl Rove's Yoda figure Lee Atwater:
If all of this seems depressingly blatant, it's because it is. I mean, gosh, the party that opposed integration and affirmative action still has racist tendancies despite their efforts to seem PC! Whoever would have thunk it?
So our cable news stars hit the air with a wave of righteous indignation over Obama's "presumptousness". All they were armed with was a second hand, misquouted, out of context line from our black democratic presidential nominee for them to begin judging. And of course, this issue is so very much more important than the collapse of the rule of law in this country that it clearly deserved such breathless analysis from our pearl clutching media elite.
TPMtv released a video today highlighting and exposing this farce:
Of course, such analysis is exactly what this definitional example of a racist dogwhistle intended to do. Digby expertly dissects this smear and points to this indicative gem from Karl Rove's Yoda figure Lee Atwater:
You start out in 1954 by saying, "Nigger, nigger, nigger." By 1968 you can't say "nigger" - that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like forced busing, states' rights and all that stuff. You're getting so abstract now [that] you're talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you're talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is [that] blacks get hurt worse than whites.And subconsciously maybe that is part of it. I'm not saying that. But I'm saying that if it is getting that abstract, and that coded, that we are doing away with the racial problem one way or the other. You follow me - because obviously sitting around saying, "We want to cut this," is much more abstract than even the busing thing, and a hell of a lot more abstract than "Nigger, nigger."
If all of this seems depressingly blatant, it's because it is. I mean, gosh, the party that opposed integration and affirmative action still has racist tendancies despite their efforts to seem PC! Whoever would have thunk it?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
