Common Debate

Trolls

2014-04-08T10:16:00.000-06:00

Trolls are not just characters in fairy tales and Tolkien novels. And trolls are not accidental. To anyone who is ever online as either a political activist or even just in search of honest political information, the article below is "must-read". Do you ever notice how on the internet that when a group starts to gather or inform others and call for change, that suddenly there

Perspective

2014-03-12T13:31:00.004-06:00

The Crimea became a part of Russia in 1783. To put that into perspective for Americans suffering from an overdose of propaganda, the United States Constitution was proposed in 1787, and wasn't ratified until 1788. Thus, the Crimea became a part of Russia before George Washington became President in 1789. Since the current United States

Different away from US media

2014-03-08T23:54:00.000-07:00

In the US, it has become such a concentrated propaganda barrage that one often sees opposition voices that have swallowed the propaganda along with the Kool-Aid. They tend to accept very basic principles of US propaganda that the Russians "invaded the Ukraine" and that Putin is some sort of mad tyrant, even while arguing against aspects of the policy. I went to a UK paper to read a

Crimean resolution I'd like to see

2014-03-08T21:47:00.003-07:00

I'd love to see the legislature of the Crimea pass something like the following resolution and see what Obama has to say about it ..."When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of

Ukraine

2014-03-07T23:46:00.001-07:00

The last few days I haven't been writing as much about the Ukraine, as the rest of the alternative media seems to have woken up. When I started writing these posts, it felt like I was seeing a lot of garbage coming even from alternative and opposition voices, and the articles I was finding that seemed to make sense seemed rare and worth passing along. There definitely was a stretch where

History

2014-03-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

A bit of history, in case you aren't sure why the Jewish population of the Ukraine is worried and talking about fleeing. Ukrainian collaborationism with the Axis powers Some Ukrainians cooperated with the German occupiers, participating in the local administration, in German-supervised auxiliary police, Schutzmannschaft, in the German military, and serving as concentration camp guards.

More on the Ukraine

2014-03-02T19:44:00.003-07:00

Some articles about the Ukraine from people who see things differently than the full scale propaganda blast coming from the US corporate media. I added a few thoughts of my own after I made the awful trip to CNN (for research purposes only) and was exposed to their toxic propaganda on this crisis they seem intent on creating. Remember, the politicians and media who lied the US into

Ukraine: One "Regime Change" Too Many?

2014-03-02T19:30:00.000-07:00

Ukraine: One "Regime Change" Too Many? by Ray McGovern Excellent analysis on the Ukraine situation by Ray McGovern. For those that don't know, Mr. McGovern is a former military intelligence and CIA analyst with 27 years experience in those roles. He now works with an inner-city ministry in Washington DC, and also tries to share his experience by writing informed articles on American

Worried

2014-02-27T02:59:00.002-07:00

I have to admit that for the first time, today I'm worried about what's developing in the Ukraine. Oh, I know there's been voices on the internet for awhile now comparing this to the start of WWI and saying that WWIII is bound to start because of the Ukraine. I just hadn't paid them a whole lot of attention. Those voices are always there.&

Unlike Occupy

2014-02-11T22:44:00.001-07:00

Well, today I gave the Occupy Wall St facebook group the ultimate teenage girl's act of disrespect. I 'Unliked' them on Facebook. OMG. One too many obnoxious and blatantly racist posts came across my computer screen. Thus I decided my life would be better off if I didn't have to see that junk on a regular basis. In other words, I unliked Occupy for pretty much the

Remember?

2014-01-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

Scarlett Johansson quits Oxfam Quick pop quiz: Do you remember the names of the artists who played at Sun City during South Africa's apartheid era? “Scarlett Johansson has abandoned her reputation as a progressive celebrity in exchange for the check that accompanies becoming the new face of Israeli apartheid. Just like the few artists who played Sun City during South African apartheid,

The Meaning of a Soccer Jersey.

2014-01-24T21:23:00.000-07:00

The Meaning of a Soccer Jersey, by Dave Zirin In 1920, Palestinian émigrés started a soccer club to rally around called Palestino. (The club's creation in 1920 is a rather inconvenient truth for a segment of Israeli hardliners who claim that a Palestinian identity did not exist until decades after Israel's founding.) Over the last 94 years, Palestino has represented the Palestinian national

Zapatista at 20

2014-01-22T22:18:00.001-07:00

Zapatista at Twenty, by Laura Carlsen via Foreign Policy in Focus. "What reporters missed as they snuck into celebrations closed to the press is the significance of “autonomy.” Zapatistas say the word with pride, much as you’d talk about your children or grandchildren. These communities have moved steadily off the traditional power grid. Disappointment at the Mexican government’s betrayal in

Descredited Power

2013-10-20T13:56:00.001-06:00

remind people that it shows a real loss of perspective to highlight only a leader and movement’s errors and forget its important successes, such as those derived from Chávez’s taking power in the first place (at a time when that idea was somewhat discredited on the left), From Chavez's Way of Doing Politics, by Chris Gilbert I highlight that quote

Democrat Dilemma

2013-09-02T01:13:00.000-06:00

The decision of President Obama to back down from his threats to unilaterally and unconstitutionally start hostilities with the government of Syria, and instead to ask for an authorizing vote from Congress has put Democrats into an interesting dilemma. Lets take a look at my local Democratic Representative, Diana DeGette, (D-CO-1). She represents most of the city of Denver. Her

A letter to Congress

2013-09-01T04:38:00.000-06:00

Since our Great Leader has decided to allow our nation a slim glimmer of the democracy seen in our former motherland which denied us representation, I felt it was time to actually write my Congress-critter. Since my general impression of Congress is that they don't listen to anyone who's not giving them a five figure (or more) check, I generally resist the temptation to send them my

Independence Day.

2013-07-03T12:16:00.003-06:00

Happy Independence Day If you are celebrating Independence Day, then you are a lover and supporter of America. If you are celebrating "the fourth of July", you are a lover and supporter of calendars. Do you notice how much effort goes into changing the name of the holiday? Corporate ads are of course a main culprit. Come celebrate the

We Hold These Truths to be Self Evident

2013-07-03T12:05:00.001-06:00

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to

Rights

2013-06-24T11:20:00.004-06:00

Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Amendment IX The enumeration in the

A world turned upside down.

2013-06-23T12:46:00.001-06:00

Whistle-blowing citizens who reveal massive surveillance programs that would certainly be viewed as unconstitutional by the writers of the Constitution now flee to Moscow to protect themselves. They are fleeing the nation that locks up more of its citizens than any other. They are fleeing the nation that conducts surveillance on its citizens. They are fleeing the nation that

Been Distracted Lately?

2013-05-21T12:58:00.001-06:00

Did you notice the way North Korea became less of a threat the day two disaffected children of immigrants set off a couple of homemade bombs in Boston? One day, North Korea is a danger to us all, supposedly about to start both a war that would destroy North Korea and nuke the good ol' US of A. Suddenly, the next day, poof, North Korea disappears. If you were paying attention, this

But you told us to vote for this ...

2013-05-09T12:23:00.000-06:00

Obama in Plunderland Link to an article by Norman Solomon, which is quoted below. Norman Solomon has an excellent piece on the ways that President Obama shafts ordinary people in favor of his big corporate contributors. This article focuses on the detail of how Obama's corporate fund-raisers are given key government posts. When you just say '

Bomb in Damascus kills 6.

2013-04-29T10:47:00.004-06:00

A bomb exploded on a city street yesterday. Six people died. Syrian prime minister survives Damascus bombing, six die After the horrors of the Boston bombing, does this resonate with anyone? The horror of a bomb exploding on a city street. Except, this bomb was in Damascus. It was set off by groups supported by the US government

Explaining North Korea

2013-04-03T13:11:00.001-06:00

Explaining North Korea by Justin Raimondo, April 03, 2013 If you are being bombarded by media claims that North Korea is a threat, and that the US is facing a major military crisis, then you should read Mr. Raimondo's article linked above. But, here's the part that really captured my attention .... North Korea’s “military first” policy, which puts military procurement ahead

What Americans Don't Know

2013-03-18T13:52:00.004-06:00

My Lai 45 Years Later—And the Unknown Atrocities of Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan by Nick Turse In short, on this anniversary, I think of all the My Lais that most Americans never knew existed and few are aware of today. I think about young American men who shot down innocents in cold blood and then kept silent for decades. I think