The Burning Itch

I'm Back, the World's Ending

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:21:00 +0000

First off, I know I've been away from this blog for far too long. The short explanation is that I got a new job and was very busy for a few months. Who knows if I'll have much time to blog even now, but I felt like posting, so here goes nothing.

Since I've been gone the presidential primary season has passed, apocalyptic doom has hung over our heads, the economy has fallen sharply, American corporatism has grown more blatant, gas is raping our wallets, Bush and congress continue to fail miserably, articles of impeachment have been read in the House against Bush, George Carlin died, Tim Russert died, Bill O'Reilly still lives, fist jabs have terrorized the country, and Jesus returned with his raptor horde to cleanse the world. There's more, but my brain has subconciously supressed it so that I don't get an anerysm or throw my computer through the window.

Thank god the primary season is over. Now we can finally focus on the real issues, such as terrorist fist jabs and whose wife is hotter (or which one is the trollopy cunt for that matter). Then Obama commited the cardnal sin of voting for the new and improved FISA bill and enraged the Internet. Despite this, Obama is still many orders of magnitude greater than dasteredly McCain. If you're somehow still an idealist in this country of apathitic pessimism, you could always vote for someone like Bob Barr.

On the side of the economy, we are all doomed. With talks within the government and Federal Reserve of eating up the biggest mortage companies in the country, we are certainly headed in a downward spiral of economic ruin and corporate facism (I can't really decide if it's facism or just complete incompetance, not that they are mutually exclusive). High oil prices aren't helping either, but at least we are seeing a downard trend vehicle use for personal transporation. But, since our economy has such integral links with oil, such news is not much solace.

Kucinich finally read the articles of impeachment against Bush in the House of Representatives, not that the media really covered it at all. I always thought that offically bringing up impeachment in Congress was an important matter, but I could just be niaive.

George Carlin's death was really too bad. He was a great comedian and spoke a lot of truth through his standup work. Thanks for all the laughs.

Obama Fights Immaturity with Maturity

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:59:00 +0000

The media and the Blogosphere (I've always hated that term. Why not something more interesting, such as the Hyperblogocube?) have already circulated the hell out of Obama's interesting speech. I don't think the media can do it justice though and America needs to see it for themselves. I've been dying to see a candidate that takes a realistic and mature approach to politics and Barack seems to be the guy to do it. When a few seconds of Obama's pastor talking down to (although, truthfully) America circulated through the media in the normal and immature fashion, it was the continuing norm. But, Barack Obama fought back with a speech that talked plainly and properly to the people of America. I only hope Americans take in the brevity of such an event.

Here's the full speech if you haven't already seen it:

Tracey Morgan's Elegant Retort

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:54:00 +0000

Tracey Morgan had a great segment on SNL's Weekend Update this past Saturday in which he made an elegant retort to Tina Fay's previous statements about Hillary Clinton.

Here's Tina's bit from about three weeks ago, encase you missed it:

Holy Hell, There's an Election Going On

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:35:00 +0000

So, I've been away from blogging for more than three months and in that time a lot of proverbial shit has hit the fan. Apparently, there's some sort of presidential election going on in which an old man, his sister, and Tiger Woods all want to be president.

I honestly thought this election was going to go a bit differently. Hillary Clinton surprised me by falling flat on her ass while Barack "Hussein The Secret Muslim Terrorist" Obama sped ahead through Super Tuesday and beyond. I may have been too cynical, but I thought Hillary would dominate the Democratic party simply because of the power her family wields inside it, but the people surprised me.

I was disappointed that Denis Kucinich did get any real support, as he was one of my favorite candidates on a lot of issues. I was also disappointed that Ron Paul didn't do better, since he was the only real conservative and would have made one hell of a Republican candidate. Unfortunately, John "Let's Perpetually Be At War" McCain gets that honor.

Now I just wish the Democrats would settle on their nominee or at least be more civil in their fight for power. Of course, I'm talking mainly about Hillary, because, lets face it, she's an ass. Perhaps, that's why she would represent the Deomcrats best, but she is only hurting the party with her dirty politics. Of course, I'm a mysoginist for even saying something bad about her. But, she of course has the most experience, right? Right?! Well, she does have the abilities of a secretary. She can answer a phone at three in the morning, which Barack clearly doesn't have because he's too young and inexperienced, or so the legend goes. But, more importantly, Hillary is an ass because she's finally shown her true colors and will do anything for more power. If she had more tact, she would simply fight a fair fight and let the people decide.

With everything I've said about Clinton, I'm still not endorsing Obama (not that anyone really cares who I endorse). Obama is charismatic and seems like he would make a great statesman. He knows how to be dimplomatic and doesn't seem to resort to the desperate tactics that Clinton (although, he hasn't had any reason to yet). There's nothing I can really say about the guy that is distasteful. I think out of the remaining candidates, he would make the best president and will most likely vote for him come the general election. I definately will not be voting for McCain and I would vote third-party before I voted for Hillary, so Obama is my de facto candidate.

I know this election is only going to get worse from this point on and I'm really not looking forward to it. But don't you worry. I'll be here to bitch and moan about it all and hopefully I won't have to take another three month break during such a wonderful period of our history.

Where's the Posts?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 23:13:00 +0000

Well, I meant to write something about the primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire, but I've been busy with the holidays and dealing with a sick family member. For now I'm trying to focus on keeping myself in my postbac physics program while keeping in touch with family. Thanks for the readership and hopefully I'll be back on top of my game soon.

Happy New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:40:00 +0000

Happy New Year to all! Here's to a (hopefully) better year than those past. Lets vote some people with integrity into the government this year and end all wars. Remember, war can end if we all want it to.

On a lighter note, I hope everyone had good holidays with their families and loved ones.

Comprehensive Bush Scandal List

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:52:00 +0000

Back in October I made a post about how wrong Bush has been about so many things. It only had about 17 general items listed, while I knew there were more, I don't have the memory to keep track of all the dealings in Washington. But, while perusing the Internet today, I came across a comprehensive list of George W. Bush related scandals. It is updated regularly and is up to 292 items. If you have to the time, please read this wonderful document and prepared to be depressed and enraged at the same time.

Support the Troops, Bring 'em Home

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:02:00 +0000

I have a few friends in the military. One is in the marines and the rest are in the army. They fly helicopters, repair tanks, and protect our military ports. They are normal people with families and friends. They will serve or have served in Iraq.

Back here in America we throw the phrase "support the troops" around all too easily. Some say being against the war is against our troops. Some support our troops through a fading magnet on their car that they have long forgotten about. But those who actually support the troops and care about their wellbeing want them home.

If you actually believe the majority of the troops want to be over in Iraq, then you are quite delusional and should seek professional help. They are over there doing their job, nothing more, nothing less. Some of them believe in the mission, many don't. They are not politicians, but soldiers, sworn to protect our country and constitution.

After the terrible things we put our soldiers through in Vietnam, you'd think we'd learn our lesson. Unfortunately, instead of spitting in their faces, this time around we keep their faces were we cannot seem them. We throw them into dilapidated military hospitals. We pretend we are doing them a favor my putting a yellow magnet on our car. We pretend they enjoy what they are doing over there and go about our daily lives, because the president has yet to ask the average American to sacrifice something for his "great cause".

The next time you tell someone you support the troops, make sure you infuse it with a bring them home sentiment. It's up to us to support the troops now. It is time for us to actually sacrifice something to support those who have done so much and ask for little in return. Congress does not support our troops. The president does not support our troops. We must pick up the gauntlet and support the troops by ending pointless wars and bringing them home. If we do nothing, how much better are we than those who sent them in to harms way to begin with?

Why Does Your Blog Suck

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:06:00 +0000

I've received a few e-mails recently from people who enjoy the topics I bring up in my blog, but think my posts are too short, or plainly suck. So I've decided to address some issues in this post.

Currently I'm a part-time freelance programmer while being back in school getting a degree in physics (I already have a degree in computer engineering). This doesn't leave me much time to write fancy and elaborate posts, but I still like to get things off my chest and a blog is one way I can do it publicly.

If you want to add something to anything I put up here, comments are enabled. I know I've received a lot more e-mails than I have comments. If you want to contribute, I wouldn't mind adding genuinely interested people as authors to this blog (just drop me an e-mail; sritter27@gmail.com).

Hopefully over the next few weeks I will have a bit more time to blog and perhaps write some better posts. Please let me know if you have any constructive criticism as well. Just telling me my blog sucks doesn't give me any new information.

No, I Will Not Comply. Period.

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 18:53:00 +0000

This is a very interesting excerpt from Michael Badnarik's constitution class. Will you comply?

The Bible is Bullshit

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 17:39:00 +0000

I remember seeing this actual episode of Penn & Teller: Bullshit! and now a good skim of it is up on YouTube. If you're religious don't just pass this by. Think critically and come to you own conclusion.

Impeach Those Who Won't

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:30:00 +0000

You congresspeople out there whom don't understand their jobs, this post is for you. For all those in the legislative branch who've never read the Constitution and do not understand their purpose in the system of checks and balances, this is for you.

Read Article Two, Section 4 of the Constitution please. It gives the House of Representatives the authority of oversight on the executive branch by enabling them to impeach officials that commit crimes while in office. Even in a delusional state of mind that could somehow ignore the crimes perpetrated by the current administration, it is your job to uphold the law on any future crimes committed by them. If you are a congressperson whom has stated that impeachment is "off the table", then you are failing to do your job.

Let's say Bush ordered the army to start shooting US citizens out of the blue, are you then saying that would not be something to impeach him on. I mean, impeachment is off the table, obviously there's no reason to do your job, so why start doing it any time in the future.

You all swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. All of you that disregard any portion of it are failing that oath and a disgrace to your office. Please withdraw such statements or resign your office in shame of such contemptible failure.

The rest of us have to do our jobs, so congress please do your's.

Educating America; Teach a Child to Think

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 04:13:00 +0000

America's education system is a dismal failure in comparison the rest of the first world. It's relatively apparent after spending just a few minutes in an American school. But don't expect it to get any better any time soon.

Politicians have been using the subject of education to win votes for as long as I can remember. The idiotic No Child Left Behind agenda is the most recent federal retardation of our children. There's probably been even stupider agendas flying around in individual states. But is formal education as whole really all that important to the actual education of a child?

The most important thing a child could ever learn is how to read, and critically. The fact of the matter is, if you teach a child to read and think critically, there's no limit to their education. Of course, they must be interested in the material to learn it well, but if they can think critically, it is major step in the right direction.

I'm obviously simplifying the situation and it is much more complex than I let on. For one poor areas need as much public education funding as any other. The funding of libraries is also essential towards education. With a good book and the desire to learn, there's a lot a child can do.

Video: Cop Having a Bad Day

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 03:59:00 +0000

This guy gets pulled over for doing 70 in a 65 and somehow winds up getting tazed. I feel bad for the good cops that get a bad rap because of guys like this.

Responsibility and War

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 05:41:00 +0000

I have a good friend, lets call him Bob, who is quite the Republican. He calls himself a conservative, but I know better, so I'll just stick with Republican. Last week he came over to watch the Seahawks vs Rams with me. During half time we started talking politics and eventually we were debating the war on Iraq, which as you can imagine became quite a heated "conversation". When it was over and the second half started, I realized that the whole discussion had actually been about responsibility.

You can debate to no end why we went to war, but in th end the American people supported it. If they did not support it, they obviously did not vote well enough in the 2004 election (I'm not getting into any voting conspiracy theories at this time). As far as I'm concerned anyone who did not vote against Bush, or anyone who initially voted for the war is just a culpable as those who ordered the first bombs dropped on Iraq.

Four and a half years later there is quite a bit of resentment towards the president and the war/occupation. But there are still those, such as Bob, whom still support the war and even starting another one with Iran. Bob is not stupid though, he doesn't argue that the war is about WMDs anymore. His argument now is about what will happen if we leave.

There are many theories out there concerning what will happen to Iraq and the Middle East if the US packs its bags and leaves. Most of the Republican theories revolve around utter chaos after we leave, which is the route Bob takes. He asks me, "Will you and the rest of your liberal buddies take responsibility for the horrible things that will occur if we just leave Iraq?" This poses an interesting question of responsibility, from a Republican nonetheless.

Responsibility is something that is completely ignored in a lot of corners of society, and Washington D.C. is a shining example of this. Very few politicians who voted for the war have taken responsibility for their actions. Thousands of our troops have died, while unthinkable numbers of civilians have died as a result.

So, to answer Bob's question, I have no problem taking responsibility for what happens if we leave Iraq today. The real question is, will he and the rest of his buddies who voted for the war take responsibility fore getting us into this mess in the first place. You can't just say we maid a mistake, now we're stuck. If your car gets stuck in mud, you don't just hit the accelerator and hope for the best. You reassess the situation and find a new solution for getting out of the mud.

Lets also not forget the Iraqis in all of this. It's their country as well and they must take responsibility once we leave. The country will not be able to heal overnight from the wound we have inflicted on it. There may be a continuing civil war after we leave. But how is our presence helping at all. Our troops are just targets. Once they are out of the picture, the nationals fighting us will move on to fighting the other foreign invaders, such as Al Qaeda.

We tried to stay the course in Vietnam and look how that turned out. We finally took responsibility for our failure and got our asses out of there. Did Vietnam turn into a utopia after we left? Obviously not. But, both sides were better off once the conflict was over.

The invasion was a mistake and those responsible should understand the consequences of their actions. Everyday we stay there more and more people die because of those actions and for what? What noble cause is this all for? I hope one day those of you who caused, including you Bob, realize what you've done and try to make it right. For now, I'll take responsibility for my actions and continue to try and get our troops home.

Judge Upholds the Constitution, Boy Dies

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:57:00 +0000

The other day, it was reported that a 14-year-old boy had died after refusing to receive blood transfusions for his leukemia. This spark quite a discussion all over the Internet about the decisions both the government and the boy made. Luckily, in the end, freedom won. Sadly, a boy died.

Dennis Lindberg was a Jehovah Witness and did not want a transfusion that would make his blood "unclean". The state tried to have the court force Mr. Lindberg to have the treatments, but Judge John Meyers would none of it. He did not see that the boy was trying to commit suicide and that he was just practicing his religious beliefs.

As I read through discussions on the Internet, I was somewhat surprised that so many people didn't think a 14-year-old should be able to make such a decision. Unfortunately, there's a little thing called the First Amendment that allows the freedom of religion. Usually, it has been upheld that most things can be done in accordance with religious practices as long as they do not harm others. The last thing I want is the government getting into the affairs of my family, unless it somehow we are somehow affecting those outside of our family.

That's not to say I agree with the kid's decision. It's just that, well... it really is none of my business. Dennis' Aunt was his legal guardian and approved of his decision. If she had not, this would be an entirely different case in which legal precedent is sketchy, but most likely he would have received the treatments. Furthermore, the parents did not agree with his decision, but decided not to appeal the case, which I think says something in itself. In America, we should have every right to decide what goes in our bodies, and that includes things that may be good for us.

I feel sorry for the family and Mr. Lindberg, but thankfully they were able to decide how to live and/or end their lives without governmental interference. Just imagine if we had another Terri Schiavo event. The government has no place in determining the morality of personal decisions that harm no one else and I hope it stays that way

We're Losing Our Democracy America

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:03:00 +0000

Why aren't more people supporting this man for president?

Remember to donate to Kucinich on December 15th if you support him.

Why Is Anyone Still Listening to Bush?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:02:00 +0000

President Bush has been wrong on just about everything he has touched. So why is anyone still listening to this guy and his gang of incompetent boobs. Bush's approval rating has been low for quite some time, but who are those remaining people whom still support him?

Here is an incomplete list of things that Bush has been wrong about:

Weapons of Mass Destruction
Iraq-Al-Qaeda link
Cost of war
Dismantling the Iraqi Army
Mission Accomplished
Homeland Security
Improper allocation of troops to catch Osama and other terrorists
Federal action after Katrina
We don't torture
Iran is an immediate threat
Politicizing of Justice Department
Wiretapping
Blackwater
Valerie Plame
Terri Shivo
Guantanamo Bay
War on Terror
etcetera

These are just some of the lies George W. Bush has unleashed on America and the world. So why does anyone trust him anymore? What does he have to do to receive the ire of the entire nation? If someone lied to you over and over again would you believe them the next time they spoke? Apparently 30% of America would.

Our nation is going down the crapper because of Bush's lies. Congress is failing to check the power of the executive branch and the administration continues its drumbeat to war. Is it the upcoming election keeping people from revolting?

If we continue this trend of enabling Bush and any neo-cons to come after him, then we are heading towards a $2.4 trillion debt by 2017 caused by his lies. That is why it amazes me any real conservative would still go along with anything Bush says.

What happened conservatism in this nation, if it means spending trillions on wars while our infrastructure crumbles at home. How the hell are we going to pay all this off? Why are we still listening to this snake-oil salesman?

We need serious change in Washington and it can't come from other Bush enablers. There are only a few men running for president who have seriously stood up to Bush. Why aren't there more? Where is the outrage in this nation? We have an obligation to keep this nation free, but we can't do it while accepting the propaganda. When will you stop listening to Bush and start to take back the country that is yours.

/end rant

Revolutions Ain't Easy

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 06:05:00 +0000

America is in a decline. It has been for quite some time. The last seven years standout as the worse that I've ever seen on American soil. As the constitution is steamrolled and America's integrity erodes ever faster, there is a threshold that changes a free society into an enslaved one. Have we reached it yet? Did we reach it long ago? In either case, how do we make it right?

Thomas Jefferson once stated that, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Talking of open revolt against one's government is not a simple task today, let alone 230 years ago. But where is the tipping point in our society in which citizens take arms up against the tyranny that is forming around us?

Like most things in life that are worth it, a revolution is not easy. It takes serious commitment. You cannot stand in the streets ready to fight the government and go home the next day and watch your favorite football team. You have to be willing to give up everything that you hold dear. That's not easy. The question I put forth is how far will you be pushed until you stand your ground and risk everything for what you believe in?

Most of us have jobs and families. We don't feel oppressed by the government, at least not to the point of fighting back. Yet, everyday we hear about more and more illegal federal programs, illegal wars, and Americans dying in foreign lands for little or no reason. Our economy is failing, our infrastructure is crumbling, and we have the worst health care in the Western world.

Last November, many of us voted the Democrats into power in the legislature to stop the executive from ruining our country further. In today's world, it seems the Democrats and Republicans are one in the same, save for a few souls. Few people in our government stand up for what is right.

Perhaps, that is why so many are putting their faith in Ron Paul. But what if he doesn't win? What if Guiliani, or Hillary wins? Will you take up arms when they continue spying on and torturing people? Will you take up arms when the police do warrantless searches through your homes? What will be your tipping point?

The government is out of control now. They're spending over 60% of your tax money on funding their illegal wars, and that's barely enough to pay the interest on our ever increasing debt. Ron Paul may be able to stop the bleeding if he is elected. But who's to say the Supreme Court won't elect our president again.

Are we going to wait until they mark us with flair and load us onto trains? You may think that I'm exaggerating, but I don't think we're far from that stage. The Constitution and the law has not stopped the government yet, and none of the branches of our government are willing to check each other. They aren't listening to the people and even when new people are elected in, they seem to become as tainted as their predecessors.

So where is the tipping point? When bombs fall on Iran? Where do we draw the line? When do we say, 'I will not comply'? We may laugh when a college student says "Don't tase me bro!", but should we laugh at the 270+ that have died from police taser use in the US? Will we laugh when Americans disappear because of their dissent? Will we laugh when the government watches our every move? Or will we do something?

I know all these questions are hard to answer. I myself am no less part of the problem. Writing this entry in this blog does very little to change the reality of what is happening in this country. The reality is revolutions ain't easy, but tyranny is even harder.

Big Brother

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 17:56:00 +0000

Run Gore, Run

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:56:00 +0000

Whether you agree with Al Gore's politics, or not, you have to admit that his entering the 2008 presidential race would make things more interesting. The Democrats should be shaking in their boots if there is any sign that Gore is going to run.

Well, I woke up this morning to find three "Viewpoints" videos on Current.com's website from Al Gore himself. The three videos are on health care, protecting America/privacy, and Iraq. They almost read as campaign-style videos, which some people have labeled them, although I feel reluctant to. The videos are part of a group of them called Viewpoints on the site and he seems to just be adding his views up there. That being said, with him winning the Nobel Peace Prize and getting so much attention from the media, all this looks like a perfect storm of announcing his candidacy.

Back in April, it was reported that Gore's friends and former campaign relations began meeting secretly to set up and chance of him running. Gore, of course, has been saying he has no plans to run, leaving all but a slimmest possibility that he will. It would easy for him to kill any lingering thoughts of whether he'll run, and that would be to endorse a candidate. But he hasn't done that yet, and anybody can speculate why. From the mundane of not wanting to lock-in on anybody. To the over-the-top, "It's a sign he'll run for sure!"

I would just like to see sort of opposition to the current Democrats running who actually has a chance. Hillary keeps leading the polls, and I'm not sure she's much better than Bush. For now, though, the only hope of real political change is with either Ron Paul or Dennis Kucinich, both of which actually stand for what they believe.

If you would like to see Al Gore run, then check out DraftGore.com and sign the petition.

Why Misquote Bush?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 20:05:00 +0000

There has been a picture circulating around the Internet. I first noticed it on Reddit and wrote it off as another crazy Bush quote that demanded no more attention from me. Then I noticed it on a few a couple blogs and other sites and the more I thought about it, the less the quotes made sense. What was the likelihood that a translation of a Hitler quote would turn out to be exactly the same as something Bush said?

Anyways, I could not find anything related to this quote from Bush, except from Prison Planet, which was quoting Hitler, and relating it to Bush. But the point I'm trying to make, is why misquote Bush at all. There are so many amusing and damning quotes all over the web, that there should be no reason to ever have to make something up like this. I mean, Bush has said some pretty creepy thing regarding Homeland Security throughout his presidency. (Does anyone else get a chill down their spine when they hear the word homeland used as a term for America?)

If anyone does find a citation for this "quote" from Bush, please let me know.

Why Hate Iran?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 15:40:00 +0000

It's all about oil. No, I'm just talking about the recent rumblings of war towards Iran. The whole history of modern Western involvement in Iran has to do with oil.

In 1941, Britain and the Soviet Union occupied Iran to secure the oil fields and supply lines. The reason Britain was so invested during and after the war, was that British Petroleum (then, Anglo-Persian Oil Company). In 1951, the pro-western prime minister Ali Razmara was assassinated by the Fadayan-e Islam organization. Mohammad Mossadeq, a nationalist, was elected as prime minister. He helped the Iranian government nationalize the oil reserves. The British government considered the oil reserves a vital resource and petitioned the act to the International Court of Justice, but was dismissed.

The crafty Brits devised a plan to overthrow Mossadeq using the paranoia of America towards the Soviet Union and communism. They gave the Americans falsified evidence that Mossadeq was plotting to join with the Soviet Union's communist influence. In 1953, President Eisenhower approved a CIA plan to overthrow the government. The coup d'etat against the democratically elected government was considered a huge success by the CIA. So, the US conducted the first strike of terrorism against Iran.

The pro-western Shah was put in place of a democratically elected prime minister and ruled until 1979, when Iranians revolted. On November 4, 1979, Iranian students stormed the US embassy in Tehran and took hostages for 444 days.

I do not condone what those students did. I also do not condone what the US did when they overthrew Mossadeq. Basically, I simplify it to a prank war that the US started. The score is 1-1. Why not call a truce? Why continue to hate Iran?

Is it because Iran is basically a theocracy? Is it because they supposedly support terrorists? Is it because Iran is trying to develop nuclear technology? None of those reasons seem valid.

The US has replaced many governments that were elected democratically, with ones that are either dictatorships or basically puppets. We even support Saudi Arabia, another theocracy.

The US State Department define terrorism as "the unlawful use of -- or threatened use of -- force or violence against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological objectives." Do I need to even go into this one. The US has been doing this one forever.

No, I don't want to see a nuclear Iran. I think it's bad for a region that is already not stable. But, there's no reason to huff and puff over something that's years away from happening. There are peaceful ways to resolve such a situation. It would also help if we tried to improve relations with Iran instead of threatening to use force against them.

So, why do we hate Iran? I can't think of any good reason. Can you?

Why Is Bush Still President?

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 18:35:00 +0000

It's a very simple question that I cannot find an answer to. Why is Bush still president? What does a man have to do to earn the contempt of Congress and the American people? To be fair, the majority of people, and I think Congress too, do not like Mr. Bush. So, I'm just curious, what will it take for us to remove Bush from office?

Fox News' War Propaganda

noreply@blogger.com (Steve Ritter) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 19:02:00 +0000

Fox News has used the disguise of journalism to spread propaganda about various issues. This video sums up the direct message they've been sending about Iran and how they are following the same formula they did leading up to the invasion of Iraq.