April, Come She Will

This just in:

China, which only allows state-sanctioned public protest, is "allowing" its people to angrily protest the depicting of WWII in Japanese textbooks and has "lectured Japan to face its WWII past" according to the SF Chronicle. Make you a deal; I'll fess up to WWII if you fess up to Mao and Tiananmen. Fair?

Who knew that John Bolton was loved by so many Americans? Credentials and previous job history aside, if the Senate panel names this man to the U.N., there will have been a successful American Neoconservative coup d'etat of international organizations. Paul Wolfowitz to the World Bank, Bolton to the U.N., and Rupert Murdoch to Fox News. I hope that level-headed moderate Republicans find the courage to stand up to this thug and send him packing. It would be a major victory for progressives that could lead to hopeful changes in the 2006 midterms.

NO HIGH-RANKING MILITARY OR CIVILIAN OFFICIALS ARE GUILTY OF MISCONDUCT CONNECTED TO THE ABU GHRAIB PRISON SCANDAL. ALL LOW-LEVEL NATIONAL GUARD-WEEKEND WARRIOR-PRIVATE FIRST CLASS MARINES HATCHED THE WHOLE ABUSE THING THEMSELVES AND WERE IN NO WAY PERSUADED BY CIVILIAN CONTRACTORS OR THEIR COMMANDING OFFICERS TO CARRY OUT ORDERS. RENDITION OF POLITICAL PRISONERS DOESN'T EXIST. ALBERTO GONZALES ACTUALLY WANTS TO PROTECT AMERICANS. PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN...

I'm wondering whether the naming of Benedit XVI to the papacy is a way for the Catholic Church to prepare itself for a major theological world shift with the preparing for his assumed successor in just a few short years. An African Pope?

And the U.S. wants to work with the United Nations: "Under U.S. pressure, the United Nations eliminated the job of its top investigator on human rights in Afghanistan last week after the official criticized violations by U.S. forces in the country. Washington moved to scrap [the official] partly because the human rights situation in Afghanistan is no longer troubling enough to require it...But the Afghan commission has cited U.S. forces as a frequent obstacle to its work. Afghan officials say they have trouble getting appointments with U.S. officers to discuss human rights cases." SF Chron, 4/25/05. And we wonder why there is so much opposition to the Bush Administration's policies and U.S. action overseas? Am I the only one who can see the danger of naming John Bolton to the U.N.?

On a much lighter note: tomorrow is the release date of Bruce Springsteen's album, Devils and Dust. Listening to four tracks on NPR this morning, I am thrilled about it! "Jesus Was An Only Son", a solo piano/vocal track about the killing of the Messiah, successfully does what Mel Gibson can not: portray the pain, anguish, and moral certitude of Jesus in light of his gory demise. Full details and review in the next day or two. Countdown to the concert: TEN DAYS!!! NPR is running a two-day interview with the Boss on the new album. I must say that often I find that Bruce's more serious, sad, and often pitiful work is his strongest. Portraying th elives of characters who, while torn, broken, or twisted seek redemption is the musician's strong suit. The morally complex predicaments of Bruce's characters' world make one contemplate and understand his own life as well as empathize with the univeralities of the human condition. Now, let's just listen to "Reno".

Today in my class, my students were debating whether gay marriages should be legal. In my last period, after a half-dozen or so students railed against how "unnatural", "uncommon", "not right", and "bad examples" gay people are in/to/for society, one student raised his hand. He then shared his life story: his parents divorced one another four years ago. He lives with his mom. His mom is gay and for the last three years has lived with her partner. His mom and her partner are his role models and his mother's partner serves more as a parent than his father does. "They're people", he said. Absolute stunned silence followed this brave young man's thirty second testimony of his family situation. Fear gave way to love and pride as my student talked about his mom in front of twenty-one of his peers, including his girlfriend. What my class witnessed today was a declaration of the absolute necessity for the acceptance and love of the human condition and I pray that God blesses that young man's heart to love others as he and his family need to be loved.

Who Is This Clown?

Tom DeLay - what a piece of work this latter-day Joe McCarthy is. I've not seen such smug, priggish demagoguery in a very long time. Today, DeLay attacked Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy for doing two things, both, which apparently while legal, do not fit into the higher law of conservative political dickheadedness: Kennedy weighed American law against the laws of other countries in order to base relevance of American law (presumably in death sentencing cases - since the U.S. is the only western country that still kills people without calling it murder - and for conducting outside research for decisions on the Internet. Now, I know that "red staters" have always preached fundamentalism, creationism, traditional values, and a flat-earth theory to just about everything, but DeLay has a lot of gall thinking that it's his prerogative to attack members of other government branches because they carry out their jobs in ways that he doesn't like. He's doing this all in the name of either a "strict interpretationist" view of the Constitution or because he believes he's God's vessel in carrying out righteousness. Welp, since this week marks the twelfth anniversary of the Waco seige, let us remember anytime someone mixes religous fervor, a messianic sense of purpose, and an asinine view of the world. That normally brings about major disaster, often time on one own's head. DeLay is obviously acting in a way that is supposed to detract from his own inane track record, but I didn't think that "moving closer to God" (see yesterday's post) meant acting like a complete and utter asshole. I have to teach federalism and the political process when peckerwoods like Tom DeLay make the entire political system and process a complete farce. Coincidentally, I lectured on Watergate and the growing sense of cynicism among young Americans today; people in record numbers are rejecting the American system of politics and voting. Example A: Foolish grandstanding in the name of delusional self-righteous demagoguery. The last jackass I saw make this much of an idiot of himself was Alan Keyes in the Illinois run for Senator.
Can we please have some authenticity to the art of politicking? Can someone please speak for the people who actually knows what the people want?

Remembrances, New Starts

230 years ago today, the Revolutionary War started. 12 years ago today the Branch Davidians were brought down by ATF officers. A decade ago, Timothy McVeigh blew up the federal building in Oklahoma City. Benedict XVI was elected the new pope today. Let's see the direction the Catholic Church moves in. The pontiff is 78; let's see how long he remains in the seat. I'd be curious as to how President "Culture of Life" Bush would have reacted to the events during Clinton's administration. Based on his most recent actions jamming the federal government into a state issue (the exact antithesis of what he wanted to happen in Florida in 2000) with the Terri Schiavo case and supporting a crooked little peckerwood like Tom DeLay, Bush would have done everything that Bill did, but have Karl Rove spin it into (believable only by uneducated fundamentalists in the Midwest) a case where the federal government needs to protect the rights of the people unless those rights infringe on political capital. Speaking of trying to use political capital (the new P.C., but I won't touch that), Tom DeLay has "moved closer to God" during this time of self-inflicted heat to quit due to a raft of ethics violations racked up against him. Moved closer to God? How can that be? DeLay's been speaking for Him at least since he became the Hammer! A self-righteous prig such as DeLay has no room to suddenly play the humble card; found religion? Only because it's getting toasty and not because it's illegal. What would he say if someone left of the aisle made such a statement, regardless of the circumstances? Oh, that person would be grandstanding in the name of vote-getting and pandering to religious liberals. If, however, I brought up the fact that DeLay's a hypocrite at church, I'd be lynched. If the Democrats are letting the GOP spin itself into deep doo-doo, things are looking good. There still needs to be an attack dog loud enough to make the message loud and clear that the party that claims to take the high road is a straw man and is just as guilty in pandering for votes as the Democrats Let's raise our glasses to a hopeful new start in the GOP, one of true Christian morality, integrity, and honesty. If DeLay wants to be Christ-like, he'd quit, turn himself in, admit guilt, ask the people of Texas, the United States and Russia for forgiveness, pay back all of the illegal contibutions he took, and do what Jesus commanded: serve others instead of oneself. DeLay should be out there in the streets with the people that his party's policies have kept there; people without healthcare that are actually trying to make a living; people who can't afford to send their children to pre-school because conservatives don't believe that education is the responsibility of the government. Turning the other cheek when one's enemies strike is what ol' Tom should be doing; instead, he's lashing out in a way that only makes him look like the smug #*%@&!#&! that he really is. I'm enjoying watching him squirm. So is Garry Trudeau; we're on Day Two of the DeLay death watch! Keep tuning in!

WWWGOPD?

One of my colleagues this morning stated that I rip into the GOP too much and don't give credit when credit is due. I've been stewing over this claim all day today and have wondered just why I do attack the Republican Party as I do. My response can't be contained to just tonight's response, but first and foremost, I would say that my political beliefs stem from my religious beliefs and that I see the teachings of Jesus most consistent with a government and society that seeks to eliminate poverty, illness, bigotry, class conflict and violent behavior. Utopian, and therefore unattainable, so I've been told. Every utopian society or governmental plan in history has failed, and while that is true, why should I give up my political beliefs strictly because the right model has yet to be thought of? Should I settle with the way things are, taking advantage of every opportunity to gain at others' expense? Cheating and using the system are the same thing with dissimilar impacts. Going to bed on this one, but I will return (I sound like D. MacArthur...)

Beautiful Day, Part 2

I just caught wind that I'll be getting a copy of the U2 show that I saw just three days ago! How's that for modern technology. I'll take a couple of B&P's if anyone's interested. As the show has sunk in and I've had the opportunity to digest the songs, I've come to appreciate the concert in a much different light. I still believe that the band was just getting warmed up and in many ways repeated itself from the Elevation Tour. However, I also believe that Bono is continuing on his religious quest for answers. Much of the setlist and attitude of the frontman was one of a man finding what he has been looking for. The anti-war, anti-poverty, unitarian Christian message was at the forefront of Bono's songs and I think we're seeing a man closest to the Bono of October-era U2. The encore being "All Because of You", "Yahweh", and "40" is enough to declare U2 the best church band in the world. Yet, the band's politics isn't that of a determined effort of prostelyzation but of challenge. Pride (In the Name of Love) brings about the efforts of Martin Luther King to the passion of Christ; Sunday Bloody Sunday connecting with Running To Stand Still, which was dedicated to the men and women of the U.S. armed services, draws the commentary line. People wonder why much of the contemporary Christian message rings hollow for so many others. The answer is clear: you need a messenger with words worth listening to. I think that I enjoyed myself more than I originally thought. God bless the boys from Dublin.

P.S. - Bono's elegaic words for John Paul II were touching and emotionally moving, even for this non-Catholic who at least must recognize the consistent efforts of a man to bring about the end to poverty and war over a twenty-six year papacy.

Sit Tight, Take Hold

On May 5, I will be making my way to the Oakland Paramount Theatre to see Bruce live!!! A solo acoustic tour like his incredible Tom Joad tour of ten years ago, this one should be great. I'm looking forward to seeing songs that he doesn't play live as well as the new material. Apologies to my friend Lefty, though. I tried to buy two tickets when Ticket ******** put them on sale. I asked for two tickets and was denied. I made a second attempt for a single and came up with Row O!!! I'll be fifteen rows away!!! What a way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! Here's to an acoustic version of Backstreets.

The U2 show last Saturday was a bit of a bust. The preparty of dinner and heading to the show was wonderful, thanks to our close friends Neil and Shelley. It was Shelley's birthday and we were amped for the show. Getting there was wasy. The venue looks and sounded somewhat decent. Openers The Kings of Leon totally sucked. Wherever the kingdom of Leon is, new management is needed immediately. What made the show a bomb was a twenty-minute exchange with our babysitter who claimed to be really struggling to get my son quiet. My wife and I spent the majority of the second hour in the concourse area debating whether to call Heather a cab, leave early, or let the woman settle William down. In the process, I missed several songs that I came to hear. Totally crappy. The show itself was great though not magical. Some gaffes and kinks that will get worked out over the tour, but I wanted something where the band gelled and came together in a blissful moment of new, but I was denied this time. Oh well. Lots o' the new album, which was the best sounding, just a little of the old stuff, and lots of mid-career stuff. I'm glad I went but I'm really looking forward to the November show!

Man, Oh, Man!

It's been a while since I've been free enough to write and it feels good to stretch the fingers, so to speak. E-bay and a nice 2003 tax return amendment has allowed me to go catch the boys from Dublin this weekend! I'm taking my beautiful wife and two wonderfully close friends to catch my third U2 show of my life. The first time I saw them was the first concert I ever attended; their 1987 Joshua Tree show was absolutely magical and one that I'll never forget. Their 1992 Zoo T.V. was a stunner. With this new album and the early reviews the shows have been getting, I'm hoping for a religious experience.

Speaking of religious experiences, Bruce Springsteen announced that he will play Oakland on May 5. Come Hell or high water I will be at that show. His new album in just three short weeks. Solo acoustic. Ever think that Bruce would be lacking without the E Streeters is in for a treat. Actually, er...Bruce sucks on his own...don't bother trying to get seats...go drinking on Cinco de Mayo that day... :)

The West Wing season finale!!! Oh my gosh! A true nail-biter. Here's what I'm predicting for the first several episodes in the fall: Alan Alda's Republican wins the election; FBI finds that C.J. leaked secrets of a top secret military space shuttle and gets released from the administration; Jeb Bartlett's last action is a presidential pardon. Tonight was great. A bit Hollywood, because only do democratic ideals get espoused in fantasy worlds. The major "exitement" for the show but the most unrealistic part was Leo McGarry getting the V.P. nod. A guy who just suffered a heart attack at the beginning of the season? He'd get eaten alive, especially since the sitting president is suffering from M.S. I don't know...

Off to lesson plan and wish that I had a copy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame show with Bruce joining U2 for I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.

By the way, what was the first concert you ever saw?