Archived from my old Xanga blog:

Noam Chomsky is the best modern critic of american foerign policy please read this. and meredith forward this to your mom, i know shes going crazy.

The terrorist attacks were major atrocities. In scale they may not reach the level of many others, for example, Clinton’s bombing of the Sudan with no credible pretext, destroying half its pharmaceutical supplies and killing unknown numbers of people (no one knows, because the US blocked an inquiry at the UN and no one cares to pursue it). Not to speak of much worse cases, which easily come to mind. But that this was a horrendous crime is not in doubt. The primary victims, as usual, were working people: janitors, secretaries, firemen, etc. It is likely to prove to be a crushing blow to Palestinians and other poor and oppressed people. It is also likely to lead to harsh security controls, with many possible ramifications for undermining civil liberties and internal freedom.

The events reveal, dramatically, the foolishness of the project of “missile defense.” As has been obvious all along, and pointed out repeatedly by strategic analysts, if anyone wants to cause immense damage in the US, including weapons of mass destruction, they are highly unlikely to launch a missile attack, thus guaranteeing their immediate destruction. There are innumerable easier ways that are basically unstoppable. But today’s events will, very likely, be exploited to increase the pressure to develop these systems and put them into place. “Defense” is a thin cover for plans for militarization of space, and with good PR, even the flimsiest arguments will carry some weight among a frightened public.

In short, the crime is a gift to the hard jingoist right, those who hope to use force to control their domains. That is even putting aside the likely US actions, and what they will trigger — possibly more attacks like this one, or worse. The prospects ahead are even more ominous than they appeared to be before the latest atrocities.

As to how to react, we have a choice. We can express justified horror; we can seek to understand what may have led to the crimes, which means making an effort to enter the minds of the likely perpetrators. If we choose the latter course, we can do no better, I think, than to listen to the words of Robert Fisk, whose direct knowledge and insight into affairs of the region is unmatched after many years of distinguished reporting. Describing “The wickedness and awesome cruelty of a crushed and humiliated people,” he writes that “this is not the war of democracy versus terror that the world will be asked to believe in the coming days. It is also about American missiles smashing into Palestinian homes and US helicopters firing missiles into a Lebanese ambulance in 1996 and American shells crashing into a village called Qana and about a Lebanese militia ­ paid and uniformed by America’s Israeli ally ­ hacking and raping and murdering their way through refugee camps.” And much more. Again, we have a choice: we may try to understand, or refuse to do so, contributing to the likelihood that much worse lies ahead. Noam Chomsky

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If you don’t have any money, give blood. People in this nation are too apathetic. Now is the time for some couch potatoes to hopefully care about other people and do something good for others even if it doesn’t involve a tax benefit.

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Fudgeco Eductaional Film #24: Running With Scissors was conceived in my disturbed brain matter during my “Very Troma Summer.” After watching The Toxic Avenger for the billionth time and finishing Lloyd Kaufman’s book, Everything I Needed to Know About Filmmaking I learned From the Toxic Avenger, I figured it was high time I grab a camera, some ultra slime, and red food dye. Thus, I would make the GREATEST FILM OF ALL TIME!!!

Okay, maybe I wasn’t planning to film anything that good, but I most definitely was ready to play a part in the world of gross cinema. Tadaaa! Running with Scissors was born! I was planning to shoot it before school, but I’m a lazy ass like that so at least now I can turn it in as one of my projects for Tele 132. I don’t think Schneider read my script yet, but I tried to explain to him that it involved stabbing a child’s head. What a comedy! He didn’t seem to mind, and he was pleased to know it would be done on Super 8 (my first film project)! So, if everything goes well, I should have the shooting schedule set and a video rehearsal ready to go in about a week! Whoopie!

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