Democrats in Congress (and elsewhere) continue to disgust February 28, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : Islam/Arab Phobia, US , add a commentHonestly, it’s fine, we get it: it’s patently clear that they’re unhappy about the Dubai deal and wish to stop it, no matter what. They don’t even pretend to look into it at all, in terms of DPW’s actual credentials and record.
And now - we have the (incresingly insufferable) Huffington Post - wrapping the whole freakshow into an Israeli flag, just like what was apparently done to prisoners at Guantanamo. It’s kind of cute that that story is picked-up by something called “think progress” - is that a joke? - which is itself busy disseminating a story from the Arab/Muslim hating “Jerusalem Post”. Doesn’t get more transparent than that.
As Mosley said the other day: “F*ck Those Democrats”
More hysteria at the Washington Post
Posted by Delilah in : US, Books, Washington Consensus , add a commentAnyone with any true experience of international development ie gained from working within the beasts that make it up and on the ground - rather than looking at it from some desk in Europe or North America - knows why John Perkins’ book “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” has been such a tremendous best seller. It ruthlessly unpacks the dark underbelly of international development practices that those of us with experience in the field suffered for many years and continue to suffer although, clearly, not to the extent that its victims (ie “beneficiaries” in the lingo) have.
There is no way to verify all the detailed machinations that Perkins describes in the experiences he relates in the book, but we, the development practitioners and the victims of development, know the consequences because we’ve lived them.
Now, Washington Post columnist Sebastian Mallaby may just be envious of Perkins’ success. (more…)
Life out of Context February 27, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : US, Books , add a comment
Yesterday, on s-span2, Walter discussed his latest book with Harry Belafonte. It was fascinating. Harry was in rare form but Walter delivered my favorite quote of the evening: “Fuck those Democrats” - which brought loud cheers from the Cooper Union (NY) audience and me. I just bought the book and look forward to reading it but I’ve heard him speak of his idea of a Black Voting Black akin to the NRA in terms of influence. Absolutely. That is what we need. Count me in, for real.
From Mosley’s site:
Life Out of Context begins as a brooding examination of Mosley’s own sense of cultural dislocation as an African-American writer. Then a series of serendipitous events ensues–the screening of a documentary on Africa, an inspiring encounter with Harry Belafonte and Hugh Masekela–prompting Mosley to turn his focus to broader issues: What can we do to fight injustice, poverty, exploitation, and racism? What is globalization doing to us?
Through these meditations Mosley attempts to transcend his earlier feelings of living a “life out of context” and instead seeks a political context. He ends with a call to arms, urging African-Americans to break their historic ties with the Democratic Party and form a party of their own. Mosley writes, “Economic globalism has pressed many lives out of context. It’s about time we push back.”
Published by Nation Books
State of Black America - today c-span February 25, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : US , add a commentEvery year, I look forward to this all day event on c-span. Tavis Smiley (of PBS and NPR fame) does a terrific job bringing together top Black leaders, thinkers and intellectuals. They take on the big issues facing Black Americans and the country. After Katrina - there is a lot to talk about and urgently.
In his SOU speech last month, the President hardly mentioned the biggest, most devastating disaster in recent American history. Someone has to: Black Americans will, today. And thank God for that.
Islamophobia - redux
Posted by Delilah in : Islam/Arab Phobia, US , add a commentI’ve felt the creepy Islamophobia for several years now. It’s overt, blatant, steeped in ignorance and sickening. It’s just starting to be addressed as topic for analysis and serious consideration, better late than never, I guess. Acknowledging there is a problem is the first step towards resolving it, or attempting to. The cartoons controversy, the double standard it easily exposes and the latest UAE port “situation” may yield to awareness - especially of the reality of the self-proclaimed American “left” - and that is a good thing.
RJ Eskow does a terrific job saying it like it is and exposing the fallacies and hypocrisies of some “intellectuals” who don’t even try to hide their hate of Muslims as a whole. Exposing these haters denies them any credibility. RJ also responds to some Islamophobes in the comments, so scroll through.
Civil war scenario not playing out in Iraq February 24, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : Iraq , add a commentTV networks, blogs and the rest of the media yesterday were literally salivating at the possibility - following the sinful destruction of the (still unclaimed) Golden Dome Mosque in Samara - that (finally) the much anticipated sectarian civil war was about to get going.
Turns out, just about every religious and political leader advised people to not fall for it and, instead, blamed the foreign occupation for failing its security obligations.
Trendy (and prejudiced) leftism
Posted by Delilah in : Islam/Arab Phobia, US , add a commentLike I said - with this UAE port management deal, the so-called (and self-proclaimed) left blogosphere has, for the most part, been disgusting in its unconstrained show of deep prejudide towards Arabs. Oh - and they get so defensive and agitated when called on it, oh yeah. Don’t anyone dare call them on their blatant prejudice, sure. Well, it’s been noted, thank you very much, we’ll decide what is offensive to us and the reaction of the Democratic politicians and blogs is nothing short of shameful.
Justin Raimondo, over at Antiwar.com, has been hitting pretty hard. Today, he calls out Arianna Huffington who, yesterday, jumped in with her own ridiculous anti-Arab histrionics. For several days, the headlines on her site were blaring the words “Arab deal”, over and over again - pure, unadultered hate baiting, no question about it. Makes me want to throw up.
Anti-Arab hysteria sweeps the nation, again… February 23, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : General, Islam/Arab Phobia, US , add a commentWhat Jim Zogby says.
Good lord - what a nauseous sight: Democratic politicians, the self-proclaimed “progressive” blogosphere, along with their Republican brethren, took their clue about the “UAE port deal” from one of the most disgusting rightwing Islamophobes and hater of all things Arab - and have let loose of their apparently deep prejudice and hate towards Arabs, wholesale.
Amazing stuff. I wish the UAE would feel insulted enough and go ahead and pull out of this frikkin deal. That would be the dignified thing to do, you know. Pull out and let folks deal with the consequences. Sometimes a buck is just a buck.
New horrid Abu Ghraib pics February 14, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : Iraq , add a commentIt’s pretty tough to watch. I don’t know about you all, but I’m all outraged out.
Stop making her a martyr February 13, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : Maroc, Political Islam , add a comment
Nadia Yassine - a Moroccan far right activist woman - is addicted to publicity, especially in the international press. That’s been her trade in life. This articulate fundamentalist (and her father before her) advocates in favor of hard core Islamic law to replace Morocco’s secular political system and social values. She is a manipulator of the first order and the Moroccan government ought to know better than to give more ammunitions to her posturing.
She is now being prosecuted for uttering her wish to see Morocco become a republic. That’s playing into her hands and just plain old stupid. It makes a mockery of Morocco’s attempts at political reform towards democratic principles , including freedom of speech. (more…)
Not impressed February 12, 2006
Posted by Delilah in : Maroc , add a commentAccording to UK based Times Online, Morocco is going out of its way to lend a helping hand to the US’ rendition policy.
I don’t know how this is supposed to be good for Morocco, given that it is just now starting to - ever so cautiously - deal with its own recent history of human rights abuses, including torture and arbitrary detention.
