Everytime you hear about the ' honor of the Old South', NEVER forget what it was built on

I found these pictures at Zimbio:

This is a Civil War Era Slave Sale Re-enactment in St. Louis.


A mock flyer is posted advertising the re-enactment of a mid-19th century slave auction January 15, 2011 in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. Some 150 re-enactors participated in the mock-auction on the steps of the city's Old Courthouse, as the first commemorative event in Missouri marking the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. With other sesquicentennial events in the South emphasizing "states rights" as the cause of the conflict, organizers in St. Louis said they wanted to stress slavery as the central issue of the war. Before the war, St. Louis, with its location on the Mississippi River, had been a primary hub for the sale and movement of slaves. The U.S. Civil War, which lasted from 1861-1865, resulted in the death of more than 600,000 Americans, more than in all of the country's other wars combined.
----Photo by John Moore/Getty Images North America


In This Photo: Jannett White
Slave re-enactor Jannett White is led off in shackes after being "auctioned" during a re-enactment of a mid-19th century slave auction January 15, 2011 in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. Some 150 re-enactors participated in the mock-auction on the steps of the city's Old Courthouse, as the first commemorative event in Missouri marking the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. With other sesquicentennial events in the South emphasizing "states rights" as the cause of the conflict, organizers in St. Louis said they wanted to stress slavery as the central issue of the war. Before the war, St. Louis, with its location on the Mississippi River, had been a primary hub for the sale and movement of slaves. The U.S. Civil War, which lasted from 1861-1865, resulted in the death of more than 600,000 Americans, more than in all of the country's other wars combined.
---Photo by John Moore/Getty Images North America

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Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell Forgot About Slavery in Proclamation of Confederate History Month

I don't think he actually forgot. There is a tradition by some on the Right to leave slavery out as a core reason for the Civil War simply because they don't hold the view that Slavery was very important.

Nikki Giovanni gets to the point....


McDonnell knew exactly what he was doing. It wasn't an innocent mistake. It was classic Southern Strategy stuff. But when he started to notice a backlash... he tried to make amends.
Unfortunately, I don't see this as having much of an impact nationally. Stupid voters will still vote overwhelmingly Republican in the next two major election cycles, no matter what. If anything, this dust up makes McDonnell look like a more appealing candidate for White Conservatives if he has any national political ambitions. But stories like this do serve to show the mindset of those on the Right who are in leadership.

Like I mentioned on my Republican media page a year ago (see sidebar) there is this desire by some on the Right to re-establish some sort of new Confederacy in this Country... if not a physical one... definitely an ideological one.

Nice Huffpost commentary

The End Of America's Longest War?

Hat tip: a JJP reader


From The Daily Dish

30 Oct 2008 12:40 pm
The End Of America's Longest War?

A reader writes:

Earlier this week, in your post “The Top Ten Reasons Conservatives Should Vote For Obama”, you wrote under Point 4: “A truce in the culture war. Obama takes us past the debilitating boomer warfare that has raged since the 1960s. Nothing has distorted our politics so gravely; nothing has made a rational politics more elusive.”



On the one hand I agree with you; on the other hand, you don't go nearly far enough. An Obama presidency means much more than a truce in the 60’s culture war. It means the end of a much older and more terrible war, in which the 60's was merely one battle: the American Civil War. That is what is at stake here.

The Civil War was fought from Sumter to Appomattox, from April 12, 1861, to April 9, 1865. But the roots of the war predated 1861, and the consequences lived on long after 1865. In reality the Civil War never ended, it just shifted from a military to a culture war - the same culture war that is still going on today.

What you call the “boomer warfare” of the 1960’s was part of that larger war, marking the struggle to end Jim Crow, the century-long regime of American apartheid (Vietnam was, in my opinion, related but secondary). The end of apartheid was a second humiliating defeat for the forces of the conservative "South" at the hands of the liberal "North", and it subsequently gave rise to those decades of distorted and irrational politics you so deplore, as the reactionary and fundamentalist forces regrouped and mounted yet another rearguard insurrection against their liberal "oppressors", culminating in their partial ascension to power under Bush. (And we can only hope it ends there, instead of with Palin and the Christian Nationalists in 2012).


I realize this may sound harsh; I do not think Bush is a racist, for instance (quite the contrary), and I am very aware of the progress made in this country since I was young, including in the South; nevertheless, this election is clearly about race, about who and what we are as a nation, as a people, as a family (I would throw California's Prop 8 squarely into this battle too).

So let's be clear - it is not "boomer warfare" which has distorted our politics, or made rational politics so elusive since the 60's: it is something far deeper, something far older, something which has been with us from the beginning in this country, and which we in turn brought with us from the Old World; something which in fact traces back to the very origin of humanity - spiritually, psychologically, politically, evolutionarily. That depth is what gives the American story its pathos and its importance. That is why the world watches us: to see if we can work it out - to see if there is hope.
And that's why January 20, 2009, is so important: the day Barack Obama is sworn in as our 44th president will mark the third, and I believe the final defeat of the forces of repression and division in this country, and the actual end of the American Civil War.

How can I be so sure? Because when the American President is inaugurated, it is directly homologous to the crowning of the King in ancient days: the King is the groom, the Nation is the bride, the crowning is the hieros gamos, the sacred marriage. When Barack Obama is sworn in as our 44th president, a symbolic marriage will be enacted, binding us together forever, black and white. We will have chosen to become one. We will have chosen to become family. The War will be over. E pluribus unum.

The whole world will be watching this. You have stated over and over again that an Obama presidency would be “transformational”, even “indispensable”. You're right. And you're right that this is only the beginning. A new chapter is dawning.

Will the old guard resist? Of course. But their power is waning. Providence made sure the better man lost in 2000, and the eight years since have been just enough rope for the old, corrupt right to hang itself.

It's observations like this that make me love the internet. Just the possibility that I could come across something that would make me go ' Damn'.

Fighting Breaks Out In Georgia

The U.S. and the Russians Are Once Again In A Standoff in Europe - Thanks to the Bush Administration

Conflict has erupted in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Georgian troops have attempted to reclaim the breakaway territory of South Ossetia. South Ossetia is a small enclave of about 70,000 people that is culturally & economically connected more with Russia. The breakaway region, backed by Russia, wants independence. Abkhazia is another region that wants to break from the Georgian government.

On the other side is Georgia, backed by the United States. The Georgian government does not want to give up control of the South Ossetia region. The U.S. has been ignoring warning signs of a conflict for months. In fact, the U.S. has been an instigator, escalating tensions. Ironically, this is all taking place as the Olympic Games are starting in Beijing. Leave it up to Bush and the United States to screw up the Olympics. Almost everywhere the U.S. goes, it brings nothing but war, chaos and trouble. This is why the U.S. is a growing pariah in the World. The U.S. couldn't even agree to call an end to the fighting at the UN. And it's ironic that Bush lectures the Chinese and other Countries about Democracy, freedom and allowing self determination, yet at the very moment that the U.S. is giving these lectures, it does not support self determination for the people of South Ossetia. This is despite pushing for Kosovo Independence. It is clear that U.S. political leaders only support freedom and self determination when it is convenient.

I have warned several times before that this was one of the biggest hotspots in the World. It is more volatile than the Korean DMZ in terms its likelihood for conflict...and it could have global consequences. Russian troops patrol the disputed region and thousands of U.S. troops are in Georgia. This could get as ugly as Berlin.... maybe worse. In Berlin, conflict was averted. We seem to be already past that threshold in Georgia. It's amazing how a tiny region of just 70,000 people could have the potential to create a regional conflict that could impact so many others. Remember WWI began over nonsense and it ended up being one of the most costly wars in human history, killing millions upon millions of people. And nations ended up in a stalemate.... gaining very little if anything that was worth the cost.

The Georgian conflict is another example of the U.S. being asleep at the wheel. The incompetence and recklessness of the Bush Administration exacerbates these conflicts, and has wasted so many lives already. Will we survive the next 6 months of this administration? Will we survive the policies of the next President? Who knows. My confidence that we will come out o.k. keeps eroding from one week to the next. But U.S. foreign policy has to change. In the Georgian conflict, the U.S. has allowed the Georgians to dictate policy, potentially at our expense, and even when it is not in our interests. It's another case of U.S. foreign policy decisions being made by foreign Presidents and Prime Ministers...and we simply follow along.

This latest conflict centers around oil and oil transit routes. The U.S. and Russia are competing for defacto control of the region so that they can control the flow of the regions natural resources. Another reason why the U.S. needs to end its dependence on foreign energy. The U.S. has few compelling, overriding interests in Georgia. Yet we sent a few thousand U.S. troops there after 9/11 under the guise of terrorism. The U.S. promised the Russians and other nations that U.S. troops would be out by now, but the Bush Administration did not keep its word. As a result, we have a situation that some analysts had feared...a new Cold War front.

See More Information About Georgia and the Roots of the Current Conflict

War Drums Beating Again For Iran Attack?

Did Israel let the Cat out of the bag about the Bush Administrations plans for Iran?

I hope this is just more fluff, designed to get Irans attention. I believe that the window of opportunity for an attack against Iran has passed. The latest optimal time would have been late last year or earlier this year. It just doesn't make sense to launch an attack at this point. We are well into an election year. Such a move would have unclear, but serious consequences, both domestically and internationally. Domestically, it could either harm the Republican candidate, or increase Republican support (which tends to happen for the office holders Party in wartime). But an increase in support for Bush or McCain is very unlikely in this case.

In addition, the U.S., being tied up in Iraq, does not have enough troops on standby to blunt an aggressive Iranian counter-attack, once airstrikes commence. So an attack under these conditions would be a case of outright recklessness and stupidity. But that's nothing new for Bush and the Republicans. The U.S. can't hold ground in Iraq with 150,000 troops, and the neocons want to attack a Country that is three times the size and population of Iraq? The U.S. would need 200,000 to perhaps 250,000 troops just to contain a counter-attack and push the Iranians back (That's on a good day).

Internationally, the consequences could be grave. Iran would almost certainly use Iraq and Lebanon as fronts in any confrontation. It would put U.S. troops and allies at serious risk. Any conflict could also draw in regional powers like Russia, Israel, etc. Such a conflict could spread quickly like a wildfire....with no one being able to control it. This is a very bad environment to fight a war in because there are so many flashpoints.... no clear red lines anywhere....all the red lines are blurred.

This would also be a stupid time for an attack considering that the Iranian government is domestically unpopular right now. Attacking Iran would be a gift for the Iranian leadership because it would rally their people to support them (and they will do so by the millions). It would be a lot better to talk to Iran, re-establish UN monitoring of nuclear facilities, provide a boost to nuclear negotiations (with UN leadership) and quietly work with the people of Iran. The same revolution that brought the Mullahs to power is the same revolution that could remove them. Why anger the Iranian people (many of whom are pro-Western....not so much in terms of politics, but in terms of culture). Ordinary Iranians are this Country's greatest asset.

Lastly, I see no signs of any immediate confrontation. There are no Aircraft Carriers steaming towards the Persian Gulf in unusually large numbers. A serious attack would require at least 3-4 Carrier battle groups, considering that Iran has a considerable military capability (as compared to other countries in the region). Keep in mind that the U.S. used 6 Carrier battle groups against Iraq in 1991...and Iran is a nation 3 times the size of Iraq, in land and in population size...and has a military capability that is larger than what Saddam Hussein had at that time.
It should also be noted that few Countries, if any, will be willing to help the U.S. in any kind of Bush neocon military adventure in Iran.

The problem with the above is that it is a common sense assessment. The Bush administration doesn't operate under any common sense assumptions. Bush & Co. has always done things that simply don't make sense in the real world. We are not dealing with normal people. That's what is scary.

Kenya is Falling Apart

Pakistan isn't the only country in election turmoil. Kenya is too.

The recent elections have been called into question, and the resulting riots and killing are showing a country on the brink.

Here's a sampling of information that I've found:

Kenya election riots leave at least 140 dead
By Mike Pflanz in Nairobi
Last Updated: 9:57am GMT 01/01/2008



Tribal killings fuelled by fury over a "rigged" presidential poll have swept Kenya as the wave of post-election violence claimed at least 140 lives.

At sunrise, enraged supporters of Raila Odinga, the opposition politician who President Mwai Kibaki claims to have defeated, emerged from slums and villages to vent their fury over what they believe was a "stolen election".

Mr Kibaki responded with an uncompromising New Year message, insisting that the contest had been "free and fair" and pledging to "deal decisively with those who breach the peace".

A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed in the town of Kisumu, a stronghold of support for Mr Odinga where about 53 people have been killed.

Troops enforced this measure by shooting on sight.

In Nairobi, protesters fled slow moving lines of riot police, firing tear gas and flanked by armoured trucks loaded with pepper-spray cannons.

"They are here fighting us, but we are the ones who have to fight because we have been given the wrong president," said Eric Ochola, 23, as he fled the latest police advance in Nairobi's Kibera slum.


"Look around at the poverty here, look at these houses, they are not fit for pigs. This is the country we want to change, but this fake president has slapped us in the face and told us to go home. We will not. We will fight for the choice we made at the ballot box."

Kenya on the brink of civil war
Last Updated: 2:17am GMT 01/01/2008



Adrian Blomfield witnesses the tribal bloodshed and terror around Nakuru

The road from Nairobi to Kisumu, normally a busy artery ferrying goods to Uganda and tourists to the Rift Valley's­flamingo-lined lakes, became an avenue of terror as tribe turned on tribe and neighbour on neighbour.

Kenya election riots leave at least 140 dead
Brandishing bows and arrows, their heads draped in the traditional leaves of war, fighters from the Kalenjin tribe marauded through a Kikuyu village, razing homes and erecting road blocks.


Despite sporadic flare-ups over the years, Kenya is unused to violence on this scale


"No to peace," chanted the tribesmen, who support Raila Odinga, the presidential challenger.

"We are a country at war," one said as he twirled an axe in his hand. "We will not stop fighting until Raila is declared president."

The victims of Kenya's anger towards President Mwai Kibaki, once regarded as one of Africa's few genuine democrats, now seen as its newest autocrat, were everywhere to see.

Is Kenya turning into a police state?

disappointed, angry and jaded. :

Those are the words that describe millions of Kenyan voters.

Disappointed at their current president, Mwai Kibaki, for playing Moi-politics.

Angry at their ministers of parliament, voting an unprecedented number out of office.
Jaded by the election results - wondering if bothering to come out for the next elections is even necessary.

Of the three, I would suggest that citizens being jaded is the most harmful for the long-term. Why bother voting if you can’t have the confidence in your government to count them openly and honestly?

From KenyaPundit about the Media Blackout imposed by the government:

As far as the arrest rumor, consensus is that Pentagon rumors HAVE NOT been arrested.

Drove to a friend’s house less than ten minutes away and had to go through a police checkpoint. Very scary.

I have no news to report. It’s a total total blackout. Watching TV feels like watching TV under some crazy dictatorship. I mean we all know that the country is on fire, but KBC is airing Just for Laughs. WTF???

I, however, remain committed to keeping whatever news I can flowing so keep the info coming (even though it might sit in moderation for a while). And hopefully I’ll have something updates tomorrow from what is now for all intents and purposes my bunker.

Kenyan Pundit also has news about the situation on the ground there - food shortages, inability to find money in ATM's, the seeming coming war along ethnic lines and those tensions - it's very informative.

From Thinker's Room:

I Cry. My Country Has Been Robbed
30December

Rumours going round are to the effect that Raila Odinga and William Ruto have been arrested, and William Ruto has been shot. Reportedly this is after ODM announced their intentions to name a parallel government, a move, I must confess, is not entirely wise given the current situation.

More as I get it.

I have just been watching President Kibaki been sworn in, amid applause from his cabal of powerful friends and cronies. As far as I can tell it seems to have been a private ceremony for himself and his friends.

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at the fact that Kibaki’s friends and minions were already gathered and ready for swearing in minutes after the announcement was made.

I refuse to call him and his ilk honourable. They are no such thing.

While he and his friends are sipping tea and eating crumpets in statehouse I find myself at crossroads.

I question the very beliefs I once held true — that democracy at the end of the day triumphs.

I feel outraged that Mwai Kibaki can with a straight face tell me how he feels “humbled that the people have elected him” and how he urges his opponents to “respect the electoral process”.

I feel mad that Samuel Kivuitu is cracking jokes at State House while my country falls apart because of him and his puppeteers.

I feel that the people of Kenya have been completely robbed of everything they have gained over the last 40 years. We lacked few things but at least we were generally a fair people.

I feel that the change we thought we had in 2005 was just an illusion.

I feel that all the time (3+ years), love, devotion and attention I dedicated on Mzalendo.com, sleepless nights sacrificed, hours of my time and resources have been pissed away in just a few days.

I feel that Kenyans have been robbed of something that can never be valued — their electoral process.

I feel challenged even now to respond to the question I had been asked earlier in the day — “Is there any point voting?”

I feel cheated because the same cabal that has been in power since independence is still in power.

I feel cheated that an administration rejected by the ballot can somehow find itself into the presidency.

I feel sad that Kenyans optimistically queued on the 27th thinking they could control their destiny and the very people they entrusted spat on their good faith and goodwill.

From HuffingtonPost.com

Kenya Church Torched, 50 Reported Killed
ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY and TOM ODULA | January 1, 2008 09:47 PM EST |


NAIROBI, Kenya — A mob torched a church where hundreds had sought refuge Tuesday, and witnesses said dozens of people _ including children _ were burned alive or hacked to death with machetes in ethnic violence that followed Kenya's disputed election.

The killing of up to 50 ethnic Kikuyus in the Rift Valley city of Eldoret brought the death toll from four days of rioting to more than 275, raising fears of further unrest in what has been one of Africa's most stable democracies.

The latest violence recalled scenes from the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, when more than a half-million people were killed. The question facing Kenya is whether the politicians will lose control of the mobs, triggering a civil war.

President Mwai Kibaki, who was swiftly inaugurated for a second term Sunday after a vote that critics said was rigged, called for a meeting with his political opponents _ a significant softening of tone for a man who rarely speaks to the press and who vowed to crack down on rioters.

But opposition candidate Raila Odinga refused, saying he would meet Kibaki only "if he announces that he was not elected." Odinga accused the government of stoking the chaos, telling The Associated Press in an interview that Kibaki's administration "is guilty, directly, of genocide."

The violence _ from the shantytowns of Nairobi to resort towns on the sweltering coast _ has exposed long-festering tribal resentment.

The people killed in Eldoret, about 185 miles northwest of Nairobi, were members of Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe.

They had fled to the Assemblies of God Church on Monday night, seeking refuge after mobs torched homes. Video from a helicopter chartered by the Red Cross showed many homes in flames and the horizon obscured by smoke. Groups of people were seen seeking sanctuary at schools and the airport, while others moved into the forest.

The totality of the links given in this post point to a very bad situation developing in Kenya. I have to tell you, reading about the tribal violence that seems to be bubbling up badly reminds me of Rwanda. I hope this doesn't spin out of control like that.

New Iraq Documentary - No End In Sight

Former Diplomats Speak Out About The Lack of Leadership and Planning That Led To The Disaster In Iraq.

There have been plenty of Documentaries on the disaster in Iraq, but No End In Sight appears to be a definitive examination of this Quagmire.




Film Reviews

MSNBC

Washington Post

Philly.com

Watch an interview of Col. Paul Hughes & Filmmaker Charles Ferguson from Tavis Smiley's Public Television Program.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Also listen to a discussion from the On Point Public radio program. (choose the realplayer audio option for best results)

30 more U.S. servicemen die in Iraq - Fewer blacks are joining the military.

The first phase of major Iraq campaign almost over with the U.S. toll this month to 78.

BAGHDAD, June 23 -- Eight U.S. soldiers died Saturday in Iraq, including seven killed in roadside bombings, the U.S. military said, bringing to 30 the number of U.S. servicemen whose deaths were announced in the past six days.Meanwhile it was judgment day in Iraq as Iraq's 'Chemical Ali' has been sentenced to hang while roadside bombs in Iraq Killed 7 more Troops.

Here is more unfortunate news, our government is struggling regarding treating war wounded GIs.

Wapo reports, America's war wounded, has received less attention than the 3500 troops killed in Iraq. I guess this could be a real reason why fewer blacks are joining the military.

Civil War In Palestine & A Roundup of the Weeks Events

Fatah's Gaza Headquarters Being Leveled

I hinted several months ago that Palestine was headed for a Civil War between Hamas and Fatah, the two major factions now battling for political & military control. Hamas and Fatah now seem to be engaged in all out civil war... The two sides have been engaging in heavy battles in Gaza over the past two weeks, and it finally ended with Hamas militants routing Fatah. However Fatah and the Palestinian authority remain in control in the much larger West Bank. This is more bad news for Palestine, and reduces any hope for any kind of viable Palestinian State. It also raises the risk of a regional conflict. Any attacks on Israel from Gaza will be blamed on Syria and/or Iran as these two countries are seen by the West as being the main supporters and suppliers of the radical Hamas movement. This could lead to a wider conflict in the future.

The Palestinians are now split between President Abbas & his Fatah faction (seen by many as moderates) and the more Jihadist Hamas. Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, can expect more poverty and suffering under Hamas, due to sanctions. Hamas has set itself up for a big failure... because they must now deliver. They won't be able to do that without working with Abbas and Fatah, because President Abbas still controls the purse strings. But I don't think that they are really concerned about delivering for the people. That idea assumes that Hamas will honor democratic principles. It seems to me that they would be willing to rule by dictatorship and force their own brand of fundamentalism onto the Palestinian people. They might try it at least... but I am not so sure that the Palestinian people will go for that. But Hamas will be in no hurry to return control back to the legitimate internationally recognized Palestinian Authority. In fact, I think they may try to hold on to power for a long time and may not be willing to honor elections. But only time will tell for sure.

It also looks bad for the Palestinians because they are killing their own people. In doing so, it brings the whole Palestinian struggle into question. How can you call for peace, and expect the World to respect your cause when you are killing your own? That went through my head almost immediately when the new fighting began to flare up. It doesn't look good to the rest of the world, a world in which Palestine relies on for about half of its funding. With Hamas controlling Gaza, the region will continue to be a source of Islamic radicalism for the entire world, just as it has been for the last 40+ years.

But I think (and hope) Hamas' power will not extend beyond the Gaza strip.

Another strange twist to all of this is that you could actually see cooperation between Israel and Abbas.... as Israel will be interested in keeping the moderates in control.

But prepare for more ruthless attacks in Gaza by Israel (perhaps even with a wink and a nod from Fatah). The U.S. has already been funding and supplying one side in this civil war.... which is reminiscent of the proxy wars of the Cold War.... in this case it is a proxy war between the U.S. and Syria/Iran. Yet another civil war where the U.S. has been behind a lot of the wickedness from the beginning..... just like in Iraq. Part of the problems in Palestine stemmed from U.S. (and Israels) attempts to weaken the Palestinian authority. By sabotaging the Palestinian Authority, the U.S. unwittingly helped to popularize Hamas.... basically making it easy for them to gain a strong political foothold that they continue to have today. That's been one of the problems with arrogant, ignorant U.S. foreign policy. The U.S. doesn't understand the cultures, the people, the land, the religion, or the politics of the countries that it wants to bully. It's hard to defeat your enemies when you don't understand them. This is what led to the disaster in Iraq to a large degree. A lack of understanding of the people, the cultures, etc of other nations. Now the U.S. finds itself in one of the biggest fiasco's that it has ever been in. And now the maniacs in the White House are setting the stage for Iraq to become Supersized so to speak. Not satisfied with the disaster that they already have, the neo-conservatives seem to be on a path to spread the disaster to other parts of the Middle East. Iran is a top candidate.

But I am just as afraid that Pakistan may be next, with all of the internal problems there (a potentially unprecedented nightmare for obvious reasons). I have been trying not to think about a coup where Pervez Musharraf is taken out and radicals take control. But I have had nightmares about it.

Hear A Roundup of the Weeks Events

Listen to a Roundup of This Weeks Events From On Point Radio. Main Topics: The Middle East and The Continuing Justice Department Fiasco. Jack Beatty gives solid analysis as usual.

(Use RealPlayer Audio Option)

Other Related Links

Juan Cole has the latest on what is happening in Iraq