jenniferbrola.com

Am I a sheeple? I really hope not. I hope I'm thinking independently, critically, and analytically. Not just going "baa" because everyone else around me is going "baa" as well. It's hard to tell, though. I know I see it in other Americans, and it's so frustrating. Not just ignorance of the facts, although that's bad enough, but the use of ignorance to support outright racism and sexism.

For all the hope and excitement Obama's candidacy is generating, some of his field workers, phone-bank volunteers and campaign surrogates are encountering a raw racism and hostility that have gone largely unnoticed -- and unreported -- this election season. Read more...

Even if you're not volunteering at the polls or campaigning for anyone, you can help keep things on the level by fact checking yourself and not promoting inaccuracies. We should all be choosing sides, as best we can, based on political records and verified facts. If you're unsure, it's worth checking against places like FactCheck.org, Snopes.com, or Politifact.com.

[Sen. Joe Biden] delivered this savage putdown of former Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani: "There's only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, a verb and 9/11." Read more...

Is Biden right? Is he just being a jerk? Look it up. Check it out. Our Constitution starts with, "We the people" not "We the Sheeple." One sentence shouldn't be all that you know of Biden, Giuliani, or anyone else elected to represent you. We're in some deep trouble - economic meltdown, seriously messed up foreign relations, failing social programs for health - we need to turn it up a notch in the civics department.

I don't understand why international dialogue still revolves around physical conflict. If war is such a successful tool, then why do we keep having to kill in the name of peace? Are our leaders not interculturally competent enough for true diplomacy? Instead, the thread of hate weaves unobstructed through time and generations. We send soldiers instead of ambassadors, and we blind ourselves to the consequences. I would never want to disrespect our military; national defense is vital. However, consider that nineteen men made America suspicious of every Muslim. What impression has our military presence made in return? How many have we sent over like Lynndie England, Charles Graner, James Barker, Steven Green, Marshall Magincalda, Melson Bacos, Jack Saville, and Tracy Perkins?

"And to anyone who thinks using deadly force against kids with rocks is justified, that's just what our country needs. You want to create a real terrorist? Kill someone's little brother, or only son. See how long it takes that person to find an RPG and get some payback." more at digg...

I'm sure there are plenty of good soldiers in Iraq. Some of my own family have pulled tours there. But which of us come first in the minds of Iraqis? Soldiers that play soccer with their children, or those that threaten to shoot them? In the end, I seriously doubt Iraq will ever accept our brand of democracy. Aside from its imposition, our government is contradictory and religiously derivative. In fact, we still guarantee truth with an oath on the Bible, as if a person cannot impose morality upon themselves. As long as we export "ambassadors" like Cardenas Alban to promote a government built upon a Judaeo-Christian God, we are only helping to promote civil unrest. We need constructive diplomacy to cut the thread of hate. Our future in Iraq requires it.