POLITICAL BLOG: FACEBOOK THREADS 1

FACEBOOK THREADS
"The wish to hurt, the momentary intoxication with pain, is the loophole through which the pervert climbs into the mind of ordinary men.
- Jacob Bronowski 1908-74: The Face of Violence (1954)

"The infliction of cruelty with a good conscience is a delight to moralists. That is why they invented Hell."
- Bertrand Russell 1872-1970 Sceptical Essays (1928)


ON TORTURE

· Dan W. Cook So army rangers can be waterboarded during train but the people at war with us are out of bounds?

November 18 at 3:05pm

·Randall Tessier

Dear Danny:

Would we want our enemies to torture our soldiers? Also, in their mind, doesn't our torturing them legitimate their torturing us. Lastly, I suspect that enduring waterboarding when you know it is a training exercise is a bit different than being tormented at the hands of a real enemy.

Best - Randy

November 18 at 3:09pm

·Marilyn Tallio Duran Under torture you'd say anything...wouldn't hold up in court. Duh!

November 18 at 9:01pm

Tom S. Quite true... some would rather allow our enemies to slaughter our innocents than bring them to justice, if it makes them uncomfortable in the process. God help us all (I realize that means nothing to most reading this comment) if we fall to this line of thinking. Oooops, correction - we already have. This mass murderer is found innocent of murder.

November 18 at 11:07pm

Randall Tessier

Dear Tom: My objection to torture doesn't make me any less patriotic than you. In fact, this terrorist gangster, Ghailani, is guilty and would have been found as such had the charges not been thrown out BECAUSE he was tortured. We do agree ...on one thing, the worst thing we do is to slaughter one another (Thou shalt not kill). It's no accident that you use the word "innocent," a part of my pride in being an American has to do with our justice system and the fact that you or I, should we be charged with a crime, like murder, would stand trial under the presumption that we are innocent until proven guilty. what that means is that should we be tortured before a verdict is rendered, our prosecutors would essentially be torturing a potentially innocent person. As for Ghailani's future, he will do twenty to life in a "supermax" federal prison where he will spend more time in solitary and enjoy fewer privileges that those under the most restrictive measures at Guantanamo. Lastly, we Americans pride ourselves on love of country AND our foundational Christian principles, one of which says, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

November 19 at 7:39am

Tom S.

Randy, Just to clarify, I don't feel that your opinion makes you any less patriotic. The beauty of our democracy is that we are all allowed to have opinions, express them, and vote for for those who favor them. In my opinion, the guilty mas...s murderer wasn't excused because of the interrogation techniques, but because a weak-minded government administration lacked the intestinal fortitude to treat him for what he was. I also believe those techniques saved lives. I realize that some would equate America with Al Qaeda but to my mind, there is a huge difference. However, I respect your opinion and appreciate your passion. As an independent, I personally prefer to see the pendulum somewhere around the center of its swing, rather than at either end. I think that is the story of the last two elections. It's now the independents that control the outcome, much to the chagrin of the left and right. I like to think of us as "Equal Opportunity Offenders". Take care, hope to see you sometime soon.See More

13 hours ago

Randall Tessier

OK, so we treat (torture) a person "for what he [is]." The moral question then becomes, should we pursue these "interrogation techniques" knowing that there will inevitably be a few innocents tortured? Is that acceptable to you? Also, I ass...ume your stance on this implies a tacit approval that our enemies exercise the same "intestinal fortitude" in inflicting torture techniques on our sons and daughters. I don't "equate America with Al Qaeda," but it makes no difference whether one is a Frenchman, Englishman, Iraqi, or Yooper, we are all equal as human beings in the eyes of God. Finally, should there be any rules of war? Perhaps the whole issue is an antiquated idea anchored in some romantic notion that rules of civility can be applied to immoral violence of the highest order. But wait a minute, isn't that the way our enemies think in indiscriminately flying jets into skyscrapers and randomly blowing up innocent men, women, and children? Best - Randy

15 minutes ago

ON GEORGE W. BUSH’S LEGACY

· David Andrew Speer Isnt it about time to stop picking on Bush?

Saturday at 5:25pm

Sunday at 5:40am

Robert Ojala Glantz To quote Kim French: "Lots of not, tons of none." I'll quit picking on the Chimp when he's behind bars for war crimes and we've repaired the immense damage he did to our nation.

Sunday at 9:10am

David Andrew Speer Well I guess its true that people still pick on Clinton and Kennedy and Nixon: it never stops on either side.

Sunday at 9:14am

Gerald Kippola How about the 100,000 wounded out of iraq-is it time for them to
forget 'the' dubya? How about the civilian wounded?

Sunday at 9:59am

David Andrew Speer I didnt say forget, I said grow up! the presidents are not that different from each other, hasnt Obama expanded the war in Afganistan? how many people has he killed in the last 2 years? Is he a war criminal?

Sunday at 10:04am

Gerald Kippola Don't take your fox news glasses off if you are not ready for a reality burst

Sunday at 10:42am

Randall Tessier Grow up? That's your answer to the friends and relatives of the hundreds and thousands of dead human beings who have been murdered. And for what? Considering the cost and consequence of the war, would it be worth the life of your son or daughter. This thread is about one man's decisions, and his responsibility in making those choices. If you would like to talk about Lincoln, Hoover, or Obama, that's another conversation. Go tell Pat Tilman's parents to "grow up."

Sunday at 10:48am

David Andrew Speer I'm saying it is silly to attack Bush, he didnt do anything different war wise than any other President did, has done and will do -- I think its a lot of artificial anger over the victims because people dont like Bush's other programs, the evidense of that is the liberals dont attack (often or with as much vehemence) the Democratic presidents that are in office while people die, as for example Obama.

Sunday at 11:26am

Gerald Kippola Keep believing your pile of stinkin horseshit. Your delusion suits you.

Sunday at 11:45am

· Brigitte

‎"Silly to attack?" "Artificial anger over victims?"

How sad.

When we, as a country, have lost the capacity to question the motives and actions of the government -- regardless of party affiliation -- or criticize those who do, then we are ...neglecting to engage in the type of discourse that is necessary for the function of a healthy democracy.See More

Sunday at 12:34pm

Randall Tessier

Dear David: What's imperative is that we listen to each other with mutual respect, even though we might disagree. I could launch an attack on Obama's policies that might surprise you, but that's not the issue here. Just forget the partisans...hip for a minute and imagine this: heavily armed soldiers in full battle armor, essentially foreign invaders, have occupied your town. Some of your friends and neighbors, perhaps even family, have been killed in the crossfire during the occupation. My point is this: when you speak of "people dying" under democrats or republicans, you treat death as an abstraction, as something disconnected from the world you and I live in. Death and dying are serious matters, even when the innocent child murdered doesn't happen to be an American like us. I don't think God meant his commandment, "thou shalt not kill" to apply only to Western Christians.See More

Sunday at 1:31pm

David Andrew Speer well said Randy. I'm happy to be in a place and time where we can agree and just as a final notion, its the lack of respect (towards Bush, who btw I did not vote for) that I was originally complaining about.

Sunday at 4:26pm

ALL CARTOONS BY STEVE BELL UK GUARDIAN

Top to Bottom: James Montgomery Flagg (1917), 2 by Steve Bell, 2 By Pat Oliphant, and 2 by Ralph Steadman

"High on the agenda for the 21st century will be the need to restore some kind of tragic consciousness."

-- Carlos Fuentes

Some Sculpture

"The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places"
-- Ernest Hemingway
"For Whom The Bell Tolls"



Above: Paul Thek "Arm"







Right: Greek Sculpture

















Above: Paul Thek: "Rainbow Dwarf"





Hellenistic Period "Aphrodite"


Above: Andrew Sinclair "When Night Falls"
















Below: "Janus" JoanaMorais



















Below: Bernini "Prosperina"



A Pleasant Containment - Don Metke

When Nothing Matters

“Death must be distinguished from dying, with which it is often confused.”

-- Sydney smith 1771-1845: H. Pearson The Smith of Smiths (1934)

“Suffering is permanent, obscure and dark,

And shares the nature of infinity.”

-- William Wordsworth 1770-1850: The Borderers (1842)

Seeing Mcgee like this breaks my heart, as it also confirms my terrible suspicion that our romantic perceptions and his grim reality can never be reconciled. His is a truth we can’t bear to face. The pain, discomfort, agony, and fatigue have tired and distracted him to the point that our kindly attempts to engage him from the land of the living seem more nuisance than blessing.

Why? At the end of the day, I suspect the physical and psychological anguish slowly become one, eventually obliterating any chance of escaping the demands of dying; and as this happens, room for other perceptions diminish in value: “The person sees himself; he remembers how he used to be; he wonders how far downhill he will have to go before he dies. He loses all dignity and autonomy when he loses the ability to care for himself.”

In temporary sickness we crave solitude and privacy, even with chronic conditions, but terminal illness changes the context – I think. How can I know? Perhaps social interaction becomes so freighted with the ignorance and patronization of the un-despairing, non-terminal, that contact with well-wishers is reduced to a matter of endurance and perseverance.

At some point one’s attitude while dying takes a turn the rest of us can only fearfully anticipate. When healthy, we live by ignoring the finiteness of the future. We know what’s coming, but we deny or distract ourselves from the existential dread that finally reveals itself with our acceptance that there is no postponing the inevitable.

I surmise that a point comes when nothing matters. Life, loved ones, friends and world become a distraction and curse; and as we pass from this world, the value of things that once served as roadside attractions loses all purchase; consciousness is reduced to a reminder that time and acquaintances will live on -- even with our end. Faith and philosophy pale in their utility at a time when their service would seem crucial. Life loses its meaning to the point that all concerns and desires become, ironically, a waste of time. One ceases to live, and merely exists.

What point in living when its joy is gone?

-- Randy

Quote is Dr. Jerome Sobel’s, from Harpers, November 2010

Where was I?

Hello All:

It’s been awhile. My vision has been restored and my eye is fine. For those of you concerned with my overall health. No, Shadow did not really eat my toe, and my glucose level is normal.

I’m going north this weekend to see Mcgee. I think crying is often helpful; Regardless of the reason one cries. So driving solo should provide ample time to reflect on the tearful beauties of life.

Reasons to be cheerful, #39: I don’t have a camera on my cell phone from whence to disseminate the glories of my penile gift (or lack thereof).

Where was I?

Love - Randy

As Always, some images for you.

Top: Lynd ward

Photo: Ulla Lohmann

Bad Toe Day

It was a dark and stormy night.

Who says I can’t write fiction. Except this is no story. Shadow ate my toe and I’m glad. That’s right, folks -- glad! Why? Only because that pooch saved my life, that’s all.

I’ve told no one about this until now. Call it embarrassment, vanity, a self esteem problem, it doesn’t matter. It is what it was, and I’m disclosing forthwith.

It happened this way. The lightning, the thunder, a miserable day at the Art Fair, me feeling like dog shit -- which is what I turn out to be by the end of this story – my age was catching up with me.

So what’s Shadow got to do with anything? Only this. It was Shadow’s actions that helped uncover an undiagnosed diabetic condition and led to the treatment that saved my life.

I knew for a while I had a foot problem, but I laughed it off as a persistent case of gout related to my adult onset George the Third Diet. Being an amateur guitar player and fallen scientologist I pooh-poohed my devoted companion’s every remonstration that I should seek care. Finally, about a month ago I reluctantly consented to keep the next day’s appointment, which I had doggedly vowed to skip.

Knowing I had no intention of going was still no reason to dispense with my usual pre-medical appointment ritual of smoking and drinking like a fiend, the hard wired lie in my head justifying this with the thought that tomorrow would be the last of my profligate ways, and that, further, from now on I would mend my habits and God would tune up my liver for a final Methusalan run. Where was I?

Oh yeah. So I passed out. When I awoke, my faithful hound was beside me, licking at the gangrenous stump that was once my big toe.

B. rushed me to University of Michigan Emergency, where the doctors found a bone infection and amputated the rest of my toe.

The End

Attitude #38: Disgust