Might Makes Right

While Rand Paul attempts to clarify himself in regard to his support of Israel, Congress gave the country a shot in the arm by approving $225 million in additional military aid so that Israel can bolster its "Iron Dome" defense. The only thing that slowed this bill down was attempts by Republicans to cut money from other earmarked programs in their "revenue neutral" approach to federal spending. Not surprisingly, American defense contractors like Raytheon manufacture components for the system.

Paul had earlier been against Israeli subsidies, which Jon Stewart pointed out on a recent segment of The Daily Show, but has since fallen in line with the establishment view in Congress, which cuts through both political parties. The Kentucky senator is jockeying for a place in the Republican presidential primaries in 2016, and seemed to figure out that backing Israel is an integral part of any successful campaign. After all, he may be needing Sheldon Adelson's money at some point.

Meanwhile, Sean Hannity is literally in Israel, "reporting" first hand from the war zone. Stephen Colbert had his own fun with the embedded journalist, comparing him to the "News Anchor Baby," a 5-year old phenom on Youtube. Of course, Hannity took offense to such a comparison, but I have to think it is the pint-sized newsboy who should be taking offense. At least, he was honest in his reporting.

Hannity had earlier been called to task by Russell Brand, who labeled the Fox pundit a "terrorist" for bullying Yousef Munayyer on his show. Munayyer is one of the lone voices defending Hamas in the American media, but it seems Hannity just wanted a whipping boy on his program, giving the director of the Jerusalem Fund little opportunity to explain his position.

Fox is not alone in this one-sided coverage. Virtually all the mainstream media outlets have uncritically taken the side of Israel, even after the IDF bombed a "safe site" in Gaza that left 20 persons dead. The White House was forced to condemn the air strike, but the news media quickly blamed the civilian casualties on Hamas, claiming that they are using "human shields," an all too common refrain.

So far, nearly 2000 Palestinians have been killed in the air strikes. They have no "Iron Dome" of their own in Gaza, and are at the mercy of the IDF. You would think the American media would show a little more sympathy toward the Palestinians, but that seems too much to ask. So, one turns to "comedy" news programs to get any kind of perspective on the situation.

Meanwhile, Rand Paul tries to remake himself once more, as he struggles to balance his Libertarian views with the partisan politics that dominate our two-party system. You were right the first time, Rand, we shouldn't be subsidizing Israel in its ongoing war with Palestine. The United States shouldn't make itself complicit in these atrocities.

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Welcome to this month's reading group selection. David Von Drehle mentions The Melting Pot , a play by Israel Zangwill, that premiered on Broadway in 1908. At that time theater was accessible to a broad section of the public, not the exclusive domain it has become over the decades. Zangwill carried a hopeful message that America was a place where old hatreds and prejudices were pointless, and that in this new country immigrants would find a more open society. I suppose the reference was more an ironic one for Von Drehle, as he notes the racial and ethnic hatreds were on display everywhere, and at best Zangwill's play helped persons forget for a moment how deep these divides ran. Nevertheless, "the melting pot" made its way into the American lexicon, even if New York could best be describing as a boiling cauldron in the early twentieth century. Triangle: The Fire That Changed America takes a broad view of events that led up the notorious fire, noting the gro

Dylan in America

Whoever it was in 1969 who named the very first Bob Dylan bootleg album “Great White Wonder” may have had a mischievous streak. There are any number of ways you can interpret the title — most boringly, the cover was blank, like the Beatles’ “White Album” — but I like to see a sly allusion to “Moby-Dick.” In the seven years since the release of his first commercial record, Dylan had become the white whale of 20th-century popular song, a wild, unconquerable and often baffling force of musical nature who drove fans and critics Ahab-mad in their efforts to spear him, lash him to the hull and render him merely comprehensible. --- Bruce Handy, NYTimes ____________________________________________ I figured we can start fresh with Bob Dylan. Couldn't resist this photo of him striking a Woody Guthrie pose. Looks like only yesterday. Here is a link to the comments building up to this reading group.

Team of Rivals Reading Group

''Team of Rivals" is also an America ''coming-of-age" saga. Lincoln, Seward, Chase et al. are sketched as being part of a ''restless generation," born when Founding Fathers occupied the White House and the Louisiana Purchase netted nearly 530 million new acres to be explored. The Western Expansion motto of this burgeoning generation, in fact, was cleverly captured in two lines of Stephen Vincent Benet's verse: ''The stream uncrossed, the promise still untried / The metal sleeping in the mountainside." None of the protagonists in ''Team of Rivals" hailed from the Deep South or Great Plains. _______________________________ From a review by Douglas Brinkley, 2005

TripplerAugust 12, 2014 at 3:27 AM
It's not just the controlled right wing news media that clamps down on anyone who dares to defend the Palestinians - this happens all over the internet in web forums as well. Even the so called liberal democratic underground will censor and ultimate ban anyone who dares to defend these innocent victims. I have been banned from DU and beliefnet for daring to do so.

Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Americans are ignorant of what goes on in the ME. It's all a one sided picture being portrayed in the news media and throughout American internet sources.

Dispatches from Vilnius

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