Singing Soprano in the Cowgirl Church of God
October 1, 2008 / by robertflynn
Billy “Tex” Bob Thornwall had only two ambitions in life: being a cowboy and singing Gospel songs. He had accomplished his first ambition winning top honors in bareback and saddle bronc riding when sixteen. Gospel singing was tougher because Billy “Tex” Bob’s voice was stuck in Vienna Boys Choir. Billy “Tex” prayed earnestly that God would give him a voice with cockleburs in it.
One day working on his roping skills he chased after a wild steer on a greenbroke horse. Billy “Tex” Bob stood in the stirrups his lasso swinging over his head and when he threw his loop his untrained horse spied the rope passing over its head and came to an abrupt conclusion. Billy “Tex” did not. The saddle horn took the seat of Billy “Tex” Bob’s jeans and his parts with it.
Billy “Tex’s” life changed. And not for the better. No one wanted him on their bulldogging team or in their chawing circle. He was shunned in pool halls and domino parlors. “Go play hopscotch with the girls,” cowboys laughed. “Join a sewing circle,” they hooted. No one wanted to hear him sing “Empty Saddles in the Old Corral.” “Sing Bringing in the Sheep,” they chortled. “Shearing on the Old Camp Ground.”
Billy “Tex” Bob prayed for the reconstruction of his pride of Solomon. God had other plans, including the Cowboy Church with clapboard walls, plank floor, a cross made of fence posts and barbed wire, with hardwood benches and funeral parlor pasteboard fans. The communion cup was tin and the bread was sourdough bullets. The preacher wore spurs; his Bible wore a brand. Cowboys used their Stetsons to round up the offering, sometimes passing them again if the stray bills and dogie coins didn’t add up to a full herd. In his hour of despair the Lord led Billy “Tex” Bob to the Cowboy Church. Where he was denied entrance for lacking cowboy characteristics.
When the cowboys came out of church Billy “Tex” showed them roping tricks and lassoed car antenna, rearview mirrors and roguish boys. “Hmmm,” Arizona said, scratching a saddle burn and spitting at a red ant. “He’s got sand.”
“He’s got spirit, too,” Dumas said, switching his wad to the other side and smiting the ant that Arizona had missed.
The other hands allowed he wasn’t no cowboy but he could be a Christian roper.
The following Sunday Billy “Tex” entered the church with special dispensation but there was disputation when he tried to join the Ranchhand’s Sunday School Class. He was pushed into the Gingham for God Class and was not allowed to sing in the choir. But when they sang “When they ring those golden bells” Billy “Tex” Bob’s voice rang clear and true and high. Way high. Those around him stopped singing. The choir stopped singing. The piano stopped playing and the fiddle, the washboard, the washtub bass, the musical saw, the guitar, the mouth organ, the squeeze box until all that was heard was dogs howling and the church-glass-shattering voice of Billy “Tex” Bob nearly high as heaven is above the earth.
And when he finished, the whole congregation shouted with one voice, “There ain’t no saddlehorn sopranos in the Cowboy Church.”
Billy “Tex” Bob prayed the Cowboy Church would have a change of heart; instead, God turned Billy “Tex’s” heart. Billy “Tex” met Broomhilda Factorymacker who was raised by her father with no companions but jackasses. When Broomhilda brayed bass and Billy “Tex” trilled soprano on “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” it led to a camp meeting, tent revival, rededications, baptisms, marriage and the Cowgirl Church of God. Where the pastor wore leather saddle skirts and carried a pink Bible with a lace trim. Billy “Tex” Bob roped dollar bills out of the cowgirls’ hands.
“A cowgirl church is like an Islamic honky-tonk,” the cowboys said. Few stepped inside but they took a chaw break so that they could stand outside and listen to the special music at the Cowgirl Church of God. And it is rumored that when Broomhilda rode bass and Billy “Tex” rode soprano and they rounded up “When they ring those golden bells,” some of the cowboys held hands. Most often with cowgirls By Robert Flynn
Friday, October 10, 2008
Weak on Security by Robert Flynn
Anyone who remembers World War Two recalls Republican resistance to Roosevelt’s effort to arm the nation. He was accused of leading the US to war, was called a Communist, a Jew, and his wife, Eleanor, was rumored to be a Negro.
Pearl Harbor caught the nation unprepared. The war ended with victory but the US and England needed the Soviet army on Hitler’s eastern front, and before Hiroshima they believed they needed the Soviets in the war against Japan. Stalin dropped an Iron Curtain over the nations it occupied but we owned the world’s only atomic weapons. Hawks called for war against the Soviet Union but the people told Congress, “bring the boys home.” Demobilization was so rapid that General Marshall said, “It was no demobilization, it was a rout.”
Republicans who had claimed Roosevelt was soft on Communism turned their accusations on Truman because of his support for the United Nations. In 1948, Truman revived the draft, organized NATO, supported Greece, Turkey and Iran against Communist insurgents. In 1949, China fell to Communists. In 1950, Truman ordered US troops to the defense of South Korea and persuaded the UN to offer military assistance.
After a disastrous beginning US and UN forces chased the Red army out of South Korea and were nearing the Manchurian and Soviet border. Gen. MacArthur threatened to invade Manchuria, claiming the Chinese army would disintegrate in 24 hours. China entered the war and routed US and UN forces. MacArthur called for a blockade of China, bombing of Manchuria and for the return of Chiang Kai-shek to mainland China with US support. Truman removed him from duty for insubordination and was charged with appeasement. Some Republicans and pundits called for impeachment. Joe McCarthy claimed Truman was drunk when he fired MacArthur. Despite almost losing his army MacArthur charged that politicians lost the war when he was ten days from winning it.
Our superior technology and deadly nuclear weapons made us more insecure than ever. Joe McCarthy and his ilk turned the home of the brave into the land of Chicken Little. Before the internet, before 24/7 radio and TV, the Red scare was as hyped as the terrorist scare after 9/11. Television was new but TV news was not popular until it discovered the power of scandal-mongering. With exceptions TV news was a virtual lynch mob. Anchors screamed “Reds in State Department,” “pinkos, fellow travelers and Communist sympathizers” were under every bed. State and local governments, colleges and corporations required “loyalty oaths.” “Better dead than Red,” was a bumper sticker. McCarthy charged Democrats with “twenty years of treason.” Truman was perhaps the toughest president the US ever had; nevertheless, the Big Lie “Weak on Security” began on his watch. He did not run for reelection in 1952.
After Eisenhower was elected he discharged almost 7,000 “security risks” from government agencies although none was found guilty of any crime. Having tasted unconditional surrender, Americans wanted to stand on the neck of the vanquished. What they got was “brinkmanship,” going to the brink of war then flinching. Like Truman, Eisenhower knew that war in Korea was not “winnable.” Many were relieved but few were pleased when Eisenhower agreed to armistice with North Korea. Shortly thereafter an agreement between France and the Viet Minh called for the withdrawal of France from Southeast Asia and temporary division of Vietnam until reunification elections.
Eisenhower refused to sign the agreement and a month later organized the Southeast Treaty Organization (SEATO), similar to NATO, committing the US to defend South Vietnam. In 1956, President Diem refused to permit elections in South Vietnam declaring free elections were impossible in North Vietnam. Eisenhower supported the decision and sent military aid and advisers. Despite the SEATO agreement Eisenhower told Kennedy the only way to save South Vietnam was to occupy Laos. He did not do so because he feared China would not accept an American army on its border and a Chinese army could not be contained in Southeast Asia without nuclear weapons.
When Egypt’s Gamal Nasser seized the Suez Canal, England, France and Israel invaded Sinai. Eisenhower supported the Soviet Union in demanding an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of foreign troops. Hungary temporarily gained freedom and expelled Soviet troops; Eisenhower offered only moral support. Kruschev demanded withdrawal of the West from Berlin and shot down a U-2 spy plane deep in Soviet territory. Eisenhower first denied, then admitted US spying. It will be unbelievable today but a newspaper headlined a story, “Why this newspaper lied,” furious that they had reported an untruth because a president misled them. That newspaper would decades later forbid its writers to say a president lied after they slavishly repeated his lies.
Eisenhower proposed “Atoms for Peace” whereby the US made available to other nations nuclear material for energy to be administered and supervised by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Ironically, Eisenhower gave the first nuclear materials and/or encouragement to Iraq and Iran. In his farewell address, Eisenhower warned of the military/industrial complex that was spreading its tentacles into every neighborhood and would require wars or threats of wars to maintain.
Kennedy replaced Eisenhower in the White House and was immediately challenged by Kruschev who placed missiles in Cuba. Kennedy negotiated a settlement with the Soviets removing missiles from Cuba and the US removing missiles from Turkey. Kennedy could have rejected the SEATO agreement. Instead, he assented to the assassination of President Diem because Diem wanted financial and military aid but he did not want a foreign army in his country. Before his death JFK renewed his pledge to save South Vietnam. Some say that had he lived another term he would have withdrawn US troops but it seems overly cynical to believe he would acquiesce to the removal of South Vietnam’s leader and then tell them they were on their own.
Kennedy was more popular in death than in life. It would have been unthinkable for Johnson to repudiate an agreement ratified by two presidents. Democrats would have accused him of betraying Kennedy’s promise and Republicans would have accused him of betraying South Vietnam. Like Eisenhower and Kennedy he knew the war in Vietnam was not “winnable” but believed he could save Southeast Asia. For that he organized the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The president of ASEAN would later state that those nations owed a debt to Johnson for giving them time to strengthen their governments and militaries so that after Cambodia no other nations would fall to Communism. Nevertheless, in the media Vietnam became Johnson’s war.
Nixon promised to end the war in Vietnam and did end American involvement, March 1973. For many, like myself, the collapse of South Vietnam was unfathomable and we blamed a Democratic Congress for cutting funding. However, declassified documents reveal that in 1972, Kissinger told China that the US would accept a Communist Vietnam. The war would continue for three more years but Nixon had surrendered.
Nixon ended Truman’s “Containment Policy” and went to China to reach an agreement that the two nations would normalize relations. Soviet Premier Brezhnev came to the US to reach an arms agreement. The Iron Curtain remained but the Cold War was over and it was clear the West had won. I don’t believe that political or military leaders should be credited with winning a war. It takes a nation to win a war. However, it is clear that the political leaders in winning the Cold War were Truman, Johnson and Nixon.
Ford replaced Nixon in the White House and named Rumsfeld Secretary of Defense and Cheney chief of staff. The CIA believed that the Soviet Union was in chaos and would collapse. Rumsfeld and Cheney disagreed. Ford appointed a commission, “Team B,” including Paul Wolfowitz to investigate Soviet intentions. Team B found the Soviets scarier than ever and wanted the Cold War kick-started.
Like Eisenhower, Carter saw the danger of the military/industrial complex that co-opted corporations, contractors, small businesses, schools, cities, churches. He inherited Eisenhower’s blunder--overthrowing the democratically elected government of Iran and putting the tyrannical Shah in power. During the OPEC oil embargo America got most of its oil from Iran until the Shah was overthrown. Ayatollah Khomeini became the leader, held American hostages and stopped oil sales to the US. Carter kept the US out of war and substantially increased US military spending but was never forgiven for saying that Americans had "an inordinate fear of communism." His attempt to rescue the hostages failed. “Free the hostages” became the slogan for the next election.
The day Reagan was inaugurated the hostages were freed, Reagan released frozen Iranian assets, and lifted the arms embargo for Israel so they could ship weapons to Iranian terrorists. The US replaced the Israeli weapons. The Iranians took more hostages, blew up two US embassies and a barracks killing 241 Marines but nothing stopped the arms sale until Israel sent Iran missiles that didn’t work. Reagan began direct sales to Iran but because he was giving aid and comfort to the enemy, he also sent weapons, intelligence and agents necessary for the production of WMD to assist Saddam Hussein in his war on Iran.
In direct violation of the Constitution, Reagan used money from the arms sale to Iranian terrorists to buy a private army to overthrow the democratically elected government of Nicaragua. He also signed illegal quid-pro-quo agreements with Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Saudi Arabia, Israel and other governments to support “Contras” and death squads. Some of the Contras were drug dealers, other Contras used drug smugglers to smuggle guns into Nicaragua. Dealers and smugglers who were caught, such as notorious “narco-terrorist” José Bueso Rosa, were defended by Reagan and Bush. When Congress began an investigation Reagan lied repeatedly then deployed CRS, (Can’t Remember Stuff) the legal defense for his and later Republican politicians.
A Senate subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations, chaired by Senator John Kerry, was the first to document Reagan’s knowledge of, and tolerance for, drug smuggling. Lead investigator Jack Blum testified, “if you ask whether the United States government ignored the drug problem and subverted law enforcement to prevent embarrassment and to reward our allies in the contra war, the answer is yes.” He also detailed Reagan’s obstruction of the Kerry investigation. The Kerry subcommittee concluded that the Reagan administration “abandoned the responsibility our government has for protecting our citizens from all threats to their security and well-being.” The committee’s findings were ignored by the media but would cost Kerry the presidency as the “Religious” Right resorted to false witness to vilify a hero who brought crimes of the disgraced Reagan and Bush1 to light.
Reagan was called the “teflon president” but it wasn’t teflon that protected him but a complicit media that papered over his crimes and what otherwise would be called treason. Reagan would escape impeachment but the International Criminal Court found the US guilty of international terrorism. The US vetoed an otherwise unanimous Security Council call for US compliance with the Court's ruling. Reagan withdrew the US from the court, claiming exception to the laws that governed other nations.
To thwart talk of a “peace dividend” that would suck profit from what had become the military/industrial/media complex Reagan began the one-sided “arms race.” As the CIA had repeatedly stated, the Soviet Union was falling apart and could only pretend to be a dreadful enemy as Saddam Hussein would later do. Reagan faced charges of international crimes, Gorbachev presided over a dying regime, both looked for a place to fall and they fell into another arms treaty. Because of Nixon’s dishonor the media championed the more dishonorable Reagan as “winning the Cold War.”
Reagan tried to restore US prestige by attacking Grenada, an island with no army, no navy, no air force. The Pentagon would later reveal that most US casualties were caused by “friendly fire.” Grenada became the model for quick, successful attacks on defenseless or near-defenseless “enemies” to demonstrate American might and feed the military/industrial/media complex.
Bush1 continued Reagan’s partnership with Saddam. When Saddam sent troops to the border of Kuwait, Ambassador April Glaspie met with Saddam to ask his intentions. Saddam said, “If we could keep the whole of the Shatt al Arab...we will make concessions. But if we are forced to choose between keeping half of the Shatt and the whole of Iraq (Kuwait was part of Iraq until 1961), then we will give up all of the Shatt to defend our claims on Kuwait...” Glaspie responded, “Secretary (of State James) Baker has directed me to emphasize the instruction, first given to Iraq in the 1960s, that the Kuwait issue is not associated with America.”
Two days before Iraq invaded Kuwait, the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, told Congress the “United States has no commitment to defend Kuwait and the US has no intention of defending Kuwait if it is attacked by Iraq.” When the US asked other nations to join an invasion of Iraq, Saddam thought he had been tricked by Western perfidy. Perhaps he had been. After destroying the infrastructure, military hardware and WMD that Reagan/Bush had helped Iraq build, the US and its allies withdrew. Desert Storm was not to free Kuwait or Iraq from tyranny but to “save” Saudi Arabia that Saddam had not threatened. Bush arranged for US troops to be based there, a tragic error that would be one of the reasons for 9/11.
Bush also invaded Panama and seized Manuel Noriega. For assistance in the war on Nicaragua the US agreed to “clean up Noriega’s image” as a narco-terrorist. After the exposure of Iran/Contra and guns for drugs, Noriega became a liability. Bush also inherited the Islamic extremist “freedom fighters” that Reagan had recruited to fight the Soviets. After Soviet withdrawal, the US wanted them to return home but their native countries feared them. Bush left more than 30,000 trained terrorists unemployed.
Clinton opposed the Vietnam War and avoided military service. Bush2, Cheney and other “chicken vultures” supported the war as long as they didn’t have to serve in it. Clinton saved Bosnia from aggression and captured and convicted those guilty of the first bombing of the World Trade Center. Clinton’s effort to cut off funding for al-Qaida was thwarted by Senator Phil Gramm. Enron used the same banks to launder money and Gramm’s wife was on Enron’s board of directors. To Republicans, and their media, the only threat to national security was Monica Lewinski.
Most US aid to Afghanistan went to Taliban because it seemed the only force likely to stabilize Afghanistan and because Taliban prohibited opium production. By 1999, the policy had changed and the US, Russia and India planned to destroy Taliban but could not find a government to replace it.
Bush2 tried to appease Taliban, offering them a carpet of gold if they did US bidding but warned of a carpet of bombs if they did not. Secretary of State Colin Powell gave Taliban $43 billion saying, “We will continue to look for ways to provide more assistance to the Afghans.” Nevertheless, 19 hijackers inflicted the most humiliating defeat in US history. The Bush administration was helpless and for almost an hour and a half the only response to the attack was by civilian airline passengers.
It’s unnecessary to point out the incompetence and futility of the Bush2 administration. The world has become a more dangerous place. National security is scarcely better than on 9/11. Billions of dollars worth of tanks, airplanes, aircraft carriers did not protect us on 9/11 and have been ineffective in combating terrorism. They have had the same placebo effect as seeing “smart bombs” make direct hits. Bush2 said he had inherited the greatest military the world had ever known. The next president will not say that.
Both political parties have avidly fed the military/industrial/media complex. Not to do so would destroy or nearly destroy the US economy. Richard Armitage, former deputy secretary of state said, “Since 9/11 our principal export to the world has been our fear.” Fear is a symptom of weakness and the Republican party is the party of fear.
By Robert Flynn
Pearl Harbor caught the nation unprepared. The war ended with victory but the US and England needed the Soviet army on Hitler’s eastern front, and before Hiroshima they believed they needed the Soviets in the war against Japan. Stalin dropped an Iron Curtain over the nations it occupied but we owned the world’s only atomic weapons. Hawks called for war against the Soviet Union but the people told Congress, “bring the boys home.” Demobilization was so rapid that General Marshall said, “It was no demobilization, it was a rout.”
Republicans who had claimed Roosevelt was soft on Communism turned their accusations on Truman because of his support for the United Nations. In 1948, Truman revived the draft, organized NATO, supported Greece, Turkey and Iran against Communist insurgents. In 1949, China fell to Communists. In 1950, Truman ordered US troops to the defense of South Korea and persuaded the UN to offer military assistance.
After a disastrous beginning US and UN forces chased the Red army out of South Korea and were nearing the Manchurian and Soviet border. Gen. MacArthur threatened to invade Manchuria, claiming the Chinese army would disintegrate in 24 hours. China entered the war and routed US and UN forces. MacArthur called for a blockade of China, bombing of Manchuria and for the return of Chiang Kai-shek to mainland China with US support. Truman removed him from duty for insubordination and was charged with appeasement. Some Republicans and pundits called for impeachment. Joe McCarthy claimed Truman was drunk when he fired MacArthur. Despite almost losing his army MacArthur charged that politicians lost the war when he was ten days from winning it.
Our superior technology and deadly nuclear weapons made us more insecure than ever. Joe McCarthy and his ilk turned the home of the brave into the land of Chicken Little. Before the internet, before 24/7 radio and TV, the Red scare was as hyped as the terrorist scare after 9/11. Television was new but TV news was not popular until it discovered the power of scandal-mongering. With exceptions TV news was a virtual lynch mob. Anchors screamed “Reds in State Department,” “pinkos, fellow travelers and Communist sympathizers” were under every bed. State and local governments, colleges and corporations required “loyalty oaths.” “Better dead than Red,” was a bumper sticker. McCarthy charged Democrats with “twenty years of treason.” Truman was perhaps the toughest president the US ever had; nevertheless, the Big Lie “Weak on Security” began on his watch. He did not run for reelection in 1952.
After Eisenhower was elected he discharged almost 7,000 “security risks” from government agencies although none was found guilty of any crime. Having tasted unconditional surrender, Americans wanted to stand on the neck of the vanquished. What they got was “brinkmanship,” going to the brink of war then flinching. Like Truman, Eisenhower knew that war in Korea was not “winnable.” Many were relieved but few were pleased when Eisenhower agreed to armistice with North Korea. Shortly thereafter an agreement between France and the Viet Minh called for the withdrawal of France from Southeast Asia and temporary division of Vietnam until reunification elections.
Eisenhower refused to sign the agreement and a month later organized the Southeast Treaty Organization (SEATO), similar to NATO, committing the US to defend South Vietnam. In 1956, President Diem refused to permit elections in South Vietnam declaring free elections were impossible in North Vietnam. Eisenhower supported the decision and sent military aid and advisers. Despite the SEATO agreement Eisenhower told Kennedy the only way to save South Vietnam was to occupy Laos. He did not do so because he feared China would not accept an American army on its border and a Chinese army could not be contained in Southeast Asia without nuclear weapons.
When Egypt’s Gamal Nasser seized the Suez Canal, England, France and Israel invaded Sinai. Eisenhower supported the Soviet Union in demanding an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of foreign troops. Hungary temporarily gained freedom and expelled Soviet troops; Eisenhower offered only moral support. Kruschev demanded withdrawal of the West from Berlin and shot down a U-2 spy plane deep in Soviet territory. Eisenhower first denied, then admitted US spying. It will be unbelievable today but a newspaper headlined a story, “Why this newspaper lied,” furious that they had reported an untruth because a president misled them. That newspaper would decades later forbid its writers to say a president lied after they slavishly repeated his lies.
Eisenhower proposed “Atoms for Peace” whereby the US made available to other nations nuclear material for energy to be administered and supervised by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Ironically, Eisenhower gave the first nuclear materials and/or encouragement to Iraq and Iran. In his farewell address, Eisenhower warned of the military/industrial complex that was spreading its tentacles into every neighborhood and would require wars or threats of wars to maintain.
Kennedy replaced Eisenhower in the White House and was immediately challenged by Kruschev who placed missiles in Cuba. Kennedy negotiated a settlement with the Soviets removing missiles from Cuba and the US removing missiles from Turkey. Kennedy could have rejected the SEATO agreement. Instead, he assented to the assassination of President Diem because Diem wanted financial and military aid but he did not want a foreign army in his country. Before his death JFK renewed his pledge to save South Vietnam. Some say that had he lived another term he would have withdrawn US troops but it seems overly cynical to believe he would acquiesce to the removal of South Vietnam’s leader and then tell them they were on their own.
Kennedy was more popular in death than in life. It would have been unthinkable for Johnson to repudiate an agreement ratified by two presidents. Democrats would have accused him of betraying Kennedy’s promise and Republicans would have accused him of betraying South Vietnam. Like Eisenhower and Kennedy he knew the war in Vietnam was not “winnable” but believed he could save Southeast Asia. For that he organized the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The president of ASEAN would later state that those nations owed a debt to Johnson for giving them time to strengthen their governments and militaries so that after Cambodia no other nations would fall to Communism. Nevertheless, in the media Vietnam became Johnson’s war.
Nixon promised to end the war in Vietnam and did end American involvement, March 1973. For many, like myself, the collapse of South Vietnam was unfathomable and we blamed a Democratic Congress for cutting funding. However, declassified documents reveal that in 1972, Kissinger told China that the US would accept a Communist Vietnam. The war would continue for three more years but Nixon had surrendered.
Nixon ended Truman’s “Containment Policy” and went to China to reach an agreement that the two nations would normalize relations. Soviet Premier Brezhnev came to the US to reach an arms agreement. The Iron Curtain remained but the Cold War was over and it was clear the West had won. I don’t believe that political or military leaders should be credited with winning a war. It takes a nation to win a war. However, it is clear that the political leaders in winning the Cold War were Truman, Johnson and Nixon.
Ford replaced Nixon in the White House and named Rumsfeld Secretary of Defense and Cheney chief of staff. The CIA believed that the Soviet Union was in chaos and would collapse. Rumsfeld and Cheney disagreed. Ford appointed a commission, “Team B,” including Paul Wolfowitz to investigate Soviet intentions. Team B found the Soviets scarier than ever and wanted the Cold War kick-started.
Like Eisenhower, Carter saw the danger of the military/industrial complex that co-opted corporations, contractors, small businesses, schools, cities, churches. He inherited Eisenhower’s blunder--overthrowing the democratically elected government of Iran and putting the tyrannical Shah in power. During the OPEC oil embargo America got most of its oil from Iran until the Shah was overthrown. Ayatollah Khomeini became the leader, held American hostages and stopped oil sales to the US. Carter kept the US out of war and substantially increased US military spending but was never forgiven for saying that Americans had "an inordinate fear of communism." His attempt to rescue the hostages failed. “Free the hostages” became the slogan for the next election.
The day Reagan was inaugurated the hostages were freed, Reagan released frozen Iranian assets, and lifted the arms embargo for Israel so they could ship weapons to Iranian terrorists. The US replaced the Israeli weapons. The Iranians took more hostages, blew up two US embassies and a barracks killing 241 Marines but nothing stopped the arms sale until Israel sent Iran missiles that didn’t work. Reagan began direct sales to Iran but because he was giving aid and comfort to the enemy, he also sent weapons, intelligence and agents necessary for the production of WMD to assist Saddam Hussein in his war on Iran.
In direct violation of the Constitution, Reagan used money from the arms sale to Iranian terrorists to buy a private army to overthrow the democratically elected government of Nicaragua. He also signed illegal quid-pro-quo agreements with Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Saudi Arabia, Israel and other governments to support “Contras” and death squads. Some of the Contras were drug dealers, other Contras used drug smugglers to smuggle guns into Nicaragua. Dealers and smugglers who were caught, such as notorious “narco-terrorist” José Bueso Rosa, were defended by Reagan and Bush. When Congress began an investigation Reagan lied repeatedly then deployed CRS, (Can’t Remember Stuff) the legal defense for his and later Republican politicians.
A Senate subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations, chaired by Senator John Kerry, was the first to document Reagan’s knowledge of, and tolerance for, drug smuggling. Lead investigator Jack Blum testified, “if you ask whether the United States government ignored the drug problem and subverted law enforcement to prevent embarrassment and to reward our allies in the contra war, the answer is yes.” He also detailed Reagan’s obstruction of the Kerry investigation. The Kerry subcommittee concluded that the Reagan administration “abandoned the responsibility our government has for protecting our citizens from all threats to their security and well-being.” The committee’s findings were ignored by the media but would cost Kerry the presidency as the “Religious” Right resorted to false witness to vilify a hero who brought crimes of the disgraced Reagan and Bush1 to light.
Reagan was called the “teflon president” but it wasn’t teflon that protected him but a complicit media that papered over his crimes and what otherwise would be called treason. Reagan would escape impeachment but the International Criminal Court found the US guilty of international terrorism. The US vetoed an otherwise unanimous Security Council call for US compliance with the Court's ruling. Reagan withdrew the US from the court, claiming exception to the laws that governed other nations.
To thwart talk of a “peace dividend” that would suck profit from what had become the military/industrial/media complex Reagan began the one-sided “arms race.” As the CIA had repeatedly stated, the Soviet Union was falling apart and could only pretend to be a dreadful enemy as Saddam Hussein would later do. Reagan faced charges of international crimes, Gorbachev presided over a dying regime, both looked for a place to fall and they fell into another arms treaty. Because of Nixon’s dishonor the media championed the more dishonorable Reagan as “winning the Cold War.”
Reagan tried to restore US prestige by attacking Grenada, an island with no army, no navy, no air force. The Pentagon would later reveal that most US casualties were caused by “friendly fire.” Grenada became the model for quick, successful attacks on defenseless or near-defenseless “enemies” to demonstrate American might and feed the military/industrial/media complex.
Bush1 continued Reagan’s partnership with Saddam. When Saddam sent troops to the border of Kuwait, Ambassador April Glaspie met with Saddam to ask his intentions. Saddam said, “If we could keep the whole of the Shatt al Arab...we will make concessions. But if we are forced to choose between keeping half of the Shatt and the whole of Iraq (Kuwait was part of Iraq until 1961), then we will give up all of the Shatt to defend our claims on Kuwait...” Glaspie responded, “Secretary (of State James) Baker has directed me to emphasize the instruction, first given to Iraq in the 1960s, that the Kuwait issue is not associated with America.”
Two days before Iraq invaded Kuwait, the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, told Congress the “United States has no commitment to defend Kuwait and the US has no intention of defending Kuwait if it is attacked by Iraq.” When the US asked other nations to join an invasion of Iraq, Saddam thought he had been tricked by Western perfidy. Perhaps he had been. After destroying the infrastructure, military hardware and WMD that Reagan/Bush had helped Iraq build, the US and its allies withdrew. Desert Storm was not to free Kuwait or Iraq from tyranny but to “save” Saudi Arabia that Saddam had not threatened. Bush arranged for US troops to be based there, a tragic error that would be one of the reasons for 9/11.
Bush also invaded Panama and seized Manuel Noriega. For assistance in the war on Nicaragua the US agreed to “clean up Noriega’s image” as a narco-terrorist. After the exposure of Iran/Contra and guns for drugs, Noriega became a liability. Bush also inherited the Islamic extremist “freedom fighters” that Reagan had recruited to fight the Soviets. After Soviet withdrawal, the US wanted them to return home but their native countries feared them. Bush left more than 30,000 trained terrorists unemployed.
Clinton opposed the Vietnam War and avoided military service. Bush2, Cheney and other “chicken vultures” supported the war as long as they didn’t have to serve in it. Clinton saved Bosnia from aggression and captured and convicted those guilty of the first bombing of the World Trade Center. Clinton’s effort to cut off funding for al-Qaida was thwarted by Senator Phil Gramm. Enron used the same banks to launder money and Gramm’s wife was on Enron’s board of directors. To Republicans, and their media, the only threat to national security was Monica Lewinski.
Most US aid to Afghanistan went to Taliban because it seemed the only force likely to stabilize Afghanistan and because Taliban prohibited opium production. By 1999, the policy had changed and the US, Russia and India planned to destroy Taliban but could not find a government to replace it.
Bush2 tried to appease Taliban, offering them a carpet of gold if they did US bidding but warned of a carpet of bombs if they did not. Secretary of State Colin Powell gave Taliban $43 billion saying, “We will continue to look for ways to provide more assistance to the Afghans.” Nevertheless, 19 hijackers inflicted the most humiliating defeat in US history. The Bush administration was helpless and for almost an hour and a half the only response to the attack was by civilian airline passengers.
It’s unnecessary to point out the incompetence and futility of the Bush2 administration. The world has become a more dangerous place. National security is scarcely better than on 9/11. Billions of dollars worth of tanks, airplanes, aircraft carriers did not protect us on 9/11 and have been ineffective in combating terrorism. They have had the same placebo effect as seeing “smart bombs” make direct hits. Bush2 said he had inherited the greatest military the world had ever known. The next president will not say that.
Both political parties have avidly fed the military/industrial/media complex. Not to do so would destroy or nearly destroy the US economy. Richard Armitage, former deputy secretary of state said, “Since 9/11 our principal export to the world has been our fear.” Fear is a symptom of weakness and the Republican party is the party of fear.
By Robert Flynn
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Robert Flynn, professor emeritus, Trinity University and a native ...
15, Robert Flynn, professor emeritus, Trinity University and a native of Chillicothe, Texas, is the author of twelve books will be a guest on Klein's Blog Talk Radio show from 6:30 to 7 pm Flynn's books include seven novels: North To ...
The Adirondack Book House | BlogTalkR... - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-Dancing-Valkyrie
15, Robert Flynn, professor emeritus, Trinity University and a native of Chillicothe, Texas, is the author of twelve books will be a guest on Klein's Blog Talk Radio show from 6:30 to 7 pm Flynn's books include seven novels: North To ...
The Adirondack Book House | BlogTalkR... - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-Dancing-Valkyrie
LONG STORY SHORT NEWSLETTER
ONE OF WRITER'S DIGEST'S
101 BEST WRITING WEBSITES FIVE YEARS RUNNING!
November 2008, Vol. 64
PROMOTE LONG STORY SHORT – SEND THIS TO ALL OF YOUR WRITING FRIENDS!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
GENERAL STUFF
Long Story Short School of Writing has been swamped with enrollments since our partnership with Colorado Free University, which offers all of our courses! Check it out: http://www.lssatcfu.org/
Denise Cassino's seminar, "How to Market Your Book on the Internet" still has a few openings. Sign up Now! In this tough economy, it's time to start advancing your writing career and get some books sales. This seminar will teach you to build a website and/or create a blog and use it blog effectively, how to write eye-catching press releases, the use of bookmarking sites, effective social networking, how to create a press kit, how to get and give good radio interviews along with contacts, and she will help you organize a Virtual Book Tour. If you are interested, visit her website for more information and pricing. Thanks.
If you need any book editing and proofreading services or private mentoring at a moderate price, visit Linda Barnett-Johnson's website www.lindabarnett-johnson.com or Contact her. She just finished editing Patricia Crandall's new novel, The Dog Men that Denise will be marketing.
Anna Maria Prezio is hosting a new exciting radio show, Spiritual Animals Radio on www.internetvoicesradio.com Mondays at 8pm EST – She will have TIPPI HEDREN, actress and Director of Shambala, the wild animal preserve in California as a guest on Nov 24 at 7pm EST. Listen! She's looking for unique guests whose stories about animals convey the amazing powers and psychic connections they have with their human counter parts. Contact her if you would like to appear on her show to tell your story. Animal Advocacy, Divine Dolphins, Sexy Snakes and more. If you run a dog rescue program or any such thing, this is for you. Contact Anna Maria and tune into her show!
Lillian Cauldwell is looking for sponsors for her radio show – you get great exposure and regular mentions during her programming and much, much more – www.internetvoicesradio.com.. Contact Lillian with your ideas.
Denise is now the book publicist for Linda Ballou, Lanaia Lee, Robert Flynn, Rosemary Chaulk, Sharon Poppen, Patricia Crandall, Kenny Kahn, Dr. John F. Murray and Lillian Cauldwell, promoting them and their books on the Internet with social networking sites, blog marketing, Virtual Book Tours and Radio interviews. If you know anyone interested in a publicist to market his or her books, contact Denise.
EZINE NEWS
1. TRAVIS' TRAVEL TIPS –A Few of My Favorite Things, part 2 by Marie Delgado Travis
2. A new chapter in Irv Pliskin's serial novel, FATAL ENCOUNTERS – Chapter 28- a novel of deadly proportions – "R" rated!
3. Book of the Month – THE ANNA MAE MYSTERIES – THE GOLDEN TREASURE by Lillian Cauldwell
4. We're currently accepting stories for January and February- please submit! We are accepting poetry for Jan - June 2009 – submit.
LSS WRITING SCHOOL NEWS
1. Lillian Cauldwell of Passionate Internet Voices Talk Radio hosts an Internet radio program about LSS Writing School on a regular weekly Tuesday evening show where a different course and its instructor will be featured each week. Here's the schedule: Dorry Pease on 11/18, Lea Schizas on 11/25. More to come! The website is InternetVoicesRadio.com. Tune in! Great Programming and an excellent, highly-visited venue for advertising your books– tune in at 9pmEST.
Lots of Great Courses! Sign up now! Don't forget about our wide assortment of courses in e-Book format in our e-Bookstore. – from $19.99-39.99.
FORUM NEWS
My LSS Writing Friend - join us and improve your writing skills. Contact Linda to join.
WRITERS' LODGE
Check out the Long Story Short Writers' Lodge – why don't you join? Imagine having your own webpage complete with bio, photo, links to your published work. You can start a mailing list; get a chat room, link to your blog, add a message board and more! $21.99 per year – how can you lose. Our newest member is Kathy Zengolewicz. Welcome her!
Denise Cassino is now doing book marketing in addition to building websites for authors, check her website: http://www.wizardlywebdesigns.com/bookmarketing.html
Sign Up for our newsletter.
ADVERTISING RATES: Need activity on your website or want to promote a book? Review our advertising rates; we'd love to place your ad in our newsletter, our school or in our ezine. Very reasonable rates!
EDITORS' CORNER
Linda Barnett-Johnson: Hello reading and writing friends. Is the shock of Christmas, being only two months away, stressing you out? I can't believe it. It feels like the world, and the years, are spinning so fast that I can't keep up with them. I wonder how many of us wish we were little children again and having our parents make all the decisions for us. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. But it is the time of year to get together with your family for that special time to reminisce and make new memories. I want to wish you all a fantastic Thanksgiving with family and friends. I am thankful for all of you.
Denise Cassino – I cannot believe another year is almost done! Does this mean I'm getting old that time flies by so fast or does it mean I'm having fun? Actually I am having fun, mostly because of all of you. Have a great Thanksgiving day with your loved ones.
Marie Delgado Travis – This will be my next-to-last "Travis Travel Tips," "Marie's Musings" and "Poetry Challenge," though some of these columns may reappear at a future date in other forms, by other authors. I am forever grateful to LSS Editor, Denise Cassino, for the many wonderful opportunities she has provided to me since my first poetry submission in 2005. Starting in December, I hope to dedicate myself fully to a Master of Fine Arts program. I will, however, continue to act as LSS Poetry Editor for another year, God-willing, in late Poetry Editor, Sue Scott's honor. I look forward to announcing the LSS Poem of the Year in the next edition of Long Story Short and am currently reading poems for the period of Jan.-Dec. 2009. Kindly see Submission Guidelines for details and do let me know, please, if you should have any questions. Contact me. Happy Thanksgiving!
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint. ~ Mark Twain
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. ~ Mark Twain
Truth is more of a stranger than fiction. ~Mark Twain
STORY OF THE MONTH
THE LOGIC IS IN THE KINDNESS by Alex P. Harvey
BOOK OF THE MONTH
THE ANNA MAE MYSTERIES – THE GOLDEN TREASURE by Lillian
FANTASY
BEAUTIES' GUILD by Tala Bar
FICTION
TROUBLE IN PARADISE by Jan Christensen
GOD NEVER CALLED by Joan G. Sutula
THE ROAR OF THE RIVER by Joanna M. Weston
THE BIG STEP by Keith Wood
YOU'LL KNOW SOMEDAY by Judy Nickles
BEING PRESENT by Julie Cox
THE PRAYER BOOK by Andrew McIntyre
SPILLED MILK by Joanne Faries
FLASH
THE FORTUNE OF A ACCIDENT by Nathaniel Tower
ANGER SUFFERS AS GRIEF WITHDRAWS by Mary V. Kolar
A SEASONAL AFFAIR by C.A. Masterson
SPLINTERED SACRIFICE by Scott Appleton
RUMBLES OF THE HEART by Kimberly Payne
ONLY ONE by Joshua Scribner
LEVELS OF TEETH by Eric Suhem
IRV PLISKIN'S SERIAL KILLER
FATAL ENCOUNTERS – CHAPTER 28
MARIE'S MUSINGS
NON FICTION
THE ONE-EYED BERKINS by Kathe Campbell
A 'BUD' NO MORE by Kenan Bresnan
THE LAST FABIAN by Arlene Weiss
POEM OF THE MONTH
AUTUMNAL EQUINOX by Mei-Li Liu
POETRY – All Poetry
I WISH TO TELL YOU by Patricia Wellingham-Jones
HARVEST TIME by Michael Lee Johnson
TWIGS TO BURN by Ernest Williamson III
WISH by Marie Delgado Travis
ANYWHERE BUT HERE by Robert Simmons
DOZING OFF WHILE HUNTING CAIMAN AT MIDNIGHT IN THE AMAZON
by Nikolai Von Keller
I WISH by Floriana Hall
DECEPTION by Pavelle Wesser
UNTIL THEN by Susie N. McCray
OVER THERE by Monica Garcia Saenz
HURRICANE by Mahdy Y. Khaiyat
NOVEMBER GALE by Lenard W Eccles
THANKSGIVING DAY AT MY HOUSE by M. David Lutz
DAY OF THE DEAD by Odarka Polanskyj Stockert
CELEBRITY POET by Marie Delgado Travis
CELEBRITY POET JOHN ASHBERY (1927-Present)
POET'S CHALLENGE by Marie Delgado Travis
BRITISH POET LAUREATES by Marie Delgado Travis
TRAVIS' TRAVEL TIPS by Marie Delgado Travis
A FEW OF MY FAVORITES THINGS, PART 2
ASK GRIZZLY GUS – a Common Sense Advice Column
Dear Grizzly Gus:
Your article saved my life. It happened a month ago. I was in the kitchen baking brownies for the Boy Scout Troop meeting. Billy, my son, grabbed a brownie I had cooling on the counter and ran out to play leaving the screen door wide open even though I've told him a thousand times to make sure to close it. That is when a bee flew into the kitchen. I happen to be extremely allergic to bees. Naturally, I panicked and at first, I didn't know what to do. Then I remembered your article in the Long Story Short Newsletter. I was saving it to show my writing group what really poor writing looked like and how to avoid it. I was able to quickly roll up the newsletter and swat the bee before it could sting me. I suppose you could say your advice has finally served some useful purpose.
Signed: Bee-Well in Washington
Dear Bee-Well in Washington
I'm so happy my article saved your life. There's no need to repay me. You letter is enough. I will carry it with me wherever I go. Then some day when I find myself without TP – you'll be able to return the favor.
Thanks from the bottom - of my bottom
Signed: Grizzly Life-saver Gus
***
Dear Grizzly Gus:
The energy crisis is worsening every day. I am sure your readers would like to know what you are doing to conserve energy and our natural resources.
Signed: Earnest for the Environment
Dear Earnest for the Environment:
I firmly believe in conserving energy. Heck I was conserving energy long before it was fashionable. Of course back then most folks said I was just plain lazy. It's not easy being a pioneer, blazing the trail for others to follow.
Now that I'm retired I find I'm able to save even more energy. Each day I sit almost motionless behind my desk reading and answering letters for my column, moving nothing but my fingers until feeding time which is every thirty minutes. I don't walk to the fridge, instead I just scoot my office chair down the hallway to the kitchen where I nuke a couple of Hot Pockets and then roll back to my office. We must all do our part to conserve our natural resources and protect our environment as well. When I found out that aerosol cans were harmful for the ozone, I quit using deodorant. When I learned that laundry soap had phosphates I quit doing laundry. Then I heard that the underground aquifer here in Florida (where I live) is drying up so I quit bathing and brushing on a regular basis. Can't say I get invited to many cookouts anymore but at least I'm doing my part for the environment. You could even say, I've 'gone green' - especially my teeth.
Signed: Grizzly 'Green' Gus
Write to: Grizzly Gus for advice on anything and he'll give it to you good. Grizzly_gus@hotmail.com Visit his webpage.
WRITING EXERCISE by Linda Barnett-Johnson
From the book, "Writing Life Stories" by Bill Roorbach, "a memoir is a true story, a work of narrative built directly from the memory of its writer; in memoir, the writer is also the protagonist - the person to whom the events of the story happen - or at least an observer closely involved with the protagonists."
Map-making: Make a map of the earliest neighborhood you can remember. Put as much detail as you can remember. Who were your neighbors? Who did you play with? Where were your friends? Where did the strange neighbors live? Where were the off-limit places? See how much you can remember by doing this. You'll be surprised at how much will come back to mind. Take your time and see where it takes you. You can do it on paper, poster board, with colored markers, or any way you want. But try it.
WRITING TIP by Linda Barnett-Johnson
Thanksgiving is a great place to capture dialog and mannerisms for your next story or book. Make it a point to jot down some of these things and write a short story and send it to us. Do you have an aunt that's hilarious? Is there a special grandchild that always seems to do something that is priceless? Write it down. I have a list of funny things my grand kids have said over the years. One of them said, "Nana, did you know I was born on my birthday?" Now, how smart is that? I think he was 4 at the time. Okay, now you have your assignment for Thanksgiving. Have fun with it and don't stress out.
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The Long Story Short Newsletter is a publication of
LONG STORY SHORT, INC. ©2004
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Hosteasy CGI Mentions Rosemary Chaulk's Book Tour
Denise Cassino of Wizardly Web Designs and Marketing www.wizardlywebdesigns.com is hosting a Virtual Book Tour for Rosemary Chaulk’s acclaimed book, Nissitissit Witch,in its second printing. Watch for reviews, interviews and blog appearances. We’ll keep you posted. www.rosemarychaulk.com
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Nashoba Publishing Touts Nissitissit Witch - Rosemary Chaulk
Don Eriksson of Nashoba Publishing, a Mass. publication has noticed the success Rosemary Chaulk's book, Nissitissit Witch is having with locals. It tells of witches, mists and village deaths due to the toxic chemicals routinely dumped in rivers, streams and the earth itself, causing horrible deaths blamed on a "witch". www.rosemarychaulk.com
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Tales,,,of witches, mists, village death, Nissitissit Witch
Local author Rosemary Chaulk seems to have struck a chord with local folks with recent publication of her short novel "Nissitissit Witch," a mysterious tale of a prosperous village that died -- Pepperell's (MA) own North Village. Books is selling out! www.rosemarychaulk.com
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
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