On 15 November, the Democratic candidates debated each other in Las Vegas.  One issue in particular caught my attention, and that was the question posed by Wolf Blitzer when he asked, “When they clash, what is more important, human rights or national security?”  The framing of this question interests me – are these mutually exclusive goals in the 21st century?  And who set the framework for this type of conjecture? 

I think the answer to the latter is obvious as we have lived through a Presidency that would propose and carry out to limit the freedoms of its own citizens in order to provide – at least on the surface – a sense of security.  From the suspension of habeas corpus to the illegal spying of American citizens to soft media control, BushCo’s answer to the terrorist question is to become like them in order to fight them. 

Of course, the irrationality of our diminished freedoms at home stems from the fact that the great call of duty all neoconservatives assume upon their shoulders is the spread of democracy abroad.  As Bill Maher, one of the patron saints of this blog, observed:

[George Bush] is gonna spread freedom and democracy to the Iraqi people if he has to kill every last one of them to do it.

So we have the neocon’s answer to the question.  What about the Democratic candidates?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnktoDh3oOA&feature=related]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TJMkNF0hzk&feature=related]

If you needed more proof that Republicans continue to the frame debate, you need only listen to Blitzer’s assertion that “occassionally they could clash”, but also to Clinton’s and Dodd’s answer. 

Only Bill Richardson and Barack Obama maintained that the concepts are not mutually exclusive.  More importantly, I would maintain that if you tend to the issues of human rights, not only on a moral basis, but on an economic, social and political basis, it will make the United States safer. 

Samantha Power, Obama’s Foreign Policy Advisor, in her book A Problem from Hell, asserted the following:

… security for the Americans at home and abroad is contingent on international stability, and there is perhaps no greater source of havoc than a group of well-armed extremists bent on wiping out a people on ethnic, national, or religious grounds.

… the sad record of the last century shows that the walls of the United States tries to build around genocidal socities almost inevitably shatter.  States that murder and torment their own citizens target citizens elsewhere. 

~ Excerpt, page 513

We need only look to the lessons of the past – the lessons of Hilter who persecuted his own people and then moved across Europe, Saddam Hussein who tried to wipe out the Kurds and then waged war on Kuwait, and Molosevic spread his war from Slovenia to Bosnia and Kosovo – to see that leaders who will squelch the rights of their own citizens don’t necessarily play well with others, much less respect our borders. 

After all, the well-documented humanitarian crisis that existed under the Taliban reached our shores on September the 11th.  And we can see regimes today, like the government of Omar al-Bashir in Sudan, who not only mimic the Taliban in their cruelty, but also in their disrespect for the borders of their neighbors. 

We cannot build a wall around America, but we can ensure that the grievences of citizens around the world are not played out upon our national stage.  This does not mean policing the world, but it does mean that America needs to operate globally at a diplomatic intensity where the Geneva Convention is of utmost importance.  We need a President who understands that if the people of the world have their basic human rights, there will be no need to threaten our security. 

Before tonight’s Democratic Debate in Los Vegas on CNN, I wanted to sit down with my good friend, Wolf Blitzer, to get the head’s up on the event.  What I discovered was shocking – a drinking game composed by my other good friends, Anderson Cooper and Larry King.  I swiped a copy of it and reproduced it below:

• Everytime Hillary Clinton uses the word “experience”, take a sip of beer while rolling your eyes.
• Everytime Mike Gravel goes on an insane rant about his fellow candidates, slip your grandmother’s panties on and take a shot of whiskey. 
• Everytime Dennis Kucinich makes way too much sense for a political candidate – much less a leprechan - eat a bowl of Lucky Charms poured in Jim Beam. 
• Everytime Joe Biden shows his pearly whites – which is actually two big porcelein bones wrapped around his jaw – brush your teeth with your favorite vodka.
• Everytime Barack Obama uses his refreshing good looks and swagger to look like more of a human than the Hillarybot, pour Kaluha in your partners mouth and make out through the commercial break.
• Everytime Wolf asks Hillary a question, and she responds, “That’s not the question we planted for you, asshole!” – water your Chia pet with Bicardi.
• Everytime Bill Richardson lists how much more experience he has than everyone else, exclaim, “yeah, but …” and take a shot of tequila.
• Everytime Chris Dodd … oh nevermind …
• Everytime Wolf Blitzer mistakenly refers to Barack Obama as Osama Bin Laden, howl at the moon and throw your TV out the window … after all, by this point, we’re drunk enough. 

An astronaut, that’s right an ASTRONAUT (as in America’s weightless heroes … as in “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind … as in Jack Nicholson in the tear-jerker Terms of Endearment) possibly maybe attempted murder or kidnapping or some good old fashioned bitch-slapping over a boyfriend or something.  Who knows – BUT IT’S HAPPENING NOW.  IT’S BREAKING NEWS.  IT’S A DEVELOPING STORY. 

The legal analysts are having wet dreams as we speak.  You could practically swim in Nancy Grace’s panties.  There are hearings; there are bonds being set … oh OH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, I rarely climax during legal proceedings unless I’m dreaming about impeachment.  As CNN is “reporting”, in real fucking time by the way, this case is unprecedented.  And it has absolutely nothing to do with anything. 

Has the Senate made up?  Is there peace in the Middle East?  Did we solve that pesky genocide in Darfur?  Who cares? 

AN ASTRONAUT WAS ARRESTED.  SHE’S CUTE.  IT’S A LOVE TRIANGLE. 

IT’S JUST SO OFF-TOPIC … thanks fourth estate! 

Two devastating storms swept through central Florida last night.  The first, a huge tornado that hit Volusia County, Sumter County, Seminole County, and Lake County.  The second, callow reporters trying to get their 15 second sound byte on CNN. 

I remember watching the Sago Mine Disaster covered on CNN.  The families had just found out that their loved ones had all died in the mine, after being misinformed that they had lived.  After throwing vast amounts of money at the graphics and melodrama department, the channel apparently scraped the bottom of the barrel for a reporter who asked one of the family members the following question:

What was the mood when you found out only one miner survived?  What did you feel?

Hey CNN – here’s a simple mathematical equation for you:

Loss of a loved one / place of habitation + recent knowledge of said event = SADNESS. 

It works as well for the tornados.  When a person is standing in front of their home, or what was once their home which now looks like a pile of Lincoln Logs thrown haphazardly on the ground, THEY FEEL OVERWHELMED / CRUSHED / DEVASTATED.  And when you title your breaking news story Nightmare in Paradise, it makes what amounts to vast human tragedy into a Harlequin Novel.  A bad Harlequin Novel.  With Fabio on the cover. 

I’m sitting here with my good friend, Wolf Blitzer, from CNN’s the Situation Room, regarding the recent announcement from Barack Obama about his intention to create an exploratory committee for a Presidential bid in 2008.  Wolf was able to sit in during the taped message delivered by Senator Obama; his thoughts and reactions will be indicated in italics.

Hello Rational Revolution participants!  I’ve been hounding (no pun intended) Boo here for some space on the blog, and I’m thrilled that today, when Barack Osama announced his exploratory committee, that I could participate. 

[Boo's Note: Wolf ... it's BARACK OBAMA, not OSAMA.  One is an honorable Senator from Illinois; the other is the most wanted terrorist in the world.]

I just read over Boo’s note above, and I want to extend my personal apologies to Senator Obama for that spelling error.  It in no way was meant as a personal attack on the fact that his name doesn’t sound American enough for the average voter.  I will be calling the Senator personally after I finish this blog. 

Now, as I was writing before, I had the pleasure and honor of sitting in during the Senator’s announcement, and have posted a picture from it below:

[Boo's Edit Note: Wolfman, that's not Obama ... that's Adolf Hitler!]

Oh my!  I must have posted the wrong URL link.  I’m so very bad with graphics, but you are correct – that is Adolf Hitler, the man responsible for the biggest genocide in history.  I am going to personally email Senator Obama tomorrow to extend my deepest apologies. 

We are talking about Senator Barack Hussein Obama – who is not only running for President of the United States, but who also shares a middle name with another evil dictator, Saddam Hussein, just beheaded in Iraq.

[Boo's Note: Wolfie, what the hell does his middle name have to do with anything?  Senator Obama has no characteristic similarity to Saddam Hussein other than a name.  One is a Presidential candidate striving to change the political strife in our country; the other is - as you noted - an evil dictator!  Wake the fuck up!]

I must be tired from the Golden Globes, and I will certainly fax an apology to Senator Obama’s office in the morning … there is absolutely no intention of drawing any parallel between Satan Obama and the forces of evil. 

                  

[Wolf ... what the fuck is your problem?!?  That's the Lord of Darkness from Legend you jackass!!]

Really, Boo, there is no reason to name call … my mouse must have slipped.  I am going to personally sky-write a message to Senator Obama to extend by sincere apologies. 

Here is an actual extreme close up of Barack Bin Obama just before the press release. You can see how calm and collected he was, even though his entire life will now be under a microscope:

[Boo's Note:  Ok, that's it, dumbass!  That's not Barack Obama ... that's the Ebola virus!  Why is it that "credible" media sources (I'm not talking to you, Fox News) keep "mistakenly" screwing up Senator Obama's name and image??  Is it truly that hard to maintain some type of quality control, not to mention integrity in journalism?]

No name calling, Boo!  I expected more from a revolutionary, and I also expect an apology.  But it’s too late now … your readers will automatically associate me with a jackass.  The parallel has already been drawn in their minds!  Thanks a lot, Jew!

[Boo's Note:  Ladies and gentlemen ... our credible media ...]