In Memory of our Fallen Soldiers

Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. This year that is today, May 26th. Many friends and families will head to the park or beach for a day of fun and relaxation. The smell of hot dogs, hamburgers and barbeque will fill the air along with sounds of sports, music and children playing. It's a wonderful opportunity for U.S. citizens, but the real reason for this holiday should not go unrecognized.

Formerly known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action. Many people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. US Eastern time. Another tradition is to fly the U.S. flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers usually place an American flag upon each grave site located in a National Cemetery.

Learn more about the sacrifice our nation and many families have made for our freedoms:

Wikipedia: Memorial Day

Shock Jocks: Hate Speech and Talk Radio

Written by veteran media critic and Emmy winner Rory O'Connor, Shock Jocks features unsparing profiles of the ten worst conservative radio talkers in America, including Michael Savage, Bill O' Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Don Imus and the rest. Shock Jocks highlights the politicized and often factually challenged world of talk radio that dominates a sizable portion of America's airwaves, and shows how misogyny, racism, and utter contempt for other human beings is disguised as “free speech”. This scathing account also details the progressive alternatives fighting for airtime, and what you can do to help.

"Talk radio is one of America's most popular and influential media formats. In his book, Shock Jocks: Hate Speech and Talk Radio, Rory O'Connor reports on the shocking number of top radio talk show hosts who regularly spout hate speech over our public airwaves. This intriguing, eye-opening and hugely important work is a must read account of the dangers of blurring opinion, journalism and entertainment -- at the expense of our democratic discourse and ideals." - Walter Cronkite

Shock Jocks: Hate Speech and Talk Radio

Change vs. Stay the Course

A wise man learns from his mistakes.

If broken it is, fix it you should.

Many would agree these phrases make common sense. They are logical, reasonable and speak of experience. However, these ideas don't seem in tune with today's Republican party. They especially don't seem to jibe with the views of 2008 presidential candidate John McCain. While Barack Obama, the likely Democratic nominee, speaks of change, John McCain and many Republicans want to stay the course.

Iraq
McCain, Obama in heated exchange over Iraq
Obama, McCain argue over Iraq

Iran
McCain, Obama trade jabs over Iran policy
Hagel criticizes McCain over Iran comments

Cuba
McCain, Obama argue over Cuba policy

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

The Real McCain
The John McCain Channel
The Bush-McCain Challenge

Flag Pin Lunacy

We all know that wearing a flag pin on your lapel is much more important than any issue facing our nation today. The presence of a flag pin can cure the ills of a nation. It can stabilize a troubled economy, provide healthcare to those in need, resolve international conflicts and ultimately bring world peace.

Sound absurd? It is... but so is the scrutiny that Barrack Obama has received from some people regarding this useless, tiresome and distracting issue.

Roland Martin has posted an excellent commentary on CNN.com regarding the all-important flag pin issue.

Commentary: Make wearing the flag pin the 28th amendment

Bloggers Unite: Human Rights Stifled In Myanmar

The death toll from the killer cyclone in Myanmar could be in the region of 100,000 or even more. The U.N. had already confirmed 38,491 deaths which is much more than the 22,000 figure from Myanmar's government. Forecasted weather could bring flooding to low-lying areas thus endangering more citizens.

Meanwhile, Myanmar's government is announcing that a military-backed constitution was overwhelmingly approved by voters in last week's referendum. State radio says the draft constitution was approved by more than 92% of the 22 million eligible voters and it put turnout at more than 99%.

Human rights groups have denounced the referendum as a way for the junta to solidify military rule. Voting in the badly-affected Irrawaddy delta and Yangon areas was postponed until May 24th, but state radio said results of the late balloting could not change the outcome. The junta says the new constitution which guarantees 25 percent of parliamentary seats to the military and allows the president to hand over all power to the military in a state of emergency, will lead to a general election in 2010.

Meanwhile, people are dying. The secretive military junta that rules Myanmar has restrained the access of aid agencies. Some relief flights have arrived, but the regime desires the supplies and not the international aid workers. That lack of access makes it hard to bring the scale of destruction into sharp focus. There's a huge frustration that while aid workers may be able to get into the country and into Yangon, they're not at the moment able to move into the affected areas and carry out the tasks they normally carry out. The restricted access imposed by the junta will surely lead to more deaths and is a violation of basic human rights.

Amnesty International has repeated its urgent call on the government to allow aid, expertise, and materials to reach all cyclone-affected areas, while ensuring that aid is provided on the basis of need without discrimination.

Find out more about this tragic situation:

• Myanmar Obstruction Costs Lives
  
• Myanmar: Constitution Referendum Flouts Human Rights
• Myanmar cyclone toll estimates soar
• Emergency response: A tale of two disasters

TAKE ACTION: Ensure humanitarian aid for Cyclone Nargis victims

This post is part of Bloggers Unite - an online event where bloggers come together on a single day to blog about important issues. If you blog, come join us!

U.S. Pentagon: Domestic Propaganda Campaign

"In war, truth is the first casualty" - Aeschylus

Propaganda (prŏp'ə-gān'də) - a concerted set of the messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people.

More and more, media analysts are having a greater impact on the television media network coverage of military issues. They have a huge amount of influence on what stories the networks decide to cover proactively with regard to the military. Consequently, they influence the views on related issues so we should be concerned when we discover that many of these so-called 'independent analyst' were part of a program orchestrated by the Pentagon to shape our views on the Iraq war, Guantanamo Bay and other hot military issues.

Major television and cable news networks may have been complicit in this program. The military analysts most commonly used by MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, ABC, CBS and NBC routinely received instructions about what to say in their appearances from the Pentagon. Since the story first broke, there has been a deafening silence from many of these networks since it reflects so poorly on them. Media outlets and their corporate parents rely on the Government for all sorts of favors and access and, in return, do nothing to displease them. The Bush administration itself proudly touts its ability to control media content and ensure the presence only of pro-Government voices with regard to war and military matters.

It's true that there are plenty of people who understand the core government-amplifying function of the establishment media, but there are also plenty of people -- likely far more -- who don't. That's precisely why the television networks are so eager to suppress and conceal these revelations and the endlessly illuminating evidence which supports them.

David Barstow of the New York Times first broke the story:

• Behind TV Analysts, Pentagon’s Hidden Hand
  

The Pentagon has been forced to release roughly 8,000 pages and audio tapes regarding their "military analyst" program. You can review them yourself here and draw your own conclusions:

• Documents released to the New York Times regarding the Pentagon's Military Analyst program.
  

Excerpts within this story were gathered from two articles posted by Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com:

• CNN, the Pentagon's "military analyst program" and Gitmo
  
• How the military analyst program controlled news coverage: in the Pentagon's own words
  

Related coverage from various websites:

• Source Watch: Pentagon military analyst program
• SPJ Says Media Must Hold Their Military Analysts to Journalistic Standards
• Beware cosy deals between politicians and their pundits

Rush Limbaugh: Manipulating Democracy

Rush Limbaugh, the godfather of ruinous right propaganda, is at it again. Here are some of the latest headlines gathered from around the web. We report, you decide.

Chris Matthews Slams Rush Limbaugh for Election Shenanigans
crooksandliars.com — “I have to offer a ‘Keith-style’ Special Comment on that. Anyone who voted to screw up the political system of this country with the purpose of mischief should carry that with them the rest of their lives. What a ridiculous way to use the vote for which people fought and died — to use that vote to make mischief. I hope you’re proud of yourself."

Kerry: Limbaugh's 'tampering' gave Clinton Indiana victory
rawstory.com — "If it hadn't been for Republicans taking Democratic ballots, he likely would have won in Indiana," Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) said Wednesday on a conference call hosted by the Obama campaign. "Rush Limbaugh was tampering with the primary and the GOP has clearly declared they want Clinton as a candidate."

Rush Limbaugh Calling For Riots At Democratic National Convention
thedenverchannel.com — DENVER -- Talk show host Rush Limbaugh is sparking controversy again after he made comments calling for riots in Denver during the Democratic National Convention this summer. He said the riots would ensure a Democrat is not elected as president, and his listeners have a responsibility to make sure it happens.

Limbaugh's Democratic primary 'dirty tricks' being investigated
rawstory.com — Conservative talker Rush Limbaugh is taking credit for Clinton's continued presence in the race after encouraging GOP voters to switch parties before Ohio and Texas voted, and he has called on Pennsylvania Republicans to do the same thing. Limbaugh's listeners are worried about an election fraud investigation in one Ohio count.

Rush Limbaugh and Voter Fraud - Political Machine
news.aol.com — Voting under false pretenses might be a problem. But encouraging someone to vote under false pretenses would have to be an allegation of conspiracy or even a federal prosecution under RICO.

Will Rush Limbaugh Be Indicted for Voter Fraud?
alternet.org — As Ohio election officials investigate illegal crossover voting in the 2008 primary, questions arise on Limbaugh's role.

UPDATE:
So-called 'fair and balanced' Fox News gets behind Operation Chaos.
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