For those unfamiliar with SF writer Orson Scott Card, author of Enders Game long ago, it often comes as a surprise that he long ago went far off his trolley in campaigning against gay rights.

As an established author he is a regular columnist in Mormon papers, and there is little that I can imagine as being more ironic than Mormons calling for armed rebellion to defend "traditional marriage" - but that's the thing about irony...

[Cross-posted at The Left Coaster.]

I was immensely gratified last Sunday to see Eschaton hotshot pinch-hitter Jay Ackroyd nail what I hate so much about American flying post-9/11:  almost all of the infuriating "security measures" at the airport have nothing to do with flying safety in the least, and everything to do with implementing authoritarianism on the American public.

For the life of me I cannot understand how humans so blithely accept some Jack in a uniform making them take off their shoes in a pathetic ruse of safety, when it’s always been crystal clear to me it was nothing more than an act of degradation, a form of humiliation from the Man that you aren’t even free in your clothes in America, we can make you do anything.

So, yesterday, I posted my very first diary entry, intending to start something: a postcard campaign that directly called for impeachment. Even went to the effort of designing a pretty postcard and everything. Invited comments, suggestions, whatnot.

What an entirely disappointing response. No, I’m most certainly not bitter—I’m just disappointed. There are apparently passionate discussions taking place here, and rumors of action somewhere, but I don’t see how it means anything unless the participants here are actually doing something to change the situation. I mean, I know my tiny effort is only one piece of a puzzle, but it has the possibility of getting the attention of Congress enough to permit more hearings, of getting more exposure, of raising awareness that there is a growing sense of outrage among Americans over what’s happening. And what do I hear in response? Mostly “Why bother?” All the passion and patriotism of a wet dishrag.

My apologies—here it is, my first diary entry, and I’m going to start right off by breaking Rule 16. You know the one: “Diaries which are deliberately designed to inflame are prohibited.”

I want to inflame you—to provoke action, to light up a spirit of rebellion.

I hope you don’t mind.

This is not going to be a long diary since I'm up early tomorrow to travel but NPR had a little throwaway story tonight on George Washington, First President of the US and largest distiller in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1799.

They interviewed someone from the American distillery business who said that this was a "great example of enterpreneurship" in America.

Unfortunately, I have a slightly different slant on the Vater of our Kountry.

on the flip....

Another year closes and the world is in more turmoil then I have seen in my thirty plus years on this spinning rock.  Now more then ever we need to seize this time of renewal for both personal and political growth and dedicate this year to keeping the torches lit and the powder dry.  I have used this phrase frequently of late so I feel now would be a good time to explain it to those who might have any questions.

Ha! It is 2007 and the age of "cyberterrorism", broadband Internet, and Wikipedia, but there still remain large swathes of America which are Indian lands.  And among the larger still-intact tribes are the Sioux nation.

And The Sioux Nation have just formally told the US State Dept that they withdraw from all treaties with the United States.

(simultaneously published at Human Potential Left - www.hpleft.com)

We are about to enter what the Chinese might have described as "interesting times" - potentially, a new age of rebellion and revolution.  Pluto will enter Capricorn in early 2008, immediately after the beginning of the Presidential Primary season. It will remain in Capricorn through 2024, at which point it will enter Aquarius.

There appears to be a valid case for the telecom immunity legislation.  It’s hard to argue that corporations should have to pay for complying with what has become an unpopular and possibly illegal government policy.  They didn’t make the policy they simply complied with the law as it was perceived at the time.  Congress is just protecting these companies from the reflected ire represented by these class action suits.

Wait for it... you know what’s coming.

Here I am in the house of a friend.  Living among his family as family.  Finding work among the farms.  Somewhere near an army of traitors is training to suppress the rights of my friend and his family, of me and my family, and of families all over the world.  No candidate has directly addressed the full and complete dismantling of Corporate Militia’s in America.  No candidate will go near that issue because then it calls into question the issue of corporate citizenship and no one wants to touch that subject during an election year.  Shame on all so called progressives who do not have the will to force that issue on every candidate with which they have contact.  Make them take stands!  Make them defend their position!  In short; ATTACK!

I was not surprised that I am seeing so little chatter on the matter of the permanent FISA-fix.  I was not surprised to read on Huffington Post that the Dems are caving in their standard spineless worthless tradition or that they are keeping known progressive supporters in the dark about the content of the legislation so that those groups can not muster the public outcry needed to derail their planned treason.  I was not surprised to find, upon a moments introspection, that yes a healthy portion of our congressional Democrats now are against liberty and free expression and deserve to face the same treason sentance as I would see levied against their GOP counter parts.  I am only surprised by my lack of surprise.

I never thought I would have a soft spot for ole Forty-One. When I look at the gene pool he was swimming in though he was a fairly decent American.  He was at least more subtle then his progenitor or his get.  I have often wondered if Prescott 'hauled-before-Congress-to-answer-for-war-profiteering-and-business-deals-with-Nazis' Bush had a hand in the attempted fascist overthrow of our democracy.  Uncle Mike was good enough to report on an article that says 'Yes, your not paranoid (they are still after you) this family has an evil gene'.  In other words yes Prescott was one of the money men backing a fascist coup to over throw FDR.  Poppy put on his dress whites and fought the axis, it must have been a real blow to his dad.

Yes; I have quit my job to protest full time.  No; I don't have my own home or any savings.  Yes; I will likely be evicted and will wind up as another person on the streets.  I am 31 years old and have made this decision under the influence of a sober mind (seeing as it was my sober mind thats not too comforting)  I have a daughter who will likely see me less if at all once I am homeless and conservative parents who think I am over reacting to the situation and will be ill disposed to aiding me during this action.  I have weighed the facts and this is the decision I made: My daughter's interests and therefore my own are better served by me standing guard over her remaining freedoms and putting myself on the front to regain those freedoms she has lost on my watch.

I can no longer live with the constant unrelenting rage and righteous indignation inspired by watching the freedoms of my friends, family, and self being devoured by a growing totalitarian administration.  I have not been silent nor have many of my fellow Americans, but the darkness still closes around us as we scream at it.    We have stood our ground upon our soapboxes and still our freedoms flee.

Our nation's founders taught us how to deal with tyrants. They made haste to declare themselves independent from the sunnuvabitch who ruled Britain. I think it is high time we did the same to the tyrant who is abusing America and the world.

I hereby declare that I no longer recognize the authority of George W. Bush or any member of the executive branch of government. I advocate the impeachment, indictment, trial, conviction and death sentence for the war criminal in the White House though as I have stated numerous times I would be willing to see him spend the remainder of his life at Gitmo dancing the Spandau Ballet.

I further advocate the removal from office of the entire executive branch by  any reasonable means (defined a anything our nation's founders would approve of). I demand that my congressional representatives act to fulfill these goals as soon as possible.

(Practical implications below the fold)

The threat of enforcing rules by separating you from the community which is the essence of your life is severe, and historically, because some people have a tendence to see authority as something which exists only to rebel against it leads to schism.

Heavy handed rule enforcement can be a problem even when everyone agrees with the definition of the heresy. Its the process whereby the conflicts between Christians and Jews, Protestants and Catholics, Shia and Sunni and Hippies and Yuppies came forth.

I'm looking for what we do here to be a model of how things can work better, not to continue making the same mistakes. I prefer the idea of a hive mind building consensus through reason and gentle persuasion and ideas percolating up to those who are to lead rather than being limited by artifical constraints.

Basically, I'm for rules of thumb over the metric system

more below the fold...

In Maryscott OConners diary here  she makes a number of references to Nazi Germany and that  no one there attempted to stop the Nazis. Her position is that we are headed in the same direction, and that no one here has the balls to start a revolution against the American fascists. I have some observations and comments on that theme, why it hasn't happened, what should happen, and  where we need to begin to change things.

Every first and third Sunday under the east side of the Hawthorne Bridge here in beautiful downtown lil` Beirut tribal drummers gather with fire dancers and to perform for all those who gather to watch.  There are no upturned hats or open cases seeking donation at this performance.   I was there, as I always find myself every six to eight weeks, in need of clarity and focus.  It is also, as it turns out,it a good place to network with other dissident factions in the city.  One of the more commonly attending drummers works with Hart Mind and Soul some of the cities most hard core anti-government propavandelizers (my word).  The drummers who march with Portland Peaceful  Response Coalition  (PPRC) every Friday they practice about a block away under a nearby overpass on Sundays as well.  When the dancers arrive and the air becomes thick with kerosene and various smoking material the networking fades away and all I can think of is how alike freedom is to fire.