David Swanson's Blog, page 160
November 21, 2012
Talk Nation Radio: William Blum on America's Deadliest Export: Democracy
William Blum discusses militarism, politics, and his new book "America's Deadliest Export: Democracy: The Truth About U.S. Foreign Policy and Everything Else."
Total run time: 29:00
Host: David Swanson.
Producer: David Swanson.
Engineer: Christiane Brown.
Music by Duke Ellington.
Download or get embed code from or AudioPort or LetsTryDemocracy.
Syndicated by Pacifica Network.
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Past Talk Nation Radio shows are all available free and complete at http://davidswanson.org/talknationradio
November 16, 2012
How to Not Fix the Filibuster
Leaving the 41-senator filibuster in place but requiring that they run their mouths (and some of us have to listen) is not exactly the kind of Change most of us Hope for. Nor is it supported by the Constitution, any other law, any treaty, any rule necessary to the functioning of our government, anything or anyone we just voted for, or any public opinion poll. The proper thing to do with the filibuster is to eliminate it, which 51 senators can do at the start of the session if they see fit. I know you've been told they can't, but keep reading.
November 15, 2012
Audio: Allen Ruff and David Swanson on War and Militarism, Peace and Activism
From Allen Ruff's show "A Public Affair" on WORT fm in Madison, Wisc., at http://www.wortfm.org/archives
November 14, 2012
Is Impeachment Gone for Good?
Henry Kissinger's winning of the Nobel Peace Prize didn't, in the end, eliminate satire from the earth (or peace prizes for war-makers, for that matter). Conceivably, the impeachment of Bill Clinton and the lack of impeachment of George W. Bush haven't eliminated presidential impeachment from the Constitution.
Talk Nation Radio: Brian Terrell Is Headed to Prison for Protesting Drones
Brian Terrell is headed to prison at the end of this month for having nonviolently protested drone wars. Brian is a co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence. He discusses the immorality of drone wars and the protest and trial that have led to his incarceration.
Total run time: 29:00
Host: David Swanson.
Producer: David Swanson.
Engineer: Christiane Brown.
Music by Duke Ellington.
Download or get embed code from Archive or AudioPort or LetsTryDemocracy.
Syndicated by Pacifica Network.
Please encourage your local radio stations to carry this program every week!
Embed on your own site with this code:
<object autostart="false" data="http://davidswanson.org/sites/davidsw..." height="100px" width="400px"></object>
Past Talk Nation Radio shows are all available free and complete at http://davidswanson.org/talknationradio
November 13, 2012
November 12, 2012
Peace Doesn't Begin With Me
People are always asking me where I really want peace to be. Don't I want it in my heart? they ask, so gentle and sincere. Isn't that where it has to start? What could be more clear?
But I sadly have to disagree. My heart wants nothing to do with peace. And peace wants nothing to do with me. I want a heart of fire and revulsion, disgust and rage. A heart of peace, I think, might suit some other age.
The places where I want peace lie outside myself, and outside everything I see. I want peace where the missiles strike, where the drones buzz, where the doors smash open at night and the children scream in fright.
I want peace where there is war. No less. No more.
When the killing done with my dollars and in my name has ended, the question of my own thumping heart won't look the same. When there is peace in Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, and Iran, when there is peace in Iraq and Libya and Pakistan, I won't have to work at my own peaceful state.
When war is gone from the earth, gone too will be my hate.
Where Does War Come From?
Remarks to the Marin Peace & Justice Coalition, Social Justice Center of Marin, and Community Media Center of Marin, Armistice Day 2012.
November 11, 2012
U.S. Wars: Are They Lawful?
Remarks at the biennial general meeting of the War and Law League in San Francisco on Armistice Day 2012.
I'll try briefly to make five points.
First, there are clear laws on the books that make U.S. wars unlawful, along with U.S. threats of war and U.S. propaganda for war. The laws are either forgotten, ignored, evaded, or cleverly reinterpreted to reverse their meaning. But they could be enforced someday.
Second, U.S. wars are evolving in ways that make them violate additional laws without bringing them into compliance with any of the laws already violated.
