Public Enemy

I try to not make this blog about me, but I couldn't resist when I got "investigated" by a right wing blog called RBO (Real Barack Obama). Check this article out attacking me.

Vietnow

We wallowed in the muck of Vietnam for roughly sixteen years with no real purpose. We shake our heads at the domino theory, at preventing Sino-Soviet encroachment. LBJ passed Medicare but is a villain.

We've been wallowing in the muck of Afghanistan for just over eight years with, at first a purpose, and now, no real purpose. We should be shaking our heads at the Global War on Terror, at preventing another 9/11 by paying off and supporting a corrupt, election-stealing, women's rights-destroying dictator. Obama is near to passing healthcare reform. He could become a villain.

If you want an in-depth look at why we can't follow Gen. McChrystal's plan to ship the equivalent of all of Danville to Afghanistan, I suggest you read Andrew Bacevich, Glenn Greenwald, and Ariana Huffington. Above all things though, beyond the strategic mistakes of fighting a war that's not helping, of stealing butter for guns, and of killing others and being killed, I fear the most that Americans are becoming comfortable.

We have been at war perpetually since the beginning of the Cold War. Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iraq are the obvious ones. And that's too many obvious ones in 6o years. But how about the less obvious ones? I'll list some: Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Laos, Cambodia, Grenada, Kosovo, Somalia, and the Sahara (yes, we are fighting a war in the Sahara desert and it's still going on).

And America doesn't care. America doesn't give a damn, most likely because they don't know. Or maybe it's the other way around. Even if I, or you, or Obama told them, they wouldn't give a damn about the rampant intimidation, law-breaking, and killing in which America is engaging. It is called war. It is called America.

Communist Cleveland

A Communist is running for office. And he’s not going to call 1% of the vote a victory—he means business.

It’s a race for election to the Cleveland City Council and Rick Nagin, a Communist Party member (though registered to vote as a Democrat), placed in the primary in his Ward 14. He will now face off against Brian Cummins for a spot on the Council. Cummins has already served on the City Council, representing Ward 15, but because of redistricting he has found himself in the intense Ward 14 fight. The voters will choose between the two on November 3rd.

A number of surprises have sprung upon the residents of Ward 14, the first being that this heavily Latino area will be represented by a Caucasian (both Nagin and Cummins are white). But the newsworthy part is that Nagin, a serious Communist, is a serious candidate. While he has toned down and suppressed his affiliation, the facts remain: former Chairman of the Ohio Communist Party and former contributor to the People's Weekly World, the official voice of the Communist Party of the United States of America.

There are plenty of left-wing fringe candidates in all sorts of local, state, and federal elections, but Nagin has not only made it into the final vote, but has received the endorsement of Senator Dennis Kucinich. Of course, Cummins is no reactionary. He is essentially affiliated with the Green Party. But we all know Ralph Nader. The Greens have been around. But the machine, back in the '50s, blacklisted and jailed the Communists, not the Greens (yes, they didn't exist then, but hey).

I'll admit it: the election is considered nonpartisan, which means political affiliation is not listed on the ballot. Furthermore, if Nagin gets elected, he will not be able to nationalize Goldman Sachs, create a single-payer healthcare system, or mandate a living wage. But it will be a symbol.

I'll admit this too: we're the Young Democrats Party and I'm waxing poetic, mesmerized about a Communist. But he's also a Democrat on his voter registration card. More importantly however, as the Young Democrats of SRVHS, we desire less the triumph of the Democratic Party and more the triumph of justice. We value freedom and equality above Congressional victory and a filibuster-proof majority. These things often coincide. But if a man can stand outside the structure we've built up, if he can represent an ideal that the established interests have been endeavouring to squash, then I will support him if his cause is just.

Surprisingly, CNN even covered the election. You can see the video below.