Silence is Consent

If you don't speak up you accept what is happening. This site was born out of the mainstream media's inability to cover the news. I am just an American cititzen trying to spread the word in the era of FCC consolidation, post 9/11 Patriot Act hysteria, hackable voting machines and war without end. I rant and post news items I perceive to be relevant to our current situation.

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
- Thomas Jefferson

Social Security is not broken and therefore does not need to be fixed

So Called Social Security Crisis (SCSSC)

Comments, questions, corrections, rebuttals are always welcome.

Monday, June 07, 2004
 
I'm not sure if you've noticed or not but the GOP has it in for George Soros. Why does Soros draw the ire of these people. Well it's for the same reason the right attacks anyone, any cause, any group or anything. It is a true and legitimate threat. Last week in Washington D.C. there was a progressive conference, "Take Back America" (LINK TO: Conference Speech Videos, Transcripts & Materials), and George Soros was gave a speech. The speech was very good and talked about his efforts to spread democracy and open society. He is being excoriated by the "wingnut" media for this part of the speech:
I think that the reason that we were carried so far away from equilibrium is because the President, by declaring war on terrorism, basically stifled criticisms, because to criticize his policies was to be unpatriotic. He said those who are not with us are giving support to the terrorists. Ashcroft passed the PATRIOT Act saying that those who oppose the act are giving aid and comfort to the terrorists.

So for about 18 months the critical process, which is so essential to a democracy, was stifled. And it is only when things started going wrong in Iraq that it was re-opened. I think that the picture of torture in Abu Ghraib, in Saddam's prison, was the moment of truth for us, because this is not what this nation stands for.

I think that those pictures hit us the same way as the terrorist attack itself, not quite with the same force because in the terrorist attack we were the victims. In the pictures we were the perpetrators, others were the victims. But, there is, I'm afraid, a direct connection between those two events, because the way President Bush conducted the war on terror converted us from victims into perpetrators.

This is a very tough thing to say, but the fact is that the war on terror as conducted by this administration has claimed more innocent victims than the original attack itself.
They are in essence saying that he compared 9/11 and the torture at Abu Ghraib. Oh the horror! A couple things here to remember about this. Did these people read or see the entire speech? Are any comparisons to 9/11 off limits? He qualifies it by saying that he doesn't think Abu Ghraib hit America with the same force as 911 but it changed our standing in the world, in the "war on terror", from victim to perpetrator. Harsh? Maybe. Truthful? There is no doubt it has hurt our standing immeasurably, especially in the Arab and Muslim world. So back to why Soros is being attacked so vehemently. This man has brought democracy and open society to previously totalitarian and closed societies. Therefore he has legitimacy, but only if that part of the message gets out. The main reason though is much simpler, he's loaded, and he gives his money to liberals, progressives and the left. This takes me back to a line from the movie 48 Hours with Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte when Eddie Murphy is impersonating a cop in a redneck bar and tells one of the rednecks, "I'm your worst nightmare, a nigger with a badge". I think Soros is the right wings worst nightmare, a billionaire who hates Bush and is willing to back it up with cash, Target: George Soros:
The Journal, the Republicans and the Post editors--a trio increasingly marching in lockstep--are mainly upset about the latter. Still, one can't help noticing that none of Soros's critics have demonstrated much interest in offering an honest hearing for his ideas. Indeed, one cannot help wondering just what it is that scares them so about the man. Have the media grown so complacent in the face of conservative attempts to delegitimize liberal dissent that they are now willing to do the job themselves? Are they so cowed by attacks on the So-Called Liberal Media (SCLM) that they feel the need to empower their tormentors? George Soros aims to challenge the prevailing ideological winds in Washington. He doesn't need a weatherman to know which way they're blowing. How fortunate for us that he cares enough about his adopted country to do what he can to reverse them.
They are scared because this is exactly what they did -- The Strategic Philanthropy of Conservative Foundations -- billionaire conservatives/republicans funded a right wing onslaught on the left/democrats. Here is how they are trashing Soros, the republicans and their media, RNC: Attack Kerry by attacking Soros Right-wing media falls in line:
National Review: "Soros: Abu Ghraib = September 11"

The Drudge Report: "Soros: Abu Ghraib = September 11..."

The Washington Times: "Soros likens Iraqi prisoner abuse to 9/11"

The New York Sun: "Soros: Americans Have Become Perpetrators in War on Terror"

The Weekly Standard: "Bush-Haters of the World, Unite! Amateur and professional Bush-haters gather in Washington for the Take Back America conference."

NewsMax.com: "Soros: Bush's War on Terrorism Worse Than 9/11"

WorldNetDaily.com: "Soros: Abu Ghraib same as 9-11"

CNSNews.com: "George Soros Likens Iraqi Prisoner Abuse to 9/11 Attacks"
So because of Soros' obvious power to take these people on he is being savaged. He is not the only one.

The Daily Howler has been showing how Al Gore has been hammered ever since he made his speech two weeks ago:

THEIR OWN LATEST RANTS! Pundits were troubled by Gore's troubling speech. Their concern? He had spoken too loud

And his four part series on how Gore told us what was going to happen in Iraq:

WHEN GORE SPOKE ON WAR (PART 1)! Two years ago, Gore nailed Iraq. But guess how your pundits reacted
GORE ON WAR (PART 2)! Gore discussed the rush to war, providing some good sound advice
GORE ON WAR (PART 3)! Gore discussed the rush to war. But Sean was disturbed by Gore's hairdo
GORE ON WAR (PART 4)! Pundits pretended that Gore was lying -- and helped rush the nation to war

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