August 2013

Secession first he would put down
Wholly and forever,
And afterwards from Britain’s crown
He Canada would sever.
Yankee Doodle, keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy.
Mind the music and the step
and with the girls be handy!

I don’t speak for the United States or harbor any affection for nationalism.  I’d break this country into several manageable pieces if I could.  But I think someone owes you an apology, Canada — and, much as our political leaders are accused of making apologies read more

When I wrote When the World Outlawed War, I was struck by the significance of a forgotten day, a day matching the description in the 1950 folk song that begins “Last night I had the strangest dream . . . ”  On this day, August 27, 1928, the major nations of the world sent representatives to a room in Paris, France, in which they signed a treaty banning war and committing to the peaceful settlement of all disputes. 

The treaty they signed, which is still on the books, has been read more

Wars exist because lies are told about past wars.

When President Obama escalated the war on Afghanistan, he revived virtually every known lie about the war on Iraq, from the initial WMD BS to the “surge.”  While Americans remain unfathomably ignorant about the destruction of Iraq, a majority says the war shouldn’t have been fought.  A majority says the same about the war on Afghanistan.  read more