Our future safety and political freedoms rest upon whether Americans recognize sooner, rather than later, the terrifying truth that our traditional, well-intentioned and well-funded militaristic approaches to national defense and espionage have very limited preventative effects, and cannot keep us safe from the horrors of terrorism or global thermonuclear war during a century of instant communications and easily-accessible lethal weaponry. Furthermore, such anachronistic, adversarial strategies actually provoke increasing threats to our country and our planet. Even as we squander more and more money, energy, and time, they advance the likelihood that our worst nightmares will become realities.   more »

Excerpt: Americans are justifiably terrified, not only by the dual threats of terrorism and nuclear war, but also by a dawning recognition that our present violent “defense” measures cannot save us from harm. Indeed, they are inviting greater harm. We’re squandering our national resources—money, energy, and time—on defense strategies that can defend neither our citizenry nor our beloved freedoms.... Excerpt: If throwing money, soldiers, spies, and bombs at terrorists is not going to keep us safe, who or what will? Can any approach keep Americans safe? Is there a more effective way to spend our money on safety?   more »

(Excerpt): If "To Live" was intended to be a very persuasive heroic epic offering a model of feminine perfection during a lifetime of political and personal adversity, it succeeded admirably. I had to keep reminding myself that it was only a movie, and that the character played by Gong Li was fictional; I was stunned by her purity, refinement, selflessness, tranquility, quiet charm, and gentleness, and her apparent total commitment to creating a peaceful family life. Repeatedly, she let go of past regrets and bitterness, and worked through the many negatives of her life with a positive attitude toward the present and the future--despite a marriage to a weak, difficult husband.....(Excerpt): I can't wait to see Gong Li as the evil Hatsumomo in "Memoirs of a Geisha." I've read that she does a brilliant job as Sayuri's rival. What an opportunity to see Gong Li's full range of acting abilities--from her portrayal of the somewhat Melanie Wilkes-type character in "To Live," all the way to her villainous geisha in "Memoirs."   more »

Excerpt: I wish a researcher would list who and when and what each war critic wrote at that time, to answer all those who now say, "Everyone worldwide thought there were WMDs." This assertion is simply blatantly false--"everyone" did not believe that. A multitude of spot-on pre-war critics were writing frantically, in both U.S. and international periodicals and newspapers, offering scholarly, articulate, and perfectly reasonable rationales against WMDs and invasion, although by then, most Americans--including, unfortunately, many in government leadership roles--were so terrified by the steady drumbeat of pro-war, pro-fear propaganda that their minds were made up, and they never even bothered to read about or consider such warnings....   more »

A few weeks after 9/11, my local newspaper published my (pre-blog) "solutions" and comments about "what we should do next/now...." Excerpt: I would figure out which American foreign policies have resulted in so much global hatred and criticism, and change them....I would not assume that everyone wants us to come over and tell them how to live....I would offer help to others in reaching whatever goals are important to them....I would give no support to government policies and decisions that legitimize treating non-Americans in ways we Americans would not wish to be treated....I would use this terrible, tragic attack as an opening to form global alliances based in respect and love for human life, human freedom, and human interests everywhere....I would not use the arguments of "stablity" or "American interests" or protection of our citizenry to legitimize unjustly invading, occupying, imposing on, or exploiting any other peoples, or to create or support undemocratic governments favorable to American interests....If some of the money we spend on military and intelligence were spent on kindness, diplomacy, and sharing, we'd be a safer, richer, happier country....I pray in the name of (9/11's) most direct sufferers that their memory will not be disrespected by using them as an excuse to start World War III....   more »

Excerpt: President Bush revealed his very human moral ambivalence in unscripted remarks following a recent speech in Philadelphia, when he said, "My job as president is to see the world the way it is, not the way we hope it is." Excerpt: Only spiritual leadership can provide the understanding, acceptance, and appreciation necessary to unify the planet's five polarized cultures--Africans, South Americans, China, the Muslim world, and the West. Only idealistic leadership can inspire each of these cultures to achieve its own unique ideals, hopes, and dreams, while respecting and supporting the quality of human life everywhere. Only non-violent leadership can address the century's most urgent problems--the ravages of disease, injustice, hopelessness, greed, hunger, environmental degradation, natural disasters, ignorance, addiction, prejudice, nuclear proliferation, crime, poverty, war, terrorism, and yes, violence, itself....   more »

Excerpt: This is a little short story I drafted a while ago about a mother/adolescent-daughter relationship. It's fiction, but like all fiction, there's a bit of autobiographical truth to it, too. It's all about how hard it is, especially within families (where we get so stuck within our own shared histories, neuroses, and mistakes) to learn, instead, to love, listen, accept, grow, change, forgive, and stay in the present moment.... Here's the beginning of the story: "I search her face across the table for its usual reassuring perfections, but the comforting illusion of Claire the Exquisite eludes me today. She's talking warily--but at least she's talking, that's good. So often we don't talk at all. Such a tiff in the car on the way over here, about nothing. And then we both laughed at that sign announcing "Reliable Junk"--our own private shared brand of hilarity. We laugh at all the same things. Why waste even a minute picking at each other?"   more »

Excerpt: Click on my latest political cartoon, the top one on the left side of this page, called "Success Redefined." Always, the first victim of war is truth.... At various times, Secretary Rumsfeld has worked hard to redefine the terms, "torture," "insurgency," "victory," "winning," "enemy," "mission accomplished," "terrorism," and other words of war to make them fit his needs....   more »

Excerpt: Today's bloody unity in Iraq can be maintained only by imposition of yet another inhumane, repressive KGB-type police state, backed by a huge, permanent, deadly U.S. occupation. It is in no one's best interests to continue to force our own fallible western institutions upon historically self-identified "Kurds," "Sunnis," and "Shiites" fiercely loyal to their own unique sets of traditions, religious beliefs, and leadership, and committed to political self-determination and separatist destinies. Remember that it was foreigners who once arbitrarily invented "Iraq's" national borders, and who cynically installed a vicious dictator (Saddam) to squish these three distinct groups together for our own imagined selfish interests. After a century of violent outside interference, "Iraqis" justifiably don't trust us, and don't want us over there "helping" them--except as invited guests. Before we drain the last drop of lifeblood from our grandchildren and our economy, we can choose to back away from all militaristic regional leaders, and instead transfer our most generous financial, diplomatic and media support to non-violent, popular cultural representatives of each distinct ethnicity, who can then work cooperatively to minimize civil unrest and instability, and light the way toward mutual achievement of their OWN (equally fallible) highest priorities, ideals and solutions. And yes, the United States will have to stand in line humbly to buy oil at market prices, just like every other nation. Terrorism breeds wherever angry youths seeth under inflammatory external ruthless tyrannies. There is no violent "way" to peace and stability in the Middle East, or at home. Peace IS the way.   more »