Swans Commentary
http://www.swans.com/
August 11, 2008
Note from the Editors: To read Carol Warner Christen addressing once again
the deep depravation and corruption that is the modus operandi of the US
system of governance and corporate domination, and the sheer madness of
politics as usual in Washington and the campaigns of the two front runners,
which Gilles d'Aymery examines in his Blips, will go a long way toward
understanding the rationale behind our editorial line (also reviewed in his
Blips). Facing policies that are by and large insane and yet advocating
voting for a candidate whose only promise is to keep digging a deeper hole in
the big muddy borders on insanity itself. The stranglehold of the duopoly and
the iron grip of authoritarian corporatism must be broken if one ever hopes
to bring the democratic rule of, by, and for the commons back to the fore.
Both Martin Murie and Joel S. Hirschhorn analyze further the scope of the
predicaments and the challenges -- the need to organize in the defense of
democracy without fear of being smeared with the spoiler label. While the
Green Party's Cynthia McKinney is a worthy candidate, Ralph Nader remains the
only contender with a depth of knowledge about the issues that is unrivaled
in this election cycle. Nader recently sent a comprehensive message on
corporate rule to his supporters, which we are including in this issue.
Evidently, the corporate media are doing their utmost to muzzle his
challenges, as Gilles d'Aymery experienced recently and reports in stride
(check the end of his report for actions you can take). Finally, a review of
the documentary "Ralph Nader: "An Unreasonable Man" by who else but the
renowned film and theatre critic Charles Marowitz ends the political part of
this issue.
On the literary side, how about embarking on a nice, long motorcycle ride?
Peter Byrne takes us on a nostalgic trip with a different perspective on
Robert Pirsig's journey 40 years ago that became "Zen and the Art of
Motorcycle Maintenance." Guido Monte recently journeyed to Moscow and St.
Petersburg, and returned with a photo of Dostoevsky's room and some vibrant
words for the Russian students that welcomed him. Karen Ritenour submits a
satire from heaven where Satan finds an uncomfortable seat, Marie Renard
shares her polesy of a lonely man dancing, and R. Scott Porter remembers the
Southern California that people moved west for -- and then ruined. Finally,
we close with your letters, on voting for sanity or voting incrementally; a
French defender of lib-labs; more criticism of Michael Barker (from another
of his targets); and more.
As always, please form your OWN opinion, and let your friends (and foes) know
about Swans. It's your voice that makes ours grow.
# # # # #
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/carenc42.html
Devolution: The New Terrible "Norm" - Carol Warner Christen
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/desk072.html
Blips #72 - From the Martian Desk - Gilles d'Aymery
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/murie55.html
Patrolling The Fringes - Martin Murie
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/joelh05.html
Misplaced Blame Undermines Democracy - Joel S. Hirschhorn
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/rnader01.html
Message To Friends And Supporters - Ralph Nader
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/ga256.html
The Gray Lady's Muzzle - Gilles d'Aymery
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/cmarow114.html
Ralph Nader: An Unreasonable Man - Charles Marowitz
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/nader08.html
How To Help The Nader-Gonzalez '08 Campaign
- Gilles d'Aymery & Jan Baughman (updated Aug. 11, 2008)
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/pbyrne78.html
Zen Rides Again - Book Review by Peter Byrne
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/gmonte49.html
Mondana Commedia n.3: Paradiso (World Comedy n.3: Paradise)
- Poem by Guido Monte
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/karenr02.html
A Heavenly Satire: Satan Repents - Short Play by Karen Ritenour
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/marier20.html
Song Of The Gone - Polesy by Marie Rennard
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/porter02.html
Orange Blossoms - Poem by R. Scott Porter
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/letter145.html
Letters to the Editor
# # # # #
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Gilles d'Aymery
--
Swans
"Hungry man, reach for the book: It is a weapon." B. Brecht
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