sky phenomenon

I don’t often discuss American politics on here, because I realize the audience for that kind of discussion is limited. However, I think it’s time to discuss a couple of things which more people should be aware of if they do really care about democracy. American post 9/11 is not the democracy for which much of the world used to admire and aspire to be like. Under the guise of “homeland security”, and the threat of “terrorism”, the American government has covertly done what it can to strip American of their Constitutional rights in under the guise of protecting Americans from threats abroad. Unfortunately, the more dangerous threats can be found within the government itself.

Perhaps few of you know of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. Originally it was passed to ensure that Federal troops did not interfere in elections which were occurring within the former Confederate states. However, the Act more broadly ensures that the Federal government cannot use Federal troops within the United States in a law enforcement capacity (such as detaining citizens who are protesting, for example). Federal troops can only be used under the explicit authorizations of Congress or from within the Constitution. You can see how important such an Act is; it prevents such a government from using its troops to quell insurrections with a country which may in fact be directed at said government. However, now that Americans live under a constant threat of “terrorism”, this Act may not in fact be followed if the time comes. Note this blog, http://balkin.blogspot.com/2005/07/does-posse-comitatus-act-still-exist.html where is excerpted a footnote which declares that the Act does not “forbid the use of military force for the military purpose of preventing and deterring terrorism within the United States”. Under the threat of “terrorism”, the Posse Comitatus Act has essentially been ignored.

Of course, we have yet to see Federal troops descend on the American population in order to quash their individual rights. Yet yesterday we saw a law which does in fact violate the Consitution become law. The Military Commissions Act of 2006 was passed into law, however much of the American public seems oblivious as to what this law really means. Essentially, it has now given the President the authority to, on a whim, declare American citizens “enemy combatants”. Such a declaration can be made on the smallest of charges, such as providing support to what the President determines is a terrorist organization (which may seem sensible at first until you realize that “support” is a vague term which may in fact require you did very little at all). Once you are declared an “enemy combatant”, rights which were previously guaranteed you as an American citizen under the Constitution (habeas corpus, whereby you have the right to a trial by which you can defend yourself), no longer exist. Perhaps you will find yourself carted away to a secret CIA prison where various “interrogation” techniques will be performed against you. These techniques amount to torture; an act which is expressly prohibited by the Geneva Convention, to which the United States agreed to. Your torturers (Americans, by the way), will not be charged with any crime under this new Act. Here’s a great op-ed which sums up just what this Act means, and how it undermines the very fabric of the American Constitution. Take a look: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/28/opinion/28thu1.html?ex=1317096000&en=3eb3ba3410944ff9&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss . It can’t happen here right?

Luther Van Dam

You’re lucky you are all getting this post. As I was about to come upstairs five minutes ago I almost wiped out on a rug at the bottom of the stairs, which would have led to me cracking my skull on the steps and possibly dying. My last words would have been “Simply Red…..YES!”, because I had just come across some old cassettes. So my post is going to be about them I suppose. So, Simply Red is/was a band that was pretty damn popular back in the day. I think they put out an album a couple years back, but I’m not sure what their status is today. Anyways, in 1989 they had a tremendous hit entitled “If you don’t know me by now“. It was actually a cover of an earlier hit, however it was massive as I remember hearing it growing up. We still have the cassette single it came on. I always found the cassette single to be a strange anomaly. They came in a little paper sheath and usually had two or three songs on them, much like vinyl singles but with a much shorter life span as the cassette single never quite caught on. We actually have a bunch of singles, however I seem to remember this one the most because I believe my father played it over and over again until I couldn’t stand the song. But after hearing it again earlier this year for the first time in many years, I decided to give it a closer listen. I was surprised to find out that it is an incredible song, and has quickly become one of my favourites.

My parents I see have some interesting taste in music. There are some Oak Ridge Boys tapes, Jon Secada (remember him? probably not), Whitney Houston (her first album which is pretty incredible), Lionel Richie (who was one of my favourite artists when I was young mainly because of the song “Dancing on the Ceiling“, Michael Bolton (“Time, Love, and Tenderness” baby oh yeah), Billy Joel (in his mid-80’s pop phase), Bruce Springsteen (Born in the U.S.A. which rocks of course), and I have in front of me Air Supply. Let’s face it; Air Supply is one of the shittiest bands to walk the face of the Earth. Never minding they both had the worst haircuts impossible (men should not have perms; this was inexcusable even in the 1980’s), their music was beyond sappy. Yet, even as I say this I am listening to “All out of Love“, just one of their many songs which had “love” in the title. For some reason I have a weak spot for this song. Sure, it’s as overblown and over-the-top as the rest of their music, however there’s something so goddamn beautiful about it that I certainly don’t mind listening to it. For all their stupidity, these gentlemen had very nice voices.

Of course, the best tapes lying in that box were two masterpieces from Phil Collins: “…But Seriously” and “No Jacket Required”. Let me say straight out that Phil Collins fucking rocks! His “Greatest Hits…Live” was one of the first tapes I went to the mall to buy, and it is still a great live album. Phil has an amazing ability to write both catchy pop songs and heartbreaking love songs without going too overblown or sappy. He is often criticized for turning Genesis away from it’s prog rock roots and turning it into a pop band. But hell I always liked Genesis better that way anyways. Anyways, I want to save all my love for Phil for another post where I can go through some of his best work.