Political Frenzy

Some celebrate Memorial Day with a barbecue or a sale. Others celebrate it by visiting veterans. I take time to reflect on the history of the armed forces.

Today we must realize that the fallen heroes did not all salute Old Glory. The amazing men and women of the American Armed Forces were in good company. In World War II the British were fending off Fascism and suffering the bombs of Hitler for years before Americans stood up. Alongside them were the commonwealth nations - Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Nepal. Non-Vichy France held a successful resistance, many Frenchmen losing their lives to keep their nation free. Those that remained would usher in Allied forces during the liberation of Paris. And losing more men to combat than all other nations combined, Russia suffered massive losses, only to continue forward and bring down the Third Reich brick by brick.

In Asia the Chinese were in a civil war when Japan attacked, and despite their hatred for each other, both the Communist and Republican Chinese lay down their lives to protect their homeland. The Siamese (or later Thai), Cambondians, Laotians, and others all resisted the Japanese invasion force, later aiding Australian and American troops in overthrowing the Japanese.

And not to forget the Germans and Japanese who resisted their leaders’ tyranny, seeking to restore to their countries the honor and dignity of history, collaborating with allied forces and spies, sometimes taking on completely independant movements.

Today we remember that in the history of the world only one race has lived as heroes: the human race. We can all today bow our heads in thanks for those across the world who have engaged tyranny and oppression in any form and stopped it from entering our homes, whether they be American, Canadian, Thai, Chinese, or South African. Because the country we must pledge our highest allegiance to is greater than our nation, it is Earth. And despite all our troubles, we all call it home.

Memorial Day, World War II, Pan-Terranism

A fellow 451press blogger, Paul of toybender.com, has decided to take issue with my analysis of the Stallone’s Australian Steroid Adventure. Paul is 451’s resident doll expert, who has been decidedly snarky to me. His comment warranted response, I believe.

So if a foreign movie star comes over to the us and gets busted for something… like I dunno… getting a bj from a hooker, would that mean they are representing their country then and would you get all fired up about it? Stallone is an individual, not a government official in any capacity.

America is, without question, the number one exporter of culture in the entire world. How do we export this? Not on ships or planes or trains, but through the image of Americans in the media. Stallone doesn’t have the right of celebrity, he has the responsibility of celebrity. His actions reflect upon the culture he comes from, which is ours. He has done a great disservice to us all in Australia. That is my opinion on the social aspect.

However, legally, American celebrities are notorious for abusing foreign law *COUGHMADONNACOUGH* and getting away with it. This needs to stop. The “American royalty” has gotten away with too much, and I say Australia should string up Stallone as a warning to other celebrities: your movie credits are not a shield. Obey the damn law.

Sylvester Stallone, Australia, Human Growth Hormone

When American star Sylvester Stallone came to Sydney to promote his new “Rocky” movie, he was stopped by customs officials, delaying him and preventing him from attending the Australian premiere of the movie. Stallone joked in the news about smuggling in a cheetah, or the Australian officials finding his wife in his luggage

But his tone changed soon after officials raided his hotel room and private jet. According to E! News Online, the Aussies found contraband illegal substances, allegedly steroids and hormones. Stallone was even seen dumping something out of his Park Hyatt hotel window.

Although Stallone was allowed to leave to film for the new Rambo film in Thailand, he is now officially being charged in Australian court. He will be required to show up April 24th to enter a plea. Perhaps the American movie star thought his celebrity would guard him. The maximum fee for the crime is a measly $96,600 American, but hopefully the magistrate will punish him to the fullest extent of the law, setting an example that the American royalty will not be above foreign law.

I personally am offended that Stallone would do such a thing as a social ambassador from the United States to a foreign country. I am not surprised that the US government is staying far away from this one, but I believe it would do Stallone some good to serve at least a few months behind bars in the outback.

People like Stallone and Paris Hilton and Madonna do more to tarnish America than any president could ever do. The President is (supposedly) elected on ballots, but celebrities rise to power on our dollar bills, the greenback being the most powerful force in the United States. They are our only truly elected representatives, and people, we have not been voting wisely!

Impeach Stallone.

United States, Australia, Crime, Sylvester Stallone, Steroids

On Australia’s satirical comedy, “The Chaser’s War on Everything”, which people all over the world view from their podcasts, a fake reporting team went around the United States asking simple questions about world politics and asking them to mark on a map every country they thought would be the next place to invade. The results were shocking. When asked what religion Israel was, “Christian” or “Muslim” was the answer most of the time. When asked to place flags on an altered map, most people went straight for Australia, which had been re-labeled “Iran” - or once “North Korea” with Tazmania taking on the role of “South Korea”. Some people picked countries they’d never heard of to be the next location of American bombs.

Across the United States people lied to the Australian comedian’s face as he told them he was Australian Prime Minister John Howard, and asked if they’d seen him on television. One woman said yes. Many others gave him condescending remarks.

Now, obviously, myself living in the United States, I can say for certain that these kinds of people are not the only kind of people in the United States - with the power of computers they edited away any correct responses. But sadly, ignorance is the majority. A scary thought in a democracy, as that means we can easily elect ignorance.

The most terrifying part is the backslide from the War of Independence in what we want from a leader. It used to be that the more intellectual and brilliant a man seemed, the more likely he was to become elected. Now we elect those who seem “just like us!” Clinton got the White House because he played saxophone, and George W. Bush has it because he can’t assemble a decent sentence without an instruction guide.

Scary that people want a President who’s only as smart as they are, and this is the best that registered voting Americans can do.

Believe me, I have mixed feelings about the American populist movement now. Of course I think we need someone in office who has had similar experiences to us, someone who understands what it means for Americans to live daily life. We can’t afford another richboy Prince. But if the only people we’re willing to elect can’t name a country that begins with “U”, and doesn’t know what currency they use in the United Kingdom, we are toast.

Catch the video below.
EDIT: This video has been removed from YouTube… odd. I wonder why…

United States, Australia, George W. Bush, Satire, The Chaser’s War on Everything

Australian David Hicks, aka Abu Muslim al-Austraili, has just been slated for trial after five years in Guantanamo Bay. Most recently Mister Hicks has been accusing the United States of torturing and abusing him. He is currently seeking British citizenship, citing his mother’s British citizenry to help his case. His hope is that if he becomes a British national the UK will free him.

Hicks became a soldier of fortune in the Kosovo War after a sordid resume of kangaroo skinning, car stealing, shark fishing, and meat-packing. After returning to Australia from his short and unsuccessful stint in Serbia, he converted to Islam. In order to capitalize on his recent foray into combat and his conversion to Islam, he went to Pakistan-controlled Kashmir where he trained with Lashkar-e-Toiba, the eastern ally of al-Qaeda. There he was recruited by al-Qaida and, according to handwritten statements by his peers there, became a favorite student of the terrorist leaders. When his camp was visited by Osama Bin Laden, Hicks reportedly asked Bin Laden about the lack of English in training materials. In response, Hicks was prompted to translate the Arabic to English, which he did.

Later, Hicks would return to Kashmir and fight alongside Pakistani forces against India’s military in the ongoing conflict. However, once Lashkar-e-Toiba was denounced by the Pakistani government as a terrorist organization - in spite of popular opinion, which heavily supported them - Hicks and his compatriots broke down and began infighting.

Once news of the September 11th attacks reached Hicks, he armed himself with an AK-47 automatic rifle and grenades, and headed to Afghanistan. There he joined al-Qaeda forces against the Northern Alliance, the Afghani group supported by the United States. His involvement in the civil war would be short, however, as a warlord captured him and presented him to the Northern Alliance, who then offered him up to the United States.

Hicks’ story is a sordid and bizarre epic tragedy. Not a stupid man, Hicks has no sense of identity and shows little ability to keep himself grounded. Even his attempt at finding a foundation for himself in a religion led him to a life of violence, a sign of a seriously disturbed individual.

But it is not that his story is so outrageous nor that it is unique; this reporter believes that his story is not all too different from most at Guantanamo Bay. It is the color of his skin that has captured media attention. If this man had been another Middle Easterner, a “towel-head” in most bigoted racist eyes, no one would have printed a word of him.

Unpopular Australian Prime Minister John Howard has tried to jump ship from his former chumminess with the Bush White House, and demand the speedy trial of David Hicks. He reportedly pestered Vice President Dick Cheney during his Sydney visit, and has constantly brought up the issue in the media.

The surging popularity of the Labor Party in Australia has led the nation on an anti-war tangent, and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has been railing the Australian government to pull out of the middle east. The apprehension of David Hicks, and Australian national, by US Forces, has become a hot-button issue in both countries.

How should this go forward? How should this be handled?

No differently than if he were from any other nation. David Hicks is not special. He is just another Muslim. And the fact that he happens to be white is no reason to exempt him from any punishment, nor give him more than any other prisoner. Because no matter what faith you are, God should never care what color you are. And isn’t justice blind?

News, Middle East, Australia, Kevin Rudd, John Howard, Australian Labor Party, David Hicks, Dick Cheney, Islam, Serbia, Kosovo, al-Qaida, Lashkar-e-Toiba, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Kashmir, India, Osama Bin Laden, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan