Why the Kony Video Gives Me Hope (*Hint: It's Not What You Think*)

Wow, I haven't blogged on here for about 6 months. I'm such a slacker. It's mostly because my blogging time has been consumed by doing so elsewhere. I was contracted by ZAGG to do some "professional" blogging. It's been fun to delve deep into the world of tech and blog about what I find. Check out some of my posts here http://www.zagg.com/community/blog/author/jj-haglund/

Anyway, on to the Kony video! The biggest reason I decided to blog about it is because I was amazed at the fact that it garnered over 100 million views in just 6 days. Read that again in case you didn't grasp what I just said. 100 million views! SIX days! That is incredible. And it's because people shared it on Facebook and Twitter. I'll admit, after the first few people that posted it, I thought to myself "Self, there is no way I'm wasting a half an hour to watch a stupid YouTube video." But more people kept posting and curiosity got the better of me.

I was inspired by the video. But not in the way that you would think. It inspired me because I've always wanted to do something meaningful with my life, leave the world or better place after I'm gone, or "change the world" so to speak. And this guy is doing that. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the whole Invisible Children movement, you have to admit this guy saw a huge problem with the world and he set out to solve it. At first, politicians ignored him, but eventually his actions caused President Obama to act. And this video is getting millions more people to act or at least to be aware of world events instead of just the latest episode of Jersey Shore. So yes, the video inspired me. Someday I'm going to change the world just like this guy is changing it as we speak.

To all you Kony video haters: you criticize because you think your Facebook post or tweet won't save kids in Africa; you criticize because you think Invisible Children is a shady organization that doesn't deserve your money; you criticize because you think it's just the latest internet fad and people are jumping on the bandwagon; you criticize because you think plastering posters all over the city is vandalism and creates more problems than it solves. But you're missing the point. You think it won't work when it already has. They said in the video that their goal was to make Joseph Kony famous and to get our politicians to act. They already succeeded on both accounts, even more than they ever could have imagined.

Secondly, the Kony video gives me hope for our democracy. So-called "internet activism" via social media is the best thing that has ever happened to our democracy. Why? Because it gets people to act. Even if all they are doing is sharing a post, tweeting, or signing an online petition. Our collective voice is getting heard and best of all the politicians are listening.

Remember SOPA, The bill that Congress was going to use to censor the internet in the name of anti-piracy? All people did was take to their social media outlets and get people to sign some online petitions. And guess what! It worked. In a matter of days, Congress killed the SOPA bill before it was even voted on. Even Senator Hatch from Utah, who was a co-sponsor of the bill, withdrew his support. The politicians are listening.

Here's another example: the ignorant anti-sex-education bill that made its way through the Utah Legislature. People were outraged. People called our law-makers fools. But most people, myself included, weren't going to do anything about it. But someone did. They made an online petition. Again people took to their social media outlets and shared the petition with their friends. I saw it because a relative posted it on her Facebook and I signed it. As it turns out, 3700 printed pages worth of people signed it. The creator hand-delivered it to Utah Governor Herbert and days later he vetoed the bill. I'll say it again. Social media is the best thing that ever happened to democracy.

That is why the Kony video gives me hope.



Follow-up: 3/23/12

Blog Post by Norbert Mao, a Ugandan politician: I've Met Joseph Kony and Kony 2012 Isn't That Bad

"Over the years, I've spoken to Kony many times and eventually met him face to face in August 2006, when I led a community peace delegation to his hideout in the Congo. We pinned our hopes on him reaching a peace agreement with the Uganda government. Eventually, though, he walked away due to mistrust, an ICC indictment that would have sent him to The Hague, and probably pressure from his backers (the Sudanese government, among them). A great opportunity was missed.

Kony is now heading a multinational guerilla force comprised of mainly abducted children and adult soldiers who were first taken as children.  He roams the bush in Sudan, South Sudan, Congo, the Central African Republic, and Chad without hindrance. He has defied the U.N. peace keeping force in Congo. He has also survived many military expeditions aimed at defeating him. He has redefined the rules of asymmetrical war.

This man with whom I've had many encounters is now the subject of a powerful video that has captured the imagination of the world. Is the video a bad thing? I would say no. Has it got gaps? Plenty.

First, to give the impression -- even by omission -- that the victims themselves were passive and did little or nothing to relieve their own suffering is wrong. Before Invisible Children there were many efforts to let the world know what was going on. But the world was distracted. In 1998, in the middle of the insurgency, Bill Clinton came to Uganda and declared the country a peaceful nation. A few weeks later, the LRA marched from Congo into Bwindi National Park in Uganda and killed tourists who were gorilla tracking. Most of the victims were American. For a moment, Kony got some international media, but it soon went quiet. Meanwhile hundreds of thousands in Northern Uganda were displaced and the killings went on.

Second, it has to be said that official neglect on the part of the Ugandan government is responsible for much of the suffering we witness in Kony 2012 -- suffering that was brought on by an incompetent counterinsurgency strategy that, at its height, herded over one million civilians into disease infested and poorly protected camps. Right now it is a point of controversy that U.S. troops are standing shoulder to shoulder with certain Ugandan officers who ought to be charged with war crimes. Americans should shudder at this partnership and demand that the Ugandan government hold accountable those members of its military establishment who need to be tried for crimes against humanity.

Having said all that, I still view the release of Kony 2012 as a positive development.  To those critics who say that the video was propelled by less than savory aspects of western media culture that perpetuate the mentality of the white man's burden, I say that western advocacy matters and can make a difference. From the anti-slavery struggle to the anti-colonial struggle, voices from the West have been indispensible. The key is for Africans to influence the direction of that advocacy. We cannot stop it, but we can redirect it. So how do we respond to this video that has convinced the world to bear witness to the untold suffering of Northern Uganda? We can complain about the gaps, but we also have to celebrate the fact that at least part of our story has been told. And told powerfully.

It's clear that the aim of the video was never intellectual stimulation. I don't think the founders of Invisible Children are the foremost analysts of the complicated political, historical and security dynamics in our troubled part of Africa. They certainly wouldn't earn high marks in African Studies. But I will go to my grave convinced that they have the most beautiful trait on earth -- compassion."

Meeting Mitt Romney

I've been a fan of Mitt Romney's for a while now. And not just because he and I share the same religious beliefs, but because he's an extremely successful person and that success has helped bring those beliefs to the mainstream. I don't agree with him on every political issue, but I really admire all the things he's accomplished in his life: mission to France, family life, Stanford/Harvard, Bain Capital, bishop, stake president, Salt Lake Olympics, Governor, 2 time Presidential candidate (possible winner?)...


The biggest difference in opinion? He went to BYU. Nobody's perfect...

Obviously he has had an extremely successful and rewarding life and I aspire to the same.

Anyway, I finally got the chance to meet him! He came to Utah for some fundraising and we heard he was going to be making a stop at Hires Big H just a few blocks from our apartment. I brought a copy of his book No Apologies for him to sign. When he asked who to make it out to, he recognized my last name. "Oh I know the Haglunds really well!" He was in my uncle's ward in Belmont and my cousin was apparently good friends with Mitt's son. We talked for a few minutes as if we were old friends...although I'm sure all Presidential candidates do that with everyone they meet. It was still really cool for me.

And to make matters even better I got my 15 seconds of fame: I got my face in the New York Times!

my wife and I on the front row to the right of Romney

me getting my book signed. This one was in the SL Tribune

Brittany snapped this one on my cell phone

My Opinion on Bin Laden & Foreign Policy

Like most Americans, I still remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard and saw the news on 9/11. It's our generation's Pearl Harbor. Many years later, I visited Ground Zero and gained an even more emotional perspective on those fateful attacks. When I heard the news about bin Laden's death, I must admit I almost cried. After almost 10 years, I never thought we would ever find him.

It seems like most people think Bin Laden has been outrunning US forces since 9/11 2001, when in reality it has been much longer.

In the 1980s, we secretly gave the Mujahideen, one of whom was bin Laden, $1 billion in weapons to rebel against the Russians occupying Afghanistan. The war left the country in shambles with millions dead and millions more displaced. Bin Laden raised money and helped fight the Russians from 1980 until they left in 1989. He founded al Qaeda in 1988. In 1990, bin Laden became enraged at the presence of the US military in Saudi Arabia near the holy sites of Mecca and Medina prior to the invasion of Iraq. From 1993-1998 he was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American citizens in several different terror attacks around the world. In 1999, he was placed on the FBI's 10 most wanted list. 





The rest of the story is ingrained on our national memory...



They say hindsight is 20/20, so of course it's easy to criticize the actions of our leaders when we look back on what could have happened. But I'm going to do it anyway.

Clinton knew where bin Laden was, and failed to do anything about it because he was too busy screwing around. Pun intended. Because he was so entrenched in scandal he didn't have the political leverage to do what was needed. This article from MSNBC says that the CIA had video of bin Laden at a training camp in Afghanistan and knew the location! Why didn't Clinton authorize an attack to capture or kill him?? That is what we call an #epicfail. I'm not even going to say he could've prevented 9/11, because no one knows the future. But bin Laden was already one of the most wanted men in the world, and he had already murdered hundreds of Americans. Justice needed to be served and nothing was done.

My criticism for Bush is equal. I don't discriminate; Republicans and Democrats are equally to blame. His focus should have always been on bin Laden and Afghanistan. Iraq remains a mystery to me. When we invaded Afghanistan in 2001 the goal was to topple the Taliban government who was providing safe-haven to al Qaeda and find Osama bin Laden. This was definitely the right call, no question. We toppled the government in a matter of weeks, but didn't find our guy. In 2003, that became a NATO mission and we started focusing on nation building. Then we invaded Iraq to go after Saddam Hussein. In my humble opinion, the Iraq invasion was a distraction from the more important mission. If Bush had focused our manpower and resources on finishing the job in Afghanistan first, I think bin Laden would have been killed many years ago.

So I can't believe I'm saying  this, but I think Obama did the right thing. He finished the job that 2 Presidents failed to do by authorizing the mission to take out bin Laden. Plus, increasing troops in Afghanistan and replacing General McChrystal with General Patraeus were smart moves and now we finally caught the world's most wanted fugitive. But the whole story is much more complicated than that, and I actually don't think Obama deserves much of the credit. This is the culmination of the hard work of thousands of people over many years. Obama just happened to be the man in the Oval Office when the job was done. The credit should go to our military and intelligence community not President Obama.

But if any leader deserves the credit, it's General Patraeus. That man is brilliant. He wrote the manual on modern counterinsurgency and is responsible for turning the Iraq war from an utter disaster to whatever it is now. Then he took over in Afghanistan. It's his strategy and brilliance that finally led us to this day. And the war is far from over. We need his leadership not at the CIA but in the White House. President Petraeus has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

The war on terror rages on, but today we can celebrate this huge victory. Even if it changes nothing, bin Laden's death is a symbol of hope and victory that will once again unify the country and strengthen our resolve. This is America. We don't lose. I am so proud to be an American!

Happy Tax Day!

For once, tax day is actually quite happy for me thanks to the fact that I was able to claim my wife's tuition expenses as a "Reduction in Income" so I got a huge return. Happy Tax Day to me!

For the most part, though, it seems like all people do is complain about taxes. The government can never win. Liberals complain that the rich pay too little; Republicans complain that they pay too much; and everyone, political alignments aside, thinks they personally pay too much.

So here are some interesting facts about taxes and those who do and don't pay them:

• The richest 1% of Americans earn 22% of the nation's income, but pay over 38% of the nation's federal income taxes.

• 47% of Americans (mostly low-income) pay ZERO federal taxes.

Keep this in mind next time you vote!

The Hypocrisy of Obama

Maybe it's just me, but Obama launching air strikes on Libya in the middle of two wars, while still recovering from the recession seems just a little bit hypocritical. No, not just me? OK, cool. This post will be very brief then. Here are some quotes that prove my point!

From Obama:

"The President does not have Constitutional authority to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation." - Dec 20, 2007. 

But it's ok this time, because the UN and NATO are behind us... huh?

"Everybody is already talking about our deficit, why would we want to add to it?" - Nov 7, 2010

Each Tomahawk cruise missile costs roughly $1 million. We launched over 100 in Libya. You do the math!

And Biden (referring to his statements that if President Bush had attacked Iran, it would have been an impeachable offense):

"The President has no Constitutional authority to take this country to war...and if he does I will move to impeach him."

My feelings and opinions on the current wars we are fighting and whether or not we should have intervened in Libya are irrelevant to this post. The goal was to show you that Obama is a hypocrite. Hopefully my brief post makes that obvious!

Flying Gets Political

First of all, this is not a rant about creepy TSA pat-downs. That's olds news.

But my issue for the day does have to do with air travel. I love to travel and I fly a lot. I never thought that this would be become a political issue, but it has. Air travel has become such a huge hassle lately. Checked baggage fees. Annoying security procedures. Long line. Terrible service. No more free meals. No more free headphones. Hey airlines, we get it, fuel is expensive! I have been so annoyed with Delta Airlines lately, that I am considering "voting with my wallet", so to speak, and trying out other airlines. 

I just read an article in Time magazine about how passengers have been getting savvier lately by packing lighter and only taking carry-ons. But this has been causing delays in security, which in turn means an increased demand for TSA security agents because there are more bags to check. They are federal employees, so this comes out of the tax-payer's wallet. Let me just say a very sarcastic awesome! $260 million per year, in fact. Homeland Security already charges a $5 fee each way when you fly, now they want to increase that fee even more to bring in up to $600 million to Homeland Security. Why are the passengers suffering while the big airlines not only reap the financial benefits but do not have to even pay for the problem that THEY caused?

What really irks me about this and the article in Time, is that they act as if the passengers are to blame. The headline? "Cheap fliers cost taxpayers millions." Then the headliner: "Not checking that bag? It's going to cost everyone." Really??? Come on, now. We have no one to blame but blame itself...and the AIRLINES. Any solution that the government comes up with needs to hold the airlines responsible and accountable, not the consumer. What a joke!

So thank you, Delta Airlines and other airlines who are not only causing me a huge annoyance when I travel, now you are costing all of us even more money! But it's ok, you are profitable again.

Who is Crazier? Take the Quiz!

I found this thanks to one of my old poli sci professors at the U. This little gem comes from New York Magazine - it shows quotes from crazy rants said in February by one of three celebrity/political figures, and you have to guess who said it! I loved it and thought it was pretty hilarious, so here's a link and a screenshot of some of my results. The X means I guessed wrong, and if there's 2 it means I guessed wrong twice!

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/03/its_time_to_play_sheen_beck_or.html

The End of an Era

Last week I was witness to history, as I watched the Space Shuttle Disovery launch for the final time. It brought back a lot of memories of my childhood fantasies of wanting to being an astronaut, playing with models of the space shuttle and going to the Kennedy Space Center with my family. For me, and millions of other Americans like me, the space program was always a source of wonder and inspiration. It instilled in me an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, a desire to succeed, and even a strong sense of patriotism. I fear that future current and future generations of kids are about to lose that. With the retirement of the space shuttle program, and Obama’s cancellation of funds for its replacement program, the future of America’s space program will now be in the hands of our allies and the private sector. Now if America wants to send an astronaut to space, it will have to do so aboard Russia’s Soyuz rockets. Apparently President Obama fails to see the irony in this!

The space shuttle first launched in 1981, when NASA sent the Columbia to space for its first low-earth orbit. Now, 30 years later and over 130 flights later, the space shuttle program is being forced into retirement. So what’s next?

In 2004, George Bush announced plans to return to the moon by 2015, complete the International Space Station and retire the Space Shuttle in 2010. He also announced plans for something called Project Constellation. The idea was to establish an extended presence on the moon (which would reduce the costs of further space exploration), to develop and test new technologies and systems, and to begin a sustainable course of long-term exploration. One proposed mission was to a near-earth asteroid, which would represent a critical step forward in a manned mission to Mars. Project Constellation also intended to land humans on Mars in the 2030s.

President Obama recently determined that Project Constellation was over budget, behind schedule, and lacking in innovation. In 2010, he announced some lofty goals for NASA: the development of heavy-lift launch vehicle by 2015, an asteroid mission in 2025, and a Mars mission in the 2030s. Basically, he reiterated the same goals as his predecessor, but he cancelled funding for Project Constellation. To his credit, the cost was estimated to be $230 billion through 2025 and the country is going through hard times. Many people do not see space exploration as a priority. But how much has he spent on healthcare reform, bailouts, and the stimulus package? I for one do not see those as a priority either!

I hope that NASA can recapture the mystery and magic that millions felt as they watched the Apollo missions on TV in the 60s and 70s. Space exploration needs to remain a priority of the American people. Here’s why America needs to rethink the space program and make it a priority.

“Two centuries ago, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark left St. Louis to explore the new lands acquired in the Louisiana Purchase. They made that journey in the spirit of discovery, to learn the potential of vast new territory, and to chart a way for others to follow.

America has ventured forth into space for the same reasons. We have undertaken space travel because the desire to explore and understand is part of our character. And that quest has brought tangible benefits that improve our lives in countless ways. The exploration of space has led to advances in weather forecasting, in communications, in computing, search and rescue technology, robotics, and electronics. Our investment in space exploration helped to create our satellite telecommunications network and the Global Positioning System. Medical technologies that help prolong life -- such as the imaging processing used in CAT scanners and MRI machines -- trace their origins to technology engineered for the use in space…

Yet for all these successes, much remains for us to explore and to learn. In the past 30 years, no human being has set foot on another world, or ventured farther upward into space than 386 miles -- roughly the distance from Washington, D.C. to Boston, Massachusetts. America has not developed a new vehicle to advance human exploration in space in nearly a quarter century. It is time for America to take the next steps.”

That was said by none other than George Bush. Regardless of how you feel about President Bush (there’s plenty he did that I didn’t care for), you cannot deny the logic of this statement!

Canceling Project Constellation is a huge mistake. President Obama is denying future generations a source of innovation, knowledge, and national pride. I would not be surprised if mankind does in fact land a human on Mars in my lifetime. I will also not be surprised if that person is not American. Thank President Obama.

Of course, there are those who strongly support Obama’s plan:

“Cancellation was therefore simply a matter of time and thankfully we have a president with the political courage to do the right thing sooner rather than later. We can ill afford the expense of an “Apollo on steroids,”…A lesser president would have waited until after the upcoming election cycle, not caring that billions more dollars would be wasted. It was disappointing to see how many in Congress did not possess this courage” – Elon Musk.

Of course Mr. Musk is the CEO of SpaceX, which is a private corporation that stands to earn billions of dollars as US spaceflight shifts to the private sector.

Obama’s high-profile critics include Neil Armstrong, Commander of Apollo 11 and first man on the moon, Jim Lovell, Commander of Apollo 13, and other famous astronauts. Their critiques include:

-we will have wasted ten plus billion dollars already invested in Constellation

- we will have lost many years required to recreate what we will have didcarded

- The US has been the leader in space for half a century, and is now destined to be second or third tier due to lack of means to carry astronauts to low-earth orbit and beyond

-The Obama plan calls for NASA to spend $100 billion over 10 years in order to accomplish nothing

- Obama called for sending a crew to an asteroid by 2025. had he not canceled Constellation, we could have performed such a mission by 2016. While calling for such a  flight, he is actually terminating the programs that would make it possible.

- One of the primary goals of our space program has always been about maintaining US access to space and maintaining US leadership in space. By cutting Project Constellation, Obama is denying us the means to do that.

The retirement of the space shuttle program this year marks the end of an era. I sincerely hope that this only means that it is the beginning of a new one … but it’s not looking too good so far.

Recent Resignations

Making the rounds in the news recently are the resignations of Egypt's President Mubarak and Utah Jazz hall of fame head coach Jerry Sloan. Rather than provide any political commentary, I thought I'd provide my favorite tweets:


First Jerry Sloan resigns and now Mubarak... if you're an Egyptian Utah Jazz fan, this must have been a tumultuous week - @visionmediamktg


Mubarak forced to resign after repeated clashes with star point guard El-DeRon Williams-Ali. No word if Jerry Sloan will take over presid'cy - @realslimseanie


#Panetta calls Obama and apologizes for faulty intel on Mubarak. Said the intel actually referred to #JerrySloan. - @utahpolitics


"Jerry Sloan I'm really happy for you and Imma let you finish, but Mubarak had the best resignation of all time. Of all time." Kanye West - @boomtho

Romney on Letterman

Mitt Romney counts down the Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Mitt Romney! This is probably my favorite Letterman Top 10 ever! haha

Palin makes me puke

In Obama's State of the Union address this year, he argued that this is another "Sputnik Moment." Meaning, of course, that this recent crisis could be a wake up call for the nation, causing us as a people to focus more on innovation and reinforcing our place at the top. How could you disagree with that? That ideology is as bipartisan as they come. If you don't want America to innovate, spur job growth, increase our political and economic power... you can move to China.

This is where Sarah Palin comes in. Her rebuttal was either an entirely misguided attempt to attack Obama or 100% moronic.

"That was another one of those WTF moments...this Sputnik Moment that he would aspire Americans to celebrate. He needs to remember that what happened back then with the former Communist USSR and their victory in that race to space...yeah, they won, but they also incurred so much debt at the time that it resulted in the inevitable collapse of the Soviet Union."

HOW CAN ANYONE THINK SHE WOULD MAKE A GOOD PRESIDENT!? SHE'S AN IDIOT! She knows nothing about world history, current events, or anything remotely relevant to the President's job description. Please, Sarah Palin, for the love of all that is holy... stick to your moose hunting reality TV show.

Watch this video: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-january-31-2011/from-russia-with-gov

State of the Union

Many people, including myself, are becoming increasingly frustrated with President Obama. But, hey, the man is an excellent orator, you have to give him that. I was in DC January-May 2009 and was there at the Lincoln Memorial for the pre-inauguration celebration, was on the lawn of the Capitol when he was sworn in, and saw him speak in person on multiple occasions. He is a very powerful and moving speaker. He makes you want to be a better American. The 2011 State of the Union address was no different.

"For these Americans and so many others, change has not come fast enough. Some are frustrated; some are angry. They don't understand why it seems like bad behavior on Wall Street is rewarded but hard work on Main Street isn't; or why Washington has been unable or unwilling to solve any of our problems. They are tired of the partisanship and the shouting and the pettiness. They know we can't afford it. Not now."

Sounds like something I would say.

What stood out to me most about this year's State of the Union is much of that same feeling I got in DC. His goals are worthwhile, and he wants America to continue to be the greatest nation in the world. What he needs to realize, however, is that Republicans don't necessarily disagree with him on goals. But I don't think Republicans realize that either. We all want this country to be the best in the world, to continue to have the most prosperous economy, to develop alternative energies and not have to rely on foreign oil, to not be at war, etc... But all I heard during this speech was a bunch of lofty rhetoric and goals with no concrete deadlines and definitely no plan of action.

He wants to work together in a spirit of bipartisanship. Great! I'll believe that when I see it.
He wants to double exports thus creating 2 million jobs by 2015. Great! How?
Make our primary education system the best in the world. Great! How?
$30 billion of bank bailout repayments should be reinvested in community banks for small business loans. Cool. How? When?
Invest in clean and alternative energy to spur job growth and decrease dependence on foreign oil. Nice. What about all that federally owned land in Utah full of natural resources that we're not allowed to do anything on, except pay the government to walk on it?
If anyone has a better idea for health care reform, Obama claimed to want to hear it. OK. What about Mitt Romney's state-level reform that was proven to work pretty dang well?

All I heard during that whole speech were a bunch of things that would be pretty great accomplishments for our country, but not once did I hear a plan with a deadline.

 "A goal without a plan is just a wish" - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Arizona Aftermath

I found this gem from an ESPN columnist - click here then scroll about halfway down (unless you want to read about the NFL post-season first). I'm not exactly sure why this was in the middle of his column, but I thought he made some valid points. 

"800 Americans Killed by Guns Since the Arizona Shootings: 

 It is a sign of the state of U.S. discourse that the Arizona tragedy led immediately to political finger-pointing. Perhaps Jared Loughner was influenced in some way by Tea Party commentary, but there's no proof of this; diseased minds are hard to understand. Yet left-wing commentators jumped to the assumption that Loughner was somehow acting on the orders of people such as Glenn Beck, and that Beck and his ilk condone murder: absurd contentions. On the right, Sarah Plain -- referring to herself as "we" -- denied that her rifle-crosshairs-graphic showing the congressional district of Rep. Gabriella Giffords was reckless, then declared that "journalists and pundits" who call attention to her crosshairs graphic cause "hatred and violence." So Palin need not apologize for using a bull's-eye graphic, but anyone who points out Palin's own action is inciting violence. This is incoherent even by the low standards of contemporary politics.

More important is that Loughner, with a record of mental instability, legally purchased not just a concealed weapon but a high-rate-of-fire Glock -- same gun used in the Virginia Tech massacre -- plus a 33-round combat magazine. Combat magazines have no relevance to hunting, marksmanship or self-defense. In what self-defense situation would a law-abiding person fire 33 times? Combat magazines are useful for two purposes, infantry battle and mass murder. In Arizona, anyone can buy them."

 What a sad state of affairs we live in when a tragedy like this gets politicized. Shame on all those politicians on both sides of the aisle who are trying to "never let a good tragedy go to waste." It's also sad that our laws regulate children's toys more than guns. While it is true that pens don't write letters, cars don't drive themselves, and guns don't kill people, it really should not be so easy to buy massacre-ready guns.

I'm all for the Right to Bear Arms, but it needs to be better regulated. And having an on-duty police officer present at all public appearances of nationally elected public officials is not a half-bad idea either. 

President Huntsman?

We've heard it before, but it looks like there is chatter that ex-Governor/ Ambassador Hunstman might run for President in 2012.

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/01/04/the-manchurian-candidate.html

 “You know, I’m really focused on what we’re doing in our current position, but we won’t do this forever, and I think we may have one final run left in our bones.” - Ambassador Huntsman

This thought makes me a little giddy! I'm from Utah and I'm a moderate Republican... oops! gave it away. That's the first time I've ever stated outright on here where I fall along the political spectrum. Anyway ... I know of very few politicians that match up to my political views as well as Huntsman does. I'm a big fan. He's pro-business, Utah's economy was the 2nd fastest growing in the nation during his term,  he now has a great relationship with China a.k.a America's credit card, and he's a bridge-builder. Even as a moderate, he left office with a near 80% approval rating in one of the reddest states in America. His "get stuff done" approach is one that's sorely lacking in Republican politics these days.

“He’s an inclusive person, which, without getting into personalities within our party, unfortunately is a rare commodity,” says Weaver, who has advised Huntsman on his political career in the past. “I’m a firm believer that our next great Republican president will be a conservative problem-solver. And to be a problem-solver you have to be inclusive about getting things done.”

 Here's to hoping that Huntsman returns from exile and makes a big run for office!

Why I Love Jon Stewart!

I never would've thought that Jon Stewart would be the voice reason amidst all the recent political madness. I'm tired of the radicals on the fringe of either side having the loudest voices and getting the most attention. Let's be honest, most Americans fall right in the middle but our voices are not being heard simply because we don't want to scream.


"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" 

Who among us has not wanted to open their window and shout that at the top of their lungs? 

Seriously, who? 

Because we're looking for those people. We're looking for the people who think shouting is annoying, counterproductive, and terrible for your throat; who feel that the loudest voices shouldn't be the only ones that get heard; and who believe that the only time it's appropriate to draw a Hitler mustache on someone is when that person is actually Hitler. Or Charlie Chaplin in certain roles. 

Are you one of those people? Excellent. Then we'd like you to join us in Washington, DC on October 30 -- a date of no significance whatsoever -- at the Daily Show's "Rally to Restore Sanity." Ours is a rally for the people who've been too busy to go to rallies, who actually have lives and families and jobs (or are looking for jobs) -- not so much the Silent Majority as the Busy Majority. If we had to sum up the political view of our participants in a single sentence... we couldn't. That's sort of the point. 

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Rally to Restore Sanity
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Thoughts on 9/11

It's been too long since I've posted anything here lately. To be quite honest, I've been so fed up with all the hate and fear mongering going on in politics that I've tuned it all out. But lately, I've been far too opinionated about the most recent controversies to let this one go by the wayside. There have been several things that prompted me to sit down, log on, and start typing away - the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque", the church leader who wants to have a Quran burning bonfire on 9/11, and meeting kids who don't even know what happened that fateful day! I'll also throw in a rant about Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin, just for kicks.

It's hard to believe that those terrible attacks were 9 years ago. It's our generation's date that will live in infamy. I still remember where I was, what I was doing, and how I felt. I recently realized that my 9 year old sister has no recollection of that tragic event. My wife has piano students that weren't even alive and who have only a small idea of what "9/11" means because they heard their school teacher say something about it once. I visited Ground Zero a few years ago and it was one of the most moving experiences of my adult life. I will never forget it. The words on the memorial, "May We Never Forget", are forever etched into my mind.




As we commemorate 9/11 and honor those who died and those who risked their lives for others to live, let's take a look around the country at some totally inappropriate ways of doing so. Burning the Koran - appalling. For those of you who are wondering if anybody actually supports guy - the answer is yes. I read this on MSN this morning: Despite a general outcry against Rev. Jones' plan, the Florida pastor does have his supporters. A former Baptist minister in Springfield, Tenn. has said he will join in on the event and burn a Quran himself on Saturday and post a video of it on the Internet, according to a report by The Tennessean newspaper. "If they want to have their religion, they can have it somewhere else," said Rev. Bob Old, the former pastor who now runs an evangelical ministry called Disciples of Christ.


How can thes "pastors" call themselves Christian and think it's ok to burn the  holy writ of another religion. They are preaching hate and intolerance, and I can guarantee you that is not what Jesus would do! 


Another totally inappropriate way to commemorate - charging people $225 to listen to you talk about what a patriot you are. I'm talking to you Glenn Beck and Half-Governor Sarah Palin! Palin announced, "We can count on Glenn to make the night interesting and inspiring, and I can think of no better way to commemorate 9/11 than to gather with patriots who will 'never forget," And charging them $225 to do so, of course. Anything to turn a profit, right Governor? I hope everyone in the media cries foul for this, forcing them to donate 100% of ticket sales to 9/11 victim's families. Will the Republican party ever realize that these people are an embarrassment?


Lastly, let's talk about this "Ground Zero Mosque". I can honestly say that this is the first time in my life that I have agreed with ultra-liberal talk show host Keith Olbermann. There is no Ground Zero Mosque! First - it's several blocks away, not even in view of Ground Zero. Second- it's not a mosque or a future training ground for terrorists! It's a COMMUNITY CENTER. A mosque is for worship only, and this place will have a culinary school and a basketball court, and will be open to all. "Terrorist chefs. Terrorist point guards. What a threat!" 







Lastly, let's talk about hate and intolerance. I'm so sick of hearing ignorant people talk about this Mosque like it's the biggest possible insult to 9/11 victims and their families. Guess what, people? Islam did not attack us, a bunch of radicals who don't understand their own religion did! So you people are ok with going to war and losing thousands of American troops to FREE a Muslim country from a tryannical dictator, but you're not ok with letting them practice their freedoms in America, the Land of the Free?! Stop being so hypocritical. I think Mayor Bloomberg said it best ,

"On September 11, 2001, thousands of first responders heroically rushed to the scene and saved tens of thousands of lives. More than 400 of those first responders did not make it out alive. In rushing into those burning buildings, not one of them asked 'What God do you pray to?' 'What beliefs do you hold?'

"The attack was an act of war – and our first responders defended not only our City but also our country and our Constitution. We do not honor their lives by denying the very Constitutional rights they died protecting. We honor their lives by defending those rights – and the freedoms that the terrorists attacked.

"Of course, it is fair to ask the organizers of the mosque to show some special sensitivity to the situation – and in fact, their plan envisions reaching beyond their walls and building an interfaith community. By doing so, it is my hope that the mosque will help to bring our City even closer together and help repudiate the false and repugnant idea that the attacks of 9/11 were in any way consistent with Islam. "

I'll end with a quote from the beliefs of my own relgion...and believe me, we know a thing or two about not being allowed to worship where we want. "We claim the privilege of worshiping the Almighty God according to the dictates of our own consience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, and what they may."


I can think of no better way to commemorate 9/11, than by learning to be tolerant of all people and all relgions, and allowing them to practice their own freedoms - freedoms which so many people over hundreds of years have fought and died for.

A Real-Life Jack Bauer?

Making the headlines recently has been Obama's decision to oust General, a decision which 53% of Americans support. I do not. A change of command in the middle of a war is never a good idea. Look at it this way: he was the mastermind who convinced the ultra-liberal President Obama to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan when Obama wanted both wars over and done asap. He's a counterinsurgency genius. Everything happening in Afghanistan right now was all his idea. Luckily he's being replaced by the guy who wrote the counterinsurgency manual in the first place. And I am a big Petraeus fan, so I'm not totally upset. I met General Petraeus in person once at the National Defense University in D.C. His surprisingly small stature doesn't do justice to his huge reputation. But hey, Napoleon was small, too and he conquered Europe...for a little while, anyway. So here's hoping that General Petraeus has more success than General McChrystal and longer lasting success than Napoleon. I'm thinking President Petraeus in the near future. It has a nice ring to it, wouldn't you say?

However, after I read the Rolling Stone article that got General McChrystal fired by President Obama, the first thing that came to my mind was a desire to make a movie about this guy's life! McChrystal sounds like he's super bad-ass. A true B.A.M.F. The movie would be part A Few Good Men, part Black Hawk Down and part 24... and it would be seriously awesome. Imagine Jack Bauer taking command of the entire war, but still going on an occasional nighttime terrorist hunt. Bruce Willis would star and Steven Spielberg would direct. I just made myself a hundred million dollars.

Everyone's Got Issues! Do you?

The Battle for the Internets!

In recent years, many politicians have taken advantage of the many tools available online to communicate and spread their message. It wasn’t too long ago when W. was saying “the Internets” and GOP tech savvy was the butt of many jokes. So for a long time it seemed as if the Democrats had a monopoly on being internet savvy, but have Republicans caught up? When it comes to politics, which party dominates the internet?

The 2008 Presidential election was a wake up call from the GOP. While Obama built a huge following on the internet and on various social networks, John McCain admitted openly that he didn’t even know how to use a computer!

This was in a recent CNN article:

“from what we have observed from the short life of the web, opening one's site to the capricious innovations of grass-roots users can be enormously beneficial but hard to control. Conservatives may one day embrace the participatory web en masse. However, the very structure of the internet as a decentralized grouping of communities may never appeal to the large portion of right-wingers who prefer military-style hierarchies and commanding leaders. And, as years go by without a conservative social-media pioneer or a top-ranked website, it looks as though the internet has already chosen a side.”

So liberals seem to think that they have won the Battle, but have they really? When it comes to Social Media, Republicans seem to have learned very quickly. Former Presidential candidate Mitt Romney now has over 350,000 people who like him on Facebook. And as a side-by-side comparison House Minority Leader John Boehner has about 75,000 fans vs Majority Leader Pelosi’s 20,000. And the “Impeach Pelosi” page is liked by over 80,000.

And this is from Mother Jones, an independent, non-profit magazine:

Status Update: The GOP Became a Fan of Social Media

…as of January 2010, only 34 percent of Democratic House members were on Facebook and only 20 percent had hit Twitter. Meanwhile, since January 2009, the percentage of House Republicans using Facebook has jumped from 37 percent to 79 percent (as of early April). Sixty-four percent of these GOPers are on Twitter, compared with 28 percent in January last year. And 89 percent now have a YouTube channel, compared with 56 percent last year. “We’re getting to the point where we’ve leapfrogged the majority party." With 2010 shaping up as a potentially tough year for the Democrats, they can ill afford to be out-tweeted.

So who do you think has won the battle, and will it make a difference? I think it will!

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