Thoughts on Torture

I've repeated - I don't know how many times - before that we don't do the things we do because of who "they" are but because of who we are. Dick Cheney insists to this day that, because it yielded actionable intelligence, our torture of prisoners was justified. I think we all need to think about who we are and what, if anything, we stand for.

The Geneva Conventions are pretty clear that placing someone in fear for their life or of being maimed is considered torture throughout the world. We can call it 'aggressive interrogation' if we want to, but in the World Court it's called torture. People who torture are criminals. In fact, given that it's hard to think of anything more terrifying than being killed or maimed, it could be argued that people who torture are terrorists... terrorist organizations... state sponsored terrorism.

We did it. We need to face that we did it, and we need to stop doing it. I was going to say that we need to promise not to do it again, but historically we are also faithless liars. (Seriously, sending prisoners to countries where we know they will be tortured and then using the resulting intelligence makes us what?)

Does the end justify the means? If it does then any behavior can be justifed by a successful outcome. Is that who we are? It kind of looks like that's who we are.

A Word on the Commissioning of USS Stockdale (DDG-106)

As I noted on his passing, I don't have a lot of heroes - don't believe in them for the most part - but Adm. James B. Stockdale was one of them. Yesterday the Navy commissioned the newest Arleigh Burke destroyer naming it USS Stockdale. In the Navy, that's considered a huge deal and rightly so. It represents a "second bite at the apple" to establish immortality as the ship and crew establish their reputation well into the 21st century while carrying Admiral Stockdale's name.

The LA Times chose to note that many people might be most familiar with the Admiral as Ross Perot's 1992 running mate. I acknowledge that there's a lot of ignorance in the world, but USS Stockdale honors an officer who commanded men with wisdom and courage through a literal hell and in the face of impossible conditions, and who carried his commitment to public service to his grave.

I wish DDG-106, and all who serve in her, fair winds and following seas throughout a long and honorable career.

Happy Birthday, Kay!

A quick shout-out to wish Kay (of Kay's Thinking Cap) a fantastic birthday, and every happiness for many years to come.

Happy Birthday, Ronni!

Wishing Ronni Bennett at Time Goes By a fantastic birthday today, and many more years of good health and great happiness.

I know that my path has been smoother over the past five years for the information and resources she's shared, and I owe her. She's a hero and role model, and a dear friend.

Post-Inaugural Frustration

Did you have the dream that this past national election marked a turning point in the modern American political experience? I confess that I did, but the dream has been mortifying into the same old nightmare since.

Every time I hear the words "Republican," "Democrat," or "bi-partisan" I feel the need to strangle someone. I speak strictly for myself, but I'd be willing to bet that a large part of the reason for low voter turnouts is that 60% of us don't give a rat's ass which party a prospective legislator belongs to; I want you to represent me, irrespective of your fraternity or whatever you call it, and you haven't been doing it.

There are more than 300 million Americans now, and each one of us is experiencing this day from his or her own unique perspective. There are very few, if any, legitimate partisan issues; you people were elected to represent all of the people of the United States. If you want to represent the Republican Party or the Democratic Party or any other party, do it on your own time. On taxpayer time I want you to shut the fuck up, and get to work representing me and my interests in the city, county, state and nation.

California Senator Bob Huff, you should have been fired as an Assemblyman. It's February 14th, and our state budget was due last July 1st. Lead, follow, or get out of the way, but at least have the decency to refuse your salary. Assemblyman Charles Calderon, the same is true for you, too. You people have one deadline and you've missed it by more than seven months this time!

Senator Harry Reid, quit sending me your damned e-mails and solicitations. I sent a little money to the Edwards' campaign, but I'm an independent voter - and you should be, too. This isn't a pissing contest; it's our government.

Reflection on Gaza

It's in my heart to say something about what's happening in Gaza. I am - praying, if you will - for the people of Israel at this time because I'm afraid that they've lost their way and that they're amassing some really horrible karma.

I think I can see their frustration with the terrorists blindly firing rockets over the fence into Israel, but it's Israel's fence and I think they have a responsibility for the custody of the people confined within it. I try to imagine circumstances - levels of gang activity, etc. - that would justify putting walls around an entire population and then directing fire on them with bombs and artillery, and I can't get there. We don't do this in prison riots where everybody in there is presumably guilty of something.

What is Israel's objective? The Hamas militants firing those rockets are criminals whose objective is to destabilize the relationship between Israel and the Arab world. As with our response to 9/11, certainly Israel has been provoked; but will their response advance their objectives or Hamas'. What is being created inside that fence? Peace?

L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa, whose sincerity on any topic is open to question, spoke today of the fear in the eyes of Israeli children. Children within the Gaza perimeter have reportedly stopped reacting to incoming strikes because there is no break. Will these children be able to live together when this is finished?

There's an expression I remember from my younger days: "Kill them all and let God sort them out." I understand where that comes from, but it has never, ever led to lasting peace.

Really, Barack? Rick Warren?

I like to think I'm pretty open-minded, fairly non-judgemental; but I think there are degrees of inclusiveness and I'd like to think that Rick Warren is a degree or two away from giving a benediction at the inauguration of Barack Obama on the Mall in the capital.

This isn't about raising taxes vs cutting spending to balance the budget. This isn't about free trade vs tarriffs. This isn't about states rights vs federalism. This is a man who advocates theocratic interpretations in the application of civil rights in direct opposition to the first and fourteenth amendments of the Constitution of the United States, and I cannot imagine why on earth my President-elect would give Warren a hearing, much less a pulpit on the platform at his inauguration.

This is your inauguration; think "setting the tone." I get that you intend to be the President for all Americans, but it's pretty clear that this guy hasn't got a benediction for everyone; he leaves some people out.

I read a comment somewhere today - I think it was in the Orange County Register - that you appear to be a bit challenged in your selection of clergy, and I've got to go along with that assessment.

Observing a Blogiversary

I saw a counter on Kay's blog, checked my archives, and - lo and behold - today this blog is four years old.

I have to say that keeping a blog isn't the stupidest thing I've done over the past four years... not by a long shot. I came into this with no particular expectations, with very little awareness of what I wanted to do here, and - given that - I think it's gone pretty well. I think I wrote some decent stuff over on the the other site before it crashed on me. I've 'met' some interesting people. We've lost some interesting people. (I still find myself wanting to tell Joycelyn Ward something now and then.)

I'm still trying to come to terms with blog maintenance, i.e. posting regularly. Ronni Bennett is my hero and role model, consistently turning out a top-quality product day in and day out, and I've disappeared for a month at a time. I am conscious that I don't meet the criteria to make her blog roll today, and then I get this guilt thing going. I know that I fret a bit when I check blogs and there are no entries for an extended period, and I don't want to be that guy.

I saw Ariana Huffington the other night on The Daily Show and was struck by her advice to just go with your first thought. I've had two big posts stuck in park for a year now trying to find time to do some research and develop them. I think I do better by just unloading whatever's in my consciousness and not worrying about the Pullitzers or whatever.

Four years... I had just gotten married on November 1st, 2004, so what the hell was I doing starting a blog? What if I'd discovered blogging a few months earlier?

Anyway, to my readers, thank you for your companionship.

A Reflection on University City

I remember standing out near the flight line in 1970 shortly after reporting into Attack Carrier Air Wing Two at (then) NAS Miramar. Looking to the west I noticed and asked about the construction going on past the end of the runways, and I was told they were putting in homes. I responded with, "Who the (deleted) builds homes at the end of the runway of a Naval Air Station?" (At that time I hadn't experienced Point Loma where people move under the Lindbergh Field traffic pattern and complain about the noise.)

I am mindful of PSA Flight 182 that crashed in North Park about 30 years ago, and I seem to recall a couple of mishaps out of Montgomery Field up on Kearney Mesa. I think when you live under the flight pattern (not to mention at the end of the runways) of an airport - military or civilian - you need to come to terms with the reality that - sooner or later - gravity always wins and you could be in the bulls-eye.

It's a shame, certainly, when innocent lives are lost. On the other hand, I am thankful that the crew of the F/A-18 was able to eject and will live to fly another day.

A Little About the Red Cross

I guess I haven't said much about my experience with the Red Cross, and that's kind of a shame because I know I used to only think of the Red Cross in terms of emergency leave (when I was in the Navy) and major disasters. I have been out on two national disaster responses (DRs) this year - in June and in November - and that was fulfilling work, but I've also been out on a dozen house and apartment fires and that was also - and perhaps more - fulfilling.

I spent two weeks in Columbus, Indiana, in June as a client caseworker in the aftermath of the flooding there. You may be asking yourself, as I did, "What flooding in Indiana?" Iowa and the Mississippi got all of the press, but I think we wound up helping more than 400 families in the Columbus area out of the science classrooms at the middle school.

For five days over the weekend before Thanksgiving I was deployed with an Emergency Response Vehicle (or ERV) to Sylmar. With my co-driver (pictured above) we provided snacks and beverages at the bulk distribution site near the client service center, provided meals to the volunteer staff, and drove through the Oak Ridge Mobile Home Park delivering snacks, beverages and clean-up items (rakes, shovels, gloves, etc.) to clients.

The thing is that for every DR that makes the papers there are hundreds of personal disasters, and, when we respond to those, our Disaster Action Teams are responsible for the damage assessment, assessing the clients needs, and providing for their immediate needs consistent with the Red Cross mission and values. I know we did good work in Indiana and in Sylmar, but - pound for pound - I wouldn't trade working with a family through one of the worst times of their lives.

Now, the Red Cross does a lot of other things beside disaster relief: Services to Armed Forces is another program I make time for, Community Education, Health & Safety training, Blood Services, etc. Cop Car takes disaster relief to a whole 'nother level with regional planning.

I'm new to the Red Cross, and still working into my role as a foot soldier; but, on a personal level, my work as a Disaster Assistance Team (DAT) member has been some of the most fulfilling work I've done... which won't keep me from fighting for the keys to an ERV for the next DR.

I'm Not Smart About Economics

Years ago I took the tests for a Social Sciences teaching credential and I confess that Economics was my weakness, and apparently that weakness persists into the present. I'm not as dumb as I thought I was because there is an increasing body of evidence that everyone who should have predicted our economic meltdown could have predicted our economic meltdown; apparently they just didn't feel like it.

The thing I'm having a problem with today is the idea that the best financial minds in the world (if one believes that salaries are tied to competence) just got the bejeebers scared out of them by the "news" that we have been in a recession for over a year now. I'm just a guy, and I don't manage millions of dollars... billions of dollars in investments day in and day out, but I've got to tell you that I've suspected for awhile now that we were in a recession. I've actually been "planning" my retirement on the assumption that I wouldn't be able to get much - if anything - out of my paltry investments. Can anyone steer me to a decent explanation of why putting that out in public sent Wall Street back into the crapper?

By the way, we were talking over the holiday about Hillary Clinton accepting the nomination to be Secretary of State and decided that it was a bad idea. Hillary Clinton can stay in the Senate as long as she feels like it and possibly be the successor to Ted Kennedy as a liberal icon, or she can take on being Obama's Secretary of State subordinating her world view to his until she can't stand it anymore and then disappear into the landscape. Somebody help me here; has anyone since Jefferson gone from Secretary of State to the Presidency? (I know he didn't go directly from State to the Presidency; he served a term as VP.)

More Lame Excuses

No, not from the lame duck administration; from me.
I've been busy splitting time between work and the Red Cross and for the next few days I'm going to be exclusive to the Red Cross doing mobile mass feeding (and such other duties as may be assigned).
I'll read your blogs when I get a link-up but won't try to write (which hasn't been working very well for me in the first place).

I'm Not a Particularly Good Person

Here it is Veteran's Day and I came across this article talking about OEF/OIF veterans connecting online instead of at the more traditional watering holes of previous generations. I'm a huge fan of vets forming their own support systems around them according to their needs, and - for all of my empathy - I have never humped in a climate or terrain like they've experienced and somewhat doubt that I could have. Good for them leaning on each other just as they did throughout their active service.

Eventually I got down to the part where they write about the American Legion and the VFW losing membership, and I confess to a teensy moment of satisfaction because they weren't there for me when I could have used the help. I've written before that I left the Navy earlier than I might have because the VietNam GI Bill was set to expire at the end of 1989. I wrote to everyone I could think of and spoke to everyone I could reach, but except for the Fleet Reserve Association (which at the time still represented career and retired military members of the sea services) the veterans organizations turned a deaf ear to me.

There was a small degree of altruism to my arguments. I finished my 20 years in time to get my four years, and I was unlikely to be promoted beyond Chief if I'd stayed in for 40 years (I had some issues); however, it bugged me that a guy who came in before January, 1966, in time for seven more years of the VietNam War couldn't do his 20 and get the GI Bill. The Legion and the VFW both pointed out to me that their primary concerns were for the WW II veterans and that their membership was predominantly one-term enlistees anyway, and that was it.

So now they can't attract younger vets... imagine that. I wish them well and, in particular, I wish their members well; but you folks coming out of OEF/OIF are on the right track relying on one another for answers and support for your unique issues. At some point every organization I can think of turns its focus away from its membership and toward perpetuating itself.

Not a Good Week for Blogging

This is not going to be a great week for blogging. Thursday is California's statewide earthquake drill, and I've spent quite a bit of time so far prepping for it and have a lot more to spend participating in it.

All day Thursday I participate with the local Red Cross chapter assessing our readiness to quickly set up a shelter in the immediate aftermath of the simulated 'quake. (There are millions of residents in the LA basin and perhaps a few thousand shelter beds.)

Saturday the Red Cross has an information booth at the county fire expo.

Sunday the county is having an all-day field exercise for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) up in Sherman Oaks.

Getting involved in earthquake recovery is one of those things I've been meaning to do, but never made time for until this year. There's supposed to be a 90-something percent probability of a major earthquake here within the next thirty years. If you sign up on USGS.gov, you can get notified of earthquakes as they occur, and it's sobering to watch them first up in the Aleutians and then down off Mexico and then back up in the Aleutians. There was a good-sized one just off the coast above San Francisco a couple of weeks ago.

California isn't supposed to "fall off into the ocean" but it is supposed to wind up several feet north which will sever power lines, pipe lines (water and fuel), and surface transportation across the San Andreas fault. It's going to be quite a ride.

How about if Obama named Colin Powell as his Secretary of State?

I know; no one was more disappointed watching him shill for George W. Bush (when he must have known better) than I was. I'm thinking he must have lost a lot of sleep over the past five years thinking about the all of the lives he had a hand in destroying, and his best shot at any redemption is a chance to be the Secretary of State we were expecting in 2001, a chance to be the George Marshall of the post-Cold War era.

I had a lot of respect for General Powell when he was in uniform. I think he's better than he ever had a chance to be in the present administration. I think he's just exactly what the Obama administration needs at State, and (coincidentally) it would give him an opportunity to clean up his karma. Richardson would be okay, but I think Powell is ideally suited for 2009.

Election Day

My connectivity issue resurfaced (Joared, the jury is out on Verizon as well as on your provider.) so I didn't run through all of the California propositions. Today is about keeping good thoughts that America will use wisdom in choosing our government and our future.

I wish I felt more confident in the outcome. It has been frustrating speaking with people I care about and generally find to be agreeable who, at the end of the conversation, turn toward the darkness of the neo-fascists. How on earth can we agree on universal healthcare and then you vote for those who oppose it?

Today is about keeping good thoughts that - this time - enough Americans in the right states will use wisdom in choosing our future.

It's Frustrating

Seemingly rational people will natter for hours about our dependence on foreign oil as the root of (nearly) all evil while Exxon Mobil breaks another earnings record in the third quarter just ended. The problem isn't the nationality of the oil, it's that Big Oil doesn't give a rat's ass about America or any other country and we all just line up for it: "Please, sir, might I have another."

It's Not That There Aren't Any Appropriate Bond Issues

Proposition 12 on the California ballot is to fund the CalVet home loan program, and it appears about every other year if memory serves. According to the legislative analyst, since 1921 "the CalVet program has been totally supported by the participating veterans at no direct cost to the taxpayer." I'm willing to bet on the vets.

Proposition 3 is a little bit trickier, but not a lot. Prop 3 asks for $280 Million to fund children's hospitals throughout the state. 20% of the money would go to the five hospitals within the University of California system while 80% would be made available to as many as eight hospitals such as Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Children's Hospital of Orange County. Purists argue that using bond money to support non-government hospitals is wrong and I understand that argument while disagreeing with it. These are California public-benefit corporations such as the Lucille Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford doing cutting-edge work and, to the extent that their legitimate funding needs cannot be met by payments from patients and insurers, they are worthy of our support.

We need to keep faith with our children's hospitals and our veterans. They've earned that.

What Happens When People Like Me Get Pissed and Write Laws

Have you ever wondered what draws a person to becoming a sheriff or district attorney? I understand someone wanting to get into law enforcement, wanting to serve and protect their community from criminals, but at what point does one start to see it as a stepping stone to power? And crime victims; who can't empathize with what they must be going through, but some people just get through it and try to get on with their lives while others become crusaders like John Walsh and some become crusaders for some really bad laws. Hook a crime victims group up with a DA and a sheriff and you get things like Propositions 6 and 9.

Bear in mind that California already has an unfunded deficit (this year) of $15 Billion. Without identifying any source of funding, Proposition 6 calls for a billion dollars of additional funding for criminal justice programs, increased jail time for certain offenses, and increased parole costs. Did I mention that California is already under a federal court order to expand its prison system, because the funding for that isn't in here. No new street cops either.

Proposition 9 calls for... well, basically it calls for enforcement and expansion of Proposition 8, "Victims' Bill of Rights" from the 1982 election, restricts early release of inmates, and changes the rules for granting and revoking parole. It prioritizes restitution to victims above any other fines or obligations a criminal might owe, and that's pretty straightforward. It also expands notification to victims of the release of persons prior to trial and, although suspects are presumed innocent until they are convicted, I can see the sense of that. I'm reasonably sure that exempting the victim from providing material for discovery is a Constitutional problem, but it's 2008 and I could be wrong about that.

Prop 9 requires that the Legislature and counties fully fund prisons and jails so that prisoners don't have to be released early to comply with the Federal Court orders. It would also require lifer convicts to wait at least 3 years between parole hearings and give victims' families 90 days notice instead of 30 days notice and a rehearing every year. Once again wading into Constitutional issues, it also seeks to extend the length of time (mandated by federal court order) we can keep a parolee locked up on a parole violation before giving him a probable cause hearing and a revocation hearing.

Prop 6 does address the craziness of releasing undocumented aliens on low bail or their own recognizance. If you don't see the hole in that theory then we should talk about a multi-level marketing opportunity I know of.

There are good reasons why people like me aren't encouraged to write laws - and I'm not under the stress of being a victim of a violent crime. DAs and sheriffs should know better than to take advantage of them, but then they are what they are.

We're $15 Billion in the hole this year and things ain't looking good on the horizon for an early recovery. We're already under court orders to deal with prison and jail overcrowding and health care for prisoners, and then there are those pesky street cops and firefighters and health care providers and educators and... Do you get where I'm going with this? When you factor in the inevitable legal challenges, I think we should just work toward real enforcement of existing law and see how that works for a year or two.

Just This Once I Hope Lindsey Graham is Right

Senator Graham is supposed to have said that Gen. Powell "was never truly a Republican." I, of course, have been a more than a little pissed at the general since he participated in fabricating and selling the pretext for the war in Iraq, but if he truly did not give his soul over to the forces of darkness that would be reassuring that he was ever a good person.

I always marvel at the convoluted logic of the neo-fascist. We have a trillion dollar debt on the year, and Graham accuses Obama (and, by extension, Powell) of supporting "increased spending." We are ten digits into negative numbers! How delusional are these people?