CAUGHT: Pentagon pundits on TV news

“The usual division line between government and journalism has been obliterated.” It is a sad day when, as a media consumer, I realize I have been fed pro-war propaganda by retired military analysts working not only for news stations such as FOX, CNN, and CBS, but the Defense Department! I feel like I am running out of places to receive non-biased, objective news, especially news pertaining to critical national and international relations. It was one of SecDef Rumsfeld's military analysts on FOX News who said Iraq was just a battleground in the bigger 50 year war, and Iraq will eventually lead us to Iran. If it was not for the NYTimes recently suing the Defense Department to gain access to 8,000 pages of emails, transcripts, and records, including those documenting Pentagon-sponsored trips to Iraq and Guantanamo, this "symbiotic relationship" between retired military analysts who serve as puppets to the D. Dept., and Rumsfeld and the Department, itself, would never have been revealed.

"Body of War"... only one?

...how about 4,037 bodies of soldiers selflessly given to the 'efforts' towards a more democratic and free Iraq, since the Iraq war began on March 19, 2003 (antiwar.com). Last night I had the privilege of seeing the new award-winning documentary, 'Body of War' in the Embarcadero Center theater in San Francisco. This film documents the physical and emotional effects of war, following 26-year old Tomas Young who is a wounded Iraq veteran. Days after the attacks of 9/11/01 Tomas enlisted in the army, gun-ho about protecting his country and revenging the 'evil-doers,' as President Bush so patriotically nicknamed the terrorists.

This young Kansas City resident was deployed to Iraq and within only five days was shot directly below the collarbone into his spine while riding in an unarmed humvee. He became paralyzed instantaneously from the chest down. He is not a candidate for stem cell research and suffers from many medical conditions. One of my favorite quotes from the film came from the scene when Tomas was lecturing to a church and told the audience upfront he becomes faint and light-headed very often: 'I tend to say uhh and stutter often, too. I tend to sound presidential.'

This incredible and moving film follows Tomas around the country speaking out against the war and talking to veterans and those families who have lost loved ones to the Iraq War. He is also followed around on a day-to-day basis capturing the struggles he faces, from trying to get into a car with his wheelchair to using a catheter so his urine does not crystallize in his bladder, or from not being able to have an erection to not being able to regulate his body temperature or even cough.

'Body of War' is almost a revolutionary means of illustrating what this war actually entails, considering most of the war coverage is ridiculously sanitized. Seeing this film definitely reinforced my desire to become a journalist and report what actually happens, not what the Bush Administration and Republicans would want the American people to see. Phil Donahue, former talk-show host, directed the film and made it a point to say in the Q&A which followed the premier, 'Body of War' must be seen by every student in school. As American citizens we owe it to the active soldiers to view this film and understand what they struggle with post-duty.

Tomas Young is a young, innocent man who was manipulated by President Bush, and because of Bush's quick and naive thinking, his life has been altered in ways no mid-western boy should have experienced. His younger brother is also currently stop-lossed in Iraq.
'Body of War' opens Friday, April 18, 2008 at Clay Theater in San Francisco and the Shattuck theater in Berkeley. Please make it a point to view this beautifully-made and heartaching film, and check out the sites listed below. Stay informed and stay active.


http://www.bodyofwar.com/
http://www.ivaw.org/
http://icasualties.org/oif/


The photograph below was featured in the film. Katherine Cathey refused to leave her husband's casket, 2nd Lt. James J Cathey, and asked if she could sleep just one more night next to her husband. The Marines made a bed for her and stood watch while she played songs that reminded her of 'Cat' and slept one last time next to him.

"Gereing" Up for the Olympics

I attended the Tibet rally and vigil last Tuesday, and the protest the following day, which was an ironic welcome extended to China from San Francisco residents and supporters of a free Tibet. What an experience! Tibet has been occupied by the Chinese government for 50 years and all the speakers of the rally agreed, it is one thing to bring the torch through a democratic nation, especially a city like San Francisco which is so 'open' and 'liberal', but it is incredibly wrong to bring the torch through Tibet who has no say, and is practically in lock-down. We must speak out for the protetection, freedom, and future of Tibet simply because we can without fear of strict consequences and punishment from the United States government. Is the torch relay really the 'Journey of Harmony?' I think not; the torch is the 'Torch of Freedom' which will forever be lit for the Tibetans.

SF Supervisor Chris Daly spoke out against China by asking, "What is more humanist than human rights?" China's 50 year occupation in Tibet is increasingly becoming a genocide; 150 Tibetans have been murdered since mid-March. Daly's partner called him the "Daly Lama."

Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave a very moving and emotional speech which addressed how important it is President George Bush not attend the Olympic games on August 8 regardless of him only attending as a "sports fan." Tutu led a chant meant for the heads of state to hear- "For goodness sake, don’t go to the Beijing Games, for the sake of our children, for the beautiful people of Tibet. Don’t go!" He also thanked the audience, "It is people like you who freed South Africa [by using democracy to raise voices and opinions]."

Actor Richard Gere gave the closing speech to the rally as the sun set and audience members lit their candles. Gere read from a three page letter the Dalai Lama sent to citizens of Tibet which called for nonviolent actions. He feels the the world stage is now being set for the Dalai Lama and hopes China will one day wake up, realize what they have done, and go to the Dalai Lama because "he will know what to do." Let's hope, Mr. Gere.