Drumbeats category archive
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
John Rash hears a rhyme. Here’s a tiny reverberation:
(snip)
Tragically, total warfare isn’t just the stuff of history books or dramatic movies. It’s a returning reality.
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*Mark Twain.
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
Robert Cauthorn, writing at the Las Vegas Sun, hears a number of rhymes between today and the era of McCarthyism and the “Red Scare.” Here’s just one of them; follow the link for the rest.
Just like today, in the 1950s the forces of authoritarianism talked about the people who opposed them as degenerates and sexual deviants. And it should not go unnoticed that McCarthy’s right hand was lawyer Roy Cohn, who later became Donald Trump’s prized mentor.
Methinks you will find his article somewhat disquieting.
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*Mark Twain.
MAGA Merch 0
From the Youtube page:
The Taylor Swift-inspired friendship bracelets were a hot seller for the Harris-Walz campaign, so the Trump-Vance ticket is getting in on the action.
“Totally Unfit for Office” 0
Steve Anderson, retired brigadier general, explains why so many generals and national security professionals think reelecting Donald Trump would be a national security disaster.
Via C&L, which has commentary.
Twits on Twitter X Offenders
0
Oops! I meant twits off Twitter ex-offenders.
The Jingo Jangle 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Cindy Watson looks at how interconnected the world has become and suggests it’s time to rethink nationalism.
Methinks one doesn’t need to look beyond page one headlines to realize that she makes some good points.
Learning from Experience 0
At the Tampa Bay Times, Vietnam veteran Mike Kanter observes Memorial Day by offering some lessons to be learned from that venture. Here’s a tiny bit of his article (emphasis in the original):
For the politicians and senior public officials: Don’t capriciously go to war. Few wars are truly justified.
The entire piece is worth the few minutes it will take to read it.
Fair and Balanced? 0
At the Portland Press-Herald, Victoria Hugo-Nidal suggests that the press coverage of the student demonstrations at U. S. colleges may be slightly–er–skewed. Here’s a bit of her article:
It’s difficult to imagine getting away with doing this for any other group. Can you imagine if I pointed to Rep. Michael Lemelin – you know, the guy who said that the Lewiston mass shooting was God’s punishment on Maine for enacting “immoral laws” – and said he represented the beliefs of every single Republican in the state of Maine? I’d get torn apart. Nobody would let me get away with that.
The article is worth the two or three minutes you’ll need to read it.
Fail Columbia? 0
At the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a Jewish student from Georgia currently enrolled at Columbia University expresses his disappointment at how his college has reacted to the demonstrations there and his dismay at how some students, professors, and pundits are portraying both the demonstrations and the conflict in Gaza. It is a thoughtful piece well-worth a read.
Here’s a tiny bit:
Truth vs. Moscow Marge 0
David describes what happens when fiction meets fact. (Warning: Short promo at the end.)
Russian Impulses 0
Republican Ken Buck, who resigned his post in the House of Representatives in disgust, comments on the Greene raw deal.
Via C&L, which has commentary.
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
At the Portland Press-Herald, Victoria Hugo-Vidal looks at the conflict in Gaza and hears a rhyme.
______________________
*Mark Twain
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
At the Des Moines Register, David Skidmore looks at Republican obstructionism as regards aid to Ukraine and hears a rhyme.
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*Mark Twain.
The Mechanics of Mind Control 0
Der Spiegel takes a long and penetrating look at how Vladimir Putin maintains his control on Russia. It is well-worth a read in these troubled and troubling times.
Here’s a tiny bit:
“It’s quite simple,” says (Russian ex-pat Ekaterina–ed.) Schulman. Putin claimed that Ukraine had to be de-Nazified, she says. “The autocrat’s word is the official Russian position. There is pressure to be loyal and there is punishment for those who publicly deviate from this narrative.”
Putin has imposed wartime censorship. According to the regime, anyone who criticizes the attack on the neighboring country is slandering the army and is subject to prosecution. The censorship laws are so vaguely formulated that the security authorities can take action against just about anyone. Just wearing blue and yellow sneakers, the colors of Ukraine, can be enough to land a person in hot water. One Moscow man who did that got fined the equivalent of 100 euros. Meanwhile, a woman in Krasnodar was talking to her husband about the war in a restaurant. A restaurant employee reported her to the police and she had to pay the equivalent of 400 euros in fines; her husband went to jail for 15 days for “rioting.” People are snitching on others all over the place in Russia right now. Compliant helpers have denounced tens of thousands of fellow citizens to the security authorities – also because of critical posts on the internet.
One Thing Is Not Like the Other Thing 0
Robert Reich takes exception to a comment by noted fifth columnist Tucker Carlson:
Well, I’m sorry, Tucker. You’re wrong.
Real leadership is the opposite of thuggery.
Follow the link for the evidence.
