As I argued in a recent post, while moral decline does not mean an impending end to a nation, cultural decline might. A key cultural attribute of America is the English language. We could learn something from the Aussies.

Posted by: Rusty at 10:05 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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American Scott Parkin, a 36 year old history teacher and peace activist, is about to be deported from Australia because he has been deemed a 'security risk'. Isn't the real question, though, why we should take him back? What if Israel had done the right thing and deported Rachel Corrie? A lot fewer headaches, I'm sure. I was just thinking maybe we ought to start a few deportation hearings of our own........

BBC:

A US peace activist branded a threat to national security by Australia will not fight deportation, his lawyer has said. Scott Parkin will take legal action against officials to find out why they decided he was a security risk, his lawyer Julian Burnside added.

Mr Parkin was arrested following a Sydney protest against US military contractor Halliburton, a firm with close ties to the Bush administration...

Australian Attorney General Philip Ruddock told national television that the decision "was based upon a security assessment and security assessments are not matters about which I can comment in any detail".

While they ostensibly are a corporate watchdog group, Halliburton being their main cause, they are actually a radical Leftist organization. Their goals?

1. Halliburton out of Iraq-not the real target. The real target is the war in Iraq. Halliburton's absence, they believe, would force the U.S. out.

2. End the US wars for empire--they include Afghanistan in this definition as well as ALL wars.

3. De-Centralized community-based mobilization: Here's how they explain it. I swear, this could be an episode of South Park

We will help catalyze racially just, non-patriarchal, mass movements to challenge corporate and government power and create socially just, directly democratic, ecological, equitable, and peaceful alternatives

4. Normalize the use of Direct Action and Popular Education-No idea. Maybe they can teach each other the fourth and fifth stanzas of kumbaya. Just watch out. If you let a hippie drum circle get to big, pretty soon you'll have a full-blown music festival, and after that, well, chaos. more...

Posted by: Rusty at 08:29 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
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