Made for minors (especially those with recruiters on or near schools)

Why, exactly, is it difficult to access this video on YouTube?

Why are there hoops to jump through to get to it?

Why is it tagged: "This video may not be suitable for minors"?

Dear Mr. Rove

Justin Evans (no relation) wrote a series of letters to Karl Rove--which he promptly sent to D.C.--and has now collected these hilarious, hard-hitting letters in a book that looks and feels suspiciously like the version of the Federalist Papers I was forced to read as a hung-over undergraduate.

Indeed, the back of the book boasts a blurb from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas who (ahem) wrote that Dear Mr. Rove is "more important than the Federalist Papers. Well, at least number 47. What was Alexander Hamilton thinking with that one?"

After reading Justin Evans' book, I have come to the conclusion that Justin is doing the work of democracy by reaching across chasms to communicate with "the Other."

To prove this point, let me list the ways in which Justin Evans and Karl Rove are different. (Note to Homeland Security: I'm not condeming these differences, just celebrating diversity):

* Justin served in the military for four years and is a veteran of the Gulf War.

* Karl escaped the draft with student deferments during the height of the Vietnam War.

* Justin is a teacher.

* Karl is retired promoter of Bush's agenda.

* Justin earned a master's degree.

* Karl is a college drop-out (after no longer needing the deferment, apparently).

* Justin is a poet.
* Karl is a memoirist.

* Justin self-published his political satire after no one had the balls to take it on.

* An imprint of Simon & Schuster will publish Rove's memoir for an advance purported to be in the millions.

* Justin is humble (his blog moniker is Untalented Writer).

* Karl is, well, not.

* Justin is funny.

* Karl is funny-looking.

Dear Mr. Rove is available for purchase here (download is $1.25, book is $8... much cheaper than a BLU-82 Daisy Cutter).

An Amazing Evening with Ishmael Beah

I had dinner with Ishmael Beah last night, then saw him speak. He was amazing. He's a brilliant, big-hearted young man who at only age 26 has endured so much violence, loss, and suffering.

And the message he brings is: violence and war never solve anything. Rehabilitation of people inured in violence is not only possible but necessary.

He also says we must know deep in our hearts that everyone's life--no matter what circumstances they live in--is as precious as our own.

At dinner, he was funny, quick-wittted and savvy. He talked about how this long, long book tour has been wonderful yet draining. Traveling is especially difficult for him because he holds a "third world" passport from Sierra Leone. He said he's almost always held up for extra examination. I said, "You should just pull out your book!" He said, "Sometimes it comes to that."

He said that to travel to any European country, he has to provide proof of having at least $30,000 in assets or insurance. This way, if he dies there, his "mortal remains" won't have to be taken care of by France or England. Of course, if you're American, you don't have to prove any such thing. Beah quipped that it was hard to relax and enjoy flying to Paris because he kept thinking about his "mortal remains."

He's currently working on a novel. He said his fiction always begins with the names of the characters. Having their names propels the story.

He's more than a writer. He's a visionary who believes in the transformative powers of goodness, love and action.

To get a flavor of him, watch this little clip:

Says It All

War Criminal

"Yesterday, CODEPINK activist Desiree Fairooz walked up to Condi Rice during a Congressional hearing and displayed her hands covered in blood. She yelled War Criminal as Condi prepared to testify and was immediately dragged out of the room by the police. This triggered a violent up surge in the police who began arresting every one in Pink. Medea simply held up her fingers in a peace sign and was arrested."

See the video:

Notes from One Wedding Chickie

Not Annie and Me On Our Wedding Day

My piece about Annie and me getting married in San Francisco was just published here, on a website called weddingchickie.com. The focus of the site is "Advice and Commentary for the Savvy Bride." Very cool that it includes weddings with two brides.

And guess what? I actually got paid for the piece. $150, not shabby. Especially since it was previously published in a small literary journal.

This is all good news on a day when I can use good news. It's only been a little over a month since my father died, and I can feel my skin crawling from residues of stress and grief. I feel like I've been on a speeding train since his death: all the calls and vistors, planning the service, holding the service, mom falls and breaks her arm and moves in with me, seeing her daily reminds me of our big loss, helping her bathe and dress and all that reminds me of everything she's been through, I continue teaching, face a mountain of papers to grade, Virginia Tech happens so here come stressors of even BEING on a campus, we're studying the devastating sitatuion in Iraq in one of my classes, I didn't get a job I applied for, we almost went out on strike, now I'm involved with students in protesting fee hikes ... Seems appropriate that this is one big run-on, with unparallel structure. Grammar be damned when life is like this.

And thank goddess for humor. Laughing reminds me to breathe. (My dad used to say, "You can either laugh or cry. I 'd rather laugh.")

And biggest of all thank goddess for Annie. Marrying her was the best decision of my life.

Humanitarianism, Anyone?

Wounded Iraqi Boy (From here)

I've been moved reading about the lives all of all those killed at Virginia Tech. What devastation for their families and friends--and for us all, to be witnesses to such random, senseless cruetly.

Can you imagine if every day in a mainstream paper there were posted the photos and personal stories of every Iraqi (approximately 100 a day) and soldier killed in Iraq?

Why does our society refuse to see the devastating human catastrophe that is war?

I think part of the problem is patriotism. We need to celebrate humanitarianism, not random divisions that make one person an "American" and another an "Iraqi", that create an "us" and a "them."

Be Peace

Yesterday as the nation was becoming aware of the horrorifying massacre at Virginia Tech, I was teaching one of my classes at San Jose State. We were talking about Baghdad Burning, a book and blog by a young Iraqi woman who goes by the name Riverbend.

My hope is that those who feel deep in their bones, their souls, the horror of the killings at Viriginia Tech will also feel empathy for those embroiled in the daily horrors of war around the world. Consider what Riverbend says here:

A day in the life of the average Iraqi has been reduced to identifying corpses, avoiding car bombs and attempting to keep track of which family members have been detained, which ones have been exiled and which ones have been abducted.

After I taught, my mom and I took a walk to the Rosicrucian Museum and sat in their Peace Garden. A plaque as you enter reads this:

* * *

Contribution to Peace

I contribute to Peace when I strive to express the best of myself in my contacts with others.

I contribute to Peace when I use my intelligence and my abilities to serve the Good.

I contribute to Peace when I feel compassion toward all those who suffer.

I contribute to Peace when I look upon all men and women as my brothers and sisters, regardless of race, culture, or religion.

I contribute to Peace when I rejoice over the happiness of others and pray for their well-being.

I contribute to Peace when I listen with tolerance to opinions that differ from mine or even oppose them.

I contribute to Peace when I resort to dialogue rather than to force to settle any conflict.

I contribute to Peace when I respect Nature and preserve it for generations to come.

I contribute to Peace when I do not seek to impose my conception of God upon others.

I contribute to Peace when I make Peace the foundation of my ideals and philosophy.

* * *

No matter your politics, PEACE is the way. At the heart of most ancient teachings and religions is the wisdom and compassion of peace.

Also, consider supporting Peace Action.