A Disgraceful Vote

I am outraged.  I am outraged and pissed off and every single person in this country who calls himself an American should feel the same way.  

Why?  

Because yesterday Senate Republicans blocked a vote on the Veterans Job Corps Act of 2012.  What is that you ask?  This was an entirely bipartisan, fully paid for piece of legislation that would have created a $1 billion jobs program designed to lower the high unemployment rate among military veterans by giving grants to federal, state, and local agencies if they were to hire veterans.  But now it's dead at the hands (votes?) of Senate Republicans.  The result of this action is that this bill cannot be brought up for a vote again this year.

What could possibly be wrong with a bill like this that would cause Republicans to block it?  Who in America doesn't feel we have a debt to pay to all vets who have fought this country's wars.  Since the draft was ended and America transitioned to an all-volunteer military less than 1% of the population has been tasked with protecting the remaining 99%.  Honestly, I could write pages but it is easier if you click here to read about it or here to see a video report by Rachel Maddow from her show on 9/19.  Now, there are many people that do not agree with Rachel's politics, but take my word for it;  you NEED to see this.  This story should by the top story on every network and in every newspaper.  All of America needs to know what the Senate Republicans did to our veterans.  

Every Republican - save for 5 that did cross party lines to vote for it - should be ashamed of himself.  If there was any doubt that Senate Republicans are obstructionist this should lay that to rest.

It's disgusting.  It's embarrassing.  It's a disgrace.

 - In a totally hypocritical turn of events; House Speaker John Boehner came out today saying that the presidential campaigns had gotten off the real message that Americans care about.  That message?  "Where are the jobs"?

The veterans know.

     

The Freedom of Speech and the Libyan Attack

I got into a discussion with a co-worker today about the events surrounding the attack on the American Consulate in Libya.  At the time the belief was that this was a result of a anti Muslim video - something now that appears not to be the case.

My friend's position was that the production of the video was an example of freedom of speech and we should defend that freedom.  People, according to my friend, should be allowed to say anything anytime and not have to worry about "hurting some one's feelings".  Now, I am not one to deny anyone their constitutional rights - the Second Amendment not withstanding - but I have to draw the line here.  Everyone knows that freedom of speech does not mean that you can shout "fire" in a crowded movie theater.  I see this as much the same thing.  By now we know that things of this nature can stir anti-American, sometimes violent, reactions from Muslim fundamentalists.  We know this.  We know because Salman Rushdie was targeted for assassination after publication of his book "The Satanic Verses".  When Florida Dove World Outreach Center pastor Terry Jones' planned "International Burn a Koran Day" American General David Patraeus said, "It could endanger troops on the ground and could endanger the overall effort in Afghanistan."  

We know this is a bad idea.  Free speech?  Sure.  But free speech must be tempered with common sense and consideration for what the result of that speech is going to do. When those kids bullied the bus monitor wasn't that freedom of speech?  Yet those kids were roundly criticized and held to account - as we expect all bullies to be - for their actions.  I'm all for free speech, but if you know someone could die because of what you say do you stand on your "Free Speech" soapbox and say it just to make a point?

I think not.  

I, Too, Will Never Ever Forget

When I was working for Thirteen/WNET in 2006 I was asked to do an event as the Cyberchase character (AKA my alter-ego) Digit at the South Street Seaport.  The event was a holiday party for the benefit of children of police officers and fire fighters who had been killed in the line of duty.  I had done a number of publicity gigs as Digit but somehow I knew this would not be the usual run-of-the-mill appearance.  

Right from the start I could see it was a celebrity studded event with many well known actors making an appearance in support of these children of heroes.  Digit was photographed with the likes of James Gandolfini, Martin Short, Albert King, David Blaine and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly among others.  But it was the kids that I was there to see and entertain and there was one little girl who caught my attention and became my shadow for much of the event.

She had long brown hair tied back with ribbons and wore a beautiful green dress.  And she was adorable.  She asked for and received Digit's autograph.  We walked the floor hand-in-hand and danced.  Oh, how we danced.  She giggled as Digit twirled her and laughed as he applauded her skill on the dance floor.  We danced alone and with some of the other kids.  She had such life.  At this point I had no idea who she was or what was coming my way.

As I got down on one knee to give her a hug and pose for a picture with her I noticed that she was wearing a necklace with what appeared to be a picture on a locket of some sort.  I pointed to it and mimed that I wanted to know who that was.  Her reply was emotionally devastating:  

"That's my mom.  She was one of the heroes on 9/11."

As I hugged her tight and posed for more pictures I was crying my eyes out inside that costume.  I released my grip on her and signaled to my handler that I needed to take a break.  I made my way to the break room as quickly as possible considering that I could hardly see due to the flood of tears.  I entered the room, took off the big Digit head, sat down and bawled my eyes out.  As I sat there taking an extended break I thought about the courage that little girl showed and how matter-of-factly she told me about her mother.  It was such a simple statement but had such amazing power behind it.  Her mother was a hero.  Her mother had been killed rescuing others.  That fateful day in September of 2001 brought up close and personal was hard to take.  I went back out for my final appearance and we spent some more time together before the event came to a close.  I knew I would never forget that day but, even more so, that little girl with the green dress and ribbons in her hair who broke my heart. 

I was so touched by her that, upon my return to work, I spoke to some friends and they gathered some Digit/Cyberchase swag and sent it to that little girl whom I now learned was Patricia Smith.  I read online about how her mother, NYPD Office Moira Smith guided dozens of people to safety that day.  And how she went back into the South Tower to rescue more but was killed when it collapsed before she could make it back out.  She was the only female member of the NYPD to die that day.  Officer Moira Smith was a true hero.  I knew I would never forget her.

I got up this morning on a beautiful September day and, in accordance with my usual routine, brought in the Sunday paper to read over breakfast.  I pulled the paper from its protective plastic bag and spread it open on the table.  Tears immediately filled my eyes as on the cover of the Sunday Newsday I was looking at that same little girl who broke my heart 6 years ago.  Except now she is a beautiful 13 year old.  I opened the cover and read the story, eager to know how she is doing now 6 years later.  Through tear filled eyes I learned that she has taken on the role of representative of her mother’s legacy.  That she has met Presidents Bush and Obama and even British Prime Minister Tony Blair.  And that for the first time she will not be at the Ground Zero ceremony this year.  Instead she will be in school surrounded by her friends as her mother would want her to be.  She wears a blue rubber bracelet that reads:  “9-11 Never Forget P.O. Moira Smith."

I know I never will.

Mitt Romney's Foreign Policy Team

Let's just state some facts:

Mitt Romney has ZERO foreign policy experience.

Paul Ryan has ZERO foreign policy experience.

Mitt Romney is a HUGE fan of Dick Cheney.

Out of the 24 foreign policy advisers for Mitt Romney 17 served in the Bush/Cheney administration.

Think about that.

The Romney-Cheney Doctrine - By Representative Adam Smith | Foreign Policy:

Vote Obama/Biden to keep us out of war.

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