Current Events
The trial of Saddam Hussein began today. Is it just me, or does The Butcher of Baghdad sound like a member of the WWE? Or at least the NFL. Hussein referred to the proceedings as "theater," a charge which is hard to dismiss considering that a formal indictment has yet to be compiled. A list of broad charges was read at his arraignment, including the usual gassing of Kurds and assassination of political opponents. Also on the list is the invasion of Kuwait. Considering the evidence that the US used to back its invasion of Iraq, this last charge is touchy territory.
Saddam's big mistake is not hiring Johnny Cochran as his attorney. I can hear it now: "If the tyrant is a potentate, you must exonerate." On the other hand, the lawyer his family did hire for him was not allowed into the courtroom, so I suppose it doesn't make any difference. Scott McClellan, George Bush's mouthpiece (when Dick Cheney is out of the room), said "Saddam Hussein is going to face justice he denied the Iraqi people." Apparently that justice doesn't involve legal representation.
The head of the Iraqi Special Tribunal is Salem Chalabi. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he's the nephew of suspected spy Ahmad Chalabi. This is the guy who urged the administration into Iraq (as if they needed the push) with intelligence on weapons of mass destruction, including the infamous "mobile labs," and in return, was placed on the Governing Council once Saddam fell.
Ah, Iraq! The more things change ...
In local news, last weekend was the Gay Pride Parade, and as promised, Mayor Daley ... did NOT show up. Bassid. Neither did senatorial candidate Barack Obama, who was said to be in Springfield. With Jack Ryan dropping out of the race, I suppose he felt his presence was no longer compulsory. Also noticeably absent were the Log Cabin Republicans, the gay Republicans who generally appear. This year, their stance seems more oxymoronic than usual. Their absence is one more indication that the Federal Marriage Amendment may do more harm than good to the administration's chances this fall. The Log Cabins are not the President's base, but their lack of support may have some effect in swing states. Which is not stopping Senate Republicans from pushing for a vote on the amendment this month, in order to put John Kerry on the spot just prior to the Democratic National Convention.
It's nice that George Bush is a uniter, so that his cronies can be dividers.
Gay Marriage was a central issue in the Dyke March & Rally last weekend. When I set out to Clark and Foster to see it, I assumed I had gotten the date wrong, since traffic was still moving on both streets at the time the March was supposed to be starting. When I got to the corner, though, I saw several squad cars, and a group of lesbians (a "babble" of lesbians? a "tackle" of lesbians?) gathering in the schoolyard down the street. Finally, the cops stopped traffic in one lane of Foster, and the grrrlz set out into the street. A friend and I joined them for a block or so, showing our support. 20 minutes later, it was all over. Like so many things. I made the mistake of wearing a T-shirt from the Star Trek Experience in Vegas, not realizing that Trekkers and Dykes overlapped to such an extent. "What's your favorite series?" came the call. Ashamed to admit it was Deep Space Nine, which is essentially Star Trek Hotel, I followed their lead and resorted to "Captain Janeway, wooo!"
Saddam's big mistake is not hiring Johnny Cochran as his attorney. I can hear it now: "If the tyrant is a potentate, you must exonerate." On the other hand, the lawyer his family did hire for him was not allowed into the courtroom, so I suppose it doesn't make any difference. Scott McClellan, George Bush's mouthpiece (when Dick Cheney is out of the room), said "Saddam Hussein is going to face justice he denied the Iraqi people." Apparently that justice doesn't involve legal representation.
The head of the Iraqi Special Tribunal is Salem Chalabi. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he's the nephew of suspected spy Ahmad Chalabi. This is the guy who urged the administration into Iraq (as if they needed the push) with intelligence on weapons of mass destruction, including the infamous "mobile labs," and in return, was placed on the Governing Council once Saddam fell.
Ah, Iraq! The more things change ...
In local news, last weekend was the Gay Pride Parade, and as promised, Mayor Daley ... did NOT show up. Bassid. Neither did senatorial candidate Barack Obama, who was said to be in Springfield. With Jack Ryan dropping out of the race, I suppose he felt his presence was no longer compulsory. Also noticeably absent were the Log Cabin Republicans, the gay Republicans who generally appear. This year, their stance seems more oxymoronic than usual. Their absence is one more indication that the Federal Marriage Amendment may do more harm than good to the administration's chances this fall. The Log Cabins are not the President's base, but their lack of support may have some effect in swing states. Which is not stopping Senate Republicans from pushing for a vote on the amendment this month, in order to put John Kerry on the spot just prior to the Democratic National Convention.
It's nice that George Bush is a uniter, so that his cronies can be dividers.
Gay Marriage was a central issue in the Dyke March & Rally last weekend. When I set out to Clark and Foster to see it, I assumed I had gotten the date wrong, since traffic was still moving on both streets at the time the March was supposed to be starting. When I got to the corner, though, I saw several squad cars, and a group of lesbians (a "babble" of lesbians? a "tackle" of lesbians?) gathering in the schoolyard down the street. Finally, the cops stopped traffic in one lane of Foster, and the grrrlz set out into the street. A friend and I joined them for a block or so, showing our support. 20 minutes later, it was all over. Like so many things. I made the mistake of wearing a T-shirt from the Star Trek Experience in Vegas, not realizing that Trekkers and Dykes overlapped to such an extent. "What's your favorite series?" came the call. Ashamed to admit it was Deep Space Nine, which is essentially Star Trek Hotel, I followed their lead and resorted to "Captain Janeway, wooo!"
posted by John Bliss at
10:17 PM
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