"Reinforcements in a Time of Need."

February 23, 2010 at 2:34 P.M. Only a few "errors" inserted since this morning. I expected worse.

February 23, 2010 at 9:51 A.M. Cybercrime prevented my first effort to post this work. The text was altered and obstructions resulted in the loss of some changes that I made to the text. I will rewrite the essay, again, ignore the noise in the room, struggle against cyberharassment from New Jersey's government, in order to repost the essay.

The first version of this essay appeared shortly after the Republican convention. It seemed, at that time, that the Democrats would, as usual, form "a firing squad in a circle" (David Dinkins), thus eliminating themselves from the presidential election through internecidal struggle. There was a brief moment of sanity when liberals and centrist Democrats pulled together to elect Obama/Biden/Clinton. We need that unity now.

The reforms put in place by Obama; the remedial efforts on the world stage by Clinton; Biden's role as "enforcer" (domestically) and "trouble shooter" on terrorism issues (globally) must work for the sake of the nation. This is about your "Republican" children and all of America's young people. Republicans must understand that there are concerns rising above party politics; Democrats must appreciate that it is not exclusively about single issues and your chosen candidates, but governing as distinct from running for office is about the national interest. The "national interest" means ALL Americans, including people who look different from you and whose politics are different from yours.

Going into Barack Obama's show in August, 2008 the rumors that Hillary would stage a palace coup by taking over the Democrat agenda at the party's convention fizzled out. Hillary decided to play nice with the boys, while conveying the message that she was someone to fear and respect. Nothing happened. Maybe. However, what really went down -- if something did "happen" as now appears to be the case -- is still not clear to observers. Initially, Hillary's people threatened to leave before the party nominee's big speech. Susan Faludi published a scary diatribe in The New York Times that had every man who read the paper that morning protecting his balls, much to Ms. Faludi's delight:

" ... 'I see this nation differently than I did 10 months ago,' reads a typical posting on a website devoted to Clintonista discontent. 'That this travesty was committed by the Democratic Party has forever changed my approach to politics.' In scores of Internet forums and the conclaves of protest groups, those sentiments are echoed as Clinton supporters speak over and over of feeling heartbroken and disillusioned, of being cheated and betrayed."

"Second-Place Citizens," in The New York Times, August 26, 2008, at p. A19 (emphasis added).

What "travesty" are you talking about, Ms. Faludi? "Cheated"? "Betrayed"? The electorate chose someone other than your candidate. That's called democracy. I've got news for you: A big part of the reason for that anti-Clinton choice is so-called "Femi-Nazi" rhetoric from people like Susan Faludi -- rhetoric like this unfortunate Op-Ed piece suggesting that there is something sinister in the voters' preference for Mr. Obama.

Ms. Faludi is one of the wise and highly gifted writers permitted to explain the world to the "lesser breeds" (like me) by New York media, which is the only powerful media in American society. ("Manohla Dargis Strikes Again!") This may explain that racist New Yorker magazine cover. Gary Indiana? Pseudonym?

The decision by Senator Clinton to accept the nomination for Secretary of State reveals a partnership between Democrat factions that is crucial to the success of the Obama Administration. The crises we face are potentially devastating for the nation. Everyone's cooperation is needed to avoid a nightmare that will drastically diminish your child's future options. New terror attacks aimed at specific Americans are on their way to us, unemployment will reach recession or depression levels in about a year, crime will rise, other threats are looming on the horizon. Chronic unemployment is burdening the lives of millions who have not attended Yale University to major in "Women's Studies." Perhaps graduates of the "Women's Studies" departments at our major universities are among the unemployed. This is a scary thought for many reasons.

Let's deal with the politically charged sanctimony that is likely to emerge from a reading of my opening paragraphs. "Femi-Nazi" is a term for the deranged fringe of the feminist movement (Andrea Dworkin, for example), which I have heard used in talk radio by everyone from Russ Limbaugh to Bill Maher. It is certainly a common expression among men of all persuasions. I suspect the label is popular among quite a few women who are not man-haters and still have a sense of humor, even as they insist on governing the world. No one is (or should be) in charge of policing the American language. The American idiom of ideological exchange is vulgar, filled with vital energies of metaphor and imagery, also (if you will forgive the expression) "vigorous." Ms. Dworkin sensibly observed: "all men are shits and proud of it" and "all heterosexual intercourse is rape by a man of a woman."

People resent the air of entitlement, holier-than-thou self-righteousness on the part of mostly upper-middle-class white women who felt, apparently, that Hillary should have been given the nomination by acclimation. I thought that Hillary -- it is a plus when any politician is on a first name basis with the nation! -- had the edge in experience, also that several candidates in the Democratic primaries were equal to the challenge of the ultimate position in American politics, including Obama and Biden. Regrettably, I have my doubts about this competence when it comes to ultimate political power on the part of the young Ms. Palin. Not surprisingly, after Palin's cutting criticisms of Mr. Obama provided red meat for the faithful, Republicans collected $1 million in contributions in less than 24 hours. With the right speech writers, Ms. Palin can be highly effective for Republicans. Think of a female Ronald Reagan.

The world has a problem with what America has become as a result of the "War Against Terror." It seems bizarre to people in many nations and quite a few Americans that "54%" of Americans "think torture is 'sometimes' or 'often' justified to gain information from terror suspects," even as the same persons believe that the torture of Americans by others in the world is never justified. Maybe that explains why so-called liberals and persons concerned about gay rights believe that it is O.K. to deface my writings. I am a "subhuman" to people who attended Yale. The same people say they are "against censorship of controversial views." (Harper's, March, 2010, at p. 11.)

"When President Barack Obama took office last year, he promised to 'restore the standards of due process and the core constitutional values that have made this country great.' Toward that end, the president issued an executive order declaring that the extra-constitutional prison camp at Guantanamo Naval Base 'shall be closed as soon as practicable, and no later than one year from the date of this order.' Obama has failed to fulfill this promise. Some prisoners there are being charged with crimes, others released, but the date for closing the camp seems to recede steadily into the future. [Kind of like New Jersey's efforts to deal with my situation.] Furthermore, new evidence now emerging may entangle Obama's young administration with crimes that occurred during the George W. Bush presidency, evidence that suggests the current administration failed to investigate seriously -- and may even have continued -- a cover-up of the possible homicides [MURDERS] of three prisoners at Guantanamo in 2006."

Scott Horton, "The Guantanamo 'Suicides,'" in Harper's Magazine, March, 2010, at p. 27.

More murders of detainees may appear soon. These murders facilitated by lawyers and doctors are not "unethical," according to American officials. Please see my essay "American Doctors and Torture." I expect continuing defacements of this essay. These tactics usually mean that my adversaries are seriously hurt. There are more arrests coming in New Jersey. ("44 Political and Legal Officials Arrested in New Jersey" and "Another Corruption Sweep in New Jersey.")

McCain's greatest error -- compounded by Sarah Palin's troubles -- is a failure to follow-up on his areas of strength and opportunities to score against the Democrat's agenda, without attacking Obama. At the Republican convention, for about five minutes, Republicans struck gold by suggesting the "culture wars" that swept them into power several times over two decades, then they dropped the ball. Mr. Gingrich's reemergence is a welcome development for Republicans and for all of those who enjoy intelligent discussion and debate in politics.

Unless you're at a porn distributors' convention, you will not win elections with cries of "drill, drill, drill!" However, you do get cookie points by speaking of "Washington insiders," "silent majorities," "media elites," and my all-time favorite "skinny people dressed in black." Democrats can deploy terms like "Fundamentalist," "Me First Republicans," and the highly accurate "Socialism for Rich" or the "Billionaires' Socialist Committee." BP's shareholders are reluctant to scream: "Drill, Drill, Drill!" Mr. Obama has decided to "drill, drill, drill" BP's shareholders.

I spent another day dealing with obstructions, harassment, tampering with my writings. I struggle against an attempt at "silencing" that is far worse than what women who feel "conflicted" about speaking out are ever likely to experience. Being a minority male, however, nobody gives a shit about crimes committed against me. Am I being vulgar? I hope so. This is mild compared with what I experience every day. I still cannot find a plausible explanation for these continuing crimes -- crimes committed publicly within the United States -- by persons I believe to be affiliated with the N.J. legal system who escape all punishment for these offenses. ("What is it like to be tortured?" and "What is it like to be plagiarized?")

Ms. Milgram, is my intelligence and articulateness, such as they are, so offensive to you (or Sybil R. Moses) that it is necessary to engage in these harassment practices? ("Anne Milgram Does it Again!" and "Sybil R. Moses and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey.")

New Jersey has reached a level of corruption and incompetence that should embarass all Americans. New Jersey has become a spectacle of criminality far worse than many Third World countries. Any political party responsible for -- or condoning -- such horror should not be permitted to lead anywhere. Mr. Obama must do more to distance himself from these Trenton people (and he sure has kept a prudent distance from the Femi-Nazis) by insisting that N.J.'s crooks be prosecuted by the feds for theft and strong-arming the opposition. A red notice has appeared on my security system warning that security risks cannot be removed from my computer. Again? What happened to Mr. Christie's zeal to eliminate corruption and cybercrime?

The possibility that a minority male is every bit as articulate and intelligent (or more so) as an upper-middle-class white woman and rival is somehow a terrible "fault" or offense against women. My mind, flawed as it is, frightens powerful people in America. ("Freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal.") This prejudice may have much to do with the disastrous errors made by the legal system in my life -- and in the lives of many others. Many people are delighted with such "errors" committed against minority males. ("Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Unconstitutionality of the Death Penalty," then "America's Holocaust" and "What a man's gotta do.")

It does not surprise me that I am probably the only member of my law school class (I attended the same law school as N.J.'s governor and did much better than he did, which may not be saying much!) to have been tortured and raped by agents of the state in New Jersey. People upset at not finding spelling or other errors in my writings have decided to insert such "errors" in my works in order to confirm their prejudices -- because they have no other response to my arguments. My experiences of cybercrime and harassment defy description. My anger is not about disagreement. The mere existence of someone like me calls into a question a whole view of life in which "others" are my "superiors" who are entitled to "instruct" me concerning how I must live my life even as they violate my Constitutional rights. Perhaps this attitude of superiority by Washington officials explains much of the hostility of millions in the Middle East who do not see themselves as our "inferiors." ("Terry Tuchin, Diana Lisa Riccioli, and New Jersey's Agency of Torture" and "An Open Letter to My Torturers in New Jersey, Terry Tuchin and Diana Lisa Riccioli.")

No one -- including Republicans -- cares very much about the Republican convention. From what I have seen, after one day, this convention may be the most boring event ever to appear on American television. Ms. Palin's main qualification for the office of Vice President of the United States is that she is today (and is likely to remain for some time to come) a woman. It says a lot about the state of the "Grand Old Party" (Republicans) that Ms. Palin is a front-runner for the Republican nomination in the next presidential election. ("I can see Russia from my house!")

I know Ms. Palin won second place in a beauty contest, was a weatherperson, mayor, then Governor of Alaska. I do not know whether she attended any university (Iowa?) or what she studied, if she went to college. Government, I hope. Is Ms. Palin a lawyer? Does she have a graduate degree? "Never mind," people say, "just show us that picture from the beauty contest again." I think she majored in "communications." ("That's sexist!")

Ms. Palin was an outstanding point guard on her high school basketball team. Who cares about her views concerning the International Monetary Fund (IMF)? In fact, Ms. Palin's views on domestic "issues" are unlikely to please Ms. Faludi. Despite this reality, Ms. Palin may well "steal" thousands of women's votes for the Republican ticket. From a feminist perspective, this is stupid. If a Martian is pro-choice and has enlightened views on women's issues, then make sure you vote for that Martian.

As long as women can be distracted with P.C. "cultural issues" (did someone use the word "chic"?), they will be divided and marginalized, while the feminist agenda -- which is or should be about POWER -- will falter and fail to win the day. No, this concern with determining how our neighbors use words is not the most relevant or genuine field of struggle. Men will notice the fact that women are attractive -- straight women will notice attractive men, I guess -- and to pretend otherwise is silly. Perhaps America is suffering from "sex addiction"? Men who suffer from "sex addiction" used to be known as "normal males."

Senator McCain's comment that Mr. Obama will give "terror suspects" the same rights as U.S. citizens is false. Obama's position -- in accordance with a U.S. Supreme Court decision which Obama correctly anticipated -- is that all persons are entitled to habeas corpus in our court system and to some legal proceedings before being deprived of fundamental rights. Nearly all of the world agrees with this common sense view, including the American Bar Association. Me too. Why hasn't this happened for many detainees? Why no trials? Why are we still torturing people? ("Deborah T. Poritz and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey.")

Ms. Palin's speech before the Republican National Convention was a great success. As I say, I am not persuaded that she is ready for the highest office in the land. However, there can be no doubt that Ms. Palin helped herself and Republicans in that well-delivered speech: First, the liberal media and Washington insiders (like McCain?) were attacked and placed on the defensive for their exclusiveness and petty as well as vindictive personal attacks. Excellent. The interruption of Rudy's speech on New York t.v. with a spurious warning about the weather was a typical example of Democrat attack machine "shit-flinging," orchestrated by whoever is running dirty tricks for liberals in this election (Harold Ickes?), while affording Biden and Obama the opportunity to disclaim such tactics as they rise to higher ground. (I just corrected another "error" inserted in this text.)

"Silencing" is what they used to do to women. America's chi-chi media is uninterested in this event, despite their knee-jerk sensitivity to "censorship issues." I wonder why Democrat censorship is O.K.? Double standards, "ladies"? I use the word "ladies" loosely. Think of how you would feel if someone were to obstruct a broadcast of "The L-Word."

Second, the media's whining about "negativity" -- which is what they love! -- is not only hypocritical, but undermined as anything other than P.R., since they are in the midst of insisting that women not be criticized for what male candidates must do in elections: attack the opposition. Attacks make for good T.V. The "bottom of the ticket" -- as it were -- runs the attack (bad cop), while the "top of the ticket" (good cop) rises above the fray. What else is new?

A child asked her movie dad: "What is the boy word for 'slut'? My response would have been: "Boy." This is politically incorrect, apparently, in trendy corners of Manhattan.

Republicans today have decided to borrow this infiltrative tactic by having Senator Graham go on the Sunday talk shows as a "moderate" willing to work with the Obama administration, while others in his party go on the attack and obstruct necessary policy decisions that are in the national interest. Good cop/bad cop. Observing political events is depressing because one cannot escape the sense that a great nation is determined to commit suicide. The continuing decline in educational standards is one indication of what I mean by suicide. ("Atheists in Disneyworld.")

I was reading the great Marxist historian E.P. Thompson as events unfolded in what is laughingly called "the real world." These words by that great British thinker seem highly apt today as a caution to Democrats to fight for unity, if they wish to win and keep the U.S. Presidency (N.J.'s nightmare is beyond politics, despite the election of Mr. Christie), especially as McCain and Palin run against Washington insiders and the "skinny-dressed-in-black" media. You know who you are -- and most of you don't wear Prada:

"The notion has got about that one's gender or colour [sic.] of preferences must always, in every situation, be the primary existential facts, and that these differences must be nearly insurmountable barriers inhibiting common political action in a hundred other kinds of situation. This may start from valid premises. But when the notion is pressed too far, and when those who are under common threat of nuclear war, of loss of rights and of work, or under the common exploitation of money, can no longer work effectively together because they must always nurse primary differences in the form of grudges, then this is dangerously divisive. It marks the end of important affirmative traditions of radical, socialist and labour politics. Granted that very significant primary demands, especially of women, got hushed or annexed in mass movements (and their organizations), then the answer is to convert such movements (and their organizations) to a new kind of attention to these demands, which I am confident that these new sisters are tough enough to do. It is certainly not to throw away the possibility of a general movement, and leave us as a lot of fragmented and quarrelling pieces in the face of power."

Here is the "bottom line" for those responsible for altering my essay on "America's Holocaust" who fail to realize that when censorship becomes a tool of power, there is no stopping the tendecy to suppression, oppression, and monopolization of the public square by power. Today, I am censored; eventually, it will be you:

"This is realized well enough by many in the women's movement today, as the authors of Beyond the Fragments show, just as it is realized by many of the Asians of Southall. If the police state arrives, then, whatever our gender or our colour, we will go into much the same crowded prisons, and if the nuclear missiles are fired we will all go together when we go. It would be better not to go, and if the 'alternative culture' can find ways, without loss of principle, to reconnect with an active national political culture, this will bring reinforcements at a time of need."

Writing by Candlelight (London: Merlin, 1980), pp. xii-xiii.