tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post3709827050318746821..comments2024-03-27T18:00:02.032-04:00Comments on Sardonicky: The Dark Underbelly of the Summer OlympicsKaren Garciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15612731479365562803noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-51987891294107352212012-07-31T01:04:25.752-04:002012-07-31T01:04:25.752-04:00@@Fred Drumlevitch and @All--
I don't mean to...@@Fred Drumlevitch and @All--<br /><br />I don't mean to imply that I support the NRA at every turn, nor have I interpreted your support for my Second Amendment rights in any way as blanket support for the NRA. I don't blindly support the NRA myself.<br /><br />I believe that I have mentioned in the past that I am often conflicted--indeed, sometimes ashamed--of the political alliances that I have been forced to make in order to stand by particular rights that I hold dear. <br /><br />(I suspect that even some of you Progressives out here even feel the same way bout some of the organizations you support, too.)<br /><br /><br />I absolutely agree with you that such "lockstep" fealty is counterproductive. But you are the rare Progressive who is willing to give my views a fair hearing, @Valerie Long Tweedie and some Progressive friends here in Albuquerque being perhaps the other exceptions.<br /><br />But beyond that, who is standing with me other than the NRA?<br /><br />Meanwhile, one need only read the comments associated with the Gail Collins column of a few days ago--linked to by @Karen--to see how hated and feared American gun owners are by the urban populace, to understand the seige that we Westerners feel ourselves to be.<br /><br />Utter the word "ban" with respect to firearms--as it is, so frequently and indiscrimately--and we are done with the discussion. Sorry, but that's just the way life often is. <br /><br />I'm not a terrorist, just an American following the traditions of his nation and the Father who gave him his first .22LR rifle.<br /><br />And I don't like being characterized as a terrorist. But again, look at the comments associated with Gail Collins' column, and see how we American gun owners are typified. <br /><br />(Not sayin' that anyone in <i> this </i> forum has described me as such; but look at the comments associated with Collins' column.)<br /><br />@Fred, you and I have much to talk about, because I think that I can get a fair hearing from you. <br /><br />And when and if we have reached some reasonble agreement, perhaps we can talk with other Progressives and "thinking Conservatives" about the conclusions that we have reached. <br /><br />Hope this makes sense, but I am very tired after a long drive from the home of my Conservative family in far Northern California to my Liberal Family in the San Francisco Bay Are--who think I'm a terrorist, too--to write as clearly as I might hope.Zeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-54794400619664292862012-07-29T18:49:03.469-04:002012-07-29T18:49:03.469-04:00@Zee (and everyone):
re the Olympics, and more:
...@Zee (and everyone):<br /><br />re the Olympics, and more:<br /><br />The Wikipedia section on the cost of the Olympics repeatedly references (currently, its ref. #96) a paper by Flyvbjerg and Stewart that looks like it might be the most definitive recent analysis. Unfortunately, it's listed as a "working paper", not a journal article, and I wasn't able to find it online in order to be able to provide a link. (The authors may not be formally putting it out there in its current form, or perhaps I just missed it).<br /><br />The third link I provided is a different paper by Flyvbjerg that I came across during the search for the Olympics one, and which mentions the Olympics in passing but examines primarily transportation projects, as exemplars of megaprojects in general. It should be of interest to all of us, left or right, because of its relevance to the more general topic of governmental spending amounts and priorities. (Note that improper priorities or mismanagement in the past on projects that involve government does not mean that one should draw the conclusion (voiced by many on the right) that no such projects should go forward in the future. First of all, some projects are for the common good, and there is absolutely no basis for expecting that capitalism will, on its own, do them. Furthermore, many projects are government-corporate partnerships, with the private sector every bit as culpable as the government, if not more, for cost overruns and misplaced priorities --- and they are more than happy to feed at the government trough. Finally, as we have seen in recent years, private enterprise operating even entirely on its own is quite capable of profound mismanagement).<br /><br />With regard to my support of your second amendment rights, Zee, don't misinterpret that support as equating to support for the NRA. In many ways, that organization is just another self-serving lobbying group, with grossly overpaid top executives acting more in their own interest than the interest of the nation. Furthermore, their strong alliance with the far right, and libel/slander of anyone who doesn't demonstrate absolute fealty to them, is, I believe, actually counterproductive long-term with regard to establishing the broad support that is necessary to preserve fundamental rights.Fred Drumlevitchhttp://www.freddrumlevitch.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-15217582829180619312012-07-29T00:20:25.694-04:002012-07-29T00:20:25.694-04:00@Fred Drumlevitch--
It will take me quite some ti...@Fred Drumlevitch--<br /><br />It will take me quite some time to sift through the links that you have provided when I get home, but I think that you are "spot on" in your assessment of the Olympics: a combination of the worst characteristics of professional sports, (unbridled) capitalism, and fascism. <br /><br />For my part, I'm boycotting the Olympics mostly/largely because I'm off in the boonies of Northern California (even more remote than New Mexico), barely able to find Internet service, let alone cable TV.<br /> <br /> Besides, I'm having fun with distant branches of my family, so the Olympics are a poor second choice anyway.<br /><br />I did see your final post of a couple of threads ago re the NRA etc., and agree wholeheartedly. Thanks.Zeenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-974773076690597683.post-18564056990169354352012-07-28T09:12:14.162-04:002012-07-28T09:12:14.162-04:00The Olympics have come to combine the worst charac...The Olympics have come to combine the worst characteristics of professional sports with the worst of monopoly capitalism along with a dose of fascism, the government significantly acting against personal civil liberties while aiding large corporate enterprises. The corporations that benefit from this arrangement are, of course, thrilled to have government run interference for them, while the government officials benefit from Olympic-related personal perks, an inflated sense of self-importance, and an excuse to increase police infrastructure and surveillance of the general public.<br /><br />All of this would seem to cry out for what is potentially the most powerful non-violent remedy available in a highly capitalistic society, the one that corporations and their government lackeys certainly understand.<br /><br />I am, of course, referring to the economic boycott.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the sheeple like their fix of sports, especially when it is wrapped in nationalism, and they don't think much about the true costs --- so I don't hold out much hope of boycotts or information actually having much effect. What's really needed is the force of law prohibiting governmental subsidy of these fascistic rip-offs. Good luck with that!<br /><br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympics#Cost<br /><br />http://bsr.london.edu/lbs-article/643/index.html<br /><br />http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/centres/bt/documents/unfittestoxrephelm3.4print.pdf<br /><br />http://www.amazon.com/Selling-The-Five-Rings-Commercialism/dp/0874807131/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343428677&sr=8-2&keywords=Selling+the+Five+Rings%3A+The+International+Olympic+Committee+and+the+Rise+of+Olympic+Commercialism<br /><br />http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113351145<br /><br />http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/london-2012-olympics-blog/2012/jul/26/2008-olympics-birds-nest-beijing<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/25/sports/olympics/2012-london-games-even-sausage-rings-alarm-marketing-police.html?_r=1Fred Drumlevitchhttp://www.freddrumlevitch.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com