Can a person be bought? What price would it be?

My partner and I were just in a very serious conversation. It had to do with wars and the presidents who started what and why. I don't get why our leaders, who could be doing other things, making other things better seem to want to get us into battles, especially the Republicans. There are more wars started and carried out when they are in office. She brought up that Clinton had started a war too, and I did remember Kosivo(a NATO action), but I didn't remember an actual war. What it was, was the memory of the three/four day bombing that Clinton did of Iraq in order as the idea went to bring about a change of government. She brought up that the oil companies, munitions companies and weapons makers are making the money. I was not amused as we in this country have lost over 2 million jobs in the last few years. The housing market is going down hill, course not many of us everyday folks can afford the way over inflated cost of a house to begin with, but still. We as a country are greatly in debt, if China and Canada wanted they could call on the loans and they would own "our" country. Do the ones in power bring up such things? No they work to hide them as much as possible.

She was getting into it about all the last few presidents starting wars when the people they were going to war with could have been bought out in the beginning. I didn't think they could and had some memories of a time when we as a political force went to other countries and tried to work out deals. Course this was with the governments of the countries, not the Bin Ladens, the terrorists.

She thought we could buy out people like Bin Laden in the beginning before it got bad, buy out those who want to kill Americans and Israelis, ones who think that taking over and killing is the way to get what they want, as some of the ones in Africa are doing. Plain out right the terrorists. She thinks that in buying them out we could have gotten them onto another path that wouldn't have been so bad for everyone.
I don't think they can be, could never have been bought out. I think once we satisfied one thing they would just go on to wanting something else and as we had appeased them the first time they would think that they could just keep doing it. Isn't that what happened with Hitler? Isn't that what happened with Stalin? Mao? Our own president Bush? (and his religious right cronies) What more can we give them that maybe we can get them to think and do other things and let us live our lives safely, with out loosing anything that make us all viable people?

"Blood on one's hands is still blood" was her words, "how do you see the degrees of that ?"
While I see there are other ways to do things, I do also see that sometimes one needs to fight. No it isn't healthy to go into war, nor does it really bring any good, but it can get the attention of the ones who can stand up and stop the madness. It can and does bring others together to talk and to get other things going. Yes, blood is blood, yes this country is a bully and has been for many years. It didn't exactly start that way. It doesn't have to stay that way either. I am a warrior, I have to pick and choose my battles. I would rather not as there are so many things that can be done by the warriors and it's not only in physical fighting that warriors can make things happen. It is by showing we are not afraid to lead, to show the better ways to do things, to teach in ways that others don't understand. The passion of wanting better for the people is the way of the teacher and the warrior. We see in large pictures not in small ones. We don't go for immediate satisfaction, we look to the long run.

Where are the leaders who would lead in honesty? Where are the leaders who would speak for us in a voice that promotes the future and what we as a human race can be? Can the world be that out of it that the leaders are afraid to stand and speak for the better things to all humans? Do we have to continue being separated because of spiritual beliefs, national beliefs, and so many more?

Oh My Goddess! If it isn't Shrub it's some hack singer...

Who wants to be the leader of the NRA and put weapons of all kinds in the hands of the assholes and idiots.
The Second Amendment for it's time was not a bad thing, but this is a totally different time and what he advocates isn't sound in the long run. We here in Wichita have had more deaths since the conceal and carry law went through, so where is the "safety" that we were promised?

Now on to Shrub and his stupidity.
http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ci=108&ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=20909

Cure gays? Is it true we can be cured?

Only if straight people can be cured from being straight! People, it's not a choice!!!
I am who I am and I live a good life, I don't run around killing people, I don't steal from others, yet I am a bad person in his and many others minds because I am gay, queer, what ever.
I work, I pay my taxes and I give to charities as my wallet allows.

Who my partner is and what I do in my bedroom should not be fodder for the religious right or any other religious group, as not everyone is a part of their religion. Most definitely the person who is the head doctor for this country shouldn't be someone who founds a church where "reparative" or "conversion" therapy is used and in the long run harms the person they are trying so hard to "repair".
I have read from some of the original founders of some of the other ex-gay movements, that the "cures" are only around 1% as well as some of the "cured" committing suicide. Then many just going back to who they were supposed to be to begin with.

Now folks how scientific is that and how will that help our nation, that has taken far too many backward steps be the "super power" that it used to be?

From the land of Kansas and more!

From: Pagan Unity Campaign
Subject: You're Invited!
Date: June 3, 2007
Contact: Fallon Glenn (fallon_glenn@yahoo.com),
Ginger Strivelli(empressginger@charter.net)
http://paganunitycampaign.org

Do you support religious tolerance and diversity?
Do you have a few minutes to spare for some non-confrontational activism?

If you answered "Yes" to these questions, the Pagan Unity Campaign needs YOU!

On June 21, 2007, the Pagan Unity Campaign will launch the 7 th annual"I Am" campaign; and we would like to formally invite you to stand up and be counted alongside Pagans and Pagan friendly persons everywhere!

Your task is simple!If you're a Pagan American, we ask that you send post cards to your elected officials stating "I am a Pagan ______." (i.e. "I am a Pagan mother," "I am a Pagan Nurse," "I am a Pagan Soldier," or "I am a Pagan teacher," etc.)

We urge Pagan friendly citizens to send in postcards that state "I am the ______ of a Pagan _______." (i.e..: "I am the Christian mother of a Pagan lawyer.")

Even non-US citizens can be counted in this simple bit of worldwide activism by sending postcards to the "leader of the free-world" that state "I am a Pagan ________ from ___________" (i.e. "I am a Pagan banker from England.")Be creative!

Postcards can be anything from a religious symbol to a local scene to a homemade postcard to a drawing from the kids. The sky is the limit! All we ask is that you include the "Pagan Unity Campaign" byline after your signature and your zip code at the least!Together we can make a difference. It is up to you to decide if you're willing too help.
Let's let our elected officials know that we are out here, we are watching and we do stand together in support of religious diversity and tolerance for ALL!

###

You can find contact information for your Senators at:http://www.senate.gov/senators/senator_by_state.cfm

You can find contact information for your Representatives at:http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html

You can write to President Bush at:
George W. Bush
The White House1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

And they said...

It wouldn't be like Nam.
Well folks here is a little something to think about.

'Half of the Iraqi security forces are insurgents.' Doubts Grow as G.I.'s in Iraq Find Allies in Enemy Ranks 27 May 2007 The pivotal moment came, Staff Sgt. David Safstrom says, this past February when soldiers killed a man setting a roadside bomb. When they searched the bomber’s body, they found identification showing him to be a sergeant in the Iraqi Army. "I thought, 'What are we doing here? Why are we still here?'" said Sergeant Safstrom, a member of Delta Company of the First Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. "We're helping guys that are trying to kill us. We help them in the day. They turn around at night and try to kill us."

Remind anyone of the early '70's till the end in '75?
I wasn't there due to when I did graduate from High School, but I was in the Army after that and heard first hand from many others who were there, this same comment.

In this day and age...

I never expected that a state that I live in and yet one that is controlled by Republicans would pull something as stupid as this.

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/state/16708968.htm

This kind of thing was prohibited with the accepting of the 24th Amendment, so I don't see how they can get away with it. We are not a border state, we have no more illegals then any one else in this country. Just another way to control the voters and bring "panic" to a state that has no need for panic.
Yes, I understand it's only for first time voters as everyone else is "proven" but this still reeks of stupidity, racism and fear.