Read It and Weep

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/world/americas/30mexico.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th

The Times on Mexico's Drug War (today's piece). If stories like this don't make it clear that the current approach to stopping drug cartel crime cannot work, what will? How can Obama go on joking about the legalization of marijuana when, clearly, that's the only thing that has a prayer of stopping the violence. As long as there's money in it, a lot of money, the cartels will go right on fighting. The War isn't working. The only alternative is legalization. But I hope everyone who's smokes a joint from time to time gets it--you're fueling the violence. Even the Times doesn't quite come out and say that, but it's clearly true.

e.e. cummings I love you (an excerpt)

Humanity i love you
because you would rather black the boots of
success than enquire whose soul dangles from his
watch-chain which would be embarrassing for both
parties and because you
unflinchingly applaud all
songs containing the words country home and
mother when sung at the old howard

and the beat goes on...

Who would have thought there'd still be so much to be outraged about (even after Bush has finally left the White House)? Well, what about Obama's intelligence appointment being stopped because of his "anti-Israeli" position (that means the guy doesn't follow the AIPAC line)? What about the idea of sending troops to the border to control a drug war that is totally equipped by American gun dealers? (Not to mention fueled by huge American demand.) And when Obama has the temerity to say he'll think about it, commenters on the story online make fun of that idea. I guess the US is so used to having non-thinking leaders that they don't know what to make of such a comment. Will we ever recover from this idiot dialogue that's in place in the atmosphere? No sooner does someone in the administration admit to nuance and subtlety than he or she is attacked for... what? Wimpiness, socialist tendencies, preferring other countries' citizens to our own... whatever.