Pearl Harbor and ‘Japanaphobia’

Conservative columnist Michelle Malkin has captured the essence of the maudlin “patriotism,” the sheer ugliness of the mindless jingoism unleashed by the “Pearl Harbor” movie in her column on the subject, “Patriotism and Pearl Harbor,” which starts out maudlin and winds up ugly: “The hallowed waters that surround the sunken USS Arizona murmur gently like … Continue reading “Pearl Harbor and ‘Japanaphobia’”

Powell on Mideast: Seduced or Cynical?

I almost hope that Secretary of State Colin Powell’s opening to more involvement in the always-ephemeral Middle East "peace process" is a public relations gesture that is essentially a cynical ploy rather than a serious move. One can imagine it being so. There are not only governments in the region but established and influential lobbying … Continue reading “Powell on Mideast: Seduced or Cynical?”

Why Lie About Pearl Harbor?

I‘m planning on going to see Pearl Harbor the day it opens, but not without some trepidation: you see, I’m going with my Significant Other, who is Japanese. Not Japanese-American, mind you, but Japanese-Japanese. So what’s the problem? THE FEAR FACTOR The problem is fear. Floyd Mori, president of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), … Continue reading “Why Lie About Pearl Harbor?”

The Myth of Pearl Harbor

With the release of Pearl Harbor, a cinematic reenactment of the popular myth handed down to us by Roosevelt’s hagiographers, the Memorial Day weekend will culminate in an orgy of lying war propaganda. The movie, starring somebody named Ben Affleck (so I’m not into popular culture, what can I tell you?), steadfastly ignores recently unearthed … Continue reading “The Myth of Pearl Harbor”

International Aspects of Drug Wars Undercovered

The big news in drug reform circles this week is the Supreme Court’s decision that there is no "medical necessity" exception to federal prohibition of marijuana distribution or manufacture that can be claimed by the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative. The court did not overturn California’s law allowing patients with a recommendation from a licensed physician … Continue reading “International Aspects of Drug Wars Undercovered”

A Short History of Warmongering at the National Review

NATIONAL REVIEW: AN UNCHANGING MONOLITH? I have entitled this piece "A Short History," because a full history of warmongering at National Review magazine would be long indeed. James J. Martin wrote two volumes in the early 1960s on the turn of The New Republic and The Nation from a critical view of US foreign policy … Continue reading “A Short History of Warmongering at the National Review