Oilfieldguy @ 55

cbl,

Thanks for that. I have not been to the ABC website, but I was watching the Tiger Woods show today on ABC and the word they used was uninterupted. Hit me like a lightning bolt. I agree with you that some corp. names will be attached to this.

Halliburton perhaps?

Doesn’t this docudrama masquerading as the truth violate FCC regulations? ABC can broadcast whatever crap they want so long as it’s labeled accurately. If the RNC has bankrolled it, haven’t they violated campaign financing laws? How about equal time for a response? Personally, I’d prefer a firing squad, shaken, not stirred.

“But, something I’ve been thinking about for a few days is that the Framers themselves, at the time both the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were adopted, had terrorists on their very doorstep! I refer to the American Indians. Families anywhere near the frontier daily faced the possibility of what Publius called “depredations” by “savages,” (Fed. #24) and we would call a terrorist attack.

Nowadays, we’re more sympathetic to the notion that the Indians were defending their homeland and way of life, and they had a right to do so. We also know that our side perpetrated more than their share of massacres, too. But by the isolated perspective of a pioneer settlement, it was terrorism.”

What I was trying to say was, speaking of Native Americans, I’d love it if more students of political organization were aware of the political expertise of the Iroquois. I have heard a saying, that the creator gave the gift of weaving to the Navajo and the gift of good government to the Iroquois. Even today we could learn from them.

If we would like to differentiate “terrorism” from traditional warfare against military targets, it doesn’t help to take these terms so far out of context that they lose their meaning.

If the point is that we don’t need a police state to deal with challenging circumstances, then of course I agree. Just without the Native American angle, please.

I’d like to see greater awareness among this community (and farther) of the outstanding democracy practiced by the Iroquois, documented in The Great Law of Peace, which was a model for our constitution. Many of our Founding Fathers were intimately familiar with this democracy, and we could learn something today about peaceful mediation among disputing parties and international relations from the practices of the Iroquois. Heck, suffragettes studied Iroqois political organization! By the way, these are still practicing democracies.

Perhaps you’re interested in reading “Forgotton Founders: How the American Indian Helped Shape Democracy,” by Bruce Johansen, “The Iroquois and the Founding of the American Nation,” by Prof. Donald Grinde, or “Franklin Listens When I Speak,” by Paula Underwood. Full disclosure: I have gained my understanding of these issues at home; I am Paula Underwood’s daughter and we trace our ancestry to both Benjamin Franklin and Oneida Chief John Shenandoah.

So much to be grateful for. Mr Dean’s gracious patience. And his courage, along with the Wilsons. Robert Altemeyer’s important research. Glenn Greenwald’s legal analysis. And Jane and Christy for opening up a spot in the pubic discourse where their voices and ours can be heard.

What I find amazing and refreshing is that not a single one of Jane’s blue state or book salon guests have patronized or pandered or responded dismissively to comments or questions. I think that is the main reason the quality of the discourse has been so remarkably good.

And once again, a gigantic thank you to John Dean! I have already purchased 3 of your books and I will be buying more!

(And for those who have not yet read it, it is a great read, because John Dean has managed to convert Altermeyer’s stats and his own personal observations into a compelling narrative. I can guarantee you, you will not be able to put it down.)

I, too remember John Dean’s testamony during the Watergate Hearings. I also remember my Mom absolutely glued to the television, something very unusual in our house. I was an exchange student in Mexico during part of this time and felt an obligation to learn as much about the situation as possible. Watergate was without a doubt the start of my interest in politics.

The reason for my post is to encourage people to read a book John Dean wrote in the early 1980’s called “Lost Honor.” I just read it this summer and was amazed. The book is full of analysis and historical information that very much applies today. Of particular interest is John Dean’s analysis of the lessons of Watergate. His discussion of the actions of Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski are particularly relevant.

I agree CX, a great way to demonstrate our gratitude to Mr. Dean is to buy more of his books.

Mr. Dean, as cbl commented above wrt you, “that’s what ya call old school gracious.”