January 26, 2011, For your viewing pleasure
No, not the State of the Union which, to be frank, I utterly ignored (though I did walk in on Rep. Ryan's non-response response playing on the radio... which I did my best to ignore as well)... but tonight's event in Berkeley (go if you're anywhere near there; watch otherwise), details as described by Candace here. Almerindo sends Facebook info, here. The event will not just feature my friends Candace (interviewed by me here) and Almerindo (interviewed by me here), but a live-feed from England with former GTMO detainee Omar Deghayes. While I haven't met Omar, the simple humanity of this humble man and the injustice he has suffered at American hands came through like nothing else in Andy's film "Outside the Law: Stories from Guantanamo." If you haven't seen or heard Omar before... take this opportunity.
Because, you see, Omar (and Candace and Almerindo) are real. Not like my college classmate The Empty Suit the President, and his "State of the Union" and all the other kabuki trappings of our "Theatrocy," which as you know, is actually mostly just bad theatre masquerading as a democratic republic to cover for its actual role in simply advancing the interests of the super-rich and powerful. Omar, Candace and Almerindo and others like them (and I like to fancy myself in it as well) are in the greatest struggle there is-- the eternal one-- literally, the struggle between justice and the forces of brute power and expedience, where "our side" is bound by rules and order... and justice... and their side... plain old isn't. But we soldier on.
If you haven't seen Omar (or Candace or Almerindo)... do yourself a favor and tune in to the web-cast (7:30 Pacific time... whatever that means for you where you are!). You will not be sorry.