PREACHING TO THE CHOIR

 I'm not a big fan of Michael Moore or Bill Maher. Both have this habit of, almost Rush Limbaugh like,  delivery to the believers of whatever conspiracy theory is on their plate that day. Everyone, like sheep, nods in agreement and screams for "their heads". Then they go back to their hot dogs. I know it's entertainment, but I'm not on board. I much prefer the balanced approach of John Stewart (now Brit John) and DEMOCRACY NOW's Amy Goodman. Yes, they lean left, but not to the zealot's degree. Mix in a little Yahoo news- "Kim makes Kanye dinner." and I think i have a relatively balanced view of current events.
    But I also have my own channels. I just got a cable from my friends in Havana. The whole town is abuzz in anticipation of Edward Snowden's visit. The big statue of Jose Marti holding Elean, pointing in defiance at the U.S. Interest section, has been taken down and replaced by a giant stripper pole with twirling Snowden and "Polelete" girlfriend. I think Los Carpinteros have the commision. As the U.S. goes more to the dark side, the Cuban's seem to be lightening things up. Pull my finger. Over 100  hunger striking prisoners in Guantanamo, being frozen in their cells, and force fed with dirty tubes is evidence enough that the Obama administration has no desire to practice the human rights it preaches to the rest of the world. Diamond Dave went to Guantanamo once to sell jewelry to the PX. I asked him what it was like? "Miami Beach with assault rifles." he told me. "McDonalds, joggers and movie theaters. You'd never know there were any prisoners there."
  This is the atmosphere within which we conduct business every day. The waterboarding, sleep deprivation and force feeding can be taking place in the other room and you'd never know it. "Would you like special sauce in your feeding tube?" And this is the point that Snowden, Assange, and Manning are trying to make. All of this is happening right under our noses. As proud, patriotic, God fearing Americans, lulled into a false sense of security by full bellies and gas in the tank, who are we to question what "they" are up to? And when we are shown a peek into the dark, we turn away and cry "espionage!". That's the saddest thing. We really don't want to know. Ignorance really IS bliss.  I wonder what Taylor Swift is up to?