Swans Commentary
http://www.swans.com/
August 25, 2008
Note from the Editors: The incompetence of the current crew and the entire
foreign policy apparatus is beyond remission, redemption, and even
comprehension. Its reckless move against Russia through its Georgian puppet
brazenly demonstrates the extent of that incompetence. Not only can they not
win a war, whether directly (Afghanistan and Iraq) or by proxy (Lebanon,
Somalia, Georgia), they cannot think and shoot straight when, as Michael
Doliner sensibly points out, whatever Russia-bashing rhetoric may originate
within a foreign policy apparatus that was caught with its pants down, the
Russians did not take this Georgian so-called miscalculation lightly, reacted
proportionally to the perceived threat, and are darn serious -- and
competent. Meanwhile, Michael Barker brings to the fore another crew of
unpalatable individuals and organizations -- neocons, Humanitarians,
religious imperialists, and Zionists -- that are hard at work destabilizing
and demonizing China on the specious issues of human rights abuses in Tibet,
Sudan, and against Falun Gong practitioners. What a motley bunch of
bedfellows working together to sustain imperialism!
On the road to November 2008, Jan Baughman takes a look at the state of the
US economy, the regime of taxation without representation (except for the
corporations and the wealthy who don't pay much taxes at all), and the
conditions of our faltering democracy turned into a national-security state
with fenced-in cages for demonstrators and a detention center of make-shift
cells topped with razor wire, bearing warnings of stun-device use for over-
zealous protesters. Welcome to the Democratic National Convention in Denver,
Colorado, where the Obama-Biden couple will chant in unison, "No Four More
Years," and "Yes We Can!" -- which brings Gilles d'Aymery to ponder in a
short and to-the point essay what it would take for him to support Obama
instead of Nader. As for the myth of change we can believe in, Carol Warner
Christen puts her pen to work on the political expediency we continue to vote
for despite the local and global entropy and individual chaos that results.
On the literary side, both Charles Marowitz and Peter Byrne have a take on
Eric Bentley and Bertolt Brecht -- two completely coincidental pieces, the
former told from the inside, the latter from afar. Michael Doliner revisits
the 1968 novel "A Sport and a Pastime," a poignant love story as told by an
imaginary narrator through twists and turns of reality. Guido Monte presents
another of his colorful, multilingual, and unique poems; and we end this
issue with a short poem by Scott Porter and your letters.
As always, please form your OWN opinion, and let your friends (and foes) know
about Swans. It's your voice that makes ours grow.
# # # # #
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/mdolin38.html
The Situation In Georgia As I See It - Michael Doliner
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/barker04.html
The Project For A New American Humanitarianism - Michael Barker
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/jeb197.html
Representation Without Taxation - Jan Baughman
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/ga257.html
Could I Support Obama Instead Of Nader? - Gilles d'Aymery
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/nader08.html
How To Help The Nader-Gonzalez '08 Campaign
- Gilles d'Aymery & Jan Baughman (updated Aug. 25, 2008)
Check the update to see how you can watch Nader live on Aug. 27 in Denver.
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/carenc43.html
Expediency Creates Entropy Within The Human Environment
- Carol Warner Christen
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/cmarow115.html
Fusing Brecht & Bentley - Charles Marowitz
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/pbyrne79.html
Eric Bentley's "Bentley on Brecht" - Book Review by Peter Byrne
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/gmonte50.html
Mondana Commedia n.1: Inferno (World Comedy n.1: Hell) - Poem by Guido Monte
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/mdolin37.html
James Salter's "A Sport and a Pastime" - Book Review by Michael Doliner
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/porter03.html
Madness - Poem by R. Scott Porter
http://www.swans.com/library/art14/letter146.html
Letters to the Editor
# # # # #
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Gilles d'Aymery
--
Swans
"Hungry man, reach for the book: It is a weapon." B. Brecht
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