Politics

From an article titled "5 Reasons Torture is always Wrong" by David P. Gushee in Christianity Today:

1. Torture violates the dignity of the human being.
2. Torture mistreats the vulnerable and violates the demands of justice.
3. Authorizing torture trusts government too much.
4. Torture dehumanizes the torturer.
5. Torture erodes the character of the nation that tortures.

It is past time for evangelical Christians to remind our government and our society of perennial moral values, which also happen to be international and domestic laws. As Christians, we care about moral values, and we vote on the basis of such values. We care deeply about human-rights violations around the world. Now it is time to raise our voice and say an unequivocal no to torture, a practice that has no place in our society and violates our most cherished moral convictions.

Check out the video of President Bush when he's asked if he's seen Brokeback Mountain. It's kinda funny.
 

Who would have guessed that I have so much in common with Cheney? We both have to have our ipods... From a story titled "Cheney's iPod Takes Top Priority on Extended Flight" by Karen Travers on abcnews.com:

After a four-day overseas trip that took him to four countries in the Middle East, Vice President Dick Cheney really wanted to get his iPod charged for that long return flight to Washington. Since it is his plane, the vice president's iPod took priority and was plugged into one of the only working power outlets on Air Force Two, frustrating reporters who were trying to file stories. What's on that iPod that Cheney was so eager to charge it up and put on the headphones? The vice president's iPod library ranges from country to classical, according to an administration official. He has a good amount of music from the 1940s and 1950s (oldies but goodies) and apparently is fond of Johnny Cash.

A few weeks ago I mentioned several things that bother me about Iraq and asked if it has been "worth it." Bush thinks it has been. From an article by Peter Baker in The Washington Post (reprinted in The Seattle Times):

Knowing what I know today, I'd make the decision again," Bush told a questioner after a speech here. "Removing Saddam Hussein makes this world a better place and America a safer country.

I agree that the world is a better place without Saddam in power. But its not hard to think of better ways to make the world better with $220 billion. Bush also admitted for the first time that 30,000 Iraqis have died.

Check out the word counts from Bush's Iraq strategy speech as compiled on the Mojo blog.  It makes a point in a round about way.