Those Terrible Veterans

Veterans For Peace Chapter 92 was rejected for marching in the Auburn, Washington Veterans Day parade.  Now a federal judge has ordered the city to allow VFP to march.  

Apparently veterans advocating peace bring the wrong message.  As the city attorney described it,

the city was thanking veterans for their contributions and for “defending freedoms around the world,” and that the VFP’s anti-war message, peace flags and reminders of the human and financial tolls of conflict were antithetical to that message.

That's right folks, reminders of the human and financial tolls of conflict are not a welcome thought on Veterans Day.  Fortunately, the judge saw right through that bullshit:

Judge Pechman said it would be a stretch to somehow arrive at the conclusion that the VFP’s message that “peace is a good thing” is somehow dishonoring veterans. She ordered the city to ensure that the group’s placement in the parade is “in keeping” with its members’ status as veterans.

Ignoring the cost of war makes it all too easy to think of war as an option. 

Election Eve

The deed is done.  My ballot is filled out.  I am no longer undecided.   Well, exept for a couple of judicial races where I could not think of any good reason to vote one way or the other; either one will do fine, I am sure, so why waste the ink?  Maggie will drop my ballot off at the collection box tomorrow with hers.  Tomorrow evening around 8:30 PST Washington State will go strongly for Obama.  Four years ago that was the end of it; Obama had won and we could all go to bed early.  This year, I hope but don't expect that we will have a final result that early.

For these last few hours, though, all of the possibilities remain open, even if they are the merest chimera.  In the next 24 to 36 hours half of those possibilities will be ended.  Unsuccessful candidates and their supporters will be wondering Why?  How come?  If only...  I've been on the short end of  enough campaigns to know the feeling well and fully expect to experience it again.  Maybe even tomorrow

Once more unto the breach, dear friends...  The game's afoot...

Not About the Election

If you're tired of election (so-called) news before the final orgasm of election returns and pontificating pontificators, take a break and read about my weekend hike in the Olympic Mountains at my Speed of Foot blog.

Infrastructure

"...greasy, dirty stuff still matters."