posted on February 3, 2003 07:15:32 AM new
This topic will probably drop to the bottom like a lead balloon but I think it's significant to know that the White House has chosen to ban a scheduled poetry meeting at the White House. Laura inadvertantly invited an anti war poet, and the poets organized an anti war reading. LOLOL!!!
Ferlinghetti submitted two poems, "History of the Airplane," a mediation on the Wright brothers' invention as an instrument of war, and a piece titled "Coda," which opens with the lines: "And a vast paranoia sweeps across the nation/And America turns the attack on the World Trade Center/Into the beginning of the Third World War/(the beginning of the war with the Third World)."
posted on February 3, 2003 07:40:02 AM new
LOL! She made the mistake of inviting an anti war socialist! He was sick when he saw the invitation from the Republican White House.
posted on February 3, 2003 07:44:08 AM new
I hate to admit it, but I'd probably do something just a stupid if I were trying to be "helpful".
I try to stay out of these political threads ~ this one seemed 'safe' since it was at it's inception and totally laughable!
thanks for the giggle!
and now...
let the politics begin!
posted on February 3, 2003 07:58:33 AM new
No problem with that, zoomin! I just can't believe that Laura, who is a librarian with more sense than her husband would expect that a group of poets, while we are on the verge of a possible world war, would be content to discusss Emily Dickinson.
posted on February 3, 2003 12:51:42 PM new
That's because she doesn't "get it." Republicans are notorious for their misinformed and uneducated viewpoints. It makes them think that devastating entire countries with War is akin to a picnic in a meadow on a summer's day ~ nothing to worry about, something to enjoy. They also miss the message of 9-11, which was, "We can get to you! You are not safe over there!" Maybe when the White House is incinerated by a nuclear bomb dropped on Washington D.C. by those we are trying to kill will Republicans wake up and realize that there are real consequences to War and that they might actually be on the receiving end of them here at home!
posted on February 3, 2003 02:40:09 PM new
I'm sure that the guest list will be revised.
"Mrs. Bush was obviously unaware that Walt Whitman once described the White House as "bought, sold...and filled with prostitutes" and throughout Langston Hughes' life he was visciously harassed by the FBI and by Joseph McCarthy. Hamill's defense to Laura Bush's reasoning is that "People have felt silenced, and we are providing a platform for poets to speak together." Former Poet Laureate Stanley Kunitz responded to the events leading up to the cancellation by saying, "I think there was a general feeling that the current administration is not really a friend of the poetic community and that its program of attacking Iraq is contrary to the humanitarian position that is at the centre of the poetic impulse." Pulitzer Prize-winner Philip Levine, citing White House "lying" and "Orwellian euphemisms," said the event was cancelled before he could even turn down his invitation."
posted on February 3, 2003 07:38:57 PM new
Statement
It would not have been possible for me ever to trust someone who
acquired office by the shameful means Mr. Bush and his abettors resorted
to in the last presidential election. His nonentity was rapidly becoming
more apparent than ever when the catastrophe of Sept. 11, 2001, provided
him and his handlers with a role for him, that of "wartime leader",
which they, and he in turn, were quick to exploit. This role was used at
once to silence all criticism of the man and his words as unpatriotic,
and to provide the auspices for a sustained assault upon civil
liberties, environmental protections, and general welfare. The
perpetuation of this role of "wartime leader" is the primary reason--
more important even than the greed for oil fields and the wish to blot
out his father's failure-- for the present determination to visit war
upon Iraq, kill and maim countless people, and antagonize much of the
world of which Mr. Bush had not heard until recently. The real
iniquities of Saddam Hussein should be recognized, in this context, as
the pretexts they are. His earlier atrocities went unmentioned as long
as he was an ally of former Republican administrations, which were
happy, in their time, to supply him with weapons. I think that someone
who was maneuvered into office against the will of the electorate, as
Mr. Bush was, should be allowed to make no governmental decisions
(including judicial appointments) that might outlast his questionable
term, and if the reasons for war were many times greater than they have
been said to be I would oppose any thing of the kind under such
"leadership". To arrange a war in order to be re-elected outdoes even
the means employed in the last presidential election. Mr. Bush and his
plans are a greater danger to the United States than Saddam Hussein.
posted on February 4, 2003 08:36:39 AM new
NearTheSea....not a thing is wrong with E.D.
but Laura doesn't want a good poem like this one spoken in her white house.
Bird With Two Right Wings
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
And now our government
a bird with two right wings
flies on from zone to zone
while we go on having our little fun & games
at each election
as if it really mattered who the pilot is
of Air Force One
(They're interchangeable, stupid!)
While this bird with two right wings
flies right on with its corporate flight crew
And this year its the Great Movie Cowboy in the cockpit
And next year its the great Bush pilot
And now its the Chameleon Kid
and he keeps changing the logo on his captains cap
and now its a donkey and now an elephant
and now some kind of donkephant
And now we recognize two of the crew
who took out a contract on America
and one is a certain gringo wretch
who's busy monkeywrenching
crucial parts of the engine
and its life-support systems
and they got a big fat hose
to siphon off the fuel to privatized tanks
And all the while we just sit there
in the passenger seats
without parachutes
listening to all the news that's fit to air
over the one-way PA system
about how the contract on America
is really good for us etcetera
As all the while the plane lumbers on
into its postmodern
manifest destiny
posted on February 4, 2003 09:46:59 AM new
Maybe Tennyson would be allowed in the white house? He, like the others are not from hate groups but they doubt the wisdom of war. As Tennyson wrote, the soldier knew Some one had blunder'd.
`Forward the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do & die,
Into the valley of Death
posted on February 4, 2003 09:48:22 AM new
She invited poets. And then wrinkled up her widdle nose and scrambled when she discovered that the poets actually had functioning brains and, duh, a published history that she could have checked before sending out her precious invitations.
Maybe this is more along the first lady's inclination:
[i]I think that I shall never see
A man so great as our George B.
A proven leader, strong and true,
He knows the truth! (but won't tell you.)
And tho' he's rumored not so bright,
He's president - so he must be right![/i]
posted on February 4, 2003 09:52:36 AM new
And what a foolish plan... to want non political poetry in the White House, especially while Bush is planning to dump bombs on the poor people of Iraq.
posted on February 4, 2003 09:56:37 AM newI INVITE SOMEONE TO MY HOME AND YOU WANT TO INSULT ME AND MY FAMILY... Most wouldn't.
DO YOU INVITE KNOWN HATE GROUPS TO YOUR HOME HELEN?
No...I think she agrees with this statement made by an unknown author.
The Enemy of My Country Is My Friend.
posted on February 4, 2003 10:13:07 AM new
Linda, I don't hate my country. It's so wrong and inconsiderate to continue making such unfounded accusations. At least you could have added a few more widdle smiley faces.
But as we know you're George's pal and we are either with him or "agin" him...right?
And the Wright brothers said they thought they had invented
something that could make peace on earth when their wonderful
flying machine took off at Kitty Hawk into the kingdom of birds
but the parliament of birds was freaked out by this man-made bird
and fled to heaven
And then the famous Spirit of Saint Louis took off eastward and
flew across the Big Pond with Lindy at the controls in his leather
helmet and goggles hoping to sight the doves of peace but he did not
even though he circled Versailles
And then the famous Flying Clipper took off in the opposite
direction and flew across the terrific Pacific but the pacific doves
were frighted by this strange amphibious bird and hid in the orient sky
And then the famous Flying Fortress took off bristling with guns
and testosterone to make the world safe for peace and capitalism
but the birds of peace were nowhere to be found before or after Hiroshima
And so then clever men built bigger and faster flying machines and
these great man-made birds with jet plumage flew higher than any
real birds and seemed about to fly into the sun and melt their wings
and like Icarus crash to earth
And the Wright brothers were long forgotten in the high-flying
bombers that now began to visit their blessings on various Third
Worlds all the while claiming they were searching for doves of
peace
And they kept flying and flying until they flew right into the 21st
century and then one fine day a Third World struck back and
stormed the great planes and flew them straight into the beating
heart of Skyscraper America where there were no aviaries and no
parliaments of doves and in a blinding flash America became a part
of the scorched earth of the world
And a wind of ashes blows across the land
And for one long moment in eternity
There is chaos and despair
And buried loves and voices
Cries and whispers
Fill the air
Everywhere
posted on February 4, 2003 10:26:42 AM newBut as we know you're George's pal and we are either with him or "agin" him...right?
Nope...this isn't about all dems, this isn't about all those who oppose the war with Iraq. Helen, it's just about how I've viewed your posts. I can only remember one post you've ever made [qualifying my statement] that I've read where you weren't dissing your country. Sorry...no smiley faces.
posted on February 4, 2003 11:55:59 AM newAnd what a foolish plan... to want non political poetry in the White House, especially while Bush is planning to dump bombs on the poor people of Iraq.
OH Geez, Big deal, Non Political Poetry in the White House..... So what?
I'm not 'pals' with George, but agree with him and allies about Iraq. Am I patriotic because of this? no. Its my 'view' and everyones entitled to one... cepting I probably broke another RT rule, by not providing websites, or copied and pasted some article, op ed piece, poetry etc blah..
posted on February 4, 2003 12:06:51 PM new
Strangely, perhaps, I believe that the White House belongs to the American people, not to George and Laura Bush. All American views should be welcome there.
posted on February 4, 2003 12:18:02 PM new
NearTheSea
Are you, like your buddy Linda, here to attack me AGAIN or can you offer some contribution to the topic? If you don't like the topic, just post somewhere else.
It's clear, based on what you have written that your understanding of the topic is way off base.
posted on February 4, 2003 12:25:04 PM new
I didn't come to attack you... just voicing my view, as in saying; big deal, non political poetry. Big deal.
The White House does belong to all American people, and such, their views, then I believe I should also be allowed to express my views on this poetry subject (or any other subject), right here.
posted on February 4, 2003 12:29:19 PM new
I guess the prediction about this topic "dropping like a lead balloon" is perhaps not founded.
In actuality, I think the White House missed a great opportunity here. He could have shown up, handed the book of poems to Mrs. Bush, who could have said "Thank you" and handed them to an aide, who .... end of story. I can even write the White House statement: "We continue our steadfast support for the freedom of expression that makes this country great, and we want to reassure Americans everywhere that we are listening to them even when they disagree with us."
Instead, the White House has taken a story that resided mostly in email in-boxes and made it an issue for the national media.
posted on February 4, 2003 12:30:01 PM new
>ALL SHE WANTED WAS SOME QUALITY NON-POLITICAL POETRY, THAT WASN'T TOO MUCH TO ASK... OH WAIT I GUESS IT WAS.
It comes with the territory. If she doesn't like it, have her tell her husband to step down from office and go back to the ranch in Texas. until then, she and her husband are in the highest polical profile in the world and that means that every chance someone has to make inroads goes. As far as being kind to her and what she wants, how kind were Republicans with Clinton? I seem to recall the same complaints and the same rebuttals being used, but now reversed. What applies to the Goose applies to the Gander as well!
posted on February 4, 2003 12:33:02 PM new
Well, look who's here....did you bring saabsister along
Strangely, perhaps, I believe that the White House belongs to the American people, not to George and Laura Bush. All American views should be welcome there.
Not strange. I agree the White House belongs to all the American people too. But I draw the line when someone who's invited to what has a preset agenda and then some want to turn in into a political bashing session.
I don't think you'd really expect Hillary to have invited those she would think might come and embarrass her, do you? Like those from the 'right wing conspiracy'. I don't. Usually people who are invited to a dinner, party, etc. at the White House aren't expected to be rude or cause embarrassment to their host and hostess, no matter their political position.
posted on February 4, 2003 12:41:09 PM new "I don't think you'd really expect Hillary to have invited those she would think might come and embarrass her, do you?"
Absolutely not. Hillary would not make such a blunder.
