On Friday someone sent me a link to this YouTube video by an artist named Remy who has done the impossible, and put together a video that truly sheds light on the mean streets of Arlington.
Nobody ever believes me when I say how rough my neighborhood in Pentagon City is, but Remy finally gave me something I can use to back it up.
Sadly though… I don’t own any brown flip-flops. They are always sold out.
I recently came across an interesting article in the Army Times which denotes a disturbing caveat to the escalation of the war in Afghanistan. While the media continues to dwell on the economy and the boo-hoo stories of those who can’t afford a digital cable conversion box, the violence in Afghanistan has gone through the roof and US casualties are multiplying at a staggering geometric rate. Far be it for me to draw attention away from important matters like the new American Idol, but here is what I see in the latest trends.
The Army Times article details the recent revelation that certain Farsi speaking insurgent groups have suddenly become equipped with body armor and kevlar helmets as well as vastly improved battlefield tactics and, shockingly, improved marksmanship. Coupled with the huge increase in IED attacks since the fighting season began in the spring, particularly the sharply growing presence of the state-of-the-art EFPs, leads me to believe that the war is about to take an ugly turn for the worse. I think we have a new villain entering the fray in the form of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRG) who, with or without the consent of the Iranian leadership, have taken it upon themselves to institute a major policy shift with regard to Afghanistan.
The first 94 days of the Obama administration has been, in my opinion, a mixed bag. I applaud our precocious President for a couple positions he has taken with regard to upgrading the public transportation system as well as doing more to bolster higher education. Moreover, I am pleased with his emphasis on taking care of returning veterans and increasing their benefits. However, that is basically where the lovefest ends (though I hesitate, I don’t want to end up on DHS’ watch list). I won’t even start on his economic policies. Suffice to say I think that Lenin would have been quite pleased that his NEP has returned (minus the liquidation of the vile Kulaks!). No, what bothers me the most is Obama’s increasingly soft stance on foreign policy and the possible consequences of his growing image of weakness and indecision.
I had always suspected that Obama was going to be a weak leader, but two recent events sealed it for me. First off, the President of France, the irascible Nikolas Sarkozy, opened his big Gallic mouth and quite bluntly called Obama weak and indecisive . Privately, Sarkozy and other European leaders are beginning to rethink their enthusiasm for Change and Hope. How bad must things be if the French are calling us weak? When was the last time that happened? 1979?
In Yesterday’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Concordia University Professor and former Republican Congressional candidate, Jim Burkee, had an interesting op-ed discussing role “Generation Y” could play in re-shaping American politics.
In the first few months of his presidency, Obama has continued his full-court press for young voters, breaking protocol by giving Queen Elizabeth a loaded iPod, appearing on television and radio and expanding the White House’s Internet presence.
But the political loyalties of that coveted demographic are not yet decided. While they seem to lean to the left, they’re actually more libertarian than liberal, a fact that will reshape the way we think about liberalism and conservatism in decades to come.
America’s Generation Y (born between 1980 and 1995) is the first to have grown up with the Internet, which leaves it the most liberty-loving generation since the era of Andrew Jackson. Liberty, the root of what meant to the founders’ generation “liberal,” describes freedom from control and interference, particularly by government. And there is no domain so free from government as the Internet.
What does it mean to have been weaned in an environment - the Internet - virtually free of government interference? Millions of Gen-Yers have grown accustomed to making purchases online tax-free. They download movies and music (much of it pirated), read their news online for free (to the detriment of print media), find recipes online and network with friends and relatives online.
In short, they love their freedom.
While I agree with much of what he is saying there, I do have to point out some disagreement with the beginning of his op-ed:
If exit polls and surveys prove accurate, there will be one demographic deeply underrepresented in Wednesday’s conservative “taxpayer tea parties,” to be held at capitols across the country: Americans between the ages of 18 and 29.
While in the eyes of many Americans that might seem like a safe assumption, personally, I don’t think it could be further from the truth.
The fact of the matter is that if it wasn’t for this demographic (and those who come close to falling in it), the tea parties that have been (and will be) held around the country wouldn’t have been as successful.
It was the Internet (the tool that Burkee rightly points out as one that has given our generation a unique footing politically) that has led to these movements becoming what they are today.
Luckily, most of us “Gen-Y” folks haven’t been politically active enough to be completely indoctrinated by one party or another. This means that if anyone is going to be able to call bullshit on those in Washington and in our states, it’s going to be us.
We’re young and we’re not huge donors, so most politicians don’t give us the time of day (unless they want free labor or websites built). This inherent bias and neglect gives us a perspective that many older Americans simply aren’t able to see… at least without our help.
Simply put, we get to see politicians for who they really are, first hand, because so many of them still don’t take us seriously.
While every generation was once young and had similar experiences, with the Internet, we have the advantage of being able to share our frustrations with millions of people in seconds, and quickly organize to yield change.
Yes my friends, change is coming America, and it’s going to come from us, Generation Y. Yes we can.
Let the classical liberal revolution begin
h/t to Ms. Chandler Ramelli at ANotSoCapitolIdea.com for the info, and for helping put this together.
For those who will be in the DC area tomorrow (April 15) between 11am - 3pm, I strongly urge you to attend the DC Tea Party, which will be staged at Lafayette Square and outside of the United States Treasury (yes, we’re talking belly of the beast here).
Here is a partial list of speakers scheduled to be in attendance:
Princella Smith, American Solutions
Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform
Tobin Smith, Fox News
Brian Johnson, Americans for Tax Reform
Alan Keyes, Activist
Mike Church, Mike Church Radio Show
Rachel Hoff, College Republicans
Tom Schatz, Citizens against Government Waste
Josh Bolin, Reagan.org
For those of you unfamiliar with Washington, DC, below is a simple GoogleMap that I put together to illustrate the area.
View DC Tea Party in a larger map
While there is ample parking in the area, I warn you, it’s never cheap, unless you get lucky and score a street spot (usually around the monuments).
Instead of risking a $20 parking tab, or ranging parking ticket fee, my suggestion would be to find parking somewhere in Northern Virginia and just take the Metro in.
The event (both Lafayette Square and the Treasury) are located within a few blocks of 5 different metro stations: Farragut North, Farragut West, McPherson Square, Metro Center and Federal Triangle.
If you’re coming from Northern Virginia, both the Orange Line and Blue Line will get you to the event without transferring. If you have to take the Yellow line, you’ll have to transfer at L’Enfant Plaza.
Don’t forget your signs!
