OpEdNews Article: Minneapolis Message to Obama Was Clear: Bring the War $$ Home

from the Huffington Post

As usual, most of the mainstream media did not do a very good job reporting on Obama's August 30 speech in Minneapolis nor on the protest outside the National Convention of the American Legion to whom he spoke (Minneapolis Star Tribune, Minnesota Public Radio, FOX News.com). The alternative media (and here) did no better in understanding that the real story is about Americans of all backgrounds and political ideologies (libertarians, greens, progressives and fiscal conservatives) uniting in their alarm about the destructive consequences of runaway militarism. Even normally pro-war American Legion members are beginning to recognize the enormous blowback upon military veterans. Certainly environmentalists wanting government to fund projects for sustainable forms of energy agree the war $ should come home. So it was too bad that reporters' questions mostly stayed within the confines of the two-party electoral framework and the political ping-pong that keeps the big war game going no matter which lesser-of-two evil politician(s) win. Maybe we should be happy that given the egregious costs of war and bankrupting debt being suffered, there was at least some mention of the wars as a main issue in spite of the contrasting political spins.

Maybe the media will do a better job three weeks from now covering the protest when we get to revert back to focus on the great "Decider" who was first to lie us into the disastrous, illegal wars, the more familiarly-despised face of George W. Bush who has reportedly accepted to come speak at Beth El Synagogue (same synagogue that feted Condoleezza Rice about two years ago) in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. (Synagogue organizers of the upcoming Bush event are apparently selling three tiers of tickets to wealthy supporters to share hors d'oeuvres with Bush on September 21: the Bronze level ticket is $1250, Silver is $2500, and Platinum is $3600. The latter two get preferred seating and a picture with Bush.) We welcome suggestions for creative signs (especially those transcending counter-productive political partisanship) to display outside the upcoming George W. Bush's Beth El Synagogue Fundraiser and Rewriting of History! Better yet, stop by and help Come Home America and other advocates of peace and liberty hold banners the evening of September 21 (from 4 -7 pm) outside the Synagogue fundraiser. Photos below were taken outside Obama's speech to the American Legion.