Monday, September 25, 2006

Be a patriot. Boycott Citgo.

Chavez's Citgo Is No Friend of America by Mac Johnson
President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela threatens to provide a South American foothold to nations hostile to the United States: nations who are happy to exploit a thuggish, Marxist dictator of an oppressed, unstable country. (Note Chavez's five-billion dollar regional oil drilling project with China, and his stated intent to destroy U.S. influence in the world.) Through his total control of the Venezuela-owned Citgo Corporation, Chavez intends to manipulate U.S. politics and buy political favors through his sale of discounted heating oil to "needy" American customers in congressional districts with pork-hungry representatives. Are there no laws barring foreign governments from manipulating our elected officials?


The obvious first step for Americans to resist this hostile foreign influence is to stop buying Citgo products. I'm boycotting Citgo, and hope You will too. Next, we should direct Congress and our president to find a way to repel this dangerous dictator.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

WFMT Folk Festival 2006 -a political event?

WFMT - Show Detail
Words can hardly express my great appreciation and decades-long affection for WFMT and the superb work You do. Thank You! But I do have to express a little disappointment today. Perhaps my listening was simply ill-timed, but on at least two occasions recently (including today) I've tuned in just in time to hear some angry Canadian folk music performer (or another) denigrating the Bush administration, evidently with the hearty approval of the audience. I don’t know very much about folk music, but suspect that its diversity precludes its being monolithically leftist, pacifist, or contemptuous of our democratic government.
WFMT offers a valuable service in promoting and preserving a wide range of classical and folk music, and this helps to humanize and strengthen our own culture. Not having listened to “WFMT Folk Festival 2006” in its entirety today, I’m left wondering how many songs in the program were supportive of those in military and public service who are likewise engaged in promoting the humanity and security of our culture.
Public dissent and serious criticism of public officials should be a positive force in steering the national rudder, but without balance and fairness even musical programs can become divisive, destructive… and not much fun.