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Coming Soon! From Common Courage Press Recent Stories July 11, 2003 David Lindorff An Iraq War & Occupation Glossary July 10, 2003 Ron Jacobs Dealing with the Devil: the Bloody Profits of General Dynamics Sean Donahue Bush and the Paramillitaries: Coddling Terrorists in Colombia Yemi Toure Who Outted Bush in Afrika? Robert Jensen Politics and Sustainability: an Interview with Wes Jackson Ali Abunimah US Leaves Injured Iraqis Untreated Joanne Mariner Federal Courts, Not Military Commissions Website of the Day Electronic Iraq   July 9, 2003 David Lindorff Is the Media Finally Turning on Bush? David Krieger and Angela McCracken 10 Myths About Nuclear Weapons Mickey Z. Why Speak Out? Lee Sustar The Great Medicare Fraud John Chuckman The Worst Kind of Lie Gary Leupp "Pacifist" Japan and the Occupation of Iraq Website of the Day Hail to the Thief: Songs for the Bush Years   July 8, 2003 Elaine Cassel Bully on the Bench: the Pathological Dissents of Scalia Alan Maass Nights of Fire and Rage in Benton Harbor Chris Floyd Troubled Sleep: Getting Used to the American Gulag Linda S. Heard America's Kangaroo Justice Brian Cloughley They Tell Lies to Nodders Charles Sullivan Bush the Christian? Saul Landau The Intelligence Culture in the National Security Age Website of the Day Occupation Watch   July 7, 2003 William Blum The Anti-Empire Report Harvey Wasserman The Nuke with a Hole in Its Head Ramzy Baroud Peace for All the Wrong Reasons Simon Jones What Progressives Should Think About Iran Lesley McCulloch Fear, Pain and Shame in Aceh Uri Avnery The Draw Steve Perry Bush's Wars Web Log 7/3   July 4 / 6, 2003 Patrick Cockburn Dead on the Fourth of July Frederick Douglass What is Freedom to a Slave? Martha Honey Bush and Africa: Racism, Exploitation and Neglect Jeffrey St. Clair The Rat in the Grain: Amstutz and the Looting of Iraqi Agriculture Standard Schaefer Rule by Fed: Anyone But Greenspan in 2004 Lenni Brenner Jefferson is for Today Elaine Cassel Fucking Furious on the Fourth Ben Tripp How Free Are We? Wayne Madsen A Sad Independence Day John Stanton Happy Birthday, America! 227 Years of War Jim Lobe Bush's Surreal AIDS Appointment John Blair Return to Marble Hill: Indiana's Rusting Nuke Lisa Walsh Thomas Heavy Reckoning at Qaim David Vest Wake Up and Smell the Dynamite Adam Engel Queer as Grass Poets' Basement Christian, Witherup, Albert & St. Clair Website of the Weekend The Lipstick Librarian   July 3, 2003 Patrick W. Gavin The Meaning of Gettysburg Thomas W. Croft There Was a Reason They Called It the Casino Economy David Lindorff Outlawing Subversives: Hong Kong and the US John Chuckman Lessons from the American Revolution Jackson Thoreau New Far-Right Scheme: Impeach Supreme Court Justices Stan Goff "Bring 'Em On?": a Former Special Forces Soldier Responds to Bush's Invitation for Iraqis to Attack US Troops Steve Perry Bush's Wars Web Log 7/3 July 2, 2003 Diane Christian Good Killing and Bad Killing Richard Falk After Iraq, Does UN War Prevention Have a Future? Mokhiber / Weissman Bush Administration: Causing Repetitive Stress Justin Podur Uribe's Onslaught Across Colombia Reuven Kaviner Prosecuting Ben-Artzi, the Refusenik Steve Perry Bush's Wars Web Log 7/2 July 1, 2003 Sasan Fayamanesh Weapon of Choice: Nukes, Israel and Iran Elaine Cassel Sex and the Supreme Moralizer: Scalia and the Sodomy Cops Susan Block A Love Supreme: Our Assholes Belong to Ourselves Bill Glahn RIAA Watch: No, No Bono David Lindorff Weapons in Search of a Name Gary Leupp Occupation, Resistance and the Plight of the GIs Steve Perry Bush's Wars Web Log 7/1   June 30, 2003 Karyn Strickler The Do-Nothings: an Exposé of Progressive Politics in America Col. Dan Smith The Occupation of Iraq: Descending into the Quagmire Tim Wise Race and Destruction in Black and White Neve Gordon The Roadmap and the Wall Chris Floyd The Revelation of St. George: "God Told Me to Strike Saddam" Elaine Cassel Kentucky Woman Uri Avnery Hope in Dark Times Steve Perry Bush's Wars Web Log 6/30 Website of the Day Bush El Hombre   June 28 / 29, 2003 M. Shahid Alam Bernard Lewis: Scholarship or Sophistry? Jeffrey St. Clair Meet Steven Griles: Big Oil's Inside Man Laura Carlsen Democracy's Future: From the Polls or the Populace? Alan Maass You Call These Democrats an Alternative? C.Y. Gopinath Bush and Kindergarten Noah Leavitt Bush, the Death Penalty and International Law Joanne Mariner Rehnquist Family Values Ignacio Chapela Tenure, Censorship and Biotech at Berkeley Bob Scowcroft Bush's Squeeze on Organic Farmers Jon Brown Tom Delay: "I am the Government" Kam Zarrabi Keep Your Hands Off Iran, Please! Ron Jacobs Big Bill Broonzy's Conversation with the Blues Julie Hilden Fear Factor: Art, Terror and the First Amendment Adrien Rain Burke The Anarchists' Wedding Guide Adam Engel US Troops Outta Times Square Poets' Basement Witherup, Guthrie, Albert, Hamod   June 27, 2003 Jason Leopold CIA: Seven Months Prior to 9/11 Iraq Posed No Threat to US David Vest Supreme Silence: Bush's Bunker-Hunker David Lindorff The Catch and Release of "Comical Ali" Ray McGovern Cheney, Forgery and the CIA Steve Perry Bush's Wars Web Log 6/26 Website of the Day John Kerry, Teresa Heinz & Ken Lay: The Politics of Hypocrisy June 26, 2003 Sen. Robert Byrd The Road of Cover-Up is a Road to Ruin Jason Leopold Wolfowitz Instructed the CIA to Investigate Hans Blix Paul de Rooij Ambient Death in Palestine Chris Floyd Mass Graves and Burned Meat in Bush's New Iraq Elaine Cassel Wolfowitz as Lord High Executioner CounterPunch Wire Musicians Unite Against Sweatshops Sheldon Hull Squatting in Mansions Ben Tripp A Guide to Hating Almost Anyone Uri Avnery The Best Show in Town Steve Perry Bush's Wars Web Log 6/25 Website of the Day Ordinary Vistas: The Photographs of Kurt Nimmo   June 25, 2003 Bruce Jackson Buffalo Cops Wage War on Pedal Pushers Mickey Z. The New Dark Ages David Lindorff Indonesia's War on Journalists Dan Bacher Butterflies and Farmworkers Confront USDA and Riot Cops Adam Federman "Success is Not the Issue Here" Elaine Cassel "Ain't No Justice": Fed Judge Quits, Assails Sentencing Guidelines Bill Kauffman My America vs. the Empire Steve Perry Bush's Wars Web Log 6/25 Website of the Day You Are Being Watched: Elevator Moods   June 24, 2003 Elaine Cassel Supreme Indemnity Holocaust Denial at the High Court Roya Monajem A Message from Tehran: Is It Worth It to Risk One's Life? John Chuckman The Real Clash of Civilizations David Lindorff WMD Damage Control at the Times Steve Perry Bush's Wars Web Log 6/24   June 23, 2003 Marc Pritzke Washington Lied: an Interview with Ray McGovern Conn Hallinan The Consistency of Sharon Wayne Madsen Commercials, Disney & Amistad Edward Said The Meaning of Rachel Corrie Steve Perry Bush's Wars Web Log 6/23 June 21 / 22, 2003 Alexander Cockburn My Life as a Rabbi William A. Cook The Scourge of Hopelessness Standard Schaefer The Wages of Terror: an Interview with R.T. Naylor Ron Jacobs US Prisons as Strategic Hamlets Harry Browne The Pitstop Ploughshares Lawrence Magnuson WMD: The Most Dangerous Game Harold Gould Saddam and the WMD Mystery David Krieger 10 Reasons to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Avia Pasternak The Unholy Alliance in the Occupied Territories CounterPunch Summer Reading: Our Favorite Novels Todd Chretien Return to Sender: Todd Gitlin, the Duke of Condescension Maria Tomchick Danny Goldberg's Imaginary Kids Adam Engel The Fat Man in Little Boy Poets' Basement Guthrie, Albert & Hamod June 20, 2003 Walter Brasch Down on Our Knees Robert Meeropol The Son of the Rosenbergs on His Parents Death and Bush's America Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman Grannies and Baby Bells Norman Madarasz Pierre Bourgault: the Life of a Quebec Radical Gary Leupp Bush on "Revisionist Historians" Steve Perry Bush's Lies Marathon: the Finale   Hot Stories Wendell Berry Small Destructions Add Up CounterPunch Wire WMD: Who Said What When Cindy Corrie A Mother's Day Talk: the Daughter I Can't Hear From Elaine Cassel Civil Liberties Watch Michel Guerrin Embedded Photographer Says: "I Saw Marines Kill Civilians" Uzma Aslam Khan The Unbearably Grim Aftermath of War: What America Says Does Not Go Paul de Rooij Arrogant Propaganda Gore Vidal The Erosion of the American Dream Francis Boyle Impeach Bush: A Draft Resolution Click Here for More Stories.     Subscribe Online Search CounterPunch

July 11, 2003 Chatting with the Almighty About Bush God Responds to W. By TIM WISE God is apparently quite busy. Between trying to soften the hearts of the hateful, sow peace and brotherhood throughout the world, and prevent a new episode of "The Bachelor" from appearing on American TV, the Almighty also takes the time to speak to George W. Bush. According to the Israeli daily Ha'aretz, Bush told Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that God had told him to attack al-Qaeda and then Saddam Hussein. I know some folks say anyone who claims to hear the voice of God is crazy, but don't count me among those people. After all, I spoke with God this morning, and man is she pissed. Although Bush's supporters insist there must have been a mistranslation of the President's remarks, God says that's exactly what Bush claimed, even though she never told him any such thing. She's considering a libel suit. As God explained to me this morning: "I didn't say "attack Hussein," I said 'attack Houston,' what, do I mumble or something?" I had e-mailed God asking for an interview, not really expecting to hear back. After all, there's a lot going on nowadays and I'm not really in the press pool, so to speak. I was hoping to ask the Lord about a few things, especially another recent comment by the President, in which he taunted Iraqis angry with the U.S. occupation of their country, saying "bring "em on," when asked about snipers who might try and kill American troops, as several indeed have. When the phone rang I thought it was a telemarketer. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be God. "I mean, what is with this guy?" God asked, as if she didn't already know. "Is this what conservatives mean by "support the troops?" Good Me, isn't this the same putz who said Jesus Christ was his favorite political philosopher during the 2000 Presidential campaign?" "Yes," I confirmed. Bush had said that. "See, that's what I'm talkin' about," God continued, clearly getting worked up. "Where do you get "bring it on' from Jesus? "Or what was that other thing he said, about that asshole bin Laden? What was it? 'Dead or alive?" Me almighty, what in the name of Me was I thinking when I breathed life into this blithering idiot?" There was no stopping her now. "In fact, wait just a minute; let me put you on three-way calling for a second. I've gotta call Jesus and ask him about this. Let's see, where's my Day Planner? Ah yes, here it is, now let's see, "Prince of Peace," "Prince of Peace," oh wait, I've got him on speed-dial. This should only take a second." I waited, the phone rang, Jesus answered, and before he could say anything, God piped up. "Hey Yeshua, when you were standing on that hill giving that sermon, did you dare the Romans to "bring it on'? Did I miss something?" "I know, I know," Jesus responded. "If I wasn't so committed to that "turn the other cheek' thing, I'd return to Earth just to set that guy straight. As a matter of fact I did say "bring it on," but only once, and I wasn't taunting anybody. It was right after I fed the multitudes from that one loaf of bread. I was asking for some margarine, as in, "bring it on, can't a brotha' get some margarine up in here?" I don't know how he got it all twisted around." "Me love him," God replied, letting out a heavy sigh, "he's as thick as a post." Seeing as how I'm an American, I think God almost felt sorry for me. "Me bless you," she said. "You all are in one Me-awful mess down there, aren't you?" I thanked her for her concern, and then noted that the President was currently traveling in Africa. "You think I don't know that?" she snapped. "I watched him get off the plane in Senegal earlier, turn to one of his aides and ask "Is this the capital of Africa?" Jeeezus H. Christ!" "Yes?" Jesus replied, still on the line. "No, no, not talking to you. It's just an expression," God explained. "Sorry." "So, do you think the President's AIDS package for Africa will do any good?" I inquired. "Well," God replied, "I really can't talk about the future. But I sure hope he doesn't dare the virus to "bring it on." The people of sub-Saharan Africa have suffered enough without your President challenging a deadly disease to a game of chicken." "Hey listen," God continued, "I really have to wrap this up. I've got a live interview on Fox in a second. Gonna give O'Reilly fits. I'm thinking about the old Tower of Babel trick, where I garble up all of his words so no one can tell what in the name of Me he's talking about. Or maybe the locust thing, I don't know. So many curses and plagues, so little time." "O.K.," I said, 'one last question: seeing as how you created the universe and all, how do you feel about the President's environmental policies?" "What environmental policies?" God asked sarcastically. 'You mean the one where he tells global warming to "bring it on," because he's from Texas and can take the heat? That environmental policy? He's really starting to piss me off. In fact, I'm thinking of taking out a bulletin board smack dab in the middle of the hole in the ozone layer that says, "I burned one Bush, I can burn another one. Don't test me, frat boy." I thanked God for her candor and then, wondering how she might react decided to throw in one last thing. "You know," I said. "George W. is convinced you're a man. In fact, most people apparently think so. To be honest, I guess I did too." "Oh for the Love of Me! What is it with you fellas? What, you think creating a cosmos is something you can do just because you took a class at Home Depot or something? Hah! I'd like to see you try it. To make a world from scratch you've gotta have patience, you've gotta have humility, you've gotta have spatial relations for My sake! Most guys can't even pack their own suitcase without help. If I'd been a man, Jupiter would be sitting on top of Pluto right now, because "Who cares, it's permanent press!" "Those are all good points," I interjected, as if God needed my approval for her logic. "Maybe you should try and clear it up for everyone," I suggested. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Should I go on Oprah or something?" "No," I said. "I don't think guys like George W. watch Oprah. She encourages people to read." "Hmm..." God wondered aloud. "O.K. then, better make it The Super Bowl. That way, both Jesus and I can make it real clear to these clodhoppers that we had nothing to do with them winning the big game. We couldn't care less, so stop thanking us." "Better yet, maybe I'll just show up at the next meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, right about the time they decide to discuss that whole "women should submit graciously to their husbands' thing. Oh yeah baby, time for God to "bring it on." This is going to be fun." Tim Wise is an essayist, activist and father. He can be reached (and/or forgiven) at timjwise@msn.com Weekend Edition Features Patrick Cockburn Dead on the Fourth of July Frederick Douglass What is Freedom to a Slave? Martha Honey Bush and Africa: Racism, Exploitation and Neglect Jeffrey St. Clair The Rat in the Grain: Amstutz and the Looting of Iraqi Agriculture Standard Schaefer Rule by Fed: Anyone But Greenspan in 2004 Lenni Brenner Jefferson is for Today Elaine Cassel Fucking Furious on the Fourth Ben Tripp How Free Are We? Wayne Madsen A Sad Independence Day John Stanton Happy Birthday, America! 227 Years of War Jim Lobe Bush's Surreal AIDS Appointment John Blair Return to Marble Hill: Indiana's Rusting Nuke Lisa Walsh Thomas Heavy Reckoning at Qaim David Vest Wake Up and Smell the Dynamite Adam Engel Queer as Grass Poets' Basement Christian, Witherup, Albert & St. Clair Website of the Weekend The Lipstick Librarian   Keep CounterPunch Alive: Make a Tax-Deductible Donation Today Online! home / subscribe / about us / books / archives / search / links /