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More Japanese reggae madness from Youtube - this artist is named ‘Moomin,’ kind of a Beres/Rayvon influenced singer fused with Jpop, but I guess it works more or less. Don’t really understand the concept of this song, but the beat is cool and the video is pretty cutesy and maybe a little scary. With the slower lyrics I can actually understand half of what they’re singing.
Too much going on in the world, looking more and more like a war in middle east, the latest twist of the day was reports that any Americans who are evacuated from Lebanon via cruise ship or US military helicopter will have to reimburse the US government for the cost of travel. Pretty stupid. A bunch of talking heads and newsies were quick to qualify this report with the fact that there is some federal statute or legislation that does authorize this charging of payment for rescue. Couldn’t believe that they were actually saying this - once again, the right thing to do does not always equate the legal thing to do. But that would be too simple, too much common sense. It speaks volumes to the priorities we have when it comes to human life and well-being, even Americans. We’re willing to piss away billions in government contracts to mercenaries and oil conglamorates but we can’t foot a lift to our fellow citizens stuck in a war zone.
Also got me thinking about all the images from Hurricane Katrina, the hundreds of stranded Louisiana residents waving to coast guard helicopters from their rooftops, others roasting in the sun screaming at the cameras. Back when it hit there were a lot of allegations thrown about regarding race and bias, maybe all of that was spoken too soon, I don’t think Dubya cares about anybody outside his inner circle. Its not about race, or even class even. Its a failure of leadership pure and simple, our dear leader does not even care what happens to his own people. He’s more interested in supporting the foreign policy of another country than saving American lives.
I mean think about it. The US president has tremendous amount of power and line of communications with his allies, especially with the lone “western-democratic” nation state in the region, not to mention one of the biggest customers of US military toys. If he really wanted to he could at least stop the killing on one side pretty quickly. But since he has failed to do so, neither side has any incentive to step back and think about whats really going on. Of course whats really fucked up is that you’d think that if the US was to permit a massive military offensive as we have seen in the past weeks that would put civilians at risk the US would at least consider the 25,000 Americans living in the region? Maybe he just forgot. I wonder if any of them will be voting GOP in 2006.
Also absent in the news is the point that the bombings of civilian airports, water purifiers, highways and other infrastructure is in violation of international law, namely the geneva convention. Along those lines theres something to be said about the violation of another nation-state’s sovereignty, crossing the border with tanks and ground troops in what would amount to a full fledged invasion not when Iraq invaded Kuwait. All this talk about having a right to defend oneself through a pre-emptive invasion is even more reeking of BS. Just be up front about it, this action isn’t in response to kidnapped soldiers or self-defense, this is about striking a death keel to one’s enemies with no mercy. Once again the strong rhetoric of rule of law and civilization gives way to convinent exceptions. Collective punishment is a bitch, especially when coupled with military and technological superiority.
But enough of that political shit. More reggae from Japan via youtube - I’m digging this happy and carefree grooves. This one features U-dou and Platy, an Okinawan reggae duo. If you watch closely you can see all the goya in the background of the video.