So it was red meat night at the Republican convention, and one expects the usual attacks and swipes at the opponents. Third night at political conventions for both parties can get rough.

I’m just wondering if there are any Republicans out there who are aware of the semiotics of an arena full of middle aged white people, arms raised over their heads, gleefully yelling “Zero! Zero! Zero!” about the most successful black American politician ever.

This was the conversation as he was getting ready for bed this evening:

Lad: I think that George Bush was worrying way too much about Iraq. That was his big mistake. It’s like he wanted to start a war. He should have worried about other things, and not started another war.
Dad: Wow, that’s a  serious thought.
[Beat.]
Lad: But now, I want to know who started the Vietnam War and why they did that.

I can’t say with authority to what extent Americans are actually forgetting September 11th, but the “Never Forget” brand is continues to show year-over-year growth. Last year, I noted that a one-day blog search on “Never Forget” returned 593 results. The same blog search today returns over 5200.

Perhaps it is our inevitable march toward forgetting that spurs so many to urge us to remember.

History is the present. That’s why every generation writes it anew. But what most people think of as history is its end product, myth. –E. L. Doctorow

My favorite political post of the week was by Barabara O’Brien’s “The Power of (Right Wing) Myth.” She does a really good job at breaking down the misuses of history by the current generation of right wing propagandists. (Tip by way of Akkam’s Razor.)

You might need to be a fan of Star Trek: TNG to really appreciate it, though. (If you read O’Brien’s post, you may pick up on the delicious irony of using a referential metaphor to illuminate the dangers of explaining complex historical events through referential metaphor.)

Last year, Megan and Amy got legally married in Massachusetts. As married couples sometimes do, they changed their names. All the documentation they needed was easily obtained, including new Social Security cards. All was easy, that is, until they tried to get new passports.

That’s when the newlyweds discovered the new marriage penalty. Citing the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, the Passport Office will not accept a marriage certificate as proof of name change if the applicants are in a same-sex union. (This would have been sufficient evidence if one of them–and only one of them–were a man.)

Cost to Megan and Amy in additional fees paid to courts and government agencies? $283.

It’s hot here in suburban Philly today. In Baghdad, though, it’s 120 degrees and there’s no running water.

* * *

The Sunni ministers in Nouri al-Maliki’s cabinet have resigned in protest, stoking the sectarian tension.

* * *

There’s a lot of debate about whether the surge is working. Yet the entire public discussion seems to be a bizarre extrapolation from a single data point: that there were fewer U.S. military deaths in July than there were in June. (See CNN video; or Liberal Doomsayer’s grousing about month-to-month vs. year-over-year comparisons.) Never mind that statistical variations happen; that correlation is not causality, and all of that academic jazz.

The point of the surge was to bring stability to Iraq, a country already in the midst of slow-burning civil war. The mission isn’t to reduce American military casualties. That’s a variable that is at least partially under our leadership’s control–we could simply reduce the risks that our troops are exposed to.

No, the point of the surge was to prove that we could keep Iraqi civilians safe if we increased our troop levels. So how are we doing? 1653 Iraqi civilians died in July, compared to 1227 in June. [Source: CNN, from Iraqi Interior Ministry] The AP reports As you you consider these daily tallies, keep in mind that the sum total for U.S. troop deaths in Iraq for the entire month was “only” 77.

July 29: 59 dead
July 28: 44 dead
July 27: 44 dead
July 26: 139-153 dead
July 25: 93 dead
July 24: 59 dead
July 23: 86 dead
July 22: 51 dead
July 21: 91 dead
July 20: 38 dead
July 19: 55 dead
July 18: 92 dead
July 17: 86 dead
July 16: 180 dead
July 15: 62 dead
July 14: 71 dead
July 13: 89 dead
July 12: 101 dead
July 11: 75 dead
July 10: 105 dead
July 9: 78 dead
July 8: 94 dead
July 7: 186 dead
July 6: 84 dead
July 5: 75 dead
July 4: 84 dead
July 3: 78 dead
July 2: 60 dead
July 1: 84 dead
[Source: Iraq Body Count recent events report]

To be absolutely clear: U.S. increases in troop levels in Iraq cannot be shown to have increased the security and stability in Iraq. It is a failed strategy.

See also: Juan Cole, Blake Hounshell.

The time has come that we recognize that the various governments that rule the multiple peoples of the world are not all equal. Although it will certainly be a statement that will cause no little distress, it is nevertheless important for all Americans to cease referring to the other state-like entities of the world as nations. If one is to truly look around the globe, one will recognize that while many other sovereign statelike bodies may have positive qualities, it is nevertheless difficult to see how the title of “Nation” could possibly be attributed to them. Consequently, continued use of the term “Nation” to describe these entities will only lead to confusion.

For example, there are many non-national entities that have shared cultures, guarded borders and stable governments. Many may provide for the common good, even with luxuries like education and healthcare. But only the One True Nation can make the claim of being one nation under God, having the quality of undeniable indivisibility, and offering liberty and justice for all, etc.

This assertion, while obviously true, should not be interpreted as an argument against constructive dialogue through diplomacy. While these other statelike regions may not currently ackowledge our singular status, nor yet wish to follow the one true President, we are committed to peaceful coexistence with the many peoples of the world.

More »