Gaming and the truth...

Sometimes you just need to escape reality, and sometimes you have a hankering for a good game. It's great when these two wants collide. For me that's been fantasy role-playing. My Pathfinder (sometimes called D&D 3.75) campaign has had more than two dozen sessions, and that's what I would consider a long-running campaign. The makeup of the game has changed a couple times, and I think we are settling down to the five players we have now. I am pleased with the gaming troupe we have.

I mentioned in a previous blog posting about Mike and how he came late into the campaign and was playing a disruptive character. Honestly I think it was more Mike as a player. I have played several fantasy role-playing games with him in the past -- and as a player he is usually very impulsive and makes poor decisions. Overall, he's a better DM, but even that is not saying much... But anyhow, yes, he was asked not to return to the group. And this last session just had a better feel to it. He did not take the news well, and I am sort of done dealing with his own drama (which has a lot more to do with other things in his life than gaming).

The other part (the flip side?) of this posting -- reality and telling the truth. WikiLeaks, which I have also written about previously, has now released the more than a quarter million State Dept. cables (that Pfc. Bradley Manning allegedly burned onto a CD and turned over to WikiLeaks). Many of them are embarrassing, some showing routine corruption and deception. I think the American people have the right to know what is being done in their name and with their tax dollars. I also feel that diplomats should be engaged in diplomacy, not espionage. So, I again thank WikiLeaks for helping to enlighten the American citizenry. For if we truly live in a democracy we need this knowledge to help make informed decisions. It also sparks needed dialogue on the overall direction and long-term goals of the U.S. in the world. Do we want to be actively talking about attacking Iran with Saudi Arabia and Israel (both have been pushing for this)? Do we want to be directing career diplomats to collect DNA samples from United Nations officials? Or do we want to work in more collaborative ways to bring more peace and justice to the world, not only unilateral empire-building ones?

Unfortunately, the Obama administration is beginning to act like the Nixon administration (Daniel Ellsberg went through a lot of the same drama after he released the Pentagon Papers). Attorney General Eric Holder is looking for a way to prosecute Julian Assange of WikiLeaks for simply doing what most journalists do, which is protected under the First Amendment. Also, there is no specific law saying that you can't release these confidential papers (if you are a non-federal employee). I am not sure how this will turn out in the end, but it's clear the government is going out of its way to prevent the public from learning the truth about how American diplomacy functions.

One of the journalists I most admire, Glenn Greenwald (also a constitutional attorney), has again written eloquently about Wikileaks. Please read the the recent article, as it reflects some of my same thoughts. So why is the government so intent on prosecuting a truth-teller when there are plenty of folks running around in government committing real crimes?

Next release coming from WikiLeaks: Damaging internal documents from one of the nation's largest banks (rumor is that it is Bank of America). This should be very interesting, indeed!

Guantanamo put on trial -- May 27th

In eight days, Eve Tetaz, a 76-year old retired D.C. public schoolteacher, will enter a courthouse in Washington, D.C. and engage in the legal debate over the fate of America's detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The name of Noor Muhammad has never appeared in an American criminal court. On May 27th, Tetaz will change that. On that day, she will appear at the Washington, D.C. Superior Court as Noor Muhammad. Tetaz was arrested, along with 78 others, at the U.S. Supreme Court on January 11, 2008, protesting the denial of habeas rights to and the torture of inmates at Guantanamo. Like her fellow protestors, Tetaz took the name of an inmate during her arrest. ( See the January 13 Washington Post article "Activists Pose as Guantanamo Prisoners" ) Tetaz says she felt compelled to participate in the protest at the Supreme Court because detainees are being tortured at Guantanamo. "Torture is a terrible crime and sin against humanity," she said. Thirty-four

Sheehan to challenge Pelosi

I was there the day about three weeks ago when Cindy announced she was running against Pelosi. It was outside of Rep. John Conyers'office. I think change is in the air, and all politics is local. The San Fran area is perhaps the most staunchly progressive in the whole country. Tomorrow morning I will be dropping a check for Cindy's campaign in the mail. Peace activist seeks SF-area House seat Associated Press report Citing her son as inspiration, a tearful Cindy Sheehan announced her candidacy Thursday for the U.S. House of Representatives. The anti-war activist, a former resident of Vacaville, said she will run as an independent against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has represented San Francisco in Congress since 1987. "The country is ripe for a change," said Sheehan, who spoke at a news conference in San Francisco, with her slain son's photograph attached to the podium. "It's going to start right here and right now." Sheehan's 24-year-old son

William Thomas Dies

William Thomas, dedicated peace and anti-nuke activist, passed away Friday morning at home. He was co-pilot of the 24-hour seven-day a week vigil at the White House for 27 years. He is survived by his wife Ellen and vigil co-pilot Concepcion. I remember Thomas from my high school years years early in on his vigil. Millions of people from hundred of countries visited Thomas as he kept vigiling, warning them of the dangers of nuclear holocaust and the ravages of war. He will be greatly missed by the peace and justice movement. An excerpt from an article in The Washington Post by David Montgomery, published a couple years ago: WASHINGTON — William Thomas first introduced fanny to brick on the White House sidewalk on June 3, 1981. His sign said, "Wanted: Wisdom and Honesty." He's been there ever since, still squatting, still wanting. A few months after he began, he was joined by Concepcion Picciotto, who has remained similarly steadfast. War is not over, but the peace protest

Inside the Belly of the Beltway Beast

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