The Mike MacParlane Taste Test.

ALTERNATIVES TO WAR : A simple test - Bill Larsen Sunday, March 21, 2004 ©2004 San Francisco Chronicle

As a disabled combat veteran who frequents a coffee shop near my home, I hear more angry debate over the Iraq War than I will ever need. In such conversations, unless asked, I usually say nothing at all.

Caught in a time warp of sorrow and loss separating me from the others at the cafe table, there seems no point. At times, however -- probably because of my history -- I am asked to comment on some aspect of this war, or war in general. When I am foolish enough to take the bait, what I say usually goes something like this:

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The Python of Christ: Python film to challenge Passion

Python film to challenge Passion

Monty Python's film The Life of Brian is to return to US cinemas next month following the success of The Passion of the Christ.

The Biblical satire will be re-released in Los Angeles, New York and other US cities to mark its 25th anniversary.

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Johnny Tremain part 2: The war against children continues.

Update: Associated Press is reporting his age as 16, not 14.

Doesn't really matter. All war is against children.

Suicide bombing is horrific and stirring children into the mix only increases the horror. The soldiers he targeted
displayed more respect for the child’s life than did those who sent him to suicide bomb. That is the message the
world sees on the BBC footage. I wonder what his life would be like had he not been used as bomb? Using 14
year old boys as suicide bombers is a tactic that erases sympathy from moderates and/or outsiders to the entire
Palestinian plight. These actions are counter productive to the lives of Palestinians. All suicide bombing is counter
productive, but using children is exceptionally so, but it is alas not uncommon.

How many children have U$A bombs killed and wounded during the first Iraq war, sanctions, and current war?

Hundreds? Thousands? Millions? We don't even bother to count.

The Vietnamese would make young kids beg for cigarettes from soldiers, and use the kids as bombs to blow them up.
Some selling poisoned smokes too. Of cource, we were dropping bombs and napalm from planes on their families,
so I'd imagine they were more than a liitle bit pissed off.

We have 10 year old gang members packing heat and selling crack cocaine. We in the USA have leveled the death
penalty against 14 year old kids, and continue to do so.

We are not holier than thou.

Johnny Tremain was 14 when he "joined" the military, so nothing new to us...and that is disheartening.
Not to mention our own United States Marines television recruiting adverts which portray military service
as an exciting video game in order to lure in our eager youth.

"Palestinian Child Abuse", to quote Phil.

Palestinian boy, 14, got NIS 100 to blow up at IDF roadblock - By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and AP

Israel Defense Forces paratroopers caught a Palestinian boy, aged 14, wearing an explosive belt at the Hawara roadblock south of Nablus in the West Bank on Wednesday afternoon.

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Oh the sisters of mercy, they are not departed or gone.
They were waiting for me when I thought that I just can't go on.

And they brought me their comfort and later they brought me this song.
Oh I hope you run into them, you who've been travelling so long.

Yes you who must leave everything that you cannot control.
It begins with your family, but soon it comes around to your soul.

Well I've been where you're hanging, I think I can see how you're pinned:
When you're not feeling holy, your loneliness says that you've sinned.

Well they lay down beside me, I made my confession to them.
They touched both my eyes and I touched the dew on their hem.

If your life is a leaf that the seasons tear off and condemn
they will bind you with love that is graceful and green as a stem.

When I left they were sleeping, I hope you run into them soon.
Don't turn on the lights, you can read their address by the moon.

And you won't make me jealous if I hear that they sweetened your night:

We weren't lovers like that and besides it would still be all right,
We weren't lovers like that and besides it would still be all right.

L. Cohen.

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