Saturday, June 29, 2013
STELLA BLUE - Jerry Garcia Symphonic - Wolf Trap - Vienna, VA 6.26.2013
Here is another sweet taste from the current Jerry Garcia Symphonic tour featuring Warren Haynes. The tour heads out west to Red Rocks on July 30th and then onto San Francisco on Jerry's birthday and then ends in Los Angeles.
This is a must see freaks.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Jerry Garcia's music and spirit graces Tanglewood
It was far from one more Saturday night as the latest project involving the works of the late Jerry Garcia made it debut at Tanglewood along with one Wolf sighting.
Let me begin by stating that for many of us Dead Heads we have never experienced the likes of Tanglewood which welcomed our tribe in with open arms, warmth and civility.
It was a warm, carefree night and to be able stroll in a few hours before the music would start with food and drink was a treat a to say the least and with not be subjected to a TSA style searches was a rare pleasure for the rock goer.They even let you go back to to your car if you forgot something, as I left my phone in the car, by graciously giving you a red card. Wow! To be treated like a human being.
Plus with a view like this for dinner it was a very auspicious start.
As this being the only New England appearance of this tour many Dead tour veterans, who strolled around in a pleasant awe, as well as Tanglewood regulars were in attendance. This included many families with children playing soccer or frisbee on the well manicured spacious grounds.
Show time was to start at 8:30 PM and would include two sets and feature some of Garcia's best music. The beginning of the concert was just that as the electric trio led by Mule guitarist Warren Haynes, drummer Jeff Sipe, bassist, Lincoln Schleifer with the Boston Pops Orchestra led by Conductor Keith Lockhart, dressed in a colorful tye dye, launched into a Dark Star medley which was rich in it's sounds, and for the non- believer quite pleasant to hear. This fluttered into one of the high lights of the night with the classic Bird Song written for Janis Joplin. With a full strings and a horn section unveiling the true depth and beauty of this song with conductor Keith Lockhart really emphasizing that. Haynes voices was in peak form too as his rich raspy voice and delicate playing shined while playing one of Jerry's most famous guitars, Wolf.
In the program they sadly did not list who did each of the orchestration for each piece. I did find out that Chris Walker, Sean O' Loughlin, and Steve Bernstein all contributed to this project.
The first set took off from there as they played Crazy Finger, a tour first of the Irving Berlin classic, and Jerry Garcia Band favorite, Russian Lullaby which featured some of Warren best playing and versatility.
The trio next played a short jam that jovially danced into rich and jazzy Scarlet Begonias which had the crowd erupting into pure joy. Warren flashed a big smile and conductor Lockhart, who was extremely attentive to Warren's cues, flashed an enormous grin of appreciation at the end. He and the BSO was clearly moved by our devotion and appreciation of their efforts.
This went into the funky work horse Shakedown Street. The crowd all on its' feet by now and once again the strings providing a deep and rich sound to this classic.
The set ended with the Grateful Dead's most famous, and crowd pleasing, cover of the 1960's anti-nuclear war ballad Morning Dew Once again Warren's rich vocal and emotion catapulted this rich and historical piece. The BSO really added some extra power to it as well, especially at the bridge. The audience gave a well deserved standing ovation to the Pops at the end.
Set two begin with taste of the Mission in the Rain medley into that Working Man's Dead classic High Time. Once again featuring heartfelt vocals from Warren and his two back up singers, who excelled the entire night, Alecia Chakour and Jasmine Muhammed. This transitioned into a majestic and free flowing Uncle John's Band, which chords flourished with brashness and joy and once again featuring full accompanying vocals from the audience, was a clear high light.
With the summer Solstice super moon on it's way Warren felt Standing on the Moon would be a perfect choice and it was good, but the ending was not fully explored and those rich chords could have been better developed as this song was performed that way by Garcia and the Grateful Dead live. To know what I mean one only needs to listen here.
Warren then jumped into a personal favorite of his, the gritty early 1980's street song West LA Fadeaway. Now it's placement this late in the set might confuse and piss off any well respected taper, but this arrangement really acknowledged the influences Leonard Bernstein had on Jerry as the sensual bluesy feel expressed by the full horns section was both seducing and sinister. It was a very pleasant surprise and Warren was all smiles at the end.
Now for any well respected Dead Head, the one song the Grateful Dead never played live in their entire career, well along with France, was the full Terrapin Station Suite. Furthur and Rat Dog has each played show stopper versions of this 20 minute plus epic piece and on a night like this one would think this piece would have to be played in it's entirety...sadly it was not.
This was a grave missed opportunity, the Slipknot! sandwiched in, was a worthy effort but honestly the lilting bridge was omitted that delivers us to " Inspiration move me brightly" verse as was the fast flowing At a Siding, which on the original record is a high light.
It was very good but overall felt rushed and due to these revisions the energy of this piece never reached it full and well deserved potential. Although listening to it again I did hear how John Stafford Smith's influence was worked into this arrangement. Clearly Jerry was a fan of the Star Spangle Banner. The ending crashing crescendo was great with Keith Lockhart literally jumping in the air to end the piece.
We all went wild for that ending and then Warren expressed sadly that the curfew was fast approach. The 1970's ballad Ship of Fools, which they sound checked as well, closed the night with one of Warren's most emotional and extended solos. Over all Warren was often too hesitant in his playing and played Wolf with a well respected softness and finesse but honestly he needed to unleash at certain points.We all knew that improvisation would be limited but it is fine to be louder than the orchestra, especially in this project, as that is what truly made Jerry's playing so special and spontaneous.
The musicians and conductor came out twice to the loving adoration of the audience and it was clear this was a "grate" idea but may need some tweaking if they plan to do it again next summer. This might mean shoring up the second set with some more upbeat songs. Consider the possibilities of tunes like Dupree's Diamond Blues, Deal, or going deep with choices like Comes a Time ,Believe It Or Not or even one of Jerry's best covered Dylan songs Visions of Johanna? Or clearly the most obvious... Ramble on Rose. Can you imagine the crashing horns and strings leading to rejoice in the final chorus in this setting?
On a final note one can only hope Phil Lesh participates in the future, or at one of the shows in San Francisco, as his classical training and playing would elevate this project to even greater highs.
Over all a historical and very rewarding musical experience and one this reviewer is grateful that he did not miss.
Thanks to this wonderful night we plan on going back to Tanglewood in July and you should too at least once.
The place is that cool.
Happy Trails.
Let me begin by stating that for many of us Dead Heads we have never experienced the likes of Tanglewood which welcomed our tribe in with open arms, warmth and civility.
It was a warm, carefree night and to be able stroll in a few hours before the music would start with food and drink was a treat a to say the least and with not be subjected to a TSA style searches was a rare pleasure for the rock goer.They even let you go back to to your car if you forgot something, as I left my phone in the car, by graciously giving you a red card. Wow! To be treated like a human being.
Plus with a view like this for dinner it was a very auspicious start.
The first set took off from there as they played Crazy Finger, a tour first of the Irving Berlin classic, and Jerry Garcia Band favorite, Russian Lullaby which featured some of Warren best playing and versatility.
The trio next played a short jam that jovially danced into rich and jazzy Scarlet Begonias which had the crowd erupting into pure joy. Warren flashed a big smile and conductor Lockhart, who was extremely attentive to Warren's cues, flashed an enormous grin of appreciation at the end. He and the BSO was clearly moved by our devotion and appreciation of their efforts.
This went into the funky work horse Shakedown Street. The crowd all on its' feet by now and once again the strings providing a deep and rich sound to this classic.
The set ended with the Grateful Dead's most famous, and crowd pleasing, cover of the 1960's anti-nuclear war ballad Morning Dew Once again Warren's rich vocal and emotion catapulted this rich and historical piece. The BSO really added some extra power to it as well, especially at the bridge. The audience gave a well deserved standing ovation to the Pops at the end.
Set two begin with taste of the Mission in the Rain medley into that Working Man's Dead classic High Time. Once again featuring heartfelt vocals from Warren and his two back up singers, who excelled the entire night, Alecia Chakour and Jasmine Muhammed. This transitioned into a majestic and free flowing Uncle John's Band, which chords flourished with brashness and joy and once again featuring full accompanying vocals from the audience, was a clear high light.
With the summer Solstice super moon on it's way Warren felt Standing on the Moon would be a perfect choice and it was good, but the ending was not fully explored and those rich chords could have been better developed as this song was performed that way by Garcia and the Grateful Dead live. To know what I mean one only needs to listen here.
Warren then jumped into a personal favorite of his, the gritty early 1980's street song West LA Fadeaway. Now it's placement this late in the set might confuse and piss off any well respected taper, but this arrangement really acknowledged the influences Leonard Bernstein had on Jerry as the sensual bluesy feel expressed by the full horns section was both seducing and sinister. It was a very pleasant surprise and Warren was all smiles at the end.
Now for any well respected Dead Head, the one song the Grateful Dead never played live in their entire career, well along with France, was the full Terrapin Station Suite. Furthur and Rat Dog has each played show stopper versions of this 20 minute plus epic piece and on a night like this one would think this piece would have to be played in it's entirety...sadly it was not.
This was a grave missed opportunity, the Slipknot! sandwiched in, was a worthy effort but honestly the lilting bridge was omitted that delivers us to " Inspiration move me brightly" verse as was the fast flowing At a Siding, which on the original record is a high light.
It was very good but overall felt rushed and due to these revisions the energy of this piece never reached it full and well deserved potential. Although listening to it again I did hear how John Stafford Smith's influence was worked into this arrangement. Clearly Jerry was a fan of the Star Spangle Banner. The ending crashing crescendo was great with Keith Lockhart literally jumping in the air to end the piece.
We all went wild for that ending and then Warren expressed sadly that the curfew was fast approach. The 1970's ballad Ship of Fools, which they sound checked as well, closed the night with one of Warren's most emotional and extended solos. Over all Warren was often too hesitant in his playing and played Wolf with a well respected softness and finesse but honestly he needed to unleash at certain points.We all knew that improvisation would be limited but it is fine to be louder than the orchestra, especially in this project, as that is what truly made Jerry's playing so special and spontaneous.
The musicians and conductor came out twice to the loving adoration of the audience and it was clear this was a "grate" idea but may need some tweaking if they plan to do it again next summer. This might mean shoring up the second set with some more upbeat songs. Consider the possibilities of tunes like Dupree's Diamond Blues, Deal, or going deep with choices like Comes a Time ,Believe It Or Not or even one of Jerry's best covered Dylan songs Visions of Johanna? Or clearly the most obvious... Ramble on Rose. Can you imagine the crashing horns and strings leading to rejoice in the final chorus in this setting?
On a final note one can only hope Phil Lesh participates in the future, or at one of the shows in San Francisco, as his classical training and playing would elevate this project to even greater highs.
Over all a historical and very rewarding musical experience and one this reviewer is grateful that he did not miss.
Thanks to this wonderful night we plan on going back to Tanglewood in July and you should too at least once.
The place is that cool.
Happy Trails.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
" We have no troubles here! Here life is beautiful..." Cabaret revival sets up shop on Park Road
Proclaims the Emcee, Brendan Norton, as the Kit Kat Club calls us into it's dark,smokey, and red lit Berlin nightclub of the late 1920's. Where once inside we are willingly, or unwillingly, presented a front row seat to challenge our social norms and secret perversions. A world where we surrender to our voyeuristic tendencies letting our eyes and ears feast in it's glorious decadence of revelry, gender bending sexuality, personal freedom, and expression. The Kit Kat Club is an exaggerated and surreal world where we all pledge to "live and let live" but it is also a world that, tragically, is on on the cusp of unstoppable political and anti-Semitic brutality. We the viewers bare witness to this unfolding display of art and morality set against one of the greatest human cruelties of all time in the summer production of Cabaret at Playhouse On Park in West Hartford.
If you are starting to Goggle Cabaret stop typing right now. Please allow yourself to experience live theater that will be compelling and entertaining as it is erotic and shocking. This production runs for six weeks and will quickly become a must see for any lover of high quality entertainment in the Hartford area, and actually I am sure a few folks from the city will be up for this one as well.
With it's jazz infused foot tapping ragtime Kander and Ebb score colored with lyrics full of sexual innuendos, insights, and paradoxes that still ring true to this day this production will entertain as much as it provokes you to look at the world differently as you leave the theater.
There is also a nod to Bob Fosse's direction of the movie in which the audience is part of the show as the character's willfully offer a seductive smile, a lick of their lips while your spouse looks the other way, a knowing wink, or if you are very lucky a complete bird's eyes view of a dancer's derriere. All this contributing to an authenticity that is fun as it is provocative. This begins even before the show and was quite fun and set the stage for the unexpected. The cast, in character , mingled with the theater goers in a Kit Kat style lounge in the " lobby". Where Texas, Lulu, and Hans, scantly dressed, interacted with the audience. Due to my own inability to speak French I was prevented from flirting with the lovely Frenchie before the show. Even if I could converse with her she clearly preferred the soft kisses of Hermann to my inquires.
The cast is excellent. Brendan Norton as the Emcee is a not force of nature but a force of human nature as he modernizes the Tony and Oscar winning role that Joel Grey created. With his goth influences dominated by a long black leather trench coat, Doc Martin boots, and a black widow tattoo he commands and challenges your senses. His gender bending bisexuality seduces you as well as his Jokeresque presence always just off stage with his glowing white face makeup floating in the shadows. Always watching the other characters on stage not with a look judgement or damnation but with a Cheshire cat grin of approval and amazement, his eyes fully open, as he bears witness.
Mr. Norton is really the heart of this show and his heart beats with a passion to push things to the edge and push the audience out of their comfort zone.
Also to see the Emcee in a Can Can line is a show highlight.
Now Ms.Erin Lindsey Krom has even a bigger challenge in performing the role of Sally Bowles, knowing that Liza Minnelli's portrayal is etched in our cultural DNA from the film version, and she is quite successful. This Sally is a snappy working class girl who is well aware of her shortcomings and moral ambiguities and has no shame or remorse about her choices. She is an empowered woman living in the moment using her skills of sexual prowess, voice, and passion for decadence to be her compass.
She excels in the numbers " Don't Tell Mama" and " Maybe this Time" and she performs a moving rendition of the " Cabaret Revival" which she laces with sarcasm, bitterness, and disdain at the end of the show.
The characters Fraulein Schneider, played sweetly by Kathleen Huber, and Herr Schultz, portrayed by Damian Buzzerio, are the other heart of this show. As they become the vehicle for the weight of the Nazi regime on all their lives, with them especially be scarred and changed by it forever. Their debut on " It Couldn't Please Me More" was tender as it was bitter sweet.
Jake Loewenthal as Cliff is both innocent and worldly as he is an openly bisexual man wandering around Europe in his pilgrimage to find the inspiration for his next "great" novel. He is seduced by the city of Berlin, Sally, the Kit Kat Club, and Bobby but also is the first to acknowledge the reality of the crushing blow the Nazi's rise to power will be and how it will change everything for all them.
The rest of the ensemble is fun, brash, and vivacious with Ashley Ford and Tao Hguyen standing out.
The staging by director Sean Harris is both efficient as it is effective. Lighting is low and seedy and the two doors on stage are continually used to great comedic and dramatic effect representing the two worlds, the Kit Kat Club and Nazi Germany. As the character go in and out of these two worlds, which both coexisted for a brief time, this can not go on forever and it becomes painfully obvious how deep the Nazi's grasp into all aspects of society had become.
The choreography by Darlene Zoller is stylized, captivating, and vaudevillian with numerous nods to Fosse's mark on this work.
Not to diminish the atrocities of this era at all but one could draw a similarity to the current debate over the rights for marriage equality for the LGBT community. As sadly many of the truths in Cabaret still have an eerie resonance to our view through the camera shutter today.
Seeing this show may inspire you to think about that.
As the Emcee noted the world needs more of " Leben und leben lassen" or " Live and Let Live"
Playing through July 21st at the PlayHouse on Park
If you are starting to Goggle Cabaret stop typing right now. Please allow yourself to experience live theater that will be compelling and entertaining as it is erotic and shocking. This production runs for six weeks and will quickly become a must see for any lover of high quality entertainment in the Hartford area, and actually I am sure a few folks from the city will be up for this one as well.
With it's jazz infused foot tapping ragtime Kander and Ebb score colored with lyrics full of sexual innuendos, insights, and paradoxes that still ring true to this day this production will entertain as much as it provokes you to look at the world differently as you leave the theater.
There is also a nod to Bob Fosse's direction of the movie in which the audience is part of the show as the character's willfully offer a seductive smile, a lick of their lips while your spouse looks the other way, a knowing wink, or if you are very lucky a complete bird's eyes view of a dancer's derriere. All this contributing to an authenticity that is fun as it is provocative. This begins even before the show and was quite fun and set the stage for the unexpected. The cast, in character , mingled with the theater goers in a Kit Kat style lounge in the " lobby". Where Texas, Lulu, and Hans, scantly dressed, interacted with the audience. Due to my own inability to speak French I was prevented from flirting with the lovely Frenchie before the show. Even if I could converse with her she clearly preferred the soft kisses of Hermann to my inquires.
The cast is excellent. Brendan Norton as the Emcee is a not force of nature but a force of human nature as he modernizes the Tony and Oscar winning role that Joel Grey created. With his goth influences dominated by a long black leather trench coat, Doc Martin boots, and a black widow tattoo he commands and challenges your senses. His gender bending bisexuality seduces you as well as his Jokeresque presence always just off stage with his glowing white face makeup floating in the shadows. Always watching the other characters on stage not with a look judgement or damnation but with a Cheshire cat grin of approval and amazement, his eyes fully open, as he bears witness.
Mr. Norton is really the heart of this show and his heart beats with a passion to push things to the edge and push the audience out of their comfort zone.
Also to see the Emcee in a Can Can line is a show highlight.
Now Ms.Erin Lindsey Krom has even a bigger challenge in performing the role of Sally Bowles, knowing that Liza Minnelli's portrayal is etched in our cultural DNA from the film version, and she is quite successful. This Sally is a snappy working class girl who is well aware of her shortcomings and moral ambiguities and has no shame or remorse about her choices. She is an empowered woman living in the moment using her skills of sexual prowess, voice, and passion for decadence to be her compass.
She excels in the numbers " Don't Tell Mama" and " Maybe this Time" and she performs a moving rendition of the " Cabaret Revival" which she laces with sarcasm, bitterness, and disdain at the end of the show.
The characters Fraulein Schneider, played sweetly by Kathleen Huber, and Herr Schultz, portrayed by Damian Buzzerio, are the other heart of this show. As they become the vehicle for the weight of the Nazi regime on all their lives, with them especially be scarred and changed by it forever. Their debut on " It Couldn't Please Me More" was tender as it was bitter sweet.
Jake Loewenthal as Cliff is both innocent and worldly as he is an openly bisexual man wandering around Europe in his pilgrimage to find the inspiration for his next "great" novel. He is seduced by the city of Berlin, Sally, the Kit Kat Club, and Bobby but also is the first to acknowledge the reality of the crushing blow the Nazi's rise to power will be and how it will change everything for all them.
The rest of the ensemble is fun, brash, and vivacious with Ashley Ford and Tao Hguyen standing out.
The staging by director Sean Harris is both efficient as it is effective. Lighting is low and seedy and the two doors on stage are continually used to great comedic and dramatic effect representing the two worlds, the Kit Kat Club and Nazi Germany. As the character go in and out of these two worlds, which both coexisted for a brief time, this can not go on forever and it becomes painfully obvious how deep the Nazi's grasp into all aspects of society had become.
The choreography by Darlene Zoller is stylized, captivating, and vaudevillian with numerous nods to Fosse's mark on this work.
Not to diminish the atrocities of this era at all but one could draw a similarity to the current debate over the rights for marriage equality for the LGBT community. As sadly many of the truths in Cabaret still have an eerie resonance to our view through the camera shutter today.
Seeing this show may inspire you to think about that.
As the Emcee noted the world needs more of " Leben und leben lassen" or " Live and Let Live"
Playing through July 21st at the PlayHouse on Park
Erin Lindsey Krom and Brendan Norton
Saturday, June 8, 2013
An open letter to our President, my Senator, and my Congressman
Mr. President and Gentlemen,
This is an open letter of protest, shock, disbelief, and grief. This week we all learned that the war on terror has now become a war against the civil liberties, privacy, and freedoms of all citizens of our country.
We have now been made aware that hundreds of billions, 252 billion by my calculations, of domestic cell phone call information have been collected and stored to be used in some "future" investigation(s), with a request to a FISA court, by the security apparatus of our country and all this for one conviction, so far, of Nagibullah Zazi, and that is even in dispute.
Of all this metadata collected how much of it has been taken back to a FISA court to request even further investigation?
Thousands? Tens of thousands, Hundred of thousand? Millions?
Who have these people been?
OWS protesters? Tea Party members? Religious organization? Environmental groups? Facebook members? Youtube viewers? Political opponents or rivals?
Who knows?
We surely don't and I have a feeling you three don't know either.
On one hand this may seem a triumph of the terrorist industrial complex, TIC, but on the other it may be the worst example of government over reach, the negation of the check and balance system, and gross government inefficiency ever.
This massive terror industrial complex had missed the actions of U.S Army Major Nidal Hasan, the Time Square bomber, and most recently the Boston Marathon bombers, even after being tipped off by Russian intelligence on their suspicions of the Tsarnaev brothers.
According to the New York Times of the 22 terror plots, as of April of 2012 14 were FBI sting operations and were not the work of a foreign or domestic terror group.
This work of the FBI and now the NSA have now shamefully demonstrated that our government, once for the people and by the people, is now separate and above the people.
Now everyone is a suspect with out due process and the protections guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment and even the Ninth Amendment is called into question by the actions of the President, the Congress, the Courts, and the NSA.
Cindy Cohn, legal director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation said on NPR yesterday " A secret government is not a democratic government."
I could not agree with her more.
Mr. President your Administration has now now made it illegal for honest to goodness whistleblowers to report abuses,corruption, waste, or over reach by the government by prosecuting these people under the Espionage Act because so much of what the war on terror is now classified.
That is the not actions of a free democracy, it is totalitarianism sir.
There are numerous examples of whistblowers changing the coarse of history, for the better I might add, and that needs to protected regardless if something is considered "classified."
Mr. President as you said yesterday in San Jose yesterday "I think that's good. that we're having this discussion.but I think it's important for everybody to understand and the American people understand, that there's some trade offs involved. You know, I came in with a healthy skepticism about these programs and my team evaluated and we scrubbed them thoroughly and expanded the oversight and increased the safeguards. But my assessment and my team's assessment was that they help us prevent terrorist attacks. And the modest encroachments on privacy that are involved in getting phone numbers or duration without a name attached and not looking at content, that on net it was worth us doing.Some other folks may have a different assessment of that. But I think it's important to recognize that you can't have 100% security and also have 100% privacy and zero inconvenience. We're going to have to make some choices as a society"
First we are not having a discussion about this, as we are all reeling with alarm and concern in just finding out about this, and we the American public have not been presented any choices in this matter.
Secondly no one can promise 100% security and as Americans in a free and open society we realize and accept this fact as we accept all types of risks every day in our lives.
What we won't accept is unwarranted and illegal intrusions into our private lives by the government of any other entity that we do not give permission to or that have the legal right to do so.
We also won't accept the fact that no checks and balances are involved in this processes either.
As for Congress and the Senate complacency and towing the status quo is not an excuse or justification for not acting in the interests of the voters who elected you. It is hypocritical and immoral that one talks about patriotism and freedom publicly but in private their actions represent the complete opposite.
Where do we go from here?
That is a very complicated question but we can not accept moving further and further into a police state dominated by the terrorist industrial complex, where suspicion of the innocent is common place and surveillance of all is conducted by an unchecked and secret bureaucracy.
As George Orwall once said " Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them."
A free democracy can not thrive and prosper engaging in contradiction of it's values and beliefs.
We must do better and this starts with not letting fear dictate our actions and rationale thoughts. Secrecy is a tool of fear and we must realize this gentlemen. as FDR once said " Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear."
Fear of our government is not what our Founding Father envisioned it is what inspired them.
Its time for a reality check as we so do need it.
Gentlemen that begins first by having a free and open discussion about these serious manners and it may include re looking and revising the Patriotism Act to balancing security concerns with the rights guaranteed by our Constitution. Secondly the American people must be involved and not shut out by the three branches of our government who in "our" best interest have completely left us out of this discussion.
As James Madison once said " Do not separate text from historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government."
Or as Mark Twain once said. "All large political doctrines are rich in difficult problems -- problems that are quite above the average citizen's reach. And that is not strange, since they are also above the reach of the ablest minds in the country; after all the fuss and all the talk, not one of those doctrines has been conclusively proven to be the right one and the best."
Or maybe this is the clearest thought for our time?
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
The choice is our's to make.
This is an open letter of protest, shock, disbelief, and grief. This week we all learned that the war on terror has now become a war against the civil liberties, privacy, and freedoms of all citizens of our country.
We have now been made aware that hundreds of billions, 252 billion by my calculations, of domestic cell phone call information have been collected and stored to be used in some "future" investigation(s), with a request to a FISA court, by the security apparatus of our country and all this for one conviction, so far, of Nagibullah Zazi, and that is even in dispute.
Of all this metadata collected how much of it has been taken back to a FISA court to request even further investigation?
Thousands? Tens of thousands, Hundred of thousand? Millions?
Who have these people been?
OWS protesters? Tea Party members? Religious organization? Environmental groups? Facebook members? Youtube viewers? Political opponents or rivals?
Who knows?
We surely don't and I have a feeling you three don't know either.
On one hand this may seem a triumph of the terrorist industrial complex, TIC, but on the other it may be the worst example of government over reach, the negation of the check and balance system, and gross government inefficiency ever.
This massive terror industrial complex had missed the actions of U.S Army Major Nidal Hasan, the Time Square bomber, and most recently the Boston Marathon bombers, even after being tipped off by Russian intelligence on their suspicions of the Tsarnaev brothers.
According to the New York Times of the 22 terror plots, as of April of 2012 14 were FBI sting operations and were not the work of a foreign or domestic terror group.
This work of the FBI and now the NSA have now shamefully demonstrated that our government, once for the people and by the people, is now separate and above the people.
Now everyone is a suspect with out due process and the protections guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment and even the Ninth Amendment is called into question by the actions of the President, the Congress, the Courts, and the NSA.
Cindy Cohn, legal director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation said on NPR yesterday " A secret government is not a democratic government."
I could not agree with her more.
Mr. President your Administration has now now made it illegal for honest to goodness whistleblowers to report abuses,corruption, waste, or over reach by the government by prosecuting these people under the Espionage Act because so much of what the war on terror is now classified.
That is the not actions of a free democracy, it is totalitarianism sir.
There are numerous examples of whistblowers changing the coarse of history, for the better I might add, and that needs to protected regardless if something is considered "classified."
You claimed to support greater transparency but clearly the actions of your Administration do not and sadly we are becoming hypocrites to ourselves and the world as we publicly appose freedom and a open society but in secret we fail to live up to these virtues.
First we are not having a discussion about this, as we are all reeling with alarm and concern in just finding out about this, and we the American public have not been presented any choices in this matter.
Secondly no one can promise 100% security and as Americans in a free and open society we realize and accept this fact as we accept all types of risks every day in our lives.
What we won't accept is unwarranted and illegal intrusions into our private lives by the government of any other entity that we do not give permission to or that have the legal right to do so.
We also won't accept the fact that no checks and balances are involved in this processes either.
As for Congress and the Senate complacency and towing the status quo is not an excuse or justification for not acting in the interests of the voters who elected you. It is hypocritical and immoral that one talks about patriotism and freedom publicly but in private their actions represent the complete opposite.
Where do we go from here?
That is a very complicated question but we can not accept moving further and further into a police state dominated by the terrorist industrial complex, where suspicion of the innocent is common place and surveillance of all is conducted by an unchecked and secret bureaucracy.
As George Orwall once said " Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them."
A free democracy can not thrive and prosper engaging in contradiction of it's values and beliefs.
We must do better and this starts with not letting fear dictate our actions and rationale thoughts. Secrecy is a tool of fear and we must realize this gentlemen. as FDR once said " Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear."
Fear of our government is not what our Founding Father envisioned it is what inspired them.
Its time for a reality check as we so do need it.
Gentlemen that begins first by having a free and open discussion about these serious manners and it may include re looking and revising the Patriotism Act to balancing security concerns with the rights guaranteed by our Constitution. Secondly the American people must be involved and not shut out by the three branches of our government who in "our" best interest have completely left us out of this discussion.
As James Madison once said " Do not separate text from historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government."
Or as Mark Twain once said. "All large political doctrines are rich in difficult problems -- problems that are quite above the average citizen's reach. And that is not strange, since they are also above the reach of the ablest minds in the country; after all the fuss and all the talk, not one of those doctrines has been conclusively proven to be the right one and the best."
Or maybe this is the clearest thought for our time?
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
The choice is our's to make.
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