Joel Connelly: "One-party rule seems to have supplanted practical people with ideologues"

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Columnist Joel Connelly has confirmed one thing:

Washington is a totalitarian dictatorship.

And find some brilliant psycho-analysis of Connelly by Coyote at NW Republican, who took on the heavy lifting of parsing Connelly-speak, which is no mean feat. He's a Coyote, he's a Political-Psychiatrist, do we need voices like that from the real sagebrush perspective, or what? So, on to the fun, and today's Joel-bloviating:

"Eastern Washington isn't saying thank you these days for past dollars spent. The Inland Empire is acting like an Ingrown Empire, its lawmakers lining up to support legislation that would split off a large part of Washington into a 51st state. The legislation isn't going to pass in Olympia or Washington, D.C. It's mainly a bloviating opportunity for a part of the Evergreen State that doesn't have many evergreens."

O'Reilly envy, on top of everything else. There is just so much insight in that quote about how the Seattle Freeway Lexus-caged Dean-o-crat Armani Warriors of the Left feel about the rest of you. Particularly if you wear a flannel shirt to do yard work. Because if you do wear a flannel shirt to do yard work, you are quite possibly patriotic. And if you are patriotic, there is a chance you love America. And if you love America, then, well, what Cinnamon Stillwell (see below) says...

Makes sense.

Connelly so clearly encapsulates the mindset of the ruling oligarchy.

Joel, should we lowly minions just call you "Massa"? Now that we know how you feel?

"We have been our brothers' (and sisters') keepers, defenders and economic facilitators in this state. Eastern Washington politicians, who say otherwise, are feeding constituents a bunch of bunk."

Take that, sagebrush ingrates!

"One-party rule seems to have supplanted practical people with ideologues."

True, true Joel. But that has been obvious about you Democrats for years.

Cinnamon Stillwell on "The Making of a 9/11 Republican"

Inveterate Bay Area-watcher Matt Rosenberg of Rosenblog has great things to say about the neo-Republican viewpoints (and excellent writing) of ChronWatch columnist Cinnamon Stillwell. "The Making of a 9/11 Republican" is just too noteworthy to pass up. She and I drink the same Kool-Aid. And now, what with recent events at the polls (Where was that again? Oh, yeah: IRAQ), the streets of Beirut, the campuses of Iran, and now (finally) the capitals of Europe - I would expect to see more and more Americans getting a hold of these concepts. Pay attention. There will be a test:

As one of a handful of Bay Area conservative columnists, I'm no stranger to pushing buttons. Indeed, I welcome feedback from readers, whether positive or negative. I find the interplay stimulating, but I am often bemused by the stereotypical assumptions made by my critics on the left. It's not enough to simply disagree with my views; I have to be twisted into a conservative caricature that apparently makes opponents feel superior. They seem not to have considered that it's possible to put forward different approaches to various societal problems and not be the devil incarnate.

But in some ways I understand where this perspective comes from, because I once shared it. I was raised in liberal Marin County, and my first name (which garners more comments than anything else) is a direct product of the hippie generation. Growing up, I bought into the prevailing liberal wisdom of my surroundings because I didn't know anything else. I wrote off all Republicans as ignorant, intolerant yahoos. It didn't matter that I knew none personally; it was simply de rigueur to look down on such people. The fact that I was being a bigot never occurred to me, because I was certain that I inhabited the moral high ground.

Having been indoctrinated in the postcolonialist, self-loathing school of multiculturalism, I thought America was the root of all evil in the world. Its democratic form of government and capitalist economic system was nothing more than a machine in which citizens were forced to be cogs. I put aside the nagging question of why so many people all over the world risk their lives to come to the United States. Freedom of speech, religious freedom, women's rights, gay rights (yes, even without same-sex marriage), social and economic mobility, relative racial harmony and democracy itself were all taken for granted in my narrow, insulated world view.

So, what happened to change all that? In a nutshell, 9/11. The terrorist attacks on this country were not only an act of war but also a crime against humanity. It seemed glaringly obvious to me at the time, and it still does today. But the reaction of my former comrades on the left bespoke a different perspective. The day after the attacks, I dragged myself into work, still in a state of shock, and the first thing I heard was one of my co-workers bellowing triumphantly, "Bush got his war!" There was little sympathy for the victims of this horrific attack, only an irrational hatred for their own country.

As I spent months grieving the losses, others around me wrapped themselves in the comfortable shell of cynicism and acted as if nothing had changed. I soon began to recognize in them an inability to view America or its people as victims, born of years of indoctrination in which we were always presented as the bad guys.

Never mind that every country in the world acts in its own self-interest, forms alliances with unsavory countries -- some of which change later -- and are forced to act militarily at times. America was singled out as the sole guilty party on the globe. I, on the other hand, for the first time in my life, had come to truly appreciate my country and all that it encompassed, as well as the bravery and sacrifices of those who fight to protect it.

Thoroughly disgusted by the behavior of those on the left, I began to look elsewhere for support. To my astonishment, I found that the only voices that seemed to me to be intellectually and morally honest were on the right. Suddenly, I was listening to conservative talk-show hosts on the radio and reading conservative columnists, and they were making sense. When I actually met conservatives, I discovered that they did not at all embody the stereotypes with which I'd been inculcated as a liberal.

Although my initial agreement with voices on the right centered on the war on terrorism, I began to find myself in concurrence with other aspects of conservative political philosophy as well. Smaller government, traditional societal structures, respect and reverence for life, the importance of family, personal responsibility, national unity over identity politics and the benefits of living in a meritocracy all became important to me. In truth, it turns out I was already conservative on many of these subjects but had never been willing to admit as much.

In my search for like-minded individuals, I also gravitated toward the religiously observant. This was somewhat revolutionary, considering my former liberal discomfort with religious folk, but I found myself in agreement on a number of issues. When it came to support for Israel, Orthodox Jews and Christian Zionists were natural allies. As the left rained down vicious attacks on Israel, commentators on the right (with the exception of Pat Buchanan and his ilk) became staunch supporters of the nation. The fact that I'm not a particularly religious person myself had little bearing on this political relationship, for it's entirely possible to be secular and not be antireligious. Unlike the secular fundamentalists who make it their mission in life to destroy all vestiges of America's Judeo-Christian heritage, I have come to value this legacy.

So I became what's now commonly known as a "9/11 Republican." Living in a time of war, disenchanted with the left and disappointed with the obstructionism and lack of vision of the Democratic Party, I threw in my hat with the only party that seemed to be offering solutions, rather than simply tearing away at our country. I went from voting for Ralph Nader in 2000 to proudly casting my ballot for George W. Bush in 2004. This doesn't necessarily mean that I agree with Bush on every issue, but there is enough common ground to support his party overall. In the wake of this political transformation, I discovered that I was not alone. It turned out that there are other 9/11 Republicans out there, both in the Bay Area and beyond, and they have been coming out of the woodwork.

Like many a political convert, I took it on myself to openly oppose the politics of those with which I once shared world views. Beyond writing, I put myself on the front lines of this ideological battle by taking part in counterprotests at the antiwar rallies leading up to the war in Iraq. This turned out to be a further wake-up call, because it was there that I encountered more intolerance than ever before in my life. Holding pro-Iraq-liberation signs and American flags, I was spat on, called names, intimidated, threatened, attacked, cursed and, on a good day, simply argued with. It was clear that any deviation from the prevailing leftist groupthink of the Bay Area was considered a threat to be eliminated as quickly as possible.

It was at such protests that I also had my first real brushes with anti-Semitism. The anti-Israel sentiment on the left -- inexorably linked to anti-Americanism -- ran high at these events and boiled over into Jew hatred on more than one occasion. The pro-Palestinian sympathies of the left had led to a bizarre commingling of pacifism, Communism and Arab nationalism. So it was not uncommon to see kaffiyeh-clad college students chanting Hamas slogans, graying hippies wearing "Intifada" T-shirts, Che Guevera backpacks, and signs equating Zionism with Nazism, all against a backdrop of peace, patchouli and tie-dye.

Being unapologetically pro-Israel, I was called every name in the book, from "Zionist pig" to "Zionist scum," and was once told that those with European origins such as myself couldn't really be Jewish. In the end, the blatant anti-Semitism on the left, even among Jews, only strengthened my political transformation. I was, in effect, radicalized by the radicals.

But more than anything, it was the left's hypocrisy when it came to the war on terrorism that made me turn rightward after 9/11. I remember, back in my liberal days, being fiercely opposed to the Taliban and its brutal treatment of women. Even then, I felt that Afghanistan should immediately be liberated, as Malcolm X once said in another context, by any means necessary. But when it came time, it turned out that the left was mostly opposed to such liberation, whether of the Afghan people or of the Iraqis (especially if America and a Republican president were at the helm).

Indeed, liberals had become strangely conservative in their fierce attachment to the status quo. In contrast, the much-maligned neoconservatives (among whose ranks I count myself) and Bush had become the "radicals," bringing freedom and democracy to the despotic Middle East. Is it any wonder that in such a topsy-turvy world, I found myself in agreement with those I'd formerly denounced?

The war on terrorism is nothing more than the great struggle of our time, and, like the earlier ones against fascism and totalitarianism, we ignore it at our peril. Whether or not one accepts that we are engaged in a war, our enemies have declared it so. It took the horrors of 9/11 to awaken me to this reality, but for others, such lessons remain unlearned. For me, it was self-evident that in Islamic terrorism, America had found a nihilistic threat that sought to wipe out not only Western civilization but also civilization itself.

The Islamists have been clear all along about their plans to form an Islamic caliphate and inhabit the entire world with burqas, stonings, amputations, honor killings and a lack of religious and political freedom. Whether or not to oppose such a movement should have been a no-brainer, especially for self-proclaimed "progressives." Instead, they have extended their misguided sympathies to tyrants and terrorists.

In the end, history will be the judge, and each of us will have to think about what legacy we wish to leave to future generations. If there's one thing I've learned since 9/11, it's that it's never too late to alter one's place in the great scheme of things.

Cinnamon Stillwell is a Bay Area writer. She can be reached cinnamons@earthlink.net

The Politics of Personal Responsibility

The Politics of Personal Responsibility
P. Scott Cummins © 2005 The Urbane R

Our 36th District Senator, Jeanne Kohl-Welles, has been busy in Olympia this current legislative session. One of the bills she is sponsoring addresses the very real issue of “cyberbullying” in our schools. She would have school districts amend their anti-harassment laws to address the use of computers and cellular phones for intimidation or bullying.

By August 1, 2006, each school district shall amend its harassment, intimidation, and bullying prevention policy...The policy shall clarify that acts of bullying, harassment, or intimidation that are conducted via electronic means need not occur during school hours, occur on school property, or involve school computers as long as the incident has an impact on the student or educational environment....If a school district has internet use policies, the act of bullying, harassing, or intimidating another student via online means shall be included as a prohibited act and be subject to disciplinary action. ...As used in this section, "electronic" or "electronic means" means any communication where there is the transmission of information by wire, radio, optical cable, electromagnetic, or other similar means. "Electronic" and "electronic means" include, but are not limited to, communication via electronic mail, internet-based communications, pager service, cell phones, and electronic text messaging.

This provision is an unfortunate, but necessary, addition to the legal tools given school administrators for enforcement of student standards for personal responsibility and accountability. My regret is that it does not go far enough – holding parents jointly responsible for the mis-use and abuse of technology (cellular phones, laptops, PDAs) they provide to their children.

It has not gone without notice by some readers that the writing style of this columnist has been influenced by the likes of authors Tom Robbins, Roald Dahl, Tom Wolfe, and yes – Hunter S. Thompson. But what late twentieth century writer hasn’t been influenced, from college English papers to papal encyclicals? If slaving away over a hot keyboard is involved, the “gonzo”/first person style of writing has become the way to say it.


Hunter S. Thompson (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)

And we have the eccentric-to-the-end Hunter S. Thompson to thank. It is with great sadness that we mark his passing – particularly since it was a death of his own making this past week at age 67. If Thompson had ever demonstrated an inkling of migration toward conservative thought, his proclivities for booze, firearms and fast living would have quickly earned him full “wing nut” status. But because of his unabashed liberal leanings, he will forever be seen as eccentric and genuine. Thank goodness for that.


Peter Benenson (Amnesty International Photo)

Please permit a sentence or two of “gonzo” reporting about the passing of Peter Benenson, founder of Amnesty International. In 1979, about one month after the U.S. Embassy hostages were taken in Iran – I went with a group of about a dozen American student colleagues from the University of Bath in the U.K., on a winter trip to the Soviet Union. A few of us had been to Amnesty’s offices in London in the weeks prior to our departure. Bear in mind that the only American corollary to London-based Amnesty International was staff work being done by our own Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson in the United States Senate. It was no doubt Benenson’s high esteem for Jackson that led to this constituent being ushered in to meet the Amnesty International founder – who two years before had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. For me, then a twenty year old college junior, it was a golden moment.

These events were eclipsed only by that December trip to the Soviet Union – where we students, with viewpoints honed as much by Rolling Stone as any publication – descended on Moscow in true Hunter S. Thompson style. And, as it turned out, we arrived just as Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan. Given the nature of that particular superpower conflict, and American hostages taken the month before – it all made for a certain “color me war correspondent” atmosphere. These events did little to restrict, however, our hawking of blue jeans into stacks of Soviet Rubles – worthless outside the tottering Communist Empire – in an economy apparently unable to produce consumer goods except for massive quantities of Stolichnaya. It was true fear and much loathing, though in Moscow and Leningrad, not Las Vegas. And despite the inane events, we were able to accomplish our “drop” of information for a dissident Russian human rights group affiliated with Amnesty.

Nobel Peace Laureate Peter Benenson is a giant, and at 83, lived a long life worthy of celebration. Following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., he refined the international politics of personal involvement and public accountability. Benenson did so by putting himself into the story “gonzo” style, using the media to influence politicians in his own country - and in the most remote capitals on the planet.

When considering the tools we all have available today – from Bluetooth devices to the typewriter, instant messaging to quiet conversation – we are perhaps long since past the time for reflection on the ethics of that empowerment.

It is up to us as well, to instill in our children the lessons of personal responsibility. We can do so by contrasting the legacy of choices made by these two men. And empowering the next generation to take stock of the lessons made stark by that reflection.

If we make progress on that, just maybe our Senators won’t have to create legislative cyber-nannies, and together we can make progress on the human rights and economic potential we all deserve.

U.S. Says Canada Relinquishing Sovereignty With 'No' To Missile Shield - Will Canadians Request U.S. Invasion?

This today from Canadian Press:

"Canada's announcement that it won't join the U.S. missile shield provoked an immediate warning that it has relinquished sovereignty over its airspace.

From now on, the U.S. government will control any decision to fire at incoming missiles over Canadian territory, declared the top U.S. envoy to Canada."

'Bout time, I say.

"We will deploy. We will defend North America," said Paul Cellucci, the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

"We simply cannot understand why Canada would in effect give up its sovereignty - its seat at the table - to decide what to do about a missile that might be coming towards Canada."

With all due respect, Ambassador Cellucci, but when was the last time Canada went about doing ANYTHING rationally? This is the country that is turning its major cities into drug dens, people who whine about EVERYTHING we do that reflects on their irresponsibility - domestically and abroad. They do make good beer though.

"The response came just moments after Prime Minister Paul Martin ended months of ambiguity Thursday by announcing that he would not sign on to the controversial missile-defence program."

Given the stance taken by Prime Minister-Dictator Martin, he would no doubt hope and expect that as much Canadian territory as possible will be left vulnerable to attack. Or maybe he holds that prim Euro-Peon attitude, that we just need to form encounter groups with the terrorists and share our feelings. And, while we're at it - if the U.S. would just not KICK BUTT all the time in business, sports, culture, entertainment and (oh, I don't know) EVERYTHING then people wouldn't hate us so much.

Riiight!

The U.S. will be magnanimous, no doubt, and protect all of Canada save its capitol Ottawa - which seems to be the where the lunacy called public policy in Canada is centrally controlled with masterful precision.

We can be sure that a clear-minded (i.e., not on the drugs they are so proud of up there) Canadian or two will call for U.S. annexation - or failing that - invasion, in order to be freed of socialism under the comrade-red Maple Leaf flag.

Fat chance. We can afford to liberate Iraq, but Canada?

That's too tall an order, eh?

Colonial outpost they have always been, colonial outpost they will always be. We have grown to expect unrest from the minions from time to time. Did you know I could expect prosecution up there for speaking my mind in this way?

C'est la vie there, MacKenzie.

Dictator Martin, meanwhile, "said he would expect to be consulted on what to do about any missile passing over Canada."

Excuse me? What to do? What would YOU do, Dictator Martin, when a bad guy's nuke-tipped monster-of-armageddon is winging in over Tuktoyaktuk - call France?

In another breathtaking demonstration of Canadian logic, "Martin insisted the move won't hurt relations with the U.S."

"Canada and the United States remain one another's staunchest allies and closest friends... and we will continue to ensure that our overall relationship grows stronger and that our people enjoy increased security and prosperity."

Yeah, right dude. Like, totally. Hang us all out to dry, and we are just going to be nicey-nicey about it? I don't think so. Expect a word or two from us, and quit whining all the time.

In the words of Napoleon Dynamite: Idiot!

As the Canadian Pravda, err, Press article cynically intoned:

"Missile defence supporters said the program wouldn't have cost Canada a dime, nor would it have placed missiles on Canadian soil. U.S. officials have indicated they didn't really need Canada's help, but would have appreciated political support from their neighbour as they attempted to sell the plan abroad."

Given the Canadian policy regarding immigration, and the "profile" presented by large Canadian cities to provide staging areas for Muslim extremists, is putting up a wall on the Mexico border the only place to be investing our homeland security resources?

Paul Martin Flips the Big L "Loser" Handsign
The Soviet of Canada

Meanwhile, back in the free world, Japan is now working in close partnership with the U.S. to develop missile shield technology - in order to protect their homeland as well as ours. And India is working on purchasing an upgraded Patriot missile battery system from the U.S. - which the Pakistan press notes without apparent alarm.

Anti-missile missiles are like an insurance policy. You pay for it. You never hope to use it. You sleep at night.

And can get out of bed in the morning. Simple, really.

Note: POGO Blog watches the missile defense shield issue, among others.

Better living through deterrence.

Hey Canucks!
I'd love to be Ambassador up there!
Under my leadership the flogging will continue until morale improves, eh?

Demon Hunter Hosts MTV2's 'Headbanger's Ball' - Call It The 'KORN Effect'?

KORN guitar superstar Brian Welch has captured the rock world's attention with his public proclaiming of Christ in his life.

Wow, maybe we should be playing more heavy metal hymns on Sunday! Could heavy metal be the key to Revival in our culture?

(Reuters, CNN) NEW YORK (Billboard) -- Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch has parted ways with the hard rock act, citing a recent religious awakening.

Welch broke the news Sunday on Bakersfield, California, station KRAB-FM. "I had it in my heart to come here and explain to you," Welch said. "I'm good friends with Korn. I love those guys, and they love me, and they're very happy for me."
Addressing the aggressive tone of the music he made with Korn, Welch said, "Anger is a good thing, and if kids want to listen to Korn, good, but there's happiness after the anger. I'm going to show it through my actions how much I love my fans."

Welch added that he would be appearing at a local church on February 27, during which time he would "speak (about) how I got to this place in my life, and I'll answer all your questions."

On its official Web site (korn.com), Korn's remaining members said they respect Welch's wishes and hope "he finds the happiness he is searching for." The group is in the studio working on a new album, due in September, which will be its first since fulfilling its contract with Epic last year. For now, no replacement for Welch has been named, nor has a new label home for the band.

On KRAB-FM Welch said:

“I was at rock bottom for like a year.
I have a daughter and the only
reason that I am not dead right now is that kid.
I was like, ‘what am I doing? What am I doing?’ I am not good to myself,
I can go up there and play those songs and those solos
but I was caught up in drugs and I distanced myself from Korn for probably a year and a half, two years.”

KRAB-FM also reports that Welch plans to leave for Israel on February 28, 2005. This has set up enormous questions about what future plans Welch has made with regard to his new Christian identity.

Rock fans want to know if this involves music - as do Christians interested in Evangelism - who are also curious if Welch plans outreach to his fanbase.

Welch has instantaneously become an enigmatic figure to both his fans and Christian leaders. He has our attention.

(Korn.com) Korn has parted ways with guitarist Brian Head Welch, who has chosen the Lord Jesus Christ as his saviour, and will be dedicating his musical pusuits to that end.

Korn respects Brian's wishes and hopes he finds the happiness he is searching for.

Jonathan, Fieldy, James and David are personally closer than ever...

All I can say is, Marilyn Manson, have you heard the Good News about the Gospel of...



Hey Demon Hunter! This is going to get people talking, and you are the ones to reach them with music, with major props to Falling Up...


As Michelle Malkin says, we want to hear more about Welch in mainstream media - especially since this follows the shockwave of former Pantera guitarist "Dimebag Darrell" Abbott's tragic murder on December 8, 2004 - creating an enormous period of introspection in the rock world.

Christian metal's moment has come. Let's hope there is an answer to His call.

FOX Honcho Talks Smack on Revote

Over the years my opinion of FOX News anchor John Gibson has evolved. Particularly because he can now be such a formidable interviewer - his stock has been rising. I relied on his series of reports (and book of the same name) entitled “Hating America – The New World Sport” – while braving the onslaught of venomous Anti-Americanism broadcast by the BBC World Service while traveling in Africa last Spring.

More recently, during the late stages of the 2004 Presidential Campaign – when Gibson’s interview of Liberal Brahmin (and shadow Secretary of State) Richard Holbrooke on the last-gasp Kerry effort to create scandal regarding missing Iraqi explosives - prompted the neutralizing Holbrooke admission: “I don’t know the truth” – proved pivotal in ending Kerry’s chances. Because of that, Gibson can be viewed as impressive by any standard.

So I always see it as something of a compliment when Gibson heads our way to do talk radio – like he has this week on KVI. Yesterday, however, was surreal - as Gibson said Republicans should back down and go away on the revote litigation – that they had, in effect, overplayed their political hand. I say Gibson’s just plain wrong on that, and here’s why:

This generation of Republicans has never been more united – and Dino Rossi is the reason for that unity. Look, I hold a center left political perspective, but I have been a Republican since watching Ronald Reagan’s historic swearing-in on the west front of the Capitol in 1981 – the day the Hostages were freed in Iran. It was truly morning again in America. Rossi, and Reagan before him, are uniters. We need to support our Champion. And the Revote challenge does just that.

Like Gibson, some of our elected Republicans urge to take that feeling of sympathetic support (like you, I regularly hear from enormously disaffected Democrats), and go on to win another day. Fold your battle flags, they say, and come out strong in two years. Well, these are not mutually exclusive ideas. I say, do both!

This from John Fund in yesterday’s Opinion Journal:

"If you want to get on local news, it's easier to be in a freak accident than to run for local office," says Marty Kaplan, a professor at the University of Southern California who worked on the study. The most extreme example occurred in Seattle, where 95% of all local newscasts ignored the state's hotly contested race for governor. "Time spent on teasers, bumpers and intro music" on Seattle local newscasts outweighed airtime devoted to the gubernatorial race by 14 to 1, concluded researchers. Given that Republican Dino Rossi surprised everyone by battling Democrat Christine Gregoire to a near-tie (an outcome still being challenged by Mr. Rossi in court) some Republican wags are joking that no local news coverage of their candidates may literally be good news for the GOP.

Lo and behold, looking at today’s Seattle Times, if there is a single byline written on the revote, I sure can’t find it.

John Fund has consistently reported on this story, and assiduously reminded readers of the national angle here with regard to the Red State/ Blue State dynamic. Mr. Gibson, where have you been? Under Dino Rossi’s leadership, the “upper left-hand corner” has become a quilt of Right-Wingers, NeoCons, Left-Center “Dan Evans” Republicans, Libertarians and “Dinocrats” poised to send this state back into the red. The Democrats may complain about the heat from the revote bonfire, but it is shining a lot of light as well – so bright, in fact, that FOX News just might be able to see it from inside the Beltway. So please, Mr. Gibson:

You report. We’ll decide.

(Hat tip to Sound Politics reader RiceRPFP)

Steve Davis, CEO of Corbis, Board of Directors at PATH = The Seattle Difference 

Welcome to the Capital of Compassion

The next time you brave Interstate Five traffic between Portland and Seattle think about this: you are traveling a highway linking more organizations - representing more assets focused on ending poverty and human misery - than anywhere else. You are, in effect, on a highway of hope to the capital of compassion. The sum total impact of these organizations makes our region the world leader in compassionate action to those in need. Added to that are local institutions and companies involved in public health and medical research on diseases – the afflictions that rob people of hope and aspiration – which together with outreach/action organizations create synergies unique to Seattle, the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else on this planet. A notable example blending the distinction between research and aid is PATH, located next to the Ballard Bridge – where cutting edge medical research is targeted for maximum effectiveness on behalf of the most poor. On their board of directors, alongside leading international health researchers, is Steve Davis – CEO of Corbis. His involvement illustrates the essential difference which contrasts strategies emanating from the major world capitals and Seattle – it is folks like Steve Davis, who are entrepreneurial and know how to read a balance sheet – that are defining the “Seattle difference” in outreach on global issues.

In Oregon, groups with decades of experience – Mercy Corps and Northwest Medical Teams International the largest among them, annually bring almost $500 million combined to relief and medical outreach. Federal Way’s World Vision may very well become the largest non-government organization (NGO) of all, this year closing in on the $1 billion annual threshold. Global Partnerships, led by Magnolia’s Bill Clapp – and World Concern in Shoreline, round out some of the most notable organizations in our midst. Magnolia-based Sister Schools is added to that group of fledgling organizations working to leverage sustainable development strategies with regard to education in Africa. In the final analysis, much of the effectiveness of these organizations will be delivered by breakthrough strategies exemplified by PATH and the Grameen Technology Center in Seattle, part of the Washington DC based Grameen Foundation USA.

To that is added the service club Rotary International, and their largest single group – known as downtown’s “Seattle Four” – that have made global eradication of polio a centennial goal for the organization. That might be enough to merit the title as Capital of Compassion – but overarching everything is a family compared to the Medici Empire of the Renaissance and Enlightenment Eras: Bill & Melinda Gates and their nonprofit foundation. If all of this were a great chemistry experiment, the Gates Foundation would be both catalyst and reagent in one – making things happen with a view toward expansive synergies. But the world is long-past the need for experiment: the outcomes will determine prognosis for overall health of this planet in the twenty first century.

The Medici family, as some of the first grand capitalists of Europe – created splendor that awes visitors to Florence, Italy to this very day. As commoners pioneering techniques of finance and accounting – they accumulated wealth in excess of many royals of the time. Over the generations they came to be seen as royals themselves.

The only accurate comparison between la familia Gates and Medici is that they acquired unprecedented wealth – quickly. Though many a business book author has stretched the comparison beyond reason - this much is true – their successes were unprecedented for the times they lived in. And, of course, their shared status as subjects of enduring fascination – which is a burden I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

There is a remarkable difference between them, of course. And it is a difference with a powerful symbol, born of the wish of the Gates Foundation’s founders to give away the vast portion of their wealth in their own lifetimes. That is the key. That they have targeted those most in need around the world should get your attention. Still, they cannot have any success in a vacuum – and they know it. Money alone does not solve problems.

In order to truly understand the special status of our region because of these organizations, it is important to understand what they have documented: hope is a motivator. Ask veterans in developing world relief and aid work what can happen when people have health care and nutrition: opportunity for a new focus upon adding quality to their family’s lives through education – and ditching the eons-old trap of having children as a form of life insurance. Meaning, if you might survive long enough to be elderly, the only reasonable plan would be to have enough children first that might survive long enough to take care of you. This creates a cycle of poverty and over-expanding population beyond the economic or environmental carrying capacity of the developing world. In turn this has fed cycles of famine and epidemic. Such has been the way of human history. Until now.

The world-focused organizations of our region have a common goal: to create a new paradigm. It is a realization long in the making. When Franklin Roosevelt gave the State of the Union address to Congress in January 1941, our nation was about to be thrust into a massive military conflict on many fronts around the world – so horrible that almost 300,000 Americans would lose their lives. Yet against that backdrop Roosevelt set forth a bold vision for our planet, a speech which has come to be known as “The Four Freedoms”:

In the future days which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world
founded upon four essential human freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression –everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way-- everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want, which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants - everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear, which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no
nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any
neighbor - anywhere in the world.

That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation.

In many ways the people of all the world-focused organizations of our region, with their unprecedented resources and inter-weaving goals, together comprise the staff of a visionary former president. In other ways as well, the only unrealized component for success of these groups is you. All of this work and all of the money - will have been wasted if people’s hearts won’t be changed. In the end, it is people’s hearts which are the catalysts – the change agents determining success or failure on this small blue planet. As Yahoo! Executive Tim Sanders says in his bestselling book of the same title: “Love is the Killer App.”

By your participation in the consortium of caring represented by these diverse groups with common goals, there is a chance – still only a chance - for inward reflection on that Fourth Freedom to become outward action. In order for this to happen, you and I are all front-line leaders – our community simply must take hold of these values and imbue them as the very fabric of our shared experience. I invite your thoughts. The world relies on our actions.

Asterik Studio is (L-R) Michael Madrid, Demetre Arges, Don Clark, Greg Lutze, Josh Horton and Ryan Clark

Web Firm Defies Convention – And Defines Community

Philosopher and Futurist Marshall McLuhan, in his 1962 book “Gutenberg Galaxy” said "(t)he new electronic interdependence recreates the world in the image of a global village.” Could McLuhan have been thinking of Seattle? When Asterik Studio is put into the picture, he well could have. Founded four years ago by Don Clark, Demetre Arges and Ryan Clark – they have grown to include Greg Lutze, Josh Horton and Michael Madrid. With their office here in Seattle, and with Horton working from Nashville, Tennessee – they have rapidly become a major player in the new media web design scene. And they have done it the old-fashioned way, with long hours; free-hand drawing and illustration techniques; and innovative thinking to complement the software needed to design the websites, media players and blogs associated with the music industry today. And like so many trends created through popular culture, art and music – corporate America has discovered Asterik as well.

It could be said that Asterik melds art with whimsy - and deep spiritual meaning with joy and humor. Amassing an enviable client list: hundreds of recording artists (including some of the biggest names in pop, hip-hop and rock), over forty record labels, as well as a broad list of accounts ranging from shoe companies to magazines, state agencies to furniture makers – they are clearly an emerging player from a business standpoint. Asterik veritably exudes success, but ‘all that’ while growing their capabilities at the same time is the real attention-grabber. Demetre Arges indicated that for Asterik, music has been a catalyst. “We never would have met if we had not been in bands,” Arges said. “In fact, for the first two years of business, that’s how we built our client base – through people we met from being in bands.”

Web specialist Greg Lutze came to Asterik from Florida-based Relevant Magazine – which emerged in the 2004 presidential campaign as a leading source for Democrats engaging with youth culture on faith and values. Relevant Magazine’s website states: “We're twenty-something Christians. We want to break stereotypes, challenge status quo and enact change through the media. We're seeking God, living life and striving to impact the world around us. It's pretty simple, really.” Asterik is not unlike that – though from a diverse vantage point – working with recording artists ranging from Eminem, G-Unit and Young Buck to Jessica Simpson and Jeremy Camp (among many others). Adding to that a firsthand involvement in Christian heavy metal – makes them unique, if humble, cultural icons.

Marshall McLuhan also said ‘(t)he winner is one who knows when to drop out in order to get in touch.” Music artists have a need for that – if only to stay connected to the emotions which fans tap in to. Asterik is part of that world – the Clark brothers are heavy-metal rockers with a fan base as well (Ryan is lead singer and Don plays guitar with a successful touring metal band called Demon Hunter – their most recent release titled ‘Summer of Darkness’). As one reviewer describes: “Demon Hunter brews a potent mix of heavy-metal fury and heavenly perspective on Summer of Darkness. Bone-crushing percussion, relentless electric guitar salvos, and passionate vocals push listeners to evaluate their spirituality and cling to hope, rejecting hate and depression.” Don Clark furthers the point in a statement on the Asterik Studio website: “God has been fortunate to provide me with a life where I get to fuse both of my passions into one. Graphic design and music. I get to be on both sides of the fence. It's something I will never take for granted.”

When talking with the Asterik partners they make clear that it is their passion for, and involvement with, the “real” (non-glamorous, hard-working) aspects of music that gives them the edge. But fun plays a role as well. Don Clark describes it this way on their site: “Asterik is the coolest place to come to work every day. My best friends work here and everyone here inspires me. We all truly love our jobs and we never take them for granted. Demetre, Ryan and Greg. Dudes are off the hook. I really love them. We laugh a lot. I mean, A LOT. If you were in the office here with us, you'd probably think we were insane. I always tell people we could moonlight as comedians. Not quite sure if that is true though. We started Asterik in 2001 and it’s been growing ever since. We are in awe of some of the bands we get to work with, because we are such huge fans. I think that’s why things go so well for us a lot of the time: we are fans of almost every genre.”

Ryan Clark sums up how important music is in his creative process in a statement on their website: “I'm a music fanatic. I buy music like people buy groceries. Some people might say it's a problem. I buy a few records every week. Tuesdays are like weekly Christmas'. There's really no pinpointing my musical tastes either. I literally love everything from Ella Fitzgerald to Slayer and from Death Cab For Cutie to Linkin Park and everything in between. I like music for all different reasons. I like some music because it's real and raw and moving, and I like some music because it's heavy and sonically brutal. I like music that's authentic and heartfelt - and music that's kitschy and fleeting. I'm a sucker for top-notch production but I also love the organic sound of a low-fi, low-budget album.”

One of the biggest challenges of success in any artistic field is that the hard work involved creates tension with the creative spark needed to constantly evolve. The Asterik partners make eye contact with one another when the subject of growth is raised. Clearly they have been grappling with this, and in response they signal, true to form, that future growth will be on their terms. “We have talked about hiring a business manager for some time, but since this (a collaborative) has always been the way we have operated, we are making it work for now,” Don Clark stated. For now, they are not turning over the reigns to an outsider. This group has synergies, and because they work in such tight quarters (in a sublease from Tooth & Nail Records near Seattle's Discovery Park), they literally have choreography as well. Tooth & Nail, which specializes in Christian punk, modern rock, and hardcore/metal music – has been quietly thriving in Magnolia for years. As has Solid State Records – which Don Clark described as “the more hardcore and metal side of the business.” Echoing that, the e-zine Punk News indicates it is not without risk for punk and metal musicians to be “out” with their Christian faith: “Much controversy revolves around Solid State's bands just as it does Tooth & Nail's, with the brunt of the issues focusing on the bands' religious preferences. While many bands on the Solid State roster may contain members who are Christian, Solid State as an entity has never claimed to be a strictly "Christian" label. As religion has always been a hotly contested issue within punk rock, many of these groups have become - for lack of a better term - "martyred" by fans.” Punk News, for the uninitiated, is a leading online magazine (e-zine) devoted to punk, ska (Reggae’s punk cousin), emo (so-called metrosexual punk), hardcore (think mosh pit here), metal (so much more than Ted Nugent) and indie (anything inspired by Nirvana after they banned the term ‘grunge’) rock – musical forms which hold up The Ramones and country legend Johnny Cash as important elements of inspiration.

So a theme emerges. Asterik’s first priority is to grow as artists – expanding their capabilities in graphic arts as well as video. That supercedes another pull: to grow the company. In the struggle between art and commerce, art is winning at Asterik Studio. From that, it is not hard to speculate - there is something we will all benefit from. So say hello to the guys from Asterik when you see them. They are defining culture in distinct and admirable ways. And here in Seattle, we are part of Asterik’s world, and this global village may never be the same.