Pacific Free Press was launched in March 2007 by Dutch-Canadian Richard
Kastelein of V.O.F. Expathos, in the Netherlands along with Chris Cook- CFUV radio journalist and Editor in Chief of Pacific Free Press. Cook is based in , Victoria, British Columbia.
The site is a sister to Atlantic Free Press and Brick Ogden an American Expatriate in Amsterdam has been a key supporter of this project.
The mission of Pacific Free Press is simple: to dig out nuggets of truth from
the slag-heap of lies, ignorance and witless diversion that has buried
public discourse today. Pacific Free Press provides a new venue for
disseminating hard news and insightful, fact-based analysis of the
harsh realities too often ignored or distorted by the mainstream press.
My movement is bigger than yours
by Mickey Z. A couple of my recent articles have directly challenged the concept of unconditional support for our (sic) troops. It should come as no surprise that this sentiment is typically greeted with unrestrained hostility.
The most predictable knee-jerk reaction involves the accusation that I might hurt the "movement" by alienating soldiers and their families. Some go even further and declare that returning soldiers are doing more for the "movement" than anyone else (especially obscure writers like your truly).
These critiques are flawed for many reasons, e.g.:
1. They
are not only assuming the existence of a perplexed mass of fence
sitters just waiting for the right moment to pick a side, they also
believe these fence sitters actually care (or even read) what someone
like me writes
2. They ignore the "alienation" being created when Americans voluntarily sign up for military
3. Just because someone says returning soldiers are doing more for the "movement" than anyone else doesn't mean it's true
Still,
the most fundamental flaw in play here is the use of the word
"movement." This isn't semantics, mind you. Rather, it gets to the
heart of the issue.
The state of global affairs has long passed the
proverbial tipping point (and is more likely flirting with the dreaded
point of no return). Allowing ourselves the luxury of believing there's
a genuine movement in place to challenge the dominant
suicidal/homicidal culture-when no such movement exists-is disastrously
counterproductive.
Most folks, it seems, have confused the
occasional weekend parade, I mean, protest with a full-blown movement.
Anti-Bush bumper stickers, yearly checks to Greenpeace, and a
commitment to recycled toilet paper don't constitute a movement either.
Candlelight vigils? Nope. Vegan diets? I wish. Petitions, voting
drives, letters to Congress? Surely you jest. Posting lots of comments
at Daily Kos? Yeah, right. Yellow ribbons, red ribbons, pink ribbons?
Doubt it. Becoming the change you wish to see in the world? Nice try.
Reality check #1: There's a huge difference between a minority of
sincere Americans making well-intentioned gestures and a tangible,
functional, effective movement capable of inciting/inspiring/demanding
social change.
Arundhati Roy sez: "People from poorer places and
poorer countries have to call upon their compassion not to be angry
with ordinary people in America."
Ward Churchill takes it
further...warning us that those same folks "from poorer places and
poorer countries" have "no obligation-moral, ethical, legal or
otherwise-to sit on their thumbs while the opposition (in America)
dithers about doing anything to change the system."
Reality check #2:
Americans wield more influence and power than any people on the planet
but, while the vast majority of humans in this world live in abject
poverty, we live our lives in such a manner as to threaten every living
being on the planet.
Reality check #3: There are no innocent bystanders.
Mickey Z. can be found on the Web at http://www.mickeyz.net
Writings 
A couple of my recent articles have directly challenged the concept of unconditional support for our (sic) troops. It should come as no surprise that this sentiment is typically greeted with unrestrained hostility. 
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