Archive for January, 2009
Lucky Jim, Mayfair Squatter
As I read an article about London’s Mayfair squatters, I came across a reference to a blogger among the group who calls himself “luckyjim.” Out of curiosity, I looked up his blog and started reading. To my surprise, I found that he’s a better writer than all the journalists covering his plight (myself included), and in a certain sense seems to have more integrity. As he inhabits abandoned, multi-million dollar homes in an upper class London neighborhood, he documents the class struggles and social codes among these temporarily high-profile vagrants. The internal struggles over who can truly claim “outsider” status (”he admitted he worked for a brand consultancy and had a mortgage, which he defended as ‘more anarchic than renting’”) are juxtaposed with moments of genuine compassion and humiliation. It’s a mesmerizing window into the world of a highly literate, self-aware squatter.
Talking to the Muslim World
As I mentioned yesterday, Kevin Drum thinks Obama should try to encourage more substantive discourse in the press by granting access to really smart, penetrating journalists — regardless of the size of their viewership / readership. Now we hear that the president has granted his first full interview since taking office to Al Arabiya. And it was an interesting, substantive interview. What we learned more than anything from this interview, is that Obama isn’t coming to the table with some interesting new solutions to the problem. He’s basically endorsing some sort of vague two-state solution. But his approach to the process is in line with the Democracy in America post I quoted yesterday.
One other thing struck me about this interview. Obama emphasizes cooperation, rather than just tolerance. He talks about a Palestinian state whose citizens have freedom of movement, sure, but he also talks about economic engagement. This was a key point in a smart analysis of the situation posted on TPM recently:
They should speak positively about President Sarkozy’s idea of a Mediterranean Union, with Israel and Turkey acting as anchors. Clinton should offer to help organize a start to a regional water carrier to bring Turkish water to Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel. There should be talk of an [sic] common market between Israel, Palestine and Jordan. Jones should speak about a bilateral defense pact with Israel and an American naval base in Haifa. The U.S. must get away from the idea that peace means “We give them land, and then maybe they’ll leave us alone.”
Obama has not yet endorsed the initial point of this post, the idea that the Clinton parameters are non-negotiable as far as America is concerned. But I think this goes back to the notion that his approach is more important than his solutions. Coming to the table, from the beginning, with non-negotiable parameters sets the wrong tone. In his interview with Al Arabiya the president drives home the point that as Americans, we aren’t going to fully understand the complexity of the situation. And so first we listen. But we also set our eyes not just on tolerance, peace defined as lack of aggression, but on a vital economic and cultural exchange in the region.
Obama in a nutshell
Democracy in America posted a really smart take on what characterizes Obama’s philosophy. I almost want to repost the whole thing, but I’ll satisfy myself with three paragraphs:
So Mr Obama isn’t original in his conception of government (do what works, not more). Nor is he particularly creative in his thinking of “what works”: he’s a relatively orthodox American liberal. So is there anything original to Mr Obama, or is he a lot of sizzle and not a lot of steak?
To my mind, Mr Obama brings not a big theory of government, but he does have one of governance. He sees that America often gets pathologically bad policy because of the way it makes decisions. Many policies, especially economic ones, are captured by self-interested lobbies. Other policies, notably social policy, come out skewed because in an increasingly polarised Congress, the majority railroads the minority, and the majority’s center is never where the country’s is. And many Americans, frustrated by these first two tendencies, switch off, and a switched-off electorate is no effective check that could help government get better again.
It’s a downward spiral Mr Obama seems to recognise, and to be trying hard to break. He moved to curb lobbies with one of his first orders. He has promised to listen to conflicting opinions, and he has no crusader’s zeal when he talks about divisive social issues. With creative uses of technology, not to mention his skilled oratory, he hopes to reconnect the average citizen to government, getting voters to think about what they want and what they don’t, so they can keep government honest.
Let’s hope it works. But this read on Obama’s vision for America also relates to something Kevin Drum posted a few days ago about Obama’s relationship with the media. Check out Drum’s post for the details (and how he thinks Obama should nudge the press to change their approach). It’ll be interesting to see if the new administration really can change the tone of the conversation. They seem, at least, to be genuinely interested in doing so.
Free Jazz Hour: Jan 26, 2009
Tonight’s set list:
- Supersilent – 6 – 6.2 (2003)
- David Behrman – Leapday Night – A Traveller’s Dream Journal, Setting A (1990)
- Roberto Donnini – Tunedless II – Untitled (track 6; 1977)
- Richard Youngs – Advent – Part II (1988)
- Hans Joachim Roedelius – Durch die Wuste – Durch die Wuste (1978)
- Rod Poole & Sasha Bogdanowitsch – Mind’s Island – Mystery of When (2005)
Listen to the archived show here (available until Feb 2, 2009).
Free Jazz Hour: Jan 19, 2008
Monday’s set list (the MLK day show):
- Albert Ayler – Holy Ghost Box Set – Defining “improvisation” in an interview with Kiyoshi Koyama (1970)
- Frank Zappa – Uncle Meat – King Kong Itself (1969)
- Alan Licht – The Evan Dando of Noise? – Untitled (1997)
- Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale – S/T – Improvisazione (1978)
- Angus Maclise – The Invasion of Thunderolt Pagoda – Shorwave-India (1968)
- David Toop – Black Chamber – The Slapping Gun (2003)
- John Cage (perf. by Herbert Henck) – Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano – No. 6, Sonata no. 5 (1948)
- Jon Hassell – City: Works of Fiction – Pagan (1990)
- Steaming Coils – In an 8 x 8 Bedroom – The Classics (1987)
- Codona – S/T – Mumakata (1987)
- Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr – We Shall Overcome (exerpt, 1966)
- Albert Ayler Trio – Holy Ghost Box Set – Spirits (theme)
- Albert Ayler – Holy Ghost Box Set – The Healing Force from an interview with Kiyoshi Koyama
- Teenage Jesus and the Jerks – No New York (compilation) – Red Alert (1978)
- Aktuala – Tappeto Volante – Mr Trilok (1976)
- Milford Graves (w. Arthur Doyle & Hugh Glover) – Babi Music – Untitled (1976)
- Fennesz – Venice – Onsay (2004)
- Sonny Sharrock – Black Woman – Blind Willy (1969)
- Brigitte Fontaine – Comme a la Radio – Les Petits Chevaux (1970)
- Don Cherry – Brown Rice – Brown Rice (1975)
Listen to the archived show here (available until Jan 26, 2009).
Before the Buzzer
After Clinton’s numerous (and dubious) pardons, a lot of people were wondering who Bush might pardon before leaving office. As the Economist notes, the answer was a bit surprising. Why would Bush, who clashed with his own party due to his moderate (some might say liberal) stance on immigration reform, choose to commute the sentences of two border partol agents convicted of killing shooting an unarmed drug smugglers?
The surprise was that George Bush, who’d failed in two attempts to pass sweeping and forgiving immigration reforms, should listen to the likes of Mr Dobbs and Mr Tancredo. There was a strong case against Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos, one made by some mainstream conservatives who considered them thugs being promoted by activists who didn’t know any better.
A perplexing end to a vexing presidency. But still, not as bad as it could have been.
UPDATE: As commenter eltb points out, the drug smuggler was not killed, but was shot and wounded. He also points out that at least one Democrat has taken up this cause (Diane Feinstein contacted Bush to request clemency in this case). I definitely got sloppy on that one, my apologies. While we’re at it, it’s worth emphasizing one point that I did get right in the original post: Bush didn’t pardon the two border agents; their convictions still stand. He just commuted what he saw as unreasonably long sentences.
Dropping hints
Josh Marshall tries to read the tea leaves on Obama’s Israel policy. I’m not totally sure what Marshall is seeing here, but I’m assuming it is that by naming Mubarak first, Gibbs is trying to imply that the Obama administration will be more neutral, and hopefully an “honest broker” in the region, as Egypt has tried to be. Of course “more neutral” could mean a lot of things.
The Financial Times notes that many Israelis are nervous about Obama:
A senior Israeli minister has urged his countrymen not to “fear” the new US president, in remarks that highlighted the gulf between Israeli and world perceptions of Barack Obama.
The article implies that the ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza were timed so as not to antagonize the new administration. But it seems just as likely that the envasion itself was timed to wrap up before Obama took office. One last show of force while US Middle East policy was a known entity. But perhaps Israel overestimated even the Bush administration’s support:
In a move that was interpreted by some Israeli officials as a sign of coming turbulence with its strongest ally, the US refused to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire after 13 days of war. The Israeli government had urged the US to block the diplomatic move, but eventually managed only to get the US to abstain.
Comments
Following some complaints, I’ve opened up the comments for unregistered visitors. So for everyone who’s been dying to take me to task for my uninformed commentary on Gaza, now’s your chance.
What’s he going to say?
We know at least the broad strokes of Obama’s economic plans, but I’ll be listening closely on Tuesday to hear what he has to say about the situation in Gaza. From an article in Ha’aretz:
“We’ve got plenty to say about Gaza, and on January 20, you’ll hear directly from me,” [Obama] added.
Hopefully we’ll get a substantive idea of what his approach will be coming out of the gate. This preview of his speech, though, doesn’t offer any clues. I’m seeing some hints that Israel’s Western allies, along with Egypt, will indeed be pushing to strengthen Fatah and the PA politically. From the New York Times:
From Sharm el Sheik, the French, British, German, Spanish, Italian and Czech leaders traveled to Jerusalem for dinner with Mr. Olmert, who told his guests that undermining Hamas rule in Gaza depended on strengthening the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, whose power is currently confined to the West Bank.
The Sharm el-Sheikh conference also provided an opportunity to try to shore up the credibility of Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority. The PA, which was ousted from Gaza by Hamas in 2007, has been largely sidelined during the conflict, and Mr Abbas has faced criticism from Palestinians for not responding decisively to the crisis. He took part in the gathering and addressed the press alongside the European leaders.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey Goldberg thinks Fatah may be sharing intelligence with Israel. If this is true, a joint effort to weaken Hamas politically, along with some pressure on Israel to make concessions, could go a long way. I have a feeling the only way for Obama to gain real credibility with the Arab nations would be forcing Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank. Whether this is politically feasible, I have no idea.
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