The San Francisco Chronicle today gave us a gushing front-page profile of Susie "Medea" Benjamin, a founder of lunatic-fringe temper-tantrum group Global Exchange, and by profession a full-time Useful Idiot on behalf of Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein, Mullah Omar, etc.
The article was a puff piece timed for the anti-America, pro-Saddam riots that Benjamin helped organize today. Headline: "S.F. woman's relentless march for peace". In typical fashion, the Chronicle portrayed Benjamin as a noble activist, and didn't bother to ask her any difficult questions, such as "If we don't go to war against Iraq, how would you prevent Saddam Hussein from getting nuclear weapons, or does that scenario not bother you?" or "What would you have to say for yourself if we do leave Saddam Hussein in power and he goes on to kill several hundred thousand more people?"
The story does reveal a number of interesting items from Benjamin's background. For example, she earned a master's degree in economics (but apparently didn't pay attention in class). She visited Cuba once:
at first, Cuba's comparative social equality "made it seem like I died and went to heaven." Then she bumped into the limitations of free speech while working at a Communist-run newspaper; she was deported after daring to write an anti-government article.Go figure. Nevertheless, Global Exchange continues to support the Castro regime with an unquestioning, religious-like passion
Most intriguing is her main goal in life:
Blunting the world's inequities that allow some children to starve and others to grow up in comfort would become her life work.It's interesting that she now calls herself Medea, after a mythical character who murdered her own children. But I'm pleased to report that she has made progress toward her goal. Susie Benjamin's massive protest in San Francisco caused a horrendous traffic jam. A friend of ours was stuck in traffic for two hours on the way to David's birthday party, and her 14-month old daughter spent the whole time being uncomfortable and screaming her head off. The protest rally, the intent of which was to help Saddam stay in power, couldn't possibly have done anything useful for the children of Iraq.
But it did blunt the inequity by making at least one American child miserable for a few hours.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at October 26, 2002 11:11 PMInteresting that they can write an article about the honcho of Global Exchange without mentioning that it is simply a money laundering operation for Doug Tompkins, the Esprit clothing uber-millionaire.
He's also the socialist green (meaning money) behind the Foundation for Deep Ecology, the Rainforest Action Network, and other extreme statist environmental organs.
Global Exhange is guilty of funnelling his money to groups like the Ruckus Society, who have in turn trained rioters for the anti-globo protests.
At least Ted Turner gives to the Ruckus Society under his own name.
These are not nice people.
Posted by: Kieran Lyons on October 27, 2002 09:06 PMShe calls herself Medea?
My God, the blinding stupidity of these lunatics is too much for the mind to absorb.
Posted by: Meryl Yourish on October 31, 2002 10:03 AMThe Bible, Micah chapter 2 begins with this warning:
"Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. 2 They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his inheritance. 3 Therefore, the LORD says: "I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity. 4 In that day men will ridicule you"
Furthermore, the book of Revelation, chapter 18 says:
"Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! ...For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries."
and, "Mix her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself....She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her...In one hour she has been brought to ruin....By your magic spell all the nations were lead astray" and in chapter 19 we read "The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."
Now think about this: Who do you think this refers to: "the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries" ? Iraq???
Are you sure that you want to help President Bush in his misguided attempt to fulfill Scripture? Best not push your luck.
This war is wrong. Show leadership and oppose it.
Your website is only interesting to your fellow facsist pigs. Ricardo looks to be the only one with any brains.
--James
After watching Medea Benjamin AKA "Susie Stalingrad" on the Phil Donahue show with Neal Boortz. I was convinced that she needs help. I wish she would get some real fast.
I can not imagine what would happen to her if she was in Baghdad telling the Iraqi people that the war is unjust and illegal. I would like her to say that to some guy who lost a family member to a plastic shredder.
If you take a quick look at the Global Exchange web site, it will become quite clear that in my opinion it is a socialist/communist web spout.
I have found a neat little pic of the Protest Queen herself spouting her mouth of behind Donald Rumsfeld in congress.
http://www.voice4change.org/pod/images/pod020919.JPG
She is a real piece of work. I am still waiting for her amazing solution to the problems in Iraq. I still do not understand why she would not want to see people in Iraq be liberated. The U.N. would not help them. Remember the U.N. is the same brilliant group of gems that let eight hundred thousand people in Rowanda get hacked to pieces.
Medea if you ever read this post. Please do something constructive like helping the children in Iraq, just like you helped all of those sweatshop kids. Who knows they may even bring a smile to your face.
Please get some help.
Have a nice day
Jack
Posted by: Jack Meove on April 13, 2003 11:07 PMPeople like Medea need to travel. I have been to Leningrad as well as the former East Germany. One thing that always struck me is how poor and timid the people were there after suffereing under 40 or more years of statism!
"Government is not the answer to our problems...Government is the problem!" - Ronald Reagan
Posted by: Robert on April 17, 2003 07:10 PMWell, Saddam has been caught. No use moaning about the war now.
And hey, Osama will be caught too. When? Sometime this year.
Just in time for Bush's re-election. Wait and see. So we can relax about there being anymore terrorist attacks.
The powers that be will try and keep us all in fear though like Big Brother in 1984. That's what all this orange alert crapola is about.
Support whoever the Democratic candidate is for president.
As long as Bush is gone, that's all that matters.
Saddam is gone, soon Osama, Bush will be the icing on the cake of evil depots to be rid of.
Posted by: jace on January 22, 2004 04:03 PMThat was a pretty poor article of criticism about a person. We should open up and really listen to what a person has to say. I listened to a speech of Medea Benjamin on the radio and felt she made some very valid points about the issues in Iraq. She may have not express typical main stream views but it is very refreshing to listen to different ideas to our current administration.
Personally I have been a mild supporter of the war. As time passes I turned into a strong opponent to military action. I feel I have been mislead by our government (I have not figured out willingly or not).
Honestly, listen to yourselves, having heard Medea speak and a number of venues, and spoken with her one on one, I cannot believe the words above. She is a caring individual committed to a vision. She rejects the notion that war is the answer while proposing real ideas of how to improve the global community. She has founded groups that do good, important work and tackle overwhelming issues in creative, intelligent, and effective ways. Please open your ears a bit and listen to what she has to say.
Posted by: Erin on August 13, 2004 07:43 AMYou guys are closed minded warmongers who deserve to die on your own swords.
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