Root Striker of the Year
I'm a newbie to STR and haven't read most of the articles posted on STR by Strikers in 2004. These three stood out in my mind while I have been a regular at STR, but I'm sure I missed some as equally deserving.
1) Anthony Gregory [5] (archive [6]) ' Young man who is a prolific writer and always focuses on issues from a freedom perspective. Not only writes for STR but also has been featured on Lew Rockwell, Antiwar.com, Rational Review. Seems to save some of his best for the Root.
2) Jim Davies [7] (archive [8]) ' An old pro who is an enemy of the state and freely shares his wealth of information. Not just content to talk about freedom, but puts forth ideas for implementing freedom and fighting the state.
3) Fred Reed [9] (archive [10]) ' Unique, hard-hitting writing style. Fred doesn't pull any punches, and tells it like he sees it. Fred is not PC and proud of it. Fred also writes for Lew Rockwell.
Freedom Fighter of the Year
As usual, it is harder to identify those that fight for freedom as opposed to those who fight against freedom. With the bias of the mainstream media against freedom and serving as a conduit of state lies and propaganda, it is hard for liberty lovers to get the recognition they deserve. Here are four, who against overwhelming odds, stood out as torches of freedom in 2004.
1) Lew Rockwell [11] - The godfather of the modern freedom movement. Star of his own website lewrockwell.com. Always promotes an anti-state, anti-war, pro-market approach in everything he says and does. We need more Lew Rockwells in the world.
2) Ron Paul [12] ' Maybe the only person in Washington , D.C. who understands what freedom is; surely the only elected person. Is nicknamed 'Dr. No' by fellow lawmakers for always refusing to go along with their unconstitutional state power/money grabbing ideas. Should be called 'Dr. Right' for always exposing their worthless, lame-brained schemes for what they are. Ron Paul is a true champion of freedom.
3) Paul Craig Roberts [13] - 2004 was a year of awaking for Dr. Roberts, when he truly became a defender of freedom. He went on a one-man crusade to expose the lies and perfidy of the Bush administration and the neoCons. This former Wall Street Journal associate editor, National Review contributing editor, and Assistant Treasury Secretary in the Reagan administration, found out who his true friends were, as most of his former associates not only turned their backs on him, but stabbed him in the back. I don't know how many others noticed his achievements, but I sure did, and want to say thank you Dr. Roberts for standing up for truth and freedom.
4) [14]John Pilger [14] ' One of only a few investigative reporters who are willing to take on the state. He has exposed the truth about British and US war crimes and genocide in Yugoslavia , Palestine , Afghanistan , Iraq , and Diego Garcia. Also does battle with politicians and the mainstream media, showing how they invent sanctimonious excuses to justify state terrorism and crime. It is a transgression against humanity that Mr. Pilger and his documentaries are completely ignored by the mainstream media in the US .
5) Honorable mention: Ramsey Clark [15] ' A former U.S. Attorney General, Mr. Clark continued in the drive he started in 2003 to impeach the Bush Administration for war crimes and continued to support the anti-war movement.
Freedom Villain of the Year
2004 was a bumper crop for those who hate freedom. Every day there was some new, self-righteous joker who wanted to destroy freedom. But these four dregs of humanity consistently and repeatedly trampled on freedom.
1) George W. Bush ' Pompous, ignorant fool who thinks God tells him to slaughter and maim innocent people. Because of his idiotic edicts, he has turned Iraq into a living hell. Due to his incompetence, America is now a pariah state, feared and loathed by the world. He has completely destroyed the Bill of Rights, and thinks he has the power to declare anyone in the world an enemy combatant, even American citizens. Has authorized torture in violation of international and US law and allowed concentration camps to be set up in various locations.
2) Tony Blair ' Major war criminal, has actively participated in war crimes and genocide with the Clinton and Bush regimes. If there is a chance to murder and maim innocent people, Blair will be chomping at the bit to participate. Has worked feverously to eliminate all personal freedoms in the UK , and make all citizens slaves of the state. He has reaped a personal financial bonanza from his criminal activity.
3) Ariel Sharon ' Another war criminal who believes he is above all laws. His regime of genocide against the Palestinians is the root cause of instability in the Middle East . Illegal, unconditional support of the racist, Zionist state of Israel costs American taxpayers tens of billions of dollars a year, reduces freedom in the US and Israel, and makes Americans and Jews targets of terrorism.
4) Dick Cheney ' War profiteer extraordinaire. Counts every death and maiming in Iraq , both American and Iraqi, as profit for himself and Halliburton. While Bush is the front man who deceives the public, Cheney and his cabal of traitors are busy destroying America . Without the criminal mind of Cheney directing the illegal activity of the Bush administration in the background, it is doubtful the moron Bush could do as much damage on his own. Its hard to know which is the worst scumbag, Bush or Cheney.
5) Dishonorable mention: Liar of State ' Colin Powell, National Security Liar ' Condi Rice, Secretary of Destruction ' Don Rumsfield, AG of Lawlessness ' John Ashcroft, all the neoCons, all the mainstream lying propaganda media, all the flag officers of the US military who continued to put their careers ahead of morals by continuing to pursue an illegal war of aggression, the nine voodoo witch doctors in black robes known as the SCOTUS, and the US Senate and House of Representatives (minus Ron Paul).
