Bush must go; Blair must go-
Guardian Editorial Shows Intelligent Support for the Sane in America
Excerpts:
"...The difference between how Bush and his administration perceive the world and almost everybody else experiences it would be comic if the consequences were not so tragic."
"...We did not elect Bush (it is a moot point whether anybody did) and can do little about him but hope that the Democrats get it together to beat him next year."
"....We have shown that we can get mad; we have yet to show that we can get even. This is a global problem, not a local one. The vast majority of humanity did not want this war to happen, and it happened anyway. Even in those countries that are prosecuting it, including America, opinion polls showed that most were opposed to military action without UN approval."
"....If that were not bad enough we now know that in order to gain even minority support they had to lie about weapons that do not exist, using intelligence that could not be trusted. So we have a war we did not want, led by people we can no longer believe. And yet it remains to be seen whether anyone will be held accountable or forced to pay an electoral price."
"...there is little confusion in the American anti-war movement about whom the enemy is and what needs to be done about him. Their protests are having real consequences in the Democratic race for the presidential nomination, where anti-war candidates are making all the running and lifted the level of debate to a far higher level than we are currently seeing in the Labour party.
"....This is what makes the charges that the demonstrations are anti-American as ridiculous as they are predictable.
Americans are not the problem: Bush is."
"....Bush is not synonymous with America any more than Blair is synonymous with Britain. We can make Bush uncomfortable; it is only Blair we can make unemployed."
~~~~~~~~~~
More than 100 join rally for jailed doctor
November 15, 2003
By Ngoc Huynh
Contributing writer/Syracuse Post Standard
Supporters of a Manlius doctor jailed on charges he illegally sent money to Iraq marched Friday in front of the Onondaga County Justice Center with a banner that read: "The U.S. attorney has ruined our Ramadan by refusing bail for our brother Rafil."
Dr. Rafil Dhafir, accused of violating sanctions against Iraq by sending money there through his DeWitt-based charity, Help the Needy, has been denied bail three times since his arrest in February. A judge ruled that Dhafir was a risk to flee the country.
More than a 100 Muslims and non-Muslims arrived at the justice center's State Street entrance at 2 p.m. to show their support for Dhafir.
Mohammad Al Wahaidy, 12, of Fayetteville, was the first in the crowd to shout, "Free Dr. Dhafir!" He is the son of Osameh Al Wahaidy, 41, one of four men originally charged in the Help the Needy case. The elder Al Wahaidy pleaded guilty in April to one count of violating the sanctions.
As others joined in his chant, another voice sang, "We miss him. He's a good man."
Several cars passed by and motorists honked and waved.
Imam Ahmed Kobeisy, who heads the Islamic Society of Central New York, said Dhafir has strong ties with the community and is not a flight risk.
"We would like to have him reunited with the community in the month of Ramadan," Kobeisy said. "We would like to celebrate with him, fasting and praying with fellow Muslims."
Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, ends Nov. 25. During this time, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, pray, meditate and do acts of charity.
U.S. District Judge Norman Mordue rejected Dhafir's last bail request in July. Dhafir, an oncologist, is considered a flight risk because of his financial assets and overseas contacts, judges have said.
In addition to the charges that he violated sanctions against Iraq, Dhafir is accused of evading $400,000 in federal income tax payments by falsely writing off donations to Help the Needy, and of defrauding Medicare out of more than $274,000.
Haikal Abughoush, rally organizer, has known Dhafir for 20 years. He said the government is looking for reasons to keep his friend in jail.
"They had egg on their face," he said, "so they needed to find something. What they found was further charges."
........
2003 The Post-Standard.
FREE DHAFIR
Add 'Blog' To the Campaign Lexicon
By Brian Faler
Special to The Washington Post
Arar and Immigration: Canadian's Next PM Paul Martin had best keep things honest
"...When he succeeds Chretien, who is expected to step down in upcoming weeks, Martin will promote stronger relations with Bush and strengthened ties between Canada's Parliament and Congress.
Chretien angered Bush this year by refusing to take part in the war in Iraq, prompting the U.S. president to cancel a planned visit to Ottawa in May. Before then, some of Chretien's subordinates publicly ridiculed Bush over his unilateral policies, with one quoted as calling the president a moron..."
Canadian PM Chretien has had more than one good point, like him or hate him.
When you have innocent Canadian citizens going through American airports, being detained by U.S. officials and deported to Syria (with a dependent family left behind with no word)...and when that Canadian is then tortured in a grave-like prison for over a year, you have to do what is best to protect your people.
Maher Arar
Martin had best watch his back on the future of immigration policies involving the U.S. as partner.
One can not doubt the delicate idea of a coordinated Canadian immigration policy with the U.S. has been complicated by the fate of Maher Arar, a Syrian-born immigrant to Canada who was deported to Damascus last year by U.S. agents. Ottawa is under pressure to reveal what role if any Canadian police played in the decision.
Listen to Maher Arar's story of illegal rendition here.
and here.
and here.
I'm betting neither the Bush administration nor the Congress will touch this investigation.
Human Rights groups are trying to help.
Pentagon IG wipes the slime off the pig
A pig, however, will always be what he is.
The Pentagon, the Bush administration, the Richard Perles, the Mark Zells, the Douglas Feiths, the private companies and the investors are so intertwined that there is no longer any way to separate them.
Welcome to the sty. Go to work, go shopping, watch Fox News, buck up and don't ask any questions, U.S. taxpayers.
Of course, Richard Perle didn't violate ethics law....there IS no code of ethics with these people and
a law can be s--t--r--e--t--c--h--e--d to prove it.
Even if we turn our faces from all the lies...
what of the promises?
Still no cheering..other than cheers of some Iraqi children when a U.S. helicopter is shot down.
Still no roses...except those at the funeral services.
One hour ago, two more U.S. Black Hawk helicopters were shot down.
Judiciary squabble:
Word- Most Americans could care; remain unaware
I heard a journalist on a political talk-show saying that, through calling for the all-night session regarding the Judiciary this week, the Republicans had hoped to at least educate the public on the meaning of "filibuster".
Another journalist on the panel said (basically) "Fat chance".
If you're a political junkie like me, (especially if you loved "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"), you already know what a filibuster is.
I agree, though, that if you don't already know or care, this whole session was for naught.
It was just a stage for the melodramatic children from the GOP who wasted what could have been
a far more productive last few hours to debate and formulate some meaningful legislation.
A Washington Post article asked: "Why do some Washington stories take off like a booster rocket while others seem to fizzle?"
The article drives home the point that the average American didn't even know or care about this yak session.
Note: Be sure to read the above-mentioned article as it progresses to talkng about the current contretemps over the Senate intelligence committee memo. It's amusing and compelling (if you're a political junkie like me, at least).
Republicans Got Nowhere With Their Drama-Queen Act
Rick Santorum literally said there would be "payback" when a Democratic president (President Dean;) starts to
nominate judiciary candidates.
This anti-filibuster filibuster only shows how much our Senators resent one another...but that's nothing new.
Call me jaded. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that a high-strung GOP Senator hauled off and physically went
for the wrinkly throat of a fellow Senator.
Bush has set the tone for this animosity.
I hope he's proud of the political atmosphere he has led to this frenzied state.
What Kerry's doing bugs me
I like John Kerry, but I resent the fact that he plans to use his wife's money (as much as he can) to fight the little people making donations from hard-earned money out of their own pockets to the candidate of their choosing.
I really do resent that.
A candidate using his own wealth does nothing to promote the cause of healthy democracy or
to spark new voters.
I suppose Howard Dean put him in this corner...and Kerry took the bait.
Kerry comes out looking bad.
Dean wins again.
"My father crapped bigger ones than George Bush"
Ronald P. Reagan
Ronald Prescott Reagan for President '04
Bankruptcy in America
Continuing the record-setting pace of recent years, personal bankruptcies rose 7.8 percent in the 12 months ending Sept. 30, according to data released Friday by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
The past four years:
FY........Business..NonBusiness....Total
2003.....36,183.....1,625,813......1,661,996
2002.....39,091.....1,508,578......1,547,669
2001.....38,490.....1,398,864......1,437,354
2000.....36.065.....1,226,037......1,262,102
See U.S.Courts.gov
I found this to be a most unusual story
"Get Him, Lenny!"
Democratic Leaders and MSNBC--Time to Stop Giving Bush Honeymoon!
MSNBC posed a question to potential television-poll-participants today...
"Is George Soros' political gift ($millions$) to democratic organizations going to help or hurt the Democrats?
What a conservative-leaning crock of crap!!!!
As if $15 million won't help, regardless of the donator.
Give us a break!
And when is the last time we were asked if the $24 million Bush raised at a black-tie gala in DC would
help or hurt him?!?
MSNBC, shame on you!
NBC doesn't have enough Jim Miklaszewski's.(see reference below)
MSNBC cowers in the heavy shadow of their corporate-sentries.
They are lame, to put it in the simplest terms.
Self-respecting journalists who work for NBC/MSNBC should be embarrassed.
When is NBC/MSNBC planning to stop giving this guy his undeserved honeymoon?
When he's lobbed the first nuke into the Middle East and has killed hundreds of thousands?
Thanks to his wealth, he may have educational degrees, but we all know what a simp he is...and what an easy shill he is for those who subscribe to the Three Ps...Profits, Poverty, and Power.
He's a man who was never personally successful at anything in his life until money made him the little king and footsoldier of God that he apparently always wanted to be. Now he's ruining our Union.
He's a man who subscribes to an ideology that is crucially damaging to the vast majority of citizens of this nation.
We have a President who'd willingly carry on an unnecessary war of distraction while the ugly greed that is sated by policies that enrich the wealthiest is fed..while loyal grunts in Iraq die or face lifelong disability from injury and the poorest among us are virtually forgotten...while our civil liberties are systematically being stripped away.
MSNBC headline:"How to talk to your kids about Kobe Bryant"!??!
Dear God...what are they thinking?
How about "How to talk to your kids about GW Bush"??!!
Wake up!
It's time for our journalists AND our Congresspeople to tell it like it is..
time to stop pussy-footing their way around this fascist Bush administration.
Time to start saying what they mean.
The Republicans are trying hard (and often successfully) to make Democrats look like nothing more than
"hate-speechers". Well, why don't our Democratic leaders haul off and show the other side what it really means
to rip apart the Bush policies...with the gloves off.
If they are going to be accused of it, they'd best do a damned effective job instead of looking like they're still
courting the worst President in American history.
"Get him, Lenny!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reference to Jim Miklaszewski from Deborah Mathis' Nov 11th column:
" WE CAN'T RIGHT-WING JUGGERNAUT STOP THE PRESSES"
"...Thank heavens there are still those like Jim Miklaszewski of NBC News, who are not cowed by this machine and don't let the racket drown out the little voice that reminds journalists what they're there for: Get the story. Get it right and get it true.
He was excoriated for reporting, with videotaped footage, the carnage at Baghdad's al-Rashid Hotel in the wake of a bombing that coincided with Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz's visit - indeed, his residency at the very hotel that was struck.
The knee-jerk reaction was to accuse Miklaszewski of accentuating the tragic in order to mock George W. Bush's sunny focus on the region.
Fortunately, not only did Miklaszewski stick to his guns, but so did network executives.
That's too rare a stance these days. Other journalists - lesser journalists, maybe - would be so worried about having their credentials yanked or not being invited to the Christmas party or press picnic that they would be scrambling to kiss up to the White House...."
Wilson's Wisdom: Beware of the white-collar redneck
I'm not worried about the guy waving his Confederate flag next door. I'm more worried about someone else.
by Rabbi Marc Howard Wilson
Rabbi Wilson is right.
Symbols are symbols, but the real danger lies in those with the real influence.
"...the rancor should not be over wooing pickup-truck rednecks. It should be over the courtship of the white-collar rednecks, the ones who really wield the influence."
Cloning Christ
I first read about this on Jewsweek. From the 'Yada, yada, yada blog': "..And you guys were worried about The Passion. Take a look at the book, soon to be a motion picture, Cloning Christ...."
The main character is Dr. Max Train, a leading genetic scientist from Syracuse, New York.
I live in Syracuse, NY..hmmm..that increases my interest in the story...
The book is written by authors Peter Senese and Robert Geis, who have joined forces to create "Cloning Christ".
Their website calls it "a brilliantly written theological thriller which provokes the question of how genetic science and faith may co-exist in today's world. The intricately developed plot, with originally created characters who are cast behind the backdrop of an assortment of scientific and religious perspectives held by people of the world today, challenge the reader at every turn to think through these current issues as the fast-paced thriller evolves into a story of good versus evil."
Cloning Christ is in development to be made into a motion picture, production scheduled to begin in the late spring of 2004.
It's the story of a genetic scientist - Max - a man who lived a 'perfect' life. Highly respected in the field of genetic research, his work led him to discover the secrets of man’s DNA sequence code. Happily married to Lisa Train, the loving mother of their four-year old daughter, Annie, Max lived the life most people aspire to have. Thankful in his blessings, Max’s devout love of God led him to live a righteous life. Max was a Believer.
Then a nightmare so chilling and cruel became Max’s cold reality as all he loved and cherished was brutally taken from him. When Max enters an ancient cave hidden from time near Mount Olivet, he discovers what may be the True Cross of Jesus, and painfully confronts his faith in God. This is only the beginning of Max's journey into chaos he could never imagine in his wildest nightmares....Other people are aware of his find, including a corrupt cardinal close to the pope, who is fanatically afraid that Train will use the DNA from any flesh or hair remaining on the cross to try to clone Christ....With the possible True Cross in his possession, Max dashes across the globe in an attempt to flee the dark clouds of evil endlessly chasing after him and the artifact that may in fact change the world forever. Confronted with his desire to accept God – unable to accept the dark past that turned his life into a living nightmare – Max begins a dangerous global journey back to the loving hands of the Christ.
This may, indeed, be a controversial movie, but the subject matter is quite interesting...provocative at best.
Often, when an author (or authors) attempt to transcend religion, they wind up inadvertenly insulting the faithful masses.
I have yet to read this book, so I am no authority.
I'll have to put it on my list of "to-reads".
Take This Test!
http://www.politicalcompass.org/
The social dimension of politics is important. That's the dimension that the mere left-right scale doesn't adequately address. So Political Compass has added one, ranging in positions from extreme authoritarian to extreme libertarian.
My result was here:
Close to this fellow:
NOTE: Don't spoil the results by reading the Analysis section before you take the test.
John Stewart Honored by Jewsweek
The Jewsweek Jewriffic Awards
Also, do not miss this honorable mention:
4. Best opera honoring a sleazy Jewish talk show host: London audiences have been privileged to have "Jerry Springer -- The Opera" at the state-funded National Theatre since April. This week, however, the man himself paid them a visit and had this to say at a lavish party honoring him after the show: "As an opera, it's perfect."
A new blog
Take a drive by And then..., an interesting new blog.
