Ma Cher Pauline...

After much thought, I have chosen to share my meditation on Pauline Marois with the world.  

First she plucks us of our rights.

Then we remind her of who and what she is.

I'm not sure how La Marseillaise found its way into the mix.  Are you Pauline?

(Not that it much matters since so few read my lonely little blog anyway.)

For those who may not know, Alouette is a song about a sweet lark having its feathers plucked out, bit by bit, as Pauline proposes to do with the rights of the people of Quebec.  A lovely children's song.
Here is a translation.

  Lark, nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark
I will pluck you
I will pluck you the head
I will pluck you the head
And the head, and the head Alouette,
Alouette O-o-o-o-oh Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you Lark,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you
I will pluck you the nose
I will pluck you the nose
And the nose, and the nose Alouette,
Alouette O-o-o-o-oh Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you Lark,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you
I will pluck you the eyes
I will pluck you the eyes
And the eyes, and the eyes Alouette,
Alouette O-o-o-o-oh Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you Lark,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you
I will pluck you the neck
I will pluck you the neck
And the neck, and the neck Alouette,
Alouette O-o-o-o-oh Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you Lark,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you
I will pluck you the wings
I will pluck you the wings
And the wings, and the wings Alouette,
Alouette O-o-o-o-oh Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you Lark,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you
Alouette, nice Alouette Lark
I will pluck you
I will pluck you the back
I will pluck you the back
And the back, and the back Alouette,
Alouette O-o-o-o-oh Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark
I will pluck you Lark,
nice Alouette Lark
I will pluck you Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark
I will pluck you
I will pluck you the legs
I will pluck you the legs
And the legs, and the legs Alouette,
Alouette O-o-o-o-oh Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark
I will pluck you Lark,
nice Alouette Lark
I will pluck you Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you
I will pluck you the tail
I will pluck you the tail
And the tail, and the tail Alouette,
Alouette O-o-o-o-oh Alouette,
nice Alouette Lark I will pluck you

Read more: Children - Alouette (english Translation) Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Willard Mitt Romney

Being a parody of the original movie poster for the movie "Willard" (1971).  ©The poster art copyright is believed to belong to the distributor of the film, Cinerama Releasing Corporation (USA, theatrical, 1971)

The quote is from Wikipedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willard_(2003_film)

**************************************************

DANGER! DANGER!! BEWARE!!! DANGER!!

BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID.

Guns!

This is not original, I just remade it in a size to fit my blog 

With Our Brothers, We Will Share

I have had a week now to think about the killings in Wisconsin and I still have nothing profound or moving to say, only the image of  Bhenji Paramjit Kaur matha teking to Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji and rising to find herself at the feet of Satguru.

We have six new shaheeds.  When we mourn, we do not mourn for them.  They died well and they are fine.  We mourn instead for ourselves who have lost their sweet presence on our planet and in our lives.

The futility of these needless killings brings to mind a song from an old 1970s movie, Billy Jack.  We Sikhs are, after all, willing to freely give what we have.

"With our brothers we will share

All the secrets of our mountain, 

All the treasures buried there. 

Those of my generation will probably remember it.  I hope the rest of you listen and understand its message 



For those unfamiliar with the movie, I should explain that the man being arrested in the video is the hero who has been unjustly accused and the people standing and raising their fists in salute are his supporters, many of them Native American children from the school he was trying to save.  .

Nanak naam chardi kala
Tere bhane sarbat da bhala

MITTENS and SEAMUS

Just to be fair and balanced, I have positioned this on the left. 

I AM I

Just a picture I made illustrating my approach to life.  And perhaps an explanation.

THROUGH A RAPIST'S EYES

A Friend shared this on Facebook.  Please feel free to do a copy/paste of this post and send it on to your mother, sister, wife, girlfriend, any woman or girl you care about.  It might save her life.


Unfortunately there is a world of difference between "should be" and "is."  Anyone, including women, should be able to walk safely anywhere.  We all know this is not the case.  When we get our perfect world - or at least a more equitable one - we won't need these suggestions.  Until then, please heed them.  They may save your life.


THEY COME FROM THE TRUE EXPERTS ON RAPISTS, THE RAPISTS THEMSELVES.

THROUGH A RAPIST'S EYES

It seems that a lot of attackers use some tactic to get away with violence. Not many
people know how to take care of themselves when faced with such a
situation. Everyone should read this especially each n every girl in this world.




THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD INFO TO PASS ALONG...
FYI - Through a rapist's eyes! A group of rapists and date rapists in
prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim
and here are some interesting facts:


1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.
They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid
or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to
go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common
targets.


2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women
who's clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors
around to cut clothing.


3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through
their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are
off guard and can be easily overpowered.


4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is
grocery store parking lots.


5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.


6] Number three is public restrooms.


7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman
and quickly move her to a second location where they don't have to
worry about getting caught.


8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged
because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going
after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming.


9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or
other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their
hands.


10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to
the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince
these guys you're not worth it.


POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:


1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or
with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask
them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk:
can't believe it is so cold out here, we're in for a bad winter. Now
that you've seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up,
you lose appeal as a target.


2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of
you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to
said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would
not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY
target.


3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of
it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER
SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.


4] If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can
do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from
behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and
armpit or in the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this
guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was
trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin
and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching
yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.


5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a
particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it
is extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and
make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our
instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of
trouble. Start causing trouble, and he's out of there.


6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers
and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing
down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using
much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked
audibly.


7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of
your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any
odd behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel
little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the guy really
was trouble.


FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ....
I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be
some, where you will go "hmm I must remember that" After reading,
forward it to someone you care about, never hurts to be careful in
this crazy world we live in.


1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your
body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.


2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks
for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from
you.... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or
purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN
THE OTHER DIRECTION!


3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back
tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like
crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has
saved lives.


4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating,
working, etc., and just sit
(doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS! The
predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for
him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell
you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE.


5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or
parking garage:


a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be
hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the
passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE
RIDING A TAXI CAB) .


b. If you! u are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the
passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling
them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their
cars.


c. Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and
the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest
your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE
THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)


6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are
horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).


7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS
RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times;
And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!


8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may
get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a
good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies
of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often
asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when
he abducted his next victim.


I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a
life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going
to send this to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers,
wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as
well.


Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the
world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it's better safe than
sorry.


If u have a heart or compassion share this photo.


WE CAN SHARE JOKES AND SPAM MAILS TO OUR FRIENDS & NETWORKS
PLEASE FOR ONCE SHARE THIS AND
LETS TRY TO HELP THEM.


‘Helping hands are better than Praying Lips’ – give us your helping hand.
SHARE IT WITH ALL UR FRIENDS.


AT LEAST PEOPLES WILL KNOW WATS GOING IN WORLD.


Friends So Please Share....Your one share can Help to spread this information. We share So many Stupid Things on Facebook and ignore these types of things which can save so many life's...

I AM THE 99% WHO ARE YOU?

BABINA BAHERA - In Memorium

News story at  http://goo.gl/6rPQ4   

Or perhaps it should be "in angry, outraged, furious memory."  This is wrong on so many levels.  Rape, of course, is the ultimate act of disrespect, to be raped so violently that death results can barely be imagined.  That is the first level of wrong.  How can beings calling themselves "men" behave in such a manner?  I wonder if they think of their mothers, who, after all, are women, while they do the vile crime.

A second level is the fact that being raped, being the VICTIM  is so shameful that she cannot even be named, not even after she has died.  I guess that would upset her family's izzat and position in their community.  I have always hated the fact that a woman who has been raped is "dishonoured" in the Indian speech.  I will not be sidetracked into the whole izzat thing except to say it is one of the greatest evils of Indian society.

Note:  Now, thanks to the Times of India, we can give her a name.  Babina Bahera.  When I originally wrote this, I found no name for her.  Now, at least, her name is known and her memory can be properly honoured.  

Which brings us to what is probably the single greatest evil of India, certainly the most glaring.  Caste.  My higher caste Hindu friends assure me that caste is totally passé and of no importance.  I have had many Dalit friends over the years and not a single one has ever tried to convince me of this nonsense about caste being irrelevant.  If it is irrelevant, why is it always mentioned?  Have the thugs responsible been arrested?  Are they known?  Why was the family's complaint ignored? How would the gang rape of a young brahmin girl be treated?

And I don't let my Sikh coreligionists off the hook here, either.  You know damned well that caste is still a fact of life among most of us.  Remember Jassi Kaur Sidhu of Canada.  I thought that would make you cringe.  It damned well should.  He was "of a lower staus than she," indeed  For those who aren't Sikh or pretend to forget, there is even a Wikipedia article about her.     .  At this point, I am so angry, that I suppose I should stop writing and cool down a bit, but I won't.

All you big, strong, macho Jatt Singhs out there, how would you react if this were your sister?  Would you sit back and do nothing?   Well, guess what?  She IS your sister and if you are worthy of the name "Singh" you know it.  What are you going to do about it?  

This young lady's case has become something of a cause célèbre.  Good.  But that's not enough.  What about the other young women raped and otherwise sexually disrespected?  What about them?  Maybe you think you can hide them behind the innocuous-sounding "Eve-teasing."   No.  Not any more.  Be prepared to discover that those days are ending;  the women of India, like women all over the world are awakening and these days are soon to come to an end.  Do you think I'm dreaming?  I'm not.  Here is one blog that is an example of the awakening of our hundreds of millions of sisters in India.  Read the posts.  Read the comments.  Check the links.  The women are rising up and demanding equal status as human beings.  Here is the link to "The Life and Times of an Indian Homemaker."  

http://indianhomemaker.wordpress.com/

I have no right to dictate anything to the Dalit community, so I will only suggest that you remember and emulate the intelligence and courage of Dr. Ambedkar.  There is power in numbers.  And 166,000,000 are a whole lot of people.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS

WE ARE THE 99%

WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED!

OCCUPY!! 

My friend Gurmeet Kaur found more information including the young lady's name.  It is Babina Bahera.  May she rest in peace and may those who love her be comforted.   Reading between the lines, it appears that the perpetrators are known or at least highly suspected.

Now will they be brought to justice?  From The Times of India:  Pipili 'rape' points to pitiable state of women.

 Reading between the lines, it appears that the perpetrators are known or at least highly suspected.  Now we shall see.  What will be the final outcome?  I can guess.


She is dead.  Except for those who know and love her, she will soon be forgotten and life will go on unchanged.

It doesn't have to be that way.  If the people have the will, it can be changed. But it won't.  Not now.  Maybe not for a long, long time.  Someday.  Just not now...

If this post has not offended anybody, I am sorry.  That was not my intention.  Some things are inherently offensive;  this is one of them.  I will never forget her.  Every time I see a lovely hummingbird, I will think of her and the others like her.  It could have been me.  Or you.  Or som,reone dear to you.

My love to you sall/.

Remain in chardi kala.

SOME ASSUMPTIONS ARE WRONG

Not original, but too good to pass up.

WOMEN WHO KNOW THEIR PLACE
 
Barbara Walters of 20/20 did a story on gender roles in  Kabul, Afghanistan several years before the Afghan conflict.
 
She noted that women customarily walked five paces behind their husbands.

She recently returned to Kabul and observed that women still walk behind their husbands.
Despite the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban regime, the women now seem happy to maintain the old custom.

Ms Walters approached one of the Afghani women and asked, 'Why do you now seem happy with an old custom that you once tried so desperately to change?'

The woman looked Ms Walters straight in the eyes, and without hesitation said, "Land mines."

Moral of the story is (no matter what language you speak or where you go):

BEHIND EVERY MAN, THERE'S A SMART WOMAN!

Thanks to Friend Asha

COURAGE OF CONVICTION (The Matter of Balwant Singh Rajoana) by I.J. Singh

Beant Singh's assassin, Balwant Singh Rajoana, is to be hanged on Saturday, rules the court.  But the jail authorities are reluctant to do.
The political back and forth between the jail authorities and the courts continues.  The courts have ordered a hanging; the jail authorities would like to defer the moment.
Why?
There is no doubt that Balwant Singh, by his own admission, is guilty in the killing of Beant Singh, the former Chief Minister of Punjab, almost a decade ago in 1995.
Balwant Singh has not requested a delay.  He has not appealed to a higher court.  He has not petitioned for mercy.
Balwant Singh absolutely refuses to recognize the courts or the legal proceedings that convicted him and sentenced him to die.
He has repeatedly and clearly asked that no one intercede on his behalf.
It is not that Balwant Singh wants to die; it is that he is willing to do so.
It is that everyone is free to challenge the existing law, whether on taking a life, as Balwant Singh did, or going through a red light.  Each carries a price that the law demands.
When a man deliberately decides to break a law he must also be ready to pay the piper.  And Balwant Singh is.
He committed a crime.  Why?
Because Beant Singh, the Chief Minister, was responsible for the arbitrary and capricious murder of so many innocent Sikhs  -- all in the name of state security and peace.  Something had to be done. The state mechanisms of justice had totally failed.  And when all other means have failed it is just and rightful to take to the sword.
This is what Balwant Singh did.  That is why to the peasantry of Punjab Balwant Singh has reached an iconic status.
But when the courts have so ruled why do the jail-authorities cringe at carrying out the orders?
Simply because the jailers and those designated to carry out the hanging see the political realities.  To most Sikhs Balwant Singh is a man who has done no wrong; he is a hero to so many that it would be politically unwise to hang him.  Many would like to give him a medal instead.
From a hanging a popular backlash could result and that would hardly be conducive to peace.
His guilt is not issue today.  It is the shortsighted political decision that is to be rued.
A crime deserves punishment and alternatives to hanging exist.
Before Indians in India – Sikhs and non-Sikhs – take umbrage at my words; to them what I say sounds like interference in the internal affairs of their country, I ask them to think a little.  Not so long ago, when apartheid was the law of the land in South Africa, it was our moral duty to raise our voices against it – no matter if we were citizens of India, Germany, Africa or India.  Why then should we hold our tongue in the case of miscarriage of justice in India?
South Africa is not the only nation whose genocidal policies raised our hackles.  It became everyone’s cause, no matter the race, color, caste, creed, religion or geography and nationality.
Take careful note of the fact that India’s record of justice for its own people is horrendous.  One example of many that exist:  the killing of several thousand Sikhs in its capital city of Delhi in 1984 when the police watched, if not aided and abetted the murders.  And where is justice now 28 years and a dozen Inquiry Commissions later?  Still waiting!
I would be willing to bet that the ordinary Punjabi, the ordinary Sikh, grieves for Balwant Singh today while at the same time he salutes and celebrates the courage of his convictions.
Hanging of the man – Balwant Singh – who acted in the face of such unabating injustice would reopen fresh the wounds of the 1980’s.  And that is not the way to a future of peace.  It is the way to unending resentment and violence.
Is that what the policymakers in India want?  I would think they are a lot smarter than that.
A government of the people ought to listen to the people; it needs to have an ear to the ground

March 28, 2012

Published with permission of the author.

(Inter) National Brotherhood(/Sisterhood) Week

This is a song by the USA's master parodist, Tom Lehrer. This song needs an introduction by me, as well as Tom's intro.

First let me pontificate a bit, then listen to the song.

National Brotherhood Week is now National Brotherhood/Sisterhood Week to reflect, I suppose, the changing social climate.  I think National Siblinghood Week would be better, saving a total of three syllables that could be used more profitably elsewhere.    According the Wikipedia, the authoritative source of just about everything except for school papers, it is held on the third week of February.  (February, of course, is Black History Month.)  I guess it came and went without much, if any, notice this year.

I sort of wonder what the people behind it, National Conference for Community and Justice, expect to accomplish?  Of course, they want us all to realise that we are sisters and brothers (or brothers and sisters) and end all our prejudices based on race, colour, creed, socioeconomic class and country of national origin.  I think the prejudice based on gender, disability and sexual orientation must have been added in recent years.  If India had such a week, caste would have to be included.  Although my high caste friends assure me that caste is no longer relevant in India, my friends who are not high caste assure me otherwise.  Who should I believe?  I won't get into such oddities as manual scavenging here;  I don't want to make you uncomfortable, now, do I?

I think very little is accomplished by it personally.  Those who consider themselves unprejudiced will give each other  self-congratulatory slaps on the back, not understanding or not willing to admit or not caring  that we all have nasty prejudices lurking in us and rooting them out would be more profitable than denying them.  The bigots will remain bigots and, I suspect, ignore the whole thing, as it seems the entire country (USA) does every year except, I suspect a few kids in liberal and Montessori Schools.

My prejudices?  I was hoping you wouldn't ask.  I find racial and ethnic differences more interesting than distasteful.  I tend to be more prejudiced against those on top than those on the bottom, you know, the 1%, but that's socially acceptable, so I suppose it doesn't count.  Stupid people.  I find them insufferable.  I know they can't help being stupid, but I dislike them and I know that isn't very nice.

A bit of explanation for my readers from countries outside of North America and those too young to remember what these references are.

Sheriff Clark was Sheriff Jim Clark of Selma, Alabama, the quintessential segregationist, [Racial segregation, also called Jim Crow,  was the USA form of apartheid enshrined in the laws of the South.  The Northerners were less honest and pretended that they believed in equality of the races, ignoring the squalid ghettoes of the Northern cities. All segregation laws have either been repealed or declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.]   Sheriff Clark died, unrepentant,  in 2007.
Lena Horne was a great Black (now African American) singer, actress. dancer and activist, among other things.  She died in 2010.

I think everyone should be able to follow the rest of the song.

For those of you in other countries (mostly India, among my readers), feel free to replace Mr. Lehrer's words with your own local prejudices in place of the U S of A ones as written.

Tom Lehrer's Introduction:

One week of every year is designated National Brotherhood Week. This is just one of many such weeks honoring various worthy causes...During National Brotherhood Week various special events are arranged to drive home the message of brotherhood. This year, for example, on the first day of the week Malcolm X was killed which gives you an idea of how effective the whole thing is. I'm sure we all agree that we ought to love one another and I know there are people in the world that do not love their fellow human beings and I hate people like that. Here's a song about National Brotherhood Week.

THE SONG:
Oh, the white folks hate the black folks,
And the black folks hate the white folks.
To hate all but the right folks
Is an old established rule.

But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
Lena Horne and Sheriff Clarke are dancing cheek to cheek.
It's fun to eulogize
The people you despise,
As long as you don't let 'em in your school.

Oh, the poor folks hate the rich folks,
And the rich folks hate the poor folks.
All of my folks hate all of your folks,
It's American as apple pie.

But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
New Yorkers love the Puerto Ricans 'cause it's very chic.
Step up and shake the hand
Of someone you can't stand.
You can tolerate him if you try.

Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics,
And the Catholics hate the Protestants,
And the Hindus hate the Moslems,
And everybody hates the Jews.

But during National Brotherhood Week, National Brotherhood Week,
It's National Everyone-smile-at-one-another-hood Week.
Be nice to people who
Are inferior to you.
It's only for a week, so have no fear.
Be grateful that it doesn't last all year!
***********************************************************************************




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAOwYDlEQXo&feature=related

References


Sheriff Jim Clark:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Clark_%28sheriff%29

Lena Horne:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lena_Horne

Tom Lehrer:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Lehrer

Segregation:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_segregation_in_the_United_States

 National Conference for Community and Justice:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Conference_for_Community_and_Justice

My Saddest Blogpost Yet

IN THIS BLOG, i WILL NOT MAKE IT A HABIT OF REPRINTING OTHERS' ARTICLES.  THIS, HOWEVER IS SO IMPORTANT THAT IT MUST BE PRINTED.  EVERYONE IN THE USA NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE NDAA, AS SIGNED INTO LAW BY BARACK OBAMA ON THE LAST DAY OF 2011, THE DEATH DAY OF THE USA BILL OF RIGHTS.

Barack Obama has betrayed the American people.  I hope I am not picked up and detained indefinitely because I write that.  The days of our being able to speak freely and without fear of are of the past.  Now anybody can be detained indefinitely without being charged with anything.  I feel sick, but I will not shut up.   My political philosophy has not changed.  I remain a Progressive.  I am now a betrayed Progressive. 

I hold some controversial opinions.  I will continue to hold these openly.  A few of these are:

1. I support the establishment of an independent Sikh homeland

2. I oppose USA (and Canadian) military intervention in the affairs of other nations unless said nation is directly attacked by that other nation

3. I support the right of private citizens to own and use firearms and ammunition.

4. I support the right of any two consenting adults to marry.

5.  I support the legalization of marijuana.

6. I support the right of the people to rise up against an oppressive government and to change it by any means necessary. 

7. I support the USA Bill of Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in their entirety.   I suggest the reader print out a copy of each and hide it away somewhere because they may soon be either completely ditched or altered beyond recognition.  I do not support the Constitution of the Republic of India which denies my existence as a Sikh.

8. I support my right to write whatever I damned well please as long as it is neither fraudulent nor libelous, with truth being an absolute defense against libel.  

   

     I suppose that's enough jellybeans in the machinery for now. 

   *******************************************************************

   From now on … Our Biggest Mistake is Believing We Are Free

Monday, 02 January 2012 21:40 Bob Alexander

On December 17, 2007 Senator Christopher Dodd spoke on the Senate floor against George W. Bush’s warrantless eavesdropping and telecom company amnesty compromise, “Clear, first-hand whistleblower documentary evidence [states] that for year on end every e-mail, every text message, and every phone call … hundreds of millions of private, domestic communications … have been copied in their entirety by AT&T and knowingly diverted wholesale … into a secret room controlled exclusively by the NSA.”

Then Senator Barack Obama announced he supported the amnesty "compromise" saying, “So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives -- and the liberty -- of the American people.”

I didn’t want George W. Bush, Barack Obama, or any future president of the United States to “carefully monitor the program.” I wanted a president who would stop the wiretapping program, restore the Fourth Amendment, and protect the Constitution of the United States. That’s his goddamned job. But that’s not the president I got for Christmas in 2008. The eavesdropping on every call, text, fax or email hasn’t stopped. It’s just being “carefully monitored.”

Fast forward to December 31, 2011 when Reader Supported News editor Marc Ash wrote, “President Obama today signed the highly controversial Defense Spending Bill. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), with its so-called Homeland Battlefield provisions, allows, according to many legal scholars, the indefinite detention of US citizens by the US military. What is most striking is a lengthy signing statement by Obama, in which he maintains his reservations about the Homeland Battlefield provisions, saying, 'I have signed this bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists.' His defense of civil liberties in the signing statement was passionate. Nonetheless, at the same moment, he signed the bill into law.”

So as of now … anyone … anywhere … can be detained indefinitely by order of the President of the United States. Obama said. “I want to clarify that my Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens.” But what he just signed says he can. We just have to trust him … and all future presidents from now on. Florida Democratic representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz says she’ll be working with other Democrats to repeal the Homeland Battlefield provisions as soon as Congress reconvenes. Good luck with that one. What are the chances a Republican controlled house will repeal provisions it had already passed in a 283 to 136 vote?

If the provisions are not repealed, or if the president changes his mind and decides to use the law he signed … then any of us could end up like Al-Jazeera journalist Sami Al-Hajj. He was arrested in Pakistan on December 15, 2001 and detained at Guantánamo for over 6 years. According to documents published by Wikileaks, the government wanted Al-Hajj “to provide information on the al-Jazeera News Network's training program, telecommunications equipment, and newsgathering operations.” He was beaten, sexually assaulted… and released without charge on May 1, 2008.

We are all now officially … small prey animals. We have the same rights a field mouse has against a hawk. Prey animals can’t get a lawyer or a trial. Prey animals get eaten.

So let’s kick off The New Year with what we know about Late Great The United States.

War criminals are immune from prosecution.

The president can declare martial law by declaring a public emergency and this public emergency can be anything he says it is.

The president can scoop up U.S. citizens and detain them forever if he wants to because Habeas Corpus is now a memory.

This government doesn’t mind backsliding into slavery. One of Project Censored’s top stories from 2008 was about how our government used slave labor to build the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. “Thousands of citizens from countries that banned travel or work in Iraq were tricked and smuggled into brutal and inhumane labor camps and subjected to months of forced servitude ... all in the middle of the US-controlled Green Zone.”

The borders of closing … or in some cases … closed.

From the CODEPINK website, “In October 2007 Ann Wright, retired U.S. army colonel and former diplomat who quit in opposition to the Iraq war, and Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK were on their way to Toronto at the invitation of the Toronto Stop the War Coalition but were denied entry into Canada.”  The border was closed to them.

Our email and phone conversations are monitored by the government.

Is my phone tapped? Is yours? We don’t know. Was this email read by some government stooge? We don’t know. How many U.S. citizens will disappear? We don’t know. Somebody goes out for a loaf of bread and a pack of cigarettes some night and  then … poof … vanishes. Did he run away from his life; or is she in a secret prison somewhere? We’ll never know.

How bad is it? How bad could it get? When is it too late?

What exactly are we waiting for? What incident, what sign, what great shocking event has to happen to make us realize The American Dream is over, dead, and done with?

Naomi Wolf, author of The End of America, has said that she will stop speaking out when someone she knows has disappeared. I suppose it is a natural delusion to think that someone else will be disappeared first. I guess Ms. Wolf believes that people are renditioned in alphabetical order.

I did not expect Barack Obama to be this nation’s savior. But I did not think he could turn out to be as bad, or worse, than George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. In 2008 Obama gave us the Audacity of Hope. Less than four years later the only hope we have is the desperate hope that it’s not as bad as it seems.

The President wants us to believe what he says … not what he signed into law.

On December 31st 2011 the “Lesser of Two Evils” argument finally, completely, and utterly collapsed. Any liberal who tries to put a positive spin on this steaming pile is as delusional or corrupt as the  rightwing lunatic gasbags on Fox. By signing this perversion, Constitutional professor Barack Obama has put himself above the Constitution. From now on the President of the United States is a king. We have to depend upon his noblesse oblige to keep us out of the gulag. Jesus Christ I’m starting to agree with Sarah “I’ve Lost My Goddamned Mind” Palin. This hopey, changey thing turned into a Dick Cheney wet dream.

The next time some liberal zombie tells me to vote Democratic because these freakin’ Republicans are out to destroy the country I’ll subtly disagree by throwing up on his shoes.

Published under under the GNU/GPL License.

The First Amendment

Somebody somewhere has declared Thursday, 15. December 2011 as First Amendment Day.  The refers to the First Amendment to the Constitution of the USA.  I often rightfully bash the US of A.  That country has become a big bully, the biggest bully in the world.  I can go on and on about what is wrong in the USA. This is about what the USA has gotten right.  These are arguably the most powerful 45 words ever written.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I live in and write from the USA.  Respect for these words is what permits me to freely express my sometimes unusual and/or radical beliefs, so I give due where due is merited.  I pray that I will be able to write the same next year at this time.

  

RADICAL FREE SPEECH

Radical free speech

WHAT did she say?

I believe in the concept of radical free speech. 

I am in favour of minimal control,  only disallowing overt threats to life and limb and certain types of slander, with truth being an absolute defence against charges of slander.  I am opposed to any curb on people expressing themselves on issues, however obnoxious I consider their opinions. Yes, I would allow hate speech, as long as it did not contain threats to life and limb. I have a strong belief in radical free speech that is not shared even by my Canadian compatriots. I do not believe that suppressing ideas stops them; it only makes them invisible, underground, hard to spot and even more dangerous.

This non-control pertains only to governmental control. Individual sites and groups have the right to set their own TOS (Terms of Service). For example FB has the right to ban porn and hate speech if they choose. I will continue - as an individual - to report sites I find hateful to the FB administration, but I will not report them to any government. This dovetails with the law (USA), which mandates the government not to infringe on free speech, but I am still free to control what is said in my home. A religious house is free to kick out a proselytizer from another religion. An atheist group has the right to ban proreligion speech within their own group.; they are not free to silence me in the public arena.  Voltaire summed up my stand perfectly:

"Je ne suis pas d'accord avec ce que vous dites, mais je me battrai jusqu'à la mort pour que vous ayez le droit de le dire."

[I do not agree with what you are saying, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."]

-- 
[Note: I had earlier listed child pornography in the exceptions because, while I completely 100% believe it should be outlawed, it is a different issue, not speech.]

Lt. Pike

My participation in the "Pepper-Spraying-Cop meme.  Lt. John Pike...Well, take a look:

That is the short version of what actually happened.Lest I am acused of bias, here is one report of the long vision:

Police pepper spraying and arresting students at UC Davis from Mary K. Johnson on Vimeo.

OK. The meme consists of Lt. Pike

pepper spraying unlikely people and other living things and sometimes inanimate objects.  My contributions: 

Pike Sprays Pike

Lt. Pike sprays my profile guy

Even Happy Cat isn't safe!

I often go off on a tangent, but I don't expect a faceful of pepper spray

  

(Robert A.) HALL vs. (Inderjeet) KAUR

ORIGINALLY, I ATTRIBUTED THIS PIECE TO MR. BIILL COSBY. I WAS WRONG. HE DID NOT WRITE IT AND I APOLOGISE PROFUSELY. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL HERE IS WHAT SNOPES SAYS ABOUT IT ALONG WITH MR. COSBY'S DENIAL. Since August 2011 this opinion piece has been widely circulated on the Internet in a version that presents it as the work of comedian Bill Cosby. Dr. Cosby (who is actually 75 years old) had nothing to do with writing it, and his own site features a denial of any association with it: There’s an email floating around — entitled “I’m 76 and tired” — purportedly sent by me. I did not write the email, I did not send the email, I’m not 76, and I don’t subscribe to the ugly views expressed in the email. We are coming up to an important anniversary on Sunday [the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks], which is a day when we should all come together. Whoever wrote this email is not thinking about our country, or what is important. If you get the email, it’s time to hit DELETE. Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/imtired.asp#6kTQm2y1lX30c244.99  HERE IS THE CORRECT ATTRIBUTION, AGAIN FROM SNOPES: this article... was penned by Robert A. Hall, a former Massachusetts state senator and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who is also the author of the 2005 book The Good Bits (The Marines, the Massachusetts Senate and Managing Associations). Robert Hall blogs as The Old Jarhead at tartanmarine.blogspot.com, and the piece quoted here, titled "I'm Tired," was his blog entry for 19 February 2009. Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/imtired.asp#6kTQm2y1lX30c244.99 "I'm 83 and Tired"  Worth reading This should be required reading for every man, woman and child in Jamaica, The UK , United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and To all the world...   "I'm 83 and I'm Tired" I'm 83. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some some serious Health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my Income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as Though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired.     I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who Don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take The money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy To earn it.           I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I Can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and Daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight Offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning Teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the Genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to.       I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques And madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia, New Zealand, UK, America and Canada, while no one from these countries are allowed to Fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance..     I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global Warming, which no one is allowed to debate. I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help Support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ Rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses Or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?   I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all Parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful Mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting Caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.     I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and Actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination Or big-whatever for their problems. I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and Early 20's be-deck them selves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making Themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government. Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 83.. Because, mostly, I'm not Going to have to see the world these people are making.I'm just sorry for My granddaughter and her children.   Thank God I'm on the way out and not On the way in. There is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us Sends it on! This is your chance to make a difference. " I'm 83 and I'm tired.    If you don't forward this you are part of  the problem".   ************************************************ This is my response: Worth Reading  This should be required reading for every man, woman and child who read Mr Hall's presentation. "I'm 59 and handicapped and I'm tired." I'm 59. Except for a brief time in the 1980s, I worked all my life until my physical disabilities made that impossible. I paid my taxes without too much grumbling and didn't expect anyone to take care of me.   I'm tired of hearing people, young and old, complaining about giving something back to the society that enabled them to accomplish what they are doing or have done.  I'm tired of reading those who are lumping groups of people together and labeling the individuals in those groups as bad because they have severe problems coping with life.  There but for fortune go you and I, Bud. I'm tired of Islam being demonised because of the cultural - not Qur'anic - teachings of some adherents.  I'm tired of those who regard non-incoming producing adults as parasites without regard to why they are not producing income or what other useful services they may be performing.  I'm tired of feeling like a parasite personally, although I know my feelings about myself are mine to handle and don't really belong in this public forum. I'm really tired of listening to uncalled-for condemnation of people who take responsibility for their lives by attempting to change injustices in society.   I'm tired of  them being disrespected, beaten by police, pepper-sprayed in the face, and called ugly names.  I'm tired of those who ignore the facts about discrimination and act as if they rest of us should simply accept these inequities and pretend they don't exist.     I'm tired of social Darwinism which condemns the less fit, by society's definition, to lives of unproductive despair with the only possible escapes being drugs or death.  I'm really tired of hearing those who have given up written off as subhuman.  There but for fortune...   I'm tired of hearing older people mouthing platitudes about "What has become of the younger generation?"  Every generation has said that about the generation following since the beginning of human history.  It's both old and pointless.  Most of all, I'm tired of Robert A. Hall ranting and raving and holding himself above everybody else.  I will, however, defend to the death his right to do so.  Yes, I'm damned tired and really sorry I won't be around to see how our current societal problems will be coped with by the coming generations who will have the benefit of a wider vision and a better education provided by the Internet.  I see a glorious and difficult future ahead, as there has always been a glorious and difficult future ahead for our species. Mr. Hall I disagree with your pessimistic assessment;  if you're ever in my neighborhood, please drop by and I'll teach you about something called chardi kala. BTW,  I am not part of the problem.  I AM THE PROBLEM!  I disagree with you and I won't shut up.  Sure, I will cheerfully send your gloomy, hateful diatribe to others - along with my  much more optimistic predictions. Send this on if you wish.  It's totally up to you. I won't promise it'll save the world or bring you good luck or make God to smile upon you.   I ask only that you include both presentations.  They balance each other.