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Category Archives: racism

Israel bombs another hospital

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Report on DemocracyNow!

They are deliberately bombing hospitals. Stunning example of callous indifference.

And they bombed peaceful civilians that have nothing to do with Hamas at prayer time in the evening–I don’t think this was by accident.  A religious prejudice, it would seem.

I was watching NBC news last night, and the reporter, that was taken out of Gaza, but is now returned, showed EMTs losing it–they are used to see blood and bodies, but even they cannot stand what it happening.  There was utter chaos in the hospital with injured people being turned away because they have no room for any more.

This has to stop.  Has to stop. Now.

 

Michael Hastings interview

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I found this really interesting interview with Michael Hastings–note how the Gen. Kimmitt, who is now a private defense contractor, is blowing smoke about how “great” Iraq was, post-war—lying through his mossy green teeth about the situation.

I thought this was particularly relevant given the present situation in Iraq and the Middle East:

It shows how Michael was telling the truth as a journalist and how his slamming the lame “journalists” who just accepted whatever was fed to them about the wars. Piers Morgan’s actions here show that.

I agree with Michael’s statement that there were many reasons besides sex that should have forced the general to resign.  I really don’t give a crap if he had an affair–that’s between him and his wife–I care more about him lying to the White House, and the mischaracterization of Iraq before the war (their society was much more diverse than was portrayed).

Gulen Charters, Ohio, Indiana, and politicians lining their pockets

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Diane Ravitch has this up on the apparently greased palms of Republican Cliff Rosenberger and how Gulen schools have flourished in Ohio.  The article states that the investigation includes Indiana, as well….

Meanwhile, I’m reading a press release of Governor Mike Pence taking his family to England…on a “jobs creation trip”.  The release I read noted that he is paying for his children’s portion of the trip…but it left off his wife, whom is also going.  They’ll be gone for two weeks.  Unbelievable.  What a snow job–does anybody actually believe this guy is going to create jobs by this trip?  How many hours do you think he’ll devote to schmoozing for jobs?  I’m betting a day.  Half a day.  An hour.  A few minutes on the elevator down to the pool..

This article states that it is funded by the Indiana Economic Development Foundation through private donations.  I want to know who the donors are and what exactly Pence is doing–I don’t trust the tea partier at all.  They are good about saying one thing and doing the exact opposite–such as government being “too big”–and then, as I noticed yesterday in yet another press release, Pence created four more positions in his office for people who are no doubt cronies of his.  So, how does one “shrink government” by creating more useless positions while eliminating important ones, such as child welfare workers?

So, I’m waiting to see the fallout of this investigation and its connection to Indiana.  Pence and his henchmen are trying to wrest away what little control Glenda Ritz, an official elected by the people of Indiana, has on the Dept of Education.

 

 

Teachers, the wage gap, and the nearly homeless

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Diane Ravitch has a blog up on one of the teachers involved in the Vergara case.  Ms. McLaughlin had replied to the “witch hunt” charges that she was a bad teacher…made by a student who also said there were five bad teachers and only one during her education–the one that wanted revenge apparently for being let go.

As I read the comments, the one by Chi-Town Res made me cry:

Yeah, and just wait until he hits retirement age and realizes that teachers with no union protections like me are exploited terribly. We are very low paid (and often hourly workers), don’t make enough money to get by on, let alone to save, have no pensions and are expected to live on about $900 per month from Social Security when we retire.

I could go live in a ghetto, since I will officially retire next month, because I can’t afford to continue living where I’ve been (renting) for the past 15 years, but I have no money to move. (Yes, homeownership was never an option for me.) Anyway, that’s the kind of income that even poor people in the ghettos can’t survive on in my area.

The reality is that I’m in arrears on my rent due to a further decline in my already low income and a high increase in my rent. I have applied to many places but I’ve been unable to find additional work. SS won’t actually start paying me until mid-September, my job put limits on our income and wouldn’t give me work for July, and I don’t qualify for unemployment compensation. I won’t get paid my measly wage again until the end of August. My landlord will not wait to be paid, and anyway I won’t get paid enough money then to cover back rent. I’ve been fighting becoming homeless for about three years now but, at this point, I have no more resources or anyone to turn to for help, and absolutely no one cares. So I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I will lose everything I own and be put out on the street and homeless before the fall. The only thing that could save my life now would be winning the lottery, but that is an intolerable hope.

The truth is that I could never afford to really stop working either, but SS has a limit on the amount of income I can earn. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. No one fully appreciates the “I’m living on a fixed income” cries, because the elderly are not revered in our society. No wonder the suicide rate for seniors is high.

As problematic as unions can be, not valuing the protections that unions provide workers is extremely short sighted.

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Also noted in the comments was that one of the plaintiff’s lawyers was Ted Olson, who ended the vote recount and handed George W. Bush the presidency, against the American public’s wishes.  Blood is on his hands, as well, for the wars and the economic mess Bush left us in.

Be sure to click on the link for Diane’s original post on Ms. McLaughlin.  Really stunning to see how she is “witch-hunted” by those with their own agendas.  She seems to be an outstanding person with true caring about her students, as a good teacher needs to be.

From the link:

“Indeed, this whole Vergara trial was like something out of Mao’s “Cultural Revolution” in China during the 1960′s. For those not acquainted with this, here’s primer: zealous students, under party leaders’ directions, would persecute their teachers. Kids would get their jollies as they put their teachers on a stage, put dunce caps on them, then screamed at them while forcing their teachers to bow their heads, kneel down, and confess their “crimes” and on and on…

These kids—appointed and empowered as “Red Guards” by Mao’s henchmen— would parade their former teachers through the streets…

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Diane has also put up a link to a short film clip on the red army of children that illustrates the terrible time.

(A side note~I got this weird message that Diane Ravitch’s site was “untrusted”.  Say what??  It’s on a wordpress platform…why would I get that message?  Is someone trying to interfere with the traffic to her site??)

 

More on the Middle East

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I’ve read a few good posts on the Middle East-– Iraq and the U.S.’s role in the mess there.

I have to agree with the writer’s premise–that we have made a mess of things and they need to work this out for themselves without us riding in on a white horse to only make matters worse.

They know how many Americans feel about Muslims–led by a biased media willing to portray them as all thinking alike.  That is as stupid as portraying all women as thinking alike. Or anyone, for that matter.

My other posts on Iran here and here.

Palestinians cry for help.

Presbyterian Church divests itself of U.S. corporations helping Israel to destroy the Palestinians.

 

 

 

Iranians arrested for being “happy”

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Well, this is sad news.  I hope folks think of this the next time someone spouts off that we need to nuke Iran…there are people of peace all around the world who just want to live their lives…and be happy…

In relation to my other post on our loss of civil rights…this is one of the things that happen when “intelligence” is used to track down someone expressing Free Speech.

Exit through the gift shop- the 9/11 Museum

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Abby Zimet has a post up on the vulgarity of the 9/11 museum commercialization.  It’s more like an enterprise than a solemn memorial to those who experience the horror of that day.

And, as is brought up–the end of our civil rights, specifically, the First Amendment and Fourth Amendment is hardly reason to “celibrate”…or perhaps one should say, bank upon…

Amendment I

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.

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Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

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Violation of our right to peacefully assemble:

And, of course, the violation of our right to privacy against government intrusion unless there is a court warrant with justifiable cause.

Perhaps it should be called the Museum of Lost Civil Rights…

And like a couple of commenters, I take exception to the dismissive tone of Abby on the Architects and Engineers –who are not claiming to know if 9/11 was an inside job, but rather, they are stating that Building 7 was not hit, but nevertheless collapse as one does in a controlled demolition.  THAT is what they’re saying.

The comments:

Ned B. • 18 hours ago

“arguing it was all an insider job by the U.S. and Israel; their premise is kinda bonkers” I disagree, Abby Z., and I dislike your dismissive tone.

From what I know of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth, they do not argue that “it was all an insider job by the U.S. and Israel.” They do however argue that the observed events cannot be adequately explained by the “official story” and that a new, impartial investigation should be conducted.

Shantiananda Ned B. • 17 hours ago

As a financial supporter of the 9/11 truth movement that is supported by over 2,000 Architects and Engineers of impeccable credentials, your post is spot on. They do not say they know what really happened or who was behind 9/11 but what they do say is: anyone with an open mind that makes a comprehensive study cannot help but see the official story is so bogus as to be a fairy tale for children.

The website for the architects and engineers questioning why Building 7 collapsed is here.  Their video on how and why they question the building collapse is here.

  • As you see, these are not Tea Partiers, but people with degrees in engineering and architecture who explain simply how this building could not have collapsed from heat alone.

    They don’t speculate on who did this or why–they are just following the path of scientific explanation.  Since this was a financial center, I can’t help but wonder at the connection to banksters.  Why the World Trade Center?
     

The 60s Scoop in Canada

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What is amazing about this is that this stuff was happening up to the 80s (and up to the 70s in the States)…and had pretty much been happening since the European invasion.  Terrible, terrible thing to do to these families.  We now know that this wasn’t about the child’s welfare as much as it was about a self-righteous idea of imposing one’s religion upon others–about forcing others to conform to what your narrow view of how a society should operate.

Native Americans burial mounds illegally altered

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In a glaring passing of the buck, Phyllis Ewing refuses to take responsibility for this.

It’s her subordinates fault, you see…they were just doing things illegally–although she was their boss and had the ultimate responsibility for it.  And the most egregious is even after it was noted that something had gone wrong…this went on for years afterwards.  How dense or unethical can you be?

 

The words of third grader…

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….only they’re uttered by a leader of a country…or I should say, the state-controlled media…

Actually, the title is an insult to all third graders.  My apologies.

I mean, really…your lack of intellect is showing.  Not only that, but the ad hominem attack only shows that you have nothing of substance against the person you’re attacking.

Classless.