Freddie Gray 4-30-2015

30, April 2015                         Freddie Gray

More than two weeks have passed since the murder of Freddie Gray by the Baltimore police. The basic questions have been ignored by a purposeful delay hoping passions will subside and the guilty will escape punishment. Why was such overwhelming force used to subdue Gray and why was 80% of his spine severed and his voice box crushed after 45 minutes? Why was medical help withheld ignoring Gray’s desperate cries for help? To defend such savage police behavior is not an act of loyalty but one of utter betrayal where the ‘rotten apples’ besmirch the reputation of the entire police force. Sadly, a culture of impunity exists between police departments and prosecutors; an independent body must be appointed to bring Gray’s killers to justice. If the killers escape punishment, black rage will likely engulf the city in a frenzy of uncontrollable violence.

The high crime and despair in black neighborhoods is deeply disturbing. The systematic long-term denial of equal opportunity to people based on their skin color and ZIP code is an affront and national shame. If wealthy white parents found their children consigned to substandard schools and neighborhoods, denied access to good colleges and jobs and harassed and occasionally killed by the police — why, then we’d hear roars of grievance. And they would right to roar: Parents of any color should protest, peacefully but loudly, about such injustices.

Yemen 4-28-2015

28, April 2015                        Yemen

Saudi Arabia’s bombing of Yemini insurgents has caused horrific civilian casualties.

They have embarked on a military adventure that has created greater instability and violence that has weakened Yemen beyond repair and may very well boomerang upon the kingdom itself. Oblivious of the unfolding mayhem, billionaire Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, offered to donate 100 Bentley cars to the fighter pilots participating in the campaign. Claims that their air campaign achieved their goals rings hollow given that the insurgent Houthis advance has not been slowed down. The Yemeni leader, Ali Abdullah Saleh, has fled to the safety of the Saudi Kingdom abandoning his people. Once again we have aligned ourselves with one of the greatest purveyors of terrorism in the world, Saudi Arabia, which has sent rivers of money to the demonic ISIS fighters.  Saleh is a thoroughly corrupt dictator, universally despised by his people. The Houthis sent overtures that were prepared for a cease fire and power sharing prior to the Saudi bombing. Reigning down terror from the safety of the skies will only exacerbate the suffering of the Yemini people and prolong the conflict.  

Genocide 4-25-2015

25, April 2015             Genocide

While much of the world demands recognition of the Armenian genocide, we in the US must face up to our own role in orchestrating mass killings beginning with the genocide of Native Americans, Vietnamese, Laotians and Cambodians – wars which caused the death of millions of civilians. Recently an explosive new book, “The Blood Telegram, Nixon, Kissinger and a Forgotten Genocide” by Gary Bass, focuses much needed attention on the genocide we enabled with US weapons in Bangladesh’s war of independence. Former President Nixon and his Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, were alerted to the wholesale massacres by a messianic, bloodthirsty General Yahya of West Pakistan – from frantic cables sent by US Consul-General, Archer Blood, from Dacca – but chose to allow the mass killings to continue. The vindictive Nixon destroyed Blood, and many of his supporter’s careers in an act of petty vengeance. Kissinger should be held accountable for war crimes before he is swept away by an act of God. We should also pay billions of dollars in reparations to the people of Bangladesh. 

More Police Brutality 4-23-2015

23, April 2015                    More Police Brutality

In what has fast becoming an epidemic of police violence against African Americans hardly a day goes by when we are confronted with yet another senseless killing. Following the fatal shooting of Eric Harris on Tulsa Oklahoma, three supervisors were reassigned after refusing to falsify shooter, Bates’s, training records. The County Sheriff Stanley Glanz said he was "not aware of" any falsification, but acknowledged records are missing. How convenient!

In Baltimore, Maryland, six police officers have been suspended over the death of a man whose neck was broken and voice box crushed in police custody. An autopsy confirmed Gray died of spinal cord injuries while inside a police van. The victim, Gray gasping for breath begged for an asthma inhaler but in callous disregard for his life  medical help was delayed for 40 minutes.

In Illinois, an off-duty Chicago police detective opened fire on a group of people, killing unarmed African-American woman, Rekia Boyd, and injuring her friend, Antonio Cross. The judge acquitted the shooter, before the defense even called a witness.

These appalling incidents of police violence sends a troubling message that police officers are above the law. The US public needs to voice their outrage over these killings before aggrieved blacks vent their rage with violence.  

Is Bobby Jindal stateless? 4-22-2015

22, April 2015                        Is Bobby Jindal stateless?

In the long line of Republican president wanabee’s, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Scott Walker (maybe),  Rubio, Jeb Bush, Huckabee,  . . another one who is keen to throw his hat in the ring – Bobby Jindal – can easily be eliminated using Republican logic. Bobby Jindal,  governor of Louisiana, was in utero on route to the US from India. If Republicans believe life begins at conception Jindal is not a US citizen. Perhaps he is stateless?

NBC & Richard Engel 4-18-2015

18, April 2015                        NBC & Richard Engel

NBC and their chief foreign correspondent, Richard Engel, is at the center of a raging new controversy. In 2012 he and five members of his team claimed they had been kidnapped by armed gunmen loyal to the Assad regime. He has now admitted that his captors were, in fact, Sunni militants affiliated with the U.S.- backed Free Syrian Army. NBC knew at the time that Engel and the others were held on a chicken farm widely known to be controlled by a Sunni criminal group but chose to deliberately mislead its viewers expressing certainty that they were kidnapped by Shia hoodlums trained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and allied with Hezbollah. The controversy over Engel’s kidnapping comes just three months after NBC suspended Nightly News anchor Brian Williams after admitting that he had grossly inflated a story he told about coming under fire in a helicopter during the Iraq War. Engel’s false narrative of his kidnapping is far more serious than Williams puffing his chest like a bloated peacock. It calls into question our media reports that have wrongly portrayed the free Syrian army as a disciplined coordinated opposition group when in fact they are no more than coterie of criminal gangs and thugs that are running amok throughout the area of the so-called liberated sections of Syria. Reports by Engel and other correspondents are serving the ‘war lobby’ anxious to move us deeper into the Syrian conflict and support the Saudi sectarian conflict in Yemen.  

Waste-pickers - a fascinating new model 4-18-2015

18, April 2015            Waste-pickers - a fascinating new model

Accumulation of garbage is an enormous problem in Indian cities – largely ignored by the population at large and self-serving bureaucrats. In a desperate effort to eke out a living, small entrepreneurs will knock on doors with bags and portable scales collecting recyclable items such as newspapers, glass, plastic and other items for cash - based on their marketable value. Non-recyclable items end up on the roads or in dumpsters awaiting delivery to landfills. Small boys are often seen climbing into dumpsters with bare feet in an attempt to salvage plastic and other useful item. Sadly, their little feet are often cut with broken glass causing painful infections.

I recently attended an inspiring talk at Stanford University given by a passionate activist who has embraced this seemingly intractable perennial problem with a new innovative approach. She and her husband are the architects of an organization, Hasiru Dala of waste-pickers based in Bangalore. Hasiru Dala is a member based organization working towards the integration of waste-pickers, in the city’s solid waste management program, for better livelihood opportunities. Started in 2011, Hasiru Dala works towards waste-pickers earning a decent wage and other benefits.

Prior to the establishment of Hasiru Dal, independent waste-pickers were constantly harassed by the local police and municipal authorities who demanded bribes. The new army of waste-pickers are given identity cards and smart uniforms which have all but eliminated local harassment.

Currently, 7,000 waste pickers have been hired by Hasiru Dala in various central and state government programs including scholarships for their children, health & insurance benefits, food security and pensions. In addition, Hasiru Dala has initiated various training programs, in partnership with other organizations. The training includes Business Management for waste workers to upgrade skills in management & technical competencies, organic waste management, mushroom farming, terrace gardening services, zero waste events - and driver training for commercial vehicles. In collaboration with Jain University & Waste Wise Trust, Hasiru Dala has developed a Scrap Dealer Certification program, a first of its kind training program, endorsed by the University to assist waste pickers and scrap dealers enhance their business skills. Apartment dwellers are encouraged to maximize recyclables and minimize waste which ends up in the local landfill; each of these items are carefully weighed and the weights uploaded to computers which compute costs. Recyclables are computed at much lower cost to minimize waste. This has fostered healthy competition between apartment dwellers eager to be inducted into the zero waste ‘hall of fame”.

The dry waste (paper, plastic, metal, glass) is brought to their respective Dry waste Collection Centers.

This is the first time where informal workers have a direct Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the state to operate a state infrastructure.

Organic waste is also collected for enriching local farmland. Hasiru Dala provides organic waste management services for bulk operators. Organic waste is converted to compost. Waste-workers are trained in organic waste management and also counseled for employment as service providers.

Many of the city owned bio-mechanization plants are operated by Hasiru Dala’s team of waste-pickers and supervisors.

Urban terrace garden, especially vegetable gardens are becoming very popular in the city. Trained waste-pickers provide services to urban gardeners and encourage many more to grow their own food and create garden spaces in homes and in corporations. Mindtree Ltd, an IT services company has developed a cloud based digital platform to enhance the operations of Hasiru Dala and also support in business development. For financial support they are dependent on individual and institutional donors and grants.

Hasiru Dala as developed a fascinating model for offering the poorest of the poor a livable wage and merits our support. Many other cities in India and abroad have expressed a strong interest in replicating Hasiru Dala’s model but this will only be possible with a massive infusion of cash. In the near term they have set a goal of acquiring 10 new trucks each costing $10,000.

If readers are interested in supporting this grassroots organization, please send your tax deductible donations to Aid for Indian Development, 84 Stuart Ct., Los Altos, CA 94022.

Another botched police shooting 4-13-2015

13, April 2015             Another botched police shooting

Another African American bites the dust, victim to yet another botched shooting.Video showed an Oklahoma reserve sheriff’s deputy mistakenly shooting and killing an African American with his handgun, instead of his stun gun, as instructed. Video from the Oklahoma sheriff’s department showed police officers chasing the unarmed victim, Eric Harris. After officers caught up with him they pinned him to the ground and fatally shot him. In an act of utter callousness other officers on the scene responded to Harris’ desperate cries for help telling him to “shut up”. When Harris begged for help pleading: "I’m losing my breath," an officer responded, "bleep your breath." Harris was pronounced dead an hour later. The deputy who killed Harris, Robert Bates, is a wealthy insurance executive and heavy donor to the Tulsa police department, volunteers as a reserve. Why must excessive force be used when the victim is lying supine and handcuffed?

Censored Voices 4-12-2015

12, April 2015                        Censored Voices

Hitherto silenced by Israeli censors, archives of disillusioned soldiers of the 1967 war have recently been given a fuller voice thanks to the perseverance of Mor Loushy, director of "Censored Voices."

As the International Criminal Court evaluates possible war crimes in Gaza last summer, this new documentary released at the Sundance Festival showcases admissions of brutal behavior by Israeli soldiers fighting in the 1967 war. In spite of the heavy editing the film includes accounts of Israelis summarily executing prisoners and purging Arab villages in a manner that one fighter likened to the ‘Nazis treatment of European Jews’. Mor Loushy explained that her purpose in making the film was to reframe the prevailing Israeli narrative of triumph in 1967 in light of all the brutality of Israeli occupation and siege of Gaza.The custodian of the archives, Mr. Shapiro, an aging kibbutznik and philosophy professor, expressed horror of the audio sounds of terror and stated we can only expect more of the same if we don’t work a peaceful settlement of the festering conflict and “turn back all the occupied  territories.”

Police Misconduct 4-10-2015

10, April 2015                         Police Misconduct

What has become an all too familiar scene, another defenseless African-American, is gunned down by a white police officer. Without ordering an investigation, the North Charleston Police Department rushed to defend officer Michael Slager. But a video captured by a bystander showed Slager shot the victim, Walter Scott, in the back and casually walked over, handcuffed the dying man and then placed a taser next to his body in a botched effort to blame the victim.

Scott’s killing echoes other videos of police shootings, such as Tamir Rice in Cleveland and Eric Garner in New York City. Rice, a 12 year old boy, was shot by a policemen two seconds after he got out of his car and then allowed to die without any intervention by the police. When Tamir’s 14 year old sister tried to intervene and save her brother she was arrested.

While the actions of the man who filmed the fatal shooting of Walter Scott, is rightly lauded as a hero, the man who shot the video of the police killing of Eric Garner, Ramsey Orta, is languishing in jail. His mother, brother, and wife have also been arrested. Supporters have accused the New York City Police department of pure harassment – punishment for releasing the video. Bystanders should be rewarded for exposing police misconduct not punished. There is a deep racial malaise gripping the nation’s police departments and unless swift action is taken we can only expect more of the same.

Cowspiracy: the Sustainability Secret 4-8-2015

8, April 2015              Cowspiracy: the Sustainability Secret


It is puzzling why Governor Brown has given agriculture a free pass in mandating a 25% reduction in water usage by city dwellers. A similar cap should have been imposed on farmers who consume 80% of the available water. Almonds and pistachios are primarily grown for export and alfalfa hay is exported to China to help feed the country’s growing herd of dairy cows. According to The Pacific Institute, dairy and meat products account for a staggering 47 percent of Californians’ water footprint. Directors of the documentary, "Cowspiracy: the Sustainability Secret." argue that  livestock is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution. Animal agriculture uses in excess of 34 trillion gallons of water compared to say, fracking, which consumes 100 billion gallons. A few more alarming statistics: One quarter pound hamburger requires over 660 gallons of water to produce (equivalent to two months of daily showers). US domestic water use amounts to 5 percent compared to 55 percent for animal agriculture. One gallon of milk requires 1000 gallons of water. For more alarming statistics certain to curb your appetite for ‘burgers’ and milk, google "Cowspiracy: the Sustainability Secret."

US arming repressive governments 4-7-2015

7, April 2015              US arming repressive governments

New figures show President Obama has overseen a major increase in weapons sales since taking office - far exceeding those under President George W. Bush.

Most troubling is weapon exports, amounting to a staggering 60%, to the most repressive governments in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf States. According to William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy, and author of "Prophets of War: Lockheed Martin and the Making of the Military-Industrial Complex,"the major export of terrorism in the world, Saudi Arabia tops the list at $46 billion in new agreements. Other recipients, Egypt, Bahrain have a long history of crushing pro-democracy aspirations of their people.

Often US weapons are seized by terror groups like ISIS when Iraqi forces retreated in large numbers. U.S. armed rebels in Syria armed by the CIA, went over to join ISIS. $500 million of weapons are still unaccounted for in Yemen.

Largely unconcerned with the human toll, companies like Lockheed are only concerned with increasing their profits and regard weapons sales as positive "growth markets”.

It is tragic that the Obama administration has not lived up the principles of the Arms Trade Treaty to which the US is a signatory and only plays lip service to human rights violations and promoting democracy. It is time civil society opposes the un-Godly actions of our government.

IRAN 4-7-2015

7, April 2015                                      IRAN

Our failed Middle East policy had much to do with emboldening Iran’s hardliners beginning with the overthrow of Premier Mohammed Mosaddeq by the CIA in 1979. A US puppet, the Shah of Iran, assumed power and unleashed a reign of terror with his hated secret police, the Savak, which imprisoned and tortured tens of thousands of Iranians.

  

Economic sanctions have largely proved a failure and President Obama has shown courage in his attempt to pursue détente with Iran and dissuading it from pursuing nuclear bomb making capabilities. Sanctions only help businesses connected to political power and are therefore counter-productive. According to Salehi Isfahani, professor of economics at Virginia Tech, “removal of sanctions will democratize access to global markets, and will likely reduce the tight grip of the hardliners.”

Bombing Iran, favored by extreme right wing US and Israeli politicians, is not an option. What do Bolton, Netanyahu, Graham and other neo-cons have in common? They all supported an unprovoked attack against Iraq which resulted in tens of thousands of Americans killed or wounded, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians dead, nearly $4 trillion squandered, and gave birth to ISIS which is now on a rampage throughout the Middle East.

California’s Drought 4-5-2015

5, April 2015                         California’s Drought

Governor Brown’s executive order imposing mandatory water use reductions of 25 percent on California’s cities and towns is certainly a step in the right direction. But why has California’s giant agriculture industry, which accounts for 80 percent of the state’s water use, been given a free pass? There is little incentive for California’s agricultural farmers to conserve and make the hard choices eliminating water intensive crops such as alfalfa and rice in favor of water sustainable crops. Almonds use about 10% of California’s water and alfalfa about 12%. Almonds are an export cash crop funded by ‘eastern banks’ at high profit margins but contribute little to the local economy. Each almond requires about 1 gallon of water. Farmers should be encouraged to phase out these water intensive crops with assistance from the state and federal government. Fracking, which uses enormous quantities of water and is extremely hazardless to the environment and may trigger seismic activity – should be banned.

Finally, the multi-billion boondoggle high-speed rail should be abandoned in favor of a building a freshwater pipeline from Oregon to California.