Tamir Rice 12-31-2015

31, December 2015                 Tamir Rice

Once again a family mourns the death of their son, 12 year-old African American, Tamir Rice. On November 22 2014, a 911 caller reported seeing a young juvenile waving what appeared to be a toy gun. Tragically that vital information was not transmitted to the responding officer. Officer Timothy Loehmann shot Tamir within two seconds after his police cruiser pulled up in front of the boy. Neither Loehmann nor his partner, Frank Garmback administered first aid to save the boy’s life. They then handcuffed Tamir’s 14-year-old sister and threw her to the ground as she ran to her brother’s side, callously leaving the boy to die. Incredulously, an Ohio grand jury returned a decision not to indict.

What was omitted during trial was Timothy Loehmann’s resignation from another police force after a “dangerous loss of composure” during firearms training. It is an absolute travesty that police officers who responded made no attempt to assess the situation for themselves but only saw the boy’s skin color and toy gun as a danger to the community which required the use of maximum lethal force. Tamir’s death has become another alarming statistic of a criminal justice system that continues to offer blanket impunity to police officers for their actions when confronting African-Americans. It appears that the prosecutor deliberately cherry-picked the jury and what amounts to gross prosecutorial misconduct recommended a non-indictment. Other experts did find probable cause, including a municipal court judge who recommended Loehmann be charged with murder, manslaughter and reckless homicide.

The Democratic Debate 12-29-2015

29, December 2015           The Democratic Debate

Both the O’Malley and Sanders campaigns have rightly accused the ‘undemocratic DNC’ of boosting Clinton’s prospects by limiting the number of debates and scheduling them during low-viewership times like Saturday nights. According to Nielsen, only 6.7 million people tuned in to ABC during the last debate — a fraction of the 18 million who watched the fifth Republican debate. It was the second Democratic debate in a row held on a Saturday night. The next Democratic debate is scheduled for Sunday, January 17, during the Martin Luther King Day three-day-long weekend. During the last debate. O’Malley rightly accused both of his rivals of being weak on gun control; this will likely encourage lone wolf assassins to purchase firearms at gun shows before launching attacks on unsuspecting Americans.

The debate also exposed Sanders and Clinton’s foreign policy blunders. Clinton was a vigorous supporter of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and both she and Sanders the ouster of Gaddafi in Libya. Both decisions have created monumental chaos in the Middle East and the death and displacement of millions. Clinton played out her well-known hawkishness to demonstrate her ‘steel-toughness’, to compete with the boys, by advocating a no-fly zone over Syria, heading for a possible dangerous collision course with Russia. Both Syria and Iraq have invited the Soviets into their air space in contrast to the US who not received such a request. A no-fly zone would be a clear violation of international law and fraught with incredible risk.

Saudi Arabia 12-21-2015

21, December 2015                Saudi Arabia

One of the great shortcomings in the American-led fight against the Islamic State is the lack of fighters from Muslim countries. The announcement by Saudi Arabia that it has cobbled together 34 Islamic nations to fight terrorism is not very encouraging. It surely depends on the Saudi’s definition of terrorism. It seems unlikely they will set their sights on their ISIS Sunni brothers. Furthermore, given their abysmal record of killing thousands of civilians, with U.S. supplied weapons, in neighboring Yemen makes it extremely unlikely that they are sincere in fighting ISIS. Human Rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused Saudi Arabia of war crimes. These organizations have also accused the U.S. of being complicit in Saudi’s crimes.

Saudi Arabia has fomented the growing turmoil in much of the Arab world by funding Wahhabi religious schools and clerics who are spreading the kind of extremist doctrine that is at the heart of the Islamic State’s ideology. Saudi leaders have been more concerned with opposing Shia-led Iran, which they consider their greatest adversary.

It is time for the American people to wake-up and realize that Saudi Arabia has never been our friend - it has always been shaking our hand while orchestrating policies detrimental to our well-being.  Remember the 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Calling them friends is symptomatic of the corruption of our own ideals where trade in weapons of death triumphs concerns for human rights. A staggering $100 billion of weapons has been sold to the Saudi kingdom over the last 5 years.

Until the U.S. and the West are willing to confront this oil-rich Frankenstein that is more suited to Game of Thrones than to the 21st century, the turmoil in the Middle East will continue.

Saudi Arabia 12-21-2015

21, December 2015                Saudi Arabia

One of the great shortcomings in the American-led fight against the Islamic State is the lack of fighters from Muslim countries. The announcement by Saudi Arabia that it has cobbled together 34 Islamic nations to fight terrorism is not very encouraging. It surely depends on the Saudi’s definition of terrorism. It seems unlikely they will set their sights on their ISIS Sunni brothers. Furthermore, given their abysmal record of killing thousands of civilians, with U.S. supplied weapons, in neighboring Yemen makes it extremely unlikely that they are sincere in fighting ISIS. Saudi Arabia has fomented the growing turmoil in much of the Arab world by funding Wahhabi religious schools and clerics who are spreading the kind of extremist doctrine that is at the heart of the Islamic State’s ideology.

It is time for the American people to wake-up and realize that Saudi Arabia has never been our friend - it has always been shaking our hand while orchestrating policies detrimental to our well-being.  Calling them friends is symptomatic of the corruption of our own ideals where trade in weapons of death triumphs concerns for human rights. A staggering $100 billion of weapons has been sold to the Saudi kingdom over the last 5 years.

Until the U.S. and the West are willing to confront this oil-rich Frankenstein that is more suited to the Game of Thrones than to the 21st century, the turmoil in the Middle East will continue.

Abuses by Navy Seals 12-20-2015

20, December 2015             Abuses by Navy Seals

According to a report by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), three Navy SEALS dropped heavy stones on detainees chests, stomped on their heads and poured bottles of water in simulated water boarding. One detainee died from his injuries. Four U.S. soldiers working with the SEALs witnessed the abuses and reported the matter to their superior officers.

According to the report the four soldiers recanted their earlier testimony and their names were redacted from the report. However, the soldiers were tracked down and vigorously denied they recanted their testimony which smacks of a cover-up.

Incredulously, the Seals were cleared of any wrong doing and two of SEALSs implicated and their lieutenant have since been promoted despite calls from one of the commanders calling for their dismissal. Retired Rear Admiral Donald Guter, a former judge advocate general of the Navy was highly critical of the cover-up.

Tragically, these gross abuses were not isolated incidents but a systemic problem of unprofessional conduct. SEALs were reported to have tossed grenades and fired at local tribesmen indiscriminately generating a great deal of resentment between ordinary soldiers and the local population, a serious setback for winning hearts and minds with the Afghan people.

Geoffrey Corn, a former military lawyer who was the Army’s senior expert adviser on the law of war, warned that not taking charges seriously damages ethical standards and morale and emboldens the enemy.   

Climate Change 12-6-2015

6, December 2015                   Climate Change

NASA’s former top climate scientist, James Hansen, was the first scientist who warned about the inherent dangers of climate change when he appeared before Congress in 1988. At the time he was mocked as an alarmist and ridiculed by the climate deniers.

Speaking at the Climate Conference in Paris, Hansen’s views are finally getting some traction. He stated that the current price of fossil fuels was dishonest. It should include its cost to society. He recommended a rising fee be added to the price of fossil fuels. This would spur investment of alternative clean energy technologies and create a disincentive to fossil fuel polluters. The fuel tax would then be refunded to the general public using the Alaska model. People who limit their use of fossil-fuels would be rewarded with a higher refund of the carbon tax. Rich people who can afford higher fuel prices, the jet setters and gas guzzlers, will pay more. A carbon tax would also favor renewables and energy efficiency. It would be revenue neutral and would therefore have negligible impact on the size of government. Hansen’s proposal has support from leading conservatives.

Gun Violence 12-6-2015

6, December                                     Gun Violence

In the wake of yet another mass shooting, many Americans are asking, what will it take for Congress to restrict access to guns? This I believe is a futile hope. Most members of Congress follow the 11the commandment –look after thyself; avoid taking any action which might hinder their re-election prospects. 

I believe the only radical action that needs to be taken is to go to the source of all the controversy –the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which reads: "A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" – which begs the question, do we really need militias in 2015 to resist the actions of a tyrannical government? The answer surely is a resounding NO! Thus, the Second Amendment is on very shaky moral and ethical grounds. What is needed is a massive grass roots effort to challenge the validly of the Second Amendment. The U.S. Constitution was crafted in 1787 to reflect the prevailing frontier conditions at the birth of our nation when people had a strong need to protect their families and livestock and prior to the establishment of a reliable constabulary. We have well-established law enforcement agencies so there is no need for militias!  To encourage the formation of militias would be foolhardy and irresponsible and would invite anarchy and chaos. The proliferation of guns is based on an unhealthy obsession with firearms and fear. Do we really need to kill God’s creatures with AK47 assault rifles or guns for pleasure? Where is the outrage from the Bible Belt that professes to echo the great teachings of the Bible? In the interim, the citizens of this country must break their long silence and demand change. Expose all lawmakers who accept donations (bribes) from the NRA and ensure their defeat. Tar and feather (virtually) the miscreants in Congress and make their life so uncomfortable that they will be forced to free themselves from the clutches of the NRA. It is unconscionable to allow gun manufacturers and the NRA to profit from the mayhem occurring in our inner cities.  Fellow citizens break your silence and let your voices be heard. The time to act is NOW!

Exxon Mobile Exposed 12-3-2015

3, December 2015               Exxon Mobile Exposed

Oil giant Exxon Mobile is under a sweeping criminal investigation in New York over claims it deliberately misled the public on the risks of climate change. Revelations have now surfaced that early in the 1970s Exxon’s own scientists concluded that there was a direct causation between burning fossil fuels and climate change. Students at Columbia Journalism School (CJS) in collaboration with The Los Angeles Times broke the story. In what appears to be an attempt to silence or undermine its investigation, Exxon donated $220,000 to CJS. In a heavy-handed attempt to quash the impact of the investigation, Exxon, with additional funding from the Koch Brothers, accused the reporters of misleading the public. The highly respected journal ‘Nature’  countered by publishing a damning article accusing Exxon of endangering the public good by  spreading disinformation to its investors and the general public, in a desperate attempt to protect its bottom line. In a rare moment of official concern over the brouhaha, Secretary of State, John Kerry, stated “that if these allegations are proved to be true, it was worse than the tobacco industry and a betrayal of everything it means to be a responsible corporation”. If the criminal investigation prevails, Exxon could be liable for millions in court fees and possibly billions in punitive damages arising from its callous and willful disregard for public health and safety.

Trump 12-1-2015

1, December 2015               Trump

Donald Trump continues on a downward spiral oblivious of the chaos he is creating for his party and for America at large. He has tarnished the image of the country he professes to love and assumed the role of Charlie Chaplin, the Great Dictator.

He has alienated the Hispanics, Syrians and all non-white migrants wishing to seek refuge. He has promised to unleash a swat team to go door-to-door breaking up families and dispatching millions of Hispanics south of the border plunging the housing, construction and farming industries into utter chaos – ignoring the fact that more Mexicans are leaving than entering the country. He boasted - “I am going to move them so fast your head would spin”. He promised to set up a database to track all Muslims and close all mosques thereby violating the U.S. Constitution and pitting 1.6 billion Muslims against the infidel-in-chief. Refugees already vetted would be sent back to confront the butchers of the Islamic State. Trump has little patience with the truth falsely claiming that thousands of Syrians in New Jersey cheered the attacks on 9/11. Perhaps the scariest spectacle in Trump’s public events is the wild cheers that accompany his rambling monologues; he made no effort to discourage his supporters from pummeling protestors. A few days ago in Alabama, a black protester was punched and kicked by his supporters. Trump cheered them on and suggested the man had it coming. Oh, America how do we push this genie back and re-cork the bottle?