AT&T 10-30-2016

30, October 2016                              AT&T 

New details are emerging from investigations conducted by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Daily Beast regarding AT&T decades long spying activities on Americans.

The activity, called, Project Hemisphere, captures Americans private calls, text messages, and chats and sells the information to authorities investigating everything from the war on drugs to Medicaid fraud.

The information passes through AT &T giant telecommunication infrastructure. Some of the records date back to 1987. Sheriffs and police departments each pay upward of $1 million a year for access to the call records.  No warrants are needed. This comes at a critical time when AT & T is seeking government approval for its $85 billion takeover of Time Warner.

AT&T activities are extremely troubling. The massive trove of customers’ call records should be sacrosanct, protected from the peering eyes of ‘Big Brother’.

If such information is deemed necessary in the pursuit of law enforcement, warrants should be issued to ensure proper legal oversight.  American has a long history of gross abuse of law enforcement agencies harking back to the dreaded years of FBI Director, Edgar Hoover.  

Dakota Pipeline 10-27-2016

27, October 2016                          Dakota Pipeline

The police in the vicinity of the North Dakota access pipeline continue using brutal intimidating tactics to silence local residents and reporters. They have arrested Native Americans and their ‘water protector’ supporters. They  have arrested journalists attempting to film the ongoing protests which is a major threat to free speech, a cornerstone of our democracy.  The actions of the police are beginning to mimic those of a tyrannical government.

Award-winning filmmaker Josh Fox and fellow filmmaker Deia Schlosberg, have been charged with three felonies for filming an act of civil disobedience in which climate activists manually turned off the safety valves to stop the flow of tar sands oil through pipelines spanning the U.S. and Canada.

We now have pipelines crisscrossing the country (the NED pipeline, the Sabal Trail pipeline, the Millennium pipeline, the AIM pipeline, the Algonquin pipeline expansion. . ) which pose long term threats to the environment and our very survival.

There are plans to build 300 new fracked gas power plants in America which will require thousands of miles of pipelines triggering more earthquakes and potential oil spills.

I urge concerned readers to call the White House comment line, 
202-456-1111 and demand an immediate halt to the construction of the North Dakota access pipeline which is a major threat to the well-being of the native tribes who depend on the Missouri River for their drinking water. Finally, don’t we owe the native-Americans an unconditional apology for plundering their land and the genocide of their people? 

 

The White Helmets 10-24-2016

24, October 2016                  The White Helmets

In the midst of the horrors of the Syrian civil war, a group of activists are trying to bring desperately needed help to the afflicted.

The Syrian Civil Defense, or the White Helmets (known for the color of the hard hats they wear) comprising some 3,000 volunteers has been credited with saving over 60,000 people from the rubble of buildings in war-torn Syria. They are made up of ordinary Syrian civilians. They are teachers, builders, carpenters, students – just ordinary folk who decided not to pick up a gun or flee Syria, but instead decided to wake up every morning and risk their lives to save complete strangers. Their actions are incredibly inspiring which brings new hope to a war ravaged country where the international community has failed to bring an end to the hostilities. It’s a story which resonates with people around the world, an effort to halt the madness of war and offer the people of Syria new hope. The work is extremely dangerous, one in six have been killed or badly wounded. Last month the group won a Right Livelihood Award, known as the Alternative Nobel Prize. Their motto, "To save a life is to save all of humanity." They were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize but sadly did not get it. To broaden their appeal and inject much needed sanity into the ongoing conflict, the founders of the movement have just released a new Netflix documentary, “The White Helmets (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wj4ncIEDxw

Central Park Five 10-22-2016

_{22, October 2016             Central Park Five}

_{In 1989 five teenagers were found guilty of raping a white woman in Central Park.  Buckling under intense prosecutorial pressure. the five pleaded guilty.}

_{The “confessions” were riddled with inconsistencies which should have raised multiple red flags. For example, the DNA taken from the accused did not match the DNA taken from the victim, a glaring omission which sealed the fate of the unfortunate victims.}

_{14 years later their sentences were vacated based on new DNA evidence following an actual confession by a serial rapist, Matias Reyes.} 

_{In spite of being wrongly convicted there has been a persistent drumbeat of their guilt because they lost the lottery of life and were born with darker skins. To compound the grave injustice, the ‘racist in chief’, Donald Trump still insists on their guilt blatantly ignorant of the country’s epidemic of wrongful convictions, which disproportionately affects minorities, and the prevalence of false confessions in such convictions. Not surprisingly, the New York Police Department and the District Attorney Office concurs with Trump’s racist views. Spewing her racial hatred, Anne Coulter argued “liberals are opposed to rape in the abstract, but when it comes to actual rapists, they’re all for them.” At the time of their arraignment, the teenagers were just 14, 15, and 16 years old with no prior convictions and no guardian or lawyer present. They were denied food, drink and sleep for many hours intensifying their misery. The case is symptomatic of a deeply flawed criminal justice system.}

The Red Cross 10-18-2016

18, October 2016                        The Red Cross

The devastating hurricane that brought havoc and destruction to Haiti has invoked fresh memories of the outright fraud perpetrated by the American Red Cross following the 2010 Earthquake.

At the time ProPublica published a scathing investigative report on the Red Cross’s alleged “development” project. The report was entitled “how the Red Cross Raised Half a Billion Dollars and Built Six Homes”.

Internal memos and emails from frustrated employees confirm that the Red Cross completely failed in its mission in Haiti. It squandered hundreds of millions of dollars of donations and made dubious claims for its success. Despite repeated requests, it has refused to disclose details of its disbursements of the funds collected. If it continues to refuse to open its books for scrutiny, it should have its non-profit status revoked.

This is also a failure of the government agency responsible for oversight of the Red Cross.

For details of the ProPublica report see https://www.propublica.org/article/how-the red-cross-raised-half-a-billion-dollars-for-haitii-and-built-6-homes.  

Torture 10-17-2016

17, October 2016                       Torture 

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, James Risen, and his team at The New York Times conducted an in-depth investigation into the abuse of prisoners by the CIA. Risen and military psychiatrist, Dr. Stephen Xenakis, concluded that the CIA torture methods caused devastating long-term psychological harm.

At least half of the 39 detainees interviewed experienced serious psychiatric problems including post-traumatic stress disorder, paranoia, depression and psychosis. The torture methods used mimic those used by autocratic regimes that we claim to despise such as severe sleep deprivation, waterboarding, mock executions, sexual violations, dog attacks, confinement in coffin-like boxes, severe beatings and dousing with ice-cold water. These grotesque, sadistic methods were approved at the highest levels of the Justice Department of the Bush administration. The prisoners were captured in a broad sweep at the outset of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Former prisoners complained of excruciating pain. Many had lost the will to live and were prone to suicidal thoughts. These gross violations of international law and the Geneva Conventions will continue until there is proper oversight of the CIA.  Its brutal activities have intensified rage and fueled anti-American hostility around the world. It has engaged in overthrowing governments around the world with complete impunity (Iran (1953); Guatemala(1954); Laos (1958); Ecuador (1961); Argentina (1963); Honduras (1963 & 2009); Panama (1968); Chile (1973); Bangladesh (1975); Haiti (1991 & 2004),  . . . The agency should be disbanded and the funds used for promoting real peace and democracy around the world. 

US-Saudi War Crimes in Yemen 10-12-2016

12, October 2016                 US-Saudi War Crimes in Yemen

Human rights activists are accusing the U.S. of being complicit in war crimes in Yemen. Thousands of Yemenis gathered at the United Nations building in Sana’a calling for an international investigation into the U.S. - backed Saudi assault on a funeral last week. The exploded munitions have clear U.S. markings which have intensified the anger and is fueling anti-American sentiments and radicalizing many of the local residents.

The Intercept reports, "Multiple bomb fragments at the scene appear to confirm the use of American-produced MK-82 guided bombs”. The fallout of the war in Yemen has been severe. The US and Saudi Arabia are closely linked to ongoing war crimes  and the credibility of the U.N. has been severely tarnished after it buckled to Saudi pressure which threatened to withhold its U.N.  dues.

The ongoing carnage in Yemen has stymied U.S. efforts to condemn Russian and Syrian government attacks on civilians in Aleppo. How can the U.S. condemn attacks by extremist groups like ISIS in Iraq and Syria on civilians when we are complicit in crimes on civilian targets in Yemen?

Sen. Chris Murphy stated “there is an American imprint on every civilian life lost in Yemen. The Houthi rebel army poses no existential threat to the United States.  The United States Congress has not debated a war authorization giving the president the power to conduct this operation in Yemen.”

I urge readers to call the White House Comment line (202-456-1111) and demand an immediate halt to weapons sales to Saudi Arabia.

Second Debate 10-10-2016

10, October 2016                  Second Debate

Cornered and angry, Trump pursued a scorched earth approach to weaken his opponent. He didn't even wait for the debate to begin, kicking off with his pre-debate "press conference" stunt to embarrass Clinton and divert attention from the damaging 2005 sexual explicit videotape.

The tape provides gruesome evidence that the Republican nominee used his wealth and fame to prey on women using his tiny hands to violate the most intimate parts of their bodies offering conclusive proof that he is a disgusting sexual predator.

Sniffing and glowering like a bear released from a cage, Trump prowled menacingly behind Clinton throughout the debate. Devoid of talking points of any substance, Trump resorted to insults and innuendos threatening Clinton with jail if elected president.

He struggled to articulate any coherent policies stumbling into a series of unconnected sentences resorting to wild accusations which have repeatedly deemed to be false - accusing Clinton of giving birth to the birther lie about President Obama. In a desperate effort to capitalize on Clinton’s unwise support for the invasions of Iraq and Libya, Trump falsely claimed that he had opposed the invasions.

His practice of bullying and belittling anyone who dares to challenge him exemplifies the attributes of a dictator. Perhaps, that is why he has such admiration for Vladimir Putin. 

If we elect this quintessential bully, a serial sexual predator who boasts of  evading taxes, we will all be reduced to a nation of “deplorables”.

Netanyahu’ dilemma 10-8-2016

8, October 2016                 Netanyahu’ dilemma

The Jewish residents of Amona, an outpost in the occupied West Bank of Israel are heading for a battle with their own government. Buoyed by a weak Obama administration and a wink and nod by their own government, residents built illegal homes thwarting an Israel Supreme Court order to dismantle the homes by December 25. Amona is one of 100 illegal outposts built, without authorization, across the West Bank. World leaders have declared the settlements a clear violation of international law. An Israeli human rights group, Yesh Din, representing the Palestinian landowners, stated that the illegal occupation was a clear violation of the Military Order of 1967 which was supposed to protect such property.

The Amona outpost built on Palestinian land with commanding views of the central West Bank, was envisioned by Palestinians as the heart of their future state.

Even Israel’s hardline defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman — a settler himself — has declared the outpost to be illegal.

In a lawless attempt to thwart the return of Palestinians to their property in Ofra, settlers burned their grape farms. Using their usual soft language, the Obama administration condemned Israel’s plan to build 98 housing units east of Shilo, as “deeply troubling.” In a move reminiscent of the expropriation of native Indian land in America, Netanyahu’s  government retroactively legalized dozens of settler outpost. All this comes on the heels of a record $38 billion of US military aid to Israel. This is a shameful capitulation of Israel’s decade’s long occupation, land theft and home demolitions.

Trump 10-4-2016

4, October 2016                    Trump

As we approach the home stretch of our historic presidential election, the Republican nominee appears to be becoming more and more unhinged.

A man who was born into incredible wealth and privilege seems to be constantly at war with the truth, espousing self-contradictory positions that the media repeat with great abandon captivating their viewers and generating huge wealth for their networks. Trump is the quintessential anti-Christ, whose only purpose in life is to accumulate more and more wealth and power. This reflects badly on his legion of supporters who presumably share his warped set of values.

His latest tantrum with a former beauty queen is an appalling distraction in such an important election.

Trump is no paragon of physical fitness. By government standards he is obese, and makes the startling claim he has gained an extra inch in height. He feeds his massive frame with junk food and contrary to his repeated claims and according to Spy magazine his fingers are smaller than 85% of American men. So he should cease his childish twitter war with the former Miss Universe, Alicia Machado.

His loss of $916 billion belies the fact he is a successful business man. Such a colossal loss is an epic failure not a runaway success. Embarrassed with these financial disclosures, Trump makes the absurd argument that he is uniquely qualified to reform the tax code because he has so successfully gamed the system to his advantage.

Simon Peres 10-2-2016

2, October 2016                    Simon Peres

Leaders around the world honored Simon Peres who died at 93 as an Israeli peacemaker.

But a careful study of his life belies the false notion that he was a peacemaker. 

As a young immigrant from Poland, Peres joined the Jewish paramilitary terror group, the Haganah.

He quickly rose through the ranks of the military becoming defense minister, foreign minister and prime minister. His success was governed by assuming an extremely aggressive posture towards the Palestinians. As defense minister Peres introduced the practice of arbitrary arrests, home demolitions and extensive land confiscations.

In 1948 he participated in the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians and dispossession of their land to build exclusive Jewish towns such as Karmiel and Upper Nazareth. As Defense Minister he established military garrison checkpoints which disrupted the continuity of Palestinian towns and villages, reducing them to Palestinian Bantustans.

He was responsible for establishing Israel as a military mini super power with the help of billions of support from the United States. He acted as secret liaison with France which assisted Israel in building its nuclear reactors in Dimona and the Negev Desert.

As Defense Minister in 1975 Peres granted permission for the first of many illegal settlements in the West Bank which violates US stated policy and were the main impediments to peace.

Peres’s award of the Nobel Peace Prize was a cruel gesture by the international community who watched as silent observers to decades of suffering of the indigenous people.