Israel – Response to local letter writer 8-30-2014

30, August 2014,                    Israel – Response to local letter writer

Sadly Ralph Bernstein echoes much of the standard Israeli propaganda which is largely falling on deaf ears to an increasing skeptical American population. Perhaps Bernstein is not aware that the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Jewish Voices for Peace and many, many other apolitical organizations have excoriated Israel for their violations of human rights and war crimes. I trust Bernstein doesn’t regard all these organizations to be anti-Semitic. Israel often boasts that they knew the exact coordinates of Hamas militant’s locations but does not offer any explanation why civilians were massacred in such large numbers. In a further act of terror, the IDF showered Gaza with leaflets warning that certain homes would be bombed with full knowledge that the residents had nowhere to run. Why were so many schools, mosques and UN buildings attacked? Why were power and sewage plants bombed leaving the starving population no adequate drinking water or electricity?

While I am certainly no fan of Hamas, it is puzzling to know how the Palestinians could have responded to the terror from drones and bombs raining down on the tight population in Gaza. Should they sing Kumbaya or do have the right to defend themselves? If Israel claims the right of self-defense why should Palestinians be denied the same right? Bernstein claims that Israel is a democracy. This is certainly true for Jews but is not true for non-Jews who are subjected to a number of Jim Crow-like laws and live in a suffocating occupation.

Response to NYT op ed regarding ‘how to discourage western jihadists from becoming radicalized’ 8-29-2014

29, August 2014                     Response to NYT op ed regarding ‘how to discourage western jihadists from becoming radicalized’

Before we cast ourselves as paragons of virtue, we should remember that we engaged in a ‘gloves off' jihadist pogrom with the help of our military and CIA overthrowing democratic governments like a game of global chess. A sample of our dark deeds, in 1953-54 the CIA (and British intelligence) orchestrated the overthrow of Iran's (parliamentary elected) Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, who had sought to build a true democracy and follow a neutral path between the Soviet Union and the West. 50 years ago, President Lyndon Johnson made the bogus claim that US naval ships had been attacked by North-Vietnamese PT boats in the Gulf of Tokin which drew us into  a disastrous conflict. Later Johnson retracted  his statement. Read ‘Hidden history of Vietnam “Kill anything that moves” by Nick Turse. He describes a litany of atrocities committed in Vietnam - 3.2 million killed 11 million wounded. More recently, Ayatollah Bush invaded Iraq based on bogus WMD’s which led to the death of over 1 million Iraq’s and the displacement of 3 million. Following 9-11 we went on another wild chase to Afghanistan ignoring the fact that 9 of the 11 hijackers were from our bosom ally, Saudi Arabia. Moving off my soap box, I agree with many of the comments made that we should cut off the funding of these ISIS jihadists and seek help from Muslim scholars to critically evaluate the Koranic verses for proper interpretation or removal of the more offensive passages. 

The Corporate Robber Barons 8-29-14

29, August 2014, The corporate robber Barons

More and more companies are establishing corporate headquarters overseas in counties offering significantly lower tax rates, a process called tax inversion.  Burger King is one of the latest high profile company’s which is planning to move their corporate headquarters to Canada where the corporate tax is 27 percent. James Henry, former chief economist of McKinsey & Company, noted that because Canada has a territorial corporate income tax structure, the US treasury will not receive any taxes from Burger King’s 6,000 overseas locations.

The Obama administration estimated tax inversions cost the U.S. as much as $17 billion each year. Corporate inversions are a growing menace. From 1983 to 2004 there were only 27. Just last year there are at least 50 under consideration. Ireland is a favorite tax haven where the tax rate is 12 per cent. In a recent article in Rolling Stones, entitled "The Biggest Tax Scam Ever" Tim Dickerson describes “how top U.S. companies are avoiding hundreds of billions of dollars parking their profits abroad — and still receiving more congressionally approved incentives.” Top offenders include Microsoft, Big Pharma, Big Oil, Big Tobacco, Wal-Mart, McDonald, and Caterpillar.

General Electric enjoys an effective rate of 4 percent – 31 percent below the U.S. tax rate. Meanwhile our schools, basic infracture continue to suffer with declining federal tax revenues. The oligarchs have a chokehold on our declining democracy. Citizens it is time raise your voices. 

Response sent NYT op ed : Hamas 8-25-14

25, August 2014,        Response sent NYT op ed : Hamas

Sadly, the NYT gives generous space to propagate Israeli propaganda. Israeli journalist Gideon Levy said it best; “the Middle East peace will never come until the Israeli government drops its rejection of basic Palestinian rights. Sure Israel wants peace, Israel just doesn’t want a just peace. When was Israel willing to give up its occupation? Never.” The strategy was very simple; maintain the status quo, gain time, gobble up more and more land; Hamas is a terrorist group and therefore we can never negotiate peace with a terrorist group – how convenient! Create a walled city stealing more and more Palestinian land and ensure unconditional US support –voila! you have it – greater Israel using the barrel of a gun. Where is the proof – building more and more settlements and toss dissenters in dungeons without charge? Justice Israeli style. Example, Levy has received death threats after calling on Israeli Air Force pilots to refuse to bomb Gaza. It’s time to take Israel to the International Criminal Court and hold them accountable for war crimes. Perhaps we should also be held accountable for aiding and abetting Israel in their messianic zeal to fulfill their biblical prophecy!
http://callforsocialjustice.blogspot.com/

Genocide in Gaza 8-21-14

21, August 2014 Genocide in Gaza

As the Israeli offensive in Gaza continues, more and more children continue to die – 467 since July. 3,000 have suffered severe injuries and 1,000 will suffer a lifelong disability; 1,500 have been orphaned. Many of their schools have been destroyed and few hospitals are fully functional. According to the United Nations, a staggering 373,000 children are severely traumatized. Their future remains extremely bleak. Over 1 million of Gaza’s 1.8 million are children under the age of 17.

Pernille Ironside, chief of UNICEF’s Gaza field office stated "there isn’t a single family in Gaza who hasn’t experienced death, injury, or the loss of their home; the psychological toll on its people, especially the children is staggering. The type of weaponry that’s being used is literally shredding and obliterating people, and particularly children. All this is coming on top of already deep—deep wounds from two previous conflicts.” Many children have expressed regret they could not have perished under the rubble for there no future in Gaza – only more excruciating pain.

The norms of international law have been severely compromised where civilians and U.N. facilitates, which have been fully coordinated with Israeli officials, have been deliberately targeted. Not even the sanctity of the UN flag has been respected. Jewish Voices for Peace, Amnesty International, Human rights Watch and many other groups have expressed deep outrage over the ongoing genocide, more especially as our Pentagon continues to replenish Israel’s arsenal of these terrifying weapons.  

War on Journalists & Whistleblowers 8-17-14

17, August 2014                     War on Journalists & Whistleblowers

In a new report, Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union issue dire warnings of  "large-scale surveillance seriously hampering U.S.-based journalists and lawyers in their work." They describe an unhealthy media climate where journalists are forced take time consuming steps to protect their sources. Sources are now in mortal fear of talking, as aggressive prosecutions scare government officials into remaining silent, even about issues that are unclassified.

For lawyers, the threat of surveillance is stoking fears that will be unable to protect a client’s right to privacy. Alex Sinha, and Jeremy Scahill have authored a report entitled, "With Liberty to Monitor All: How Large-Scale U.S. Surveillance Is Harming Journalism, Law, and American Democracy”. Brian Ross, chief investigative correspondent for ABC News, stated “that we sometimes feel like you’re operating like somebody in the Mafia. You’ve got to go around with a bag full of quarters and, if you can find a pay phone, use it, or use, throwaway burner phones. Journalists are made to feel like criminals”. A number of other reporters including, Jonathan Landay, national security reporter for McClatchy Newspapers, echoed Brian Ross sentiments.
In a determined effort to protect his source under threat of jail time, James Risen of the NYT has displayed enormous courage under fire and should be awarded the highest honor. Shame on Obama and Eric Holder for vilifying and bullying such an American hero. It is also time to demand that the Obama administration cease and desist its war on Whistleblowers. 

Militarization of Law Enforcement 8-15-14

15, August 2014 Militarization of Law Enforcement

Response to NYT op ed 15, August 2014

Mercifully, the mood in Ferguson has changed drastically over the past 24 hours. On Wednesday night, the city resembled a war zone as police fired tear gas, stun grenades and smoke bombs.

Common sense prevailed, as the newly appointed African-American Highway Patrol captain, Ron Johnson, was put in charge of security and ordered the ‘big gun’ military weapons to be put away. Johnson helped to defuse the tense situation by mingling with the crowd.  Attorney General Eric Holder expressed concern regarding the deployment of military equipment and vehicles to quell a relatively minor domestic incident. What Holder forgot to mention was the federal government’s role in supplying local police forces with military-grade equipment – all paid with federal dollars from grant money generously doled out by the Department of Homeland Security.  Radley Balko, author of the book, "Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces” commented, "when we take domestic police officers and train them like soldiers and give them military gear and dress them up like soldiers and tell them they’re fighting a war — a war on crime or a war on terror — it is going to alter their mindset where they’re going to start to see themselves as soldiers”. It is time put a halt to the militarization of law enforcement, heighten racial sensitivity and aggressively recruit more minorities.