A senior advisor to McCain suggested that a terrorist attack would help McCain...what an idiot, and he should be the first person arrested when the next happening occurs. There are enough conspiracy theories about the World Trade Center being a combined inside/outside job that this makes any person with a brain wonder....
Like the Brit, Scott Forbes, who worked in one of the Towers who was one of the very few survivors of his company, Fiduciary Trust, noting that in the weeks prior to 9/11, there were off-hour work crews working in between floors, especially vacant ones on the weekend before the tragedy doing who-knows-what. The Towers were powered down from midday Saturday until Sunday afternoon. Workers had unsecure access throughout the building. Forbes and others like my friend, Beth Fertig, have said the falling of the Twin Towers looked like a demolition, although she believes that it wasn't a controlled demolition and regrets using those words. She is amazed at the failure to get Bin Laden and how far Giuliani got in the presidential race.
When you think of the advantages Bush had and all the good will he blew to tackle his own personal grudge in the Middle East, it makes one wonder. I'm not saying that he knew this was coming...but some should have and could have.
I'm trying to be a skeptic without turning into a cynic. The Salon article makes me keep my mind open. Using a terrorist attack as a political "advantage" is
Monday, June 23, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Horror
New York Times
Op-Ed Columnist
The Weapon of Rape
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: June 15, 2008
World leaders fight terrorism all the time, with summit meetings and sound bites and security initiatives. But they have studiously ignored one of the most common and brutal varieties of terrorism in the world today.
This is a kind of terrorism that disproportionately targets children. It involves not W.M.D. but simply AK-47s, machetes and pointed sticks. It is mass rape — and it will be elevated, belatedly, to a spot on the international agenda this week.
The United Nations Security Council will hold a special session on sexual violence this Thursday, with Condoleezza Rice coming to New York to lead the debate. This session, sponsored by the United States and backed by a Security Council resolution calling for regular follow-up reports, just may help mass rape graduate from an unmentionable to a serious foreign policy issue.
The world woke up to this phenomenon in 1993, after discovering that Serbian forces had set up a network of “rape camps” in which women and girls, some as young as 12, were enslaved. Since then, we’ve seen similar patterns of systematic rape in many countries, and it has become clear that mass rape is not just a byproduct of war but also sometimes a deliberate weapon.
“Rape in war has been going on since time immemorial,” said Stephen Lewis, a former Canadian ambassador who was the U.N.’s envoy for AIDS in Africa. “But it has taken a new twist as commanders have used it as a strategy of war.”
There are two reasons for this. First, mass rape is very effective militarily. From the viewpoint of a militia, getting into a firefight is risky, so it’s preferable to terrorize civilians sympathetic to a rival group and drive them away, depriving the rivals of support.
Second, mass rape attracts less international scrutiny than piles of bodies do, because the issue is indelicate and the victims are usually too ashamed to speak up.
In Sudan, the government has turned all of Darfur into a rape camp. The first person to alert me to this was a woman named Zahra Abdelkarim, who had been kidnapped, gang-raped, mutilated — slashed with a sword on her leg — and then left naked and bleeding to wander back to her Zaghawa tribe. In effect, she had become a message to her people: Flee, or else.
Since then, this practice of “marking” the Darfur rape victims has become widespread: typically, the women are scarred or branded, or occasionally have their ears cut off. This is often done by police officers or soldiers, in uniform, as part of a coordinated government policy.
When the governments of South Africa, China, Libya and Indonesia support Sudan’s positions in Darfur, do they really mean to adopt a pro-rape foreign policy?
The rape capital of the world is eastern Congo, where in some areas three-quarters of women have been raped. Sometimes the rapes are conducted with pointed sticks that leave the victims incontinent from internal injuries, and a former U.N. force commander there, Patrick Cammaert, says it is “more dangerous to be a woman than to be a soldier.”
The international community’s response so far? Approximately: “Not our problem.”
Yet such rapes also complicate post-conflict recovery, with sexual violence lingering even after peace has been restored. In Liberia, the civil war is over but rape is still epidemic — and half of all reported rapes involve girls younger than 14.
Painfully slowly, the United Nations and its member states seem to be recognizing the fact that systematic mass rape is at least as much an international outrage as, say, pirated DVDs. Yet China and Russia are resisting any new reporting mechanism for sexual violence, seeing such rapes as tragic but simply a criminal matter.
On the contrary, systematic rape has properly been found by international tribunals to constitute a crime against humanity, and it thrives in part because the world shrugs. The U.N. could do far more to provide health services to victims of mass rape and to insist that peacekeepers at least try to stop it.
In Congo, the doctors at Heal Africa Hospital and Panzi Hospital (healafrica .org and panzihospitalbukavu.org) repair the internal injuries of rape victims with skill and humanity. But my most indelible memory from my most recent visit, last year, came as I was interviewing a young woman who had been gang-raped.
I had taken her aside to protect her privacy, but a large group of women suddenly approached. I tried to shoo them away, and then the women explained that they had all been gang-raped and had decided that despite the stigma and risk of reprisal, they would all tell their stories.
So let’s hope that this week the world’s leaders and diplomats stop offering excuses for paralysis and begin emulating the courageous outspokenness of those Congolese women.
I invite you to comment on this column on my blog, www.nytimes.com/ontheground, and join me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kristof.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Thanks! Hillary:)
Wow. Hillary Rodham Clinton just gave the best speech I've ever heard her give. Talk about history. This was it! Forget what happens at the convention. This was a great coming together moment.
As I sat in my car waiting in line to get a good deal on gasoline ($4.09 as opposed to $4.29 elsewhere), I listened to her concession speech, often clapping to her statements. She was strong. She was adamant. She was a woman leader. A woman king.
Thank you, Hillary for standing with Senator Barack Obama.
Thank Goodness she endorsed our candidate, Obama; thank goodness she reminded us of the historic journey she/we have made.
Yes, she was disappointed in not winning the nomination but she's setting it aside for the most important thing...getting a Democrat in the White House.
I'm am again a Hillary fan.
Yes! We can!
Blessings to the Obamas and the Clintons. Bless us all. Go Obama '08!!!!
P.S. I loved the venue; what is the National Building Museum?--"Great sense of history;" Carl Bernstein says; it was the old Pension Building for Civil War Pensioners, Orphans & Widows...and the frieze around it designed by Gen. Montgomery Megs insisted it have an African American soldier in relief.
P.P.S. I love that she looks like Shirley Jones, looks like my mom.
P.P.P.S. Go Candy Crowley!
P.P.P.P.S. This is great for All women!!!!!!! All people:)
As I sat in my car waiting in line to get a good deal on gasoline ($4.09 as opposed to $4.29 elsewhere), I listened to her concession speech, often clapping to her statements. She was strong. She was adamant. She was a woman leader. A woman king.
Thank you, Hillary for standing with Senator Barack Obama.
Thank Goodness she endorsed our candidate, Obama; thank goodness she reminded us of the historic journey she/we have made.
Yes, she was disappointed in not winning the nomination but she's setting it aside for the most important thing...getting a Democrat in the White House.
I'm am again a Hillary fan.
Yes! We can!
Blessings to the Obamas and the Clintons. Bless us all. Go Obama '08!!!!
P.S. I loved the venue; what is the National Building Museum?--"Great sense of history;" Carl Bernstein says; it was the old Pension Building for Civil War Pensioners, Orphans & Widows...and the frieze around it designed by Gen. Montgomery Megs insisted it have an African American soldier in relief.
P.P.S. I love that she looks like Shirley Jones, looks like my mom.
P.P.P.S. Go Candy Crowley!
P.P.P.P.S. This is great for All women!!!!!!! All people:)
Friday, June 6, 2008
The Week
My comments responding to the New York Times The Caucus Blog
from OBAMA & CLINTON MEET IN WASHINGTON
#116.June 6th, 2008
12:01 am
To #20 Jack James–
“Obama runs home to mama. As a Republican, I of course like to see him display just how weak he is. Could you imagine John McCain being so weak?”
Wow, Jack, that’s just a different world view. Obama respects his adversary; he doesn’t have to give in to her. He met with her to listen, no doubt. Maybe you should give it a try and then you wouldn’t need to be so misogynistic.
A man who reveres his mother, respects his wife and treats his daughters as well as his sons deserves to be considered for 'chief of the country.'
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from CLINTON SAYS VP IS OBAMA'S CHOICE
#368.June 5th, 2008
10:59 pm
Duh. Thanks for telling us what we already knew, Hill.
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from THE LONG GOODBYE
#385.June 5th, 2008
8:48 pm
Don’t assume that it’s Obama supporters bashing Hillary. There are trolls all over the place trying to divide. On the Obama forums people are constantly reminding people to stay above the fray, be professional and not stoop to name-calling.
Please don’t not vote for him/you in the GE because HRC lost in the primary. Thanks.
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from CLINTON TO SUSPEND CAMPAIGN, ENDORSE OBAMA
#373.June 4th, 2008
8:19 pm
Lisa Caputo on CNN is calling HRC’s followers "horses," as in leading horses to water...as if Hillary owns the 18 million voters and they won’t be dropping her if she doesn’t rally behind the nominee.
HRC isn’t the ONLY one of the 18 million with a brain to decide what they will do. Was her request last night for people to write in and tell her what to do disingenuous when her publicity flak is saying that they’re mere horses to be led or sheep following their shepherd? Baaaaaaaaaaaa…Not!
— Posted by tangenjill
#962.June 4th, 2008
11:33 pm
“You guys left messages on here are too mean! She has just lost with 18 millions votes. You guys think about 18 millions people who have to give up theirs hope carried for one year long. I don’t think you guys know it. That is why i decided to vote for Mc.— Posted by Kiwon moon”
Oh…so you think the Republicans will be gentler? Good luck.
— Posted by tangenjill
#1219.June 5th, 2008
6:28 am
Welcome, Hillary supporters! I really hope this is true. Suspending and wholeheartedly endorsing are two different things. Let’s unite for the sake of our country. It’s been a long struggle but we can do it! Unity!
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from CAROLINE KENNEDY JOINS OBAMA's VP SEARCH TEAM
#289.June 5th, 2008
12:47 am
“Caroline Kennedy must be having a mid-life crisis. When has she ever served in such a capacity?— Posted by cabby”
Wow, cabby, that’s catty. Who’s having the crisis, you perhaps? Heck, Ms. Kennedy’s not even half-way there. Caroline Kennedy for Vice President! All the way!!
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from OBAMA REACHES OUT TO PRO-ISRAEL GROUP
#1.June 4th,2008
12:59 pm
Amen.
“Blessed are the peace makers.”
“Justice, justice you shall pursue.”
Shalom/Salaam
— Posted by tangenjill
#128.June 4th, 2008
4:19 pm
#31–American in Lebanon: Where has Obama denied the suffering of the Palestinian people? On the contrary.
What’s refreshing is that instead of it being lose-lose situation, as is the current never-ending war, a two-state solution would preserve a Jewish state (which history has proved necessary–and it’s a RETURN to a homeland, by the way); having an independent and peaceful Palestine extant might mitigate a lot of the above, too.
For some–those who want to live side by side in peace–it’d be nice if there were overlapping components of this, I think, where there can be more interaction between young people…to learn that neither side has ‘horns.’
By the way there are positive things out there, among them Seeds of Peace, the New Israel Fund, Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, Zeitouna Sisters, etc.
Women’s rights, religious rights, the right to marry whom one chooses–these are human rights and there needs to be more progress throughout the Middle East, and around the world.
Strong moderates everywhere have to support each other to keep the extremists on all sides from plunging everyone into an abyss.
— Posted by tangenjill
#187.June 4th,2008
5:56 pm
To Sitka (#56),
The suffering has been on both sides…let’s not try for a suffering contest/war. The Jews of Palestine declared a state. The Arab countries surrounding it attacked on behalf of the Palestinian Arabs. The Arabs lost; it would’ve been great if everyone made peace and lived according to the Partition plan…but they didn’t. So, for the Palestinians who didn’t stay or were displaced it was Nakhba(sp?); for many Jews who’d been kicked out of their most recent homes, it was a rebirth. That the two peoples are related if you go back far enough should remind us not to let family feuds take hold or flourish. Even if they’re rooted in Torah/Biblical/Koranic history.
When I traveled and lived in Israel twice for a year-at-a-time (1984, 1989), I was mostly heartened by the interactions of people. Most were decent. When a group of Palestinian men picked a fight with my Dad at the Mount of Olives near sunset, it was a Palestinian cabdriver who came to our rescue.
Good folk exist on both sides, just as scary folk do…those who talk down the other or see them as less than human. I remember a Palestinian shopkeeper in Hebron denigrating Jews to a German Christian tourist (I guess I don’t look typically Jewish). An Israeli friend of mine worked as a medic when on reserve duty in the West Bank. He said he tried to keep the younger Israelis from being too rough. An Israeli-Arab friend invited my boyfriend and me to stay overnight in his family’s home. His father, a devout Muslim, spoke Hebrew to me and said how we’re all family. These are happy stories mostly. But I know that there are the other stories, too….
What needs to be demanded of everyone is respect. And individuals have to make those choices daily. Yes, people on both sides need to study the others’ histories so there can be meaningful dialog. People should be allowed to return. People should be able to share and get along. How the details are ironed out is the trick.
You can’t expect people to give up their security (in this case land) for a piece of peace without there being a real cultural/educational shift on all sides. But to not work for that isn’t an option.
Oh…and then there’s folk like Ahmadinijad who aren’t helping things.
— Posted by tangenjill
#242.June 4th, 2008
11:45 pm
#153–Yes, Israeli-Arabs hold office in the Knesset. One is in the cabinet I believe, or was. They are a minority but since small parties can have more impact in a parliamentary system by banding together with other parties, they have a voice. Those Palestinians from the West Bank (Judaea & S…) and Gaza are not in the Knesset. They are under military rule since the Israeli (and Jordanian, I believe) occupations.
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from A McCAIN-OBAMA ROADSHOW?
#16.June 4th, 2008
1:09 pm
Why not?
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from THE EARLY WORD: OBAMA's RECORD-BREAKING JOURNEY
#113.June 4th, 2008
11:13 am
“On the most historic night for this nation in my life Mrs Clinton acted shamefully. She did everything she could to diminish Senator Obama’s night. By floating her name for VP and not mentioning his historic acheivement, she hoped that she still had the power to rain on his parade and force her way on to the ticket. I was all for a “dream ticket” before last night. Now I am disgusted by the sight of this egomanic Hillary Clinton.— Posted by Eric”
Well, I agree to a point, but can also see how she felt the need to SHARE the spotlight last night– but then she forgot to SHARE much at all. Or maybe she thought it should be all hers? Anyway, let’s agree that she should not be VP–as I doubt she truly wants regardless. But it makes sense to honor her achievement with a meaningful position–better position in the Senate or eventual Supreme Court nominee? I do think she’s got to drop the ego stuff that she shares with Bill, find him something to do (far, far away) and get on board with Obama’s vision for our country. That would be something I could respectfully agree to.
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from "LIVE BLOGGING THE SEASON FINALE"
#442.June 4th, 2008
12:40 am
If people allow their pettiness and hurt to guide their voting in the Fall, then we all lose.
How about uniting behind the leader, Barack Obama, who has been magnanimous, inclusive, and has a vision. Stop letting people label people by race or religion (like he said) and take a chance on a positive future.
It’s not about EGO and personal power and the Clintons’ legacy. We’re beyond that now. Let’s go! Yes, we can! And if you vote McCain instead, then you’re dooming our Surpreme Court to the right wing whackos and sending America backwards.
— Posted by tangenjill
#446.June 4th, 2008
12:45 am
Lanny Davis grasping at straws to get HRC as vice president. I agree with Maureen Dowd that Obama’s not at his best with her sniping at him. And why should he trust her? I wouldn’t trust those whom she has inspired to their bubba-ness. Doesn’t she realize that she’s already disqualified herself? Tell Bill to try Prozac.
— Posted by tangenjill
#460.June 4th, 2008
12:58 am
“Who is running?…Barack or Michelle….she brings minimal substance to his campaign and thus needs to chill a bit and take more of a backseat.
Her smile and attitude have a presumptuous nature.— Posted by ds”
Whoa. That’s snarky, don’t you agree? Lay off Michelle. She’s her own person and you’re reading in A LOT. Nobody’s perfect, nor do they have to be.
— Posted by tangenjill
#683.June 4th, 2008
11:30 am
“Her leverage is that many Democrats throughout the country are OUTRAGED at the way Sen. Clinton has been treated, both by the media and the Democratic Party itself. I for one intend to write her name in rather than vote for either Obama or McCain.— Posted by stheil”
I can understand your emotion, but I’m begging you NOT to do that–as will HRC eventually I hope. There were nasty digs by some on both sides but the common thread of decency MUST prevail for our children’s children. I would not wish a more extreme Supreme Court on our daughters and hope that Hillary will sit on the bench and do her part. The Supreme Court Bench, that is! Barack Obama is a good, decent, respectful man and as a mostly white Jewish feminist I wholeheartedly support him. Please join us in mending the divide.
--Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from "IN NEW YORK IT'S "A WONDERFUL DAY"
#64.June 4th, 2008
11:04 am
We are so very proud to have Barack H. Obama as our leader; he has a vision that connects us all. As a mostly-white, Jewish feminist of mixed ancestry (Native American/Asian), I feel a kinship with Senator Obama and my entire family wishes him and his family well.
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from CLINTON OPEN TO VP SLOT, LAWMAKERS SAY
#365.June 4th, 2008
11:24 am
It’s Senator Obama’s decision, but I don’t think it would be a good fit for either of them. She’s not a #2. And Bill’s–unfortunately–a liability for both of them. I think the country could be served better by a different match up. That said, HRC needs to help unite…maybe by a Cabinet seat, or definitely in the Senate if New Yorker’s are still behind her (I would like an accounting of that, as would many I think).
Just because she’s 2nd in the race doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to bundle these two together. That said, if they’re NOT on the ticket together, let’s be respectful of a new, better situation that can bring people together. Come on, women, don’t hold it against this respectful man that he’s not a woman. He has MANY strong women supporters!— Posted by tangenjill
#375.June 4th, 2008
1:33 pm
“Leave it to a woman to manipulate her way into a position she was denied. I will not vote democratic if she is on the ticket.— Posted by NS”
How about NOT speaking in generalisms, NS? And try avoiding misogynistic cliches next time. (Seems like your comment might be more about your own story.) HRC is ONE woman. And though I don’t like her campaign’s tactics, I think she has a lot to offer. It’s Senator Obama’s choice and I’m shouting, ‘no joint ticket, please!’ But to not vote for him if HE chooses her is pathetic. (Don’t worry, I don’t think he will.)— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from HOLDOUT SUPERDELEGATES
#30.June 2nd, 2008
11:27 pm
I volunteer to take on the awesome responsibility of deciding if a super-delegate can’t do it at this point. Come on! Yes, we can!
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from DEMOCRATIC FIGHT IS LIKE NO OTHER, EVER
#63.June 1st, 2008
11:27 pm
#6: “After Saturdays show and the assignment of delegates, I NEVER want to hear the Democrats say “Count Every Vote”… Its a meaningless political, empty phrase…”— Posted by j. reilly
It’s empty only by HRC’s standards; her operatives in MI didn’t allow the counting of those who wrote in Barack Obama’s name. What about their votes? And the fact that many others didn’t know that they should vote “undecided” for him. How about in the future to have a legitimate contest, all candidates must be listed or none at all.
— Posted by tangenjill
#69.June 1st, 2008
11:36 pm
“Mr. Harwood, do you think Sen. Obama can win in November with a new Democratic coalition? A coalition that does not include strong support from the white working class. If he can, then this may be a real turning point in American politics.”— Posted by efw
Obama definitely has support among working-class whites, and working-class of all “colors.” Come on, he started as a community organizer to help the disenfranchised of ALL ethnicities. Anyone who keeps hyping that only HRC has the support of whites is zany. She needs to start speaking the whole truth and bring this party together…for the future of ALL our children.
— Posted by tangenjill
#71.June 1st, 2008
11:42 pm
“I owe your kids NOTHING. It is up to you to take care of them. That is your duty as one of their parents. McCain and the Bush tax cuts must prevail.— Posted by Lisa Donohue”
Your quote alone should scare all right-minded people to vote for the Democratic nominee, whomever s/he is. Lisa, that you can’t see the positive in helping ALL kids get a decent shot at an education, health care, etc., is sad. We must care about each other’s children so that the world, yours and mine, will be better than we left it. And what makes you think that you’ll get the care you need someday from someone else’s kid who’s there to help take care of you and your needs? We’re all connected.
— Posted by tangenjill
from OBAMA & CLINTON MEET IN WASHINGTON
#116.June 6th, 2008
12:01 am
To #20 Jack James–
“Obama runs home to mama. As a Republican, I of course like to see him display just how weak he is. Could you imagine John McCain being so weak?”
Wow, Jack, that’s just a different world view. Obama respects his adversary; he doesn’t have to give in to her. He met with her to listen, no doubt. Maybe you should give it a try and then you wouldn’t need to be so misogynistic.
A man who reveres his mother, respects his wife and treats his daughters as well as his sons deserves to be considered for 'chief of the country.'
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from CLINTON SAYS VP IS OBAMA'S CHOICE
#368.June 5th, 2008
10:59 pm
Duh. Thanks for telling us what we already knew, Hill.
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from THE LONG GOODBYE
#385.June 5th, 2008
8:48 pm
Don’t assume that it’s Obama supporters bashing Hillary. There are trolls all over the place trying to divide. On the Obama forums people are constantly reminding people to stay above the fray, be professional and not stoop to name-calling.
Please don’t not vote for him/you in the GE because HRC lost in the primary. Thanks.
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from CLINTON TO SUSPEND CAMPAIGN, ENDORSE OBAMA
#373.June 4th, 2008
8:19 pm
Lisa Caputo on CNN is calling HRC’s followers "horses," as in leading horses to water...as if Hillary owns the 18 million voters and they won’t be dropping her if she doesn’t rally behind the nominee.
HRC isn’t the ONLY one of the 18 million with a brain to decide what they will do. Was her request last night for people to write in and tell her what to do disingenuous when her publicity flak is saying that they’re mere horses to be led or sheep following their shepherd? Baaaaaaaaaaaa…Not!
— Posted by tangenjill
#962.June 4th, 2008
11:33 pm
“You guys left messages on here are too mean! She has just lost with 18 millions votes. You guys think about 18 millions people who have to give up theirs hope carried for one year long. I don’t think you guys know it. That is why i decided to vote for Mc.— Posted by Kiwon moon”
Oh…so you think the Republicans will be gentler? Good luck.
— Posted by tangenjill
#1219.June 5th, 2008
6:28 am
Welcome, Hillary supporters! I really hope this is true. Suspending and wholeheartedly endorsing are two different things. Let’s unite for the sake of our country. It’s been a long struggle but we can do it! Unity!
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from CAROLINE KENNEDY JOINS OBAMA's VP SEARCH TEAM
#289.June 5th, 2008
12:47 am
“Caroline Kennedy must be having a mid-life crisis. When has she ever served in such a capacity?— Posted by cabby”
Wow, cabby, that’s catty. Who’s having the crisis, you perhaps? Heck, Ms. Kennedy’s not even half-way there. Caroline Kennedy for Vice President! All the way!!
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from OBAMA REACHES OUT TO PRO-ISRAEL GROUP
#1.June 4th,2008
12:59 pm
Amen.
“Blessed are the peace makers.”
“Justice, justice you shall pursue.”
Shalom/Salaam
— Posted by tangenjill
#128.June 4th, 2008
4:19 pm
#31–American in Lebanon: Where has Obama denied the suffering of the Palestinian people? On the contrary.
What’s refreshing is that instead of it being lose-lose situation, as is the current never-ending war, a two-state solution would preserve a Jewish state (which history has proved necessary–and it’s a RETURN to a homeland, by the way); having an independent and peaceful Palestine extant might mitigate a lot of the above, too.
For some–those who want to live side by side in peace–it’d be nice if there were overlapping components of this, I think, where there can be more interaction between young people…to learn that neither side has ‘horns.’
By the way there are positive things out there, among them Seeds of Peace, the New Israel Fund, Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, Zeitouna Sisters, etc.
Women’s rights, religious rights, the right to marry whom one chooses–these are human rights and there needs to be more progress throughout the Middle East, and around the world.
Strong moderates everywhere have to support each other to keep the extremists on all sides from plunging everyone into an abyss.
— Posted by tangenjill
#187.June 4th,2008
5:56 pm
To Sitka (#56),
The suffering has been on both sides…let’s not try for a suffering contest/war. The Jews of Palestine declared a state. The Arab countries surrounding it attacked on behalf of the Palestinian Arabs. The Arabs lost; it would’ve been great if everyone made peace and lived according to the Partition plan…but they didn’t. So, for the Palestinians who didn’t stay or were displaced it was Nakhba(sp?); for many Jews who’d been kicked out of their most recent homes, it was a rebirth. That the two peoples are related if you go back far enough should remind us not to let family feuds take hold or flourish. Even if they’re rooted in Torah/Biblical/Koranic history.
When I traveled and lived in Israel twice for a year-at-a-time (1984, 1989), I was mostly heartened by the interactions of people. Most were decent. When a group of Palestinian men picked a fight with my Dad at the Mount of Olives near sunset, it was a Palestinian cabdriver who came to our rescue.
Good folk exist on both sides, just as scary folk do…those who talk down the other or see them as less than human. I remember a Palestinian shopkeeper in Hebron denigrating Jews to a German Christian tourist (I guess I don’t look typically Jewish). An Israeli friend of mine worked as a medic when on reserve duty in the West Bank. He said he tried to keep the younger Israelis from being too rough. An Israeli-Arab friend invited my boyfriend and me to stay overnight in his family’s home. His father, a devout Muslim, spoke Hebrew to me and said how we’re all family. These are happy stories mostly. But I know that there are the other stories, too….
What needs to be demanded of everyone is respect. And individuals have to make those choices daily. Yes, people on both sides need to study the others’ histories so there can be meaningful dialog. People should be allowed to return. People should be able to share and get along. How the details are ironed out is the trick.
You can’t expect people to give up their security (in this case land) for a piece of peace without there being a real cultural/educational shift on all sides. But to not work for that isn’t an option.
Oh…and then there’s folk like Ahmadinijad who aren’t helping things.
— Posted by tangenjill
#242.June 4th, 2008
11:45 pm
#153–Yes, Israeli-Arabs hold office in the Knesset. One is in the cabinet I believe, or was. They are a minority but since small parties can have more impact in a parliamentary system by banding together with other parties, they have a voice. Those Palestinians from the West Bank (Judaea & S…) and Gaza are not in the Knesset. They are under military rule since the Israeli (and Jordanian, I believe) occupations.
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from A McCAIN-OBAMA ROADSHOW?
#16.June 4th, 2008
1:09 pm
Why not?
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from THE EARLY WORD: OBAMA's RECORD-BREAKING JOURNEY
#113.June 4th, 2008
11:13 am
“On the most historic night for this nation in my life Mrs Clinton acted shamefully. She did everything she could to diminish Senator Obama’s night. By floating her name for VP and not mentioning his historic acheivement, she hoped that she still had the power to rain on his parade and force her way on to the ticket. I was all for a “dream ticket” before last night. Now I am disgusted by the sight of this egomanic Hillary Clinton.— Posted by Eric”
Well, I agree to a point, but can also see how she felt the need to SHARE the spotlight last night– but then she forgot to SHARE much at all. Or maybe she thought it should be all hers? Anyway, let’s agree that she should not be VP–as I doubt she truly wants regardless. But it makes sense to honor her achievement with a meaningful position–better position in the Senate or eventual Supreme Court nominee? I do think she’s got to drop the ego stuff that she shares with Bill, find him something to do (far, far away) and get on board with Obama’s vision for our country. That would be something I could respectfully agree to.
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from "LIVE BLOGGING THE SEASON FINALE"
#442.June 4th, 2008
12:40 am
If people allow their pettiness and hurt to guide their voting in the Fall, then we all lose.
How about uniting behind the leader, Barack Obama, who has been magnanimous, inclusive, and has a vision. Stop letting people label people by race or religion (like he said) and take a chance on a positive future.
It’s not about EGO and personal power and the Clintons’ legacy. We’re beyond that now. Let’s go! Yes, we can! And if you vote McCain instead, then you’re dooming our Surpreme Court to the right wing whackos and sending America backwards.
— Posted by tangenjill
#446.June 4th, 2008
12:45 am
Lanny Davis grasping at straws to get HRC as vice president. I agree with Maureen Dowd that Obama’s not at his best with her sniping at him. And why should he trust her? I wouldn’t trust those whom she has inspired to their bubba-ness. Doesn’t she realize that she’s already disqualified herself? Tell Bill to try Prozac.
— Posted by tangenjill
#460.June 4th, 2008
12:58 am
“Who is running?…Barack or Michelle….she brings minimal substance to his campaign and thus needs to chill a bit and take more of a backseat.
Her smile and attitude have a presumptuous nature.— Posted by ds”
Whoa. That’s snarky, don’t you agree? Lay off Michelle. She’s her own person and you’re reading in A LOT. Nobody’s perfect, nor do they have to be.
— Posted by tangenjill
#683.June 4th, 2008
11:30 am
“Her leverage is that many Democrats throughout the country are OUTRAGED at the way Sen. Clinton has been treated, both by the media and the Democratic Party itself. I for one intend to write her name in rather than vote for either Obama or McCain.— Posted by stheil”
I can understand your emotion, but I’m begging you NOT to do that–as will HRC eventually I hope. There were nasty digs by some on both sides but the common thread of decency MUST prevail for our children’s children. I would not wish a more extreme Supreme Court on our daughters and hope that Hillary will sit on the bench and do her part. The Supreme Court Bench, that is! Barack Obama is a good, decent, respectful man and as a mostly white Jewish feminist I wholeheartedly support him. Please join us in mending the divide.
--Posted by tangenjill
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from "IN NEW YORK IT'S "A WONDERFUL DAY"
#64.June 4th, 2008
11:04 am
We are so very proud to have Barack H. Obama as our leader; he has a vision that connects us all. As a mostly-white, Jewish feminist of mixed ancestry (Native American/Asian), I feel a kinship with Senator Obama and my entire family wishes him and his family well.
— Posted by tangenjill
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from CLINTON OPEN TO VP SLOT, LAWMAKERS SAY
#365.June 4th, 2008
11:24 am
It’s Senator Obama’s decision, but I don’t think it would be a good fit for either of them. She’s not a #2. And Bill’s–unfortunately–a liability for both of them. I think the country could be served better by a different match up. That said, HRC needs to help unite…maybe by a Cabinet seat, or definitely in the Senate if New Yorker’s are still behind her (I would like an accounting of that, as would many I think).
Just because she’s 2nd in the race doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to bundle these two together. That said, if they’re NOT on the ticket together, let’s be respectful of a new, better situation that can bring people together. Come on, women, don’t hold it against this respectful man that he’s not a woman. He has MANY strong women supporters!— Posted by tangenjill
#375.June 4th, 2008
1:33 pm
“Leave it to a woman to manipulate her way into a position she was denied. I will not vote democratic if she is on the ticket.— Posted by NS”
How about NOT speaking in generalisms, NS? And try avoiding misogynistic cliches next time. (Seems like your comment might be more about your own story.) HRC is ONE woman. And though I don’t like her campaign’s tactics, I think she has a lot to offer. It’s Senator Obama’s choice and I’m shouting, ‘no joint ticket, please!’ But to not vote for him if HE chooses her is pathetic. (Don’t worry, I don’t think he will.)— Posted by tangenjill
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from HOLDOUT SUPERDELEGATES
#30.June 2nd, 2008
11:27 pm
I volunteer to take on the awesome responsibility of deciding if a super-delegate can’t do it at this point. Come on! Yes, we can!
— Posted by tangenjill
----------------
from DEMOCRATIC FIGHT IS LIKE NO OTHER, EVER
#63.June 1st, 2008
11:27 pm
#6: “After Saturdays show and the assignment of delegates, I NEVER want to hear the Democrats say “Count Every Vote”… Its a meaningless political, empty phrase…”— Posted by j. reilly
It’s empty only by HRC’s standards; her operatives in MI didn’t allow the counting of those who wrote in Barack Obama’s name. What about their votes? And the fact that many others didn’t know that they should vote “undecided” for him. How about in the future to have a legitimate contest, all candidates must be listed or none at all.
— Posted by tangenjill
#69.June 1st, 2008
11:36 pm
“Mr. Harwood, do you think Sen. Obama can win in November with a new Democratic coalition? A coalition that does not include strong support from the white working class. If he can, then this may be a real turning point in American politics.”— Posted by efw
Obama definitely has support among working-class whites, and working-class of all “colors.” Come on, he started as a community organizer to help the disenfranchised of ALL ethnicities. Anyone who keeps hyping that only HRC has the support of whites is zany. She needs to start speaking the whole truth and bring this party together…for the future of ALL our children.
— Posted by tangenjill
#71.June 1st, 2008
11:42 pm
“I owe your kids NOTHING. It is up to you to take care of them. That is your duty as one of their parents. McCain and the Bush tax cuts must prevail.— Posted by Lisa Donohue”
Your quote alone should scare all right-minded people to vote for the Democratic nominee, whomever s/he is. Lisa, that you can’t see the positive in helping ALL kids get a decent shot at an education, health care, etc., is sad. We must care about each other’s children so that the world, yours and mine, will be better than we left it. And what makes you think that you’ll get the care you need someday from someone else’s kid who’s there to help take care of you and your needs? We’re all connected.
— Posted by tangenjill
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Beautiful Day
Now that's a great song to enter with--U2's "A Beautiful Day"...don't let it get away.
"Let's unite in a common effort to chart a new course for America." Right on! Way to go, Senator--soon to be President--Obama....
That's a great acknowledging McCain's dis...that while he respects McCain's service to the country McCain doesn't respect his.
That's a great line about getting McCain to come to small towns in MI, IA, MN, etc., and see how the economy has clobbered them...instead of taking trips to Iraqi towns.
Man, he's rolling..."a college education...a birthright for every American." Amen.
Wow...I can't keep up, but I'm surfing it with him. It's a message we all can embrace. It's core decency. It's real.
That's right...he didn't talk about himself, because this isn't about him; it's about America. Hillary, wake up!
Exit with "The Rising." Brilliant!
"Let's unite in a common effort to chart a new course for America." Right on! Way to go, Senator--soon to be President--Obama....
That's a great acknowledging McCain's dis...that while he respects McCain's service to the country McCain doesn't respect his.
That's a great line about getting McCain to come to small towns in MI, IA, MN, etc., and see how the economy has clobbered them...instead of taking trips to Iraqi towns.
Man, he's rolling..."a college education...a birthright for every American." Amen.
Wow...I can't keep up, but I'm surfing it with him. It's a message we all can embrace. It's core decency. It's real.
That's right...he didn't talk about himself, because this isn't about him; it's about America. Hillary, wake up!
Exit with "The Rising." Brilliant!
Well...
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is being sort of gracious tonight. I'm liking her more now that she's being positive...but when will she concede? and stop claiming the "popular vote;" that's not proven.
Up until the end of last year--when I hadn't really been paying attention to what her campaign was putting out there about Obama--I was in her camp. Why not? She has a lot of good policy ideas.
However, it's been a nasty fight; I don't like some of the stuff she's dredged in hinter lands. But, she might be a help in the Fall. For a lot of folks, she's been a touchstone. And that's all right. Still, she could have stayed positive and not allowed her campaign to attempt to trash Senator Obama.
I hope she's given back the kid a bike....I DON'T like her exit song, "Better Than All the Rest." Talk about elitist. She doesn't get it that it's not about her.
Obama '08!
Up until the end of last year--when I hadn't really been paying attention to what her campaign was putting out there about Obama--I was in her camp. Why not? She has a lot of good policy ideas.
However, it's been a nasty fight; I don't like some of the stuff she's dredged in hinter lands. But, she might be a help in the Fall. For a lot of folks, she's been a touchstone. And that's all right. Still, she could have stayed positive and not allowed her campaign to attempt to trash Senator Obama.
I hope she's given back the kid a bike....I DON'T like her exit song, "Better Than All the Rest." Talk about elitist. She doesn't get it that it's not about her.
Obama '08!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Oh No You Don't!
Oh no you don't, Kathleen Parker. The Chicago Tribune columnist thinks she's got the goods to define "full-blooded American" in a not-so-veiled attempt at discrediting Senator Barack Obama.
In May 15th's "The Bubba Vote," Ms. Parker tries to convey the point of view of the undereducated folk:
First, it's lame to try and hint that Senator Obama (he's a U.S. Senator!) is anything but all-out American. That his father was Kenyan only adds to his story. His mom and her family come from old America. (Only she came from the inclusive, non-racist American line). Obama's ancestors on his distaff side fought for this country, and just because he hasn't served in the military isn't a negative. That's just who his is as a person. He has only high praise for those who did serve their country in this capacity. He acknowledges veterans every day on the campaign trail; that he also is advocating another type of service that doesn't require picking up a gun is a good thing.
I come from a family that goes way back in America. Not only did we have folk here before and during the Revolution, but on my grandma's side we're part Native American--that's about as American as you can get. Whether that's "full-blooded" or not is another matter, and frankly, the whole "full-blooded" thing is annoying. Nobody is "full-blooded" anything if you go back far enough.
I have blonde, blue-eyed cousins who look as Nordic as the next person with their natural coloration, yet they have Native American ancestry on both sides of their parents' families. You wouldn't know it by looking at them, yet they are proud of this wonderful aspect of their heritage and are some of the more open-minded people I know. One has married an African-American, another a Vietnamese immigrant and the third is unmarried. And gay:)
So, I don't take kindly to some right-wing racist hack writing that "full-blooded Americans" are at risk of being overwhelmed by our embracing the other, especially those folk South of the border. We're all related after all.
Regarding the gun issue, I received one for my 12th birthday (a 20 gauge with a poly-choke), my reward for passing a hunter's safety class. My maternal grandfather was a gunsmith (though his great-grandfather wouldn't carry arms in the Civil War and instead drummed and served as a medic). Some people just aren't made to shoot at people. It's a good thing, don't you agree? What's important, I think, is if you choose to have them then responsibly owning guns...not foisting them on inner city youth or smuggling them to outlaw factions, etc. The right to defend yourself is universal.
And regarding the religious question...my foreparents came to this country for religious liberty, not to have someone else's notion of salvation crammed down their throats. I'm tired of Bobby Jindal and his right-wing conservatism that narrowly defines America as "Christian." Yeah, the most common faith of the first settlers here was Christianity, although many were non-believers, pagans and freethinkers among them--not to forget the Native People. All Christians certainly did not agree or belong to the same denomination. There were Jews and other minority groups here over 250 years ago for goodness sake, and so to solely cite the Christian heritage of this country is incomplete.
When Senator Obama was recently "adopted" by the Cree Nation, one blog poster complained that he was probably part Indian anyway. Guess what...many Americans are. What some don't realize is that there was a lot of mixing among peoples before and after this country came into being. My recent family comes from the Midwest where the Native American tribes in Northern Indiana(mostly Potowatomi) were run out of the area by white folks--based on a racist presidential decree--even though most were church-going people trying to live in peace with the settlers. They and their French Catholic priest were marched West to the other side of the Mississippi River until they reached Council Bluffs. Many died along the route.
(My hope is that the open-mindedness and diversity of opinion demonstrated in the recent Iowa caucus demonstrates the diversity of its culture, no thanks to the post-Civil War Washington administration that advocated this other trail of tears.)
Do most Americans realize that Native Americans weren't given the right to vote until the 1920s? That Native Americans were forced to send their children to boarding schools away from their families and culture? It's not surprising then to understand that many Americans with Native American heritage just blended in to the rest of America and passed for "white" and all its requisite privileges. They are a vast part of middle and western America. My own grandmother grew up not knowing she was part native American, but her husband learned the truth from her father. It just wasn't talked about with regular frequency. Who could blame them for the standard social prejudice among those with power was that whites were superior. That's not how I was raised.
Why am I babbling on about colors and such? I guess it's because it irks me when someone hints that a "Bubba" might not get it that the African American sitting next to him had ancestors who fought in the Civil War or the Revolution for that matter.
It's not that by choosing Barack Obama we are relinquishing our past, we are merely hearing a fuller narrative. It was Barack's white forefathers who fought for this country, but there were people of many different hues and faiths who built the United States of America.
We shouldn't fall prey to "who's more American" than another. We need to preserve American ideals of truth, justice, freedom, tolerance and democracy while stiff-arming narrow biases be they imported from Eastern Europe, the Middle East or south of the border.
What needs to be preserved is the right for individuals to be themselves and not forced to embrace one sanctioned faith or version of this country's heritage. Because while we're at it let's rewrite the history books and tell the whole truth. For example, to many Custer was no hero; his men cut off body parts of their victims (including women). Was he any more full-blooded American than Sitting Bull? It depends on your perspective.
We don't need to make these wounds deeper, but with knowledge and understanding, we can realize the real America of which we're all a part. And of course to all get along and grow a brighter future, we must work to make the future a more decent one for everyone.
In May 15th's "The Bubba Vote," Ms. Parker tries to convey the point of view of the undereducated folk:
Full-bloodedness is an old coin that's gaining currency in the new American realm. Meaning: Politics may no longer be so much about race and gender as about heritage, core values, and made-in-America. Just as we once and still have a cultural divide in this country, we now have a patriot divide.
Who "gets" America? And who doesn't?...What they know is that their forefathers fought and died for an America that has worked pretty well for more than 200 years. What they sense is that their heritage is being swept under the carpet while multiculturalism becomes the new national narrative. And they fear what else might get lost in the remodeling of America.
Republicans more than Democrats seem to get this, though Hillary Clinton has figured it out....Some Americans do feel antipathy toward "people who aren't like them," but that antipathy isn't about racial or ethnic differences. It is not necessary to repair antipathy appropriately directed toward people who disregard the laws of the land and who dismiss the struggles that resulted in their creation.
First, it's lame to try and hint that Senator Obama (he's a U.S. Senator!) is anything but all-out American. That his father was Kenyan only adds to his story. His mom and her family come from old America. (Only she came from the inclusive, non-racist American line). Obama's ancestors on his distaff side fought for this country, and just because he hasn't served in the military isn't a negative. That's just who his is as a person. He has only high praise for those who did serve their country in this capacity. He acknowledges veterans every day on the campaign trail; that he also is advocating another type of service that doesn't require picking up a gun is a good thing.
I come from a family that goes way back in America. Not only did we have folk here before and during the Revolution, but on my grandma's side we're part Native American--that's about as American as you can get. Whether that's "full-blooded" or not is another matter, and frankly, the whole "full-blooded" thing is annoying. Nobody is "full-blooded" anything if you go back far enough.
I have blonde, blue-eyed cousins who look as Nordic as the next person with their natural coloration, yet they have Native American ancestry on both sides of their parents' families. You wouldn't know it by looking at them, yet they are proud of this wonderful aspect of their heritage and are some of the more open-minded people I know. One has married an African-American, another a Vietnamese immigrant and the third is unmarried. And gay:)
So, I don't take kindly to some right-wing racist hack writing that "full-blooded Americans" are at risk of being overwhelmed by our embracing the other, especially those folk South of the border. We're all related after all.
Regarding the gun issue, I received one for my 12th birthday (a 20 gauge with a poly-choke), my reward for passing a hunter's safety class. My maternal grandfather was a gunsmith (though his great-grandfather wouldn't carry arms in the Civil War and instead drummed and served as a medic). Some people just aren't made to shoot at people. It's a good thing, don't you agree? What's important, I think, is if you choose to have them then responsibly owning guns...not foisting them on inner city youth or smuggling them to outlaw factions, etc. The right to defend yourself is universal.
And regarding the religious question...my foreparents came to this country for religious liberty, not to have someone else's notion of salvation crammed down their throats. I'm tired of Bobby Jindal and his right-wing conservatism that narrowly defines America as "Christian." Yeah, the most common faith of the first settlers here was Christianity, although many were non-believers, pagans and freethinkers among them--not to forget the Native People. All Christians certainly did not agree or belong to the same denomination. There were Jews and other minority groups here over 250 years ago for goodness sake, and so to solely cite the Christian heritage of this country is incomplete.
When Senator Obama was recently "adopted" by the Cree Nation, one blog poster complained that he was probably part Indian anyway. Guess what...many Americans are. What some don't realize is that there was a lot of mixing among peoples before and after this country came into being. My recent family comes from the Midwest where the Native American tribes in Northern Indiana(mostly Potowatomi) were run out of the area by white folks--based on a racist presidential decree--even though most were church-going people trying to live in peace with the settlers. They and their French Catholic priest were marched West to the other side of the Mississippi River until they reached Council Bluffs. Many died along the route.
(My hope is that the open-mindedness and diversity of opinion demonstrated in the recent Iowa caucus demonstrates the diversity of its culture, no thanks to the post-Civil War Washington administration that advocated this other trail of tears.)
Do most Americans realize that Native Americans weren't given the right to vote until the 1920s? That Native Americans were forced to send their children to boarding schools away from their families and culture? It's not surprising then to understand that many Americans with Native American heritage just blended in to the rest of America and passed for "white" and all its requisite privileges. They are a vast part of middle and western America. My own grandmother grew up not knowing she was part native American, but her husband learned the truth from her father. It just wasn't talked about with regular frequency. Who could blame them for the standard social prejudice among those with power was that whites were superior. That's not how I was raised.
Why am I babbling on about colors and such? I guess it's because it irks me when someone hints that a "Bubba" might not get it that the African American sitting next to him had ancestors who fought in the Civil War or the Revolution for that matter.
It's not that by choosing Barack Obama we are relinquishing our past, we are merely hearing a fuller narrative. It was Barack's white forefathers who fought for this country, but there were people of many different hues and faiths who built the United States of America.
We shouldn't fall prey to "who's more American" than another. We need to preserve American ideals of truth, justice, freedom, tolerance and democracy while stiff-arming narrow biases be they imported from Eastern Europe, the Middle East or south of the border.
What needs to be preserved is the right for individuals to be themselves and not forced to embrace one sanctioned faith or version of this country's heritage. Because while we're at it let's rewrite the history books and tell the whole truth. For example, to many Custer was no hero; his men cut off body parts of their victims (including women). Was he any more full-blooded American than Sitting Bull? It depends on your perspective.
We don't need to make these wounds deeper, but with knowledge and understanding, we can realize the real America of which we're all a part. And of course to all get along and grow a brighter future, we must work to make the future a more decent one for everyone.
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