| To: calgal who wrote (510757) | 12/16/2003 12:31:44 AM | | From: SecularBull | | | | moveinternational.org
When you can't beat Bush with American's money, go to leftist international organizations and their pathetic, loser followers.
~SB~ |
| | PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| To: Enigma who wrote (510739) | 12/16/2003 12:44:06 AM | | From: PartyTime | | | | And what of Rumsfeld's inappropriateness that Saddam should have shot himself, that he was a coward 'cause he didn't.
Do you think Arab-thinking people think of Saddam as a coward after more than a decade of his defiant standing against three American presidents? And since when has suicide become an acceptably espoused standard?
Get those cowboys out of the White House. Get someone in there who believes education and diplomacy are a far more powerful tools than showing off, acting tough or manipulating media.
Much of what is complained about what Saddam did happened before the US decided to give money to him for weapons procurement. Where was the complaint then? For that matter, where was Rumsfeld then?
Unfortunately, the American media has become like quarterbacks, except they throw message balls to the any viewer willing to grab the message on the ball and then it gets passed around to others, accurate or not.
I continue to submit that perhaps the greatest casualty of this war has become the American media. What it reports (or fails to report) has become more and more spoonfeed, both contradictory and unreliable. This is a true tragedy in a land that's supposedly free and a free land that requires a media that challenges instead of accepts and directs.
If there's any comfort from this Saddam capture it's that it got Michael Jackson out of the public consciousness, if but for a brief spell; just as Jackson got Bush and Prince Charles out of the public consciousness during the Bush Brit visit protests and the Miami world trade protests.
Oh, well. |
| | PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (3) |
|
| To: bentway who wrote (510652) | 12/16/2003 12:48:53 AM | | From: Rick McDougall | | | | Executive Summary of “Hate or Heroism: Vigilantes on the Arizona-Mexico Border” a Forthcoming Report on Border Vigilante Groups
Produced by Border Action Network
Full Report to be released Wednesday, December 18, 2002
on International Migrant Rights Day
Introduction
Clad in camouflage fatigues with home-made "badges", using high-tech equipment and operating out of secret "headquarters", anti-immigrant vigilante groups in southern Arizona are taking the law into their own hands. Heavily armed, these groups are rounding up undocumented border crossers at gunpoint, and turning them in to the federal authorities.
Among the core vigilante groups operating in Southern Arizona are Douglas rancher Roger Barnett, the Texas-based "Ranch Rescue"; the "American Border Patrol", lead by California-based radio talk show host and self-proclaimed "immigration control activist" Glenn Spencer; and the newly forming "Civilian Homeland Defense", called to arms by the recently transplanted Californian and Tombstone newspaper owner, Chris Simcox.
Local vigilantes have been successful at fueling anxieties about terrorism and national security by broadcasting a message that the U.S. is literally "under siege" by immigrants of color and that federal law enforcement agencies have failed to protect citizens from this perceived threat. Arizona vigilantes have created a climate of fear and anxiety that further justifies the aggressive and forceful tactics they claim are necessary to "protect our borders".
Preliminary findings from this report show that vigilante groups have a larger political agenda that specifically targets racial groups—from connections with the Council of Conservative Citizens to neo-Nazi organizations such as the National Alliance, as well as lobbying arms, radio programs, a private grant making foundation, “research” institutes, and a printing press that all furthers the political messages of hate against people of color.
The media coverage of vigilante activities tends to grant the greatest amount of air time to vigilante leaders, offering a small amount of counter-point coverage to human rights groups protesting the widespread abuse of immigrants along the border. The voices of southern Arizona community members, however, barely register and immigrant voices are silenced altogether. For these reasons, the vigilantes are able to cast their actions as both mainstream and patriotic, and the real human costs of these activities are left unknown to outsiders.
For these reasons, the Border Action Network has compiled a report on the border vigilantes that both provides a venue for southern Arizona and immigrant voices to be heard, and exposes the virulent racism and political opportunism of these nationally networked groups posing as local heroes.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS: This groundbreaking report brings together research and the voices of border residents, immigrants, law enforcement agents. The report:
Exposes Vigilante Groups. The vigilante groups operating in Cochise County today are part of a national network of anti-immigrant and white supremacist lobbyists, media and non-profit organizations that exist to promote the racist doctrine of "white nationalism".
Identifies Legal Issues. Border Action's research on vigilantes in Cochise County identifies a number of legal issues involving financial misconduct, public land use, and national security laws.
Compiles series of violent incidents that warrant further investigation. Since September 11th, violence against immigrants has escalated in Arizona. Twenty miles south of Tucson, a group of immigrants were fired on by masked attackers. Near Red Rock, two men clad in camouflage fatigues opened fire on a group of twelve immigrants, killing two. In the desert outside of Phoenix, eight bullet -riddled bodies of Mexican immigrants have been found. Near Sasabe, two Arizona ranchers on horseback shot and critically wounded an immigrant in the process of crossing the border.
Breaks-down the “security” and “protection” rhetoric. Arizona vigilantes use "national security" rhetoric about “protecting our borders” to justify the aggressive actions towards immigrants. Border Action Network's research shows that the larger agenda of these groups targets all people of color. Furthermore, the groups scapegoat immigrants, blaming them for environmental problems in the region. Our research reveals that these groups conveniently ignore the long-term environmental damage the Border Patrol and border enforcement activities have caused.
Includes a brief history of vigilantism in AZ. Southern Arizona has a local history of vigilantism spanning back to the Mexican/American War that continues to draw anti-immigrant aggressors to our region.
Incorporates the voices of border residents and immigrants. Border Action’s conversations and interviews have revealed that Roger Barnett and the activities of other vigilante groups do not have support from other border community residents.
Shares communities’ success stories. The report highlights the success story of Iowans who forced Glenn Spencer to cancel a state-wide speaking tour to promote his anti-immigrant and racist message across the state.
Proposes policy recommendations.
The report makes the following RECOMMENDATIONS:
Ø The Arizona Attorney General and the Arizona State Land Department should investigate whether Roger Barnett and other state land lease holders have violated the terms of their leases. If lease terms have been violated, leases should be revoked.
Ø Significant discrepancies exist between U.S. law enforcement accounts and Mexican consular reports describing the circumstances surrounding civilian apprehensions of immigrants. An independent monitor should be brought to scenes of “apprehensions” to ensure that there is accurate documentation of interactions between civilians and immigrants to account for any criminal or civil violations that may occur.
Ø The Arizona Corporation Commission and the Internal Revenue Service should revoke American Border Patrol’s incorporation and non-profit status on the basis of the organization being a “hate group” and other anti-discrimination violations.
Ø Congressional hearings should be held in southern Arizona that investigates the actions and threats of violence made by individuals and civilian groups patrolling the border.
Ø The state of Arizona and the Department of Justice should investigate the existing allegations of criminal misconduct on the part of vigilante organizations and individuals, as well as other possible violations of domestic laws. |
| | PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last Read |
|
| To: MKTBUZZ who started this subject | 12/16/2003 12:49:20 AM | | From: MKTBUZZ | | | | This is an interesting article:
story.news.yahoo.com
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi pop stars, tainted by association with Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s rule, are slowly making a comeback, but, as in politics, it's the exiles who are hogging the limelight.
Iraq (news - web sites) once had dozens of young pop singers, but during the 1990s they had to sing the praises of the dictator, forcing many to flee abroad and others to give up altogether.
Prominent singer Dawood Qaissi was so close to the ruling elite that he was gunned down in May, prompting many crooners to go into hiding while Washington set up a civilian administration and a governing council dominated by dissidents from abroad.
"They are frightened since most of them were forced to sing for the previous government," said a video production chief who asked not to be identified.
"Ordinary people had been repressed so they didn't want any reminder (of the past). But they were naive since we were all in one way or another part of the system," he said.
As he sits talking in his bare Baghdad office, which lacks even a telephone line, Nizar al-Khaled, one of the young stars of the previous era, walks in.
Singing under Saddam caused nothing but problems, Khaled said, usually because of his vindictive son Uday who ran the al-Shebab youth and entertainment television channel.
"Another singer, Haitham Yousef, and I were really popular with the girls, so Uday stopped us appearing on television. Then last year they produced a list of singers who had not sung for Saddam yet (on television), so I had to do it -- twice," he said.
Yousef fled the country after Uday had a group of girls beat him up at a concert, Khaled said. Former workers at Shebab recall other incidents, one involving Uday urinating on a singer.
The article has more.... |
| | PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH | Political Discussion ForumsShare | RecommendKeepReplyMark as Last ReadRead Replies (1) |
|
| |
