A G. W. Bush joke posted today by Niki on her blog, "Another Irani Online" (see link on right sidebar), and I must share:
"Bush Staff member: Mr. President, today's developments in Iraq included the death of two Brazilian soldiers.
Mr. Bush: OH MY GOD! Nooooo. Two Brazilian soldiers!!! This is unbelievable. Now exactly how many million are in a Brazilian?"
Seriously, the Iranian blogger predicts that the current American Government will see to it that Saddam Hussein is executed when the number of American military deaths in Iraq hits 3,000. I think she may be correct. The word today from the media is that Iraqis want to execute Saddam before the new year.
I also agree with her and Raed ("Raed in the Middle," link on right sidebar) that the current American Government wants to bury Saddam quickly along with all the secrets he holds about the decades of support he has been given by the American Government. We have a saying in American, "He may be a dictator, but he is our dictator."
Saddam was our dictator as was the late Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah (King) of Iran, as was the self-appointed dictator of Panama, Manuel Noriega. I honestly believe that Saddam, like the other two, thought that the American Government would never "sell him down the river."
In December 1989, the first President Bush ordered U. S. troops to Panama. They captured Noriega, who is still in prison in Miami, and all for "democracy for Panama."
When the Shah Pahlavi was overthrown (1979) by the Iranian Islamic revolution, the U. S. Government lifted not one finger to save him. He quickly became persona non grata in the U.S.
Saddam is a much bigger threat than either Noriega or Pahlava were because Saddam knows all about America's "dirty laundry." He must die and as soon as possible. However, like the late former U. S. President Gerald Ford, Saddam may have hidden a tell-all recorded interview, or a written diary. Did Bob Woodward of the Washington Post ever interview Saddam?
One irony here: September 1, 2004, then Secretary of State Colin Powell met the newly-installed elected President of the Republic of Panama, Martin Torrijos, a son of the dictator whom Noriega overthrew (see picture proudly displayed on the U. S. State Department's Web site).
Friday, December 29, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
PENTAGON NAMES SADR ARMY TOP THREAT
A new Department of Defense (DoD) report released by the Pentagon cites the danger of the Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtqada al-Sadr's armed militiamen, as reported in the Los Angeles Times by Julian E. Barnes. He writes the report claims that Sadr's Al Mahdi army poses "the gravest danger to the security and stability of Iraq, surpassing Sunni Arab insurgents and Al Qaeda terrorists."
The Pentagon assessment says, "In the last three months, the number of attacks on U.S. and Iraqi troops and Iraqi civilians rose 22%, and the number of U.S. casualties grew 32% . . . As attacks have risen, the confidence of the Iraqi people has fallen, with fewer saying in surveys that they thought their government could protect them and more agreeing that civil war was likely."
The report acknowledges that U.S. military has complained for months that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shiite, has been unable to address armed Shiite groups and has obstructed American efforts to confront Sadr, and acknowledges the deteriorating situation that President Bush continues to blame on Al Qaeda.
Although there are many armed groups, the report verifies that the most powerful is the Al Mahdi army militia loyal to Sadr. The dour Pentagon report came hours after Robert M. Gates was sworn in as the 22nd Secretary of Defense with a pledge to extract frank assessments from military leaders and deliver plain advice to the president.
To read more, click title of this post, or go to the Los Angeles Times.
The Pentagon assessment says, "In the last three months, the number of attacks on U.S. and Iraqi troops and Iraqi civilians rose 22%, and the number of U.S. casualties grew 32% . . . As attacks have risen, the confidence of the Iraqi people has fallen, with fewer saying in surveys that they thought their government could protect them and more agreeing that civil war was likely."
The report acknowledges that U.S. military has complained for months that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shiite, has been unable to address armed Shiite groups and has obstructed American efforts to confront Sadr, and acknowledges the deteriorating situation that President Bush continues to blame on Al Qaeda.
Although there are many armed groups, the report verifies that the most powerful is the Al Mahdi army militia loyal to Sadr. The dour Pentagon report came hours after Robert M. Gates was sworn in as the 22nd Secretary of Defense with a pledge to extract frank assessments from military leaders and deliver plain advice to the president.
To read more, click title of this post, or go to the Los Angeles Times.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Newsweek Names Al-Sadr Most Dangerous
Okay, I may be a "know nothing" to some, but Newsweek has confirmed what I have been writing on this blog about Moqtada al-Sadr. Want to know? Read the article. Click the title of this post.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
MAHDI ARMY SEIZES AMARA, IRAQ
Last month I posted a plea for disbanding the various militias in Iraq (2 September), and left it on the blog as a warning of what was to come if the militias were not disarmed immediately. Today, the ugly side of radical Islam reared its head as the strongest militia made its move.
The Shiite militia, known as the Mahdi Army/Militia, run by anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, seized total control of the southern Iraqi city of Amarah. Hundreds, if not thousands of black-clad heavily-armed militia invaded the city in one of the boldest acts of defiance yet by one of the country's powerful, unofficial armies, according to the Associated Press.The report also stated that, " Mahdi Army fighters stormed three main police stations Friday morning, ... planting explosives that flattened the buildings in Amarah, a city just 30 miles from the Iranian border that was under British command until August, when it was returned to Iraqi government control."
According to the AP, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki dispatched an emergency security delegation that included the Minister of State for Security Affairs and top officials from the Interior and Defense ministries. Just great! Both of these ministries have been infiltrated by the Mahdi, and al-Maliki announced last week that he MIGHT approach the militias about disbanding after the first of the year. Mind boggling, indeed!
In that post about parallel governments in Iraq, I wrote further, ". . . many consider Al-Sadr the most dangerous man in Iraq. However, I doubt that he would defane Ramadan, the holy month of Islam, like the terrorists are doing, as they are nothing but hooligans and criminals."
Today, 20 October 2006, this year's Ramadan observance is about to close. Was I ever wrong in that statement made in October 2003. Defane Ramadan? He just did.
However, even before that post, I also posted three years ago,13 October 2003, "The Biggest Threat to Iraqi Stability -- The Parallel Government of Moqtada Al-Sadr". I wrote about the cleric, "He's the son of a cleric who was murdered by Saddam. He has strong ties to the extreme ruling government in Iran. The American Press is walking very light on this with only slight mentions about this cleric, but he is probably more scary than even Saddam himself, especially to the moderate citizens of Iraq."
Al-Sadr should have been taken out three years ago. Today's action by the militia proves that Al-Sadr is not a cleric to be revered by the Shia in Iraq. He is a common criminal who should have been arrested, jailed and/or deported three years ago. Now, he MUST BE ARRESTED, and tried on war crimes. In my opinion, he is no better, and far more dangerous, than Saddam ever was.
Will the Bush Bunch do it? I sincerely doubt it. They talk and spin propaganda, but they have no balls!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Shiite militia, known as the Mahdi Army/Militia, run by anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, seized total control of the southern Iraqi city of Amarah. Hundreds, if not thousands of black-clad heavily-armed militia invaded the city in one of the boldest acts of defiance yet by one of the country's powerful, unofficial armies, according to the Associated Press.The report also stated that, " Mahdi Army fighters stormed three main police stations Friday morning, ... planting explosives that flattened the buildings in Amarah, a city just 30 miles from the Iranian border that was under British command until August, when it was returned to Iraqi government control."
According to the AP, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki dispatched an emergency security delegation that included the Minister of State for Security Affairs and top officials from the Interior and Defense ministries. Just great! Both of these ministries have been infiltrated by the Mahdi, and al-Maliki announced last week that he MIGHT approach the militias about disbanding after the first of the year. Mind boggling, indeed!
Muqtada al-Sadr
However, when I was posting on my Tolerance Blog, "America and War," I called Muqtada al-Sadr the most dangerous man in Iraq. The specific post was Monday, 27 October 2003, where I quoted the Baghdad blogger Riverbend, "Al-Sadr has been making waves in the south and Baghdad, having over a million followers (some say it’s up to 4 million) and they revere him. While the majority of the middle and upper class Iraqis want a secular government, Al-Sadr seems to resonate with the impoverished currently jobless men in the south and in some of Baghdad’s slums. . . . For the last few months he has been building an armed militia known as the 'Imam Mahdi's Army'. The majority of this militia are young, and very angry."In that post about parallel governments in Iraq, I wrote further, ". . . many consider Al-Sadr the most dangerous man in Iraq. However, I doubt that he would defane Ramadan, the holy month of Islam, like the terrorists are doing, as they are nothing but hooligans and criminals."
Today, 20 October 2006, this year's Ramadan observance is about to close. Was I ever wrong in that statement made in October 2003. Defane Ramadan? He just did.
However, even before that post, I also posted three years ago,13 October 2003, "The Biggest Threat to Iraqi Stability -- The Parallel Government of Moqtada Al-Sadr". I wrote about the cleric, "He's the son of a cleric who was murdered by Saddam. He has strong ties to the extreme ruling government in Iran. The American Press is walking very light on this with only slight mentions about this cleric, but he is probably more scary than even Saddam himself, especially to the moderate citizens of Iraq."
Al-Sadr should have been taken out three years ago. Today's action by the militia proves that Al-Sadr is not a cleric to be revered by the Shia in Iraq. He is a common criminal who should have been arrested, jailed and/or deported three years ago. Now, he MUST BE ARRESTED, and tried on war crimes. In my opinion, he is no better, and far more dangerous, than Saddam ever was.
Will the Bush Bunch do it? I sincerely doubt it. They talk and spin propaganda, but they have no balls!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPDATE! 21 October: Yesterday, members of the Iraqi Army stepped up to the plate and routed the hoodlums from Amara as British forces stood by. That's exactly the way it should be. However, the militias still must go and as soon as possible!
Saturday, September 02, 2006
MILITIAS MUST BE DISARMED
Just when I was ready to ease into a lovely lazy summer, an armed rogue militia group in Lebanon called Hezbollah ("The Party of God") invaded Israel, killed one or two soldiers, and kidnapped two. That was about the same time an armed rogue militia group in Gaza called Hamas ("Islamic Resistance Movement") did the same, and snatched one soldier.
Hamas' charter (written in 1988 and still in force) calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian Islamic state in the area that is now Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. There went the summer planned to be restive, contenplative, and just plain lazy.
Israel didn't wait around for the appeasement crap, they bombed the Hades out of Southern Lebanon, including oil tanks. They also bombed the electric plants and water supply in Gaza, and killed some militants in both places.
Hezbollah has its main roots in Syria, and does not want an independent Lebanon. The civilians in South Lebanon who stood staunchly by the Hezbollah gangsters paid the price with their lost lives, broken bodies, shattered homes, and lost livelihoods. What did their fearless leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah say afterwards? "We didn't think Israel would react like that." Surprise! Surprise!
You see, herein lies the problem in Iraq and the entire Middle East. The outlaw militias must be stopped, disabled, completely disarmed, and disbanded. We must start in Iraq. NOW! Of what, or who, is the current U. S. Government afraid?
The Shi'ite sect of Islam is basically Persian by ethnicity, the same as Iranian Muslims, and about half of the Syrians. The Arab States are Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, plus smaller states that are members of the United Arab Emirates, and are basically Arab in ethnicity and Sunni in sect.
Arizona Republican Senator John McCain said last Sunday that the Arabs need to step up and help us. The Arabs will not lift a finger to help the Shi'a in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, or Syria, so the U. S. Government need not fear that. On the other hand, they will not help the U. S., either. Why? Because the Arab States are Sunni.
Saddam may have been a bad dictator, but he was a Sunni dictator. The Arabs supported us when we supported him. Surely, they must now be thinking, "The U. S. turned against Saddam without provocation, might they not do the same with Arab States (Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) and members of the United Arab Emirates?"
Not all Muslims are lumped in one big pot, and not all are Islamic fundamentalist, much less Islamic fascist (A Karl Rove term, not mine). Of course, the words Karl Rove puts into G.W.'s mouth, and the mouths of the rest of the Bush Bunch are figments of the Rove/Rover family's Nazi-past mentality, and his lack of higher education. Oh, how little the stupid ones in Washington really know.
Hezballah (Lebanon) and Hamas (Palestine) are Shi'a. So is the Al Mahdi Militia, also known as the Mahdi Army. This gangster militia was created by the Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, living in Baghdad with roots in Iran. These Islamist gangsters rose to international prominence in 2004 when the Mahdi Melitia spearheaded the first major armed confrontation against the occupation forces in Iraq.
Both the Mahdi Melitia, mostly active in Baghdad, and the Badr Brigade, mostly active in Southern Iraq, have the same agenda. No matter how one classifies these militias, the Mahdi Militia/Army, Badr Brigade, Hezbollah, and Hamas receive their financial support and marching orders from the Mullahs in Iran.
The Mahdi Mlitia and the Badr Brigade in Iraq are armed gangster militias, acting contrary to the elected governments of the countries in which they live and operate, as are Hamas and Hezbollah. Would we tolerate that in the U. S.? Absolutely not! Then, why are we tolerating it in an area where we are getting our pants beat off of us? Does someone in Washington secretly really want to lose the Middle East? That's what we are doing, and that is not a secret.
What about Al Qaeda? Osama and his followers are Sunni Wahhabist, strict fundamentalist Islamist dominant in the United Arab Emirates, especially Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Simply think, women have no rights, and no religious tolerance exists. The only law is fundamentalist Islamic Law, or Sharia.
Saddam is a secularist, but comes from a Sunni background, a less fundamentalist Sunni sect than extreme Wahhabism. Think before Saddam was toppled: All faiths tolerated, many women and men wore western dress, all females were allowed to go to school as far as their intelligence could take them, hold important jobs, and might even drive a car if their father or husband approved. Wow! That was big for a Muslim country.
Well, it's all gone now. Islamic law is being strickly and often harshly enforced. Approximately 1,500 Iraqi's are murdered every month, and that's just an estimate, because no one makes an official count.
For thirty years, Saddam Hussein was the buffer, the strong arm that kept the peace between sectarian factions through secularism. We supported him to keep the Shi'a down in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria. He was a bad tyrant, but he was our tyrant, and he did his job well.
Then, all of a sudden some idiots in Washington decided it would be good for their election in 2004 if Saddam were taken out. (Remember, they were never technically elected in 2000.) Anyway, the word went out with zest, "He's a bad, yea evil, man." And, so they took him down. They played big macho, cowboy bullies and, yes, Rove relished playing his hand of Nazi propaganda cue cards for the words his little puppets spoke. The media in America played the pre-edited visuals the U.S. Goverment supplied them ad infinitum.
Iraq, a breathtakingly beautiful country, the cradle of many religions, art, philosophy, and keeper of priceless historical artifacts is now destroyed. It will never be again no matter how much money is spent on "reconstruction." Saddam is down but, perhaps, not out. Just ponder that for a moment.
Meanwhile, the Shi'a see their dream to rule Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria growing ever closer to realization. Instead of hating G. W. Bush, they should kiss his feet and the feet of all those in the Bunch, because the entire stupid Bunch has now facilitated the strengthening of the Shi'a fundamentalists, and its militias.
The seesaw continues: Sunni up there/ Shi'ite down there - Sunni down here/Shi'ite up here-- Sunni down . . . . So it goes, and so it shall. I think you get the picture.
However, as long as the militias are functioning there will be no peace in the Middle East, or anywhere else, no matter who is up or down on the seesaw. Why can't the big boys who are calling all the moves from the U. S. through the U. N. and all around the globe, pull their heads out from between their legs, see the problem, and solve it? Why can't both political parties in America get together, put America first, and fix this thing?
Bottom line? To stop the terrorism, win the "war" on terrorism, bring peace to Iraq, and eventually to the Middle East, the militias must be shut down one country at a time, starting with Iraq! Starting right now!!
All the politicians harp that we need a plan, well there it is, Mimi's Roadmap to Peace in Iraq and the Middle East.
Hamas' charter (written in 1988 and still in force) calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian Islamic state in the area that is now Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. There went the summer planned to be restive, contenplative, and just plain lazy.
Israel didn't wait around for the appeasement crap, they bombed the Hades out of Southern Lebanon, including oil tanks. They also bombed the electric plants and water supply in Gaza, and killed some militants in both places.
Hezbollah has its main roots in Syria, and does not want an independent Lebanon. The civilians in South Lebanon who stood staunchly by the Hezbollah gangsters paid the price with their lost lives, broken bodies, shattered homes, and lost livelihoods. What did their fearless leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah say afterwards? "We didn't think Israel would react like that." Surprise! Surprise!
You see, herein lies the problem in Iraq and the entire Middle East. The outlaw militias must be stopped, disabled, completely disarmed, and disbanded. We must start in Iraq. NOW! Of what, or who, is the current U. S. Government afraid?
The Shi'ite sect of Islam is basically Persian by ethnicity, the same as Iranian Muslims, and about half of the Syrians. The Arab States are Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, plus smaller states that are members of the United Arab Emirates, and are basically Arab in ethnicity and Sunni in sect.
Arizona Republican Senator John McCain said last Sunday that the Arabs need to step up and help us. The Arabs will not lift a finger to help the Shi'a in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, or Syria, so the U. S. Government need not fear that. On the other hand, they will not help the U. S., either. Why? Because the Arab States are Sunni.
Saddam may have been a bad dictator, but he was a Sunni dictator. The Arabs supported us when we supported him. Surely, they must now be thinking, "The U. S. turned against Saddam without provocation, might they not do the same with Arab States (Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) and members of the United Arab Emirates?"
Not all Muslims are lumped in one big pot, and not all are Islamic fundamentalist, much less Islamic fascist (A Karl Rove term, not mine). Of course, the words Karl Rove puts into G.W.'s mouth, and the mouths of the rest of the Bush Bunch are figments of the Rove/Rover family's Nazi-past mentality, and his lack of higher education. Oh, how little the stupid ones in Washington really know.
Hezballah (Lebanon) and Hamas (Palestine) are Shi'a. So is the Al Mahdi Militia, also known as the Mahdi Army. This gangster militia was created by the Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, living in Baghdad with roots in Iran. These Islamist gangsters rose to international prominence in 2004 when the Mahdi Melitia spearheaded the first major armed confrontation against the occupation forces in Iraq.
Both the Mahdi Melitia, mostly active in Baghdad, and the Badr Brigade, mostly active in Southern Iraq, have the same agenda. No matter how one classifies these militias, the Mahdi Militia/Army, Badr Brigade, Hezbollah, and Hamas receive their financial support and marching orders from the Mullahs in Iran.
The Mahdi Mlitia and the Badr Brigade in Iraq are armed gangster militias, acting contrary to the elected governments of the countries in which they live and operate, as are Hamas and Hezbollah. Would we tolerate that in the U. S.? Absolutely not! Then, why are we tolerating it in an area where we are getting our pants beat off of us? Does someone in Washington secretly really want to lose the Middle East? That's what we are doing, and that is not a secret.
What about Al Qaeda? Osama and his followers are Sunni Wahhabist, strict fundamentalist Islamist dominant in the United Arab Emirates, especially Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Simply think, women have no rights, and no religious tolerance exists. The only law is fundamentalist Islamic Law, or Sharia.
Saddam is a secularist, but comes from a Sunni background, a less fundamentalist Sunni sect than extreme Wahhabism. Think before Saddam was toppled: All faiths tolerated, many women and men wore western dress, all females were allowed to go to school as far as their intelligence could take them, hold important jobs, and might even drive a car if their father or husband approved. Wow! That was big for a Muslim country.
Well, it's all gone now. Islamic law is being strickly and often harshly enforced. Approximately 1,500 Iraqi's are murdered every month, and that's just an estimate, because no one makes an official count.
For thirty years, Saddam Hussein was the buffer, the strong arm that kept the peace between sectarian factions through secularism. We supported him to keep the Shi'a down in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria. He was a bad tyrant, but he was our tyrant, and he did his job well.
Then, all of a sudden some idiots in Washington decided it would be good for their election in 2004 if Saddam were taken out. (Remember, they were never technically elected in 2000.) Anyway, the word went out with zest, "He's a bad, yea evil, man." And, so they took him down. They played big macho, cowboy bullies and, yes, Rove relished playing his hand of Nazi propaganda cue cards for the words his little puppets spoke. The media in America played the pre-edited visuals the U.S. Goverment supplied them ad infinitum.
Iraq, a breathtakingly beautiful country, the cradle of many religions, art, philosophy, and keeper of priceless historical artifacts is now destroyed. It will never be again no matter how much money is spent on "reconstruction." Saddam is down but, perhaps, not out. Just ponder that for a moment.
Meanwhile, the Shi'a see their dream to rule Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria growing ever closer to realization. Instead of hating G. W. Bush, they should kiss his feet and the feet of all those in the Bunch, because the entire stupid Bunch has now facilitated the strengthening of the Shi'a fundamentalists, and its militias.
The seesaw continues: Sunni up there/ Shi'ite down there - Sunni down here/Shi'ite up here-- Sunni down . . . . So it goes, and so it shall. I think you get the picture.
However, as long as the militias are functioning there will be no peace in the Middle East, or anywhere else, no matter who is up or down on the seesaw. Why can't the big boys who are calling all the moves from the U. S. through the U. N. and all around the globe, pull their heads out from between their legs, see the problem, and solve it? Why can't both political parties in America get together, put America first, and fix this thing?
Bottom line? To stop the terrorism, win the "war" on terrorism, bring peace to Iraq, and eventually to the Middle East, the militias must be shut down one country at a time, starting with Iraq! Starting right now!!
All the politicians harp that we need a plan, well there it is, Mimi's Roadmap to Peace in Iraq and the Middle East.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
IRAQI HORRORSCOPES
Examples posted by Zeyad, 1 June, on his blog, "Healing Iraq":
Gemini: Your parents have been nagging you to lay low and leave the country. Yet you are worried about an imminent death squad attack against your area. Plan your escape route carefully and keep a spare grenade for emergencies. Attack day: Thursday. Grenade No.: 5
Leo: A tip from one of your friends wrongfully ends you up in an occupation detention camp. Learn to distinguish friend from foe. Avoid female American jail wardens, unless you like to explorethe arts of exhibitionism and BDSM. Arrest day: Friday. Prison cell No.: 26
Libra: Things are slowing down in your neighborhood. Your fellow watch-team members have nothing to do but smoke and trade mobile ring tones all night. It would probably not be a bad idea to take some time off from your guard duties and pay more attention to your love life. Lucky day: Monday. Street No.: 27
Gemini: Your parents have been nagging you to lay low and leave the country. Yet you are worried about an imminent death squad attack against your area. Plan your escape route carefully and keep a spare grenade for emergencies. Attack day: Thursday. Grenade No.: 5
Leo: A tip from one of your friends wrongfully ends you up in an occupation detention camp. Learn to distinguish friend from foe. Avoid female American jail wardens, unless you like to explorethe arts of exhibitionism and BDSM. Arrest day: Friday. Prison cell No.: 26
Libra: Things are slowing down in your neighborhood. Your fellow watch-team members have nothing to do but smoke and trade mobile ring tones all night. It would probably not be a bad idea to take some time off from your guard duties and pay more attention to your love life. Lucky day: Monday. Street No.: 27
A READER TAKES ISSUE
I received a comment by e-mail from Voloras in France regarding my post 10 May, "CARDINALS SAY IGNORANCE FUELS 'DA VINCI CODE'.
Voloras wrote, "Your comment regarding the Cardinals and ignorance was really rather unfair. To trot out an old chestnut, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Ignorance is such a fine wide spread human tradition, yet you seem to imply that Catholics are some how more imbued with the quality. "I at least know well Jesus's comment about the rich person's chances of getting into heaven, the camel the the eye of the needle; so why the #^$%# did so many US citizens look to a rich Texan politician for "moral leadership"? I think Catholics do a little better theology-wise than the evangelical born agains who swear every word in the Bible is absolute truth yet do not keep a kosher household. They eat pork, ignore that whole post-menses tent-cloistered cleansing, and have totally failed on the sacrifices offered on uncut stones command (Leviticus is full of rules they conveniently ignore, while digging deep for reasons to hate gays). Catholics at least recognize that not every word of the Bible is literal truth. "Give the Popes some credit for embracing (however belatedly) science and evolution. But even the Pope can't make all Catholics learn Darwin's theory."
Here's my reply:
I asked the question, "If Christians, especially Roman Catholics, are ignorant about the precepts of their faith, whose fault is that?" I answered the question, "The fault, dear sirs, is yours!" This upset Voloras.
I was referring to this statement in the article: "Cardinal Paul Poupard, said the book seriously twisted Church history but most laymen did not have enough religious knowledge to separate fact from fiction." My point was that if laypeople don't have enough religious knowledge, it is the fault of those who teach the laypeople. I was not knocking Roman Catholics. I merely pointed in particular to Roman Catholics because this article discussed the RC Cardinals bemoaning that laypeople might not have enough knowledge about church history to keep them from believing what they read in books or see on the screen.
As to the comment about the rich Texan, I and 49% of the American people did not vote for him either time. Therefore, most of us do not look to him for moral guidance, or any other kind of guidance.
For your information, I never made any reference to the rich Texan, about evolution, born-again Christians, or the literal interpretation of The Bible in my post. The next time you object to a statement made by anyone, I suggest you stick to the subject at hand. Jumping to conclusions based on remarks not made in what you are evauating shows a lapse in logic. I do, however, thank you for your comment.
Voloras wrote, "Your comment regarding the Cardinals and ignorance was really rather unfair. To trot out an old chestnut, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Ignorance is such a fine wide spread human tradition, yet you seem to imply that Catholics are some how more imbued with the quality. "I at least know well Jesus's comment about the rich person's chances of getting into heaven, the camel the the eye of the needle; so why the #^$%# did so many US citizens look to a rich Texan politician for "moral leadership"? I think Catholics do a little better theology-wise than the evangelical born agains who swear every word in the Bible is absolute truth yet do not keep a kosher household. They eat pork, ignore that whole post-menses tent-cloistered cleansing, and have totally failed on the sacrifices offered on uncut stones command (Leviticus is full of rules they conveniently ignore, while digging deep for reasons to hate gays). Catholics at least recognize that not every word of the Bible is literal truth. "Give the Popes some credit for embracing (however belatedly) science and evolution. But even the Pope can't make all Catholics learn Darwin's theory."
Here's my reply:
I asked the question, "If Christians, especially Roman Catholics, are ignorant about the precepts of their faith, whose fault is that?" I answered the question, "The fault, dear sirs, is yours!" This upset Voloras.
I was referring to this statement in the article: "Cardinal Paul Poupard, said the book seriously twisted Church history but most laymen did not have enough religious knowledge to separate fact from fiction." My point was that if laypeople don't have enough religious knowledge, it is the fault of those who teach the laypeople. I was not knocking Roman Catholics. I merely pointed in particular to Roman Catholics because this article discussed the RC Cardinals bemoaning that laypeople might not have enough knowledge about church history to keep them from believing what they read in books or see on the screen.
As to the comment about the rich Texan, I and 49% of the American people did not vote for him either time. Therefore, most of us do not look to him for moral guidance, or any other kind of guidance.
For your information, I never made any reference to the rich Texan, about evolution, born-again Christians, or the literal interpretation of The Bible in my post. The next time you object to a statement made by anyone, I suggest you stick to the subject at hand. Jumping to conclusions based on remarks not made in what you are evauating shows a lapse in logic. I do, however, thank you for your comment.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
CARDINALS SAY IGNORANCE FUELS "DA VINCI CODE"
Thanks to Salam Pax, also a member of Newsvine, I am learning some new Internet communication skills, and I just "seeded" my first article. You will find the article(s) on the sidebar at right, at the very bottom under MIMI'S NEWSVINE LINKS. Also, you may click the title of this post for this particular article, but links to most articles may be linked independently of posts.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Iraqi Police Kill 14-Year-Old For Being Homosexual
"Human rights groups have condemned the 'barbaric' murder of a 14-year-old boy who, according to witnesses, was shot on his doorstep by Iraqi police for the apparent crime of being homosexual." The original article used the term "gay," but I never use that term, so I changed it for this post. I hate euphemisms. The proper designation is homosexual both for male and female. Period.
The article was "seeded" on Newsvine today by Salam Pax. It was originally published in The Independent Online Edition. [Read Article]
At least Salam has finally posted something. You can check his blog -- link on sidebar at right -- for his Newsvine posts, or his Newsvine Home Page.
Monday, May 01, 2006
G. W. and Saddam Never Imagined This!
G. W. Bush and Saddam Hussein both made serious miscalculations concerning America's invasion of Iraq. No, it wasn't the number of boots on the ground, or the "shock and awe," but the Iraqi bloggers posting their Web logs day after day. The Karl Rove propaganda machine planned to control all the news from Iraq, but the bloggers messed up his plans, big time.
I came to know some of them even before I became a member of the Blog Sphere. I read their blogs almost daily and exchange e-mail with a few. I believe these guys and gals in Iraq -- well, some have had to leave for their own protection, yet they still blog -- are making heroic statements now, which will become historic statements for posterity. Links to most of their blogs are listed in the sidebar on the right.
Most use pseudonyms, again for their protection. They go by Zeyad (Healing Iraq), Riverbend (Baghdad Burning), Hammorabi (Hammorabi), The Mesopotamian (The Mesopotamian), and Salam Pax (latest: Shut Up You Fat Whiner). Salam's original blog (Where is Raed?) was the first one I found. He now writes mostly for The Guardian Unlimited, UK. There are many others, including the Family Jarrar (A Family in Baghdad) who were not mentioned in the article, "Iraqi Bloggers Weigh in on Changing Nation" published in The Redbluff Daily News.
Salam Pax's original blog and Riverbend's blog have been published as books, and there is a campaign to bring Zeyad to New York City, because he has been accepted at the CUNY New School of Journalism's graduate school. That's City University of New York. Read his blog and you will see what an excellent writer he is.
However, there is a problem. He must show financial ability, and his dental practice is all but destroyed. We bloggers, led by Jeff Jarvis (The Buzz Machine) are trying to raise $45,000 (tax deductible) for him. Here's how you can help Zeyad.
I came to know some of them even before I became a member of the Blog Sphere. I read their blogs almost daily and exchange e-mail with a few. I believe these guys and gals in Iraq -- well, some have had to leave for their own protection, yet they still blog -- are making heroic statements now, which will become historic statements for posterity. Links to most of their blogs are listed in the sidebar on the right.
Most use pseudonyms, again for their protection. They go by Zeyad (Healing Iraq), Riverbend (Baghdad Burning), Hammorabi (Hammorabi), The Mesopotamian (The Mesopotamian), and Salam Pax (latest: Shut Up You Fat Whiner). Salam's original blog (Where is Raed?) was the first one I found. He now writes mostly for The Guardian Unlimited, UK. There are many others, including the Family Jarrar (A Family in Baghdad) who were not mentioned in the article, "Iraqi Bloggers Weigh in on Changing Nation" published in The Redbluff Daily News.
Salam Pax's original blog and Riverbend's blog have been published as books, and there is a campaign to bring Zeyad to New York City, because he has been accepted at the CUNY New School of Journalism's graduate school. That's City University of New York. Read his blog and you will see what an excellent writer he is.
However, there is a problem. He must show financial ability, and his dental practice is all but destroyed. We bloggers, led by Jeff Jarvis (The Buzz Machine) are trying to raise $45,000 (tax deductible) for him. Here's how you can help Zeyad.
Friday, April 21, 2006
IRAQI FEMALE BLOGGER WINS PRIZE
A young Iraqi woman began publishing a blog from Baghdad shortly after America invaded Iraq called ”Baghdad Burning," which it was doing as she wrote. She uses the pseudonym of Riverbend.
Like the blog "Where is Raed?" of her "virtual brother" Salam Pax (another pseudonym), her blog was bought by a small British literary publisher in Riverbend's case, Marion Boyars, and they classified the work under biography and memoir. Boyars knows Riverbend's identity but respects her wish to remain anonymous.
The last of March, Riverbend became the first blog author to be nominated for a big literary prize for a book published in hard cover, in this case the Samuel Johnson award of $55,000 (£30,000), having already placed third in the Lettre Ulysses prize for Reportage, winning $25,000 (£14,000). For the Samuel Johnson award she is up against 18 other books from around the world.
University-educated Riverbend worked as a computer programmer before the invasion which began on March 20, 2003. She wrote that she lost her job when it became too dangerous for Iraqi women to travel to work alone. She began her blog with, "I'm female, Iraqi and 24. I survived the war. That's all you need to know. It's all that matters these days anyway."
I have read Riverbend's blog from the first day and encouraged her to continue writing no matter what because, as with Salam, I recognized the historical value and the literary quality in her work. Of course, that's what we English teachers do, especially those of us who teach literature and cinema. [Guardian Article] [Riverbend's Baghdad Burning]
"... I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend..."
Saturday, April 08, 2006
IS AMERICA GOING MAD?
Is America going mad? That's the title of a comment in The Guardian (UK), by Richard Adams and published yesterday. Adams maintains that there is evidence in the books currently being published that America is split in two, right down the middle, and that the fights between factions may be driving Americans mad, literally, as in coo-coo.
Here's a portion of the last paragraph:
"A new non-fiction offering from Barnes & Noble is a new cartoon series by Marvel Comics, to be called Civil War. In it the US government demands that superheroes be registered as living weapons of mass destruction - which divides the superheroes into pros and antis. 'Along the way, Marvel will unveil its version of Guantánamo Bay, enemy combatants, embedded reporters and more,' reported the New York Times. So anyone looking for a sign of the times, here it is: even Spider-Man and Captain America are fighting with each other. All that's missing is a book. Get me HarperCollins. I want to tell them about The 101 Dangerous Superheroes Who Are Screwing Up America.”
Adams also references books by the likes of David Horowitz and Bernard Goldberg on the extreme right, and he mentions some "lefties" too. On Goldberg's list of hate, for example, "is veteran TV journalist Bill Moyers - who exhibits his hatred of America (according to Goldberg) by eating brie and drinking Chablis. According to Horowitz, the 101 dangerous academics 'spew violent anti-Americanism, preach anti- Semitism and cheer on the killing of American soldiers and civilians - all the while collecting tax dollars ... to indoctrinate our children'." What an insane thing to write!
Of course, a sane person sees evidence of general populace insanity each time he/she turns on the TV, too. The antidote to TV used to be the advice, "Read a book instead." Well, not anymore! So, what can a sane person do in an insane country to keep one's sanity? My advice is to listen to National Public Radio and/or watch the Public Broadcasting Company.
One final caution. Beware of the theology wonks. The instanity bug has infected some of them also.
Here's a portion of the last paragraph:
"A new non-fiction offering from Barnes & Noble is a new cartoon series by Marvel Comics, to be called Civil War. In it the US government demands that superheroes be registered as living weapons of mass destruction - which divides the superheroes into pros and antis. 'Along the way, Marvel will unveil its version of Guantánamo Bay, enemy combatants, embedded reporters and more,' reported the New York Times. So anyone looking for a sign of the times, here it is: even Spider-Man and Captain America are fighting with each other. All that's missing is a book. Get me HarperCollins. I want to tell them about The 101 Dangerous Superheroes Who Are Screwing Up America.”
Adams also references books by the likes of David Horowitz and Bernard Goldberg on the extreme right, and he mentions some "lefties" too. On Goldberg's list of hate, for example, "is veteran TV journalist Bill Moyers - who exhibits his hatred of America (according to Goldberg) by eating brie and drinking Chablis. According to Horowitz, the 101 dangerous academics 'spew violent anti-Americanism, preach anti- Semitism and cheer on the killing of American soldiers and civilians - all the while collecting tax dollars ... to indoctrinate our children'." What an insane thing to write!
Of course, a sane person sees evidence of general populace insanity each time he/she turns on the TV, too. The antidote to TV used to be the advice, "Read a book instead." Well, not anymore! So, what can a sane person do in an insane country to keep one's sanity? My advice is to listen to National Public Radio and/or watch the Public Broadcasting Company.
One final caution. Beware of the theology wonks. The instanity bug has infected some of them also.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
LEAVE IRAQ TO THE IRAQIS
"Leave Iraq to the Iraqis," was the topic of Faiza Al-Araji's speech March 21, in Davis, CA. I communicate with Faiza and her family, so here I shall call her Faiza. She is a civil engineer, a blogger (A Family in Baghdad), an activist for women (Women Say No to War), a religious Shia with a Sunni husband, and a mother of three sons. After her middle son Khalid (see July 2005 Archive link at right) was held as a political prisoner by the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior, the family fled to Jordan. Her oldest son Raed now lives in Northern California.
Read article about the speech. Also, a film was shown, a portion of which appeared in Michael Moore’s film “FAHRENHEIT 9-11.
You can read the son's blogs: Khalid, Majed, Raed.
Read article about the speech. Also, a film was shown, a portion of which appeared in Michael Moore’s film “FAHRENHEIT 9-11.
You can read the son's blogs: Khalid, Majed, Raed.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
APOLOGIES
Sorry. I have been busy following this year's Oscar race, and publishing on my "Mimi at the Movies" blog. However, yesterday I took at look at Riverbend's "Baghdad Burning" blog. That was the title she gave it when she started it at the time of the U. S. invasion of Iraq. Now, three years on, the title is still relevant. So sad. The current U. S. administration has accomplished nothing there except death and destruction. Whatever they themselves claim to have accomplished is being unraveled thread by thread every single day.
Riverbend's post "And the Oscar Goes to...," posted March 6 is very creative. I think you might find it interesting, if your brain isn't too stuffed with ideologically bad theology. Check it out. You will either not understand it, be upset by it, or shout, "Right on!" You will, however, be better informed about the situation in Iraq.
Riverbend's post "And the Oscar Goes to...," posted March 6 is very creative. I think you might find it interesting, if your brain isn't too stuffed with ideologically bad theology. Check it out. You will either not understand it, be upset by it, or shout, "Right on!" You will, however, be better informed about the situation in Iraq.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
CONGRESSMAN BLUNT RECEIVES A BLUNT, "NO!"
Today, House Republicans elected Rep. John Boehner (Bay-ner) of Ohio as their new majority leader choosing a self-proclaimed reform candidate to replace indicted Rep. Tom DeLay as the party struggles with an ethics scandal, although Rep. Roy Blunt was serving in the position temporarily. I was afraid they might elect Roy Blunt of Missouri (7th district) to replace DeLay. Blunt's the father of the current Missouri governor, and many consider "Baby" Matt Blunt a "Pompas A." Furthermore, one of Blunt's sons is a lobbyist, and so is Roy Blunt's wife.
"Papa" Blunt pulled all the strings he had to get Matt elected governor, including money from Roy's second wife. In 2003, Roy Blunt divorced his wife of 31 years to marry Philip Morris (now Altria) lobbyist Abigail Perlman. Before it was known publicly that Blunt and Ms. Perlman were dating – and only hours after Blunt assumed the role of Majority Whip – he tried to secretly insert a provision into Homeland Security legislation that would have benefited Philip Morris at the expense of competitors. In addition, Rep. Roy Blunt's son Andrew lobbies on behalf of Philip Morris.
Oh, and one more thing, in 1999, two years after taking office, Roy Blunt was handpicked by then-Whip Tom DeLay to serve as Chief Deputy Whip. Blunt assumed the role of Whip in 2003, when DeLay became the Majority Leader. People in Washington call Tom DeLay Blunt's mentor.
Rep. John Boehner has no ties to DeLay or any lobbyist. Rep. Blunt has more than one, and his ethics issues stem from his misuse of his position for the benefit of his family. Roy Blunt lost today, another mind-boggle avoided, and I am a happy camper!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Authoritarians Can't Silence Koppel
First, the far right extremist in this country pushed Bill Moyers off the PBS program NOW. Moyers "retired" at the end of 2004. NOW's on-air time was cut in half. David Brancaccio makes a valiant effort, but what can he accomplish in 20 minutes of actual air time?
Next, ABC pushed Ted Koppel out of NIGHTLINE, because some higherups maintained his appearance is "too mature" to draw the younger set. Plus, they wanted to make radical changes in the format of the show. Koppel felt such changes would be detrimental to the show. The rumor is the brass made his job as difficult as possible in order to push him out. Koppel "retired," and they changed the format of NIGHTLINE from a single-topic highly influential and informative program to another almost mindless, slick TV magazine similar to a couple of dozen others on TV. Yawn. Koppel was right!However, Moyers has not gone quietly into the night. He is writing and speaking out about the state of media today. I predict that NOW may eventually get its dignity back.
Koppel has not gone, either. First, he was hired to produce and host new town-hall format documentary specials for cable's Discovery Channel. Today, it was announced that NPR has hired him to provide commentary about 50 times a year on "Morning Edition," the afternoon, "All Things Considered," and a new mid-day program "Day to Day."
Well, it's something, but 50 comments a year are not enough!
NOW: http://www.pbs.org/now/
National Public Radio (NPR): http://www.npr.org/
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