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Zebra 3 Report by Joe Anybody
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
Back from the Oregon Country Fair
Mood:
 happy
Now Playing: What a nice oregon hippie getaway ...into the woods for 5 days
Topic: ANYBODY * ANYDAY
Here is a Oregon Country Fair Drumming Video Filmed at the campgrounds a 9 min video of the COUNTRY FAIR (camping) DRUM CIRCLE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu99qhKx8i0 _________a longer 45 min version is on my web site ________ Here is just one small "bottle return" at the campgrounds 
By the way "no beer drinking allowed in campgrounds" PEACE ~ Joe
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 5:25 PM PDT
Updated: Thursday, 19 July 2007 11:40 AM PDT
Tuesday, 17 July 2007
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Joe Anybody has new Videos
Mood:
 lyrical
Now Playing: SMILE - Big Brother is watching you
Topic: PROTEST!
Helloooooooooo Vietnam Oh wait……..no body remembers that! That’s that war we all have seem to have amnesia from all of a sudden! How are my fellow friendly Z3 Readers all doing? I have been on vacation and it’has been “no sleeping-around” over here. Let me rattle a few topics I have been involved with in the past couple months/weeks: Here is my July 4th 911 Truth - Protest Video Links: http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/07/361946.shtml Check out this one where I interview a young activist named Lori When I met her at the 911 Truth march I was impressed by her insights, so I ask to film/ interview her …..which starts a good conversation on Indy Media about youth and politics see that short YouTube link on this Indy Media post of mine here:
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/07/361888.shtml And how about this guy downtown who spoke up, and towards my camera his name is Jerry D Earthling:: http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/07/361941.shtml Just yesterday (Monday 7/9) I took this video on a War Resister Protest March:: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6008175453925948790 In the morning I am going to court to support 6 grannies who are on trial Then more filming the war resister Agustín, “again” on Wednesday night at PSU I recently was in court (star witness) (still waiting on verdict) with 2 peacemakers who were arrested for trying to talk to my Senator….. Mr. Smith. They were arrested for not leaving the private property The video I took is (same one judge watched) here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2235463856419852730&hl=en The defendants asked me to testify and my video was used as evidence. The judge watched the whole thing. We are awaiting the verdict …. It is a constitutional issue on being denied the right to talk with your Senator. How about those “racist” minuteman who had a protest at city hall so I videoed them. That was after that big Immigration Raid at Del Monty a few weeks ago, that video of outside city hall is here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1033017606657408336 Oh ya, just finished working on another short video ( I was repairing some bad audio) for the Spanish/Mexican, Day-Labor Center, hope to hand that back to that group today (after the grannies-in-court meeting)…They were NOT in court for the TANK protest during the rose festival that I filmed here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-29585898801983269 Just got back a few weeks ago from a 3 day campout in OLLIE Lake I made two videos and just finished editing them both today. One is two young kids who are my friends children singing “Country Roads” the other is a 30 min “Nature” video with a music background. I hope to post them on my video page by next week, what a great place! So frequently .......Check here for all my video’s http://www.joe-anybody.com/id83.html I am still working but almost done with my Barn video… I shot an hours worth of video footage of this very old wooden barn that is falling apart….. Darn that one is behind schedule since I started that a few months ago. I should have that finished any day…its kinda long ….. but sure was a real cool barn by a lake! Maybe it was all those grandkid birthday video I shot and made DVD copies to all my kids, that was real time gobbler …... but those were some cute films. But I live today to wage peace and I urge you all to help support the anti war movement. This world needs love ……remember …”make love – not war” ? …hmmmmmm? Ya that saying, it too was from that same era of that war we all seem to have forgot about these day’s. “If your not outraged …your not paying attention!” Off to the Country Fair in 2 days ….. wow no computer out there! PEACE NOW! Joe-Anybody
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 4:38 PM PDT
Updated: Tuesday, 10 July 2007 4:43 PM PDT
Friday, 6 July 2007
General Odom's prescription for supporting the troops
Mood:
 loud
Now Playing: WITHDRAWL & CUT FUNDING .... THEN IMPEACH
Topic: WAR
General Odom's prescription for supporting the troops: withdraw; cut off funds; and impeach This article I found here on Americablog.com: http://www.americablog.com/2007/07/general-odoms-prescription-for.html
by John Aravosis (DC) · 7/05/2007 07:53:00 PM ET
Discuss this post here: Comment s (145) · digg it · reddit · FARK · · Link
General Odom was the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) under Reagan (think "Minority Report," and you have the NSA). They're the super-duper secret spy agency that's way more top secret than even the CIA. This guy's credentials are beyond stellar. Here is an excerpt of his recent essay: If the Democrats truly want to succeed in forcing to begin withdrawing from Iraq, the first step is to redefine "supporting the troops" as withdrawing them, citing the mass of accumulating evidence of the psychological as well as the physical damage that the president is forcing them to endure because he did not raise adequate forces. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress could confirm this evidence and lay the blame for "not supporting the troops" where it really belongs – on the president. And they could rightly claim to the public that they are supporting the troops by cutting off the funds that he uses to keep U.S. forces in Iraq.
The public is ahead of the both branches of government in grasping this reality, but political leaders and opinion makers in the media must give them greater voice....
The president is strongly motivated to string out the war until he leaves office, in order to avoid taking responsibility for the defeat he has caused and persisted in making greater each year for more than three years.
To force him to begin a withdrawal before then, the first step should be to rally the public by providing an honest and candid definition of what "supporting the troops" really means and pointing out who is and who is not supporting our troops at war. The next step should be a flat refusal to appropriate money for to be used in Iraq for anything but withdrawal operations with a clear deadline for completion.
The final step should be to put that president on notice that if ignores this legislative action and tries to extort Congress into providing funds by keeping U.S. forces in peril, impeachment proceeding will proceed in the House of Representatives. Such presidential behavior surely would constitute the "high crime" of squandering the lives of soldiers and Marines for his own personal interest.
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 12:22 PM PDT
Tuesday, 3 July 2007
Iraq Social Workers Speaks at the Portland Peace House
Mood:
 crushed out
Now Playing: My notes durring a lecture on Refuge's in Iraq
Topic: HUMANITY
Iraq Social Workers Speaks at Peace House on Iraq Refugees Crisis 
Rassul author: Joe Anybody * I went to The Peace House Lecture on The Iraq Refugee Crisis on Thursday 6-22
Here is some notes that covered most of the Human Rights Presentation
I am not including the name of the speaker due to privacy request
There is a "Refugee Crisis" from the USA invasion of Iraq and she tells us..... "Nobody Cares"
Yes, tonight I seen a few who do care, but this issue is not in the mainstream news at all.
Thanks to The Seriously Pissed Off Grannies & Code Pink for this Lecture
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(Most of the quotation marks refer to quotes from Z, unless noted)
We all were seated in a big comfortable living room at the Peace House, in Portland Ore.
Z who is a pretty, middle aged lady, a trained social worker from Iraq, who recently was staying in a Refugee camp in Amman, Jordon.
For her requested, privacy reason I am in this article, referring to her as "Z"
She started out the human rights conversation by saying,
"For her to speak about this, it was a big responsibility".
"The Iraq people are suffering inside Iraq and outside of Iraq."
A Power-Point presentation then started up on the screen to her left.
The presentation was titled: "War in Iraq 2003"
Around 50 to 60 people looked up to the screen to see a young teenage child holding a pop-can taped-together-gun. It was soda cans taped together to look like the shape of a machine gun. It wasn't real but the image was stark, it was followed by pictures of destroyed houses, young children watching/staring at the US military with their guns, pictures of kids crying, children hurt, fathers carrying children that were injured in their arms, pictures of children with their arms missing, bloody babies, ... ... and dead babies. There were pictures of babies in wooden coffins crudely made, children missing eyes, missing legs, and injured beyond belief. One picture showed seven bloody babies in a row like at a hospital. These photos were outrageous, they were maddening ... ... ... these were pictures of the war that our country was causing by our invasion of Iraq.
Z mentioned, that these were children she was seeing in the camps in Jordon, and spread across Iraq, and the surrounding countries.
These were "children that lost their Lives," ... ... they are "Lost and Forgotten!"
They can not be 'normal' children again!
And then she rightly asks, "For how many years must this go on in Iraq?"
She quietly says... ... "13 years of sanctions! ... . No medical help! ... ..No care!..... ?"
A quite moment as Z cry's softly as she recants her first hand knowledge.
She wipes her tears and continues.
The room is silent.
She asks "where is this Democracy from America?"
She states, "They (USA) said they wanted to liberate.
And at first we believed, the first six months we were happy! We welcomed the troops.
But after a while there was no 'better life' there was no 'democracy'.
... ..Why?"
She goes on to say ... ..
"Why the torturing?
Why the killing of the Iraqi men?
Why was this happening?
They did not expect this treatment!"
As millions became refugee's she explained how hard it was to be one.
How the Iraq citizens have fled out into other countries.
Of having to leave to find work and just to survive.
"It is hard to be a refugee" she tells us.
"Yes there is no killing, but there is no rights, no home, no schools, no medical, no dignity, no self worth.
They are living in tents.
For over 3 years now they have been living as refugees.
With No Rights at all. And with no resources, they have nothing."
"No one cares"
She continues, "The government doesn't care!"
"They don't investigate or care at all, they just ignore the refuges situation. They are ignoring a population of over 4 million people, who are homeless and have nothing at all.
And no cares!"
Our attention is again directed to the screen where we begin to hear of her personal account in helping in the social work with the Iraqi people. From Baghdad to the camps in Jordon.
Z, first mention is of a boy named Haydar Hussein.
She starts by telling of this small boy of only fours years and his uncle who were coming back from the store to get some candy. They walked into a gun battle. The little boy was shot at and hit. The US forces then entered into the city returning fire. The Uncle and boy hid by a car. The US shot the car ... it exploded. The uncle died ... the young boy laid there, all burned... .. the family watched ... ..but no one could save them ... .
It was too dangerous... ... .for a long time.
After a while they were able to reach the child.
He needed a doctor.
The father took him to the hospital.
The hospital was not able to help in way at all.
In fact it had no water for the past six months.
It had no specialized medicines or treatment, and was over crowded.
They were advised, to leave Iraq in order to get any care for his young son.
They left as Refugees and spent all their money in leaving, to try to save the child in Jordon.
But there was no hope or help to be found... ..
... .even as a Refugee in Jordon.
She then tells us of another child, this one we seen his picture on the screen.
His name is Rassul. (see picture above)
He is now, missing one eye.
He is a young boy only seven years old.
He was walking with his mother one day, when for no reason, a 'sniper' shot him in the face.
He was innocently walking with his mother down the sidewalk, before that fatal shot.
The mother tried to take him to the hospital. The hospital could not help.
There was no room available.
Latter at another hospital they tried to help the child, by implanting a eye for him, but his body rejected it.
They could not help him anymore.
The family tried to get other help but was unsuccessful, but no one cared.
She said "this was a normal boy at one time, was wrongly injured, he needs help, and now no one cares at all."
She then mentions that;
"These Refugee have no rights what so ever.
There is No Help.
And no one cares"
She informed us that, there are the following camps with Iraq Refugees due to this invasion:
Jordon 1 million
Syria 1.5 million
Lebanon 600,000
Egypt 600,000
... and...
Iraq with over 4 million Refugees
She said it was "endless!"
FOUR MILLION REFUGEES in Iraq alone, right now today, living in tents, with nothing!
She then pointed out to us the discrepancy of the stories we hear in the news of victory.
"What victory?
How can that be?"
She eloquently asks, "What did we do to you? What did we do to harm the USA? Why are we to suffer?"
She tells us that although the mainstream news is not clear in what is going on ... .but there are true news articles and facts on the Internet. "It is there, out on the Internet," Z tells us all.
She says in a soft voice "We Iraqi's didn't choose to do this"
"No one wanted it"... .. she then breaks down and cries, covering her face.
She gently mummers..
... ."What can I say to you all?"
... .."No one much talks about this"... ...
... ... ... ... ."Why is Iraq a target?"
... . "No one cares!"
As she collects herself she tells us that on her arrival to the airport, that she was the only visible Iraqi person. She told us, "No injured Iraqis are allowed into the US"
She looks out at us for the answer and asks ... ."Why is that?,
Why can no injured Iraqi enter the US" ... . The room stays silent.
She tells us all of facts like:
A mother burned to death as the explosions go off ... ..
a fathers watched his son and wife catch fire
The father saved the boy first, and by the time he got to his wife she had died.
He is at such as loss and regrets to be unable to of helped her.
He blames himself.
His boy lived ... .. But his wife died
This man lives in Boston right now, and daily lives his pain and loss, as he still blames himself.
Z tells us:
He didn't choose this, it is we Iraqi people who pay the price."
She covers her face and stops talking
She is crying again, this time she sits down
As a lady comforts her and another comes over to assist
Cristy Murray form Code Pink take the microphone and says:
"this is the greatest Refugee crises to today, We in Portland, here through the Peace House hope to start up a program to help Z and the refugees she is speaking of in Jordon. Cristy was not sure how this was all going to start up but it was a decided and firm idea. A collection plate was passed, as every one there wanted to help in some way.
There was a reference to Emmanuel Hospitals program called "Healing With Children" that they may work in conjunction with what Cristy was hoping to start up with the Peace House and in trying to help with the Refugees Z spoke about.
There was a silent auction, and discussion of further talks Z was going to give or had already done here in Portland.
I wish her peace and love, I hope her world can become a better one soon.
She is a brave courageous loving lady. I am glad to have met her and to share her thoughts with all who read this.
I was going to film her but she wanted some anonymity.
I understand, so I took these notes.
Peace Now
~joe-anybody
To donate you can contact the SURGE Protection Brigade for information:
 surgeprotectionbrigade@riseup.net
More Information o this Iraqi Refugee Crises Check this link form the AFSC:
 http://www.afsc.org/iraq/symposium.htm
This link is on Working to Preserve Their Legacy: the Iraqi Women's Movement:
http://www.afsc.org/iraq/personal_stories/iraqi-womens-movement.htm
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 11:28 AM PDT
Updated: Monday, 22 October 2007 5:53 PM PDT
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
I find a peace Vigil on my way up Mt Hood to go camping
Mood:
lyrical
Now Playing: Sandy Peace Vigil out on the front lines on Highway 26
Topic: PROTEST!
Apathy. Balance. Perspective. Denial. Dedication. Relax. Escape. On Friday, June 22 I went with my son, and a few friends, on a four day camping trip, that was truly beautiful and relaxing and real fun. I was having a hard time prior to us leaving for the camp-out, with myself, in dealing with the hard issue of not being around the activist community or in the loop of trying to stop this war like I do every day. I know balance is good but I still was having a tough time putting down my peace sign, my video camera, and my keyboard, to escape into the woods up on Mount Hood. From full Time Activist to look at that view. Not that I knew the woods are beautiful and I truly love it so much out there. As a matter of 'activism fact' I was in court all morning on Friday {prior to leaving for the woods} as a witness with one of my video on the issue of stopping the funding of this war and the arrests at Senator Smiths office, which I filmed back on March 16 (link here) The trial is ongoing and I was there to support the two men arrested who are fighting this issue on the grounds of it was un-constitutional to block citizens who are going to see their Senator. Well that was in the morning for 4 hours ..then it was for me and my son ..... "lets hurry we are running late" ..... it is time to go camping, put the war aside for a few days(sic) So I was inspired to see a dozen peace activists standing along Highway 26 in Sandy Oregon, on Friday afternoon. I made a u turn and had to come back and thank them ..... and document on film their vigil for peace. They informed me of their website http://oregontraildemocrats.org/Home.shtml After 10 minutes of thanking and filming ...... I drove off with my 14 year old son into the woods, leaving the city, the cement, the politics, the killing, the war, and the whole screwed up mess behind. I felt kinda like the apathy of America was seeping into my soul. Soon the war would be a passing thought and the beauty of the mountain and its remoteness would suppress any problems still lingering in the world so far behind me. The problems were disappearing around each corner. Soon I will be surrounded by "peace" ..... by eliminating the news, the real world, and information by the remoteness and my isolation, the worlds problems floated away. As I relaxed, people were dieing. But I couldn't tell from my view anymore. This was not the courtroom I was in all morning, this was not "the front lines" I was proud of these Peacemakers in Sandy  Here is The Portland Indy Media link I posted with pictures http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/06/361469.shtml YouTube link to the 2 minute video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUa4oIw17qU
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 10:50 AM PDT
Updated: Tuesday, 26 June 2007 9:55 PM PDT
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Michael Moores New Movie...... SiCKO is here
Mood:
 bright
Now Playing: Watch SiCKO movie now on the Internet
Topic: FAILURE by the GOVERNMENT
SiCKO 
Check this website out where you can download the new Moore film It has Michael Moore's" new film" for a free download as a Michael Moore's new documentary, SiCKO, should be required viewing for anyone claiming to be a patriotic American. So, per Michael Moore himself, I am offering the movie for your viewing pleasure. You will need the DivX Codec 6.6.1 to watch the movie.
To download and view the movie:
1. Right click on this link
2. Select "Save Target As..."
3. Pick a location on your computer (Desktop is easiest)
4. When the download completes, double click the file and see if it plays.
5. If the file does not play, download and install the DivX Codec (link above)
Let me know what you think of the movie. Also, please make suggestions on what we can do to change our health care system.
The US Government is pissed this movie is out. There is a back up copy of this film residing outside of the USA. The file / torrent / movie of Michaels is being "shared before it is banned or pulled from the market and theaters in the US
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 12:37 PM PDT
Updated: Tuesday, 26 June 2007 11:29 AM PDT
Thursday, 14 June 2007
Rudy Giuliani, scared the pants off New Yorkers... yep! About 200 searches per day
Mood:
 irritated
Now Playing: And this guy could become the President?
Topic: CIVIL RIGHTS
This post, written by Jeffrey Feldman, originally appeared on Frameshop I found it here on Alternet.org: http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/53938/ For those lucky enough to have never lived under the Stasi-style rule of Mayor Rudy Giuliani, it may come as a shock to learn that "Rudy's" formula for the good life in America is: 200 strip-searches per day (give or take few). This is no theory, mind you. It is a formula derived from Giuliani's record as mayor. Specifically, the data about Giuliani's use of strip-searches as police policy came to light when a large class action law suit was filed against the city in 1997, resulting in the largest civil rights settlement against New York City ever, and one of the largest against any municipality anywhere. At the directive of Mayor Giuliani's office, over a ten month period from 1996 to 1997, the New York City police conducted over 70,000 strip-searches of ordinary citizens for minor offenses including: trying to board the subway without paying a fare and jaywalking. If 70,000 strip-searches were conducted by Giuliani's policy squads over 10 months, that meant roughly 233 per day, about 10 per hour or one every 6 minutes. Ah, yes, America. That cool breeze you feel on your naked legs as you stand spread eagle in a police precinct--that's the refreshing sensation of Giuliani-style freedom. Invigorating, eh? Seem excessive? Worried that a hypothetical "President Giuliani" would turn the whole country into a 21st-Century version of East Berlin? Well, that just means you are one of those "liberals" who does not yet understand Rudy Giuliani's core operating principle--that "freedom" can only come about if we are willing to willfully "cede" all our rights to the absolute authority of the police. For some New Yorkers, ceding freedom to thug-style police brutality authorized by Mayor Giuliani was a great way to get rid of muggers and subway station panhandlers, but for most it just increased the likelihood of being strip-searched or--even worse--gunned down by Rudy's trigger-happy cops. Scaring Our Pants Off While he likes to brag about stopping crime in New York, what really happened under Rudy's reign was the rise of Stasi-style police brutality. The theory was that crime is not just stopped by enforcing the law, but by preemptive attacks on any citizen suspected of breaking the law. The broader logic in Giuliani's 200-strip-searches-per-day approach was that crime happens when citizens are not afraid of the state. Fighting crime, therefore, is not just about arresting people for criminal acts, but about spreading fear of the police. Once the fear spreads, crime is supposed to stop. In practice, however, it did not work that way. What resulted from the 200-strip-searches-per-day policy of Mayor Giuliani was a massive spike in human rights violations that offset the crime rate decreases. One can only imagine what Giuliani-ism would bring on a national scale. Rather than turn back the bestial human rights violations of the Bush administration, a Giuliani administration would probably increase it. A Strip-Search Approach to Immigration Policy? In all likelihood, Giuliani as president would result in the application of his strip-search-approach to America's current immigration question. In theory, Giuliani has called for "tamper proof" ID cards to be distributed to every immigrant in America. But in practice, it is far more likely that America would see the 200-strip-searches-per-day formula applied to immigration. If this were to come about, suddenly America would become a country were people were suspected immigrants were routinely stopped and searched--first on the suspicion that they did not have ID cards, but subsequently on suspicion of just about anything. Why? Because in Giuliani's worldview, social order is not the product of people following the rules--of just having the right ID card--but of fearing the policy. And so Giuliani would likely see an escalation in fear of policy by immigrants as the only path to solving the current immigration issue. A Strip-Search Approach to Foreign Policy? That fear-brings-order approach on the domestic front would also, likely, bring about a fear-brings-order approach in a Giuliani administration's foreign policy. To date, Giuliani has already been arguing that America is not yet winning the war on terror because we are not afraid enough of Islamic Jihadism. His logic? Freedom from terrorism can only come about through even more ceding of rights by American citizens to the state. You thought Bush was bad on this front? Giuliani would likely be even worse. A Strip-Search Approach to Education? In terms of education policy, Giuliani likes to talk about vouchers and individual choice, but if he became president, it seems likely that he would bring his strip-search approach to our children's schools, too. Education, he would likely tell America, cannot happen effectively unless our children are taught to cede their freedom to authority. That would mean more metal detectors, more police in schools, more locker searchers and--you guessed it--more strip searches in school. And all this would most likely be put forth under the guise of improving education and stopping violence. The United States of Strip-Searches Nobody can know for sure what the future will bring. But if the past is any indicator (and it always is), a Giuliani presidency would likely make strip-search-style policies a regular part of our American culture. That is to say: more regular than they have become in the Bush presidency. Of course, the idea that freedom from social ills comes by ceding one's rights to authority--that is not the basis of democracy, but rhetorical marker of tyrannical monarchy and dictatorship. In our constitutional democracy all citizens enter into a mutual compact together, thereby imbuing our government with a degree of authority. And that authority at no time has the power to demand that citizens cede their rights. In fact, if the government that we empower every tries to defraud us of our rights,then we as citizens have an obligation to depose that government. In its own limited way, that is exactly what the citizens of New York City did with their class action suit against Giuliani's government in 1997. Hopefully, knowing about Giuliani's strip-searching past will stop him before he has a chance to bring strip-searches to America's future.
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 2:34 PM PDT
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
More Investigations in to this Crooked Bush Empire
Mood:
 celebratory
Now Playing: No end to the weekly Investigations into Bush and Company
Topic: FAILURE by the GOVERNMENT
Every week we see more and more Investigations into this criminal regime Every week its more "We don't remember" "We refuse to answer" or "We refuse to co-operate" or "It is a NSA secret" I am so sick of this empire of greed and corruption They have taken us citizens for a ride, they burned us, stole, killed and lied. We were set up and abused. Today I read more ..... tomorrow will be more...... and when my fellow Z3 Reader will the madness stop? Check this story from the front page I only copied a few paragraphs: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1336072620070613?&src=061307_1555_DOUBLEFEATURE_shiite_shrine_hit WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic lawmakers set up a possible court showdown with President George W. Bush on Wednesday by summoning two of his former aides to testify about the controversial firing of federal prosecutors last year. Bush could challenge the subpoenas issued to former White House counsel Harriet Miers and political director Sara Taylor although the White House said no decision had been made. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont said in a letter to Taylor that she had until June 28 to turn over documents related to the inquiry and must appear before his committee on July 11. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, meanwhile, issued subpoenas for documents and testimony from Miers, who was ordered to testify on July 12. Bush and U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales say the firing of nine of the 93 U.S. attorneys last year was justified though mishandled. Democrats and some of Bush's fellow Republicans have questioned whether partisan politics improperly played a role in the dismissal plan, which originated at the White House. One of the fired prosecutors was replaced by a former aide to White House political adviser Karl Rove. The subpoenas set up a possible court fight between Congress and Bush, who had earlier vowed to oppose any attempt to force aides to provide sworn testimony. White House spokesman Tony Snow said it was far too early to say if the matter would end up in court. Check back daily ...... the list is growing, the atrocities are mounting, and America slips further into the toilet. God Help Us ...... we are doomed .... set up ....... and all that is left is the smell of a bush and destruction ..... We have been screwed by the president and his evil empire of looney greedy Neocon fools. Have a nice day!
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 4:36 PM PDT
Updated: Wednesday, 13 June 2007 4:38 PM PDT
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Recent Report on Modern Day Slavery
Mood:
irritated
Now Playing: Human Rights
Topic: HUMANITY
I noticed the comment about Vipula Kadri, the founder and National Director of Save the Children India, near the end of this article. I copied this "Times of India" article from their website. What an endeavor. I applaud him and will be reading up on his mission of humanity and love
Act or get tagged for slavery, warns US THE TIMES OF INDIA
13 Jun, 2007 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Act_or_get_tagged_for_slavery_warns_US/articleshow/2118390.cms
WASHINGTON: India has been warned to act swiftly on its human trafficking record involving forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation or risk being censured for what Washington calls "modern-day slavery."
For the fourth consecutive year, India has been placed on a Tier 2 watchlist in an annual State Department
report on human trafficking, a citing that implies unrelenting human exploitation. The rebuke follows a fierce debate within the administration to downgrade India to the lowest Tier 3 category, but Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reportedly argued against it, citing improving ties in other spheres.
Administration officials were however unsparing in indicting India for human trafficking in course of a briefing that followed release of the report.
"Tier 2 Watch list should be a warning. Unfortunately, too many major countries on Tier 2 Watch List have ignored this warning, year after year," Mark P. Lagon, Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons said on Tuesday, naming India, China, Russia, Mexico, and South Africa among other countries in this category.
"Tier 2 Watch list is not supposed to become a parking lot for governments lacking the will or interest to stop exploitation and enslavement on their soil. We stand ready to cooperate with these nations and support any efforts they make to end this travesty within their borders," he added.
While charging that the Government of India "does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking however," the report acknowledged that "it is making significant efforts to do so."
However, it cited large scale systemic sloth and indifference thereafter, saying, "Overall, the lack of any significant federal government action to address bonded labor, the reported complicity of law enforcement officials in trafficking and related criminal activity, and the critical need for an effective national-level law enforcement authority impede India's ability to effectively combat its trafficking in persons problem."
While annual US government reports on human trafficking, human rights etc rankle critics across the world who point to Washington's own dodgy record in these matters, others argue that such report serve to hold the mirror on societies that continue to live in denial or can't summon the energy to address the issue.
Some of the ranking certainly provided ammunition for the critics who say it is politically motivated: for instance, the report puts Cuba, Venezuela and Iran in the lowest Tier 3, while vassal states like Pakistan and Thailand are in Tier 2.
India and Sri Lanka's rating of "Tier 2 watchlist" is even lower - below Afghanistan and Bangladesh in the region, although there is little to suggest that human exploitation is any less in these countries.
The latest report noted however that New Delhi passed a law in October 2006 banning the employment of children in domestic work and the hospitality industry. It also pointed out that in a July 2006 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the Maharashtra government could proceed with its plan to seal brothels under the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act (ITPA).
The report also named Indian activist Kailash Satyarthi as one of the "Heroes" in the movement against human exploitation. Satyarthi, it said, has freed more than 75,000 children by working relentlessly to, to rehabilitate them with vocational training and education and tilted the force of public opinion against child labor.
The report also recalled the services of Vipula Kadri, the founder and National Director of Save the Children India, an organization charged with preventing the abuse and exploitation of children which brought together representatives from government, law enforcement, civil society, Bollywood celebrities, media, and private industry to raise awareness about trafficking of women and girls into commercial sexual exploitation in India.
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 3:01 PM PDT
Updated: Tuesday, 12 June 2007 4:03 PM PDT
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