Nope – Democracy is NOT just voting!
Democracy does not end on election day. We must work to keep it and we must work against those foes and enemies to our democracy. This includes billionaires that want to use their money to promote their vision by buying candidates and corrupting our democracy.
Categories: American politics, Bought and paid for democracy!, Elections, Wisconsin democracy Tags:
Attack on Rep. Giffords and radicalization of American society
The outrageous attack on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords by an obviously mentally disturbed man should be viewed as a tread in American society, which is still reeling from unemployment, a stagnate economy and perceptions that the pain could go on for years to come. Jared Lee Loughner may be a bit mentally unstable, but his outrageous and unacceptable act shows that dangerous and violent right-wing pumping anti-government, hate propaganda is a threat to our society more so than the handful of "Islamists" and "jihadists" in far off places. Sheriff Clarence Dupnik reflects my sentiments exactly [from Washington Post]:"There's reason to believe that this individual may have a mental issue. And I think people who are unbalanced are especially susceptible to vitriol. People tend to pooh-pooh this business about all the vitriol we hear inflaming the American public by people who make a living off of doing that. That may be free speech, but it's not without consequences."Yes- and tell that to Geert Wilders!
Categories: American politics, Ignored security threats, Right-wing radicalism, Security, Terrorism Tags:
Body scanners, airport security and right-wing paranoia
Focus on WHAT - not WHO - is on the airplane. As argued on the blog in the past, no airplane has every fallen out of the sky because of a "dangerous person" on -board. Nope - the presence of a "dangerous person" seated on an airplane alone has never caused harm to an airplane. Indeed, on Christmas Day, 2009, an airplane landed in Detroit with the "dangerous person" on-board because of failure of his instrumentality to do harm. Rather than be concerned with WHO is on-board an airplane, we need to be concerned with WHAT is brought onto an airplane. The body scanners and pat downs are a step in the right direction - away from WHO and a focus on WHAT.
Categories: American politics, Freedom and Liberty, Human rights in America, Islam moral panic Tags:
OSCE critical of American police arrests of journalists
The OSCE has condemned that arrests of Russia Today journalists in the US state of Georgia, while they were covering a protest outside the Fort Benning army base.That's nice of the OSCE, but human rights violations of this sort of political nature by American police is growing - in fact - I would contend that arresting protesters and journalists is now standard American police practice that is in bad need of rebuke by international institutiions, like the OSCE.
Categories: American politics, American world order, Criminal justice or injustice, European values, Freedom and Liberty, Human rights in America Tags:
Religious Freedom, the Radical Right and the New York Mosque
The attack on the right of the New York Muslim community to build Cordoba House community and mosque demonstrates just how much the radical Right (Western Taliban) support freedom and liberty for all. Now, there have been several articles published that point out how those of the Western Taliban- Republicans and the radical Right are exploiting the issue.President Obama needs to be congratulated for both his convictions and having some kind of spine that most Democrats seem to lack these days. The issue of religious freedom for Muslims is easy, but this is about standing up to the radical Right, which threatens our freedom and democratic way of life, from New Amsterdam to old Amsterdam!
Categories: American politics, Freedom and Liberty, Geert Wilders, Human rights in America, Ignored security threats, Religious freedom, Right-wing radicalism Tags: 911-excuse, PVV, Religious freedom, Right-wing radicalism, Tea Baggers, threats to freedom
Protection of Human Rights from Tyranny of the Ballot Box
As we here in the US know, Proposition 8 in California has been, rightfully, struck down. The challenge by opponents and action to affirm the rights of Gay minorities indicates the strength of American courts to challenge and defeat discriminatory measures, especially referendums. This is something that is lacking in Europe, in the European Union, where there are plenty of human rights conventions, but weak and ineffective courts and legal institutions.As a result political animals like Nicloas Sarkozy are taking advantage of the situation by proposing burka bans and actions against the Roma people in France - even as the Council of Europe states these measures are illegal. In Europe - as we know about the Netherlands - the safety, security and human rights of Dutch Muslims are held hostage to election outcomes. This is about the same in much of Europe, as Europeans place more value on "free elections" than freedom and absolute human rights for ALL!
