Friday, November 30, 2012

Updates 11/30/12

Hello everyone.


There is just so much going on for me right now. I had another doctor's appointment yesterday, then class, and on top of all of the papers I need to write, I'm sick. So this is terrible. I may miss days a little more often for the next week or so.

Wish me luck.

We have a LOT of stuff today, so it's mostly links. 


-- [Chuck] Whistleblower Bradley Manning spoke for the first time at his trial the other day, remembering that he thought he would die in prison.




-- [Chuck] Occupy Sandy is still going strong, but Occupiers aren't giving up their original fight either. 





-- Susan Rice is a candidate for the next Secretary of State, but it has come to light that she may have a bit of clouded judgment in the form of hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in tar sands oil.





-- [Chuck] A White House petition to label GMO foods needs 7,000 more signatures to pass. Go sign it! 




-- [Chuck] Your health is important, but taking care of yourself can be difficult if everyone you trust has a vested interest in other issues. The movie "Food Matters" addresses this issue, and is free to watch online for today only.




-- [Chuck] Do fast food workers need a union? They believe so, and so do I. Check out this article concerning their push for unionization and a petition to allow it.





-- A man involved in a protest with Occupy was arrested after he climbed a stop light post and dangled from it. 




------------


Let's pan out a bit and look internationally.


-- In Myanmar, protesters are in the hospital after the camps they were occupying (in a copper mine) were attacked by police, who threw incendiary devices inside. 




-- The Philippines are alive with protest, as thousands of demonstrators protest against the US outside of the American Embassy.




-- The movie Red Dawn is getting its fair share of backlash as the Friends of North Korea protest the film in New York. While many of the protesters are considered to be pawns of the North Korean government propaganda machine, the movie has gotten plenty of panning from other sources, with critics calling it racist and insultingly bad.




-- Be on the lookout for mass protests coming next month in Russia. News sources are confirming that several groups are planning to hit the streets.




***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading, and for your patience.
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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Updates 11/28/12

Hello everyone.


I have a doctor's appointment in less than a half hour, so today is a link day.


This is also ALL from Chuck. Yay Chuck!!! :)



-- Here are ten reasons why everyone should protest the Trans-Pacific Partnership on December 1st.




-- Students Occupied Eshleman Hall at UC Berkeley to protest for more multiculturalism and diversity.





-- Bradley Manning still sits behind bars, and these Nobel Laureates have something to say to him.




-- A brand new film is making the rounds, and people are wondering if the director is the new Michael Moore. Check out this story about the new "Occupy Sandy" movie.




-- There is more to the story about the garment factory fire, including more companies that used it besides Wal-Mart. Check out this article for more info.




***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks. 

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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Updates 11/27/12

Hello everyone.


We had Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and now today is Giving Tuesday. You would think that the day of giving would come first, being as important as it is. Anyway, I have a request for you. If you are choosing to give to charity at all this holiday season, please consider giving a small amount to the MDA. The MDA is the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and they help kids like my brother. They've been helping him since the day he was diagnosed. They paid for his leg braces and walker when he first started having difficulties walking, met with our family all the time, and were honest and straightforward about what to expect. They tested me and determined that I'm a carrier, and now I'm waiting for an appointment (they're very busy) to determine if I am a manifesting carrier. That would mean I show symptoms of the disease as well. Without the test, I've been tentatively told by three doctors that I am manifesting, but until we can afford that test and get an appointment, we won't know for sure. 

You can read more about Muscular Dystrophy on their website. It's not just one disease, either. They look at ALL neuromuscular diseases. My brother has Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy. It's the most aggressive (and always fatal) type. Our family is an anomaly.. No one else has the disease (it's genetic) besides my mother, brother, and myself. Not my uncles or grandfathers or anyone. It's very strange. But Muscular Dystrophy has no cure yet. Even if they found one now, it would likely be too late to save my brother, who is going through the final stages of the disease. But finding a cure would save other children from going through such agony, and their siblings and parents from feeling the guilt and torment that comes with being a "survivor." I often say that if I ever became part of the 1%, I wouldn't stay there for long. There are way too many worthy charities that need help, and this is a huge one for me.

So please, have a look around their website. If you want to donate, feel free. 




Let's get to the news.



-- [Chuck] The UN has begun to talk about climate change as of yesterday, and there are some things you should know about this. Here's a great article discussing what the UN will be talking about, what obstacles they are facing, and what could happen as an outcome.




-- [Chuck] As the new policies in Europe continue to drop food prices and cause problems for citizens, dairy farmers are taking up some interesting arms against Parliament in Brussels. The protest movement, called "1,000 Tractors to Brussels," brought farmers to the forefront with a little gadget called a milk cannon. Initially aiming at the building, police blocked the way and soon were sprayed with roughly 15,000 liters of milk.




-- A financial expert has reviewed OWS' policies to remain debt free, and says he can't stop laughing at the suggestions of "forming community ties" and "getting to know each other," saying they don't mean squat in a financial borrowing market. Reading the interview, it becomes clear that this "expert" is heavily in favor of borrowing rather than saving to purchase, and really doesn't seem to understand how that might work. 




-- [Chuck] We're all used to hearing complaints about the horrors of Wal-Mart and their treatment of employees, but why don't we hear those same complaints about Wal-Mart's main competitor? Costco is just like Sam's Club in that they sell in bulk, yet Costco pays its employees almost 50% more than Sam's on average, and stocks products of high quality for low prices. The only complaints you hear about Costco are from Wall Street shareholders.




-- [Chuck] Congratulations to Peru on banning all genetically modified foods and ingredients from their country for the next ten years! 




-- One of the veterans attacked by Alameda Deputies last year in Oakland after an Occupy march is suing for abuse. The Iraq War vet was left lying in his cell for 18 hours without medical treatment, suffering from a lacerated spleen. He alleges that officers mocked him as he cried out in pain, and denied him medical treatment.




-- After the horrible fire in Bangladesh killed over a hundred workers who made clothing for Wal-Mart, this Bangladeshi woman is circulating a petition demanding that the companies who use Bangladeshi factories and workers for their clothing must make fire plans with workers for their safety. Please sign.




***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks. 
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Monday, November 26, 2012

Updates 11/26/12

Hello everyone.


I have a presentation to give today, an exam tomorrow, a presentation Thursday, and three huge papers to write by the end of the semester. For me, that's less than two weeks away. 



-- [Chuck] Have you ever heard of Benjaman Kyle? He has an interesting story, and needs your help. This award winning documentary is working to raise awareness for him, and isn't that long.




-- [Chuck] Occupy Sandy is making its presence known in Brooklyn now, accepting mass donations in person and online. The group is helping many people, and still needs help.




----------------

Austerity techniques seem to be moving toward America, now that they are making the rounds in Europe. What does austerity mean for us? What does it mean for our governments?


-- [Chuck] Is the United States broke? We're continually told we are. Politicians are quick to yell that our country has no money. But is it true? And if it isn't, why are they trying to implement austerity?




-- When austerity starts to kick in, some analysts see it for what it is... the collapse of unsustainable capitalism. In the first link, an analyst examines Spain's collapse as a microcosm of what is to come. In the second, the author discusses why capitalism is the problem, and what we need to do to fix the issues. 





-- In the UK, speculation has begun to arise concerning the EU's plans. Many people are starting to believe that the EU is trying to implement a "Marxist revolution." (As a socialist, I wouldn't mind that so much, except for the sadness surrounding the fight that would follow.)




-- The UK isn't the only country irritable at the EU, though. Several countries are angry about what is going on, and may lead to a split in the EU.




***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks. 
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Sunday, November 25, 2012

Updates 11/25/12

Hello everyone. 


For us AHOccs (At Home Occupiers), it can be quite frustrating to watch protests go on while we sit in the background. It's important to remember that our support goes a long way, and that support comes in many forms. 


So let's talk about a few of the protests going on recently.




-- [Chuck] We are already well-aware of the Wal-Mart workers' plights, but did you know that Occupiers came out in droves to support the striking (and non-striking) workers? This link has video and photos of mic checks, protests, and supporters inside and outside the stores.




-- In Egypt, unrest is becoming heavy again, but no revolution has occurred yet. The Egyptian people believe the new President has made grabs for power that are undemocratic, and they want it to stop. President Morsi is standing his ground against the judges and youth that are against him, believing he has numbers on his side.




-- Ireland is preparing to reveal more cuts to spending as austerity techniques take over in the government, and the people are not happy about the choice. The country has roughly 4.6 billion people and will be cutting 4.5 billion dollars out of the budget. Protesters have been hitting the streets to let them know they don't want this.




-- [Chuck] Lastly, here's a little ditty for all you protesters out there, for all you protectors of human rights. It's actually quite beautiful, and hits the heart pretty well. Have a listen. 




***Solidarity*** 

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.
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Saturday, November 24, 2012

Updates 11/24/12

Hello everyone. 


I seem to be coming down with something, and slept in a bit today to give myself a little boost. Hopefully it helps. 



-- On Thanksgiving, Occupy Sandy fed dinners to over 10,000 people. That's an amazing feat, and one sorely needed. This article, while it is a bit sad, will also lift your spirits.




-- [Chuck] The Trans-Pacific Partnership is the largest free trade agreement in the world, incorporating 11 countries and over 600 corporations. What does that say about corporate governance?




-- [Chuck] We hear about climate change so often that most people disregard it, even if they believe it to be dangerous. This man, however, sees it first-hand, and reminds us that we need to not only remember, but act as well. 




-- [Chuck] The ceasefire in Israel and Gaza is a good thing, and many lives are being saved. However, this plan comes with a price. A literal price, as President Obama has pledged to send Israel even more money for defense. There is plenty more missing from the ceasefire agreement as well.




-- [Chuck] Wal-Mart had over 1,000 strikes in 46 states, said organizers, making this Black Friday the largest strike against the largest company. Wal-Mart attempted to say that only 50 workers were striking around the country, blatantly lying about the numbers.





***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.

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Friday, November 23, 2012

Updates 11/23/12 -- Black Friday Madness

Hello everyone.


It's the day after we give thanks for what we have, spend time with family and friends, and stuff ourselves with good food in honor of a bountiful harvest (or something like that.) So today we take the time to forget what we just did yesterday in favor of shoving other consumers out of the way so you can grab that off-brand television you so desperately "need."We are so hypocritical it isn't even funny. It's downright disturbing. 


So today we're going to talk about one of the biggest culprits in the Black Friday Symphony of Consumer Discord: Wal-Mart. I've talked quite a bit about Wal-Mart lately, not only concerning the striking workers, but also providing my own story, so you can understand what some employees go through. 


-- [Chuck] What effect does Wal-Mart really have on our country and world? This informative little piece will let you know just how fast the corporation is growing, how it is changing the world around it, and what that all has to do with us.




-- [Chuck] Wal-Mart is also getting heavily involved in something else outside of retail: The educational system. Wal-Mart and its Walton Family have donated millions to education reform, but not for the children. Rather, Wal-mart is working with other well-known charter school champs to "add choice to our schools."




-- [Chuck] The retaliation against employees who strike is illegal, but Wal-Mart doesn't seem to mind breaking the rules. Striking workers have been fired, threatened, and otherwise shown that speaking out will get you punished. Here is a petition you can sign demanding that Wal-Mart stop the retaliation against their employees.




-- This article was posted last year, but recently reposted now that Wal-Mart workers are striking. The author gives a strategy for Occupy against Wal-Mart, declaring the company to be the "symbol of a broken capitalist system."




-- Black Friday can be dangerous for employees and customers alike, but most people believe the danger strikes once you get inside. In this case, that wasn't what happened. A couple were walking in a Wal-Mart parking lot when they were hit by a drunk driver.




-- A protester was arrested at a Wal-Mart in Portland, but police will not reveal the nature of the detainment, only saying that they are trying to maintain a safe environment for those shopping. 




-- Want to see what the Wal-Mart protests look like? You're in luck. The protesters have been tweeting images of the Black Friday strikes. Have a look.




***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks. 
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Thursday, November 22, 2012

Updates 11/22/12

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!


My apologies about the lack of news yesterday. As you all know, things are a little crazy around here. Let's get to this before my mother starts yelling at me for not spending time with the family. 




-- Israel and Gaza have come to a cease-fire agreement, and many people seem to be thrilled with it. Now if only it will last.




-- [Chuck] When the fighting was going on, it wasn't just in Gaza. This video will show you what happened in the online front, which quickly became a battleground in its own right.




-- [Chuck] When firefighters in NYC decided to do more than their usual jobs by feeding the hungry, they were thanked by the city with a notice of violation for not wearing hairnets of gloves. The city now says that this was a mistake, but people are appalled not only at the cold-heartedness of the actions, but also by the fact that they are paying health inspectors to come out on Sundays.




-- [Chuck] Black Friday is tomorrow, and Walmart workers are still working hard to stand up for their rights. The first link is from me, explaining how Walmart is attempting to stop any strikes. The second is from Chuck, and provides info on how you can help the strikers. 





-- [Chuck] From Buzzfeed, we have a photo-story of why we should all stay home on Black Friday. 




***Solidarity***


And remember, today is a day about spending time with family. If you don't have any family to spend it with, you should remember that we are all family in Occupy, even if that does sound cliche. We have to be here for each other.


Love to all, 

Kitty

elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com
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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Updates 11/20/12

Hello everyone.


My uncle passed away yesterday, a few days after a sudden illness left him in a coma. We were hoping a recovery would be possible, but eventually we realized that he had no brain function. He lived several states away from us, so my family won't be able to make it there. My mom is devastated. She hadn't actually seen her brother in over 20 years, but was planning on visiting this spring. 


Thanks to Chuck for sending lots of news today. It's like he somehow knows when I'm going through hard times and sends me plenty of news for you all.


Also, yes, I know, my life is crazy and it seems as though as soon as one thing is dealt with, another occurs. That's the way my life always has been. I really don't know anything different. To be completely honest, this year has been the most thus far I've ever gone through. I feel like losing my mind. At the same time, however, I can look around and realize that it isn't just me dealing with this sort of catastrophic autumn. Everyone I know is dealing with hardships that they wouldn't normally face, and all at the same time. I stepped into my professor's office yesterday to let her know what was going on with my uncle, and after she hugged me and handed me tissues, she commented that "Everyone seems to be going through rough times right now, and all in strange ways. You've just got the worst of it." Another teacher said, "You've had the worst semester I think I have ever seen in all the years that I have been teaching and in class myself. This world is attacking you, my friend." 

All I can say is "Yeah, I know." 

But I'm dealing with it the best I can. My life is not nearly as hard as those people who live in Gaza or Somalia or Syria. When I start getting too far down, I remember that it could be much worse. I could genuinely be in fear for my life every minute of every day. I don't live like that. It gives me perspective. I also give myself time to break down. On occasion I will get so frustrated and afraid that I will leave school, go back to my apartment, lock myself in the bedroom, and scream and cry and lament for myself, my brother, my mother, my wife, and anyone else I know going through tough times. A little self-pity is allowable, as long as you keep it in check and maintain perspective. I almost never actually cry, so if you know me personally and see me in tears, it means that something is seriously wrong. 

Let's get to the news for you guys, mostly provided by Chuck. I'm going to keep it short. I've ranted a bit already, and I'm very sad right now.



-- [Chuck] Everyone is tired of Monsanto, from farmers to consumers. The corporate giant sues anyone they can, provides GMOs that we can't tell are safe, poisons drinking water and the air supply, and disrupts ecosystems. We need to do something to stop them. Avaaz has a petition going that demands the closure of Monsanto and that the giant be charged for their crimes against the environment and humanity. 




-- [Chuck] The Keystone Pipeline XL has been disrupted again, as 40 protesters burst onto the scene yesterday morning. Some locked themselves to machinery, others formed a human wall to stop the machinery from moving, and a few others climbed trees to set up a high-rise blockade. 




-- [Chuck] Do you have the new iPhone? It may not be as cool as you think it is, says this site. Apparently, workers are being forced into overdrive for production of the new phone, and student workers are not being allowed to attend school so they can reach production levels necessary. Go here to tell Apple that it's time to follow the rules and do things ethically. 




-- [Chuck] Solidarity with Gaza. (Photo.)




-- [Chuck] Here's a satirical response to Texas concerning their petition to secede from the USA. It's quite funny.




-- Here's a not-so-satirical response concerning Texas' petition to secede. While it isn't humorous like the previous one, it does make some good points.




-- [Chuck] Lastly, watch this video. In the state of mind that I'm in right now, this video helped me feel a lot better. It's amazing in its own right. 




***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks. 

P.S. If you email me, please put something about Occupy in the title so I recognize your intent. (Except for you, Chuck. I recognize you anyway.) Otherwise, I may not catch your message.
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Monday, November 19, 2012

Updates 11/19/12 -- Israel and Gaza

Hello everyone.


I have some news from Chuck for you, followed by a bit of a rant from myself. 



-- [Chuck] A 14 year old girl has won $25,000 for her invention of a solar powered water jug that purifies dirty water. The young winner is "America's Top Young Scientist," and judges were stunned by the sustainability and cost effectiveness of her design.




-- [Chuck] While World Toilet Day sounds like something that would be a laughing matter in many countries, for millions of people around the world, it is no joke. A serious lack of toilet facilities causes waste to flow back into drinking water, which is the major cause of diarrhea in children (which is also one of the main reasons for their deaths.) Have a look here to find out more.




-- [Chuck] The Keystone XL Pipeline is still being built, regardless of the massive concerns surrounding the pipeline and the company building it. Now, those fighting back against it are headed to Washington DC, and you can help.




-- [Chuck] What is happening in Gaza is a travesty. A blot on the slide of the World. It is horrifying. Here, Chris Hedges writes why the Elite aren't worried about Gaza, because if things keep going the way they are, we'll all be Gazans. 





And that leads me to what I want to talk to you all about today. Gaza and Israel. Or as it used to be referred to, Palestine and Israel. If you don't like those terms, that's fine. Use whatever you want.


Anyway. I read on CNN today that Americans favor Israel over Gaza in this battle almost 4 to 1. That got me thinking. Most people don't have any idea what is actually going on in either area, yet they choose Israel anyway. I've taken the time to go beyond the media and read stories from both sides, as well as talking to people I know from the countries surrounding the fight. 


My wife told me about the article on CNN. She was disgusted. "Americans are so stupid sometimes!" She lamented to me. "Why don't they actually look at what's happening instead of just doing what they're told?!" I could not disagree with her. But in this case, it isn't ignorance that is holding Americans back from learning the truth. It's fear. Fear of what? Fear of a word. A label. Fear of being called something no one wants to be called.


"ANTI-SEMITE!"


My father is Jewish. (Judeo-Christian, technically, but he's still Jewish.) My history is Romani, from Poland, Italy, Germany, and Egypt. I know the Jews have been persecuted for a long time, and I firmly believe that they should be able to be safe and without fear in practicing their religion and at all other times. No one should be targeting Jews with hate crimes, or saying that the Jews are in charge of some massive conspiracy theory to take over the world's finances or stuff like that. That's ridiculous, and no one should ever have to face that.


However.


I side with Gaza. And people are angry at me for it. People call me an anti-Semite. They say I'm like Hitler. My great grandmother was born in a town called Vlenski, Poland. Go look it up. Did you look? It's not there. It doesn't exist. Why? Because Hitler wiped the town off the map. Now you tell me again that I'm like Hitler. You tell me again that disagreeing with someone's government somehow means that you think those people should be killed. That's fucking stupid and you know it.


I am allowed to disagree with the Israeli government without hating the Israeli people. The citizens of Israel have pretty much NOTHING TO DO with what their government is doing!!! Just like the citizens of Gaza have pretty much NOTHING TO DO with the "terrorism" their government (or terrorist groups, depending on who you ask) is doing!!! I write terrorism in quotes, because I believe that the rockets on both sides could and should be considered terrorism. 


So. Some terrorists or government agents (don't know which) in Gaza are shooting rockets at Israel. Israel responds by shooting down the rockets. Does Israel have a right to defend itself? Absolutely. Does defending yourself mean "You fire two rockets, I fire 80 at the homes of the people in your area?" No. No it doesn't. 

The Israeli Defense says that their rockets are extremely accurate with pinpoint systems, yet somehow civilians are getting killed while they sleep in their homes. I watched a reporter on RT yesterday ask an Israeli Defense Minister how that was happening if the rockets were so precise. His response shocked the reporter as much as it did me. He tried to claim that the Gazan government was herding civilians into buildings they knew would be attacked in order to make it look like Israel was targeting homes. He said that the Gazan government was willingly killing its own citizens to make them look bad. Do you realize how ridiculous that is? The reporter and I both had the same incredulous look on our faces. These people were sleeping in their homes when they were bombed, injured, and in some cases killed, yet the Israeli Defense Minister wants us to believe that Gazan officials figured out which building was going to be bombed, then went and got people to put in that building before it happened.


So, yesterday a friend of mine from Algeria posted something on Facebook, and I'm going to copy and paste it here. I looked up the majority of the facts here, and the ones I looked at are all accurate. This may be difficult for some of you to look at or believe. This also only shows one side of the story, but it is just as important of a side as the one the Corporate Media shows you. 


Question: Which country alone in the Middle East has nuclear weapons ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East refuses to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and bars international inspections ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East seized the sovereign territory of other nations by military force and continues to occupy it in defiance of United 
Nations Security Council resolutions ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East routinely violates the international borders of another sovereign state with warplanes and artillery and naval gunfire ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: What American ally in the Middle East has for years sent assassins into other countries to kill its political enemies (a practice sometimes called exporting terrorism) ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: In which country in the Middle East have high-ranking military officers admitted publicly that unarmed prisoners of war were executed ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: What country in the Middle East refuses to prosecute its soldiers who have acknowledged executing prisoners of war ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: What country in the Middle East created millions of refugees and refuses to allow them to return to their homes, farms and businesses ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: What country in the Middle East refuses to pay compensation to people whose land, bank accounts and businesses it confiscated ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: In what country in the Middle East was a high-ranking United Nations diplomat assassinated ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: In what country in the Middle East did the man who ordered the assassination of a high-ranking U.N. diplomat become prime minister ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: What country in the Middle East blew up an American diplomatic facility in Egypt and attacked a U.S. ship, the USS Liberty, in international waters, killing 34 and wounding 171 American sailors ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: What country in the Middle East employed a spy, Jonathan Pollard, to steal classified documents from USA and then gave some of them to the Soviet Union ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: What country at first denied any official connection to Pollard, then voted to make him a citizen and has continuously demanded that the American president grant Pollard a full pardon ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: What Middle East country allows American Jewish murderers to flee to its country to escape punishment in the United States and refuses to extradite them once in their custody ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: What Middle East country preaches against hate yet builds a shrine and a memorial for a murderer who killed 29 Palestinians while they prayed in their Mosque ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: What country on Planet Earth has the second most powerful lobby in the United States , according to a recent Fortune magazine survey of Washington insiders ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East deliberately targeted a civilian U.N. Refugee Camp in Qana , Lebanon and killed 103 innocent men, women, and especially children ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East is in defiance of 69 United Nations Security Council resolutions and has been protected from 29 more by U.S. vetoes ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East receives more than one-third of all U.S. aid to the world yet is the 16th richest country in the world ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East receives U.S. weapons for free and then sells the technology to the Republic of China even at the objections of the U.S. ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East routinely insults the American people by having its Prime Minister address the United States Congress and lecturing them like children on why they have no right to reduce foreign aid ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East had its Prime Minister announce to his staff not to worry about what the United States says because "We control America ?"

Answer: Israel .

Question: What country in the Middle East was cited by Amnesty International for demolishing more than 4000 innocent Palestinian homes as a means of ethnic cleansing ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East has just recently used a weapon of mass destruction, a one-ton smart bomb, dropping it in the center of a highly populated area killing 15 civilians including 9 children ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East routinely kills young Palestinian children for no reason other than throwing stones at armored vehicles, bulldozers, or tanks ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East signed the Oslo Accords promising to halt any new Jewish Settlement construction, but instead, has built more than 270 new settlements since the signing ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East has assassinated more than 100 political officials of its opponent in the last 2 years while killing hundreds of civilians in the process, including dozens of children ?

Answer: Israel .

Question: Which country in the Middle East regularly violates the Geneva Convention by imposing collective punishment on entire towns, villages, and camps, for the acts of a few, and even goes as far as demolishing entire villages while people are still in their homes ?

Answer: Israel .



If you disagree with me about this, that's fine. We all have a right to our opinions. I just feel that it is important to see the other side of an argument before you choose to believe what you are told to believe. I also feel that it is important to remind people that disagreeing with someone does not mean you hate them, or even dislike them. If I dislike the Russian government, does that mean I hate the Russian people? Of course not. What about the governments of Syria? Does disagreeing with them make me an Islamophobe? Not even close. So why is it that disagreeing with the Israeli government makes you an anti-Semite? The honest answer to that is that it doesn't, but the people in power want you to feel that it does. It's kind of the same sort of problem that people who dislike President Obama's policies have. Some people are willing to call them racist because they don't like his economic ideas. Is that right? Not at all. Is that what happens? Of course. It's a logical fallacy to distract from the actual issue at hand.



***Solidarity to all***


Kitty --- elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com
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Sunday, November 18, 2012

Updates 11/18/12

Hello everyone.


Please bear with me for these next few weeks. It is the end of the semester, and I have three very large papers coming due, as well as two presentations. It's going to be a little on the crazy side.



-- After Indian dentist Sativa Halappanavar died last month, protesters in Ireland have taken to the streets to demand abortion rights for women. Mrs. Halappanavar was miscarrying but was refused an abortion by doctors, who knew that the fetus wasn't viable but refused to act while there was still a heartbeat. The woman's husband revealed earlier this week that she died from a blood poisoning infection after she finally miscarried the fetus. Confusion and issues with abortion laws in Ireland have been ongoing for over 20 years.




-- [Chuck] Worldwide protests are occurring in support of Gaza citizens who are being bombed by Israel. Israel is claiming that Gazan citizens are being moved to areas that are targeted by their "very specifically targeted bombs," and that they are working hard to prevent civilian casualties.




-- [Chuck] Here's a banner reminding us all that we are human. 




-- [Chuck] What can be done now that GMO labeling has been shot down? Plenty, according to this article. People opposed to GMOs in their foods without their knowledge have been printing out and applying their own food labels.




-- Protesters in Los Angeles were allegedly beaten by the LAPD after they attempted to attend a speech by the former Mexican President Vicente Fox. Some of the protesters were handing out flyers concerning human rights in Mexico when they claim that the police provoked them.




-- A doctor in New Jersey has been arrested after his home was found filled with explosive making equipment and devices. It is not known what he had planned to do with the chemicals and explosives, but some reports claim he was a member of Occupy Wall Street last year. Occupiers in the area say they do not know the man and are committed to non-violence. 




***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks. 

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Saturday, November 17, 2012

Updates 11/17/12

Hello everyone.


I'm ready for this semester to be over. I've been continuously sick, injured and trying to catch up with everything, and I'm pretty sure I'm close to a mental break. Maybe this was not the best time to quit smoking.




-- [Chuck] Whether you believe you know everything happening in Israel and Gaza right now or not, you should take a look at this video. It may make you angry, sad, or hateful, but it will make you feel something. It is important to remember that no matter how much you hate the other side, they are still human.




-- [Chuck] Patriot Coal has decided to stop mountaintop removal coal mining, as the company reaches an agreement with three environmental groups that had sued the company. Patriot is currently undergoing Chapter 11 proceedings. Many retired employees are worried they will lose pensions and benefits.




-- [Chuck] Prop 37 lost in California, denying us the right to know what was in our food. What we do have the right to know, however, is which companies wanted to make sure we did't know what was in their food. EcoWatch is encouraging all to boycott these companies, and provides a pretty thorough list and infographic of which ones to avoid.




-- [Chuck] Carbondale has joined several other cities in Illinois as the largest city to unanimously support a statewide fracking moratorium. Several groups came out in support of the moratorium in the city, including the Sierra Club, SAFE, Environment Illinois, and of course, several members of Occupy Carbondale were in attendance.




-- In Indianapolis, the explosion that destroyed homes and killed two people is still listed as "cause unknown." While officials are looking at it in the realm of a natural gas explosion, some conspiracy theorists aren't so sure. Many believe that hydrofracking may be the reason behind the explosions in Michigan and Indianapolis, as well as higher radiation levels. The link that follows is only to a story about the natural gas cause. If you want to find the conspiracy info on fracking, you'll need to search for that yourself. 




-- Occupy the Farm has no crops left, as news comes out of UC Berkeley that all crops in the Gill Tract have been disked under (meaning that they have been chopped up and mixed with the newly broken in soil for easier planting in the future.) Occupiers had recently broken into the tract again and planted some 2,000 winter crops, all of which have now been destroyed according to UC Berkeley's spokesperson.




-- The NYPD is trying to figure out how two fake barriers, very similar to the ones used previously during Occupy protests, ended up in the hallway of the 13th floor, outside the office of the Chief. No one has claimed responsibility for placing the concrete-looking barriers there, but some are saying it is an attempt at wry humor, due to the one year anniversary of several rougher protests. The artists who originally made the barriers for Occupy have no idea how they got there, and the barriers have since disappeared.




***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks.


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Friday, November 16, 2012

Updates 11/16/12

Hello everyone.


We have a fair share of helicopters flying over our little town today. I've only been up for an hour and I have heard at least 5 already. I also haven't had a cigarette since Wednesday, although I have had a few puffs off an electronic cigarette to help me calm down. The news today is fairly short.



-- A report from Google has been released, confirming that requests for surveillance information are at an all-time high and rising. Compliance rates for the requests are at about 90%, the lowest success rate the government has ever had. 




-- Members of Occupy DC are suing the Metropolitan Police Department and Bank of America after it came to light that a secret meeting was held between the groups in order to get rid of the Occupiers. The protesters had been arrested for blocking the sidewalk, but those charges have been dropped. Now an informant has come forward to say that the defendants held a meeting in which they acknowledged that the Occupiers were not doing anything illegal, but wanted them gone nonetheless. 




-- Hostess, the maker of Twinkies, Wonder Bread, and other snacks, is saying it is going out of business due to mass strikes by their employees, which compromised their ability to produce and deliver products. They are planning to file bankruptcy and lay off all of their 18,500 employees. 




-- Since the Rolling Jubilee began, they have raised over $260,000 with a telethon and variety show, which can be used to pay off over 5 million dollars of debt. They are still fundraising to write off debts that are bought in bundles. 




***Solidarity***

To contact me, email elvishbutterfly@hotmail.com. Thanks. 

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