Further to the post I made several days ago about the French humanitarian workers who are in jail thanks to the government of Chad, I have obtained the address of Chad's embassy in the United States online, and will post it here. Please use the address to send them a civil letter calling for the Chadian government to agree to the commutation of their sentence.
The address is:
Embassy of Chad in Washington, United States
2002 R Street, NW
Washington
D.C. 20009
United States
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Bhutto: The Imperfect Martyr
I am not very convinced of the view of Benazir Bhutto as a martyr for democracy. Even if some of the charges against her were made up by Pakistani intelligence, as some have suggested, there is strong reason to believe she was involved with Oil-for-Food corruption, as the BBC has reported. Furthermore, some of these convictions have been by foreign courts, where the influence of the Pakistani military would probably be little or non-existant.
Andrew Sullivan has a relatively realistic look at the implications here. The Suburban Guerilla blog has some good commentary on the U.S.'s role and aims in bring Bhutto back to Pakistan.
Andrew Sullivan has a relatively realistic look at the implications here. The Suburban Guerilla blog has some good commentary on the U.S.'s role and aims in bring Bhutto back to Pakistan.
Note to Humanitarian Workers: DO NOT Go to Chad
Although coverage of this issue has largely been lost in the storm of news over Benazir Bhutto's assassination, Yahoo news has recently reported that six French aid workers convicted of kidnapping in Chad by a kangaroo court are being sent back to France.
These workers, from a humanitarian group called Zoe's Ark, are accused of supposedly trying to kidnap a group of Chadian children, whom they masqueraded as children from Darfur. The case is very complex, but the Chadian court, strongly biased against the French due to the previous imperial relationship between the countries, came to a verdict in only four days.
Many have described the group as being in over its head and amateurish. They tried to pose the children as being injured in order to get them out of the country more easily. Although this may be the case, there is no reason to believe they were actually trying to kidnap the children. For example, they had a journalist with them who was documenting their efforts, not a usual activity for a kidnapper.
Hopefully, the workers will have their sentences commuted in France, as many are expecting. In the meanwhile, humanitarian workers should think twice before they waste their efforts on an ungrateful country such as Chad.
These workers, from a humanitarian group called Zoe's Ark, are accused of supposedly trying to kidnap a group of Chadian children, whom they masqueraded as children from Darfur. The case is very complex, but the Chadian court, strongly biased against the French due to the previous imperial relationship between the countries, came to a verdict in only four days.
Many have described the group as being in over its head and amateurish. They tried to pose the children as being injured in order to get them out of the country more easily. Although this may be the case, there is no reason to believe they were actually trying to kidnap the children. For example, they had a journalist with them who was documenting their efforts, not a usual activity for a kidnapper.
Hopefully, the workers will have their sentences commuted in France, as many are expecting. In the meanwhile, humanitarian workers should think twice before they waste their efforts on an ungrateful country such as Chad.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Entry on Young Philly Politics
I just posted an entry to the Young Philly Politics blog. You can look at it here.
Friday, December 21, 2007
What the Philadelphia Media Should REALLY Be Agog About
Rather than focusing so much schadenfreude on Alicia Lane, the Philadelphia press should focus their attention on where it matters, the ever-mounting scandals in city government. This post on Young Philly Politics can fill you in on all the sleazy details.
A large part of the reason that we are never able to really reform City Hall is that a large segment of the population doesn't really focus on these scandals. They just see it as part of the course of life. Our media are largely content to blandly report the story without showing any real outrage. The best they could must was support for the so-called reformer, Sam Katz, who turned out to be a little tainted himself.
I e-mailed one columnist, Jill Porter, who writes for the Daily News. I stumbled across her blast against Alicia Lane on the Philly News website, and after lamenting her gloating, suggested she direct her outrage in a more important direction. All she could say was that she had written about corruption before, and that she just writes about what people are talking about.
Write about it again, Ms. Porter. Get people talking about it.
A large part of the reason that we are never able to really reform City Hall is that a large segment of the population doesn't really focus on these scandals. They just see it as part of the course of life. Our media are largely content to blandly report the story without showing any real outrage. The best they could must was support for the so-called reformer, Sam Katz, who turned out to be a little tainted himself.
I e-mailed one columnist, Jill Porter, who writes for the Daily News. I stumbled across her blast against Alicia Lane on the Philly News website, and after lamenting her gloating, suggested she direct her outrage in a more important direction. All she could say was that she had written about corruption before, and that she just writes about what people are talking about.
Write about it again, Ms. Porter. Get people talking about it.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
I (Don't) Heart Huckabee
This past Thursday, while listening to All Things Considered on NPR, I heard a mind-boggling story about Mike Huckabee's plan to replace the income tax and the IRS and the income tax with the fair tax, which would tax consumer goods rather than income.
As the story notes, this is a regressive tax which would put more of a burden on people with low incomes than on the wealthy. Furthermore, although it would dispose of the IRS, it would create two more huge bureaucracies, one to see that the tax was enforced, another to administer the rebates Huckabee proposes to offset the taxes on needed household items.
Huckabee may be likeable-even my father, a New Deal Democrat, likes him-but his ideas are all washed up.
As the story notes, this is a regressive tax which would put more of a burden on people with low incomes than on the wealthy. Furthermore, although it would dispose of the IRS, it would create two more huge bureaucracies, one to see that the tax was enforced, another to administer the rebates Huckabee proposes to offset the taxes on needed household items.
Huckabee may be likeable-even my father, a New Deal Democrat, likes him-but his ideas are all washed up.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
This Is Why I Tend to be Skeptical of Animal Rights Groups
A recent posting on the website www.animalplace.org gives me real cause for concern. This organization, Animal Place, gives shelter to animals that have been rescued from factory farms and advocates better treatment of animals, all of which I support. However, what I saw demonstrates a serious case of misplaced priorities.
The posting in question asks people not to donate to charities such as Heifer International and Oxfam because they offer to give farm animals to poor Africans and Asians for them to eat. Although, towards the end of their post, they quibble about whether the donations are actually used to provide animals, (something the organizations themselves point out in their mailings, as Animal Place itself admits). However, it is easy to tell from reading the post that their real concern is the animal getting killed. Dead goats, a tragedy. Starving black people...boring.
Am I the only person who sees this as mildly racist? Even if the money doesn't go directly to providing animals, it still helps these organizations fulfill their mission. To me, that seems more important than some animals' suffering.
The vegan types will quibble that if we didn't use a lot of grain to fatten livestock, we would be able to feed everyone. Never mind that fact that this would not solve the problem of food distribution and economic inequality, it also ignores the issue of what the people of these countries want to eat. Time and again, when countries such as China and the Pacific islands become more prosperous, they tend to switch to a meat based diet. These people have a right to eat what they want to without critiques from the vegans.
The posting in question asks people not to donate to charities such as Heifer International and Oxfam because they offer to give farm animals to poor Africans and Asians for them to eat. Although, towards the end of their post, they quibble about whether the donations are actually used to provide animals, (something the organizations themselves point out in their mailings, as Animal Place itself admits). However, it is easy to tell from reading the post that their real concern is the animal getting killed. Dead goats, a tragedy. Starving black people...boring.
Am I the only person who sees this as mildly racist? Even if the money doesn't go directly to providing animals, it still helps these organizations fulfill their mission. To me, that seems more important than some animals' suffering.
The vegan types will quibble that if we didn't use a lot of grain to fatten livestock, we would be able to feed everyone. Never mind that fact that this would not solve the problem of food distribution and economic inequality, it also ignores the issue of what the people of these countries want to eat. Time and again, when countries such as China and the Pacific islands become more prosperous, they tend to switch to a meat based diet. These people have a right to eat what they want to without critiques from the vegans.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Why Huckabee Worries Me...
It's not just the whole not believing in evolution thing. It's his entire value system. Andrew Sullivan gives us one evangelical blooper from Huckabee here. Not gonna help with the women's vote, Mike.
Even more disturbing is a recent story regarding past remarks Huckabee has made about HIV / AIDS. That was just over the line. More information can be obtained from this Slate article.
Even more disturbing is a recent story regarding past remarks Huckabee has made about HIV / AIDS. That was just over the line. More information can be obtained from this Slate article.
Military Commissions and Justice
The local blog Suburban Guerrilla has an interesting post regarding military commissions and dissent within the military over how they are being run. Apparently, someone involved in running the commissions has resigned because he believes they are not being run in a fair, impartial manner.
You can read it here.
You can read it here.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Hitchens on Romney
Christopher Hitchens is his usual cutting self in a Slate commentary on Mitt Romney's Mormonism speech.
A must read!
A must read!
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Post on Another Blog
Just so you know, I have posted an entry to the Young Philly Politics blog. You can view it here. It is about the violence in Philadelphia.
Romney Gives His Spiel
Andrew Sullivan has an interesting commentary about Mitt Romney's new speech regarding his Mormonism. He has some interesting points.
First, although Romney wants to make his Mormonism a non-issue, he still uses a religious rhetoric, which will naturally bring religion into the race as an issue. For instance, in today's speech, he claims, "Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom." Uh Mitt, if you want to keep your religion out of it, you shouldn't constantly bring up religion.
Also, as Sullivan correctly points out, Romney does not acknowledge the right not to have a religion, to be an aetheist or a secularist. If people are allowed not to vote for aetheists, then they can not vote for Mormons, either.
I do think that Sullivan goes too easy on Romney. For instance, while Sullivan claims that Mormonism should not be a factor at all, I do think it should be a matter of concern to voters if a candidate is a devout Mormon. Let's face it, Mormonism is Christianity's answer to Scientology (i.e. an outright, easily seen through scam.) If a candidate is willing to swallow that, who knows what else he might swallow. (For more on this, see this Slate article by Jacob Weisburg.)
Furthermore, the religious rhetoric itself disturbs me. Previous candidates who have had to deal with religious intolerance, such as JFK, maintained a steadfastly secular approach to their campaigns. They did not sell themselves as God or the Pope's candidate. NPR had a great segment about this on Morning Edition.
First, although Romney wants to make his Mormonism a non-issue, he still uses a religious rhetoric, which will naturally bring religion into the race as an issue. For instance, in today's speech, he claims, "Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom." Uh Mitt, if you want to keep your religion out of it, you shouldn't constantly bring up religion.
Also, as Sullivan correctly points out, Romney does not acknowledge the right not to have a religion, to be an aetheist or a secularist. If people are allowed not to vote for aetheists, then they can not vote for Mormons, either.
I do think that Sullivan goes too easy on Romney. For instance, while Sullivan claims that Mormonism should not be a factor at all, I do think it should be a matter of concern to voters if a candidate is a devout Mormon. Let's face it, Mormonism is Christianity's answer to Scientology (i.e. an outright, easily seen through scam.) If a candidate is willing to swallow that, who knows what else he might swallow. (For more on this, see this Slate article by Jacob Weisburg.)
Furthermore, the religious rhetoric itself disturbs me. Previous candidates who have had to deal with religious intolerance, such as JFK, maintained a steadfastly secular approach to their campaigns. They did not sell themselves as God or the Pope's candidate. NPR had a great segment about this on Morning Edition.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Will Blacks Back Barack?
Andrew Sullivan reports that Barack Obama may just stand a chance at gaining the support of black Americans. Although he cites no statistics, Sullivan points to reports that some African-Americans are tired of Hillary Clinton taking their support for granted. He uses this as evidence for his contention that an African-American would stand a chance at being elected President.
I am not totallly convinced one way or the other. I certainly hope that at this point people have gotten past prejudice enough to elect an African-American to the executive office. Nonetheless, I must take issue with Sullivan's certainty on the matter, especially when it comes to lower middle class and working class white people. My own experience tells it isn't the case.
Furthermore, we have to consider the experience of the African-Americans themselves, who are very doubtful about the matter. I just can't believe that a gay, Catholic Englishman is better position to just the racial situation than the African-Americans themselves. Sorry, Andy...
I am not totallly convinced one way or the other. I certainly hope that at this point people have gotten past prejudice enough to elect an African-American to the executive office. Nonetheless, I must take issue with Sullivan's certainty on the matter, especially when it comes to lower middle class and working class white people. My own experience tells it isn't the case.
Furthermore, we have to consider the experience of the African-Americans themselves, who are very doubtful about the matter. I just can't believe that a gay, Catholic Englishman is better position to just the racial situation than the African-Americans themselves. Sorry, Andy...
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The Republican Parking Authority
Two days ago in the Philadelphia Inquirer, an article revealed that local Republicans have established a death grip over the Philadelphia Parking Authority, with local ward leaders calling the shots and pressuring employees, both directly and indirectly, for campaign donations. Read more about it at the Young Philly Politics blog.
This just goes to show that Philadelphia's Republicans have become mired in the same corrupt political establishment as the Democrats. At this point, we may need to bring a third party in, like the Libertarians or the Green Party, to clean things up.
The Philadelphia Inquirer is not completely dead,as this expose demonstrates. However, I must quarrel with one Young Philly Politics commenter who claims that this is proof that the Inqy hasn't turned into a right wing den of lies. Anyone who doubts that that is the case should take a look at the columns of Kevin Ferris, Jonathan Last, and Michael Smerconish.
This just goes to show that Philadelphia's Republicans have become mired in the same corrupt political establishment as the Democrats. At this point, we may need to bring a third party in, like the Libertarians or the Green Party, to clean things up.
The Philadelphia Inquirer is not completely dead,as this expose demonstrates. However, I must quarrel with one Young Philly Politics commenter who claims that this is proof that the Inqy hasn't turned into a right wing den of lies. Anyone who doubts that that is the case should take a look at the columns of Kevin Ferris, Jonathan Last, and Michael Smerconish.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Some Comedy in the Inquirer
This morning, while I was sitting in my barbershop-Grillo's on Allegheny Ave.- waiting for a haircut, I happened to glance at the editorial page of the Philadelphia Inquirer. In it, I found a genuinely comic letter by one Frank Solis.
Mr. Solis's contention is that recent efforts by Democratic senators to keep the Senate in session so that President Bush cannot make recess appointments are an example of-gasp!-socialism. He derides these efforts as a "typical socialist gambit" and claims they are part of a democratic effort to impose "secularism" on our country. (Never mind the fact that, compared to Europe, American is a bloody theocracy.)
Honestly, Mr. Solis, it's called a parliamentary maneuver. If you can't deal with that, maybe you should move to a dictatorship. (I hear Pakistan is getting quite interesting these days.)
Mr. Solis's contention is that recent efforts by Democratic senators to keep the Senate in session so that President Bush cannot make recess appointments are an example of-gasp!-socialism. He derides these efforts as a "typical socialist gambit" and claims they are part of a democratic effort to impose "secularism" on our country. (Never mind the fact that, compared to Europe, American is a bloody theocracy.)
Honestly, Mr. Solis, it's called a parliamentary maneuver. If you can't deal with that, maybe you should move to a dictatorship. (I hear Pakistan is getting quite interesting these days.)
Sunday, November 25, 2007
All Hail the New York Times
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I treated myself to a copy of the New York Times. I have to admit, it is the greatest newspaper I have ever read. It's all in the detail. They go into more depth, and have more on the ground reporters, than most newspapers.
One example is their treatment of the Iraq War and the Surge. While acknowledging that the increase in troops has decreased American casualties, it is careful to point out that there are still a number of problems facing Iraq, particularly the divide between those Sunnis who are now allied with us, and the Shi'ites who now run the Iraqi government. These problems raise the potential of a civil war, and should not be ignored.
Compare this with Kevin Ferris and his editorials in the Philadelphia Inquirer. While briefly acknowledging the possibility of future setbacks, he goes on to crow about how the Democrats are wrong and appealing to sentimental patriotism.
One example is their treatment of the Iraq War and the Surge. While acknowledging that the increase in troops has decreased American casualties, it is careful to point out that there are still a number of problems facing Iraq, particularly the divide between those Sunnis who are now allied with us, and the Shi'ites who now run the Iraqi government. These problems raise the potential of a civil war, and should not be ignored.
Compare this with Kevin Ferris and his editorials in the Philadelphia Inquirer. While briefly acknowledging the possibility of future setbacks, he goes on to crow about how the Democrats are wrong and appealing to sentimental patriotism.
Friday, November 16, 2007
The Shock Doctrine-Naomi Klein
Here is a video that I saw online today. It is on the website of Naomi Klein, an anti-globalization writer and activist, who has recently published a new book called The Shock Doctrine. The book focuses on the privatization of such traditionally governmental functions as disaster relief, ranging from Hurricane Katrina to private mercenary armies such as Blackwater.
I do not necessarily agree with everything Naomi Klein argues. For example, she claims the Falklands War as an example of her theory, when it was really Argentina that started the war, not Margaret Thatcher, as you might deduce from the video. (Although it is true she benefited from the war.) I have posted the video here:
I do not necessarily agree with everything Naomi Klein argues. For example, she claims the Falklands War as an example of her theory, when it was really Argentina that started the war, not Margaret Thatcher, as you might deduce from the video. (Although it is true she benefited from the war.) I have posted the video here:
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Philadelphia Ron Paul Rally
I know this is a century in blogging terms, but this previous Saturday, I attended a rally for Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul at Independence Mall in Philadelphia. It was a very exciting and thought-provoking experience.
According to some estimates, roughly 4,000 people attended the rally. I was lucky enough to get a pretty good seat. A lot of the people ended up standing. (Initially the seats were reserved for veterans, but apparently too few veterans showed up to justify it.)
If nothing else, Ron Paul attracts a diverse crowd. The supporters ranged from working class, dyed in the wool libertarians to punk anti-war types with five piercings. There was one African-American woman dressed up as the Statue of Liberty (She's in the second photo down on the latter link). You don't see many candidates who can attract a crowd like that.
Of course, I don't agree with every position Ron Paul has taken. That made this whole thing a rather interesting study in group think. I ended up cheering for things I didn't really believe in, such as withdrawing from the UN and an end to gun control. It was like the force of the crowd just swept me up. I just wanted to fit in.
I will leave you with some footage of the rally,just click here and here.
According to some estimates, roughly 4,000 people attended the rally. I was lucky enough to get a pretty good seat. A lot of the people ended up standing. (Initially the seats were reserved for veterans, but apparently too few veterans showed up to justify it.)
If nothing else, Ron Paul attracts a diverse crowd. The supporters ranged from working class, dyed in the wool libertarians to punk anti-war types with five piercings. There was one African-American woman dressed up as the Statue of Liberty (She's in the second photo down on the latter link). You don't see many candidates who can attract a crowd like that.
Of course, I don't agree with every position Ron Paul has taken. That made this whole thing a rather interesting study in group think. I ended up cheering for things I didn't really believe in, such as withdrawing from the UN and an end to gun control. It was like the force of the crowd just swept me up. I just wanted to fit in.
I will leave you with some footage of the rally,just click here and here.
Friday, November 09, 2007
Pakistan Moves One Inch Closer to Utter Chaos
Well, Benazir Bhutto, the corrupt politician who is currently Pakistan's best hope for democracy (God, or Allah, help the Pakistanis!), is now under house arrest by the Musharref government. Is any one in doubt that Pakistan is going to hell in a handbag. They've locked up the woman who represents the road to elections, and she's a damn rocky road at that.
For more info, see the post at the Reason blog by Nick Gillespie, including my comments under MPG.
For more info, see the post at the Reason blog by Nick Gillespie, including my comments under MPG.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
It's Nutter
Michael Nutter has been elected the mayor of Philadelphia. It'll be up to him to get the city out of its current hole. I am skeptical of how much he'll actually accomplish, partially because of the fact that not all of the city's problems are under his control-crime is to a large extent the function of the state of the economy-and he has a city council made up largely of the same old corrupt democratic establishment.
In the end, it's largely in the hands of Philadelphia, as the Young Philly Politics blog notes.
In the end, it's largely in the hands of Philadelphia, as the Young Philly Politics blog notes.
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