I have been in a cold induced fog since last Saturday. I have spent most of the time in bed sleeping as my face was swollen from what I thought was a sinus infection. Today I am feeling almost human and just returned from lunch with friends. I also picked up my new laptop today so now comes the learning curve. Because of my cold, I did not teach on Monday which bummed me out because I had some English and French books for 8 year old Sareena. But my 2nd student Neda, her mother and the wife of my physiotherapist, brought over a pot of delicious chicken soup which was so sweet to do. Now you know what I had for dinner last night and what I shall have again tonight!
Short Takes
Moyers & Company — They represent everything wrong with the Democratic Party. Hillary Clinton should tell them to take a hike.
There are two Democrats whose resignation from office right now would do their party and country a service.
Their disappearance might also help Hillary Clinton convince skeptical Democrats that her nomination, if it happens, is about the future, and not about resurrecting and ratifying the worst aspects of the first Clinton reign when she and her husband rarely met a donor to whom they wouldn’t try to auction a sleepover in the Lincoln Bedroom.
In fact, while we’re at it, and if Secretary Clinton really wants us to believe she’s no creature of the corporate and Wall Street money machine — despite more than $44 million in contributions from the financial industry since 2000 and her $675,000 in speaking fees from Goldman Sachs, not to mention several million more paid by other business interests for an hour or two of her time — she should pick up the gauntlet herself and publicly call for the departure of these two, although they are among her nearest and dearest. And we don’t mean Bill and Chelsea.
So, can you guess who these two might be before going to the article? How about this as a hint?
Over the last several years, there has been a lot of controversey around both Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago, and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Democratic National Committee Chair and a Florida congresswoman. Read on to see how Bill Moyers sees things. What do you think?
Politico — Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić was convicted of genocide in Srebrenica, several counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes by a United Nations tribunal on Thursday and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Karadžić, now 70, is the most senior Serb leader convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia of genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the Bosnia war in the 1990s, including the killing of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica and the 44-month siege of Sarajevo.
Justice has been a long time coming. Will Baby Bush, Chickenhawk Cheney, Rumsfeld et al ever see the inside of a courtroom to stand trial for war crimes? Will there ever be justice for the Iraqi people?
Huffington Post — I believe it is vitally important for men like me to acknowledge this as loudly and openly as role models do like President Bhandari, the US First Lady Michelle Obama and activists like Malala. As the First Lady has said, change needs to come from the bottom up. We won't unlock these opportunities for young women and girls unless we can change the mindset of every family and community. To achieve this, it cannot just be women who speak up for girls.
"When women are empowered, they immeasurably improve the lives of everyone around them — their families, their communities, and their countries. This is not just about women, we men need to recognize the part we play too. Real men treat women with dignity and give them the respect they deserve."
This is what we, as a global community, need to hear and talk about and act upon until we get it right.
Politico — While the jihadist threat is genuinely global, it is by no means equally distributed. There is, of course, no such thing as perfect security, and as we saw as recently as the San Bernadino shootings in December of last year, there are individuals in the United States who are prepared to commit violence against other Americans. But the European context underlying the attacks at Brussels Airport and the downtown Maelbeek subway station — one of alienated, underemployed and ghettoized Muslims as well as subpar security differs dramatically from anything found in the United States.
As I read, this last line particularly caught my attention — "…one of alienated, underemployed and ghettoized Muslims as well as subpar security differs dramatically from anything found in the United States." But how long will that last with the likes of either Drumpf or Cruz as a potential POTUS? In TC's article Brussels Unprepared, I commented "…their rhetoric, their potential actions only serve the cause of further radicalisation by alienating vulnerable Muslims, especially youth who are often at odds with older generations already." Drumpf would remove all Muslims from the US, asinine and impossible as that is, while Cruz would have heavy surveillance of all Muslim communities, effectively 'ghettoising' Muslims and discriminating against them. In that same article, Lona, who lives in the Netherlands, left a very informative comment, one that provides detail that is not found in North American media.
My Universe — h/t Ted W and Carol B, Care2
If this were my Winnie, he'd have the door open wide and food already on the counter!
7 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 24/03/2016”
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Moyers – Bill is a very gentle person, and filled with hope. If HE says you should be kicked out, then you should be kicked out.
Politico.I – There used to be a saying, "The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small." This is as it should be A rush to judgment is never a good idea. I realize it can take forever, or seemingly forever, especially in high profile cases. But the most important thing is to get it right, not to get it Tuesday.
HuffPo – OMG, isn't that Tone Deaf Harry? If we can get through to him, I would think we can get through to anyone.
Politico II – Frankly, we are doing so badly in protecting ALL our citizens from terrorism from jihadists of all colors (and all nominal religions) that it sobers me to think there may be someone doing it even worse. But, as you say, if a Republican President is elected, there soon won't be.
Sorry, but I have to strongly DISAGREE w/ Moyers directing Hillary to tell Rahm Emanuel and Debbie Wasserman Schultz to "take a hike".
That’s a job that should be done by the VOTERS, because that's how our system of government works! They were both duly elected to office, and we're not a country run by a despot or a dictator. If they’re to be removed from office, it’s the voters’ jobs to do so.
That said, I do think Hillary or Bernie should do everything in their power to remove DWS from the DNC. She has been an absolutely terrible leader, and that's an appointed position.
And I went to medical school in Chicago, so I feel terrible that Rahm was re-elected. But let’s not forget how things should be done.
Of course you are right with regard to elected office – and that heading the DNC is not one, so fair game. But it doesn't require action from the voters for a candidate to tell someone "I don't want your endorsement, or your assistance with my campaign." And it is also legal, although depending on the circumstances it may or may not be good judgment, to tell someone you think they should resign. It doen't obligate them to do so, but it makes your opinon clear. There are petions asking people to resign all the time.
I'm glad you're fveeling better. Give us a report on windows 10.
I think Rahmbo has got to go. DINO Debbie too, but shes nowhere near as bad. I agree with Nameless, but Hillary would be wise to disavow endorsements from either.
Amen!
I fully agree!
It that were TC, he'd have the food in the cat!!
Please help, I am confused, Are Rump and Cruz running for office,or directing a soap opera? This is getting more and more like the latter,,and can anyone see either of their wives as First Lady?
Lady,according to "Webster"a woman of Rank and Distinction !!! YIKES!
Feel still better!
Moyers is spot on, as usual,thanks.
Prince Harry, may he raise awareness all over the place! That line, "…alienated, underemployed and ghettoized," is acurate here, too, in the same and yet another context. On a WABC newscast, about a prison re-entry program last night, the TV speaking head commented that discussions among the programs peole addressed the root causes of imprisonment, "…gangs and drugs." No, I thought, the root cause is the cultural, and societal, marginalization, and the gangs and drugs are simply symptoms thereof. And, here it is, "…alientated, underemployed and ghettoized!"
I hd not heard of Radovan K.'s conviction until now, and the news pleases me immensely. Yes, G.W.Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld ought to go on trial as well, but won't.
Working my way through a back log again, Lynn, so I won't comment on personal stuff until I've reached today's date, and although I read (most) everything, I'll be selective there too.
M&C: Bill Moyers is spot on: Hillary Clinton should sever ties with her corporate past and dump Rahm Emanuel and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, but she won't, because she's afraid she'll lose so much backing from the 1% that she'll lose the nomination to Bernie Sanders.
Politico: Here people are rather disappointed that Radovan Karadžić didn't get a life sentence like his generals did, and the sentence will probably will be appealed because he wasn't convicted of genocide in general, only for the killing of 8000 Muslim males in Srebrenica. Most want to see the leaders of country who enticed their citizens into war and genocide punished with the same severity as those who gave the orders to shoot.
Politico2: You and the article are correct, Lynn. At the moment America doesn't have too many alienated, underemployed and ghettoized Muslims, but under Drumpf or Cruz their numbers will be increasing very rapidly. But America already has a very large group of alienated, underemployed and ghettoized young black men. When Da'esh first appeared I already commented on their modus operandi which was so similar to those of gangs. Can you imagine what will happen when these frustrated young men unite behind a non-religious goal in Da'esh fashion and start a war on the establishment? Republicans are making it happen right now by calling Black Lives Matter a terrorist organization, which it is DEFINITELY NOT now, but if not heard or dealt with in an respectful, accepting manner, may be pushed into that corner because they have nowhere else to go.