anotherlook

Although it is still the hope of President Obama to initiate talks with Iran regarding nuclear armament abandonment, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stated that if Iran chooses to continue its nuclear program, the United States may be forced to erect a “defense umbrella” over the Middle East.

Some senior figures in the Obama administration have suggested that the United States might have to live with a nuclear-armed Iran; I would say that the key word in that declaration is “live,” and should not be taken lightly.

With the animosity that has been shown to the United States in the past from Iran and the accusations made by Iranian Officials regarding the meddling of United States in the crisis that has enveloped them of late, “live” is an operative word that I hope Americans succeed in doing.

Per Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the United States is “working to upgrade the defense of our partners in the region.” The U.S.’s so-called nuclear umbrella now covers its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies, plus Japan, South Korea and Australia with a possible extension of this protection to parts of the Gulf, in an effort to counter an Iranian threat.

Iran cites its uranium enrichment as a means, solely, to generate electrical power but it has refused international monitors to probe whether this is a true statement or whether they are secretly developing weapons as well.

If the government can lie to its own people and perpetrate unspeakable violence against unarmed protesters; after having shown as much “hate” as they have for the United States but claims love for its own people, can they be believed about their mission of using enriched uranium to “generate electrical power” only. Is there some admission in the secrecy they embrace?

Although the battle for significance still rages on in Iran, a very pervasive thread is struggling to be seen, as the voice of many of the disenfranchised are refusing to be silenced and through the magic and speed of social networking sites, the world is watching, in disgust and horror, at the violence perpetrated against the people of Iran by the government of Iran. “Power To The People In Iran!!!

This just goes to show you that you can not oppress a people forever. Not only are the people of Iran standing up, but conflict between the “hard-liners” is beginning to erupt. Some Clerics are standing on opposite sides of the governmental controversy and dissention is rampant in the land.

Yet, rather than to face this head on in a way that is agreeable to the people, President Ahmadinejad, backed by Spiritual Advisor, Ayatollah Khamenei, are holding their ground. The things they have done, thus far, to alleviate the protest or sustain the calm have done little more than encourage the flow of the protesters, driving them to a crescendo of never giving up the fight.

Violence, propaganda, attempted censorship, threats, arrests, murder have all been the weapons used by government officials to quiet the voice of the people. Yet even with these threats the protests rage on whenever possible, a sure sign that the people are getting tired of the status quo in that country, tired of the dictatorship that has been disguised in “democratic” rhetoric; tired of the dictatorship that has been stripped down by the recent vote, to be seen for just what it is.

Where the cry used to be “death to America” which was encouraged by the ruling government, the one voice cry is now “death to the dictator” a vocalized reference to President Ahmadinejad – another, recognizable, sign that when you preach hate and practice deceit, it comes back on you eventually. Again I say “Power To The People Of Iran!!!”

Israel is stirring the pot with its refusal to stop development on “Palestinian soil” which is creating more tensions between the United States and Israel as well as hindering the peace talks that the United States has been hoping will take place between Israel and the Palestinian Government. This situation could cause Iran to desire revenge on Israel and on some levels places the United States in the middle of the conflict – and the madness continues.

And that’s the way I see it!!!

Susana Monaco Sonja Halter in Moroccan Pink

Watching the news these past couple of days, as the talk turned to Martin Luther King, Barrack Obama and “African Americans” in general, I became disturbingly aware that something was amiss in the eyes of some reporters. I am a black American.

I know that at one time the phraseology of the times dictated that blacks find a way to identify with a past beyond what they were given in the United States. There was even talk of going back to Africa or unifying in states, separate from white America, because during those times segregation was a way of life, yet you still had to live that life amongst the people who instituted segregation.

I lived through Martin Luther King, Huey Newton, Malcolm X, Cassius Clay who later became Muhammad Ali, I was young then. Yet, I recognized the feelings then and the feelings now.

I have never been to Africa; I am so far removed from the customs, the land, the people, the religion – that is not who I am. The only commonality I share with Africans is that we are all humans and our skin color and hair are the same.

I never related to “African American” even during the struggle because I was not born in Africa, my parents where not born in Africa, my grandparents where not born in Africa and I lived in America.

When I look in the newscaster’s eyes, as they are saying “African American”, as it truly relates to Obama and I hear black guests use the phase “black”, it makes me wonder if this is the exclusion of black American’s, still in our face.

Obama is a true African American, by way of his Dad and by his true and current connections to Kenya and I see this is the connection most reporters infer, with their insistence on referring to Obama as being African American even in the face of a “black” American referring to, black Americans.

Sometimes, I see too much when I look at people. I see intent by the glaze in their eye; I hear exclusion in the tone of their voice and the deliberateness with which they vocalize the phrase “African Americans”. I see the lines they draw and the pictures they paint and I am saddened with the knowledge that even though I know the flow because it has been flowing in the same direction always, the hope is harder to hold on to and so I attempt to ignore what I see and justify it another way creating little lies on the surface but deep down inside, I know.

This is the way I see some white Americans and to some degree most white Americans because of the long history of entitlement they have had, burned into the very essence of their being.

In their effort to prove a point after the “Martin Luther King” era, that they could be inclusive, they started choosing “blacks” that where more like them and they could overlook the fact that they were black. At one point, the phraseology was, “I don’t even look at Jones as black” or if they were really liberal they would say, “Some of my best friends are black”.

Consequently, they would choose a black man to represent “the black race”, that thought like they thought and they pushed that man forward as the “token” black of equality. When that was peeped by the people, they had to become a little more inclusive so they had to start letting more blacks work beside them, while at the same time clinging to the same basic concepts of segregation.

That started getting old to American blacks because there was outright racism and verbally disrespectful ways in which white people would talk to and about black Americans as though they were less than human or invisible. In the choosing of that black man they were still in the pious mode of choosing their “house negro” so what had really changed.

This has been a battle and I am getting exhausted just reliving it. Anyway, Martin Luther King, a thoughtful, soft spoken, reflective, religious man took a stand, not the first stand but a stand from a human, humbled perspective, that called attention to the movement that was based on the inclusiveness of every human being.

As a result, and through his spoken words, he was able to touch the consciousness of white Americans, and some laws where put on the books, around that time, regarding the unacceptability of certain words in a job situation and inclusiveness was mentioned on a percentage basis.

Inclusion was all a word game because reality was what happened and the reality was that, on most jobs, out of twenty to twenty five whites there was always that one black even in a city with many, giving acceptability to the word game, that was called inclusiveness.

Was the phrase “African American” invented by white Americans during a time of false intentions of inclusiveness and a time where blacks were searching for an identity in the midst of segregation?

Or did it materialize from the black voices, of that time, when the alienation from the nation, that had yoked us for so long, pushed us to identifying with a land we’d never known.

I am a black American. My ancestor’s blood, sweat and tears are forever part of the very soil of American.

While Barrack Obama may truly be an “African American” and in the eyes of some reporters, I see that, in this reality, there is difference, and for them the very difference that he is not a “black American” but a true “African American” and is therefore, more acceptable to sit at the table, a smack in the face for black American’s in the sly way that white Americans have been dealing with black Americans always.

While I am weighted down by this disparity and the vibrations I get from these reporters, in my heart, I know that Obama knows who he is, he understands the struggle. White Americans can pretend on any level, but it is what it is. When will inclusiveness truly begin and narrow mindedness end. Maybe in my sharing, a truer understanding can arise and even if it doesn’t, you at least know that I know what it is.

And that’s the way I see it!!

Israel marched right in with their land battle.  I am so angry right now.  Israel closed all of the roads leading into Gaza prior to the air attack – eight days ago. 
Israel is not allowing all aid to get through to these people.  The
Palestine’s are suffering, kids are being killed, and families are being destroyed. 

One man said he had been a prisoner in his own home, just because, to go out would be a risk he was not willing to take for the sake of his life.  He is there with two small children and only a couple of day’s worth of food.   

Israel lies if, they say they want nothing more than the cessation of missiles into their land – missiles that are more psychological than deadly, because if they only wanted to stop the missile, they could have been more flexible with the border control, as well as the other controls they have over Gaza.   

They make it seem as though they are honoring the people of Gaza by warning them of the intention to march in or to bomb, to this end, they launched flyers from airplanes warning the people of Gaza that they are coming in by land. 

The reality of that is, with no money, little transportation, no where to run to, that warning serves little comfort.

 Those people of Gaza are fenced into this area on at least 3 or 4 sides by
Israel.  I believe Egypt is the only open road out of there, even if it’s not Egypt, there is only one road open to them to travel out of, while Israel controls the other three exits and Israel is only letting people in and out, when Israel wants to. 

Yet, Israel wants the world to believe that this attack is not meant to hurt and destroy the people of Gaza.  Indiscriminate air attacks, over a country where the people have no real way out because you have them fenced in, with control over the exits but you want the world to believe that your intention is, not to harm them. 

Israel wants to be seen as justified and fair, but when you look at the total picture – Israel is WRONG and in telling their half truths, in an attempt to make the world see them as something akin to human towards the people of Gaza, they are turning my stomach and making me understand clearly why so many around Israel, do not get along with Israel.   

Does the government of Israel fear for themselves because they know, in the corner of their collective souls, of their inhumanity, of the corruptness of their souls?

The lies and half truths I see them telling the world.  The justification they have attempted to use as a reason for having taken 460 lives in eight days, makes me not believe anything they say.   This shows me how irrational and controlling they have probably always been. 

With the way Israel is acting, one of the biggest terrorist I have ever witnessed, they need to find a way to relinquish the borders, the airspace, the maritime, all of the power Israel has over the people of Gaza and the Palestinian people. 

Israel is too much into power and control and will stoop to whatever they have to, in order to achieve that goal including lying in the face of the world. 

How can you justify being so far out there, that you can not even see how irrational your actions are.  Over four hundred and fifty people dead, men women, children and some Hamas.  Israel will never get rid of all of the militant people, in fact through its actions; Israel is perpetuating the intensity of the feelings.  And as the world looks on and attempts to be diplomatic, Israel is getting away with mass murder right before my eyes. 

Unbelievable!! 

And that’s the way I see it!!

The crash of the stock market, the American economy, the bailout of the banks and the car industry, the arrogance of the Governor of Illinois, the Mumbai attack, the indifference of Dick Cheney, the shoe thrower’s disrespect of Bush, Bush’s disrespect for the American people, the Israel attack of Gaza, the election of the first Black President of the United States Of America – this has been a turbulent, exciting, violent and financially challenging end to 2008. 

What can 2009 offer to top this – time will tell but me personally, I have hope that it has got to get better.  I also hope that I am not disappointed in hoping for better.

These last few months of 2008 have taken me on a seesaw ride of emotions and while on the one hand, I feel alive with the emotions, on another level, these emotions have been more feelings of sadness and concern for the direction the world is taking and I can’t help feeling that in my entire live, things have not seemed this bad. 

Now that we are all sitting at the table, let us open up the lines of communications and remember that communications is a two way street but a four way transaction.  

Listening – in any dialogue, listening is the key to hearing the concerns, requests, feelings, thoughts and despairs of others. 

Analyzing – analyze the information you have received in a way that shows empathy and understanding of the totality of the situation because only in understanding the totality of cause and effect, are issues truly resolved.  

Verbalizing – communicate in an open, honest and trusting manner so that the issues you have will be heard in the proper context and can be dealt with in a manner that will be most effective. 

Action – based on all that is said, the non-biased evaluations made and the need to alleviate the problem, take action towards that goal. 

LAVA – Listening, Analyzing, Verbalizing, Action - for all of you who have seen lava and the destructive force of it, understand and witness to, how the lack of lava in communications creates the destructive force of the molten rock that hardens the heart of man.

No one wants to take the time to discuss issues with Hamas; it is easier to say they are terrorist and therefore not worthy of dealing with or listening to, it is easier to discount them and their words. 

But when you begin to discount people who may have a concern, that for them is serious, then you generate ill will and ill will leads to what we have been seeing in the world, to the extreme, in the last few months. 

The time for change is upon us as human beings, as connecting forces in the world.  How will we make 2009 better than 2008 - only time will tell, but that responsibility is on each of us. 

Happy New Year 

And that’s the way I see it.

 I could not get the lemonade stand up here so you will have to use your imagination or visit Greg’s site (click on his name) to get the stand - nope I guess he couldn’t get the stand up either - oh well pass the praise on anyway. 

Well thanks to Gregg, I have been on a lemonade journey this day.  Thanks Gregg, I appreciate the recognition.  So I had to pick up to 10 people to pass the lemonade pitcher to and here they are.

 Waxingpoetically - Good Articles and Poetry

 The Debtonator - Good Information On Managing Debt

Forever Now - Good Articles on Inner Things (Psychic Vampirism??? – Threw me off for a minute)

Politicsplace - Blagojevich Definitely Needs To “Man Up”

Portland MetroChildcare -  I Love Kids And You Even Have Crafts

WriteToEarn - More Writing Opportunities

Writeopp - Writing Tips

MeNews - Current Events

RainyDayNews - Another view of our news

Work From Home Couple - Another View

Now this is an honor to be passed on like a chain letter – don’t break the chain, pass on the positive.

The Rules:

1.  Put the logo on your blog or post.

2.  Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude/Gratitude

3.  Be sure to link to your nominees within your post

4.  Let your nominees know by posting on their blogs

5.  Share the love and link to the person from whom you received your award.

But most of all keep writing!!!

Chemical Ali’ Hassan al-Majid, who got his nickname from his role in using poison gas against Kurds villages and who is Saddam Hussein’s cousin was sentenced to his second death sentence.  His first death sentence was handed down last year for killing tens of thousands of Kurds in the 1980s.

He has now been sentenced to death, by hanging, for war crimes over the crackdown of Shiites during their ill-fated 1991 uprising.  As many as 100,000 people were killed as troops carried out massacres around the Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala and shelled towns and villages across the south in 1991.

Majid was witnessed, tying bricks to the feet of two males and throwing them out of a helicopter; the witness was the mother of the two males.  He was also witnessed overseeing the execution of some 200 people in a sports stadium near the southern city of Basra. 

Majid has never once denied or expressed remorse for his actions on the Kurds.  However he does insist he was not in Basra during the alleged massacre.  Knowing where his nickname came from, having witnessed no remorse for his actions in the gassing of Kurds and allowing for the fact that based on these actions he was already sentenced to die for crimes committed ten years earlier, why is he even still in the world to go through the time and expense of another trial based on different charges.

A former Baath party official, Abdul-Ghani Abdul-Ghafur who, in this same trial, was also sentenced to death for his participation in the Shiite uprising and the deaths that took place, shouted to the court “Down with the Persian-U.S. occupation!”  He also yelled “Welcome to the death for the sake of Arabism and Islam.”  This confirmed that he felt totally justified in his actions of mass homicide.

Al-Majid was one of the most feared members of Saddam’s regime and as his verdict was read he uttered “thanks be to God.”  This was also confirmation of his justification for his crimes against humanity.  What a grand finale to a homicidal lifestyle.

And that’s the way I see it!!