sábado, septiembre 30, 2006
United we build a wall
The Senate on Friday night approved the construction of a 700-mile-long wall along the United States/Mexico border.
Tonight I attended a convention entitled, “From North to South: Justice Has No Boundaries” put on by FLOC, the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO. The program featured famous author Sandra Cisneros (House on Mango Street) reading excerpts from her works. In one reading, she recalls a worker holding a sign that says, “If you deport me, who will build your wall?”
Great question.
Tonight I attended a convention entitled, “From North to South: Justice Has No Boundaries” put on by FLOC, the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO. The program featured famous author Sandra Cisneros (House on Mango Street) reading excerpts from her works. In one reading, she recalls a worker holding a sign that says, “If you deport me, who will build your wall?”
Great question.
martes, septiembre 26, 2006
¡Dejeme un comentario, President Clinton!
By now, the scuffle between President Bill Clinton and FoxNews journalist Chris Wallace has reached every corner of media attention. Thank goodness someone with political power has come forward to address the issue of mass media bias.
I'm sure President Clinton has thought before about media bias, but I can't help but wonder* if his recent uproar was motivated by my recent posting entitled, "The Mass Media: Worse than the Bush Administration."
Props to President Clinton for completely hitting the bullseye when he confronted the subtle, yet powerful, FoxNews right-wing twist. Finally, someone has outed FoxNews and its constant "nice little conservative hit job[s]." Wipe that "little smirk" off your face," Chris Wallace. "You think you're so clever." Great job, President Clinton. Absolutely hilarious.
* I am seriously not wondering if President Clinton reads my blog. I am confident he does not do so. I insert this note, however, because it has been brought to my attention that some readers of this blog take my words literally and not sarcastically. This occurred recently when someone thought I was really conservative when I started blogging, and another person thought I was really experiencing internet technology problems during my 3L year. I should have stated at the beginning of this blog that I appreciate sarcasm (and a little bit of exaggeration, propaganda, and drama) in all forms.
I'm sure President Clinton has thought before about media bias, but I can't help but wonder* if his recent uproar was motivated by my recent posting entitled, "The Mass Media: Worse than the Bush Administration."
Props to President Clinton for completely hitting the bullseye when he confronted the subtle, yet powerful, FoxNews right-wing twist. Finally, someone has outed FoxNews and its constant "nice little conservative hit job[s]." Wipe that "little smirk" off your face," Chris Wallace. "You think you're so clever." Great job, President Clinton. Absolutely hilarious.
* I am seriously not wondering if President Clinton reads my blog. I am confident he does not do so. I insert this note, however, because it has been brought to my attention that some readers of this blog take my words literally and not sarcastically. This occurred recently when someone thought I was really conservative when I started blogging, and another person thought I was really experiencing internet technology problems during my 3L year. I should have stated at the beginning of this blog that I appreciate sarcasm (and a little bit of exaggeration, propaganda, and drama) in all forms.
martes, septiembre 12, 2006
A Master's Degree in Military Science, with a specialization in Coup d'états
Today at work, I was researching the political situation in The Gambia for an asylum client. I learned a lot about Mr. Yahya Jammeh, the current President of The Gambia. President Jammeh gained power in the country after he staged a July 1994 military coup. Since the coup under President Jammeh’s dictatorship, the constitution of The Gambia has been “suspended,” freedom of speech rights have been severely limited, and major violations to basic human rights have been documented.
You may be asking yourself the same question I asked myself this afternoon: how does one go about staging a military coup? I was devastated when I found the answer.
From September 1993 to January 1994, just six months before the coup in The Gambia, Mr. Jammeh attended military courses at Port McClellan, Alabama. He obtained a diploma in Military Science. He must have done pretty well during his studies, too, because in November 1993, he was appointed an honorary citizen by the State of the Georgia, United States (citation). The field of Military Science claims to be a scientific system that if properly employed, will "greatly enhance the practitioner’s ability to prevail in an armed conflict with any adversary" (citation).
Why the United States uses Port McClellan as a training cell to teach foreign leaders how to violate international law and basic notions of human rights is beyond my comprehension.
You may be asking yourself the same question I asked myself this afternoon: how does one go about staging a military coup? I was devastated when I found the answer.
From September 1993 to January 1994, just six months before the coup in The Gambia, Mr. Jammeh attended military courses at Port McClellan, Alabama. He obtained a diploma in Military Science. He must have done pretty well during his studies, too, because in November 1993, he was appointed an honorary citizen by the State of the Georgia, United States (citation). The field of Military Science claims to be a scientific system that if properly employed, will "greatly enhance the practitioner’s ability to prevail in an armed conflict with any adversary" (citation).
Why the United States uses Port McClellan as a training cell to teach foreign leaders how to violate international law and basic notions of human rights is beyond my comprehension.
viernes, septiembre 08, 2006
The Mass Media: Worse than the Bush Administration
Yay, Senate. The Senate Intelligence Committee released its report today which states that there is no evidence Saddam Hussein had a relationship with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his al Qa'ida associates. This comes as no surprise to people in the thinking world, but I honesty do commend the Senate for its report in calling out the Bush Administration. Yay, Senate.
Boo, Media. The language in the Committee report seems very clear and conclusive. Take, for example, Conclusion number 7 on page 110 of the Report: "Postwar information supports prewar Intelligence Community assessment that there was no credible information that Iraq was complicit in or had foreknowledge of the September 11 attacks or any other al-Qa'ida strike." I cannot help but think who is worse . . . the Bush Administration or the mass media. In the AP FoxNews story, the journalist states that the Report "undercuts" President Bush's justification, while the BBC story states the Report "weakens" and "undermines" the basis on which the United States entered Iraq. Call it whatever you want, Mr. Mass Media . . . the President underestimated, he misevaluated, blah blah blah . . . HE LIED. Boo, Media.
Boo, Media. The language in the Committee report seems very clear and conclusive. Take, for example, Conclusion number 7 on page 110 of the Report: "Postwar information supports prewar Intelligence Community assessment that there was no credible information that Iraq was complicit in or had foreknowledge of the September 11 attacks or any other al-Qa'ida strike." I cannot help but think who is worse . . . the Bush Administration or the mass media. In the AP FoxNews story, the journalist states that the Report "undercuts" President Bush's justification, while the BBC story states the Report "weakens" and "undermines" the basis on which the United States entered Iraq. Call it whatever you want, Mr. Mass Media . . . the President underestimated, he misevaluated, blah blah blah . . . HE LIED. Boo, Media.
