The Brits .....again

It seems everywhere there is trouble, we find the wreckage of British imperial politics. The Arab Israeli conflict is a case of the Brits promising the same piece of land to 2 different groups. It promised the Sharif of Mecca(Hashimites) an independent kingdom of all the Arab nations in order to gain their support against the Turks in WW I. It promised to create a national home for the Jews in order to gain access to Jewish monies to fight their war. They renigged on both parties and left Palestine to battle it out. They created Iraq out of three separate ethnoreligious areas to forge a state destined never to get along. They partitioned India in 1947 between Muslims and Hindus causing permanent unrest in those peoples.
During the 19th century,Britain and Russia engaged in The Great Game, attempting to peddle their influence in Afghanistan. Of course the Afghanis would have none of it and three British Afghan wars were fought over that land. in 1893 the Brits and Russians drew the lines of the Afghani borders. In doing so they cut off a huge chunk of Pathan tribal land and annexed it to India, later to become Pakistan. It is these Pathan territories that make up the northwestern part of Pakistan, where Osama bin Laden and the Taliban are hiding. if Britain had left well enough alone, the Taliban would not have had an area of ethnic support to flee to and hide.
We are still suffering from British mistakes in diplomacy over a hundred years later. Of course, America lets their cousins off the hook and takes on the responsibilty of screwing up the Middle East and South Asia. Doesn't anyone read history?

Dealing with Christians

The other day I attended a community affair in the little Appalachian mountain town where i have chosen, momentarily to hang my hat. Although this was neither a political or religious event, views came thru in the conversations I had. A local pastor put in a plug for creationism and there was praise for Governor Palin and abuse for President Obama. OK, politically this the white south, so I know this all about race. During the election, I received numerous "funny" e mails about Obama and race. Its not about the recession, health care, or the war on terror, out here its all about race.
I was surprised to see the number of people who agreed with the pastors literal interpertation of the Bible as both history and natural science. Its been almost 100 years since the Scopes trial,over 15 since Darwin, and yet these folks,some college educated,deny the facts of evolution. They are also the same crowd that denies global warming or climate change. They seem to be waiting fro Christ's second coming, as I was told that the signs are in place for this event.
I try to be tolerant of other beliefs, I understand that God is so undefinable and even comprehensible by our limited awareness, that it renders discussion of these thing irrelevant.
But I think of Imperial China and the Ottoman Empire as great societies, who, unable to process modern thought and technology, had their empires crumble and fall. A miror on the wall for America?

The decline and fall

We have all heard it before, America has reached the end of her period of empire. Looking at histories of previous world leaders, some things become evident. The government envisioned by the founders has declined into something different. There is rise in greed and money becomes the most important political currency.People are fed lies and are governed thru manipulation of their fears and religious beliefs. Economy becomes unstable due mostly to the greed and the lack of law enforcement on the greedy. A decline in the motivation of the military and an effort, by the state, to use that military in an aggressive fashion. Continued defeat by lesser powers in battle. I could go on. You certainly can see America in some,if not all of those things listed. But empires don't fall overnight,unless by a war of total destruction( and they are usually short lived states like those of Napoleon or Hitler) Leaders come, from time to time, to pull an empire or nation out of decline, but once the decline sets in, its like cancer and eventually kills the patient.
America is ill, thats a given. The fact that we cannot pass legislation to improve the qualities of life or the environment, without watering down the vision to appease those that make millions is pathetic. It is a sign of decline. And remember, those appeased money makers will go quickly elsewhere if the nation falters. There is no patriotism in free market capitalism.
Free market capitalism is one end of the spectrum, communism the other. Neither will work effectively. What is needed in the 21st century is some kind of balance.
It makes me think of the Ottoman Empire. once strong, socially stable, tolerant and vibrant, it became in the 19th century "the sick man of Europe". Is this destined to be the fate of America?

Walter Cronkite In Memoriam

"The nation whose population depends on the explosively compressed headline service of television news can expect to be exploited by the demagogues and dictators who prey upon the semi-informed," Walter Cronkite

Boy old Walter was right on the money!

Oh no. we're not racists

The Valley Swim Club in the sururbs of Philadelphia, PA is in hot water. Recently the asked a group of Black and Hispanic children to leave. Thechildren had changed "the complexion" and "atmosphere" of the club, was the comment they made. Racist remarks were heard and there was fear that things might be stolen. The club had taken about $2000 in payment from the organization so the inner city kids could go swimming this year. All of a sudden a bus load of dark skinned kids arrived and they changed their minds,later saying they weren't equipped to deal with kids, citing "safety" issues. Now they are worried about a law suit. They"apologized", but still contended they weren't racist. NO? What then? Afraid some of that melanin might get into the water? This is American learnd racism, pure and simple. A fear, brought on, not by experience or reality, but by word of mouth, passed along generations.
I recently spoke with a former lady friend of mine. She is very dedicated to the arts, especially theater and film. I told her I was watching an Iranian film(by Kiarostami) and she said, " I don't like Iranians, I don't like the way they treat Americans. Now I wasn't watching a film by Mahmoud Ahmedinejad or Ayatullah Khamenei, Hadn't she heard about all the Iranians disputing the election and wanting to express freedom?Probably, but she had been conditioned, by events to dislike Iranians. Just like Sikhs where terrorized in America after 9/11 becuase they wear turbans. Ignorance. Its the same ignorance that stalks Islamic fundamentalists too, ignorance based on listening to the lies of the likes of Ayman Zawahiri

Celebrating Michael Jackson..or Not

So today is MJ's memorial. Its everywhere, the internet might implode, tears, makeshift shrines, ticket lotteries etc. One Congressman( a Republican) claims too much fuss is being made over MJ and that he was not a nice guy. He brought the child molesting charges,never proved, but probably never doubted either. OK the guy was weird. He was also talented. I was never an MJ fan. He was not of my generation. Neither did I mourn the icons of my generation, John Lennon and Elvis. They passed, thei music lives. Like MJ, elvis and Lennon defined generations. Tupac Shakur evokes similar emotion to an even younger generation. So how do we judge a man? Well frankly, we don't, that's not our job. People are flawed.Jackson was flawed, so was Elvis etc. It shouldn't detract from their gifts. If he liked little boy sleep over parties, that doesn't or shouldn't affect his music. But, i guess somewhee you might have to draw a line. Well there is Hilter, for one. Todays news also brought a report of a Taliban commander who buys little boys and trains them to be suicide bombers. And, probably figures that's OK with God too. Some mullah has issued a fatwa, I'm sure. To paraphrase Jesus,let him who is without sin cast the first stone. I'm throwing no stones today, either at MJ,Sarah Palin or whom ever. Rest in Peace Michael and you too. Robert McNamara.

From CNN Latest from Uyghurstan

Ethnic unrest in China leads to mass arrests
Story Highlights
NEW: Chinese police detain at least 1,434 suspects
NEW: Police halt would-be rioters who gathered in Kashi City, Aksu City
156 people killed and more than 800 others injured after violence
Ethnic Uyghur residents in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang region, take to streets
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updated 4 minutes ago


URUMQI, China (CNN) -- Chinese police had detained at least 1,434 people by Tuesday morning following weekend demonstrations by ethnic Uyghur residents in Xinjiang province, Xinhua reported, citing government officials, as protests spread to more cities.

A boy stands in front of the burned wreckage of a bus in Urumqi, China, on Monday.

1 of 3


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Streets had reverted to calm and curfews were in force in major districts of Urumqi as the death toll mounted from rioting.
Police halted would-be rioters who had gathered in nearby Yili Kazak Prefecture and Aksu City and dispersed more than 200 people who had tried to gather in nearby Kashgar at the Id Kah Mosque, the largest mosque in China, the news agency said.
Along the road into the city from the airport, many areas were deserted; residents said police had set up blockades in some areas and were rerouting traffic.
The regional public security department put the toll at 156 deaths and more than 800 injuries, according to Xinhua, the state-run news agency. Watch more on the unrest in Xinjiang »
That was an increase from the 140 deaths reported at noon Monday. "Among the 16 newly reported dead, some died in hospitals and others were recovered from street corners, the police said," according to Xinhua.
With a massive presence of soldiers and anti-riot squads, the government said Tuesday, the unrest in this capital of China's far-west Xinjiang region had been brought under control. See a map of Xinjiang »
In a rare public display of dissatisfaction, thousands of Uyghurs -- many of whom feel they are treated as second-class citizens and complain of being discriminated against by the majority Han Chinese -- took to the streets Sunday chanting and screaming, which prompted a police lockdown of the city. Watch more on the unrest in Xinjiang »
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"Traffic control was partially lifted Monday morning in parts of Urumqi ... but tension still exists in the city," Xinhua said. "Debris has been cleared from the roads and normal traffic has resumed. Workers are still pulling away damaged vehicles from the worst-affected roads in the city."
Most businesses in the area where the violence took place remained closed Monday, Xinhua said. iReport.com: Are you there? Share photos, video, commentary
State-run media reported that protesters attacked passersby, burned public buses and blocked traffic Sunday. The report did not say how many people took part in the protest or what their grievances were.
But a witness in Urumqi told CNN that soon after the protest started about 5 p.m., hundreds of protesters "grew into easily over 1,000 -- men, women and children, all ethnic Uyghurs -- screaming and chanting."
Police arrived quickly and tried to control the swelling crowd by erecting barriers in the street, but "people pushed them over," the witness said. "They were throwing rocks at passing cars and buses." As the violence escalated, hundreds of riot police arrived, the witness said.
"They used tear gas and fire hoses to disperse the crowd. I saw fire trucks, ambulances, armed personnel carriers and what looked like tanks. I heard random gunshots."
Late Sunday, the witness said, Urumqi was in a lockdown, with hundreds of People's Liberation Army soldiers in the streets. He reported seeing riot police chasing protesters into alleys and rounding up many of them.
The witness speculated that the protest, which took place in the predominantly Uyghur-populated Bazaar district, may have been a reaction to racial violence in southern China.
The violence reportedly happened at a toy factory in Guangdong province, where many migrants, including Uyghurs, have moved in search of work. A massive brawl reportedly broke out between workers of Uyghur and Han nationalities. Two Uyghurs reportedly died.
Xinjiang is home to many Uyghurs. China's constitution guarantees ethnic minorities equal rights and limited autonomy. However, ethnic tensions run deep. Minority groups such as the Uyghurs complain that they are subjected to discrimination by the majority Han nationality.
The World Uyghur Congress, a dissident Uyghur group based in Munich, Germany, condemned the crackdown on what it described in a written statement as Sunday's "peaceful protest" by Uyghurs.
"The Chinese authorities should acknowledge that the peaceful protest was sparked by the unlawful mob beating and killing of Uyghur workers at a Guangdong toy factory more than a week ago," it said. "The authorities should also acknowledge that their failure to take any meaningful action to punish the Chinese mob for the brutal murder of Uyghurs is the real cause of this protest."
It accused Chinese authorities of having "used tear gas, automatic rifles and armored vehicles to disperse the Uyghur protesters. During the crackdown, some were shot to death, and some were beaten to death by Chinese police. Some demonstrators were even crushed by armored vehicles near Xinjiang University, according to eyewitnesses."
The government in Xinjiang blamed "foreign forces" for Sunday's rioting.
"The violence is premeditated, organized violent crime," said Nur Bekri, chairman of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, the equivalent of a governor. "It was instigated and directed from abroad and carried out by outlaws in the country."
Bekri accused the World Uyghur Congress of spreading rumors and inciting anger that led to the rioting, in a speech carried by Xinjiang television.
The World Uyghur Congress denied the charge. It is led by Rebuya Kadeer, a businesswoman of Uyghur ethnicity who was detained in 1999 and accused of harming China's national security. She was freed on bail in 2005 and was allowed to leave for the United States for medical care.
Bekri accused Kadeer of instigating the unrest via the Internet and said the fight at the Guangdong toy factory was exploited to incite ethnic strife.
"We should bear in mind that stability is to the greatest interest of all people in China, including the 21 million-plus people from all ethnic groups in Xinjiang," he said.
•

Unrest in Uyghuristan

Todays news brought sad from Urumuqi, capital of Uyghuristan. Uyghuristan is occupied by China today and called Xinqiang. The Uyghurs, a proud Turkic people who developed a high civilization, are being repressed by the Chinese. A different form of ethinic is taking place, similar to what the Chinese are doing in Tibet. They move in large numbers of Han Chinese to dilute the local population and give it a Chinese majority. There are a few Uyghur groups that try to stand up to this, however they have been labeled terrorists,"with al Qaeda connections" by the Americans. Appaently any movement for national freedom in Muslim country is labeled as terrorist while repressive states(like Israel) can engage in terrorism to their hearts content with American reproach. This is a sad state affairs, considering America,s supposed espousal of "freedom" and her own revolutionary background. Today, unfortunately, its all about money in America and the Uyghur lobby probably aren't very big spenders. Once again America talks the talk but is unable to walk to the walk. Our prayers go out to those Uyghur patriots.

Christian or American Taliban

Terms are used interchangeably here are the definitions courtesy of the Urban Dictionary.


American Taliban
39 up, 7 down
Vocal, well-financed, extreme fundamentalist Christians attempting to legislate the oppression of homosexuals, women and science at the expense of our national schools, national health and U.S. Constitution. The equation of these politically and financially powerful extreme fundamentalist Christians with the Afgani Taliban --violent extreme fundamentalist Muslims-- emphasizes the false patriotism of these american zealots. See Dan Savage's advice column Savage Love for the Week of May 16th 2006.
Due to the efforts of the American Taliban, another women's health clinic closed its doors today. Careful! Your phone calls are being recorded by the government and monitored by the American Taliban


christian taliban
136 up, 20 down
These are fundamentalist Christians who believe in establishing a theocratic state based on Biblical doctrine. Most of the world's Christian Taliban reside in the mid-western and southern United States of America. A growing ethnic minority in the region, these populations tend to be poorly educated, isolationist, and fun-loving in the great tradition of the late 17th century (they advocate flogging of children, burning of witches, stoning for various and sundry offences, and greeting foreigners with a cheery "You're going to Hell, praise God!"). For some inexplicable reason, they are also fascinated with all matters sexual: homosexuality, human reproduction, "man-on-dog," and so forth. A visitor to the Christian Taliban homeland should note that these topics never fail to "break the ice" and elicit spirited conversation with the locals.
News report, year 2020: "Although much progress has been made in the past year, there are still Christian Taliban reported hiding in the mountainous regions of northern Georgia. Chief among those wanted for human rights violations is Mullah James Dobson, whose Family Research Council issued a statement carried last week by redneck-language television network Fox News promising death to all infidels...this was prefaced by the beheadings of a lesbian couple..."

The American Taliban

I first used this term a few posts ago. It is not my creation, I heard it first on CNN.com in a commentary and I liked it. I am seeing more and more use of this term and its sibling The Christian Taliban. After reading about Sarah Palin's latest ploy to gain media attention and the noise within the Republican party in reponse to it, I am again reminded about this group of losers,has beens, wannabes and wing nuts that form the American Taliban. Limbaugh is certainly their Mullah Omar and Cheney could fill the shoes of bin Laden with his penchant for undisclosed locations. Fox news worships these idiots and gives them a forum to disseminate thier hatred. They are dangerous, supporters og greed, imperialism and a religious fundamnetalism that rivals the real Taliban. They began the 2012 presidential election campaign the day Obama won. One hopes, with such an early entry into this, that they will fade away before the actual election and in the next 3 1/2 years the much injured republican party will find an image and leade suitable to the party of Abe Lincoln. If they don't go away, they will surely spell the downfall of America