Speak your mind even if your voice shakes
An eight year old boy attending a gun show with his father shot himself in the head with an Uzi after losing control the weapon.
The gun show held in Westfield bills itself thusly, “No age limit or licenses required to shoot machine guns, handguns, rifles or shotguns!!!”
Well then what could go wrong?
At this point no charges have been laid.
Source
Edwin Starr asked this question back in 1970*
circa 2008 the GOP under George Bush answers,
Part of a proposal for Guantanamo Bay legal detainees, the provision before Congress seeks to “acknowledge again and explicitly that this nation remains engaged in an armed conflict with Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and associated organizations, who have already proclaimed themselves at war with us and who are dedicated to the slaughter of Americans.”
The New York Times’ page 8 placement of the article in its Saturday edition seems to downplay its importance. Such a re-affirmation of war carries broad legal implications that could imperil Americans’ civil liberties and the rights of foreign nationals for decades to come.
It was under the guise of war that President Bush claimed a legal mandate for his warrantless wiretapping program, giving the National Security Agency power to intercept calls Americans made abroad. More of this program has emerged in recent years, and it includes the surveillance of Americans’ information and exchanges online.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d8C4AIFgUg[/youtube]
*song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label in 1969
The treatment a U.S. official said Omar Khadr received at Guantanamo Bay to prepare him for an interview by a member of foreign affairs was a violation of international human rights, a Canadian federal court judge ruled on Wednesday.
It is no great surprise that human rights violations are going on in Guantanamo, it is damning however that two governments of countries who pride themselves on rights and freedoms allowed the torture of a child. In Canada Khadr if charged with a crime would be protected under the Youth Act. And yet Canadian officials raised no alarm when they found out he was being subjected to torture.
Canadian and American governments bear an enormous responsibility not only in setting back human rights but also in ensuring there will continue to be terrorist incidents. Some of course find the torture of a child perfectly fine. The comments at both CTV and CBC are disgusting and as one commenter said “makes me less and less proud to be Canadian”
Image via WikipediaSome have argued that he was responsible for the death of a soldier. To which I wonder is that not the risk our governments are willing to take when they send troops to war? Is the new war rich countries sending troops to rob poor countries of their resources and the people of those poor countries rather than protect themselves are supposed to say OH HAI! and serve tea/beer/crumpets?
How does one murder a combatant in the heat of battle? In any case the original details of the incident were shown to be wrong. Khadr was not the only person who could have thrown the grenade and likely wasn’t.
It is time our government showed some respect for human rights, the Geneva Convention and basic decency. Bring Khadr home. As commenter carlbailey said to another commenter with the mindset of the conservatives;
quote mr.calgary:
“I knew what was right and wrong when I was 15.”
so, how old were you when you forgot the difference?
or did you just decide to ignore it altogether in favour of blind ignorant hatred.
Image via WikipediaA self proclaimed “proud Scottish chick” from Manitoba has had her son removed from her home because he came to school sporting a swastika. Personally I am offended both by her beliefs and by her bringing the Scots into it. Nevertheless, the question here seems to be, can the government remove children for parental teachings of hate.
At first blush one might be tempted to say yes. However, further reflection sheds light on the dilemmas this would cause. For instance, many fundamentalist religions teach hate against women, gays and others not seen as reflective of their beliefs. And while anyone with any humanity would wish this sort of brainwashing not be inflicted upon the next generation, taking children from their homes is a serious issue and should not be done lightly.
Imagine if the current crop of nutters, aka the Not your Father’s Conservatives Party had the authority to take children from homes they considered “unsuitable”. A horrific thought indeed.
So while the teaching of hate is not something we wish to see and is indeed, in my mind at least, child abuse in protecting the rights of parents to teach their values we protect the rights of all. Paradoxically the reality that these self same people would take away our rights if given half a chance is all the more reason to ensure that we protect theirs.
And this is the appropriate way to show Scottish Pride. Wha’s Like Us? Damn Few And They’re A’ Died!
Image by nickjohnson via FlickrThere were demonstrations across New York City yesterday as people took to the streets to protest the verdict in the Sean Bell case.
The three officers involved were acquitted of charges and so yet another black man lies dead at the hands of the New York police department and no one is forced to take responsibility.
Image via WikipediaThe officers,
testified that they feared for their lives after Bell and his friends got into a testy exchange with another patron outside a Queens strip club and appeared to be going to retrieve a gun; Bell’s friends testified the detectives fired wildly and without warning at Bell’s car. No gun was found with Bell or his friends.
Perhaps they found another deadly wallet.
Some will point to the fact that the men involved were not squeaky clean. However, any past infractions certainly did not warrant the action taken that night. One wonders too if the comment supposedly made earlier to a white woman would have been used as an excuse were to have been uttered to a black woman.
Perhaps this Mikhaela cartoon says it best.
Nojoud Muhammed Nasser arrived at court by herself on Wednesday, April 2, looking for a judge to handle her case against her father, Muhammed Nasser, who forced her two months ago to marry Faez Ali Thamer, a man 22 years her senior. The child also asked for a divorce, accusing her husband of sexual and domestic abuse.
According to Yemeni law, Nojoud cannot prosecute, as she is underage. However, court judge Muhammed Al-Qathi heard her complaint and subsequently ordered the arrests of both her father and husband.
Link
Now there will be some who will see this as an excuse to loose racist nonsense, just one glaring example from a yahoo thread;
These people are uncouth savages. Always have been…always will.
Human rights and the rights of women are virtually non-existant in this place and others that surround it. And yet you have imbicilic females from the U.S. and Europe that marry these men and are shocked to their roots when the first time they want to go out in public they’re beaten sensless by their husbands because it’s ‘custom’ for you to hold a position in his and the other male family members lives that is no better than a goat or a piece of furniture. Property…that’s all.
Stay on your side of the world. And we should be staying on ours as well.
My one would almost think that these sorts gave a rats ass about women and girls. Never fear the National Pestulance comes along to dispell that notion in no uncertain terms.
Seems like this is a cause Canada’s feminists should get behind — assuming they’re not too busy protesting laws that would protect unborn children from murder.
This is a heartrending story of a an 8 year old subjected to rape, to multiple beatings to things no child should ever have to bear. It is also a story of bravery and survival. An example of the power of just one voice. Yet the right wing radicals over at NP are climbing on this brave girls back to shout anti-feminist and anti-abortion slogans. The headline on Jonathan Kay’s story dubs her “world’s bravest 8-year-old feminist” , we all know how the NP and their rabid readers feel about feminists, so they appear to be actively attacking this girl. Of course appearances can be deceiving and one hopes that is the case here.
As for young Nojoud Muhammed Nasser;
“We are planning to put her in Dar Al-Rahama [an non-governmental organization that works with children], where she can have a better life and education. We do not want her family to pay her expenses, as they are poor.”
I believe this girl could have a very bright future ahead of her.
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