This is a fantastic tribute to President Obama's Inaugural Speech! Click on below and
spread the word.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAdA636rxfw
At last – there is a leader in the White House. A president who can think, act and deliver results. Here are some of the issues he deled with on his first day as president. In one day.
- He is closing Guantanamo and meanwhile stopping the military trials on so they can be transferred to civilian courts.
- He has telephoned to the important leaders in Middle East; Palestinian President Abbas, Olmert from Israel, President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah. And he has LISTENED to them (not giving orders as Bush used to) and asked about their advice. A statement was given from Olmert that "Israel would invest in efforts to provide for the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip and would work to improve the economic situation in the West Bank." Discussions were also about efforts by Israel, Egypt, the U.S. and European countries to prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza would succeed.
- He has ordered a pay freeze, that would hold salaries at their current levels for the roughly 100 White House employees who make over $100,000 a year.
- Obama has ordered new lobbying rules that will not only ban aides from trying to influence the administration when they leave his staff. Those already hired will be banned from working on matters they have previously lobbied on, or to approach agencies that they once targeted. The new rules also require that anyone who leaves his administration is not allowed to try to influence former friends and colleagues for at least two years.
- He will change the way the federal government interprets the Freedom of Information Act. Just because a government agency has the legal power to keep information private does not mean that it should, Obama said. Reporters and public-interest groups often make use of the law to explore how and why government decisions were made; they are often stymied as agencies claim legal exemptions to the law.Obama adds "And I will, I hope, do something to make government trustworthy in the eyes of the American people, in the days and weeks, months and years to come."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-ap-obama-executive-pay,0,4508672.story
Presidential Inaugural Address Delivered by President Barack Obama on 20 Jan 2009
My fellow citizens -I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans. That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more. Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.This is the price and the promise of citizenship.This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.President Barack Obama
My fellow citizens -
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it."
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
President Barack Obama
Presidential Inaugural Speech - A message for all peoplehttp://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxHqT
source: David Apperson, webmaster
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama
"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord."
CHANGE AT LAST!
Native American Prayer Oh, Great SpiritWhose voice I hear in the winds,And whose breath gives life to all the world,hear me, I am small and weak,I need your strength and wisdom.Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever beholdthe red and purple sunset.Make my hands respect the things you havemade and my ears sharp to hear your voice.Make me wise so that I may understand the thingsyou have taught my people.Let me learn the lessons you havehidden in every leaf and rock.I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother,but to fight my greatest enemy - myself.Make me always ready to come to youwith clean hands and straight eyes.So when life fades, as the fading sunset,my Spirit may come to you without shame.
There have been several moments in history when society too a radical step into a new direction. 1776 was the American Revolution, 1798 was the French Revolution and 1215 Magna Charta was signed in England.
And I believe that we are now living is such a moment of transition. With the election of Barack Obama we enter a new Age, where compassion, cooperation, and right relations between individuals, groups and nations are the keywords. It is the end of the age of industrialism, and the beginning of a new age where human relations matters more than anything else. It is good relations that prevents war, creates friendship and love.
Barack Obama is already creating unity by establishing respect and friendship for himself and his country. After him will surely emerge other great leaders in USA and other nations. This is the beginning of a new age – the Age of Relations.
Jewish and Arab Neighbors Hold Hands for Peace Last Saturday 300 Jews and Arabs from the Wadi Ara region of Israel demonstrated against the harming of innocent civilians in Gaza and the surrounding Israeli region. The rally was organized by NIF grantee Awareness for You, which runs empowerment courses for Arab women in the village of Kfar Kara.
"I only expected about 90 people to attend the rally," explained Amna Ka'anana, "so I was surprised when we had 300 people all dressed in white and holding olive branches, about half and half Jews and Arabs. Many of the drivers who passed by, both Jews and Arabs, called out their support."
In addition to being a forum to voice concern over the conflict in Gaza, the rally was also an opportunity for the Jews and Arabs of Wadi Ara to come together. Among the many banners, one carried by an Arab read "Neighbors call for peace," while another carried by a Jew said "Jews and Arabs hand in hand."
Ka'anana said: "We sent a message of peace and coexistence to all of Wadi Ara, to all of Israel and to the entire world."
Ka'anana, who is an Orthodox Muslim, received NIF's London-Yaari Scholarship in 2007 for her work in women's empowerment. Last year she received the Knesset Speaker's Prize for Quality of Life.
When the fighting erupted in Gaza last month, she feared that the tensions could spill over into violent conflicts between Jews and Arabs in Wadi Ara. She invited several dozen Jewish and Arab activists to her home to discuss the situation, and they hit upon the idea of the Shabbat rally.
"I have always wanted to initiate social activities that bring Jews and Arabs together," explained Ka'anana, "so that we can understand one another's culture. Now the war has taken matters in a different direction. At the end of last week's rally many people started crying and that started me crying."
The rally ended with Jewish and Muslim prayers. Awareness for You plans similar peaceful rallies, with increased expected turnout, every Shabbat while the fighting continues.
barackobama.com sources:
1. http://arabamericans.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxbx3 2. http://jewishamericans.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxbx3 3. http://faith.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxbx3
Also see Spirit of Reconciliation
AL JAZEERA.NET, January 15, 2009/excerpt:
Children 'paying price of Gaza war'
Children are bearing the brunt of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) has said.More than 300 children have been killed and hundreds more wounded in Israel's aerial and ground assault, Ann Veneman, Unicef's executive director, said in a statement released on Wedneday.
She said: "Each day more children are being hurt, their small bodies wounded, their young lives shattered. This is tragic. This is unacceptable.
"They are bearing the brunt of a conflict which is not theirs.
"As fighting reaches the heart of heavily populated urban areas, the impact of lethal weapons will carry an even heavier toll on children."
Anyone with an internet connection can Google "Gaza humanitarian catastrophe" and find the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Territories and read the thousands of pages of evidence documenting the reality of the current fighting, and the long term siege on Gaza that preceded it.
Viewer Alert: Video is Graphic & Heartbreaking
Video: Children suffer Video: Born into war Naming the deceased
Read the full story from the source
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/01/20091157268591938.html
By Mark LeVine, January 13, 2009/excerpt:
"One by one the justifications given by Israel for its latest war in Gaza are unravelling."
"The claim that Hamas will never accept the existence of Israel has proved equally misinformed, as Hamas leaders explicitly announce their intention to do just that in the pages of the Los Angeles Times or to any international leader or journalist who will meet with them."
"Anyone with an internet connection can Google "Gaza humanitarian catastrophe" and find the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Territories and read the thousands of pages of evidence documenting the reality of the current fighting, and the long term siege on Gaza that preceded it."
Read the full story from the source:
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/war_on_gaza/2009/01/2009110112723260741.html
No person is above the law. And the president is not above the law. There will be no waterboarding and no torture during the Obama administration. This was the powerful message of the new attorney general Eric Holder during the confirmation hearing.
Once again there will be a government that believes in the spirit of the Constitution. The Medieval kings in Europe believed that the king was above the law. And the Bush administration also believed this, that the king (president) is above the law. This they have publicly stated. Now with the incoming Obama administration we hear “that all men are created equal.” Everybody, including the president has to follow the law. The president is the first servant, and serving the nation is the aim for all in his government. It is not about using the position to gain power and money, it to serve the nation.
Obama election sparks new interest in civil rightsBy Andrea Shalal-EsaREUTERSBIRMINGHAM, Alabama - When Barack Obama is sworn in next week as the first black U.S. president, 97-year-old Alabama civil rights veteran Amelia Boynton Robinson will see a miracle in the milestone."I think it's an act of God," said Robinson, who was jailed and beaten decades ago in the racially segregated U.S. South.For Robinson, whose mother was born just a few years after the end of slavery, the fight for equality did not end with the civil rights laws passed in the 1960s and it won't end with Obama's historic inauguration on January 20."To this day, I am still on the battlefield," Robinson told 35 educators, students and activists last week in Tuskegee, Alabama, during a four-day tour of civil rights historic sites in Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham, Alabama.Obama's election has rekindled interest in the U.S. civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s amid continuing racial tensions and wide disparities in income, education and health care between whites and minority groups.In Alabama, visitor numbers are up dramatically at a center that marks the route of a five-day, 47-mile march led by King from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 by 25,000 people demanding equal rights for black Americans, said Tina Smiley of the U.S. National Park Service.Doug McMillon, chief executive of the Sam's Club unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc, has brought four large groups of executives to the center in recent months, and has commissioned a film so all his workers can share the experience, she said.Activists Charles Alphin and Bernard Lafayette organize civil rights tours such as the one Robinson addressed.Robinson, who once hosted Martin Luther King Jr. in her home, will travel to England next month to teach the principles of non-violence used in the sit-ins, mass arrests and protests that characterized the movement.In the 1930s, she started a voter registration drive in Selma, Alabama, where African-Americans were hindered from voting until the mid-1960s by capricious literacy tests, poll taxes and the need to produce two white "sponsors."Robinson catapulted the issue into the limelight in 1965 when she asked King for help.Soon afterward, King led the historic voting rights marches in Alabama. On what came to be known as "Bloody Sunday," white authorities beat and tear-gassed protesters and television images flashed around the world.A LONG ROAD"It's the screaming I remember most," says Joanne Bland, who was 11 years old when she was knocked unconscious on Bloody Sunday. Her 14-year-old sister needed 26 stitches on her head; but both girls marched again the next Tuesday.The violence sparked outrage and solidarity marches around the country and helped prod Congress into passing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a law that finally secured the right of African-Americans to vote.Bland ran Selma's voting rights museum and now leads tours of the 20,000-plus town that is grappling with a high crime rate, drug problems, severe poverty and rising unemployment.Bland says the Selma movement paved the way for the election of Obama, who visited the city in 2007."What we did here in Selma is why he was able to be elected," she said.Obama often credits the black Americans whose struggle made his personal road to the White House possible."It's important for people to study and learn about this period of history so that we can continue to build on King's work and his philosophy," added Roger Vredeveld, 47, who teaches U.S. and black history in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and went on the tour.Some analysts have described Obama's victory as ushering in a "post-racial" era, but civil rights activists say there is still much to be done. They point to such crises as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which revealed deep racial divides, and recurrent cases of police brutality.Another teacher on the tour, Arthur Romano, cited riots in Oakland, California, after the January 1 shooting of an unarmed 22-year-old black man by a white transit police officer, and said King's non-violent approach would be far more productive.Oscar Grant's death, he said, "serves as a reminder of how far there is to go, and the need for serious, strategic and long-term community involvement on these issues."(Editing by Doina Chiacu)
posted: http://africanamericans.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxFcL discussion: http://discussheadlines.blogspot.com/2009/01/civil-rights-education.html
ML King was a remarkable man. Not only was he the leader of the civil rights movement. He accomplished it with peaceful methods. King encouraged people to use the method of non-violent. But for him it was not enough to refrain from physical violence. For King it was essential that we even refrained from hating our opponents and those who suppress us.
This is not an easy way, and this I can tell this by personal experience when I attempt to love instead of hating some people. However, King was very successful. Together with other members of civil rights he transformed the nation with his methods of non-violence. Obama would never have been president today without this work.
In a few days we celebrate the birthday of king. Could we celebrate it by rediscover his methods. They worked then, and why should they not work now? And why not using King’s methods of fighting terrorism? It was in no way easier for him and the civil rights movement in those days than the conflicts we face today interior and abroad.
There are many prominent Republicans who have addressed their respect for Obama, saying they want to support him. McCain is for example one of them. His politic of reaching out to Republicans, showing them respect and listening to them is beginning to pay off. Why is this so important?
- Because without the support of some Republicans in Congress Obama will never be able to implement change. There are not enough Democrats in Congress.
- To create unity we must begin to break the wall between Democrats and Republicans. Most Republicans are good people, many of them will begin to listen to Obama’s message of hope and leave the message of fear.
- Reforms without the support of Republicans and public opinion can easily backfire. Carter lost the election1980 and Clinton 1994 because of this. Obama has learned this lesson.
This shows that Obama is not only a visionary and an excellent speaker. He is pragmatic and he can deliver results. I think he will become an extraordinary president.
AIR FORCE * ARMY * COAST GUARD * MARINES * NAVY
If you are going to be in Washington DC during the Inauguration you may want to attend the Blogfest event to Help Wounded Veterans. see http://www.usaservice.org/page/event/detail/4jqt3
Where were you when the world stopped turning?
“If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But, recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ebenezer Baptist Church, 4 February 1968.
HELP WOUNDED VETERANSSource: David Apperson, LIFE CLOUD
http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/post/president/gGxFK9
President-Elect Obama is inheriting so many problems that no other President had. He is among the most intelligent and highly educated President we ever had so I think he must have thought about the same what I am going to write here in brief for your feedback. The difference is, it is based on my observation and experience gained from working and living in Middle East, Africa, Asia and of course US.
Major Hot Points in the World:
There are two major areas that could blow up the big part of the world if President-elect Obama, like his predecessors, does not take a positive and unbiased action; Palestine and Kashmir. Before him, every one also wanted Peace but no one was bold enough to spell out the root cause of the issues and try to bring the warring nations to the table. It is time that we put our foot down and call a Spade a Spade.
The issues are highly complex. No one is willing to compromise. There are many things common among the parties Pakistan/India & Palestine/Israel. Will the history hold America responsible for what is going on in that part of the world? Will the history call us a silent observer or silent party to the problems in those countries? To mention few common areas;
· We as Americans always used UN/Security council to take any action. On the other hand, our biggest allies, India and Israel both occupy land of Kashmir and Palestine and refuse to implement the UN resolutions but we never raised our voice about their inaction.
· We pay each year almost four billions of dollars to Israel from our own Tax money, but we never question, where they are spending, on weapons or infrastructure.
· We gave nuclear technology to Israel and India to build their nuclear reactors and we never ask any question about their piles of nuclear weapons.
President-elect Obama needs to take the Lead and BRING LOVE, PEACE AND JUSTICE to that part of the world. If he succeeds, there will be peace in the world and history will remember him with the best words.
What Needs To Be Done?
Without going into details here is what I think he needs to do as the next President of United States.
1- Tell all the four warring countries, India & Pakistan, and Israel & Palestine to sit at the table to discuss their issues and come up with their solution, within a given time period. We should be represented in those meetings.
2- If they do not reach a decision,
a. US will recall its diplomatic staff
b. US will stop sending financial aid
c. US will get a Resolution passed by the UN to impose strict air, land and sea blockade, as we did against Iraq, Libya and Iran.
d. US will not allow any funds transfer to the country by a business or an individual
e. US will use armed forces of Muslim countries, if necessary, to bring peace and order in those countries.
3- Do not pay any Financial aid to any country in cash. Approve the amount for their specific projects that must be completed by American companies. It will generate more jobs and more business for Americans. The local population of the recipient country will see the result of the aid and will appreciate it. Our money will not go into the pockets of their politicians. Otherwise, we will continue losing money.
We are all familiar with the Obama we know from TV. The kind, charming, well-spoken politician who is looking for the good in every person he meets.
But there is also another aspect of Obama. It was said about Gorbachev that he might have a nice smile, but behind is a will of iron. And the same can truly be said about Obama. Bill O’Reilly is a very tough person who interviewed Obama some months ago. When he was asked afterwards what surprised him most in the interview O’Reilly replied. ”He is stronger than I thought he was… He is determined… he is driven.”
During the election campaign several of the other candidates said that they were stronger than Obama, and thus they should be president. But they met their match in him. For ages the Democratic representatives in Congress has been a horde of much infighting. Harry Reid recently said that he is in the top but not the man who can unite this group. But Obama has already started to use his influence to impose discipline in Congress. I really hope he will succeed in this very difficult task. A leader needs
- Compassion – the loving heart and unselfishness is essential. We do not want a selfish leader who serves his own interests.
- Intelligence – the leader needs visions and must be intelligent so he knows how to create compassion in the society.
- Will-power – he must have the required will to fulfill his decisions.
Barack Obama’s pick of Leon Panetta as leading CIA has sent a powerful message. There are many other people who have much more experience handling intelligence, but they had in one way or another been involved in waterboarding or other forms of torture. Panetta has never been involved in this. Last year he said:
“We cannot simply suspend [American ideals of human rights] in the name of national security. Those who support torture may believe that we can abuse captives in certain select circumstances and still be true to our values. But that is a false compromise. We either believe in the dignity of the individual, the rule of law, and the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment, or we don’t. There is no middle ground. We cannot and we must not use torture under any circumstances. We are better than that.”
This pick by Obama shows his determination to enforce human rights, not only in words but in deeds. And already he is being criticized for not picking one with much experience in CIA or any other form of intelligence. These people just don’t get it. They see no real problem of picking a director of CIA who has been involved in torture, been involved in kidnapping, of breaking the Geneva convention, breaking the spirit of the Constitution, and who follows the conviction that “the end justifies the means.”
Many people in CIA have been involved in the breaking of the law, and using torture. Is it okay to do this and then say “I just obeyed orders?” I don’t think so. Every person is personal responsible for his or her own deeds. Obama has sent a powerful message.
Published on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 by The San Francisco Chronicle
by Jess Ghannam
Excerpt:
"President-elect Barack Obama has an opportunity to introduce desperately needed change in America's Middle East policy. Nothing would accomplish more than for Obama to speak out clearly against Israel's terrorism in Gaza. He should clarify that while all governments have the right to self defense, this cannot include the wanton bombardment of heavily populated civilian areas."
"For too long, American support of Israel has come without condition. Billions of our tax dollars have supported a state that betrays American values and engages in policies that harm America's image and interests abroad. Millions of Arabs and Muslims are glued to television sets right now. They are watching scenes of Palestinian men, women and children bathed in blood, aware that American-supplied F-16 fighter jets delivered the bombs. Imagine the difference if, instead, they saw an American leader declare that Palestinians - like Israelis - have the right to live in freedom and security. Imagine if those American planes were delivering much-needed food and medicine to people in Gaza."
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/12/30
Obama’s plan for USA and the world is to bring people together, to make them listen to and understand each other. He wants unity, by meeting the needs of all people friends and foes. We know that there is an old mutual mistrust between the West and the Muslim world. Obama is planning to have a meeting within three months with prominent Muslim leaders in a Muslim capital, and also give a speech there that will be sent by TV. This is the first step of his plan. He wants to start to build a bridge between the West and the Muslim world. No president in any country has done this before, and I think there is no better way than this to start a peace-process for peace in the Middle East.
Let us all support Barack Obama in his plan for peace in the Middle East and between the West and the Muslim world.
A Film by Landrum Bolling
"This 30 minute film, sponsored by the Foundation for Middle East Peace, is a vivid, compassionate portrayal of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Through the voices of Israeli and Palestinian citizens of diverse backgrounds, it reveals their hopes and fears and explores the issues that divide them. It also describes in a compelling way a broad common ground of yearning for peace, pointing the way toward a resolution of this tragic conflict that would meet the deepest needs of both societies."
Source & Link to the Film:
http://www.fmep.org/searching_for_peace_in_the_middle_east.html
In the present conflict in the Middle East we have seen so much violence. But we have to remember those who actively work for peace in the region, and give them our support. There are many peacemakers, but we seldom hear about them in media. I would like to mention three of them
King Abdullah and queen Rania of Jordan who speaks out strongly against both suppressions made by Israelis and Palestinians. They also speaks for tolerance between different religions.
Marshall Rosenberg who is teaching non-violent communication and conflict solution all over the world. He has trained many people both among Israelis and Palestinians.
Blessed are those who work for peace, for compassion and for unity. Bless are those who endeavor to heal, to give comfort and who defend the weak against oppressors. Blessed are those who love, who forgive and strive for the best to all people.
