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The big debate those days, all over the news is about health care, which I understand, it is a big issue for this country, but there is another Big Issue, that sounds to be totally forgotten: the way Justice work in America.
You people, do you realize that Justice is not about right or wrong anymore, the all system is based on making money to lawyers, courts etc...Generating FEES!!!!
Do you realize that you used to be innocent until proven guilty and now you are guilty until proven that you are innocent, which means that no matter what you have to pay an attorney to defend yourself and it is all about the interpretation of the law he will be able to make.
That is why you can see innocent people caught in the judicial system, with enormous amount of $$$ to pay, even for minor cases, just to prove they are innocent and on the other hand you can see murderers, rapists, pedophiles walking free just because they had a great lawyer and enough money to pay for him!!!
Is there any thing that can be done about this????
I say this since I am an Indigenous person and know what can happen when conditions are stated before talks will happen as with the creation of the BIA. It is where control will always be a part of it and no real equality will happen and it is wrong. Just as it is wrong for us in the USA, it is wrong of Netanyahu to demand it too.
He is 100% in the wrong about this. While he, himself, may not have ordered the mass killing of innocents, it happened and it was wrong. When you are in the wrong you do not get to set the conditions for setting things right since your judgment is not as sound as those who had to defend themselves against your tyranny and greed. No abuser wants to hear the truth about themselves but it must happen for real change to occur.
No one denies the Holocaust was a horrible thing to have happened but it happened to many races and peoples and many around the world are living in occupied countries. For real Justice to occur we must begin with being Just ourselves. It may not be easy to take a good look at yourself but it must be done. The world is changing and we must do all we can to make sure it is to a more enlightened world instead of a falsely good one.
Maria
"The events which transpired five thousand years ago;Five years ago or five minutes ago, have determinedwhat will happen five minutes from now; five yearsFrom now or five thousand years from now. All history is a current event."
- Dr John Henrik Clarke -
(black), adj. 3a. of, pertaining to the various populations characterized by dark skin pigmentation, specifically the dark-skinned peoples of Africa, Oceania, and Australia.
HOLOCAUST:
(hol e kost), n. 1a. a great or complete slaughter or reckless destruction of life.
The Black Holocaust is one of the more underreported events in the annals of human history. The Black Holocaust makes reference to the millions of African lives which have been lost during the centuries to slavery, colonization and oppression. The Black Holocaust makes reference to the horrors endured by millions of men, women, and children throughout the African Diaspora. In sheer numbers, depth and brutality, it is a testimony to the worst elements of human behavior and the strongest elements of survival.
Yet no monuments have been made and apologies have been few. Worse still, most of the descendants of those who suffered, struggled and died, are unaware of this Holocaust while others seek to ignore it. One can only imagine the terrible damage placed upon the psyche of a people who seek to ignore or forget the tragedies of their past.
Irena Salina’s award-winning documentary investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century - The World Water Crisis.
Salina builds a case against the growing privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel.
Interviews with scientists and activists intelligently reveal the rapidly building crisis, at both the global and human scale, and the film introduces many of the governmental and corporate culprits behind the water grab, while begging the question “CAN ANYONE REALLY OWN WATER?”
Beyond identifying the problem, FLOW also gives viewers a look at the people and institutions providing practical solutions to the water crisis and those developing new technologies, which are fast becoming blueprints for a successful global and economic turnaround. (Excerpt from main website)
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http://politicalpete.com/forum/index.php
http://politicalpete.com/
The time for change has come. The equality of men and women and the races, and social and economic justice, are the requisites for world peace. And world peace is inevitable.
A step towards achieving those goals is making quality health care available and affordable to all Americans.
The world's greatest philosphers and thinkers agree and have taught that the resources of this planet are abundant enough to distribute equitably. The old world order institutions were built on monopolizing by and distributing resources to a few wealthy elite and exploiting the underclasses.
Every culture had its ruling class, middle class, and lower class -- which was always made up of exploited indigenous peoples and ethnic groups who were without power and prestige.
Some politicians and their constituents want to maintain the status quo, they are fearful that changing to an equitable distribution system will jepordize their wealthy, priviledged positions. In simple terms, they haven't learned to share.
I am optimistic despite our history, firmly believing that the time has come when people's hearts and minds will change voluntarily, because it is the right thing to do.
Addressees : French and foreign Authorities
Subject : Follow-up of the management of the SILVA-MARQUEZ family file heard on rogatory commission in the Léo BALLEY Affair classified SECRET DEFENCE by the French Authorities. REF.: " Les Piliers de la Traîtrise" from Miss Elisabeth SILVA, published by Les Editions La Lanterne- Paris in March, 2005. " Open letter to the French and foreign Authorities " from Mr. Marc SILVA of April 15th, 2006 (174 pages)
P.J. :
EDITORIAL - THE NECESSITY OF THE DUTY OF INTERFERENCE AGAINST THE STATE OF EXCEPTION-
Dear Sir, Dear Madam,
Instar of the Dreyfus affair, we became victims of an unprecedented situation within the History of the French Vth Republic. Wall of Omerta set up by the builders of the current French Government against the SILVA-MARQUEZ family should collapse at the end of three long years of Resistance. The spirit of Emile ZOLA, author of the famous open letter to the President of the Republic “I ACCUSE” published in the “Aurore” Newspaper, at the end of the XIXth century, unfortunately died and buried. Consequently, to reach this noble objective and to howl our pain, we need the support of the national and international community. If only a large number of voices rose to scream their indignation then and then only, our family would regain her rights, her freedom and peace of mind. The current events, of French politics, as everyone, knows, emphasizes a quite particular conception of the functioning of the Institutions of the Vth Republic. Regrettably, we obviously notice, that French Institutions are taken hostage by the shock of the personal ambitions of individuals' nucleus, which prevail over quite other consideration, including over application of law. These Manichean methods are at least disturbing. Obviously, an oligarchical regime has been established. This one seems to hold the rudder of a Republic, entangled in the Affairs, if we refer to the successive crises of the unprecedented riots of districts of 2005 in the History of France, to the intestine quarrels of the Clearstream affair or better still the sulphurous SILVA-MARQUEZ affair of State, for a long time hush up by lax ruling classes. On both sides, a monolithic right is being outlined whereas the diffuse outlines of an alliance of the left beats the reminder, ready to defend all lost causes, exception made by a dramatic affair of State into which, we had been plundged, in spite of us. Let us not lose sight that, the brain and the decision-making organs of this Machiavellian machine undertook to crush our existence. But nobody seems to be moved or to take adapted protective measures. In front of this scandalous affair, the politics any merged cleavages, and the press so-called free, keep silent, instead of acting, preferring evasion and blindness to the demonstration of the truth. In this horrifying affair, where obscurantism always of current events reigns in boss, please allow me to use the questioning, to make the light on darkness into which, our family is still plunged. What does the dumbness of the public Authorities hide? Doesn’t courage consist in fighting on all the fronts, to look for the truth, to say it loud and clear and to close this Pandora’s box, before all the troubles threaten to spread? Does it means the cowardice have become a contemporary virtue? Is it normal to hush up deliberately a politico-judicial scandal brooding a State Crime? Is it conceivable in a democratic country, to prefer the dictatorship of silence to the transparency among miscellaneous politico-judicial-military-police and media interpenetrations? Is it acceptable to put obstacle to the Justice upon the SILVA-MARQUEZ’ affair, by reducing three isolated humans beings in the state of exception, hostages in their own country, because of an unavowable REASON OF STATE? May both models of Democracy as well France as the United States of America longer order the world, and especially mine, the choice of silence, by taking refuge behind their inviolable sovereignty while these two States already dig our grave, with complete impunity and in the most perfect indifference? The necessity of the duty of interference has to apply urgently, in response to the decreed state of exception. Extraordinarily, as far as we are concerned, no voice rises to denounce the inadmissible. I do not hear and neither do you, you do not hear, the expression of the indignation of the Prime Minister, Mister Dominique De Villepin, so usually grandiloquent or even the howls pushed by The Home secretary, Nicolas SARKOZY, nevertheless so quick to catch a microphone, in any occasion. So thus, as you are powerful or miserable, in Justice, two weights and two measures make tilt the balance either on one side or on the other one to serve the interests of a cause, which we ignore. I bring the following proof: For instance, the journalist Xavier TERNISIEN of “Le Monde” titled, to my big bewilderment, in his article of September 29th, 2006, without even using the conditional " A professor of philosophy threatened with death for a column".In introduction, the reader learns that: " Robert REDEKER, professor of philosophy and essayist is the target of threats of death since the publishing of a column in the Figaro of September 19th, in which he criticized Islam and the seer MAHOMET … He receives daily hostile messages on his e-mail box. The Direction of the surveillance of the territory (DST) tracked down pages of Islamist jihadists forums, in English, on which are his photo, address and a street plan to go to his place of residence. He is there qualified as pig. " Immediately, Prime Minister, Dominique de Villepin rises to the crenel and judges, I quote "unacceptable" this "fatwa" whereas the Minister of National Education, Gilles de Robien declares himself "to stand by" the professor of philosophy. In fine: " Mr Redeker, who teaches philosophy at the secondary school of Saint-Orens-de-Gameville ( Haute-Garonne), was placed under police protection. He had to leave his place of residence and does not teach any more, since September 20th. Paradoxically, if we hold the main part of the papers of Piotr SMOLAR in the newspaper “Le Monde” of November 04th, 2003, which at the appropriate time raised a real indictment against a policeman by titling " A policeman and his sister medium shout in the plot and run away in London ", it emerges from this sensational article an evident will to damage the honour and the reputation of a Servant of the State, a police officer in exercise, within an operational group of a specialized service of Criminal Investigation Department, the Central Bureau for Repression of Banditism, not to quote it. But let us return upon arrows poisoned, shot by this mediocre journalist, of whom my brother, Marc SILVA had been the quite appointed target, to better restore the climate of this State affair classified SECRET DEFENCE. I quote: " … It has been nine months since the girl Estelle Mouzin disappeared … This summer, just before the scorching heat, he finds himself a mission, a cause: identify the kidnapper of Estelle. How? Thanks to his sister, Elisabeth … The sister of the Sergeant is proud of possessing extra-sensory perceptions. They are threatened. Marc S. had to return to work at the beginning of September; nobody saw him again at the OCRB. " The hostile and threatening pursuits obliged us to leave the French territory to gain England in perilous conditions ", as he explains it on the web site that he specially created to deal with the "scandal" of the missing child Estelle Mouzin … On August 7th, Hervé Lafranque, boss of the OCRB, is informed about the behavior of his civil servant. He had never had to complain about the work of Marc S., which even participated in two big successes of the Office in 2003: the arrests of the escapees Joseph Menconi and Antonio Ferrara. On August 9th, Elisabeth S. sends a mail to Nicolas Sarkozy and to Dominique Perben to transmit them the result of her investigations, either 71 pages … Marc S., for his part, believes that he is trailed. He imagines policemen behind every passer-by … Repeatedly, he asks for a protection moved closer to his hierarchy which worries about his mental balance and removes him his weapon … In the last resort, he sends a long narrative of his investigations to Roger Marion, the prefect delegated to the Security in Marseille, former leader mayor of the Criminal Investigation Department. He develops the thesis of a plot implying senior officials executives of the State and the outside intervenes, who by means of physical and technical surveillances, try to harm–them-.” Piotr Smolar Also, please note that the clairvoyance and so-called depression or paranoia of a policeman served as smoke screen, in others lenient newspaper articles (Le Parisien of 17/10/2003 "A runaway policeman"; Le Nouveau Détective of 22/10/2003 "The Strange disappearance of a policeman"). Every reader can learn, among other things, that a policeman of the Central Bureau for Repression of Banditism, under the cover of anonymity, quoted name, first name, rank of the police officer, Marc SILVA to make reference to the very famous arrests of two also named criminals, Antonio Ferrara and Joseph Menconi, violating, by this mean, the texts of law by revealing the identity of a police officer, - without any necessity. - Extracted from N °1101 of the sensational Magazine – Le Nouveau détective - " The Strange disappearance of a policeman " signed by the big reporter, Michel Mary, and analyzed in my book " Les Piliers de la Traîtrise " pages 202 - 203: " he is the object of mysterious threats of death, we are in the heart of the summer, what doubtless explains the slowness of both concerned Ministers. But next Monday, August 18th, the Police Sergeant, Silva spends borders. Stating of these repeated " threats of death " against his person, he asks downright " a moved closer protection " to his superior of the OCRB. But the conclusion is imperative: the Police Sergeant Marc Silva became crazy. Nevertheless, the young policeman had until now good service records. And recently even, he had distinguished himself by participating to the arrest of Joseph Menconi and Antonio Ferrara, two dangerous hooligans, who had escaped from prison. He cracked lead, summarizes one of his colleagues of the OCRB which prefers to remain anonymous … Embarrassed, the central Direction of the Criminal Investigation Department (DCPJ) eventually spread a research index card in the name of " Marc Silva, police officer, roll 343180 ". All the border posts and the airports are on the alert … ". Keep back mostly, that these silent weapons used, as a last resort, were only a supplementary stratagem to mask better the true reason of a real killing, with for motive a hazy SECRET DEFENCE linked to the Léo Balley’ Affair conducted in Grenoble. Nevertheless Piotr SMOLAR and others will not breathe a word on the child Léo BALLEY, eternal forgotten, nor a word on the Secret Defence, to kill better in the egg any embryo of reflection. On the other hand, the evocation of the participation of my brother Mr. Marc SILVA, in the arrest of two figures of the organized crime duly named, appears at the right place in the columns of press. In this affair, the non-compliance with the anonymity of a police officer seems to be the order to be followed by editorial staffs. The puppeteer of this cabal remains to be unmasked. If I refer to the comparative study of the cases REDEKER and SILVA, I can only yell my indignation in front of the execrable treatment of the SILVA-MARQUEZ Affair and wonder about the moral and political justification of such a disparity of the rights in front of the law. Why Mister Marc SILVA, and the members of his family were not fulfilled in the official demand of police protection in spite of all elements of proofs brought to the knowledge of the French police and political authorities? From August 20th, 2003 till this day, we are always exposed to a denial of justice and to a continuous moral harassment, (cf Page 65 of the " Open letter to the French and foreign Authorities “ of Marc SILVA of April 15th, 2006.). The denial of justice is proved in the SILVA-MARQUEZ affair and the legal system persists with stubbornness in blocking it, even intend to bury it. If Emile Zola could hear us, no doubt that this high man would turn around in its grave and would vituperate, as he made it, so splendidly in 1898, in the same terms, which have taken really, no wrinkle: " I denounce to the consciousness of fair people this pressure of authorities on the justice of the country. There are abominable political customs which dishonour a free Nation ". Peace to his greatness of soul. This STATE OF EXCEPTION not only has to hold attention of French and foreign Authorities called to the rescue but also to incite them to intervene because, obviously we were the epicenter of a real earthquake. Although, I am careful not to make any judgment upon the affair of the professor of philosophy, above mentioned, I rebel against the so cruel fate, that black sheep of the police Institution imposed on us, despite legal rules and in defiance of our lives. A fringe of the Home Office, made up the truth to deceive Justice by pushing aside a rigorous and honourable policeman, who put himself across the reason of State, to protect the life of his family. Is not it the essence of policeman's profession to protect the persons against dangers of all kinds? The police hierarchy had rather sacrifice a healthy member instead of attacking the gangrene, which eats away at the Institution. Here is the reward of the sacrificial consecration of a Man of honour, dedicated body and soul to his Homeland, insuring, during 17 years the protection of his fellow countrymen, 17 years of good and loyal services swept by a lapel of sleeve, only because he has thought, one day, to defend a noble cause, that of miscellaneous affairs of unresolved missing chidren cases, among which, one remains classified Secret Defence: Léo Balley affair in Grenoble. Thus, I deduct a lesson of life, from this unspeakable event, this affair will remain a hammered splinter for ever into the depths of my flesh. Ungratefulness is so striking in the questions of interest. That is why, the cowardly policy of three monkeys " NOT TO SEE ANYTHING, NOT TO SAY ANYTHING, NOT TO HEAR ANYTHING " unworthy of the human race has to stop immediately. I shall never enough emphasize it. As far as we are concerned, we, SILVA-MARQUEZ family, French citizens, have for our part, chosen the participative consultation, by placing in the heart of our fight for the survival, the Sovereign States, solemnly called to exercise their duty of interference. The cheaters of any edges will be put defeat and checkmate, my family commits to it. It is still time to act, and we count upon the reach of the universal voice, guarantor for the respect of the human rights as well as those of the Citizen to press on arbitrary power and raise the veto on this classified Secret Defence Affair.
NEWS It is so in a constant concern of transparency and stimulated by the same spirit of Resistance, strengths of the fight of the SILVA-MARQUEZ family for the protection of her life in the dignity, that the undersigned applies to inform the French and foreign Authorities, of the follow-up of this file transmitted, as a last resort for the second time, to the President of the French Republic, Mr Jacques Chirac. Because the communication remains our only antidote against the oversight, and the French and foreign Powers, our best rampart to resist against havoc, we send to you enclosed, in addition to documents put on-line on our website www.scandale-france.org, on one hand, ® The mail of Home secretary, represented by Nicolas SARKOZY, dated June 22nd, 2006, in answer to my personal letter of last May 18th, sent to the President of the French Republic, Mr Jacques Chirac. And on the other hand, the answer of last September 06th from the order of the Lawyers of Paris (Mr Bernard BOUSSAGEON, in his quality of Former member of council of the Order), following Mr. Marc SILVA's appeal against the professional misconduct of the lawyer automatically appointed, Mr Guy PECHEU. (Marc SILVA affair, against the Home Office in front of the Administrative Court of Paris). Thus, we want to make sure of the loyal execution of the commitments taken by the required authorities. After reading the mail sent by the Home Office, we were delighted of the wholesome ability to react of the Head of State, aware of his kingly responsibilities, towards three of his irreproachable fellow countrymen, and nevertheless victims of the diversion of the French state Government (as well as American), as widely testified in my book "Les Piliers de la Traîtrise " completed by the " Open letter to the French and foreign Authorities " written by my brother, Mr. Marc SILVA on April 15th, 2006, and sent to your attention. We hope that the detailed examination of this official referral by the aforementioned services, concerning a denunciation of a STATE CRIME against the SILVA-MARQUEZ family, will mean the end of a merciless hunting and will put a definitive term in the obvious denial of Justice, which continues now for three long years. I renew my trust to the President of the Republic and expect that " the appropriate examination of the concerned service " will be diligently executed by the Home Office managed by Nicolas SARKOZY, according to the requirements of the first Magistrate of France, Mister Jacques Chirac and his attachment to the constitutional principles of the strict observation of the separation of powers. In the near future, I shall not miss to inform all the French and foreign Authorities of suites reserved to this complex criminal affair. At the conclusion, each one will be able to judge, according to his inmost conviction, if the orders ordered by the services of the Presidency of the French Republic will have been executed, within the strict respect of the laws and settlements. In any logic, the common sense should want that Truth and Efficiency remain the essential concerns of the seized services of inquiry. Besides, it is not a luxury to remind, that by virtue of the principles expressed in the Charter of the United Nations, States linked to the international Pact concerning the civil and political rights, have bond to contribute to the universal and actual respect of the equals and inalienable rights to all of the members of the human family, which constitute the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. The international protection of the rights of the Man must mobilize the attention of every member of the human family, every nation and in particular the supranational Authority of the Security Council of the United Nations, so as to prevent the execution of a State crime, insidiously prepared, since three years. If, despite my exhortations, the French and foreign Authorities chose to keep silent, because of principles, how much odd, such as the neutrality or still the duty of non-interference, it would, ipso facto, mean signing the death sentence of three defenseless French citizens. So, I call of my wishes the sovereign States to follow, not only the good progress of this classified SECRET DEFENCE affair, but also and especially to weigh of all their weight, which is far from being unimportant, with the same attentiveness as the President of the French Republic, Mister Jacques Chirac. We invite you to note the official referral of Mister Jacques Chirac, ordering to the Home secretary, Nicolas SARKOZY the opening of inquiries sought by Mister Marc SILVA, crossed off, as everyone knows, wrongly, from the National police force executives, by decision of the same administration, because of post desertion. This decision is always unacceptable, in the sense of a fair justice given that the public Authorities had duly been informed, in due course, about the case of major force, which manifestly blocked the road to a normal resumption of his professional activities. Very fortunately, the post desertion of the professor of philosophy, Mr REDEKER was not taken into account, by the Ministry of Education, the honour is saved. The Ministry of Education has not fallen into the trap of turpitude, contrary to the Home Office which one rejected, arbitrarily the case of major force. The lowness sublimates and marries all the forms even the most insidious. Thus, you will agree and I weigh my words on the fact that the zero degree of Democracy is reached. Finally, I shall remind the dominating role of the chancellery which owes to fill its kingly functions with strength, plenitude and independence. An absence of condemnation would be dangerous in a Democracy, in so far as, it would let think that criminals are not answerable, nor even to the President of the French Republic, in person. The flame of the Resistance must not and shall not die. That is why, I am counting on your mediation and cooperation, within the strict respect of the national and international law, to knock down the state of exception, imposed on us, with conceitedly and contempt, by High political representatives, apparently affected by political smallness. Yours faithfully,
Mrs Marie-José MARQUEZ "Read and approved" M Marc SILVA "Read and approved" Mle Elisabeth SILVA Editor
www.scandale-france.org e-mail : elisa_silva@hotmail.fr
Contact : Mle Elisabeth SILVA Maison Oyhanburu - 700 chemin oihanbehere 64122 URRUGNE
FRANCE
i couldn't feel the Sunits warmth evaded meand beheld me to shunmy life, eternityi couldn't gaze on Moonto comfort in her facewhile in dark i attunedmy death, a lonely placehere i found my prisonuncomfortably coldif fallen or felonspirit without parolei am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together BEATLESAt yearend 2001 over 5.6 million U.S. adults had ever served time in State or Federal prison. If incarceration rates remain unchanged, 6.6% of U.S. residents born in 2001 will go to prison at some time during their lifetime (U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics / Special Report - Prevalence of Imprisonment in the U.S. Population,1974-2001 - August 2003, NCJ 197976)".........the effect of unequal incarceration on individuals is the most obvious in terms of its negative impact. Regardless of race or ethnicity, incarceration can be a painful, debilitating, and ultimately counterproductive experience. Prison inmates are vulnerable to prisonization (sometimes called institutionalization). Prisonization involves adopting...in greater or lesser degree the folkways, mores, customs, and general culture of the penitentiary. Clemmer 1958,1940,8 Prisoner reactions to institutional life can include a dependence on the institutional structure, hypervigilance, interpersonal distrust, psychological distancing, exploitive behavior, a diminished sense of self-worth, and post-traumatic stress. Haney 2001, 7-12 Prison inmates also may be exposed to violent environments. Byrne, Hummer & Taxman, 2008; Johnson, 2002; Sykes,1958 Those who fall victim to prison violence suffer psychologically by experiencing depression, anger, and other negative emotional states. Wooldredge 1999 One universal feature of incarcerated life is that prisoners are constantly surrounded by other criminals. This predicament makes inmates highly vulnerable to internalizing (or more deeply internalizing) pro-criminal motives, values, and techniques. Akers 1997; Cullen & Gilbert 1982; Sutherland 1939 Further, incarceration causes separation from family members, friends, and other positive social supports. This social separation may lead a prisoner to feel disconnected from the outside world. In extreme cases, suicide becomes the final solution for coping with all the trauma of imprisonment. Liebling 1999 The impact of incarceration extends well beyond the prison gates. As Austin and Irwin 2001: 136 noted, prisoners confront extreme difficulties in adjusting to outside life and achieving basic viability, and most of their problems stem from having been a prisoner. When inmates are released, they may be confronted with a number of mental and emotional challenges, including post-release disorientation, difficulty adjusting to change, fear of failure, anxiety, and mistrust of and withdrawal from other people. Rollo,1988 Adding to these psychological impediments, prisoners usually go home with little money McMurray 1993; Travis, Solomon & Waul 2001 and dim employment prospects. Holzer, Raphael & Stoll 2001; Sabol & Lynch 2003 Many of the employment opportunities that do exist for convicted felons lie in unskilled jobs with low wages and abysmal-to-nonexistent benefit packages. Taxman, Young & Byrne 2002 Relationships with family, which can facilitate social readjustment Nelson, Deess & Allen 1999; OBrien 2001; Petersilia 2003; Richie 2001, may be strained or dissolved due to the offenders absence. Petersilia 2003; Reentry National Media Outreach Campaign n.d.a. If family members are not willing to take in a released prisoner, suitable housing can be quite difficult to obtain. Travis et al. 2001 Finally, government assistance for housing, financial needs, and physical and mental health services is usually limited due to long waiting lists and offender-specific restrictions. Reentry National Media Outreach Campaign n.d.b; Rubinstein & Mukamal 2002; Taxman et al. 2002; Travis et al. 2001 It is abundantly clear that prison reduces the human capital and darkens the future of those confined behind its walls. Clear & Rose 2003 Very simply, individuals are likely to leave prison in worse shape than when they entered. Foucault 1977 Consequently, any disproportional imprisonment due to discriminatory practices or policies can have grave implications for the afflicted individuals. (Justice Policy Journal, Volume 5, No. 2, Fall 2008 By, Brett E. Garland, Cassia Spohn, Eric J. Wodahl / Racial Disproportionality in the American Prison Population: Using the Blumstein Method to Address the Critical Race and Justice Issue of the 21st Century, "The Impact of Incarceration on Individuals")
copyright Mar 20, 2009, by ME Wilson
Peace and Justice! Boy! Could we use a ladle or two of that!
I am from the United States and contrary to popular belief abroad, I do not espouse to the claims of superiority and world domination. In fact, I think my government is spending an excessive amount on war, not only in terms of money, but also in terms of lives. War is such big business! Gimmee! Gimmee! Gimmee! If it isn't the dominating nation trying to get their hands on what another country has, it's the oppressed nation wanting to be compensated for the injustices perpetrated on their people, or so it would seem. What do you think? I think money and the power of those who have the resources to "save" a nation from themselves would be better spent through peaceful means by promoting the very ideals of equality and human rights they espouse.
God is Love and surely, it is present in all things just misdirected in some. Love is the "Prime Directive" of all of Creation and yes, destruction IS an integral part of the whole. Ideally, you would expect the two to find equilibrium at a natural rate. For every action in Creation, there is an equal reaction. Right? It is the law of equilibrium. The scales will balance out. However, if you try to tip those scales in your favor, you will create a false sense of prosperity. After a period of time you will reap the repercussions as the scales spring back, and they will spring back. Those who play this balancing act are gambling they will come out on top. If only all the people of this world were allowed the same rights and privileges, Peace and Justice would be the norm instead of the brass ring dangling at the end of a stick.
Peace and Harmony is your natural birthright no matter whom or where you are. It is your choice to accept it as part of your lifestyle. You did NOT come into this world wanting to be a bully. THAT is a learned behavior; a choice. You always have a choice. Please! Choose to direct the Love you were created with in a manner that will come back to you at an even more stable rate. By helping others, you are helping yourself. As they say, "What comes around, goes around” BE PATIENT!
Please, take the time to respond no matter how short or long it is. If there is ever to be Peace and Justice in this world, we must interact in a civil and respectful manner. Honoring the opinions and ideals of another is part of bringing about Peace and Justice. Express yourself and allow others to do the same. We are not always going to agree, but through dialogue, we can reach some sort of equilibrium, naturally.
I was asked recently why I refer to myself as an “Obamacrat” when I’m a registered Democrat. And it’s a very good question. From 2000 to 2007, I was a registered independent. During that period, I continued voting for Democrats because I liked their agenda and issues, but I scoffed at the notion of belonging to a party. After all, “issue identification” has always been more important to me than “party affiliation”.But President Obama really inspired me to change my party affiliation…and ultimately, to believe again. My belief in the concept of the politics of hope has always been strong, but now it's bigger than the boundaries of this planet we inhabit. It was just a matter of time before I knew the word Obamacrat fully applied to me. But it's more than a word, it's a bonafide movement.Allow me to explain.To be an Obamacrat is to acknowledge (not dismiss) the color-specific differences that make us unique, while also embracing the color-blind commonalities that bring us together. If you see it this way, then you’re happy that President Obama has assembled a rich, cosmopolitan group of smart people that will advance, improve, and transform lives while "visually reflecting" the diversity of America. In a country of shifting demographics, this is necessary. In fact, Obamacrats will be cheering loudly when President Obama names a Latino and an Asian American to The Supreme Court.To be an Obamacrat is recognize that nothing, but nothing, trumps grass roots organizing. President Obama beat Hillary Clinton during the Democratic Primary season last year because of his simple community organizing philosophy: city-by-city; block-by-block; person-by-person. But he became the most popular person in the world when he grew his profile using the tools of The New Media: the MySpacing-YouTubing-Facebooking-texting-Twittering component. Obamacrats see this as the smartest way to market your message for a mass audience. And we appreciate how Barack Obama continues to use New Media tools to promote his presidential message.Obamacrats crave diplomacy, you know, where our country talks to both its friends (like Great Britain and Israel) and its enemies (like North Korea and Iran). In a world that is more connected and inter-dependent than ever before, nations working together can reduce, if not obliterate, the child sex trade; female inequality; global warming; the AIDS epidemic; famine; and never-ending war.Furthermore, Obamacrats also want a president who can bridge the cultural divide in this country, you know, someone with both BLUE STATE credentials and RED STATE credibility. Indeed, regardless of who voted for him on November 4th, President Obama now represents the evangelical farmer in Montana and the supply-side economist in Mississippi (who probably didn’t support him) as well as the small business owner in California and the union worker in Connecticut (who probably did).To be an Obamacrat is to believe you can build something as majestic as The Great Pyramids or The Great Wall of China; to believe you can be as historic and life-affirming as P.B.S. Pinchback or Shirley Chisholm; or to believe that regardless of your cultural name (Gupta, Nguyen, Garcia, Omar or, Obama) you can be President of the United States. You know there are limits, but your strong, overpowering belief in the possibilities pushes you, and drives you.Labeling myself an Obamacrat is a profoundly impressive honor that I take very seriously. I love the fact that President Obama is not only a great communicator, but also an intellectual stud. The Obama Family living in The White House, a building built by African-American slaves, is compelling. Truly earth shattering. But, even more compelling is the fact that slaves also dug foundations, hauled limestone, baked bricks, and cleared timber for The Capitol, where Obama was inaugurated, and for the massive area known as The National Mall, where 2 million people were packed in to witness his swearing in.Like President Obama, we walk in the spirit of people who championed our rights, who spoke truth to power, and, who even envisioned this great moment in history. Let us all make the most of it.To be an Obamacrat? Man, right now, nothing even compares to the feeling.
2morrowknight is an internet strategist and community organizer who blogs at 2morrowknight.blogspot.com, and is author of a forthcoming children's book. You can follow him at Twitter.com/2morrowknight and friend him at Myspace.com/2morrowknight.
I work with the Hope Now Project for free voluntary global birth control. You can find out more about this at: www.mundomio.org/hopenow.html. This incredible program can dramatically reduce environmental pressure in ONE DECADE, while simultaneously transferring wealth from the "haves" to the "have-nots" in a voluntary and managed way.
I seek to get rid of the "soft corruption" that is ubiquitous in the U.S.: cronyism, partiality to wealth and influence, bureacratic fear to engage politically powerful perpetrators.
I also seek a society that is high-tech/low-consumption/low-waste/low-exploitation (see: www.mundomio.org).
Lastly, I have an amazing sensing technology that promises to revolutionize how we interact with each other...think the next generation of the Internet, immersion virtual travel (see: www.prv.com).
But at age 63 - I can look back and see that my vision was obstructed.
We all live with these obstructions. What we are taught, what we hear, feel and see - and most of all what we don't learn about ourselves and others until it's too late
This blog is dedicated to me, you, our President, and truth, hope, and justice for all.
Oh brave new world, that has such people in it.
