Tuesday, September 30, 2014

If your community does not wish to house illegal immigrants - you may now be sued. Nice.

“We want municipalities to know that they can’t step in and block housing opportunities for people based on their race color and national origin.”

Powerful words, right.  Words one could expect to hear from say a Federal Judge or from the enforcement arm of Housing and Urban Development, right?  Maybe something one would hear from an attorney with the Department of Justice. 

In this case the words were spoken by Ms. Helen O'Beirne Hardiman the Director of Fair Housing with Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) of Virginia a 501(c)3 organization.  Ms. O'Beirne Hardiman is an attorney and has been an advocate for social justice for sometime.  In 2007 she fought with the Virginia Legislature in her role as the Coordinator for Virginia Partnership to Encourage Responsible Lending (VaPERL) an organization that battled the pay day loan epidemic.  Style Weekly wrote that, "Her work drawing attention to the ills of balloon-interest payday loans continues to resonate on editorial pages across the state. "We blew it up in the media," said Ms. O'Beirne Hardiman.  Her attention has now been turned to housing and "oh, and immigration (both legal and illegal) too, which O'Beirne Hardiman says is "turning into a housing issue," with localities trying to legislate against South and Central American immigrants by putting restraints on housing".  Which brings us to the quote at the beginning. 

Housing and should a municipality have input into individuals moving into their community. We live in a nation of laws and housing discrimination is never appropriate.  Except in this case it isn't that simple. 

Earlier in the year the Federal Government (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) sought to enter into an agreement with Saint Paul's College (a historically black college in Lawrenceville (VA)) to "house minors who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally."   The plan to use the 185 acre campus which closed in 2013 as a facility to house "hundreds of illegal immigrants"  (I believe the correct term is Illegal Alien) was met with  opposition from the residents of Lawrenceville, a town of 1,438 (2010 Census). 

In June DHHS held a forum for the community at Saint Paul's College to hear the concerns of the community.  Following that forum DHHS released a statement stating: “We have heard the concerns of many of the residents and leaders of Lawrenceville about the proposal to temporarily care for unaccompanied children at the now-closed Saint Paul’s College. We have taken this proposal off the table and will move on quickly to identify other sites to temporarily house these vulnerable children.” The decision by DHHS was seen as, "the right decision" by Harvard educated Senator Mark Warner (D)

With DHHS moving on and seeking another location, HOME and Saint Paul's College have come to believe that the illegal immigrants who would have been housed at Saint Paul's College and Saint Paul's College have suffered a loss and are seeking redress in court.  The complaint, per watchdog.org states (in part): "as a result of the town's the county, town and sheriff “orchestrated and implemented a plan to block the deal,” “Purported concerns by these individuals are grounded in false stereotypes about Latinos and reflect discrimination based on race, color, and/or national origin.”

Lawrenceville, as shown earlier, is a small town.  The population is less than 1,500 and the town is about 0.9 square miles.  There are approximately 640 acres in a mile.  The closed Saint Paul's College is 185 acres or about 30% of the total size of Lawrenceville.  Lawrenceville is in Brunswick County, which has a population of  17,343 residents (2010 Census) and a total land mass of 569 square miles.  It seems to be a pretty rural place famous for "Brunswick Stew".  The Brunswick County Sheriff's Department has a patrol staff of 14 (six of which are black officers).  There is an Investigations division with four officers (one is black), One canine officer (who is black) and two school resource officers (ethnicity unknown).  Not a big department.  The Lawrenceville PD has a total of six officers. 

So this small community is being accused of blocking a plan to house illegal immigrants because the community is bigoted against Latinos and that bigotry has damaged the illegal immigrants who could have been housed at Saint Paul's College by denying them housing in a discriminatory manner.  This is where I think it gets interesting and instead of rambling on I will just share the city-date demographics for Lawrenceville and Brunswick County


 
 
Lawrence is a majority minority community with a reasonably diverse community considering the population size. 
 


Brunswick County is also a majority minority community.  While I understand it is of course possible, I guess that I am still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that a minority majority community is being accused of discrimination based upon ethnicity because they do not wish to have illegal aliens brought into their community. 

I understand the reason a non-profit like HOME would file suit as they are seeking "social justice".  But why would Saint Paul's College file suit?  Oh, that's right, money. In a joint statement Saint Paul's College President Pete Stith said, “Because of this decision, St. Paul’s has been severely injured,” he said in the release. “The school would have received $160,000 a month in rent from the federal government. This project would have given St. Paul’s College the much-needed funding to complete necessary improvements to the campus and repay creditors.”

Is Pres. Stith's position that the next time a community bands together to stop a business venture they find unacceptable (say an oil pipeline for example) that the company denied an opportunity to receive a monthly income that would have allowed them to pay for improvements, staff and creditors ought to seek redress in the court of law? 

I can at least respect HOME's position because they are consistent in seeking social justice.  With Saint Paul's College, I see it as an amazingly self-serving desire to seek income from the American taxpayer for their own benefit (I know the argument that the illegals would be housed somewhere and someone would gain from it.  That does not mean the community should not have a voice as while Saint Paul's College would reap a great reward the community services (education, transportation, medical, social services and so on) would not be as equally "rewarded"). 

Even with the lawsuit, Ms. O’Beirne Hardiman is still holding out hope: “We would love, if it’s not too late, for HHS to reconsider the deal with St. Paul’s to house the children there,” O'Beirne Hardiman said. “The children at St. Paul’s have certainly been dramatically injured, and we would like to prevent further injury, if possible.”

I do wonder just how Ms. O'Beirne Hardiman will show that any person in America illegally was "dramatically injured" by a community exercising the rights they have to protest housing those illegal aliens within their community.  Honestly, I respect her position but greatly disagree.  There is no minor injury much less a dramatic one present. 

 

Incompetence or Lax? (updated 10/05/14)

Following the stories of the recent Secret Service mishaps (screw-ups) leaves me shaking my head.

When I was in the Army for the last two years I worked in a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, SCIFF in shorthand.  At the time I held a Top Secret / SBI (Special Background Investigation).  Everyone that worked in the SCIFF held a Secret or above clearance and in fairness you never really knew what others were working on.  You knew your job and you did it.  Getting in and out of the SCIFF was a process.  You had to show ID regardless of how many times you walked in and out or how long you had been working in the facility.  Nothing was walked in or out without being subjected to a search.  During my time in the Military I entered secured facilities at Ft. Bragg (NC), Ft. Hood (TX), Clark AFB (PI),  Schofield Barracks (HI), Ft. Lewis (WA), Ft. Richardson (AK) and Ft. Wainwright (AK).  It was always the same.  Security, security and security.  I always believed that if the US Army was that deadly serious about security then the folks around the POTUS must have been even more strict.  Guess I assumed to much. 

It's difficult to imagine that the most important detail guarding a human asset in America is either so incompetent or lax that they have let incident after incident occur.  I am of the opinion that everyone makes mistakes (mostly I feel that way because I know I do . . ).  But the truth is once is a mistake.  Maybe even twice but once you get into three or four, it's no longer a mistake.  The agency is either incompetent or lax. 

Just the number of incidents makes me wonder if we should change the acronym for the Secret Service from USSS to SNAFU (Situation Normal All Fowled Up). 

Nov '09: Uninvited guest are allowed into a State Dinner and shake hands and take photos with Pres. Obama and VP Biden. 

Nov '11: Shots are fired outside the White House and one round enters a third floor window.  The broken window is not discovered for several days and is found by a housekeeper. 

April '12: While in Columbia an officer hires a local "working girl" and after refusing to pay her the 800.00 she required for her services an argument broke out in the hallway. 

Sept '14: While visiting the CDC a contracted security guard was allowed to ride on an elevator with the POTUS.  The contracted officer took advantage of the situation and took photos of the POTUS.  It was later discovered that he also had a concealed weapon in his possession at the time. 

July'14: Omar Gonzalez was stopped by the Virginia State Police.  In his possession they found a map of Washington D.C. with the White House and other monuments circled.  He also had an illegal shotgun (read sawed off) and ammunition.  The Secret Service were notified and questioned Mr. Gonzalez. 

Aug '14: Mr. Gonzalez was found outside the perimeter of the White House walking with a hatchet.  He was questioned but not detained. 

Sept '14: Mr. Gonzalez is spotted outside the White House by two officers who had interviewed him in the earlier incidents.  At some point those officers cease watching Mr. Gonzalez and he jumps the fence outside and is able to overpower one Secret Service Officer and makes his way into the White House before being stopped by an off duty Secret Service Agent who just happens to be walking by the room and finds him. 

Seriously.  One, two, three, four, five, six . . . just how many strikes do these guys get.  I really do wonder if they are just that incompetent of if the real issue is that they have become lax. 

Sad that the Commander in Chief is not guarded more securely.  Sad and scary to be honest.  The only good news is that on this issue both parties are united that something must be done.  I do wonder how long it will be before the excuses fly and accusations are made.  I also wonder if at some point the Secret Service will be accused of being racist and not taking the responsibility of guarding the POTUS as serious as they should because he is black.  Hope that doesn't occur but . . . you never now. 


BOOYA!  UPDATE . . . there it is!  “It is something that is widespread in black circles,” U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo., who is black, told the New York Times. “I’ve been hearing this for some time: ‘Well, the Secret Service, they’re trying to expose the president.’ You hear a lot of that from African-Americans in particular.” (see story here).   Yep, now the USSS is racist.  Awesome. 

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Useful Idiots engaging in Taqiyya: "Creative Lying" which is advocated in Islam

The (Islamic) definition of Taqiyya is:  To save life, honour. Or property (either one’s own or of other believers) by hiding one’s belief or religion”.

Shah `Abdu ‘l-`Aziz Dehlawi, Tuhfa-e-Ithna-’ashariyah, ch. 1, p. 368
 
The goal is to communicate with non-believers or believers and hide ones purpose or belief.  It is a nuance.  For example if a man is asked if he has any money and he replies, "no, I don't have a cent".  He is being "honest" under taqiyya if he has 100.00 but no pennies.  It's an unusual concept. 

In terms of the media, by being "politically correct" and attempting to disconnect Islam from actions associated with Islam are they (members of the media), willingly or not, engaging in taqiyya?  Even if they are not knowingly being deceptive is it possible that the media, in attempting to sell that actions are not connected to Islam (when clear evidence shows they are), are giving Islam a "pass" or a "cover" and if so for what reason?  I think so. 
 
Consider that on September 26th in Oklahoma, Alton Nolan a 30-year old man walked into his former workplace and beheaded one woman and had begun to stab another when he was stopped.   

Mr. Nolan was a convert to Islam who had been attending a mosque from at least February '14 (from post on his Facebook).  At some point he changed his name to Jah'Keem Yisrael.  He was, by his own statements, a devout Muslim.  He pontificated on Islam in nearly every post.  He quoted the Koran or Qur'an.  He attended outings with his Mosque (they went to an amusement park) and he grew the appropriate beard and dressed in the appropriate manner.  He wrote of his hatred for America and his support for Islamic terrorist. 

But in the world of Melissa Harris-Perry, Mr. Yisrael aka Alton Nolan's religion had nothing to do with his actions and in truth his behavior was nothing more than workplace violence. 


 
I have no idea why Ms. Harris-Perry seemed to think it was important to mention he converted to Islam while in prison.  Does she not see that as a "real Muslim"?  Was she looking down upon him because he had been in prison or was it just an easy way to dismiss him? 
 

OK, so it isn't "relevant" that Mr. Yisrael was Muslim, right?  Well . . . maybe Ms. Harris-Perry and her staff should spend a few minutes looking at Mr. Yisrael's Facebook page. 
 
Mr. Yisrael's "workplace violence" had nothing to do with Islam is what Ms. Harris-Perry is saying.  Nothing at all.  Except just what did Jah'Keem Yisrael share?  Were his views influenced by Islam?  Is the idea of beheading someone a part of Islam as Mr. Yisrael saw it? Short answers; hate (support for terrorist), yes they were and oh, yes, he saw beheading as a part of Islam. 
 
 


Mr. Yisrael's Facebook Page (above).
 
 
"About" Jah'Keem (above).  Of course he mentions "the Mosque" that he is a "Muslim" and the obligatory "white man" reference. 
 
 
Ah, there it is.  Jah'keem post a photo which clearly states, "Thus do we find the clear precedent that explains the peculiar penchant of Islamic terrorist to behead their victims: it is merely another precedent bestowed by their Prophet" and "I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers.  Smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them." Qur'an 8:9-13. But his religion had NOTHING to do with beheading a coworker according to Ms. Harris-Perry, nothing at all.  They are unrelated.  Except by beheading someone Mr. Yisreal implies he is a terrorist as he states it is it "the peculiar penchant of Islamic terrorist to behead their victims".  His words.  His faith.  Are we not to believe him? 
 
Simply look at what Mr. Yisreal found important and the images he wanted to share on Facebook.  .  
 


 






Then I wondered, the guy had 1,848 friends on Facebook, some of them must have been offended or put off by his postings of the following photos, right? 




Posting supportive pictures of OBL must have turned off someone on his friends list, right? How about calling America "Wicked" that would upset someone, no? 


No?  Nothing to see here, right.  Not even when Jah'keem seems to support the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center in February by posting: 



 
 
Nothing at all to see.  Workplace violence and Jah'keem's religion, which we all know is a "religion of peace" had nothing to do with his beheading a former co-worker. 
 
Of course Jah'keem was just a good guy who wanted to share his knowledge with others, like the time he informed them that Muslim's did not have to pay taxes in America: 
 
 
Of course Jah'keem was also an aspiring rapper that just wanted to drop knowledge: 
 
 

 
Back to Ms. Harris-Perry.  I am sure the family and friends of Ms. Colleen Hufford who was killed along with the family and friends of Ms. Traci Johnson who was stabbed repeatedly by Jah'keem will find assurance that the new stereotype is that "Muslims are funny".  Sure.  Right.  Like the hilarious Muslim that beheaded someone they love, stabbed someone they love and posted images on Facebook showing Islamic approval for beheading.  Funny guy that Jah'keem. 
 
It's odd to me that Ms. Harris-Perry was so quick to dismiss Mr. Yaisreal's religion and actions and simply say it was "work place violence".  Maybe she has forgotten that on 23 September the Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin that warned, "ISIS’ prolific online campaign and cites a recent audio message from ISIS that called for “lone offender attacks in the Homeland in retaliation for U.S. military operations in Iraq and Syria,” as the bulletin put it."  But of course there is nothing to see here.  Move along. 
 
Even if Ms. Harris-Perry could dismiss everything else how could she dismiss the fact that on Sept 2, Nathaniel Zelinsky wrote (Foreign Affairs (a publication from the Council on Foreign Relations)): "For followers of ISIS, a single raised index finger has become a sign of their cause, and it is increasingly common in photographs of militants. Some have even gone so far as to call the symbol “the jihadi equivalent of a gang sign.” (see below).
 ISIS fighters in Syria 2014
 
 
Continued from Zelinsky: Yet gestures -- in particular ISIS’ index finger -- should demand far more attention. They are an important means by which regional groups communicate their core messages to viewers down the street and observers thousands of miles away in Europe and the United States. To understand the ideologies such groups aim to export, one needs to understand the symbols they use.


 
Mr. Yaisreal (center) August 2014 making a sign that has become associated with ISIS. 

 
Yep, nothing to see.  I wonder is there another reason that Ms. Harris-Perry was so willing to say the actions of Mr. Yisreal's actions had nothing to do with his religion?  Is she concerned with being called a bigot if she see's a connection? 
 
There is just no connection between Islam and questionable "anti-American" activity, right.  OK.  Well how about this:  
 
Mr. Yisreal attended the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City.  The Mosque denied he had ever attended serviced until they were confronted with photos from Mr. Yaisreal's Facebook page showing him praying in the Mosque and attending outings with the Mosque.  It was then said  by Saad Mohammed, that Mr. Yaisreal was, "quiet and kept to himself".  In truth Mr. Mohammed said that he had only spoken to Mr. Yasireal once when he (Mr. Yasireal) had put his Koran on the ground and he (Mr. Mohammed) told him to pick it up".  Mr. Mohammed also mentioned that he had heard Mr. Yaisreal converted to Islam while in jail. 
 
Notice, that Mr. Mohammed immediately minimizes Mr. Yaisreal and makes it sound like he must not be a "good Muslim" as he had to be told not to put his Koran on the ground and besides he (Mr. Yaisreal) had only become a Muslim while in jail (like Mr. Harris-Perry did).  Oh and when Mr. Mohammed was first asked about a member beheading someone he said he was unaware of Mr. Nolan and that he had no knowledge of Mr. Nolan (of course not, he knew him as Jah'Keem Yasireal and not Alton Nolan.  See it isn't "really" a lie). 
 
According to one former Mosque member the Greater Oklahoma Mosque in writing about the Mosque said;  The Imam was Imad Enchassi the last I heard. He was a friend of mine. He is a Lebanese-born Sunni who hates Israel. He once gave a sermon that the Israelis were trying to collapse al-Aqsa mosque by digging tunnels underneath it. They have no issue with Palestinian suicide bombings because, as it was explained to me, that is the only weapon the Palestinians have.

They sold Milestones in the book shop while I was there, which as you know calls for replacing all non-Islamic governments with Islamic ones. I remember listening to a tape a friend of mine, Yahya Graff, another white convert to Islam, had that prayed for the destruction of Israel and America.

The imam when I first converted, Suhaib Webb, is hailed as a moderate by liberals in the United States but he was the one that explicitly told me that according to Islam, three choices are to be given to non-Muslims: convert, pay the jizyah tax and live under Islamic rule, or jihad. They try very hard to whitewash Islam when the media is around, but they believe in their religion and the ultimate goal of an Islamic caliphate.

Still these are all just "moderate" people, right.  Well, hold on.  Remember Iman Webb who had once been the Iman at the Greater Oklahoma  Mosque.  On 9 September 2001 the FBI states that he attended a fundraiser with Al Qaeda operative Anwar Awlaki (killed by U.S drone strike in 2011).  They raised more than 100,000 that night for Jamil al Amin (formerly H. Rap Brown) a former member of the Student Nonviolence Coordinating Committee and the Black Panther Party .  Mr. al Amin was charged and later convicted of killing a police officer (as a side note; the police officer was black (so no, it wasn't "racist") and Mr. al Amin was found to have in his possession the rifle (semi-automatic) and handgun used in the shooting.  Mr. al Amin was captured by US Marshalls as he had fled the state after the shoot-out).   

Mr. Webb became the Iman for the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in 2011.   The ISBCC operates the Cambridge Mosque where Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev found a home.   Iman Webb has written how all of this is just a coincidence.  Except Iamn Webb has called for an "Islamic State" during a Council for American Islamic Relations event in 2014.  Iman Webb, the moderate, was exposed on video as discussing how gays are "cursed" and how gay marriage is wrong.  But Iman Webb was hailed by the Boston Globe as being a leader in a time of crisis.  Again, these are "moderates" right? 

So just how many of us have attended a Church or Synagogue that has had a Minister, Priest, Pastor or Rabbi that ended up having three separate murders connected to the work they do and who also admits an association with a terrorist who was killed by a US drone and has presided over a Church or Synagogue where several members were indicted for links to terror, right.  I am sure there is some reasonable explanation.  There must be.  These are "moderate" Muslims, right.

Amazingly few in the media are making the connections discussed above even though it is public information and has been reported in the past.  Funny.  Do you think if a story broke about a Christian with connections to a radical sect, say for example Warren Jeffs,  that the media would not report that?  Just step back and think about the images of Mr. Yisreal that has been shared.  It's an old mug shot from his past time in jail - not the man he is today.  Consider the difference and ask why? 


Regarding, Ms. Negin Farsad's and her pontifications in the video that, "it's not OK to equate all white men with school shootings" is a nice job of trying to be politically correct however it is silly and seems to forget that such equations have already been made.  See; here, here, here, here and oh, here for example.
 
Ms. Farsad's thought that we must have a, "cultural paradigm shift that does not connect Muslims and violence."  OK.  Tell them to stop killing each other throughout the world and maybe consider ending the beheadings and that connection will dissipate.  Until then, yeah, sorry, there is a connection.  It's like the connection that exist between truck stops and lot lizards, fair or not, it's there. 
 
But . .  sure, Ms. Harris-Perry, Jah'Keem Yisreal's conversion to Islam had NOTHING at all to do with him choosing to behead anyone.  Well, then again, Channel 9 (KWTV) reporter Robin Marsh did tweet
 

The question then becomes did Mr. Yisreal commit this crime as an act of terror or was he just simply angry with being terminated from his employment?  Clearly he was sympathetic to terrorist ideology and that ideology was driven by his Islamic faith.  Mr. Yisreal clearly found America an objectionable place and the hatred he had was based on America's incompatibility (as he saw it) with Islam.  Does that make him a terrorist or just a terrorist sympathizer and does it really matter?  In his Facebook post espousing beheadings his belief is clear and it is that such acts are the mark of an Islamic terrorist. 
 
Mr. Yisreal took a human life and greatly injured another.  He is a murder under the law.  Labels are insignificant in my opinion.  I have no concern if he was connected to an organized terrorist group of if he acted as a lone wolf carrying out a horrific act.  The correlation is that he is a Muslim who committed a murder in a manner that has become a hallmark for Islamic extremist according even to him.  Beheading is a practice that occurred during the time of Mohammad according to biographer Ibn Ishaq and continues today.  Mohammad himself was said to have ordered the beheading of between 600 - 900 people at one sitting at the massacre of the Qurayza Jews.   
 
So clearly there is a correlation between Islam and beheading but that does not imply a causation, that all Muslim's will behead someone at some point.  The problem that I see is that America would rather look at Mr. Yisreal (like Ms. Harris-Perry and her guest did) and say he is an abomination instead of someone whose actions are an accepted part of Islam.  I believe that is an ignorant way to view Mr. Yisreal.  Simply review Mr. Yisreal's Facebook page and read the caustic and hateful post then notice the number of "shares" and "likes" by his friends on Facebook.  I would argue that were Mr. Yisreal a member of or a believer in a white supremacy group such words, photos, shares and likes would bring him to the attention of the Southern Poverty Law Center and the FBI.  But because he is a Muslim and we are told that Islam is a "religion of peace" he seems to be left alone and even after he commits a horrific act the conversation by some is that it had nothing to do with his faith.  Really.  We can ignore what Mr. Yisreal has communicated by his words and deeds and I would argue we do so at our peril.  Mr. Yisreal clearly disliked America and what can be seen as the American (Western) way of life.  If he didn't why, six months before he committed this crime, post: 
 
"She (The Statue of Liberty) is going into flames.  She and anybody who's with her."  We can pay attention now or we can pay attention later. 
 
And on the same day that Mr. Yisreal committed his act, Jacob Mugambi Muriithi a 30 year old Muslim also in Oklahoma was arrested for "threatening to behead a coworker".  Mr. Muriithi told his coworkers that he, “represented ISIS and that ISIS kills Christians.”  But, of course, his faith in Islam had nothing to do with his threat to behead anyone, right. 
 
Note:  I am not calling Ms. Harris-Perry or anyone else an Idiot.  I am saying they are being "useful idiots" by parroting something that is simply not true.  Taiqiyya is an accepted means of misleading people and is sanctioned within Islam.  It is, in essence, creative lying.  Like saying Jah'keem's conversion to Islam had nothing to do with  his beheading someone.  Of course it did.  His own Facebook's tells us that.  With or without Islam in his life, Jah'keem may have killed a co-worker in a fit of rage however that does not discount the fact that by beheading his co-worker he directly tied his action to Islam.  Failing to acknowledge that makes the person doing so a "useful idiot".  Period. 
 
Side note: Of course my new favorite bigot had to opine on how Mr. Nolan's actions were all because of racism in the United States:
 
 
Of course the doctors organization (African American Defense League) and the words of the Midwest Regional Lieutenant Uriah Ikenge Taahkarr from his 23 September Facebook post crossed my mind: 
 

Below is a screen-grab from the African American Defense League website promoting Mr. Taahkarr as the Midwest Regional Lieutenant.  Yes I am aware that Mr. Taahkarr's name is spelled wrong on the AADL webpage and that his position (Lieutenant) is also spelled wrong. 

 
However after doing some searching I was able to find that Mr. Taahkarr has posted the photo above on his Facebook page and has include the title so, while the AADL misspelled his name and title it is clearly the same person. 
 
 
I wonder if the AADL or Mr. Taaharr regret the "beheading" remark.  I also wonder if the police, given the beheading by Mr. Yisreal and the arrest of Mr. Muriithi have questioned Mr. Taahkarr.  But, I am sure he wasn't being serious and it was just a "joke" because you know according to Ms. Harris-Perry, "Muslim's are funny".  Right. 
 
Then again, Mr. Taaharr does not list his religion as Muslim in his public profile.  Instead he list the religion of Yahshawa.
 
 
Yahshawa is an amalgamation (see here, here, here and here for more information) of faiths that combines some elements of Greek mythology (Jesus = Zeus), Hebrew, Judaism, Islam and Christianity that supports the concept that there exist no such thing as a "white Jew".  As you can imagine it is very black / brown centric.  It also fits with the doctors belief that there is no such thing as a "white Jew".  Of course the demand for a "head" also fits with the doctors past pontifications.  Let's not forget that he said there was a "secret reward for the head of George Zimmerman" in his blog talk radio show where he proclaimed; "Zimmereman's head should roll in the streets and his blood at the every black man and woman's feet!"
 
 
 

When "just words" lead to actions.

Pres. Obama once lifted a speech from Gov. Duval Patrick (D-MA) and opined the importance of "words".  It was then and remains today a powerful message.  "Just words", no, words matter.  Words set the tone for a discussion.  Words impact the treatment one receives from others and can help foster an environment of cooperation or one of hostility. 

Some of the words coming from protester in Ferguson have been, to say the least, caustic and unhelpful.  They have purposefully amped up the situation.  But it isn't without reason or a theory.  There is no question that police brutality exist and is wrong.  However making assumptions that "everything" must be police brutality is simply not appropriate.  Yet, that is what has occurred. 

Mr. Brown was shot and killed by a white police officer, no question.  But does that officer have a history of racial animosity that indicates he is racist?  Truthfully, nothing has been published that indicates this but he and all Ferguson officers have been impugned as racist.  In fact several articles have related how Officer Wilson had no incidents of disciplinary problems even though he once worked for a police department that was disbanded under a cloud of racial discrimination issues. They, the police, must be racist, right?  They arrest black people at a higher rate than whites, right?  The trouble is that of course more blacks are arrested in a community that is majority black, it's simple arithmetic. 

This issue touches home with me on so many levels.  Several years ago (2000), I was a program coordinator working with offenders that were in placement for criminal behavior.  One of my group members struggled in treatment and was manipulative (stole from others, used others to bring contraband (use your imagination) onto campus), assaultive (verbally and physically to other group members and staff) and was extremely hostile to treatment (refused to engage in group meetings).  His family threatened to sue both me and the agency I worked for when he was not released within six months. 

We went to court and while there he threatened the judge, police, his probation officer, a Michigan Family Independence Worker (now called Department of Human Services) and yes, me.  It was sad.  When the judge reviewed all of this behavior (incident reports) he became so angry that he physically tried to go after the judge.  He was restrained.  That was the first, last and only client that I ever had a judge sign an order that stated this client must be transported to and from court in four point shackles.  As an agency we did not typically use them.  It was sad.  His anger was supported by a family that viewed all the treatment staff as racist and unable or unwilling to work with a Muslim.  I worked with him for over a year and after all of that time nothing really changed and in fairness things only got worse.  He never admitted his responsibility for his behavior - not once.  Yet, I was seen by the family as the problem.  I was racist.  I was bigoted against him because he was Muslim (to be fair, he really wasn't Muslim, his Dad was and demanded his compliance).  I was threatened with a lawsuit and was threatened with physical violence. 

In the end his Judge made the decision to move him to a more secure facility and he and his family were gone.  The family, months later, called and told me that the new facility was also "racist" and were "setting him up" just like we had.  I never understood why they called and to be honest if I would have had caller ID in my office I would have never answered the phone.  But . . . fourteen years later that young man is no longer so young and is now a resident of the Michigan Department of Corrections with an early release date of 2017.  He has been convicted of manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance, assault of a police officer (three counts), weapons violations (felony firearms), larceny from a building, possession of narcotics, and fleeing in a motor vehicle.  The real problem was that he was a very smart (academically) kid who has terrific leadership skills.  He could have been an amazing success if only he and his family had not seen the world as the enemy.  Instead, today he is inmate 285706 when he should be a husband, father and contributing member of the community. 

I think about this kid (and others) a lot.  I wonder if he missed the opportunity or if I missed an opportunity.  He was, very honestly, a special kid.  He was extremely intelligent and an extremely gifted athlete.  He had every good thing you would want a kid to have for success.  But in the end he is 285706 and his opportunity has been suspended if not lost.  He feel victim to "words" and "accusations".  He limited himself not because he needed to or because others wanted him to but because he could. 

So what are the "words" that have resulted in the continuing problems?  Threats, accusations, demeaning names have been (and could continue to be) harmful.  Protestors and alleged "community activist" have threatened the police Elected city leaders have received death threatsAnonymous threatened to hack the Ferguson PD website and expose personal information about members of the police department. 

State Senator Jamilah Nasheed threatened that without an indictment the riots that have occurred will seem minor to what is coming.  State Senator Chappelle-Nadal has threatened more civil unrest if Officer Wilson is not convicted.  Officers with the Police have been accused of inappropriate behavior during some of protest and at least one officer was found to be wearing a bracelet that read, "I am Darren Wilson".  At the same time it was inappropriate when Brown Family Attorney Benjamin Crump decried wearing such bracelets, "give an impression that the police lack impartiality in this case."  Does he not see that the position he has taken prior to an indictment being handed down gives the exact same appearance of impartiality?  Understand, I think the police who wore them were stupid however there is no law against being ignorant and more importantly did people not think police would be inclined to side with a fellow officer when an investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed?  None of these things have helped the situation, none. 

Sen. Chappelle-Nadal and Sen. Nasheed, in my opinion are horrible examples of what a reasonable, insightful, intelligent legislature should be doing right now. 

Consider that Sen. Chappelle-Nadal "tweeted": 


Really.  An elected State Senator accused a motorist of being part of the Klu Klux Klan all while having her background image as Che Guevara.  I wonder if the Senator knows that Mr. Guevara was against freedom of speech and that he jailed people in Cuba simply for being gay?  I wonder if the Senator is aware that Mr. Guevara is directly responsible for the murder of at least 14,000.  I wonder if the Senator ever considers that Mr. Guevara had five children which he essentially abandoned.  Good guy, Mr. Guevara, or at least he must be to Senator Chappelle-Nadal.  (Note:  she has since removed the photo from her twitter page). 

But words have meanings and I believe those that are using incendiary words are doing to for a reason just as I think the Senator's pontifications framed by photos of Che Guevara (btw; his real name was Ernesto Lynch) serve a purpose.  It's about strategy and it works, right or wrong. 

Much has been made over the last few years of the book, Rules for Radicals by Sal Alinsky and agree or disagree with his personal philosophies the truth is Sal Alinsky was a powerful organizer and amazingly well versed political strategist.  Yes, his ideas have influenced generations of politicians and no question those strategies are still relevant today which is exactly why I think Sen. Chappelle-Nadal, Sen. Nasheed, Dr. Millere and others actually are following a plan.  They may not understand what they are doing and could be engaging in these things only because they have seen others do similar things in the past with success but there is an underlying plan. 

Remember words have meanings.  It's not "just words".  Consider rule one: 


Spoken plainly: threaten the Ferguson PD with the release of personal information, threaten more riots, threaten disruption to the local community and threaten Major League Baseball and the National Football League with disruption all have a goal.  Those making threats don't actually have to do it they just have to make the governing body believe they have that ability.  Considering the amount or rioting and disruption it is a reasonable belief that the so called "leaders" could get such disruption in place. 

Keep in mind, these are not idle protestors.  These are people with power, connections.  Eric Vickers (the writer of the letter to MLB) is still or at least was in February '14 a staffer for Sen. Nasheed.  These are not people without connections and the wherewithal to carry out threats. 

This leads into rule two: 


Sell the commonality.  Everyone, in the view of the protestors, agrees that the police in Ferguson and maybe even St. Louis as a whole are racist and aggressive and that mistrust in all police is an epidemic.  This feeling is reinforced by the Attorney General (Eric Holder) in his speech in Ferguson and by President Obama during his speech to the Congressional Black Caucus.  In essence the narrative is set; police are bad and we should distrust them. 

The real issue is that there are some bad police officers and there are some horrible incident of racial bigotry by police.  However by making everything about race the real issues are not addressed and some of the underlying reasons for disproportionate arrest of blacks is never discussed.  To say that there just could be a problem within the black community (or in fairness poor communities) is met with distain by organizers and so-called community leaders.  Remember how Bill Cosby was treated when he suggested the black community must be more responsible.  Never forget how Rev. Jessie Jackson responded when Sen. Obama chastised the black community.    In both cases it wasn't that Mr. Cosby or Sen. Obama were wrong but that they spoke out publically and thereby caused people to go outside of what they knew.  No different then what we have seen today with Sen. Chappelle-Nadal, Sen. Nasheed or Dr. Millere.  The demanding is for adherence to the simple principle; police (all police) are bad and target the black community. 

Which brings us to rule three: 


In this instance demand that anyone who disagrees with the position held by the protestors is invalid simply because they are (a) not a minority, (b) don't live in a poor neighborhood and (c) must be racist themselves if they don't see the problem.  It's a vicious circle. 

Again, there are some truths to the fact that some police are racist, no doubt.  There also is some truth to the fact that some police have acted in the past (and I suspect will act in the future) in a very inappropriate manner.  However, the broad brush demands that it is a systemic issue with all policing departments even when, like in the case of Officer Wilson, no concrete evidence has been brought to show that the named individual is bigoted.  Simply being part of the organization is enough to make that person suspect and worthy of distain.  It forces the individual (or organization) to disprove a negative; "you're racist".  How do you disprove that?  It's nearly impossible to do. 

We are now more than a month into protest in Ferguson.  The protest have bled over into other parts of St. Louis and have even been addressed by Pres. Obama at the UN.  It's pushing the negative that the police and particularly Officer Wilson acted in a racist manner.  Recall that so far nothing has been directly shown that Officer Wilson acted in a racist manner in the past or in his confrontation with Mr. Brown.  Not even the statements of Dorian Johnson included an opine that Officer Wilson said or did anything based upon Mr. Brown's race.  Sure, Mr. Johnson reported that Officer Wilson said, "get the fuck on the sidewalk" but having worked in a social work environment for nearly seventeen years, I can tell you that cussing is not out of the norm.  It's not right but it happens. 

Like rule two, rule ten demands adherence.  Everyone now accepts the negative that Officer Wilson was racist.  He must.  He's a white police officer who according to the Brown Family Attorney, Benjamin Crump is guilty of execution.


Don't forget that even after businesses were destroyed, the community disrupted the problem became not the actions of the protestors but the police.  Even President Obama openly questioned the actions of the police in trying to maintain order.  Again, little attention was given to the actions of the protesters but a minimal response.  Instead it was police who were wrong.  The Governor (Jay Nixon) then stepped in and appointed a new commander (Cpt. Ron Johnson) who not only agrees that the military response is inappropriate but commits to ridding the community of the paramilitary gear and then decides to march with the protestors.

Still the ridicule did not stop and in fairness that is to be expected.  Consider rule five: 


Sen. Chappelle-Nadal, Sen, Nasheed, County Executive Officer Charlie Dooley all called the sitting (elected mind you) Prosecutor unfit because his father (a police officer) was killed by a black suspect in the early '60's and because after a grand jury did not press charges against two police officers for shooting two suspected drug dealers in '00. 

But such ridicule has not been reserved for just the prosecutor.  The police have been accused of burning the memorial to Mr. Brown.  The police have been accused of always "lying" to cover up.  And the Chief of Police in Ferguson after issuing and apology to the Brown family was met with distain by the community and told that he must resign.  The Chief was also met by news that the Brown Family found his apology "unmoving" and that the Chief must be fired.

Such ridicule is the prime goal of rule twelve: 


Freeze the "enemy".  Make them something indefensible (like a racist).  Consider that both the Brown Family and supporters for Officer Wilson have engaged in "GoFundMe" campaigns.  The Brown family has two campaigns (here and here) and it seems the campaign for Officer Wilson is no longer up.   

The thing is that people ought to have a right to support whomever they like, I am fine with that.  Personally, I would not support either at this stage as I don't have enough information.  That said the reality is that those supporting Officer Wilson have been called; bigots, racist, hate mongers and so on.  Understand, I don't question that some people have used this very polarizing event to spout racist rhetoric but isn't the same true for the protestors?  It's the broad brush painting as everyone as bad that is, well, fulfilling rule number twelve, intentionally or not. 

So where has all of this lead us?  Continued protest (some civil, some not) and continued demands for an arrest even while a DOJ investigation is ongoing and a grand jury is in session.  But as time has ticked away the threats have been more direct and the caustic language even more harmful.

Things had to come to a head at some point and on Saturday 27 September they did.  Two police officers (one on duty and the other driving in his car off duty) were shot at.  Both suffered minor injuries (the one on duty was hit by a bullet in the arm while the officer driving was injured by glass broken as his vehicle was fired on several times.  Note one shooting occurred in Ferguson (the on duty officer) while the other occurred in the adjoining community of Belmar).

The police were quick to say that; "There's no reason to believe the shooting was connected with demonstrations over the August police shooting of unarmed African-American teen Michael Brown."  Really.  So shootings are such a common place in a town of 21,000 that there is no reason to believe the amped up rhetoric has created an uncivil environment.  Really.  Imagine that for a second, please.  I live in a town of just about 23,800 citizens.  We are a pretty ethnically diverse community (the Hispanic and Black community are both above the national average) and our last "shooting" of a police officer occurred in 1975.  (In fairness there was a shooting in April '14 however the police were not involved - it was a gang involved drive by shooting).

Regardless if the authorities believe the shootings are connected at least one protester seems the shootings as a positive and he has people who "like" his comment.   


Even Dr. Millere seems to see the two shootings as a result of:



In other words, expected and acceptable.  Consider the reaction of some of the protesters when word of the shooting spread (caution language): 



Yep.  Peaceful people.  Of course, that isn't everyone but clearly some of the protesters are not about ending violence or working together. 

I was under the opinion that things would settle down and reasonable people would begin to take control.  I am no longer of that opinion.  I hope and pray that I am wrong.  But since the time of the two shootings involving police the following "updates" have been posted: 





 

Friday, September 26, 2014

Good Bye, Mr. Jeter.

 
 
 
Amazing career.  Amazing family.  Amazing athlete.  I always prayed that Mr. Jeter would return to Michigan and put on the old English "D" for the Tigers but it is impossible to be a sports fan and not smile for this guy. 
 
I would have loved to have been in New York for the final series with the Oriels or even at Fenway this weekend.  He will be missed.  Good Bye, Mr. Jeter.    

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

In trying to "relate" to others "problems" the President makes human rights violations "dismissable".



"I realize that America's critics will be quick to point out that at times we, too, have failed to live up to our ideals. America has plenty of problems within its own borders. This is true.

"With a summer marked by instability in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, I know the world also took notice of the small, American city of Ferguson, Missouri, where a young man was killed and a community was divided. So yes. We have our own racial and ethnic tensions.

"And like every country, we continually wrestle with how to reconcile the vast changes wrought by globalization and greater diversity with the traditions that we hold dear. But we welcome the scrutiny of the world. Because what you see in America is a country that has steadily worked to address our problems, to make our union more perfect, to bridge the divides that existed at the founding of this nation.

"America's not the same as it was 100 years ago, or 50 years ago, or even a decade ago, because we fight for our ideals and we are willing to criticize ourselves when we fall short. Because we hold our leaders accountable and insist on a free press and an independent judiciary. Because we address our differences in the open space of democracy with respect for the rule of law; with a place for people of every race and every religion; and with an unyielding belief in the ability of individual men and women to change their communities and their circumstances and their country for the better." 


By equating America's issues with what has occurred and continues to take place in some parts of the world he does not make America "relatable" to the people within those regions.  It makes the issues of those regions "dismissible". 

It would do the President good to honestly look at the human rights issues before he tries to make America seem as if we can "relate" to them.  We can't.  We may disagree with one another but our disagreements do not turn into State or organizational sanctioned beheadings, hanging of people for being gay, violence and rape resulting in more than 600 deaths, ethnic cleansing, using chemical weapons to attack citizens, banning homosexuality, forced sterilization of mentally handicapped, public stoning and forcing women to undergo medical exams to prove virginity, or religious persecution. 

Instead of lowering America in an effort to "relate" to others, the President ought to be seeking to raise others.  Failing to do so shows a level of distain for the American people and the American system of governance that is startling from such an educated man.  I wonder if in all his education he ever read; “America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”  
Alexis de Tocqueville