Friday, November 20, 2015

Syria, Refugees, Paris, and Justice

The situation in Mali has existed for a long time. There is the existence of the Taureg in the North and the other ethnic groups in the South that disagree on politics, culture, and on government. Many terrorists have exploited the differences between the Northern and Southern regions of Mali as a means for them to promote conflicts. Also, the following words must be said. The truth must be told. Mali has been a victim of French neocolonialism for a long time. I read a lot about the history of Mali and France. So, French colonialism is evil just like terrorism is evil too. French military forces have occupied Mali for generations. I’m glad that the Hotel was finally freed from the terrorists, but things get deeper. Many of the terrorists have been aided not only by the Gulf States, but by the West. One example is how the West aided the Libyan terrorists, the Mujahedeen back in the late 1970’s-1980, etc. France also massively bombed Libya. Assad is an autocratic leader that I don’t agree with on many issues, but he didn’t originate ISIS. ISIS came about as a result of Iraqi war and occupation. ISIS has been made up of many Sunnis who were radicalized unfortunately to do nihilistic actions. Turkey is headed by a dictator who has suppressed free speech rights and bombed Kurds in Northern Syria. Russia is a nationalist country, but even Russia isn’t responsible for the attacks in Paris or in the origin of the Syrian civil war. Western-backed NGOs and other forces aided the coup in Ukraine and Ukraine is headed by a neoliberal puppet leader (many people in Ukraine have ties to neo-Nazis and other far right extremists). Crimea became independent via referendum, which they have a right to do. Eastern Ukrainian freedom fighters are desiring autonomy and independence. A certain segment of the terrorists have been financed, aided, and organized by money from the Gulf States and by the West (directly and indirectly). There should be an international collaboration among nations, etc. to use national and international law to make sure that criminals (whether they are terrorists found in the Middle East or terrorists found in the Western political establishment) are held accountable along with political long term solutions being established.

There should be a positive body image movement that should expanded. There is great stress in society. Also, another point must be made here. Healthy doesn’t have to be extremely skinny. There are many healthy people in a wide range of phenotypes or sizes. The benefits of exercising are numerous. Exercise can increase intellectual power, develop more emotional strength, and strengthen the human immune system as well. It can get rid of toxins and improve the skin. So, exercising, eating healthy foods, and drinking plenty of water will have life long benefits. I do congratulate women who have fulfilled their exercise goals or are working on them. Any person needs encouragement, inspiration, and that excludes shaming. We are all in this together as human beings. For decades, deindustrialization, lack of jobs, drug cartels, violent gangs, racism, poverty, and other evils have harmed many people in Chicago. So, a solution will encompass multiple things. The powers that be (filled with neoliberal politicians and bankers) certainly want to exploit Chicago’s people and resources. One problem in Chicago is the massive closing of schools and even qualified, excellent teachers being laid off. This has caused many kids to lack the opportunity to receive a quality education. Men and women have to work together in solving this problem as we want all in the human race to have justice. Credit should to be given to the men, women, and children of Chicago who are in activist groups and other organizations who are fighting for real change. Their activism should never be omitted or forgotten.

Some want to fund a corporate supporter of militarism and the status quo. That is the reality in which we live. Billionaires fund both the Democrats and the Republicans in the two party duopoly. Both parties have exploited our black people and have treated us as commodities for centuries not as human beings. It is not unusual for Hillary Clinton to do this action. Many members of both major parties don't care about social justice or peace. What they do care about deals with corporate power, austerity, and the growth of their own power at our expense, which is the tragic thing about it. Republicans and Democrats wage war against people of color overseas while the corporate media ignores the evils of Western imperialism. Both parties have people who even refuse to demilitarize the local police. Therefore, we have to maintain political independence.



In America, U.S. politicians have exploited the Paris attacks to promote overt xenophobia. The USA has a great responsibility in the refugee crisis by stoking civil war in Syria. Many U.S. politicians and some GOP Presidential candidates have called for further restrictions on the admission of those fleeing disaster in the Middle East. The coordinated media blitz has shown many Republican candidates spewing overtly fascist views like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Over 26 Governors said that they refuse to allow refugees from Syria enter their states, which is a disgrace. Republicans in the U.S  House of Representatives support a bill that would prevent the federal government from taking in Syrian refugees. Trump and other have talked about closure of some mosques, exclusion of refugees on the basis of religion (like Jeb Bush), and even using concentration camps to hold migrants. Donald Trump, the billionaire real estate mogul and Republican presidential candidate, declared in an interview Monday, “I would hate to do it [shut down mosques], but it’s something that you’re going to have to strongly consider because some of the ideas and some of the hatred—the absolute hatred—is coming from these areas.” On Tuesday, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal said he had issued an executive order telling state police to track Syrian refugees. “I issued an executive order telling my agencies to do everything we can…. I’ve ordered the state police to track the ones that are already in Louisiana,” he declared. Perhaps most provocatively, David A. Bowers, the mayor of Roanoke, Virginia, approvingly invoked America’s shameful history of interning Japanese Americans in concentration camps during the Second World War. “I’m reminded that President Franklin D. Roosevelt felt compelled to sequester Japanese foreign nationals after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and it appears that the threat of harm to America from Isis now is just as real and serious as that from our enemies then,” Bowers wrote in a letter quoted by the Roanoke Times. Right now, hate crimes against Muslims have occurred in vengeance against innocent Muslims. The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) said Monday that it has received documentation in recent days of “vandalism and threats targeting mosques in Texas, Kentucky, Virginia, Nebraska, Tennessee, Ohio, New York, and other states.”

It added, “Those incidents fit a pattern of increased hate-motivated crimes and bias incidents nationwide targeting persons and property associated, or perceived to be associated, with Islam and the American Muslim community.” In response to the statements of Republicans, the Obama administration, which has deported more immigrants than any other presidency in US history and has slammed the door in the faces of the vast majority of people fleeing Syria, has taken a posture of beneficence toward refugees. The President has said that he wanted about a few thousands refugees in America. Even that small number has been opposed by xenophobic American extremists.  That same day, New Jersey governor and fellow Republican presidential hopeful Chris Christie said in a radio interview that he would not permit any refugees into the country, including “orphans under age 5.” Christie is a cruel man. Texas senator Ted Cruz, another candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, said Monday he would seek to ban Syrian Muslims from entering the US, while admitting Christians. “There is no meaningful risk of Christians committing acts of terror.” Cruz said at a news conference at a middle school gymnasium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Speaking in Turkey Tuesday, Obama referred to some of the proposals from Republican candidates, declaring, “That’s not American, that is not who we are. We don’t have religious tests to our compassion.” White House officials subsequently said governors did not have the authority to influence federal immigration policy, and added that Obama would veto the Republicans’ bill to restrict the admission of refugees. He or the President should veto that restriction. The Syrian refugees are the victims of this crisis. 200,000 have been killed at least as a product of the Syrian civil war. Millions of refugees of Syria travel in the Middle East, Europe, etc. Obama and Hollande are united to using bombing campaigns in Syria, so Western hegemony can spread in the region via military force.




By Timothy

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