Word from Within

Issues with Sharia (and other problems) in Canada

2008-04-13T11:33:00.004-04:00

Recently, CBC News has been discussing the implementation of the Islamic Sharia law here in Canada for Muslims. There are advocates for both sides, muslims who do not like the current penal system and those who support it. The second group is usually led by muslim women who feel that the Sharia law marginalizes the rights of women to certain freedoms enjoyed by women of other faiths living in Canada. These women come from countries that are ruled by Islamic Law and where they have experienced harsh prejudices and have had their voice marginalized by the ruling government.

These women are right to be concerned. But this problem, like many others, lies with the people who wish to impose the Sharia, not with the law itself. Muslim countries, like that of the Iranian Republic, draw stern accusations of violating the human rights of women in the name of Islam. And this attitude of careless violation is what women in Canada fear will happen if they let Sharia be implemented.

Most people will not spend time actively learning what is involved in Sharia Law, its justifications, its precedents, or what situations warrant what punishment. These muslims are usually those who are not integrating well with their societies and feel that their rights and values are not spoken for in our current legal system. They are not familiar or comfortable enough with the law to work to amend it. Instead, they prefer to institute a law that they don't understand and that will further divide our country.

Sharia law is the quickest and most efficient method to solving a problem. This is how it should be viewed. If the current law fulfills this, then it is Sharia. People with manipulative agendas love to use foreign words like sharia, jihad, etc., to scare the general populace who hasn't the slightest clue as to what these terms mean. The fear that muslim women will lose their rights in this country if sharia is implemented is not true. Though this is a concern, the real issue here is that what is to be implemented is not Sharia, if it marginalized the rights of women.

On the flipside, we may think that in this country have democracy and that women have certain liberties and a true voice. But the way this voice is manipulated is truely disgusting. We live in a democracy, but numerous ads with scantily dressed women, some who've starved themselves to death, really is a form of sexism. It tells women that this is how you need to be to make it in this world. And even though this idea has been propagated to every female ear, it still hasn't had much of an effect. We do need to change the perception of women in this country, and it should begin with the arraignment of companies that exploit women.

Freedom of Expression, or Freedom of Opression.

Where Have All The Muslims Gone?

2007-12-08T13:40:00.000-05:00

The days of Eid are fast approaching as the pilgrimage to Mecca will soon be underway and hundreds of people around the world will be celebrating this joyous event. Eid al-Adha seems to bring out the best in Muslims as people pour their hearts out (and their wallets) to donate to causes throughout the country to help our fellow Muslims. This year with Eid falling in the same season as Christmas, it looks as if we've got some healthy competition, as charity drives are pushing forth to help the homeless and poor people stay up on their feet with money and other handouts. Then we've got the talks in Annapolis, where there is another theatrical display of a feigned attempted push for peace. This show has been playing for the last 20 years, but it's amazing how people think this will be the year.

Which brings me to my point. Why is it that Muslims have to rely on the Western world to settle our conflicts? Why is it that we can't step in and solve our own problems anymore? People seem to like being lied to, it's become a drug that we can't resist. Throughout the years we've seen all sorts of these 'Push for Peace' conferences take place, and fall through, and yet year after year when a new one starts, we think it will be different. The Muslim world has the means to fix its own problems. Why haven't we implemented this?

The average Muslims likes to sit and tell the youth of stories about how great the Muslim empires of old used to be, about how against insurmountable odds, we were victorious. But they fall short of asking the question of why? Why were we able to accomplish such feats? Because we had a genuine caring for one another, because we wanted to help others succeed. We used what we had to help our fellow Muslims. But today there exists such a gulf between the rich and the poor in the Muslim world, with very little regard on either side for the other. We have countries that have huge amounts of resources, money, oil and then nations that are struggling to survive, living under occupation. Why aren't these two sides talking to each other? Is it greed, is it pride? One things for sure, it is a problem. Other nations don't care about us because we don't care anymore about us. Let's begin to redefine what the Muslim is, not give it a new meaning, but take back what it used to be.

This season, let's re-establish ourselves as what we want our kids to see, to become. Creative rhetoric may not be everyones strong point, but teaching each other about Islam is something we can all do.

Ignorance may be bliss, but being Muslim is something else entirely.

Redefining the treatment of Detainees

2007-09-23T11:31:00.000-04:00

President Bush and his WhiteHouse clique are in the process of trying to pass another controversial bill, this time on redefining the harsh treatment of its detainees at Guantanomo Bay, Iraqi jails, and I suspect all its other secret dungeons throughout Europe.

For the most part, the bill seems like any other we can expect from an administration like that of Mr. Bush's (terrorists, Al-Qaeda, freedom, Iraqi children, we will fight, Iraqi democracy, blah, blah blah). But deep within the bill lies an astounding preposal, one that would pardon Bush and his administration of any wrong doings in the torture of all detained 'prisoners' in the War on Terror. The level of torture inflicted on these POWs is in conflict with the regulations set out by the Geneva conventions; a war crime that the administration would rather be absolved of. Now there's a rush to try and have the senate pass the bill (the House already has) before congress adjourns for the week. The reason for the rush? If the bill is not passed now, and the Democrats get control of the house this November, the president could possibly face prosecution from his enemies in congress- although with the level of impunity the president has already enjoyed, I doubt this will be little more than a slap on the wrist.

The thought that the United States government thinks that it has the authority to do something like this, the fact that the House could see nothing wrong, shows the pitifull level to which the country's moral standard has degenerated to. It seems like after President Carter left office all those years ago, the country has continued this downward spiral into nothingness. It's shamefull that the citizens of a country as prosperous as the United States have said nothing as of yet to strike a crippling blow to their illegitimate government. Is it that people just don't care about who runs the country, or are the distractions of today's fast paced modern lifestyle holding a veil over reality. Whatever the cause, Americans need to step up to the plate and think about where this attitude of inaction towards injustice will lead there country in the near future.

Little Starlet to fight the Occupation

2007-08-26T10:54:00.000-04:00

A surprisingly new twist on the resistance against occupation in Palestine comes from Rafah, where a young 11 year old girl, a mouse, and a honeybee are making headway in establishing a metality amongst the the children of Gaza in their struggle for freedom.

Saraa Barhoun, a cute little hijab clad Palestinian girl, is the star of a children's program on Al-Aqsa TV. This young 'spirit of the youth' promotes understanding of Islam in the West, discusses political issues with callers, and promotes brushing your teeth everyday. The young tv personality definitely has staying power. With her near perfect annunciation of Arabic and adult like maturity, it is no wonder this child star is being watched by hundreds of young people and their parents in Gaza.

The ethics behind using a child star as a means to promote hate against Israel is another issue being brought to the fore by critics of the show and of Hamas (who own the station). In an article in the Observer by Conal Urquhart, the girl states, in response to her mother about giving up her life for the resistance, 'We love life, but we are happy to be martyrs.' The use of the word 'martyr' has now become commonplace in many Muslim dominated countries, though it's meaning becomes more vague with each use. It used to be someone who would stand firmly for their beliefs even when faced with persecution, jailtime, or death. But it seems now that more and more young Muslims are taking this to mean the ending of their own lives in kamikaze missions in Israel, with the promise of heaven - (Actually the Quran explicitly says not to kill yourselves).

Hamas needs to rethink its tactics that it's employing here. It needs to spend some time properly educating the youth of Gaza and the Bank in order to set the proper mentality of the resistance. Instead of providing material for the West to exploit, it should be concentrating its efforts on pressuring the other Arab and Muslim nations for help, starting with the Saudi government. The means are there, but the direction is lacking. If the war continues the way it is, Palestinians will continue to drown in their own blood, a reality that we all would like to avoid seeing. And after that, because of the uneducated youth, Israel will write whatever history it sees fit, of how they conquered the Palestinians against all odds. Hamas needs to bring more attention to its plight through the proper Arab channels, not through the US, and not through Abbas, whose method of applying pressure seems non-existent at present. When Hamas sits down and rethinks its policy, then the Palestinians will see reform. We need less brain-washing and more brain-storming and need to allow Saraa Barhoun to live out the few more years of teeth brushing promotion she has, leaving the politics to the big boys.

End the Occupation of Jewish Lands by Arabs

2007-07-08T09:14:00.000-04:00

Today I was browsing through the Haaretz when I came across an opinion poll entitles, “The new Hamas reality: Opportunity or calamity?” I decided to read some of the opinions and what I found was that people around the world still don’t have a factual basis for the events in Palestine and the State of Israel. One American citizen’s comments stood out among the rest. Part of the comment read:

Look what Hamas is doing in Gaza - destroying it and murdering innocent people: Fatah will do the same in the West Bank, and Hamas and Al Qaeda will take over there too if Israel lets them.

Al Qaeda? I wonder how they got into the West bank or the Gaza Strip. Not by conventional means I’m sure, what with Israel’s control of border crossings and screening processes. Maybe it’s one of those Al Qaeda inspired groups, the ones that the American News machine likes to talk about and then equate with the real group. It seems one of the goals here is to use any available opening to mention the words Al Qaeda, even if they don’t have a hand to play. And what happened to the other groups? Islamic Jihad is sure to be taking a blow when Al Qaeda is mentioned and they are not. They’ve spent years orchestrating attacks against the IOF and getting their message out, but it seems they are still not big enough to be engrained into the minds of the average American. This omission will only encourage them further.

But wait, the commentary gets better. Here’s my favourite, where the author offers his resolution to the problem.

Here's the only solution: end the occupation of Jewish lands by Arabs, capture or kill all Hamas leaders until they return Gilad Shalit and all Israeli prisoners, make a state for Palestinians in Jordan, and outlaw any organization that suggests harming Israel in any way.

Thank you. Finally someone lays it out for me. All this time I was sitting here like a fool, thinking that it was the Israeli military that was occupying parts of Palestine, when in fact the Palestinians were the ones implementing the segregation, the sanctions, the closing of Israeli schools, and the degradation of an economy.

There is no need for barriers, checkpoints, bulldozing houses, assassinations, or fighting anybody if Israel would only do what the world's most popular book of all time, the Bible says clearly: "Remove your enemy". Simply remove any Arab (or other dangerous person) that is an enemy of Israel and the Jews.

I agree with the opening of this part, but the solution method is a little bone chilling, if not misleading. Simply remove any Arab (or other dangerous person) that is an enemy of Israel and the Jews. This is the part I have an actual problem with, as the Israelis are being equated with all Jews. Without blatantly saying it (because problems would ensue if he did), the commentator has told you that hating the state of Israel or being critical of it, is the same as hating the Jews and being an anti-Semite. With that mentality, they have asked all Jews critical of the Israeli regime to shut up and hold their tongues. Being opposed to Israeli policy does not mean you are opposed to Judaism. There are many rabbis that do not support the state of Israel in its endeavors, but are very Jewish. There are also Israeli supporters of the state that are not even religious. So the equating of the two is not being done in the best interest here, but you can decide that for yourselves.

Alan Johnston: Free at Last

2007-07-04T18:21:00.000-04:00

After four months in captivity, BBC reporter Alan Johnston was set free in Gaza yesterday. Hamas militiamen surrounded the compound of the Army of Islam who had held him for 114 days. Johnston relates, "it was an appalling experience, being kidnapped, occasionally quite terrifying and I didn't know when it was going to end." He is currently in the care of the British Consulate General in Jerusalem. He plans to return to Scotland and take some time off to come to terms with his ordeal. Alan Johnston is well known for his comprehensive and direct coverage of the events in the Occupied territories and throughout the Middle East.

Layalee Falasteeniyeh

2007-03-29T19:05:00.000-04:00

Last night I had the pleasure of attending "Layalee Falasteeniyeh" at the University of Waterloo in Kitchener, Ontario. The evening gala showcases Palestinian talent in music, poetry and other cultural arts. The show was produced by the Students for Palestinian Rights (SFPR), a student group at the University that spreads awareness of the ongoing events in Palestine in an effort to educate the local youth.

Though the show's venue changed from one building on campus to another, and started about an hour late, no one seemed to mind when the music started and everyone was singing and clapping along to the rhythm of the Oud and the Dumbek, an Arabic Tablah. The show featured Palestinian celebs like Bassam Bishara, born in Ramah village (north Galilee, Palestine), the lead vocalist for the Arabesque Dance Company Orchestra. Other notables included Jawqet El Sheik Imam, and a number of local students who enamoured the audience with beautiful and comedic poetry that they penned themselves. But the most notable persons in attendance were a group of young men, Palestinian, Lebanese and some others, who were definitely larger than life. This cheering squad of students made some of the songs their own when they began singing entire verses of some of Bishara's songs and became louder than the singer's microphone enhanced voice. Though the professional entertainment was a pleasure to here, these were the true stars of the night.

I spoke with one of them during one of the breaks, amid the bustling mini-bazaar that was set up, selling posters, paintings and keffiyehs. He said rarely do him and his friends find time to get out and live this life where they can appreciate thier heritage. Though being from Lebanon, he said he still felt an emotional attachment to the people that are fighting the fight and wanted to meet more of 'his people'.

Many came out to the event from all over southern Ontario. People from Toronto, Hamilton, Mississauga, and other areas brought entire families and many children to the evening production making the shows third run in as many years, a complete success. Hopefully, the next show will be even bigger and draw more people to come out and live the experience that has made Layalee Falasteeniyeh a huge hit.

Trouble with Blogs

2007-03-25T18:10:00.000-04:00

So lately I've been having some trouble posting to my blog, I think it's a result of switching over to the new google based accounts. For anyone that does want to see recent activity, check out Laila El-Haddad's Blog Raising Yousef, there's a link at the left handside. Check out the comment board from the latest post, I've been having an actual discussion with someone about the Palestinian issue, a great relief from some other people I get who get off with a great virtual shouting match. This person is actually an intellectual with real concern and not with the Israel 1: Palestine 0 attitude.

In some disturbing news out of Iraq, a Sunni mosque in Haswa had its minaret blown off and aresenists set fire to the place. The Aljazeera network covered this and said that it seemed to be a revenge attack for the destruction of a Shia mosque the day before. This really paints a bad picture for the Muslims in Iraq. The war there intensifies everyday and the mentality of some of these militias is degrading. No Muslim whether they are Sunni or Shia would ever burn a mosque down, it is a place of prayer and worship. These elements inside Iraq are part of the local militias that are run by crooks and theives and promise a good life for those who would join them. It is a despicable act and if they think that God will reward them, they are seriously mistaken, and insane.

And now to the local crooks, gas prices across the GTA are at an all time high ($106.5/L). All though the refinery that caught fire has been back online for weeks now, the prices at the pumps remain fixed. Seems like everyone profited from the March break travel season, except those travelling. I think it's time we get legislation into Parliament to cap the price of gas. Or we can always stop selling at least a portion of Alberta's gas to America and keep our own prices down, but then who would profit from the taxes and tarrifs. Food for thought, atleast that's not taxed here.

You have the Right to Remain Silent

2007-03-18T12:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday the new Palestinian Unity government held its first meeting. Some members were present physically, some by video conference and some not at all as they are still held captive in detention centers across Israel. The new government has ministers from the two rival factions of Hamas and Mahmoud Abbas' (Abu Mazen) Fatah. Brutal acts of agression between the two are slowly dying down and hopefully this will be a pre-cursor to the full cessation of violence between military members of both groups. The situation in Gaza has seen some bloody days with rival members shooting and killing each other for 'infringement' of the others turf. At least now, Prime Minister Haniya will be seen by some as not the leader of an underground rebel group, as the media has enjoyed portraying him as, and as a person commited to getting the rights and freedoms that the Palestinians deserve but have been denied.

Which brings me to a comment made by a US department spokesperson, and shared by Israeli Prime Minister Olmert, after Haniya stated that he will continue to fight the occupation. The objection is to the new unity government's "reference to the right of resistance" and that it is "disturbing and contradicts the Quartet principles of renunciation of violence". Actually what is happening is that the Israeli government doesn't have a clear cut excuse this time, and the smoke screen machine is on the fritz. What they essentially mean, or what this translates into, is that they are equating the renunciation of violence to the act of resisting an illegal occupation. A renunciation of violence to the normal person refers to the act of indiscriminate killings, seizures and torture of people (the exact definition is yours to debate, I'm just trying to prove a point). The Israeli's would like it to mean that the act of resisting an occupation is illegal. Imagine that.

I'm relieved to see that the situation didn't spiral out of control as these 'matrix masters' tried to turn Palestine into another Iraq, to be left in turmoil while having it's oil syphoned off. Russia, France and Norway have all given green lights for recognizing the new government. Let's see if Canada reclaims its soul after cutting off funds to the Palestinians, although PM Harper has taken other actions that keep him from gaining anymore respect amongst local Canadians.

Excavation incites Riot

2007-02-09T22:14:00.000-05:00

New Israeli renovation work has caused an uproar at one of Islam's most sacred sites, the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Shortly after Friday prayers worshippers clashed with riot police after Israel began work on a hill near al-Maghariba gate, to build a road for Jewish settlers. The hill serves as one of the entrances to the mosque. The Waqf trust, those in charge of the compound, said that two undergound rooms adjacent to the mosque will have their foundation compromised should the 'renovation' go ahead. Tensions between the Palestinians and the Isreali government are rising; a similar renovation in 2004 by the Israelis caused a cave-in on the path to the Maghariba gate. I'm speculating that this renovation may be no more than a ploy to incite anger and cause the Palestinians to do something that Israel can respond to with more-than-ample force. Let's pray that won't be the case.

Reports have also surface that the work is actually an excavation, for historic artefacts believed to be buried there. There's even a suggestion to install cameras so that people can watch the work to make sure nothing shady is occuring. Will those cameras be removed after the excavation? Or will there existence be forgotten in the ongoing occupation. Sounds like a jail to me. Now let me throw something else into the mix. The annexation of the mosque and compound is illegal under international law. Israeli authorities are not suppose to be anywhere near it. Imagine someone breaking into your home, setting up their own security cameras, and watching what goes on. The idea is absurd. To you and I it's ridiculous. For the Palestinians, it's just another day under the occupation.

And as for those rubber bullets being used. Let me break it down for you.

Rubber Bullets = not Rubber Bullets.

Palestine Peace Not Apartheid

2007-02-03T10:23:00.000-05:00

So after a couple of months of intense work and a whole lot of shuffling things around, I now again find time to continue this blog. I know it's been a while, but please forgive my absence. Sometimes we are called away to do things that we cannot avoid.

I wanted to start by taking sometime to discuss the book put out by former America President Jimmy Carter entitled Palestine Peace Not Apartheid. This book is a good read for anyone that is still skeptical of the true nature of the war in Palestine, believing that Israel is under attack by these muslim terrorists that want to send her back to the stone age. You can see where the events of the rest of the world are starting to run together in the average North Americans brain. Though they're have been many Americans before him who have written quite critically on the subject, the fact that it's the former President taking a stance may draw some more people into reading this book, which will do them some good. Carter has written on the subject before, but I think the bold title and the concise way the chapters of the book are written may keep the attention span of the average reader for longer than a minute. He's provided Maps and Appendices of Security Council resolutions that will aid the reader in understanding the conflict.

A few quick points I'd like to make that Carter hits on. We always here in the news (Or at least I think I do) about the need for Palestinians and Israelis to have a cease fire and get back on the "ROADMAP" to peace. To the average person, this word "roadmap" is an easy excuse for them to say that both parties aren't following the roadmap to peace and this is why the fighting will continue. This allows them to have peace of mind, lets them think they're educated, and go along on their merry way. I want to talk about this Roadmap that we seem to know so little about. Carter hits on it in his book and I think people should know what the media is actually referring to.

In April 2003, Kofi Anaan, then Secretary General anounced the latest Roadmap to Peace. In it, the arrangments and appeasements to peace were outlined for both parties and it seemed like peace was possible. Here comes the kicker. The Palestinians accepted the roadmap right away, as they have done in the past with several resolutions. The Israeli government on the other hand had some amendments that they thought were necessary before they could accept this new roadmap. I want to touch on three of these ammendments that I think illustrate how much the state of Israel really cares for peace.

1. Cessation of incitement against, but the Roadmap cannot state that Israel must cease violence and incitement against the Palestinians

2. Israeli controll over Palestine, including the entry and exit of all persons and cargo, plus its airspace and electromagnetic spectrum (radio, television, radar, etc.)

3. The waiver of any right of return of refugees to Israel.

So please make up your own mind and ask yourself if the mentality for wanting peace exists on both sides. Of course this roadmap will never be adopted by Israel, who feeds on the suffering of Christians Muslims, and even some Jews in the occupied territories and within the current illegal state of Israel.

A U of T analyst that I admire for bringing down to earth, secular view to these sorts of issues, Janice Stein, appeared on a Canadian News morning show to talk about the issue. I was dissappointed when she said the she didn't agree with the title of the book (the apartheid) and said that attaching a label to it wouldn't help the peace process. I was kind of dismayed and a little frustrated with her. Not because of my own stance on the issue but because of the way she supported her own. Where Jimmy Carter provided hard facts and key initiatives, Stein kind of hopskotched over the issue. Granted he had a book to tell his story, but Stein did seem very reluctant to share any sort of insight on the issue. Some people begin to show their true colours
after a certain time. Hopefully, people will begin to see the American-Israeli rainbow of death, before the death of the occupied people.

The Final Screwtape Letter

2006-12-29T20:01:00.000-05:00

The first day of Eid approaches, a time the Muslim world is supposed to be joyous and cheerful. Millions of people are making the pilgrimage to Mecca and millions more are celebrating at home. But something always has to go awry, because it is a sin to let the Muslims have more then a second of peace, it makes them too jolly. Whose the party crasher? It’s a 69 year old Iraqi man, illegally removed, illegally convicted, and sentenced to death as the world watches.

The verdict is in, Saddam will be put to death; big surprise. The appeals court upheld the decision to hang Saddam this month for crimes against the Shia poplulation – not the Kurdish issue mind you, the corpse will stand trial for that on a later date. The insanity continues to grow. How can this court uphold said decision and not weigh the fact that his country was entered illegally by an occupying force and he was illegally deposed from his position? Call him what you want, but no one can argue that Saddam was the only person who held a powder keg like Iraq together. Argue that he killed a 150 Shia muslims, turn the other cheek to the Americans who have killed hundreds of thousand of Iraqis, Sunnis, Shia and Kurds without attempting to distiguish between them. The United States will instigate the sectarian wars, but ‘let them kill each other and wipe our hands clean’ – that is their motto. The Israelis did it in the Sabra as they let the Phalangists Lebanese kill their Muslim brothers, and the Crusaders did it all those years ago when they took Jerusalem. This is the same event taking place. This is nothing new. People have been trying to destroy the Muslim world since its inception; this is a racist/religious war that is being waged, of that I have no doubt.

Hanging the leader will be a major milestone for Iraqis the Americans say. For whom? Iraq is the most volatile and dangerous place to step foot in today, whose to benefit from this hanging? Blood will continue to boil, more level-headed Iraqis will be driven to the brink. They want piece of mind, what they’ll get is more bloodshed. This will give the Sunni insurgency the platform it needs to recruit more young Iraqis in their service. Again the theme of letting the Muslims kill themselves re-emerges. The Israeli military is performing the same experiment with Fatah and Hamas.

This is a big media game being played here. Saddam's execution is not the Americans upholding justice and the rule of law. If that was their agenda, they would have never illegally entered and occupied Iraq in the first place. It is not for the Shia, killing Saddam does not bring them peace. The Americans are feeding them this, and for some reasons my fellow muslims are buying into it. They’re feeding on peoples’ need to blame someone, Zarqawi didn’t work out well, so they’re back to Saddam. It is not for the Kurds, the sentence doesn’t even look at the Kurdish issue, that trial will kick up in January. This “hanging a tyrant” pay-per view event that’s being advertised like Rocky- IV with Drago replaced by Saddam Hussein is a ploy. More simply: a distraction. Currently, killings in Gaza and the Westbank have almost tripled with the Israeli government seizing more land illegally and killing anyone that stands in their way. This is also the time when human rights groups are putting out their fact finding reports on the situation in the occupied territories and Israel’s illegal rule. But of course, the Pro-American/Zionists media has ‘bigger news’ to cover. Mind you, Saddam’s hanging is big, but not everyone is as stupid and as blind to what’s really going on here. If you’re so paranoid as not to believe this, prove it to yourself. The next time America makes a spectacle about some big event, look at what other news is afflicting the muslim world and you’re guaranteed to find something more news worthy which is being shunned. While the entire world looks away to the buzz about Iraq, the Israeli war machine continues the Palestinian onslaught.

What I do know is that ever since the Americans “saved Iraq” (saved = destroyed), the region has been spiralling out of control. And what happens after he’s dead? Kurds will complain that Saddam was not hanged for the Kurdish killings, just for the Shia, then they will want someone else to blame and have hanged.

Hanging Saddam is little more than a formality. However it is a key political move. After the cartoons of Prophet Muhammad came out, the Americans noticed something. They saw the uproar from the Muslim world at a seeming frivolous drawing (to them at least) and learned how to manipulate this power. If the Muslims became so crazy over this and took actions that gave us an excuse to kill more of them, why not do it again? Why not add fuel to the fire?

I want to make myself clear hear, telling all muslims and people that are fighting the good fight. Don’t do anything that will give them an excuse to hurt you. Educate yourselves and don’t let your emotions get the best of you. When you are in conflict, or in an argument, don’t think about WHO is right, think about WHAT is right. Don’t kick and scream or take seemingly extreme measures, go through the legal and legitimate system, don’t create your own.

I wish you all peace and blessings, may your path and my own be allowed to cross one day.

-Torontoman

Roadmap = Road-block to Peace

2006-11-19T15:22:00.000-05:00

Yesterday’s failed U.N Security Council draft resolution was another opportunity for the US to showcase its two-faced hypocritical stance on the War on Terror/Militants/Non-Christians/Muslims/Islam.

The US exercised veto power over a draft resolution that condemned an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip and demanded that Israel remove its military personnel from the occupied territory. This is nothing new. The UN has always said that Israel should remove itself from the occupied territory and give back the land it annexed in 1967. Israel has never complied with these demands and the United States has allowed them to operate with impunity.

Advocates for the US argued that the resolution was biased and was politically motivated to attack the Israeli regime. It was not “evenhanded characterization of recent events in Gaza”, said US ambassador John Bolton, who further explained that it didn’t advance the cause of Israel-Palestinian peace. This makes a lot of sense of course, because condemning regimes for occupying and murdering people, is always a roadblock for achieving peace in the region, or so the ambassador would have you believe. Time and time again, the Palestinians have made compromises and have issued and abided by ceasefires. Even when Israel cuts of their electricity and water, they remain silent. Then what? The Israeli military annexes more Palestinian land, in clear violation of several UN resolutions. Then the Palestinians launch attacks and the IDF conduct a full-scale invasion. And the pro-Zionists media say that the militants don’t have the interests of regular Palestinians at hand. They pray on feelings of sympathy and say that the regular Palestinians didn’t want this but they are overtaken by these ‘radical militants’. What they don’t say, is that these militants are regular Palestinians.

With the UN being hijacked by the United States and countries on the pay-role of prominent pro-Israelis, it’s no wonder they have lost credibility and are rendered helpless. It’s no wonder that they couldn’t prevent the destruction of Iraq by the American war-mongering state, and are powerless to defend Palestinian human rights, as well as the rights of the Christians and other Jews in the occupied territories. It comes as no surprise that attacks in other countries are increasing as Muslims across the globe realize what’s happening and they are frustrated and don’t know what to do. They need direction and it’s not going to come from their current governments, and unfortunately, like in Iraq, it’s coming from angered religious leaders who are too angry to think straight. We need level-headed minds to guide us through now, so I urge you to educate yourself and not to let the right-wing media do it for you.

As a push to get you on your way, Al-Jazeera has just launched its English Channel program, and re-vamped its website. You can check it out here.

Steven Harper: Pro-Israel, Anti-peace

2006-10-20T22:49:00.000-04:00

Steven Harper: "When dealing with war between Israel and terrorist organizations, this country cannot and will never be neutral"

Said to: Toronto Jewish Community

Steven Harper also said that Liberal party candidate Michael Ignatieff made some anti-Israel comments when he said the IDF's bombing of the village of Qana was a war crime.

The Liberal party was then accused of being anti-semetic, and that to suggest that there was a pro-Israeli party in office was just tasteless

Global News: Played down the comment to the Jewish community, and exploited what the government called an "anti-semetic" attack

Verdict

Harper + GlobalNews = Bush + FOX

I can't believe it has come to this, where Canadian news agencies are misleading the people

Solidifies the notion that the Conservatives are a racist party, harsh words, but unfortunately when the facts are looked at, all too true. GlobalNews: hide the facts.

Only be a matter of time until the Conservatives accuse the Liberals of being anti-Black, anti-gay, anti-Chinese, anti-war on terror (ie. pro-peace)

Q: How did a racist government make it into power?
A: Milk the sponsorship scandal for all it's worth.

How Global News will cover it up: Belinda and Peter McKay script
Why do I care about these two peoples' personal affairs? Ask GlobalNews

What these coverups and allegation will allow for?
Homegrown terror

Then the Conservatives will begin their reign of fascist dictatorship, then this beautiful country will fall apart.

And no under the table softwood deals with the Americans or appeasements to the Israeli goverment or Pro-Zionist movements in Canada will save us.

Oh yeah, and as for Ignatieff, well he's no longer able to visit Israel until they're able to clean up anything that might give them away. Hopefully by then, Ignatieff will no longer be in the picture, the Conservatives will see to that in some way

Maybe Steven Harper should visit those Israelis that are trying to put an end to this war, standing up for Palestinian rights and fighting their own government so that true justice will prevail. And maybe will have some responsible leadership in this country...yeah right.

Triumph of the Martyrs: The Fall of Iraq

2006-09-27T23:02:00.000-04:00

Traditionally, picking up a book was a means to escape into a fantasy world, a world detached from the horrors of the reality around us, big or small. However, in these trying times of warped news agencies offering the public a fabrication of reality, Nir Rosen's In the Belly of the Green Bird brings us back to our senses, and back into the war zone that is the global political sphere. Enter Iraq, April 2003 and the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime; the end of an era of darkness. Or so that was what the American government tried in vain to have us believe. The book is a re-telling of the author's daily experiences in post-Saddam Iraq and its descent into lawlessness. It analyses the nihilistic society and the deterioration of the justice system whereby the local militias take over and assert the law in any way they see fit. It sheds light on some of the questionable American abuses of not just prisoners but civilians in Iraq. At one point it describes the notorious Fourth Infantry division tying a man's hands and sending him off a bridge to drown. The feigned infrastructure the Americans provided is also looked at, as they look at ways to control the population. The American army even sent a team to Israel to study methods for suppressing an anti-occupation insurgency (ie. house demolitions).

The book makes no attempt at analysing the political debate between the US and the UN or any lone country. Instead, it offers a perspective of the people of Iraq, the civilians, the militia-men, government workers and even American soldiers. It is a refreshing and insightful look at the real issue on the ground and not the contorted issue in the media. It definitely is worth reading. Instead of being like the other analytical dissections in hard cover form that populate the politcal science / terrorism section at your local Chapters-Indigo stores, this is more a personal diary of what is seen, heard and experienced in a crumbling society. Buy it, get it from the library, just read it.

It's worth the $35.00

No ties to Zarqawi

2006-09-09T11:50:00.000-04:00

Amidst the bloodshed and insurgencies that continously plague Iraq today, the US intelligence committee has submitted an unclassified report detailing Iraq's post-war assessment and ties to terrorists organizations. Though we all know that the case for levelling Iraq was a pack of lies designed to mislead the American public, this report picks up on an interesting point. Mr. Bush has always stated, even after he was told that he was making false statements, that deposed leader Saddam Hussein and his regime were attacked because he harboured and supported terrorists organizations, the largest one in Iraq being led by the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian leader of the Tawhid and Jihad movements in Iraq (Al-Qaeda). What I find interesting, something unknown to me before now, was that Saddam Hussein had actually tried to capture Zarqawi, and put an end to his operation. This is not like how American troops said half-heartedly that they wanted Zarqawi out, but could care less. Saddam had actually tried to, though unsuccessfully, remove the man who was a threat to his regime. For anyone who would like to read or have a copy of the report, I have uploaded it here.

On a more humorous note, Al-Jazeera has reported that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is attempting to ban the sale of cats and dogs as pets, because it breeds Western ideas and distracts people from their other duties. It has become a fashion statement in Jeddah. What surprises me is that Saudi Arabia is actually having open dialogue on this issue of whether it's right to enforce such a law and are actively debating it.

In their attempts to make the Kingdom the haven for Islam and the "perfect" society, they are fogetting their other obligations - like the billions of dollars in outstanding aid they promised to the Palestinians to help rebuild the country. This pledge was made more that 6 years ago and has yet to come into affect. No wonder the muslims are so easily demonized in their respective countries, other muslims who have the money and the means, are too busy exploring the religious values of keeping a pet. They even invoke the words of the Prophet to support their claims. Excuse my language, but what kind of retarded government has taken over the reigns of this "kingdom". Help your fellow muslims and stop invoking the Prophet's name to give substance to your petty arguments.

The new British PM: "Tony Blair"

2006-09-07T09:32:00.000-04:00

It has recently been announced that Prime Minister Tony Blair will resign this week as head of the British Government. His resignation from the Labour party has come after an enormous amount of public pressure from the media and private sector. But what does this entail on the international scene? Blair is regarded by some as a tyrant, a two-faced politician. On the public front, he opposes all the war in the Middle East (as he’s required to), but his government still provides Israel with the components and the means to protect themselves from the poor, malnutritioned, homeless threat to Israel’s safety. Handing over the reigns to a successor has very little hope of changing any sort of political stance on the war in the Middle East. This has been seen in the countless times of Israel’s own revolving government. Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon and now Mr. Olmert all three are acclaimed has heroes, even though all three have committed war crimes against the Palestinians, Lebanese and even other Jews.

The issue here is not that a new Prime Minister will bring a new face and a new outlook. It depends on who the new person is. The last election campaign in the United States demonstrated this, with Kerry vs. Bush. Kerry, a war-vet was seen has the beacon of hope to a corrupt government. But if we dissected his platform on the international level, there isn’t much difference as to what he offered against what Bush was implementing at the time. Kerry was, simply put, not George Bush. The same thing will happen in the British parliament unless it’s someone with real values, with real concerns, and not a suppressed racist hatred that some of the politicians have. Recently, I’ve been following the activities and statements of George Galloway a British MP. He has done a tremendous amount of work centered around bringing the truth out about the atrocities being committed in the Arab/Muslim world and has been critical about many of the Blair Government’s actions to preserve a stable Middle East. Many say that he’s just as bad as Blair, just wants the spotlight. Maybe, but he does have a strong message and always speaks the truth with an array of hard evidence to back it up. Why not give this guy a run in office? Couldn’t hurt to have a person who may actually give a damn about the issue making British foreign policy. Heck it may even save a few lives. Whomever is elected to replace Blair, let’s hope the foreign policy will not follow in the footsteps of the previous leader, or it will become a second chance to make the same mistake.

Regret, Remembrance, Rebuild

2006-08-31T16:18:00.000-04:00

So we've all probably heard of Iran's President offering the US an invite to a live televised debate to discuss matters of national security. Will this offer be accepted? Probably not. Does it matter? Probably not. The only thing worse than having Iran launch a missile and having Israel use there destructive war planes for a "Tehran re-allignment", is Israel launching a pre-emptive strike with their own nukes. They will be heralded for being brave and going against the world's opinion taking a chance to save themselves. The bottom line is, Israel doesn't need saving, it needs to be educated, and the regime replaced.

Kofi Annan blasted Israel recently about hammering Lebanon in the last days before the truce took affect. They hit Beirut and Baalbeck with mortar rounds which have yet to explode and are waiting for the returning Lebanese. Israel has failed to provide information on their whereabouts. But are they chastised for it? It seems a country like Iran can have sanctions imposed on it for potentially making nuclear weapons, but a country like Israel who uses it weapons on civilians, is given carte blanche. It really does matter what the name of the terrorist state is. Just look at Iraq, the country had no weapons but was blown to bits. So I'm glad Iran's got at least some firepower, but has held off using it and even offered a grounds for peaceful debate. Did the US offer Iraq this option? A country who never killed a single US citizens? What these Middle Eastern countries have to do now is reform the Arab League and give priority to countries that aren't eating at the tables of the US. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, these are the countries we should watch out for, they've sold out too many times, and have bought other Arabs/Muslims, even in their own countries, to a state of depression. Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq should lead this coalition. Right now they should put aside their Shia-Sunni rivalry, which has been successfully exploited by every power hungry foreign country. This is a difference we have to work out within our own communities, not for a lunatic mediator from the West to contort, and dictate terms to us.

Israeli blood is more valuable than the blood of Lebanese or Palestinians

2006-08-23T04:16:00.000-04:00

I've recently had the opportunity to view some televised interviews with Mr. George Galloway, British MP for Bethnal Green and Bow on Sky News, a Murdoch owned FOXNews-like channel in the UK. Galloway is criticised by many, but viewed as a hero by more, for his fiery leftist comments against the British and US governments for their War on Terrorism. His interviews on Sky News re-iterate his position that Hizballah is not a terrorist organization and are only brandished as one by the US and Israeli backed media, whom have tried to spread this mentality to their viewers. I had never heard of this man before, and I don't think many people here have. It is worthwile to hear him speak, as he his very articulate in his answering of any question and keeps his comments very secular, so has to avoid being drawn into a Muslim versus Jew conflict, a stance that these interviewers have made countless failed attempts to bring out in him. His interviews can be viewed on YouTube.

Galloway does make an impressive point with his rebuke on the Hizballah not being a terrorist organization. The interviewer moves on to say that Iran has backed the party and has provided rockets that can target all of Israel, not just the north or Tel Aviv. Galloway responds with a rebuke that America has supplied laser guided missiles to Israel that can target not just Lebanon or Palestine, but every country in the middle east. Nuclear missiles, he adds later. It seems that because Galloway is so well grounded and in his element with a solid response for every twisted question that the interviewer posed, it became difficult for her to make him out to be a crazed lunatic as she so often tried to do with her undying love for the Israeli's and her complete disregard for the dying Palestinians. It was definitely a loss for SkyNews here, this was not the interview they wanted. There was no discussion here as the interviewer always moved on with a new question rather than addressing any of the concerns brought up by Galloway.

Moving on to the latest in the UN troops to take over the south of Lebanon - there has been very little progress in making this a reality. The UN countries are still finding it difficult to get countries to provide soldiers for this mission. Germany isn't giving any, France is very uneasy and Italy is not stupid. Italy's foreign minister Massimo D'Alema stated that the deployment of a couple thousand Italian troops to the region depends on Israel respecting the truce (something it has already failed to do so, I might add, as it has already attacked Lebanon again in recent days with a raid that many news outlets have failed to cover). I must give credit to the Italians, it looks like they know of how Israel regards UN Resolution (a suggestion rather than a rule of law) and are keeping their troops out of any undue hardships. So salute to you Italia.

And now with Olmert saying that the Israelis will stay put in Lebanon until an international peace keeping force is deployed, we can see that Israel will not be leaving that country anytime soon, although you shouldn't have expected anything different. Israel knew that no country would want to commit itself and face the wrath of Olmert or any possible reprisal from Muslims in their respective countries. That's why the winning hand is always in the Knesset and everyone else's hand is either fold now or lose more later, something the occupied territories have been dealing with for decades.

Colourblind

2006-08-12T11:14:00.000-04:00

The UN released another draft of a resolution that it hopes will be adhered to. I’ve reposted some of their points from Al-Jazeera’s English Language website.

1. Calls for a full cessation of hostilities based upon, in particular, the immediate cessation by Hizbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations;

Now let’s read that last little bit again. Cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations. This is an important point the last US and France draft missed out on.

4. Reiterates its strong support for full respect for the Blue Line (separating Israel and Lebanon);

This is where Israel will start having a problem understanding. The Israeli Army is and has been colourblind since its initial conception. They don’t know what a blue line is. They didn’t know what the green line in Palestine meant. Show them a rainbow and they’ll have to sit down for a minute to catch their breath.

6. Calls on the international community to take immediate steps to extend its financial and humanitarian assistance to the Lebanese people, including through facilitating the safe return of displaced persons and, under the authority of the government of Lebanon, reopening airports and harbors, consistent with paragraphs 14 and 15, and calls on it also to consider further assistance in the future to contribute to the reconstruction and development of Lebanon;

What this should read is something along the lines of barring the US from bullying other countries and foreign banks from stopping the transfer of money to the Lebanese people, like they previously had done in Palestine. Also, Stephen Harper should be banned from performing any sort of action remotely resembling that of the US. Actually, what should happen is that an interim government should be brought in to the Canadian Parliament to deal with this crisis and Harper should stay out of this. He has angered too many Canadians already with his Pro-Israeli/Zionist dream in a cheap attempt to make himself known on the international platform. The current prime minister with his complete lack of knowledge or disregard for it, has made Canada into a target for retribution by the people he has started targeting. Now he just ups his security precautions in airports and border crossings. What he should be doing is taking an active step to understanding why this conflict continues to rage on.

Another point the resolution made:

Provision to the United Nations of all remaining maps of land mines in Lebanon in Israel's possession;

Like this will ever happen. The IOF has placed so many landmines that they themselves are having trouble staying away from them. Strange that Harper has never mentioned this before. I would think that if Lebanon was in Israel’s position, Harper would be adamantly demanding the whereabouts of mines, munitions caches, cell phone numbers of all Hezballah, and what they had to eat the previous night.

Government spokesman Avi Pazner said in a recent address, “this operation is aimed at preventing Hezbollah from firing rockets into northern Israel and is not limited in time," he said.

Not limited in time? They will not stop until Lebanon has been completely flattened. Then the Harper government is going to have a problem. Remember that little group of people in the areas of central Montreal and its suburbs, where do they come from again Harper? That little Beirut is bigger than you think. The conservatives will lose any seat they hold in that area and with the Lebanese and separatists backing each other, there’s going to be hell to pay for. This will follow in the footsteps of the FLQ October Crises and if Harper thinks the War Measures Act is going to help him, he’s in for a rude awakening. Trudeau had class, Harpers an ass. That’s not libel, he’s already ruined his reputation with his undying support of the Israeli War Machine.

And here’s the most saddening point. Apart from the Lebanese and the Palestinians who are being looked upon as terrorists/militants and what have you, another group who are going to suffer are the Israeli people. A people who have spent years trying to get away from the claim that being a Jew makes them inferior to everyone else. But with the Israeli army being above the law and their constant breaches of UN Resolutions, this is a one way street. The Jewish peoples in Israel have a voice, but it is not through the Israeli Army, or Olmert, or even Stephen Harper. It comes from the countless Jewish based initiatives and groups that advocate for Palestinian rights, for peace with its neighbors. The Jewish groups that advocate against Israel. These are the ones that suffered during the Holocaust, not those secular Jews in the government. These are the ones that aren’t given camera time, that hold demonstrations that aren’t broadcasted, the ones that have a conscience and know that the Israeli Army’s trek into other countries is just a land grab, and will only make more enemies for Israel. These are the voices that we should be standing behind.

Canadian Reaction

2006-08-06T22:29:00.000-04:00

I’ve read some posts on CBC’s Viewpoint forum and some of the reactions by Canadians is surprising. There are numerous people who are praising Steven Harper for sticking to his principles and not listening to the polls like the Liberals did in the previous government. To me this comes off as a vain attempt to glorify Harper by comparing him to another party that fell out of favour with the people. We are not looking now at what is right, but who is less wrong and then rewarding Harper for not being like the Liberals. This is not the sole way to judge a government, by the actions of the previous one. You have to judge them also by their current actions. One that I can’t get by is the publication ban that still lays shroud around the 17 terror suspects that have been held. We still don’t know why they’re being detained or any other details about the arrests. This contrasted with Harper saying that he wanted a more transparent government.

I’ve selected two of the post that I feel should be looked at.

The first follows here:
Harper’s comments and his corresponding actions in the Middle East are totally distorted. He shows he has no interest in peace and his actions only emphasize his pro-Israeli/pro-American stance. Israel continues its revengeful attitude by taking a hundred eyes for each one lost. This insanity only creates more generations of hatred and those that inflict their punitive measures cannot fathom its folly. Targeting innocent civilians in Lebanon is not collateral damage; it is murder and those who support this insanity are war criminals. Once the battle stops, healing these belligerent ways will take at least another 50 years of intense effort by peacemakers. Rather than build on Yitzak Rabin’s peace initiatives of 20 years ago, the hawks in both Israel and the U.S. now dominate. Israelis, more than any other ethnic group in history, should know what it is like to be ostracized. They should examine their own history and show some compassion for their fellow human beings.

This one comes off as a little angry, but fiery views are what grows abundant in these times. And this person’s views are shared by many people that I’ve spoken with in the last week, some of them very educated about the issue, some of them unaware of who Rabin actually was.

And the pro-Israeli viewpoint:
Thank you Mr. Harper for standing with those Israelis under threat for simply being Jewish. I know that Mr. Harper will lose a lot of votes among the immigrant populations in the cities of Montreal and Toronto where support for Hezbollah is very high. But Hezbollah supports the genocide of the Jewish people. It's disgusting that Canadians in these polls are supporting genocide against the Jewish people. I wonder if it's anti-Americanism at work in these polls or anti-Semitism at work. I guess it doesn't matter because its shameful either way.

This second post caught my eye for suggesting the idea that Canadians were supporting genocide against the Jewish people. Has this gentleman gone completely bonkers? Let’s see, rockets (numerous rockets) fired into the north of Israel compared to the complete ground invasion, air raids and inclusion of more than 80, 000 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon. No Hizballah are in Israel. If we look at only the civilian casualties, Lebanese far outnumber the Israeli so pro-Israeli-war-machine supporters should stay away from quoting numbers. Yes there is genocide but this person got who it was directed to completely wrong. I’m ashamed that this came from a Canadian, since we have unlimited access to sources both national and international and should be able to make far more educated statements.

Qana

2006-08-05T22:18:00.000-04:00

I'm having trouble posting words now. The blatant disregard for life. The two-faced Israeli government. Words are hard to come by. I found this site with pictures of the Qana attack in Lebanon. Please be advised, these pictures are disturbing and please do not view if you think it may cause you any sort of health issues. The Israeli government has lost all heart now. This is the real story.

No Title; Just News

2006-08-03T19:45:00.000-04:00

Israel continues its destructive drive into Lebanon this week. And as the global community stands back and does nothing, America, the IOF, Britain and all its pawn countries rev the assault into high gear, all the while telling the rest of the world that they're seeking a humanitarian solution. And we’re supposed to buy it, even with the shipment of US laser guided missiles to Tel Aviv, to make Israel an even more ruthless killing machine. They declared a ceasefire (whatever this means to the Israeli army) after the killing of several children in Lebanon. This was a vain attempt to show that their military has a heart, despite how black it may appear. This showed the world that the army only desires peace, but will do whatever it has to do to get it, even complete and utter genocide of the Lebanese, Palestinians and Iraqis, lest we forget. They will stop and let the world see this pause, but continue massive ground and air raids in the Gaza strip and the Westbank killing hundreds of children in their wake. What happened to the humanity? One country at a time it seems. Apparently Israel, the jewel of the world, the brains of every outfit, has trouble multi-tasking.

Condoleeza Rice paid a visit to President Abbas last week which was attended by Palestinians, humanitarian groups, and international journalists. They were all eager to participate in the question and answer period where Rice would explain why America was taking the steps it was. And then the period was scrapped, much to the dismay, and I use that term lightly, of every person in attendance. The problem with Abbas is that he needs to make his role in this matter more bold, more solid, and not shake hands with a smile that even he has trouble keeping on his face. This is why Palestine is being controlled, manipulated and destroyed. You don’t shake hands with the Devil, just for formalities. The situation is dire, let’s not let it go to the dogs.

And back here what’s going on? Last week and interview with Nahlah Ayed and the Prime Minister of Lebanon was cut short, actually cut off, when the President started saying that the international community has done very little so far for the Lebanese and are allowing them to die by taking a painstakingly slow response. I commend Nahlah for doing this interview; I am ashamed of the CBC for docking it. There is a responsibility the CBC owes the viewer and that’s the reporting of the news in its fullest, not selectively. The constant attempts at making this seem like a balanced war is what’s going to get the Lebanese killed. This is not a conventional war; it is not one where there are comparable casualties on both sides. Lebanese casualties and Palestinian, together or separate, grossly outnumber Israeli ones. This is what the viewer needs to be aware of and what the CBC has failed to do.

Israeli Military Ignorance/Ignorant

2006-07-28T07:10:00.000-04:00

Peace keepers of UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) were fired at and killed after the Israeli army failed to heed warnings from an Irish army officer on six separate occasions. The army officer warned them that they were shelling close to UNIFIL bases in the region but alas, the warnings fell on deaf ears. As Kofi Annan condemns Israel, as he and many others have done numerous times in the past, Israel ignored the fact, saying that Annan was erroneous to imply that the army had any deliberate intentions to target the workers. 2 things. Annan wasn’t implying anything; he said Israel was deliberately targeting the humanitarian workers. Also, how many times does someone have to tell you that you’re hitting UN workers before you listen; obviously more than 6 if you’re Irish. This is becoming just like the activists in Gaza who are being shot at, jailed and killed, being silenced. Annan called for an investigation into the incident. Okay that’s good, we should see the results in 20 or so odd years, when he investigates Sabra and Shatila. A Canadian, Maj. Paeta Derek Hess-von Kruedener, was killed in the Israeli attack, or presumed missing (ie. killed). And our own Steven Harper, well his position is easy to guess. He doesn’t believe the attack to have been deliberate. In a CBC article, Harper said he not only wants to know ‘why the UN post was attacked’, but also why ’it remained manned during what is now, more or less, a war.’ Because they’re a peace keeping force Steven. You don’t send a force into a place where it’s not needed, that’s wasting resources. And I guess Steven Harper only showed his concerned for the Canadian soldier two weeks after Israel invaded. It took him that long to figure out this would be a war. Please take a look at this article as I think it’s important for people to read. It can be found on the CBC’s website here.

Let the rain come down

2006-07-22T14:27:00.000-04:00

I was on the bus heading into work today. Every person that had the Metro paper was reading the front page, as though all at the same time. A picture with a Canadian girl in Beirut, wearing a black top, hands on her head. This was penned on the ride in. At first I wasn’t going to post it, but I thought about it, and came around.

The rain of leaflets start to fall. The old Reservists heed the call.
Call to arms, a call to fight. So shows the strength of Israeli might.
A fragile army Beirutis know. A questioned Resistance, friend or foe?
Stranded persons who see the fight. A gruesome sight this hopeless plight.

A resealed hole, a stiched up wound. The realization of imperative doom.
Unbalanced death, old and new. Fifteen Gazans to a Jew.
To nurse a hurt is to salt a cut.
And one world with eyes, but sight sealed shut.

While the world gears its head toward Lebanon, Israeli soldiers have entered Nablus in the Westbank, bulldozing the PA headquarters. The interior ministry, the police headquarters, and Palestinian homes have been demolished. People are without food, without water, and now with the detention of foreign activists, without a voice. The army said the incursion was performed to flush out wanted fighters connected to Hezballah. There army in Lebanon says that the Hezballah are connected to Syria and Iran. Truth is, with Israel displacing so many people from so many areas in the Middle East, it’s become increasingly more difficult for them to invade a country that doesn’t have inhabitants of another.

I read an article in the Metro paper, the headline was about Hezballah rockets killing two children in Israel. After I read the article, I noticed that it only mentioned one sentence regarding the two children. The rest of the article was about Israel’s unjust killing of Lebanese civilians. It’s weird how they have the moral fibers in them to write the truth (because they have to) but will mislead the reader with a contorted headline. The average person just glancing over the page would’ve seen an anti-Hezballah theme; someone reading the news would’ve taken away something completely different. But that’s the way the cookie crumbles here, and this cookie has a real bad aftertaste.

No hope for Brazilian: de Menezes story parallels Palestine

2006-07-18T22:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I read on Yahoo news that the two officers charged with killing Jean Charles de Menezes, a 27 year old Brazilian man, on a London subway train July 22, 2005, will not face charges related to his death. The shooting took place two weeks after suicide bombers blew themselves apart and over 50 other commuters on the subway in London. The police identified him as a suicide bomber and shot him dead, no questions asked. What’s surprising here is that this same police force had been tracking de Menezes for over a week before this incident occurred. They had taps on his house and followed him from place to place before his death. The crown argues that they had to act because they had limited time. It seems that if you look like a terrorist then by god you’re gonna be treated (ie. shot dead) like one.

What’s more strange is that London’s metro police will be prosecuted for violating health and safety laws because they fail to ‘provide for the health, safety and welfare’ of the victim. Yes, this kinda happens when you shoot him dead without a clear motive.

And here’s the Palestinian link. Remember Iman al-Hams, a young girl who was shot twice by an army commander, who then walked up to her already dead body and proceeded to empty his magazine into her face. Israel calls this “Verification Killing”, this is a law (or by-law or something else that has no grounds) that allows for anyone in the military to perform this action without being held accountable. De Menezes was shot 7 times in the subway. Kind of excessive don’t you think? The commander who brutalized young Iman’s face was not held accountable, much to the dismay of many young Israeli soldiers in his squad who were silenced when they tried to voice their concerns. So you see, not all the Israelis are cold hearted cruel people. It’s only the ones in power that make the decisions, the ones that don’t listen to the young people who still retain a conscience. As in Israel, the London officers will not be charged for their inhumane crimes, though the echoes of Israeli verification killings are loud enough for all the world to hear.

Liberating Lebanon: Israel's answer to a question no one asked

2006-07-15T11:31:00.000-04:00

In Montreal yesterday, a demonstration was held with Jews and Arabs (Muslim/Christian), condemning the actions of Israel in both Gaza and now in Lebanon. This was cut short however by an Israeli advocacy group who kept up with the same aging rhetoric of ‘Israel has the right to defend itself’. I guess Bush, Mr. Harper, and this group were at the same evening gala when they announced what buzz words they were going to push this month. So far, terrorists (this means Muslim) and militants (this also means Muslim now) are the forerunners of the lot.

Jumping half way across the world to Beirut, Walid Jumblatt, a Druze leader who opposes the Hezballah, said that the groups recent raid on an Israeli outpost was an outrageous attempt to bring the country into war. Now I’m not a political analyst but it seems rather naïve to believe that if Hezballah lays down its arms, Israel is just going to walk away. More likely than not, Israel will respond with a ‘Hezballah must recognize Israel’ statement. This will be another powder keg that Israel will try to light, pitting the Druz, the Shia and the Sunnis against each other. Each group will reach for the top, and then the West will tell the country it's in need of reform. Many Lebanese are divided here. Some see Hezballah has the only defence their country has against the invasion. But there are those that believe that now with the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon over, Hezballah should stow away its weapons as called for by UN Security resolution. Following suit, the Israeli army may also begin to start following UN resolutions. And heck, maybe will also realize that George Bush won the election legit, and that the Iraqi people are free now. Sarcasm has been taken to a whole new level. Jumblatt went on to say that Syria and Iran are trying to use the current situation in Lebanon to further their own agendas. This sort of statement can only serve to stir up feeling of mistrust and paranoia, something we really don’t need right now. I guess Jumblatt will feel more safe if he lets Israel liberate Lebanon from its recovering economy, those poor people in Shatila that threaten his political career, and any chance of Lebanon controlling its own affairs.

One pieced of good news, or maybe refreshing is the right word here. A hole in the wall of the separation barrier allowed several Gazans to return to their land this week. They’ve been stranded on the wrong side and were eager to get back home. Israel is probably in a frantic about all those ‘suicide bombers’ returning, their lame reason for putting up the wall. With all the other crossings closed, this is a bridge for the Palestinians, one that the IOF can’t really destroy (this is the refreshing part). Quoting a recent Aljazeera article about the Rafah and Karni gateways, ‘Palestinians technically control the crossing, but its operations can be blocked by the Israelis.’ So much for Palestinian autonomy, Isreal can grant it and take it away without so much as batting an eye.

I wonder if all this Israeli aggression is really just a show to cover up what’s going on in other parts of the Middle East. Currently, there have been reports coming out from Iraq of severe mis-management, mis-information, mis-demeanor and mis-conduct by the US army (ie. rape, abuse, killing of women), but all this is taking a back seat to the Israeli story. They create a distraction for the world and the US is free to gallop away with all their stones of sin unturned. Seems like Israel is doing an exceptional job holding up their end of the bargain.

Fighting intensifies

2006-07-09T13:18:00.000-04:00

Today I read an article on Al-Jazeera’s English website, Gaza offensive, timelining the events of the Israeli blitz on Gaza(ns). It did a good job outlining the events thus far so I hope you’ll take a look at it.

I’d like to post some of the key points that caught my eye

Israel revokes the Jerusalem residency rights of a Hamas minister and three MPs

Twenty-two Palestinian civilians and armed groups are killed in Gaza as Israel thrusts deeper into the north, re-occupying areas evacuated 10 months ago

The UN Security Council debates a draft resolution demanding an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the release of detained Palestinian officials but the United States describes it as "unbalanced

I’ll let these 3 speak for themselves, there’s really no grey area here.

The Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, spoke out again against Israel’s Gaza offensive stating that their actions were a “desperate effort to undermine the Palestinian government under the pretext of a search for the missing soldier". The shelling has intensified and people are being wounded and killed everywhere. There are plenty of women and children that are currently crowding up the beds in all of Gaza’s medical facilities and with Israel sanctioning the flow of medical supplies into the territory, there are sure to be more casualties to come. They’ll pin this on the Hamas government, saying that it was responsible for the death of its people. And with the US backing them all the way (financially and politically) things will get a lot worse, before they get better. Even the screaming and shouting of Palestinian are being muffled by the return of the howling sonic booms created by the Israeli fighter jets. It’s funny how a government that has a fully equipped ground infantry, tanks, helicopters, bulldozers, nuclear arms, and a separating wall can feel threatened by another group of people that have homemade guns and slings to throw rocks and pebbles with.

In Al-Farahin just east of Khan Yunis, the Israeli army moved in with tanks, bulldozers and a set of F-16s, firing at anything that moved, and a few that didn’t. Homes, greenhouses, and crops were destroyed. Around 15 people killed. Oh, and no Gilad Shalit. Let’s raise the next town. And raise they did; other towns were not safe from the barrage. Gaza city, Beit Lahya and Jenin all suffered casualties these last couple of days.

Palestinian carrying a young boy killed by Israeli artillery, Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip July 6, 2006. (MaanImages/Mohamed al-Zanon)

What bothers me the most is that for 2 weeks Israel has been shelling the life out of Gaza, but every major news network, save the CBC, is doing a less than ample job covering the events. It’s a known fact that Canada’s media coverage is partial towards the Zionist dream, but this is ridiculous. When the IDF pulled out of Gaza, and I used that term very lightly, I saw the same 30 seconds of video footage of crying settlers shown repeatedly every hour of the day for several weeks. I hardly ever see substantial footage of Gaza and usually it’s in a 1 minute ‘News Around the World’ segment. Why don't I ever see Mr. Olmert or Mr. Peres, both of whom speak perfect English, come out and say a few words. They don’t even have to defend their positions, I’d just like people to know that these people are educated and well versed in every aspect of life. Every time I see an Arab or a Muslim on tv it’s some crazy person yelling their heads off and looking like they’re possessed, emptying a round of bullets into the air. Where are those clean shaven lawyers and camera friendly faces that I hear speaking about justice and human rights? I guess the networks deem these people, ‘not what the public wants to see’. Well wake up, no news is good news, it’s never what we want to see.

Israeli offensive: Offending Human Rights for decades

2006-07-03T20:01:00.000-04:00

The recent incursion into Gaza by the Israeli Defense Force has brought to light many issues that suggest that Israel is driving its military tanks through Gaza, not to save the life of young Corporal Gilad Shalit, but to annihilate those it deems responsible. And it deems all of Gaza responsible. It has hit the main power generation station, cutting of electricity to thousands of Gazan's, has raided a hospital and even hit a school. With their constant barrage of missiles and shells it is doubtful that Shalit will survive. I wonder if Shalit is released tomorrow, will the IDF cease all actions against the Palestinians. One can dream, can't they?

I'd like to look at another issue now, this one more clearly defining Israel's Iron Fist rule. Recently, the IDF has been denying entry to Palestinians who leave the country for a bit, from re-entering the country. People born in Gaza or the West Bank are being denied the right to enter their country of origin, even if they've lived there for years. It's just one of the new 'security precautions' Israel is taking. What surprises me more is that the Israeli government has also begun denying entry to activists and Human rights groups, who it lists as being sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Apparently opposing the rule of Israel, or standing up for justice and freedom is a big no-no in their eyes. Medical supplies and food stuffs are running out and new supplies are having trouble being brought into Gaza through the Rafah crossing. The military has cited security concerns for everything; it's like a buzz word to them now. I don't blame them. It's so easy to turn IV fluid into a WMD.

And then they go and hit the PM's headquarters. Typical of a group that wants dialogue and peaceful negotions. Eliminating the other party - quickest, most effective dialogue I've ever seen.
In a recent Aljazeera article statesman Shimon Peres says, "it is a government that was elected properly, but behaves like a terroristic organisation. So we didn't disturb the elections, but once we see the way they behave, we cannot consider them a government." So as long as they conform and accept that they are second class citizens, we shouldn't have a problem. Sounds like White America in the 60's. Not a problem for Israel, they'll just detain the couple of people causing the trouble, say like a third of the Palestinian cabinet - eight ministers and more than 20 politicians. Oh and over 9000 palestinians currently held in Israeli jails, many of them small children. Israel's running out of space now, better annex some more land; this was the security concern I mentioned before.

It's funny that this attack comes just shortly after Hamas had proposed accepting Israel's right to exists, thus ending the majority of the conflict. We won't be hearing too much about this though, peace between the two long warring factions is small peas compared to one captured French gunner who was violating the fourth Geneva convention by being there. I even think that France was a signatory to this. Ironic eh? I wonder what's in store for the Palestinians in the coming weeks? Will the UN finally intervene and put and end to this clear violation of liberties and justice. How many people, Palestinian or Jew have to go before the UN says, "Umm... see here Israel, about the Palestinians, you should probably rethink the matter." I hope it's sooner rather than later.

Homegrown: a hotspot for Canada

2006-07-02T19:35:00.000-04:00

Well I'm still in heartbreak over the recent loss of Brazil to rival France in the WC quarter finals. Unlike their previous game, in which Brazil had a brilliantly strong defensive core, France was able to penetrate and score, taking out the fan favourite Brazil. France is well on it's way now, they'll hit Portugal next week and probably Germany in the Final, and end up taking the tournament. The cup is brought back to Europe for another four years regardless.

But let's get on with the real news.

Recently Toronto has experienced its own brush with terrorism, and the "homegrown threat". The media had a field day with this too, and why shouldn't they? In the weeks that followed, the Harper Government has been reassuring everyone that the threat is contained, but has repeated this to the people so many times that they should be on edge now. I work in downtown toronto near Wellington and Bay and the people here seem to be unphased. I spoke to some of them recently and they said they're not going to be afraid of going to work in lieu of a possible attack as a result of these events. It seems that they just don't care enough about what this new government says, as if the credibility of the Canadian government was washed away with this last election.

And the government's response to this event is also worth mentioning. PM Harper can't be so blind to the fact that his actions closely mirror the policy of the US when it comes to detaining suspects. Media bans, lawyer/client restrictions, I mean people have connected the dots, have called him a stooge, a pawn, not to mention some other choice words. What's to be gained from this?

The fact of the matter is that this threat is homegrown, but so is the cause. People have blamed the hot tempered imam in a mississauga mosque, or the rise of islamic-extremism (this is not a compound word, it's an adjective and a noun, please remember that). These are children that are being detained, kids growing up in wartime, with the mainstream media telling them one thing, and their morals and values telling them another. The current government's continued program in Afghanistan is leading to these problems. It was the Americans who instigated this problem, why are we playing super nanny and cleaning it up? Will we also have to clean up the mess (and what a mess) they're making in Iraq? We're spending money on this operation, instead of spending money where it needs to be. Hospitals, schools, you name it and it's suffering. And then Harper does something even more outlandish. He goes and cuts the gst to 6%. This was one of his campaign promises, which I've learned recently doesn't even have to be upheld. Businesses will not be fined for not adhering to this and can still charge the regular 7%. Empty promises, Empty pockets, empty class rooms, more people on the streets - now we got some serious homegrown trouble, and it's sitting atop parliament hill.

I'd like to digress and tug at another matter here. Why is it that after Harper comes back from meeting with President Bush, after Toronto has its terrorist scare, why is it that the position on softwood lumber seems to be doing just that - softening. Seems like somebody made a deal. I wonder how the government will hide this from people. It just seems to be disappearing as if we never had a problem.

Just something to keep in mind.

Starting out...

2006-07-02T17:34:00.000-04:00

Hi,
I'm just starting a blog here, never had one before. Have seen some people do it so I've decided to try my hand at it. Have some things I'd like to talk about, politics, religion, young people. Blogs seem to have become an effective way to reach people today, young people in particular. With all the distractions that face us, with our ipods, cellphones, msn, we seem to be locking ourselves in a bubble and have stopped paying attention to the events of the world, be it in the community, city, country, or the global scale. I'll take these first steps. Let's see how this goes.

-Torontoman