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When "freedom of speech" translates into hate crime
Kourosh Ziabari
They see the offensive movie which has insulted one of the world's most ancient, venerated and popular religions in the light of their ambassador and other diplomatic staff being killed overseas. Of course such violence is not accepted, but the U.S. politicians and mass media have never paid due attention to the disgraceful and outrageous nature of a movie which portrays Islam a repressive religion and its holy prophet as a depraved and corrupt individual; a movie which has targeted the souls of 1.5 billion Muslims around the world with its heinous and appalling language.
"Innocence of Muslims" produced by a man who has been laying in ambush since the release of the 13-minute trailer of his movie on Youtube is a film awash with a throbbing tone and insulting portrayals. There has been a widespread controversy over the identity of the man behind the movie. Last Wednesday, the Associated Press published an interview with a man identified as an American-Israeli citizen named Sam Bacile who produced the movie with the donation of 100 Jewish sponsors. The same day, Wall Street Journal published an interview with Bacile and identified him as the writer and producer of the movie.
Agitate for Change
by Stephen Lendman
Sitting on the sidelines accomplishes nothing. Indifference isn't an option. Nothing important changes without public involvement and activism. "We the people" must show we mean it.
Doug Dowd is an economic historian, economist, and political activist. At age 94, he's slowed, but still active, vibrant and committed for long overdue change.
He's a radical economist in the best sense of the term. His academic career spanned six decades. He's still writing books and articles. He discusses cutting-edge economic, political and social issues.
His recently published book is titled "Inequality and the Global Economic Crisis
- class, political, racial, and gender-based inequality;
- big business and inequality;
- inequality worsened by consumerism and media manipulation;
Fatah Israeli Collaborators
by Stephen Lendman
Call it an open secret. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, unelected Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, and like-minded Fatah officials collaborate with Israel's occupation harshness.
At least since Oslo, they served Israel at the expense of their own people. Abbas is more Israeli sheriff than legitimate president. He suppresses peaceful demonstrations, targets free expression, fills West Bank detention centers with political prisoners, and governs as an illegitimate Quisling head of state.
As chief Oslo negotiator, he unconditionally surrendered to Israeli demands. He became known for flexibility and subservience. His bosses reside in Tel Aviv and Washington. He's more stooge than statesman. He's rewarded with White House photo-ops and other handsome benefits.
QE Shell Game
by Stephen Lendman
Now you see it. Now you don't. QE III is the Fed's latest scam. A previous article quoted PIMCO's Bill Gross. He called it money printing "till the cows come home."
Doing it won't resolve festering economic problems. They're getting worse while Bernanke, the ECB, Bank of England, Bank of Japan, Congress, Obama, and like-minded world leaders fiddle.
After crisis conditions erupted in fall 2007, one scam followed another. Occupy Wall Street is right. "Banks got bailed out. We got sold out." It hasn't stopped and won't until either people rebel or the whole house of cards Greenspan/Bernanke built collapses.
Hamas & the Brotherhood: Homogenous ideology but variant concerns
Khalid Amayreh
Hamas thought the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's accession to power would create a dramatic transformation in Gaza, however, they have discovered their Brothers in Cairo have different priorities
When Mohamed Morsi was finally declared the winner in the hotly-contested Egyptian presidential election on 23 June, Hamas's supporters in the Gaza Strip reacted almost euphorically.
Overwhelmed by a feeling of ecstasy, Islamists of all ages paraded the streets, distributing sweets and shouting enthusiastic slogans in support of Egypt's new Islamist president and his (their) mother party, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas's legitimate mother.
Many congratulated each others on the "historic Islamist victory," made possible thanks to the Egypt's January 25 Revolution.
Education and Democracy
by Stephen Lendman
Democracy and an educated citizenry go hand in hand. Public education is the great equalizer. America's founders believed it was insurance against loss of liberty.
Jefferson said:
"Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves, therefore, are its only safe depositories. And to render them safe, their minds must be improved to a certain degree."
Neil Postman perhaps is best known for saying "Americans are the most entertained and least informed people in the world." Most know little or nothing about what matters most.
Occupation Hell in Palestine
by Stephen Lendman
Forty-five years and counting. In 1977, John Pilger titled his documentary film "Palestine Is Still The Issue." It's no different today than then. In many respects, it's worse.
He said his film "was about a nation of people - the Palestinians - forced off their land and later subjected to a military occupation by Israel. An occupation condemned by the United Nations and almost every country in the world except Britain" and America. Add a couple of small Pacific islands that go along with everything Washington demands.
For its part, Israel has a powerful ally in America. US media scoundrels never broadcast Pilger's film. In August 2003, he said:
"So in 25 years, if we're to speak of the great injustice here, nothing changed. What has changed is that the Palestinians have fought back."
China in closed door negotiations to purchase Mexican crude oil without using US Dollars
Von Helman
the Pemex CEO Juan Jose Suarez Coppel
Sources inside the Mexican government refuse to confirm that the Mexico government has been in secret negotiations with China over possible crude oil sales to China without using the US dollar.
China officials claim meetings held with the Mexican government and Petróleos Mexicanos (or Pemex) are for investment and economic growth inside Mexico. Crude oil purchases fall under this heading however officials on both sides in the past have stopped short of publicly discussing crude oil or any talks related to any special agreements relating to crude oil purchases.
Score One for Hedges v. Obama
by Stephen Lendman
Southern District of New York federal Judge Katherine B. Forrest
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong called his Apollo 11 landing "one step for man, a giant leap for mankind."
Hedges v. Obama perhaps reflects a baby step, if temporary, for justice.
On September 12, Southern District of New York federal Judge Katherine B. Forrest blocked Obama's indefinite detention law.
In her 112-page ruling, she called it "facially unconstitutional: it impermissibly impinges on guaranteed First Amendment rights and lacks sufficient definitional structure and protections to meet the requirements of due process."
Long Knives Target Iran
by Stephen Lendman
Mohammad Mossadeq
Some background:
February 11, 2012 marked the 33rd anniversary of Iran's 1979 revolution. It ended a generation of repressive rule under Washington's installed Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.
In 1953, CIA operative Kermit Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt's grandson and Franklin's cousin, engineered the Agency's first coup. Democratically elected Mohammad Mossadeq was ousted. The New York Times called him Iran's "most popular politician."
As late as 1977, Jimmy Carter declared Iran an "oasis of stability." He ignored years of brutal Shah repression. In January 1979, he fled the country. Ayatollah Khomeini returned. He proclaimed the Islamic Republic with overwhelming public support.
US officials thought they could control him. They thought wrong. Iran was free from Western dominance and didn't look back. Tensions escalated. Washington planned regime change. It remains US policy.
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