Update : Arab Spring reform movement in Egypt Being crushed as The Old Guard of the Mubarak Regime retakes power .
Egypt’s Generals Retake Power by Sanjeev Bery at Amnesty
USA.org, June 18, 2012
That'll be the day when any American president will act in defense of human rights rather than based upon America's geo-political interests. President Obama would rather have the police state re-instituted in Egypt or any other nation in the region rather than have them act independently and possibly reject USA, NATO, European or Israeli policies.
Update: Christian Jihad
Note Jim Garlow defines True or Real Christianity as the "authentic Biblical historic orthodox Christianity " all who do not fit this definition are ipso facto not real Christians. This definition of Christianity therefore excludes any Christian Church which does not accept the doctrine of Biblical as the literal inerrant word of God as being apostate. It also formulates the belief that America is God's chosen nation and that its founding Fathers and the creation of the Declaration of Independence , the US Constitution and Bill of Rights are a result of God's intervention and inspiration. The Founding Fathers of America are therefore to be regarded as equal to the Apostles of Jesus and to the Biblical Prophets .
Jim Garlow along with the majority of Evangelical Christians in America as opposed to in their view the false heretical notion of the Separation of Church and state. America is therefore a Christian Nation if not The Christian Nation.
and :
In this next video Pastor Dennis Terry takes similar stand as Jim Garlow on who are the "Real Christians" in his case he also denies the notion of the Separation of Church and State and proclaims those who label themselves or are in fact "liberal Christians " are no better than non-Christians and "Secular Humanists" and atheists whom he believes should be removed from America leaving only the "True Christians" to govern.
Pastor Dennis Terry Introduces Rick Santorum, Tells Liberals and Non-Christians to 'Get Out' of America
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Sun, 03/18/2012 Right Wing Watch at The People For The American Way
Greenwell Springs Baptist Church pastor Dennis Terry introduced presidential candidate Rick Santorum and Family Research Council president Tony Perkins tonight in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a rousing speech railing against liberals and non-Christians and condemning abortion rights, "sexual perversion," same-sex marriage and secular government. Terry said that America "was founded as a Christian nation" and those that disagree with him should "get out! We don't worship Buddha, we don't worship Mohammad, we don't worship Allah!" Terry, who has a long history of attacks against the gay community, went on to criticize marriage equality for gays and lesbians, and said that the economy can only recover when we "put God back" in government.
And Evangelical and right-wing Faux Historian Barton Again Falsely Claims The Constitution Reflects The Bible "Verbatim" by Kyle Mantyla at Right Wing Watch People For The American Way , 05/21/2012
Barton mangles the literal and spiritual meaning of the biblical passage and the letter and spirit of the passage from the US Constitution . Barton appears like other charlatans and apologist on the right to depend on the ignorance of his audience. Just opening the Bible to that passage shows no correlation. Yet the right treats Barton as if he were some great historical scholar on America's Founding Fathers and their documents and as also a Biblical scholar.
UPDATE OWS:
Chris Hedges argues in his latest article that the occupy Movement is not dead but rather experiencing a lull while the movement re-evaluates its goals and its strategy and tactics . Chris Hedges warns that the Occupy Movement should not get too caught up in the current political structure in the USA but rather question the status quo of self-identifying liberals and progressives who place too much of their trust in the Democratic Party or other political institutions.
The emphasis Chris Hedges argues must be on influencing the public and political debate and discussion in the Media to highlight the Occupy Movement's concerns over issues such as Economic inequality and injustice and the widening gap between average citizens and the wealthy elite and their supporters who constitute the 1%.
Occupy Will Be Back By Chris Hedges at TruthDig via ICH, June 18,2012
--------------------------------
Robert Fisk argues the Egyptian Arab Spring revolution and reform has turned into another season of discontent as those who held power who abused that powere by treating the Egyptian peoples as their enemy if they dared to speak out about corruption or indefinte detentions and torture (sounds like Bush/Obam era in America . While Mubarak was tried and punished all of his underlings have been given immunity it appears.
Meanwhile these same underlings are now once again in charge in Egypt so there has been no real substantive change. It is the same bunch of greedy power hungry murderers and torturers who have retained power.
They will never be made to pay for their crimes in the same way that those in the US government under Bush and Obama have been given immunity and to even to write about and go on TV boasting about what they did or are now doing.
Mubarak's 300,000-strong army of thugs remains in business despite elections
The Long View: The military has played a shrewd game – insisting Mubarak go on trial while realigning supporters to preserve their privileges By Robert Fisk: "The Independent" via ICH,June 18,2012
And Amnesty International highlights the sabotaging of the Egyptian Reform Movement as the Generals retake control of the nation.
Egypt’s Generals Retake Power by Sanjeev Bery at AmnestyUSA.org, June 18, 2012
" But in this time of significant uncertainty, the Obama administration needs to go one step further. The US government has long prioritized its military-to-military relationship with Egyptian officials over human rights concerns. The Obama administration should now explicitly state its support for an Egyptian government rooted in accountability and respect for human rights – not an expansion of power for the very military institutions that have violated those human rights."
Egypt’s Generals Retake Power by Sanjeev Bery at Amnesty
USA.org, June 18, 2012
That'll be the day when any American president will act in defense of human rights rather than based upon America's geo-political interests. President Obama would rather have the police state re-instituted in Egypt or any other nation in the region rather than have them act independently and possibly reject USA, NATO, European or Israeli policies.
Update: Christian Jihad
Note Jim Garlow defines True or Real Christianity as the "authentic Biblical historic orthodox Christianity " all who do not fit this definition are ipso facto not real Christians. This definition of Christianity therefore excludes any Christian Church which does not accept the doctrine of Biblical as the literal inerrant word of God as being apostate. It also formulates the belief that America is God's chosen nation and that its founding Fathers and the creation of the Declaration of Independence , the US Constitution and Bill of Rights are a result of God's intervention and inspiration. The Founding Fathers of America are therefore to be regarded as equal to the Apostles of Jesus and to the Biblical Prophets .
Jim Garlow along with the majority of Evangelical Christians in America as opposed to in their view the false heretical notion of the Separation of Church and state. America is therefore a Christian Nation if not The Christian Nation.
Jim Garlow: 'If Necessary, Here We Die' To Fight Gay Marriage
and :
In this next video Pastor Dennis Terry takes similar stand as Jim Garlow on who are the "Real Christians" in his case he also denies the notion of the Separation of Church and State and proclaims those who label themselves or are in fact "liberal Christians " are no better than non-Christians and "Secular Humanists" and atheists whom he believes should be removed from America leaving only the "True Christians" to govern.
Pastor Dennis Terry Introduces Rick Santorum, Tells Liberals and Non-Christians to 'Get Out' of America
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Sun, 03/18/2012 Right Wing Watch at The People For The American Way
Greenwell Springs Baptist Church pastor Dennis Terry introduced presidential candidate Rick Santorum and Family Research Council president Tony Perkins tonight in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with a rousing speech railing against liberals and non-Christians and condemning abortion rights, "sexual perversion," same-sex marriage and secular government. Terry said that America "was founded as a Christian nation" and those that disagree with him should "get out! We don't worship Buddha, we don't worship Mohammad, we don't worship Allah!" Terry, who has a long history of attacks against the gay community, went on to criticize marriage equality for gays and lesbians, and said that the economy can only recover when we "put God back" in government.
And Evangelical and right-wing Faux Historian Barton Again Falsely Claims The Constitution Reflects The Bible "Verbatim" by Kyle Mantyla at Right Wing Watch People For The American Way , 05/21/2012
Last week we wrote another post in our on-going series highlighting social and governmental institutional that David Barton claims came directly out of the Bible. And today we found a presentation that Barton delivered last month where he once again made all of these now standard claims, but this time with the additional claim that the Constitution's provision regarding treason "is a verbatim quote out of Ezekiel 18:20":
Here is Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution:
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.
And here is Ezekiel 18:20:
The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
This is the second time that Barton has falsely claimed that a specific provision in the Constitution reflects Biblical language verbatim, leading us to suspect that he does not actually know what the word "verbatim" means.
Barton mangles the literal and spiritual meaning of the biblical passage and the letter and spirit of the passage from the US Constitution . Barton appears like other charlatans and apologist on the right to depend on the ignorance of his audience. Just opening the Bible to that passage shows no correlation. Yet the right treats Barton as if he were some great historical scholar on America's Founding Fathers and their documents and as also a Biblical scholar.
UPDATE OWS:
When the Rich Have 85 Percent of US Wealth, ‘Equality of Opportunity’ Can’t Exist:
"Democrats Are Not Progressives"By 'The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur' via Information Clearing House, June 18, 2012
Economist and Nobel Prize winner Dr. Joseph Stiglitz j - “The United States is not only the country with the most inequality in outcomes, it’s the country with the least equality of opportunity,” Stiglitz says. “A kid’s life prospects are more dependent on the education and income of his parents than in any other advanced industrial countries.”
Posted June 18, 2012
Chris Hedges argues in his latest article that the occupy Movement is not dead but rather experiencing a lull while the movement re-evaluates its goals and its strategy and tactics . Chris Hedges warns that the Occupy Movement should not get too caught up in the current political structure in the USA but rather question the status quo of self-identifying liberals and progressives who place too much of their trust in the Democratic Party or other political institutions.
The emphasis Chris Hedges argues must be on influencing the public and political debate and discussion in the Media to highlight the Occupy Movement's concerns over issues such as Economic inequality and injustice and the widening gap between average citizens and the wealthy elite and their supporters who constitute the 1%.
Occupy Will Be Back By Chris Hedges at TruthDig via ICH, June 18,2012
In every conflict, insurgency, uprising and revolution I have covered as a foreign correspondent, the power elite used periods of dormancy, lulls and setbacks to write off the opposition. This is why obituaries for the Occupy movement are in vogue. And this is why the next groundswell of popular protest—and there will be one—will be labeled as “unexpected,” a “shock” and a “surprise.” The television pundits and talking heads, the columnists and academics who declare the movement dead are as out of touch with reality now as they were on Sept. 17 when New York City’s Zuccotti Park was occupied. Nothing this movement does will ever be seen by them as a success. Nothing it does will ever be good enough. Nothing, short of its dissolution and the funneling of its energy back into the political system, will be considered beneficial.
Those who have the largest megaphones in our corporate state serve the very systems of power we are seeking to topple. They encourage us, whether on Fox or MSNBC, to debate inanities, trivia, gossip or the personal narratives of candidates. They seek to channel legitimate outrage and direct it into the black hole of corporate politics. They spin these silly, useless stories from the “left” or the “right” while ignoring the egregious assault by corporate power on the citizenry, an assault enabled by the Democrats and the Republicans. Don’t waste time watching or listening. They exist to confuse and demoralize you.
The engine of all protest movements rests, finally, not in the hands of the protesters but the ruling class. If the ruling class responds rationally to the grievances and injustices that drive people into the streets, as it did during the New Deal, if it institutes jobs programs for the poor and the young, a prolongation of unemployment benefits (which hundreds of thousands of Americans have just lost), improved Medicare for all, infrastructure projects, a moratorium on foreclosures and bank repossessions, and a forgiveness of student debt, then a mass movement can be diluted. Under a rational ruling class, one that responds to the demands of the citizenry, the energy in the street can be channeled back into the mainstream. But once the system calcifies as a servant of the interests of the corporate elites, as has happened in the United States, formal political power thwarts justice rather than advances it.
--------------------------------
Robert Fisk argues the Egyptian Arab Spring revolution and reform has turned into another season of discontent as those who held power who abused that powere by treating the Egyptian peoples as their enemy if they dared to speak out about corruption or indefinte detentions and torture (sounds like Bush/Obam era in America . While Mubarak was tried and punished all of his underlings have been given immunity it appears.
Meanwhile these same underlings are now once again in charge in Egypt so there has been no real substantive change. It is the same bunch of greedy power hungry murderers and torturers who have retained power.
They will never be made to pay for their crimes in the same way that those in the US government under Bush and Obama have been given immunity and to even to write about and go on TV boasting about what they did or are now doing.
Mubarak's 300,000-strong army of thugs remains in business despite elections
The Long View: The military has played a shrewd game – insisting Mubarak go on trial while realigning supporters to preserve their privileges By Robert Fisk: "The Independent" via ICH,June 18,2012
...The ex-elected head of the judges' club in Egypt, Zakaria Abdul-Aziz, has rightly pointed out that even if Mubarak was put on trial, the January-February 2011 killing went on for days, "and they [the generals] did not order anyone to stop it. The Ministry of Interior is not the only place that should be cleansed. The judiciary needs that."
It was Mubarak's senior judges who permitted the deposed dictator's last Prime Minister, Ahmed Shafik, to stand in this weekend's run-off for President. As Omar Ashour, an academic in both Exeter and Doha, has observed, "when protesters stormed the State Security Investigations [SSI] headquarters and other governorates in March 2011, torture rooms and equipment were found in every building".
And what happened to the lads who ran these vicious institutions for Mubarak, clad alternatively in French-designed suits or uniforms dripping with epaulettes? They got off scot-free...IE Hassan Abdul-Rahman, head of the SSI; Ahmed Ramzi, head of Central Security Forces (CSF); Adly Fayyed, head of "Public Security"; Ossama Youssef, head of the Giza Security Directorate; Ismail al-Shaer, boss of the Cairo Security Directorate – "shaer", by the way, means "poet" – and Omar Faramawy, who ran the 6 October Security Directorate.
... the acquittal of the above gentlemen means that Mubarak's 300,000-strong SSI and CSF thugs are still in business. It is impossible to believe the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces – still running Egypt and commanded by Mubarak's old mate Field Marshal Tantawi – was unaware of the implications of this extraordinary state of affairs...
The belief among journalists and academics that Tahrir Square would fill once again with the young of last year's rebellion, that a new protest movement in its millions would end this state of affairs, has – so far – proved unrealistic. Over the weekend, Egyptians wanted to vote rather than demonstrate – even if the country's security apparatus would end up running the show as usual
And Amnesty International highlights the sabotaging of the Egyptian Reform Movement as the Generals retake control of the nation.
Egypt’s Generals Retake Power by Sanjeev Bery at AmnestyUSA.org, June 18, 2012
Over the last four days, a stunning succession of events has cast doubt on whether Egypt will transition to an accountable system of government:
Egypt’s Supreme Court nullified recent parliamentary elections.
Egypt’s military disbanded Parliament and assumed legislative powers.
Egypt’s Minister of Justice expanded the military’s powers to arrest civilians.
All of this happened on the eve of this weekend’s runoff elections for the presidency. On Saturday and Sunday, voters went to the polls to choose between two presidential candidates — Mubarak’s last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq and the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Mursi.
The Muslim Brotherhood’s Mursi has claimed victory, and Egyptian media are also reporting that to be the case. Whoever wins the presidency will take office without a parliament, a constitution, or defined presidential powers, and will have to negotiate with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) – the military leadership.
Meanwhile, the SCAF military leadership has continued its reconsolidation of power. As reported in The New York Times, the SCAF has just issued its own “interim constitution” as a prelude to taking control of the final constitution writing process itself:
Their charter gives them [SCAF military leaders] control of all laws and the national budget, immunity from any oversight and the power to veto a declaration of war. After dissolving the Brotherhood-led Parliament elected four months ago, and locking out its lawmakers, the generals on Sunday night also seized control of the process of writing a permanent constitution.
Egypt’s military leaders have stated that they will turn over power to the newly elected president by the end of June, but such statements are incongruous with their recent actions.
Since the January 25th 2011 revolution that swept the dictator Hosni Mubarak from power, Egypt’s military leaders and security forces have routinely violated the human rights of many Egyptians. Critics of military rule have faced criminal charges, protestors have been shot by security forces, women protesters have been assaulted in Tahrir Square, and thousands of Egyptians have been tried in military courts that do not meet basic standards of fairness.
The days ahead are filled with uncertainty. For human rights advocates in the US, it will be important to push our own government to stand up publicly for human rights in Egypt. US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland did address some of the recent developments in her Friday comments to reporters:
The court has called for new elections. If, in fact, that’s the direction that Egypt goes, they need to be swift, they need to be fully democratic, free, transparent, so that we can move on to giving the Egyptian people what they want, which is an elected president and an elected parliament and a system that is permanent and sustainable.
But in this time of significant uncertainty, the Obama administration needs to go one step further. The US government has long prioritized its military-to-military relationship with Egyptian officials over human rights concerns. The Obama administration should now explicitly state its support for an Egyptian government rooted in accountability and respect for human rights – not an expansion of power for the very military institutions that have violated those human rights.
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