Gay guy, Amsterdam, NL, human interest, pro-equality, anti-hate.
French diplomat Castaing lays on the ground after Israeli soldiers carried her out of her truck containing emergency aid, in the Jordan Valley
▻http://www.trust.org/item/20130920140951-b5j1t
French diplomat Castaing lays on the ground after Israeli soldiers carried her out of her truck containing emergency aid, in the Jordan Valley
Netanyahu Scoffs at Iranian Overtures, Setting Stage for Showdown With U.S. - NYTimes.com
▻http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/21/world/middleeast/prime-minister-netanyahu-on-iranian-president-rouhani.html?nl=afternoonupda
Netanyahu Scoffs at Iranian Overtures, Setting Stage for Showdown With U.S.
Israel denies agreement to release 250 Palestinian prisoners
▻http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/7425-israel-denies-agreement-to-release-250-palestinian-prisoners
Israel denies agreement to release 250 Palestinian prisoners
[a new war-crime added] Israeli official warn Prawer plan will displace 100,000 Bedouins | MasterAdrian’s Weblog
▻http://masteradrian.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/a-new-war-crime-added-israeli-official-warn-prawer-plan-will
[a new war-crime added] Israeli official warn Prawer plan will displace 100,000 Bedouins
Pink Embassy
►http://www.pinkembassy.al/en
Albanian Assembly passes amendments proposed by the People’s Advocate and PINK Embassy
The Plenary Session at the Albanian Parliament, held on May 2nd, was historical for the LGBT movement and community. During this session two proposals for amendments to important laws were approved by the law makers. These will significantly strengthen the legal protection of LGBT people from hate crime and hate speech.
During discussions for “Some amendments to the law no: 7895, 27.01.1995, the Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania” among others two important amendments for the LGBT community were approved: The first has to do with adding as an aggravating circumstance crimes motivated by hatred because of sexual orientation or gender identity, which will offer more protection to LGBT people. More specifically, article 50, section “j” is changed as follows:
j) When the crime is committed by motives which have to do with gender, race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, political, religious or philosophical views, health status, genetic predisposition or disability”.
Pink Embassy
►http://www.pinkembassy.al/en
PINK Embassy reaches another victory against homophobia
8 May 2013 – The Albanian LGBT movement has taken today another step forward against discrimination and hate speech in the media. The complaint of PINK Embassy / LGBT Pro Albania over the discriminatory and denigrating article of Mr. Artan Lame against the LGBT community was answered today by the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination.
After analyzing the complaint and the article, the Commissioner concluded that the expressions of Mr. Lame are discriminatory because they are judgmental against the dignity and threaten the security and protection from violence of people because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Shotgun executive taken into custody at Colo. gun show on cabbie terror tip - National gun rights | Examiner.com
▻http://www.examiner.com/article/shotgun-executive-taken-into-custody-at-colo-gun-show-on-cabbie-terror-tip
Shotgun executive taken into custody at Colo. gun show on cabbie terror tip
ALERT | Israel To Displace 1000 Palestinians Next Wednesday | Occupied Palestine | فلسطين
►http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/alert-israel-to-displace-1000-palestinians-next-wednesd
ALERT | Israel To Displace 1000 Palestinians Next Wednesday
December 31, 2012 by occupiedpalestine 0 Comments
“Settling” constitutes a warcime according to international law and ICC statute. Even under US’ own military legislations’
Law resources below this article
Monday December 31, 2012 10:05 by Saed Bannoura – IMEMC & Agencies
Head of the Wadi Al-Maleh area, in the northern plains of the occupied West Bank, Aref Daraghma, stated that the Israeli army intends to displace around 10000 Palestinian Bedouins in the area in order to conduct military training.
bedouins_tent[1]
Image By PNN
Daraghma said that the Israeli army handed written military orders to the residents stating that they should leave as the soldiers will be using live ammunition in military drills in the area, the Palestine News Network (PNN) reported.
He added that the grazing area, inhabited by the shepherds, includes Wadi Al-Maleh, Ein Al-Hilwa, Al-Faw Valley, Al-Meeta, Al-Borj, and other villages.
The army informed the residents that they have until the morning of this coming Wednesday before the army conducts its trainings in the northern plains.
Israel performed similar military drills in the areas last summer forcing dozens of families to leave their homes seeking shelter in other areas until all drills were concluded.
Thousands of Palestinians have been displaced and repeatedly removed from the area since Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967. Israel also demolished dozens of entire villages inhabited by Bedouins and shepherds.
LAW
“States may not deport or transfer parts of their own civilian population into a territory they occupy.”
Summary
State practice establishes this rule as a norm of customary international law applicable in international armed conflicts.
International armed conflicts
The prohibition on deporting or transferring parts of a State’s own civilian population into the territory it occupies is set forth in the Fourth Geneva Convention.[1]
It is a grave breach of Additional Protocol I.[2]
Under the Statute of the International Criminal Court, “the transfer, directly or indirectly, by the Occupying Power of parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies” constitutes a war crime in international armed conflicts.[3]
Many military manuals prohibit the deportation or transfer by a party to the conflict of parts of its civilian population into the territory it occupies.[4]
This rule is included in the legislation of numerous States.[5]
Official statements and reported practice also support the prohibition on transferring one’s own civilian population into occupied territory.[6]
Attempts to alter the demographic composition of an occupied territory have been condemned by the UN Security Council.[7]
In 1992, it called for the cessation of attempts to change the ethnic composition of the population, anywhere in the former Yugoslavia.[8]
Similarly, the UN General Assembly and UN Commission on Human Rights have condemned settlement practices.[9]
According to the final report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Dimensions of Population Transfer, including the Implantation of Settlers and Settlements, “the implantation of settlers” is unlawful and engages State responsibility and the criminal responsibility of individuals.[10]
In 1981, the 24th International Conference of the Red Cross reaffirmed that “settlements in occupied territory are incompatible with article 27 and 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention”.[11]
In the Case of the Major War Criminals in 1946, the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg found two of the accused guilty of attempting the “Germanization” of occupied territories.[12]
References
[1] Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 49, sixth paragraph (cited in Vol. II, Ch. 38, § 334).
[2] Additional Protocol I, Article 85(4)(a) (adopted by consensus) (ibid., § 335).
[3] ICC Statute, Article 8(2)(b)(viii) (ibid., § 336).
[4] See, e.g., the military manuals of Argentina (ibid., §§ 346–347), Australia (ibid., § 348), Canada (ibid., § 349), Croatia (ibid., § 350), Hungary (ibid., § 351), Italy (ibid., § 352), Netherlands (ibid., § 353), New Zealand (ibid., § 354), Spain (ibid., § 355), Sweden (ibid., § 357), Switzerland (ibid., § 357), United Kingdom (ibid., § 358) and United States (ibid., § 359).
[5] See, e.g., the legislation of Armenia (ibid., § 361), Australia (ibid., §§ 362–363), Azerbaijan (ibid., §§ 364–365), Bangladesh (ibid., § 366), Belarus (ibid., § 367), Belgium (ibid., § 368), Bosnia and Herzegovina (ibid., § 369), Canada (ibid., §§ 371–372), Congo (ibid., § 373), Cook Islands (ibid., § 374), Croatia (ibid., § 375), Cyprus (ibid., § 376), Czech Republic (ibid., § 377), Germany (ibid., § 379), Georgia (ibid., § 380), Ireland (ibid., § 381), Mali (ibid., § 384), Republic of Moldova (ibid., § 385), Netherlands (ibid., § 386), New Zealand (ibid., §§ 387–388), Niger (ibid., § 390), Norway (ibid., § 391), Slovakia (ibid., § 392), Slovenia (ibid., § 393), Spain (ibid., § 394), Tajikistan (ibid., § 395), United Kingdom (ibid., §§ 397–398), Yugoslavia (ibid., § 399) and Zimbabwe (ibid., § 400); see also the draft legislation of Argentina (ibid., § 360), Burundi (ibid., § 370), Jordan (ibid., § 382), Lebanon (ibid., § 383) and Trinidad and Tobago (ibid., § 396).
[6] See, e.g., the statements of Kuwait (ibid., § 405) and United States (ibid., §§ 406–407) and the reported practice of Egypt (ibid., § 402) and France (ibid., § 403).
[7] See, e.g., UN Security Council, Res. 446 , 452 and 476 (ibid., § 408), Res. 465 (ibid., § 409) and Res. 677 (ibid., § 410).
[8] UN Security Council, Res. 752 (ibid., § 411).
[9] See, e.g., UN General Assembly, Res. 36/147 C, 37/88 C, 38/79 D, 39/95 D and 40/161 D (ibid., § 412) and Res. 54/78 (ibid., § 405); UN Commission on Human Rights, Res. 2001/7 (ibid., § 413).
[10] UN Sub-Commission on Human Rights, Final report of the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Dimensions of Population Transfer, including the Implantation of Settlers and Settlements (ibid., § 415).
[11] 24th International Conference of the Red Cross, Res. III (ibid., § 419).
[12] International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, Case of the Major War Criminals, Judgement (ibid., § 421).
Dutch minister [Secretary of State] slams Pope for gay hate Christmas message « MasterAdrian’s Weblog
►http://masteradrian.com/2012/12/24/dutch-minister-secretary-of-state-slams-pope-for-gay-hate-christmas-me
Dutch minister [Secretary of State] slams Pope for gay hate Christmas message
Netherlands foreign affairs minister Frans Timmermans blasts head of the Catholic Church for gay marriage attack
24 December 2012 | By Matthew Jenkin
Netherlands foreign affairs minister Frans Timmermans blasts Pope for gay marriage attacks
Dutch foreign affairs minister Frans Timmermans has slammed the Pope for attacking gays in his annual Christmas message.
The head of the Catholic Church is calling on faith groups to unite against same-sex marriage, saying the legislation which is being passed around the world is a threat to the survival of the human race.
However, Netherlands foreign affairs minister Frans Timmermans has blasted Pope Benedict XVI over his continuing homophobia.
‘If every person is unique, as the Pope’s representative said in Dublin last week, then why should that unique person not have the right to stand up for their own sexual orientation?’ Timmermans told RTL.
‘Why can Romeo marry Juliet but not Julius?
‘Marriage between two people of the same sex is having respect for the uniqueness of the individual.’
The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage in 2001.
Gay rights group COC is urging Timmermans to campaign to have the Vatican lose its special position within the United Nations.
A Dutch Facebook group called ‘No flowers for the pope’ has also been set up calling on the Netherlands to stop its tradition of sending flowers to the Holy See at Easter.
In his festive speech, the pope said the ‘traditional family’ must be protected, and stressed all faiths, even non-Christian religions, must come together to stop marriage equality.
He added that gay and Trans people were destroying humanity itself, saying they are ‘manipulating their God-given gender to suit their sexual choice’ and destroying the ‘very essence of the human creature’ in the process.
Earlier this month, in comments released for the upcoming World Day of Peace 2013 in January, the Pope said gay people, like abortion or euthanasia, was a threat to justice and world peace.
Calif. Judge Says Victims’ Body Can Prevent Rape « MasterAdrian’s Weblog
►http://masteradrian.com/2012/12/15/calif-judge-says-victims-body-can-prevent-rape%e2%80%8f
Calif. Judge Says Victims’ Body Can Prevent Rape
December 15, 2012
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California judge is being publicly admonished for saying a rape victim “didn’t put up a fight” during her assault and that if someone doesn’t want sexual intercourse, the body “will not permit that to happen.”
The California Commission on Judicial Performance voted 10-0 to impose a public admonishment Thursday, saying Superior Court Judge Derek Johnson’s comments were inappropriate and a breach of judicial ethics.
“In the commission’s view, the judge’s remarks reflected outdated, biased and insensitive views about sexual assault victims who do not ‘put up a fight.’ Such comments cannot help but diminish public confidence and trust in the impartiality of the judiciary,” wrote Lawrence J. Simi, the commission’s chairman.
Johnson made the comments in the case of a man who threatened to mutilate the face and genitals of his ex-girlfriend with a heated screwdriver, beat her with a metal baton and made other violent threats before committing rape, forced oral copulation, and other crimes.
Though the woman reported the criminal threats the next day, the woman did not report the rape until 17 days later.
Johnson, a former prosecutor in the Orange County district attorney’s sex crimes unit, said during the man’s 2008 sentencing that he had seen violent cases on that unit in which women’s vaginas were “shredded” by rape.
“I’m not a gynecologist, but I can tell you something: If someone doesn’t want to have sexual intercourse, the body shuts down. The body will not permit that to happen unless a lot of damage is inflicted, and we heard nothing about that in this case,” Johnson said.
The commission found that Johnson’s view that a victim must resist to be a real victim of sexual assault was his opinion, not the law. Since 1980, California law doesn’t require rape victims to prove they resisted or were prevented from resisting because of threats.
In an apology to the commission, Johnson said his comments were inappropriate. He said his comments were the result of his frustration during an argument with a prosecutor over the defendant’s sentence.
Johnson said he believed the prosecutor’s request of a 16-year sentence was not authorized by law. Johnson sentenced the rapist to six years instead, saying that’s what the case was “worth.”
Edit Post ‹ MasterAdrian’s Weblog — WordPress
►http://masteradrian.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=20995&action=edit&message=6&postpost=v2
Clergymen Pose For Sexy 2013 Orthodox Calendar
Filed under: Donovan, Totally GAY! Author: Donovan Date: Dec 1, 2012
[2013-orthodox-calendar]
I have to say this is the most random thing I think I’ve ever seen. Sex sells and now even the church is using that tactic. Just check out their official blurb enticing people to purchase the calendar, “Come in and discover our 12 seductive artistic pictures of Orthodox priests and their guests!” And by guests, they mean guys in superhero underwear and buff shirtless construction men. This brings a whole new meaning of going down on your knees and praying.
For the first time in history, young Romanian Orthodox priests and monks pose for a calendar. I’m sure this controversial approach will sell boatloads of calendars. What better way to remind you of all the important religious holidays like Easter and Christmas in 2013, than with handsome Romanian holy men. If Hollywood ever wants to remake The Thorn Birds, they might consider casting one of these guys in the sexy priest role. Check out a few of the images below.
[orthodox-calendar-2013-construction]
[orthodox-calendar-2013-shirtless]
[orthodox-calendar-2013]
[romanian-orthodox-calendar-2013]
[orthodox-calendar-2013-dressing]
[orthodox-calendar-2013-priest]
To purchase the calendar, click here.
Read more at: ►http://www.homorazzi.com/article/orthodox-2013-calendar-romania-clergy-priests-shirtless-photos/#ixzz2DzyFXDB0
Ill. High School Soccer Coach Accused of Watching Players Sexually Assault Teammates
By Jason St. Amand
Web Producer / Staff Writer
Saturday Dec 1, 2012Michael Divincenzo
Michael Divincenzo
A soccer coach from a high school in Chicago has been at the center of a scandal after he was accused of allowing and watching players sexually assault team members, Chicago affiliate CBS 2 reports.
Michael Divincenzo, a soccer coach at Maine West High School, has been accused of not taking action after he witnessed students sexually haze team members, which became a ritual in the school for years.
An unidentified mother of a student has joined a lawsuit with several families against Divincenzo and the school and claims that her son was assaulted in September. According to the lawsuit, the soccer coach has been aware of these sexual attacks since 2007.
“I thought my son would be safe at school,” she told ABC’s WLS-TV. “You think when you drop off your son, it’s a safe place to be. But I feel like the coaches should have kept him safe on the soccer field, and they didn’t do that.” She added that the acts and the school’s lack of response brakes Illinois state anti-bullying laws.
“Multiple children could have been saved from the humility, indignity and emotional trauma and assault,” attorney Tony Romanucci said.
According to the lawsuit, the unidentified mother’s son, 14, and at least two other boys were sexually assaulted during soccer practice in September during school hours - and coaches knew about the hazing. The lawsuit goes on to say that older players held down the boys, pulled down their pants and underwear and sodomized them. The plaintiffs say that the hazing is part of initiation for becoming part of the school’s varsity soccer team. The complaint also claims that Principal Audrey Haugan knew about the attacks, or should have known, and that two soccer coaches witnessed the ritual and allowed it to continue.
“That behavior in today’s society is disgusting,” Romanucci said. “It should never be condoned. It should never have happened.”
The Daily Mail (U.K.) reports that the first incidents involving Divincenzo occurred in July where he allegedly told other players to sexually assault younger teammates. The coach, along with two other coaches, who are also teachers, and varsity coach Emilo Rodriguez, were transferred with pay while the school district investigates the incident. According to the newspaper, three other coaches have been let go and six students have been sent to juvenile court on hazing charges.
When a hazing incident occurred four years ago, a freshman’s pants were allegedly pulled down in the locker room. When the student’s mother reported the assault, the school did nothing
Gay marriage beach BBQ ’great success’ in Tasmania
Over 200 people hit the beach for Australian state’s first ever barbecue in support of equal marriage legislation
03 December 2012 | By Matthew Jenkin
Hundreds attend Tasmania’s first Marriage Equality Beach BBQ
Photo by Rafael Manzanilla
Tasmania’s first Marriage Equality Beach BBQ has been hailed ’a great success’ after over 200 people attended.
Event organiser Helen Richardson said the popularity of the barbecue in the Australian state’s capital Hobart yesterday (2 December) shows marriage equality has strong community support.
’Today’s BBQ sent a message to Upper House members, particularly Jim Wilkinson in whose electorate the event was held, that marriage equality has strong support across the community.
’Supporters of marriage equality are saying loud and clear to Legislative Councillors who voted against the legislation, that we are in 2012 not 1912.
’It’s time all Tasmanians, regardless of sexual orientation, are able to marry their life partner.’
In September this year Tasmania became the first Australian state to pass marriage equality legislation through a lower house of parliament.
The bill was narrowly defeated by two votes in the Upper House and the state government has promised to re-introduce it in the New Year.
Speakers at the barbecue included Hobart Alderman, Helen Burnett, local resident, mum and same-sex partner, Jo Richardson, Australian Marriage Equality national convener, Rodney Croome and Rainbow Labor spokesperson, Robbie Moore.
Croome said marriage equality supporters will continue to advocate for reform up until the legislation returns, while Moore announced a marriage equality protest outside the office of Upper House member, Vanessa Goodwin, on 19 December.
Both Jim Wilkinson and Vanessa Goodwin voted against the State Government’s Same-Sex Marriage Bill.
School lifts ban on trans boy using male toilets
Canadian trans student, 16, was previously told to use female washroom despite having transitioned before joining the school
03 December 2012 | By Matthew Jenkin
Canadian trans boy, 16, was previously told to use female washroom despite having transitioned before joining the school
Photo by John Vetterli
A transgender student in Canada is now allowed to use the men’s toilets after the school previously banned him.
James Spencer, 16, was angry after Clarke High School in Ontario’s Durham Region, near Toronto, told him he can only use the female washroom or a private bathroom which requires a key from the office.
Spencer enrolled at the school as a boy and collected signatures from about half the pupils for a petition in support of his complaint.
Under pressure, the school has decided Spencer can now use the men’s toilets.
’We decided it would be most appropriate...and that’s the direction we’ve taken,’ said Martin Twiss, superintendent of education at the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.
The school has also made sure its private gender neutral toilet no longer requires a key, reported the Hamilton Spectator.
Twiss added: ’We’re piloting (the accommodations) at this school...it’s certainly teaching us a lot.’
Court grants Israel gay couple divorce for first time
An Israeli court has granted a divorce of a gay couple for the first time in the country’s history
03 December 2012 | By Dan Littauer
Professor Uzi Even and Amit Kama made legal history in Israel forcing the country’s ministry of interior to register them as divorced
A court has ordered the ministry of interior of Israel to register a gay couple as divorced after it continually rejected their requests.
Yesterday (2 November) a Ramat Gan family court approved the request of Uzi Even, a former Israeli member of parliament and professor at Tel Aviv University, and Amit Kama, who teaches communications at Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, to order Israel’s ministry of interior to register them as divorced.
Haaretz daily reported that the former couple were married in Canada over eight years ago, while marriage proceedings are open to any national, divorce is only reserved for Canadian nationals.
Marriage and divorce in Israel are under the jurisdiction of the religious courts: Jewish, Muslim, Druze, and Christian.
The former couple had no choice but to appeal to the Jewish court (rabbinical) which is vehemently opposed to gay issues, and simply ignored their repeated requests to open divorce proceedings.
They then appealed to the family court in the city of Ramat Gan against Israel’s ministry of interior, which claimed the rabbinical court was not given ‘enough time’.
The judge rejected the state’s arguments that only the rabbinical courts have the authority to dissolve marriage, and instructed Israel’s interior ministry to register the former lovers as divorced.
Judge Yehezkel Eliyue said he based his decision on a previous ruling of Israel’s high court of justice’s instruction to the state to register the marriages of five same-sex couples who were married Canada.
The court ruled: ‘Once the High Court of Justice ordered the registration of the marriage, the possibility cannot be considered that petitioners who have agreed to end their marriage should remain tied to each other.
‘This runs contrary to the rights and liberties of the individual; it goes against Basic Laws and the basic values of justice and equality’.
The judge further stated: ‘Under these circumstances the rabbinic court lacks the authority to hear the petition, and in any case is not the proper forum to discuss it’.
This is a legal breakthrough in Israel as it sets a legal precedent for both gay and straight couples who want to divorce after they got married in a civil court abroad.
Kama told Haaretz daily: ‘From my point of view, even if the state appeals and we have to keep going down this road, the verdict shows the beginning of the undermining of the rabbinate.
‘I am very happy that we may have made a breakthrough’, he said, adding that the decision could affect not only other same-sex couples but also straight couples.
The Two Most Ridiculous Claims In Yesterday’s Anti-Marriage Equality Decision
By Ian Millhiser on Nov 30, 2012 at 8:52 am
[Obama kiss]
An openly straight politician publicly flaunts his sexuality
Yesterday, George W. Bush-appointed Judge Robert Jones upheld Nevada’s practice of denying marriage equality to gay couples. Like a similar decision by a Reagan-appointed judge in Hawai’i, Judge Jones goes out of his way to resolve any uncertainties in the law in the light most unfavorable to equality — although, in fairness to Jones, his hands were at least somewhat tied by a 22 year old anti-gay precedent.
Precedent aside, however, Jones’ opinion will be very difficult to defend on appeal. He attacks gay rights in ways that undermine basic protections for racial minorities and women; and he displays an almost quaint naïveté about how politicians present their sexuality to the public. By the end of the opinion, the reader is not simply left with the impression that Judge Jones has never actually met an openly gay person, but that Jones does not spend much time observing heterosexual relationships either.
The most dangerous part of Jones’ reasoning is a section where he claims that, because gay people made significant cultural and political progress in recent years, this somehow deprives them of their ability to seek the full protection of the Constitution:
Today, unlike in 1990, the public media are flooded with editorial, commercial, and artistic messages urging the acceptance of homosexuals. Anti-homosexual messages are rare in the national informational and entertainment media, except that anti-homosexual characters are occasionally used as foils for pro-homosexual viewpoints in entertainment media. Homosexuals serve openly in federal and state political offices. The President of the United States has announced his personal acceptance of the concept of same-sex marriage, and the announcement was widely applauded in the national media. Not only has the President expressed his moral support, he has directed the Attorney General not to defend against legal challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”), a federal law denying recognition to same-sex marriages at the federal level. It is exceedingly rare that a president refuses in his official capacity to defend a democratically enacted federal law in court based upon his personal political disagreements. That the homosexual-rights lobby has achieved this indicates that the group has great political power. The State of Nevada has itself outlawed sexual-orientation based discrimination as a general matter. Congress has not included the category under Title VII’s protections, however. In 2012 America, anti-homosexual viewpoints are widely regarded as uncouth.
Though it is true that Supreme Court precedents accord greater constitutional protection to groups “relegated to such a position of political powerlessness as to command extraordinary protection from the majoritarian political process,” it simply cannot be the case that a group loses its power to invoke the Constitution’s guarantee of “equal protection of the laws” once they start to gain rights and recognition through the ordinary political process. If this were true, neither African-Americans nor women could seek shelter under the Constitution, as both race and gender equality enjoys far greater protection under federal law that the rights of LGBT Americans.
Later in the opinion, Judge Jones dismisses the significance of the fact that LGBT people are underrepresented in legislatures and other elected positions, claiming that this could be attributed to nothing more than a universal desire among politicians to keep their sexuality in the closet:
[T]he “seemingly” small number of open homosexuals in positions of power or authority may be largely attributable to neither exclusion nor sexual-orientation-based shame that discourages them from identifying themselves, but rather to the fact that people as a general matter—and especially people in positions of power and prestige—tend not to draw attention to their sexual practices or preferences, whatever they may be, for social, career, and economic reasons. This natural disinclination of public figures to announce their sexual practices or preferences does not necessarily transform into passive oppression simply because the sexual practices or preferences of a particular subset of persons also happens to be a matter of special social controversy.
One has to wonder whether Jones has ever heard of Michelle Obama. Or Laura Bush. Or Hillary Clinton. Or, for that matter, Monica Lewinsky. The idea that straight elected officials “tend not to draw attention to their sexual practices or preferences” by not even revealing to the nation that they are heterosexual is self-evidently absurd. The closet is the product of years of animus directed at LGBT people, not some kind of Victorian desire to keep private lives private.
Absolutely the best chart I have seen in years.
SHARE THIS CHART
apples
Protects your heart
prevents constipation
Blocks diarrhea
Improves lung capacity
Cushions joints
apricots
Combats cancer
Controls blood pressure
Saves your eyesight
Shields against Alzheimer’s
Slows aging process
artichokes
Aids digestion
Lowers cholesterol
Protects your heart
Stabilizes blood sugar
Guards against liver disease
avocados
Battles diabetes
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
Controls blood pressure
Smoothes skin
bananas
Protects your heart
Quiets a cough
Strengthens bones
Controls blood pressure
Blocks diarrhea
beans
Prevents constipation
Helps hemorrhoids
Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
Stabilizes blood sugar
beets
Controls blood pressure
Combats cancer
Strengthens bones
Protects your heart
Aids weight loss
blueberries
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Stabilizes blood sugar
Boosts memory
Prevents constipation
broccoli
Strengthens bones
Saves eyesight
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
cabbage
Combats cancer
Prevents constipation
Promotes weight loss
Protects your heart
Helps hemorrhoids
cantaloupe
Saves eyesight
Controls blood pressure
Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
Supports immune system
carrots
Saves eyesight
Protects your heart
Prevents constipation
Combats cancer
Promotes weight loss
cauliflower
Protects against Prostate Cancer
Combats Breast Cancer
Strengthens bones
Banishes bruises
Guards against heart disease
cherries
Protects your heart
Combats Cancer
Ends insomnia
Slows aging process
Shields against Alzheimer’s
chestnuts
Promotes weight loss
Protects your heart
Lowers cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Controls blood pressure
chili peppers
Aids digestion
Soothes sore throat
Clears sinuses
Combats Cancer
Boosts immune system
figs
Promotes weight loss
Helps stops strokes
Lowers cholesterol
Combats Cancer
Controls blood pressure
fish
Protects your heart
Boosts memory
Protects your heart
Combats Cancer
Supports immune system
flax
Aids digestion
Battles diabetes
Protects your heart
Improves mental health
Boosts immune system
garlic
Lowers cholesterol
Controls blood pressure
Combats cancer
kills bacteria
Fights fungus
grapefruit
Protects against heart attacks
Promotes Weight loss
Helps stops strokes
Combats Prostate Cancer
Lowers cholesterol
grapes
saves eyesight
Conquers kidney stones
Combats cancer
Enhances blood flow
Protects your heart
green tea
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Helps stops strokes
Promotes Weight loss
Kills bacteria
honey
Heals wounds
Aids digestion
Guards against ulcers
Increases energy
Fights allergies
lemons
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
Smoothes skin
Stops scurvy
limes
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Controls blood pressure
Smoothes skin
Stops scurvy
mangoes
Combats cancer
Boosts memory
Regulates thyroid
aids digestion
Shields against Alzheimer’s
mushrooms
Controls blood pressure
Lowers cholesterol
Kills bacteria
Combats cancer
Strengthens bones
oats
Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
Battles diabetes
prevents constipation
Smoothes skin
olive oil
Protects your heart
Promotes Weight loss
Combats cancer
Battles diabetes
Smoothes skin
onions
Reduce risk of heart attack
Combats cancer
Kills bacteria
Lowers cholesterol
Fights fungus
oranges
Supports immune systems
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
Straightens respiration
peaches
prevents constipation
Combats cancer
Helps stops strokes
aids digestion
Helps hemorrhoids
peanuts
Protects against heart disease
Promotes Weight loss
Combats Prostate Cancer
Lowers cholesterol
Aggravates
diverticulitis
pineapple
Strengthens bones
Relieves colds
Aids digestion
Dissolves warts
Blocks diarrhea
prunes
Slows aging process
prevents constipation
boosts memory
Lowers cholesterol
Protects against heart disease
rice
Protects your heart
Battles diabetes
Conquers kidney stones
Combats cancer
Helps stops strokes
strawberries
Combats cancer
Protects your heart
boosts memory
Calms stress
sweet potatoes
Saves your eyesight
Lifts mood
Combats cancer
Strengthens bones
tomatoes
Protects prostate
Combats cancer
Lowers cholesterol
Protects your heart
walnuts
Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
boosts memory
Lifts mood
Protects against heart disease
water
Promotes Weight loss
Combats cancer
Conquers kidney stones
Smoothes skin
watermelon
Protects prostate
Promotes Weight loss
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
Controls blood pressure
wheat germ
Combats Colon Cancer
prevents constipation
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
improves digestion
wheat bran
Combats Colon Cancer
prevents constipation
Lowers cholesterol
Helps stops strokes
improves digestion
yogurt
Guards against ulcers
Strengthens bones
Lowers cholesterol
Supports immune systems
Aids digestion
Footballers protest Israel hosting #UEFA Euro #U21 « MasterAdrian’s Weblog
►http://masteradrian.com/2012/12/01/footballers-protest-israel-hosting-uefa-euro-u21
Footballers protest Israel hosting #UEFA Euro #U21
December 1, 2012
Footballers protest Israel hosting #UEFA Euro #U21
by occupiedpalestine
Footballers protest Israel hosting UEFA Euro U21:… fb.me/ALd0urmA— Frédéric Kanouté (@FredericKanoute) November 30, 2012 November 30, 2012 09:46 PM By Rob Harris | The Daily Star LONDON: Dozens of leading footballers have signed a statement protesting UEFA’s decision to stage the European under-21 championship in Israel next year following the country’s recent military offensive in [...]
Read more of this post
The Irish Bic Lighter
Mick and Paddy were fishing on the Irish shoreline when Mick pulled out a cigar. Finding he had No matches, he asked Paddy for a light.
’Ya, sure, I tink I haff a lighter,’ Paddy replied and then reaching into his tackle
box, he pulled out a Bic lighter 10 inches long.
’My God, man!’ exclaimed Mick, taking the huge Bic lighter in his hands. ’Where’d yew git dat monster?’
’Well,’ replied Paddy, ’I got it from my Genie.’
’You haff a fecking Genie?’ Mick asked.
’Ya, sure. It’s right here in my tackle box,’ says Paddy.
’Could I see him?’
Paddy opens his tackle box and sure enough, out pops the Genie.
Addressing the Genie, Mick says, ’Hey dere! I’m a good pal of your master.
Will you grant me one wish?’
’Yes, I will,’ says the Genie.
So Mick asks the Genie for a million bucks. The Genie disappears back into the tackle box leaving Mick sitting there waiting for his million bucks.
Shortly, the Irish sky darkens and is filled with the sound of a million ducks flying directly overhead.
Over the roar of the one million ducks Mick yells at Paddy, ’What the hell? I asked for a million bucks, not a million ducks!’
Paddy answers, ’Ya, I forgot to tell yew dat da Genie is hard of hearing. Do yew really tink I asked for a 10 inch Bic?’
Full text: Abbas speech to UN General Assembly
November 30, 2012 by occupiedpalestine 0 Comments
196453_345x230[1]
Maan News Agency | Nov 30, 2012
New York
Nov. 29, 2012
Mr. President of the General Assembly,
Your Excellency Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Palestine comes today to the United Nations General Assembly at a time when it is still tending to its wounds and still burying its beloved martyrs of children, women and men who have fallen victim to the latest Israeli aggression, still searching for remnants of life amid the ruins of homes destroyed by Israeli bombs on the Gaza Strip, wiping out entire families, their men, women and children murdered along with their dreams, their hopes, their future and their longing to live an ordinary life and to live in freedom and peace.
Palestine comes today to the General Assembly because it believes in peace and because its people, as proven in past days, are in desperate need of it.
Palestine comes today to this prestigious international forum, representative and protector of international legitimacy, reaffirming our conviction that the international community now stands before the last chance to save the two-State solution.
Palestine comes to you today at a defining moment regionally and internationally, in order to reaffirm its presence and to try to protect the possibilities and the foundations of a just peace that is deeply hoped for in our region.
Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Israeli aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip has confirmed once again the urgent and pressing need to end the Israeli occupation and for our people to gain their freedom and independence. This aggression also confirms the Israeli Government’s adherence to the policy of occupation, brute force and war, which in turn obliges the international community to shoulder its responsibilities towards the Palestinian people and towards peace.
This is why we are here today.
I say with great pain and sorrow … there was certainly no one in the world that required that tens of Palestinian children lose their lives in order to reaffirm the above-mentioned facts. There was no need for thousands of deadly raids and tons of explosives for the world to be reminded that there is an occupation that must come to an end and that there are a people that must be liberated. And, there was no need for a new, devastating war in order for us to be aware of the absence of peace.
This is why we are here today.
Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Palestinian people, who miraculously recovered from the ashes of Al-Nakba of 1948, which was intended to extinguish their being and to expel them in order to uproot and erase their presence, which was rooted in the depths of their land and depths of history. In those dark days, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were torn from their homes and displaced within and outside of their homeland, thrown from their beautiful, embracing, prosperous country to refugee camps in one of the most dreadful campaigns of ethnic cleansing and dispossession in modern history. In those dark days, our people had looked to the United Nations as a beacon of hope and appealed for ending the injustice and for achieving justice and peace, the realization of our rights, and our people still believe in this and continue to wait.
This is why we are here today.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the course of our long national struggle, our people have always strived to ensure harmony and conformity between the goals and means of their struggle and international law and spirit of the era in accordance with prevailing realities and changes. And, our people always have strived not to lose their humanity, their highest, deeply-held moral values and their innovative abilities for survival, steadfastness, creativity and hope, despite the horrors that befell them and continue to befall them today as a consequence of Al-Nakba and its horrors.
Despite the enormity and weight of this task, the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and the constant leader of their revolution and struggle, has consistently strived to achieve this harmony and conformity.
When the Palestine National Council decided in 1988 to pursue the Palestinian peace initiative and adopted the Declaration of Independence, which was based on resolution 181 (II) (29 November 1947), adopted by your august body, it was in fact undertaking, under the leadership of the late President Yasser Arafat, a historic, difficult and courageous decision that defined the requirements for a historic reconciliation that would turn the page on war, aggression and occupation.
This was not an easy matter. Yet, we had the courage and sense of high responsibility to make the right decision to protect the higher national interests of our people and to confirm our adherence to international legitimacy, and it was a decision which in that same year was welcomed, supported and blessed by this high body that is meeting today.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have heard and you too have heard specifically over the past months the incessant flood of Israeli threats in response to our peaceful, political and diplomatic endeavor for Palestine to acquire non-member observer status in the United Nations. And, you have surely witnessed how some of these threats have been carried out in a barbaric and horrific manner, just days ago in the Gaza Strip.
We have not heard one word from any Israeli official expressing any sincere concern to save the peace process. On the contrary, our people have witnessed, and continue to witness, an unprecedented intensification of military assaults, the blockade, settlement activities and ethnic cleansing, particularly in Occupied East Jerusalem, and mass arrests, attacks by settlers and other practices by which this Israeli occupation is becoming synonymous with an apartheid system of colonial occupation, which institutionalizes the plague of racism and entrenches hatred and incitement.
What permits the Israeli Government to blatantly continue with its aggressive policies and the perpetration of war crimes stems from its conviction that it is above the international law and that it has immunity from accountability and consequences. This belief, unfortunately, is bolstered by the failure by some to condemn and demand the cessation of its violations and crimes and by positions that equate the victim and the executioner.
The moment has arrived for the world to say clearly: Enough of aggression, settlements and occupation.
This is why we are here now.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We did not come here seeking to delegitimize a State established years ago, and that is Israel; rather we came to affirm the legitimacy of the State that must now achieve its independence, and that is Palestine. We did not come here to add further complications to the peace process, which Israel’s policies have thrown into the intensive care unit; rather we came to launch a final serious attempt to achieve peace. Our endeavor is not aimed at terminating what remains of the negotiations process, which has lost its objective and credibility, but rather aimed at trying to breathe new life into the negotiations and at setting a solid foundation for it based on the terms of reference of the relevant international resolutions in order for the negotiations to succeed.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the Palestine Liberation Organization, I say: We will not give up, we will not tire, and our determination will not wane and we will continue to strive to achieve a just peace.
However, above all and after all, I affirm that our people will not relinquish their inalienable national rights, as defined by United Nations resolutions. And our people cling to the right to defend themselves against aggression and occupation and they will continue their popular, peaceful resistance and their epic steadfastness, and will continue to build on their land. And, they will end the division and strengthen their national unity. We will accept no less than the independence of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, on all the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967, to live in peace and security alongside the State of Israel, and a solution for the refugee issue on the basis of resolution 194 (III), as per the operative part of the Arab Peace Initiative. I don’t think that is terrorism that we are pursuing in the United Nations.
Yet, we must repeat here once again our warning: the window of opportunity is narrowing and time is quickly running out. The rope of patience is shortening and hope is withering. The innocent lives that have been taken by Israeli bombs – more than 168 martyrs, mostly children and women, including 12 members of one family, the Dalou family, in Gaza – are a painful reminder to the world that this racist, colonial occupation is making the two-State solution and the prospect for realizing peace a very difficult choice, if not impossible.
It is time for action and the moment to move forward.
This is why we are here today.
Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentleman,
The world is being asked today to answer a specific question that we have offered repeatedly: Is there a surplus people in our region? Tell us. The world must say it. Are we a surplus people, or is there a state which is missing which must be embodied on its land, which is Palestine. The world is being asked to undertake a significant step in the process of rectifying the unprecedented historical injustice inflicted on the Palestinian people since Al-Nakba of 1948.
Every voice among you supporting our endeavor today is a most valuable voice of courage, and every State that grants support today to Palestine’s request for non-member observer State status is affirming its principled and moral support for freedom and the rights of peoples and international law and peace.
Your support for our endeavor today will send a promising message – to millions of Palestinians on the land of Palestine, in the refugee camps both in the homeland and the Diaspora, and to the prisoners struggling for freedom in Israel’s prisons – that justice is possible and that there is a reason to be hopeful and that the peoples of the world do not accept the continuation of the occupation.
This is why we are here today.
Your support for our endeavor today will give a reason for hope to a people besieged by a racist, colonial occupation. Failure that almost amounts to complicity in Israel’s aggression and in a state of paralysis that some are striving to impose on the international community. Your support, ladies and gentlemen, will confirm to our people that they are not alone and their adherence to international law is never going to be a losing proposition.
In our endeavor today to acquire non-member State status for Palestine in the United Nations, we reaffirm that Palestine will always adhere to and respect the Charter and resolutions of the United Nations and international humanitarian law, uphold equality, guarantee civil liberties, uphold the rule of law, promote democracy and pluralism, and uphold and protect the rights of women. This is what we are pledging today.
As we promised our friends and our brothers and sisters, we will continue to consult with them upon the approval of your esteemed body of our request to upgrade Palestine’s status. We will act responsibly and positively in our next steps, and we will to work to strengthen cooperation with the countries and peoples of the world for the sake of a just peace.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Sixty-five years ago on this day, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 181 (II), which partitioned the land of historic Palestine into two States and became the birth certificate for Israel.
Sixty-five years later and on the same day, which your esteemed body has designated as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the General Assembly stands before a moral duty, which it must not hesitate to undertake, and stands before a historic duty, which cannot endure further delay, and before a practical duty to salvage the chances for peace, which is urgent and cannot be postponed.
Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The United Nations General Assembly is called upon today to issue the birth certificate of the reality of the State of Palestine. This is why, in specific, we are here today. It is our hope, ladies and gentlemen, our hope in God and in you.
Thank you, and peace be upon you.
GET READY: World AIDS Day is Saturday, December 1, 2012.
Get Tested, Educate Youself and Others, and Play Safer Each and Every Time!
Wear a Red Ribbon amd make or get some extras to hand out Friday and Saturday.
WE REMEMBER!
World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year and is an opportunity
for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their
support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have
died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the
first one was held in 1988.
What’s it about
Every year World AIDS Day events take place across the country to
raise awareness and show support for people living with HIV. Why not
pop along to a local event, or better still, why not host your own?
You can search for events or add your own event below.
Events
To find the World AIDS Day events in your area, select one or more of
the following:
Pick a date
Highlight your region
Choose the type of event.
If you are organising an event, you can share it with everyone by
adding it to our list.
►http://www.worldaidsday.org/events
What should I do on World AIDS Day?
World AIDS Day is an opportunity for you to learn the facts about HIV
and put your knowledge into action. Find out how much you know by
taking our online quiz: Are you HIV aware? Test your knowledge and
awareness by taking the quiz and act aware by passing the quiz on and
sharing it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook.
If you understand how HIV is transmitted, how it can be prevented, and
the reality of living with HIV today - you can use this knowledge to
take care of your own health and the health of others, and ensure you
treat everyone living with HIV fairly, and with respect and
understanding. Click here to find out the facts.
You can also show your support for people living with HIV on World
AIDS Day by wearing a red ribbon, the international symbol of HIV
awareness.
World AIDS Day is also a great opportunity to raise money for NAT
(National AIDS Trust) and show your support for people living with
HIV. If you feel inspired to hold an event, bake sale or simply sell
red ribbons, click here to get started. If you’d like to see what
other events are taking place — click here and find out more.
But what about after World AIDS Day?
Although World AIDS Day is a great opportunity to get the public
talking about HIV and fundraise, we need to remember the importance of
raising awareness of HIV all year round. That’s why NAT has launched
HIVaware — a fun, interactive new website which provides all the
information everyone should know about HIV. Why not use what you have
learnt on World AIDS Day to Act Aware throughout the year and
remember, you can fundraise at any time of year too — NAT is always
here to give you suggestions and ideas.
–-
The Humiliation of Bradley Manning
by RAY MCGOVERN
It is a bitter irony that Army Pvt. Bradley Manning, whose conscience compelled him to leak evidence about the U.S. military brass ignoring evidence of torture in Iraq, was himself the victim of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment while other military officers privately took note but did nothing.
That was one of the revelations at Manning’s pre-trial hearing at Ft. Meade, Maryland, on Tuesday, as Manning’s defense counsel David Coombs used e-mail exchanges to show Marine officers grousing that the Marines had been left holding the bag on Manning’s detention at their base in Quantico, Virginia, though he was an Army soldier.
At Quantico, Manning, who is accused of giving hundreds of thousands of pages of classified material to WikiLeaks, was subjected to harsh treatment. He was locked in a 6-foot-by-8-foot cell for 23 hours a day and was kept naked for long periods. His incarceration led the UN Rapporteur for Torture to complain that Manning was being subjected to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.
According to the e-mail evidence, the controversy over the rough handling of Manning prompted Quantico commander, Marine Col. Daniel Choike, to complain bitterly that not one Army officer was in the chain of blame. Choike’s lament prompted an e-mail reply from his commander, Lt. Gen. George Flynn, offering assurances that Choike and Quantico would not be left “holding the bag.”
However, concerns about possible repercussions from softening up Manning did little to ease the conditions that Manning faced. His Marine captors seemed eager to give him the business and make him an example to any other prospective whistleblowers. Only after a sustained public outcry was Manning transferred to the Army prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Though his treatment was less harsh there, Manning still has faced 2 ½ years of incarceration without trial and could face up to life imprisonment after a court martial into his act of conscience, i.e., releasing extensive evidence of wrongdoing by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan and questionable foreign policies carried out by the U.S. State Department.
The release of the documents led to hundreds of news stories, including some that revealed the willful inaction of U.S. military brass when informed of torture inflicted on Iraqi prisoners held by the U.S.-backed Iraqi military.
Manning’s Conscience
As a young intelligence analyst in Iraq, Pvt. Manning grew disgusted with evidence passing through his computer terminal revealing the secretive dark side of the U.S. military occupation, including this pattern of high-level disinterest in Iraqi-on-Iraqi torture, which resulted from a directive known as Frago 242, guidelines from senior Pentagon officials not to interfere with abusive treatment of Iraqi government detainees.
As the UK Guardian reported in 2010 based on the leaked documents, Frago 242 was a “fragmentary order” summarizing a complex requirement, in this case, one issued in June 2004 ordering American troops not to investigate torture violations unless they involved members of the occupying coalition led by the United States.
When alleged abuse was inflicted by Iraqis on Iraqis, “only an initial report will be made … No further investigation will be required unless directed by HQ,” the Guardian reported, adding: “Frago 242 appears to have been issued as part of the wider political effort to pass the management of security from the coalition to Iraqi hands. In effect, it means that the [Iraqi] regime has been forced to change its political constitution but allowed to retain its use of torture.”
Some cases of torture were flagrant, according to the disregarded “initial” reports. For instance, the Guardian cited a log report of “a man who was detained by Iraqi soldiers in an underground bunker [and] reported that he had been subjected to the notoriously painful strappado position: with his hands tied behind his back, he was suspended from the ceiling by his wrists.
“The soldiers had then whipped him with plastic piping and used electric drills on him. The log records that the man was treated by US medics; the paperwork was sent through the necessary channels; but yet again, no investigation was required. …
“Hundreds of the leaked war logs reflect the fertile imagination of the torturer faced with the entirely helpless victim – bound, gagged, blindfolded and isolated – who is whipped by men in uniforms using wire cables, metal rods, rubber hoses, wooden stakes, TV antennae, plastic water pipes, engine fan belts, or chains.
“At the torturer’s whim, the logs reveal, the victim can be hung by his wrists or by his ankles; knotted up in stress positions; sexually molested or raped; tormented with hot peppers, cigarettes, acid, pliers, or boiling water – and always with little fear of retribution since, far more often than not, if the Iraqi official is assaulting an Iraqi civilian, no further investigation will be required.
“Most of the victims are young men, but there are also logs which record serious and sexual assaults on women; on young people, including a boy of 16 who was hung from the ceiling and beaten; the old and vulnerable, including a disabled man whose damaged leg was deliberately attacked. The logs identify perpetrators from every corner of the Iraqi security apparatus – soldiers, police officers, prison guards, border enforcement patrols.
“There is no question of the coalition forces not knowing that their Iraqi comrades are doing this: the leaked war logs are the internal records of those forces. There is no question of the allegations all being false. Some clearly are, but most are supported by medical evidence and some involve incidents that were witnessed directly by coalition forces.”
Possessing such evidence – and knowing that the U.S. high command was systematically ignoring these and other crimes – Manning was driven by a sense of morality to get the evidence to the American people and to the world.
Punishing Morality
For his act of conscience, Manning has become the subject of harsh incarceration himself, as some U.S. pundits and even members of Congress have called for his execution as a traitor. At minimum, however, he has been made an example to anyone else tempted to tell hard truths.
Many in Official Washington find nothing wrong with humiliating Manning with forced nudity and breaking down his psychiatric health through prolonged isolation. After all, they say, his release of classified information might have put the lives of some U.S. allies at risk (although there is no known evidence to support that concern).
There also are legal constraints upon the United States dishing out particularly nasty treatment to Pvt. Manning. Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners is expressly banned by the UN Convention Against Torture, which was signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 and ratified by the Senate in 1994.
And there are no exceptions for “wartime” whistleblowers like Manning. Here’s what the Convention says: “No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat or war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture” and “an order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of torture” (Art. 2 (2-3)).”
Personally, when I attended the Tuesday proceeding, I dreaded sitting through another “pre-trial hearing,” having been bored stiff at earlier sessions. But it was a welcome surprise to witness first-hand proof that military courts can still hold orderly proceedings bereft (on Tuesday, at least) of “command influence.”
Most illuminating at Tuesday’s hearing was the central fact that the virtually indestructible nature of e-mail facilitates the kind of documentary evidence that lawyers lust after – whether they be attorneys, FBI investigators or just plain folks fed up with lies and faux history.
To the Marine Corps’ credit, I suppose, there was no evidence at the hearing that anyone had tried to expunge the e-mail correspondence revealing the fears about being left “holding the bag” on the harsh treatment of Manning.
E-Mail vs. Petraeus
So the availability of e-mail is the major new reality playing out in several major ways. As we have seen, former Gen. David Petraeus is a notable recent victim of the truth that can turn up in e-mail.
I used to call him “Petraeus ex Machina” for the faux-success of the celebrated “surge” in Iraq, which cost almost 1,000 additional U.S. troops dead (and many more Iraqis) to buy a “decent interval” for George W. Bush and Dick Cheney to get out of town without a clear-cut military defeat hung around their necks.
As it turned out, “Petraeus ex Machina,” after a little more than a year as CIA director, was undone in a sex scandal exposed by the modern “machine” of e-mail.
More to the point, the torrent of e-mail and the “Collateral Murder” video that Manning now acknowledges giving to WikiLeaks as a matter of conscience were, of course, highly illuminating to students of real history. And the e-mails (and State Department cables) also were rather unflattering regarding the aims of U.S. policy and military actions around the globe.
So how did the White House, the State Department and military brass respond? There was a strongly felt need to make an object lesson of Bradley Manning to show what happens to people whose conscience prompts them to expose deceit and serious wrongdoing, especially through official documents that can’t be denied or spun.
In Manning’s case, he was delivered to the Marines, famous for their hard-headed determination to follow orders and to get the job done. So, his jailers took Manning’s clothes away and made him stand naked, supposedly out of concern that otherwise he might be “a risk to himself.” To further “protect” him, he was kept in a 23-hour lockdown in a tiny cell.
The treatment of Manning at Quantico was too much for State Department spokesman P. J. Crowley, a 26-year Air Force veteran and former colonel. Crowley was of the old school on the treatment of prisoners; his father, a B-17 pilot spent two years in a German POW camp.
On March 10, 2011, Crowley went public, telling an audience that Manning was being “mistreated” by the Defense Department; Crowley branded Manning’s treatment “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid.”
Three days later, Crowley resigned with this parting shot: “The exercise of power in today’s challenging times and relentless media environment must be prudent and consistent with our laws and values.”
At Ft. Meade, the pre-trial hearings are continuing, including testimony about how the advice of health professionals regarding Manning was disregarded by the Marine officers and his jailers at Quantico. Later this week, Manning himself is expected to take the stand.
Again, the fair and orderly manner in which Tuesday’s hearing was conducted was a reassuring sign that not everyone is prepared to cave before “command influence.” The judge, Col. Denise Lind, upon whom all depends, listened attentively and asked several good questions at the end.
Let’s hope the kangaroos can be kept at bay.
►http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/11/29/the-humiliation-of-bradley-manning
Ray McGovern works for Tell the Word, a publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in inner-city Washington. He was an Army infantry/intelligence officer in the early 60s, and then served for 27 years as a CIA analyst. He also serves on the Steering Group of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).
DRAFT RESOLUTION [26 November 2012]
67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
Agenda Item 37: Question of Palestine
Status of Palestine in the United Nations
The General Assembly,
Guided by the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, and stressing in this regard the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples,
Recalling its resolution 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970 [Declaration of Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations (24 October 1970)], affirming, inter alia, the duty of every State to promote through joint and separate action realization of the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples,
Stressing the importance of maintaining and strengthening international peace founded upon freedom, equality, justice and respect for fundamental human rights,
Recalling its resolution 181 (II) of 29 November 1947,
Reaffirming the Charter principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force,
Reaffirming relevant Security Council resolutions, including, inter alia, resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 446 (1979), 478 (1980), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003) and 1850 (2008),
Reaffirming the applicability of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, including, inter alia, with regard to the matter of prisoners,
Reaffirming its resolution 3236 (XXIX) of 22 November 1974, and all relevant resolutions, including resolution 66/146 of 19 December 2011, reaffirming the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine,
Reaffirming its resolution 43/176 of 15 December 1988, resolution 66/17 of 30 November 2011, and all relevant resolutions regarding the “Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine”, which, inter alia, stress the need for (a) the withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem; (b) the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to their independent State; (c) a just resolution of the problem of the Palestine refugees in conformity with resolution 194 (III) of 11 December 1948; and (d) the complete cessation of all Israeli settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem,
Reaffirming also its resolution 66/18 of 30 November 2011 and all relevant resolutions regarding the status of Jerusalem, bearing in mind that the annexation of East Jerusalem is not recognized by the international community, and emphasizing the need for a way to be found through negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the capital of two States,
Recalling the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 9 July 2004,
Reaffirming its resolution 58/292 of 6 May 2004, affirming, inter alia, that the status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, remains one of military occupation, and that in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, the Palestinian people have the right to self-determination and to sovereignty over their territory,
Recalling its resolutions 3210 (XXIX) of 14 October 1974 and 3237 (XXIX) of 22 November 1974, by which, respectively, the Palestine Liberation Organization was invited to participate in the deliberations of the General Assembly as the representative of the Palestinian people and was granted observer status,
Recalling its resolution 43/177 of 15 December 1988, by which it, inter alia, acknowledged the proclamation of the State of Palestine by the Palestine National Council on 15 November 1988, and decided that the designation “Palestine” should be used in place of the designation “Palestine Liberation Organization” in the United Nations system, without prejudice to the observer status and functions of the Palestine Liberation Organization within the United Nations system,
Taking into consideration that the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, in accordance with a decision by the Palestine National Council, is entrusted with the powers and responsibilities of the Provisional Government of the State of Palestine [A/43/928 of 9 December 1988],
Recalling its resolution 52/250 of 7 July 1998, by which additional rights and privileges were accorded to Palestine in its capacity as observer,
Recalling the Arab Peace Initiative adopted in March 2002 by the League of Arab States,
Reaffirming its commitment, in accordance with international law, to the two-State solution of an independent, sovereign, democratic, viable and contiguous State of Palestine living side by side with Israel in peace and security on the basis of the pre-1967 borders;
Bearing in mind the mutual recognition of 9 September 1993 between the Government of the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the representative of the Palestinian people,
Affirming the right of all States in the region to live in peace within secure and internationally recognized borders,
Commending the Palestinian National Authority’s 2009 plan for constructing the institutions of an independent Palestinian State within a two-year period, and welcoming the positive assessments in this regard about readiness for Statehood by the World Bank, the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund and as reflected in the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee Chair Conclusions of April 2011 and subsequent Chair Conclusions, which determined that the Palestinian Authority is above the threshold for a functioning State in key sectors studied,
Recognizing that full membership is enjoyed by Palestine in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, and the Group of Asian States and is also a full member as in the League of Arab States, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Group of 77 and China,
Recognizing that, to date, 132 States Members of the United Nations have accorded recognition to the State of Palestine;
Taking note of the 11 November 2011 report of the Security Council Committee on the Admission of New Members,
Stressing the permanent responsibility of the United Nations towards the question of Palestine until it is satisfactorily resolved in all its aspects,
Reaffirming the principle of universality of membership of the United Nations,
1. Reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to independence in their State of Palestine on the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967;
2. Decides to accord to Palestine Non-member Observer State status in the United Nations, without prejudice to the acquired rights, privileges and role of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the United Nations as the representative of the Palestinian people, in accordance with the relevant resolutions and practice;
3. Expresses that the Security Council will consider favorably the application submitted on 23 September 2011 by the State of Palestine for admission to full membership in the United Nations;
4. Affirms its determination to contribute to the achievement of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the attainment of a peaceful settlement in the Middle East that ends the occupation that began in 1967 and fulfills the vision of two States, an independent, sovereign, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Israel, on the basis of the pre-1967 borders;
5. Expresses the resumption and acceleration of negotiations within the Middle East peace process, based on the relevant United Nations resolutions, the Madrid terms of reference, including the principle of land for peace, the Arab Peace Initiative and the Quartet Roadmap, for the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement between the Palestinian and Israeli sides that resolves all outstanding core issues, namely the Palestine refugees, Jerusalem, settlements, borders, security and water;
6. Urges all States and the specialized agencies and organizations of the United Nations system to continue to support and assist the Palestinian people in the early realization of their right to self-determination, independence and freedom;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to take the necessary measures to implement the present resolution and to report to the Assembly within three months on progress made in this regard.
Source: The Rights Forum
MasterAdrian’s Weblog
►http://masteradrian.com
A Horse Named Reckless
Reckless was a pack horse during the Korean war, and she carried recoil-less rifle ammunition and supplies to Marines. Nothing too unusual about that, lots of animals got pressed into doing pack chores in many wars.
But this horse did something more…. during the battle for a location called Outpost Vegas, this mare made 50 trips up and down the hill, on the way up she carried ammunition, and on the way down she carried wounded soldiers…
What was so amazing?
Well she made every one of those trips through enemy fire and without anyone leading her. Here’s her story and photos to prove where she was and what she did.
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO