The Pope at the Wall

By Mazin Qumsiyeh, Bethlehem

The children of Al-Rowwad from Aida Refugee Camp delivered a message to the
Pope when he stopped to pray at the apartheid and annexation wall. They
emphasized prisoners plight and the right to return home. This impromptu
stop was in my opinion the most memorable part of the Pontiff's visit to
Bethlehem. The Pope recognized "The State of Palestine" (Google just did it
too!) and also met with refugee children at Dheisheh and shared food with
some family members who each had a story to tell him about horrific
suffering under Israel's colonial occupation. Christians and Muslims here
were all genuinely touched by the visit of this more humble Pope and his
gestures of understanding and solidarity. But most said they wished he
would use his influence more to pressure the Zionist regime. The Western
Zionist dominated media tried to hide things including the Pope's gestures
of solidarity with us but social media was prominent and the story could
not be ignored. See pictures here
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.662587883813204.1073741947.409078369164158&type=
1

The Pope later went on to Tel Aviv to be was sandwiched between two Zionist
Polish liars who continue to build walls of hate and destruction: Persky
(aka Peres) and Mileikowsky (aka Netanyahu). The Pope had to listen as both
atheists said that God gave this land to the Jews and that Israel was "the
land of the Jewish people" and is a "democracy that guarantees freedom of
religion"! Unfortunately, the Pope is also forced to lay a wreath at the
tomb of Theodore Herzl (in addition to the obligatory stops at "Yad Vashem"
and Herod's retaining wall). Herzl is another atheist who is "credited"
with organizing a world-wide Zionist movement that resulted in hundreds of
thousands of deaths (not counting those crimes committed by its subservient
armies like the US army killing Iraqis etc). It is a movement that has
created millions of refugees and continues to commit crimes against
humanity as it consolidates an apartheid system here while money laundering
billions of illicit financial gains money. Israel continues to demolish
homes and lands.  Just to welcome the Pope: Israel murdered Palestinian
youth, imprisoned many, destroyed over 1500 trees in the Land of the Nassar
family (called Tent of Nations) and more. Israeli Jewish "activists" even
distributed flyers calling for destruction of Churches (claiming Christians
worship idols according to Jewish law), and some sprayed graffiti on
Churches that "Mary is a Cow" and "Jesus: a son of a Whore"!

Who are these Zionist leaders that brilliantly brainwashed Jews to support
racist Zionism and pressured some Gentiles to do the same?

Shimon Peres was born as Shimon Perski in Vishniva, Poland (now Belarus).
He and his parents came to Palestine in 1934 (under British rule). He
joined the underground terrorist group the Haganah, and served as a chief
of its manpower division in the 1940s and participated in the ethnic
cleansing of 1948-1949. He is the architect of Israel's nuclear program.
Appointed in 1953 as director general of the ministry of defense, he
immediately started exploring the nuclear development.  In the late 1950s
and early 1960s, Israel developed its nuclear program primarily with the
help of France while maintaining the Peres doctrine of "ambiguity."  The US
and Britain and other countries looked the other way. He is known as a
slick politician able to lie with ease claiming wanting peace but rejecting
any responsibility for his ethnic cleansing of Palestine and rejecting the
rights of refugees to return to their homes and lands. He was awarded (with
Rabin and Arafat) the Nobel Peace Prize for their disastrous Oslo accords.
Many Nobel committee members later signed a letter regretting their
awarding Perski the Nobel Peace Prize (based on his actions as member of
the Sharon government during its war crimes spree).

Benyamin Mileikowsky (aka Netanyahu) was born to Benzion Mileikowsky (later
changed names to Netanyahu), a polish immigrant. His Americanized father
became secretary to terrorist leader Vladimir Yevgenyevich Zhabotinsky (aka
Zeev Jabotinsky) founder of "revisionist" Zionism and supported groups like
Irgun terrorist organization during the mandate in Palestine. His son
continues to idolize these early Jewish terrorists. Both Benjamin and his
brother served in units of the Israeli forces responsible for
assassinations on foreign lands (in violations of international law) and
committed war crimes. Benjamin Miliekowsky (Netanyahu) is known both among
Israelis and globally as a consummate liar who refused to accept the Oslo
accords (even though they were partial to Israel) and has gotten rich off
of his political activities. Here is a video of him thinking the camera was
off explaining his true contributions during his first stint as Israeli
prime minister in the 1990s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrtuBas3Ipw .
see also this
http://972mag.com/netanyahu-clinton-administration-was-%E2%80%9Cextremely-pro-palestinian%
E2%80%9D-i-stopped-oslo/135/
This is after all the same terrorist who gave a speech to dozens of
Likud
Party members in Eilat in which he admitted this is his strategy. According
to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz (15 July 2001): "...giving his audience a
bit of advice on how to deal with foreign interviewers (Netanyahu
said):'Always, irrespective of whether you're right or not, you must always
present your side as right.' In 2011, the French president, Nicolas
Sarkozy, described Netanyahu as a liar in a private exchange with US
President Barack Obama at the G20 summit (it was inadvertently broadcast to
journalists). "I cannot stand him. He's a liar," Sarkozy told Obama. The US
president Obama responded by saying: "You're fed up with him? I have to
deal with him every day."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/08/sarkozy-obama-netanyahu-gaffe-microphone
.

Other Zionist leaders have even more interesting backgrounds. See
http://qumsiyeh.org/israelileaders/

But in very good news, and inspite of sending in legions of professional
propaganda men to DePaul University, the students there voted to support
Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions.
http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/depaul-students-vote-divestment-despite-i
sraeli-government-interference

The BDS campaign must grow. Other forms of resistance must grow. Injustice
must end. Join the struggle.

Mazin Qumsiyeh
Bethlehem University
http://qumsiyeh.org

 Paxcalibur being pressed up against the Separation Wall in my prayer

for it to come down in 2010 

Thanks, Dad, and all the men who served America

You were braver than me to have flown in that B-24 Liberator on all those missions, each bomber a sitting duck for flak and German fighter planes in a devil's toss of the dice that day. For all the men who risked their lives for all of us, I salute you, for our safety you helped insure. We are not Nazis or ruled by Japanese...yet..

Pope prays at Israel's West Bank separation barrier

The Pope rested his head against Israel's separation barrier as he prayed

Pope Francis has prayed at the concrete barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank during his three-day tour of the Middle East.

The unscheduled stop came after he called for an end to the "increasingly unacceptable" Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Speaking in Bethlehem, the Pope invited the Israeli and Palestinian presidents to the Vatican to pray for peace.

The tour's official purpose is to improve ties with the Orthodox Church.

It comes just weeks after peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down.
Later, the Pope will travel to Tel Aviv and then Jerusalem where he will meet Bartholomew I, the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople.

Jeremy Bowen, BBC News, Bethlehem
 
This has turned into a much better than expected visit for the Palestinians, according to a PLO official I spoke to here in Bethlehem.

Palestinians have used social media to post pictures of Pope Francis praying at the 8m concrete wall that separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem. The Israelis say the wall and other parts of the separation barrier are vital for the security of their people. But for Palestinians the wall is tangible symbol of what they say is Israel's intention to grab as much land as possible. 

The invitation to Rome for President Peres of Israel and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is an intriguing development, at a time when negotiations have collapsed. The Pope's spokesman said it was a papal peace initiative, based on the Pope's moral and spiritual authority. 

"The time has come to put an end to this situation which has become increasingly unacceptable," the Pope said on Sunday as he met Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

The changes Francis has made during his papacy - in 90 seconds

He talked of the "tragic consequences of the protracted conflict" and the need "to intensify efforts and initiatives" to create a stable peace - based on a two-state solution.

The Pope travelled directly to the West Bank rather than enter via Israel

 

He waved to the crowds as he travelled to Manger Square where went on to hold an open-air Mass

 

The Pope's arrival was eagerly awaited by local Christians

 

He later held an open-air Mass for 8,000 local Christians by Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity.
At the end, he said he wished to invite Mr Abbas, together with Israeli President Shimon Peres, to join him at the Vatican "in heartfelt prayer to God for the gift of peace".

The Pope's spokesman, Federico Lombardi, told the BBC the move was papal peace initiative and believed to be the first of its kind.

Pope Francis has insisted the purpose of his Middle East trip is purely religious.
However, the first speech on his arrival in Bethlehem showed that he is also willing to address pressing political issues, says the BBC's Yolande Knell in Bethlehem.

On his way to Manger Square where he held the Mass, he stopped to pray at a high concrete wall that is part of the barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank.

The Pope rested his head against the wall on which graffiti read: "Free Palestine."
Israel says the wall is needed for security but the Palestinians see it as a land grab.

Many Palestinians see it as a recognition of their push for full statehood.

Historic meeting
 
During the afternoon, Francis will take a short flight to Tel Aviv where he will be formally welcomed to Israel by President Shimon Peres before flying on to Jerusalem.

This Pope obviously has more political clout than any President or world leader now as he makes waves through Israel/Palestine. It's such a good thing he's doing. The two-state solution won't work as the land is too small to be divided even further and of course, the European invasion won't ever settle with Palestinians until Palestinians rule their own land and not Europeans bent on religious land stealing to satisfy Jewish myths of origin that never occurred. 

 

Flynn: World ignores Christian plight

Forced exodus from Holy Land off radar

Saturday, May 24, 2014

By:

Raymond L. Flynn

 

Times Minute | Pope Visits the Holy Land

Pope Francis embarks on a three-day trip to the Middle East. Jodi Rudoren, the Times’s Bureau chief, on what to watch from the visit.

While I was in Rome last month and engaged in heavy discussion with prominent political and religious leaders, the dramatic decline in the Christian population in the Holy Land emerged as a major topic. Some people were surprised to hear about the incredibly large number of Catholics who have been driven out over the last few decades.

A leading Catholic official who will accompany Pope Francis this weekend to the Holy Land said the pontiff is deeply troubled about the forced exodus of millions of Catholics and other Christians from the region.

And he feels politically powerless to do much about it because of the apathy and the lack of political will by the international community.

The war between Israel and Palestine has been the main culprit in driving Christians from their own country, my diplomatic and historian friends told me. Christians once comprised more than 10 percent of the population, but today that percentage is down to a mere 2 percent.


One top Vatican official told me, “Violence against Catholics in the Middle East is horrendous. Do people in the United States know this? Or maybe it’s of no concern to your government.”


I was told that Pope Francis will talk to victims of the violence and chaos, but I’m not hopeful that he will get much support from the international community. And that’s a shame.

If this hatred were directed against any other religious group, the world community would demand action by political leaders. But Christians get no support from the U.N. or the United States. In fact, there seems to be a world news blackout in this war on Christians. It’s almost as if everyone is afraid to tell what is going on. This is what happened in Germany in the 1930s.

Pope Francis may be the only person on the planet who can alert the world to this tragic, untold story in the Holy Land. Here’s hoping political leaders and regular folks heed his words.

Raymond L. Flynn is a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican and a former mayor of Boston.

Urgent! Tent of Nations under IDF attack!

June 3rd Update:
Good News from the Tent of Nation!  The Supreme Court of Israel has granted Daoud Nassar, and the Tent of Nations, acceptance of their appeal to deny  the order to demolish the structures on the farm.  It’s a victory for justice and peace!  The military authority has 60 days in which to respond.  So for now, the wonderful activities of the farm will continue on in its mission to build a better future for all people of the region.   On behalf of Friends of Tent of Nations North America, we thank you for your efforts to alert your friends, government representatives and a world of people like yourself.  The engagement is not over. We must continue to expand our circle.  

---

June 1st Update:
Dear Friends of Tent of Nations all over the world,
Two hours ago, I received a phone call from our Lawyers Mr. Sani Khoury and Mr. Jonathan Kuttab. they received a Fax from the Israeli Military Authority  says that our Appeal against the demolishing orders of our renovations has been refused . They wanted to come today to demolish the renovations, but they gave us ” because of their generosity” another five days time, before coming to demolish those renovations. What can we do with five days time?!
At this moment, we have two options: the first one is to accept the situation as it is and just wait for the Israeli Military to come and destroy the place OR to continue the legal battle by bringing this case in front of the Supreme Court in Israel which might rule to freeze the demolishing orders until it takes a decision. Usually court cases like this will take a year or two, if the Supreme Court decides to freeze the demolishing orders.

 Bringing this case to the Supreme Court will cost us a lot of money and this will increase our financial burden.
We are defending  our land from being confiscated for more than twenty years, we paid a lot for legal expenses, BUT without getting tired.
We are people who believe in Justice, we will continue our just struggle and will bring this case in front of the Israeli Supreme Court challenging the injustice we are facing. In the meanwhile we ask you to keep us in your prayers, to keep writing advocacy letters and to inform as many people as you can about our story.
 I am sure that our efforts together will make a difference. Thank you so much for this support and solidarity.
“But those who wait on the LORD, shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31).
Please find below the letter I received today from our Lawyer Mr. Sani Khoury.
Blessings and Salaam,
Daoud
Dear Mr. Nassar,

I would like to inform you that we received today a formal response from the Military Authorities denies our appeal against the demolition orders against the renovations that took place on your land. According to the Military Authorities they have decided to reject your appeal in light of the fact that your previous appeals against the demolition orders were rejected. As you are aware all of your previous requests to obtain a license were rejected using the excuse that "there is no current zoning plan in your area". Zoning plans are submitted by the authorities themselves. In your case the authorities did not conclude any zoning plans for your area - indeed they stopped all zoning plans when it became clear that the Supreme Court would not confirm the confiscation of your land. When your land was being confiscated and given to the Newe Daniel settlement plans to build hundreds of building units were being set in place by the authorities themselves.
When the confiscation was suspended and it became clear the land would not be given to the settlement, the zoning plans suddenly changed. In light of this fact you cannot under any circumstances obtain any license for any structure, building or renovation.

You have been given a "grace period" of five days before the demolition takes place.

The only action that can stop this is an injunction by the Supreme Court of Israel, which may or may not grant such an injunction under the circumstances.

Yours,
Sani
Daoud Nassar
Director
Tent of Nations
-People Building Bridges-
P.O.Box 28
Bethlehem -  Palestine
Tel: +972 (0)2-274 3071
Fax: +972(0)2-276 7446
Mobile: +972(0)522 975 985
info@tentofnations.org
www.tentofnations.org

---

May 30 Update:
We talked to Daoud by phone this morning. All is quiet on the farm today. Daoud and his family are also surrounded by 10 international volunteers who live on the land. The family has been overwhelmed by the positive support of not only us in the U.S but also others throughout the world. Monday will be a critical day when the courts open and the lawyer for Daoud can verify that the appeal has been heard. We will update this website late on Monday. Thanks for your interest and support for Tent of Nations and the Nassar family.

---

Dear Friends of Tent of Nations,
 The Nassar Family Farm/Tent of Nations Project is in immediate jeopardy because of actions taken by Israeli authorities on Thursday afternoon, May 27, when two officers from the Israeli Civil Administration, guarded by Israeli soldiers, came to the farm and gave the family nine demolition orders for structures built without a permit from the Israeli Military Authority during the last two years. The orders are set for execution this Sunday, May 30. The Nassars’s attorney has initiated emergency legal action to stave off disaster.

 We are asking you to be prepared to take every possible action, if conditions worsen, demanding that the orders not be executed. In the meantime, please sign this petition with your phone and email and forward this E-mail to your friends asking that they do likewise.  We will post updates at the website  www.fotonna.org.

Thank you for your solidarity.
 Steering Committee
Friends of Tent of Nations North America.
Further Background:
The Nassar Family Farm/Tent of Nations Project just south of Bethlehem has a long history of modeling peaceful co-existence with its neighbors through teaching courses and providing workshops and conferences for women and youth.  It also provides opportunities for internationals, Israelis and Palestinians to unite in solidarity around a common dream of a just peace. (www.tentofnations.org) The Project has always provided a safe haven for those who are committed to justice, and we want it to continue to do so.

The pending Israeli Military demolition orders are for tents, animal shelters, metal roofs on both old houses, the restroom shelters, a water cistern, a one-room trailer and two underground renovated cave structures. While one officer wrote the demolition orders on Thursday, the other photographed the structures. Israeli soldiers accompanied them and pointed their guns on the family and volunteers.

The Nassar family has only three days to file objections to those orders which is more difficult because Friday and Saturday are holidays for the Israelis.  Daoud has contacted his lawyer, and he will write an opposition to the orders, and send it to the military court on Sunday morning. The family hopes to get a court order on Sunday morning to stop the demolition action.

---

Stop the Nassar Family Farm/Tent of Nations Demolition

Promote Your Page Too

---

If you're not on Facebook, sign the petition here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/stop-the-demolition-of-nassar-family-farmtent-of-nations-buildings

---

White House comment line (real person answers) - Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 202-456-1111; White House fax: 202-456-2461
Capital Switchboard - 202-224-3121 and ask for Senator or Congress person by name
State Dept. - Secretary of State - try email: secretary@state.gov; if not work go to http://contact-us.state.gov
Israeli Embassy:
http://www.israelemb.org/about_us.html

About the Embassy of Israel
The Embassy of Israel in Washington DC is Israel’s largest embassy in the world. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Israel formulates, implements and presents foreign policy of the Israeli government, the Embassy works to present those policies to the United States government. Thereby the Embassy acts as a liaison to strengthen the ties between the two governments and increase diplomatic relations.
The Embassy of Israel has many departments that work together with specific aspects of the US government.
Departments in the Embassy of Israel

Ambassador of Israel to The United States
His Excellency Ambassador Michael Oren

Deputy Chief of Mission
Mr. Dan Arbell
Fax: (202) 364-5560

Defense and Armed Forces Attaché
Major General Gadi Shamni
Tel: (202) 364-5403
Fax: (202) 364-5503

Political Department
Oded Joseph - Minister - Counselor for Middle Eastern Affairs
Nissan Amdur - Minister - Counselor for Political Affairs
Oren Anolik - Counselor for Political Affairs
Tel: (202)364-5581/2
Fax: (202)364-5490

Public Affairs
NOAM KATZ - Minister-Public Diplomacy
Tel: (202) 364-5542
Fax: (202) 364-5423
info@washington.mfa.gov.il
Galit Baram -Counselor for Public and Academic Affairs
info@washington.mfa.gov.il

Congressional Affairs
Daniel Meron - Minister for Congressional Affairs
Aviv Ezra - Counselor for Congressional Affairs 
Tel:(202) 364-5568
Fax: (202)364-5490

Press Department
Jonathan Peled - Minister - Counselor Spokesman
Tel: (202) 364-5538
Fax: (202) 364-5610

Economic Affairs
Asaf Vitman - Minister for Economic Affairs
Tel: (202) 364-5691/2
Fax: (202) 364-5647

Commercial Affairs
http://www.israelemb.org/bios/Ohad_Cohen.htmOhad Cohen - Commercial Attache
Tel.: (202) 364-5695
Fax: (202) 364-5647
Email: washington@israeltrade.gov.il
Website: www.moital.gov.il/dc

Agriculture & Scientific Affairs
Mr. Zvi Herman - Minister for Agriculture and Scientific Affairs
Science & Technology Affairs 
Tel: (202) 364-5641
Fax: (202) 364-5643
agriculture@israelemb.org

Foreign Defense Assistance & Exports (SIBAT)
Gideon Meretz - Minister - Counselor
Tel: (202) 364-5608
Fax: (202) 364-5491

Police Liaison Office
URI BAR-LEV MAJOR -MAJOR GENERAL Israel Police Attache 
Efi Tibi - Brigadier General Attache & Liaisson Officer to U.S.and Canada
Tel: (202) 364-5672
Fax: (202) 364-5404

Tent of Nations is the Palestinian peace activist organization that was to become the next Keeper of Paxcalibur, Sword of Peace, but I've held back moving Pax from it's present Keeper, the head Catholic priest of Nazareth, Israel, just because of this sort of potential violence at Tent of Nations where Israel wants their land and is willing to do anything to get it. Tent of Nations is pure honest Goodness and for Israel to attack such people only shows what a hideous farce of a moral nation, the "Light unto the Gentiles", Judaism has produced. 

In Iran, no room for 'Happy'

Young Iranians who filmed a version of the viral hit 'Happy' were arrested, then released. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini once said, 'There is no fun in Islam.' 

By Scott Peterson, Staff writer / May 21, 2014 

• 

In this frame grab taken from video posted to YouTube, people dance to Pharrell Williams' hit song 'Happy' on a rooftop in Tehran, Iran.

AP

Istanbul; and Tehran, Iran

Their offense was to have too much fun.

In Iran, social freedom has long been measured by the prevalence of male-female hand holding or how far back women push their headscarves. So the six young men and women who danced together on rooftops, hair bouncing, in their version of the viral feel-good hit "Happy" were taking a risk.

A generation ago, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the father of Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution, laid down an uncompromising standard when he said that God “did not create man so that he could have fun… There is no humor in Islam. There is no fun in Islam.” 

The was also no music. Mr. Khomeini told Radio Iran to battle it “with all your might” because there was “no difference between music and opium.”

 

The six dancers were arrested, and last night they were presented on Iranian television soon after their arrest, with their backs to the camera. Tehran police chief Hossein Sajedinia said the video was “a vulgar clip" which "hurt public chastity” and warned Iranians against further “corrupt” acts. 

The arrest, which sparked a firestorm of international criticism on social media, came after President Hassan Rouhani called in a weekend speech for greater Internet freedom. Today, amid reports that the “Happy” group had been released, Mr. Rouhani tweeted a quote from a speech of his last June: “#Happiness is our people’s right. We shouldn’t be too hard on behaviors caused by joy.” 

Waging a war

From the outside, Iran’s culture wars may appear banal and quibbling. 

But a coterie of fundamentalist officials see themselves as the guardians of the Islamic Republic’s cultural purity and warn against "cultural invasion" by the West. With Pharrell Williams' hit video for "Happy" spawning copycats in 140 countries, it is not surprising Tehran's version, which garnered 165,000 hits even before the arrest, eventually prompted a heavy-handed response.

Producing such a video was always a risk in Iran, where strict rules govern women’s hair covering, forbid dancing in public, and limit public contact between unmarried men and women.

This is what Rouhani is up against as he tries to fulfill campaign promises of greater social freedom, which have so far seen limited progress, such as the opening up of music and media. 

“Why are we so shaky? Why have we cowered in a corner, grabbing onto a shield and wooden sword, lest we take a bullet in this culture war?” he said this weekend, before the "Happy" arrests. “Even if there is an onslaught, which there is, the way to face it is via modern means, not passive and cowardly methods.” 

Push and pull

Several other Iranian versions of “Happy” have been produced, coinciding with a separate new Internet phenomenon, in which Iranian women post photographs of themselves outdoors but unseen, joyfully casting off their headscarves. 

Two weeks ago a protest was held in Tehran against the anti-headscarf campaign and a broader loosening of modesty standards as spring temperatures rise. Fundamentalist protesters, including women wearing long black chadors, complained that those women were wearing “bad hijab." 

The arrest of the “Happy” group could well backfire, spawning mockeries of the rules, such as anonymous postings of fun-less versions of “Happy” in full Islamic covering.

In the TV broadcast after the arrest, the six stood with heads hung low as if forced into a confession, and said they were duped into making the video, claiming they thought they were taking part in an audition.

The Tehran police chief boasted that when the order came to arrest the six, his agents identified them within two hours – their names were prominently displayed on the video credits – and picked them up within six hours. No one mentioned the fact that the video had already been posted for weeks. 

The news website IranWire quoted one source saying, “All of the young producers received phone calls informing them that a friend had suffered a car accident and required their help. When they arrived at the address they had been given over the phone, security forces were waiting to arrest them.” 

The source told IranWire yesterday that they would be released today if they posted a $10,000 bail and agreed not to speak to the media.

Poor Muslims...such an imprisonment of a religion when your god doesn't have a sense of humor. Happily, us Celestial Torah Christians are almost utterly compelled to laugh at ourselves as we know that the whole Torah theology of Judaism was derived from ancient Egyptian worship of a cartoon looking god, Taurowet, a pregnant hippopotamus/lion/human critter whose constellation in the ancient Egyptian zodiac, the biggest one, came to represent the harmonious Order of Creation.

The Right To Be Forgotten: Demand it for America as well as Europe.

I'm reposting this article written by Thomas Claburn in order to show how the big tech companies are already gearing up for here in America trying to squash the European court protection of freedom to be left alone from internet search engines. If we don't stand up now to protect our freedom from these monster companies we won't be able to later as these guys can buy and have bought our American government a long time ago. These guys can dip into anyone's lives and share whatever is there with anyone who asks for the information so that these giant advertising sales machines can make oodles of money for a comparative handful of people who thus join the 2% Super Rich running our world Their way. 

Rethink The Right To Be Forgotten

There are better ways to address discomfort with the truth than government-mandated lying.

The "right to be forgotten," recognized in Article 17 of the European Union's revision of its 1995 data protection rules, is at once admirable and asinine.

Forgetfulness is often a prerequisite for forgiveness, and there are many instances when an individual or an organization deserves forgiveness. It wouldn't be particularly helpful if a search for "IBM," for example, returned as its top result a link to a website about the company's business with the Nazi regime. Forgetfulness is enshrined in judicial practices like the sealing of court records for juvenile offenders. It has real social value.

European lawmakers are right to recognize this, but their attempt to force forgetfulness on Internet companies is horribly misguided. The right to be forgotten will cause real social harm, to say nothing of the economic and moral cost.

Google has felt the sting to this new right. On Tuesday, the European Court of Justice ruled that Google must delete "irrelevant" links from its search index because a Spanish man complained about two news articles that mentioned an old debt. The man sought the removal of the articles from the website of a Spanish newspaper and the removal of links in Google's index pointing to those articles.

The Spanish data protection authority allowed the newspaper to keep its articles, because the stories reported facts, but decided that Google had to remove its links to the articles. Google appealed and lost.

Now, as feared, others unhappy with information on websites indexed by Google are demanding that Google to make that information harder to find. They claim the information is no longer relevant and outdated. According to the BBC, Google has received information removal demands from: an ex-politician seeking reelection who doesn't want people to read about his behavior while in office; a man convicted of possessing child abuse images who doesn't want people to read about his conviction; and a doctor who doesn't want people reading negative reviews of his practice.

These individuals may not have claims supported by Article 17, which allows data to be retained for a legitimate purpose and is ostensibly not about erasing history or restricting the press. But this is only the beginning of an inevitable flood of such requests. And because the law allows fines that can reach up to 5% of annual revenue, companies are going to err on the side of caution.

In a Facebook post, EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding celebrated the court decision, noting that "The data belongs to the individual, not to the company. And unless there is a good reason to retain this data, an individual should be empowered – by law – to request erasure of this data."

Reding is asserting a dangerous new intellectual property right here. Granted Europe has a more expansive view of the scope of intellectual property than we do in America, but what she describes amounts to ownership of facts. And in place of the fair use doctrine as a defense against infringement, we have "a good reason" as a defense against demands to be forgotten.

What's "a good reason" and who decides? The question is a lot like "who's a journalist?" or "what's newsworthy?" There are no easy answers so whatever answer we use must be expansive. And because of the inescapable ambiguity of these questions, there's no consensus about how to determine when facts (or anecdotes) about a person are no longer relevant.

Is Google a publisher or an intermediary? For the purpose of legal liability, Google Search is the latter, but reality is more nuanced. Removing data from Google (or any search engine) has almost the same effect as removing it from the source website. The right to be forgotten makes information less accessible to the public.

The right to forget needs to be balanced against the right to remember and our social obligation to the truth. Toward that end, the proper way to address this issue is not through the creation of an unworkable intellectual property right but by altering Google's search algorithm.

Insisting on a right to be forgotten in an age when machines remember everything just isn't realistic. Lawmakers should focus on shaping that memory rather than denying its existence.
Could the growing movement toward open-source hardware rewrite the rules for computer and networking hardware the way Linux, Apache, and Android have for software? Also in the Open Source Hardware issue of InformationWeek: Mark Hurd explains his "once-in-a-career opportunity" at Oracle.

Thomas Claburn has been writing about business and technology since 1996, for publications such as New Architect, PC Computing, InformationWeek, Salon, Wired, and Ziff Davis Smart Business.

Christian woman in Sudan sentenced to death for her faith

By Ed Payne and Daniel Burke, CNN

updated 4:39 PM EDT, Thu May 15, 2014

(CNN) -- A Sudanese court has sentenced a Christian woman to death for renouncing Islam, her lawyer said Thursday.

Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, 27, was convicted by a Khartoum court this week of apostasy, or the renunciation of faith.

The court considers her to be Muslim.

She also was convicted of adultery.

Ibrahim's lawyer Haram Othman told CNN that her legal team will appeal the verdict within 15 days.

According to the rights group Amnesty International, she was convicted of adultery because her marriage to a Christian man was considered void under Sharia law. She was sentenced to 100 lashes for the second crime.

 

Meriam Yehya Ibrahim on her wedding day.

 

"The verdict is contrary to commitments Sudan has made in its own Constitution and commitments made under regional and international law; Meriam has been convicted solely on account of her religious convictions and personal status," said Katherine Perks with the African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies. 

 

"The fact that a woman could be sentenced to death for her religious choice, and to flogging for being married to a man of an allegedly different religion, is abhorrent and should never be even considered," Manar Idriss, Amnesty International's Sudan researcher, said in a statement.

" 'Adultery' and 'apostasy' are acts which should not be considered crimes at all, let alone meet the international standard of 'most serious crimes' in relation to the death penalty. It is a flagrant breach of international human rights law," the researcher said.

Ibrahim is eight months pregnant and is in custody with her 20-month-old son, according to Amnesty International, which considers her a prisoner of conscience.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide, another rights group, described Ibrahim's case as follows:

She was born to a Sudanese Muslim father and an Ethiopian Orthodox mother. Her father left when she was 6 years old, and Ibrahim was raised by her mother as a Christian.

However, because her father was Muslim, the courts considered her to be the same, which would mean her marriage to a non-Muslim man is void.

In past cases involving pregnant or nursing women, the Sudanese government waited until the mother weaned her child before executing any sentence, said Christian Solidarity Worldwide spokeswoman Kiri Kankhwende.

'Egregious violations of freedom of religion'

Sudan is one of the most difficult countries in the world to be a Christian, according to international religious freedom monitors.

Under President Omar al-Bashir, the African nation "continues to engage in systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief," the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said in its 2014 report.

The country imposes Sharia law on Muslims and non-Muslims alike and punishes acts of "indecency" and "immorality" by floggings and amputations, the commission said.

"Conversion from Islam is a crime punishable by death, suspected converts to Christianity face societal pressures, and government security personnel intimidate and sometimes torture those suspected of conversion," said the commission, whose members are appointed by Congress and the president.

The 8 worst places in the world to be religious

The Sudanese government has arrested Christians for spreading their faith, razed Christian churches and confiscated Christians' property, the commission said.

Since 1999, the U.S. State Department has called Sudan one of the worst offenders of religious rights, counting it among eight "countries of particular concern."

"The government at times enforced laws against blasphemy and defaming Islam," the State Department said in its most recent report on religious freedom, from 2012.

The State Department's other countries of concern, all of which impose strict penalties on Christians or other faiths, are: Myanmar (also known as Burma), China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.

Among all religious groups, Christians are the most likely to be persecuted worldwide, according to a 2014 report by the Pew Research Center.

Between June 2006 and December 2012, Christians were harassed by governments in 151 countries, Pew reported. Islam was second, with 135 countries. Together, Christians and Muslims make up half of the world's population, Pew noted.

A united call for religious rights

Attempts to contact Sudan's justice minister and foreign affairs minister about the Ibrahim case were unsuccessful.

Foreign embassies in Khartoum are urging the government there to reverse course.

"We call upon the Government of Sudan to respect the right to freedom of religion, including one's right to change one's faith or beliefs, a right which is enshrined in international human rights law as well as in Sudan's own 2005 Interim Constitution," the embassies of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Netherlands said in a statement.

"We further urge Sudanese legal authorities to approach Ms. Meriam's case with justice and compassion that is in keeping with the values of the Sudanese people," it read.

Muhammad's Islam will not last. A New Islam, led by Muslim women, will remake the Religion of Peace into what it should be. 

They Can't Stop Us

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They Can't Stop Us Join IJAN in defending the rights of students and professors to learn about, teach about and organize for justice in Palestine.  Congratulations to Northeastern University – Students for Justice in Palestine for their reinstatement after having being wrongfully suspended.  The Palestine solidarity movement has and will continue to successfully defend ourselves against attempts to censor our freedom of speech and anti-racist organizing. Take Action Send a letter to defend Professor Rabab Abdulhadi at SF State University (read IJAN article in Jacobins about attacks on Professor Abdulhadi as part of a well-resourced, highly organized Zionist campaign) Sign petition to defend students at NYU falsely accused of anti-Semitism for educating their fellow students about Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes (read  IJAN statement of support for NYU SJP)   Despite ongoing attempts to quash the speech of faculty and students alike, the campus movement for justice in Palestine has gone from strength to strength. It has passed divestment resolutions in student assemblies at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Loyola, successfully organized to reinstate Students for Justice in Palestine at Northeastern University, gathered professors to defend the American Studies Association landmark endorsement of the academic boycott, won endorsement of the Asian American Studies Association and the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association. Campus organizers have incrementally built the level of struggle while facing attacks, as with the Students Allied for Freedom and Equality’s inspiring sit-ins at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor which forced their student government to vote on their boycott resolution.    Israel’s defenders, aware that their longstanding attempt to control public opinion is faltering, are investing over $300 million in propaganda, surveillance, and repressive litigation in attempts to silence solidarity with Palestine by making false accusations of antisemitism.  By now, the pattern of institutional muzzling of voices advocating for an open hearing for the Palestinian cause is unmistakable: Northeastern University with its Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) suspended until the movement forced its reinstatement, NYU falsely accused of anti-Semitism for distributing home demolition orders to highlight the destruction of Palestinian homes by the State of Israel, Florida Atlantic University students forced into re-education programs, a call for the removal of Palestinian professor Rabab Abdulhadi at San Francisco State University, and University of California-Irvine students facing state charges for voicing opposition to the presence of state apologists following the brutal 2008-2009 assault on the Gaza Strip.  Coordinating the charge against the growing support for justice in Palestine is the Israel Action Network (IAN), a strategic initiative of the Jewish Federations of North America and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, launched in October 2010 with an initial three-year, $6 million investment.  A sister project, the national Israeli Campus Coalition, is a national network of students, faculty and professionals dedicated to combating Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS), tracking “anti-Israel” organizing on campus and coordinating an "early warning system" to alert campus constituents and national partners about anti-Israel activity. They recruit, train and resource campus activists – students and faculty – and organizations to carry out the goal of silencing any criticism of Israel or support for the Palestinian struggle by every available means.  This agenda threatens many things people of conscience hold dear: free speech, academic freedom, the sanctity of universities as places of anti-racist organizing, self-determination of oppressed peoples, and ethnic studies.  Join us in encouraging campus administrators to protect these strongholds of freedom and justice and protect students, professors and faculty from this bullying.  Send a letter to defend Professor Rabab Abdulhadi at SF State University (read IJAN article in Jacobins about attacks on Professor Abdulhadi as part of a well-resourced, highly organized Zionist campaign Sign petition to defend students at NYU falsely accused of anti-Semitism for educating their fellow students about Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes (read  IJAN statement of support for NYU SJP)
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