A Meaningless Freeze - A Lying Wall

Photo credit to Electronic Intifada dot net SEE here


Wallwritings | News analysis of politics, cinema, modern culture ...
Behind a 30-Foot Prison Wall, “Merry Christmas” Becomes a Media Lie ... by James M. Wall. This nation is moving toward a repeat of the US rush...

Behind a 30-Foot Prison Wall, “Merry Christmas” Becomes a Media Lie

by James M. Wall

If you relied on your local newspaper to tell you how things went in Bethlehem this Christmas season, don’t believe what you read.

Newspapers across America relied heavily on an Associated Press story to inform their readers that “Bethlehem Celebrates its Merriest Christmas in Years”.

It did not. Ask the people who live and work there.

The same optimistic headline ran over the same upbeat AP story, in US newspapers from Lafourche Parish, Louisiana to both major dailies in Washington, DC.

By virtue of its tight control over the AP bureau in Jerusalem, the Israeli government took advantage of a lazy, parsimonious American media and an equally lazy and complacent American public to guarantee yet another distorted portrait of life in the land Jesus made holy. To continue reading, click here

The “Little Town of Bethlehem” Still Waits for Its Stolen Democracy

By James M. Wall

A new Palestinian parliament was elected in the Occupied Territories on January 25, 2006. One month from this Christmas, Palestinians should have been celebrating the fifth anniversary of that democratic, internationally-monitored, election.

There will be no celebration in January, 2011. Instead, Bethlehem, the West Bank, and Gaza still wait for the democracy that was stolen from them.

Palestinians remain trapped in a military occupation the Israeli government forced the world to accept because the “wrong” party won.

For one brief shining moment, before the 2006 results were rewritten to fit the Zionist narrative, democracy lived in the land where Christ was born. To continue reading, click here
Humiliating Israeli Rejection Leads to Further US Diplomatic Isolation

by James M. Wall

Leave it to linguist Noam Chomsky to provide a precise description of President Obama’s latest diplomatic failure.

Washington’s pathetic capitulation to Israel while pleading for a meaningless three-month freeze on settlement expansion—excluding Arab East Jerusalem—should go down as one of the most humiliating moments in U.S. diplomatic history.

Few observers were fooled by the “stop the settlements” offer, least of all Noam Chomsky, who can smell a linguistic rat faster than most of us.

Chomsky has been a teacher of linguists since 1955 as the Institute Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT. He is also a consistent critic of American imperialism.

In his analysis of the Obama offer, Chomsky does not limit Zionist influence on US politics to the Israel Lobby. He looks for the money trail.

That gift of $3 billion for fighter jets is “another taxpayer grant to the U.S. arms industry, which gains doubly from programs to expand the militarization of the Middle East.” click here

MORE URLS - posting and responses to this post & on Dr. James Wall's blog-work:

James Wall: World News, Tweets, Pictures and Videos - Liquida
But obviously James Wall of Wall Writings, along with the Presbyterian Church .... Books for Christmas: The American Spectator BRIAN ANDERSON Anyone who ...
www.liquida.com/james-wall/

The 'Little Town of Bethlehem' Still Waits for Its Stolen ...
Dec 19, 2010 ... One month from this Christmas, Palestinians should have been celebrating the ... By James M. Wall Salem-News.com. Palestinians remain trapped in a .... The inspiration for Wall Writings comes from that mindset and from ...
www.salem-news.com/articles/ SEE the "Stolen Democracy"

WALL WRITINGS: CHOOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE : Veterans Today
Nov 28, 2010 ... It's James Wall, the former long-time editor-in-chief of the Christian Century, .... Veterans Today said: New post: WALL WRITINGS: CHOOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL ... 15 Dec Afghan War Protest · Merry Christmas Bob Walsh ...
www.veteranstoday.com/ SEE "wall-writings-choose-this-day-whom-you-will-serve"

Veterans Today
By James M. Wall Could Israel be using Wikileaks to prepare the US for an ...
www.veteranstoday.com/tag/by-james-m-wall/

Jim Reeves The Writing's On The Wall Rated 5.0 out of 5.0

Behind a 30-Foot Prison Wall, “Merry Christmas” Becomes a Media ...
Dec 29, 2010 ... James M. Wall If you relied on your local newspaper to tell you how things went in Bethlehem this Christmas season, don't believe what you.
www.revoltoftheplebs.com/.../behind-a-30-foot-prison-wall-“merry-christmas”-becomes-a-media-lie/

WALL WRITINGS: CHOOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE | WHAT REALLY ...
Nov 28, 2010 ... WALL WRITINGS: CHOOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE. By James M. Wall. Currently there is considerable anger in our political dialogue. ...
whatreallyhappened.org SEE "wall-writings-choose-day-whom-you-will-serve"

Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy (The Wall Writings) WALL WRITINGS: CHOOSE THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE | My Catbird Seat By James M. Wall Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, then a candidate for US president, was flying on April 4, ... CHRISTMAS STORY- MARY AND JOSEPH IN PALESTINE 2010 ...mycatbirdseat.com/ SEE "wall-writings-choose-this-day-whom-you-will-serve"

Peace-Lovers & Extremists: quite a discussion going on here...

SEE here

[headlines] Iraqi Christians fear spike in Christmas attacks

Amnesty International Press release
20 December 2010

Amnesty International today called on the Iraqi government to do more to protect the country’s Christian minority from an expected spike in violent attacks as they prepare to celebrate Christmas.

“Attacks on Christians and their churches by armed groups have intensified in past weeks and have clearly included war crimes,” said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“We fear that militants are likely to attempt serious attacks against Christians during the Christmas period for maximum publicity and to embarrass the government.”

Last year armed groups carried out fatal bomb attacks on churches in Mosul on 15 and 23 December. Some 65 attacks on Christian churches in Iraq were recorded between mid-2004 and the end of 2009.

The increase in violence against Christians in the last month takes place against a backdrop of sectarian violence in Iraq, including several bomb attacks on Shi’a gatherings last week during the Ashura period, which have reportedly killed more than a dozen people.

“We utterly condemn the ongoing attacks against Iraqi civilians carried out by armed groups, and call on the Iraqi government to provide more protection, especially for vulnerable religious and ethnic communities” said Malcolm Smart.

Attacks have increased since around 100 worshippers were taken hostage in a Baghdad Assyrian Catholic church by an armed group on 31 October, with more than 40 people killed as Iraqi security forces tried to free the hostages. The Islamic State of Iraq, an armed group linked to al-Qa’ida, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Following the hostage crisis, Christian families in Baghdad have been subjected to increasing bomb and rocket attacks on their homes, as well as systematic threats in the mail or by text message.

Christians in Mosul have also been increasingly targeted for assassination by gunmen, with reports in Iraqi media of at least five killed by armed men in November. Reports of killings and abductions of Christians in Mosul have continued in December. Dozens of Christian families have fled Baghdad, Mosul and Basra and have sought refuge in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

In May this year, a bus-load of Christian students were targeted in a bomb attack as they travelled from a predominantly Christian area in Mosul to Mosul University. A Christian from Mosul who must remain anonymous for security reasons has told Amnesty International: “Many students who were in those buses in May have not gone back to university.”

“The security situation in Mosul is very bad… 90 per cent of the Christian students have dropped university - they are all very afraid of something happening to them. …When I leave the house I am always under alert…”

These comments are consistent with a summary of testimonies from Iraqi Christians who have recently fled to Syria, released by a Christian organisation called the Church Committee for Iraqi Refugees in al-Hassake.

The summary, released by the Barnabas Fund, another Christian NGO, says that Iraqi Christians in threatened cities like Mosul “are living behind locked doors. They are compelled to take long leaves of absence from work, in Mosul and other cities, as a result of the dangers they face at work. The universities are almost empty of Christian students, as are the schools.”

The summary tells of regular threats against Christian families in Mosul and other cities, including a dead bird being nailed to the door in warning, extortion, and offensive graffiti on houses.

Tenants renting the homes of Christians who have fled Iraq are allegedly being forced to hand over the rent payments to armed groups who consider themselves the new owners, according to the summary. When Christian families have sold their houses to leave Iraq, armed groups have also allegedly threatened the new owners for taking ‘their’ property.

According to media reports, as Christmas approaches the Iraqi authorities have started constructing concrete walls to protect Mosul and Baghdad churches from security threats, and are introducing stringent security checks at their entrances. Religious services have been scaled back due to fear of attacks.

“Building walls around churches is a sign that the government has failed to provide real security” said Malcolm Smart.

The wave of attacks on Mosul Christians since the 2003 invasion of Iraq has greatly reduced the community’s population which then stood at over 100,000.

Iraqi politicians have taken since elections in May to form a government, creating a climate of uncertainty and power vacuum for months, which has been exploited by armed groups.

“Now that Iraq is finally forming a government, that new government’s effectiveness will be measured by whether it achieves an actual reduction in sectarian attacks by armed groups, and helps stem the flood of Christians fleeing Iraq to escape the violence” said Malcolm Smart.
--
HREA - www.hrea.org

Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) is an international non-governmental organisation that supports human rights learning; the training of activists and professionals; the development of educational materials and programming; and community-building through on-line technologies.

Peaceful Music from Africa

Soweto Gospel Choir
CLICK for "Amazing Grace" here Find "Stand By Me" here and comfort from Umlazi South Africa here

Like my husband and I did tonight, you may want to end your tiring day together listening and watching the beautiful faces of the children, the gorgeous and graceful dancing of the women, the loving friendships and with the beauteous music of angels in your heart and soul by going to Dreams of Kirina with Baaba Maal...
Rest your soul and dream of peace among nations with these superb, peace-loving musicians and their families. GO here

UPDATED with ACTION: December "Catch-Up": Italy Convicts US "leaders"; Gitmo; Aasia Bibi; Aafia Siddiqui & More

ACT NOW PLEASE: We have a crisis: the Senate is on the verge of blocking fair trials for Guantanamo detainees. News story here .

US CITIZENS:

We need you to email or call your Senators right now and urge them to oppose this move. Why? All people have the right to a fair trial, and victims of terrorist attacks have the right to justice. Fair trials in US federal court are the right way to prosecute suspects, ensure justice for terrorist attacks and close Guantanamo.

Look up your Senators at here and/or send to others simply senate.gov.

Suggested Call-In Script

"My name is _________ and I live in ____________(state). I am calling to urge Senator _____________ to oppose a provision in the 2011 Omnibus Appropriations bill to block Guantanamo detainees from coming to the US mainland for prosecution. This provision would further erode the US government's record on human rights. I support fair trials in US federal courts for Guantanamo detainees charged with crimes, and I
oppose military commissions and indefinite detention, as these practices violate human rights. Thank you."

Suggested Email Message

Dear Senator_________,

"My name is _________ and I live in ____________(state). I am writing to urge you to oppose a provision in the 2011 Omnibus Appropriations bill to block Guantanamo detainees from coming to the US mainland for prosecution. This provision would further erode the US government's record on human rights. I support fair trials in US federal courts for Guantanamo detainees charged with crimes, and I oppose military
commissions and indefinite detention, as these practices violate human
rights. Thank you.

See related item at tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/ and GITMO: A DISMAL WEEK FOR AMERICA plz GO here

We must STOP OUR SILENCE re. what's happening to the detainees/prisoners in the war on terror from BOTH sides of the world and AROUND the world in secret sites:

More and more politics and even human rights issues world-wide are allowing or encouraging referral to religions -- even when maybe not necessary -- to be used sometimes in a counter-productive manner. So I've decided to show more such cases/items here in what I hope will be a generally neutral way to raise awareness and discussion.

Also, there is an "leveling" of the "playing field" as civilians worldwide demand a greater degree of human rights and more connecting together worldwide in this effort.

Italy: Court Upholds Convictions of Americans in Kidnapping Case
By ELISABETTA POVOLEDO Published: December 15, 2010 in the NYTimes

An appellate court in Milan upheld on Wednesday the conviction of 23 Americans charged with kidnapping an Egyptian cleric in 2003 and ordered even harsher sentences. All but one of the Americans are Central Intelligence Agency operatives. Defense lawyers said they planned to file appeals, which would go to Italy’s highest court. Robert Seldon Lady, a former C.I.A. base chief in Milan, was sentenced to nine years, one more than his previous conviction, while the 22 other Americans received seven-year sentences, up from five years. The Americans were also ordered to pay a total of $1.33 million in damages to the Egyptian cleric, Osama Moustafa Hassan Nasr, above, who was kidnapped in Milan. Prosecutors said that he was taken to Egypt, where, he said, he was tortured. Italy has never formally requested the extradition of the Americans. Through their lawyers, they have pleaded not guilty in the past.

YET, as called for by Amnesty International: Italy Prevents Trial of Intelligence Agents (while indicting US CIA Agents) GO here

Find another item about Italy's case against US here (several comments under this piece agree with Amnesty item above)

Find my blogpost on case of AASIA BIBI who faces hanging for allegedly blasphemy here A note that there are MANY lawyers as well as some journalist, activists and Muslim clerics speaking out on this case and seeking justice for Aasia and a change in the Blasphemy Laws. We in the West must also take a look at our own Blasphemy Laws whether on the books or in practice - and this includes partiality to religion/race and the holding of American items, such as flag, so sacred that there have been threats of death for all who question the same in any manner.

More UPDATES on this case (and be aware how hard Asian human rights lawyers/activists and many Pakistani's in and out of Pakistan are fighting for Bibi's life ) GO here

“Mullah's campaign against Aasia Bibi is a blasphemy to Islam" – by Rauf Klasra”. Rabia says: November 26, 2010 at 12:00 pm ...here (has anyone translate any part into
English? In which ways do you agree with this one?)

From Jinnah Institute dot org Research Brief on Aasia Bibi's Case here

From Christian Science Monitor here(I'm hesitant to send anything from US media where there is pointing of finger from Americans who lack Pakistani and/or Muslim background - yet some of these articles do point out that there are strong Pakistanis on side of human rights fighting for Aasia.

Aasia Bibi | Human Rights First Dec 15, 2010 ... Aasia Bibi, a
Christian farm worker and mother of five, was accused of making
blasphemous comments...GO here OR here

DRONES drone on:

Drones, etc. also a grave misuse of supposed death punishment in an
area of powerless civilians where the inter-cooperation of rights abuses continues by BOTH US & Pakistan's leaders - GO here

More comments on the lack of humane conscience in use of drones here

Various on DR. AAFIA SIDDIQUI: Press Release December 10, 2010 Cage Prisoners dot com activists are in Discussion with Pakistan's Interior Minister here

Andy Worthington Discusses the Repatriation also on 2010/12/11/and find other recent items on Andy's work with Aafia's case/situation at his site andyworthington dot co dot uk. as well as some interesting points on Wikileaks on his top blogpost for December 14th.

Keep Watching Aafia Siddiqu's Official Family Site GO to Free Aafia dot org or click here and protest the ILLEGAL withholding of visits from Dr. Aafia and her family with as many leaders/authorities as you deem helpful. Plz comment below with any tips or responses.

The Honest Faith of Elizabeth Edwards by David Gibson has some choice comments for those who are seekers of interfaith dialogue GO here The article was also published on Politics Today.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that family members said Holbrooke told a Pakistani doctor before being sedated for surgery: "You've got to stop this war in Afghanistan." Those were his final words. Although his work in Pakistan carried some deep questions and concerns, these words are a striking ending to his life here

Find all of these and more at NOGITMOS dot org (go to news) or at the specific sites:
12/16 / Associated Press / Abu Zubaydah's Lawyers Ask Poles for Probe
12/16 / Agence France Presse / US Senate to consider blocking Guantanamo closure
12/16 / Richard Norton-Taylor and Ian Cobain / Guardian (U.K.) / Lawyers ask government to help former UK resident held at Guantánamo
12/15 / Ronald Kessler / NewsMax / Kit Bond: Releasing Gitmo Terrorists Is a Disaster
12/15 / Josh Gerstein / Politico / Poll: 63% favor military tribunals over civilian trials
12/15 / Stephanie Condon / CBS News / Senate Moves to Block Obama's Gitmo Agenda
12/14 / Human Rights First / Retired Commandant of the Marine Corps: Congressional Ban on Guantanamo Transfers Would Undermine National Security
12/14 / Center for Constitutional Rights / Common Dreams / Leading Rights Groups Urge Spanish Court to Open Investigation without Further Delay into Role of Bush Lawyers in Torture of Guantanamo Detainees
12/14 / Daphne Eviatar / Huffington Post / Pundits Punch and Congress Cows: Bill Bans all Gitmo Prisoner Transfers for Trial
12/14 / Andy Worthington / Guantánamo: A Dismal Week for America
12/14 / Lyle Denniston / ScotusBlog / Detainees and math theory: A legal test
12/14 / Editorial / Los Angeles Times / Guantanamo must go
12/13 / Katie Gradowski / Open Media Boston / Torture, Two Years Later
12/13 / Gabor Rona / Human Rights First / Ben Wittes Redux: Another ‘solution’ in search of a problem?
12/13 / Bejamin Wittes / Lawfare / David Remes Responds to Recidivism Claims
12/13 / Rachel Slajda / TPM Muckraker / Democrats Added Ban On Gitmo Detainee Transfer To Omnibus Spending Bill More news at http://www.nogitmos.org/news or CLICK here for LIVE leads to URLS

Dances of Universal Peace Event : Links

TONIGHT in Phoenix 7-9 PM for more info on this event Click here

For more on this beautiful movement GO here