Gaza Websites

Check out this site, Gaza Today. It is a blog from a reporter inside Gaza.

Free Gaza is a good site as well.


In other readings, I am finishing the CD version of "Power, Faith, and Fantasy" by Michael Oren about U.S. involvement in the Middle East from 1776 to the present. It is good as an outline, but in the latter chapters, there are some discrepencies and a deletion of truths that make me question all of it. However, it is a good brief outline that one can use as a launching pad for further research.

The discrepencies started with the Israeli attack on the U.S.S. Liberty in '67 during the 6 days were. This was called an accident in this book, but it is well known currently that this was indeed a deliberate attack. I read a book by one of the survivors, James M. Ennes, Jr., titled "Assault on the Liberty" that explained how the U.S. flag was flying well and easily visible as Israeli torpedo boats hit them with a torpedo, killing 34 U.S. navymen. The flag flew the whole time of the attack. The Liberty was a spyship and was collecting data on Israeli attrocities during the war, thus had to be eliminated with LYNDON B. JOHNSON'S permission. An aircraft carrier launched 4 nuclear armed F-4's to attack Israel, but they were recalled. Lyndon said he didn't care if all aboard the Liberty were killed as long as our friends in Israel were protected. You can also read about this incident in James Bamford's book, "Body of Secrets."

As well, GHW Bush's war against Iraq was also stated as an action against Iraq invading Kuwait. In Ramsey Clark's, "The Fire this Time: U.S. War Crimes in the Gulf," it is well documented that the U.S. wanted to invade Iraq since '75. With GHW, however, their were 7, count them, 7 military exercises for an invasion of Iraq performed by the U.S. military, 4 of which included Iraqi invasions of Kuwait. These took place from 1987 onward and were headed by that beloved genocidal maniac, Norman Schwarpzkopf. "...oil that is. Black gold. Texas tea." Also, no mention that the U.S. ok'd the sale through Texas of slant drilling equipment to the Kuwaiti's so they could steal Iraqi oil and raise tensions between the two nation states.

Knowing the patterns of warfare, the current genocidal war on the Palestinians in Gaza was UNDOUBTEDLY planned, and most likely has been in the works for years, as the wars the U.S. is involved in with Iraq and Afghanistan. These things have to be planned. You can't just instantly go to war, not with all that equipment and no clear strategy. Think about it folks. Use your head. The Israeli's have wanted this offensive to take place for a long time, most likely the plan has been in the works for years.

But the top headline, and thus, the REAL news, on Yahoo News is Matt Dillon was busted for speeding in Vermont...WHEN WILL THIS TERROR END! (I'm being facetious, of course, but the Dillon news story is the headliner on Yahoo News. I believe yesterday or the day before it was Paris Hilton's holiday shopping not being effected by the downturn in the economy. Yahoo News and Fox News, they know what's important. [Again, I'm being facetious.])

Wounded (Gaza) Knee [Palestindian photos below]

Imagine, someone comes to your home and lays siege. They starve you and let diseases and bad health run their course. Then, you throw a rock in self-defense and defense of your family and friends. So, the siege folks come in with machine guns and start killing, raping and stealing everything they can. Would you consider the siege folks brave? Would you consider them just? Would you think that what they are doing is right? Of course you would. You're an American.

118 years and a day ago, the U.S. bravely did just that. They gathered a starving people at Wounded Knee Creek. While disarming them, an Indian held onto his hunting rifle, it went off, and then the U.S. cavalry opened fire killing anywhere from 300-600 mostly unarmed and starving human beings. Sounds like Iraq, too, doesn't it?

So, on the anniversary of this genocidal and horrific bloodshed, it is only fitting that Israel in its bloodthirsty behavior, is in the midst of bravely slaughtering starved and unhealthy people (that they made that way) in their continued campaign of what is legally defined as genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. The U.S. applauds and supports this brave behavior. The U.S. Loves this type of thing because it is what the U.S. does best.

When the Israeli's start their genocidal ground offensive that they have planned, this is what will happen: Men, women, children, and elderly will be slaughtered. They will be tortured and women will be raped. Foodstuffs and healthstuffs will be further destroyed. And Israel and the U.S. will toast this genocidal campaign with some champagne and talk about how brave they are.

Of course, strong healthy people taking on strong healthy people is out of the question. If folks did that, that might be ACTUAL bravery on a level playing field. We can't have that. We need once sided genocidal victories to consider ourselves brave. Like Wounded Knee, Gaza, Philippines, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

Palestindians

Floater

Preface:

I used to have a dream that I would wake up and find myself in the middle of a black sea in twilight or dusk floating on a piece of ice. The lands in the distance were ice. I was alone and naked, but not cold.

I would look into the water which looked like it would best be described as a black pearl. I would think of slipping in and drowning myself to get out of my terrible situation. I wondered how the water would burn my lungs as I would inhale my last breaths. I wondered if sharks or parasites would eat my flesh.

In the end, I stayed on my iceberg and instead thought of attempting to paddle somewhere in this desolate cold land. I still wanted to live.

The Rest of the Story:

I have just finished reading the book, "Fifty Miles from Tomorrow: A Memoir of Alaska and the Real People," by William L. Hensley. William, whose Inupiaq name is "Iggiagruk," was one of the leaders in assuring that Alaska Natives had say over their land, its resources, how they are handled, etc. He realized that after seeing how the U.S. decimated the indigenous folks in the lower 48, after Alaska became a state, his folks had to act in order to have some sort of control over their lives and lands. For some 15 years, he worked tirelessly to guarantee his people had a say in their lives.

In 1980, he realized that even with all of the legal and policy work that he had done, more of his folks were drinking themselves to death, dying of exposure due to alcohol, had high rates of suicide, drug abuse, abused wives and children, etc. After all the work he did, his people were still dying.

What to do?

He started working to build culture back into the lives of his people. With his people, they all worked to preserve language and culture to insure that their way of life continued into this modern time.

You see, like us here in the lower 48, his folks were informed by the genocidal colonialists through boarding schools, forced poverty, rape, etc., that they were horrible and useless people and should be FORCED to change into what the colonialists believe is good, whether or not it actually is. From a superiority complex brought about by the willingness to use excessive force and NEVER to play fair, the colonialists sought to disembowl the lives and cultures of Native Alaskans and leave them to waste in order to steal their land and resources for themselves. Same old story.

But the Inupiaq knew they had value as a people. Knew they weren't inferior and survived the horrific genocides of the colonialists in order to continue to exist today.

Adrift:

Folks were set adrift, as Hensley puts it in his books. Children were forcibly taken by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and taught that their lives, culture, and people were less than useless. They were taught their holy people were evil, their languages that of no less than satan's, were beaten or ostracized for speaking their own language, etc. The children were set adrift. Taken from the unity of family, people, culture, landbase, and informed through the colonialists via boarding schools and christian churches that they were invalid.

To help cure this hurt, this trauma, the colonialists brought alcohol. Taught folks to medicate using this medicine, and to die younger so the colonialists can steal more from people in a weakened state. We float adrift, waiting to die, wondering about slipping beneath surface of the water into a comforting brief pain and a sleep that never ends and will take us away from this emptiness. Yet...we yearn to survive.

Bodies Float:

I realized that many folks have suffered this form of trauma. This being forced to believe in isolation and self-absorbtion and call it culture...American Culture. Where we medicate this trauma with shopping, eating, alcohol, drugs, sex, television, overwork, etc.

Euro's came here generations ago and told their offspring not to speak the old language, they are American now. Same with Mexicans, Africans, Middle Easterners, etc. Many folks in many forms have been taught how invalid THEY are and that they have to become something else in order to fit within the frameworks of American society. Most of us have been separated from who we are, where we come from, our old landbase, our new landbase, our families, our peoples, etc. We float through the waterways not knowing if it is appropriate to land on the banks of anything. Where do we belong? Where is home? Is it the old country? The new? Some combination? None of the above? ...we float... ...adrift...

That Is Where I Come From:

I guess that is where I come from.

All the years I did radio, that was a sub-theme. I know where my people come from. I know our landbase. I don't know our culture. I don't know our language.

And there are many like me. I am not the only one. Though we have similar experiences, we are all effected differently. But we have a way to connect. I can connect with most folks under this one commonality: If you are to be a part of THIS world, you have to give up that which was useless (your old world, your identity, often your language and culture) to be a part of this superior world that looks down upon what you once were and should not be.

But you are valid. You have validity, whether or not you even know who your people are or where your landbase is. You are valid and important as an immigrant or indigenous, visitor or resident. This CIVILIZATION has taken your identity and your power and converted it into profits for the few.

But wait...you really still have your power. You really still have your identity. You really still have validity in this world. Even if you are adrift, a body floating in the water, if you have air in your lungs, CLAIM YOUR POWER TO LIVE, claim your power, change the world.

U.S. Government...Still Racist After All of These Years

Republicans think racism is funny, as one sent a racist CD with a few titles such as "Barack the Magic Negro" and "The Star Spanglish Banner."

Of course, no one seems to make sattire out of "Whitey the Genocidal Language Destroyer" or "Peckerwoods who Love to Kill Darkies with a Penstroke" or "Crackers the Magical Killers." If folks made up such songs and sent them out to the GOP (General Organization of Peckerwoods), it would be considered racist.

Just like Rush Limbaugh used to say that all junkies should face capital punishment, until of course, he was caught addicted to oxycodone and then excused his personal disgressions, the Republicans also excuse their racist behavior as sattire.

What do you think of that folks?

Can It Happen Here?

I'm in the process of reading a Chris Hedges article on Commondreams called "Man is a Cruel Animal." I haven't read the whole article yet, but the jist of it seems to be that humans can quickly turn to cruelty under conditions of stress. He gives the example of the white vigilante groups after Hurricane Katrina killing and terrorizing black folks.

With the impending collapse, we, as humans, should keep this type of cruelty in mind, because it can happen here. We are not immune. Do not live in denial about this. Keep your eyes and ears open.

I believe that one way we can defend against this type of behavior is to take care of each other. Defend yourselves should it come to it...and defend yourselves FEIRCELY AND BRAVELY. I think the old saying goes; "I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees."

I am not saying that this will definitely happen, but you should be aware that it can and be prepared for it. Don't live in denial. We've seen what denial can do. Look at what happened to the Jews, Sinti, Roma, etc., in Nazi Germany under at least partial U.S. corporate ownership. Look at what happened in Sierra Leone and so many other nations. Do not just tell yourself it cannot happen here. It can happen anywhere, and will, if we are not prepared for it.

Take care of each other. Think outside the box.

OUR GREAT WHITE SAVIOR[S]!

Preface:

When I worked as a CNA in Coos Bay, one of our residents, a white guy, explained to me that he was basically the Great White Savior of us lesser Indian types. He told me that Dennis Banks told him he was some sort of fulfillment of an indigenous prophecy. Him, a white guy, with health problems caused by drug dealings that led him to a long stay in a health care facility. I never told him how Shusli did work with Dennis Banks in his planning stages of "The Longest Walk II." Nor that she found out he had some 18 illegitimate children (as it were) that he never paid child support for, has little or nothing to do with them, and is wanted for said back child support in at least one state. Dennis was also called a "poverty pimp" by various members of the ACTUAL indigenous community. When Shusli confronted him with these things (she was still willing to work with him because she liked the project), Dennis cut off contact with her.

In another section of the facility was an ACTUAL Indian woman who was at the seige of Wounded Knee in '73, and did a lot of ACTUAL work to progress Indian education and health care. She NEVER told me that she was the indigenous savior of all Indians. I would have never found out such things were it not for her family.

Great White Saviors:

Shusli turned me on to this fella she found on the internet calling himself Tamarack song. Another white guy who knows more about being Indian than any silly Red Nigger types. She found him in visits to some of the informative websites she visits. She is awesome in the way she can find these things.

Before I get into Tamarack, as it were, let me just tell you that I've seen this type of behavior not only in Red Nig...er...Indian Country with Great White [Male] Saviors, but also in the alleged Peace community and SO MANY OTHERS. Some white males seem to want to be the saviors of the world instead of just seeing themselves as part of the solution. They get an attitude of: "my way is the only way for "I" am the Great White Savior of the World! KNEEL BEFORE ME (especially you hot looking hard body college girl types)."

I hate reading about how people like Tamarack Song talk about themselves (and say quite often that they are not), so I'll leave it up to you to read the supplied links. The hipocracy, the attitude, the self-glorification. Throughout what I could stomach of Tamarack's website, he talked a shitload about himself and very little about what he actually does, other than write books he wants you to buy. And, of course, his knowledge is supplied to him via Indian folks. He exploits it and glorifies himself.

When Winona Laduke stands on the podium, she does not talk about what a great person she is. She talks about the issues of her peoples and the world that we as fellow humans should be made aware of and need to take care of. Same with Vandana Shiva. Same with Arindati Roy. Same with Howard Zinn. Same with Shusli Baseler-Johnson. Same with James Craven. Same with so many others.

Then there are these folks who come around, declare themselves the savior of the world, and don't honestly do a whole lot to change anything. But hey, they look good and talk about themselves a lot.

Hey, I haven't told you yet today just how great I am! Any of you hot college chicks reading this? How about you yuppy types with money looking to purchase some Indianness? Yeah...you know what I want, and I am so great, you are just gonna give it to me because I am the great indian savior of the world.

Don't put your faith in saviors. Put your faith in yourself. You have POWER! You can do your part to save the world. You ARE NOT the only savior, as there are gazillions of saviors, and many of those saviors are not even human!

So FUCK (or don't fuck, as the case may be) the Great White Saviors like Tamarack and the Peace Penis' here in the Willamette Valley (if you don't know the Peace Penis', then you are already on your path to TRUE salvation and Peace).

Open up, amigos, to the power you carry within yourselves and do something to create the type of world we so truly deserve. DO NOT, however, think you are the savior. Do not think you are the only one and that your way is the only way. You are just a human being like me, Shusli, Howard, Winona, James, etc. Do something with YOUR power as a human and tell the Great White Saviors to go fuck themselves. We don't need them, never have, and never will. I mean, look what they have done to the world already!

Revolution?

Work is hoping to send someone out to pick me up, but if you look at the last photo in the next post, you will notice our street, Linn. This morning it is a sheet of ice. So, while I wait for a call back, etc., I will write a few things that have been on my mind lately.

Shusli and I watched a movie about Che yesterday called..."Che." It was not a good movie and didn't convey the spirit and ideals of Che like I would have should I have made a movie about the man, but I have no movie making skills. So there.

I've also been reading the book, "The Bookseller of Kabul," about just that.

I've also started listening to a book on CD checked out from the library, "Power, Faith, and Fantasy," about the U.S. involvement in the Middle East since 1776. It is quite the interesting history and something you will NOT get in U.S. school formats. Quite telling.

I listened recently to "Night" by Eli Weisel, about his experiences as a Jew in the Nazi Germany death camps.

Shusli and I started watching the documentary, "What a Way to Go," on Youtube. We got up to part five last night.

All of the above media have a strong influence in my thinking as of late.

In the movie it is made mention of Che saying basically that wherever there are oppressed people, that is where he is from. There are oppressed people all over the world, women especially. Women are oppressed in ALL alleged civilized cultures and pretty much ALL religions. People of color are oppressed. Indigenous folks are oppressed by colonizers and neo-colonizers. The poor are oppressed. It is all over the world. We are citizens of the world, and the world is being destroyed by greed.

"The Bookseller of Kabul" is about a bookseller in Kabul, somewhat of an anomoly especially since he survived the Taliban regime. The oppression of women is horrific, but women everywhere experience oppression. Not to minimize what the women in Afghanistan experience, since it is about the worst, but women everywhere are treated as second or lower class. Always less than men.

"Power, Faith, and Fantasy" is the history of U.S. dealings with the Middle East since 1776. It is quite interesting as it is history I have never heard. It is important history as the dealings with the Middle East is what made the U.S. decide it needed a centralized government and influenced the writing of the U.S. constitution and the starting of what has become U.S. global military dominance over the world.

"Night," a rather horrific detailing of life in a death camp, has strongly influenced my thoughts on denial. The power of the mind to pretend that, "things can be worse," or "things can't get worse," or "they won't do that to us (even while it is happening)," etc., is rather curious. Denial, believing that such inhumanity doesn't happen or at least can't happen to you even while it IS happening is rather horrific. Folks will live in denial about all the horrors as long as they are fine or can PRETEND they are fine, at least for now, at least temporarily.

"What a Way to Go" is a great documentary that lays the global horrors at your feet. It even talks about denial and how we are distracted from what is really going on in the world.

I look at the faces of the citizens of this nation immediately around me and I know that Revolution is virtually impossible. I can see in their faces that these folks, even in the face of martial law, will still tell themselves that this is the land of freedom. Their will be no resistance from them and they will fight any resistance that raises its head to struggle against corporate domination of our lives.

Revolution? Maybe. I still believe that all of our fellow human beings should be treated as such. The wealthy will still pay our fellow human beings to keep us down so they can steal everything from us. Mostly, now, I believe I have to think outside the box...we have to think outside the box. What are we gonna do to save and survive in our world. This world is ours, what are we gonna do about making it a good and healthy world for future generations. Thinking that a majority of folks will wake up the more they suffer...it's just not gonna happen. Look at the folks in this nation. It will take them years to wake up. We need to think outside of the box. I can't just hope I'm wrong about folks. What are we gonna do? We need a revolution that will actually concern itself with the needs of the world and all life on it. We'll see what happens when the collapse really starts effecting people in the immediate vicinity. It already is, to an extent, but we'll see.

It's Cold!

Yesterday morning, we woke to this scene outside our window.



This last picture is of Linn Street just outside our apartment complex. This morning it is a sheet of ice. I don't think I'll be going to work this morning.

HEADS UP!

Shusli, Eli, and I (and on the periphery James Craven and David Liberty) will MOST LIKELY be starting a new Native American radio program on KBOO in January that will air every other Thursday from possibly 1pm to 2:30pm PST. This is not yet set in stone, but that seems to be the path that we are on.

On January 8th, during one or the other of these programs, I will be interviewing Ishmael Beah, author of the autobiography "A Long Way Gone," about his life as a child soldier in Sierre Leone.

In this world, we are often whipped into a fervor of wanton war. We are manipulated to believe in war through media and others. Some folks mere survival depends on being manipulated into war, as was Ishmael. The interview will concentrate on this manipulation and the work that Ishamel does today. Mostly, it will be whatever Ishmael deems most important.

Stay tuned...stay informed.

Origin

Diana Abu-Jabar has done it again!

Diana, author of "Crescent," another book of her which I read and enjoyed and is A MUST READ, has gone off of her beaten path of writing about food and wrote a thriller, a sweet and amazing mystery.

"Origin," whose plot I will discuss very little here, is a most excellent novel. The reason I will discuss little about the plot is because YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK YOURSELVES!

The book revolves around a central character, Lena, who is a hermit and works in the evidence room of the Syracuse police, specializing in fingerprints. There are a series of SIDS deaths which usually don't come in that often, but are happening rather frequently, and Lena has to find out why.

I measure how good a book is by certain ways in which I read it. When I read books I find myself frequently checking page numbers. I also am casual about the times I sit down and read, I am usually unobsessive, unless the book is really good.

With "Origin," I started out slow, in fact while we were in Coos Bay. As with most thriller/mystery books, they offer you only tastes before exposing you to a buffet of ideas that create a fantastic read. I read 150 pages of this book in one day, an unusual feat for me. I would rarely check the page numbers, even when setting the book down to do silly things like...work. I also found that any spare moment I had became filled with the desire to read more, find out more, try to figure it out on my own, etc. FUN, is an excellent word to describe this novel.

I believe that in the future, if things get as difficult as I believe they will, two types of folks will save us humans, and they just might be the same people: Those that know how to survive (find food, shelter, defend, etc.), and those that create art. Survival depends on more than just being alive, having reason to be alive is given to us through art. Diana Abu-Jaber is one heckuva an artist.

NOW STOP READING THIS BLOG AND START READING "ORIGIN!"

They're Edible

Whaddya know!? THEY'RE EDIBLE!

Penny Scout picked us these mushrooms (thank you so much Penny). They are called Shaggy Parasols. They should be cooked well prior to eating as they have a toxin that can make some folks stomachs upset.

Other than that, THEY ARE TASTY! Oh man!

The second photograph is Shaggy Mane mushrooms, which are also edible.

Good things to know for the times to come.

Panda King

Shusli, Rachel, and I first ate at Panda King a couple of weeks ago. We wanted Chinese food, and we couldn't think of anyplace we knew that we wanted to go to, so we decided to try out Panda King.

We ordered crab puffs as an appetizer, and wouldn't you know it...THEY ACTUALLY USE CRAB! We have NEVER had crab puffs where the restaurant actually used crab!

Their food is delicious!

They are located on 17th and SE Tacoma on the Southeast corner. You can't miss them. Go there if you can, it is well worth it.

The other night, Shusli and I went to Panda King to celebrate her new job and the fact that we may have a new radio show on KBOO. The elder fella who made us laugh so much the first time we were there (they are so friendly and kind there), started telling us about all the money he puts out in taxes in his broken english. All the insurance he has to pay and many other things he has to pay for. "...and look at out business..." he said. We were one of three tables that had customers.

I talk with other folks, lots of other folks, those who own businesses and those who are wokers, about the economy. Most businesses are losing business.

Shusli was reading an article that interviewed many economists about the impending doom, as it were. She got the article linked from Life After the Oil Crash. They talk about unemployment running high and getting higher. They talk about an impending "depression."

Thank goodness the U.S. government GAVE AWAY BILLIONS to billionaire bankers instead of doing something like handing a bunch to the people. Afterall, that is OUR money. However, it is best used by billionaires to help maintain their exorbidant lifestyles, don't you think. I mean, us here at the bottom should be willing to starve to death for the billionaires who are closer to god than we are...right?! (I'm being facetious, in case you can't figure that out.)

Our tax dollars go to keep the wealthy (who are the ones who have CREATED this situation to begin with, NOT THE WORKERS (Jesus Christ, sometimes americans are so fucking stupid) living their glorious and UNDESERVED lifestyles, and it's a good chance folks here at the bottom, as it were, will wind up starving and quite possibly...to death. But, thankfully, the wealthy will be just fine. They'll have all our tax dollars, and we'll have air...if they don't start charging us for that as well.

Nuff said...Go to PANDA KING! It is an excellent restaurant and well worth whatever money you spend there. Try the crab puffs, they're EXCELLENT!

Winter Count: A Story Through Photos Pt. 1

Part 1
We Free Ourselves

Bound

Challenge

We Break Free

We Blossom

Winter Count: A Story Through Photos Pt. 2

Part 2
We Reach for the Sky!

In Large Groups

And In Small...

Winter Count: A Story Through Photos Pt. 3

Part 3
The Individual and the Whole

Alone

In-Love

Family and Friends: Community

Winter Count: A Story Through Photos Pt. 4

Part 4
The Journeys

Where Are You Going?

Are We There Yet?

Made it!

Where Are We Going?

Are We There Yet?

Made It!

Cruelty

1.

I would do anything for you,
my king, queen, president, leader, god...

I would kill thousands for you,
MILLIONS!

I would displace thousands...
MILLIONS!

I would make millions suffer.

I would steal everything from them
for you,
my god[s] in human form.

I would torture for you.

I would do unspeakable acts for you.

I would do things unimaginable for you.

I would cause great suffering for you
my god[s].

All you have to do is ask...ORDER!

I will do anything you ask of me...just ask.

"...."

What?

"...."

Love one another?

Help the people?

Help each other?

ARE YOU KIDDING!

2.

I listend to Elie Weisel's book, "Night," on CD. A story of unimaginable cruelty suffered and witnessed by the author in the Nazi concentration camps during WWII. And I know there are many stories like this. Many horrors of "man's inhumanity to man." Stories from throughout history. Stories happening here and now of the sufferings our fellow human beings impose on our fellow human beings: Sudan, Sierra Leone, The United States, Iraq, Canada, Afghanistan, etc.

They say:
"Never again."

I ask:
"When are we gonna make it stop?"

Sombody Stop Me! I Can't Stop Taking Pictures!

A Painting the In-Laws Possess

Robot Corners

In Town

In Case You Can't Tell...It's a Squirrell

Fall Rose

Still Hanging On

French Colonial?

Shusli's Work

George Weller

I picked up a book on tape at the Library called "First Into Nagasaki: The Censored Eyewitness Dispatches on Post Atomic Japan and It's Prisoners of War." The book is about the dispatches of George Weller, the first American who snuck into Nagasaki about a month after the U.S. had dropped the second atomic bomb there.

In these dispatches, he talks a lot about the illness that followed the bombing. As well as the radiation did not stay at lethal levels as long as was projected. Radiation effects the blood. The blood is thinned, as in it reduces blood quantities in red and white cells. It also in many cases kills platelets, which are the parts that give blood the ability to clot.

Geoge Weller, when asked about the bombing of Nagasaki, would also mention that it has to be taken in with bombings like that of Tokyo, where the U.S. killed over 100,000 people in a single evening.

War crime? Yes. The Japanese were willing to surrender a year prior with one condition, that the emperor remain emperor. The U.S. wanted unconditional surrender, yet, let the emperor remain emperor. What's up with that? Thousands, millions of lives could have been spared if the U.S. would have accepted the terms originally. Of course, they wouldn't have been able to drop their wonderful new little toys to terrorize the U.S.S.R., either.

As well, George Weller was the first to inform many prisoners of war that the war was over. Many did not know, and there were many slave labor camps ran by the Japanese military and their wealthy (like Prescott Bush benefitting directly from Auschwitz slave labor). These were mostly prisoners of war, but some were civilians.

We all know of the Bataan Death March, though could probably not name a single event that happened during that time or how it came about, let alone any that died or survived (I can't). Nor would most even be able to mention the fact that there were 99 American nurses in that battle of the Phillipines and it was the first time in modern military history that women nurses were in battlefield situations. ("We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese," by Elizabeth M. Norman). Censorship and American short term memory are wonderful tools for the wealthy to trick us into continuing the horrific behaviors of war for them to gain more wealth and glory for themselves. And I bet most of you never heard of "The Death Cruise" either. The one that George Weller got the story of from some of the prisoners is the only known well detailed story of one of the MANY Japanese Military death cruises. It reminds me of how the British military housed their Scots prisoners after Culloden, in prison cells for months where they were barely fed and forced to live in their own excrement and amongst their dead. Serious stomach turning stuff, if I had a weaker stomach, which I don't. But it is also history that doesn't even warrant a footnote in this nation, for some reason. As is pointed out by George Weller, this is the only well documented "Death Cruise." There are no documented cases of the "Death Cruises" for the comfort women, forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.

And then, there is the "King of the Censors," (like Peter Brzika is "The King of the Cutthroats" from the Catholic ran death camp called Jasenovac in Croatia) the American military.

Seen here without his pipe, hat, and glasses, is good ole Dugout Doug, aka Douglas McCarthur. Doug earned the name "Dugout Doug" because he ABANDONED his men on Corregidor after the long hard battle of Bataan and the retreat to the Island of Corregidor. Doug managed to catch himself a boat to Australia to save his own ass, instead of attempting to get those men who fought to protect each other and his lousy worthless ass off the island as well. Dugout ABANDONED his men and his post.

Thus the Bataan Death March and the Death Cruises that followed. Cruises that took prisoners to Japan to be slave labor for the wealthy in horrifically unsafe conditions of the coal mines near Nagasaki. In the case of the Death Cruise recorded by George Weller of the survivors that made it to Japan and those that made it through the mines, torture, and slave labor, there were 1600+ prisoners who were carried out of the Phillipines, only about 450 made it to Japan, 267 came out alive. Most of those killed were killed by friendly fire. (The last surviving marine from Wake Island, was killed by a food drop of Spam, of all things). Even though Dugout had intelligence that their were many ships with POW's aboard them, they also carried military supplies and thus, many of the POW's were killed by "friendly fire." Little known fact of American History.

More importantly, however, the general that ABANDONED his men and his post to save his own glorious ass and create the lie of a mystique of himself being a great man, Dugout Doug, CENSORED the dispatches of George Weller. There could be many reasons for this. One is that Dugout didn't like anyone disobeying his post abandoning ass. Dugout was a pretty arrogant self-righteous bastard willing to sacrifice many Americans as well as enemy to make himself look good. George Weller did not OBEY his prince in order to get out information and truth that he believed needed to be carried to the people. George was a reporter, a real reporter, not these stupid asses you see that get the stories they are told to get in order to create careers for themselves without ever having to put those careers on the line to, say, get out some of the dirty truths that create this world.

Dugout also had a grasp of human thinking. People want to forget attrocities. When they do, Dugout and his likes can then raise themselves to glorious positions like "prince" on the expense of those that actually put themselves on the line. If all of America knew what happens to prisoners of war, they may not want to sign up for horrific military service because they don't want to torture nor be tortured. People may rethink war, and then folks like Dugout wouldn't be considered the great people they like to believe they are.

Did you know that Dugout Doug, Douglas McCarthur, also allied himself with the infamous Japanese military unit, Unit 731. This unit did medical experiments on POW's and other prisoners, mostly to see how much torture folks would take before they actually died. Dugout pardoned many of these folks so he could get the information of torture. Why? So we could have things like the H-blocks in Northern Ireland, Agu Ghraib in Iraq, Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, etc. I'm not saying Dugout Doug is the sole person responsible for this, I am saying he played a rather pivotal role in a societal norm that folks like to PRETEND doesn't happen. Civilization...wonderful stuff!

Knowing that Dugout and the U.S. military were censors, and pretty much ALL militaries are censors (not wanting to get truth to the people because the people just might do something about this crap), it is safe to say that the censors are heavily at work within the U.S. government, military, and in all war actions like those in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is safe to assume that tortures are going on far beyond the reports that we the people were not supposed to hear (thank you Seymour Hersch). That war crimes are happening far beyond what we hear about. That the wealthy, like the 200+ U.S. corporations that helped fund the Nazis during the war, are making billions off of the backs of the victims of the U.S. led genocides in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as our own folks. That you will remember those that like to call themselves heroes, like Tommy Franks, before you would remember names like Darrell Anderson who admitted his war crimes in Iraq to the public, even though he signed a document that makes him LEGALLY BOUND not to talk about these things to the public, FORCED upon him by the U.S. military. We the people are not getting the information that we need to make decisions about what our government is doing, and most of us are rather content with that.

The media doesn't even have to be cencorsed. They self-censor. They know what the government and the wealthy want out, they know how to propagandize in order to keep the people supporting the same deadly system.

And we the people? Most Americans, as pointed out by George Weller, see the U.S. as "There is the U.S., and everything outside our borders are seen as the others." Most Americans have a very limited sense of self and entitlement. Most U.S. citizens have a limited sense of history, and pretty much like it that way. We have many privileges here. Many things to distract us from what is really going on in the world. I mean...

Oh...Look at the time. I have to catch the Chess Boxing Match on ESPN...

Life is Gonna Get Interesting

Let's see:

Somali pirates have captured another tanker, making their collection 17 ships they are holding hostage.

Mumbai, as I'm sure you all know, has definitely made a severe dent in the global financial system.

The global financial system is failing, and please do not believe that it won't get worse and definitely do not believe it will be over in just a couple of years.

There has been a cyber attack on pentagon computers.

Life is going to get real interesting.

Another Genocide Cover-Up Day Under Our Belts

Another "Genocide Cover-Up Day" is under out belts.

Genocide is still occurring. One of our main topics was that the crime of genocide is seen under a narrow scope and many don't even know exactly what it is.

We also talked with Gilbert Towner and Judy Fry, a couple of Tututun elders. Along with Shusli, they brought a more local flavor to the crime of genocide and how it effects indigenous peoples today.

My favorite quote, and hopefully Shusli and others will comment here with theirs: "Ouch! That hurts! Now cut that out!" We can open the door to a discussion of genocide here, if you all would like.

Shusli, Jim Craven, Me, and Eli were at the mics. The engineer was Richard Ullom. The coffee maker was Devon. Kathleen Stephenson graciously opened the door for this program to take place. The callers were mighty awesome, along with one of the folks, Reverend Jim Dancing Trout, who was one of the original founders of this program.

Let's all do what we can to end the crime of genocide.

James Craven, Blackfoot Solicitor General, Economics Teacher, Head of the Business Department at Clark College.

Shusli Johnson. Tututun activist. She works tirelessly in struggles to regain her peoples landbase along the Rogue River, as well as Loves her amazing children.

Shusli's son. Talented young musician, former forest fire fighter, and all round amazing human being.

Louis Sowa. Current host of "Indian World."

Three members of the gang of four during the program and discussion.

Me.

Happy Birthday Ishmael Beah

Today is Ishmael Beah's birthday, author of "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier." This is a very sobering work about war. War at its coldest and meanest. It is a book that one and all should read, especially arm chair warriors that like to support war without ever having to participate in one. "Never support a war you are not willing to take up arms in and fight in yourself because you are asking others to do your killing for you." If you think war is a worthwhile action and you can bend your index finger, go sign up and do your own killing.

Ishmael now lives in the U.S. When interviewed him over a year ago, he was working on helping other former boy soldiers and trying to stop the use of children in the military.

Genocide Cover-Up Day

On Thursday (also known as Thanksgiving Day), Shusli, Jim Craven, and I will be hosting "Genocide Cover-Up Day" on KBOO, 90.7fm here in Portland. At www.kboo.fm on the internet.

This is an annual program started by Theresa Mitchell about 15 years ago to discuss the genocide of Indians as well as genocides that have and still do occurr all over the world. We will open the phone lines and discuss these issues with you. What does genocide look like? How do we stop this crime from happening anymore?

Why do we do it on Thanksgiving Day? Well, Thanksgiving did not start as an annual holiday in 1621 for the union of colonizers and colonized, it started in 1676 as a celebration of slaughtering Indians. Thus, Theresa started "Genocide Cover-Up Day," and Shusli, Jim, and I carry on that tradition annually in remembrance, in creating awareness, and in the desire to end this horrific crime once and for all.

Here is a good web page for debunking such myths as thanksgiving, as well as others. Also read this interesting essay on the history of Thanksgiving by Julia White.

Then, feast with your families, be thankful for all you have, be thankful for the fight in your heart (whcih comes in many forms), and struggle to change the world.

Automobile

I was listening to Randi Roades with my wife, Shusli, as we were driving down the road the other day. She was talking about how the big three automakers had done all they could to destroy ideas of cars getting great gas mileage. The government was in collusion giving tax breaks to folks who bought huge SUV's. The oil biz was in it because more oil gets used and thus more billionaires make more money. Now, with world views changing rapidly, folks no longer see it as sensible to buy a huge gas guzzling big three machine when they can't afford the gas to put in it, despite the tax breaks. Gas guzzlers were making oil billionaires and auto manufacturers billions in short term gains.

I remembered reading years ago how automakers always worked to crush fuel effecient cars and transportation systems for their own personal gain. There used to be a trolley system here in Portland. It was fuel effecient and helped a lot of folks. A corporation bought it up, ran it into the ground, etc., so tire manufacturers, bus and car manufacturers, and oil companies could make gazillions in short term gains. Sure the folks suffer lightly to greatly because of the decisions of these greed heads, but who cares! The millionaires and billionaires are just fine and dandy and have lots of wealth, health care, food to eat, many roofs over their heads, etc., and we all know that is what really counts. Your health care doesn't count. Whether or not you can provide food for your family is YOUR PROBLEM AND FAULT, not the problem and fault of the wealthy who have stolen everything from you and blame your sorry ass.

I don't know about you folks, but I've been playing the moves over and over in my head, and I don't see any gains to be made by the wealthy anymore. I don't see that if the big three pull their heads out and make fuel effecient cars that their would be anyone to buy them. I don't see what giving billions to billionaires to do with as they will is gonna keep the folks from starving to death in the streets and stay warm and clothed in the winter. Does anybody have any idea how they might be able to pull this off, because I just am not seeing it? Folks keep saying that things are gonna turn back around in a year or so but no one tells me how this is gonna happen. I don't see how it can. Does anyone?

Speaking of the Blood of Our Children...

The GM parts plant Jamestown Industries in Moraine, Ohio IS closing down on December 23.

Even IF the U.S. hands billions to the big 3 like they handed billions to billionaire bankers, Tony Murphy, pictured here, is still gonna lose his job 2 days before Christmas. Merry F***ing Christmas fromt he U.S. government.

The actions NOT taken by the U.S. government WILL CAUSE the suffering that will be felt by Tony, his CHILDREN, his GRANDCHILDREN, etc. Folks will die because of these actions. The U.S. government is willing to sacrifice men, women, and children in order to fill the coffers of the bank accounts of the wealthy. Soon, the only good paying jobs there will be will be protecting the wealthy from folks such as Tony and those the wealthy have made suffer, like the Somali's, Indians, Phillipinos, East Indians, Iraqis, Pakistanis, Afghanis, and even U.S. citizens. Why, I wonder, would the U.S. give billions to billionaire bankers and not the Auto Industry? Well, here is a possible reason in my perspective.

The biggest problem in the way of billionaires robbing the poor to fill their bank accounts, is that the working class in the U.S. have RIGHTS! When employees have rights, that means millionaires and billionaires have to share their ill gotten gain with the folks that helped them make it. One of the strongest unions in the U.S. is the United Auto Workers, which will be CRUSHED by the collapse of the auto industry. What this will create is a class of worker willing to work for a pittance so the wealthy can have even more wealth than the billions just given to them of our tax dollars. The biggest expense to any corporation is the cost or production put out to the workers in payroll. Crush the workers and you can exploit them greatly. They will work for little to nothing as long as what they get can keep their families alive.

The best jobs, of course, will be protecting the wealthy from the folks at the bottom who REALIZE that such is the reason for their distress. Folks will organize and fight back. Thus, folks will be disarmed or outgunned by the folks who will be paid to protect the wealthy from those who want their piece of the pie.

I could be wrong, but this is a common pattern amongs the wealthy, as seen in the previous post about the Somali Pirates.

In my opinion, one useful thing to do would be to organize our communities. We need to fulfill our basic needs and then some, and we need to fight back and take back the ill gotten gain the billionaires have received at our expense. Time will tell, but the situation in the world is making it ripe for...

REVOLUTION AND CHANGE!