911: Tolerence May be Our Greatesr Revenge

There are those who would have us believe that all Muslims are the enemy. Is it possible that our greatest revenge for 911 will be to dispel this myth and have Christians and Muslims living together at piece in America?

 

For many of us our since of security was shattered on 911 as we watched the most horrific attack on American soil being carried out, not by a foreign superpower but rather a relatively small yet dangerous group of extremist. Prior to 911 many of us were completely unaware of Al Qaeda and the threat they posed to the safety and security of America. We felt quite safe standing on American soil, after all, it was simply inconceivable that anyone would dare attack the most powerful country in the world.

 

As we watched the towers fall we all became painfully aware of Al Qaeda and the threat they posed. Shock and disbelief soon gave way to outrage and the reality that America was now at war. In what may have been a shining moment for then president George Bush he drew a clear distinction between Islam and Islamic extremist, there would be no mass roundup or internment camps for Muslims living in America and attacks on innocent Muslims would not be tolerated. They are American citizens and therefore had been attacked just as we all had been attacked. As the planes hit the Twin Towers there were no Christians or Muslims, no black or white, American citizens or foreign nationals, among those who died, they were all victims.

 

Since 911 there have been those who have refused to accept the fact that this is not a war between Christians and Muslims but rather a war between America and the extremist. Those who pour out a message of hate and attempt to convince us that all Muslims are our enemy are in fact giving Bin Laden and his followers exactly what they wanted. Such rhetoric only serves to fuel the fires of suspicion, hatred and potential violence resulting in an endless cycle of conflict thereby ensuring that Al Qaeda’s ultimate goal is realized.

 

As individuals we have little if any control over global political and social issues but we each have the capability to help deprive the extremist of achieving their goals simply by treating each other with kindness and respect. On this tragic anniversary there are no Christians or Muslims, no black or white, no citizens or foreign nationals among those who lost friends and family on 911, there are only those who grieve. I can think of no better way to honor the dead than by promoting peace among those who live.

The Tea Party: Political Incompetence or Intentional Disruption ofGovernment

It is not uncommon to see a good old-fashioned political battle of words in Washington. Each side will do their best to convince everyone that they are right and gather their supporters to join the fight. If no one side can muster enough support for a clear victory the compromising begins with both sides giving a little and taking as much as they can until a deal is struck.

Over the past few weeks we have all watched as Washington ground to a halt in the debt ceiling debate only managing to squeeze out a deal at the last possible moment. Many of us agree that the  majority of the trouble stems from the TEA party's all or nothing, "we will not compromise"  approach to the debate.

Some political analysts have attributed this to a lack of political experience on the part of the TEA party backed republicans, they simply didn't realize that compromise is how things get done. It seems to me that you could ask any  fifth grader and they could tell you that compromise is an essential component of government in America. If we are to believe the analyst explanation for their actions then it seems that politically incompetent would be the proper term.

On the other hand it  is no secret that the TEA party  republicans have no plans of being re-elected, in other words, political suicide has no deterrent effect allowing them to be as disruptive as they please without fear of voter backlash.

According to the New York Times Representative Tom Reed, a freshman Republican from upstate New York said:

“Re-election is the farthest thing from my mind, like many of my colleagues in the freshman class, I came down here to get our fiscal house in order and take care of the threat to national security that we see in the federal debt. We came here not to have long careers. We came here to do something. We don’t care about re-election.”

This fact alone strikes me as unusual, how often do we see someone run for an elected office but yet have no interest in a political future? This combined with the timing of their run for office  could lead one to ask if this is an intentional effort to disrupt the government in America at a time when we are all beginning to think about the 2012 elections.

Most Americans would agree with the idea of getting the debt under control and certainly we need to be able to defend our country. We would also most likely agree that we need elected officials that can get something done as opposed to bringing Washington to a halt.

The tea party representatives have made it clear that they are willing to put their agenda ahead of the best interest of the American people openly stating that they had no  objections to pushing America into default rather than compromise, a move that was clearly in no ones best interest.

The Times Of India said it best when they said:

"Never before in history has a group of extremist politicians succeeded in taking the good faith and credit of their own country hostage in order to assert their will."

At the end of the day the republicans kept their promise not to raise taxes. Unfortunately, they made no such promises regarding America's credit rating, your 401k or interest rates.

Richmond’s Most Unusual Robbery: A First Hand Account

It is not uncommon to find me writing about the news, however in this case I am not only the author of this post but the subject of it as well.  Despite that fact I will do my best to remain objective and simply relay the story including what I believe are some important facts that seem to have been overlooked in recent reports.

On Monday June 6, 20011 I was walking along East Main street in Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom, a walk that is usually routine and quit uneventful.  This day however was to be anything but routine or uneventful.

As I walked in the 1800 block of east Main street I passed a man sitting on the sidewalk, as I passed he began saying that I was faking and I didn’t need the cane. Initially I thought that this must be someone I had met in the past, I turned and step closer and asked, “Who are you”. As he continued his tirade I saw his hand move and he opened a pocketknife and acted as if he was (unclear on this part) cleaning his nails or whittling.

At this point I said “have a good day” and began to walk away, he continue to hurl insults such as you are faking, you don’t need that F… cane, you are taking advantage etc.  I thought I heard him rustling around as if he was getting up, I soon realized that he was in fact walking towards me from behind.

My only thought at this point was “I can’t have my back to this guy”, I turned to face him and as I had feared he still had the knife in his hand.  At this point he was only a couple of feet away, he continued his verbal assault and his hands seemed to be flailing around rapidly as he ranted. It took all of my limited vision to try to keep up with the knife.

He took a few steps as if he was going to walk away, suddenly he turned and approach me again this time saying “I’m taking this F…. cane” and grabbing it from my hand.  As he walked away with my cane I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and tried to dial 911, again he returned, this time slapping the phone from my hand breaking it and striking me along the outside corner of my right eye.

After he walked away I went into the nearest door I [later heard that it was a gym) and the police where called. The first police officer arrived in less then a minute followed by several others. With the help of witnesses police located and arrested William V. Carter within approximately 10 minutes, Carter is being held in the Richmond City Jail, he is charged with robbery and is currently awaiting a preliminary hearing.

 

Hundreds Attend Funeral for Slain 13-year-old

Devin Hawkins never sold drugs or belonged to a gang yet on April 23 the 13-year-old was shot and killed by suspected gang members. Devin was another innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of drugs, guns and violence.

Devin "Chumpy" Hawkins is described by friends and family as a happy teenager and student at Carver Middle School who had incredible talent on the football field. He was further described as a super star with a bright future.

On April 23, an argument in the streets near Devin’s home turned deadly, an argument that Devin was not involved in. The 13-year-old was outside when shots rang out, he was running for his house when he was struck and killed by a stray bullet. He died only feet from his front door in the Broadwater Townhome community in southern Chesterfield.

Rev. Lamont Hobbs delivered what is described as a rousing eulogy at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Petersburg where approximately 600-700 people turned out to say goodbye to Devin.

During the eulogy Hobbs acknowledge the local media for “getting this one right” by making it clear that Devin was not a drug dealer or gang member. He went on to call on parents to do their part to keep their children away from drugs, guns, and violence by checking their children’s rooms. He called on the community to do their part by reporting “wrongdoing” to the authorities.

Hobbs said:

"It ain't about Devin and where he is, the question is what are we going to do? We have got to get our house in order."

And in a closing that received a standing ovation Hobbs said:

"You need to have a jailhouse shakedown in your house,"

A 17-year-old who was shot in the leg during the incident is now believed to have been the intended target after he became involved in a verbal altercation.

The 17-year-old helped identify three suspects in the shooting. Jermon Rasheem Woodson-Jones, 21, who turned himself in after consulting an attorney, has been charged with criminal gang participation and being an accessory after the fact. Jermaine Powell, 18, who lived in the same block as Devin, was arrested and charged with criminal gang participation earlier this week. Yesterday police and the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force arrested William Timothy Walker, 21, the alleged gunman, in Harrisburg, Pa. Walker has been charged with homicide, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and gang participation. All three suspects are believed to be members of a localized chapter of the "Bloods" street gang.

 

9-year-old Girl Struggles to Recover 3 Years After Being Thrown into a Fire

On April 29, 2008 in Trauali Jhanauti village in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh 6-year-old Kamlesh, a Dalit (untouchable), was walking with her mother, Manju, when she walked onto a road meant for the "upper cast". What happened next seems so horrific that it defies all semblance of humanity.

According to Gulf News a local man identified as Sunny allegedly beat Kamlesh and then threw her into a fire pit. When Manju, who was 8 months pregnant at the time, attempted to rescue her daughter she was attacked by several men and beaten unconscious. After regaining consciousness she was able to pull Kamlesh to safety but she had suffered severe burns over a large portion of her body.

Kamlesh is now 9 years old and the pain and scars serve as a constant reminder of what has been called another case of caste violence left unpunished. She lost the ability to move her right elbow and hand. She will also need extensive plastic surgery to repair the scars. According to Gulf News the family has exhausted their modest finances paying for the medical care that has been necessary over the past three years. Without outside assistance it appears unlikely that the family will be able to afford the medical care necessary for Kamlesh to regain the use of her arm or the plastic surgery that would help hide the scars of this horrid act.

Four people were named in the 2008 complaint but only Sunny was arrested. Manju was left so traumatized that she developed what is only being described as "psychiatric issues" and was unable to testify in court. Although there were other witnesses they would not testify out of fear. Sunny was released after 6 months and the charges where withdrawn.

Kamlesh's father, Saudan Singh told IBN::

“This is not the first time that this has happened. The problem is no one comes forward to speak. No one came forward to help,”

The traumatic and unthinkable acts committed against  Kamlesh on that day seems a high price to pay for a young girl not "knowing her place" in society.

Donald Trump: The Great Fraud?

For quite some time now we have listened to Donald Trump talk about the “team of investigators” he has sent to Hawaii, last night he discussed his investigation with Anderson Cooper. As do most of Donald Trumps “Birther” rants last nights interview left many of us questioning, not President Obama’s citizenship but rather Donald Trump’s honesty. Donald Trump seems quite capable of making wild allegations and fueling the “Birther” fire but producing any actual evidence or even an actual investigator seems to be a problem for him.


Trump has made the comment, "you wont believe what they (his investigators) are finding" but when he is asked to elaborate on that or any other evidence he claims to have found he provides everything except a straight answer. So far, some of the answers he does provide are "we will see what happens", "its none of your business", "I don't want to say now, but it's going to be very interesting".

The CNN team has said that they haven't found one person during the course of their investigation who have been contacted by Trumps investigators, when Cooper asked trump if he thought the he former director of the Hawaii Department of Health (one of 2 officials who have seen the Original certificate) was someone they should be talking to Trump responded:

"Well I’ve been told very recently, Anderson, that the birth certificate is missing, I’ve been told that’s it not there or it doesn’t exist.  And if that’s the case it’s a big problem."

Cooper then asked: "Who told you that?"

Trump responds:  "I just heard that two days ago from somebody."

In true Trump style he dodged the original question all together and offered up some more "inside" information from yet another nameless, faceless "somebody".

There seems to be nothing about his "investigation that seems particularly honest and his information is certainly not being backed up by evidence. I began to ask myself if there was a possible financial motivation for Trump's massive "birther" campaign". Well, it turns out that there is at least one, Trumps TV show, The Celebrity Apprentice, has enjoyed a 12% increase in the ratings do to the added publicity.

Oddly enough, a USA Today Gallop poll shows that 7% of those polled say Donald Trump was definitely or probably born in another country. Nearly three in 10 say they don’t know enough to say.

I have to ask myself if the 7% really believe Trump was born in another country or is this attempt to distance the United States from "The Donald" and save us more embarrassment in the future.

Koran-burning Pastor Sparks Inter-Faith Unity

Pastor Terry Jones Good Friday protest that was planned to be held at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn may not of had the desired effect, in fact it seems to have produced the exact opposite response to what Jones would have liked.

Jones’s ongoing efforts to promote division, hostility and anger between the Muslims and Christians in America met with opposition from both the City of Dearborn and the The Metropolitan Detroit interfaith community.

The city dis-alaud the protest after a jury determined that it would be a breach of the peace. The potential for violence and riots are a valid concern whenever Jones and his Dove Outreach Ministry plan such an event. In response Jones is planning a protest at the city hall next week.

In a show of unity and support for freedom of religion and their disagreement with jones and his message religious leaders, both Muslim and Christian, came together to speak out against Jones.

Steve Elturk, Imam Council of Islamic org. of Mich. said that he would welcome Jones if he came in a peaceful manner and was willing to have a peaceful dialog.

It seems that Jones was so upset with the outcome that he later shot a whole in the floorboard of his own car. (accidentally of course)

?

First Female Commandant of the Army's Quartermaster School is Promoted to Brigadier General

In 2005 "Trailblazer" Gwendolyn Bingham became Fort Lee's first female garrison commander. In November of 2010 she once again left her mark when she became the first female commandant of the U.S. Army Quartermaster School at Fort Lee.

In March of 2010 Col. Gwendolyn Bingham was recognized by the U.S. Army Women’s Museum at Fort Lee along with 11 others as “a trailblazer who is setting a path for others to follow”. On Friday, April 22 the path became a little longer for those following in her footsteps.

Bingham’s story began 30 years ago when she was commissioned as a second lieutenant after graduating from college on a ROTC scholarship. At the time she only planned to serve her four-year commitment and then enter the civilian work force. Her path would take her in a far different direction and she now admits that she was bitten by the “Army bug” at a young age saying:

 

“Quite honestly, I think I was hooked from the moment I walked on a parade field with my dad,”

Her father, Army first sergeant Edward McMillion, (now deceased) helped send Bingham on her path when he pinned the second lieutenant bars on her shoulder at the University of Alabama in 1981 when she was first commissioned.In 2005 Bingham made history at Fort Lee when she became the installations first female garrison commander. On November 22, 2010 she once again left her mark when she became the 51st commandant and the first female commandant of the U.S. Army Quartermaster School at Fort Lee.Bingham, originally from Troy, Ala, has spent the past 30 years of her life serving in the U.S. Army. Her career began at Fort Lee and although she has been called away on assignments she considers Fort Lee her home saying at the November ceremony:

“Today, I feel like Dorothy — there simply is no place like home,”

Bingham went on to say:

“It’s really not about me. . . . I don’t really look at it from the historical side, It’s indeed an honor for me to be the first, but I just feel privileged and honored to be a part of a team with all the men and women that have served with me in the past and continue to serve here with me at Fort Lee.”

Although she has held the position for the past six months the promotion to brigadier general makes it official, she is now the first female quartermaster general.Retired Lt. Gen. David S. Weisman described the turnout as the largest he has ever seen at a promotion ceremony. Among those in attendance where the mayors of Hopewell, Petersburg and Colonial Heights, as well as former Petersburg Mayor Annie M. Mickens and Delegate Rosalyn Dance, D-Petersburg.During the ceremony Maj. Gen. James E. Chambers compared Bingham to Lt. Gen. George Patton and Gen. Omar Bradley saying:

“Inside, she has the heart of a lion.”

And

“Don’t tell her it can’t be done.”

Bingham’s children, Phillip and Tava, participated in the ceremony by slipping off her former rank insignia and replacing it with the single star of a brigadier general. After the ceremony Bingham told reporters that she had never planned on becoming a general:

“Only about one percent of the entire Army is the general officer rank. It wasn’t something I had my sights set on.”

Brigadier General Bingham now oversees the training of more than 20,000 military personnel annually in her new role as quartermaster general.

 

Murfreesboro Anti-Mosque Campaign Resumes

Any one who watched the recent CNN special  "Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door," with Soledad O'Brien is familiar with the ongoing debate in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I found this story particularly interesting because local Muslims say that they always felt welcome in Murfreesboro both before and after 9-11. The local Imam recalls how in the weeks following 9-11 Murfreesboro residents would approach him on the street to offer words of reassurance.

However, the welcoming attitude of some Murfreesboro residents suddenly changed when the local Muslims purchased a plot of land and received approval to build a new Islamic center and Mosque.  The congregation soon found themselves at the center of a battle for their religious freedom, a battle that began with protest, vandalism, arson, and harassing phone calls.

When these methods failed to stop the construction a lawsuit was filed by Kevin Fisher, Lisa Moore and Henry Golczynski seeking an injunction to prevent any future building permits from being issued for the project.  They claimed that proper public notice was not given prior to approving the plans; according to the county a public hearing was not required because the land was already zoned for religious meeting use. Fear became the weapon of choice for Joe Brandon Jr. and Tom Smith, attorneys for the plaintiffs, with their entire case seemingly being based on unfounded allegations of Sharia law, Jihad and Islamic extremism invading Murphysboro. They further argued that Islam is not a religion.   The case was later dismissed with the judge informing the plaintiffs that Islam is in fact a recognized religion.

According to DNJ.com 14 new plaintiffs have joined the lawsuit and attorneys for the plaintiffs have filed an amended motion, once again attempting to halt the construction. The claims made in this motion seem to be even more ridiculous than the first.

In an effort to have most of the claims in the suit dismissed Attorneys for the county, Jim Cope and Josh McCreary, filed a motion arguing that the plaintiffs have no standing in the lawsuit.

According to dnj.com Brandon and Smith countered by arguing that all 17 plaintiffs have standing based on the following:

Fisher: Because he is an African American Christian who'd be discriminated against and subjugated as a second-class citizen under Sharia law and be denied his civil rights.

Moore: Because she's a Jewish female who's targeted in a Muslim call to kill Jews in "jihad" in support of Palestine and as a woman whose rights would be subordinate to those of men in Sharia law.

Golczynski: Because he lost a son who was killed while serving in the U.S. Marines in combat in Fallujah, Iraq, by insurgents pursuing jihad as dictated by Sharia law.

According to Brandon and Smith the remaining 14 have standing because they live in the general vicinity of where the new Mosque will be located.

A news release by Brandon says:

"The residents neighboring the property of the 52,000-square-foot Muslim Brotherhood Training Center fear for their property values, their safety, their privacy and constitutional rights," (I am not aware of any involvement by the Muslim brotherhood)

Brandon has claimed that the leadership of the Mosque has promoted anti-American sentiment and has ties to terrorist organizations, these allegations by Brandon continue despite the fact that local Muslim leaders were questioned by the FBI (as were many Muslims across the country) shortly after the attacks on 9-11. It seems apparent based on their continued freedom that no threat was found in Murfreesboro.

In a strange twist of events attorney Joe Brandon Jr is now complaining that his rights are being violated. Brandon complained that his right to privacy is being violated after it was discovered that surveillance cameras had been installed in the vicinity of the new Mosque construction site. The claims are based on the fact that he and the plaintiffs in the case use the road by the site on a daily basis. He has filed a motion demanding to know who installed the cameras and who receives the data from them.

Although it was originally claimed by Brandon that members of the mosque had placed the cameras they deny any knowledge and say that they only became aware of them after Brandon complained. Local authorities are referring all questions in this matter to the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The FBI, who has been conducting an investigation into arson at the construction site, says they can’t comment on an ongoing investigation or the methods they may be using.

It is important to note that not all Murfreesboro residents are against the construction of the new Mosque.  Counter-protestors have turned out to support the Muslim community and their right to freedom of religion.

Free Speech does not Equal Freedom from Responsibility

For the past week we have all watched with horror the unfolding of events in Tucson.  The conversation quickly turned to violent rhetoric spotted by politicians and their supporters.  As we watch some of the more notable instances of violent rhetoric being defended as free speech it became clear  that for many freedom of speech also means freedom from common sense.

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords continues to improve from a gunshot wound to the head received in the mass shooting outside of a Safeway store in Tucson on January 8. Although it appears that Gabrielle Giffords was the intended target 19 people were shot leaving six dead.  Newly elected student council member, Nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green, was the youngest and possibly the most memorable victim of the shooting.  For many of us the photos of Christina will be forever etched into our minds, a child who was born on a day of national tragedy and only nine years later became the victim of a day of national tragedy.

The events of January 8 led to a barrage of accusations and finger pointing regarding violent political rhetoric that seems to be the norm for some politicians and their supporters. We all heard the reports of campaign rallies held at shooting ranges with slogans such as “Lets take out Gabrielle Giffords” and cross hairs being drawn over democratically held districts (including Gabrielle Giffords) with slogans saying “Don’t retreat, reload”.  I do not mention these two exercises in “Free Speech” to say that one party is more inclined to make such statements than the other, but rather because they have been the most publicized and seem to be the most relevant.

To the best of anyone’s knowledge these statements had nothing to do with the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords but they do bring about an interesting debate under the circumstances. Does our constitutional right to freedom of speech absolve us of responsibility for the outcome?  If we incite violence under the guise of “Free Speech are we then not responsible for the resulting violence?

If, in fact, we believe that our freedom of speech is open ended then how can it be that Tucson shooting victim, James Eric Fuller, was arrested for yelling “your dead” to tea party leader, Trent Humphries. There was no act of violence committed so was he not simply exercising his right to free speech?

We could take the debate a bit further by asking the question: are we not all culpable to some degree for the outcome if we support in any way those who stoop to such levels as a means to gain political power? Do we, as Americans, not have a responsibility to make it clear to those who seek to lead our country that this is unacceptable?

This is a debate that will no doubt go on well into the future. At the end of the day it will most likely come down to an individual decision. As we enjoy the freedom that comes with being an American we must also understand that those freedoms come with responsibilities. Will we continue to support this type of irresponsible use of our freedoms or will we take a stand against it?