Why Did they Say That??!!

It is easy to say something in the name of "good" but to be someone who follows their convictions to stand up for those who most need it and for the right thing is what I admire most. That is why I have a great love for the younger Muhammad Ali who risked everything because he didn't believe in the corrupt system that existed and which still does. We can be like him and others we have seen make sacrifices in the name of good no matter how big or small. We must first look for the truth and enlighten others of it. Here are some quotes from a few people that sum up a lot of what I believe in. Maybe it will encourage you to delve into why they are saying these things and to make clear the clips underneath each quote are different speeches so check them out.....


“I ain’t draft dodging. I ain’t burning no flag. I ain’t running to Canada. I’m staying right here. You want to send me to jail? Fine, you go right ahead. I’ve been in jail for 400 years. I could be there for 4 or 5 more, but I ain’t going no 10,000 miles to help murder and kill other poor people. If I want to die, I’ll die right here, right now, fightin’ you, if I want to die. You my enemy, not no Chinese, no Vietcong, no Japanese. You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. Want me to go somewhere and fight for you? You won’t even stand up for me right here in America, for my rights and my religious beliefs. You won’t even stand up for me right here at home. ”
-Muhammad Ali (Boxer,Humanitarian)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali

“Get up, stand up Stand up for your rights Get up, stand up Don't give up the fight ”
- Bob Marley (Musician)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley

“It’s all right to tell a man to lift himself by his own bootstraps, but it is cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps.” 
- Martin Luther King (Civil Rights Activist)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.

“You can't have capitalism without racism.”
- Malcolm X (Civil Rights Activist)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X

“Perhaps if we could popularise through the techniques of branding and consumerism, a different idea, a different narrative, perhaps the world can change. After all it changes constantly and incessantly, it's just the perceptions that we have are governed by people with self-interest and are not in-alignment with the health and safety of us as individuals or as a planet.” 
- Russell Brand (Comedian, Activist)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Brand

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”  
- Carl Sagan (Scientist)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan

 “You do a commercial folks, you're off the artistic roll call for ever. You're another corporate shill, you're a whore at the capitalist gang bang, and if you do a commercial  there's a price on your head. Everything you say is suspect and everything that comes out of your mouth is now like a turd falling into my drink.”
- Bill Hicks (Comedian)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Hicks

“If workers are more insecure, that's very 'healthy' for the society, because if workers are insecure, they wont ask for wages, they won't go on strike, they wont call for benefits; they'll serve the masters gladly and passsively. And that's optimal for corporations economic health.”
- Noam Chomsky (Philosopher)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky

BY EM.

Israel v Palestine

Hot Topic

The ultimate contentious topic. Israel v Palestine. The stance you take on it generally highlights your political views too but it has nothing to do with politics - for me this is a humanity issue. I never really took much notice of this conflict when I was younger I just assumed it was as simple as the Western media said it was - a distant fight I didn't need to worry about (and didn't want to worry about). I felt safe in my bed at night knowing the 'bad guys' were being kept in line and that was that. I know now that isn't the case. The vast majority of casualties in this area are children. I think as human beings, we should have an acute sense of moral and social responsibility so that we are ready and willing to make ourselves more aware of the situation in Palestine. The media clearly wont show it from a fair and balanced viewpoint that is clear for all to see. So why is there such a bloody stain soaking this part of the world. A quick brief is pretty necessary to begin to understand why tensions run high.

In Brief

This perpetual conflict, as we understand it, all began back in the mid 20th century. Before this for centuries a multicultural society existed in Palestine. In the 19th Century the Country's population was roughly estimated at 86% Muslim, 10% Christian and 4% Jewish. A group of Jewish people - commonly referred to as the Zionists - decided to colonise this land and so by the late 1800's the wheels were in motion to create a Jewish homeland. At first the immigrants coming in were no problem from the evidence we have but when more and more of the Zionists arrived they began to really talk about turning this into a Jewish state which created tension with the indigenous population and some skirmishes began to break out. 

World War One then afterwards Hitler's rise to power and his persecution of the Jews exacerbated matters as the Jews needed to leave Europe with Palestine being obviously a favourable destination. Eventually the UN got involved and demanded the land be broken up instead of the diverse cultural population simply co existing. The divided land was to be distributed, but not evenly proportioned, and, in the event 55% of the land was given to only 30% of the population who  hitherto, had owned only 7% of the land. The Zionists got their homeland after heavy pressure on the UN. 

So clearly we can now see why the Palestinians felt a complete sense of injustice. After a number of different conflicts up to the present day, the Palestinians were left with yet less land and were being increasingly victimised and polarised. It is important to note that Hamas did not exist from the get go either, it arose as a response to the oppression Palestine has suffered. Hamas, often referred to as a terrorist cell, were founded in 1987 (during the First Intifada) as an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. The Hamas Charter states that it was founded to liberate Palestine and modern day Israel from Israeli occupation. They want the Gaza strip, Israel and the West Bank to be established as an Islamic State and they use violent methods to press this into a reality.

Graphic highlighting the territory change

Personally I condemn any acts of terror but it can be very obvious to see why this sort of thing has happened. Violence breeds violence. Hamas didn't have a reason to exist before. I don't accept any use of violence to gain what you want in life and I view Hamas no differently. They need to cease their violence and malevolence. I know it must be nearly impossible for anyone on the oppressed side but those out with Hamas must continue to pursue other forms of intervention and diplomacy.

Why this cannot be allowed to continue

Now I am not an expert but I am pretty positive if the same thing happened in my country then it wouldn't be to long before a number of different violent groups would emerge in response. I think my main problem with what is happening currently between Israel and Palestine is the huge huge number of civilian casualties. Hamas are reportedly said to have fired 1,394 rockets at Israel very recently. Of course these rockets were barely the Israeli defences but a small number of Jewish casualties were reported which rightly so needs to be condemned. It is said these rockets were fired unprovoked but it is well documented there had been a group of Palestinians rounded up and arrested by Israeli authorities without charge leading up to the attacks. It doesn't matter who started it this time anyway. These Palestinian people are occupied by an enemy state. It is pretty valid to suggest the conditions these people live in are just unacceptable and these conditions are wholly completely preventable. We need to open our eyes...now! 

The fact that Israel are able to tell us exactly how many rockets were fired over their check point from Hamas and that we have literally no chance of possibly gauging how many missiles, tank shells, cluster bombs, white phosphorous bombs, bullets, cannons and grenades the Israeli military have unleashed says it all to me. The Israeli army funded by Britain and mainly the USA have ruined and are actually destroying a population. Look, Hamas probably hide amongst civilian's I get that. Moreover, that's all the more reason as to why there should be no more weapons fired into this area. The UN officially say 7 in 10 casualties on the Palestinian side are children. The UN also claims that over 100,000 homes have been destroyed leaving 1 in 3 of Gaza's population homeless. I want to highlight something according to the Israeli human rights group (Beit Selem) who track death totals on both sides. There are wee children as young as 4, with bullet holes in their heads and chests. STOP KILLING CHILDREN NOW!! Hospitals and schools have been recorded as being blown up and you can type into YouTube for evidence of snipers eliminating rescuers. It is startling and sobering film.

Think of the Children

People will say Israel is just defending itself. Defending itself???!!! They occupy and dominate the Palestinian people. Let us not forget that. They have put in place crippling trade restrictions and economic embargo's. They have check points everywhere and they control the water and electricity supplies. These are facts you can look up. The Palestinian people have had their crops destroyed, mosques bombed, schools demolished and children and relatives killed. They also have to put up with Jewish only roads and buildings in their own territory. The people report in refugee camps that the Israeli military treat them like sub humans and throw them in dungeons without care or trial. This self defence rhetoric doesn't join the dots for me. The Palestinians have been killed in far greater numbers for over 60 year now by much more advanced weaponry and by a proper army. Way before Hamas ever existed. Look it up folks it is in black and white the link is at the end of this post, but there are many statistics. Using the vast arsenal it possesses to bomb and smash targets in Gaza, Israel is guilty of war crimes. I say this because they are blowing civilian areas to oblivion. This is not self defence. Gaza is one of the most densely populated places on Earth. There is no way that pushing the red button and bringing hell on these people can result in anything other than harrowing death tolls.

Bizarre

I read something bizarre the other day: Israel claims to ameliorate its hostilities by saying they warn Palestinian people before they begin the deadly assault. But...these people have nowhere to go, they have literally nowhere to escape! How in the name of all that is decent can this excuse possibly serve a purpose? It's like Jack the ripper sending a text message to one of his victims a mere 5 minutes before coming to get her down a one way alley. Looking at Gaza then it is clear for us to see that there is not exactly a clear route for the innocent people to take. In the North and East they have road blockages and military checkpoints. They can't swim for it over the sea to Turkey or Cyprus. They are stuck because Egypt have closed their border crossing too after aligning themselves with Israel. Oh, they've tried 'smuggling' tunnels under the border, but they aren't enough to get people into a safe haven and obviously are extremely dangerous. UN shelters are a point I see slowly appearing up as an alternative place they should go but I will draw your attention to a glaring and sadistic fact. Once before there was a shelter in Lebanon and then in Gaza where 352 civilians were annihilated in an attack by the Israeli navy and army. It is grim. There is no way we can ever imagine what that must be like.

Look into it

I write this post to try and inform you in my words, of the slaughter that has taken place and that will of course continue to drip feed it's way back onto our television screens every so often. It doesn't go away folks. It's just that sometimes massacres in Gaza become so routine it seems, and routine doesn't always sell papers or make the news as it doesn't always suit our media to show us it. Our government could easily, along with America, choose to put a stop to this. Violence is unnecessary embargo's aren't. So why don't they? Cutting huge funds to the Israeli military is one of the obvious alternatives I have read about. Well that would mean there would be a huge loss in profits for the British and American arms companies you see. That is bad news for the government as these companies make big money for them. The relationship works two ways with the Israeli arms industry being extremely advanced and recently having been in Britain for the Farnborough International Air show, (a glorified arms festival) it seems that our government are happy to allow this 'relationship' to blossom. It seems where there is profit there is no worries about letting a massacre get in the way. Check out the link if you will to see the kind of figures involved in the arms trade. Then maybe you can grasp it better. http://www.globalissues.org/article/74/the-arms-trade-is-big-business#Armssalesfigures

I encourage you to see what alternative methods you can find.The officials in charge of our country don't seem to be extending themselves to halt the atrocities but they will tell you they are. If the statistics from the charities and footage on line hadn't been coming out thanks to social media and a few eye witnesses speaking out, you bet we would probably be thinking a much different story was being inked down. We can make ourselves aware of the damning figures on this crisis. Look up those neutral charities and organizations who have nothing to gain but your attention. You'll get the red drenched picture and your mind will race and struggle to come to terms with how this is being allowed to continue. What we as people need to do is make our voices heard and attend rallies, organize demonstrations and turn peoples pages onto what is going on. The truth cannot be hidden in the murky waters of the lies the media (especially in America) spout out. Choose to be the change you want to see by being a voice that wants change. Stand up for these civilians because they need you. Hold the hands of the children suffering in spirit. 

Of course this post offers merely a crude but salutary look at the conflict. The best intention is to highlight the awful suffering that is happening right now but should never be allowed to occur or continue. I want to encourage the thought process of peace and peace alone. My sympathies for the Palestinian people will be obvious to readers, of course, but it's not necessarily about what side you take - we can all get emotional about that. Its simply about being on the side of humanity. Below the video is a link on the fatalities.Keep your mind open to the way we are sold information and challenge it.

http://www.btselem.org/gaza_strip/20140812_preliminary_data_on_fatalities

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditures#cite_note-2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel


BY EM.

The need for change

Hello,

I have to make it clear, I'm not sure how to go about the art of blogging. I am new to this, but I have been moved to smash away on my laptop keys after the recent Scottish Independence referendum. I really feel I need a vehicle to express my frustrations at the genuine injustices that take place.  I have to stress this blog will be used as a way to convey MY personal point of view and to share ideas and thoughts from those of a similar persuasion to hopefully influence deeper thinking.

Obviously as is probably clear to tell so far, I was a yes voter. I was genuinely heartbroken at the result. However, some positives can be taken to slightly console me. Without the Scottish referendum, I may never have felt the real need to delve into the reasoning behind why Messrs Cameron, Clegg and Milliband were so desperate to keep a union that came within 10% of breaking and the realisation that the World is ruled by a small elite. One of the main factors influencing my decision to vote for the first time for anything and for yes was the despair at watching my country being dragged into war and a lack of representation. Devolution of power back to the people is always going to surely benefit my fellow countrymen and we would have been further and fairer represented. Of course Scotland wouldn't suddenly transform into a utopia but it would surely have been better than now - Food banks, back tracking on vows and further cuts and well, oh yeah 100,000 odd children still in poverty (that's for another blog)! That is up for debate, but what surely isn't is the stern truth that we would still have a huge amount of work to do to cement that people are the priority not profit. 

Once you start to look into the reasoning behind why things are the way they are then you cannot stop in the quest for knowledge. Why in a society, and a world where there is enough wealth to go around, do so many still suffer and remain helpless?! Independence away from Westminster isn't the answer it is just the beginning, so we need to really push for change and unite as a people. What is clear is that it is Westminster that we need to rid ourselves from, not the people of England. Indeed it is my thought process that all people of the earth are one. I would love to dream this split from corrupt governance would set of a chain reaction in places to push for the same. Then it becomes bigger than Scotland. In my opinion though, the idea of nations needs to be looked further into, really something I would like to share my views on later. We are all children of the Earth.

Hopefully with my posts (if anyone reads them) it will help to give others a little nudge in the right direction in the quest for answers to why there is such inequality in the world. Questioning things and raising awareness are the first steps before action can be taken. Politics are dirty, most know that but how does that affect you? Think of examples as to when an injustice has happened on a smaller scale to you. Why me? Well that is the easiest question in the world to ask in my opinion. The hardest thing in the world to do is to say why them. That is the question power structures based on self service, don't want you to look into because when you do things start to unravel. You then can't ignore injustices because it starts to make no sense to you. The question then changes when you realise there is no representation for those people. So who will stick up for these people. Ask then Why NOT me?

BY EM.