Listen to Elie

Elie Wiesel on the Darfur, Sudan:
It was a direct or indirect consequence of a millennium lecture I had given in the White House on the subject, “The Perils of Indifference”. After I concluded, a woman in the audience rose and said: “I am from Rwanda.” She asked me how I could explain the international community’s indifference to the Rwandan massacres. I turned to the President who sat at my right and said: “Mr. President, you better answer this question. You know as well as we do that the Rwanda tragedy, which cost from 600,000 to 800,000 victims, innocent men, women and children, could have been averted. Why wasn’t it?” His answer was honest and sincere: “It is true, that tragedy could have been averted. That’s why I went there to apologize in my personal name and in the name of the American people. But I promise you: it will not happen again.”

That brutal tragedy is still continuing, now in Sudan’s Darfur region. Now its horrors are shown on television screens and on front pages of influential publications....A million human beings, young and old, have been uprooted, deported. Scores of women are being raped every day, children are dying of disease hunger and violence.

“Lo taamod al dam réakha” is a Biblical commandment. “Thou shall not stand idly by the shedding of the blood of thy fellow man.”

Should the Sudanese victims feel abandoned and neglected, it would be our fault – and perhaps our guilt.
That’s why we must intervene.

If we do, they and their children will be grateful for us. As will be, through them, our own.

Save Darfur.org

Munich and Terrorism

I've been meaning to write for awhile about my thoughts on the movie, "Munich". I thought it was an excellent film and very powerful.
Watching the film, I started to agree with its thesis: Killing terrorists for revenge or for deterrence does not really work. There are always more to fill their gap.
I definitely agree with the revenge issue, as I have been adamantly against the death penalty for many years. I just don't think civil human beings should kill another to prove they are more civilized.
But what about killing terrorists to prevent a terrorist attack? What if they are a direct threat? I think it is easier to argue to kill another individual if they are directly about to kill you. For instance, shooting a person who is about to blow up a bomb. But, in today's world a lot of the threats are more theoretical. Should we kill Osama? Will it really make a difference to KILL him? I definitely believe we should catch him and put him on trial, and if guilty (yes he will be) put him away for ever. And he won't allow us to capture him, I guess we have no choice. But should our goal be to kill all terrorist leaders? According to the premise of the film Munich, they will just be repopulated by new terrorists. We'd end up having to kill a lot of people.
I've always believed we have to fight the root causes of terrorism and hate, which I believe are poverty and lack of freedom.
But should we kill everyone? As I was thinking about this, I read a great quote from Sogyal Rinpoche: "...the natural karmic logic that taking the life of others or harming them will shorten your life, and giving life will lengthen it." As long as we follow the noble path, we will be rewarded, even if it is not in this lifetime.
The balance is just hard to find sometimes.

Becoming a Republican

Funny.
Sad.
Much of it true of the current Republican Leadership.
BECOME REPUBLICAN

"Most Wanted" Corporate Human Rights Violators of 2005

Check out this list of companies that have no respect for human rights. Most notable are some of my favorite food companies: Coca Cola and Nestle. I guess they can kill in many ways.

Global Exchange : "Most Wanted" Corporate Human Rights Violators of 2005

Exit Time from Iraq

We all know by now that the attack on Iraq was the wrong thing to do. But, for anti-war people like me it's hard to figure out a good way to get out of there. I don't want the country to go into further turmoil. Especially because we started all of this in the first place. I was searching the web for a plan to get us out that made sense. Senator Feingold's speech to the Senate was the best I can find. He clearly delineates why we have to get out and how best to do it.
It's best if you just read it:
Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold On Why A Timeframe For The U.S. Military Mission In Iraq Will Improve Our National Security: "What we need is a public, flexible, realistic timetable that will tell people when and how we expect to finish the military mission in Iraq."

Stolen Election 2004

You won't see this on any of the major news outlets.
A new report by Congress' GAO shows that the 2004 election could have been easily stolen by Bush. I'll let the article speak for itself:Powerful Government Accountability Office report confirms key 2004 stolen election findings

Dean and Lakoff

Dean discusses Alito, abortion, Libby and Iraq - Hardball with Chris Matthews - MSNBC.com: "The position we support is a woman has the right to make -- and a family has the right to make up their own mind about their health care without government interference."

The other night on Hardball, Democratic Chairman Dean was using phrasing from George Lakoff to indicate the party's position on reproductive rights. For those of who don't know Lakoff, check out The Rockridge Institute. The idea is that we have to fram our language in new ways. I am a big fan of this. And I think the language Dean used is great. However, I'm a little scared that it will make the democrats look more politician-like. Eventually, this language will be good for the democrats. But in the short term it can make it look like they don't have a spine. What do you think?

US Senate closed for Iraq debate

BBC NEWS | Middle East | US Senate closed for Iraq debate

Kudos! The Democratic leadership showed some spine today. Bush tried to get off of the Iraq subject by talking about judges and bird flu. Senator Reid not only forced an investigation of the biggest scandal of history (the lying of the Bush Administration about the Iraq situation), but did so at a perfect time.
These are democrats that I would vote for.

Don't let terror stop our fight against poverty

The attacks in London today are horrible. The people who undertake these attacks are blood-seeking murders. I believe they planned this to coincide with the G8 meeting. It is clear that we will not stop terrorism by surveillance alone. We have to combat the root CAUSES of terrorism.

What brought millions of people to follow Hitler? What brought the start of WWI? What brings violence around the world? When people are poor and have no hope, they will listen to anyone who gives them hope. Al Queda takes advantage of this and recruits people who have no hope in life. Thus, Al Queda sees a G8 summit that is designed to fight poverty as a threat to its recruiting base.

Let's not let Al Queda win. Let's keep on track to devote 1% of our annual income to fighting poverty around the world. www.onecampaign.org While the deaths of 37 people today is horrible, let's not also forget the thousands of children that die each day from lack of food, water, and medicine.

News

While I was in Seattle, I had no radio. This meant no National Public Radio (NPR), my primary source of news. NPR gives an unbiased source of news and goes IN DEPTH into important issues.
In Seattle, I relied on TV, with the crappy, flashy, and SUPERFICIAL coverage of NBC, CNN, and MSNBC. (No, I don't watch fox.) Most of the newscasters fail to ask good questions. They simply read off screens that are owned by big media conglomerates, who own all of the media.

There are some good people who ask real questions and go into the issues. Tim Russert on Meet the Press, Chris Matthwes on Hardball, George Stephanopolis on ABC, and Wolf Blitzer on CNN all are decent newscasters.

But CNN, once a respected source of news has been following fox in becoming a flashy, superficial network. They recently have gotten rid of their last notable shows. Inside Politics, with the good news anchor, Judie Woodruff, is going off the air. They are getting rid of the long time politics show, "Capitol Gang" as well as the always fun, Crossfire.

I challenge you all to listen to NPR for a week and hear the difference. Go to NPR.com to find your local station and awaken your mind.
And finally, for all the best fake news check out the The Daily Show with John Stewart.
Keep informed and Be Active.

You pay for the Uninsured

For those of you who think that the uninsured are not your problem, this new study might make you think twice. If you don't think you should have to pay for "lazy people who can't afford health insurance", well it turns out you are. Most uninsured are working class people who's employers don't offer health insurance. The money comes from somewhere when they need care. Individuals and businesses end up paying for it with their private insurance. Wouldn't it be better if we worked out a different system????
Here's the report: Families USA Uninsured Report
Here's an excerpt:

"This study quantifies, for the first time, the dollar impact on private health insurance premiums when doctors and hospitals provide health care to uninsured people. In 2005, premium costs for family health insurance coverage provided by private employers will include an extra $922 in premiums due to the cost of care for the uninsured; premiums for individual coverage will cost an extra $341...

Without insurance to pay the tab, the uninsured struggle to pay as much as they can: More than one-third (35 percent) of the total cost of health care services provided to people without health insurance is paid out-of-pocket by the uninsured themselves...Through this study, we found that the remaining $43 billion is primarily paid by two sources: Roughly one-third is reimbursed by a number of government programs, and two-thirds is paid through higher premiums for people with health insurance."

Crazy Comments

ubject: Tell your friends: Frist and DeLay Should Reject Pat Robertson

Dear friend:

On Sunday morning, Christian Coalition founder Rev. Pat Robertson told TV viewers nation-wide that the threat posed by liberal federal judges "probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings."

Robertson's statement is only the most outrageous example of a growing effort from the extreme right to whip up an intense fear and hatred of American judges. The strategy is designed to build support for the Republican "nuclear" scheme to break the rules and stack the courts –- and it is poisonous to our democracy. Republican leaders must reject these comments and end the intimidation now.

Please sign the MoveOn PAC petition today demanding that Sen Bill Frist and Rep. Tom Delay publicly condemn Robertson's comments and stop intimidating judges.

http://www.moveonpac.org/robertson/

Thanks.

Family Values?

NPR has been doing stories about soldier's and their families. (Check out one here http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4618906)
The above story is about a soldier who missed the birth of his twin girls while in Iraq. He luckily got back to see them, but was sent back to Iraq a few weeks later. I've heard many other stories of soldiers being killed, leaving a wives and young children fatherless.

These stories sadden me deeply. For a party (George W's) that talks about family values so much, they sure are ripping a lot of families apart. And why? Again, no weapons of mass destruction and no terrorist links to Iraq. This is a shame... And George W won't even allow video of soldier's coffins nor will he attend their funerals.

Who's got family values now?

US stands alone against Health Care as a Right

The United Nations
Commission on Human Rights
April 15, 2005

In a resolution (E/CN.4/2005/L.28) on the right of everyone to the enjoyment

of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, adopted as

orally revised and by a roll-call vote of 52 in favour to one against, with
no abstentions, the Commission urged States to take steps, individually and
through international assistance and cooperation, especially economic and
technical, to the maximum of their available resources, with a view to
achieving progressively the full realization of the right of everyone to the

enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;
and called upon the international community to continue to assist the
developing countries in promoting the full realization of the right of
everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and

mental health, including through financial and technical support as well as
training of personnel, while recognizing that the primary responsibility for

promoting and protecting all human rights rests with States.

The Commission encouraged States to recognize the particular needs of
persons with disabilities related to mental disorders, as well as their
families, including by reflecting their needs in national health and social
policies, such as national poverty reduction strategies; and called upon
them to place a gender perspective at the centre of all policies and
programmes affecting women's health. They also called upon States to protect

and promote sexual and reproductive health as integral elements of the right

of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical
and mental health and decided to extend, for a period of three years, the
mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to everyone to the enjoyment
of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

The result of the vote was as follows:

In favour (52): Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bhutan, Brazil, Burkina Faso,

Canada, China, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Guatemala, Guinea,
Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia,

Mauritania, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru,
Qatar, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South
Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Togo, Ukraine, United Kingdom and
Zimbabwe.

Against (1): United States.

David Hohman (United States), speaking in explanation of the vote... said
the United States believed that while the progressive realization of
economic, social and cultural rights required government action, those
rights were not an immediate entitlement to a citizen.

http://www.unog.ch/unog/website/news_media.nsf/(httpNewsByYear_en)/0DC62B805
E191CF7C1256FE40050A75D?OpenDocument

My Movie of the Year

My Movie of the Year: The Motorcycle Diaries
The Motorcycle Diaries

This movie struck me deep. I went into it not really knowing who Che was in history. To me the movie resonated with me, being about a medical student who wanted to get out, travel the world and help people. It was a process of self discovery that almost inspired me to take a break from medical school and travel around the world. So much can be learned from traveling and seeing how other people live. This trip clearly influenced Che.

But, beyond my personal interest in the movie, it was fabulous. Of course the cinematography and acting was great. But the screenplay and story really showed the reasons behind Che's later political attitudes. The movie did a marvelous job of showing how the experiences on this trip influence Che deeply. But, it did it so subtly, without even directly relating to later politics.

It was also a movie that should inspire all of us to help the less fortunate.

"Let the world change you... and you can change the world."

2 Democratic Victories

Victory #1: The Iraqi People having a Democratic Election
Yes this is good. However, it probably should not have happened with American military force. The Bush administration led America into this war based on WMDs. Suddenly there is a flip-flop. He realized his reason for going to war was totally false, so he is trying to put a positive spin on things by saying the intention of the war was to spread democracy.
I found out this morning that I have some agreement with Pat Buchanan. He states that the US cannot forcefully spread democracy to every country in the world. This is true. If Bush and his dummies believe this, our country will be at never ending war. Invading other countries is the best advirtisement for creating new terrorists.

Victory #2: Howard Dean, MD elected to chair of democratic party.
I believe this is a big victory for the democrats. Everyone is fearful that he is too much of a liberal to win over the country. First, he doesn't have to take over the country. He just has to be an organizer, which he does very effectively. Second, he's not that liberal. Look at his views and you'll see he's a fiscal conservative (unlike the current president). Thirdly, he won by getting votes from Southern Democrats, an area where the Dems need to expand.
Dr. Dean will put a spine back in the Democratic Party.

Lenny

Top Wines

My Top 3 Wines of 2004:

#3.Terrazas 2003 Alto Malbec
Colour: deep red with blue shades.
Aroma: aromas of red, black and dried fruits, especially plums and figs combine to give the wine a great intensity. Further hints of vanilla and caramel can also be detected.

Taste: the wine is rich and juicy with soft, well-ripened tannin. Notes of black fruit, jam and vanilla blend to give the wine a mouth-watering finish.

Consumption suggestions: enjoy this tasty Malbec with red and white meats, fish and pasta dishes. Serve between 16° and 18°C.

#2 Citra Montepulciano D'Abruzzo
Color: Lush ruby with hints of purple.
Taste: Dry, well-balanced and delightfully tannic, with concentrated berry flavors.
Serving Suggestions: A perfect accompaniment to grilled meats, rich pasta dishes and vegetarian entrees. Enjoy at room temperature.

#1: Fess Parker Frontier Red Lot 22
Intended to evoke the spirit of rugged individualism upon which our country was founded, this is a complex blend of Rhone and Bourdeaux varietals. You will find blackberry and dark cherry fruit flavors along with spice, coffee, green olive, black currant, hints of licorice, menthol and herbs, plus subtle earth nuances.
“Frontier Red” is designed to be the perfect complement to the foods found
at most backyard cookouts and barbeques, that most common of American meals.

Have fun tasting!
Lenny

Bush and Chanukah 

Bush and Chanukah 

Happy Thanksgiving

Sorry I've been distant for awhile. First I had to recover from the man we call president somehow winning an election again.

Then I've been busy with AMSA stuff. We had some successful events, including NO SODA DAY. To see some of the news on NO Soda Day click here: http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=%22no+soda+day%22

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I'll be setting up a notify list soon, so you can keep up to date with my blogs.