'Questions That Need to be Asked'- US Embassy Protests and Riots by Kenny Brown

Rioters outside the U.S. Embassy in Egypt

Is it possible that we are not blaming the right people for the cause of these protests and riots at US Embassies in the Middle East?



Is it not possible that decades of US Foreign Policy have created this hostile situation?

Are the media, politicians and government detracting from the fact that the United States Government financially and militarily supported the regimes that were overthrown last year in the Arab Spring?

Could the citizens of these Middle Eastern countries finally be fed up with the oppressive tactics utilized by US intelligence and military personnel to uphold US interests over the interest of the countries people?

Did the Arab Spring bring about enough courage in these oppressed people to finally take it one step further and stand up to the problem behind the curtain?

Have US citizens ever thought about the idea that these Islamic protestors do not hate our freedoms but despise that theirs are denied daily?

Could Post World War 2 US Foreign Policy be a massive creator of terrorists?

Do US citizens truly know what The Golden Rule means?

Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for US control of Middle Eastern governments?

And the most important question of all….

If you kick a dog long enough will it turn around and bite you?

Bosnian Politician Uses Sex to Sell

By John Amaruso

Mirad Hadziahmetovic, an independent mayoral candidate in Zenica, Bosnia, is using an unorthodox, albeit interesting way to attract voters to his campaign- by using pornography.

Independent Candidate Mirad Hadziahmetovic

In order to access the lustful content, users must first answer political question posed by the candidate, such as "What is more important for Zenica, job creation or increasing the municipal budget through taxes?" (Associated Press).

When asked about the odd marketing method, the candidate responded by citing the numbers of people who use the internet primarily for sexual purposes.

He must assume that since a large portion of internet users use their time online to scour the web's infinite porn material- they'll have to like him for offering some of his own.


Yes, sex appeal can sell many things. A pair of jeans, a new beverage- but a politician?

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/weird/NATL-Politician-Uses-Porn-Vids-to-Spice-Up-Mayoral-Race-in-Bosnian-City-169770586.html#ixzz26TjFrfZ2

Criticizing Clinton; Where Fox News Failed, We'll Succeed.

By John Amaruso

Photo courtesy of the DailyKos

Former President Bill Clinton is world renowned as a man way ahead of his times, someone who champions great causes and has done much for the world in terms of philanthropy. He is articulate, intelligent and well versed. His public speaking skills and charismatic persona have launched him into the forefront of American politics.

But while Fox News scurried to find some way to knock Clinton off his feet, they overlooked one of the few things Bill Clinton has done that is actually worth some criticism; the repeal of the Glass Steagall Act (A.K.A., Deregulation). The act, passed by Congress in 1933, regulated the financial market in a way that it separated investment firms and banks to prevent another economic collapse like the Great Depression.

President Clinton in 1999, along with Senate and House Republicans, came together to repeal the act. What happened next was almost comical if it weren't tragic. Banks went back to the old practices, selling risky investments and backing them up as securities to make a quick profit at the expense of average Americans.

Now, if Fox News really wanted to criticize Clinton, there's your red meat. Then again, doing that would undermine Fox News's entire agenda. So in this case Fox News, I'd just sit quietly on the sidelines and listen to Bill speak some musical words.

Below is a video detailing the causal relation between the repeal of Glass Steagall and the economic collapse.

Video courtesy of Youtube and Bloomberg

Killing in the Name of...

by Tyrone L. Heppard

The blown out car of Ambassador Christopher Stephens

I know that we’re in the middle of a presidential election. I’m also aware that Mitt Romney isn’t doing so hot based on the polls I’ve seen/read. But imagine my surprise when I woke up at 9:30 this morning and saw him fielding questions in front of a blue back drop and four American flags like he was talking to the White House press corps.

Once the initial shock and confusion wore off, I figured it was in my best interest to listen to what this joker was talking about. He was going on about how the Obama administration was wrong to apologize for our First Amendment rights and our principles. It was at this point when the confusion returned and, confident that Romney wasn’t going to say anything informative, I decided I had to do some research.

It turns out a Jewish-American named Sam Bacile had made an anti-Muslim “movie” and, like everything else in the 21st century, it found its way onto the internet where some Muslims in Benghazi, Libya saw it on YouTube and freaked the ‘f’ out!

Ambassador Chris Stephens, one of four dead
in recent attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Libya

Apparently, they got so upset over it they decided to launch RPGs at the U.S. Embassy and ended up killing 4 diplomats; one of whom, Ambassador Chris Stephens, was well-loved and respected in Washington. 

What Romney was referring to in his faux presidential press conference was a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt (where, by the way, people are just as offended) once they heard about what was going down in Libya.

Don’t get me wrong: I would love to chide Romney for putting politics before the lives and safety of Americans overseas and (thoughtlessly) choosing the day after 9/11 to display such insensitivity; all the while smugly doubling down on such a outlandish criticism of U.S. foreign policy (something which he knows little to nothing about), but there will be time for that later.

Right now, I want to focus on the reactions of these Muslims in Libya. As the resident atheist here at NGNJ, I feel that whenever someone does something ignorant, dangerous, or irrational in the name of religion I have an obligation to point it out; even more so when it results in someone dying.

Indeed, the attack was all of the above: ignorant, dangerous, and irrational. I think one can grasp what I mean by “dangerous” – four people are dead now – but let’s focus on the other two charges I’m bringing against these pious heathens.

Firstly, I would like to urge you to go on YouTube and take a look at Mr. Bacile’s “The Muhammad Movie” on YouTube. If the people in Benghazi were to be offended by anything at all it should be the horrible acting, incoherent rambling, and poor set design. Honestly, I’ve seen better production value in porno. Any rational Muslim would have watched the first 10 seconds, realized the director (I hesitated to use that word) was making this to provoke and offend, shrugged it off, and went about his or her business. But not these Muslims….

No. Instead, they take leftover ammo from the rebellion (you know the one – the one we helped them win) and start opening up on the very people sent there to help them rebuild; the Americans in the consulate. Why? Because simply put, they saw one video made by one person who isn’t a fan of Islam. That’s it.

As I type these words, reports are coming out that say the attack actually was planned and a small group of extremists capitalized on a protest against the video to execute their plan. However, even if that is true, the fact remains that instead of taking advantage of the help and rebuilding their bombed-out, raggedy, war-torn country, grown men and women are in the streets trying to intimidate the West because someone made fun of their religion. Therefore, by definition, their violent and deadly reaction to a crummy YouTube video was both irrational and ignorant.

It’s true that I’m against religion (because of the 2012 elections, I have a special hatred in my heart for the Mormon faith right now, but that’s another topic for another post). However, it’s not because I don’t acknowledge religion helps people get through tough times in their lives or that it inspires people to do good things. It’s not even because I think it’s inherently dangerous, irrational and ignorant.

It’s because religion permits people to act like complete savages without any sense of shame, remorse or pity; EVERY major religion is guilty of this. In addition, if you ask any religious extremist why they want to murder other people – why they want to literally end someone else’s life –  99.9 percent of the time they’ll say either God told them to do it OR they read it in The [insert name of sacred text here].

Let me get this straight: You were told to do something obscenely deplorable by a deity no one can prove exists and you read a book written in the Iron Ages that said it was okay? How silly of me! Well, that makes perfect sense! Sorry to bore you with all that nonsense about “concern for your fellow man” and all that; resume the massacre!

A good meme

That might have been acceptable when we thought the world was flat and the sun revolved around the earth; but it’s 2012, people. By now, we should all be in agreement that there’s a better way to handle someone who disagrees with you other than killing them. In addition, we should all agree that no matter who you pray (or don’t pray) to, that doesn’t mean you’re any better or worse than anyone else. It’s true!

So to my fellow Christian, Jew and Muslim human beings out there: CHILL OUT! There’s no need to terrorize each other because someone lives their life different from what your holy book says. You don’t have to believe what they do or even like the person, but they definitely don’t deserve to die because of their faith. Frankly, it’s just plain silly to think that way and besides; all of this talk of “holy wars” and “God’s wrath” is getting kind of stale. 

Like Danny Vinyard said in American History X, “Life’s too short to be pissed off all the time.”

Below is the movie by Sam Becile that incited outrage in Libya and the Muslim world

Junk Moment #1

For our first installment of "Junk Moments", we chose what many would say is a huge mishap on the part of the executives over at NBC. It's not so much the issue of them not synching up with other networks in the nationwide moment of silence; it's really all about what they aired instead. Roll the clip!

Video courtesy of Youtube

Today is 9/11. Will it Always Be?

By Bryant Clark

Photo Courtesy of CNN

I yearn for the day we can think about US foreign policy and not think about 9/11. 

A comedian I saw today on TV said something along the lines of “9/11, the day that made Pearl Harbor no longer significant.” Is that all we’re waiting for? The next attack to focus on? Maybe I’m naive but I hope that we, as Americans, are striving for something more than physical security in this “Post-9/11 Era”. 

Looking at what has happened in the past 15 years or so, both politically and personally, I would hope that we can look around in the present, look to the past, and look forward to the future to realize that maybe there is more to life than ‘which group has the bigger guns or the cleaner record.’ 

I’m not saying 9/11 wasn’t a tragedy. I’m simply suggesting that when we look back on 9/11 and “never forget” perhaps there is more to think about than death, vengeance, tightening our the grip on the world and tightening our grip on ourselves.

Walk of Shame? We say, Trot of Victory!

By Cara Cholewczynski

There is not much that sends my eyelids twitching than hearing strong women degrade and dismiss other women. Maybe some are content with the way things are, they’re okay with the double standards laid before us by the society we live in, and reinforced by men...and even worse, other women.

What is deemed the “walk of shame”, is a common scene on college campuses. Admit it, you have probably seen a woman walking home in the early hours of the morning wearing the dress from the night before and carrying her heels. Her outfit of choice makes her an easy target. Nobody sees a man do that and thinks that they are coming home from a wild night of promiscuous sex. But for women, that is the first thought that pops into the heads of passerby.

The problem with this is that women, young women, feel the need to degrade and comment on the scene laid before them. We rationalize things that so it is only mildly scandalous when we do it, but god forbid somebody else spend the night with a hook up buddy or one night stand.

We live in a hyper sexualized society where celebrities have sex tapes and we watch music videos where women with voluptuous asses bounce them up and down while having hundred dollar bills thrown into the air . Why is sex only acceptable in the mainstream media and lives of celebrities?

Personally, I think it stems from the fact that we learn from an early age that sex is somehow “sacred”, and that if you have sex your heart is going to be broken, or you are going to get pregnant....and die. Much of this mindset is directed towards girls, because once again society makes excuses for boys because they are hormone filled animals who just “can’t control themselves”.

We take our own fears, and our own regressions and police other people because we don’t want to face the facts. We don’t want to face the fact that (gasp!) WOMEN CAN LOVE SEX TOO. We feel the need to pass judgement those doing (what I would rather refer to it as...) the walk of pride. The adults in our lives who are responsible for teaching us these things would rather pile drive a negative connotation onto sex in the hopes of deterring us from it than speak in a matter of fact way.

We also have a standard of labeling the girl who enjoys sex a slut, because it is seen as a dirty thing and the more you have it the dirtier of a woman you are. The double standard that has become such the norm has a long way to go from being thrown away. Little by little it can be broken down though...

So ladies, next time you hear the label “slut” being thrown onto the girl who is just walking her ass all the way home because she got some booty... stop and think about it first. Women are allowed to love consensual sex and orgasms just as much as the guys and damnit, we probably enjoy it more than they do.

Rise of the Donkey

Written- 9/7/12


By Tyrone L. Heppard


Has America Witnessed the Rise of A New Democratic Party?

In 2008, Barack Obama won the presidency by running on the slogan “hope and change”, which seemed to get not only get the Democratic base “fired up and ready to go”, but encouraged Americans to take a look at what the Bush Administration left in its wake. In the end, they decided to give the “blue team” a shot.

Photo Courtesy of the LA Times

In addition, Obama was also the first African-American president in our nation’s history, sending a strong message to the international community: despite what you may have heard, we are an America that isn’t divided by race. And here, anyone can do anything.

But that was in 2008. Now, three and a half years later, unemployment has gone down, but it’s still above eight percent; a place both sides agree isn’t where we want to be (job growth isn’t that spectacular either). The stock market has doubled, but investors are standing by on the sidelines, holding tight to their money, waiting for some sort of signal that says it’s okay to begin investing in America’s future again. The banks have recovered from the financial crisis, but in the wake of the JP Morgan Chase fiasco and the overseas LIBOR situation, it looks like the bankers haven’t heard OWS’s message, let alone learned their lesson.

What’s more, the American public has heard the whole “hope and change” thing before. Plus, true or not, they’re a little sick of hearing about how G-Dub left Obama a wreck to rebuild. The Republicans are saying that their guys, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, are the guys to do what Americans desperately want someone to do immediately: create more jobs.

Now, the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL took place the previous week and, frankly, the Republicans didn’t seem to give details about any real, tangible solutions to the issues. In fact, the leitmotiv of the RNC seemed to be, “Give us a shot. Honestly, we’ll try to do better by you, but, if we don’t – hey – at least it’s not Obama, right?” This is most likely the reason that after all was said and done, the Romney/Ryan ticket saw a modest 1% bump in the polls.

So, from September 4-6, the nation watched as the Democratic Party held their national convention in Charlotte, NC. This is most likely because although things have been getting better, they aren’t feeling the effects of the Obama Administration’s policy as far as the economy and jobs are concerned. Rightfully, everyone – especially the Republicans – wanted to hear what the president and his compatriots had to say about the state of the union and what they were going to do about it. And that’s what they got.

                               However, they also got a 
                             front-row seat to the rebirth
                                  of the Democratic Party.

We’re not just talking about a couple of good speeches here and there. We’re not even talking about a complete deconstruction and reassembly of what Democrats stand for in their party platform. This was the same party that we’re all familiar with. But for some reason, the party was electrified and emboldened at their convention while shutting up those who’d mocked and dismissed them for so long. 

A new era of hope and change was born over the last three days – and it’s permanent. In addition, you can trust that this new Democratic Party will carry their new-found momentum far beyond the 2012 elections.
This started early in the beginning of the festivities; long before prime time. Right out of the gate, Obama’s surrogates took to the microphone with the goal of destroying everything you thought you knew about the Democrats followed by everything Democrats have been too afraid to say.

Take Newark, NJ mayor Corey Booker for example. In his fiery speech, he said, “Our platform emphasizes that a vibrant, free and fair market is essential to economic growth. We also must pull from our highest ideals of justice and fairness to protect against those ills that destabilized our economy in recent years,” like the “unchecked avarice of the past that trumps fairness and common sense.” But perhaps most importantly, he added, “Our platform calls for significant cuts in federal spending”.

Hold on a second. Isn’t that what Republicans used to say?

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro gave a speech that felt an awful lot like what we heard from a certain senator from Chicago back in 2004. Castro stood in front of that microphone and reminded America that Mitt Romney suggested the youth ask their parents to borrow some money for school or to open a business to become successful. He responded, “Gee. Why didn’t I think of that?” The Republican Party is going to have a hard time trying to secure the Latino vote after that.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick came out and said, “It’s time for Democrats to grow a backbone and stand up for what we believe.”  Catholic nun Simone Campbell came out to defend the Obama/Biden ticket against the Paul Ryan Medicare budget Mitt Romney endorsed. She did this because in her words, it’s “immoral.” Campbell argued the Ryan plan inspired her to go on the road to let struggling families know that her and her sisters in God are on their side.

Gov. Deval Patrick speaking at the DNC

Wait a minute. Nuns are showing up at a democratic convention? I thought the right had a monopoly on faith and morals. Latinos are relating to the democratic president? Left-wingers are all about fiscal responsibility and less spending? And did we just hear one democrat tell the other Democrats to essentially grow a pair and to speaking up not only about what they were against, but what they were for? What is this – the Twilight Zone? Have you and I gone mad?!

No. This is just what happens when you’re a member of a party that has built a reputation of being overly sensitive and unrealistic. This is what happens when the guys across the aisle have been taken over by fanatics and extremists. Some say it’s the ebb and flow of party politics. I say it’s about damn time. It’s true that America’s approval of Congress is lower than it’s ever been; ever. But the Republicans haven’t shown us that they can handle the power they crave. Like Gov. Duval said about Romney in Massachusetts, they’ve been more interested in having the job than doing it.

The Democrats, however, are chomping at the bit to tell you why they haven’t been doing so well when it comes to the economy and jobs numbers.

At their convention, they had the chance to remind Americans Republicans are the ones to blame when it comes to not letting things move through Congress Not only did republican leader Mitch McConnell said it out loud, plenty of republican congressmen signed on to Grover Norquist’s pledge to never raise taxes; no matter what. There’s not too much you can do when one side refuses to bend.

And that was the point of the 2012 Democratic National Convention; to let everyone know that they’re about to take another crack at that “controlling Congress” thing again – and they're going to do it right this time. But no matter what Democrats say or what Republicans do, the people are going to decide who governs the country after Nov. 6. Let’s just hope that the Democrat's bite is as fierce as it's bark.
   

Eastwood and the Chair; Republicans and the Imaginary Obama

By John Amaruso

The Republican National Convention. A time where the Republican party comes together to showcase their platform, introduce new and rising party members, and above all, officiate the nomination of their chosen candidate in the presidential race. While all the above were included in the prestigious occasion, one act among all the rest was proven to up-show the rest; Clint Eastwood and the chair.

While I'm one who believes party politics can become too stifling and rigid, there is a cause for some criticism of the award studded Hollywood actor Clint Eastwood. Unorthodox may be an understatement while funny may be an exaggeration, but like the Republicans said, viewing Eastwood's performance under the guise of our overly critical political lens does not do the actor's intentions justice. I do believe his motives were light hearted and were meant to be taken with a grain of salt.

But there is a bigger picture here. What Eastwood most likely did not intend to do was actually sum up the Republican party's false perceptions on who the President is and what problems this country actually faces.

Mounting debt, reinforced through the Republican party's obscene placement of two real time debt clocks, one counting up the country's debt from the time the convention started and the other counting up the country's total sum of debt, while may be nice back drops for poorly written sound bytes, fails to address what are the causes of this climbing debt.

As shown on CNN's "Your Money", our debt by the end of this year will reach 16 trillion dollars. That is trillion with a T. Alarming to say the least. What Republicans won't say is what caused a majority of that debt. Instead, they'll talk to an imaginary person in a chair, metaphoric of their accusations and claims against the President and the Democratic party.

It was shown that almost 70% of the current debt was caused by 3 main causes- Firstly, the Bush Tax Cuts, secondly, two unfunded wars, and third, the economic downturn. Two of these were Republican party policies, and the third may well have been a result of such policies. Meanwhile TARP/The Stimulus comprise about 15%, not to mention that that policy was necessary to prevent an economic free fall.

But hey, Republicans might be right afterall. Maybe there is an imaginary Obama who wrote those policies and/or caused all the economic problems we face. Too bad no one else can see him.