Episcopal Church and gays

There are times when I think of the Conservative movement as being like the Episcopal Church - in its establishment nature and its stuffiness (and I say this as a member of a Conservative synagogue). The Episcopalians have also been confronting the issue of what the place of gay people should be in the Church - whether they should continue to ordain gay priests and bishops, as well as whether to perform commitment or marriage ceremonies for gay or lesbian couples. Now, "Responding to an ultimatum from the leaders of the worldwide Anglican Communion, bishops of the Episcopal Church have rejected a key demand to create a parallel leadership structure to serve the conservative minority of Episcopalians who oppose their church’s liberal stand on homosexuality." Leaders of other Anglican churches had also demanded that "the Episcopal Church refrain from ordaining openly gay bishops and stop allowing blessings of same-sex couples." I have to say that I'm glad to see that the Episcopal hierarchy in the U.S. has rejected these demands. It was disheartening to think that for the sake of unity they would be willing to go along with something so unjust. To see the official statement, go here. One key statement is: "We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God's children, including women, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church. We proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God's children, including gay and lesbian persons, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church. We proclaim the Gospel that stands against any violence, including violence done to women and children as well as those who are persecuted because of their differences, often in the name of God."

Six Days of War

I've been reading Michael Oren's book, Six Days of War, on the Arab-Israeli war of 1967 and its aftermath. It's fascinating and well worth reading, and one of the many things that the book reminded me of was the importance of the Cold War in understanding conflicts between Israel and Arab countries. Another thing that struck me was the rhetoric used by the Soviet officials and spokesmen - talking all about anti-imperialism and revolution and fighting for democracy, when they were actually doing the opposite. Somehow it wasn't imperialism when the Soviets were trying to project Russian power in the Middle East by arming the Syrians and the Egyptians, but it was if the United States backed Israel or the conservative Arab regimes like the Saudis. (And what made the Soviet attempt to project Russian power any more pure than the earlier Czarist attempts to do the same thing?)

And a third thing that struck me was the importance of Soviet propaganda in propagating anti-semitic anti-Israel themes. I have been reading more recently about how Nazi anti-semitism began to enter the Middle East in the 1920s and 1930s, but some of the same themes were then taken up by the Soviets and used by Arab propagandists as well.

Sudanese in Israel

The New York Times reported yesterday that Sudanese in Israel Hope They Have Found a Home. This is a touching story about Sudanese from Darfur who have made their way from Egypt (to which they had fled) to Israel. They have been locked up in Israeli prisons because they came from an enemy country (Sudan) but some of them are finally being released to live on kibbutzim and moshavim.

Yosef Lapid, a former justice minister, noted the parallel with 'the historical curiosity' of German Jews who escaped Hitler, landing in England only to be put in detention camps because they, like today’s Sudanese refugees in Israel, were considered enemy nationals. “I don’t think that the Jewish people can look the other way when such a horrible genocide is being conducted. It is our obligation to be as of much help as we can,” said Mr. Lapid, a Holocaust survivor.

[A group of Sudanese recently were taken on a tour of the museum at Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial. They stood silently, some wiping away tears as they looked at photographs of corpses and cases displaying children’s dolls and a mother’s final postcard. “It was very hard to see this, really shocking,” said a 24-year-old man who fled Darfur last year. “It reminded me of my own people. I hope one day we can have a museum like this in Darfur.”]

I remember that this was an issue last summer when I was visiting Israel, and human rights groups were already beginning to agitate for the release of the Sudanese. I hope this continues, and that Israel finds it possible to accept some more Sudanese refugees.

BitterSweet Lam

PurgeGate Irony...

^memeorandum

ƒc After all the revelations coming forth in the PurgeGate firings of U.S. Attorneys, I find one aspect most intriguing.   All that 'Hard Work' they did to remove them accomplished nothing.   Although typical of the Bush Criminal White House and their cronies that can't shoot straight, it is ironic that two days before she resigned, Carol Lam succeeded in doing what her firing was supposed to stop.

Sampson got his panties all twisted up when Lam notified the Justice Dept that she was going to issue warrants for Dusty Foggo concerning the Brent Wilkes investigation.   He waved a red flag against her and followed with a list of others to be purged because they were not partisan enough to be part of the Bush/Cheney Crime Family any longer.   They started out chosen for their faith in all things Republican and turned traitor by taking down corrupt politicians who just happened to be...   Republicans.

Not good for job security in Bush's Amerika...

washingtonpost.com

Prosecutor's Firing Was Urged During Probe   []

Lam "sent a notice to the Justice Department saying that there would be two search warrants" in a criminal investigation of defense contractor Brent R. Wilkes and Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, who had just quit as the CIA's top administrator amid questions about his ties to disgraced former GOP congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham.

The next day, May 11, D. Kyle Sampson, then chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, sent an e-mail message to William Kelley in the White House counsel's office saying that Lam should be removed as quickly as possible ...

The FBI raided Foggo's home and former CIA office on May 12. He was indicted along with Wilkes on fraud and money-laundering charges on Feb. 13 -- two days before Lam left as U.S. attorney.

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Profits of War

From Cheney With Love...

ƒcMike Luckovich just about has it right in his weekly cartoon.   One of the stories that got battered beneath the radar this last week was the story about Halliburton moving its corporate headquarters to Dubai.   It is understandable that interest in the sensational is the money maker in the M$M and flashing Abu and Wilson in our face has taken the spotlight.

In the case of Halliburton there are several aspects with this move that are troublesome.   The National Security issue centering on their no-bid military support contracts and in depth knowledge of the inner workings of our military being primary.   Also quite interestingly is the prospect that their CEO and others would be out of limits to our justice system which would be a convenient way to avoid subpoenas concerning fraud and mismanagement in the government contract works in Iraq.

Nick Anderson's cartoon is an ironic look back in history at the coronation of King George   []   and President Cheney.   They both ruled in grand style with hardly a whimper from the CON-gress or the mindless masses of Ma and Pa America's huddled in their 'give a $hit' - 'long as it don't affect my life, I don't care' mode.   Thanks mainly to the rubber stamp congress their unadulterated spending and killing spree was funded and approved at every step for four years.

It is time for accountability and the New Wave 110th U.S. Congress has the ability and the mandate to stop the NeoCon War Machine.   I know I should be patient but it has been a hard struggle since 2004 when I could no longer tollerate the injustices being done to our nation and our constitution.   Who will be the last to die for Bush's lies...?

Torture, Treason, Corruption, Lies and Incompetence...   . . . Known by their works :: • The Republicans 2000 - 2008

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The Nuremberg Declaration

Re-sign and Ratify...

ƒcThe following is the full text of the Nuremberg Declaration delivered to the head of the Documentation Center for the Crimes of the Nazi Party, the group responsible for maintaining Room 600 in the Nuremberg Courthouse where Nazi leaders were tried and convicted of war crimes in 1945 and 1946. The declaration calls on the United States to reverse the decision of the Bush administration and re-sign and ratify the International Criminal Court treaty (Rome statute).

NUREMBERG DECLARATION

on International Criminal Court

The Nuremberg War Trials marked the birth date of a new age in international law -- the creation of an International Tribunal to try war criminals. Mr. Robert Jackson, the Allied Forces' Chief Prosecutor, stated on various occasions in 1945 that, "the U.S. itself will be bound in the future by the rules they are imposing on the German war criminals in Nuremberg today.

Fifty seven years elapsed between the Nuremberg War Trials and the commissioning of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on July 1, 2002. However, the United States, under the presidency of George W. Bush, did not participate in the foundation of the ICC. Instead, the Bush administration threatened the use of military forces in the event that an American national was ever tried before the ICC.

The continued refusal of the United States government to become a party to the ICC is an ongoing violation of the promises made at Nuremberg in 1945. The conduct exhibited by the United States over 61 years constitutes a breach of good faith proclaimed in 1945. A breach of faith that contravenes the moral basis for the Nuremberg War Trials of 1945 and is a lasting obstacle to the efforts of all peaceful nations that believe in the rule of law. Americans are urged to encourage their government to fulfill the promises made by Robert Jackson at Nuremberg in 1945 and become a party to the ICC as soon as practicable.

Declared on the Documentation Center former Nazi Party parade grounds, Nuremberg, Germany, Dec. 7, 2006.

There were six original signers of the declaration and it may be available for signatures by visitors to the Nuremberg Courthouse. We are also soliciting signatures for the Nuremberg Declaration by professionals from various sectors, including current and/or past affiliations. The following sectors are included:

1. Current and former members of legislatures -- national, state/provincial/territorial, local/municipal.

2. Current and former executive government officials -- national, state/provincial, local/municipal, tribal and territorial.(e.g., governors, mayors, county executives).

3. Current and former jurists -- national, state/provincial/territorial, local/municipal.

4. Members of the Fourth Estate, the press/media, publishers, editors, journalists.

5. Officials and faculty of educational institutions.

6. Legal professionals.

7. Members of the clergy/lay leadership.

8. Current and former members of the diplomatic corps.

9. Current and former non-governmental organization (NGO) officials

10. Current and former members of the military.

11. Current and former trade union officials.

12. Current and former business community officials.

13. Current and former intelligence agency and law enforcement officers.

14. Members of the film, art, literature, sports, and entertainment communities.

15. Political party officials.

Signatures can be sent to: wmreditor@waynemadsenreport.com

waynemadsendc@hotmail.com

The current plans are to collect signatures from Nuremberg and from e-mail and present them, along with the Nuremberg Declaration, to the relevant congressional committees with a view to persuade them to initiate the proper legislation to ensure that the United States becomes a full party to the International Criminal Court and agree to hand over for prosecution those American officials who violated the Paris Peace Pact of 1928, the UN Charter, and the Geneva Conventions. The ICC treaty has been ratified by 104 nations, including Afghanistan, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Serbia, South Africa, United Kingdom, and Venezuela. Iraq's Transitional National Government was set to ratify the treaty but reversed course after pressure was exerted by the United States. The following nations are in the process of ratifying the ICC treaty: Chile, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Japan, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Yemen. Israel "de-signed" the ICC treaty at the same time the Bush administration withdrew its signature.

    Technorati Cosmos

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Draining The Swamp

PurgeGate and Beyond...

ƒc There may be much more serious issues floating to the surface in the swamp due to the PurgeGate being opened.   Much more indeed.

Update :: 12:00 pm :: Glenn Greenwald has detailed information   []   on this issue as well as a link to another letter to Gone-zales from Senators Feingold, Kennedy and Durbin.

---

Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold On the National Journal Report that the Attorney General Advised the President to Shut Down the OPR Investigation of the NSA Program   []

Congress and the American public deserve to know whether the Attorney General of the United States acted ethically and appropriately. The President should immediately issue the clearances needed to permit the Office of Professional Responsibility’s NSA investigation to proceed, regardless of whether the Attorney General himself is a target. That investigation should also consider whether the Attorney General conducted himself properly in making his recommendation to the President. Obviously, the Attorney General must recuse himself from any further involvement in this matter.

Feingold, Kennedy and Durbin ask the A.G. in their letter ::

• When did you learn that you were the target of the OPR Investigation?


• Who advised you that you were the target of the OPR Investigation?


• Did you inform President Bush that you were the target of the OPR Investigation?

The  Gavel

Chairman Conyers Writes to Attorney General Gonzales   []

Conyers Demands More Answers from Attorney General Gonzales

(Washington, DC)- Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales demanding he answer allegations that he may have advised the President to shut down an Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) inquiry into the Administration's domestic wiretapping surveillance program because of his role in the program.


An article posted in today's online version of the National Journal alleges that Gonzales anticipated the inquiry would focus on his role in the wire-tapping project so he advised the President to end it by denying necessary security clearances to investigators.



"It would be an extraordinary abuse of authority if you advised the President on this matter after learning that your own conduct was to be investigated," Conyers wrote. "The decision by the President to shut down the OPR investigation by denying security clearances to key Department personnel was itself extremely unusual, controversial and, in our view, improper. But the issue of your role in advising the President on this question raises what may be even more serious concerns."

EXCLUSIVE: E-Mails Show Rove's Role in U.S. Attorney Firings   []

The e-mails also show that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales discussed the idea of firing the attorneys en masse while he was still White House counsel, weeks before he was confirmed as attorney general.



The e-mails directly contradict White House assertions that the notion originated with recently departed White House counsel Harriet Miers, and was her idea alone.



Two independent sources in a position to know have described the contents of the e-mail exchange, which could be released as early as Friday. They put Rove at the epicenter of the imbroglio and raise questions about Gonzales’ explanations of the matter.

Congresswoman Linda Sánchez, Chairwoman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, also comments:

"These emails, if the reports are accurate, are the clearest evidence that the Bush Administration has been lying to the public, the Congress, and perhaps even among its own ranks, about its scheme to purge federal prosecutors. This would be a deliberate attempt to place partisan ideology at the center of the justice system in a way not seen since the Watergate scandal.



"It is time for the Bush Administration to come clean. Who made the decision to fire these U.S. Attorneys, why did they do it, and who orchestrated the attempts to mislead the public on this issue?"

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Gone-zales Under The Bus

Just a Matter of Time...

ƒc Republicans standing up and calling foul from Abu Gone-ales is really no surprise.   There are 21 up for re-election in 2008.   More to follow I would suspect, the longer this scandal continues to grow.

Sununu knew it was time to start distancing himself from his fellow rubber-stampers.   By being the first Republican Senator to call for Abu's resignation he is looking to lead the crowd.   For an interesting perspective of what he has stood for lately take a look at BlueHampshire's sununu tag and MYDD's Sununu Voting Record which lead you to many details.

A Republican Rep from California has jumped on the bus.   This guy Issa is an even more interesting read than Sununu.   He had just been celebrating getting Lam fired when all this blew up on the front pages...   Next...

Issa: 'Congress was lied to'
Calls for ouster of attorney general if involved in providing false information to lawmakers   []

U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa said Wednesday he was "outraged" that executive branch officials recently gave a congressional hearing misleading and inaccurate testimony based on information that both the Department of Justice and the White House knew to be untrue.

He said that if Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had any role in false information being given to Congress, "he should not be able to continue in his job."

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PurgeGate

If a lie is a crime, Bush is a master criminal...

ƒc It's the cover-up, Stupid...   Well it's being stupid when you cover-up that is the hallmark of the Bush Administration.   The NeoCons who could not shoot straight.   The Republicans who sold their soul to the Devil when whitewashing over the first six years of scandals from the Karl Rove Dirty Political Tricks Handbook.   Cheney the Co-President constantly doing his "Bagdad Bob" routine for the Faux News 23%ers.   The unindicted co-conspirators, The Main Stream Media who fell right in step with the war drums and the lies that started them a thumpin' and turned a blind eye to the logical and rational reasons not to pre-impetively invade nations with sovereigninity ...

PurgeGate is just now developing into a full scale "Katrina" for the little cowboy.   The lies and deceit are being lined up one after the other in what will be a domino effect when the tipping point is reached.   How many of the neocon-rustler's men will fall eventually is the only question.  
[] Torquemada Gonzales lied to Congress...   He's toast...   Torquemada's chief of staff [] D. Kyle Sampson fell on his sword yesterday.   He's toast...   [] Domenici and Wilson are caught in blatent obstruction of justice.   They are toast...   And the band played on, PurgeGate :: a catchy tune [] written by Harriet Miers, with a slow tempo to start with but it's pickin' up in the latest stanzas now baby...   It's easy to dance to, it's got those little neocon tootsies just a twitchin'...   Story Developing ...

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