Sunday, September 28

The raise of Islamophobia in America: orchestrated xenophobia



I have been watching some videos and reading some articles that are shocking me because it is very clear that they are all propaganda to spread islamophobia.
It is very difficult for me to understand how people cannot distinguish propaganda material from serious and true information for I lived under dictatorship - backed by US - and at a very early age I knew I could not trust what was reported in the mainstream media.

It helped but even without this experience some people can watch and analyse what they are being told. YouTube videos are easier to analyse since it is possible to stop at any second and take a good look at the images and study them but most people don't do it.
What is causing islamophobia in US?

"That is primarily due to a well organized, well funded islamphobia network."
Dawud Walid

There is a good article: Fear, Inc.: America's Islamophobia Network published in Nation of Change that explains some crucial points.

Excerpt:
"And it all starts with the money flowing from a select group of foundations. A small group of foundations and wealthy donors are the lifeblood of the Islamophobia network in America, providing critical funding to a clutch of right-wing think tanks that peddle hate and fear of Muslims and Islam—in the form of books, reports, websites, blogs, and carefully crafted talking points that anti-Islam grassroots organizations and some right-wing religious groups use as propaganda for their constituency.

Some of these foundations and wealthy donors also provide direct funding to anti-Islam grassroots groups. According to our extensive analysis, here are the top seven contributors to promoting Islamophobia in our country:

- Donors Capital Fund
- Richard Mellon Scaife foundations
- Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
- Newton D. & Rochelle F. Becker foundations and charitable trust
- Russell Berrie Foundation
- Anchorage Charitable Fund and William Rosenwald Family Fund
- Fairbrook Foundation

Altogether, these seven charitable groups provided $42.6 million to Islamophobia think tanks between 2001 and 2009—funding that supports the scholars and experts that are the subject of our next chapter as well as some of the grassroots groups that are the subject of Chapter 3 of our report.

And what does this money fund? Well, here’s one of many cases in point: Last July, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich warned a conservative audience at the American Enterprise Institute that the Islamic practice of Sharia was “a mortal threat to the survival of freedom in the United States and in the world as we know it.” Gingrich went on to claim that “Sharia in its natural form has principles and punishments totally abhorrent to the Western world.”

Sharia, or Muslim religious code, includes practices such as charitable giving, prayer, and honoring one’s parents—precepts virtually identical to those of Christianity and Judaism. But Gingrich and other conservatives promote alarmist notions about a nearly 1,500-year-old religion for a variety of sinister political, financial, and ideological motives. In his remarks that day, Gingrich mimicked the language of conservative analyst Andrew McCarthy, who co-wrote a report calling Sharia “the preeminent totalitarian threat of our time.” Such similarities in language are no accident. Look no further than the organization that released McCarthy’s anti-Sharia report: the aforementioned Center for Security Policy, which is a central hub of the anti-Muslim network and an active promoter of anti- Sharia messaging and anti-Muslim rhetoric.

In fact, CSP is a key source for right-wing politicians, pundits, and grassroots organizations, providing them with a steady stream of reports mischaracterizing Islam and warnings about the dangers of Islam and American Muslims. Operating under the leadership of Frank Gaffney, the organization is funded by a small number of foundations and donors with a deep understanding of how to influence U.S. politics by promoting highly alarming threats to our national security. CSP is joined by other anti-Muslim organizations in this lucrative business, such as Stop Islamization of America and the Society of Americans for National Existence. Many of the leaders of these organizations are well-schooled in the art of getting attention in the press, particularly Fox News, The Wall Street Journal editorial pages, The Washington Times, and a variety of right-wing websites and radio outlets.

Misinformation experts such as Gaffney consult and work with such right-wing grassroots organizations as ACT! for America and the Eagle Forum, as well as religious right groups such as the Faith and Freedom Coalition and American Family Association, to spread their message. Speaking at their conferences, writing on their websites, and appearing on their radio shows, these experts rail against Islam and cast suspicion on American Muslims. Much of their propaganda gets churned into fundraising appeals by grassroots and religious right groups. The money they raise then enters the political process and helps fund ads supporting politicians who echo alarmist warnings and sponsor anti-Muslim attacks.

These efforts recall some of the darkest episodes in American history, in which religious, ethnic, and racial minorities were discriminated against and persecuted. From Catholics, Mormons, Japanese Americans, European immigrants, Jews, and African Americans, the story of America is one of struggle to achieve in practice our founding ideals. Unfortunately, American Muslims and Islam are the latest chapter in a long American struggle against scapegoating based on religion, race, or creed. (read the whole article)


The same is happening in Europe.


Friday, September 19

Brazilian products are no good: I need a blender!







To make a long story short: you need a vacuum cleaner and you search and search and end up buying something that will last three months or even not work when you try it for the first time.
I bought one after searching for six months. It is not what I want but there is nothing better.
Now I need a blender and a food processor. Same problem: there are only three or four brands and the quality is so terrible that it is better not to buy.
There are numerous complains in sites all over the internet. I don't know what to do.
Do you think these items are cheap? No. They are extremely expensive.

Oh Lord won't you buy me things that work...


Thursday, September 18

CIA-Supported Candidate Runs for Presidency in Brazil


by Nil Nikandrov
12.09.2014

Marina Silva is a presidential hopeful running on the Socialist Party ticket. Her personality attracted the attention of CIA in the mid-1980s when she was attending the Federal University of Acre. Back then she was taking great interest in the theory of Marxism and became a member of clandestine Revolutionary Communist Party. Soon her infatuation with leftist views was over as she switched to fighting for environment protection in the Amazon region. The US special services have always been interested in this part of the continent hoping to control it in case of geopolitical emergency.

Thus, the Brazilian environmental activist was noted by the CIA and some smiling guys established contact with her. It was not an occasion that in 1985 she joined the Workers’ Party (PT - Partido dos Trabalhadores) that opened new prospects for her political rise. In 1994 Marina Silva was elected to the federal Senate with the reputation of ardent environment protection activist. That’s when the information on her ties with the CIA started to go around. In 1996 she received the Goldman Environmental Prize. She has got other prestigious decorations for environment protection as well. CIA curators did their best to raise her rating. For five years she served as a member of cabinet under Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva changing her party allegiance. In 2009 Silva announced her switch from the Workers’ Party to the Green Party primarily in protest against the environmental policies endorsed by the PT. Ms. Silva really shook up Brazilian politics by announcing her intention after nearly three decades. She had polled nearly 20 million votes in the 2010 election as a Green Party candidate and accepted a role as Campos’ vice-presidential candidate when attempts to found her own Sustainability Network party foundered. Dilma Rousseff, the PT candidate, wanted to continue independent policies practiced by her predecessor Lula da Silva. It did not suit Washington.

The US relationship with Brazil has wosened recently as a result of eavesdropping scandal. The US National Security Agency (NSA) spied on Dilma Rousseff and the members of her cabinet. The Brazilian President has even suspended her official visit to the United States as a sign of protest. She never got apologies or promises to stop spying activities. So she started to act. The President has condemned the NSA and CIA activities in Latin America and taken steps to enhance communications safety and tighten control over US representatives working in the country. It provoked exasperation on the part of Barack Obama.

The presidential election in Brazil is slated for October 5. Washington wants to make Dilma Rousseff a one term president. US special services launched a campaign aimed at getting rid of the current Brazilian leader. At first they provoked allegedly spontaneous street protests calling for changes and leaving the «old policies» behind. There were youth groups raising voices against political parties’ propaganda and symbols, especially the Workers’ Party.

Marina Silva formed the Sustainability Network Party. It is still a mystery where she got funds from. The new organization was to take the place of the old parties that allegedly became relics and over the hill. The 2014 presidential election is supposed to make Marina and her Network Party become a wisp of fresh air shaking the political landscape of Brazil and removing «archaic» political forces. Having come third with 19 million votes in the last election, she was initially denied another opportunity to run on the top of presidential ticket after failing to get the signatures needed to get her Sustainability Network party on the ballot. But the tragedy that killed Campos and six others near São Paulo last month gave Silva an unexpected second chance to fulfill her presidential ambitions. To become the country’s first black President, she will have to defeat the first female President, Rousseff of the Workers’ Party (PT), as well as the pro-business Aécio Neves of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), who is now running in third place. The White House is frustrated. Campos had no chances, but he was adamant to stay in race no matter the Brazilian media accused him of involvement in corruption schemes. Dilma Rousseff and her team went under strong attacks too.
On August 13 the Brazil’s presidential election campaign was thrown into uncertainty when a private jet carrying the socialist party candidate Eduardo Campos crashed into a residential area near São Paulo. Campos and the six other crew and passengers were killed in the accident, which occurred in bad weather as the Cessna plane was preparing to land. The deaths prompted a wave of mourning across the country, which is likely to be followed by speculation about the effect on the presidential vote on 5 October. President Dilma Rousseff declared three days of official mourning for Campos who she served alongside in the Lula government. The aircraft had gone through regular technical service with no glitches ever found. The Cessna recorder in the cabin happened to be out of order. It raises questions. It had worked smoothly before but failed to record the conversations on the day of the tragedy. The plane used to often change owners (US and Brazilian businessmen representing companies with dubious reputation). Some Brazilian commentators believe that it was an assassination. Before the tragedy the aircraft had been used by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). People sent by former owners could get access to the plane under different pretexts. It makes one wonder. Could the United States be behind the tragedy? Who exactly did it?

The aircraft took off in Rio de Janeiro where a CIA station functions on the territory of US consulate. No doubt the office is used by the Agency. Perhaps the Brazilian special services should pay attention on those who speedily left the country right after the plane crash in Santos. The death of Eduardo Campos spurred the Silva’s rating as she was running on the Socialist Party’s ballot. If Campos never gathered more than 9-10% she scored 34-35% in the first round. The predictions say the support is to increase in the run-off election.

Marina Silva is painted as a staunch fighter against corruption and a person who could assuage internal confrontations. She promises to work with everyone: all groups, parties and coalitions, no matter the existing differences. It’s hard to say what her real intentions are. It’s always hard to say something definite when talking about the people supported by the United States. Too often Silva switched sides. For instance, joining Campos she supported the idea of keeping the ideas of Chavez (Hugo Chavez – late President of Venezuela known for his socialist convictions and left wing policy) away from Brazil. Today she says the President Lula’s team that she worked with was too much Chavista (pro-Chavez). Now what about her proclaimed readiness to work with everyone? No doubt the Brazilian Workers’ Party enjoys wide support but it can hardly be compared with the ruling party in Venezuela. Perhaps the Central Intelligence Agency wants to use Silva for the implementation of its old plan to create an «alternative left wing belt» in Latin America to oppose the authoritarian, populist and archaic regimes in Venezuela and Cuba.

Silva is becoming more neo-liberal as the campaign proceeds. She says there is no need to make BRICS another «center of power» and speed up the implementation of the bloc’s recent decisions to establish a development bank, a reserve fund etc. Silva has doubts about the South American Defense Council. In half-muted voice she calls for paying less attention to MERCOSUR (from Spanish Mercado Común del Sur, a sub-regional bloc comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela) and UNASUR (The Union of South American Nations, Spanish: Unión de Naciones Suramericanas, an intergovernmental union integrating two existing customs unions – Mercosur and the Andean Community of Nations – as part of a continuing process of South American integration). According to her, the development of bilateral relations should be given a priority. These views run counter to the process of Latin America integration.

How will Brazilians react to neoliberal turn in the country’s policy in case she wins? There is a big chance it will end up in social unrest. They have become accustomed to social progress in the country. The people are listened to, reforms are brought into life, and the country is stable and making progress. If Silva becomes President (George Soros, an American business magnate, investor and philanthropist, provided her campaign with significant funds) there will be a great possibility of having many social and economic programs suspended to evoke wide discontent. To achieve this goal  the American offices in Brazil are being filled with special agents tasked to spur civil protests.

Source: Strategic Culture Foundation.

BRAZIL BY BRAZILIANS!




Tuesday, September 9

Robin Williams in Actor Studio: Legalize Insanity


I was reading an article about ISIS and was sent to a very good video that I was watching but you know how things are when we are at the internet: we start searching for a lemon pie recipe and end up having a detailed description on how to build a homemade anti-robbery device.
I looked to the right - mental note: never look to the right of the screen while watching a video on YouTube - and I noticed that there are numerous sensationalists stuffs about Robin's death.

I wish that the cause of death of famous people was only revealed after two years of the decease.
But I was lucky enough to find this great video of Robin Williams in "Inside the Actors Studio".
I'm still laughing and decided to share it with you.
In the beginning he is asked about what he means by "Legalize insanity."
This is Robin's legacy and this is what matters. This is what he left for us.




Billie Holiday: Homage to Lady Day


This music is in Billie's last album "Lady in Satin".
Some people said at the time it was released, 1958, that her voice was not the same and other criticisms.
I love her voice this way.
As someone stated: "This is the voice of someone with a life."
The Audio Story shows Billie rehearsing and singing alone in the last two minutes,





I'm not blogging lately because things are a little hectic.