September 11 2012
By Barbara Loe Fisher
Source: Mercola.com
Ever since the first vaccines – smallpox and rabies vaccines – one of the most serious complications of vaccination has been brain inflammation.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Brain inflammation can cause convulsions, also known as seizures.8 Continuing seizures can permanently damage the brain over time.9
In fact, for the first 40 years that the pertussis vaccine was given to children in the DPT shot, pediatricians were told: "Do not give any more pertussis vaccines to children who develop seizures within 72 hours of a DPT vaccination."10, 11,12, 13 Convulsions were an absolute contraindication to more DPT shots, especially if they occurred without a fever.
Protecting Children Vulnerable to Vaccine Reactions
But that changed after Congress passed a 1986 law shielding doctors and vaccine manufacturers from vaccine injury lawsuits.14 Once pediatricians were protected from lawsuits,15 public health officials and medical trade associations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, said serious vaccine reactions – such as seizures (1 child in 14,000),16 high-pitched screaming and collapse/shock (hypotonic hyporesponsive episodes) – weren't all that important.17, 18, 19
So today, it is really up to parents to find a doctor they can trust, who will take the precautionary approach to giving more vaccines in the face of previous vaccine reactions, like seizures, especially if the child has symptoms of brain injury.
On NVIC's Vaccine Freedom Wall at NVIC.org, mothers are posting descriptions of how they have been threatened and punished with dismissal from pediatric practices when they try to protect their children from vaccine reactions.
Here is one Mom's story:
"After receiving her first vaccines, including DPT, my daughter began to have violent seizures, which continued but lessened over the next year. On many occasions, pediatricians have attempted to bully me into allowing more vaccinations for her. Telling them about her seizures, I refuse and tell each of them 'unless you will personally guarantee, in writing, that there will be no adverse reactions so I can sue you if there are, then I won't do it.' Not a single doctor has taken me up on my offer," she said.
"My daughter is now diagnosed with autism. After we moved, we had to get another doctor and, after a year when I wouldn't change my mind about more vaccines, he told me he wouldn't be our doctor anymore. I went to another doctor, who wouldn't even take us into his practice. We finally found someone who understands. She is an awesome pediatrician! So something good came of it in the end," she said.
The Precautionary Approach: Children Are Not All the Same
There are enlightened pediatricians, who do take the precautionary approach to vaccination because they care about preventing vaccine reactions, injuries and deaths. They want to be partners with parents in making personalized health care decisions for children because they know that children are not all the same20 and that some children are not able to handle the process of vaccination.21
Please don't be afraid to stand up for your human right to protect your child from harm. Especially if your child has already experienced a vaccine reaction, search until you find a compassionate pediatrician or family practice doctor who will work with you to make the best health care decisions for your child.
It's your health, your family, your choice.
CA Bill to Restrict Personal Belief Exemption Passes
On Aug. 27 an amended California bill (AB2109) to restrict a parent's ability to obtain a personal belief exemption to vaccination for their child to attend school, passed the Assembly by a vote of 49 to 24. The bill will force parents filing a non-medical exemption to pay for an appointment with a medical doctor or state-designated medical worker and ask for a signature that permits the parent to obtain an exemption for religious, conscientious or philosophical beliefs.
School Nurses, Not Pharmacists Can Sign the Form
The bill was vigorously debated on the Senate floor on Aug. 24 after an amendment had been added to allow school nurses to sign the personal belief exemption form but denied pharmacists the right to sign the form due to opposition from the bill's sponsor, pediatrician Richard Pan, M.D. (D-Sacramento). There are fewer than 2500 nurses working in California's 10,000 schools but there are more than 300,000 pharmacists working in local drug stores.
Contact Governor Jerry Brown and Make Your Voice Heard
If Governor Jerry Brown signs AB2109 into law, it will take effect on Jan. 1, 2014. If you want to tell Governor Brown what you think about AB2109, sign up for NVIC's Advocacy Portal and be put in touch with him with the touch of your iPhone screen or click of a computer mouse.
Watch the Aug. 24 Senate floor debate on AB2109 here. (scroll in to 4 hours, 20 minutes, 27 seconds)
Read the text of A2109 here.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Vermont Introduces Monumental GMO Labeling Legislation
February 8, 2012
Anthony Gucciardi
Source:NaturalSociety
Vermont has taken the initiative against Monsanto and other biotechnology corporations in launching new legislation that would require the labeling of products containing genetically modified ingredients. The bill, known as the ‘VT Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act’, was introduced to the Vermont House of Representatives by Representative Kate Webb of Shelburne on February 1st, 2012. The bill would require the labeling of not only products filled entirely with GMOs, but also for those partially created using GM ingredients.
Perhaps most monumental is the fact that the legislation would prohibit GMO food manufacturers from using promotional labels like “natural,” “naturally made,” “naturally grown,” “all natural,” or any words of similar import. The bill, which can be read for free online, would require strict and clear labeling on GMO-containing food items. The wording states that in the case of a raw agricultural commodity, the label ‘genetically modified’ would be clearly visible. As for processed food products, the words ‘partially produced with genetic engineering’ or ‘may be partially produced with genetic engineering’ would appear prominently on the front or back of the package.
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture , testimony is to begin on the topic later this month.
The introduction of the legislation highlights the growing grassroots opposition against Monsanto and GMOs alike. In addition, the legislation would end phony ‘all natural’ product claims when in actuality they contain very unnatural genetically modified organisms. Just recently one consumer took legal action against major snack-maker Frito-Lay, claiming that the labeling of GMO-filled snack products as ‘all natural’ is deceptive and misleading.
VPIRG Consumer Protection Advocate Falko Schilling spoke in support of the act saying “This is a consumer right to know issue, just as we require nutritional labels on food so that shoppers can make informed choices, consumers should have the same access to information about whether their food has been genetically engineered.”
In the event this bill passes, a political awakening could occur across the nation regarding the true labeling of products filled with genetically modified ingredients.
Anthony Gucciardi
Source:NaturalSociety
Vermont has taken the initiative against Monsanto and other biotechnology corporations in launching new legislation that would require the labeling of products containing genetically modified ingredients. The bill, known as the ‘VT Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act’, was introduced to the Vermont House of Representatives by Representative Kate Webb of Shelburne on February 1st, 2012. The bill would require the labeling of not only products filled entirely with GMOs, but also for those partially created using GM ingredients.
Perhaps most monumental is the fact that the legislation would prohibit GMO food manufacturers from using promotional labels like “natural,” “naturally made,” “naturally grown,” “all natural,” or any words of similar import. The bill, which can be read for free online, would require strict and clear labeling on GMO-containing food items. The wording states that in the case of a raw agricultural commodity, the label ‘genetically modified’ would be clearly visible. As for processed food products, the words ‘partially produced with genetic engineering’ or ‘may be partially produced with genetic engineering’ would appear prominently on the front or back of the package.
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture , testimony is to begin on the topic later this month.
The introduction of the legislation highlights the growing grassroots opposition against Monsanto and GMOs alike. In addition, the legislation would end phony ‘all natural’ product claims when in actuality they contain very unnatural genetically modified organisms. Just recently one consumer took legal action against major snack-maker Frito-Lay, claiming that the labeling of GMO-filled snack products as ‘all natural’ is deceptive and misleading.
VPIRG Consumer Protection Advocate Falko Schilling spoke in support of the act saying “This is a consumer right to know issue, just as we require nutritional labels on food so that shoppers can make informed choices, consumers should have the same access to information about whether their food has been genetically engineered.”
In the event this bill passes, a political awakening could occur across the nation regarding the true labeling of products filled with genetically modified ingredients.
Bill Gates Foundation Buys 500,000 Shares of Monsanto
August 30, 2010
Anthony Gucciardi
Source:NaturalSociety
Monsanto has already negatively impacted agriculture in African countries. For example, in South Africa in 2009, Monsanto’s genetically modified maize failed to produce kernels and hundreds of farmers were devastated. According to Mariam Mayet, environmental attorney and director of the Africa Centre for Biosafety in Johannesburg, some farmers suffered up to an 80% crop failure. While Monsanto compensated the large-scale farmers to whom it directly sold the faulty product, it gave nothing to the small-scale farmers to whom it had handed out free sachets of seeds. “When the economic power of Gates is coupled with the irresponsibility of Monsanto, the outlook for African smallholders is not very promising,” said Mayet.
Monsanto’s aggressive patenting practices have also monopolized control over seed in ways that deny farmers control over their own harvest, going so far as to sue-and bankrupt-farmers for “patent infringement.” Monsanto was declared company of the year by Forbes magazine in 2009, despite its history of agricultural abuses. Monsanto has also been accused of dumping toxic waste in residential areas, resulting in a variety of severe health disorders.
Anthony Gucciardi
Source:NaturalSociety
Monsanto has already negatively impacted agriculture in African countries. For example, in South Africa in 2009, Monsanto’s genetically modified maize failed to produce kernels and hundreds of farmers were devastated. According to Mariam Mayet, environmental attorney and director of the Africa Centre for Biosafety in Johannesburg, some farmers suffered up to an 80% crop failure. While Monsanto compensated the large-scale farmers to whom it directly sold the faulty product, it gave nothing to the small-scale farmers to whom it had handed out free sachets of seeds. “When the economic power of Gates is coupled with the irresponsibility of Monsanto, the outlook for African smallholders is not very promising,” said Mayet.
Monsanto’s aggressive patenting practices have also monopolized control over seed in ways that deny farmers control over their own harvest, going so far as to sue-and bankrupt-farmers for “patent infringement.” Monsanto was declared company of the year by Forbes magazine in 2009, despite its history of agricultural abuses. Monsanto has also been accused of dumping toxic waste in residential areas, resulting in a variety of severe health disorders.
IDF Chief Censor Disses Tikun Olam
September 10, 2012
by Richard Silverstein
Source:Tikun Olam
At last month’s Digit2012 conference on Israeli digital journalism, the IDF chief censor participated in a panel about conflict between censorship on the one hand and the freewheeling social media networks and freedom of the press on the other. I’m of two minds about the entire discussion. On the one hand, my name and record were important enough to be discussed (starting at 11:30 in this Hebrew language video) by panel members who were journalists, judges, editors, defense attorneys, and military officers. But on the other, the approach of the censor was entirely dismissive and mendacious.
In discussing the issue of blogging and foreign media and the impact we are having on public discourse in Israel, Sima Vakhnin Gil, the censor claims that the only story I ever exposed was related to Anat Kamm. She means of course, the only stories I ever exposed which were under censorship. Because there are many stories I broke which were under judicial gag but not censorship. Besides stories I first broke which weren’t either censored or gagged.
But let’s stay within the bounds of her jurisdiction. Besides Anat Kamm, I broke the following stories that were under censorship:
1. Israel’s kidnapping of Dirar Abusisi in Ukraine
2. Mossad and MEK responsibility for assassination of Iran’s nuclear scientists
3. appointment of Tamir Pardo as Mossad chief and the name of the new chief of the Border Police
4. secret arrest, detention and torture of Israeli-Palestinian activist, Ameer Makhoul
5. the Israeli security cabinet had never previously met to discuss an attack on Iran until this month
6. the identity of the Palestinian killers of the Fogel family
7. IDF violation of Egyptian sovereignty using a drone to assassinate Sinai Bedouin militant
8. Defense minister Barak refused to allow IDF chief of staff Gantz to testify about Iran before a Knesset committee
9. a former IDF pilot arrested in Zimbabwe for smugging $2.5 million worth of conflict diamonds
10. notorious IDF torturer, Doron Zahavi (aka Captain George), appointed by national police as “liaison” to East Jerusalem Palestinian community
11. Israel’s test launch of a Jericho III missile
12. Iran supported Sinai militants who attacked Eilat
13. Mossad chief Tamir Pardo shut down a Knesset committee hearing because it would reveal that Israel’s major shipping company allowed its vessels to transport Mossad agents for operations inside Iran.
14. Israel created the Stuxnet and Flame computer viruses as part of a major covert campaign against Iran’s nuclear program
15. Sdot Micha is home base to Israel’s Jericho III missiles
So the question is, why would the IDF chief censor need to either lie or diminish my role? Of course, she may be ignorant. No one ever lost money betting on the IDF to simply be ignorant about its claims on many issues. Or she may need to dismiss my work because admitting that I’ve played a significant role in breaking military censorship would be an admission that there was something wrong in the system. If Israel were a free and open society it wouldn’t need someone like me. Israelis themselves could do what I do and possibly do it better. She may need to diss me because (to her) there is something wrong with the fact that I can report and she can’t stop me.
At any rate, when your opponents diss you whether they be military censors or cyber-hacker-attackers, you know you pose a threat. You know you’re doing your job and that it’s something important.
As an aside, the censor also insulted another friend of mine, Avner Cohen, who wrote the first major expose of Israel’s nuclear program. That book, which he refused to submit to the military censor, earned him many enemies inside the intelligence apparatus. He was forced to leave Israel for a time. Since then, he’s become kosher and his last book was not submitted and did not raise a similar stir. Vaknin-Gil said that if the State believed Cohen had broken Israeli law in publishing his book it had the right to prosecute him. It’s precisely this sort of Neanderthal thinking which has gotten Israel into the mess its in and endangered, even nullified, democracy.
It’s unfortunate the organizers of this conference didn’t invite me to address any of these issues since I’ve played an important role in digital media regarding Israel’s national security apparatus. It continues the echo chamber effect of Israelis only hearing from a limited number of voices about issues critical to them, their State, and their democracy (such as it is). But I suppose it’s better to be talked about, even if erroneously, than ignored.
Not that we here in the States are doing much better under the national security president, Barack Obama. He’s made mincemeat out of the Bill of Rights and Constitution. He’s made secrecy and opacity into a watchword for his counter terror program. We have nothing to boast about on this score.
Thanks to many folks who’ve stepped forward with donations in the aftermath of the cyber-attack against this blog. Keep it coming. The best revenge against the bullies and vandals is to give ‘em hell. We’ll tell this story in the MSM, get our voice heard by a far wider audience, and encourage donations to cover the extra expenses of protecting the integrity of this site. Thank you for all of it.
by Richard Silverstein
Source:Tikun Olam
At last month’s Digit2012 conference on Israeli digital journalism, the IDF chief censor participated in a panel about conflict between censorship on the one hand and the freewheeling social media networks and freedom of the press on the other. I’m of two minds about the entire discussion. On the one hand, my name and record were important enough to be discussed (starting at 11:30 in this Hebrew language video) by panel members who were journalists, judges, editors, defense attorneys, and military officers. But on the other, the approach of the censor was entirely dismissive and mendacious.
In discussing the issue of blogging and foreign media and the impact we are having on public discourse in Israel, Sima Vakhnin Gil, the censor claims that the only story I ever exposed was related to Anat Kamm. She means of course, the only stories I ever exposed which were under censorship. Because there are many stories I broke which were under judicial gag but not censorship. Besides stories I first broke which weren’t either censored or gagged.
But let’s stay within the bounds of her jurisdiction. Besides Anat Kamm, I broke the following stories that were under censorship:
1. Israel’s kidnapping of Dirar Abusisi in Ukraine
2. Mossad and MEK responsibility for assassination of Iran’s nuclear scientists
3. appointment of Tamir Pardo as Mossad chief and the name of the new chief of the Border Police
4. secret arrest, detention and torture of Israeli-Palestinian activist, Ameer Makhoul
5. the Israeli security cabinet had never previously met to discuss an attack on Iran until this month
6. the identity of the Palestinian killers of the Fogel family
7. IDF violation of Egyptian sovereignty using a drone to assassinate Sinai Bedouin militant
8. Defense minister Barak refused to allow IDF chief of staff Gantz to testify about Iran before a Knesset committee
9. a former IDF pilot arrested in Zimbabwe for smugging $2.5 million worth of conflict diamonds
10. notorious IDF torturer, Doron Zahavi (aka Captain George), appointed by national police as “liaison” to East Jerusalem Palestinian community
11. Israel’s test launch of a Jericho III missile
12. Iran supported Sinai militants who attacked Eilat
13. Mossad chief Tamir Pardo shut down a Knesset committee hearing because it would reveal that Israel’s major shipping company allowed its vessels to transport Mossad agents for operations inside Iran.
14. Israel created the Stuxnet and Flame computer viruses as part of a major covert campaign against Iran’s nuclear program
15. Sdot Micha is home base to Israel’s Jericho III missiles
So the question is, why would the IDF chief censor need to either lie or diminish my role? Of course, she may be ignorant. No one ever lost money betting on the IDF to simply be ignorant about its claims on many issues. Or she may need to dismiss my work because admitting that I’ve played a significant role in breaking military censorship would be an admission that there was something wrong in the system. If Israel were a free and open society it wouldn’t need someone like me. Israelis themselves could do what I do and possibly do it better. She may need to diss me because (to her) there is something wrong with the fact that I can report and she can’t stop me.
At any rate, when your opponents diss you whether they be military censors or cyber-hacker-attackers, you know you pose a threat. You know you’re doing your job and that it’s something important.
As an aside, the censor also insulted another friend of mine, Avner Cohen, who wrote the first major expose of Israel’s nuclear program. That book, which he refused to submit to the military censor, earned him many enemies inside the intelligence apparatus. He was forced to leave Israel for a time. Since then, he’s become kosher and his last book was not submitted and did not raise a similar stir. Vaknin-Gil said that if the State believed Cohen had broken Israeli law in publishing his book it had the right to prosecute him. It’s precisely this sort of Neanderthal thinking which has gotten Israel into the mess its in and endangered, even nullified, democracy.
It’s unfortunate the organizers of this conference didn’t invite me to address any of these issues since I’ve played an important role in digital media regarding Israel’s national security apparatus. It continues the echo chamber effect of Israelis only hearing from a limited number of voices about issues critical to them, their State, and their democracy (such as it is). But I suppose it’s better to be talked about, even if erroneously, than ignored.
Not that we here in the States are doing much better under the national security president, Barack Obama. He’s made mincemeat out of the Bill of Rights and Constitution. He’s made secrecy and opacity into a watchword for his counter terror program. We have nothing to boast about on this score.
Thanks to many folks who’ve stepped forward with donations in the aftermath of the cyber-attack against this blog. Keep it coming. The best revenge against the bullies and vandals is to give ‘em hell. We’ll tell this story in the MSM, get our voice heard by a far wider audience, and encourage donations to cover the extra expenses of protecting the integrity of this site. Thank you for all of it.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Good Jordanians don’t protest: corrupt politicians call in their militias to stop activists
September 10th, 2012
Source: Albawaba
It is an often told story that former prime minister of Jordan, Abdul Raouf Rawabdeh stole millions from the country during his time in office. The Irbid native was only in power for fifteen months but rumors of corruption persist to this day.
So it came as no surprise that he was a target for opposition group, United Jordan Opposition (UJO). The activists were looking to take their allegations of corruption to the worst culprits in Jordan.
First on the list was Dr. Imad Fakhoury, Director of the King’s Office. UJO members turned up to his house and posed the allegations without incident.
But it was a different story when they got to the former prime minister’s villa, set in a sleep suburb of the capital. After three days camped out on his doorstep, the 73-year-old ex-politician called in reinforcements to deal with the pesky activists.
14 protestors arrived by car at the house on Sunday and were met by nearly 1000 members of Rawabdeh’s tribe, complete with AK47s and wooden bats: it was hardly a fair fight.
Leader of the activists, Husam al Abdallat, was beaten so badly that he spent the night in the ICU, giving interviews to local TV networks. In scenes reminiscent of the beginning of the Egyptian revolution, Abdallat spoke out against the impunity of tribal leaders in the Kingdom.
His attorney and cousin, Moussa al Abdallat, put out a statement last night calling the ex-PM’s tribe a ‘militia’:
“My relative’s life is in danger. The regime is responsible for what happened,” he said.
In a strange twist of fate, members of Abdallat’s tribe began rallying to get revenge for their relative’s injuries. Husam said he was currently fielding angry phone calls and trying to avoid all-out tribal war.
The events were a hotly discussed topic on local TV stations with commentators coming on air to argue the case. But there was very little support for the activists in Jordan. In fact, most of the talking heads said they shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Sidelining the whole issue of corruption, one said: “The Egyptians lost their kindness when they had their revolution. Good kind hearted Jordanians wouldn’t do this.”
Source: Albawaba
It is an often told story that former prime minister of Jordan, Abdul Raouf Rawabdeh stole millions from the country during his time in office. The Irbid native was only in power for fifteen months but rumors of corruption persist to this day.
So it came as no surprise that he was a target for opposition group, United Jordan Opposition (UJO). The activists were looking to take their allegations of corruption to the worst culprits in Jordan.
First on the list was Dr. Imad Fakhoury, Director of the King’s Office. UJO members turned up to his house and posed the allegations without incident.
But it was a different story when they got to the former prime minister’s villa, set in a sleep suburb of the capital. After three days camped out on his doorstep, the 73-year-old ex-politician called in reinforcements to deal with the pesky activists.
14 protestors arrived by car at the house on Sunday and were met by nearly 1000 members of Rawabdeh’s tribe, complete with AK47s and wooden bats: it was hardly a fair fight.
Leader of the activists, Husam al Abdallat, was beaten so badly that he spent the night in the ICU, giving interviews to local TV networks. In scenes reminiscent of the beginning of the Egyptian revolution, Abdallat spoke out against the impunity of tribal leaders in the Kingdom.
His attorney and cousin, Moussa al Abdallat, put out a statement last night calling the ex-PM’s tribe a ‘militia’:
“My relative’s life is in danger. The regime is responsible for what happened,” he said.
In a strange twist of fate, members of Abdallat’s tribe began rallying to get revenge for their relative’s injuries. Husam said he was currently fielding angry phone calls and trying to avoid all-out tribal war.
The events were a hotly discussed topic on local TV stations with commentators coming on air to argue the case. But there was very little support for the activists in Jordan. In fact, most of the talking heads said they shouldn’t have been there in the first place. Sidelining the whole issue of corruption, one said: “The Egyptians lost their kindness when they had their revolution. Good kind hearted Jordanians wouldn’t do this.”
Is this the start of Jordan’s Arab Spring? Protests spread through the capital
September 8th, 2012
Source: Albawaba
Late last night, around 1000 protestors gathered in central Amman calling for the entire Jordanian government to be dismissed and for King Abdullah II to step down.
It was the first real indication that the Arab Spring might finally be knocking on Jordan’s door. Previously, calls for reform have been lackadaisical at best with even the sternest of opposition pitching up for tea and shisha mid-way through demonstration. This time was different as an unprecedented number of protestors chanted: ‘Freedom from Allah, down down Abdullah,’ in scenes reminiscent of the start of the Egyptian revolution. It seems the tide could be turning for the Middle East’s safe haven.
As we made our way towards the protest in Jabal al Taj, the quiet streets gave no indication of the bitter crowd gathered at the bottom of the hill. But, enraged chants gradually began to fill the air.
Protest was sparked by the arrest of an activist in Tafila, but soon spread from the historically rebellious south into more obedient Amman after further arrests were made of activists from Hai al Tafaileh. In total nine out of Jordan’s 12 provinces saw their own anti-government rallies.
By the time we reached the scene of dissent in Amman, around 500 protestors filled the streets facing an intimidating wall of 50-armed policemen. There weren’t any obvious clashes between the crowd and the police but tensions were running high.
The crowd made their way to the bottom of the hill where they sat on the floor in an attempt to prove to the system “that the people calling for reforms are peaceful – the King is protecting the corrupt people.”
One of the protest leaders sat atop of a car chanting reformist slogans. Cheers broke out and protestors moved aside as an ambulance carrying a man who had been injured amidst the earlier commotion drove past the sit-in. The people we spoke to were keen to make their point as peacefully as possible.
Abdul was one of the protestors eager to speak to us about the issues that caused the gathering. He asked us to leave out his last name to avoid "retaliation from the secret police."
“We’re asking for freedom against a corrupt regime,” he said.
Protest leader Bara al Saoud explained: “The King isn’t serious about reform…he employs corrupt officials, arrests reformists and acts as a dictator.
“We want to find a resolution for the good of the country… We don’t want to topple the regime – we want reform!”
Yet, despite Saoud’s claims, the protestors we spoke to believed that last night marked the beginning of a growing movement of people uniting to overthrow the regime.
As pressure from the people mounts on the Jordanian government and particularly its prime minister, Fayez al-Tarawneh, and its King, this is just the latest example of an increasingly powerful culture of dissent in the country.
By Alice Cuddy and Helen Brooks
Source: Albawaba
Late last night, around 1000 protestors gathered in central Amman calling for the entire Jordanian government to be dismissed and for King Abdullah II to step down.
It was the first real indication that the Arab Spring might finally be knocking on Jordan’s door. Previously, calls for reform have been lackadaisical at best with even the sternest of opposition pitching up for tea and shisha mid-way through demonstration. This time was different as an unprecedented number of protestors chanted: ‘Freedom from Allah, down down Abdullah,’ in scenes reminiscent of the start of the Egyptian revolution. It seems the tide could be turning for the Middle East’s safe haven.
As we made our way towards the protest in Jabal al Taj, the quiet streets gave no indication of the bitter crowd gathered at the bottom of the hill. But, enraged chants gradually began to fill the air.
Protest was sparked by the arrest of an activist in Tafila, but soon spread from the historically rebellious south into more obedient Amman after further arrests were made of activists from Hai al Tafaileh. In total nine out of Jordan’s 12 provinces saw their own anti-government rallies.
By the time we reached the scene of dissent in Amman, around 500 protestors filled the streets facing an intimidating wall of 50-armed policemen. There weren’t any obvious clashes between the crowd and the police but tensions were running high.
The crowd made their way to the bottom of the hill where they sat on the floor in an attempt to prove to the system “that the people calling for reforms are peaceful – the King is protecting the corrupt people.”
One of the protest leaders sat atop of a car chanting reformist slogans. Cheers broke out and protestors moved aside as an ambulance carrying a man who had been injured amidst the earlier commotion drove past the sit-in. The people we spoke to were keen to make their point as peacefully as possible.
Abdul was one of the protestors eager to speak to us about the issues that caused the gathering. He asked us to leave out his last name to avoid "retaliation from the secret police."
“We’re asking for freedom against a corrupt regime,” he said.
Protest leader Bara al Saoud explained: “The King isn’t serious about reform…he employs corrupt officials, arrests reformists and acts as a dictator.
“We want to find a resolution for the good of the country… We don’t want to topple the regime – we want reform!”
Yet, despite Saoud’s claims, the protestors we spoke to believed that last night marked the beginning of a growing movement of people uniting to overthrow the regime.
As pressure from the people mounts on the Jordanian government and particularly its prime minister, Fayez al-Tarawneh, and its King, this is just the latest example of an increasingly powerful culture of dissent in the country.
By Alice Cuddy and Helen Brooks
Sunday, September 9, 2012
My Mom, An Independent Thinker
Sunday,September 9,2012
written by: Sheila Quinn
Source:Seeker of Truth,Independent Thinker and Muslim
My mother died more than a decade ago. It was Ramadan and I was on Umrah Mabur. A few days after I arrived home from my trip to Saudi Arabia I got a phone call from my brother telling me that my mother had died.
In some ways I am the daughter of my mother. We had many things in common. She loved: books, knowledge, people and ideas. She was a thinker who at times acted contrary to advise that experts gave her. She didn’t allow anyone to tell her what she should or shouldn’t think or believe. She thought what she wanted to think and she believed what she wanted to believe.
An example of her acting according to her convictions was when she decided to breastfeed her babies against doctor’s advise. My siblings and I were born in the 1950’s. I think it was common at that time for doctors to discourage breastfeeding. But, my mother being the independent thinker that she was decided that she should breastfeed her babies for a few weeks- even though it was against doctors advise.
The last time I talked with my mother was in a phone call. Although it was obvious that she was very tired, it was clear to me that it was my mother who was speaking to me. She said: ” Sheila, the doctors say that I have cancer.” This is how she told me that she was dying. She didn’t tell me that she had cancer but that “the doctors say”. That is my mom for you. Always the skeptic, always the independent thinker who thought for herself.
written by: Sheila Quinn
Source:Seeker of Truth,Independent Thinker and Muslim
My mother died more than a decade ago. It was Ramadan and I was on Umrah Mabur. A few days after I arrived home from my trip to Saudi Arabia I got a phone call from my brother telling me that my mother had died.
In some ways I am the daughter of my mother. We had many things in common. She loved: books, knowledge, people and ideas. She was a thinker who at times acted contrary to advise that experts gave her. She didn’t allow anyone to tell her what she should or shouldn’t think or believe. She thought what she wanted to think and she believed what she wanted to believe.
An example of her acting according to her convictions was when she decided to breastfeed her babies against doctor’s advise. My siblings and I were born in the 1950’s. I think it was common at that time for doctors to discourage breastfeeding. But, my mother being the independent thinker that she was decided that she should breastfeed her babies for a few weeks- even though it was against doctors advise.
The last time I talked with my mother was in a phone call. Although it was obvious that she was very tired, it was clear to me that it was my mother who was speaking to me. She said: ” Sheila, the doctors say that I have cancer.” This is how she told me that she was dying. She didn’t tell me that she had cancer but that “the doctors say”. That is my mom for you. Always the skeptic, always the independent thinker who thought for herself.
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