The last few years, it seems that the GOP can't do anything right. Their candidates have attacked women's rights, profiled African Americans and rejected gays. For a party with so many problems it seems impossible for them to stand up and do something for the people, instead of against them.
Drew Turiano (R-Mont.) a tea party member, has officially filed to run for congress this next term; he is hoping to pick up Steve Daines's (R-Mont.) seat who is now running for U.S. Senate. Drew Turiano is known for using the n-word on Fox news in 2001 and for heading "Operation Wet-Back", an initiative that would deport all undocumented immigrants and their American born children.
According to the Missoulian, Turiano has been excluded from speaking at the Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner.
“We asked Mr. Turiano not to attend our event because we have no
intention of allowing him a platform to spread hate and intolerance,”
Yellowstone County Republican Chairwoman Jennifer Owen said. “There is
simply no place for racism in this party.”
In response Turiano said that the reason he was being excluded, is due to his affiliation with the Tea Party. And that Chairwoman Owen is trying to get back at him for their disagreement about "Operation Wetback".
Montana GOP Executive Director Bowen Greenwood agrees with the concerns that Owen's has, saying that the Republican Party has been long standing against racism. He also points out that the fact that Turiano is campaigning on an "Offensive racial epithet" has caused many republicans to reject him.
According to Turiano's website he also supports the state's right to nullify and/or reject federal law or judicial mandate. This includes Roe v. Wade and the Affordable Care Act. He also feels that President Obama should be impeached.
Thank goodness the GOP is taking steps, no matter how small, to rid themselves of the racism and discontent of certain politicians.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Reparations From Britian, France and the Netherlands
The slave trade has had a devastating effect on all people of color around the world. This devastation didn't end after slavery was was outlawed, many countries today are still enduring the debilatating effects of slavery.
Several leaders of Caribbean nations have decided that it is appropriate to sue the countries that have benefited and encouraged the atrocious behavior.
"A British human rights law firm hired by the Caribbean Community grouping of nations announced that prime ministers had authorized a 10-point plan that would seek a formal apology and debt cancellation from former colonizers such as Britain, France and the Netherlands," states AP.
These Caribbean nations do not plan to stop there. They also plan to sue for reparation payments to try and repair not only the damage that has been done, but to repair the ongoing psychological trauma that effects black people today.
Not only have European nations damaged Africans psychologically, but they have succeeded in doing their best in excluding the Caribbean in the nations in Europe's industrialization and confined to producing and exporting raw materials such as sugar.
The plan also demands that Europe help with aid in strengthening the regions public health, educations and cultural institutions.
The plan goes on to demand diplomatic assistance from Europe to resettle Jamaica's Rastafarian population back to Africa, which has always been very important.
This deal is not new, for years Caribbean countries have asked for reparations from European countries with no success. But, recently it has gained momentum.
"Caricom, as the political grouping of 15 countries and dependencies is known, announced in July that it intended to seek reparations for slavery and the genocide of native peoples and created the Caribbean Reparations Commission to push the issue and present their recommendations to political leaders.
They then hired Leigh Day, which waged a successful fight for an award compensation of about $21.5 million for surviving Kenyans who were tortured by the British colonial government during the so-called Mau Mau rebellion of the 1950s and 1960s.
The commission's chairman, Hilary Beckles, a scholar who has written several books on the history of Caribbean slavery, said he was "very pleased" that the political leaders adopted the plan.
In 2007, then British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed regret for the "unbearable suffering" caused by his country's role in slavery but made no formal apology. In 2010, then French President Nicolas Sarkozy acknowledged the "wounds of colonization" and pointed out France had canceled a 56 million euro debt owed by Haiti and approved an aid package.
The Caribbean Reparations Commission said Monday that far more needed to be done for the descendants of slaves on struggling islands, saying it sees the "persistent racial victimization of the descendants of slavery and genocide as the root cause of their suffering today.""
Several leaders of Caribbean nations have decided that it is appropriate to sue the countries that have benefited and encouraged the atrocious behavior.
"A British human rights law firm hired by the Caribbean Community grouping of nations announced that prime ministers had authorized a 10-point plan that would seek a formal apology and debt cancellation from former colonizers such as Britain, France and the Netherlands," states AP.
These Caribbean nations do not plan to stop there. They also plan to sue for reparation payments to try and repair not only the damage that has been done, but to repair the ongoing psychological trauma that effects black people today.
Not only have European nations damaged Africans psychologically, but they have succeeded in doing their best in excluding the Caribbean in the nations in Europe's industrialization and confined to producing and exporting raw materials such as sugar.
The plan also demands that Europe help with aid in strengthening the regions public health, educations and cultural institutions.
The plan goes on to demand diplomatic assistance from Europe to resettle Jamaica's Rastafarian population back to Africa, which has always been very important.
This deal is not new, for years Caribbean countries have asked for reparations from European countries with no success. But, recently it has gained momentum.
"Caricom, as the political grouping of 15 countries and dependencies is known, announced in July that it intended to seek reparations for slavery and the genocide of native peoples and created the Caribbean Reparations Commission to push the issue and present their recommendations to political leaders.
They then hired Leigh Day, which waged a successful fight for an award compensation of about $21.5 million for surviving Kenyans who were tortured by the British colonial government during the so-called Mau Mau rebellion of the 1950s and 1960s.
The commission's chairman, Hilary Beckles, a scholar who has written several books on the history of Caribbean slavery, said he was "very pleased" that the political leaders adopted the plan.
In 2007, then British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed regret for the "unbearable suffering" caused by his country's role in slavery but made no formal apology. In 2010, then French President Nicolas Sarkozy acknowledged the "wounds of colonization" and pointed out France had canceled a 56 million euro debt owed by Haiti and approved an aid package.
The Caribbean Reparations Commission said Monday that far more needed to be done for the descendants of slaves on struggling islands, saying it sees the "persistent racial victimization of the descendants of slavery and genocide as the root cause of their suffering today.""
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Regressive Uganda
On February 24 2014, the Ugandan president signed into law The Anti-Homosexuality Act. It was first dubbed the kill the gays act due to it's death penalty clauses, but now has changed the consequences to life in prison. The bill doesn't just stop at punishing gays individually, but also punishes people who harbor homosexuals and companies that support LGBT rights.
In response to this new law President Obama has threatened to cut off aid to Uganda, if the laws are not changed. Uganda also expected to receive a loan from The World Bank to help over haul it's health system. The $90 million loan has been postponed though, due to the tough anti-gay law. This comes at a surprise, considering that The World Bank usually tries to avoid politics altogether.
"We have postponed the project for further review to ensure that the development objectives would not be adversely affected by the enactment of this new law," World Bank spokesman David Theis said in an email.
The president of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, sent an email to his bank staff saying the bank does not condone discrimination, and will protect the safety to all employees.
Scotland has also joined in the fight against discrimination against the LGBT community. The country has proposed a plan to offer asylum to any Ugandans that are being persecuted by the new anti-gay laws.
Humza Yusuf wrote in a letter submitted to the U.K. Foreign Secretary, "Scotland will play her part in providing asylum for those seeking refuge from this draconian legislation."
Scotland's proposal for asylum for these Ugandan comes in fear of gay Ugandans being hunted down and killed. Prominent gay activist David Kato, had such a fate when he was identified as gay in a local newspaper. Being murdered shortly after. The tabloid didn't just stop there, they identified 200 other gay people living in Uganda.
The U.K. supreme court recognizes the importance to help people that are identified as gay, and offer them asylum. In 2010, they announced that it would be unreasonable to send men back to countries like Iran and Cameroon, where homosexuality is forbidden, and they should not have to hide their sexual orientation.
Uganda is not the only country that has anti-gay laws. There are at least 41 other countries that have anti-gay legislation. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, in which Uganda and several other anti-gay countries are set attend, the Kaleidoscope Trust, an anti-gay advocacy group hopes that Scotland will use the gathering to condemn the countries that have such regressive laws.
“We have always felt the Games had an important part to play in tackling the scandal of LGBT abuses in the Commonwealth and welcome the Scottish government taking the bull by the horns," the Kaleidoscope Trust told The Herald.
Hopefully, with the pressure from President Obama, the World Bank and Scotland, Uganda will reconsider its regressive discriminatory laws.
In response to this new law President Obama has threatened to cut off aid to Uganda, if the laws are not changed. Uganda also expected to receive a loan from The World Bank to help over haul it's health system. The $90 million loan has been postponed though, due to the tough anti-gay law. This comes at a surprise, considering that The World Bank usually tries to avoid politics altogether.
"We have postponed the project for further review to ensure that the development objectives would not be adversely affected by the enactment of this new law," World Bank spokesman David Theis said in an email.
The president of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, sent an email to his bank staff saying the bank does not condone discrimination, and will protect the safety to all employees.
Scotland has also joined in the fight against discrimination against the LGBT community. The country has proposed a plan to offer asylum to any Ugandans that are being persecuted by the new anti-gay laws.
Humza Yusuf wrote in a letter submitted to the U.K. Foreign Secretary, "Scotland will play her part in providing asylum for those seeking refuge from this draconian legislation."
Scotland's proposal for asylum for these Ugandan comes in fear of gay Ugandans being hunted down and killed. Prominent gay activist David Kato, had such a fate when he was identified as gay in a local newspaper. Being murdered shortly after. The tabloid didn't just stop there, they identified 200 other gay people living in Uganda.
The U.K. supreme court recognizes the importance to help people that are identified as gay, and offer them asylum. In 2010, they announced that it would be unreasonable to send men back to countries like Iran and Cameroon, where homosexuality is forbidden, and they should not have to hide their sexual orientation.
Uganda is not the only country that has anti-gay laws. There are at least 41 other countries that have anti-gay legislation. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, in which Uganda and several other anti-gay countries are set attend, the Kaleidoscope Trust, an anti-gay advocacy group hopes that Scotland will use the gathering to condemn the countries that have such regressive laws.
“We have always felt the Games had an important part to play in tackling the scandal of LGBT abuses in the Commonwealth and welcome the Scottish government taking the bull by the horns," the Kaleidoscope Trust told The Herald.
Hopefully, with the pressure from President Obama, the World Bank and Scotland, Uganda will reconsider its regressive discriminatory laws.
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