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Border agent shoots suspected illegal immigrant
TUCSON - Authorities say a U.S. Border Patrol agent has shot a suspected illegal immigrant from Mexico who was trying to cross the Arizona border northwest of Nogales.
Santa Cruz County officials say the 30-year-old man from Nogales, Son., was airlifted to a Tucson hospital after being shot at least once in the abdomen Tuesday morning. It's unclear if the man's wounds are life-threatening.
The Arizona Daily Star says the Border Patrol called the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office at 9:40 a.m. to report the shooting.
Agents working a remote area near Walker Canyon say they came upon 12 suspected illegal border crossers. The group fled before shots were fired.
Authorities say the agent involved in the shooting hasn't given deputies his account of the incident. The other 11 suspected illegal immigrants are in custody.
Source - http://www.azcentral.com/community/pinal/articles/2010/11/16/20101116arizona-border-agent-shoots-immigrant.html
30 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
Houston, TX - illegal alien kills 3 in DWI accident
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Driver Arrested in Triple Fatality
HOUSTON - A driver of a pickup truck is in police custody for allegedly causing the deaths of all the passengers in his vehicle. It's now known he was also an illegal immigrant.
Jose Sarmientos, 20, is charged with two counts of injury involving death in connection to fatal vehicle accident in the 21600 block of the Gulf Freeway.
Officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement say the native from El Salvador was in the country illegally. He had an order back in Aug. 2007 to leave the country. He made his first court appearance on Tuesday.
Myra Castillo, 22, Maria Castillo, 18, and Marvin Garcia died when their 2004 GMC pickup truck flipped over and caught fire on Sunday around 2:48 a.m., Webster Police investigators said. Sarmientos is accused of being the driver of that vehicle and attempting to flee scene on foot.
The four of them apparently had just left a night club near West Fuqua and the Gulf Freeway and were heading southbound on the main lanes when Sarmientos lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle struck the center concrete divider, crossed over the main lanes on the opposing side, over a grassy median and two frontage lanes. The truck rolled over into a tree line just west of the southbound frontage road where it caught fire.
Sarmientos crawled out of the drivers side window and led police on a chase for over six hours. He was arrested near Bay Area Boulevard and the Gulf Freeway.
ICE has now filed paperwork to detain Sarmientos. He is currently being held in custody at the Harris County Jail.
Source - http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/101116-driver-arrested-in-triple-fatality
HOUSTON - A driver of a pickup truck is in police custody for allegedly causing the deaths of all the passengers in his vehicle. It's now known he was also an illegal immigrant.
Jose Sarmientos, 20, is charged with two counts of injury involving death in connection to fatal vehicle accident in the 21600 block of the Gulf Freeway.
Officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement say the native from El Salvador was in the country illegally. He had an order back in Aug. 2007 to leave the country. He made his first court appearance on Tuesday.
Myra Castillo, 22, Maria Castillo, 18, and Marvin Garcia died when their 2004 GMC pickup truck flipped over and caught fire on Sunday around 2:48 a.m., Webster Police investigators said. Sarmientos is accused of being the driver of that vehicle and attempting to flee scene on foot.
The four of them apparently had just left a night club near West Fuqua and the Gulf Freeway and were heading southbound on the main lanes when Sarmientos lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle struck the center concrete divider, crossed over the main lanes on the opposing side, over a grassy median and two frontage lanes. The truck rolled over into a tree line just west of the southbound frontage road where it caught fire.
Sarmientos crawled out of the drivers side window and led police on a chase for over six hours. He was arrested near Bay Area Boulevard and the Gulf Freeway.
ICE has now filed paperwork to detain Sarmientos. He is currently being held in custody at the Harris County Jail.
Source - http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/local/101116-driver-arrested-in-triple-fatality
Edinburg, TX - 2 illegal alien gang members open fire on another illegal alien gang
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Gang members arrested after drive-by shooting near Edinburg
EDINBURG — Two gang members faced felony charges Tuesday after an alleged retaliatory drive-by shooting.
Suspected Tri-City Bombers gang members Jaime Perez, 17, and his girlfriend Mariela Torres, 19, were charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon Tuesday.
The couple allegedly drove by the 4100 block of Buck Drive, north of Edinburg, about 9 p.m. Monday and shot at three members the Chicanos, a rival gang, said Hidalgo County Sherriff Lupe Treviño.
The pair allegedly shot at Chicano gang members Luis Ramirez, 28, Johnny Lee Morales, 24, and his brother, 18-year-old Anthony Morales.
Ramirez suffered several gunshot wounds during the attack. He remained at Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio on Tuesday with non-life threatening injuries to his face, deputies said.
The victims were outside Morales’ home when Perez allegedly opened fire as Torres drove the vehicle, investigators said.
The suspects told investigators they shot at Morales’ house after a previous drive-by shooting by the victims a couple of weeks ago, Treviño said. Deputies continue to investigate whether that claim is true.
“We’re researching it,” he said. “The search is not being very fruitful so maybe it’s a self-serving justification. Maybe it did not happen and they made it up.”
The sheriff said the victims could also face criminal charges if investigators can connect them to the alleged shooting that triggered Monday night’s attack.
“Just because they were victims in this one, does not absolve them from any culpability in prior drive-bys, if they do exist,” the sheriff said.
The drive-by shooting exposes the threat local gangs have on the community, Treviño added.
“They pose a much greater, deadly threat to the people in Hidalgo County than any Mexican drug cartel,” the sheriff said.
Perez and Torres were formally charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon at an arraignment hearing Tuesday morning at the Hidalgo County Jail.
Bond for Perez, who has a criminal record, was set at $50,000. Torres’ bond was set at $25,000.
Source - http://www.themonitor.com/articles/edinburg-44557-gang-members.html
EDINBURG — Two gang members faced felony charges Tuesday after an alleged retaliatory drive-by shooting.
Suspected Tri-City Bombers gang members Jaime Perez, 17, and his girlfriend Mariela Torres, 19, were charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon Tuesday.
The couple allegedly drove by the 4100 block of Buck Drive, north of Edinburg, about 9 p.m. Monday and shot at three members the Chicanos, a rival gang, said Hidalgo County Sherriff Lupe Treviño.
The pair allegedly shot at Chicano gang members Luis Ramirez, 28, Johnny Lee Morales, 24, and his brother, 18-year-old Anthony Morales.
Ramirez suffered several gunshot wounds during the attack. He remained at Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio on Tuesday with non-life threatening injuries to his face, deputies said.
The victims were outside Morales’ home when Perez allegedly opened fire as Torres drove the vehicle, investigators said.
The suspects told investigators they shot at Morales’ house after a previous drive-by shooting by the victims a couple of weeks ago, Treviño said. Deputies continue to investigate whether that claim is true.
“We’re researching it,” he said. “The search is not being very fruitful so maybe it’s a self-serving justification. Maybe it did not happen and they made it up.”
The sheriff said the victims could also face criminal charges if investigators can connect them to the alleged shooting that triggered Monday night’s attack.
“Just because they were victims in this one, does not absolve them from any culpability in prior drive-bys, if they do exist,” the sheriff said.
The drive-by shooting exposes the threat local gangs have on the community, Treviño added.
“They pose a much greater, deadly threat to the people in Hidalgo County than any Mexican drug cartel,” the sheriff said.
Perez and Torres were formally charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon at an arraignment hearing Tuesday morning at the Hidalgo County Jail.
Bond for Perez, who has a criminal record, was set at $50,000. Torres’ bond was set at $25,000.
Source - http://www.themonitor.com/articles/edinburg-44557-gang-members.html
Michigan - ICE arrest 17 illegal aliens after immigration sweep
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Immigration sweep lands several in jail
TRAVERSE CITY — Vacant jail cells are hard to come by this week in Chippewa County after authorities scoured the region, including the Traverse City area, for illegal immigrants.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers last week arrested several suspected illegal immigrants throughout northwest Michigan. Many of them are expected to remain in the Chippewa County Jail until they're either deported or face an immigration judge.
"We were on the road almost every day last week," said Chippewa Sheriff Bob Savoie, who contracts with ICE to detain suspects in immigration cases.
Federal authorities said they arrested three suspected illegal immigrants last week at Agave Mexican Grill and Cantina off Garfield Road in Traverse City. The owner didn't return a call for comment.
Officers said they arrested 14 other suspected illegal immigrants last week throughout Traverse City, Lake City and Cadillac as part of a targeted enforcement action.
"It really wasn't a raid," said Khaalid Walls, ICE spokesman. "We sought out specific individuals. We had information that foreign nationals who didn't have legal status were working in that area."
Many of the 17 people arrested last week were from Mexico, while others were from Honduras and Canada, Walls said. Authorities received tips that immigrants worked in northwest Michigan, but Walls said Monday that none of the inmates have been deported.
The Chippewa County Jail held about 160 inmates Monday afternoon, close to its 175-inmate capacity. Nearly 50 of them were federal inmates booked on suspicion of being illegal immigrants.
One of those inmates is Serafin Mendoza, who worked at Wunsch Farms in Peninsula Township. Officers arrested Mendoza last week on suspicion of being an illegal immigrant.
Farm owner Josh Wunsch worked with Mendoza for nearly a decade and said his employee was close to gaining legal status. In 2005, as Mendoza sought legal status, his wife died when she fell into a vat used to clean and process cherries at Peninsula Fruit Exchange.
Mendoza has a young daughter who lives in the area.
"The objective is to get Serafin back with his family," Wunsch said. "The second objective is to finally achieve Serafin's legal status. He's 99 percent of the way there."
Federal officials refused to comment on whether disciplinary action would be taken against the area employers who hired susptected illegal immigrants.
Source - http://record-eagle.com/local/x1110254012/Immigration-sweep-lands-several-in-jail
TRAVERSE CITY — Vacant jail cells are hard to come by this week in Chippewa County after authorities scoured the region, including the Traverse City area, for illegal immigrants.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers last week arrested several suspected illegal immigrants throughout northwest Michigan. Many of them are expected to remain in the Chippewa County Jail until they're either deported or face an immigration judge.
"We were on the road almost every day last week," said Chippewa Sheriff Bob Savoie, who contracts with ICE to detain suspects in immigration cases.
Federal authorities said they arrested three suspected illegal immigrants last week at Agave Mexican Grill and Cantina off Garfield Road in Traverse City. The owner didn't return a call for comment.
Officers said they arrested 14 other suspected illegal immigrants last week throughout Traverse City, Lake City and Cadillac as part of a targeted enforcement action.
"It really wasn't a raid," said Khaalid Walls, ICE spokesman. "We sought out specific individuals. We had information that foreign nationals who didn't have legal status were working in that area."
Many of the 17 people arrested last week were from Mexico, while others were from Honduras and Canada, Walls said. Authorities received tips that immigrants worked in northwest Michigan, but Walls said Monday that none of the inmates have been deported.
The Chippewa County Jail held about 160 inmates Monday afternoon, close to its 175-inmate capacity. Nearly 50 of them were federal inmates booked on suspicion of being illegal immigrants.
One of those inmates is Serafin Mendoza, who worked at Wunsch Farms in Peninsula Township. Officers arrested Mendoza last week on suspicion of being an illegal immigrant.
Farm owner Josh Wunsch worked with Mendoza for nearly a decade and said his employee was close to gaining legal status. In 2005, as Mendoza sought legal status, his wife died when she fell into a vat used to clean and process cherries at Peninsula Fruit Exchange.
Mendoza has a young daughter who lives in the area.
"The objective is to get Serafin back with his family," Wunsch said. "The second objective is to finally achieve Serafin's legal status. He's 99 percent of the way there."
Federal officials refused to comment on whether disciplinary action would be taken against the area employers who hired susptected illegal immigrants.
Source - http://record-eagle.com/local/x1110254012/Immigration-sweep-lands-several-in-jail
Reno, NV - illegal alien arrested applying for ID
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Two men arrested for fraudulently applying for ID at Reno DMV
The state department of motor vehicles’ facial recognition system led to the arrests Tuesday of two men accused of fraudulently applying for either an identification card or driver’s license.
Malcolm Lowell Gray, 73, of Sparks, and Alfonso Ramirez, 47, of Reno, were also booked into the Washoe County Jail on suspicion of possessing fraudulent documents. Gray was released from custody Tuesday, while Ramirez is a suspected illegal immigrant being held without bail on an immigration hold.
Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles Spokesman Tom Jacobs said Ramirez’s record had been flagged through the facial recognition system as possibly fraudulent when he tried Tuesday to obtain a new identification card. Investigators said he possessed a fake Social Security card. He was arrested at the Reno DMV site on Galletti Way.
Gray, Jacobs said, was discovered through the facial recognition system to have two separate records with the agency under two different names. He had tried to obtain a new driver’s license and allegedly also possessed fake documents. Investigators said they suspect Gray may be defrauding federal and state agencies out of financial benefits that he is not entitled to.
Jacobs said investigators are forwarding on that information to the respective agencies for follow-up investigation. Gray was also arrested at the Reno DMV site.
Source - http://www.rgj.com/article/20101117/NEWS01/101117032
The state department of motor vehicles’ facial recognition system led to the arrests Tuesday of two men accused of fraudulently applying for either an identification card or driver’s license.
Malcolm Lowell Gray, 73, of Sparks, and Alfonso Ramirez, 47, of Reno, were also booked into the Washoe County Jail on suspicion of possessing fraudulent documents. Gray was released from custody Tuesday, while Ramirez is a suspected illegal immigrant being held without bail on an immigration hold.
Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles Spokesman Tom Jacobs said Ramirez’s record had been flagged through the facial recognition system as possibly fraudulent when he tried Tuesday to obtain a new identification card. Investigators said he possessed a fake Social Security card. He was arrested at the Reno DMV site on Galletti Way.
Gray, Jacobs said, was discovered through the facial recognition system to have two separate records with the agency under two different names. He had tried to obtain a new driver’s license and allegedly also possessed fake documents. Investigators said they suspect Gray may be defrauding federal and state agencies out of financial benefits that he is not entitled to.
Jacobs said investigators are forwarding on that information to the respective agencies for follow-up investigation. Gray was also arrested at the Reno DMV site.
Source - http://www.rgj.com/article/20101117/NEWS01/101117032
23 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
Should Hip Hop be considered art?
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As the president of the hip hop student association I feel it is my obligation to defend hip hop against those who choose to discredit it as an art form. In order to do this I have created a survey in which I hope from a large sample of students I am able to understand what people think of hip hop and more importantly some, especially the older generation, why some do not consider it music. I don’t think it is a matter of people not liking hip hop--that I dont care about. Many people like different things, some people like country some don’t like Strawberry ice cream. I believe that the majority of reasons why people don’t like hip hop is because there reasoning is clouded in ignorance perpetuated by the mainstream media.
There is nothing inherently wrong with being ignorant. Everyone is ignorant on many issues. Ignorance is not a sign of weakness it is a sign of the honesty within our humanity.
In general, there are three reasons why most people oppose rap and hip hop music in general. Most of the reasons are not simply they cant get into it but are more complicated. Many people who dont like rap believe that rap is not music. I remember having a discussion about this with my grandma who studied music in her youth. She could play the piano as well as other instruments. She told me that rap was not music because the beat repeated an thus it lacks creativity.
Tangentially speaking, I do not have the pleasure of engaging in rich dialogue with my grandmother because her memory is fading and her intellect is not as powerful as it used to be. At any rate, this is one argument me people use to argue why they don’t listen to rap and more importantly don’t consider it a legitimate art form.
The second reason is that there are many people, due to lack of information, who think rappers only care about pleasing themselves. Drugs, violence, misogyny, and materialism/creed and a kaleidoscope of other negative images is usually what comes to the average American mind who despises hip hop.
Lastly, many critics of hip hop think that rap is talentless. They think to themselves. “How hard is it to rhyme?”
Although I could write several books in defense of hip hop culture I will limit my arguments by putting my main arguments in context of what author “Jay Dubya” aka John Wiessner well-known author, wrote in an essay entitled “Rap is not Music” criticized hip hop for the aforementioned points.
It isn’t just the older white generation of academics who are criticizing hip hop. Graduate student Thomas Chatterton Williams has made it abundantly clear that he believes the only good that comes from hip hop is that those who are in the process of making hip hop benefit economically through job creation. He also states that unless you are defending hip hop in academics “to the point of Absurdity” like Michael Eric Dyson hip hop is not beneficial instead it’s destructive to “black dignity.” In an interview with Tony Brown Williams said that it is an issue of anti-intellectualism. He used Kanye West “College dropout” as an example.
This criticism is pervasive through academia the media and other mainstream outlets. The criticism is not without its merits. But an honest scholar would have to look at this issue in all its nuances. In both of these scholars analysis they do the intellect a disservice by using a sample of mainstream artist as a representation of culture that spans four decades.
Before I totally destroy these critics’ arguments I am glad that they said what they said. If hip hop has any chance for a future it needs external critics like this who can expose some of the shortcomings of the culture without being constraint by political correctness.
With that being said lets look at hip hop in the context of Jay Duba’s article. The first argument he makes is that hip hop is not music;
(Music is) organized sounds in the form of notes that then result in a smooth blend of rhythm, tone, and pitch that when united, is quite pleasing to the ear. Rap is not music. The unpleasant-sounding horror is chaotic dissonance and certainly not elegant consonance. Rap is veritable noise pollution that is tastelessly amplified from a cumbersome boom box.
Dubya continues
Why isn’t “Rap Music” genuine music? Because Real Music possesses two authentic characteristics: it has grace and beauty, two marvelous components that “Rap” sadly lacks. Rap tunes usually are nothing more than one monotonous beat
IS RAP MUSIC?
First of all we should agree on what Music is. Generally speaking music consist of three parts; Harmony, Rhythm and Melody. I’m not a musicologist but I would argue that hip hop posses at least two of these qualities. Rhythm signifies repetition. There is a repetion of the sound in music that is why music is different than noise. Albeit some hip hop tends to have a repetitive beat that is only so that the rapper can rap. For something to be melodious it has to be pleasing to the ear. Some people might not find Country or heavy metal to exhibit this feature does that mean they should not be considered music?
Dubya’s clearly does not understand the complexity of hip hop music. The simplicity of his argument makes me yearn for at least one copy of Scratch magazine. Does Mr. Dubya know about Grandmaster Flash and what he went trough to create his “noise pollution”
“Not enough people have been told the details of the story of hip hop. If you were to hear how I came up with the idea of taking one piece of music and repeating it over and over again, you’d look at me like “So?” But if I told you how I did it, how many times I stayed in my room and many needles I broke…it might be a bit more interesting.”
“I consider myself an expert in most music, but I can still look at a Jazz historical program and say “Why did he blow the horn like that, how did he slip the finger like that and come up with that sound?” (Vibe history of Hip Hop) GRANDMASTER FLASH
Hip Hop is truly innovative. Does Dubya know who DJ Kool Herc is and his contribution to hip hop;
“Herc wondered what would happen if he got two copies of the same record and cut back and forth between them in order to prolong the break or sonic climax. Unwittingly, he stumbled upon the breakbeat” (Vibe history of hip hop)
It is not just hip hop that was influenced by Herc’s musicianship but also dance, techno and other music.
What is the point? The point being is that hip hop music is more complicated then Dubya is making it out to be. Has Dubya ever heard of instrumental hip hop? Many hip hop producers/djs who produce instrumental hip hop are not constrained by “One Monotonous beat” instead Hip Hop DJs like DJ shadow and RJD2 use a collage of samples to produce their own unique music. Some might look at sampling and say that it is nothing more than stealing from other people’s music. I beg to differ. Yes if you sample the entire song but uses numerous albums to create his music.
Think of it like a chef. Suppose that a chef uses several ingredients for a recipe. Suppose that I were to look at how he used the spices and I looked at other chef techniques and how they used a combination of ingredients to get a unique taste. For example if one chef combines cumin with onions in garlic and mixes it together with curry powder, if I incorporate this into one of my dishes should I be accused of not being original even though that is just part of my finish product?
Another example is writing. Authors use ideas and writing that came from other sources in order to promote their ideas. The point being is that hip hop is criticized for sampling other music yet if you take that same standard and apply it in other areas it doesn’t make sense. I believe that there is nothing wrong with taking a variety of elements that come from different people and incorporating into one’s art. To me I find, Shadow’s work aesthetically pleasing:
“Shadow created a deep, endlessly intriguing world on Entroducing one where there are no musical genres only shifting sonic texture and styles. He (Shadow) created the entire albumn from samples almost all pulled from obscure, forgotten vinyl and the effects is that of a hazy half familiar dream….the multilayered samples and genres created something new.”
http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmzHRGoKca0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32X-ieCav-M&feature=related
Writes music critic Stephen Thomas.
Another issue debate is should turntablism be considered an art?
I wont get into this in too much detail but I suggest looking at DJ Q-bert for more information. Qbert is perhaps one of the best representatives of the art of turntablism. DJ-Qbert is known for numerous new scratch techniques as well as tutorials on DJ history.
“He invented the first musical annotation system for scratching, battling and composing on vinyl” (wikipedia)
Another example of the raw creativity of turntablism is in 2001 when a DJ known as Scratch Bastid juggled two records together to create the Imperial Death March from Star Wars. It may not be music to Dubya’s ear but he cant deny the inventiveness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGl4DlfBvLA
Finally Dubya seems to forget that there are many hip hop artist who use live instruments like the Roots or K-OS. In fact if you look on the linear notes of one of the latter’s album you will notice that the first tract is produced in collaboration with the Canadian Orchestra.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4od9G0CsKwE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyRB00Xe5-E
Lastly, I wonder what someone like Dubya makes of hip hop violinst Miri-Ben Ari?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJANqJamSp8
SHOULD ACT OF RAP BE CONSIDERED A SKILL or ART?
Now let me move into another criticism Dubya and others like him have about hip hop. According to Dubya the actual act of rapping is talentless. It takes no skill. But let Mr. Dubya’s words speak for themselves;
Rap Music” is essentially non-creative no matter how creative its performers think they are in writing it or in presenting it. And the rappers have the unmitigated audacity to describe themselves as “artists.”
Real Music usually has singing associated with it but Rap only pretends to be music
Most rappers can just robotically shout, yell, holler, drivel, rant, slobber, prattle and babble in rubbish junkish mechanical non-poetic lyrics that lack imagination
Certainly it doesn’t take much of a genius to concoct lyrics that come up with diabolical rhyming words for “ditch and witch” and for “duck and luck!”
Were should I start. There are some rappers who use simplistic nurse-style ryme schemes but there are many hip hop artist who are more complex when constructing ryme schemes. Many use different literary techniques in their rymes. For example Gift of Gab used alliteration in his song “A to G” where he literally uses words for the same constant for the first line then goes to the next line using words from the second constant in alphabetic order. He does this while also rapping faster each time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvPnM2Q1nwU&feature=related
There are two ways I evaluate a rapper’s style. The first is the delivery and the second are different rhyming techniques. Many underground rappers don’t simply rhyme one syllable with another many have poly-syllabic rymes. For example in one song an artist writes
Throughout his LP “the big Picture” Big L usually rymes using two words throughout the whole album.
Ayo, I shoulda been out I'm deadly when I pull the pin outKeep frontin', I'ma try yo' chin out I knocked a lot of men out
Made singles wit' a fifty on top
L tryin' to have the city on lock
“So I start/ to/ build/ a Bridge/during my Ag/no/stic pil/grim/age” Sage Francis
“My lyr/ic/ism/ Amplifies/ every/ letter written/” Canibus
Another tool commonly used is internal ryming schemes.
“Killa cobras that hova overa jehova in motorized autogiros and sycamore rotors, hydrogen paraoxided and gaseous vapors/ technically these words shouldn’t even ryme on paper”
Canibus 101
Also notice how he incorporates terms used to describing writing into his verse.
CANIBUS
Do you know how to paraphrase?/Do you even understand what the narrator is trying to say?/The climax explodes/; nobody can foreshadow my flow/ Figuratively the language is too dope/ Academic journals print my lyrical quotes/ They show parallelism in all the albums I wrote"
“The lyrical inimical is miserable because I've built a citadelOf syllables that made me invincible”
On the Sabbath/ I write preplanning/ for the Planet/Drawin' mechanics/, suspended in space as holographic/
There are many rappers who take words and ryme them together even though initially the might not seem to go together
Tears slid from his eylid He got silent, then he said violent) (Sporty Theives.
Eminem
nervous wreck
circus net
broken dreams
no job openings
I'm like a wasp in the hospital lost
Stingin everything I come across in the halls
Notorious BIG
“MY slow flow is remarkable”
I'm trying to grow it back again, it was an accident I had my back against the fan and chopped it off in Amsterdam
No reason for your mans to panic You don't wanna see no ammmmbuuulances Nas "Made you Look"
Battle rappers are known for this
“Firebender/Al-qaedia member” (Dizaster)
Pineapple/ryme battle/ white castle”
“A less distinguished version/of an English person”
hearing it
pyrimads
One rapper uses word association to make his lyrics more creative
“Internet GROSS/exaggerations of the truth is often stranger than fiction novel think groups
Tales from the CRIP walking on the planking sales
Life insurance for the living dead BEAT box away your
Work away for your summer job HUNT the best deal under the sun block
Any concept of time SHEETS of acid rain
Lean solutions for the dangerously over WEIGHT WAIT just a minute
Vegas how I come aCROSS section part of town
Kick this one for my DJ red ALERT the masses of what I say
The microphone for help wanted dead or aLIVE from New York Saturday Night Fever running high
CHINO XL NUNCA
Pay attention to the wordplay
Thus my mind spoke on Jedi pedestals and roasting demos semi seminals who try to test testicles of this mc's quotables By summoning the smoldering murdering minister thats mastering mayhemslaying day out & day in out'spoke'n like a dayton Rim that be keeping 'em staggering through lyrical pattern and traveling through my abdomen unraveling at the speed of a javelin still reppin' Vatica
here he plays of the name of rock bands
The puertan rican does his thing"I hate the police so much i'll probably assasinate stingmy system of a down-Rages against the machineTie you up in a slipnot and hold Alice in chains in her dreams
Yo punks you wait... I punctuateMy karma's the commaThat puts you inside of a comaHyphen, dot, dot, semi-colon, leave you semi-swollenQuestion mark, you pregnant?
Oh you're not? I love you, period.
A lesser known artist who uses internal ryme scemes is L’Roneous
Another technique that rappers use is that some of them will separate the syllables and place emphasis on the last one
Big L
“I throw slugs at IDI—OTS”
“Got no love for City-Cops”
NAS Made you look
same hand that you hoop with
Swing around like you stu-pid
panic stric-ken, she'll remain stuck On a titantic sin-ken, shes tryin to stay up (Sage Francis Broken Wings)
Cannibal Ox
Eh yo, I'm a black man with an Af-ri-can/ Drum in my chest that beats on the opposite of the right
IMAGERY-many rappers are very descriptive—
using a lot of images in their rap song.
EDAN Beauty and The BEAST
The numbers they fall off the clock midnightAt the museum an apple is stolen out of a still lifeYou see 'em, stand by the mirror with no reflectionA point five appears on your shirt for half stepping……..Planets of the solar system now trade places
Statues and national fame become facelessGreat lakes evaporate and leave no tracesThe man with the mustache reveals the three acesBriefcases open to expose sheet musicThe thief hears the piece performed and weeps to itMaster violinist plays the solo one handed Another example of a song by a hip hop artist rich in imagery is Saul Williams Robeson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuW6Bu7KCwc
I slept once, the dream has yet to endIt was a purple evening such as this
the curtains had been pulled by a hand unattachedI lay propped on a pillow of eagle feathers on a couch look how Def Jux rapper AESOP ROCK vividly describes his urban environment I was sitting on my fire escape and I SAAAAAAW sturdy bridges, decorated with dirty pigeons, a vagabound begging for three pennies and a princess, a junky tourniquet surgeon urging the needle in, a batty senior citizen flashin that aweful teethless grin.
ARE RAPPERS SAYING ANYTHING MEANINGFUL Lastly Mr. Dubya returns to the same arguments rehashed by other critics of hip hop. That hip hop promotes black stereotype. To a certain extent this is true. There are many artist whose work is mainly defined on such one-dimensional stereotypical themes as violence misogyny or creed. In addition, there is this problem in hip hop known as anti-intellectualism. This is perhaps a larger American problem. Just look at how people discuss politics. The whole way that the newspaper is written is done in such as way that it is simple and the reader can get everything he needs in the first sentence. The media today is so fragmentized that it is hard for people to pay attention. This ultimately will lead to a “dumbing down” of America.
Nonetheless this is true for hip hop in the mainstream. In a study on Music and intelligence by grad student Virgil Griffith Griffith studied SAT scores and musical preferences. Surprisingly he found that Lil Wayne listeners had the lowest SAT scores. Should that surprise me? Honestly with lyrics like “I gotta mansion with 10 bathrooms and I could SH#$% all day.”
Two years ago Sam Fulwood from the Plain Dealer wrote an article about a panel discussion on Black Masculinity at Myers University. One of those in attendance was a young black woman who wanted to know how she can convince young black men to value education. She said that many of the young black men who do read are often viewed as weak. She said that there was once a boy she dated who aspired to be either an athelete or a rapper.
A good song that rebels against this theme is Lupe Fiasco’s “Dumb it Down”
“You didn’t go to College Obviously/ That’s why you speak with an ungodly terminology” Canibus
This clearly shows how hip hop as its presented in the mainstream is clearly having a negative impact on young black men. However I must point out that I believe is obvious. It is not the artist that should be blame but the media that should be held culpable. In one of my classes I look at the Hip Hop media. I looked through several different magazines listened to the radio my conclusion was that you seldom hear a song or see an artist that doesn’t promote a stereotypical image. The same artists are constantly played on the radio stations over and over again. Another example is BET. For the last few years BET has nominated hip hop artist who are popular regardless of their skills or creativity. The question is if the media gave as much exposure to alternative/underground rappers as commercial or mainstream artist would consumers buy their music?
is both heartless and soulless. Standard love songs show respect and consideration for a member of the opposite gender but most contemporary Rap lyrics promote a hedonistic “me first” ghetto survival theme that is cruelly perpetuated upon its afflicted listening audience.
It is shallow and hollow linguistic jargonized anger-oriented ghetto garbage. “Rap Music” is analogous to looking at a rainbow having only one dull color.
This is perhaps something I feel the most passionate about. If there is anything MR.Dubya is incorrect about it is certainly this.
Tere are many artist who dont promote aHedonistic "me first" ghetto "Survival" theme Dubya compares rap to a rainbow with one color Let see how that holds up to reality. Allow me to illustrate this with numerous examples
As the president of the hip hop student association I feel it is my obligation to defend hip hop against those who choose to discredit it as an art form. In order to do this I have created a survey in which I hope from a large sample of students I am able to understand what people think of hip hop and more importantly some, especially the older generation, why some do not consider it music. I don’t think it is a matter of people not liking hip hop--that I dont care about. Many people like different things, some people like country some don’t like Strawberry ice cream. I believe that the majority of reasons why people don’t like hip hop is because there reasoning is clouded in ignorance perpetuated by the mainstream media.
There is nothing inherently wrong with being ignorant. Everyone is ignorant on many issues. Ignorance is not a sign of weakness it is a sign of the honesty within our humanity.
In general, there are three reasons why most people oppose rap and hip hop music in general. Most of the reasons are not simply they cant get into it but are more complicated. Many people who dont like rap believe that rap is not music. I remember having a discussion about this with my grandma who studied music in her youth. She could play the piano as well as other instruments. She told me that rap was not music because the beat repeated an thus it lacks creativity.
Tangentially speaking, I do not have the pleasure of engaging in rich dialogue with my grandmother because her memory is fading and her intellect is not as powerful as it used to be. At any rate, this is one argument me people use to argue why they don’t listen to rap and more importantly don’t consider it a legitimate art form.
The second reason is that there are many people, due to lack of information, who think rappers only care about pleasing themselves. Drugs, violence, misogyny, and materialism/creed and a kaleidoscope of other negative images is usually what comes to the average American mind who despises hip hop.
Lastly, many critics of hip hop think that rap is talentless. They think to themselves. “How hard is it to rhyme?”
Although I could write several books in defense of hip hop culture I will limit my arguments by putting my main arguments in context of what author “Jay Dubya” aka John Wiessner well-known author, wrote in an essay entitled “Rap is not Music” criticized hip hop for the aforementioned points.
It isn’t just the older white generation of academics who are criticizing hip hop. Graduate student Thomas Chatterton Williams has made it abundantly clear that he believes the only good that comes from hip hop is that those who are in the process of making hip hop benefit economically through job creation. He also states that unless you are defending hip hop in academics “to the point of Absurdity” like Michael Eric Dyson hip hop is not beneficial instead it’s destructive to “black dignity.” In an interview with Tony Brown Williams said that it is an issue of anti-intellectualism. He used Kanye West “College dropout” as an example.
This criticism is pervasive through academia the media and other mainstream outlets. The criticism is not without its merits. But an honest scholar would have to look at this issue in all its nuances. In both of these scholars analysis they do the intellect a disservice by using a sample of mainstream artist as a representation of culture that spans four decades.
Before I totally destroy these critics’ arguments I am glad that they said what they said. If hip hop has any chance for a future it needs external critics like this who can expose some of the shortcomings of the culture without being constraint by political correctness.
With that being said lets look at hip hop in the context of Jay Duba’s article. The first argument he makes is that hip hop is not music;
(Music is) organized sounds in the form of notes that then result in a smooth blend of rhythm, tone, and pitch that when united, is quite pleasing to the ear. Rap is not music. The unpleasant-sounding horror is chaotic dissonance and certainly not elegant consonance. Rap is veritable noise pollution that is tastelessly amplified from a cumbersome boom box.
Dubya continues
Why isn’t “Rap Music” genuine music? Because Real Music possesses two authentic characteristics: it has grace and beauty, two marvelous components that “Rap” sadly lacks. Rap tunes usually are nothing more than one monotonous beat
IS RAP MUSIC?
First of all we should agree on what Music is. Generally speaking music consist of three parts; Harmony, Rhythm and Melody. I’m not a musicologist but I would argue that hip hop posses at least two of these qualities. Rhythm signifies repetition. There is a repetion of the sound in music that is why music is different than noise. Albeit some hip hop tends to have a repetitive beat that is only so that the rapper can rap. For something to be melodious it has to be pleasing to the ear. Some people might not find Country or heavy metal to exhibit this feature does that mean they should not be considered music?
Dubya’s clearly does not understand the complexity of hip hop music. The simplicity of his argument makes me yearn for at least one copy of Scratch magazine. Does Mr. Dubya know about Grandmaster Flash and what he went trough to create his “noise pollution”
“Not enough people have been told the details of the story of hip hop. If you were to hear how I came up with the idea of taking one piece of music and repeating it over and over again, you’d look at me like “So?” But if I told you how I did it, how many times I stayed in my room and many needles I broke…it might be a bit more interesting.”
“I consider myself an expert in most music, but I can still look at a Jazz historical program and say “Why did he blow the horn like that, how did he slip the finger like that and come up with that sound?” (Vibe history of Hip Hop) GRANDMASTER FLASH
Hip Hop is truly innovative. Does Dubya know who DJ Kool Herc is and his contribution to hip hop;
“Herc wondered what would happen if he got two copies of the same record and cut back and forth between them in order to prolong the break or sonic climax. Unwittingly, he stumbled upon the breakbeat” (Vibe history of hip hop)
It is not just hip hop that was influenced by Herc’s musicianship but also dance, techno and other music.
What is the point? The point being is that hip hop music is more complicated then Dubya is making it out to be. Has Dubya ever heard of instrumental hip hop? Many hip hop producers/djs who produce instrumental hip hop are not constrained by “One Monotonous beat” instead Hip Hop DJs like DJ shadow and RJD2 use a collage of samples to produce their own unique music. Some might look at sampling and say that it is nothing more than stealing from other people’s music. I beg to differ. Yes if you sample the entire song but uses numerous albums to create his music.
Think of it like a chef. Suppose that a chef uses several ingredients for a recipe. Suppose that I were to look at how he used the spices and I looked at other chef techniques and how they used a combination of ingredients to get a unique taste. For example if one chef combines cumin with onions in garlic and mixes it together with curry powder, if I incorporate this into one of my dishes should I be accused of not being original even though that is just part of my finish product?
Another example is writing. Authors use ideas and writing that came from other sources in order to promote their ideas. The point being is that hip hop is criticized for sampling other music yet if you take that same standard and apply it in other areas it doesn’t make sense. I believe that there is nothing wrong with taking a variety of elements that come from different people and incorporating into one’s art. To me I find, Shadow’s work aesthetically pleasing:
“Shadow created a deep, endlessly intriguing world on Entroducing one where there are no musical genres only shifting sonic texture and styles. He (Shadow) created the entire albumn from samples almost all pulled from obscure, forgotten vinyl and the effects is that of a hazy half familiar dream….the multilayered samples and genres created something new.”
http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmzHRGoKca0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32X-ieCav-M&feature=related
Writes music critic Stephen Thomas.
Another issue debate is should turntablism be considered an art?
I wont get into this in too much detail but I suggest looking at DJ Q-bert for more information. Qbert is perhaps one of the best representatives of the art of turntablism. DJ-Qbert is known for numerous new scratch techniques as well as tutorials on DJ history.
“He invented the first musical annotation system for scratching, battling and composing on vinyl” (wikipedia)
Another example of the raw creativity of turntablism is in 2001 when a DJ known as Scratch Bastid juggled two records together to create the Imperial Death March from Star Wars. It may not be music to Dubya’s ear but he cant deny the inventiveness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGl4DlfBvLA
Finally Dubya seems to forget that there are many hip hop artist who use live instruments like the Roots or K-OS. In fact if you look on the linear notes of one of the latter’s album you will notice that the first tract is produced in collaboration with the Canadian Orchestra.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4od9G0CsKwE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyRB00Xe5-E
Lastly, I wonder what someone like Dubya makes of hip hop violinst Miri-Ben Ari?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJANqJamSp8
SHOULD ACT OF RAP BE CONSIDERED A SKILL or ART?
Now let me move into another criticism Dubya and others like him have about hip hop. According to Dubya the actual act of rapping is talentless. It takes no skill. But let Mr. Dubya’s words speak for themselves;
Rap Music” is essentially non-creative no matter how creative its performers think they are in writing it or in presenting it. And the rappers have the unmitigated audacity to describe themselves as “artists.”
Real Music usually has singing associated with it but Rap only pretends to be music
Most rappers can just robotically shout, yell, holler, drivel, rant, slobber, prattle and babble in rubbish junkish mechanical non-poetic lyrics that lack imagination
Certainly it doesn’t take much of a genius to concoct lyrics that come up with diabolical rhyming words for “ditch and witch” and for “duck and luck!”
Were should I start. There are some rappers who use simplistic nurse-style ryme schemes but there are many hip hop artist who are more complex when constructing ryme schemes. Many use different literary techniques in their rymes. For example Gift of Gab used alliteration in his song “A to G” where he literally uses words for the same constant for the first line then goes to the next line using words from the second constant in alphabetic order. He does this while also rapping faster each time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvPnM2Q1nwU&feature=related
There are two ways I evaluate a rapper’s style. The first is the delivery and the second are different rhyming techniques. Many underground rappers don’t simply rhyme one syllable with another many have poly-syllabic rymes. For example in one song an artist writes
Throughout his LP “the big Picture” Big L usually rymes using two words throughout the whole album.
Ayo, I shoulda been out I'm deadly when I pull the pin outKeep frontin', I'ma try yo' chin out I knocked a lot of men out
Made singles wit' a fifty on top
L tryin' to have the city on lock
“So I start/ to/ build/ a Bridge/during my Ag/no/stic pil/grim/age” Sage Francis
“My lyr/ic/ism/ Amplifies/ every/ letter written/” Canibus
Another tool commonly used is internal ryming schemes.
“Killa cobras that hova overa jehova in motorized autogiros and sycamore rotors, hydrogen paraoxided and gaseous vapors/ technically these words shouldn’t even ryme on paper”
Canibus 101
Also notice how he incorporates terms used to describing writing into his verse.
CANIBUS
Do you know how to paraphrase?/Do you even understand what the narrator is trying to say?/The climax explodes/; nobody can foreshadow my flow/ Figuratively the language is too dope/ Academic journals print my lyrical quotes/ They show parallelism in all the albums I wrote"
“The lyrical inimical is miserable because I've built a citadelOf syllables that made me invincible”
On the Sabbath/ I write preplanning/ for the Planet/Drawin' mechanics/, suspended in space as holographic/
There are many rappers who take words and ryme them together even though initially the might not seem to go together
Tears slid from his eylid He got silent, then he said violent) (Sporty Theives.
Eminem
nervous wreck
circus net
broken dreams
no job openings
I'm like a wasp in the hospital lost
Stingin everything I come across in the halls
Notorious BIG
“MY slow flow is remarkable”
I'm trying to grow it back again, it was an accident I had my back against the fan and chopped it off in Amsterdam
No reason for your mans to panic You don't wanna see no ammmmbuuulances Nas "Made you Look"
Battle rappers are known for this
“Firebender/Al-qaedia member” (Dizaster)
Pineapple/ryme battle/ white castle”
“A less distinguished version/of an English person”
hearing it
pyrimads
One rapper uses word association to make his lyrics more creative
“Internet GROSS/exaggerations of the truth is often stranger than fiction novel think groups
Tales from the CRIP walking on the planking sales
Life insurance for the living dead BEAT box away your
Work away for your summer job HUNT the best deal under the sun block
Any concept of time SHEETS of acid rain
Lean solutions for the dangerously over WEIGHT WAIT just a minute
Vegas how I come aCROSS section part of town
Kick this one for my DJ red ALERT the masses of what I say
The microphone for help wanted dead or aLIVE from New York Saturday Night Fever running high
CHINO XL NUNCA
Pay attention to the wordplay
Thus my mind spoke on Jedi pedestals and roasting demos semi seminals who try to test testicles of this mc's quotables By summoning the smoldering murdering minister thats mastering mayhemslaying day out & day in out'spoke'n like a dayton Rim that be keeping 'em staggering through lyrical pattern and traveling through my abdomen unraveling at the speed of a javelin still reppin' Vatica
here he plays of the name of rock bands
The puertan rican does his thing"I hate the police so much i'll probably assasinate stingmy system of a down-Rages against the machineTie you up in a slipnot and hold Alice in chains in her dreams
Yo punks you wait... I punctuateMy karma's the commaThat puts you inside of a comaHyphen, dot, dot, semi-colon, leave you semi-swollenQuestion mark, you pregnant?
Oh you're not? I love you, period.
A lesser known artist who uses internal ryme scemes is L’Roneous
Another technique that rappers use is that some of them will separate the syllables and place emphasis on the last one
Big L
“I throw slugs at IDI—OTS”
“Got no love for City-Cops”
NAS Made you look
same hand that you hoop with
Swing around like you stu-pid
panic stric-ken, she'll remain stuck On a titantic sin-ken, shes tryin to stay up (Sage Francis Broken Wings)
Cannibal Ox
Eh yo, I'm a black man with an Af-ri-can/ Drum in my chest that beats on the opposite of the right
IMAGERY-many rappers are very descriptive—
using a lot of images in their rap song.
EDAN Beauty and The BEAST
The numbers they fall off the clock midnightAt the museum an apple is stolen out of a still lifeYou see 'em, stand by the mirror with no reflectionA point five appears on your shirt for half stepping……..Planets of the solar system now trade places
Statues and national fame become facelessGreat lakes evaporate and leave no tracesThe man with the mustache reveals the three acesBriefcases open to expose sheet musicThe thief hears the piece performed and weeps to itMaster violinist plays the solo one handed Another example of a song by a hip hop artist rich in imagery is Saul Williams Robeson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuW6Bu7KCwc
I slept once, the dream has yet to endIt was a purple evening such as this
the curtains had been pulled by a hand unattachedI lay propped on a pillow of eagle feathers on a couch look how Def Jux rapper AESOP ROCK vividly describes his urban environment I was sitting on my fire escape and I SAAAAAAW sturdy bridges, decorated with dirty pigeons, a vagabound begging for three pennies and a princess, a junky tourniquet surgeon urging the needle in, a batty senior citizen flashin that aweful teethless grin.
ARE RAPPERS SAYING ANYTHING MEANINGFUL Lastly Mr. Dubya returns to the same arguments rehashed by other critics of hip hop. That hip hop promotes black stereotype. To a certain extent this is true. There are many artist whose work is mainly defined on such one-dimensional stereotypical themes as violence misogyny or creed. In addition, there is this problem in hip hop known as anti-intellectualism. This is perhaps a larger American problem. Just look at how people discuss politics. The whole way that the newspaper is written is done in such as way that it is simple and the reader can get everything he needs in the first sentence. The media today is so fragmentized that it is hard for people to pay attention. This ultimately will lead to a “dumbing down” of America.
Nonetheless this is true for hip hop in the mainstream. In a study on Music and intelligence by grad student Virgil Griffith Griffith studied SAT scores and musical preferences. Surprisingly he found that Lil Wayne listeners had the lowest SAT scores. Should that surprise me? Honestly with lyrics like “I gotta mansion with 10 bathrooms and I could SH#$% all day.”
Two years ago Sam Fulwood from the Plain Dealer wrote an article about a panel discussion on Black Masculinity at Myers University. One of those in attendance was a young black woman who wanted to know how she can convince young black men to value education. She said that many of the young black men who do read are often viewed as weak. She said that there was once a boy she dated who aspired to be either an athelete or a rapper.
A good song that rebels against this theme is Lupe Fiasco’s “Dumb it Down”
“You didn’t go to College Obviously/ That’s why you speak with an ungodly terminology” Canibus
This clearly shows how hip hop as its presented in the mainstream is clearly having a negative impact on young black men. However I must point out that I believe is obvious. It is not the artist that should be blame but the media that should be held culpable. In one of my classes I look at the Hip Hop media. I looked through several different magazines listened to the radio my conclusion was that you seldom hear a song or see an artist that doesn’t promote a stereotypical image. The same artists are constantly played on the radio stations over and over again. Another example is BET. For the last few years BET has nominated hip hop artist who are popular regardless of their skills or creativity. The question is if the media gave as much exposure to alternative/underground rappers as commercial or mainstream artist would consumers buy their music?
is both heartless and soulless. Standard love songs show respect and consideration for a member of the opposite gender but most contemporary Rap lyrics promote a hedonistic “me first” ghetto survival theme that is cruelly perpetuated upon its afflicted listening audience.
It is shallow and hollow linguistic jargonized anger-oriented ghetto garbage. “Rap Music” is analogous to looking at a rainbow having only one dull color.
This is perhaps something I feel the most passionate about. If there is anything MR.Dubya is incorrect about it is certainly this.
Tere are many artist who dont promote aHedonistic "me first" ghetto "Survival" theme Dubya compares rap to a rainbow with one color Let see how that holds up to reality. Allow me to illustrate this with numerous examples
Remedy "Never Again" Josh Martinez "Deny" both of these songs are about the holocaust.
Aesop Rock "No Regrets" throughout this song Aesop Rock chroncles the life of a young girl whose love of art defines her even until she becomes elderly and is put in a nursing home.
- Last Empeor "One Life" Last Emp questions what happens when people die
- Jean Grae "My Story" is a story about going through an Abortion. There are several songs by male hip hop artist that same to have an anti-Abortion theme. The best example of this is by an artist known as Qwel.
- Chino XL "What am I" Trying to figure out how to define himself because he is biracial
- Eyedea in this song eyedea takes the listener on ride as he describes what is happening to him after he dies.
Another great artist that attempts to challenge stereotypes through his music is Murs; on the song "THis is for" Murs raps;
"You dont have to sell drugs or make the NBA/ITs easy to get a grant and get your MBA/Young people there is more than one way"
"in brotherly love" Murs says to his younger brother
"We have to fight to show that our youth is intelligient/so keep it gangsta in your CD changer not your residience"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xz9OXdnS74&feature=relatedThe strongest evidence against mr dubya that rap is "me first" is that there are alot of hip hop songs written in third person
Eyedea "bottle dreams"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBL7u5xifmU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUOUL80PQZU
One of the better known underground artist Talib Kweli uses this in a song called "Four Women" where he describes the lives of four different black women from different times in history.Many hip hop artist have used hip hop as means to question authority, religious, political etc.
In a song by rap artist K-Rino called "Grand Deception" he raps about the imagery behind the back of the dollar bill and its connection with masonic symbolism.
Another example is KRS-One's critique on Christianity;
The truth about the cross, and the cross's historyThe cross was created by the Roman governmentIt's only purpose and use, is cap-i-tal punishment But Jesus Christ, was all about the revolutionWhile the cross was used as Jesus Christ's executionSee what if Jesus Christ, was hung upon a tree Upon every church wall, that's exactly what you'd seeIf Jesus Christ, was shot in the head with no respectWe'd all have little gold guns around our neck
RASS KASS goes even further
But, I've fallen from your grace A billion paths to take, but which one is truly straight?
In the song Nature of a Threat. Rass Kass details how Western Civilization dominated other cultures starting with greece.
Defending Islam Immortal technique raps;
A fake church called the prophet Muhammad a terrorist Forgetting God is not a religion, but a spiritual bond and Jesus is the most quoted prophet in the Qu'ran
There are numerous allusions to politics in hip hop;
Sage Francis "Conspiracy to Riot"
Providing entertainment for the status quo.
Then once every 4 years they pander to the black vote. Oh, religion ain't a tool of control?
Then why they pull the God card once they're losing in the polls?Foolish. I know. We're victims of circumstance. It ain't coincidence we're children of the worker ants. While those in power ain't never owned a pair of dirty pants But they're quick to kill your health insurance plans.
In one of Francis's better known songs "Makeshift Patriot" he criticize the way the media sensationalized the events of september 11.
It's times like these I freestyle biased opinions every other sentenceMy journalistic ethics slip when I pass them off as objective
I've got exclusive, explicit images to present to impressionable American kids And it's time to show this world how big our Oedipus is!
Another song Francis questions eduation as a tool for brainwashing students on "majority Rules"
I got lectured once while eating breakfast for lunch Said dad to me "Reality is nothing but a collective hunchWhatever you want the truth to be, simply fool the masses Attack them mentally with tools of power like the Masters Get em in elementary school and college classesEventually you'll overrule their cowardly asses
the aformentioned rapper Immortal technique doesnt shy away from critcising foreign policy;
They bombed innocent people, tryin' to murder SaddamWhen you gave him those chemical weapons to go to war with Iran.....You really think this country, never sponsored terrorism?Human rights violations, we continue the saga El Savador and the contras in Nicaragua
Allow there are many rappers who incorporate homophobic themes in their lyrics there are others who are not afraid to show tolerance towards the gay community. the best example i can think of is Brother Ali's latest song "tightrope."
Hip hop says more on more issues than any other genre of music. While some hip hop is primarily meant to make you move your body there are many particularly in the underground scene who rap about the human condition. Alot of rap is intellectually stimulating. Listening to the aformentioned Canibus sometimes is like trying to put together a puzzle. Canibus is the equalivant of Dan Brown if he rapped.
For example one of his best raps Poet Laurette part 2. Canibus list a series of noteworthy intellectuals and concepts most Americans probablly never heard of. Its not just random gibberish or simply pretensiousness its more than that.
By looking at this song in further detail and suplemented by further research i learn that Klein Kluza are two scientist who influence Einstine and laid the foundation for "String theory" Stephen Jay Gould's work on evolutionary biology, Maddam Tussad's wax museum, David Hume's subjective but not too subjective philosophy and Joseph Heller's opinion on the power of the imagination. in the same song he quotes Russian philosopher Oupensky:
"Different methods interpreted into different forms/From entirely different perceptions and seen from different norms"
Canibus wants you to think about what he is saying when he raps
"Why consumers act like there afraid of intelligence speech?" Canibus ask on the song "One ought not to Think"
Why does a rapper like Canibus choose to use obscure refrences in his rap?
"The secret to creativity is hiding your sources," Canibus
It is abundantly clear that there is more to hip hop then mr Dubya's perception of it. One needs to happen is a revolution in the music genre its time for those who stand for something in hip hop to let their voices be heard. Unless the underground starts to take control of the media that dictates the culture nothing will change and people like Mr.Dubya and others like him wont have to go far to prove their point.
I have been an aficionado of hip hop for the past 7 years and I'll be damn to see it become a reincarnation of a minnistrel show without a fight.
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No issue has caused more controversy throughout American history and perhaps the war than sexuality. Anthropologist note how the limitations of sexuality fluctuate based on culture.
Tribes in Sambia allow young boys to perform felatio on them as a sign of a rite of passage. In many Indian tribes homosexuality is normal where in many religions its forbidden. Even the dominant religion, Christianity isn't monolithic on sexuality. While Catholicism may seem the most conservative by allowing for sex only in the context of procreation, to fringe groups like The family International who believe having sex is the best way to show Jesus you love him.
Not matter if you agree with it or not sex dominates much of our culture. The history of sexuality in America was recently re-examined in the latest issue of time magazine.
The featured article marks the 50th aniversary of the birth control pill. A pill that shaped relationships between men and woman forever.
Not only did the pill allow woman control over hear body but it allowed her greater access to oppurtunites she might not have been able to take advantage of if she had children.
Since 1970 70% of women stayed home and the rest worked. Now the statistics are reversed. Over the course of ten years as access to the pill increased from 1970 to 1980 many women were able to take advantage of this new technology and further their academic interest;
10% of woman were first year law students in 1970 that number increased to 36% 10 years later likewise 4% of women were enrolled as buisness students a decade later enrollment went up to nearly 30
Sexuality is an emotional and sensitive issue for most. That is why there was much residence against the pill. Prior to the birth control young girls would hide their pregnancy as much as they could for fear of being ostracized or worse--being disowned from their families.
It was not just conservatives opposing the pill many minorites opposed it as well on the grounds that it is being used by the government to control the black population. Some even went as far as to call it a 'black genocide."
Many social conservatives opposed the pill for fear that it would led to sexual "anarchy" and other forms of social decadence. During the mid 60's prominent news magazine, U.S. News and World Report, looked at the issue and found that there was a case in California were wives were turning tricks for profit even though under the consent of some of their husbands.
The Birth of the birth control pill concide with a larger movment that set to redifine america for generations. The 60's marked a time of an American schism. COnversatives vs liberals, pro vs anti war, Civil rights movment and of course the sexual revolution.
50 years later since the pill was first invented many think that Birth control only works half the time. In a study done by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy 40% of participants admitted that the think a woman has a 50% chance of getting pregnant.
Another recent study revealed that women live longer and are less likely to die from diseases such as cancer or heart disease.
Personally, I dont have a problem with the birth control pill or the conotations associated with it. I have a unique background, my grandmother was an ardent catholic who gave birth to 9 children, however my mom is quite the opposite. She had three children outside of marriage. While growing up my mom had different boyfriends some of them seam to have the best of intentions others no so much.
As I stated above, most of the resistance to this pill was because it would produce promiscuity. What's interesting to note though is how implicitly the more men show off their sexuality the more powerful they are but when a woman does it they are shun. Yes, many religious authorities would argue that men should be as celibate as women but the reality is that the sacredness of a woman's sexuality is emphasized more than a man's. The birth control allows women to redifine what sex means for them. Rather than simply being used as a vessel for procreation women can now delay child birth to pursue their goals.
Is it selfish not to want to have kids? I dont think so. Although there is nothing wrong with having kids or desiring to start a family there is also nothing wrong with choosing the opposite.
The debate over the birth control has heated up for decades it will be interesting to see where the pill takes us another 50 years.
No issue has caused more controversy throughout American history and perhaps the war than sexuality. Anthropologist note how the limitations of sexuality fluctuate based on culture.
Tribes in Sambia allow young boys to perform felatio on them as a sign of a rite of passage. In many Indian tribes homosexuality is normal where in many religions its forbidden. Even the dominant religion, Christianity isn't monolithic on sexuality. While Catholicism may seem the most conservative by allowing for sex only in the context of procreation, to fringe groups like The family International who believe having sex is the best way to show Jesus you love him.
Not matter if you agree with it or not sex dominates much of our culture. The history of sexuality in America was recently re-examined in the latest issue of time magazine.
The featured article marks the 50th aniversary of the birth control pill. A pill that shaped relationships between men and woman forever.
Not only did the pill allow woman control over hear body but it allowed her greater access to oppurtunites she might not have been able to take advantage of if she had children.
Since 1970 70% of women stayed home and the rest worked. Now the statistics are reversed. Over the course of ten years as access to the pill increased from 1970 to 1980 many women were able to take advantage of this new technology and further their academic interest;
10% of woman were first year law students in 1970 that number increased to 36% 10 years later likewise 4% of women were enrolled as buisness students a decade later enrollment went up to nearly 30
Sexuality is an emotional and sensitive issue for most. That is why there was much residence against the pill. Prior to the birth control young girls would hide their pregnancy as much as they could for fear of being ostracized or worse--being disowned from their families.
It was not just conservatives opposing the pill many minorites opposed it as well on the grounds that it is being used by the government to control the black population. Some even went as far as to call it a 'black genocide."
Many social conservatives opposed the pill for fear that it would led to sexual "anarchy" and other forms of social decadence. During the mid 60's prominent news magazine, U.S. News and World Report, looked at the issue and found that there was a case in California were wives were turning tricks for profit even though under the consent of some of their husbands.
The Birth of the birth control pill concide with a larger movment that set to redifine america for generations. The 60's marked a time of an American schism. COnversatives vs liberals, pro vs anti war, Civil rights movment and of course the sexual revolution.
50 years later since the pill was first invented many think that Birth control only works half the time. In a study done by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy 40% of participants admitted that the think a woman has a 50% chance of getting pregnant.
Another recent study revealed that women live longer and are less likely to die from diseases such as cancer or heart disease.
Personally, I dont have a problem with the birth control pill or the conotations associated with it. I have a unique background, my grandmother was an ardent catholic who gave birth to 9 children, however my mom is quite the opposite. She had three children outside of marriage. While growing up my mom had different boyfriends some of them seam to have the best of intentions others no so much.
As I stated above, most of the resistance to this pill was because it would produce promiscuity. What's interesting to note though is how implicitly the more men show off their sexuality the more powerful they are but when a woman does it they are shun. Yes, many religious authorities would argue that men should be as celibate as women but the reality is that the sacredness of a woman's sexuality is emphasized more than a man's. The birth control allows women to redifine what sex means for them. Rather than simply being used as a vessel for procreation women can now delay child birth to pursue their goals.
Is it selfish not to want to have kids? I dont think so. Although there is nothing wrong with having kids or desiring to start a family there is also nothing wrong with choosing the opposite.
The debate over the birth control has heated up for decades it will be interesting to see where the pill takes us another 50 years.
Beijing
To contact us Click HERE
FIRST IMPRESSION
I didnt know what to expect prior to arriving at Beijing all I knew was that China is a dynamic country with a constantly evolving culture. I knew that China was one of the five permenant members of the Security Council and that its economic growth, measured by GDP, is kicking every other countries ass. I knew a little bit about the influcence of Chairman Mao on modern Chinese history and a little bit about the human rights controversies that China is often criticized for. Besides, when will I have another oppurtunity to go vist one of the largest countries in the world with the second largest population. If i can make it through China and India, I thought, I can make it anywhere.
WHY CHINA
Before deciding to go to China I originally wanted to go to Egypt to study Arabic, but the academic program I was interested in that allowed students to study in Egypt for the summer never came into fruition. Besides Chinese was on my list of languages I wanted to learn which included Russian, Arabic, Spanish, Hindi and French. Sure i could learn Chinese in the states but I wanted to be immersed in the language and culture. I honestly did not know what to expect. I figured if I could handle India especially one of India's most densely populated states I should be able to handle Beijing. I didnt do any research before going--I wanted the experience to be completely spontaneous. In hindsight though I wish i would have done a little more research before I went I think it would have made the experience richer. The dorms we were staying in were the foreign dorms at CUEB (Capital University of Economic and Buisness). CSU was representing America.
CHINA'S HISTORY
">
China has a rich history. Yes everyone knows about the Great Wall but there is also the Forbidden City (Which blows away anything you might have seen on Yo MTV Cribs) numerous palaces, and temples. The temples and palaces that permeate Beijing create a perfect balance between the chaotic life of rapid urbanization and development and the harmony of nature emphasized in the Chinese concept of yingyang. Traditional archieturally designed buildings were constant reminders of China's 5,000 year old history.
No where was that more true than the Terrocotta Warrior Museum in Xian. The figures were created under the adminsitration of the first Emperor. During that time in history, it was believed that the possesions the emeperor had would pass on to the next world. Filled with hubris, the emperor decided to use the CHinese labor force to construct an army of warriors that the titular leader could bring with him to the hereafter.
TRAIN RIDE TO XI'AN
Perhaps more interesting then the Terrocotta Museum was the train ride to Xian province. The train ride was fourteen hours long but luckily were able to sleep on bunk beds. As the train ride took off I immediately tried to practice my CHinese a middle age gentlmen with stained corroded teeth and a constant grin helped me with my pronounciation. Later that night I came across a group of young girls who told me I was cute, and the rest of the other guys on the trip. The curriculum was a mixture of both history and modernity. One day we were visited the Great Wall the next day we would visit a company like Lenov or Yanjin Beer Factory.
TEMPLE OF HEAVEN
Although I visited many sites one of the most memorable sites was the Temple of Heaven. After spending an ungodly amount of time walking with an unmerciful sun beating its rays of heat on my skin, I finally found the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is large. Essentially the Temple is large one giant park. Not only are there temples and fortresses but there are people salsa dancing, singing in Hindi, but Tai_Chi and playing Haki Sack as well. This isnt just a place to go site seeing this is a place were locals get together to hang out.
">
SHOPPING
">
Shopping was different experience in Beijing. When I went to the Silk Road Market with a couple other students I was suprised to see how many merchants there were and how large the building was. Pearls, Chopsticks, Antiques, T-shirts, electronics, Watches everything was for sell. It was interesting to see how the merchants were more than ready to cut the price in half once costumers began to loose interest. Everything was open there was one small shop after another with shopowners eager and sometimes desperate for customers. Shopowners dished out compliments to customers like candy. "O your so pretty" "O your so Handsome" and in some cases grabbed the prospective buyer by the arm and brought them into their tiny shop.
Another interesting shopping experience was at Wangfujin. The streets were packed overfilling with both natives and foreigners. Although I never been to New York I suspect this is what it might feel like to shop at Public Square. located in the Dongcheng District, the shopping street is now home to around 280 famous Beijing brands. As night over takes day all the stores signs light, it almost feels as if I were transported to Vegas. To make the experience more unique, Most of the side walk is marked by unique artwork. One reason why I liked going to Wanfujing is because of its large bookstores.
On my last week in Beijing I went with Minna, a foreign student from Kazakhstan back to the bookstores. We spent a couple of hours purusing the massive bookstore. She was torn between two books, one famously titled "Men are from Mars..." and the other a book on Emotional Intelligence while i was searching for a book on Chinese culture from local authors. Recgonizing I needed more practice with my Chinese, Minnah persuaded me to ask random strangers where the bookstore was. I had a fun time hanging out with Minnah.I could tell she had a hard time expressing herself in English. Minnah was only one of many students I met in Beijing. Even though I loved hanging out with students from CSU I tried as much as I could to get to know the local students. Besides it gave me a great oppurtunity to practice my Chinese.
Another interesting person I met was Brandon. Brandon a lengthy twentysomething with an emo-styled cropped hair-cut and glasses with thick dark frames, was into Hip Hop, which was ironic because I am the president of the CSU Hip Hop student Association. He helped me with my CHinese and I helped him with his English.One night we went to a Hip Hop club called Mix with a mostly Chinese audience. It was fun but I could tell that this was his first time at a nightclub. "i liked the way the girls danced" Brandon told me with a look of enthusiasm on his face.
During our last week I went with Brandon to nan luo gu xiang, on our way there he had me listen to some Hip Hop artist from China. He told me that it is hard to rap in Chinese because of the tones but that he wants to learn how to rap.At hou hai, another magnet for tourism, Brandon told me how he wants a change of scenery and how he is tired of living in Beijing because it is too crowded. For this reason Brandon said he would love to come to America. And told me how it was easier for me to study in Beijing then for him to study in America. (I was reminded of Beijing's large population when I went to take the subway back from Wangfujin with Minnah and we had to way for five subways to pass before we were able to push through and get on one) He was not the only one to feel like this.
Another person I met who had similar feelings and who I also felt I had a close connection with was Summer. A young buisness grad who is hoping to leave China temporarily to pursue a MBA in the states. I met her at a local starbucks coffeeshop.Summer and a westerner from California were working on a marketing proposal to get three-wheel bicycles in the United States. Summer's innocent countenance was warm and inviting. It was a pleasure giving her advice on how to navigate american academics over a warm tasty but overpriced,cup of steamed Latte with grounded white sugar. The resteraunt were we met up at had a high rising celling and a dining room with plush bright blue velvet couches for seating overlooking the city. I went to the coffeshop more than once because it was a good change of scenery and because this cute CHinese twenty something wanted me to help her learn English until she decided she wanted to do it on her own.
BUDDHA
One thing I noticed about China compared to India was how salient the Buddha is in China. Everytime I saw a photo of Krishna in a local shop or social organization in Kerala, the same was true for the Buddha in China. Resteraunts, temples and even Massage spas often furnished their lobbies and waiting areas with religious figure. During our trip towards Xian to see the Terrocotta Warriors we went to see one of the largest Buddhist temples in China,besides its massive size (think of Legacy village multiplied by ten)I was impressed by the large giant golden Boddhivistas that were lined up parrallel to one another, inside the main courtyard, which eventually lead to the main temple. In addition I was also fascinated when I learn that the Large temple complex contained some of the remains of the Buddha.
CALIGRAPHY
One of the hardest aspects of Chinese language is the writing. Hanzi, or Chinese Caligraphy, is not only a form of writing but it is also considered a form of art. During my visit to the Confucious temple I noticed the intriciacies of Traditional Chinese characters and how each character was rich in detail and contained numerous strokes.
LIVE PERFORMANCES
In addition to shopping and exploring different historical and religious sites, I went to see some live performances. One of those performances was at the Laoshe Tea house where men dressed in what looked like silky chinese pijams swung large golden tea kettles with elongated spouts gracefully to pour tea in small cups. While walking around the teahouse I learned that numerous foreign dignitaries had visited the teahouse. Customers come in and sip exotic tea, snack on dates and nuts while being entertained by a dance or a puppet show. Another live performance that I enjoyed was the live Acrobatics show at the local beijing theater. where both men and woman display remarkle skills of agility and atheleticism. For example in the bicycle scene, A girl of women rode around on the stage on bicycles. The scene reached its pinnacle when more than twenty of the female performers climbed on the same bike and circled the stage a couple of times. Another moment that captivated me and most the audience was in the beggining when a juggler performed. Dressed in a retro leather jacket with jaggedly spiked hair and posh sunglasses the juggler successfully juggled more than 8 balls at one time while infectiously hypnotic techno music was playing as his theme music.
FOOD
One Question I get asked routinely when I returned was how is the food? The food is nothing like the food I'm used to in the States. No duck sauce, Chicken Terriyaki. There is not even a fortune cookie in sight. Instead most the food was slightly different than what I had expected. One of my favorite dishes was fried tofu with gravy and rice. Most resteraunts had "a lazy suzy" a large clear spinning disk on the middle of the table. Various dishes are placed on the circular tray and spun around, while each diner chooses which dish they want to try. Food was not expensive especially eating in the Shitang (dining hall) You can eat for less than three dollars a day I was able to eat all three meals. For breakfast I usually ate a couple fried eggs with rice and mountaou balls. This steam buns were succlint and soft and usually contained a sweet paste in the middle. Another favorite food was the dragon fruit. Although I enjoyed most the food there were times were I was a little hesitant on drinking or eating some food especially from random shops. On occassion i would ask the resteraunt servers how the food or drink is prepared so far I dont think I caught anything, (though my throat has been bothering me a little).
">
Overall my experience in China was positive. If the future is generous and if I become somewhat proficient in CHinese I would like to go back and possibly get a job tutoring or teaching English. I think the experience in China has definately inspired me to travel more and has made me more curious about the world, I just hope that the next country i visit (hopefully through the Peace Corp) will be as equally rewarding and rich an experience as China or India.
">
FIRST IMPRESSION
I didnt know what to expect prior to arriving at Beijing all I knew was that China is a dynamic country with a constantly evolving culture. I knew that China was one of the five permenant members of the Security Council and that its economic growth, measured by GDP, is kicking every other countries ass. I knew a little bit about the influcence of Chairman Mao on modern Chinese history and a little bit about the human rights controversies that China is often criticized for. Besides, when will I have another oppurtunity to go vist one of the largest countries in the world with the second largest population. If i can make it through China and India, I thought, I can make it anywhere.
WHY CHINA
Before deciding to go to China I originally wanted to go to Egypt to study Arabic, but the academic program I was interested in that allowed students to study in Egypt for the summer never came into fruition. Besides Chinese was on my list of languages I wanted to learn which included Russian, Arabic, Spanish, Hindi and French. Sure i could learn Chinese in the states but I wanted to be immersed in the language and culture. I honestly did not know what to expect. I figured if I could handle India especially one of India's most densely populated states I should be able to handle Beijing. I didnt do any research before going--I wanted the experience to be completely spontaneous. In hindsight though I wish i would have done a little more research before I went I think it would have made the experience richer. The dorms we were staying in were the foreign dorms at CUEB (Capital University of Economic and Buisness). CSU was representing America.
CHINA'S HISTORY
">
China has a rich history. Yes everyone knows about the Great Wall but there is also the Forbidden City (Which blows away anything you might have seen on Yo MTV Cribs) numerous palaces, and temples. The temples and palaces that permeate Beijing create a perfect balance between the chaotic life of rapid urbanization and development and the harmony of nature emphasized in the Chinese concept of yingyang. Traditional archieturally designed buildings were constant reminders of China's 5,000 year old history.
No where was that more true than the Terrocotta Warrior Museum in Xian. The figures were created under the adminsitration of the first Emperor. During that time in history, it was believed that the possesions the emeperor had would pass on to the next world. Filled with hubris, the emperor decided to use the CHinese labor force to construct an army of warriors that the titular leader could bring with him to the hereafter.
TRAIN RIDE TO XI'AN
Perhaps more interesting then the Terrocotta Museum was the train ride to Xian province. The train ride was fourteen hours long but luckily were able to sleep on bunk beds. As the train ride took off I immediately tried to practice my CHinese a middle age gentlmen with stained corroded teeth and a constant grin helped me with my pronounciation. Later that night I came across a group of young girls who told me I was cute, and the rest of the other guys on the trip. The curriculum was a mixture of both history and modernity. One day we were visited the Great Wall the next day we would visit a company like Lenov or Yanjin Beer Factory.
TEMPLE OF HEAVEN
Although I visited many sites one of the most memorable sites was the Temple of Heaven. After spending an ungodly amount of time walking with an unmerciful sun beating its rays of heat on my skin, I finally found the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is large. Essentially the Temple is large one giant park. Not only are there temples and fortresses but there are people salsa dancing, singing in Hindi, but Tai_Chi and playing Haki Sack as well. This isnt just a place to go site seeing this is a place were locals get together to hang out.
">
SHOPPING
">
Shopping was different experience in Beijing. When I went to the Silk Road Market with a couple other students I was suprised to see how many merchants there were and how large the building was. Pearls, Chopsticks, Antiques, T-shirts, electronics, Watches everything was for sell. It was interesting to see how the merchants were more than ready to cut the price in half once costumers began to loose interest. Everything was open there was one small shop after another with shopowners eager and sometimes desperate for customers. Shopowners dished out compliments to customers like candy. "O your so pretty" "O your so Handsome" and in some cases grabbed the prospective buyer by the arm and brought them into their tiny shop.
Another interesting shopping experience was at Wangfujin. The streets were packed overfilling with both natives and foreigners. Although I never been to New York I suspect this is what it might feel like to shop at Public Square. located in the Dongcheng District, the shopping street is now home to around 280 famous Beijing brands. As night over takes day all the stores signs light, it almost feels as if I were transported to Vegas. To make the experience more unique, Most of the side walk is marked by unique artwork. One reason why I liked going to Wanfujing is because of its large bookstores.
On my last week in Beijing I went with Minna, a foreign student from Kazakhstan back to the bookstores. We spent a couple of hours purusing the massive bookstore. She was torn between two books, one famously titled "Men are from Mars..." and the other a book on Emotional Intelligence while i was searching for a book on Chinese culture from local authors. Recgonizing I needed more practice with my Chinese, Minnah persuaded me to ask random strangers where the bookstore was. I had a fun time hanging out with Minnah.I could tell she had a hard time expressing herself in English. Minnah was only one of many students I met in Beijing. Even though I loved hanging out with students from CSU I tried as much as I could to get to know the local students. Besides it gave me a great oppurtunity to practice my Chinese.
Another interesting person I met was Brandon. Brandon a lengthy twentysomething with an emo-styled cropped hair-cut and glasses with thick dark frames, was into Hip Hop, which was ironic because I am the president of the CSU Hip Hop student Association. He helped me with my CHinese and I helped him with his English.One night we went to a Hip Hop club called Mix with a mostly Chinese audience. It was fun but I could tell that this was his first time at a nightclub. "i liked the way the girls danced" Brandon told me with a look of enthusiasm on his face.
During our last week I went with Brandon to nan luo gu xiang, on our way there he had me listen to some Hip Hop artist from China. He told me that it is hard to rap in Chinese because of the tones but that he wants to learn how to rap.At hou hai, another magnet for tourism, Brandon told me how he wants a change of scenery and how he is tired of living in Beijing because it is too crowded. For this reason Brandon said he would love to come to America. And told me how it was easier for me to study in Beijing then for him to study in America. (I was reminded of Beijing's large population when I went to take the subway back from Wangfujin with Minnah and we had to way for five subways to pass before we were able to push through and get on one) He was not the only one to feel like this.Another person I met who had similar feelings and who I also felt I had a close connection with was Summer. A young buisness grad who is hoping to leave China temporarily to pursue a MBA in the states. I met her at a local starbucks coffeeshop.Summer and a westerner from California were working on a marketing proposal to get three-wheel bicycles in the United States. Summer's innocent countenance was warm and inviting. It was a pleasure giving her advice on how to navigate american academics over a warm tasty but overpriced,cup of steamed Latte with grounded white sugar. The resteraunt were we met up at had a high rising celling and a dining room with plush bright blue velvet couches for seating overlooking the city. I went to the coffeshop more than once because it was a good change of scenery and because this cute CHinese twenty something wanted me to help her learn English until she decided she wanted to do it on her own.
BUDDHA
One thing I noticed about China compared to India was how salient the Buddha is in China. Everytime I saw a photo of Krishna in a local shop or social organization in Kerala, the same was true for the Buddha in China. Resteraunts, temples and even Massage spas often furnished their lobbies and waiting areas with religious figure. During our trip towards Xian to see the Terrocotta Warriors we went to see one of the largest Buddhist temples in China,besides its massive size (think of Legacy village multiplied by ten)I was impressed by the large giant golden Boddhivistas that were lined up parrallel to one another, inside the main courtyard, which eventually lead to the main temple. In addition I was also fascinated when I learn that the Large temple complex contained some of the remains of the Buddha.
CALIGRAPHY
One of the hardest aspects of Chinese language is the writing. Hanzi, or Chinese Caligraphy, is not only a form of writing but it is also considered a form of art. During my visit to the Confucious temple I noticed the intriciacies of Traditional Chinese characters and how each character was rich in detail and contained numerous strokes.
LIVE PERFORMANCES
In addition to shopping and exploring different historical and religious sites, I went to see some live performances. One of those performances was at the Laoshe Tea house where men dressed in what looked like silky chinese pijams swung large golden tea kettles with elongated spouts gracefully to pour tea in small cups. While walking around the teahouse I learned that numerous foreign dignitaries had visited the teahouse. Customers come in and sip exotic tea, snack on dates and nuts while being entertained by a dance or a puppet show. Another live performance that I enjoyed was the live Acrobatics show at the local beijing theater. where both men and woman display remarkle skills of agility and atheleticism. For example in the bicycle scene, A girl of women rode around on the stage on bicycles. The scene reached its pinnacle when more than twenty of the female performers climbed on the same bike and circled the stage a couple of times. Another moment that captivated me and most the audience was in the beggining when a juggler performed. Dressed in a retro leather jacket with jaggedly spiked hair and posh sunglasses the juggler successfully juggled more than 8 balls at one time while infectiously hypnotic techno music was playing as his theme music.
FOOD
One Question I get asked routinely when I returned was how is the food? The food is nothing like the food I'm used to in the States. No duck sauce, Chicken Terriyaki. There is not even a fortune cookie in sight. Instead most the food was slightly different than what I had expected. One of my favorite dishes was fried tofu with gravy and rice. Most resteraunts had "a lazy suzy" a large clear spinning disk on the middle of the table. Various dishes are placed on the circular tray and spun around, while each diner chooses which dish they want to try. Food was not expensive especially eating in the Shitang (dining hall) You can eat for less than three dollars a day I was able to eat all three meals. For breakfast I usually ate a couple fried eggs with rice and mountaou balls. This steam buns were succlint and soft and usually contained a sweet paste in the middle. Another favorite food was the dragon fruit. Although I enjoyed most the food there were times were I was a little hesitant on drinking or eating some food especially from random shops. On occassion i would ask the resteraunt servers how the food or drink is prepared so far I dont think I caught anything, (though my throat has been bothering me a little).
">
Overall my experience in China was positive. If the future is generous and if I become somewhat proficient in CHinese I would like to go back and possibly get a job tutoring or teaching English. I think the experience in China has definately inspired me to travel more and has made me more curious about the world, I just hope that the next country i visit (hopefully through the Peace Corp) will be as equally rewarding and rich an experience as China or India.
">
Shocking NEWS! According to Gingrich Palestinians are to blame for the conflict
To contact us Click HERE
There are numerous sources that clearly show Mr. Gingrich is a bit confused when it comes to the Palestinian-Israel conflict. Gingrich received heat a few weeks ago when he said that Palestinians are an invented people, so I guess then that the Kurds, and Roma are invented people? What makes someone an “invented people?” Is it not Ironic that an American, an identity that didn’t come into existence until three hundred years ago, is questioning the historical origins of another group of people?
This is not my major contention with Gingrich though. His assessment of the Israel-Palestine is demonstrably one sided. So he thinks it is courageous speaking out against radical Islam, in front of a group of Jewish Republicans?
During his speech Gingrich attacked U.S. officials for their criticism of Israel and sympathy toward Palestinians. Rather than write one long response I decided to categorize my responses based on specific quotes Gingrich made during his speech to Jewish Republicans.
I take it Gingrich is not aware of the impact the Israeli occupation has had in the Palestinian territories. Gingrich, like most GOP candidates, prides himself as a capitalist. For GOP candidate’s economic freedom is just as important as political freedom.
However, none of the candidates seam to realize how the separation wall in the West Bank has greatly curtailed economic activity. More than 75 percent of the wall is located in the West Bank rather than the border. Specifically, the wall limits employment opportunities, agricultural output, and access to hospitals, schools and water.
Palestinians within the Israeli side must have a permit to live in their house. Can you imagine if we forced citizens in San Antonio and deeper into Mexico to have a permit to live in their homes?
Perhaps the absurdity of such a policy culminated in August when Israel place restrictions on visiting Jerusalem based on age. Checkpoints were setup to ensure that male Palestinians under the age of 50 and women under the age of 45 where not permitted in the city.
where was this proponent of “freedom” at in 1998 when B’Tselem, an Israel Human Rights organization reported that Israel was violating 29 of the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in its treatment of Palestinians under Israeli occupation?
O yea Gingrich was busy calling then-secretary of State Madeline Albright “an agent of the Palestinians” while trying to pass legislation in support of moving the capital of Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Hey, at least his position has been consisted on that issue over the years
The Israeli Ilan Pappe explain in great detail, Israeli’s military incursions in five costal areas including a massacre in the North. During this time, five hundred Palestinian villages and eleven urban neighborhoods were destroyed.
The violence perpetrated by Israel was so intense that the U.S. ambassador to Israel criticized the Jewish state for its policy against Palestinians and threatened it with sanctions.
For those like Gingrich and the rest of the GOP candidates who may be skeptical of the atrocities that Palestinians incurred during the birth of Israel I suggest they research the mission of the Haganah, The hebrazation of Arabic villages, such as Lubya and Safuria, and the history of the village of Tantura.
Of course, Former New York Mayor and 9-11-patriot Giuliani has to be right when he suggest that the Palestinian refugees are the only group to use terrorism as a means to obtain a state. There is of course no precedence for such behavior. Then I guess TIME is wrong in its analysis of the history of the birth of Israel when it accuses groups such as Lehi and Irgun of terrorism. I mean, does TIME have any proof that Irgun agents were responsible for the terrorist attack on King David Hotel which killed 91 people?
HAMAS
OK OK so Hamas is not the friendliest neighbors in the world. Let me be clear. Using violence to settle disputes that indiscriminately kills innocent civilians is always wrong. Yes Hamas and other armed groups should be heavily criticized for launching rockets into Israel in addition to the numerous suicide bombings that took place in the aftermath of the second intifada, but the truth is more nuanced than most the GOP candidates are willing to admit.
Hamas has not always been viewed as an enemy of Israel. It might surprise some people to learn that Israel recognized Hamas as a force that could be used against the PLO from 1967-1984.
Some experts say that Israel was tacitly responsible for the Muslim Brotherhood’s growing popularity in the occupied territories. The Israeli government let the Islamic Association, which is the parent organization for Hamas, setup up space for mosque and charities in the occupied territories.
Furthermore it should be noted that Hamas has adjusted its stance toward Israel by framing peace as a temporary suspension of jihad.
This is especially true in 2008, when Israel refused to talk with Hamas and unilaterally ended the ceasefire between them. Hamas even went as far as to arrest armed groups launching attacks against Israel, as reported in Xinhua news.
In June 2009 Hamas has stated that it will focus on “cultural resistance” as a form of protest rather than violence.
Also, its worth mentioning, Hamas did not get elected because of its anti-Israel policies but because of its organizational effectiveness. At the time Hamas emerged as a legitimate political contender in a social environment where Palestinians felt dismayed at the collapse of social institutions, economic problems, and political corruption that was wide-spread.
Hamas emerged at a time when the Palestinian infrastructure was crumbling and the housing market was stagnant.
Glen E. Robison makes it abundantly clear that many countries throughout the Middle East are autocratic and as a result of this restrictive political landscape the citizenry have very few outlets to entertain contrary political opinions. The mosque is one institution were people can voice their political opinions freely.
In 1997, Hamas established the Scientific Medical Association which operated dental facilities, blood banks, and medical clinics. Hamas provides both educational and medical support for Palestinians. In particular, 95 percent of Hamas’s $70 million budget is directly invested in these social programs.
Even President Obama’s predecessor believed that Hamas won because of its organizational efficacy and not because of its animosity toward Israel.
But of course this all gets overlooked because Republican candidates are searching desperately to find a discrepancy between Obama’s foreign policy and Israel’s interest in the region. I guess they have one fact that can support this claim—Bush has vetoed more U.N. Resolutions critical of Israel than his successor:
U.S. Veto Record on Israel Criticism
Freshly minted conservative candidate Mitt Romney shared similar thoughts;
“President Obama must fire his ambassador to Belgium for rationalizing and downplaying anti-Semitism and linking it to Israeli policy toward the Palestinians,”
So what exactly did the JEWISH Ambassador to Belgium say that was SOOOOO Controversial?
“Throughout the Muslim communities that I visit, and indeed throughout Europe, there is significant anger and resentment and, yes, perhaps sometimes hatred and indeed sometimes an all-too-growing intimidation and violence directed at Jews generally as a result of the continuing tensions between Israel and the Palestinian territories and other Arab neighbors in the Middle East,”
To paraphrase, animosity towards Jews is growing because of Israeli’s policy toward Palestinians. Guttman’s statements were nothing more than observations not an anti-Semitic diatribe foaming at the mouth.
Its worth noting that Arabs are Semitic people as well, I find it personally amusing when someone calls Arabs anti-Semites.
SO what are some of the root causes of this hatred. Some of admittingly, stems from pure hatred but not all. Consider the following:
1. Since 1967 over 12,000 homes have been demolished for Israel Settlers
2. Palestinians are often denied adequate legal protection and counsel when convicted under the military court system. Out of 9,542 cases there are 25 acquittals. In addition The rate of conviction is nearly 99 percent. Stone throwing Children are often treated as adults.
3. the Siege on Gaza has hurt the Gaza economy tremendously. According to Political Economist and scholar, Sara Roy, 80 percent of Gaza’s agricultural was destroyed. Moreover 96 percent of Palestinians from Gaza depend on Humanitarian aid. Many of the trucks that are delivering food as a part of the Humanitarian effort are denied entry by the security checkpoints. This problem has increased food scarcity for many Palestinians. Aapproximately 900,000 Palestinians out of 1.5 million are malnourished.
4. There are also many questionable travel restrictions including 700 checkpoints, and Israel-Highways only.
“(Obama should) Reprimand the secretary of Defense for an insulting performance”
Whats perhaps more ridiculous than how Guttman is characterized is how the political right has tried to depict Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta as anti-Israeli based on a speech he gave at the Brookings Institute Saban Center. Reading reactions to Panetta’s statements you would think that Panetta stabbed Israel in the back and forced it to drink the blood off of the knife he stabbed Israel with.
“Get to the damn table,” Panetta thundered twice — as if Israel was refusing to talk, instead of the reverse. Wrote William Kristol, chairman of the Emergency Committee for Israel.
“Leon Panetta in his speech to the 2011 Saban Forum, is more than simply inaccurate. It is disturbing and potentially dangerous.” Wrote Abraham Fox, wrote the National Director for the Anti-Defamation League.
If you want a good joke take a look at the speech in its entirety. If Mr. Panetta’s comments were so inflammatory and “Insulting” then why did everyone clap?
Panetta's Speech
At any rate, both Gingrich and Romney’s comments are absurd and pathetic. They are simply trying to court the evangelical base and make conservatives forget the glimpses of political compromises made with liberals. Besides, aren’t “Friends” usually critical of each other? IF a friend does something I don’t agree with I usually confront him/her about it rather than avoid it.
Its also worth noting that the Israelis have not always been willing to compromise on Peace as well. The 2003 Road Map, said that Palestinians must give up violence yet Israel was not willing to return the favor and cease violence against Palestinians.
As former Israel ambassador Martin Indyk, pointed out in a syndicated column for the New York Times in 2005 Sharon had taken provocative steps that have not always been in the interest of peace.
However, to be fair, Sharon did make meaningful concessions toward Palestinians near the end of his term.
Could you imagine if we had someone shooting rockets at us and asked them could we come to the table?
Gingrich would like everyone to believe that the Palestinians have a monopoly on violence. The controversial Goldstone report, clearly outlines examples has used force when the rationale was questionable:
• Between Dec. 27 and Jan.18 The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights reported the Israeli Occupation Forces launched at least 300 air and sea strikes against Gaza Strip including 37 houses, 67 security and training sites, 20 workshops and private institutions seven mosques and three educational instiutions
• The attack on the house of Wa’el Al-Samouni
• The use of white phosphorous on al-Quds and al-Wafa Hospitals and on the Abu Halima famila in Atara.
In 2009 the Chief Sephardic Rabbi sent a letter to then Prime Minister Olmert stating that there is no “Moral Prohibition” against killing innocent civilians in response to rocket attacks. Moreover, the Rabbi’s son said that Israel would be justified in killing a million Palestinians if the rocket launching still continued.
You would figure after the first 1,000 civilians dead the “collective punishment” method wasn’t useful.
“We have mortal enemies who want to kill us” Gingrich
Why create another state where they are going to be training people to come here and blow us up”
Former New York Mayor Rudy Gulliani
First, didn’t anyone tell the former mayor that the terrorists accused of 9-11 were from Saudi Arabia and not Palestine?
I wonder what both Guiliani and Gingrich would say if they knew many Palestinian Christians have been victims of Israel policy in Palestine. There are currently close to a million Palestinian Christians in the world yet only 2 percent of Palestinians living in Gaza, West Bank or East Jerusalem are Christian. Many Christians have left because of the weak economy coupled with Israeli policy in these areas. One strong example is in Bethlehem where the Israel gov. interferes with the church business such as appointing clergy.
Also it might behoove Mr.Guilani to learn that president Bush supports a two-state solution:
“The fundamental problem was the lack of freedom in the Palestinian Territories. With no state, Palestinians lacked their rightful place in the world. With no voice in their future, Palestinians were ripe for recruiting by extremist.” (Decision Points pg. 403). Even the former Israel leader Ariel Sharon disagreed with Guiliani, “It is in Israel’s interest not to govern the Palestinians, but for the Palestinians to govern themselves in their own STATE.” (pg406)
Again, these statements give the impression that the conflict is always the fault of Palestinians.
I may be wrong but weren’t the Palestinians the victims in the Shabra Shatilia massacres in the early 80s?
Is it at all surprising when the Palestinians use non-violent protest such as dressing up as characters from Avatar to protest a wall being built by Israel in a town called Billin none of the Republican candidates said anything in support of their efforts?
Furthermore, are any of the Republican candidates aware of the Wikileaks cable that surfaced about the draconian measures put in place to curtail protest at the West Bank? According to the cable, Israel has used “dirty water-a mixture of tear gas and water” against Palestinians in the West Bank even if the Palestinians were protesting peacefully?
What people like Gingrich and Guiliani conveniently forget is Israel culpability in the conflict. Until Gingrich seeks out contrary positions of his own on the issue of Palestine-Israel conflict then I can’t trust him as an “Historian.” Especially if it has anything to do with the Middle East.
There are numerous sources that clearly show Mr. Gingrich is a bit confused when it comes to the Palestinian-Israel conflict. Gingrich received heat a few weeks ago when he said that Palestinians are an invented people, so I guess then that the Kurds, and Roma are invented people? What makes someone an “invented people?” Is it not Ironic that an American, an identity that didn’t come into existence until three hundred years ago, is questioning the historical origins of another group of people?
This is not my major contention with Gingrich though. His assessment of the Israel-Palestine is demonstrably one sided. So he thinks it is courageous speaking out against radical Islam, in front of a group of Jewish Republicans?
During his speech Gingrich attacked U.S. officials for their criticism of Israel and sympathy toward Palestinians. Rather than write one long response I decided to categorize my responses based on specific quotes Gingrich made during his speech to Jewish Republicans.
We have a state department incapable of articulating the cause of freedom
I take it Gingrich is not aware of the impact the Israeli occupation has had in the Palestinian territories. Gingrich, like most GOP candidates, prides himself as a capitalist. For GOP candidate’s economic freedom is just as important as political freedom.
However, none of the candidates seam to realize how the separation wall in the West Bank has greatly curtailed economic activity. More than 75 percent of the wall is located in the West Bank rather than the border. Specifically, the wall limits employment opportunities, agricultural output, and access to hospitals, schools and water.
Palestinians within the Israeli side must have a permit to live in their house. Can you imagine if we forced citizens in San Antonio and deeper into Mexico to have a permit to live in their homes?
Perhaps the absurdity of such a policy culminated in August when Israel place restrictions on visiting Jerusalem based on age. Checkpoints were setup to ensure that male Palestinians under the age of 50 and women under the age of 45 where not permitted in the city.
where was this proponent of “freedom” at in 1998 when B’Tselem, an Israel Human Rights organization reported that Israel was violating 29 of the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in its treatment of Palestinians under Israeli occupation?
O yea Gingrich was busy calling then-secretary of State Madeline Albright “an agent of the Palestinians” while trying to pass legislation in support of moving the capital of Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Hey, at least his position has been consisted on that issue over the years
Its amazing to me how little people study historyThe Grinrichian interpretation of history would suggest that the current geography from Egypt to Jordan has always been populated by Jews and that those Jewish settlers were only defending themselves against vicious Palestinians in the late 40s. Yes Jews have inhabited the region for centuries but so have the Palestinians.
The Israeli Ilan Pappe explain in great detail, Israeli’s military incursions in five costal areas including a massacre in the North. During this time, five hundred Palestinian villages and eleven urban neighborhoods were destroyed.
The violence perpetrated by Israel was so intense that the U.S. ambassador to Israel criticized the Jewish state for its policy against Palestinians and threatened it with sanctions.
For those like Gingrich and the rest of the GOP candidates who may be skeptical of the atrocities that Palestinians incurred during the birth of Israel I suggest they research the mission of the Haganah, The hebrazation of Arabic villages, such as Lubya and Safuria, and the history of the village of Tantura.
Of course, Former New York Mayor and 9-11-patriot Giuliani has to be right when he suggest that the Palestinian refugees are the only group to use terrorism as a means to obtain a state. There is of course no precedence for such behavior. Then I guess TIME is wrong in its analysis of the history of the birth of Israel when it accuses groups such as Lehi and Irgun of terrorism. I mean, does TIME have any proof that Irgun agents were responsible for the terrorist attack on King David Hotel which killed 91 people?
How about saying to Hamas give up violence to come to the table saying to the PLO recognize Israel and come to the table
HAMAS
OK OK so Hamas is not the friendliest neighbors in the world. Let me be clear. Using violence to settle disputes that indiscriminately kills innocent civilians is always wrong. Yes Hamas and other armed groups should be heavily criticized for launching rockets into Israel in addition to the numerous suicide bombings that took place in the aftermath of the second intifada, but the truth is more nuanced than most the GOP candidates are willing to admit.
Hamas has not always been viewed as an enemy of Israel. It might surprise some people to learn that Israel recognized Hamas as a force that could be used against the PLO from 1967-1984.
Some experts say that Israel was tacitly responsible for the Muslim Brotherhood’s growing popularity in the occupied territories. The Israeli government let the Islamic Association, which is the parent organization for Hamas, setup up space for mosque and charities in the occupied territories.
Furthermore it should be noted that Hamas has adjusted its stance toward Israel by framing peace as a temporary suspension of jihad.
This is especially true in 2008, when Israel refused to talk with Hamas and unilaterally ended the ceasefire between them. Hamas even went as far as to arrest armed groups launching attacks against Israel, as reported in Xinhua news.
In June 2009 Hamas has stated that it will focus on “cultural resistance” as a form of protest rather than violence.
Also, its worth mentioning, Hamas did not get elected because of its anti-Israel policies but because of its organizational effectiveness. At the time Hamas emerged as a legitimate political contender in a social environment where Palestinians felt dismayed at the collapse of social institutions, economic problems, and political corruption that was wide-spread.
Hamas emerged at a time when the Palestinian infrastructure was crumbling and the housing market was stagnant.
Glen E. Robison makes it abundantly clear that many countries throughout the Middle East are autocratic and as a result of this restrictive political landscape the citizenry have very few outlets to entertain contrary political opinions. The mosque is one institution were people can voice their political opinions freely.
In 1997, Hamas established the Scientific Medical Association which operated dental facilities, blood banks, and medical clinics. Hamas provides both educational and medical support for Palestinians. In particular, 95 percent of Hamas’s $70 million budget is directly invested in these social programs.
Even President Obama’s predecessor believed that Hamas won because of its organizational efficacy and not because of its animosity toward Israel.
But of course this all gets overlooked because Republican candidates are searching desperately to find a discrepancy between Obama’s foreign policy and Israel’s interest in the region. I guess they have one fact that can support this claim—Bush has vetoed more U.N. Resolutions critical of Israel than his successor:
U.S. Veto Record on Israel Criticism
The Ambassador to Belgium should be fired for his remarks?
Freshly minted conservative candidate Mitt Romney shared similar thoughts;
“President Obama must fire his ambassador to Belgium for rationalizing and downplaying anti-Semitism and linking it to Israeli policy toward the Palestinians,”
So what exactly did the JEWISH Ambassador to Belgium say that was SOOOOO Controversial?
“Throughout the Muslim communities that I visit, and indeed throughout Europe, there is significant anger and resentment and, yes, perhaps sometimes hatred and indeed sometimes an all-too-growing intimidation and violence directed at Jews generally as a result of the continuing tensions between Israel and the Palestinian territories and other Arab neighbors in the Middle East,”
To paraphrase, animosity towards Jews is growing because of Israeli’s policy toward Palestinians. Guttman’s statements were nothing more than observations not an anti-Semitic diatribe foaming at the mouth.
Its worth noting that Arabs are Semitic people as well, I find it personally amusing when someone calls Arabs anti-Semites.
SO what are some of the root causes of this hatred. Some of admittingly, stems from pure hatred but not all. Consider the following:
1. Since 1967 over 12,000 homes have been demolished for Israel Settlers
2. Palestinians are often denied adequate legal protection and counsel when convicted under the military court system. Out of 9,542 cases there are 25 acquittals. In addition The rate of conviction is nearly 99 percent. Stone throwing Children are often treated as adults.
3. the Siege on Gaza has hurt the Gaza economy tremendously. According to Political Economist and scholar, Sara Roy, 80 percent of Gaza’s agricultural was destroyed. Moreover 96 percent of Palestinians from Gaza depend on Humanitarian aid. Many of the trucks that are delivering food as a part of the Humanitarian effort are denied entry by the security checkpoints. This problem has increased food scarcity for many Palestinians. Aapproximately 900,000 Palestinians out of 1.5 million are malnourished.
4. There are also many questionable travel restrictions including 700 checkpoints, and Israel-Highways only.
“(Obama should) Reprimand the secretary of Defense for an insulting performance”
Whats perhaps more ridiculous than how Guttman is characterized is how the political right has tried to depict Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta as anti-Israeli based on a speech he gave at the Brookings Institute Saban Center. Reading reactions to Panetta’s statements you would think that Panetta stabbed Israel in the back and forced it to drink the blood off of the knife he stabbed Israel with.
“Get to the damn table,” Panetta thundered twice — as if Israel was refusing to talk, instead of the reverse. Wrote William Kristol, chairman of the Emergency Committee for Israel.
“Leon Panetta in his speech to the 2011 Saban Forum, is more than simply inaccurate. It is disturbing and potentially dangerous.” Wrote Abraham Fox, wrote the National Director for the Anti-Defamation League.
If you want a good joke take a look at the speech in its entirety. If Mr. Panetta’s comments were so inflammatory and “Insulting” then why did everyone clap?
Panetta's Speech
At any rate, both Gingrich and Romney’s comments are absurd and pathetic. They are simply trying to court the evangelical base and make conservatives forget the glimpses of political compromises made with liberals. Besides, aren’t “Friends” usually critical of each other? IF a friend does something I don’t agree with I usually confront him/her about it rather than avoid it.
Its also worth noting that the Israelis have not always been willing to compromise on Peace as well. The 2003 Road Map, said that Palestinians must give up violence yet Israel was not willing to return the favor and cease violence against Palestinians.
As former Israel ambassador Martin Indyk, pointed out in a syndicated column for the New York Times in 2005 Sharon had taken provocative steps that have not always been in the interest of peace.
However, to be fair, Sharon did make meaningful concessions toward Palestinians near the end of his term.
Could you imagine if we had someone shooting rockets at us and asked them could we come to the table?
Gingrich would like everyone to believe that the Palestinians have a monopoly on violence. The controversial Goldstone report, clearly outlines examples has used force when the rationale was questionable:
• Between Dec. 27 and Jan.18 The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights reported the Israeli Occupation Forces launched at least 300 air and sea strikes against Gaza Strip including 37 houses, 67 security and training sites, 20 workshops and private institutions seven mosques and three educational instiutions
• The attack on the house of Wa’el Al-Samouni
• The use of white phosphorous on al-Quds and al-Wafa Hospitals and on the Abu Halima famila in Atara.
In 2009 the Chief Sephardic Rabbi sent a letter to then Prime Minister Olmert stating that there is no “Moral Prohibition” against killing innocent civilians in response to rocket attacks. Moreover, the Rabbi’s son said that Israel would be justified in killing a million Palestinians if the rocket launching still continued.
You would figure after the first 1,000 civilians dead the “collective punishment” method wasn’t useful.
“We have mortal enemies who want to kill us” Gingrich
Why create another state where they are going to be training people to come here and blow us up”
Former New York Mayor Rudy Gulliani
First, didn’t anyone tell the former mayor that the terrorists accused of 9-11 were from Saudi Arabia and not Palestine?
I wonder what both Guiliani and Gingrich would say if they knew many Palestinian Christians have been victims of Israel policy in Palestine. There are currently close to a million Palestinian Christians in the world yet only 2 percent of Palestinians living in Gaza, West Bank or East Jerusalem are Christian. Many Christians have left because of the weak economy coupled with Israeli policy in these areas. One strong example is in Bethlehem where the Israel gov. interferes with the church business such as appointing clergy.
Also it might behoove Mr.Guilani to learn that president Bush supports a two-state solution:
“The fundamental problem was the lack of freedom in the Palestinian Territories. With no state, Palestinians lacked their rightful place in the world. With no voice in their future, Palestinians were ripe for recruiting by extremist.” (Decision Points pg. 403). Even the former Israel leader Ariel Sharon disagreed with Guiliani, “It is in Israel’s interest not to govern the Palestinians, but for the Palestinians to govern themselves in their own STATE.” (pg406)
Again, these statements give the impression that the conflict is always the fault of Palestinians.
I may be wrong but weren’t the Palestinians the victims in the Shabra Shatilia massacres in the early 80s?
Is it at all surprising when the Palestinians use non-violent protest such as dressing up as characters from Avatar to protest a wall being built by Israel in a town called Billin none of the Republican candidates said anything in support of their efforts?
Furthermore, are any of the Republican candidates aware of the Wikileaks cable that surfaced about the draconian measures put in place to curtail protest at the West Bank? According to the cable, Israel has used “dirty water-a mixture of tear gas and water” against Palestinians in the West Bank even if the Palestinians were protesting peacefully?
What people like Gingrich and Guiliani conveniently forget is Israel culpability in the conflict. Until Gingrich seeks out contrary positions of his own on the issue of Palestine-Israel conflict then I can’t trust him as an “Historian.” Especially if it has anything to do with the Middle East.
Lost in Translation--Getting the Facts on Immigration
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I hear it all the time. "We should kick them out (illegal immigrants)," "they dont belong here they should come in legally."
As the political debates heat up one topic that is going to be crucial this election is season is immigration. The political contrast on this issue is stark. While Romney has taken up a hardliner approach to immigration, vowing to veto the DREAM Act, both Gingrich and Ron Paul made statements that were more moderate on the issue.
Given Romney's position on immigration I am still surprised he won Nevada although identity politics may have something to do with it he is Mormon.
Nevada's Latinos make up 26.5 percent of the 2.7 million residents in the state. Perhaps more important is the fact that 78 percent of the Hispanic population is from Mexico. Although, Latinos are mostly democrats it is going to be hard for Obama to secure a win in Nevada with an unemployment rate for latinos at 19 percent.
Neverteless, mass deportation of illegal immigrants is not a pragmatic solution to such a delicate issue. The mass deportation of illegal immigrants would have disastrous consequences for our economy. As cliche as it may sound many of the jobs that illegal immigrants perform are jobs most americans do not want such as picking fruit, and dismembering chickens.
Would Americans perform these jobs for higher pay? Perhaps but the inflaltionary impact that it will have on the economy will discourage consumer spending at a time were consumer spending is needed to stimulate the economy. For example, According to Laura Hill, a research fellow at the nonopartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that food such as lettuce strawberrys and spinach would increase in price.
Which would mean no more strawberries dipped in choclate this valentine's day. It is not just Americans who are reluctant to perform the jobs of illegal Immigrants. A few summers ago, a Spanish employment agency found out that less than 1,700 unemployed people, mostly non-Spanish, out of 7,800 unemployed workers accepted the job.
A 2006 study by the Pew Hispanic Center said that they found no evidence to support the claim that there was a link between immigration and higher unemployment for native Americans. The study looked at the immigration patterns all states and compared the data to the unemployment rate.
One complaint that many have about illegal immigrants is that they take and more than they contribute to the growth of the economy.
There is some truth to this. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, Immigrants in general use at least one welfare program at 50 percent higher rate than their American-born counterparts. In additon, the cost for providing health care to illegal immigrants in Los Angelos County in 2002 was $340 million.
It would be intellectual dishonest for me to suggest that the existences of illegal immigrants in the United States does not create any economic problems, but the truth is that the benefits outweigh the losses.
Take for example Social Security. Many analysis and pundits have said that the social security system will go bankrupt unless appropriate reforms are put in place.
What gets lost and ignored in the social security debate is the fact that illegal immigrants still pay federal taxes because regardless of immigrant status, employers deduct payroll taxes from ther paychecks.
In 2002, one study at the Center for Urban Economic Development at the University Illinois in Chicago, found that 70 percent of undocumented immigrants paid payroll taxes. If you think Social Security is bad now just wait and see what will happen if every illegal immigrant is deported.
That is not the only economic benefit. The same study discovered that the spending by illegal immigrants generated more than 31,000 jobs and contributed more than $5.34 billion annually to Chicago's economy.
The economic benefits of illegal immigrants is not limited to Chicago. In North Carolina there are simiar results. While illegal immigrants may cost the state $61 million they also stimulated the economy by $9 billion.
One important distinction to make is that while the country as a whole benefits from illegal immigration, it is individual states that absorb the cost.
Some commentators have suggested that both illegal and legal immigration is causing wages to fall for native born Americans. in 2006 former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs said that immigrants were causing wages to fall for native born Americans by $200 billion a year. The truth is that there is no positive correlation between the loss of wages for Americans as a result of an increase in immigrants. The one group that is effected are other immigrants who work in similar sectors of the economy.
One study conducted from 1990-2004 discovered that immigration in California caused wages to increase by four percent. This is because immigrants tend to work in jobs that compliment american jobs rather than replace them.
It is not just the economic impact of both immigrants and illegal immigrants that has caused controversy. Another easily disprovable myth about illegal immigrants is that they have a propensity for violence and criminal behavior. A U.S. Representative from Iowa claimed that illegal immigrants kill 25 Americans a day. In 2006, a conservative radio host claimed that illegal murder 45,000 American citizens since 9-11. This would mean that four percent of the population is responsible for 53 percent of all murders.
Furthermore the assumption that terrorist might use mexico to get to America is not based on fact. The millienium bomber was apprehended from Canada not Mexico. Also none of the hijackers that caused september 11 came through Mexico.
Perhaps I am too soft on immigration but this statement is a little hyperbolic. just a little.
In an article from the Southern Poverty Law Center's, intelligience report, one study found that the "rate of violence among mexican Americans was significantly lower than among non-Latino Americans."
If anything illegal immigrants are coming to America because of the rise in Crime in Mexico and Central America. According to an article in the Economists, a significant number of citizens said that Crime is far greater concern than unemployment.
Again, this shows that the reasons illegal immigrants come to america are more complex then some would like to believe.
There are various reasons why people decide to leave their homeland. Some leave for economic opportunities others are refugees and leave for political reasons. In 2008 many migrants entering through the medditerranean came to Italy for Political Asylum. During that year the majority of the 36,000 migrants who came to Italy seeking humanitarian relief.
Of course economics cannot be ignored. Given recent events, the rate of immigration is declinging. For instance the number of Latino immigrants in Spain has decreased by 100,000. This is causing a labor shortage for many countries. Germany has 36,000 unfilled engineering positions and 43,000 openings in the information field.
A Sensible immigration policy needs to take into consideration labor demands. There is other evidence that show immigration is declining. According to Frontex, the European Union's border-security agency, only 150 people migrated to Italy and Lata in the first quarter of 2010 which is remarkably lower than in 2009 . (5,200) even though it was not the whole year.
There have been attempts by governments to offer various incentives for immigrants to come and stay but most of the policies have discourage immigrants from coming. For example, Spain has convinced north-west African countries to put the ports of departure further south to make the trip to the Canaries more dangerous and expensive.
According to immigration scholar, Tamar Jacoby, one deterent for immigration in Germany is the byzantine and burdensome visa process. Likewise in 2006 Canada put more restrictions on immigration by making the citizenship test harder and making it more costly for an investor to get access.
Many immigrants experience extreme conditions to get to their new destinations. attempting to travel to the Canary islands face a host of issues such as paying between $1,200-$2,000 to be transported by Senegalese merchants. Many end up getting arrested and detain some are thrown over board by their captains to ease the weight of the ships.
Likewise it is nearly impossible for Mexicans and other immigrants from Hispanic countries to enter America especially if they are poor. Many Mexicans decide to swim the Grand Rio to gain entrance in the United States. Just as there are middlemen in Africa who profit enormously from taking immigrants to another country so do men known as coyotes profit from the same thing in the southern border of the United States.
As much as I hate to admit it some immigration policy were motivated by racism and ethnic-centrism such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the National Origin System in 1921. Some believe that the immigration policies in much of Europe discourages immigration from Africa because it is a threat to its racial homogeneity.
A good example of this is the treatment of the Roma population in Europe. Last year a gunman in Eastern Europe killed seven people and injured 14 before committing suicide. Six of the victims were a Roma Family killed inside their apartment. Many Roma have traveled westward for more oppurtunity. One time Hungarian police collaborated with the FBI because of a number of attacks on Roma Setllements, which left a five-year-old boy dead.
Also five Roma boys were arrested for theft and forced to strip naked, kiss and hit each other as police filmed it.
The treatment of the Roma population is extremely abhorent. One member of a far-right Hungarian party, called for the internment of the Roma.
it is not just the Roma who are victims of xenophobia one politician in Germany blatantly said that immigrants from Arabia and Turkey are no longer welcomed.
Not suprisingly, the United States is home to numerous irrational manifestations of xenophobia such as billionaire Rust Childress who sent radical groups to harass day labors in Phoenix. Ironically, the auto dealer has illegal immigrants working at some of his dealerships. The same group known as Freedom Riders, went to a parking lot to place a citizen's arrest on a mother who was hiding in a church.
Not convinced? What about Jason JT Ready, a Nativist who would like to place land mines near the Texas Mexican border and said that
"The truth is that negroids screw monkeys and rape babies in Afreaka...stop negroid immigration and intergration now!
Another brilliant example is 25-year-old Vito Vaccaro who formed a group based on trying to expel all Muslims from America. Vaccao conveniently ignores the fact that Muslims have been coming to America since the 19th century and that the first mosque was built around the 1920s. Vaccao created a party called the Loyalist Party Against Islamic Hate to promote this agenda.
If Vaccaro had his way were would he send all the Muslim converts who have no ancestral connection to another country?
In 2007 the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project identified 144 nativist extremists groups. There behavior and language is saturated with Irony. According to a leader in the Emigration party the "invasion" of illegal immigrants is akin to the invasion of Ghengis Khan.
Yet it is the American Freedom riders, a group of nativists, who entered a church parking lot and surrounded a group of immigrants with their motorcycles. The same person who made the Genghis Khan comparison said that Latino women apprehended should be forced to undergo sterilization so that America does not become a "third World sewer."
More recently, a police Chief in New York decided to resign after news surfaced that his officers were acting abusively toward Latinos.
To be fair there are legitimate concerns when it comes to immigration. One study estimated that between 10-12 percent of Muslims in Germany are prone to radical Islamic thinking, and 25 percent of Muslim teenagers are hostile to Christians and Jews. Surprisingly, this is not the only European country that has had been a popular destination for adherents of a radical interpretation of Islam. More recently, there has been a group of Muslims in Belgium calling for Sharia law. The hatred for non-Muslims is as despicable as any other group based on hate.
There are other problems with immigration that arent as inflammatory such as the lack of renting space available in Canada in large cities because of immigration.
Regardless immigration is going to be crucial in 2012 election just as it was for Barack Obama. Harry Reid credit his successful defeat of Sharon Angle to the support he garnered from Latino voters.
Unless the GOP candiates approach immigration reform with support from the Latino community, then they can say hasta luego to defeating president Obama come this fall.
I hear it all the time. "We should kick them out (illegal immigrants)," "they dont belong here they should come in legally."
As the political debates heat up one topic that is going to be crucial this election is season is immigration. The political contrast on this issue is stark. While Romney has taken up a hardliner approach to immigration, vowing to veto the DREAM Act, both Gingrich and Ron Paul made statements that were more moderate on the issue.
Given Romney's position on immigration I am still surprised he won Nevada although identity politics may have something to do with it he is Mormon.
Nevada's Latinos make up 26.5 percent of the 2.7 million residents in the state. Perhaps more important is the fact that 78 percent of the Hispanic population is from Mexico. Although, Latinos are mostly democrats it is going to be hard for Obama to secure a win in Nevada with an unemployment rate for latinos at 19 percent.
Neverteless, mass deportation of illegal immigrants is not a pragmatic solution to such a delicate issue. The mass deportation of illegal immigrants would have disastrous consequences for our economy. As cliche as it may sound many of the jobs that illegal immigrants perform are jobs most americans do not want such as picking fruit, and dismembering chickens.
Would Americans perform these jobs for higher pay? Perhaps but the inflaltionary impact that it will have on the economy will discourage consumer spending at a time were consumer spending is needed to stimulate the economy. For example, According to Laura Hill, a research fellow at the nonopartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that food such as lettuce strawberrys and spinach would increase in price.
Which would mean no more strawberries dipped in choclate this valentine's day. It is not just Americans who are reluctant to perform the jobs of illegal Immigrants. A few summers ago, a Spanish employment agency found out that less than 1,700 unemployed people, mostly non-Spanish, out of 7,800 unemployed workers accepted the job.
A 2006 study by the Pew Hispanic Center said that they found no evidence to support the claim that there was a link between immigration and higher unemployment for native Americans. The study looked at the immigration patterns all states and compared the data to the unemployment rate.
One complaint that many have about illegal immigrants is that they take and more than they contribute to the growth of the economy.
There is some truth to this. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, Immigrants in general use at least one welfare program at 50 percent higher rate than their American-born counterparts. In additon, the cost for providing health care to illegal immigrants in Los Angelos County in 2002 was $340 million.
It would be intellectual dishonest for me to suggest that the existences of illegal immigrants in the United States does not create any economic problems, but the truth is that the benefits outweigh the losses.
Take for example Social Security. Many analysis and pundits have said that the social security system will go bankrupt unless appropriate reforms are put in place.
What gets lost and ignored in the social security debate is the fact that illegal immigrants still pay federal taxes because regardless of immigrant status, employers deduct payroll taxes from ther paychecks.
In 2002, one study at the Center for Urban Economic Development at the University Illinois in Chicago, found that 70 percent of undocumented immigrants paid payroll taxes. If you think Social Security is bad now just wait and see what will happen if every illegal immigrant is deported.
That is not the only economic benefit. The same study discovered that the spending by illegal immigrants generated more than 31,000 jobs and contributed more than $5.34 billion annually to Chicago's economy.
The economic benefits of illegal immigrants is not limited to Chicago. In North Carolina there are simiar results. While illegal immigrants may cost the state $61 million they also stimulated the economy by $9 billion.
One important distinction to make is that while the country as a whole benefits from illegal immigration, it is individual states that absorb the cost.
Some commentators have suggested that both illegal and legal immigration is causing wages to fall for native born Americans. in 2006 former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs said that immigrants were causing wages to fall for native born Americans by $200 billion a year. The truth is that there is no positive correlation between the loss of wages for Americans as a result of an increase in immigrants. The one group that is effected are other immigrants who work in similar sectors of the economy.
One study conducted from 1990-2004 discovered that immigration in California caused wages to increase by four percent. This is because immigrants tend to work in jobs that compliment american jobs rather than replace them.
It is not just the economic impact of both immigrants and illegal immigrants that has caused controversy. Another easily disprovable myth about illegal immigrants is that they have a propensity for violence and criminal behavior. A U.S. Representative from Iowa claimed that illegal immigrants kill 25 Americans a day. In 2006, a conservative radio host claimed that illegal murder 45,000 American citizens since 9-11. This would mean that four percent of the population is responsible for 53 percent of all murders.
Furthermore the assumption that terrorist might use mexico to get to America is not based on fact. The millienium bomber was apprehended from Canada not Mexico. Also none of the hijackers that caused september 11 came through Mexico.
Perhaps I am too soft on immigration but this statement is a little hyperbolic. just a little.
In an article from the Southern Poverty Law Center's, intelligience report, one study found that the "rate of violence among mexican Americans was significantly lower than among non-Latino Americans."
If anything illegal immigrants are coming to America because of the rise in Crime in Mexico and Central America. According to an article in the Economists, a significant number of citizens said that Crime is far greater concern than unemployment.
Again, this shows that the reasons illegal immigrants come to america are more complex then some would like to believe.
There are various reasons why people decide to leave their homeland. Some leave for economic opportunities others are refugees and leave for political reasons. In 2008 many migrants entering through the medditerranean came to Italy for Political Asylum. During that year the majority of the 36,000 migrants who came to Italy seeking humanitarian relief.
Of course economics cannot be ignored. Given recent events, the rate of immigration is declinging. For instance the number of Latino immigrants in Spain has decreased by 100,000. This is causing a labor shortage for many countries. Germany has 36,000 unfilled engineering positions and 43,000 openings in the information field.
A Sensible immigration policy needs to take into consideration labor demands. There is other evidence that show immigration is declining. According to Frontex, the European Union's border-security agency, only 150 people migrated to Italy and Lata in the first quarter of 2010 which is remarkably lower than in 2009 . (5,200) even though it was not the whole year.
There have been attempts by governments to offer various incentives for immigrants to come and stay but most of the policies have discourage immigrants from coming. For example, Spain has convinced north-west African countries to put the ports of departure further south to make the trip to the Canaries more dangerous and expensive.
According to immigration scholar, Tamar Jacoby, one deterent for immigration in Germany is the byzantine and burdensome visa process. Likewise in 2006 Canada put more restrictions on immigration by making the citizenship test harder and making it more costly for an investor to get access.
Many immigrants experience extreme conditions to get to their new destinations. attempting to travel to the Canary islands face a host of issues such as paying between $1,200-$2,000 to be transported by Senegalese merchants. Many end up getting arrested and detain some are thrown over board by their captains to ease the weight of the ships.
Likewise it is nearly impossible for Mexicans and other immigrants from Hispanic countries to enter America especially if they are poor. Many Mexicans decide to swim the Grand Rio to gain entrance in the United States. Just as there are middlemen in Africa who profit enormously from taking immigrants to another country so do men known as coyotes profit from the same thing in the southern border of the United States.
As much as I hate to admit it some immigration policy were motivated by racism and ethnic-centrism such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the National Origin System in 1921. Some believe that the immigration policies in much of Europe discourages immigration from Africa because it is a threat to its racial homogeneity.
A good example of this is the treatment of the Roma population in Europe. Last year a gunman in Eastern Europe killed seven people and injured 14 before committing suicide. Six of the victims were a Roma Family killed inside their apartment. Many Roma have traveled westward for more oppurtunity. One time Hungarian police collaborated with the FBI because of a number of attacks on Roma Setllements, which left a five-year-old boy dead.
Also five Roma boys were arrested for theft and forced to strip naked, kiss and hit each other as police filmed it.
The treatment of the Roma population is extremely abhorent. One member of a far-right Hungarian party, called for the internment of the Roma.
it is not just the Roma who are victims of xenophobia one politician in Germany blatantly said that immigrants from Arabia and Turkey are no longer welcomed.
Not suprisingly, the United States is home to numerous irrational manifestations of xenophobia such as billionaire Rust Childress who sent radical groups to harass day labors in Phoenix. Ironically, the auto dealer has illegal immigrants working at some of his dealerships. The same group known as Freedom Riders, went to a parking lot to place a citizen's arrest on a mother who was hiding in a church.
Not convinced? What about Jason JT Ready, a Nativist who would like to place land mines near the Texas Mexican border and said that
"The truth is that negroids screw monkeys and rape babies in Afreaka...stop negroid immigration and intergration now!
Another brilliant example is 25-year-old Vito Vaccaro who formed a group based on trying to expel all Muslims from America. Vaccao conveniently ignores the fact that Muslims have been coming to America since the 19th century and that the first mosque was built around the 1920s. Vaccao created a party called the Loyalist Party Against Islamic Hate to promote this agenda.
If Vaccaro had his way were would he send all the Muslim converts who have no ancestral connection to another country?
In 2007 the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project identified 144 nativist extremists groups. There behavior and language is saturated with Irony. According to a leader in the Emigration party the "invasion" of illegal immigrants is akin to the invasion of Ghengis Khan.
Yet it is the American Freedom riders, a group of nativists, who entered a church parking lot and surrounded a group of immigrants with their motorcycles. The same person who made the Genghis Khan comparison said that Latino women apprehended should be forced to undergo sterilization so that America does not become a "third World sewer."
More recently, a police Chief in New York decided to resign after news surfaced that his officers were acting abusively toward Latinos.
To be fair there are legitimate concerns when it comes to immigration. One study estimated that between 10-12 percent of Muslims in Germany are prone to radical Islamic thinking, and 25 percent of Muslim teenagers are hostile to Christians and Jews. Surprisingly, this is not the only European country that has had been a popular destination for adherents of a radical interpretation of Islam. More recently, there has been a group of Muslims in Belgium calling for Sharia law. The hatred for non-Muslims is as despicable as any other group based on hate.
There are other problems with immigration that arent as inflammatory such as the lack of renting space available in Canada in large cities because of immigration.
Regardless immigration is going to be crucial in 2012 election just as it was for Barack Obama. Harry Reid credit his successful defeat of Sharon Angle to the support he garnered from Latino voters.
Unless the GOP candiates approach immigration reform with support from the Latino community, then they can say hasta luego to defeating president Obama come this fall.
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