Life In Occupied Palestinian Part 1 by Anna

State of Israel’s 60 year anniversary, why we shouldn’t be celebrating it

Not everyone is celebrating the 60th Nakba (catastrophe) anniversary of formation of the state

of Israel. In America, any discussion on the treatment of the Palestinians or the Apartheid

conditions are met with critical rebut and indignant rant about Israel being “our friend.” The

subject has always been off the table in the U.S. Just as sure as Communist China’s human

rights abuses and brutal body parts industry is ignored, why, because China is highly invested

in American dollars, they are business partners, (never mind the trade gap) You can say, they

are “our friends.” We will never hear anyone in Washington talking about invading China and

bring democracy to the Chinese people, even when the people of Tibet are fighting for their

independence.

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Highway 59 Blogging in Houston - Justice for Palestinians

Mini film about Highway 59 weekly protest in Houston Texas. The group wants fellow Americans to truly see what is really going on in Palestine as well as bring to light the amount of U.S. tax payers dollars going towards the state of Israel to fund the current Apartheid System of ethnic cleaning of the Muslims and Christian Palestinians. The media has banned any open discussions about this topic

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

by M. Fatih ÖZTARSU

I think that most people really do not understand childhood fairy tales until they are adults. But by then these stories often are not revisited. Joseph Campbell, vis-à-vis Carl Jung, said that myths, including childhood fairy tales, are best read as metaphors. These metaphors help map out our life quests.

In Snow White, the evil stepmother gushes: “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all?” Most people think that she is vain, and therefore being vain is “bad.” But there is more to it than that, and if this is all we can impart to our children then we are robbing them of meaning. Actually, I do not think this is about our children at all, but rather about ourselves as adults. When we read these stories again to our children, its very telling about ourselves if we finally “understand” these stories or not, now that we have grown up.

If you are searching for wisdom in life, a child’s library of fairy tales is a convenient place to begin. The imagery in fairy tales provides us with archetypes that we can use to organize the lessons that life teaches us.

The notion of the evil stepmother in Snow White talking to her mirror struck me when I was looking at myself in the mirror. We know that some mirrors do a better job for us then others. Mirrors that make us look horrendous put us off. Is it the lighting? Is this mirror warped or what? Do I actually look like that? What’s going on with my hair? How come my pores are so big? But what I really mean is: “Am I the fairest one of all?”

I wish I had a mirror that did the job like the one Snow White’s stepmother had. It was honest and reliable. But mirrors like that do not exist, at least not for our bathrooms. But we do carry such a mirror, and it is of great help if we know how to use it. To use it properly, we have to ask ourselves the proper questions. The evil stepmother asked the wrong question. She was not evil; she was unenlightened and lost in her own illusions.

Most of us ask the wrong questions but do not think of ourselves as evil. We ask if we are the fairest, the smartest, the happiest, the most contented. The stepmother was told that she was not the fairest in relation to Snow White. She was plenty gorgeous already though, the number two beauty in the land.

When we ask the wrong questions, we become as delusional as Snow White’s stepmother. Unfortunately, many of us do not stop looking for a mirror that will tell us that we are the fairest.

Mirrors only show us who we are, not who we would rather be. We think that a new car would be a good mirror, but it is not. We think that a new, attractive mate would be a good mirror, but it is not. Neither is a high paying job or a lovely home. Such things have nothing to do with finding a mirror that works because this inner reflection, this mirror that we carry, never fails to work. Unfortunately, we simply fail to look, all the while asking the wrong questions to the wrong objects.

To be fair, it is difficult to look straight into our honest reflections. Not only must we contend with our previous illusions of trying to be the fairest, we must now contend with very real failings of character and personality. Guess what? I realized this weekend that I am not such a nice guy. Something like that can be down right depressing, but not if we realize that it is all part and parcel of seeing ourselves.

When we can SEE ourselves, we begin to see others; that is, we see ourselves in others and others in ourselves. We also begin to question ourselves, not to doubt ourselves but to pose questions that require answers from us. That is, we make ourselves accountable. When we are accountable to ourselves, we are essentially free. We no longer look outside for the pre-digested answers so much as inward for both the questions and the answers.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Kilakarai

Location
Kilakarai aka Kilakkarai, is a lovely coastal town situated in Tamilnadu, India. This gentle town reminiscent of Spanish Moorish architecture is close to the Temple town of Rameswaram.

History
Most of its present Muslim population hails from the Pandyan King Raja Varma Kulasekhara's lineage. The broad-minded people of Kilakarai were instrumental in sending Swami Vivekananda on his quest to the West. Kilakkarai residents include Sunni Muslims, Hindus of Devar, Nadar, etc and other communities such as Christians and Harijans living in harmony. Kilakarai is distinct in that the mother tongue of the Muslims here is Tamil. This distinguishes them from the pre-dominant Urdu speakers of the sub-continent.

Pearl fisheries dominated the early revenues of this town. It was closely followed by Chank/Conch trade.1 Maritime trade took the inhabitants to all corners of the world.
The religious tone of this Islamic town is set in the Qadiriyya Order. Orthodox, matriarchal and educated, the typical Kilakkarai family observes the strict Islamic ruling on non mixing of the genders, and prohibition on drinking. Arranged marriages is still the norm for the well heeled youngsters.sadam hussan is very famous man in kilakarai.he is well known person.he lived in big amballam street.with the help of him.Most children played cricket.

Kilakarai Today
Today, many Kilakkarai residents have made Chennai, India their home. Industrious and honest, Kilakkarai natives have contributed to the distinct landscape of Madras city, now known as Chennai. Dynamic Kilakkarai educational institutions were the forerunners of the innumerous colleges and universities found today. The Crescent group of institutions are managed by the Seethakathi (Siddakadi) Group in Southern India.




A Kilakarai Lighthouse-View

As recently as spring '06, Kilakkarai-ians launched the theme shopping mall called Citicenter in the heart of the city, close to the Marina beach. Imagine Singara Chennai without the 'Gemini Bridge', the Light House, Valluvar Kottam, the Crescent Institutions, etc, to name a few landmarks. Khader Nawaz Khan Rd and its environs, the 'golden-mile of Chennai' is home to the Kilakkarai community. Movenpick anyone?

The Kilakaraians living in Dubai are financially well-off. The majority are currently enjoying success with the conglomerate, Emirates Trading Agency(ETA). This company was formed in 1965, as a partnership between the affluent Al-Ghurair family and a small group of Kilakaraians. Today the ETA group, boasts a handful of successful Kilakaraians. One of such kilakaraians isB.S. Abdur-Rahman, who paved way for the sucess of the community.

The 'Mohamed Sathak Trust' (MST) is also another very important part of Kilakarai's business history. One of the most recent developments of the MST group of companies is the discovery of numerous underground steel mines in an MST-owned property in Bangalore. The mine is worth more than a whopping (Ind)Rs 12,000 crores. Some sources claim that this mining site is worth much more. The MST group of companies continue to be competitive rivals to ETA. Both companies have constructed numerous educational institutions in Chennai. In Kilakarai, both MST and ETA have contributed to the overall development of the city. In fact, the oldest post-office in Kilakarai was built by the MST group of companies, and has the record for being one of the oldest standing buildings in Kilakarai today.

Despite making their homes and businesses far and wide, Kilakkarai natives return during the summer and year-end for family celebrations. This idyllic town comes to life during marriage functions. The unique rendezvous ensures that centuries of customs and lineage is understood by the next generation. The Kilakkarai diaspora families compulsorily attend at least once a year.

Note: This is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

FOSTER CARE SYSTEM

No part of this article can be reproduced without the permission of the author .Copyright Karema Akifah Saleh


Imagine asking a respected colleague to recommend a family doctor for your children after relocating to a new city. The colleague goes on to tell you about Dr. X who claims that he is unable to help his patients 80% of the time, has committed malpractice 1/3 of the time and has Molested and abused 30% of this patients- yet continues to treat children, continues to get massive funding, which most are used on his facility and for salaries, continues to practice medicine with ease. Most parents would be outraged, and never consider having any type of dealings with Dr. X. Although Dr. X is not a real person, this scenarios plays out over and over again in the Foster Care system -and parents have little control of their children’s outcome.

We only hear stories of Foster Care abuse when a child is murdered,

Time Magazine has done a serious of stores on the Foster Care system. “the Crisis of Foster Care” was published November 5, of 2005 . The article opened with a grisly description of a little who was pictured in a hospital with a tube protruding from his broken nose. He had deep cuts above his right ear and scars around his forehead. There were burn marks on his tiny feet. This innocent child had been battered and tortured. He was tied with panty hose and belts to a banister by the women who had become his foster parent. The state of Georgia had taken him away from his mother, placed him in the Foster Mother’s care. This 6 year old little boy had so many injuries that the medical examiner gave up counting them. He weighed only 29lbs and was another victim in the Foster Care system in the United States. At the time the article was written, the number of children in the Foster Care system had doubled from a quarter of a million to over 550,000.Innocent children are caught up in a web of abuse and neglect to bureaucratic foul-ups and carelessness. The incidence of neglect, physical and sexual abuse of children in foster care is feared to be significantly higher than incidents in the general populations.The government is quick to snatch a child from parents they deem irresponsible, yet does a poor job protecting the very same innocent child

Mars the fourth planet from the Sun

MARS
This picture was created by NASA and the European Space Agency

Mars the fourth planet from the Sun, is sometimes known as the Red Planet because of its reddish appearance as seen from Earth. The planet is named after Mars, the Roman god of war. A terrestrial planet, Mars has a thin atmosphere and surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the volcanoes, valleys, deserts and polar ice caps of Earth. It is the site of Olympus Mons, the highest known mountain in the solar system, and of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon. In addition to its geographical features, Mars's rotational period and seasonal cycles are likewise similar to those of the Earth.

Until the first flyby of Mars by Mariner 4 in 1965, it was speculated that there might be liquid water on the planet. This was based on observations of periodic variations in light and dark patches, particularly in the polar latitudes, which looked like seas and continents, while long, dark striations were interpreted by some observers as irrigation channels for liquid water. These straight line features were later proven not to exist and were instead explained as optical illusions. Still, of all the planets in our solar system, Mars is the most likely, other than Earth, to harbor liquid water, and perhaps life.

Mars is currently host to three functional orbiting spacecraft: Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This is more than any planet except Earth. The surface is also home to the two Mars Exploration Rovers (Spirit and Opportunity). Geological evidence gathered by these and preceding missions suggests that Mars previously had large-scale water coverage, while observations also indicate that small geyser-like water flows have occurred in recent years. Observations by NASA's Mars Global Surveyor show evidence that parts of the southern polar ice cap have been receding.

Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are small and irregularly shaped. These may be captured asteroids, similar to 5261 Eureka, a Martian Trojan asteroid. Mars can be seen from Earth with the naked eye. Its apparent magnitude reaches −2.9, a brightness surpassed only by Venus, the Moon, and the Sun, though for much of the year Jupiter may appear brighter to the naked eye than Mars.

(Wikipedia). For more detailed Information on this article Click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars

This is Good!

Author Unknown (Author) Source Unknown(Source)


An old story is told of a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"

One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!" To which the king replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and proceeded to send his friend to jail.

About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake.

As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way. As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. "You were right," he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "And so I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this."

"No," his friend replied, "This is good!"

"What do you mean,'This is good'? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"

"If I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you."

Situations may not always seem pleasant while we are in them, but the promise of God is clear. If we love Him and live our lives according to His precepts, even that which seems to be bleak and hopeless will be turned by God for His glory and our benefit.

NAIL IN THE FENCE

A story with a lesson!
Please read till the end!
NAIL IN THE FENCE
Author unknown.

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper.

His Father gave him a bag of nails

and told him that every time he lost his temper,

he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.

Over the next few weeks,

as he learned to control his anger,

the number of nails hammered daily

gradually dwindled down.

He discovered it was easier to hold his temper

than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all.

He told his father about it and the father suggested

that the boy now pull out one nail

for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed

and the young boy was finally able to tell his father

that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand

and led him to the fence.

He said, "You have done well, my son,

but look at the holes in the fence.

The fence will never be the same.

When you say things in anger,

they leave a scar just like this one.

You can put a knife in a man and draw it out.

It won't matter how many times you say "I'm

sorry," the wound is still there."

A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Please forgive me if I have ever left a hole.

Hajj, a Life Changing Journey, how Hajj changed El Hajj Malik El Shabazz’s Life

Many can look back in time and find an event, person, place or thing which was influential or life changing. For some, it was a special teacher, or a mentor, for others, it could have been moving to another country or city. The one event that totally changed El Hajj Malik El Shabazz’s (aka: Malcolm X) life, was his pilgrimage to Mekkah. Hajj, is a religious obligation that is at the heart of every Muslim believer. If able, he or she is expected to make Hajj at least once in their lifetime. This Hajj experience in 1965 truly changed his perspective on race and Islam. He witnessed the beauty of Islam in front of his eyes, seeing a multitude of Muslims from every corner of the earth, and every hue imaginable. It was more than just a religious experience; it was a journey into truth, an epiphany. In order to fully comprehend this awakening metamorphosis, transformation, and its impact, one must know the man before the pilgrimage.

El Hajj Malik Shabazz was born in Omaha, Nebraska May 19th, 1925. His father was a pastor who openly spoke out against racism and injustice. His voiced was silenced when he was brutally murdered by the Klan (racist White separatist group). Malik Shabazz was a boy at the time. In the absence of his father’s strict up bring, he fell into trouble with the law in his early 20’s. Ironically, he began studying Islam while incarcerated, later joining The Nation of Islam lead by Elijah Mohammad.

He once viewed people of European decent as devils, and evil. Perhaps the highly volatile racial climate during his life time played a role in some of his views. Lynches were the norm in the South, and contrary to what some believe, also occurred in the North. America was extremely divided, from the battle fields of the civil war, to the segregated water fountains of the civil rights era. African Americans’ home were burned by the Klan in the South, and also in the North. Young Emmit Tills was savagely murdered in Mississippi, to the point of un recognition. Martin Luther King was assassinated, as well as President Kennedy and his brother Senator Robert Kennedy adding more kindle to the flame.

In 1963 he ignored a direct order from Elijah Mohammad to remain silent after President Kennedy’s assassination and publicly went on record stating that Kennedy’s assignation was a matter of “the chickens coming home to roost.” He and was eventually excommunicated from the group. The nation of Islam was a highly militaristically structured Black Nationalist group. Many of their beliefs did not fall in line with orthodox Islam.

At some point, he began to question his own positions, the teachings and leadership of the Nation of Islam. El Hajj Malik Shabazz’s departure from the Nation of Islam just might have been the catalyst of change in his life. He went to Hajj, and soon rediscovered Islam. It had a remarkable impact on his life. His racial perspective changed as well as some past ideology. He said, (in a famous letter he wrote about his pilgrimage) “During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass and slept in the same bed (or on the same rug)-while praying to the same God with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of the blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in the actions and in the deeds of the ‘white' Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan and Ghana.”

In his timeless epithany, Malcolm said "America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered White - but the White attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color." The Koran says (49:10), The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear God, that ye may receive Mercy. “ He also said in a letter to members of the newly formed Masjid in Harlem “… on this pilgrimage, what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to rearrange much of my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions. This was not too difficult for me. Despite my firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new knowledge unfolds it. I have always kept an open mind, which necessary to the flexibility that must go hand in hand with every form of intelligent search for truth…”

It is sad that 40 years have passed, and so many have not embraced the great lessons of unity that Malcolm learned from his hajj journey. Hajj is a manifestation of a core Islamic principal of Muslim unity in the Ummah. The Koran also states (3:103): And hold fast, all together, by the rope which God (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude God's favor on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth God make His Signs clear to you: That ye may be guided by Islam.

Ossie Davis delivered Malcolm’s eulogy on February 27, 1965. He warned the people about those who would come and try to tarnish his legacy, telling them to “revile him, to flee, even from the presence of his memory, to save ourselves by writing him out of the history of our turbulent times. Many will say turn away, away from this man, for he is not a man but a demon, a monster, a subverter … And we will smile. They will say that he is of hate, a fanatic, a racist who can only bring evil to the cause for which you struggle!...” They did not know him.

No part of this article can be reproduced without the permission of the author .
Copyright Karema Akifah Saleh

Visit to Dallas, Texas, USA

By Karema Akifah Saleh, Editor of Iqra! Newspaper

I visited Dallas just recently, the city where President Kennedy was assassinated. I didn’t think much of going to the famous Dealey Plaza, but our host insisted that we find this location. As numerous calls were made to secure good directions, my mind started to go back in time. I had never visited this landmark, nor had I thought to do so. We spent about 15 minutes looking for Main and Elm St. At this point my heart began to race and my curiosity grew stronger and stronger as we came near. I have seen that famous video depicting the President driving with the governor of Texas a thousand times. The moment I saw the famous Texas School Book Depository I knew this outing would have a major impact on me in some way.

I insisted on going to the museum on the 6th floor of the Texas School Book Depository. This was a rare opportunity I could not pass up. We opted for the audio tour and secured our headphone devices and immediately when up to the 6th floor. It was surprising to find so many people there both young and old. I guess we were all trapped in our own personal space watching and listening to the audio tour. I immediately felt as if I entered the 60’s. It was mesmerizing to hear president Kenney’s famous speeches. I soon realized why so many people loved him. There was an emotional tension in the air. People of all races adored this president. I began to appreciate what decent strong leadership was really about. I can not recall a single president in my lifetime, having this type of effect on so many people. There were a few great leaders of that era silenced by bullets - President Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. , Malcolm X and also Robert Kennedy. I began to ponder and asked myself “why does America kill so many great leaders?”

The audio tour presented a vivid picture of the events of the day leading to the assassination of the President. We viewed various documentaries. I watched the reaction of the crowd all displaying a rather a solemn silence, especially the older crowd. I wished my mother could have walked me through this tour and share he own personal memories of this point in time. I knew she would say something like “I remember exactly where I was, and what I was doing when President Kennedy was assassinated.
The audio tour presented a vivid picture of the events of the day leading to the assassination of the President. We viewed various documentaries. I watched the reaction of the crowd all displaying a rather a solemn silence, especially the older crowd. I wished my mother could have walked me through this tour and share he own personal memories of this point in time. I knew she would say something like “I remember exactly where I was, and what I was doing when President Kennedy was assassinated.

I began to be distressed when I thought about today’s political leaders, and how divisive politics are these days, where American politician care more about their Party than matters of importance to the nation. It is so distressing, so sad. What happened to real men of integrity in politics, what happened to dignity and the sense of true service? There was no point in trying to compare President Kennedy to President Bush. It was like comparing caviar to a chilidog. It was like trying to fit a square peg into a circle.

I became angry when I began to ponder the utter chaos and evil of this world. The never ending thirst for power and control by any means necessary by the elite who really run things. The bold and satanial murder of a decent and just leader in broad daylight, so unapologetically, so brutally. I thought about all the problems of today and realized not much had changed since Kennedy’s assassination In fact, it is much worst. How long will American people play the fool to the lies of evil men?

I, like so many could not believe that Lee Harvey Oswald killed the President alone, latter I did not believe he killed him at all. How could the people of the day believe the lies the Warren Report obviously covered up? The famous assassination video wasn’t released until 2 years after President’s death, just like the video of the bombing of the Pentagon will not be released until after the election. If the government didn’t have anything to hide, why would they keep so much from the public?

It doesn’t surprise me that many people are making comparisons of the investigation of 9/11 with the Warren Report. It even dawned on me that the 9/11 Commission Report was flawed and full of unanswered questions, omissions and misleading conclusions just like the Warren Report. I thought to myself are we really free in America? I recalled one of President Kennedy’s speeches where he talked about government secrecy and how our government should be open to judgment by the people. So profound, so chilling, it was as if he was talking from his grave.

Imagine a President with vision, a President with hope and real compassion for democracy, freedom and respect today. Why did this nation go war in Vietnam? Over 60,000 dead soldiers and many more Vietnamese people died. Would we be the house slaves of Israel today, a government who cares little about American or the American people, and who only care about what benefits them? Kennedy was one of the few and only Presidents that protected American interest first and did not dance to the beat of the Israeli drummer

I wondered as my tour ended, what President Kennedy would say today had he seen this great mess the Neo Cons and Zionist zombies have gotten us in. I am so sure he would have taken this nation info a war on false pretenses. Where are the real men with a soul and a backbone who serve this nation? Why are so many politicians prostitutes of special interest and slaves of AIPAC (Jewish lobby). What happened to integrity? I am not suggesting President Kennedy was a perfect person, but he brought so many people together. Can you remember a president so hated by a few, but so loved by many Black, White or Red. I suggest some of these so called leaders of today go online and listen to a few of Kennedy’s speeches which were as profound yesterday, as they are today.

Copyright Karema Akifa Saleh

The Real Defining Moment in America Was Hurricane Katrina and not 9/11

Iqra! Newspaper

by Karemah Akifah Saleh, Iqra Newspaper

The terrorist attack in New York on September 11, 2001 (9/11) has been labeled the defining moment in American history, and President George Bush’s presidency. Not a day has passed without an article in a newspaper, a discussion on talk radio or on network news mentioned something linked to 9/11, whether it is terrorism (which is often a code word for “Islamic Extremism”), Al Quaeda, Iran, Iraq, or Osama Bin Laden. The propaganda machine is always turning in order to create a fear in the public’s eyes to justify this unpopular war.

Countless laws were rubber stamped through Congress with little if any debate in the name of 9/11. We went to war on false pretenses, which promoted a new wave of xenophobia and more foolish laws. Why has this nation ignored so many important issues of the day, and has not devoted even a fraction of attention towards the events on August 29, 2005 – Hurricane Katrina, the nation’s worst disaster of all time.Hurricane Katrina was clearly this nation’s most defining moment for many reasons. This storm uncovered many hidden flaws from the local, state and the federal government. It opened Pandora’s Box, exposing many dysfunctional aspects of this nation. Americans were not willing to face the total inability of the government to deal with a national crisis, from the state of Louisiana to the President.

Remember the images of utter chaos in New Orleans, the helpless trapped in hospitals, the poorest and most unprepared forced to go to the Super Dome at the very last moment, desperate cries for help with hundreds lining up around the New Orleans Convention Center begging for water, and some of the most shameful neglect of the elderly. Dead bodies remaining on the streets for weeks, elderly left to fend for themselves dying a miserable death in the sweltering heat of a semi tropical American city. The old and dead were found in wheel chairs, also, half naked babies in the most unsanitary condition imaginable. Days and days passed with out any real intervention from the government. No water, no way out, no hope. This was not a scene most would expect to see from the richest, most powerful nation in the world. This was not a Hollywood production. This was real. Surely this injustice could not happen in America – a nation that talks so much about freedom.Two major precedents occurred during the chaos of Katrina. There were three direct violations of the constitution. The city was transformed into a complete police state like never before in modern times. There was also a violation of the “Posse Comitatus Act' Title 18 of the U.S. Code, Section 1385, which states:"'Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."

In layman’s terms, the military is prohibited from direct involvement in law enforcement. U.S. law and policy limits the military's role in domestic affairs. Military can not run around the streets playing rambo with citizens.

No less than 3 constitutional rights were violated

While thugs scoured the city streets breaking into houses, businesses and committing crimes, the military were busy removing guns from the homes of many law abiding citizens. A direct violation of the United States Constitution:

2nd Amendment:… the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

3rd Amendment :No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

4th Amendment:The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures…..

Instead of the media digging deep, challenging these direct breaches of the United States constitutions, or trying to find answers, and asking tough questions, holding leaders accountable for this tragedy spinning so violently out of control, much of the media decided to spin stories about looters, and George Bush’s trip to the Gulf South, as if he was a hero coming to save the day. Let us not forget Momma Bush’s comment which could have been taken from a cheap old Racist Southern novel, “Back on the Southern Plantation” (fictitious). She said (mainly directed at towards the thousands of African Americans stranded in the Astro Dome) “so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them,” As if it was a Sunday picnic at the park. What she failed to realize as many, citizens finding shelter in the Superdome, Convention Center, Reliant Stadium or newly formed FEMA Camps were not allowed to leave the premises., Most of the New Orleans residents felt abandoned by their leaders. Mayor Nagin received hardly any national attention until he went on the radio blasting the federal government for their slothfulness. Many residents questioned how the government of the richest nation in the world could so quickly give billions to Israel without flinching and deploy troops to fight an unjustified war in Iraq in super sonic speed. But when it came to Hurricane Katrina relief, suddenly not even the most basic supplies could be sent to the much needed citizens in the Big Easy (New Orleans), however they did not waste time turning New Orleans into a Police State and sweeping the disenfranchised African American population from the land.

Where were the priorities of leaders from the City to the Federal government all of those years? New Orleans’ vulnerability to a massive flood was well documented since Hurricane Betsy. Those responsible for protecting the city in government failed New Orleans, failed the Gulf Coast and America, before, during and after Hurricane Katrina. And let us not forget the useless Levy Board. Where was the help?This government maintained a continuous flow of billions of dollars into rebuilding Iraq (which the Neo Con Zionist Zombies destroyed in the first place) to which much went to no bid contractors and constructing military bases. Just imagine the impact of rebuilding the Gulf South, using this money to create the most technically advanced levy systems in the world, modernizing New Orleans infrastructures (i.e. 100 year old pumping stations) building quality educational facilities with 21 Century standards, repairing the streets which were in horrendous condition even before Hurricane Katrina, repairing the vanishing coast line……modernizing the highway system…

Some leaders went on record questioning the need to rebuild New Orleans, a city with one of the busiest ports in this nation,” Louisiana has the hardest working wetlands in America, a watery world of bayous, marshes, and barrier islands that either produces or transports more than a third of the nation's oil and a quarter of its natural gas, and ranks second only to Alaska in commercial fish landings.” (National Geographic.com)

How can 1,900 square miles of wetlands disappear from the Louisiana coast since the 1930’s and continues to recede at a rate of about 24 square miles per year without little action from Congress? The Oil/gas pipelines have been a direct detriment to the marsh land, which is known as a buffer zone protecting the city against massive title waves. Not enough was done to protect New Orleans and the gulf coast.Instead of prioritizing this ongoing crisis Governor Blanco (the state’s governor) and Mayor Nagin were affixed with keeping the Saints Football team in New Orleans, and doing everything possible to get a good deal, but a fraction of an effort was made making a good deal for the state, the people, and the generations to come in one of the nation’s unique states and cities.

The scientific community was blatantly ignored – until the last hour when Mayor Nagin insisted on an evacuation at the very last minute, illustrating what could happen if the storm hit, offering little leadership and a tight plan of last resort. Why did they ignore all of the warning? Why did President Bush and his Congress ignore legislature for dealing with this problem?

A year has passed and change is happening at a snails pace in New Orleans. Part of the money promised has not trickled down to the citizens who really could make a difference in the rebuilding process. Every citizen of America is advised to visit this city, and see the present day shameful condition. Most New Orleans citizens still remain scattered across the United States. Crime has made a comeback, and not one single leader has been held accountable for this most shameful defining moment in American’s history. Every community should have a clear cut plan in the case of a national disaster.

Author’s post notes:This article only scratches the surface of what went wrong in the case of Hurricane Katrina. There were many other horrible events not mentioned because of breadth of the problem. I am considering doing a 3 part series exploring other issues.

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1983 Alex Haley Interview

In 1983, world renown author, Alex Haley visited Fort Wayne, IN to discuss his book and mini-series, "Roots". He appeared on the talk show, "A New Generation".