Justice Department Takes a Second Look at New Black Panthers Voter-Intimidation Case
Author: R.E.A.L.
California: Gang member pleads guilty to hate-crime battery
California: Gang member pleads guilty to hate-crime battery
— Ventura County Star reports:
— “Oak View man attacked interracial couple at gas station”
— “A reputed white supremacist skinhead gang member has pleaded guilty to a hate-crime battery of an interracial couple in Oak View.”
— “Matthew Schumacher, 27, of Casitas Springs is scheduled to be sentenced in October, after pleading guilty last week in Superior Court to one count of battery and three enhancement allegations.”
— “The District Attorney’s Office wants Schumacher, a reputed member of a Ventura-based skinhead gang, sent back to prison. But in return for the guilty plea, Judge Bruce Clark said he would consider a lighter sentence than the seven years Schumacher faces: 180 days in county jail and three years’ probation.”
— “Deputy District Attorney John Barrick said Schumacher assaulted a white man who was with his African-American girlfriend at a gas station in Oak View on July 25. Barrick said Schumacher uttered racial slurs at the couple, who are both 25-year-old residents of Ventura.”
U.S. Students Don’t Know 9/11, Believe Conspiracy Theorists
Boston Globe: “When students don’t know 9/11”
— Boston Globe reports: “Educators rethink their lessons for children too young to remember”
— “Three years ago, Julie Fox commemorated 9/11 with her students by asking them to write journal entries recounting where they were when the planes hit and how they felt at that moment.”
— “But the Norwell High School social studies teacher has had to retire that assignment.”
— “Too few students remember the day, the succession of ever-worsening reports, the horror of the World Trade Center towers cascading into dust, employees fleeing the Pentagon, and investigators combing through the wreckage in a Pennsylvania field.”
— “Fox said she is confronted with 11th- and 12th-grade students who believe that the attacks were the work of a great conspiracy”
— “Monica Castro of Roxbury, a 14-year-old freshman at the South Boston Education Complex, is among the ranks with little recall. She was 6 at the time of the attacks and has learned about them since from teachers; however, yesterday she was not sure who committed them.”
— “‘I forgot – the Muslims or someone,’ she said.”
— “At C.T. Douglas School in Acton, fifth- and sixth-graders will listen to a morning announcement noting that today is 9/11, and then teachers will explain that sometimes bad things happen that are difficult to understand.”
— “‘We tell them… that there are very angry people in the world and that we have to focus on the things that we can control,’ said Chris Whitbeck, the principal. “That their job is to be the best person they can possibly be.'”
— “Specifics of the attacks will not be discussed, though if pupils ask questions, Whitbeck said, their questions will be answered.”
— “Kevin Mount, a freshman from Dorchester at the South Boston Education Complex, said he was certain that the attacks were not the result of a conspiracy.”
— “He said they were all a coincidence that the government used as an excuse for attacking the Taliban.”
— “Asked where he learned that theory, he said, ‘From the street.'”
— Washington Post: “9/11 as a Lesson, Not a Memory”
— students complain about handouts and homework in learning about 9/11
— “JaLeah Hedrick, 18, had never learned about Sept. 11 in school until she entered Hutchison’s class this week, but consequences of that day surrounded her as she began her pursuit of extra credit.”
— Schools take up history of terrorism
See also:
— Daily Telegraph: “Charlie Sheen claims US government was behind 9/11 “
Virginia: Judge grants bond to jailed Roanoke neo-Nazi – William A. White
Virginia: Judge grants bond to jailed Roanoke neo-Nazi – William A. White
(Iran) Wave of arrests of Christians in Iran
Iran: Women Prayer Vigil Outside Iran Embassy for Release of Converts
(Iran) Women Prayer Vigil Outside Iran Embassy for Release of Converts
— Christian Post reports:
— “Women dressed in white will hold a prayer vigil outside the Iranian embassy in London tomorrow to highlight the plight of two female Christian converts from Islam who have been jailed without charge for the last six months”
— “Maryam Rustampoor, 27, and Marzieh Amirizadeh, 30, were arrested on 5 March for leaving Islam; and there put in the notorious Evin prison in Teheran, deprived of medical attention and often blindfolded for interrogations for several hours. They were tried after five months on 9 August, they were told to recant their faith which they said they will not do so. They were sent back to the prison where they face charge of apostasy which is death in Iran.”
Pakistan: 5000 Hindus Flee Pakistan
Fearing Taliban, Pak Hindus take Thar Express to India
In the past four years, some 5,000 Hindus may have crossed over from Pakistan, never to return. It has not been easy abandoning their homes, sometimes even their families, but they say they had no choice: they had to flee the Taliban.
It started as a trickle in 2006, the year the Thar Express was flagged off. The weekly train starts from Karachi, enters India at Munabao, a border town in Barmer, and runs up to Jodhpur. In the first year, 392 Hindus crossed over.
This grew to 880 in 2007. The next year, the number was 1,240, and this year, till August, over 1,000 have crossed over. They just keep extending their visas and hope to become Indian citizens.
Incidentally, these are official figures. Sources say there are many more who cross over and melt in the local milieu. And officials have a soft corner for these people, most of whom have harrowing stories to tell.
Ranaram, who used to live in the Rahimyar district of Pakistan’s Punjab, says he fell prey to the Taliban. His wife was kidnapped, raped and forcibly converted to Islam. His two daughters were also forcibly converted. Ranaram, too, had to accept Islam for fear of his life. He thought it best to flee with his two daughters; his wife was untraceable.
Dungaram, another migrant, says atrocities against Hindus in Pakistan have increased in the past two years after the ouster of Musharraf. “We won’t get permanent jobs unless we convert to Islam.”
Hindu Singh Sodha, president of Seemant Lok Sangathan, a group working for the refugees in Barmer and Jaisalmer, says there’s unfortunately no proper refugee policy in India even though people from Pakistan reach here in large numbers.
He said in 2004-05, over 135 families were given Indian citizenship but the rest are still living illegally in the country and are often tortured by police because they don’t have proper citizenship certificates. “In December 2008, over 200 Hindus were converted to Islam in Mirpur Khas town of Pakistan. But there are several others who want to stick to their religion but there’s no safety for them in Pakistan.”
Immigration officer at Munabao railway station, Hetudan Charan, says the arrival of Hindu migrants had suddenly increased as over 15 to 16 families were reaching India every week. “None of them admit they are to settle here but seeing their baggage, we easily understand,’’ he said.
Ravi Kumar, who was Barmer collector till his transfer two days back, said the government in 2007 had given permanent citizenship to a few Pakistani immigrants.
Pakistan: Hindus leave Pakistan to flee Extremist oppression
— Times of India: “Fearing Taliban, Pak Hindus take Thar Express to India”
— “In the past four years, some 5,000 Hindus may have crossed over from Pakistan, never to return. It has not been easy abandoning their homes, sometimes even their families, but they say they had no choice: they had to flee the Taliban. “
Mexico: “Preacher says God wanted him to hijack Mexican jet”
(Mexico) “Preacher says God wanted him to hijack Mexican jet”
— AP: “Jose Flores, a 44-year-old Bolivian preacher who lives in Mexico, had gotten the word from God that he had to warn Mexicans of an impending disaster — an earthquake “like none there has ever been,” he told reporters after being hustled off the plane by police without anyone being injured.”
— FOX News: “Religious Fanatic Accused of Hijacking Mexican Jet”
September 12 DC Washington Monument – Homeland Security Begins with Equality and Liberty
On Saturday, September 12, 2009, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) will be holding a public awareness event at the DC Washington Monument on the subject that Homeland Security begins with a prioritized commitment to Equality and Liberty, which identifies and challenges those ideologies that defy such universal human rights.
Our Homeland Security cannot even begin until we honestly challenge those ideologies that defy our universal human rights, and that are used to oppress women, religious minorities, and others around the world. Terrorism cannot be “stopped” by appeasing extremism or any other anti-freedom ideologies, in the false hopes that we can “negotiate” with those who defy our very universal human rights of equality and liberty.
For more information, contact:
realpublic@earthlink.net
This public awareness event will be from 1 PM to 4 PM at the northeast quadrant of the Washington Monument close to Constitution Avenue, on the corner of Constitution Avenue NW and 15th Street NW.
See “Permitted Location” in map below. Click here for full page area map.
Travel:
Public parking is very difficult in Washington DC on weekends, and strongly discouraged, especially given another event being held at the Capitol that same date.
Attendees are urged to use the Washington DC subway (see subway trip planner). The Washington Monument is nearby the Smithsonian Metro subway stop (Blue/Orange) line, just a short walk away. The following are walking directions to the Washington Monument from the Smithsonian Metro subway stop (orange/blue line):
SMITHSONIAN METRO STATION to WASHINGTON MONUMENT:
1. Exit station through 12TH & JEFFERSON (THE MALL) entrance.
2. Walk approx. 2 blocks W on Jefferson Dr SW.
3. Turn right on 14th St NW.
4. Walk approx. 1 block N on 14th St NW.
5. To “Permitted Location” walk another half block toward Constitution Avenue NW and 15th St NW
Another alternative is the Federal Triangle metro stop:
FEDERAL TRIANGLE METRO to WASHINGTON MONUMENT:
1.Exit on 12th St NW
2. Walk south towards Constitution Avenue NW
3. Cross street toward Washington Monument
4. Walk down “Permitted Location” at Constitution Avenue NW and 15th St NW
National Park Service Web Advice on Travel
Nearest Metro
The nearest Metro station to this site is Smithsonian on the Mall near 12th Street, SW. Federal Triangle station also provides convenience access to the Washington Monument.
Parking/Public Transit
Parking throughout the District of Columbia is restricted generally (see individual area signs for site specific closures/restrictions) from 12:00 A.M. to 6:00 A.M. to facilitate cleaning and maintenance.
Washington, D.C. is a very busy metropolitan area. Parking is at a premium throughout the entire city. Private paid parking garages and lots can be found downtown north of the National Mall. Free on street parking is generally restricted to two hours (ticketing/towing enforced). Limited free day long parking is available along Ohio Drive, SW which is along the Potomac River south of the Lincoln Memorial or in Lots A, B & C south of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.
It is highly recommended that you make use of the efficient public transit system (Metro rail and Metro bus) as well as Tourmobile, the official interpretive visitor transportation service for the National Mall and Memorial Parks. Information and schedules for Metro can be found at www.wmata.com. Information and schedules for Tourmobile may be found at www.tourmobile.com.
For those arriving from NYC:
— Boltbus $20 bus (one way) from NYC 33rd and 7th to Washington DC 10th and H Streets NW
— September 12 (6:30 am depart – 10:45 am arrive; 7:00 am depart – 11:15 am arrive, 7:30 am depart – 11:45 am arrive, 8 am depart – 12:30 pm arrive)
— Greyhound bus – multiple options
— DC2NY $28 bus (one way) from NYC Penn Station to Washington DC 14th and H Streets NW or Dupont Circle
— September 12 (10 am depart – 2:00 pm arrive)
— related articles on NYC-DC travel options
— Washington Post
— Washingtonian