SOPA, Blackouts, and Pirates, Oh My!

(I just have a lot of feelings! Also, this sucker got published in Rexburg Idaho's most trusted news source. Want proof? Find yourself a copy of the Jan. 24th Standard Journal, turn to the Opinion page, and read for your self.)

Millions of people all over the world heaved a collective sigh of relief on the morning of Jan. 20^th. A day after the single largest internet strike in history,  Rep. Lamar Smith withdrew the controversial SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) from legislative consideration. Just an hour later, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that a vote on SOPA’s sister bill, PIPA (Protect IP Act), would be put on hold indefinitely. This was seen as a great victory for all of us who see freedom of information as the basis for a strong and stable democracy. I want you to imagine a world without the internet. I know for some of you that won’t be that difficult. But for those of my generation and younger who have come to depend on that soft glow of the computer screen, this world is unacceptable. The internet has reshaped the very fabric of the world. It has changed the way we interact with each other and the way we teach and learn.

What SOPA would have done is cut off access to millions of webpages that are found to be hosting or providing access to copyrighted material. This means that if you put a link on your Facebook page to a YouTube video for your new favorite Lady Gaga song, Facebook would be obligated to cut off all access to your page. This has massive implications for continued net neutrality and creative commons use. The public has a fundamental right to use and access this information on the internet. There are countless underground communities of incredibly creative individuals that use copyrighted material to create everything from art to literature to music. Anyone who doesn’t believe me needs to spend 15 min. scrolling though Tumblr and you will see what I mean. Draconian copyright laws have the power to crush these thriving communities. You have these multi-billion corporations crying foul when 13 year olds and grandmothers download the newest episode of Community or make a video of themselves dancing to a Michael Jackson song. What we really need is to experience a fundamental paradigm shift –freedom of speech must begin to incorporate ideas of fair use.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. SOPA (and PIPA) were originally created to put an end to the reign of digital pirates illegally downloading and sharing copyrighted material. This is a real problem! Or is it? Proponents of these types of laws point to the millions of dollars in decreased CD sales since the advent of digital music sharing. But, according to an International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) study published in 2009, music sharers (pirates) are 64% more likely than regular music buyers to purchase music online. These so called "freeloaders" simply have a greater demand for music than the average person, one that their limited budgets can't deal with. This goes the same for other forms of digital media. People who are labeled pirates buy the majority of movies, TV shows, audiobooks, and computer/video games but don't have the means to fulfill their demand and so they supplement their purchases with free material.


The real problem is the entertainment industry’s refusal to change their business model. They need to rethink the way the distribute their products. Record companies, TV networks, and the film industry want to cut down on illegal downloading? I’ve got five pretty simple solutions that don’t require government censorship. 1) Make your TV show/music/movie/whatever available online; 2) put ads on it so you can make money off of it, or (even better) sell the viewing rights to a video streaming service, like Netflix or Hulu; 3) make it available everywhere not just the country of origin; 4) make is available as soon as it airs/becomes legally offered—not  the next day or the next week, literally as soon as physically possible; and finally 5) realize that the old primary methods of distribution (CDs, theatres, cable TV, etc.) are premium services and are just way too expensive to rely on any longer especially in a world of  internet streaming. 

Yes, I know. I just saved the entertainment industry. You’re welcome. I’ll be expecting a check in the mail. 

Occupy the World

So with all these Occupy Wall Street protest happening all over the country you'd think I would have made some comments about the whole situation. That's how busy I've been.

All I know is that we created the situation the Occupy people are protesting. 30 years of deregulated, neo-liberal, crony capitalism destroyed the middle class; the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran (just to name a few) have a more equitable income distribution than the United States.

There is nothing new I can really add to conversation but I do know that I am sick and tired of disgusting amount of police brutality that is occurring in connection with OWS. The people are peaceful. They do not need to be bludgeoned and beaten and pepper-sprayed. New York, Oakland, Denver, and now the students at UC Davis. This is unacceptable. I don't care how you feel about the protests in general, police para-military action is unacceptable 

This is wrong.

This is unnecessary.

This is supposed to be the United States.

This shouldn't be happening.

10 Years Later

I still remember where I was when I first heard the news. It was a normal day. I had just started 7^th grade and was still getting used to my new homeroom. When the principle started morning announcements there was something different in his voice. He then explained the tragedy that was currently unfolding in New York City. My teacher quickly turned on the television. All day we just sat and watched the news and stared in horror. No one could believe what was happening. 


I remember sitting in gym talking with a friend. Even then we both knew this was huge. It would change the face of not only the United States but also the world. This would be in history books. This was going to be our generations Vietnam. 


It was this day that ultimately lead to my decision to be involved with politics. It was the day I decided I must stand up for human decency and freedom all across the global. There is enough fighting and contention in the world. Hate only breeds hate. Injustice only breeds injustice. In those few days and weeks after 9/11 this country came together in a way that had never been seen. There is no reason why we cannot have that spirit with us all the time. To not remember is a mockery to those who died that day.


I found this article (Our Post 9/11 Failures) today I think it says it better than I ever could...

We failed the biggest test posed by the 9/11 outrage: In our anger and dismay we failed to recognize our common humanity, that we are made for love and that acts such as those committed on that day are an aberration. When we looked at the terrorists we did not see ourselves, we did not consider how our actions and posturing in the world may have contributed to the crime. No. We saw “others,” and we demonized them. (Archbishop Desmond Tutu)

Class Warfare?

I was watching the Daily Show last night, like I do. And this little magical thing happened:

Part 1:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
World of Class Warfare - Warren Buffett vs. Wealthy Conservatives
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

Part 2:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
World of Class Warfare - The Poor's Free Ride Is Over
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

This basically sums up all of my problems with the "Modern American" economic model; tax-cuts for the wealthiest individuals that leave the bottom 51% of the population to shoulder the burden. That income inequality chart really gets to me every time I see it. This site has some pretty cool infographics explaining the state of US incomes.

And then take a look at the actual distribution of wealth and American citizen's perception of that distribution:

92% of the 5000 polled said they would prefer the more equitable distribution. You notice the rich people still have more money than everyone else in that option. It's just not so much that it excludes the bottom 50% from having a piece of the pie.

Also here is the Warren Buffet Op-Ed that started it all: Stop Coddling the Super-Rich

ICC Judge Adrian Fulford: The Problem with the ICC

All this week I will be at the Assembly of States Parties for the ICC. Today I got to go to an event during my lunch break with one of the ICC Judges; Sir Adrian Fulford. He spoke about the problem with the ICC: insanely long trials. The first trial at the Court (and the one he is hearing) has already been going for two years and will probably take at least another if nothing goes wrong and something is probably going to go wrong. I wanted to share his speech because I thought it was fantastic-very realistic but still hopeful. However, I am just not in the mood to actually summarize it so you all get to read my notes :) I think this will be more fun anyways!

Two great disappointments:
We are delivering remote and distance justice. It is my hope that we can conduct our trials near the scene of the alleged crimes
Apparent slow pace at which the ICC moves
       By many domestic standards they (proceedings) seem protracted
       "It all takes FAR to long".
       "It is critical to learn quickly from the delays of the past and ensure they are not repeated".

Delays and stays of proceeding are the single more corrosive practices at the ICC.

We cannot use the Court as a laboratory experiment...you run the risk that a one or two year trial will be struck down because you may find that you are break of the Rome Statue.

There must be international will, imagination, and support for reassessment of how we try these cases. "If we secure that objective I believe the future of the court will be very bright indeed".

"It is the length of our trials that is our real Achilles heel".

6 Proposals on how to fix trials

1. Consider if evidence (context, background, etc) can be dealt with by experts instead of substantial number of witnesses.

2. Room to take depositions instead of evidence heard in chamber...supervised by a single judge or legal official...happens at the ICTY and twice at the ICC. Evidence can be given multiple times...not appropriate for more central evidence

3. Increase use of television links instead of bringing witnesses to Europe...reduces disruption of the lives of witnesses...leads to more focused questions

4. Prosecution and defense under obligation to identify the parts of statement that is agreed and those controversial areas…reduce lengthy parts of evidence that are not in dispute

5. Amend Rome Statue to allow a single judge to consider parts of the trial alone.

6. Look at Court structures to see if they are efficient and are a proper use of our funds

Got Competence?

This last weekend I was privileged enough to attend Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity in Washington DC.

It was an amazing once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. Just the sheer humanity that was gathered together in one place blew my mind.

As you can see from this hastily made map, there were more then double the anticipated amount of people. Also, I had an awesome spot. It was insane. 

So some of the highlights...The Roots, John Legend, the Mythbuster guys,

Yusef,

Ozzy Osbourne, Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow and don't forget Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

Also, this.

Yeah. I was totally there. I still can't even beileve it. Nor can I adequately describe what went on. The message was simple. We cannot let fear, whether it be from Washington, the Media, or ourselves, dictate our choices. Maybe I will just let Jon Stewart explain...  

* I might add more pictures later but most of them are blurry and kind of sad...

Statistics and Child Mortality

Talks like this are why I spend entirely too much time on Ted.com.

Sudan at the UN: Aid for Amnesty

As seen on both The Interdependent and the AMICC Blog:

On September 27 2010, Sudanese Vice-President, Ali Osman Taha, took the floor at the United Nations to urge the General Assembly to reject the ICC arrest warrants that are currently against President Omar al-Bashir. VP Taha claimed that ICC involvement is “a direct threat” to the peace process in Darfur and that Khartoum will further pledged $2 billion dollars to reconstruction in the region if the charges are dropped. This is not the first time that the Vice President has tried to convince the international community to withdraw the warrants against al-Bashir. In 2008 he made a plea to the United Nations Security Council to indefinitely suspend the first warrant.


Besides the political implications of this demand, there are two very important legal reasons why Vice President Taha’s request cannot be fulfilled. First of all, the UN Security Council Resolution 1593, which referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC, requires all parties to the Darfur conflict, including the Government of Sudan, to cooperate fully with Court. This resolution is binding on all UN member states. The Member States could not condemn the prosecution of al-Bashir without coming under direct violation of 1593.


Secondly, the General Assembly has no authority to make decisions regarding the status of arrest warrants. The primary authority to withdraw arrest warrants rest with the Court. Section 58(4) of the Rome Statue states that “the warrant of arrest shall remain in effect until otherwise ordered by the Court”. Nevertheless, this is not the only way to defer proceedings. Article 16 of the Rome Statue says that the Security Council may defer investigations and prosecutions for renewable 12 –month periods if there is a threat to international peace and security. The Court recognizes that its role in political questions is limited and it must respect a deferral in this case. However, it is interesting to note that the Security Council has not made an article 16 deferment before despite earlier informal requests.


In addition, the political backlash against the Sudanese government has been intense. Omer Ismail, senior policy advisor for the Enough Project, an advocacy organization set up to highlight Darfur crisis, has called Khartoum’s recent move nothing more than “political blackmail”. Mr. Ismail further explained that “there are over half a million people killed and seven million people living in warehouses. This government is doing this for political reasons. It has nothing to do with reconciliation.” Mr. Ismail finds no reason to believe that Sudan will take any reformative action in Darfur.


There continues to be a substantial amount of rhetorical support for Sudan (and all other vital parties) to cooperate with the ICC. If things continue as they have been for the last several years, there is little chance that the Sudanese government will be able to dissuade the international community from pursuing those responsible for the genocide in Darfur on either a political or legal level.

Yes...I'm bragging again. Deal with it!

That title was a joke. Don't worry. I'm not that cocky. Usually...
This is a sweet article I wrote about polio:

Now is the Time to Wipe Out Polio for Good

I realize it says that some other dude wrote it but actually we were co-writers. The website publishing program only lets you put one name in the the "by" line and he won the contest.

Be the Change You Wish to See in the World

This last weekend (Sept. 17th - 19th) I was privileged enough to attend the the Millennium Campus Conference.

Hundreds of undergrad and graduate students gathered together at Columbia University to discuss the progress we are making to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 

This was one of the greatest experiences of my life; like at least top 15. :) For two days we just sat and listened to speakers discuss development and social entrepreneurship. I think I might have finally found what I want to do after college. That in its self is a miracle.

Plus the soundtrack for the whole conference consisted entirely of The Beatles and John Lennon! :D

Charity: Water
Scott Harrision, the founder of Charity: Water was the first person to speak to us on Sat. He was a super compelling speaker and he has a great story. Seriously, check out the website! His organization has brought clean water to over a million people since 2004 and he isn't planning on stopping anytime soon!



Invisible Children
I'm sure most of you have heard of Invisible Children. It is their mission to end the war in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and free the child solders that have been used to fight these bloody civil wars. We heard from a women named Brenda. She was caught in the middle of the Ugandan Civil War, a war that killed her father and doomed her to a life of poverty. Invisible Children was able to give her a scholarship and she was able to go back to school and now she is in her final semester of college and applying to law school.

Engineers w/out Borders
The founder of Engineers Without Borders-USA, Bernard Amadei, spoke about how we need to change our view of poverty reduction.It is no longer enough to give a man a fish or even to teach a man to fish. We need to begin to build fishing industries. He had two main points on which he believes we should focus our efforts: 1)create stable and secure communities through participatory efforts and 2) provide appropriate and sustainable technologies. He then explained about another type of poverty that is even more crippling than what we usual consider. This is what he calls internal poverty; when some one is poor in spirit and lacks the will to participate in real change. He challenged us all not only to stand up to poverty but to walk until it doesn't exist.

Jeffery Sachs
Jeff Sachs in one of the world's leading development economics and is currently the UN Secretary Generals Special Advisor on the MDGs. This man is a fantastic speaker. I didn't take as many notes as I wished I had because I was so enthralled at what he was saying and applauding him every two seconds. He basically talked about how there is a massive deficit of political will in the world today to reach the MDGs. He explained that development is all about peace yet the US government spends $800 billion a year on defense (military, weapons, secret ops, surveillance). The government is willing to spend a trillion dollars to invade a country but when they have to spend a million to send children ARV drugs (a type of HIV medicine) all the sudden they get all nervous about spending their money. He explained that it would take a massive social movement, on par with civil rights, to move the government to action.

 

Bill McKibbin
This guy started 350.org; the organization that is pushing to to reduced carbon in the atmosphere back to 350 ppm in an effort to slowing climate change. He has been a personal hero of mine since I saw him on the Colbert Report last year. He was a really funny guy and really passionate. Check out 350.org and see how you can get involved in the movement toward alternative energy.

 
Ahmed Djoghlaf
He is the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. "We are undermining the capacity of the world to sustain life." Never has anyone been so blunt.

Adam Braun/Pencils of Promise
Just one thing I want to share from his talk. He gave us 7 lessons that he had learned through his life that I really connected with. Yes, they are sappy and motivational but powerful nonetheless.
1) Get out of you comfort zone.
2) Speak the language of the individual you want to become. Not "I want to do it" but "I will do it"
3) Embrace those late, sleepless nights
4) To achieve the unreasonable you have to become an unreasonable person.
5) Just go. Find a way to achieve your dreams.
6) Find your cause and live it.
7) The impossible can be made possible. "Live not in dreams, but in contemplation of a reality that is perhaps the future".

(The dude with the mic is Bobby Bailey (founder of Invisible Children). Adam is the guy with the sling.)

The Global Poverty Project
Check it out!!! I would tell you more about it but I really don't feel like writing anymore. :p

And finally, don't forget the special video message from Justin Bieber. I'm not even joking.

This almost ruined it for me...I will not leave you with the Bieber. You can thank me later.

Is Kenya Ready to Prosecute its Own War Criminals?

The controversy in Kenya over the International Criminal Court has reached a new high this week. After the outrage of the international community over Kenya’s failure to arrest Bashier last month, recent comments by the Kenyan Justice Minister have sparked a new round of discussion. Last Sunday (Sept. 18th), Mutula Kilonzo , claimed that Kenya’s new constitution gives the country the necessary tools it needs to prosecute the leadership behind the 2007/8 post-election violence. In an interview with the Sunday Nation Mr. Kilonzo claimed that "when these (appointments) are in place, we can say that Kenyan judges meet the best international standards. After that, I can even tell them not to admit the ICC case”.

He continued: “I advocate a local tribunal partly because I’m a Kenyan, and I cannot entertain the idea of a foreign court having to investigate a fellow citizen on offences committed against fellow citizens…My challenge to Kenya is this: You gave yourselves a beautiful gift on August 27. Give yourselves another one by telling the world through the institutions that we created to keep off”.

Regardless of the Justice Minister’s reservations on the need for the ICC, Prsident Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga have both held strong in their support for the investigations. Mr Moreno-Ocampo, the ICC prosecutor, has expressed that “it is [the Courts] hope that the Kenyan justice system will ultimately deal with the many perpetrators that the ICC will not prosecute” but at this time the ICC must carry out its investigation and bring those responsible to justice.

Many others echo the same sentiment that the Kenyan system is just not ready to handle to strain of these prosecutions yet. Mr Hassan Omar, former chairman and current commissioner of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, explained that the ICC can only defer the investigations if the Pre-Trial Chamber (PTC) is totally convinced that Kenya is capable of handling the trials. He has continued to emphasize that reforms of necessary magnitude to please the PTC will still take a long time and the opportunity to try these criminals will be lost.

So at this time it looks as if Kenya is not yet ready to handle investigations and prosecutions of major war criminals. The ICC will continue with its case and will hopefully gather the unanimous support of Kenya in its journey to bring justice to the country.

What's the Problem With the ICC

I have been doing lots of research about US policy toward the ICC and I just had a few thoughts that I needed to share.

The main issue I have with the Administration’s ICC policy is the fact that there is actually no official policy.

When there is no formal policy there can be no formal action. Despite what the Administration would have you believe most of the statements they make about the ICC are pure rhetoric. The disconnect between our public statements and private action (e.g. calling for increased engagement with the court but not repealing the American Servicemen Protection Act which limits our ability to engage) is causing confusion with in our own country and the international community. We can not continue to say one thing and do another.

The 2010 National Security Strategy emphasized that the United States "moral leadership is grounded principally in the power of our example” and if we appear hypocritical to the international community we will never be able to provide the leadership that the ICC (or any international organization) needs.

Check it out!

So that last post I wrote...after editing and changing the content completely like 7 different times I finally made it good enough to go on the AMICC blog. Yay!

Sierra's freaking cool article about international legal obligation that you know you want to read!

And then after some more edits (made mostly by the editor) the same post got published in a real-live Internet magazine. Sort of also yay!

This is pretty much the same article just in a different format and with some stuff deleted...

So like the title of this post so eloquently put it...check it out!

Kenya and the ICC

For the next few months I will try and share the blog posts I write for AMICC. Not all of them will be published on their blog but I don't want all of my hard work to go to waste!

Last Friday, Kenya was given a unique opportunity to show their commitment to the International Criminal Court and unfortunately they failed spectacularly.

I’m sure many of you are familiar with Sudanese president, **Omar al-Bashir’s, visit to Nairobi, Kenya on the 28th of this month. I’m also sure that many of you know that Kenya is under clear obligation to the ICC to arrest and deliver any individual charged with international crimes to The Hague for trial. In direct violation of this UN Security Council backed mandate, Kenyan authorities allowed al-Bashir to enter the county. No attempts were made to apprehend him and he was given a royal welcome into the city.

Today, in an even more bizarre attempt to eliminate accountability, it was reported that Kenyan authorities have arrested two men as they were protesting the Kenyan government’s apparent disregard for international justice. Their lawyer is in the process of appeals –claiming that the new constitution is the very thing that should be protecting these men’s right to free speech.

There has been outrage among many members of the international community over Kenya’s failure to act. Even President Obama has claimed he was “disappointed” in Kenya’s behavior and emphasized that “justice is a critical ingredient for lasting peace”.

This non- compliance by Kenya sets a dangerous precedent of inaction that could damage the long-term effectiveness of the ICC.

**(al-Bashir has been charged with five counts of crimes against humanity, two counts of war crimes, and three counts of genocide for the role he played in the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan)

I have another headache

I don't even have the time for pepole like this...

Fire at Mosque Site in Tennesse Spreads Fear

Islam is not a cult.

It is not a training program for terrorists.

It is a relgion that has over 1.5 billion adhearents.

You may not agree but that does not permit you to incite violence and fear.

Let Those Lights Inspire You

In two and a half days I will be leaving the quiet and safety of Rexburg, ID for the biggest adventure that I have ever known. I am moving to New York City to be an intern in the office of the American NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court. This is an organization that is committed to the essential nature of US support of the ICC. From their website:

AMICC is a coalition of non-governmental organizations committed to achieving through education, information, promotion and an aroused public opinion full United States support for the International Criminal Court and the earliest possible US ratification of the Court's Rome Statute. AMICC members believe that strong participation by the US in the ICC is essential to the future of the Court as an effective institution. They take pride in the historic role of the US in promoting the development of international criminal law. They emphasize that the ICC expresses and implements values traditionally championed by the United States, including international justice and the rule of law.

I am so excited to work for this great organization and to experience New York for real! I will keep everyone updated as to how I am doing and don't worry; I promise not to get mugged!

Sick to Death

I read stuff like this and it makes me want to punch people in the face...

Last week Arkansas gubernatorial Tea party, write-in candidate, Billy Roper, had this to say:

I don’t want non-whites in my country in any form or fashion or any status.

Read more

Seriously? Are there really still bigots of this level in this country? The answer is absolutely and they are proud of it too! Mr. Roper is the founder and leader of White Revolution, the second largest Neo-Nazi organization in the United States. I really don't want to get into it all because it makes me sick to my stomach but here is an article that describes the activities that this man has been involved in. Seriously, don't read this if you are easily disturbed...The other scary thing; they (meaning his group of white supremacists) want to elect this guy president in 2012.

I am so glad I don't live in Arkansas...If you have any friends or family that do however, tell them NOT to vote for Billy Roper in Novemeber.

Can I See Your Green Card Please?

Again, this is kind of old news. I don't know why I haven't written about it yet, but this time it is personal.

Arizona has passed this lovely law that gives police officers unfettered authority to demand that any individual they deem to be illegal produce their papers to prove their legal status. How does one suppose the officers will determine if they think someone is illegal? I'll give you a hint...

The United States Supreme Court, in a 1975 case, ruled that immigration officers can include racial or ethnic identity among factors in deciding whether to check someone’s right to be in the country. (NYT, 6/18/10)

That's right folks; racial profiling has legal precedent! Good job Supreme Court...

As a Mexican-American I feel personally attacked by this law. Okay, so I don't look or sound Mexican but my father does and under this law, if he were in Arizona, he would be required to prove that he is a citizen if any random officer decided to go on a power trip. I understand that an illegal act is an illegal act however, this law does nothing to solve the real problem and as such is merely a useless piece of "band-aid" legislation. Except this band-aid also happens to be covered in the grime of racial discrimination.

A real solution to illegal immigration is not to deport every single one of them, or patrol the border with assault rifles, or even to build a giant fence. A real solution will come when we make visas and work permits cheaper and easier to obtain. People cross illegally (and as drug runners) because 99% of the time it is the only way they can afford to make into the United States to find work. The money they make in the States is often the only income that a family will have seen in months and definitely the most they will have seen in years. All of the paperwork that is required to legal cross the border is about $500 or more per person. For a family of five that's $2500 which is (on average) more than most people make in 5 months in Mexico. Imagine spending a little over a third of you yearly income just so you can find a job. This is why people illegally come into the country. They have to choose between legally crossing the border or having food for the next few months. The Immigration Departments bureaucracy and greed is what needs to be fixed not the "illegal problem".

Underwater Armageddon

This has been a long time coming. I think I was just trying to built up a sufficient amount of rage before I unleashed myself.

...

Who the HELL do you think you are BP!?! 77 days and you have done jack! Top hats and junk shots?! Are you kidding me? Do you have a 13 year old boy planning your relief operations?! You should have started with the relief well on day 1! Or maybe you should have followed protocol! That would have been cool and then we could have avoided this mess!!

There is absolutely no reason for this oil spill to have happened and now the company that has responsibility over the spill is continuing to slack off. I have said for ages that off-shore drilling is dangerous. (How is it that a 12 year old can have more foresight that a multi-billion dollar oil conglomerate!?) There are too many unknown variables to deal with when you drill. While it doesn't happen often when something goes wrong it's freaking oil Armageddon! A lose bolt and some dead batteries caused this mess. Just imagine what would have gone down if something really bad had happened. We'd probably be swimming up to our ears in crude all the way up here in Idaho...The only good thing that BP has done is set up that $20 billion relief fund.

"The cost of the response to date amounts to approximately 3.12 billion dollars, including the cost of the spill response, containment, relief well drilling, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid, and federal costs," BP said

http://www.theprovince.com/news/spill+costs+soar+above/3235491/story.html#ixzz0spaSlz15

 So that is helpful. We have got money to fix the problem. However, I would have liked to use that money to get rid of our dependence on oil, create some alternative energy infrastructure in the country, or get that blasted hydrogen car they've been talking about for 20 years working. Something besides cleaning oil from pelicans which is something that we should never have to do anyways...

*sigh*

Jon Stewart is my hero so everyone just enjoy this clip while I go take a few deep breaths.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Day 59 - Judgment Day - The Strife Aquatic
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

At Long Last Sir...

Glen Beck it at it again. I make no secret that I think he has some sort of mental disease but I think he might have gone over the line...

Via Politics Daily

On his daily radio and television shows last week, Fox News personality Glenn Beck set out to convince his audience that "social justice," the term many Christian churches use to describe their efforts to address poverty and human rights, is a "code word" for communism and Nazism.

"I'm begging you, your right to religion and freedom to exercise religion and read all of the passages of the Bible as you want to read them and as your church wants to preach them . . . are going to come under the ropes in the next year. If it lasts that long it will be the next year. I beg you, look for the words 'social justice' or 'economic justice' on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes!"

So I decided to take his challenge. I took a look on lds.org to see if I could find any references to "social justice" or "economic justice". I found 4 articles that used the specific phrasing and countless others that talked about it general. Now for those four...

In November 2006, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was presented with an award named in her honor, recognizing “the achievements of those who beautify the world, especially in the fields of religion,social justice, and the arts.”
News of the Church

It is unfortunate that it is taking so long to bring full economic justice to women. The feminization of poverty is both real and tragic. That is why you should work very hard to prepare for your future by gaining some marketable skills.
A Message to My Granddaughters:
Becoming Great Women

Some persons have a finely developed social conscience. They respond to social injustice and suffering with great concern, commitment, and generosity. This is surely a spiritual strength, something many of us need in greater measure.
Our Strengths Can Become Our Downfall
He goes on to explain in this article that we should not use our commitment to social justice to exploit others.

The Old Testament inspired great changes in human history. Whereas other religions of the period never “produced a major social revolution fired by a high concept of social justice, … ‘the prophets of Judah were a reforming political force which has never been surpassed' ”.This progressive worldview gave impetus to a study of the surrounding world and its phenomena, affirming that these things were the creations of a rational, omniscient, divine being...From this perspective, the Old Testament is indeed a glorious document to admire, study and ponder, and be eternally grateful for.
The Book That Built a Better World

This article is all about not discriminating based on economic inequality. I think it applies. And if you don't think it does it is still a good read. :)
Heirs to the Kingdom of God

In addition, according to the scriptures we are supposed to be huge advocates of social justice. At least in theory...

2 Nephi 9:30
But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the world. For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures; wherefore, their treasure is their god. And behold, their treasure shall perish with them also.

Proverbs 22:16
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

Matt. 19: 21
If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor . . . and come and follow me.'

Thank you for bad mouthing your own religion Mr. Beck. I really appreciate it and your apparent disregard for facts...