Category Archives: Government Oppression

By PTI

JAMSHEDPUR: Raising concern over "rising" rape and murder cases in Jharkhand, the BJP on Sunday, October 31, 2021, BJP leader Raghubar Das accused the Hemant Soren government of being insensitive towards women security.

Addressing a meeting of the BJP Mahila Morcha Jamshedpur Mahanagar Committee, Raghubar Das, the party's national vice president, said at least 2,725 women were raped and 2,961 people murdered during the 19-month rule of the grand alliance government in the state.

"The government has not been serious about the women security in the state. Incidents of oppression and rape of Adivasi girls have gone up, which is a sign of deteriorating law and order situation," Das, the former chief minister of Jharkhand, said.

He also alleged that the JMM and Congress failed to fulfil their poll promises after forming the government.

"They (JMM-Congress) made several promises to women during the elections but forgot everything soon after they came to power," Das said.

He appreciated the party's women workers for their services during the Covid-induced lockdown.

Menaka Sardar, former BJP MLA from Potka, said that "no concrete action" was initiated by the chief minister to curb the "increasing atrocities on women in the state".

See original here:

Rape, murder cases increasing, Jharkhand government insensitive towards women security: BJP - The New Indian Express

One of two bills currently in the Ohio legislature attempting to address critical race theory in schools has received some changes sponsors say are in response to criticism.

In the last year, conservative activists and politicians have launched an attack on critical race theory, which generally is not taught at the K-12 level and is instead an academic theory of the intersection of race and U.S. law that is studied in college.

House Bill 327 appeared in the House State and Local Government Committee briefly on Thursday, just to adopt a substitute version of the bill. The original version targeted divisive subjects, and the promotion of topics in K-12 and higher education that could make certain student groups feel uncomfortable.

It and another bill introduced shortly after it with similar aims have been the source of protests and the topic of conversation at Ohio State Board of Education, which has been dealing with its own heated debates on the subject.

State Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur, R-Ashtabula, said changes for HB 327 come as she and cosponsor state Rep. Diane Grendell, R-Chesterland, try to be responsive to testimony and remove ambiguous language in the bill.

It is our hope that these changes will address the concerns brought forward by the testimony last month and that this bill will be positive for the committee moving forward, Fowler Arthur said in Wednesdays committee meeting.

The changes would be more specific on the definition of promote or promotion of topics, and allow for protections and accountability for teachers. The new language would allow students at the higher education level to have an appeals process through the current university model for cases where they believe there may be an instance of indoctrination in the classroom.

Fowler Arthur said there were also be provisions to specifically ensure that teaching about divisive concepts and a complete history of the United States, including slavery, oppression and segregation are expected and protected, while specifying that promotion of or using tax dollars to indoctrinate into a partisan philosophy or ideology is a misuse of funds.

The Ohio Education Association, who was already an opponent of the bill, said the changes did not assuage their concerns about the intentions of the bill.

Attempts to clear up the the confusion created by the language of the earlier version of this bill have led to even further confusion about what can and cannot be taught and do nothing to address the serious underlying problems in the legislation, the OEA said in a statement.

The education coalition Honesty for Ohio Education, which partners with groups such as thinktank Policy Matters Ohio, the League of Women Voters of Ohio and Ohio education organizations, recognized the effort to address concerns about the bill, but said it fails to clarify why this legislation is needed in the first place.

What HB 327 would allow or disallow in educational settings remains unclear and the core nature of the bill is punitive as it has the potential to withhold essential state funding from K-12 schools, colleges and universities, state agencies and political subdivisions, the coalition stated on Wednesday after the substitute bill was introduced.

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Race theory education bill gets changes sponsors hope make it more 'positive' - Ohio Capital Journal

In 600 journalists from 150 media organisations, across 117 countries working together, shows not just the power of organisation, professionalism and commitment to make the world a better place, but also, the unstoppable power of the press.

I am proud that amongst the media organisations that worked on the Pandora Papers is the Premium Times of Nigeria whose courageous publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi is slated as one of the panellists on this platform. Let me thank Ghana for providing refuge for Nigerian journalists fleeing persecution. When the Abacha regime in Nigeria decided to physically eliminate Mr Olorunyomi in 1995, it was to Ghana he fled for refuge. When his wife, Ladi who had been held hostage was released on bail, it was Ghana that welcomed her and the children.

Also as you might know, when Nigerian employers were unwilling to hire Nnamdi Azikiwe, one of the greatest journalists that ever practiced in West Africa, it was Ghanaian employer, Mr A.J. Ocansey who in 1934 gave him a job to establish and run a fearless, Pan Africanist newspaper, the African Morning Post in this city. Azikiwe later moved back to Nigeria setting up one of the best and most fearless newspaper chain, the WEST African Pilot.

Press Freedom and Its Enemies

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Tragically, the high professionalism, exposure of sleaze and holding the powerful accountable as was done by the Pandora Papers, come at a very high prize. The Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) says that between 1992 and 2021, a total of 1,418 journalists were killed in the line of duty. That is some 50 journalists killed annually! This is a very high prize to pay and humanity owes journalists eternal gratitude for being watch dogs for the society, checking corruption, criminality and power abuse.

In West Africa, journalists have faced repression and death. This includes the October 19, 1986 mutilation of Mr Dele Giwa, the Editor-in-Chief of the Nigerian NEWSWATCH Magazine through a parcel bomb, and, the 1995 sentencing of four Nigerian journalists, Mrs Chris Anyanwu, Kunle Ajibade, George Mbah and Ben Charles-Obi to life imprisonment for reporting an attempted coup. There was the December 13, 1998 mafia-style execution and incineration of investigative Burkinabe journalist, Norbet Zongo, his brother, chauffeur and a friend.

The trend in the region as manifested in the countries mentioned and those like Ghana, show that perhaps the greatest enemies of press freedom is military rule.

Generally, development was not arrested in Togo until the January 13, 1963 military coup against Sylvanus Olympio. Degeneracy did not set in Ghana until the February 24, 1966 military coup against Kwame Nkrumah. Nigeria did not become a degenerate state until January 15, 1966 when the military overthrew the elected government of Tafawa-Balewa. The cumulative 29 years the military ruled Nigeria is mainly responsible for the quagmire the country is in currently. Today, the Nigerian coup-generals and their beneficiaries continue to recycle themselves in power. In the last 22 years of post-military rule, former military rulers, Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari have been President for fourteen years during which they have continued the military culture of repression.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the African military, being a colonial creation for the oppression of the people, has been one of the greatest setbacks for development in West Africa. Fifteen of the sixteen countries in Wes Africa, experienced coups and military rule. The only exception is Senegal.

Although, we have tried to steer our countries back to civil rule democracy is still unattained military misrule is burrowing itself back to power. There was a military coup in Mali on August 18, 2020.

This year, there have been three military coups within five months; one in Chad on April 19, 2021, another in Mali on May 24, 2021 and a third in Guinea Conakry on September 5, 2021. If will add these to other contemporary coups on the continent like the March 22-24, 2013 coup in the Central African Republic, the General el-Sisi coup in Egypt in July 2013 and the long drawn November 14-21, 2017 coup in Zimbabwe against President Robert Mugabe, we will realise that there is the danger of other military takeovers. These would constitute threats to constitutional governance and press freedom.

So the media, especially in West Africa, must rise up to help galvanise the struggle not just against military rule, but also misrule by leaders like Alassane Ouattara in Cote dIvoire who unconstitutionally elongate their tenure in office, Fuare Gnassingbe of Togo who has transformed governance into a monarchy and leaders who implement economic programmes designed and imposed on Africa by imperialism.

The West African peoples and their organisations have a duty to join the mass media in fighting for press freedom. I do not mean press freedom to defend the selfish interests of the ruling class but the interests of the oppressed people who constitute the majority of people in each of the countries in Africa.

One of the immediate tasks is the decriminalization of press freedom. Permit me to salute the government of Ghana which has decriminalized freedom of expression, and the Liberian government which on February 28, 2019 did the same. I want to commend the Media Foundation for West Africa for its contribution to the campaign for decriminalization in the region. The MFWA has, successfully challenged the illegal arrest and detention of journalists in the Ecowas Court of Justice.

But we have a huge battle in our hands especially in countries like Nigeria which are speeding towards increasing repression and criminalization of freedom of speech. In recent years, we in Nigeria have battled against attempts and bills on Hate Speech attempts to chain the social media and closure of media organisations. But while it used to be easy shutting down media houses, today, with ICT, journalism has become like the rainbow; how do you pin down the rainbow? How do you shoot it down? Gradually, the power of states like those in West Africa to shut down the media is slipping out of their hands. Let me cite a case. On June 5, 2021, the Nigerian government placed an indefinite ban on Twitter for deleting tweets by President Buhari in which he threatened a major nationality in the country. However, Nigerians ignored the ban by switching to the encrypted Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel over which the government has no power. In a case filed against the suspension by the Socio Economic and Accountability Project (SERAP) at the Ecowas Court of Justice the Judges have restrained the Government from carrying out the threat to prosecute twitter users pending the determination of the case.

Before then, the same Court had declared illegal, null and void the ban on the use of Internet in the Republic of Togo.

The Highway To Misinformation and Digital Media Regulation

Facts, for the media, are sacred. They are like a religious obligation and their violation, side stepping, mutilation and misrepresentation are like the cardinal sin. So disinformation, misinformation, falsehood, deception and fabrication are antithetical to journalism. Yet, these ancient practices thrive because these are ways the state and power manipulate society and try to keep it in chains. It is also a way for the exploiter to exploit the exploited. The digital age with its instantaneous dissemination of information has strengthened these.

No other world leader in contemporary times has abused this more than former America President Donald Trump who in holding misinformation in a vile grip, told 30,573 verifiable lies in his four years at the White House; an average of 21 lies or inaccurate statements for every day he was in office.

Let me state that this is not uniquely American. War time British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill propagated that: In wartime, truth is so precious that she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies. In other words, in times of conflict or assumed conflict, one of the first casualties is the truth or facts on which journalism built its practice.

State actors, non-state actors and all specie of human beings for various reasons disseminate fake news or what is elegantly clothed as alternative news. These are fed the citizenry, the innocent or the gullible.

Misinformation or fake news is a danger to journalism, but there can be no let-up in the struggle against the purveyors who in many cases, is the state. In fact, many countries establish fake news sites or farms where they plant, culture and harvest fake news which they disseminate.

Yet the same state turns round to try regulating and censoring the social media in the name of checking fake news. Indonesia has a whole agency to regulate online media while the German state is empowered to force the online media to delete what is considered hate speech or fake news.

There is no single solution to ensuring that this does not result in outright press censorship and the circumscription of the fundamental right to freedom of speech. My suggestions include that:

i. Journalism must remain true to its professional ethics of facts being sacred.

ii. The media should engage in self-regulation and expose unprofessionalism.

iii. Gate keepers especially News Editors, Rewriters and Editors in the media need to be alert and critical so that unverified information do not get past, and if they do, retraction is made in accordance with the ethics of the profession.

iv. The media should expose fake news sites and call out purveyors of such news.

v. Media houses should invest in technology that can fact check news or information.

vi. Media organisations should not repost or rebroadcast materials they cannot verify.

vii. Journalists should strive for a system that ensures social platforms use their real names so they can be called to order if they engage in misinformation.

viii. The mass media especially in Africa should not assume that news or materials from foreign news agencies or sources are true, or value free. So they should cross check such news or materials and rewrite, rather than just regurgitate them.

ix. There is need for an education system that challenges the student to think so that conscientious citizens would be produced who can question what they read, watch or experience.

Conclusion

Press freedom is the freedom of society; press development, is the development of society. Therefore, the society must fight to protect press freedom, expand its boundaries, ensure the wellbeing of the mass media and protect the journalist.

In conclusion is that as human beings, we owe it a duty not just to protect and defend journalists but to also ensure that the mass media in the face of digital development, changing technology and dwindling resources, remain on course. This is in the interest of basic freedom, human rights, democracy and the development of humanity.

Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), writes from Lagos.

This is the text of the keynote address delivered at the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA) that held on Friday, October 22 at the Swiss Spirit Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana.

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Journalism in Africa: Its soldiers and protectors; enemies and executioners, By Femi Falana - Premium Times

Derek Pyle shares his thoughts on the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, and why its important for the international community to respond.

Popularized by Thai protesters in 2014, the three-finger salute has become a prominent symbol against the coup in Myanmar. Photo by Pyae Sone Htun.

Nine months ago, the Burmese military staged a coup in the predominately Buddhist country of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). The military continues to enact horrendous violence and human rights abuses against the citizens of Myanmar, and many of our fellow practitioners are suffering.

The attempted coup in Myanmar began on February 1, 2021 when the Tatmadaw military detained many of the countrys democratically elected officials. The country responded with a national strike as millions of healthcare workers, civil servants, teachers, truck drivers, and others refused to work. Railways and highways were shut down as part of the Civil Disobedience Movement, and the streets of major cities and small towns flooded with people.

The military junta responded to this Spring Revolution with extreme violence. State-sanctioned security forces opened fire on unarmed crowds. The military imposed citywide curfews, conducting midnight raids to arrest and disappear dissidents. Since February, the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners has documented over 1,200 deaths and over 9,300 arrests.

As violence intensified, participants in the Spring Revolution took to writing their blood type and personal information on their bodies should they be killed or injured in the streets. The military has also massacred rural villages and continues to use torture and sexual violence as part of their political repression.

Of the 57 million people living in Myanmar, nearly 90% identify as Buddhists. It is because of our interconnectedness with Myanmar that we must support its people in this time of need. Many secular mindfulness practices were shaped by Burmese traditions. Internationally known dharma teachers such as Mahasi Sayadaw, S.N. Goenka, Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg began as adherents of Burmese Buddhism. The Buddha spoke of the dharma as a priceless gift, and we are indebted to those who have shared it with us.

Buddhists have long played a central role in Myanmars struggle against violence and oppression. In the early 20th century, revered monastics including Ledi Sayadaw viewed the dharma as central to resisting British colonial rule. The practice of Vipassana was promoted as a major component of this resistance, which in turn led to its global popularity. Buddhist monastics also played crucial roles in the 1988 Uprising and Saffron Revolution of 2007, which freed Myanmar from its military dictatorship until this years attempted coup. The International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) has continued to respond to the current crisis in Myanmar, as detailed in INEBs publication Seeds of Peace.

This year, Myanmar has continuously appealed to the international community to aid the resistance. In the immediate aftermath of the attempted coup, social media was filled with hashtags supporting the cause such as #SaveMyanmar. There are ongoing calls to sanction the Tatmadaw and boycott the regimes transnational business partners. As Buddhists, we must support these boycotts and pressure our governments to impose sanctions not only against the Tatmadaw leaders, but against the companies doing business with them.

We must recognize the legitimacy of Myanmars National Unity Government (NUG), which stands in opposition to the Tatmadaw. The NUG is an opposition government compromised of elected officials ousted by the coup working alongside ethnic minority group leaders. The promise of multiethnic leadership is a remarkable feature of the NUG, as ethnic minorities including the Rohingya, Karen, and Kachin have been suffering state-sanctioned violence in Myanmar for decades. International Buddhists supporting multiethnic leadership in Myanmar is an important act of interfaith solidarity.

The United Nations has yet to recognize the NUG as the official representatives of Myanmar, although the Tatmadaw was barred from attending the UN General Assembly this September. Recently, the European Union recognized the NUG as legitimate, and the Burma Act of 2021 was introduced to the US House of Representatives. These are promising signs, but by and large the international community has failed the people of Myanmar.

In September, acting NUG President Duwa Lashi La declared a peoples defensive war against the military junta. No one wishes to live in a war-torn country, but as the human rights group Progressive Voice explains: The declaration [of defensive war] is especially understandable because the international response to the attempted coup has been weak, ineffective, uncoordinated, and lacking conviction.

It is in the absence of international support that the people of Myanmar are forced to consider defensive war. This is the heartbreaking reality. We should see it as our karmic responsibility to support the people suffering there.

Now it is the international Buddhist communitys responsibility to join the resistance:

Excerpt from:

Commentary: Why Buddhists Should Support the Resistance in Myanmar - Lion's Roar

The world is a confusing place, with the words "rights" and "freedom" being bandied about - not necessarily correctly. Photo / Supplied

Hasn't the world been a confusing place lately? There's a global pandemic on; some countries are "opening up" while others remain protective. People flock to cafes to catch up with friends, while in nearby hospitals exhausted doctors intubate and ventilate as they have been doing for months. This last sentence applies to much of the "developed world" - it will be our reality too, soon enough.

The ground is shifting for so many people, through lockdowns, level changes and hope swinging to fear and then back to hope. Even words are affected by seismic shifts. Words like "science", "evidence" and "research' concepts that underpin my work in healthcare are now being weaponised. When "doctors speaking out with science" do anything but, I feel the world becoming less stable.

And what about that word "freedom"? If you, like me, watched aghast as maskless crowds invaded parks and squares, waving signs and demanding we set a date for "liberation"; if you've suddenly felt unsure when a colleague starts talking about "my rights"; then you're not alone. We are a team of five million that is fracturing.

At the start of this pandemic (which seems an awfully long time ago but was only last year) it was observed that societies that stuck together and helped the most vulnerable would survive the best. This has turned out to be true. It's not a competition, but Aotearoa's response has shown up more wealthy governments with better-funded healthcare because we cared enough about each other.

The word "freedom" has always had different meanings for different groups. For some it means a group of people asserting their right to control their own destiny. The fight against slavery, union actions for better working conditions and the Black Lives Matter movement all fall into this category. Closer to home, the New Zealand Wars, the Bastion Point occupation and the Blackball strike are testament that New Zealanders hold the concept of freedom highly. All these movements emphasise a fair deal - for all, not just for the group protesting. They also push for equitable representation in government as a means to maintain freedom.

In contrast, there are those for whom "freedom" means their individual right to enjoy their personal lives and belongings. For these people, any organisation which curtails this - especially the Government is to be resisted. Throughout history these individual beliefs, quite reasonable on their own, have been harnessed into movements that actually work to curb rights overall. When people fear loss of individual freedoms, it's easy to scare them into protecting the positions of businesses or specialised political interests. Spoiler: we're in the middle of one such period in history.

It can be confusing when concepts initiated by one movement are captured by an opposing one and used to fortify their position, much like my children building pillow forts. Last weekend, for example, we were treated to the edifying sight of a mostly Pkeh, straw boater-wearing crowd picnicking on the grounds of Waitangi, having posted a press release (completely devoid of irony) stating they were taking back their rights under the principles of Mori sovereignty.

This prompted a collective chunder. Genuine Mori civil rights leaders such as Dame Naida Glavish minced no words, saying, "Any hikoi in this lockdown puts in jeopardy the mahi [work] Ngti Whtua are currently undertaking. Have your hoo-ha when this is done and dusted, right now the hoo-ha is hh [crazy]."

Ngpuhi representatives posted a statement saying (I paraphrase) it was very nice that people suddenly cared about He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirene (the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand, signed in 1835), but they had work to do getting their own people vaccinated and could the antivaxxers please keep out for now. Hone Harawira was more direct, labelling the "hikoi" a scam.

This story highlights the difference between the two ideas of freedom: one centred on the needs of others, and the other centred on individuals. There's a relation here to the idea of rights versus obligations. When someone states "I have rights", they are focusing on themselves; when they say, "I have obligations", they are choosing to focus on others.

27 Aug, 2021 05:00 PMQuick Read

5 Nov, 2021 06:00 PMQuick Read

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Freedom is relative. Who is centred? It depends on who you are and your cultural roots. There's nothing wrong with looking after your needs first: what's less okay is when doing that impinges on the needs of others. But who's impinging on whom?

Most people get that vaccination reduces infection and hospitalisation rates and therefore saves lives. But for some, recently introduced measures to push the vaccination rate up, such as vaccination passports and vaccination mandates for certain groups, are a step too far. Words like "oppression", "apartheid", "medical discrimination" and "dictatorship" are being muttered darkly, even on wholesome forums such as mummy coffee groups.

Here's the thing. Most people who use these words are not from historically marginalised groups. Most have never known genuine oppression, and to use terms like "apartheid" disrespects the people who have come from countries where this occurs. Discrimination for the colour of your skin does occur in New Zealand just ask any brown person who shops in a mall. But no one's calling it apartheid.

Medical discrimination is a thing too, just not in the way that you think. Studies have shown yes, proper research that doctors are pretty discriminatory in who they refer for medical care, with Mori and Pacific people being offered less care than Pkeh and Asian people. None of these issues can be blamed on the virus.

We're pretty lucky in New Zealand. To understand what real oppression is, we don't need to travel very far at all. Just a quick peek into our own not-very-distant past land grabs and underhanded law changes, anyone? will reveal plenty of examples.

These historical actions have led directly to the situation we find ourselves in today: an inequitable landscape, with pockets of unvaccinated people in which Covid is spreading fast. Many of these people are not to blame for being slow to access the vaccine. Instead, a combination of poor access to healthcare, lack of good information and a well-founded distrust of government actions (see above) have stymied efforts. Throw in factors like shelter and food insecurity and it's a situation that has been brewing for generations.

Here's where I pull out one of my medical terms: duty of care. It's the doctor version of saying freedom for all. It's also a way to remind me of my obligations to look after everyone, equitably.

We can all have this duty of care. By getting vaccinated, by limiting the speed of spread of the virus with social distancing, masks and temporarily changing how we live, we make opportunity. We buy time for people, such as Ngpuhi healthcare workers and many others working within their own communities, to reach everyone that wants the vaccine or who is vaccine hesitant. We can all save lives. Truly.

Maybe it's time to reclaim that word freedom. People have told me that getting the Covid vaccine brings relief. There is freedom from the worry that comes from not knowing where the virus is and how far it's spread.

Where to get a vaccination in Auckland - without a booking

This map shows large vaccinations centres from the Unite again Covid-19 infomation page. For more detailed information about your neighbourhood visit Healthpoint.

For those who worried about getting the vaccine, there is often pride that they overcame their personal fears. For those people, there is the freedom to acknowledge others' worries and to sympathise with them.

One day soon we'll get back the freedom to travel, to hug everyone we know and have ragey parties that we later cringe at the memory of. We'll enjoy our freedom all together, and with no one left behind.

It'll be worth it.

Renee Liang MNZM is a paediatrician, writer, theatre producer and medical researcher.

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Renee Liang: what freedom in Covid times looks like from where I stand - New Zealand Herald

A deadline is coming. It has already come for many. If you are reading now, that deadline has already passed for us; for others, it is soon to come. There have been many such deadlines in history with the same desired outcome: comply or [insert historic or current cultural consequence here.]

By now, you know the names: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Lenin, the Bolsheviks, and the Red Terror, Stalin and the Great Purge, Mao Zedong, the Communist Party in China, and Tiananmen Square, Saigon and the Vietnam War, Cuba and Fidel Castro, Germany and the Berlin Wall, and many others.

The dissenters of these socialist/communist movements and takeovers generally had ultimatums and deadlines to comply with the demands of their oppressors. If they chose to dissent, they paid the consequences, often with their lives.

The Biden Administration is following the same historical path of a communist takeover, in partnership with corporatists, by devastating the livelihoods of millions of Americans who refuse to comply with vaccine mandates. The use of force has begun: comply or lose your job the source of income you use to feed, clothe, and house yourself and your family. Comply or pay the price.

For some, that price tag is large and looming. While disguised as such, the circumstances they find themselves in are not about the COVID-19 pandemic and the safety and well-being of Americas citizens. It is about compliance and control of those who refuse to be told by an authoritarian government what is best for them, their families and their lives, both physical and spiritual. Totalitarian governmental takeovers are historically predicated on this style of control, and the Biden Administration is arrogantly unashamed of their Marxist-style language.

This is a pandemic of the unvaccinated, President Biden said in his speech on September 09, 2021. The goal, aids have said, is to render being unvaccinated so burdensome that those who havent received shots will have little choice other than to get them.

Many others have used similar threatening language in regards to vaccine mandates:

Do you want to get paid or not? Mr. de Blasio said at a news conference. Well, the vast, vast majority of people in public service need that paycheck.

-Mayor Bill de Blasio

Yet, a few state governors (and local government legislatures), Americas last line of defense between its citizens and a tyrannical federal government, are raising concerns about the actions of the current administration:

No one should be forced to choose between making a living and standing up for their personal beliefs. As long as Im governor, the state of Iowa will always stand alongside Iowans and to be sure that their freedoms are protected.

-Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds

"In yet another instance of federal government overreach, the Biden Administration is now bullying many private entities into imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, causing workforce disruptions that threaten Texas's continued recovery from the COVID-19 disaster,"

-Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

"The federal government is exceeding [its] power and it is important for us to take a stand because in Florida we believe these are choices based on individual circumstances,"

-Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

If, after almost two years, you still think what is happening in the United States of America (and other parts of the world) is about a public health crisis, compare what is happening here with the aforementioned dictators and their actions and the historical timeline in each of their respective nations.

Marxist ideologies: class separation and divide through economics, social issues, and race. Segregation (in this case, resegregation) of society. Divide and conquer through racism, tribalism, and ethnic, economic, class, religious, and social division.

Oppressed vs. Oppressor:Black vs. White, Rich vs. Poor, Secularism vs. Christianity, Woke vs. Non-Woke, Democrat vs. Republican, Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated, etc.

Indoctrination of children through abolishment of historical facts and/or reframing and rewriting of history with tools such as Critical Race Theory (CRT), universal pre-K, and an attempt to remove any and all of a parents role in the education of their children. Demonize parents attempt to confront injustices, differing opinions, and overreach of school boards. Concerned parents are now labeled as domestic terrorists.

Mandatory vaccine requirements for children that turn them into test subjects. This statement should be considered carefully, regardless of the context in which it is spoken: We are never going to learn how safe it is until we start giving it. Thats just the way it goes. Dr. Eric Rubin, during a meeting of the FDAs Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee

Abolishment of private property. It will belong to the state, and partnering corporatists and Marxist globalists. Youll own nothing and be happy. World Economic Forum

Destruction of small businesses during the pandemic and their attempt at recovery in favor of federal or corporate interests the centralization of power and commerce with unprecedented spending plans, aimed at bankrupting America and establishing a new system of currency and exchange.

Attempts at centralizing the banking system, bankrupting the country and its future citizens. Sending stimulus payments, mimicking socialism, under the guise of economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, yet masking the massive tax on the people under the cover of common inflation and product and service shortages. Intentional infrastructure failure in regards to supply chain issues in an effort to disrupt and dismantle the economy.

Disrespect of citizenry. Porous borders and illegal entry into the country. Unequal application of laws and strict vaccine mandates on Americas citizens vs. not requiring the same of those illegally entering the country through a border that has been wide open since the beginning of the Biden presidency.

State-run media. Mainstream Media is the only source of information for most Americans and is the propaganda arm of the federal government, supported by Big Tech Oligarchs. Alternative sources of information must be diligently sought after as truth is commonly suppressed by those who hold the most power.

Intentionally dismantling physical and social infrastructure in order to centralize power. Demoralize and demonize police forces in order to abolish and ultimately nationalize law enforcement. Again, centralization of power, a national police force as opposed to law enforcement within local entities.

Deeming churches and houses of worship as non-essential the removal of religion in order to deify the state. God has no place in a communist society.

Mandate and consequently remove all dissidents and non-compliant from society, including religious, conscientious or free and independent thinkers. None of these characteristics serve the state.

Ignoring supreme laws of the land, oppression of the citizenry. In this case, The Constitution of the United States of America has completely been ignored and disregarded by the current administration.

Giving unlawful power to government entities outside of their jurisdiction. Again, ignoring the supreme law of the land The Constitution of the United States. Example: CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signing orders in regards to eviction moratorium extensions, etc.

These are just a few examples, all pointing to the Biden Administrations Build Back Better plan, and proof that this is no longer about COVID-19. This is a clear plan to change the structure of America, as many dictators have historically done in times of public crisis.

Twenty-first century Americans have not had their property violently or unlawfully seized, and no one is boldly standing in front of a tank facing certain death, or being shot and bayoneted by revolutionaries, yet.

But the government in charge is rolling up its sleeves and flexing its muscles toward non-compliant Americans. Everyone can see that. What is not quite so obvious are opportunistic career politicians, weaponizing false narratives against Americas own citizens, resulting in political prisoners. The Mainstream Media ignore and refuse to report these atrocities. Arrests and acts of torture, unbefitting the crime, are going unreported by the media consumed by most Americans. Truth, and at the very least, differing opinions and voices are being silenced and suppressed.

One example is Nathan DeGrave, a non-violent political prisoner who was present at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Nathan, and many other Americans are being gruesomely treated in deplorable conditions. Does The Constitution apply to Nathan DeGrave, an American citizen?

Does The Bill of Rights apply to every American?

One can reasonably conclude that Nathans story is not about justice. One can also reasonably conclude that these vaccine mandates are not about health; they, too, are about politics. Consequently, every American has been caught in the crossfire between good and evil.

It is clear that the Biden Administration is rejecting true science, is hostile toward religion, and wants to eradicate free and independent thinkers. These factors are historically antithetical to dictatorial takeovers and pose a direct threat to the current power structure.

So, to my husband who dependably and conscientiously served BlueCross BlueShield and their customers across the state of Tennessee for 20 years, was hand-selected in 2015 to represent them before Congress to speak about health and wellness, and planned to continue in that service until retirement; we support you. We respect you for courageously choosing to stand your ground against medical coercion, tyranny, and criticism, while the aftermath of this storm of ruthless political agendas has been strewn all over our kitchen table. Comply or be terminated.

We know we are not alone and that ours is not the only family, that we are not the only people they are attempting to silence and replace with power structures, political entities, and globalist elites. We are not alone.

To the nurse or healthcare worker who is now facing a mid-life career change; you were yesterdays COVID hometown healthcare hero, and today you are treated as discarded, dirty, unvaccinated trash by the very same people who once praised and valued you for your service. We are all dirty; you are not alone.

Medical professionals, police officers, firefighters, first responders, truck drivers, educators, and every other essential worker which is everyone who is employed in one way or another those across the country who represent the core infrastructure and stability of families, institutions, and the economy you are the backbone of this nation. You are not alone.

Thank you to the sports professionals and entertainers who are willing to take a stand and show others that standing firm in what you believe in comes with a cost, but it is one you are willing to pay.

For those with a platform that are a voice for the voiceless, please continue leading the charge to save the country from what history has clearly outlined for us as destitution for generations to come.

That next generation is currently watching all of us. We did not comply with the vaccine mandates that have no basis in science or solution, but rather are submission campaigns and tactical distractions imposed upon the American people by a consistently failing administration. This administration is the same one that told us this would all be over if we would just do the next thing.

That next thing has changed over and over again from the lips of Dr. Fauci, who deceived Congress and continues to receive a platform to peddle lies to the American people. The latest next thing is the vaccine.

Just take the vaccine and this will all be over; we can all get back to normal.

Fifteen days to slow the spread.

Wear your mask.

You must get the vaccine.

Proof of vaccination, please?

Vax card or digital passport, please?

A vaccine is not the answer because this is not where all this ends. History has shown us time and time again that this is not where any of this ends.

This is where it begins.

* * *

Holly Abernathy is a communications and creative arts professional whose writing and photography have been published in several print and online publications. She works in a variety of media secondary to raising her two children in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information, visitwww.6qCreative.com.

* * *

This is not the first time in U.S. history vaccination during a public health crisis has been mandated. Please review the history of smallpox vaccination and the 1905 Supreme Court decision.

I agree everyone has personal rights, but feel those rights should be checked when the health and welfare of your family, neighbors, and community are at stake.

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Medical Mandates And The "Comply Or Die" Administration - And Response (3) - The Chattanoogan

Content Warning: This article discusses violence, torture and genocide.

On Oct. 5, CNN published a whistleblower report from a Chinese ex-detective, detailing the brutal treatment of Uyghur communities by Chinese officials in Xinjiang the Uyghur Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China. The informant, who goes by Jiang to protect his identity and his familys safety, was deployed several times to Xinjiang from his normal post. On these deployments, he and his fellow officers were ordered to forcibly arrest hundreds of suspects in Uyghur communities overnight, most of whom Jiang believed were innocent of any wrongdoing. He went on to detail the graphic torture of detainees, including hangings, sexual violence, electrocutions, waterboarding and brutal beatings. The victims, including men, women and children as young as 14, were mercilessly tortured until a confession was made. This report is the latest of a long series of harrowing accounts regarding the detainment and internment of populations within China.

Since 2014, reporters have documented what many experts have defined as the cultural genocide of the Turkic and predominantly Muslim Uyghur people in Xinjiang. However, oppressive tactics used by the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) policies, like nuclear testing in Xinjiang, the systemic erasure of identity, culture and religion, forced sterilization and abortion and extrajudicial and indiscriminate killings and torture have been documented as early as 1989. In addition to several horrifying accounts from survivors and those formerly involved, satellite images have shown how Uyghur detainees are forced to work in factories near concentration camps.

Though this crisis has gained international attention over the past few years, this whistleblower report shows just how little has been done to prevent further violence from being committed. It wasnt until earlier this year over seven years after initial reports were made that the U.S. government officially recognized the situation in Xinjiang as a genocide. It still remains to be seen whether concrete action will be taken beyond simply expressing intent to back an independent investigation. The United Nations, ostensibly one of the most important international institutions in the sphere of human rights, has expressed deep concern over these allegations but has yet to officially categorize these atrocities as a genocide.

While many people echo international concern about the situation, others still express skepticism toward the claims made against the CCP. Despite the undeniable evidence of the CCPs brutality in Xinjiang, many Western self-proclaimed anti-imperialists have sided with the CCP based on suspicion of sinophobic U.S. rhetoric. This gravely mistaken sentiment which occupies many American leftist spaces shows the detrimental and hypocritical effects that can arise from ardently misinformed opinions.

A rudimentary understanding of relevant historical contexts makes it clear that the Uyghur situation is far from a recently manufactured fabrication of American political manipulation. Rather, the current genocide is a continuation of a prolific history of settler-colonial domination and exploitation by the Chinese government in Xinjiang. Furthermore, one can logically assume that the United States and other world powers would not accuse one of their primary trade partners of genocide and jeopardize valuable economic gain without irrefutable evidence of egregious wrongdoing.

While Sinophobia is an incredibly important issue to confront, there must be room for nuance in discerning unsubstantiated generalizations of Chinese people, culture and politics from valid criticism of the CCPs oppressive policies. These faux anti-imperialist claims that the story of this genocide is purely the fiction of American anti-Chinese rhetoric are sorely misinformed and ignorant of the tangible violence and oppression that Uyghur people continue to face.

We as a collective public have two responsibilities. Primarily, it is our responsibility to be adequately and critically informed on incredibly important human rights issues before presuming that our skepticism discredits the voices of survivors, victims and those with relevant lived experiences. Additionally, we must then apply persistent pressure on national leaders and international human rights organizations, urging them to acknowledge the existence and the gravity of the atrocities being committed. Without the implementation of strategic and targeted political and social actions, it will become more difficult to intervene and stop the progression of further atrocities and thus hold CCP officials accountable for the crimes they have committed against the citizens of Xinjiang. It is our collective responsibility to prevent this kind of cruelty from progressing through the lives and societies of the global community.

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The genocide of Uyghur people: A revealing whistleblower report and American ignorance and collective responsibility - Tufts Daily

The occupation of Kashmir by the Indian security forces will complete 74 years on October 27, a day which is observed as Black Day by the people of the occupied territory, Pakistan and the Kashmiri diaspora around the world.

These years have been a sad story of defiance of UNSC resolutions, international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, unmitigated oppression and criminal indifference by the international community to the plight of the people of the occupied territory.

India reneged on its commitment to implement the UN resolutions, pledges made to Pakistan in that regard by the then Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru as well as his statements in the Indian parliament. Instead of fulfilling its pledge and obligations under UNSC resolutions, it held elections for the constituent assembly of Occupied Kashmir in October 1951 in which all seats were won by the National Conference headed by Sheikh Abdullah.

The UN Security Council passed Resolution 91 to the effect that such elections did not substitute a plebiscite. Again, on November 17, the state constituent assembly adopted a constitution for the state which declared Kashmir as an integral part of the Indian Union. The UN Security Council once again repudiated it through its Resolution 122 which reiterated that that the settlement of the question of accession of the state could not be resolved by any means other than a plebiscite held under the auspices of the UN. As is evident, it was a vehement rejection of the Indian position on the Kashmir issue.

However, India kept insisting on Kashmir being an integral part and continued denial of the right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir. Which is why the occupied people were forced to launch an armed struggle to win their freedom. Since then, India has been using its military might to crush it. Indian security forces enjoying immunity for their actions under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1990, have indulged in an unabated killing-spree in the state. They have killed more than 96,000 Kashmiris, raped thousands of women and destroyed thousands of structures since the beginning of the freedom struggle. The discovery of mass graves also tells the story of the Indian oppression on the people of Kashmir. However despite this unending oppression India has not been able to extinguish the flame of liberty.

By scrapping Article 370 of the Indian constitution, to end the special status of Occupied Kashmir, its bifurcation into two territories and annexation to the Indian Union as well as promulgation of the new domicile law designed to change the demographic realities of the state, the Modi government has further aggravated the situation and given a new twist to the dispute.

Kashmiris are facing unabated extrajudicial killings, custodial torture and death, arbitrary detention, looting to inflict collective punishment and other worst forms of human rights abuses, corroborated by reports of human rights organisations, the UN Human Rights Commission findings, the European parliament and international media.

According to reports compiled by international agencies, over 500 people have been killed since August 5, 2019. Three thousand people are under arrest, including 200 politicians. Reportedly 10,000 people have been picked up and disappeared since then. Though internet services were restored in August 2020 on the orders of the Indian Supreme Court, the people of Occupied Kashmir are still living in an open prison and suffering immensely at the hands of the Indian security forces.

The Modi government has been trying to sell the narrative that the action taken by it in Occupied Kashmir was its internal matter. But it has failed to convince the international community. Thanks to the diplomatic offensive launched by the government of Pakistan, reports by the international media and unraveling of the oppression on the people of Kashmir, the international community has not subscribed to the Indian disposition on the issue.

It is pertinent to mention here that the August 5 action of the Modi government has also been opposed by conscientious elements within India. P Chidambaram, a senior leader of Congress, opposing the bill for repeal of Article 370 had said: The move will have catastrophic consequences. You are dismembering J&K in the name of the people of Kashmir. Do not do that. Reflect on what you are doing. Momentarily you may think you have scored a victory, but you are wrong and history will prove you to be wrong. Future generations will realise what a grave mistake this house is making today. [The] BJPs sense of victory will be short-lived and history will prove it to be wrong His statement reflected the historic truth.

The BJP regime -- inebriated by the RSS Ideology of Hindutva -- has not only violated the UNSC resolutions, international law and 4th Geneva Convention through its actions but has also been persistently engaged in sponsoring acts of terrorism within Pakistan in connivance with Afghan intelligence agency NDS. It has also fomented and supported insurgency in Balochistan. The arrest of Kalbhushan Jadhav and his confessions leave no doubt about it. India has also indulged in fake propaganda against Pakistan and portraying it as an epicenter of terrorism through fake media outlets as revealed by EU Disinfo Lab recently. It has also adopted a hostile posture towards us.

The threatening statements by Indian military and civilian leaders and the daredevil act of bombing imaginary terrorist training camps at Balakot in February 2019 are a ranting testimony to the threat that India poses to peace and security in this region. Pakistan has presented two dossiers to the UN and the world powers regarding state terrorism by India and its use of false propaganda to malign us.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has rightly likened the RSS Ideology to Nazism and persistently warned the world of its likely repercussions if India is not stopped in its tracks right now and the Kashmir issue resolved in consonance with the UN resolutions. It is the right time for the UN and the world community to act before it is too late, particularly the powers that see the Kashmir dispute through the prism of their strategic and commercial interests. Their apathy to the situation in Occupied Kashmir encourages India to persist with its inhuman actions.

The writer is a freelance contributor.

Email: [emailprotected]

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Violence in Occupied Kashmir - The News International

ENFIELD, CT Democrat Joshua Hamre, 49, is running for the Board of Education in Enfield.

Occupation: Services Coordinator For Homeless Veterans

Experience: Enfield Culture and Arts Commission

Family in government: None that I know of

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

The single most pressing issue facing Enfield is the acceptance of what was once unacceptable. I intend to continue speaking for those that are not comfortable speaking, and to follow the example of leaders I admire who got into good trouble, necessary trouble (thank you, John Lewis), when they stood for what was right. And to paraphrase Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and I choose not to be neutral in situations of injustice because I will not choose the side of oppression.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

There are a total of ten candidates running for the Board of Education, and nine of those running will get a seat at the table. Between myself and the other four Democrat candidates, we share the view that the Board of Education is a governing body that is in place to ensure the public schools are adhering to policies and procedures that allow each student the opportunity to achieve their best selves. Between Tina, Amanda, Scott, Jerry, and myself, there is no daylight between us. We share that vision.

The Republican candidates quite simply don't believe that. Not all, perhaps, but if one or two believe that it is acceptable for a student to be unable to learn to the best of their ability because the student is unable to express themselves in the way that they choose, then it doesn't matter if they all believe in oppression or not. I will say that again, but a little differently this time: If one republican candidate for the Board of Education believes it is acceptable to oppress one demographic for the sake of another, and the other republican candidates do not distance themselves or speak out against that oppression, they are implicitly accepting of it. Those efforts to oppress a part of our student population will become part of the policies if we allow it to. I will not allow it, and nor will my Democratic colleagues. That is one critical difference between the ten candidates.

Accomplishments:

Having been involved in the education processes of our three children across the educational spectrum (public, parochial, and magnet), I've seen what is possible and where potential may exist.

In addition, over the last 15 years of working within the military support community, I've learned the myriad ways that procedures, policies and protocol can and should be implemented, and as well as the importance of the chain of command in these processes.

Other issues:

Teachers and the entire support staff should be able to find stability in the vocation they have chosen, because continuity and familiarity is critical to obtaining goals for the students and staff alike.

The administration has been doing an outstanding job despite strong headwinds during the pandemic.

Music, and theater and everything that goes into these pursuits and productions deserve more support and an elevated place in the schools and community.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I am a candidate for the Board of Education because I raised my hand when there was a need to help. I encourage anyone reading this to become involved in the civic process through programs like Parent Leadership Academy.

I encourage parents to be involved to the fullest extent possible in the development of their children.

I implore parents to be accepting of the little ones in their lives, to be open to them, and so that they may be open to their parents. Have the uncomfortable conversations at home so that they are comfortable when those conversations happen elsewhere.

To register for free Enfield news alerts and more, click here.

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Election 2021: Joshua Hamre For Enfield Board Of Education - Patch.com

Myanmar needs a National Salvation government: Neither side can win, only more suffering!

Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The nation of Myanmar needs a National Salvation government to overcome the horrendous internal convulsions that threaten this nation-state. Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of Defence Services (before the coup against State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi), is the de facto leader of Myanmar. However, the repercussions of the coup are more divisions in society, enabling outside nations to influence internal developments based on weakness, a weakened economy, the threat of disintegration like the former Yugoslavia, and other ill-winds.

Irrespective of people supporting Aung San Suu Kyi, Min Aung Hlaing, and others within the complex mosaic of Myanmar, the current situation threatens the future of this country. Ironically, when Aung San Suu Kyi set the nation on the democratic path, Western democratic nations played the Bengali Muslim card in Rakhine. Therefore, instead of democratic nations helping Myanmar at this critical junction just like Sudans democratic path needs support now the democratic world and politically correct media lambasted Myanmar and Aung San Suu Kyi.

In a past article, it was stated, Aung San Suu Kyi understood the legacy of authoritarian rule, the continuation of military involvement in the political system, countless long-lasting ethnic conflicts, outside meddling, and a nation blighted by underdevelopment. However, despite countless obstacles, she remained steadfast to the democratic path and was waiting for the right time to enhance democracy in Myanmar.

Since the coup against Aung San Suu Kyi, the flow of death followed concerning internal discontent. Hence, the nation is now more unstable. Is this really what the military coup desired?

Min Aung Hlaing obviously didnt have any plan B to counter the obvious civil disobedience that would follow. Nor did the military elites focus on the economic convulsions and that China would gain from the ensuing chaos. Therefore, with no compromise insight towards the National League for Democracy (NLD) and certain members of the NLD intent on agitating (even if understandable) concerning natural self-preservation it seems that the armed forces loyal to Min Aung Hlaing are merely wishing the NLD to disappear.

Myanmar doesnt need regional nations that equally dont support human rights to hypocritically condemn for example, the crisis in West Papua concerning Indonesia is horrendous likewise, in Malaysia, the treatment of immigrants, anti-Shia Muslim policies, and political power concentration under the ethnic Malays is a reality. However, nations that take a more even-handed approach India, Japan, South Korea, and others need to put more pressure on the ruling elites of Myanmar for them to reach a compromise with Aung San Suu Kyi instead of persecuting her.

The road ahead is extremely complex for Myanmar. Hence, internal political divisions decided by brute force are a path to increasing poverty and weakening the nation-state. Therefore, despite the hatred of opposing sides, it is incumbent that a National Salvation government emerges before it is too late.

If not, another generation will be blighted by political oppression and limited opportunities.

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Myanmar needs a National Salvation government: Neither side can win, only more suffering! - Modern Tokyo Times