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In the 2010 elections, Republicans won control of the legislature in the state of North Carolina for the first time since right after the Civil War. Immediately following their electoral victory, they hired a GOP expert from Washington D.C. to travel to North Carolina to redraw the districts of the state, and then they quickly passed it in the state legislature via a party line vote. This so-called expert was brought in to "Gerrymander" the districts of the state, meaning he was tasked with redrawing district lines in a favorable way as to protect GOP incumbents and add GOP Congressional seats by weeding out the Democrats. Basically, they draw the district lines in a manner that attenuates Democratic voters from incumbent Republican districts, and then they end up either jam-packing them into only a few districts or diluting their strength by spreading them and their votes around in multiple districts. In North Carolina, 95% of registered Republicans are White Americans, leaving only 5% of Republicans to represent minorities. 96% of the state's registered African American voters are Democrats. The Republican party is basically an all white party in that state (and in the South, in general), while the Democrats of North Carolina are highly diverse. The politicians are using the Cape Fear River in North Carolina to cram in as many black people as possible into just a few Congressional Districts. Half of one district, for instance, begins on one bank of the river and connects to its other half farther downstream. The two halves share the river to comply with the contiguous territorial requirements for a district. Essentially, the Republicans are splitting precincts to include the black people in one district, while purging them from another. The redistricting procedure has allowed the Republicans to whitewash the districts surrounding African American majority areas. They take all the black people out of the surrounding districts and stuff them into a black majority district to ensure a majority of voters in a majority of the districts are white and predictably Republican. In the example provided, the southern half of the district was made to include another 100,000 voters, mostly black and Democratic, with the northern majority black and Democratic half of the newly created district.By design, 49% of African Americans in North Carolina have been jam-packed into only 3 of North Carolina's 13 Congressional Districts, and Republicans further undermine the potential political strength of the rest of the black voters by spreading them around the other 10 Congressional Districts. The NAACP calls these measures an act to re-segregate the South. North Carolina state senator Dan Blume says "its a concerted effort to ghettoize the black vote in North Carolina." When asked whether its just power politics or racism, Blume was quick to respond by saying "it's racism and it weakens the country." Furthermore, the whitewashing of the surrounding districts is also deepening the racial divide already at play in the politics of the South. In the "Deep South's" five states, SC, GA, AL, MS, and LA, only 9 Democratic Congressman exist, and only one of them is white. By 2013, however, it is highly likely there will no longer be any white Democrats in the South because the current one is most likely going to lose his seat after Gerrymandering has taken his hometown of Savannah, GA out of his Congressional District.The Civil Rights Act of 1965 guarantees black voters "an equal opportunity" to vote on and elect any candidate of their choice. However, when black people are overstuffed into districts of their own, the strength and effectiveness of their vote is greatly weakened. The collective strength of their voice is diminished because now African Americans are voting in the same district, and can only influence its outcome instead of being able to influence the outcome of multiple districts. Currently in North Carolina, for instance, Democrats have 7 seats in Congress and Republicans have only 6. Next year, Republicans will most likely end up with 10 seats. The only 3 Democratic seats will be from the 3 majority African American districts. Black incumbents currently hold two of the districts being jam-packed with additional black voters. The other Democratic seat is held by a Caucasian American, David Price, and he has also seen an influx of African American voters due to the redistricting. Brad Miller, another current Democratic Congressman from Raleigh, was elected ten years ago when he won the additional Congressional seat granted to North Carolina because of an increase in population. This year, however, 100,000 voters, the vast majority of which are black, were redistricted along with Congressman Miller's home into the other side of Raleigh and into Price's district.It is clear the Republicans are dividing the district lines according to race. It is also clear they are attempting to stuff as many black people into their own few districts as possible. They are literally separating black voters from voting at the same election office and on the same ballot as white voters. The Republicans are also clearly attempting to undermine the collective political strength of African Americans, and have designed a system which minimizes the impact of their vote. However, are these actions really acts of segregation?Is Republican Gerrymandering an attempt to re segregate the South?
Mitt Romney is one of the Republican front-runners in the GOP Primary Race. If he were to win the GOP nominee for the 2012 elections, can he beat President Obama?
PressTV has created a new In Focus Documentary named Israel: Another apartheid South Africa?-INfocus-01-16-2012 questioning the status of Israel and the Palestinian Territories as equivalent to the racist South African Apartheid regime overthrown twenty years ago. In a detailed study, PressTV questions and compares several policies that appear to be similar between Israel and South African Apartheid. The documentary has been attached. After watching the video, ask yourself: Is Israel an Apartheid State like South Africa?
Is good or bad more attractive?
Is he Right?
Hasan Abu Nimah wrote an article titled Why is it Open Season on Palestinians in US Presidential Race? for the Electronic Intifada recently. Nimah says "it seems that the Palestinians, or more precisely bashing and demonizing them, preoccupy a disproportionate amount of the candidates’ attention. Even more extraordinary is the fact that the Palestinians never sought to make Americans or the US their enemy nor did they do anything to harm the US." In many of the Republican Primary Debates, it appears as though the candidates are fighting over who can say the most racist and hateful things towards the Palestinians. Here are a following of the things each candidate has said:Newt Gingrich said the Palestinians are an "invented people." Mitt Romney claims they are taught terrorism and to hate Jews in their schools.Rich Santorum said "All the people who live in the West Bank are Israelis. There are no Palestinians. This is Israeli land"Michele Bachman believes Palestine should die so Israel can live.Rick Perry attempted to have all persons aboard the Palestinian Freedom Flotilla's arrested for terrorism.Ron Paul is the only candidate that hasn't said any racist and hateful comments towards Palestinians. Those are just examples of a few of the candidates comments. Look up some more and then decide, Which Republican Presidential Candidate hates the Palestinians more?
In a Republican Primary Debate on Fox News, Congressman Ron Paul and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann exchanged words concerning whether the US should declare war on Iran. Listen to the exchange. Who do you agree with on Iran?
On the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Ron Paul says Congresswoman Bachmann does not like Muslims. You can see his comments in the video provided above, and then her response. Also, there are more videos provided below. Watch them all and use the information you already know to decide, Was Ron Paul correct in saying Michele Bachmann hates Muslims?
There are three seats open
In the video above, George Galloway argues it would be a complete catastrophe for the United States and NATO to go to war with Iran. Listen to Galloway's speech, and then decide Is it a mistake for the US and NATO to go to war with Iran?
Select three below. There are three seats open.
The United States, NATO, and Israel repeatedly claim that Iran's nuclear program is designed with the goal of creating nuclear weapons. Such allegations, however, are made without evidence. Ralph Nader says the "International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) that monitor compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which Iran belongs, have entered Iran numerous times and, while remaining suspicious, have not been able to find that country on the direct road to the Bomb." Though the IAEA may be suspicious, they haven't found any evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of Iran. US officials constantly misrepresent the IAEA by stating Iran could develop a nuclear weapon in X number of years. Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful means, specifically for nuclear energy. It has the right to have nuclear energy, and so far no evidence suggests Iran is planning to use its nuclear program in any other capacity. It is all just speculation, perhaps even made up by the West. What do you think? Is Iran trying to make nuclear weapons?
In virtually every Republican primary debate, all of the candidates (except Ron Paul) have made clear Islamophobic and anti-Arab statements. The video provided has an example of one of the Republican Primary Debates. Why do the primary candidates use such hateful and ignorant language when discussing Arabs and Muslims? Does using racial slurs towards Arabs and Muslims help Republicans gain conservative voters?
In the last couple of weeks, the world has been witnessing increasing military activity between the US and Iran. The US and Israel have already committed several acts of war including terrorist attacks against Iranian scientists, placing an embargo on Iranian banks, and using unmanned spy drones to spy on the Islamic Republic, such as the one captured by the Iranians. As the map shows, the US and NATO have Iran completely surrounded. At the Center for Research on Globalization, the following articles have been produced indicating the authors fear a War with Iran is already underway:Attack Iran? Nuclear Insanity: "We have the Capability to Take the World Down with Us" by Felicity ArbuthnotWAR PLAN IRAN: Dispelling the Lies, Telling the Truth about Western Aggression in the Persian Gulf by Finian Cunningham and Michel ChossudovskyTerror Attacks, U.S.-Israeli War Games Raise the Prospects for War with Iran by Tom BurghardtAfter reviewing these articles and taking into consideration recent events, do you believe the US and NATO are preparing to go to war with Iran?
Newt Gingrich has become the front-runner in the GOP Primary Race. If he were to win the nominee, could he beat President Obama in the General Election?
Wie wordt de nieuwe voorzitter van Tafelronde 145 Oosterhout.
Plan B Morning After Pill has been available over the counter for women 17 years and older. Women 16 and younger were required to get a prescription to get the medication. The medication is used the morning after having sex without using contraceptives to prevent or terminate unwanted pregnancies. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration had urged for it to be openly sold to all women, regardless of age because it has the same side effects on women of all ages; thus, making Plan B available over the counter for all women regardless of their age. Overruling scientists at the FDA, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ruled that teenage girls under the age of 17 shouldn't be able to buy the pill on their own. Women under the age of 16 years old will instead need a prescription to receive the drug. The main reasoning for this decision is that it is believed a woman under the age of 16 needs advice and direction on how to take the pill. Advocates for making it available over the counter believe it should be as easily available as possible to prevent unwanted teenage pregnancies. Do you agree with the Health Secretary's decision?Should teenagers need a prescription for the Plan B Morning After Pill?
Texas Governor Rick Perry has released a new campaign ad on YouTube to help boost his slumping numbers in the 2012 GOP Primary Race. The ad targets the Christian Evangelical base of the Republican Party. Specifically, its intentions are to string a cord within the Christian Evangelical community and garner their support by conveying an extremely homophobic and highly theocratic message. Following embarrassing performances in several Republican debates, Perry's numbers have plummeted in the polls. Perry entered the race to become the GOP Presidential nominee on August 13, and he immediately became the front-runner in the polls. He held that spot for five weeks peaking with a 19 point lead over Mitt Romney on the 1st of September, but then his numbers began to steadily decline. Now he finds himself near the bottom of the candidates with only 5% support in the most recent Gallop Poll. Perry needed to act and act quickly in an attempt to re-energize his campaign and create enthusiasm and support from potential GOP primary voters. As one of several Evangelical Republican potential nominees, Perry's campaign needed to create some noise to separate himself from the rest of the group. Therefore, his campaign chose to draw a staunch line in the sand with the following message in his ad: "I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian, but you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion. And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage.Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again.I'm Rick Perry and I approve this message."Is such bigoted and theocratic language acceptable in America? Isn't America supposed to represent equality and justice before the law and equal opportunity for all to strive to achieve one's goals? And which Church liturgy would Perry like our public schools that are paid for by tax funds from ALL AMERICANS, including Muslims, Jews, Athiests, Hindus, and other faiths, to forcibly teach our children? Personally, I am an Orthodox Christian, and I don't want Protestant guided prayer to be taught to my children. In particular, I don't want Evangelical Christianity to be taught to my children whatsoever. However, this is besides the point and only an example of why even Christians don't all agree or want schools being involved with guiding our children's spiritual growth. America is a secular country, and has never been a theocracy. The Separation of Church and State is a fundamental underlying principle in our Constitution protecting individual liberties and freedoms. The Constitution grants Americans the right to choose what religion to follow, and whether to follow a religion at all. State institutions are barred by the Separation clause from favoring any religion, and this includes Christianity.In the year 2011 is such homophobic and discriminatory language still acceptable from a politician running for president? Yes, what Perry said is not just homophobic, but also discriminatory to gay and lesbian Americans. Singling out one group (gay/lesbian Americans wanting to serve in the military) and denying them the right to freely participate in any aspect of society that all others are permitted (all other Americans are permitted to serve) is the very definition of discrimination. Finally, is this what defines the fabric of Christian America? Is the evangelical message the message of American Christianity? It definitely is not for me, and I wish it did not define the voice of American Christianity. However, there is no counter Christian block in American politics to the Evangelicals. Unfortunately, those of us Christians that love and accept all people and judge them by the content of their character have no representation in US Christianity and Politics. We are too few and far apart. I obviously don't think Perry's anti-gay ad should be acceptable in America, but I do unfortunately believe his Evangelical Christianity is the American brand of Christianity. Of course, there are small pockets of Christians here and there that do not adopt the Evangelical message, but their voice is not a part of the political discourse that represents Christianity in US politics. Anyways, what do you think?Is Rick Perry's new anti-gay ad acceptable in America? Does this message define the fabric of Christian America?
"I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian, but you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.
As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion. And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage.Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again.I'm Rick Perry and I approve this message."
Larry King
March Madness
Natasha Fame Leslie
Ryan Seacrest
Sanu Dellafiore
John Armstrong
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