Wednesday, April 1, 2015


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/abandoned-south-korean-adoptee-faces-deportation-from-u-s/

"Abandoned" South Korean adoptee faces deportation from U.S.
CBS/AP
April 1, 2015

Photograph – Korean adoptee Adam Crapser poses with daughter, Christal, 1, in the family's living room in Vancouver, Wash. on March 19, 2015.  AP PHOTO/GOSIA WOZNIACKA

PORTLAND, Ore. -- More than three decades ago, a three-year-old South Korean boy and his sister flew to the U.S. to become the adopted children of American citizens, but their life together didn't last long.

They were abandoned, sent into foster care and separated even though he was dependent upon her.

A family adopted the girl, and got her citizenship. The boy, named Adam Crapser, wasn't as fortunate: The parents he had were abusive, and never sought the green card or citizenship for him that they should have.

Now, at 39, after a life struggling with joblessness because of his lack of immigration papers, homelessness and crime, Crapser, a married father of three, is facing deportation because he's not a citizen.

"The state abandoned him when he was a child," his attorney, Lori Walls, said. "Now the U.S. is throwing him out."

A deportation hearing is set for April 2.

Listen to an interview with Crapser here:
Adam suffered horrible abuse at the hands of adoptive parents now risks being deported b/c he has no citizenship.http://t.co/kxSLdSVAAU
— Marie Tae McDermott (@Marzietae) February 27, 2015

Federal immigration officials say they became aware of Crapser after he applied to renew his green card two years ago: his criminal convictions, ranging from burglary to assault, made him potentially deportable under immigration law.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement wasn't aware of Crapser's childhood adoption history when it decided to pursue his deportation, agency spokesman Andrew Munoz said.

Two U.S. senators, including Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, are proposing a stand-alone, automatic citizenship bill for adoptees like Crapser. "It was not his responsibility to fill out that immigration paperwork," Merkley said. "He knows no other country."

The advocacy group 18MillionRising started a #KeepAdamHome petition on Crapser's behalf, which has garnered more than 12,000 signatures.

Advocates say thousands of adoptees don't know they aren't citizens until they, for example, try to get a job.

The federal government does not track the citizenship status of international adoptees or how many have faced deportation. The State Department says it is aware of adult adoptees who are in immigration removal proceedings.

Adoptees who didn't become citizens are lawful permanent residents - but they lack the documents to prove it. Their stories about deportation to countries as diverse as India, Russia or Brazil are detailed on advocacy websites.

Many of them remained stuck in legal limbo. A provision that would make citizenship automatic for all international adoptees regardless of age was added to a Senate immigration bill several years ago. But when reform stalled, the provision did, too.

Since the 1950s, American couples have adopted nearly half a million children from other countries; about 100,000 of those children came from South Korea. For years, it was the parents' responsibility to seek citizenship, but many did not.

In 2000, lawmakers made citizenship automatic for international adoptees, but the law wasn't retroactive. It excluded adoptees 18 or older at the time. Crapser wouldn't have met the criteria.

Seven years after Crapser and his sister were adopted, their parents abandoned them. The foster care system separated Crapser, 10 at the time, from his sister, whom he was dependent on, according to orphanage records.

The boy bounced through several foster and group homes. When Crapser was 12, he moved in with Thomas and Dolly Crapser, their biological son, two other adoptees and several foster children.

The next four years, Adam Crapser said, the couple choked, kicked and hit him and the other children every day, slammed them against walls, set dogs to attack them and burned them with hot objects.

"Everything I did was wrong," he said. "As far as humiliation goes, I have been there."

His father also used racial epithets to address him and forced him to forget Korea.

"He always told me I'm American, and that I need to let go of my past," Adam Crapser said.

In 1991, the couple was arrested on charges of physical child abuse, sexual abuse and rape. They denied the charges. Thomas Crapser's sentence included 90 days in jail, and his wife's three years of probation.

Because students at his high school teased him about the abuse, Adam Crapser said he dropped out of 9th grade.

He became homeless and slept in a shelter or the back of an old car while working several fast food jobs and finishing his high school equivalency diploma at night.

The Crapsers had not obtained U.S. citizenship papers for him.

Over the next few years, Adam Crapser struggled alone, and also got into trouble with the law.

Once it was after he broke into his parents' home - it was, he said, to retrieve the Korean Bible and rubber shoes that came with him from the orphanage - and later it was for stealing cars and assaulting a roommate.

Because he lacked a green card to prove he could work in the U.S., he opened a barber shop and an upholstery business - something he could do without immigration papers.

He said his parents withheld his adoption record for years, so it wasn't until 2012 that Adam Crapser submitted a green card application - which set in motion his path to a deportation hearing.

Adam Crapser said he takes full responsibility for his crimes, but he has "done his time" and changed his life.

"America promised me a home," he wrote in his court declaration. "I implore this country to keep its promise. If not for me then for my children, so they won't have to grow up without a dad."




“A family adopted the girl, and got her citizenship. The boy, named Adam Crapser, wasn't as fortunate: The parents he had were abusive, and never sought the green card or citizenship for him that they should have. Now, at 39, after a life struggling with joblessness because of his lack of immigration papers, homelessness and crime, Crapser, a married father of three, is facing deportation because he's not a citizen. "The state abandoned him when he was a child," his attorney, Lori Walls, said. "Now the U.S. is throwing him out." …. Two U.S. senators, including Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, are proposing a stand-alone, automatic citizenship bill for adoptees like Crapser. "It was not his responsibility to fill out that immigration paperwork," Merkley said. "He knows no other country." The advocacy group 18MillionRising started a #KeepAdamHome petition on Crapser's behalf, which has garnered more than 12,000 signatures. Advocates say thousands of adoptees don't know they aren't citizens until they, for example, try to get a job. …. In 2000, lawmakers made citizenship automatic for international adoptees, but the law wasn't retroactive. It excluded adoptees 18 or older at the time. Crapser wouldn't have met the criteria. …. He became homeless and slept in a shelter or the back of an old car while working several fast food jobs and finishing his high school equivalency diploma at night. …. Adam Crapser said he takes full responsibility for his crimes, but he has "done his time" and changed his life. "America promised me a home," he wrote in his court declaration. "I implore this country to keep its promise. If not for me then for my children, so they won't have to grow up without a dad."

“In 1991, the couple was arrested on charges of physical child abuse, sexual abuse and rape. They denied the charges. Thomas Crapser's sentence included 90 days in jail, and his wife's three years of probation.” This young man, though alone and destitute, finished his high school equivalency and started a business. When he applied for his green card he was faced with deportation proceedings. The following website looks suspicious to me, with the usual Anime figures, etc., but this Asian American woman Jenn is a writer, and the Newsweek article on the term “multiverse” is legitimate. That isn't some kind of philosophical/spiritual/sci fi term. I personally don't have the mathematical knowledge to understand physics of any kind, but it does come up with some interesting ideas.

To add your signature to Crapser's petition to keep him in the US, go to website: http://reappropriate.co/?page_id=486 . http://www.trafficip.com/reappropriate.co#whois_owner The following is about this website. It seems to be a site dedicated to the Asian American experience. I hope I don't get virus from having visited it. –

J Fang

Organization:
Reappropriate
Address:
STREET PO Box 208017
CITY New
STATE CT
PCODE 06405
COUNTRY United States
Phone:
+1.5551234
Email:
j...@reappropriate.co
Handle:
TUOMBGQ8KI8QCU75


ABOUT REAPPROPRIATE.Co: “Jenn is a proud Asian American feminist, scientist and nerd who currently blogs at Reappropriate.co, one of the web’s oldest AAPI feminist and race activist blogs. She has previously contributed her writing to Change.org,Asian Pacific Americans for Progress, Asian Americans for Obama, and The Nerds of Color. She can currently be found primarily at Reappropriate, as well as on Twitter at @Reappropriate.
Yes, she is dressed as Jubilee in the picture above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you the only person who writes for this blog? Can I blog for Reappropriate?
Currently, Reappropriate remains a personal blog. I am willing to invite guest bloggers to write for the site, but am not (yet) actively seeking other bloggers to join the blog on a full-time basis. However, if you are interested in blogging for Reappropriate (either full-time or as a guest), please contact me with a writing sample and an idea of what you’d like to write about, and we can work something out.
Are you available for speaking engagements, seminars or guest lectures?
As narcisstic as it seems to include this question, I do (very occasionally) get asked this question. And yes, I am available for speaking engagements. I do not charge an honorarium (because, really, I’m just honoured you would want to listen to me talk…), but since I’m an impoverished graduate student, I do request that your organization cover my travel and lodging. If you are interested, please contact me with an idea for the seminar topic and we can work something out.
Are you on Facebook or Twitter? Can I follow you / add you as a friend?
You can follow me on Twitter at @reappropriate or like my facebook page at facebook.com/reappropriate.co . The purpose of these accounts is to notify folks of new blog posts, and for me to post things that I don’t have time to write extensively about.
I posted a comment and I can’t see it. What gives?
If you haven’t commented on this blog before, your comment is automatically held for moderation. Same goes if your comment contains more than two links in it (even if you are a regular commenter). Don’t worry — I’m really good about approving comments within 24 hours of its submission.
If after 24 hours, you don’t see your comment, it may be because either I or my spam filter thought you were a spammer. Your comment may be lost to the anti-spamverse, and you may need to re-post it. If that’s the case, drop me an email letting me know that you are a real person and that your comment got lost.
Alternatively, if you still don’t see your comment appear, you are a troll and either your comment was deleted and/or you have been banned from the site. Sorry.
You claim your blog has been around since December 2001, yet your archives only go back to September 2009. Are you a liar?
In September 2009, the blog went through a massive crossover event, termed Crisis on Infinite Sites. The details are a little fuzzy, but what I can remember involves time-traveling, a pantheon of universe-spanning deities, two-page full-spread fight scenes, Superboy Prime, and lots of cussing. After the Crisis, the blog’s database was wiped and Reappropriate experienced a total reboot. Sadly, eight years of posts were lost to the rift between the multiverses, but I did get a snazzy new blog layout out of the whole fiasco.”

http://www.newsweek.com/brian-greene-welcome-multiverse-64887

Brian Greene: Welcome to the Multiverse
Tech and Science
BY BRIAN GREENE 
5/21/12

“What really interests me is whether God had any choice in creating the world.” 
“That’s how Albert Einstein, in his characteristically poetic way, asked whether our universe is the only possible universe.

The reference to God is easily misread, as Einstein’s question wasn’t theological. Instead, Einstein wanted to know whether the laws of physics necessarily yield a unique universe—ours—filled with galaxies, stars, and planets. Or instead, like each year’s assortment of new cars on the dealer’s lot, could the laws allow for universes with a wide range of different features? And if so, is the majestic reality we’ve come to know—through powerful telescopes and mammoth particle colliders—the product of some random process, a cosmic roll of the dice that selected our features from a menu of possibilities? Or is there a deeper explanation for why things are the way they are?

In Einstein’s day, the possibility that our universe could have turned out differently was a mind-bender that physicists might have bandied about long after the day’s more serious research was done. But recently, the question has shifted from the outskirts of physics to the mainstream. And rather than merely imagining that our universe might have had different properties, proponents of three independent developments now suggest that there are other universes, separate from ours, most made from different kinds of particles and governed by different forces, populating an astoundingly vast cosmos.

The multiverse, as this vast cosmos is called, is one of the most polarizing concepts to have emerged from physics in decades, inspiring heated arguments between those who propose that it is the next phase in our understanding of reality, and those who claim that it is utter nonsense, a travesty born of theoreticians letting their imaginations run wild.

So which is it? And why should we care? Grasping the answer requires that we first come to grips with the big bang.”





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-nuclear-talks-could-go-all-week-lausanne-kerry-negotiations/

Lots of "fingers crossed" as Iran nuke talks drag on
CBS NEWS
April 1, 2015

Photograph – Challenges ahead even if Iranian nuke talks yield a deal

LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- European diplomats told CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan on Wednesday that nuclear negotiations with Iran could continue for another 24-48 hours, meaning the talks which have already exceeded their preordained deadline could drag on until the end of the week.

Just hours after the White House issued a public threat to walk away from the drawn-out talks if they failed to make significant headway by the original Tuesday night deadline, Secretary Kerry made an 11th hour decision to stay past midnight and keep the intense negotiations going, arguing that recent progress warranted an extension.

The French, Russian and Chinese Ministers had all left by Wednesday, but in spite of the suggestion the talks could continue for yet another day or two even in the absence of those top officials, Iranian and British diplomats said they were still optimistic a deal could be reached within far fewer hours.

"We hope to wrap up the talks by Wednesday night," senior Iranian negotiator Abbas Araqchi reportedly told Iranian state TV on Wednesday.

"Fingers crossed we'll get there today," Britain's top negotiator, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, said Wednesday morning.

Minutes after the midnight Tuesday deadline passed, Kerry and U.S. Energy Secretary Earnest Moniz -- a top nuclear scientist -- broke from negotiations to update President Obama via a secure call to the Situation Room.

Brennan says President Obama's foreign policy legacy could be defined by the outcome of the current negotiations. He has promised not to allow Iran to build an atomic bomb, but major hurdles to the political framework under discussion - which is already more than two years in the making - remain in place as of Tuesday night.

The two sides were still arguing over how much nuclear fuel Iran will be allowed to produce in the future, and how to verify it's for peaceful purposes only, Brennan said. Another challenge is deciding if and when to lift the harsh economic sanctions that have cut Iran off from global markets.

"We insist on lifting of financial and oil and banking sanctions immediately," Araqchi told Iranian TV. "For other sanctions we need to find a framework."

Even if Kerry manages to get a deal, he next has to sell it to some very skeptical members of the U.S. Congress.

Republicans -- and some Democrats -- are preparing a new round of sanctions to levy against Iran if they think the nuclear agreement is weak.

Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton is one of them. Last month, he ignited a political firestorm by sending a letter to Iran's leaders threatening to undo the proposed agreement once President Obama leaves office.

"Unfortunately, it's the president who's putting politics above America's best interest, when he is granting concession after concessions simply on the drive to secure a political legacy as opposed to stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons," Cotton said.

Brennan says if there is an agreement, Iran's political leaders will have a tough job back home convincing their own skeptical lawmakers that too much wasn't given away in Lausanne. And, of course, their words would likely serve as fresh fodder for the opponents of the deal in Washington.




“Just hours after the White House issued a public threat to walk away from the drawn-out talks if they failed to make significant headway by the original Tuesday night deadline, Secretary Kerry made an 11th hour decision to stay past midnight and keep the intense negotiations going, arguing that recent progress warranted an extension. The French, Russian and Chinese Ministers had all left by Wednesday, but in spite of the suggestion the talks could continue for yet another day or two even in the absence of those top officials, Iranian and British diplomats said they were still optimistic a deal could be reached within far fewer hours. …. Brennan says President Obama's foreign policy legacy could be defined by the outcome of the current negotiations. He has promised not to allow Iran to build an atomic bomb, but major hurdles to the political framework under discussion - which is already more than two years in the making - remain in place as of Tuesday night. The two sides were still arguing over how much nuclear fuel Iran will be allowed to produce in the future, and how to verify it's for peaceful purposes only, Brennan said. Another challenge is deciding if and when to lift the harsh economic sanctions that have cut Iran off from global markets.”

The letter from Arkansas' Tom Cotten may have introduced enough doubt into the negotiations that Iran will back off from it, and of course the US legislature may not chose to continue the agreement after Obama leaves office. We need to elect another strong Democrat in 2016, that's for sure. Hopefully these talks will soon be over, and the agreement will be reached. When it comes to nuclear arms, diplomacy is better than threats, which only bring out more anger on all sides.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nypd-detective-verbally-assaults-uber-driver-after-he-honks-horn/

NYPD detective verbally assaults Uber driver on video
CBS NEWS
April 1, 2015

Video – Truck driver turns tables on speeding cop

New York City's police review board is expected to hear a complaint against NYPD Detective Patrick Cherry, who is accused of verbally abusing an Uber driver.

The Uber driver said he honked his horn when the detective, who was driving an unmarked car, failed to signal that he was pulling over. Over the next few minutes, the detective, who CBS News has confirmed was Cherry, read the driver the riot act in a road rage soliloquy, and one of the passengers captured the incident on video, CBS News' Anna Werner reports.

Cherry, assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, lashed out Monday afternoon.

Cherry: "Do you understand me? Do you understand me?"

Driver: "Yes, I understand."

Cherry: "OK. So stop it with your mouth. Stop it with your 'for what, sir? For what, sir?' Stop it with that bulls—t."

Cherry: "OK? Do you understand me? I don't know what f--king planet you think you're on right now."

Driver: "I'm not planning, sir, I'm here."

Officer: "Planning? I said planet."

The Uber driver tried to explain why he honked his horn at him.

"I don't care what you have to say! Do you understand that?" the officer said.

He asked the Uber driver how long he'd been living in the U.S., to which the driver replied, "almost two years."

"Two years. I got news for you, and use this lesson. Remember this in the future: Don't ever do that again," the officer responded.

In a statement to "CBS This Morning," the NYPD said in part, "We referred the matter to the NYPD Internal Affairs," and noted that the detective "was on duty at the time of the incident."

"Wrong place, wrong time, wrong event, to be on videotape, you know, looking like you're abusing a civilian," retired NYPD Sgt. Joseph Giacalone said.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said there is no place for a public servant to use "discriminatory or negative language."

"If you have the mentality that you're always on tape as a police officer, you're going to perform better, and you're going to act better. It's as simple as that," Giacalone said.

Last June, an Illinois State Police officer pulled over a trucker for honking his horn.

Officer: "When you use your horn when there's no good reason to..."

Trucker: "There was a good reason to. You were speeding. It's wet roads. You were speeding with a cell phone in your hand."

Officer: "You're going to get a ticket for unlawful use of horn."

Trucker: "By the way, you are being recorded."

Minutes later, with the camera still on him, the officer returned to the big rig, ticket-free.
"I understand you using the horn; you saw me speeding. I honestly wasn't paying attention to my speed," the officer said.

Uber said the detective's "behavior in the video is wrong and unacceptable" and company officials "are in touch with our driver-partner who was subjected to this terrible experience and will continue to provide any support he needs."

In the video, the officer said, "This isn't important enough for me. You're not important enough. Don't ever do that again."

"Does he need any help, does he have to talk to somebody? This is what the police department is going to look at because you can't afford this kind of bad publicity," Giacalone said.

The passenger who took the video tweeted that he plans to testify at the Civilian Complaint Review Board meeting Wednesday to help jump-start the independent investigation.

CBS News was unable to reach Cherry or reach his union Wednesday morning for comment.




“New York City's police review board is expected to hear a complaint against NYPD Detective Patrick Cherry, who is accused of verbally abusing an Uber driver. The Uber driver said he honked his horn when the detective, who was driving an unmarked car, failed to signal that he was pulling over. Over the next few minutes, the detective, who CBS News has confirmed was Cherry, read the driver the riot act in a road rage soliloquy, and one of the passengers captured the incident on video, CBS News' Anna Werner reports. …. The Uber driver tried to explain why he honked his horn at him. "I don't care what you have to say! Do you understand that?" the officer said. He asked the Uber driver how long he'd been living in the U.S., to which the driver replied, "almost two years." "Two years. I got news for you, and use this lesson. Remember this in the future: Don't ever do that again," the officer responded. In a statement to "CBS This Morning," the NYPD said in part, "We referred the matter to the NYPD Internal Affairs," and noted that the detective "was on duty at the time of the incident." "Wrong place, wrong time, wrong event, to be on videotape, you know, looking like you're abusing a civilian," retired NYPD Sgt. Joseph Giacalone said. …. "Does he need any help, does he have to talk to somebody? This is what the police department is going to look at because you can't afford this kind of bad publicity," Giacalone said.

"If you have the mentality that you're always on tape as a police officer, you're going to perform better, and you're going to act better. It's as simple as that," Giacalone said. Last June, an Illinois State Police officer pulled over a trucker for honking his horn. Officer: "When you use your horn when there's no good reason to..." Trucker: "There was a good reason to. You were speeding. It's wet roads. You were speeding with a cell phone in your hand." Officer: "You're going to get a ticket for unlawful use of horn." Trucker: "By the way, you are being recorded."

“Does he need any help … we can't afford this kind of bad publicity.” Could this be the secret to reforming policing in this country? A smart phone in every hand and on every uniform?” There are indeed officers who “need help,” and this is one of the main things wrong in today's police forces. Officers with personality problems and even mental illness are on the force. Until Ferguson these stories were simply buried as management and courts backed up bad behavior on the part of police. The rule of thumb in this culture is that we should always “submit to authority figures.” The public mind is slowly but noticeably changing about that, though, and if Democrats can keep Republicans out of office those changes will continue. I was very proud of this truck driver, who simply said “By the way, you are being recorded.”





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/joni-mitchell-found-unconscious-hospitalized/

Joni Mitchell found unconscious, hospitalized
By LAUREN MORASKI CBS NEWS
April 1, 2015

Photograph – Joni Mitchell attends the 56th annual Grammy Awards Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons honoring Lucian Grainge on Jan. 25, 2014, in Beverly Hills, California.  LARRY BUSACCA/GETTY IMAGES

Joni Mitchell was hospitalized Tuesday in Los Angeles, according to her website.

"Joni was found unconscious in her home this afternoon. She is currently in intensive care undergoing tests and is awake and in good spirits," a statement said.

It's unclear what caused her to become unconscious. The latest update on her website says they're awaiting word on her condition.

The 71-year-old singer-songwriter revealed last year to Billboard that she has a rare skin condition, called Morgellons disease, which prevents her from touring.

The eight-time Grammy winner is the voice behind such songs as "River," "Both Sides Now," "Woodstock," "Chelsea Morning" and "Big Yellow Taxi." She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

Last year, Mitchell released four-disc box set. Her most recent studio album, "Shine," came out in 2007. She recently attended Clive Davis' pre-Grammy bash in Los Angeles.



http://ultimateclassicrock.com/joni-mitchell-songs/

TOP 10 JONI MITCHELL SONGS
by Michael Gallucci

Photograph – Joni Mitchell, Roy Jones/Hulton Archive, Getty Images

Before Joni Mitchell, singer-songwriters wrote generally about love, politics and the end of the world at the hands of maniacal world leaders who maybe had access to nuclear weapons. After Joni Mitchell, they wrote about themselves — their loves, their lives, how the egg salad sandwich they ate at lunch could affect the rest of their week. At the peak of her commercial and creative success, she turned away from the acoustic guitar-based confessionals she was best known for and toward more jazzy and sophisticated songs and arrangements. Some great work surfaced during this later period, but the bulk of material that makes up our Top 10 Joni Mitchell Songs comes from the half-dozen or so years in the late ’60s and early-to-mid ’70s where she helped forge the singer-songwriter genre as we know it.

'Both Sides, Now'
From: 'Clouds' (1969)
 
Mitchell's best-known song -- which Judy Collins took to the Top 10 a couple of years before Mitchell released it -- remains her most accessible tune and a highlight of her second album (her 1968 debut, 'Song to a Seagull,' is spotty and unfocused -- plus, it's called 'Song to a Seagull'). 'Clouds' takes a turn toward more introspective songwriting, and 'Both Sides, Now' (which kinda qualifies as the title track) pairs a lovely melody to Mitchell's meditative lyrics.




The voice I remember singing this song “Both Sides Now” was Judy Collins, who is one of my favorite singers from that era, but apparently Joni Mitchell wrote it. There were some dozen or two songs from that period that moved me to the core, and this is one of those. It soothed my spirit, which was often sad back then. Between the Vietnam War, the deaths of Martin Luther King and the Kennedy brothers, my first marriage and divorce, and my deepest love – a law student at UNC – I needed the music to get me through. It's not surprising to me that music has been used to bring severely ill mental patients around. The interesting movie called Awakenings with Robin Williams which in one of his best performances came out in 1990 was about an experiment with music therapy along with the drug L-dopa. It was moving and very interesting.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraq-to-reclaim-tikrit-from-isis-within-the-coming-hours/

Iraq claims "magnificent victory" over ISIS
AP April 1, 2015

Video – NCAA concerned with new Indiana law that some call "anti-gay"

TIKRIT, Iraq -- Iraq declared a "magnificent victory" Wednesday over the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Tikrit, a key step in driving the militants out of their biggest strongholds.

Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi made the pronouncement, saying security forces have "accomplished their mission" in the monthlong offensive to rid Saddam Hussein's hometown and the broader Salahuddin province of the militant group.

"We have the pleasure, with all our pride, to announce the good news of a magnificent victory," Obeidi said in a video statement. "Here we come to you, Anbar! Here we come to you, Nineveh, and we say it with full resolution, confidence, and persistence," naming other provinces under the sway of the extremists.

Extremists from ISIS seized Tikrit last summer during its advance across northern and western Iraq. The battle for Tikrit is seen as a key step toward eventually driving the militants out of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city and the provincial capital of Nineveh.

Iraqi forces, including soldiers, police officers, Shiite militias and Sunni tribes, launched a large-scale operation to recapture Tikrit on March 2. Last week, the United States launched airstrikeson the embattled city at the request of the Iraqi government.

Recapturing Tikrit would be the biggest win so far for Baghdad's Shiite-led government. The city is about 80 miles north of Baghdad and lies on the road connecting the capital to Mosul. Retaking it will help Iraqi forces have a major supply link for any future operation against Mosul.

Earlier Wednesday, Iraqi security forces fired on snipers and searched homes for remaining militants. Soldiers fanned out in circles from the charred skeletal remains of the Salahuddin provincial government complex, captured the day before.

Militant mortar fire, which had been intense over previous days, fell silent Wednesday, with commanders saying only a few militant snipers remained in the city. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations.

The objective, Interior Minister Mohammed Salem al-Ghabban said Wednesday, is now to restore normalcy as quickly as possible.

"After clearing the area from roadside bombs and car bombs, we will reopen police stations to restore normalcy in the city, and we will form committees to supervise the return of people displaced from their homes," al-Ghabban said. He said the government will help displaced residents return and that a civil defense unit will be combing the city for roadside bombs and car bombs.

"Daesh is completely defeated," he added, using an Arabic name for the group.

During a visit to Tikrit, Iraqi Prime Minsiter Haider al-Abadi said that military engineering units still need more time to clear the city from booby traps. He also waved an Iraqi flag in photos posted on his social media accounts.

"God's willing, there will be a fund to rebuild areas destroyed by Daesh and the war. Tikrit and Salahuddin areas will be covered by this fund," al-Abadi said.

A satellite image of Tikrit, released in February by the United Nations, showed at least 536 buildings in the city have been affected by the fighting. Of those, at least 137 were completely destroyed and 241 were severely damaged. The current offensive also exacerbated previous damage, particularly in the south where clashes have been the most intense in recent days.

Iraq's parliament speaker, Salim al-Jabouri, called on the government to find the means to resettle residents from damaged Tikrit buildings. He said this "requires effort and support by the central government in order to financially support the people in rebuilding their houses."

Meanwhile, the U.N. mission to Iraq said Wednesday that violence claimed the lives of at least 997 people in March, a slight drop from the February death toll.

UNAMI said in a statement that among them were 729 civilians while the rest were security forces. It said at least 2,172 people were wounded, including 1,785 civilians.

The new U.N. envoy to Iraq, Jan Kubis, said he is shocked to see that Iraqis continue to "bear the brunt" of the ongoing violence in the country.

Kubis also said Wednesday that the offensive in Tikrit is "a victory for all the Iraqi people," and that the U.N. was ready to assist the provincial and national authorities.




“Iraqi forces, including soldiers, police officers, Shiite militias and Sunni tribes, launched a large-scale operation to recapture Tikrit on March 2. Last week, the United States launched airstrikeson the embattled city at the request of the Iraqi government. …. Earlier Wednesday, Iraqi security forces fired on snipers and searched homes for remaining militants. Soldiers fanned out in circles from the charred skeletal remains of the Salahuddin provincial government complex, captured the day before. Militant mortar fire, which had been intense over previous days, fell silent Wednesday, with commanders saying only a few militant snipers remained in the city. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations. The objective, Interior Minister Mohammed Salem al-Ghabban said Wednesday, is now to restore normalcy as quickly as possible. …. Iraq's parliament speaker, Salim al-Jabouri, called on the government to find the means to resettle residents from damaged Tikrit buildings. He said this "requires effort and support by the central government in order to financially support the people in rebuilding their houses."

This is a good news story in a devastated place. Thanks goes to all the help the Iraqis had in this battle, the Iraqi soldiers, and hopefully to US trainers and air strikes as well. The only real cure for the the Islamic problems is the cooperation of other Islamic people. What I would like to see if for the people themselves to turn away from the fundamentalist thinking and go the much touted “peaceful” Islam.




RADICAL FUNDAMENTALISM – GAY/LESBIAN DISCRIMINATION



http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/04/01/396779707/arkansas-gov-asa-hutchinson-weighs-state-s-religious-freedom-bill

Arkansas Governor Asks Lawmakers For Changes To 'Religious Freedom' Bill
Krishnadev Calamur
APRIL 01, 2015

Photograph – Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaks in the Governor's Conference Room at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock.
Danny Johnston/AP

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says he has asked the state's lawmakers for changes to the "religious freedom" bill passed Tuesday.

Critics say it allows businesses to refuse services to gays and lesbians. Supporters of the measure say it advances religious freedom.

"I've asked them to recall it and change the language," Hutchinson said at a news conference, a day after Arkansas legislators approved the measure; attempts during the legislative process to bar discrimination against gays and lesbians failed.

He said he wants the proposal to be more like a federal religious freedom law passed in 1993, and signed into law by President Clinton.

Hutchinson's decision today follows a massive backlash against a similar measure signed into law in Indiana by Gov. Mike Pence.

As we reported over the weekend, 19 other states have laws akin to the legislation in Indiana and Arkansas. But critics say that because sexual orientation is not a protected class in those two states, it leaves the door open for discrimination.

Hutchinson, in announcing his decision, acknowledged the campaign against the measure, noting that his son Seth was among the signatories to a petition urging him not to sign the measure in its current form.

Hutchinson had been urged by the state's business community not to sign.

Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon, in a statement, said the bill "threatens to undermine the spirit of inclusion present throughout the state of Arkansas and does not reflect the values we proudly uphold."

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that similar appeals came from the Arkansas Municipal League, the Association of Arkansas Counties and Mark Stodola, the mayor of Little Rock.

Hutchinson had previously said he would sign HB1228, as the Arkansas measure is known, but that was before the national criticism of Indiana's religious freedom law — criticism that prompted Pence to say Tuesday, "We'll fix this and we'll move forward."

The Associated Press reports that the debate over the religious freedom bill is one the Republican Party had hoped to avoid ahead of the 2016 presidential election. It noted:

"[A]s the backlash intensifies over a so-called religious freedom law in Indiana, the GOP's leading White House contenders have been drawn into a messy clash that highlights the party's strong opposition to same-sex marriage and threatens to inject social issues into the early stages of the 2016 presidential primary season.

"The debate has also energized Democrats nationwide while exposing sharp divisions between Republicans and local business leaders who oppose a law that critics say allows business owners to deny services to same-sex couples on religious grounds."

GOP presidential hopefuls have all endorsed the measures while Democrats have opposed it — as have several pro-business Republicans, including North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory and David Ralston, Georgia's Republican House speaker.




“As we reported over the weekend, 19 other states have laws akin to the legislation in Indiana and Arkansas. But critics say that because sexual orientation is not a protected class in those two states, it leaves the door open for discrimination. …. "I've asked them to recall it and change the language," Hutchinson said at a news conference, a day after Arkansas legislators approved the measure; attempts during the legislative process to bar discrimination against gays and lesbians failed. He said he wants the proposal to be more like a federal religious freedom law passed in 1993, and signed into law by President Clinton. …. Hutchinson, in announcing his decision, acknowledged the campaign against the measure, noting that his son Seth was among the signatories to a petition urging him not to sign the measure in its current form. …. "The debate has also energized Democrats nationwide while exposing sharp divisions between Republicans and local business leaders who oppose a law that critics say allows business owners to deny services to same-sex couples on religious grounds." GOP presidential hopefuls have all endorsed the measures while Democrats have opposed it — as have several pro-business Republicans, including North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory and David Ralston, Georgia's Republican House speaker.”

Painful as this has apparently been for the GOP, it points up at least one of the directions they have been moving toward which are not safe ground even for them. If these Religious Freedom laws cause discrimination against Jews, blacks, Islamic people, Asians or any other group over the argument that the Fundamentalists don't approve of them either, I think they will find the same kind of uprising among progressives the next time, too. Meanwhile, I consider this to be a victory in the war we are fighting against neoNazi thinking. When the Tea Party is drummed out of the Republican Party I will feel secure in the condition of our government again.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/indiana-governor-mike-pence-will-support-legislation-to-clarify-intent-of-religious-objections-law/

Indiana Gov. responds to furor over religious objections law
CBS/AP 
March 29, 2015

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana Gov. Mike Pence defended the new state law that's garnered widespread criticism over concerns it could foster discrimination and said Sunday it wasn't a mistake to have enacted it.

Pence appeared on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" to discuss the measure he signed last week prohibiting state laws that "substantially burden" a person's ability to follow his or her religious beliefs. The definition of "person" includes religious institutions, businesses and associations.

Since the Republican signed the bill into law Thursday, Indiana has been widely criticized by businesses and organizations around the nation, as well as on social media with the hashtag #boycottindiana. Already, consumer review service Angie's List has said it will suspend a planned expansion in Indianapolis because of the new law.

Pence, a Republican, did not answer directly when asked six times whether under the law it would be legal for a merchant to refuse to serve gay customers. "This is not about discrimination, this is about empowering people to confront government overreach," he said. Asked again, he said, "Look, the issue here is still is tolerance a two-way street or not."

Pence told the Indianapolis Star on Saturday that he was in discussions with legislative leaders over the weekend and expects a clarification bill to be introduced in the coming week. He addressed that Sunday, saying, "if the General Assembly ... sends me a bill that adds a section that reiterates and amplifies and clarifies what the law really is and what it has been for the last 20 years, then I'm open to that."

But Pence was adamant that the measure, slated to take effect in July, will stick. "We're not going to change this law," Pence said.

Some national gay-rights groups say it's a way for lawmakers in Indiana and several others states where such bills have been proposed this year to essentially grant a state-sanctioned waiver for discrimination as the nation's highest court prepares to mull the gay marriage question.

Supporters of the law, including Pence, contend discrimination claims are overblown and insist it will keep the government from compelling people to provide services they find objectionable on religious grounds. They also maintain courts haven't allowed discrimination under similar laws covering the federal government and 19 other states. Arkansas is poised to follow in Indiana's footsteps, with a final vote expected next week in the House on legislation that Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said he'll sign.

Josh Earnest, President Barack Obama's spokesman, appeared on "This Week" just after Pence, and said the debate isn't a political argument.

"If you have to go back two decades to try to justify what you're doing today, it may raise questions," Earnest said, referring to the 1993 federal law Pence brought up. He added that Pence "is in damage-control mode this morning and he's got some damage to fix."

State Rep. Ed DeLaney, an Indianapolis Democrat, told a large, boisterous crowd Saturday gathered outside of the Statehouse to protest that the law creates "a road map, a path to discrimination." Rally attendees chanted "Pence must go!" several times and held signs that read "No hate in our state."

Rachel Cowgill and Amy Knopf have been together for 15 years.

"I don't want my child living in an environment where she's made to feel like her family is somehow less than other families," Knopf said.

The protest echoed growing opposition online as companies from Apple to pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly took to social media to express reservations about the law. Angie's List had sought an $18.5 million incentive package from Indianapolis' City-County Council to add 1,000 jobs over five years. But founder and CEO Bill Oseterle said in a statement Saturday that the expansion was on hold "until we fully understand the implications of the freedom restoration act on our employees."

Pence addressed the critics Sunday, saying: "This avalanche of intolerance that's been poured on our state is just outrageous." Asked if he would be willing to add sexual orientation to the list of characteristics against which discrimination is illegal, he said, "I will not push for that. That's not on my agenda, and that's not been an objective of the people of the state of Indiana."

U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, a Democrat, released a video statement on his Facebook page Saturday, saying: "We'll work together to reverse SB101 and we'll stand together to make sure that here in Indiana, we welcome everyone, every day."

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, a Republican who opposed the law, has said he and other city officials will talk with businesses and convention planners to counter the uproar.

The Indianapolis-based NCAA has expressed concerns about the law and has suggested it could move future events elsewhere; the men's Final Four will be held in the city next weekend.




“Pence, a Republican, did not answer directly when asked six times whether under the law it would be legal for a merchant to refuse to serve gay customers. "This is not about discrimination, this is about empowering people to confront government overreach," he said. Asked again, he said, "Look, the issue here is still is tolerance a two-way street or not." …. Josh Earnest, President Barack Obama's spokesman, appeared on "This Week" just after Pence, and said the debate isn't a political argument. "If you have to go back two decades to try to justify what you're doing today, it may raise questions," Earnest said, referring to the 1993 federal law Pence brought up. He added that Pence "is in damage-control mode this morning and he's got some damage to fix." …. Pence addressed the critics Sunday, saying: "This avalanche of intolerance that's been poured on our state is just outrageous." Asked if he would be willing to add sexual orientation to the list of characteristics against which discrimination is illegal, he said, "I will not push for that. That's not on my agenda, and that's not been an objective of the people of the state of Indiana." U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, a Democrat, released a video statement on his Facebook page Saturday, saying: "We'll work together to reverse SB101 and we'll stand together to make sure that here in Indiana, we welcome everyone, every day."

The massive number of people across the country and the world who are connected on websites like Facebook are going to prove helpful when this Tea Party organization continues – as I'm sure it will – to make overreaches which diminish the United States as “the home of the free.” They are trying to turn us into a “third world country” instead, or even an outright plutocracy. The problem with these Republicans is that they all think they are going to get rich under the wonderful management of the Koch brothers. Don't they recognize that those people don't care a fig about anybody other than their own family and close friends? We should not forget Germany under Adolph Hitler. These “conservative” people aren't just conservative (slow to accept societal changes) but are the real radicals. They are different in that way from the old style Republicans of my childhood. Some of those were radical too, of course, but many were moderate to liberal. It used to be “socialism and communism” that were the enemies of freedom – something which is debatable since FDR set up a minor form of socialism in this country and it is still needed today. This country needs to become even more socialistic, not less so, in my opinion. By that I mean a more steeply graduated federal income tax structure and the removal of cap on the social security tax which makes lots of rich people exempt from the tax. The war against the Middle Class and the poor is being won by the top 1% it seems to me, and they have brought in the old classist social restrictions along with economic changes. I don't actually want a “revolution” myself, but a return to sensible moderation instead.





ON THE CAMPUS AGAIN – TWO STORIES


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/court-papers-student-who-died-drank-60-ounces-of-vodka-in-hazing/

Court papers: Student who died drank 60 ounces of vodka in hazing
CBS/AP
April 1, 2015

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Court papers filed in connection with a New York college student's alcohol-related death reveal he drank a 60-ounce bottle of vodka during what college officials say was the hazing of pledges at an unsanctioned fraternity.

The Times Union of Albany reports that the documents were filed by two students who were expelled from the University at Albany after 19-year-old Trevor Duffy of the Bronx died in November following a night of heavy drinking during a party held by Zeta Beta Tau members at an off-campus home.

The two students want to return to the college. They were among the 24 sanctioned by the university.

The university's investigation concluded Duffy's death was the result of hazing. No one has been arrested. Albany police say their investigation is continuing.

CBS New York reported that Duffy was a graduate of Xavier High School in New York City. The school president remembered him as a hard worker who starred on the cross country team.

Duffy's death came the same month that West Virginia University student Nolan Burch died during an initiation function after he drank a lethal amount of alcohol.

In September, 19-year-old Rutgers student Caitlyn Kovacs died from alcohol poisoning.




“The two students want to return to the college. They were among the 24 sanctioned by the university. The university's investigation concluded Duffy's death was the result of hazing. No one has been arrested. Albany police say their investigation is continuing.”

“... an unsanctioned fraternity.” Even when colleges make rules against these people they still pop up. I think the whole fraternity system should be removed from college life. Hanging around in a boisterous group drinking all the time is enough to induce the loss of conscience that I feel is involved in these things. Those kids go to church, but they aren't learning any empathy with others. Also, all too often, they are spoiled brats from rich homes and have been taught by the parents to abuse people and not to think about life or try to learn as much as they can while they are at college. They are wasting their parents' money.

If those kids had to live in a dorm and study more instead of drinking, molesting women and excluding non-white students they would make better grades, learn a great deal more and be better lawyers and doctors later. Every year somewhere in the US one of these hazing stories appears in the news. I do personally hate the so-called “team spirit” that more conservative thinkers are so fond of. It does so often lead to true villainy and not to personal improvement. Such is the stuff of lynch mobs, and psychologically it leads to the worst evils that the ordinary person is capable of committing. Those students aren't mentally disturbed. They are just not trained in good citizenship and human relations.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/duke-university-noose-durham-north-carolina-campus/

Noose found hanging from tree on Duke campus
CBS NEWS
April 1, 2015

Photograph – The statue of Washington Duke on Duke University's East Campus with Baldwin Auditorium is shown April 11, 2006, in Durham, North Carolina.  SARA D. DAVIS/GETTY IMAGES

DURHAM, N.C. -- Officials at Duke University said Wednesday that an investigation was underway after a noose was found hanging on a tree on campus, CBS Raleigh affiliate WRAL-TV reports.

Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta said in an email to students that the noose was removed early Wednesday. The Duke Chronicle reported that the noose, which was made with yellow rope, was removed at about 2:45 a.m. at the Bryan Center plaza.

"To whomever committed this hateful and stupid act, I just want to say that if your intent was to create fear, it will have the opposite effect," Moneta wrote.

Members of Duke's Black Student Alliance were expected to meet on the campus just before 1 p.m. for a silent march to the Bryan Center.

University and student leaders planned to hold a forum at 5 p.m. on the steps of Duke Chapel to discuss the incident. University President Richard Brodhead, Provost Sally Kornbluth and others were expected to speak.

Authorities are working to identify who was responsible, Moneta said.

This morning on Duke's campus, a noose was found. Vice President of Student Affairs has sent an email to students:pic.twitter.com/Ekv5rnQKav
— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) April 1, 2015




“Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta said in an email to students that the noose was removed early Wednesday. The Duke Chronicle reported that the noose, which was made with yellow rope, was removed at about 2:45 a.m. at the Bryan Center plaza. "To whomever committed this hateful and stupid act, I just want to say that if your intent was to create fear, it will have the opposite effect," Moneta wrote. Members of Duke's Black Student Alliance were expected to meet on the campus just before 1 p.m. for a silent march to the Bryan Center. …. Authorities are working to identify who was responsible, Moneta said.”

North Carolina is in the South, but Duke is a highly ranked college and will not tolerate much stuff like this. They're like UNC-Chapel Hill. They have a reputation to uphold and they will start losing students and money from the alumni if there are many such problems. I grew up in Piedmont NC and I didn't see much at all of the KKK. A few times they would be on the news marching down a city street. I was living in Washington, DC when the Klan decided to march there. They were met by a large number of black men with baseball bats and bricks in their hands. They made a sudden decision not to continue that march. I was thrilled.