January 23, 2016


News Clips For The Day


http://kstreet607.com/2016/01/23/why-national-review-is-attacking-donald-trump/

Why National Review is attacking Donald Trump
Posted on January 23, 2016 by kstreet607

Photograph -- Donald Trump, Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images

VOX

National Review published more than 20 essays from conservative writers on Friday arguing that the Republican Party should not nominate Donald Trump for president.

The columns all reach the same conclusion, but the reasoning behind them varies considerably from piece to piece.

Understanding why the country’s leading conservative thinkers are taking a stand against Trumpism has far-reaching consequences — not only for this election but also for the long-term trajectory of conservative thought.

We read through the issue, and the accusations against Trump can be more or less boiled down — in no particular order — to the following five crimes against conservatism.

Case 1: Donald Trump supported liberal policies, Barack Obama, other Democrats

In 14 words: Trump is on record as having supported a wide array of policies conservatives detest.

Some of the main issues on which the writers say Trump is not trustworthy: abortion, defense spending, tariffs, and health care. As part of this argument, many of the writers also point to Trump’s donations to Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, and Nancy Pelosi.

Who is making this case most strongly: Glenn Beck, L. Brent Bozell III, Erick Erickson, Dana Loesch, and Katie Pavlich.

The most convincing line making this case: “Conservatives have a serious decision. Do we truly believe in our long-held principles and insist that politicians have records demonstrating fealty to them? Or are we willing to throw these principles away because an entertainer who has been a liberal Democrat for decades simply says some of the right things?” —Katie Pavlich, editor of Townhall

Case 2: Trump believes in an authoritarianism fundamentally at odds with conservatism

In 29 words: Trump promises to concentrate power further in the hands of the presidency — a rejection of many conservatives’ desire to both scale back and decentralize the reach of government.

This argument is often tied to the idea that President Obama has overstepped the limits of his authority.

Who is making this case most strongly: David Boaz, Ben Domenech, Steven Hayward, William Kristol, Yuval Levin, David McIntosh, R.R. Reno, and Glenn Beck.

The most convincing lines making this case: “He’s effectively vowing to be an American Mussolini, concentrating power in the Trump White House and governing by fiat.” —David Boaz, executive vice president of the Cato Institute

“He presents himself as a Strong Man who promises to knock heads and make things right again. In this, he has a lot more in common with South American populist demagogues than with our tradition of political leaders.” —R.R. Reno, editor of First Things

Case 3: Trump has engaged in racial demagoguery and xenophobia

In 14 words: Several of the conservatives criticized Trump for exploiting the electorate’s fear of minority groups.

This is probably the argument liberals would find most persuasive. In some cases, the writers call Trump’s controversial proposals on Mexican and Muslim immigration unrealistic and counterproductive.

Who is making this case most strongly: David Boaz, Michael Medved, and Russell Moore.

The most convincing lines making this case: “Trump’s vitriolic — and often racist and sexist — language about immigrants, women, the disabled, and others ought to concern anyone who believes that all persons, not just the ‘winners’ of the moment, are created in God’s image.” —Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention

“Not since George Wallace has there been a presidential candidate who made racial and religious scapegoating so central to his campaign.” —David Boaz, executive vice president of the Cato Institute

Case 4: Trump is way too woefully ignorant to be president

In 36 words: Trump has demonstrated no mastery or even basic comprehension of the many complex issues facing the American presidency. That level of ignorance alone is a national security risk that should disqualify him from the Oval Office.

Who is making this case most strongly: Andrew McCarthy and Mark Helprin.

The most convincing lines making this case: “Even the casual fan who does not know the players without a scorecard at least knows who the teams are and why they are competing.” —Andrew McCarthy, contributing editor of National Review, on Trump’s ignorance on foreign policy

“He doesn’t know the Constitution, history, political philosophy, nuclear strategy, diplomacy, defense, economics beyond real estate, or even, despite his low-level-mafioso comportment, how ordinary people live.” —Mark Helprin, novelist

Case 5: Trump is just a really bad, evil dude

In 19 words: Trump’s temperament — rather than his support for any particular policy — is what should scare conservatives as much as anything.

Who is making this case most strongly: John Podhoretz, Mona Charen, Michael Medved, Thomas Sowell, William Kristol, Cal Thomas, and R.R. Reno.

The most convincing lines making this case: “Worst of all, Trump’s brawling, blustery, mean-spirited public persona serves to associate conservatives with all the negative stereotypes that liberals have for decades attached to their opponents on the right.” —Michael Medved, radio talk show host

“In any integrated personality, the id is supposed to be balanced by an ego and a superego—by a sense of self that gravitates toward behaving in a mature and responsible way when it comes to serious matters … Trump is an unbalanced force. He is the politicized American id.” —John Podhoretz, editor of Commentary

“The man has demonstrated an emotional immaturity bordering on personality disorder, and it ought to disqualify him from being a mayor, to say nothing of a commander-in-chief.” —Mona Charen, senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center



Republican thinking has been right wing by my view since the 1960s when they were frequently in the news, when the states’ rights, economic, anti-labor, racist views of so many in the South and other mainly rural areas led the Republicans to court those citizens’ loyalty. It worked at the time. That overall political philosophy remains to this day. Conservatives like the blue collar families’ votes and not their company. To get their vote, they promote fundamentalist religion and racism. People who can’t spend lots of money can’t join a country club, remember, and that has always been the real criterion for acceptability.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-bloomberg-weighs-independent-2016-bid/

Michael Bloomberg weighs independent 2016 bid
By REENA FLORES CBS NEWS
January 23, 2016

Photograph -- Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks at a ceremony where he was awarded the Genesis Prize in Jerusalem May 22, 2014. POOL, REUTERS


Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is taking steps to launch an independent bid for the White House, CBS News has confirmed.

A source familiar with Bloomberg's thinking confirmed to CBS News key aspects of a report, first published by The New York Times Saturday, which details Bloomberg's latest moves toward a presidential run -- a possibility the billionaire has considered before.

While Bloomberg, 73, has decided in the past that he would stand little chance of winning, his latest calculations are shifting in light of Donald Trump's popularity among likely Republican voters and the possibility that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders bucks rival Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary race. Bloomberg has told allies he would likely mount a bid if either Trump or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz won the GOP nomination and if Sanders continues to exceed expectations.

As one Bloomberg adviser told CBS: The current campaign season -- one based on the extremes of either party -- "has him thinking seriously about this."

According to the Times, Bloomberg has already directed his advisers to draw up plans for an independent campaign, and the former mayor has indicated to friends and supporters that he would be willing to spend at least $1 billion of his own money to fund a bid.

Aides have already begun drafting a plan in case Bloomberg decides to jump into the 2016 race. Should he choose to run, the billionaire, who founded a financial data and media empire, would then be primed to deliver several detailed policy speeches. A robust television advertising campaign would further prop up his bid.

One source close to Bloomberg said the former mayor would run as a fiscal conservative capable of tackling another recession and reducing the national debt. On social issues, his campaign would lean more moderate, especially on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage.

In December, Bloomberg commissioned a poll to determine his chances against Trump and Clinton. He expects to conduct a second round of surveys after the New Hampshire primaries in early February, the Times reports, citing two sources familiar with the billionaire's plans.

Bloomberg intends to make a final decision by early March, after the first nominating contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina -- and the latest time his advisers believe he could feasibly appear on the general election ballots of all 50 states as an independent.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayoralty_of_Michael_Bloomberg

Mayoralty of Michael Bloomberg
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Bloomberg served as the 108th Mayor of New York City from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2013. He first won election in 2001, and he won re-election in 2005 and 2009.

Bloomberg said he wanted reforming public education to be the legacy of his first term and addressing poverty to be the legacy of his second.[2] He was known as a political pragmatist and for a managerial style that reflected his experience in the private sector. Bloomberg chose to apply a statistical, results-based approach to city management, appointing city commissioners based on their expertise and granting them wide autonomy in their decision-making. Breaking with 190 years of tradition, Bloomberg implemented a "bullpen" open plan office, reminiscent of a Wall Street trading floor, in which dozens of aides and managerial staff are seated together in a large chamber. The design was intended to promote accountability and accessibility.[3]


Personal details:

Born February 14, 1942 (age 73)
Boston, Massachusetts

Political party
Democratic (1960–2001)
Republican (2001–2007)
Independent[1] (2007 – present)

Spouse(s)
Susan Brown (divorced)

Domestic partner
Diana Taylor

Alma mater
Johns Hopkins University

Religion
Reform Judaism

One of the major themes of his campaign was that, with the city's economy suffering from the effects of the World Trade Center attacks, it needed a mayor with business experience.

In addition to serving as the Republican nominee, Bloomberg had the ballot line of the controversial Independence Party, in which "Social Therapy" leaders Fred Newman and Lenora Fulani exert strong influence. …. Bloomberg is considered a social liberal, who is pro-choice, in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage and an advocate for stricter gun control laws.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Party_of_New_York

Independence Party of New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994. Although often associated with Ross Perot, as the party came to prominence in the wake of Perot's 1992 presidential campaign, it was created prior to Perot's run. As of October 2010, there were 426,005 members statewide.[1] It currently has one member of the New York State Assembly, Fred Thiele.”


http://www.amazon.com/Lyndon-Larouche-New-American-Fascism/dp/0385238800

Lyndon Larouche and the New American Fascism Hardcover – January 1, 1989
by Dennis King (Author)

From Publishers Weekly

A Trotskyist in the 1940s, four-time presidential candidate, head of the National Democratic Policy Committee, right-wing extremist Lyndon LaRouche was recently convicted on fraud and conspiracy charges. King, a journalist who has unveiled the workings of the LaRouche cult almost singlehandedly over the years, here produces a courageous, hard-hitting expose. The LaRouchians raised over $200 million in loans and donations from the public, despite what the author describes as the sect's "classic fascist" ideology, anti-Semitism, brain-washing, smear tactics and fanatical support of the Star Wars defense system and military build-up. According to King, LaRouche's eccentric posturing (he claimed the Queen of England was a drug pusher and branded Henry Kissinger a communist agent) was useful cover--a pose to distract the media while LaRouche forged bonds with the Reagan administration, the CIA, the National Security Council, the Ku Klux Klan and other white-supremacist groups, Teamster bosses and crime lords, among others. King charges that the major media looked the other way, adopting a "see-no-evil" policy that allowed LaRouche to flourish.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In this portrait of LaRouche and his followers, journalist King provides a case study of the development of a radical movement. He discusses LaRouche's childhood, which helped to shape LaRouche's particular world view, as well as LaRouche's strange odyssey from left-wing Marxist to right-wing leader of the reactionary National Democratic Policy Committee. King examines the bizarre coalitions--the Ku Klux Klan and black civil rights groups, for example--that LaRouche has managed to form and galvanize into political action. LaRouche has also managed to maintain ties to such disparate figures as Manuel Noriega and Teamsters' boss Jackie Presser. This is a riveting narrative about a man who would say or do anything to gain personal power and who seems to have used his blatant anti-Semitism to successfully entice followers.
- Frank Kessler, Missouri Western State Coll., St. Joseph
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.


NOTE: You may enjoy reading Wikipedia’s Independence Party site for the intricate and rather bizarre list of parties in NY state politics, whose other famous member besides Perot is/was Ralph Nader. There is a tangential link on Wikipedia between the Independence Party and the Lyndon Larouche’s NeoNazi leanings, but the individuals involved with the Independence Party are so different from each other that Bloomberg himself probably has no Nazi affiliation. He began as a Democrat.

Without much apparent loyalty to a set of philosophical ideas, Bloomberg bounced back and forth between several parties, apparently according to who would afford him the most votes. None of them are into the national scope of issues, but rather a series of highly specific and eccentric matters. The NY rule that a candidate may run on two or more parties at once in the same election makes the political scene there truly Byzantine. (I like that word, and I don’t often get to use it. It has a very beautiful sound to me.)

All in all, I didn’t see anything that would make me want to see Bloomberg in the US Presidency. I want some purity for that position.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-i-could-shoot-somebody-and-i-wouldnt-lose-any-voters/

Donald Trump: I could "shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters"
By REENA FLORES CBS NEWS
January 23, 2016


According to Republican presidential contender Donald Trump, his supporters are a staunchly loyal bunch -- so loyal, in fact, that the billionaire could get away with some pretty drastic acts and his fanbase wouldn't bat an eye.

"My people are so smart -- and you know what else they say about my people? The polls?" Trump asked a crowd at a Sioux Center, Iowa, rally. "I have the most loyal people -- did you ever see that?"

"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters, OK?" he said, referring to the major street in New York City that cuts through Manhattan's large commercial district. "It's, like, incredible."

Trump certainly holds a commanding national lead over the rest of the Republican presidential field.

A recent CBS/New York Times poll showed 36 percent of Republican primary voters back the bombastic real estate developer -- 17 points ahead of his closest rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

Additionally, a majority of his supporters have declared their minds are made up, compared to other voters: Fifty-two percent say they have decided on Trump versus 24 percent of non-Trump supporters who have made up their mind.

Enthusiasm for the Republican politician has also grown, according to the January survey. Forty percent of GOP primary voters say they would enthusiastically throw their support behind Trump -- up 11 points from December.

Trump later went on to bash his fellow Republican 2016 candidates, calling the supporters of contenders like Ted Cruz "soft."

"My people stay," he said. "Cruz? Soft. When they heard about this thing - that he was born in Canada, that nobody knew about? He lost a lot of people. He's gone down big in the polls."



This last Trumpism reminds me of the time that John Lennon, high on life, I’m sure, said “I’m more popular than Jesus Christ.” That apparently had an influence on Chapman, who later shot him down in the street. See this from the Wikipedia article. Politically I agreed with Lennon, but he had a personality characteristic like Trump – he was much too conceited for his own good. I don’t believe that, though he may be ahead of Cruz right now, he will beat either of our top Democrats in the national election. I await with anticipation the next turn of the screw.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/down-syndrome-couple-gets-their-happily-ever-after/

Down syndrome couple gets their happily ever after
By STEVE HARTMAN CBS NEWS
January 22, 2016

Photograph -- hartmantims-placeen.png, Tim and Tiffani
Photograph -- hartmantims-placeen0122.png, Tim talks with customers at Tim's Place CBS NEWS
Photograph -- hartmantims-place.png, Tiffani said it was the weirdest feeling. "I think I got hit by the love bug."


ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico --What makes Tim's Place restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico so special is that it is, indeed, Tim's Place.

Tim Harris is the only restaurant owner in the country with Down syndrome. For the last five years he has lived for his business, which is why his customers were shocked when Tim announced recently that he'd be closing.

"My customers cry a lot into my arms," he explained.

So what drives a man to give up a job he loves more than anything? A girl he loves more than anything, Tiffani Johnson.

They met at a Down syndrome convention. Tim was speaking, and Tiffani was stalking. She was too scared to go talk to him, because she'd never met a guy like Tim.

Eventually, Tim got bit by it too. He got down on one knee, and asked Tiffani to be his girlfriend.

He made her his steady and decided to move to Denver to be closer to her. Tim plans to open a new restaurant there, but it's still going to be hard leaving what he knows.

He cries every time he thinks about it.

"It's incredible to watch. He's deeply grieving about the idea of this transition, while at the same time being as excited as I've ever seen him about the possibility of being with Tiffani," said Tim's father, Keith.

"Every time I feel sad, my girlfriend makes me feel a lot happier," Tim said. "[When I look into her eyes], I see love. I see joy. And I see that I have a future here."

Why on earth do we call them disabled, when on the important things they can be so much more able than the rest of us.

To contact On the Road, or to send us a story idea, e-mail us.



Down syndrome couples marrying and even having normal children are not unheard of. See “Monica and David” below, from which I have taken this information about their chances for normal births. “At least half of all women with Down syndrome do ovulate and are fertile. Between 35 and 50 percent of children born to mothers with Down syndrome are likely to have trisomy 21 or other developmental disabilities.”

Go to the Net and Google “Down Syndrome Couple Children.” When I was a young woman the public view of that disorder was one of despair and even shame for the family. Times have changed. They are living longer now and doing better with an enlightened, supportive and loving upbringing. See the following article on the prognosis. Their intellectual ability varies from case to case. One “high functioning” person with the syndrome went to my high school and finished the 12th grade. He was in my drama course and played in our senior play. He could talk rationally, though he had a slight speech impediment. He was very shy and was harassed and bullied by some of the “normal” boys. His life was full of stress. Any person entering society with a problem like that needs a support group for companionship and discussion. I hope something like that exists.


http://www.monicaanddavid.com/learn-more/about-down-syndrome/

Featured Video: Best Documentary Award @ Tribeca Film Festival
Jessica Alba presents Ali, Monica, and David the jury award for Best Documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival.


Latest Blog Posts

World Down Syndrome Day + Special Sale on Educational DVD
MARCH 21, 2012
Happy Down Syndrome Day!

About Down Syndrome -- In 1910, children with Down syndrome in the U.S. were expected to survive to age nine. In 1983, people with Down syndrome only lived to be 25 years old. Today adults can live into their 60s and older, largely because of medical advances and societal changes. Now a new generation wants what other adults have—love, work, and independence.

Basic Stats, United States
400,000 people have Down syndrome
5,000 new births per year
Frequency of incidence is 1 in 733 births
80% of babies with Down are born to women younger then 35

General Facts
Down syndrome affects people of all races and economic levels. All people with Down syndrome have an extra, critical portion of chromosome 21 present in all or some of their cells.

An Extra Portion of Chromosome 21

Trisomy 21 involves an extra copy of the 21st chromosome, and is the most common type of Down syndrome. Mosaicism occurs when you have two distinct cell groupings—some cells have an extra 21st chromosome, and others do not. With Translocation, part of chromosome 21 breaks off during cell division and attaches to another chromosome. While the total number of chromosomes in the cells remains 46, the presence of an extra part of chromosome 21 causes the characteristics of Down syndrome.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has the highest risk of having a child with Down syndrome? The incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother. But due to higher fertility rates in younger women, 80% of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.

If a woman with Down syndrome becomes pregnant, will the baby have Down syndrome? At least half of all women with Down syndrome do ovulate and are fertile. Between 35 and 50 percent of children born to mothers with Down syndrome are likely to have trisomy 21 or other developmental disabilities.

Are males with Down syndrome fertile? Scientific information about the fertility of men with Down syndrome is limited. There have been at least two documented cases where the paternity of a man with Down syndrome was confirmed. It is likely that additional cases will be recognized – especially since more men with Down syndrome have an increased life expectancy, the opportunity to live in the community, and develop intimate relationships. It is not known if the offspring of men with Down syndrome are more likely to have Down syndrome. But it does seem clear that, in general, men with Down syndrome have a significantly lower overall fertility rate than that of other men their age. Contraception should always be used, unless a couple has decided upon parenthood.

Thanks to the National Down Syndrome Society for their helpful online resources.

VISIT NDSS +


The following is an article written by scientists for scientists, but it is not completely beyond my understanding, and probably won’t be beyond yours. If the technical language gets too sticky for you, just scan it and move beyond that. I often copy an unfamiliar word in articles like this and Google it. That’s what I love about the Internet.


http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/chromosome/21

Chromosome 21
Reviewed November 2013

What is chromosome 21?


Humans normally have 46 chromosomes in each cell, divided into 23 pairs. Two copies of chromosome 21, one copy inherited from each parent, form one of the pairs. Chromosome 21 is the smallest human chromosome, spanning about 48 million base pairs (the building blocks of DNA) and representing 1.5 to 2 percent of the total DNA in cells.

In 2000, researchers working on the Human Genome Project announced that they had determined the sequence of base pairs that make up this chromosome. Chromosome 21 was the second human chromosome to be fully sequenced.

Identifying genes on each chromosome is an active area of genetic research. Because researchers use different approaches to predict the number of genes on each chromosome, the estimated number of genes varies. Chromosome 21 likely contains 200 to 300 genes that provide instructions for making proteins. These proteins perform a variety of different roles in the body.

Genes on chromosome 21 are among the estimated 20,000 to 25,000 total genes in the human genome.

How are changes in chromosome 21 related to health conditions?

Many genetic conditions are related to changes in particular genes on chromosome 21. This list of disorders associated with genes on chromosome 21 provides links to additional information.

Changes in the structure or number of copies of a chromosome can also cause problems with health and development. The following chromosomal conditions are associated with such changes in chromosome 21.

core binding factor acute myeloid leukemia

A genetic rearrangement (translocation) involving chromosome 21 is associated with a type of blood cancer known as core binding factor acute myeloid leukemia (CBF-AML). This rearrangement occurs in approximately 7 percent of acute myeloid leukemia cases in adults. The translocation, written as t(8;21), fuses part of the RUNX1 gene from chromosome 21 with part of the RUNX1T1 gene (also known as ETO) from chromosome 8. This mutation is acquired during a person's lifetime and is present only in certain cells. This type of genetic change, called a somatic mutation, is not inherited.

The fusion protein produced from the t(8;21) translocation, called RUNX1-ETO, retains some functions of the two individual proteins. The normal RUNX1 protein, produced from the RUNX1 gene, is part of a protein complex called core binding factor (CBF) that attaches (binds) to DNA and turns on genes involved in blood cell development. The normal ETO protein, produced from the RUNX1T1 gene, turns off gene activity. The RUNX1-ETO fusion protein forms CBF and attaches to DNA, but instead of turning on genes that stimulate the development of blood cells, it turns those genes off. This change in gene activity blocks the maturation (differentiation) of blood cells and leads to the production of abnormal, immature white blood cells called myeloid blasts. While t(8;21) is important for leukemia development, one or more additional genetic changes are typically needed for the myeloid blasts to develop into cancerous leukemia cells.

Down syndrome

Down syndrome is a chromosomal condition that is associated with intellectual disability, a characteristic facial appearance, and weak muscle tone (hypotonia) in infancy. This condition is most often caused by trisomy 21.

Trisomy 21 means that each cell in the body has three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two copies.

Less commonly, Down syndrome occurs when part of chromosome 21 becomes attached (translocated) to another chromosome during the formation of reproductive cells (eggs and sperm) or very early in fetal development. Affected people have two copies of chromosome 21 plus extra material from chromosome 21 attached to another chromosome, resulting in three copies of genetic material from chromosome 21. Affected individuals with this genetic change are said to have translocation Down syndrome.

In a very small percentage of cases, Down syndrome results from an extra copy of chromosome 21 in only some of the body's cells. In these people, the condition is called mosaic Down syndrome.

Researchers believe that having extra copies of genes on chromosome 21 disrupts the course of normal development, causing the characteristic features of Down syndrome and the increased risk of health problems associated with this condition.

other cancers

Translocations of genetic material between chromosome 21 and other chromosomes have been associated with several types of cancer. For example, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (a type of blood cancer most often diagnosed in childhood) has been associated with a translocation between chromosomes 12 and 21.

other chromosomal conditions

Other changes in the number or structure of chromosome 21 have a variety of effects on health and development. Chromosome 21 abnormalities can cause intellectual disability, delayed development, and characteristic facial features. In some cases, the signs and symptoms are similar to those of Down syndrome.

Changes involving chromosome 21 can include a missing segment of the chromosome in each cell (partial monosomy 21) and a circular structure called ring chromosome 21. A ring chromosome occurs when a chromosome breaks in two places and the ends of the chromosome arms fuse together to form a circular structure.



http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/23/464123987/in-italy-protesters-push-for-rights-for-same-sex-couples

In Italy, Protesters Push For Rights For Same-Sex Couples
CAMILA DOMONOSKE
Updated January 23, 2016

Photograph -- Supporters of same-sex civil union hold alarm clocks "to wake up Italia" on January 23, near the Pantheon in central Rome. Italy is the only major Western European country not to have enacted legislation allowing gay couples to have their relationships legally recognized and protected. A bill which the Senate will start examining on Thursday would enable same-sex couples to enter civil unions.
Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images


Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Italy on Saturday to demonstrate in support of a bill that would allow same-sex couples to enter into civil unions.

The predominantly Catholic country is the last western European nation that doesn't offer same-sex couples any legal rights.

As NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports for our Newscast unit, many activists are determined to change that.

Sylvia says the square outside the pantheon in Rome was packed on Saturday:

"LGBT activists were joined by environmentalists, trade unions, students and ordinary citizens.

"They chanted, 'Wake up Italy, it's time to be civilized.'

"The civil unions bill goes to Parliament next week after years of obstruction by Catholic politicians. And Prime Minister Matteo Renzi says its passage can no longer be delayed.

"Last year, the European Court of Human Rights found Italy in violation of the human rights convention that guarantees respect for private and family life."

Not everyone supports the bill. Sylvia notes that opponents claim it's "a Trojan horse toward same-sex marriage," and object to a provision that would allow a person in a same-sex relationship to adopt his or her partner's children.



“Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Italy on Saturday to demonstrate in support of a bill that would allow same-sex couples to enter into civil unions. …. Sylvia says the square outside the pantheon in Rome was packed on Saturday: "LGBT activists were joined by environmentalists, trade unions, students and ordinary citizens. …. "The civil unions bill goes to Parliament next week after years of obstruction by Catholic politicians. And Prime Minister Matteo Renzi says its passage can no longer be delayed. …. Not everyone supports the bill. Sylvia notes that opponents claim it's "a Trojan horse toward same-sex marriage," and object to a provision that would allow a person in a same-sex relationship to adopt his or her partner's children.”


The rather liberal, and in my opinion admirable, Pope is going to be challenged now with a pill that may be too big to swallow. I will be interested to see what he says and does. The varied group who have been protesting together is pretty impressive. I wonder how many of them were “ordinary citizens,” as opposed to typical liberal thinkers. I’ll clip other articles on this subject when I see them.



http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/23/464103863/israeli-police-say-13-year-old-girl-shot-dead-after-attempted-stabbing

Israeli Police Say 13-Year-Old Girl Shot Dead After Attempted Stabbing
CAMILA DOMONOSKE
January 23, 2016


A 13-year-old Palestinian girl was shot and killed by a security guard at a West Bank settlement after she attempted to stab him, according to Israeli police.

The police said the girl had fought with her family before leaving home with a knife, according to both AP and Reuters.

The girl's mother tells Reuters there hadn't been any trouble before the girl left the family's tent.

The 13-year-old's death is the latest incident in a string of violence that started last fall, as NPR's Emily Harris has reported. Both sides have accused the other of inciting violence with inflammatory speech, Emily noted in October.

The Associated Press describes attempted stabbings as "near-daily" events "that have killed 25 Israelis and an American student."

Robi Damelin, left, is an Israeli whose son was fatally shot by a Palestinian in 2002. Bassam Aramin is a Palestinian whose daughter was shot dead by Israeli police in 2007. They belong to the Parents Circle, a group of mothers and fathers who have lost children and seek an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

WORLD

In Grief, A Growing Partnership: Parents Span Israeli-Palestinian Divide

"At least 147 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, 102 of them identified by Israel as attackers," the wire service writes. "The rest have been killed in clashes with Israeli troops."

Many of the Palestinian assailants have been teenagers, Reuters notes.



“The police said the girl had fought with her family before leaving home with a knife, according to both AP and Reuters. The girl's mother tells Reuters there hadn't been any trouble before the girl left the family's tent. …. Robi Damelin, left, is an Israeli whose son was fatally shot by a Palestinian in 2002. Bassam Aramin is a Palestinian whose daughter was shot dead by Israeli police in 2007. They belong to the Parents Circle, a group of mothers and fathers who have lost children and seek an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. …. Many of the Palestinian assailants have been teenagers, Reuters notes.”

I do wonder if there is a political underground dominated by adults who are inciting these actions by young people, perhaps again through a website -- Hamas, ISIS, maybe? Teenagers, however, are partly grownups and partly kids. They have “passions” that rule them, and lack the understanding to control their depression, sexual urges and rage. they are in a time of life which is essentially unstable, without being "emotionally disturbed." They have a strong yen to bond together with their peers and cook up dangerous (exciting) things to do. One small group of teens in a northern US city within the last ten years, I don't remember which one, "banded together" in a pledge to get pregnant as soon as they could. There, predictably, was a rash of teen pregnancies in that school. And, of course, here in this country it is the ever present street gangs – the Crips and the Bloods, etc.

There it is an ancient cultural war in the Middle East that goes back to the time of Christ and before. The Arabs originally are considered (at least in the Bible) to be a direct offshoot of Israel, and it is unavoidable if we look at their facial features and skin tone that there’s a strong genetic link there. Culturally they then grew apart, holding different religious views. That is a chasm that needs to be bridged, not exacerbated. We need to stop the feud.

I don’t believe that very heavy-handed attempts by Israeli authorities and police will do anything but make the Palestinians angrier. They would do better to pull out all those settlements in Palestinian lands, acknowledge the legitimate Palestinian ownership of part of that territory that was stripped from their control when Israel was declared a sovereign nation by the UN in 1948, tear down that wall, and sign a peace treaty. That old philosophy “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is the trigger mechanism for the last 70 or so years of unabated war. The average human being with several kids to feed don't win in that situation.

In the Appalachian mountains of the US South two families, the Hatfields and the McCoys almost killed each other off entirely some 150 years ago. That was by the very same kind of head game in which one wrong was avenged by another, on and on until the Governor threatened to send in the militia. Finally there was an end to the conflict and the case was decided in the US Supreme Court under (Mahon v. Justice, 127 U.S. 700 (1888)).[11] “The Supreme Court ruled 7–2 in favor of Kentucky, holding that, even if a fugitive is returned from the asylum state illegally, instead of through lawful extradition procedure, no federal law prevents him from being tried. Eventually, the men were tried in Kentucky and all were found guilty. Seven received life imprisonment, while the eighth, Ellison "Cottontop" Mounts, was executed by hanging.[12] Thousands attended the hanging in Pikeville.”



http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/22/464016379/film-academy-votes-to-increase-diversity

Film Academy Votes To Increase Diversity
LAURA WAGNER
Updated January 22, 2016

Photograph -- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hands out the Oscar Awards, is 93 percent white, with an average age of 63. Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Following criticism over the lack of diversity in this year's Oscar nominations, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has voted to approve changes aimed at doubling the number of women and people of color in its membership by 2020.

The board of governors unanimously approved a series of changes to "make the Academy's membership, its governing bodies, and its voting members significantly more diverse," the organization said in a statement.

NPR's Neda Ulaby reports that the academy called an emergency meeting on Thursday night in response to threats of boycotts against this year's awards ceremony.

"It pledged to not only recruit but double the number of women and people of color in membership over the next four years and to make changes in its current membership" to promote diversity.

The announcement came after the organization was blasted for having no nonwhite nominees for the 20 acting awards — for the second year in a row. The movies Creed, Straight Outta Compton and Concussion — all of which feature black characters in key roles — were also snubbed. The nominations prompted the revival of #OscarsSoWhite on social media, which pointedly called out the homogeneity of the Academy Awards.

The lack of diversity among nominees wasn't surprising to Darnell Hunt, director of UCLA's Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies.

"Were talking about an academy that's overwhelmingly white, overwhelmingly male," he told All Things Considered. "93 percent white, 76 percent male, average age 63. People are voting for things that resonate with their experiences and unfortunately it's too narrow a slice."

The changes not only expand diversity of future membership but change the demographic of current members. As it stands now, many voting members have not been active in the industry for decades. Under the new rules, they will have to be active to vote, although there are some exceptions, including for previous Oscar winners.



“The board of governors unanimously approved a series of changes to "make the Academy's membership, its governing bodies, and its voting members significantly more diverse," the organization said in a statement. NPR's Neda Ulaby reports that the academy called an emergency meeting on Thursday night in response to threats of boycotts against this year's awards ceremony. …. The announcement came after the organization was blasted for having no nonwhite nominees for the 20 acting awards — for the second year in a row. The movies Creed, Straight Outta Compton and Concussion — all of which feature black characters in key roles — were also snubbed. The nominations prompted the revival of #OscarsSoWhite on social media, which pointedly called out the homogeneity of the Academy Awards. …. People are voting for things that resonate with their experiences and unfortunately it's too narrow a slice." The changes not only expand diversity of future membership but change the demographic of current members. As it stands now, many voting members have not been active in the industry for decades.”


There’s nothing like a good protest movement to make changes. The Civil Rights law of 1964 wouldn’t have passed without the highly visible threat of many angry black people in the streets. I believe in writing my congressman to push through new laws, but too often a show of potential, or real, force is still necessary. People in power don’t easily change their philosophy on any subject. You have to show them that you can and perhaps will take their power away from them. Little by little and with considerable conflict, this nation has developed into a much more civil society than it was in the days of Devil Anse Hatfield and the outlaws of the Old West. History, if it’s taught in full detail, is not boring at all, and not discouraging either. There is a grassroots push going on right now to work on some more societal changes, and I’m glad to be alive to see it.