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johnny9fingersOn the day when Richard Goldstone, a South African Jewish Judge with links to Israel, and the man heading the UN investigation reporting on the offensive in Gaza last January, concludes that folk from both Israel and Hamas should be tried for war-crimes I read a brilliant commentary on the Lockerbie Bombing and subsequent trial by Gareth Peirce:
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n18/peir01_.html
Now I'm not suggesting that Ms Peirce (Cheltenham Ladies College, University of Oxford, LSE) doesn't have an axe to grind. She is hugely involved in doing something about miscarriages of justice from all political perspectives and positions. I quote from her wiki entry: "Her clients include the Birmingham Six, the Tipton Three, the Guildford Four, former MI5 operative David Shayler, Abu Qatada (who has been called 'Europe's Al-Qaeda Ambassador'), Judith Ward, Mouloud Sihali, the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, Mozzam Begg and Bisher Amin Khalil al-Rawi, a detainee at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp."
I'm also impressed with Jimmy Carter's comments on the Wilson interruption and the attitude towards the Presidency in general from the refuseniks and teabaggers.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/16/jimmy-carter-you-lie-racist
But alas, I fear that Carter's record as President may well mean that many folk will either ignore or discount his contribution to the debate.
Mind you, the rest of the world knows what these teabagging folk in the US are all about now. The fancy talk of democracy, equal rights, decency and especially respect only really extends to white folk. For a Congressman like Wilson to interrupt as he did shows absolutely no respect for the office of President of the United States of America. I like the fact that the Republicans have set a precedent here. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
If we believed the Gospel according to Glenn Beck, we would think that only black people are racist. Somehow, many Americans have convinced themselves that this is the case. I think they need a reality check. Thankfully these particular Americans are in a minority: the majority actually voted for Obama: Black, White, Green, Red, Blue or whatever.
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n18/peir01_.html
Now I'm not suggesting that Ms Peirce (Cheltenham Ladies College, University of Oxford, LSE) doesn't have an axe to grind. She is hugely involved in doing something about miscarriages of justice from all political perspectives and positions. I quote from her wiki entry: "Her clients include the Birmingham Six, the Tipton Three, the Guildford Four, former MI5 operative David Shayler, Abu Qatada (who has been called 'Europe's Al-Qaeda Ambassador'), Judith Ward, Mouloud Sihali, the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, Mozzam Begg and Bisher Amin Khalil al-Rawi, a detainee at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp."
I'm also impressed with Jimmy Carter's comments on the Wilson interruption and the attitude towards the Presidency in general from the refuseniks and teabaggers.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/16/jimmy-carter-you-lie-racist
But alas, I fear that Carter's record as President may well mean that many folk will either ignore or discount his contribution to the debate.
Mind you, the rest of the world knows what these teabagging folk in the US are all about now. The fancy talk of democracy, equal rights, decency and especially respect only really extends to white folk. For a Congressman like Wilson to interrupt as he did shows absolutely no respect for the office of President of the United States of America. I like the fact that the Republicans have set a precedent here. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
If we believed the Gospel according to Glenn Beck, we would think that only black people are racist. Somehow, many Americans have convinced themselves that this is the case. I think they need a reality check. Thankfully these particular Americans are in a minority: the majority actually voted for Obama: Black, White, Green, Red, Blue or whatever.
