Elliot Rodger | The Phenomena of Mass Murder

Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 00:13 a.m. EDT, 25 May 2014

SANTA BARBARA, California – In the early morning hours of Saturday, 24 May 2014, the tranquility and safety of the community of Isla Vista was shattered forever when one of its own, Elliot Rodger, 22, took to the street shooting indiscriminately out of his BMW at innocent and unsuspecting victims.

The Los Angeles Times broke the story based upon information provided by a police official that Rodger’s shooting spree resulted in 7 dead, including him, while seven others were wounded. He allegedly drove through the streets of the Isla Vista neighborhood of Santa Barbara firing from his car and trying to run down pedestrians.

What makes this story more than a human interest piece is the dynamic between privilege versus the ordinary and what this escalating gun violence says about us as a country.

I could revisit the issue of gun control in America, but the NRA and its powerful lobby, along with the Second Amendment to the Constitution which grants individuals with ‘the right to keep and bear arms,’ makes winning this argument about as successful as winning an Olympic Gold metal while running through wet concrete.

Instead, there is the question of why Rodger, the son of privilege and heir apparent to Peter Rodger, an assistant director on the 2012 film “Hunger Game,” would feel the need to take such drastic measures by embarking upon his killing spree.

Mass murders have unfortunately become a too often occurrence in our society which has become increasingly fluid, and the community ties that so closely bound the country in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s dissipated, leaving many adrift in despair and loneliness.

This void has been filled with Internet ‘communities’ where people can ‘friend’ and be ‘friended,’ but ultimately what is needed most – human touch and intimate interaction is unavailable. Couple this with increased economic pressures, changes in social mores, and “do anything to anyone so I can get ahead’ attitudes, further complicates matters.

Many people, but not all, increasingly feel isolated. Some of this can be attributed to the effects of income inequality which retards upward mobility, and for others the lack of access to higher education due to the prohibitive costs, also breeds hopelessness.

Add to this the belief, as heavily marketed and promoted by the media, that you can be anything you desire you just have to take it, leaves many feeling inept and in extreme cases impotent.

This is not an excuse for murder, mass killing, or suicide, but I believe it to be a contributing factor to the desperation and isolation that is the pressure cooker churning out more mass murderers decade after decade.

According to Mother Jones’ article, “A Guide to Mass Shootings in America” there have been since 1982 “at least 70 mass shootings across the country, with the killings unfolding in 30 states from Massachusetts to Hawaii. Thirty-three of these mass shootings have occurred since 2006.

1 2 Next Page »

Published: 25 May 2014 (Page 2 of 2)

Seven of them took place in 2012, and another five occurred in 2013, including in Santa Monica, California, and at the Washington Navy Yard. The first five months of 2014 brought another bloodbath at Fort Hood, Texas, and mass killings in northern and southern California.”

Then last month, April 2014, in Overland Park, Kansas, Frazier Glenn Cross, who also went by Frazier Glenn Miller, a 73-year-old Missouri resident killed anyone and everyone in his reach, as he acted upon his racist beliefs by trying to kill Jews at a local community center.

With so much violence on television, Internet, and in the movies, and the constant threat of domestic and foreign terrorism, people are becoming inured to these killings, which often capture the public's attention and news cycles for 24 to 48 hours before moving on to the next trending item.

I think that it is important for us to remember that these men are average, they could be your coworker, your husband, your son or boyfriend, and they are becoming the greatest internal threat to the safety of American citizenry since 9/11. This partial list of 2012 mass killers includes average men who but for circumstance, probably would have continue to live anonymous existences.

• 14.12.12 - Adam Lanza, 20, shot his mother dead at their home then drove to Sandy Hook Elementary school. He forced his way inside and opened fire, killing 20 children and six adults before committing suicide. Total injured and killed: at least 28;

• 27.09.12 - Andrew Engeldinger, 36, upon learning he was being fired, went on a shooting rampage, killing the business owner, three fellow employees, and a UPS driver. He then killed himself. Total injured and killed: 8;

• 5.08.12 - U.S. Army veteran Wade Michael Page, 40, opened fire in a Sikh gurdwara before he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during a shootout with police. Total injured and killed: 10;

• 20.07.12- James Holmes, 24, opened fire in a movie theater during the opening night of "The Dark Knight Rises"  and was later arrested outside. Total injured and killed: 70.

Today, Rodger has been added to this list, for trying to take out his pain of rejection, isolation, and loneliness on innocent people who may have been suffering the same feelings as him, but chose not to violently act upon them.

He justified his actions in a YouTube manifesto in which he proclaimed that "… I've been forced to endure an existence of loneliness, rejection and unfulfilled desires, all because girls have never been attracted to me. Girls gave their affection and sex and love to other men, never to me...I'm 22-years-old and still a virgin, never even kissed a girl.” (Source: Chicago Tribune)

And now he never will………

Return to Page 1 »

 

Follow Nahmias Cipher Report on Twitter

Twitter: @nahmias_report Editor-in-Chief: @ayannanahmias

Related articles

• Son Of 'Hunger Games' Assistant Director Suspected Of Mass Murder At UC Santa Barbara, Posted Most Chilling Video Ever Just Hours Earlier (radaronline.com)
• Mass Killer's Final Video - Elliot Rodger's Retribution (stateofglobe.com)
• California Drive by in BMW in Santa Barbara: Son of "Hunger Games" Assistant Director suspected of drive by "mass murder of six. Left video threat on You Tube (Video) (themoderatevoice.com)

The Thievery of McDonald's Execs

Michael Ransom, Contributing EditorLast Modified: 04:35 a.m. DST, 22 May 2014

OAK BROOK, Illinois -- Yesterday, 21 May 2014, over 1,000 people protested against the McDonald's corporation at their corporate headquarters, located in suburban Chicago. The peaceful demonstration was the second attempt to bring attention to wage inequality in the internationally known, globally recognized food chain.

The localized protests are part of a larger international campaign to raise awareness of poverty wages and the role that fast-food giants play in the servitude.

The movement is taking place throughout 33 different countries, where McDonald's and other restaurant "whoppers" like Burger King, KFC and Wendy's have uniquely tailored menus and strong market footholds. Hundreds of McDonald's employees came to the rally in Oak Brook wearing their uniforms, some of whom boycotted shifts to participate.

The concept of a wage hike is nothing new to CEO Donald Thomson, whose earnings have seen a steady appreciation in recent years. He is expecting to earn $9.5 million next year. While executives count their pay increases in the hundreds of thousands, the average hands in the assembly line bring home a paycheck that is not even consistent with inflation.

Over 100 McDonald's employees were arrested and over 30 union members and spiritual leaders are in police custody after demonstrators occupied campus buildings yesterday. Headed by organizations such as Fast Food Forward and Service Employees International Union, the collective was relatively small but extremely vocal. The action was purposefully orchestrated one day before an important shareholder meeting, scheduled for today, 22 May, at the corporate offices. In anticipation, an entire branch of campus was encouraged to stay home and work remotely yesterday.

The day before the annual meeting proved to be an excellent platform for the collected grievances. Those with partial ownership of McDonald's will weigh in on Thomson's salary during the shareholder's meeting. His pay is over 600 times that of his average foodservice employee, which is not totally surprising. McDonald's is famous for their minuscule raise policies. They also supplement profits with various forms of wage theft.

These Illinois protests are just one voice in an international chorus of dissent. The similarities between Japanese, Indian and Brazilian strikes shows the vast subjugation that sustains the American-based restaurant machine.

In the past year, business tycoons and politicians have been critical of demands to raise the minimum wage in the United States. In the same vein, critics of the striking employees are calling the terms of the demonstration absurd.  But, even the twofold increase to $15-an-hour would be below the living wage in the US, according to a breakdown by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The MIT Living Wage Calculator indicates the severity of the poverty that fast-food employees almost necessarily face. At $7.25-an-hour, an individual making minimum wage in New Orleans, Louisiana is earning well under the regional living wage of $10.51. In an expensive city like Washington, D.C. the minimum wage is set at $8.25. But the living wage for a one parent, one child household is $26.37, according to MIT statistics. The average McDonald's worker supporting one child in the District is not making even a third of the baseline living wage.

Notably, research indicates that more women are pigeonholed into poverty wages than male coworkers.

Opponents of the measure claim that increased wages will cause a decreased number of jobs. And by simple arithmetic, this may be true.

But so often, the rhetoric of corporate employers follows the notion that the company is creating job opportunities as if some sort of charity. Obviously, a business is not going to extend a job at the expense of the bottom line.

In reality, it is a give-and-take, as the corporation is only viable with hard-working men and women on the ground, and people need opportunities to make money. With McDonald's' lobbying effort to paralyze the minimum wage, and their ban on unions, the ideal "give-and-take" is actually veiled exploitation.

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Editor: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• McDonald's headquarters shut down (bbc.co.uk)
• Protesters Shut Down McDonald's HQ - And They'll Be Back on Thursday (blogs.wsj.com)
• McDonald's closes corporate HQ in Chicago as 2,000 protesters gather (theguardian.com)
• Protesters arrested in pay fight at McDonald's HQ (news.yahoo.com)
• McDonald's closes office as protests loom (money.cnn.com)

Iran: Morality Laws Lead to Arrest of Dancing to “Happy” Celebrants

Allyson Cartwright, Contributing JournalistLast Modified: 00:52 p.m. DST, 22 May 2014

TEHRAN, Iran — Three men and three women were arrested in Tehran after posting a YouTube video of themselves dancing to Pharrell Williams’s hit song “Happy."

The video entitled “Happy in Tehran” was deemed obscene by the Tehran police chief, Hossein Sajedinia. The country, however, has rallied around the six young Iranians and is criticizing the government for being too socially restrictive.

Subsequently, five of the dancers in the video have been released, but the director is still being held in police custody, according to CNN.

The “Happy in Tehran” video depicts the Iranians dancing around different locations to the song “Happy”. Most notably, the three women were publicly unveiled—a punishable offense in Iran. It became a viral video in Iran and was shared all over social media. When it was posted in April, the video garnered more than 165, 000 views on YouTube before it was blocked.

After the attention that the video received, it also caught the attention of Tehran police who determined that making the video was criminal. Police Chief Sajedinia explained to the state-run Iranian Students' News Agency why the video creators had been detained, “After a vulgar clip which hurt public chastity was released in cyberspace, police decided to identify those involved in making that clip.”

Sajedinia decided to make an example out of the creators adding, “Our dear youths should try to avoid these kinds of people. Like actors, singers, and these kinds of problems. Try to avoid it.”

The police tricked the video creators into their arrest, a source told Iran Wire.  The sources said, “All of the young producers received phone calls informing them that a friend had suffered a car accident and required their help. When they arrived at the address they had been given over the phone, security forces were waiting to arrest them.”

After the arrest, The Huffington Post says a public interrogation was held on Iranian state TV. On Iranian TV, the video creators were identified as “actors” who were coerced into making the video for an audition and told that it would not be aired.

The Iranian regime that has been in power since the 1979 revolution enforces conservative, religious values that result in the limitations of internet publication. The “Happy in Tehran” video represents how social media has been used globally to rebel against this kind of hardliner authority. After the arrests of the creators, most people seemed to defend them. Other Iranians reposted the video adding “#FreeHappyIranians” in support of the detained.

Even the president of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, came to the defense of the creators. He tweeted today, in reference to the five creators’ release, a quote he made last year, “#Happiness is our people's right. We shouldn't be too hard on behaviors caused by joy.” Reuters reports that Rouhani has been vocal about his opposition to harsh internet censorship saying in a speech from this weekend, “We ought to see (the Internet) as an opportunity.

We must recognize our citizens' right to connect to the World Wide Web.” Pharrell Williams, the singer of “Happy”, also spoke out in support of the six Iranians. The Grammy Award winner posted on his Facebook page, “It is beyond sad that these kids were arrested for trying to spread happiness.”

The video credits seem to suggest their intentions were just that harmless as it reads, “We have made this video as Pharrell Williams' Fans in 8 hours, with iPhone 5S. 'Happy' was an excuse to be happy. We enjoyed every second of making it. Hope it puts a smile on your face. © All Rights Reserved by Sol Production.” According to the video creators, the purpose of the video was to celebrate the UN's International Day of Happiness. Neda, one of the arrested dancers told Iran Wire, “We wanted to tell the world that the Iranian capital is full of lively young people and change the harsh and rough image that the world sees on the news.”

Follow Allyson on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Journalist: @allysoncwright

Related articles

• 'Happy' Video Arrests Highlight Tensions In Iran (npr.org)
• Iranians arrested over 'Happy' video are released (rte.ie)
• Six Iranians Arrested for Posting 'Happy' Video (voanews.com)
• 6 Iranians arrested for making fan video of Pharrell Williams' 'Happy' - CNN (edition.cnn.com)

Witchdoctors Mutilating Albino People in Tanzania

TANZANIA - On May 12, a Tanzanian woman named Munghu Lugata, 40, was viciously mutilated and subsequently died of her injuries in the small village of Gasuma in northwest Tanzania.  Lugata was found with one of her legs sawed off as well as several fingers, according to BBC News. Tanzanian police suspect she had been the target of witchdoctors due to her albinism.

Two practicing witchdoctors, a man and woman named Gudawa Yalema and Shiwa Masalu, were arrested following the attack. This is just one of many attacks that have occurred globally against people with albinism.

People with albinism have been targeted throughout history because of the defect that leaves their skin, hair, and eyes without pigmented. There had been murders of albino people in the province of Simiyu where Gasuma is located; however the targeting of these people is an international issue. In many countries, the organs, skin, blood, and hair of albino people is believed to have curative properties.

In 15 countries there have been more than 200 reported cases of attacks against people with albinism between 2000 and 2013. “Under the Same Sun” (UTSS), an advocacy group that promotes anti-discrimination of people with albinism claims that most of the harvested albino body parts from Tanzania are being exported outside of the country. In one case reported by the UTSS, a Tanzanian trader was stopped carrying an albino infant head to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, claiming that he planned on selling it to a businessman there.

In Tanzania, witchdoctors promote the use of these parts of albino people for “success, wealth and election victory”, according to the Herald Sun. All Africa reports that at least 73 people with albinism were targeted for murder in Tanzania since 2000 and about as many have been targeted in vicious attacks. UTSS claims that murder rates could be much higher than this as most of the murders go unreported. UTSS also notes that describing these attacks as results of witchcraft only began in 2006, despite these types of attacks existing “beyond memory”.

Because of the severity of these crimes against albino people and it being a global issue, the United Nations is beginning to get involved. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, commented on the Lugata murder in a news release saying, "This killing and the terrible circumstances surrounding it sadly demonstrate that the human rights situation of people with albinism in Tanzania and other countries remains dire.” Pillay continued by expressing the widespread of the issue, "All over the world, people with albinism continue to face attacks or suffer terrible discrimination, stigma and social exclusion.”

The dangers that albino people will face are only worsening in Tanzania. In October local elections are held in the country. Because witchdoctors prescribe magic potions made from albino people for good luck, they will be in more danger than ever. The UTSS warns, “the black market demand for the body parts of people with albinism escalates during these times.”

Efforts to improve the discrimination against people with albinism have been made by the Tanzanian government and human rights groups. There have been movements to end the practicing of witchdoctors, who BBC News says receives certificates to practice from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Also, a few years ago an albino Member of Parliament was appointed. However, as the discrimination of albino people persists, they will continue to be targeted by witchdoctors and black market traders.

Follow Allyson on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Journalist: @allysoncwright

Related articles

• Two held over murder of albino in Tanzania (nation.co.ke)
• Tanzania arrests over albino killing (bbc.co.uk)
• Hundreds of girls raped, murdered in Tanzania for black magic AIDS 'cure' (omaymen.wordpress.com)
• People with albinism: Pillay urges more protection after barbaric killing in Tanzania (sundayshomari.com)
• 'Witch doctors' charged in albino murder (dailytelegraph.com.au)

1/3 Native Women Are Raped, Non-Indian Attackers Still Immune to Prosecution

Michael Ransom, Contributing EditorLast Modified: 15:25 p.m. DST, 19 May 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On American Indian reservations, Native women's right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are seriously threatened. Study after study confirm the appalling frequency at which Indigenous women are raped, sexually assaulted and battered. Throughout Indian country, more than one-third of women will be raped during their lifetime.

Today, it is no secret that these women stand a greater chance of being assaulted than living unscathed. The US Department of Justice found that 61% of American Indian women have been subjected to some form of physical assault. Because of the historic and ongoing inaction of the federal government, these women experience a crapshoot application of security and justice.

More disturbing is the role that American citizens and officials play--and don't play--in the violence. Over 70% of assailants are not tribal members, but rather American nationals who entered reservations for a variety of reasons. Some come to hunt. Other perpetrators live with woman who they abuse. And many simply cross the street into neighboring Indian country. [When tribal lands were downsized by the federal government, the borderlines of reservations were manipulated.]

This territorial patchwork could be acceptable, if tribal law applied to non-Natives who travel into reservation grounds. But, reservations are considered dependent nations according to US policy, and therefore cannot arrest, try or incarcerate non-Natives. Heinous crimes like rape are therefore defacto permissible, and a violent or deranged man can assault a women in Indian country with legal immunity.

According to the Supreme Court decision in Oliphant v. Suquamish Indian Tribe, Federal prosecutors have jurisdiction in reservation regions. This 1978 ruling set a dangerous precedent of nonexistent federal law enforcement, and fundamentally compromised tribal attempts to self-govern and protect members. In 2011, the Justice Department put a plan in motion to place Assistant Attorneys in prosecution capacities within reservations, and a task force to prioritize the safety of women and children.

Many see these measures as too little, and certainly decades late. Indian country largely remains a lawless area, and not because American Indians want it that way. Before 2010, councils were unable to sentence Indian convicts to less than one year of jail time. Recently enacted, the Tribal Law and Order Act now allows tribal courts to incarcerate members for up to three years. Unfortunately, that is the limit, even for the most deplorable crimes.

The roadblocks to prosecution are embedded in the established legislation, but progressive action is beginning to take shape. President Barack Obama signed the Violence Against Women Act in early 2013. This legislation will help protect domestic violence committed by non-Indian husbands, but fails to address non-Indian attackers that are outsiders in the community. When seven of every ten attackers are protected from prosecution, the law is far from impressive. Plus, it is only in a trial phase now in three reservations.

Conservative members of Congress decreased provisions that would punish non-Indian criminals, concerned that non-Native suspects would not receive far trial, and may be crucified for the historic crimes against the First People of the continent. Perhaps the fears of these lawmakers are just projection; statistics clearly show that women are victimized by the current legal system, not men. Republicans would be hard-pressed to find instances where White men have been wronged by the intersection of American and Native law codes.

The United States continually plays Big Brother to tribal officials. By butting into supposed tribal authority, Washington limits the power of the Native justice system as to render it ineffective. Plainly, reservations do not want a weak police force and court system, but many in the federal government would rather risk women's well-being than see bolstered Indigenous agency of any kind.

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Editor: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010: A Step Forward for Native Women (whitehouse.gov)
• Who Deserves Protection in America? Native American Women and the New VAWA (firstpeoples.org)
• How abusers get away with targeting Indian women (salon.com)
• Rape on the Reservation (readersupportednews.org)
• Native Indian women get U.S. Federal legal power to report violence (womennewsnetwork.net)

Just a Beer, a Glass of Wine, What's the Harm?

Michael Ransom, Contributing EditorLast Modified: 05:57 a.m. DST, 15 May 2014

GENEVA, Switzerland -- The recently published Global status report on alcohol and health, 2014 is an extensive study conducted by the World Health Organization. The 378 page document is a well-coordinated look at the international consumption of alcohol and the implications for individuals and communities.

Their findings are sobering. Researchers conclude that in 2012, 3.3 million people died from alcohol or alcohol-related incidents, amounting to 5.9% of deaths during that year.

Alcohol remains a ubiquitous global indulgence and a pervasive threat to public health everywhere. WHO meticulously dissects worldwide data according to gender, age, socioeconomic status, and nationality to provide cultural context to the statistics. Among the notable trends--men imbibe more often and more recklessly than women, wealth and alcohol use are positively correlated, and the religion observed in a given area is a strong consumption predictor.

Of the 3.3 million reported dead in 2012, alcohol played a role in 7.6% of male fatalities, and contributed to only 4% of female deaths. Higher rates of temperance among women explain this twofold gap. In Africa, 40.2% of males aged 15 and over are at least occasional drinkers, compared to only 19.6% of females. Similarly, 7.4% of men and 3.3% of women consume alcohol in the WHO designated eastern Mediterranean region. The greatest disparity between the drinking habits of sisters and brothers occurs in southeast Asia region, where men imbibe at more than four times the rate of women.

When controlling all other variables, age factors heavily into international trends of alcohol use. While Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom are home to the highest incidence of binge drinking among young people age 15-19, these tendencies wear off as nationals enter adulthood. In fact, the overall populations of France and Germany practice among the "least risky" drinking habits in the world. Data that includes older generations in Canada and the United Kingdom reflect more acceptable alcohol usage as well. Russia is the only country where adolescents are more responsible drinkers than their seniors.

Another valuable lens in the report is the change in global alcohol consumption from 2006-2010. During that time, countries like China, Peru and India have seen significant increases in intoxication rates. At the same time, other nations have weaned off the habit. Among them are Venezuela, South Africa and Ethiopia. The eastern Mediterranean region has remained largely alcohol free as Islamic populations widely avoid the practice.

Responsible alcohol use is key for the wellbeing of individuals and aggregate communities. Serious outcomes such as fetal alcohol syndrome, cirrhosis of the liver and a host of cancers are possible in regular users. But data compiled by WHO also indicate several other concerns. Of all global suicides, 22% are connected to alcohol use. 16% of traffic fatalities involve inebriation. And over one out of every 7 drownings are alcohol-related. According to the WHO report, over half a million deaths in 2012 were due to unintentional injuries incurred while intoxicated.

The investigation is not wholly dismal. Authors praise various nations for their preventative efforts aimed at limiting harm due to alcohol. For instance, South Africa created a national committee to bring Ministers of Health, Correctional Services and Education together to address drunk-driving and rehabilitate individuals struggling with alcohol addiction. An initiative to limit crimes connected to alcohol and address the dangers of alcohol poisoning is underway in Belarus, which has already proven largely effective. And the report puts Mongolia in the limelight for their efforts to bring together the president, alcohol distributors and various organizations to create an "Alcohol Free Mongolia."

In addition to these measures, WHO advocates community mobilization to combat personal and community overindulgence. Moreover, the authors also argue for forceful solutions such as additional taxes, further governmental regulation and a crackdown on the ubiquitous production of unregulated, black market beverages. These ideas are as beneficial for the immune system of society as they are the organs of the individual. But all the while, responsible consumption begins with the well-educated and accountable individual.

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Editor: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• World Health Organization Recommends More Alcohol Regulation (usfinancepost.com)
• World Health Organization Releases Staggering Figures On Alcohol-Related Deaths In New Report (publichealthwatch.wordpress.com)
• Alcohol responsible for 1 death every 10 seconds (cbsnews.com)
• WHO Calls on Governments to Do More to Prevent Alcohol-Related Deaths and Diseases (who.int)
• World's heaviest drinkers revealed: UK among most prolific consumers of alcohol - but doesn't make the top 10 (belfasttelegraph.co.uk)

US Hypocritical Response to Ukraine Conflict

Michael Ransom, Contributing EditorLast Modified: 08:57 a.m. DST, 13 May 2014

DONETSK, Ukraine -- On Sunday, 11 May, two Ukrainian provinces conducted supposed democratic referendums to determine their international identity. The motions were suspicious at best, as 90% of votes counted in Donetsk favored withdrawal from Ukrainian authority and turnout in Luhansk determined 96 of every 100 voters supported provincial autonomy.

Certainly the numbers appear exaggerated. These reports of airtight consensus must be questioned by the rational world. Dissent is pervasive throughout much of Ukraine. So when voting officials came forward on Monday with claims of unprecedented solidarity, the West responded as would the teacher of the struggling student who scores 105% on a self-graded assessment.

But the conflict in Ukraine covers more ground than the Western press are willing to turn over. A thoughtful discussion of modern Ukraine can not endorse the interim Kiev government wholesale, nor should it condemn all separatists as patent burglars. Both approaches are reductive towards the legacy of corruption and organized injustice in Ukraine.

In spite of Western backing, the previous Ukrainian establishment and the placeholder administration are fraught with human rights violations. And while Vladimir Putin exploited political rifting in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, perhaps the United States should also be concerned that Moscow has obviously made off with a whole chapter from the American playbook on how to seize foreign land.

The history of the United States is a clinic on nabbing territory illegally while simultaneously claiming martyrdom. In 1836, the Battle of the Alamo came to symbolize the American attempt to play martyr, while illegally holding Mexican land by whatever means necessary. In the same year, Texans fought the Mexican military in the Battle of San Jacinto and established Texan sovereignty. The slaughter lasted a matter of minutes and left over 600 dead, all but nine were fallen Mexican soldiers.

During the early 19th century, Americans began occupying Texas legally, but it did not take long for the Anglo residents to begin defying Mexican prohibition of slavery and other important legal codes. Americans continued to flood the region and soon outnumbered ethnic Tejanos 4 to 1. With some exception, the Texan army was American born and armed by the mother country, which in 1845 would welcome Texas into the union.

Unlike the takeover of Texas, Moscow did not inundate eastern Ukraine with Russian militants. They have been living in Ukraine for generations. Pro-Russian rebels represent the fragmentation of the Republic, not the forced entry exercised by American citizens and weaponry throughout its history.

1 2 Next Page »

Published: 13 May 2014 (Page 2 of 2)

Perhaps more egregious than the theft of Texas is the coup d'état of the Kingdom of Hawaii, organized by Americans and flanked by US Marine encroachment on the islands.  Wanting to spare bloodshed, Queen Lili'uokalani surrendered her crown and was placed under arrest. The United States' intent to annex the Kingdom was explicit, and during the in-no-way democratic proceedings, a provisional government took charge until American lawmakers brought Hawaii into the fold.

The Crimean Peninsula at the heart of the Ukraine conflict has a joint identity as a Ukrainian and Russian region. During the Soviet era, Crimea was nominally transferred within Ukraine's demarcation. When the Soviet Union disbanded, Ukraine maintained jurisdiction of the region. The peninsula remains divided in terms of religion, ethnic makeup and political affiliation. If the United States is so concerned with the will of the people, there are several well-documented injustices ongoing within American boundaries that could be addressed immediately.

The United States practices selective attention--joining the United Nations General Assembly to condemn Russian involvement in the Ukrainian arm wrestle, while downplaying the United Nations when they become critical of America's parallel behavior. A recent report by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations shows both the longstanding injustice experienced by indigenous peoples in North America and the irony in the United States searching the globe to point out instances of criminality and misconduct.

The Black Hills of South Dakota are some of the oldest mountains in North America and are considered sacred ground to the Lakota-Sioux people. At first, white settlers were uninterested in the land, until surveyors began trespassing on the terrain in 1849. Through a series of treaties, the land was promised to the Sioux, and later expressly removed from Sioux possession when gold prospectors found valuable deposits in the Hills.

Since then, the Black Hills have been the subject of desecration, as the United States government thought it appropriate to carve out the faces of Anglo oppressors into the mountains that the Sioux people so revere. Mount Rushmore stands as a permanent reminder of white tyranny, and an obvious symbol of the ongoing violation of Sioux religious freedom.

In the ongoing international debate over the Ukraine conflict, the United States has very little legal or moral footing on which to base their criticism of Russia. Each day, the United States affirms the right for an empire to occupy land against international law. While the global community generally recognizes Putin's exploits as unjust, the White House has long modeled similar undertakings. The oligarchies in America and Russia imitate each other more than either would like to admit.

What makes the plight of one people more pressing than another?

Washington's unbalanced attention to the sister concerns does not appear very democratic. For the most part, America cannot change the course of action in Ukraine. But if politicians are so bothered by illegally seized land, there are plenty of instances to address within their own jurisdiction. Start with the Black Hills.

Return to Page 1 »

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Editor: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• Ukraine crisis: EU expand sanction list to keep pressure on Russia (telegraph.co.uk)
• The Battle in Ukraine Means Everything (newrepublic.com)
• 400 US mercenaries 'deployed on ground' in Ukraine military op (forum.prisonplanet.com)
• Insurgents in Eastern Ukraine Declare Independence (abcnews.go.com)
• Kerry's Hyper-Hypocrisy Hits Escape Velocity (mycatbirdseat.com)

Could You Murder Her? Some Say Yes

LOS ANGELES, CA - This post is neither for nor against the difficult choice some people face as they attempt to exercise their right to self-determination. We are, however, emphatically for human rights and against injustice.

We encourage everyone who weighs in on this issue to remember the old Native American saying, "Do not judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccassins.'

Life is not easy anywhere, and it is exponentially challenging in countries with stagnant or emerging economies. Female infanticide occurs most often in countries where females are perceived as a drain on finite economic resources, and this burden serves as justification for aborting or killing a girl.

According to Palash Ghosh in a September 2013 article titled "A Deadly Preference For Male Offspring: The Killing Of Baby Girls In India And Pakistan," there is an ancient preference for male offspring in South Asian society and other parts of Asia and the Middle East.

This preference, according to Ghosh, resulted in the horrendous murder of a one-and-a-half year old Pakistani baby girl who was drowned by her father in front of her mother because he wanted a son.

Amazingly, less than a year later, in April 2014, India's supreme court in a landmark ruling declared that "It is the right of every human being to choose their gender," as it granted rights to those who identify themselves as neither male nor female.

According to the Trans Murder Monitoring Project, 2013 marked "the highest number of murders of minors in the five years it has been keeping statistics. Since the beginning of that year, 22 trans people were reported killed. Eleven of these were under the age of 18.

These include a 13-year-old trans girl strangled in Macaiba, Brazil, on June 9; a 14-year-old trans girl strangled in the city of Ibipora, Brazil, on Oct. 15; and 16-year-old trans girl murdered by a mob at a house party in St. James, Jamaica, on July 22.

Since 2008, Transgender Europe has documented 1,374 murders of trans people in 60 countries worldwide. Of these, 108 victims have been under the age of 20." (Source: Buzzfeed)

Given those circumstances, and the fact that men in general enjoy greater economic prowess, freedom to chart their own destinies, and a host of other intangible benefits; it is a wonder that any person born male would opt to live as a female.

Thus, when people learn about the beautiful transgender child pictured above and in the video below, the bias against females is tossed out, but an often less defined, but more visceral response is evoked. Unlike millions of transgender people around the world, the angelic child whose name is Jazz Jennings has the full support and love of her family, which has often been the only thing standing between her and the people who desire to physically harm her.

I Am Jazz: A Family In Transition, aired on OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, and presented a transparent view into the life of Jazz and her family; thus transmuting her from the status of "the other" to that of "human." We may not understand. We may even feel from a cultural or religious standpoint that she is anathema. But, at the end of the day, not one human has a heaven or a hell to send someone to, and we would do well to remember that despite our individual struggles we are all God's creatures.

Support Jazz: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jazztrans?fref=ts Jazz's mermaid tails: http://www.purplerainbowtails.com/ Purple Rainbow Foundation: http://www.transkidspurplerainbow.org/ Documentary about a 10 year old transgender girl named Jazz.

Iran's President Defies Ayatollah on Overtures to the West and Women's Rights

Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 10:19 a.m. EDT, 11 May 2014

IRAN -- In a country known by outsiders as prone to anti-West sentiment, extreme political suppression, and gross human rights violations, it came as a shock to many when the 7th President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, defied the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on yet another issue.

President Rouhani, a lawyer,academic and former diplomat, has adopted a stance at odds with the hardliner as he appears to move the nation from the radical isolation enforced by religious leaders, to a position which would enable greater communication between his government and the West.

Currently, according to an article written by David Blair, "Khamenei, who sits at the apex of Iran’s power structure, said that he supported Mr Rouhani’s overtures to the West, but denounced America for being “untrustworthy. While in New York last month, he offered 'peace and friendship' to Americans and spoke by telephone to President Barack Obama for 15 minutes, thefirst direct contact between the leaders of the two countries since Iran’s revolution in 1979." (Source: The Telegraph)

He is also a lawyer,academic and former diplomat.

Yet, in April 2014, President Hassan Rouhani defied the Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, when he publicly declared that.........

Follow Nahmias Cipher Report on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Editor-in-Chief: @ayannanahmias

When Justice Backfires: At Least 4.1% Of Death Row Convicts Are Innocent

Michael Ransom, Contributing EditorLast Modified: 20:38 p.m. DST, 6 May 2014

WASHINGTON, DC - Until last week, the accuracy of death penalty application in the United States had been the subject of speculation. Given to the trades of debate and guesswork, even prominent thinkers with important positions in the judicial system add to the growing body of conjecture. In 2007, Justice Antonin Scalia calculated that the American legal system is correct 99.973% of the time. His math, data and motives are altogether dubious, and his claims carry very little weight in both judicial and scientific circles. 

Rate of false conviction of criminal defendants who are sentenced to death is a landmark study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and written by Gross, O'Brien, Hu and Kennedy, who are researchers at University of Michigan Law, Michigan State Law, American College of Radiology and University of Pennsylvania Medicine, respectively. They conclude that no less than 4.1% of death row inmates have been wrongly convicted, a percentage they say is the most conservative calculation possible, according to records from 1989 to 2012.

These experts use data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics from the Department of Justice and numbers from The Death Penalty Information Center to arrive at their findings. Using survival analysis, the team is able to isolate the frequency at which wrongful convictions are overturned, and apply that ratio to the death row population. Resources and legal expertise are rationed to inmates nearing their scheduled execution, and survival analysis standardizes the effects of these efforts in uncovering groundless convictions across the board. The authors of the study and many in the national conversation agree that the true number of innocent convicts living on death row is much higher.

Meanwhile, executions throughout the country have gained considerable media attention. As European producers of lethal drugs have stopped supplying their products to the United States for the express purpose of execution, officials have struggled to obtain injections that are neither cruel nor unusual. Last week, convicted murderer and rapist Clayton Lockett was put to death in Oklahoma with a needle that introduced only certain ingredients of the drug cocktail into his bloodstream. Lockett's execution was halted midway, and he died ten minutes later of a heart attack. Charles Warner is the next to be executed in Oklahoma, and he is seeking postponement while Lockett's proceedings are investigated by a third-party.

1 2 Next Page »

Published: 6 May 2014 (Page 2 of 2)

The Supreme Court of Oklahoma has recently sounded off on inmates' request for the names and types of substances that they will be administered. The court found that it is constitutional to withhold this information from convicts. Justice Steven Taylor responded that they had no more right to this disclosure than "if they were being executed in the electric chair, they would have no right to know whether OG&E or PSO were providing the electricity; if they were being hanged, they would have no right to know whether it be cotton or nylon rope; or if they were being executed by firing squad, they would have no right to know whether it be by Winchester or Remington ammunition."

Well, that sounded poetic, and almost made sense. But Lockett's inadequate execution is just one of many similar cases recently, ever since untested American drugs have taken the place of better-researched European counterparts. This national experiment has yielded cruel results, such as the Ohio inmate who cried "I can feel my whole body burning" during his lethal injection earlier this year. So, Taylor's statement would be more accurate if he offered comparisons that mirror the humane nature of former injections and the inhumane reality of newer concoctions. Surely Taylor would agree that death row convicts should know whether they would be killed by high voltage or low voltage electric shocks; nylon rope or barbed wire; Winchester rounds or rubber bullets. Similarly, Taylor should acknowledge the inherent difference between the type of injection that renders the individual unconscious before killing him, and the type that leaves people writhing on the gurney, slowly dying from a heart attack. 

True, the crimes of these two men in Oklahoma are heinous, and true, they should never be free to walk the streets again. But soon the nation will have to come to terms with the costs of capital punishment, and not in terms of dollars and cents. Of the 121 inmates on death row in Arizona, at least 5 are innocent according to Rate of false conviction. In Texas, the national sanctuary of  the death penalty, 273 are awaiting execution and no less than 10 of these individuals are innocent. California's collection of convicts numbers 746, which includes at least 29 innocent people. Nationwide, 3,108 offenders are waiting on death row. The only problem? 124 of these people did not commit the offense. And probably more.

A common and intelligible rallying cry behind the death penalty is "if your loved one was senselessly taken by a vicious predator, maybe then you would understand." Certainly. It is a tragedy that anyone should be taken before their time. Inherent in that statement, though, is the value of human life, especially moral and upright people. Americans will need to address issues in the application of the death penalty and the conditions in society that make murder and rape commonplace. When the stakes are life and death, why perpetuate the injustice to 124+ more victims? Why extend that pain to countless more family members?

These 124 and more upcoming executions are preventable deaths. The desire to apply justice to reprehensible perpetrators should not turn us into criminals ourselves.

Return to Page 1 »

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Editor: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• Obama troubled by botched Oklahoma execution (news.yahoo.com)
• Oklahoma botches first execution in 80 years (latimes.com)
• In victim's Oklahoma town, no tears for inmate in botched execution (latimes.com)
• Death penalty: Botched execution using new drug combo ends in Oklahoma prisoner's death by heart attack (vancouversun.com)
• A Botched Execution And The Death Penalty Now (onpoint.wbur.org)

Washington's Split Personality | House Approves $310 Billion in Corporate Tax Breaks, Rejects Sensible Foster Care Initiative

Michael Ransom, Contributing EditorLast Modified: 01:20 p.m. DST, 1 May 2014

WASHINGTON, DC - Legislators in Washington continue to buttress the wealth gap that separates a few at the top from mainstream America.

On Tuesday, 29 April 2014, the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives voted to give billions in tax write-offs to the ultra-wealthy, and their familial corporations that masquerade as human beings.

The committee will bring the bill before the House in the coming weeks to see it to completion. Once written into law, the new tax credits will spare the nation's most lucrative businesses $310 billion over the next ten years. The measure will help companies who notoriously camouflage assets in offshore holdings.

Among these beneficiaries is Merck & Co., who famously defrauded Medicaid for millions of dollars in the years leading up to a 2000 federal investigation. The pharmaceutical giant had drawn blood from state and local medical aid programs under the guise of ignorance. Investigators and representatives reached a $650 million settlement to reimburse taxpayers in 2008.

Apple will also benefit by the decision. This top American earner has a long track record of depositing billions in revenue into international accounts, where assets are free from taxation.

But that is only half of the story. In the same meeting on Tuesday, the committee stripped the "Preventing Sex Trafficking and Improving Opportunities for Youth in Foster Care Act" of a $12 million dollar provision, to be paid out in the course of the next decade. The money would have addressed a host of issues in the foster care system.

Not least of these concerns is the number of children diverted from the foster care network into sex trafficking. Facilities administering to foster youth are popular targets for the prostitution industry, and the proposal explains why. Without a birth certificate, Social Security card, health insurance, medical records and financial records, young people are funneled into underground, illegal industries.

The "Youth in Foster Care Act" sought to change this. Through proposed transitional strategies and permanent living alternatives, Democrats such as Rep. Lloyd Doggett wanted to put a small amount of federal funding behind the initiative. Republicans rejected the idea, on account of spending concerns.

The contradictory decisions are insincere at best, and better described as 'piggish.' The most vulnerable and impoverished in society are left hanging when politicians can justify tax cuts for the wealthiest, but fall flat on a provision 1/30,000 the size of the corporate credits. Powerful members of American society continue to marginalize foster youth and like demographics, thrusting them to the peripheries of the pursuit of happiness.

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Editor: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• Cruel GOP Votes $310 Billion for Businesses, Votes Against $12 Million For Foster Children (Video) (aattp.org)
• GOP Lawmakers Say Yes To $310 Billion For Business, But $12 Million For At-Risk Kids? Nope (huffingtonpost.com)
• Republicans pass tax breaks, but don't pay for them (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
• GOP Hypocrites Busted For Trying to Add $310 Billion to the Deficit Via Tax Breaks (politicususa.com)
• Republicans Love Big Business So Much, They Forget About Reducing the Deficit (newrepublic.com)

Dongguan Labor Protests | China, Global Consumers Prioritize Products Over People

Michael Ransom, Contributing EditorLast Modified: 23:02 p.m. DST, 29 April 2014

BEIJING, China -- Years of underpaid social security payments and housing allotments have sparked the protest of thousands of Chinese laborers. The Yue Yuen factory in Dongguan is the global leader in shoe production, employing over 60,000. In the last month, manufacturing has halted. 

In many cases, various forms of compensation were simply unpaid to thousands who do the legwork for corporate giants such as Nike, Adidas, New Balance and Timberland.

The violations of Yue Yuen range from outstanding salaries to mandatory, uncompensated overtime. All of these damages go against Chinese regulations, and are illegal, though apparently permissible. Until now.

Officials are taking notice. But the response of the police and the corporation bear no resemblance. Yue Yuen executives have offered to increase compensation, but have failed to address the concerns over unpaid social insurance and unacceptable factory safety practices. The strike continues, as workers have witnessed this corporate song and dance for decades, with little lasting change. 

On the other hand, many protestors have been jailed since demonstrations escalated earlier this month. The organizer of the demonstration, Zhang Zhiru, has presumably been detained by officials, although his family has been unable to locate or speak with him. The subtext to these actions is that whistleblowers such as Zhiru will be silenced, as well as those who support the cause.

According to An Open Letter to Adidas and Yue Yuen Dongguan, China, a representative for Yue Yuen stated "The misunderstanding has to be clarified by the government." In the wake of the mass incarceration of demonstrators, this statement is very telling. To Yue Yuen, "The misunderstanding" should be read as--the false impression that the voice of Chinese laborers factors into the dealings of the corporate powerhouse. The "clarification from the government" that Yue Yuen is waiting on will surely be the clarity that comes from the iron fist of an autocratic agenda. 

Much of the media attention has centered upon the disruption of sneaker production, as opposed to the people directly affected by the corporate bottom line. The Western discussion of the movement is more concerned with the potential supply fluctuation and securing stable factories, than with addressing the root problems. Chief among these are basic human rights.

Businesses with the strength of Nike or Adidas should not participate with factories that skirt ethical and legal codes. But then again, it is not altogether surprising. That is how most retail titans gain tremendous market shares in the first place.

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Editor: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• Strike at Chinese shoe factory ends partially (news.yahoo.com)
• Yue Yuen footwear factory resumes production (wantchinatimes.com)
• China shoe factory strike hits Adidas (edition.cnn.com)
• Yue Yuen counts cost of China shoe strike, says most workers returned (news.yahoo.com)
• Workers down tools at Yue Yuen shoe factories in Dongguan (wantchinatimes.com)

The Myth of American Democracy

Michael Ransom, Contributing EditorLast Modified: 00:57 a.m. DST, 24 April 2014

UNITED STATES - A 240-year-old illusion is under scrutiny, and the data is conclusive. All dogma and buzzwords aside, the United States of America operates as an Oligarchy.

New empirical research disproves the idea that the U.S. is a democracy. A common response to these claims is "of course not, America is a Republic." Well, also incorrect, it turns out. According to a joint study by leading experts in the political sphere, the terms "democracy" or "republic" are erroneous adjectives.

Testing Theories of American Politics is a recent study to be published in Perspectives on Politics academic journal this Fall. The report is authored by Martin Gilens and Benjamin Page, who teach at Princeton and Northwestern Universities respectively. The professors compiled 20 years of political data to cross-reference political decisions with the will of the American majority.

Their results are telling. The model takes 1,779 unique policies into account, and finds that with uncanny predictability, the intentions of wealthy Americans are fulfilled through the actions of politicians. Thus, the study concludes that the government is run by a select few. However, unlike a military state, those in power in America rule through the dollar, and not by the sword.

The findings of Gilens and Page are rooted in prevailing philosophies of American democracy. The four possible outcomes of the statistics are also the four principle theories of public policy control: power either lies with the majority, the wealthy, collected citizens or collected wealth. Marjoritarian Electoral Democracy, Economic Elite Domination, Majoritarian Pluralism and Biased Pluralism are the theories that correspond to each of these demographics, when each group is at the reins of political power.

The scholars conclude that "The results provide substantial support for theories of Economic Elite Domination and for theories of Biased Pluralism, but not for theories of Marjoritarian Electoral Democracy or Marjoritarian Pluralism." In layman's terms, the wealthy and the interest groups of the wealthy have primary sway over government dealings.

Later in the report the authors introduce tables to illustrate their findings. This data indicates that the voice of the majority is largely silenced by corporate America. Even in the face of the people's dissent big-money interests will win-out in policy making.

All this is disturbing, especially in a nation that claims to be the home of a special breed of democracy and independence. Some even claim the New World to be the origins of democratic government. But anyone with an internet connected or a reputable textbook can unravel this fabrication.

A host of nations claim to be the birthplace of democratic government, but some have more founded reasoning than others. Iceland created the Althing parliament in 930 CE, creating a commonwealth society where representatives met to make laws and nominate judiciaries. By some standards, they are the inventors of the democratic state.

The Isle of Man holds the record for the oldest democratic body still in operation. The Tynwald legislature began in 979 CE and elects its members into positions in the executive branch. And New Zealand set a global precedent by establishing universal suffrage in 1893.

The United States cannot be decorated with any of these accolades. And now, their status as a democracy is questionable at best. If America could check the power of the dollar on supposed democratic dealings by limiting the impact of private monies in public elections, the voice of the majority would be audible for the first time.

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Editor: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• Wealthy elite influence government policy more than average voters, study finds (dailynorthwestern.com)
• Gilens and Page: Average citizens have no political influence (equalitybylot.wordpress.com)
• U.S. Policies Favor The Wealthy, Interest Groups, Study Shows (huffingtonpost.com)
• Read the Gilens-Page Study. Right Now. (pacificbullmoose.com)
• Scientific Study: USA Is Not A Democracy But An Oligarchy (rinf.com)

Captain Abandonned Ship, Leaves Hundreds of Children to Die

Michael Ransom, Senior CorrespondentLast Modified: 23:38 p.m. DST, 23 April 2014

JINDO COUNTY, South Korea - Efforts once aimed at rescuing passengers aboard the downed Sewol ferry have transformed into a labored search to recover the bodies still aboard the small ship.

174 people were saved during the disaster last Wednesday, 16 April 2014, in part because of S.O.S. phone call from a young student. Despite the number rescued, over 300 are presumed dead.

The death toll increases by the hour. In the last few days divers have discovered multiple routes to high capacity rooms such as the cafeteria. They are now able to transport greater numbers of victims to the nearby Jindo island. Here, families and friends of the missing have assembled to wait for any news.

The majority of travelers were students from Danwon High School, destined for Jeju City on a field trip. At least 325 students and 15 teachers were housed in various quarters in the upper levels of the ferry. Most are still missing and presumed dead.

At about 9:30 Wednesday morning, the unsteady boat become deadly, tilting at a severe angle. Soon, passengers reached out to loved ones in grave text messages and phone calls. All the while, they were ordered to stay put. The children were separated throughout the ship, primarily in the cafeteria, which was centrally located in the heart of the craft.

In the week since the tragedy, the grieving process has taken many forms. Initial hope that those trapped throughout the vessel could have ample air pockets kept many optimistic. As time passed and the rescue proved slow and difficult, families have been outspoken in their criticism of the emergency response.

The cause of the accident is still unknown, but collected evidence helps to explain potential problems during those fateful morning hours. For one, Captain Lee Jun-Seok was not at the controls when the ship began to sway. Against all moral and legal justification, he was one of the first to leave the rocky vessel.

President Park Geun-hye was quick to admonish the Captain, who has been arrested along with six of his crew. While his actions are certainly reprehensible and his failure to evacuate the ship exacerbated the crisis, he is not alone in his guilt.

Allegedly, the Cheonghaejin Marine Company pressured the crew to sail in unfavorable weather conditions, and likely misrepresented the amount of cargo stored in the body of the ferry. Additionally, the life boats aboard the Sewol were unfit for use, calling the company, the national inspection system and the government itself into question. The investigation is ongoing. 

While these claims do not clear the Captain of his wrongdoings, they do suggest the issue is bigger than just one man, or seven crew members. This tragedy could have been prevented at many stages, even before the ship set sail. Even so, the decision to keep the passengers inside the ship was ultimately the Captain's. And, so were his efforts to flee.

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Senior Correspondent: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• Vice-Principal Rescued From Ferry Found Hanged (news.sky.com)
• Sewol Update (shipwrecklog.com)
• Photos of the ferry disaster off south coast (koreaherald.com)
• UPDATE: South Korea Ferry Sinks; Hundreds Missing... (nytimes.com)
• South Korea ferry captain rushed back to bridge as ship listed-crewman (scooprocket.com)

India to Recognize Third Gender

INDIA - A decision was made on 15 April 2014 in favor of the 3 million Indians who are transgender. On legal forms, there is now a third category marked either "transgender" or "other." The Indian constitution orders against gender discrimination and more and more people are beginning to realize that that includes more than just men and women.

Transgender is defined as someone who has acquired physical characteristics of the opposite sex, who identify as neither male or female, or who present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.

Among other things, transgendered people now have the legal right to adopt children and to have the same jobs as non-transgendered people. Before the law, the majority was either restricted to "show" careers -- singing and dancing -- or to a life of begging or prostitution. Now if needed they can be included in welfare programs that help provide jobs, education and healthcare.

Public toilets for the transgender community as well as transgender-specific health services are now available. India has also launched public awareness campaigns to fight the stigma against transgender people.

Since the ruling, 28,000 people have chosen to identify themselves as "other" on voter registration forms.

Follow Sarah on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributing Journalist: @SJJakubowski

Related articles

• India recognizes 3rd gender rights (edition.cnn.com)
• India Officially Recognizes Transgender People as 'Third Gender' (jezebel.com)
• India's top court recognizes transgender as third gender category (miamiherald.typepad.com)
• India's top court recognizes third gender category (cnsnews.com)
• Gender And Identity (therapytribe.com)
• You: Indian SC orders to recognize transgenders as 3rd gender (nation.com.pk)

KKK Targets Jewish Community Center Killing Three Christians

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas -- So often, hatred is crippling. On Sunday, hatred was blinding in Kansas City. On a mission to incite terror and assail Jewish community buildings, Frazier Glenn Cross killed anyone and everyone in his reach. 

Cross, who also went by Frazier Glenn Miller, is a 73-year-old Missouri resident. This weekend, his well-documented history of ignorant rhetoric turned deadly.

The elderly man targeted the Jewish Community Campus of Greater Kansas City and Village Shalom senior center, before being captured by police outside a local elementary school.

During the shooting spree, Cross killed three Christians while spouting "Heil Hitler" and other bigoted slogans. According to authorities, he had a shotgun, pistol and assault rifle at his disposal. An eyewitness remembers the perpetrator smiling as he was taken into custody. 

Among the victims were two Methodists, Dr. William Lewis Corporon, age 69, and his 14-year-old grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood. Corporon passed away outside of the community center.

Underwood was transported to a hospital where he would later die from his wounds. The high school freshman was auditioning for a vocal competition at the Jewish Community Campus. He and his escort were bombarded outside the event. 

The third victim was 53-year-old Terri LaManno, who was visiting her mother at Village Shalom when she was attacked. LaManno was also a Christian. Cross allegedly attempted to kill two others, who escaped to safety. Certainly, the foundation of the community has been shook. 

The defendant is a veteran of hate-mongering. Cross rose to power as the "grand dragon" leader of the Carolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, known more commonly as the KKK. Realizing he had not reached his potential to perpetuate ignorance, Cross would later create the White Patriot Party in 1985, a group founded on anti-Semitic and white power platforms. His other lowlights include the intimidation of Morris Dees, a Civil Rights activist and lawyer who used civil lawsuits against groups like the Ku Klux Klan in a successful career that lasted decades. 

Often in the spotlight, Cross was a proud white-supremacist who shared his divisive message in television interviews and publicized Klan meetings. In 2006, he ran for the House of Representatives but gained little support. Cross tried again to gain political office in his failed 2010 Senate campaign. During both attempts, he sponsored radio advertisements lobbying his hate-filled agenda. In 1999, he authored "A White Man Speaks Out." By all accounts, the memoir is steeped in equal parts paranoia and hostility. 

According to police, Cross will appear in court on Tuesday, 15 April 2014. However, this will not be his first stint in prison. In 1987, Cross served three years after failing to comply with his bond agreement. A national search for the runaway ended in a Missouri trailer, where Cross and several others had retreated with a massive weapons stockpile. The one-time fugitive will likely spend the rest of his life in detainment. 

The Overland Park community and the nation are grieving the loss of three wonderful citizens. But the incidence has also raised serious questions about possible preventative measures. Given his well-documented history of militant behavior and criminal history, many question how Cross was able to obtain the arsenal used in this weekend's attack. As with any act of terrorism, Cross sought to alter the world outside of the small Kansas City district. Sadly, he has gained the attention of the American people. Hopefully, the collective reply will be a positive one. 

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Senior Correspondent: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• Terri LaManno ID'd as 3rd Victim in Overland Park Shootings by Frazier Glenn Cross (hinterlandgazette.com)
• Hate-crime charges to be filed in Kansas shootings (sfgate.com)
• Victim in supremacist shooting was Eagle Scout, white, Christian (kgw.com)
• Former Ku Klux Klan Leader Arrested For Kansas Jewish Center Murders (hiphopwired.com)
• Feds to seek hate-crimes prosecution in Kansas City-area shootings (cbsnews.com)

Malala Yousafzai, Two Years After Attempted Assasination

Malala Yousafzai, Oval Office 11 October 2013, Photo Courtesy of White House

UNITED STATES - On October of 2012, 14-year-old Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai was shot for speaking up about women's rights to education. As an inside correspondent with BBC, subject of two documentaries and frequent guest in newsrooms, Yousafazai was becoming the poster child of youth activism and women's rights. A Taliban gunman attempted to silence her and to set an example. She was hospitalized for three months.

The attack failed to curb her passion for political activism and, with international support, she continued her crusade for education soon after her recovery. Instead of silencing her and the movement, the attack raised global awareness with spokespeople from the US, the UK and Canada showing their outrage and support.

The next time she spoke publicly was on 12 July 2013 -- her birthday. She celebrated at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City where she spoke to a global audience about the role youth can play in ensuring worldwide education. She supported the Global Education First Initiative, which aims to have all school-age children, particularly girls, in school by year 2015. The day became known as Malala Day.

Another namesake is the Malala Fund, which has raised $7 million to spend on education projects in remote areas of Pakistan.

The most recent effort is the We Are Silent Campaign, to be held on April 17. She encourages the world to take a 24-hour vow of silence in honor of 31 million girls worldwide who are denied an education.

Since the shooting, Time magazine featured her in 2013 as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. She made history as the youngest nominee for the (2013) Nobel Peace Prize, and was nominated again in 2014. With help from journalist Christina Lamb she's written a memoir entitled "I am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up For Education and was Shot by the Taliban." She's gone to Buckingham Palace and the White House and plans to continue her career in political activism.

Sporting News | Saudi Women May Soon See Athletic Opportunities

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Progress towards greater gender equality continues in Saudi Arabia. Last year, King Abdullah allowed the addition of physical education programs in private schools. 2012 saw the first Saudi female athletes competing in Olympic games. And now, the Shura Council has voted to expand athletic programs to public schools throughout the Kingdom. While Saudi women remain some of the most restricted in the world, their cause is gaining momentum.

Growing concerns over women's health are at the core of the movement. Increased heart disease, obesity and diabetes threaten Saudi women at much higher rates than their male counterparts. According to Human Rights Watch, as many as 33% of women likely suffer from obesity, and 25% are plagued by diabetes. Regular exercise through physical education regimens and after-school sporting opportunities could greatly offset these life-threatening conditions, according to doctors.

The Shura Council has little power in Saudi government, but the assembly fills an important gap between the people and lawmakers. The Council's recommendation will be forwarded to the education ministry. This department will have the final say. In recent years, high-power clerics have questioned the longstanding ban on female recreation, stating that the Qur'an does not explicitly oppose this activity.

Externally, Saudi Arabia was the subject of international pressure. Until the 2012 Summer Olympics, the Kingdom was the only country recognized by the International Olympic Committee to prohibit female participants. The London games saw two Saudi women competitors, Wojdan Ali Seraj and Abdulrahim Shahrkhani, who competed in judo and track, respectively. The ladies' achievements were veiled, as the events were not televised in their mother country.

The makeup of the Shura Council is in itself indicative of the direction of the country. Last year, King Abdullah included 30 women on the board of 150 advisors. In the past, the Council had been exclusively male. But, the assembly's new power balance is not representative of wider Saudi society. Legally, women are unable to participate in business dealings, drive cars or even vote. Even so, Saudi women work in sales, education and now, law. Earlier this year, Bayan Mahmoud Al-Zahran was the first woman in the Kingdom to gain her lawyer's license.

However necessary, the implementation of female athletics could prove dubious. Even the discussion of expanding of women's athletics generated controversy from conservative Council members. If the education ministry approves wider sporting provisions, participants will abide by Sharia codes. According to these Islamic laws, traditional attire and female supervision will be mandated during sport practices and events.

The Council's endorsement is just one component of an increasingly progressive Saudi Arabia. Last August, King Abdullah took official action against domestic violence. The order provides victims with necessary medical treatment and levies serious punishments against culpable parties. By most data, Saudi Arabia is home to the most codified gender inequity in the world, and yet, developments continue to give hope to the women of the Kingdom.

Follow Michael on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Senior Correspondent: @MAndrewRansom

Related articles

• PE Classes for Saudi Girls Inch Closer to Reality (blogs.wsj.com)

• Saudi authorities asked to allow school sport for girls (gulfnews.com)

• Saudi Arabia may review ban on girls' school sports (schoolsimprovement.net)

• Historic First: Saudi King Grants Women the Right to Vote, Run for Local Office (theblaze.com)

• Saudi Woman Sentenced to 10 Lashes for Defying Driving Ban (theblaze.com)

• Saudi Judo Fighter Will Now Be Allowed to Wear Islamic Headscarf During Olympic Competition (theblaze.com)

Social Media Bans Persist in Turkey

recep tayyip erdogan, photo by cvrcak1

TURKEY, Ankara - First Twitter and now YouTube, social media platforms in Turkey are continually being banned by the Turkish Telecommunications Authority. This latest YouTube ban comes after a video posted on March 27 on the site that is supposedly of an audio recording of top Turkish officials discussing a military operation against Syria, according to CNN.

This leak was followed by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s accusations that YouTube and Twitter are being used to slander and spy on the government. The Twitterban came first on 21 March 2014 after a re-election rally during which CNN quoted Erdoğan as saying he was determined to “root out Twitter”; however, the ban was deemed unconstitutional by the Turkish high court.  The YouTube ban followed six days later.

Besides the audio recording of a planned false-flag against Syria, more audio was leaked that incriminate the Justice and Development party leader, Erdoğan. What he calls “immorally edited material”, had been published on YouTube that supposedly was of Erdoğan instructing his son to hide millions of dollars from the police, further implicating him of corruption allegations.

After public outcry and protest, the 27 March 2014 YouTube ban was overturned 2 April 2014. Al Arabiya News said that the ban was found to be in violation of human right and instead of a site-wide sanction, 15-videos were banned. However, just two days following the lifting of the ban, it has been reinstated.  This back-and-forth with the rulings against YouTube has created more mass disapproval in Turkey and internationally.

Turkey has been vying for admission into the European Union, but after these latest regulations by the Turkish government, it seems like this may be less and less of a possibility. An anonymous high-ranking EU official spoke on Turkey’s EU bid to Today’s Zaman saying, “For Turkey's EU membership, countries like France and Germany will eventually seek a referendum for public support, and Turkey has lost the support of young and liberal constituencies in the EU with its ban on social media. This [ban] has definitely not brought Turkey closer to the EU.”

Losing EU favor is only the beginning. The US has also been vocal about their objection to Erdoğan’s social media ban. Al Arabiya News reported that last Friday, Washington had been urging the Turkish government to “open all social media space in Turkey”.

Even the massive internet company Google has joined the protest against the YouTube ban. Russia Today reported that Google has appealed the YouTube ban to Turkey’s Constitutional Court. Since Google Inc. is the owner of YouTube, a Google spokesperson told Wall Street Journal via email, “it is obviously very disappointing to people and businesses in Turkey that YouTube is still blocked, and we are actively challenging the ban in the courts,” and that the YouTube ban impedes on “freedom of speech”.

Any negative impact of these social bans on Erdoğan’s chances of winning has yet to be determined. Prime Minister Erdoğan is currently running in the Turkish presidential election. Local elections in Ankara were challenged March 30 after claims of corrupted results, of which Erdoğan won. Reuters reported that the opposition party’s call for a recount was denied. It appears that in local elections his candidacy has not been tainted. Turkish national elections for presidency will take place on 10 August 2014.

Contributing Journalist: @allysoncwright