The Prosecution of
George W. Bush for Murder
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Yesterday's
hero against Evil was The Shadow
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Listen Now
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In Laura's Opinion
Laura has always been adventurous and at the same time, intellectual. Right after high school she left her native Racine, Wisconsin for the wilds of Alaska where she got a job on a seafood processing barge located somewhere in the ocean out of sight of the mainland.
A summer on the ocean was enough for her. She then entered the US Army where she studied at the Academy of Health Sciences at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas.
As if she had not had enough adventure, she then married and had four children, including twin boys. Laura still lives in her hometown of Racine and is active in civic affairs and is a journalist.
Please read her columns and feel free to respond to them at laura@jerrypippin.com .
You can read what our commentators have to say on
these pages.
What do you have to say? Make your statement on our
QUESTIONING BUSH AND HIS CHRISTIANITY
10/03/05
Many people question whether or not Bush is really a Christian. Now, these people certainly raise very convincing points. The nay-sayers site things such as...Bush had a hand in 9/11, he lied to us about the Iraq war, he continues to lie to us. The points go on and on. They are correct with their facts. But I can prove where he is doing what Joseph did in Egypt, oh so very long ago. And of course we judge a person's Christianity based on how well they live by the Bible. He is very much like Joseph.
Let me make one thing perfectly clear. You were lied to in church. In church you were taught that Joseph was blessed because he could interpret the dreams of the Pharaoh. Joseph interpreted one of the Pharaoh's dreams to warn of seven years of plenty and seven years of famine and drought.
Lets look at this scripture (get out your Bible, that way you can see for yourself) Gen 41:33-36:
33: "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt."
34: "Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance."
35: "They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food."
36: "This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine."
We were taught in church that what Joseph did was to pass out a portion of the grain to the people during the lean years. I wonder if the teachers and pastors who taught us this, ever really read the passage in its completeness. Let me give you my interpretation of the account.
Pharaoh had dreams that only Joseph could interpret. The dreams predicted seven years of plenty and seven years of terrible famine.
Seeing that God helped Joseph interpret the dreams, Pharaoh made Joseph second in command of all of Egypt. Joseph was given great authority. He was put in charge of the storehouses. He took a fifth of the harvest. So what he really did was tax the people 20%.
An interesting point here is that Joseph and Pharaoh kept the upcoming famine a secret. (Sound familiar? Sound like any government you know? Sounds like a leader I know.) They did not tell the people. The people were not allowed to prepare for the upcoming disaster. Joseph over-taxed the people and took the extra that their labors produced. This is setting up the people to become dependent on the government. (Much like today)
Let's look at Gen 47:14-15:
13: "There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe. Both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine."
14: "Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh's palace."
15: "When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, 'Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is used up.'" (some versions of the Bible say that the money failed.)
How does does a person's money get all used up? Well quite simple. Joseph took what originally belonged to the people by taxing them 20%. Joseph knew about the upcoming famine but chose not to tell the people. When the famine was upon them the people cried out. Joseph in all his 'kindness' allowed the people to buy back what was originally theirs. They ran out of money. But never fear. Joseph had a plan. They always have a plan. Only they are the only ones who know about it.
Lets look at Gen 47: 16-17:
16: "Then bring your livestock" said Joseph,. "I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone."
17: "So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock."
So Joseph's plan to 'help' the people was to take the livestock, their only real means of food and clothing. Granted, the livestock were cutting into the grain portions. But at least they could get milk and cheese, and possibly eat an occasional animal to survive. They became so desperate that they gave of what they had left. For all of this, Pharaoh and Joseph became wealthier and the people became poorer. I never heard the story told like this in church.
So the greatness of Joseph continues. (Instead of the 'Original Sin' there should be 'Original Spin') For everything that the people gave up, they only received a year's worth of rations in return. (Creating government dependence)
Gen 47:18-19:
18: "When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, 'We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land."
19: "Why should we perish before your eyes we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we without land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate."
Little late for the seed don't you think? They could have given them seed to begin with. Joseph had taxed such an abundance that they quit counting how much they had. It isn't until after the people have had everything taken from them that seed is provided? Could it be only because that now that the land belongs to Pharaoh he will allow it to be planted. Now that he has slaves to work the land he will now let it produce.
Gen 47:21:
21: "Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other."
22: "However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment form Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them." That is why they did not sell their land. (Our first special-interest) (There is a footnote in regards to verse 21 in the NIV...The text note reading would mean that the Egyptians were to move temporarily into the cities until seed could be distributed to them for planting)
Sounds like us moving the people displaced in New Orleans. Being spread all over until their 'seed' arrives.
23: "Joseph said to the people, "Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, (he hardly bought it) here is seed for you so you can plant the ground."
24: "But when the crop comes in, give a fifth (20%) of it to Pharaoh. The other four fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children."
How great of him. He took their land enslaved them upon it. Allows them to keep just enough to be able to work and reproduce but not enough to ever be free, but enough to keep them in bondage. Sounds like the policies before us today. Now Bush could enact a public-works program to rebuild New Orleans. At first I liked the idea...I guess I still do...people need to work. But there is an ugly truth to it. Halilburton is going to be the one who is going to benefit. Of course we will outsource the public works program to somehow involve Haliburton.
Even poor people own land, or at least the house they live in. Albeit maybe not a mansion but it is land they own it all the same. Only now, the land that was once theirs will be condemned and the government will claim it, having never paid its rightful owners a dime. Then they will allow the people whose land it was to begin with to rebuild it via a public works program. Of course they will not be rebuilding what was once their house, they will be rebuilding something that they could purchase if only they weren't so poor. Just like Pharaoh. The people became dependent on the public works of Pharaoh and were very cheap labor. The slaves built roads, monuments, gardens, all kinds of 'public' things. Roosevelt had roads, pyramids, buildings, monuments and parks built.
Joseph is a perfect example of a government having prior knowledge of a coming disaster and taking advantage of it.
What about Joseph and his family? Well...just like our leaders today they look out for their own. Joseph had his family sent for and he took care of them 'lest they become destitute.'
If we look to the Bible as a guide to how to behave, then I can truly say that Bush is a Christian and modeling one of the Bible's most loved people.
I never learned that in Sunday School.
BULLY ON THE PLAYGROUND
07/25/05The dynamics of the playground is changing yet again. But this time it is becoming easier to see who is on what side.
The interesting thing is that the new bullies are taking over our country without ever firing a shot.
China is making many political/military moves. They have made bids to take over some of our country's oldest companies. We have heard about their move to purchase Unocal, their merger with IBM. Now they want to purchase Maytag. The Maytag Man is going to have a different uniform soon. Not to mention that they decided to re-value their currency. Making it stronger against the dollar. What kind of bold move is that?
China is getting bolder. They made it very clear that if we think we are going to interfere with Taiwan, they will not hesitate to use nuclear weapons.
What if all of a sudden the people in Hawaii decided they wanted to become more like China? In fact, they wanted to be a part of China. How well do you think our government would take to that?
Add to that, China being willing to back Hawaii and their attempts at freeing themselves from the US. What would Bush do? Let it happen?
I am not saying what should be done in respect to Taiwan, but we can’t be too surprised by the reaction of China. Taiwan was a part of China at one time.
They began to align themselves with Japan. As we know, we took over Japan during WWII. We destroyed the cities and then paid to rebuild them and put a government of our liking in place. Now we have a US-friendly country right in Asia. Taiwan was critical of us during Vietnam. It is a very critically strategic country. When we were in the process of taking over Japan, China was not in a position to challenge us. Now they are. China will not allow a bigger foothold in Asia then we already have.
The Korean War isn’t over…we just have a ceasefire. A very long one at that. That is why we still have military forces at the 39th parallel. China has made it very clear that they are behind N. Korea. Once again, we are backing S. Korea. If we think we are going to take action against N. Korea you can bet that China will take action against us.
We are fighting in the Middle East not only for oil but for the best strategic footing. We are trying to place our troops in key military places. However, unlike the countries that we are facing off against, we have a problem recruiting people to risk their lives for a war that is about oil. On the other hand, the ‘enemy’ doesn’t. Of course the other side's fight isn’t about gaining oil...it is about keeping what is rightfully theirs. Their people are fighting to save their land from imperialistic countries. They are fighting to preserve themselves. They have been killed by the US and our friends for so long that now they are fighting against us directly. When one dies…another rises up to take their place. Can we say that? Our young women and men are fighting a different fight. They are fighting for the dreams and riches of big business. We are fighting for rich white men whom we have never met. We are fighting for the survival of the elite. The enemies are fighting for their very survival.
My brother-in-law is in Iraq. I was instant-messaging with him the other day. He is one of the guards for the ‘insurgents’.
He said that he doesn’t like the Iraqi people because they have no honor. I asked him to explain what he meant. He said that when they go out on patrols to look for insurgents, all you have to do is threaten to take their bike and they sell out the whole neighborhood.
I laughed at first. But then I got to thinking about it. If the Iraqis comply with the wishes of the US…soldiers are standing 10 deep with machine guns drawn in your face…
We say they have no honor. If they decide to have ‘honor’ and not ‘rat’ out the whole village then they are arrested, interrogated, abused, tortured, kept indefinitely and are labeled terrorists.
Have not the Iraqis been told to comply with US forces? Then when they do, we talk about them as having no honor. What are they to do?
What will I do when the Chinese Army is marching through the streets of the US wanting me to ‘rat’ out my neighborhood?
Do I comply?
Do I lie? Do I try to fight?
Do I have no ‘honor’?
Or do I take up the Chinese uniform and join the new Chinese military. Fight against my fellow Americans? That is what we expect the Iraqi’s to do.
We Americans are so stupid. We (me not included) are like lambs being led to slaughter.
What are we to say if China makes good on its threats? This is quite possible, now that we have a President who has made it perfectly clear that it is okay for him to launch a preemptive strike but not anyone else. Typical bully mentality.
I don’t think the average American has any idea just how close China is to us geographically. Not to mention the fact that they really are superior to us on many fronts. I am not a friend of China, but the truth is the truth.
We are creating a very ugly place on this planet. Anyone can be labeled a terrorist, just for speaking out and speaking the truth.
We can’t get enough Americans to fight in this stupid war, so we turn the people whose country we invaded into military forces for us.
We do that by making sure first and foremost that it is the best-paying job available.
We do that by destroying the towns and making sure there is nowhere else for these people to work.
Then we send in our contractors (Halliburton) to rebuild the country. All the while, Halliburton is stealing from the Americans too.
We use US companies instead of Iraqi companies. We wouldn’t want someone else to benefit from the war.
We don’t want to empower them too much.
Then we hire the Iraqis to be our security for the American contractors. Now we have others doing our dirty deeds.
Now we are in Iraq. Where do we go next? Syria, Iran, N. Korea?
Israel is already flying missions into Iran. A little softening of targets. Just like we did in Iraq. Bomb first, get permission later.
It’s a good thing I like Chinese food. I think we might be forced to eat rice instead of ‘freedom fries’.
For more information about Hawaii's secession, follow this link: Hawaiian Nation question before U.N. Security Council [Free Republic]
THE WORLD IS BUT A .....PLAYGROUND!
05/20/05The US has been the playground bully of the world for quite some time. Before the US it was Britain. Now we do it together. The bullies have formed a 'gang' on the playground. Where is this playground located? Wherever there might be a drop of oil.
The US dollar is backed by oil and debt. I love the idea that people invest in our country's debt. On the promise that we will pay it back. How funny. It also helps our country that oil is traded in the US dollar. That ensures that other countries will always have to buy our dollar to purchase their much needed oil. That is great for us but terrible for the other people on the playground. In Europe alone it costs double what it costs us for a gallon of gas. That is because it takes at least two of their dollars to purchase one of ours. A $55 barrel costs Europe the equivalent of $110.
The United States is the largest user and abuser of oil. China and India are very close behind. Of course you hear about how awful it is that China is using so much oil. Bush is trying make China be the bad guy. Making it sound as if it is a crime against our country when another country does to us what we do to them. Isn't that just like a bully?
Because of the importance of oil, it has become the #1 sought after commodity. The US and China have become competitors for the remaining world's oil. Not to mention every other resource on the planet. There is oil all over the globe, but the large quantities of it currently exist in the Middle East. However there is some oil in Russia, the US, Venezuela etc.
The US obtains most of its oil from Saudi Arabia. We have a deep relationship with the Saudi Royal family. It was so sweet to see Bush holding hands with the Saudi Crowned Prince at the Crawford Ranch. I wonder what deals Pinky (Bush) and the Brain (Cheney) have cooked up for their world domination tour. Of course our history with the Saudis goes waaaay back. I have read recently that the oil in Saudi Arabia is quickly going dry. Whatever estimates they give doesn't really matter because it is not the truth. Be assured that whatever estimates they (government agencies and oil companies) give, the truth will be double whatever they decide to tell us. The world governments and big business do not want us to know just how serious the situation is. Serious on so many different levels.
This battle going on between the US, China, and India for the world's oil is the perfect 'threat to our economy' for Bush to turn on the rest of the world. China has the ability to pay twice, even three times the amount for goods that are in high demand. China does business with the same countries that we do. Many of them poor 3rd world countries. Thanks to US policy we have kept 3rd world countries 3rd world. We continue to benefit by stealing these country's resources. Keeping them poor. The leaders of these countries know what we have done and continue to do to them. Its funny how our workers wages are going down to meet the 3rd world not the 3rd world to meet us. Payroll is the biggest expense in a business. And earth is not a planet but a business. We have privatized the planet.
Our country's policies haven't allowed these smaller countries to defend themselves. We don't allow them to develop weapons that might put them on an equal playing field. Since WWII these 3rd world countries have slowly learned how to play the game the way the US plays it. China has quietly played the game, getting bigger and stronger.
China has a very large population. They are a poor country by our standards. A large population translates into a large cheap workforce. That is how China's economy is now bigger then ours, their military is bigger...way bigger then ours. It costs China very little to manufacture clothing for example. China is able to pay their workers next to nothing...which is still better than what they were getting. Then because they have little to no labor laws, textile labor practices are terrible. They can work however long hours the textile mill owners say. That kind of practice can generate a lot of product. Which in turn is sold very cheaply.
How do these products increase in cost? Many factors play into this but nowadays it is corporate greed that makes costs soar. We are always looking for the cheapest price. That is where Wal-Mart enters the picture. I shop at Wal-Mart. I need the low prices. But I am not ignorant to the giant amounts of product that Wal-Mart purchases from China each year. China can give Wal-Mart the amount of product at the price that Wal-Mart wants. China in turn floods our market with cheap products and that hurts our workers. Regardless if Wal-Mart hired Union employees or not, the problem is still there. Anyway, you think you are buying American and you are not. Ford is owned by a rich Saudi. Miller beer is owned by a South African company. American business: what is that? Americans don't own America.
Countries that once purchased items from us have begun to purchase items from China also. Our policies have created a monster.
The United States has been going around the globe using playground bully tactics to enforce its political/business agenda. If we look at the world in terms of a school playground we get an accurate picture of the US since before we were the United States.
The United States has been the big playground bully. Whatever we wanted on the playground we claimed. Perfect example is how we took California from Mexico in the 1800's. Regardless if it was ours or not. If it isn't given to us we will take it. As long as the bully can convince those being bullied, that they are weaker, dumber, poorer, then the bully can survive. At some point if you can't stand up to a playground bully with words then the bullied will turn to fists. If the bully is stronger and a better fighter the bully will win again. The battle was won by the bully but the silent war of the losers isn't lost yet.
The bullied just try to keep the bully happy and avoid the bully. Behind the scenes those who are being bullied begin to plan against the bully. The ultimate goal of the bullied is to get rid of the bully.
The bully in the meantime is making friends with the other big kids (other countries) on the playground. The bully knows that its only chance at survival is to have people who support and prosper by the tactics of the bully. The bully and his allies know that one day those who are being bullied will one day gather sticks-and-stones around the playground in order to defeat the bully.
The bully, being stronger, takes all the sticks and stones (weapons) from the playground. The bully says that the bullied can have weapons but only weapons that the bully approves of. The bullied will not be given enough sticks and stones to defeat the bully. The bullies give only some of the bullied access to sticks and stones. The bullies decide that only democratic bullied leaders can have some sticks or some stones but not both and only enough to control those who might 'rock the boat' and disrupt the status quo of the bullied who have made a self-serving deal with the bully.
There are still those on the playground who would rather be bullied until they can eliminate the bully altogether. Some of the bullied will not bow down to the bully or the allies of the bully. Not only does the bully control the weapons on the playground but they also control who does business on the playground. Only those who the bully likes are allowed in the cafeteria to eat. All others have their lunch money taken from them. Other bullied people are told not to do business with their own bullied people. (Trade embargoes) If someone goes to the bullied to help them, they run the risk of starting a fight with the bully.
So, the bully now controls all of the weapons that might be used against him. He controls the food supply. The bullied just sit...quietly...and wait. One day a savior/patriot will save them.
-THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE PLAYGROUND-
A lot of time goes by. These smaller bullied kids grow up. There is a new kid who is just as big if not bigger than the present bully. The new kid is getting stronger because the bullied see that this new kid can change the 'face' of the playground. They begin to rally beside the new kid. The new kid begins to protect the bullied. The new kid isn't afraid of the bully. The new kid begins to provide weapons to the bullied. Begins to educate the bullied about the weaknesses of the bully. The smaller, weaker kids are beginning to be strong because the truth is beginning to be revealed to them. They are no longer ignorant about the bully. They are willing to stand beside the new kid and take on the playground bully. Who is this new kid? China.
The battle lines are being drawn. We know from history who the gang of bullies are. Some of the new kids on the block are, of course, China, India, Russia, Pakistan, N. Korea, and most importantly Iran.
India and Pakistan are getting things worked out so they can have a bigger alliance with China. China has an agreement with Russia to purchase oil. Putin has taken over all of the oil fields in Russia. A big move. State-owned oil fields. That means Putin decides what happens with the oil, not the not-so-free market. Of course they are selling to China. China has just signed a large agreement to purchase oil from Iran. We won't do business with Iran. Those playground bully tactics worked on the old playground but it doesn't work anymore. Because we don't do business with Iran, no one else is supposed to either. China has a standing army of one million. With another million waiting to fill the ranks. This is the truth. China backs Iran and N. Korea. When, not if, when we go into Iran we will be taking on the armies of Gog and Magog. Personally, I think we have gotten Israel to be the one who will fire the first shot. They fly into Iran all the time now. I have heard that Israel has already destroyed smaller nuclear facilities in Iran. I'm not sure if that is true or not. Maybe you could tell me.
The US Bush and his cronies need all the oil. The battle lines are being drawn. The team captains are beginning to choose teams.
It won't be too long before the Middle East (Saudis included) turn on the US Bush Bully and begin to trade oil in the Euro. That of course will be an act of war against the US and its allies and the rest truly is history. Best Wishes.