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What is your price? What do you think you are worth? What would you pay to retrieve your child who has been kidnapped? Hopefully you have never been in a position to have to bargain for human lives, but at this very moment there are thousands of hostages held by terrorist and criminal gangs in dangerous and degrading conditions in Central and South America, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe. They are stuck in the middle while their families, employers, governments or specialist hostage negotiators haggle over their lives and 'value'. The longer negotiations continue the less likelihood there is of release and/or exchange, and the greater the chances of deliberate or even accidental death. Hostages can only pray their skills, nationality, visibility, network of influence and family wealth will make them more valuable alive than dead. The timing, changing political landscapes and media focus all contribute to their chances of returning home. This week I write about three hostages. All were working in the humanitarian sectors of health and education in war zones. None were in the military. One from America, one from Australia and one from New Zealand. All countries which at some point in my life and my family life, we have called home. The photos below are of two men kidnapped in Kabul and held prisoner by criminal/terrorist networks since August 7, 2016. They were on their way home from teaching at the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF). The younger man, Tim Weeks from Australia, had only just arrived two weeks before. The driver of the AUAF van got away. It was a policy of AUAF not to allow weapons or guards in transport. It was a dangerous drive from the apartment/villas provided to faculty down Darul Amman road to the university. A number of assassinations, roadside bombings, drive by bombings and shootings happened on that road. The vans AUAF faculty were required to ride in were "thin skins" with no extra protection. I know because I used to be part of that faculty, I lived in the same lodgings and rode the same routes, and I knew the American hostage, Kevin King. The dramatic change in both men while in captivity is painful to see from the photos. Evidently they are/were imprisoned in dreadful conditions for at least the first two years. There are no public photos or videos of them since 2018. Since the first week of their abduction, reports circulated of both men being held by the notorious Haqqani network. The Haqqani network/criminal and terrorist organization extends into Pakistan. Pakistan media confirms the initial reports as stated below. "The professors are believed to be under the captive authority of the Haqqani network, which works closely with the Taliban as a kidnapping moneymaking enterprise. Haqqani also held US soldier Bowe Bergdahl and the recently released hiker Caitlan Coleman and her family — who were located in Pakistan following a grueling five-year captivity. A senior Afghan intel source, connected to the National Directorate of Security (NDS), also affirmed that the professors were kidnapped by Haqqani militants with the help of “internal circles,” which function like criminal gangs in Kabul. They were held initially in the Arzo district of Logar province in the Speen Jomat area, just a few miles from the tribal area of Pakistan known as Parachinar, but were shifted deeper inside the Kurram district inside the bordering tribal areas. The NDS source also claimed that the Haqqani network continues to demand the release of one of their top commanders, Anas Haqqani, who was captured in 2014, and sentenced to death by Afghan officials. There are some Afghan officials pushing for this maneuver under the belief it may make foreign visitors safer. However, a well-placed US official told US Fox News that they are absolutely standing by their no-concession policy, and that there will be no such trades made." www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2017/11/07/haqqanis-holding-abducted-professors-pakistan-can-play-role-says-afghan-official/ Terrorists then launched a full scale attack on AUAF two weeks later, August 24, 2016. 14 people were killed including students, police guards and professors,45 people were wounded. No group officially claimed responsibility but students and American professors heard the terrorists while they hid for over ten hours during the attack. An eyewitness account by one of my former AUAF colleagues, an American survivor Dr. Raj Chandarlapaty, can be seen/heard in this interview: www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=316&v=41Lc9DFiAAQ The official position of all three nations-the USA, Australia and New Zealand, is that "no ransom will be paid, no prisoner exchanges made with criminal and/or terrorist groups". However with the speed of social media and global reach over the last decade, it is well known - and in some cases officially celebrated as with the "exchange/return" made for Army deserter Bowe Berghdahl by former President Obama-that all three countries, at some time in the past have paid money or exchanged high value prisoners for their citizens. All three countries have violated their own "no concession" policy. Moreover, if kidnappers and their associates and supporters are not caught and punished nor publicly identified-they will continue to use these crimes as leverage any chance they can. Criminals and terrorists have no incentive to keep their promises. They do not follow 'rules of law' or 'rules of engagement' ROE. They will never "play nice and work well with others". Unfortunately for New Zealand nurse/mid wife Lisa Akavi, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hasn't learned those lessons yet. There are many in the international humanitarian aid community, including the International Red Cross/Red Crescent, Lisa Akavi's employer, who believe that the enforced "secrecy" demanded by Prime Minister Ardern at a time when spotlighting Lisa and her plight would have been most beneficial, was a serious miscalculation in her hostage negotiation "policy". New Zealand had already planned using their special operations forces in Syria when intel pointed to a specific housing group where Lisa Akavi was sighted/reported to be working as a nurse in Daesh/ISIS compounds. In April 2019, New Zealand finally revealed that there had been communications and the New Zealand military had responded with a unit to search in Syria for Lisa Akavi. “This has involved members of the NZDF (New Zealand defense force) drawn from the Special Operations Force, and personnel have visited Syria from time to time as required,” Winston Peters said. This non-combat team was specifically focused on locating Louisa and identifying opportunities to recover her." www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2019/04/15/new-zealand-special-forces-in-syria-search-for-nurse-held-by-islamic-state/ To date (August 20,2019) Lisa Akvai has not been found, rescued or exchanged and returned. It is naive to think those who would even contemplate kidnapping and trading hostages for money/assets/leverage would not know how much they could demand from a government or family. There are online reports from countries who have had their citizens taken hostage and what they "paid" for their return. This includes France, Japan, Korea, Italy and Australia. Here is one article by correspondent and writer, James Dickey, himself party to hostage negotiations at various times in his life: www.thedailybeast.com/isiss-new-hostage-threat?ref=scroll The dark net is where more specifics can be researched, depending on the nationality. You can probably guess which nationality is the "highest value" hostage, no matter what their profession. As long as one family, government, employer has paid-and numerous have over the years-the 'official policies' against negotiation are ineffectual and have certainly not proved to be a deterrent. Remember, too-that children are kidnapped, held hostage, tortured, sexually abused, beaten, forced to do crimes, perversions and even murder-then they are often filmed and killed especially by Daesh/ISIS and criminal gangs. Below is just one photo of Kurdish children in Kobani who were finally rescued in Syria. There are thousands of other children still held hostage. Photo is courtesy of Human Rights Watch. Finally, these three human beings Lisa Akavi, Kevin King and Timothy Weeks need any/all help and support you can muster. If you have any credible information about their whereabouts and if you can continue to make their plight known on platforms on the net-please do and keep them in your prayers. All these efforts can assist. These three ventured to do "good works" in the world, and provide benefit not harm. Hopefully they will be able to return to their homes....alive...soon. Sending this song out to those courageous human beings who are heroic in enduring imprisonment, privations and worse. This song is especially for young innocents and for those who worked for others benefit, in foreign lands. The song I include is sung by Mariah Carey who has a three octave reach and mastery of her voice for "Hero" www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=48&v=0IA3ZvCkRkQ Yes, we can also be "heroes" if only just for one day. Until next week...carry on, Jo  Kurdish children in Kobani after being held hostage and tortured by Daesh/ISIS in Syria
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 It may be easy to believe, that if your family and/or your community was attacked you would rush to defend, protect and counter attack those who were laying siege. You would volunteer to go, train and fight no matter who you are: female, male, professional, parent, student, laborer or veteran. You would be brave in the face of unspeakably violent acts, terrorizing brutality, daily hardship and in confronting death. But the truth is unless you have faced war, attacks and sieges-you truly do not know what you would do. History documents the statistics over time-most people flee when confronted by an advancing enemy army. The majority of people desperately seek any 'safe zone' within reach and will beg, borrow, bribe, steal, betray, beat, convert and pay to stay in their safe place. The will to live is so strong in most human beings they will turn against one another, even their own family members...to survive. This week I recognize those who did not run from danger but who fought and who continue to fight courageously in spite of formidable odds against a ruthless enemy who is/was better equipped. The Peshmerga-(from Solani Kurdish) meaning-'those who confront/face death' must do so with dwindling support from nations who once relied on them to defeat the scourge of Daesh/ISIS in both Iraq and Syria, and who welcomed their support to defeat and capture Saddam Hussein. I write and speak of the lions/lionesses of the Middle East and Anatolia, who are still the ones who maintain vigilance against the terrorists regrouping and escaping from their purview...the Peshmerga, especially the YPJ-the all female units of their militias. Please watch this short clip entitled: "Kurdish women YPJ Fighting ISIS on the Frontline" to have an idea of these units, their conditions and their ranks. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kkhrB9M7oY No matter what the corporate news channels may present, unfortunately Daesh/ISIS has not been eradicated, and groups such as the more country specific Taliban, and even the more trans-national terror group Al Qaida, have in fact increased in size. "Al Qaeda's eventual goal is still the establishment of a caliphate from Jerusalem to Spain. It's a very similar goal to that of ISIS, partly because ISIS began as Al Qaeda in Iraq, before an ideological dispute saw it split from the group in 2013. The group's leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, said its focus is on attacking the US, which it calls "the head of the snake," and the "first enemy of Muslims around the globe." www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-31/al-qaeda-was-forgotten-but-the-terror-group-is-more-dangerous/1136523 www.trtworld.com/asia/the-us-is-greatly-downplaying-the-size-of-the-afghan-taliban-23152 www.insideover.com/terrorism/afghanistan-between-isis-and-the-taliban.html Since the region the Peshmerga live and fight in includes the countries of Syria, Iraq and Turkey; most people assume the Peshmerga to be military units which only have Muslims serving, but this is not true. As pictured below, while the majority of Peshmerga are Sunni Muslims-Assyrian Christians, Shi'a and Sufi Muslim women and men, also serve. The Peshmerga are the most 'open minded' and 'tolerant' of in terms of military protocols, recruitment guidelines and access to training for a broad spectrum of the population in the Middle East/Asian and North African regions. There are recent reports of Yezidi women joining the Peshmerga in spite of residual distrust on the part of many Yezidi. When Daesh/ISIS fighters were approaching their villages the Iraqi army soldiers and law enforcement abandoned their positions. The Yezidi were told by some Peshmerga units to stay in place in Mosul, Sinjar and other locations in Iraq and Syria. Then they reported that most Peshmerga retreated, leaving the Yezidi defenseless and unable to escape. Yezidi men and boys older than 12 or 13 were slaughtered. Women and children were taken as slaves and sex slaves by Daesh/ISIS, bought and sold like cattle. Thousands of Yezidis have not been rescued or accounted for by their families and communities. www.newstatesman.com/world/middle-east/2019/06/five-years-slave-islamic-state However, there are also numerous reports from diverse interest groups and sources which point to the YPG and the YPJ (Peshmerga Protection Units and Female Peshmerga Protection Units) thekurdishproject.org/history-and-culture/kurdish-nationalism/peoples-protection-units-ypg/ fighting fiercely to rescue Syrian and Iraqi Yezidis and Christians from Daesh/ISIS control, making the whole picture very complicated in terms of alliances. Here is one reported example from Sinjar: "The real heroes for the Mt. Sinjar Yazidis are not NATO [or US] military personnel, but Syrian Kurds. This is because groups of Syrian Kurdish fighters, upon learning of the fate of the people trapped on Mt. Sinjar, organized and battled through IS forces, militarily digging out a safe corridor by which to remove them from the mountain and give them safe passage into Syria or some other area." www.activistpost.com/2014/08/syrian-kurds-not-us-military-rescued.html Some of you may remember the news from Syria when Turkish military along with "Syrian Rebels" killed and displayed the body of Kurdish YPJ soldier Barin Kobani in Afrin in February 2018. (see photo below)  Peshmerga soldier Barin Kobani killed in Afrin, Syria in 2018 There are Kurds who are Turkish, have been brought up in Turkey, speak Turkish and another dialect of Kurdish, but ultimately when joining the Peshmerga, identify as Kurdish. There has been tremendous tension for decades between the Turks and the Kurds. The Turkish government categorized Kurds as "Mountain Turks" until the 1980s. The words "Kurds", "Kurdistan", or "Kurdish" were officially banned by the Turkish government, similar to their policies/prohibitions against the Armenians. Many people who spoke, published, or sang in Kurdish were arrested and imprisoned. The Kurds have been denied rights, property and acceptance in Turkish society although so far international pressure has prevented all Turkey from conducting further persecution. However Turkey, announced on Sunday, August 11, they will launch an operation in northern Syria to remove Kurdish militia viewed as terrorists by Ankara-the YPG and YPJ are labeled as "terrorists" by President Erdogan of Turkey. "Ankara says the People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia is a “terrorist offshoot” of Kurdish militants waging an insurgency inside Turkey since 1984. But the US has worked closely with the YPG against ISIS." www.asiatimes.com/2019/08/article/turkey-to-launch-offensive-in-northern-syria/ The Kurdish and Kurdistani ethnicity overrides borders and countries where they live. The Kurdish communities co-existed peacefully with their Jewish neighbors for thousands of years in fact, although Kurdistani Jews fled Iraq and surrounding areas before 1972. Estimates of Kurdistani Jews in Israel now range from 250,000 to 400,000 depending on how "ancestry" is determined and what reports you read. www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/kurdish-jews-in-israel-back-independence-for-their-iraqi-compatriots-1.5453442 There are some analysts who believe the close relationship of Israeli Kurds, the support of Israel for the Kurds and their promotion of equal rights for women and tolerance of other religions besides Islam, has incensed the current president of Turkey who is an outspoken proponent of Islam and Sharia law. His reprehensible views on women and their duties, role in society and belief that women are not equal to men and contraception is treason-are well documented. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/turkeys-president-erdogan-says-childless-women-are-deficient-and-incomplet-a7067126.html  Peshmerga soldier Asia Ramazan Antar killed in Manbij, Syria, in 2016 Kurds are ultimately still fighting for what has been promised for centuries by more powerful nations and empires i.e. the right to their own country-an Independent Kurdistan. For a short time in November 2017, it seemed as if a part of that vision would be realized in northern Iraq but ironically it was the inability of the Kurdish groups themselves to support each other against the Iraqi government and army, which ended the possibility of a portion of land to be designated for them and recognized as 'Kurdistan'.
Though the Kurds could confront an enemy outside themselves and face death-they could not agree at the negotiating table among fellow Kurds, tribes and families. After the elections in Iraq in 2018, the Kurds lost more political leverage and the Shi'a parties and Iranian supported militia presence increased their power and influence in Iraq. For over a year, Turkey has initiated attacks against various militias and communities of Kurds on their border and into Syria. The international community including the United States and the UK have proposed a "safe zone" of 30 kilometers along the Syrian/Turkish border. But the Turkish president Erdogan insists only Turkey should be in charge of the 'safe zone' and "removing all YPG/YPJ is part of their plan" for this corridor. 'The term “peace corridor”, besides sounding Orwellian, is identical to the type of rhetoric used by Erdogan – who calls the Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Syria a “terror corridor”. www.rudaw.net/english/analysis/11082019 Local media report military vehicles and commando units assembling on the border (Agence France-Prese). Meantime no allies of the Kurds have put themselves forward. The Kurdish people have a saying: "The Kurds have no friends but the mountains". Let's hope this time the USA can be counted on as a supporter and friend ensuring the 'safe zone' does not turn into a 'killing zone' as happened last century with the Armenians. This week I share a "Tribute to Kurdish Women Warriors" with Kurdish music and dance clips in the hopes you will keep them in your thoughts and prayers. It is hard to believe that about this time last year I was happily listening to live Kurdish music and watching energetic dances done by both men and women in a large hall outside of Erbil, Iraq. This video will give you a glimpse of the joy as well as the hardship in Kurdish life . www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRgMzc9aiQU Goodnight from here, Jo   Nick Mangieri in 2001 Why is "Lady Liberty" and the "Scales of Justice" portrayed with a woman, scales and often with a sword and blindfold? Western civilization from the Greek and Roman eras used their Goddesses (yes they had 'gender equity' in their god hierarchies even in ancient times) Themis-mother to the Fates and goddess of law, order and justice, and the Roman goddess Justitia-who carried the sword, scales and blindfold which symbolized the authority and power (sword) balance with evidence (scales) and impartiality of "blind justice without prejudice or passion" (blindfold). It is instructive to note that many countries still use these "pagan" icons in paintings, statues and monuments for their courts, councils, halls of government, legal institutions and law schools. Implicit in the posture, costume and expression on these art works is the presence of compassion and temperance, focus and fairness. These are indeed noble ideals. We often literally must look up to see the full statue or representation. When we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, the words we say include: "And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God with liberty and justice for all." Lofty, powerful words. But do the actions of the American "justice system" prove these to be true? Certainly no justice system in any country is without flaw and corruption at some level, but the degree to which the rule of law is applied "equally" and justice meted out impartially is important to the overall working and integrity of a nation. This weekend my uncle Arthur Angelo Munisteri, an attorney who served the public in New York state as a Deputy Special Counsel to the New York State Special Commission on Attica (Attica Prison Rebellion of 1971), as a US District Attorney for the Southern District of New York for many years then as the Chief of the Civil Division Office of the Deputy Attorney General New York Department Medicaid Fraud Control; passed away. In addition to his public service Arthur Munisteri also practiced law in private firms and after retirement acted as a legal consultant. He had faith in the rule of law in the USA, even though he witnessed first hand numerous frustrations trying to have it applied equally. Our cousin, Nick Mangieri, was also native New Yorker. A Navy veteran of WWII, Nick served as Chief of Police in Alaska, Deputy Sheriff in California and as a private Detective in New York. He was a Federal Agent with the Department of Labor attached to the Inspector General's Fraud Division assigned to South Florida and Washington, D.C. Nick wrote non-fiction books about government corruption, cover ups and abuses of power in the USA. www.police-writers.com/mangieri.html Broken Badge: The Silencing of a Federal Agent and Frozen Shield: Alaska Cover-Up, are both published by Veracity Press and are non-fiction books by Nick Mangieri. In the late 1970s, as a special investigator in Broken Badge he discovered widespread sexual coercion, fraud and other illegal activities in the administration of Washington, DC's Mayor Marion Barry. Nick was slandered and called a "racist" as part of a campaign to discredit him so his investigations would be shelved...sound familiar?! The same smear tactics are used today. Nick battled against cover-ups and obstruction of justice by his superiors. Frozen Shield is an expose of his experiences as an Alaskan police chief pursuing massive land fraud and corruption by local politicians and apathy by state and federal officials to these crimes. This book also recounts the reprisals Nick encountered. Still he continued as a investigator and did his work privately after he retired from government service. Nick believed no one should be "above the law". He passed away in 2009. On both sides of my family (paternal and maternal) we have relatives in law enforcement as police officers, detectives and highway patrol as well as relatives who are attorneys, judges and paralegals. Most of these work in the greater New York area and three of my brothers work as attorneys in the private sector in Texas and California. At one time, two of my brothers worked at the local, state (Texas) and the Federal (in Washington, D.C.) levels of government. I worked as a paralegal/writer for Arent, Fox, Kintner, Plotkin, Kahn law firm over two summers during college; and then as an investigative researcher for Ralph Nader, Les Whitten and Jack Anderson on different projects when I was in my twenties, in Washington, D.C. My eyes were opened to the cover up with the Kennedy assassinations, the privilege of high power legal firms/clients/politicians and the manipulations by lobbyists and criminal networks. In addition I worked with earnest, crusading investigators on the staffs of all those men and their organizations, who showed me by their actions and restraint-that vigilance must never cease to keep the ideals of liberty and justice in America. In 1999, I worked in a juvenile detention center in Texas as a teacher, but saw how the juvenile justice system did not work for boys who had no one to advocate for them and who became ciphers in the "child protection" and "juvenile justice" machines churning them and spitting them out. There is certainly a two tiered "justice system" for those who have money to afford competent legal representation and/or have connections to judges and law enforcement, and those who do not. Our attention the past few weeks, when not being diverted by 'mass shooting events', has been summoned to follow the daily revelations about the failure of the United States justice system to investigate, arrest, charge and convict hundreds of high profile "players" in the political, legal, entertainment industry and intelligence communities. Their crimes from misdemeanors and felonies to treason - over decades - are finally coming to light for those who choose to "see" what is/has been happening within our country. The blindfolds are coming off. The "top ten" of the high rolling 'white collar criminals' (including their family ties/connections/cults) continue with ongoing investigations into the Clinton family, the Biden family, NXIVM, George and Daisy Soros, The Richard Branson family and the UK Royal family. The nexus between all of these people are convicted sex offenders: Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein, the Podesta Group and recruiters/groomers Ghilaine Maxwell, Clare, Edgar and Sara Bronfman and convicted then "released" Laura Silsby, who has changed her name to Laura Gayler. These people are just the tip of the criminal monolithic iceberg but shedding light on their activities starts the meltdown we need to navigate and cleanse the polluted waters of our Republic. Unfortunately only one of these people is in jail...Jeffrey Epstein. The Clinton Foundation, The Clinton Global Initiative, The William J. Clinton Foundation, The Clinton Health Access, The International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) and the Ten Island Initiative, are all directly part of the Clinton empire holdings. All the above mentioned people are supporters and participants in these organizations. Were they created to be: 1) be tax havens 2) cover for illegal activities including child trafficking, drug trafficking and organ trafficking 3) blackmail/leverage traps 4) off shore secure locations without legal accountability or surveillance...the evidence is piling up to document a resounding "Yes" to all these allegations. Read the reports on this investigative site-with links and documents: www.coreysdigs.com/child-trafficking/are-bill-hillary-clinton-involved-with-child-trafficking/ Follow on with these reports: www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/roger-stone-john-brennan-should-be-hung-for-treason www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-05-02/nyt-browbeats-biden-over-ukrainian-corruption-scandal trendingpolitics.com/fbi-implicated-in-destroying-evidence-to-help-hillary-clinton/?utm_source=realjack&utm_medium=twitter lauraloomer.us/2019/07/07/did-mike-cernovich-just-get-jeffrey-epstein-arrested-for-sex-trafficking/ Dear Readers, Colleagues, Friends and Family I urge you to be courageous in the times ahead. Keep to a path of integrity in your personal lives and in your work places. Keep alert to the shams, scams, disinformation and biased reporting and seek out other media to triangulate the reports you will see on the "news". Human beings and human nature have not changed over millennia. The goddess icons of law and justice from Egyptian, Greek and Roman times still remind us today of how rigorous we must be to utilize authority, impartiality, balance and insight in order to maintain civility, democracy and our humanity. Ending this week with a challenge for you to pull out the sword from Lady Liberty and stem the blood flowing from violence, terror, injustice, torture, lies and predation. Staunch the wounds of shame, dishonor, inaction and cowardice. Ask for the guidance of the divine light and protection of God-in whatever name you pray. We need a whole, united response to the darkness and evil attacking us from within and without. Come on out and join the fight. Music from a man who knew many levels of pain, trouble and triumph...Johnny Cash. This music video displays criminals from all sectors of society over time. Powerful-I suggest you watch and listen more than once. Go on...you still have time: "God's Gonna Cut You Down" by Johnny Cash www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht7mxF9XZiA Cheerio from here, Jo According to the May 2018 report by the Pew Research Center*, the United States has the dubious distinction of being the number one country in the world in terms of the percentage of population incarcerated-24%-and the overall number of people incarcerated which is approximately 2.3 million. The United States incarcerates nearly 500,000 more people annually than the top 36 incarcerating European countries combined, however why so many are incarcerated is not for the reasons most people assume.  A significant number of people are held behind bars in the USA simply because they cannot afford to make the bail payment necessary to release them before their trial or they have missed one payment on a bail payment or court imposed fine. Moreover the Bureau of Justice Statistics in the US reported in 2016, that 2/3 of all inmates in local jails were not convicted. The bail bond business, as with other contract services tied to the criminal justice system, is extremely lucrative, bringing in more than $2 billion in profit each year; according to a 2017 report by nonprofit civil rights advocacy group Color of Change and the ACLU's Campaign for Smart Justice. As the saying goes: "To add insult to injury" or in this case-"To add debt to the debtor" many jails in the USA have a "pay to stay" policy. There is no "get into jail or get out of jail free" at all, contrary to popular misconceptions. These programs create a revolving door for those who do not have enough money to fight an unjust arrest or citation in court or post bail. Moreover they may lose their job for/or while being incarcerated, and their families may already be below the poverty line increasing the burden and likelihood of being incarcerated again because of "failure to pay". The old British 'debtor prisons' have just been relocated and renamed. Overall it does not even make financial sense to keep such programs. "Jails and prisons in forty-one US states charge incarcerated people for room and board through pay-to-stay programs. For example, Riverside County, California requires incarcerated people to pay $142 per day for their incarceration. Now that the data in this report can confirm that the majority of people that fill our local jails are poor, states and local governments should resist the temptation to create new forms of criminal justice fees, such as increasingly common pay-to-stay programs. Otherwise, states and local governments risk spending more on the administrative costs of collection than the little money they are able to chase down." www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/incomejails.html Until quite recently, many states also permitted (and with juvenile offenders often encouraged) "Safekeepers" policies which meant those awaiting trial-{sometimes trials were stalled for months and years}-could be held in solitary confinement without recourse. These policies put pressure on those arrested to "plea" in order to be released, but this also meant the unjustly arrested and imprisoned persons who accepted a "plea deal" or agreed to one plea of guilty-even though they were innocent of the charges-had no right to sue the courts or the system for wrongful imprisonment after the fact. The Marshall Project is one independent reporting group who researches, writes and advocates on behalf of those wronged by the US Justice system. Here is one excerpt from their 2019 'Impact Report'-see citation below: "We noted in a previous Impact Report that our investigation into people held in pre-trial solitary confinement in Tennessee spurred a change in state law. Reacting to our front-page story in The Tennessean, multiple legislators called the practice “alarming”and introduced a bipartisan bill to ban solitary confinement for juveniles before trial—a program known by the Orwellian term “Safekeepers.” www.themarshallproject.org/about/reports Moreover, parents, especially women who are incarcerated-whether in pre-trial detention, serving time on a plea deal or because of lawful conviction-often are further punished by child "protection services". If a parent has served time in jail and/or prison there are a number of "catches" in the social services and public education system which may victimize their children and cause further emotional and financial harm to a single parent or a family. Though many headlines will speak about illegal immigrants being separated or detained separately from their children as they try to commit a crime at the US border; and media expresses "the horror" and injustice of such separation, most are not aware or some politicians simply disregard/omit that this is standard practice within the USA, and for most other justice systems in the world. (RE: the recent Congressional hearings where Thomas Homan-former Director of ICE educates NY Congressperson AOC): www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/watch-former-ice-chief-clashes-with-aoc-over-asylum-and-family-separations "Many Americans were shocked by the crisis of family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border. But the US criminal justice system continues a little-known endemic family crisis of its own: incarcerated parents have their children permanently taken from them at higher rates than those who’ve abused their kids. That was a shocking conclusion of the multi-year investigation we [The Marshall Project] published in December 2018 with the Washington Post. Intended to protect children, the 1997 Adoption and Safe Families Act stipulates that most kids who have been in foster care for more than 15 months must be adopted, resulting in thousands of incarcerated parents permanently losing custody." www.themarshallproject.org/about/reports Another portion of the incarcerated population is behind bars due to the shortage of spaces and programs for those who are mentally ill, including those with post traumatic reactions, depression, anxiety and substance abuse issues. The failed "War on Drug" policies initiated in the 1980s had many casualties - some of whom are still churning into the prison system in 2019. Approximately 79 percent of today's prisoners suffer from mental illness or drug addiction and 40% suffer from both mental illness and substance addiction. Statistics about the types of drugs used in drug related crimes (see graphic below) and law enforcement costs may put this into perspective in terms of the number of people imprisoned:
The precise percentages of crimes committed by convicted criminals is actually difficult to obtain in open source statistics. The total number of arrests for both property and violent crime are much higher. Here is one graphic from a recent study. (2017) FYI: Robbery involves the use of weapons, larceny theft does not. Violent crime involves the use of force, threat of force/violence and/or weapon or weapons. The other graphic shows convicted drug offenses (by specific drug) and it is instructive to note that powdered cocaine has the most convictions (not the most arrests) in the drug offense "hierarchy" in the United States at present.  Lakota Elder, Wicaska Wakan (Medicine Man) Frank Fools Crow in South Dakota, USA The FIRST STEP Act (S. 2795), introduced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D- RI) and Sen. John Cornyn (R - TX), passed and signed by President Trump will ensure people are given basic human rights in prison including a woman's right to bond for the first three months with her baby born while incarcerated in federal prison, and for prisoners to be placed near their immediate families whenever possible. Earned incentives such as commissary privileges, more visitation times, access to further education and email, expansion of compassionate release will be part of this bill. It will channel resources and funding to prepare inmates in federal prison to come home from prison job-ready and have major incentives to pursue the life-changing training that will help them succeed on the outside.
The FIRST STEP Act l will put the focus back on rehabilitation and finding ways to give people who have been incarcerated an opportunity to come home, re-integrate with their families, their communities and succeed. The resources allotted include therapy, free legal advice, transport, employment counselling, job training and support group networks. One online resource to find out more is via an organization called #First Step Act: www.firststepact.org/apply There are other organizations arising-look for credible ones. There also need to be more resources for those incarcerated at the state and local level and those who were/are entangled in criminal networks which will pressure them upon release. More work needs to be done in this area within the USA, and more attention, focus and funding needs support from local governing bodies, non government organizations and broad based media platforms. Too often charities and NGOs will raise millions of dollars to help people in other countries with these same issues and ignore their own fellow citizens and families in need. In my opinion the emphasis should be on "success" stories and those promoting long term, independent living. Why should this matter to you? Did you know that 95% of those incarcerated will be released back into society in their lifetime and that this year over 700,000 will be finishing their sentences or have been released on parole and are...or will be...returning to their homes? Why does this issue matter to me? It may surprise some of you to know that I was one of those unjustly imprisoned and tortured in my own country over twenty years ago. Yes, before any of the legislation to outlaw solitary for those in pre-trial detention, I was put in solitary. I was subjected to physical torture, physical abuse by local police and prison officials, subjected to interrogations at all hours of the day and night without any legal counsel, deprived of food, heat, denied phone access and the right to exercise and fresh air. I was transferred haphazardly resulting in more court/legal costs and financial hardship, had weapons pointed/touching my body and head and threats against me and my children. I was forced to accept a "plea" if I did not want years of stalling and separation from my family, but then had my record of arrests used against me in a very acrimonious custody battle by the man and his friends directly responsible for the false accusations and resulting imprisonment. I was not guilty of any of the contrived charges against me, but I also had no legal avenue or recourse to sue afterwards for the months of 'processing' harassment and costs in the legal system. My lawyer and supporter Ramon Roubideaux did the best he could, the times being what they were in the Dakotas. So, yes-I know firsthand whereof I write/speak. Fortunately I was never in federal prison, though I know a number of women who were wrongly accused, arrested, detained and even convicted, especially from Native American communities. They were subjected to all these injustices and much worse. Sadly, most of them have passed on (died) since the 1980-1990s, but at least the next generation will have more rights and recourse than they did. Courageous woman such as Charlotte Brown Wolf, Minnie Two Shoes, Mary Brave Bird, Barbara Means Adams and the beautiful poet Charlene Dawn Bluehorse. Charlene and I were both Sundancers in South Dakota for a number of years, and she was one of Frank Fools Crow's helpers. We were also both wrongly accused, arrested and jailed in South Dakota. Charlene was a rigorous and constructive critic of my poems and later she became a university professor teaching English and Indigenous studies. Charlene moved to Oregon to be nearer her grandchildren. She died there in 2009. This week I include an excerpt from Charlene Bluehorse's, (Oglala Lakota -Sioux) poem "On the Edge". Her full poem is at this link: www.melissamfrye.com/poetry-on-the-edge-by-charlene-blue-horse/ "Remember that hot, humid afternoon that honored Elders at Ghost Hawk Park and the Thunders drummed Us home, sang and danced against the sky, let down Skirts of water while I danced, drenched in warm rain And laughter?" Closing with a song we made "49ers" out of, back on Pine Ridge rez years ago. If you haven't seen this version with Elvis himself- "Jailhouse Rock"-this is a treat and makes light of what continues to be a very serious concern. Great song to dance to....still. Enjoy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj0Rz-uP4Mk From the land that was home to the creator of the sibylline TV series "The Prisoner" [Number Six] I bid you good evening and be grateful daily for your freedoms. Jo  The suffix "ism" can mean a belief system, philosophy, attitude or condition. In the past decade, engineered media and cognitive maneuvers in the political, social and psychological domains of western countries have thrust "isms" into common usage. By pumping weaponized messages into their populations, (which are essentially psycho-linguistic spears) activists and/or governments can effectively create divisions and disruption. The "messages" they hurl continuously in north America (for example) are the loaded, generalized labels of "racism", "sexism", "imperialism" and "elitism". Case in point, in just 48 hours this past week, MSNBC & CNN media used the word "racist" 1,107 times when referring to President Trump. The second round of verbal assault they deploy promotes attacks against specific groups of people and religions. Incidents of overt aggression against Jews, Christians, Caucasians, Conservatives and Heterosexual men are on the rise. (see photos below) Moreover when confronted about these attacks-they counter attack by denials. For example: "There is no anti-Semitism or anti-Christianism, only Islamaphobia". Blaming and shaming are other ways to divert and/or silence evidence which exposes false narratives. "You're just mansplaining this issue!" Then continual drumbeats denigrating unique cultures, traditions, pride in country, values and respect for long standing institutions, are prosecuted by adversarial forces - strikingly designed to tear the fabric of a society and/or nation - apart. As reporter Caroline Glick points out in her recent article: "...anti-nationalism is both inherently antisemitic and anti-American. And it is also imperialist. Anti-nationalists support international and transnational legal constructs and institutions that deny distinct nations large and small the ability to determine their own unique course in the world. As repositories of the concept of distinct nations, nation-states are, [in Hazony’s view,] inherently freer and more cohesive societies than imperialist societies that insist that one-size-fits-all and that there are people better equipped than the people themselves, to decide what is good for them." www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/07/17/caroline-glick-trumps-tweetstorm-correctly-linked-anti-americanism-to-antisemitism/ The notorious "Antifa" movement - supposedly standing against "fascism"- utilizes violence and is funded by the ex-Nazi sympathizer, Hungarian/American George Soros - among other high profile donors. The irony here is almost laughable. Sadly, a number of innocent bystanders, credible journalists and peaceful opposition protesters have suffered physical injury, property theft and damage, as well as doxxing, and psychological beatings at the hands of Antifa members. Vietnamese/American investigative journalist Andy Ng was one of their "targets". "They attacked him for the simple reason that he has challenged their ideological propaganda—an Antifa tactic that any true fascist would recognize and applaud." quillette.com/2019/06/30/antifas-brutal-assault-on-andy-ngo-is-a-wake-up-call-for-authorities-and-journalists-alike/ The Antifa members might as well wear "brown shirts" uniforms. As it is, the black masks and clothing they wear copy such groups as Daesh/ISIS. Scrutinizing the agendas incorporated into Antifa "manifestos" and recent extreme actions; including trying to firebomb Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices (ICE): Antifa activists who see violence as the answer to the far right draw parallels with the rise of fascism in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. "But if fascism is the danger, a tactic that plainly failed in pre-war Europe is not the answer." www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/antifa-violence-against-racism-by-peter-singer-2017-08?barrier=accesspaylog
"While the news networks downplayed the violence and remained mostly silent on Antifa, reporters posting on Twitter had already revealed that it was Antifa who was behind the violence. [in Charlottesville, Virginia] They also reported that Antifa's members had targeted them, attempting to destroy any recording devices that would reveal what they really are. By Sunday night, it appeared that the major national news organizations would do Antifa's bidding and not reveal who they really are. In doing so, the credibility of these large news organizations was severely diminished in the eyes of many." abcstlouis.com/news/nation-world/national-media-under-fire-for-failing-to-report-antifa-violence-sunday Antifa is not just in the USA and Canada-it is sponsored, supported and has spread to the UK and Europe. The global main stream media is complicit. "Notorious for their psychopathic violence the Antifa is never criticized by media. By laundering Antifa violence and acting as their Press Corp, media openly colludes with Antifa. Media and Antifa sing to the same hymn sheet. Ordinary people protesting against immigration and globalism are demonized and slandered by media. Notoriously vicious Antifa, who support ISIS and DAESH, are portrayed as peaceful counter demonstrators." europeansworldwide.wordpress.com/2017/08/22/meet-the-press-corp/ In the last two years the "ism" concocted to shield the nefarious activities of those promoting the new world order (NWO), globalism under various guises; and those who committed crimes under the previous administrations...is the anti-Trump-ism. This has spread to other countries and protests with props (remember the anti Trump balloons in various places) along with a large dose of "outrage" staging for publicity stunts. Part of this cabal cadre are four women who were elected to the US Congress for the first time. They have recently been branded as "The Squad". I suppose someone from advertising hearkens back to the TV series "The Mod Squad" or the teenage drama series from Britain "The Squad" or maybe the 2016 Warner Brothers film "Suicide Squad". Regardless it is clever marketing for a nasty group of disruptors. **As a point of interest the moniker "Squad" is also a cover name for a weapon used during the Gulf Wars. The mind-altering mechanism is based on a subliminal carrier technology: the Silent Sound Spread Spectrum (SSSS), sometimes called "S-quad" or "Squad." It was developed by Dr Oliver Lowery of Norcross, Georgia, and is described in US Patent #5,159,703 "Silent Subliminal Presentation System" dated October 27, 1992. According to literature by Silent Sounds, Inc., it is now possible, using supercomputers, to analyse human emotional EEG patterns and replicate them, then store these "emotion signature clusters" on another computer and, at will, "silently induce and change the emotional state in a human being. One could rationally suspect that all of "The Squad" has been consciously and subliminally subjected to mind control programming. Part of the leverage their handlers have on them is their "secrets" as well as their previous criminal activities including fraud in various forms. What is one of them going to do when investigations reveal her true lineage and crimes? Read these articles regarding one of the "squad" member's family: www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/2019/02/21/family-matters-how-a-us-member-of-congress-was-raised-by-the-red-green-axis/ www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/07/ilhan-omars-father-was-top-official-in-genocidal-barre-regime-then-he-changed-his-name-to-sneak-into-the-us-illegally/ The agendas in common for "The Squad" are apparent. They are "Anti" American and "Anti US Founding Principles" and you could also point out they are "anti inclusive" since they do not include men or Caucasians. Democrats and those who were truly "Liberals" in the original sense of the word derived from the Latin root "liber" - to be free, and connected to the word "Liberty" have watched in horror as their party has completely re-written and changed the boundaries of what it means to be a "democrat" or liberal. Politically, "Liberal" means a person who believes that government should be active in supporting social and political change. This is far from supporting communism and radical socialism or promoting open borders.
In my opinion, if elected representatives and people employed by the United States city, state or federal government are so dissatisfied with the American system, are so "anti" everything about the American President that they devote their work time to soliciting media opportunities to slam him for any and every action he considers, initiates and/or completes-then they really should find another job. That would be less stress and waste less time....for all of us. Music for this week is music I miss from the USA, the title is: If You Have a Right to Burn My Flag (Then I Have a Right to Kick Your Ass) by Creed Fisher Go Ahead-Have a Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVi9bVeqH9E Enjoy-wherever you may be, Jo  There are none so blind as those who will not see, none so deaf as those who stop their own ears, none so brainwashed as those who will not think or consider another point of view. Ordinarily you might consider those who do not see, hear or think as being handicapped; however they may not realize their diminished capabilities because they have never known otherwise. They seek to remain comfortable in what is familiar and in their habitual sense of self in the world. There are people who choose to remain ignorant of what is happening in their communities, their nation and in the wider world. They have received the necessary education to be able to read and discern events and motives, but they either consciously make a decision to disengage, or they become soporific and/or apathetic to change then proceed to 'bury their heads in the sand'. They continuously "go back to sleep" I am not writing about those people who have not had the opportunity to be educated or have not been exposed to multiple sources of media. Nor am I speaking of those who have been systematically brainwashed by propaganda since childhood, and isolated from other sources, for example those born in North Korea or Saudi Arabia. This week I am commenting on observations gleaned from first hand experience in the westernized, wealthy country where there is opportunity aplenty=the paradisiacal country of New Zealand/Aotearoa. New Zealand is famous for it's sheep, which outnumber human beings 7 to 1, but the number of "sheeple" in New Zealand, hasn't yet been quantified.  Most of you have probably read or heard of the word "sheeple". There are criteria for determining of if someone....or you, are part of this flock. Here are a few characteristics of sheeple which identify them: 1. They Get All Their Information from Mainstream Media 2. They Adopt the Opinions of What They Are Told Is the "Majority" 3. They Reject "Divergent" Ideas By Default and Automatically Categorize them as "Conspiracy Theories" 4. They Always Follow the Latest Trends and Fashions and Receive Their Ideas From Social Media and "Influencers" 5. They Avoid Disapproval and Constantly Self Censor 6. They Say and Think "google" Instead of "Search" and Don't Use Any Other Search Engines 7. They Put Themselves On All Social Media Platforms Possible 8. They Do Not Have Their Own Philosophy About Life and Their Own Goals 9. They Are Pre-Occupied with Trivia, Sports, TV, Celebrities, Fantasy, Pleasure Seeking, Finances, Personal Issues and are a Follower 10. They Are Too Lazy or "Stressed" to Investigate Conflicts, Disinformation, History, Issues, Rationales or Arguments, so Rely On Pundits, Media and Personalities to do the Analysis for Them 11. They Don't Read Much, and if They Do They Read Popular Magazines, Fiction Titles and "How To" Books on Bestseller Lists 12. They Are Not Personally Prepared for Self Defense, Natural Disasters, Grid Breakdowns, Civil or Criminal Disruptions, Emergencies or Martial Law Here is another viewpoint you might be interested in on this topic: modernsurvivalblog.com/systemic-risk/sheeple/ Having the opportunity to be in a country I once knew well, and reacquaint myself with places after years away, observing as I sat in bus stations, local cafes, libraries, banks, a dentist surgery, on public transport, in NZ owned media studios, whares and sports events; I realize how much has changed here. Kiwis I spoke to-Kiwis who had family here for generations and Kiwis newly arrived from elsewhere-most often parroted phrases programmed by main stream media from outside, such as: "Orange man bad, borders and walls bad, and LGBTYEFGXYZ good" without knowing "why" or being able to articulate reasons for these beliefs. These are significantly different opinions than most Kiwis held even ten years ago. A few would just shake their heads and state "I dunno" or "It's a funny ol world, isn't it?!" but not really want to discuss at a deeper level how they came to be so unconcerned and/or mesmerized by "news" that fed them such propaganda. They didn't know what evidence/data had informed the actual news reports and their molded viewpoints of leaders, actions, policies and nationalities. Fortunately I also met a number of Kiwis who were willing to ask me questions and logically analyze as well as articulate their views and listen to mine. A few were brave enough to concede they shared my points of view or suspected it was the case that President Trump was doing a fine job for the economy in America and wasn't a racist or war monger. Of course those that attended my book reading/signing events came by choice and because they were interested in listening to someone "from outside". They were people who do not bury their heads in the sand and I found more than a few new kindred spirits on my travels this time. One of the taxi driver's I rode with asked me about my book, my experiences overseas, and my perspective on life in conflict zones. After our 20 minute ride, he asked to buy one of my books...which I had with me. I paid him his fare and he paid me with a $20.00 note, in one very gratifying exchange in Auckland. He was a retired NZ police officer and had wanted to visit America but had never been there. New Zealand is geographically set so far apart from most countries where major wars, natural disasters and insurgencies happen, it is easy to succumb to "ostrich syndrome" here. There is a sleepiness in the peace that is still part of the fabric of Kiwi society. However, "Ostrich Syndrome" can be observed in most societies to some degree. Even with the potential of invasion or civil disruption right outside their front or back doors, people will try to "bury their heads in the sand" and be in denial of the uncomfortable realities around them. They will resist ever venturing out of their created bubble of a "comfort zone". Ending this post with a song from Van Morrison you may not have heard yet...from his album Bleeding Hearts a track entitled: "Keep Mediocrity at Bay" very timely as he sings, "You've got to fight for your rights...you can't bury your head in the sand. You've got to fight every day-to keep mediocrity at bay." Look and listen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y_rB4MYXMY Photos above are from tour spots here in New Zealand 1) Queenstown Library flyer 2) Page & Blackmore Bookstore window in Nelson 3) Reading my book at the Takapuna public library and 4) In front of a display at Taradale/ Napier library. My first book tour has pushed me to keep my head and chin up, ears and eyes open, mind alert and heart beating.
Trust you are doing the same...whether you are in summer or winter....wherever you are this week on our planet. Until next Tuesday-"don't go back to sleep" from the Rumi poem put to music by Phillip Glass in the digital theatrical piece he wrote - "Monsters of Grace" produced by Robert Wilson. Here are the lyrics and the link to the music video: The libretto for the entire opera is taken from the writings of the 13th century Persian poet Rumi, as translated by Coleman Barks. The text of this piece is: "The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don't go back to sleep You must ask for what you really want Don't go back to sleep People are going back and forth across the door sill - where the two worlds touch - The door is round and open Don't go back to sleep" Phillip Glass music/lyrics: www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5zvcgIQsYw Jo |
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