U.S. Department of State Official Statement: Free Gaza Flotilla

"U.S. Department of State

"Near East: Free Gaza Flotilla
Mon, 31 May 2010 18:48:40 -0500

"Free Gaza Flotilla

"Philip J. Crowley

Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs

Washington, DC

May 31, 2010

"The United States deeply regrets the tragic loss of life and injuries suffered among those involved in the incident today aboard the Gaza-bound ships. We are working to ascertain the facts, and expect that the Israeli government will conduct a full and credible investigation.

"The United States remains deeply concerned by the suffering of civilians in Gaza. We will continue to engage the Israelis on a daily basis to expand the scope and type of goods allowed into Gaza to address the full range of the population’s humanitarian and recovery needs. We will continue to work closely with the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, along with international NGOs and the UN, to provide adequate access for humanitarian goods, including reconstruction materials, through the border crossings, while bearing in mind the Government of Israel’s legitimate security concerns. However, Hamas’ interference with international assistance shipments and work of nongovernmental organizations, and its use and endorsement of violence, complicates efforts in Gaza. Mechanisms exist for the transfer of humanitarian assistance to Gaza by governments and groups that wish to do so. These mechanisms should be used for the benefit of all those in Gaza.

"Ultimately, this incident underscores the need to move ahead quickly with negotiations that can lead to a comprehensive peace in the region."

Karroubi, regarding political parties in future of Iran

Masih Alinejad interviewed Mehdi Karroubi for Rah-e-Sabz and provided a translation for http://enduringamerica.com Here is an excerpt:

Masih Alinejad: "One of the demands constantly mentioned in these statements is holding free elections. Is there any hope that one day party-based parliamentary or presidential elections will be held? Do you think that the notion of “party” will have a place in the future of Iran? When we speak of political parties do we mean a party with the ability to influence the state based on the votes it receives from the people?

Mehdi Karroubi: "This is what we should be seeking but there are two difficult obstacles ahead. The first one is the regime which does not wish such a thing, and the second is that the political groups are not used to organisational work and I have said many times that these groups are either oppose party-based activity or evade it. Party-based action is quite difficult in Iran and we need time to learn how to approach a party in the country."

http://enduringamerica.com/2010/05/27/iran-document-karroubi-aligning-the-green-movement-inside-and-outside-country/

Votes Turn Map Green

Share this! Each time you vote for ATTN: Mr. Democrat, the country you are in turns slightly greener on the Google analytics map. Here's how to vote:

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Vote once a day. Tell your friends! Competition ends June 15th.

Watch the world turn green! ATTN: Mr. Democrat Google analytics map http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI6oOgG-HRg&feature=player_embedded

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If you have time, also support the video from Azerbaijan, "Democracy is…POSSIBLE"! It's great too, and Azerbaijan is in Europe/Eurasia--not in competition with ATTN: Mr. Democrat, from the Near East.

Top Picks for Democracy Video Challenge

Top pick for each category in the Democracy Video Challenge:
(click through for widescreen)

Near East 

ATTN: Mr. Democrat
Europe Eurasia
Democracy is... POSSIBLE

East Asia Pacific
Democracy is....struggle of freedom desire!

Western Hemisphere
Democracy Is...The Right of Life

South & Central Asia
Democracy is the message by the people

Africa
Democracy Is...

How to vote:
1.) 
Sign in to Youtube.

2.) Go to http://www.youtube.com/democracychallenge
3.) Click on "VOTE" button.

4.) Search for the video you want to vote for, and click on it when it comes up.
5.) 
Enjoy the video and click on the green "thumbs up" button. 
(You will know your vote was counted because you will see the red thumb turn gray.)



Vote once a day until midnight of June 15th, when the final judging round closes. Tell your friends.

Middle Dog Gets Angry

Click through for widescreen.

Here are some dogs who have to work together through some emotional issues.

Animation: George Gendi

Music: George Gendi and Andre Ruivo

Copyright RCA 2005

Jafar Panahi Before and After 3 Months in Prison

Film director Jafar Panahi was recently released from Evin Prison in Tehran. American and International film makers had petitioned for his release, and Panahi had recently gone on hunger strike.

Israel's nuclear weapons: Time to come clean

• An excerpt from an editorial in The Guardian today:
• 
  
• "Both America and Israel believe that Israel should retain its nuclear weapons while Iran should not be allowed to acquire them. With the Brazilian and Turkish scheme for the transfer of nuclear material spurned and tougher UN sanctions against Iran on the way, this is an unexamined contradiction which undermines much Middle Eastern diplomacy and cannot be for ever skirted. It is impossible to imagine even the first steps towards a true nuclear settlement in the Middle East without Israel abandoning its obfuscations on nuclear weapons and admitting, as other nuclear powers do, that security is a collective as well as an individual matter."

Some background on Israel's nuclear weapons from another site.

My opinion is that Israel/Palestine should join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and be inspected just like everyone else in the treaty. This would calm things down a bit, eroding some of the support for hardliners in Iran and Lebanon who accuse Israel of bullying.

But I also don't want to see the people who are currently governing Iran acquire nuclear weapons--because look what the hardliners are doing to their own people. What would they do to their "enemies" outside Iran? Plus, there is an apocalyptic fringe of Shia that welcomes the end of the world. I don't want extremist religious groups to have access to nuclear weapons--including extreme Christians, who also have an apocalyptic fringe.--Julie Jigsawnovich

• 
  

American Jew Finds Peace in Islam

I love stereotype-breaking news! Voice of America reports:

Quest for spiritual truth guides US woman to Sufi Islam

Myself, I was forced to attend Evangelical churches as a child. But instead of finding another religion, I've pretty much abandoned religions altogether. I'm much more interested in science, reason and ethics than in faith. Religious texts sometimes mix philosophy and ethics with faith though, so I still read them on occasion. My favorite so far is the Tibetan Book of the Dead. I read the Holy Bible--and the Satanic Bible. I still want to read the Koran and the Torah, and I'm open to other suggestions.--Julie Jigsawnovich

Protest Against BP scheduled for NYC

Facebook page, Flash Protest of BP Oil Spill announces:

"On May 28th, nearly 40 days after the beginning of this disaster, we shall come together as citizens of NYC and march to the BP station on the corner of Housten and Lafayette. There, we will be dressed in all white with gas hoses wrapped around our bodies and necks symbolizing the asphyxiating hold the oil companies maintain on the world. We shall enter the station and for two minutes stand in a formation that demonstrates our solidarity against BP and other companies guilty of the same crimes. There will be a speaker demanding that BP, TransOcean, and Halliburton halt all drilling world wide till the oil spill is totally cleaned. After the speech, we will chant: “BP your heart is black, you can have your oil back." We will then dump buckets of “oil” (black water) over ourselves and the station. Then we will disperse.

"This is a peaceful, non-destructive piece of performance art that will last two minutes. It will be videotaped, edited, and digitally disseminated. A flash protest if you will." (excerpt)

Among those who have RSVP'd that they will attend this protest is filmmaker Shirin Neshat, who directed the prize winning feature, "Women Without Men," currently showing in select theaters.

Google Pacman Game Has Permanent Home

Google celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Pac Man computer game by posting a version of their logo turned into a live, free Pac Man application. It was so popular that they've given it a permanent home . . . . . . . . . . here.

Image via Wikipedia