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Politics : Evolution -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Solon who wrote (46254)	2/8/2014 1:25:51 PM
From: 2MAR$	Respond to of 69300

Fear & denial, the other instinct is condemnation & equivocation which why what passes for that conservatism when hits levels of extreme ideological dogmatism we find all the aspects of the face of fascism . Check it out, fits many a current profile, we'll hope the right wing will tone down their rhetoric for they're not the ones to be throwing stones,they're not immune, though stupid enough to think so. en.wikipedia.org In his 1995 essay "Eternal Fascism", Umberto Eco lists 14 general properties of fascist ideology. [9] [10] He argues that it is not possible to organise these into a coherent system, but that "it is enough that one of them be present to allow fascism to coagulate around it". He uses the term "Ur-fascism" as a generic description of different historical forms of fascism. Ten of the 14 properties are as follows: "The Cult of Tradition", combining cultural syncretism with a rejection of modernism. "The Cult of Action for Action's Sake", which dictates that action is of value in itself, and should be taken without intellectual reflection. This, says Eco, is connected with anti-intellectualism and irrationalism, and often manifests in attacks on modern culture and science. "Disagreement Is Treason" - fascism devalues intellectual discourse and critical reasoning as barriers to action. "Fear of Difference", which fascism seeks to exploit and exacerbate, often in the form of racism or an appeal against foreigners and immigrants. "Appeal to a Frustrated Middle Class", fearing economic pressure from the demands and aspirations of lower social groups. "Obsession with a Plot" and the hyping-up of an enemy threat. This often involves an appeal to xenophobia or the identification of an internal security threat. He cites Pat Robertson's book The New World Order as a prominent example of a plot obsession. "Pacifism Is Trafficking with the Enemy" because " Life is Permanent Warfare" - there must always be an enemy to fight. "Contempt for the Weak" - although a fascist society is elitist, everybody in the society is educated to become a hero. "Selective Populism" - the People have a common will, which is not delegated but interpreted by a leader. This may involve doubt being cast upon a democratic institution, because "it no longer represents the Voice of the People". " Newspeak" - fascism employs and promotes an impoverished vocabulary in order to limit critical reasoning.

To: Solon who wrote (46254)	2/8/2014 1:46:25 PM
From: 2MAR$	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 69300

Meanwhile, the world is blessed with another round of that wonderful Pagan celebration "Olympics" , that does more to promote world peace, brotherhood & understanding than these supernatural religions ever have dreamed of. Just keeping it real on the material plane, there is magic in the world, it has nothing to do with some goat herder's "god" They did a beautiful opening job, must say Putin is quite a character, the big oil & energy oligarchies paying for it in Russia's new found bastion of Christian conservatism, law, order, lets hope things turn out fine but soon after , this spring some serious shit's going to hit the fans , not sure what, just have this hunch. (market's already preparing i think ) but the Slate teases "The Gayest Olympics Ever" slate.com

To: Solon who wrote (46254)	2/8/2014 1:55:13 PM
From: average joe	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 69300

Brumar and Greg or e just can't get their noodles around the fact we may be living in a completely unplanned universe and it frightens them. If the universe is unplanned life is more miraculous than the two of them could ever imagine with their codified book of fireside tales.

To: Solon who wrote (46254)	2/8/2014 2:02:10 PM
From: average joe	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 69300

These are the people Greg or e wants us to submit to. Message 26099636 Pete McMartin: Lucia Vega Jimenez — death behind a veil of secrecy It appears the CBSA is not protecting us, but itself By Pete McMartin, Vancouver Sun January 30, 2014 The CBSA’s secrecy is understandable if it protects Canada’s borders from the threat of real terrorists and criminals. But that’s not the case here. Photograph by: Arlen Redekop , PNG We may never know what brought Lucia Vega Jimenez to Canada, but this we do know: She was not a threat to our national security. She didn’t attempt suicide in a shower stall at an immigration holding centre at Vancouver airport, and die a week later on Dec. 28, because she was a terrorist. An illegal immigrant? Without question. An architect of her own fate? Well, as much as poverty and desperation can be said to be agents of design, sure. But deserving of that fate? That’s another question entirely. Hers was a sad case. She was 42. She was single. She was working here as a hotel chambermaid who, according to her sister, was sending money back to her family on the outskirts of Mexico City. A boyfriend reportedly stole the money she had saved. Even the event that led to her arrest and deportation order was pitiful. She was undone by an unpaid transit ticket. Did she deserved to be deported from Canada? Yes. I won’t make the argument that the pathetic quality of her situation deserved special treatment or compassion. But anyone who shrugs and says, “Hey, as regrettable as her death was, them are the breaks,” is missing an important point to this story. And that point is, her death has done more to characterize the secrecy and absolute lack of accountability of the Canada Border Services Agency than it did about Jimenez’s end. Since her death, which was never made public by the CBSA, the CBSA has refused to answer any questions about Jimenez or the agency’s procedures in regards to detainees. Since the story broke, Sun reporter Kim Pemberton has been trying to get answers to these questions. When she asked about the specific circumstances around Jimenez’s death, she was told by email that the agency was “not in a position to release further information while the B.C. Coroners Service investigation is ongoing.” What position was that, one wonders? There is nothing in the coroners legislation to prohibit the CBSA from commenting on the details surrounding the Jimenez death. Was the CBSA’s silence dictated by some specific federal legislation then, or was it because it just didn’t care to comment? Don’t know. The CBSA refused to answer even that question. The only question the CBSA did answer that was specific to Jimenez’s death was one that burnished its image — that the CBSA did not make her family sign a confidentiality agreement, as had been rumoured. So Pemberton tried to get answers to questions about the CBSA’s operating procedures. These weren’t state secrets, mind you, and they wouldn’t have compromised anyone or anything in the CBSA. They were questions regarding the most mundane of policies. How often were detainees checked? Were those checks visual inspections? Were there cameras monitoring the cells? Does the CBSA put out press releases at the death of a detainee (which has happened several times in the past), and is there legislation that bounds the agency to announce the death of a detainee? What is the CBSA policy regarding visitors to the YVR holding centre? Are lawyers, family, friends, John Howard Society, religious counsel, etc. allowed in? And when, and why, did the CBSA privatize the security contract at the YVR holding centre with Genesis Security? It was Genesis Security personnel, after all, who were on watch when Jimenez attempted suicide, and who was left unattended for at least 45 minutes. Again, nothing was forthcoming from the CBSA — other than the most vaporous bureaucratese. “The health and safety of those in our care is of paramount concern,” replied CBSA spokesman Amitha Carnadin in an email to Pemberton. “We take this responsibility very seriously and it is important to determine the circumstances surrounding any loss of life.” Could what was intended as an exculpatory statement indict itself any more than that? If the health and safety of those in their care was of paramount concern, then the obvious question arises: Why would there be a need to determine the circumstances surrounding the loss of life? Perhaps the CBSA — legislated in 2003 after 9-11, and in response to the perception that our borders were porous — feels a zealous right to hide everything it does behind a veil of secrecy. But this wasn’t al-Qaida; this was a poor, 42-year-old illegal immigrant so despondent she hung herself. “I think they see themselves as the first line against terrorism,” said immigration lawyer Phil Rankin, “when in reality their role against terrorism is rather minute. Really, their duties are more about customs and immigration … Basically, they’ve upped the ante to become a police force that was never intended to be a police force in the first place. “So everything is theoretically operating like a regular police system, but in reality there’s no accountability. There’s complete secrecy.” This secrecy is understandable if it protects Canada’s borders from the threat of real terrorists and criminals. But that’s not the case here. This is a case of the CBSA resorting to secrecy to protect itself. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Pete+McMartin+Lucia+Vega+Jimenez+death+behind+veil+secrecy/9451632/story.html#ixzz2sl6DeMya