Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The Elderly


The Hurricane Katrina crisis revealed many shocking revelations about how America treats its elderly and the culture of indifference, abuse and neglect. An overwhelming amount of senior citizens perished during the flood. There were many cases where the elderly were left in the hands of staff at retirement homes and to the mercy of healthcare providers.

St. Rita’s Nursing Home in St. Bernard Parish, left 34 patients to fend for themselves during the flood, and the owners were charged with negligent homicide. Attorney General Foti stated “Thirty four people drowned in a nursing home where they should have been evacuated.”
Rescue workers removed 45 bodies from a downtown New Orleans hospital that was surrounded by floodwaters from Katrina, according to a spokeswoman from the Louisiana Department of Health.

The Houston Chronicle ran an unforgettable photograph of a little girl pushing her grandmother in a wheel chair. No one bothered to protect them from the horrendous conditions of the New Orleans Conventions Center, where dead bodies, often elderly, where left on the streets for weeks, one elderly person was left dead in a wheel chair only covered by a light cloth.

Countless victims were found dead in their homes, alone, not able to escape the dreadful full waters, not able to get to the upper most parts of their homes and cut through the roofs to get rescued.

How can a country proudly proclaiming to be the greatest and riches nation in the world excel economically, yet fail so miserably at protecting one of the most valuable resources, our elderly Mothers, Fathers and grandparents.

Presently, more than 1.5 million people reside in 17,000 nursing homes nation wide. Research reveals that between 50%-60% of people admitted to care homes die within the first 2 years. Mortality rates are highest in the first 6 months but tend to settle thereafter.

There have been many undercover documentaries revealing deplorable conditions and treatment in nursing homes. It is estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau that 35 percent of the total population will be older than 65 by the year 2020. A recent study by a University of Missouri-Columbia nursing researcher found that a shift in attitude is needed to improve the quality of care in nursing homes.

Muslims frequently look at this issue from the outside looking in, however as society moves away from fundamental values allowing un Islamic practices seep into our Ummah we also changes practices in our own communities towards our elderly.

Our religion has given us a clear guidance in the treatment of our parents

Chapter 17 23:-24 of the Quran “Al Isra (or Night Journey) states:

“Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind to your parents. If one of them or both of them reach old age with you, do not say to them a word of disrespect, or scold them, but say a generous word to them. And act humbly to them in mercy, and say, ‘My Lord, have mercy on them, since they cared for me when I was small.’” (Quran 17:23-24)

Friday, May 25, 2007

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE IRAN CRISIS AND HISTORY OF THE COUP OF 1953

By Karema Akifa Saleh, E-MAIL

Propaganda was at the helm of the Iranian Hostage crisis of 1979, during President Jimmy Carter’s administration. The following was quoted from President Jimmy Carter’s Library “On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran and took approximately seventy Americans captive. This terrorist act triggered the most profound crisis of the Carter presidency and began a personal ordeal for Jimmy Carter and the American people that lasted 444 days.”

If you were old enough to remember, Iran was painted as a demonic nation of blood thirsty Muslim clerics, and wild young militants out to attack American without provocation. We were all fed the same propaganda- America the victim against radicals extremist. The Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza (a known brutal corrupt dictator) was also portrayed as the western friendly victim. The world was fixated on the this crisis however the real story was never told in the media.

The real story of the 1953 Coup the British and United States government was involved with to over through Mohammad Mossadegh, the western friendly, democratically elected Prime Minister who was also named Time Magazine’s “Man of the Year in 1951.” Iran had enjoyed friendly relationships with the United States under President Harry Truman.

“U.S. Policy toward Iran under Truman was to support the Mosaddeq government and seek and end to the oil dispute through diplomatic means.” At the same time the U.S government was aware of British covert activities against Mosaddeq. The relationship was never an honest one.

In conjunction with diplomatic activities, at some point the British and U.S. government jointly participated in covert missions against the Iranians. The United States had always feared a strong Soviet influence and started an operation codenamed BEDAMN during 1948. BEDAMN was a propaganda and political action program run through a network headed by two Iranians.

The United State’s Operation Ajax (now declassified) promoted intense psychological campaigns, black operations, infiltration of agents and provocateurs, included payoffs, attacks on Masajid, and pushing a more fundamentalist line to create chaos and drive away Mosaddeq. According to the book “All the Sha’s Men, an American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror, by Stephen Kinzer “Mobs and military units whose leaders were on the CIA payroll would crush any attempt by Mossadegh to resist. Then it would be announced that the Shah had chosen general Fazlollah Zahedi, a retired military officer who had received more than 100,000 from the CIA, as Iran’s new prime minister. By the beginning of August, Tehran was afire. Mobs working for the CIA staged anti –Mossadegh protest, marching through the streets carrying portraits of the Shah and chanting royalist slogans….” What was Mosaddeq” crime?

Mosaddeq wanted to nationalize the oil, which was in direct conflict with the oil thirsty British Government which owned 50 stocks and had become imperialist rather than partners in Iran’s Oil industry. The British were outraged seeing what they called Persians as being backwards and barbaric with no rights to their own land or oil industry. To retaliate, the British tried to starve Iran’s economy through embargos on oil, iron, steel, sugar, oil processing equipment and goods that could be resold for dollars…..

In retrospect the Iranians had every bit of right to distrust and bitterly appose U.S and British interest in their country. What is most surprising is how the media covered up the 1953 Coup during the Hostage crisis of 1979. Had the public known about the events surrounding the coup, there would have been more understanding politically for reasons the Iranians bitterly apposed the British and the Americans. The public would have understood our governments double standards and false democracy in the Middle East which had long term ramifications even up today. This nation’s actions did more harm to the peace and stability of the Middle East than any Islamic or political group had ever.

Will we make the same mistake by going to war with Iran in 2007?

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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Vaccines: Gov Perry of Texas Executive Order


Gov Perry of Texas Executive Order

On February 2, 2007 Governor Rick Perry issued an executive order directing the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to adopt rules requiring all girls ages 11 - 12 to receive the Human Papilloma virus vaccine (HPV) prior to entering the sixth grade. The executive order also directed HHSC and the Department of State Health Services to make the vaccine immediately available to eligible girls from the ages 9-18 through the Texas Vaccines for Children program, and through Medicaid for women ages 19 to 21.

According to the CDC the
Human papillomavirus is the name of a group of viruses that includes more than 100 different strains. More than 30 of these viruses are sexually transmitted
He stated that ““The HPV vaccine provides us with an incredible opportunity to effectively target and prevent cervical cancer” “Requiring young girls to get vaccinated before they come into contact with HPV is a responsible health and fiscal policy that has the potential to significantly reduce cases of cervical cancer and mitigate future medical costs.” But many question the real motives of pushing this vaccine .
KATHLEEN KERR reported that the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. ( who produces the drug) spent more than $500,000 on lobby efforts in New York State and contributing to key officials, including two from Long Island. The company wanted state legislatures to require cervical cancer vaccinations for girls before sexual activity. At the same time, Merck was lobbying state officials on other issues; “

The Associated Press reported that Perry’s chief of staff had met with key aids about the vaccine on October 16, the same day Merck’s political action committee donated $5,000 to the governors campaign. He toured cancer centers in Texas raising millions stating that these activities had no affect on his decision. Merck has contributed heavy to both democratic and republican parties.

Who really stands to gain in mandatory vaccine programs? It is obvious that corporations are making enormous profits from pushing drugs on the population. The Human Papillomav Virus vaccine was going to the be the most expensive vaccine to date costing over $300 for the entire series of shots.

According to Kathleen Kerr’s article Cervical cancer kills about 233,000 women worldwide each year and $3,700 in the U.S. Is this a real crisis?

Articles of Interest:
Kenyan Nobel peace laureate claims AIDS virus deliberately created
The Latest: Mercury in Vaccines (First Coast News, Oct 8, 2004)
Why You Should Avoid Taking Vaccines by James Howenstine, MD.
Japan's Great Lesson: Compulsory flu vaccines reveal no benefit and actually cause more Flu and Vaccine related deaths
Company pushing cancer vaccine lobbied NY hard, by Kathleen Kerr
Texas leader on defensive over vaccine, ties to Merck , By Joe Stinebaker and Liz Austin Peterson

Texas Vaccine Exemption Information
2005-2006 Texas Vaccine Exemption InformationThe state of Texas in law grants and acknowledges the right of parents to exempt their children from vaccination requirements for day care, school, and college for reasons of conscience including a religious belief or for medical reasons. In 2003, the Texas legislature passed changes to the statutes expanding the reasons a parent can claim an exemption but the Health Department has questionably also increased the bureaucratic red tape necessary for claiming the exemption. There are specific procedures for requesting an official state form and
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Monday, May 14, 2007

PROFILING OF MUSLIMS

By Karema Akifa Saleh

Profiling of Muslims in Americas has become a serious issue that affects many Muslims in the United States, but also those traveling, visiting, and studying in the United States. In previous times racial profile was the main focus. Currently, profiling has become synonymous to islamaphobia, religious intolerance and bigotry against Muslims as a whole, mainly those of Arab, Pakistani, and African American descent, however profiling affects many Americans, even those that do not fit the stereotype. The Patriot Act has institutionalized profiling of Muslims post 9/11. There have been many cases of harassment in Airports justifying the newly coined phase “flying while Muslims.”

Flying while Muslim, is an expression referring to the problems Muslim passengers on airplanes and in airports face in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. It derives from a previous expression driving while black, which similarly humourise the racial profiling of African Americans in this country. There is nothing humorous about the numerous deportations, and the modern day witch hunt to entrap, humiliate and harass Muslims – many without provocation.

Democracy Now! first covered the case of a nine-year-old Canadian boy held in a US immigration jail along with his Iranian-born parents. His parents had been on their way to seek asylum in Canada, when their plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Puerto Rico. US officials took them into custody and sent them to the T. Don Hutto Family Detention Center in Taylor, Texas. Kevin was one of an estimated 200 immigrant children being held there.

Sami Al-Arian, a respected leader, activist, and computer science professor (previous at the University of Florida) has been in prison for the past four years; accused of being a leader of the "Palestinian Islamic Jihad" (considered a militant group in the U.S.A) Secret evidence (under the Patriot Act) was used against this father and Palestinian activist, never the less, he was found not guilty over a year ago of 17 charges against him, he still remaining in jail.

The U.S government is unwilling to release Dr Arian despite the unconstitutionality of his incarceration. He has been in nine different jails subjected to horrible conditions. It appears to be a modern day political lynching against an Arab American activist whose political speech happens to be unpopular in the main stream.

This case has been one of the most closely watched post 9/11 cases in the United States. The injustice is setting a precedent of what is to come, not only for political free speech and profiling of Muslims or Arab Americans, but any American who speaks out against the state of Israel’s oppressive policies against the Palestinians, corporate corruption, the war, or governmental practices domestically and internationally. The world looks on as the U.S talks about democracy in places like Iraq, yet does not practice it at home.


Links for today’s program:

http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2002-08/07/Article08.shtml>

http://muslimsforasafeamerica.org/?m=200606>

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/08/25/142252>

http://www.twf.org/Library/woi3aL.pdf>

http://soundvision.com/info/muslims/internment.asp>

http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/demographics/20050824/5/1541>

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usking0817,0,1253522.story?coll=ny-leadnationalnews-headlines>

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/110/story_11031_1.html>

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/110/story_11031_1.html>

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/110/story_11031_1.html>

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/110/story_11031_1.html>

http://www.anairhoads.org/politics/profiling.shtml>

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0914-03.htm>

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2006/11/homeland_securi.html>

http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/3784>

http://public.cq.com/docs/hs/hsnews110-000002431842.html>

http://public.cq.com/docs/hs/hsnews110-000002431842.html>

http://muslimsforasafeamerica.org/?p=46>

http://wasalaam.wordpress.com/2006/08/14/profiling-a-muslim-american/http:/wasalaam.wordpress.com/2006/08/14/profiling-a-muslim-american/http:/wasalaam.wordpress.com/2006/08/14/profiling-a-muslim-american/http:/wasalaam.wordpress.com/2006/08/14/profilin>

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Friday, May 11, 2007

FOSTER CARE SYSTEM

The State of the Foster Care system in American

Imagine asking a respected colleague to recommend a family doctor for your children after relocating to a new city. The colleague goes on to tell you about Dr. X who claims that he is unable to help his patients 80% of the time, has committed malpractice 1/3 of the time and has Molested and abused 30% of this patients- yet continues to treat children, continues to get massive funding, which most are used on his facility and for salaries, continues to practice medicine with ease. Most parents would be outraged, and never consider having any type of dealings with Dr. X. Although Dr. X is not a real person, this scenarios plays out over and over again in the Foster Care system -and parents have little control of their children’s outcome.

We only hear stories of Foster Care abuse when a child is murdered,

Time Magazine has done a serious of stores on the Foster Care system. “the Crisis of Foster Care” was published November 5, of 2005 . The article opened with a grisly description of a little who was pictured in a hospital with a tube protruding from his broken nose. He had deep cuts above his right ear and scars around his forehead. There were burn marks on his tiny feet. This innocent child had been battered and tortured. He was tied with panty hose and belts to a banister by the women who had become his foster parent. The state of Georgia had taken him away from his mother, placed him in the Foster Mother’s care. This 6 year old little boy had so many injuries that the medical examiner gave up counting them. He weighed only 29lbs and was another victim in the Foster Care system in the United States. At the time the article was written, the number of children in the Foster Care system had doubled from a quarter of a million to over 550,000.

Innocent children are caught up in a web of abuse and neglect to bureaucratic foul-ups and carelessness. The incidence of neglect, physical and sexual abuse of children in foster care is feared to be significantly higher than incidents in the general populations.

The government is quick to snatch a child from parents they deem irresponsible, yet does a poor job protecting the very same innocent child

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