Queridos mineros chilenos, por favor no acepten la invitación de Israel!

The letter I wrote to the Chilean miners (in English)concerning the all-expense paid offered to them by Israel to visit the Christian holy sites at Christmas, the two most important of which (Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Bethlehem) are in occupied Palestine, has been translated and published on the website for the Palestinian Foundation of Chile. Shukran khatier:

Queridos sobrevivientes de la mina chilena: Ustedes no saben de mí. Yo sólo soy un bloggero/actvista por la paz estadounidense que ha seguido sus esfuerzos heroicos por sobrevivir a los 69 días de prueba y los esfuerzos heroicos por salvarlos. Con asombro he visto cómo los subían uno a uno hacia la libertad desde ese infierno bajo tierra, donde por tanto tiempo no se sabía si iban a vivir o morir. De hecho, el mundo entero vio cuando fueron rescatados entre la alegría estruendosa de sus seres queridos reunidos y sentados en vigilia por ustedes durante tanto tiempo, insistiendo en que estaban vivos, insistiendo en que siguienran los esfuerzos de rescate, orando juntos por su seguridad. El mundo entero se regocija por su retorno a salvo hacia la superficie junto a sus seres queridos. Ahora es vuestro tiempo para que se recuperen de su terrible experiencia, para el reajuste en la superficie viviendo con todos los aspectos físicos que esto implica, así como también con los emocionales. Sin embargo, hay personas que desean adherirse de alguna manera a su rescate y lo que ellos ven es un estatus de celebridad para realizando invitaciones públicas para ir a visitarlos. Cuidado con los regalos de caballo de Troya. Las invitaciones de viajes con todos los gastos pagados se emiten con su propia imagen e intereses en el corazón. Hoy he leído que han recibido una invitación del Ministerio de Turismo israelí para visitar la Tierra Santa, donde empezó el cristianismo, donde está ubicado el más sagrado de los sitios cristianos. Ellos les han ofrecido pagar por la totalidad de su viaje allí, para que ustedes puedan visitar "Israel". Le están ofreciendo este viaje en Navidad como un "regalo para ti" Les pido que por favor no acepten esta invitación. Ustedes no están siendo solo invitados a visitar "Israel," se le está pidiendo ir a visitar los lugares santos que han estado bajo la ocupación israelí de Palestina durante 42 años, sitios a los que habitualmente se les niega el acceso a los palestinos cristianos por parte de su ocupante. En junio, el Vaticano ha emitido un documento que deplora la negación del acceso a los cristianos a los lugares sagrados bajo la ocupación, deniminando como "injusta" la ocupación. Ustedes serán llevados a la Iglesia del Santo Sepulcro en Jerusalén oriental ocupada que diariamente le niega el acceso a los palestinos cristianos. Ustedes también visitarán Belén, el lugar donde nació Cristo, que ha estado bajo la ocupación israelí durante 42 años. Muy cerca se encuentra la casa de la tienda Daoud Nassar de las Naciones Unidas que está continuamente bajo la amenaza de demolición por parte de Israel. Los palestinos cristianos sufren las mismas desgracias que sus compatriotas musulmanes bajo la ocupación israelí. Por esta razón la Declaración de el Cairo pide el fin a la ocupación de Palestina tras 42 largos años de violación directa al derecho internacional. Introducción Nosotros, un grupo de palestinos cristianos, después de la oración, la reflexión y el intercambio de opiniones, clamamos desde el sufrimiento en nuestro país, bajo la ocupación israelí, con un grito de esperanza en la ausencia de toda esperanza, un grito lleno de oración la fe en Dios y el siempre vigilante, en la providencia divina de Dios para todos los habitantes de esta tierra. Inspirado por el misterioso amor de Dios hacia todos, el misterio de la presencia divina de Dios en la historia de todos los pueblos y, de una manera particular, en la historia de nuestro país, proclamamos nuestra palabra sobre la base de nuestra fe cristiana y nuestro sentido de Palestina Perteneciente - la palabra de fe, esperanza y amor. ¿Por qué ahora? Porque hemos llegado hoy a un punto muerto en la tragedia del pueblo palestino. Los responsables en la toma de decisiones en las gestiones de la crisis se contentan en lugar de comprometerse en la tarea de encontrar una manera de resolverlo. Los corazones de los fieles están llenos de dolor y preguntándose: ¿Qué está haciendo la comunidad internacional? ¿Que están haciendo los líderes políticos en Palestina, en Israel y en el mundo árabe? ¿Qué hace la Iglesia? El problema no es sólo de carácter político. Es la política en que los seres humanos son destruidos, y esto debe ser motivo de preocupación para la Iglesia. Nos dirigimos a nuestros hermanos y hermanas, miembros de nuestras iglesias en esta tierra. Hacemos un llamado a los cristianos y a los palestinos, a los líderes religiosos y políticos, a nuestra sociedad palestina y a la sociedad israelí, a la comunidad internacional, y a nuestros hermanos y hermanas de las Iglesias de todo el mundo. Todos los días equipos cristianos por la paz trabajan en los Territorios Ocupados para proteger a los palestinos de la ocupación militar y de los ataques rutinarios de los colonos. La Teología de la Liberación en América Latina ha desempeñado un papel importante en la provisión de apoyo y consuelo a los oprimidos. Palestina también tiene una organización, Teología de la Liberación de Palestina (Saabel), que aboga por la libertad de los oprimidos bajo la ocupación israelí y la política del gobierno. Estos son tus hermanos y hermanas en Cristo, en la humanidad. Las conversaciones de paz en el levantamiento de la ocupación de Palestina no han llegado a ninguna parte en 42 años, Israel ha continuado violando el derecho internacional al continuar construyendo asentamientos en los territorios ocupados. Israel se ha negado a extender la congelación de diez meses en la construcción, siendo una violación directa al dereho internacional. Ahora el Ministerio de Turismo de Israel le ha cursado una invitación con todos los gastos pagados para visitar los "lugares sagrados" en "Israel". La Iglesia del Santo Sepulcro, el más sagrado de los santuarios cristianos, se encuentra en la Jerusalén oriental ocupada. Belén, el lugar de nacimiento de Cristo, se encuentra en la Cisjordania ocupada. Estos son sólo dos lugares santos cristianos que Israel desea tomar y sacar provecho de su celebridad para su propio beneficio. Yo mismo como cristiano, le ruego no aceptar esta invitación, no hasta que Israel se retire luego de 42 largos años de ocupación ilegal de Palestina. La Navidad es nuestro tiempo para celebrar el nacimiento de Cristo, no sólo en desmedro de los que viven bajo ocupación en su ciudad natal, al aceptar un regalo de su ocupante. Queridos mineros, quizás ustedes nunca puedan llegar a leer esta carta, pero de alguna manera debe llegar, porque fue escrita desde mi corazón, al corazón de ustedes, los hombres valientes que sobrevivieron, por la gracia de Dios, que todavía están con nosotros. Bendiciones a ustedes en paz, Robin Global Research

Dear Chilean miners, please do not accept Israel's invitation

Dear Survivors of the Chilean Mine Trap,

You do not know me. I am just an American blogger/peace actvist who has followed your heroic efforts to survive your 69 day ordeal and the heroic efforts to save you. With wonder I watched as you were brought up one by one to freedom from your underground hell, where for so long you did not know if you would live or die. Indeed the whole world watched as you were rescued in thunderous joy that you would be reunited with your loved ones who had sat vigil for you for so long, insisting you were alive, insisting the rescue effort keep on, praying together for your safety. The entire world rejoices in your safe return above ground to your loved ones.

Now it is your time to recover from your ordeal, to readjust to above ground living with all the physical aspects that entails as well as the emotional ones. Yet people who wish to somehow attach themselves to your rescue and what they see as your celebrity status are now issuing public invitations for you to visit them.

Beware the Trojan horse bearing gifts. For their all-expense paid trip invitations are being issued with their own interest and image at heart.

Today I read that you have received an invitation from the Israeli Tourist Ministry to visit the Holy Land where Christianity began, where the holiest of Christian sites are located. They have offered to pay for your entire trip there, for you to visit "Israel". They are offering you this trip at Christmas time as a "gift to you"

I am asking you please to not accept this invitation. You are not just being invited to visit "Israel", you are being asked to visit holy sites which have been under the Israeli occupation of Palestine for 42 years, sites that Palestinian Christians are routinely denied access to by their occupier.

In June the Vatican issued a paper deploring the denial of access to Christians to the holy sites under occupation, calling the occupation "unjust".

You would be taken to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied East Jerusalem which Israel routinely denies access to for Christian Palestinians. You would also be taken to Bethlehem, the birth place of Christ, which has been under Israeli occupation for 42 years. Nearby is the home of Daoud Nassar's Tent of Nations which is continually under threat of demolition by Israel.

Christian Palestinians suffer just as horrifically under the occupation as do their fellow Muslim Palestinians.

For this reason the Kairos Declaration was issued which calls for an end to the 42 year long occupation of Palestine which is in direct violation of international law.

Introduction

We, a group of Christian Palestinians, after prayer, reflection and an exchange of opinion, cry out from within the suffering in our country, under the Israeli occupation, with a cry of hope in the absence of all hope, a cry full of prayer and faith in a God ever vigilant, in God’s divine providence for all the inhabitants of this land. Inspired by the mystery of God's love for all, the mystery of God’s divine presence in the history of all peoples and, in a particular way, in the history of our country, we proclaim our word based on our Christian faith and our sense of Palestinian belonging – a word of faith, hope and love.

Why now? Because today we have reached a dead end in the tragedy of the Palestinian people. The decision-makers content themselves with managing the crisis rather than committing themselves to the serious task of finding a way to resolve it. The hearts of the faithful are filled with pain and with questioning: What is the international community doing? What are the political leaders in Palestine, in Israel and in the Arab world doing? What is the Church doing? The problem is not just a political one. It is a policy in which human beings are destroyed, and this must be of concern to the Church.

We address ourselves to our brothers and sisters, members of our Churches in this land. We call out as Christians and as Palestinians to our religious and political leaders, to our Palestinian society and to the Israeli society, to the international community, and to our Christian brothers and sisters in the Churches around the world.

Read the entire Kairos Declaration HERE

Every day Christian Peacemaker Teams in the Occupied Territory work to protect Palestinians from their military occupation and settlers who routinely assault them.

In Latin America liberation theology has played a large role in providing solace and support to the oppressed. Palestine also has an organization, Sabeel-Palestine Liberation Theology, which calls for the freedom of the oppressed under Israeli occupation and government policy. These are your brothers and sisters in Christ, in humanity.

As peace talks in lifting the occupation of Palestine have not gotten anywhere in 42 years, Israel has continued to violate international law by continuing to build settlements in the occupied territories. Israel has refused to extend their ten month freeze on building which is in direct contravention of international law.

Now the Ministry of Tourism of Israel has issued you an invitation for an all-expense paid trip to visit the "holy sites" in "ISRAEL". The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the holiest of Christian shrines, is located in occupied East Jerusalem. Bethlehem, the birth place of Christ, is located in the occupied West Bank. These are only two Christian holy sites that Israel wishes to take you to and to somehow capitalize on your celebrity by their offer.

As a Christian myself, I beg you not to accept this invitation, not while Israel refuses to withdraw from their 42 year long illegal occupation of Palestine. Christmas is our time to celebrate the birth of Christ, not to do so to the detriment of those living under occupation in his birthplace by accepting a gift from their occupier.

Dear miners, you may never read this letter to you, but should it somehow reach you, it was written to you from my heart, to the hearts of you brave men who survived, by the grace of God, you are still with us.

Blessings to you in peace,

Robin

What it means to be an American - Have You Forgotten?

The footage is old, the concepts are older, but they've never been more applicable than they are today.

Never forget what it is that makes America great especially as our cultural dialogue focuses and polarizes around race, religion and cultural identity.

SB 1070? 9/11 Mosques? Is Obama a Muslim? Socialism? Muslim?

Footage dates back to a 1947 documentary entitled Don't Be A Sucker produced by the US Government. I've added the comment at the end and shot the color footage.

Remember, your duty to your country is constant. It's a fundamental duty to fight for equality - both for yourself and your fellow human.

Stand up for what is right. Stand up for America!

Original footage by the US War Department, 1947 Available athttp://www.archive.org/details/DontBe...

SOURCE

Al Wasat Interview with Imam Abdul Rauf of the "Ground Zero Mosque"

With today's explosive hate filled protest of the Cordoba Initiative/Park51 project and Daisy Khan, wife of Imam Rauf appearing in the US Media, the imam himself who rarely gives interviews did just that today in Bahrain while on a US State Department trip promoting relations between the US and Muslim nations. Al-Wasat has the ability to translate into English, so here it is

Abdul Rauf: Aim for rooting the positive role of Muslims in their communities

Center - Mansour Jamri

«Center» dialogue Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf (Photo:
Mohamed Almkrq)

Prime «Cordoba Initiative» Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who oversees the plan for the construction of a mosque in New York near the site subjected to attacks of 11 September 2001 (Ground Zero), that the constitutional rights granted to the Muslims in the United States and a broad and more in line with the principles of Islamic law restrictions imposed by some Islamic countries. He added that the civil and religious freedoms set forth in the Constitution reflect the essence of Islamic values. This came in an interview «center» with Abdul Rauf, the day of his visit to Bahrain, and will also take him to Qatar and the UAE in his tour in the region to discuss efforts to combat extremism and spread the concepts of dialogue and tolerance among followers of religions, as well as spreading the idea put forward by «Initiative Cordoba »aims to keep the letter to the American Muslim is consistent with being Muslim, as well as U.S. citizens they are to other duties and to them as to other rights.

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«Center» Prime dialogue mosque construction project «Ground Zero» in New York ...

Abdul Rauf: Aim for rooting the positive role of Muslims in their communities

Center - Mansour Jamri

Prime «Cordoba Initiative» Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who oversees the plan for the construction of a mosque in New York near the site subjected to attacks of 11 September 2001 (Ground Zero), that the constitutional rights granted to the Muslims in the United States and a broad and more in line with the principles of Islamic law restrictions imposed by some Islamic countries. He added that the civil and religious freedoms set forth in the Constitution reflect the essence of Islamic values. This came in an interview «center» with Abdul Rauf, the day of his visit to Bahrain, and will also take him to Qatar and the UAE in his tour in the region to discuss efforts to combat extremism and spread the concepts of dialogue and tolerance among followers of religions, as well as spreading the idea put forward by «Initiative Cordoba »aims to keep the letter to the American Muslim is consistent with being Muslim, as well as U.S. citizens they are to other duties and to them as to other rights, as is the text dialogue.

How do you know yourself?

- I see myself as a student of Islam try to understand the basic motivations of the Qur'an and Sunnah, and on that basis, see also the historical aspects, the objective circumstances surrounding the jurisprudence and Islamic thought, and then look at the issues facing our Muslim communities, and I think that every religious society faces the challenges of everlasting which is how examination of the core values of religion, commitment, and how we express those values in the movement of life that Iezaretha community in the time and place. If you look to the history of Islam, and how it is when started from the Hijaz and went to the vast areas stretching from Morocco to Indonesia, we find that the teachings of Islam in terms of worship remained the same, but the understanding of the practical application of religion in the life varied from place to place, and even Imam Shafi'i is Rulings when he moved from Kufa to Egypt to harmony with the environment where Muslims live. Scholars of the city were called Ahl al-Hadeeth, and scholars of Kufa were so-called opinion leaders, because they contain Kufa on the diversity of a larger community than it was in the city, and therefore the need to view the urgency of the Msameen time in that region.

You bring a project is talking about moderation in Islam, and the harmonization of the Islamic religion with the Muslim environment, and Ballenbsp you, this means that the U.S. can win the Muslim religion Muslim and his citizenship to America ... What is the idea exactly? And where to meet with the idea that she was talking about the Islamization of science and Islamization of life, an idea launched by the founder of the International Institute of Islamic Thought in the late Ismail Faruqi in America in the Eighties the past?

- No, what I put is different from what he put (the late) Ismail Faruqi, and he was my friend, but I disagree with him about the idea of Islamization. You can not Twslm Science, Physics, chemistry, mathematics and philosophy can not be Twslmha, it is aware of all, even the Islamic banks can be released by the banks but of usury, but to give it the name of Islam and if you failed, you say that Islam is a failure. Can not convert to Islam to the brand companies, and can not say that Islam says this or that, Yes, you can say that a Muslim in this opinion, he says, another Muslim opinion of the other, but Islam is not a brand for the company, for example, for instance the groups reporting to the Muslims, this in my opinion, «Islamization» of the work of Christian missionaries in the Muslim world.Before the colonization of Muslim movements were not there and emailed an Islamic missionary, but a reaction to the missionary movements have emerged groups counter.

The concept of Islamisation is now a problem to have, and now we see that there Osalmat to aspects of various reactions, and we have Islamic terrorism, the Islamization of terrorism, and we in our determination to shape many of the issues in the title of Islam, we see this call on everything, eating the Islamic Islamic art, Islamic Party, the Islamic state, even though we are talking about the limits of nationalism give it a title Islamic, and the nation state is essentially a Western idea, even if we go back to history we find that the talk was about the ruler and the ruled and the caliphate and the issues and things are completely different than what has been proposed concept of the State Islamic now.

If we look at the Koran does not find that God says, «O Muslims», but talking about the faithful, and faith means believing in the existence of a group under different circumstances, and not in the presence of an Islamic state in the sense before now.

I shall say that the title «Islam» has become like a title company, or brand, and hear some people ask «What does Islam say such and such?», And this language is wrong in structural terms, which is incompatible with the legacy of Islamic thought available to us. We read in our old asks «What is the opinion of the public?» Rather than «What is the opinion of Islam ?»... Thus, the answer is «God said in Surat, and the verse as well as well as» ... This Mtarhat Muslims in the heart of Islam.

But the Islamic movements in control of the squares of the Islamic derives its strength from the ideas of characters is very impressive, for example, Maulana Abul Ala Maududi and Syed Qutb, Imam Khomeini, and others, and those posed thought was tough on several issues concerning the relationship with the West, for example, and these continued to cast him (such as the concept of governance has some Sunni scholars, the concept of clerical rule in some Shiite scholars) through the writings and interpretations of the Koran and the modern ... How you will be able to put forward an alternative system of thought be able to reach the minds and hearts of religious scholars and youth activists scattered all over the world?

- I do not confine myself in the terminology, but what concerns me is the understanding of the subject before stuck to the window and the term, we must look to what the Muslim thinkers and look to the nature of the circumstances in which they went through and how it influenced their interpretation of the data of religion for political realities they experienced and been affected by it, and this is natural if we understand the circumstances and, therefore, with the understanding of the changed circumstances changed, but the core concepts and values of the Islamic remains. Figures are written and considered not done so in a vacuum but were in the process of political clashes that often affects the nature of the theory and the understanding that threw him.

Therefore, our young people today when they read the books of Sayyid Qutb Ibn Taymiyyah or may not know the political circumstances surrounding them, and we must be aware of all the historical circumstances in order to understand why they said what they said ... If the political circumstances are different, I think that the IPO will be different without a doubt.

Do not you see that you put forward ideas of renewal and modernization of Islamic thought have remained trapped in academic circles small you can not move to the public Muslim students scattered in universities or to Muslim scholars who are leading the Friday prayers and the congregation in the mosque, and thus end of such proposals to folders only books .. . How will emerge from this impasse?

- The hope that I am driving through the Cordoba Initiative, is to establish an Islamic approach raises harmonization and understanding among all religions and other ideas, and that this depends on the read-conscious and committed to the values and motivations Koran. For example, the Koran presents «There is no compulsion in religion», and this clear guidance, if you look to the verses of the Koran you will see that they blame on those who do not believe in faith, but the verses also protects the rights of human beings to believe in Islam and engage in rituals, or do not do so. And if you look to the practices of Muslims in history you will find the Jews and the Christians and Muslims live in harmony, and even Egypt has been for a long time after the entry of Islam to the majority non-Muslim, because Islam does not impose by force, but persuasion.

I am currently trying to communicate with Muslim scholars in a number of different areas in order to get to the «quantum critical» critical number sense consists of a consensus among a number of Muslim scholars who Etwavqon about offering the Islamic push for mainstreaming the role of Muslims in their communities on the basis that they are part of those communities, They have full citizenship preserve their rights and play their role in the political process and development of the countries where they live, I'd very well that Muslims in America to do so, if we look at the American Declaration of Independence will see that it speaks of principles approved by our religion, we have the materials in the U.S. Constitution protects our rights What exists in our American Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution is much better than what is found in many Islamic countries.

Raw Video: Israeli soldier poses with bound Arab

Has Jethro Tull Cancelled Their Aug 7-8 Israel Concerts?

Have they cancelled the two concerts?

(Update below, the simple answer being NO Jethro Tull has not cancelled their concerts, and has made a statement on why he is playing Israel which can be read HERE)

This WAS the schedule:

AUG7Saturday 7 August 2010
Jethro Tull	Caesarea… Caesarea, Israel	36 people attending 3 shouts
AUG8Sunday 8 August 2010
Jethro Tull	Binyeney Ha'Uma Jerusalem, Israel	8 people attending Add shout

This is the updated as of June 21 official schedule off of Jethro Tull's website. (notice that no where on the schedule which is through November 24, 2010 does any Israeli concert appear):

AUG
11	Zofingen, Switzerland	Heiteren Festival
18	Bergen	Grieghallen
20	Kristiansand, Norway	Ravnedalen
21	Gvarv, Norway	Kartfestivalen, Farstadparken
22	Oslo, Norway	Sentrum Scene, Arbeidersamfunnets Plass
28	Bahrenfeld, Hamburg, Germany	Classic Rock Festival, Trab Arena Front page of his website, left upper corner, no where is Israel mentioned

Hmmmmmmm, this article from Haaretz dated June 22, one day after the update on the official Jethro Tull Website it reads as follows.

The British rock band Jethro Tull is to perform three concerts in Israel in August: On August 7 at the Ra'anana Park Amphitheater, on August 8 at the Shuni Fortress in Binyamina and on August 9 at Jerusalem's International Convention Center. The band, which has performed in Israel five times, was last here three years ago. Jethro Tull, founded in 1967, is known for its blending of blues, jazz and classical tones. (Noya Kohavi )

So someone tell me or find out, according to Haaretz a concert has been ADDED and according to the official website there is nothing scheduled in Israel. Interesting,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

some fans”

Just found this forum where in there is an email from David Coursey the webmaster for the Jethro Tull web site posted on June 19 which puts the concerts still up in the air at that time. Read that entire thread HERE THIS blogger claims to have sent off an email to the same webmaster of Jethro Tull's website on June 9th and gotten an entirely different reply. UPDATE with info concerning Ian Anderson: People expected much too much of Ian Anderson. His musical lyrics have never matched his actions. In interview after interview he tells people he will not get into politics, he will only tell people to VOTE. http://www.cliffordmeth.com/ianandersononwarreligionan.htm Anderson: My music is not going to address issues in a direct political way. You wouldn’t find me on stage in the last run at the election joining Bruce Springsteen and calling for the mobilization of civilian troops, as it were, to place their vote in the box next to the name Kerry. I wouldn’t be up in the stage doing that. But you would get me on the stage campaigning very simply with the word VOTE. That I’m very much dedicated towards. I wouldn’t be partisan. I would certainly encourage people to vote and in my small way I did try to do that when I was last doing concerts before I went on tour because I do think it’s very important from a moral point of view, as well as a political one, to take advantage of that democracy that I’m afraid so many Americans and British take for granted. Politically, I’m an angry man. But the answer isn’t “pull the troops out.” We’re stuck with this now. We can’t abandon these people. We’ve brought notions of democracy to a country where they’ve been used to, at best, a patriarchal and tribal leadership. In Iraq, they were used to the tyrant dictator, but nonetheless, it was a stable country, for the most part throughout most its very complicated length and breadth, with all of its tribal and religious divisions. And when you go blundering in there as a Western Democracy with tanks and guns, you’re taking the lid off the hornet’s nest. And that’s unfortunately what seems to have escaped both Bush and Blair and their rather dodgy crew of advisors. It just seemed so patently obvious from the word go that this was just going to result in a lot of tears that it’s beyond me that they could have done it. I mean, it just seems so incredibly naïve, if you give them the benefit of the doubt, to have gone in their guns blazing thinking all you do is take out the government, replace it with a friendly military force for a few months, then get them all to go to elections. How could they ever believe that given the complexities that existed in Iraq? And this was pointed out in countless articles by countless learned journalists from all over the world reporting from Iraq for the last ten years. It was pointed out time and again that the result of removing Sadam Husein would not be a simple one. That is what is so extraordinary! However, we don’t want to waste the entire interview talking about that, but yes, I’ve got my opinion, and the answer is that it’s far too late to pull out—far too late for people like me to be putting in music or in song any clear cut political message. The job I do as a musician is to travel— not to Iraq, thus far, but to certain other places where we have seen the suicide bombers and the tragedy of war in the last 30 or 40 years. I go to places like Israel; I go to Turkey, to India, to places where people do blow each other up. But as a musician, I’m allowed to cross those boundaries in the worlds of art and entertainment; I cross boundaries that politicians can’t–even if they want to. So I think I’m rather happy to keep my message a generally uplifting one of music and song. If there’s a political or religious comment being made, I do so with a degree of, I hope, subtlety and artistry, which I hope does not make me appear partisan and does not allow for misunderstanding, although I’ve been at the end of misunderstanding before, choosing words in my lyrics perhaps not so carefully as I might have done back in 1971. *********************** There you go, Ian Anderson the civics teacher, VOTE, but he won’t be caught being political because in his own small way he can do what politicians cannot do, play music wherever he wants to and then look magnanimous in donating to “peaceful causes” I gave at the office. Kum-ba-yah. Yet another interview: http://www.jambands.com/features/2008/09/23/ian-anderson-this-was-and-always-will-be ““I’m an American taxpayer but not a voting citizen of the United States. So I have to leave it up to you guys, just as the Germans, French and the Italians do. It’s interesting times and the world is watching. My message to the American people isn’t to vote for John McCain or for Barack Obama or even for Hillary Clinton next time since it looks like she’ll take another crack at it. My message is simply – vote because you can’t afford to be one of the 40% of the people who sit on their behinds and can’t be bothered to go to the polls. Democracy is what young men and women have fought and died for in Afghanistan and Iraq. If anything we owe it to them to use our democratic right to show the rest of world how democracies work. That’s my message. Hanging chads notwithstanding,” he adds with a laugh. **************************** There you go, our young men and women have fought for democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan. Doesn’t that pretty much say it all to this man’s level of understanding? I say expose him for what he is and that this is the very type of person that plays Israel, someone who is an AIRHEAD when it comes to having any spine whatsoever. Oh and last but not least, his hobbies are growing chili peppers and saving endangered cats! Watch this interview, he talks about his US tour when things were unpleasant here along political lines and the audience messed with his music!! Oh those darn hippies that made it hard for him to perform! It was all so damn unpleasant. Enjoy the concert Israel, Ian Anderson the school marm civics teacher will be "giving at the office", to who he will be "giving" he's not even willing to announce at this time! So, I decided many months ago not to profit from my work in this troubled region and hope that interested parties on all sides will understand and respect my decision and resolve. The details of recipients of my charitable donation will be posted for the benefit of the doubters, as usual, on this website later in the year. No backbone WHATSOEVER.

Zionist Occupier Dances Around Handcuffed, Blindfolded Palestinian Woman

Carolyn Glick's Lunatic Chutzpa Concerning "We Con the World"

Continuing from my last post concerning the vile video, "We Con the World" and the so called "apology" issued by the government of Israel, it seems that Youtube has pulled the video dueto copyright infringement per Warner Music's request.

Linking to the video gets you the following message:

This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Warner/ Chappell Music, Inc. .

Yet Carolyn Glick is ranting on on her blog boasting that friends of her's have uploaded the video on other video hosting sites and urges all to continue to spread it! She claims that the video was pulled as part of an orchestrated anti-Israel campaign that Youtube has cooperated with. But never fear, the intrepid Glick chimes, "If someone is in fact trying to silence our voices, they will soon discover that they are messing with the wrong Jews". Post on she urges! We will not be silenced!

In confrontational manner to the take down Glick had her webmaster upload it elsewhere on another video hosting site with her next post containing full instructions of how to get around the evil anti-Israel forces trying to silence Latma!

It's fair use Glick claims! Her "attorneys" told her so!

Wait a minute here Carolyn, do you have any clue what you are talking about when you claim the song is "fair use" as parody? Ben Sheffner, Senior Council for NBC Television Group disagrees with you. Read what he has to say about your claims HERE.

Ms. Glick claims parody. What is the legal definition of parody?

A parody is a work that ridicules another, usually well-known work, by imitating it in a comic way. Judges understand that by its nature, parody demands some taking from the original work being parodied. Unlike other forms of fair use, a fairly extensive use of the original work is permitted in a parody in order to “conjure up” the original.

Let's go through the facts on the song "We are the World". The copyright to the song belongs to the Michael Jackson Estate and Lionel Richie, not Warner. Warner is Lionel Richie's agent entrusted with protecting the copyright of their client.

The song "We are the World" was recently remade to raise funds Haiti. A non-profit foundation has been established, the We Are The World Foundation. Lionel Richie sits on the board of that foundation, as does Quincy Jones. the song "We are the World" as it has been remade with the permission of the copyright holders, the Michael Jackson Estate and Lionel Richie is being used as it was originally intended, to raise funds for a cause. The foundation as formed did not get permission from Warner to remake the song, they got the permission from the estate of Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie: (watch the remake HERE)

On January 12, 2010, Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7.0 M_w earthquake. It was the country's most severe earthquake in over 200 years and caused widespread damage.^[2] The epicenter of the quake was just outside the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince.^[3] It has been estimated that the death toll could reach 200,000.^[4] Before the earthquake, Jones and Richie had planned to organize a re-recording of "We Are the World" on January 28, 2010 — the 25th anniversary of the original recording of the song.^[5] Randy Phillips, who was a key figure in the song being re-issued, said that "We Are The World" producer Ken Kragen had suggested to re-cut "We Are the World" and title it "Live 25".^[6] However, Lionel Richie and Jones were "very lukewarm" about the idea.^[6] Phillips commented that,

"[They felt] that what happened 25 years ago was iconic and they did everything they could for Africa at that time, and they didn't feel re-cutting the song really made any sense. Basically, Lionel didn't really want to do it, and we kind of let it die by not issuing the publishing license, because Lionel owns the copyright along with Michael Jackson's estate. That was in November/December [2009]. They had gotten Visa on board as an underwriter of that effort, and I think they were going to try and premiere it at the World Cup."^[6]

However, because of the devastation caused in Haiti, these plans were postponed.^[5] Phillips said that Jones had called Lionel and said, "this is what this song is written for, as a fundraising vehicle for causes, tragedies, catastrophes like this. Why don't we take over the process, call our friends, and actually do this?"^[6] Lionel understood the urgency of Haiti, and in January 2010, it was agreed that "We Are the World" would be re-recorded to help benefit Haiti, similar to how the original recording helped famine relief in Africa.^[5] Richie commented, "Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a hit record to make someone decide to save a life. I want this song to be the battle cry again. Every once in a while, you have to wake the world up. We slept right through Katrina. If we are not a socially aware culture, we're going to fail."^{[7] (source)}

Many of the reviews of the remake were negative. In a true parody of the remake Saturday Night Live made a skit about it as seen HERE. Note that in the beginning of the skit the actor is "Quincy Jones" saying that the remake was a disaster, so he has gathered together a group to undo the "disaster".

That is a parody Ms. Glick. What you have created is not. What you have done is vilely parodied the Free Gaza movement which resulted in the death of nine individuals with six still missing using the VEHICLE of a copyrighted song.

That is unless you and your boss Frank Gaffney want to claim you were parodying the song itself and intent for which it was written to raise funds for Africa and then remade to raise funds for Haiti. If that was Latma's intention, you don't get to pull in a third party which has nothing whatsoever to do with the song.

Let's look at a case that was won on the grounds of fair use/parody, Abilene Music vs Sony:

In 2003 a New York federal court also upheld the fair use doctrine by dismissing a lawsuit against Sony Music Entertainment and rappers Ghostface Killah, Raekwon and the Alchemist, for copyright infringement. The plaintiff, Abilene Music, accused the rappers and Sony – who released the album – of infringing its copyright in the well-known song "What a Wonderful World." The infraction allegedly occurred when the trio made slang references to marijuana in a rap that began with a variation on the first three lines of the song popularized by Louis Armstrong. The defendants successfully argued that, while the song's lyrics were adapted from "What a Wonderful World" they were protected as fair use under the U.S. Copyright Act.

In granting a summary judgment for Sony and the rappers, Judge Gerard Lynch said the rap was clearly a parody, intended to criticize and ridicule the cheerful perspective of the original song. The judge also noted the rap made key changes to the lyrics and overall effect of the lines, and was not an imitation of the original. The Judge held that, whereas the first three lines of "Wonderful World" describe the beauty of nature, the rap version read more like an invitation to “get high” with the singer. The slang reference to marijuana and the dark nature of the rap tune were in stark contrast to the mood of beauty in the original song. (SOURCE)

Did you read there Ms. Glick? The song was not an IMITATION of the original copyrighted song "What a Wonderful World".

Again I ask, is it the song "We are the World" you are parodying? Really Ms. Glick, is that really what you want to claim?

Because if that is the case you are directly challenging Lionel Richie and the Michael Jackson Estate who own that copyright, not Warner whose CEO is Edgar Bronfman or Youtube which now is owned by Sergei Brin and Larry Page.

I noticed you are soliciting funds to challenge the take down. I take it your boss at Latma, Frank Gaffney is up to this and wants in on record as to whose copyright and the purpose for which the song was written he is challenging, because indeed Ms. Glick, the intent of the copyrighted material is taken into consideration on infringement as well.

For the record, I have left a total of four comments on Ms. Glick's blog which have not been published there.

A little more: Lawrence Auster gives three examples of parodies of "We are the World" which have not been pulled from Youtube over copyright infringement in his attempt to support Glick and Latma. Let's look at his examples:

The Saturday Night Live skit, as covered above, true parody which parodies the song itself.

In Living Color: "Career Aid", We are the World parody: Again a true parody of the song itself knocking artists who use their art to do charity.

Weird Al Yankovitch: Wierd Al always asks permission to use songs. Read his response to his recording of James Blunt with Atlantic Records refusing to allow him to use the song.

So there you go, Lawrence Astor, you don't know what you are talking about either. Warner manages the licensing for the song, but at the end of the day Lionel Richie and the Michael Jackson Estate could agree to have the song used in this manner because THEY hold the copyright. But it is Warner's job to protect the COPYRIGHTED song which again does not meet the legal standards of parody.

From the Warner Music website:

I want to use a song by a Warner Music Group artist in my project. How do I obtain the necessary rights?

A:
If you are interested in using the actual sound recording by an artist on a WMG record label, a good place to start is by calling our licensing division at Rhino Entertainment (818) 238-6100. If you are interested in using a musical composition that is published or administered by our music publishing company, Warner/Chappell Music, you should visit the Warner/Chappell web site where you will find a useful song search tool as well as tools to request mechanical and print license

what is a musical composition?

The music itself-the notes

Going there…………..what is a copyright?

What is copyright?
As stated on the U.S. Library of Congress website ( http://www.copyright.gov/):

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U.S. Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Section 106 of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to do and to authorize others to do the following:
To reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords;
To prepare derivative works based upon the work;

BNGO: what is a derivative work?

A derivative work pertaining to copyright law, is an expressive creation that includes major, copyright-protected elements of an original, previously created first work.

Who holds the rights to all derivative works?

Only the owner of copyright in a work has the right to pre- pare, or to authorize someone else to create, a new version of that work. The owner is generally the author or someone who has obtained rights from the author.

Anyone interested in a work who does not know the copyright owner can search the records of the Copyright Office or ask the Office to conduct a search for an hourly fee.

Now, for the lyrics comparison which can be found HERE which Ms. Glick is claiming are a parody, remember, a parody is a work that ridicules another well known work. Can Latma who by the way has defiantly re-uploaded the video in question to their website despite Warner's DMCA notification to youtube in all true conviction say that the lyrics in Latma's song were meant to PARODY the ORIGINAL work?

I don't think so!

More CHUTZPA from Latma's white knight to the rescue: wejew.com who left Ms. Glick a comment to let her know that they have SAVED the video and are being DILIGENT because offering the video on their video hosting site has opened them up for hackers! Hello Shlomo Wollins, you also are flying in the face of a COPYRIGHT takedown. Do you have ANY clue that no one but the copyright holder or their agent can request a DMCA take down? That would be Warner Music whose CEO is Edgar Bronfman! This is the same Shlomo Wollins who wrote as a comment on his own website over the rescued Latma video:

WeJew (3 days ago)
WeJew Founder Note: Youtube has BANNED this video for copyright infringement - which stretches their editorial credibility beyond belief - feel free to spread this link - as the critical video has become one of Israel's best PR responses to the flotilla.

Shlomo, you didn't get the memo did you, your government press office's "apology" said the video doesn't represent the government of Israel, it was sent out by them by MISTAKE and it had not been vetted. No apologies from you however as you violate COPYRIGHT law. Have you thought to contact Warner? Have you thought to contact Lionel Richie or the Michael Jackson Estate? Youtube did not "stretch their editorial ability!" Oh pa-leeze-there is a way to respond to Youtube to send a counter notice. Did Latma OR you think to do that? Why not Ms. Glick? Why not Shlomo the White Knight?

http://www.youtube.com/t/dmca_policy

Counter-Notification
If you elect to send us a counter notice, please go to our Help Center to access the instructions.

Please note that under Section 512(f) of the Copyright Act, any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material or activity was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification may be subject to liability. Please also be advised that we enforce a policy that provides for the termination in appropriate circumstances of subscribers who are repeat infringers.

I double dare you all. Send in your counter-notifications!

***Comment left on Ms. Glick's blog at 4:20 pm PST Tuesday June 15-let's see if it get's published there. (she published it HERE)

Let me help you out here Ms, Glick, the LEGAL way should you decide to choose that path

http://www.youtube.com/t/dmca_policy

Note, if Warner sent out the DMCA misrepresenting that the material was infringed, Latma and anyone else whose youtube has been removed can sue Warner! Yes you can Ms. Glick, You can also appeal the removal. Did anyone do that Ms. Glick? The LEGAL way since you said you have attorneys telling you it is fair use?

Please note that under Section 512(f) any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material or activity is infringing may be subject to liability for damages. Don't make false claims!

Please also note that the information provided in this legal notice may be forwarded to the person who provided the allegedly infringing content.

Claimant information will be published on the YouTube site in place of disabled content.

Counter-Notification
If you elect to send us a counter notice, please go to our Help Center to access the instructions.

Please note that under Section 512(f) of the Copyright Act, any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material or activity was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification may be subject to liability. Please also be advised that we enforce a policy that provides for the termination in appropriate circumstances of subscribers who are repeat infringers.
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I suggest you call up that lawyer who told you this was fair use and I'm sure he will take care of this matter for you.

CIAO!

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UPDATE: An important court ruling was issued Monday concerning Chuck Devore's use of Don Henley's songs which changed the lyrics completely for his campaign. Guess what, DeVore LOST.