Mark,

Do you think that shows like Thom's can hasten the trend to self-examination and reformation within Islam by having Muslim clerics as guests and "drilling down" on this issue with them?

This past weekend came the report that the Taliban killed scores of Pakistani women and children while tribal leaders held a conference discussing establishing an anti-Taliban militia. At what point to will Islamic “scholars” and religious leaders say, enough is enough, this is not what Islam is about? When will they finally say, those who kill innocent women and children (and men) will not be going to “paradise” for such acts? Even the Catholic Church had two Vatican Councils to “reform” itself and “re-interpret” certain aspects of doctrine in keeping with the times. But no such redefining seems to be afoot in regard to Islam. While many Muslims (especially university students) do have some regard for their future here on Earth, and do not crave a “glorious” early death, many of their aged imams live comfortably and exhort some in their flock to desire an early exit, and take as many people with them. I have heard it said (particularly on this show) that if Muslim women are educated, it would be a different Muslim world; but then again, that’s making a rather broad assumption along Western thinking, and does nothing about the many uneducated Muslim men who have become radicalized because they see no future.

Not that this country doesn't have its issues with violence, and its acceptability in some sectors. After an unheard of string of shootings in which local police were victims, a look at the New Year’s Day paper reveals that everything seems to back to “normal”: Deputy answers domestic disturbance call. Dispute between father of pregnant female and her boyfriend. Initial story states that boyfriend allegedly stabbed father in the face with a screw driver. Deputy tells boyfriend to drop the screw driver. How much time he was given to do this is unknown, or the extent to which he was a threat. Deputy shoots him dead instead of “disabling” him. Nobody cares, and the cop will never be required to answer for it. Accompanying this story is a column by a female columnist who tends to the self-obsessed gender side. How to help police deal with stress? Obviously she doesn’t read her own paper to find out.

thom i remember you mention that you chanted nam myoho renge kyo back in your younger days. just want to let you know what a beautiful organization for peace the soka gakkai international has grown into . under the leadership of daisaku ikeda their are many people in a 192 countries and territories that practice nichren Buddhism. the great benefit I've gotten from chanting is the life condition of compassion and to fight injustice in society. there are a few websites you can look at for more information.www.sgi-usa.org www.sgiquarterly.org daisakuikeda.org ikedacenter.org

"Nels Nelsen December 29th, 2009, 11:34 am

Support our troops, prosecute war criminals,
foreign and domestic!"

Can we agree that supporting our troops means 1) getting them out of an illegal and un-winnable war, 2) giving them and their families the benefits they deserve and 3) stop sending soldiers overseas to serve more than one tour each.

I wonder what it's going to take for our country to stop being a serial "occupier"...

Mark,
I wanted to respond to your post as well, friend. There is no moral excuse for the way that you have been treated. I heard your call-in on the show ( but, I thought I heard the call in on c-span as a question to a guest covering the Supreme Court) and I'm glad you had the opportunity to post a more complete report here. I was moved and angered by the brief mention of the incident and even more disturbed by the more complete version that you've posted here.
Please understand that it's not just an ethnic problem, although it may be disproportionately so. I am caucasian and do not have a threatening appearance at all, but I DO question authority and I have also experienced abusive treatment by Authority Figures. I believe your reference to "brownshirts" is very appropriate. Over the many years of my lifetime I have observed that we are becoming a more and more unjust Nation....closer and closer to a Police State. For years, peaceful protesters have been attacked and beaten by the very people that WE PAY to protect our RIGHTS.
This is, I believe, a by-product of an increasingly Monopolized Capitalist System that is controlling our Legislators by enormous Campaign Contributions and the Power of their Lobbyists...many of them former Legislators.
What has happened to you is completely unacceptable. We must ALL demand MORE of our Representatives. I hope you contacted YOUR representatives about the abuse you experienced.
And, on a positive note, statistics are showing that there is a major shift in the demographics of our Country and Hispanic and other "minorities" will soon become the MAJORITY of Americans. Have a HAPPIER NEW YEAR !

Blessings,
And Warm Regards,
As Ever,
Robin

Mark,
RE: Police,

I am not ethnic, and have on occasion been treated badly by police.. I am not trying to minimize if they gave you extra for having dark skin (I dont doubt that at all).. Im just saying many cops are not very professional, so its hard to know what they are thinking.. I hope you got back on your feet..

bobbler

On September 9, 2001, I fell off a bridge while hiking in an early Colorado blizzard. A few days later, my tibia was screwed back together by an orthopedic doctor, and I was given a prescription for OxyContin to relieve the pain. After 5 days on this drug, I discovered why Rush is the way he is -- one of the side effects is severe constipation!

mark - the second note brings up two issues.
one - police are biased. it is a fact. they deal with the dregs of society on a daily basis and that is the filter (borrowing quarks excellent term) of their view to all their interactions! I have known a few, they have serious issues much like any racist only stronger.
two - you have a viewpoint that you are beat upon and others are unable to understand your pains. i live near detroit. i know ALL about racial ups, downs, twists and turns. don't give me this deep inside you are a racist. You pulled that out of your ass and thru it at me but I said nothing to deserve that. I expect an apology!
going to a BUSINESS meeting and having the room go silent when you speak about a actual issue pertinent to the discussion and having sound resume when you stop talking - ignoring what you said because women should not be working or making decision - acting like some one passed gas and is barely allowed in the room due to the absolute minimum of tolerance. those are the Reagan 'guys'. Reagan told them women were taking their jobs, etc. etc.
i've met blacks who don't believe that racism is anthing but black vs white -- no jews, no mexicans, no other group!
When a police officer approaches me - I am polite and cooperative. extremely polite. yes, sir. no, sir. let me get that, sir. Anyone who is not is risking problems and harassment. Even so, it is not a guarantee that it can be avoided. You can act passive but if you 'feel' aggressive - the police officer will 'read' that. It may not be what should be, but it is the way it is.

Calling Out the Repugs --- Rachel Maddow Show Writes the "Commercial"

Last night, Rachel asked why Dems. don't loudly decry the Republican politically-inspired fake outrage over terrorism. I wish the DNC and Dem. leadership would take a few notes (video):

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show#3463...

P.S.
What ever happened to the Dem. "war room" with rapid response?

I didn’t mention this yesterday, but after the Kent police roughed me over for no apparent reason save for “ethnic” profiling, I went to nearby café for a cup of coffee and use of the free wi-fi, through which I posted my first comments. Somehow, my wallet disappeared from my back pocket; perhaps it fell out on the chair when I used a restroom for a minute, someone decided it was more of use to them than to me. All of my ID was in it. Obviously I was greatly exasperated by this situation; the proprietor and myself looked everywhere, but no luck.

Fortunately it was still morning, so I was able to get a temporary driver’s license, before I returned to work on Thursday, where I drive a tug to make deliveries. I then went to the Social Security Administration building to see about a replacement SSN card. No sooner had I entered the place I was accosted by the SSA version of Blue Shirt; he even had that leather strap across his chest like the Brown Shirts did. He was doing what he called a “random” search, except that during the hour I was waiting for service he didn’t check a single other person who entered the place. I guess it was because I was the only “Mexican” in the place. I couldn’t help noting the irony of just being a victim of crime, and then treated like a “criminal.”

I am a person who, away from work, studiously avoids human contact, save when necessary. I act only in the manner necessary to perform a function of life. I try to avoid “appearing” to act in way likely to arouse suspicion, since I am always conscious of the way people (and police) perceive me; when I’m about, all I do is walk from here to there, or wait at a bus stop. But none of this makes any difference; people still rush to see if their car is still locked, police see what they want to see. Why? The only possible answer is “ethnic” or racial profiling. It infuriates police, turns their minds into boiling cauldrons of confusion when they want to harass you but you’re not giving them a “justified” excuse, and you demand an explanation and in order to deny racial profiling they come-up with something ridiculous (yesterday, it was because I “walked” into the storage unit instead of driving into it).

I’m fairly certain that most of the people on this blog have absolutely no idea of what I am talking about. Maybe once or twice in their lifetimes—and then only if they are actually doing something that might be construed as illegal—do they experience what I would term “harassment.” But for me, this is a constant, repeating occurrence. There is nothing “random” or “coincidental” about it. No white person in similar circumstances would stand for this, or be expected to; but minorities are expected to “stand” this treatment, especially Latinos. There is no way to explain away this hypocrisy.
In any case, I told the Blue Shirt about the incident in the morning (that I described in my last post on Wednesday), and that what he was doing was more of the same for me, but in any case I would be writing about it. I pulled out my netbook and began writing this post, which seemed to cause some further arousal in some dark place in his mind. As soon as I finished my business, the Blue Shirt gave me an evil look and talked to the clerk. Perhaps I’ve been flagged as a “threat.”

OK, Mark,

I just listened to "hour 3" again. My first (and only reaction, actually) was that Thom was referring to Yemen being to Saudia Arabia what Mexico is to the U.S. is that he was speaking geographically so people who aren't familiar with that part of the world would understand its proximity to another country whose location they might know.

I guess it depends upon one's "filters" and "hot buttons" as to what one "hears." (I think so much political dialogue gets reinterpreted or misinterpreted due to one's "reading between the lines." I disappoint myself when I discover that I've done this, but, then again, from whose experience can I draw to try to understand but myself? I just have to try to be aware of the room for error or misinterpretation. Or perhaps some good-hearted soul will also try to gently enlighten me! LOL)