Give Us The Tools To Finish The Job-Maliki:

January 30-2007:

http://my.opera.com/BringBaka/

Could The Iraqi Army-Police & Other Security Services Bring & Maintain Peace?

Let me reiterate what I have said in my previous writings!

* The Iraqi Army and Police does not have adequate munitions, and other fire power that could adequately prevent or deter the insurgents indefinitely.

* These forces have fought well in the past, despite their inadequate tools. But they must always call on the US forces to help, whenever the circumstances become so grave for them, while engaging the insurgents.
This is as a result of the in-adequate munitions that they currently have at their disposal. President George W. Bush promised to furnish the Iraqi government with better equipment, but have not been in any hurry to deliver!

However, I believe that the Bush administration does not want to provide equipment or munitions, that may be used against the US forces in this conflict, or in the future. And there is no certainty that the political outcome eventually, will result in the government's ability to maintain permanent stability and peace, without depending upon one of it's neighbors for military hardware, and assistance.

Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.

How Should Parents Discipline Their Children?

January 27-2007:
http://my.opera.com/BringBaka/

How Should Parents Discipline Their Children:

Corporal punishment have always been the British way to enforce discipline in their Public Schools, and even in the homes. The colonies that they controlled also advocated this kind of punishment, just like their foreign overlords.
I grew up hating it in school, and to some extent in my home!
Some parents could be excessive with this punishment. And oftentimes one never know what really, or to what extent should this method of punishment be considered practical, reasonable, or abusive?
However, in every culture where this kind of behavior is used in the home. It has become a cultural contradiction of mores, considering the current disapproval of child abuse, and how so many parents have become suspect, for abusing their children. And the concern grows even more now, that we have cameras in so many public arenas that see some of this abuse to children by adults.
Recently, some children were discovered by the authorities and the police in their investigations of child abuse. Burnt, scalded, sexually molested, neglected, starved, and drug infested homes where children are exposed and became victims of the worse sort of child abuses.
I do not have a solution, but I feel this social malady must be discussed publicly, via the media as often as possible. And where practical or necessary, legislation must be put in place to punish those who willfully, thoughtlessly, and wantonly abuse their children in a cruel fashion.
Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.

The State Of The Union Address-2007!

January 23-2007:
http://my.opera.com/BringBaka/

The State Of The Union Address-George W. Bush-2007:
My Viewpoint:
Incidentally, a few hundred troops have already been sent to Iraq to start the president's new strategy there. These may be categorized as the initial deployment boost, in order to initiate the new Baghdad strategy, for insurgency control.
This move should be expected by the Commander In Chief, because he cannot wait until congress, and the senate debates and concludes (yea or nay), in order to implement his plan. When a final decision by the congress on just how many more troops should be sent to Iraq is reached, the president may have already sent his proposed 30,000 more troops already.

The Address:
I listened to the president's address tonight, and couldn't help feeling his deep sense of concern for the sense of urgency in the state of affairs for our people at home and in the theaters of war abroad. Our troops in Iraq & Afghanistan need our wholehearted support. He urged the congress to debate these issues, and provide the vital solutions, as to how we would deal with the dire realities in Iraq & Afghanistan.
He urged them to support his final efforts to bring some closure, and fruition to the goal we set ourselves to achieve in Iraq. By supporting his request for more troops for Baghdad, and in a final attempt to assist the Iraqi government to consolidate it's position, achieve national security in Baghdad firstly, and to enhance expedite the developmental capability of the Iraqi army, police, and other security forces.
Immigration:
He urged the congress to come up with a comprehensive immigration bill that he could sign. This was said before at the previous State Of The Union Address he gave in 2002.

National Energy Consumption:
He stressed our need or dependence on foreign oil, and the vulnerability for America to be hurt by stoppages, high prices, stoppages, terrorists acts to ships in transit, and air pollution. He urged for more exploration and development of ethanol, clean and safe nuclear energy, and other home grown efforts that could assist the US in becoming less dependent on foreign oil.
Foreign Policies:
Our image is at stake. he stressed that we continue to aid foreign allies, moderate democracies, and friendly states in fighting terrorism. In assisting states with rising HIV, and malaria epidemics, with funding, and other tools for combating these maladies.
Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.

Failure To Integrate-Breeds Prejudice-Hate & Suspicion!

January 22-2007:
http://my.opera.com/BringBaka/
http://360.yahoo.com/derryck_sylvester

Failure To Integrate-Breeds Prejudice-Hate & Suspicion:

In every culture where there are several different ethnic groups, that choose to live in separate communities, or neighborhoods, the festering of suspicion, distrust, and hate takes root. Coupled with those attitudes, is the refusal to learn the national or predominant language, and communicate in that language on a daily basis, in order to become proficient in it. Also creates the inability to understand how the mainstream society view outsiders, or those who fail to fully integrate into the mainstream culture.
When ethnic groups are separated into communities deliberately, by virtue of their language, or cultural heritage, tension becomes inevitable, and in time, ethnic hate, or ethnic suspicion takes root within these different groups.
Plural communities such as New York City, that historically was able to tolerate, integrate, and encourage the learning of English as the national preferred mode of communication, for economic and upward mobility. Plus social cohesion is encouraged, so that such ethnic tensions are kept to a minimum.
Political, Social, and Religious leaders must also deliberately encourage their flock or communities to access those services, and facilities that will help them to be fully integrated into the mainstream of things. In communities where the above modules are not used or promoted, ethnic tensions eventually emerge. And violent gangs are created. The victimized personality attitude becomes the criteria used by those who feel incompetent, ignored, dis-enfranchised, dis-regarded, or less than those they perceive as privileged.
Inner Cities of Chicago, and California are cases in point!
Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.

Senator Barak Obama's Health Concerns!

NewsFlash:
http://my.opera.com/BringBaka/
http://360.yahoo.com/derryck_sylvester
January 21-2007:

CNN news media are now saying that Barak Obama's middle name is Hussein, and that he smokes cigarettes. And are speculating that these two supposed ills will, or may hurt his campaign!
Well, if this is not childish ramblings, what is?

* I say to this "Hog Wash," that if the American people are so petty and frivilous to dismiss or disregard a presidential candidate for his cigarette smoking habit, or becsuse he has a Middle Eastern sounding middle name.

Then I say to all those Americans who are so inclined, that they deserve to be governed once more by another Republican Administration in the 2008 elections.
If that is how they feel, I hope that their God help them deal (once more), with that reality!

Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.

HR 4437 Threatens LGBT & HIV Positive Immigrants!

ATTENTION:

This message was taken from GMHC web site today (January-17-2007).
I do online advocacy for that organization too.
However, I don't think this bill was passed in both houses, or has been adequately addressed.
So in light of the new Democratic majority in both houses currently.
A fitting reminder would be very appropriate now.
Sincerely,
Derryck.

HR 4437 Threatens LGBT & HIV-Positive Immigrants!


Dear Senator/Congressperson,

I am writing to ask for your support and immediate action in opposing HR 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, an anti-immigrant bill that will go to a vote in the House tomorrow, Thursday, December 15th.

This legislation would endanger LGBT and HIV+ asylum seekers and subject undocumented immigrants and their partners to criminal prosecution. It would authorize the prolonged and potentially indefinite detention of LGBT and HIV+ immigrants who suffer widespread abuse, discrimination and substandard medical care in detention.

"I live in your district, and I urge you to oppose HR 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. This bill would have a devastating impact on HIV+ and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender immigrants. It would gut due process and jeopardize the lives of the most vulnerable immigrants."

HR 4437 would: endanger LGBT and HIV+ asylum-seekers. Under the bill, asylum-seekers will be jailed longer while awaiting their court dates, weighted with a much heavier burden of proof, and then stripped of most judicial review. If a person is convicted of unlawful presence, she could be subject to mandatory detention and made ineligible for asylum.

These changes are particularly dangerous for LGBT and HIV-positive asylum-seekers, many of whom arrive in the U.S. without proper documentation, having fled rape and police brutality at home. Many do not know when they first arrive that sexual orientation and gender identity persecution are grounds for asylum in the U.S.; even if they reveal why they fear being returned, they may face homophobic asylum officers and immigration judges who wrongly deny their applications. Some provisions would also have a retroactive effect, barring many individuals who are already asylees and refugees from ever getting a green card.

Place vulnerable populations in prolonged detention. Reporters and human rights organizations have documented the widespread abuse, harassment and life-threatening, negligent medical care that LGBT and HIV-positive immigrants face inside U.S. detention facilities.

This bill would intensify these problems by stripping judges of their discretion to release vulnerable detainees who do not pose a flight risk or danger to the community. It would overturn several Supreme Court decisions and allow for the indefinite detention of non-citizens who cannot be deported, including Convention Against Torture protectees.

For LGBT detainees who are targets of abuse and HIV-positive detainees who face negligent medical care, indefinite detention threatens their safety and very lives. Allow fundamental rights to be taken away without judicial review or with sharply limited review. By treating immigration cases differently, those facing detention or deportation could face dire consequences without the opportunity to challenge the case against them. criminalize so-called "illegal presence" in the U.S.

This threatens many not only with deportation, but with imprisonment. Even technical violations would be criminalized. Missing deadlines, failing to report address changes promptly, or failing to meet visa requirements for college course loads could become criminal acts punishable with imprisonment.

Expand the definition of "smuggling." U.S. citizens and legal residents who have routine contacts with undocumented people will be subject to criminal prosecution (regardless of whether or not they have knowledge of their immigration status).

HR 4437 is a all-out attack on the health and lives of immigrants in our communities.

Sincerely,

----------------------
Go to congress.org

Is The Commander In Chief Demented?

January 10-2007:

http://my.opera.com/BringBaka/

Is The Commander In Chief Demented?

The proposal to send twenty thousands more troops to Iraq, to help secure Baghdad, and speedup the control and curtailment of sectarian violence, is most ridiculous. This idea borders on insanity, when you take into consideration that the Iraqi and American forces have never been able to hold any territory for any length of time that was captured from the insurgents.
* The Iraqi and American forces have been combating insurgency ever since the fall of Saddam, with no REAL end to this conflict/war.
* Mr. Bush talks about 'winning the war against insurgency in Iraq,' but the insurgents en-masse, are not a cohesive or organized aggregate of combatants. These insurgents have different agendas, different leaders, and different strategies for attacking, Americans, foreigners, Shia and Sunni Moslems, and anyone they feel should not be in their country.
So what effect (real or otherwise), would this proposed surge in American troops have on the continual upsurge in the insurgency currently?

CONCLUSION:
As I see it, placing more troops within the firing rage of these insurgents, will only increase the volume of deaths within their ranks, and those of the Iraqi national army and security forces. I also feel the primary reason why this insurgency is gaining momentum, is primarily because they are fighting Iraqi nationals, fellow Moslem brothers, neighbors, and comrades. And at the end of all of this violence, killing, and genocide, the Iraqi's have to live together, (both Sunni & Shia), and suffer the aftermath of legal battles in the same Iraqi courts, and continue to suffer economically, politically, and socially, when the Americans and all the foreign military troops have left Iraq.

Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.

http://my.opera.com/BringBaka/
http://360.yahoo.com/derryck_sylvester
http://internationalpoliticalissues.blogspot.com/
http://thethingsthatmatter.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/derryck_mimbari
http://blog.myspace.com/derryck_mimbari
http://www.hoverspot.com/derryckgriffith

News Flash-January 09-2007:

NewsFlash:
http://my.opera.com/BringBaka/
Apple's I-POD Gadget-2007:

This gadget is supposed to contain technology that would allow the user to hear and download music, access e-mail, and telephone service.
It is expected to be launched in June-2007.
The price tag is expected to be $499.00 (four hundred & ninety-nine dollars).


Tribal Loyalty & Religious Camaraderie:

The difficulties in combating terror in Afghanistan & Iraq are twofold. Most of the Mujadeen fighters are obliged to get involved in Jihad because of Tribal loyalty, and religious camaraderie.
General Musharef of Pakistan is a Moslem, his internal security system are intertwined with the Mujadeen fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan, ever since the Russians were the occupiers of Afghanistan. Plus Mr. Musharef has to be certain that he has the loyalty of his top brass commanders in the military, in order to secure his rule.
Therefore, pushing these two mayor institutions, (internal security and the military) too severely, may create a hiatus of division of loyalty) to him, in support of the Taliban and El Qaeda supporters. Thus creating the situation for a coup-de-corps!

We Will Ensure That The People's Wishes Be Met Henceforth:

The democrats via their chief whip Nancy Polosi, now Speaker Of The House, said in no uncertain terms PUBLICLY, that the new democratic congress will work for the American people FIVE DAYS per week. This is to become effective when they officially take control in January-2007.
Today (January-09-2007), begins the countdown of the first 100 days for this new approach. But low and behold, most of these Congress persons (from both parties), were absent from their offices in Washington today. CNN claims that some or most of them have postponed today's official business to the American people, to attend a ball game.
Well, if this is the so-called new approach to business in Washington, then I would prefer the Democrats to say to the American people honestly, that we are now in charge, so it is our turn to get even!
Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.

Opra Winfry's School For The Best & Brightest!

January 09-2007:

Opra Winfry's School For The Best & Brightest!

American talk show host 'Opra Winfry' has opened an academy in South Africa for girls. Girls who are very poor, possibly live in the Shanty townships there, and show exceptional talents for learning, and academics. This school strictly targets young school age girls, who it is felt by Opra, to be the vanguard in her efforts to educate potential young women, to take leadership positions in that country in the future.
Women generally are less likely to get a good education in Africa, much less be able to aspire for political and economic leadership positions in many states on that continent. however, Opra Winfty believes that an academy of this sort, is just what is need currently in South Africa, to help and educate young girls to aspire in that direction.

This decision could not have come any sooner to that country. A country with a history of APARTHEID, and only recently got independence or freedom from a White supremacist/racist former regime. And is still in the process of implementing economic, social, and other infrastructural developmental methods currently.
Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.

Secret Societies Are Secret For A Reason?

January 06-2007:

Secret Societies Are Secret For A reason?
http://my.opera.com/BringBaka/
Excerpt from an article about the Free Masons:

We are the Masons. We believe in helping others. We believe there is more to life than pleasure and money. We respect the opinions of others. And we all want to grow and develop as human beings. Masons are moral, honest men who work together to improve themselves and their communities. Our motto is "friendship, morality, and brotherly love."
http://www.planetout.com/news/feature.html?sernum=3024&navpath=/news/


Any society that purports to be secret, is secret for a reason/s. And any society that requires exclusivity must be looked at with very scrupulous eyes! And the Free Masons is one of those societies.

Historically, they have been perceived as racist, Caucasian, and clandestine. Blacks were never allowed to join that society either. But for whatever reason, Blacks eventually began to create their own Free Mason societies. But the historical White oriented Free Mason societies, did not acknowledge these Black Masons as their own, as brothers, or as part of the Free Mason Society brotherhood. So that is why their is a distinction between Free Masons and Black Free Mason's societies.
I guess they are basically similar in intention or mission. But their recruits are from different backgrounds, status, and social standing. Whether or not the Black Free Masons allow Gays, or known Gay or Homosexual men within their midst, is anyone's guess. But I also assume that the homosexual element is never absent for most secret societies, where men pre-dominate. It seems to be the natural order of things. When a society of men get together, and debars women from being a part of that society. Who is to know for sure what really happens therein, or what activities are accepted or rejected therein?

So the concern that Gays may or may not be accepted in such societies (to my mind), is just speculation. Unless some member of that society, who may be Gay or Homosexual, does something that is considered embarrassing for the reputation or perceived integrity of that society!
Derryck S. Griffith
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.

The Taunting Of Saddam Hussein Prior To His Execution!

January 04-2007:

http://my.opera.com/BringBaka/

The Taunting Of Saddam Hussein Prior To Execution!

The furor surrounding Saddam Hussein prior to his execution has shown the world just how different priorities, and their execution are taken in different cultures. I would expect as a resident of the USA, and a believer in certain principles of respect for others, that special precautionary procedures would have been put in place before the execution.
My concerns are the following:
* Why were the onlookers or witnesses in the same room that Saddam was, prior to his execution?
* Why wasn't a room adjacent to, or separating the executioner/s and witnesses, with a glass window for all to see what was being done?
* Why wasn't all witnesses told to surrender all cell phones, cameras, or recording equipment, to the security personnel before entering the witness chamber?
* And why weren't the officials made to understand the seriousness, and political ramifications that could result, if these regulations were not carried out?

These are my concerns on this issue. Even though I understand that different cultures have or place different emphases on certain behaviors.
Maybe, that kind of behavior was indicative of the behavior of officials during Saddam's reign!

Whatever is, the damage has been done, because of this major snafu!
Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.

Some Frustrations In Trying To Connect With People!

January-01-2007:

http://www.picturetrail.com/homePage/derryck

Trying To Make Contacts & The Ridiculous Questions Asked!

Have you ever tried to connect to someone on the Internet, and got the following questions in return.
But remember, you took the time to give the following information up front:

NAME.
LOCATION.
AGE.
SEXUAL PREFERENCES:
PHOTO LINKS:
AND E-mail references:
And yet most of the time, these individuals reply asking for the same things mentioned above.
That tells me quite VIVIDLY, that most people do not take the time to read your Personal profile, or your needs, desires, and preferences.
Or they simply cannot comprehend what they read, or have the patience or respect, for the time it took you to ensure, that all the information above mentioned is listed.

CONCLUSION:
I suggest that whenever you encounter such individuals, disregard them as possibilities. They are not yet ready for anything positive in any relationship.
Disregard such people as mere ignoramuses who feel they have the right to make requests from you, but do not feel compelled to do the same for others.

That is my New Year Resolution!
Derryck S. Griffith.
Educator-Advocate & Blogger.