Volume 5 Issue 42…Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race…October 25, 2002

Anytime one wants to know who is behind some action, the most fruitful investigative technique is to "follow the money." However, this tactic breaks down when the government is responsible for the clandestine activity. The government cloaks its actions behind a veil of secrecy by limiting access to documents and determining what will become public information. Claiming national or homeland security, the government covers its dastardly deeds and despicable acts from public scrutiny. Such is the case when tracing financial support for the quasi-governmental American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Passed off on the public as a "civic-minded" group, it gained notoriety after pouring millions of dollars into US congressional campaigns to defeat black representatives that opposed Israeli occupation and the slaughter of Palestinians.

Groups in the US and Israel, like AIPAC, collaborate and coordinate their activities with government policies. These private groups get funds from the government to perform pseudo educational and other non-governmental (NGO) type functions. Also, they lobby elected officials to support policies of the US and Israeli governments and attack opponents. The blowback is the role AIPAC played during US congressional primary campaigns this year. Supported by the Israeli government, AIPAC targeted those blacks for defeat that opposed Israeli policies. Some of the funds used to defeat black candidates in US elections came from US tax dollars given to Israel as foreign aid.

These facts were not reported in the media during US Rep. Cynthia McKinney's primary campaign. It was reported that AIPAC poured nearly a million dollars into campaigns, such as Denise Majette's race in DeKalb County, Georgia's 4th District, with the aim of unseating certain Democratic Party candidates. Obviously, foreign governments are forbidden from interfering in US internal political affairs, such as elections. However, using foreign aid funds funneled to AIPAC to use in this fashion is outrageous. The Bush administration did not condemn AIPAC. Republicans and the media aided it by encouraging crossover voting to help defeat blacks targeted by AIPAC. Moreover, the Bush White House refuses to release any information on monies that the US has given Israel that is now being used in this manner.

During the campaign financing scandal following the 1996 election, Republicans outraged over Chinese using their own money to "buy" political influence through contributions to Democrats tried to impeach Al Gore. Following the money exposes AIPAC's use of US tax dollars laundered through the Israeli government to financially support US Representatives that favor Israeli policies. Both the US and Israel claims to be the world's greatest democracies, but in reality, this scheme robbed some Americans of a choice and the opportunity to elect who they wanted as representatives. Other essays by John Burl Smith

John Brown X Productions present "As an Act of Protest," a feature film by New York guerilla filmmaker and director Dennis Leroy Moore. Set in New York, the story is about a young black actor and his rite of passage. A truly hip-hop film, in terms of its music, political consciousness and dreams of revolution, our hero must escape the psychological torture of colonization by searching for ways to counter the effects of racism and police brutality before they destroy him.

"As an Act of Protest" is showing on Tuesday, October 29^th at 7:30PM at the Anthology Film Archives located at 32 2^nd Avenue. Contact Melissa Dymock at mdymock@earthlink.com or call 212-969-0011. New Yorkers show your love by supporting this production! Intuit Homepage

News You Use

In August, parties in Thompson v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. announced a settlement valued at about $160 million. The class action lawsuit alleged that blacks and other non-Caucasians were subjected to a pattern of discrimination that violated civil rights laws. MetLife sold industrial and burial life insurance policies to these groups from the late 1800's through the 1970's. Because they were not allowed to visit MetLife's offices, these groups purchased insurance policies from door-to-door salesmen, who overcharged for the policies.

Depending on the policy and its status, three types of relief are available. These include an increased policy death benefit, cash payment or special death benefit settlement. If you have Internet access with Acrobat Reader, you can read about this settlement and complete a claim form at http://www.lifesettle.com/. You can also call (800) 960-2382 or 2381 or write to Settlement Administrator, Thompson v. Metropolitan Life, P.O. Box 61, Minneapolis, MN 55440-8511. Claim forms must be postmarked no later than April 23, 2003.

A number of related discrimination cases include Bratcher v Monumental Insurance Company, McNeil v American General Life and Accident Insurance Company, et al. To learn more about these class action cases, see http://www.classactionamerica.com/cases/case.asp?cid=1201 More News

Recently, entertainers have found it necessary to be more expressive regarding human rights and the need to fight for a sustainable environment. Daily, more artists join Poets for Peace's War of Word to carpet-bomb Americans with truth about the disastrous policies of George W. Bush. Such notables as Barbra Streisand, Woody Harrelson and Sean Penn are only the latest artists to fall under the crosshairs of Bush extremists and warmongers for opposing Bush policies.

Homo sapiens visualize the world they inhabit. What humans experience each day become the physical expressions of those visualizations. If one's mind is inhabited by demons constantly brewing war, death and destruction, those demons are manifested through their everyday vision of life. Supporters of the War of Words believe each person must face and defeat their demons, while they are still caged within the mind. For it is only there that we have power over them. Unleashed upon the world, our thoughts gain reinforcement, which gives them power to become our enslavers.

The battle raging in the US is to establish which vision will dominate the world we leave our children. Individually, we decide anew each day whether to express the Homo sapiens' soul or surrender to the blood lusting rituals of the Neanderthal's cave dwelling days. Originating in Africa, Homo sapiens does not have mental images of such a dark and brutal existence. Our only reference to such a horrid and terror-ridden specter is slavery as imposed by Christians. Consequently, a powerful image, slavery's debasement without reparations, still shadows our future visions.

Whether the future is dictated by Neanderthal blood lusting war rituals or facilitated by the Homo sapiens' soul depends on individuals acting on values that make us human. Kudos to Barbra, Sean and Woody. Stay on the frontline for the sake of humanity! Kudos Homepage

According to the Sentencing Project, most states disenfranchise felons while they are in prison, on parole or probation. In 14 states with large black populations, felons are permanently disenfranchised. Black felony disenfranchisement is seven times the national average. In states like Alabama and Florida, more than 30 percent of the black men are disenfranchised for life. Nationwide, nearly four million people, mostly black men, cannot vote. This is the 3/5 Compromise at work.

Section 2 of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution prescribes felon disenfranchisement as the procedure for states to achieve the 3/5 Compromise of Article 1 Section 2. Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris removed more than 57,000 voters, mostly black, from the voter rolls. In so doing, she assured blacks did not elect the state's representatives or President.

BBC reporter Greg Palast uncovered the scheme. "Counting on Democracy" is a documentary about how before Election 2000 large numbers of black voters were disenfranchised; most were not felons. For a schedule of broadcast times, see http://www.gregpalast.com/. A second film on the Election 2000 debacle, "Unprecedented," opens this month. For additional information about this film, log on to www.Unprecedented.org. More Hood Notes

Interest is the price charged for the use of money; usury is exorbitant in that it exceeds the legal rate of interest. Throughout history, usury has been an ethical issue. Grecian law did not prohibit interest, but Plato and Aristotle condemned it as an obnoxious, unnatural and unjust way to make money. It imperiled the state's welfare by pitting one class (wealthy lenders) against another (poor borrowers) and, by seeking gain from a barren metal. While Cicero, Cato and Seneca expressed similar opinions, Roman law was tolerant of interest. Maximum legal rates were frequently established.

In the Old Testament, many passages forbid charging interest on loans to the poor or to fellow Jews and condemned gaining wealth by oppressing the poor with usury. The New Testament contains no explicit statement on the ethics of interest, but church fathers condemned it as a violation of charity and mercy. They denounced the greed and rapacity of usurers and their exploitation and oppression of needy borrowers. Condemnation was not against interest, but exorbitant interest extracted from borrowers in financial distress.

With the growth of industry and commerce and the expansion of investment loans, interest was justified to cover any loss incurred from delays in repayment or sacrifices of profit that might have been earned had the principal been invested, or for risks associated with financing certain ventures, such as "loans on bottomry." Bottomry is a contract in which a ship is security for repayment of a loan at the end of a successful voyage; this included Middle Passage voyages during slavery.

From the 16th century onward, the controversy over the ethics of interest followed two main streams of thought: the Scholastic tradition that frowned on accepting a price for money lent, and those who justified charging interest. Today, economists agree, the market rate of interest is determined by conditions of time preference, investment opportunity and liquidity preference. The resulting rate expresses the common estimate of buyers and sellers of the price of funds available at different points of time. While these competitive conditions may exist in money and capital markets to arrive at a just rate, these assumptions are unrealistic for consumption loans or sub prime markets. Here the danger of usury is greatest. Interest payments in sub prime markets usually include, in addition to pure interest, charges to cover operating costs and risks of non-repayment. While some borrower protection against usurious rates is afforded by both federal and state legislation, these have been largely ineffective in curtailing predatory lending practices in the US. (Source: Encyclopedia Americana) History Homepage

The Dark Knight-Batman/White Ninja/Zorro is not above using bribery to get what he wants. He knows the value of his unvarnished wisdom. When pressed for comments, the Dark One/Ninja/Zorro inquired, "Does this mean I now have privileges?" Back to the Bat Cave

Disgruntled wants to know: Determined to keep the US public fearfully ignorant, the news media went from 24-7 "attack on Iraq" to "sniper on the loose." Needing an escape route, I channeled surfed and chanced upon the movie The Dead Zone. Based on Stephen King's book, Christopher Walken is Johnny, who awakens from a coma with a special gift - the ability to see the past and future. After touching the hands of an ambitious politician, who behaves like a petulant child playing video games, Johnny is tormented. This man will unleash Armageddon. Johnny's destiny is to stop him. With war threats and the development of new nuclear weapons, does this remind you of another nutcase?

Disgruntled feels: Targeted! Predatory lenders target black, poor and old people. Banks, insurance companies, mortgage brokers and collection agencies charge exorbitant rates for loans and other financial services. Some of these companies are prime lenders operating in global markets. During slavery, their predecessors financed voyages carrying human cargo. Today, they have downstream subsidiaries that operate in sub-prime markets that prey on slave descendants.

Disgruntled says: Oops! Last week, I made an error in identifying the Japanese equity market. Of course, it is the NIKKEI, and rather than dropping from a high of nearly 20,000, it has fallen to just above 8,000. The point is, equity markets are like gambling. They are so risky, American banks were barred from investing in equity markets after the 1929 stock market crash. Likewise, those who rely on Social Security for their retirement income must realistically assess the potential risk before embracing privatization, which will end Social Security, as we know it. Oops will not correct it! More Disgruntled Moments

Black Georgians face a real conundrum. No one represents our interests. We vote for Democrats that treat us like doormats. Zell Miller votes Republican and Max Clelland is missing in action. Prior to the resolution to give Bush the Iraqi regime change green light, faxes, emails and telephone calls from across Georgia opposed military action more than 5 to 1. Miller and Clelland, who lost three limbs in Vietnam, voted for war.

On the gubernatorial front, Roy Barnes is really a Republican. His record for blacks is dismal. In the Atlanta megalopolis, only DeKalb and Fulton Counties, where mostly blacks live, support public transportation - MARTA - through a one-cent sales tax. Barnes created GRTA under the pretext of curtailing sprawl to control MARTA. South DeKalb's rail line went to counties where this tax is not levied. To add insult to injury, Barnes crafted a bill to extend the MARTA tax to 2047 so the state could qualify for federal public transportation dollars. Under Barnes, Miller and Clelland, blacks are victims of taxation without representation. Given this conundrum, some will stay at home rather than vote this November. For more on MARTA, see www.thedish.ws. More Politics Y2K2

Email skhatri@micronix.co.tz Woody Harrelson: "This is a racist and imperialist war. The warmongers who stole the White House (you call them "hawks," but I would never disparage such a fine bird) have hijacked a nation's grief and turned it into a perpetual war on any non-white country they choose to describe as terrorist."

I am a father, and no amount of propaganda can convince me that half a million dead children is acceptable 'collateral damage.' The fact is that Saddam Hussein was our boy. The CIA helped him to power, as they did the Shah of Iran and Noriega and Marcos and the Taliban and countless other brutal tyrants."

Email amadi_ajamu@hotmail.com In the wake of DNA supported confessions of Matias Reyes, the real Central Park jogger serial rapist, clear evidence of a malicious prosecution of the five black and Latino teenagers mounts. Police coerced confessions from minors and deliberately ignored similar crimes during the same period. Prosecutors leaked false information to the media. Outright lies were told and vital facts withheld from the jury. Evildoers on high coordinated this systematic judicial lynching. The young men must be completely exonerated and paid reparations!

Email peacethrujustice@aol.com The USA is frequently unjust in its domestic and foreign policy. The Noelle Bush case is an example of inequities in "criminal justice." In and out of substance abuse rehab, Bush was caught with crack cocaine and given a 10-day sentence. Blacks, Latinos and poor whites are among the countless FIRST TIME CRACK OFFENDERS who received years-long mandatory sentences. Unlike Bush, they experience an insidious form of capitol punishment: Those who don't have the capital get the punishment.)

Email www.theage.com.au At the age of two, Valerie Linow was removed from her home by the Aboriginal Welfare Board and placed in children's home. At sixteen, while working as a domestic servant, she was beaten her barbed wire and raped. Last week, the New South Wales Victims Compensation Tribunal awarded Mrs. Linow $35,000. According to Audrey Kinnear, co-chair of the National Sorry Day Committee, "This decision validates the fact that the harm done to the stolen generations is worthy of compensation. It sets a precedent and will give others courage to do the same."

Email mulindwa@look.ca Excerpt from a Helen Caldicott essay: During the 1991 Gulf War, the US deployed anti-tank shells made of depleted uranium 238, which is 1.7 times denser than lead. When the shells hit tanks at high speeds, they burst into flames, producing aerosolized particles that are easily inhaled. U238 is a radioactive carcinogen with a 4.5 billion years half-life.

Children are 10 to 20 times more sensitive to the effects of radiation than adults. The incidence of childhood leukemia and cancer increased. Congenital malformations doubled in exposed populations. Some U.S. veterans exposed to U238 are reported to be excreting uranium in their urine and semen.

U.S. authorities knew before Desert Storm that aerosol uranium exposure could cause cancer, kidney damage, non-malignant lung disease, neuro-cognitive disorders, chromosomal damage and birth defects. Do George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Condoleezza Rice, and Donald Rumsfeld understand the medical consequences of the 1991 war and the likely health effects of the next one they are now planning? If they do not, their ignorance is breathtaking; even more incredible though - and alas, much more likely -- is that they do understand, but do not care. More Mail

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