State Sponsored Terrorism: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness

Peace sculpture outside The United Nations

All atrocities are rooted in sin.  We all sin.  When we are children, our parents correct our behavior and point out our sins.  They introduce us to God with their love and loving correction.  Later, it is confession, friends, spouses, workmates, and neighbors who help to guide and direct us to righteousness.  For countries, it is other countries and the international community.  The only authorities that officially stand up to the United States and many other powerful countries are The United Nations, The Church, and The International Court at The Hague. The Church and The United Nations are both one-degree from Pope John Paul II.

Many have said, "Nobody can control the United States, the UN doesn't stand up to them" or "The church has no weapons, how can they effect change?"  Without faith, these statements are perfectly true.  Recent events make me fear for the future of my country.  I see my president not standing behind the precedents of The Geneva Conventions, and the Nuremberg Articles.  I see a rise of The Tea Party, a group claiming to be Christian that is steadfastly against love of neighbor and forgiveness.  History tells us that "absolute power corrupts absolutely," and The United States has more absolute power with each passing day.

The International Court

In the face of their daunting task, members of The U.N., The Vatican, and The International Court persist in their mission of justice.  Let's examine their struggles using a few examples of injustice in our world.

Torture
Under the Bush administration (W,) various "enhanced interrogation techniques" or "tortures" were approved. They include water boarding, sleep or food deprivation, walling, and placing a person in a box with insects.


Water boarding is defined as torture by The United Nations.  Pardoning or not prosecuting torturers because they were acting under orders of superiors is indefensible according to the Nuremberg articles.  The particular act of pardoning for this reason is commonly known as The Eichmann Defense.  Adolf Eichmann was a torturer under Hitler and used this defense at his Nuremberg trial for war crimes following World War II.  If this defense was not acceptable then, it is not acceptable anytime!  Here is a portion of Eichmann's trial in Israel in 1961.

In the light of news of torture by Americans, American religious leaders, lead by a Roman Catholic Cardinal, signed a statement denouncing torture.  This was widely reported in THe New York Times and has been revisited by American bishops and other religious and lay faithful since.

Torturers using The Eichmann defense were pardoned by Obama, denounced by International law, denounced by The Church.

2 Degrees

Torture to International Court or The U.N. or American Cardinal who was elevated by John Paul II.

Oh, by the way, The Pope spoke against this too!

Rape

Rape is a horrible distortion of our bodies.  The body is a gift from God, meant to be given to one another in love and service.  The most intimate form of love is reserved for husbands and wives and involves genitals.  When this same act is forced and becomes violent it is an abomination to the image of God.  Just as it is an abomination to take a beautiful tree, which is given for fruit and shade, and use it to crucify God's Son, it is an abomination to take a body, which is an icon of Jesus Himself, and use it as a means of torture and violence.  Yet rape in war and as a tool of torture and ethnic genocide is common in our world.

In Congo, rape has been a tool of war, victimizing hundreds of thousands of women, men, and children!  Not only has an entire generation of child fighters been habituated to rape as soldiers, but they are also victims of rape when captured.  The entire country is demoralized and bleeding from these atrocities.

Congolese man who works for
Catholic Relief Services

Catholic Relief Services is on the ground in Congo.  They have rape crisis counselors working with victims as you read this.  CRS will not abandon the people of Congo, but they could use your help.  Why not donate or support a missionary.  Also, write your Congressmen (Senate and House) and tell them you care about Congo and violence in Africa.

John Paul II, one of the popes to honor
Catholic Relief Services.  

Catholic Relief Services has been honored by all popes since CRS has existed.  Pope John Paul II honored the head of CRS in 2000.  

Financial  Robbery, My Congress at Work!

Why the hell do men and women spend millions to gain a job that pays $140?  They are crooks!  Last night's 60 Minutes episode exposes the corruption.  They write the laws (definition of "legislature") and they control business and know information before it is public.  That is why they sold stocks in September of 2008.  That is why they bought stocks before the health care bill passed, before we knew that it would, in health insurance companies.  They make millions from these trades.  This is wrong.  My congressman is chair of the House finance committee.  I'm sickened by this!  It doesn't surprise me, but it sickens me.  How can we stop this!

They profited when the rest of us were losing our savings!

My own congressman, Barney Frank, is heavily invested in health care stocks.  In his last report, he has accepted trips to The Virgin Islands on a private jet, and to Los Angeles at NBC's expense.  The value of these trips are reported far below what they would have actually cost.  Mr. Frank also did not lose money in the 2008 financial drop, he broke even, "wisely" having invested heavily in municipal bonds.  I wonder why his portfolio was so well managed.  Did he know something that we didn't?  OF COURSE HE KNEW!  He was chair of the House Finance Committee.  He knew about the collapse several months before anyone else and acted accordingly.  He sold his Washington residence just months before the housing collapse.  He now lives in an apartment.  This whole thing stinks to high heaven!

I used legistorm.com to find documents of financial disclosure for Congressman Frank.  You can look up your own representatives.  I urge you to write about what you find, write letters to the editor, and generally embarrass these politicians.  Then, find people who will represent our interests.  I think we should pay congressmen $1,000,000 per year, give them health care in keeping with comparable earners, and take away their ability to flout the laws we are supposed to abide by.  

4 Shameful Degrees

Congress imitating Judas who betrayed Jesus to Peter to The Popes

Kate Middleton

Congratulations!  

Click here to see a replay of the big event!

Kate Middleton will soon be married to Prince William of England.  She is currently 3 degrees from Pope John Paul II, but in two days, she will be 2 degrees away.

Prince William (top) with his mother, Princess Diana
and brother, Prince Harry

Princess Diana met the Holy Father several times during her reign

Prince William's mother was married by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The current Archbishop of Canterbury,
the officiant at Kate and William's wedding,
 and
Pope John Paul II

Kate is now two degrees from John Paul II!

Here is part of Queen Elizabeth's wedding in November of 1947.

And here is the Queen Mum's wedding in 1923.  It's silent film.  Enjoy!

A word about the abdication, divorce, and the Anglicans.  

"I do believe you'll be queen over Churchill's dead body.
This is my fondest wish, Wallis."  

Edward VIII abdicated the throne because of his relationship with Wallis Simpson, a woman who had previous marriages.  The traditional story is that, as a divorcee, Ms Simpson was unsuitable to be queen of England.  This was not the actual reason for absolutely and entirely rejecting her.  Ms Simpson was a Nazi!  She was friends with Adolf Hitler, a Eugenist, and general white supremacist.  In the 1930s, many countries toyed with the ideas which became Naziism.  Indeed, the concepts of Eugenics, superiority of the white race, were born in The United States.  England and America could have easily turned to the right.  Instead, we elected FDR, and England forced the abdication of Edward VIII and had King George VI consecrated as their king.

The abdication happened when the then Princess Elizabeth was barely 10 years old.  It must have made quite an impression upon her.  The government serves at the pleasure of the king and queen, but the king and queen ultimately serve at the pleasure of their people.  It is Elizabeth's integrity, love of country, and love of personal and societal freedom, that have kept the monarchy strong during her reign.  While I don't understand the need for the royal family, I respect the British institution and understand that Britain's need for the royal family goes very deep and bears much fruit.  I wish them well and pray earnestly that their church will reconcile with their Roman brothers and sisters soon.

I am just itching to read this book.  It is a highly acclaimed novel imagining what the world would have been like if Charles Linberg had defeated FDR in 1938.  I heard it recommended on NPR and read a review in The New York Times Book Review Section. Check it out!

Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr

"Any girl can be glamorous, all you have to do is stand still and look stupid," said Hedy Lamarr, the beautiful scientist whose inventions make your cell phone possible!  

In 1942, Ms Lamarr, whose birth name was Hedwig Eva Maria Keisler, and her endocrinologist/composer friend, George Anthiel, patented a torpedo guidance system.  This new radio control system with alternating signal could be controlled by a plane overhead and not heard or intercepted by others.  This technology is what makes cell phone calls private and able to roam.

In this article, learn how Ms Lamarr almost left acting to persue a career in inventing, how her first husband, an arms maker, (Jewish but made  Ehrenarier,) cavorted with the like of Hitler, and how her invention was shunned by the US military until the blockade of Cuba.  

5 Degrees

Fifth Degree: Hedy Lamarr

In this clip, we learn about German and Austrian people who fled to the United States in the 1930s.  Hedy Lamarr was among them.  This film is in French with English subtitles.  Very interesting.

Fourth Degree: Mel Brooks

Ms Lamarr was not thrilled with the character, Hedley Lamarr in the film, Blazing Saddles.  She sued the producers of the film and they settled out of court.  For an excellent podcast about Ms. Lamar that mentions the lawsuit, click here. 

  

Third  Degree: Johnny Carson

Mel Brooks appeared many times on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.  This is one of those appearances.  

Second Degree: Red Skelton

As mentioned in a previous post, Red Skelton had Johnny Carson fill in for him on his show when Red was off in Europe meeting Pope Pius XII.  Red honored Johnny by inducting him into the Television Hall of Fame.

First Degree: Pope Pius XII

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

My mother was born on this date during the presidency of FDR.  I am therefore writing about Franklin Delano Roosevelt today.

2 Degrees

As detailed in the post on Chairman Mao, FDR exchanged letters with Pope Pius XII during World War II.  I don't have anything to add about the relationship between FDR and Pius XII, but here are some videos that might interest you.

Watch the full episode. See more American Experience.

I strongly urge you to visit the FDR presidential library in Hyde Park, New York if you get a chance.  He had 4 terms, there is loads of information to sift through and wonderful displays there.  Click here to visit their site.

George Washington

George Washington in bucolic scene with chattel etc.

7 Degrees

Seventh Degree: George Washington freed his slaves upon his death as part of a pact with the Marquis de Lafayette.
Oney Judge, a slave on Washington's Mount Vernon Plantation, was not owned by George, but by his wife, Martha.  She kept most of her slaves and bequeethed Oney Judge to her granddaughter, Eliza Custis.  Oney was not excited about the prospect of being owned by yet another person (and perhaps Ms Custis wasn't a nice lady either.)  Oney Judge escaped!
Full story and interview here.

Sixth Degree: John Langdon
Oney made her way to New Hampshire where she was given sanctuary by Senator John Langdon (future Governor of New Hampshire).  Mr. Langdon was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787.   click here for a full list of delegates.  


Fifth Degree: Gabriel Duvall of Maryland (Named because it was the colony for Papists, those devoted to "Mary", it was their "land") was also a delegate to that convention.  After the United States of America was created, Mr. Duvall became Justice Duvall.  He served in the US Supreme Court for over 20 years with Chief Justice John Marshall .


Fourth Degree: John  Marshall
Just a few branches down the family tree of John Marshall, we come to
Third Degree: General George Marshall (of The Marshall Plan fame).

Second Degree: FDR
George Marshall served under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  For The History Channel's history of George Marshall, click here.  "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," The Marshall Plan embodies this phrase and is something that Americans are proud of.  Like all people, George Marshall was flawed, but he was great.



First Degree: Pope Pius XII
FDR wrote many letters to Pope Pius XII.  Myron Taylor, ambassedor to the Vatican, presented the letter to Pius XII in person.

A Word About Pius XII
Hated by Mussolini, Hitler, and Stalin, Pope Pius XII stood up for the faith and was hailed as a brave hero by Jews and Christians alike.  Communist propaganda painted him as an enemy and and anti-Semite in the 1950s and 1960s.  This image persists today. Go to one of the Holocaust museums around the world, read newspaper stories and encyclicals from the wartime, read the recent NY Daily News story defending the Pius XII.  Don't believe the hype!  Go to the source.

In December 2008 there was a symposium on the papacy of Pius XII.  This symposium was part of an ongoing effort by The Vatican and Jewish leaders to maintain healthy and truthful interfaith dialogue.  Click on the name of a participant to see their video of reaction to the symposium.

• Journalist Michael Hesemann
• Law Professor, Writer, Jurist, Political Commentator Ronald Rychlak
• Rabbi Abie Ingber