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

Edith Shain: The Kiss in Times Square Nurse

The Eisenstaedt photo
August 14, 1945

Edith Shain and Glenn McDuffie kissed on August 14, 1945 in Times Square. This iconic photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt makes me happy each time I see it.  A random GI kissing a random nurse in Times Square upon hearing that the war was finally over!

The identities of the kissers was a mystery for over 50 years.  Not wanting to be seen as a flusey,  Edith Shain did not come forward.  As an elderly lady she figured, what the heck!

5 Degrees

Julius Axelrod

Edith in the 21st century

Fifth Degree: Julius Axelrod:  Edith was a nurse at Doctors Hospital, now Presbyterian Hospital, when she heard about the end of the war.  When she was a medical student at NYU in the late 30s/early 40s, so was 1970 Nobel Laureate Julius Axelrod.  

Fourth Degree, Norman Borlaug:  Julius Axelrod, with colleagues Bernard Katz and Ulf von Euler, won the Nobel Prize for their study of  neurotransmitters. Dr. Axelrod received his prize in Medicine in the same 1970 ceremony that Norman Borlaug won the prize for Peace.

Dr. Borlaug receiving the Congressional Gold Medal

Third Degree, Nancy Pelosi:  Dr. Borlaug discovered ways to yield more wheat per acre.  His work was seen as an embodiment of the ideals of Nobel by "benefiting humanity."  To read the award ceremony speech for Dr. Borlaug click here.  Dr. Borlaug's work didn't stop with this work.  He went on to head  the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) under the auspices of the Ford Foundation, The Rockerfeller Foundation, and the Mexican Government.  His work with the CIMMYT earned him the Congressional Gold Medal.  He received the medal during the Bush administration, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House.

You do realize, Nancy, that by kissing my hand you
are submitting to my authority?

  Second Degree, The Pope:  Madame Speaker was summoned to The Vatican in February of 2009 by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI.  The audience was requested when Speaker Pelosi stated that she was a "good Catholic" in spite of her party stance on life issue, including abortion.  While no transcripts of the 15 minute meeting were released, both parties released statements to the press. Pelosi's rendition is of a formal and friendly greeting.  The Vatican's statement is about life issues and the importance of leaders to stand for justice.  Read the Fox story here.  Read the CBS story of the visit here.  

Friends

First Degree: Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) was a friend and confidant of John Paul II.  The two were very good friends.  It's so unfortunate that Benedict is plagued with dark circles under his eyes and a surname that begins with "rat."  The combination of these characteristics have made for many nasty photoshop opportunities, but he's a very holy man.  Check out the photo of him with Nancy Pelosi.  Yeah, he's got dark circles like Natasha's Boris, but there is a warmth, light, and sweetness radiating from him.  When you see the parody pix, close the page. 

Don't make statements of doctrine
unless they are correct, Nancy

Bishop Tobin vs Patrick Kennedy
The bishop won

Did you know? The Catholic Church reserves public contact with politicians to State events and matters of heresy.  While Nancy Pelosi had been on the wrong side of life issues for many years, she was only called out publicly when she said she could do so and still be a "good, practicing, Catholic."  


A similar Episcopal reprimand was given to Patrick Kennedy by Bishop Tobin in 2009.  Read the story here.