Palenstinians the Quiet Victims

Tuesday June 30, 2009 marks my one week in Palestine. My short time here has been a microcosm of Palestinian Society; one that is a reality of opposites: of order and chaos, justice and oppression, family and foe, powerful and powerless.

First off, it must be stressed that this is not a society that is constantly "at war" as we are often told abroad. Palestinian people are resisting the occupation and grab of their land through non-violent tactics (handmade rockets and bombs do occur infrequently, but the majority of Palestinians do not support these methods and the occupation, violence, and economic suffocation causes hopelessness). In the more rural areas outside of the big cities in the West Bank, they are farmers, shopkeepers, and day laborers if they can find work (unemployment is staggering here, close to 32% - especially considering over 52% of the population is under the age of 24 and many men are imprisoned). For the family of a long line of farmers that we have been accompanying to ensure Israeli settlers do not attack them while they harvest their own land (a 75 year old man had his skull cracked open a week prior while Israeli military watched and did nothing, despite the fact that their outpost is to prevent and stop these attacks from happening), they are resisting the destruction and grab of their land by persevering in continuing to harvest their crops. This is their livelihood, without it their fate may be the same as countless other Palestinians who have lost their homes through illegal home demolition, their land through illegal land annexing, and ultimately their country,

A little known law outside of the Palestine and Israel, allows the Israeli military and state to confiscate any land in the West Bank that is defined as "uncultivated" for 3 years. The Israeli military has been declaring Palestinian farm land as restricted as a "temporary military zone." Despite an Israeli Supreme Court order against the perpetual use of these orders, the practice still continues, leading to destruction of large acres of farm land by nearby Israeli settlers and eventual confiscation to the state of Israel who will use the land to speed up expansion of illegal settlements in Palestinian land. The weekend prior to my arrival, settlers had used a chainsaw and burned several acres of the farm land belonging to the family mentioned above. They had been barred from the military to harvest their crops for several months, and after trying one morning they were met with violence. This issue described above of illegal land grab is not an isolated incident in the West Bank. It is a systematic process used to expand Israeli settlements, and retard Palestinian economy that is currently in crisis

Last Saturday, a large group of international, Israeli, and Palestinian activists peacefully demonstrated against this action by attempting to pick grape leaves at the farmers' land. Before even being able to reach the land, 26 people were arrested and one Palestinian was severely injured right before he was being interviewed by Al Jazeera News (I was incapacitated that day because of stomach problems). You can watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PUpmUMG_pA. The day prior, Friday, activists demonstrated against the separation wall (that we heard so much about on the news in 2003-2004 when it was first being built) in a small rural town where over 75% of the farmland was annexed or destroyed by the construction of the wall. Many activists (including myself) were tear gassed with canisters shot from weapons that were attached to armored military vehicles funded by yours and mine tax dollars. And this was considered a "calm" demonstration (the soldiers/police normally use rubber bullets and beat people along with live ammunition for the Palestinians).

Despite the gloomy prospects on the ground here, I want to emphasize that the Palestinian people are a beautiful people and we as Americans can learn many things from their culture and habits. I am especially grateful for their hospitality and giving nature, it is instilled in even the youngest of children. They would give you their last dollar without even asking, or in the case of the farmers we have been assisting, make large meals every day we have worked in the fields. Ultimately, it is the children I fear for most. No one should have to live in chaos, in fear, in powerlessness. This can have a serious detrimental impact on the psychological development of young people. How must it feel like to see your grandfather get his skull cracked open for simply farming his own land? What does it feel like to have your brothers, cousins, fathers, uncles imprisoned for years without trial or reason? What does it feel like to watch your 12 year old brother get shot by a sniper for throwing stones at an armored vehicle?

For the forgotten, oppressed, and silenced people of Palestine, let us hope and pray for the end to this colonial state, not on Israeli, American or international terms that will only produce freedom on "paper," but on the terms of the Palestinian people and that of justice and humanity. If this does not occur, we will continue to fight and will eventually win for we are on the side of peace, and occupation is antithetical to natural order of living and governing.


Regards,

Devin Chambers

Distance Loving

Many people wonder if long distance relationships could actually work. Daily the news is filled with lustful individuals going on business trips that served as masquerades for extra marital affairs. I myself have even wondered if my relationship with the man I love can sustain distance. My fiancée has been gone since February 14, 2009, yes that’s right the most romantic day of the year. I cried not because I could not spend the day of love with the one I love, but because he was going to prepare a way for a new life and I was afraid that after a few months it might not include me and my daughter. Truly I was afraid of the vultures that would surround my love and swoop down upon him. My fears were confirmed when two women entered into his life in an attempt to woo him away but instead failed as he honored our love with truth and honesty. Now it has been four months and I am tested in my ability to sustain even more of a long distance love.

Most distance relationships tend to reside in the United States going from a few hundred to a thousand miles. My love is on the other side of the world in Palenstine assisting in the rights of others. My fear for the safety of my love makes my jealousy of another woman appear trite but what can I say I’m human. This journey my love embarks upon to go from boy to man requires not only courage, strength and a level head but also tremendous love and support. When I reflect upon his family’s opposition and doubt, I remember having to suppress my true feelings in favor of my fiancée desires.

Now he’s abroad getting tear gassed in the name of truth and honor to help those reclaim the land that rightfully belongs to them. I could tell him come home at any time to keep him safe and my heart secure but I know right now home is not where he wants to be. So I must love from a distance another three months as my soldier of valor becomes ALL the man he can be. So I will endure this distant love to be ALL the woman I can be.

Peace, Love and Bliss

Angel-Ah

No Child Left Behind: Annihilation or Awakening?

It is no mystery that since the induction of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) inflicted upon America’s Public Education System many questions have been raised regarding the quality and quantity of learning our children receive. Many flaws have been revealed since its enactment January 2002 such as reading programs offering minimal progress, special education inclusion without supports and allocation of funds based upon performance testing standards. Truly with such poor results one would deduce that No Child Left Behind is an annihilation of quality teachers, education, and students or is it?

With every reform movement truth eventually floats to the surface and overflows into the hearts and minds of those who seek. No Child Left Behind was unveiled as its intent to leave a population of students behind became clear. The intent was to not equip children of certain demographics with the tools necessary to function emotionally, socially and economically thus creating a permanent underclass or slaves if you will. The system to destroy the lives of these beings who are just beginning to live was formulated long before No Child Left Behind.

I remember in 1992, my senior year of high school, the local district ridded itself from veteran teachers and support staff. Most teachers were forced into early retirement while others were demoted. This made room for suburban Generation X rookies (the lost generation) to enter into a terrain of misconceptions and politics. They were taught that it was their job to actively seek children who need extra help in classes with the intent to assist in removing them from a classroom environment. These rookies were told to identify children with certain behaviors which contributed to the labeling of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) and currently Emotional Disturbance/Behavioral Disorder (ED/BD). Furthermore because these teachers were getting paid less; incentives and bonuses were handed to those who chose to sell out children for money making the game more lucrative.

When No Child Left Behind came to pass requirements for Teachers and Teaching Assistants became more stringent resulting in a second wave of removals. For Champaign mostly African Americans are the ones who take the hit, leaving minority children without support or protection. So when it came time to target kids of course those who are remarkably different get targeted first by the remaining Anglo Saxon novices. These children are males, minorities and those with disabilities. For those children who contain all three qualities, a triple threat, they are targeted and ousted from the school environment quicker. It is these special children who defy all man-made laws of chaos, confusion in favor of natural order of peace and clarity. In other words these children want truth over deception.

Had we not received No Child Left Behind, America’s minorities would not know how little their children is worth. We would not have known our children were being sold to the Healthcare Industry, the Prison System, and essentially the Government for a currency that’s not worth the paper it’s printed upon. We would not have seen our children suffer inside the school’s detentions and classrooms being shucked away like a stalk of corn. The upsurge of victims and disability rights group such as the Children’s Defense Fund would not have surfaced. Articles and reports would not have been written on how detrimental No Child Left Behind has been for minority students. Finally America might not have awaken from the system placed specifically for the destruction of our youth.

Peace, Love and Bliss

Angel-Ah

AIDS: Epidemic or Conspiracy?

An article surfaced on msn.com regarding Reverand Wright’s disgust with not having spoken with Barak Obama since he became the nation’s 44th president. See the article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31246353

The former pastor goes on to discuss his normal political condemnation including accusing the government of creating AIDS. Now I usually would say that Reverand Wright, like most pastors, just want his five minutes of fame but in discovery of just how powerful secret sects can be I have to wonder… AIDS is it really an epidemic or great conspiracy.

There has been speculation for years of secret orders utilizing different ways to annihilate whole populations of people; the black plague, holocaust, slavery, heroine. Ways to maintain order, control and above all else even God: MONEY. So is it really hard to believe that AIDS spread so rapidly due to government(s) creation. We have to admit HIV/AIDS did seem to appear out of nowhere and swept through the world like a house afire. To this day no one can exactly pinpoint how this disease appeared, and science still claim they do not have a cure just a means to live with HIV. After years of being canonized and demonized there are people who still claim that the disease is a punishment for God. How many other disasters, epidemics and wars have been formulated by man in the name of God? No question there for history is flooded with many shining examples.

Albeit epidemic, pandemic, conspiracy, Willie Lynch, tomato or tomato aren’t they all truly the same. As I think back to the show “Doomsday Prophecy 2012” on the history channel, I remember the revealing of an internal extraction program known as “webbot. “ I was in awe to find out this program actually combs through every exchange throughout the world wide web coming up with answers. Through this program the developers were informed about pandemics, wars, even 9/11 three months before the occurrence. The only explanation for a web program to receive predictions is if man created these so called prophetic events.

In an age where man wants so bad to try and play God acting as creator, judge and destroyer could AIDS just be that one more thing added. The question can’t help but to continuously flood my head with wonderment as we get closer to the end of our days. Leaving me with a notion is this really man or God.

Dreams Mastered?

For several weeks, I have arisen to the remembrance of dreams that appear to not fit into my current reality or Does it? As I desperately search for the hidden meaning of each piece of dream received, I am left wondering if a puzzle is being formulated to greater understanding. Yesterday I woke from a dream inside a dream; leaving me dazed and confused, and a need to get outside and commune with the nurture of nature. Today I awaken from a dream with a sense of purpose, a drive to prove that I am not a low life, screw up of a slacker. Yet still wondering what does this all mean?

Let me enlighten both you and myself with this experience. Yesterday’s dream consisted of speech from both Nostradamus and God, whom I call Anu. Nostradamus came first explaining to me how the world would end. He told and showed me a massive fire consuming the earth much like in the Nicholas Cage movie “Knowing.” As those who have seen the movie remember how the sun simply got to hot and disintegrated the world. This is not shocking as we have all heard it before, scientists discussing Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect. What was shocking (but not so very) to me in this dream is that Nostradamus said that man would create the fires that consumed the earth. In my dream I woke up and immediately thought I needed to tell my best friend and spiritual advisor Ordena of my dream. She happened to be laying beside me in the dream but I did not wake her, instead I called her later to talk about the dream.

As I was talking to Azima in the dream, I dreamt I had another dream. As this is all confusing; dreams inside of dreams, I feel that it means something I just do not know what. I don’t remember what the dream was on the inside but that is when God, Anu, spoke. He told me the solution to surviving the earth’s demise was water. Anu said that water extinguishes fire, okay okay I know what you are thinking, no big shock there. His exact words were “become the water”,of course I asked how do I be water upon which I received a response of “your body is made up of 70% water therefore you can become water. Of course I argued with my God as I normally do, that’s our game and we both enjoy many times. His final words were “the only thing left after the earth is consumed is water”, Set, Match, Game Over. The first and the last, the beginning and the end, first was the waters and last is the waters. Epiphanous thought: God is Water.

This morning I woke to a dream that my fiancée and I were walking in the winter time, window shopping around Christmas and he found $100 bill. I was jealous of him, because good things always tend to happen for him. He is a manifester, what he says happens instantly, but I digress. I had thoughts of why can’t I find a hundred dollars, because I definitely need any and all free money. As I was walking in an area that looked like a dump, when on top of the heap I saw an envelope. In the envelope were a couple American Express credit cards with my mom’s name on it and cash. The cash was a little over $150, I removed the cash and left the cards but I thought why would my mom not shred the cards and throw away that much money. The dream then returned to my fiancée driving to some class where he asked me to pick him up. Now in my waking life I would wonder why I had to pick him up when he has the newer car, but asleep one just goes with the flow. No epiphany here, as I am still trying to make sense of it all.

If dreams are really a manifestation of your desires, than simply put, I want to know the future and I want more money than my fiancée. Fortunately I am not that simple, so I am left with the pieces of my fragmented dream life trying to complete the puzzle. Azima told me yesterday that God was telling me the key to my survival is to flow like the water, forget my past hatred or “fire” and just go with the flow. Water is necessary to cleanse, purify, generate and restore.

I’ve had many pieces in the last few weeks and I realized the last time Anu spoke to me is exactly 4 weeks from tomorrow. Could my dreams be Anu’s way of speaking to me since I have turned a deaf ear to him? If so maybe I should open up my waking self and receive from him once again prophecies true, for that is my true desire to receive from him: guidance, wisdom, prosperity and divine favor. Always, Always and Always

Peace, Love and Bliss

Angel-Ah