Ending World Hate..should Start @ HOME!

True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.
- Clarence Darrow

Welcome to Covington...

Thursday, April 29, 2004

Michael W. Connett

"The HIVe at Seminary Square"

1043 Russell Street-#1 * Covington, KY 41011

mconnett@fuse.net * http://www.mwcltonline.org

Darkness cannot drive out darkness, ,only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction... The Chain reaction of evil --hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars-- must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

Martin Luther King, Jr. - 1963

"The opposite of love is not hate,
    it's indifference.
    The opposite of art is not ugliness,
     it's indifference.
    The opposite of faith is not heresy,
    it's indifference.
    And the opposite of life is not death,
     it's indifference." -- Elie Wiesel

I have... chosen this time and this place to discuss a topic on which ignorance too often abounds and the truth is too rarely perceived - yet it is the most important topic on earth: world peace. What kind of peace do I mean? What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not the peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children - not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women, not merely peace in our time but peace for all time... The United States, as the world knows, will never start a war." John F. Kennedy

Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes. Silently and imperceptibly, as we wake or sleep, we grow strong or we grow weak, and at last some crisis shows us what we have become. -Bishop Westcott

Thanksgiving 2003

Op/Ed - USA TODAY

U.S. arrogance widens rift

Hufvudstadsbladet, Helsinki, Finland, in an editorial: ''American politicians and media have criticized with increasing irony and arrogance those who don't adopt their line, particularly their European friends. This means that the rift between Europe and the United States is widening at the same time as an attack against Iraq draws ever closer. In the United States, one often seeks to find an answer to the question: Why can't the naive (President) Bush critics understand that we must get rid of (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein? In Europe, instead, one hears the basic question: Why can't the United States understand that the victims and the risks involved in an attack are too great?''

Uwe VorkÃ¶tter in Berliner Zeitung, Berlin: ''The showdown at the U.N. Security Council is just a show on the stage of world opinion. If the council agrees (with Bush), then it will have been useful to the Americans. If the council doesn't agree, then it will have been irrelevant. The superpower's decision to go to war has been made; it's only a question of when.''

Robin Gedye in The Daily Telegraph, London: ''From the Baltic to the Black Sea, there has been a unanimity of government support and sympathy for America that, combined with burgeoning antagonism toward France and Germany, would have been unthinkable just (recently). . . . Eastern Europe and the Balkans, unlike their Western neighbors, have a sense of history, which, because of their recent turbulence, has a relevance to the present. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder makes a point of drawing a line under Germany's wartime guilt while France pointedly ignores its own wartime debt to America. East European admiration for America is firmly seated in gratitude for the covert and overt support of successive Washington administrations for political dissent during the years of Soviet domination. . . . It is not merely that America is perceived as attaching a value to democracy that is lacking in other European states but also many parts of Eastern Europe feel let down by France and particularly Germany for breaking promises, made during its own reunification process, to act as a bridge between Eastern and Western Europe.''

Claude Imbert in Le Point, France: ''France today, busybody that it is, appears as the gleaming champion of the opposition to America. This opposition has unleashed a Francophobic hysteria there and anti-Americanism here. . . . This boosts Saddam and pleases (Osama) bin Laden. As for NATO and Europe, they are not yet broken but are fractured. . . . If the U.S. persists in wanting this war that it ceaselessly announces, France will have to face the prospect of abstention. In short, exiting through the back door.''

Verslo Zinios, Lithuania, in an editorial: ''The United States, it seems, does not intend to encourage European unity, and it would be strange if it did. Why would the United States, with its receding economy, wish good luck to the European superstate?''

Mia Doornaert in a column on the Web site of De Standaard, Belgium: ''Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel's explicit statement that Belgium is 'no lackey of the United States' did not go down particularly well in Washington. This statement also hurt those Americans -- and there are many more of them than European public opinion realizes -- who oppose Bush's war plans for Iraq and who sincerely hope that the EU will finally complement its economic power with adequate political and military power so as to become a credible alternative . . . to the United States. If Western Europe is currently better off than Eastern Europe, they say, this is because (the USA) has never regarded its European allies as lackeys, but rather as partners, albeit not always in a very tactful way.''

Lara Marlowe in The Irish Times, Dublin: ''In Britain and Ireland, anti-war feeling is directed at the Bush administration, not America as a nation. Between the U.S. and France, it's personal and likely to leave long-term damage. In view of the abuse heaped upon them, the French remain remarkably restrained. . . . Perhaps Americans should look in their own closet before whipping the French with history.'' What Europeans are saying about U.S.-European strains

???Covington!!!

“Winners(?)

develop the habit of doing things that

losers (?)

don’t like to do!”

" I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, and ill-nourished. The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." F.D.R.-1937

Showdown in Covington

When a person doesn't have gratitude, something is missing in his or her humanity. A person can almost be defined by his or her attitude toward gratitude.
- Elie Wiesel

Recently, I read the article; "Soft Economy Hardens Hearts for AIDS Crisis:". Perhaps even more telling and distressing were these additional findings that were cited:

"Other common reasons given included:

-- prioritizing domestic needs over international ones; and

-- preferring to support other causes.

<snip>"Still, other research shows that
people often play the 'finance' card to cop out of the less
socially desirable response: 'I'm just not interested in that
cause.' The other common responses indicate that lack of interest
may be the more accurate reason."

Other key findings from the survey include:

-- "Baby Busters" (ages 18 to 37) seem to be the most responsive
generation to HIV/AIDS causes with 47 percent as "supportive" or
"mildly supportive." Nevertheless, 30 percent of "Boomers" (ages
38 to 56) were "supportive" or "mildly supportive." Only 21
percent of "Elders" (ages 57 and up) fell into either of those
two categories.

-- The most likely group to support children affected by AIDS
were parents of young children who attend church.

-- Ethnically, white Americans are most resistant to addressing
HIV/AIDS: only 27 percent were supportive or mildly supportive,
compared with 52 percent of Hispanics and 51 percent of African
Americans.

-- Those identifying themselves as Democrats were more likely
than Republicans to be "supportive" or even "mildly supportive"
in donating (38 percent to 25 percent, respectively).

-- Those with the fewest resources to act, those with limited
education and limited income were, ironically, more likely to
qualify as "supportive" of AIDS-related issues.

-- Geographically, those living in the South and Northeast were
more likely to be "supportive" and "mildly supportive,"
respectively in contrast with those in the West and Midwest, who
were more likely to be "indifferent" and "unsupportive,"
respectively."

As you know, I live in the Midwest. Specifically, in Northern Kentucky across the river from Cincinnati which is known as "The only City in America whose charter specifically forbids equality for GLBT people". The following article appeared in The Cincinnati Enquirer on Sunday Nov. 17th:

"Weapons of mass (self) destruction"

"<snip>... But the other term we hear every day is "weapons of mass destruction." Weapons of mass destruction refer to rogue nations such as Iraq, which harbors chemical, biological or nuclear weapons capable of killing large numbers of people. The atomic bomb, sarin gas or a poisoned water supply are examples of weapons of mass destruction.

In my opinion, we have other weapons of mass destruction in our midst, but we seldom give them as much attention as the other weapons of mass destruction mentioned daily on the 6 o'clock news. These weapons of mass destruction are:

Obesity - <snip>
HIV/AIDS - Despite the fact that we have been lulled to sleep about how the HIV/AIDS epidemic has lessened, in fact, it hasn't. HIV/AIDS is still on the rise in the black and hispanic communities. Condoms are still being passed out in many prisons. In South Africa someone is stricken with HIV/AIDS every five seconds. Imagine 10 HIV/AIDS infected men or women from South Africa turned loose in a major urban city in unprotected sex escapades. What a deadly weapon of mass destruction.
Crack cocaine - <snip>
High school dropout rate - <snip>

History records that most great civilizations fell from within. While we should be concerned about chemical, biological and nuclear weapons of mass destruction, we should also strive to eliminate our internal weapons of mass destruction. They, too, are ticking time bombs."

Elmon W. Prier - a member of the Enquirer's Local Voices panel, which contributes columns to the opinion pages twice a week. He is a retired teacher and an ordained minister. (The picture that accompanied the article also showed he is african-american.)

I am very curious as to how my South African friends would respond? Here's what I would like to say: This is another example of the American Arrogance and Indifference that is part of the root reason why other peoples hate us. I would think that South Africans would be highly insulted, and rightly so. Why? Because in America, regarding the spread of HIV/AIDS: the Arrogant, Untested, Indifferent, Untreated, Complacent, Irresponsible, Hedonistic, Promiscuous (fellow) Americans are leading a pre-emptive strike all on their own. Am I lyin'...???

We had our first snow here as well. Already melted and I was able to get all my errands done! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, my friends! Take care!

HRC TROUBLED BY DRAMATIC RISE IN HATE CRIMES FOLLOWING SEPT. 11

FBI Crime Report Says Hate Crimes Based on Sexual Orientation Increased

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Nov. 1, 2002

WASHINGTON — The FBI's most recent publication "Crime in the United States, 2001" shows that while the number of overall crimes have increased only slightly, hate crimes have increased dramatically. The report shows that the number of crimes reported to the FBI in 2001 increased by 2.1 percent, but reported hate crimes increased 20.6 percent, from 8,063 in 2000 to 9,726 in 2001. This suggests a backlash against minorities following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Human Rights Campaign asserted today.

"Hate crimes represent the most un-American of values and they are antithetical to everything this nation stands for," said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg. "While most Americans rallied together after September 11, the tragedy unfortunately also brought out the worst in some people. The steep rise in hate crimes is unacceptable and we must work to create a more tolerant nation that celebrates diversity and appreciates differences in people."

In 2001, 1,663 more hate crime incidents were reported than in 2000. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation were the fourth highest category, behind hate incidents based on race, ethnic/national origin and religion.

Racial bias again represented the largest percentage of bias-motivated incidents, 44.9 percent, followed by ethnic/national origin bias, 21.6 percent, religious bias, 18.8 percent, sexual orientation bias, 14.3 percent, and disability bias, 0.3 percent.
The report shows a rise in hate crimes based on sexual orientation. Reported hate incidents based on sexual orientation have increased from 1,299 incidents in 2000, to 1,392 in 2001, a 7.2 percent increase. And reported hate crimes have more than tripled since the FBI began keeping statistics in 1996. The number of law enforcement agencies participating in reporting hate crimes to the FBI in 2001 increased slightly from 11,690 to 11,897.

"The numbers are even more troubling when you consider that it is widely known that hate crimes based on sexual orientation are underreported," said Stachelberg. "While we are making enormous progress on many fronts, violence still remains a constant threat that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans face. The rise in hate crimes highlights why we need to pass federal legislation to combat this disturbing trend."

After that, during my brief experience with homelessness I saw the movie "Pay It Forward" and made this observation:

Paying It Forward, Daily…

“Think of an idea to Change The World,

And put it Into ACTION…”

“I tried real hard, but nothing really happened. I think some people are too scared or something. I think, things could be different. I mean, the World’s not exactly s**t.

I guess it’s hard for some people who are so used to things the way they are, even if they’re BAD, to CHANGE. ‘Cause then they kinda give up. And when they do, everybody kinda loses.

It’s hard, you can’t plan it. You have to watch people more, ya know. Sort of keep an eye on them, to protect them, ‘cause they can’t always see what they need. It’s like your big chance to fix something that’s not like your bike. You can fix a person…”

“Trevor” in The Movie

Go Beyond the Original Premise…

Instead of helping three people , resolve to be of assistance to anyone, in anyway you can.
Little things can make as big a difference as the really “huge” things.
Strive for “The Greater Good for the Greater Number…”
Remember that “a rich person is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least.”
“Learn that what is most valuable is not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life.

The Crimes & Terror of Homeland Hate

As a result of the 9-11 Tragedies and the continuing aftermath, I have come to the conclusion that:

We should hold this truth to be forever self-evident: That ALL Hate is intrinsically evil and should be considered EQUAL… I must therefore hypothesize that there is no difference between the Hate that brought down the World Trade Centers and the Hate:

· Of The Klu Klux Klan which results in the deaths of innocent Blacks

· Of The Army of God which sends Anthrax Letters to Planned Parenthood Clinics and supports the deaths of Abortion Doctors

· Of Homophobes which results in the deaths of people like Matthew Shepard

· Of the White Supremacists & The Arian Nation

· Of Right-wing Religious Radicals like Jerry Falwell

· Ignorance, Fear and Prejudice of the American People and Republican government that have resulted in hundreds of thousands of U. S. AIDS Deaths since the beginnings of the epidemic in 1980…