Ya know guys, I'm tired tonight, but there is something I have to say. It's late and I just finished posting a letter on the News and Views page of my site: http://www.obfthepeople.org/news.htm. This letter is very disturbing. You should go read it. I titled it "How to Win Friends and Influence People - ICE Style." I've seen worse incidents since I started looking into ICE and their abuses - a young man thrown to the ground while handcuffed, his jaw broken under a guard's boot - not repaired for over three years now; men with cancer denied medicine, a minister who was the victim of identity theft still in prison 5 months after he was ordered released by a judge . . . the list just goes on and on, but what this young man speaks of disturbs me on a whole different level. Aside from the human rights issue there is something else to consider.
Terrorists are a problem for us these days. There are the home-grown ones as well as the radical Islamist ones. I like to think that we are all well enough informed to know this. I'm going to even make an assumption that we know that it is foolish to alienate those Muslims who feel kindly toward us. Which brings me to my question, and please, do remember that Deb is tired, she's been sick and is just getting better and she's cranky right now - so - what I want to know is, "What . . . are we freakin' stupid?!"
There, now that I have that out of my system let's get back to a rational discussion. I know this young man's family. They are wonderful people who love the United States. They are everything we say we would like the immigrants that come to this country to be. Amine, the young man in question is too. He is decent and hard-working. He came here as a refugee when he was a toddler and is here legally. He has committed no crime. He is not suspected of having any intentions of committing a crime. So how is it that he has sat in prison for 14 months? Good question - if you find out, would you please let me know?
Okay, so when someone deliberately provokes a confrontation with friendly Muslims in this country - now remember - we are not talking about Gitmo or anyone suspected of thinking of doing anything against the United States - what exactly is that person's intention in doing that? Are they secretly a terrorist trying to get more recruits for the "cause"? I mean - to deliberately and purposely turn our friends into our enemies - that sounds like the actions of an enemy to me. Fortunately, these yahoos Amine mentions in his letter have not managed to turn any of the people in their care against the United States. Every one of the immigranst I've been in touch with knows that this is not what we are about as a people. Now isn't it too bad that the guard and others that Amine dealt with don't know that. Would it be possible to send their sorry asses (hey, I told you I get cranky when tired) back to elementary school so they can learn how to be good citizens again - because, to employ a well worn cliche - with friends like these, we don't need enemies. These men's actions and subsequent lack of action are a total embarrassment to our country. I'm could go on about this for a lot longer, but I'll spare you. You get the general idea. Deb's going to go get some sleep.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
I'd Call This Treason!
So yesterday two guards at the prison Audrius is in deliberately harrassed and abused a young Muslim man. The details are in my blog post of last night. These guards are guilty of sadistic and stupid behavior - perhaps they were trying to incite a riot, who knows? I think they are also guilty of treason against the United States. Yes, you read that right!
This young man they were abusing is Muslim. He and his family love the United States. They have lived here as refugees since he was a baby. We're having a problem with terrorists these days. We can not prevail in our battle against terrorism without the help of friendly Muslims. We need them - they are our allies. So, wouldn't it follow that a government agent who, while executing his duties as a government agent, attempts to turn a friendly Muslim into a non-friendly Muslim is committing an act of treason against the United States? I'm just sayin' . . .
Audrius' hearing is today - let's all pray that the judge sees his way clear to an act of kindness - maybe a little justice sprinkled on top would be nice. Seems to be a rare commodity - justice - in our immigration courts these days. Our friend needs to be released. He did everything within his power to keep the peace in that prison yesterday, but those "Spanish Christians" he kept mentioning I think were actually Hispanics and Spanish is one language Audrius does not know in any form. He's having trouble getting across to them that they need to keep cool - not let the guards get to them.
I was too tired last night to figure out what a "Spanish Christian" was. Audrius speaks English really well so I forget it is his fifth language. He was angry and frustrated last night when he was speaking with me as he is a peace maker at heart and he'd found it hard to keep the Hispanic inmates calm when the guards started to abuse Amine. Audrius speaks, reads and writes five languages fluently. He can get by in a few more, but he doesn't speak Spanish. He's traveled through many lands and dealt with many people. With all his languages he's always been able to communicate wherever he has found himself. Now suddenly he's in a situation where he doesn't know the language of a large portion of the population. The dude's not used to that and it's frustrating him no end. Of course, if they keep him in there for another month or two, he'll have Spanish added to his list of languages he can "get by" in. He knows enough languages. He can get a Rossetta Stone course if he wants to add Spanish. He needs to be out of that bloody prison!
This young man they were abusing is Muslim. He and his family love the United States. They have lived here as refugees since he was a baby. We're having a problem with terrorists these days. We can not prevail in our battle against terrorism without the help of friendly Muslims. We need them - they are our allies. So, wouldn't it follow that a government agent who, while executing his duties as a government agent, attempts to turn a friendly Muslim into a non-friendly Muslim is committing an act of treason against the United States? I'm just sayin' . . .
Audrius' hearing is today - let's all pray that the judge sees his way clear to an act of kindness - maybe a little justice sprinkled on top would be nice. Seems to be a rare commodity - justice - in our immigration courts these days. Our friend needs to be released. He did everything within his power to keep the peace in that prison yesterday, but those "Spanish Christians" he kept mentioning I think were actually Hispanics and Spanish is one language Audrius does not know in any form. He's having trouble getting across to them that they need to keep cool - not let the guards get to them.
I was too tired last night to figure out what a "Spanish Christian" was. Audrius speaks English really well so I forget it is his fifth language. He was angry and frustrated last night when he was speaking with me as he is a peace maker at heart and he'd found it hard to keep the Hispanic inmates calm when the guards started to abuse Amine. Audrius speaks, reads and writes five languages fluently. He can get by in a few more, but he doesn't speak Spanish. He's traveled through many lands and dealt with many people. With all his languages he's always been able to communicate wherever he has found himself. Now suddenly he's in a situation where he doesn't know the language of a large portion of the population. The dude's not used to that and it's frustrating him no end. Of course, if they keep him in there for another month or two, he'll have Spanish added to his list of languages he can "get by" in. He knows enough languages. He can get a Rossetta Stone course if he wants to add Spanish. He needs to be out of that bloody prison!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
A Riot Waiting to Happen
I did not intend to be spending this time posting to my blog. Audrius' hearing is tomorrow and I will confess that I have been stressed just a wee bit. His case may be continued, he may be released or he may be ordered deported, to never see his young children again. There is no way to know. We've been through this routine many times by now. He called tonight as I expected, but we did not get a chance to discuss his upcoming case. He is worried. There are things going on in that prison that look suspiciously like an attempt to get the inmates to do something, to give the guards an excuse, but an excuse for what?
One inmate - oh, forgive me, these men are not in there for crimes so they are not inmates, they are "detainees" - with the way they are being treated I keep forgetting . . . anyway, one inmate, a young refugee who fled Algeria with his family as a baby and who has committed no crime - is here totally legally - had his Koran and his prayer rug thrown from his cell today by prison guards. These guards are technically called COs - "correctional officers," but when they act the way these two yahoos were acting the only "correction" involved needs to be applied to them. Yes, I do have both their names.
These same guards then proceeded to verbally abuse and degrade this same young man, belittling his faith and his ethnic background. This was all done publicly and continued to the point that a number of Spanish Christian detainees became visibly aggitated and upset at the way this man was being violated. Christians coming to the aid of a Muslim - gotta give this deportation machine some credit - it does show men that they can get along despite their differences.
There are a few things here that I can not help but notice. First of all, this young man is one of the worst cases of ICE excessive persecution of immigrants in that prison and we have been quite active and vocal lately in trying to call public attention to his plight. His sister has been alerting the media this last week and I have sent letters out to a number of Senators that mentioned his situation. The YouTube video that we created for him is starting to get noticed as well. Why are the guards suddenly doing everything they can to get him to react - to do something to strike back that would then destroy his credibility as a totally innocent victim of ICE? Is it just a coincidence that he is being targeted this way at this time?
My other concern is that tomorrow is Audrius' hearing. Audrius is a stabilizing force within that prison. When the immigrants were housed with the criminal population, Audrius, with the help of a couple of other inmates, managed to diffuse a racial battle that was brewing between two groups of inmates. Audrius keeps the peace. He keeps people calm . . . but tomorrow he will be gone. I am writing this now as testimony - so that if there is a riot of any kind in that unit tomorrow, it can be shown it was not by chance - it was deliberately planned and instigated.
And of course, what is going to become of my friend? He knew if we started to shed light on the abuses in that prison and within the immigration deportation system he might pay the price. The judge he has is said to be the only immigration judge in Boston that will give a fair hearing, but he's a prosecutor's judge. Only time will tell if Audrius is about to pay for speaking out. Before he called tonight I was worried about how tomorrow would turn out for him. Now I am worried about how it will turn out for all the men in that unit. My only hope is that exposing this now will deflect it. Stay tuned . . . as I know what is happening, you will know.
One inmate - oh, forgive me, these men are not in there for crimes so they are not inmates, they are "detainees" - with the way they are being treated I keep forgetting . . . anyway, one inmate, a young refugee who fled Algeria with his family as a baby and who has committed no crime - is here totally legally - had his Koran and his prayer rug thrown from his cell today by prison guards. These guards are technically called COs - "correctional officers," but when they act the way these two yahoos were acting the only "correction" involved needs to be applied to them. Yes, I do have both their names.
These same guards then proceeded to verbally abuse and degrade this same young man, belittling his faith and his ethnic background. This was all done publicly and continued to the point that a number of Spanish Christian detainees became visibly aggitated and upset at the way this man was being violated. Christians coming to the aid of a Muslim - gotta give this deportation machine some credit - it does show men that they can get along despite their differences.
There are a few things here that I can not help but notice. First of all, this young man is one of the worst cases of ICE excessive persecution of immigrants in that prison and we have been quite active and vocal lately in trying to call public attention to his plight. His sister has been alerting the media this last week and I have sent letters out to a number of Senators that mentioned his situation. The YouTube video that we created for him is starting to get noticed as well. Why are the guards suddenly doing everything they can to get him to react - to do something to strike back that would then destroy his credibility as a totally innocent victim of ICE? Is it just a coincidence that he is being targeted this way at this time?
My other concern is that tomorrow is Audrius' hearing. Audrius is a stabilizing force within that prison. When the immigrants were housed with the criminal population, Audrius, with the help of a couple of other inmates, managed to diffuse a racial battle that was brewing between two groups of inmates. Audrius keeps the peace. He keeps people calm . . . but tomorrow he will be gone. I am writing this now as testimony - so that if there is a riot of any kind in that unit tomorrow, it can be shown it was not by chance - it was deliberately planned and instigated.
And of course, what is going to become of my friend? He knew if we started to shed light on the abuses in that prison and within the immigration deportation system he might pay the price. The judge he has is said to be the only immigration judge in Boston that will give a fair hearing, but he's a prosecutor's judge. Only time will tell if Audrius is about to pay for speaking out. Before he called tonight I was worried about how tomorrow would turn out for him. Now I am worried about how it will turn out for all the men in that unit. My only hope is that exposing this now will deflect it. Stay tuned . . . as I know what is happening, you will know.
And Another Thing!
Yeah, I know, I've been kind of one dimensional lately - "Okay Deb, immigration - got it already." Audrius' hearing is tomorrow and who knows what that will bring, but plans are set for every possible outcome - I'm looking up Statue of Liberty costumes - got the chains and shackles all ready, so now I'm working on distracting myself. I'm not gonna even mention immigration again . . . today . . . on this blog.
So while I've been all up in this business the world has been continuing on without me - thank y'all for keeping it going. Poking my head up and looking around I find not much has changed - and no that is not proof that there's no use in trying 'cause ya can't change anything! I'm just sayin' . . . there's plenty else to talk about . . . like the value of mental illness, for example . . .
I'm as serious as a charging rhino on this - taking the definition right from the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) that the psychiatrists use to determine if you are mentally ill. That's one big book! You name the human attribute - it's in there. According to their standards, I'm as looney as they come and in serious need of meds. Of course, so was Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Johnson . . . anyone who ever accomplished anything in their life. Just think, if we could have just treated and medicated all the people in our past who were mentally ill so they would be happier and accept the surrounding circumstances as they found them, why we'd be . . . still livin' in freakin' caves!!! People, "Brave New World" was not written as a good idea!
Some folks I know are seriously worried about me. I'm not acting my age. I am still relatively healthy. I am still active. I still care about things to the point that I am willing to do something about them. This, to them, is a sign that I have a serious mental condition. Ya know how going to Hell doesn't seem so bad when you realize that's where all the interesting people are gonna be? Yeah, well in my book the same goes for life without meds for us crazy types to keep it all stable. I'm doin' it natural - that's where all the interesting people are. Catch y'all later . . .
So while I've been all up in this business the world has been continuing on without me - thank y'all for keeping it going. Poking my head up and looking around I find not much has changed - and no that is not proof that there's no use in trying 'cause ya can't change anything! I'm just sayin' . . . there's plenty else to talk about . . . like the value of mental illness, for example . . .
I'm as serious as a charging rhino on this - taking the definition right from the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) that the psychiatrists use to determine if you are mentally ill. That's one big book! You name the human attribute - it's in there. According to their standards, I'm as looney as they come and in serious need of meds. Of course, so was Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Johnson . . . anyone who ever accomplished anything in their life. Just think, if we could have just treated and medicated all the people in our past who were mentally ill so they would be happier and accept the surrounding circumstances as they found them, why we'd be . . . still livin' in freakin' caves!!! People, "Brave New World" was not written as a good idea!
Some folks I know are seriously worried about me. I'm not acting my age. I am still relatively healthy. I am still active. I still care about things to the point that I am willing to do something about them. This, to them, is a sign that I have a serious mental condition. Ya know how going to Hell doesn't seem so bad when you realize that's where all the interesting people are gonna be? Yeah, well in my book the same goes for life without meds for us crazy types to keep it all stable. I'm doin' it natural - that's where all the interesting people are. Catch y'all later . . .
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Sixty Years and It Just Gets More Interesting
Hey, it's my birthday today - I'm a whole 60 years old - and yes, that is a recent picture of me, thankyouverymuch! I had planned a big celebration - back last year, my buddies Audrius, Terry and I noticed that this year we would all be hitting a decade mark - me 60, Terry 50 and Audrius 40. We figured a big party was in order - and it was supposed to fall on my birthday as mine's the date right in the middle. Oh well - Audrius is still in prison. Looks like they plan to hold my buddy for a while longer. So - I started the day kind of depressed, a little down - not celebrating anything. I was just working up a good head of steam and thinking about what to do if they still don't let him out at his hearing next week. Aaaaand - I have a plan . . . okay, never mind, I'm celebrating after all. Oh, this is too good!
Now, you know if they let him rejoin his family it's a whole different game, but I'd lay odds that they won't. ICE's tactics when they've got an immigrant in jail who has committed no actual crime are to keep them locked up, treat them worse than a criminal and delay, delay, delay till they wear the targeted person and their family down so they sign the deportation papers just to get out.
Since there's a good chance that my buddy Audrius will be tortured and killed if he's deported, and since he has a citizen wife and two citizen children here, and since his wife has a son by another marriage and can't live outside this country, Audrius isn't real motivated to agree to being deported. I'm not too agreeable to it either - best case scenario: he'd never see his kids again and he and I couldn't go back to arguing with each other for hours over multiple cups of tea. Worst case scenario: he'd be dead. Along with that is the itsy-bitsy fact that I promised to stand by him till this was finished, one way or the other. Which means - if he gets deported I've got to take this fight to Eastern Europe. I can't guarantee I can save him - sorry guys, but if he's sent out of here I really can't be sure of that, but I can guarantee that if they do take him down, it won't be able to be done quietly with no one knowing what happened and why. I made him that promise when he was picked up too.
So, happy 60th birthday to me - stay tuned - the game may go into overtime and you'll really want to watch if it does. I'll make you a promise - it won't be boring! Oh, you want a hint of what I'm planning? Okay - here's one:
There are 18,000 people held indefinitely in our prisons on immigration detention, many of them here legally, who have never been found guilty of any criminal act in this country - ever. 18,000 innocent people doing hard time in US prisons - that's your hint. ;-) Now ask yourself - "what can Deb do with the number 18,000?" Yeah, well . . .
Now, you know if they let him rejoin his family it's a whole different game, but I'd lay odds that they won't. ICE's tactics when they've got an immigrant in jail who has committed no actual crime are to keep them locked up, treat them worse than a criminal and delay, delay, delay till they wear the targeted person and their family down so they sign the deportation papers just to get out.
Since there's a good chance that my buddy Audrius will be tortured and killed if he's deported, and since he has a citizen wife and two citizen children here, and since his wife has a son by another marriage and can't live outside this country, Audrius isn't real motivated to agree to being deported. I'm not too agreeable to it either - best case scenario: he'd never see his kids again and he and I couldn't go back to arguing with each other for hours over multiple cups of tea. Worst case scenario: he'd be dead. Along with that is the itsy-bitsy fact that I promised to stand by him till this was finished, one way or the other. Which means - if he gets deported I've got to take this fight to Eastern Europe. I can't guarantee I can save him - sorry guys, but if he's sent out of here I really can't be sure of that, but I can guarantee that if they do take him down, it won't be able to be done quietly with no one knowing what happened and why. I made him that promise when he was picked up too.
So, happy 60th birthday to me - stay tuned - the game may go into overtime and you'll really want to watch if it does. I'll make you a promise - it won't be boring! Oh, you want a hint of what I'm planning? Okay - here's one:
There are 18,000 people held indefinitely in our prisons on immigration detention, many of them here legally, who have never been found guilty of any criminal act in this country - ever. 18,000 innocent people doing hard time in US prisons - that's your hint. ;-) Now ask yourself - "what can Deb do with the number 18,000?" Yeah, well . . .
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