What with all the discussion and muttering about “traditional marriage” or even just “marriage” supposedly being redefined nobody seems to have noticed that the word “America” is quietly coming to mean something other than the home of freedom and democracy.
In This Isn’t America Paul Krugman brings this up as a result of an OpEd […]

Perspective: Ashcroft’s worrisome spy plans
Attorney General John Ashcroft wants even more power to snoop on the Internet, spy on private conversations and install secret microphones, spyware and keystroke loggers. Ashcroft’s Justice Department has quietly crafted a whopping 120-page proposal that represents the boldest attack yet on our electronic privacy in the name of thwarting […]

In a statement that is bound to result if cries of “why do they hate us are they picking on us” the U.N. Human Rights Committee charged with interpreting the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights said that governments
“… are responsible for human rights violations committed wherever they have “effective control.” […]

Human Rights Watch Accuses Uganda of Torturing Political Opponents
The international group Human Rights Watch says Uganda’s security forces harass and torture supporters of the country’s political opposition. Opposition supporters who challenge Uganda’s one-party system and the 18-year rule of President Yoweri Museveni are often jailed and severely beaten by the country’s security agents.
But it […]

AWOL From Iraq
Since the U.S. invaded Iraq last year, hundreds of American soldiers have broken the law and abandoned their units on the battlefield. Correspondent Dan Rather talks to AWOL Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia, and his commanding officer, in exclusive interviews to be broadcast on 60 Minutes II Wednesday, March 31 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
News […]

First-ever hurricane forms in South Atlantic
The first hurricane ever reported in the south Atlantic is swirled off the coast of Brazil, and forecasters say it could make landfall in the South American country during the weekend. Although it was far outside their usual territory, forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in […]

In a follow up to our earlier post: US, others delay elimination of damaging pesticide
The United States and other major powers last week agreed to delay the implementation of a deal to stop using a pesticide which is known to destroy the ozone layer, officials said.
Somehow we’re just not surprised.

150 ‘dead zones’ counted in oceans: U.N. report warns of nitrogen runoff killing fisheries
The number of oxygen-deprived “dead zones” in the world’s oceans has been increasing since the 1970s and is now nearly 150, threatening fisheries as well as humans who depend on fish, the U.N. Environment Program announced Monday in unveiling its first-ever Global […]

US now looking to install a PM in Iraq
The United States wants to transfer power in Iraq to a hand-picked prime minister, abandoning plans for an expansion of the current 25-member governing council, coalition officials in Baghdad say. With less than 100 days before the US occupation authorities are to transfer sovereignty on June 30, […]

US may bar poor nations from cheap AIDS drug
The US government is threatening to obstruct low-income countries from accessing generic HIV/AIDS drugs approved by the World Health Organization, a human rights group charged on Friday. The US, it said, is convening a conference in Botswana on Monday that may challenge WHO’s approval of generic copies […]

Taiwan, where the leaders allow vote recounts, wants to be an independent democracy but the US doesn’t think they should be….. on the flip side - - yeah, you already know where I’m going with this.

Troops’ Mental Health Surveyed In Iraq
For the first time ever, troops stationed in a combat zone have been surveyed to determine their mental health. The survey, conducted by the US Army, showed that last year soldiers suffered severely from low morale, high stress and a lack of support.
All arguing about whether or not American soldiers […]

So the Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights group at York University set up a theatrical display of an Israeli check point and were attacked both physically and verbally by Hillel and the Young Zionist Partnership
Though this was to be a theatrical display only, Hillel and the Young Zionist Partnership organized a counter event. There were […]

Bush targets himself and those elusive weapons of mass destruction at dinner
There was Bush looking under furniture in a fruitless, frustrating search. “Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be somewhere,” he said.
….. especially when tens of thousands of innocent people have been killed, tens of thousands more have been injured or wounded, and […]

Or are they for some other purpose? U.S. Unloading WMD in Iraq
Over the past few days, in the wake of the bombings in Karbala and the ideological disputes that delayed the signing of Iraq’s interim constitution, there have been reports that U.S. forces have unloaded a large cargo of parts for constructing long-range missiles and […]