Tag Archives: Brexit

British MPs did not turn their back on the Prime Minister

One can wonder how long politicians shall accept certain behaviour of the leader of their party.

We remember the quote of the day 2022 May 24

“Any reasonable person looking at some of these photos will only be able to conclude that the PM obviously lied to the Commons, and possibly to the cops, and there is no reasonable story for how others were fined for event X but not him.”

–  Photos will show that Boris Johnson “obviously lied” to police and the House of Commons about Downing Street parties, the PM’s former top aide Dominic Cummings has claimed, hours before several photos of the PM at a No 10 gathering leaked.

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The whole thing is rotten. He’s got to go.”

–  An MP who is considering submitting a letter to the chair of the backbench 1922 Committee over Boris Johnson speaks to The Independent about Partygate.

It seems like the majority of the conservative politicians do not want to see and hear how the general British public has two-thirds (66 per cent) of voters who believe Mr Johnson should resign. The findings by an exclusive Savanta poll for The Independent you would expect would have troubled anxious Conservative MPs, though before the ‘vote de confiance’ more than a quarter (26 per cent) of those who backed the Tories in 2019 said they were less likely to do so again if Mr Johnson remains leader, and at the confidence vote the votes were mostly in favour of that man who could lie so much and demand things from people to what he himself did not keep.

Looking at the past:

Fed up with the anger of their constituents over partygate, we had the impression there would now, after so many debacles, be enough MPs demanding and taking care that Mr Johnson should leave No 10 because he has dragged the party and Government through the mud by misleading Parliament and by making the British people like fools or idiots one can play with.

For Johnson, the press is the guilty one of the state the UK is in. Boris Johnson’s had presented a 907-word plea for support to MPs, in which he suggests that the press were somehow to blame for the predicament that the Prime Minister now finds himself in.

Suggesting that colleagues had been “focusing on Westminster politics” to the detriment of voters, the former Telegraph journalist argued that “some of the criticism has perhaps been fair, some less so”.

Four out of the six Scottish Tories have turned against Mr Johnson because they feel the party’s weak performance north of the border has been worsened by his leadership, and in an attempt to drive a wedge between Scottish and English Conservatives, they have called for him to go.

When they voted, we can wonder if they had seen and heard the reaction of the people at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. As polling guru Prof Sir John Curtice pointed out, the Tories’ biggest problem is that the public does not trust the Prime Minister.

“… what people say to camera and the boos that you hear at the Prime Minister outside St Paul’s Cathedral. They’re not necessarily representative, but they are iconic of a mood that is very intuitive.”

After winning yesterday’s confidence vote the prime minister was as it happens more, in bullish form, and said it was time to focus on issues the public cares about – and not what he characterised as the whims of his “opponents”.

Unlike previous rebellions against No 10, Monday’s vote is not thought to have been an organised campaign with a sophisticated “shadow whipping” operation. With 148 MPs voting against their leader the Tory Whips faced a far larger rebellion than expected.

For: 211; Against: 148 which gives 59% for the minister to stay on his post and 41% wanting him to leave.

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Filed under Headlines - News, Political affairs, World affairs

New Northern Ireland Protocol

Both the EU and Britain agreed that keeping the Northern Ireland/Ireland border open was essential to preserving the 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of sectarian violence, but argued over how to do this after Brexit.

The special arrangement, set out in a protocol, left British-ruled Northern Ireland inside the EU single market for goods, meaning it follows the rules of the bloc in this area, in particular for animal products such as meat and dairy.

As a consequence, paperwork and checks are required for certain goods entering Northern Ireland from mainland Britain, to prevent it becoming a backdoor for British goods such as sausages getting into the EU without checks.

The Northern Irish Assembly can vote after four years on whether to retain the protocol. If a simple majority votes against, it would cease to apply after a further two years.

Pro-British unionists say the protocol undermines peace by dividing them from the rest of the UK with an effective border in the Irish Sea. The discontent helped fuel the worst violence in the region for years in March and April, though there has been little such turmoil since.

At the continent, consumers in the European Union can only hope that this time the leaders of European law will stand their ground and do everything in their power to preserve and fulfil the agreements they have previously obtained.

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Please find also to read: Going the extra mile with proposal over Northern Ireland protocol standoff

EUROPE DIPLOMATIC

Brussels 13.10.2021 The UK Brexit Minister Lord Frost has proposed plans for an entirely new protocol to replace the existing Northern Ireland Protocol. In a speech to diplomats in Portugal on Tuesday, October 12, he described his new legal text as “a better way forward”.

The protocol is the special Brexit deal agreed for Northern Ireland to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland. Unionists argue it undermines Northern Ireland’s constitutional position in the UK and creates a trade barrier.

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Submarine ‘treason’ shows Britain is vassal state of US, say fuming French

France has labelled Britain an American “vassal” and denounced Australia for “treason” over its decision to cancel a €56 billion deal to buy 12 French diesel-electric submarines.
The Australian government has opted instead for more sophisticated nuclear-powered submarines from Britain and America; a move described by a furious Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French foreign minister, as a “stab in the back”. Le Drian announced on Friday that he was recalling France’s ambassadors to Australia and the US in protest, an extraordinary step among such close allies and a sign of the Macron government’s displeasure at having been given only a few hours’ warning of the change, made public on Wednesday.
Clément Beaune, France’s outspoken Europe minister, turned his fire on the UK.

“Our British friends explained to us that they were leaving the EU to create Global Britain. As you can see, it is a return to the American fold and accepting a form of vassal status,”

he told Public Sénat, a state television station.

Andy Walton in his Weekly World Watch comments:

Even though Britain could have forged this new agreement with the UK and Australia before Brexit it is highly unlikely they would have done so. Before Brexit, Britain was in the EU and would have been obligated to tell their partners of something like this. But post Brexit, Britain is looking to become a global power again and forge closer ties with the wider world outside Europe. This has incensed the French as this new nuclear submarine deal cancels their own deal with Australia costing France billions. Again with Bible in hand we see how this fits with Bible prophecy. Britain is NOT part of the EU alliance of nations (political Babel / Babylon) that come together under the false religion of Rome (spiritual Babylon).

Brother John Thomas understood this 150+ years ago!

Britain is not included in the ten toes. She is reserved of God to antagonize Russia” and “The ten toes belong to the image as a united dominion; hence Britain cannot be included among them. (Elpis Israel – written by John Thomas)

the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, (Daniel 2:42)

 

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Geert Mak – Grote Verwachtingen. In Europa. 1999-2019.

Kun je geschiedenis herkennen als je er middenin zit?

Persoonlijke verhalen vormen de basis van de nieuwe serie “In Europa”. Verhalen van ooggetuigen die – zonder dat ze het doorhadden – deel uitmaakten van historische gebeurtenissen, die achteraf als ‘sleutelmoment’ kunnen worden gezien.

Met recht en rede mag de te Vlaardingen geboren ex-redacteur van het weekblad de Groene Amsterdammer, en medewerker en stadsredacteur van NRC/Handelsblad, en buitenlandredacteur van de VPRO-radio, de lezers en kijkers in de Lage Landen begeesteren.

Nu zijn reeks ‘In Europa” op de Nationale Belgische Omroep loopt, is het de moeite meerdere boeken van Geert Mak onder de loep te nemen en te zien waarom hij in 2004 een eredoctoraat kreeg van zo wel de Open Universiteit Heerlen als van de Westfälische Wilhelmsuniversität in Münster voor zijn verdiensten op het gebied van geschiedschrijving.

Dat hij zijn lezers of de televisie kijkers aanzet tot het stellen van kritische vragen is één van zijn goede kenmerken, die aangeven dat hij niets opdringt maar verder wil aanzetten tot kritisch nadenken, evalueren en stappen ondernemen.

Grote verwachtingen: In Europa - 1999-2019

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Te herinneren

  • Tijd = vriend + vijand van historicus.
  • verre verleden = een gegeven.
  • Verbindingen – oorzaak + gevolg
  • Hoe dichter de tijd de historicus nadert => hoe troebeler het zicht.
  • Feiten en gebeurtenissen > soepel beschrijven
  • consequenties > moeilijk te overzien.
  • ondergaan onze tijd
  • nieuwe eeuw vol voorspoed voor ons => afscheid nemen van treurnis van 20e eeuw
  • zaadjes al gepland > klimaat + terrorisme + stroom vluchtelingen + bankencrisis
  • Onze wereld = drastisch aan het veranderen
  • verbindingen van verleden naar heden
  • kinderen na 9/11 niet meer naar etnische afkomst keken.
  • Irak oorlog > Irakese inval 2003 ~=~  onbezonnen Russisch-Japanse oorlog van 1904.
  •  Westen viel  opnieuw van een voetstuk
  • val van de Muur = overwinning van liberalisme => ‘the end of history’ <= Europeanen in voormalige Oostblok – met name Polen + Hongaren = ineenstorting Sovjet-imperium = 1. nationalistisch feest= nieuw begin voor duizend en één nationale ambities.
  • veel Midden-Europese landen leefden tot 1918 onder het Oostenrijks-Hongaarse Rijk of onder de Ottomanen, daarna onder het nazi-imperium, na de Tweede Wereldoorlog onder de Sovjets.
  • Mak zoomt in op vluchtelingen > duizelingwekkende aantallen doden zien > maakt ze mens, geeft ze namen, leeftijden + reden van dood
  • Brexit > Britten beschouwden zichzelf sinds 1945 (…) als overwinnaars. (…)
  • triomfantelijke gevoelens kende rest van Europa nauwelijks.
  • oprichting van EU vr Verenigd Koninkrijk = belangrijk onderdeel van vredes- en verzoeningsproces + vooral handelsblok met verguld randje
  • bankencrisis > narcistische, op winst beluste managers
  • Nederland aantal zelfdodingen na 2008 v. 9 naar 11 per honderdduizend inwoners  gestegen
  • andere landen vanaf 2008 aantal zelfmoorden met duizenden gestegen <= Niet ondenkbaar crisis grote rol = psychologische gevolgen v. neoliberalisme > geweld vrije markt => leven v mens klein + futiel. 
  • hoe lang voordat vrije markt definitief bankroet raakt.
  • bestuurlijk Europa > politici = “westerse blindheid”.
  • massale opkomst v.h. populisme, overal in Europa.
  • Amsterdam kampt met uithollende gevolgen van de globalisering.
  • Friesland > Leeuwarden culturele hoofdstad van Europa > inbreng Friezen weinig ruimte.

Tonny Mollema

Tijd is de vriend en de vijand van de historicus. Vanuit de overzichtelijke zetel van het heden is al datgene wat in het verre verleden gebeurde een gegeven. Verbindingen dienen zich aan, oorzaak en gevolg vloeien feilloos in elkaar over en decennialange vraagstukken hebben in een paar pagina’s een antwoord gevonden. Hoe dichter echter de tijd de historicus nadert, hoe troebeler het zicht. Feiten en gebeurtenissen laten zich nog soepel beschrijven, maar consequenties zijn steeds moeilijk te overzien. Geert Mak zelf weet dit maar al te goed. Al vroeg in het boek beschrijft hij over de slimme geschiedenisstudent uit 2069 die over onze tijd zal gaan schrijven. Hij zou zo graag meekijken met hem. Wat schrijft hij over de tijd van nu? We ondergaan onze tijd, we doen wat we doen en de toekomst zal haar oordeel over ons vellen.

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Filed under Economische aangelegenheden, Geschiedenis, Levensstijl, Nederlandse teksten - Dutch writings, Politieke aangelegenheden, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs, Sociale Aangelegenheden, Wereld aangelegenheden

From Guestwriters 2016 in review

English: The logo of the blogging software Wor...

Each day million articles are published, looking to find a reading eye. Every day thousands of new articles appear on WordPress. In 2016 one hundred seventeen billion nine hundred thirteen million one hundred forty-eight thousand three hundred fifty seven words got published on WordPress. {Automattic WordPress year-in-review-2016}

2016 in view

The year that David Bowie and Prince passed away, like several very well known figures of the arts world, it looked like some people who made it in their life did not want to stay here any longer. It was also the year of lots of terrorism and political correctness, where those who are different than the mainstream (disabled, transgender, refugees, extreme religious and non religious groups, jihad fighters,) got lots of attention.
In the United States of America Obama Care which at last had become a reality came back under threat. North America saw in Boston in November, the Disability Policy Consortium accepted proposals and held a Disability Intersectionality Summit. Presentations included topics on the intersections of being undocumented, being LGBTQ+, being a person of colour, having mental health disabilities, on #DisabilityTooWhite – the hashtag and movement around the the disability community’s failure to represent racially diverse voices – and more. Lots of things came on the American roller-coaster, having Michigan banned non-emergency restraint and seclusion for disabled students and Georgia’s governor speaking in favour of Employment First policies for disabled people in Georgia.

2016 Nice attack.png

Route of the attacker from west to east at the Promenade des Anglais, Nice

With the 15th anniversary of 9/11 the jihadi‘s made sure they would not be forgotten; ISIS/ISIL and BokoHaram being the new strongholders. In Europe the fear took so many people that politicians saw the opportunity to fuel the extreme right and come with absurd laws, like banning burkini‘s. All the fearmongering having fueled by the March 22 suicide bombings at Brussel’s Zaventem airport and Maelbeek metro station, leaving around 35 victims dead and 360 seriously injured, ISIS claiming responsibility.
America also got its portion of  ISIS-madness with a gunman claiming allegiance to the Islamic State opens fire at gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49, injuring 53 – one of the bigger mass shootings in the U.S.A.. September 17 a terror bomb in Chelsea, New York injured 29 people. Lots of Americans got so frightened of Muslim people, looking at them if they all would be terrorist, though they under their own white Christian population had more victims by weapon violence this year than by terrorism. Several times the world could see how racism is still a big problem in the States and how police can not keep themselves in control when arresting black people. (African American Alton Sterling shot by Louisiana police in Baton Rouge and Philando Castile shot by police in St Paul Black on July 6; American Keith Lamont Scott September 20)
The Islamic militants for sure where very active all over the world. Some events called for more attention worldwide, having foreigners also under the victims or by being considered the country’s worse terror attack for the year, like at a cafe in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where a fighter killed 20 hostages and 2 police on July 1. The next day (July 2) a large lorry bomb in Baghdad killing at least 125 people and wounding 150, Islamic State claiming once more responsibility.  On December 11 a bombing at a chapel in Cairo, Egypt, killed 25 and wounded 45. December 19 again a truck was used to kill many people, like in Nice on the 14th of July now the target was a Christmas market in Berlin killing 12, injuring 48.

Terroranschlag-Berlin-Breitscheidplatz-2016 (2) (31731061626) (square crop).jpg

Aftermath of the 2016 Berlin attack

In the States of America on January 17 the Fourth Democratic presidential candidates debate showed how Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders clashed over healthcare and gun control in Charleston, South Carolina, and gave us an idea that though perhaps the best candidate of all Bernie Sanders would not going to make it to president elect. Two days later Sarah Palin officially endorsed Donald Trump‘s presidential bid at a Trump rally in Ames, Iowa. What nobody thought possible occurred when this man made it to the preselections, then to the selection to finally become what nobody would ever dreamed possible, him becoming president elect. November 8 Republican Donald Trump became elected President of The United States of America, defeating democrat Hillary Clinton despite Clinton winning 2.9 million more votes. Europe fell on its back for the second time, the first one having been the vote for the Brexit (June 23), who nobody had thought would come through. These two unexpected events show clearly how careful we must be when we think it not necessary to spend time on such personalities and situations.

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Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

For that reason we should much more react on what is going on on ecological level. The Paris Agreement on climate change signed in New York (on April 22) binding 195 nations to an increase in the global average temperature to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C is only the beginning of a long road to run. Global warming is not only blamed the cause of many people having to flee for the rising water-level. On August 1 there was an anthrax outbreak in the Russian district Yamalo-Nenets, Siberia killing one and infecting 8 others, also killing 2,300 reindeer. Indian government declared levels of air pollution in Delhi an emergency situation, closing schools and construction sites on November 6.

Though 2016 seemed to be the year that people where more concerned about the whereabouts and the look of their friends on Facebook and Twitter. Social media being the major interest gainer of the year. Most people more concerned about their outfit, fashion, style and strangely enough books and films again.

Astronaut Scott Kelly

Astronaut Scott Kelly

Lots of people running with their heads in the skies did not notice that US astronauts Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko returned to earth, on March the 2nd, after nearly a year (340 days), setting an ISS record. For the earthly matters it became time that the U.S.A. did something positive to restore the relations between them and Cuba. March 20 Barack Obama became the first US President to visit Cuba since 1928, arriving for a 2 day tour.

The ‘Big Joke of the year’ (in April) was to see how many politicians who said something had to be done against fraud and how people had to pay honestly their taxes, their names could be found on the 11.5 million confidential documents from offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca , the Panama Papers exposing widespread illegal activities including fraud, kleptocracy, tax evasion and the violation of international sanctions by the world’s elite in the world’s largest ever data leak.

On April 11 UN-backed ceasefire came into effect in Yemen conflict between Iranian-backed Houthis rebels and government forces.

June 7 with a car bomb attack on a police bus in central Istanbul killing 11 was just a beginning of a whole series of bombings in Turkey of which there is no clarity if they are orchestrated by some political forces to have Erdogan in an even stronger dictatorial position. June 28 presented again a suicide bombings and gun attacks, at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport killing 42 and wounding more than 200. We have no idea if the coup d’etat was something set up by Erdogan himself. It gave him way to hold a big clean up and to get rid of all those who stood in his way.

In Colombia more than 50 years of conflict came in its last stadium, the governement and Farc rebels signing a ceasefire agreement on June the  23rd, followed by many talks to have the rebels not being sued.

2016 for this platform

WordPress Administration

WordPress Administration (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Of the 595,795,035 posts written on WordPress we only presented a mere 358 articles, hoping our humble little site could catch some interest by the many people who are scanning the worldwide internet for something interesting to read. From our tiny country not having any funds, not having serious backing and not able to afford much money on writers, designers or even having our own publishing space, just using the private limited funds of the editor and responsible publisher Mr. Marcus Ampe, we sincerely try to find some interesting literature on the net and present it to our readers and visitors. Because not having much GBites we are limited in re-blogging because pictorial content eats our internet data space, but when a must read is found with lots of photos we still do hope to be able to discuss it or to present it in one of our articles.

English: Stats on Cross-ideological Blogging

Stats on Cross-ideological Blogging (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We must confess that we did not catch many readers for the many work-hours we invest searching for additional and further reading material. Luckily this was the first year we did not very angry letters of people being onerous that we included their article in the listing. In 2016 for the first time we even got a letter thanking us for having brought 1000 readers to someone’s site. Though we put a lot of work in creating all the links in the articles and in the accompanying list of interesting articles, to our sense or liking not enough people make use of those links and referential titles. For that reason from now on we shall perhaps start putting less url-backgroundlinks to words or tags, but still shall continue to try to offer you a list of noteworthy article by other bloggers.

It is a pity we only could find 7 782 views of only 4 827 visitors coming along.
Officially opened to the public on 2014/03/2 we got 1 847 visitors the first year and 2 764 visitors in 2015, so we may be satisfied it is a line going upwards. Though published from Belgium in the European Union, our ‘home-country’ only delivered 269 views. The United States being at the top with giving us 3745 views, followed by the United Kingdom delivering 852 views and our northern neighbours the Netherlands offering us 532 views may encourage us to continue.

The home page caught 2 118 views, followed by 349 for the About page. Of the articles “Religious celebrations in May 2016” got the most views (only 103) and got only 4 likes.

People naturally have to find us. 1 437 do so by using search machines, whilst 783 use the WordPress facilities. 155 come along by Facebook. But we too are happy to find other WordPress users referring to us and bringing readers to our site. Naturally our own authors or own sites like our ecclesia site (9 views), the Belgian Biblestudents and the Bijbelvorsers (each 8) and Stepping Toes (7), but non connected writers like ridzerdvandijk.wordpress.com with 8 views and sneakytwistedlittlewildheart.wordpress.com (good for 6), entering the promissedland (5), discoveronething (5), eternalhunt (5) and some others bringing us each 4 or less viewers.

U.S. advertisement for the 11th edition from t...

U.S. advertisement for the 11th edition from the May 1913 issue of National Geographic Magazine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The most used search terms were ‘hoopvolle slogans’ and ‘bezinningsteksten zelfkritiek’ with each 3 hits.
We ourselves brought 110 readers to our other site “Our World” and for for other sources Wikipedia got 56 readers from us, whilst the Collins dictionary got 21 and the very good Encyclopaedia Britannica only 18 views. Abortion and crime rates by wordlifeandlight managed to get 6 views from us and Lizaborstlap received also 6 visitors, as far as we can see from our statistics.

imageThis last person who has always been a person with a to-do list is also one of the people who wanted to share some writing on this platform. But there were many days when she became a slave to her lists and she had to face that things don’t always happen as planned and that she would feel like a failure if she wasn’t able to cross out all the tasks that she allocated to a specific day.{a goal should scare you a little and excite you a Lot!}

She may perhaps had to become, like us, more specific and to be realistic in what she can (and can’t) achieve in one day; but we did want to reach so much and sometimes got frustrated not seeing our accomplishment for the day.

We are still looking for authors who would not mind to write about lifestyle, interior design, fashion, cooking, family life, gardening, nature and ecological matters and some persons who would not mind tackling the history and people who would love to write about education and health. There are so many subjects not covered yet by people who can tell more about it than we can.

From the end of 2016 onwards we added two viewpoints, namely two comparators, on one site the Muslim world and on the other site the Judaic world and traditions.

English: Monkeys Blogging Español: Simios blog...

English: Monkeys Blogging Español: Simios bloggeando (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We do know that certain subjects are not tackled here. Marcus Ampe would love to find some one talking about family matters, family life being one of the cornerstones of our society. To his regret he must also establish that in 2016 not enough regard was given to ecological matters. Man having to live in surroundings which are too polluted and which are filled with buildings and cars, but not given the freedom to have enough green to bring enlightenment and fresh air to people. It is really getting time that more people warn others about us, man, to take care of mother earth, before it is too late.

Whilst on WordPress in general 112 million posts were liked, we did not have many likes. 8 billion e-mails were send on WordPress, but in those there are not counted the very many e-mails we got in our own e-mail box, instead of reacting on the blog articles themselves. This is a pity, because other readers can not read the reactions and oh so often we have to reply to very similar questions, which is more time consuming than having a reply which can be read by thousands on the internet.

For 2017 may we hope that if there are even more articles written on the internet than the 595,795,035 posted on WordPress in 2016 and the huge amount of comments, making it up to 457,596,906 comments on WordPress, you shall be able to  find some very interesting articles and comments here too.

Donald Trump enters the Oscar De LA Renta Fash...

Donald Trump enters the Oscar De LA Renta Fashion Show, New York. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 2016 we saw that it is possible that those with the biggest mouth and do not mind trampling over many can get their cause. 2016 may have been a disastrous year on several issues and lots of important issues where not even mentioned or got not the right attention. For this new year we love to repeat our call to get more people daring to come out for the poor and the maltreated. We also once more want to ask people to wake up the majority of the population who still keeps their eyes closed for what is really going on in this world. There is a need of more people who are willing to stand up to preserve and encourage the progress of humanity while resisting the forces that threaten to turn it backwards.

We have to be very cautious for what certain people try to do with their nation but also with the world. As citizen we should be aware that politicians are nothing without their people and that folks if they really want can be much stronger than those politicians, who dare to look away from the citizen who needs help and encouragement. Those who call themselves Christian should be there to give a hand to all that need help, not forgetting nature, plants and animals who do not have a voice. therefore we do hope to find more blogs tackling their problem, and would love to have an author on ecology writing for us from this year onwards.

Without you reader we are nothing and can do nothing. We thank you for being here with us and for the followers we are grateful and do hope we can please you with a varied menu.

Wishing everyone a great 2017.

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Preceding article

2014 in review

In 2015 finishing our first year: From Guestwriters 2015 in review

Pokémon craziness

2016 Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Children of Men

Max Lucado: I Had a Dream That Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Reached a Truce

Leaders in disguise

Looking at man’s closest friend

Looking at an American nightmare

The twist of politics and expression

Tribes Redux

Darkest just before dawn

Bruxelles Ma Belle

Mountains of information, disinformation and breaking away

Women in France running with naked bosom all right but with covered bosom penalised

An American Embassy to the Eternal Capital of the Jewish people, Jerusalem

Humanity Quote for Pax Populi

When will it stop

Not limiting others but sharing peace with all

Not missing your appointment in 2017

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Additional reading

  1. EU’s European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) asylum seekers and Eastern neighbours
  2. At the closing hours of 2016 #1 Looking down at terror
  3. At the closing hours of 2016 #2 Low but also highlights
  4. Suffering brothers and sisters in Malawi, Mozambique and surrounding areas
  5. Not much interest for English articles
  6. From Bibles and other religious writings and those who witness for Jehovah
  7. 2016 American Bible survey
  8. On April 21 brother Nelson, in the world better known as Prince was lost
  9. Social media, sympathy & shocks
  10. Foreign workers and immigrants
  11. A stain of shame for the European Union
  12. Voted against their system
  13. A sleeper cell of militants was said directing attackers sent back to France from Islamic State’s de-facto capital in Raqqa, Syria
  14. Daesh hits heart of Europe
  15. Islamism Rises from Europe’s Secularism
  16. March 22 2016, attacks in Brussels at airport and metro
  17. A Black day for Belgium – Brussels Airport ravage
  18. Knife-trust in democratic sore back
  19. For those who call the Brussels Airport attacks a fake or a conspiracy of the government
  20. Terrorist attacks in brussels
  21. Silence, devotion, Salafists, quietists, weaponry, bombings, books, writers and terrorists
  22. US President, Barack Obama Condemns The Outrageous Brussels Attacks
  23. What Associated Press released on Wednesday 23 March 2016
  24. Mediterranean bloodshed
  25. Nice attack, terror everywhere and coup attempt in Turkey
  26. Is Europe going to become a dictatorial bastion
  27. French showing to the whole world their fear and weakness
  28. On French beach French police forces woman to undress in public
  29. France and the Burkini
  30. Secularism in France becoming dangerous for freedom of religion
  31. Christians, secularism, morals and values
  32. Listening to the lessons of the Bible and looking for ways to please God
  33. Where’s the Outrage Over Nun Beachwear? – The Daily Beast
  34. You are what you wear
  35. Does Banning Face Veils Help Us Fight Terrorism?
  36. Jews the next scapegoat for Donald Trump
  37. The American clouds of Anti-Semitism
  38. Blinded crying blue murder having being made afraid by a bugaboo
  39. The clean sweeper of the whole caboodle
  40. Trump has been buffetted by accusations of miscunduct
  41. Fearmongering succeeded and got the bugaboo a victory
  42. Are United States of America citizens going to show their senses
  43. When so desperate to hold onto power
  44. Some quotes Americans should remember when going to the ballot office
  45. Brexit and British business
  46. Brexit No. 2 Blow-up
  47. Nigel Farage called Donald Trump’s victory ‘bigger than Brexit’
  48. A strong and wise fighter who keeps believing in America
  49. Bosphorus bloodshed
  50. Belgian aftershock from the Turkish coup d’état

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Other WordPress bloggers looking back at 2016

  1. 2016 Year In Review (by Hunter Bonner)
  2. 16 things i learned in 2016
  3. 2016 was lighting candles to mourn, but it was also carrying torches high
  4. 2016: Year in Review (by Angela Classen)
  5. Hasta La Vista 2016!
  6. Top 10 Moments of 2016
  7. 2016 in Review (by Pastor Zach)
  8. A year in review
  9. 2016 in Review: Your Favorites, My Favorites
  10. 2016 Review (by Pliable)
  11. Tater’s 2016 In Review
  12. Best and worst reads of 2016
  13. Reflections and Resolutions for 2017
  14. 2016 Year in review book tag
  15. V’s Reading Year in Review: 2016
  16. 2016 Recap and 2017 Goals
  17. A Look Back at 2016
  18. 2016 in Review (by amanda)
  19. 2016 in review (by Katrin Ilves)
  20. My 2016 Freelancing Report: 28 Pitches Disappeared into a Black Hole (but I’m okay with that)
  21. 2016 Year in Review (by Trip accomplice)
  22. Honorable Mentions 2016
  23. 16 in 2016: Results
  24. 2016 Year in Review (by Abby)
  25. Looking Back at 2016…
  26. 2016 in the books
  27. My 2016 in Books and Graphic Novels, Part 1 of 2
  28. 2016 in Review (by Sarah)
  29. Best and Worst of 2016
  30. Sara Reads No. 17
  31. Two Thousand and Sixteen
  32. So Long 2016!
  33. 2016: The Book Fight! Year in Review
  34. Year In Review: Variety Edition
  35. 216 of 2016
  36. 2016 Year in Review (by Becker)
  37. 2016 Year in Review: A Year in Outfits
  38. 2016 In Review (by Leigh)
  39. 2016; What a Year
  40. A Look Back at 2016 and a Peek Forward at 2017
  41. 2016: Year in Pictures
  42. 2016 Year in Review – The Five Most Thrilling Action Scenes
  43. Looking Back on 2016 (by sip of star)
  44. 2016: Year in Review (by James)
  45. 2016 Year In Review (by alex)
  46. My Top Ten Books from 2016
  47. Top Ten Blogs of 2016
  48. vCloud Air: 2016 Year in Review
  49. 2016: Running Year in Review
  50. 2016: My Year in Review (by lurking)
  51. Things that were not garbage even though 2016 was
  52. Adelaide Etc in 201
  53. Looking at 2016
  54. Blogging Lessons of 2016
  55. 2017 New Year’s Resolutions
  56. 2016 in Review (by dgobs)
  57. 2016 – A Year in Review (by comics)
  58. 2016 in Review (by the Cappucino traveler)
  59. Highlights from 2016
  60. Life of Lizzie: 2016 In Review
  61. Top 10 Tuesday: Best Books of 2016
  62. 2016 Year in Review (by Library cancuck)
  63. The 2017 Post
  64. The best 15 posts of 2016
  65. 2016 Year in Review – Book Stats
  66. 2016 by the Numbers (by Melissa)
  67. Five 2016 singles that I find myself enjoying in 2016
  68. Happy 2017 From Still Chasing Fireflies!
  69. The Best Albums of 2016
  70. My 2016 in Books and Graphic Novels, Part 2 of 2
  71. 2016: Year in Review (by Natalieinne)
  72. 2016 in Books (by Stories)
  73. Year In Review: Kpop Edition
  74. 16 Things I Learned In 2016
  75. My Year In Re(ar)view
  76. 2016: Year in Review (by Kai)
  77. Foursquare/Swarm Year in Review
  78. What i learnt in 2016
  79. My Top Five Blog Posts of 2016 (and other highlights)
  80. Dear 2017 (by Sophia van Gent)
  81. Top Posts of 2016
  82. 2016 Year in Review (by Styled by Summer)
  83. The End Of Year Survey For 2016
  84. 2016 Year in Review (by Angela Chau)
  85. 2016 Year in Review (by LJT Reads)
  86. 2016: A Year in Review (by Zaweebie)
  87. 2016: A Bookish Retrospective
  88. 2016: A Review (by Jazmin)
  89. Goodbye 2016
  90. The scariest post I’ve ever written: my favorite reads in 2016
  91. 2016 Year in Review
  92. The Ups and Downs of 2016 – The Year in Review
  93. 2016, A Year in Review: a yer of ups and downs
  94. My Year In Review. Mom Fashion Style
  95. One of My Favorite Things
  96. 2016 Year In Review (by Ashley)
  97. 2016, By the Numbers
  98. Alt-Right 2016: The Current Year in Review
  99. Year in review: 2016 Top Ten Conspiracies
  100. 7 Global Health Breakthroughs: A Year in Review
  101. ABC s of 2016
  102. 2016 #DiversityJC – Ian’s Year-End Review
  103. 2016 Year in Review-it was interesting
  104. “Reflecting on 2016” part 2 = My Biggest Disappointments
  105. 9 Reasons Why 2016 Was Pretty Great
  106. Top 6 of 2016
  107. 2016 in review (by BamBam)
  108. 2016 Year In Review: The Good, The Bad And The Deaths
  109. Breakaway 2016 – A Year In Review
  110. Trump, Prince, and Queen Elizabeth: 2016’s most-read Wikipedia articles
  111. 2016: Sustainable Nano Year in Review
  112. Quiz of the Year Response!
  113. Hello 2017! (by spina squared)
  114. 2016 in Review: A Year on Staff
  115. Looking Back on 2016 (by Melissa Burgess)
  116. 2016 – A Moment a Month
  117. My Blog in 2016 (by MS.L. Wheeler)
  118. 2016 Year in Review (by Ingrid Racine)
  119. My Year in Books 2016
  120. Best Books of 2016 (by Gwen)
  121. 2016 in Review by Ellie Pelto)
  122. 22: Books I read last year
  123. Comics Update: My Current Lineup and 2016 Pros & Cons
  124. 2016 #DiversityJC – Doctor_PMS’s Year End Review
  125. Top Ten Books of 2016
  126. Top 16 of 2016
  127. 2016 in Film
  128. Reader’s Room Winter Challenge
  129. My Tweets in 2016 #MTBoS
  130. 16 great things from 2016
  131. Jim Ryan: Looking Back At The Year in Music
  132. New Year : Noob Year
  133. My One Word for 2017: Onward
  134. New Year Blog – Revising 2016, and Looking Forward to 2017
  135. 2016 Year in Books
  136. 2016 Law Review
  137. 2016 – A Year in Review (by Rob P)
  138. Softimage mailing 2016 year in review
  139. Top 8 of 2016: Art Highlights
  140. Rowls- 2016 year in review
  141. Faves of 2016: Nonfiction
  142. 2016 My Year in Review:  My Top Ten Personal Lessons/Observations
  143. Goodbye 2016 (by Allison Anti Quotidian)
  144. 2016 Year in Review (by Kialtho)
  145. A Year In Review
  146. My goals for 2017
  147. Yeah, 2017!
  148. 2016 Year In Review (It Sucked But I Read A Lot)
  149. Tart ISBI: Year in Review, 2016
  150. 2017 A Year of Light in Action
  151. fifty things that made my year, 2016
  152. You are (20)16 going on (20)17
  153. 2016: Amazing Year in Review
  154. Goodbye 2016
  155. 2016 Book Archive
  156. 2016: Stronger Together
  157. a year in the life
  158. 2016 Was interesting
  159. 2016 Costuming Year in Review
  160. Learn How to Better Engage Your Child with a Year in Review Activity
  161. The Obsessive Viewer Podcast – Ep 199 – 2016 Year in Review – Best and Worst Movies of the Year and Viewing Stats
  162. Looking back at 2016
  163. 2016 in Music: Shock and Awe
  164. Look back, leap forward
  165. Were You Ready To Close Your Book?
  166. 2017 (by Andrew Reynolds)
  167. 2016 In Review (by Aaron Mallett)
  168. My 2016 at the Movies, Part 1 of 2: The Year’s Least Best
  169. Ten Moments in GH music: 2016
  170. Anime of the Year: CJ Hitchcock’s Top 5 Anime of 2016
  171. 2016 Reflections
  172. Year in Review/Shit for 2017
  173. 2016 Year in Review (by Dan Guido)
  174. January 9: Warmer Weather Ahead, Looking Back At 2016
  175. 2017 – a year in review
  176. Annual Statement of Goals, 2017 Edition
  177. 2016 Reading Challenge – final report
  178. New Year, New baby, new outlook
  179. 2016 Beer in Review
  180. Happy 2017
  181. NFL Year in Review
  182. Tag – Year-end Superlative Tag
  183. Yearly Wrap-Up! || 2016
  184. 2016 in Books
  185. End of Year Survey; 2016
  186. 2016 Year In Review (by Run Wright)
  187. 2016 Year in Review (a crazy year for bad literature)
  188. Some Days in 2016
  189. Twenty-sixteen: that’s a wrap
  190. 2016 in review (by Mara Thang)
  191. My 2016 at the Movies, Part 2 of 2: The Year’s Least Worst
  192. 2016: A Yer in review (all in one)
  193. My Writing Year – 2016 In Review
  194. Endings & Beginnings
  195. 2016 Year In Review! (by circling around the sun)
  196. The year of many firsts
  197. Goodbye 2016 – Hello 2017
  198. 2016 – A Year In Review
  199. Two Years Gone By
  200. translate.wordpress.com in 2016
  201. Welcoming the light
  202. My Bookish Year 2016
  203. 2016 Pop Culture Year in Review
  204. Short stories I read and loved in 2016
  205. Set It Off: My Writing Goals for 2017
  206. Goodbye 2016
  207. 2016 By The Numbers
  208. 2016 In review (the Mic is the message)
  209. 2016 in Review (by Cindy)
  210. Erin Blogs 2016 in Review
  211. High Five For 2016!
  212. 2016 Round up
  213. 2016: Year in Reading
  214. 2016: looking back
  215. So That Was 2016..Year in Review
  216. 2016
  217. Year In Review – 2016 (by atop the clouds)

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Filed under Activisme & Vredeswerk, Announcement, Crimes & Atrocities, Ecological affairs, Economical affairs, Headlines - News, History, Lifestyle, Political affairs, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs, Welfare matters, World affairs

An American Embassy to the Eternal Capital of the Jewish people, Jerusalem

A dark moment in the year 2016 might be the election of the man of whom most people thought he would not even make it to the selection of president candidates. Though very cleverly playing on the fearing minds of radical and right wing Americans blackening all other candidates he managed to blackguard Hillary Clinton many started to cry to put her in jail and would not vote for her.

Donald Trump often turned with the wind and at one moment he was on the blacks and Jews calling them names and at other moments he said he respected Judaism but found all Jews have to live in their own country.

In some of the ads leading up to the campaign Trump clearly stated his position:

Trump Campaign Statement on Israel

I love Israel, and honour and respect the Jewish faith and tradition. It is important that we have a president who feels the same way. For me, respect and reverence for Judaism is personal. My daughter Ivanka, and my son-in-law Jerad are raising their children in the Jewish faith, always reminding me of the important values and lesson we learn about leadership, resolve, and families in Jewish tradition. My administration will stand side by side with the Jewish people and Israel’s leaders to continue strengthening the bridges that connect, not only Jewish Americans and Israelis, but also all Americans an Israelis. Together we will stand up to the enemies like Iran, bent on destroying Israel and her people. Together we will make America and Israel safe again.

During his a speech at AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Donald Trump waxed bold and direct regarding his position on Israel:

I speak to you today as a life-long support and true friend of Israel.

I am a newcomer to politics, but not to backing the Jewish state.

I came here to speak to you about where I stand on the future of American relations with our strategic ally, our unbreakable friendship, and our cultural brother, the only democracy in the Middle East, the State of Israel.

He laid out several of his policies with regard the Nation of Israel. He was very politically incorrect, as his usual style normally is. He addressed the issue of Iran, but also the problematic relationship between Israel, the United States and the United Nations:

“The United States can be useful as a facilitator of negotiations, but no one should be telling Israel that it should be, and really that it must abide by some agreement made by others, thousands of miles away, that don’t even really know what is happening to Israel, to anything in the area. It is so preposterous; we are not going to let that happen…. When I am president, believe me, I will veto any attempt by the UN to impose its will on the Jewish state.  It will be vetoed 100%.

During this speech Trump pointed out the track record of agreements that were imposed upon Israel in the past and his feelings on the reason for failure:

File:Video Recording of Photo Opportunity at Camp David - NARA - 6037428.ogv

President Clinton with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat at Camp David peace talks, July 2000.

To make a great deal you need two willing participants. We know Israel is willing to deal. Israel has been trying to sit down at the negotiating table without preconditions for years. You had Camp David in 2000, where Prime Minister Barak an incredible offer, maybe even too generous, Arafat rejected it. In 2008 Prime Minister Olmert made an equally generous offer, the Palestinians Authority rejected it also. Then John Kerry tried to come up with a framework, and Abbas didn’t even respond. Not even to the Secretary of State of the United States of America. They didn’t even respond. When I become President, the days of treating Israel like a second class citizen will end on day one!

Now many have treated his speech as simply electioneering and grandstanding. But as Donald Trump has been building his cabinet, and announcing the key roles, he has been building a team that is capable of realizing his campaign promises.

What has been most interesting this week has been the appointment by President Elect Trump of the American bankruptcy lawyer David Friedman, a 57 year old Orthodox Jew from New York, as the future Ambassador to Israel, which shall receive its residency not any more in Tel Aviv, but moves to Jerusalem.

Friedman helped advise Trump during the campaign and has assisted him in bankruptcy proceedings in the past. He is a supporter of Israeli settlement construction, has downplayed the need for a Palestinian state, and is considered a key force behind the incoming president’s relatively hard-line pro-Israel positions, including supporting moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Though in 1980 the Knesset had already declared Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel this law was declared null by the U.N., which called for the removal of the remaining embassies in the city. A statement from Israel’s Foreign Ministry called the resolution “unjust” and

“additional proof that the U.N. organization has been converted into an instrument in the hands of Israel’s enemies in their war against her existence and independence.”

With moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to a plot of land in Jerusalem which would be leased from Israel to the US for 99 years, for $1 per year since January 18, 1989, of the last days of the Reagan presidency, according to the agreement singed by US ambassador to Israel William Brown and Israel Lands Authority deputy director Moshe Gatt.

David Friedman was a major contributor to the Trump policy on Israel as he stated in a meeting with an Israeli delegation when meeting for dinner with them:

… anything where there is jobs or national security, the economy, immigration, everything is vetted through a policy committee. With regard to Israel there really isn’t a policy committee. Our relationship is so strong, that on matters of Israel, he’s really given Jason and I full authority to speak on his behalf.

The one thing that I’m proudest about, to date, is the Republican platform as relates to the state of Israel. The Republican platform on Israel is the strongest platform with regard to Israel that either party has ever developed in the history of this country. The way this was developed was a partnership between the Orthodox, within the Jewish community, the Israel lovers within the Jewish community and the evangelical community.

So from this platform, I would invite people to compare 2016 to 2012, there is no longer any reference to a two-state solution, there is an affirmative statement that Israel is not an occupier with respect to Judea and Samaria. There is a commitment to recognize Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Jewish people, undivided capital of the Jewish people, to move the embassy there.

When this platform was passed by the Republican platform committee, the Evangelical community, got up, not only did they get up and clap, but people were actually crying. That is how motivated, that is how happy they were. They for this was a day they would never see. 

This man is noted for his conservative political views, his belief that the “Jewish left” is a danger to the State of Israel, and that Jews who supported the nonprofit liberal advocacy group J Street, are

“just smug advocates of Israel’s destruction”

But it are just those advocates who try to bring peace in the region promoting American leadership to end the Arab–Israeli and Israel–Palestinian conflicts peacefully and diplomatically.
J Street’s stated aim is to provide a political home for pro-Israel, pro-peace Americans who believe that a

“two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is essential to Israel’s survival as the national home of the Jewish people and as a vibrant democracy”.

J Street has a two-fold mission: first, to advocate for urgent American diplomatic leadership to achieve a two-state solution and a broader regional, comprehensive peace and, second, to ensure a broad debate on Israel and the Middle East in national politics and the American Jewish community.

The appointment of Friedman, who once compared a Jewish lobby group to concentration camp prisoner-guards, is a controversial one and some liberal Jewish groups in the U.S. as well as a senior Palestinian cleric have openly denounced the decision.

As believers in the Bible we followed the Iraq-Iran War, the present religious wars and terrorist acts, the Brexit and the American elections suspiciously, very intrigued and  now with appointment of David Friedman to the post of America’s Ambassador to Israel seeing how zigzaw puzzle pieces fitting the details given in the Bible.

We are fascinated to see the finger of God at work in the nations, as the prophet Daniel clearly stated:

“…the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Daniel 4:17)

God allows people to reign matters and to choose their own governments. God also allows events to take place in His time schedule. He may look at the United States and see how Donald Trump may take his position of power in America and the world. Bible students can become quite excited by this prospect, not because of the man, but because of his stated policies with regard to the State of Israel and with the events Donald Trump may bring into this world, where he is perhaps going to make it easier for the Jewish state to develop.

The president elect moving the American Embassy is one thing, but also calling it

“to the Eternal Capital of the Jewish people, Jerusalem

is giving the voice to what Jews and real Christians are looking forwards to for already many years. We do know that Jerusalem has to become the eternal capital of the world, but now a politician has called it with a clear voice “the Eternal Capital”. That is what more people shall have to come to recognise.

The movement of America’s embassy to Jerusalem is one step closer to becoming a reality.  It is the issue of Jerusalem that will cause the nations to come down to the land in the latter day, and bring God’s judgement upon them:

“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, When I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, And will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, And will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.” (Joel 3:1–2)

Zechariah also identifies Jerusalem as being the flashpoint:

“And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: All that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, Though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” (Zechariah 12:3)

All nations who come against it will be destroyed. So when we see America, the most powerful nation in the world talking about legitimizing the Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, it brings the issue to the forefront.

You may read more about this in the Christadelphian News-site: Bible in the News

English: Protesters outside of AIPAC conferenc...

Protesters outside of AIPAC conference at Washington DC Convention center. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Tribes Redux

All over Europe we are feeling the pressure of certain people who think the country belongs to them only, even when their ancestors immigrated to that country which was then willing to receive them and to give them a place to build up a better life. But now their grand- or over-grandchildren do not want to give others such a chance to make something better out of their life.

The far-right (or today also called the Alt-right) becoming stronger in West-Europe and now also spreading like a virus over the United States of America and Canada, should make those who feel more for a democratic system more worried and anxious to take action, for bringing a halt to this fungus which can make our whole nation rotten and a dangerous swamp to live in.

Good that William Hill does not keep his writings private any more.
He likes to start each posting with a quote by someone past or present that speaks to the topic he want to address.Today he starts of with a quote from the young Kenian journalist at Africanews, Euronews and co-host for Ebru News “Aiming at the 4th°. First. Fast. Factual. Final & Future word” who thinks

The world is a sitcom waiting to be written. Start young.

Robert Kodingo who has a news room with French, English African and Nigerian speakers and sends praise from Nigeria (on Periscope TV). Robert Kodingo his quote

“We hate each other by race, color, tribe, wealth, gender etc because everyone wants to feel special and different than the other. I do not however have a solution on how people can stop having an ego that makes them specially superior than the other.”

should make us to see how ego has conquered the capitalist world.

William Hill or Bill his thoughts are sometimes serious and personal, sometimes just humorous, sometimes intentionally provocative (to make the reader assess their own thoughts on the subject and to elicit a comment). He also could see what is going on in Europe.

He also is not blind to notice that loss of old national sovereignty with subservience to Brussels’ bureaucracy might have been a good reason for many to go for a Brexit. {Immigration} He writes

but the largest reason is the huge influx of Middle Eastern and North African immigrants flooding into Europe, financially taxing, particularly the western, northern industrial nations. That, and the fear that embedded among them are terrorists bent on destroying western civilization. {Immigration}

But he suspects there’s a more truthful reason.

“It is interesting…the rhetoric [and] the gathering strength of right wing politics….Everywhere in the West ‘immigration’ [is spoken] in terms of the end of …’culture’, displaying signs of feeling threatened by these ‘others,’ who are portrayed as an invasive force.” ( Himani Bannerji.) {Immigration}

.

In Europe our states or countries are free to be part of the European Union or to stay out or like Great-Britain has shown, to leave.For a long time our guest-writer Bill espoused his belief that free, open and unencumbered travel and residency should be a right of all peoples, that globally – that right enjoyed by citizens within the United States and the European Union, respectively – should apply to everyone, world-wide. {The Great Wall of Donald}From his writings we may learn that many American Christians seem to be sitting with a very very old idea

if you worked hard enough you could become a rich, influential person. For centuries the only ones who needed to be educated to succeed were the clergy. {Education in America}

From the same article we learn at our surprise that not many Christians from the U.S.A. are holding postgraduate degrees:

Hindus – 48%

Jews – 35%

Buddhists– 26%

Catholics – 10% {Ed. note: we do not know Bill only looks at Roman Catholics, like often many Americans do or at all Catholics}

Protestants – 9%

(Not mentioned were those without a confessed religion. I wonder what percentage they are?)

If you wonder (as I did at first) why Christians are so far behind other religious, I think the answer is cultural.

Buddists and Hindus both share a similiar belief that the soul’s future condition is dependent on the knowledge acquired by the mind in this lifetime, that knowledge becomes understanding of life, and that is the ultimate goal of life. (It would seem that, contrary to Christian teachings that all understanding will be granted to the soul upon death,  Buddists and Hindus believe understaning is not a gift in the next life, rather something to be strove for in this life.)

The Jews for most of their history – at least in Europe – were not allowed to own land (which was the riches of the day) and they had to be ready to leave on a moment’s notice to escape local progoms against them.  Hence an education was portable and enabled them to find work without being tied to one place.  {Education in America}

 

No wonder than perhaps we can find so many who are carried away so easily by words from some one who knows his rhetoric well. For politicians it is proffered that their folks do not think too much for themselves. Therefore certain countries are trying to give the idea to their inhabitants they are ‘somewhat’ or that they can get a ‘degree’ but that degree does not say much or has not much value opposite the degrees of renowned universities. The Donald Trump University promised to give some money back to those who complained they are ripped off.

It is known that

Males of most species of animals are prone to violence, yet where it is the male that is the primary care-giver and has the greater role in raising the young, it is the females that compete violently with each other. {News that doesn’t sell newspapers}

We could see many republican women who could skin Hilary Clinton alive. But for certain women the other and coloured women may also be a competitor on their market for men. and when they have to see that certain of those women of an other race can climb higher than them it makes it very painful.

Certain politicians playing in on the weak part of their audience made a handy use of the fear the media is creating by lots of people.  As such by the fear mongering in several nations of Europe and different states in the United States, those who found an easy way to point at a target or culprit, proclaiming nationalism, anti-immigrant and religious intolerance.

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To remember

  • significant up-tick in the level and number (almost a daily occurrence) of violent confrontations racially + ethnically,
  • US, a nation of immigrants + freedom of religion + who for the last sixty years promoted internationalism by multiple treaties of cooperation in multiple areas

For Bill there is a good tombstone epitaph over the grave of humanity after we destroy ourselves.


“Mine mine mine.
That was the curse and power of human beings — that what they saw and loved they had to have.
They could share it with other people but only if they conceived of those people as being somehow their own.
What we own is ours.
What you own should also be ours.
In fact, you own nothing, if we want it.
Because you are nothing.
We are the real people, you are only posing as people in order to try to deprive us of what God means us to have.”
 ― Orson Scott Card

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Preceding articles

Autumn is in the land

Enough with the Clothes Shaming of Muslim Women

American Christians have to think twice before going to vote

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Additional reading

  1. Leaving the Old World to find better pastures
  2. Migrants to the West #1
  3. Capitalism and economic policy and Christian survey
  4. The New gulf of migration and seed for far right parties
  5. Our political systems and juggling with human laws
  6. Objective views and not closing eyes for certain sayings

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Further reading

  1. Puritans and Pilgrims
  2. “We Are Not Our Grandparents:” Yeah, That’s Pretty Clear
  3. To be an ‘Aryan’
  4. Standing Rock
  5. Ancestors
  6. Ancestral Reverence
  7. The Past
  8. Gifts from our ancestors
  9. Echos of ancestors
  10. Origins
  11. 7 Things Our Ancestors Stockpiled To Survive Winter
  12. Friendship Comes in Small Gestures
  13. Don’t judge from the cover
  14. Let’s clarify! Migration, Immigration, Emigration: the importance of proper definitions.
  15. A Migrant By Any Other Name is an Expat
  16. 260 White Crosses
  17. Jo Cox: victim of ‘Leave’ hate crime.
  18. Immigration to the UK from the European Union hit a record high in the run-up to the Brexit vote
  19. A record number of migrants have arrived in Italy this year by boat
  20. 1,400 migrants rescued in Mediterranean
  21. Italy’s Minister Of Interior (Freemason): Surrender Your Homes To Migrants Or Face Jail
  22. Calais: the State in total hesitation
  23. France and Them: Expats, Migrants, Refugees
  24. Swiss immigration quotas: where do we stand?
  25. VQR 2016 Prize for Photography – Jason Florio ‘Out of the Sea’
  26. Austria News | Asylum-Seekers
  27. Bulgaria News | Asylum-Seekers
  28. A flirting coach is giving refugees dating lessons ‘to help them integrate’
  29. These migrants must be sent back to Africa and Asia. Migrant crisis: Bulgaria orders migrant deportations after riots at camp on Turkey border | World | News | Daily Express
  30. My Issue With “Stopping the Boat People”
  31. Fate of thousands of missing migrant children in Europe still unclear
  32. Merkel says EU and Turkey must stick to migration deal
  33. Child asylum seekers subjected to controversial age tests
  34. A Word To The Criminal Migrant
  35. Recycling means risk of increased crime in Denmark
  36. Erdogan threatens to allow 3m refugees cross into Europe
  37. Erdogan Warns Turkey Could Open Gates for Migrants if Pushed by EU — After EU Stops Talks With Turkey on EU membership
  38. Encounters With Racism, Anti-Semitism, and Bigotry in Germany And Beyond
  39. Video: Racist Attacks!
  40. Punk: Beyoncé Unleashes Formation
  41. The Future President
  42. America once turned its back on Anne Frank, just as Donald Trump rejects Muslim refugees today
  43. Article of the day: American ethnic politics in comparative perspective
  44. Blame Trump on the Rich, Part 4: The KKK and the two Neighborhoods Adjacent 
  45. “But why can’t we have white pride?”
  46. For White Voters, It Was Education, Stupid
  47. Republicans Can’t Be Christians — Sorry!
  48. Bridges – Stepping Forward with Lilka and Andy
  49. Cartoon of the day
  50. Reader letter: Alt-right story ‘refreshing, important’
  51. “Doctor Calls Michelle Obama ‘Monkey Face,’ But Says She’s Not Racist”
  52. Adichie’s “danger of a single story” and the Rise of Post-Truth Trumplandia
  53. 12-2-16
  54. The US once gave amnesty to almost 3 million undocumented migrants. Here’s the economic argument for doing it again
  55. Ladies and Gentlemen. The President of the United States.
  56. He’s Making a List
  57. Monochromacy
  58. Let’s All Get Vulnerable
  59. Sermon Notes – gRace Part 2: Good Fences Make Bad Neighbours
  60. Anti-Semitism in Hungary and Its Spiritual Twin Poland
  61. Honor Diversity
  62. District temporarily pulls classic novels after complaint
  63. Top 10 reasons why it’s hard to talk to some white people about race.
  64. (12/01/2016) No Less GOD’s Creation
  65. Envie de partager ce texte

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Quotes and Thoughts

“We hate each other by race, color, tribe, wealth, gender etc because everyone wants to feel special and different than the other. I do not however have a solution on how people can stop having an ego that makes them specially superior than the other.”

― Robert Kodingo

Some nations in Europe, and lately the United States, have been voting for leaders or policies that proclaim  nationalism, anti-immigrant and religious intolerance. There has been a significant up-tick in the level and number – now almost a daily occurrence – of violent confrontations racially and ethnically, without any indication of possible abeyance.

Things I find loathsome and abhorrent. Especially here, in the US, a nation of immigrants and freedom of religion and who for the last sixty years has promoted internationalism by multiple treaties of cooperation in multiple areas. The incoming Trump administration is still in the formative stages and there…

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Being European in a Post Brexit Britain

Britain and exit to get Brexit and to become the boomerang which shall frighten citizens of Great Britain, Europe and the U.S.A..

A referendum – a vote in which everyone (or nearly everyone) of voting age can take part – was held on Thursday 23 June, giving the inhabitants of Great Britain the opportunity to have their say to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union. Most people at the continent were convinced that the sane minds of the Britons would vote for “In”, but they and the bookkeepers were unexpectedly wrong.

According to British standards the turn out was very good, 71.8%, with more than 30 million people voting. It was the highest turnout in a UK-wide vote since the 1992 general election. But 52% to 48% decided they did not want to be involved any more in the economic and political partnership of the 28 states making up the European Union.

Whilst EU law still stands in the UK until it ceases being a member – a process which may not take long time – clearly some British people showed they have no intention to keep up a European attitude of diversity of people. Already before the election, the last few months up to the referendum, it showed that it was much more about immigration and racism than economical and political reasons. As soon the vote to leave the EU was published the aggression against foreigners and other looking people than British people became public.

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Yesterday at the Flemish television we could see and hear about non-British and nationalised immigrants in Great Britain being harassed.

The politicians have worked hard the last few months to create a hate against all foreign people in Great Britain and a disgust for all those who have an other skin colour or an other tongue.

The 27 EU member state countries their politicians should carefully look at what they have to avoid at any price.

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Male and female were created to keep each other company and to multiply creating a world were they could all live as brothers and sisters united together in a beautiful and sacred world. Of the environment man made already a terrible mess and of their way of living they proved not ever having succeeded to build up a good nice society for everyone. this gives good reason to keep working hard at the project European Union and to strive together to a liveable and loveable mini-world on this globe of diversity.

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Rhiannon, a nineteen years old half Spanish, half Welsh but of British nationality, currently studying at the University of Exeter and living in a student flat in Exeter. With university studies, work and just generally living her life, she hasn’t really had much time to dedicate to keeping up a blog and she didn’t want this to become a chore – it was never her intention to make this something that makes her feel pressured to maintain. {A Quick Update (June 2016)} but we may be pleased some youngsters also get to feel when it is really time to let their voice also be heard.

What happened on June the 27th made her decide she wanted to write more about the effects and the aftermath of the referendum first, and seemed to have become a victim herself as well.

Would it be not normal people can speak different languages? Even when living in one country and being able to speak the language of that country very easily, would it not be justified to speak the language of other family members when going out together?

Though when she went shopping with her mother she spontaneously started speaking in Spanish, just chatting about what they were buying and such. However, after about ten-fifteen minutes of that, as they were leaving the store, the mother seemed not feeling alright speaking in Spanish. When people have such reason because they are taken by fear, this should alert us Europeans and all civilised citizens.

Her mother did not find it such a good idea that they speak in Spanish and that it was best to stick to English.

Listen to what had happened and what the answer was when Rhiannon asked her why.

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Preceding:

Denmark votes in favour for a Discriminatory Nazi law

Poster: Please Help The Refugees

Tolerance Ends When There Is No Tolerance Shown Towards Us

Our life depending on faith

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Additional reading

  1. The New gulf of migration and seed for far right parties
  2. Migrants to the West #7 Religions
  3. Welfare state and Poverty in Flanders #8 Work
  4. Silence, devotion, Salafists, quietists, weaponry, bombings, books, writers and terrorists
  5. Social media a destabilisation tool in the Middle East and Syrian conflict
  6. Economic crisis danger for the rise of political extremism
  7. Preparing for an important election
  8. 2015 Economy
  9. Brexit clashes and reasons to consider to bring out the right vote
  10. Backing the wrong horse
  11. Brexit, Nexit, Vlexit and Frexit
  12. Financial mishmash
  13. Trump brand of migrant demonization #1
  14. Trump brand of migrant demonization #2
  15. Blinded crying blue murder having being made afraid by a bugaboo
  16. White Privilege Conference (WPC) wanting to keep the press out for obvious reasons
  17. Pope Francis says Catholics must become evangelisers
  18. Unity doesn’t mean uniformity
  19. Consequences of Breivik’s mass murder
  20. Religion, fundamentalism and murder

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Find also to read:

  1. Cameron decries ‘despicable racism’ and Palin dumps New World Order: Eight things to know about Brexit so far
  2. European right-wingers, emboldened by Brexit, eye their own yes-or-no votes on the future of the EU
  3. Right sees a U.S. parallel in Brexit vote–and it could be right
  4. Home is where the hate is
  5. Post-Brexit: racist attacks go mainstream in disunited kingdom
  6. Our stance against certain religions and immigrating people
  7. Pelagianism, abundant sex, no works and refugees
  8. Religion, fundamentalism and murder
  9. For those Christians who say they are the Victim
  10. What can YOU do to help stop this new wave of racism?
  11. Brexit has given voice to racism – and too many are complicit
  12. ‘Go back home’ – Bitter backlash post EU referendum
  13. After a campaign scarred by bigotry, it’s become OK to be racist in Britain | Aditya Chakrabortty
  14. I’m Stunned At How Brexit Has Unleashed Racism And Hate
  15. Brexit: Wave of hate crime and racial abuse reported following EU referendum

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Further readings

  1. Not seeing the wood for the trees: A blog on progress and setbacks
  2. Being European in a Post Brexit Britain
  3. ‘Brexit ‘- What is this all about and how it affects Europeans
  4. Brexit; My Review on the Result
  5. Brexit Nonesense
  6. Brexit: Ugly Democracy
  7. Brexit and You
  8. My father fought in WW1, and my mother learned Esperanto – this is what they would have thought of Brexit
  9. Coming to terms with ‘Brexit’
  10. Brexit: So, did Anyone have a Plan…
  11. Andrew Coyne: Voters need to be sold on the merits of open borders, not have free trade foisted on them
  12. Universal discontent with Tory government and policies triggers intergalactic referendum
  13. Hold a second referendum, British cabinet minister urges as prime minister heads to Brussels
  14. Project Fear May Be Over, But Reality Is Much More Frightening
  15. Germany Issues Demand That All Existing EU Member Nations Form Single Superstate • Now The End Begins
  16. Brexit – Will it Affect Cats and Dogs?
  17. Brexshit.
  18. If It Had Been
  19. Brexit and The Folly of Democracy
  20. What is sufficient to constitute an Article 50 notification to leave the EU?
  21. John Ivison: Britain drifts rudderless amid growing sense no-one is in charge in England after Brexit vote
  22. Richard M. Salsman: Britain will thrive after it’s free from the EU’s socialists
  23. I thought you were progressives?
  24. The ‘Leave’ Camp Won. That Doesn’t Mean Brexit Will Happen.
  25. The Brexit Vote: A British “Paul Revere” to Prep
  26. Cameron decries ‘despicable racism’ and Palin dumps New World Order: Eight things to know about Brexit so far
  27. Brexit Will Not Happen
  28. The Great Brexit Kabuki: A Masterclass In Political Theatre
  29. Gideon, We Really Can’t Wait Until September For You To Respond
  30. Brexit, nouvel ordre du jour : « C’est le temps de paniquer! » — Vraiment?
  31. British leaders want to take their time leaving the EU, but many European politicians want them out
  32. The UK Needs To Fail
  33. How Brexit Will Change America and the World
  34. Why the British Said No to Europe by John Pilger
  35. EU response to Brexit: Totalitarian Super State
  36. Brexit – venom, bile and hatred
  37. #Brexit
  38. The UK, the EU, and Berlin Station
  39. Autistic InnerSpace Comic No.66
  40. Coming to terms with ‘Brexit’
  41. Brexit: So, did Anyone have a Plan…
  42. A modest proposal – let’s have a referendum every day
  43. Brexit for Australia – And Others!
  44. Brexit: Why I voted Leave – A Singaporean in UK
  45. ‘fine thanks. oh, except for brexit’
  46. Brexit: The Disconnect
  47. And Yet…
  48. Punk, I’ve changed my mind; we need to Brexit
  49. A house divided: thoughts from a disunited kingdom
  50. Europe laughs and waves goodbye to England (the soccer team and its Brexit-loving fans)
  51. Don’t blame the young for feeling politically disillusioned
  52. Cameron decries ‘despicable racism’ and Palin dumps New World Order: Eight things to know about Brexit so far
  53. Cameron condemns xenophobic and racist abuse after Brexit vote | UK news | The Guardian
  54. We still have love

wanderlust's mind

Today, I want to tell you all a little bit about what’s been going on in my country, specifically the UK. You’ve no doubt heard about our current political situation – after a massive country(ies) wide referendum, the UK has voted to leave the European Union – and I was planning to write more about the political side of things and specifically my personal opinions about it. However, something happened today that made me decide I wanted to write more about the effects and the aftermath of the referendum first. So the politics will have to wait for now.

So what happened today?
Today, my mother and I went into town to do some shopping. Whilst we were there, we spontaneously started speaking in Spanish, just chatting about what we were buying and such. However, after about ten-fifteen minutes of that, as we were leaving the store, my mum said to…

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UK Politicians willing to tear up decades of environmental protections

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Filed under Ecological affairs, Political affairs