the Soup will not be eaten as hot as it is served

“Are they really bringing people to workplaces to give them a better life?”

It was known or said that even if Jews were converted to the Christian faith, they remained “different” because of their bloodline. It was also known that many were jealous for the lifestyle and family feeling which could  be found in the Klal Yisrael or Jewish communities. Many goyim found the Jews separated themselves from the society, but they did not often see it were goyim who themselves gave enough reason not to mix too much with them.

Samuel Morgenstern was one of those shopkeepers who was one of the most loyal buyers of Hitler’s paintings in Vienna, by which Hitler could receive enough money not to be a tramp. Naturally there were also rumours Hitler could not stand Jews because he got a disease from regularly going to some ‘Jewish harlots’.

Portrait of Karl Lueger (ca. 1900), mayor of Vienna. He used anti-Semitism as a political strategy. Collection: Austrian National Library / painter: Alois Delug. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Rights: Public Domain

Mein Kampf, (German: “My Struggle”) political manifesto written by Adolf Hitler. It was his only complete book and became the bible of National Socialism (Nazism) in Germany’s Third Reich. It was published in two volumes in 1925 and 1927, and an abridged edition appeared in 1930. By 1939 it had sold 5,200,000 copies and had been translated into 11 languages.

It perhaps were not just rumours that the politician, co-founder and leader of the Austrian Christian Social Party, and mayor of Vienna Karl Lueger (1844-1910), used anti-Semitism as a political strategy, and that he was also praised as “the greatest German mayor of all time” by Adolf Hitler (In Mein Kampf) who did not mind following his ideas.

The prejudices about the role of the Jews in the Great War were incorrect, but as with many rumours, it spread like a virus. Many Germans did not want to believe how more than one hundred thousand German and Austrian Jews had fought for their homeland, one of them being Otto Frank, the German-born merchant best known as the father of Anne Frank, who witnessed the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

In the 1920ies our family members could already hear how our brethren were compared with germs. It was as if our people had been infecting generations for ages. That Hitler never thought his people were not strong enough to live according to the wishes of their god or according to the mitzvot of the Only One True God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah. Lots of our friends could not believe that those who said they were “Christian” and as such would, or should, be following the Nazarene Jewish rabbi who preached brotherly love, could do such atrocious things, as others told about them. Perhaps it was to set up Jehudiem against Christians, so that the goyim had all the reason to tell

religion is the cause of war.

The words spread that Hitler said that you cannot fight a disease without destroying the person who caused it, and as such according to him, the influence of the Jews would never disappear without removing the perpetrator, the Jude, from the midst of the Arian race.

Radical ideas paved the way for the mass murder of the Jews in the 1940s, but not many of the Bnei Yisroel or Chosen People of God wanted to believe the rumours at first.

In many families, like ours, it was the saying

“the Soup will not be eaten as hot as it is served”.

They heard about plans which would be taken, but they seemed so unbelievable that they could not be true or would have been exaggerated, as by a circling fire. Others were not so much at ease, and warned

“to be aware of a silent dog and still water”.

Should we look askance at him? Now we can easily say they had much better looked at him out of the tail of their eyes. By not believing the many rumours, lots were woken up with a start, when it was too late.

For a long time, many wondered if it was within the odds, whilst others said

“He is not likely to go.”

Others wanted to be a friend to all, forgetting that then they would be a friend to none. Many debates about what went on in Germany and Austria could bring lots of talks after the children were sent to bed. For sure that what was to be spoken about was not for children’s ears.

It was, and is still, known that there was and is, an existing prejudice that Jews associate with financial power and monetary gain. Many are also convinced Jews are “foefelaars“, who make their pile on the poor white people. Lots of Jews may be looked at as a ramay / nokhel, a fiddler or cheater whilst there was no oysnarn at all.

White movement propaganda poster from the Russian Civil War era (1919), a caricature of Leon Trotsky, who was viewed as a symbol of Jewish Bolshevism.

In many countries people also looked at the Jehudi as the originators or conspirators and spreaders of communism. The vast majority of the communist leaders at that time were Jewish. However, it is only a small part of the Jews that were communists, and what a lot of people did not see is that several Jews were promoting or aiming for social equality, this being considered by many liberals and capitalists a danger for the economy and consumption gain. During the war with the Soviet Union, from 1941 on, it will be the idea of the ‘Jewish communism’ (sometimes also called Marxian-communism or meant to be Jewish Bolshevism, also Judeo–Bolshevism) with terrible consequences. The population and the prisoners of war being brutally treated by the Germans.

When Hitler got into power rumours got stronger, but still many did not want to believe what went around. Others were smart enough to be at the safe site by sending their beloved far away from Germany and Austria. Some thought they would be safe in Holland, but how they were mistaken. Having gone to Holland luckily several managed to cross the channel and find a safe haven in the United Kingdom, but the others got taken and deported.

At the Schalkland, in the “Klein-Brabant” region, less than 25 kilometres from the centre of Brussels and 19 kilometres from Antwerp, to the south of the Dendermonde highway (Mechelen – Dendermonde) was build the “Willebroeck Fort” as a fortified defence to protect the port and city of Antwerp, which by Royal Order dated 12 January 1907 rechristened the fort “Breendonck Fort”. On september 20th 1940 Sturmbannführer Philip Schmitt brought his first victims to Breendonk. The Fort officially became the Auffanglager Breendonk, a transit camp; a major centre for the Sicherheitspolizei-Sicherheitsdienst (SIPO/SD), the german political police.

Words spread that in Breendonk the kaze-the mats were to be removed from the earth in which they were covered. Three or four men had to push a railway carriage that was loaded with the earth. It was not the best marterial the prisoners had to use. Of these vehicles, the wheels were worn out, having to be pushed on worn-out rails, so that a person would have more than it is possible. Was it a rumour or was it true that the SS guards, with their weapons beated on the upper arms, the backs of the heads of the unfortunate ones until the latter were exhausted, but also fell dead?

Former working site at the camp of Breendonk. The regime set up here by the Nazis hardly differed from that of an official concentration camp. The undernourishment and the forced labour wore down the body and mind. The ever-present physical cruelty sometimes caused the death of prisoners. Initially, the camp was only guarded by a few German SS and a detachment of the Wehrmacht. In September 1941, the Wachtgruppe of the SD arrived as back up. This time, these were no longer German SS but mainly Flemings.

Some of the prisoners were to be buried up to the neck, after they were first on a ferocious manner, beaten. The S, S. jailers were there, then settled for the pitiful earth at the face of them. The game lasted sometimes for 1 or 2 hours, and when the victims were about to die, they did not stop to punch and to death. During the singing of the song of Breendonk, the text of which these words were placed on the grave:

” Wir werden nie mehr Breendonk vergessen, das Paradies-tier Juden…’.”

Sturmbannführer (majoor) Schmitt had created and placed a pulley on the ceiling in a folterbunker (torture bunker or blockhouse) of the camp, to make, that the victim’s hands at the back tied up would be drawn to the ceiling.

After that, it was a pizzle of the shot, he was then beaten with a bullepees (bullenpees: baton between a whip and a stick made from dried penis of a bull). When the hoist was released, the unfortunate person fell on two angular boards. Kachelpoken or stove pokers were glowed for immediate use,… because the Jews were not worth the bullet. They had to be sent to death during work and by torture.

When the words rang true for most of the Jews still living in the region, it was too late to find a safe place for their children and for themselves.

After the camps in Belgium or Holland as “Musselmen” (completely emaciated) thousands were deported to Germany to find an end to their unbearable suffering, either of starvation, giving up, or in the gas chambers.

The remaining Jews in Belgium were unable to follow the course of events that their fellow believers underwent elsewhere. Their own concerns were too overwhelming for this and contact with neighbouring countries was too incomplete. The seeping job tidings were considered exaggerated …

Commissioned by the notorious member of Heinrich Himmler’s SS, the Nazi paramilitary corps, Adolf Eichmann, the Sicherheits polizei in Berlin, wrote the following urgent letter, in which the word “Secret” is not missing (22 June 1942):

“From mid-July and early August this year, special trains of 1,000 people each day are planned, first of all about 40,000 Jews from the occupied French territory,
Send 40,000 Jews from the Netherlands and 10,000 Jews from Belgium to employment in the Auschwitz camp.
“The circle of persons to be included extends primarily to Jews who are skilled in work, insofar as they do not live in mixed marriages and do not have the nationality of the British Empire, of the U.S.A., of Mexico, from the enemy states, from Central and South America, as well as from the neutral and related states.

“I may request willing access and assume that there are no objections to these measures on the part of the foreign office either.
Commissioned get. Eichman “

On 12 July 1942 the last restriction on freedom before the local raids started was put visible on billboards. From the onward Jews were no longer allowed to visit cinemas, theatres, sports grounds or public institutions. In the trams they were only allowed to stand on the front platform of the trailer.

Such regulations still did not unbalance many of the Jewish diluted community. According to many the German measures only wanted to deprive the Jews of public pleasures … (Few will then have immediately known that the first nocturnal masses in Paris on Friday July 17, 1942 raffle had taken place.)

Pennant for Organisation Todt

Woman with Ostarbeiter OT badge at Auschwitz

The second Jewish labour team was also confidently leaving the civil and military engineering organisation “Organization Todt” to Charleville-Mèzières (18 July), until on July 22 the second deception beared its bitter fruit.(It was the day that the memorial of the destruction of the Temple took place in Jerusalem in the evening – Tischa be’af – -). Jews were arrested without any excuse! When that day the trains from Brussels and Antwerp stopped at Mechelen as usual, Feldgendarmen were on the platform. All the Jews, both men and women, were taken out. The same happened at the Antwerp and Brussels North terminus stations. (The Brussels-North-South connection did not yet exist.) Their freedom had ended. Some went to Breendonk. Most were sent to the 18^th century Dossin barracks, where between 1942 and 1944, 25,484 Jews, 352 Roma and Sinti were deported. Just over 5% returned from Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Kazerne Dossin, Goswin de Stassartstraat 153, B. 2800 Mechelen, where in the old barracks, visitors will find a memorial, which commemorates countless people who stayed there in despair and fear and who died later in unspeakable circumstances.

From the onward the Jews throughout Belgium were being seized by panic. Being an ode alone was therefore sufficient here to be arrested … The Jewish Council was powerless … followed by a reaction of partial sobering among the Jewish population. They forged new flight plans that were kept secret even from close acquaintances.
The panic mood was tempered after a few days. When  people received mail from the internees in Mechelen it all looked not as bad as the rumours went around.

They are not nearly as bad there … Fruits are missing … They may receive packages …

Faces from those who lost their life after being brought to the Dosin Kazerne in Mechelen

These days we remember all those who lost their life in a struggle to survive in a hatefull world.

Let us not forget how politicians can use disinformation and propaganda to mislead many and to create unwanted scapegoats.
We also may not let ourselves be fooled this time that it would not be as bad today with what was happening in the 1930ies. There are people who say

That can never repeat again

but after the Great War all people agreed also that such a horror should never take place again. Only a few years later the world found itself again in such time or terror.

This time let us be more careful, notice the signs of people bringing others on the wrong path, and react wisely to those who want us to believe we are ridiculous seeing ghosts or bad things in what are just jokes or carnavalesc activities.

 

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Preceding

Remembrance and freedom in the Netherlands – Dodenherdenking and Bevrijdingsdag

Niet te negeren gebeurtenissen rond Joden in België

The danger of having less than 25 000 Jews in Belgium

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Additional reading

1. The Great War changed everything
2. Reformed Churches Muzzled but Protest at Barmen
3. 2019 was #4 a Year of much deceit in Belgium and the rest of Europe
4. Signs of the times – “An object of scorn and ridicule”

a Call to stop the growing anti-Semitism

It is not new. Already several months we can see there is a growing anti-Semitism again in France and Belgium. The home to the biggest Jewish community in Europe, France , represents around 550,000, a population that has grown by about half since World War Two, but anti-Semitic attacks remain common. Government statistics released last week showed there were more than 500 anti-Semitic attacks in the country last year, a 74 percent increase from 2017.

Alarming it should be that it seems that the Jewish communities across West-Europe feel much more endangered that non-Jews think they are.
A 28-country survey by the European Commission, published last month, revealed a gap in perceptions between those in and out of the Jewish community.
According to the report, 89% of Jewish people said anti-Semitism had “significantly increased” over the last five years. Only 36% of non-Jews believed the same.

Among the incidents arousing worries of renewed anti-Semitism was a torrent of hate speech directed at Jewish philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a Saturday march by yellow vest protesters.

In recent incidents, swastika graffiti was found on street portraits of Simone Veil — a survivor of Nazi death camps and a European Parliament president who died in 2017. The word “Juden” was painted on the window of a bagel restaurant in Paris, and two trees planted at a memorial honouring a young Jewish man tortured to death in 2006 were vandalized, one cut down.

Friday , two youths were arrested after they allegedly fired shots at a synagogue with an air rifle in the Paris suburb of Sarcelles, where a large Jewish community lives. Sarcelles mayor Patrick Haddad told BFMTV on Tuesday that prosecutors believe the motive was anti-Semitism.

According to sociologist Danny Trom, author of “France Without Jews,” thousands of Jewish people leave France every year because of anti-Semitism.

“This is a low-intensity war, perhaps, but let’s not forget the murder of children killed at close range by Mohamed Merah in a school,”

Trom told French magazine Telerama, referring to the 2012 slayings of three children and a teacher from a Jewish school by an Islamic extremist in the southwestern city of Toulouse.

In West Europe since the dawn of time there have been Jews. In the previous century they had a terrible time, but one would have thought after that period everyone would want that human scandal to remain covered for good. Though the last few years it seems there are again seeds of weed sawn. Now, the pressure is such that several Jews are led to consider their country inhospitable.

In a tweet last week, Olivier Faure, first secretary of the Socialist Party, first called on people to gather in Paris for a protest on Tuesday. The event was later organised with the endorsement of more than 50 political parties, unions and associations.

No official number has been reported, but similar demonstrations were reported in 60 cities including Marseille, Bordeaux and Nantes.

Thousands of people rallied across what should be “the Land of equality” (France) after a surge of anti-Semitic attacks in recent weeks that culminated on Tuesday with vandals daubing swastikas and anti-Jewish slogans on dozens of graves in a Jewish cemetery.

Political leaders from all parties, including former Presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, gathered in Paris filling the Place de la Republique, a symbol of the nation, to decry anti-Semitic acts with one common slogan:

“ça Suffit” = “It is Enough!”

The French have enough of racist acts and of discrimination and hate for others

French President Emmanuel Macron, after he had visited the vandalized Jewish cemetery in Quatzenheim, a small town in the northeastern Alsace region, said he felt shame at the sight of the defaced grave markers. He clearly was very much impressed and the grieve and disgust for what had happened was on his face. Macron observed several moments of silence in front of the vandalized graves while local Jewish community representatives stood by.

“We will take action,”

he promised.

Afterwards he went to the Shoah Memorial, a Holocaust museum in Paris, to observe a moment of silence with parliament leaders, and said

“Every time a French person, because he or she is Jewish, is insulted, threatened — or worse, injured or killed — the whole Republic” is attacked.”

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*https://www.bbc.com/news/av/embed/p071cd8v/47300117*

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Geen groeiende moslimhaat in Europa, maar groeiende jodenhaat

Vandaag kijken wij naar een artikel van politicoloog, schrijver Freek van Beetz van het in 2015 opgerichte onafhankelijk opiniemagazine Opinie Z, “met confronterende, goed leesbare, niet politiek-correcte artikelen over politiek en maatschappij”.

Bewustzijnde dat ook in onze regionen de censuur ook toe neemt en het ons niet kan ontgaan dat migratie-kritische berichten, foto’s, video’s steeds vaker worden geweerd op Twitter, Facebook, YouTube … komt het er op aan dat wij bepaalde stemmen toch nog kansen geven om zich volledig te uiten en dat wij zelf onze stem niet verstillen of te bang worden ons gezicht te laten zien of om waarheden en feiten naar boven te brengen in het daglicht.

Weze het grote steden als Paris, Brussel, Antwerpen, Rotterdam of Amsterdam, overal beginnen sinds enkele jaren Joden zich minder op hun gemak te voelen en heerst er een dreiging van ongewenstheid. Die uiting van verwensing komt echter niet enkel van moslims maar veeleer van extreem rechtse groepen die in Frankrijk en de Benelux aan populariteit winnen door hun populistische visies.

Lange tijd wilden inzaten van die drie landen niet inzien dat er bepaalde bevolkingsgroepen uit hun eigen regionen verwenst werden of in de verdrukking kwamen.
Terwijl de media alsmaar de aandacht op een bepaalde terreurgroep wilden vestigen, brachten zij een vloek over de moslimgemeenschappen die wel vredelievend waren, maar deden ook het licht uit over de gebeurtenissen die een herhaling blijken te worden van wat er zich voordeed in de jaren 30 en 40 van vorige eeuw.

De politie heeft haar handen vol om zich zichtbaar op te stellen, maar intussen hebben zij het blijkbaar te druk met iftar, hoofddoekjes en offerfeestjes, om bepaalde haat uitingen tegenover inwoners van haar steden en gemeenten voor ernstig te nemen of om op te treden bij gevallen waarbij de eerbaarheid van de mens, zij het een kind, vrouw of man wordt geschonden.

De rozemutsenbrigade vindt het niet belangrijk. Te druk met woordjes als identity politics, mansplaining, manspreading in plaats van daadwerkelijke veiligheid. Het COA is te druk met het rondpompen van probleemmigranten. De rechterlijke macht is druk aan het navelstaren. Politici zijn druk aan het formeren. {Wordt het niet optreden tegen aanranding de norm?}

Politici en media zijn bang geworden om bepaalde dingen bij hun ware naam te noemen.

Zo komen we in Nederland anno 2017 in de situatie terecht dat een Hamas-conferentie geen Hamas-conferentie genoemd mag worden, ondanks overduidelijke banden en bevestiging daarvan door de Duitse inlichtingendiensten het verband blijven ontkennen. Hiermee geven zij een terreurorganisatie de ruimte om zichzelf in Nederland te profileren. Ten koste van de Joodse gemeenschap, want die heeft hier alles bij te vrezen. Dodelijk geweld tegen joodse burgers in Europa is de afgelopen jaren afkomstig uit één hoek: die van islamitische extremisten.

Na gruwelijke aanslagen op joodse kleuters en een leraar in Toulouse volgde de aanslag in het Joodse museum in Brussel en een jaar later op een joodse supermarkt in Parijs. Vervolgens wordt er bij elke anti-Israël demonstratie hardop in het Arabisch geschreeuwd dat Joden eenzelfde lot wacht als de joodse stammen die door de profeet werden uitgeroeid. En iedereen staat erbij en kijkt ernaar. {De politiek-correcte Fabeltjeskrant over de Hamas-conferentie}

Tanya Hoogwerf van het Nederlandse opinie blad is bewust dat lezers zo veilig in de bubbel blijven:

rechts is fout en potentieel gevaarlijk en links danwel islamitisch is goed en vredelievend. {De politiek-correcte Fabeltjeskrant over de Hamas-conferentie}

Jan Gajentaan schrijft dan weer dat het benoemen van islamitisch antisemitisme – dat net als christelijk antisemitisme eeuwenoud is – nog steeds not done is  in policor Europa.

De leidende gedachte van veel politiek-correcte geesten is nog steeds dat wij, “witte mensen”, de erfzonde dragen van kolonialisme en Holocaust. De enige manier om ons daarvan te bevrijden is Europa openstellen voor miljoenen islamitische migranten. Wie op de keerzijde daarvan probeert te duiden wordt uitgemaakt voor neonazi, of op zijn best iemand die de neonazi’s dienstig is. {De blindheid voor Arabisch antisemitisme}

Volgens Yves Mamou zijn de Joden in Frankrijk al jarenlang slachtoffer van moslimterreur. In het artikel van vandaag nemen wij niet enkel de meest recente voorbeelden van maart 2012 en mei en juli 2014 of oproepen tot

“Dood aan de joden”

welke te horen zijn in Brussel, Parijs en Kopenhagen waar Joden slachtoffer werden van moslim-fundamentalistisch geweld in Europa, anno 2016. Vraag is wanneer zekere islamietische jogeren roepen

‘Smerige joden, we hebben onze kalasjnikovs’

deze niet hardhandiger worden aangepakt of er niet meer wordt op gewezen dat dit een ontoelaatbare discriminatie is.

Op de ARD kon men de documentaire,gemaakt in opdracht van de Frans-Duitse zender Arte, Auserwählt und ausgesetzt – der Hass auf Juden in Europa zien waaruit duidelijk blijkt hoe antisemitisme in Europa in opmars is.

Wanneer zullen dromen en roze olifanten zichtbaar worden voor de uilen die niet zienen willen?

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Verder aanverwant

1. Europa’s medelevende haat tegen Israël
2. Over de ‘normaliteit’ van antisemitisme in Europa
3. Religiocide
4. U heeft niets te vrezen?
5. Het multiculturele ideaal bestaat toch!
6. Amsterdam huilt….
7. De Haat Tegen De Joden
8. Geen media-ophef over antisemitische ‘bruggenbouwers’
9. Al-Haddad in Utrecht: zijn meest controversiële uitspraken
10. Moslimterrorist wil ongelovige neersteken en maakt dan kennis met zijn ‘geheime wapen’
11. Linda Sarsour: NYC’s queen of hate
12. De Joden en het nazisme van de 21e eeuw
13. Imam in Dänemark ruft zum Mord an Juden auf
14. The UN’s Obsession against Israel
15. Kerken van Mill, Grave en Gassel beklad met hakenkruizen en satansster
16. Islamic State calls on Scottish Muslims to target businesses owned by Jews
17. Studie: Judenhaß unter moslemischen Schülern weitverbreitet
18. De eenzaamheid van Kuzu
19. Audioversie Bidstond Waddinxveen 8febr.2017
20. Attack on Israeli Embassy in Jordan
21. Bondi synagogue ban over terrorism risk leaves Jewish community shocked and furious
22. ‘Europe is lost’: Barcelona’s chief rabbi urges Jews to move to Israel
23. Vehicle attacks what to do if targeted in pedestrianized environments
24. MIND organization against internet discrimination.2016 rapport
25. Facebook like a Facistbook
26. Hamas in Rotterdam
27. Israel-ready-for-annual-training-cyber-attack

OpinieZ

“Ook buiten het VK groeit de moslimhaat. Islamofobie in Europa”, kopte de NRC vrijdag 23 juni. Ik moest even met de ogen knipperen. Heb ik iets gemist? Bij nadere lezing werd de alarmerende boodschap behoorlijk gerelativeerd en eigenlijk nauwelijks onderbouwd, maar het beeld dat de krant ons wilde opdringen was duidelijk: de moslims in Europa verkeren in groot gevaar.

Titelfoto: Screenshot door redactie OpinieZ van video ABS-CBN News

Ik geloof daar niets van, maar het is een beeld dat de media ons al jaren proberen voor te spiegelen: al die aanslagen door moslimextremisten, ach, een beetje vervelend, vooral voor de slachtoffers en hun nabestaanden, maar in het verkeer en thuis vallen veel meer doden (keukentrapje!) en de meeste moslims zijn vreedzame burgers.

Wegredeneren
Waar komt die onbedwingbare behoefte tot wegredeneren vandaan? Laat er geen twijfel over bestaan: de aanslag op moskeegangers in Londen is net zo goed…

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From Guestwriters 2016 in review

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.

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.

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.

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

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 (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.

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 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.

This 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.

• The Lastige Vragensteller or Troublesome Inquirer – Vragensteller-Inquirer in the short time on this platform got 112 views,
• whilst the Jewish counterpart Immanuel Verbondskind with his two articles got 39 views.
• Success Insprirers’ world with N.Gobesingromanus offered some poems which gave him 3 views
• Also written contributed only one article which in 2016 only caught 4 views
• Liza Borstlap who presented some reblogs of her own site articles in Afrikaans got 40 views
• the Belgian Biblestudents could attract 99 views
• Relating to God drew to himself 120 views
• Bijbelvorser allured 177 views
• the Christadelphians getting 415 views
• Marcus Ampe writing under his personal name receiving 1325 views
• and reviews from us about writings and authors their work we wanted to share with you by the Guestpeaker got 3330 views
• Next, should your name not be here too? Are you not the one who can write about subjects which are not covered yet enough?

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 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

++

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)
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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)
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45. 2016 Year In Review (by alex)
46. My Top Ten Books from 2016
47. Top Ten Blogs of 2016
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52. Adelaide Etc in 201
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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)
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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)
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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
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95. One of My Favorite Things
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97. 2016, By the Numbers
98. Alt-Right 2016: The Current Year in Review
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100. 7 Global Health Breakthroughs: A Year in Review
101. ABC s of 2016
102. 2016 #DiversityJC – Ian’s Year-End Review
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110. Trump, Prince, and Queen Elizabeth: 2016’s most-read Wikipedia articles
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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
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179. 2016 Beer in Review
180. Happy 2017
181. NFL Year in Review
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187. 2016 Year in Review (a crazy year for bad literature)
188. Some Days in 2016
189. Twenty-sixteen: that’s a wrap
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191. My 2016 at the Movies, Part 2 of 2: The Year’s Least Worst
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194. Endings & Beginnings
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202. My Bookish Year 2016
203. 2016 Pop Culture Year in Review
204. Short stories I read and loved in 2016
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206. Goodbye 2016
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209. 2016 in Review (by Cindy)
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211. High Five For 2016!
212. 2016 Round up
213. 2016: Year in Reading
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Bruxelles Ma Belle

Some people complain that Europeans do not show such a solidarity, like now for Brussels and Paris, when something happens in places like Ankara. They often forget that the other places are very far away from the beds of those Europeans who now felt the terror close to their own home.

It would be nice if people would show more solidarity with the innocent victims at other places, but the big problem is that every day something gruesome happens somewhere in the world and we can’t stay off work every day to go on the streets to show our sorrow for them.

But what we all can do every day is to show our fellow man that we are here for him or her and that we appreciate him or her for what or how he or she is.

*

To remember

• Brussels attacks = scorched forever onto memory, =/= care about attacks in other parts of the world.
• this year 223 terrorist incidents around the world.
• which ones have greatest affect

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Preceding articles:

Human tragedy need to be addressed at source

Remain lovingly = No path for softies

Solidarité: The Paris Attack and the Refugee Crisis

Refugees At The Border- A Blessing Or Burden?

++

Find also to read:

1. March 22 2016, attacks in Brussels at airport and metro
2. Daesh hits heart of Europe
3. A Black day for Belgium – Brussels Airport ravage
4. Knife-trust in democratic sore back
5. Tears for Belgium
6. Reaction from U.S.A. President Barack Obama
7. For those who call the Brussels Airport attacks a fake or a conspiracy of the government
8. What Associated Press released on Wednesday 23 March 2016
9. US President, Barack Obama Condemns The Outrageous Brussels Attacks
10. Message of Pope Francis I for the 48th World Communications Day

+++

Related articles

• Brussels Terror Attack. a False Flag?
• EUROPE: Every time there is a war someone uses a tried and tested way to kill this time #Daesh are using the idea of ‘ Terror Cells ‘ scattered throughout countries like the ones that struck #Paris and #Brussels – @AceNewsServices
• Brussels Bombings Destroy Fiction That All Terrorism Deaths Count as Equal
• #PrayForTheWorld: Celebs React To Tragedy In Brussels With Heartfelt Messages
• Watch: why ISIS attacked Brussels
• Turkey’s Erdogan Mentions Possible Brussels Bombing Just Days Before Attack
• 4 Signs the Brussels Terror Attacks Timed to Support the New World Order Agenda
• Report: Turkey warned Europe about Brussels bomber last year
• Washington Post Obfuscates, GREATLY, on Erdogans’s Brussels “warning”
• Belgian police searching for 2nd suspect in Brussels subway attack

Solidarité: The Paris Attack and the Refugee Crisis

To remember

• great paradoxical absurdity > appalling violence in Paris > parts of media + certain individuals + groups = advocating denial of sanctuary to refugees – people who have experienced very same violence (at the hands of very same fundamentalists) = as a daily reality
• one must empathise with those refugees fleeing violence and terrorism
• exploiting anger + fear felt by so many people across the world in the aftermath of these horrible attacks, purely to further own Islamophobic + xenophobic narrative = misdirected anger + hatred = inexcusable + entirely unhelpful.
• solidarité which must prevail
• our obligations > kind of violence + terror from which refugees are fleeing
• observe somewhat selective humanity + relative silence from same people in relation to events in Beirut + similar violence across the world
• emergence of refugee crisis + displacement of millions of people = considered a consequence, in part, of failings of incoherent + ineffective foreign policy of certain Western countries

+

Preceding:

Paris Attack and Ranting

Spike In Anti-Muslim Attacks Casts Spotlight On Government Policies

Human tragedy need to be addressed at source

Before you blame All Muslims for the terrorist attack in Paris

A husband’s heartbreaking tribute to his wife killed in the Paris attacks

++

Find also to read:

1. Religion, fundamentalism and murder
2. Do we have to be an anarchist to react
3. Wrong ideas about religious terrorism
4. Massive police operation in northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis
5. French Muslims under attack

+++

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• The Western World Is On Its Last Legs
• The Collapse Of Europe And The Western World
• Color Palette of the Week: Old Paris
• Tsipras, Trump and the Rise of the Populists
• The Collapse Of Europe And The Western World
• If you want to better understand the Syrian refugee crisis, watch this video
• The West Suppresses Report on Ukraine’s Suppression of Journalists
• Bulgaria to Accept 852 Migrants Under 1st Stage of EU Quota Plan
• Syrian army uses new Russian jets to strike Islamic State – monitor
• Kerry to Open Doors to ISIS Terrorists

Reflections on Human Rights and World Affairs

The great paradoxical absurdity is that, because of the appalling violence in Paris on Friday night, parts of the media and certain individuals and groups are now advocating the denial of sanctuary to refugees – people who have experienced the very same violence (at the hands of the very same fundamentalists) but as a daily reality. For such people to express moral outrage and horror at the actions of the terrorists in Paris whilst simultaneously proposing that we withhold protection from refugees fleeing such violence in their own countries, it is entirely contradictory. If one genuinely feels outrage at the death of 129 people and injury of many more on Friday night in Paris, and empathises with the families of those killed, then one must empathise with those refugees fleeing violence and terrorism. Anything less is simply moral hypocrisy.

However, such moral outrage is not authentic, but opportunistic – exploiting the anger…

View original post 649 more words

A husband’s heartbreaking tribute to his wife killed in the Paris attacks

Antoine Leiris saw his love of his life, the mother of his son stolen away in the attack on the Bataclan in Paris. But he does not grant those Muslim fundamentalists his hatred.
His tribute to his wife on Facebook has been shared thousands of times since. Though shamefully his page was desactivated and he lost all the messages of encouragement.

1. 4:01 AM – 25 Nov 2015 · Details

   </div> ” data-mentions=”lemondefr CNN SPIEGELONLINE radio” data-you-follow=”false” data-follows-you=”false” data-you-block=”false”>

   Antoine Leiris ‏@AntoineLeiris Nov 25

   Please help me @lemondefr@CNN@SPIEGELONLINE@radio facebook desactivate my page. I lost all my messages.

   He made a call to MarkZuckerberg on Nov 25

   • 3:39 AM – 25 Nov 2015 · Details

     </div> ” data-mentions=”facebook” data-you-follow=”false” data-follows-you=”false” data-you-block=”false”>

     please @facebook help me. You desactivate my page. I lost all the love messages I’ve received from all around the world…

   Was it because notes of peace were send that they were silenced?

   ***

   “Vous n’aurez pas ma haine”

   Vendredi soir vous avez volé la vie d’un être d’exception, l’amour de ma vie, la mère de mon fils mais vous n’aurez pas ma haine. Je ne sais pas qui vous êtes et je ne veux pas le savoir, vous êtes des âmes mortes. Si ce Dieu pour lequel vous tuez aveuglément nous a fait à son image, chaque balle dans le corps de ma femme aura été une blessure dans son coeur.

   Alors non je ne vous ferai pas ce cadeau de vous haïr. Vous l’avez bien cherché pourtant mais répondre à la haine par la colère ce serait céder à la même ignorance qui a fait de vous ce que vous êtes. Vous voulez que j’ai peur, que je regarde mes concitoyens avec un oeil méfiant, que je sacrifie ma liberté pour la sécurité. Perdu. Même joueur joue encore.

   Je l’ai vue ce matin. Enfin, après des nuits et des jours d’attente. Elle était aussi belle que lorsqu’elle est partie ce vendredi soir, aussi belle que lorsque j’en suis tombé éperdument amoureux il y a plus de 12 ans. Bien sûr je suis dévasté par le chagrin, je vous concède cette petite victoire, mais elle sera de courte durée. Je sais qu’elle nous accompagnera chaque jour et que nous nous retrouverons dans ce paradis des âmes libres auquel vous n’aurez jamais accès.

   Nous sommes deux, mon fils et moi, mais nous sommes plus fort que toutes les armées du monde. Je n’ai d’ailleurs pas plus de temps à vous consacrer, je dois rejoindre Melvil qui se réveille de sa sieste. Il a 17 mois à peine, il va manger son goûter comme tous les jours, puis nous allons jouer comme tous les jours et toute sa vie ce petit garçon vous fera l’affront d’être heureux et libre. Car non, vous n’aurez pas sa haine non plus.

   ***

   **

   A husband’s heartbreaking tribute to his wife, who was killed in the Paris attacks.

   He does not give in to be afraid and to cast a mistrustful eye on his fellow citizens.

   
   **

   Preceding:

   Paris Attack and Ranting

   Spike In Anti-Muslim Attacks Casts Spotlight On Government Policies

   Human tragedy need to be addressed at source

   Before you blame All Muslims for the terrorist attack in Paris

   ++

   Find also to read:

   1. Religion, fundamentalism and murder
   2. Do we have to be an anarchist to react
   3. Wrong ideas about religious terrorism
   4. Massive police operation in northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis
   5. French Muslims under attack

   +++

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Father explaining Paris attack to young son

A father in Paris was caught in a heartbreaking interview explaining to his young son what happened during the recent terrorist attacks.
This video is sure to break your heart. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian of The Young Turks discuss.

**

The child thinking rationally “Bad guys are not very nice.”

But there are bad people everywhere.

It is true they might have weapons but we do have flowers, (representing love, beauty, tenderness all the things terrorist want to take back from us, flowers are affection for the ones we care about) = to fight guns + to protect => war does not end war.

Candles to remember people who are gone.

*

We don’t need to move out.

France is our home.

We stick together + they can’t break our spirit.

Most important is that we stay united and share the same spirit.
Staying united and who we are.

**

+

Preceding:

Paris Attack and Ranting

Spike In Anti-Muslim Attacks Casts Spotlight On Government Policies

Human tragedy need to be addressed at source

Before you blame All Muslims for the terrorist attack in Paris

++

Find also to read:

1. Religion, fundamentalism and murder
2. Do we have to be an anarchist to react
3. Wrong ideas about religious terrorism
4. Massive police operation in northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis
5. French Muslims under attack

+++

Related articles

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• Young Turks Rip ‘Compassionate Christian’ Mike Huckabee For Asking if Syrian Refugees Are Just Looking for Cable TV
• Cenk Uygur and TYT Slam Davis for Not Doing Her Job and Still Getting Paid $80,000: Watch
• The humiliation of Ahmed Mohamed
• Fox News censured for Muslim claim
• John 15:18-21 (Love And Hate)

Before you blame All Muslims for the terrorist attack in Paris

The attacks in Paris and the terror in Brussels made many finding themselves more justified to hate Muslims. Many forget that the attackers are radical Muslims but that many of the victims are also Muslims.

Between 2004-2013, the UK suffered 400 non Muslim terrorist attacks, mostly in Northern Ireland, and almost all of them were non-lethal. The US suffered 131 non-Muslim attacks, fewer than 20 of which were lethal. France suffered 47 non Muslim attacks. But in Iraq, there were 12 000 attacks and 8 000 of them were lethal. {BBC}

The easy thing is to say “Muslim did it”, but when we look at the majority of terrorist attacks all over the world they are non-religious related and not done by active Muslims or active Christians, but more by non-religious people and most important by anarchists.

When we look at the terrorist attacks from Muslim side it are the radical and fundamentalist Muslims who bring terror over non-believers, Jews, Christians but also over faithful Islamic believers. today we see many lashing out at the Muslims, but they were already hurt first and hove to face how their religion is used in a horrible degrading way by people who say they are Muslim, but are not real Muslims.

Before you blame All Muslims for the terrorist attack in Paris watch this incredible interview from a survivor of the attack. Cenk Uygur host of The Young Turks asks you not to give into temptation, stop and think about the Muslim victims before you lash out against the entire religion.

**

**

Please let us not generalise and be careful by whom we want to blame and how we want to react.

+

We are all inhabitants of this planet, by the Grace of the Divine Creator,
and we need to fight one for the other and help each other.

+

We are all in the same boat.

+

Preceding articles:

Paris Attack and Ranting

Problematic Or Patriotic? Two Ways To Talk About Muslims

Don’t be Muslim

Spike In Anti-Muslim Attacks Casts Spotlight On Government Policies

Tolerance Ends When There Is No Tolerance Shown Towards Us

Christians at War? Christians using violence?

Responses to Radical Muslims and Radical Christians

The World Wide Refugee and Migrant Crisis and a possible solution for it

Migration not something to fear

What we don’t say about the refugee crisis?

Social media and asylum seekers

Human tragedy need to be addressed at source

Real progress leaves nobody behind

Children of Men

My two cents on the refugee crisis

Listening for the Language of Peace

++

Find also to read:

1. 2014 Religion: with a.o. Global war against Christians
2. Syrian but also Belgian connection to French attacks
3. Brussels-born Salah Abdeslam key suspect Paris terrorist attacks
4. Paris attacks darkening the world
5. Refugee crisis, terrorist attacks and created fear
6. Massive police operation in northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis
7. French Muslims under attack
8. Wrong ideas about religious terrorism
9. Propaganda war and ISIS
10. ISIS cannot be presenters of the real Islam
11. Do Al-Qaeda, Islamic State, ISIS and ISIL belong to true Islam
12. Not true or True Catholicism and True Islam
13. Religion, fundamentalism and murder
14. Condemning QSIS or the self-claimed Islamic state ruler, al- Baghdadi their extremist ideologies and to clarify the true teachings of Islam 
15. ISIL will find no safe haven
16. Islamic State forcing the West to provide means for Kurdistan
17. Women their education and chances to become a parliamentary
18. Christian clergyman defiling book which did not belong to him
19. More Muslim children than Christian children growing up in our cities
20. Being Charlie 10
21. Being Charlie 11
22. Do we have to be an anarchist to react

 

Related articles

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• EU ministers approve, leaders set to ratify migrant quota plan
• France just made a serious (and scary) bid to put itself in charge of internet censorship, globally (GOOG)
• Tense showdown predicted at EU refugee summit
• Fox News censured for Muslim claim
• Fox News’ non-Muslim ‘no-go zone’ report breached UK code
• Fox News censured for Muslim claim

Children of Men

It is very easy to find a scapegoat. When terrorists shock the population many politician get an extra weapon in their hand to help them in their particular course, to perform their already preconceived plan.

Islamic fundamentalists are not afraid to kill other Muslims and enjoy the fear they can bring over man. those giving in to that fear make the terrorists win in their aims.

*

Last Friday night, Paris attacked by three cells affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS => country’s worst wave of violence since World War II.

• many GOP presidential candidates intensified their rhetoric for the U.S. => cease accepting Syrian refugees.
• Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio + Ted Cruz called for a halt to accepting Syrian refugees.
• leading GOP candidate Donald Trump told refugees could be ISIS >migration >Trump has seen > all men = all strong-looking guys > not that many women.

• similar comments from Republican candidate Ben Carson >“majority of them are young males.”

UN Refugee Agency, over half of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) registered Syrian refugees = female (50.2% as of this writing).

Nearly 40% of the refugees = under the age of 12.

 

• Trump’s “take in 250,000 from Syria” = higher from 10,000 Syrian refugees White House would accept

That the United States has a far more superior security process in place than that of Europe may be that with such an amount of people entering Europe, it is nearly impossible to have straight ahead a thorough check. they must account or hope for a next and better control when those refugees enter their new domicile.

For United States of America: Before entering the country > refugees must have an in-person interview with a Department of Homeland Security representative, pass security checks + a medical exam (including testing for tuberculosis = can take possibly 8 weeks) => can take up to 24 months before process completed for a refugee to even be allowed in the .

very expensive screening procedures for all Syrian refugees who have come to the United States + very careful vetting process (including intelligence community, national Counterterrorism Center, Department of Homeland Security).

• Dealing with people who’ve suffered horrors of war, women,children, orphans => can’t just shut our doors to those people => sort out how to focus on terrorists to keep out of the country

 

We can’t make the mistake of identifying refugees as very terrorist threat they are running from.

 

+

Preceding articles:

Paris Attack and Ranting

Problematic Or Patriotic? Two Ways To Talk About Muslims

Migration not something to fear

What we don’t say about the refugee crisis?

Human tragedy need to be addressed at source

Real progress leaves nobody behind

Spike In Anti-Muslim Attacks Casts Spotlight On Government Policies

Don’t be Muslim

++

Additional reading:

1. Between Alpha and Omega – The plan of creation
2. Economic crisis danger for the rise of political extremism
3. Wrong ideas about religious terrorism
4. Europe and much-vaunted bastions of multiculturalism becoming No God Zones
5. Is ISIS a product of American in-action or a product of direct action
6. Islamic State forcing the West to provide means for Kurdistan
7. Paris attacks darkening the world
8. A sleeper cell of militants was said directing attackers sent back to France from Islamic State’s de-facto capital in Raqqa, Syria
9. Refugee crisis, terrorist attacks and created fear
10. Islamic State pushing at an open door to divide Europeans
11. Brussels-born Salah Abdeslam key suspect Paris terrorist attacks
12. Massive police operation in northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis
13. Islamophobic hate crimes rise in UK following terror attacks
14. Trump brand of migrant demonization #1
15. Trump brand of migrant demonization #2
16. Are people willing to take the responsibility for others
17. Schengen area and Freedom for Europeans being put to the test as never before
18. Asylum seekers crisis and Europe’s paralysis

+++

Further reading:

1. How the terror attacks in Paris unfolded
2. Paris attacks: Suicide bomber identified; ISIS claims responsibility for 129 dead
3. The Paris attacks: What we know now
4. Paris terror: Video captures terrified customers fleeing café amid fears of another attack
5. Salah Abdeslam: Police stopped Paris attack suspect near Belgian border hours after killings – but let him go
6. Salah Abdeslam: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
7. After Paris attacks, fugitive slipped through police dragnet
8. Brussels Connection Under Spotlight After Paris Killings
9. The Nihilistic Assaults On Paris – OpEd
10. Paris attacks: Anonymous launches its ‘biggest operation ever’ against Isis, promises to ‘hunt down’ attackers
11. Paris attacks: How the minute’s silence was held around the world
12. Socio-Political Ethics In Islam And The West: A Comparative Perspective
13. Search continues for Paris attack suspect as France launches airstrikes on Islamic State targets
14. Paris on edge as panic erupts among crowds of mourners
15. Paris attacks: Isis threatens strike on US capital in ‘new video’ – live
16. Suspected terrorist cells in 2 European countries raided; 2 killed
17. US, French Defense Ministers Discuss Campaign Against Islamic State
18. The Nihilistic Assaults On Paris – OpEd
19. Ordinary peace-loving person tries to make sense of terrorism
20. The Liberal Islam Problem
21. The France theater Attacks
22. Paris attacks: What we know so far about the victims
23. In Photos: As France mourns, Europe holds moment of silence in honour of Paris victims
24. Post About it, Be About it: thoughts on social media activism
25. Terrorists Infiltrated Europe Disguised as Refugees
26. The Islamic State’s trap for Europe
27. Paris attacks could shift US presidential race
28. Syria’s civil war now Europe’s war after Paris attacks
29. US, French Defense Ministers Discuss Campaign Against Islamic State
30. The Nihilistic Assaults On Paris – OpEd
31. Ordinary peace-loving person tries to make sense of terrorism
32. The Liberal Islam Problem
33. The France theater Attacks
34. Paris attacks: What we know so far about the victims
35. In Photos: As France mourns, Europe holds moment of silence in honour of Paris victims
36. Post About it, Be About it: thoughts on social media activism
37. Terrorists Infiltrated Europe Disguised as Refugees
38. Reuters: Islamic State threatens attack on Washington, other countries
39. Making ☮ : Where does the peace symbol come from?
40. Paris, Pussies And Pinterest
41. A Moment of Silence
42. Passport found near Paris suicide bomber shows few security checks exist for migrants in the Balkans
43. Facebook defends using Safety Check after Paris attacks
44. “We The People Speak” Marketing Campaign
45. When Compassion Imperils our Security
46. TV Quiberon 24/7 WORLD – Minute’s silence for Paris victims
47. I’m with you
48. Celebrities mourn Nick Alexander, merch manager killed in Paris attack
49. Anonymous declares war on Islamic State after Paris attacks
50. BidenJam Returns: Lame-Duck VP Brings L.A. Road Closures Monday & Tuesday
51. A Message About The Paris Attacks, And Also Peace
52. French fighter jets bomb ISIL capital in Syria as ‘massive’ retaliation for Paris attacks
53. Make no mistake, the Paris attacks were a result of Religious Fundamentalism
54. Paris attacks deepen Republican opposition to Syrian refugee influx
55. On the attacks in Paris.
56. Disturbing comparisons
57. Investigation on Paris attacks continues as authorities look for suspects
58. Feelings on Refugees, Post-Paris Attacks
59. The other side
60. So many women stand waiting behind fences…
61. Hello from the other side…
62. The Migration of the Irish to Newport in the 1800’s.
63. America, the Not So Promised Land – The New York Times
64. Walter Noteboom’s Emigration Record from the Netherlands
65. San Marino and Paris
66. Beach Bound
67. Poll: Third of Jewish Israelis favor urging Arab Israeli emigration
68. The Feld family – part two
69. Dithane and Doodlebugs
70. Jews Leave Europe as Arab-Muslims arrive
71. Armenia’s independence generation
72. Leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again!
73. Moving Home, Moving On
74. Looking for emigrants from the Rhineland?
75. I Need to share…

+++

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Drinks and Wings

Last Friday night, Paris was attacked by three cells affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS, resulting in the country’s worst wave of violence since World War II.

As we learn more of the tragic events and the perpetrators themselves, many of the GOP presidential candidates intensified their rhetoric for the U.S. to cease accepting Syrian refugees.

The candidates’ comments blur the line between what you would expect from a presidential nominee and memes your crazy uncle posts on Facebook.

View original post 758 more words

Senator Loren Legarda says climate change not impossible to address

Senator Loren Legarda from the Philipines,  a panelist speaker at the Summit of the Consciences for the Climate in Paris, said that everyone, especially leaders, should reflect on how they have contributed to the deterioration of our environment and what they can and must do to protect the planet.

“Water and food insecurity, deteriorating health impacts, loss of biodiversity and culture, greater poverty and greater political instability and conflict–these are the issues we face with global warming. Moreover, climate change is every inch a woman’s issue, thus, inaction leads to gender inequality,”

she stressed.

In signing the Call to Conscience, the Senator further said,

“While climate change is a complex challenge, it is not impossible to address. The solution can be found in each one of us. We need to reflect on what we have been doing that contributes to the warming of the climate and what we have not done to reverse this dangerous trend.”

Legarda said she will also launch a Summit of the Consciences for the Climate in the Philippines, noting the importance of such gathering. She cited the statement of Nicolas Hulot, Special Envoy of the French President for the Protection of the Planet, in initiating the Summit of the Consciences in Paris.

“I see the Summit of Consciences as a moment of pause and collective thinking ahead of the climate conference in December 2015. We are going through a crisis of civilization that does not speak its name. If we meet the challenges before us only by technological tools, legal or economic, we will only displace the problem. We need a spiritual and philosophical inquiry into the causes of the impasse in which we find ourselves,”

said Hulot.

The Senator also agreed with UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, who said, “It is time to stand up for the responsibility that we all share as human beings. What binds us all is our moral responsibility. We have been preparing for Paris for five years but time has run out. What we have done is to increase emissions and reduce the Earth’s capacity to absorb emissions. At the end of the century, we must reestablish the balance of the Earth’s ecology in order to survive.”

Legarda said that the Paris Summit is an important prelude to COP 21,

“Before we even talk about what nations must do to save the world from the threats of climate change and agree on a universal climate deal on greenhouse gas emissions, each of us should have a personal reflection on what we can do to contribute to protecting the planet.”

“We all need to embrace meaningful change–change in the way we think, change in the way we live, and change in the way we pursue the development and the future we long for–for all of humanity,”

Legarda concluded.

Climate zones of the world (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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2015 Summit of Consciences for the Climate

Only one day for a conference of an important matter. the world has to consider it is very important to think about our environment and global warming.

His Holiness Batolomew I ecumenical patriarch of Costantinople Πατριάρχης Βαρθολομαίος” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Religious leaders from all the world’s main faiths came together with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Cardinal Peter Turkson and Rabbi David Rosen, international director of Inter Religious Affairs “of the American Jewish Committee to participate in the “Summit of Consciences for the Climate” organised by President François Hollande, which took place today in Paris in a run-up to the COP 21 UN conference on climate change, which will be held in Paris next December.

“The meaning of this meeting is to assemble all of the consciences,”

explained Hollande.

“The word ‘conscience’ impacts every one of us. It’s up to every individual to see what he or she can do to save the planet. There are philosophies, there are convictions, there are global diversities that should at a certain point unite, and unite to make decisions.”

At a meeting of mayors in the Vatican, the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo said there was a clear need to respect the planet, but also human life – which is an area where mayors are very much involved.

All are aiming to strike a deal to limit global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius. Researchers warn a rise of 4 degrees could lead to substantial species extinction, global food insecurity and fundamental changes to human life.

It is only a mobilization of conscience on a global scale that will enable humanity to meet this great challenge confronting us: how to limit global warming by taking real action, including reducing our consumption of fossil fuels.

Time is short. This is not only a political economic or ecological issue. It is the future of humanity that is at stake.

Each of us is called to respond now to the questions: is it important to me that the adventure of mankind on Earth can continue? Am I ready to change my lifestyle today so that the children of our children come into this world in tolerable conditions? And why, ultimately, do I care enough to do so?

In the preamble to the COP 21 Climate Conference, in Paris, the Summit of Conscience launched the “Why do I care?” campaign, an invitation to everyone – leaders, personalities and citizens of all countries of the world and of all faiths – to respond to this question, based on their own conscience and their own story.

>

Summit of Conscience

Why do I care: Participants

+++

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