Tags
Executive Order 13769, Islamophobia, Istanbul Attack, Manchester Attack, President Trump, Saudi Arabia
The Infant Samuel by Joshua Reynolds, 1776, Musée Fabre, Montpellier (Photo credit: wikiart.org)
Condolences
I would like to express my condolences to the people of Britain. On 22 May 2017, only two months after the 22 March Westminster bridge attack, the Manchester Arena was targeted. Twenty-two (22) persons were killed, including 8-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos, and 53, perhaps more, were wounded. The victims were attending a performance by American singer Ariana Grande.
The killer has been identified as 22-year-old Salman Abedi who was born to Libyan parents in Manchester, England, on 31 January 1994. French and British authorities have confirmed that Salman Abedi travelled to Syria and was radicalized.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/26/everything-know-manchester-suicide-bomber-salman-abedi/
Islamophobia as Provocation
Once again, it would be my opinion that the attacker, 22-year-old Salman Abedi, who has been described as a “regular kid,” may have acted in response to the current wave of Islamophobia, in the United States especially. The President’s professed Islamophobia may be incitement to murder.
On Monday, 29 May 2017, “two men were stabbed to death on an Oregon train trying to stop an anti-Muslim rant.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-muslims-portland-idUSKBN18N080
Saudi Arabia and President Trump
President Trump was in Europe last week, but he first visited Saudi Arabia. After his visit, the Saudis suggested that President Trump’s Islamophobia was a ploy aimed at attracting votes. He, Donald Trump, would not allow would-be killers to enter the United States.
This was a callous response to the European Migrant Crisis[1] and, contrary to the Saudis’ view, Mr Trump “made good” on his campaign promises. On 27 January 2017, a newly-inaugurated President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 13769 restricting the entry of Syrian refugees[2] into the United States and imposing a travel-ban affecting seven countries of the Middle East: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. (See Executive Order 13769, Wikipedia.)
In late March, the Canadian government passed an anti-Islamophobia motion in an attempt to protect its Muslim citizens. I would never have suspected the government of my country would have to resort to a forceful measure to discourage discrimination.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/m-103-islamophobia-motion-vote-1.4038016
President Trump is a dangerous man.
The Istanbul Attack
I should also note that the New Year’s eve attack on Istanbul has revealed a reëmergence of a fear, and probably dislike, of the United States in Turkey.
Turkey is an officially secular country, but at birth, citizens of Turkey are registered as Muslims. (See Religion in Turkey, Wikipedia). Istanbul, the former Constantinople, was the capital of the Ottoman Empire, which was defeated during World War I.
Since the 15 July 2016 coup d’état, harshly repressed by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, there has been a shift away from the West in Turkey. On 4 January 2017, New York Times journalist Tim Arango reported that: “instead of unifying to confront terrorism, Turkish society is fracturing further with each attack. The West, symbolized by the United States, is the perennial bogeyman.”
Turkey is a member of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, l’Organisation du Traité de l’Atlantique Nord, l’OTAN (see Member States of NATO).
Conclusion
I will conclude by quoting writer, journalist and commentator Fareed Zakaria. On 4 May 2017, Mr Zakaria wrote that “Trump is turning other countries against the United States.”
President Trump is now attacking Germany, and Adam Taylor of the Washington Post reports that “even Angela Merkel’s political rivals are on her side against Trump.” Of course! President Trump is attacking Germany, all of Germany!
In fact, Europe is folding back. On 28 May, German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke in no uncertain terms when she stated that the continent, we, “really must take our fate into our own hands.”
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/29/politics/merkel-trump-europe/
Once again, I offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the Manchester bombing.
RELATED ARTICLE
- Condolences (24 March 2017)
Love to everyone ♥
______________________________
[1] William Lacy Swing, Head of the International Organization of Migration, reports that people smugglers make $35 bln a year on the Migrant Crisis.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-portugal-migration-idUSKBN18R26H
[2] Refugees from the Middle East are Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans. Most are Muslims, but Canada has also welcomed Christians, Armenians and Assyrians (Syriacs) and Yazidis, whose faith combines a number of beliefs. The persecution of Yazidis by ISIL was genocidal.
Tchaikovsky – Hymn of the Cherubim
Saffie Rose Roussos
© Micheline Walker
1st June 2017
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Micheline's Blog 
It was truly informative
Thanks for sharing
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Thank you very much. These are very difficult times and President Trump is sowing the seeds of discord and despair. Islamophobia and Xenophobia in general are also leading to a form of trafficking of desperate people. Migrants are turning to people smugglers to escape to safety. I put it in a footnote, but people smugglers are making 35 billion dollars helping people flee to safe countries, if there is any left! I thank you for writing.
My best regards,
Micheline
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You are right Micheline, I got to say Mr.Trump is no the best president of the U.S!
Signing a peace contract in order to fight terrorism during a business trip to Suadi Arabia for selling weapon, either he is not aware of meaning the word “Peace” or he doesn’t know the usage of the “weapon”!
But don’t worry, change are on the way soon really soon …
Just be patient
Thanks
Hosein
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The fact that Mr Trump travelled to Saudi Arabia before travelling to Europe is a sign no one can ignore. The Saudis are supplying ISIL with weapons and are one of the worst human rights offenders in the world, after ISIL: beheading, flagellation, mutilation, crucifixion, massive repression of the freedom of speech, etc. Moreover, Mr Trump signed a lucrative arms deal during his visit to Saudi Arabia. Against whom will these weapons be used? We don’t kill or hate; we love. I’m so glad Emmanuel Macron rose to the Presidency of France, defeating Marine Le Pen. They share the same mindset.
I’ll be patient, but Mr Trump must be impeached.
Thank you Hosein,
Micheline
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That is never going to happen.
The Publicans own the Congress and, barring divine intervention, this is not likely to change in 2018; the Publican gerrymandering and voter-suppression efforts (not to mention full ownership and control of our corporate “news” media) almost certainly make their command of the Congress impregnable at least until after the 2020 census and resulting redistricting.
(And since they now control the census, things probably won’t change after that, either. We’re probably stuck with this lot for a generation.)
And the Publicans are spineless, brainless, and heartless — a true Axis of Evil; those who are not outright complicit in Trump’s various treasons are at least happy to tolerate him in order to exploit his willingness to sign long-sought Publican policies (tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation, more military spending and other corporate welfare, privatizing government to the profit of his billionaire backers, and more tax cuts for the wealthy) into law.
No, I fear we’re going to have to wait for the inevitable stroke or heart attack (just look at the man (if you can stand to), and then consider his diet and lifestyle; he’s doomed, the only questions are how and when), or Palinesque resignation in frustration and disgust with a country and world that refuse to bend to his august will.
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Fortunately, some billionaires are not his backers. He just may be impeached and, if he does cut down on desserts, he could have a heart attack. You’re quite right, he eats two desserts, which is dangerous. He also eats food a dietician would put on the “no” list. It’s like a nightmare, but morning always rises. Take care, Micheline
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Here I am, replying again. I believe Mr Trump might fire Mr Mueller
He is once again entering lawsuits, which is the story of his life. His visit to Saudi Arabia was followed by attacks on Iran, by ISIL. In an earlier post, I noted that somehow he was allowed to do what President Obama would never have been able to do. Look at the role he has given Ivanka and her husband. She is the first daughter, but…
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Though I clearly can’t speak for anyone but myself, I do feel obligated to apologize, on behalf of my country and its citizenry, for foisting this excrescence on the world…
(And we’d just about gotten done with apologizing for Cheney/Bush, too!)
And I’d also like to remind everyone that *the majority of us voted against him*!
(And an even larger majority — a much larger majority, sadly, since so many chose to sit out the election — at least did not vote for him.)
I won’t ask for forgiveness — the creature is unforgivable, and some of the damage he has done and will do will be irreparable — but please understand accept our deep and sincere contrition.
Thank you.
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The majority of voters did not vote for him and the world knows they didn’t. It was an accident. He fooled people, the vulnerable especially, into voting for him. He is not the person they thought he was. He will not help the poor and he is trying to undo the Affordable care act. He might not succeed. The world has not stopped respecting the United States and it will not. We all remember D-Day: 6 June 1944. That’s tomorrow. So many American lives were lost to liberate Europe. Cheers. Micheline
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