The three flowers - silent short film

Produced by Gaza Style Team

In defence of freedom of speech, tyrants of the world unite.

Following recent posts,  I am reminded that the ability to be mocked, or mock yourself is a cornerstone of our humanity,  so it was funny to see at the weekend, a rogues gallery of 40 world leaders, perpetrators of  imperialist wars, colonial occupiers, feudal despots and serial jailers of  inconvenient journalists, gathered together in defence of freedom.
So today I remind you of what has been done in the name of the leading marchers,who seemed to  be as they walked to be spreading hypocricy in all its many directions.
So we have Prime Minister Rajoy of Spain, whose government has just passed  a new gag law placing historic restriction  on the right of protest in Spain, who was responsible  for 16 lawyers of Basque political prisoners being arrested, and 11 Anarchists arrested merely for their beliefs.
Next comes  Foreign Minister Lavrov  of Russia, who last year jailed a journalist for "insulting a government servant."
Then we get Foreign Minister Shoukry of Egypt who has detained Al Zazeera staff and the Journalist Shawken for around 500 days.
Along comes King Abdullah of Jordan  - who last year sentenced a Palestinian  journalist to  15 years in prison with hard labour.
Followed nearby by Prime Minister Davutegbu of Turkey, which  imprisons more journalists than any country in the world.
Oh lest not forget Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel,  whose force was responsible for killing 17 journalists in Gaza, last year, then their is Foreign Minister Lamamra , which has detained Abdessami Abdelhai  for 15 months without charge, then Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates  who in 2013 held a journalist incommunicado  for a month. According to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, freedom of speech is severely restricted here, Amnesty saying that more than 100 peaceful activists and government critics have been detained since 2011.
Prime Minister Jomaa  of Tunisia - jailed blogger Yassine Ayan for 3 years for 'defaming the army'.
 Next we get the Prime Ministers of Georgia and Bulgaria both of whom  have a record  of attacking and beating journalists.
Still with me, next their is the Attorney General of  the U.S where police in Ferguson have already detained and assaulted Washington post reporters, lest us forget Guantanamo, and the wars of division that have been fostered in America's name, and guess how many times the U.S has bombed Al -Jazeera.
Prime Minister Samaras of Greece - who  riot police beat and injured two journalists recently.
The Secretary General of Nato, he really had to join in didn't he, an organisation who are yet to be held to account for  deliberately bombing and killing 16 Serbian journalists in 1999 bombing of Bedgrade, an organisation intent on warmongering too, and spreading fear.
President Keita of Mali, where journalists are routinely expelled  for covering human rights abuses.
Foreign Minister of Bahrain - here's the 2nd biggest jailor of journalists   in the world per capita ( they also torture them).
Sheikh Mohammed Ben Homad Ben Kalifa Al Thani of Qata, which jailed a man for 15 years for writing the Jasmine poem.
Palestinan President Mahmoud Abbas  who had several journalists jailed for insulting him in 2013.
Prime Minister Cera of Slovenia, which sentenced a blogger to 6 months in prison for defamation in 2013.
Prime Minister Kenny of Ireland, where blasphemy is considered a criminal offence.
Prime Minister Kopaaz of Poland  , raided a magazine  to seize recordings  that were embarrassing for the ruling party.
Prime Minister Orban of Hungary - the autocrat who  Amnesty International  recently said - " has put an end to the free press in Hungary.                                             
Last but no means least we have our very  own Prime Minister Cameron of the UK, where authorities destroyed documents obtained  by the Guardian and threatened prosecution, who as I type wants to reintroduce 'internal exile' a hallmark of the worlds most oppressive regimes, yet more  civil liberties stripped  by the Tory regime.
Yes my mind truly boggles at times, here we have  predators of press freedom, mingling with terrorists and other suppressors of freedom, taking part in a rally against terrorism, in support of freedom of speech in what must amount as an example of shameless political opportunism, in a cynical photo op, that seemed to suggest that they were leading the million people  gathered. Freedom lives, so above are a list of people we can continue to seek out to criticise, hypocrites all, enemies of the poor and oppressed every single one of them, we would be fools if we ignored these simple facts, we carry on then, pointing the finger at those that richly deserve the piss being taken out of them.
So in this time,let us   remember the hundreds of journalists targeted and silenced.
The above so called defenders of free speech, should continue to be mocked and scorned, because this is what  freedom is for, so this is why  today  my pen  pours scorn on theses powerful  yet corrupt  leaders of privilege, let our freedom of expression and thoughts continue to seed,and rebel against all, those that seek to rule us with tyranny and  oppression, and speak up for the powerless.                                                           
                                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
                                                                

Tom Waits reads Nirvana by Charles Bukowski

A link to what is for me, to be  one of most  thoughtful and melancholy poems the great Charles Bukowski ever wrote, a poem whose words I feel immensely.Filmed  in Forest Hill, London Dec 1, 2010. I for one am still looking for Nirvana.

No Love, no friendship, no kindness is ever wasted.

(an experimental utopian prose adventure)


In dangerous times, we need to remember what we have almost lost. Take a walk and climb, look out to sea, let the salt waves surge over gorse flower, peace to arrive softly, mingling with our days,with  restorative sigh.
Remember too, that no friendship, no kindness is ever wasted. Tiptoe gently through the land, allow words of comfort to scatter,leave them on park benches, allow them to float down easily, for anyone to claim. There is no such thing as loving in vain, true one  can love someone who does not return it back. But for every unrequited  love another bigger love is born. The more  people you like, the more people will like you..The more you give, the more will be yours to give, forget about profit, forget about war.
Remember that the more smiles you put into circulation, the more will fly back. Let love and friendship and smiles be the currency of life. Not to be hoarded, to be shared, for all to benefit, to be kept in constant circulation, then we all benefit, under the moon and sun. We are all born in individual moments, not tarnished by injustice, essences of innocence..
Our  infinite possibilities contain keys to unlock the doors, we are denizens all,  here  just for a short time, so tread carefully, follow hands and the trail of sunsets, adventures mixed with diversity, return to tomorrow, be alive with mystery, knock on doors of memory, when moments come calling with doubt and bewilderment, shoulder to shoulder, we can learn.Together we are strong, strained of all its worries and misfortunes, life could be endurable, shaped with the glow of possibility, breathing gently, unveiling a future world of heddwch/peace.

Dark days for freedom of speech

I personally do not follow any Gods or masters, I believe though in the realities of the rain and wind, the dark shadows that fall, light and shade.
The savage attack on the offices of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo are simply atrocious, it is an attack on our fundamental freedom of thought and expression, and Europes vibrant press culture. It is  a dark time  when voices are silenced in this horrific way. I personally follow too solidarity's breath, so this is why I must stand with the victims of this barbaric attack. This evil in religions disguise now spreads across our lands, and I cannot condone, a twisted exploitation of  sacred pieces of paper, that only seeks to divide people in the name of unreason, and does not represent the words and deeds of the majority of followers of Islam., we must support those muslims, who might be attacked because of what some madmen have tried to exploit.
This is not the first time that the offices of Charlie Hebdo  have been attacked,  and sadly unfortunately wont be the last time that it will be either .A magazine well known for its satirical content,  that has caused deep offence to many different faiths. Yet those  who kill for the mere reason of offence have done more damage to their faith and community relations, than anyone with a pen or a cartoonists brush.
Allahu Akbar the alleged attackers shouted ' God is Great' in Arabic, this is not an act of  religion though, it is an act of war, I express my sympathy with the victims,  and my condolences and compassions to all muslims who I believe will be as horrified as the world. I hope the French people also reject the persecution of innocents, and resist the temptation to resort to stereotyping.
And though I do not defend or endorse everything that has been published in this magazine,today though Je suis, Charlie Hebdo

Powerful Palestine Rises triumphantly

                                             
                                            image - Palestinian artist Imad abu Shtayeh                                       
                                           
As Palestine seeks to join the International Criminal Court, powerful Palestine rises triumphantly: Despite the destruction, they remain steadfast, the Palestinian  voice grows stronger day by day - they have  not lost their hope or their dignity. Even though they have experienced pain and loss in an unimaginable way, they will not give up  until they get their deserved freedom, and an end  to their ongoing repression. The survival of the Palestinian  people is their strongest resistance, they do not see themselves as victims, but a people whose hopes and aspirations grow stronger everyday.
The right of the Palestinian people to self-determination remains undiminished and it is up to the international community to respect their rights and remind Israel of its obligation to respect this.
Remember too  that the International Criminal Court  specifically  finds that "Crimes against Humanity" under  the Rome Statute of 2007, Article 7, states that these offences include murder, forcible deportation or transfer of members of a group, torture, persecution of members of an identified group (ie the Palestinians ) and the crimes of apartheid.
May 2015 bring Peace and freedom, this freedom means refugees finally being allowed to return home. A freedom  that means that the Palestinian people can move around without having to hide from checkpoints or walk around walls. A freedom that means not being discriminated against, not being denieid passes. A freedom that  means having a functioning economy, that has not been stolen by the occupier, that has seen it taking  over the Palestinians tourism, agriculture, industries, land and natural resources. A freedom that does not see friends and relatives killed or homes demolished.
From the rivers to the sea I hope Palestine will be free, we should all  keep asking for justice and dignity for today's generation of Palestinians and the next ones to come, but we should  also remember that freedom is never given voluntarily by the oppressor it must be demanded by the oppressed. This freedom must be allowed to prevail, as it did in South Africa, I strongly  believe that the arc of the universe is bent towards, this goal, even when at times, it does not seem to look this way. This is one of my dearest goals.

Onwards and Upwards

Sadly the country is still full of people who will continue to vote for the Conservatives in May, but if we have any sense at all, surely it is time to show them the door.Currently  in Great Britain Tax cuts are given  to the rich, bankers are getting 35% pay rises... and even last week I read that the government has nearly  doubled its intake of champagne, all paid for by us. Food poverty grows daily, and the governments plan for recovery will mean  that people on low incomes, things will get a whole lot worse, before it gets any better.
Their arrogance and lack of empathy  is astonishing. The sooner the Conservatives and their allies are consigned  to the dustbins of history the better.We must cleanse ourselves of the shreds of their corruption and  finally show the sheer magnitude of their rampant theft  and pillaging of our countries assets.
 The media I guess is part of the problem, because the media  is not going  to stand up against a system that its owners benefit from, a few voices get through but it is not enough. Sadly the opposition  is weak too, so I'm not holding my breath for a good outcome.
"The Revolution will not be televised"
Anyway happy new year/ blwyddyn newydd dda, hope  change is truly on its way, best wishes , heddwch/peace. One final determined push should do it.

Wounded Knee Massacre remembered

                                             
                                                         poster by Bruce Carter

Today in history, December 29th 1890 - The U.S 7th Cavalry carried out the Wounded Knee Massacre near Wounded knee Creek on the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.The Native Indians had gathered to participate in a religious revival movement known as the Ghost Dance. Fearing large numbers of Indians gathered in one place, the U.S military tried to ban the ceremony and crush their right to assembly.
In the aftermath as many as 300 Lakota Sioux men, women and children were killed, many shot in the back while attempting to flee. Their bodies left to freeze  in a mass grave. It serves today as a constant   reminder  and example of the brutal mistreatment and oppression bestowed upon the Indians. Today I remember  these ancestors lost on December 29th, 1890, their peace on earth shattered, all those winters ago.
In 2008 a petition was  launched demanding that the U.S reclaim the medal of Honour  that was given to the 7th Cavalry  for their role in the massacre, and to remove any  recognition the U.S military bestowed to its entities for the massacre and to obtain  the return  of personal items taken from the Lakota people.
In 1973 the American Indian Movement (A.I.M ) occupied Wounded Knee, noting its historic significance - a 71 day stand off ensured with federal law enforcement officials. Leonard Peltier an A.I.M leader was asked  by traditional people at Pine Ridge  in South Dakota to support and protect them. He was later illegally arrested by means  of coerced and fraudulent testimony for the murder of 2 F.B.I agents. He is now one  of the longest held political prisoners in the United States, 37 years and counting .He is in declining health,so timing for justice is short.
An earlier post on the case can be found here:-

http://teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/leonard-peltier-day.html.

                                           Leonard Peltier

Lakota accounts of massacre at Wounded Knee

Lawrence Ferlinghetti ( b 24/3/19) - Pity the Nation

Pity the nation 

Pity the nation whose people are sheep,
and whose shepherds mislead them.
Pity the nation whose leaders are liars, whose sages are silenced,
and whose bigots haunt the airwaves.
Pity the nation that raises not its voice,
except to praise conquerors and acclaim the bully as hero
and aims to rule the world with force and by torture.
Pity the nation that knows no other language but its own
and no other culture but its own.
Pity the nation whose breath is money
and sleeps the sleep of the too well fed.
Pity the nation — oh, pity the people who allow their rights to erode
and their freedoms to be washed away.
My country, tears of thee, sweet land of liberty.

What if it was you?

Happy Boxing Day.

To coincide  with this  day, a major date in the hunting calender, the League against Cruel Sports is launching a new national ad campaign  to portray the cruelty of hunting with dogs for sport. The hard hitting film asks the question, What if it was you? and shows the cruelty of hunting from a hunted animals perspective.

As many as 80% pf the public think that fox hunting should not  be made legal again.

The pro-hunt lobby it seems is completely  out of touch with modern British society. It is now time for the pro-hunt lobby to respect the  law, respect our wildlife and respect the will of the British people. The cruelty and casual disregard must not be allowed to return.

Today across the country it is pissing down, but there are still those riding horseback, who hope for fox hunting to return I hope they all get a good soaking, and have a thoroughly miserable time, and all get thrown off their horses..

The Tory's are also hoping for a repeal  of the fox-hunting  ban  if they win 2015 election, offering a free  vote in the next in the next Parliament in May. They must be stopped in their tracks.

Meanwhile

AND REMEMBER :-