A Close Look at Israel and Palestine

Do you have information on the number of Palestinians killed during the first intifadah and the number killed to date since the second intifadah started?

Susan Reynolds

According to Human Rights Watch, 670 Palestinians were killed during the first two and a half years of the first intifada. As of July 26, 2002, the Palestine Red Crescent Society estimates there have been at least 1,678 Palestinian deaths in the second inifada that began in Sept. 2000, with 421 of those deaths in the last four months.   - Editor

Who Is George W. Bush?

I don't doubt in the truth of the article. My thought on the subject is that many republicans have sold their soul to the highest bidder and that isn't good for the American people as a whole. We need this kind of information to get out to all the people and not just on the internet. When are we going to see it?

Dobber Miller

Stefan Segal

I enjoyed reading your article on George W. Bush. Why has this information been kept from the people for so long? Was anyone aware of their connection with the Nazis prior to George Bush being elected to the Presidency? I remember that Ronald Reagan had little to do with George Bush and reluctantly supported him. Did he know about these connections? If this is true, George Bush family was responsible for deaths of many Jewish people as well as American fighting men. Why does America have to tolerate such bigotry in places of leadership?

Our country is being ruined by greed. George W. had no support for Enron after they went down. Before that, when California asked for relief from exhorbidant electric and gas prices, George W. said that was California's problem, not the Feds. When will the American voters catch on? They continue to admire him, giving him high marks in the polls, trusting him to lead this nation, even though up to now he has failed at whatever task he starts.

Mary E. Osborn

America is on the wrong side morally of every conflict in the world, consistently backing money and power in the slaughter of human rights and free will. The lesson being taught by George W. Bush and his coterie (which, alas, includes the Clintons) is that true friendship and genuine sincerity don't really matter anymore; all that matters is the willingness to participate in the moneymaking criminal enterprise of the moment. This is the way the movers and shakers in America want us to raise our children. Teach them that it's OK to buy friends. People need to speak out and say this is not right.

John Kaminski

Geoge W. Bush is a great president.  Who cares about his past.  He is doing a fine job.

J.D.Nickolaus

Jay Taber

Mr. Taber later wrote that he sent this humorous letter to the Christian Science Monitor. A staff member there answered: "You might want to start with your local police. Thanks for writing."   - Editor

Accomplices Of Andrea Yates

While it's "old" news, the remembrance of the murder of the Yates children hangs heavy on my heart. I am the proud father of three adorable children and while I they do manage to get my dander up every now and then, I cannot image allowing any harm to come their way.  My wife, a very intelligent person who splits her days doing an incredible job of raising our children (no, not home educated) and consulting simply has days when she needs a break.  When she does I hope that I have the fortitude to make no qualm about coming home early, taking the day off, or letting her get away with the girls for the night or weekend.  Don't get me wrong I am not professing to be a saint. But, that being said, I think that I care enough about my family to take action before action is really needed.  Yes, I hold Andrea responsible. But, maybe more so, I hold Rusty (the christian rocket scientist) ultimately responsible.  He should not be spared from imprisonment.

Anthony Cone

Okay, I could agree that the husband and the community or society or system are partly to blame from the murder by Andrea Yates of her children. But I ask what would any one of us have done or could have done if we had known of the situation? Yes, perhaps the husband was in the best place to prevent this tragedy. And then you would hope that his or their church would have been in a position.

Gary Petz

A Short History of FBI COINTELPRO

I received this article on a list serve. It is the most succinct coverage of this topic that I've seen. Is it available to print for my personal reference? Is it available for posting or distribution in public places?

Tom Henry

We do not allow reprints on the web or on discussion lists exactly for this reason -- all context of the original article has been lost. That article, by Mike Cassidy and Will Miller and reprinted by permission, credits that much of the information was taken from Brian Glick's book War At Home: Covert Action Against U.S. Activists and What We Can Do About It, (South End Press; Boston, 1989), a source for detailed and documented information on the history of domestic covert action against movements for social change.   - Editor

N Carolina Tribe Evolved Unique Native - English Hybrid Language

I had been told from early childhood that my speech were different from my race, and many have told me that it is like a British accent. I assumed the identity of African American because of the color of my skin. My mother is Choctaw, and I am a great-granddaughter of the chief of the tribe that was in North Carolina before the Crotan or the Lumbees were known. I had the pleasant and opportunity to visit Pembroke, North Carolina during the month of May and chat with Chief Elijah LockLear. It truly amazed me that I found that we have some of the same dialect. I would like to thank you for writing the articles which has helped me to find out about my ancestries.

Voncile L. Pritchett

Who Owns the Black Hills?

I read that there is 500 million dollars sitting in trust and that the Lakota People refuse to accept it because they want the Black Hills returned -- is this outdated information?

Lisa E. Romero

The U.S. Supreme Court awarded the Lakota and other Sioux tribes $106 million in 1980 as compensation for an 1877 land grab by Whites after gold was found in the sacred Black Hills. The tribes refused the money, demanding the return of their lands instead. Since that time, the value of the government trust fund has grown to nearly $600 million because of interest. Despite the desperate poverty of the reservation, over 90 percent of the Lakota reject the government cash settlement.   - Editor

Confessions Of A Sweatshop Inspector

Joshua Samuel Brown has written an incredibly compelling and eye opening article. Recently, I wrote a piece of music while musing the aspects of behind-the-scenes activities of numerous entities (organizations, people, governments, etc) and I have been combing the Internet for pictures to best capture the essence I have attempted to portray through music. I found that Brown's article, in many ways, describes the 'dark side' of entities, especially companies, that they utilize as tools in order to complete their daily transactions. George Orwell's 1984 is an (albeit overblown) example of an attempt to cover up their ultimate control over society. Fictional accounts, unfortunately, tend to put one's mind at ease (unintentionally), citing such undercover tactics as existing purely in the realm of fiction.

Organizations these days exploit people on a regular basis to further their own good. It may not compare with the atmosphere in 1984, however it does exist and it degrades people who would otherwise be exceptionally valuable assets to the organization.

Ron Poulton

Judi Bari v. FBI et. al.

Over the last twelve years, thousands of people in Northern California and through out the country have supported Judi Bari in her fight for justice with the FBI and Oakland Police Department. That support has been in many forms. Standing up for and with her when she was accused of being a terrorist. Contributing money that allowed us to take this struggle to trial. Supporting her right to have her day in court when that right was challenged from many sides.

Now after twelve years, a jury of working people found that the FBI and Oakland did a frame up job on Judi and that they did try to stop her work by knowingly and falsely accusing her of being a terrorist. Although this victory comes after her death and goes no where near complete justice, what we have won is critical. What we have won, besides clearing Judi's name, is a sign that people are unwilling to trade freedom for so-called security. What we have won is a message to the FBI and police forces everywhere that if you violate the constitution you will be made to pay. What we have won is a basis with which to challenge the actions of the current administration's efforts to rewrite the constitution, which would eliminate the requirement for evidence and proof before depriving someone of their freedom.

As Judi's close friend, political comrade, and the executor of her estate, I want to take this time to thank all of the people who have stood with us over these last twelve years. Your support was the reason we were able to force the FBI and Oakland to be accountable for their actions. Your support and action will help ensure that the constitution will be applied to all people in our country.

Darlene Comingore

America And Iran: Burning Bridges, Igniting Hatred

Excellent article! You say: "...Scholars today are still uncertain why Khomeini and the ultra-conservative clerics ended up (with) the prize as the dust cleared..." You should read "Witness" by Mansur Rafizadeh, if you can find it. He was a liaison between SAVAK and the CIA during the 70's. He was fairly naive about the U.S. intentions, but he provides crucial insight into how the progressive secular movements were systematically courted, betrayed and destroyed by none other than the CIA (surprise!!) after the shah fell.

Rich Winkel

Don't Buy Exxon's Fable of the Drunken Captain

I just read the article on the Exxon Valdez oil spill -- the "drunken captain" story sure fooled me! Keep up the good work.

"Mike"

The War on Drugs

As a 21 year old Canadian, I know exactly what it is that you Americans are doing wrong in your war on drugs, what the world is doing wrong. You are not addressing the issue at all. Kids, and adults alike, don't need to be told that drugs are bad, we know that; people don't need to hear that cocaine and crystal meth (the teenagers newest drug of choice in case you haven't realized that yet) are addictive or harmful to our health; stop telling us that crack kills. WE KNOW.

Stop wasting your money on ads: Kids are going to do drugs. Deal with it, face it, come to terms with it. Address the issue. People don't do drugs because we think they are okay, or non-addictive. People get high to avoid something. To stop thinking about how less than perfect their lives are, they use drugs, then find themselves addicted, just like you all said we would be. But by the time they want to change, your money has been spent on arresting them and sending them to jail for something that they have now realized is so wrong.

Clinics, rehabilitation centers, counsellors, detox clinics, those are the things your money would be better spent on. Instead of wasting your money policing and sending these people to prison, why do you not try to help them? If you would learn that lesson, perhaps you would see some change. Until you stop thinking that you can catch them all and lock them all up, more people will come out of the woodwork to make and sell drugs. It is a market, supply and demand.

Jenn Thompson