Bin Laden death, the lost trial & Eichman.

Tonight President Obama announced the death of bin-Laden. Much like the president who failed to bring us single payer health care, failed to close Guantanimo, failed to stop the travesties of the Bush administration, Obama has failed the American people and the people of the world with his speech. Read the article. His 2nd line states:

"Tonight, I can report to the people of the United States and the world, the United States had carried an operation that has killed Osama Bin Laden, a terrorist responsible for killing thousands of innocent people,"

Huh? Was bin-Laden tried and found guilty of bringing down the Twin Towers in a court of law? Did I miss it? Did New York or the Haigue find him guilty? I don't think so nd yet you, Mr. President, made the statement that he was "a terrorist responsible for killing thousands". President Obama, why do you disregard the law? You attended Harvard, taught law classes. You've been called a "Constitutional scholar." I am not a lawyer but my understanding is that a person is innocent until PROVEN gulity. It's not good enough for the person just to "take responsibility." Hell, there are thousands who confess every year to the police that they killed Kennedy; it doesn't mean that it's true!

Even Nazi's got a trial...and they killed 6 million jews and MILLIONS of catholics, homosexuals, gypsies, communists, and others and were part of a war machine that killed tens of millions worldwide. The Nazis were brought to trial in Nuremburg at the end of the World War II.

Many were tried in abstentia. President Obama, you remember "In Abstentia"... That's a legal term that according to the wiki means:

"In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use it usually means a trial where the defendant is not present, and pertains to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial."

Hell, even Adolf Eichman received a trial.  Eichman was a Nazi, SS Lieutenant Colonel, the highest ranking officer at Auswitz and it can be argued he was responsible for millions of deaths.  He PERSONALLY killed hundreds, if not thousands.  He received a trial in Israel, the country founded by the families of his vicitims. Many in court had been tatooed at the death camp he controlled, they had watched their families be led off to the death chambers and had suffered beyond human reasoning.

Of course, Eichman was found guilty and after his trial put to death. Israel does not have the death penalty but they do have a law demanding that perpetrators of the holocaust face the ultimate penalty.

...but is being put to death the ultimate penalty? One could argue that Eichman got off easy...he got to die. He went to sleep. Unlike his victims he did not have to live his life alone, with the constant nightmares of friends and family murdered and with their bright futures turned to dust. Their tattoo their only companion.

Eichman got off easy. Wouldn't it have been better for the victims to have been able to know that Eichman was living in solitary confinement, without his family, suffering through his remaining years in squallor and confinement. Hopefully with his own nightmares that got richer over the years. Maybe his vicitims would have wanted to visit Eichman on Rosh Hashanna, new Years, and wish him another year of suffering or Yom Kippur, to see if he had remorse. Wouldn't it have been fitting for Eichman to live year after year looking to the families of his victims for his very existance, experiencing the pity he had not showed them.

Wouldn't the victims of 9/11 appreciate a similar fate for bin-Laden?   I've heard the victims families. Wouldn't a trial be excellent.   If he would have found guility, and he probably would have since the President said so, Bin-Laden could have lived out his final years in confinement, living with his failed kidneys and the almost daily dialyis and seeing that the country he so despised did not fall. By showing justice and mercy he would have to live with a daily reminder that he had failed.

Well Mr. President, you get your Sunday evening press conference, the praise from friends and the the hurried heckling from foes. Wouldn't REAL justice have been better? Was this not the duty of the US government? Justice. Not retribution, not revenge...but justice!

On the reported death of Bin-Laden:

Ok, who is crazier? The man who's been accused of bringing down two buildings and killing 3000 people or the president who used this act as an excuse to invade a country that had not attacked us. Thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis died because of our timid congress acquiesced to idiot Bush. I read somewhere that a society can be judged by it's treatment of it's prisoners. We've failed: we torture, hold foreign citizens without trial, assassinate with impunity, constrict religious freedom of our prisoners and lock up US citizens up without trial and in torturous conditions like WhistleBlower Private Manning.

The US is better than this...or at least it should be. This so called War on Terror is a waste of resources & lives. Worse, it's a distraction from the problems at home. We need real health care, the best infrastructure in the world, a free education for all and, most importantly, public funding of elections to get our representatives off the corporate teet that has wrecked our republic.

Obama’s Prisoners

Obama’s Prisoners - March 8, 2011

Obama has worked out his solution for Guantanamo prison. During the campaign he promised to large and small crowds alike that one of his main goals was to close the prison, stop the inane practice of military trials and bring the detainees to civilian courts. After being unable to close the prison since signing an executive order and after buckling to Republican complaints of the “terrible danger” of trying the detainees in continental U.S.courts, the administration gave up stating that it was impossible” to close the base.

Yesterday the administration announced a solution. Obama has separated the 180+ detainees into THREE categories: those who will be tried in civilian courts, those to be tried in and military tribunals and a new and improved “special” category for some of the detainees.. This third class of prisoner are those considered too dangerous to be released but they cannot be tried in either system. Some cannot be tried because of a lack of evidence, because their trial would put US Intelligence operations at risk, or because they had been tortured or all of the above.

These detainees will be held indefinitely.

Wait...WHAT??? Hold on... Indefinitely? Am I to understand we now have people who we just KEEP? Incarcerate with no chance of ever facing the evidence against them or facing their accusers? When did we become the Soviet Union circa 1980? Forget how Europe and the U.S. chided the Soviets, China, Argentina, and many other countries for prosecuting exactly this type of terrorist act against their own people. Amnesty international was founded to free just this type of prisoner. Forget the illegality...how is this an ETHICAL or MORAL decision?

Oh, the administration did say that this special category will be reviewed periodically (but with no set time frame.). To quote Cenk Uygur of TheYoungurks.com & MSNBC ...”Are they not merciful!”

Anyone who had a pulse during the first eight years of this century knew that there were terrible, terrible acts committed by the Bush adminstration. Waterboarding, warrant-less wiretaps, rendition, invading countries under false pretenses, murder of thosands if not tens of thousands Iraqi civilians. These were bad but somehow it is worse for a Democratic president to codify this “lost” class of prisoner.

The Guardian said it well:

“Monday's announcement also included a process for periodically reviewing the status of detainees held at the prison. That's an effort to resolve one of the central dilemmas at Guantanamo Bay: what to do when the government thinks a prisoner is too dangerous to be released but either can't prove it in court or doesn't want to reveal national security secrets by trying to prosecute him? The answer, the White House said, is that the U.S. will hold those men indefinitely, without charges, but will review their cases periodically. However, if a review determines that someone should be released, there's no requirement that he actually be freed”


A prisoner’s status will “periodically” be reviewed to see if they can still be imprisoned ILLEGALLY! How is this legal decision any different than Bush’s John Yoo who wrote his infamous Torture paper which determined that water boarding was not illegal because the executive branch said it was not illegal. All was legal under the prosecution of War. Really? Tell that to the Nazis tried at Nuremberg, the Japanese we prosecuted for water boarding US troops, and the many other individuals we’ve tried for torture.

The Obama administration, the justice department and Obama himself are making a terrible, terrible mistake. We are supposed to be a country of laws! Obama has mishandled this issue (and many others) since the beginning: by not at least making a show of prosecuting Cheyney, Bush, Yoo, and going after every person in the government involved in torture Obama left an untreated wound on the body politic of the United States. We are now reaping the rewards: the US has lost it’s compass. By “looking forward, not backward” (an inane term) the Obama administration has both ignored the monsters among us and the bigger one lurking behind.

Like with many decisions in his presidency, Obama has gone against a major campaign promise to close Guantanamo and stop these false trials. He’s made it worse by creating this special class of prisoners. Let’s call them “Obama’s Prisoners”. This from a Harvard trained lawyer, constitutional scholar and community activist. During the campaign he said that military tribunals were unnecessary since our legal system had a track record of handling all types of terrorists. What happened? Now, like with many of his decisions, his inability to act decisively has negatively affected his reputation and the reputation of the U.S. both at home and abroad. Worse, his Justice Department has proved that terrible acts and decisions of one president will be blindly followed by the next out of political expediency ignorant to what is right!. .

The president needs to be reminded that campaign promises may just be words but the decision to create a class of “disappeared” prisoners without the right to face the accusers is ethically, morally and should be legally wrong! This act is diametrically opposed to the constitution, the bill of rights and the core values on which our country was founded.

Who’s to say that we won’t get a worse president in the future who will use this precedent to arrest, sequester and “disappear” citizens of the U.S. not just other countries? Hell, Huckabee is off spouting that Obama grew up in Kenya! We could easlily get a worse presdient!

I think of the poem “First they Came” by Pastor Martin Niemoller. Niemoller didn’t just write this poem he lived it. After at first supporting the Nazis he was arrested for protesting their treatment of the church. He was held and incarcerated at Dachau and other concentration camps. Unline so many millions, however, he survived the war.



This poem is on display at the Holocaust Museum in DC and at Yad Vashem in Israel but it speaks to all of us, not just to jews, communists or trade unionists.

First They came... - Pastor Martin Niemoller

- First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.


What can we do? Speak out! Feel free to forward this post, tweet it, facebook it, talk to friends. Call the white house, write a letter, send them an e-mail. Hell, send them two. (...put it on paper, they put great import on stuff with a stamp.) It is clear that like in 2008 we need to ramp up again and take back our democracy...Get out there, visit your town councils, your state legislatures, your congressman and senators, get involved.

This cannot stand. - Josh Weisbuch

Egyptian Jews, Facebook and tolerance

In my cautious elation about the Egypt situation I was surfing the web curious about the status of Jews in Egypt. In my web journey I found a fascinating Facebook group about Egyptian jews. Group seems to be made up of people of all religions in Egypt, US and around the world (Poland.) I joined and I found a wide range of knowledge of history and of the holy texts of Jews, Christians and Muslims. Here's my posting. The FB group is located here

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Very interesting discussion, I thank Tarek Saied for starting it. It's clear we all need to study each other's holy texts. Torah, Bible and Koran are all written a very long time ago and may not be relavent to modern people. Examples: Many wear two types of cloth together and are not stoned, shellfish is often consumed, many women show their hair in public and in church. I Corinthians 14:34-35 states that women should not be allowed to speak in church but they clearly do. Many women have become pastors in Christianity and Rabbis in Judaism. (Not sure about Islam, I'd be curious if women can become Imams..) Commandments read "Thou shalt not kill (or murder depending on translation.) Sadly, humans kill and murder all the time. Also, many translations of the holy books contradict each other. Some would argue that we must follow the writings to the letter. To these I ask: "Have you not sinned?" I believe Matthew 5:29-30 states they should cut their hands if they sin, cast out the eyes if they see evil... do they?

Here's an idea. Why don't we all agree to listen to each other, be open to new ideas but not to say that our TRUTH is the ONLY TRUTH. People who have the TRUTH and cannot live with others not having the same TRUTH are very, very dangerous. Avicenna, Muslim philosopher, wrote that if one lives near a city of "non-belivers" then it's one duty to convert those "non-believers" by word.....or...of course... by the sword. We have enough trouble in this world with climate change, 6 billion people straining the planet's resources, poisoning of air, oceans, water and land, lack of education for the vast majority of the population and rich countries hoarding resources, closing their minds to new ideas, voting for idiots, building weapons and invading countries that had not attacked them. Let's not fight over who's deity is best.

Thank you again Tarek for starting this discussion. Communication is key to increasing wisdom, knowledge and peace. I hold good thoughts for all the people of Egypt. May all sides have wise discussions like this one.

Mubarak Resigns?...hope so....

Mubarak resigns? I'll believe it when we have peace and a fairly elected democratic government where all economic classes, religions and genders are represented. Egypt could be a true powerhouse in the region. I fear that Mubarak is going to try to gum up he works and stay in charge of the economy via the well established kleptocracy behind the scenes. Good luck people of Egypt, you have an amazing opportunity.

Egyptian chickens have come home to roost

Egypt: Why is no one mentioning that the US is not a neutral party in the Middle east. The Bush Administration used Egypt to torture terror "suspects" after 9/11. Didn't start with Bush, however. For the last century the US has a history of bringing down democratically elected leaders and installing and supporting right-wing fascist dictators who better serve our political and/or economic interests. All the while the US professed to sponsor democracy. Diem in Vietnam, Prime Minister Mossadegh in Iran in 1951 & support of the Shah, installation of Noriega and his eventual removal from Panama, support for Death-Squad wielding leaders of Central America in the 1980s including the junta in El Salvador led my Adolfo Ramos. Allende's government in Argentina was brought down and Pinochet installed with assistance from the CIA on the behalf of United Fruit. At first we backed Sadam Hussein against Iran in the 1980s, before we took him down in the first decade of this century.

Egypt has had 30 years of peace with Israel, a model the US had hoped others would emulate, but this "Peace" was purchased by over 1 Billion a year to Egypt and over 2 Billion to Israel. Most of those funds went to the Egyptian military to fund purchases of US equipment. Richard Engel, NBC's chief foreign correspondent reported that the Tear gas canisters used on protesters in Egypt came from Pennsylvania.

Is this the "change" we expected after 2008. I've said it before but if the Obama administration had cleaned house, sent people to prison over torture, banking, Katrina and the other travesties of the Bush Administration then this bold action would place our "less democratic allies" like Egypt on notice that reforms must occur.

Many reports state that the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt government is NOT the religious/political force that came about in Iran. They could easily become radicals, however. Iranians had to deal with oppression from the Shah. I would argue that the Iranians would not have become as reactionary once they came to power if the Shah and his secret Police, the Savak, had not cracked down on the protesters with such force. You'd be amazed what seeing your friends and families tortured and killed could do to push an individual's mindset toward fascism. Of course, if the US had left well enough alone and not helped eject the Iranian elected leader Mossadegh in 1951 things might have been different.

President Obama, it is clear that Mubarak will not leave willingly, he must be "invited" to leave. Allow him to take some wealth, hist title, his skin and his pride along with his son Gamal, the rest of the family and supporters. Bend the arms of the military if necessary, we do send them quite a lot of funding. Impress upon him that he does not want to end up like Nicolae Ceauşescu in Romania, Mussolini in Italy or Diem in Vietnam. (Oh wait, the US had a hand in that killing also.)

Why not focus on human rights and political freedom through your reelection and last term? The Republican congress are going to attempt to gut all the work made in the last two years, destroy health care, give more tax breaks to the rich and make abortions illegal. Why not distract them with a demand to all countries for reforms. Wave the flag, talk about how democracy brings security, that'll get them riled up. Hell, Bush did it, it should work again! And unlike Bush act on it and demand it!

Maybe the U.N. would like to push the issue of true human rights. All they are missing is support from the US. This way fascists can't state that the "Great Satan" (or whatever) is trying to exert force and control the world.

Mr. President, you have a real opportunity to exact great change not only to make a great speech. It will require bold actions not half measures. You have disappointed the right thinking base that elected you. Many would argue that the last two years has been one of weakness surrounded by half measures with a slice of capitulation. You've stood up to the congress and senate over the Lame duck, show the same kind of back-bone now with an issue that is truly a security issue and get Mubarak to leave Egypt and come to Disneyland. Hell, I'll even spot for his ride on Space Mountain.

Thank you

- Josh Weisbuch

Paladino, NY Race, Jews & the media

My thanks to Countdown for the story. It was enlightening and at the same time frustrating.

1st, Paladino is an idiot. He's a bigot, as was shown by both his forwarding racist anti-obama photoshopped e-mails but also by his "I'm in construction, it was funny" BS excuse.

2nd, His views toward gays and religion is CLEARLY shown in this video. He feels Cuomo was "irresponsible" to take his daughters to a gay pride march at a time when a number of gay teens have killed themselves AND a viscous gay-bashing event occurred IN New York City LAST WEEK! Luckily no one was killed but his focused on the OFFENSE teaching their children tolerance NOT the terrible gay-bashing incident showed his true feelings..

3rd, the threats against a journalist when he said he was going to "take him out" is something I'd expect out of the mouth of a fascist dictator like Mussolini not a major party candidate for governor.

Voters everywhere are frustrated that Obama promised major change, brought us incremental baby-steps wrapped in weakness and an inability to promote his own successes. But this guy? For New York? Really?

Every US Citizen should call their friends, family and acquaintances who live in New York and tell them to not to vote for this crazy. Polls say he is not going to win...well, let's make sure. This man is a blight on our country....can you imagine what damage he could do with his own Police force, or the tax records of everyone in NY, or worse, the bully pulpit?

Ok, Paladino is an idiot, a bigot and probably a fascist. These characters come and go in the history of democratic countries. They're a flash in the pan. They pop in, do their damage, and get bounced. Our country's history is rife with close minded, bigoted, self aggrandizing egoists who use self promotion and weak facts to gain power and hurt others. McCarthy, that priest in the 50s and 60s father Keagan (sp?), Jefferson Davis, Strom Thurman, FDR and those in the his administration who did not yell "STOP!" when the internment of Japanese citizens was being contemplated and taking place. The pro-torture, anti-freedom, power-hungry, pro-business FEMA rapers of the Bush Administration. The list goes on and it includes ALL stripes of political thought, parties and all races, religions and creeds.

Our republic has beaten these idiots because eventually the people wake up and take back control....eventually.

Know what I find the most offensive about this situation shown by the video? Want to know what trend I find most disturbing?

At the two minute mark of the Video Paladino is speaking among religious Jews. What the HELL are those religious Jews doing aligning themselves with this fascist? His thoughts and words from the campaign are an ANATHEMA to religious teachings. Worse, this troglodyte was elected with backing from a party whose rallies are regularly peppered with signs comparing Obama and others to ADOLF HITLER!!!!!

Why the hell are they allowing him to speak from the synagogue? Even if it's just a room: having a bunch of bearded Jews dressed in Black GIVES THE IMPRESSION that it's a religious room. Do they not recognize that they are giving a gift of video and photos to the world will have PROVING that Jews align themselves with this fascist, anti-gay, racist, bigoted moron.

Worse still, when they all clapped when the idiot said that society should not allow teaching tolerance I was shocked, saddened and incredibly angry. As Jews we should be the leaders of movements supporting ALL minorities. 6 Million people didn't die so that this jerk could promote his evil, close-minded, "theories" onto to the world stage with the support of backdrop of black-hats. As I've written before, we Jews should be standing outside every affronted Mosque, church or anywhere ANY minority is threatened. Gay, straight, Muslim, Christian, Wicken, Bahia, believers and non-believers alike MUST be able to turn to the Jewish people for support. Jews lived a history of being out-casts, ostracized by the society, scape-goated by those in power, seen as less than human: the other, the unclean, the unworthy. Be it Pope or Politician, Minister or Magistrate, Mullah or Mayor we Jews have a unique platform from which to call out to the heavens "This can not stand!"

The religious Jews in the video, by becoming his political backdrop, have allowed this orangutan to also blur the lines between church and state. NO POLITICIAN UNLESS THEY ARE SPEAKING AT A FUNERAL SHOULD SPEAK FROM A RELIGIOUS SITE. NONE! It is a terrible precedent which, politicians of all parties abuse with the same temerity with which they abuse the flag. Around the world Politicians of all stripes use the Bible, Torah, Koran and other religious books as PROPS to push their own agenda. Did ANYONE learn ANYTHING from the BIBLE? In the US we have separation of church and state. This is to PROTECT RELIGION FROM UNDUE EFFECTS OF POLITICS not vice-versa.

And finally, the Media is at fault as well. We have a serious problem in this country and the media focuses on bullshit. Idiot small-time preachers in Florida working to bump up a little support from their 60 person congregations by burning the Koran SHOULD NOT GET WORLD WIDE PRESS! He should be called out as the jerk he is. Media owners and journalists, we know you are whores, you'll publicize any exciting story in order to sell soap but YOU ARE THE FOURTH ESTATE! You play a vital role in society. Start doing your job! Promote the REALITY of any given situation rather than just a discussion on the two sides. You cannot present ideas from fascists like they have the same weight in relation to other sane people. This summer many said "Let's get single payer healthcare." whackos responded, "Death Panels!" AND YOU PROMOTED IT LIKE IT WAS REAL! Shame on you.

- Josh Weisbuch

Joshua S. Weisbuch

jsw@pobox.com

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Paladino self-destructs

Talking Points Memo’s Josh Marshall expands on the context in which Carl Paladino’s anti-gay remarks affected various political and social issues Sunday night.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/39622916#39622916

"Don't ask don't tell" unconstitutional.

Judge rules "don't ask dont tell" is unconstitutional. Well done! Obama should learn, half measures never work! Clinton did it wrong. Truman handled it right. Truman made an executive order integrating the arm forces. He had served in World War I, he knew that the only thing that matters about the person in the trench next to you is whether they were on your side. Truman put what was RIGHT against the racism and bigotry in the country and among his troops.

President Obama, real leadership means taking a stand and risking your office! Your current speeches are a good step. Back them up with action! Get out there, make speaches, get people psyched to vote or the democrats will lose big in November and you will be a one term president.

Open letter to the ADL: Support the NYC Muslim Community Center!

Open letter to the Anti-Defamation League. August 27, 2010

I am writing regarding the NYC Islamic Community center which has _wrongly_ been called the "Ground Zero Mosque." The ADL must change it's position and stand up to the bigotry and ignorance. ADL must stand FOR the right of Muslims to have their community center regardless if it has a prayer room or not. The poem from World War II "first they came for the trade unionists, but I was not a ..." comes the mind. It is an exceptionally dangerous precedent to allow ANY constriction on the construction of a site of worship because of religion and location. This inane attempt to "protect" the former World trade center could open up the flood gates for religious persecution OF ALL RELIGIONS! Even Christians would be at risk. What would stop ANY PERSON protesting ANY establishment because of a religious connection. What if a book store get's death threats just because the owner has a room where the Wiccan religion is discussed, or a jewish restaurant that gives some of it's space after hours for youth groups to discuss the torah, or a Christian church that gets protested by anti-alchohol zealots because it allows AA to meet in the basement.

We have freedom of religion of the country. PERIOD! As Jews we MUST stand with our fellow human beings for their freedom, ESPECIALLY religous freedom! The ridiculous stand the ADL has taken where THIS TIME it's OK to discriminate is COMPLETELY and UTTERLY WRONG. Shame on you! Six million people didn't die so that we can turn a blind eye to hate! Your decision is the slippery slope. It can become a murderous maelstrom down which 6 million jews, 2 million gypsies, countless homosexuals, catholics and impaired people lost their lives! This slope was greased with the anti-Semitism, yes, hatred of gays, yes, anger at WWI, true, but the real murder weapon was Apathy!

Apathy of the good people in Germany and Poland who knew the camps existed but did nothing. Apathy of the German people who allowed the NAZI machine to heard impaired individuals to their deaths under the guise of "correcting" the gene pool. Apathy from voters who decided that Hitler would bring prosperity and order and that his anti-jewish, anti-freedom and maniacal ways couldn't be too bad. Apathy from the US and other European governments who refused to bomb the tracks to Auswithz and Buchenwald during the war. The Apathy of all countries at the end of WW I who stood by while Germany was saddled with War debt which sent Germany into a twenty year depression and worse, into the claws of the NAZIS. It was apathy of the french who accepted when the military officer Dryfus was expelled from the army mainly because of his jewish heritage setting the tone of anti-semitism for the 20th century.

Bigotry, anti-semitistm, these are just henchmen. Apathy is the true killer.

Good people must stand for what is right regardless of public opinion and regardless of risk. "If you can keep your head while all others around you are losing theirs..." ADL, keep your head!

ADL. As a jew, as an American and as a member of the human race I demand that you do the just thing. Retract your weak decision. Show us that you can lead and lead ALL people.

Support the building of the NYC Islamic center. Do so with words, actions and money. Hold fund raisers, push politicians to grow spines and counter-protest the protesters. Put the word out and we, the jewish people, your finacnial and political supporters will come to your aid.

Do nothing, keep your stance that It's ok "this once" to discriminate and you will lose, freedom will lose, innocent muslims who are Americans will lose, the country will lose and you might just bring all of us down with you.

Josh Weisbuch

Kindergarden memories, Milk Duties, People & Cake!

The Fessenden school sent me a notice today that Mr. Townsend, a member of the food service staff, passed away. Memories from my years at the schools flooded back, especially time in Kindergarden and I wrote a story about my time at age 5 which I'm posting here. Such great memories percolated up to the surface so I figured I'd share them with my FB community and my blog. Boy, early school was cool...I'd love to hear your cool early school stories and how you feel it's shaped the adult you are today. - josh

To: Fessenden Alumni Wall on Facebook

I am not sure I knew Mr. Townsend, he may have been there during my last year in 1983 but I was always impressed with the service staff while I was at Fessenden.. Quick Story. I attended Fessenden's kindergarden in 1975. One student had to go get the milk tray for snack time. I usually returned late because first, I explored the inner recesses of the tunnel system in an attempt to get the the kitchen quicker and "save time" (a story for later) but also because I would spend a few minutes talking to the KItchen staff. At age 5, the "Milk guy" role was a big deal. Having responsibility, exploring the school and talking to adults was all very exciting.

The staff was great! I think I set a pattern for my life in those warm kitchens filled with great smells because I'd go up there, say hello to everyone, see what was going on, ask about their day...and they'd give me cake, pie, cookies and other tasties! Not only one type either. I got different flavors of cake and pie, sometimes TWO per visit! I especially savor spicy apple cake with white frosting which I am now savoring.
I don't think my fellow kindergarden students ever received their milk on time when I was the Milk guy but I learned a huge amount about people, kitchen service, work life and the power of individuals. Best of all, I was rewarded for being polite and asking questions with cake!

As my wife and friends will tell you, I started talking to everyone at age 5, and I haven't stopped. I am truly a "People Geek." I'm often told how annoying it is...I can't regularly go anywhere without seeing someone I know or having a great conversation with a stranger about the intricacies of, say, pipe fitting. This "gift for gab" honed in the Fessenden kitchen has helped me greatly in life, during elections, my time at Fidelity or as an EMT or my work at hospitals. And this will be a vital part of my work as a Rabbi.

Even though I was usually late returning, my kindergarden class did not mind postponing the courses in drawing, crayon melting, building reactors out of legos, the every popular glue eating or other vital learning tools at which we majored in those formative years.

I am impressed that Fessenden created an environment where every person on the staff was focused on the "full" education of the student body. Fessenden molded me into the man I am today and not just the great classes, the fantastic overseas trips with Dan Senecal, the excellent teaching and extra help from Sed Paine, the two Bradleys and History with Mr. Putnam but from the simple kindnesses showed to some crazy little 5 year old looking to get a bit of cake in the hours between breakfast and lunch. The staff at Fessenden helped me, and many students over the years, work toward being good students, citizens and men.

Cudos to Fessenden and appreciations to the staff. Most importantly, thank you, Mr. Townsend, for all your hard work and service over the years. - Josh Weisbuch

Joe Lieberman and Scott Brown are IDIOTS!

Ok, hold on. Has the Senate gone nuts!? Do I understand the proposed law from our good Senator Brown and his Connecticut collegue is calling for the Secretary of State to have the right to REVOKE the citizenship of any American who has been merely ACCUSED of helping a group our Government labels "Anti-American or Terrorist"?

Using this logic, if our government decides it doesn't like La Rasa than anyone who supports this group can have their citizenship revoked? What if it is the Anti Defamation League that is disliked. Wouldn't Joe Liberman be at risk?

Where are the Tea-Partiers on this one? I know Boener has come out against this inane law but what about all those "the government is coming for our guns" crowd?

Where's a camouflaged-clad cadre of survivalists who fear Black Helicopters when you need them?

Citizenship is a bit more important than guns... TeaBaggers, you say you are for freedom. Doesn't this sound like a serious violation of your rights? Or is this ok because the clownish Times Square terrorist was not "one" of you and a bit tan?

Send money to whomever is running AGAINST Lieberman, Brown and other lousy politicians who want to make political hay from terrorism.

Oh, and the Cato Institute completely gets it wrong too. Allowing our government to remove the citizenship of citizens for merely being "SUSPECTED" of anything goes against our founders written intentions. Good Job Cato: so much for the "Fourth Estate!"

Cato Link: http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2010/05/07/the-lieberman-brown-bill-merely-updates-expatriation-law-for-the-21st-century/

Drug war gone awry?

Does this make sense? Cops bust into a guy's home looking for Marijuana dealer, break his door, shoot at his dogs, a Pit Bull and a Corgie, wounding them both, then kill the Pit Bull! Police arrest and terrorize the homeowner, his wife and son.

Turns out the information was apparently wrong, just some neighbor trying to get him in trouble. Cops shot SEVEN times inside the home. Huh? There was a 7 year old kid in the house! Fire control anyone?

TheYoungTurks.com news program where I saw the story said that 100 of these types of raids PER DAY!

This is Ridiculous!

We as a Nation need to put some seriously thought into the FARCE that is the War on Drugs.

(WARNING. Video is very disturbing. No visuals but you hear the poor dogs die.):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V--tz3IMCY4&feature=channel

Did I find a cure for Brain Freeze?

Ok, I was drinking a new dark cherry frapucinno today while picking up a gallon of milk at Target with the wifey when I realized I'd "partaken of that tasty beverage" with a bit too much gusto. All went cold, my chest and head started to sting and I'd realized that I'd sucked too quickly. "The dreaded Brain Freeze...! Ack!" I thought to myself.

See, I pride myself on my ability to NOT get brain freeze...I hate Brain Freeze...I'd worked hard to temper my suctioning of iced drinks to not get Ye Olde Chilly Bastard but the dark cherry frapucinno I'd purchased at Starbucks was just too tasty... I tried holding my hand to my head...tried robbing my chest...nothing.... Pain, pain, pain.... the dreaded "sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia."! [ok, I admit I had to look that up...pretty amazing that it has a name in latin.]

"Damn, Damn, Damn... I hate these...ouch..." I cursed to myself.

I began to think of the anatomy and physiology of the conundrum I was experiencing. Head hurts, chest hurts, caused by super cold drink...oohhh tasty... What if I lowered my head below my heart to increase the ease and speed of blood flow? Maybe that would work. I bent completely at the waist keeping my spine straight. I must have looked like a number seven....

Guess what? The pain went away instantly!

I stood up I caught the eye of my wife and the other onlookers who must of thought I was more than a bit bonkers. "It's gone! Brain Freeze is gone!" "Did you invent a cure for Brain Freeze?", she asked. "My husband! " "I might of....now I have to try to get it again to test it..." I declared.

Erika, like the trooper she is, decided to help out and quickly drank a good quarter of my Frapucinno. Looking back, I think she may have just been more interested in pilfering my drink rather than the science involved but it didn't matter, she did the job because within seconds she soon began to groan.

"Aggh...the Freeze" she gasped....

"Bend at the waist!" I explained... "No, straight back..."

I must admit, the people around us must have thought we were completely nuts. I'd just unfolded myself and now, the woman I was with, was bending over as well... Being tiny she almost completely disappeared....

But it didn't matter. After a second she unfolded and tossed me that special glimmer of admiration that she reserves for some of my most genius of statements and actions... She purred. "I can't believe it, it worked!".... "My man!"

So, here is my gift to the world. If you are suffering from a cold-stimulus headache quickly bend at the waist with a straight back and try to lower your head below your heart...and you'll be cured! :)

You can read more about Brain Freeze at the following Wiki:

Here's the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice-cream_headache

They do not have my cure, however, although I am considering adding it to the wiki. In the mean time I will continue to test the cure and will report back.

Also, did you know that some call Brain Freeze "Ice cream headache"? Weird.

Obama enacting a spending freeze during a recession?

Ok, who let this dummy get on the Rachel Maddow show? He's arguing that curtailing spending equals job growth for middle class...huh? He doesn't understand his audience, doesn't know how to present complex issues and is even yelling like he's already on the defensive. Ug! I am in real fear _FOR_ and, even, _OF_ Obama. I worry that we are seeing more examples where Obama will be a one-term president. WTF!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

An open letter to Massachusetts regarding Senate Race 2010

There is clearly a lot of anger out there and it's focusing on the Mass Senate race. I think people are angry at the politicians in Washington and angry at Obama for failing to bring real health care reform. Scott Brown is capitalizing on this anger. Some might argue that he is stoking the fires of dissent in order to get elected. Other's pose the people of Massachusetts should suffer because Martha Coakley can't run a good campaign.

Here are my thoughts on Scott Brown's positions.

Choice:

Scott Brown says that he's pro-choice; yet he's supported a bill which allowed emergency room workers to deny emergency contraception to rape victims (because the workers felt "uncomfortable"). Since when does a medical worker's "beliefs" supersede their legal an moral obligation to provide care?

As a former EMT, this law is truly offensive. A medical worker whom is "uncomfortable" treating a patient then they should get the hell out of the medicine. What are we, pharmacists? They too have been allowed to refuse services because of their own "morals." Who are you to say that you have the right to project your morality onto your patient. I worked with a diverse and often disadvantaged population of patients. It was a moral obligation to help them and NOT to judge.

This law is exactly the kind of back door attack at Roe vs. Wade which weak, spineless, shifty politicians use to play to both sides of the issue.. Of Scott Brown is truly as anti-choice as his supporters hope then why not be honest. Why is he hiding? Why say he is a defender of Roe vs. Wade because it is the law of the land, but say he is pro-life and then signs on to this vicious bill?

Scott Brown professes that he clearly respects women because he lives in a household with his wife and two daughters. If this were true, how can he support a bill to so drastically change the protection of women? Perhaps it's just other people's daughter's who would lose? His daughters, surely, would have good health care, be taken to a good hospital that supports their rights as patients. Perchance his has money to fly his daughters out of state or country so they may get care. The rich can always buy support. In the era before Roe v. Wade back alley butchers, often drunk or incompetent would take advantage of women, hurt them, and kill them or forever inhibit their ability to have children. Think the Movie "Dirty Dancing"....the rich flew to Canada or to another state, the poor suffered. No one is PRO Abortion. It is as ridiculous as saying someone is PRO Life. So called Pro-lifers want to take the power of a choice from women and put it in the hands of politicians or the church. This is wrong, and Scott Brown using his daughters and supporting this bill is offensive.

Death Penalty:

Scott Brown can't be pro-life if he is for the death penalty. Life is life... It is murder when some stranger kills during a crime, when a wife is killed by her husband or the state puts a criminal to death. The state should DEFINITELY NOT be able to kill. Our so called "justice" system puts people in jail for longer if a white person is killed vs a black person. Our system is fallible, many argue broken. The Massachusetts government can NOT be able to kill. The state cannot lower itself to the personification of individual vengeance. There are too many examples when someone has been put to death and later exonerated. Too late for the person killed. Dead is dead.

Scott Brown's position on the death penalty is just like his stance is just like Pro-life. He's trolling for votes.

Military:

Scott Brown consistently professes that his years in the military (as a JAG lawyer) gives him the experience to be a Senator. His statements, however, show that he has actual disdain for the rule of law. He wants "suspected" terrorists in our military jails to not be able to so-called "lawyer up." What a ridiculous statement! He's a lawyer and should know that the Military courts have a very low success rate while our civilian courts work. Is he saying that he doesn't want people to have legal representation? John Adams defended the military troops whom fired at the crowd at the Boston massacre when the mob wanted them executed. They were soldiers whose guilt was not in question but received good legal defense because it was the right and just thing to do. John Adam's knew. This was before the founding of our nation but it set precedence and contributed to the law of the land.

The Islamic fundamentalists who attack us with bombs in their pants believe they are fighting for a just cause; to defend Afghanistan, Mecca, their god, whatever. In 1000 A.D. Muslim philosopher called for the infidel to be converted by "word or by sword." 1000 AD! If these fools want to follow the advice of some idiot from 1000 years ago let them, we have our Constitution. The Bush administration, through torture, illegal wire taps, and secret prisons proved that only we can destroy our republic. The 9/11 hijackers couldn't destroy our way of life. It took 8 years of terrible Bush policies to truly threaten our constitution. They were worse than when Russia was aiming thousands of Nuclear weapons our way. Russia had a Communist system that, ostensibly, OUTLAWED religion, and trade, and commerce. Why are we freaking out now?

Scott Brown is arguing that we are at war, and under constant attack. He's said that we should change our system of jurist prudence. He also supports torture and secret prisons. He even said that Water-boarding isn't torture.... Huh???

A lawyer and an elected official Scott Brown should know better. He has taken an oath to protect and defend the constitution. Arguing that our system cannot handle the trial of some moron who burned up his junk is insulting and disingenuous. Clearly another lie to get votes.

Why not vote for the politician with a real track record of fighting for people? She's not perfect: she didn't do a great job in the debates, and can't seem to go on the attack, but with all her faults, she is a true defender of people's rights. It is clear she's heard the voice of people and has an understanding for whom she works when she's in Washington.

Vote Coakley! There is too much is at stake.


Joshua S. Weisbuch
weisbuch@gmail.com