Friday Night Lights in Texas is MORE Important than your Childs Education!

Sorry Texans..I hate to tell you, the real truth is FOOTBALL is more important to the States “Budget Crisis” and our GOP Governor than your child’s education.  Texas is a “right to work State”, it basically means we don’t recognize Unions here so they have no true bargaining rights here that directly have an impact on anyone, so don’t fall for that line either.  That’s another GOP trick to make you think whats happening in other States is the right thing and have you back it.  Do yourself a favor read, become informed, learn like we did when we were kids.

Back to facts,  Public Employees making MORE than our Gov. Perry… are:

Mack Brown	The University of Texas at Austin	Head Coach	$2,511,667
Richard D Barnes	The University of Texas at Austin	Head Coach	$1,916,667
Rodney James Rohrich	The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas	PROFESSOR & CHAIRMAN	$1,750,000
Thomas Tuberville	Texas Tech University	Head Coach	$1,500,000
Walter Lowe	The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	Prof, NTC, Chair, Smith En	$1,200,000
Raymond E Sawaya	The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center	Chair	$1,090,278
Larry Kaiser	The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	President&Alkek/Williams Ch	$1,081,380
John Mendelsohn	The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center	President	$1,019,075
Hazim Safi	The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	Prof & Director & Chair	$1,000,780
Kevin Gill	The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas	Professor	$1,000,000
James Willerson	The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	Prof&Edward Randall III Chr IM	$999,095
Joseph M Forbess	The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas	Associate Professor	$954,800
Gail A Goestenkors	The University of Texas at Austin	Head Coach	$930,834
Scott B Ransom	University of North Texas Health Science Center	President	$904,562
Daniel K Podolsky	The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas	President	$902,297
Dong Kim	The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	Professor and Chairman	$887,000
C Kern Wildenthal	The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas	ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS	$841,557
Rex Marco	The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	Visiting Associate Professor	$800,000
August E Garrido	The University of Texas at Austin	Head Coach	$760,000
Peng Chen	The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	Ast Pr of Neurosurgery NTC	$760,000
Kyle Dickson	The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	Professor	$750,000
Howard Morgan	The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas	Professor	$742,000
Richard Andrassy	The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston	Prof, Chair Surgery, En	$711,434
Bruce Edward Mickey	The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas	Professor	$700,000
Clarence W Byrne	Texas A&M University	Athletic Director	$690,000

Agencies

Agency	Type	Maximum Salary	Median Salary	Number of Positions	Last Update
State of Texas	State	$480,000	$35,784	152516	12-10-10
Houston ISD	School District	$300,000	$44,987	29499
Houston	City	$231,314	$46,838	23633	7-13-10
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center	University Hospital	$1,090,278	$53,400	18183	12-15-10
Dallas ISD	School District	$328,237	$50,451	17477
Harris County	County	$289,307	$44,699	14983	1-07-11
Austin	City	$242,008	$44,730	14372	7-21-10
The University of Texas at Austin	University	$2,511,667	$48,131	14223	7-21-10
Dallas	City	$278,460	$43,754	13675	6-22-10
Northside ISD	School District	$267,335	$47,800	12899

More…

Job Titles

Title	Maximum Salary	Median Salary	Number of Positions
Teacher	$127,972	$49,601	25806
Police Officer	$85,653	$56,112	10497
Correc Officer V	$41,605	$35,784	8791
Correc Offcr III	$39,452	$31,838	7039
Correc Officer IV	$37,572	$34,720	6504
Mental Retardation Asst I	$53,502	$20,532	5249
Professor	$1,000,000	$110,601	4858
Assistant Professor	$675,000	$79,000	4349
Bus Operator	$47,426	$42,057	4065
H/Srvc Spec III	$57,246	$30,603	3965

*Thank you Tribune for numbers*

So why are we going after the TEACHERS?  The lowest paid? Balance the budget RIGHT let’s ask those making MILLIONS to give some back for a while, I think they can afford it more than a teacher who will lose a job.

Then let’s try the California radical approach, get rid of paying for our Government employees cell phones, BlackBerry etc., they can use the land line like the old days for a while. No more using Government Cars for lunch trips or going to and from home for work.  No more gas cards.  No more excess travel, use phones for meetings or Skype…its FREE.  Call a Colleague in the area to take meetings at a distance.  No more travel with extra personnel for the sake of having extra personnel.  That also means Gov. Perry we don’t pay for your extras in your Mansion, your chef, dog walker, magazines, etc. YOU DO.  We don’t pay for your trips to Conferences in other cities or states YOU do all of it!  And we don’t pay for your trips to other States to steal JOBS from them THEY are hurting just as bad as we are…next time USE SKYPE ITS FREE!

Mass Murder….Genocide in Libya….But Less in US News?

I talked with different friends in the US here last night. I asked each out of curiosity about how they felt about the attacks on the unarmed in Bahrain and Libya?  Most had no clue what was happening or had happened.  Why? Very little firstly on local news and second on national news stations.  I wanted to know what they knew about what was happening in Wisconsin, only a handful could elaborate what was actually occurring.  It astounded me. I have bright, intelligent friends for the most part.  Most had not picked up a newspaper or turned on the news for several days and the only talk they had heard about was sports, shopping and local events.  So I have to give them that.  When I told one friend all that was happening, the response actually was “so how does any of that effect me?”, it’s a good thing we have a long relationship and I am allowed to tell them off without it ruining the friendship…..because they got an earful.  But guess who now is watching events unfold and calls or texts or emails me constantly?

What I realized though is my friends reaction of “So how does any of this effect me?”  Is sadly and frankly a very American attitude.  If they can’t feel an immediate impact, they don’t see why they should care.  If the news organizations are constantly cramming it down their throats they see no need to even think of it through their day.  Why did the Egypt Protests get our attention?  We saw it on every BIG channel for days almost exclusively, we were fed the idea to care…It was historic and HUGE, I agree….but most Americans wouldn’t have known it happened, if it wasn’t played so much, because to them they would not have understood how on that day, at that moment how it would make a difference to their life. And many still do not.  Most are very fearful because of some news stations and their half-truths.

In Bahrain and Libya, there has been mass murder, plain outright genocide.  But in Bahrain, they claimed  it was to save “the economy” and it wasn’t as constant in the media to make Americans care and our Government didn’t make enough of a big deal of it, they really should have been having a “tizzy fit” as we say in the south.  In Libya, news is hard to get out because no journalists seem to be able to get in, so again it’s not being talked about all the time, just in between the man who got beat up by a llama and the royal wedding.

How does it effect an American in their daily life?  That’s easy….HUMANS are being murdered, men, women, children.  No life is of less or more value.  All life is of same importance and any loss by the hand of regimes for the purpose of stopping and preventing the voice of any human from being heard on basic rights effects us all, most importantly Americans…..remember what our Country is founded on?

We have voices freely being heard in Wisconsin free of fear of being attacked and murdered for their right to protest against the government.  Imagine for one second if they were any place else?

If You Have a Uterus…Better Listen Up! (Or if Someone you Love Does)

With all that is happening across our world at this very moment, I really debated what I would choose to write on for my blog today.  I have cried at the sight of people being murdered, yes, murdered in the streets of their countries by their own Governments. It has left me sick to my stomach. But so many others are better able and closer to speak on this and I defer to them.  I have watched and listened as Wisconsin Unions fight for rights to keep collective bargaining and 14 Brave Democratic State Senators have taken a stance to help them, you don’t see any of the heavy hitters in Washington, D.C. having the balls to pull such a tactic to stop such a bill from being rammed down people’s throats.

But while this is all happening in Washington and some State Capitals bills are being voted on or getting ready to be voted on that will quietly slide through unnoticed, that will affect Women.  The House just voted to defund Planned Parenthood.  I know,having read the news and forums, the right to life folks are cheering this….I myself see it as a full frontal attack on any woman.  A woman’s body and choice has been long-established in the United States to be her OWN.  This is surly only to undermine the law.  A Texas Bill that is up for a vote:

“Under the law, women must be given the opportunity to see a sonogram that must be taken within 2 hours of the abortion procedure and hear a fetal heartbeat, if detectable.

While she can decline those options, doctors will still be required to describe what they see in the sonogram, including development of the body and organs”

This bill was put forth by Senator Dan Patrick and came to him by the “wisdom and hands of God”.

Other states are considering similar bills.  This is an outright attack on women.  It is first and foremost cruel.  To make a woman who is having to go through a procedure that, I promise you, she did not come to decide to go through lightly and basically torture her moments prior, is inhumane.  If men had a uterus this wouldn’t even be a question or issue, it just wouldn’t happen or be tolerated.

To defund Planned Parenthood removes from women and men the ability to have low-cost birth control, sexually transmitted disease testing and prevention. Not to mention the huge rise we will now see in the birth-rate and God forbid, botched home abortions and women dying from them, because they don’t have health insurance or fear family knowing by using it.

But this attack is on women 100%. It’s quiet, it’s subversive and with all that’s happening in the world it’s going largely unnoticed. It is a back door attack on a womans choice and right to decide for her own body and life.  If you have a uterus of love someone with a uterus PLEASE pay attention!

Will The Real Anti-Christ Please Stand Up! (Response to Glenn Beck inferring who it is on 2/16/2011)

First, I have to start with an apology to my family.  You put on a Glenn Beck Parole, along with a few other media folks and I cheated…so throw away the keys!

As hard as I tried, I couldn’t turn it off as he didn’t say it straight out (God forbid he actually say something outright) but as Glenn Beck inferred to his lemmings that the anti-christ was on his way, maybe even already here and coming from Iran.  I won’t even address that he suggested the protests in Mexico and Wisconsin were somehow led by Islamic extremists!

Let’s address the Anti-Christ thing.  So far, since the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, folks have been trying to figure out who the Anti-Christ is.  Many men have been given the name.

Antiochus Epiphanes , Roman Emperor Nero, The Pope, Charlemagne, Napoleon, Aleister Crowley, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Francisco Franco, John F. Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, King Juan Carlos of Spain, Ayatollah Khomeini, Ronald Wilson Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, Maitreya, Sun Myung Moon, PLO leader Yassir Arafat, Louis Farrakhan, Karl Hapsburg, William Jefferson Clinton, Sam Donaldson of ABC News, Barney the Dinosaur, Bill Gates ,Prince Charles of Wales, Jacques Chirac, Barack Hussein Obama and most recently Hosni Mubarak are all on the list, oddly with the majority of them nothing happened since they are all long dead.

Now Mr. Beck (Yes, I only think it proper to call anyone Mr.), in the recent past has inferred that President Obama, James Cameron and now the 12th Imam are or were the Antichrist.  Well, who is it? Your poor lemmings don’t know which cliff to jump off right now!

I , for one have to go with Barney the Dinosaur.  I am sure he is still laying in wait for the Teletubbies to step aside.

It seems each generation across history has had at least one man (why is it always a man by the way?) to point to as the Anitchrist, and each generation has not been correct.  Me I am still voting that Purple Dinosaur!

Where does all the hate and fear come from in this world?

I have spent the last 24 hours reading and listening to the news and forums from all sides of the world and viewpoints, seeking what I would address next in my endeavor to stop the fear mongering that is so rampant.  But world events in the last 2 months let alone the last 24 hours, have made it next to impossible to select just one.  So what I will do is start with the basic question and work to addressing at least in the most simplistic of ways the current events.

All of us are born on this earth as pure clean slates, with nothing needed other than to be fed, held and well have our diapers changed….in the beginning we are very simple.  We don’t look at the world around us with hate or fear…we may get startled at loud noises but that is a normal instinct every being is born with. But hate and fear are taught, learned.  We are a product of both nature, what we are born with naturally and nurture, what the environment around us puts in us.

We are still very innocent and open in the early years, while being formed into the adults we will become.  I am reminded of this as I go out on my daily walks in my neighborhood.  About 400 feet from my home is a fence and behind it are squeals and giggles and games going on, it always makes me smile and laugh.  I remember those carefree times of childhood playing the games of imagination that as adults we abandon.   Then about another 800 feet another fence behind it the same laughter and games from a different group of children….the same innocence the same imaginations leading the play.  I should add behind the first fence is a Mosques daycare, behind the second a Baptist daycare.  Religion doesn’t make a difference to the play or joy…it’s just children loving and living a childs life.  Nature still really rules humans at this age though nurture is creeping in.

It really isn’t for many until the teen years that we start realizing or understanding what we are being told by our elders, be it parents, teachers or clergymen.  Until then we only aped what they said or did without fully appreciating what was meant in what we were seeing or being told.  A six year old who says for example “I hate war” but cannot give you reasons why is simply repeating what they heard adults say.  But a teenager might just be able to give you an intelligent answer for their feelings, albeit it could be one they learned again from a grown-up.

For many of us we don’t really look at what we think or feel until we enter college or start our first “adult job” in our early 20’s.  When we are our on our own and able to experience the world on our own terms.  But in many societies even then you are still at home and under the eye of the elders, but your mind is not.

This is when many start listening to news more, or friends more and taking to heart those opinions, without question.  If you live in a society that says one group of people are bad and evil and thats is all you have ever been told and you have never experienced anything but, that will be your belief. If you live in a society that says it is okay to treat a certain group in that society a certain way, you will always think it is acceptable.  If you live in a society that when a person tries to speak up about wrongs that need to be corrected and you see them imprisoned or executed, you may feel you have no way to have a voice.  Many times it is much easier to just go along with what everyone else does even if inside you feel it is wrong and not the way it should be, because it is safe.  It is normal and by nature a very human thing to do.  Self-preservation is normal all living beings do it….it takes great strength and will do go against this basic instinct.  To say things against your parents, family, friends, clergy and yes in some cases government takes great bravery, but many times it is because inside it is the right thing for all humans to do.

Today I woke from my sleep, like many of you.  I had to use the restroom, like many of you.  I was hungry and thirsty, like many of you.  Those basic things are innate in all of us.  I was able to wake in my own bed, safe in my home, I know how blessed I am.  I was able to have running water, I know how blessed I am.  I had food to eat, clean water to drink, I know how blessed I am. I know for many this is not the case.  And that difference alone can create turmoil, hatred and fear. I wholly understand that and do my small part to change that when I can and ask of those I know to do the same.

The things I can do is fight when I see someone, or a news agency give a blanket and incorrect statement regarding a specific group of people anywhere in the world, just to cause hate and fear.  The facts I know about all my fellow humans across this world is not one of them fit in a cookie cutter mold of their skin, religion, sex, education,where they were born, they are each unique in their thoughts, ideas, beliefs and actions. They are a product of both nurture and nature, of their whole life and experiences.

But I also know to look at a human and hate them at sight for what color they are is wrong.  To hate them because of the clothing they wear is wrong.  To hate them for their religion is wrong.  To assume you know their heart is wrong.  To assume you know their mind is wrong.  We are all born a perfect clean slate, you never know if that person before you is that one person whose slate is still perfect and clean, how terrible to imagine hating or fearing that one person.

Fear Mongering Alive and Well In US Government Groups!

“Natural Born Citizenship”  aka the “Birther Bills” are currently being proposed in a few states in the US.  The basic jest is that all Presidential, Senate and Congressional Candidates wishing to appear on ballots in those stats will be required to show proof of “Natural Born Citizenship”.  Now I watched last night as Montana State Rep. Bob Wagner, talked with Anderson Cooper about the proposed Birther Bill in Montana.  What pulled me into watch was that even though President Obama has produced a birth certificate from the State of Hawaii, 27% of Americans still question or doubt his citizenship and 42% of Republicans do.  Wow, I hate to say this but I am pretty sure if he was white and named Bob Wilson this wouldn’t even be a topic of conversation.  The fact he is a man of color and has a name that to many Americans sounds 100% “Muslim”…means he must be lying and EVIL!  It amazes me.

So, me being me I had to read up on this “Natural born citizenship” thingie.  It comes from a book written by a scholar/philosipher Emerich de Vattel, in 1758.  Yes,  we should DEFINITELY use this as a basis for foundation for laws and constitutional change in the United States.

In essence it says, you are not a natural  citizen if both parents are not citizens of the country you are born in….okay they might have the President on that….but I am pretty sure there would be about 7 others prior to him…actually if we went with that whole concept….it would really apply to ALL Americans…follow me on my reasoning.

I am born to my parents right…we have always assumed they are natural born citizens….WRONG…not my MOM…her Mother was but not her Dad… so there for I could not be.  Then we have my Father…we can assume he is a natural born citizen…..WRONG!  His father wasn’t nor was his mother each had one parent born and still citizens of other countries…To apply this law in true earnest and factually it would have to be applied correctly which means tracing the family tree.  And that would leave us with only one segment of US citizens who are actually “Natural Born Citizens” that would be anyone of 100% American Indian blood.  Hmmmmm come to think of it….maybe they should enact the law and apply it.

It Begins….The Sexual Assault of Lara Logan of CBS Becomes Fodder for the Mongers

I will start with what happened to Lara Logan is horrible and should never happen to any person woman or man (yes, we forget men in this too).  No person should ever be beaten by anyone for any reason. No person should ever be sexually assaulted by any person for any reason.  The victim does not ask for this or create this situation the person committing this crime does and yes it is a CRIME no matter where in this world you are, and every human on earth inside of themselves knows deep down it is wrong.

But the twists in the story have already started, the fear mongering is already going wild, in the media and in the forums online.  The facts are being twisted and turned and so few again question what is being said.

Only one person on this earth can tell the facts of this story….Lara Logan herself and I am sure in time she will.  But don’t take what has been shared by CBS and twist it to fit your agenda.

No where in the report from CBS were the attackers identified by religion…so where did the word Muslim come in?  Divine knowledge?  Or fearful assumptions again?  That this was an ordered attack by the Muslim brotherhood…really?  They specified one person, with a camera crew and were able to create events that allowed this to happen in such  a large group? That 200 people decided to act as one unit and do this together to Lara Logan, during a joyful celebration…really 200 people at one time in the same place became of the same angry mind?  But these are the twists already given to this story and all trying to point to creating fear at the Egyptian people.  Funny in all of these, not one mentioned that it was stopped by a group of women and 20 soldiers.  Not one mentions that other women had also been sexually assaulted that day in Tahrir Square and in one case the woman slapped the man and he was sent down the crowd who all slapped him too!

Yes, the facts are in Egypt for women in Egypt, sexual harassment is an unwelcome but all too common part of life. In 2008,the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights released statistics stating that 83% of Egyptian women and 98% of foreign women in Egypt reported exposure to sexual harassment But  early reports during the protests in Egypt were that it was almost non-existent, the people were focused on one thing.

It is horrible that such an incredible event now has such a terrible event included in it.  My prayers go to Lara Logan and all victims of beatings and sexual assault, YOU DID NOTHING TO DESERVE THIS.  To the criminals and yes you are criminals who do this to the innocent and they are ALL innocent, Your God of your understanding sees what you do and judges it and finds it wrong.  And you know in your heart and mind that it is wrong and unjust, even if you try to justify it, deep in you, you know it is wrong.

To the fear mongers who take the stories and twist them to fit your agenda, shame on you!  This is a human being, who had a horrible event happen and you take it as a chance to cause hate and fear, again the God of your understanding will judge you too and I promise it is not good!

The Fear from the Left, the Right and the Middle stays quiet!

I am ashamed to say, I am the middle, I usually stay pretty quiet for the most part with friends when they start on their fear based, biased, uneducated, hate filled rants. I shut them off and ignore.  Mostly because I was taught as a young person by my parents to never pick fights with the unarmed and sadly as much as I love my friends when they start these rants it becomes more and more evident that they are repeating what the media told them not what they went and found out for themselves or what is born out of fear based inexperience and no real life experience for themselves.  I truly think everyone has a right to their opinion BUT not to try and continue such hatred and fear with no factual basis.

Example, Linda (Of course I have changed her name) I have known since I was 10, we are now decades older than that. But her whole life she has been told how to do everything and what to think…and I am not kidding.  At age 16 I remember being at her sisters work with her, we were getting lunch for her sister.  Her sister gave her money and told her exactly how much money she should get back, in what denomination, coins and dollars.  As we left, her sister reminded her to wait for the “walk sign” before crossing the street both ways and to look for cars…and sadly her sister wasn’t kidding. That’s how Lindas life has always been, to this day she has to be told everything, how to go, how to be, what to think…so when the fear mongers freak out on television…it’s a sure thing within an hour Linda is on Facebook freaking out with the same exact things! She isn’t wise enough to seek the information for herself, but the sad part is how many more follow into the conversation and how hateful it becomes so quickly.  But when she is just being Linda she is loving and wonderful and gentle.

What I have noticed most from both the left and the right when it comes to the fear mongering is its based on assumptions, no facts. It comes from one person creates a lie and others keep repeating it and NO ONE questions it or finds out for themselves!  I have another friend who I again love, who hates anyone not born in our country.  Why?? Because since she was little she was told they all steal jobs from people who want to work.  She won’t budge on this thought or idea, she won’t find out for herself, her parents told her that so it must be true!  If the person has an accent, they aren’t from here to her and they must be hated.  I have explained we have many citizens that have accents.

I can love my friends as people it doesn’t mean I have to love or like their ideals or they have to love or like mine.

I have a friend who was convinced he hated mushrooms and seafood.  Well, I love to cook, and I cook to my taste a great deal. One night I made a spread that included baked mushrooms and spinach in cheese and crab dip.  This friend could not get enough of either.  Now, I know with him NEVER tell him what he is eating until well after.  So I waited until the next day. I asked him when had tried mushrooms…he said “Never” I just know I hate them…I then asked when he tried seafood…again he said “never I just know I hate it too”.  I then informed him about the food he could not get enough of and the ingredients.  Guess who now LOVES and doesn’t HATE?

How can one express hate or fear over something they don’t know or experience?   Because someone tells you to think it?  Choose to think because you have experience and knowledge.  BUT first get experience and knowledge.  Don’t follow blindly and accept blindly.

If someone tells you you should fear a certain group, ask yourself why?  If someone tells you you should fear a certain event ask yourself why?  Then find out for yourself, before you follow them blindly into the land of fear and hatred.

http://ericyoungonline.wordpress.com/

Open Letter To Glenn Beck of Fox News

Dear Mr. Beck,

Since if anyone posts on your website anything contrary to your way of thinking it is usually removed rather quickly I will use this forum to address you.  I am one of those people who does listen to you, mainly for amusement factor.  I am always amused at the fact that you take part of a story twist it and make it fact and report it and then the lemmings who believe all you say then spout it as fact in public forums without ever questioning for themselves the facts, mainly because when you are giving a half truth you like to follow it with this “don’t take my word for it find out for yourself” Translation to your lemmings “it’s true you can trust what I say” and they do and they never research for themselves.

A couple of recent examples:

When the announcement came that Mubarak had stepped down from his leadership of Egypt, you went on and on about a group in the middle of the crowd who bowed in prayer as the announcement was made, while the rest of the crowd cheered.  Okay that happened BUT what you left out was the announcement came during Friday prayer for all Muslims and that the crowd had been in the MIDDLE of prayer when the announcement came.  You also failed to inform the masses hearing your spouting that Muslims in general during prayer DON’T listen to cell phones, converse, or do anything but PRAY! You took the simple act of prayer and made it sound like an evil act.

Just today on your radio show you discussed what I had talked about in my own blog yesterday, “The Alliance of Youth Movements Summit”, your twist on it…how evil it is and how it is communist and socialist! You again told your masses to read about it….translation  “trust me its evil”.  You failed to read the website of any of the summits that have been held, that was obvious by your statement.  You failed to put together the puzzle pieces for the factual stories behind these summits. Instead you take names and that is the ONLY piece you focus on….it is sad.

You are one of the top fear mongers in the media, but the sad part is you have folks who blindly follow and repeat what you say!  They believe and never question or learn for themselves.  You speak of the dangers out in the world right now.  One of the greatest dangers is people like you, who report half-truths, and fail to share whole stories or facts.

How did the Press miss this and tell me I am WRONG!

While the press around the world covered the incredible events taking place in Egypt and Tunisia over the last month, many times comments on the United States lack of care or involvement was pointed out.  Oddly, if you had watched the press closely on January 28th you would have seen a small little tidbit on a Wikileaks wire Sent in 2008 from the US Embassy in Egypt, to the United States.  In essence it says that the US Government had helped a young Egyptian man attend a special  summit called “Alliance of Youth Movements”.  And that when he returned to Egypt he was immediately questioned by authorities regarding this summit and his blue print he was given at the summit “confiscated”.  It goes on to detail His conversations with different potential government factions that could come into play in “2011” IF Egypt were to become a “Democratic state” and how the military would be government in between ….Folks this was in December 2008…United States played a HUGE part….and I wonder who the young man was?

Now what is most interesting is what you find when you look at what was taught at this “youth summit” and who was in attendance.

The agenda?

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Perspectives from the Front Lines

Location:

Columbia University School of Law (Morning)

8:20-8:30am	Welcome Remarks Matthew Waxman, Associate Professor of Law, Columbia Law School Watch Video »
8:30-8:40am	Opening Remarks Jason Liebman, CEO Howcast Screening of Howcast Hub Demonstration Video Watch Video »
8:40-9:20am	Keynote – Facebook: Origins and Tools for Social Change Dustin Moskovitz, Facebook Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz will reflect on the origins of Facebook and share his perspective on how the organization has grown into one of the world’s most important tools for social and political change. Dustin will also be fielding questions. Watch Panel »
9:20-9:50am	Intro to Building a Movement Against Terrorism James K. Glassman, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Remarks about the importance of using social networks to create social change and combat violent extremism. Setting the stage for Oscar Morales and One Million Voices Against the FARC. The Under Secretary will also be fielding questions. Watch Panel »
9:50-10:25am	Keynote – Building a Movement Against Terrorism Oscar Morales, Founder of “One Million Voices Against the FARC” Oscar Morales, founder of the One Million Voices Against the FARC movement, will discuss how in just one month, he used online platforms and new media to build the largest movement against a terrorist organization in the history of the world. Oscar will also be leading a discussion. Watch Video »
10:25-10:45am	Coffee Break
10:45-11:45am	Perspectives: Building a Global Movement Session will feature organizations, which while originating from humble beginnings online, have evolved into successful transnational non-profits. Panel: Janessa Goldbeck, Genocide Intervention Network Imran Jamal and Sophie Lwin, Burma Global Action Network [Watch Burma Global Action Network Video] Andrew Burnette, Save Darfur Coalition Chris Sarette, Invisible Children Moderator: Tim Kash, MTV VJ Watch Panel »
11:45-11:50am	Screening of Howcast video “How to Be an Effective Dissident”  http://www.howcast.com/flash/howcast_player.swf?file=88612&theme=green
11:50-12:35pm	Overcoming Adversity, A Case Study from Egypt A discussion about Egypt’s pro-democracy youth movements and the importance of the online space in Egypt to speak out in favor of democracy and human rights. Moderator: Matthew Waxman, Associate Professor of Law, Columbia Law School
12:35-1:45pm	Lunch
1:45-2:45pm	Perspectives: Addressing Violence at Home Session will focus on groups that have used online platforms to address domestic violence at home. Each group will speak for 10 minutes and Whoopi Goldberg will then lead a discussion. Panel: Herman Lochner, One Million People Against Crime in South Africa Sharon Singh and Gemma Alway, The People’s March Against Knife Crime Felice Gorodo and Veronica Valdes, Roots of Hope/Raíces de Esperanza Jamie Tworkowski, To Write Love on Her Arms Moderator: Whoopi Goldberg, Host of ABC’s “The View” Watch Panel »
2:45-2:50pm EST	Screening of Howcast video “How to Smart Mob”  http://www.howcast.com/flash/howcast_player.swf?file=88587&theme=blue
2:50-3:40pm EST	Perspectives: Taking Action to Address Political Process Session will focus on groups that have organized to address a political situation, increasing transparency and diversity in the political process. Panel: Elie Awad, Youth for Tolerance Ceren Kenar, Genç Siviller (Young Civilians) Juan David Lacouture, No Mas Chavez Moderator: Luke Russert, NBC Watch Panel »
3:40-4:00pm EST	Coffee Break
4:00–4:50pm EST	Perspectives: Mobilizing in a Challenging Environment The panel represents groups who have been effective at mobilizing in challenging environments. Panel: Rana Abdulaziz, Saudi Women Petitioning the Government for Driving Rights Mark Wachtenheim, Día de Solidaridad con Cuba/CAMBIO Elias Kuri, Iluminemos México Moderator: Nicole Lapin, CNN Watch Panel »
4:50–5:00pm EST	Wrap Up  Roman Tsunder, Access 360 Media Watch Video »
6:30pm EST	Red Carpet, MTV Studios, Time Square

Friday, December 5, 2008

Best Practices and Moving Forward

Location:

Columbia University School of Law

8:45-8:50am EST	Day 3 Introductory Remarks Jason Liebman, CEO Howcast Watch Video »
8:50-9:40am EST	How to Begin: Taking It to the Streets Creating or responding to events (local, national, global) to get a movement off of the ground. Crafting a movement’s short and long-term goals. Planning activities, events, marches, protests, both traditional and innovative, and transitioning to new issues and methods after short-term objectives are met. Panel: Felice Gorordo, Raíces de Esperanza Ceren Kenar, Genç Siviller (Young Civilians) Stephen Smith, Community Organizer Jamie Tworkowski, To Write Love on Her Arms Moderator: Larry Diamond, Journal of Democracy and Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution Watch Panel »
9:40-10:40am EST	Rebooting Politics 2.0: A Conversation with the Obama Campaign’s New Media Team The 2008 Presidential Campaign saw unprecedented use of new media tools to engage young people in the presidential campaign. The lessons learned from the campaign have broader applicability than just politics as they are some of the same approaches being used by civil society movements all across the world. We will sit down with some of the critical people behind President-elect Obama’s new media team to hear their perspective. Panel: Joe Rospars, 2008 Barack Obama Presidential Campaign, New Media Director Andrew Rasiej, Personal Democracy Forum Sam Graham-Felsen, Director Blogging and Blog Outreach, Obama for America Scott Goodstein, External Online Director, Obama for America Joe Green, Causes and Project Agape Moderator: Micah Sifry, Personal Democracy Forum Watch Video: Obama Across America: Seeing the Big Picture Watch Panel »
10:40-10:50am EST	Coffee Break
10:50-11:50am EST	Break-out Sessions: Building New Movements Online Session will bring together delegates and observers for a working session on how observer organizations can build an online component to their existing grassroots efforts. Watch Video »
11:50-12:50pm EST	How to Get Media Attention: Engaging and Inspiring the Media Session to focus on reaching out to and using the media to enhance a movement’s exposure and engage the broader public. Focused on how to get the media involved, what the media can do, and ways to engage them. Panel: Ian Rowe, MTV Luke Russert, NBC Nicole Lapin, CNN Adam Kushner, Senior Writer at Newsweek International Moderator: To be announced at Summit Watch Panel »
12:50–1:45pm EST	Lunch Break
1:45-3:00pm EST	Utilizing Digital Media for Social Change Session will look at new digital media platforms and how they can be leveraged to affect social change. Panel: Dustin Moskovitz, Facebook Joe Green, CEO Causes and Project Agape Amy Webb, CEO Webb Media Group (See >Amy’s List of Links.) Katie Stanton, Google Richard Robbins, Marketing Director AT&T, Media Innovation Moderator: David Kirkpatrick, Senior Editor Fortune Magazine Watch Panel »
3:30-3:35pm EST	Screening of Howcast video “How to Circumvent an Internet Proxy”  http://www.howcast.com/flash/howcast_player.swf?file=90601&theme=green
3:45-4:30pm EST	How to Stay Safe: Safety, Law, and Security for the Social Movement Session to focus on the safety issues (both internet and government related) regarding the administration and engagement of youth oriented social movements in hostile or challenging environments. How to protect privacy, ensure safety of membership, avoid being shut-down, etc. Panel: Chris Michael, Witness Sherif Mansour, Freedom House Peter Rosenblum, Director of Columbia Law Human Rights Program Moderator: Shaarik Zafar, Department of Homeland Security Watch Panel »
4:30-5:45pm EST	Breakout Sessions: Moving Forward Delegates will convene to discuss the major deliverables from the summit and a plan of action for moving forward. Session will also focus on observer organizations—who they are, what they have learned, and what they will go back to their respective countries to do in light of the summit—building grassroots movements based online which harness the tools they have learned at the conference. Watch Video »
5:45-6:00pm EST	Closing Remarks Stephanie Rudat, Philanthropist Watch Video »

People of note at summit :

AT&T 19Patricia A. Jacobs, Ph.D., Regional Vice President – International Public Affairs 19Howcast 19Jason Liebman, Co-founder and CEO Howcast 19Alex Ellerson, Senior Vice President of Business Development & Legal Affairs 19Daniel Blackman, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer 193 / 26 youthmovements.howcast.comDarlene Liebman, Co-Founder & Vice President of Production 19Sanjay Raman, Co-Founder & Vice President of Product Development 19Jeffrey Kaufman, Vice President of Programming and Content Development 19Tessa Barerra, Communications Manager 19Rachel Silver, Executive Assistant 20Google 20Megan Smith, Vice President New Business Development, Google 20Gisel Hiscock, Director of New Business Development for Europe, Middle East and Africa 20Katie Stanton, Principal in the New Business Development Team, Google 20Facebook 20Chris Kelly, Chief Privacy Officer and Head of Global Public Policy of Facebook 20MTV 21Ian Rowe 21Gen-Next 21Michael Davidson, CEO Gen-Next 21Paul Makarechian, Founder and Chairman, Gen Next 21Sean Sassounian, CEO, SAS Textiles 21U.S. Department of State 22James Glassman, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs 22Jared Cohen, Policy Planning Staff, Office of the Secretary of State 22Andy Rabens, U.S. Department of State 22Farah Pandith, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of State 23Glen Roberts, Advisor, U.S. Department of State 23D. Marie Tyler, Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department of State23Adnan Kifayat, Senior Advisor, U.S. Department of State 23Alexandra Abboud, Editorial Director, American Life and Culture America.gov 23Guests 24Craig Hatkoff, Co-Founder, Tribeca Film Festival 24Derek Brown, Peace Appeal 24James Haven 24Marc Sageman, Founder, Sageman Consulting 24Ambassador Stuart W. Holliday, President and CEO, Meridian House 24Susan Bean, Senior Vice-President and Partner, FleishmanHillard New York 25Pat Keane 2

Google, Facebook and US State Department really stand out to me.

The most interesting part of the summit is the handbook that was given and any youth anywhere in the world can use, by simply going online and reading it.  It’s a blue print on how to use social media to further causes like “pro democracy” No where did I read anything about the fall of a regime to hand it over to yet another bad one.  The causes that the youth were there learning to promote are wonderful causes as have been the ones at subsequent summits.

But the press everywhere MISSED this! Why? Because it might shed a different light on the events that occurred and that seem to continuing to occur?  That the chance that the young people of nations actually have stood up to dictators in the 3 years plan in the making to have the nation they could only dream of that is free?

No, I am sure it makes much better news to the Glen Becks who want to cause fear in everyone that we are on the verge of the end of times and all will be killed by a religion he refuses to learn anything about other than to fear and hate it.  I am sure to many news agencies it is better to say this is another 1979, and that the youth of these countries are too stupid to have learned from the past of the world, to have not have a well planned out action plan, because they took 3 years to set into motion events that took days to evolve into miraculous events before our eyes.  I am sure that people who took 3 years to plan this action didn’t plan beyond the moment of the fall of the government, that that is as far as the plans went.

And having done my reading and fact finding on my own and learning of the events on my own and not what I heard on Fox News or CNN, I think I can safely say, I am sure the United States government never just sat back on this and watched.