RIP Senator Robert Byrd

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

___________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 28, 2010

Statement of the President

on the Passing of Senator Byrd

I was saddened to hear this morning that the people of West Virginia have lost a true champion, the United States Senate has lost a venerable institution, and America has lost a voice of principle and reason with the passing of Robert C. Byrd.

Senator Byrd’s story was uniquely American. He was born into wrenching poverty, but educated himself to become an authoritative scholar, respected leader, and unparalleled champion of our Constitution. He scaled the summit of power, but his mind never strayed from the people of his beloved West Virginia. He had the courage to stand firm in his principles, but also the courage to change over time.

He was as much a part of the Senate as the marble busts that line its chamber and its corridors. His profound passion for that body and its role and responsibilities was as evident behind closed doors as it was in the stemwinders he peppered with history. He held the deepest respect of members of both parties, and he was generous with his time and advice, something I appreciated greatly as a young senator.

We take solace in the fact that he is reunited with his wife of nearly 69 years, Erma; and our thoughts and prayers are with their daughters, their grandchildren and great grandchildren, and all the people of West Virginia who loved Robert C. Byrd.

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B4B Photo of the Week !

President Obama at the G-20 summit in Toronto

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WATCH: President's Weekly Address
Finishing The Job on Wall Street Reform

With Congress having finalized a strong Wall Street reform bill to avert another crisis and end bailouts, the President urges Congress to finish the job and send the bill to his desk.
( WHITE HOUSE Quote)

“We’ll put in place the strongest consumer financial protections in American history, and create an independent agency with an independent director and an independent budget to enforce them. Credit card companies will no longer be able to mislead you with pages and pages of fine print. You will no longer be subject to all kinds of hidden fees and penalties, or the predatory practices of unscrupulous lenders.”

WATCH ADDRESS:

Although there's much work ahead due to the inherited collapsing state of our country, President Obama has done more in just 17 months than most have done in
2 terms !
THAT'S AN INDISPUTABLE FACT !
(that our 'great' media NEVER reports)

CLICK HERE if video did not appear through email server

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We Salute our
Commander In Chief

President Barack Obama !

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WATCH:
President Gives McChrystal The Boot,
Replaces With General Petraeus

WATCH: The dignified, Presidential booting of The Insubordinate General.


B4B Note: As everyone knows, the replacement of McChrystal was due to the insubordinate, disrespectful remarks he and his staff made toward The Commander in Chief, our V.P. calling him 'Joe...Bite Me' and another General James Jones who was referred to as 'a clown' in the recent issue of Rolling Stone Magazine.

CLICK HERE to read the Rolling Stone interview/article by Michael Hastings entitled The Runaway General in which General McChrystal says he's never taking his eye off the real enemy: The...White House ! Sounds pretty TREASONOUS to me.

NOW....Who's The Boss !

####

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2010

Readout of President Obama’s Call with President Karzai


In a call earlier today, President Obama informed President Karzai of his decision to accept General Stanley McChrystal’s resignation and his intent to nominate General David Petraeus to assume command of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. Both leaders expressed admiration and praise for General McChrystal’s leadership and service over the past year. President Obama underscored that this personnel change in no way impacts United States policy in Afghanistan or the level of our commitment to Afghanistan’s future. The President also emphasized that the United States and Afghanistan must continue to work together to sustain the momentum against the Taliban building on the constructive VTC that the two leaders held yesterday. President Karzai welcomed the nomination of General Petraeus and assured President Obama that he would take all steps necessary to support a successful transition.

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CLICK HERE if video did not appear through email server

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The Obama Family distributing free food this past Thanksgiving

President Obama's Father's Day Message
Announces new Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative

Good afternoon,

As the father of two young daughters, I know that being a father is one of the most important jobs any man can have.

My own father left my family when I was two years old. I was raised by a heroic mother and wonderful grandparents who provided the support, discipline and love that helped me get to where I am today, but I still felt the weight of that absence throughout my childhood. It's something that leaves a hole no government can fill. Studies show that children who grow up without their fathers around are more likely to drop out of high school, go to jail, or become teen fathers themselves.

And while no government program can fill the role that fathers play for our children, what we can do is try to support fathers who are willing to step up and fulfill their responsibilities as parents, partners and providers. That's why last year I started a nationwide dialogue on fatherhood to tackle the challenge of father absence head on.

In Chicago, the Department of Health and Human Services held a forum with community leaders, fatherhood experts and everyday dads to discuss the importance of responsible fatherhood support programs. In New Hampshire, Secretary of Education Duncan explored the linkages between father absence and educational attainment in children. In Atlanta, Attorney General Holder spoke with fathers in the criminal justice system about ways local reentry organizations, domestic violence groups and fatherhood programs can join together to support ex-offenders and incarcerated individuals who want to be closer to their families and children.

Now we're taking this to the next level. Tomorrow, I'll make an announcement about the next phase of our efforts to help fathers fulfill their responsibilities as parents -- The President's Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative. You can learn more at www.fatherhood.gov.

This Father's Day -- I'm thankful for the opportunity to be a dad to two wonderful daughters. And I'm thankful for all the wonderful fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers and friends who are doing their best to make a difference in the lives of a child.

Happy Father's Day.

Sincerely,
President Barack Obama

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Statement by The President on the

Observance of Juneteenth

THE WHITE HOUSE Press Secretary

On this day 145 years ago, the people of Galveston, Texas, received word from members of the Union Army that those slaves who remained captive were now indeed free. More than two years after President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation, the order read by Major General Gordon Granger made plain that the relationship between “former masters and slaves” would now be one of “employer and free laborer.”

General Granger’s pronouncement was one step in our continuing effort to perfect our union and live out the ideals of our Founders. While we know it would be many years before African descendants in America achieved the full rights offered through Lincoln’s proclamation, that day in Texas, former slaves were offered the hope of embracing the American Dream as their own.

This occasion, which became known as Juneteenth, is now celebrated here in America and around the world and is a time not only to celebrate the rich heritage and many accomplishments of African Americans in our country, but also a time to reflect on the common values and ideals that we share as Americans.

Our nation is stronger because of the generations of struggles for equal rights and social justice, and our culture is richer because of the contributions of African Americans throughout our history. This is why Juneteenth, while rooted in the history of a people, can be celebrated by all Americans.

Learn: What is Juneteenth

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WATCH: President's Weekly Address

Scolds Republicans for Blocking Unemployment Checks
For 1 Million Americans (and rising)

Says, " Teachers and firefighters will lose their jobs.
Families will pay more for their first home."

WATCH:

ACTION TIME !


B4B Note: The Republican Party is actually working in lockstep toward one common goal....to DESTROY AMERICA ! ANY politician who would vote toward the starvation of American families or toward increasing unemployment should be seriously considered for IMPEACHMENT. The Republicans have become America's domestic terrorists...wreaking havoc against We The People at every opportunity as 'payback' for their monumental defeat. Now, their strategy is to TRY to regain power by forcing Americans to literally suffer, hoping to falsely place the blame on The President. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ! As Repubs play sick political games...under the false pretense of concern of U.S. FUTURE debt...while simultaneously fighting for MORE tax cuts...American families STARVE TODAY ! The Time is NOW to label the Republican Party as they truly have become...

AMERICA'S #1 ENEMY !!!

CLICK HERE if video did not appear through email server

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P A T H E T I C !!!

While the media has become "all BP...all the time" there are NO REPORTS of the fact that close to 1,000,000 American families are currently STARVING due to the Repubs, Ben Nelson (D) and Joe Lieberman's repeated votes which have STOPPED life-sustaining unemployment benefits/checks.

1,000,000 Americans (and rising)...
NO CHECKS !!!!! STARVING !!! This is MAJOR !!!

Here's Article:
" No Clear Path Forward After
Jobs Bill FAILS Again In Senate "

ACTION TIME !!!

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B4B Note: Roland's article lines up with EXACTLY what I have been saying. Following The President's speech, I heard from so many people who amazingly said 'he didn't say anything !'....when, in fact....as many OTHERS know...he said PLENTY. Problem was...he said it in such an articulately smooth, intellectual manner that a number of folks couldn't UNDERSTAND what he was saying....therefore developing the idea that he said 'nothing'. When people don't understand the words...then they rely on 'feeling good' about what they heard....and since they didn't 'feel good' (like a good church sermon or a I Have A Dream speech) people felt 'disappointed'....I'm afraid the dumbing down of America...is WORKING ! One of the things The President DID SAY was that BP WILL PAY !....next day...the $20 billion fund was set up.
Now, THAT'S sayin' something !

Obama Speech " Too Difficult ' For Audience

By Roland Martin

President Obama’s speech on the gulf oil disaster may have gone over the heads of many in his audience, according to an analysis of the 18-minute talk released Wednesday.

Tuesday night’s speech from the Oval Office of the White House was written to a 9.8 grade level, said Paul J.J. Payack, president of Global Language Monitor. The Austin, Texas-based company analyzes and catalogues trends in word usage and word choice and their impact on culture.

Though the president used slightly less than four sentences per paragraph, his 19.8 words per sentence “added some difficulty for his target audience,” Payack said.

He singled out this sentence from Obama as unfortunate: “That is why just after the rig sank, I assembled a team of our nation’s best scientists and engineers to tackle this challenge — a team led by Dr. Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist and our nation’s secretary of energy.”

To read this article in its entirety visit CNN.

B4B Note: To those referred to in this piece: Next time...if you don't understand...don't just get mad.....get a DICTIONARY !

(or ask somebody)

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President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with BP executives in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, June 16, 2010, to discuss the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Pictured, from left, are BP CEO Tony Hayward, BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg, BP General Counsel Rupert Bondy, BP Managing Director Robert Dudley, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Attorney General Eric Holder, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.
(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama Forces BP to

Start $20 Billion Economic Damage Fund

THE WHITE HOUSE

Earlier today President Obama met with BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg and other BP in the Roosevelt Room at the White House. They discussed the ongoing efforts to stop the oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico and BP’s responsibility not only to pay for the cost of the cleanup of the oil spill, but also to compensate residents and businesses that have suffered financially as a result of the oil spill.

In his remarks after the meeting, the President announced that BP has agreed to set aside $20 billion to pay economic damage claims to people and businesses that have been affected by the oil spill:

This $20 billion will provide substantial assurance that the claims people and businesses have will be honored. It’s also important to emphasize this is not a cap. The people of the Gulf have my commitment that BP will meet its obligations to them. BP has publicly pledged to make good on the claims that it owes to the people in the Gulf, and so the agreement we reached sets up a financial and legal framework to do it.

Another important element is that this $20 billion fund will not be controlled by either BP or by the government. It will be put in a escrow account, administered by an impartial, independent third party. So if you or your business has suffered an economic loss as a result of this spill, you’ll be eligible to file a claim for part of this $20 billion. This fund does not supersede either individuals’ rights or states’ rights to present claims in court. BP will also continue to be liable for the environmental disaster it has caused, and we’re going to continue to work to make sure that they address it.

BP and the Administration agreed to appoint Ken Feinberg, who administered the claims process for victims of 9/11, to run the independent claims process.

Calling this agreement "an important step towards making the people of the Gulf Coast whole again," the President reiterated the importance of keeping the families and businesses of the Gulf Coast, many of whom are still recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, at the forefront of the oil spill recovery process.

During a private conversation with Chairman Svanberg I emphasized to him that for the families that I met with down in the Gulf, for the small business owners, for the fishermen, for the shrimpers, this is not just a matter of dollars and cents; that a lot of these folks don’t have a cushion. They were coming off Rita and Katrina; coming off the worst economy that this country has seen since the Great Depression, and this season was going to be the season where they were going to be bouncing back. Not only that, but this happened, from their perspective, at the worst possible time, because they’re making their entire income for the year in the three or four months during which folks can take their boats out, people are coming down for tourism.

And so I emphasized to the chairman that when he’s talking to shareholders, when he is in meetings in his boardroom, to keep in mind those individuals; that they are desperate; that some of them, if they don’t get relief quickly, may lose businesses that have been in their families for two or three generations. And the chairman assured me that he would keep them in mind.

That’s going to be the standard by which I measure BP’s responsiveness. I think today was a good start, and it should provide some assurance to some of the small business owners and individuals down in the Gulf who I was visiting with that BP is going to meet its responsibilities. But I indicated to the chairman that, throughout this process, as we work to make sure that the Gulf is made whole once again, that the standard I’m going to be applying is whether or not those individuals I met with, their family members, those communities that are vulnerable, whether they are uppermost in the minds of all concerned. That’s who we’re doing this work for.

Learn more about the claims process and escrow account here.

B4B Note: Absolute SHAME George W. Bush didn't respond in a like manner, to the needs of the Victims of Katrina who lost EVERYTHING.

The Time Is NOW...

To SUPPORT Our President !

...or ask yourselves...what would McPalin DO ?

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THOUGHT of the WEEK !

BEWARE OF THE NON-STOP

MEDIA MANIPULATION !

Like the non-stop oil spill " blame Obama" rants...combined with NO reports AT ALL of the wrongs of Israel's flotilla attack combined with NO reports of facts...but constantly and pathetically raising the question of whether The President should be more of the 'angry Black man'...an ignorant, racist message within itself...strategically designed to subliminally fertilize stereotypical opinion. Our "liberal media" (yea right !!!) manipulates America like a third-world country. It will take SOCIAL MEDIA (you !) to Fight Back with TRUTH and FACTS.

(Greg Jones)

There's MUCH Work Ahead !

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BREAKING NEWS !....WATCH:
New Video Smuggled Out from Israel's
Deadly Assault on Gaza Flotilla !

On the night of Sunday, May 30, showing a terrifying disregard for human life, Israeli naval forces surrounded and boarded ships sailing to bring humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip. On the largest ship, the Mavi Marmara, Israeli commandos opened fire on civilian passengers, killing at least 9 passengers and wounding dozens more. Others are still missing. The final death toll is yet to be determined. Cultures of Resistance director Iara Lee was aboard the besieged ship and has since returned home safely.

Despite the Israeli government’s thorough efforts to confiscate all footage taken during the attack, Iara Lee was able to retain some of her video recordings. Below is 15 minutes of raw footage from the moments LEADING UP TO and during the Israeli commandos’ assault on the Mavi Marmara.

PLUS...In a Democracy Now! exclusive, we bring you a sneak preview of previously unseen raw footage from the Mavi Marmara that will be formally released at a press conference at the United Nations later in the day. The footage shows the mood and the activities on board the Mavi Marmara in the time leading up to the attack, and the immediate reaction of the passengers during the attack. Democracy Now's Amy Goodman is joined by filmmaker and activist Iara Lee, one of the few Americans on the Mavi Marmara ship. Her equipment was confiscated, but she managed to smuggle out an hour’s worth of footage.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH


CLICK HERE if video did not appear through email server

TRUTH MUST BE KNOWN !

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President Obama Calls for
New Approach Toward Gaza

From Earth Times

Washington - US President Barack Obama on Wednesday called for a "new conceptual framework" to address the blockade on the Gaza Strip and said he expected a full investigation of the deadly Israeli raid last week on a flotilla that was trying to run the blockade.

The United States was in discussions with the Israelis about how to broaden the importing of food, goods and other humanitarian supplies and improving the Palestinian territory's economy without jeopardizing Israeli security.

"The question now is how do we create a different framework so that people in Gaza can thrive and succeed, so that extremists are isolated ... but also how do we do it in a way that Israel's legitimate security concerns are met," Obama said after meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Israel placed a blockade on the Gaza Strip to prevent arms smuggling after Hamas militants seized control of the territory, which is used to launch rocket attacks into Israel. But Obama said the continued plight in Gaza could fuel more extremism.

"The status quo that we have is one that is inherently unstable, and I think the Israelis have come to recognize that," Obama said.

The meeting with Abbas came one week after the Israelis stormed a Turkish flotilla en route to Gaza carrying humanitarian aide along with pro-Palestinian activists. Nine passengers were killed in the assault that sparked worldwide outrage. The Israelis say the soldiers opened fire after coming under attack by the passengers wielding knives and other weapons.

The United States backed a Security Council resolution calling for a clear investigation into the incident. Washington supports an Israeli-led investigation with some international participation.

"We should be able to take what has been a tragedy and turn it into an opportunity to create a situation where lives in Gaza are actually, directly improved," he said.

Obama said a system could be set up to ensure important goods can reach Gaza but also prevent weapons from going in.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a White House visit scheduled for last week to return home to deal with the flotilla situation.

Abbas and Obama also discussed the peace process and the effort to build on indirect talks between the two sides mediated by the United States.

"We are working in order to make progress," Abbas said.

RELATED ARTICLE: Gaza Blockade: Israel Eases Some Restrictions on Food Items
(B4B Note) This article is actually PATHETIC ! Where Israel always claimed the blockade was to keep out harmful weapons...NOW...following the murder of 9 innocent humanitarian aid providers (including 1 AMERICAN citizen) and the shooting of close to 40 more....Israel decides to "be nice" and lift the BAN/blockade on " soda, juice, jam, spices, shaving cream, chips, cookies and sweets" !!! NOT life-sustaining drinkable water !!! NOT life-saving medicines !!! Not wheel chairs !!! NOT REAL FOOD !!! (all of which were on the Flotilla)...and the list goes on. But guess the world is supposed to say....ahhhhh....what a nice Israel. They LET THEM EAT CHIPS ! Just PATHETIC !

The Time is NOW...

To STOP THE GAZA BLOCKADE

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We SALUTE Helen Thomas !


A Groundbreaking Career Filled
With Asking The Tough Questions

Excellent New Interview Looks Into The Mind of a TRUE LEGEND

Interview By Steve Lafreniere

This interview with Helen Thomas was conducted in March. We were holding it for an upcoming issue of Vice magazine, but in light of what’s going on with her now, we’ve decided to run it online today.

“Uh, wait, what’s going on with her now,” you say. Oh, you live in a cave. OK then. Helen Thomas just made some comments about Israel that Israelis, President Obama, and a lot of other people vehemently didn’t like. Not to put too fine a point on it, she pretty much said that Jews need to “get the hell out of Palestine” and go home to “Poland, Germany and America.” A tad indelicate, yes. But not surprising given her reputation for being headstrong and outspoken. And has Helen Thomas ever made her position on Israel and its actions a secret? Nope. Besides, if we were 89 years old and had spent the last five decades watching a steady flow of spin and doubletalk issuing forth from the mouths of countless men (and a select few women) standing behind a podium with the White House seal on it, we might be getting a little grumpy by now too.

“But hold on a minute,” you say. “Who’s Helen Thomas again?” Really, kid? Lebanese-American member of the White House Press Corps since 1960. Pioneering female journalist. The little old lady who sits in the front row at Presidential press conferences and asks the questions that the other reporters are too scared to ask. A journalist who truly challenges politicians, who wants them to be able to explain and justify their decisions and positions, whose most valued question is ‘why.’ Now she has been hounded into quitting the job that was her life. Her agent for speaking engagements has summarily dropped her. She is being vilified by many and lauded by others but no matter what, we believe that she is owed a huge debt of respect and gratitude for the work she’s done in the name of true democracy. We fear that the White House Press Corps has lost its conscience in losing Helen Thomas. Whether anyone has the balls to carry on what she has started remains to be seen.

PS: Yes, she does discuss Israel in this interview, if you’re curious about whether there’s a timely money shot to sink your teeth into. But there’s a lot more going on here. Don’t let Helen Thomas’s views on Israel alone define her for you.

Vice: When I watched you at press conferences during the George W. Bush years, you seemed pretty disgusted with your fellow journalists.
Helen Thomas: In the run-up to the Iraq War, no one asked for proof of weapons of mass destruction. It was very, very clear that President Bush wanted to go to war at any cost. And he would not go back to the UN and allow them three more months to look and see if it was really true. We went to war on lies. I think 9-11 was definitely used to terrorize the people away from taking any stand against the government, because they felt it was a real crisis and I guess they—halfway at least—believed the government. Using terrorists is a very effective propaganda weapon.

VICE:Is it just me or did the mainstream press seem particularly flabby after 9-11?
HELEN: They were afraid of not being considered real patriots, and I’m sure the big communications corporations got orders from on high. So they played ball.

VICE:In your decades at the White House have you witnessed this kind of complacency before?
HELEN:Well, the Watergate scandal was the turning point in the White House in modern times. We took all the [Nixon administration’s] denials, and when they turned out to be absolutely wrong, when it turned out to be disinformation, it made reporters much more wary in that brief interval that followed. But of course 9-11 made everyone into a prime citizen again, and afraid to ask. The Pentagon was also very effective in propagandizing, as was the State Department, as was the White House. So, again, I think that journalists became afraid to be called unpatriotic if they didn’t support a war, even one that was obviously not true.

VICE: You were surprised by this?
HELEN: I certainly thought, after the Watergate scandal and all the lies, that reporters had awakened. And they did for awhile, a very short time. But the government always prevails, because there’s always the feeling that we should believe what the government says. Even though I thought they didn’t have any credibility, people did go along. The reporters were very gung-ho about going to war. It was going to be two weeks. Everybody was going to be there a short time, come home, and live happily ever after. It’s been seven years now.

VICE: I notice that you’re the only White House reporter that questions why an event has occurred. You did it several times regarding 9-11. (READ REST OF INTERVIEW)

Although her controversial comment was wrong
Helen Thomas' Work Will Be Missed.

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Since NO reports on Sunday talkers...here's links to

Greg's HEADLINES
Heard Round-The-World:

But NOT in America !


Thousands of Israelis in Tel Aviv
Protest Gaza Flotilla Killings

UN Chief Calls for End of Gaza Blockade

Israeli Commando Who Killed 6 Aid Workers
TO RECEIVE MEDAL OF VALOR

German Jews, some Holocaust survivors -
plan to send a humanitarian aid ship to Gaza

Another Jewish group prepares aid boat for Gaza,
defying Israel

Thousands Protest in London Over Gaza Flotilla Killings

Israel Killed More Than 9: Threw Wounded Into Sea,
Witnesses Say (bodies missing)

Israel ADMITS it Altered Flotilla Audio

Thousands in Paris, including Muslims alongside Jews
Protest Gaza Blockade:

Israel's Racist Treatment of Ethiopians in Israel:
Makes Them Take Birth Control to
Reduce Number of Black Babies

Autopsies Suggest Israelis Shot Aid Providers Execution-Style:
At Close Range: 48 Shot...9 Killed...6 Still Missing (Haaretz of Israel)


WATCH IMPORTANT VIDEO:

Jewish Rabiis Condemning Israeli Flotilla Massacre

We Must UNITE....Jews, Gentiles, Black, White and ALL... To STOP The Gaza Blockade

CLICK HERE if video did not appear through email server

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AMERICAN CITIZEN...19...SHOT 4 TIMES IN HEAD BY ISRAELI HUMANITARIAN AID ATTACKERS !

HuffPo

A U.S. citizen was among those killed in Israel's flotilla raid Monday, the AP reports. ABC News, quoting the Anatolian news agency, reports that Dogan was shot at "close range, with four bullets in his head and one in his chest."

From the AP:

A 19-year-old man with dual U.S.-Turkish citizenship was among the nine people killed in the Israeli raid on an aid flotilla in the eastern Mediterranean, the State Department said Thursday. That potentially complicates the Obama administration's attempts to remain neutral in the crisis.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the victim was Furkan Dogan and that U.S. authorities in Turkey had met with Dogan's father to express condolences and to offer U.S. consular services. She added that two other American citizens had been injured in raid and in a subsequent protest and the U.S. was seeking information about all three from Israel.

"Protecting the welfare of American citizens is a fundamental repsponsibility of our government and one that we take very seriously," she told reporters. "We are in constant contact with the Israeli government attempting to obtain more information about our citizens."

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Dogan, who was born in Troy, N.Y., had died of "gunshot wounds" but he declined to confirm reports that he had been shot multiple times in the head. Crowley said U.S. consular officials had seen Dogan's body in a morgue in Israel before it was taken to Turkey but had not known he was a dual citizen at the time.

Dogan's father told Turkey's state-run Anatolia News Agency that he had identified his son's body and that he had been shot through the forehead. Still, he said, the family was not sad because they believed Furkan had died with honor.

"I feel my son has been blessed with heaven," he said. "I am hoping to be a father worthy of my son."

Clinton said no decision had yet been made about how to handle Dogan's death but renewed calls for Israel to "conduct a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation that conforms to international standards and gets to all the facts surrounding this tragic event."

"We are open to different ways to assuring that it is a credible investigation, including urging appropriate international participation," she said.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Israel To REJECT UN Call for Flotilla Raid INVESTIGATION

ISRAELI Legislator On Board Flotilla Gives Eyewitness Account: Says Israelis Fired Shots at Aid Ship Moments Before Commandos Boarded Ship

PATHETIC !!!

Why are the cable news networks...even the ones I like...NOT covering this horrific occurrence ??? American...born in Troy, N.Y....shot 4 TIMES IN THE HEAD trying to get aid to the People of Gaza !!! PATHETIC !!!!...and NO...he was NOT A TERRORIST !!!

NOTE: Among the passengers aboard the aid vessel were the IRISH Nobel peace laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire and an elderly JEWISH survivor of the Holocaust, as well as the SWEDISH author Henning Mankell....not to mention an 18 month old baby....and 10 AMERICANS !!! A CANADIAN on board described watching an elderly man bleed to death. The head of a Turkish charity that organized the aid flotilla said an Indonesian doctor was shot in the stomach and a photographer was shot in the forehead. All...Definitely NOT TERRORISTS !!!

The Time is NOW to Demand the U.S. to
STOP THE GAZA BLOCKADE !!!

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WATCH:

(From Press TV)

Raw footage aboard aid carrying vessel being unjustly attacked by Israeli navy despite their waving of white flag and being in international waters. ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING....ILLEGAL....and should NOT BE TOLERATED !!!

No matter how the evil-doers/supporters try to spin the Israeli attack of the humanitarian aid vessel killing up to 19 (and you can expect EVERY lie in the book) everything about this act was ABSOLUTELY WRONG !!! Simple as that. This was NOT a military ship they attacked...but a rather small passenger ship...on a humanitarian aid mission...carrying 10 tons of MUCH NEEDED supplies including MEDICINES and WHEEL CHAIRS and even TOYS !!! Among the passengers were the IRISH Nobel peace laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire and an elderly JEWISH survivor of the Holocaust, as well as the SWEDISH author Henning Mankell....not to mention an 18 month old baby and 10 Americans !!!

Any way they try to spin it....this was OUTRIGHT MURDER.

The Time is NOW for the U.S. to demand the END of Israel's blockade.

The people of Gaza are in dire need of life-saving aid....

and are PEOPLE TOO !!!

Time to SPEAK OUT

for what is RIGHT !

P.S. Israel is now trying to spin that the AK47's the Israeli attackers used during the attack....

shot PAINT BALLS !!!! Absolutely PATHETIC !!!

CLICK HERE if video did not appear through email server

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Thousands march to protest Arizona Immigration Law

By JONATHAN J. COOPER, Associated Press Writer Jonathan J. Cooper

TEMPE, Ariz. – Thousands of people from around the country descended on the Phoenix area Saturday as supporters and opponents of Arizona's tough new crackdown on illegal immigration held separate rallies.

Marchers carrying signs, banners and flags from the United States and Mexico filled a 5 mile stretch of central Phoenix, demanding that the federal government refuse to cooperate with Arizona authorities trying to enforce the law.

Police declined to estimate the size of the crowd, but it appeared at least 10,000 to 20,000 protesters braved 94-degree heat. Organizers had said they expected the demonstration to bring as many as 50,000 people.

Opponents of the law suspended their boycott against Arizona and bused in protesters from around the country. Some used umbrellas or cardboard signs to protect their faces from the sun. Volunteers handed out water bottles from the beds of pickup trucks, and organizers set up three water stations along the route.

About 20 people were treated for heat or fatigue-related symptoms, and seven of them were taken to a hospital, said Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson. There were no arrests or other incidents, he said.

The law's opponents also gathered at capitols in states including Texas and Oregon, and about 300 people protested at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City demanding legalization for undocumented Mexican workers in the United States.

"Many of us have relatives or friends in the U.S. and we must now stand up and speak out on their behalf," said Elvira Arellano, who gained international attention in 2007 when she was deported without her U.S. citizen son.

In San Francisco, about 500 people gathered Saturday night outside AT&T Park, where the Giants were playing the Arizona Diamondbacks. Leaders of the rally said it was organized to help push for a boycott against Arizona.

More than 7,000 supporters of Arizona's law gathered Saturday evening at a baseball stadium in suburban Tempe, encouraging like-minded Americans to "buycott" Arizona by planning vacations in the state.

Charlene Pellin answered that call. The 64-year-old suicide prevention speaker drove to Phoenix for a four-day vacation from her home in Huntington Beach, Calif., to attend Saturday's rally.

"Hopefully if enough people show support for Arizona more states will follow suit," Pellin said.

Critics of the law, set to take effect July 29, say it unfairly targets Hispanics and could lead to racial profiling. Its supporters say Arizona is trying to enforce immigration laws because the federal government has failed to do so.

The law requires that police conducting traffic stops or questioning people about possible legal violations ask them about their immigration status if there is "reasonable suspicion" that they're in the country illegally.

The law's proponents insist racial profiling will not be tolerated, but civil rights leaders worry that officers will still assume illegal immigrants are Hispanic.

"I don't think that this law is American. I think it's discriminatory," said Chelsea Halstead, a 20-year-old college student from Flagstaff. "I'm offended by it because this is a nation founded by immigrants."

Some marchers chanted "si se puede," a phrase coined by Hispanic civil rights leader Cesar Chavez that roughly means "yes we can." Others took aim at President Barack Obama, demanding that he prioritize comprehensive immigration reform that would create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants now in the country.

"Obama, listen, we are in the fight," they chanted in Spanish. A handful of protesters also carried a massive banner that read: "Where's the change? Mr. President how can we trust you for re-election?"

Alfonso Martinez, a 38-year-old Phoenix carpenter and father of three children who are American citizens, said he's been living illegally in the United States for 21 years while trying to get legal status.

"If they stop me and they find my status, who's going to feed my kids? Who's going to keep working hard for them?" he said, keeping a careful eye on his 6-year-old daughter as his wife pushed their 4-year-old girl in a stroller. Their 13-year-old son walked ahead of them.

Associated Press Writer Martha Mendoza in Mexico City contributed to this report.

RELATED ARTICLE: Justice Department Prepared to File Law Suit to BLOCK Arizona Immigration Law

We Must UNITE....and FIGHT

For What is RIGHT !!!

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President Tours Gulf Coast Beaches
Damaged by BP's Oil Spill

President Barack Obama flew to the Gulf Coast today, on the heels of his press conference Thursday where he claimed full responsibility for the handling the oil spill. The President given a tour of a Louisiana beach, where he kneeled down to observe tar balls and was given a briefing on the cleanup efforts.

B4B Statement of the Week:

" When it comes to stopping the leak below,
the Federal Government does NOT have
superior technology to BP ".
(President Obama)

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