Mother’s Lungs Are On Fire

by with One Comment CultureFeaturedGlobal

One of the biggest stories of 2019… 

The Amazon burns…

The Amazon has been burning for the past three weeks and the rest of the world learned about it this week. Not only did we learn about it this week, but we learned about it through third party sites, blogs, videos, and images being shared through social media. Not one of the major news agencies around the world covered it until people started voicing their deep concerns on Facebook and other platforms stating, “Why aren’t we doing anything about the “world’s lungs” catching fire?”

That’s a pretty serious question. Especially now, when the world is finally starting to take notice of our carbon footprint, and what we have done thus far to render our planet vulnerable. The fire in the Amazon is pouring kerosene on the world. What makes this matter all the more devastating and frustrating, is that the President of Brazil claimed up until a few hours ago that it was the NGO’s within the region who set the fires in the Amazon to make a statement.

Here’s what you need to know about the Amazon fire…

The rainforest is currently burning at a record rate. Brazil had declared a state of emergency over the range and amount of fires in the region, but didn’t bring too much attention to the crisis otherwise. This year alone, there has been close to 73,000 fires in Brazil, and they have been detected by Brazil’s space research center, INPE. That’s a whopping 83% increase from 2018 and the highest number on record since 2013, according to Reuters.

What started the fires?

The confusion I seem to be hearing and reading a lot is that, “It’s a rainforest! It’ll put itself out!” or “Mother nature always has these kinds of fires; it’s fine.” These two typical responses I continue to see are frankly ludicrous, and the issue is a little more complicated and insidious than that.

Yes, it’s a rainforest, and yes, it’s usually wet and humid, but July and August are known to be the driest months of the year, also considered the “dry” season of the Amazon, with the wet season really taking place in early-September and usually coming to an end by mid-November, according to NASA.

It’s rumored that these fires are man-made, usually started to clear out sections of the land for ranching and farming. Because of that alone, the majority of fires can be attributed to humans.

The president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has tried to blame the fires on anyone and everyone, especially taking careful aim at the NGOs, stating that they would do this because of his budget cuts to their organizations. He reneged on his statement shortly after claiming he never said it.

Is there a connection to climate change?

If we do a little research we quickly learn that greenhouse gas emissions increase as the number of forest fires increase. This situation makes the planet’s overarching temperature skyrocket. As the temperature rises, we are likely to see more extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, winter storms, and devastating droughts… a lot of them.

Is the entire Amazon affected as of now?

As of now, the entire Amazon has not been affected, but large swaths of it have. Areas such as Rondonia, Para, and Mato Grosso are currently having the majority of fires. What’s insane about all of this, is that the damage is not just felt in the Amazon when there is a wildfire. The cost goes far beyond Brazil and the surrounding nations.

As of today, there are over 2,500 active fires taking place in the Amazon. It’s so bad that you can see it from space.

Are the fires still going on?

The fires are still raging, but it seems that mother nature has decided to take matters into her own hands and reports of scattered thunderstorms have been seen all over the Amazon on Friday. We will have to see if the rains provide some relief to the rainforest.

Facts… 

The Amazon alone generates more than 20% of the world’s oxygen and is home to 10% of the worlds known biodiversity. The Amazon plays a significant role in regulating the climate around the world, and without it, the world would be dramatically impacted, from drinking water to farming. Those numbers alone send a chill down my spine, knowing that all this time this beautiful part of our earth has been engulfed in flames.

What is currently being done by humans?

From Venezuela to France, people, and politicians are all coming out to show their solidarity and concern over the lack of response from Brazil’s government on getting the fires under control. The desired effect is starting to happen, where we are seeing the Brazilian president squirm and shift under the heavy scrutiny.

At this point, all we can do is provide funds or supplies to some of the organizations that are trying their best to combat these fires, and find a way to stand with the people of Brazil. They need to find a better president that cares more about breathing than the dollar signs he believes will help Brazil, when in reality it’s only helping him and his cronies.

This article was originally published on 23 August 2019.

Similar read: Human Extinction (Brought To You By Capitalism)

A Trillion Dollars in Afghanistan… So How Did We Fix This?

by with No Comment FeaturedGlobalPolitics

On December 9, 2019, the Washington Post published documents detailing how for nearly two decades the US spent nearly a trillion dollars in Afghanistan (please note, this doesn’t include Iraq). So how do we fix this?

Let’s not use this piece to discuss current political fights on being unable to afford health care for all of us or why we cant relieve student debt or the current reduction to SNAP recipients.

Today we will look at talks that have gone on in the military since the conflict began. Once, Afghanistan was referred to as America’s forgotten war as Iraq stole the headlines. In the year 2004, I was preparing to be a military officer by 2006. The concern of classmates then was, “how can we lead and train troops who saw combat while we are only studying now and the wars would be done?” Little did we know…

Since the wars have gone on, the talk was always this isn’t a single war, but the explanation you would get in honest informal talk was these were 6, 9, 12, 15 or God forbid 18-month wars. Once a new unit came in, they had their way of doing operations and what was previously done would be forgotten. And if I’m being totally honest, I was guilty of it to. Whether in Iraq or Afghanistan, in both places I was apart of “our predecessors are jacked up and our replacements don’t get it yet.“

In combat, you have three fights. In simple terms, there is the tactical fight, the operational fight and the strategic fight. Tactically, force vs force and owning a geographical area, I bet on us any day. Even operationally, our military will is undeniable. Then you get to this thing called the strategic fight and this is where it gets murky.

So how do we fix this?

I had a Sergeant Major who I considered a teacher tell me to ask two questions; what’s next, and who needs to know? Tactically and operationally, this is not so difficult, but strategically, that is a bigger problem. Now, I ask you to match that problem with a military system that frowns if you say “I don’t know.” Imagine a system that your evaluations and career depends on producing results and showing gains towards a desired goal. Imagine leaders who are convinced beforehand they know the problem and answer (hint: it leads to cherry-picking data).

So how do we fix this?

In the military, we have this concept we call a self-licking ice cream cone. The data pulled can tell any story you want (and often a favorable progressing story is told); but in Afghanistan, nearing two decades and a trillion dollars, the story told is extremely complicated.

So how do we fix this?

Again, that’s complicated. We all know someone who served but really, only 1% of the population serves, so there is an extreme disconnect and lack of ownership and/or true investment.

Strategically, saying have one strategy and sticking to it sounds good, but in combat, variables are fluid and can change instantly, there is no one size fits all. You need to know your objective and accomplish this BEFORE variables change, BUT the enemy ALWAYS has a vote as does other regional and global actors.

So how do we fix this, and importantly, how do we prevent this you ask? It’ll take a nation as a whole. Not every war is Desert Shield/Desert Storm where ground operations are done in under 100 hours. That is part of the problem.

I want you to think back… When have you ever heard, “this war will be long, operations will be tough, we’re going to spend trillions and your kids not yet born will one day be fighting this same war.” The answer is never… we always here how it will be business as usual and the political proclamations made publicly are held up by the military and championed by the press.

So how do we fix this? Next time conflict arises, don’t cheerlead. Ask those tough questions to leaders and the press. If misled hold those leaders accountable, but also know if our leadership changes, that’s a variable change that also may affect our actions…. so I leave you with one question, so how do we fix this?

Similar Read: Diplomacy and War: Know the Difference

(Brexit) Deal Or No Deal, Who Cares?

by with One Comment FeaturedGlobal

With October 31st in the rearview, there was something the British were dreading more than Halloween tricks this year, namely the possibility of a no-deal Brexit. More than 3 years after the referendum, the situation seems comical. The dramatic promises Boris Johnson made vanished into thin air again after the House of Commons rejected the text summoning elections before Christmas, a moment deemed inadequate by the Labour Party. Denouncing this hostage-taking strategy, Johnson foresees he may need to count on the European Council’s decision to refuse any postponement. Now a delay has been granted until January 2020 and as I write, Johnson has just obtained the right to organise anticipated elections after all. Politics is a slow and intricate process, even more so when the government is polarised and can’t seem to reach a compromise. 

As inextricable and sad as the situation may seem, what seems to reach a consensus is the weariness and annoyance surrounding each news report and twist. Who can pull it off if Boris Johnson can’t? For many, he was the strong leader the UK needed after the many rejections faced by Theresa May. If at first each move or each decision would hit the headlines, it has now become more like a tired joke told by a drunken uncle at a family gathering: no one laughs and, in fact, no one cares. Tragically, millions of people are waiting for a decision that will change their life, present or future, but the rest of Europe has had enough. 

At first, there was some kind of euphoria, this idea that things could change after all, even here in the middle of the Old Continent, people could make their voices heard and traditional alliances could be cancelled. On the other side, there was fear and tears, despair and crushed hopes, torn families as well. But in short, there were feelings! If people used to be hopeful and optimistic about the deal they were sure May or Johnson was going to secure, it seems like today they would say something along the line of “Yeah, whatever.” I’m not even brushing at what a no-deal Brexit would mean for the country, economically and socially, ditto for the rest of Europe. The impact of this decision will probably exceed predictions, positively or negatively, only time will tell. But what seems obvious is that the longer it takes for Brexit to happen, the less positive energies remain to obtain the best conditions possible. 

Similar Read: Brexit: The Predictable Divorce? 

Syria Will Be Part of Trump’s Legacy – But History’s Judgement Is Still Unclear

by with 2 Comments FeaturedGlobalPolitics

The president’s pullout of Syria is essentially an effort to force an end not only to our engagement in the area, but also to the basic credibility of the neoconservative worldview- as well as efforts in the future to shape global democracy and influence world order. There are plenty of Republicans who see this approach as heresy, and there are plenty of Democrats and media outlets who relish the blood-on-blood infighting to come (and who will strangely express their outrage at a decision they would have lauded once merely because the opposite of the administration’s policy is their policy), but the reality is much more nuanced.

On the surface, the president’s motivation is driven by polling. Our commander in chief is a populist at his core- not an idealist.  Most Americans (many in both parties) don’t favor extending the war in Syria. This is quite simply because we aren’t able to do what it takes to win. Assad’s forces are backed by Russia; there’s no way to build real stability in the region without a heavier hand than we are willing to take or through regime change, and there seems to be no way to force regime change short of open war with Russia. Further, as China increasingly begins to flex in the pacific and begins to highlight our “meddling in the affairs of others” -including Syria- as China launches their own massive campaign for development, seeking access to the natural resources of sub-Saharan Africa, the president is mindful that it’s from China where we face the greatest long term security threat, and it’s China who benefits most from our distraction to a protracted entanglement with Syria and Russia. Further, while the timing of Iran was the president’s doing, it’s also clear that they are a much greater threat to global security in the near term. Our security interest in Syria is that someone accountable to the UN controls and regulates the area- whether it be Turkey or the US, either will make certain that it isn’t ISIS. We really can only do so much.

But that’s only part of the story. Turkey’s interest in Syria isn’t focused first on restoring peace to Syrians. The Kurdish forces we have used since the beginning of the war in Iraq have fought with us because they are a people without a land. Spread throughout Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria, this proud, ethnic population descended of Saladin is at odds with each of those nations as they seek to restore some autonomy. They have been capable allies because they have more than 1,000 years of history fighting for their own survival. Walking away from them when we are done will be a public betrayal that the Chinese and Russians will hold up as the true nature of “American Imperialism.” They will say that Americans come with high ideals, but leave when it’s no longer convenient. To Bush-era neoconservatives, it’s unthinkable; to Trump and his “America First” agenda, it’s a way to cross the bridge back from nation-building and burn it behind him.

In the long term, this may be the better move. The people of Vietnam, the people of Iraq, and increasingly the people of Afghanistan have come to realize that Americans come and Americans go. If we fool no one, and if we do really lack the resolve (and quite possibly the ability) to build regimes and promote democracy in the aftermath of conflict, then it is possible that the sooner we go the better. This may also help us usher in a day when America accepts that it is no longer the sole global hegemon and must share global military and economic influence with both China and Russia once again. If pulling back now gives them space we would have needed to cede eventually through direct conflict, it may increase stability in the long term also.

But in the short term, it’s a lot of bad taste. To those who can’t bear to see America as anything but a beacon of light that can dictate the ways of the world, it looks like a retreat. To those focused first on human rights, it’s a turnover of power to another heavy-handed imperial force that will bring another wave of increased violence before it can hope to bring local stability. While the president’s motivation may be no deeper than extending a political olive branch to a growing, centrist plurality of the American public focused on their own economy, anxious to make a trade deal in China and not willing to subsidize stability of the Kurdish population (so long as there’s someone on the ground containing ISIS), if America is a truly is a shrinking power, in 50 years this may be seen as a thoughtful and pragmatic preservation of resources. 

Similar Read: The Trump Doctrine: What Ukraine Says About Trump’s Foreign Policy

Impeachment? A Lot of Questions and Very Few Answers

by with No Comment FeaturedGlobalPolitics

They say that timing is everything and you should not rush into anything that could have a lasting impact. Well on Monday, after much consulting with colleagues and other invested parties, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi decided to call the question of impeachment for President Donald J. Trump. Some question her timing, did she wait too long? What was she waiting on in the first place? Why now and what is the game plan moving forward?

If you go back in time to when he was elected in 2016, there were already hints that he had worked with the Russians through family ties and others to get information on his opponent, Senator Hilary Clinton, that would help him become what we know now as our 45th President. After the Mueller investigation concluded with such lackluster results, the world still wanted to know how is this guy still in office. It was not until an insider with knowledge of Trump’s phone call with the President of Ukraine tipped off authorities did members of the Democratic Party get the smoking gun they needed to enact and solidify Trump’s fate to be impeached. A phone call where Trump tried to strong-arm information on one of his political rivals, former Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden and him doing business in Ukraine. Trump’s response was that of a person who felt he did nothing wrong. “Yes, I did talk to the President of Ukraine. It was a perfect call,” said Trump on his talk with the Ukrainian President.

Trump admitting to talking to the President of Ukraine and asking him to investigate Hunter Biden’s business dealings to use that against Vice President Joe Biden is a violation of his duties as the President of the United States of America, no matter how you slice it. Trump used his office for political gain just like the former Governor from Illinois, Rob Blagojevich did in 2009, when he tried to sell the vacated Senate seat of President Barack Obama when he was elected to the office. Blagojevich has served 7 years of his 14-year sentence.

So now what?

Well, members of the majority controlled Democratic House have to vote unanimously to impeach him and then the process begins. Looking at how many people have come out in support of impeachment from Congress, Democrats like Al Green of Texas, John Lewis of Maryland and freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, you would think they are ready to take the vote and move it on to the Senate, which is controlled by the Republican Party… the same Republican Party whose majority leader is Mitch McConnell and who some have called a puppet of Donald Trump.

One can only wonder how long this is going to take? Will it impact the election season which is already underway? Will the base that Trump has handled so well continue to support him, or will they slowly drift away? What about Vice President Joe Biden? Will he take a stand for Hunter who was wrongly singled out by Trump… who, of course, is looking for one of his usual distractions from a number of recent bad dealings, such as tariffs, guns and mass shootings, his alienation of all of our allies and lastly, his friend and supporter Putin from Russia.

Looks like we’ll have to wait and see.

Similar Read: Important Takeaways From the Mueller Testimony 

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The Bahamas Devestated

by with One Comment FeaturedGlobalhighlight

The Bahamas consists of 700+ islands of which 30 are inhabited with a total population of roughly 400,000 people.

Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands, which are a group of islands in the northern Bahamas, were devastated and hit the hardest by Hurricane Dorian, the category 5 hurricane.

“Our weather forecasters told us that if there were a Category 6 ranking, Dorian would qualify.” – CNN Journalist

According to USA Today, Dorian is the slowest and strongest hurricane to ever hit the Bahamas since they began recording hurricanes in 1851. 

The United Nations estimates that 76,000 people are now homeless.

According to Health Minister Duane Sands, the death toll as of Sunday, September 8th, was 44. That number will unfortunately rise as hundreds remain missing on Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands. To make matters worse, Dorian has devastated the infrastructure, which has made it increasingly harder for search and recovery crews.

Evacuation efforts have started, but with an estimated 76,000 now homeless, it would take a massive effort to evacuate the majority of those in need. Bahama’s need all the financial support and aid they can get.

The increase of severe and extreme weather is making it harder and harder for islanders to live in the Caribbean. What will be the cost to rebuild… hundreds of millions if not billions? Where will the aid come from? Will northern Bahamas and other islands in the Caribbean be spared next hurricane season, or what about the hurricane season after that?

These are difficult questions that unfortunately need to be answered.

Like I mentioned earlier, the Bahama’s and their citizens need all the financial support and aid they can get.

There are two ways to help…. donate, and then plan to visit. The Bahamas economy, like most of the islands in the Carribean, is centered around tourism, and tourism is now needed more than ever to help them recover. There are a number of islands in the Bahamas that did not feel the wrath of Dorian. These islands include Cat Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Crooked Island and many more.

Need help with donations? Here are a few of the credible organizations that are accepting donations and aid in support of the Bahamas… 

The Bahamian Government set up the Bahamas Disaster Relief Fund, and they are accepting wire transfers.

The Grand Bahama Port Authority has set up the Grand Bahama Disaster Relief Foundation. They are accepting donations and supplies.

The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency has posted instructions here.

Team Rubicon, a veterans support organization, is assisting with resources and support on the ground.

Mercy Corps is accepting money here coordinating response efforts on the ground.

Good 360 asks that corporations donate goods including water, diapers, bedding, portable chargers and tarps. Individuals can donate cash here.

YachtAid Global is accepting money to purchase supplies.

Global Giving, a global crowdfunding platform, has set up the Hurricane Dorian Relief Fund.

Donate and spread the word… every donation matters. 

Similar Read: Human Extinction (Brought to You by Capitalism)

Blonde Ambition: Is That All It Takes?

by with One Comment FeaturedGlobalPolitics

While the price of the pound sterling erodes faster than the Amazon basin, we see an appreciation in the values of middle-class white privilege, having horrible views and being totally incompetent. I am of course referring to Trump, Johnson and Bolsonaro. We are no longer discussing right-wing politics as their views go beyond protectionism. Their policies are derived from laziness, convenience, self-interest and defiance of doing the right thing. So what exactly is going on in the world? How has it come to this in 2019?​

I want to impress upon you how Trump et al are not simply laughable misfortunes we can shrug our shoulders at. An eclipse of rationality and reality has overcome us with deep scars impending on our social and ecological history. Of course in the three nations, different forces are at play. In the USA, fatigue of being told ‘you need to do the right thing’. Brazil’s vote was swung by appealing to the public’s desperation. Boris bucks the trend in that he was elected by party peers when Theresa May stepped down. At first glance, Boris seems the most harmless in his glory-seeking buffoonery. But a ruthless liar can only mean potential ruin for Britain.​

We all know enough about Trump; but as a Brit, I feel a duty to inform the world of Boris’s incompetence. Despite being fired multiple times for dishonesty, Boris maintained his career as a journalist until entering politics. He then won an election to become Mayor of London. During which he failed to deliver on any of his responsibilities and betrayed promises. Most notorious of these lies is the promise of £350 million a week back into the U.K’s public healthcare system to win the Brexit campaign. This year, Boris was taken to court for these unsubstantiated lies but somehow left unscathed. Dishonourable mention for his 37 offensive public remarks including calling Black children of the commonwealth “flag-waving piccaninnies,” devout Muslim women walking “letterboxes,” likening gay marriage to bestiality and “f**k the families of 7/7″ bombings. ​

If you thought Boris was a farce, Bolsonaro says hold my caipirinha. His rainforest slaying is reported daily, this needs no introduction. He says Black people “are not even good for procreation” and should “go back to the zoo.” He said about an opposing female Congresswoman that she doesn’t even deserve to be raped. Recalling his earlier years on a public sector salary, he would spend his money on sex. So why would so many women and Black Brazilians vote for him? It is speculated that speaking to the electorate’s increasingly popular Catholic values and promises of a quick fix to the country’s crime and ailing economy won it for Bolsonaro. ​

An unsavoury but important question some of us are secretly asking: is White male privilege to blame here? Wealthy, supposedly educated White majority countries elect racist White men. In fact, a White man in Brazil has managed to deeply offend those of Afro-Caribbean descent yet astoundingly garnered the majority of their votes. Why are Trump, Johnson and Bolsonaro untouchable when they are awful human beings? Is it even fair to bring up the White male privilege cliché? Because let’s face it, if a person of colour or a woman held the same views they would not even be in the running, let alone be in office.

My answer to all the above is yes, because this generational phenomenon is the last ripple of imperialism and patriarchy. An act of revolt against liberalism is a revolt against today’s youth… a united youth who want to dissolve lines of socioeconomic class, race, gender identity, orientation and faith to work together. These values are a deep threat to old-world privilege. ​

We have reached shameful new heights for politics in the western world. I look forward to a future where any form of undeserving privilege is an artefact of our troubled history. I am confident that when generation X become the leaders of our world, they can turn some of it around. Let’s hope we haven’t lost the Amazon and our minds by then.

Similar Read: Fascism 101 

Christchurch and the Ignorant Crusade

by with No Comment FeaturedGlobalRace Relations

“Welcome, Brother.” These were the last words of the first victim in the line of 50 other victims who would be killed in the Christchurch massacre. Brenton Harris Tarrant, who is currently the only suspect in the barbaric killings, sent an 87-page manifesto to the Prime Minister of New Zealand moments before committing himself to a long line of terrorists, whose sole purpose in this world is to sow discord and create chaos. 

He streamed the killing live on Facebook, utilizing a feature we all use for showcasing funny cat and dog videos, birthday celebrations, or surprise engagement proposals. He used a feature that was meant to connect people in far away distances and bring them together, to showcase his hatred, rage, and intolerance of a specific religion, and its people.

Some of his victims had escaped war, genocide, persecution, and political discourse. Some of his victims were children, coming to their house of God with their loved ones, eager to show their devotion and then hopefully be able to play or spend time with their families afterwards. Some of his victims showed bravery in the line of fire. They were protecting their sons, and daughters, and strangers. They were facing the ultimate test of being courageous and paying for it with the highest asset they had – their lives.

Support has been outpouring for this tragedy, with the Prime Minister of New Zealand showing real leadership, by donning a hijab as a sign of respect and mourning, to paying for all 51 funerals and financially supporting the families of the victims for as long as they need.

However, at some point, I ask myself is this indeed enough? What the Prime Minister is doing and how the world feels outraged and disgusted is a good sign, a great sign that unity is slowly finding its way against the tide of hatred and injustice once more, but the question remains… is it enough?

We go through these spells, don’t we? Every decade or so, there is a monumental struggle between ideologies, religions, belief systems, or perceptions, that cause the loss of life for so many, only to prove what?

A point? Is anyone genuinely victorious when the death of innocent are involved? When we live out our lives, doing our best to be successful, and happy, and safe in this world, is it enough to “give our thoughts and prayers” to these situations, and their victims?

Are we doing enough? Collectively as a society? 

I do not have the answer to this question, and maybe that’s because I have become so numb from screaming out my frustrations to anyone and everyone who will hear me.

I have exhausted myself from seeing another group of people cruelly gunned down for their beliefs, race, or perceptions.

Exhausted of seeing individuals defend terrorists by claiming there was no outpouring support when another tragedy occurred on this date, at this time, or this place. Tired of the political manipulations and control the so-called leaders of the western world and its media try to spin to get our attention and dictate the narrative.

I am tired of seeing innocent people torn apart because of blatant ignorance and hatred. Tired of having to continually view the media and the joke of leadership we have in this country criticize individuals for who they are, what they wear, how they wear it, gender, sexuality, the color of their skin, the faith they belong to, the geographical location they hail from.

Whatever you believe in, or don’t understand, whatever you align yourself with politically, or don’t align to… remember this, our planet is on the brink of natural disasters changing the very landscape of which we live in, fanaticism and fascism are on the rise and threaten to overcome all sensibility and logic around the world, and the gap of wealth and development is widening at an alarming rate.   

We are the generation that will define what it means to be human. Whether we want that responsibility or not. We who live in this time and era will collectively define our mark on this planet. 

Similar Read: History and the Christchurch Massacre

History and the Christchurch Massacre

by with One Comment FeaturedGlobalRace Relations

“I sleep well. It’s the politicians who are to blame for failing to come to an agreement and resorting to violence.”

You may recognize these words as those of Mikhael Kalashnikov, the inventor of the AK-47. In a world where terrorist attacks and mass shootings have become a daily reminder of the power weapons confer to their holders, there is always a pending question: who is to blame?

Judging by the latest information, the Christchurch shooter was inspired by several European events and figures: Anders Breivik, Marine Le Pen, and the Balkan War among others. This idea that the good, rightful Christian world is being invaded and threatened by the blood-thirsty, ignorant Muslims is not new, but it is sickening that some people still act accordingly to such nonsense. Breivik slaughtered teenagers trapped on an island. Marine Le Pen and her party (Front National) lost the French elections because their claims are absurd, their ideas are utterly racist and the French were either more hopeful or less cynical than the Americans or the Brazilians, who both chose to rally behind pseudo-charismatic, fear-inducing, history-ignoring leaders. There is no such thing as a Muslim invasion. Swapping the word “Muslim” with “Mexican” or “LGBTQ” works as well. The people do not feel threatened or cornered. But to divide is to conquer. It does not go any further than that.

The Balkans were indeed invaded, centuries ago, by the Turks. Many Albanians and Kosovans still revere Skanderbeg as a hero and model of patriotism who fought to defend his country. Nevertheless, many of them are Muslims. If these people can accept their legacy, why does an Australian native decide that he has to go on a shooting spree after invoking the spirits of men who are, or have been, tried by the International Court of Justice for organizing and perpetrating the most recent genocide in Europe?

The Albanian and Kosovan diaspora constitutes one of the most important minorities in Switzerland, and most of them are Muslims. The stigma of the war is still blatantly visible in this community, and conflicts with Serbia over borders and the Kosovan independence are intense. Second or third generations have Swiss passports, do their military service, marry Swiss citizens and could not care less whether their children are the invaders or the invaded. Claiming that the tyrants who cold-heartedly ordered women to be raped and men killed, houses to be burnt not even 30 years ago are modern heroes is simply ignoring the most important lesson history has taught us. Brenton Tarrant was probably not very attentive when his History teacher talked about the Crusades. There is no peace to be found in weapons and hatred. 

Similar Read: Muslim “Re-Education” Camps?

Shamima Begum is a Mother… It matters

by with One Comment FeaturedGlobal

I am a mother. I gave birth to two healthy boys in a hospital, surrounded by professionals and never lacked anything I needed to take care of them as well as I could, except experience for my first-born of course. Shamima Begum is a mother as well. Contrary to me, although she gave birth three times, she can only hold one baby in her arms today. Contrary to me, she didn’t live in a safe environment with everything available in case the babies or she needed anything. Her husband didn’t read parenting books, didn’t wander the streets with his babies in a brand-new foldable pram or in a fancy ergonomic baby-carrier. Her children died. Both of them died and now she’s waiting with her third child for a future. A future in which both she and her child are taken care of, sleep safely and have access to medicines, vaccines, and doctors in case they should need them. Why is Shamima denied what every woman should be granted as soon as, willingly or not, they find themselves pregnant? Because when she was only a fifteen-year-old British girl with a less marginal future ahead of her, she made the wrong choice.

I’m not defending her choice, but I’m deeply convinced that all teenagers make mistakes.

Edit: If she had smoked pot, shoplifted or drunk more than she should have, there would be no question as to whether or not she could return to her native country. She’s not a drug addict, neither a neglecting parent. But she went too far, to Syria, to ISIS, to a romanticized utopia. She believed, as many teenagers did and still do, that she knew better and that she would be taken seriously and useful there. She thought she would be loved and doing the right thing, proving her family, teachers or whoever said she’d better listen that they were wrong. She says she’s willing to change if that can change authorities’ minds about her coming back. Isn’t that what any lost and contrite teenager would say? She has been through so much we can’t even begin to imagine, and she’s still grieving her dead babies while nursing a newborn and trying to keep him alive. 

Shamima Begum deserves better than to be forsaken and denied: she deserves a second chance including psychological support, medical care, and the certitude that as a mother. She has a duty toward her son: doing her best to ensure he grows up in a world made of opportunities and learns from his mistakes. Because just like any other kid, one day, he’ll make some too. 

Similar Read: Shamima Begum Is a Mother… It Matters