I was meant to write a blog on the day of Obama's inauguration, but to tell you the truth I spent most of the day plonked it front of the TV, watching the celebrations and waiting for his speech (wishing that I was there!)
His speech was absolutely spot on.
Prior to it, there was huge media speculation into what exactly he would say with bets being made as to how many times we would hear "Yes we can!" and "Change has come!".
Obama proved that these slogans were for the presidential campaign only.
No longer will there be cheesy slogans, it's time to get to work and you could tell he could not wait a minute longer.
Although I only remember two presidential elections in my lifetime, I really do believe that Obama will be different to any other president that has been in office.
He is polite and genuine, yet does not hesitate to get straight to the point.
Within a few minutes of his speech, he told the world that his way of working would be very different to that of the last administration.
Amnesty International has given Obama a 100 days to bring what is believes to be crucial changes to the United States of America.
To close Guantanamo Bay, end torture and ill-treatment, and to ensure an independent commission into US 'war on terror' abuses.
The U.S. has, since September 11th, justified human rights violations and has used forms of degrading treatments in Guantanamo, which has been completely unacceptable.
I believe it will take less than a 100 days for Obama to achieve what Amnesty has put forward.
After less than 48 hours in office, he signed to end interrogation and torture in Guantanamo.
He has so far proved that he means business and that he will not allow what George W. Bush did - a serious abuse of human rights.
Saturday, 24 January 2009
Saturday, 10 January 2009
"This is a race war...being waged against white people."
If you log on to http://www.kkk.bz/ there is an article worth reading titled The Disgrace of it All.
This is an article of hatred and warning by the Ku Klux Klan to the whites of America, that they have made the wrong decision in voting for a black man.
"...white people who foolishly rejected the future security of their children only heard the sound of the piper".
With only ten days until Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States, the Klan is urgently trying to convince whites that their children will not be safe whilst an African-American rules the country.
Whites will have to watch the news and see "little black children playing in the rose garden" and apparently this will be part of Obama's betrayal to whites in America.
It says that now is the opportunity for us to "begin the process of sticking together."
According to Klan statistics, 39% of white women and 41% of white men voted for Obama in the 2008 election.
The 'white Anglo-Saxon protestant' group is clearly angered by this.
They go on to argue that this was an election based on race:-
"This has not been a battle between Republicans or Democrats. This was not a battle between liberals and conservatives. This is a race war - a culture war - being waged against white people."
Why can't they understand that this was not an election based on race - this was White, Black, First Americans, Latinos and others, all rooting together for this exiting change in America.
The highest number of young people turned up to vote in this election because Obama managed to get them excited about politics.
The KKK website assures us that:-
"We are a legally recognized, white rights political organization working to promote western Christian civilization - This means LAW and ORDER! We do not offer gun training. We do not promote violence - EVER! We do not have secret rituals - EVER!"
This hatred it promotes towards Barack Obama is in my view urging whites to feel hostility and anger towards him and everyone that voted for him.
At the bottom of their main page it reads:-
"Have YOU considered what your children learn at school? Are they learning that homosexuality and lesbianism are cool? Are they learning that interracial dating and marriage is acceptable? Have they been told that the white race has been the scourge of the earth - destroying everything in its path?"
History speaks for itself and this homophobic -racist propaganda is in no way promoting peace and non-violence.
Barack Obama is willing to do what other African Americans have done before him.
It is no secret that he already has and will put his life in danger by becoming President of the United States.
It is a shame that these ignorant people will do anything to threaten the Obama presidency based purely on the colour of his skin.
This is an article of hatred and warning by the Ku Klux Klan to the whites of America, that they have made the wrong decision in voting for a black man.
"...white people who foolishly rejected the future security of their children only heard the sound of the piper".
With only ten days until Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States, the Klan is urgently trying to convince whites that their children will not be safe whilst an African-American rules the country.
Whites will have to watch the news and see "little black children playing in the rose garden" and apparently this will be part of Obama's betrayal to whites in America.
It says that now is the opportunity for us to "begin the process of sticking together."
According to Klan statistics, 39% of white women and 41% of white men voted for Obama in the 2008 election.
The 'white Anglo-Saxon protestant' group is clearly angered by this.
They go on to argue that this was an election based on race:-
"This has not been a battle between Republicans or Democrats. This was not a battle between liberals and conservatives. This is a race war - a culture war - being waged against white people."
Why can't they understand that this was not an election based on race - this was White, Black, First Americans, Latinos and others, all rooting together for this exiting change in America.
The highest number of young people turned up to vote in this election because Obama managed to get them excited about politics.
The KKK website assures us that:-
"We are a legally recognized, white rights political organization working to promote western Christian civilization - This means LAW and ORDER! We do not offer gun training. We do not promote violence - EVER! We do not have secret rituals - EVER!"
This hatred it promotes towards Barack Obama is in my view urging whites to feel hostility and anger towards him and everyone that voted for him.
At the bottom of their main page it reads:-
"Have YOU considered what your children learn at school? Are they learning that homosexuality and lesbianism are cool? Are they learning that interracial dating and marriage is acceptable? Have they been told that the white race has been the scourge of the earth - destroying everything in its path?"
History speaks for itself and this homophobic -racist propaganda is in no way promoting peace and non-violence.
Barack Obama is willing to do what other African Americans have done before him.
It is no secret that he already has and will put his life in danger by becoming President of the United States.
It is a shame that these ignorant people will do anything to threaten the Obama presidency based purely on the colour of his skin.
Friday, 9 January 2009
The Fari Lwyd raising money for Africa
It has been a shaky start to the New Year to say the least.
With the rising conflict in Gaza to more unemployment, people across the world have had a tough time over the last few weeks.
I was therefore pleased to hear some good news that the local youth group had managed to raise over a £1,500 for WaterAid.
They had taken part in a sponsored trek up the Pen y Fan mountain, situated in the Brecon Beacons; the third highest summit in Wales.
The local church had arranged a meal in aid of WaterAid which was a great way of getting members of the community together and raising money for a good cause.
The third way in which the community raised the money was by taking part in the old Welsh tradition of the Fari Lwyd.
Families will go from door to door singing traditional rhymes and will wish them a happy new year, and the old tradition was to carry a horses' skull with you.
The tradition has disappeared in many parts of Wales although our locals take part in this tradition most years.
It was good to see that the Fari Lwyd had been successful in raising money for families on the other side of the world, whilst at the same time keeping up with the tradition.
It was also a reminder that people are willing to help eachother out, at a time when hatred is becoming out of hand.
With the rising conflict in Gaza to more unemployment, people across the world have had a tough time over the last few weeks.
I was therefore pleased to hear some good news that the local youth group had managed to raise over a £1,500 for WaterAid.
They had taken part in a sponsored trek up the Pen y Fan mountain, situated in the Brecon Beacons; the third highest summit in Wales.
The local church had arranged a meal in aid of WaterAid which was a great way of getting members of the community together and raising money for a good cause.
The third way in which the community raised the money was by taking part in the old Welsh tradition of the Fari Lwyd.
Families will go from door to door singing traditional rhymes and will wish them a happy new year, and the old tradition was to carry a horses' skull with you.
The tradition has disappeared in many parts of Wales although our locals take part in this tradition most years.
It was good to see that the Fari Lwyd had been successful in raising money for families on the other side of the world, whilst at the same time keeping up with the tradition.
It was also a reminder that people are willing to help eachother out, at a time when hatred is becoming out of hand.
Sunday, 4 January 2009
Has the world gone mad...
BBC News Online has become, since starting my journalism course, part of a daily routine.
When a day goes by and I haven't actually been on the website, I feel deprived of the instant news that it provides.
Bit sad really, but it is the best way to keep updated on both local and international news.
There is always a story that saddens or surprises me but like most people, I read it and then click to see the next one.
If you go to the link below, you can take a look at one of the headlines in the Americas today.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7810192.stm
The reason it really caught my eye is because I have previously blogged on the issue of gun ownership in the US and am very certain of my views on this issue.
The story above briefly is that a 12-year-old boy in the state of Arizona shot and murdered his own mother, because she had asked him to do some household chores.
He had got the pistol from a bedroom cupboard and shot his mother eight times; it turns out that his mothers live-in boyfriend had taught the boy how to use a gun in self-defence.
A number of questions arise from this story.
Why did a 12-year-old need to know how to use a weapon? Why was there need for a weapon in the family home? Is there not a serious issue of concern when children are using guns to kill their own parents?
All I can say is roll on the Obama presidency...
When a day goes by and I haven't actually been on the website, I feel deprived of the instant news that it provides.
Bit sad really, but it is the best way to keep updated on both local and international news.
There is always a story that saddens or surprises me but like most people, I read it and then click to see the next one.
If you go to the link below, you can take a look at one of the headlines in the Americas today.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7810192.stm
The reason it really caught my eye is because I have previously blogged on the issue of gun ownership in the US and am very certain of my views on this issue.
The story above briefly is that a 12-year-old boy in the state of Arizona shot and murdered his own mother, because she had asked him to do some household chores.
He had got the pistol from a bedroom cupboard and shot his mother eight times; it turns out that his mothers live-in boyfriend had taught the boy how to use a gun in self-defence.
A number of questions arise from this story.
Why did a 12-year-old need to know how to use a weapon? Why was there need for a weapon in the family home? Is there not a serious issue of concern when children are using guns to kill their own parents?
All I can say is roll on the Obama presidency...
Friday, 2 January 2009
Losing our priorities with Celebrity Big Brother '09
Call me old fashioned but having four children with four different fathers is not exactly what I would aspire to have.
But that is exactly what Ulrika Jonsson has done.
The 41-year-old television presenter gave birth to her fourth child last summer, with U.S. advertising executive Brian Monet.
Splashed across the tabloids were criticisms that Jonsson was a bad mother for allowing this to happen.
Although it is not uncommon for children in this day and age to grow up in broken families, Ulrika has really broken the barriers.
Her children Cameron, Bo, Martha and Malcolm are probably as confused as we are as to who the fathers are and why they are not part of their lives.
To think this was bad enough, it was announced this week the names of who would be appearing in Celebrity Big Brother this year. And guess who has decided to enter the house... Ulrika Jonsson.
Yes to think that she would want to stay close to her six-month old baby and three other children, we have been mistaken.
Reality television has taken over our world and now even mothers can enter, leaving their children at home with their celebrity nannies.
Of course it is up to her as to whether she should enter the house, but I can't imagine that my mother would have left me and my 'three step siblings' at six months old for a reality show.
There is no doubt that priorities are changing and this might be one thing that I do actually feel pretty old fashioned about.
But that is exactly what Ulrika Jonsson has done.
The 41-year-old television presenter gave birth to her fourth child last summer, with U.S. advertising executive Brian Monet.
Splashed across the tabloids were criticisms that Jonsson was a bad mother for allowing this to happen.
Although it is not uncommon for children in this day and age to grow up in broken families, Ulrika has really broken the barriers.
Her children Cameron, Bo, Martha and Malcolm are probably as confused as we are as to who the fathers are and why they are not part of their lives.
To think this was bad enough, it was announced this week the names of who would be appearing in Celebrity Big Brother this year. And guess who has decided to enter the house... Ulrika Jonsson.
Yes to think that she would want to stay close to her six-month old baby and three other children, we have been mistaken.
Reality television has taken over our world and now even mothers can enter, leaving their children at home with their celebrity nannies.
Of course it is up to her as to whether she should enter the house, but I can't imagine that my mother would have left me and my 'three step siblings' at six months old for a reality show.
There is no doubt that priorities are changing and this might be one thing that I do actually feel pretty old fashioned about.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)