Dohiyi Mir

Friday Preemptedblogging

Sam is a bit shocked there is no catblogging or anything about Bil'in on this Friday.

Well, we've been wicked busy...

ntodd

Wednesday Makeupblogging

Just over a year ago, Gracey didn't want to come in.

Yeah, I haven't blogged much.  Sam hasn't, either.

ntodd

This Week Extra Utero: 5

He's such a different boy now:

By five weeks of age, when the corners of your baby's mouth curl up, you can safely attribute it to an actual social smile (unless, of course, you happen to detect that telltale odor that means it's time for another diaper change). And who better to practice those first smiles on than Mom and Dad? (Yes, you!) So keep up those loving interactions with your baby (the little things that mean a lot — like talking, singing, and cooing to your baby) and all three of you will have plenty to smile about.

Something else your 5-week-old baby will smile about around now: music — whether it's you singing your way through a diaper change or the radio humming in the background. Your baby's acutely aware of other sounds too, like bells, barking dogs, vacuum cleaners, and whistles. He or she may kick with pleasure at these sounds, cry out, or quiet down to get a better listen (a lot depends on whether they're sounds that became familiar in utero). Just be sure to note which sounds calm down your baby best so you can recreate them when you need it most!

Your five-week-old is becoming increasingly alert, and may be awake up to 10 hours out of every 24 (but not all at once, and not necessarily in the daytime, unfortunately). Before long, that sleep-awake pattern will become more and more predictable (with baby taking two to three naps of two to three hours each a day). Which leaves a lot of waking hours for your bouncing baby to learn new skills (like bouncing), take in the world — and interact with Mom and Dad. And here's the best news of all: When it comes to stimulating your baby, no special toys or tapes or DVDs are necessary.  Nobody does it better (or more lovingly) than you.  Every time you cuddle, read, sing, hug, touch, and respond, you're giving your baby what he or she needs most to thrive.

Sam has been increasingly alert, able to lift his head and even almost grasping at things (he can grip, but has horrid aim).  Most weep-inducing: he's been smiling more in clearly a social way, including one time today when he he busted out a big, gummy grin as he saw me approaching.

ntodd

No Angels

Members of the House are up in arms about the Goldstone report which notes that both sides of the Gaza War committed crimes.  So I wrote to Congressman Peter Welch:

I was pleased to see that you are not among the co-sponsors of H.RES.867 (Calling on the President and the Secretary of State to oppose unequivocally any endorsement or further consideration of the "Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict" in multilateral fora.).  

I suspect you and your too-few colleagues who actually took the time to go to Gaza understand the real issues at stake and appreciate the balanced approach taken in the Goldstone Report.  There are no angels in this conflict, and to refuse to consider how each side contributes to the continuing violence is to guarantee the peace process cannot work.  I hope you will cast a Nay vote and perhaps educate your fellow Members during debate on the Floor.

Peter and I disagree about Congress' role in the process--he thinks Obama has to take the lead and the Legislature really can't kibitz--but he does really get a lot about the Israeli-Palestinian mess.  I suspect he'll vote the right way on this typical symbolic resolution.  I'd better follow up with his office by phone, though...

ntodd

Friday In Bil'in: 245

More incitement to non-violence:

Two injured and several demonstrators suffered from tear gas inhalation from canisters thrown at them by the Israeli occupation soldiers in their attempt to suppress the weekly protest of Bil’in citizens and solidarity groups.

The demonstration was called by the Popular Committee Against the Wall and started directly after the Friday prayers. Bil’in citizens were joined by a group of international and Israeli peace activists and together they raised Palestinian flags and banners condemning the occupation, racist policy of building the Wall and settlements, land confiscation, road closures and detention and killing of innocent people.

Adeeb Abu Rahmah, a leading activist and organizer from the West Bank village of Bil’in has been held in detention since his arrest during a demonstration on 10 July 2009.

Bil’in’s weekly demonstration against the Wall and settlements was devoted to calling for the release of Abu Rahmah, as well as to protesting the ongoing attempts to eliminate the village’s resistance. Protesters marched on Friday wearing masks of Adeeb, declaring “We are all Adeeb Abu Rahmah”.

Abu Rahmah, who has been detained for over three months, is not suspected of committing any violence, but was indicted with a blanket charge of "incitement to violence", which was very liberally interpreted in this case to include the organizing of grassroots demonstrations. A judge had initially ruled that Abu Rahmah is released with restrictive conditions, but an appeal filed by the military prosecution had the decision overturned, and he was remanded until the end of legal proceedings. Since the arrest, the defense has appealed this decision four times. Trials often last up to a year and Abu Rahmah is the sole provider for a family of eleven.

Abu Rahmah’s arrest came amidst an Israeli arrest and intimidation campaign that began concurrently with preliminary hearings in a Bil’in lawsuit against two Canadian companies responsible for the construction in the settlement of Modiin Illit. In almost five years of protest, 75 Bil’in residents were arrested in connection to demonstrations against the Wall. Of them, 27 have been arrested in the recent, ongoing arrest campaign. Israeli forces have been regularly invading homes and forcefully searching for demonstration participants, targeting the leaders of the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, as well as teenage boys accused of stone throwing. Sixteen currently remain in detention, nine of which are minors.

On 23 June 2009, the Canadian court heard the preliminary arguments for a suit brought by Bil’in against two companies registered in Canada (Green Park International & Green Mount International). The village is seeking justice against the construction of settlements on its lands under the 2000 Canadian Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Statute, which incorporates international humanitarian law into Canadian federal law. Some of the people arrested in the latest wave of arrests have reported being questioned in regards to this suit during their interrogation.

Doing another fundraiser, this time to send my dear friend Liz to Gaza for the Freedom March around the New Year.  I've already donated through the Facebook cause, so if you're into the social networking scene check it out!

ntodd

Crossover

3.3 times as many troops have died in Afghanistan this year than in Iraq--that includes more than 2x the number of US troops.  And more have died in Obama's War this year than the last 2 years combined in Iraq.  Yes, by all means let's escalate, Mr President.

ntodd

She's Back!

Ericka's sparking the blog back up.

ntodd

Under The Bus II

This totally isn't change to believe in:

[President Obama signed a bill that] expands current hate crimes law to include violence based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. To assure its passage after years of frustrated efforts, Democratic supporters attached the measure to the must-pass defense policy bill over the steep objections of many Republicans.

The White House put most of its focus on what the bill does contain: project after project that Obama billed as unneeded. The bill terminates production of the F-22 fighter jet program, which has its origins in the Cold War era and, its critics maintain, is poorly suited for anti-insurgent battles in Iraq and Afghanistan.

F-22 killed (thanks to Code Pink et al) and hate crimes expanded (thanks to Human Rights Campaign et al).  Damn, if only President McCain had been in charge...

ntodd

Under The Bus

Fucking Democrats, always selling us out:

House Democrats reached agreement Wednesday on key elements of a health care bill that would vastly alter America's medical landscape, requiring virtually universal sign-ups and establishing a new government-run insurance option for millions.

Clearly all our efforts of the last few months have been for naught.

ntodd