Ne News
4 March 2018
Welcome to another installment of Week in Review. Sorry for not having an installment last week. But this week, we look back at some of the stories that has been under the Ne News radar these past two weeks.
End of Two-Party System in the United States of America
Are the American people on the verge of overthrowing the two-party political duolopy (Republican and Democratic Parties)? As reported by Press TV, Ohio Governor John Kasich (who is a Republican) has said that the two-party system that has dominated American politics for over a century might be nearing it's end (http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/02/25/553607/US-Kasich-Republicans-Democrats-two-party-system-collapse-Trump).
Both Democrats and Republicans talk about "spreading democracy around the world", but in the United States of America, they are largely the only parties to appear on the ballot. In televised debates, you rarely get to see "third parties" (such as Greens, Libertarian and even Socialists) participate in these debates.
But it is worth noting that the term "democracy" means "rule of the people". This means that government must serve the people, but the Ancient Greeks (who invented democracy) didn't have political parties, they had direct democracy. It can be argued that you can have a true democracy even if there is only one political party, and you can have a dictatorship even if there is more than one political party.
In Libya before the overthrow of Muammar al-Gaddafi, the country was more democratic than the United States of America. In fact, Libya under Muammar al-Gaddafi was one of the most democratic states in Africa, but was a threat to the domination that Washington and Brussels want to have. In fact, Libya was an example of a direct democracy, despite Western propaganda that said otherwise.
There was a comedian who one spoke about the limited choices you have with political parties, media outlets and that, but you have a choice of 26 flavors of bagels. And you can decide who wins American Idol, but otherwise, you have no say in the so-called "land of the free".
Australia and New Zealand Approves "Golden Rice"
One story that has definitely gone under the radar in the past week was the approval by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) of so-called "golden rice" and this approval has garnered negative reactions and widespread critique in both countries (https://www.asia-pacificresearch.com/civil-society-in-australia-and-new-zealand-decries-fsanz-approval-of-gm-golden-rice/5627697). It should be noted that this so-called "golden rice" has been promoted throughout the world, including in South East Asia (http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/golden-rice-gmo-super-gruel-for-masses.html; http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/golden-rice-gmo-super-gruel-for-masses.html).
It should be noted that while biotech companies such as Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer and others have been actively promoting GMOs (as well as forcing it onto the people of the world), it is worth noting that their bosses eats...organic food.
However, this "golden rice" has been marred in controversy with civil society in Asia and GMO watch groups have been wary of Golden Rice as rice is not just the staple food for one third of the world’s population, it is also a political crop.
Opposition to GMOs is growing throughout the world, but you won't hear about this revolution in the mainstream media.
U.S. Marine Corps Sexual Violence on Okinawa
And finally, while the world is focusing on sexual violence in the world of showbiz and the #MeToo movement, one group is committing sexual violence and not even a blink of the eye. That's right, the US Marine Corps has been escaping scrutiny on this issue (https://www.asia-pacificresearch.com/u-s-marine-corps-sexual-violence-on-okinawa/5627628). According to a report by the US Department of Defense (the most recent being 2016), approximately 40 service members were sexually assaulted every day. The Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military estimates 14,900 service members – 8,600 women and 6,300 men – experienced sexual assaults in 2016 (http://www.sapr.mil/public/docs/reports/FY16_Annual/FY16_SAPRO_Annual_Report.pdf).
It should be noted that between 2015 and 2016, marines that are stationed on Okinawa have targeted Japanese civilians, including children, in at least four previously unpublicized sexual offense cases, according to the NCIS files. Two of the cases involved violent sexual attacks on adult women; another marine apparently exposed himself on two occasions outside schools near Camp Hansen. But this is not unqiue to Okinawa, as there is mounting evidence that this is happening on US bases elsewhere in the world.
There are growing opposition to US military bases throughout the world, but it is likely that what is happening on Okinawa (which was occupied by the United States of America between 1945 and 1972) is only the tip of the iceberg, but deep down, it is more sinister.
That is all for this week. Until next week.
4 March 2018
Welcome to another installment of Week in Review. Sorry for not having an installment last week. But this week, we look back at some of the stories that has been under the Ne News radar these past two weeks.
End of Two-Party System in the United States of America
Both Democrats and Republicans talk about "spreading democracy around the world", but in the United States of America, they are largely the only parties to appear on the ballot. In televised debates, you rarely get to see "third parties" (such as Greens, Libertarian and even Socialists) participate in these debates.
But it is worth noting that the term "democracy" means "rule of the people". This means that government must serve the people, but the Ancient Greeks (who invented democracy) didn't have political parties, they had direct democracy. It can be argued that you can have a true democracy even if there is only one political party, and you can have a dictatorship even if there is more than one political party.
In Libya before the overthrow of Muammar al-Gaddafi, the country was more democratic than the United States of America. In fact, Libya under Muammar al-Gaddafi was one of the most democratic states in Africa, but was a threat to the domination that Washington and Brussels want to have. In fact, Libya was an example of a direct democracy, despite Western propaganda that said otherwise.
There was a comedian who one spoke about the limited choices you have with political parties, media outlets and that, but you have a choice of 26 flavors of bagels. And you can decide who wins American Idol, but otherwise, you have no say in the so-called "land of the free".
Australia and New Zealand Approves "Golden Rice"
One story that has definitely gone under the radar in the past week was the approval by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) of so-called "golden rice" and this approval has garnered negative reactions and widespread critique in both countries (https://www.asia-pacificresearch.com/civil-society-in-australia-and-new-zealand-decries-fsanz-approval-of-gm-golden-rice/5627697). It should be noted that this so-called "golden rice" has been promoted throughout the world, including in South East Asia (http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/golden-rice-gmo-super-gruel-for-masses.html; http://landdestroyer.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/golden-rice-gmo-super-gruel-for-masses.html).
It should be noted that while biotech companies such as Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer and others have been actively promoting GMOs (as well as forcing it onto the people of the world), it is worth noting that their bosses eats...organic food.
However, this "golden rice" has been marred in controversy with civil society in Asia and GMO watch groups have been wary of Golden Rice as rice is not just the staple food for one third of the world’s population, it is also a political crop.
Opposition to GMOs is growing throughout the world, but you won't hear about this revolution in the mainstream media.
U.S. Marine Corps Sexual Violence on Okinawa
And finally, while the world is focusing on sexual violence in the world of showbiz and the #MeToo movement, one group is committing sexual violence and not even a blink of the eye. That's right, the US Marine Corps has been escaping scrutiny on this issue (https://www.asia-pacificresearch.com/u-s-marine-corps-sexual-violence-on-okinawa/5627628). According to a report by the US Department of Defense (the most recent being 2016), approximately 40 service members were sexually assaulted every day. The Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military estimates 14,900 service members – 8,600 women and 6,300 men – experienced sexual assaults in 2016 (http://www.sapr.mil/public/docs/reports/FY16_Annual/FY16_SAPRO_Annual_Report.pdf).
It should be noted that between 2015 and 2016, marines that are stationed on Okinawa have targeted Japanese civilians, including children, in at least four previously unpublicized sexual offense cases, according to the NCIS files. Two of the cases involved violent sexual attacks on adult women; another marine apparently exposed himself on two occasions outside schools near Camp Hansen. But this is not unqiue to Okinawa, as there is mounting evidence that this is happening on US bases elsewhere in the world.
There are growing opposition to US military bases throughout the world, but it is likely that what is happening on Okinawa (which was occupied by the United States of America between 1945 and 1972) is only the tip of the iceberg, but deep down, it is more sinister.
That is all for this week. Until next week.
Comments
Post a Comment