Another World Is Possible

On December 8 in Mexico City, Stephen Lendman received the prestigious Journalists Club of Mexico's (Club de Periodistas) annual International Journalism Award at an elaborate internationally broadcast ceremony on television and radio.

Distinguished guests attended, including Mexican and foreign journalists, media representatives, and others. A representative of Mexican President Filipe Calderon was present to deliver his prepared remarks, congratulating recipients. The event was extraordinary in all respects. Someone called it the truth-telling journalistic equivalent of Hollywood's Oscars. All recipients got a certificate and medal draped over our heads like an Olympiad winner. Mostly Mexican and other Latin American journalists were honored. Two North Americans only were invited - Stephen Lendman from America and Mahdi Nazemroaya from Canada. They both got a chance to speak briefly on international television to all Latin America. Their remarks were translated. Stephen's opening comment was:

Today, this gringo from north of the border is proud to call himself a periodista.

Translated it means journalist. But for the Mexican Journalist Club it's much more. They hold annual events. Next year will be their 60th anniversary. Each year they honor journalists for their contribution to truth. Stephen says he is truly overwhelmed, deeply honored, and extremely humbled to have been invited to participate. He'll treasure what happened forever, won't ever forget its meaning, and will try always to live up to it. [URL]

Stephen Lendman

There are a myriad of overwhelming problems and
ailments inflicting the health of Gaza residents,
especially children as a result of the ever-growing
lakes of sewage like that of the "great lake" or the
"Majari". [Click on image to enlarge.]

Since locked down and isolated by Israel, Gaza's experienced systemic crisis. Its health system especially was gravely harmed.

Many services and life-saving treatments aren't available. Accessing it elsewhere is uncertain and tenuous. Treating chronic illnesses is jeopardized by inadequate medicines and proper equipment.

Regular Israel incursions and air attacks exacerbate bad conditions. So do deficient fuel and electricity supplies, as well as unsafe drinking water and other health hazards.

Conditions are getting worse, not better. In September Physicians for Human Rights/Israel (PHR/I) said:

"Israel glaringly violate(s) the rights of Palestinians to health, each time in a different manner." It said the right to health "extends to (its) underlying determinants, (including) food and nutrition, housing, access to safe and potable water and adequate sanitation, safe and healthy working conditions, and a healthy environment."

By imposing draconian impediments, Palestinians, especially Gazans, lack proper health services. As a result, lives are lost and human suffering aggravated.

"As these lines are being written, we are witnessing a grave crisis in the Gaza health system." Its Ministry of Health reports dozens of medications in short supply or exhausted. Moreover, 123 types of medical equipment are unavailable. Dozens of others need replacing.

Israel's Gaza policy is "humanitarian minimum." Often it's non-existent. Gaza lurches from one crisis to another. Duct tape solutions won't solve it.

Absent change, "it is difficult to anticipate an end to the daily suffering of the sick and infirm individuals residing in these territories," especially besieged Gazans.

As an occupying power, Israel bears full responsibility. Nonetheless, it willfully and systematically breaches its international law obligations. As a result, Gazans suffer horrifically, especially on accessing healthcare when it's most needed.

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Stephen Lendman

A commonly accepted definition calls human rights basic freedoms

"to which all humans are entitled, often held to include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law."

The UN said "(o)n Human Rights Day 2011, we pay tribute to all human rights defenders and ask you to get involved in the global human rights movement."

On December 9, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay will host a live online Facebook/Twitter/Weibo (Chinese) global conversation from 9:30AM - 10:30AM EST to answer questions participants ask. They're your rights, she says. "Know them, demand them, defend them."

December 10 commemorates the day General Assembly members adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948.

World leaders pledged to "complement the UN Charter with a road map to guarantee the rights of every individual everywhere."

As a result, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was discussed at the General Assembly's first session in 1946. It submitted the UNHR to the Economic and Social Council "for reference to the Commission on Human Rights for consideration....in its preparation of an international bill of rights."

Eleanor Roosevelt chaired the UDHR drafting committee. Seventeen other political, cultural and religious figures joined her. She perhaps was its driving force.

In September 1948, its first draft was completed. Over 50 member states participated in its final drafting. On December 10, 1948, UN Resolution 217 A (III) was adopted by the UNHR. No members dissented. Eight abstained. Despite emerging Cold War tensions, common ground was found.

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Justin Raimondo

Former VP Cheney coming to sign his book.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case brought by Steven Howards, a Colorado man arrested by Secret Service agents when he confronted then-Vice President Dick Cheney at a shopping mall and told him he thought the Iraq war was “disgusting.” Howards happened to be in the mall when he noticed Cheney was there, signing books and posing for photographs with mall-goers: he phoned a friend and told him he was going to wait on line for a chance to pose with the Vice President and then tell him what he thought of the war: “I’m going to ask him [Cheney] how many kids he’s killed today.”

A Secret Service agent overheard him and put out an alert to watch for the man in the green t-shirt. Howards got in line, waited for his turn to pose with Cheney, and when it was his turn he delivered his message, to which Cheney replied, rather stupidly: “Thank you.”

What happened next is in dispute: the Secret Service claims he “pushed off” and even “slapped” the VP: Howards says he was merely patting the war criminal on the shoulder. In any case, Howards at first denied touching Cheney at all, later admitting he might have had a brief contact – and this was the pretext for his arrest.

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