by pamela wills
The asylum process differs from country to country and as does the length of time to make a decision, be that positive or negative.
According to the 2005 UN statistics, the USA admitted the highest number of asylum seekers in the developed world in the past five years with the UK not far behind. I have been to New York and established Polish and Irish communities already exist from previous mass movement of refugees after the potato famine in Ireland and World War II which led to millions of Poles relocating around the war after Stalin had stated that any Poles that fought for the allies would face persecution under the Russian controlled communist government of Poland at that time.
May people see the USA and UK via cable TV and think that the streets are paved with gold. It’s only when they arrive in these countries that they realise that life is not easy and that poverty and homelessness still exists in two of the richest countries of the world. The UK has strong colonial links from the days of the British Empire with a third of the world once coming under its protectorate. These strong links, its multi-cultural society and the English language mean the UK is often favoured as a destination for claiming asylum.
The highest number of asylum seekers are coming from Iraq, Iran, Somalia and an increasing number of Chinese are claiming asylum in the UK. The reasons for claiming asylum vary from Political and Religious Oppression to Tribal Conflict and Sexual Orientation in a country that has no freedom regarding sexuality.
The problem is removing those asylum seekers that have been refused asylum as they often disappear into society working illegally and moving from location to location to avoid detention and deportation. Charles Clark is the third Home Secretary in past few years to lose his jobs over the problem of immigration. These problems are leading to the Far-Right British National Party making political gains due to the immigration problems.
But this increase in far Right popularity has not stopped asylum seekers coming to the UK in search of safety and sanctuary and with the continuing trouble in Iraq, political and nuclear problems in Iran, renewed fighting in Somalia and the ever lasting border war between Ethiopia and Eritrea; It looks like the USA and UK will continue honouring its agreement under the UN Convention for years to come.
I work with the Green and Ethical directory GuideMeGreen.com .This growing green resource lists 100s of Organic, Fairtrade, Eco and Ethical companies, Jobs and Articles
Article Source: www.article-hangout.com
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Friday, December 29, 2006
Reading Between the Lines: The News or Propaganda
by Dr. John W. Gilmore
The news media simply covered the speeches, marches, protests, wars, and so on, and reported what they saw objectively, allowing those who watched to make up their own minds about what was happening. This, according to Thomas Jefferson and several people of his time, was the job of the media. Thomas Jefferson and many of the writers of the constitution recognized that an uninformed population could not participate in democracy. The encouraged the production of several types of newspapers with low cost postage so that varying opinions could be distributed.
They theorized that the public, after watching several points of view and having several discussions, could then use their democratic power to pass information on how to better manage the country up, instead of ways to manage the country being passed down. This concept may seem odd, and downright revolutionary. The only reason this is the case, however, is that the news and the media are no longer doing their job. If they were, I would not be the first one letting you know this. During the Reagan era in the 80’s, the laws that didn’t permit corporations to monopolize by buying up all the media were abolished to the point that there are only now six corporations with interchangeable boards owing all of the media.
These articles, therefor, are articles about how you may discover the truth about the news. You can discover what is happening behind the scenes and what kind of propaganda that the news media is pushing by simply watching and remembering. Watching them and seeing what they are saying or not saying, and remember the previous messages you have heard in the news the same day, or even months ahead of time. We will be going over many complicated concepts, but as we take them step by step, over a period of time, they will be completely understandable. The first concept that we will discuss actually comes from a type of biblical criticism that is used to determine what various scripture and stories in the bible seem to be trying get across and what they aren’t. This is called Narrative Theological Criticism.
Even though it has to do with the bible and all of that, this type of criticism can be applied to any type of literature. What is the news, except for spoken literature? First we will go over the process of all theological criticism and then Narrative criticism. The root concept concerns what is known as a hermeneutic circle. It goes like this:
Whenever we read something and try to get information from it, we should know at least three things. One thing is about the context in which the information is written. What kind of people wrote it? What are their belief systems? What are their biases? What point are they trying to get across? In other words, what is their agenda?
The next thing is to understand our context. What do we bring to the text? What is our belief system. What is the belief system of the place in which we live? Where are our biases? How can they influence what we here?
Lastly we understand what the text actually says. What is the written and literary meaning of the text? If we can understand these three things it is very possible that we can understand what the text actually says. We can understand what the message is actually saying. As we do this we change and our understanding changes, so we begin to get a deeper, more truthful understanding of the text—in this case, the news.
As we watch the news, we need to begin to understand the context. Where do the news casters get money? What stations are they on? What is their point of view? What are their biases? What happens if they speak out against the interest of those who are paying them?
We should also work at understanding what we bring to the text. What are our biases? What type of stereotypes have be been subjected to when it comes to Gay people, minorities, women, Arabs, Communists, Koreans, and so on? These stereotypes, of course, shape our beliefs about these people on a subconscious level. What ones do we have and how are they interpreting what we see in front of us on the news?
Lastly, what is the news actually saying. Is it setting up new stereotypes, or purposely playing on the stereotypes and biases we have? What is the news not saying? Are we hearing points of view that are totally the same, stated two different ways, or are we hearing apposing points of view? Or apposing points that have consensus when it comes to what we should do? More importantly, are the questions for any good story being answered? All good stories should answer the questions who, what, when, where. Many newscasters are good at answering these questions, but they are not very good at going deeper. They are not good at asking why, and how? These two questions are the most important. If they do not ask these questions and provide answers for them, it is most likely they are not doing good reporting. They are simply trying to stop us from thinking deeply by supplying us with answers that make us guilty of surface thinking.
F. Scott Peck wrote about the problem with many people in our day being surface thinking. He said that the mind is somewhat like a muscle. If we use it and think a lot, thinking deeply becomes easier. If we do not think a lot, it becomes more and more difficult and uncomfortable until we cannot think anymore. We may even become angry if we are forced to think deeply. I would dare suggest that much of the media, news and also movie, is providing us step by step with simple answers, so that it is difficult for us to think now. It is important, therefor, to read between the lines. When we hear a story, whether they provide the answers or not, it is important for us to ask, internally, why? Why is this happening? Why would this person do this? Why is this story on right now? And also how. How could these people do the things of which they are accused.
As we do this we will begin to think more deeply and will understand that the news that we think is so informative is just a propaganda machine for the six corporations that own 98% of the print, radio and TV media, and the advertisers that pay for their services. If the news program you watch interviews people asking the question why over and over again until it is answered and presents you with those answers, it is very likely that you are looking at a very good news program.
In our next article we will discuss Narrative Theological Criticism, which states that the writer of the narrative is purposely trying to pass on his or her information to you and the text is only a vehicle to do so. We will see how the same principles apply to all forms of news. I hope that you will enjoy this article. Most of the enclosed information can be found in our book: A Return to Being Human Religiously, by Dr. John W. Gilmore. This book can give you the tools to free yourself from social conditioning and surface thinking so that you will have complete understanding about the western frame that influences all of our thinking.
Dr. John W. Gilmore is a writer, martial arts teacher, a certified massage therapist, Reiki Master Teacher and Reflexologist. He received his D. Min. Degree in Reinventing Work and Spirituality. For more articles like this see our free journals at our website www.dswellness.com, or visit our free Cyber Circle of Spirituality. You can visit it from a link on our website.
Article Source: www.article-hangout.com
The news media simply covered the speeches, marches, protests, wars, and so on, and reported what they saw objectively, allowing those who watched to make up their own minds about what was happening. This, according to Thomas Jefferson and several people of his time, was the job of the media. Thomas Jefferson and many of the writers of the constitution recognized that an uninformed population could not participate in democracy. The encouraged the production of several types of newspapers with low cost postage so that varying opinions could be distributed.
They theorized that the public, after watching several points of view and having several discussions, could then use their democratic power to pass information on how to better manage the country up, instead of ways to manage the country being passed down. This concept may seem odd, and downright revolutionary. The only reason this is the case, however, is that the news and the media are no longer doing their job. If they were, I would not be the first one letting you know this. During the Reagan era in the 80’s, the laws that didn’t permit corporations to monopolize by buying up all the media were abolished to the point that there are only now six corporations with interchangeable boards owing all of the media.
These articles, therefor, are articles about how you may discover the truth about the news. You can discover what is happening behind the scenes and what kind of propaganda that the news media is pushing by simply watching and remembering. Watching them and seeing what they are saying or not saying, and remember the previous messages you have heard in the news the same day, or even months ahead of time. We will be going over many complicated concepts, but as we take them step by step, over a period of time, they will be completely understandable. The first concept that we will discuss actually comes from a type of biblical criticism that is used to determine what various scripture and stories in the bible seem to be trying get across and what they aren’t. This is called Narrative Theological Criticism.
Even though it has to do with the bible and all of that, this type of criticism can be applied to any type of literature. What is the news, except for spoken literature? First we will go over the process of all theological criticism and then Narrative criticism. The root concept concerns what is known as a hermeneutic circle. It goes like this:
Whenever we read something and try to get information from it, we should know at least three things. One thing is about the context in which the information is written. What kind of people wrote it? What are their belief systems? What are their biases? What point are they trying to get across? In other words, what is their agenda?
The next thing is to understand our context. What do we bring to the text? What is our belief system. What is the belief system of the place in which we live? Where are our biases? How can they influence what we here?
Lastly we understand what the text actually says. What is the written and literary meaning of the text? If we can understand these three things it is very possible that we can understand what the text actually says. We can understand what the message is actually saying. As we do this we change and our understanding changes, so we begin to get a deeper, more truthful understanding of the text—in this case, the news.
As we watch the news, we need to begin to understand the context. Where do the news casters get money? What stations are they on? What is their point of view? What are their biases? What happens if they speak out against the interest of those who are paying them?
We should also work at understanding what we bring to the text. What are our biases? What type of stereotypes have be been subjected to when it comes to Gay people, minorities, women, Arabs, Communists, Koreans, and so on? These stereotypes, of course, shape our beliefs about these people on a subconscious level. What ones do we have and how are they interpreting what we see in front of us on the news?
Lastly, what is the news actually saying. Is it setting up new stereotypes, or purposely playing on the stereotypes and biases we have? What is the news not saying? Are we hearing points of view that are totally the same, stated two different ways, or are we hearing apposing points of view? Or apposing points that have consensus when it comes to what we should do? More importantly, are the questions for any good story being answered? All good stories should answer the questions who, what, when, where. Many newscasters are good at answering these questions, but they are not very good at going deeper. They are not good at asking why, and how? These two questions are the most important. If they do not ask these questions and provide answers for them, it is most likely they are not doing good reporting. They are simply trying to stop us from thinking deeply by supplying us with answers that make us guilty of surface thinking.
F. Scott Peck wrote about the problem with many people in our day being surface thinking. He said that the mind is somewhat like a muscle. If we use it and think a lot, thinking deeply becomes easier. If we do not think a lot, it becomes more and more difficult and uncomfortable until we cannot think anymore. We may even become angry if we are forced to think deeply. I would dare suggest that much of the media, news and also movie, is providing us step by step with simple answers, so that it is difficult for us to think now. It is important, therefor, to read between the lines. When we hear a story, whether they provide the answers or not, it is important for us to ask, internally, why? Why is this happening? Why would this person do this? Why is this story on right now? And also how. How could these people do the things of which they are accused.
As we do this we will begin to think more deeply and will understand that the news that we think is so informative is just a propaganda machine for the six corporations that own 98% of the print, radio and TV media, and the advertisers that pay for their services. If the news program you watch interviews people asking the question why over and over again until it is answered and presents you with those answers, it is very likely that you are looking at a very good news program.
In our next article we will discuss Narrative Theological Criticism, which states that the writer of the narrative is purposely trying to pass on his or her information to you and the text is only a vehicle to do so. We will see how the same principles apply to all forms of news. I hope that you will enjoy this article. Most of the enclosed information can be found in our book: A Return to Being Human Religiously, by Dr. John W. Gilmore. This book can give you the tools to free yourself from social conditioning and surface thinking so that you will have complete understanding about the western frame that influences all of our thinking.
Dr. John W. Gilmore is a writer, martial arts teacher, a certified massage therapist, Reiki Master Teacher and Reflexologist. He received his D. Min. Degree in Reinventing Work and Spirituality. For more articles like this see our free journals at our website www.dswellness.com, or visit our free Cyber Circle of Spirituality. You can visit it from a link on our website.
Article Source: www.article-hangout.com
Thursday, December 21, 2006
ETCHLON - they are listening.
"This is what the BBC reported back in 1999, it may not be news but it is still going on. Seven years later and there has been little done about it.Imagine a global spying network that can eavesdrop on every single phone call, fax or e-mail, anywhere on the planet. It sounds like science fiction, but it's true.
Two of the chief protagonists - Britain and America - officially deny its existence. But the BBC has confirmation from the Australian Government that such a network really does exist and politicians on both sides of the Atlantic are calling for an inquiry.
"
Echelon is perhaps the most powerful intelligence gathering organization in the world. Several credible reports suggest that this global electronic communications surveillance system presents an extreme threat to the privacy of people all over the world. According to these reports, ECHELON attempts to capture staggering volumes of satellite, microwave, cellular and fiber-optic traffic, including communications to and from North America. This vast quantity of voice and data communications are then processed through sophisticated filtering technologies.
http://www.echelonwatch.org/
"Computer users across Europe should encrypt all their e-mails, to avoid being spied on by a UK-US eavesdropping network, say Euro-MPs.
The tentacles of the Echelon network stretch so far that the UK's involvement could constitute a breach of human rights, they say.
...the system, which also eavesdrops on telephone calls, was set up after World War II and was used to glean vital information in the Cold War.
But the committee says ordinary individuals and companies are now being spied on, and they should routinely encode their e-mails and faxes if they want them to remain private.
See here for a summary of the EU reports on the subject.
The only question I have to ask is how the hell the UKUSA managed to miss both the twin towers and the underground attacks with all that "quality filtering". We have to face the fact that ETCHLON does not work or that it is not being used as a counter terrorist technique. I wonder what history will show to be the facts?
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