Bush Victory: A Defeat for the Have-nots?

Written by Virginia Bola, PsyD


Continued from page 1

5. Increasing isolation throughoutrepparttar world asrepparttar 125893 perceived "big bully ofrepparttar 125894 west" shuns any support which demands shared power and responsible accountability.

6. A decreasing emphasis on job creation as it is no longer a political football and therefore a dead horse. The hope is thatrepparttar 125895 unemployed will eventually take minimum wage service and temporary jobs,repparttar 125896 only widely available positions, and business will reaprepparttar 125897 rewards.

7. The jury is still out on what may happen to a woman's right of choice and committed homosexual unions but we would be well-served to fear cultural values legislated by anyone.

The Have-Nots -repparttar 125898 jobless,repparttar 125899 homeless,repparttar 125900 powerless, andrepparttar 125901 poor - stand to lose what little they have in a nation whererepparttar 125902 wealthy gain ever more power whilerepparttar 125903 working class, byrepparttar 125904 thousands, slips permanently belowrepparttar 125905 poverty line.

"A society may be defined by how it treats its most vulnerable members."

Who said that and where is he when we need him?

Virginia Bola is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep interests in Social Psychology and politics. She has performed therapeutic services for more than 20 years and has studied the results of cultural forces and employment on the individual. The author of an interactive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker's Edge, she can be reached at http://drvirginiabola.blogspot.com


Fact to Fiction: The brutal truth about the practice of stoning

Written by Brooke Sikula


Continued from page 1

David Hearne shows us a heart-wrenching account of a stoning in his book Hulagu's Web. He shows us that not only doesrepparttar victim sufferrepparttar 125892 agony ofrepparttar 125893 stoning, but also her anguish is unfelt byrepparttar 125894 executioners who relish their license to kill. “A spray of blood and spit now accompanies her cries of pain…The gore pleased [him], and he gleefully watchedrepparttar 125895 proceedings to ensure that no one used a stone ofrepparttar 125896 wrong size.” (Hulagu's Web, 64-65) Through this account we can see thatrepparttar 125897 emotional involvement of crowd createsrepparttar 125898 wrong message. Instead of invoking fear of being stoned themselves,repparttar 125899 crowd comes to enjoy a good stoning and thrives off of it. In this fashion, stoning is no longer a form of punishment, rather a form of entertainment that breeds murderers out of ordinary people.

For those doingrepparttar 125900 stoning, it is a social event that becomes more of a religious sport than a true act of moral self-righteousness. An actual video of a stoning can be viewed at http://www.iran-e-azad.org/stoning/. The footage taken in Iran illustrates a party like atmosphere of those carrying outrepparttar 125901 execution. It is reminiscent ofrepparttar 125902 family picnics atrepparttar 125903 old Wild West hangings orrepparttar 125904 popularity of people watchingrepparttar 125905 slaughter of gladiators in early Rome.

Like other diabolical methods of torture, stoning has gone out of style as society realized that having others participate inrepparttar 125906 punishment of another, even a criminal, devalues life. Stoning also creates fear and terrorizesrepparttar 125907 minds of others. The Guillotine, whipping, pouring acid on someone or gouging their eyes out with iron have all been gleefully practiced overrepparttar 125908 ages by zealots. Regardless ofrepparttar 125909 how brutal, none of these punishments have stoodrepparttar 125910 test of time. Even those founded inrepparttar 125911 name of religion have died out because they are cruel and inhumane.

As these diabolical methods have failed, it is important to note one punishment continually in practice: Jail. Imprisonment has been a popular form of punishment because having “…her face pulverized byrepparttar 125912 stoning,” (Hulagu's Web, 64) seems a little extreme no matter whatrepparttar 125913 crime. Even though so many cultures have migrated towards this type of punishment, it is hard for westerners to understand why Sharia Muslims still sanction a punishment this inhumane.

As stoning is done inrepparttar 125914 name of Allah, Hearne has his character yelling “God is great.” (Hulagu's Web, 63) The crowd is egged on even more as they become more involved withrepparttar 125915 stoning. Perhapsrepparttar 125916 worst part about stoning is that it brings ordinary God fearing people to actually fear life itself. They are put into a perpetual state of fear such as Hearne’s Senator Laforge who imagines her own stoning in a nightmare. (Hulagu's Web, 63) Unable to letrepparttar 125917 memory go, people in these countries under Sharia rule cower and are plagued with fear of their life ending in such a brutal manner.

Stoning is an act of insanity and must be stopped. That humans should gather around and throw stones withrepparttar 125918 intent to take another human life is a hideous thought. Though fiction, David Hearne’s book shows us that an individual can be gripped with fear over governmental prosecution. It isrepparttar 125919 passion shown in his book that gives us cause and hope for change inrepparttar 125920 world.

For more information on joiningrepparttar 125921 international fight against stoning, visitrepparttar 125922 following links: www.stopstoningnow.com/ http://www.free-minds.org/stoning.htm



After traveling to over 20 countries, Brooke Sikula has finally settled down in Ventura, CA. She enjoys quilting, home improvement projects and spending time with her husband and 1 year old son. Brooke has a B.A. in History and Spanish and currently works as a freelance writer.


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