All entries for Saturday 03 June 2006

Starbucks @ Camp Delta

The action of some protestors in Brighton is documented in an Indymedia UK article, together with some photos.

They are protesting about the Starbucks outlet in the Guantanamo Bay military base. By being (willingly) present there they are showing compliance with the illegal detention without trial of the prisoners there, and upon knowing this, buying coffee at a Starbucks outlet can only be validating the crimes against humanity on the base.

Simple message: if you agree with me and think what's going on at Camp Delta is wrong (both legally and morally), don't buy Starbucks coffee.

As the above article says, "Please consider whether you want to support these crimes against humanity when you drink your coffee".

The same applies to McDonalds (naturally), Subway, Pizza Hut and KFC, all which, after a breif trawl on the internet, have outlets in GTMO.

(sorry…I could have written a more persuasive/eliquently written piece here, but I'm tired..)

: 03 Jun 2006 21:53 |  Tags: Guantanamo Usa |  Comments (42) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Gun violence

Writing about web page http://woundedinamerica.org/

I'll just leave some interesting facts from this site:

During the 20th century more Americans were killed by gun violence within the U.S. than died from combat wounds, disease, and accidents in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnamese War, and the Gulf War combined. (National Center for Health Statistics and the Department of Veteran Affairs)

Gun violence is one of the leading causes of death for American Blacks, Hispanics, Native Indians, male youth, and white males between the ages of 15–64 years.

And also from the Indymedia article that referred me to the site:

Firearm homicide was the number one cause of death for American Black men ages 15–34 and the leading cause of death for all Black Americans 15–24 year olds.

Oh, but wait..I forgot, the "right to bear arms" trumps the lot.

The question to ask is, how many more people have to die?

: 03 Jun 2006 21:10 |  Tags: Gun Crime Usa |  Comments (58) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Montenegro declares independence

The results of the referendum held two weeks ago as been formally applied, and Montenegro has now officially seceded and is now an independant state.

Yes, that's right.. we can all look forward to yet another Eurovision entrant next year! Joy joy joy..

In all seriousness, the situation can hardly be ideal. A new country has formed, mainly through the enticemant of EU entry and closer ties to NATO, and not through legitamate ideas of national identity. 55.5% yes vote is surely not enough to secede, and I'm sure the hugely significant (although minority) serb population, and the (slightly less significant) albanian minority will not be feeling very "Montenegrin".

It's not perfect conditions for the birth of a new country when almost half the population doesn't think it should exist..

: 03 Jun 2006 20:58 |  Tags: Balkans |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem