Berkeley Forum

What can you say when the Vice President of the United States of America talks of a special place and privileges the constitution has afforded him? What can you say when the Veep claims he is not a part of the executive branch? “What special place Mr. Veep?” one might ask? The privilege to classify information when he wants and to declassify it when he wants? The privilege to out an undercover CIA operative for political retribution against her husband? The privilege to become the most influential Vice President in the history of the U.S and not be accountable to anyone?

Dick Cheney’s most recent argument that he is not part of the executive branch but a member of the legislative branch as the president of the Senate, raised many eyebrows. Most conservatives who believe in strict interpretation of the constitution could not believe what they were hearing!

Mr. Cheney and the GOP must know that this not just another partisan battle with the Democrats. True conservative will not back Cheney and his “above the law” attitude. I strongly support Rep. Rahm Emanuel’s efforts to cut Cheney’s funding as a member of the executive branch and reassign him new staff budget as t he president of the Senate. I also urge all law abiding Republicans not to sit quiet and react accordingly to Cheney’s lack of respect for the law. After all, we are a country of laws , so lets keep it that way!

# posted by Berkeley Forum : 6:01 PM  0 comments

Hamas’s violent takeover of Gaza came to many observers as a surprise. To those of us who are more familiar with the region and know the mentality of militant Islamic groups like Hamas, the recent events were less shocking. But regardless of Hamas’s nature, the fact that fair elections in the Palestinian territories brought them to power cannot be disputed. The Fatah establishment decided to refuse to share power with the newly elected members of Hamas. At the same time, the Western world boycotted the Hamas government with the intent to paralyze Haniyeh’s cabinet. Less than a year later, violent clashes broke out in Gaza – Hamas’s stronghold- and Fatah was routed, at least temporarily.

Elections alone do not bring democracy. As a matter of fact, the democratic process does not necessarily begin by holding free and fair elections. The U.S can pressure Saudi Arabia or Egypt to hold free and fair elections tomorrow and guess who will be triumphant? The current corrupt rulers or the radical Islamic hardliners? Your guess is probably correct. And once they come to power they will most likely behave in an irresponsible fashion, just like their predecessors.

A Western democratic form of governance does not serve the needs of every nation. The truth is that many countries in the world will reject those democratic values we cherish so dearly. Free speech in the Muslim world can only go so far. Try drawing cartoons of Prophet Muhammad for instance and see what will happen to you. Western democracy is not for everyone.

That does not translate into support for dictators in the Middle East. The first step towards a stable system is political tutelage. People of any given land ought to learn how to respect their opponents’ views no matter how repugnant those views might be to them. There is a lack of tolerance in the Middle East. Lack of tolerance for opposing political, religious and social views. Without greater levels of tolerance, holding a thousand free and fair elections will make no significant difference. The ruling parties or factions cannot come to power with the intent of eradicating the opposition, what Hamas and Fatah have been doing to one another. Many countries in the Middle East are not ready for full fledged democracy yet and no one can force them to change over night.

# posted by Berkeley Forum : 12:47 AM  0 comments

URGENT ACTION ALERT

No. 86-3-b

19 June 2007

Take Action Immediately!

You Only Have Hours to Oppose the Scheduled Public Stoning of Mokarrameh and Her Partner

The stoning of Mokarrameh Ebrahimi and her partner is scheduled to be carried out in public in the city of Takistan, Ghazvin, at 9:00 am on Thursday, June 21, for committing adultery and having a child out of wedlock. The decision for execution of stoning in public, and moreover, inviting the public to participate in the stoning have been made by the Ghazvin Municipal Security Council or Showraye Tameen of Ghazvin. The news of the scheduled stoning has been published by the campaign activists on June 19, 2007. (Please read more at http://www.meydaan.org/news.aspx?nid=392)

The Stop Stoning Forever Campaign invites all citizens of the world to contact the Iranian officials by phone and/or fax and ask them to stop the public stoning of Mokarrameh Ebrahimin, the 43 year old mother of three children, and her partner, the father of her 11 year old child. Please note that email may not be effective.

Also, please note the time difference since the stoning is scheduled for Thursday, June 21, in the morning, Tehran time, which is Wednesday evening and midnight in the US and Europe. Please act now before it is too late!

Ghazvin State Government Office, includes Ghazvin Municipal Security Council.

This office is open from 7:15 am to 2:15 pm Tehran time.

Tel:

+98 281 3682811

+98 281 3682812

+98 281 3682813

+98 281 3682814

+98 281 3682815

+98 281 3682816

Fax:

+98 281 3682941

+98 281 3682895

You can also contact the following offices in Iran:

· The Supreme Leader: Ayatollah Khamenei

Tel:

+98 21 64412020

· The Head of Judiciary: Ayatollah Shahroudi

Tel:

+98-21 22741002

+98-21 22741003

+98-21 22741004

+98-21 22741005

· The President: Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Tel:

+98 21 88825071

+98 21 88825072

+98 21 88825073

+98 21 88825074

+98 21 88825075

If you have difficulty contacting the officials inside Iran, please contact the Iranian officials in your country of residence for some of whom the telephone and fax numbers are listed below.

· United States: Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington, D.C.

Tel:

(202) 965-4990
(202) 965-4991
(202) 965-4992
(202) 965-4993
(202) 965-4994
(202) 965-4999

Fax:

(202) 965-1073
(202) 965-4990

· Canada: Embassy of Iran in Ottawa

Tel:

This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it 613 2354726

613 2325712

· United Kingdom: Embassy of Iran in London

Tel:

02072253000

Fax:

02075894440

· Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations in Switzerland, Geneva

Tel:

(41-22)332 21 00-21

Fax:

(41-22)733 02 03

· United Arab Emirates: Embassy of Iran in Abu Dhabi

Tel:

+9712-4447618

Fax:

+9712-4448714

· Denmark: Embassy of Iran in Copenhagen

Tel:

39160003

Fax:

39160075

· Norway: Embassy of Iran in Oslo

Tel:

(+47) 23 27 29 60

Fax:

(+47) 22 55 49 19

· Russia: Embassy of Iran in Moscow

Tel:

9178655, 9179679, 9175219, 9177282, 9170039, 9172442, 9178959

Fax:

2302897 , 9179683

· Finland, Embassy of Iran

Tel:

+358-9-6869 240

Fax:

+358-9-6869 2410

· South Africa, Embassy of Iran

Tel:

+27 (012) 342 58 80 / 1 -

Fax:

+27 (012) 342 18 78

· Germany, Embassy of Iran in Frankfurt

Tel:

+49 (0) 69 56 000 739 - 740

Fax:

+49 (0) 69 56 000 728

· India, Embassy of Iran in New Delhi

Tel:

+91-11-23329600/ 01/ 02

Fax:

+91-11-23325493

To contact campaign activists in the US or Iran, please email Soheila Vahdati <soheilavahdati@gmail.com> or Shadi Sadr <shadisadr@gmail.com>.

# posted by Berkeley Forum : 9:43 AM  1 comments

http://www.meydaan.com/news.aspx?nid=391

Peace,

# posted by Berkeley Forum : 6:11 PM  0 comments