It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Really the Harper can't help it he is a Conservative....really....it's not his fault...all those years in the trenches with the Reform Party....his political education under the tutelage of the Calgary School....years spent as mouthpiece for the right wing business lobby; NCC....nope he can't help it he is a Conservative........
OTTAWA -- Two years ago, political pundits wouldn't have given Prime Minister Stephen Harper much chance of winning over Ariette Schoorl.
The 61-year-old, who considers herself left wing, was initially put off by Harper's "cold" personality.
But even though she doesn't always agree with the Harper government's policies, especially on the environment, she has come to admire the prime minister's poise.
"He stays cool, he stays under control and I appreciate that in the guy," she said. "He can't help it that he's a conservative."
And she considers herself left wing. Talk about politically naive. Clearly she is no Raging Granny. Nor the wife of a veteran.
If American's can imagine a Mormon for President why not a Scientologist.
Sonny Bono, Republican, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 44th district After unsuccessfully running for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 1992, Bono was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 to represent California's 44th District He became a Scientologist, partly because of the influence of Mimi Rogers, but stated that he was a Roman Catholic on all official documents, campaign materials, web sites, etc.
Saint John’s first epistle, written to the various churches dispersed throughout Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), was most likely written in the mid-late first century in order to encourage fellow believers to persevere in the faith, in the midst of rather intense persecution, false teaching, and political oppression. While it is more common in popular scholarship to see this epistle as having been written near the end of the first century, given the content of the letter and the failure of John to make any mention of the destruction of either Jerusalem or the Temple would urge me to strongly prefer an earlier date (i.e., pre-A.D. 70). [Incidentally, I would argue the same for the book of Revelation, as it foretells the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, rather than describing it as an event which had already occurred. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make much sense.]
One of the most influential forms of “false teaching” prevalent among the early Christians was what we today know as “Gnosticism.” It seems somewhat clear to me that many of John’s words are carefully chosen, in both his epistle and gospel, in order to combat this erroneous way of thinking. However, we need to try and not only read his works in this light, and bear in mind that there was no “First Gnostic Church” of Ephesus, or any concretely established “Gnostic” religion; rather, it was a philosophical underpinning of many thinkers in the Greco-Roman world, prevalent before, during, and most significantly after John’s lifetime. The Gnostic paradigm was, however, closely connected with early Christian beliefs and did much to unfortunately lead many astray from the truth of the gospel. John, being the good shepherd he was, wanted to ensure that none of his children in the faith were distracted by the lies of this Greek way of thought.
joseph smith the founder of mormonism evolved his theology over time, ending up with a doctrine that is similar to the gnostic rosicrucians, which was incorporated into freemasonry as their theology.
smith actually joined freemasonry along with other mormon leaders,only to be kicked out.
But the mormon doctrine of evolving into a god and presiding over your own celestial kingdom, along with mormon secret temple rituals being copies of freemason rituals(wearing white robes,etc) seems to have as it's foundation rosicrucian doctrine which is claimed to have it's roots in ancient egypt under pharoah Akhnaton,the ancient egyptian priestly order of the "great white brotherhood"(they wore white robes), and Hermes Trismegistus ,supposed founder of Hermeticism and also being the egyptian god thoth.
Few Mormons realize that the LDS temple ceremony is not of ancient origin, nor of modern revelation. Instead, the ceremony originated around 1790 when the Masons first conceived it for use in their secret society. Until 1990 the Mormon Temple Ceremony closely resembled the Masonic Initiators Ceremony, signs, tokens and penalties included. I never made the connection between Masonry and Mormonism until I began a serious study of the Mormon temple ceremony.
The Church of American Science exists upon the following creed which is adopted as the creed of the Church of Scientology of California, with the additional tenets provided for in number 5 and 6 below:
“1.
That God works within Man his wonders to perform.
2.
That Man is his own soul, basically free and immortal, but deluded by the flesh.
3.
That Man has a God-given right to his own life.
4.
That Man has a God-given right to his own reason.
5.
That Man has a God-given right to his own beliefs.
6.
That Man has a God-given right to his own mode of thought and/or thinking.
7.
That Man has a God-given right to free and open communication.
"the law of the strong: this is our law and the joy of the world." AL. II. 2
"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law." --AL. I. 40
"thou hast no right but to do thy will. Do that, and no other shall say nay." --AL. I. 42-3
"Every man and every woman is a star." --AL. I. 3
There is no god but man.
1. Man has the right to live by his own law--
to live in the way that he wills to do: to work as he will: to play as he will: to rest as he will: to die when and how he will.
2. Man has the right to eat what he will:
to drink what he will: to dwell where he will: to move as he will on the face of the earth.
3. Man has the right to think what he will:
to speak what he will: to write what he will: to draw, paint, carve, etch, mould, build as he will: to dress as he will.
4. Man has the right to love as he will:--
"take your fill and will of love as ye will, when, where, and with whom ye will." --AL. I. 51
5. Man has the right to kill those who would thwart these rights.
"the slaves shall serve." --AL. II. 58
"Love is the law, love under will." --AL. I. 57
And as religious cults (tm) (c) (r) they are both successful businesses.
In a recent article in The Washington Post, religious reporter Bill Broadway laments that Mormons are feeling picked on. Despite the large number of Mormons who hold prominent positions in government and Fortune 500 companies "Latter-day Saints get little respect where they want and perhaps need it most — in the religious community.
The LDS is, among other things, a very big business tightly controlled from the top down. If one believes that the entire enterprise is based on revelation that is authoritatively interpreted by divinely appointed officers, it makes sense that control should be from the top down. The LDS claims that God chose Joseph Smith to reestablish the Church of Jesus Christ after it had disappeared some 1,700 years earlier following the death of the first apostles. To complicate the picture somewhat, God’s biblical work was extended to the Americas somewhere around 2000 b.c. and continued here until a.d. 421. This is according to the Book of Mormon, the scriptures given to Joseph Smith on golden tablets by the Angel Moroni. American Indians are called Lamanites and are part of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Jesus came to preach to these Indians and for a long time there was a flourishing church here until it fell into apostasy, only to be restored, as the golden tablets foretold, by Joseph Smith. In addition to giving new scriptures, God commissioned Smith to revise the Bible, the text of which had been corrupted over the centuries by Jews and Christians.
Today’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is, allegedly, in direct succession to Smith, and the First Presidency claims powers that would have made St. Peter, never mind most of his successors, blush. The top leadership is composed, with few exceptions, of men experienced in business and with no formal training in theology or related disciplines. The President (who is also prophet, seer, and revelator) is the oldest apostle, which means he is sometimes very old indeed and far beyond his prime. Decisions are made in the tightest secrecy, inevitably giving rise to suspicions and conspiracy theories among outsiders and a substantial number of members. Revenues from tithes, investments, and Mormon enterprises have built what the Ostlings say "might be the most efficient churchly money machine on earth." They back up with carefully detailed research their "conservative" estimate that LDS assets are in the rage of $25-30 billion.
Scientologists are expected to attend classes, exercises or counseling sessions, for a set range of fees (or "fixed donations"). Charges for auditing and other church-related courses run from hundreds to thousands of dollars. A wide variety of entry-level courses, representing 8 to 16 hours study, cost under $100 (US). More advanced courses require membership in the International Association of Scientologists (IAS), have to be taken at higher level Orgs, and have higher fees.[58] Membership without courses or auditing is possible, but the higher levels cannot be reached this way. In 1995, Operation Clambake, a website critical of scientology, estimated the cost of reaching "OT 9 readiness", one of the highest levels, is US $365,000 – $380,000.[59][60]
Scientologists are frequently encouraged to become Professional Auditors as a way of earning their way up the Bridge. As a Field Auditor, auditors can receive commissions on people referred to Orgs and a 15% FSM commission on completed services.[61]
Critics say it is improper to fix a donation for religious service; therefore the activity is non-religious. Scientology points out many classes, exercises and counseling may also be traded for "in kind" or performed cooperatively by students for no cost, and members of its most devoted orders can make use of services without any donations bar that of their time. A central tenet of Scientology is its Doctrine of Exchange, which dictates that each time a person receives something, he or she must pay something back. By doing so, a Scientologist maintains "inflow" and "outflow", avoiding spiritual decline.
Since this is the fortieth anniversary of '68 we are once again experiencing political deja-vu as the Obama campaign picks up the shade (nephesh) of Robert Kennedy.
The '68 Democratic Convention was a choice between the establishment candidate; Hubert Humphrey and the anti-war candidate Eugene McCarthy. Coming up the middle was Robert Kennedy. And though he lost the early primaries, the youthful Robert won California before he was assissinated. Unlike McCarthy, Kennedy made change his message, more than being just against the war, Kennedy made the war on poverty regardless of one's skin colour the issue that mobilized his base.
It is interesting forty years later that Obama has mobilized that same enthusiasm and youthful base that both Kennedy and McCarthy benefited from, to now run ahead of the establishment candidate Hillary Humphrey. The picture of Hillary in Iowa in defeat surrounded by the Democratic establishment dead heads, hubby, Madeline Albrecht, etc. all that white hair and those white faces on stage said it all.
Despite her gender, Hillary Clinton blends into the pack of her fifty- and sixty-something white rivals on both sides – all experienced pols who, in varying degree, are held responsible for a country that Americans consistently tell pollsters is headed in the wrong direction.
Whereas Obama appealed in Iowa as he does in New Hampshire to independents, as well as Republicans tired of their party establishment. He mobilized to register new voters as Democrats, these included yes lots of young people but also women, thanks to Oprah. Many of those voting in Iowa caucuses last week did so for the first time, and of those the majority were older women. And they voted Obama not Clinton.
Most importantly Republican voters are moving towards supporting Obama in the primaries. Partially out of an 'anybody but Clinton' reaction but more importantly as a rejection of party politics of the establishment. Obama is seen as the anti-establishment candidate for voters in both parties as well as amongst independents. His populism is wider than the narrow vision of either Huckabee or Edwards, who focus on blue collar fears. Yes his message of hope is hokey, but it is a vision Americans are graving after six years of the politics of fear. His politics of change and of hope echo the Robert Kennedy campaign, as I have said before, and therefore cross class, race, religious, or other ideological blinders that limit his opponents campaigns, Democrat or Republican.
And that is what makes Obama a phenom, his appeal across party lines which makes him a sure winner for the Democrats. Unlike Clinton, whose appeal is limited to the party establishment. And unlike any of the Republican candidates whose message remains stay the course, or whose appeal is to their narrow base of supporters within that moribund party.
Why does Obama appeal to Republicans? Because despite all the fawning over Ronald Reagan, some Republican's remember that their party was founded not by a fiscal conservative, or by the Moral Majority but was once the party of Abe Lincoln.And Obama appeals to his spirit of the people, for the people, by the people.
Conservatives, never mind centrists, are booking passage on the Obama bandwagon. Which isn't surprising: Whomever the GOP nominates appears doomed in November, although the betting here is that the once-moribund John McCain campaign will both win the GOP nomination and give the Dem standard-bearer a good fight.
But the Obama swoon among conservatives is almost breathtaking. Lapsed neo-con Andrew Sullivan practically nominates Obama for sainthood in a recent Atlantic Monthly profile. Peggy Noonan, the former Ronald Reagan speechwriter, notices that Obama, in contrast to Clinton and Dubya, has the Stephen Lewis gift of cogitating while making his extemporaneous observations, rather than defaulting to talking points scripted by his staff. ("What a concept.").
Noonan warns the rather sound-alike Democratic and Republican hopefuls about "the quiet longing" among Dem, GOP and media potentates for an Obama upset. The capital dreads an encore of the (however justified) Hillary Clinton paranoia of the 1990s. It hungers, she says, for a refreshing phenom who might indeed be too wet behind those big ears, but reminds a lot of people of a much earlier Illinoisan with just one term in Congress by way of experience who saved the Republic from ruin in the 1860s.
David Brooks, one of the house conservatives at the allegedly liberal New York Times, wrote Friday that, "Whatever their political affiliations, Americans are going to feel good about the Obama victory, which is a story of youth, possibility and unity through diversity – the primordial themes of the American experience. And Americans are not going to want to see this stopped. When an African-American man is leading a juggernaut to the White House, do you want to be the one to stand up and say No?"
Whew. Bring out the smelling salts.
That Obama, unlike African-American leaders such as Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton, has so little invested in the civil-rights wars of the past is among the factors in his favourable prospects of becoming America's 44th president.
Obama is the son of a Kenyan economist and a Kansas mother with slave-owning ancestors. He chose to be a black American rather than a multiracial one. But Obama is conspicuously impatient with adversarial politics, racial and otherwise. He frames poverty, chronic unemployment, and out-of-wedlock pregnancy not as issues of racial victimhood, but as a betrayal of founding American ideals of fairness that has been no less punishing to Appalachian whites than inner-city blacks. Obama also bluntly chastises his audiences for substituting video games for parenting.
Barack Obama is only the third African American elected to the U.S. senate since Reconstruction, and now is the sole black member of that body. (More than a dozen women serve). For America and that part of the world that still looks to the U.S. for inspiration, the first black chosen to lead a major industrial nation would indeed be a transformative event, and an unprecedented test of 21st-century American values in November.
More evidence that the neo-con establishment hates Ron Paul. In this case Fox News is not inviting Paul to their Republican debate Sunday night. Dumb move. But what do you expect from the channel that hates Paul the most.So much for fair or balanced.
Online protests seek to include Ron Paul in NH debate An online protest is growing over presidential candidate Ron Paul's exclusion from a Fox News debate here on Sunday, even though other Republicans receiving fewer votes in Iowa or scoring lower in the polls were invited.
Paul received a fifth-place 10 percent of the GOP vote in Iowa's caucus Thursday, ahead of Rudy Giuliani, who received 3.5 percent. He's also ahead of Fred Thompson in New Hampshire polls, polling 7 percent to Thompson's 2 percent.
But both Giuliani and Thompson still appear to be invited to Sunday evening's debate sponsored by Fox News and the New Hampshire Republican Party. Paul isn't.
That's irked many Paul supporters, who responded by flooding a Fox News Web page on the debate with over 580 comments and creating a "Protest Fox" Web site. It says: "We need to send a message to Fox's Rupert Murdoch & his fellow Neocon buddies that he is not Musharraf and the US is not Pakistan, yet! Fox News cannot just stifle public opinion. debate and impact a primary election by excluding Ron Paul just because they don't like his message of freedom and liberty."
They're also planning protests outside Fox News affiliates. Another likely protest site is Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., which has given Fox News space for a broadcast studio. That's where Sunday's debate will take place.
So why the exclusion? It's hard to say, and Fox News hasn't exactly been forthcoming on this point.
For his part, Paul said he thinks it's because he--alone among Republican candidates--opposes the war in Iraq. After being excluded, Paul explained that he views Fox News as a "propagandist" for the war with editorial views that are hardly in keeping with traditional conservative limited-government principles, according to a story by the Boston Globe.
Adding to the intrigue is that the New Hampshire Republican Party, which is co-sponsoring the debate and presumably has some say in who's invited, published a statement this week saying the media should not be in the "business of excluding serious candidates and talks were continuing with Fox."
And adding to the insult, at least for Paul supporters, is that ABC News is sponsoring a debate at the same place--Saint Anselm College--the evening before. Unlike the Fox News debate on Sunday, however, Ron Paul will be invited to participate.
Of course Fox neo-con commentators just hate Ron Paul.
SEAN HANNITY UPSET ABOUT RON PAUL WINNING DEBATE POLL
While Fox is the voice of America's War,
Ron Paul and Bill O'Reilly Duke It Out (09/10/07)
Fox Chatheads Aghast at Ron Paul's Appeal
Ron Paul is the voice of America's Troops. The folks fighting the neo-cons war for them. Paul can say he supports the troops while calling for their withdrawal from Bush's war.
Republican Ron Paul is out with a new TV ad, set to run in New Hampshire through Tuesday's primary, stressing his military credentials.
Patriotic music booms. Soldiers salute. The announcer begins: "A proud military veteran who served our nation. Ron Paul salutes and supports our troops who protect and defend our freedom." A flag waves. The announcer continues, "But who do the troops support? Ron Paul. The record shows they're standing up for him." The ad concludes: "Ron Paul is their choice for commander-in-chief."
His campaign spokesman Jesse Benton said Paul "has long been a praised as staunch advocate for veterans' issues." Still, he "wants to bring the troops home from Iraq" because he would rather America "never again sends out brave soldiers to war unless doing so is necessary for our defense," according to Benton. Whether his anti-war message will appeal to New Hampshire veterans is hard to say.
While being dissed by the Republican establishment and its neo-con media flacks the real libertarian base of the pre-Reagan Republicans comes out in favour of Paul.
Congressman Ron Paul will be joined in the last days of the New Hampshire campaign by former Congressman and conservative stalwart Barry Goldwater, Jr.
"We are truly honored to have this legendary conservative family here to support Dr. Paul and bring his message to New Hampshire voters," said Jared Chicoine, NH State Coordinator. "A Goldwater endorsement sends an unmistakable message about what Ron Paul really means to the Republican Party."
Son of the late conservative senator from Arizona, Mr. Goldwater himself served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Carrying on his father's legacy of fighting for small government and individual liberty, the former Congressman endorsed Ron Paul for President in November of 2007.
New Hampshire is going to be another win for Paul but will the media finally take notice? Only if he succeeds in coming in fourth again and burying both Thomspon and Guilliani once and for all. And his chances are very good in this most libertarian of all states.
And while most polls indicate a slug fest between former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Arizona's U.S. Senator John McCain on the Republican side of the fight, another Republican has been waiting behind the curtain for some time now: Texas Congressman Ron Paul.
Paul has endeared himself to legions of supporters with his grandfatherly conviction and steady, libertarian-style message against the Iraq War, for downsizing goverment with lower taxes, and against the erosion of Constitutional rights. Paul's voters are enthusiastic and oftentimes angry. But they have purpose to their anger, fueled as it is by the outrage of seeing America drift ever closer to a socialist "Nanny State."
Tuesday. If Paul can come into the first tier of candidates, say at least fourth or third, his campaign picks up new legitimacy as he will be introduced to America by the mainstream press.
What many traditional Republicans miss is that Ron Paul, like him or not, truly helps show America that the Republican Party is not all lockstep behind the Bush/Cheney Administration when it comes to foreign invasions and domestic surveillance. Since Bush's approval ratings have been in the deep cellar for two years now, having Ron Paul handy to make articulate arguments on liberty and a more prudent foreign policy shows a Republican Party that acknowledges its mistakes.
And even the liberals like him which just further pisses off Fox.
Ron Paul is Bill Maher's New Hero
And he even has support of an anarchist or two....
Bethune led the way. And Canada quietly has produced a model for creating doctors faster than the monopoly guild that is the College of Physicians and Surgeons would like to admit to.
As I have pointed out here before the way to create more doctors and reform the medicare system is to break the haughty power of the monopoly the doctors guild has on its profession. And it appears that such a possibility has been in place for forty years but nobody bothered to admit it existed.
Add to this a program of nurse practitioners, free tuition and a commitment to work in rural areas, as well as community based health clinics with doctors on salary we would well be on our way to ending the health care crisis. And it would cost far less than any other reform.
Such three-year programs have existed for decades at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., and at the University of Calgary.
Dr. Paul Hébert, editor-in-chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal and a professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa, wants to know how they measure up against the four-year programs at the rest of the country's medical schools.
"We've had a 40-year experiment go on, and no one's looked at that data as far as I know in a very cogent and detailed manner," he told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning Friday, the same week he published an editorial titled "Is it time for another medical curriculum revolution?" in the bi-weekly journal.
Norman Bethune (1890-1939) was a Canadian thoracic surgeon. During the 1930s he became a convinced communist, and this led him to Spain, where he joined the anti-Fascist struggle. On the Spanish battle fields he became aware that 75% of serious battle casualties would survive if operated on immediately. In early 1938, he arrived in China, and proceeded to Yan'an, the revolutionary base area of the Chinese Communist Party. Mao Zedong commissioned him to organize a mobile operating unit in the interior of North China. Although he was forced to work under extreme circumstances, sometimes operating for forty hours straight without sleep, and within minutes of the front lines, he saved the lives of many Chinese party members and soldiers. He died of septicemia, contracted when he cut himself while operating under great pressure from advancing Japanese forces.
served as a stretcher bearer in a field ambulance unit of the Canadian army in France in 1915
a bout of tuberculosis inspired his interest in thoracic surgery
joined the surgical team at Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital
produced over a dozen new surgical instruments
became disillusioned with medical practice because often patients who were saved by surgery became sick again when they returned to squalid living conditions
visited the Soviet Union, and secretly joined the communist party in 1935
opened a health clinic for the unemployed
promoted reform of the health care system
fought the fascists in Spain in 1936
in Madrid he organized the first mobile blood-transfusion unit
in 1938 he went to aid the Chinese against the Japanese invasion
in China he formed the first mobile medical unit, which could be carried on two mules
died of an infection due to the lack of penicillin, the infection ocurred during surgery due to a lack of surgical gloves
Bethune is regarded as a martyr in China and is referred to as "Pai-ch'iu-en" which means "white weeks grace"
next to his tomb in China there is a statue, a pavillion, a museum, and a hospital dedicated to him
One day when I had just arrived back in Vancouver from World Health Organization meetings in Geneva I dropped in to see H.R. MacMillan at his home. As usual he began: "What is the best thing you saw while away?" I told him of a very fine tapestry which was in a travelling exhibition, showing Norman Bethune in the Chinese countryside. "Find it," he said.
After months of correspondence with Chinese and Geneva sources, I had to report failure. So H.R. said: "Get one made in China and send me the bill." So I sent off to Shanghai a colour photo to be reproduced, giving the approximate size which we could accommodate.
Six months later the Bethune tapestry arrived, almost buried in mothballs! We placed it in the Sherrington Room, where many came to study it.*
The setting depicts a former Buddhist temple, which Bethune had converted to his operating room for the Eighth Route Army in Hopei Province in the north.
Bethune had sailed on a CPR Empress liner from Vancouver soon after Japan attacked China, because he was at that time in Salmon Arm, B.C. on a fundraising mission for his blood transfusion service in the Spanish Civil War. On hearing of the invasion of China, he gave up his efforts for Spain, where he had done yeoman service for the legal government of Spain despite the Department of External Affairs in Ottawa, which threw no end of roadblocks in his way.
With a Canadian nurse he set off for China, accompanied, alas, by an American Red Cross surgeon who turned out to be a chronic alcoholic (as I believe he had been in Newfoundland). In 18 months Bethune became a legend. After his death at age 49 of an infected finger, cut while operating, Mao wrote a eulogy which was memorized by every schoolchild in China. When I first visited China in 1973, with the Bethune Foundation, every stop we made was highlighted by children reciting it.
* One visitor was Dr. Wong, who was Bethune's anesthetist, shown in the tapestry. Bethune is doing a rib resection to get at a lung damaged by a bullet. You can see him bending over the wedged-open chest of the soldier.
Once again here is an example of how Free Speech and Freedom of the Press on the Internet runs counter to the State and it's laws. And as usual shows that the State is one step behind. Those who would censor for good or evil, will of course decry this situation.While those who believe that the public has a right to know, which was the purpose of the press and the idea of free speech even back in the good old days of Gutenberg, runs counter to those who would limit our knowledge of events in order to protect....whom??!!
In this case the publicity forced the State to reveal the victim of a horrible crime. But of course the alleged attackers remain cloaked in secrecy. And even if found guilty, depending on their ages, we may never know their real identities.
Toronto police say the use of a Facebook web site in the Stefanie Rengel case highlights the futility of imposing publication bans and that something needs to be done to update the law. Under restrictions imposed by the Youth Criminal Justice Act, media outlets were banned from identifying either the victim or two teenagers accused in the girl's death. Despite the ban, all three identities, including pictures, are being freely posted on Facebook, which is against the law.
Stefanie Rengel, 14, died New Year's Day in hospital of stab wounds after being found bleeding on the sidewalk near O'Connor Drive and St. Clair Avenue by a passerby. (Family Photo)
Police and legal experts are concerned that those actions might affect the right to a fair trial for a teenaged boy and girl charged in Rengel's death. The 14-year-old died New Year's Day in hospital of stab wounds after being found bleeding on the sidewalk near O'Connor Drive and St. Clair Avenue by a passerby. Mark Pugash, spokesman for the Toronto Police Service, says the Rengel case is a perfect example of how Facebook can often interfere with the rule of law. "We simply have no control," he said. "I think what the events of the last few days have shown is that there are many people who are part of the criminal justice process who have to look and see whether changes are necessary." Police released the name of the victim Thursday after obtaining the consent of her parents, as required by the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Legal observers say the case shows the law's inability to keep up with those who wish to express themselves on the internet.
Why ban the name of the victim? And being the child of police officers it is clear that they released their daughters name despite the YJCA.
After all even in regular criminal cases the assumption is that those charged are innocent until proven guilty, which is why the media use the term alleged. Well they are supposed to but often they don't. And of course the public often assumes that someone charged is guilty. But that doesn't mean that we don't publish names of the accused. So here is the contradiction for the Conservative Law and Order Government. They changed the age of consent to 16, they dropped the age that one could be charged as an adult for murder to 10 but we still have a press ban on naming teen agers involved in violent crime. Worse we may also have a ban on explicit details of a case as was the situation in the Homolka/Bernardo case. A case that showed the powerlessness of the court injunction on the media which was swept aside by internet reporting.
Now with Facebook, Myspace and other instant social networking sites, let alone blogs, websites in other countries, anonymous posting, etc. the attempt to restrict public knowledge of crimes makes a mockery of the law. After all who do you sue? Who do you jail? And why would you. In this case the Facebook site actually forced the situation into the public light. A light under the bushel. And the public interest is better served than by the injunctions and restrictions of the courts.
This is not the only recent case of teen deaths by teens using knives in Toronto so instead of hiding the name of the victim and the alleged attackers why not reveal all. And while we are at it why not reveal why we suspect such crimes are happening, rather than leaving it in the dark and thus open to all kinds of conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated suppositions. That is the real danger of the stupidity of this youth law and court restrictions.
In fact it is also the problem with criminal courts in Canada, they remain a British Judicial process rather than a libertarian one, that is one based on a jury system. Instead youth courts remain a Judicial prerogative, one operated as a closed system of lawyers, judges and severely lacks public scrutiny or access. Decisions made behind closed doors in secrecy are a bad thing, regardless of the judgment. Anything that opens up this closed system to public view is a good thing.
The final irony is that the very law that is being exposed as impotent is further cuckolded by the fact the Facebook posters themselves are teenagers.
Martha McKinnon, executive director of Justice for Children and Youth, says the answer is education. She says many Facebook users are teens and may not even know they are breaking the law. "Neither the federal nor provincial government have invested any resources into educating the public about why we have these confidence provisions [in the Youth Criminal Justice Act]; what they are for ... so that people will actually know what the law is," she said.
Unlike the justifiable confidentiality of names of rape victims, which is what the YCJA is based on , this has turned out to be a disastrous decision when it comes to Free Speech, Free Press and the right of the public to know. It is not a matter of educating the public but of allowing the public the right to judge through a public jury process. Which includes the publics right to know. Anything less is a cynical elitist process that concludes we are not as knowledgeable of right and wrong as those who make the laws and enforce them.
One only has to see the jury decision in the case to see that a jury is far more understanding and sensible than the court system and its professional advocates.
And contrary to Martha McKinnon's comments these young people don't need no educating about the YJCA and the impact of naming the accused as these discussions and comments show. In fact the discussion mirrors that of the adults in Canada who are also outraged by the YJCA. They are not outraged by what the act is meant to do, but what in fact it does in prohibiting the publication of the names of accused; the denial of a public trial.
It is this failure of Free Speech, and an open public trial that creates the calls for harsher penalties and the return of the death penalty.
Corey Hafezi (Leaside High School) wrote 23 hours ago.
DO NOT POST ABOUT THE TWO ACCUSED, EVEN IF YOU ARE AWARE OF WHO THEY MAY BE. THIS WILL HURT THE CASE AGAINST THEM, AS THEY WILL NOT HAVE 'A fair and just trail'
Lawyers are tricky and could possibly get the two co-accused off on a technicality because it is against the law to publish their name.....as unfair as that law is it is still the law......lets make sure they have what they have coming to them for Stefanie's sake. Doesn't she deserve that??
Ryley, If the accused names are posted...their lawyers can use that information during the court proceedings for the accused not getting a fair trial, and they could possibly get off for technicality reasons due to this. I understand all of the friends are very upset and angry...but I ask that you all let the police and the courts do their jobs...please do not make matters.
I agree with that. We shouldn't name the suspects at all, else we may (although I don't think it would change anything much) point out the wrong people.
The Young offenders Act needs to be reviewed.the age of a younge offender should be at the max..be 12 anyone older knows right from wrong...so the young offender gets off ...if it was lowered then all would be charged as adaults.
Relax Corey, posting their names will not hurt the case. I know this for sure. They have compelling evidence against the young man..he is definitely going down no technicalities on first degree murder. I am glad people are posting the two murder's names.
I'm a Dad... I wish I could empathize, but I can't. This is a tragic path that only the rengel family and friends can endure. But as for contaminating the case against the two accused, I think they would be safer locked up for the rest of their lives. I feel for the parents of the accused, because they REALLy have to question themselve's where they went wrong? I can't grasp why some 17 year old would need to carry a knife? That decision to carry a knife makes him accountable and simply guilty. Save tax payers money and locked the murderer (s) up! And if they get off on some technicallity that some overpaid lawyer figures out. We are the people of Toronto, Ontario, Canada in whole. Should not accept the death of a 14 year old innocent girl.... If I was the father of the accused, i would have to stand by my child, but not hold his hand. I'm truly saddened and sorry their loss's. Yes change the Youth Criminal Act (yesterday!)
It can effect the trial so don't do it just to be safe. They can say the Jury pool was contaminated, if evidence gets out they can find it inadmissable. I think with first degree muder if you are over 16 ( maybe 17) they automaticaly try (sp) you as an adult. If not they will definatly go for it in this case.
Their names should be made public,why should they be protected in any way,shape or form.Do the crime....do the time The young offenders act needs to be scrapped ! This is where the problem lies these young kids know they are protected under the young offender act so they feel they have no worries....B.S. to that These kids do not deserve to be protected after taking an innocent life My hope is that they will ROT IN HELL !!
The ppl that are saying not to post the names of the young offenders are right if it gets out to the publice they can use the fact that they didnt get a fair and just trail everyone that knows the ones that are being charged with the murder should just keep it to themselfs that way u dont get yourself invloved................ thats why they have the young offenders act to help portect there rights.......i know it sounds unfair but thats the way the law works
Please anyone - as a friend of the family - I am begging you that if you have any information - including statements made by the accused in the past - please come forward with that information - no matter how minor you think it may be. If you are afraid - please call 416-222-TIPS which is a confidential tip line. Just think about how it would feel if it were your sister and people weren't coming forward to help.
Liz the one and only reason the media is not saying the names of the accused is because of their age. Any time an adult is charged with anything, their name and charge is public record right away. Just go to the web site of any police department and look at their press releases.
OK, so we hide their identities, and then it turns out they ARE guilty, and they are protected by the law, and nobody can touch them!? Canada needs to take some pointers from some mid eastern legal systems, our gov't is too leanient on murderers.
I just wanted to put in my two cents, because I know how angry everyone is and how much you are all hurting right now...my 16 year old best friend was murdered by young offenders that we grew up with and knew..they were protected by the young offenders act - we couldn't publish their names...The one who actually shot her (in her own home) was tried as an adult and when he was convicted, his name was allowed to be released to the media..you may remember recently he was up for parole - Junior Johnson. Be patient, it looks as though adult trials are on the way and the names will be made public if they are tried as adults...I know how much you hurt right now and how angry you are at the accused, but you really don't want to give them any ammo to say their rights were violated by publishing thier names. Our laws SUCK and we need to change them... THESE PEOPLE DO NOT DESERVE TO BE PROTECTED! THEY TOOK A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LIFE AND THEY NEED TO GO AWAY FOREVER! If you would like, I invite you all to join my group where we are petitioning for changes to the Youth Criminal Justice Act and changes to the laws concerning convicted murderers and parole eligiblity. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3652565113 Let's not just talk about the need for change - let's do something to effect it!
"Let's not just talk about the need for change - let's do something to effect it!" I agree Michelle! Something has to be done. Eighty-four murders in Toronto last year was far too many. Why are people carrying weapons? The murder of Keyon Campbell was in my neighbourhood. Just before that another murder less then 1 kilometer from my home. Last years first murder of 2007 was so close to my home. Now in 2008 another murder on the first day of the year... a child! The violence is all around us and we all have to step up and do something.
ya wanna know why the youth justice act needs to go.... cuz these two accused that we will never know the name of...will get a slap on the wrist and be out before u know it..so lets say 5 yrs from now after they are not even on probation anymore and there young offender charges are wiped clean and there gionger prints and mug shots are destroyed..... they will be ur nighbour, ur babysitter, ur new boyfriend, your sisters fiancee, ur new best friend, the love of ur life, the most amazing person u've met, the only person ur son trusts, ur pal ur buddy./... BUT THERE ALSO CONVICTED CRIMINALS OF MURDER AND U HAVE NO IDEA....cuz now that there adults and "served there time"(PETTY TIME MIGHT I ADD)... WE AS SOCIETY WILL NEVER KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY WERE "CHILDEREN"....MIGHT I ADD READ MY "METAPHOR" AGAIN... THIS COULD HAPPEN 5 YRS FROM NOW...THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LITERLLY KNOW PPL WHO ARE UNDER 18 THAT COMMIT CRIMES ON PURPOSE OR FOR OTHER PPL CUZ THEY GET OFF EASY....
Meagan.. as someone who knows the a lil about the system i just have to say their criminal records are not wiped clean the day they turn 18... the record is closed once there sentence is up.. and then depending on the seriousness of the crime 5-7 years after that .. (if they stay outta trouble..) the record cannot be re opened in future cases.. due to the age when commited the crime.. it stays in file.. weither the cops supposedly *destroy the files of not* and as far as i know the information i put down in true... maybe not to the exact pin point... but majority of it is.
The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) was introduced in April 2003, replacing the outdated Young Offenders Act (YOA). Under both pieces of legislation, youth are between the ages of 12 and 17 (up to the day before their 18th birthday). The YCJA is actually a "tougher" piece of legislation when it comes to murder than it's predecessor. It allows for a youth to be sentenced as an adult (which is what I believe the Crown attorneys are seeking) which can carry with it the maximum penalty of life in prison. Even though the youth is tried in a youth court, they can still be sentenced as an adult. Hope this clarifies some things for everyone. May Stefanie get the justice she so rightly deserves.
First I must extend our condolances and saddness to the family and friends of Stephanie. Life will no longer be the same. Second, the YCJA is not tougher than the YOA. The fine points of the law are actually somewhat different. Under section 745.1 of the Canadian criminal code which deals with persons under the age of 18 that are convicted of first degree murder and sentenced as an adult allows for parole after serving anywhere from 5 - 7 years. This is not life in prison. A youth sentence for first degree murder provides for a maximum 6 years in custody before parole, so the Youth sentence may actually see the murderer spend more time in custody In addition, the sentence whether adult or youth will be served in a youth facility, not a penetentiary, untill the age of 20 or in some cases 23 years of age. Joe Wamback, Founder Canadian Crime Victim Foundation
I moved to the st. clair and o'connor area oct of 2008 and since I have been living there there have been multiple shootings and now this. I live two streets away from where stefanie was killed and that makes me afraid to leave my house at night. What could a 14 yr old possibly have done to provoke a stabbing.. My guess: NOTHING. As the years go on teens seem to have the idea that violence is a good thing, they don't think about the consequences and it's time we opened their eyes. Since I've been at my highscool there were two shootings and a stabbing, all done by teenagers and that's what gets reported. It's time we showed the youth of today that it's wrong to commit violent acts. It's time that the punishments were more severe it's time to have true justice in society. Why should we go easy on them when the didn't go easy on stef. A murderer is a murderer it doesn't matter how old you are.
Finally it once again exposes the need for real sex and family life education courses in our schools since it appears that this maybe a crime of misplaced passion, jealousy and a love triangle. The failure to deal with human sexuality and human relationships through humanistic education continues to be a fatal flaw in our public education system. Obviously the old adage of leaving such education up to parents and 'the church' has never worked and never will.
Friends of Rengel say she was the victim of a love triangle involving an ex-boyfriend. Meanwhile, one of Rengel's classmates told CTV Toronto that he heard the accused boy say he would stab the victim. The suspect allegedly shouted the remark during a cellphone conversation in the hallway of their school.
What appears as murder may have been manslaughter, and as embarrassing as the facts may be they should be made public for the good of all. Because speculation without facts is far worse and leads to a lynch mob mentality and more not less reactionary laws.
Stefanie Rengel, 14, died New Year's Day in hospital of stab wounds after being found bleeding on the sidewalk near O'Connor Drive and St. Clair Avenue by a passerby.
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