IFAW Animal Action Week - October 4th-10th

For more than 15 years, IFAW's Animal Action Week has been giving young people around the world the knowledge and tools they need to take positive action on behalf ofanimals and our shared environment.

The Week, which takes place annually during the first week of October, marks the launch of an international educational program with a different animal welfare and conservation theme each year. This year’s theme: Beneath the Waves, Protecting Marine Wildlife.

Whaling ships armed with harpoons hunt whales in defiance of international treaties. Plastic pollution chokes sea turtles and other marine animals and sea birds. And as the icecaps continue to melt, polar bear habitats shrink and they are left to starve or drown

To help protect the ocean, you can start by taking three easy actions:

1. Visit www.AnimalActionWeek.org to learn more about Animal Action Week, the largest animal-focused educational event in the world;
2. Take the Plastic Bag Pledge to help combat one of the main threats to marine wildlife;
3. And spread the word by telling your family and friends about IFAW Animal Action Week 2008.
4. During the week of IFAW Animal Action week (October 4th-10th), you can adopt a whale: here. Please wait until that week, because the program won't be launched until then.

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Sarah Palin: Wait.. Wait.. I can see Russia!!

I found the cover of the New Yorker mocking Sarah Palin amusing. Thought I would share it:

I am looking forward to the debate. Perhaps she will bring a pair of binoculars. Read all my posts on Sarah Palin: here.

Sarah Palin's Town Charged Women for Rape Exams

Here comes another disturbing fact about Sarah Palin. While Sarah Palin was mayor, Wasilla charged victims for their rape exams. Despite denials by the Palin campaign, new evidence proves that as mayor of Wasilla she had a direct role in charging rape victims for exams.

Wasilla cut funds that had previously paid for the medical exams and began charging victims or their health insurers the $500 to $1200 fees for the rape exam. The city budget documents show Palin read and signed off on a new budget that slashed the budget for the exams.

Police chief Duwayne Charles Fannon halved the budget request in 1997-1998, with a request of $7,298, spending only $3,454. It seems he began making victim's pay in the 1998-1999 fiscal year. That year, he requested $3,000 but spent only $205. This information can be found in the Document Central section of Wasilla’s website.

The document for the 1998-1999 fiscal year says to the citizens of the city of Wasilla: "To the best of our knowledge and belief, the enclosed data is accurate in all material respects and is reported in a manner designed to fairly present the financial position and results of operations of the various funds and account groups of the City."

Under the words “Respectfully submitted,” is the signature of Sarah Palin. This shows she was aware of the change in the billing policy. To see Palin’s signature in Wasilla’s 1999 Financial Report, download the full report here.

To make matters worse, for years, Alaska has had the worst record of any state in rape. The rape rate in Alaska is 2.5 times the national average.

Rape victims are already traumatized by the horrible experience they had to endure. To have to pay for their rape exam makes the trauma even worse for them. Why would anyone do this to a victim of a heinous crime?

This questions Palin's desire to help women. Not only were rape victim's charged for their exams, there was only a small funding increase for domestic violence shelters at a time when Alaska had a multibillion-dollar budget surplus. Palin cut funding for a number of programs that treat female victims of violence.

Palin's office released e-mails showing that one area of disagreement between her and Department of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan was his lobbying in Washington for $30 million to fund a new program of sexual assault response teams.

The practice of charging rape victims has called into question Palin’s stated commitment to women’s issues, her judgment as an executive and her honesty about her record. But of course, she "knew nothing about it." C'mon. Her lies and decisions get worse every day.



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MHONA International's Walk For Tibet

MHONA International "Walk For Tibet" was created by Tatiana Kostanian (who is on life support). She created this to bring global attention to China's brutal control over Tibet. MHONA International (a non-profit that was founded by and for Disabled Lives/Lives on Life Support in 1962. MHONA was the very 1st non-profit established by and for disabled/profoundly disabled lives in the world) and Tatiana Kostanian's goal is is to bring people globally together to promote continued awareness of the occupation of Tibet. MHONA wants to make everyone aware of China's disabling of innocent lives and their closure of Tibetans' right to their faith, their lands, and their religion.

MHONA's goal is to stand up against brutality, cruelty, indifference and cruel intent of disablement to helpless adults and children. They are asking for people around the world to pay attention to their goals and join them in the name of decency and in the name of freedom.

Our goal is for you to join us in our "Walk for Tibet" scheduled for late Spring 2009 in Northern California. All are welcome and encouraged. We hope MHONA's walk will raise awareness and alert the world to the unacceptable and horrible situation in Tibet: the torturing, the lack of freedom, the killings, the incarcerations of helpless lives, the ongoing surveillance, the lack of religious freedom, Tibet's political oppression, and countless other acts of cruelty.

Tatiana and others who are on life support and disabled will have their loved ones, family, children, friends, and business associates walk for them. Disabled or not, please walk with them. Through MHONA, the goal is to come together and walk for freedom, walk for independence, peace and security for all civilians of Tibet, including the elderly, the children, and the monks and sisters. "Walk the walk; Talk the talk of Peace."

Please help us. Even if you cannot walk, because you cannot get to San Francisco or whatever the reason, please spread the word about this event if you care about Tibet.

MHONA International, Tatiana, and I urge you to spread the word. Help validate our lives and work for Global Peace. You can spread the word by sending this posting to friends and family, blogging about it, posting on forums, social bookmarking it, adding the information to your website, and any other way you can think of.

Please contact Tatiana with any questions, your support, your advice, your ways to help, to let her know you want to join the walk, etc:
Email her: mhonainternational@gmail.com

Write her: MHONA International, Box 22162, San Francisco, CA 94122-3218

You can contact me also: WorldEvolved@gmail.com

Free Tibet!

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Candle for Tibet on International Peace Day - September 21st

In support of this event, I am sharing Candle For Tibet's information on this event.

From Candle For Tibet:

"By uniting our light for freedom in Tibet, we have started something huge. Our candle symbolizes our non-violent pledge to work together until there is freedom for the people of Tibet. CFT will work without end to support all Tibetans worldwide in their quest for cultural and religious freedom.

Candle4Tibet (CFT) will always be a network of PEOPLE who cherish the value of freedom and together create a unique movement. It is a true grassroots movement and is non-violent and non-profit.

We will strive to develop our network into the biggest global support group for Tibet, and all our future actions for Tibet will be conducted from here as well as linking to other actions globally.

Our network will be a treasure of information about Tibet, its culture and its heritage. Our links page contains dozens of Tibetan sites providing a wealth of information.

We will seek to work in cooperation and harmony with ALL Tibet support organizations in the world.

At the moment we need your active help in couple of areas:

Invite your friends. It is easy. With a few mouse clicks, using this link, you can invite your whole address book.

Design and create banners for the network. If you know how and can do that, please let one of the admins know. We will use these banners in our marketing campaigns"


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Help Free Tibet

I'd like to first start with some background on Tibet. Unfortunately, many people don't know much about Tibet and their situation. I have mentioned the Tibet situation to many people, and asked them if they know about the situation. Most answered "I've heard of it. I don't really know anything about it though." This is something that needs to be changed. The world needs to learn about Tibet.

Most people don't know where Tibet is located. Here is a map:

Tibet has a distinct cultural, religious, linguistic and ethnic identity. Tibetans possess a strong sense of independent history that is linked to this distinct identity and particularly its relationship with Tibetan Buddhism.

In 1949, in an act of aggression China’s People’s Liberation Army invaded Tibet. Despite Tibet's attempt to work with the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese promises of autonomy in the Seventeen Point Agreement between the Tibetan government and the Chinese in 1959 the young fourteenth Dalai Lama fled into exile in India. What followed was a brutal clamp down of the Tibetan independence movement by the Chinese forces.

China still occupies Tibet. China's occupation includes politcal and economic suppression. China denies Tibetans their basic human rights. Not only are Tibetans prevented from practicing their traditional way of life and culture, but political protest is brutally crushed.

How China's occupation affects Tibet:

• Economy

The lives of most Tibetans have been disintegrating since the occupation. Now they live as a minority in their own land. Jobs and opportunies are scarce, because Chinese migrants are favored. Most Tibetans are employed in agriculture, which does not attract investment and is declining.
Since 2000, the Chinese government has been implementing resettlement and land confiscation and fencing policies in pastoral areas inhabited by Tibetans. They are forced to abandon their traditional way of life and are moved into new housing colonies or towns. This is part of Chinese moves to “bring development” and “civilizing” Tibet.

The Tibetan economy is not industrialized. In urban areas Tibetans are a minority as a result of Chinese encouragement of ethic Chinese migration

The people of Tibet are not being provided with the opportunities to gain the skills, such as education. Instead, Tibet’s largely rural and agrarian population is discriminated against. Economic discrimination begins with the failure to provide Tibetans with the skills to succeed. Tibet’s poor education system means that 45% of Tibetans are illiterate. Their lack of education prevents most Tibetans from taking advantage of economic opportunities in urban areas.

With most urban economic activity controlled by the Chinese state or private Chinese companies, Tibetans do not benefit from their own resources. There is no evidence of Tibetans benefiting from the extraction of their natural resources through industries such as timber and minerals. Instead the building of the railway has ensured that such resources can be taken out of Tibet.

• Religious suppression

Tibetan Buddhism is part of Tibet’s unique cultural identity. As a result, China has attempted to destroy Tibet’s cultural heritage and limit religious freedom.

Since 1949, the Chinese have destroyed over 6,000 Tibetan monasteries and shrines and continue to interfere in Tibetan Buddhism. By 1966, 80% of Tibet’s 2,700 monasteries had been destroyed and only 6,900 monks and nuns from a total of 115,600 had survived. Under the Cultural Revolution, religious institutes were targeted further, texts and sacred objects destroyed and monks and nuns targeted. By 1978 only 8 monasteries and 970 monks and nuns remained. Today, the number of monks and nuns allowed to enter monasteries and nunneries is limited. Any reference or images of the Dalai Lama are banned. In addition, the Chinese government imposes surveillance over the monasteries of Tibet.

• Human Rights/Political oppression

Since the Chinese occupation there have been many well-documented incidents of human rights abuse. It is estimated that since 1950, the Chinese have killed 1.2 million Tibetans. The International Commission of Jurists concluded in its reports, 1959 and 1960, that genocide was committed by the Chinese in the Tibetan nation. China has extensively used torture against Tibetan political prisoners. This is in violation of Chinese ratification of various UN conventions on torture, women, children and racial discrimination.

China’s totalitarian regime has prevented Tibetan involvement in the political process. Any political protest is crushed with violence. By using surveillance, China has ensured that the Tibetans live in a state of fear. An estimated 300,000 Chinese soldiers continue to be posted in Tibet, ready to stop any attempts by Tibetan’s to call for their freedom.

• No Regard For Tibet's Environment

Tibet has an unique, natural environment, with a number of rare animal and plant species and geological features. China has sought to exploit Tibet's natural resources without protecting or sustaining this environment. China's main interest in Tibet is now based on resource extraction and land for Chinese colonists. The Chinese government recently confirmed that Qulong in Tibet is home to copper deposits of 7.89 tonnes, the second largest in all China or Tibet. Mining and mineral extraction is an economic activity but few Tibetans are the recipients of any financial benefits. Instead the building of the new railway will continue the theft of Tibet’s natural resources and their country's wealth.

The building of the Yamdrok Tso Hydropower station has served to damage the Yamdrok Tso, a lake that Tibetans believe is the dwelling place for the life force of the Tibetan nation.

The Indian government reports that three nuclear missile sites are located inside Tibet, a country that has always been peaceful. Nuclear waste has been dumped near Lake Kokonor, Tibet’s largest lake, risking contamination.

I encourage you to read more about the situation in Tibet, and do all you can to help the situation.

Here are some things you can do:

1. Show your support for Tibet by taking part in the T for Tibet campaign. The T for Tibet hand signal is a quick, easy way to send a clear message. Check out the famous – and not so famous – faces, then add your own to show your solidarity with Tibet: T For Tibet

2. Join "Free Tibet." By joining Free Tibet Campaign you can become a part of the growing global movement supporting Tibetan freedom. You can either join Free Tibet Campaign with a regular gift or set up an annual membership paying by credit card or check. Join Free Tibet

3. Panchen Lama campaign. In May 1995, six-year-old Gendun Choekyi Nyima was recognized by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama, one of the highest ranking spiritual leaders in Tibet. Three days later he and his family disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again. Read full story here. Sign the petition to Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General United Nations here.

4. Sign a petition that sends a letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao calling for an end to the crackdown and for the immediate opening of Tibet to foreign media and international observers. Sign here.

5. Give the Tibetan people something they really need- the gift of a healthier and better educated future. Sponser a child.

An example of what your donation can provide:

$35 - Enables village children to attend primary school or buys solar cookers for boiling water.
$50 - Will allow 20 primary school students to read textbooks in their native language.
$120 - Will train a woman as Community Midwife or help rural teachers attend bilingual teacher training.
$250 - Will help buy the birth center a bed.
$500 - Buy a Piece of History and Be a Piece of History; Help pave the way for a healthier Tibetan future and leave your permanent mark by helping to build the first Tibetan Natural Birth and Health Training Center.
$1,000 will provide all the funding necessary to send medical students to rural Tibet, sharing important maternal and child health information with 3,000 women.

Sponser a child here.

6. Donate to the Kham Aid Foundation. They help Tibet in the following way: cultural heritage, health, education, economic development, diaster relief, and the environment. Donate here.

They are many other ways to help Tibet. Buy a shirt that says "Free Tibet", put a bumper sticker on your car showing your support, and search the internet for other campaigns and petitions you can participate in.

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Support Oprah for Refusing to Interview Sarah Palin

Support Oprah

I fully support Oprah for refusing to interview Sarah Palin on her show. Unfortunately, she is coming under fire for refusing to do so.

The Florida Federation of Republican Women made the decision to boycott the Oprah Winfrey Show Saturday, after Oprah refused to have Gov. Sarah Palin. They are also asking members to cancel their subscriptions to O Magazine.

"Women in Florida helped build Oprah into the icon she is today," Linda Ivell, President of the FFRW said in a statement. "We are deeply disappointed in Ms. Winfrey's decision to sit out the greatest political moment in the history of women since suffrage."

Linda, Linda, Linda. Sarah Palin is a disappointment to us women. Please read my posts on her. She hunts, she supports aerial hunting of wolves, she abuses her power, and if anything she is against giving women the ability to choose things for themselves. She is against abortion even in the case of rape and incest. What kind of women is she really?

I urge Linda and the Florida Federation of Republican Women to read my posts, to do some research, and learn why Oprah has very good reasons to not want Sarah Palin on her show. I know I wouldn't be watching if I knew she was going to be a guest.

Oprah is an amazing woman who has done wonderful things for this world. She defines what a great woman is. Sarah Palin does not.

I urge all women to stand with Oprah. Do not boycott her. Continue watching her show. Keep reading her great magazine. Do not support Sarah Palin; a women who has done and continues to do horrible things.


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Help Put Sarah Palin’s Wolf Killing Record on TV

By now, most of the world knows of Sarah Palin's support of brutal aeriel hunting of wolves. (Please read my other posts regarding Sarah Palin.)
1. Petition to Sarah Palin about the wolf killing: Here

Let's get the word out further.

The organization Defenders of Wildlife (one of my favorites) released the video I am sure you all have seen.

• More than 68,000 potential voters have viewed their video on YouTube, with many more spreading the word by re-posting the video on their websites and blogs and forwarding it to friends.
• CNN and other news outlets have picked up the story, running clips from Defenders of Wildlife Action fund and their sister organization Defenders of Wildlife.

In an effort to reach hundreds of thousands of "swing voters" who help decide this election, The Defenders of Wildlife created a new, powerful television ad that details Sarah Palin's efforts to kill wolves.

They can only run it with our financial help. Running a television ad during an election year is expensive. We need to help them raise $100,000 to run the ad and support their work to provide a voice for endangered wildlife. Make your donation here.

Donation overview:

• $20.00 Part of one 60-second spot
• $40.00 Two parts of one 60-second spot
• $60.00 Three parts of a sixty-second
• $100.00 Half of one 60-second spot
• $200.00 One 60-second spot
• $1,000.00 Five 60-second spots
• Other: If you cannot afford any of the above, even giving $5.00 will help so much.

Please donate now

The ad:



With the election less than 50 days away, we don’t have much time to help voters learn about the real Sarah Palin.

Please donate to this cause, as much as you can afford. Please forward it along to your friends, too.

Please read my other posts regarding Sarah Palin.

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Protect the Red Desert in Wyoming

This is a call for all Americans, especially the citizens of Wyoming to protect the Red Desert.

Adobe Town and what the Bureau of Land Management has called the “Jack Morrow Hills Area” are of particular importance to Wyoming’s Red Desert. The Bureau of Land Management has identified seven Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) within the 620,000-acre Jack Morrow Hills Area of the Red Desert. Wyoming conservation groups and the Wilderness Society have recommended that these areas, as well as several other areas within the Red Desert, be designated as wilderness.

Jack Morrow Hills/Northern Red Desert

(Ferruginous Hawks) (Wild Horses)

Concerning the Jack Morrow Hills Area, the "Record of Decision" called for an initial development of 255 natural gas and coalbed methane wells. This number is not a cap, but merely an estimate. The public asked for no new oil and gas development in the Jack Morrow Hills. More than 80,000 people who commented to protect this area were ignored by the Bureau of Land Management. These lands are public and the BLM did not respond to the public’s desires. Mountain lions, coyotes, golden eagles, ferruginous hawks, and wild horses inhabit this area.

Friends of the Red Desert is a coalition of citizens, businesses and conservation organizations united to protect Wyoming's magnificent Red Desert. Please help them protect the Jack Morrow Hill area by writing to the following and let them know you want the Jack Morrow Hills protected as a NCA:

U.S. Senator Mike Enzi
Gillette Office, 400 S. Kendrick Avenue, Suite 303, Gillette, Wyoming 82716 or email at his website.

U.S. House Representative Barbara Cubin
Casper Office, 100 East B Street, Suite 4003, Federal Building, Casper, Wyoming 82601 or email her website.

Fremont County Commissioners
Office 307.332.1130; address 450 N. 2nd Street, Lander, 82520; email commission@wyoming.com

Another way the Friends of the Red Desert suggest to help is to write to their local newspapers. A listing:

(Cheyenne) Wyoming Tribune-Eagle LTE
Contact: Letters to the Editor, Scott Smith e-mail: reede@wyomingnews.com
address: 702 W. Lincoln Way, Cheyenne, WY 82001

(Gillette) The News-Record LTE
Contact: Ann Franscell, publisher, editor
email: news@gillettenewsrecord.com
address: P.O. Box 3006, Gillette, WY 82717
Note: under 300 word limit, no personal attacks; signature, and phone number required

The Green River STAR LTE
Contact: Kathy Gilbert
email: grstar@sweetwaterhsa.com
address: P.O. Box 580, Green River, WY 82935
Note: signature and phone number required.

The (Riverton) Ranger LTE
Contact: Letters to the Editor
e-mail: ranger@wyoming.com
address: P.O. Box 993, Riverton, WY 82501

Rawlins Daily Times LTE
Contact: Dave Perry
email: dtimes@trib.com
address: P.O. Box 370, Rawlins, WY 82301

We need to protect this beautiful land and its wildlife:

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In Memory of the Victims of 9/11

Never Forget

It's been 7 years since the day that will forever be in our thoughts.

At least 2,985 people died in the September 11th attacks

There were 266 people on the four planes

There were 2,595 people in the World Trade Center and near it, including:

• 343 NYFD firefighters and paramedics
• 23 NYPD police officers
• 37 Port Authority police officers
• 1,402 people in Tower 1
• 614 people in Tower 2
• 658 people at one company, Cantor Fitzgerald
• 1,762 New York residents
• 674 New Jersey residents
  
• 1 NYFD firefighter killed by a man jumping off the top floors of the twin towers
• 327 foreign nationals also perished.

There were 125 civilians and military personnel at the Pentagon.

1,609 people lost a spouse or partner on 9/11. More than 3,051 children lost parents.

Let us never forget the victims and hold their families in our hearts.

I lit 2 candles. 1 for the Victims and 1 for their families.

Join me by lighting candles, too. When asked to 'associate your candle with a candle group, or to start a new group, enter a group initial, otherwise, leave blank', please put 9/11.

Here is the link to Light a Candle.

Drill Drill Drill

I previously wrote about stopping the drilling of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Unfortunately, there are more places we need to protect. The Bush Administration’s “lease and drill everything” policy is aimed at opening some of our most fragile places to oil and gas development. Here is a list of places that are too fragile to drill, and we need to take action to prevent it:

1. Beartooth Front, Wyoming

2. Bridger-Teton Nation Forest's Wyoming Range, Wyoming

3. Carrizo Plain National Monument, California

4. Clear Fork Divide, Colorado

5. Grand Mesa Slopes, Colorado

6. HD Mountains Roadless Area, Colorado

7. Little Missouri National Grassland, North Dakota

8. Otero Mesa, New Mexico

9. Red Desert, Wyoming

10. Roan Plateau, Colorado

11. Rocky Mountain Front, Montana

12. Teshekpuk Lake, Alaska

13. Upper Green River Valley, Wyoming

14. Utah's Redrock Wilderness

15. Valle Vidal, New Mexico

16. Vermillion Basin, Colorado

The number of oil and gas wells is increasing at a scary rate. There are now more than 63,000 producing oil and gas wells on the public lands and nearly double that amount, at least 118,000 new wells, are planned for Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and New Mexico.

Drilling is bad for the environment. Full-field oil and gas development means production facilities, staging areas, airstrips, drill pads, and hundreds of miles of pipelines and roads which cause noise, water, air, and light pollution. For wildlife, the development destroys their habitat into smaller and less usable areas. Eventually, animals can no longer survive in these areas at all.

The government is supposed to guard our public lands. The Bureau of Land Management's increased oil and gas permitting activity "has lessened BLM's ability to meet its environmental protection responsibilities," according to a 2005 report from the Government Accountability Office

Citizens want to preserve the West's last great places. Voices is speaking out on behalf of protecting areas from drilling, but are often ignored.

Don't let your voice be ignored. Research what you can do to stop this from happening.

I plan on profiling each of these threatened lands in future posts. Please watch these videos.

Nearly 300,000 natural gas and oil wells have already been drilled in the Rockies, and hundreds of thousands more are planned. Watch this video:




Save Colorado's Majestic Roan Plateau



How could you not want to save them?




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The Real Sarah Palin (Part 2 of 2)

(Sarah's lovely office. I am disgusted that someone can have a dead bear draped on their couch and not feel bad about it)


As promised, here is Part 2 of my analysis of Sarah Palin. I suggest reading Part 1 first before reading this post: here. As I said, I hope that you read what I have found and do your own research.

Again, I want to mention if you find that Palin has written the opposite of what I researched, please be aware that she wrote a campaign booklet for her 2006 gubernatorial bid. Her co-author, Sean Parnell, is now Alaska's Lieutenant Governor. As we all know, politicians have a tendency to say and write whatever is necessary to get elected. What she wrote in the booklet does not reflect what she really ended up doing.

4. Health Care

• Palin introduced a Health Care Transparency Act. Palin’s Alaska Health Care Transparency Act established “an Alaska health care information office” to help consumers “make better-informed decisions about health care in the state.” The act also called for the repeal of Certificate of Need Laws, programs “aimed at restraining health care facility costs and allowing coordinated planning of new services and construction.” [Gov Tech, 1/28/2008; National Conference of State Legislatures, 8/21/2008]
• Palin Failed To Support A Bill To Cover All Alaskans. While governor, Palin “did not get behind the most significant piece of health legislation offered — a proposal to ensure that all residents have health insurance, without disrupting the coverage that many Alaskans already have.” [Anchorage Daily News, 5/17/2008]
• Sarah did not take a position on expanding State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Funding. SCHIP is a United States federal government program that gives funds to states in order to provide health insurance to families with children in families with incomes that are modest but too high to qualify for Medicaid. The program was designed to cover uninsured children. Palin did not advocate for greater federal funding of SCHIP. [Blagojevich Press Release, 2/23/07] States are given flexibility in designing their SCHIP requirements and policies within federal guidelines. Some states received authority through waivers of statutory provisions to use SCHIP funds to cover the parents of children receiving benefits from both SCHIP and Medicaid, pregnant women, and other adults. You would think that Sarah would be interested in helping pregnant women considering she is a mother and pro-life.
• Eventually Palin signed a "watered-down" SCHIP bill. She signed legislation updating eligibility for Alaska’s SCHIP program, Denali KidCare. Alaska’s eligibility criteria are still among the lowest in the nation. Palin did not support legislation to expand eligibility to higher levels. [National Conference of State Legislatures, 6/2008; Kaiser Network, 5/22/2007; Anchorage Daily News, 4/15/2008]
• While governor, Palin “did not get behind the most significant piece of health legislation offered — a proposal to ensure that all residents have health insurance, without disrupting the coverage that many Alaskans already have.” [Anchorage Daily News, 5/17/2008]

5. Civil Rights

• In 2006, Palin vetoed legislation denying benefits to same-sex couples, “based on a legal opinion from her new attorney general that the legislation was unconstitutional.” However, she said that she would support a constitutional amendment to deny same-sex couples the benefits. [Gay Republic Daily, 9/20/2006; Anchorage Daily News, 12/21/2006]
• A 2006 Eagle Forum Alaska questionnaire asked, “Will you support an effort to expand hate crime laws?” Palin replied, “No, as I believe all heinous crime is based on hate.” [Washington Blade,9/2/2008]
• Palin's church is promoting a conference that promises to convert gays into heterosexuals through the power of prayer.
• Palin opposes same-sex marriage. In 1998, Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage. Palin supported the amendment.

6. Big Oil

• Palin’s First Statewide Campaign Was Fueled By Veco. “While mayor of Wasilla, Palin ran for lieutenant governor in 2002. She gathered $5,000 — or about 10 percent of her campaign fund — from Veco officials or their wives along the way.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/6/2006] VECO Corporation was an Alaska-based oil pipeline service and construction company until its purchase in September 2007 by CH2M HILL.
  
• Palin’s Inauguration Was Sponsored By BP. BP is listed by the Alaska Inaugural Committee as a sponsor of Palin’s 2007 Governor’s Balls. [Alaska Inaugurl Committee] BP was named by Mother Jones Magazine as one of the "ten worst corporations" in both 2001 and 2005 based on its environmental and human rights records. In 1991, BP was cited as the most polluting company in the US based on EPA toxic release data. Since branding itself an environmentally sound corporation in 1997, BP has been charged with burning polluted gases at its Ohio refinery. They were fined $1.7 million for this. In July 2000, BP paid a $10 million fine to the EPA for its management of its US refineries. According to PIRG research, between January 1997 and March 1998, BP was responsible for 104 oil spills. Why would you want to be sponsered by such a horrible company?

7. Environment

• Governor Palin actively campaigned against a state ballot measure this summer aimed at protecting Alaska's Bristol Bay. The mining industry seeks to develop a gold and copper mine in the area that would pollute the Bay's waters and threaten the largest remaining wild salmon run. The initiative would have prevented large-scale mining operations from dumping waste materials into salmon watersheds.
• Palin is on record doubting that human action is the main driver behind climate change. In a recent interview with Newsmax.com, Palin noted that warming would affect Alaska "more than any other state, because of our location." But she added, "I'm not one though who would attribute it to being man-made." In her head, she probably attributes it to being animal-made. That would explain her desire to kill them off. (Couldn't help myself there.)

8. Endangered Species

• Polar Bears: Palin has actively opposed the listing of the polar bear despite the fact that Alaska's top marine mammal biologists agreed with the federal scientists who believed the bear should be listed. She wrote the Secretary of Interior urging him not to list the bear on the ground it might hurt the state's oil- and gas-dependent economy. Protect the polar bears here.
  
• Beluga Whales: Palin opposes the listing of the Cook Inlet beluga whales, citing the listing as a threat to oil and gas development, despite their genetic uniqueness and the fact that their numbers have decreased from 1,300 in the 1980s to about 350 today.

Again, please go here, to support the PAW Act that will end Alaska's Aerial Hunting program.


9. Her Religion Dictates Her Decisions

I have no issue with religion. However, I don't believe that your faith and religion should decide your politics when you are governor and possibly the next Vice President of the United States.

• Palin believes that the Iraq War is a task ‘From God.’ Speaking at the Wasilla Assembly of God church in June, Palin said that “our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God.” [Huffington Post, 9/2/08]
• Palin believes it is ‘God’s Will’ to build a natural gas pipeline. Speaking to the Wasilla Assembly of God church in June, Palin said, “I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that,” referring to a $30 billion national gas pipeline project. [Huffington Post, 9/2/08]
• Palin supports teaching creationism in public schools. In a 2006 gubernatorial debate, Palin “said she thinks creationism should be taught alongside evolution in the state’s public classrooms.” [Anchorage Daily News, 10/24/06]
• For more than two decades, Palin was a practicing Pentecostal. She belonged to the Wasilla Assembly of God church in her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska. But though she attended the church from her teenage years through to 2002, she hasn't talked much about her religion since joining the Republican ticket.
• Palin's former pastor says he has no doubt her religious beliefs will influence her decision making when it comes to government policy.
• Tim McGraw, who was her pastor until 1998 and while she was mayor of Wasilla, says Palin attended discipleship classes to strengthen her Pentecostal faith and that he counseled her on how to become a better leader.

Great video of Keith Olbermann talking about how Sarah's religious beliefs affect her choices, thoughts and actions. Including her view that God is leading us in Iraq, that God helped her get elected, and her church's view on gay people:


Sarah saying that our leaders are sending our troops on a "task that is from God":



10. Lack of Knowledge Concerning the United States

• Palin hasn’t given the war in Iraq much thought. Palin told the Alaska Business Monthly, “I’ve been so focused on state government, I haven’t really focused much on the war in Iraq. [Alaska Business Monthly, 3/1/2007
• Speaking before voters in Colorado Springs Saturday September 6th, Palin claimed that lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had “gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers.”..... what?? These lending institutions “aren’t taxpayer funded but operate as private companies." She is obvilous to the workings of our economy. Dean Baker says it all. “You would like to think that someone who is going to be vice president and conceivable president would know what Fannie and Freddie do,” said Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “These are huge institutions and they are absolutely central to our country’s mortgage debt. To not have a clue what they do doesn’t speak well for her, I’d say.” Ouch.

Video of her false statement regarding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. I don't know what's more sad: her not knowing what she is talking about or the crowd cheering her on after she said it (is everyone clueless?):


11. Abuse of Power
Sarah seems to enjoy abusing her power. How will she abuse her power if she were to become Vice President of the United States? The thought is scary.

• Palin billed taxpayers for nights spent at home. She billed the state for “312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a “per diem” allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.” She also charged for travel expenses to take her children and husband on “official out-of-town missions.” [Washington Post, 9/9/2008] And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife. The governor's daughters and husband charged the state $43,490 to travel, and many of the trips were between their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away, the documents show.
• Palin fired Police Chief for "not fully supporting her." After becoming Mayor of Wasilla, she fired the city’s police chief, Irl Stambaugh, writing, “I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment.” Stambaugh charged that Palin fired him “because he stepped on the toes of Palin’s campaign contributors, including bar owners and the National Rifle Association.” [Anchorage Daily News, 2/1/1997; ABC News, 9/3/2008]
• As Mayor of Wasilla in 1998, Palin “asked all of the city’s top managers to resign in order to test their loyalty to her administration.”[Daily Sitka Sentenial, 10/28,2006]
• A state employee filed an ethics complaint alleging Palin tried to secure a job for one of her supporters. The complaint accused Palin and her top staffers of “breaking executive ethics branch and hiring rules. It centers on the hiring of surveyor Tom Lamal, who once co-hosted a Palin fundraiser, for a state right-of-way agent job in Fairbanks.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/7/2008]
• Palin allegedly “tried to get a state trooper fired and she then fired the trooper’s boss because he wouldn’t act on her request.” Palin’s sister was involved in a “bitter child custody battle” with the trooper. [Anchorage Daily News, 7/18/2008] Palin “previously said her administration didn’t exert pressure to get rid of trooper Mike Wooten,” but “an audio recording that shows an aide pressuring the Public Safety Department to fire a state trooper embroiled in a custody battle with her sister.” [Anchorage Daily News, 8/14/2008, 9/2/2008]

"Trooper-Gate" video. Abuse of power:




Video for animal lovers who are against Sarah Palin:


To be continued...


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The Real Sarah Palin (Part 1 of 2)

Before really knowing who Sarah Palin was, I was quite happy that John McCain decided to choose her as Vice President. However, my views have changed. Sarah stands for many things I advocate against. This post is not an attack on John McCain, nor is it to support Barack Obama. It is simply to show who Sarah Palin really is, and my dislike for her. I can only hope that you read what I have found and do your own research. This analysis of Sarah Palin will be done in two parts. This is post number 1.

I want to mention if you find that Palin has written the opposite of what I researched, please be aware that she wrote a campaign booklet for her 2006 gubernatorial bid. Her co-author, Sean Parnell, is now Alaska's Lieutenant Governor. As we all know, politicians have a tendency to say and write whatever is necessary to get elected. What she wrote in the booklet does not reflect what she really ended up doing.

1. Aerial Hunting of Wolves
This is one of the most disturbing acts that Palin supports. Being an animal lover, supporter, and advocate I am sickened that she supports aerial hunting of wolves.

• After a multi-year court battle, the Bush administration recognized in 2008 that polar bears are threatened with extinction by global warming. Announcing Alaska’s suit to block the listing, Palin said, “We believe that the listing was unwarranted and that it’s unprecedented to list a currently healthy population based on uncertain climate models.” [Reuters, 5/22/08]
• In 2007, Palin illegally established “a $150 bounty to the state sanctioned airborne wolf hunters as an added incentive to increase their kills,” soon overturned by the Alaska State Court. [Alaska Wildlife Alliance; Anchorage Daily News, 3/31/07]

Some information on Aerial Hunting:

• Aerial hunting occurs when hunters use airplanes to track an animal in the snow, chase them to exhaustion and shoot them from the air, or when hunters in airplanes track animals in the snow, herd or chase them to exhaustion, land the aircraft and shoot them from the ground.
• The use of aircraft to shoot or harass animals from the air is illegal under the Airborne Hunting Act, enacted in 1972. The act was passed after a nationwide outcry against the aerial hunting of wolves in Alaska.
• The circumstances surrounding Alaska’s program make it clear that the state is allowing aerial hunting, which is banned by federal law. The state exploits a loophole in the AHA to allow private hunters and private pilots.

• As recently as July, a known wolf den site was staked out -- a practice that is illegal under Alaska law -- and, using helicopters, gunned down 14 adult wolves from the air. When they landed, they found the 14 helpless pups in the nearby dens -- just weeks old -- and methodically shot each one in the head. 28 wolves gunned down in all.

Watch this video on Aerial Hunting (Warning: not for the faint at heart):



Rep. George Miller (CA) has introduced the Protect America's Wildlife (PAW) Act, legislation to close a federal loophole and curb Alaska's brutal aerial hunting program -- and prevent programs like it from spreading to places like the Greater Yellowstone region. Support the PAW Act here.


2. Women's Rights

• Sarah is pro-life. I do not have a problem with that, except for one thing. She opposes abortion even in cases of rape or incest. In 2006, Palin said that even if her daughter were raped, “I would choose life." In my opinion, I think that is a horrible way to think. I am generally against abortion, but I think if a woman is the victim of rape or incest, she should be able to decide to have an abortion. I do not believe anyone, especially the government, has the right to tell you what you can and can't do with your own body. I think what is most disturbing is the comment she made regarding her daughter.
• Earlier this year, Palin used a veto to cut funding for a state program that benefits teen mothers in need of a place to live. Funding for Covenant House Alaska, which provides transitional housing for teen mothers, was cut by 20 percent — from $5 million to $3.9 million. [Washington Post, 9/3/08]
• Sarah Supports Abstinence-Only Policies. In 2006, the Eagle Forum Alaska asked Palin whether she would “support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education.” Palin replied, “Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support.” [Politico,9/1/08]. An abstinence-only policy will not teach young adults the importance of protection, the risk of STD's, and the risk of pregnancy. Many teens choose to have sex. If the policy she supports became the primary teaching, teens would not learn important issues regarding safe sex. She is said to be against birth control and sex-education. Did she not teach her daughter about the importance of birth control?

Watch these videos about Palin's views on birth control, sex education, and abortion.






I cannot ignore one rumor. I don't know the truth, nor am I going to speculate. However, I decided to include a video questioning who is the real mother of Trig. Is Sarah or Bristol the mother? There is even speculation that Bristol is pregnant now with her 2nd child.



3. Energy
One major event I am protesting right now is the possibility of drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge (which can be seen in my previous post.)

• Palin Is A Top Arctic Wildlife Refuge Drilling Advocate. Palin said she thinks McCain is “going to evolve into, eventually, supporting ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) opening also” and “I’d like the opportunity to get to change his mind about ANWR.” [Kudlow & Co.,6/25/08]-- As I have said before, development in this habitat would threaten numerous animals, including polar and grizzly bears, wolves, caribou, migratory whales and many species of birds.
• Palin Opposes Lieberman’s Bill To Prevent Arctic Refuge Drilling. In a letter to Congress opposing the Arctic Wilderness Act (S. 2316), Palin wrote that “as a citizen of the United States” she believes “development [of the Refuge] should be authorized.” [Letter to Sen. Akaka, 11/0/07]
• Palin Dismisses Alternative Energy. Palin said that “Congress needs to lift the ban on drilling” because “alternative-energy solutions are far from imminent and would require more than 10 years to develop.” [Charleston Post and Courier, 8/16/08]-- Last night I listened to John McCain make his speech at the Republican National Convention. In his speech he mentioned his desire to seek out alternative energy. I hope Sarah doesn't change his mind.

As you may know, the polar bear is the most threatended species in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. It is the most important onshore denning habitat for America's vanishing polar bears. Sarah's response to this issue:
Palin Is Suing To Lift Protected Status For Polar Bears. After a multi-year court battle, the Bush administration recognized in 2008 that polar bears are threatened with extinction by global warming. Announcing Alaska’s suit to block the listing, Palin said, “We believe that the listing was unwarranted and that it’s unprecedented to list a currently healthy population based on uncertain climate models.” [Reuters, 5/22/08] Sarah believes we "need the oil."
Watch the video of Palin being interviewed regarding her polar bear law suit so oil can be drilled. "We need that oil!" No, what we need is to stop depending on oil:



A video condemning oil drilling





Stay tuned for "The Real Sarah Palin" Part 2. I will be writing this over the weekend and hope to publish it Saturday night.

*** Update: Read Part 2 here.



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Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act

President Bush has called for drilling in the Arctic Refuge by 2010 in his new budget proposal. Development in this habitat would threaten numerous animals, including polar and grizzly bears, wolves, caribou, migratory whales and many species of birds. The most urgent is to protect the polar bears. Oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would do nothing to solve America's energy problems.

We need to permanently protect the Arctic Refuge. Please ask your Representative to support the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act to permanently protect the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Congressman Ed Markey and Congressman Jim Ramstad introduced the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act. If this bill is passed, it would designate the 1.5 million acre Coastal Plain as wilderness.

Stop the possibility of oil drilling and protect the animals who would be affected by it.

Urge Congress to permanently protect the Arctic Refuge by signing the petition located here.


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