A Voice

With palms together




Good Morning Everyone,







Who listens to a voice of protest when business is on the line?







Apparently nineteen countries won't. They will not attend the United Nations Nobel Awards ceremony awarding imprisoned dissident Liu Xiaobo the Nobel Peace Prize “for various reasons.” Some of these refusniks, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, are supported and bolstered by the United States. Some are countries we are in bed with such as Saudi Arabia. China insists the award is political and that a “few clowns” are attempting to interfere with its judicial affairs.







Liu Xiaobo was part of the Tiananmen Square protest and was an author of a paper asking for multiparty democracy and increased human rights in China. For this, he was found guilty of inciting subversion and sentenced to 11 years in prison.







Everyone and every country has the right to show its true colors. The US is hardly exempt here. Our ethical and moral reputation has been shot to hell by our recent wars and how we conduct them. We wanted increased influence and oil and we did what we needed to do to get it (and if our leader’s business ties profited? Wonderful!). In this latest moral litmus test, my bet is the countries refusing to support the Peace Prize are countries needing trade ties with China.







Our friends in Iraq and Afghanistan ought to be ashamed of themselves and those who supported the wars there, as well. Values are important, but apparently the 4,748 coalition dead in Iraq and 2252 coalition dead in Afghanistan did not die for values, but rather for the opportunity to do business. And poor Liu Xiaobo? He's just another peacenik protester, let’s forget about him.



Not.