Nov 14, 2009 Pres Obama in Japan

Nov 14 President Obama Tokyo pix

This was an exciting day. yes i want him ot go more to the left and do the right thing for the country and the world... but it was great to see him in person.
more motivated to fight for social change.
community organizers of the world => keep rockin' it!

Japan women's rights hotline 2009

女性の人権ホットライン

Nov 15- Nov 21

Daily 8:30am-7:00pm 　
　
TEL: ０５７０-０７０-８１０

* i know this is a week to raise awareness about abuse fo women's rights.
seems sad one week a year!

Nov 14, 2009 Pres Obama in Japan

A group of us were lucky not only the see and hear pres. Obama in person today but we also got great seats. thanks to both people at the embassy and Mike getting there at 6am!

We were moved and inspired by Pres. Obama today - he is terribly charismatic and shines most when he smiles.

It is great to have someone with a community organizer background in the WH. It is up to us to move him to take the actions we want. There is so much to do to make the world a better place.

I still have not downloaded my pix but here are a few. thie first one by John H and the second by Greg I.

Many more pix and vids have been posted on FB but for those of you not on FB --- here you go!

Vids:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMb3VZmfJCI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm4ZWNEXbug

Look for the crazy people standing up right away - that is how close we were:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ2DtAV-KXA

guns and friends

one of the reasons i stopped posting is my strong feelings about things and the scary reactions i get. yes this is not a high hit blog but there are scary people in the world and as long as they do not know me i guess i am okay.

tonight i have 2 notes - 1 good - 1 bad, not really bad!

the good i will have time to post when more later about but FINALLY Lindsey Ann Hawker's killer has been not on.ly spotted but found and arrested.
SEE! you can make a difference by looking around you and making a simple call. if it was your mom, your sister, your lover - would you not want someone to make that call and say hey i think i saw XXXX.

on the big bad note - an old (none older than I!) dear friend sent a short note on FB that her ex- (crazy controlling nutty - my words - not hers ) husband is getting a gun - no excuse me - a pistol permit.

what is the bloody difference? well i looked it up and it means you need to tell people liberal stuff like "guns have not proved to reduce crime" first and then you give them the application details.

to be honest based on his past antics she and the kids need to get out of town and i am afraid for her life.

Maybe it is living in country WITHOUT GUNS but with health care that changes your perspective.

i grew up in a a bad neighborhood. but this was before guns were everywhere.
"Wanna holler" made me rethink gangs & guns and now i can see how much worse things are than i thought. a dangerous man can get a gun because he is an American.

So darlings - please explain --- with the violence that happens in the US (we know that American people are likly be killed by guns in their own home) why are you surprised about the killings in Hood?

okay - i am upset. but who can help a woman who's ex gets a gun in the US? seems like no one.
it is his right.

people kill and they kill with guns in the US. help my dear friend from being killed by a local official letting her crazy ex- giving him a gun. or maybe you are not for life?

maybe i need to go to the US and rethink it all ... what is being civilized?

Lindsay Ann Hawker murder: prime suspect arrested

Thank god the guy was found ... just hope that other women's families can have peace.

The family worked hard to push the police to act and to educate the public.
Their efforts paid off. i only hope the police do not bungle it from now!

http://www.lindsayannhawker.com/index.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFdUmsJg9AA

Honiefaith => a play and a real person.

Watching the play Honiefaith last week disturbed me a lot. Stories about violence against women disturb me --- but this show is based on a real case.

The show blurb:
* When a Filipino hostess' dismembered body is discovered in a Tokyo coin locker, Manila newspaper reporter Victor Balmori is dispatched to Japan. Balmori is looking for a story, he finds a nightmare.*

For the most recent article bout the case in English:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090724a9.html

for the news report on the real case
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol97xNKwxSM





There are many implications to this and other social issues to deal with --- of course:
if she was white
if she was a 23 year old English teacher
if she had parents who had the money to come to Japan to make media event
... well things would have been different.

Think about it.
http://www.stippy.com/japan-news-and-media/chopped-up-filipina-body-found-in-tokyo-coin-locker/

Nov 11 Seminar => What’s needed to end world poverty? Your voice!

Wednesday, Nov 11, 2009
19:00 – 20:45

International Development Seminar #3:
What’s needed to end world poverty? Your voice!

Seminar contents:
Introduction to poverty in the world today, the Global Call to Action Against Poverty and how you can get involved. (In Japanese)

Featuring: Masaki Inaba, Executive Director, GCAP Japan,
Facilitator: Sarajean Rossitto

Location: Tsuda College Sendagaya Campus, Tsuda Hall in front of Sendagaya Station http://osc.tsuda.ac.jp/access.html
Fee: None it’s Free!
Limited to 50 people only up sign up to day!
To sign up, visit: https://secure.chat-jp.com/users/osctsuda/seminar/seminar.html

Run For The Cure
/Walk for Life

2009 pix
courtesy of Kathy















A record number of people joined 1500+wow wee!

issues that bug me #1

kiddie porn and prostitution

Although the bill may seem straightforward, the issue of possession criminalization is still contentious in Japan as there is concern about infringement of freedom of speech. Should the Child Prostitution and Child Pornography Prevention Law be passed as yet another law without remedy or penalty or enforcement mechanisms it may be proof that change may only be a facade and not of actual change.

Find out more about the issues:
www.nichibenren.or.jp/en/activities/statements/data/INT03_09_PS.pdf
http://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/law/detail_main?id=100&vm=&re=

http://www.interpol.int/public/Children/SexualAbuse/NationalLaws/csaJapan.asp