I just saw a very disturbing CNN Anderson Cooper 360 segment on Eric Volz, an American doing business in Nicaragua who was arrested and then convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend, even though ten witnesses, phone records, and other evidence have cleared him of being a suspect.
I could not believe the Nicaraguan kangaroo court came to the wild verdict and sentenced him to 30 years -- 30 years -- in jail! It's one of those television shows you've got to see to believe. It's shocking the injustice.
After watching this, I came to the conclusion that President Bush should send the CIA in to get him out of jail and bring him back home. The Nicaraguan crowd of poor people wanted him jailed because he's White apparently, even though evidence points to three other men, and not Volz.
There's website called "Free Eric Volz" that is up and a lot of articles written on this. But there is this moving post written by Eric after #134 days in jail (April 7th) that must be read:
April 4, 2007
Eric Update: Day # 134 in prison
A letter from Eric:
It has been some time since I have been able to get word out to tell everyone supporting me how I am doing and what is happening from my perspective.
I'm in a maximum-security prison about 20 minutes outside of the capitol city of Managua called "La Modelo." My mother has established a good relationship with the warden and he has been very kind, allowing me to visit with her and my step-father on a regular basis. As you can imagine, these visits have been invaluable in terms of being brought up to speed on all that is taking place as a result of my conviction. I have received a complete update on what is happening around the globe on my behalf. The amount of support and energy going into freeing me from this injustice is simply incredible. From a grass roots My Space campaign, letters to senators, international media, people praying and fasting, You Tube video, and all the awesome letters of encouragement and support, my sprits are greatly lifted and my strength has been miraculously restored. Your all are breathing for me! THANK YOU ALL FOR GETTING MY BACK ON THIS ONE!!! I'm eternally grateful and feel like the richest man on earth!
I have worn a small thread necklace with 2 small square ornaments for the last 5 years without every taking it off. A priest, in Jalisco, Mexico, in a very mystical experience, gave it to me. He told me as long as I took care of the necklace it would protect me. I grew superstitious of the piece and felt like it provided me with some sort of divine protection. I know it might sound silly to some, but I figured it was a harmless fantasy. It has survived 5 years of doing what guys do and the thing is still there as strong as ever. Needless to say, it really freaked me out when on my third day in prison after my arrest I noticed that one of the ornaments had fallen off. It was a sure sign that what lay ahead was not going to be pretty. After over 130 days in prison my necklace has taken a beating like never before. The water we have to bathe in seems to have somehow discolored the thread.
Last week after I was told about all that was being done on my behalf, I came back to my cell glowing, and decided I would restore the necklace. I utilized a combination of candle wax, the tag from my Nike gym shorts, some yellow thread and needle. It is not as 'stylee' as before, but it has taken on a new life, as have I, and symbolizes my life force in the face of this new chapter.
The best analogy I have come across for being locked up here is that it's like being buried alive. It is like having a cave collapse around you leaving just enough room to breathe and touch your toes. At first you are shocked and terrified. Time and space come to mean something totally different than before. You sleep a lot in the beginning. It is almost like a body function similar to hibernation that activates to deal with the extreme trauma. When you are asleep, you're not imprisoned.
The physical and mental claustrophobia sets in hard and never lets up. I reached a point where I had no choice but to turn and face it, let it cut deeply, let if ferment, and then I was able to transcend the new references of time and space. At this point it becomes a state of mind called "doing time."
I have buried myself in books, I meditate and pray, I live in my head and feel very centered. My spirits rise and fall. I refuse to join a gang. I maintain my independence and only socialize when I exercise and play soccer in the gallery. Despite the hardship and loss of freedom, I am developing. I'm developing in ways that would not be possible unless I was walking this path. I see this as a test; a rite of passage. I will not be defeated and I will see each and every one of you on the free side.
A friend asked in a letter, "Where are you pulling your strength from?" The answer is - all of you are my strength. The prayers, the campaigns, the letters, the movement - without you I would be lost.
I send my deepest and purest love to every person that had read these lines.
Eric V.
Get this guy out of the Nicaraguan grip. Send the CIA and the U.S. Army. One blogger has called for the US to stop lending to Nicaragua. I agree.
Here's an update on the appeal's process. I personally think Nicaragua's a joke at this point.
Monday, April 23, 2007
An Angry Taiwanese Man On The Heels Of Virginia Tech
The Virginia Tech tragedy shed light on the problem of guns, functioning psychotics, minority isolation in America, and the Angry Asian Guy.
What was that last one? The what?
Yep. Cho Seung-Hui was totally off his rocker, we all agree on that, but a number of people also believe that something made him snap over time. That something seems to be society itself. Cho comes off as a person who's envious of anyone White or rich, plus he seems to have a fixation with White Women and a dislike for Asian Women, even to the point of openly expressing this.
I have formed the view that some -- not all -- Asian Men who immigrate over to the United States are more likely to have a fixation on White Women and an idea that White Women -- and more specifically, blondes -- are to be the objects of their desire, and are more often of the view that Asian Women should date Asian Men and not want White Guys. (By contrast, American-born Asians don't have such issues on display and have no such fixation problem.)
I've observed this behavior from time to time and remember various examples from Grad School at UC Berkeley (like the Korean student who was PISSED that Korean women were dating White Guys and not him); today, there was someone at my gym who really fit the description and in a scary way.
(Now, as a momentary aside, one could echo Chris Rock and say that most Black men seem to make Blonde women the object of their desire, but since the rate of Black out marriage in America is actually less than that of Asians, it's not the "habit" people think it is.)
Ok, it all started with a short athletic Blonde woman who was working out on one of the machines and it happened to be one that I always use. Since she already beat me to the device, I curled dumbbells while waiting my turn. Ok, she was totally hot -- great athletic legs -- but not off the charts "hot" to be sure.
After a while, all of a sudden I hear this loud clanging not far from both of us but closer to me than her by far. I took a sideways glance and noticed someone lifting a barbell, but because I wasn't looking directly I could not see the person.
The person making the noise kept up the banging of weights and finally I did get a look at the noise maker. He was an Asian man with glasses who looked to be in his early 30s or so. But since I was concentrating on my workout and -- ok -- taking a look or two at the woman, I could have cared less about the guy.
Well, he continued the annoying act of letting the weight he was lifting hit its support frame hard, resulting in a loud bang. The more he did it -- and this was several times -- the more I moved away from him. I then realized he was trying to get the attention of the woman, and seemed real frustrated in the process, getting up from the weights, dancing around a bit as if to the tune on his iPod. So, what did I do?
I talked to her. I asked her if something was wrong with her back and about the way she was using the gym machine, as I could learn something.
Well, as this was happening I overheard the Asian man talk to a White Guy he obviously knew and who was nearby working out as well. But what he said to this man was not pleasant.
He said "Americans are stupid" and went on a general rant about people here and other matters I frankly tuned out from hearing because it was terrible. He sounded angry. He mentioned that he was from Taiwan and "We're different."
Great!
Then the hot Blonde White Chick moved on to another area, after showing me her way of using the machine, and then the Asian guy basically stopped being loud. He got up and looked for another place in the gym to workout another body part area. It was the most amazing display of what I contend is sexual frustration channeled to anger about America.
But it was also scary. In the dark light of Virginia Tech, I can't help but look at anyone fitting the behavioral profile of Cho Seung-Hui differently. That person does not have to be Asian, but does have to express, well, what I saw today.
Regarding what seems to be an wild focus on Whites on the part of Asians, I would hope that our diversifying society would make this less likely over time. It can be taken to dangerous extremes with unfortunate results.
What was that last one? The what?
Yep. Cho Seung-Hui was totally off his rocker, we all agree on that, but a number of people also believe that something made him snap over time. That something seems to be society itself. Cho comes off as a person who's envious of anyone White or rich, plus he seems to have a fixation with White Women and a dislike for Asian Women, even to the point of openly expressing this.
I have formed the view that some -- not all -- Asian Men who immigrate over to the United States are more likely to have a fixation on White Women and an idea that White Women -- and more specifically, blondes -- are to be the objects of their desire, and are more often of the view that Asian Women should date Asian Men and not want White Guys. (By contrast, American-born Asians don't have such issues on display and have no such fixation problem.)
I've observed this behavior from time to time and remember various examples from Grad School at UC Berkeley (like the Korean student who was PISSED that Korean women were dating White Guys and not him); today, there was someone at my gym who really fit the description and in a scary way.
(Now, as a momentary aside, one could echo Chris Rock and say that most Black men seem to make Blonde women the object of their desire, but since the rate of Black out marriage in America is actually less than that of Asians, it's not the "habit" people think it is.)
Ok, it all started with a short athletic Blonde woman who was working out on one of the machines and it happened to be one that I always use. Since she already beat me to the device, I curled dumbbells while waiting my turn. Ok, she was totally hot -- great athletic legs -- but not off the charts "hot" to be sure.
After a while, all of a sudden I hear this loud clanging not far from both of us but closer to me than her by far. I took a sideways glance and noticed someone lifting a barbell, but because I wasn't looking directly I could not see the person.
The person making the noise kept up the banging of weights and finally I did get a look at the noise maker. He was an Asian man with glasses who looked to be in his early 30s or so. But since I was concentrating on my workout and -- ok -- taking a look or two at the woman, I could have cared less about the guy.
Well, he continued the annoying act of letting the weight he was lifting hit its support frame hard, resulting in a loud bang. The more he did it -- and this was several times -- the more I moved away from him. I then realized he was trying to get the attention of the woman, and seemed real frustrated in the process, getting up from the weights, dancing around a bit as if to the tune on his iPod. So, what did I do?
I talked to her. I asked her if something was wrong with her back and about the way she was using the gym machine, as I could learn something.
Well, as this was happening I overheard the Asian man talk to a White Guy he obviously knew and who was nearby working out as well. But what he said to this man was not pleasant.
He said "Americans are stupid" and went on a general rant about people here and other matters I frankly tuned out from hearing because it was terrible. He sounded angry. He mentioned that he was from Taiwan and "We're different."
Great!
Then the hot Blonde White Chick moved on to another area, after showing me her way of using the machine, and then the Asian guy basically stopped being loud. He got up and looked for another place in the gym to workout another body part area. It was the most amazing display of what I contend is sexual frustration channeled to anger about America.
But it was also scary. In the dark light of Virginia Tech, I can't help but look at anyone fitting the behavioral profile of Cho Seung-Hui differently. That person does not have to be Asian, but does have to express, well, what I saw today.
Regarding what seems to be an wild focus on Whites on the part of Asians, I would hope that our diversifying society would make this less likely over time. It can be taken to dangerous extremes with unfortunate results.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)