After Troy Davis' Execution, Before Rosh Hashanah

I haven't updated about the Troy Davis execution/murder-lynching because I just... have no energy to write about it. Troy Davis was killed Wednesday, September 21, 2011. I wish my thoughts could go more towards compassion than vengeance. I know an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.

Stop The Execution of Troy Davis: Protest September 17, 2011 in Montreal

I want to tell you about a case of horrendous injustice that is close to my heart. Troy Davis is a man who has been in prison for almost half of his life. He was convicted of murdering a police officer in the U.S. state of Georgia. In almost two decades, which he has spent on death row, the case against him, based largely on eyewitness testimony, has fallen apart. Here is a statement from one of the witnesses the prosecution used in the original trial:

Antoine Williams-
“They asked me to describe the shooter and what he looked like and what he was wearing. I kept telling them that I didn’t know. It was dark, my windows were tinted, and I was scared. It all happened so fast. Even today, I know that I could not honestly identify with any certainty who shot the officer that night. I couldn’t then either. After the officers talked to me, they gave me a statement and told me to sign it. I signed it. I did not read it because I cannot read.”(bold italics mine)

The state of Georgia has set the execution date for Troy Davis on September 21, 2011. This is the fourth time the state has tried to execute Troy Davis. Each time so far, a stay of execution has been granted to Troy because of massive protesting, petitioning and other solidarity actions. If a stay of execution is not granted this time, his appeals will be over, and he will be killed by the state of Georgia next Wednesday.

Today, September 16, is the Global Day of Solidarity for Troy Davis. Please check if there are actions in your city happening. If so, attend them. If you are a practicing Jew, consider it an act of Teshuvah before Elul, of running to do a mitzvah. If you are a practicing Christian, consider it an act of Christian Love. If you are of another religion, or an atheist, consider it an act of practicing human decency and kindness, and of working to create a world we all want to live in - a world that respects true justice.

There are many actions you can take, even if you are not physically able to attend the solidarity events - you can sign petitions, post information on your facebook or twitter accounts, etc. Petition signing can take as few as three minutes (less if you have already sent petitions with Amnesty International before).

Tomorrow, September 17, 2011, a Die-In will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the U.S. Consulate in Montreal. The address is 1155 Rue Saint Alexandre, H2Z 1Z2; the action has been organized by the Concordia University chapter of Amnesty International. I will be attending, and I hope you will too if you are able to make it.

Here are some links to help you take action:

Amnesty International - Troy Davis' Page
Easy-to-sign petitions, educational videos and more general information.

Amnesty International Concordia Die-In Page
More specific information about tomorrow's Die-In action in Montreal at the U.S. Consulate.

Ethiopian Jewish Children Refused Education in Chabad School

Oh, dear.

Having Compassion: Politely Refusing Religious Proselytizing... Or, How I Failed To Do So

I was stopped at a red light on my way home. It was after nine o'clock, and the sky was dark. An overly cheerful man was approaching random passers-by and asking them, "Would you like to know about Jesus Christ, Lord and Saviour?" People tried to quietly refuse him and go on their way. Just before the light turned green, he greeted me.

I Got a Hat Tip on Failed Messiah!!!

I'm getting quite active in my retirement from this blog! Anyhow, I found something slightly fishy about an old kiruv program's photo art - it was photoshopped to cover skin and reduce the female body parts of the model. Although I think Jewpiter is a great idea, I do think it also fails to disclose it's ultra Orthodox status, which can cause a lot of trouble for participants. When I contacted Shmarya Rosenberg from Failed Messiah, he published the info. I'm thrilled!

Spiritual, Not Religious, Authentic Judaism : B.S. Decoded

(This is my rebellion post. I officially wrote my last MHK blog post a week ago. But I'm a contrary person, so I am rebelling by posting again. Enjoy.)

Human beings generally don't like being labeled or stereotyped. But sometimes, stereotypes contain some truth. It may be an exaggerated and demonized version of the truth, but it's truth nonetheless. For the purposes of this post, I'm talking about those who try to avoid open and clear labeling of their religious beliefs - those folks who are "spiritual", not "religious" or "authentic". Take, for example, born-again (or once-born) Evangelical Christians. 

Israeli, Ashkenazi-Led Protests against African Refugees

So you can get to the video link on The Real News by clicking here. I wish I could figure out how to simply add the video-link, but I don't know how so you'll have to check the link.

Thank God I'm mixed-heritage. Thank God/dess I am able to see, more and more, how important it is to treat everyone with respect and love. That doesn't mean it's easy. But at least I know it's what matters most.

8 Interesting Facts About Purim

This weekend, the Jewish calendar turns to the Purim festival. Purim is a trickster holiday in that it is a time of jokes, riddles, masks and merriment. While not everyone celebrates Purim or even knows about it, it is a fairly popular holiday. I myself celebrated Purim as a child in Hebrew School and knew that it related to the biblical book of Esther, but I was not aware of the rich symbolic and mystical traditions and legends surrounding it. I also did not have the opportunity to explore the biblical and scholarly texts with the feminist and renewalist perspective I do today. So to help you celebrate Purim, here are 8 interesting Purim facts for your pleasure!

Say NO to Bill C-49

I just received this very disturbing e-mail about the Harper government's proposal of a bill that would, in my opinion, drastically endanger refugees in Canada. What is more unfortunate is that it was apparently endorsed by B'nai Brith. Please take time to read the information and letter below.

Open Letter Against Bill C-49 (Immigration Act)

Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney have proposed a new Immigration Act, Bill C-49. It would allow the Minister of Public Safety to declare any group of migrants coming in to Canada a "smuggling incident". There is no definition of a "smuggler" in this Act.

Hallowe'en : Pagan Power!

Hallowe'en night will be here in a few hours, and I'm very, very scared. Oh, not of all the phantoms, witches, and monsters that will be roaming the streets - although I'm sure they'll be giving me some good scares when I pass them by on the sidewalks. No, I'm afraid of anti-Pagan prejudice and those who practice it with impunity. I'm afraid of the people who burn books, unlawfully dismiss employees and break up families in the name of God.

Anti-Semitism is Alive and Well

Growing up, the first schools I attended were private Jewish schools. My family didn't have the money to pay for them, but we received scholarships based on the Chesed (loving-kindness) of the schools. I also had the opportunity to spend my summer days playing, creating art, and experiencing the beauty of rural Quebec through Jewish summer camps that were also subsidized.

Hey everyone, we're not racist - we're nice to Black people!!!

The following is my response to an article on Aish.com about Chelsea Clinton's marriage to a nice Jewish boy. Well, the article was itself a response to readers responding unfavorably to the author's first article. All these articles and responses are getting me confused, so just read my damn rant.

Turning The Other Cheek

I made plans with a friend yesterday, whom we shall call C. C and I were on our way when all of a sudden that ranting asshole from last week came up to me and said, "I just want to apologize. I stepped over the line." Except he didn't say it in a calm way. I was in a hurry and I didn't have time to respond to him. But I started to try, for a few seconds before I realized it was pointless.

On The Honesty of Liking Terrorism

I stopped by to spend time with some friends I ran into today. Somehow, I and a fellow Jew got onto biblical topics, and then somehow onto The Divide. The divide of Israelis and Palestinians.