Song released two days ago by Bruce Springsteen: “STREETS OF MINNEAPOLIS (Lyric Video)”
[Verse 1] Through the winter’s ice and cold Down Nicollet Avenue A city aflame fought fire and ice ‘Neath an occupier’s boots King Trump’s private army from the DHS Guns belted to their coats Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law Or so their story goes
[Verse 2] Against smoke and rubber bullets In the dawn’s early light Citizens stood for justice Their voices ringin’ through the night And there were bloody footprints Where mercy should have stood And two dead, left to die on snow-filled streets Alex Pretti and Renée Good
[Chorus] Oh, our Minneapolis, I hear your voice Singing through the bloody mist We’ll take our stand for this land And the stranger in our midst Here in our home, they killed and roamed In the winter of ’26 We’ll remember the names of those who died On the streets of Minneapolis
[Verse 3] Trump’s federal thugs beat up on His face and his chest Then we heard the gunshots And Alex Pretti lay in the snow dead Their claim was self-defense, sir Just don’t believe your eyes It’s our blood and bones And these whistles and phones Against Miller and Noem’s dirty lies
[Chorus] Oh, our Minneapolis, I hear your voice Crying through the bloody mist We’ll remember the names of those who died On the streets of Minneapolis
[Harmonica Solo]
[Verse 4] Now they say they’re here to uphold the law But they trample on our rights If your skin is black or brown, my friend You can be questioned or deported on sight In our chants of “ICE out now” Our city’s heart and soul persists Through broken glass and bloody tears On the streets of Minneapolis
[Chorus] Oh, our Minneapolis, I hear your voice Singing through the bloody mist Here in our home, they killed and roamed In the winter of ’26 We’ll take our stand for this land And the stranger in our midst We’ll remember the names of those who died On the streets of Minneapolis We’ll remember the names of those who died On the streets of Minneapolis
[Outro] ICE out (ICE out) ICE out (ICE out) ICE out (ICE out) ICE out (ICE out) ICE out (ICE out) ICE out
Frankly, I believe Trump is deliberately trying to stop the brain drain to America.
The anti-immigrant movement, strict visa requirements, and deportations for trivial reasons are creating deep anxiety among students, tourists, and those who want to do business with the United States.
Just a few days ago, they raided Hyundai’s factory.
For minor paperwork issues or even arbitrary reasons, people were handcuffed from behind as if they were prisoners of war.
Hyundai even issued a warning for those planning to travel to America.
As far as I can see, U.S. tourism has also collapsed.
These are all deliberate obstacles.
The tariffs are an additional deterrent.
Even John Deere, a domestic and national American company, decided to move all of its investments to Mexico under pressure.
Companies operating in the Great Lakes region in cooperation with Canada have been put in a difficult position.
U.S. companies forced by Washington to relocate their investments from China to India have also run into trouble.
Trump’s open territorial claims toward Mexico, Canada, Denmark, and Panama have created shock in the Western world.
His humiliating behavior—such as seating Western leaders below him—or Vice President J.D. Vance wagging his finger and using threatening language against them, are all carefully noted incidents.
The MAGA movement has been hijacked.
Zionists have stolen the movement through Trump.
None of the current actions align with the true agenda of MAGA.
Even American strategists admit that the higher interests of the United States are being trampled.
And they all, unfortunately, concede that there is no choice but to bow to the power of the Jewish lobby.
Trump and his team are deliberately dismantling the Western alliance.
They are trying to create division and polarization within the U.S.
They knowingly empower the arguments of Confederates.
They are intentionally violating the constitutional rights of the united states that make up America.
They are working to undermine the U.S. judiciary, as well as the military and civil bureaucracy.
It is as if they are pursuing the doctrine of *Ab Ordo Chaos*—first destroy, then rebuild.
Every move they make serves only to delay, obstruct, and weaken America’s military and economic confrontation with China—ultimately buying China more power and time.
Trump is a puppet.
The oligarchy pulling his strings has already made its decision.
They will dismantle the U.S. in every sense.
They will plunder all of its wealth.
They will exploit America’s military and economic strength to the last drop.
And once it is completely drained, they will leave it to fend for itself—fractured by endless economic, political, and religious strife.
President Trump carefully reviewed all of the candidates for the U.S. Senate. Everyone, especially David McCormick – a pro-China, Wall Street Insider – wanted this endorsement. But President Trump wisely endorsed me because I’m a conservative who will stand up to Joe Biden and the woke Left.
Dr. Mehmet oz
As Pennsylvania’s next Senator, I will defend America First policies. I will fight to unleash American energy, protect our Second Amendment, and drain the swamp of Washington insiders. l will be a powerful Pro-Life voice in the Senate, and I will protect our children from harmful woke indoctrination. And no one will fight harder against the radical policies of Joe Biden that are causing inflation, creating a crisis at our border, and weakening our position around the world.
The Los Angeles Times published on January 11, 2022, an opinion column by Jonah Goldberg, titled: “Just meeting with Putin is a concession — the U.S. should be wary of giving more.”
Goldberg expressed his unhappiness that Russia and other members of its military coalition, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which includes Armenia, sent troops to Kazakhstan on a ‘peacekeeping’ mission earlier this month. In his article, Goldberg made a critical reference to Armenia: “None of CSTO’s members — Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan — are democracies. Armenia comes closest; Freedom House designates it a ‘semi-consolidated authoritarian regime’ with a ‘Democracy Score’ of 33 out of 100. The rest are ‘consolidated authoritarian regimes.’”
Goldberg’s derogatory description of Armenia, which has been praised as a bastion of democracy since Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan came to power in 2018, must have made Armenians feel uncomfortable.
Freedom House, a Washington-based research institute funded mostly by the U.S. government, regrettably proves that Goldberg was not wrong in his criticism of Armenia. Freedom House publishes an annual “Freedom in the World” report which assesses each country’s degree of democracy, including political freedom and civil liberties. Countries are classified as “free,” “partly free,” or “not free.”
When Pashinyan became Prime Minister, he was applauded by the international community and Armenians worldwide for establishing democratic rule through his “Velvet Revolution.” However, Freedom House continued to classify Armenia as “partly free” throughout 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Armenia is also designated as “not an electoral democracy,” based on its low ratings on “political rights” and “civil liberties.” Just in case Azeris and Turks wish to celebrate Armenia’s low ratings, both Azerbaijan and Turkey are ranked far worse as “not free.”
Here are highlights from Freedom House’s detailed 30-page report on Armenia for the year 2020:
In the category of “National Democratic Governance,” with 1 as best and 7 as worst, Armenia was rated 2.25. This category “considers the democratic character of the governmental system; and the independence, effectiveness, and accountability of the legislative and executive branches.”
In the category of “Electoral Process,” Armenia was rated 3.25. It “examines national executive and legislative elections, the electoral framework, the functioning of multiparty systems, and popular participation in the political process.”
In the category of “Civil Society,” Armenia was rated 4.5. It “assesses the organizational capacity and financial sustainability of the civic sector; the legal and political environment in which it operates; the functioning of trade unions; interest group participation in the policy process; and the threat posed by antidemocratic extremist groups.”
In the category of “Independent Media,” Armenia was rated 3. It “examines the current state of press freedom, including libel laws, harassment of journalists, and editorial independence; the operation of a financially viable and independent private press; and the functioning of the public media.”
In the category of “Local Democratic Governance,” Armenia was rated 2.25. It “considers the decentralization of power; the responsibilities, election, and capacity of local governmental bodies; and the transparency and accountability of local authorities.”
In the category of “Judicial Framework and Independence,” Armenia was rated 2.5. It “assesses constitutional and human rights protections, judicial independence, the status of ethnic minority rights, guarantees of equality before the law, treatment of suspects and prisoners, and compliance with judicial decisions.”
In the category of “Corruption,” Armenia was rated 3. It “looks at public perceptions of corruption, the business interests of top policymakers, laws on financial disclosure and conflict of interest, and the efficacy of anticorruption initiatives.”
A second report on Armenia was published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on January 14, 2022. HRW is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City that conducts research and advocacy on human rights.
HRW reported that even though “the political crisis” after the Artsakh war “was largely defused in the June 2021 snap elections … domestic violence, discrimination against people with disabilities, barriers to effective pain treatment and palliative care, and violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity persisted. Striving to fight rising incidents of hate speech, authorities introduced regulations which may undermine freedom of speech.”
Regarding “accountability for law enforcement abuse and torture in custody,” HRW reported that “torture and ill-treatment in custody remains a problem and it is often perpetrated with impunity. Even when criminal investigations are launched in response to allegations of torture, they are rarely effective.”
In the first six months of 2021, there were “documented 15 cases, with 17 victims, of physical violence against journalists perpetrated by both public officials and private individuals.” There were also “heated public debates, which often included inflammatory speech by members of parliament and other public officials that was at times directed against human rights defenders and activists.”
The HRW also reported that “many children with disabilities remain segregated in orphanages, special schools, or at home with little or no education.” In May 2021, “parliament adopted the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which includes guarantees of accessibility, independent living, and access to justice, and bans disability-based discrimination.”
According to HRW, “violence against women and children … remains a persistent problem.” In addition, “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Armenia continue to face harassment, discrimination, and violence.”
An indication that Armenia is losing its image of a democratic country is the fact that last March, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a call with Prime Minister Pashinyan, counseled him about “the importance of the rule of law and democratic institutions.”
Prime Minister Pashinyan came to power in 2018 promoting democracy, thereby gaining much support and praise from international circles. Regrettably, Pashinyan’s monopoly on power and increasing tendency to make all governmental decisions single-handedly are turning Armenia into a one-man rule which will result in the country losing its democratic credentials and international support.
TV Celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz announced on Nov. 30 his Republican candidacy for one of the two U.S. Senate seats from Pennsylvania.
Just like his idol Donald Trump, Dr. Oz has no background in politics. He has not even served as a City Councilman. The American public and the world-at-large suffered enough in the hands of the incompetent celebrity Trump who appointed Dr. Oz to the White House council on sport, fitness and nutrition, after appearing on “The Dr. Oz Show” as a presidential candidate.
Besides his lack of political experience, there are several other issues that should discourage or disqualify Dr. Oz from running for a Senate seat. Even though he is a medical doctor, he has offered plenty of baseless medical advice and promoted questionable treatments, such as diet pills and hydroxychloroquine, Trump’s fake cure for coronavirus, in order to enrich himself, jeopardizing the health of the American public. He shockingly suggested on FOX-TV that “a 2-3% increase in COVID-19 mortality from reopening schools nationwide might be a worthwhile trade-off.”
According to Wikipedia, Dr. Oz “has promoted pseudoscience and alternative medicine, and has been criticized by physicians, government officials, and publications, including the British Medical Journal, Popular Science, and The New Yorker, for endorsing unproven products and non-scientific advice. The British Medical Journal published a study in 2014 that found more than half of the recommendations on medical talk series, including “The Dr. Oz Show,” either had no evidence or contradicted medical research.”
Another problem is that Dr. Oz is running for the Senate from Pennsylvania, even though he is not a resident of that State. He lives in a mansion in New Jersey which violates the residency requirement to run for political office in that State. In late 2020, he changed his voter registration to a home owned by his mother-in-law in Pennsylvania. The only link he has with that State is that he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania over three decades ago in 1986.
Finally, without wanting to say anything disparaging about his Turkish background, it remains to be seen, if elected, Dr. Oz will act as the mouthpiece of the Turkish government or serves the interests of the United States. In the few days since announcing his candidacy, several articles have been written questioning his exclusive allegiance to the United States as a dual Turkish and American citizen. Even though Dr. Mehmet Oz was born in Ohio, he spent his childhood summers in Turkey and served for two years in the Turkish army.
Regarding his position on Armenian issues, there are two indications:
1) In 2014, the Assembly of Turkish American Associations headquartered in Washington, DC, announced Dr. Oz’s participation in its “master plan” to deny the Armenian Genocide in advance of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide in 2015. However, a spokesman for Dr. Oz said in an email to the Armenian Asbarez newspaper that “Dr. Oz is not involved in this in any way.”
2) In 2008, when I was being awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in New York, Dr. Oz was also one of the recipients of that medal. During the official ceremony, in my acceptance speech, the minute I said that I was a descendant of survivors of the Armenian Genocide, Dr. Oz got up from his chair and left the hall. To be fair to him, this could have been a mere coincidence.
Nevertheless, it is up to Dr. Oz to clarify his position on the Armenian Genocide which is already recognized by both Houses of Congress and the President of the United States. Dr. Mehmet Oz’s true allegiances will be revealed if he shows any reluctance to criticize the grave human rights violations committed by his good friend, the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Despite his celebrity status, Dr. Oz will face an uphill battle in his political campaign. He will be competing with a dozen other Republican candidates in the race for the Senate. If he overcomes that major hurdle, he would then go up against his Democratic rival. The current Republican Senator Pat Toomey has announced his retirement.
Dr. Oz has come under relentless attacks from the American media for his questionable past statements. Dr. Dale Summers wrote an article in The Daily Beast titled: “Please Don’t Elect Dr. Oz — He’s a Disgrace to Our Profession.” Summers stated: “I greet this prospect with the same enthusiasm I’d have for contracting dysentery…. He’s been promoting pseudoscience on his show for years.”
In another article, The Daily Beast’s Matt Wilstein reported the sarcastic comments made on TV by comedian Stephen Colbert about Dr. Oz’s political prospects. The article was titled: “Stephen Colbert Exposes Known ‘Liar’ Dr. Oz Ahead of Pennsylvania Senate Run.” Colbert ridiculed Dr. Oz’s statement that his candidacy will “help re-light the ‘divine spark’ inside every American.” He noted that Dr. Oz, before tossing his hat in the political ring, had a “lucrative career as a liar, peddling questionable health advice on TV.” Colbert then added: “But Dr. Oz may not just have fake medical claims; he may have fake Pennsylvania claims, because he’s running there despite living in New Jersey for years.”
Karen Tumulty, Deputy Editorial Page Editor and Columnist for the Washington Post, wrote an article headlined: “What Dr. Oz’s Senate campaign is missing.” Tumulty stated: “Oz has now offered himself as a prescription for what ails politics. Count me as skeptical that Pennsylvania voters will buy the idea that he is the cure they are looking for.”
It remains to seen whether Dr. Oz’s celebrity status will overcome his political inexperience and fake medical cures.
When planning to write this column, there were two key points I wanted to highlight. The first was that Trump had a couple of weeks left in his presidency which millions of people were anxiously looking forward to. My second point was that Trump was proven to be the biggest liar in history. Little did I know that events in Washington would take a disastrous turn that would shake the United States and the world.
During the last four years of his presidency, Trump has made hundreds of irrational statements and decisions rarely based on facts or reason. This ignorant man arrogantly claimed that he knew more than the generals about war, more than the doctors about coronavirus, more than the financial experts about the economy, etc. He became the laughing stock of people around the world.
What is amazing to me is that 74 million Americans blindly followed Trump and voted for him on November 3, 2020. If it weren’t for the other 81 million Americans who voted for Joe Biden, Trump may have remained in office another four years, further destabilizing the United States. I blame Trump’s blind supporters more than Trump himself, because without them Trump would not have been elected four years ago and would not have caused such damage.
Trump was clever enough to sow the seeds of doubt long ago about the outcome of the presidential elections. According to the Washington Post, Trump made bogus election claims 1,795 times from January to November 2020, thus preparing the ground for refusing to accept the results of the election. During one of his campaign rallies Trump said that if he loses the election, he will leave the country, which is the best thing he has said, but like all his other statements this too was a lie!
To make matters much worse, Trump called on his loyal and blind followers to gather in Washington on January 6, 2020 and prevent Congress from certifying the votes of the Electoral College, confirming that Biden had won the election. Trump even told his followers that he will personally join them in the street and march with them. Fortunately, this too was a lie. He stayed in the White House and let his followers do his dirty bidding.
Thousands of mindless Trumpsters descended on Washington, DC from all over the country, most of them not wearing a mask. Some came armed with guns and Molotov cocktails. They fought with the police and pushed their way in the halls of Congress, the cradle of American democracy. They killed a policeman guarding the Capitol, one protester was shot and killed and three others died of health-related problems. They disrupted the joint session of Congress, threatened the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Vice President of the United States who were immediately whisked away fearing for their lives. The mob smashed the doors, windows, furniture and paintings, and stole the property that belonged to the Congress. Not since the British Army attacked the Capitol building in 1814, such a despicable invasion of the seat of power in Washington, D.C., has occurred.
It is surprising that the Capitol police, having prior notice of the impending attack, failed to take special measures to defend the building and members of Congress. The chief of the Capitol police has since resigned. Calls for the National Guard went unheeded and were obstructed by the White House until later that evening, after the damage was done.
The hoodlums or Trump’s terrorists will not be able to get away with their crimes. Dozens have been already arrested and many more are expected to be captured in the next few days. Trump, the chief instigator of these crimes, however, remains at large. He is the one that incited the mob to commit this violence. The day after the mayhem in Washington, in a video speech, Trump proudly told the attackers “We love you.” Facebook, Twitter and Instagram immediately blocked his messages so he does not instigate any more violence. His followers have wrongly called these measures censorship. Trump has been repeatedly warned for years that he is violating the terms of service of the social media. He arrogantly persisted. The social media companies have the right to block him. They should have done so long ago. Furthermore, instigation of violence and insurrection are crimes. The perpetrator, in this case Trump, who is the leader of the rioters, must be held legally responsible for his crimes in a court of law. Several members of Trump’s Cabinet have since resigned to disassociate themselves from the violence in Congress. A dozen other high-ranking Trump officials have also resigned.
The House of Representatives is now considering a new impeachment trial for Pres. Trump and forward the decision to the U.S. Senate. In recent days, several Republican Members of Congress have called on Pres. Trump to resign or face impeachment. This is the first time in U.S. history that a President will be impeached twice. To make sure that the Republican majority in the Senate does not block Trump’s conviction like they did last year, the Senate will consider his impeachment after January 20, 2021 when the new Senate takes over with a Democratic majority. Even though Trump will no longer be President by then, his successful impeachment will prevent him from holding federal office ever again, including running for President! Trump’s departure will be a stain on his presidential legacy, in addition to all his other indiscretions during the past four years.
Such a vicious attack is something that usually happens in third world countries and the U.S. government traditionally condemns the violence. No one expected that such an undemocratic act would take place in the heart of Washington which made the United States the laughing stock of the world. Several world leaders, including those of Iraq and Iran, lectured the United States about democracy. Even Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one of the vilest dictators in the world, who has repeatedly violated the most basic rights of his people, mocked the United States by daring to give Americans a lesson in democracy.
Returning to Trump’s record of lies, the Washington Post has documented that Pres. Trump, as of Nov. 5, 2020, has made 29,508 false or misleading claims in almost four years. By the time he leaves office, the number of his lies will reach or exceed 30,000 — probably the most lies told by anyone in the world. Unfortunately, millions of Trump’s followers blindly swallowed these lies.
Regrettably, Trump’s supporters are now calling for a “million MAGA [Make America Great Again] march,” in Washington on January 20, 2020 to disrupt Pres. Biden’s inauguration. I hope this time the police and the National Guard will be better prepared to keep the protesters under control and immediately arrest those who behave violently.
