Fairness and Justice? Post-9/11 Muslim Charity Prosecution

Katherine Hughes, Truthout: The US government continues its persecution of Rafil Dhafir, most recently by placing him in the special housing unit in the midst of his last chance at a legal remedy, a 2255 habeas corpus motion.

Paul Street, Paradigm Publishers: In this excerpt from his new book, They Rule: The 1% v. Democracy, Paul Street describes how John Carpenter prefigured our present moment when all conspires to make resistance seem futile and alternatives, non-existent.

Read the Excerpt

Machiavelli and Oligarchic Democracy

Lorenzo Del Savio and Matteo Mameli, Truthout: Machiavelli thought that curbing the appetites of the super-rich and super-powerful was essential for promoting and protecting everyone’s freedom and happiness. He was right. And what was true at his time is still true today.

Read the Article

Socialism and Workers’ Self-Directed Enterprises

Richard D. Wolff, MRZine: Global capitalism’s extreme and deepening inequalities have provoked millions to question and challenge capitalism. Yet socialists of all sorts now find it more difficult than ever to make effective criticisms and offer alternatives that inspire.

Read the Article

Restoring Government by the People, for the People

Marge Baker, OtherWords: Thanks to decisions made by the Supreme Court in recent years and the resulting avalanche of money in politics, the ability for everyday Americans to have our concerns heard and addressed by our elected officials is dwindling.

Read the Article

The Multiple Benefits of Economic Localization

Helena Norberg-Hodge, Catalysta: For young people entering the workforce, one of the most powerful steps to take is to join the emerging localization movement. There is no better way to ensure secure and meaningful livelihoods than by replacing the globalization juggernaut with human-scale systems.

Read the Article and Watch the Video

Existential Zombie

John Steppling, John Steppling’s Blog: As the media reflexively commemorated 9/11, the average American cannot begin to imagine what life is like for the average Iraqi. Imagine if instead of 3,000 people dead, there were several million dead.

Read the Article

Latin America at a Climate Crossroads

Susan McDade, Inter Press Service: World leaders gathered at the Climate Change Summit during the United Nations General Assembly September 23 will have a crucial opportunity to mobilize political will, advance solutions to climate change and address its closely connected challenges of increasing access to sustainable energy.

Read the Article

First Fall Semester Debtors’ Assembly at SIUC: A Critique of the Student Debt Regime

Nicholas Smaligo and James Anderson, Midwest Campus Crisis: Just a few decades ago, accumulating debt in and as a result of attending college was virtually unheard of.

Read the Article

“Don’t Warehouse Me in a Nursing Home”

Robin Marty, Care2: By refusing to expand Medicaid, as so many other states across the country have done, Tennessee is being forced to make cuts that are affecting those with illnesses or disabilities who previously had been living independently in their own homes, forcing them into assisted living situations instead.

Read the Article

BuzzFlash

The BuzzFlash commentary for Truthout will return soon.

“Officer of the Year” for Protecting Women, Accused of Using Police Resources to Stalk Women

Read the Article at MintPress News

Immigration-Rights Activist Detained in Orange County, Marked for Deportation

Read the Article at the Los Angeles Times

Family of Utah Man Shot Dead “From Behind” by Police Call for Federal Inquiry

Read the Article at The Guardian

In Movies, Violence Against Women Lets Filmmakers Indulge Toxic Fantasies

Read the Article at The Washington Post

Faulty Shale Gas Wells Contaminated Drinking Water in Two States

Read the Article at Facing South

Illinois Judge Rules Police Entitled to SWAT Raid Over Parody Twitter Account

Read the Article at The Guardian

Crossing the Line

Read the Article at Texas Observer

Monday, September 22, 2014

*UNABLE TO POST A PHOTOGRAPH AS THE IMAGE EDITOR IS NOT WORKING TODAY

Balsamic Moon Phase: release

Moon in Virgo

Ruling Mahavidya: Shodashi (Goddess of Beauty) and Matangi (Goddess of the Wind)

Skill: look past what is moving away and look toward what is emerging

Negative Imprint: resistance to change, desire to escape, immobilized, self-sabotage, attempting to prevent another’s growth

Positive Imprint: transcending, preservation, emergence, nurturance

We come to the end of our journey through the Virgo cycle today, a month where we were blessed with “two guardian angels bringing protection.” I will review the past cycle and provide an overview for what’s ahead with the next cycle in an audio recording to be posted later today.

The next cycle, the cycle that begins tomorrow with the New Moon in Libra, brings the maximum amount of light by which to see and act. It brings the fullest expression of intentions, especially those that were in place back at the New Moon in Aries cycle during April 2014 (the Aries cycle was March 30 through April 28, 2014). Look back to the conditions and situations, and especially your mindset during that time. Where do these things stand now?

They may look very different now than they did then, especially after this past cycle that drove us back in line with what is in our highest and best interests. For many, the course correction traversed rocky terrain, leaving painful injury in its wake. If you are in the aftermath of this, recovery is on the way.

We deal with the ramifications to changes in our lives and the changes in our world today. The Sun moves into Libra, which means the Earth moves into Aries, and new opportunities begin to emerge. New opportunities and brighter futures are what the Wisdom Goddess Shodashi was working towards all along this month. She was putting us where we need to be.

The lunar month that is ending today had deep energetic signatures of Chiron – the archetypal energy of the wounded healer-teacher. The New Moon in Virgo made a square to the Chiron Point, activating Chiron energy that would be tapped all month long. Many readers of the Oracle Report (wise owls) carry strong Chiron codes and are familiar with the pain that accompanies the wounding of Chiron. This energy delivers one more round today as the Moon builds toward opposition with Chiron around 4:30 pm ET/8:30 pm UT. Some degree of personal healing takes place for all of us today. It may be helpful to know that with Chiron, the pain is purposeful, and will lead to a gift you can offer others. Chiron is experiential, so honor the experiences you are having and rest assured that it will lead you to greater wisdom.

Pluto stations direct today around 8:30 pm ET/12:30 am UT, and as some remember, the day a planet stations retrograde or direct can be rather sticky. The energy can get wild. But it will be a welcome shift in the energy to have the “God of the Underworld” moving forward once again. We have lingered long enough in the underworld of the past. We have dived far enough down to bring back what we need. Now we let it go. Don’t hold yourself back because of the way life has been.

With all that you have or all that you can muster today, embrace the newness that is emerging.

Finally, please join me in a standing ovation and bow of thanks to the Mahavidyas Shodashi and Matangi, our guardian angels this month, who have worked double time. Shodashi brought us back on track and Matangi swept away the debris. Then turn to yourself and take a bow. We held the line this month. To find out what we were holding the line with, tune in later for the audio.

Thank you for supporting the Oracle Report. Blessings to all!

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