Hippies to Puritans

A chance to sit down and interview the dean of the international school today, proved extra fun and interesting. It usually does whenever he and I get time to really chat. We were discussing the old buildings around Amsterdam which the school used to occupy. This was for an article I’m writing for my forthcoming first edition of the ISHSS Alumni Magazine. His tales of creative and crazy experiences in the various buildings pointed to one major conclusion: we’ve gone from free-spirited, rebelious, and exciting in the past, to regulation-fearing, uptight, blandness. I think it’s true for alot of things in this world. Like comparing te 60’s to the 90’s and 00’s…. from rule breakers to excessively obsessed with rules. I’d say he seemed nostalgic for those days, I know I was just listening to him.

Today I thought I’d provide a link to the so-called “investigation” of the prisoner abuse by American soldiers in Iraq. I read through the report, highly recommended for those with insomnia. When I awoke from reading this, I noted two conclusions:

1- They visited a prison.

2 – That between October and December 2003, at the Abu Ghraib Confinement Facility (BCCF), numerous incidents of sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses were inflicted on several detainees. This systemic and illegal abuse of detainees was intentionally perpetrated by several members of the military police guard force (372nd Military Police Company, 320thMilitary Police Battalion, 800th MP Brigade), in Tier (section) 1-A of the Abu Ghraib Prison (BCCF).

What baffles me even more is the International Red Cross’s position of “neutrality.” Apparently, they say they’ve known about the abuses for a long time, but didn’t feel it was appropriate to make noise about it. How is it being neutral mean keeping silent about humans being abused?

There is some good news out there, Three Bed Two Bath blog helped me discover Metro Blog maps! You see, they’re metro/subway maps of different cities, listing the blogs that originate at each station. YES! There’s a NYC, DC, Chicago, and I’m looking for more. Maybe I can put myself on a Netherlands or Europe blog map. I’ll start looking tomorrow.

Today’s Music: Gil-Scott Heron – Ghetto Style