Christmas in Heaven: Do You Believe?

My oldest brother will be celebrating Christmas in Heaven this year. He passed away this week. As I have previously written, he has suffered from ALS for over a year and a half. It progressively became worse and worse until he became totally disabled and was bed ridden, paralyzed, relying on machines to feed him, breathe and for bowel movements. The end was the worst for him, lying in pain. He wanted to turn off the machines but changed his mind too many times for him to actually be able to do it. In the end, his body just gave out and he passed away. Now, he has joined our mom and dad and two brothers who passed before him. Knowing that he is joining them is comforting. He is at peace now. Gone is the pain and the fear.

I wonder if I could stand the thought of death without knowing there is God, Heaven and an after-life.

My mother taught us to go to church every Sunday and to celebrate Mass on Holy Days, especially Christmas. She taught us to dress up on Sunday, go to church, honor God, honor the day and spend time with family. Later, she encouraged us to become active at church, join the choir, teach Catechism and to feel love for our fellow man. She taught us so many songs, both for church and for Holy Days. She taught us to sing from our heart and to show love for our fellow man! She taught us to say the Rosary. She taught us to say grace before meals. She said religion, our souls, is what makes us different than the animals. We believe in God. We believe in Heaven. We believe in Eternal Life after Death.

Holidays were always special times. She taught us, as her mother taught her, the Posadas. During the Christmas Holidays, everyone helped to festively decorate the church. Las Posadas were a special time in our church. We reenacted Joseph´s journey with Mary to Bethlehem. Las Posadas started on December 16 and continued through Christmas Eve. Our families went to church every evening during this time for the reenactment. We went from house to house and sang songs. It was a beautiful time of togetherness. It also helped all of us understand the true meaning of Christmas. Mary and Joseph arrived at the inn and we were all welcomed in for the birth of Christ. When I think of those times, I think of the birth of Christ, the singing and the feeling that we were all joined together in this Celebration of the True Meaning of Christmas!
I remember a Christmas song my mother taught us as children and it still resounds in my memories today:
"Ya rompió el alba del día, nació el niño manuelito, cantemos con alegría, a la lu, Niño chiquito. A la lu, Niño chiquito. Cantemos con alegria, Cantemos con grande fe, alaven los dulces nombres de Jesus, Maria y Jose. De Jesus, Maria y Jose."

As I sit and contemplate Christmas, life and death, illness and health, this life and the next, I wonder what I would be thinking right now if my mother did not instill these beliefs in me?

ANTIs Misinterpretation of a so called Murder for Speaking English! Too Bad They didn't read Original Article OR Police Report!

Several ANTI sites including Alipac.us are going bonkers over a BLOG that misinterpreted a recent murder investigation. According to original article NaplesNews.com article and police report:

Sat, Dec 20, between 3 a.m. and 3:34 a.m., the victim and his friends gathered at a laundry area at the farmworker tenant apartments on Colorado Avenue, Immokalee, FL . There already were three others there and the two groups began talking until a dispute erupted involving the victim's group speaking English, not Spanish. The argument turned physical when an unidentified man and one of the victim's friends began a fist fight.

Based on the names of those involved, this is what we do know:
. neither the accused nor the victim were involved when the argument became physical.

. all involved in the argument were Latinos, all male, range in age from teens to early 30s.
. citizenship not a question in the report
. occurred on farmworker tenant apartments (assume all Guest Workers, here legally, latinos)
. Accused said he was defending himself.
. no question about WHY English may have been an arguing point. Did someone call someone a name in English? No details.
. ALL were drinking.

From the police report: The argument turned physical when an unidentified man and one of the victim's friends began a fist fight. Escalante was identified by witnesses as being one of the three men originally in the laundry area. So we see the victim and the accused DID NOT START THE PHYSICAL FIGHT.

Then: When the fight began, he (the accused) fled to an apartment about 100 feet away and ran back with a 8-inch long weapon with a brown or yellow handle. He ran toward the victim and began fighting, hitting him in the stomach. "(The victim) screamed as if he had been severely injured and then retaliated by striking Mr. Escalante (the Accused) with his fist several times," the report by Investigator William Still says. "The men fell to the ground and (the victim) landed on top of Mr. Escalante."

At this point, according to the police report: "The others separated the men and scattered in opposite directions. The victim walked a short distance before collapsing of injuries from at least three stab wounds to his right chest, right lower abdomen, and left groin area."

Based on the original news article and the Police Report it is clear:
1. a fight originated by those other than the accused or the victim.
2. drinking was involved.
3. the accused is claiming self defense
4. While a question re: English being spoken is in the news article, it is not in the police report nor suggested by the accused, who claimed self defense.

Now comes a BLOG written by Brent Batten, an ANTI with obvious racial and ANTI Immigrant tones. Batten FABRICATES an entirely DIFFERENT story. He begins by talking about a totally unrelated story about the Sheriff's Dept. targetting illegal immigrants running afoul of the law. Next, he assumes that those involved in this fight/murder were Illegal Immigrants , then He concludes the fight "erupted over the victim’s group speaking English, not Spanish." Then out of the blue he says "So much for the notion that illegal immigrants are universally a hard-working, law abiding set committed to doing the jobs Americans won’t do, all while trying to assimilate."

Shame on Brent Batten. He CHASTISES and BLAMES an ENTIRE GROUP of People over HIS JUMPING TO HIS OWN CONCLUSIONS ON ONE NEWS STORY. He has an obvious, biased and racial agenda, it is very, very clear.

To make matters worse, over 90% of those commenting on the his negative Blog agree with him, jump to the conclusion that "illegal immigrants" were involved, and blame the ENTIRE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY over this one isolated, drunken crime. Now Alipac.us and other ANTI Immigrant HATE sites have picked up on Batten's blog to blame the entire Immigrant community over this crime.

Even one of my Anonymous commenters has been nagging me to write about this incident suggesting it was a Hate Crime. How ludicrous. This crime was not one of the weekly "Beaner Stompings" in Patchogue, or one of the murderous attacks on Latinos in Shenandoah, nor was it a murder of innocent Chilean students by Dannie Baker in NW FL, nor was it an a murderous attack of a 9 year old child by a plotting group of Minutemen in Arizona. It wasn't even an assault/attack on countless Latinos speaking Spanish while on their cell phones or walking around Walmart. The facts are, there were a group of individuals who were drinking and people other then the accused or victim initiated the fight. The accused is claiming self defense. It was not premeditated nor was it a Hate Crime. We do not even know the citizenship status of those involved. So tell me WHY all the ANTI Immigrant groups are making such outrageous claims. I say they are RIDICULOUS!!

Geraldo - Dobbs FaceOff: Will Geraldo Quit If Dobbs Joins Fox?

ThinkProgress reports:

The New York Daily News reports that a “well-placed source” claims that Geraldo Rivera has told Fox News president Roger Ailes that he’ll quit if former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs is hired by the network. Rivera has denied by the rumor, but has also made clear that Dobbs would not be welcomed with open arms:

Rivera, who has blasted the nativist Dobbs for his “slander” against Latinos,
tells us [New York Daily News], “I never threatened to quit.” But he did let
Ailes know he wouldn’t welcome working with the man who has called him a
“cowardly liar.” Says Geraldo: “The last time I checked, no one here was
talking to the a——.”
Still, Ailes is said to be considering Dobbs for the Fox Business Channel. “The trouble is Dobbs wants too much money – like $8 million a year,” says an insider. “But Dobbs doesn’t have much leverage.
Since he quit CNN, he can’t go to CNBC.” Hiring him at Fox Business is bound to irk that
channel’s Dobbs-phobes, John Stossel and Stuart Varney. But a rep for Ailes insists he isn’t eyeing Dobbs for anything.

Chances are Rivera’s spat with Dobbs has become deeply personal. In October, Rivera credited Dobbs for being “almost single-handedly responsible for creating, for being the architect of the young-Latino-as-scapegoat for everything that ails this country.” Dobbs responded by describing Rivera as “annoying” and full of “vile stupidity and ignorance that he spews everywhere he goes.”
Curiously, Rivera doesn’t seem to have a big problem working with other Latino- and immigrant-bashers at his network. The blame doesn’t just rest on Dobbs’ shoulders when it comes to generating an atmosphere of hate, misinformation, and fear that surrounds the immigration issue. Fox News anchors Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity and many others have all served up a daily dose of slander. While Rivera has heatedly challenged his colleagues’ views, he certainly hasn’t put his job on the line over such differences.

Breaking News: Federal Judge Denies BAIL for Brandon Piekarsky & Derrick Donchak for "Kick in the Head" Hate Crime Murder of Luis Ramirez

Breaking News: A Federal Judge Denies BAIL for Brandon Piekarsky & Derrick Donchak for "Kick in the Head" Hate Crime Murder of Luis Ramirez. Piekarsky & Donchak MUST STAY IN JAIL. Piekarsky was scheduled to go home from Prison on Thursday for his previous "slap on the hand" convinction by a local jury.

AP Reports:

Pa. teens plead not guilty to hate crime charge
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM (AP) – 8 minutes ago
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A federal judge has denied bail for two Pennsylvania teens charged with a hate crime in the death of a Mexican immigrant. Eighteen-year-old Brandon Piekarsky and 19-year-old Derrick Donchak pleaded not guilty Tuesday in federal court in Wilkes-Barre (BEHR'). They were arraigned on charges stemming from the July 2008 beating death of 25-year-old Luis Ramirez in the town of Shenandoah.

Judge Malachy Mannion has denied them bail and said they are dangers to the community. A jury previously acquitted the teens of the most serious state charges, angering Hispanic leaders and civil-rights groups. Gov. Ed Rendell asked the Justice Department to pursue civil rights charges.

Three police officers were charged last week with obstructing the investigation into Ramirez's death.

Movie Review: "Avatar" An Amazingly Beautiful Movie Experience! (Though Right Wingers will Shudder at the Plot)

My husband and I saw the movie Avatar this weekend. This is Hollywood's most expensive movie ever made, costing over $500M to produce and distribute. It should recoup its costs however, especially since, during the first 3 days of opening, this movie made over $232.2M. Just imagine what it will make overall. Even at two and a half hours, the 3-D special effects of this film were amazing and beautiful to watch. The action sequences were fully packed, and sometimes back to back.


The plot:
In the year 2154, a Human corporation is engaged in the colonization of Pandora, the lush moon of Polyphemus, which is light years from Earth. The Humans seek to exploit Pandora's reserves of a precious mineral called unobtainium. Pandora is inhabited by an indigenous species of humanoids called the Na'vi. This indigenous species stands nine feet tall, with tails and sparkling blue skin. The Na'vi live in peaceful harmony with the natural world that surrounds them although they are considered primitive by Human standards. Humans are unable to breathe the Pandoran atmosphere making peaceful interaction with the Na'vi difficult. Human researchers, led by Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) created the Avatar Program. This program takes Human DNA and Na'vi DNA, using it to genetically engineer "human-Na'vi hybrid bodies" called "Avatars." A Human who shares genetic material with the Avatar can be mentally linked to it, allowing the Human to control the Avatar's functions and experience what it experiences, while their own Human body sleeps.


Jake Sully is the movie's hero. He is a former U.S. Marine who was wounded and paralyzed from the waist down in combat on Earth. His twin brother Tony was a scientist who died while working on the Avatar program. Jake is recruited, offered and accepts the opportunity to take his brother's place since he shares Tony's genetic DNA and is therefore compatible with his Avatar. However, Dr. Grace is not happy about Jake taking his brother's place since Jake did not have a doctorate, nor over 5 years of training to participate in the program, and never learned the Na'vi's language as his brother had.


Once Jake occupies his Avatar, he is delighted at being able to walk and run once again as a whole being. So begins the adventure. As the adventure unfolds, roll in the love interest, the tame animals, the beauty of the planet, the greedy industrial forces teamed with the military out to deplete the new planet of their rich natural resources, and you see where this adventure can take you.


This movie reminded me of "The Matrix" -- humans in pods whose minds enter a new world; or the episode of Star Trek with crippled Captain Pike inhabited a healed body in a new world.


I enjoyed the movie "Avatar" even though it did run two and a half hours. Yes it was predictable. However, it is probaby the most absorbingly beautiful two and a half hours you will ever experience. You are, after all, taken into a whole new world, complete with your 3D Glasses.

One more note: Yes it probably was a little too politically correct and the right wingers will probably groan through the end if they think about it, but then, they probably don't go to these types of movies anyway. I did read a review by one of them: "The corniest movie ever made about the white man's need to lose his identity and assuage racial, political, sexual and historical guilt."

Breaking News: Feds Indict "Kick in the Head" Murderers of Luis Ramirez with Hate Crimes; Shenandoah Dirty Cops with Corruption!

Breaking News: Feds indict Piekarsky and Donchak for Hate Crime Murder! Charge Shenandoah Dirty Cops for Cover-up and Corruption! Justice at last! May those who even consider Hate Crimes in the future remember these charges and know they will be charged for their Hate Crimes IF they commit them! Thank you DOJ!! (Could Arpaio be next??)

DOJ News:

Two Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Men and Four Police Officers Indicted for Hate Crime and Related Corruption
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury has returned multiple indictments arising out of a fatal racially motivated beating and related police corruption in Shenandoah, Pa., the Justice Department announced. The three indictments include federal hate crime, obstruction of justice, conspiracy, official misconduct and extortion charges. The indictments were unsealed today, after being returned under seal on Dec. 10, 2009.

INDICTMENT 1: HATE CRIME INDICTMENTS: The first indictment charges Derrick Donchak and Brandon Piekarsky with a federal hate crime for fatally beating Luis Ramirez, a Latino male, while shouting racial epithets at him. (Both Piekarsky & Donchak are now in county prison after being convicted of simple assault and alcohol-related charges for the murder; Walsh testified against them at the DOJ Grand Jury). According to the indictment, on July 12, 2008, the defendants, and others, were walking home from a local festival when they encountered Ramirez. The defendants then attacked Ramirez in a public street by striking and kicking him while members of the group yelled racial slurs at him. Ramirez died two days later from his injuries. The indictment also alleges that, immediately following the beating, Donchak, Piekarsky and others, including members of the Shenandoah Police Department, participated in a scheme to obstruct the investigation of the fatal assault. As a result of this alleged obstruction, Donchak is charged in three additional counts for conspiring to obstruct justice and related offenses. If convicted, Piekarsky and Donchak face a maximum penalty of life in prison on the hate crime charge. Donchak faces 20 years in prison on each of the obstruction charges and an additional five years in prison for conspiring to obstruct justice. "Violence motivated by bigotry and hate has no place in America, and yet it remains all too prevalent in many of our communities," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice. "The Civil Rights Division stands ready to bring perpetrators of hate crimes to justice."

INDICTMENT 2: OBSTRUCT JUSTICE INDICTMENTS: A second indictment charges Shenandoah Police Chief Matthew Nestor, Lt. William Moyer and Police Officer Jason Hayes with conspiring to obstruct justice during the investigation into the fatal beating of Ramirez. Moyer has also been charged with witness and evidence tampering, and with lying to the FBI. If convicted, the defendants face 20 years in prison on each of the obstruction charges and an additional five years in prison for conspiring to obstruct justice. Moyer faces an additional five years in prison for making false statements to the FBI.

INDICTMENT 3: EXTORTION & CIVIL RIGHTS INDICTMENT: A third indictment charges Chief Nestor and his second-in-command, Captain Jamie Gennarini, with multiple counts of extortion and civil rights violations. According to that indictment, from 2004 through 2007, Nestor conspired to extort cash payments from several illegal gambling operations in the Shenandoah area and obstructed the investigation of the extortion scheme. The indictment also alleges that on May 17, 2007, Nestor and Gennarini committed extortion by demanding a $2,000 cash payment from a local businessman and his family in exchange for releasing the businessman from their custody. "The power granted to law enforcement officers does not place them above the law. We will continue to aggressively enforce the law to combat obstruction and corruption in law enforcement agencies," Assistant Attorney General Perez said. "We thank the FBI for their work in this investigation." If convicted on these charges, Nestor and Gennarini face maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for each of the extortion counts. Additionally, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy to violate civil rights.

These cases were investigated by Special Agents Alan Jones and Adam Aichele of the Philadelphia Division of the FBI, and are being prosecuted by Civil Rights Division Trial Attorneys Eric L. Gibson and Myesha Braden.
The FBI wants to hear from anyone who may have information regarding alleged civil rights violations or public corruption in Schuylkill County, Pa.. If you feel you have been victimized or have any additional information, please call FBI Special Agents Alan Jones or Anthony Cavallo at the Allentown, Pa., Resident Agency of the FBI at (610) 433-6488. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

References:
DOJ Press Release

Feds charge teens, police officers in Ramirez attack, aftermath

From Minuteman X: Gilchrist Calls Schwilk and Gheen Racists! Schwilk, Gheen Retaliate

Over the last week or so, I have been receiving numerous emails from Minuteman X. As my long time readers know, Minuteman X is my Minuteman informer that provides me insider emails which detail the ANTI/Minuteman infighting and backstabbing. The recent escalation in emails that I (and others) are receiving is a clear sign the infighting is escalating.

The Fight:
Since last year, there has been an all out war between Jim Gilchrist vs Jeff Schwilk, SDMM Leader and William Gheen, head of Alipac.us. They all are fighting over who is the leader of the ANTIs, who is legitimate, who is a racist. In this YouTube, Gilchrist publicly declares Schwilk and Gheen are RACISTS.

In the emails I received from Minuteman X:
Subject: Re: American War Hero Jim Gilchrist?
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:46:41 -0800
From: Jeff Schwilk

Still get your gay jollies from photoshop pictures, eh Gilly? Does your wife know?
Why does this feel like a gay edition of "Fatal Attraction"?? Does he hate me or is he obsessed with me, or both??? You decide. Fuckin psychopath. His Vietnam buddies would be horrified by what this man has slipped into - a mental coma for sure.

Subject: Re: Schwilky's pics
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:51:39 -0800
From:
To:
Another JGMMP fag boy - no wonder they hate us straight Patriots. I wouldn't go near your fag frat house if you paid me. How long have you and Jimmy been gay lovers? You both seem so proud of your open gayness. Sorry about Prop 8 passing, that must have been devastating for you two "love birds". I've never beat a woman in my life but I'd smack the shit out of Jason and his boy-lover in a heatbeat!
=====================================
I'm not the only person receiving these emails, although I think I have been receiving them the longest. Gustavo Arellano has been receiving them also. Here is the article he wrote about them:

"I think we all have had enough of the counter-productive antics of
grifters posing as patriots," Gilchrist wrote. "In my opinion, the
aforementioned charlatans of patriotism are incurable racists who limit activist
participation to only white persons, bigots who hate you if you do not
unequivocally support Ron Paul for president, fascists whose shortsightedness
limits their association only to those who will goose-step according to their
whim."

Gheen and Schwilk respond:

"Is there anyone close enough to Jim Gilchrist to stick a needle full of Thorazine in his arm?" Gheen shot back, before threatening, "If any harm does come to ALIPAC because of it, even one donor departs due to false
statements by Gilchrist or a pro amnesty blogger then we have what we need to file a lawsuit."

"Desperate words from a sad, fallen hero," Schwilk responded. "Looks like the pressure is getting to him. Considering his documented mental instability/illness and PTSD, let's hope and pray he does not resort to murder like his Border Directors did."

Ridiculing a Purple Heart veteran's war scars and insinuating he might snap? CLASSY--but what does one expect from Schwilk?

Here is FB's Blog about the infighting.

Readers: I leave it to you decide. Are they racist? Are they crazy? Why are they infighting? Why are they sending me (and others) their insider emails?