Tragic Days.....

America has been witness to the tragic shootings of two African American Men within the past 24 hours.     However, I could not help but take to my personal space here as I note how ill I was to my stomach I was as I saw that 10 Dallas Police Officers were shot and three have died by snipers during a protest rally in Texas.   I helped finish an update for #Outsiders earlier tonight on it.    I can't even begin to imagine what the families of the fallen officers are feeling.   Thoughts and prayers for those families are just not enough more for them--is it?   

Some will say this is not a time for politics--especially the folks at the NRA, Gun Owners of America and their supporters in Congress.    Over the last number of years, we have seen shooting after shooting.   Kids got shot in Sandy Hook.   Nothing was done.    People of faith were shot in Charleston.   Nothing was done.   A lowlife subhuman  madman massacred 150 people in Orlando.    Nothing was done.   Now, 10 cops have been shot and three have died.    This is as the President spoke to the profound challenge that African American Men Continue to face consistently in the hands of law enforcement while on his last NATO Summit.     Although some  arguments by Brooklyn College's Corey Robin has merit,  it is critical that we all collectively make a concerted effort to not just make sure the African American Community is safe, but all Americans are--and the insanity is pervasive ever more.

Yoda's admonition is ever so true now: 



The time to do something is Now.    The time for trying is over.   The tragedy of it is that Congress is not even trying (despite the best of intentions) as it talks about the Constitution and their claim to protect "due process".  What about ensuring public safety?    As the Benghazi obsession was finished by Congress after millions spent, now they've got another one:  The Clinton Emails.     

The need to govern is ever so evident.     Will that happen?   I wonder....

Working Away w/Mid-Week Notations On #Iraq, #Iran, #Freedom & #Hope

Independence Day 2016 W-End here in the United States was quite a weekend.  I had the privilege to work on a number of Community Service Projects including helping to host the Open House for St Timothy's Catholic Parish 's Food Ministry Pantry that I have the privilege to serve as a staff member.   I also worked on supporting the City of Laguna Niguel's 38th Annual Run in the Park and thereafter with my local Scout Troop as the Troop had the first ever Hot Dog Stand.    A Visual Essay was produced for the DailyOutsider Community Page.   

As I was reflecting upon this wonderful weekend of Community spirit, my mind again drifted away half-way around the World as the carnage continued ever more.   As I write this, Bangladesh is witnessing another terror attack on Eid-Fitr Celebrations and a gun battle has been raging on.   I was just numb as I saw reports over the weekend about the Over 250 People have lost their lives in Baghdad.   There seems to be no end to the carnage that has been unleashed by the subhumans that in the name of Islam do whatever it is they are doing.  I compare this to what I saw as Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo cited a verse of the Holy Quran--A catholic hospital quoting a Muslim Verse--on the back of its' business card.

I also helped finish a notation for Outsider on the Chilcot Report on the Iraq War.   The Iraq War was one of the reasons that I took to the Virtual World--without knowing the intelligence, those of us who advocated how wrong the whole war was proved right all along.   This from the Guardian of London said it all:

The Guardian view on the Chilcot report: a country ruined, trust shattered, a reputation trashed | Editorial https://t.co/LejMFchCqy

— The Guardian (@guardian) July 7, 2016

I caught Tony Blair's Statement.     I will not put much stock in his statement and only note this final thought that says it all in a full rebuttal to his statement:  "...Mr Blair’s impulse to trot alongside a know-nothing cowboy might reflect a deep need to bury the CND badge of his youth and earn some muscular respectability. Mr Corbyn’s ascent is the most ironic of the consequences of his historic mistake. But by far the most serious are still being played out far away – on the streets of Iraq...."  I would also take their comments one step further by underscoring how the whole region is in chaos over this disastrous decision.     

I caught up on the latest Last Page that was on Voice of America's Farsi Service.    There is a scandal brewing in Iran as it has been exposed that Senior Managers (including Ministers) have received hefty pay packages, sweet deals on Loans and expenses that are just beyond the pale.   Some of them, it appears, make more that the President of the United States!!!!   This is some 12 Millon People officially are unemployed and  as repression continues.    I tracked down this beautiful song from a very talented artist who was imprisoned for giving voice to the true challenges in the country right now:  




The song is about freedom and hope  despite all the challenges that the Country faces--and in the end noting that freedom will prevail.   It showcases some of the most successful Iranian Women including Anouseh Ansari (The first Iranian-American Woman in Space that went to space on the Russian Space Station); The winner of the equivalent of the Nobel Prize Maryam Mirzakhani along with Golshifteh Farahani and the Oscar-Nominated Shohreh Aghdaslou.     Here is a translation of the lyrics thanks to the folks at Lyrics Translate: 

We are happy, joyful and full of laughter

Even though we are imprisoned,

Our way is blocked and our feet sore

But we set fire,

We are the generation of roars

And have joined our hands together,

We are covered in blood but we know

that at the end of the story, We're free

♫♫♫

We've been in the prison for 100 years

and won't stay here any longer,

We become windows and vocal cords*

and sing the freedom song

We are the generation of roars

And have joined our hands together

We are covered in blood but we know

that at the end of the story, We're free

♫♫♫

We share the same story and pain

and have made our sorrows into one,

We side by side search every single house

to find our dreams

We are the generation of roars

And have joined our hands together

We are covered in blood but we know

that at the end of the story, We're free

We are covered in blood but we know

at the end of the story, We're free

at the end of the story, We're free

at the end of the story, We're free

He was released on bail--I have not seen anything lately being loaded on his YouTube Page though.     The repression is ever more evident now as three Iranian Music Distributors have been sentenced to jail despite the promises of the current President to change things.

As I was catching up on the "Social Grid" For the night, I ran across this courtesy of a Facebook Friend that I took comfort in--Not easy when one is witness to such a challenging World--but there is no choice--is there? 

On this #July4 2016 W-End: Thoughts on #Liberty, #Compassion & The Possibilities....

As I write this, it is now "officially"July 4 as America celebrates its' independence day.   It has been a working weekend for me as I have watched a season of the West Wing as I work through some plans for the Daily Outsider--it was great to be able to be supportive as the corners were curated and the Twitter Channel was worked through.

It has also been a week as I have been witness to the wonder of Community spirit in Action.  I reflected upon it briefly when I was on NextDoor earlier today for the Community.    Whether it was the City of Laguna Niguel Run in the Park or the vibrancy of St. Timothy's Catholic Parish, it was just such a joy to be witness to it all.  

I wanted to be "dark", but I was so moved by this as I watched episodes of the West Wing with this on Blame and Compassion: 




If it was within my power, I will force every single candidate to listen to this 3 minutes and to really sit back and think about our future especially as America along with all the other episodes of the 7 seasons of the West Wing to really think about and reflect upon the promise of America.   I wonder if that can be possible.

As I will be away on Community Commitments and gear up for a challenging quarter at #Outsiders and beyond, I finished this on Twitter Earlier in support of @DailyOutsider before making sure @DailyOutsider goes dark for July 4: 

@DailyOutsider before being off 4 #July4th hope all enjoy #quote & the latest wish all a safe & happy 1 ✨✨💥🇺🇸🇺🇸 https://t.co/M9w4WKhdku

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) July 3, 2016

As I finished this, I saw this on my "hike daily" feed:  

"You have to make it happen-Denis Diderot" 

& this courtesy of +Jonathan Huie that is one of my required readings and #outsiders features it prominently in the "Thought For the Week" Corner: 

We hold these truths to be self-evident:
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights,
among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
- Thomas Jefferson [Declaration of Independence]


They who can give up essential liberty
to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety.
- Benjamin Franklin

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.
- Abraham Lincoln

The only thing necessary for evil to triumph
is for enough good men to do nothing.
- Edmund Burke

The best way to enhance freedom in other lands
is to demonstrate here that our democratic system is worthy of emulation.
- Jimmy Carter

It is up to us...isn't it? 

Happy 4th!!!