There is a special place in Hell reserved for the Vatican

http://freedomofmedicineanddiet.blogspot.com/2009/02/there-is-special-place-in-hell-reserved.html

William Randolph Hearst,
Vatican tool
(SMOM) Knights of Malta

who dedicated his newspapers towards unjustifiably demonifying Cannabis and other herbs
for criminal mercantilism market protection for Virginia Bright Leaf cigarettes and big pharm

From Pete Guither:

There is a special place in Hell reserved for the Vatican

http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/2009/02/26.html

Oh sure, there were the Crusades, the Inquisition, the destruction of science (Galileo), silence during the Holocaust, coverup of pedophiles, and the direct responsibility for millions of deaths to AIDS due to opposing safe sex practices (particularly in third world countries).

But NO, that's not nearly enough for the Vatican. Surely there's more evil that they can promote, more people they can kill in the name of God the Pope.

Oh yes, how about drug users. Let's kill some of them, too.

You see, the United States finally, finally, finally, came to its senses and the Obama administration sent a new message through its representatives to the United Nations that at least needle exchange as a harm reduction approach would be accepted. While that was not nearly all that was needed, it was at least an opening, and even the most rabid global drug warriors agreed that needle exchange was now a sure thing to be included in the new global drug policy.

But then, guess who intercedes?

The Vatican has been accused of putting the lives of thousands at risk by attempting to influence UN drugs policy on the eve of a major international declaration.

The Vatican's objection to "harm reduction" strategies, such as needle exchange schemes, has ignited a fierce debate between the US and the EU over how drugs should be tackled.

A new UN declaration of intent is due to be signed in Vienna on 11 March. However, there are major disagreements between member countries over whether a commitment to "harm reduction" should be included in the document, which is published every 10 years.

Now the Vatican has issued a statement that claims that using drugs is "anti-life" and "so-called harm reduction leads to liberalisation of the use of drugs". The Vatican's last-minute intervention appears to have led to Italy withdrawing from the EU consensus on the issue and thrown the talks over the declaration into confusion. [Guardian, UK]

Now, just to be clear, is there any doubt as to the actual truth? No.

Seven federally funded studies during the 1990s, conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the CDC and the National Academy of Sciences among others, all reached similar conclusions that NEPs work in reducing HIV's spread among IV drug users, their partners and children, and that they do not encourage increased drug use. Furthermore, a more recent study by the World Health Organization compiled the results of over 200 such reports from around the world and came to the same conclusions. [emphasis added]

The Vatican knows this, and yet they oppose needle exchange. Dr. William Martin, Professor Emeritus of Religion and Public Policy at Rice University says:

When the science is clear, when we know that something will help save lives and choose not to do it that is not only pigheaded, it is immoral.

There is no doubt that the Vatican is immoral.

I am no stranger to spirituality. I was raised in church (my father is a minister). But religion does not own, beget, nor bestow morality. And some of the most moral people I've known are atheists.

In fact, when a group of people claim to be the holders of religious truth and use that ill-gotten power for destruction rather than for the good of the people, then they are terrorists, whether they reside in caves in Pakistan, or high in the Holy See.

11:00:23 PM | drug policy | Related | permalink | comment [1]

Roman Catholic Anti Christ Cocaine Prohibition

Some 10% U.S. Congresspeople Openly Jesuit Educated

Jesuit alumni populate 111th Congress

http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/3169

By Chaz Muth, Catholic News Service
Jan. 23, 2009

WASHINGTON

With a new president and members of the House and Senate sworn into office, officials of U.S. Jesuit colleges and universities have something to crow about, with a whopping 52 members of the 111th Congress who are alumni of their institutions.

That's close to 10 percent of the 535 members of the current Congress, with 11 Jesuit alumni in the Senate and 41 in the House of Representatives, according to a newly released report by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Washington.

Some of Jesuit alumni are new to Congress and a few are high-ranking members, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and special assistant to the speaker of the House, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., the report said.

Of the 52 alumni, 34 received graduate or professional degrees from Jesuit universities, the report said.

There are 15 Jesuit institutions represented by alumni in the 111th Congress, with Georgetown University in Washington having the most with 18, followed by Boston College with seven, and the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., and Fordham University in New York with four each, the report said.

"With the many challenges facing our nation, we are happy that our Jesuit college and university alumni are leading the congressional response to them," said Jesuit Father Charles Currie, president of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

"Our graduates, who have dedicated their lives to the highest levels of public service, have been educated at institutions that place great value on academic excellence, competent leadership and compassionate service," Father Currie said. "We are proud of our Jesuit alumni who continue to represent us with distinction and inspire us with their commitment to lead and serve."

Jesuit Father John P. Schlegel, president of Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., said his institution has a long tradition of its graduates seeking elected office, on the local, state and national level.

"Among the educational objectives of Jesuit education is to instill in our graduates a sense of justice, a disposition for civic engagement and a commitment to service," Father Schlegel told Catholic News Service. "Jesuit-educated members of Congress bring these values to the public forum and relate them to issues affecting the common good."

Elected office is reflective of the time-honored Jesuit mission of developing one's God-given talents and using them in the service of others, said Jack Dunn, a spokesman for Boston College.

"The Jesuits have always believed that their graduates can affect the social order by being leavens of good for wider society," Dunn said. "Serving in Congress is one way to accomplish that goal."

Though having 52 Jesuit alumni in Congress now is a significant accomplishment, the 110th Congress holds the record for having the most Jesuit graduates at one time, with a total of 54, said Melissa Collins Di Leonardo, a spokeswoman for the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

"We are proud of the many achievements of our Georgetown alumni, including those who have devoted themselves to public service in our nation's Congress," said Andy Pino, a spokesman for Georgetown. "Through their service, they are real examples of those who are living the Jesuit value of educating leaders to be women and men for others."

Obama's Jesuit Connections

"Ex" Jesuit Jerry Brown Wants To Imprison More People

Brown to appeal to Supreme Court over prisoner release

BY SCOTT SABATINI

Jerry Brown

SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - California Attorney General Jerry Brown promised to appeal a tentative order by a federal panel of judges that could lead to the release of up to one-third of the state's prisoners in an attempt to avert a potential safety hazard.

Brown called the action yet another federal intrusion into the state's prison system.

"This order … is a blunt instrument that does not recognize the imperatives of public safety, or the challenges of incarcerating criminals, many of whom are deeply disturbed," Brown said in a statement released on Monday.

According to published reports, the three judge panel including U.S. District Court Judges Thelton Henderson and Lawrence Karlton and 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Stephen Reinhardt ruled against the state in an ongoing lawsuit brought by inmates to protest the medical and mental healthcare throughout the prison systems.

Brown said he would appeal the case to the United States Supreme Court.

"The court's tentative ruling is not constitutionally justified. Therefore, the state will appeal directly to the U.S. Supreme Court when the final order is issued," he said.

The panel dismissed arguments from the state that a massive release of prisoners would threaten public safety. The court said the release of as many as 57,000 prisoners over a two-year period could correct overcrowding that has played a role in 34 prisoners dying because of inadequate prison health care.

According to Donald Specter, an attorney for the prisoners, the prison system was designed to hold about 84,000 inmates. The current population tops 150,000. The panel said they planned to order the state to cut down to 120 to 145 percent of capacity within two to three years.

Henderson has battled the state for the past several months, consistently ruling on the side of the federal receiver, Clark Kelso, he appointed to oversee the prison system.

Henderson appointed Kelso after a 2002 class-action lawsuit, Plata v. Schwarzenegger, determined California inmates were receiving inadequate care that amounted to cruel and unusual punishment.

Kelso was supposed to be given $250 million last year to begin an $8 billion revamping of the prisons medical care, which included the construction of seven new prison health care facilities - seven million square feet of construction - in addition to renovations at each of the 33 existing state prisons.

When California refused to make the payment, Kelso took the state to court, including asking for contempt charges against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Controller John Chiang.

Brown entered the fray, seeking to block the payment in court. He recently asked the court to terminate the receivership.

In an opinion article published last week, Brown wrote, "the prison health czar believes he is wholly immune for the harsh realities of the state budget." He called Kelso's plan "wildly excessive" and far too expensive to operate annually.

"If California had all the money in the world, perhaps we could consider this," Brown wrote. "But programs for schoolchildren and health care for seniors are on the chopping block - in addition to many state programs. This massive plan simply doesn't square with the belt-tightening taking place."

Kelso said his plans have been mischaracterized by Brown's campaign in the court of public opinion.

"I don't believe it's a boondoggle. I don't believe it's a gold-plated treatment," he said.

He accused Brown of jumping into the fight simply for political reasons as he prepares to launch a bid for governor in 2010. Without the funds to build new healthcare facilities, Kelso said he'd be forced to drop any treatment care for the mentally ill, an assignment he took on "as an accommodation to the governor" and focus only on improving medical treatment for the physically ill, as required under the federal receivership.

Following the panel's ruling, Brown said the federal receiver and the federal courts have failed to see the significant improvements made by the state in running one of the nation's largest prison systems.

"There is no doubt that there is room for improvement," Brown said. "But significant progress has been made and is continuing to be made at a cost of billions."

Filed Under: State AGs

Technorati Links

An Ancient Mystical Power Grid-
with its spiritual center of the universe
within the Federal Triangle facing Benjamin Franklin
between Virginia and Maryland

In the City of New Rome

From Save the Capital City:

This intersection marks the most profound secret of Washington, D.C., according to the book "The Secret Architecture of Our Nation's Capital: The Masons and the Building of Washington, D.C." by David Ovason.

Ovason says interesting things about Washington, D.C. reflecting the constellation, in particular regarding the celestial triangle of the Capitol, the White Hose and the Washington Monument, and hence, the Federal Triangle:

The interesting thing is that this stellar triangle was evidently intended to remain invisible. It is a stellar figure that we know is there, yet which remains hidden from our sight. Below on the earth, its equivalent form, the Federal Triangle, is plainly visible, with Pennsylvania Avenue as its longest side. Since the Constitution Avenue line of the Federal Triangle represents the ecliptic, the implication is that Pennsylvania Avenue was intended by L’Enfant and Ellicott as a sacred route, with its celestial equivalent as invisible pathway in the skies.

Perhaps it is clear now why the symbol makers and architects of Washington, D.C. concentrated their efforts on zodiacal symbols which reflect so deeply the arcane nature of the stellar Virgin? Perhaps it is clear now why the idea of an earthly triangle – encapsulated in the phrase Federal Triangle – should reflect this stellar form on the earth plane?

From the very beginning, the city was intended to celebrate the mystery of Virgo – of the Egyptian Isis, the Grecian Ceres and the Christian Virgin. This truth – and this truth alone – explains the structure of the city, and the enormous power of its stellar symbolism. Washington, D.C., is far more then a city of zodiacs – it’s a city which was built to celebrate a massive cosmic symbolism, expressed in stars. Its the main buildings – Capitol, White House and Washington Monument – mark on the Earth the annual renewal of that magical pyrotechnic display in the skys, which occurs on the days around August 10. (page 344)

From whatever direction one approaches the history of Washington, D.C., the processional avenue of L’Enfant seems always to find its way into the story, and the tale is usually linked with Masons. If we glance at the history of the capital from the viewpoint of, say, sculpture, we find a seamless fabric which joins together generations of artists through almost two centuries. And, this is a fabric woven in the vicinity of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Today, the Old Post Office is set back from Pennsylvania Avenue, oriented to the squares drawn on the original map along D Street, as though some planner had forgotten about what L’Enfant had indicated on his map. Across the road is the beaux arts building that once housed the most influential newspapers in the city, the Washington Evening Star, its façade still looking down onto the statute of Benjamin Franklin, who occupies the triangular-shaped declivity in Pennsylvania Avenue. It is entirely fitting that this building, so intimately linked with a setting star, should look onto one of the most influential of early American Masons, one who had knowledge of the stars and was a keen astronomer. The sculpture, commissioned of Jacques Jouvenal as a gift to the city by the newspaper proprietor Stilson Hutchins, was designed to look onto Pennsylvania Avenue from 10^th Street [note. It sits on the south-eastern corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 12^th Street], because in those days the avenue was flanked by printers and newspapers: within a stones throw was the largest litho printer in the United States. Now the printers and newspaper have fled in the wake of threatened and actual development, leaving Franklin, displaced from his original symbolism, raising his right hand as though astonished in their disappearance. Nonetheless, there seems to be a destiny even in accidents, and this placing of a Mason on one side, and a building named after an evening star, is propitious.

The Evening Star departed its famous building in 1955, leaving only its stellar name in metallic and lapidary inscriptions overlooking the Pennsylvania frontage. The reception hall of the newspaper has been revamped in modern times, but it is possible that a meaningful symbolism has survived from earlier days. In its marble floor is a huge sunburst, or starburst pattern. The five splendid radiants throw their beams out toward this magical avenue, as though he were part of the profound secret of Washington, D.C. [emphasis added] (pp 311-312)

Does the state of Franklin, on its pedestal below the campanile, hold up its hand in amazement of this solar wonder? (page 344)

This is the same Benjamin Franklin statute that faces diagonally across the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue NW and 12^th Street NW to the Covington & Burling building at 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Ovason discusses The Evening Star building that sits to Ben’s right (3’o clock); but he altogether ignores the identity of the building that Ben directly faces.

If one were to draw a line from the door of the lobby of The Evening Star to this Franklin statute, its mirror line goes towards the northeast rear corner of this Covington & Burling building. His upheld hand points into this building, as do his eyes.

Covington & Burling Romish-Masonic connected founder J.H. Covington

Tupper Saussy: Finding the Lost - On Washington, D.C.'s origins