Porn The Vote

Let me start by saying that I am so empathetic with the misery that accompanies natural disasters. President Obama didn’t waste anytime getting aid to Haiti in contrast with what Mr. Bush did not do in the case of Hurricane Katrina. It is admirable all of the help that we are giving to Haiti; however, I am disturbed. We have given millions of dollars to the Haitians for a very long time and where are those funds? I will tell you….  they were used to line the pockets of the bureaucrats. The United States has a large population of homeless, starving, unemployed desperate people. I would love to see our president send some troops into our streets right here at home to help our own people.  All this altruism just appears to be another political move on the chessboard of political games. I am unimpressed. America the Beautiful…Situation Normal All Fucked Up!

On July 23, 2009, U.S.A. Today published an op-ed entitled “Voices of Iranian Women” suggesting tha Neda Agah Soltan had become through her death, Iran’s Joan of Arc. The horrific video of Neda’s death was seen worldwide and it gave poignant gravity to the post election riots in Tehran. Neda is a martyr for Iranian freedom. She put a human face to the abstract politics and wall to wall media coverage of the near disintegration of Ayatollah Ali Khomeni’s regime.

Over the weekend of June 26, 2009, the motion picture, The Stoning of Soraya M., was given limited theatrical release before its nationwide opening on the weekend of July 10th. The film had been the second place runner-up at the Toronto International Film Festival, being beat out by Slumdog Millionaire. It adapts French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Shaebjam’s 1994 bestseller of the same title.

Without any way diminishing the heinous death of Neda Soltan, it is much more apropos to suggest that Soraya M. is Iran’s Joan of Arc. The parallels connecting Soraya and Joan of Arc are numerous and chilling.

Joan of Arc was a French peasant girl born in Domremy, in Champagne, France in 1412. At age 17 she heard voices commanding her to take up arms and lead the French Army against the English invaders who occupied Orleans. Her ultimate goal, which she succeeded in achieving was to place the Dauphin on his rightful throne enabling him to be crowned as Charles VII. Shortly thereafter, she was captured by the Burgundians, handed over to the English, tried before an eccleissiastical court and condemned to death as a relapsed heretic for the “crime” of wearing men’s clothing. Joan was burnt alive at the stake in Rouen in 1431. She was 19 years old.

Like Joan, Soraya faced trumped up, spurious charges. Her husband, Ali wanted a divorce so he could marry a 14 year old girl and get rid of his responsibility to Soraya and their children. Ali conspired with the village Mullah and manipulated the law accusing Soraya of infidelity. Consequently, Soraya was condemned to death by stoning. She was buried up to her waist and stoned to death while her children watch and her fellow villagers cheer her brutal death knowing all of the time that Soraya is innocent. More appalling  is the fact that Ali, her sons and her father participate in the stoning and her murder.

After Joan’s death, she was denied a proper burial. Her ashes and entrails were collected and thrown into a river. After Soraya’s death, she too was denied a burial. her body was left exposed by a river to be consumed by animals. After Neda’s death, her family was evicted from their home, her body was kept by the government, buried without a funeral and all mourning at the Mosques were banned.

So powerful is the film that by watching Soraya’s death, the viewer bears winess to an validates not only Soraya’s personal tragedy, but also that of every toher woman – like Neda Soltan -not only in Iran, but all other women living under the tyranny and oppression of theocratic, Islamic rule and sharia law throughout the world.

Ultimately, The Stoning of Soraya M., for all of its emtionally wrenching moments, for all of its horror, and ro all of its seeming despair, is a story of beauty and triumph.  It is a testament to truth and bravery. Joan of Arc was retried after her death and in 1456 she was declared innocent. Joan was canonized in 1920, becoming the only saint in history who had previously been declared a heretic. Karma is a bitch. Truth always prevails. She was declared patroness of France in 1922. The pride of her nation.

Soraya’s story declares her innocence. Now it is up to brave Iranian’s like Neda Soltan to hold up Soraya as demaocracy, and the end of theocratic rule and subjugation under the present law. It is up to the moderate Iranians to assure that these women’s stories are heard around the world, for solidarity and FREEDOM!

Michael A. Wachter

July 12, 2009

Where does one begin to tackle this problem. I worked in health care and have been around the environment closely for more than half of my life and I cannot come up with a solution simple or complex. Here are just a few issues:

1. Insurance companies (that in my opinion are just scams and the public’s number one enemy).

2. Pharmaceutical companies that have had inflated prices from their inception and are public enemy number 2.

HAVE YOU NOTICED LATELY THAT THE ONLY ADVERTISERS THAT CAN AFFORD SPOTS ON MAJOR TELEVISION STATIONS ARE INSURANCE AND DRUG COMPANIES?

3. Then of course there are the people in the U.S. (TRULY A NATION OF VICTIMS) always crying “WOLF” and trying to milk the system when in fact they haven’t been injured or done wrong. Risk management is a department in hospitals that settles cases for patient’s when an error is done or they see a loophole (or their attorney) finds one to jump on.

4. Then we have the trusty American Medical Association which is it’s own political machine which I will not even attempt to tackle.

5. Illegal Immigrants. So many Americans are uninsured today. An illegal immigrant must be treated in our ER’s if injured. What about the U.S. citizen that has paid taxes, worked hard, owns a home and can’t afford insurance? Do they deserve liens and lawsuits because they are legal and hard honest working people?

6. Now we have a government trying to manage this catastrophic situation. Oh great!

I really can’t wrap my brain around this issue. It starts cramping. I would like to see each state appoint a board of physicians to begin to create a solution. The American people should be able to choose ANY health plan available in ANY state in this country to start and  not be limited to their own state government regulations. Your comments and suggestions are encouraged.

Persia Monir

You have made some compelling points in responding to my original blog.  I recently read an article about Oregon’s Assisted Suicide Law.  Apparently, Barbara Wagner, an Oregon Grandmother, had her doctor’s prescription for a chemotherapy treatment turned down by her state medicaid provider, Oregon Health Plan, who instead, offered her the choice of assisted suicide!

Ms. Wagner’s response was, “I told them, I said, who do you think you are?  You know, to say that you’ll pay for my dying, but you won’t pay to possibly help me live longer?”  She recounted this in an interview with Portland television station KATU T.V. in July of 2008.  Wagner died later that fall.

If this is any indication, euthanasia and the right to die in an aging Baby Boomer population is not 25 years distant, but exists in the here and now.  If Ms. Wagner’s situation is an indicator, and I firmly believe it is, assisted suicide will become a eugenics method to reduce costs of end of life treatments for the elderly.  Death is cheaper than life.

Interestingly, since assisted suicide was legalized in Oregon, the states Medicaid health plan has reduced the number of treatments it it will cover, from 745 treatments in 1997, when assisted suicide became legal, to 503 treatments in January of 2008.  A dose of death seems to be the solution increasingly preffered in Oregon.

The increased use of eugenics will occur parallel to assisted suicide and euthanasia.  The elderly, the infirm, the mentally ill and undesireables will be targeted.  Currently we see increases of sex and race selective abortions.  Didn’t we condemn Margaret Sanger and the Nazi’s for these very same ideologies and practices?  The past it present, and the future is now.

What is life?  Visualize Rodin’s The Thinker.  Rene’ Descartes famously stated, “Cogito ergo sum.”  I think therefore I am.  The implication is that existence and self awareness are predicated on the ability to think, reason and to be self aware of ones own existence.  Should Artificial Intelligence ever be created that evolves to self awareness, and I believe it will, then what?  These moral and ethical questions posed are stupefying in their depth and complexity.

Humans define ourselves as possessions of souls.  What if a machine became fused with a soul?  Someday soon man will be required to answer these questions.  How will we respond?  Will our ethical IQ be able to match the challenge, or will we continue to act as petulant, spoiled children convinced we are gods?

Michael Wachter

mwachter2002@gmail.com

“The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love – They are gone.  They are gone to feed the roses.  Elegant and curted is the blossom.  Fragrant is the blossom.  I know but I do not approve.  More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world.”

  – “Dirge Without Music”  by Edna St. Vincent Millay

July 11th marked the 15th Anniversary of the suicide death of Shannon Wilsey, who was better known as the adult actress Savannah.  She died at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank, CA at 11:20 am, the victim of a self inflicted gunshot wound.  She was 23 years old.

Savannah’s was the first of high profile suicides that rocked the adult industry over the course of that following year.  Cal Jammer, (Randy Potts), committedsuicide on Jill Kelly’s front lawn.  Alex Jordan (Karen Elizabeth Hughes) was found dead by her best friend and adult actress Summer Knight in a closet where she had hung herself.

Savannah’s death ended the career of the Adult Industry’s first bonafide  superstar.  No one has ever come close to equalling her.  Some would argue that Jenna Jameson surpassed her, however she was merely a Savannah clone who completely lacked charisma, presence, beauty, and character.  Every era of the Adult Industry produces its own star.  The first was recently deceased Marilyn Chambers. 

Some of my favorites are: Seka, Christy Canyon, Sharon Mitchell, Shauna Grant, Jasmine St. Claire, and currently Belladonna.  But Persia Monir is an entity unto her own that takes porn to a new level.  Not only is she educated and has made a personal choice to be in the adult industry, she is the only star I have seen that can totally disassociate her role in the industry from her personal life.  Persia Monir is a true actress and I hope to see her go mainstream in the very near future.

It is my feeling as well that truthis found in what Summer Knight pointed out about Karen Hughes being unable to cope with the realities and pressures of the Adult Industry.  Her observation applies also to Colleen Applegate and Shannon Wilsey.  All sought to be loved.  Each created a persona that began as a dream and ended as a nightmare.

Fans of Adult Actresses do not love real women.  They only love a creation, and have little or no sense that Shannon Wilsey was a real person.  Savannah was merely a role she played.  At some point though Savannah became essentially her dominant personality, and Shannon Wilseyhad diminished.  Shortly before her suicide she was dating Pauly Shore.  Shore, upon breaking up with her, described her in the context of being a porn star, and stated guys like him attract porn stars like a disease.  Defining Shannon in such terms separated her from her true person.  Shannon was devastated.

What has always fascinated me about adult actresses is not what they do but rather who they are.  Porn is about sex to a degree, but after a certain point, sex becomes boring.  Ultimately, it is the persom who fascinates.  Or should.

Granted there are many Adult Actresses who are self absorbed, narcissistic bitches, who crave fan attention because they lack any sense of personal identity on an internal level.  They are empty, soulless, and attracted to porn fans for vampiric purposes.

However, like Persia Monir, not all Adult Actresses are of this mold.  Many others I suspect, would welcome being recognized as people.  At the end of the day they are.  Each is a person.

Michael Walckter

MWALCKTER2002@gmail.com

First and foremost let me say that I am American/Iranian and very proud of my Persian heritage. Unfortunately because of the turmoil in Iran, my family was never able to visit the country. My father has only been able to visit in recent years because as a young doctor, his American citizenship was not recognized and he would have been drafted into the Shah’s army. 

It was unusual occurrence to have Persian American unions when my parent’s married, so when I was born, my birth announcement was the front of the local news. I grew up around many Persian relatives and friends and understand the culture, traditions and lifestyle. Many immigrants during that time, from different countries wanted so badly to be American citizens, that they rejected their own cultures and languages and teaching them to their children. The consequence of that is that I don’t speak Farsi. 

Just because I am half Persian certainly doesn’t make me an authority on the politics of Iran. I am grateful that I have been exposed and educated to the culture of my father as the insight keeps me from being bigoted. Ignorance and propaganda lead to hatred of other people all over the world. 

So here is my take on the election in Iran. Corruption and recounting votes seems to be the trend of all elections these days. From what I understand, this is really a family battle between two families in Iran, almost like a mafia type scenario one would see in New York City in the 1960’s. 

Mamoud Ahmadinejad (the incumbent president) supposedly won 63% of the votes and Mir Hossein Mousavi won 33%. Rafsanjani, Chairman of the Expediency Council resigned and Mousavi was placed on house arrest after the election and the protests of corruption occurred. The support of the Ayatollah’s in the Holy City of Qom are essential for the election to be successful. Iran is already having a civil war; with a possible coup de tat, this situation will only get worse. The majority of the younger population is progressive and any oppressed people want freedom, hence the violent protests. 

As far as the United States involvement with Iran, we would ultimately like to be friends and allied with Iran. Our friendship to Israel coupled with Ahmadinejad’s antisemitism prevents this possiblity. The problems of the middle east are ancient, spiritual and deeply personal. Our involvement is strategically essential for several reasons, one being oil supply. A solution and answer for this is not an easy one. World peace? Bah  humbug! That is like saying one day there won’t be power struggles, war, greed, and all cardinal sins. It is human nature to err.

The City of Palm Beach is passing an ordinance to apply a curfew for teenagers under 18 years old. Evidently, teenagers are hanging out in droves on Climatis street until late hours of the night. I say “Thank You” to the city officials enacting this law. 

Now the problem starts with a parent who is fighting for the teens first amendment rights and is suing the city. As a parent who raised a teenager that was not allowed to loiter in public places, or watch MTV or South Park, I find this parent sending a bad message. 

Teenagers are difficult people. Their hormones are flying everywhere and they are fighting between becoming adults and being dependent financially. The teens that act out the most are the ones who need the most guidance and restrictions. What are the consequences when teenagers  hang out on a street that has bars and restaurants? I will tell you what…trouble. Teenagers need adults to guide and discipline them so they can be prepared to be responsible adults. Maybe this hostile parent(s) can start a teen club where these energetic teens can network in a safe environment. 

I don’t know about the rest of you, but as an adult, I want to walk down the streets of my downtown and not be concerned about unsupervised youth running wild.

Persia Monir 

PornThe Vote! Send your comments!

Where are our congressmen, our govenors, our President? The politicians do such a great job of taking off their sport coats, rolling up their white collar sleeves and loosening their ties while campaigning. Smiling, preaching, rubbing elbows with people in the community. These things give the American public hope; hope that we will vote genuine leaders into office that will change bad policies. 

Our United States is becoming an impoverished, third world country. We seem to elect these egomaniacal Presidents that weakly delegate while visualizing how they will make a mark in history. What about the unemployed and starving Americans on the street? 

Roll your sleeves up Mr. Governor, Mr. Congressman, Mr. President! Feel our pain. Gas prices are climbing, people and the Banks are hoarding money. You are our leaders! 

The solution is simple. Reach out to your neighbor, carry a bag of apples in your car to hand to the homeless, and go shopping at least once a week before the dollar diminishes to dust! 

Comments are encouraged. Please Porn The Vote!

Persia Monir

The purpose of treating mentally ill persons is to restore them to a functional level of sanity.  Prisons not only fail to achieve this goal, but prisoners are defined as beyond any hope of rehabilitative redemption by the very officials who have suggested building prisons for the mentally ill!  We have here a very clear per-formative contradiction.  Or at the very least, an example of Orwellian double-speak.

Pursuant to the American Bar Association Standards for Criminal Justice Chapter 23 – Legal Status of Prisoners – Standard 23-4.3 Availability of Rehabilitative Programs, I quote, “Corrections Authorities after consultation with the Prisoners and consideration of their records, should determine the types of rehabilitative programs, including self-improvement and educating programs, that will benefit them, and should thereafter seek to provide access to as many such programs as feasible, either by establishing such programs or by contracting with outside agencies or individuals for such services.”

Please note that “should”, unlike “shall”, is not mandatory language.  Officials are not obligated to comply with “shoulds”.  That said, if officials were at all interested in rehabilitating not only the mentally ill, but inmates in general, they would seem to be inclined to providing the types of programs recommended by the American Bar Association.  In practice, the Department displays no such inclination and, in fact, makes every effort to work against such rehabilitation.

Consequently, one must ask, why then, would officials want to build more prisons for the mentally ill?  What purpose is served?  Put bluntly, the objectives are to merely warehouse the mentally ill, manage them via psycho-pharmacology to treat their root problems.  Remember, officials have asserted that prisoners cannot be rehabilitated. 

True prisons for the mentally ill would be very costly to construct and operate.  The Florida tax payer would be stuck footing the bill with minimal or no commensurate return on invested tax dollars.  The only cure here is a superficial and geographical one.  Out of sight may be out of mind, but it does nothing to practically address the problems that are caused by mental illness, and not by criminal behavior.  Once these facilities are filled, then what?  It does not eliminate the mentally ill from society.  More mentally ill persons will take their place.  Do they propose more prisons to house the mentally ill?  Almost certainly.  Where does it end?  When, if I may pun on the subject matter, does any sense of sanity begin to assert itself and prevail?

Currently, the Florida Department of Corrections operates numerous prisons that are designated for the mentally ill who may also require medication.  I mentioned Washington Correctional Institution in the first part of this blog.  Other such facilities include Apalachacolla C.I., Jefferson C.I., Union C.I., Tomoka C.I., Zephyr Hills C.I., Lake C.I., Dade C.I., amongst others.  Some of these facilities are better than Washington, a few are dismal, most are worse.  None successfully treat mental illness.  Why build still more prisons for the mentally ill, when those that already exist are failures?

Nearly ten years ago, a former DOC staff member Connie Schenk wrote a detailed report for the Florida Senate Criminal Justice Committee, detailing the systematic failures of mental health problems caused by hostile prison administrations at Taylor C.I., Liberty C.I. and others.

Ms. Schenk is a medical doctor and psychologist.  Her chilling report reveals how abusive corrections staff are towards inmates in general, and mentally ill inmates in particular.  Ms. Schenk became the target of Institutional Administrative ire because of her attempt to do her job properly.  She tried to treat the mentally ill inmates in her care, and to protect them from the deprivations and abuses of sadistically motivated prison employees.  As a result, she was run out of her job by coworkers who had turned on her.  Blowing the whistle got her ostracized and silenced.

Worse, after receipt of Ms. Schenk’s detailed and objective report, the Florida State Senate Criminal Justice Committee did absolutely nothing to address the issues raised by Ms. Schenk.  In fact she was dismissed as a disgruntled former employee!  She was punished for attempting to do what was morally right. 

Now not only must we question why the state wishes to build several new prisons for the mentally ill, we must also ask how we can bring the prisons that already exist to treat mentall ill prisoners into functional compliance with their designated purpose.  This will be the subject of the next part of my blog.  To be continued…

Michael Wachter

mw452002@gmail.com

Prisons for the Mentally Ill ( Part I )

By Michael Wachter

This has never been tried before, and it may take time for it to be explored as a practical means to expose medical negligence, malpractice and violations of state and federal laws in Florida prisons. To be continued…

Michael Wachter

 mwachter452002@gmail.com