04 Jul 2015
A Teachable Moment for Ethio-Americans on July 4, 2015
My topic for my Monday Commentary this week was not about a teachable moment for Ethiopian-Americans. I dropped my intended topic and wrote this piece because I was madder than a nest of hornets. A couple of weeks ago, I was reading a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) entitled, “Journalists Assaulted While
30 Jun 2015
Ethiopia: The TPLF Banana Republic
Author’s note: As I was archiving my commentaries from years past for public access on my website (almariam.com), I discovered commentaries and articles I had written in the print edition of Ethiopian Review Magazine (ERM) before that publication went online in 2000. I had vague recollection of various articles I had written on Ethiopia and the
28 Jun 2015
The “Jiggery Pokery” Jurisprudence of Justice Scalia
The angry wasp in the colony of worker bees Hell hath no fury than a dissenting Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court! When Scalia wins and writes for the majority, he floats like a butterfly. Did anyone say, “gloats”? When Scalia loses and writes his dissents, he stings like an angry wasp. (I did
21 Jun 2015
The Axis of Shevil: Does Africa Need Gayle Smith?
What do Gayle Smith, Wendy Sherman and Susan Rice have in common? This past Thursday, Gayle Smith who is currently Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director at the National Security Council directed by Susan Rice, had her confirmation hearing to become the next Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development. It was
15 Jun 2015
Happy 800th Birthday, Magna Carta!
Today, June 15, 2015, is the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta Libertatum or the Great Charter of English Liberties. On that date, King John of England affixed his seal on the Magna Carta and formally accepted the principle of the rule of law, specific and sweeping limitations on his royal power. In place of my
09 Jun 2015
Remembering Dennis Hastert
Today, Dennis Hastert, the former Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1999-2007) and lobbyist appears in U.S. federal court for arraignment (enter a plea of guilty or not guilty) on charges that he broke federal law by withdrawing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and lying about the use of the money
07 Jun 2015
Ethiopian Thugmocracy
What do you get when you cross a thugocracy with democracy? A thugmocracy. When thugs are “elected” to political office, they become thugmocrats. Naturally, “elected” thugmocrats run thugmocracies. If democracy is a government of the people, by the people for the people, a thugmocracy is a government of
31 May 2015
I Can’t Hear You, Wendy Sherman!
Echoes of deceit On May 24, 2015, Ethiopia had an “election”. On May 27, 2015, the Associated Press reported that “early results” of ballot counts showed the ruling Thugtatorship of the Tigrean Peoples Liberation Front (T-TPLF) had won 100 percent of 442 parliamentary seats. Is there any doubt they will win the remaining 105 seats?
23 May 2015
Aaargh! T-TPLF “Wins” Again!
Congratulations are in order to the T-TPLF for winning a hard fought thuglection! “Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason.” But not in T-TPLF’s Ethiopia! Poor Ethiopia is condemned to wear the Thugtatorship of the Tigrean People Liberation Front (T-TPLF) diaper for
17 May 2015
Why Is the T-TPLF Afraid of Its Own Shadow?
Why are the T-TPLF gods of FEAR, TERROR AND DREAD afraid of their own shadows in 2015? On May 24, 2015, a “parliamentary election” is scheduled in Ethiopia. “Election” as in rigged. Five years ago on May 23, 2010, the ruling Thugtatorship of the Tigrean Peoples Liberation Front (T-TPLF) “won” that