| A decision has already been made if I can stay or not,
and it is unlikely that I will. Where to go from there is the question.
I may be allowed to apply for a job and visa to a third neutral country,
but there is probably no such thing as a neutral country now. As Bush has
said, you are either with us or against us, Americans too if you don't
approve of what he is doing, so there is little chance an acceptable middle
ground might be found on where I may go that the US and I would agree on.
Europe I thought was an acceptable middle ground but it may just not work
out. Just because my asylum request was turned down, if it was, may not
necessarily the end of the line for me. A compromise which would allow
me to go to a different country where I could work or go to school may
be floated. I am hoping it is only matter of months now until Bush steps
down and some semblance of normalcy and accountability sets in, but that
is unlikely to happen, if at all, in a timeframe for me to stay here or
go back there comfortably enough to want to stay without looking over my
shoulder constantly. Until then, me and the government are not on the same
page while appealing upwards is actually deeper into the heart of the corruption.
I have made my case as best I can without a hearing, and may get one. Getting
a hearing was the whole point since I left, and might actually get one
if I get to appeal the decision to have to leave. I have been able to say
most of what I wanted to in The Radioactive Cereal
Principle Parts One and Two, so I can hope I did my best even if it
amounts to nothing. At a recent protest here with Palestinians on a hunger
strike, it was suggested by one person's opinion, "you know, no matter
what they say about promising you secrecy, they turn over everything you
say to the CIA." "I know", was all I answered. That that was what I was
counting on and the whole point, I wanted to add. I said as much in RCP2,
and much since then has just been having to wait and see where things settle
and where the new level is to be found. Nothing I can do but go where I
am told and do what is asked and see where it leads to, if anywhere. It
has been work, and it has been fun. I really did like riding my bike a
lot and miss that. Either my little adventure of the last few years is
winding down or just getting started. That is up to others to decide what
I am worth and if I will be given something worthwhile to do for a country
I feel inclined to work to help. Unfortunately it is unlikely the US has
much or anything to offer me that can make me forget the past or present
situation until all, or at least the worst, that Bush has done has been
exposed or admitted to. Then we will be on the same page again. Until then,
will work for peace for food and shelter wherever outside of US control,
and it seems here is not in that category or just don't like me enough
to hear all I had to say. Such is life. Mahalo and aloha.
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=================================================================== Statement of Intent Many factors led me to wish to renew my University studies and get a higher education degree. What my country, the United States, has been doing recently goes far beyond wrong, to endangering the peace, security, and human rights of people all over the world and within my country as well. While most people (including myself for awhile) are content to say, “What can I do,” I was in the position of having an idea of what direction to go based upon my previous studies, which I thought if resumed, might one day lead me or help others to make necessary corrections to the errors being done in the name of the War on Terror, the occupation of Iraq, and other things geopolitically which my country is promoting which are making the world a more dangerous place every month of every year. Having been a student specializing in International Relations, I knew well what the US had done in invading Iraq was against International Law, as well as being just plain stupid, and the revelations coming out now about secret CIA kidnappings of people to third countries for the purpose of torture from within the US and European countries for the purpose of “going around” US and European prohibitions on such conduct, the torturing covered-up conducted by the military and CIA in direct violation of the law, now also beginning to be exposed, I believed were just the tip of the iceberg. There may be nothing I can do, even if I get a degree, to change what has been going on. The War in Iraq negatively affected me personally as well, but in a way which I thought from my understanding of the law, made it possible for me to get political asylum in France at the time when I left the US, back in 2003. At that time, I was also accepted into studies at the University of Tartu, and since I decided that the more education and respectability I could get, the more weight my criticisms might potentially carry, I decided to resume my studies then was the best way forward. After graduating and finishing in Tartu, I ended up applying for political asylum in a country which may be the worst place to have done so because of the difficulty in acceptance, right here in Sweden where I was already studying. Before I had gotten as far as I did with what I hoped to do, my best hope to encourage change was at an immigration hearing where I had hoped to put forward some of the charges of what my country was doing both to people outside of the US, and within the US in violation of its own laws and principles. That debate has started moving ahead now on its own volition in the press, and my immigration situation I do not believe is necessarily the best or only way for me to encourage change, but it is still out there unresolved at the moment. It should be decided shortly in February or March at the latest. This is the second year in a row I have applied …, because I hope to work on my PhD. Studies in and/or about India as I believe as a developing economy, an emerging world power, and as the world’s largest democracy, there is much to be learned from its examples for other countries hoping to mature economically and politically, in the ways I believe they are positively growing at the moment. Studying at Tartu in 2004 and 2005 was helpful in filling in the blanks of what I needed to know. The world has changed a lot since I studied International Relations during the ending of the Cold War. It was a chance to study the changes in East/West European relations following the collapse of Communism, the expansion of the EU, in both East and West European states. Many hopes taught from my early days were realized in expansion of NATO and the EU. Other fears were realized, such as far greater proliferation of nuclear weapons to warring countries such as India and Pakistan. And problems no one could have realized or thought possible then, the collapse of the movement toward greater openness and democracy in Russia, and my own country as well, which has come dangerously close to what can only be described as one-man-rule, with the President recently saying he will ignore the much-lauded ban on torture saying in a signing statement he does not believe Congress has the power to pass such a law. He also has stated Congress does not have the power to pass laws on any number of issues, including areas specifically spelled out as their jurisdiction by the Constitution. His lawyers have stated openly on the President’s say so alone, without giving reasons beyond suspicion of terrorism, he has the right not only to wiretap anyone, but to authorize their execution without charges, no matter who they are, what position they hold, or what country they are from, including our own citizens who were previous protected from such abuses. Also, to hold anyone from any country, including our own citizens, in prison indefinitely without charges for life for only reason of being suspicious as judged by the Executive Branch alone, is another so-called right or power this President has invested in himself on his say so alone.
If my asylum request is not accepted, there is no reason to consider my
application as I have already had to forfeit my passport, and likely would
not be allowed back to Sweden to study again anyway. It was an all or nothing
decision. I am hoping that it will be successful as I would like to think
all my studies over the last two years have been for a reason, and will
eventually amount to something positive. But that is out of my hands at
the moment. However, on the chance that it is or may be accepted and I
am allowed to stay in Sweden, I will be able to resume my studies at …
and study at … next year without needing special permission, as I would
have a residence permit. It may be unlikely but hopefully not impossible,
and therefore until my case is decided, I hope you will consider me as
a prospective student. I have enclosed letters of recommendation from my
instructors here as well. Attempting the impossible is what I do best,
and attempting the impossible is what more people will have to do more
and more often if things are to improve globally now. If I am accepted
into Sweden in my current circumstances, I will begin to think nothing
is impossible, and will encourage others to tilt at their windmills too,
as best they can.
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© 2004-2005 by Jared DuBois