Henry Kissinger

 

Heinz Alfred Kissinger was born on May 27, 1923 in Furth, Germany to a Jewish family. His father was a schoolteacher and his mother was a homemaker. On August 20, 1938, Kissinger's family set sail for New York City by way of London. His family was extremely poor upon arrival in the United States, and Kissinger immediately went to work in a shaving brush factory to supplement his family's income. At the same time, Kissinger enrolled at New York's George Washington High School, where he learned English with remarkable speed and excelled in all of his classes. One of his teachers later recalled of Kissinger, "He was the most serious and mature of the German refugee students, and I think those students were more serious than our own." Kissinger graduated from high school in 1940 and continued on to the City College of New York, where he studied to become an accountant.

 

In 1943, Kissinger became a naturalized American citizen and, soon after, he was drafted into the army to fight in World War II. Thus, just five years after he left, Kissinger found himself back in his homeland of Germany, fighting the very Nazi regime from which he had once fled. He served first as a rifleman in France and then as a G-2 intelligence officer in Germany. Over the course of the war, Kissinger abandoned his plan to become an accountant and instead decided that he wanted to become an academic with a focus on political history. In 1947, upon his return to the United States, he was admitted to Harvard University to complete his undergraduate coursework. Kissinger's senior thesis, completed in 1950, was a 383-page tome that tackled a vast subject matter: the meaning of history. It became Harvard lore that his daunting manuscript which, though unrefined, showed flashes of brilliance, prompted Harvard to impose a rule limiting the length of future theses, but according to Walter Issacson’s 1992 biography, this “Kissinger Rule” is most likely a myth.

 

Upon graduating summa cum laude in 1950, Kissinger decided to remain at Harvard to pursue a Ph.D. in the Department of Government. His 1954 dissertation, A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh, and the Problems of Peace, 1812-1822, examined the efforts of Austrian diplomat Klemens von Metternich to reestablish a legitimate international order in Europe in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars. Metternich proved a profound influence on Kissinger's own later conduct of foreign policy, most notably in his firm belief that even a deeply flawed world order was preferable to revolution and chaos.

 

After receiving his doctorate in 1954, Kissinger accepted an offer to stay at Harvard as a member of the faculty in the Department of Government. Kissinger first achieved widespread fame in academic circles with his 1957 book Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Policy, opposing President Dwight Eisenhower's policy of holding out the threat of massive retaliation to ward off Soviet aggression. Instead, Kissinger proposed a "flexible" response model, arguing that a limited war fought with conventional forces and tactical nuclear weapons was, in fact, winnable. He served as a member of the Harvard faculty from 1954-69, earning tenure in 1959.

 

Kissinger always kept one eye outside academia on policymaking in Washington, D.C. From 1961-68, in addition to teaching at Harvard, he served as a special advisor to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson on matters of foreign policy. Then in 1969, Kissinger finally left Harvard when incoming President Richard Nixon appointed him to serve as his National Security Advisor. As National Security Advisor from 1969-75, and then as Secretary of State from 1973-77, Kissinger would prove one of the most dominant, influential and controversial statesmen in American history.

 

The great foreign policy trial of Kissinger's career was the Vietnam War. By the time Kissinger became National Security Advisor in 1969, the Vietnam War had become enormously costly, deadly and unpopular. Seeking to achieve "peace with honor," Kissinger combined diplomatic initiatives and troop withdrawals with devastating bombing campaigns on North Vietnam designed to improve the American bargaining position and maintain American credibility with its international allies and enemies.

 

On January 27, 1973, Kissinger and his North Vietnamese negotiating partner Le Duc Tho finally signed a ceasefire agreement to end direct American involvement in the conflict. Both men were honored with the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize, although Duc declined, leaving Kissinger the sole recipient of the award. Nevertheless, Kissinger's handling of the Vietnam War was highly controversial. His "peace with honor" strategy prolonged the war for four years, from 1969-73, during which 22,000 American troops and countless Vietnamese died. Furthermore, he initiated a secret bombing campaign in Cambodia that ravaged the country and helped the genocidal Khmer Rouge take power there.

 

In addition to ending the Vietnam War, Kissinger also accomplished a host of other foreign policy achievements. In 1971, Kissinger made two secret trips to the People's Republic of China, paving the way for President Nixon's historic visit in 1972 and the normalization of Chinese-American relations in 1979. Kissinger was also instrumental in bringing about the early 1970s détente between the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1972, he negotiated the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, helping to ease tensions between the two Cold War superpowers. When détente was threatened by the October 1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel, an American ally, and Egypt, a Soviet ally, Kissinger proved crucial in leading diplomatic efforts to prevent the war from escalating into a global confrontation. Kissinger stepped down as secretary of state at the conclusion of the Ford administration in 1977.

 

Since, then Kissinger has continued to play a major role in American foreign policy. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan appointed him to chair the National Bipartisan Commission on Central America, and from 1984-90, under Presidents Reagan and Bush, he served on the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. Kissinger founded the international consulting firm Kissinger Associates in 1982, and he serves as a board member and trustee to numerous companies and foundations. Kissinger has authored several books and countless articles on American foreign policy and diplomatic history.

 

https://www.biography.com/people/henry-kissinger-9366016

 

 



Immigration Agency Removes 'Nation of Immigrants' From Mission Statement

 

 

The United States is a nation of immigrants no longer, at least according to the mission statement for the federal agency that issues green cards and visas. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services revised its mission statement Thursday to remove the phrase "nation of immigrants," director L. Francis Cissna told staffers in email.

 

Here's the old statement:

 

"USCIS secures America's promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system."

 

And the new one:

 

"U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services administers the nation's lawful immigration system, safeguarding its integrity and promise by efficiently and fairly adjudicating requests for immigration benefits while protecting Americans, securing the  homeland, and honoring our values."

 

In his email to staffers, Cissna wrote, "I believe this simple, straightforward statement clearly defines the agency's role in our country's lawful immigration system and the commitment we have to the American people."

 

Cissna goes on to explain the removal of the word “customers” from the mission statement, which he says “leads to the erroneous belief that applicants and petitioners, rather than the American people, are whom we ultimately serve.”

Though the change to the mission statement is new and attention grabbing, USCIS under Cissna has quietly made life harder for potential immigrants for months, as the Times notes.

 

"The agency has increased scrutiny of visa applications for foreign workers whom American companies seek to hire; it has changed the asylum application process to discourage people from seeking safe haven in the United States; and it has added steps to the process for foreigners already in the country to obtain legal permanent residency, or a green card."

 

After Cissna’s email, The Intercept reached out to a spokesperson for USCIS and asked if the agency has changed its view of whether the U.S. is a nation of immigrants. “The statement speaks for itself,” the spokesperson said.

 

ICE Launches New Immigration Sweeps L.A. Area; At Least 100 Detained So Far

 

 

Federal officials are in the midst of an immigration enforcement operation in the Los Angeles area and have so far detained more than 100 people suspected for being in violation of immigration laws. The sweep, launched on Sunday, is focusing on "individuals who pose a threat to national security public safety and border security," Immigration Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Sarah Rodriguez said.

 

"This means that, ideally, we are working with local police and county jails to identify public safety threats in their custody, who are also in the country illegally, for deportation," Rodriguez said in a written statement. However, "uncooperative jurisdictions" like Los Angeles have forced ICE agents to "conduct" at-large arrests in the community, putting officers, the general public, and the aliens at greater risk and increasing the incidence of collateral arrests.

 

"That is what ICE is now doing in Los Angeles, and what ICE will continue to do in uncooperative jurisdictions," Rodriguez stated. The Los Angeles Police Department and many other California law enforcement agencies have said they will not cooperate with ICE on sweeps. The LAPD has long had a policy that prevents officers from asking people about their immigration status, rules designed to encourage those here illegally to cooperate with law enforcement in criminal investigations.

 

Rodriguez said that the agency would not release any further information about the ongoing sweep until it came to a close. She wouldn't say what it would be. The operation is taking place in the agency's Los Angeles area of responsibility, which includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Trump administration officials have warned in recent months that ICE might target California for more immigration raids, citing the states’ efforts to create “sanctuary” protection for those here illegally. ICE has not said whether the L.A. raids were part of a larger California crackdown.

 

The operation comes at a time when President Trump has pushed for a sweeping crackdown on the estimated 11 million people living in the country without authorization. He and U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions contend that agencies should give immigration agents limitless access to jails and delay releasing immigrants from custody so that agents can detain them.

Local law enforcement officials in Los Angeles, San Francisco and other cities have ignored demands and instead passed laws or enacted polices that restrict what authorities can do for immigration agents. Some conservative communities have also resisted holding on to inmates for ICE out of fear that doing so is illegal.
In response, Sessions has lashed out against cities deemed to be uncooperative and threatened to withhold funding—a move that courts have found to be unconstitutional.


https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ice-launches-new-immigration-sweeps-in-la-area-at-least-100-detained-so-far/ar-BBJ8ZNu


Al Jolson

 



 

Asa Yoelson was born on May 26, 1886 to a Jewish family in Srednike, Russia. His family immigrated to the United States when he is seven years old, and he and his three older siblings were raised in Washington, D.C. At a young age, Jolson began singing and dancing on the streets for money. Frustrated by his cantankerous relationship with his father, a conservative Rabbi, Al and his brother, Harry, changed their last name to "Jolson" and moved to New York City, soon beginning a vaudeville act together. Jolson began performing on stage in 1899 and, a decade later, joined a minstrel troupe. A few years later, he began performing his own act in San Francisco, California.

 

 

Jolson starred in multiple New York musicals, including Sinbad. The musical included the George Gershwin song "Swanee," which became Jolson's hallmark performance. In 1921, he introduced the song "My Mammy" to the public via the show Bombo. Jolson's records sold millions of copies. In modern times, his stage work has been controversial, as he frequently wore blackface on stage. His vaudeville act became known for its use of dark facial makeup and white gloves. While critics perceived Jolson as a racist egomaniac, others maintained that his fame was well-deserved, thanks to his enthusiastic stage presence. His performances were marked by interaction with the audience, fervent gesturing and vibrating his voice. Jolson was so beloved by audiences that New York City's Imperial Theatre was named after him in 1921.

 

Jolson's most famous performance was in the 1927 film, The Jazz Singer, the first feature in history to include synchronized speech. The film marked the end of the silent movie age and began Jolson's film career. Although he was in his forties and was not the most talented actor, Jolson's singing turned him into a magnetic movie star. He went on to appear in films such as The Singing Fool (1928) and Swanee River (1940), and provided the voiceover for a movie based on his own life entitled The Jolson Story (1946).

 

 

Jolson married four times and had three adopted children. He was very supportive of American troops, performing for soldiers in World War II and the Korean War. He died of a heart attack in San Francisco on October 23, 1950 at the age of sixty-four. His gravesite in Los Angeles' Hillside Memorial Park features a large monument to his career, a life-sized statue of Jolson genuflecting as if he just finished a performance.

 

 

https://www.biography.com/people/al-jolson-9356888