text:
(CNN) -- President Obama visits Mexico with many issues on the table, but reinstating the ban on assault weapons in the U.S. isn't likely to be one on which the two countries can reach agreement.

Mexican federal police officers this week display an arsenal seized near the U.S. border.

Mexican officials say criminals use assault weapons from the U.S. in the violent border region.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Arturo Sarukhan, Mexico's ambassador to the U.S., say reinstating the ban would stop the deadly flow of weapons across the border.

Under the Clinton administration in 1994, Congress banned possession of 19 military-style assault weapons. The ban was allowed to expire 10 years later during the Bush administration.

Earlier this year, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said that Obama would like to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons, noting, "I think that will have a positive impact in Mexico at a minimum." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last month that as a senator, she supported a measure to reinstate it.

And the urban policy section of the White House Web site says Obama and Vice President Joe Biden "support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent."

Obama still supports reinstating the ban, as he did during the presidential campaign, but there are no plans to reintroduce it anytime soon, according to an administration official.

Obama thinks more can be done to stop the illegal flow of weapons to Mexico within existing laws, the official said, noting that the president has taken steps to deploy more law enforcement to curb the illegal flows of drugs, weapons and cash in both directions across the border.

The administration is unaware of any broad-based efforts in Congress to reinstate the ban, the official said.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told CBS on Thursday that reinstating the ban "simply is not part of the plan that we're talking about here."  Watch what Napolitano says about drug violence Â»

The Obama administration says the U.S. shares responsibility for the situation in Mexico, but as far as the ban goes, "there's a lot on our plate," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said.  Watch what's on the table for Obama's trip to Mexico Â»

Gun rights advocates stress that the Second Amendment guarantees the right to own firearms without restriction. Gun control supporters interpret the amendment to mean that states shall keep militias but that an individual's right to own firearms may be restricted.

Those who support the assault weapons ban as a way to curb violence cite figures from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that say American gun sellers supply the Mexican drug cartels with 95 percent to 100 percent of their guns.

But others say that claim cannot be substantiated -- and argue that less that 20 percent of weapons used in crimes in Mexico are traced to the U.S.

Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the National Rifle Association of America, says U.S. rights are not the cause of Mexico's wrongs.

In a commentary on CNN.com, LaPierre wrote that to believe U.S. freedoms are fueling the violence "you have to believe these butchers and beheaders break every Mexican law they want except Mexican gun laws, which they honor -- while they break American gun laws."

"Everything Mexico's murderous thugs are doing is already illegal. At issue is not the absence of law, but the absence of political will to enforce the laws that both nations already possess," he wrote.

On the other side, however, there are those who say loopholes in America's gun laws fuel violence in both Mexico and the United States.

"We need to realize that the Mexican drug cartels are arming themselves here because our gun laws have loopholes so large that criminals and gun traffickers can easily drive gun-laden trucks through them," former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, daughter of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, wrote in a commentary for CNN.com.

"We need to prevent Mexican criminals and the traffickers who supply them from buying guns by changing our gun laws and strengthening U.S. law enforcement's ability to crack down on corrupt gun dealers."

On the eve of Obama's arrival, Calderon told ABC he thought the weapons ban was "very good legislation."

"During that period, we didn't suffer a lot, like we suffered in the four or five years," he said.

And Sarukhan told CBS this weekend, "There's a direct correlation between the expiration of the assault weapons ban and our seizures of assault weapons."

He said, "We cannot determine how Congress and the administration will move on this. What we will say is that this is one of the instruments by reinstating the ban that could have a profound impact on the number and the caliber of weapons going down to Mexico."

Obama was to meet Thursday with Calderon in Mexico City ahead of his trip to Trinidad and Tobago for the Summit of the Americas.

But Mexico isn't the only consideration when it comes to gun control. In the United States, gun control is a wedge issue -- and one that can carry serious political ramifications.

Democrats tend to shy away from remarks that could be interpreted as anti-gun, especially in swing states and districts. (Remember the frenzy that ensued after then-candidate Obama said people in small towns get bitter and "cling to guns or religion"?)

Democrats are usually thought of as the party more likely to enforce ownership restrictions, while Republicans are associated with ownership rights.

As a candidate, Obama promised, "I'm not going to take away your guns.'' Any other message would have been unpopular in the traditionally Republican states he won such as North Carolina and Virginia.

Other Democrats, such as Sens. Mark Warner and Jim Webb of Virginia, also are getting elected with the help of NRA supporters.

Even so, with a Democrat in the White House and a Democrat-controlled Congress, there's been a surge in requests for background checks of potential gun buyers, according to the FBI, and some gun owners say they think restrictions are somewhere on Obama's to-do list.

Asked Thursday if it's just too politically difficult now to reinstate the ban, Gibbs said, "I think the president believes that we can have a greater outcome in the short term working to enforce the laws that are on our books."

text: CNN

text: President

text: Obama

text: visits

text: Mexico

text: with

text: many

text: issues

text: on

text: the

text: table

text: but

text: reinstating

text: the

text: ban

text: on

text: assault

text: weapons

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: is

text: n't

text: likely

text: to

text: be

text: one

text: on

text: which

text: the

text: two

text: countries

text: can

text: reach

text: agreement

text: Mexican

text: federal

text: police

text: officers

text: this

text: week

text: display

text: an

text: arsenal

text: seized

text: near

text: the

text: U.S.

text: border

text: Mexican

text: officials

text: say

text: criminals

text: use

text: assault

text: weapons

text: from

text: the

text: U.S.

text: in

text: the

text: violent

text: border

text: region

text: Mexican

text: President

text: Felipe

text: Calderon

text: and

text: Arturo

text: Sarukhan

text: Mexico

text: 's

text: ambassador

text: to

text: the

text: U.S.

text: say

text: reinstating

text: the

text: ban

text: would

text: stop

text: the

text: deadly

text: flow

text: of

text: weapons

text: across

text: the

text: border

text: Under

text: the

text: Clinton

text: administration

text: in

text: Congress

text: banned

text: possession

text: of

text: military

text: style

text: assault

text: weapons

text: The

text: ban

text: was

text: allowed

text: to

text: expire

text: years

text: later

text: during

text: the

text: Bush

text: administration

text: Earlier

text: this

text: year

text: U.S.

text: Attorney

text: General

text: Eric

text: Holder

text: said

text: that

text: Obama

text: would

text: like

text: to

text: reinstitute

text: the

text: ban

text: on

text: the

text: sale

text: of

text: assault

text: weapons

text: noting

text: I

text: think

text: that

text: will

text: have

text: a

text: positive

text: impact

text: in

text: Mexico

text: at

text: a

text: minimum

text: Secretary

text: of

text: State

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: said

text: last

text: month

text: that

text: as

text: a

text: senator

text: she

text: supported

text: a

text: measure

text: to

text: reinstate

text: it

text: And

text: the

text: urban

text: policy

text: section

text: of

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: Web

text: site

text: says

text: Obama

text: and

text: Vice

text: President

text: Joe

text: Biden

text: support

text: making

text: the

text: expired

text: federal

text: Assault

text: Weapons

text: Ban

text: permanent

text: Obama

text: still

text: supports

text: reinstating

text: the

text: ban

text: as

text: he

text: did

text: during

text: the

text: presidential

text: campaign

text: but

text: there

text: are

text: no

text: plans

text: to

text: reintroduce

text: it

text: anytime

text: soon

text: according

text: to

text: an

text: administration

text: official

text: Obama

text: thinks

text: more

text: can

text: be

text: done

text: to

text: stop

text: the

text: illegal

text: flow

text: of

text: weapons

text: to

text: Mexico

text: within

text: existing

text: laws

text: the

text: official

text: said

text: noting

text: that

text: the

text: president

text: has

text: taken

text: steps

text: to

text: deploy

text: more

text: law

text: enforcement

text: to

text: curb

text: the

text: illegal

text: flows

text: of

text: drugs

text: weapons

text: and

text: cash

text: in

text: both

text: directions

text: across

text: the

text: border

text: The

text: administration

text: is

text: unaware

text: of

text: any

text: broad

text: based

text: efforts

text: in

text: Congress

text: to

text: reinstate

text: the

text: ban

text: the

text: official

text: said

text: Homeland

text: Security

text: Secretary

text: Janet

text: Napolitano

text: told

text: CBS

text: on

text: Thursday

text: that

text: reinstating

text: the

text: ban

text: simply

text: is

text: not

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: plan

text: that

text: we

text: 're

text: talking

text: about

text: here

text: Watch

text: what

text: Napolitano

text: says

text: about

text: drug

text: violence

text: Â

text: The

text: Obama

text: administration

text: says

text: the

text: U.S.

text: shares

text: responsibility

text: for

text: the

text: situation

text: in

text: Mexico

text: but

text: as

text: far

text: as

text: the

text: ban

text: goes

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: lot

text: on

text: our

text: plate

text: White

text: House

text: press

text: secretary

text: Robert

text: Gibbs

text: said

text: Watch

text: what

text: 's

text: on

text: the

text: table

text: for

text: Obama

text: 's

text: trip

text: to

text: Mexico

text: Â

text: Gun

text: rights

text: advocates

text: stress

text: that

text: the

text: Second

text: Amendment

text: guarantees

text: the

text: right

text: to

text: own

text: firearms

text: without

text: restriction

text: Gun

text: control

text: supporters

text: interpret

text: the

text: amendment

text: to

text: mean

text: that

text: states

text: shall

text: keep

text: militias

text: but

text: that

text: an

text: individual

text: 's

text: right

text: to

text: own

text: firearms

text: may

text: be

text: restricted

text: Those

text: who

text: support

text: the

text: assault

text: weapons

text: ban

text: as

text: a

text: way

text: to

text: curb

text: violence

text: cite

text: figures

text: from

text: the

text: Bureau

text: of

text: Alcohol

text: Tobacco

text: Firearms

text: and

text: Explosives

text: that

text: say

text: American

text: gun

text: sellers

text: supply

text: the

text: Mexican

text: drug

text: cartels

text: with

text: percent

text: to

text: percent

text: of

text: their

text: guns

text: But

text: others

text: say

text: that

text: claim

text: can

text: not

text: be

text: substantiated

text: and

text: argue

text: that

text: less

text: that

text: percent

text: of

text: weapons

text: used

text: in

text: crimes

text: in

text: Mexico

text: are

text: traced

text: to

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Wayne

text: LaPierre

text: executive

text: vice

text: president

text: and

text: chief

text: executive

text: officer

text: of

text: the

text: National

text: Rifle

text: Association

text: of

text: America

text: says

text: U.S.

text: rights

text: are

text: not

text: the

text: cause

text: of

text: Mexico

text: 's

text: wrongs

text: In

text: a

text: commentary

text: on

text: CNN.com

text: LaPierre

text: wrote

text: that

text: to

text: believe

text: U.S.

text: freedoms

text: are

text: fueling

text: the

text: violence

text: you

text: have

text: to

text: believe

text: these

text: butchers

text: and

text: beheaders

text: break

text: every

text: Mexican

text: law

text: they

text: want

text: except

text: Mexican

text: gun

text: laws

text: which

text: they

text: honor

text: while

text: they

text: break

text: American

text: gun

text: laws

text: Everything

text: Mexico

text: 's

text: murderous

text: thugs

text: are

text: doing

text: is

text: already

text: illegal

text: At

text: issue

text: is

text: not

text: the

text: absence

text: of

text: law

text: but

text: the

text: absence

text: of

text: political

text: will

text: to

text: enforce

text: the

text: laws

text: that

text: both

text: nations

text: already

text: possess

text: he

text: wrote

text: On

text: the

text: other

text: side

text: however

text: there

text: are

text: those

text: who

text: say

text: loopholes

text: in

text: America

text: 's

text: gun

text: laws

text: fuel

text: violence

text: in

text: both

text: Mexico

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: We

text: need

text: to

text: realize

text: that

text: the

text: Mexican

text: drug

text: cartels

text: are

text: arming

text: themselves

text: here

text: because

text: our

text: gun

text: laws

text: have

text: loopholes

text: so

text: large

text: that

text: criminals

text: and

text: gun

text: traffickers

text: can

text: easily

text: drive

text: gun

text: laden

text: trucks

text: through

text: them

text: former

text: Maryland

text: Lt

text: Gov.

text: Kathleen

text: Kennedy

text: Townsend

text: daughter

text: of

text: the

text: late

text: U.S.

text: Sen.

text: Robert

text: F.

text: Kennedy

text: wrote

text: in

text: a

text: commentary

text: for

text: CNN.com

text: We

text: need

text: to

text: prevent

text: Mexican

text: criminals

text: and

text: the

text: traffickers

text: who

text: supply

text: them

text: from

text: buying

text: guns

text: by

text: changing

text: our

text: gun

text: laws

text: and

text: strengthening

text: U.S.

text: law

text: enforcement

text: 's

text: ability

text: to

text: crack

text: down

text: on

text: corrupt

text: gun

text: dealers

text: On

text: the

text: eve

text: of

text: Obama

text: 's

text: arrival

text: Calderon

text: told

text: ABC

text: he

text: thought

text: the

text: weapons

text: ban

text: was

text: very

text: good

text: legislation

text: During

text: that

text: period

text: we

text: did

text: n't

text: suffer

text: a

text: lot

text: like

text: we

text: suffered

text: in

text: the

text: four

text: or

text: five

text: years

text: he

text: said

text: And

text: Sarukhan

text: told

text: CBS

text: this

text: weekend

text: There

text: 's

text: a

text: direct

text: correlation

text: between

text: the

text: expiration

text: of

text: the

text: assault

text: weapons

text: ban

text: and

text: our

text: seizures

text: of

text: assault

text: weapons

text: He

text: said

text: We

text: can

text: not

text: determine

text: how

text: Congress

text: and

text: the

text: administration

text: will

text: move

text: on

text: this

text: What

text: we

text: will

text: say

text: is

text: that

text: this

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: instruments

text: by

text: reinstating

text: the

text: ban

text: that

text: could

text: have

text: a

text: profound

text: impact

text: on

text: the

text: number

text: and

text: the

text: caliber

text: of

text: weapons

text: going

text: down

text: to

text: Mexico

text: Obama

text: was

text: to

text: meet

text: Thursday

text: with

text: Calderon

text: in

text: Mexico

text: City

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text: of

text: his

text: trip

text: to

text: Trinidad

text: and

text: Tobago

text: for

text: the

text: Summit

text: of

text: the

text: Americas

text: But

text: Mexico

text: is

text: n't

text: the

text: only

text: consideration

text: when

text: it

text: comes

text: to

text: gun

text: control

text: In

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: gun

text: control

text: is

text: a

text: wedge

text: issue

text: and

text: one

text: that

text: can

text: carry

text: serious

text: political

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text: to

text: shy

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text: could

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text: interpreted

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text: anti

text: gun

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text: swing

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text: districts

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text: the

text: frenzy

text: that

text: ensued

text: after

text: then

text: candidate

text: Obama

text: said

text: people

text: in

text: small

text: towns

text: get

text: bitter

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text: cling

text: to

text: guns

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text: religion

text: Democrats

text: are

text: usually

text: thought

text: of

text: as

text: the

text: party

text: more

text: likely

text: to

text: enforce

text: ownership

text: restrictions

text: while

text: Republicans

text: are

text: associated

text: with

text: ownership

text: rights

text: As

text: a

text: candidate

text: Obama

text: promised

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: going

text: to

text: take

text: away

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text: guns

text: Any

text: other

text: message

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text: have

text: been

text: unpopular

text: in

text: the

text: traditionally

text: Republican

text: states

text: he

text: won

text: such

text: as

text: North

text: Carolina

text: and

text: Virginia

text: Other

text: Democrats

text: such

text: as

text: Sens

text: Mark

text: Warner

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text: Jim

text: Webb

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text: Virginia

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text: are

text: getting

text: elected

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text: the

text: help

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text: NRA

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text: so

text: with

text: a

text: Democrat

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text: the

text: White

text: House

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text: a

text: Democrat

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text: Congress

text: there

text: 's

text: been

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text: surge

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text: requests

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text: background

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text: potential

text: gun

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text: to

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text: FBI

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text: some

text: gun

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text: say

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text: somewhere

text: on

text: Obama

text: 's

text: to

text: do

text: list

text: Asked

text: Thursday

text: if

text: it

text: 's

text: just

text: too

text: politically

text: difficult

text: now

text: to

text: reinstate

text: the

text: ban

text: Gibbs

text: said

text: I

text: think

text: the

text: president

text: believes

text: that

text: we

text: can

text: have

text: a

text: greater

text: outcome

text: in

text: the

text: short

text: term

text: working

text: to

text: enforce

text: the

text: laws

text: that

text: are

text: on

text: our

text: books

question: Which US ban could curtail flow of weapons into Mexico?

answer: on assault

text: on assault

question: what did the officials say

answer: criminals use assault weapons from the U.S. in the violent border region.

text: criminals use assault weapons from the U.S. in the violent border region.

question: who enforced the ban?

answer: Democrat

text: Democrat

question: When was the ban originally instituted?

answer: 1994,

question: what did mexico say

answer: criminals use assault weapons from the U.S. in the violent border region.

text: criminals use assault weapons from the U.S. in the violent border region.

question: Who has no immediate plans to reinstate ban?

answer: Obama

text: Obama

question: what weapons are banned?

answer: assault

text: assault

question: Who did he meet with?

answer: h Calderon in Mexico Cit

text: h Calderon in Mexico Cit

question: when was the ban

answer: Under the Clinton administration in 1994,

text: Under the Clinton administration in 1994,


text:
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (CNN)  -- The Taliban in Afghanistan have momentum that makes any effort to negotiate with them difficult, the U.S. defense secretary said.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday. He's visiting Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Secretary Robert Gates spoke to CNN's Chris Lawrence in an exclusive interview Tuesday evening before leaving for Afghanistan, where he is visiting troops and bases Wednesday.

"The political level of the Taliban probably isn't ready to think about reconciliation or any kind of accommodation at this point," Gates said in the interview. "They probably feel like they have the momentum with them. And until that momentum changes, it will be difficult."

As part of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, the military and Afghanistan government are attempting to reach out to elements of the Taliban who are engaged in the battle for financial gain, rather than ideological gain.

"There are really two groups we're talking about -- the younger, or less committed, who do this mainly to earn a living and put food on the table for their families, and those that are more ideologically committed. The latter are going to be a tougher pull, and we'll probably have to wait awhile before there's an opportunity there."

On Monday, CNN's Nic Robertson interviewed a spokesman for the Taliban, Zabiullah Mujahid, who said the Taliban will only negotiate with the Afghanistan government when the United States leaves the country.

"Our conditions are clear, we want to negotiate and they [the U.S.] will not interfere in our affairs; secondly, they [the U.S.] will leave the country," Mujahid told CNN.

Gates said the stance was not surprising.

"Well I don't know what else he'd say. He's leading the opposition, he's leading this insurgency. He's not going to sort of, sort of throw down and say 'We're ready to negotiate, we're about done here,' " Gates said.

The United States is adding 21,000 troops to the Afghanistan battlefield. The majority will be moving to the south to confront the Taliban along the porous Pakistani border. The Taliban have had mostly free rein in that area with few U.S. or coalition forces to confront them until now. Gates admitted moving the battle to the south will mean there is "a tough fight ahead."

"I think, certainly, I have been pretty clear. As we move into areas of the south that have not seen any Afghan or coalition forces so far, we're clearly going to be going into areas where the Taliban are very entrenched," he said. "And, sad to say, I expect with the rising level of our activity and operations, there probably will be higher casualties."

In recent weeks, the Pakistani government has seen the Taliban gain control on its side of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Privately, Pakistani officials have expressed concern to the United States that the increased fighting in southern Afghanistan will only push the Taliban back to the Pakistani side.

"Well I think it's just the reality that there are extremists on both sides of that border. And they threaten both the elected government of Afghanistan and the elected government of Pakistan. So like it or not, they both have a certain common enemy," Gates said.

Gates said he is encouraged by recent cooperation efforts between the two countries to deal with the problem, and by Pakistan's recent confrontation with the Taliban in Bunir province, near the capital of Islamabad.

"The signs right now are pretty positive," he told CNN.

text: RIYADH

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: CNN

text: The

text: Taliban

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: have

text: momentum

text: that

text: makes

text: any

text: effort

text: to

text: negotiate

text: with

text: them

text: difficult

text: the

text: U.S.

text: defense

text: secretary

text: said

text: Defense

text: Secretary

text: Robert

text: Gates

text: arrived

text: in

text: Cairo

text: Egypt

text: on

text: Monday

text: He

text: 's

text: visiting

text: Afghanistan

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: Secretary

text: Robert

text: Gates

text: spoke

text: to

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Chris

text: Lawrence

text: in

text: an

text: exclusive

text: interview

text: Tuesday

text: evening

text: before

text: leaving

text: for

text: Afghanistan

text: where

text: he

text: is

text: visiting

text: troops

text: and

text: bases

text: Wednesday

text: The

text: political

text: level

text: of

text: the

text: Taliban

text: probably

text: is

text: n't

text: ready

text: to

text: think

text: about

text: reconciliation

text: or

text: any

text: kind

text: of

text: accommodation

text: at

text: this

text: point

text: Gates

text: said

text: in

text: the

text: interview

text: They

text: probably

text: feel

text: like

text: they

text: have

text: the

text: momentum

text: with

text: them

text: And

text: until

text: that

text: momentum

text: changes

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: difficult

text: As

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: strategy

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: the

text: military

text: and

text: Afghanistan

text: government

text: are

text: attempting

text: to

text: reach

text: out

text: to

text: elements

text: of

text: the

text: Taliban

text: who

text: are

text: engaged

text: in

text: the

text: battle

text: for

text: financial

text: gain

text: rather

text: than

text: ideological

text: gain

text: There

text: are

text: really

text: two

text: groups

text: we

text: 're

text: talking

text: about

text: the

text: younger

text: or

text: less

text: committed

text: who

text: do

text: this

text: mainly

text: to

text: earn

text: a

text: living

text: and

text: put

text: food

text: on

text: the

text: table

text: for

text: their

text: families

text: and

text: those

text: that

text: are

text: more

text: ideologically

text: committed

text: The

text: latter

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: tougher

text: pull

text: and

text: we

text: 'll

text: probably

text: have

text: to

text: wait

text: awhile

text: before

text: there

text: 's

text: an

text: opportunity

text: there

text: On

text: Monday

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Nic

text: Robertson

text: interviewed

text: a

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: Taliban

text: Zabiullah

text: Mujahid

text: who

text: said

text: the

text: Taliban

text: will

text: only

text: negotiate

text: with

text: the

text: Afghanistan

text: government

text: when

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: leaves

text: the

text: country

text: Our

text: conditions

text: are

text: clear

text: we

text: want

text: to

text: negotiate

text: and

text: they

text: the

text: U.S.

text: will

text: not

text: interfere

text: in

text: our

text: affairs

text: secondly

text: they

text: the

text: U.S.

text: will

text: leave

text: the

text: country

text: Mujahid

text: told

text: CNN

text: Gates

text: said

text: the

text: stance

text: was

text: not

text: surprising

text: Well

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: what

text: else

text: he

text: 'd

text: say

text: He

text: 's

text: leading

text: the

text: opposition

text: he

text: 's

text: leading

text: this

text: insurgency

text: He

text: 's

text: not

text: going

text: to

text: sort

text: of

text: sort

text: of

text: throw

text: down

text: and

text: say

text: We

text: 're

text: ready

text: to

text: negotiate

text: we

text: 're

text: about

text: done

text: here

text: Gates

text: said

text: The

text: United

text: States

text: is

text: adding

text: troops

text: to

text: the

text: Afghanistan

text: battlefield

text: The

text: majority

text: will

text: be

text: moving

text: to

text: the

text: south

text: to

text: confront

text: the

text: Taliban

text: along

text: the

text: porous

text: Pakistani

text: border

text: The

text: Taliban

text: have

text: had

text: mostly

text: free

text: rein

text: in

text: that

text: area

text: with

text: few

text: U.S.

text: or

text: coalition

text: forces

text: to

text: confront

text: them

text: until

text: now

text: Gates

text: admitted

text: moving

text: the

text: battle

text: to

text: the

text: south

text: will

text: mean

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: tough

text: fight

text: ahead

text: I

text: think

text: certainly

text: I

text: have

text: been

text: pretty

text: clear

text: As

text: we

text: move

text: into

text: areas

text: of

text: the

text: south

text: that

text: have

text: not

text: seen

text: any

text: Afghan

text: or

text: coalition

text: forces

text: so

text: far

text: we

text: 're

text: clearly

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: going

text: into

text: areas

text: where

text: the

text: Taliban

text: are

text: very

text: entrenched

text: he

text: said

text: And

text: sad

text: to

text: say

text: I

text: expect

text: with

text: the

text: rising

text: level

text: of

text: our

text: activity

text: and

text: operations

text: there

text: probably

text: will

text: be

text: higher

text: casualties

text: In

text: recent

text: weeks

text: the

text: Pakistani

text: government

text: has

text: seen

text: the

text: Taliban

text: gain

text: control

text: on

text: its

text: side

text: of

text: the

text: Afghanistan

text: Pakistan

text: border

text: Privately

text: Pakistani

text: officials

text: have

text: expressed

text: concern

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: that

text: the

text: increased

text: fighting

text: in

text: southern

text: Afghanistan

text: will

text: only

text: push

text: the

text: Taliban

text: back

text: to

text: the

text: Pakistani

text: side

text: Well

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: 's

text: just

text: the

text: reality

text: that

text: there

text: are

text: extremists

text: on

text: both

text: sides

text: of

text: that

text: border

text: And

text: they

text: threaten

text: both

text: the

text: elected

text: government

text: of

text: Afghanistan

text: and

text: the

text: elected

text: government

text: of

text: Pakistan

text: So

text: like

text: it

text: or

text: not

text: they

text: both

text: have

text: a

text: certain

text: common

text: enemy

text: Gates

text: said

text: Gates

text: said

text: he

text: is

text: encouraged

text: by

text: recent

text: cooperation

text: efforts

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: countries

text: to

text: deal

text: with

text: the

text: problem

text: and

text: by

text: Pakistan

text: 's

text: recent

text: confrontation

text: with

text: the

text: Taliban

text: in

text: Bunir

text: province

text: near

text: the

text: capital

text: of

text: Islamabad

text: The

text: signs

text: right

text: now

text: are

text: pretty

text: positive

text: he

text: told

text: CNN

question: What did the Taliban spokesman say?

answer: will only negotiate with the Afghanistan government when the United States leaves the country.

text: will only negotiate with the Afghanistan government when the United States leaves the country.

question: who is the US reaching out to?

answer: the Taliban

text: the Taliban

question: Who is the US trying to reach out to?

answer: are engaged in the battle for financial gain,

text: are engaged in the battle for financial gain,

question: when will taliban negotiate?

answer: the United States leaves the country.

text: the United States leaves the country.

question: What has the taliban got to say about the matter?

answer: will only negotiate with the Afghanistan government when

text: will only negotiate with the Afghanistan government when

question: What is the U.S. defense secretary's view?

answer: "The political level of the Taliban probably isn't ready to think about reconciliation or any kind of accommodation at this point,"

text: "The political level of the Taliban probably isn't ready to think about reconciliation or any kind of accommodation at this point,"

question: Whatever did Gates say?

answer: "The political level of the Taliban probably isn't ready to think about reconciliation or any kind of accommodation at this point,"

text: "The political level of the Taliban probably isn't ready to think about reconciliation or any kind of accommodation at this point,"

question: Who claims the fight will be tougher in south Afghanistan?

answer: Defense Secretary Robert Gates

text: Defense Secretary Robert Gates


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The world has lost almost one-fifth of its coral reefs according a new report released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Coral reefs could be wiped out in 30-40 years according to a new report.

Compiled by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, the report has brought together the work of researchers from 15 countries with data stretching back 20 years.

It's not just climate change -- which raises ocean temperatures and increases seawater acidification -- which is damaging reefs. In some parts of the world overfishing, pollution and invasive species are proving equally harmful.

Scientists are warning that reef destruction will have alarming consequences for around 500 million people who rely on coral reefs for their livelihood.

Left unchecked, remaining reefs could be completely wiped out by 2050, the report says.

Professor Olof Linden from the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden, told CNN: "We see a great and imminent threat of more reefs being lost."

Speaking from the U.N. Climate Conference in Poznan, Poland, Professor Linden said that the 19 percent figure is an average.

"For many developing countries like Sri Lanka and countries in East Africa the percentage of damage is much worse. Sometimes three times as high in some places," he said.

"In these areas we have local effects like dynamite fishing and other destructive fishing techniques combined the threat of coral mining, unmanaged tourism and all kinds of pollution from agriculture."

But overall the biggest threat to reef survival is climate change.

"The most destructive climate event to impact the coral reefs so far," said Linden, "was the 1998 El Nino which caused major coral bleaching and disrupted ecosystems all over the planet." iReport.com: What little things are you doing to save the planet?

Scientists say reefs have recovered somewhat from those bleaching events. But the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, coupled with coral disease and human effects, have slowed their recuperation.

Coral reefs not only provide an income and food for those who live near them, but are also effective natural barriers against storm surges.

Despite the report's pessimism, researchers see some encouraging signs. Forty-five percent of the world's reefs are currently in good health and the hope remains that damaged reefs can recover and adjust to the changing conditions.

"We must focus on helping corals to adapt to climate change and on diverting people away from destructive practices such as overfishing," Linden said.

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: The

text: world

text: has

text: lost

text: almost

text: one

text: fifth

text: of

text: its

text: coral

text: reefs

text: according

text: a

text: new

text: report

text: released

text: by

text: the

text: International

text: Union

text: for

text: Conservation

text: of

text: Nature

text: IUCN

text: Coral

text: reefs

text: could

text: be

text: wiped

text: out

text: in

text: years

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: new

text: report

text: Compiled

text: by

text: the

text: Global

text: Coral

text: Reef

text: Monitoring

text: Network

text: the

text: report

text: has

text: brought

text: together

text: the

text: work

text: of

text: researchers

text: from

text: countries

text: with

text: data

text: stretching

text: back

text: years

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: just

text: climate

text: change

text: which

text: raises

text: ocean

text: temperatures

text: and

text: increases

text: seawater

text: acidification

text: which

text: is

text: damaging

text: reefs

text: In

text: some

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: overfishing

text: pollution

text: and

text: invasive

text: species

text: are

text: proving

text: equally

text: harmful

text: Scientists

text: are

text: warning

text: that

text: reef

text: destruction

text: will

text: have

text: alarming

text: consequences

text: for

text: around

text: million

text: people

text: who

text: rely

text: on

text: coral

text: reefs

text: for

text: their

text: livelihood

text: Left

text: unchecked

text: remaining

text: reefs

text: could

text: be

text: completely

text: wiped

text: out

text: by

text: the

text: report

text: says

text: Professor

text: Olof

text: Linden

text: from

text: the

text: World

text: Maritime

text: University

text: in

text: Malmo

text: Sweden

text: told

text: CNN

text: We

text: see

text: a

text: great

text: and

text: imminent

text: threat

text: of

text: more

text: reefs

text: being

text: lost

text: Speaking

text: from

text: the

text: U.N.

text: Climate

text: Conference

text: in

text: Poznan

text: Poland

text: Professor

text: Linden

text: said

text: that

text: the

text: percent

text: figure

text: is

text: an

text: average

text: For

text: many

text: developing

text: countries

text: like

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: and

text: countries

text: in

text: East

text: Africa

text: the

text: percentage

text: of

text: damage

text: is

text: much

text: worse

text: Sometimes

text: three

text: times

text: as

text: high

text: in

text: some

text: places

text: he

text: said

text: In

text: these

text: areas

text: we

text: have

text: local

text: effects

text: like

text: dynamite

text: fishing

text: and

text: other

text: destructive

text: fishing

text: techniques

text: combined

text: the

text: threat

text: of

text: coral

text: mining

text: unmanaged

text: tourism

text: and

text: all

text: kinds

text: of

text: pollution

text: from

text: agriculture

text: But

text: overall

text: the

text: biggest

text: threat

text: to

text: reef

text: survival

text: is

text: climate

text: change

text: The

text: most

text: destructive

text: climate

text: event

text: to

text: impact

text: the

text: coral

text: reefs

text: so

text: far

text: said

text: Linden

text: was

text: the

text: El

text: Nino

text: which

text: caused

text: major

text: coral

text: bleaching

text: and

text: disrupted

text: ecosystems

text: all

text: over

text: the

text: planet

text: iReport.com

text: What

text: little

text: things

text: are

text: you

text: doing

text: to

text: save

text: the

text: planet

text: Scientists

text: say

text: reefs

text: have

text: recovered

text: somewhat

text: from

text: those

text: bleaching

text: events

text: But

text: the

text: Indian

text: Ocean

text: tsunami

text: in

text: coupled

text: with

text: coral

text: disease

text: and

text: human

text: effects

text: have

text: slowed

text: their

text: recuperation

text: Coral

text: reefs

text: not

text: only

text: provide

text: an

text: income

text: and

text: food

text: for

text: those

text: who

text: live

text: near

text: them

text: but

text: are

text: also

text: effective

text: natural

text: barriers

text: against

text: storm

text: surges

text: Despite

text: the

text: report

text: 's

text: pessimism

text: researchers

text: see

text: some

text: encouraging

text: signs

text: Forty

text: five

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: reefs

text: are

text: currently

text: in

text: good

text: health

text: and

text: the

text: hope

text: remains

text: that

text: damaged

text: reefs

text: can

text: recover

text: and

text: adjust

text: to

text: the

text: changing

text: conditions

text: We

text: must

text: focus

text: on

text: helping

text: corals

text: to

text: adapt

text: to

text: climate

text: change

text: and

text: on

text: diverting

text: people

text: away

text: from

text: destructive

text: practices

text: such

text: as

text: overfishing

text: Linden

text: said

question: lost almost one fifth of i?

answer: its coral reefs

text: its coral reefs

question: What percentage of coral reefs have been lost?

answer: one-fifth

text: one-fifth

question: How many coral reefs have been lost?

answer: one-fifth

text: one-fifth


text:
(CNN) -- When President Obama called for a world free of nuclear weapons in Prague, Czech Republic, this spring, many dismissed this part of his speech as idealistic rhetoric.

But the abolition of nuclear weapons is not an unrealistic fantasy. It is a practical necessity if the American people are to have a secure future. President Obama should use his Nobel speech this week to reaffirm his commitment to this essential and obtainable goal.

It is essential because a world armed with nuclear weapons is simply too dangerous for us to countenance. Since the end of the Cold War we have tended to act as though the threat of nuclear war had gone away. It hasn't. It is only our awareness of this danger that has faded. In fact, there are some 25,000 nuclear weapons in the world today; 95 percent of them are in the arsenals of the United States and Russia.

Just this past weekend, the START treaty limiting the number of U.S. and Russian warheads expired. Negotiators in Geneva, Switzerland, have not yet been able to work out the details of a follow-up treaty.

We must hope they will be able to agree to deep reductions. A recent study by Physicians for Social Responsibility showed that if only 300 of the weapons in the Russian arsenal attacked targets in American cities, 90 million people would die in the first half hour. A comparable U.S. attack on Russia would produce similar devastation.

Further, these attacks would destroy the entire economic, communications and transportation infrastructure on which the rest of the population depends for survival. In the ensuing months the vast majority of people who survived the initial attacks in both countries would die of disease, exposure and starvation.

The destruction of the United States and Russia would be only part of the story. An attack of this magnitude would lift millions of tons of soot and dust into the upper levels of the atmosphere, blocking out sunlight and dropping temperatures across the globe.

In fact, if the entire Russian and U.S. strategic arsenals were involved in the fighting, average surface temperature worldwide would fall 10 degrees Centigrade to levels not seen on Earth since the depth of the last ice age 18,000 years ago.

For three years there would not be a single day in the Northern Hemisphere free of frost. Agriculture would stop, ecosystems would collapse and many species, perhaps even our own, would become extinct. This is not just some theoretical scenario; it is a real and present danger.

On January 25, 1995, we came within minutes of nuclear war when Russian military radar mistook a Norwegian-U.S. scientific rocket for a possible attack on Moscow. President Yeltsin, a man reportedly suffering from alcoholism and other major medical problems, was notified and given five minutes to decide how to respond.

Then as now, both the United States and Russia maintained a policy of "launch on warning," authorizing the launch of nuclear missiles when an enemy attack is believed to be under way. We don't know exactly what happened in the Kremlin that morning, but someone decided not to launch Russian missiles and we did not have a nuclear war.

January 25, 1995, was five years after the end of the Cold War. There were no unusual crises anywhere in the world that day. It was a relatively good day in a time much less dangerous than our own. And we almost blew up the world. That was 15 years ago and the United States and Russia still maintain more than 2,000 warheads on high alert ready to be launched in 15 minutes and to destroy each other's cities 30 minutes later.

Nuclear weapons are the only military threat from which U.S. armed forces cannot protect us. It is urgently in our national security interest to eliminate these instruments of mass annihilation from the arsenals of potential adversaries. If we have to get rid of our own nuclear weapons to achieve this, it is a deal well worth making.

Make no mistake, the elimination of nuclear weapons is an attainable goal. These bombs are not some force of nature. They are the work of our hand. We built them and we can take them apart.

Some governments falsely see these weapons as safeguards of their security. It will not be easy to convince them that true safety requires that we abolish them. Nor will it be easy to design the verification regime needed to assure that the weapons are dismantled and that no new weapons are built. Yet national security experts in the United States and around the world say that it can be done and it must be done.

If politics is the art of the possible, then statesmanship is the art of the necessary. And if ever there was a time that cried out for statesmanship it is now.

There are many important issues that demand our attention -- health care reform, energy policy, creating more jobs -- but none is as urgent as eliminating the threat of nuclear war.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ira Helfand.

text: CNN

text: When

text: President

text: Obama

text: called

text: for

text: a

text: world

text: free

text: of

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: in

text: Prague

text: Czech

text: Republic

text: this

text: spring

text: many

text: dismissed

text: this

text: part

text: of

text: his

text: speech

text: as

text: idealistic

text: rhetoric

text: But

text: the

text: abolition

text: of

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: is

text: not

text: an

text: unrealistic

text: fantasy

text: It

text: is

text: a

text: practical

text: necessity

text: if

text: the

text: American

text: people

text: are

text: to

text: have

text: a

text: secure

text: future

text: President

text: Obama

text: should

text: use

text: his

text: Nobel

text: speech

text: this

text: week

text: to

text: reaffirm

text: his

text: commitment

text: to

text: this

text: essential

text: and

text: obtainable

text: goal

text: It

text: is

text: essential

text: because

text: a

text: world

text: armed

text: with

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: is

text: simply

text: too

text: dangerous

text: for

text: us

text: to

text: countenance

text: Since

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: Cold

text: War

text: we

text: have

text: tended

text: to

text: act

text: as

text: though

text: the

text: threat

text: of

text: nuclear

text: war

text: had

text: gone

text: away

text: It

text: has

text: n't

text: It

text: is

text: only

text: our

text: awareness

text: of

text: this

text: danger

text: that

text: has

text: faded

text: In

text: fact

text: there

text: are

text: some

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: today

text: percent

text: of

text: them

text: are

text: in

text: the

text: arsenals

text: of

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Russia

text: Just

text: this

text: past

text: weekend

text: the

text: START

text: treaty

text: limiting

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: U.S.

text: and

text: Russian

text: warheads

text: expired

text: Negotiators

text: in

text: Geneva

text: Switzerland

text: have

text: not

text: yet

text: been

text: able

text: to

text: work

text: out

text: the

text: details

text: of

text: a

text: follow

text: up

text: treaty

text: We

text: must

text: hope

text: they

text: will

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: agree

text: to

text: deep

text: reductions

text: A

text: recent

text: study

text: by

text: Physicians

text: for

text: Social

text: Responsibility

text: showed

text: that

text: if

text: only

text: of

text: the

text: weapons

text: in

text: the

text: Russian

text: arsenal

text: attacked

text: targets

text: in

text: American

text: cities

text: million

text: people

text: would

text: die

text: in

text: the

text: first

text: half

text: hour

text: A

text: comparable

text: U.S.

text: attack

text: on

text: Russia

text: would

text: produce

text: similar

text: devastation

text: Further

text: these

text: attacks

text: would

text: destroy

text: the

text: entire

text: economic

text: communications

text: and

text: transportation

text: infrastructure

text: on

text: which

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: population

text: depends

text: for

text: survival

text: In

text: the

text: ensuing

text: months

text: the

text: vast

text: majority

text: of

text: people

text: who

text: survived

text: the

text: initial

text: attacks

text: in

text: both

text: countries

text: would

text: die

text: of

text: disease

text: exposure

text: and

text: starvation

text: The

text: destruction

text: of

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Russia

text: would

text: be

text: only

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: story

text: An

text: attack

text: of

text: this

text: magnitude

text: would

text: lift

text: millions

text: of

text: tons

text: of

text: soot

text: and

text: dust

text: into

text: the

text: upper

text: levels

text: of

text: the

text: atmosphere

text: blocking

text: out

text: sunlight

text: and

text: dropping

text: temperatures

text: across

text: the

text: globe

text: In

text: fact

text: if

text: the

text: entire

text: Russian

text: and

text: U.S.

text: strategic

text: arsenals

text: were

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: fighting

text: average

text: surface

text: temperature

text: worldwide

text: would

text: fall

text: degrees

text: Centigrade

text: to

text: levels

text: not

text: seen

text: on

text: Earth

text: since

text: the

text: depth

text: of

text: the

text: last

text: ice

text: age

text: years

text: ago

text: For

text: three

text: years

text: there

text: would

text: not

text: be

text: a

text: single

text: day

text: in

text: the

text: Northern

text: Hemisphere

text: free

text: of

text: frost

text: Agriculture

text: would

text: stop

text: ecosystems

text: would

text: collapse

text: and

text: many

text: species

text: perhaps

text: even

text: our

text: own

text: would

text: become

text: extinct

text: This

text: is

text: not

text: just

text: some

text: theoretical

text: scenario

text: it

text: is

text: a

text: real

text: and

text: present

text: danger

text: On

text: January

text: we

text: came

text: within

text: minutes

text: of

text: nuclear

text: war

text: when

text: Russian

text: military

text: radar

text: mistook

text: a

text: Norwegian

text: U.S.

text: scientific

text: rocket

text: for

text: a

text: possible

text: attack

text: on

text: Moscow

text: President

text: Yeltsin

text: a

text: man

text: reportedly

text: suffering

text: from

text: alcoholism

text: and

text: other

text: major

text: medical

text: problems

text: was

text: notified

text: and

text: given

text: five

text: minutes

text: to

text: decide

text: how

text: to

text: respond

text: Then

text: as

text: now

text: both

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Russia

text: maintained

text: a

text: policy

text: of

text: launch

text: on

text: warning

text: authorizing

text: the

text: launch

text: of

text: nuclear

text: missiles

text: when

text: an

text: enemy

text: attack

text: is

text: believed

text: to

text: be

text: under

text: way

text: We

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: exactly

text: what

text: happened

text: in

text: the

text: Kremlin

text: that

text: morning

text: but

text: someone

text: decided

text: not

text: to

text: launch

text: Russian

text: missiles

text: and

text: we

text: did

text: not

text: have

text: a

text: nuclear

text: war

text: January

text: was

text: five

text: years

text: after

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: Cold

text: War

text: There

text: were

text: no

text: unusual

text: crises

text: anywhere

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: that

text: day

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: relatively

text: good

text: day

text: in

text: a

text: time

text: much

text: less

text: dangerous

text: than

text: our

text: own

text: And

text: we

text: almost

text: blew

text: up

text: the

text: world

text: That

text: was

text: years

text: ago

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Russia

text: still

text: maintain

text: more

text: than

text: warheads

text: on

text: high

text: alert

text: ready

text: to

text: be

text: launched

text: in

text: minutes

text: and

text: to

text: destroy

text: each

text: other

text: 's

text: cities

text: minutes

text: later

text: Nuclear

text: weapons

text: are

text: the

text: only

text: military

text: threat

text: from

text: which

text: U.S.

text: armed

text: forces

text: can

text: not

text: protect

text: us

text: It

text: is

text: urgently

text: in

text: our

text: national

text: security

text: interest

text: to

text: eliminate

text: these

text: instruments

text: of

text: mass

text: annihilation

text: from

text: the

text: arsenals

text: of

text: potential

text: adversaries

text: If

text: we

text: have

text: to

text: get

text: rid

text: of

text: our

text: own

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: to

text: achieve

text: this

text: it

text: is

text: a

text: deal

text: well

text: worth

text: making

text: Make

text: no

text: mistake

text: the

text: elimination

text: of

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: is

text: an

text: attainable

text: goal

text: These

text: bombs

text: are

text: not

text: some

text: force

text: of

text: nature

text: They

text: are

text: the

text: work

text: of

text: our

text: hand

text: We

text: built

text: them

text: and

text: we

text: can

text: take

text: them

text: apart

text: Some

text: governments

text: falsely

text: see

text: these

text: weapons

text: as

text: safeguards

text: of

text: their

text: security

text: It

text: will

text: not

text: be

text: easy

text: to

text: convince

text: them

text: that

text: true

text: safety

text: requires

text: that

text: we

text: abolish

text: them

text: Nor

text: will

text: it

text: be

text: easy

text: to

text: design

text: the

text: verification

text: regime

text: needed

text: to

text: assure

text: that

text: the

text: weapons

text: are

text: dismantled

text: and

text: that

text: no

text: new

text: weapons

text: are

text: built

text: Yet

text: national

text: security

text: experts

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: say

text: that

text: it

text: can

text: be

text: done

text: and

text: it

text: must

text: be

text: done

text: If

text: politics

text: is

text: the

text: art

text: of

text: the

text: possible

text: then

text: statesmanship

text: is

text: the

text: art

text: of

text: the

text: necessary

text: And

text: if

text: ever

text: there

text: was

text: a

text: time

text: that

text: cried

text: out

text: for

text: statesmanship

text: it

text: is

text: now

text: There

text: are

text: many

text: important

text: issues

text: that

text: demand

text: our

text: attention

text: health

text: care

text: reform

text: energy

text: policy

text: creating

text: more

text: jobs

text: but

text: is

text: as

text: urgent

text: as

text: eliminating

text: the

text: threat

text: of

text: nuclear

text: war

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Ira

text: Helfand

question: Halfand says 95 percent of nuclear weapons in the world are where?

answer: in the arsenals of the United States and Russia.

text: in the arsenals of the United States and Russia.

question: Is Threat of nuclear war real

answer: had gone away. It hasn't.

text: had gone away. It hasn't.

question: What should be abolished

answer: nuclear weapons

text: nuclear weapons


text:
Grand Rapids, Michigan (CNN) -- I'm a single father of a 12-year-old boy who every five minutes seem to switch personalities on me.

One moment he's a starving student athlete hungry enough to eat a cow, the next he's a picky vegan.

I'm told by people much smarter than me that this is normal for a child going through puberty. And so, while I am not an overly religious man, I have found myself meditating on I Corinthians 13:4 to help me get through. Love is patient, love is kind.

I believe there is something each of us can pull from that Bible verse. We may not agree on spirituality or the existence of God, but we can agree that love is one of the most beautiful and mysterious forces. When I'm frustrated with my son, or a friend or even myself, I try to think about the characteristics of love described in I Corinthians before reacting. Be patient. Be kind.

I felt the need to lean on that verse last week after yet another ballot defeat for marriage equality -- when voters in Maine repealed a state law allowing same-sex couples to marry.

A visceral wave of anger swept over me as once again I was reminded of my second-class citizenship. I wanted to smash something. I wanted to punch somebody out. I wanted revenge. The last thing on my mind was I Corinthians. But at the very core of the debate over marriage equality is that scripture's concept of love.

It's easy to love someone when there is no turmoil, no conflict. And it's no accident that "patient" is the first word Corinthians uses to describe love -- it's first because it is most important. No matter how strongly we may feel about each other, we will not always agree, and it is in those moments that we must tap into the mystery of love even more to find a way to first be patient, and then be kind.

That is true in marriage and in parenting. And it's true in this much-accepted notion that we should love our fellow man. I'm not suggesting the gay community should not be upset -- patient and kind does not mean complacent and apathetic.

We must continue pressuring politicians to end civil injustice, but we're not served if we allow hate and fear to dictate our words. We cannot begin to change the nation's mind if we cannot first speak to the nation's heart.

With the economy and the swine flu and the recent tragedy at Fort Hood, it seems that everywhere there is a reason to hate and to fear. But I agree with my buddy Dierks Bentley, who sings in his song "Beautiful World":

"There's tears and there's fears and there's losses and crosses to bear;

And sometimes the best we can do is just to whisper a prayer;

Then press on because;

There's so much to live for and so much to love."

That might seem Pollyanna-ish, but the truth is that even if President Obama signed a law today to make all forms of discrimination based upon sexual orientation illegal, it would hardly mark the end of the gay rights movement.

After all, true social change isn't revolutionary -- it's evolutionary. That means we will have to continue our forbearance with those who oppose us -- from the black pastor who preaches that gay people should not be allowed to marry, to the white, closeted politician so afraid of losing his position that he would vote to oppress his own community. Through all of that, we will still have to find a way to love.

Many gay rights activists like to draw parallels between the gay community's struggles and those of blacks during the civil rights movement. It's not uncommon to hear them echo the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

"I have a dream..."

But as the frustration of the gay community grows, it is important that we -- and our allies -- do not forget another of Dr. King's powerful quotes:

"Let no man pull you low enough to hate him."

In other words, hate the sin but love the sinner.

It may seem weird to think in those terms because many well-meaning Christians also like to use that last phrase to justify oppressing gay people at the polls. But here's what's curious: The quote is from Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu who said it in reference to his own people's oppressors, who happened to be Christians. This undoubtedly inspired another one of Gandhi's famous quotes: "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians."

You don't have to like either in order to have love in your heart.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson.

text: Grand

text: Rapids

text: Michigan

text: CNN

text: I

text: 'm

text: a

text: single

text: father

text: of

text: a

text: old

text: boy

text: who

text: every

text: five

text: minutes

text: seem

text: to

text: switch

text: personalities

text: on

text: me

text: One

text: moment

text: he

text: 's

text: a

text: starving

text: student

text: athlete

text: hungry

text: enough

text: to

text: eat

text: a

text: cow

text: the

text: next

text: he

text: 's

text: a

text: picky

text: vegan

text: I

text: 'm

text: told

text: by

text: people

text: much

text: smarter

text: than

text: me

text: that

text: this

text: is

text: normal

text: for

text: a

text: child

text: going

text: through

text: puberty

text: And

text: so

text: while

text: I

text: am

text: not

text: an

text: overly

text: religious

text: man

text: I

text: have

text: found

text: myself

text: meditating

text: on

text: I

text: Corinthians

text: to

text: help

text: me

text: get

text: through

text: Love

text: is

text: patient

text: love

text: is

text: kind

text: I

text: believe

text: there

text: is

text: something

text: each

text: of

text: us

text: can

text: pull

text: from

text: that

text: Bible

text: verse

text: We

text: may

text: not

text: agree

text: on

text: spirituality

text: or

text: the

text: existence

text: of

text: God

text: but

text: we

text: can

text: agree

text: that

text: love

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: beautiful

text: and

text: mysterious

text: forces

text: When

text: I

text: 'm

text: frustrated

text: with

text: my

text: son

text: or

text: a

text: friend

text: or

text: even

text: myself

text: I

text: try

text: to

text: think

text: about

text: the

text: characteristics

text: of

text: love

text: described

text: in

text: I

text: Corinthians

text: before

text: reacting

text: Be

text: patient

text: Be

text: kind

text: I

text: felt

text: the

text: need

text: to

text: lean

text: on

text: that

text: verse

text: last

text: week

text: after

text: yet

text: another

text: ballot

text: defeat

text: for

text: marriage

text: equality

text: when

text: voters

text: in

text: Maine

text: repealed

text: a

text: state

text: law

text: allowing

text: same

text: sex

text: couples

text: to

text: marry

text: A

text: visceral

text: wave

text: of

text: anger

text: swept

text: over

text: me

text: as

text: once

text: again

text: I

text: was

text: reminded

text: of

text: my

text: second

text: class

text: citizenship

text: I

text: wanted

text: to

text: smash

text: something

text: I

text: wanted

text: to

text: punch

text: somebody

text: out

text: I

text: wanted

text: revenge

text: The

text: last

text: thing

text: on

text: my

text: mind

text: was

text: I

text: Corinthians

text: But

text: at

text: the

text: very

text: core

text: of

text: the

text: debate

text: over

text: marriage

text: equality

text: is

text: that

text: scripture

text: 's

text: concept

text: of

text: love

text: It

text: 's

text: easy

text: to

text: love

text: someone

text: when

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: turmoil

text: no

text: conflict

text: And

text: it

text: 's

text: no

text: accident

text: that

text: patient

text: is

text: the

text: first

text: word

text: Corinthians

text: uses

text: to

text: describe

text: love

text: it

text: 's

text: first

text: because

text: it

text: is

text: most

text: important

text: No

text: matter

text: how

text: strongly

text: we

text: may

text: feel

text: about

text: each

text: other

text: we

text: will

text: not

text: always

text: agree

text: and

text: it

text: is

text: in

text: those

text: moments

text: that

text: we

text: must

text: tap

text: into

text: the

text: mystery

text: of

text: love

text: even

text: more

text: to

text: find

text: a

text: way

text: to

text: first

text: be

text: patient

text: and

text: then

text: be

text: kind

text: That

text: is

text: true

text: in

text: marriage

text: and

text: in

text: parenting

text: And

text: it

text: 's

text: true

text: in

text: this

text: much

text: accepted

text: notion

text: that

text: we

text: should

text: love

text: our

text: fellow

text: man

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: suggesting

text: the

text: gay

text: community

text: should

text: not

text: be

text: upset

text: patient

text: and

text: kind

text: does

text: not

text: mean

text: complacent

text: and

text: apathetic

text: We

text: must

text: continue

text: pressuring

text: politicians

text: to

text: end

text: civil

text: injustice

text: but

text: we

text: 're

text: not

text: served

text: if

text: we

text: allow

text: hate

text: and

text: fear

text: to

text: dictate

text: our

text: words

text: We

text: can

text: not

text: begin

text: to

text: change

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: mind

text: if

text: we

text: can

text: not

text: first

text: speak

text: to

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: heart

text: With

text: the

text: economy

text: and

text: the

text: swine

text: flu

text: and

text: the

text: recent

text: tragedy

text: at

text: Fort

text: Hood

text: it

text: seems

text: that

text: everywhere

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: reason

text: to

text: hate

text: and

text: to

text: fear

text: But

text: I

text: agree

text: with

text: my

text: buddy

text: Dierks

text: Bentley

text: who

text: sings

text: in

text: his

text: song

text: Beautiful

text: World

text: There

text: 's

text: tears

text: and

text: there

text: 's

text: fears

text: and

text: there

text: 's

text: losses

text: and

text: crosses

text: to

text: bear

text: And

text: sometimes

text: the

text: best

text: we

text: can

text: do

text: is

text: just

text: to

text: whisper

text: a

text: prayer

text: Then

text: press

text: on

text: because

text: There

text: 's

text: so

text: much

text: to

text: live

text: for

text: and

text: so

text: much

text: to

text: love

text: That

text: might

text: seem

text: Pollyanna

text: ish

text: but

text: the

text: truth

text: is

text: that

text: even

text: if

text: President

text: Obama

text: signed

text: a

text: law

text: today

text: to

text: make

text: all

text: forms

text: of

text: discrimination

text: based

text: upon

text: sexual

text: orientation

text: illegal

text: it

text: would

text: hardly

text: mark

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: gay

text: rights

text: movement

text: After

text: all

text: true

text: social

text: change

text: is

text: n't

text: revolutionary

text: it

text: 's

text: evolutionary

text: That

text: means

text: we

text: will

text: have

text: to

text: continue

text: our

text: forbearance

text: with

text: those

text: who

text: oppose

text: us

text: from

text: the

text: black

text: pastor

text: who

text: preaches

text: that

text: gay

text: people

text: should

text: not

text: be

text: allowed

text: to

text: marry

text: to

text: the

text: white

text: closeted

text: politician

text: so

text: afraid

text: of

text: losing

text: his

text: position

text: that

text: he

text: would

text: vote

text: to

text: oppress

text: his

text: own

text: community

text: Through

text: all

text: of

text: that

text: we

text: will

text: still

text: have

text: to

text: find

text: a

text: way

text: to

text: love

text: Many

text: gay

text: rights

text: activists

text: like

text: to

text: draw

text: parallels

text: between

text: the

text: gay

text: community

text: 's

text: struggles

text: and

text: those

text: of

text: blacks

text: during

text: the

text: civil

text: rights

text: movement

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: uncommon

text: to

text: hear

text: them

text: echo

text: the

text: words

text: of

text: Dr.

text: Martin

text: Luther

text: King

text: Jr.

text: Injustice

text: anywhere

text: is

text: a

text: threat

text: to

text: justice

text: everywhere

text: In

text: the

text: end

text: we

text: will

text: remember

text: not

text: the

text: words

text: of

text: our

text: enemies

text: but

text: the

text: silence

text: of

text: our

text: friends

text: I

text: have

text: a

text: dream

text: But

text: as

text: the

text: frustration

text: of

text: the

text: gay

text: community

text: grows

text: it

text: is

text: important

text: that

text: we

text: and

text: our

text: allies

text: do

text: not

text: forget

text: another

text: of

text: Dr.

text: King

text: 's

text: powerful

text: quotes

text: Let

text: no

text: man

text: pull

text: you

text: low

text: enough

text: to

text: hate

text: him

text: In

text: other

text: words

text: hate

text: the

text: sin

text: but

text: love

text: the

text: sinner

text: It

text: may

text: seem

text: weird

text: to

text: think

text: in

text: those

text: terms

text: because

text: many

text: well

text: meaning

text: Christians

text: also

text: like

text: to

text: use

text: that

text: last

text: phrase

text: to

text: justify

text: oppressing

text: gay

text: people

text: at

text: the

text: polls

text: But

text: here

text: 's

text: what

text: 's

text: curious

text: The

text: quote

text: is

text: from

text: Mahatma

text: Gandhi

text: a

text: Hindu

text: who

text: said

text: it

text: in

text: reference

text: to

text: his

text: own

text: people

text: 's

text: oppressors

text: who

text: happened

text: to

text: be

text: Christians

text: This

text: undoubtedly

text: inspired

text: another

text: one

text: of

text: Gandhi

text: 's

text: famous

text: quotes

text: I

text: like

text: your

text: Christ

text: I

text: do

text: not

text: like

text: your

text: Christians

text: You

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: to

text: like

text: either

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: have

text: love

text: in

text: your

text: heart

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: LZ

text: Granderson

question: What must frustrated advocates reject?

answer: hate

text: hate

question: who are frustrated?

answer: gay community

text: gay community

question: Who says gays should show patience?

answer: LZ Granderson.

text: LZ Granderson.

question: What should reject the defenders?

answer: gay people

text: gay people

question: Where it was defeated the law of the same sex?

answer: Maine

text: Maine


text:
(PEOPLE.com) -- There's another Brady in the bunch.

Gisele BÃ¼ndchen and husband Tom Brady welcomed a baby boy on Tuesday night.

Brady announced the news to reporters Wednesday after People.com reported the story. The football star called his son's birth "a wonderful experience in my life." He also told reporters happily, "I didn't get much sleep last night," USA Today reports.

BÃ¼ndchen, 29, and New England Patriots quarterback Brady, 32, were married in a private ceremony in February in Los Angeles. In April, they held a follow-up wedding for friends and family at BÃ¼ndchen's Costa Rican estate.

The child is the first for the Brazilian supermodel. Brady has a 2-year-old son, Jack, with actress Bridget Moynahan.

Brady had said earlier this month that he was aware of the baby's gender, but that BÃ¼ndchen preferred not to know.

"I wanted to find out and she didn't, so she said, 'Go ahead,'" he explained. "It will be a surprise for her."

Reps could not be reached for comment.

PEOPLE.com's Peter Mikelbank contributed to this report.

Â© 2010 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.

text: PEOPLE.com

text: There

text: 's

text: another

text: Brady

text: in

text: the

text: bunch

text: Gisele

text: BÃ¼ndchen

text: and

text: husband

text: Tom

text: Brady

text: welcomed

text: a

text: baby

text: boy

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: night

text: Brady

text: announced

text: the

text: news

text: to

text: reporters

text: Wednesday

text: after

text: People.com

text: reported

text: the

text: story

text: The

text: football

text: star

text: called

text: his

text: son

text: 's

text: birth

text: a

text: wonderful

text: experience

text: in

text: my

text: life

text: He

text: also

text: told

text: reporters

text: happily

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: get

text: much

text: sleep

text: last

text: night

text: USA

text: Today

text: reports

text: BÃ¼ndchen

text: and

text: New

text: England

text: Patriots

text: quarterback

text: Brady

text: were

text: married

text: in

text: a

text: private

text: ceremony

text: in

text: February

text: in

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: In

text: April

text: they

text: held

text: a

text: follow

text: up

text: wedding

text: for

text: friends

text: and

text: family

text: at

text: BÃ¼ndchen

text: 's

text: Costa

text: Rican

text: estate

text: The

text: child

text: is

text: the

text: first

text: for

text: the

text: Brazilian

text: supermodel

text: Brady

text: has

text: a

text: old

text: son

text: Jack

text: with

text: actress

text: Bridget

text: Moynahan

text: Brady

text: had

text: said

text: earlier

text: this

text: month

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: aware

text: of

text: the

text: baby

text: 's

text: gender

text: but

text: that

text: BÃ¼ndchen

text: preferred

text: not

text: to

text: know

text: I

text: wanted

text: to

text: find

text: out

text: and

text: she

text: did

text: n't

text: so

text: she

text: said

text: Go

text: ahead

text: he

text: explained

text: It

text: will

text: be

text: a

text: surprise

text: for

text: her

text: Reps

text: could

text: not

text: be

text: reached

text: for

text: comment

text: PEOPLE.com

text: 's

text: Peter

text: Mikelbank

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

text: Â

text: People

text: and

text: Time

text: Inc.

text: All

text: rights

text: reserved

question: When did the couple marry?

answer: n Februar

text: n Februar

question: When did the couple get married?

answer: n Februar

text: n Februar

question: Where is the model from?

answer: he Brazili

text: he Brazili

question: Who had a baby boy?

answer: Gisele BÃ¼ndchen

text: Gisele BÃ¼ndchen

question: Where were the couple married?

answer: n Los Angeles

text: n Los Angeles


text:
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN)  -- Tyler Perry is known today as the first African-American to own a major film and TV studio. He's a pioneer whose own life story is a rags-to-riches tale that reads like a screenplay.

Tyler Perry is the first African-American to own a major film and TV studio.

Now a writer, actor, director and producer -- Perry's success grew out of a troubled home in a poor neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana. Strong on faith, Perry named his first play "I Know I've Been Changed," after an old Negro spiritual. It was a gospel musical about two adult survivors of child abuse.

In 1991, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he worked as a bill collector and eventually scraped together enough money to rent a small theatre and stage the play. With only 30 people in the audience, the play was a flop. For the next several years, he struggled and was often broke and sometimes lived in his car.

But Perry refused to give up.

He finally got a second chance in 1998, when a promoter booked the show in the Tabernacle, a former church turned concert hall in downtown Atlanta. It was a sold out hit and the little boy from inner-city New Orleans was well on his way.

Perry then took his plays on the road and traveled the so-called "chitlin' circuit" to theaters in Memphis, Tennessee, Detroit, Michigan, and Baltimore, Maryland -- where black entertainers historically performed for predominantly black audiences. He began making a name for himself with African-Americans.

In 2004, he started looking for backers for his first movie project "Diary of Mad Black Woman," a story about a devoted wife in a bad marriage. He said he faced a wall of ignorance when he pitched white executives in Hollywood. One told him the project was doomed to fail at the box office because the core audience for Perry's stage plays -- black churchgoers -- wouldn't go to the movies. Another said the dialogue for his characters was unrealistic.   Though he was largely unknown to white audiences, Perry refused to play by Hollywood's rules and demanded creative control of his projects.  Tour of Tyler Perry's back lot Â»

He was resigned to bankrolling the project himself and selling it as a DVD when he got a call from the independent studio Lionsgate. They struck a deal and he made "Diary" for about $5 million. The movie earned 10 times that at the box office.

Since then, Perry's movies have grossed nearly $400 million and he's developed a loyal following. He now demands not only creative control but also ownership of the finished product.

Still, it's just the beginning, he said.

"I don't necessarily feel like I've arrived."

Even so, Perry has a prolific output of stories, including his movies "Why Did I Get Married," "Meet the Browns," "The Family that Preys," and "Madea's Family Reunion." He signed a $200 million deal with TBS (owned by Time Warner, the same company that owns CNN) for 100 episodes of "House of Payne," one of television's most popular shows among black adults. The sitcom is now in syndication, making even more money for Perry.

Perry said ownership of the finished product is key to building wealth, a principle he hopes other African-Americans will embrace. How are entertainment heavyweights changing black stereotypes?  "If you want to think about longevity," he said, "if you want to think about your family and generations down the line, then you have to own it."

And own it he does.

Tyler Perry Studios, on 30 acres in Atlanta, is his black Hollywood. But he is quick to acknowledge his debt to the legendary black actors from an earlier generation by naming two of his soundstages after Sidney Poitier and Cicely Tyson. He has also helped introduce them to a new generation by casting Tyson, 76, an Oscar-nominated actress, in two of his films.  Tyson opens up about life, career Â»

A study by the NAACP found that African-Americans are "underrepresented in almost every aspect of the television and film industry," but Perry is able to hire on both sides of the camera. On his production crews, black employees are getting unprecedented career opportunities, and black actors are portraying characters beyond the predictable drug dealers and thugs.

"What makes me feel great is to be able to pull up to this place and to be able to have 300 people working and running around, trying to get things done," he said. "That makes me feel great."

His greatest accomplishment, he said, has nothing to do with business.

"It's more personal than that for me," he said. "My biggest success is getting over the things that have tried to destroy and take me out of this life. Those are my biggest successes. It has nothing to do with work."

The NAACP has honored Perry with its Image Award, but there are some who believe his characters don't portray African-Americans positively.

"He's made a lot of money, but the quality of work is sorely lacking," said Todd Boyd, a University of Southern California film professor and culture/media critic.

Some of Perry's characters rely heavily on exaggerated personalities and slapstick comedy. Boyd is particularly critical of Perry's recurring character, Madea, an over-the-top grandmother who smokes marijuana and brandishes loaded guns she keeps in her purse. Perry himself plays the tough, buxom matriarch, who runs at full throttle fueled by country wisdom and ghetto strength.

"It seems a bit ironic that at the moment of the first African-American president, the most popular African-American figure in the media is a man in drag engaging some of the most stereotypical images of African-Americans ever created," Boyd said.

Perry said his critics are missing the point.

"They miss the messages of empowerment," he said. "Sure, the silliness of 'Madea,' the silliness of 'Brown,' it's broad, it's over the top. Great. Fine. I get it. But how can you miss the message of forgiveness? How can you miss the messages of empowerment?

"I would love to share with them the letters that I've gotten from people. 'This helped me get through a tough time.' 'I was gonna commit suicide.' 'My husband and I weren't speaking until we saw "Why Did I Get Married?" It saved our marriage.' "

For Perry, his work will always be about writing from his experiences, old and new.

"Whatever I'm experiencing in life is what I'll write about," he said.

"I'm telling you, just to think this little boy from Louisiana can do it, anybody can do it."

text: ATLANTA

text: Georgia

text: CNN

text: Tyler

text: Perry

text: is

text: known

text: today

text: as

text: the

text: first

text: African

text: American

text: to

text: own

text: a

text: major

text: film

text: and

text: TV

text: studio

text: He

text: 's

text: a

text: pioneer

text: whose

text: own

text: life

text: story

text: is

text: a

text: rags

text: to

text: riches

text: tale

text: that

text: reads

text: like

text: a

text: screenplay

text: Tyler

text: Perry

text: is

text: the

text: first

text: African

text: American

text: to

text: own

text: a

text: major

text: film

text: and

text: TV

text: studio

text: Now

text: a

text: writer

text: actor

text: director

text: and

text: producer

text: Perry

text: 's

text: success

text: grew

text: out

text: of

text: a

text: troubled

text: home

text: in

text: a

text: poor

text: neighborhood

text: in

text: New

text: Orleans

text: Louisiana

text: Strong

text: on

text: faith

text: Perry

text: named

text: his

text: first

text: play

text: I

text: Know

text: I

text: 've

text: Been

text: Changed

text: after

text: an

text: old

text: Negro

text: spiritual

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: gospel

text: musical

text: about

text: two

text: adult

text: survivors

text: of

text: child

text: abuse

text: In

text: he

text: moved

text: to

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: where

text: he

text: worked

text: as

text: a

text: bill

text: collector

text: and

text: eventually

text: scraped

text: together

text: enough

text: money

text: to

text: rent

text: a

text: small

text: theatre

text: and

text: stage

text: the

text: play

text: With

text: only

text: people

text: in

text: the

text: audience

text: the

text: play

text: was

text: a

text: flop

text: For

text: the

text: next

text: several

text: years

text: he

text: struggled

text: and

text: was

text: often

text: broke

text: and

text: sometimes

text: lived

text: in

text: his

text: car

text: But

text: Perry

text: refused

text: to

text: give

text: up

text: He

text: finally

text: got

text: a

text: second

text: chance

text: in

text: when

text: a

text: promoter

text: booked

text: the

text: show

text: in

text: the

text: Tabernacle

text: a

text: former

text: church

text: turned

text: concert

text: hall

text: in

text: downtown

text: Atlanta

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: sold

text: out

text: hit

text: and

text: the

text: little

text: boy

text: from

text: inner

text: city

text: New

text: Orleans

text: was

text: well

text: on

text: his

text: way

text: Perry

text: then

text: took

text: his

text: plays

text: on

text: the

text: road

text: and

text: traveled

text: the

text: so

text: called

text: chitlin

text: circuit

text: to

text: theaters

text: in

text: Memphis

text: Tennessee

text: Detroit

text: Michigan

text: and

text: Baltimore

text: Maryland

text: where

text: black

text: entertainers

text: historically

text: performed

text: for

text: predominantly

text: black

text: audiences

text: He

text: began

text: making

text: a

text: name

text: for

text: himself

text: with

text: African

text: Americans

text: In

text: he

text: started

text: looking

text: for

text: backers

text: for

text: his

text: first

text: movie

text: project

text: Diary

text: of

text: Mad

text: Black

text: Woman

text: a

text: story

text: about

text: a

text: devoted

text: wife

text: in

text: a

text: bad

text: marriage

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: faced

text: a

text: wall

text: of

text: ignorance

text: when

text: he

text: pitched

text: white

text: executives

text: in

text: Hollywood

text: One

text: told

text: him

text: the

text: project

text: was

text: doomed

text: to

text: fail

text: at

text: the

text: box

text: office

text: because

text: the

text: core

text: audience

text: for

text: Perry

text: 's

text: stage

text: plays

text: black

text: churchgoers

text: would

text: n't

text: go

text: to

text: the

text: movies

text: Another

text: said

text: the

text: dialogue

text: for

text: his

text: characters

text: was

text: unrealistic

text: Though

text: he

text: was

text: largely

text: unknown

text: to

text: white

text: audiences

text: Perry

text: refused

text: to

text: play

text: by

text: Hollywood

text: 's

text: rules

text: and

text: demanded

text: creative

text: control

text: of

text: his

text: projects

text: Tour

text: of

text: Tyler

text: Perry

text: 's

text: back

text: lot

text: Â

text: He

text: was

text: resigned

text: to

text: bankrolling

text: the

text: project

text: himself

text: and

text: selling

text: it

text: as

text: a

text: DVD

text: when

text: he

text: got

text: a

text: call

text: from

text: the

text: independent

text: studio

text: Lionsgate

text: They

text: struck

text: a

text: deal

text: and

text: he

text: made

text: Diary

text: for

text: about

text: million

text: The

text: movie

text: earned

text: times

text: that

text: at

text: the

text: box

text: office

text: Since

text: then

text: Perry

text: 's

text: movies

text: have

text: grossed

text: nearly

text: million

text: and

text: he

text: 's

text: developed

text: a

text: loyal

text: following

text: He

text: now

text: demands

text: not

text: only

text: creative

text: control

text: but

text: also

text: ownership

text: of

text: the

text: finished

text: product

text: Still

text: it

text: 's

text: just

text: the

text: beginning

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: necessarily

text: feel

text: like

text: I

text: 've

text: arrived

text: Even

text: so

text: Perry

text: has

text: a

text: prolific

text: output

text: of

text: stories

text: including

text: his

text: movies

text: Why

text: Did

text: I

text: Get

text: Married

text: Meet

text: the

text: Browns

text: The

text: Family

text: that

text: Preys

text: and

text: Madea

text: 's

text: Family

text: Reunion

text: He

text: signed

text: a

text: million

text: deal

text: with

text: TBS

text: owned

text: by

text: Time

text: Warner

text: the

text: same

text: company

text: that

text: owns

text: CNN

text: for

text: episodes

text: of

text: House

text: of

text: Payne

text: one

text: of

text: television

text: 's

text: most

text: popular

text: shows

text: among

text: black

text: adults

text: The

text: sitcom

text: is

text: now

text: in

text: syndication

text: making

text: even

text: more

text: money

text: for

text: Perry

text: Perry

text: said

text: ownership

text: of

text: the

text: finished

text: product

text: is

text: key

text: to

text: building

text: wealth

text: a

text: principle

text: he

text: hopes

text: other

text: African

text: Americans

text: will

text: embrace

text: How

text: are

text: entertainment

text: heavyweights

text: changing

text: black

text: stereotypes

text: If

text: you

text: want

text: to

text: think

text: about

text: longevity

text: he

text: said

text: if

text: you

text: want

text: to

text: think

text: about

text: your

text: family

text: and

text: generations

text: down

text: the

text: line

text: then

text: you

text: have

text: to

text: own

text: it

text: And

text: own

text: it

text: he

text: does

text: Tyler

text: Perry

text: Studios

text: on

text: acres

text: in

text: Atlanta

text: is

text: his

text: black

text: Hollywood

text: But

text: he

text: is

text: quick

text: to

text: acknowledge

text: his

text: debt

text: to

text: the

text: legendary

text: black

text: actors

text: from

text: an

text: earlier

text: generation

text: by

text: naming

text: two

text: of

text: his

text: soundstages

text: after

text: Sidney

text: Poitier

text: and

text: Cicely

text: Tyson

text: He

text: has

text: also

text: helped

text: introduce

text: them

text: to

text: a

text: new

text: generation

text: by

text: casting

text: Tyson

text: an

text: Oscar

text: nominated

text: actress

text: in

text: two

text: of

text: his

text: films

text: Tyson

text: opens

text: up

text: about

text: life

text: career

text: Â

text: A

text: study

text: by

text: the

text: NAACP

text: found

text: that

text: African

text: Americans

text: are

text: underrepresented

text: in

text: almost

text: every

text: aspect

text: of

text: the

text: television

text: and

text: film

text: industry

text: but

text: Perry

text: is

text: able

text: to

text: hire

text: on

text: both

text: sides

text: of

text: the

text: camera

text: On

text: his

text: production

text: crews

text: black

text: employees

text: are

text: getting

text: unprecedented

text: career

text: opportunities

text: and

text: black

text: actors

text: are

text: portraying

text: characters

text: beyond

text: the

text: predictable

text: drug

text: dealers

text: and

text: thugs

text: What

text: makes

text: me

text: feel

text: great

text: is

text: to

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: pull

text: up

text: to

text: this

text: place

text: and

text: to

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: have

text: people

text: working

text: and

text: running

text: around

text: trying

text: to

text: get

text: things

text: done

text: he

text: said

text: That

text: makes

text: me

text: feel

text: great

text: His

text: greatest

text: accomplishment

text: he

text: said

text: has

text: nothing

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: business

text: It

text: 's

text: more

text: personal

text: than

text: that

text: for

text: me

text: he

text: said

text: My

text: biggest

text: success

text: is

text: getting

text: over

text: the

text: things

text: that

text: have

text: tried

text: to

text: destroy

text: and

text: take

text: me

text: out

text: of

text: this

text: life

text: Those

text: are

text: my

text: biggest

text: successes

text: It

text: has

text: nothing

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: work

text: The

text: NAACP

text: has

text: honored

text: Perry

text: with

text: its

text: Image

text: Award

text: but

text: there

text: are

text: some

text: who

text: believe

text: his

text: characters

text: do

text: n't

text: portray

text: African

text: Americans

text: positively

text: He

text: 's

text: made

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: money

text: but

text: the

text: quality

text: of

text: work

text: is

text: sorely

text: lacking

text: said

text: Todd

text: Boyd

text: a

text: University

text: of

text: Southern

text: California

text: film

text: professor

text: and

text: culture

text: media

text: critic

text: Some

text: of

text: Perry

text: 's

text: characters

text: rely

text: heavily

text: on

text: exaggerated

text: personalities

text: and

text: slapstick

text: comedy

text: Boyd

text: is

text: particularly

text: critical

text: of

text: Perry

text: 's

text: recurring

text: character

text: Madea

text: an

text: over

text: the

text: top

text: grandmother

text: who

text: smokes

text: marijuana

text: and

text: brandishes

text: loaded

text: guns

text: she

text: keeps

text: in

text: her

text: purse

text: Perry

text: himself

text: plays

text: the

text: tough

text: buxom

text: matriarch

text: who

text: runs

text: at

text: full

text: throttle

text: fueled

text: by

text: country

text: wisdom

text: and

text: ghetto

text: strength

text: It

text: seems

text: a

text: bit

text: ironic

text: that

text: at

text: the

text: moment

text: of

text: the

text: first

text: African

text: American

text: president

text: the

text: most

text: popular

text: African

text: American

text: figure

text: in

text: the

text: media

text: is

text: a

text: man

text: in

text: drag

text: engaging

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: stereotypical

text: images

text: of

text: African

text: Americans

text: ever

text: created

text: Boyd

text: said

text: Perry

text: said

text: his

text: critics

text: are

text: missing

text: the

text: point

text: They

text: miss

text: the

text: messages

text: of

text: empowerment

text: he

text: said

text: Sure

text: the

text: silliness

text: of

text: Madea

text: the

text: silliness

text: of

text: Brown

text: it

text: 's

text: broad

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text: 's

text: over

text: the

text: top

text: Great

text: Fine

text: I

text: get

text: it

text: But

text: how

text: can

text: you

text: miss

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text: message

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text: forgiveness

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text: can

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text: messages

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text: love

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text: share

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text: them

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text: letters

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text: I

text: 've

text: gotten

text: from

text: people

text: This

text: helped

text: me

text: get

text: through

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text: tough

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text: suicide

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text: husband

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text: I

text: were

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text: until

text: we

text: saw

text: Why

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text: Married

text: It

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text: marriage

text: For

text: Perry

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text: work

text: will

text: always

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text: about

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text: experiences

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text: Louisiana

text: can

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question: What race is Tyler Perry?

answer: African-American

text: African-American

question: who is tyler perry

answer: the first African-American to own a major film and TV studio.

text: the first African-American to own a major film and TV studio.

question: Where did Tyler Perry grow up?

answer: New Orleans, Louisiana.

text: New Orleans, Louisiana.

question: what does he do

answer: writer, actor, director and producer

text: writer, actor, director and producer

question: what movies has he made

answer: "Why Did I Get Married," "Meet the Browns," "The Family that Preys,"

text: "Why Did I Get Married," "Meet the Browns," "The Family that Preys,"

question: what is the name of the studio

answer: Tyler Perry

text: Tyler Perry

question: What is his gross income?

answer: nearly $400 million

text: nearly $400 million

question: Amount that Perry's movies have made?

answer: $400 million

text: $400 million