January 23, 2007
Mainers could contribute to their favorite state government programs through the state Web site under legislation a Sabattus lawmaker proposed.Republican Rep. Scott Lansley said his is a serious proposal — even as he smiled at its name, the Tax Me More Fund.
"I got a lot of people who laughed about it at first and then said that’s a good idea and signed on as co-sponsors," Lansley said last week. He said the name makes a broader political point.
"People are either going to be hypocrites about it and not do it, or they are going to be out there saying, ‘I should pay more taxes for this or that program,’" he said. "Well, if you think that a program needs more money, here you go, pay more in taxes through this fund."
Lansley said the measure would make it easy for Mainers to pay additional "taxes" by making contributions through the state government Web site.
So I hope all you folks in Maine will get behind this proposal – and that every person who argues that taxes are too low will simply cut a check to the Tax Me More fund in their own state (if they have one). After all, if you REALLY believe that you are keeping money that should not be yours, this is the perfect way to divest yourself of it without imposing your personal morality on the rest of us!
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Mainers could contribute to their favorite state government programs through the state Web site under legislation a Sabattus lawmaker proposed.Republican Rep. Scott Lansley said his is a serious proposal — even as he smiled at its name, the Tax Me More Fund.
"I got a lot of people who laughed about it at first and then said thatÂ’s a good idea and signed on as co-sponsors," Lansley said last week. He said the name makes a broader political point.
"People are either going to be hypocrites about it and not do it, or they are going to be out there saying, ‘I should pay more taxes for this or that program,’" he said. "Well, if you think that a program needs more money, here you go, pay more in taxes through this fund."
Lansley said the measure would make it easy for Mainers to pay additional "taxes" by making contributions through the state government Web site.
So I hope all you folks in Maine will get behind this proposal – and that every person who argues that taxes are too low will simply cut a check to the Tax Me More fund in their own state (if they have one). After all, if you REALLY believe that you are keeping money that should not be yours, this is the perfect way to divest yourself of it without imposing your personal morality on the rest of us!
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TOM Cruise is the new “Christ” of Scientology, according to leaders of the cult-like religion.The Mission: Impossible star has been told he has been “chosen” to spread the word of his faith throughout the world.
And leader David Miscavige believes that in future, Cruise, 44, will be worshipped like Jesus for his work to raise awareness of the religion.
A source close to the actor, who has risen to one of the church’s top levels, said: “Tom has been told he is Scientology’s Christ-like figure.
“Like Christ, he’s been criticised for his views. But future generations will realise he was right.”
Cruise joined the Church of Scientology in the Â’80s. Leader L Ron Hubbard claimed humans bear traces of an ancient alien civilisation.
UhhhhhÂ… yeah.
But then again, what do you expect of a hoax made up by a hack science fiction writer?
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January 22, 2007
Brazoria Mayor Ken Corley wants offensive use of the "n-word" to be punishable by a fine of up to $500 in his town."It's not a particular problem in Brazoria," Corley said, "but it's a national problem."
Corley said he got the idea while watching two black ministers talking on television about how offensive that word is. "I just think it would be great if this little town of Brazoria, with 2,800 people, leads the way in fighting against this offensive language," said Corley.
He said if the ordinance passes, he may ask for it to be expanded to include other racial slurs.
He believes Brazoria would be the first place in the country where the racial slur would be outlawed. But at least one legal expert said Monday that such an ordinance may not stand up in court.
The ordinance wouldn't forbid anyone from saying the word, Corley said, but would outlaw using the word in an offensive or aggressive manner. Violators would be charged with disturbing the peace, he said.
"It would be up to somebody who was offended to file a complaint, like any other disturbance complaint," he said.
Ah, but who will decide what constitutes an "offensive" use of the word, and what constitutes an "inoffensive" use of the word? Will I, a white man, be able to file a complaint against a bunch of teenagers standing on the corner saying "nigga this" and "nigga that"? Or will this be a crime that only a black can report, because "its a black thing"? The article makes clear that it would be the latter. since "friendly" uses of the wod would be allowed.
And if the expansion to cover other terms is made, will it become a de facto "hate speech" ban, which is repugnant to the First Amendment?
What can I say -- their hearts are in the right place, but the authors of this ordinance need to wrap their minds around the Constitution.
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The public financing system designed to clean up presidential campaigns in the wake of the Watergate scandal may have died on Saturday when Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) announced her bid for the White House.Little noticed amid the announcement rollout was a page on her Web site in which she asked potential contributors to give her campaign checks of up to $4,200. That figure signaled not only that she plans to forgo public funds for primary season but also that, if she becomes the nominee, she will not take public money for the general election.
By opting out of the system, Clinton will be able to spend as much money as she can raise, both for the primaries and for the general election, rather than being forced to abide by strict spending limits imposed by the Federal Election Commission on candidates who accept public financing.
Others have opted out of public financing for the nomination campaigns, but Clinton is the first since the current structure was created in 1974 to declare she will forgo public financing in the general election as well.
Clinton's decision will put pressure on other candidates in both parties to follow suit, and if they do, the 2008 campaign will complete what has been the rapid disintegration of a system designed to rein in unlimited spending in presidential campaigns.
I have to ask -- does Hillary's decision make her the candidate of corruption and special interests? Or does it make her a free speech heroine? Or, more realistically, does it put her somewhere in the middle?
From my standpoint, this is a good thing. The Founders, in their infinite wisdom, established a system which allowed for unlimited speech on political matters -- provided you could afford it. What Clinton is doing is simply departing from the constitutional monstrosity that was established over three decades ago, and returning to the originalist paradigm.
Now if we can only do away with the other part of this abomination -- the contribution limit. After all, if a candidate has the right to spend as much as he or she wants for purposes of engaging in political speech, there is no legitimate argument for preventing a candidate's supporters from donating as much as possible to that cause. After all, Americans associating for purposes of engaging in political speech is not a crime -- it is a right under the US Constitution.
And by the way, I'd like to encourage my readers to help kill this offense agains free and full participation in the electoral system -- DO NOT check the box on your tax return directing your money to public financing of presidential campaigns!
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State Sen. Mario Gallegos underwent liver transplant surgery late Friday night and is recovering at the Texas Medical Center, according to his family.Gallegos, a Houston Democrat, had cirrhosis of the liver, which necessitated the transplant.
Gallegos had said earlier that his doctors estimated he will need 18 days of recovery time after his surgery before he can return to work.
I don't like the man's politics, and I'll work against him in 2008 -- but in 2007, I wish him only the best of health and the smoothest of recoveries.
Because, as I have said so often, some things are simply more important than mere politics.
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And ever since we first started dating, I've known that she held a grudge against a certain no-talent actress she knew growing up -- one she refers to as "that bitch" and whose appearance on a television screen causes a quick grab for the remote.
And so this "professional recognition" for her childhood rival warms my beloved to the very depths of her soul.
At least someone was happy Sharon Stone reprised her notorious femme-fatale role with "Basic Instinct 2."The box-office bomb received seven nominations Monday for the Razzie Awards that mock the bottom of Hollywood's barrel, among them worst picture and worst actress of the year.
* * * Stone previously won a Razzie as worst-actress for 1994's "The Specialist" and "Intersection."
"She's what we call a Razzie repeat offender. Perhaps even a recidivist," Wilson said.
"Basic Instinct 2" also had a nomination for worst screen couple for Stone's "lopsided breasts." Also nominated were co-star David Thewlis for worst supporting actor and the movie's director, Michael Caton-Jones.
And as my darling shouted when she heard that second nomination -- "They aren't even real!"
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Democrat Bill Richardson took the first step Sunday toward a bid to become the first Hispanic president, saying the country needs his extensive experience as a governor, cabinet secretary and ambassador.The 59-year-old New Mexico governor announced in a video posted on his Web site that he would set up an exploratory committee that will allow him to begin raising money and assembling his campaign organization.
His candidacy would make history as the field of Democratic candidates would be the most diverse ever. On Saturday, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said she wanted to be the first female president. Last week, Sen. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois jumped in, a formidable contender who would be the first black commander in chief.
Richardson, whose father was an international banker from Boston and whose mother was Mexican, said he believes the country "has changed enough" that voters are ready for a woman or minority president.
And I've dealt with that issue in the past -- I'm more interested in a qualified president than I am in one who can check off boxes on an affirmative action form. With his resume, Richardson should not be playing the ethnicity card -- he should be touting his qualifications and the relatively weak credentials of Edwards, Obama, and Clinton. Bill Richardson is a substantive candidate, unlike the rest of the Democrat field. And while I tend to disagree with his policy positions, I find him to be presidential timber in a way the rest are not.
Oh, and one other note on the ethnicity thing. Not long ago, I was talking presidential politics with one of my classes when we finished up a bit early. When I mentioned Richardson as a Hispanic candidate, they dismissed him -- on the basis that his Anglo name doesn't connect with the average Hispanic. Now I wouldn't make much of that observation by a group of tenth graders, except for the fact that the class was 2/3 Hispanic and many of the students are first generation Americans. I wonder if that reflects a wider sentiment, or merely a limited vision based upon age and lack of political sophistication.
UPDATE: Captain Ed has two good analyses at Captain's Quarters -- one about Richardson as Hillary's worst nightmare, and the other noting that he is the most well-rounded of the Dem candidates so far.
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January 21, 2007
First, Newt Gingrich said he would run for president in 2008 only if no other Republican emerged as a clear front-runner. Now, the former House speaker says he will run only as a "last resort."His assessment came in response to a question by Chris Wallace, host of "Fox News Sunday."
"You sound as if you think about running for president as a last resort, not as a first resort?" Wallace asked.
"Exactly," Gingrich answered. "I mean, nobody's ever said it quite that way, but you're right."
Gingrich said he first hoped to influence the presidential race by providing candidates in both parties with his "solutions" to problems such as health care, energy, education, national security and immigration.
I'm sorry Newt, but while you may be one of the brightest idea people in the conservative movement, you've got some pretty high negatives among the general public. And given that your love life is almost as sordid as Bill Clinton's, do you really think that you can serve as a credible standard-bearer for a party that still considers family values to be one of its cornerstone issues?
There's simply no place for you in the 2008 race -- or any other year, either.
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A United States citizen flying home today from a ski jaunt in Canada, a beach break in Mexico or a honeymoon in Jamaica can flash a driverÂ’s license or a birth certificate at airport customs officials and walk on through.Tomorrow, those documents will no longer work.
Starting then, United States citizens, including children, returning to this country by air from any country in the Western Hemisphere will have to present a passport.
In another change, citizens of Canada and Bermuda traveling to the United States by air will also have to show passports to enter the country. Previously, they too could use driverÂ’s licenses and birth documents.
* * * The new measure applies only to air travelers. Officials in the Department of Homeland Security said they expected to roll out the same restrictions for passengers arriving by land and sea by Jan. 1, 2008.
I understand the need for border security, and I support it. Still, I cannot help but wonder about the impact on the tourism industry. And we are still failing to deal with the real border security issue -- the constant flow of border-jumping immigration criminals into this country from Mexico, who simply bypass all border control checkpoints and go to work without documents. I find it rather galling that my government is more interested in making it difficult for me to travel in and out of the country legally than they are to stop the illegal border crossings.
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A health minister made the shameful admission that elderly people are effectively being starved in care homes and hospitals.Ivan Lewis said some are given just a single scoop of mash as a meal.
Other bedridden pensioners are 'tortured' with trays of food placed just out of their reach.
The minister's words are a stunning acknowledgement of how the care system still lets down the frail and elderly after nearly ten years of Labour rule.
They follow years of campaigning by charities and the Daily Mail to expose appalling deficiencies in the care of the over-65s.
Mr Lewis will launch an official campaign this week to improve the quality of food offered to thousands of vulnerable old people.
But his belated move drew a lukewarm response from campaigners. Help the Aged said: 'This is an issue we have been lobbying over for a long time and something the Government has known about for years. I hope it gets the proper attention and investment now.'
A spokesman for the charity Independent Age said: 'The Government has now finally realised, after years of campaigning, that it has a problem. Now it has to ensure its plans and initiatives are carried forward.'
See what happens when government subsidies remove the need to provide adequate care? Adequate care stops.
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Now there is a document available that makes this evil undeniable.
The military regime in Burma is intent on wiping out Christianity in the country, according to claims in a secret document believed to have been leaked from a government ministry. Entitled "Programme to destroy the Christian religion in Burma", the incendiary memo contains point by point instructions on how to drive Christians out of the state.The text, which opens with the line "There shall be no home where the Christian religion is practised", calls for anyone caught evangelising to be imprisoned. It advises: "The Christian religion is very gentle – identify and utilise its weakness."
Its discovery follows widespread reports of religious persecution, with churches burnt to the ground, Christians forced to convert to the state religion, Buddhism, and their children barred from school.
Human rights groups claim that the treatment meted out to Christians, who make up six per cent of the population, is part of a wider campaign by the regime, also targeted at ethnic minority tribes, to create a uniform society in which the race and language is Burmese and the only accepted religion is Buddhism.
The term for such a program is "genocide".
Will people of good will speak out?
Will world leaders?
Will the United Nations?
More to the point -- will anyone do anything to stop it?
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As a college senior in Reno in 1988, I recall proudly standing up for the Rev. Jesse Jackson at a Democratic presidential caucus meeting. This precinct, encompassing the university district, ended up going to Jackson -- perhaps the only Nevada precinct he won that year outside of Las Vegas.But I believe most of us who supported Jackson knew he couldn't win. By contrast, if Obama runs this time, I think he has a legitimate chance to go all the way. He appears able to transcend racial politics in a way that Jackson could never manage.
Nevertheless, I fear that the country's still not ready, that in the privacy of the voting booth, we will not take the leap.
I hope I'm wrong.
So there we have it -- Obama's failure will not be about his qualifications or policy positions. No, it will be because we, as a country, are unwilling to vote for a black man for the nation's highest office. No doubt he would make a similar observation about Hillary Clinton, and claim that her defeat would be based upon our unwillingness to elect a woman.
Nonsense!
Barack Obama is an interesting man. He has, however, only weak credentials for the office he seeks. Furthermore, he is an unabashed liberal, unquestionably an inhabitant of the left quarter of the political spectrum. As such, there is a percentage of the American public that will reject him not over questions of race, but over questions of preparation and ideology. Indeed, many of us who fall into that category are quite ready to support an African-American in a run for the highest office -- and many were unabashed supporters of Condoleezza Rice until she unreservedly and unquestionably took herself out of contention for the GOP nomination. Similarly, many of us were supporters of Michael Steele, not Mel Martinez, for head of the GOP. Our opposition to Obama is based upon other criteria -- and we conservatives are doubtless a sizable segment of the American population.
Indeed, Schumacher unintentionally falls into a trap that many commentators on Obama's candidacy and race fall into -- the notion that votes against the man would be based upon his race, and that his defeat would prove that America has not gotten bast the racism of the past. But I'd argue quite the opposite. That Obama -- or Rice -- could be seen as a credible candidate by the overwhelming majority of Americans is the test, regardless of whether or not one of them ever reaches the Oval Office. Even the defeat of Obama, in a race based upon ideas and issues, would be a sign of the elimination of racism as a significant factor in American life, because Obama would have been treated precisely like any other candidate.
And after all, what more can we ask for as proof that we have achieved the goal of treating African-Americans like everybody else?
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The prosecutor who removed himself from the Duke lacrosse sexual assault case has hired a well-known law firm to defend him against ethics charges before the North Carolina State Bar.Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong has retained Winston-Salem lawyers David Freedman and Dudley Witt, law partners known for defending lawyers facing professional misconduct charges.
* * * Nifong filed rape charges against three lacrosse players in March, when a woman hired to perform as a stripper at a team party said she was raped. He has since dropped the rape charges after the accuser changed a key detail in her account.
The three players still face sexual offense and kidnapping charges. All three strongly maintain their innocence.
The bar's complaint cited dozens of remarks Nifong made to the media in the early days of the case that it said amounted to "improper commentary about the character, credibility and reputation of the accused."
In one comment, Nifong referred to the defendants as "a bunch of hooligans."
Being disbarred needs to be the least of the penalties imposed upon this man.
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After all, how else do you explain its classification as "Adult/Mature Content"?
News Bukit has the story.
So I'm sitting at my favorite Panera/St. Louis Bread Company, eating and mooching Internet. Uneventful, I know. That, of course, is not the story.
The story is that when I went to check out what was new at StoptheACLU.com, a fellow conservative blogger, I was greeted with this message from the restaurant's filtering service."Forbidden category," eh? I was intrigued. Blogs are a forbidden category?
Apparently not, because when I went to the SonicWALL link to have the site reconsidered, guess what I found out?
You read that right: "Adult/Mature Content." Looks like a Moonbat has been here. Maybe from StopStoptheACLU.com?
I've entered a request to get it unblocked. Click here to add your voice, too. Don't know how many of these have been locked out, but I'll update if I see any more.
I urge all of you to click the link above and request that SonicWall fix this rating, and allow the free-flow of information to its users.
UPDATE -- 1/23/2007: SonicWall will not budge, refusing to reclassify StopTheACLU.com.
Dear Customer:You submitted the following rating request to SonicWALL CFS Support:
Rate stoptheaclu.com as "25.Political/Advocacy Groups" at 2007-01-21 10:25:00.247The request has been reviewed and rated as:
"6.Adult/Mature Content" at 2007-01-23 03:28:59.453You should see this rating change reflected within 1 to 3 business days.
Thank you for your request,
SonicWALL CFS Support
Keep writing -- keep pushing -- keep supporting free speech and an end to political censorship by web-filtering companies.
UPDATE 2 --1/23/2007: On the other hand, they seem to have changed their mind, based upon this email just forwarded to me.
Dear Customer:You submitted the following rating request to SonicWALL CFS Support:
Rate stoptheaclu.com as "25.Political/Advocacy Groups" at 2007-01-23 11:25:00.660The request has been reviewed and rated as:
"25.Political/Advocacy Groups, 16.Abortion/Advocy Groups" at 2007-01-23 13:40:03.437You should see this rating change reflected within 1 to 3 business days.
Thank you for your request,
SonicWALL CFS Support
So I guess that persistence does pay off!
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Islamic Jihad militants launched homemade rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip on Sunday in retaliation for Israel's continuing military operations against their group in the West Bank.The rocket attacks came despite a two-month-old cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza.
The group said it fired seven homemade rockets toward the Israeli towns of Sderot and Ashkelon. The Israeli army said several mortar shells had landed in empty areas in Israel on Sunday morning, causing no injuries.
How long is Israel expected to restrain itself before it takes the sort of actions permitted any other country when repeatedly attacked by terrorists?
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As we prepare to commemorate the 60-year anniversary of TSU, know that our commitment to provide quality educational opportunities as the second-largest historically black university in the nation is unwavering. We recognize that repairing our image and regaining the trust of our diverse constituency will not be a quick fix, but we are focused on achieving these goals. Let there be no doubt that accountability is the order of the day.As we meet with members of the Texas Legislature during the 80th session, we will be presenting measurable plans to improve graduation and retention rates, repair dilapidated structures and create an environment where our globally renowned faculty and dedicated staff can provide our students with the tools and information they need to be leaders.
Moving the ship from dry dock to calm waters will require a collaborative partnership that includes the greater Houston community, alumni, business leaders and legislators. Join with us to take TSU to the next level of excellence. The time has come to right this ship and make accountability the order of the day. At the end of the day, our students, and our community, deserve this and more.
I’m sorry, sir, but your article is long on generalities and short on specifics. And more to the point, you and your supporters fail to note that TSU is walking distance from the University of Houston, a school with a sterling reputation and record of accomplishments. What clearly needs to happen is that TSU simply needs to be merged into the UH system, as part of the main UH campus. The results would be beneficial to students of both schools, and the elimination of service duplication would be much more efficient.
In short, TSU, rooted in racism and mired in corruption, is a bad experiment and one that has clearly failed.
End it, don’t mend it.
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06:42 AM
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As we prepare to commemorate the 60-year anniversary of TSU, know that our commitment to provide quality educational opportunities as the second-largest historically black university in the nation is unwavering. We recognize that repairing our image and regaining the trust of our diverse constituency will not be a quick fix, but we are focused on achieving these goals. Let there be no doubt that accountability is the order of the day.As we meet with members of the Texas Legislature during the 80th session, we will be presenting measurable plans to improve graduation and retention rates, repair dilapidated structures and create an environment where our globally renowned faculty and dedicated staff can provide our students with the tools and information they need to be leaders.
Moving the ship from dry dock to calm waters will require a collaborative partnership that includes the greater Houston community, alumni, business leaders and legislators. Join with us to take TSU to the next level of excellence. The time has come to right this ship and make accountability the order of the day. At the end of the day, our students, and our community, deserve this and more.
IÂ’m sorry, sir, but your article is long on generalities and short on specifics. And more to the point, you and your supporters fail to note that TSU is walking distance from the University of Houston, a school with a sterling reputation and record of accomplishments. What clearly needs to happen is that TSU simply needs to be merged into the UH system, as part of the main UH campus. The results would be beneficial to students of both schools, and the elimination of service duplication would be much more efficient.
In short, TSU, rooted in racism and mired in corruption, is a bad experiment and one that has clearly failed.
End it, donÂ’t mend it.
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But then again, they should have done that a whole lot earlier – not just when he killed a local police chief and fled the scene.
Needville ISD Police Chief Ernest V Mendoza was killed on the way to his home in Wharton on Friday night when a four-time-convicted drunken driver hit him nearly head-on, officials said.Superintendent Curtis Rhodes said Mendoza, a 54-year-old father of seven, was all about family and God.
"He was a very Christian man, a quality man," Rhodes said.
The 29-year-old driver of the other vehicle, Guillermo Paniagua, ran from the scene but was captured by the end of the night and charged with felony murder and failure to stop and render aid, said Texas DPS Senior Trooper Gary Pflughaupt.
He said Paniagua, a construction worker in Wharton, smelled of alcohol and slurred his words when he was captured.
Paniagua has drunk-driving convictions in Texas and Georgia, Pflughaupt said. His bond was expected to be set this morning.
Mendoza had served as police chief for the school district in Fort Bend County for 10 years.
He worked security at a basketball game Friday night, and was a mile from home when he was struck.
I pray for the family of Chief Mendoza – and for all the students, faculty and staff of Needville ISD. And I pray that Paniagua quickly gets his just punishment.
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More than a quarter of young Britons do not know if the Holocaust happened, according to a poll on Friday that sparked alarm among Jewish leaders determined the world should not forget the Nazi genocide.
"This poll reinforces the necessity to observe the motto -- Never Again", said Winston Pickett, spokesman for the umbrella group, the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
The poll, conducted by The Jewish Chronicle to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, showed that 28 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds in Britain do not know if the Holocaust happened.
But teachers were given some comfort by the poll -- just one percent of those surveyed by YouGov pollsters thought the Holocaust was a myth.
I wonder what percentage of the doubters is part of the “Asian” (read that “Muslim”) population that is a growing, radicalized segment of the British populace. After all, that community’s leaders refuse to participate in or mark any commemoration of the Holocaust.
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Here are the full tallies of all votes cast:
| Votes | Council link |
|---|---|
| 2 | MLK Day -- A Singular Holiday Rhymes With Right |
| 1 2/3 | The Beauty of "Fairness" Andrew Olmsted |
| 1 1/3 | Bush Speaks... and Belittles Us All Joshuapundit |
| 1 1/3 | Why It Could Work American Future |
| 1 1/3 | Chosen Icons Done With Mirrors |
| 1 1/3 | A New Standard for Political Hideousness Eternity Road |
| 1 1/3 | Running Out the Clock The Glittering Eye |
| 1 | James Traub Has a Semite Problem Soccer Dad |
| 1/3 | Is Oprah Right? The Colossus of Rhodey |
| 1/3 | Federally-Mandated Cheerleading: EduCracy Run Amok? The Education Wonks |
| Votes | Non-council link |
|---|---|
| 3 1/3 | A Framework for Thinking About Iraq Strategy Small Wars Journal |
| 2 1/3 | AP: Discrediting Jamil's Sources Confederate Yankee |
| 2 | IRS Agents, May Every One of Them Burn in Hell Dispatches from TJICistan |
| 2 | No Word For Liberty Classical Values |
| 1 2/3 | War? -- What War? Works and Days |
| 2/3 | "I Said Oh Oh Domino" Maryland Conservatarian |
| 1/3 | Foreign Policy Last Week Oliver Kamm |
| 1/3 | Gordon Browned Off Canker |
| 1/3 | Crime in the UK Versus Crime in the US TFS Magnum |
I win! I win!
Not that I've felt down because of a long dry spell or anything. But I will say that this win is a bit humbling, because I was up against some really great competition, as the close vote totals show.
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It is run by Michael Zak, author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, who also operates the site www.republicanbasics.com.
Drop by and take a look -- you'll like it.
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January 20, 2007
Invoking Thomas Jefferson and Mr. Hankey from the television series "South Park," the lawyer for an ex-professor accused of leaving dog feces at a congresswoman's office said her client's actions qualify as protected speech under the First Amendment.Kathleen Ensz faces a misdemeanor charge of "use of a noxious substance." She is accused of taking dog feces from her backyard, wrapping it in a political mailer from Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, and leaving it at the Republican's office, according to court documents.
Ensz, a Democrat, was angered by repeatedly receiving mailings from Musgrave, the documents said.
That's odd -- I simply trash the mailers I get from Democrat candidates and supporters of al-Qaeda.
And as a supposedly educated woman, I would have thought she might have found some more mature, creative way of expressing her political beliefs. Oh, that's right -- expecting maturity out of a Democrat activist is usually wasted effort (although I'm blessed with a wonderful one who serves as my alternate election judge -- she is the second best Democrat I know). And lest you think she is just some run of the mill registered Dem or occasional volunteer, please realize that she is (or was) the vice chair of the Democrat organization for Colorado Senate District 13 -- an elected position voted upon by her fellow Democrats.
And then there is this inane argument from her lawyer.
"What she did was probably crude and boorish," Patricia Bangert, one of Ensz's attorneys, argued during a hearing Tuesday, when she likened the conduct to a form of political protest such as Jefferson's criticism of the King of England.Bangert held up Mr. Hankey, an animated, talking piece of human excrement from "South Park," as evidence of how commonplace feces is for expressing disdain.
"Etiquette and propriety aside, it is commonplace in today's society to equate a distasteful or disliked person, situation or thing, to feces," Bangert said.
Yeah, the comparison is one that is often used, but the analogy breaks down there. If I say you are full of sh!t or that you are a piece of sh!t, that is one thing. If I throw sh!t at you, that crosses a line that takes my actions out of the realm of free speech and into the realm of assault. Similarly, Enz committed a violation of the law when she shoved sh!t in the congresswoman's mail box. Jefferson, whose name is taken in vain by the shyster in question, would quickly acknowledge the difference.
On the other hand, if Enz really believes that she was just giving the congresswoman a piece of her mind, perhaps that is evidence that the professor has sh!t for brains.
H/T Gateway Pundit
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Hillary returns to Antartic for final time
Unfortunately, it was the wrong Hillary. I should have known that the Hildebeast wouldn't retreat to the South Pole -- but I could hope.
We get the joys of this headline instead.
Sen. Clinton Launches 2008 Campaign
Yeah -- the anti-climax has arrived.
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) today announced she will establish a presidential exploratory committee, launching a 2008 campaign that could make her the first female president in history and the only former first lady to succeed her husband in the White House.In a posting on her campaign Web site, Clinton announced her decision with a headline that read, "I'm In."
I'm surprised that she put that on her website -- that is usually Billzebubba's line.
Her big money quote?
"The stakes will be high when America chooses a new president in 2008," Clinton said in the written statement. "As a senator, I will spend [the next] two years doing everything in my power to limit the damage George W. Bush can do. But only a new president will be able to undo Bush's mistakes and restore our hope and optimism."
Odd -- when conservatives acted to limit the damage done by her husband, she labelled it a "vast right wing conspiracy." When she does the same thing, it is patriotic and grounds for electing her president despite her lack of substantive accomplishments as a Senator -- or in life.
Now the race for money is on -- and speaking of money, will she have lost the support of many of her husband's former supporters? After all, Barack Obama is this year's Howard Dean-style rock star candidate.
Her entrance into the race followed Mr. ObamaÂ’s by less than a week, and highlighted the urgency for her of not falling behind in the competition for money, especially in New York, where the battle has already reached a fever pitch.George Soros, the billionaire New York philanthropist, has made maximum donations in the past to both candidates, for instance, and last week he faced a choice: support Mr. Obama, who created his committee on Tuesday, or stay neutral and see what Mrs. Clinton and others had to say. In his case, the upstart won. Mr. Soros sent the maximum contribution, $2,100, to Mr. Obama, the first-term senator from Illinois, just hours after he declared his plans to run.
“Soros believes that Senator Obama brings a new energy to the political system and has the potential to be a transformational leader,” said Michael Vachon, a spokesman for Mr. Soros.
Mrs. ClintonÂ’s presidential operation is only one day old, but she already finds herself in a breakneck competition against Mr. Obama for fund-raising supremacy in two towns that she and her husband have mined heavily for political gold: New York and Hollywood. Mr. ObamaÂ’s entrance into the race has also put up for grabs other groups that are primary targets for Mrs. Clinton, including African-Americans and women.
At this early stage in the nomination fight, securing donations and signing up fund-raisers are among the best ways of showing political strength in a crowded field (seven Democrats and counting). And Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton are looking to raise at least $75 million this year alone.
Advisers said yesterday that they had begun corralling donors to build quickly on the formidable $14 million that Mrs. Clinton already had in the bank. They predicted that they would outpace Mr. Obama, though they acknowledged that he is moving impressively to try to match Mrs. ClintonÂ’s national fund-raising network, which has been in the making far longer than his.
Mrs. Clinton faces some fatigue among donors after more than 15 years of Clinton fund-raising, Democratic contributors and strategists said, and some skepticism about whether she can win. Yet she has the DemocratsÂ’ most popular rainmaker at her full disposal, former President Bill Clinton, and she has influential friends like the lawyer and power broker Vernon E. Jordan Jr. to help keep African-American donors and others by her side.
On the bright side, I've kept all my "Impeach Clinton" paraphernalia, so I am set for the horrific possibility of another Clinton Presidency.
And maybe she'll bring back that missing silverware.
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"The president does not have the authority to launch military action in Iran without first seeking congressional authorization," Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told the National Press Club.
So when the Iranians test their first nuclear weapon, Harry Reid says Bush cannot respond.
When the Iranians drop a nuke on downtown Tel Aviv, Harry Reid says George Bush is merely permitted to click his tongue.
And when the Iranians begin to terrorize the rest of the world following that attack, Harry Reid insists that the President cannot use our military to deal with the threat.
I wonder – does Harry Reid believe that American troops are allowed to respond to a direct attack by Iranian troops that have crossed the border into Iraq? Or do the troops have to flee in the face of the invasion, since military action is not authorized against Iran?
But then again, I wonder if Harry Reid is part of the 22% (see question #19) who need their asses kicked?
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onservationists are out to rehabilitate the image of the shark and rally support for protecting the misunderstood fish's dwindling numbers. They say about 20 percent of the world's sharks are estimated to be threatened -- and are calling upon to public to give up its fear and start acting on the predator's behalf.
''They're not all just teeth,'' said Sonja Fordham, policy director of the Belgium-based Shark Alliance and director of the shark conservation program of the Washington-based Ocean Conservancy.
Fine -- protect them.
But "misunderstood fish"? That ranks up there with "undocumented alien". What next -- shoplifters as "cashless customers"?
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January 19, 2007
I'm sorry -- it just is not that offensive. More to the point, it is a fictional depiction of speech that would, according to the Supreme Court, be protected by the First Amendment.
A northern Anoka County school-district superintendent this afternoon is defending the censorship of a student newspaper on the grounds that photo depicts the destruction of the American flag.Several First Amendment experts say the school officials are overstepping the law, and at least one civil liberties group said it might be interested in taking up the studentsÂ’ cause.
A blue box, big and bold on the front-page of the St. Francis High School student newspaper, stands in for a photo that student editors say was unjustly banned by the school principal.
Inside the box on the front-page of the new edition of The Crier: “Originally a photo was to be placed here, but was censored by the administration.”
The caption below hints to the sensitive issue that is framing the free-speech feud in the northern Anoka County school: “During the Fall Play Lead Actress Becca Bennett held up a prop, made from table cloth bunting, representing how a country could be torn apart by affecting the youth. The picture was removed off the wall in the PAC hallway.” (PAC stands for Performing Arts Center.)
Prop or not, the jarring photo — which the Pioneer Press will publish in its Friday editions — resembles the tattered remains of an American flag. The image is hardly unknown to the students and staff, since the scene was performed on stage and the photo itself hung in the school’s hall.
And I'll agree -- it is a jarring photo. However, clearly captioned there should be no problem with it.
But the principal and superintendent of the district view matters differently.
Neubauer did not immediately return a phone message left for him Ed Saxton, superintendent of Independent School Dist. 15, defended the St. Francis decision on the grounds that flag destruction can be offensive.“It’s like a quote being taken out of context,” Saxton, a former principal of the high school, said. “That particular picture, although it’s a snapshot of what was in the fall play, standing in isolation, it could be taken in many different ways. It could be pretty offensive to veterans or people who serviced in the military. It’s kind of a community standards thing.”
Unfotunately for the two of them, the district has a policy that makes the paper an open forum, and has not exercised such editorial control in the past. As such, it is difficult to believe they can legally prevail on the issue, based upon past Supreme Court precedent.
However PrincipalChief Censor Neubauer is ready to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire. He plans on filing a frivolous lawsuit against the paper for reporting and editorializing on his act of censorship, despite the information being accurate and he being a public figure in the context of the school.
One of the purposes of public schools is to instill respect for American values and governing principles. It appears, however, that Neubauer does not understand them himself -- and therefore needs to be removed from his position as the instructional leader of the school due to his obvious professional incompetence.
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January 18, 2007
When former North Carolina senator and Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards finally succeeded last month in selling his imposing Georgetown mansion for $5.2 million after it had languished on the market, the names of the buyers were not publicly disclosed.At the time, Edwards's spokeswoman told reporters that the house had been sold to an unidentified corporation. In reality, the buyers were Paul and Terry Klaassen, according to several sources and confirmed by Edwards's spokeswoman yesterday.
The wealthy founders of the nation's largest assisted-living housing chain for seniors, the Klaassens are currently cooperating with a government inquiry in connection with accounting practices and stock options exercised by them and other company insiders. They are also the focus of legal complaints by some of the same labor unions whose support Edwards has been assiduously courting for his presidential bid.
The grand 18th-century house had lingered on Washington's slowing real estate market for more than 18 months. The Edwardses paid $3.8 million in 2002 for the six-bedroom Federal-style house once owned by socialite Polly Fritchey, and they did substantial renovations. The final sale price was half a million dollars below the asking price but still $1.4 million more than the Edwardses paid four years earlier.
This looks bad, both in terms of the high-dollar profit from a seemingly corrupt source and what looks like a cover-up of the purchasers' identity by Edwards. What would the Dems say if this were a GOP candidate?
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Allowing teachers to help evaluate principals has been a longstanding request of the teachers’ union, and Mr. Klein seemed to be going out of his way to praise teachers a day after the mayor announced that tenure after a three-year probationary period would no longer be nearly automatic. Instead teachers will be rigorously evaluated.“Because of our deep respect for our teachers, we’re looking for other ways to make sure that their wisdom becomes yet a more important part of each school’s culture,” Mr. Klein said. “Their views on how a school is being run are critically important, and we need to formalize the process by which those views are expressed and properly considered.”
Let's be honest -- as a teacher, I know which members of the administrative team at my school are getting the job done, which are dead weight, and which are actively destructive of the school's mission. The same is true of my colleagues. And while w should not have the overwhelming say in hiring and firing decisions, our input ought to be considered..
By the way, this article also points out one reason I am glad that I teach in Texas -- reading the whiny comments of the union official makes me glad that here in Texas we can choose from a variety of teacher organizations, or refuse to join any of them.
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You may ask why. Believe it or not, it is because one of my seminary colleagues had, prior to following that vocation, been an R&D guy with Motorola. Fr. John didn't steer me wrong.
Well, I'm looking to get a new Motorola phone sometime soon. I'm partial to two of the latest -- the Motorola KRZR K1 and the Motorola Z3.
Maybe I've hung around my students too long, but I like the idea of a phone that can also play your music on the go. That would be teh Z3. On the other hand, having the photo capability of the KRZR would be nice, for those times when I don't have my digital camera around.
So tell me, what do you think?
Motorola Z3 or the Motorola KRZR K1?
Comment and let me know!
Paid Endorsement.
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Because there was simply no point.
The other part didn't want a dialogue -- they wanted a concession and/or an abject surrender.
"If three thousand dead Americans haven't convinced you that this war is wrong, then you are either stupid, immoral, or insane."
Good grief! How does one even begin to respond to that comment as if it deserves to be dignified at all? how does one pretend that there is any intellectual or logical rigor to it?And when the speaker brought up the possibility, of friends, former students, or family members dying in Iraq, how could I even pretend it was anything but pathetic emotional blathering?
But I do have a response -- one I could have given if I thought that an argument might have had any chance of producing a meeting of the minds, or even mutual respect.
You see, I'm willing to concede that much of the premise for this war was wrong -- though not that Saddam Hussein was uninvolved with terrorism. And I'll concede that knowing what I know today, I would oppose beginning the war. However, both of those points are irrelevant.
The reality is that we are at war, and the criteria for determining whether or not US involvement is warranted does not revolve around why the war began or even the raw number of Americans and/or Iraqis killed to date.
No, the correct measure is whether we have the ability to improve the situation, the means to do so, and a plan for doing so. Indeed, if the answer to the first two is yes, then there is something of an obligation to develop the third.
You see, our actions created the reality that now exists in Iraq. Our obligation is to help the Iraqi people attain stability. If that means making an additional commitment of troops to do so -- as was the position of the Democrats for most of the last two years -- then we should do so. Indeed, withdrawal should only be an option if it can be shown that it will lead to an improvement in the status quo. That is one of the lessons that needs to be drawn from the debacle in Southeast Asia thirty years ago -- the situation that followed America's withdrawal was infinitely worse than what preceded it. Our departure from Iraq would similarly lead to sectarian and ethnic strife being rachetted up, unless the paramilitary groups are neutralized and the terror groups defeated by securing Baghdad and Anbar OR unless the country is peacefully partitioned. The former is the President's goal, and it is attainable.
Now there is the focus on casualties. Iraq has been a relatively low-casualty conflict for American troops. During WW II, there were single days that saw more dead. Vietnam saw years with more casualties than the American military has sustained in nearly four. And while every death is an unspeakable tragedy, that does not mean it is a useless or senseless tragedy. I learned that lesson at my father's knee growing up, listening to him explain that the job of a soldier or sailor is to be prepared to die for something greater than himself. The only unacceptable death is one that does not come in the furtherance of a necessary objective in the conflict at hand. As such, the notion of "too many deaths" is almost a nonsensical one, provided that those lives are not being pissed away with no objective, or after it becomes clear that the objective cannot be attained. I do not yet believe that we are at such a point.
Does this mean I am evil? No, it means that I view the death toll as a gut-wrenching but unavoidable by-product of the nation's decision to go to war.
Does this mean I am insane? I think not, for my position is based upon facts and reality, not upon a spasmodic emotional reaction.
Does mean I m stupid? I do not believe so, as my position is one based upon an analysis of the facts.
On the other hand, I will concede one point quite willingly -- it is quite possible that my analysis of the situation is somehow flawed. Error, how ever, is not the same as immorality, insanity, or stupidity. I remain prepared to be convinced that I am wrong by a fact-based logical analysis of the consequences of withdrawal and/or our ability to improve the situation by staying.
Emotional attacks and ad hominem argument, on the other hand, will not even be acknowledged.
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However, there is one issue related to that upbringing that should be raised with the Senator/Presidential wannabe. It relates to the fact that he was raised a Muslim -- and the consequences of his having renounced that faith and become a Christian. Does he feel threatened due to his status as an apostate Muslim? As an apostate Muslim, is he willing to condemn the sharia law provisions that require death for an apostate.
The odds are high that he will answer no to the first and yes to the second. As an oily politician, he will try to squirm out of a clear definitive yes with no wiggle room. But it should not be difficult for a smart journalist to get him to agree without reservation that Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states...
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. This right includes freedom to change his religion or belief.
...applies to MuslimsOnce Obama condemns the Moslem tradition of death for apostasy, then he can be asked:
The Koran famously quotes Allah as saying in chapter (sura) 2, verse 256 that there should be ‘no compulsion in religion.' Yet numerous sayings of Mohammed known as hadith which form the basis of Islamic Sharia law quote Mohammed as saying ‘If a Moslem discards his religion, kill him.' So are you telling Moslems that Allah was right but Mohammed was misquoted, and their Sharia law tradition on apostasy is wrong?
You can see how much fun there is to be had with this.
Now I don’t particularly like the “gotcha” tone of the above excerpt, but I do think it is a valuable question to raise in the context of a Presidential campaign.
I also think there is one more to raise. If elected, would his status as a Muslim apostate interfere with his ability to conduct foreign relations with the Muslim world – not because of any wrongdoing on his part, but based upon the rigid chauvinism and intolerance of Islamic culture in matters of religion.
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Well, Klocek is returning to DePaul on January 24, as a speaker on the issue of free speech at Catholic universities.
CHICAGOÂ…DePaul University suspended adjunct professor Thomas Klocek without a hearing for disagreeing with Muslim students over the Arab-Israeli conflict in an out-of-classroom debate. Since then, his case has brought scrutiny on DePaul from international media and academic community while causing division among the UniversityÂ’s own faculty and students. For the first time since his suspension, Klocek will return to the school that silenced him to discuss the role of free speech at Catholic Universities. The forum will also include DePaul professor and Klocek supporter Jonathan Cohen, as well as highly controversial free speech activist David Horowitz. The event will take place in DePaulÂ’s Cortelyou Commons at 2324 North Fremont Street in Chicago on Wednesday, January 24th at 7:00 PM. The event is free and open to the public. ...
The event is sponsored by the Young America's Foundation and the DePaul Conservative Alliance. Event organizer Nicholas Hahn, of the DePaul Conservative Alliance, says, “We have heard of a leftist protest campaign hell-bent on preventing the event from happening. However, we will press forward with the forum. Now, more than ever, DePaul needs to enter the free speech discourse.”
If you are in the Chicago area, pleas try to attend – we have seen how vile and violent leftists will go to any extreme to prevent the airing of views with which they disagree. Supporters of free speech need to be in attendance to support the right of Klocek and Horowitz to speak.
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Michael Vick reluctantly surrendered a water bottle to security at Miami International Airport that contained a residue "closely associated with marijuana," police said Wednesday.The Atlanta Falcons' quarterback entered a concourse Wednesday morning at the airport with the 20-ounce bottle. He eventually handed it over and boarded his flight to Atlanta. But his initial reluctance to turn over the bottle aroused suspicion among airport security screeners, a police report said.
The bottle was found to have a hidden compartment that contained "a small amount of dark particulate and a pungent aroma closely associated with marijuana," the report said. The compartment was hidden by the bottle's label so that it appeared to be a full bottle of water when held upright, police said.
No decision has been made on charges, league discipline, or actions by the Atlanta Falcons.
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More info?
Just 
January 17, 2007
The Navy said Tuesday its next aircraft carrier will be named the USS Gerald R. Ford in honor of the late president, a tribute to his love of the Navy.Ford, who served in the Navy during World War II, died Dec. 26 at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif., at 93. Former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld had said the Navy was planning the honor during a eulogy at Ford's funeral.
"President Ford will always be an example to us of personal kindness, loyalty and coolness under pressure," said Vice President Dick Cheney, who served as Ford's chief of staff, during a Pentagon ceremony.
Susan Ford Bales said her father had mentioned the impending honor in a letter to a friend shortly before his death. He wrote, "In my life, I have received countless honors, but none was greater than the opportunity to wear the uniform of lieutenant commander of the United States Navy."
The former president wrote it was a "a source of indescribable pride and humility to know that an aircraft carrier bearing my name may be permanently associated with the valor and patriotism of the men and women of the United States Navy."
And this is an appropriate honor as well, for Lt. Gerald Ford was responsible for saving the carrier USS Monterey during a fire in 1944. That heroism alone makes this a fitting decision, even without considering all he subsequently did to serve this country.
Wikipedia has some information about ">USS Gerald R. Ford, which will be the lead ship of its class.
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(, Now the Bush Administration is doing what it out to have done -- but it looks like a move made out of weakness.
The Bush administration, in a surprise reversal, said on Wednesday that it had agreed to give a secret court jurisdiction over the National Security Agency’s wiretapping program and would end its practice of eavesdropping without warrants on Americans suspected of ties to terrorists.The Justice Department said it had worked out an “innovative” arrangement with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that provided the “necessary speed and agility” to provide court approval to monitor international communications of people inside the United States without jeopardizing national security.
The decision capped 13 months of bruising national debate over the reach of the presidentÂ’s wartime authorities and his claims of executive power, and it came as the administration faced legal and political hurdles in its effort to continue the surveillance program.
None of this is going to mollify Administration critics -- but it is going to look like the Administration is conceding their arguments. Wrong move at the wrong time -- which seems to be the story of the Bush Administration over the last year or so.
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A reality about the job market must eventually begin to affect the valuation of a college education: The spread of wealth at the top of American society has created an explosive increase in the demand for craftsmen. Finding a good lawyer or physician is easy. Finding a good carpenter, painter, electrician, plumber, glazier, mason--the list goes on and on--is difficult, and it is a seller's market. Journeymen craftsmen routinely make incomes in the top half of the income distribution while master craftsmen can make six figures. They have work even in a soft economy. Their jobs cannot be outsourced to India. And the craftsman's job provides wonderful intrinsic rewards that come from mastery of a challenging skill that produces tangible results. How many white-collar jobs provide nearly as much satisfaction?
In other words, what is needed is more focus on vocational, not collegiate, education for some some students for whom the college prep curriculum is not appropriate or by whom it is not desired.
And it isn't like these kids are not going to have a good life when the get out into the world just because they lack a college degree.
I cannot help but think of one of my former students, a kid I’ll call Juan (mainly because his name was, in fact, Juan). Juan took a summer job at a local window place. His job? Fetch and carry for the window installer, the basic work that used to be the lot of an apprentice in an earlier age. Back in the shop, Juan began watching one of the guys doing stained glass projects for some of the up-scale houses in the area. He would stand a few feet away, and ask questions during lunches and breaks. After a couple weeks, the craftsman offered him a chance to try his hand at cutting and piecing some scraps of glass. Juan had a talent for it, and soon was assigned to help wit the art glass. As summer came to a close, he was offered the chance to stay on as after school help – as an apprentice glazier. Juan drops by school every now and again, if he needs to pick up his younger brother. At 25, Juan makes more than I do, working in a field he loves. And he doesn’t have a college degree – just a couple of art classes to help him learn more about design.
Most importantly, Juan loves what he does. What more could I hope for him – and all my other students?
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Despite birth control steps taken among its residents, all retired, Chimp Haven is home to a newborn.Teresa, a wild-born chimpanzee in her late 40s, delivered a baby girl Jan. 8, Chimp Haven announced Tuesday, eight days after the birth.
Mother and daughter, named Tracy, are alert and well.The father's identity is unknown. All male chimpanzees receive vasectomies before they arrive at the sanctuary in southwest Caddo. A Chimp Haven news release dated Tuesday says information for paternity testing is being gathered "to determine who the father is, so that we can address the vasectomy failure immediately."
Is this Jurassic Park redux? Or something more miraculous – “unto us a chimp is born, unto us a monkey is given”? Or maybe they just need to DNA test all the zookeepers.
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A British-born terror suspect was on the run last night after breaking his control order and evading police by taking shelter in a mosque.The man, aged 26, is thought to have escaped abroad after claiming that he wanted to undertake terror training in Afghanistan.
* * * The man, who is of Pakistani origin and lives in Manchester, was only placed under the control order this month. But within four days he disappeared. Police sources say that the man failed to show up at a local police station to surrender his passport. He was traced to a nearby mosque, where community leaders say he had sought sanctuary. Police rarely enter a mosque: they began discussions with both local community figures and leading officials connected to the mosque.
It is understood that while these talks were taking place, the young suspect was helped to escape through a back entrance while officers from Greater Manchester Police were stationed outside.Whitehall officials said it is not known whether the person inside the mosque who helped this suspect escape knew that he was under a control order.
In other words, “sanctuary” in a mosque is really a code for giving suspects a safe place to hide and plot their escape with the cooperation of the religious authorities at the mosque while they are ostensibly negotiating with the police.
The time has come to forget special concern for the religious sensitivities of the religion that has spawned the jihadis. While I know that most Muslims are good and decent people, police need to be willing to kick down the doors and search for jihadis using Muslim institutions to fund, aid and abet terrorist activity. This is, after all, a war for survival – and one that was chosen and instigated by the jihadis, not by us.
Posted by: Greg at
01:06 PM
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SYDNEY'S most influential radical Muslim cleric has been caught on film calling Jews pigs and urging children to die for Allah.Firebrand Sheik Feiz Mohammed, head of the Global Islamic Youth Centre in Liverpool, delivered the hateful rants on a collection of DVDs called the Death Series being sold in Australia and overseas.
"Today many parents, they prevent their children from attending lessons. Why? They fear that they might create a place in the their hearts, the love, just a bit of the love, of sacrificing their lives for Allah," Sheik Feiz says in the video.
"We want to have children and offer them as soldiers defending Islam. Teach them this: There is nothing more beloved to me than wanting to die as a mujahid (holy warrior). Put in their soft, tender hearts the zeal of jihad and a love of martyrdom."
* * * "The peak, the pinnacle, the crest, the highest point, the pivot, the summit of Islam is jihad," he declares in the film, before denouncing "kaffirs" (non-Muslims).
"Kaffir is the worst word ever written, a sign of infidelity, disbelief, filth, a sign of dirt."
In an excerpt from a video lecture series called Signs of the Hour, Sheik Feiz then ridicules Jews as pigs.
Not that he is an extremist – for Feiz stated just a few weeks ago that Islam in Australia isn’t about such things.
"There are no sheiks preaching chaos there. No one is telling people to raise arms against the Australian community," he said.
Yeah – just us pigs and kaffirs.
Religion of Peace.
My.
Ass.
Posted by: Greg at
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