June 30, 2009
North Korea criticized the U.S. on Monday for positioning missile defense systems around Hawaii, calling the deployment part of a plot to attack the regime and saying it would bolster its nuclear arsenal in retaliation.U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he ordered the deployment of a ground-based, mobile missile intercept system and radar system to Hawaii amid concerns the North may fire a long-range missile toward the islands, about 4,500 miles away.
"Through the U.S. forces' clamorous movements, it has been brought to light that the U.S. attempt to launch a pre-emptive strike on our republic has become a brutal fact," the North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary.
The paper also accused the U.S. of deploying nuclear-powered aircraft and atomic-armed submarines in waters near the Korean peninsula, saying the moves prove "the U.S. pre-emptive nuclear war" on the North is imminent.
The commentary, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, said the North will bolster its nuclear arsenal in self-defense.
Yeah, that's right -- it is all the fault of the US that the NorKs are violating international law by building an illegal nuclear arsenal. And the fact that the US is responding to that illegal activity is grounds for more illegal activity! Kim Jong-il had better hope that the US doesn't decide to act against him -- his forces are likely to be wiped off the map in under 24 hours if we do.
It's inevitable.
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June 29, 2009
'I'm going to say it again . . . I cannot believe this is happening,” John Finn said as he surveyed a crowd of more than 2,000 who traveled to Pine Valley to celebrate his 100th birthday.The Medal of Honor recipient has spoken all over the country about his heroic counterassault on enemy planes at Pearl Harbor nearly 68 years ago, and he was feted in March by President Barack Obama in the Oval Office.
![2735-art-t[1].jpg](http://rhymeswithright.mu.nu/archives/images/2735-art-t[1].jpg)
During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, on 7 December 1941, Lt. Finn promptly secured and manned a .50-caliber machinegun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machinegun strafing fire. Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy's fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention. Following first aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
In the years since he left the military, Finn has been active in his community, including charitable and patriotic work.
May I join with so many other grateful Americans in wishing him a happy birthday as he reaches the century mark.
H/T Don Surber
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June 28, 2009
The NAACP invites the president to speak to the group July 16, the last day of its six-day convention at the Hilton in New York.The White House's response: Absolutely, he's coming.
Then the Secret Service comes and says, "No," the Hilton is not suitable.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg says, "Why don't I give you Yankee Stadium?" It would be the president's biggest event since his inauguration.
A couple of days later comes the answer from someone in Obama's operation: We don't want to project that kind of image. We want something bigger than the Hilton, but not as big as Yankee Stadium.
The NAACP people have to bust their ass to come up with another place - and they do, finally, finding an armory in Harlem. There's no air conditioning, however, and we are talking New York in July here. The governor steps in and says he'll provide temporary air conditioning.
The White House then says, "OK, but we want to change the time - 2 p.m. for the president's speech is not acceptable anymore. We want 5 o'clock."
Unfortunately, the new White House demand conflicts with the black-tie dinner that the NAACP holds on the last day of the convention and would create a logistical nightmare.. Their message to the White House -- the speech is at 2:00, we hope he shows.
And to imagine that this is how the Obama Regime treats the president's supporters -- what do the rest of us have to expect?
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June 26, 2009
That new-and-not-improved Michael Jackson died yesterday at the age of 50.
Debbie Schlussel offers an observation that I join in.
. . . I miss the original Michael Jackson--the one with talent, a voice that could range several octaves, feet that made us all dancing "the moonwalk" in the '80s, composing music and writing and singing that had him melding rock guitar with pop in songs like "Beat It" in a way that even demanded the respect of the heavy metal world. He was an original, all right. And he was a phenom.
That he was, and his music will, undoubtedly, stand the test of time.
Unfortunately, there is unseemly celebration of this warped individual as some sort of icon -- which writer Jonah Goldberg notes is a perversion of the term given its roots in religion as an item that represents holiness and is intended to bring people into closer contact with God. I also share in his observation about the accusations made against Jackson regarding the sexual abuse of young boys.
I know that Michael Jackson wasnÂ’t convicted of the despicable crimes he was accused of. And thatÂ’s why he never went to jail. Three cheers for the majesty of the American legal system. But in my own personal view he wasnÂ’t exonerated either. Nor was he absolved of his crimes because he could sing, moonwalk or sell 10 million records. (Though many of us suspect the money and fame he made from those things is precisely what kept him out of jail).And, while I merely think he was a pedophile, I know he was not someone responsible parents should applaud, healthy children emulate nor society celebrate.
And while we’re at it, his relatively early death wasn’t “tragic.” He was one of the richest people in the world. He spent his money on perpetual childhood and he was perpetually with children not his own.
Meanwhile, in the last ten days, weÂ’ve seen or heard of remarkable people whoÂ’ve given their lives for freedom in Iran. WeÂ’ve heard of innocents killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the last decade, America has lost thousands of heroes in noble causes and thousands of innocent bystanders who were denied the simple joys of life through no fault of their own. Those deaths are tragic, and we're hard pressed to think of more than a handful of names to put with the long line of the dead.
If anything, Michael JacksonÂ’s life, not his death, was tragic.
Personally, I'm rather disgusted at the adulation being poured out over Jackson, and the wall-to-wall news coverage his demise is generating. It obscures what is really important today -- not just the situation in Iran, but also great debates on health care, energy policy, and the political leadership. Whatever cultural importance Michael Jackson may or may not have, it does not merit this sort of hagiography.
That said, I do feel for his family members who mourn the loss of a loved one this day. But I cannot say that I feel any sense of loss that Micheal Jackson is no longer among the living -- and do believe that the children of the world are a little bit safer today for his no longer being in it.
UPDATE: May I note my disgust over the House of Representatives having a moment of silence to honor this man who paid $20 million to make accusations of child abuse go away?
I'm (D)isguste(D) by this farce -- an(D) can't help but note the party affiliation of all of the buffoons who gathere(D) to see the (D)ecease(D) pe(D)ophile honore(D).
I'm opening comments -- and reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments.
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, 
((, 
P, June 25, 2009
Opium-eating wallabies get high, make crop circles in poppy fields: Lawyer
Sometimes life is weirder than fiction. But how does this explain teh crop circles in other parts of the world?
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President Obama struggled to explain today whether his health care reform proposals would force normal Americans to make sacrifices that wealthier, more powerful people — like the president himself — wouldn’t face.
Obama on how to drive down health care costs while providing adequate coverage.The probing questions came from two skeptical neurologists during ABC News’ special on health care reform, “Questions for the President: Prescription for America,” anchored from the White House by Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson.
Dr. Orrin Devinsky, a neurologist and researcher at the New York University Langone Medical Center, said that elites often propose health care solutions that limit options for the general public, secure in the knowledge that if they or their loves ones get sick, they will be able to afford the best care available, even if itÂ’s not provided by insurance.
Devinsky asked the president pointedly if he would be willing to promise that he wouldnÂ’t seek such extraordinary help for his wife or daughters if they became sick and the public plan heÂ’s proposing limited the tests or treatment they can get.
The president refused to make such a pledge, though he allowed that if “it’s my family member, if it’s my wife, if it’s my children, if it’s my grandmother, I always want them to get the very best care.
On the other hand, YOU spouse, your kids, and your grandparents may not get that care under ObamaCare. So we'll still have the inequities in the health care system -- and a multi-trillion dollar bill to go with them.
Let's just call him what he is -- an elitist bastard who is more than willing to be generous with other people's money, while refusing to make the same sacrifices he demands of the rest of us. Seems to me this is a much more serious hypocrisy than any committed by Mark Sanford.
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June 24, 2009
Rarely in human history has a gay man been that obsessed with a married womanÂ’s vagina.
Just a part of a great analysis of the fickle pundit by The New Ledger's Christopher Badeaux. It is certainly a must read.
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A disabled prison bus on the Pierce Elevated is snarling traffic on Interstate 45 just south of downtown this morning, snarling inbound traffic well beyond the North Loop.A Texas Department of Criminal Justice bus headed southbound on the the freeway approaching U.S. 59 stalled on the shoulder around 5:45 a.m. after it hit a mattress, which somehow caught fire, officials said.
The bus remains on the right shoulder while officials wait for a replacement. Shotgun-armed guards are standing by.
The mishap is blocking all southbound lanes but one. No injuries were reported.
gee -- armed guards standing watch over a stalled bus and a burning mattress. it must be quite a site for morning commuters.
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June 21, 2009
So what does Barry Hussein do? He stages a photo-op with the girls!
All of which leads me to offer a little hint of things to come.
Great Obama Quotes From History:
"It’s 3 a.m. The phone just rang. Michelle — do you know where the nearest 24-hour Dairy Queen is?'
"Hillary — could you pick up a couple of Peanut Buster Parfaits on your way over from Foggy Bottom? Kim Jong-il just launched a couple of nukes at Hawaii."
"Comrade Fidel, I can’t accept those Cuban cigars — Michelle doesn’t let me smoke anymore. Could you bring some Cuban frozen custard instead?"
"General, I'll let you know my decision on an appropriate military response once I finish my Blizzard."
Comments Open -- Add your own quotes -- Play nice
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June 20, 2009
Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor resigned Friday from an elite all-women's club after Republicans questioned her participation in it. Sotomayor said she resigned from the Belizean Grove to prevent the issue from becoming a distraction in her confirmation hearings.In a letter to Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the federal appeals court judge said she is convinced that the club does not practice "invidious discrimination" and that her membership in it did not violate judicial ethics.
But she said she didn't want questions about it to "distract anyone from my qualifications and record."
Federal judges are bound by a code that says they shouldn't join any organization that discriminates by race, sex, religion or nationality.
Unfortunately, as I pointed out the other day, it is impossible to conclude that the Belizean Grove -- like its all-male counterpart, the Bohemian Grove -- is anything other than an organization that engages in invidious discrimination. If Sotomayor truly believed otherwise, she would not feel the need to quit -- indeed, she would maintain her membership and offer a defense of her membership.
So let's go down the list -- racism, sexism, unethical conduct, and free speech douchbaggery. It is clear that Sonia Sotomayor not only should not be confirmed to the United States Supreme Court, but she is also unfit to sit as a judge on any court in the United States.
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This legislation -- the Affordable Health Choices Act that's being drafted by Sen. Edward Kennedy's staff and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee -- will push Americans into stingy insurance plans with tight, HMO-style controls. It specifically exempts members of Congress (along with federal employees; the exemptions are in section 3116).
I call BULLSHIT! If this mandatory system isn't good enough for our elected representatives and the federal employees who subsist on our tax dollars, then it isn't good enough for the rest of the American people. Either require that all federal elected officials, their appointees, and other federal employees be subject to ObamaCare BEFORE the rest of the American public to show the effectiveness and efficiency of the new plan -- thereby boosting public confidence in it -- or don't pass it at all. After all, WE, THE PEOPLE are the sovereigns in this country, and those who are our servants should not get better than we do using our tax dollars while we are denied the same choices they have.
H/T Bookworm Room
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June 18, 2009
“A judge should not hold membership in any organization that practices invidious discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, or national origin.”
Sotomayor does, however, hold membership in just such an organization, the Belizean Grove -- "a private organization of female professionals from the profit, nonprofit and social sectors."
What does the organization say about itself on its own website?
According to the Belizean Grove's Web site, the group is a “constellation of influential women” who are building “long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.” It was founded as a counterpart to the all-male Bohemian Grove, a legendary club of elite politicians, businessmen and other leaders.The group’s roughly 115 “grovers,” as members call themselves, include ambassadors and top executives of Goldman Sachs, Victoria’s Secret and Harley-Davidson. They meet each year for an annual retreat in Belize or another Central American destination, as well as occasionally in New York and other cities for outings described as “a balance of fun, substantive programs and bonding.” The group’s Web site does not appear to mention any roles for men.
While Sotomayor tries to play off the organization's discriminatory policies and practices by arguing that men are sometimes invited to speak to the group and may participate in social activities, this is no different than membership in all-male groups that from time-to-time have female speakers and let the wives and girlfriends of members come to social activities -- or racially-exclusive organizations that will allow minority guests but not members. Indeed, male judicial nominees have been vigorously opposed in the past for membership in such things as an all-male fishing club.
In light of this membership, one again has to question whether or not Judge Sotomayor has the sensitivity to racial and gender discrimination to sit on our nation's highest court -- and in this case to also raise the issue of whether or not Sotomayor's conduct ought to disqualify her from continued service as a judge on any court in the United States.
H/T Bench Memos
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North Korea may fire a long-range ballistic missile toward Hawaii in early July, a Japanese news report said Thursday, as Russia and China urged the regime to return to international disarmament talks on its rogue nuclear program.The missile, believed to be a Taepodong-2 with a range of up to 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers), would be launched from North Korea's Dongchang-ni site on the northwestern coast, said the Yomiuri daily, Japan's top-selling newspaper. It cited an analysis by the Japanese Defense Ministry and intelligence gathered by U.S. reconnaissance satellites.
The missile launch could come between July 4 and 8, the paper said.
While the newspaper speculated the Taepodong-2 could fly over Japan and toward Hawaii, it said the missile would not be able to hit Hawaii's main islands, which are about 4,500 miles (7,200 kilometers) from the Korean peninsula.
Now the missile's range is 500 miles short of reaching Hawaii -- but it isn't a stretch to see that this is part of a strategy of extending the NorK's ballistic missile range so that it could take out a large chunk of the US Pacific fleet. Will we maybe see some missile defense money allocated that way -- and perhaps a restoration of those funds for missile defense in Alaska that would protect much of the rest of the US mainland?
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In a disturbing article in The Times on Wednesday, James Risen and Eric Lichtblau said that Congressional investigations suggest that the National Security Agency continues to routinely collect Americans’ telephone calls and e-mail messages — perhaps by the millions.These sweeps seem unconnected to specific terrorism investigations, and the communications are entirely domestic. The law does not allow fishing trips through Americans’ communications and only permits the government to read e-mails or listen to phone calls in which one party is “reasonably believed” to be outside the United States.
During the Bush years, we heard the Left claim that this violated the Constitution.
We heard repeated calls for impeachment from the Left.
And a Democrat back-bencher named Barack Obama said that such things must end.
Well, he's had the power to end such spying for months -- and hasn't.
So where are the calls for impeachment from those who demanded that sanction against George W. Bush?
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June 17, 2009
President Barack Obama, whose gay and lesbian supporters have grown frustrated with his slow movement on their priorities, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, a White House official said.Obama planned to announce his decision Wednesday in the Oval Office, the official said. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because Obama had not signed a presidential memorandum putting his plan into place.
The decision is a political nod to a reliably Democratic voting bloc that has become impatient with the White House in recent weeks.
Fairness? Equality? No, just a payoff to another Democrat voting bloc -- and one that he has broken every single promise to in his time in office -- even though it means violating the clear intent of the federal DOMA to accomplish it.
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June 16, 2009
Opening statements are scheduled in the trial of a former Louisiana congressman charged with bribery after federal agents found $90,000 in cash in his freezer.The case is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Va.
William Jefferson is accused of soliciting bribes, racketeering, money laundering and other crimes. Jefferson represented parts of New Orleans until losing re-election last year.
Prosecutors say he received more than $500,000 and sought millions more for using his influence to broker business deals in Africa.
Don't expect wall-to-wall coverage of this trial. After all, Jefferson is a Democrat, and we all know that they are as pure as the driven snow.
UPDATE: NewsBusters notes that nowhere does the article ever identify Jefferson as a Democrat. Isn't that an important bit of information?
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Council Submissions
- First place with 2 1/3 points! - Mere Rhetoric - The WHÂ’s Eight-Step Plan For Detonating The US-Israel Relationship
- Second place with 1 2/3 points - Wolf Howling - ObamaÂ’s Cairo Address: What We Needed, What We Got
- Third place with 1 1/3 point - (T*) - The Razor - A Conservative Case for Animal Rights
- Third place with 1 1/3 point - (T*) - Joshuapundit - Live In Cairo - The Lap Dance Of The Seven Veils
- Fourth place with 2/3 point - The Glittering Eye - The Perversity of the Publishing System
- Fifth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - Bookworm Room - Seasick Warriors
- Fifth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - Right Truth - British National Party (BNP) - Are they racist? Anti-semitic?
- Fifth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - Soccer Dad - The cairo context
Non-Council Submissions
- First place with 2 2/3 points! - Ralph Peters - What Obama Taught Me- Wonderful Arabs, American Slavers, Wicked Jews
- Second place with 1 1/3 points - Pajamas Media - The Reckoning
- Third place with 1 point - (T*) - The optimistic conservative - The next phase of WWIV part 2
- Third place with 1 point - (T*) - Christopher Hitchens - When the Extreme Becomes the Norm
- Fourth place with 2/3 point - (T*) - The Jacksonian Party - Straw, Stuffing and Notation
- Fourth place with 2/3 point - (T*) - Real Clear Politics - Geithner Brings the Laughs in China
- Fourth place with 2/3 point - (T*) - Stratfor - West Bank Settlements and the Future of U.S.-Israeli Relations
- Fifth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - Marc Epstein at City Journal - Not Worth the Paper . . .
- Fifth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - Jewish World Review - Frank Gaffney: AmericaÂ’s First Muslim President
- Fifth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - The New Humanist - Free Market Faith
Drop by, take a look at these posts, and consider the wisdom contained therein.
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June 04, 2009
Internet radio host Hal Turner — accused of inciting Catholics to "take up arms" and singling out two Connecticut lawmakers and a state ethics official on a website — was taken into custody in New Jersey late Wednesday after state Capitol police in Connecticut obtained a warrant for his arrest.Turner, who has been identified as a white supremacist and anti-Semite by several anti-racism groups, hosts an Internet radio program with an associated blog. On Tuesday, the blog included a post that promised to release the home addresses of state Rep. Michael Lawlor, state Sen. Andrew McDonald and Thomas Jones of the State Ethics Office.
"Mr. Turner's comments are above and beyond the threshold of free speech," Capitol Police Chief Michael J. Fallon said in an e-mail announcing the warrant. "He is inciting others through his website to commit acts of violence and has created fear and alarm. He should be held accountable for his conduct."
What, exactly, did he say to cross that line? He wrote the following “commentary” on the issue.
While filing a lawsuit is quaint and the "decent" way to handle things, we at TRN believe that being decent to a group of tyrannical scumbags is the wrong approach. It's too soft.Thankfully, the Founding Fathers gave us the tools necessary to resolve tyranny: The Second Amendment.
TRN advocates Catholics in Connecticut take up arms and put down this tyranny by force. To that end, THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT ON "THE HAL TURNER SHOW" we will be releasing the home addresses of the Senator and Assemblyman who introduced Bill 1098 as well as the home address of Thomas K. Jones from the OSE.
After all, if they are so proud of what they're doing, they shouldn't mind if everyone knows where they live.
It is our intent to foment direct action against these individuals personally. These beastly government officials should be made an example of as a warning to others in government: Obey the Constitution or die.
If any state attorney, police department or court thinks they're going to get uppity with us about this; I suspect we have enough bullets to put them down too.
The state pushed; it is about to get pushed back. Elected and other government officials sometimes need to be put in their place. They serve; they do not rule. They need to learn their place or be put there by force.
Now I’ll be honest – I don’t object to the disclosure of the home addresses of public officials – they are usually matters of public record, anyway. And while I regularly point out that the Second Amendment is in the Constitution to allow Americans to defend our rights against overreaching government, I make a point of NOT suggesting that any particular individual be made an example of when I do so. Recognizing the purpose of the amendment is one thing; suggesting that it be applied against particular individuals is something else entirely and constitutes a threat of violence. Hal Turner clearly went a bridge too far – and I fully support his prosecution.
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BIDEN BID TO BURY BONER
Why, oh why, did they have to use this picture with the article? After all, it does look like he is doing the Viagra shuffle so he can play “hide the canolli” with his companion.
Of course, the real article is much less entertaining – just another Biden backtrack from a Biden gaffe.
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June 03, 2009
“I am deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence against two brave young soldiers who were doing their part to strengthen our armed forces and keep our country safe. I would like to wish Quinton Ezeagwula a speedy recovery, and to offer my condolences and prayers to William Long’s family as they mourn the loss of their son.”
Passive voice. No acknowledgment of the confessed motive for the attack. Utter unwillingness to call it terrorism -- or, more appropriately, jihad. And no condemnation of the violent tendencies once again demonstrated among members of a certain population.
Oh, yeah -- and he's still going to suck up to the "religion of peace" which provided the ideological basis for the attack on US troops on US soil.
Too bad these guys weren't a couple of abortionists -- it might have caught Obama's attention sooner and moved his heart more.
Well, at least he's made clear where his priorities are.
H/T Malkin
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June 02, 2009
There’s a bit more to Manuel Miranda than that, however. Miranda, as longtime Congressional insiders will recall, was the GOP Senate staffer who was nailed in 2004 for hacking into the computers of Senate Dems and downloading thousands of documents relating to the strategies of Dem Senators on judicial nominations.Miranda’s scheme — widely referred to as “Memogate” — was a big deal. A Senate probe found that many of the swiped files had been systematically downloaded “from folders belonging to Democratic staff,” with some leaked to friendly reporters. Miranda resigned, and a Washington Post editorial denounced his “political spying operation” that indicated “how low the nominations process has sunk.”
Now let’s be honest here – what Miranda did in this case was not hacking. Files were left on a publicly accessible server open to all staffers on the committee, and he accessed them. While one can certainly question the ethics of those actions (and I’d argue they were a mighty dark gray, ethically speaking), let’s not forget what information he uncovered – information that the Obama knee-pad brigade in the media are loathe to bring up – including evidence that the Democrats sought to keep Miguel Estrada from being confirmed as a judge because he was Hispanic. In other words, a Hispanic whistleblower who disclosed actual racism deployed against a well-qualified Hispanic judicial nominee is being attacked by the Left for having acted to disclose that unAmerican activity on the part of racist Senate Democrats
Comments Open -- Play Nice
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A group called WhoSigned.org says it will publicize the names of people signing petitions for Referendum 71, which seeks a public vote to overturn a new expansion of Washington's same-sex partnerships.WhoSigned.org says it's partnering with the gay rights group KnowThyNeighbor.org to put the names online.
In a statement Monday, WhoSigned.org says it expects people who see the names online to contact the signers for what may be uncomfortable talks about gay rights.
This is rather reminiscent of the actions of Kluxers and other racists who opposed the exercise of constitutional rights by blacks and their supporters. What next – bombings and arson against petition signers if harsh words, intimidation, and economic coercion don’t work?
I’d encourage folks in Washington state (including my parents) to remember that the purpose of the Second Amendment is to protect one’s ability to exercise one’s other rights. Whoever decides to initiate those “uncomfortable talks” ought to be prepared to be ventilated by those who refuse to be intimidated.
H/T Malkin, GayPatriot
Comments Open -- Play Nice
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June 01, 2009
"Transformers" star Tyrese Gibson has upset patriotic NBA fans after altering the lyrics of the national anthem at Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday.The 30-year-old actor/singer turned up to sing the Star Spangled Banner at the Staples Center arena in L.A.
However, Gibson, who hails from California, took the chance to sing the anthem and cheer his favorite team at the same time.
He replaced the line "our flag was still there" with "our Lakers were still there."
Now granted, down in Atlanta there is a little tweaking of the final word of the song during baseball games, but the statement that the flag waves over the “home of the Braves” rather than the “home of the brave” still communicates an essential truth that the emblem of freedom still flies over our land. But to gratuitously insert the name of any sports team in the middle of the song is another matter entirely. What next – paid product placement during the anthem?
Hurrah for the fans at the game who booed GibsonÂ’s disrespectful deed.
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Take this crap as an example.
By mid-afternoon, authorities reportedly had someone in custody in connection with the murder of Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller at his church on Sunday morning.So far, we know very little about the suspect, other than that he's a man in his 50s and was driving a blue Ford when they stopped him outside Gardner.
However, the motive for the crime we can all surmise in light of the vitriolic campaign that has been waged against Tiller for more than two decades by anti-abortion groups.
And if we're right about that, then we already know the identities of his accomplices.
They include every one who has ever called Tiller's late term abortion clinic a murder mill.
Who ever called Tiller "Tiller the Killer."
The groups who spent decades fomenting hate toward a man who simply believed that he was serving a purpose by being one of the few doctors in the country performing late-term abortions.
Hate. Not heated opposition. Not strong disagreement.
But blind hatred.
Blind hatred? Hardly. Rather, those of us who have expressed our contempt for Tiller and the work he has performed in his human slaughterhouse have dared to speak truth to power by labeling Tiller’s “purpose” as what it what it was – the killing of our fellow human beings. We have done so because we see clearly and refuse to obscure the truth by cloaking his deeds with pretty words. To label one whose daily work was the killing of the most vulnerable among us as “Tiller the Killer” is not only not hatred or incitement or complicity – it is truth in advertising. I will not apologize for speaking and writing what is the indisputable truth – and daring to write and speak that truth does not make me culpable in Tiller’s murder, which I have unequivocally condemned.
As for the individual who killed George Tiller, I condemn his actions every bit as much as I condemned (and still condemn) George Tiller’s misdeeds. Scott Roeder is no hero, and is every bit as warped a human being as his victim was. Vigilante justice is not the answer to the evil that is abortion – and those who, like Roeder, resort to it are certainly every bit the enemy of the pro-life movement as those of Tiller’s ilk. Indeed, I’d have to go further and argue that they are even greater enemies of the innocents who are killed daily in the slaughterhouses operated by the nation’s abortionists than are the abortionists themselves.
Which is why I am shocked and disgusted to read the information in this article.
Those who know Roeder said he believed that killing abortion doctors was an act of justifiable homicide."I know that he believed in justifiable homicide," said Regina Dinwiddie, a Kansas City anti-abortion activist who made headlines in 1995 when she was ordered by a federal judge to stop using a bullhorn within 500 feet of any abortion clinic. "I know he very strongly believed that abortion was murder and that you ought to defend the little ones, both born and unborn."
Given other activities detailed in the article, it seems to me that folks who did know Roeder ought to have been calling the police about him on a regular basis – and given his past conviction for bomb-making as a part of the Freeman movement, his activities would have likely caused him to be arrested and taken off the streets. I’m also shocked to hear of the magazine Prayer and Action News – despite nearly a quarter century of involvement in various aspects of the pro-life movement, I’ve never heard of this publication, but now that I’ve heard of it, I unequivocally condemn the publication and those behind it. The entire notion that killing abortionists is justifiable homicide is an obscenity.
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May 31, 2009
Authorities said they had a suspect in custody Sunday afternoon in the shooting death of George Tiller, a Wichita doctor who was one of the few doctors in the nation to perform late-term abortions.Dr. Tiller, who had long been a lightning rod for controversy over the issue of abortion and had survived a shooting more than a decade ago, was shot inside his church here on Sunday morning, the authorities said. Dr. Tiller, 67, was shot with a handgun inside the lobby of his longtime church, Reformation Lutheran Church on the cityÂ’s East Side, just after 10 a.m. (Central Time). The service had started minutes earlier.
At the same time, I cannot feel any sadness over this murder, given that the victim is probably responsible for the killing of more Americans than Osama bin Laden.
And let me condemn the desecration of the church where the murder took place -- even though I find it scandalous that Reformation Lutheran Church has strayed so far its allegedly Christian character as to allow such a notorious killer to serve in a position of public leadership and ministry. Furthermore, I condemn the endangering of the other members of the congregation.
No, there is nothing positive about the murder of anyone -- not even a depraved killer like George Tiller. For really complete coverage, look to The Other McCain -- good commentary from Hot Air, Don Surber, Ed Driscoll, Gateway Pundit.
But this does raise an issue in my mind -- one that I believe every Christian ought to consider.
We believe that there is a just God in Heaven. We also believe that God is merciful. What, then, is the eternal fate of an individual like George Tiller, who professes faith in the Risen Christ even while living a scandalously sinful life? Will the God of Justice and Mercy show more of the latter or the former as such a one approaches the Judgment Seat? And if the answer is the latter, what does that tell us of the extent of God's mercy for each of us?
As for me, while I would gladly see him dealt with as justice demands, I yet hope that the balance swings towards mercy. After all -- if there is eternal hope for a blood-stained wretch like George Tiller, operator of a slaughterhouse for the most vulnerable of our fellow humans, then there is eternal hope for me as well.
Comments are open -- play nice, please.
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A Connecticut school district is considering a proposal to close schools on two Muslim holidays.The Region 16 Board of Education is expected to take up the Student CouncilÂ’s proposal this week.
The board represents the towns of Prospect and Beacon Falls, Conn.
The resolution asks the board not to hold classes on the day that marks the end of the fasting period of Ramadan and on the day that concludes the annual observance of the pilgrimage to Mecca.
As a teacher, I have a really simple view on school calendar issues – does the proposal help or hinder school operations. That is especially true after sitting on the district committee that designed the calendar for the upcoming school year.
Is there a significant Muslim population in the district? Does keeping the school open on those Muslim holy days so significantly increase absenteeism that it impacts the operation of the schools due to low attendance? If the answers to these questions is YES, then close the schools on those days. If not, then donÂ’t. Ditto holidays for Jews and Hindus and Buddhists. But if such changes fail to improve school efficiency, then donÂ’t make the change.
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With Judge Sonia Sotomayor already facing questions over her 60 percent reversal rate, the Supreme Court could dump another problem into her lap next month if, as many legal analysts predict, the court overturns one of her rulings upholding a race-based employment decision.Three of the five majority opinions written by Judge Sotomayor for the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals and reviewed by the Supreme Court were reversed, providing a potent line of attack raised by opponents Tuesday after President Obama announced he will nominate the 54-year-old Hispanic woman to the high court.
Of course, she has written some 380 opinions as a member of the Second Circuit. Only six have gone before the Supreme Court – but one has to be struck by the reversal rate, even if (as pointed out at PowerLine) the percentage is not out of the ordinary. Does anyone know what her overall rate of rejection by the Supreme Court is – not just cases where she wrote the decision, but also every other case on which she has participated as a judge and whether her position has been rejected or affirmed by the Supreme Court on appeal. I think such a statistic could be even more telling.
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HereÂ’s where she is right.
District courts are bound by the facts of a particular case. They are not bout broader questions of law – they are about the application of the law in a particular situation – and the interpretation of a particular judge of a particular law has no precedent value beyond that one courtroom.. The Circuit Courts (and the Supreme Court) are courts which hear appeals – and in doing so are taking a broader view of how to apply law for more than one particular case, but also for every other case that follows under that court’s jurisdiction (whether a particular circuit or the entire nation depends upon the court. As such, the rulings of an appellate court do make “policy” in a way that the decisions of trial courts do not. While her explanation is awkward, it has the virtue of being accurate – though the use of the phrase “where policy is made” justifiably sets off alarm bells for those who are concerned about activists courts.
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Former Bush administration solicitor general Theodore Olson is part of a team that has filed suit in federal court in California seeking to overturn Proposition 8 and re-establish the right of same-sex couples to marry.The suit argues that the state's marriage ban, upheld Tuesday by the California Supreme Court, violates the federal constitutional right for same-sex couples to marry. The complaint was filed Friday, and Olson and co-counsel David Boies -- who argued against Olson in the Bush v. Gore case -- will hold a news conference in Los Angeles Wednesday to explain the case. The conference will feature the two same-sex couples on whose behalf Olson filed suit.
The suit also asks the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to issue an injunction that would stop enforcement of Proposition 8 and allow same-sex couples to marry while the case is being decided.
"I personally think it is time that we as a nation get past distinguishing people on the basis of sexual orientation, and that a grave injustice is being done to people by making these distinctions," Olson told me Tuesday night. "I thought their cause was just."
I asked Olson about the objections of conservatives who will argue that he is asking a court to overturn the legitimately-expressed will of the people of California. "It is our position in this case that Proposition 8, as upheld by the California Supreme Court, denies federal constitutional rights under the equal protection and due process clauses of the constitution," Olson said. "The constitution protects individuals' basic rights that cannot be taken away by a vote. If the people of California had voted to ban interracial marriage, it would have been the responsibility of the courts to say that they cannot do that under the constitution. We believe that denying individuals in this category the right to lasting, loving relationships through marriage is a denial to them, on an impermissible basis, of the rights that the rest of us enjoyÂ…I also personally believe that it is wrong for us to continue to deny rights to individuals on the basis of their sexual orientation."
Technically, the suit Olson has filed is against the governor, attorney general, and other officials of the state of California. Ultimately, Olson said, it's a question that will be decided in Washington, by the Supreme Court. "This is an issue that will get to the Supreme Court, and I think it could well be this case," he said.
Now let’s make it clear what this is about – it is about federalizing gay marriage. That Fourteenth Amendment claim is nothing short of a demand that the federal courts re-write the marriage laws of every state – an act of crass judicial activism that would constitute a case of macro-evolution of the “living Constitution”. And let there be no doubt that such a ruling would constitute the overturning of separate decisions by the people of thirty different states, federalizing as a right what has always been a state matter.
Let me deal with one of Olson’s arguments – “If the people of California had voted to ban interracial marriage, it would have been the responsibility of the courts to say that they cannot do that under the constitution.” He is, of course, correct in that observation – but when one considers that the purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment was to eliminate invidious racial discrimination, it is obvious that the decision in such a case would be compelled by the language and the history of the amendment. However, the redefinition of marriage from the traditional (and biologically based) “one man, one woman” configuration to “any two adults” does something different by actually altering the essentials of marriage.
What’s more, a decision in favor of Boies & Olson and their clients will have one additional effect – it will delegitimize the federal courts in the eyes of millions of Americans. And once our courts and their decisions are seen as lacking legitimacy, the legitimacy of the other two branches is also endangered. Will the issue of gay marriage ultimately be the one upon which the survival or dissolution of the republic hinges?
Ed Morrissey, however, points out a real possibility of a very different outcome.
However, Olson may have a more limited equal-protection case with the limited class of relief the California Supreme Court created in its decision. In this case, we have 36,000 citizens in single-sex marriages recognized by the state, while refusing to recognize any others. The only delimiter is the date of the decision. A federal court might find that a violation of the equal-protection clause and overturn Proposition 8, or at least the ruling. The danger here for Olson is that a federal court might take action that invalidates those existing marriages rather than forcing California to recognize gay marriage altogether.
Wouldn’t that be special. But my fear is that the those members of the court who look for “evolving standards” and “trends” will decide that five states approving gay marriage will trump the thirty that have come down firmly on the other side. And if that happens, it may well mean the end of our republic as we know it.
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May 27, 2009
"Fifty-seven percent of white voters did not vote for Obama," Dohrn said. Referring to hers and Ayers new book, Race Course: Against White Supremacy, she said, "That was the impetus for writing this book. We've got a big job to do to change those numbers."
So, a racial disparity proves racism? I guess, then, that Dohrn and Ayers concerned about the level of racism exhibited by the black community, which did not vote for John McCain somewhere in the 95% range. You know, black supremacy would have to be a bad thing, right – even worse than what the alleged white supremacy shown by a mere 57% failing to vote for a black candidate for office, given the severity of the former. Unless, of course, one is such a racist that one is unwilling to hold blacks to the same standard which one holds whites.
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May 25, 2009
We've all seen this commercial (one of my all-time favorites).
Well, they may not be the size of schnauzers, but we do have some mini-cattle out there.
Walking through their lowing herd of several hundred cattle, Ali and Kenny Petersen were like two Gullivers on a Lilliputian roundup.The half-sized cows barely reached Kenny's waist. The ranch's border collie stared eye-to-eye with wandering calves.
"Aren't they sweet?" asked Ali, 52, shooing Half-Pint, Buttercup and a dozen other cattle across a holding pen. "They're my babies, every little one of them."
The Petersens once raised normal-sized bovines on this stretch of Nebraska's rolling eastern grasslands, but with skyrocketing feed costs, the couple decided to downsize.
They bought minicows -- compact cattle with stocky bodies, smaller frames and relatively tiny appetites.
Their miniature Herefords consume about half that of a full-sized cow yet produce 50% to 75% of the rib-eyes and fillets, according to researchers and budget-conscious farmers.
"We get more sirloin and less soup bone," Ali said. "People used to look at them and laugh. Now, they want to own them."
Yipiyaiyay Mini Sirloin Burgers, Yipiyaiyo Mini Sirloin Burgers, Yipiyaiyay Mini Sirloin Burgerrrrrs, Yeah!
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May 24, 2009
Wedge issue--one where Democrats don't have good talking points
That certainly beats the definition -- quite convoluted -- at Wikipedia. And it does neatly summarize how the term is used in political analysis today -- an issue which is illegitimate to raise in a campaign due to the fact that it favors the GOP because the people support it and the Democrat leadership opposes it.
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It wasn't his sexuality. After all, we are both pretty gay-friendly -- indeed, I've spoken with only two non-family members on the phone this weekend, and neither of the two is straight. Indeed, one of them certainly qualifies as my best friend. So personal feelings about sexuality didn't do it.
Neither did religion. Both of us are seminary trained, and my wife was, for a time, pastor of a church in a liberal, gay-friendly denomination.
And we both voted for Clay Aiken, assuming he was gay long before he came out of the closet, because we liked his style and were put off by the constant shilling of the judges for other contestants during that season.
So why not vote for Adam, and instead pick Kris Allen?
Easy. We didn't like the "hard sell" tactics of certain of the judges on the show. They were declaring Adam to be the winner weeks ago, even though it was not at all clear to us that he deserved the crown. I was fond of Danny & Allison -- indeed, I thought the final three should have been Adam, Allison, and Danny, with Kris disappearing when they reduced the crew to three. And of the final three, my pick would have been Danny because I liked his voice and his style. I thought Kris had the same sort of stuff going for him.
Which brings me back to Adam. Aside from the shameless shilling by the judges, there was one other problem -- Adam was too theatrical in his style. No, that isn't a code for "gay" -- it is a recognition that Adam has a long history as a stage performer, and that he sings and presents himself like a stage performer.. Indeed, his phrasing often reminded me of this.
Well, maybe not quite that bad, but Adam Lambert was just a little bit too precise in his delivery -- great for Broadway, not so much for pop or rock music. Even when he rocked out (and I'll concede, Adam gave some great rock performances) it all seemed a bit . . . artificial, sort of like the example above.
That doesn't mean that I wouldn't pay to see Adam Lambert -- I would, but probably not as a concert performer. If, however, he were to be the lead in just about any musical, I'd buy a ticket and go -- and be thoroughly pleased by his performance.
But who knows -- Adam may yet have a fantastic career as a solo artist. And I may yet become a serious fan. But my faith and his sexuality won't be factors in that change, either.
So when I see an analysis like this one, I simply have to laugh at how misguided those who put forth this thesis really are.
UPDATE: Lots of traffic on this one -- I'll open the comments for you. Play nice.
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Obama recalled U.S. military history from the Revolutionary War through the Allied landing at Normandy, where he will travel next month to commemorate the 65th anniversary of D-Day."It's about remembering each and every one of those moments when our survival as a nation came down not simply to the wisdom of our leaders or the resilience of our people, but to the courage and valor of our fighting men and women," Obama said. "For it is only by remembering these moments that we can truly appreciate a simple lesson of American life -- that what makes all we are and all we aspire to be possible are the sacrifices of an unbroken line of Americans that stretches back to our nation's founding."
Unfortunately, he's preparing to do this.
So let's make it clear -- he is willing to praise our heroic veterans today -- but will sell them out on foreign soil during his visit to Europe in June.
Just call it one more bit of proof that talk is cheap for Barry Hussein -- and that he is willing to say anything at any time if he thinks it is what his audience wants to hear.
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The city of Philadelphia, Miss., where members of the Ku Klux Klan killed three civil rights workers in 1964 in one of the eraÂ’s most infamous acts, on Tuesday elected its first black mayor.James A. Young, a Pentecostal minister and former county supervisor, narrowly beat the incumbent, Rayburn Waddell, in the Democratic primary. There is no Republican challenger.
* * * The city is 56 percent white, 40 percent black and 2 percent American Indian, according to the Census Bureau.
Once again, we see that a qualified black candidate who runs based upon qualifications rather than race can be elected in a majority white area -- even where Democrats are the prevailing political force and have been the main agents of racism (murderously so) for over a century and a half. So, let's move past the sort of focus on race that extends racism rather than eliminates it, and instead focus on love of country -- something which should unite all of us as Americans.
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May 23, 2009
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday praised an Army soldier in eastern Afghanistan who drew media attention this month after rushing to defend his post from attack while wearing pink boxer shorts and flip-flops, Reuters reported.Gates said in prepared remarks that he wants to meet the soldier and shake his hand the next time he visits Afghanistan.
"Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage," Gates said in a speech to be delivered in New York.
"I can only wonder about the impact on the Taliban. Just imagine seeing that: a guy in pink boxers and flip-flops has you in his cross-hairs. What an incredible innovation in psychological warfare," he said.
Army Specialist Zachary Boyd, 19, of Fort Worth, Texas, rushed from his sleeping quarters on May 11 to join fellow platoon members at a base in Afghanistan's Kunar Province after the unit came under fire from Taliban positions.
A news photographer was on hand to record the image of Boyd standing at a makeshift rampart in helmet, body armor, red T-shirt and boxers emblazoned with the message: "I love NY."
This time there happened to be a photographer around when the need to fight came. I’ve heard that at Pearl Harbor there were sailors who rolled out their bunks and helped defend their ships against the Japanese – wearing boxers or less. After all, the enemy doesn’t give you a chance to dress when they attack – they want to kill you, and in or out of uniform you must stop them.
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But one of the nice things about my computer is that it can be checked out remotely when I have problems. The district has set up remote control software allowing the tech folks in the building and the district to troubleshoot without even coming to my room. By giving access to these folks, IT tech support people can troubleshoot computer issues in a fraction of the time.
Another benefit of accessing a computer remotely is access to files with remote desktop software. With a little bit of help, i can access files on my computer from other parts of the school. That is convenient as well, since if we are in a computer lab I can still do the work that I had been seeking to complete earlier in my classroom.
Looking for some good software to allow that sort of remote access? Consider trying Proxy Pro 6 -- its 256-bit encryption is the highest in its class, and it will allow you to both access your files remotely and have remote tech support. Isn't that just what your workplace needs?
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May 21, 2009
(moonbat on) If Barack Obama had ever served in the military, maybe he wouldn't be so callous about sending American troops to their deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq. How many funerals of the men he has sent to their deaths has Barack Obama attended? Guess he's too busy stealing the Iraqis oil and trying to start a war with Pakistan. Oh, and why hasn't he caught Osama Bin Laden yet? Maybe he's too busy giving speeches to his adoring fans in the media, who never challenge him on anything he does in foreign policy.
And it just gets better and better. That's why John is one of the best and brightest we have in the blogosphere today.
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A Navajo Code Talker who was part of the original group recruited to develop what became an unbreakable code that confounded the Japanese during World War II has died.John Brown Jr. died early Wednesday morning at his home in Crystal, N.M., according to his son, Frank Brown. He was 88.
Several hundred Navajos served as Code Talkers during the war, but a group of 29 that included Brown developed the code based on their native language. Their role in the war wasn't declassified until 1968.
Brown received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2001 along with other members of the original Code Talkers. Less than a handful are still alive.
In an acceptance speech on behalf of the Code Talkers, Brown said he was proud that the Navajo language bestowed on them as a Holy People was used to save American lives and help defeat U.S. enemies.
As Code Talkers and Marines, he said they did their part to protect freedom and Democracy for the American people.
"It is my hope that our young people will carry on this honorable tradition as long as the grass shall grow and the rivers flow," Brown said, according to a CNN transcript.
On December 7, 1941 Brown was playing basketball when he heard word of Pearl harbor. He quickly signed up after being approached by a Marine recruiter. What happened next is nothing less than amazing.
Brown signed up and was sent to Camp Pendleton, intent on defending the United States against the Japanese. After he arrived for training, his all-Navajo platoon was told they were there for a special mission — to devise a secret code in their native language.Navajo Code Talkers used their language to transmit military messages on enemy tactics, Japanese troop movements and other battlefield information in a code the Japanese never broke. Code Talkers took part in every assault the Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945, according to the Naval Historical Center in Washington.
After the war, the Code Talkers were told to keep their work a secret.
And they did – so secret that it was the late 1960s before their story was told to the public.
The Navajo nation has ordered its flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of John Brown, Jr. It is a fitting tribute. He was a man who showed that great things can be accomplished by ordinary men doing what is needed when confronted by extraordinary challenges. May he rest now, after what was a lifetime of service to this country and to his people, gone from among us but honored still.
And let us never forget what he and his fellow Code Talkers did.
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In a move aimed at healing the rifts of American foreign policy decisions, President Obama will make a trip to Europe next month, including a trip to Dresden, Germany. The trip will consist of several stops and the President will meet with the President of France and the Chancellor of Germany. Also slated are several policy speeches.Perhaps the most controversial is a planned speech in which President Obama will formally apologize for American 'war crimes' during the Second World War. This would be particularly comforting to Europeans, who have long condemned American foreign policy actions, especially regarding civilians.
This speech will also be welcome in Germany, who had over 12,000,000 of its citizens killed during the war. Mayor Johann Krupp of Augensburg in Saxony stated to DW that the speech will "help my great-uncle's soul rest. He burned to death during the Dresden bombings."
Oh.
My.
God!
Not only were the policies pursued in winning WWII correct, the entire subsequent development of the notion of a kinder, gentler form of warfare has been a moral cul-de-sac that requires the US to endanger its own troops while encouraging the enemy to hide behind and among civilians – while doing nothing to materially increase the security of the United States. And what’s more, those who think that the US somehow owes an apology to – of all nations – GERMANY over our actions during the Second World War neglects to consider that the United States spent incredible amounts of money to rebuild our vanquished foe AND provided American troops as the bulk of Germany’s defense for the next few decades as the Russian Bear stood ready to gobble up the western half of that nation during the Cold War.
And as for you, Mayor Krupp, I’d lay odds that your great-uncle was a fervent supporter of the Nazi regime and its policies – in which case I’m sure his soul is suffering the same sort of fiery torment that his body did as we liberated your nation from itself.
Speaking as an American, I can only label this latest course of action by the Ob-amateurs in the White House to be a disgrace of historical proportions. Indeed, it makes me wish we had a parliamentary system so that We the People could vote him out of office immediately for his attempt to draw a moral equivalence between the Allies and the Axis powers.
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