Sometimes we forget how good we have it living in a free society.
From Faith Freedom.org's Potkin Azarmehr:
What a marvelous prerogative it is to just log on to my weblog, write away and know that my life or liberty is not in danger.
Sadly this is not the case for Iranian bloggers. Along with the newspapers, Iranian bloggers have been at the receiving end of a vicious onslaught by the Islamic judiciary. Many have been jailed and received unbelievably long sentences. One of the Iranian bloggers in danger right now, is Ahmad (Iranian name Aryo), Seraji from the town of my birth, Tabriz.
Aryo was kidnapped outside his house by ten Islamic secret service men in two unmarked cars. Despite being outnumbered, Aryo fought the plain clothes agents fiercely until the agents had to resort to using chloroform dabbed handkerchief over his nose to put him out and drag him away.
Aryo was arrested on prior occasions too and on one occasion after his release, he travelled to Tehran and chained himself to a pole outside the UN headquarters in Tehran, to protest at his ill treatment and the abuse of his human rights in the Islamic Republic. Needless to say, the apathetic UN staff paid no attention, what do they care about an individual protesting at his human rights abuse? they are there to draw a salary.
An excellent blog source of news from Iran is Regime Change Iran.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Marathon Pundit analysis: Jim Edgar won't run for governor, but Blagojevich should still be sweating
Despite press reports to the contrary, Illinois' Governor Rod Blagojevich is definitely vulnerable in 2006 when he's up for re-election. Former Governor Jim Edgar, a popular Republican from downstate Charleston, served in Springfield--when Springfield was still the state capital--from 1991 to 1999, announced this afternoon that he won't challenge Blago to get his old job back.
Edgar's legendary 1994 re-election saw him win 101 of Illinois' 102 counties. Even heavily urban (and Democratic) Cook County went red for Edgar, as Jim annihilated Democratic challenger Dawn Clark Netsch.
Blago's approval ratings are low. The multiple scandals in Chicago hurt Blagojevich in a number of ways. For one, even in Illinois, voters will tolerate only so much corruption. The convictions upon convictions in the ongoing investigation of Mayor Daley's City Hall will result in fewer "foot soldiers," both in the private and public sectors, participating in "get out the vote efforts" next year. Why? Because of a lot of them will still be in prison in November, 2006.
Also, an emasculated Daley Machine won't be able to throw around as "muscle" as it has done in the last few elections, as the focus among politicos even in 2006 will be on who will be Chicago's mayor in 2007. Will Daley be viewed as a "lame duck" next year, even if he makes it clear he'll be a candidate again? Daley was re-elected with over 80% of the vote in 2003, and unless Alan Keyes is his opponent, Mayor Daley will have to hustle --and be lucky--to get over the 50% threshold next time. If there is a next time.
Then there is East St. Louis, home of the local Democratic Party's "$10 per vote," incentive promotion last year. That racket won't be up and running anytime soon, as several Dems there, including the head of the East St. Louis Democratic Party, were found guilty of vote fraud and are likely headed to prison. Because of that, the Democrats can count on receiving several thousand fewer "sure thing" votes in East St. Louis than in previous elections.
Elsewhere in Illinois, cheaters may be looking over their shoulders, afraid the Feds will be drifting their gaze away from East St. Louis and Chicago, to their own counties and townships.
Vote cheaters, by the way, are almost always Democrats, despite what Jim Lampley has claimed in his comical Huffington Post columns.
Blago has numerous ethical problems, and to keep this post short, I'll only cite the most recent, his being implicated as the "Public Official A" involved in an Illinois teachers unions fund scandal.
More unions: The Teamsters and SEIU split from the AFL-CIO this summer. The union led voter-registration drives--concentrated in heavily Democratic areas--and their election day blitzes, won't be going away, but the efforts will be less concentrated, or perhaps overlapping.
The effect will be the same, probably fewer "safe" Democratic voters finding their way to the voting booth next November in the Prairie State. (And other states, too.)
Those union-led vote drives, viewed by many in the conservative media as ineffective, are looking at the end-result, shortsightedly, from a national perspective. They've have been very successful in Illinois and other heavily unionized states. Just because the White House and Conress is still contolled by Republicans doesn't mean that the political push for the Democrats by the unions has been futile.
Jim Edgar will not be running for governor. But the incumbent, Democrat Rod Blagojevich, should fear any Republican opponent.
Edgar's legendary 1994 re-election saw him win 101 of Illinois' 102 counties. Even heavily urban (and Democratic) Cook County went red for Edgar, as Jim annihilated Democratic challenger Dawn Clark Netsch.
Blago's approval ratings are low. The multiple scandals in Chicago hurt Blagojevich in a number of ways. For one, even in Illinois, voters will tolerate only so much corruption. The convictions upon convictions in the ongoing investigation of Mayor Daley's City Hall will result in fewer "foot soldiers," both in the private and public sectors, participating in "get out the vote efforts" next year. Why? Because of a lot of them will still be in prison in November, 2006.
Also, an emasculated Daley Machine won't be able to throw around as "muscle" as it has done in the last few elections, as the focus among politicos even in 2006 will be on who will be Chicago's mayor in 2007. Will Daley be viewed as a "lame duck" next year, even if he makes it clear he'll be a candidate again? Daley was re-elected with over 80% of the vote in 2003, and unless Alan Keyes is his opponent, Mayor Daley will have to hustle --and be lucky--to get over the 50% threshold next time. If there is a next time.
Then there is East St. Louis, home of the local Democratic Party's "$10 per vote," incentive promotion last year. That racket won't be up and running anytime soon, as several Dems there, including the head of the East St. Louis Democratic Party, were found guilty of vote fraud and are likely headed to prison. Because of that, the Democrats can count on receiving several thousand fewer "sure thing" votes in East St. Louis than in previous elections.
Elsewhere in Illinois, cheaters may be looking over their shoulders, afraid the Feds will be drifting their gaze away from East St. Louis and Chicago, to their own counties and townships.
Vote cheaters, by the way, are almost always Democrats, despite what Jim Lampley has claimed in his comical Huffington Post columns.
Blago has numerous ethical problems, and to keep this post short, I'll only cite the most recent, his being implicated as the "Public Official A" involved in an Illinois teachers unions fund scandal.
More unions: The Teamsters and SEIU split from the AFL-CIO this summer. The union led voter-registration drives--concentrated in heavily Democratic areas--and their election day blitzes, won't be going away, but the efforts will be less concentrated, or perhaps overlapping.
The effect will be the same, probably fewer "safe" Democratic voters finding their way to the voting booth next November in the Prairie State. (And other states, too.)
Those union-led vote drives, viewed by many in the conservative media as ineffective, are looking at the end-result, shortsightedly, from a national perspective. They've have been very successful in Illinois and other heavily unionized states. Just because the White House and Conress is still contolled by Republicans doesn't mean that the political push for the Democrats by the unions has been futile.
Jim Edgar will not be running for governor. But the incumbent, Democrat Rod Blagojevich, should fear any Republican opponent.
New blog: Opposition building against upcoming Ward Churchill appearance at DePaul University
DePaul has really walked into a big mess by inviting Ward Churchill to speak at the Chicago college on October 20. Nicholas Hahn III started the "My Political Agenda" blog this week. It appears he's a DePaul student, as well as a member of a minority group there: a conservative.
Hahn and some other DePaul University students met with DePaul's Jim Doyle, who is the Vice President of Student Life there.
From Hahn's blog:
Since DePaul actually does have a minority, and it's not the one you're thinking of, the Republicans and I have spearheaded an opposition against Churchill's planned speaking engagement. We met recently with a Mr. Jim Doyle, Vice President of Student Life, and even with stunning facts, convincing rhetoric, and an emotionally moving anecdote, Mr. Doyle retreated from his Catholic and American obligations and said, "...we are not inclined to cancel at this time..."
Mr. Doyle, you say you stand for "academic expansion?" I say you stand for al-Qaeda. Your cowardly bones cannot withstand the Catholic and Patriotic duties you must carry out as a University administrator. I'm just as for academic expansion as you are, but I recognize our horizons are guided by Catholicism. You've seemed to ignore that just to appease the anti-American vocal minority on this campus.
What this University doesn't seem to fathom, is that we have NATIONAL support. Governor Bill Owens has just publicly extended his support. Members of the national media have been contacted. And probably most important to the University...we have the support of MANY top-tier donors to the University. I guess at this point, we have an ultimatum, "Revoke his funds, or we'll revoke ours."
Hahn and some other DePaul University students met with DePaul's Jim Doyle, who is the Vice President of Student Life there.
From Hahn's blog:
Since DePaul actually does have a minority, and it's not the one you're thinking of, the Republicans and I have spearheaded an opposition against Churchill's planned speaking engagement. We met recently with a Mr. Jim Doyle, Vice President of Student Life, and even with stunning facts, convincing rhetoric, and an emotionally moving anecdote, Mr. Doyle retreated from his Catholic and American obligations and said, "...we are not inclined to cancel at this time..."
Mr. Doyle, you say you stand for "academic expansion?" I say you stand for al-Qaeda. Your cowardly bones cannot withstand the Catholic and Patriotic duties you must carry out as a University administrator. I'm just as for academic expansion as you are, but I recognize our horizons are guided by Catholicism. You've seemed to ignore that just to appease the anti-American vocal minority on this campus.
What this University doesn't seem to fathom, is that we have NATIONAL support. Governor Bill Owens has just publicly extended his support. Members of the national media have been contacted. And probably most important to the University...we have the support of MANY top-tier donors to the University. I guess at this point, we have an ultimatum, "Revoke his funds, or we'll revoke ours."
Blagojevich denies flip-flop on 'pork' projects
Well, Illinois is a blue state, so I guess it makes sense we have a governor who's a flip-flopper.
From AP:
As a candidate, Rod Blagojevich promised to end the practice of letting lawmakers earmark money for their favorite projects. As governor, he's approving those projects and talking about authorizing even more.
Blagojevich said Thursday he doesn't see a contradiction.
The Democratic governor said his earlier criticism was aimed at the way the money was handed out — as a pool to be divvied up according to lawmakers' wishes with little public review.
Now that he can review the projects, Blagojevich said, he has found the "overwhelming number" to be worthwhile uses of state money.
Blagojevich said he is talking to legislative leaders about approving more of the "member initiatives" if they can agree on a screening process to make sure all the projects support education, health care or the economy.
Oh, Blagojevich is up for re-election next year.
From AP:
As a candidate, Rod Blagojevich promised to end the practice of letting lawmakers earmark money for their favorite projects. As governor, he's approving those projects and talking about authorizing even more.
Blagojevich said Thursday he doesn't see a contradiction.
The Democratic governor said his earlier criticism was aimed at the way the money was handed out — as a pool to be divvied up according to lawmakers' wishes with little public review.
Now that he can review the projects, Blagojevich said, he has found the "overwhelming number" to be worthwhile uses of state money.
Blagojevich said he is talking to legislative leaders about approving more of the "member initiatives" if they can agree on a screening process to make sure all the projects support education, health care or the economy.
Oh, Blagojevich is up for re-election next year.
Most underreported story of September is...
...well, according to me, the chaos following the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Looting, synagogue torchings and a flow of weapons into Gaza from Egypt leaves the Middle East--and the world--less safer than it was on September 1.
And we weren't that safe then.
Yes, Hurricane Katrina and the storm's aftermath dominated the news for most of September, making it difficult for other important stories to receive attention. But the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the continuing violence going on there, should have been covered more extensively by the media.
This story is not going away.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Phelps Westboro cult adds another soldier funeral protest
Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church in addition to the two protests planned on Friday, will then travel to rural Maryland on October 3 to picket the funeral of Sgt. William A. Allers, who died in the service of his country.
Phelps and his "vile cult of losers" show up to protest at the funerals of soldiers killed in action, claiming God is punishing America for our acceptance of gay rights.
Phelps and his "vile cult of losers" show up to protest at the funerals of soldiers killed in action, claiming God is punishing America for our acceptance of gay rights.
Chicago White Sox: AL Central Champs!
Hey, we flirted with disaster, but the Chicago White Sox clinched the AL Central in Detroit this afternoon!
The White Sox are overdue for a World Series Championship, the last one was in 1917.
George Ryan trial: Scott Fawell testifies against old boss
Here is the latest on the trial of former Illinois George H. Ryan: Scott Fawell, Ryan's one-time top aide, provided damaging testimony against his old boss. The defense hasn't cross-examined Fawell yet.
Read about it from Eric Krol of the Daily Herald here.
Also, find more details in CBS 2 Chicago George Ryan trial blog.
The trial has recessed until Monday.
Read about it from Eric Krol of the Daily Herald here.
Also, find more details in CBS 2 Chicago George Ryan trial blog.
The trial has recessed until Monday.
The Hill: Dems decry 'culture of corruption,' silent on Schakowsky's husband Robert Creamer
Yesterday, as virtually everyone who follows politics knows, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was indicted for allegedly committing various fundraising misdeeds.
As expected, top Democratic leaders spoke out on what House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called a "culture of corruption" among Republicans.
From The Hill:
Jan Schakowsky, Democrat from Illinois commented:
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said she was glad that Republicans had followed their rules and required DeLay to step down. “He’s done what the rules require, and I’m happy to see that,” she said.
Schakowsky's husband, political consultant Robert Creamer, recently pleaded guilty to check-kiting and tax fraud charges. He committed these crimes while running the "pro-consumer" Illinois Public Action Council.
No word from Pelosi, et. al, on the "culture of corruption" within the senior House leadership of the Democrats. And Schakowsky, one of the Dems' deputy whips, is a member of the Democratic House leadership.
Jan's hubby Creamer was no "Mr. Mom," as he worked on political campaigns for powerful Democrats including Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, and western Illinois Congressman Lane Evans.
Oh, from the same article, just too good not to mention:
Mike Malaise, a campaign manager for former Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Texas), who is challenging DeLay, said the indictment showed DeLay had not been doing work for his Sugar Land district.
As expected, top Democratic leaders spoke out on what House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called a "culture of corruption" among Republicans.
From The Hill:
Jan Schakowsky, Democrat from Illinois commented:
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said she was glad that Republicans had followed their rules and required DeLay to step down. “He’s done what the rules require, and I’m happy to see that,” she said.
Schakowsky's husband, political consultant Robert Creamer, recently pleaded guilty to check-kiting and tax fraud charges. He committed these crimes while running the "pro-consumer" Illinois Public Action Council.
No word from Pelosi, et. al, on the "culture of corruption" within the senior House leadership of the Democrats. And Schakowsky, one of the Dems' deputy whips, is a member of the Democratic House leadership.
Jan's hubby Creamer was no "Mr. Mom," as he worked on political campaigns for powerful Democrats including Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, and western Illinois Congressman Lane Evans.
Oh, from the same article, just too good not to mention:
Mike Malaise, a campaign manager for former Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Texas), who is challenging DeLay, said the indictment showed DeLay had not been doing work for his Sugar Land district.
Wow, Malaise! Well, with a last name like that, you know where he stands!
Obstructionist Dick Durbin lifts seven-month hold on insurance bill
Has Dick Durbin ever gotten a bill through the senate? Or does he just block legislation?
From AP:
After months of blocking a Senate bill because he claimed it shortchanged his state, Sen. Dick Durbin announced Thursday that he has won assurances that Illinois' state health insurance pool would get an extra $1.6 million a year in federal funding under a compromise version.
Durbin, D-Ill., had put a hold on a measure sponsored by Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., after it had passed out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee on unanimous consent more than seven months ago. He lifted the hold Wednesday, his spokesman said.
At stake was more than $300 million in federal funding nationwide for the approximately 30 high-risk health insurance pools that provide coverage for those with medical conditions that make it impossible for them to get coverage in the regular market.
Durbin had argued that Gregg's original bill would benefit smaller states at the expense of larger ones, such as Illinois, which would have suffered a funding cut of 60 percent while South Dakota's funding would have more than doubled.
From AP:
After months of blocking a Senate bill because he claimed it shortchanged his state, Sen. Dick Durbin announced Thursday that he has won assurances that Illinois' state health insurance pool would get an extra $1.6 million a year in federal funding under a compromise version.
Durbin, D-Ill., had put a hold on a measure sponsored by Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., after it had passed out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee on unanimous consent more than seven months ago. He lifted the hold Wednesday, his spokesman said.
At stake was more than $300 million in federal funding nationwide for the approximately 30 high-risk health insurance pools that provide coverage for those with medical conditions that make it impossible for them to get coverage in the regular market.
Durbin had argued that Gregg's original bill would benefit smaller states at the expense of larger ones, such as Illinois, which would have suffered a funding cut of 60 percent while South Dakota's funding would have more than doubled.
Roberts confirmed as Chief Justice
From AP:
John Glover Roberts Jr. won confirmation as the 17th chief justice of the United States on Thursday, charged by the Senate with the responsibility of leading the Supreme Court through turbulent social issues for generations to come.
He was being sworn-in at the White House later in the day by Justice
John Paul Stevens' name, the court's senior member and acting chief justice since the death of William H. Rehnquist.
The Senate voted 78-22 to confirm Roberts — a 50-year-old U.S. appeals judge from the Washington suburb of Chevy Chase, Md. — as Rehnquist's successor. All 55 of the Senate's majority Republicans, and half of the Democrats, voted for Roberts.
Chuck Shumer, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, Dick Durbin, John Kerry, Evan "I'm a liberal now" Bayh, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Diane Feinstein, and Barbara Boxer were among the prominent senators--all Democrats--who voted against Roberts.
John Glover Roberts Jr. won confirmation as the 17th chief justice of the United States on Thursday, charged by the Senate with the responsibility of leading the Supreme Court through turbulent social issues for generations to come.
He was being sworn-in at the White House later in the day by Justice
John Paul Stevens' name, the court's senior member and acting chief justice since the death of William H. Rehnquist.
The Senate voted 78-22 to confirm Roberts — a 50-year-old U.S. appeals judge from the Washington suburb of Chevy Chase, Md. — as Rehnquist's successor. All 55 of the Senate's majority Republicans, and half of the Democrats, voted for Roberts.
Chuck Shumer, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, Dick Durbin, John Kerry, Evan "I'm a liberal now" Bayh, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Diane Feinstein, and Barbara Boxer were among the prominent senators--all Democrats--who voted against Roberts.
Most overreported story of September
Eric Zorn does this on his blog once in a while, and I'm probably going to do this as a regular monthly feature here.
So, no big surprise, the most overreported story of September, 2005 is Cindy Sheehan. On the surface, the last sentence is not grammatically correct (verb-subject error), but since Mother Sheehan turned herself into an event sometime ago, she's not just a person anymore.
Pam Meister in Connecticut has come up with a song for Mother Sheehan on her Blogmeister USA site, it's here. And brush up on your Beethoven, it'll help you enjoy the post more.
Tomorrow, the most underreported story of September. It's something I blogged about a couple of times that first became news during the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. But even taking that in account, this story was buried and is continuing to obscured.
So, no big surprise, the most overreported story of September, 2005 is Cindy Sheehan. On the surface, the last sentence is not grammatically correct (verb-subject error), but since Mother Sheehan turned herself into an event sometime ago, she's not just a person anymore.
Pam Meister in Connecticut has come up with a song for Mother Sheehan on her Blogmeister USA site, it's here. And brush up on your Beethoven, it'll help you enjoy the post more.
Tomorrow, the most underreported story of September. It's something I blogged about a couple of times that first became news during the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. But even taking that in account, this story was buried and is continuing to obscured.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
John Roberts, Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer, and People for the American Way
John Muir, a columnist for the Southern Illinoisan, just may have gotten to the bottom of the dreck of the Chuck Schumer-Dick Durbin posturing in regards to the upcoming full-senate vote on the confirmation of John Roberts as the next Chief Justice:
And, oh my, what pride in the state of Illinois I felt when both Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Barack Obama both said they would vote against Roberts. I would guess, particularly in the case of Durbin, that his "no" vote is based on him being squarely in the "mainstream" of what Illinois residents want and believe. Or then again, it could be based on what television producer Norman Lear wants and believes.
According to a story that appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Durbin and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., attended an event in Los Angeles on behalf of People for the American Way, a liberal activist group founded by Lear. The event was held the weekend prior to the Judiciary Committee vote and, according the story, Lear lashed out at Democrats for not mounting more resistance to Roberts' nomination.
While there will be those who claim I'm jumping to conclusions, it certainly does seem a little more than ironic that only four days after the conversation with Lear, both Durbin and Schumer voted against the Roberts confirmation. It was probably just a coincidence, don't you think?
During the hearings, Roberts gave one particular answer that sums up why some Democrats cannot vote for his confirmation. Ironically, that answer came under questioning from Durbin about "personal freedom."Durbin asked: "If you've made one point many times over during the course of the last three days, it is that as a judge you will be loyal and faithful to the process of law, to the rule of law. But, beyond loyalty to the process of law how do you view the law when it comes to expanding our personal freedoms?"
Roberts' answer, I think, is all we can hope for from any judge.
Roberts answered: "Somebody asked me, 'are you going to be on the side of the little guy?' And you obviously want to give an immediate answer. But as you reflect on it, if the Constitution says that the little guy should win, the little guy is going to win in court before me. But, if the Constitution says that the big guy should win, well, the big guy is going to win, because my obligation is to the Constitution. That's the oath. The oath that a judge takes is not that 'I'll look out for particular interests' ¦ the oath is to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States and that is what I would do."
Don't you have to believe Roberts sent cold chills down the spines of some of the Democrats when he noted the oath of a judge is not to look out for "particular interests?"
Brilliant writing. And brilliant analysis in Muir linking Norman Lear to the Schumer and Durbin opposition to John Roberts.
Moron Norman Lear and People for the American Way here.
And, oh my, what pride in the state of Illinois I felt when both Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Barack Obama both said they would vote against Roberts. I would guess, particularly in the case of Durbin, that his "no" vote is based on him being squarely in the "mainstream" of what Illinois residents want and believe. Or then again, it could be based on what television producer Norman Lear wants and believes.
According to a story that appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Durbin and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., attended an event in Los Angeles on behalf of People for the American Way, a liberal activist group founded by Lear. The event was held the weekend prior to the Judiciary Committee vote and, according the story, Lear lashed out at Democrats for not mounting more resistance to Roberts' nomination.
While there will be those who claim I'm jumping to conclusions, it certainly does seem a little more than ironic that only four days after the conversation with Lear, both Durbin and Schumer voted against the Roberts confirmation. It was probably just a coincidence, don't you think?
During the hearings, Roberts gave one particular answer that sums up why some Democrats cannot vote for his confirmation. Ironically, that answer came under questioning from Durbin about "personal freedom."Durbin asked: "If you've made one point many times over during the course of the last three days, it is that as a judge you will be loyal and faithful to the process of law, to the rule of law. But, beyond loyalty to the process of law how do you view the law when it comes to expanding our personal freedoms?"
Roberts' answer, I think, is all we can hope for from any judge.
Roberts answered: "Somebody asked me, 'are you going to be on the side of the little guy?' And you obviously want to give an immediate answer. But as you reflect on it, if the Constitution says that the little guy should win, the little guy is going to win in court before me. But, if the Constitution says that the big guy should win, well, the big guy is going to win, because my obligation is to the Constitution. That's the oath. The oath that a judge takes is not that 'I'll look out for particular interests' ¦ the oath is to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States and that is what I would do."
Don't you have to believe Roberts sent cold chills down the spines of some of the Democrats when he noted the oath of a judge is not to look out for "particular interests?"
Brilliant writing. And brilliant analysis in Muir linking Norman Lear to the Schumer and Durbin opposition to John Roberts.
Moron Norman Lear and People for the American Way here.
Fred Phelps Westboro cult is back protesting soldiers' funerals
Bastards. I should have known shortly after my "wishful thinking" post that Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church just might have been scared off from protesting the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan--he would resurface, like some sort of presumably drowned reptile emerging from a polluted swamp.
He's back.
On September 30, Phelps and his "vile cult of losers" will attempt to ruin the funeral Sgt. Lawrence Morrison in Yakima, WA, as well as Lt. Mark Dooley's funeral in Rutland, VT.
Here's how a town in Tennessee confronted Phelps and his cult last month.
Also, the "vile cult of losers" line came from a Tennessee newspaper op-ed, I can't remember which one.
Hey Phelps: From hell's heart I stab at thee...
Professor X on the latest at IUPUI, "Oohie-Poohie" and William Bradford
William Bradford, a real Native American, is the victim of a witch-hunt at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. A Libertarian sort, tenure is apparently being denied to him by the Leftists there for a variety of reasons, but mainly, because Bradford refused to sign an IUPUI (they really call it "Oohie Poohie") law department faculty petition in support of phony Indian and upcoming DePaul University speaker Ward Churchill.
"Professor X" has been documenting the atrocities at IUPUI, here is his latest masterful article.
Oohie-Poohie. Stink. Stank. Stunk.
"Professor X" has been documenting the atrocities at IUPUI, here is his latest masterful article.
Oohie-Poohie. Stink. Stank. Stunk.
Chicago White Sox win, Indians lose
The Chicago White Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers 8-2 tonight, and since the Cleveland Indians were edged by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Sox are now three games up the Tribe in the AL Central.
Magic Number is 2 for the White Sox to win the Central. The wild card, a consolation prize for the Sox, is there's to lose. If they win tomorrow afternoon, it's they're in the playoffs!
Magic Number is 2 for the White Sox to win the Central. The wild card, a consolation prize for the Sox, is there's to lose. If they win tomorrow afternoon, it's they're in the playoffs!
Governor Ryan trial starts, prosecution fires away
The George Ryan trial will be the big Illinois story in October. Much--but not all--of the decline of the Illinois Republican party can be traced to the stench left behind from the four years of George Ryan's 1997-2001 term as governor.
From Eric Krol of the Daily Herald:
Former Gov. George Ryan traded state contracts to “a select inner circle of his friends and associates” in return for vacations, gambling cash, and even the band at his daughter’s wedding, federal prosecutors said Wednesday during opening statements in his federal corruption trial.
“This is a case about betraying the public trust,” assistant U.S. attorney Zach Fardon told jurors.
With that opening salvo, Ryan’s historic trial began. Ryan and co-defendant Larry Warner, a Chicago businessman, face a combined 22 counts of racketeering, extortion, perjury and mail and tax fraud.
Although he has not been directly implicated in any wrongdoing, current Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, has many people in the Land of Lincoln humming the legendary line from "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who:
'Meet the new boss/same as the old boss"
From Eric Krol of the Daily Herald:
Former Gov. George Ryan traded state contracts to “a select inner circle of his friends and associates” in return for vacations, gambling cash, and even the band at his daughter’s wedding, federal prosecutors said Wednesday during opening statements in his federal corruption trial.
“This is a case about betraying the public trust,” assistant U.S. attorney Zach Fardon told jurors.
With that opening salvo, Ryan’s historic trial began. Ryan and co-defendant Larry Warner, a Chicago businessman, face a combined 22 counts of racketeering, extortion, perjury and mail and tax fraud.
Although he has not been directly implicated in any wrongdoing, current Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, has many people in the Land of Lincoln humming the legendary line from "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who:
'Meet the new boss/same as the old boss"
DSL problems
T.S. Elliot said "April is the cruelest month," but for this blog, September has been a rough one here. First a faulty modem, and now an off-and-on DSL connection.
I work in the Telecom field, I realize things sometimes just don't work, and there is not just one person responsible--so I'm not going to rant.
Someone is coming tomorrow to take a look at the line in the morning.
I work in the Telecom field, I realize things sometimes just don't work, and there is not just one person responsible--so I'm not going to rant.
Someone is coming tomorrow to take a look at the line in the morning.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Governor Ryan trial to start Wednesday
From CBS 2 Chicago: Opening statements in the corruption trial of former Gov. George Ryan could be less than 24 hours away. Both sides are expected to have a jury selected today, and the historic trial will likely begin tomorrow.
St. Louis' Busch Stadium, 1966-2005
The Belleville News-Democrat has a great series of articles about St. Louis' Busch Stadium, home park for the St. Louis Cardinals, and for a while, the current Arizona Cardinals.
No. 2 Leader of al-Qaida in Iraq Killed
From AP:
U.S. and Iraqi authorities said Tuesday their forces had killed the No. 2 official in the al-Qaida in Iraq' name organization in a weekend raid in Baghdad, claiming to have struck a "painful blow" to the country's most feared insurgent group.
Abdullah Abu Azzam led al-Qaida's operations in Baghdad, planning a brutal wave of suicide bombings in the capital since April, killing hundreds of people, officials said. He also controlled the finances for foreign fighters that flowed into Iraq to join the insurgency.
Was this guy one of those "freedom fighters" Cindy Sheehan was talking about?
U.S. and Iraqi authorities said Tuesday their forces had killed the No. 2 official in the al-Qaida in Iraq' name organization in a weekend raid in Baghdad, claiming to have struck a "painful blow" to the country's most feared insurgent group.
Abdullah Abu Azzam led al-Qaida's operations in Baghdad, planning a brutal wave of suicide bombings in the capital since April, killing hundreds of people, officials said. He also controlled the finances for foreign fighters that flowed into Iraq to join the insurgency.
Was this guy one of those "freedom fighters" Cindy Sheehan was talking about?
CBS 2 Chicago's George Ryan trial blog
Former Illinois Governor George Ryan, a Republican loved by the left and the Oprah crowd, is on trial on various corruption charges in Chicago.
CBS 2 Chicago, which already has a great web site, has added a George Ryan trial blog. It's here, and it will be added to the blog roll.
CBS 2 Chicago, which already has a great web site, has added a George Ryan trial blog. It's here, and it will be added to the blog roll.
DePaul professor Norman Finkelstein to speak to Students for Justice in Palestine tonight
DePaul Assistant Professor Norman Finkelstein will speak Tuesday night at DePaul's Lincoln Park campus on Chicago's North Side. The event is sponsored by Students for Justice in Palestine.
The program will be held at DePaul University's Schmitt Academic Center, 2320 North Kenmore Avenue in Room 154 at 7pm
Finkelstein is the author of Beyond Chutzpah : On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History, as well as The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering.
Professor Alan Dershowitz unloads on Norman here.
Dr. Steven Plaut writes here about Finkelstein, and also about Thomas Klocek. The latter, of course, is the suspended DePaul professor who defended Israel against verbal attacks by the Students for Justice in Palestine.
Yes, the name should sound familar. They're hosting Finkelstein tonight.
The program will be held at DePaul University's Schmitt Academic Center, 2320 North Kenmore Avenue in Room 154 at 7pm
Finkelstein is the author of Beyond Chutzpah : On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History, as well as The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering.
Professor Alan Dershowitz unloads on Norman here.
Dr. Steven Plaut writes here about Finkelstein, and also about Thomas Klocek. The latter, of course, is the suspended DePaul professor who defended Israel against verbal attacks by the Students for Justice in Palestine.
Yes, the name should sound familar. They're hosting Finkelstein tonight.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Cindy Sheehan publicizes herself, has a 1960s moment
Yeah, I know, she got arrested. And her name is in the media.
Oh, wait: That's the point!!!
And then there's this---from the Canadian Press:
As a crowd of several hundred people chanted "the whole world's watching," Sheehan was the first to be taken into custody.
That is sooooo 1960s. Democratic National Convention, 1968, Chicago.
Again, there are some people who have not gotten over the '60s.
Peace-folk types: Can you try to be original?
Illinois ACLU awards banquet Saturday
Cal Skinner, friend of the blog, informs me that the Illinois ACLU Awards banquet is this Saturday at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Chicago.
A bunch of Illinois politicians will receive awards, Democrats, will receive awards.
Here's my idea for the ACLU: Stop fighting for "rights" of camps that want to accommodate teen nudists, and support something meaningful, such as the Academic Bill of Rights.
As regular visitors to this blog know, there are some free speech issues at some Illinois universities.
A bunch of Illinois politicians will receive awards, Democrats, will receive awards.
Here's my idea for the ACLU: Stop fighting for "rights" of camps that want to accommodate teen nudists, and support something meaningful, such as the Academic Bill of Rights.
As regular visitors to this blog know, there are some free speech issues at some Illinois universities.
Light blogging
Today just turned out crazy. Nothing horrible, busy at work, minor car issues equals light blogging today. Good thing I had a lot of weekend posts.
New Orleans Times-Picayune on the Katrina horror exaggerations
Yes, there were crimes, some horrible, but according to this New Orleans Times-Picayune article, there has been some significant exaggerating going on by the media and NOLA city officials.
After five days managing near-riots, medical horrors and unspeakable living conditions inside the Superdome, Louisiana National Guard Col. Thomas Beron prepared to hand over the dead to representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Following days of internationally reported killings, rapes and gang violence inside the Dome, the doctor from FEMA - Beron doesn't remember his name - came prepared for a grisly scene: He brought a refrigerated 18-wheeler and three doctors to process bodies."I've got a report of 200 bodies in the Dome," Beron recalls the doctor saying.
The real total was six, Beron said.
Of those, four died of natural causes, one overdosed and another jumped to his death in an apparent suicide, said Beron, who personally oversaw the turning over of bodies from a Dome freezer, where they lay atop melting bags of ice. State health department officials in charge of body recovery put the official death count at the Dome at 10, but Beron said the other four bodies were found in the street near the Dome, not inside it. Both sources said no one had been killed inside.
At the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, just four bodies were recovered, despites reports of corpses piled inside the building. Only one of the dead appeared to have been slain, said health and law enforcement officials.
That the nation's front-line emergency management believed the body count would resemble that of a bloody battle in a war is but one of scores of examples of myths about the Dome and the Convention Center treated as fact by evacuees, the media and even some of New Orleans' top officials, including the mayor and police superintendent. As the fog of warlike conditions in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath has cleared, the vast majority of reported atrocities committed by evacuees have turned out to be false, or at least unsupported by any evidence, according to key military, law enforcement, medical and civilian officials in positions to know.
"I think 99 percent of it is bulls---," said Sgt. 1st Class Jason Lachney, who played a key role in security and humanitarian work inside the Dome. "Don't get me wrong, bad things happened, but I didn't see any killing and raping and cutting of throats or anything. ... Ninety-nine percent of the people in the Dome were very well-behaved."
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and NOLA Chief of Police come out of this article looking not so good. I'm not surprised.
John Hinderaker at Powerline has this report. (Found thru Michelle Malkin's blog.)
The media's enthusiastic mis-reporting of falsehood as fact seriously damaged the rescue effort:
Compass conceded that rumor had overtaken, and often crippled, authorities' response to reported lawlessness, sending badly needed resources to situations that turned out not to exist.
It's time for some accountability here. The conventional wisdom is that no one performed particularly well in the aftermath of Katrina--not local, state or federal authorities, and not considerable numbers of private citizens. But it now appears clear that the worse performance of all was turned in by the mainstream media. Congress should promptly investigate, and try to get to the bottom of the following questions:
* How did so many false rumors come to be reported as fact?* Do news outlets have any procedures in place to avoid this kind of mis-reporting? If so, why did their procedures fail so miserably?
* To what extent were the false rumors honest mistakes, and to what extent were they deliberate fabrications?
* To the extent that the false reports were deliberate, did the press pass them on through sheer negligence, or did some reporters participate in deliberate fabrication?
* Did the widespread breakdown in accurate reporting stem only from a failure to follow proper journalistic standards, or did it also reflect a deliberate effort to damage the Bush administration by passing on unconfirmed rumors as fact?
* In deciding what stories to report, did the news media consider the likelihood that passing on false rumors would damage the rescue effort?
Excellent questions.
After five days managing near-riots, medical horrors and unspeakable living conditions inside the Superdome, Louisiana National Guard Col. Thomas Beron prepared to hand over the dead to representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Following days of internationally reported killings, rapes and gang violence inside the Dome, the doctor from FEMA - Beron doesn't remember his name - came prepared for a grisly scene: He brought a refrigerated 18-wheeler and three doctors to process bodies."I've got a report of 200 bodies in the Dome," Beron recalls the doctor saying.
The real total was six, Beron said.
Of those, four died of natural causes, one overdosed and another jumped to his death in an apparent suicide, said Beron, who personally oversaw the turning over of bodies from a Dome freezer, where they lay atop melting bags of ice. State health department officials in charge of body recovery put the official death count at the Dome at 10, but Beron said the other four bodies were found in the street near the Dome, not inside it. Both sources said no one had been killed inside.
At the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, just four bodies were recovered, despites reports of corpses piled inside the building. Only one of the dead appeared to have been slain, said health and law enforcement officials.
That the nation's front-line emergency management believed the body count would resemble that of a bloody battle in a war is but one of scores of examples of myths about the Dome and the Convention Center treated as fact by evacuees, the media and even some of New Orleans' top officials, including the mayor and police superintendent. As the fog of warlike conditions in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath has cleared, the vast majority of reported atrocities committed by evacuees have turned out to be false, or at least unsupported by any evidence, according to key military, law enforcement, medical and civilian officials in positions to know.
"I think 99 percent of it is bulls---," said Sgt. 1st Class Jason Lachney, who played a key role in security and humanitarian work inside the Dome. "Don't get me wrong, bad things happened, but I didn't see any killing and raping and cutting of throats or anything. ... Ninety-nine percent of the people in the Dome were very well-behaved."
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and NOLA Chief of Police come out of this article looking not so good. I'm not surprised.
John Hinderaker at Powerline has this report. (Found thru Michelle Malkin's blog.)
The media's enthusiastic mis-reporting of falsehood as fact seriously damaged the rescue effort:
Compass conceded that rumor had overtaken, and often crippled, authorities' response to reported lawlessness, sending badly needed resources to situations that turned out not to exist.
It's time for some accountability here. The conventional wisdom is that no one performed particularly well in the aftermath of Katrina--not local, state or federal authorities, and not considerable numbers of private citizens. But it now appears clear that the worse performance of all was turned in by the mainstream media. Congress should promptly investigate, and try to get to the bottom of the following questions:
* How did so many false rumors come to be reported as fact?* Do news outlets have any procedures in place to avoid this kind of mis-reporting? If so, why did their procedures fail so miserably?
* To what extent were the false rumors honest mistakes, and to what extent were they deliberate fabrications?
* To the extent that the false reports were deliberate, did the press pass them on through sheer negligence, or did some reporters participate in deliberate fabrication?
* Did the widespread breakdown in accurate reporting stem only from a failure to follow proper journalistic standards, or did it also reflect a deliberate effort to damage the Bush administration by passing on unconfirmed rumors as fact?
* In deciding what stories to report, did the news media consider the likelihood that passing on false rumors would damage the rescue effort?
Excellent questions.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Running and blogging
Marathon Pundit is entered in this year's Chicago Marathon, I haven't missed one since my first in 1990. Way up on the blogger food chain is Hugh Hewitt, who has run some Marine Corps Marathons in Washington DC.
On the other side of the political fence is Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune, who used to run in the same running group I'm in. He's run at least one Chicago Marathon.
Eric took a long hiatus from running, but he recently wrote he's back in the game, and that he trains on the North Branch of the Chicago River Trail--where I also run--but I haven't encountered him yet.
Ohio blogger Robb at Running at the Mouth is entered in the Columbus Marathon on October 16, a week after my Chicago run.
A blogger I greatly admire is Dakota Pundit. She's taken up running, and between that and some catching up at work, has found little time to blog.
I commented on her blog that some of my most inspired posts have popped into my head during my morning 10 mile run. My idea for her? Somehow try to blog and run. (And keep her job.)
Any more runner/polibloggers out there?
On the other side of the political fence is Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune, who used to run in the same running group I'm in. He's run at least one Chicago Marathon.
Eric took a long hiatus from running, but he recently wrote he's back in the game, and that he trains on the North Branch of the Chicago River Trail--where I also run--but I haven't encountered him yet.
Ohio blogger Robb at Running at the Mouth is entered in the Columbus Marathon on October 16, a week after my Chicago run.
A blogger I greatly admire is Dakota Pundit. She's taken up running, and between that and some catching up at work, has found little time to blog.
I commented on her blog that some of my most inspired posts have popped into my head during my morning 10 mile run. My idea for her? Somehow try to blog and run. (And keep her job.)
Any more runner/polibloggers out there?
Florida Presbyterian church opposes national Presbyterian Israeli divestment policy
In a September 2004 National Review Online article, Eugene Kontorovich commented on the irony that the national Presbyterian Church, like Baathist thug state Syria, supports divesting funds from third-country firms doing business in Israel.
But the Jewish State is a democracy, and Syria is a brutal dictatorship.
Illinois-based Caterpillar draws specific ire from the divestment crowd, including the Presbyterian Church (USA) , likely due to it's "role" in the Rachel Corrie death. Sober-minded individuals view Corrie's death in Gaza as a tragic accident, she either slipped and fell, or refused to get out of the way of an oncoming Caterpillar bulldozer destroying an alleged terrorist hideout with escape tunnels.
Is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a complicated situation? Absolutely.
Of course the impetus for the divestment drive of the Presbyterian Church and others (the World Council of Churches followed their lead six months ago), is the Israeli treatment of the Palestinian people. By "people," and "treatment" I believe that includes Israeli security and military attacks against such groups as Hamas and Hezbollah.
And as for the Palestinians, a "free" Palestine, based upon the underreported and continuing chaos following the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, is not likely to become a boring Norway-style democracy.
Want more? Then there is the issue of Palestinian treatment of non-Muslim holy sites. A few years ago, Palestinian militants turned Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity into a terrorist fortress. They left the sacred site with bullet holes in the walls--the rest of the church was for the most part scarred by piles of filth.
And earlier this month, after the Israeli Gaza withdrawal, within hours, most of Gaza's synagogues were destroyed by arsonists. Although one will be still standing, that former synagogue will become a Hamas museum.
(Hat tip to Solomonia)
True, those last atrocities took place a year after the Presbyterian Church (USA's) divestment move. But what's just happened in Gaza shows us the kind of people they've sided with when they voted with their pocketbooks against Israel and companies that do business there.
But at least one Presbyterian Church is speaking up. One of the issues the First Presbyterian Church of Bradenton, FL has proposed to the national Presbyterian Church, in support of a Mississippi church group, is the rescinding or significant modification of the Presbyterian Church divestment move against Israel.
A wise move, let's hope they win out.
It's here in the Truth in Love Network site, a Presbyterian blog.
Their proposals will be voted upon November 17 meeting of the Presbytery.
Hat tip to reader Larry Rued.
But the Jewish State is a democracy, and Syria is a brutal dictatorship.
Illinois-based Caterpillar draws specific ire from the divestment crowd, including the Presbyterian Church (USA) , likely due to it's "role" in the Rachel Corrie death. Sober-minded individuals view Corrie's death in Gaza as a tragic accident, she either slipped and fell, or refused to get out of the way of an oncoming Caterpillar bulldozer destroying an alleged terrorist hideout with escape tunnels.
Is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a complicated situation? Absolutely.
Of course the impetus for the divestment drive of the Presbyterian Church and others (the World Council of Churches followed their lead six months ago), is the Israeli treatment of the Palestinian people. By "people," and "treatment" I believe that includes Israeli security and military attacks against such groups as Hamas and Hezbollah.
And as for the Palestinians, a "free" Palestine, based upon the underreported and continuing chaos following the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, is not likely to become a boring Norway-style democracy.
Want more? Then there is the issue of Palestinian treatment of non-Muslim holy sites. A few years ago, Palestinian militants turned Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity into a terrorist fortress. They left the sacred site with bullet holes in the walls--the rest of the church was for the most part scarred by piles of filth.
And earlier this month, after the Israeli Gaza withdrawal, within hours, most of Gaza's synagogues were destroyed by arsonists. Although one will be still standing, that former synagogue will become a Hamas museum.
(Hat tip to Solomonia)
True, those last atrocities took place a year after the Presbyterian Church (USA's) divestment move. But what's just happened in Gaza shows us the kind of people they've sided with when they voted with their pocketbooks against Israel and companies that do business there.
But at least one Presbyterian Church is speaking up. One of the issues the First Presbyterian Church of Bradenton, FL has proposed to the national Presbyterian Church, in support of a Mississippi church group, is the rescinding or significant modification of the Presbyterian Church divestment move against Israel.
A wise move, let's hope they win out.
It's here in the Truth in Love Network site, a Presbyterian blog.
Their proposals will be voted upon November 17 meeting of the Presbytery.
Hat tip to reader Larry Rued.
Eminent domain issue in Chicago: Sportif Bike Shop update
In early June, I had a post about the Sportif Importer Ltd. Bike Shop. The store is located in the thriving Jefferson Park area on Chicago's Northwest Side.
The original June 6 article I blogged about is no longer available on the ABC 7 Chicago web site, I did find this re-print on Free Republic.
A summary: A developer, Demetrius Kozonis, has enlisted the assistance of Chicago Alderman Patrick Levar to have the site declared "blighted," and therefore available for an eminent domain land grab so Kozonis can build some expensive condominiums where Sportif now stands.
Sportif has been at the same location for 35 years. The location is a good one--just blocks from an entrance ramp onto I-90, as well as the Jefferson Park "el" train stop.
Since my June 6 post, I've driven past Sportif and through that neighborhood. Neither the store or the area is blighted. Only a broken "S" on the storefront looks bad.
On June 23, in an idiotic decision, Kelo vs. New London, the US Supreme Court greatly strengthened the hand of local governments in their ability to seize properties such as the Sportif Bike Shop in "blighted areas."
As far at Sportif and the surrounding neighborhood, you can decide for yourself if it's a slum. Mark at Windypundit has a separate photoblog, with pictures of Sportif and its surroundings.
The photo in the upper left hand corner is courtesy of Mark's photoblog.
It's the first in a series of photobloggings Mark will be doing on Chicago area buildings facing similar eminent domain predicaments.
Neil Young speaks out on the Farm Aid funding controversy
A little more than a week ago, the Chicago Tribune ran a story charging the Farm Aid organization gives just 28 % of the money it raises to family farmers. The goal of Farm Aid is of course, to raise money for family farmers.
At a pre-Farm Aid concert press conference last Sunday, an angry Neil Young tore a copy of the Chicago Tribune in half.
Neil's calmed down slightly since then, and is quoted here in today's Chicago Tribune, while being interviewed by the Trib's Geg Kot.
Free registration required.
(Greg Kot writes)
Clearly, Young had plenty to discuss with his visitor. But the first order of business was Farm Aid and the Tribune article. In response to Young's remarks and a phone conversation with the artist last week, James O'Shea, the Tribune's managing editor, said: "The Tribune stands by its story."Young said he'd be talking to his lawyers about filing a lawsuit.
Young: "We've enjoyed a lot of respect and support from people over the years, especially here in Chicago," he said, "and we have to let people know they can't do this to us."
Q. You're taking this personally.
A. Yes, I am. This is going to turn into something as big as I can make it. I'm going to try to do everything I can to rattle the cages of the people responsible and to let them know that if you try this again, the same thing will happen. [The article] has been on CNN and all the wire services. It's been distributed around the country. The fallout is as bad as you could imagine. The potential is that it damages Farm Aid's reputation to the point where we can't help the farmers. If everybody believed it, it would be very undermining. We're a grass-roots organization. We've been taking on corporate entities for a long time trying to protect the family farm. And frankly this article looks like it came from a corporate entity. I'm not going to back off, unless we get cooperation, a retraction, some sort of a sign in the paper that is agreeable to us that this was irresponsible, not factual, and slanted. If we can't get that we're going full on the attack. This is a severe blow that needs to be answered.
At a pre-Farm Aid concert press conference last Sunday, an angry Neil Young tore a copy of the Chicago Tribune in half.
Neil's calmed down slightly since then, and is quoted here in today's Chicago Tribune, while being interviewed by the Trib's Geg Kot.
Free registration required.
(Greg Kot writes)
Clearly, Young had plenty to discuss with his visitor. But the first order of business was Farm Aid and the Tribune article. In response to Young's remarks and a phone conversation with the artist last week, James O'Shea, the Tribune's managing editor, said: "The Tribune stands by its story."Young said he'd be talking to his lawyers about filing a lawsuit.
Young: "We've enjoyed a lot of respect and support from people over the years, especially here in Chicago," he said, "and we have to let people know they can't do this to us."
Q. You're taking this personally.
A. Yes, I am. This is going to turn into something as big as I can make it. I'm going to try to do everything I can to rattle the cages of the people responsible and to let them know that if you try this again, the same thing will happen. [The article] has been on CNN and all the wire services. It's been distributed around the country. The fallout is as bad as you could imagine. The potential is that it damages Farm Aid's reputation to the point where we can't help the farmers. If everybody believed it, it would be very undermining. We're a grass-roots organization. We've been taking on corporate entities for a long time trying to protect the family farm. And frankly this article looks like it came from a corporate entity. I'm not going to back off, unless we get cooperation, a retraction, some sort of a sign in the paper that is agreeable to us that this was irresponsible, not factual, and slanted. If we can't get that we're going full on the attack. This is a severe blow that needs to be answered.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Update: Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church
Well, actually, in a way there isn't much to update. And that's good news. Since his thrashing in Tennessee last month, there have only been a few Westboro Baptist "Church" protests at funerals of American soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
For those unfamiliar with "the Reverend" Fred Phelps, he and his Westboro Baptist Church have convinced themselves that God is punishing the U.S. because of our tolerance of gays in our society. Soldiers getting killed in Iraq is part of a Divine plan, or so they think.
Oh, the old nut Phelps still is making a lot of noise on his web site, God Hates Fags, about picketing the funerals of soldiers' recently killed in action, but his last publicly acknowledged funeral protest was over a week ago in his home state of Kansas.
(And about Kansas. Kansans view him as an embarrassment to their state.)
Lately, the Westboro cult has been celebrating the destruction brought upon the gulf coast by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
But the wrath of decent Americans just may have scared Phelps' group away from funeral protests. I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow via Tennessean Bill Hobbs' superb blog, the word got out in the Volunteer State to confront the Westboro Baptist Church head on.
Thank you Bill and the people of Tennessee.
Mother Sheehan's Rally
Today in Washington, Cindy Sheehan's rally against the war took place. Michelle Malkin was there with her camera. This is just one of the great photos she took. More available on her blog, including one with a sign suggesting the castration of Vice President Cheney.
If the Leftists got their way, would they want the castration to take place at Abu Grahib?
UPDATE 10:45 PM CDT: Although he wasn't in DC, Pat over at Brainster has put together his photo scrapbook of today's Mother Sheehan's Leftist Mardi Gras in Washington.
UPDATE 11:00PM CDT: Curt's pic fest at Flopping Aces is a must-see too. He's got links to other Cindy sites.
Also, now she's had her "big moment" again, it's time for Cindy to go home and find a job.
"Happy U.," Chicago Magazine's puff-piece on DePaul, is online
Earlier this month I posted that Chicago Magazine had an article in its September issue about DePaul University, entitled "Happy U." At the time, the article wasn't online--now it is.
According to the Princeton Review, DePaul has been named the "happiest" school in the country. Read the article here.
But as I remarked earlier, you'll find no mention of the Thomas Klocek controversy or Professor Norman G. Finkelstein in the "Happy U." article.
Here's a collection of articles about DePaul offering a different viewpoint, courtesy of Discover the Network, a project of FrontPage Magazine.
According to the Princeton Review, DePaul has been named the "happiest" school in the country. Read the article here.
But as I remarked earlier, you'll find no mention of the Thomas Klocek controversy or Professor Norman G. Finkelstein in the "Happy U." article.
Here's a collection of articles about DePaul offering a different viewpoint, courtesy of Discover the Network, a project of FrontPage Magazine.
Hurricane Rita hitting Gulf hard
The Texas and Louisiana Gulf coast is getting clobbered by the rains of Hurricane Rita.
Michelle Malkin and Geosciblog are doing an excellent job keeping track of the storm.
Michelle Malkin and Geosciblog are doing an excellent job keeping track of the storm.
Chief Illiniwek to make appearance today
And the Fighting Illini play 17th ranked Michigan State in the Big 10 opener for both teams. Go Illini!
UPDATE 4:15 PM: Bad day for the Illini, as Michigan State, Michael Moore's favorite school, beat up on Illinois, 61-14.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Conservative Black group calls for Congressional Black Caucus, Hillary, to denounce Charles Rangel's anti-Bush comments
An African-American conservative group, Project 21, is speaking out against outrageous comments made my New York City Congressman Charles Rangel.
From their press release:
Members of the black leadership network Project 21 are demanding that the
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) join with them in condemning remarks made by CBC member Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) in which he called President George W. Bush '"our Bull Conner," referring to the 1960s segregationist icon.
"Charles Rangel's comments are morally vacant and beneath the pale, but obviously not out of character for him and his supporters," said Project 21 member Mychal Massie. "How many blacks today suffer from beatings, fire hoses or have dogs set on them for trying to seek a seat at a lunch counter or go to school? How many of us today are living under inflexible, legislated segregation?"
Massie adds: "Rangel's comments may play well with those who embrace ignorance, but it will not resonate with Americans who eschew racial demagoguery. We demand that the CBC and Senator Clinton join with this overwhelming majority of their fellow citizens in banishing hate speech such as this to the trash heap of history."
Rep. Rangel made his comparison of President Bush to the former Birmingham, Ala., police commissioner at the Congressional Black Caucus's 35th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 22. As reported by the New York Sun, Rangel also said, "If you're black in this country and you're poor in this country, it's not an inconvenience -- it's a death sentence." Sen. Clinton was also in attendance at the event, as were Sen. Barak Obama (D-Ill.), Reps. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and former entertainer Harry Belafonte.
I like that last bit....former entertainer Harry Belafonte. Calling it like it is!
From their press release:
Members of the black leadership network Project 21 are demanding that the
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) join with them in condemning remarks made by CBC member Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) in which he called President George W. Bush '"our Bull Conner," referring to the 1960s segregationist icon.
"Charles Rangel's comments are morally vacant and beneath the pale, but obviously not out of character for him and his supporters," said Project 21 member Mychal Massie. "How many blacks today suffer from beatings, fire hoses or have dogs set on them for trying to seek a seat at a lunch counter or go to school? How many of us today are living under inflexible, legislated segregation?"
Massie adds: "Rangel's comments may play well with those who embrace ignorance, but it will not resonate with Americans who eschew racial demagoguery. We demand that the CBC and Senator Clinton join with this overwhelming majority of their fellow citizens in banishing hate speech such as this to the trash heap of history."
Rep. Rangel made his comparison of President Bush to the former Birmingham, Ala., police commissioner at the Congressional Black Caucus's 35th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 22. As reported by the New York Sun, Rangel also said, "If you're black in this country and you're poor in this country, it's not an inconvenience -- it's a death sentence." Sen. Clinton was also in attendance at the event, as were Sen. Barak Obama (D-Ill.), Reps. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and former entertainer Harry Belafonte.
I like that last bit....former entertainer Harry Belafonte. Calling it like it is!
Another DePaul Moonbat speaker: Slavery reparations proponent Dorothy "The Hat" Tillman
Tuesday anti-Semite Norman Finkelstein will give a speech at DePaul, as posted here yesterday. And of course, last week, Marathon Pundit reported that Ward Churchill, Moonbat of all Moonbats Ward Churchill, will be speaking at DePaul's Lincoln Park campus.
Any conservatives scheduled to speak there? Not that I can see.
Fair and balanced? Not!
But I did see the Chicago Alderman Dorothy "The Hat" Tillman will rant at DePaul on October 5. Who is Dorothy Tillman?
She's a major force in the slavery reparations movement.
From In These Times magazine:
Chicago has become the de facto center of the slavery reparations movement. Alderman Dorothy Tillman organized the first national reparations conference in 2001 and was the prime mover of a city ordinance that supports congressional hearings on reparations. Tillman later successfully lobbied the City Council to pass the Slave Era Disclosure Act, an ordinance that requires companies doing business with the city to reveal connections to slavery. Chicago was the first large city to pass such legislation.
Norman Finkelstein, Ward Churchill, Dorothy Tillman. It's an elite group, but only if you're a Hard-Leftist.
More Chicago City Hall indictments
More problems for Illinois Democrats: Four former City of Chicago employees, as well as one current one, have been charged in the ongoing corruption investigation at City Hall.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
Federal prosecutors charged one current and four former city employees Thursday with taking part in a hiring scheme at City Hall, in which political workers who did City Hall's bidding were awarded city jobs or promotions at such city departments as Water, Streets and Sanitation and Aviation.
Robert Sorich, 42, who was initially charged in July, ran Daley's patronage office and allegedly oversaw a list of thousands of people who filled city jobs. The list noted which jobs they held and who their source of political clout was. Those jobs were supposed to be free of politics under the federal court's Shakman decree.
Sorich's attorney, Thomas Durkin, said Sorich did nothing wrong but "had an incredibly difficult job and had to placate a variety of competing interests in order to make the city run efficiently.
"Chicagoans don't want their city to run like the post office or FEMA," Durkin said.
Two of Sorich's friends, Timothy McCarthy, 37, and Patrick Slattery, 42, were also charged with taking part in the hiring scheme. All three live in Bridgeport. Their attorneys said their clients would fight the charges.
FEMA? More Bush bashing?
Marathon Pundit has obtained copies of the indictments.
Although not charged, Victor Reyes, an important cog in the Daley Machine--he's the head of the Hispanic Democratic Organization-- has been implicated in the scandal. So has the HDO.
The HDO is an effective "get out the vote" group.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
Federal prosecutors charged one current and four former city employees Thursday with taking part in a hiring scheme at City Hall, in which political workers who did City Hall's bidding were awarded city jobs or promotions at such city departments as Water, Streets and Sanitation and Aviation.
Robert Sorich, 42, who was initially charged in July, ran Daley's patronage office and allegedly oversaw a list of thousands of people who filled city jobs. The list noted which jobs they held and who their source of political clout was. Those jobs were supposed to be free of politics under the federal court's Shakman decree.
Sorich's attorney, Thomas Durkin, said Sorich did nothing wrong but "had an incredibly difficult job and had to placate a variety of competing interests in order to make the city run efficiently.
"Chicagoans don't want their city to run like the post office or FEMA," Durkin said.
Two of Sorich's friends, Timothy McCarthy, 37, and Patrick Slattery, 42, were also charged with taking part in the hiring scheme. All three live in Bridgeport. Their attorneys said their clients would fight the charges.
FEMA? More Bush bashing?
Marathon Pundit has obtained copies of the indictments.
Although not charged, Victor Reyes, an important cog in the Daley Machine--he's the head of the Hispanic Democratic Organization-- has been implicated in the scandal. So has the HDO.
The HDO is an effective "get out the vote" group.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
More charges filed in Lodi jihad case
Huge hat tip to our man in central California, Third Wave Dave. And congratulations Dave for the plug you got on Michelle Malkin's site, a badge of honor for any blogger.
I've never been there, but Lodi to me means two things, the old Creedence Clearwater Revival Song, Lodi, (Oh Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again) and produce boxes that I encounter at the local supermarket with "Product of Lodi, CA" emblazoned on them
Here's the third, the Lodi terror cell. From AP:
Hamid Hayat, 22, was already charged with lying to the FBI about attending a terrorist training camp in Pakistan. The new indictment adds the more serious charge of providing material support to terrorists.
Hayat "intended, upon receipt of orders from other individuals, to wage jihad (holy war) in the United States," the indictment alleges. It says he provided support and resources for carrying out acts of terror between March 2003 and June 2005, when he was arrested.
Prosecutors have said Hayat admitted in videotaped interrogations that he "intended to commit jihad in the U.S. He did not have any orders to fight at present; however, he was awaiting such orders."
If convicted of all charges, he faces up to 31 years in prison.
It may not be Lodi, but he'll probably be stuck somewhere for a long time.
I've never been there, but Lodi to me means two things, the old Creedence Clearwater Revival Song, Lodi, (Oh Lord, I'm stuck in Lodi again) and produce boxes that I encounter at the local supermarket with "Product of Lodi, CA" emblazoned on them
Here's the third, the Lodi terror cell. From AP:
Hamid Hayat, 22, was already charged with lying to the FBI about attending a terrorist training camp in Pakistan. The new indictment adds the more serious charge of providing material support to terrorists.
Hayat "intended, upon receipt of orders from other individuals, to wage jihad (holy war) in the United States," the indictment alleges. It says he provided support and resources for carrying out acts of terror between March 2003 and June 2005, when he was arrested.
Prosecutors have said Hayat admitted in videotaped interrogations that he "intended to commit jihad in the U.S. He did not have any orders to fight at present; however, he was awaiting such orders."
If convicted of all charges, he faces up to 31 years in prison.
It may not be Lodi, but he'll probably be stuck somewhere for a long time.
Norman Finkelstein to make DePaul speaking appearance on Tuesday
The DePaul chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, one of the groups instrumental in getting pro-Israel professor Thomas Klocek suspended, will be hosting Norman Finkelstein (see previous posts), will be somewhere on the DePaul campus at 7pm Tuesday night. From Finkelstein's site:
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
Place: DePaul University, Chicago Time: 7:00 p.m. Sponsors: Students for Justice in Palestine Contact: assuss@gmail.com
Here is the October 2nd "hit piece" against Klocek, from that same DePaul chapter of SJP.
There are people at DePaul who say the Klocek and Finkelstein cases are unrelated. I don't think so.
Oh, don't forget, on October 20, Ward Churchill will grace the Lincoln Park campus of DePaul.
UPDATE 7:55PM Sunday, Sept 25: FrontPage Magazine's Discover the Network is back online, and so is it's section on the Students for Justice in Palestine.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
Place: DePaul University, Chicago Time: 7:00 p.m. Sponsors: Students for Justice in Palestine Contact: assuss@gmail.com
Here is the October 2nd "hit piece" against Klocek, from that same DePaul chapter of SJP.
There are people at DePaul who say the Klocek and Finkelstein cases are unrelated. I don't think so.
Oh, don't forget, on October 20, Ward Churchill will grace the Lincoln Park campus of DePaul.
UPDATE 7:55PM Sunday, Sept 25: FrontPage Magazine's Discover the Network is back online, and so is it's section on the Students for Justice in Palestine.
More from the Solomonia "DePaul's Albatross" posting
As I mentioned a couple of days ago, Solomonia had a great post on his blog, "DePaul's Albatross", about Norman Finkelstein, a DePaul professor the Anti-Defamation League has called a holocaust denier.
This part of Sol's post actually comes from JAT, the Jewish Action Task Force. I was unable to find the original link, so what I've cut-and-pasted has come from Sol's blog.
JAT has an action item that's also a very good resource. I paste large portions of it here:
SUBJ: Anti-Semitism at De Paul University
ACTION---
Write to the President of DePaul University asking that he convene a panel of disinterested scholars from other universities to look into the situation at DePaul and to determine why the university has three times taken positions antithetical to the high standards of scholarly rigor expected of American Universities. And ask why in these three cases where Jewish issues were involved, the commitment to uphold evidence-based standards of fact was ignored.
I'm going to remove the contact info and suggested letter. No sense in posting it here. If you'd like it, subscribe to the JAT list and email the team.
Or you can e-mail DePaul's president at dholtsch@depaul.edu
The anti-Semitic professor JAT is referring to is of course Norman Finkelstein, Thomas Klocek is the suspended professor, and you can learn more about anti-Semitic art exhibit here.
This part of Sol's post actually comes from JAT, the Jewish Action Task Force. I was unable to find the original link, so what I've cut-and-pasted has come from Sol's blog.
JAT has an action item that's also a very good resource. I paste large portions of it here:
SUBJ: Anti-Semitism at De Paul University
In the past three years, De Paul university has:
- hired a notoriously anti-Semitic and unscholarly professor;
- fired a professor for advocating a factual approach to the Middle East; and
- sponsored an anti-Semitic art exhibit with "scholarly" captions that misstate history.
ACTION---
Write to the President of DePaul University asking that he convene a panel of disinterested scholars from other universities to look into the situation at DePaul and to determine why the university has three times taken positions antithetical to the high standards of scholarly rigor expected of American Universities. And ask why in these three cases where Jewish issues were involved, the commitment to uphold evidence-based standards of fact was ignored.
I'm going to remove the contact info and suggested letter. No sense in posting it here. If you'd like it, subscribe to the JAT list and email the team.
Or you can e-mail DePaul's president at dholtsch@depaul.edu
The anti-Semitic professor JAT is referring to is of course Norman Finkelstein, Thomas Klocek is the suspended professor, and you can learn more about anti-Semitic art exhibit here.
Tonight's O'Reilly Factor: Bill cleans Phil Donohue's clock
Because of the Jet Blue scare last night, the early showing of the O'Reilly Factor was pre-empted, but I got to see that late night re-broadcast of Bill O'Reilly tying up Phil Donahue in knots and throwing him into a trash can, as the two argued over the silly Cindy Sheehan rally taking place this weekend in Washington.
Okay, I'm exagerrating, but not a lot, because TWICE O'Reilly threatened to throw Phil Donahue off his set.
Mr. Marlo Thomas did get to mention Halliburton once during the discussion.
Good news, Fox is rebroadcasting last night's Donahue segment tonight at 8pm (7pm Central) and 11pm (10pm Central)
Okay, I'm exagerrating, but not a lot, because TWICE O'Reilly threatened to throw Phil Donahue off his set.
Mr. Marlo Thomas did get to mention Halliburton once during the discussion.
Good news, Fox is rebroadcasting last night's Donahue segment tonight at 8pm (7pm Central) and 11pm (10pm Central)
Roberts vote moves to full Senate
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of John Roberts as the nation's next Chief Justice. Final approval of course belongs to the full US Senate.
These five Democrats voted against Roberts. No surprises here:
These five Democrats voted against Roberts. No surprises here:
- Dianne Feinstein of California, Joseph Biden of Delaware, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Charles Schumer of New York and Dick Durbin of Illinois.
Illinois state senator running for seat on Vicente Fox advisory council
Martin Sandoval is a Democratic state senator from Cicero, IL.
He's also running for a seat to serve on a Mexican government advisory council created by President Vicente Fox.
From the Chicago Tribune, free registration required, an excerpt:
If state Sen. Martin Sandoval succeeds in his next election Saturday, he will serve in Mexico City as well as Springfield.
Sandoval is running for a seat on an advisory council created by Mexico President Vicente Fox in 2002 to incorporate Mexicans living in the United States into his government's policymaking.
Sandoval would be the first elected official in the U.S. to serve on the advisory council. That raises the peculiar prospect of the Cicero Democrat offering policy advice in an official capacity to Mexican Cabinet members while creating laws in Illinois.
The possibility has some observers praising his vision while others blast his judgment, calling the potential moonlighting arrangement a conflict of interest.
As it turns out, no law or rule prohibits it, in Mexico or in Illinois. Mexican officials call it an honorary position.
Sandoval, who was born in the United States to Mexican immigrants, said he realizes that some might raise eyebrows at the thought of a man who swore an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution influencing policy in Mexico City.
Senator Sandoval: You're either an American, or not.
UPDATE 10: 50 PM CDT: Found this on a Free Republic thread about this case.
United States Constitution, Article I, Section IX
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.
Does that apply to officials at all levels of government, or just the federal branch?
He's also running for a seat to serve on a Mexican government advisory council created by President Vicente Fox.
From the Chicago Tribune, free registration required, an excerpt:
If state Sen. Martin Sandoval succeeds in his next election Saturday, he will serve in Mexico City as well as Springfield.
Sandoval is running for a seat on an advisory council created by Mexico President Vicente Fox in 2002 to incorporate Mexicans living in the United States into his government's policymaking.
Sandoval would be the first elected official in the U.S. to serve on the advisory council. That raises the peculiar prospect of the Cicero Democrat offering policy advice in an official capacity to Mexican Cabinet members while creating laws in Illinois.
The possibility has some observers praising his vision while others blast his judgment, calling the potential moonlighting arrangement a conflict of interest.
As it turns out, no law or rule prohibits it, in Mexico or in Illinois. Mexican officials call it an honorary position.
Sandoval, who was born in the United States to Mexican immigrants, said he realizes that some might raise eyebrows at the thought of a man who swore an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution influencing policy in Mexico City.
Senator Sandoval: You're either an American, or not.
UPDATE 10: 50 PM CDT: Found this on a Free Republic thread about this case.
United States Constitution, Article I, Section IX
No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State.
Does that apply to officials at all levels of government, or just the federal branch?
Dershowitz clobbers Amnesty International over scapegoating Israel
It's a huge understatement, but the Islamic world has a problem with the way women are treated within its society.
Spin it all you want, send me hate mail, but it's true.
A site that up till now I was unfamilier with, the NGO Monitor, has this Alan Dershowitz article posted. That article was originally published by Canada's National Post.
Hat tip (again) to Dr. Steven Plaut of Moonbat Central.
An excerpt:
The hard left's compulsive need to single out Israel for what is often undeserved condemnation is damaging the human rights movement, weakening the anti-war movement and wounding other progressive causes such as feminism. By heaping disproportionate blame for the evils of the world on the Jewish state, these anti-Israel zealots are not only ignoring the real problems faced by many, they are also providing excuses to the perpetrators of real evils.
Consider, for example, a recent report by Amnesty International ("AI") on violence perpetrated against Palestinian women by Palestinian men in the West Bank and Gaza. The report purported to be "part of the global AI campaign to stop violence against women." Such violence is a serious problem, especially in the Arab and Muslim world, because so few leaders within these groups are prepared to condemn it and so many even justify it as a necessary means of maintaining family honour and male dominance.
The AI report documents honour killings of women who had been raped. In one such case, a 17-year-old girl was murdered by her own mother after she was "repeatedly raped by two of her brothers." In another case, a 21-year-old "was forced to drink poison by her father" when she was found to be pregnant.
The AI report places substantial blame for these and other killings on -- you guessed it -- Israel! Here is AI's conclusion, listing the causes of the violence directed against Palestinian women, presumably in the order of their importance: "Palestinian women in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are victims of multiple violations as a result of the escalation of the conflict, Israel's policies, and a system of norms, traditions and laws which treat women as unequal members of society."
Dershowitz goes on to explain that he asked for statistical back-up from Amnesty International that could verify their charges against the Israel. AI wouldn't give Dersh anything.
Not surprising.
As far as those hard-leftists who are demonizing Israel, and acccording to Dershowitz, actually weakening the overall struggle for human rights, Alan names some names. They included Cindy Sheehan, London Mayor Ken "The Red" Livingstone, and Alexander Cockburn of the Nation.
The final words go to Dershowitz:
These are but the tips of a very large and ugly iceberg of bigotry. International conferences on feminism, apartheid, slavery and environmentalism have been unable to agree on anything other than condemnation of Israel. If real peace is to be achieved -- and if human rights movements are to retain credibility -- this obsessive focus by the hard left on Israel must end. There is no indication that, even as the Jewish state takes painful steps toward peace, these unjustified attacks are diminishing.
Spin it all you want, send me hate mail, but it's true.
A site that up till now I was unfamilier with, the NGO Monitor, has this Alan Dershowitz article posted. That article was originally published by Canada's National Post.
Hat tip (again) to Dr. Steven Plaut of Moonbat Central.
An excerpt:
The hard left's compulsive need to single out Israel for what is often undeserved condemnation is damaging the human rights movement, weakening the anti-war movement and wounding other progressive causes such as feminism. By heaping disproportionate blame for the evils of the world on the Jewish state, these anti-Israel zealots are not only ignoring the real problems faced by many, they are also providing excuses to the perpetrators of real evils.
Consider, for example, a recent report by Amnesty International ("AI") on violence perpetrated against Palestinian women by Palestinian men in the West Bank and Gaza. The report purported to be "part of the global AI campaign to stop violence against women." Such violence is a serious problem, especially in the Arab and Muslim world, because so few leaders within these groups are prepared to condemn it and so many even justify it as a necessary means of maintaining family honour and male dominance.
The AI report documents honour killings of women who had been raped. In one such case, a 17-year-old girl was murdered by her own mother after she was "repeatedly raped by two of her brothers." In another case, a 21-year-old "was forced to drink poison by her father" when she was found to be pregnant.
The AI report places substantial blame for these and other killings on -- you guessed it -- Israel! Here is AI's conclusion, listing the causes of the violence directed against Palestinian women, presumably in the order of their importance: "Palestinian women in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are victims of multiple violations as a result of the escalation of the conflict, Israel's policies, and a system of norms, traditions and laws which treat women as unequal members of society."
Dershowitz goes on to explain that he asked for statistical back-up from Amnesty International that could verify their charges against the Israel. AI wouldn't give Dersh anything.
Not surprising.
As far as those hard-leftists who are demonizing Israel, and acccording to Dershowitz, actually weakening the overall struggle for human rights, Alan names some names. They included Cindy Sheehan, London Mayor Ken "The Red" Livingstone, and Alexander Cockburn of the Nation.
The final words go to Dershowitz:
These are but the tips of a very large and ugly iceberg of bigotry. International conferences on feminism, apartheid, slavery and environmentalism have been unable to agree on anything other than condemnation of Israel. If real peace is to be achieved -- and if human rights movements are to retain credibility -- this obsessive focus by the hard left on Israel must end. There is no indication that, even as the Jewish state takes painful steps toward peace, these unjustified attacks are diminishing.
FrontPage Magazine's "Discover the Network" site hacked again
According to David Horowitz, Chinese Communists are once again the culprit of this crime. It's a great site, and I use if often. I guess it's too effective for some. Here is the URL, if you'd like to bookmark it:
http://www.discoverthenetwork.com
If you want to know the left, the above site is an indispesnsible resource.
http://www.discoverthenetwork.com
If you want to know the left, the above site is an indispesnsible resource.
Cleveland Indians punish White Sox 8-0
It was a rough night for the White Sox.
In an interesting side note, Comcast Sports Network lost their sattelite feed, and the first 5 1/2 innings of the game weren't broadcast.
Until the cable signal came back on, however, the game was close.
In an interesting side note, Comcast Sports Network lost their sattelite feed, and the first 5 1/2 innings of the game weren't broadcast.
Until the cable signal came back on, however, the game was close.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
DePaul blogger alum speaks out
From "The Wolf," at The Guards of Magog.
De-Palled
I'm growing increasingly ashamed of the left-wing nuttiness from my alma mater.
Thanks for the link backs, Guards.
De-Palled
I'm growing increasingly ashamed of the left-wing nuttiness from my alma mater.
Thanks for the link backs, Guards.
Geosciblog, great blog, especially on Hurricanes
If you want some Hurricane blogging with a healthy dose of conservative politics, "Joe Six Pack's" Geosciblog is the place to visit. And he's a huge fan of The Who.
By the way, one of the great things about blogging is bloggers can bring their expertise into the "marketplace of ideas," no matter how seemingly trivial. Again, that's no matter how seemingly trivial.
Joe can use his knowledge of weather science in a way few mainstream reporters can. My marathon running has come in handy on a few occasions, as John Kerry found out last year on my "Blue States for Bush" site. Betsy of "Betsy's Page" is a teacher, Pat Curley of Brainster is an expert on comic books, Peoria Pundit lives in Peoria, and therefore knows if it plays in Peoria, it'll probably play it'll play anywhere in the USA.
Groucho Marx made that last observation, and I'm not going to question Groucho on anything.
Third Wave Dave lives in central California, and was able to bring his own insight on the busting of the Lodi, CA jihadist cell.
Outside of their local media there, does anyone seriously think many mainstream reporters live anywhere near Lodi?
Blogging is important, blogging is here to stay, blogging is changing the world.
By the way, one of the great things about blogging is bloggers can bring their expertise into the "marketplace of ideas," no matter how seemingly trivial. Again, that's no matter how seemingly trivial.
Joe can use his knowledge of weather science in a way few mainstream reporters can. My marathon running has come in handy on a few occasions, as John Kerry found out last year on my "Blue States for Bush" site. Betsy of "Betsy's Page" is a teacher, Pat Curley of Brainster is an expert on comic books, Peoria Pundit lives in Peoria, and therefore knows if it plays in Peoria, it'll probably play it'll play anywhere in the USA.
Groucho Marx made that last observation, and I'm not going to question Groucho on anything.
Third Wave Dave lives in central California, and was able to bring his own insight on the busting of the Lodi, CA jihadist cell.
Outside of their local media there, does anyone seriously think many mainstream reporters live anywhere near Lodi?
Blogging is important, blogging is here to stay, blogging is changing the world.
Longer prison sentence sought for East St. Louis vote fraud figure
Thanks to Cal Skinner for the tip!
In an update from yet another underreported story, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Carr is seeking a prison stay beyond the usual sentencing guidelines for Kevin Ellis, East St. Louis' former director of regulatory affairs.
From George Pawlaczyk of the Belleville News-Democrat, an excerpt:
A federal prosecutor has asked for a longer sentence for Kelvin Ellis, the city's former director of regulatory affairs, because Ellis allegedly ran a "massive," illicit political operation from City Hall.
During a monthlong trial in June in federal court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Carr won vote fraud convictions against five East St. Louis politicians, including Ellis.
On Friday, Carr filed a motion asking U.S. District Court Judge G. Patrick Murphy to consider sentencing Ellis on the vote fraud conviction from 51 to 63 months in prison instead of the range of 41 to 51 months called for in sentencing guidelines.
Carr alleged that Ellis "assisted in perpetuating what the evidence has shown to be a massive, unchecked system of vote-buying, which has gone on for decades in East St. Louis to the point where the pervasiveness of fraud has eroded the publics' confidence in elections."
Ellis' attorney, John O'Gara of Belleville, said Monday, "We will certainly respond to (the motion) by filing an objection at the appropriate time." Ellis, who is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3, is being held in federal custody and could not be reached for comment.
During the trial, witnesses testified that Ellis, a Democrat, enlisted the help of workers in his own office to be part of what he called his political "A team."
The Belleville News-Democrat, as I've noted before, has done a superb job reporting on the East St. Louis vote fraud story. AP has ran a few articles, but for the most part, the mainstream media has ignored this violation of one of America's sacred rights: the right to free and fair elections.
In an update from yet another underreported story, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Carr is seeking a prison stay beyond the usual sentencing guidelines for Kevin Ellis, East St. Louis' former director of regulatory affairs.
From George Pawlaczyk of the Belleville News-Democrat, an excerpt:
A federal prosecutor has asked for a longer sentence for Kelvin Ellis, the city's former director of regulatory affairs, because Ellis allegedly ran a "massive," illicit political operation from City Hall.
During a monthlong trial in June in federal court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Carr won vote fraud convictions against five East St. Louis politicians, including Ellis.
On Friday, Carr filed a motion asking U.S. District Court Judge G. Patrick Murphy to consider sentencing Ellis on the vote fraud conviction from 51 to 63 months in prison instead of the range of 41 to 51 months called for in sentencing guidelines.
Carr alleged that Ellis "assisted in perpetuating what the evidence has shown to be a massive, unchecked system of vote-buying, which has gone on for decades in East St. Louis to the point where the pervasiveness of fraud has eroded the publics' confidence in elections."
Ellis' attorney, John O'Gara of Belleville, said Monday, "We will certainly respond to (the motion) by filing an objection at the appropriate time." Ellis, who is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3, is being held in federal custody and could not be reached for comment.
During the trial, witnesses testified that Ellis, a Democrat, enlisted the help of workers in his own office to be part of what he called his political "A team."
The Belleville News-Democrat, as I've noted before, has done a superb job reporting on the East St. Louis vote fraud story. AP has ran a few articles, but for the most part, the mainstream media has ignored this violation of one of America's sacred rights: the right to free and fair elections.
Illinois stops for the pro-troops Move America Forward tour
Thanks once again to Third Wave Dave for the "heads up."
For other Move America Forward stops, click here.
Thursday, September 22nd Rockford, IL
7:00 PM - Rally & News Conference. “Support the Troops” banner-sheets will be on display, for you to sign and include a message of support. The sheets will be sent to the troops upon the completion of the nationwide bus tour and Washington, D.C. rally.
Audience members will recite the pledge of allegiance to protest the ruling against the pledge by activist U.S. District Judge, Lawrence Karlton.
--> Address is Road Ranger Truck Stop - US 20 Bypass & IL 2 S - Rockford , IL 61102
-----------------------------------------------
Friday, September 23rd Chicago, IL
7:30 AM - Rally & News Conference at Marriott Hotel in Downtown Chicago. “Support the Troops” banner-sheets will be on display, for you to sign and include a message of support. The sheets will be sent to the troops upon the completion of the nationwide bus tour and Washington, D.C. rally.
Audience members will recite the pledge of allegiance to protest the ruling against the pledge by activist U.S. District Judge, Lawrence Karlton.
--> Members of the press and the public are invited to our News Conference at Marriott Hotel in the Old Town Conference Room. The address is 540 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
For other Move America Forward stops, click here.
Thursday, September 22nd Rockford, IL
7:00 PM - Rally & News Conference. “Support the Troops” banner-sheets will be on display, for you to sign and include a message of support. The sheets will be sent to the troops upon the completion of the nationwide bus tour and Washington, D.C. rally.
Audience members will recite the pledge of allegiance to protest the ruling against the pledge by activist U.S. District Judge, Lawrence Karlton.
--> Address is Road Ranger Truck Stop - US 20 Bypass & IL 2 S - Rockford , IL 61102
-----------------------------------------------
Friday, September 23rd Chicago, IL
7:30 AM - Rally & News Conference at Marriott Hotel in Downtown Chicago. “Support the Troops” banner-sheets will be on display, for you to sign and include a message of support. The sheets will be sent to the troops upon the completion of the nationwide bus tour and Washington, D.C. rally.
Audience members will recite the pledge of allegiance to protest the ruling against the pledge by activist U.S. District Judge, Lawrence Karlton.
--> Members of the press and the public are invited to our News Conference at Marriott Hotel in the Old Town Conference Room. The address is 540 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
Pro-troops, DC-bound Move America Forward bus tour in Chicago tomorrow night
California blogger Third Wave Dave reports:
Move America Forward, the Sacramento based pro-America organization, has hit the road again in support of America's troops. The caravan left San Francisco Monday and will arrive in Washington D. C. on Saturday the 24th. Their last caravan arrived in Crawford, Texas, to help off-set the bed-wetters huddled around Cindy Sheehan during her vigil outside President Bush's home.
Mother Sheehan is organizing yet another anti-war rally in D.C. on the 24th and MAF will be pulling into town to hold a pro-troop rally at the same time. In the meantime, while traveling from sea-to-shining-sea, MAF's caravan will be stopping in many cities and holding mini-rallies in an attempt to gain more support for their cause and their organization. They will be doing this on the dollars we've sent them and with little or no media attention. Make that NO MEDIA ATTENTION.
I don't have details on the Chicago appearance, such as the location, but the time of arrival is listed as 8pm. When I found out more, I'll update this post.
Solomonia has the definitive Norman Finkelstein post
This is blogging at it's best. Sol at Solomonia nails Norman Finkelstein and DePaul to the wall using dull and rusty chunks of metal. The post is entitled DePaul's Albatross.
A quick summary:
Norman Finkelstein posted various David Letterman-style "Top 10" lists about himself on his web site. Except these lists are all critical of Finkelstein. Sol believes these lists came from the web log CampusJ.
These include:
The 10 Nuttiest Things "The Nutty Assistant Professor" Has Said
The 10 Most Devastating Things People Have Said About Finkelstein
The 10 Biggest Lies Finkelstein Has Been Caught Telling
The 10 Most Despicable Things Finkelstein Has Said About Others
In that last batch, I want to bring out this quote timely quote:
UPDATE 7:15PM Sept 20, 2005: The sources are listed on the site, in a round about fashion, but they're there.
http://www.campusj.com/files/2005/04/18/10/14/32/dershowitzpamphletfinkelstein.doc
A quick summary:
Norman Finkelstein posted various David Letterman-style "Top 10" lists about himself on his web site. Except these lists are all critical of Finkelstein. Sol believes these lists came from the web log CampusJ.
These include:
The 10 Nuttiest Things "The Nutty Assistant Professor" Has Said
The 10 Most Devastating Things People Have Said About Finkelstein
The 10 Biggest Lies Finkelstein Has Been Caught Telling
The 10 Most Despicable Things Finkelstein Has Said About Others
In that last batch, I want to bring out this quote timely quote:
....on the Simon Wiesenthal Centre"The Centre is renowned for its 'Dachau-meets-Disneyland' museum exhibitions and 'the successful use of sensationalistic scare tactics for fund-raising."
Here's what Sol says about Finkelstein's bizarre negative vanity:
Do you think DePaul University knew who Norman Finkelstein was before they hired him? If they did, they could have asked. Finkelstein has a wonderful resource on his own "issues" posted right there on his own web site. Apparently reposted from CampusJ, most people would re-post this stuff in order to respond to it. Finkelstein clearly feels no pressure to do so. Far-Leftists like Finkelstein wear this stuff as a badge of honor.
Sol's Finkelstein post is great, visit his blog and if you have a blog, link to it. He's also been a strong supporter of Thomas Klocek, the pro-Israel professor suspended by DePaul last September.
Finkelstein, incidentally, has been quite upfront in accusing Alan Dershowitz of plagiarism and not attributing sources in one of his books. I was unable to find the CampusJ post Sol cited.
If Sol is correct, and I bet he is, then he's caught Abnormal Norman committing a sin he's accused Dershowitz of: not attributing sources.UPDATE 7:15PM Sept 20, 2005: The sources are listed on the site, in a round about fashion, but they're there.
http://www.campusj.com/files/2005/04/18/10/14/32/dershowitzpamphletfinkelstein.doc
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
White Sox win!!!!
This was baseball at it's best. Close, neck-and-neck extra innings game with a dramatic home run by Joe Crede to win it for the White Sox. True, had the Indians won, I'd post something different. But the White Sox won, and that's what counts to me.
Jon Garland, the ace of the Chicago White Sox staff, is on the mound for the South Siders Wednesday.
Jon Garland, the ace of the Chicago White Sox staff, is on the mound for the South Siders Wednesday.
Little Marathon Pundit meets Illinois State Representative Beth Coulson
Beth Coulson is a fine Illinois Republican state representative whose constituency includes Morton Grove, Glenview, Skokie and Wilmette.
Today she hosted an ice cream social for grade school students who successfully completed a summer reading program. My 9 year-old daughter, "Little Marathon Pundit," was there. Work kept me from attending, but Mrs. Marathon Pundit was able to take her, and handed Beth a Marathon Pundit business card.
Beth promised my wife she'd visit here. Hello Beth!
Ms. Coulson had a photographer at the event, and she promises she'll send a Beth-and-Little-Marathon-Pundit pic our way.
What hath Finkelstein wrought?
Here is one of the reviews from Amazon.com, Norman Finkelstein's, Beyond Chutzpah : On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History. More on the DePaul professor in the previous post.
(Three stars) NOT FAR ENOUGH, September 19, 2005Reviewer: JEW HATER "MARK" (DETROIT) - See all my reviews FINKELSTEIN'S HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE, ESPECIALLY FOR A JEW. HE RECOGNIZES HOW DESPICABLE HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS ARE, AND HOW WHINY THE REST OF THE JEWS ARE. HE DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH THOUGH. HE DOESN'T TELL US WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH THOSE PEOPLE. TIME FOR ACTION!!!
Amazon will probably do the right thing and pull this "review." Yes, there are some reviews that are less strident and not racist, but DePaul should realize, when you hook up with a guy like Norman Finkelstein, this kind of dreck will come to the surface. Also, doing a Google or Yahoo! search on Norman Finkelstein, will take you to a lot of white supremacist sites.
UPDATE 9:15PM. 9/20/05: Amazon pulled the offensive post today.
(Three stars) NOT FAR ENOUGH, September 19, 2005Reviewer: JEW HATER "MARK" (DETROIT) - See all my reviews FINKELSTEIN'S HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE, ESPECIALLY FOR A JEW. HE RECOGNIZES HOW DESPICABLE HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS ARE, AND HOW WHINY THE REST OF THE JEWS ARE. HE DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH THOUGH. HE DOESN'T TELL US WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH THOSE PEOPLE. TIME FOR ACTION!!!
Amazon will probably do the right thing and pull this "review." Yes, there are some reviews that are less strident and not racist, but DePaul should realize, when you hook up with a guy like Norman Finkelstein, this kind of dreck will come to the surface. Also, doing a Google or Yahoo! search on Norman Finkelstein, will take you to a lot of white supremacist sites.
UPDATE 9:15PM. 9/20/05: Amazon pulled the offensive post today.
Today's news: Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal dies--in Chicago, Holocaust denier Norman Finkelstein has a book signing
Simon Wiesenthal, the legendary Nazi-hunter, died this morning in Vienna at age 96.
From the Wiesenthal Center web site:
"Simon Wiesenthal was the conscience of the Holocaust," said Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the International Human Rights NGO named in Mr. Wiesenthal’s honor, adding, "When the Holocaust ended in 1945 and the whole world went home to forget, he alone remained behind to remember. He did not forget. He became the permanent representative of the victims, determined to bring the perpetrators of the history’s greatest crime to justice. There was no press conference and no president or Prime Minister or world leader announced his appointment. He just took the job. It was a job no one else wanted.
The task was overwhelming. The cause had few friends. The Allies were already focused on the Cold War, the survivors were rebuilding their shattered lives and Simon Wiesenthal was all alone, combining the role of both prosecutor and detective at the same time."
Overcoming the world’s indifference and apathy, Simon Wiesenthal helped bring over 1,100 Nazi War Criminals before the Bar of Justice.
Meanwhile in Chicago, Norman Finkelstein will take part in a book signing at the Barnes & Noble bookstore located on the DePaul University Loop campus at 12:30 pm today. Finkelstein is a DePaul professor who has been called a holocaust denier by the Anti-Defamation League.
Finkelstein will be autographing copies of his latest book, Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-semitism and the Abuse of History. The link comes to us from the Barnes & Noble web site, there has been one review of the book-- a five star rave-up from another anti-Semitic Jew, Noam Chomsky.
Finkelstein's writings and speeches are drenched with anti-Israeli comments and sentiments.
And Marathon Pundit readers are well aware what happens to pro-Israel professors at DePaul.
From the Wiesenthal Center web site:
"Simon Wiesenthal was the conscience of the Holocaust," said Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the International Human Rights NGO named in Mr. Wiesenthal’s honor, adding, "When the Holocaust ended in 1945 and the whole world went home to forget, he alone remained behind to remember. He did not forget. He became the permanent representative of the victims, determined to bring the perpetrators of the history’s greatest crime to justice. There was no press conference and no president or Prime Minister or world leader announced his appointment. He just took the job. It was a job no one else wanted.
The task was overwhelming. The cause had few friends. The Allies were already focused on the Cold War, the survivors were rebuilding their shattered lives and Simon Wiesenthal was all alone, combining the role of both prosecutor and detective at the same time."
Overcoming the world’s indifference and apathy, Simon Wiesenthal helped bring over 1,100 Nazi War Criminals before the Bar of Justice.
Meanwhile in Chicago, Norman Finkelstein will take part in a book signing at the Barnes & Noble bookstore located on the DePaul University Loop campus at 12:30 pm today. Finkelstein is a DePaul professor who has been called a holocaust denier by the Anti-Defamation League.
Finkelstein will be autographing copies of his latest book, Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-semitism and the Abuse of History. The link comes to us from the Barnes & Noble web site, there has been one review of the book-- a five star rave-up from another anti-Semitic Jew, Noam Chomsky.
Finkelstein's writings and speeches are drenched with anti-Israeli comments and sentiments.
And Marathon Pundit readers are well aware what happens to pro-Israel professors at DePaul.
White Sox in trouble
Tonight's game against the Indians, as well as tomorrow's, are crucial after last nights White Sox loss to the Indians.
Monday, September 19, 2005
First issue of The DePaulia since June is out, no mention of Klocek or Finkelstein
The student newspaper of DePaul, The DePaulia, is back from it's annual summer hiatus.
While the DePaulia was away, the two biggest stories in the mainstream media involving DePaul were:
The DePaulia does manage to sneak in some Bush-bashing. At least they have their priorities in order.
Moron Finkelstein tomorrow.
While the DePaulia was away, the two biggest stories in the mainstream media involving DePaul were:
- Thomas Klocek's defamation lawsuit against the university.
- The escalation of the feud between Alan Dershowitz and DePaul's Norman Finkelstein. The latter has been called a holocaust denier by the Anti-Defamation League.
The DePaulia does manage to sneak in some Bush-bashing. At least they have their priorities in order.
Moron Finkelstein tomorrow.
Congresswoman Schakowsky's leftwing rant about Janet Jackson's nipple
Jan Schakowsky, Democratic congresscritter from Evanston, and Marathon Pundit's rep in Washington, posted this bizarre statement on her web site last week, which I've excerpted.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky today spoke in support of protecting free speech and diversifying media ownership at the Future of Music Policy Summit.
Representative Schakowsky’s statement is below:
I don’t know what it was about Janet Jackson’s nipple, but it set off a frenzy in Congress. The baring of her breast created an obsession in Congress about getting “indecency” off the airwaves. (I wonder what Freud would say.) Nobody was concerned about the violence of the act, the ripping of her clothes, but that children may have seen something that I am sure all of them had already seen.
The reason I oppose Congress’s answer to indecency on the airwaves – raising fines against broadcasters and artist to $500,000 per indecent incident – is because the excessive fines against artist is a form of censorship and would violate the right to Free Speech. I believe that raising fines would be more successful at undermining our First Amendment rights and creative expression than it would be successful in cleaning up the airwaves. Those fines would amount to what William Shakespeare describes as “art made tongue-tied by authority.”
No one can believe that the fear of those fines would not prohibit artistic expression. Not every artist gets the salary of Janet Jackson and can proceed as the fine would just be the cost of doing their thing. The average musician makes just $36, 290 per year. The average actor makes merely $23, 470 per year. Even a fine of $11,000 – current law – could destroy an artist who was found to be “indecent.”
I believe that if the fines are raised to $500,000, artists would become so obsessed with not being “objectionable,” so afraid of the financial devastation the indecency fines could cause for them, that they could self-censor away their creativity and truly sensational (in the good sense) performances. We are heading down a slippery slope when Big Brother decides what constitutes free speech and artistic expression. This legislation threatens to undermine both our Constitution and our creativity.
Personally, I am much more concerned about protecting my grandchildren’s First Amendment rights than I am about them seeing Janet Jackson’s nipple.
Those grandchildren of Congresscritter Schakowsky have a grandfather who is an admitted tax cheat and check-kiter.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky today spoke in support of protecting free speech and diversifying media ownership at the Future of Music Policy Summit.
Representative Schakowsky’s statement is below:
I don’t know what it was about Janet Jackson’s nipple, but it set off a frenzy in Congress. The baring of her breast created an obsession in Congress about getting “indecency” off the airwaves. (I wonder what Freud would say.) Nobody was concerned about the violence of the act, the ripping of her clothes, but that children may have seen something that I am sure all of them had already seen.
The reason I oppose Congress’s answer to indecency on the airwaves – raising fines against broadcasters and artist to $500,000 per indecent incident – is because the excessive fines against artist is a form of censorship and would violate the right to Free Speech. I believe that raising fines would be more successful at undermining our First Amendment rights and creative expression than it would be successful in cleaning up the airwaves. Those fines would amount to what William Shakespeare describes as “art made tongue-tied by authority.”
No one can believe that the fear of those fines would not prohibit artistic expression. Not every artist gets the salary of Janet Jackson and can proceed as the fine would just be the cost of doing their thing. The average musician makes just $36, 290 per year. The average actor makes merely $23, 470 per year. Even a fine of $11,000 – current law – could destroy an artist who was found to be “indecent.”
I believe that if the fines are raised to $500,000, artists would become so obsessed with not being “objectionable,” so afraid of the financial devastation the indecency fines could cause for them, that they could self-censor away their creativity and truly sensational (in the good sense) performances. We are heading down a slippery slope when Big Brother decides what constitutes free speech and artistic expression. This legislation threatens to undermine both our Constitution and our creativity.
Personally, I am much more concerned about protecting my grandchildren’s First Amendment rights than I am about them seeing Janet Jackson’s nipple.
Those grandchildren of Congresscritter Schakowsky have a grandfather who is an admitted tax cheat and check-kiter.
Professor X on the latest from the IUPUI witch hunt
We go from a fake Indian to a real one. Marathon Pundit has been keeping an eye on the odor emitting from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, or IUPUI, also (yes, it's true) "Oohie-Poohie."
William Bradford, a Libertarian Professor of Law there is the target of a Moonbat witch hunt.
Unlike the aforementioned Ward Churchill, Bradford actually is a Native American.
"Professor X" has been keeping an eye on the stench in Indianapolis, his latest FrontPage Magazine article is here.
Oohie poohie. Stink. Stank. Stunk.
William Bradford, a Libertarian Professor of Law there is the target of a Moonbat witch hunt.
Unlike the aforementioned Ward Churchill, Bradford actually is a Native American.
"Professor X" has been keeping an eye on the stench in Indianapolis, his latest FrontPage Magazine article is here.
Oohie poohie. Stink. Stank. Stunk.
Ward Churchill's DePaul flier available here
Mark the date, October 20, 2005, DePaul University.Ward Churchill will be at DePaul.
That e-mail address reads: culturalcenter@depaul.edu
Farm Aid artists, organizers, denounce Chicago Tribune
Yesterday in Tinley Park, IL, the 20th anniversary Farm Aid concerts took place. There was much controversy, as the day before the Chicago Tribune, citing IRS records, claimed that just 28% of the funds raised by Farm Aid goes to those who the organization is supposed to be helping: family farmers.
The Tribune article did not go unnoticed yesterday at the shows:
From the Daily Herald:
In its span of 20 years, Farm Aid has long named corporate farms and unfair government policy as the twin foes in its battle to save the family farm.
But during its daylong anniversary concert in Tinley Park Sunday, the chief nemesis named onstage and off was the Chicago Tribune.
The newspaper ran a story Saturday that cast a pall over the organization's festivities, reporting the charity organization spent less then 28 percent of its revenue in its mission to help the family farmer.
The story was publicly met with denouncements of the newspaper from artists: Farm Aid co-founder Neil Young tore the paper in two during a morning press conference.
In the middle of his band's set at the Tweeter Center, Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy said, "Chicago Tribune, you should be ashamed of yourself I don't care if you say one nice thing about us again. You (expletive) up."
During a backstage interview with the Daily Herald Sunday, Glenda Yoder, associate director with Farm Aid, said the story was "highly inaccurate."
Curiously, as of this writing, there is no mention of the Farm Aid backlash against the Chicago Tribune in either the Trib's print or online editions.
The Tribune article did not go unnoticed yesterday at the shows:
From the Daily Herald:
In its span of 20 years, Farm Aid has long named corporate farms and unfair government policy as the twin foes in its battle to save the family farm.
But during its daylong anniversary concert in Tinley Park Sunday, the chief nemesis named onstage and off was the Chicago Tribune.
The newspaper ran a story Saturday that cast a pall over the organization's festivities, reporting the charity organization spent less then 28 percent of its revenue in its mission to help the family farmer.
The story was publicly met with denouncements of the newspaper from artists: Farm Aid co-founder Neil Young tore the paper in two during a morning press conference.
In the middle of his band's set at the Tweeter Center, Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy said, "Chicago Tribune, you should be ashamed of yourself I don't care if you say one nice thing about us again. You (expletive) up."
During a backstage interview with the Daily Herald Sunday, Glenda Yoder, associate director with Farm Aid, said the story was "highly inaccurate."
Curiously, as of this writing, there is no mention of the Farm Aid backlash against the Chicago Tribune in either the Trib's print or online editions.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
WorldNetDaily on DePaul, Thomas Klocek, and Ward Churchill's upcoming visit
As reported here last Thursday, Ward Churchill, the phony Indian loudmouth and alleged plagiarist from Colorado University, will be expressing his "unique" thoughts at Chicago's DePaul University on October 20.
As WorldNetDaily reports today, this is the same university that suspended Professor Thomas Klocek for defending Israel in front of some of Palestinian students there.
Free speech for some at DePaul....but for one man, a suspension.
Jury selection for George Ryan's trial begins Monday
Former Illinois Governor George Ryan became a hero the Left and the Oprah crowd for emptying out Illinois' death row. However, the Republican left an odor that hangs over the state party to this day.
Jury selection for his trial on various corruption charges begins tomorrow.
His successor, Democrat Rod Blagojevich, who ran on a "reform" platform, is facing ethical problems of his own.
The first link is from the Chicago Sun-Times, the second is from the New York Times, free registration may be required on the last one.)
Rod's up for re-election next year. It'll be an uphill battle for him.
Jury selection for his trial on various corruption charges begins tomorrow.
His successor, Democrat Rod Blagojevich, who ran on a "reform" platform, is facing ethical problems of his own.
The first link is from the Chicago Sun-Times, the second is from the New York Times, free registration may be required on the last one.)
Rod's up for re-election next year. It'll be an uphill battle for him.
20 miles this morning!
Had my last long run this morning, a twenty mile run along Chicago's lakefront. Beautiful day, but a tad humid. Three weeks to the Chicago Marathon.
Ran near Soldier Field this morning, got an uplifting whiff of the barbecued coals and the bacon on the grill. A nice smell half way into a twenty miler.
Ran near Soldier Field this morning, got an uplifting whiff of the barbecued coals and the bacon on the grill. A nice smell half way into a twenty miler.
More East St. Louis corruption
Marathon Pundit has blogged about the "$10 per vote" fraud case that led to guilty verdicts in June.
Not wanting to be left out, the police chief of East St. Louis has been caught accepting bribes, leading to his resignation.
Hat tip to Cal Skinner:
From the Belleville News-Democrat:
Sgt. Freddie Wills resigned Friday from the city's Police Department as part of a deal with federal prosecutors to drop charges against him.
The 13-year police veteran entered into an 18-month-long pre-trial diversion agreement with prosecutors. Under the agreement, prosecution will be deferred against Wills on charges of wire fraud and obstructing justice. If he doesn't violate any laws during the 18-month period and cooperates fully with prosecutors and other law enforcement agencies, the charges will be dropped.
Not wanting to be left out, the police chief of East St. Louis has been caught accepting bribes, leading to his resignation.
Hat tip to Cal Skinner:
From the Belleville News-Democrat:
Sgt. Freddie Wills resigned Friday from the city's Police Department as part of a deal with federal prosecutors to drop charges against him.
The 13-year police veteran entered into an 18-month-long pre-trial diversion agreement with prosecutors. Under the agreement, prosecution will be deferred against Wills on charges of wire fraud and obstructing justice. If he doesn't violate any laws during the 18-month period and cooperates fully with prosecutors and other law enforcement agencies, the charges will be dropped.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Illinois blogger sued for $1 million yesterday
Hat tip to Obiter Dictum on this one. I don't know much about this case or this blogger, but Proviso Township, IL (west of Oak Park, east of DuPage County) is not known for its high standards of public service or ethics. Of course, we're talking about Illinois here, so that may not mean much.
The blog is Proviso Probe, here is the post about the suit.
UPDATE 1:30 PM Sunday. I've fixed the link. Thanks to Cal Skinner for pointing this out.
The blog is Proviso Probe, here is the post about the suit.
UPDATE 1:30 PM Sunday. I've fixed the link. Thanks to Cal Skinner for pointing this out.
Doh! Prison locked down after warden loses keys
From AP:
Prisoners at the Jacksonville Correctional Center in central Illinois spent four days on lockdown after an assistant warden lost a set of keys.
The set of about ten keys, which was still missing Friday, included a master key that opens doors to cell houses and two prison wings.The "high minimum security" institution of 1,400 male inmates was locked down from last Friday until Monday after a search failed to turn up the keys.
"We don't believe this poses a serious threat to the safety of the facility," Illinois Department of Corrections spokesman Sergio Molina said.The keys could have been lost between April 8 and last Friday, Molina said. They were not necessarily lost at the prison and were authorized to be taken home.
The department is investigating and disciplinary action may be possible, Molina said.
Chicago Tribune: Only 28% of Farm Aid revenue goes to family farmers
On Sunday in Tinley Park, IL, the Farm Aid Concerts will take place. The first Farm Aid was held in 1985; it's goal was to raise money for struggling family farmers. The aim for the following Farm Aid gigs has remain unchanged: with the the exception of 2001 (9/11) and this year (Hurricane Katrina).
The 2005 feautured performers are Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews.
But there are serious problems with Farm Aid, namely, very little of the money raised goes to family farmers.
Free registration required, from the Chicago Tribune:
Or, try this AP version of the article, which has no registration requirements. The below excerpt is from the Trib.
Even before Willie Nelson strums his first chord Sunday at this year's Farm Aid show in Tinley Park, one of the concert's missions will have been accomplished: Upholding the family farm as an American icon.
But how much the Farm Aid organization helps those farmers financially is a different matter. The percentage of funds given away by the group is exceedingly low compared with money eaten up by expenses or not used.
Last year, Farm Aid donated less than 28 percent of its revenue, according to a review of the non-profit's records and policies. An organization should be giving away at least 65 percent of its revenue to be considered performing adequately, said Naomi Levine, a New York University expert on philanthropy.
The high-profile concert itself, which is also burdened by high expenses, provides only a small percentage of revenue to philanthropic causes.
Farm Aid, which has been more successful than any other group -- maybe even farmers themselves -- at advocating the need for family farms, dispensed $387,641 in 57 grants to local organizations in 2004. This was on total revenue of slightly more than $1.4 million, according to records filed with the Internal Revenue Service.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Nigerian governor arrested in London for money laundering
From AFP. But they skip the biq question. Has the gov's e-mail account been suspended?
Wisconsin presidential vote fraud update
Paul Krugman and a whole bunch of others in the tinfoil-hat crowd keep whining about Bush's "theft" of Ohio in last year's presidential election.
These same people are very quiet about the clear vote fraud that took place forty miles north of me in Wisconsin.
From AP:
Wisconsin's voter registration procedures are riddled with inconsistencies that allow ineligible voters to cast ballots and make it difficult for prosecutors to catch illegal voters, state auditors said Friday.
Auditors identified 105 instances of improper or fraudulent voting in Madison and five other cities in the November 2004 election. Most of those votes were cast by ineligible felons, whose names were forwarded to prosecutors.
The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau identified more than 3,100 voters whose names appear on registration lists more than once in a review of 348,000 voter records in eight municipalities, opening the potential for double-voting.
Republican lawmakers requested the audit after the tight November 2004 presidential election amid charges of election fraud in Milwaukee, the state's largest city. Auditors said they could not review problems in Milwaukee because criminal investigators looking into fraud had the records.
State auditors focused their review on eight cities but also surveyed 150 municipalities and found widespread inconsistencies in the way they run elections.
Fewer than half of them sent postcards to verify the addresses voters gave when they registered by mail or on Election Day as required by state law as a way to guard against voter fraud according to the report. Clerks should forward cards that are returned ``undeliverable'' to district attorneys for investigation, but they rarely take that step.
Paul Krugman, do you care to respond?
Oh, in Wisconsin, John Kerry defeated President George Bush by just 10,000 votes last November.
UPDATE 10:45 PM CDT: Pat Curley of Brainster has a post on post-mortem voting in New Jersey. He links to an article from the New York Times, which is of course Paul Krugman's newspaper.
Blagojevich denies wrongdoing in teacher pension scandal
From ABC 7 Chicago:
Governor Rod Blagojevich responded to questions Friday about whether he is connected to a federal corruption investigation As first reported on ABC7, the probe focuses on contracts to invest billions of dollars from the teachers' pension fund. The governor denied any wrongdoing, calling reports that he is a possible target of a federal investigation untrue.
It's been a bad couple of days of the Chicago Democrat.
Governor Rod Blagojevich responded to questions Friday about whether he is connected to a federal corruption investigation As first reported on ABC7, the probe focuses on contracts to invest billions of dollars from the teachers' pension fund. The governor denied any wrongdoing, calling reports that he is a possible target of a federal investigation untrue.
It's been a bad couple of days of the Chicago Democrat.
Pat Curley of Brainster on DePaul and Klocek
Pat Curley of Brainster is the oldest friend of this blog, going back to the "Blue States for Bush" and "Run for Bush" days of a year ago. Here is his insightful take on what is going on at DePaul, and for the most part, within liberalism as well.
As I have mentioned on several occasions, the Left analyzes everything with the same template: who's the oppressor, and who's the oppressed. This leads them to some ridiculous stances, such as their mindless support for the Palestinians. Looked at in this light, the suspension of Professor Klocek actually makes sense. Students=oppressed, teacher=oppressor. There are some advantages to using a template; it frees you from any real need to analyze the individual circumstances. Of course, the negative is inflexibility and ridiculous results, as in the Klocek case.
As I have mentioned on several occasions, the Left analyzes everything with the same template: who's the oppressor, and who's the oppressed. This leads them to some ridiculous stances, such as their mindless support for the Palestinians. Looked at in this light, the suspension of Professor Klocek actually makes sense. Students=oppressed, teacher=oppressor. There are some advantages to using a template; it frees you from any real need to analyze the individual circumstances. Of course, the negative is inflexibility and ridiculous results, as in the Klocek case.
Blagojevich "Public Official A?"
Marathon Pundit has obtained copies of the plea agreements of Joseph Cari and Steven Loren.
In them, a "Public Official A" is mentioned.
From the Daily Herald:
Corruption plea deal turns spotlight on governor
‘High-ranking official’ may have rewarded campaign donors, court papers reveal
A “high-ranking public official” and two “close associates” may have rewarded campaign donors with fees from lucrative suburban teacher pension consulting contracts, federal prosecutors disclosed in court Thursday.
The high-ranking official and his associates also may have picked lawyers, investment firms and consultants who did business with several state pension funds as part of a campaign fund-raising strategy, the court filing alleged.
While the U.S. attorney’s office would not comment on the identity of the high-ranking official, named “Public Official A” in court documents, two sources familiar with the court filing said he is Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Those same sources, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity, identified one of the two “associates” as Antoin “Tony” Rezko, a top Blagojevich fund-raiser.
Neither Blagojevich nor Rezko has been charged with any wrongdoing.
When asked if Blagojevich is Public Official A, Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said, “We don’t know who Public Official A is. The only people who know are the federal government.”
Well, it could be worse for Governor Blagojevich. At least he wasn't called an "unidicted co-conspirator."
Even most Democrats give Blago at best mixed reviews in his performance as governor.
But both Democrats and Republicans wholeheartedly agree that the Illinois Democrat has exhibited a unique gift: raising piles of campaign cash. The last time I checked, Blagojevich had $14 million in his war chest.
The timing of the plea agreement is poor for Rod, as he was undoubtedly hoping that the upcoming corruption trial of his Republican predecessor, George Ryan, would deflect attention away from his rocky reign as Illinois' CEO.
In them, a "Public Official A" is mentioned.
From the Daily Herald:
Corruption plea deal turns spotlight on governor
‘High-ranking official’ may have rewarded campaign donors, court papers reveal
A “high-ranking public official” and two “close associates” may have rewarded campaign donors with fees from lucrative suburban teacher pension consulting contracts, federal prosecutors disclosed in court Thursday.
The high-ranking official and his associates also may have picked lawyers, investment firms and consultants who did business with several state pension funds as part of a campaign fund-raising strategy, the court filing alleged.
While the U.S. attorney’s office would not comment on the identity of the high-ranking official, named “Public Official A” in court documents, two sources familiar with the court filing said he is Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Those same sources, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity, identified one of the two “associates” as Antoin “Tony” Rezko, a top Blagojevich fund-raiser.
Neither Blagojevich nor Rezko has been charged with any wrongdoing.
When asked if Blagojevich is Public Official A, Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said, “We don’t know who Public Official A is. The only people who know are the federal government.”
Well, it could be worse for Governor Blagojevich. At least he wasn't called an "unidicted co-conspirator."
Even most Democrats give Blago at best mixed reviews in his performance as governor.
But both Democrats and Republicans wholeheartedly agree that the Illinois Democrat has exhibited a unique gift: raising piles of campaign cash. The last time I checked, Blagojevich had $14 million in his war chest.
The timing of the plea agreement is poor for Rod, as he was undoubtedly hoping that the upcoming corruption trial of his Republican predecessor, George Ryan, would deflect attention away from his rocky reign as Illinois' CEO.
Welcome back Moonnbat Central Readers
Thanks once again for linking back to Marathon Pundit, Dr. Plaut:
Here is the Moonbat Central post, "Moonbats of a Feathter Gather at DePaul "University."
Here is the Moonbat Central post, "Moonbats of a Feathter Gather at DePaul "University."
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Ward Churchill coming to DePaul University on October 20
Once again, I'm posting this on the first anniversary of the the beginnning of the Professor Thomas Klocek free speech battle at Chicago's DePaul University. I'm sure the organizers of this event view Ward Churchill's free speech rights as sacred.
Thanks to the Free Republic poster who brought this to my attention. This information comses once again from Chicago Indymedia:
Activist, Author and Scholar, Ward Churchill will be speaking at DePaul University. Famous for his involvemet in the American Indian Movement and his books like "Pacifism as Pathology" and the essay that ignited a firestorm of controversy last Spring "On the Justice of Roosting Chickens", Churchill will speak on human rights for people of color. This event is free and open to the public. Already the DePaul Campus republicans are talking about protesting the event. Boy, will they be outnumbered.
October 20th
5:30 pm
Student Center room 314a
(Student center located on sheffield and belden, one block south of the Fullerton El Stop)
Thanks to the Free Republic poster who brought this to my attention. This information comses once again from Chicago Indymedia:
Activist, Author and Scholar, Ward Churchill will be speaking at DePaul University. Famous for his involvemet in the American Indian Movement and his books like "Pacifism as Pathology" and the essay that ignited a firestorm of controversy last Spring "On the Justice of Roosting Chickens", Churchill will speak on human rights for people of color. This event is free and open to the public. Already the DePaul Campus republicans are talking about protesting the event. Boy, will they be outnumbered.
October 20th
5:30 pm
Student Center room 314a
(Student center located on sheffield and belden, one block south of the Fullerton El Stop)
Chicago Indymedia: DePaul's Norman Finkelstein Barnes & Noble's book signing next week
Anyone going to be in Chicago's Loop next Wednesday?
From Chicago IndyMedia:
Professor Norman Finkelstein, will have a book signing at the Barnes and Noble downtown at DePaul's Loop Campus (1 E. Jackson) and the event is on Tuesday September 20th at 12:30. Finkelstein's new book is called "Beyond Chutzpah, on the misuse of anti-semitism and abuse of history. It's a book about how Israeli apologists distort the facts about Israels human rights abuses and contribute to the oppression of Palestinians. The interesting thing about this event is that Barnes and Noble cancelled the event, but after activists and Palestine supporters called Barnes and Noble to compain, the event was rescheduled.
More on Norman Finkelstein here, courtesy of FrontPage Magazine. Finkelstein has been called a holocaust denier by the Anti-Defamation League.
Here's what Sol at Solomonia said about Professor Finkelstein today, in reference to the Thomas Klocek free speech battle:
Amusingly, Hizballah fan Norman Finkelstein, whom DePaul actively recruited, continues in good standing and will be up for tenure soon.
More on DePaul and the Thomas Klocek free speech battle in the following post.
From Chicago IndyMedia:
Professor Norman Finkelstein, will have a book signing at the Barnes and Noble downtown at DePaul's Loop Campus (1 E. Jackson) and the event is on Tuesday September 20th at 12:30. Finkelstein's new book is called "Beyond Chutzpah, on the misuse of anti-semitism and abuse of history. It's a book about how Israeli apologists distort the facts about Israels human rights abuses and contribute to the oppression of Palestinians. The interesting thing about this event is that Barnes and Noble cancelled the event, but after activists and Palestine supporters called Barnes and Noble to compain, the event was rescheduled.
More on Norman Finkelstein here, courtesy of FrontPage Magazine. Finkelstein has been called a holocaust denier by the Anti-Defamation League.
Here's what Sol at Solomonia said about Professor Finkelstein today, in reference to the Thomas Klocek free speech battle:
Amusingly, Hizballah fan Norman Finkelstein, whom DePaul actively recruited, continues in good standing and will be up for tenure soon.
More on DePaul and the Thomas Klocek free speech battle in the following post.
One year ago today, DePaul Professor Thomas Klocek had a discussion with some Muslim students...
....and was suspended because his ideas didn't match the PC groupthink found on almost all college campuses today.
On September 15, 2004, Klocek, an adjunct professor at Chicago's DePaul University for 14 years, was walking through a campus cafeteria where a student activities fair was taking place. He noticed a couple of display tables staffed by United Muslims Moving Ahead (UMMA) and the DePaul Chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)
More on Students for Justice in Palestine here, courtesy of Frontpage Magazine's Discover the Network. Incidentally, Frontpage, from David Horowitz on down, has been extremely helpful in getting the word out about Klocek's case.
From their display tables, UMMA and SJP members were handing out inflammatory fliers about the Rachel Corrie incident and other literature comparing Israelis to Nazis. Some of those fliers may still be available here. Klocek questioned the views of the Muslim students. The students were not used to being intellectually challenged in such a matter, so they responded in a predictable fashion: The called him a racist, exaggerated the incident, and complained to the Dean of Klocek's department, Susanne Dumbleton, who promptly suspended the professor.
In an October 1 letter-to-the-editor to the DePaul student newspaper, Dumbleton wrote:
No students anywhere should ever have to be concerned that they will be verbally attacked for their religious belief or ethnicity. No one should ever use the role of teacher to demean the ideas of others or insist on the absoluteness of an opinion, much less press erroneous assertions. (Bold print emphasis added by me.)
In my conversations with Professor Klocek, he vehemently, yes, vehemently denies attacking the "religious belief or ethnicity" of those students. He did challenge their extremist views, and that's where the trouble started. The "absoluteness of opinion," in my view, belonged to the SJP and UMMA members, not Professor Klocek.
After his speedy suspension, Klocek looked for assistance. Initially, few were interested in helping him. The ACLU, that"protector" of civil liberties, turned down his case. They're too busy, I guess, defending the rights of teen nudist camps.
But the Chicago law firm of Mauck and Baker agreed to take his case.
Few in the mainstream media were interested in the Klocek story. A notable exception was ABC 7 Chicago's Theresa Guiterrez, who covered a March 1 press conference at DePaul's downtown campus about the Klocek case. That story caught my eye, and I blogged it here on Marathon Pundit, and sent my take on the story on to Michelle Malkin, who posted her views that same night.
Later that month, the Chicago Jewish News ran this excellent article which I also blogged on Marathon Pundit.
Then two major blogs picked up the Klocek story: Roger L. Simon and Little Green Footballs.
The seed of a story had escaped DePaul's little garden, and DePaul had a well-deserved angry blogstorm on its hands.
But did DePaul do the right thing and admit they made a mistake? No, the they dug in their heels hoping Klocek--and the controversey--would go away. Hints were dropped about Klocek's alleged health problems. The DePaul administration and its PR hacks made idiotic statements stating something along the lines that the Klocek case was conduct issue, not a free speech case.
The aforementioned Frontpage Magazine wrote many pro-Klocek stories, with Dr. Steven Plaut leading the pack there.
Jay Ambrose of Knight-Ridder began publicizing the case in the mainstream media, writing several pro-Klocek articles such as this one.
AP's Nichole Dizon gave this strong story even more credibility in May. Dizon credited the blogs; up till then, the Klocek free speech case was still a blog-driven story.
In June, Klocek's attorneys filed suit a defamation suit against DePaul.
That's pretty much the story until now. This post will stay on top most of today, and since this is a long and links heavy posting, it's meant to last the whole day.
Free speech is an important part of our society. Unfortunately, there seems to be less of a right of free speech on college campuses.
A few other journalists, organizations, and bloggers have been helpful in supporting the Klocek case. They include FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, Richard Baehr of the American Thinker, Pat Curley of Brainster, the Chicago Jewish Star, Sol at Solomonia, Joseph at IsraPundit, Joy Wolfe in England, Joan Peters, Amir at Friends of Micronesia, Michael Medved, David Harsanyi of the Denver Post, Dan Flynn at Flynn Files, Joseph Farah at WorldNetDaily, and the many posters at Free Republic.
And a final thanks to the many others out there who've helped out!
Support Free Speech at DePaul University!
On September 15, 2004, Klocek, an adjunct professor at Chicago's DePaul University for 14 years, was walking through a campus cafeteria where a student activities fair was taking place. He noticed a couple of display tables staffed by United Muslims Moving Ahead (UMMA) and the DePaul Chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP)
More on Students for Justice in Palestine here, courtesy of Frontpage Magazine's Discover the Network. Incidentally, Frontpage, from David Horowitz on down, has been extremely helpful in getting the word out about Klocek's case.
From their display tables, UMMA and SJP members were handing out inflammatory fliers about the Rachel Corrie incident and other literature comparing Israelis to Nazis. Some of those fliers may still be available here. Klocek questioned the views of the Muslim students. The students were not used to being intellectually challenged in such a matter, so they responded in a predictable fashion: The called him a racist, exaggerated the incident, and complained to the Dean of Klocek's department, Susanne Dumbleton, who promptly suspended the professor.
In an October 1 letter-to-the-editor to the DePaul student newspaper, Dumbleton wrote:
No students anywhere should ever have to be concerned that they will be verbally attacked for their religious belief or ethnicity. No one should ever use the role of teacher to demean the ideas of others or insist on the absoluteness of an opinion, much less press erroneous assertions. (Bold print emphasis added by me.)
In my conversations with Professor Klocek, he vehemently, yes, vehemently denies attacking the "religious belief or ethnicity" of those students. He did challenge their extremist views, and that's where the trouble started. The "absoluteness of opinion," in my view, belonged to the SJP and UMMA members, not Professor Klocek.
After his speedy suspension, Klocek looked for assistance. Initially, few were interested in helping him. The ACLU, that"protector" of civil liberties, turned down his case. They're too busy, I guess, defending the rights of teen nudist camps.
But the Chicago law firm of Mauck and Baker agreed to take his case.
Few in the mainstream media were interested in the Klocek story. A notable exception was ABC 7 Chicago's Theresa Guiterrez, who covered a March 1 press conference at DePaul's downtown campus about the Klocek case. That story caught my eye, and I blogged it here on Marathon Pundit, and sent my take on the story on to Michelle Malkin, who posted her views that same night.
Later that month, the Chicago Jewish News ran this excellent article which I also blogged on Marathon Pundit.
Then two major blogs picked up the Klocek story: Roger L. Simon and Little Green Footballs.
The seed of a story had escaped DePaul's little garden, and DePaul had a well-deserved angry blogstorm on its hands.
But did DePaul do the right thing and admit they made a mistake? No, the they dug in their heels hoping Klocek--and the controversey--would go away. Hints were dropped about Klocek's alleged health problems. The DePaul administration and its PR hacks made idiotic statements stating something along the lines that the Klocek case was conduct issue, not a free speech case.
The aforementioned Frontpage Magazine wrote many pro-Klocek stories, with Dr. Steven Plaut leading the pack there.
Jay Ambrose of Knight-Ridder began publicizing the case in the mainstream media, writing several pro-Klocek articles such as this one.
AP's Nichole Dizon gave this strong story even more credibility in May. Dizon credited the blogs; up till then, the Klocek free speech case was still a blog-driven story.
In June, Klocek's attorneys filed suit a defamation suit against DePaul.
That's pretty much the story until now. This post will stay on top most of today, and since this is a long and links heavy posting, it's meant to last the whole day.
Free speech is an important part of our society. Unfortunately, there seems to be less of a right of free speech on college campuses.
A few other journalists, organizations, and bloggers have been helpful in supporting the Klocek case. They include FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, Richard Baehr of the American Thinker, Pat Curley of Brainster, the Chicago Jewish Star, Sol at Solomonia, Joseph at IsraPundit, Joy Wolfe in England, Joan Peters, Amir at Friends of Micronesia, Michael Medved, David Harsanyi of the Denver Post, Dan Flynn at Flynn Files, Joseph Farah at WorldNetDaily, and the many posters at Free Republic.
And a final thanks to the many others out there who've helped out!
Support Free Speech at DePaul University!
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Jonathan Cohen of the American Thinker on the Second Battle of New Orleans
Cohen writes about the media misinformation campaign following Hurricane Katrina.
I hate to sound naive, but isn't it the media's job to correctly report the facts?
Here is Jonathan's concluding paragraph:
While the talking heads and newspaper pundits were focusing on a fairy tale about tens of thousands of deaths due to the Bush administration’s indifference and incompetence they were missing the real story of Coast Guard pilots, doctors, nurses, and ordinary citizens whose round the clock heroism saved the lives of almost everyone who hadn’t perished in the original storm. Why did we see so little of that on the news?
I hate to sound naive, but isn't it the media's job to correctly report the facts?
Here is Jonathan's concluding paragraph:
While the talking heads and newspaper pundits were focusing on a fairy tale about tens of thousands of deaths due to the Bush administration’s indifference and incompetence they were missing the real story of Coast Guard pilots, doctors, nurses, and ordinary citizens whose round the clock heroism saved the lives of almost everyone who hadn’t perished in the original storm. Why did we see so little of that on the news?
Carole Moseley-Braun, racebaiter
Former Ill. Sen. Carole Moseley-Braun was last heard from when she dropped out of the 2004 presidential run. Her decision to fold her tent disappointed dozens of her supporters.
A hat tip to Jacob Laskin of the Moonbat Central Blog for finding this article.
Writing for the International Herald-Tribune, Carole opines:
The common denominator between tragedies may almost certainly be found in the nuances and realities of race, class and poverty. Assumptions were made in government that can only be explained in context of the demographics most affected by the hurricane. No rational person sincerely believes our government would have had such a laissez-faire attitude if the majority of the population had not been poor and black. No provisions were made to avert disaster. No thought was given to how people without cars or money could leave.
Assumptions were made in government....Carole, does "government" include New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin? Or Louisiana's governor, Kathleen Blanco?
Carole, some people miss you. About 30. But if you come back, they can't miss you anymore. Go back to your place in obscurity, please. Or to that hobbit-hole you inhabited as US Ambassador to New Zealand.
You're better off being missed.
A hat tip to Jacob Laskin of the Moonbat Central Blog for finding this article.
Writing for the International Herald-Tribune, Carole opines:
The common denominator between tragedies may almost certainly be found in the nuances and realities of race, class and poverty. Assumptions were made in government that can only be explained in context of the demographics most affected by the hurricane. No rational person sincerely believes our government would have had such a laissez-faire attitude if the majority of the population had not been poor and black. No provisions were made to avert disaster. No thought was given to how people without cars or money could leave.
Assumptions were made in government....Carole, does "government" include New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin? Or Louisiana's governor, Kathleen Blanco?
Carole, some people miss you. About 30. But if you come back, they can't miss you anymore. Go back to your place in obscurity, please. Or to that hobbit-hole you inhabited as US Ambassador to New Zealand.
You're better off being missed.
Fundraiser tonight for admitted check-kiter and tax cheat Robert Creamer (husband of Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky)
If you're hoping to meet Robert Creamer, who last month pleaded guilty to tax and bank fraud charges while serving as executive director of the "progressive" Illinois Public Action Council, then tonight is your night! Here is your printed invitation. Tickets start at $100.
Hat tip to Morse Hell Hole, better known as the "Broken Heart" of Rogers Park.
Creamer is the husband of Jan Schakowsky, an Evanston congresswoman known for her far-left views. Creamer was a political force in his own right, having consulted Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in past political campaigns, among others.
Mr. Congresswoman was kiting checks while head of the IPAC--also known as Citizen Action of Illinois--as you'll read here. Millions of dollars in checks were kited. All for a good cause, of course.
The invitation reads, in part, "Please Join Fay Clayton and Lowell Sachnoff and the Host Committee...
for a Fund Raiser Honoring Bob Creamer, A Lifelong Leader in the Progressive Movement.
Some prominent names are among the host committee.
Chicago Alderman Joe "No foie-gras for me" Moore, who I blogged about just last night is part of that committee.
Also in that exclusive group is David Wilhelm, former Democratic National Committee Chairman during the Clinton years, Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool (and Mayor Richard Daley's former chief of staff), Dawn Clark Netsch, former Illinois Comptroller and the 1994 Democratic Party nominee for Illinois' governor, Democratic Majority Leader of the Illinois House Barbara Flynn Currie, Cook County Clerk David Orr, and a whole bunch of others.
The invitation states that RSVPs were needed by September 5, but I'm sure if you show up with a check, they'll let you in. However, please make sure it's not a kited-check.
This promises to be a real "limousine liberal' event. The fundraiser will take place at the home of Fay Clayton and Lowell Sachnoff, and they live in the most expensive part of Evanston, IL.
But they're "for the people," and that's what counts. All else is unimportant.
UPDATE 4:30 PM CDT (Two hours before "party time")
Here's some bio info on some of the other names on the Host Committee for Creamer. Courtesy of an anonymous tipster.
UPDATE 6:15PM CDT (15 minutes before "party time")
As the afternoon has gone by, I've done some Yahoo! searches on a few more.
Henry Bayer, who looks a lot like Harold Ramis, is the Executive Director of Illinois Council 31 (of AFSCME). According to their website, he is "a former teacher, he joined AFSCME as an organizer in 1975, and was elected an International Vice President in 1992. Led drive to win collective bargaining for state employees in 1976. Now chief negotiator for contracts covering 44,000 Illinois state employees. Elected International Vice President in 1992."
Kevin Conlon is a president of the lobbying firm Wilhelm & Conlon. He founded the firm with fellow host committee member David Wilhelm, although it appears Wilhelm is no longer with the the organization.
Conlon was the Illinois State Chairman of Howard Dean's presidential campaign.
As who exactly Roger Hickey is and how he fits in with the others is unclear. Courtesy of the company he runs, Chicago Partners LLC, you'll find his resume here.
David Zwick is a former member of the Illinois Public Action Council/Citizen Action Illinois, and he's now a lobbyist for Clean Water Action.
Joshua "Josh" Hoyt is a longtime Chicago-area activist. Currently, he is Director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Through it's New Americans Initiative, the group receives substantial funding from the Blagojevich administration, via the Illinois Department of Human Services.
Party co-host Lowell E. Sachnoff is a law partner at Sachnoff & Weaver and has long ties to the Illinois Democratic Party.
The other party co-host is Fay Clayton, an attorney with the Chicago firm Robinson & Curley and a member of the National Organization for Women. Here is a trancript of her 2003 appearance on the O'Reilly Factor.
William McNary is president of USAction, which describes itself as "the largest network of progressive grassroots organizations working together to strengthen their political power and fight to win social, racial, economic and environmental justice." He has ties to the Blagojevich adminstration, serving as Vice Chair of Consumer Affairs for the governor's transition team. McNary has worked with Rainbow/Push on their "Get out the Vote" efforts.
A lawyer with Skadden, Arps, Slate Meagher & Flom, Tina M. Tchen has has served on the Judicial Nominations Commission for the Northern District of Illinois for Sen. Dick Durbin and former Senator Carole Moseley-Braun.
Judith-Rae Ross is a candidate for the Illinois House's 17th district. Republican Beth Coulson is the incumbent. Ross is a history professor at DePaul University. More on DePaul (and Thomas Klocek) tomorrow.
Cecilia Munoz is the vice president of the National Council of La Raza's Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation.
Hat tip to Morse Hell Hole, better known as the "Broken Heart" of Rogers Park.
Creamer is the husband of Jan Schakowsky, an Evanston congresswoman known for her far-left views. Creamer was a political force in his own right, having consulted Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in past political campaigns, among others.
Mr. Congresswoman was kiting checks while head of the IPAC--also known as Citizen Action of Illinois--as you'll read here. Millions of dollars in checks were kited. All for a good cause, of course.
The invitation reads, in part, "Please Join Fay Clayton and Lowell Sachnoff and the Host Committee...
for a Fund Raiser Honoring Bob Creamer, A Lifelong Leader in the Progressive Movement.
Some prominent names are among the host committee.
Chicago Alderman Joe "No foie-gras for me" Moore, who I blogged about just last night is part of that committee.
Also in that exclusive group is David Wilhelm, former Democratic National Committee Chairman during the Clinton years, Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool (and Mayor Richard Daley's former chief of staff), Dawn Clark Netsch, former Illinois Comptroller and the 1994 Democratic Party nominee for Illinois' governor, Democratic Majority Leader of the Illinois House Barbara Flynn Currie, Cook County Clerk David Orr, and a whole bunch of others.
The invitation states that RSVPs were needed by September 5, but I'm sure if you show up with a check, they'll let you in. However, please make sure it's not a kited-check.
This promises to be a real "limousine liberal' event. The fundraiser will take place at the home of Fay Clayton and Lowell Sachnoff, and they live in the most expensive part of Evanston, IL.
But they're "for the people," and that's what counts. All else is unimportant.
UPDATE 4:30 PM CDT (Two hours before "party time")
Here's some bio info on some of the other names on the Host Committee for Creamer. Courtesy of an anonymous tipster.
UPDATE 6:15PM CDT (15 minutes before "party time")
As the afternoon has gone by, I've done some Yahoo! searches on a few more.
Henry Bayer, who looks a lot like Harold Ramis, is the Executive Director of Illinois Council 31 (of AFSCME). According to their website, he is "a former teacher, he joined AFSCME as an organizer in 1975, and was elected an International Vice President in 1992. Led drive to win collective bargaining for state employees in 1976. Now chief negotiator for contracts covering 44,000 Illinois state employees. Elected International Vice President in 1992."
Kevin Conlon is a president of the lobbying firm Wilhelm & Conlon. He founded the firm with fellow host committee member David Wilhelm, although it appears Wilhelm is no longer with the the organization.
Conlon was the Illinois State Chairman of Howard Dean's presidential campaign.
As who exactly Roger Hickey is and how he fits in with the others is unclear. Courtesy of the company he runs, Chicago Partners LLC, you'll find his resume here.
David Zwick is a former member of the Illinois Public Action Council/Citizen Action Illinois, and he's now a lobbyist for Clean Water Action.
Joshua "Josh" Hoyt is a longtime Chicago-area activist. Currently, he is Director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Through it's New Americans Initiative, the group receives substantial funding from the Blagojevich administration, via the Illinois Department of Human Services.
Party co-host Lowell E. Sachnoff is a law partner at Sachnoff & Weaver and has long ties to the Illinois Democratic Party.
The other party co-host is Fay Clayton, an attorney with the Chicago firm Robinson & Curley and a member of the National Organization for Women. Here is a trancript of her 2003 appearance on the O'Reilly Factor.
William McNary is president of USAction, which describes itself as "the largest network of progressive grassroots organizations working together to strengthen their political power and fight to win social, racial, economic and environmental justice." He has ties to the Blagojevich adminstration, serving as Vice Chair of Consumer Affairs for the governor's transition team. McNary has worked with Rainbow/Push on their "Get out the Vote" efforts.
A lawyer with Skadden, Arps, Slate Meagher & Flom, Tina M. Tchen has has served on the Judicial Nominations Commission for the Northern District of Illinois for Sen. Dick Durbin and former Senator Carole Moseley-Braun.
Judith-Rae Ross is a candidate for the Illinois House's 17th district. Republican Beth Coulson is the incumbent. Ross is a history professor at DePaul University. More on DePaul (and Thomas Klocek) tomorrow.
Cecilia Munoz is the vice president of the National Council of La Raza's Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation.
Dick Durbin: An opposition pit bull
Scott Thomas has an excellent op-ed in the Illinois Leader today about Durbin.
Some excerpts:
As the confirmation hearings for Judge John Roberts take political center stage in Washington, our Senator, the number two man in the Democratic party, Dick Durbin had a chance to make us fellow Illinoisans proud. We knew he’d have the opportunity to give a “welcome” speech to Judge Roberts. He could have been gracious. He could have been non-partisan.
Rather, he took the opportunity to showcase just how much partisan politics, with Senators like Dick Durbin leading the charge, has eroded any and all sense of intellectually honest dialogue in the halls on Congress.
It is, apparently, not sufficient to simply have ideological disagreements. It now appears necessary to misrepresent everything from the constitution to the confirmation procedure, purely for the purposes of framing your point of view.
After congratulating Judge Roberts on his nomination, Senator Durbin quoted his mentor, the late Senator Paul Simon, in asking Judge Roberts what the answer would be to the question of history looking back upon his term as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and asking, “Did you restrict freedom or did you expand it?” Senator Durbin would like to see a Chief Justice that would expand freedom.
Really? Is that the job of the Supreme Court? To, invent new freedoms not already contained in the Constitution?
Here's the kicker, the final paragraph of the column:
Our Senator, my Senator, Illinois’ Senator, Dick Durbin had another chance to make us proud, but once again took the opportunity to let us--all of us, Republican and Democrat--down. Since rising to the position of Minority Whip, he has dumped all pretense of representing the people of Illinois and has embraced his position as opposition pit bull.
Some excerpts:
As the confirmation hearings for Judge John Roberts take political center stage in Washington, our Senator, the number two man in the Democratic party, Dick Durbin had a chance to make us fellow Illinoisans proud. We knew he’d have the opportunity to give a “welcome” speech to Judge Roberts. He could have been gracious. He could have been non-partisan.
Rather, he took the opportunity to showcase just how much partisan politics, with Senators like Dick Durbin leading the charge, has eroded any and all sense of intellectually honest dialogue in the halls on Congress.
It is, apparently, not sufficient to simply have ideological disagreements. It now appears necessary to misrepresent everything from the constitution to the confirmation procedure, purely for the purposes of framing your point of view.
After congratulating Judge Roberts on his nomination, Senator Durbin quoted his mentor, the late Senator Paul Simon, in asking Judge Roberts what the answer would be to the question of history looking back upon his term as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and asking, “Did you restrict freedom or did you expand it?” Senator Durbin would like to see a Chief Justice that would expand freedom.
Really? Is that the job of the Supreme Court? To, invent new freedoms not already contained in the Constitution?
Here's the kicker, the final paragraph of the column:
Our Senator, my Senator, Illinois’ Senator, Dick Durbin had another chance to make us proud, but once again took the opportunity to let us--all of us, Republican and Democrat--down. Since rising to the position of Minority Whip, he has dumped all pretense of representing the people of Illinois and has embraced his position as opposition pit bull.
Tom Gamboa follow-up
Remember Tom Gamboa? Three years ago the Kansas City Royals first base coach was attacked on the field of then-Comiskey Park by a father-and-son team of thugs at the end of a Royals-White Sox game.
He's now the manager of the Arkansas Travelers, and Gamboa has guided the team to the championship series of the Texas League.
Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist "Church" vandalized
This story comes straight from the source, the Westboro Baptist Church "God Hates Fags" web site.
Apparently some hooligans vandalized and tried to burglarize the rabidly anti-Gay "church" some time Monday night. There's a reward being offered by the Westboro cult, $5,000.
An interesting side note. Phelps' group is based in Topeka, KS. According to Phelps' flier, "Chief Pervert" is in charge of the police force there.
And if you have information about the above crime, please telephone Phelps' group directly, not Chief Pervert. Phelps wants the information first.
Apparently some hooligans vandalized and tried to burglarize the rabidly anti-Gay "church" some time Monday night. There's a reward being offered by the Westboro cult, $5,000.
An interesting side note. Phelps' group is based in Topeka, KS. According to Phelps' flier, "Chief Pervert" is in charge of the police force there.
And if you have information about the above crime, please telephone Phelps' group directly, not Chief Pervert. Phelps wants the information first.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Foie-gras, Cindy Sheehan, and a call for an Iraq pull-out: Joe Moore and the Chicago City Council have a moonbat day
Chicago's City Council, not considered one of the more effective political bodies on the planet, drifted further into irreverence this week.
And behind it all all Alderman Joe Moore of the 49th Ward. That lakefront ward is just south of Evanston, so the moonbattiness from the Leftist suburb has slipped into Moore's consciousness.
In 2003, Moore sponsored one of those meaningless resolutions opposing the US-led coalition invasion of Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Guess what? We invaded anyway and Saddam is awaiting trial for his crimes against humanity.
Now Alderman Moore is behind another City Council resolution.
From the Chicago Tribune, free registration required:
A City Council committee on Monday weighed in on the war in Iraq, hearing emotional testimony on both sides of the issue before advancing a resolution calling for an "orderly and rapid" withdrawal of American troops.
If the full council approves the measure, Chicago would be one of the first big cities in the country officially to urge the federal government to end the war, said Ald. Joseph Moore (49th), a lead sponsor of the resolution, already endorsed by 40 of the council's 50 aldermen. The council will consider the measure Wednesday.
And what heft might Chicago's opinion have?
"When you have a city as diverse as Chicago is and large as Chicago is weighing in on this important issue, I think it will have real impact," Moore said. "We are not Berkeley, Calif., or Madison, Wis., that routinely passes this sort of resolution. We are from the heartland."
(It goes on...)
The council's Human Relations Committee, which considered the resolution, has received a letter of support from Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war activist and mother of a soldier who died in Iraq.
The "heartland city" of Chicago is made up of 50 wards. In 2000, Al Gore won every one of those wards. In 2004, John Kerry repeated the Democratic sweep of Chicago.
This afternoon, Alderman Moore was one of the speakers at a downtown Chicago rally organized to express opposition the war in Iraq, as NBC 5 Chicago reports.
But Alderman Moore wasn't done for the day. The versatile lawmaker has proposed a law banning foie-gras in Chicago:
(This comes from the Chicago Tribune too, but I found a Duluth, MN newspaper link without a registration requirement.)
Once the hog butcher for the world, Chicago could become a foie-gras-free zone if the City Council adopts a proposal to ban the fancy liver dish made by force feeding ducks or geese.
Such a change would have a limited effect on Chicago and the state as a whole. Fact is, most people wouldn't miss the buttery delicacy.
Birds are not raised for foie gras anywhere in Illinois, and it is served at only a handful of high-priced restaurants and specialty markets, where it can go for $100 a pound.
(Some more)
Foie gras, which translates from the French as "fatted liver," is usually served as pate. It is created when grain slurry is forced down a tube into the esophagus of geese or ducks to make their livers expand. The process, which bloats the liver to six to ten times its normal size, is tortuous, acceptable or even agreeable for the birds, depending on whom you ask about the contentious issue.
"I have been asked on a number of occasions why I introduced this ordinance," said Alderman Joe Moore.
"The answer is very simple," he said. "Our culture does not condone the torture of innocent and defenseless creatures."
Moore said he wasn't sure if he had ever eaten foie-gras.
Of the seven aldermen who showed up Tuesday for the hearing before the Committee on Health, three said they were certain they had never eaten it.
In fact, some weren't sure what it was.
That's the latest from the heartland tonight. Drop in tomorrow, as I'll certainly find more craziness to report on.
And the next time I drive into a pot-hole on one of Chicago's streets, I'll still smile knowing at least one alderman wants to ban foie-gras in the Windy City.
And behind it all all Alderman Joe Moore of the 49th Ward. That lakefront ward is just south of Evanston, so the moonbattiness from the Leftist suburb has slipped into Moore's consciousness.
In 2003, Moore sponsored one of those meaningless resolutions opposing the US-led coalition invasion of Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Guess what? We invaded anyway and Saddam is awaiting trial for his crimes against humanity.
Now Alderman Moore is behind another City Council resolution.
From the Chicago Tribune, free registration required:
A City Council committee on Monday weighed in on the war in Iraq, hearing emotional testimony on both sides of the issue before advancing a resolution calling for an "orderly and rapid" withdrawal of American troops.
If the full council approves the measure, Chicago would be one of the first big cities in the country officially to urge the federal government to end the war, said Ald. Joseph Moore (49th), a lead sponsor of the resolution, already endorsed by 40 of the council's 50 aldermen. The council will consider the measure Wednesday.
And what heft might Chicago's opinion have?
"When you have a city as diverse as Chicago is and large as Chicago is weighing in on this important issue, I think it will have real impact," Moore said. "We are not Berkeley, Calif., or Madison, Wis., that routinely passes this sort of resolution. We are from the heartland."
(It goes on...)
The council's Human Relations Committee, which considered the resolution, has received a letter of support from Cindy Sheehan, the anti-war activist and mother of a soldier who died in Iraq.
The "heartland city" of Chicago is made up of 50 wards. In 2000, Al Gore won every one of those wards. In 2004, John Kerry repeated the Democratic sweep of Chicago.
This afternoon, Alderman Moore was one of the speakers at a downtown Chicago rally organized to express opposition the war in Iraq, as NBC 5 Chicago reports.
But Alderman Moore wasn't done for the day. The versatile lawmaker has proposed a law banning foie-gras in Chicago:
(This comes from the Chicago Tribune too, but I found a Duluth, MN newspaper link without a registration requirement.)
Once the hog butcher for the world, Chicago could become a foie-gras-free zone if the City Council adopts a proposal to ban the fancy liver dish made by force feeding ducks or geese.
Such a change would have a limited effect on Chicago and the state as a whole. Fact is, most people wouldn't miss the buttery delicacy.
Birds are not raised for foie gras anywhere in Illinois, and it is served at only a handful of high-priced restaurants and specialty markets, where it can go for $100 a pound.
(Some more)
Foie gras, which translates from the French as "fatted liver," is usually served as pate. It is created when grain slurry is forced down a tube into the esophagus of geese or ducks to make their livers expand. The process, which bloats the liver to six to ten times its normal size, is tortuous, acceptable or even agreeable for the birds, depending on whom you ask about the contentious issue.
"I have been asked on a number of occasions why I introduced this ordinance," said Alderman Joe Moore.
"The answer is very simple," he said. "Our culture does not condone the torture of innocent and defenseless creatures."
Moore said he wasn't sure if he had ever eaten foie-gras.
Of the seven aldermen who showed up Tuesday for the hearing before the Committee on Health, three said they were certain they had never eaten it.
In fact, some weren't sure what it was.
That's the latest from the heartland tonight. Drop in tomorrow, as I'll certainly find more craziness to report on.
And the next time I drive into a pot-hole on one of Chicago's streets, I'll still smile knowing at least one alderman wants to ban foie-gras in the Windy City.
"Little Marathon Pundit" to attend first political event
My eight year-old daughter will be attending a Wilmette, IL ice cream social hosted by State Representative Beth Coulson, (R-Gleniew) next Tuesday.
I met Beth after a 5km race on Thanksgiving Day two years ago, and I crossed the finish line with no aches and pains. If I had been ailing, Beth could have helped me out, as she is also a physical therapist.
My daughter successfully completed a summer reading program and her reward is the ice cream party. So it's not really a political event, but there will be a political figure there.
Well done, "Little Marathon Pundit."
I met Beth after a 5km race on Thanksgiving Day two years ago, and I crossed the finish line with no aches and pains. If I had been ailing, Beth could have helped me out, as she is also a physical therapist.
My daughter successfully completed a summer reading program and her reward is the ice cream party. So it's not really a political event, but there will be a political figure there.
Well done, "Little Marathon Pundit."
Peoria Pundit selling his entire comic book collection for $300
First rate blogger Bill Dennis, the Peoria Pundit, is selling his entire comic book collection for just $300.00. Move down to some Monday posts on his site, to find out more.
I've learned a lot of polibloggers are comic book collectors.
I've learned a lot of polibloggers are comic book collectors.
Ed Lasky in the American Thinker, Kristallnacht: the sequel
As a follow up to my post last night about the Gaza synagogue torchings yesterday, here's a great article by Ed Lasky in the American Thinker.
An excerpt:
The Nazi frenzy and insane hatred of the Jewish people reached its apotheosis in the Holocaust - an event that many Arabs believe is a fabrication. This horror was presaged and, in a sense, foretold by Kristallnacht, "The Night of Broken Glass" where synagogues throughout Germany were torched and destroyed by Nazi mobs.
Now the Palestinian Arabs have staged a rough sequel to this blot on world history as they engage in a like-minded rampage of burning and looting of Synagogues throughout the Gaza Strip. They have had a lot of practice in destroying things, including Jewish religious sites in the West Banks they had promised to protect.
Ed also notes this Daniel Pipes' article in today's New York Sun, as Pipes states Christians in the Holy Land are facing persecution as well.
An excerpt:
The Nazi frenzy and insane hatred of the Jewish people reached its apotheosis in the Holocaust - an event that many Arabs believe is a fabrication. This horror was presaged and, in a sense, foretold by Kristallnacht, "The Night of Broken Glass" where synagogues throughout Germany were torched and destroyed by Nazi mobs.
Now the Palestinian Arabs have staged a rough sequel to this blot on world history as they engage in a like-minded rampage of burning and looting of Synagogues throughout the Gaza Strip. They have had a lot of practice in destroying things, including Jewish religious sites in the West Banks they had promised to protect.
Ed also notes this Daniel Pipes' article in today's New York Sun, as Pipes states Christians in the Holy Land are facing persecution as well.
"Professor X" has an update on the PC stench at IUPUI
Professor X, compelled to write under a pseudonym in these politically-correct times, gives an update on the story of yet another non-tenured professor being persecuted by far-left academia.
That professor is Operation Desert Storm veteran and Libertarian William Bradford of Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis--IUPUI for short, but generally referred to as Oohie-Poohie by students and faculty there. No, I didn't make that up.
From Professor X in today's Frontpage Magazine:
This spring William Bradford, an untenured associate professor on the law faculty at Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis (IUPUI), received a poor vote from his colleagues both on a straw vote for his eventual tenure, and even on a vote simply to retain him as an untenured associate professor for the next three years. This vote occurred despite the fact that Bradford has an outstanding teaching record (including a teaching award from the law students), an excellent record of service, and a simply stunning record of publication, including a book, a forthcoming book, and 21 articles in law reviews or in books. Usually a record such as this would be enough to assure someone at IU-Indy School of Law not merely tenure but a tenured full professorship.
Indeed, one of Bradford's colleagues, with a very similar record of publication, and who came to IU-Indy School of Law in the same semester as Bradford, has just received not merely promotion to tenure as an associate professor but promotion to a tenured full professorship. Bradford believes that what happened in his case was primarily his refusal last winter to sign a petition which circulated in the law school-a petition which supported Ward Churchill, the Professor of Ethnic Studies at Colorado who described the victims of 9/11 as "little Eichmanns" who deserved what they got. The petition was circulated by Florence Roisman, who is a powerful and well-connected full professor holding a prestigious Chair in the law school.
A very interesting side note is this: Professor Bradford, unlike Ward Churchill, actually is a Native American.
Indiana State Representative Jeffrey Thompson has taken up Bradford's cause, but the battle is not over yet.
As I noted before, Oohie, Poohie, you stink, stank, stunk!
That professor is Operation Desert Storm veteran and Libertarian William Bradford of Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis--IUPUI for short, but generally referred to as Oohie-Poohie by students and faculty there. No, I didn't make that up.
From Professor X in today's Frontpage Magazine:
This spring William Bradford, an untenured associate professor on the law faculty at Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis (IUPUI), received a poor vote from his colleagues both on a straw vote for his eventual tenure, and even on a vote simply to retain him as an untenured associate professor for the next three years. This vote occurred despite the fact that Bradford has an outstanding teaching record (including a teaching award from the law students), an excellent record of service, and a simply stunning record of publication, including a book, a forthcoming book, and 21 articles in law reviews or in books. Usually a record such as this would be enough to assure someone at IU-Indy School of Law not merely tenure but a tenured full professorship.
Indeed, one of Bradford's colleagues, with a very similar record of publication, and who came to IU-Indy School of Law in the same semester as Bradford, has just received not merely promotion to tenure as an associate professor but promotion to a tenured full professorship. Bradford believes that what happened in his case was primarily his refusal last winter to sign a petition which circulated in the law school-a petition which supported Ward Churchill, the Professor of Ethnic Studies at Colorado who described the victims of 9/11 as "little Eichmanns" who deserved what they got. The petition was circulated by Florence Roisman, who is a powerful and well-connected full professor holding a prestigious Chair in the law school.
A very interesting side note is this: Professor Bradford, unlike Ward Churchill, actually is a Native American.
Indiana State Representative Jeffrey Thompson has taken up Bradford's cause, but the battle is not over yet.
As I noted before, Oohie, Poohie, you stink, stank, stunk!
More Jesse Jackson moaning
As noted a couple of posts down, the Reverend Jesse Jackson is not happy about the contractors who are being tapped to rebuild New Orleans and the Gulf Coast communities. He's crying "favoritism."
Jesse writes is his Chicago Sun-Times column:
But while the victims are simply trying to get their bearings, the barracudas are circling. Naomi Klein, who witnessed this in Iraq, calls it "disaster capitalism." Congress has appropriated $62 billion already. Hundreds of billions more will be spent on reclaiming the Gulf Coast, rebuilding and relocation. The feeding frenzy has begun.
Already Halliburton is on hand with a no-bid contract for reconstruction. Fluor, Bechtel, the Shaw Group -- Republican-linked firms -- are lining up for contracts. Lobbyists like Joe Allbaugh, close friend of George Bush, and James Lee Witt, close friend of Bill Clinton -- both former heads of the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- are advising their corporate clients to get teams on the scene. Normal rules of contracting and competition are being waived in the emergency. Big bucks are on the table. It is a time to be wired politically.
The ideologues are in the hunt, too. Newt Gingrich is circulating memos calling for turning the region into a massive enterprise zone, slashing corporate taxes, reducing regulations. The oil lobby is pushing for drilling in Alaska and off the shores of the United States. Right wing activist Grover Norquist calls for cutting taxes on the wealthy even more to stimulate the economy. Arizona Republican Rep. Jeff Flak suggests conservatives use the crisis to try out their favorite ideas -- vouchers for education and health care.
Hmmm.....Congress has offered $62 billion for the rebuilding effort. And Jesse isn't happy?
I'm repeating myself, but Jesse's not happy because Mr. Shakedown's pal$ haven't been included in the rebuilding project.
Jesse writes is his Chicago Sun-Times column:
But while the victims are simply trying to get their bearings, the barracudas are circling. Naomi Klein, who witnessed this in Iraq, calls it "disaster capitalism." Congress has appropriated $62 billion already. Hundreds of billions more will be spent on reclaiming the Gulf Coast, rebuilding and relocation. The feeding frenzy has begun.
Already Halliburton is on hand with a no-bid contract for reconstruction. Fluor, Bechtel, the Shaw Group -- Republican-linked firms -- are lining up for contracts. Lobbyists like Joe Allbaugh, close friend of George Bush, and James Lee Witt, close friend of Bill Clinton -- both former heads of the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- are advising their corporate clients to get teams on the scene. Normal rules of contracting and competition are being waived in the emergency. Big bucks are on the table. It is a time to be wired politically.
The ideologues are in the hunt, too. Newt Gingrich is circulating memos calling for turning the region into a massive enterprise zone, slashing corporate taxes, reducing regulations. The oil lobby is pushing for drilling in Alaska and off the shores of the United States. Right wing activist Grover Norquist calls for cutting taxes on the wealthy even more to stimulate the economy. Arizona Republican Rep. Jeff Flak suggests conservatives use the crisis to try out their favorite ideas -- vouchers for education and health care.
Hmmm.....Congress has offered $62 billion for the rebuilding effort. And Jesse isn't happy?
I'm repeating myself, but Jesse's not happy because Mr. Shakedown's pal$ haven't been included in the rebuilding project.
Monday, September 12, 2005
"Finally free" Palestinians celebrate in Gaza by torching synagogues
Rooftop celebrations : Palestinians standing atop the burned remains of a synagogue wave flags in celebration in the wake of the Israeli forces pullout in the former Jewish settlement of Netzarim, in the Gaza Strip.From AFP and Yahoo! Hopefully, this pic won't get pulled by either of them.
Sol at Solomonia has some good posts on this story.
Text messaging jurors can stay...for now
As posted here last week, two idiotic jurors have been texting each other on cell phones while serving on a highly watched trial in Chicago.
What's more idiotic is that the jurors haven't been kicked off the panel.
But they still may get booted.
Free registration required on the Chicago Tribune site (the above link.)
What's more idiotic is that the jurors haven't been kicked off the panel.
But they still may get booted.
Free registration required on the Chicago Tribune site (the above link.)
Jesse Jackson complaining of favoritism
To quote Michelle Malkin:
POT. KETTLE. BLACK.
Put your coffee down. The Rev. Jesse Jackson-- Mr. Shakedown himself-- is complaining about favoritism in government contracting.
I'm sure Jesse has a list of his favorite contractors in mind: those who have donated money to Rainbow/Push.
POT. KETTLE. BLACK.
Put your coffee down. The Rev. Jesse Jackson-- Mr. Shakedown himself-- is complaining about favoritism in government contracting.
I'm sure Jesse has a list of his favorite contractors in mind: those who have donated money to Rainbow/Push.
Chicago Marathon October 9
This year I'll be leading a pace group of runners whose goal is to run a 3:30 marathon. That's about 8 minutes per mile. The race is October 9, and I may--weather permittting--photoblog it live on a companion site.
Already one prominent journalist has offered to cheer me on--as well as my pace group--from his Lincoln Park home.
This will be my 27th marathon, but my first as a pacer.
Already one prominent journalist has offered to cheer me on--as well as my pace group--from his Lincoln Park home.
This will be my 27th marathon, but my first as a pacer.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Welcome back Moonbat Central readers
Our good friend from Israel, Dr. Steven Plaut, has chosen again to link to Marathon Pundit as he once again unleashes his hard-as-steel prose against DePaul University. Or "University" as he calls it.
Here is his take on DePaul and the Thomas Klocek controversy.
Moonbat Blot is a project of David Horowitz' FrontPage Magazine.
Here is his take on DePaul and the Thomas Klocek controversy.
Moonbat Blot is a project of David Horowitz' FrontPage Magazine.
NCAA caving in on Indian nicknames
As George Orwell once wrote, "Some ideas are so stupid only intellectuals can believe them."
From AP:
The NCAA spent four years studying the use of American Indian nicknames. It took less than a month for the governing body to start backpedaling.
With university presidents threatening lawsuits, complaining about the rationale and openly questioning the Aug. 5 decision to ban Indian mascots, logos and nicknames from postseason tournaments, the NCAA has responded with unusual speed in making alterations.
Three schools have won appeals to be removed from the original list of 18 offenders, and more are expected. But that hasn't stopped the torrent of criticism.
Three schools have won appeals to be removed from the original list of 18 offenders, and more are expected. But that hasn't stopped the torrent of criticism. "I think anything can be taken to the extreme," Central Michigan president Michael Rao said. "What I think still needs to happen, more than words, is that we need to focus on how people are treated. What's in a name? Not as much as behavior."
From student dorms to administration offices, the NCAA's unprecedented move has touched off a wave of emotions from coast to coast. Florida State hired a high-powered attorney and threatened legal action to retain its Seminoles nickname. The University of North Dakota, home of the Fighting Sioux, suggested the NCAA breached its contract to host a national hockey tournament. Central Michigan criticized the NCAA for ignoring a long-standing agreement between the school and a local tribe permitting the use of Chippewas as its nickname.
The tide in this PC battle may be turning....
From AP:
The NCAA spent four years studying the use of American Indian nicknames. It took less than a month for the governing body to start backpedaling.
With university presidents threatening lawsuits, complaining about the rationale and openly questioning the Aug. 5 decision to ban Indian mascots, logos and nicknames from postseason tournaments, the NCAA has responded with unusual speed in making alterations.
Three schools have won appeals to be removed from the original list of 18 offenders, and more are expected. But that hasn't stopped the torrent of criticism.
Three schools have won appeals to be removed from the original list of 18 offenders, and more are expected. But that hasn't stopped the torrent of criticism. "I think anything can be taken to the extreme," Central Michigan president Michael Rao said. "What I think still needs to happen, more than words, is that we need to focus on how people are treated. What's in a name? Not as much as behavior."
From student dorms to administration offices, the NCAA's unprecedented move has touched off a wave of emotions from coast to coast. Florida State hired a high-powered attorney and threatened legal action to retain its Seminoles nickname. The University of North Dakota, home of the Fighting Sioux, suggested the NCAA breached its contract to host a national hockey tournament. Central Michigan criticized the NCAA for ignoring a long-standing agreement between the school and a local tribe permitting the use of Chippewas as its nickname.
The tide in this PC battle may be turning....
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Cindy Sheehan's friend Joan Baez has a new CD and upcoming tour
Joan Baez, who I still can't fathom why some people view her as an important folk music artist, made some below-the-fold headlines for her appearance at Cindy Sheehan's Crawfordpalooza "festival" last month. She sang a few songs there.
Well, it turns out that this week Joan Baez released a new CD, and later this month she starts a concert tour.
Gee, I hate to be a cynical conservative, but do you think that Joan visited Crawfordpalooza to get her name splattered all over the media, so she can sell a few CDs and have more than a couple dozen tickets sold for her fall tour gigs?
For her "good work" in Crawford, Baez was recently awarded the coveted "Buffoon of the Week" honor by Ankle Biting Pundits.
If you have Quicktime on your computer, you can listen to samples of tracks from that new CD. Warning: Do not operate heavy machinery while the songs are playing.
Well, it turns out that this week Joan Baez released a new CD, and later this month she starts a concert tour.
Gee, I hate to be a cynical conservative, but do you think that Joan visited Crawfordpalooza to get her name splattered all over the media, so she can sell a few CDs and have more than a couple dozen tickets sold for her fall tour gigs?
For her "good work" in Crawford, Baez was recently awarded the coveted "Buffoon of the Week" honor by Ankle Biting Pundits.
If you have Quicktime on your computer, you can listen to samples of tracks from that new CD. Warning: Do not operate heavy machinery while the songs are playing.
Hurricane Ophelia blogging
"Joe Six Pack" of the Geosciblog has a detailed post on Hurricane Ophelia, hurricanes, and the climate in general on his excellent blog, which I've added to the Marathon Pundit blogroll.
Ringo Starr's Liverpool birthplace to be torn down
On the left is the birthplace of Richard Starkey, better known as Ringo Starr, drummer for the Beatles.
It's in the impoverished Dingle district of Liverpool and the City Council there has deemed Ringo's birthplace as of "no historical significance."
True, the future Ringo and family moved out three months after he was born in that row house. But it is his birthplace.
The Liverpool City Council must be populated by morons. In 1973, this same political body approved the demolition of the Cavern Club, the legendary rock venue where the Beatles evolved from a mid-tier club band into the greatest rock and roll band ever.
Chicago Magazine does puff-piece on DePaul University
As the first anniversary of the suspension of DePaul professor Thomas Klocek approaches, DePaul's media relations forces are preparing for the event the best way they can. By convincing local media outlets to produce "touchy-feely" human interest stories to deflect attention from the ugly side of Chicago's DePaul University.
The September issue of Chicago Magazine is out, and nt it is an article entitled "Happy U;" it's the typical "Gee, this is a wonderful college" hagiography that results when "journalists" are directed by PR people.
In the article, you'll find no mention of the Thomas Klocek incident. This Richard Baehr article, DePaul's Jihad Against Academic Freedom sums up that "Unhappy U." story.
Also missing from the "Happy U" piece is any mention of anti-Israeli Professor Norman Finkelstein, a DePaul political science professor who the Anti-Defamation League has called a holocaust denier.
Another article omission is that of Professor Aminah Beverly McCloud. She's the director of Director of the Islamic World Studies Program (IWSP) at DePaul. She's also a member of Louis Farrakhan's anti-Semitic and anti-White Nation of Islam.
One of the tenets of this faith is that 6,000 years ago, an evil scientist named Yacoub created the equally evil race of Caucasians. Does McCloud believe this to be true?
DePaul University is America's largest Catholic University, and it's not a Happy U.
Note: The Chicago Magazine article about "Happy U" is not available online. Most newstands and magazine racks in the Chicago area have copies for sale.
The September issue of Chicago Magazine is out, and nt it is an article entitled "Happy U;" it's the typical "Gee, this is a wonderful college" hagiography that results when "journalists" are directed by PR people.
In the article, you'll find no mention of the Thomas Klocek incident. This Richard Baehr article, DePaul's Jihad Against Academic Freedom sums up that "Unhappy U." story.
Also missing from the "Happy U" piece is any mention of anti-Israeli Professor Norman Finkelstein, a DePaul political science professor who the Anti-Defamation League has called a holocaust denier.
Another article omission is that of Professor Aminah Beverly McCloud. She's the director of Director of the Islamic World Studies Program (IWSP) at DePaul. She's also a member of Louis Farrakhan's anti-Semitic and anti-White Nation of Islam.
One of the tenets of this faith is that 6,000 years ago, an evil scientist named Yacoub created the equally evil race of Caucasians. Does McCloud believe this to be true?
DePaul University is America's largest Catholic University, and it's not a Happy U.
Note: The Chicago Magazine article about "Happy U" is not available online. Most newstands and magazine racks in the Chicago area have copies for sale.
Dick Durbin joins in the anti-Confederate flag battle
When Senator Peter Fitzgerald left the senate, Illinois (and America) was still burdened with Dick Durbin. Now he's taking a page from the Carole Moseley-Braun playbook, trying to make hay over banning Confederate flags--in this case, from a Civil War cemetery where Confederate POWs are buried.
From AP:
Neither U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin nor the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People object to a memorial to Confederate prisoners of war who died near Springfield; they just don't want the Confederate flag flying at its dedication.
In a letter being drafted to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Durbin, D-Ill., was expected to request that the Stars and Bars be banned from a dedication ceremony for the gray granite obelisk at Camp Butler National Cemetery.
A Durbin spokeswoman said the letter on behalf of the Springfield NAACP chapter would probably be sent Monday.
Although Springfield NAACP chief Ken Page believes the 7-foot obelisk is an appropriate way to honor the Confederate dead, he said the rebel flag should not be allowed inside the cemetery gates.
From AP:
Neither U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin nor the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People object to a memorial to Confederate prisoners of war who died near Springfield; they just don't want the Confederate flag flying at its dedication.
In a letter being drafted to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Durbin, D-Ill., was expected to request that the Stars and Bars be banned from a dedication ceremony for the gray granite obelisk at Camp Butler National Cemetery.
A Durbin spokeswoman said the letter on behalf of the Springfield NAACP chapter would probably be sent Monday.
Although Springfield NAACP chief Ken Page believes the 7-foot obelisk is an appropriate way to honor the Confederate dead, he said the rebel flag should not be allowed inside the cemetery gates.
Ex-Senator Fitzgerald looking at ownership stake in Washington Nationals
Peter Fitzgerald, former Republican senator from Illinois (and Barack Obama's predecessor), is exploring the possibility of becoming part owner of the Washington Nationals baseball team.
Fitzgeralds' single senate term was highlighted by his role in placing Patrick Fitzgerald (no relation) as US Attorney for Northeastern Illinois.
His office has been relentlessly rooting out corruption in Chicago (the various City Hall scandals) and Springfield (ex-Governor George Ryan and his pals).
Fitzgeralds' single senate term was highlighted by his role in placing Patrick Fitzgerald (no relation) as US Attorney for Northeastern Illinois.
His office has been relentlessly rooting out corruption in Chicago (the various City Hall scandals) and Springfield (ex-Governor George Ryan and his pals).
Friday, September 09, 2005
Chief Illiniwek to make appearance Saturday
Oh, there's a game too. But the much maligned mascot (that is, by the PC left, "guilty" whities, and self-appointed Native American spokesmen) will be appearing during halftime of the Illinois-San Jose State game in Champaign.
Go Illini!!!
Alumnus Marathon Pundit, Communications, '84
UPDATE 8:20 PM Sept. 10: The Fighting Illini won today, and they're off to their first 2-0 start since their Big 10 championship season in 2001.
Brownout in effect at FEMA, not good enough for Jesse Jackson
Michael Brown, the embattled head of FEMA, is no longer in charge of the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
From ABC 7 Chicago:
"Michael Brown has been used as a scapegoat for a colossal failure," Jackson said.
Jackson is blaming the priorities of the Bush administration for the failure to reinforce the levees in New Orleans or respond quickly enough after the hurricane hit.
"Between tax cuts for the wealthy and $5 billion a month in Iraq, where they cut the budget for strengthening our own shores," he said.
I'm sure Jesse Jackson had little if anything to say about the glaring shortcomings of fellow the New Orleans' Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco.
Like Jesse, both are Democrats.
From ABC 7 Chicago:
"Michael Brown has been used as a scapegoat for a colossal failure," Jackson said.
Jackson is blaming the priorities of the Bush administration for the failure to reinforce the levees in New Orleans or respond quickly enough after the hurricane hit.
"Between tax cuts for the wealthy and $5 billion a month in Iraq, where they cut the budget for strengthening our own shores," he said.
I'm sure Jesse Jackson had little if anything to say about the glaring shortcomings of fellow the New Orleans' Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco.
Like Jesse, both are Democrats.
New documentary exposes campus anti-Israel speakers
From a Yahoo! Businesswire press release. DePaul's Norman Finkelstein has not been overlooked.
StandWithUs, the international advocacy and educational organization, has produced its first documentary exposing anti-Israel speakers on campuses, it was announced today by Roz Rothstein, national director. The 45-minute "Tolerating Intolerance: Hate Speech on Campuses" will be screened in New York on Sept. 19 at the Lighthouse International Conference Center, with the national premiere Sept. 29 in Beverly Hills at the Writers Guild Theater.
The documentary profiles the proliferation of toxic, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic speakers at American universities, their impact on students, and college administrators' reaction to the growing problem. Footage was obtained by StandWithUs researchers of speakers such as radical, U.S.-based Muslim cleric Abdel Malik Ali; Washington, D.C. consultant Mohammed Al-Asi; and DePaul University assistant professor Norman Finkelstein, who has spoken at UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, California State University-Fullerton, and the University of California, Irvine; among others.
"We scrutinized hundreds of hours of footage of anti-Israel speakers and were surprised to discover how similar this type of very vocal hatred is -- and that is very frightening," warned Rothstein, who spearheaded the documentary team. "There is a disturbing amount of repetition of anti-Israel comments, and part of that repetition simply builds on centuries-old, anti-Semitic incitement against Jews. Moreover, StandWithUs' work with campuses reveals a disturbing trend by administrators to look the other way."
StandWithUs, the international advocacy and educational organization, has produced its first documentary exposing anti-Israel speakers on campuses, it was announced today by Roz Rothstein, national director. The 45-minute "Tolerating Intolerance: Hate Speech on Campuses" will be screened in New York on Sept. 19 at the Lighthouse International Conference Center, with the national premiere Sept. 29 in Beverly Hills at the Writers Guild Theater.
The documentary profiles the proliferation of toxic, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic speakers at American universities, their impact on students, and college administrators' reaction to the growing problem. Footage was obtained by StandWithUs researchers of speakers such as radical, U.S.-based Muslim cleric Abdel Malik Ali; Washington, D.C. consultant Mohammed Al-Asi; and DePaul University assistant professor Norman Finkelstein, who has spoken at UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, California State University-Fullerton, and the University of California, Irvine; among others.
"We scrutinized hundreds of hours of footage of anti-Israel speakers and were surprised to discover how similar this type of very vocal hatred is -- and that is very frightening," warned Rothstein, who spearheaded the documentary team. "There is a disturbing amount of repetition of anti-Israel comments, and part of that repetition simply builds on centuries-old, anti-Semitic incitement against Jews. Moreover, StandWithUs' work with campuses reveals a disturbing trend by administrators to look the other way."
Mistrial may be declared in case because of text messaging
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, an anonymous letter was delivered to the presiding judge of the high-profile Ryan Harris civil trial, claiming that two jurors were discussing the case via cell phone text messaging.
With proper legal justification, it would be very easy to confirm if those jurors are texting each other.
With proper legal justification, it would be very easy to confirm if those jurors are texting each other.
Blanchard Road Alliance Church update
The Chicago suburb of Warrenville is bullying a church that wants to build a satellite facility at the intersection of two busy streets. The church already owns the land, across the street is another church.
Warrenville's City Plan Commission wants that land for retail development, and refuses to grant the church a zoning change to offer religious services on the property.
That's left the Blanchard Road Alliance Church no option other than suing Warrenville, as this August 6 Marathon Pundit post explains.
Yesterday, Marathon Pundit obtained a copy of this press release.
National Religious Rights Organization Supports
Warrenville Church in Civil Rights Battle
Based on Recent Response from Warrenville, Law Suit Could be Dropped
The Alliance Defense Fund, America’s largest public interest religious liberty legal coalition, is supporting Blanchard Road Alliance Church in its litigation against City of Warrenville, IL. Blanchard Church recently purchased a property in Warrenville for the benefit of its local residents and the community. However, in violation of the US Constitution and Federal and State laws, the Warrenville zoning ordinance bars Blanchard Church’s use of its property as a church, which forced Blanchard Road Church to file a suit in August in the United States District Court in Chicago. The church property is located at 30 W. 251 Butterfield Road in
Warrenville, IL.
The Alliance Defense Fund, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, serves people of faith; it provides strategy, training, and funding in the legal battle for religious liberty, sanctity of life and traditional family values. The organization has legal allies across the country, including Richard Baker of Mauck of Mauck & Baker, Chicago, Illinois, the law firm representing Blanchard Church.
“Blanchard Church deeply appreciates the recognition of ADF and its commitment to helping in this litigation. This is the second piece of good news with this case. We also received a letter from Warrenville’s attorneys indicating that they would in fact be complying with federal zoning law, so it appears the city will be welcoming the construction of the new church in Warrenville. If this turns out to be the case, the litigation will be dismissed,” said Richard Baker.
Let's hope this case is settled soon.
Warrenville's City Plan Commission wants that land for retail development, and refuses to grant the church a zoning change to offer religious services on the property.
That's left the Blanchard Road Alliance Church no option other than suing Warrenville, as this August 6 Marathon Pundit post explains.
Yesterday, Marathon Pundit obtained a copy of this press release.
National Religious Rights Organization Supports
Warrenville Church in Civil Rights Battle
Based on Recent Response from Warrenville, Law Suit Could be Dropped
The Alliance Defense Fund, America’s largest public interest religious liberty legal coalition, is supporting Blanchard Road Alliance Church in its litigation against City of Warrenville, IL. Blanchard Church recently purchased a property in Warrenville for the benefit of its local residents and the community. However, in violation of the US Constitution and Federal and State laws, the Warrenville zoning ordinance bars Blanchard Church’s use of its property as a church, which forced Blanchard Road Church to file a suit in August in the United States District Court in Chicago. The church property is located at 30 W. 251 Butterfield Road in
Warrenville, IL.
The Alliance Defense Fund, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, serves people of faith; it provides strategy, training, and funding in the legal battle for religious liberty, sanctity of life and traditional family values. The organization has legal allies across the country, including Richard Baker of Mauck of Mauck & Baker, Chicago, Illinois, the law firm representing Blanchard Church.
“Blanchard Church deeply appreciates the recognition of ADF and its commitment to helping in this litigation. This is the second piece of good news with this case. We also received a letter from Warrenville’s attorneys indicating that they would in fact be complying with federal zoning law, so it appears the city will be welcoming the construction of the new church in Warrenville. If this turns out to be the case, the litigation will be dismissed,” said Richard Baker.
Let's hope this case is settled soon.
Budget shenanigans of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
Here in Illinois we have a governor, Rod Blagojevich, whose been playing a shell game for the last 2 1/2 years with the state budget.
A tipster sent this my way, from the Fox 32 Chicago site:
"We will not balance the budget by sacrificing our values..."(Blagojevich) "
...doesn't sacrifice our values..."(Blagojevich) "...priorities and values..."
But since his election, the Governor has taken $14 million from schools... about $34 million from healthcare... and $45 million from public safety agencies.
(Blagojevich) "I want to announce something else we're doing for veterans..."He's hit veterans, nurses, and firefighters. Environmental programs suffered most, to the tune of $60 million.
(Blagojevich) "I had bad timing in becoming governor. I became governor in the worst fiscal crisis in our state's history."We expect budget cuts in times like these. The state, like any family, must tighten its belt. But our analysis shows: that's not what's happening here.
"What I'm saying is that this is a backdoor tax. That's what you've done," says Topinka. The Governor is taking money from things like hunting permits, the gas tax, and traffic fines. Money collected for specific purposes: Wildlife. Railroad gates. Highway patrols. He's now using those dollars to pay other state bills.
A tipster sent this my way, from the Fox 32 Chicago site:
"We will not balance the budget by sacrificing our values..."(Blagojevich) "
...doesn't sacrifice our values..."(Blagojevich) "...priorities and values..."
But since his election, the Governor has taken $14 million from schools... about $34 million from healthcare... and $45 million from public safety agencies.
(Blagojevich) "I want to announce something else we're doing for veterans..."He's hit veterans, nurses, and firefighters. Environmental programs suffered most, to the tune of $60 million.
(Blagojevich) "I had bad timing in becoming governor. I became governor in the worst fiscal crisis in our state's history."We expect budget cuts in times like these. The state, like any family, must tighten its belt. But our analysis shows: that's not what's happening here.
"What I'm saying is that this is a backdoor tax. That's what you've done," says Topinka. The Governor is taking money from things like hunting permits, the gas tax, and traffic fines. Money collected for specific purposes: Wildlife. Railroad gates. Highway patrols. He's now using those dollars to pay other state bills.
One year ago today, this column appeared in the Arab News
The column was originally published in Arabic. This English translation was published in the Arab News on September 9, 2004.
A Wake Up Call , Almost all terrorists are Muslims, by Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, General Manager, Al-Arabiya news channel.
An excerpt:
It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims.
The hostage-takers of children in Beslan, North Ossetia, were Muslims. The other hostage-takers and subsequent murderers of the Nepalese chefs and workers in Iraq were also Muslims.
Those involved in rape and murder in Darfur, Sudan, are Muslims, with other Muslims chosen to be their victims.
Those responsible for the attacks on residential towers in Riyadh and Khobar were Muslims. The two women who crashed two airliners last week were also Muslims.
Osama bin Laden is a Muslim. The majority of those who manned the suicide bombings against buses, vehicles, schools, houses and buildings, all over the world, were Muslim.
What a pathetic record. What an abominable "achievement." Does all this tell us anything about ourselves, our societies and our culture?
Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg wrote about that al-Rashed article in early September last year. Professor Thomas Klocek of DePaul University read that column, and on September 15 tried to engage some pro-Palestinian students in conversation at a student activities fair at DePaul's downtown Chicago campus.
That discussion led to Professor Klocek's suspension and DePaul's jihad against academic freedom.
A Wake Up Call , Almost all terrorists are Muslims, by Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, General Manager, Al-Arabiya news channel.
An excerpt:
It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims.
The hostage-takers of children in Beslan, North Ossetia, were Muslims. The other hostage-takers and subsequent murderers of the Nepalese chefs and workers in Iraq were also Muslims.
Those involved in rape and murder in Darfur, Sudan, are Muslims, with other Muslims chosen to be their victims.
Those responsible for the attacks on residential towers in Riyadh and Khobar were Muslims. The two women who crashed two airliners last week were also Muslims.
Osama bin Laden is a Muslim. The majority of those who manned the suicide bombings against buses, vehicles, schools, houses and buildings, all over the world, were Muslim.
What a pathetic record. What an abominable "achievement." Does all this tell us anything about ourselves, our societies and our culture?
Chicago Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg wrote about that al-Rashed article in early September last year. Professor Thomas Klocek of DePaul University read that column, and on September 15 tried to engage some pro-Palestinian students in conversation at a student activities fair at DePaul's downtown Chicago campus.
That discussion led to Professor Klocek's suspension and DePaul's jihad against academic freedom.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Friday anti-Bush parade to use New Orleans-style funeral to draw attention
From NBC 5 Chicago. I'm sure the protesters will have very little to say about the the apparent ineptitude of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco.
A New Orleans-style funeral march is planned for the streets of Chicago Thursday morning as a protest against the government's response to Hurricane Katrina.
The demonstration, organized by a group called "The World Can't Wait," is said to be an expression from people who think the federal government did too little too late. The group says they are demanding change from the Bush administration.
The march is expected to move through the downtown area, complete with coffins, drums and New Orleans jazz.
The march is scheduled to begin at 11:45 a.m. outside the Chicago offices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 536 S. Clark St.
Here is the protesting group's web site. File under "Moonbats."
A New Orleans-style funeral march is planned for the streets of Chicago Thursday morning as a protest against the government's response to Hurricane Katrina.
The demonstration, organized by a group called "The World Can't Wait," is said to be an expression from people who think the federal government did too little too late. The group says they are demanding change from the Bush administration.
The march is expected to move through the downtown area, complete with coffins, drums and New Orleans jazz.
The march is scheduled to begin at 11:45 a.m. outside the Chicago offices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 536 S. Clark St.
Here is the protesting group's web site. File under "Moonbats."
Louisiana Homeland Security Dept. kept Red Cross out of Superdome
Says Fox News Major Garrett, courtesy of Right Wing News. Hat tip to Mr. Right of The Right Place.
http://intherightplace.blogspot.com/
http://intherightplace.blogspot.com/
Counterprotestors greet Sheehan in Chicago suburb
Cindy Sheehan's mostly ignored bus tour made it to Batavia, IL yesterday, for a protest outside House Speaker Dennis Hastert's office. Hastert was in Washington. The bus tour then headed east a few miles to Wheaton. Cindy's supporters were there, as were some who don't agree with her far left beliefs.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
But the California woman was in DuPage County -- Bush country -- and the president's supporters turned out to say their piece, too.
"We support our president; we support our troops, in Afghanistan and Iraq," said Lois Finkel, 68, of Glen Ellyn. "I feel after the terrorist attack of 9/11, I think it's important to confront the terrorists on their land, and so far, I think it's working. So far we haven't had any other terrorist attacks in our land."
Finkel was among a handful of Bush supporters in a crowd of hundreds who attended the vigil at the Danada Equestrian Center organized by Sheehan supporters.
But Sheehan, 48, disagreed, telling the crowd the war in Iraq was not about fighting terrorism but about oil and handing off lucrative contracts to Bush's "buddies" to repair the war-torn nation.
Sheehan, showing she is not a one-issue moonbat, blamed the "slow federal response" to the Hurriane Katrina relief efforts on the war in Iraq.
She said Wednesday that the sluggish federal response to victims in a flooded-out New Orleans was linked to the war in Iraq. Sheehan said funding that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could have been used to shore up the city's collapsed levees was diverted to the war effort.
Cindy, it's time to go home.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
But the California woman was in DuPage County -- Bush country -- and the president's supporters turned out to say their piece, too.
"We support our president; we support our troops, in Afghanistan and Iraq," said Lois Finkel, 68, of Glen Ellyn. "I feel after the terrorist attack of 9/11, I think it's important to confront the terrorists on their land, and so far, I think it's working. So far we haven't had any other terrorist attacks in our land."
Finkel was among a handful of Bush supporters in a crowd of hundreds who attended the vigil at the Danada Equestrian Center organized by Sheehan supporters.
But Sheehan, 48, disagreed, telling the crowd the war in Iraq was not about fighting terrorism but about oil and handing off lucrative contracts to Bush's "buddies" to repair the war-torn nation.
Sheehan, showing she is not a one-issue moonbat, blamed the "slow federal response" to the Hurriane Katrina relief efforts on the war in Iraq.
She said Wednesday that the sluggish federal response to victims in a flooded-out New Orleans was linked to the war in Iraq. Sheehan said funding that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could have been used to shore up the city's collapsed levees was diverted to the war effort.
Cindy, it's time to go home.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Congressman Harold Ford Jr. campaign donates $1,000 to indicted E2 nightclub owner's defense fund
Massive hat tip to Bill Hobbs. Thanks again, Bill, for getting the word out in Tennessee about Fred Phelps and his Westboro cult.
Never heard of Dwain Kyles? He was one of the owners of Chicago's E2 night club and he's under indictment for involuntary manslaughter. On February 17, 2003, 21 patrons of E2 died in a stampede at the popular Near South Side club.
E2 had been cited numerous times for building code violations, and the club had been clearly told not to allow customers on the second floor of the club. The stairwell and the front door of the club is where most of the deaths occurred. And yes, there were patrons up on that second floor that night.
According to the Chattanooga Times-Free Press, Congressman Harold Ford Jr of Tennessee, donated $1,000 from his campaign stash to his "good friend" Dwain Kyles' legal defense fund. Ford, by the way, is running for the senate next year.
Hobbs did some research, and discovered with help from an e-mailer, that Kyles was skillfull in utilizing African-American leaders as a tool to keep his out-of-code club operating.
Jesse Jackson was one of those leaders tapped by Kyles. One of the co-founders of Operation PUSH was Samuel Kyles, Dwain's father. Surprised? Then you're visiting the wrong blog.
Jackson was oddly quiet about the role of the owners of E2 in the aftermath of that tragedy. Just as he is similarly mum about the continuing leadership failure of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin in dealing with the Hurricane Katrina crisis.
Back to E2. Toronto Raptors forward Jalen Rose has set up a foundation to aid children who lost a parent at E2 that deadly night. Rose jump-started the fund with a $25,000 donation.
Bill Hobbs thinks Harold Ford Jr. should make a donation to this fund too.
Maybe Jesse Jackson can as well.
Never heard of Dwain Kyles? He was one of the owners of Chicago's E2 night club and he's under indictment for involuntary manslaughter. On February 17, 2003, 21 patrons of E2 died in a stampede at the popular Near South Side club.
E2 had been cited numerous times for building code violations, and the club had been clearly told not to allow customers on the second floor of the club. The stairwell and the front door of the club is where most of the deaths occurred. And yes, there were patrons up on that second floor that night.
According to the Chattanooga Times-Free Press, Congressman Harold Ford Jr of Tennessee, donated $1,000 from his campaign stash to his "good friend" Dwain Kyles' legal defense fund. Ford, by the way, is running for the senate next year.
Hobbs did some research, and discovered with help from an e-mailer, that Kyles was skillfull in utilizing African-American leaders as a tool to keep his out-of-code club operating.
Jesse Jackson was one of those leaders tapped by Kyles. One of the co-founders of Operation PUSH was Samuel Kyles, Dwain's father. Surprised? Then you're visiting the wrong blog.
Jackson was oddly quiet about the role of the owners of E2 in the aftermath of that tragedy. Just as he is similarly mum about the continuing leadership failure of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin in dealing with the Hurricane Katrina crisis.
Back to E2. Toronto Raptors forward Jalen Rose has set up a foundation to aid children who lost a parent at E2 that deadly night. Rose jump-started the fund with a $25,000 donation.
Bill Hobbs thinks Harold Ford Jr. should make a donation to this fund too.
Maybe Jesse Jackson can as well.
Ungrateful Iran denies offer of oil aid for Katrina victims
According to the Tehran Times, media reports that Iran has offered oil aid to US hurricane victims are untrue, says an Islamic Repubic official.
Iran's oil ministry on Wednesday fiercely denied reports it had offered oil to the United States as aid for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, asserting that U.S. policies and sanctions made such a gesture impossible.
"Moves by the United States to establish economic sanctions and other pressure against the Islamic Republic of Iran are the main barriers to Iranian aid," said Iran's envoy to the oil cartel OPEC, Hossein Kazempur-Ardebili.
Yes, there is that longstanding trade embargo between our countries. But that didn't prevent President Bush from sending aid to victims of the Bam earthquake there two years ago.
From CNN.com, December 31, 2003:
The Bush administration Wednesday eased restrictions on assistance to Iran in response to the country's devastating earthquake.
Blanket licenses are being issued to permit American firms and individuals to transfer funds to Iran, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control announced.
Also, export of transportation equipment, satellite telephones and radio and personal computing systems will be permitted to help manage relief efforts, a U.S. official said.
"Getting aid to those so greatly affected by this devastating earthquake is a top priority," said Treasury Secretary John Snow.
The goal, Snow said, was speeding up the process of helping Iranians.
The article goes on to mention the Iranians accepted that aid from the "Great Satan."
Thanks for nothing, jerks.
Iran's oil ministry on Wednesday fiercely denied reports it had offered oil to the United States as aid for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, asserting that U.S. policies and sanctions made such a gesture impossible.
"Moves by the United States to establish economic sanctions and other pressure against the Islamic Republic of Iran are the main barriers to Iranian aid," said Iran's envoy to the oil cartel OPEC, Hossein Kazempur-Ardebili.
Yes, there is that longstanding trade embargo between our countries. But that didn't prevent President Bush from sending aid to victims of the Bam earthquake there two years ago.
From CNN.com, December 31, 2003:
The Bush administration Wednesday eased restrictions on assistance to Iran in response to the country's devastating earthquake.
Blanket licenses are being issued to permit American firms and individuals to transfer funds to Iran, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control announced.
Also, export of transportation equipment, satellite telephones and radio and personal computing systems will be permitted to help manage relief efforts, a U.S. official said.
"Getting aid to those so greatly affected by this devastating earthquake is a top priority," said Treasury Secretary John Snow.
The goal, Snow said, was speeding up the process of helping Iranians.
The article goes on to mention the Iranians accepted that aid from the "Great Satan."
Thanks for nothing, jerks.
27 years ago today, Keith Moon died
The legendary and anarchic Keith Moon, drummer for The Who, died on this date in 1978. The world is a quiter and calmer place since his passing. Read about Keith here.
From Wikipedia:
Moon quickly gained a reputation as being highly destructive. He was known to lay waste to hotel rooms, the homes of friends, and even his own domicile, often throwing furniture out of high windows and destroying the plumbing with firecrackers. While he never actually drove a car into a swimming pool, it's not hard to imagine how such a story originated.
He was also one hell of a drummer, perhaps the most influential rock drummer of all.
Ex-Chicago Bears kicker Bob Thomas kicks off as Illinois' Chief Justice
On the left is Bob Thomas, onetime Chicago Bears kicker. He's now Illinois' Chief Justice.
There's a precedent, well one, of football players moving on to serve on a state supreme court. Minnesota Vikings legend Alan Page was a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court, although he never ascended to the top job on that court as Thomas has here in Illinois.
More similarities: Page ended his career with the Chicago Bears, as a teammate of Bob Thomas. Both Page and Thomas are graduates of Notre Dame.
From AP:
Former Chicago Bears football player Robert Thomas has begun his tenure as the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court.
Thomas, 53, officially began his three-year term Tuesday and he'll also take part in an installation ceremony Wednesday.
Thomas was chosen by his fellow justices in May to serve as the head of the court. He replaces Chief Justice Mary Ann McMorrow, who was the first woman to hold the post.
Thomas was a placekicker for the Bears from 1975 to 1984. He was elected to the Supreme Court in 2000 and previously served as an appellate judge and circuit court judge in DuPage County.
The NFL season starts tomorrow. Go Bears!
Air America scandal continues to fester
Michelle Malkin and Brian Maloney catch Al Franken lying about what he knew about the Air America scandal. Franken will need to be counseled by his alter ego Stuart Smalley soon.
Ex-regime president: "Iran heart of the world"
If that is true, then the world has heart disease.
From the Tehran Times:
Former president Mohammad Khatami said here Tuesday that the best form of government is one based on religious democracy.
Attending the 14th official meeting of the third Assembly of Experts, Khatami said any extremist approach towards religion and religious democracy would cause social conflict.
Khatami said any success in confronting the extremists would help the country pave the way towards materialization of the 20-year outlook plan.
Iran's self-confidence in taking giant strides and continuing the path towards national stability and security under the most critical junctures are two important messages of the 20-year plan, added Khatami.
He said the objectives of 20-year vision plan are lofty but not ambitious.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Khatami hailed the country as the "heart" of the world, playing a key role in global economy and security.
He praised the country's "proper" infrastructural achievements, saying 100 percent success has been recorded in dam and silo building and a 80 percent self-sufficiency in power plant construction.
Oh, yes, those power plants in Iran. Another story, for another time.
From the Tehran Times:
Former president Mohammad Khatami said here Tuesday that the best form of government is one based on religious democracy.
Attending the 14th official meeting of the third Assembly of Experts, Khatami said any extremist approach towards religion and religious democracy would cause social conflict.
Khatami said any success in confronting the extremists would help the country pave the way towards materialization of the 20-year outlook plan.
Iran's self-confidence in taking giant strides and continuing the path towards national stability and security under the most critical junctures are two important messages of the 20-year plan, added Khatami.
He said the objectives of 20-year vision plan are lofty but not ambitious.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Khatami hailed the country as the "heart" of the world, playing a key role in global economy and security.
He praised the country's "proper" infrastructural achievements, saying 100 percent success has been recorded in dam and silo building and a 80 percent self-sufficiency in power plant construction.
Oh, yes, those power plants in Iran. Another story, for another time.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Chicago White Sox win sixth straight
A lot of naysayers, specifically Cubs fans, have been quite outspoken about the 12-16 August the Chicago White Sox blundered through.
September has been kinder the White Sox. Tonight, the Sox won their sixth straight game.
It's going to be a great October.
September has been kinder the White Sox. Tonight, the Sox won their sixth straight game.
It's going to be a great October.
Blogger still in need of some financial help
Back in his Vaudeville days, Groucho Marx is believed to have come up with the phrase, "Will it play in Peoria?"
The belief by Groucho was, the surest way to test whether a new stage act would be successful, would be to perform it in Peoria, since he believed the residents of this central Illinois city were the most typical of any American Vaudeville patrons.
To this day, Peoria, IL remains a popular test-market city for new products and ad campaigns.
Taking this concept a bit further, if you want to know what America is thinking, find out what Peoria is thinking. And to find out what's on the mind of Peorians, then head to Peoria Pundit, a clear and sensible voice from the Heartland.
Bill Dennis is the Peoria Pundit, and he's been out of work for a couple of months. Even he admits his timing is rotten, but if you'd like to help a blogger out, the click here.
The belief by Groucho was, the surest way to test whether a new stage act would be successful, would be to perform it in Peoria, since he believed the residents of this central Illinois city were the most typical of any American Vaudeville patrons.
To this day, Peoria, IL remains a popular test-market city for new products and ad campaigns.
Taking this concept a bit further, if you want to know what America is thinking, find out what Peoria is thinking. And to find out what's on the mind of Peorians, then head to Peoria Pundit, a clear and sensible voice from the Heartland.
Bill Dennis is the Peoria Pundit, and he's been out of work for a couple of months. Even he admits his timing is rotten, but if you'd like to help a blogger out, the click here.
Mainstream media's gathering storm
The "dark and stormy night" for mainstream media credibility is getting darker and yes, stormier.
A tipster sent this my way. Jon Ham of the Carolina Journal does an excellent job reporting the on yet more left-wing media bias. After Rather-gate, Koran-gate....will they ever learn?
An excerpt:
There is a fetid stink in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and it’s not coming just from the fouled waters flooding New Orleans. It also wafts from the putrid reporting of the disaster by the mainstream media.
From the moment Katrina made landfall the media focused on anything that could redound to the detriment of President Bush or inflame race and class tensions.
Reporters and commentators ignored the dismal performance of New Orleans’ Democratic mayor and Louisiana’s Democratic governor, blaming every problem that arose on the Bush administration.
Racial demagogues accused Bush and his administration of reacting slowly because most of the victims were black. Environmental activists said Bush’s refusal to sign the Kyoto Treaty caused Katrina’s severity. Democratic operatives said the administration’s decision to cut funding for a long-term study of flood control caused the levees to breach.
All of this is stuff and nonsense. The tragedy is that the media know it too, but they still printed it.
The media know that the first response to natural disasters is always from the local and state governments. They’ve covered enough hurricanes to understand that. They know, or should know, that the response from the federal government, especially the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is always in the second phase of recovery, not the first. They know, or should know, that a state’s National Guard is commanded by the governor, not the president. They know, or should know, that active-duty U.S. military personnel cannot act as law enforcement. But none of this was reported.
As for a president’s role, it has traditionally been in declaring disaster areas so that the victims can get grants and low-interest loans to rebuild, and ordering FEMA into the area. His role also traditionally includes a visit to the stricken area. That’s pretty much it, unless you’re George W. Bush; then that’s not enough. Not reported was that it was Bush himself who, before the storm hit, pleaded with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco to order a mandatory evacuation.
A tipster sent this my way. Jon Ham of the Carolina Journal does an excellent job reporting the on yet more left-wing media bias. After Rather-gate, Koran-gate....will they ever learn?
An excerpt:
There is a fetid stink in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and it’s not coming just from the fouled waters flooding New Orleans. It also wafts from the putrid reporting of the disaster by the mainstream media.
From the moment Katrina made landfall the media focused on anything that could redound to the detriment of President Bush or inflame race and class tensions.
Reporters and commentators ignored the dismal performance of New Orleans’ Democratic mayor and Louisiana’s Democratic governor, blaming every problem that arose on the Bush administration.
Racial demagogues accused Bush and his administration of reacting slowly because most of the victims were black. Environmental activists said Bush’s refusal to sign the Kyoto Treaty caused Katrina’s severity. Democratic operatives said the administration’s decision to cut funding for a long-term study of flood control caused the levees to breach.
All of this is stuff and nonsense. The tragedy is that the media know it too, but they still printed it.
The media know that the first response to natural disasters is always from the local and state governments. They’ve covered enough hurricanes to understand that. They know, or should know, that the response from the federal government, especially the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is always in the second phase of recovery, not the first. They know, or should know, that a state’s National Guard is commanded by the governor, not the president. They know, or should know, that active-duty U.S. military personnel cannot act as law enforcement. But none of this was reported.
As for a president’s role, it has traditionally been in declaring disaster areas so that the victims can get grants and low-interest loans to rebuild, and ordering FEMA into the area. His role also traditionally includes a visit to the stricken area. That’s pretty much it, unless you’re George W. Bush; then that’s not enough. Not reported was that it was Bush himself who, before the storm hit, pleaded with New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco to order a mandatory evacuation.
Richard Baehr dispels NOLA myths
Friend of the blog Richard Baehr has another excellent article on American Thinker about New Orleans and the Katrina aftermath. Many of these reported "truths" are laid out bare and smashed by Baehr. Including, no, make that especially, the "race cards."
For instance:
The destruction from the storm affected far more whites than blacks. This is the ultimate answer to the racism charge that Bush did not do enough because the victims were black. If more whites than blacks were storm and flood victims, and the federal response was slow, than I guess by this logic, the response was insufficient because Bush is a racist towards whites.
As James Taranto pointed out Friday, in his opinionjournal.com column, the three Mississippi counties that were hardest hit - Hancock (home to Pass Christian), Harrison (home to Biloxi and Gulfport), and Jackson (home to Pascagoula and Ocean Springs) are among the whitest counties in Mississippi, the state with the highest African American percentage of the population in the country (36.3% in 2003). But in these three counties, the white population in 2003 was estimated at 280,311, and the black population was 71,070, a white to black ratio of 4 to 1, much higher than the overall ratio in the state of about 5 to 3.
Similarly, Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana acknowledged, as did Congressman William Jefferson, who represents much of New Orleans, that the storm, and the flooding did not choose victims by race. Four of the five parishes worst hit in the New Orleans area flooding, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard and St. Tammany, are majority white (ranging from 67% to 88%). Only Orleans Parish (New Orleans) is majority black (67%).
Hat tip to Brainster.
For instance:
The destruction from the storm affected far more whites than blacks. This is the ultimate answer to the racism charge that Bush did not do enough because the victims were black. If more whites than blacks were storm and flood victims, and the federal response was slow, than I guess by this logic, the response was insufficient because Bush is a racist towards whites.
As James Taranto pointed out Friday, in his opinionjournal.com column, the three Mississippi counties that were hardest hit - Hancock (home to Pass Christian), Harrison (home to Biloxi and Gulfport), and Jackson (home to Pascagoula and Ocean Springs) are among the whitest counties in Mississippi, the state with the highest African American percentage of the population in the country (36.3% in 2003). But in these three counties, the white population in 2003 was estimated at 280,311, and the black population was 71,070, a white to black ratio of 4 to 1, much higher than the overall ratio in the state of about 5 to 3.
Similarly, Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana acknowledged, as did Congressman William Jefferson, who represents much of New Orleans, that the storm, and the flooding did not choose victims by race. Four of the five parishes worst hit in the New Orleans area flooding, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard and St. Tammany, are majority white (ranging from 67% to 88%). Only Orleans Parish (New Orleans) is majority black (67%).
Hat tip to Brainster.
Mayor Nagin on Oprah now
And he's playing the poverty card. Mayor..."If this was Miami...Chicago, things would be different."
Uh, Mayor, what is your responsibility?
Also, why are you mugging before the cameras with Oprah instead of helping your citizens?
Uh, Mayor, what is your responsibility?
Also, why are you mugging before the cameras with Oprah instead of helping your citizens?
Ray Nagin: The Mayor Who Failed His City
Great article by Ben Johnson in FrontPage Magazine this morning. An excerpt:
In accordance with the “City of New Orleans Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan” – a blueprint drawn up to deal with emergencies like this one – all “Authority to issue evacuations of elements of the population is vested in the Mayor.” The document specifically states, “The person responsible for recognition of hurricane related preparation needs and for the issuance of an evacuation order is the Mayor of the City of New Orleans.” This outline does not mention any specific federal government’s role in disaster relief, instead carving out roles for state and municipal governments. In fact, as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld noted this holiday weekend, posse commitatus statutes bar federal officers from working as law enforcement officials.
Charged with so heavy a responsibility, Mayor Nagin punted, then passed the buck. The National Hurricane Center called Nagin Saturday night asking him to evacuate New Orleans, and President Bush also begged him to get his people to safety. As mayor, the final decision was Nagin's. He was expected to issue such an order 48 hours before the storm made landfall; however, the storm touched down and the levees gave way less than 48 hours after his proclamation.
Moreover, he is to see that “Special arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to transport themselves or who require specific life saving assistance.” Yet some 205 buses, and perhaps a greater number of large transit vehicles, were left stranded in a flooded parking lot. University of New Orleans professor Shirley Laksa had calculated some 125,000 residents do not have private transportation. As a result of Nagin’s inaction, Katrina’s victims are twice as likely to be poor than the average American. These are the people who had no recourse but to wait for the local government to rescue them; these are the people municipal malfeasance and nonfeasance abandoned to an ill-equipped Superdome.
Monday, September 05, 2005
Ted Koppel: Superdome "coming down"
Nothing on the web about this, but during a halftime news update during ABC's broadcast of the Florida State-Miami game, Koppel said, the Superdome, "where so many of your Monday Night Football broadcasts have originated from, is coming down." He of course means it'll be demolished.
UPDATE 10:15PM Tuesday Sept. 6, 2005: This evening, Michelle Malkin and some other bloggers are reporting on this story.
UPDATE 10:15PM Tuesday Sept. 6, 2005: This evening, Michelle Malkin and some other bloggers are reporting on this story.
Park Forest Scenic 10 Mile Run
Here I am this morning on the historic Lincoln Highway, (scroll down a couple of posts about this historic road) post race.
About the race, the Park Forest Scenic 10. It's awesome. There are musicians scattered all through the course, including a string quartet in the woods.
That course is rather hilly, on Chicago area standards, it is extremely hilly, but the race serves as an excellent tune-up for the October 9 Chicago Marathon. Speaking of which, I was quite gratified that twice, Carey Pinkowski, the race director for the Chicago event twice spotted me in the crowd of runners to offer encouragement.
I started out running a tad slow, but began to find my rhythm after mile 3, from that time I pounded out successive sub-7 minute per mile splits to the end of the race. My finishing time was 69 minutes and 30 seconds. I've run 10 miles faster than this, but I'm very pleased with the time, since I ran 20 miles yesterday morning. My legs were not well rested. I'll take tomorrow off.
One sour note: At mile 9, a sixty-ish human hangover from the 1960s decided to camp out and hold up a "US Out of Iraq" sign. Leave it to the left to politicize and ruin everything.
I yelled back at the guy, then chanted "Bring Back the Rape Rooms!" Runners and bystanders cheered me on. Okay, so maybe that incident was not a sour note.
Oh yes, last year I did run the Park Forest Scenic 10 in a "Run for Bush" shirt. Scroll back down two posts. Those shirts were created and sold by Patrick Brown of Denver in response to the Deaniac group, "Run Against Bush." The latter was a registered Section 527 PAC. Run for Bush, was pretty much just Patrick Brown, with my helping out with some media interviews in the Chicago area. In short, I'm not a hypocrite. Or I don't think I am.
But I still have my "Run for Bush" shirt.
Roberts nominated to succeed Rehnquist
The Democrats had been pretty much saying that Roberts would be confirmed as an associate justice. Now, will they threaten to filibuster John Roberts to prevent him from becoming the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Where in the World will be Marathon Pundit?
Well, on Labor Day morning at 8am, I'll be at the starting line of the Park Forest Scenic 10 Mile Run. Other than the Chicago Marathon, it's my favorite race. After I finish the run, I'll have the pleasure of watching my 8 year-old daughter run in the kiddie-race.
Last year, I ran the race wearing my "Run for Bush" shirt, as the picture on the left shows. (Oh, all the finishers got medals.) But more importantly, I beat all the runners wearing "Run Against Bush" shirts.
I'll be running a little slower this year. Not only am I not in peak shape, I ran 20 miles this morning, so I'll be pretty tired even before the race starts.
Park Forest is an interesting town.
From the town's web site:
Located 34 miles south of the Chicago Loop, Park Forest, Illinois, has a population of 23,462 according to the 2000 Census. The area was the first planned community begun after World War II, and was analyzed in William H. Whyte's Organization Man.
(More on Whyte's Organization Man here.)
Returning veterans and their families flocked to the new community of Park Forest after World War II, attracted by the affordable housing, mixed ethnic population, & planned village amenities. Park Forest remains an ethnically & culturally diverse community, strongly supportive of the arts, and committed to the bettering of life for all of its citizens. The Village celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1999.
The Park Forest Centre (was the) first regional shopping mall in the United States.
Also, US Route 30, the Lincoln Highway, America's first coast-to-coast highway, passes through Park Forest.
History. It's everywhere.
Dershowitz: Rehnquist a "Republican thug"
Man, you complement a guy, and a few hours later the complement-ee (scroll down two posts) does something goofy. I'm talking about Alan Dershowitz. This is from--a far as I can know--an unprecedented Sunday edition of Wall Street Journal 's "Best of the Web."
This is a partial transcript, cf Dershowitz' 1:50 AM EDT appearance on a very late night special edition of Fox News "Hannity & Colmes."
Dershowitz: (Chief Justice Rehnquist) was much more activist. And I think the Rehnquist court was never the Rehnquist court. He moved more toward the center as he became chief justice and as he had Scalia and Thomas on his right flank and of course most of the rest of the court in the center or on his left flank. It--the decisions of Justice Rehnquist are not taught in law schools as great decisions. He'll be remembered primarily for his votes rather than for the content or quality of his decisions. And it's consistent throughout his life. He started his career by being a kind of Republican thug who pushed and shoved to keep African-American and Hispanic voters from voting.
Sean Hannity: All right--
Dershowitz: He had a restrictive covenant in his own lease which precluded the sale to Jews.
Hannity: Let me go, uh--
Dershowitz: There were so many things in his background that were extremely right-wing.
There are varying levels of truth in Dershowitz' statements. He's hardly alone in the belief that the Rehnquist court was a body he presided over rather than a court in which Rehnquist himself was the driving force during his reign as Chief Justice.
The stuff Dershowitz brought up about the "No Jews" lease covenant and his, well, alleged poll challenging of Blacks and Hispanics took all took place in the 1950s.
The covenant is fact--it happened, but these contract riders on home mortgages and leases were common, often standard, until being outlawed in the 1960s.
Let's say the "poll challenging" accusation is true. At that time, the late Chief Justice was about the same age Democratic Senator Robert Byrd when "Sheets" was a Kleagle in the Ku Klux Klan.
Besides, Professor Alan, people change over the years. Often for the better.
I'm going to give Dersh a bit of a break, considering the late hour. I'm usually asleep at 1:50 AM--I'm not mentally or physically productive at that late hour, and it's safe to say, neither is Professor Dershowitz. But Alan should've had the good judgment to temper his emotions considering the late hour. Or decline the "Hannity & Colmes" interview request.
And as the "Best of the Web" pointed out, such vitriolic attacks against someone who died only four hours earlier are in bad taste.
But thanks once again, Alan, for your assistance in the Klocek case. And keep the heat on DePaul University's Norman Finkelstein.
This is a partial transcript, cf Dershowitz' 1:50 AM EDT appearance on a very late night special edition of Fox News "Hannity & Colmes."
Dershowitz: (Chief Justice Rehnquist) was much more activist. And I think the Rehnquist court was never the Rehnquist court. He moved more toward the center as he became chief justice and as he had Scalia and Thomas on his right flank and of course most of the rest of the court in the center or on his left flank. It--the decisions of Justice Rehnquist are not taught in law schools as great decisions. He'll be remembered primarily for his votes rather than for the content or quality of his decisions. And it's consistent throughout his life. He started his career by being a kind of Republican thug who pushed and shoved to keep African-American and Hispanic voters from voting.
Sean Hannity: All right--
Dershowitz: He had a restrictive covenant in his own lease which precluded the sale to Jews.
Hannity: Let me go, uh--
Dershowitz: There were so many things in his background that were extremely right-wing.
There are varying levels of truth in Dershowitz' statements. He's hardly alone in the belief that the Rehnquist court was a body he presided over rather than a court in which Rehnquist himself was the driving force during his reign as Chief Justice.
The stuff Dershowitz brought up about the "No Jews" lease covenant and his, well, alleged poll challenging of Blacks and Hispanics took all took place in the 1950s.
The covenant is fact--it happened, but these contract riders on home mortgages and leases were common, often standard, until being outlawed in the 1960s.
Let's say the "poll challenging" accusation is true. At that time, the late Chief Justice was about the same age Democratic Senator Robert Byrd when "Sheets" was a Kleagle in the Ku Klux Klan.
Besides, Professor Alan, people change over the years. Often for the better.
I'm going to give Dersh a bit of a break, considering the late hour. I'm usually asleep at 1:50 AM--I'm not mentally or physically productive at that late hour, and it's safe to say, neither is Professor Dershowitz. But Alan should've had the good judgment to temper his emotions considering the late hour. Or decline the "Hannity & Colmes" interview request.
And as the "Best of the Web" pointed out, such vitriolic attacks against someone who died only four hours earlier are in bad taste.
But thanks once again, Alan, for your assistance in the Klocek case. And keep the heat on DePaul University's Norman Finkelstein.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Marathon Pundit Exclusive: Alan Dershowitz' new book "The Case for Peace" mentions Klocek case, slams DePaul
Well, sort of an exclusive, since some bookstores--none that I've been to yet--have Alan Dershowitz' new book, "The Case for Peace" on the shelves, but I'm very confident no one has publicized Dersh's referencing the Thomas Klocek free speech struggle at Chicago's DePaul University in his latest book.
A tipster visiting a Chicago Borders bookstore did come across The Case for Peace : How the Arab-Israeli Conflict Can be Resolved and noticed that on page 196 and 197 Dershowitz not only comes out as a strong supporter of Professor Klocek, but also rips DePaul into shreds for it's handling of this free speech case.
The tipster bought the book, and you can to, by clicking on the link above.
A tipster visiting a Chicago Borders bookstore did come across The Case for Peace : How the Arab-Israeli Conflict Can be Resolved and noticed that on page 196 and 197 Dershowitz not only comes out as a strong supporter of Professor Klocek, but also rips DePaul into shreds for it's handling of this free speech case.
The tipster bought the book, and you can to, by clicking on the link above.
Blogathon for Hurricane Katrina victims
I'm going to keep this post on top, and join the Hurricane Katrina blog-a-thon. My employer is suggesting the American Red Cross as the place to go, and here is the place to donate.
Easily, this is the worst natural American natural disaster since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Maybe the worst ever.
UPDATE 9:00 AM CDT: On a personal note, my family and I were beneficiaries of the American Red Cross in 1999. We were caught in a snow storm driving home from Florida, and we were lucky enough to stay at a makeshift Red Cross shelter in Mattoon, IL.
You never know when you'll need their services.
Easily, this is the worst natural American natural disaster since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Maybe the worst ever.
UPDATE 9:00 AM CDT: On a personal note, my family and I were beneficiaries of the American Red Cross in 1999. We were caught in a snow storm driving home from Florida, and we were lucky enough to stay at a makeshift Red Cross shelter in Mattoon, IL.
You never know when you'll need their services.
DSL woes continue....
I'm at my sister's now...catching up on e-mail. My ISP was supposed to get back to me within 24 hours for some sort of resolution. We're at 23 hours now.
I'm sure Fred Phelps' trolls are snickering about my connection problems.
I'm sure Fred Phelps' trolls are snickering about my connection problems.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Southern Baptist President denounces Fred Phelps and his Wesboro cult
Southern Baptist Convention President Bobby Welch strongly denoucen Fred Phelps and his "God Hates Fags" Westboro Baptist Church.
Welch pointed out that Phelps is an independent pastor and not part of the Southern Baptist Convention.
From the Baptist Press:
“Southern Baptists have consistently condemned and officially distanced themselves from Phelps’ hate-filled activities," Welch said.
“It is incorrigible that any person for any reason would take such devastating advantage of broken hearted children, spouses, and parents, at a funeral of their loved one, to draw attention to themselves. Such an ignorant and uncaring disregard for people’s deep feelings will undoubtedly cut into raw nerves that will produce unpredictable negative results.”
Welch added that the SBC does not have “any connection whatsoever with Fred Phelps and his Westboro Church in Kansas,” noting that Phelps has picketed Southern Baptists “on numerous occasions.”
From the same article, moron Phelps:
Westboro Baptist is made up of 100-200 congregants meeting in the basement of Phelps’ home, which sits in a large fenced compound occupied by nine of his thirteen children and their spouses. Approximately 75-100 of the church’s members are related to Phelps by blood or marriage, according to research done by the Topeka Capital-Journal in 1994.
Welch pointed out that Phelps is an independent pastor and not part of the Southern Baptist Convention.
From the Baptist Press:
“Southern Baptists have consistently condemned and officially distanced themselves from Phelps’ hate-filled activities," Welch said.
“It is incorrigible that any person for any reason would take such devastating advantage of broken hearted children, spouses, and parents, at a funeral of their loved one, to draw attention to themselves. Such an ignorant and uncaring disregard for people’s deep feelings will undoubtedly cut into raw nerves that will produce unpredictable negative results.”
Welch added that the SBC does not have “any connection whatsoever with Fred Phelps and his Westboro Church in Kansas,” noting that Phelps has picketed Southern Baptists “on numerous occasions.”
From the same article, moron Phelps:
Westboro Baptist is made up of 100-200 congregants meeting in the basement of Phelps’ home, which sits in a large fenced compound occupied by nine of his thirteen children and their spouses. Approximately 75-100 of the church’s members are related to Phelps by blood or marriage, according to research done by the Topeka Capital-Journal in 1994.
Illinois Leader on the DePaul and Thomas Klocek controversy
As regular readers of this blog know, Marathon Pundit was a very early supporter of Thomas Klocek's free speech battle with DePaul University.
Today, the excellent Illinois conservative online journal, the Illinois Leader reprinted an American Thinker article by friend-of-the-blog Richard Baehr.
As strange as it seems, the local media has largely ignored this story of injustice. Well, maybe it's not strange, but the national media has indeed done a better job of covering the Klocek story. AP ran published an article about it before the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune viewed the Klocek free speech battle as newsworthy.
September 15 will mark the first anniversary of the incident (Professor Klocek attempting to have a rational discussion on Middle Eastern politics with some pro-Palestinian students) that led to his suspension and de-facto firing.
More Klocek posts will follow as the first anniversary of his suspension approaches.
Today, the excellent Illinois conservative online journal, the Illinois Leader reprinted an American Thinker article by friend-of-the-blog Richard Baehr.
As strange as it seems, the local media has largely ignored this story of injustice. Well, maybe it's not strange, but the national media has indeed done a better job of covering the Klocek story. AP ran published an article about it before the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune viewed the Klocek free speech battle as newsworthy.
September 15 will mark the first anniversary of the incident (Professor Klocek attempting to have a rational discussion on Middle Eastern politics with some pro-Palestinian students) that led to his suspension and de-facto firing.
More Klocek posts will follow as the first anniversary of his suspension approaches.
DSL problems
Have afflicted me...hopefully I've fixed the problem (or "Stacie" from SBC's India help desk did the job.)
National Guard coming to N.O.
About time! From AP:
Thousands of National Guardsmen with food, water and weapons streamed into this hurricane-ravaged city Friday to bring relief to the suffering multitudes and put down the looting and violence. "The cavalry is and will continue to arrive," said one general.
The assurances came amid blistering criticism from the mayor and others who said the federal government was bungling the relief effort while people lay dying in the streets for lack of food, water or medicine.
Thousands of National Guardsmen with food, water and weapons streamed into this hurricane-ravaged city Friday to bring relief to the suffering multitudes and put down the looting and violence. "The cavalry is and will continue to arrive," said one general.
The assurances came amid blistering criticism from the mayor and others who said the federal government was bungling the relief effort while people lay dying in the streets for lack of food, water or medicine.
Texas Agrees to Take 50,000 More Refugees
Texas is a big state with a big heart.
The state of Texas agreed Thursday to take in three times more refugees from Hurricane Katrina than officials initially expected, bringing the total number of evacuees to nearly 75,000.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced that 50,000 more refugees would relocate to Texas, with plans to house 25,000 each in San Antonio and Dallas. Those people would join 23,000 others who are already being sent from New Orleans to the Astrodome in Houston.
Late Thursday, however, after accepting more than 11,000 Hurricane Katrina refugees, officials said the Astrodome was full and began sending buses to other area shelters and as far away as Huntsville, about an hour north of Houston.
The state of Texas agreed Thursday to take in three times more refugees from Hurricane Katrina than officials initially expected, bringing the total number of evacuees to nearly 75,000.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced that 50,000 more refugees would relocate to Texas, with plans to house 25,000 each in San Antonio and Dallas. Those people would join 23,000 others who are already being sent from New Orleans to the Astrodome in Houston.
Late Thursday, however, after accepting more than 11,000 Hurricane Katrina refugees, officials said the Astrodome was full and began sending buses to other area shelters and as far away as Huntsville, about an hour north of Houston.
New Orleans anarchy
Just too horrifying to even excerpt. But here it is all the same. Who is responsible for the chaos?
The looters are. The rapists are. The killers are.
The looters are. The rapists are. The killers are.
Katrina imagery maps from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admimistration
Click away to learn more about the path of destruction Hurricane Katrina took. As for this site, there is much more detail once you click deeper into the images.
Interactive map post-Katrina map of New Orleans
Haven't seen this anywhere else yet. Courtesy of NBC 5 Chicago. Click on the headline.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Augustana College to offer free tuition to 10 Katrina victims
Augustana College of Rock Island, IL is offering, according to the AP, free tuition for up to 10 students impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
This may not seem like a big deal, but Augustana is a small Lutheran College with an enrollment of just over 2000 students.
Hat tip to Rich Miller's Capitol Fax blog.
Oh, Augustana is best known as the alma mater of Cincinnati Bengals great Ken Anderson.
This may not seem like a big deal, but Augustana is a small Lutheran College with an enrollment of just over 2000 students.
Hat tip to Rich Miller's Capitol Fax blog.
Oh, Augustana is best known as the alma mater of Cincinnati Bengals great Ken Anderson.
Welcome Moonbat Central readers!
Moonbat Central, the blog of FrontPage Magazine, has once again linked to Marathon Pundit. Thank you Dr. Steven Plaut! The post is here, and Dr. Plaut has added some great insight on Illinois' greatest Moonbat, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.
Hastert: "Rebuilding New Orleans doesn't make sense to me"
There's been talk, mostly on the blogosphere, questioning the wisdom of rebuilding a city in such a vulnerable location as New Orleans occupies: A mostly below sea-level town built on soggy delta earth abutting the continent's mightiest river.
Bloggers have brought up the case of Mississippi River towns that were moved to higher ground after the 1993 floods. Valmeyer, IL was one of those towns, but only 900 people lived there.
New Orleans has 500,000 residents.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert met with the Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) Editiorial Board yesterday. Below is the article about that meeting:
Lawmakers have to ask themselves if it’s worth sinking possibly billions of federal dollars into rebuilding New Orleans, a low-lying city which would remain a vulnerable hurricane target even after clean up, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Wednesday.
“It doesn’t make sense to me,” said Hastert during an interview with the Daily Herald editorial board. “And it’s a question that certainly we should ask.”
Congress’ most powerful Republican undoubtedly wasn’t the first to think such a thought, but as the man at the head of a chamber charged with approving federal disaster aid legislation, he knows the potentially taboo topic won’t go away.
“First of all your heart goes out to the people, the loss of their homes,” said Hastert of Plano. “But there are some real tough questions to ask about how you go about rebuilding this city.”
Hastert said his office worked nine weeks straight putting together the disaster relief for New York City following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. This could take even longer, he said.
“We help replace, we help relieve disaster,” Hastert said. “That is certainly the decision the people of New Orleans are going to make.
“But I think federal insurance and everything goes along with it and we ought to take a second look at it,” Hastert added.
“But you know we build Los Angeles and San Francisco on top of earthquake fissures and they rebuild, too. Stubbornness.”
Update 9:40PM Hastert's comments, as expected, have not gone over well in Louisiana, and he's backed off bit.
From AP:
Hastert later issued a statement saying he was not "advocating that the city be abandoned or relocated."
"My comments about rebuilding the city were intended to reflect my sincere concern with how the city is rebuilt to ensure the future protection of its citizens and not to suggest that this great and historic city should not be rebuilt," the statement said.
UPDATE 10:10PM: The Change of Subject Blog of Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn has a non-scientific poll that shows 79% of the respondents support returning New Orleans to natural wetland status. Free registration to the Trib may be required to visit Eric's blog.
Bloggers have brought up the case of Mississippi River towns that were moved to higher ground after the 1993 floods. Valmeyer, IL was one of those towns, but only 900 people lived there.
New Orleans has 500,000 residents.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert met with the Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) Editiorial Board yesterday. Below is the article about that meeting:
Lawmakers have to ask themselves if it’s worth sinking possibly billions of federal dollars into rebuilding New Orleans, a low-lying city which would remain a vulnerable hurricane target even after clean up, House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Wednesday.
“It doesn’t make sense to me,” said Hastert during an interview with the Daily Herald editorial board. “And it’s a question that certainly we should ask.”
Congress’ most powerful Republican undoubtedly wasn’t the first to think such a thought, but as the man at the head of a chamber charged with approving federal disaster aid legislation, he knows the potentially taboo topic won’t go away.
“First of all your heart goes out to the people, the loss of their homes,” said Hastert of Plano. “But there are some real tough questions to ask about how you go about rebuilding this city.”
Hastert said his office worked nine weeks straight putting together the disaster relief for New York City following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. This could take even longer, he said.
“We help replace, we help relieve disaster,” Hastert said. “That is certainly the decision the people of New Orleans are going to make.
“But I think federal insurance and everything goes along with it and we ought to take a second look at it,” Hastert added.
“But you know we build Los Angeles and San Francisco on top of earthquake fissures and they rebuild, too. Stubbornness.”
Update 9:40PM Hastert's comments, as expected, have not gone over well in Louisiana, and he's backed off bit.
From AP:
Hastert later issued a statement saying he was not "advocating that the city be abandoned or relocated."
"My comments about rebuilding the city were intended to reflect my sincere concern with how the city is rebuilt to ensure the future protection of its citizens and not to suggest that this great and historic city should not be rebuilt," the statement said.
UPDATE 10:10PM: The Change of Subject Blog of Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn has a non-scientific poll that shows 79% of the respondents support returning New Orleans to natural wetland status. Free registration to the Trib may be required to visit Eric's blog.
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