December 07, 2004

Tuesday is the 63rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Even though it is increasingly clear that the USA’s leaders of the time must accept much of the blame for the success and the timing of the attack, and the actions against Japan that led to it, it is important to remember that many of our ancestors fought and died in that war for the cause of liberty - both of our nation and of that of many others. Honor their memory by fighting, properly informed and capable, for that same liberty today, not just for ourselves, but for others as well. In my opinion, that will see freedom and liberty more quickly restored than alienating all of these people, however misguided they may be. The views and opinions contained herein do not necessarily reflect those of TPoL, RRND, FND, or the USG.

New York: “Free speech is definitely not free”
CNN
An elementary school bus driver was fired after sharing a statistic she had read about embryonic stem cell research with students, then encouraging them to tell their parents about it. Julianne Thompson, 42, told students in November that actor Mel Gibson had said in an article that embryonic stem cell research had not produced a single human cure in 23 years. Some parents complained and school officials in the Buffalo suburb fired the driver. …"I learned that free speech is definitely not free," Thompson said.

Another example of a school which so “prizes” our liberties that they take them away from us - no doubt, lest we misuse and lose them.

Fox selected for radio news by Clear Channel
Reuters
Clear Channel Radio, the largest U.S. radio station chain, has selected Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Radio as the main news supplier for about 100 of its news/talk stations, the companies said on Monday. The five-year agreement with Clear Channel Radio, part of Clear Channel Communications Inc., marks the first major affiliate group deal for Fox News Radio and will create a direct competitor to ABC Radio and CBS Radio, the companies said in a statement.

A number of folks are distressed at this announcement, finding it menacing, no doubt because of Fox’s pro-government and generally neo-conservative stance. Fox may be biased to the right, but ABC and all the other "major networks" are well to the left, with NPR being fully Leninist. But if we know HOW they are biased, we can somewhat balance them out. With a chance to hear more viewpoints on common stations, I consider this a positive.

Army: Tillman's death due to "friendly fire"
City Daily Globe
"The last minutes of Pat Tillman's life were a horror of misdirected machine-gun fire and signals to firing colleagues that were misunderstood as hostile acts, according to an account published Sunday of the death of the NFL player-turned-soldier. It took the Army a month to change the record to show that Tillman, the Arizona Cardinals defensive back who gave up a $3.6 million contract to become an Army Ranger, was killed last April not by Afghan guerrillas but by his Ranger colleagues." (12/05/04)

Here we have another example of “news” being turned into propaganda - in this particular case, anti-military propaganda. The fact that Tillman was killed by friendly fire (“blue-on-blue” or an “own-goal” in military slang) was known and announced within days of his death - and published in the Army Times, a private newspaper and professional journal for US Army personnel. Bringing it up now, for whatever reason, smacks of attempts to take some kind of political advantage over the sports star’s death. Tillman’s dying in action IS a tragedy, just as the death of any soldier OR civilian in combat or war is, for his family, his community, his unit, the Rangers, and the Army. What he was before becoming a Ranger has no bearing on that - but makes it easy to use his death in ways he would never have thought proper.

Iraq: US arrests Shiite election organizer
Turkish Press [Turkey]
"The man in charge of drawing up an electoral list backed by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the spiritual leader of Iraq's Shiite Muslim majority, has been arrested by the US military, an aide said Sunday. 'American forces on Saturday arrested Mohammed Hashem al-Yehya, coordinator of the six-person committee set up by the Marjaiya (Iraq's highest Shiite authority) to supervise the drawing up of an electoral list with the backing of the ayatollah,' said a Sistani representative in the holy city of Najaf. 'If he is not released, there will be serious consequences,' said the source, giving no reason for Yehya's arrest in Baghdad." (12/05/04)

Assuming (and admittedly, it is a big assumption) that there was a valid reason to arrest this man, his arrest should not be viewed as “American tyranny” - there is nothing in recognized political rights that exempts candidates, and especially not just someone in charge of selecting candidates, from arrest if they have committed a crime. It is precisely this kind of “special privilege” for Islamic clergy that is a problem in so-called Islamic Republics, and the idea that an ayatollah would be putting together a list of candidates deserves as much derision as if it were the Pope approving a list of candidates for, say, the Texas legislature. Or Oral Roberts for Oklahoma.

Challenges likely as Ohio certifies vote
The State
"Two major challenges are expected to unfold Monday when Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell certifies the state's final presidential election results, declaring President Bush the winner by about 119,000 votes. Lawyers representing voters upset about problems at the polls plan to contest the results with the Ohio Supreme Court, citing documented cases of long lines, a shortage of machines and a pattern of problems in predominantly black neighborhoods. In addition, third party candidates, bolstered by a favorable federal court ruling, plan to file requests for a recount in each of Ohio's 88 counties. About 400 people rallied at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus on Saturday to demand a recount begin immediately." (12/06/04)

It appears that at least progress is being made in resolving these important issues, despite attempts to derail the process.

Warriors challenge military's anti-gay discrimination
Bradenton Herald
"The Pentagon's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy is being challenged by 12 gays who have been separated from the military because of their homosexuality. They planned to file a federal lawsuit today in Boston that would cite last year's landmark Supreme Court ruling that overturned state laws making gay sex a crime as ground for overturning the policy. Other courts have upheld the 11-year-old policy, but C. Dixon Osburn, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which is advising the plaintiffs, said those decisions came prior to the 2003 Supreme Court ruling." (12/06/04)

Another example of editorializing the news. Frankly, none of these guys meet any logical definition of “warriors” that I can see. Nor can I see that the Supreme Court decision which declared that a state law banning homosexual practices was unconstitutional has any bearing on the military “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. There are many logical reasons to have a policy in place like this - unit cohesion and morale nearly demands it, just as much as it demands prohibitions on heterosexual liaisons and other limits on personal behavior that would be unacceptable in civilian life.

Ohio: Victims wait for Supreme Court ruling on eminent domain
Cleveland Plain Dealer
"A handful of suburban property owners are waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to decide when private property can be taken under eminent-domain laws for quasi-public use. By that time, their homes could be leveled. 'This is our home,' said Joy Gamble. 'At least, we thought it was our home, until someone rich and powerful wants it, then it's not your home.' ... A Hamilton County Common Pleas judge already has ruled that the Gambles must relinquish their home to make way for office and retail construction. The ruling is being appealed. ... In September, the Supreme Court agreed to look at the issue again and decide when local governments may seize people's homes and businesses to make way for projects -- such as malls and hotels -- that produce more tax revenue." (12/05/04)

And still another example! Calling the use of government powers (which are an affront to liberty in the first place) to put land together for a private firm to come in and build (and make a fortune, or not) “quasi-public use” is sick, and shows where the Plain Dealer stands - firmly against the right of private property. I pray that the Supremes find this kind of thing is wrong - because any other decision will be a blank check for the destruction of private property, and create even more powerful local tyrannies.

AARP denounces Bush Social Security proposal
Indianapolis Star
"AARP, the nation's largest seniors organization, is coming out strongly against President Bush's plan to allow private individual accounts within Social Security. In the newsletter it sends to its 35 million members, the group says Bush's plan would damage the most successful government program in history and abdicate on a promise made to future retirees." [Editor's note: In other news, the Pope announced today that he is a member of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, and scientists reported on stunning findings of bear feces in forests around the world - TLK] (12/06/04)

As Tom and crew editorialize, this is news? As a popular coffee mug stated (quoting from a survey) some year ago, more people in their twenties believe that UFOs are alien observers than believe that they will collect a dime from “the most successful government program in history.”

Mama's Note: The thing to remember is that it DOESN'T MATTER whether they will collect or not. The SS tax is robbery, plain and simple. It does not matter what the bank robber decides to do with the loot. It's still stolen property!

New violence hits Thailand after "peace bombing"
ABC News
"Fresh violence flared in mainly Muslim southern Thailand Monday, hours after the Air Force dropped an estimated 100 million origami 'peace birds' to try and quell a wave of unrest which has claimed nearly 500 lives. Police said a bomb exploded at a road intersection near a market in the southern province of Narathiwat on Monday morning, injuring at least one soldier. Late on Sunday evening, shortly after around 50 Thai Air Force planes 'bombed' the largely Muslim region with paper birds as a symbol of peace, a roadside bomb exploded 100 km (60 miles) away in the same province, injuring a senior government official and damaging the car in which he was traveling, police said." (12/06/04)

This new Islamic insurgency is much the same as we have seen for several centuries in the Philippines, and have seen increasingly in recent decades around the world (and will no doubt see in Europe and elsewhere again in the near future) - Islam may be the “way of submission” but it is NOT a way of peace, and apparently even while trying such unorthodox methods as dropping paper peace birds, the Thais are preparing for the worst -the elderly queen-mother has started carrying a pistol and doing target practice daily, to set an example for the entire country. Bravo for her!

NBA star featured on drug dealers' "threat" DVD
ABC 7 News
"Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony is featured in an underground DVD that is circulating in his home town of Baltimore, Md. Carmelo Anthony appears in a DVD with a self-confessed drug dealer. The DVD is called 'Stop Snitching' and shows alleged drug dealers talking about what happens to people who cooperate with the police .... Carmelo's agent, Calvin Andrews, told 7SPORTS that Carmelo did not know he would be in the video. ... Benita Paschall, executive director of the Baltimore Prevention Coalition, said the DVD might be 'far more harmless than we think it is. ... On the other hand, it's certainly difficult for us to compete with these kinds of messages.'" [Editor's note: Difficult to compete? I suppose so. The federal government only spends, what, $20 billion per year or so on anti-drug propaganda? - TLK] (12/03/04)

No way we should be surprised that drug dealers are using high-tech methods, or taking advantage of celebrity status of their customers, to advertise and influence public policy and private decisions - they are only following the example of legitimate business and their purported enemy, the government. As Tom points out, $20 billion a year is a lot of price supports for an illegal commodity, but that is what it amounts to.

Drug war roils Cancun
Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Behind the glitzy playgrounds of Cancun is a growing drug war. It is fueled by widespread police corruption, the partial disruption of once-popular trafficking routes through Haiti and a turf battle between two of the country's main drug gangs. Three years after authorities thought they broke up the cocaine trade here, nine people have turned up dead, disclosing a smuggling ring involving corruption at all levels of government and that took even federal investigators by surprise." (12/06/04)

Surprise? Probably only by who was involved, and why they didn’t get a piece of the corruption pie. As long as American demand for drugs is so high, and the price supports (see previous article) continue, this kind of violence and corruption will exist in Mexico and other Latin American states, and only the locations and names will change from time to time.

French end hiding of explosives in luggage
Las Vegas Review-Journal
"French police on Sunday ended their practice of hiding plastic explosives in air passengers' luggage to train bomb-sniffing dogs after one such bag got lost, possibly ending up on a flight out of Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport. The luggage that police used Friday for the exercise has not turned up yet. Three flights that arrived in Los Angeles and New York were searched, but the luggage in question was not found. No passenger has contacted French authorities to report discovering a bag with nearly 5 ounces of explosives tucked into his or her suitcase." (12/05/04)

Well, we now know who the real terrorists are, don’t we? Will Tom Ridge add France to the list of nations supporting terrorism? This seems to be a smoking gun… and who knows WHERE these explosives will end up - perhaps in some atomic bomb? We MUST invade and change this evil regime at once!

Commander: US could cut forces in Afghanistan
USA Today
"The United States could cut its forces in Afghanistan next summer if Taliban militants accept an amnesty to be drawn up by President Hamid Karzai and neighboring Pakistan, the senior U.S. commander here said Sunday. Any reduction in the 18,000-strong mainly American combat force in Afghanistan would relieve the U.S. military, stretched thin by the much larger deployment in Iraq. Still, the force is unlikely to shrink before parliamentary elections slated for April." (12/05/04)

There are a lot of “if”s in this message, and it is clear that the guy was being pressured for an answer, probably both by the media and by his senior leadership. “IF” this happens, I’ll be surprised, unless we start hiring even more mercenaries than we are now.

Florida plan: Dump Election Day
Houston Chronicle
"Florida's election supervisors are proposing one way to make voting easier: Do away with Election Day. Voters would cast ballots during a span of several days or weeks ending on the traditional voting day, under a plan endorsed Tuesday by supervisors at their meeting in Orlando. The group will now lobby lawmakers for changes during the spring legislative session. The overwhelming response to this year's 15 days of early voting -- when an estimated 2.3 million people cast ballots statewide before Election Day -- convinced most supervisors that voters are now demanding new freedom to show up at the time and place of their own choice." (12/05/04)

This is becoming a de facto situation in more and more states, as rules for absentee ballots loosen up and vote by mail/vote by phone becomes more common. This is probably one reason voter numbers were up this year. Let Florida experiment with it, and if it works, other states can follow (or not) as they see fit.

Democrats, Republicans urge intelligence vote
MSNBC
"If House GOP leaders would allow a vote on post-Sept. 11 legislation overhauling the nation's intelligence community, it would easily pass, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle predicted Sunday. A top Republican scolded opponents who worry the Pentagon would lose some of its authority, saying national security is far more important than turf battles. 'There was a global intelligence failure. We can't have a status quo. We've got to change that,' said Sen. Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee." (12/05/04)

No, it is NOT possible to raise the intelligence of Congress just by voting on it. Nor the intelligence of the media. Truth is, this isn’t about turf battles, but about whether immigration issues and the hideous spectre of a national ID card will be resolved or not, and a good many conservatives (not “neo-conservatives”) in Congress are finally trying to get the Prez to pay attention.

Musharraf: Iraq war has made world "less safe"
CNN
"The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was a mistake that has made the world a more dangerous place, but a swift withdrawal would make matters worse, Pakistan's president said this weekend. 'I think it's less safe,' Gen. Pervez Musharraf said on CNN's 'Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer.' Asked whether he considered the invasion a mistake, the Pakistani leader said, 'With hindsight, yes. We have landed ourselves in more trouble, yes.' Musharraf was in Washington on Saturday for a brief meeting with President Bush." (12/05/04)

Hardly an unbiased observer, for either side.

Playing with toy gun puts boy, 11, in a cell
Times Online [UK]
"Police have been accused of heavy handedness after arresting two young boys who were playing with toy guns. One of the boys was held in a cell for five hours. Liam Spencer, 11, and his friend, Luke Johnson, 13, were singing the James Bond theme tune as they rolled around on the floor at a youth club 'shooting' at each other in a mock fight. Liam, who is 4ft 8in, was dressed as Santa Claus and Luke was wearing a Frankenstein's Monster mask. But as the pair walked home, a motorist who saw them carrying their silver-coloured plastic guns called the police. ... Both sets of parents accepted that their children should not have been waving the toy guns in the street and thought that that was the end of the matter. But later that evening police called both sets of parents again and told them to take the boys to the police station where they would be formally arrested." (12/03/04)

Well, a number of newspapers in the UK warned just last week that the jack-booted thugs were likely to do this kind of thing, if not outright kill the children “by mistake.” Isn’t it time that the parents started standing up for their families against the police state that the UK has become? It may be kinder and gentler, but like this cartoon from the Daily Telegraph, it is still the same old kind of tyranny that England has periodically had to overthrow, regardless of the reason it was imposed.

Nathan Barton is a libertarian writing from the Four Corners.
See Nathan's own blog, Liberty's Outpost.

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