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June
05, 2006
Libertarian
Commentary on the News 28 May to 03 June 2006 Special to The Price of
Liberty
As I get ready to head off to my one political convention of the year
(I am trying to quit cold-turkey, but it's hard), I have a shorter than
usual column this week, with fewer divisions.
The
Coming Fall of Europe
UK:
"New evidence" in Diana inquiry
Telegraph [UK]
"New witnesses and forensic evidence have emerged in the investigation
into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, the man leading the inquiry
said yesterday. Lord Stevens made the disclosure during an interview at
the Hay Festival, the literary event in Hay-on-Wye. But he refused to
elaborate on the nature of the new material, a fact likely to be seized
upon by conspiracy theorists who have argued that the princess and Dodi
Fayed were murdered. The former commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
was asked by the Royal Coroner two years ago to investigate the crash
in Paris that killed the couple in August 1997." (05/31/06)
Like Jimmy
Hoffa (see the later article), the press and the mob never seem to let
this go, do they?
UK:
Passport D-day for soccer hooligans
Guardian [UK]
"More than 3,000 English football hooligans were required to hand
over their passports to police by 5 pm on Tuesday to prevent them traveling
to the World Cup. The deadline was set for 3,286 people currently subject
to football banning orders, who were required to submit their travel documents
at their local police station. They will also be required to attend a
police station each time England play during the tournament. A huge security
operation will also be launched at UK ports and airports ahead of the
tournament and police have a watchlist of fans who are not subject to
banning orders but against whom they have intelligence." (05/30/06)
Oh, you
thought the UK was a free nation? Right. They are certainly doing a better
job of containing their football hooligans than they are of controlling
Islamic terrorists and their supporters, which treat London and other
British sites as secure sanctuaries much as the Viet Cong and NVA treated
Laos as such.
Moscow
flaunts homophobic policy [sic]
Raw Story
"Moscow's influential mayor said on Tuesday the city banned gay
activists from holding a parade because it is morally cleaner than the
West, which is caught up in 'mad licentiousness.' The gay activists tried
to hold their protest against homophobia and discrimination at the weekend
despite the ban, but were detained by police, abused [sic-taunted] by
militant Christians and attacked by neo-fascists. They had wanted to lay
flowers at the grave of the unknown warrior, a monument to those who died
defeating Nazi Germany, but police blocked their path. Mayor Yuri Luzhkov
said such an action would have been a desecration of the sacred monument,
and rejected Western criticism of his ban as prejudiced and homophobic."
(05/30/06)
At risk
of being branded the same thing, I think that this city is fully within
its rights to refuse recognition and cooperation with a group which supports
and encourages behavior which the city deems immoral. Would we expect
a city to allow NAMBLA (North American Man-Boy Love Association - a pedophile
group) to do the same as these tried? Or a group that advocates the lynching
of blacks who date whites? Or perhaps a group which encourages incest
between fathers and daughters? But of course, as Luzhkov points out, that
is EXACTLY what we are doing in the West (except for the pro-lynching
group -it isn't "PC") - and wondering why liberty has been replaced
by license. It appears that nothing would have prevented these people
from honoring the war dead if they had done so on their own individually
or as a group that was NOT protesting "homophobia."
Russian
Law Would Impose Fines for Citing Foreign Currencies
CNS News.com
Russian officials and lawmakers could be fined for using the word "dollar"
in official business, if a bill currently before parliament passes. The
legislation is seen as an effort to stop showing "disrespect"
to the Russian ruble...
Another
stupid government trick. Solution: if they want the Ruble to be respected,
back it with gold or silver.
UK:
Erection ban causes chaos
Ananova [UK]
"A council planning department has been thrown into chaos - after
the word 'erection' was banned from emails. The word is obviously one
of the most commonly used terms in applications for building works, says
the Sun. But it was included in a list of obscene expressions to be filtered
out by software used by Rochdale Council. Local man Ray Kennedy, 51, sent
three emails to the council objecting to a neighbor's new extension. The
first two were blocked because they included the word erection, which
the computer thought was a sexual reference. The third email slipped through
the screening net but by then the neighbor had already got permission
for the work to go ahead. ... A Rochdale Council spokesman said: 'The
software is not designed by the council and we don't control which words
are blocked. We will be apologizing to the resident.'" (05/31/06)
An excellent
example of British "stupid government tricks." Amusing and so
predictable. Notice the excuses which are all they really have to offer.
Not that the rest of the neighborhood should have the kind of veto power
they apparently do over someone having an erection on their own property.
Catholic
Students Heckle Anti-Birth Control Classmate
CNS News.com
Administrators at a Catholic university in Minnesota have apologized
to students, faculty and parents for comments made by a student commencement
speaker who echoed the Roman Catholic Church's position against birth
control...
Yeah, this
isn't a government-run school, but it might as well be, with this attitude.
Strange to see a Catholic school administration apologize because Catholic
doctrine was stated by one of its students? Of course, most other denominations
and religious groups have seen this happen over the years - schools established
and expanded for decades by the sacrifices of the members of these groups
turn against the founding group and its beliefs. It happened in Harvard,
it happened in Princeton, it happened at Texas Christian University. And
now Catholic schools are doing it. Makes you wonder when the state will
just take them over.
Government-Run,Tax-Funded
Schools
Australia:
$300 cash handout for parents
The Age [Australia]
"Victorian parents will get a direct cash 'bonus' from the Bracks
Government when their children start primary and secondary school, and
business taxes will be cut, under Treasurer John Brumby's big-spending
pre-election budget. To Opposition cries of 'it's a bribe,' Mr Brumby
yesterday told Parliament that the Government would pay parents $300 for
every child when they started prep and again in year 7 -- and the first
payments would be made just months before the November state election.
He said the money would help parents pay for uniforms, books and equipment
and was designed to 'support families and highlight the importance of
education.' The bonus will go to all parents regardless of their wealth
or income and regardless of whether the children go to state or private
schools." (05/30/06)
Well, if
you ever wondered what the next step of promoting welfare in the school
system is, now you know. It seems to be to be a not-so-subtle way of making
families even more dependent on government, and of allowing the GRTF schools
to compete with private and home-schooling without worrying about such
luxuries as education quality.
CA:
Voters split on early tyke indoctrination
San Francisco Chronicle
"Attending preschool for free would become a constitutional right
[sic] for every 4-year-old in California if voters approve a June ballot
initiative that could dramatically reshape the state's public education
system. Called a key to improving the state's lagging schools by proponents
and a colossal waste of money by opponents, passage of Proposition 82
would place the state in the forefront of a national movement toward standardizing
pre-kindergarten education. Illinois, Georgia and Oklahoma already have
implemented or are considering universal preschool programs. Most of California's
half-million 4-year-olds attend some form of preschool or day care now,
but backers of the measure say many programs are of low quality. They
say Prop. 82 would add preschool spots and raise the quality of instruction."
(05/30/06)
Another
example of how the GRTF schools are gaining more power, more money, and
how more and more people are being sucked into the system. As the article
points out, many states are expanding mandatory education ages, mandating
full-time kindergarten, and demanding children be remanded to the custody
of these institutions at an earlier and earlier age. Sadly, too many GRTF
school teachers and staff are unable to see how hypocritical their position
on this is - and how they are destroying the family in an attempt to "save
it."
School
districts turn to paid readers for grading essays
Seattle Times
"In the Northshore School District, some English teachers don't
spend much time reading student papers. In the Bellevue School District,
some don't even grade the papers. Both districts now rely on paid readers
to evaluate and in some cases grade student essays in English classes;
Seattle's Garfield High School is piloting such a program this year. The
use of readers greatly reduces teacher workload and gives students more
writing practice, but the trend raises questions about teachers' roles
in inspiring and guiding students' work. Many English teachers in the
region teach five classes a day with 30 students each. If they assign
a two-page essay in every class, that adds up to 300 pages to read, edit,
comment on and grade. ... By using readers, Bellevue officials estimate
their students can write seven three- to five-page essays a semester,
compared with two essays in a traditional literature class."
[editor's note: Perhaps not a bad idea. The challenge, based on this wordsmith's
experience, will be finding "readers" literate enough to correctly
evaluate English essay-papers -- just ... "between you and I!"
;{ - SAT] (05/29/06)
Contracting
out - what good are the teachers?
AZ:
High-tech tags may track kids
Arizona Star
"Millions of consumers pay extra to put tracking devices in their
cars in case of theft. But would parents want to shell out more money
for something similar for their children? And would schools go for it?
The answer seems to be yes. School districts around the nation are starting
to hold themselves more accountable for the students they're paid to teach
and protect. As part of the growing trend, officials in the Tucson Unified
School District already are testing new technology that helps keep track
of elementary students during the school day. Using a program similar
to the Global Positioning System already in use in consumer and commercial
vehicles, Gateway Communications Inc. has been testing the technology
on three TUSD buses since January." (05/29/06)
Making
them more prisons than they are already.
Home
Front in the Wars on Various Things
Bush
signs ban on speech, assembly at funerals
Olympia Olympian
"President Bush, marking Memorial Day with a speech paying tribute
to fighting men and women lost in war, signed into law Monday a bill that
keeps demonstrators from disrupting military funerals. In advance of his
speech and a wreath-laying at America's most hallowed burial ground for
military heroes, Bush signed the 'Respect for America's Fallen Heroes
Act.' This was largely in response to the activities of a Kansas church
group that has staged protests at military funerals around the country,
claiming the deaths symbolized God's anger at U.S. tolerance of homosexuals."
(05/30/06)
This act
is wrong, plain wrong. I hope that it fails to stand up in court. At the
same time, it is easy to understand why so many people acted on it and
why so many are rejoicing to see it passed. No matter what your attitude
towards the occupation of Iraq, towards the government as a whole, the
behavior of this cult at funerals is bizarre and sick and perverted -
and deeply hurtful to the families and friends bidding goodbye to a loved
one. Of course, it is precisely the kind of free speech the Bill of Rights
is supposed to protect. It shows that a failure to exercise liberty with
responsibility and respect for others (whether merited or not!) leads
quickly to a large majority of people seeking to end that liberty. Most
people would say that this group of fanatics has very definitely crossed
over the line where someone else's "nose" was. Solution: stop
making funerals public spectacles and let families decide who can and
can't come.
Military
starts online stress screening
Yahoo! News
"Concerned by rising stress levels in the ranks, the Defense Department
has quietly started an online self-screening program in hopes that anonymity
will help some service members and their spouses overcome reluctance to
confront possible mental-health problems. ... The effort is among the
latest of numerous military initiatives undertaken to cope with stress,
depression and other mental-health problems that have proliferated since
the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan led to tougher overseas deployment schedules."
(05/30/06)
Such problems
(and various solutions to those problems) have been around for a very
long time - this is just making big claims about something that really
isn't new.
Senate
passes immigration bill overhaul
http://tinyurl.com/n2gb2
Yuma Sun
"Landmark legislation to secure U.S. borders and offer millions
of illegal immigrants a share of the American dream cleared the Senate
on Thursday, a rare election-year reach across party lines and a triumph
for President Bush. The 62-36 vote cleared the way for arduous summertime
compromise talks with the House on its immigration measure focusing on
border enforcement with no guarantee of success. Republicans and Democrats
said energetic participation by Bush would be critical." (05/25/06)
What a
joke this is - as will be the House-Senate Conference meetings to attempt
to bridge the differences.
Petition
Drive Seeks to Undo South Dakota Abortion Ban
(CNSNews.com) - South Dakota's abortion ban, which is expected
to serve as the basis for the next Supreme Court debate on abortion rights,
should have been decided by the state's voters instead of its politicians,
according to the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families...
The pro-abortion
group has worked overtime getting the signatures necessary to refer the
law to the November elections. Isn't it nice to know that morality in
a Democracy is subject to vote? Hopefully, someone will introduce an initiative
next year to repeal the law of gravity here in South Dakota, also. Then
I can fly to work, instead of driving.
FBI
Raid on Jefferson Was Justified, Legal Group Claims
CNSNews.com
A legal watchdog group insists that the FBI's recent raid of Louisiana
Democratic Congressman William Jefferson's office was perfectly legal,
despite the subsequent complaints about the raid by both Republican and
Democratic leaders of the House...
This has
been my contention all along, since reading the first reports. A judge
properly issued a search warrant based on probable cause, and Congress
has no special immunity from obeying the law.
Plea
deal reached for man whose son was convicted in terror case
USA Today
"A man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a lesser charge rather than
be retried on allegations that he lied to the FBI about his son's attendance
at a terrorist training camp, according to court papers. Under a deal,
Umer Hayat, 48, an ice cream vendor, pleaded guilty to lying to customs
agents about more than $28,000 he and family members were carrying on
a trip out of the country three years ago. In exchange, prosecutors agreed
to drop charges that he lied to the FBI and to recommend he serve no more
jail time after spending nearly a year behind bars." (05/31/06)
I am sadly
sure that the Feebs will claim this as a victory in the "war on terrorism"
but it sounds like a plea bargain to avoid the tremendous costs of fighting,
and a technical violation that has virtually nothing to do with the supposed
real issue at stake. If the FBI is intending to get tough on wanna-be
terrorists, this isn't the way to do it. Solution: don't prosecute unless
you have clear evidence that a conviction is likely, and not just to "strike
fear" into someone or some group.
Gagged
librarians break silence on Patriot Act
Raw Story
"Connecticut librarians spoke about their fight to stop the FBI
from gaining access to patrons' library records at a news conference yesterday
organized by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and in a subsequent
interview with RAW STORY. The Librarians, members of Library Connection,
a not-for profit cooperative organization for resource sharing across
26 Connecticut library branches sharing a centralized computer, were served
with a National Security Letter (NSL) in August of last year as part of
the FBI's attempt to attain access to patron's records. The NSL is a little
known statute in the Patriot Act that permits law enforcement to obtain
records of people not suspected of any wrongdoing and without a court
order. As part of the NSL, those served with the document are gagged and
prohibited from disclosing that they have even been served." (05/31/06)
I just
this week saw an excellent little brochure on the USA PATRIOT Act in the
Mancos Public Library, a tiny facility of about 1,000 SF and 25,000 volumes
in a small SW Colorado town. Good for the CT libraries, and good for Mancos
librarians!
Cities
awarded anti-terror grants most likely targets
Fox News
"Cities fiercely competing for multimillion-dollar grants for
counterterrorism programs must accept an unsettling premise along with
the money: They are likely targets for terrorists. The government wants
cities to keep that in mind when they find out how much money they are
receiving this year. The Homeland Security Department is awarding $740
million to 46 communities with the nation's highest threat risks. The
money is being divvied up under a new formula the department says is based
largely on intelligence and law enforcement data about threats and the
possible consequences. Three cities - Memphis, Tenn., and Orlando and
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. - qualified for a list of eligible communities this
year after being passed over in 2005. Eleven others may be booted in 2007
because Homeland Security decided they face a lesser risk than others."
(05/31/06)
Well, we
can hope. Civilization (society built around cities) is, frankly, over-rated
and all too prone to lead to tyranny and destroy liberty. All this is,
is a political compromise to slice up the pork a bit differently this
year to let another set of politicians get the glory (and votes and campaign
bribes). Based on previous years, much will be wasted in various ways,
and the "terrorism" threat will not be abated. Solution? Eliminate
the grant program AND the tax/borrowing that is used to support it and
the DHS bureaucracy that runs it, and allow the states and local communities
to decide for themselves what to do to defend themselves against terrorism
AND how to pay for it.
Big
Cities get less Homeland Security Pork
Homeland Security News
The cities of New York and Washington will get less money in this year's
allocation of Homeland security grants, drawing harsh criticism from politicians
in both areas, CNN reports. The Department of Homeland Security has announced
the recipients of $1.7 billion distributed through various programs to
help states and cities prepare for potential terror attacks and natural
disasters. For a breakdown of the Homeland security grants by city, Click
here.
Poor babies.
Jerk that welfare nipple right out of their mouths, and they burst out
crying.
States
want more power in Homeland Security
Homeland Security News
Seeking a bigger say in Homeland security decisions, the nation's governors
have created a 50-state panel to give the states a single voice on national
plans to prepare for threats from terrorists and natural disasters.
Strange,
I thought that is what the Congress was - "a 50-state panel to give
states a single voice." That was before the Imperial Congress, though.
This does provide an interesting idea about how to limit or even eliminate
the federal government: have ALL aspects of "national government"
handled by specialized panels created by the states for specific purposes:
a National Defense Council, a National Foreign Affairs Council, a National
Economic Policy Council" - and take 99.5% of the power away from
Congress and the White House.
Mama's
Note: I have a much better idea. Eliminate all of them, period. There
is no way a "National" anything can begin to plan or improve
the economy, for instance. The only thing that will save our economy -
if indeed it is not too late - is a truly free market with NO national
government involvement at all, and none other but the local removal of
those who steal and commit fraud.
Canadian
Border no longer open
Homeland Security News
The United States has tightened security with Canada in its northeast
corner to the dismay of businesses and residents accustomed to crossing
the world's longest undefended border with little more than a wave of
a hand or a flash of a driver's license. Reuters reports that since last
week, most travelers from Canada must show identification and submit to
background checks at U.S. border posts in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine,
said Ted Woo, U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman in Boston.
Perhaps
the most significant loss of freedom in a long time - though many of us
have had to give up traveling in and to Canada for years due to weapons
restrictions.
Our
Imperial Courts
SCOTUS
shields corrupt from whistleblowers (sic)
Yahoo! News
"The Supreme Court on Tuesday made it harder for government employees
to file lawsuits claiming they were retaliated against for going public
with allegations of official misconduct. By a 5-4 vote, justices said
the nation's 20 million public employees do not have carte blanche free
speech rights to disclose government's inner-workings. New Justice Samuel
Alito cast the tie-breaking vote. ... Dissenting justices said Tuesday
that the ruling could silence would-be whistleblowers who have information
about governmental misconduct." [FND editor's note: Predictions
that Alito would always side with the government are coming true - MLS]
(05/30/06)
I think
too much is being made of this: they aren't forbidden from releasing the
information - they just have to accept that the consequences may not be
all that favorable. We expect loyalty to a business by its employees,
and the same can be argued for government employees. No one in their right
mind would claim that an employee who has signed a contract promising
to keep certain information confidential could claim the First Amendment
lets him impair that contract, whether it is a public-sector or private-sector
job. However, the most important thing is that the solution to this is
a LEGISLATIVE one: all Congress has to do is establish immunity for whistleblowers,
which has been done more than once. Just because the Constitution doesn't
say they have "cart blanche" doesn't mean that they can't have
legal protections. I view Alito's vote as being one for judicial constraint,
NOT "pro-government."
Lay,
Skilling convicted in Enron collapse
Pawtucket Times
"Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling were convicted of conspiracy
and fraud Thursday by a federal jury that laid blame for one of the biggest
business scandals in U.S. history squarely on Enron Corp.'s two former
top executives. Jurors found that the men, who received tens of millions
in pay and stock options, repeatedly lied to cover up accounting tricks
and business failures that led to the company's 2001 demise. The collapse
wiped out more than $60 billion in market value, almost $2.1 billion in
pension plans and 5,600 jobs." (05/25/06)
The final
phase of any project: scapegoating. The entire mess was the result of
a situation caused by government tampering with the market system and
creating opportunities for thugs to con people - but notice that the Congressmen
and regulators aren't being convicted of anything - not even stupidity.
Mama's
Note: If politicians were held to the same standards, almost all of them
would be in jail.
CA:
Woman gets $2 million in matchmaker lawsuit
Los Angeles Times
"Single people everywhere dream of a match made in heaven. Anne
Majerik dreamed only of a match made in Beverly Hills. But when her high-priced
matchmaker disappointed her, she sued. And on Tuesday, a jury awarded
her $2.1 million. Majerik, who paid $125,000 to Beverly Hills matchmaker
Orly Hadida, said she was promised time with 'a cultured gentleman' and
his 'estate of up to $20 million.' She said all she got were a few introductions
to some inappropriate men. Orly, an Israeli beauty pageant winner who
goes by her first name, told a far different story. She and her lawyer
alleged that Majerik is a serial suer of matchmakers and that the widow
used her and the men Hadida set her up with, enjoyed herself and then
claimed that she had been 'psychologically damaged by the process' and
demanded compensation." (05/31/06)
I don't
know who is more gullible here: the court system as a whole, the "matchmaker"
for not screening her clients better and documenting things, the "serial
suer" or the jury. Stupid people, stupid laws, stupid waste of time
all around. Solution? I don't know if there is one - the situation has
gotten so bad. Humorously, can you get your legis-gator to sign on to
the "Lawyer Predation and Numbers Reduction Act of 2006" which
would assign nationwide open seasons on various types of lawyers, bag
limits (high bag limits, at first), and special rules for breeding lawyers
(I know, it is a gross and disgusting idea, but some things have to be
talked about).
Mama's
Note: There is one species I'd just as soon see become extinct - soon.
Big bag limits (so everyone has a chance to participate) and a big prize
for whoever brings in the last one. Forget the breeding! Gross, indeed!
Mideast
Tarbabies
Relentless
violence kills 54 in Iraq
Moscow-Pullman Daily News
"Car bombs targeting Shiite areas devastated a bustling outdoor
market and an auto dealership Tuesday, part of a relentless onslaught
that killed 54 people and prompted the United States to deploy more troops
to combat insurgents in western Iraq. The bombs also wounded 120 people,
officials said. The death toll made Tuesday one of the bloodiest days
in Iraq this month, and lawmakers still had not agreed on who should lead
the nation's army and police forces. Authorities also captured a suspected
terrorist who allegedly confessed to beheading hundreds of people. The
operation by Iraqi forces also netted documents, cell phones and computers
containing information on other wanted terrorists and Islamic extremist
groups." (05/30/06)
That's
the Moscow IDAHO Daily News, by the way. This is what finally triggered
(at least according to reports) moving 1500 troops from Kuwait (a reserve/rest
area) into Iraq, to try and restore peace. This suspected terrorist's
confession should be taken with a grain of salt, much as M. Atta's claims,
or the nutcase who is running around claiming to be a US Army Ranger who
helped kill thousands of Iraqis (and who, it turns out, didn't even make
it through basic training before the Army tossed him out on his ear).
Afghanistan
wants US troops prosecuted
ABC News
"Afghanistan's parliament has approved a motion calling for the
government to prosecute the U.S. soldiers responsible for a deadly road
crash that sparked the worst riots in Kabul in years, officials said Wednesday.
The assembly passed the nonbinding motion Tuesday, after debating Monday's
crash in which a U.S. truck plowed into a line of cars, killing up to
five Afghans and sparking citywide, anti-foreigner riots, said Saleh Mohammed
Saljuqi, an assistant to the parliamentary speaker. ... Hospital officials
say most of the dead and wounded were shot." (05/31/06)
I would
assume, and I think with a good deal of justification, that the US WILL
conduct Article 15-6 investigations and if there is error on the part
of anyone: driver, mechanic, passengers - they will be prosecuted appropriately.
But meanwhile, Afghani legislators are behaving no differently than their
US counterparts who apparently have supernatural ability to make judgments
without having to worry about the facts. And Afghani "citizens"
behave, once more, like the Islamic-deluded and irresponsible people they
have shown themselves in the past - rioting over cartoons, traffic accidents,
seemingly anything at all.
US
reportedly ready for Iran talks
Houston Chronicle
"The United States is ready to meet with Iran and other nations
for talks on Tehran's nuclear ambitions if the Islamic republic gives
up uranium enrichment, diplomats said Wednesday. ... One of the diplomats
told The Associated Press that the Bush administration was planning to
make an official announcement on Washington's conditional readiness to
join in such talks later in the day. The development is significant because
the United States has had no official direct talks with the Iranians since
the two countries cut diplomatic ties following the occupation of the
U.S. Embassy in Tehran by radicals in 1979." (05/31/06)
As I recall
over the past few months, the US has ALWAYS been open for talks, but Iran
has refused to do so. It may be that DC is putting too many caveats on
the offer of talks, but then Iran has made it clear right along that they
aren't interested in talking - except to make bombastic threats and accusations.
(Which makes them sound just like the US, doesn't it?)
Pentagon:
Iraq insurgency steady until '07
USA Today
"The Sunni Arab heart of the Iraqi insurgency seems likely to
hold its strength the rest of the year, and some of its leaders are now
collaborating with al-Qaeda terrorists, the Pentagon said Tuesday. In
a report assessing the situation in Iraq, required quarterly by Congress,
the Pentagon painted a mixed picture on a day when the U.S. military command
in Baghdad said 1,500 more combat troops have arrived in the country.
The extra troops are part of an intensified effort to wrest control of
the provincial capital of Ramadi from insurgents." (05/30/06)
Hope or
just blind faith?
Mama's
Note: And just what will be accomplished if they do gain "control?"
More people dead, more soldiers wounded and maimed, more infrastructure
destroyed, more hate and more "terrorists" recruited... there
doesn't seem to be any real benefit to anyone in this except job security
for the military brass and the government "leaders." What a
horrible waste of everything, espcially the lives and property of so many
innocent people.
Iraq
war proves deadliest for journalists
MSNBC
"Transferred Tuesday to the U.S. military's largest hospital abroad,
CBS correspondent Kimberly Dozier remained in stable but critical condition,
according to U.S. doctors in Landstuhl, Germany. 'Right now,' says Landstuhl
Hospital commander Bryan Gamble, 'She is doing as well as can be expected.'
But Dozier's camera crew -- Britons Paul Douglas and Jim Brolan -- were
killed by the same roadside bomb, while embedded with the U.S. Army in
Baghdad." (05/30/06)
They understand
the risks, and they won't be the last.
Officers
not a target of Iraq death probe
Glasgow Daily Times
"Three officers relieved of command from a Marine battalion are
not targets of investigations into whether their troops killed as many
as two dozen Iraqi civilians and tried to cover it up, the attorney for
one of the officers said Tuesday. Capt. James Kimber learned about the
deaths only after the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment returned from
Iraq in March, attorney Paul Hackett said. Separate investigations seek
to determine whether the Nov. 19 killings in the western Iraqi city of
Haditha were criminal and whether the Marines involved and their commanding
officers tried to hide the truth." (05/30/06)
It sounds
as though separate investigations are going on, to determine if these
officers were involved after the fact. And this is the proper way to handle
it, no matter how the Mainstream Media tries to slant it.
Abbas
stuns Hamas with talk of referendum
Des Moines Register
"In a bold initiative, the Palestinian president gave Hamas 10
days to accept the idea of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, saying
Thursday he'll submit the plan to a referendum by mid-July if the Islamic
militants refuse. Mahmoud Abbas' surprise announcement is a political
gamble that could either help resolve the Palestinians' internal deadlock
or lead the Hamas-led government and Fatah into a deeper crisis."
(05/25/06)
Gee - a
democratic solution in the ultimate Arabic "nation." No wonder
Hamas is stunned.
Palestinian
Rockets Rain on Southern Israel
CNS News.com
Islamic Jihad reportedly is claiming responsibility for Wednesday morning's
rocket attack on the southern Israeli town of Sderot. The early-morning
barrage came just one day after Israel publicized for the first time that
it was sending commando units deep into the northern Gaza Strip to ambush
and intercept the rocket-firing squads...
Peace didn't
last very long, did it?
PLO:
No Peace Through Unilateral Israeli Action
CNS News.com
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been trying to gain support
for a plan to merge Israeli settlements and evacuate others to give Palestinians
most of the West Bank. But Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) negotiators
Wednesday said Olmert's plan would end the possibility of a Palestinian
state...
Nothing
Israel can or will do will satisfy the PLO or the Arab world. Nothing.
Our
Right to Defend Ourselves and Others
SC:
2 gunned down in botched robbery
Myrtle Beach Online
"Two men were killed early Monday in a gunfight sparked by an
armed robbery attempt near the intersection of Cassandra Lane and 22nd
Avenue South, Myrtle Beach police said. ... A police incident report said
that Smith and a friend, Charles Melvin Stocker Jr., 26, of Hopkins, were
near Cassandra and 22nd when McCullough and another person approached
and tried to rob them at gunpoint. During the robbery, McCullough shot
and killed Smith, police said. Stocker then pulled a gun he had and fired
on McCullough, police said. Horry County Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard
said both men were shot multiple times while within a few feet of each
other." (05/30/06)
Sounds
like the bad part of town. Such gun battles are, thankfully, rare. But
clearly, the robbers were intending to kill to rob.
NH:
Burglar chased by teen faces robbery charge
Nashua Telegraph
"Gagnon and Carey broke into a house on Derry Street in Hudson
shortly before 2 p.m. on Jan. 17, 2005, according to court records. A
16-year-old boy was home, in the basement at the time, and heard them
breaking into the house, LaFrance said. The boy went upstairs, and saw
two strangers outside, in the rear of the house, apparently trying to
force their way inside, the teen told police. The boy ran up to his mother's
bedroom, took a handgun from her dresser drawer and hid in the bedroom
closet, he told police. The boy could hear the burglars rummaging around
downstairs, and in time, they came upstairs. One of the burglars spotted
the empty holster on the bed, and remarked that there must be a gun in
the house, LaFrance said. Prosecutors believe that Gagnon and Carey, like
most burglars, were drug addicts looking for items they could quickly
pawn or trade for drugs, LaFrance said. When the burglars opened the closet
door, however, the teen confronted them with the gun, and told them he
would shoot if they didn't back off. The teen then chased the duo from
the house, yelling at them, LaFrance said. 'To be truthful, they're lucky
they didn't get shot,' she said." (05/26/06)
Not a shot
fired, as is often the case. Having the weapon prevents crime and doesn't
HAVE to mean someone is hurt or dies, but it often keeps innocent people
from being hurt, as was probably the case here.
ID:
Shooting leaves one dead
KTVB News
"A Valley County man is dead, and the man who pulled the trigger
says he did it in self-defense. The 26-year old shooter admitted to police
that he killed the man, but he says he did it for his own protection.
... According to police 11 people were at a party in the home when a fight
broke out. Police say a number of metal weapons were used in the fight.
The shooter tells police the Prescott brothers attacked him with the weapons,
and that's when he shot James Prescott in self-defense." (05/30/06)
Sounds
like a coroner's jury really needs to sort this one out. I seldom recommend
such, but this week, there are several situations where the claim of "self-defense"
needs to be proven.
OR:
Intruder shot multiple times
KPTV News
"A 9-1-1 call from a woman in Boring reported that a man who had
been harassing her, broke into her residence and her boyfriend shot the
intruder multiple times. It happened at about 2:30 a.m. Clackamas County
Sheriff's officials say the woman told them the intruder had been stalking
her. She says the man physically forced his way into her residence. The
man, reported to be 49-years-old, was shot multiple times with a handgun
in the upper torso and is reported to be in stable condition."
(05/30/06)
A much
clearer situation than some, this week. I do wonder what ammo the boyfriend
was using, though. Yes, someone pumped up can absorb a lot of lead, and
this may be such a case. There are stories from the frontier that tell
of men surviving and still fighting with 10 or more bullets weighing them
down.
NC:
Squabble leads to gunfire
McDowell News
"Capt. Dudley Greene of the Sheriff's Office said Freeman and several
others were in his yard, when 34-year-old Mark Anthony Salyer of Southern
Way showed up unannounced. Witness said a confrontation ensued and Salyer
brandished a weapon, the captain stated. That's when Freeman shot Salyer
once in the chest with a .45-caliber handgun." (05/30/06)
Although
there are some questions to be answered, this seems like a clear case
of home invasion and a threat of deadly force, to which Freeman responded
well within his rights.
MI:
No murder charge for man who shot rapper Proof
Detroit Free Press
"The man who shot and killed Detroit rapper Proof acted in self
defense and will not face murder charges, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym
Worthy said Tuesday. Mario Etheridge, 28, shot Proof, whose real name
is Deshaun Holton, after Proof allegedly shot and killed Etheridge's cousin,
Keith Bender Jr., a U.S. Army veteran. ... The C.C.C. club on 8 Mile was
the place where Proof, 32, a close friend of Eminem and a member of the
rap group D12, was shot three times in the head and chest after a fight
about 4:30 a.m. April 11 -- more than two hours after the club was required
by law to close. Before his death, Proof, shot the 35-year-old Bender,
police said. Bender died a week later. Etheridge, who prosecutors said
shot Proof, was charged last month with gun felonies, but not with the
killing. Police said Etheridge, a bouncer at the bar, shot Proof after
the rapper shot Bender in a fight over a pool game." (05/30/06)
The gun
felonies seem to be a way for the state to get around the inconvenient
fact that a business has a right to protect itself, its employees, and
its customers from attack.
India:
Catholic priest seeks pistol, stirs row
Navhind Times [India]
"Fr Jacob Augustine, a Catholic priest here, has applied for a
pistol license, kicking up a controversy. Fr Augustine had applied to
the Kottayam Collectorate for a license in January, but a section within
his church is protesting against this move. The 42-year-old priest is
also the manager of the Amal Jyothi Engineering College, owned by the
Catholic Diocese of Kanjirapally, 50 km from here. 'There are several
priests in our church who possess a licensed weapon. Moreover, since I
manage a big institution, which has got lot of assets, I do not think
possessing a gun is wrong,' Fr Augustine told IANS." (05/29/06)
There is
a problem with priests bearing arms? That isn't for the state to decide,
that is for the church to decide.
Fedgoons
will help NYC in frivolous gun suit
New York Times
"Casework supporting the city's federal lawsuit against 15 gun
dealers in five states will be funneled to federal law enforcement agents
around the country for possible criminal investigations and prosecutions,
officials said yesterday. The New York office of the federal Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will collect and evaluate the
evidence on illegal purchases of guns that has been gathered by the Bloomberg
administration and send it to offices with jurisdiction over those dealers,
officials said.In all, five federal judicial districts could wind up pursuing
criminal cases, since the city conducted its two-month sting in Georgia,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. " (05/27/06)
Did anyone
expect anything else? I love the tee-shirt (now offered even by Townhall):
"'Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives' should be the name of
a convenience store, not a government agency."
IN:
Shot fired during robbery attempt
Martinsville Reporter Times
"A Mooresville business was reportedly the target of an armed
robber Friday night, but the owner fired first. According to Mooresville
Police Department preliminary reports, the owner of Hasting's Jewelry,
354 S. Indiana St., saw a man walk up to the entrance of his store shortly
before 6 p.m. The man pulled a red hood over his face, took out a handgun
and entered the store. The owner, who was not identified, also had a handgun.
As the man entered the store, the owner stood up with his weapon. Officers
said the robber told the owner, 'Don't do it, man, I'll kill you.' According
to police, the owner then discharged his weapon, striking the top of a
display case. The bullet ricocheted off a large pair of scissors, then
went out a window. After the shot, the would-be robber fled the business."
(05/28/06)
Again,
no one hurt, although that might not have been intentional on the part
of the owner. This article does, however, show a common bias on the part
of the media: "reportedly the target" - as if they don't really
quite believe the unnamed owner.
Mama's
Note: Seems the owner here needs a lot more practice and training with
his weapon. The ricochet could have killed someone outside the window.
TN:
business owner fights back against armed robbers
ABC 24 News
"Adam Obsiye South Memphis convenience store and his native Somalia
would seem to have little in common. But his friends say they do. Ali
Mohammed says, 'It's the same over here and over there. Same. People over
there killing people. People over here killing people. It's the same thing.
Ain't nothing different. Ain't no peace.' Memphis Police say as Obsiye
was closing up shop Sunday night, two armed men stormed into his store.
A third man waited outside. When they two robbers inside demanded money
from Obsiye, the store owner grabbed his pistol and started shooting.
He hit one in the thigh as they ran out of his store." (05/29/06)
Ali is
right - which is why we need our freedom to keep, bear, and use arms to
defend ourselves. As the next story points out, Somalia and Tennessee
aren't alone in this.
Iraq:
Guns becoming as important as food
Inter Press Service
"Guns have come to be seen in Iraq as a need second only to food.
Under Saddam Hussein possession of weapons was highly regulated. But after
the invasion of Iraq, the military collapsed and many armouries and ammunition
dumps were left unprotected. In an environment of a lack of security,
these came to supply a growing appetite for guns. To begin with people
bought guns -- or took those discarded on the streets -- as a defence
against the eruption of lawlessness after the fall of Baghdad. Recently,
after the bombing of the al-Askariyah shrine in Samarra in February this
year, a wave of reprisal killings drastically increased the desire of
each Iraqi family to have at least one gun. 'I think it is important for
every Iraqi to have a weapon to protect himself and his family,' Abu Hasan,
a weapons merchant in Baghdad told IPS." (05/29/06)
Here in
the American West (and the frontier, anywhere in the Americas) a firearm
was MORE important than food - in part because it could obtain food for
you and your family: five bullets, five pieces of game (admittedly, usually
squirrels or rabbits) was NOT just mythology. And guns provide protection
for self, family, and neighbors.
FL:
Teen shoots intruder
Sun Sentinel
"Javaris Granger wished his father was there instead of him. His
father was on the phone, urging Granger, 15, to get the gun they used
for shooting practice. 'Do what you have to do,' his father said. Granger
did. He aimed the gun and fired at the violent intruder. Family and friends
are awed by Granger's bravery. 'Anyone who takes charge like that is definitely
a hero,' said Maxine Chandler, his mother. Before the McArthur High School
freshman fired the gun, he kept a cool head and remembered his father's
shooting and safety lessons during the chaos early Saturday morning."
(05/25/06)
Amazingly,
the Grangers aren't in court for contributing to the delinquency of a
minor by allowing the son to have a handgun. Good for Javaris. (I suspect
that the pistol might actually have been Javaris's, but with the current
stupid federal and state laws, anyone under 18 can't own a handgun, so
the fiction is maintained. Other families I know have ALL members of the
family, some as young as 10 or 12, who have their own pistols, and have
been trained as well.)
IN:
Home Invasion, 7 dead
My Way News
Seven family members, the youngest just 5 years old, were shot to death
in their home, and police said Friday they were seeking at least two suspects.
The attack appeared to have been a home invasion, but not random, Deputy
Police Chief Tim Foley said. He said investigators were considering several
possible motives.
Apparently
none were armed - one was actually pulled into the house to be killed
while a friend (who called the cops) watched. The cops arrived too late.
Founders
faced many issues still here today
Philadelphia Inquirer
"When the Founders ratified the Second Amendment in 1791, they
had in mind English politics of the 1680s, when a Catholic king (James
II) was thought to be scheming to impose his religion on a Protestant
nation by using a powerful army. After James was deposed, England adopted
a bill of rights, including a right to bear arms. A century later the
Founders supported militias and an armed citizenry, not to protect Protestants
against Catholics, but to allow the states or the people to defend themselves
against a national government gone wild." (05/31/06)
An interesting
article from a mainstream media outlet.
TN:
Crime victims stop would be robbers
WSMV TV News
"Usually criminals worry about being caught by police but in Murfreesboro
criminals need to watch out for their victims. In the last two months,
five different victims took bold risks in stopping crime. Tim Davis' Salt
and Pepper Christian bookstore is full of statements that mirror is own
beliefs. From commandments to bumper stickers, it all points to character
and when a man tried to rob him, he believes he knows exactly what Jesus
would do. Tim pulled out a pair of scissors and chased his robber down
the street holding him at bay until police arrived. 'If you roll over
and take it, they will do it again,' Davis defended his action. ... Guillermo
Acosta sacrificed his own life while defending his neighbors during a
robbery at La Tienda / La Carreta grocery story. A robber stormed into
JD's Market and pointed a gun at Karim Barakat. Mr. Barakat remained calm
but when the robber pointed the gun at his beloved wife, Barakat pulled
out his own gun and shot the robber. A man robbed on East State Street
exchanged gunfire with his robber." (05/31/06)
A whole
list of Tennesseans reminding us why it is the "Volunteer State."
At lest the first one, though, I have my doubts about: brave and risk-taking
yes, but stupid, too. A pair of scissors? And NOT "what Jesus would
do," either: Jesus told His disciples to take a sword.
GA:
Teen burglar shot by homeowner
WSTB TV News
"Police say a man shot and wounded a teenager he found in his
home - attempting to rob him. Police say 27-year-old Ronald Ramsey arrived
at his Lawrenceville home Tuesday afternoon and found 17-year-old Alrazi
Basher of Duluth inside, robbing him. Officials say when Basher tried
to flee the home, Ramsey shot at Basher and hit him and his vehicle."
(05/31/06)
Was this
a legitimate "self-defense" incident? I really do not think
so. The kid was already running away, and there was no threat to the gunner
or his family or neighborhood. There was no attempt to stop a fleeing
felon with a threat of force, which would be legitimate. Yes, I wasn't
there, so I don't know what his fears were at the time, but I think a
coroner's jury ought to find out.
More
News and Commentary on Page 2
Nathan
Barton is writing from his secret bunker complex on the eastern slopes
of the Paha Sapa, swilling Doctor Pepper (and gallons of water each day,
milady) and plotting to reelect Gaius Julius Caesar dictator of the Republic
- or was that Senator Palpatine? Granville James Corbin? W? Q?
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to visit my blog, Liberty's
Outpost.
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