There's a growing problem with people claiming to have been awarded the Medal of Honor and wearing the medals (that are fakes or belong to someone else).
There are at present 113 living Medal of Honor recipients. The government knows who they are, where they live, and what they did to receive our nation's highest military honor.
Unfortunately, according to reports, the real heroes are vastly outnumbered by the liars who claim to be among their number. What a sad state of affairs.
There's a high price to be paid for falsely wearing a Medal of Honor. The current punishment is one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. The Stolen Valor Act of 2005 aims to make it a crime to wear any military medal and claim to be a recipient when one is not. It will also make it clear that those honors belong solely to our brave former and active military personnel who have/are getting shot at, bombed, and whatever else takes place in the war zones.
This is a good act and should be acted upon soon.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Cost of Neo-Nazi Rally Still Being Tallied, but It's Close to $250,000 So Far
The bill to local and state governments for providing protection during last weekend's neo-Nazi rally in Lansing is still being tallied, but latest estimates put the total price tag at close to $250,000 so far.
Here are the numbers being reported by various departments and agencies:
Michigan State Police----$171,000
City of Lansing---$75,000
Other Assisting Police Departments--Still Unknown
The next time the neo-Nazis come to town, they ought to send a certified check for $500,000 first and let them pay the bills. Why should the taxpayers be left to pay the bill?
The police did a great job in keeping order downtown. Their careful planning and execution of the plan kept a potentially explosive situation under control and they should be recognized for their hard work.
More to follow on this.
Here are the numbers being reported by various departments and agencies:
Michigan State Police----$171,000
City of Lansing---$75,000
Other Assisting Police Departments--Still Unknown
The next time the neo-Nazis come to town, they ought to send a certified check for $500,000 first and let them pay the bills. Why should the taxpayers be left to pay the bill?
The police did a great job in keeping order downtown. Their careful planning and execution of the plan kept a potentially explosive situation under control and they should be recognized for their hard work.
More to follow on this.
Boycott the Boycott: Hold a National Shopping Day on Monday
People hold off shopping this weekend and do it on Monday to defy the pro-illegal crowd that has threatened to grind the economy to a halt with their protests that very day.
And Congress had better not buckle under the pressure either. Any member of Congress who does should be voted out of office at the next opportunity for bowing to demands from illegals who refuse to follow the rules.
No amnesty for lawbreakers. It's not fair to immigrants who go through the system properly.
And Congress had better not buckle under the pressure either. Any member of Congress who does should be voted out of office at the next opportunity for bowing to demands from illegals who refuse to follow the rules.
No amnesty for lawbreakers. It's not fair to immigrants who go through the system properly.
Friday, April 28, 2006
"Nuestro Himno" Is Not The U.S. National Anthem in Spanish--It's Simply A New Version of "We Shall Overcome"
There's been a lot of hooplah the last few days over the so-called Spanish-version of the "Star Spangled Banner."
Few points here.
First of all, this is a immigrant rights song, not the U.S. National Anthem. Every movement has some sort of an anthem. In the civil rights movement, the song titled "We Shall Overcome" was and is seen as a civil rights theme song.
If it was a Spanish version of the U.S. National Anthem, then it would have been the exact translation to the "Star-Spangled Banner." But the words are not the same; hence it is not associated to the official U.S. National Anthem.
This new song shares the melody to the "Star-Spangled Banner," but in actuality, it's a new version of "We Shall Overcome" and other "official" themes to movements.
I don't find anything wrong with it, so long as it is not held up on the same level as the official U.S. National Anthem, because clearly it isn't the same.
Few points here.
First of all, this is a immigrant rights song, not the U.S. National Anthem. Every movement has some sort of an anthem. In the civil rights movement, the song titled "We Shall Overcome" was and is seen as a civil rights theme song.
If it was a Spanish version of the U.S. National Anthem, then it would have been the exact translation to the "Star-Spangled Banner." But the words are not the same; hence it is not associated to the official U.S. National Anthem.
This new song shares the melody to the "Star-Spangled Banner," but in actuality, it's a new version of "We Shall Overcome" and other "official" themes to movements.
I don't find anything wrong with it, so long as it is not held up on the same level as the official U.S. National Anthem, because clearly it isn't the same.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Checks From Government for Fuel Rebate? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
Some senators are pushing around the idea that the U.S. government should write out checks to every taxpayer for $100 as a kind of gasoline "rebate" while gas prices are so high.
This idea should be dropped immediately.
Where are they going to get the money to do this? And what happens the next time? Will they do it again? For that matter, why are they even considering using taxpayer money to fix an oil industry problem?
Now, if they were going to collect the money from the oil industry first, that would be different. But out and out using federal money? No way.
This is pure electioneering.
This idea should be dropped immediately.
Where are they going to get the money to do this? And what happens the next time? Will they do it again? For that matter, why are they even considering using taxpayer money to fix an oil industry problem?
Now, if they were going to collect the money from the oil industry first, that would be different. But out and out using federal money? No way.
This is pure electioneering.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
75 Nazis Show Up at Rally; 800 Counter-Demonstrators Do Too; Another 800-1000 Attend Diversity Rally
The collective IQ of the Lansing area has shot back up with the departure of the National Socialist Movement protestors yesterday following their rally.
Approximately 75 neo-Nazis showed up out of 200 expected, around 800 counter-demonstrators participated in the Noise Blockade, and around 900 were at the diversity rally that the neo-Nazis did leave alone following their own rally. Other news agencies are reporting similar numbers.
By my count, that's approximately 75 NSM members vs. approximately 1,700 Noise Blockade demonstrators and diversity participants. For some reason, the rest of the Nazis stayed home.
It was too bad that people broke part of the fence down and went after the NSM members; it was unnecessary. Sixteen individuals were arrested. It seemed like some in the crowd wanted to fight the police because they could, but backed down.
Hate to tell the Nazis "I told you so" (thhhp!!), but I DID tell them so.
So much for the largest white power rally of 2006. Good riddance.
Approximately 75 neo-Nazis showed up out of 200 expected, around 800 counter-demonstrators participated in the Noise Blockade, and around 900 were at the diversity rally that the neo-Nazis did leave alone following their own rally. Other news agencies are reporting similar numbers.
By my count, that's approximately 75 NSM members vs. approximately 1,700 Noise Blockade demonstrators and diversity participants. For some reason, the rest of the Nazis stayed home.
It was too bad that people broke part of the fence down and went after the NSM members; it was unnecessary. Sixteen individuals were arrested. It seemed like some in the crowd wanted to fight the police because they could, but backed down.
Hate to tell the Nazis "I told you so" (thhhp!!), but I DID tell them so.
So much for the largest white power rally of 2006. Good riddance.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Duke Rape Case Seriously Flawed: What is Really Going On?
The recent lacrosse team rape scandal at Duke University has thrown an uncomfortable spotlight into how election year politics can screw up a case as badly as this one has been.
We have witnesses to the alleged crime changing their stories. We have two team members charged with rape (one of whom wasn't there when it allegedly happened). We have a prosecutor trying the case in the media. The defense team is doing the same thing.
We have DNA results that do not support the charges; the prosecutor is now saying that the FBI crime lab is unreliable and is having a private company do the testing. There is now open discussion that the accuser isn't being honest. On the other side, the team hasn't helped its own cause by refusing to cooperate. And the mud-flinging is well underway from both sides.
There's a technical term for a court case like this: fiasco.
Why proper procedures were not followed in investigating a very serious crime should be looked at when the dust settles.
Also, why all the team players' names were released to the media even though they were not charged with a crime was a poor decision.
It's been one blunder after another. When will it end?
We have witnesses to the alleged crime changing their stories. We have two team members charged with rape (one of whom wasn't there when it allegedly happened). We have a prosecutor trying the case in the media. The defense team is doing the same thing.
We have DNA results that do not support the charges; the prosecutor is now saying that the FBI crime lab is unreliable and is having a private company do the testing. There is now open discussion that the accuser isn't being honest. On the other side, the team hasn't helped its own cause by refusing to cooperate. And the mud-flinging is well underway from both sides.
There's a technical term for a court case like this: fiasco.
Why proper procedures were not followed in investigating a very serious crime should be looked at when the dust settles.
Also, why all the team players' names were released to the media even though they were not charged with a crime was a poor decision.
It's been one blunder after another. When will it end?
Friday, April 21, 2006
Neo-Nazis Are In For a Shock at Their Rally: Heavy Turnout at Noise Blockade Expected
I learned today that many MSU professors are giving extra credit to students who go to the neo-Nazi rally and join the Noise Blockade of the Nazi rally in Lansing tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon. In addition, many ministers are pushing for their congregations to attend the Noise Blockade, or go to the diversity rally at a local high school fieldhouse.
In another good sign, the NSM has announced that it will not crash the diversity rally and that they would stay in the capitol. That's very good news; they may have gotten wind of the potentially huge turnout of counter-demonstrators in and around the capitol.
Something that made the news tonight caught my attention: state police bus service to and from the rally has been set up for the neo-Nazis into the designated protest area. I don't think I like this idea very much, but if it keeps the protesters apart, then so be it.
The fence is all but set up; I couldn't get downtown to take a good look tonight. Too many road closure signs out and Friday nighters down there. The police are already out in force, making sure that the capitol is secure and ready for tomorrow's rally and counter-rally.
While I loathe the neo-Nazi message and how they choose to express it, they are exercising their First Amendment rights to say what they want. But they should be reminded that inciting to riot is not protected speech; nor is using violence against others to further their hate message.
Look at it this way: the sooner they say their piece, the sooner they'll leave.
And the counter-demonstrators should keep their cool and keep it verbal. The Nazis definitely wouldn't mind a huge free-for-all (as was demonstrated in Toledo last year). Don't give it to them. Violence is unnecessary.
In another good sign, the NSM has announced that it will not crash the diversity rally and that they would stay in the capitol. That's very good news; they may have gotten wind of the potentially huge turnout of counter-demonstrators in and around the capitol.
Something that made the news tonight caught my attention: state police bus service to and from the rally has been set up for the neo-Nazis into the designated protest area. I don't think I like this idea very much, but if it keeps the protesters apart, then so be it.
The fence is all but set up; I couldn't get downtown to take a good look tonight. Too many road closure signs out and Friday nighters down there. The police are already out in force, making sure that the capitol is secure and ready for tomorrow's rally and counter-rally.
While I loathe the neo-Nazi message and how they choose to express it, they are exercising their First Amendment rights to say what they want. But they should be reminded that inciting to riot is not protected speech; nor is using violence against others to further their hate message.
Look at it this way: the sooner they say their piece, the sooner they'll leave.
And the counter-demonstrators should keep their cool and keep it verbal. The Nazis definitely wouldn't mind a huge free-for-all (as was demonstrated in Toledo last year). Don't give it to them. Violence is unnecessary.
Calling a Spade a Spade: Security Fence Is There for The Protection of the Neo-Nazis, Not the Community
Preparations for this weekend's neo-Nazi rally moved into full swing as the various police departments began erecting a fence around the planned Nazi protest site.
The National Socialist Movement (NSM) had gone to court to prevent the fence from being put up, but a judge decided to let the Lansing and Michigan State police departments do their jobs and keep the Nazis and everyone else from tearing one another apart. This was a wise decision by the court.
The NSM court action is more proof that the group wants to maximize the possibility of an outbreak of violence during the protest and that they have nothing but bad intentions in holding their rally in Lansing. Why else would they want a fence that's there for their protection removed?
It's going to be funny to watch the Nazis have their message drowned out by the Noise Blockade, which the anti-Nazi demonstrators are (rightly) calling their rally.
The National Socialist Movement (NSM) had gone to court to prevent the fence from being put up, but a judge decided to let the Lansing and Michigan State police departments do their jobs and keep the Nazis and everyone else from tearing one another apart. This was a wise decision by the court.
The NSM court action is more proof that the group wants to maximize the possibility of an outbreak of violence during the protest and that they have nothing but bad intentions in holding their rally in Lansing. Why else would they want a fence that's there for their protection removed?
It's going to be funny to watch the Nazis have their message drowned out by the Noise Blockade, which the anti-Nazi demonstrators are (rightly) calling their rally.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Mexico's Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds: Mexico Mistreats It's Own Illegal Migrant Population While Criticizing U.S. Debate on Same Issue
Typical.
Mexico has been an outspoken critic of the U.S. debate on illegal immigration, while at the same time mistreating it's own illegal population. Illegals in Mexico are felons!
Perhaps Mexico should get it's own house in order before telling us how to run ours. As troubled as our system is in dealing with illegal migrants, it's still better than Mexico's.
Mexico has been an outspoken critic of the U.S. debate on illegal immigration, while at the same time mistreating it's own illegal population. Illegals in Mexico are felons!
Perhaps Mexico should get it's own house in order before telling us how to run ours. As troubled as our system is in dealing with illegal migrants, it's still better than Mexico's.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
British Approach to Dealing with Iran May Be the Correct One: Bush Administration Should Listen to What They're Saying
Tony Blair seems to have indicated that Britain would be unable to provide military support for an assault on Iran due to Britain's current international commitments.
Some of the Prime Minister's cabinet members are suggesting that an approach similar to what brought Libya back into the international community would be more beneficial than if a Western coalition were to turn Iran into a parking lot.
The British suggestion raises some excellent points.
We've learned from past experience (Iraq) that when the West starts making demands, war follows. When deadlines are set, war follows. When sketchy intelligence is taken for the gospel truth, or is ignored, war follows. When claims of enemy WMDs ready to be launched within minutes are issued by coalition governments, war follows. When this Administration says "trust us--we're right about this", and they turn out to be wrong, how can this Administration expect us to trust them this time with Iran?
The Bush Administration says it doesn't know how far away Iran is from making an atomic bomb. But again, we are faced with statements coming out of the Administration that Iran must comply with it's demands or else. It's the "or else" part that is particularly alarming, especially when "regime change" is again being touted in Washington. And again, we see the UN Security Council splintering under pressure.
We don't need another war; we need a solution that doesn't involve the U.S. military as the primary instrument for a political resolution.
Given all of this, the British strategy seems sound. Working with Iranians outside the current radical government and in key locations inside Iran could well turn the situation around.
Hopefully Bush listens to his closest international ally and not to the Bush cowboys (Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Chertoff & Gonzales) when formulating a strategy to deal with Iran. No disrespect to Condi Rice intended in that last sentence. But she's part of the problem too.
Hopefully President Bush is listening to the ideas coming out of Britain.
Some of the Prime Minister's cabinet members are suggesting that an approach similar to what brought Libya back into the international community would be more beneficial than if a Western coalition were to turn Iran into a parking lot.
The British suggestion raises some excellent points.
We've learned from past experience (Iraq) that when the West starts making demands, war follows. When deadlines are set, war follows. When sketchy intelligence is taken for the gospel truth, or is ignored, war follows. When claims of enemy WMDs ready to be launched within minutes are issued by coalition governments, war follows. When this Administration says "trust us--we're right about this", and they turn out to be wrong, how can this Administration expect us to trust them this time with Iran?
The Bush Administration says it doesn't know how far away Iran is from making an atomic bomb. But again, we are faced with statements coming out of the Administration that Iran must comply with it's demands or else. It's the "or else" part that is particularly alarming, especially when "regime change" is again being touted in Washington. And again, we see the UN Security Council splintering under pressure.
We don't need another war; we need a solution that doesn't involve the U.S. military as the primary instrument for a political resolution.
Given all of this, the British strategy seems sound. Working with Iranians outside the current radical government and in key locations inside Iran could well turn the situation around.
Hopefully Bush listens to his closest international ally and not to the Bush cowboys (Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Chertoff & Gonzales) when formulating a strategy to deal with Iran. No disrespect to Condi Rice intended in that last sentence. But she's part of the problem too.
Hopefully President Bush is listening to the ideas coming out of Britain.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Neo-Nazi Comments on This Blog Explored: Blaming Others for Their Problems is Their Trademark
I seem to have touched a nerve with my last posting.
A prominent neo-Nazi took notice of my last entry and decided to post a comment, to which I responded in the same way.
He said some things in his comments that I thought about overnight and throughout the day today. After sharing his comments with some close friends out here, I've decided to make some points here based on his comments in addition to the comments I made in my initial response.
His entry was based on my stated belief that many people will be attending the National Socialist Movement to protest the neo-Nazi rally...quite probably in the thousands. I think he thought I was talking about thousands of people attending the diversity rally, rather than the neo-Nazi rally.
I'm not hearing about anyone going to the diversity rally; they'd rather protest the NSM rally. And that's what everyone is gearing up for. The Lansing Coalition Against Nazis (LCAN) and the Anti-Racist Action Network (ARA) have been very busy getting volunteers together to protest the skinhead presence.
His comments in their entirety:
Thousands?
LOL
Thousands haven't turned out for a "diveristy celebration" in years.
About 100 angry kids will attend the "militant anti-Nazi" demonstration, and as many people as the City can afford to pay will attend the diversity rally. Then, the press will at least double their actual numbers and report that they "outnumbered" us.
LOL
Any other belief about what will happen shows a deep immersion in fantasy that is probably not in the best interest of your mental health.
I found it interesting that he thought that it would be angry kids attending the anti-Nazi demonstration. There will more than likely be at least that and many more. He's also forgetting about the MSU turnout as well as the church turnout.
And his comment that the city of Lansing would pay people to attend the counter-protest was REAL interesting. If he was keeping up on Lansing-area news, he would have known that the city is facing an $11 million shortfall in the current budget and can't afford to pay people to be there---except the police of course. The mayor has enough political enemies on the city council that something like that happening would raise a major screaming match and everyone would know about it. In advance.
So I find it laughable that they're already making up excuses for being outnumbered at their own rally (which hasn't even happened yet).
The last comment he made about fantasy was very amusing to me. He should practice what he preaches: after putting forth conspiracy theories about the city of Lansing paying people to go to the diversity rally, about the press inflating the numbers of people who were actually there, of only angry kids attending the anti-Nazi rally, and his worrying about my mental health (thank you), perhaps he should focus on his own mental health instead.
Blazing hatred of others causes more mental problems than fantasy does. I'll take fantasy over neo-Nazi propaganda and excuses EVERY time.
A prominent neo-Nazi took notice of my last entry and decided to post a comment, to which I responded in the same way.
He said some things in his comments that I thought about overnight and throughout the day today. After sharing his comments with some close friends out here, I've decided to make some points here based on his comments in addition to the comments I made in my initial response.
His entry was based on my stated belief that many people will be attending the National Socialist Movement to protest the neo-Nazi rally...quite probably in the thousands. I think he thought I was talking about thousands of people attending the diversity rally, rather than the neo-Nazi rally.
I'm not hearing about anyone going to the diversity rally; they'd rather protest the NSM rally. And that's what everyone is gearing up for. The Lansing Coalition Against Nazis (LCAN) and the Anti-Racist Action Network (ARA) have been very busy getting volunteers together to protest the skinhead presence.
His comments in their entirety:
Thousands?
LOL
Thousands haven't turned out for a "diveristy celebration" in years.
About 100 angry kids will attend the "militant anti-Nazi" demonstration, and as many people as the City can afford to pay will attend the diversity rally. Then, the press will at least double their actual numbers and report that they "outnumbered" us.
LOL
Any other belief about what will happen shows a deep immersion in fantasy that is probably not in the best interest of your mental health.
I found it interesting that he thought that it would be angry kids attending the anti-Nazi demonstration. There will more than likely be at least that and many more. He's also forgetting about the MSU turnout as well as the church turnout.
And his comment that the city of Lansing would pay people to attend the counter-protest was REAL interesting. If he was keeping up on Lansing-area news, he would have known that the city is facing an $11 million shortfall in the current budget and can't afford to pay people to be there---except the police of course. The mayor has enough political enemies on the city council that something like that happening would raise a major screaming match and everyone would know about it. In advance.
So I find it laughable that they're already making up excuses for being outnumbered at their own rally (which hasn't even happened yet).
The last comment he made about fantasy was very amusing to me. He should practice what he preaches: after putting forth conspiracy theories about the city of Lansing paying people to go to the diversity rally, about the press inflating the numbers of people who were actually there, of only angry kids attending the anti-Nazi rally, and his worrying about my mental health (thank you), perhaps he should focus on his own mental health instead.
Blazing hatred of others causes more mental problems than fantasy does. I'll take fantasy over neo-Nazi propaganda and excuses EVERY time.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Big Trouble: Neo-Nazis May Crash City Diversity Celebration
A planned neo-Nazi rally in downtown Lansing and a planned diversity rally designed to counter the presence of the neo-Nazis in the state capitol may now be on a major collision course as the skinheads announced that they may attend the diversity rally so that the public can "help them celebrate their white heritage."
There goes the neighborhood.
No matter what excuse the neo-Nazis make for invading other parts of the city, all they are doing is looking for trouble. They've already got trouble in the form of thousands who are planning on turning out to protest against the National Socialist Movement rally.
Hopefully someone is telling the neo-Nazis that inciting to riot is not protected speech. They should hold their damned rally and then get out of dodge peaceably. And the people who are going to protest ought to let them leave without making a bad situation worse.
If things get out of hand, there's no telling where everything will end up.
There goes the neighborhood.
No matter what excuse the neo-Nazis make for invading other parts of the city, all they are doing is looking for trouble. They've already got trouble in the form of thousands who are planning on turning out to protest against the National Socialist Movement rally.
Hopefully someone is telling the neo-Nazis that inciting to riot is not protected speech. They should hold their damned rally and then get out of dodge peaceably. And the people who are going to protest ought to let them leave without making a bad situation worse.
If things get out of hand, there's no telling where everything will end up.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Who Cares if Millions March in Support of Pro-Immigration? Millions WON'T!
One overlooked note of interest on the immigration protests happening in major cities across the nation: while hundreds of thousands or millions may march in protest to show support for illegal immigrants, millions WON'T show up because they don't support our borders being violated and the law being broken.
Just because large turnouts happen at these rallies doesn't mean that everyone feels the same way about it. The voices of dissent are being overlooked or ignored to further the cause of the pro-illegal crowd.
Those who are speaking up are being labeled bigots by the pro-illegal crowd. That isn't right or accurate either.
Everyone has to follow the rules. There are no exceptions; but some people would break with procedure to allow 12 million people who are here without permission and without documentation to stay here. How can they do this without knowing anything about the people that they're trying to make into citizens?
And what happens the next time around?
Just because large turnouts happen at these rallies doesn't mean that everyone feels the same way about it. The voices of dissent are being overlooked or ignored to further the cause of the pro-illegal crowd.
Those who are speaking up are being labeled bigots by the pro-illegal crowd. That isn't right or accurate either.
Everyone has to follow the rules. There are no exceptions; but some people would break with procedure to allow 12 million people who are here without permission and without documentation to stay here. How can they do this without knowing anything about the people that they're trying to make into citizens?
And what happens the next time around?
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Kid of Courage Remembered
Today is the 16th anniversary of the death of AIDS activist and pioneer Ryan White.He fought to make the world realize that AIDS was not restricted to one segment of the population; that it was a worldwide threat and that casual contact wouldn't pass the disease from person to person.
I had an opportunity to visit his grave seven years ago in Cisero, Indiana, and was struck by the beauty of the site, the incredible headstone and the words inscribed on it. It was a fitting monument to the titanic fight that Ryan put up to educate others as he fought to be allowed to go to school like everyone else.
We remember Ryan's courage and inspiration that he gave to others.
Senate Failure to Reach Agreement on Immigration Bill is Actually the Best Thing That Could Have Happened
The Senate's inability to reach agreement on the immigration bill is a perfect illustration of why they should table the entire issue until a new Congress is seated in January as I said in an earlier post.
It's all election year politics. When you mix an election year into the normal flow of business through Congress and the White House, it makes for potentially very bad laws that come out of the process; then we're stuck with them.
Way to go, Senate!!
It's all election year politics. When you mix an election year into the normal flow of business through Congress and the White House, it makes for potentially very bad laws that come out of the process; then we're stuck with them.
Way to go, Senate!!
Friday, April 07, 2006
Gore's Off the Point (Again): Global Warming Has Happened, Global Warming WILL Happen Again
It's pretty much been established that global warming has happened repeatedly in the past, and that it will happen again. Global warming is inevitable, and all we can do is move out of the way of the changes that are to come.
After all, if there wasn't global warming, Earth would still be in the last Ice Age from 18,000 years ago, wouldn't it?
Al Gore and the environmentalist left need to shift gears away from stopping global warming, and begin talking about what to do WHEN global warming really starts to hit. They just don't seem to be getting it: if we were to stop all atmospheric pollution today, it would probably delay the onset of global warming, but it wouldn't stop it. That's the science and the only fact that really matters.
We can do what the environmentalists and Al Gore are doing and waste time blaming man's excesses for causing (yeah, right) global warming, or we can deal with the real issues that lay in front of us.
Here's what the establishment needs to be considering and talking about: what we're going to do about the East, West and Gulf Coasts where cities will be underwater and the oceans will be further inland from where they are now. Or when the world starts to cool off following a period of global warming, where growing seasons will be shorter, the days cooler and the winters harsher.
How do we save New York, Boston, Washington DC, Miami, New Orleans, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle and countless lesser cities and towns/villages at the water's edge from the rising oceans? Do we build barriers around them to keep the water out? Do we abandon them and evacuate the people who live there? Do we move the cities inland? That's the kind of thinking that we need now.
Every ocean-side nation on the planet must adopt similar lines of thinking as well.
According to liberal think-tanks, the oceans will rise 20 feet by the year 2100. By that measure, that's plenty of time to create a plan and execute it. But will we?
After all, if there wasn't global warming, Earth would still be in the last Ice Age from 18,000 years ago, wouldn't it?
Al Gore and the environmentalist left need to shift gears away from stopping global warming, and begin talking about what to do WHEN global warming really starts to hit. They just don't seem to be getting it: if we were to stop all atmospheric pollution today, it would probably delay the onset of global warming, but it wouldn't stop it. That's the science and the only fact that really matters.
We can do what the environmentalists and Al Gore are doing and waste time blaming man's excesses for causing (yeah, right) global warming, or we can deal with the real issues that lay in front of us.
Here's what the establishment needs to be considering and talking about: what we're going to do about the East, West and Gulf Coasts where cities will be underwater and the oceans will be further inland from where they are now. Or when the world starts to cool off following a period of global warming, where growing seasons will be shorter, the days cooler and the winters harsher.
How do we save New York, Boston, Washington DC, Miami, New Orleans, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle and countless lesser cities and towns/villages at the water's edge from the rising oceans? Do we build barriers around them to keep the water out? Do we abandon them and evacuate the people who live there? Do we move the cities inland? That's the kind of thinking that we need now.
Every ocean-side nation on the planet must adopt similar lines of thinking as well.
According to liberal think-tanks, the oceans will rise 20 feet by the year 2100. By that measure, that's plenty of time to create a plan and execute it. But will we?
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Pope John Paul II Remembered: First Anniversary of His Death
Catholics and others around the world are remembering the late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, on the first anniversary of his death.Others can succeed him, but never replace him. His shoes are too big to fill.
Rarely has a single human being touched the lives of so many others. May the example he laid down during his life inspire others to stand up for what is right rather than what is popular. He showed us the way. May God grant us the strength to follow in his footsteps.
South Carolina Plan to Execute 2nd Time Child Molesters Goes Too Far: They Need to Strengthen First-Time Offender Sentences
Bear with me on this one.
I am of the opinion that South Carolina's move to enact legislation providing for a death penalty for 2nd time sex offenses against children is a move in the wrong direction.
There's a very good reason why.
We are all in agreement that child molesterers should be SEVERELY punished the first time around and that there should be no opportunity for convicted sex offenders to do it again.
But, when the legal system is dealing with something like a child's memory to provide crucial evidence against someone who has done a sickening thing to them, traumatized them, done stuff that permanently affects their relationships with others, and possibly turns them into future sex offenders themselves (as studies have shown), the likelihood of the child's recollection being in error may have a major effect on a death-penalty case.
This margin for error is unacceptable.
People convicted of sex crimes against children should never be allowed to walk free again. But the states keep releasing them back into the general population after serving a too-short sentence.
What will happen when a person is executed for a second-time offense, then the child later changes his/her story and it turns out that it was someone else who did the crime?
No, this is a bad idea. They need to strengthen FIRST-TIME offense sentencing and keep a second time from happening. That's a better solution than the idea currently under discussion in South Carolina.
I am of the opinion that South Carolina's move to enact legislation providing for a death penalty for 2nd time sex offenses against children is a move in the wrong direction.
There's a very good reason why.
We are all in agreement that child molesterers should be SEVERELY punished the first time around and that there should be no opportunity for convicted sex offenders to do it again.
But, when the legal system is dealing with something like a child's memory to provide crucial evidence against someone who has done a sickening thing to them, traumatized them, done stuff that permanently affects their relationships with others, and possibly turns them into future sex offenders themselves (as studies have shown), the likelihood of the child's recollection being in error may have a major effect on a death-penalty case.
This margin for error is unacceptable.
People convicted of sex crimes against children should never be allowed to walk free again. But the states keep releasing them back into the general population after serving a too-short sentence.
What will happen when a person is executed for a second-time offense, then the child later changes his/her story and it turns out that it was someone else who did the crime?
No, this is a bad idea. They need to strengthen FIRST-TIME offense sentencing and keep a second time from happening. That's a better solution than the idea currently under discussion in South Carolina.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Changing One Person on His Staff Isn't Enough: Bush Must Give Congress a Bloody Nose, Give the GOP a Kick in the Pants & Really Shake Up His Staff
Changing the White House Chief of Staff is one small step in the right direction for President Bush. But it isn't nearly enough for him to recapture any momentum that he had after defeating John Kerry.
President Bush needs to go after Congress now, especially since he's in the process of losing several major battles. There's a weapon in his arsenal that he has yet to use: veto, veto, veto. Bush has to veto everything in sight and make Congress negotiate with him over allowing "friendly" bills to even pass. Let them override him if they can.
Next, he has to heave the GOP through the nearest window to get their attention. Since half of the Republicans in Congress are behaving like liberal Democrats these days, he needs to identify those GOP members who are trying to distance themselves from him and campaign (without their approval) on their behalf in their home districts. If it sinks some of the campaigns, then so be it.
Then he needs to get rid of Cheney, Rumsfeld, Chernoff, Gonzales and Rice. They are responsible for about 75% of Bush's problems, mismanaging the war in Iraq, leading FEMA to it's lowest level of preparedness since it was started, threatening the Constitution with the concept of Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges ("In times of war, the law falls silent"), and mismanaging U.S. foreign policy.
A U.S. President must rely on the people around him, and this President's friends have let him down.
Sometimes a President's friends are not the best choice for the positions which have huge impacts on people. Secretary of State, SecDef, Justice, Homeland Security and VP are not just political appointments; they need the right people who will wield their power wisely and have experience in those fields. IF the President's friends have those qualifications, then fine, but if they don't, then they shouldn't hold those offices.
Bush needs to get it in gear before it is too late.
President Bush needs to go after Congress now, especially since he's in the process of losing several major battles. There's a weapon in his arsenal that he has yet to use: veto, veto, veto. Bush has to veto everything in sight and make Congress negotiate with him over allowing "friendly" bills to even pass. Let them override him if they can.
Next, he has to heave the GOP through the nearest window to get their attention. Since half of the Republicans in Congress are behaving like liberal Democrats these days, he needs to identify those GOP members who are trying to distance themselves from him and campaign (without their approval) on their behalf in their home districts. If it sinks some of the campaigns, then so be it.
Then he needs to get rid of Cheney, Rumsfeld, Chernoff, Gonzales and Rice. They are responsible for about 75% of Bush's problems, mismanaging the war in Iraq, leading FEMA to it's lowest level of preparedness since it was started, threatening the Constitution with the concept of Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges ("In times of war, the law falls silent"), and mismanaging U.S. foreign policy.
A U.S. President must rely on the people around him, and this President's friends have let him down.
Sometimes a President's friends are not the best choice for the positions which have huge impacts on people. Secretary of State, SecDef, Justice, Homeland Security and VP are not just political appointments; they need the right people who will wield their power wisely and have experience in those fields. IF the President's friends have those qualifications, then fine, but if they don't, then they shouldn't hold those offices.
Bush needs to get it in gear before it is too late.
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