Impenitent Atheist

The hypocrisy of the attack on Wikileaks

2011-01-12T18:16:00.003-08:00

After WW2 the allies EXECUTED Nazi's who failed to do what Bradley Manning DID!

Covering up evidence of war crimes by trying to hide them behind a top secret classification tag is the type of behaviour a government employs when it KNOWS a war crime has occurred and want's to HIDE IT.

Bradley Manning is a patriot. Julian Assange is also a patriot. Instead of prosecuting and demonizing these two men we should be THANKING them.

In the absence of such thanks from the establishment, I will stand in and do so myself.

Thank you.

I stand with you both and you have my continuing support.

2010-12-13T11:48:00.002-08:00

I am an average middle aged post child rearing mother and housewife. I am a free thinker and a rationalist, whatever that is. I am fiercely interested in current events and think that a person who is willfully uninformed, or to have opinions base entirely on emotion rather than truth and fact is in fact someone I do not understand or sympathize with in the slightest degree. I would even go so far as to say I detest them in no uncertain terms.

I have many people who I respect and admire that meet my particular criteria for someone worthy of my respect. One of those people is Tim Minchin, a comedian and musician of unsurpassed wit humour, intelligence and rationality, who's success I am rabidly following with great interest. If you are an atheist I STRONGLY suggest you check him out on Youtube or his official homepage located HERE . Since the Christmas season is upon us look for his beautifully sentimental offering "White Wine in the Sun" for the holiday season which should sum up an atheists view of Christmas quite nicely and can help explain to the theists among us why we bother to mark the seasonal holiday. Just so you know Tim is donating 50% of the proceedings from the purchase of this song from itunes, to autism research.

Reflections on an inside out crazy world

2010-07-08T11:51:00.005-07:00

Recently I tried to justify my feeling that all seriously religious folks were insane. I know there are a lot of folks who claim to *believe* and/or go to church regularly, but when pressed admit they do not KNOW whether god exists but they think he might, and they like the blanket of security that gives them, but those are NOT the people I think are insane.

No, the insane religious folks in my opinion are the ones who claim to KNOW god exists. The ones who put words into his non existent mouth or thoughts into his non existent head ... you know the ones who claim to know what god thinks and speak for him in his absence. It's funny how often those thoughts and words mirror their own beliefs.

How is it they can be so sure they KNOW what god thinks and what he wants .... I'll give you three guesses ... no ... make that one, and if you don't get it right go to the BACK of the line. This blog is for people who HAVE a brain and know how to use it.

I say it's because they are seriously deranged, and I do not care if they are good people or bad people, I don't care if they are charitable or not, or whether they help the needy or not. I don't even care if they are NICE. They probably are ... but they are also so deluded that in my opinion every other thought or opinion they have is irrelevant to me because they do not have the reasoning power to separate fact from fiction, truth from non truth. Their judgement is so seriously impaired that it grieves me to see ANYONE of religious faith in ANY position of power.

I long for a world where the extremely religious are NOT perceived as either logical or rational in any sense of the word ... cause ... well ... they AREN'T. A world where those crazies are not awarded ANY credibility on important issues of the day by the more rational general population .... you know .... the same way atheists are treated now.

I know, I know ... it's not going to happen, but it sure would be nice if it did.

Coservatives write Liberalism out of the bible ...

2009-10-06T10:04:00.005-07:00

Maybe it's just me but this really caught my funny bone ...

Conservatives rewrite bible to make it less LIBERAL

I guess they aren't feeling very Jesus like these days huh? Maybe it's their LACK of compassion... Maybe it's their HYPOCRISY? ... maybe it's the fact that they want to DENY poor people access to HEALTHCARE? Maybe it's the HATE they spew at their rallies?

I don't know ... but I'm sure rewriting their holy book, you know, the one written by GOD, will make them feel better about themselves.

I'm sure it will work though, nothing like improving the word of god to make you feel better about yourself.

IA

Protect Insurance Companies PSA

2009-09-22T11:36:00.005-07:00

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Because Americans deserve crappy health care ....

IA

What is Mikey up to now?

2009-09-21T18:46:00.008-07:00

I am still and will always be a liberal (small l) but I used to be a Liberal as well (big L as in the Liberal Party)... Not anymore... Not while Mikey is in charge anyway. Oh and BTW don't get your hopes up Stephen, I like YOU even less.

And now this ... "Ignatieff rejects Cauchon's bid to re-enter politics"

Exactly WHAT is he trying to do now? I think it's great he wants to open up opportunities for more women in the party but I AM a woman and I'd rather have the most COMPETENT people elected. We are not commodities to be GRANTED a place at the table ... we shouldn't be excluded but to leapfrog over otherwise qualified people? If I were a woman in those ridings I'd want to win on my own merit and I have nothing but disdain for anyone who would take advantage of that for power's sake alone.

Asking MP's to step aside so they can granny in a female candidate is just INSULTING! Which goes to show how much Mikey boy understands his female constituency.

Oh I am sure he will find takers for his positions .. he might even convince some male MP's to step aside so a *woman* (for want of a better word) can take his place. But there is going to be a cost to his arrogant folly and you can take THAT to the bank. It's a sad sorry state of affairs and it grieves me to see what the Liberal Party has come to.

IA

Accountability

2009-09-20T15:57:00.011-07:00

In March of this year I got on the scales. I was shocked at what I saw. It had been years since I last checked my weight, party because I knew I would not like what I saw. I cried a lot that day but luckily for me the REASON I got on the scales that day was because I had recently found a website that allowed me to track the calories in the food I ate every day and I had been doing it. I wanted to see if tracking my food would make a difference over the course of however many days I decided to track.

My unhappiness with my weight had been growing for many years. I guess it finally came to a head when I started to see actual consequences. For years I had been making excuses not to do things because it was hard because of my weight. Things that might have helped me ... Not getting on the scale allowed me to eat what I wanted, when I wanted ... with no consequences ... right? RIGHT?

Wrong.

In the past 2 years I have been experiencing increasing mobility issues. Back pain that was so debilitating I could barely make it around the grocery store. Going to a mall was out of the question .. and even walking into the post office was something I dreaded. I was having to PLAN my outings to manage my pain so I could at least get the basic chores done. I couldn't even stand long enough at my kitchen counter to peel potatoes. I would even have to take a break while doing DISHES!!!! Going up AND down stairs was difficult. I was having to take them one at a time and was out of breath at the top, having to rest for several minutes to get it back. My legs, which always swelled in the hot months were starting to swell in the colder months and my ankles were itchy ALL the time. I knew these were signs of bigger trouble looming but STILL I was reluctant to take action.

I was killing myself. Slowly. Surely.

Then I found a website that literally changed my life.

The Daily PLate at Livestrong.com

The daily Plate is a FREE calorie counting website that allows you to chart everything you eat in a day. It has a HUGE database of foods that is totally searchable and you can even add an item if it isn't there so it is growing all the time. It remembers what you eat so you can easily find it again to add to your daily plate. It keeps a running tab of your calories so you can easily see how many you have left in a day. You can track your exercise and the calories burned thru daily activities as well! You can create personal *meals* of foods you eat together often. You can add private recipes to make tracking home cooked meals easier. You can even access many popular restaurant's nutritional information so you can preplan some of your outings. It even has an iphone app for tracking away from home! It shows you charts and graphs of your progress and there are forums and groups you can join for online support and encouragement. I cannot sing the praises enough.

After I found the site, I started tracking the food I ate EVERY DAY ... EVERYTHING that went in my mouth. It was FREE. It was PRIVATE. It was EASY and it was FUN! After 2 days I bought a year subscription figuring if I put my money where my mouth was, I would have to continue. I needn't have bothered, I was already hooked but I am glad I supported the site because I want it to be around for the rest of my life.

I had tried weight watcher's in the past ... which was ok but I didn't like having to pay huge amounts of cash to lose weight and I wasn't all that fond of the meetings either. If that's your thing it's ok but I STILL recommend The Daily Plate because it fits really well with WW or any other weight loss program. I also am not a fan of other fad diets. I figure if I am going to lose weight and more importantly KEEP IT OFF I needed to learn how to eat the foods I love and have always eaten and will continue to eat in a way that for now allows me to lose weight and in the future maintain it. Since I don't plan on eating only grapefruit for the rest of my life it's silly to expect a diet of only grapefruit to teach me how to live in a normal world eating normal food ;)

It is now exactly 6 months from the day I first found The Daily Plate and I am now 42 lbs lighter. I no longer have trouble shopping, or walking. I no longer have to take the stairs one at a time and I no longer get winded at the top. I am more active and I sleep better than I have in years. I am happier. My clothes are loose and I have started to wear clothes I had packed away as too small. I still have slight edema in my legs but it is nowhere near as bad as before. My feet are no longer swollen and my bony ankles are BACK!

My life has turned around 180' in the past 6 months and for that I can thank The Daily Plate at Livestrong.com. All because I decided to stop lying to myself. All because I decided to take control. All because I decided to be accountable. If I can do it ...

You can too ...

IA

PS: No I am NOT going to tell you how much I weigh here. Being honest with myself is a big enough challenge for me right now but i will say that I have only begun my journey.

Racial bigotry and the need to speak up against it

2009-09-17T15:25:00.012-07:00

I have been watching the public discourse south of the border with a great deal of misgiving lately. What is increasingly concerning me is the level of hate and racism directed toward President Obama and the democrats. A level of hate and intolerance that is escalating in volume and viciousness by the day. It is getting so bad that I cannot help but fear for the future of their country and by proxy my own, since what percolates to the south, sooner or later gets usurped by the radicals in here in Canada. I don't want that to happen.

To that end I saw a very nice clip on "Countdown", Keith Olbermann's show the other day that I think deserves to be replayed ... and often. So I am adding my voice to the choir. I am embedding it below even tho my little blog doesn't have the impact that some do. If even one person stumbles upon my humble home on the web, I really really hope they will take the time to watch it and think about the discussion that begins at the 3:00 minute mark in particular. It matters ... and if you believe, as I do, that we can no longer stand by and allow the type of racial attacks to continue unchallenged then please add your own voice to the choir and denounce this type of behaviour whenever you are confronted with it. I plan to.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Thanks for watching.

IA

Fifth Column of Insanity

2009-09-17T11:07:00.005-07:00

I couldn't have said it better myself ...

snip ...

But the larger point this brings up is that the mainstream not just media but culture doesn’t sufficiently take stock of the fact that within our culture we have a subculture which is literally a fifth column of insanity that is bread from birth, through home school, Christian school, evangelical college, whatever to reject facts as a matter of faith.

...

Either these are racists looking for any excuse to level the next accusation or they’re beyond crazy. And I think beyond crazy is a better explanation and that evangelical subculture has rotted the brain of the United States of America.

Ya think?

IA

A little common sense people ...

2009-09-16T16:38:00.008-07:00

This might surprise you but I saw this story today in my inbox and I just shook my head.

"You mustn't mention God..."

A Christian campaign group has been banned from pinning up notices about its meetings in libraries or community centres.
The activists were told their posters advertising talks about climate change could not be shown in public because they mentioned Christianity and God.
Officials declared that the flyers for a talk on 'climate change is a Christian issue' and and another by a spokesman for the Christian Ecology Link were in conflict with town hall policy against the promotion of religious ideas.

Now at first blush some might say "Right on" there should be NO mention of god/christianity on public land but seriously folks there needs to be a little common sense used.

I am a firm believer that religious sensitivity needs to work BOTH ways. These folks should be allowed to advertise their rallies, plain and simple.

I'd have a different view of course if they wanted to put up poster advertising their RELIGION but a rally about global warming? Come on ... lets use a little common sense. It's issues like this that give atheists a bad name.

IA

Pepsi loves teh gays! Drink Coke! Ugh ...

2009-09-14T14:22:00.010-07:00

Pepsi promotes homosexuality, says Florida church that has converted to Coke

If you drink Pepsi it means you secretly condone the Gay lifesyle? Is THAT what they really think? Their bigotry knows no bounds. This would be funny if it weren't so sad. I don't drink either, cause, well I don't drink soda .. but I might have to go out and buy me a case of that gay lovin' Pepsi just to stick it to the haters. Ugh sorry guys I can't make myself do it but I am on your side of this silly made up issue none the less.

IA

Republican compassion/insanity regarding Health Care

2009-09-14T10:03:00.003-07:00

I've been watching the health care debate south of the border with great interest over the years. One of the things that amuses and disturbs me at the same time, is of course the lies and mistruths I keep hearing the Republicans spread about the Canadian system.

I don't feel like going into them now, but you know what they are. Let's just say that if you hear a Republican refer to the Canadian health care system you can bet money on the fact that whatever they say is going to be a lie. I figure they lie so much about us because they know their audience is dumb as bricks and will believe whatever they are told. The easiest way to get what THEY want then, is to lie, secure in the knowledge that the easily manipulated will fall right into line with all the rabid reflexes of a wild dog ... and they are.

I see the crowd with all their Hitler/Nazi signs and I just shake my head. THESE people are supposed to be christians? THEY care about their fellow man? Yeah right. All they care about is that they HATE whatever a democrats says or does. Doesn't matter what it is, if a democrat does it, it MUST be bad. If a BLACK democrat does it that goes double. If Obama does it the rabid republican goes into hysterics.

Health care is no different. All the Democrats want to do is make sure that every American is covered by medical insurance. The way MOST people want to do that is by offering a PUBLIC option for all those folks out there WHO NEED IT. Sort of like extending medicare to anyone who wants except it must be a self supporting option based on premiums. He has made clear that if you DON'T want to opt in you DON'T have to. You can KEEP your own plan and doctor if you like !!!! Nothing would change except everyone would be covered and you'd no longer risk losing everything you if you get sick. No one could deny you coverage or kick you off the rolls for a pre existing condition. What the hell is wrong with THAT? Oh I know ... the insurance companies would no longer be able to gouge you and keep those pesky poor people alive. We ...must....protest...to...save...the.... insurance...company's....profits!

But the Repugs are not having any of it. They KNOW if the president says it he must be lying ... they KNOW this because he is a democrat ... AND he is black ... and he isn't an American ... and he's articulate ... and he likes hamburgers and .. and ...

Facts don't matter, truth doesn't matter, compassion doesn't matter. It all about me me me and I, I, I, and if I have to risk ANYTHING I have, to help those who who have nothing, NO WAY JOSE I am NOT gonna do that!! I'll bring me my GUN to the party, yes I will. I'll call the president Hitler! I'll wave my sign. You CAN'T force ME to be compassionate!!! You can't force ME to do what's right!

It's insane. The people protesting are ignorant hateful selfish individuals who will follow their abusive manipulating leaders unto the depths of hell because they are the masses that are SO easily manipulated into believing their hate is actually love. Their selfishness is actually compassion, and their ignorance is actually truth. In short they are christians. The insane kind. /snark

My view of normal christians vs insane christians

2009-09-12T12:35:00.007-07:00

I am an atheist. I make no bones about it. I am not an agnostic ... well I suppose in a STRICT sense I am, but my disbelief is a lot stronger than the term agnostic implies. There is no doubt in my mind that there is no such thing as a god(s) in the universe BUT if by some miracle which I know will not happen, proof suddenly turned up that proved beyond any shadow of doubt that a god existed then I would happily admit my error. The thing is, in the entire history of man there has not been one shred of evidence other than wishful thinking to prove his/her/their/it's existence, and it isn't likely to turn up any time soon either, so the term agnostic is pretty much a misnomer if used to describe my disbelief in an almighty.

As an atheist I admit I have a REAL hard time understanding believers. When I see otherwise sane people claim a belief in a superior being I can't do anything except shake my head. HOW do people that SEEM normal have the ability to hold such illogical perceptions. The truth is a lot of these *believers* aren't REALLY believers. They are just too busy in real life to consider an alternative. It just isn't important enough. They are believers because they were raised by their parents to be believers and it's comfortable, non controversial and the indoctrination at an early age was successful. When confronted tho most of these people admit that they don't really KNOW. The believe because the alternative is just too foreign for them. Believing that there is a genial omni present all powerful being looking out for their welfare is a nice thing. Who wouldn't want that? Well an atheist for one but I digress. They do not believe the bible is the LITERAL word of god but rather a lot of nice moral stories that make a good foundation to live your life by. For the most part I agree. A lot of what people are taught about the bible (the new testament) does contain good common sense rules to live by. The modern theist conveniently often ignores the less wholesome bits. The gory disgusting petulant bits that don't fit into their worldview. I don't blame them. If I were a christian I'd want to ignore those bits too. The nicer parts are a much easier sell.

These kinds of non believing yet practicing christians ... are actually more agnostic and closer to being an atheist than they realize but it just never comes up and besides they have a life to lead. I can respect that. The are honest hard working ethical people who just don't think the whole god/no god issue is worth spending any time on. They are probably right. There ARE bigger more immediate issues to deal with.

Unfortunately the OTHER type of christian also exists. THIS type of christian is a very different animal and one for which I have no sympathy understanding or respect for. They are the dishonest hateful kind of christian. The type of christian that is christian in name only, not in deed OR thought. This type of christian uses the bible as a weapon to control debase or threaten anyone who happens to hold an opposing view. The militant fundamental christian that twists the otherwise hopeful peaceful message of the new testament into something vile and spiteful. THIS type of christian is generally the type that atheists despise and who we fight against when we see injustice done in the name of this movement. They are the christian version of the radical muslim. Willing to use their faith to oppress rather than uplift. To control rather than compromise. They SAY they are doing their god's work ... but so do the radical muslims terrorists. The words of Jesus fall on deaf ears with them even tho they would use him as a club against their enemies and as a method of control. THESE *christians* come from all faiths and are just as dangerous as any terrorist.

THESE are the christians we should ALL be fighting against. Atheists, agnostics AND rational christians because it is that type of rigid obsession with their faith that leads to acts of faith that can only be described as evil. For those of you who believe in such things I'd describe them as demons, spawns of the devil or even lucifer himself ;) I cannot think of them any other way. They would lie to you to further their ends and they'd feel justified in doing so. In the most extreme cases they would even kill. They lack compassion or the ability to love their neighbour. They are as far from being christ like than I can imagine.

You know who they are. They are easy to spot. Don't listen to them.

IA

Stupidity knows no bounds ...

2009-09-11T18:21:00.004-07:00

WOW .. just wow ... if you don't want your head to explode I don't recommend following that link.

"Give-a-Clue" is the first charity dedicated to providing New Atheists with what they need most desperately: a rudimentary education.

For a few dollars a day, "Give-a-Clue" can help a New Atheist of your choice get a clue. You can sponsor a New Atheist to begin a lifetime of education. You can choose to send your Atheist to a public university (just pennies/day) or to an Ivy League university (a hundred bucks/day), and you get to pick the course of study! Imagine your New Atheist sitting in a class in freshmen logic, or introductory theology, or rudimentary history, or elementary philosophy of science. Imagine his eyes opening in astonishment at the world of reason and logical discourse. He’ll learn to read critically, to question his own ideas as well as those of others, and to communicate with words instead of expletives.

I am not exactly sure WHAT to think of this nonsense but I sure hope he's kidding, if he's trying to be funny, he fails ... The amount of stupid in his article is just mind numbing.

IA

Religious discrimination?

2009-09-11T16:19:00.007-07:00

I came across this story today and at first I didn't pay it much attention, but after it percolated a little bit, I started to wonder about a couple of things ... read it and see if you agree ...

Frederick County Pays Millions To Settle Religious Discrimination Lawsuit

September 11, 2009 - In Maryland's Frederick County, the town of Walkersville is paying more than $4.7 million to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit.

Town commissioners have approved the appropriation to buy 224 acres of farmland that was at the center of the dispute.

Landowner David Moxley claimed in a federal lawsuit that anti-Muslim bias was behind a zoning decision by the town that scuttled his agreement to sell the property to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA of Silver Spring.

Commissioner Chad Weddie says Walkersville hopes to recoup the money by selling the property. The Frederick News Post reports the proposed settlement also requires the town to pay closing and transfer costs.

Bill Redlin reports...

Now, I don't know anything about this case other than the what I read in that little clip above but it seems to me that although this case may be resolved legally ... was the underlining accusation of religious discrimination resolved?

Seems like this property was for sale and the town changed the zoning to block the sale. The owner sued because he felt the rezoning was because the town did not want him selling to a Muslim group. At some point after being sued for whatever reason, (perhaps the town is advised they are going to lose?) they decide to ante up and buy the property themselves. Landowner drops the suit, as he is satisfied to have sold his property and town spends millions to buy it from him. So now the town owns the property ... everybody is happy .... lawsuit is dropped.

But I got to thinking what about that claim of religious anti-Muslim discrimination .... THAT didn't get resolved now did it? The Muslim group was successfully prevented from buying a property they wanted, and the town as the new owners isn't likely to sell it to them. I mean they did go to all the trouble to rezone it after all ...

Now I don't know if religious discrimination was behind the rezoning or whether the town had legitimate concerns regarding the property, but it does make me wonder ....

IA

Journalists and Responsibility

2009-09-11T14:17:00.005-07:00

Civility. It's a simple word. It used to be the norm for civilized people to treat each other with respect EVEN when they disagreed. In politics is was not only expected it was DEMANDED. That was in the good old days however. Now apparently if you disagree with someone it is your duty to make sure they don't get a word in edgewise. You must shout at the top of your lungs if needed to make sure you *win* the argument.

Facts? Not needed. Logic? Does not apply. Truth? not only unnecessary but to be avoided at all costs. Lies? Well stretching the truth never hurt anyone right?

It's a sad state of affairs and it will destroy democracy if continued unchecked. The media MUST start doing it's job and STOP making false equivalents to make it SEEM like they are being impartial. I've got news for you media types out there. You are a MAJOR reason things have deteriorated in today's discussions of important events. If you do not start standing up to the bullies and the liars and start reporting the TRUTH and separating fact from fiction in a way that people can understand then when things devolve eventually into violence and civil unrest, I and many others will put the blame squarely at your feet.

Your weak arguments against the lies and bullshit being thrown around at present is a disgrace. You simply are NOT ... DOING ... ENOUGH to hold people accountable. You need to EDUCATE yourselves BEFORE doing interviews so you KNOW the facts and can call bullshit on the liars. It is NOT your job to give them a platform for unchallenged nonsense, lies or to allow them to voice their particular ideological positions on the issues. It is your job to aggressively challenge them to make sure your viewers learn the TRUTH even if that is not what your guest wants to portray! A few responsible journalists out there already do this but they are few and far between. Most talking heads and believe me they are talking heads NOT journalists, do not or can not decipher between the truth and fiction either because it doesn't suit their own personal agenda or because they are too lazy or stupid to do their jobs. It's disgraceful and it must stop.

IA

Oops they did it again ...

2009-09-09T14:53:00.003-07:00

Did you hear the one about the Republican lawmaker who was caught on an open mike talking about his kinky sex? Well it appears he has resigned and in his statement there is this revealing nugget.

"I am deeply saddened that my inappropriate comments have become a major distraction for my colleagues in the Assembly, who are working hard on the very serious problems facing our state," Duvall said. "Therefore, I have decided to resign my office, effective immediately, so that the Assembly can get back to work."

His comments? HIS COMMENTS? That's what this slime thinks is his biggest failure? Oy ... it's nice to know he has his priorities straight. My sympathies to his family.

Yet another Republican holier than thou family value espousing, homophobic, christian, hypocrite bites the dust. Good riddance, don't let the door spank you on the way out ....

The Power of the Chattering Class

2009-09-09T08:41:00.003-07:00

So tonight President Obama is to make his historic speech to Congress. Of course the chattering class has been opining for days on what he needs to say or get accomplished to classify the speech as a success. Apparently that depends on which chattering class is talking at any given moment. They all have one thing in common however.

As far as I can tell each and every one of them set the bar somewhere in the stratosphere ....

Now I know President Obama is an extremely gifted speaker. I know he has a clear vision even tho until now he has been reluctant to state it clearly, emphatically ... forcefully. I don't want to speculate on why this is so. I personally find it very sad but I am sure he thought it was the right thing to do even if I disagree.

I don't know what he is going to say tonight. I know what I WANT him to say but I don't know if he will say it. The same thing goes for everyone who is planning to watch tonight. But I do know this ....

No matter WHAT he says he won't be able to stop the chattering class from opining this or that depending on their own personal thoughts on the matter. I know they will also misinterpret a lot of what he say. I know they will deliberately twist a lot of what he says. Some will love the speech no matter what he says. Some will grudgingly admire his ability to speak. Some will disagree. Some will agree wholeheartedly. Some will agree grudgingly ...

And some will hate it with the passion of a thousand suns no matter what he says. Their opinion will somehow outweigh the opinion of all the thoughtful people in the minds of the chattering class. Not because they are particularly thoughtful or insightful however, but because they are more entertaining. The crazies ... the mentally insane .. the knuckle draggers ... the rabidly religious right for whom rational thought has never reared it's ugly head.

America is doomed. The hope of universal medical care for all Americans is in jeopardy. All because of a small class of hateful lunatics. All because of rigid illogical partisanship. All because of greed and the lack of compassion for their fellow man. The *christians* who are more worried about themselves and their own pocket book rather than the least among us. For all their screaming about the sanctity of life they sure don't care very much about the living. No WONDER they got all upset about nominating a judge to the supreme court who espoused the value of empathy. It's because they DON"T HAVE ANY. Not only that they DESPISE empathy. ALL they know is hate and how to spread it. All they have is fear. But they also have another thing ... they have the MEDIA ... cause the media loves a conflict, even a fake one.

America is doomed ... my sympathies to the majority of you down there who want a rational discussion about health care ... it ain't gonna happen.

IA

Liberal without a Party

2009-09-06T11:03:00.004-07:00

It appears we Canadians may be facing a new federal election soon courtesy of the Liberal Party. I am a liberal ... that's (l)iberal not (L)iberal. The Liberal Party no longer speaks for me. Who the hell chose Michael Ignatieff to lead them? Oh right....

I cannot fathom why the Liberal Party continues to choose unpopular leadership and then expect Canadians to rally behind them. Stephane Dion? Are you SERIOUS? Paul Martin? Absolutely blinded by his power I guess? Michael Ignatieff? Who the heck is HE? I guess they know who he is but I don't ... why should I support him ... what does he stand for? I watched his speech announcing that he no longer has *confidence* in the Conservative government ... well neither do I .. except I never did. The thing is Mike .... can I call you Mike? I don't have any confidence in YOU either. I have not heard much about you but what I have heard isn't good, and what I saw was even worse. You appeared WAY to calculating and insincere for my liking. The words you spoke were not uplifting. Not inspiring. Not believable. Your message did not explain to me what the liberal party was FOR but more what it was AGAINST ...(being out of power, conservatives suck etc)

Call me jaded. I just have the strongest suspicion that you are just another politician out for your own ends. Power, greed and the game of politics is your thing, NOT standing up for the ideals of true liberals in this country. I mourn for what we have lost in Canada. Our moral compass is broken and I am afraid you, even if elected, and that's a long shot, cannot or will not mend it.

We can do better? Yes we can ... but I doubt we can with you.

BTW did you miss Canada after you left in 1978? I was 20 then ... Now I am 51. That's a LONG time to live outside the country. A lot went on here while you were gone. When you returned in 2005 was it just so you could sew another feather in your cap by becoming prime minister? I guess you thought the Liberal Party gave you a better chance than the Conservative Party. From what I hear you could have gone either way. How much did the sad shadow of it's former self, The Liberal Party, pay you? Sad, really sad ... and the saddest thing about this whole clusterfuck is that now the conservatives might actually get a majority. That REALLY sucks! Thanks for nothing Mike ... and as for the Liberal Party ... you guys need to get out more.

IA ** a liberal with nowhere to go **

Storm ... a poem ...

2009-09-05T23:30:00.006-07:00

Just a little levity for a lovely fall evening. Tim Minchin is one of my absolutely favourite performers. I found him a while back on youtube and it wasn't long before I was hooked. A very talented pianist with a wicked sense of humour. It helps that he is a fellow atheist ;) This piece is a tad long but I can guarantee it's worth it!

IA

What I believe ...

2009-09-05T16:41:00.008-07:00

Whenever I tell someone I am an atheist the usual response, unless they are also atheist, is that they look at me like I am from another planet. I don't know why they are so shocked but I can hazard a guess. I think it's because I don't look like an atheist. What does an atheist look like you may ask? Well I am not totally sure but I think we are supposed to be rather large, maybe purple in colour with little horns on our foreheads. We may or may not have a spiked tail, but the jury is still out on that I think ...

The most insulting response I can think of however, is when they respond "Really?!? That's so sad ...."

EXCUSE ME? SAD???? WTF?

Exactly who do you think you are to judge me like that? How totally holier than thou arrogant are you? Are you SERIOUS? I have a couple of things to share with those folks.

I am neither sad nor lacking. There is no void in my life. I live my life by an ethical code that you would say is *moral* even tho you would privately assert that as a atheist I am completely immoral.

I am a wife and mother to 2 wonderful grown children, in whom I tried my best to instill the same concepts and ethical guidelines that shape my own life. I believe in science and use logic and rational thought to guide my decisions. I think it is our responsibility to take care of those less fortunate than ourselves and that contributing to social programs to help the least among us is our ethical duty. I believe in evolution and global warming and I know that this life is all there is so I try (and sometimes succeed) to make the most of it while I am still here.

I believe in a woman's right to choose and universal health care is a must for any civilized society. I believe that if 2 people love each other it is there RIGHT to confirm it in any manner they choose ... marriage is a CIVIL ceremony. I believe in the separation of church and state and freedom of religion includes freedom FROM religion. I DO NOT think churches should be tax exempt.

I believe it is the right of the individual to choose when their life should end. I believe that when I die I will be returned to the earth and eventually in the fullness of time to space, where who knows, the elements and molecules that were once me may become part of another world, another life ... eternity is a long time ... I DO NOT believe my consciousness will continue after my death (my soul to you religious folks out there) I DO not fear death although the dying part does scare me a little.

I am NOT angry or mad at god. How can one hate an imaginary creature? I DO however loath the idea of him much as I would loath any psychopathic deranged villain in any other fictional novel. Have you ever actually READ the bible? I have ... and the god of the Old Testament is one seriously messed up character.

Oh and by the way, nothing bad happened to me in my past to *turn* me against god, my atheism is NOT cause by some trauma but rather the result of me having a brain and USING it!

I could go on but I think you get the picture.

IA

Selective Quotations

2009-09-04T10:19:00.003-07:00

There is a question that always bothers me when I hear theists rant about one social issue or another while quoting the bible to support their various positions. Have any of these people ever actually READ the bible? I know that they are well versed in certain passages, the ones that specifically support their particular cause of the day, but have they even CONSIDERED the passages that might throw any doubt on their position. Do they even know that such passages EXIST?? If so, why do they ignore them?

Now I don't hold any faith in the bible as the word of god but THEY obviously do, so why the selective cherry picking? Could it be that they are being less than honest *gasp* regarding what their good book says, or are they blinded by their hate?

Just asking ....

IA

Excuses and a pledge ...

2009-09-04T01:10:00.006-07:00

Occasionally I drift by and muse at how long it has been since I last posted anything on this blog. I often feel like posting my thoughts on various issues but when it comes to taking the time to draft a post I usually give up. Tonight is one of those nights .... but the issue that is consuming me at the moment is WHY do I have such a hard time talking about my opinions here?

I think partly it's because I have seen others state views like my own in a MUCH more concise terms that I can not even begin to hope that I could improve upon ... so why bother. Another reason is that, some days it just seems too controversial, in your face to put my views about religion out there. I don't usually actively seek out controversy preferring the easy way out for the most part even tho I am very passionate about my atheism in private company. The truth is, no matter how I try and sugar coat the issue, it is virtually impossible for me to discuss atheism without pretty much totally trashing those who hold an opposing view. I am not generally comfortable doing this, especially when a lot of believing folks are really rather nice people in person, which leads to me eventually hitting the *delete* button whenever I try and post something here regarding atheism.

Needless to say that sort of puts my moniker to shame so I am going to bite the bullet as it were and voice my opinions here in as coherent a manner as I can and we'll see where it leads. It isn't my intent to deliberately insult anyone here but unfortunately as soon as I start talking about my views on religion, I will, so be warned and if you are able, try not to take my opinions TOO personally. I don't mean to be rude, it's just I hold my views as strongly as you may hold yours and if you are the religious sort there is sure to be a lot of fireworks.

IA

Hello Again

2007-09-11T16:32:00.001-07:00

I have not posted for some time now ... the inspiration just wasn't there but today i saw a Youtube video that made me want to post it on my page. It is a powerful clear and respectful look at the need for the separation of church and state. If you disagree with me you really should try and watch this with an open mind ... then maybe you will understand why I feel so strongly about this.

IA

The Fake war on Christmas

2005-12-09T08:39:00.000-08:00

The silly season is upon us. Well one of them is anyway. Everywhere I look someone is wailing about the war on Christmas.

Huh?

WHAT war on Christmas? No one is trying to prevent ANYONE from celebrating their Christmas you silly silly sheeple. It happens every year and the religious right seems to be fanning the flames higher every year. Just because some businesses in a prudent move imo decided to try and be more inclusive for their patrons who do not celebrate christmas but rather have other very significant celerations they observe during this time of year. I think it is a very good policy and while I have no objection, even as an atheist to the words "Merry Christmas" ( I take them in the spirit in which they are given) I think it is nice that some businesses are trying to make the attempt to INCLUDE Jewish traditions, Kwazaa followers and any others by asking employees to use the phrase Happy Holidays or some other generic statement to their patrons.

Someone please tell me how that is a WAR against Christmas?

Is anyone dictating that you cannot put up a pagan Christmas tree in your house and pretend that it's a christian tradition? How about that pagan mistletoe ceremony where you get that kiss from your special someone. I don't now how many people have one but I don't think there is a law against the old yule log burning in the fireplace or dining room table either? Santa being a very holy christmas figure is certainly welcome in most chimneys around the country. Don't see the Santa police hiding out on my roof. Churches can be found on just about every second corner in most towns but if you STILL can't find one cause they are being so well ground down and hidden away just open up the yellow pages and you'll find pages and pages of listings. Wanna put up a nativity scene? Don't despair! You can have one in your front lawn and nobody can say BOO. How's THAT for discrimination against Christmas? Don't want to clutter your lawn up? Help your Church put one on THEIR lawn. No worries! Heck if you really wanted you could put up a nativity scene on EVERY christan and church lawn in town. Wouldn't that be a sight!

So what exactly is the problem?

Is it really that you can't stand people using the phrase "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" when they greet you? Are you THAT insecure in your faith that it can't stand up to inclusing other people happily celebrating THEIR mid winter celebration? Are you REALLY mad at the store for trying to practice good business? Try for one second to see what the media is harping about and try to figure out where this fake war on Christmas is really coming from. It's from people with a political agenda. That's who. Not people trying to SAVE Christmas from us heathens, but rather people trying to get you all riled up so that they can MANIPULATE you down the road to vote their way. Wake up and smell the mistletoe people ...

You ... are ... being .... used.

Don't let them. Celebrate your Christmas in peace. Wish anyone you want ... "Merry Christmas" if you are a Christian ... "Happy Hanuka" if you are Jewish ... Happy Kwanza" if that's your thing or in my case ...

"Happy Solstice" and/or er ... "Merry Christmas" .... yeah I am an atheist but hey I LIKE Christmas it's fun and besides I got all these decorations ...

IA

PS: Before you get all twisted in a bunch cause they won't let your Nativity be placed in the city hall think just for one second who they city is supposed to be representing. Christians? Even if they are a majority? Or *everyone* christian or not. Yeah Christmas is a very popular christian holiday but so is hanuka and kwanza and solstice to those who celebrate those traditions. C'mon think about it. Just put the nativity on your church property instead of making a stink about it being in the city hall ... then admire it, enjoy it and remember what this season is supposed to be about. Pretty please? Peace Love and Goodwill .... Not shoving it down everyone's throat who dares to think differently.

Bah sounds like a win but isnt

2005-11-30T08:01:00.000-08:00

Lesbian couple wins $2,000 settlement

To make a long story short ... 2 women book a hall for a wedding and pay a deposit to hold it .... sometime later the owners of the hall realize the women are gonna marry each other ... the owners then cancel the booking ... women then go to court and win a settlement of $1000 each for their hardship and suffering.

Ok so these women won their case and the offending party has to pay them $2000. They may be happy but this isn't a win.

The organization that rents out this hall for weddings is a christian one. Now while I support them in their fight to maintain that christian organization that are opposed to gay marriages NOT be forced to perform one against their beliefs I draw the line somewhat after that point when they start taking money from the public to rent a facility for a celebration and are then allowed to discriminate about renting the facility because of that same prejudice.

Take for instance a jewish couple renting a hall for THEIR wedding ... would these same christians refuse to rent the hall to THEM. What if the couple were black. What if they were atheist?

Nope, once these people start taking people's money to rent a facility to host an event to which they are not expected to attend, their right to be prejudiced should cease. If you rent a hall to one group of people to hold a marriage celebration then you shouldn't be allowed to discriminate against another group. Celebrating a wedding is not the same thing as performing a wedding. A reception is not a religious ceremony and should not be treated as such.

No one is forcing these people to compromise their beliefs. If they can't rent fairly to all then they should not be allowed to rent to anyone.

IA

What it's like to be an atheist

2005-11-16T08:31:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago a blogger on Dkos for who I have a great deal of respect posted a series of diaries regarding his personal atheism. His articles try to give some insight in what it is really like for those of us who choose rationalism over religion, and I think he does an admirable job of trying to do so in as respectful a manner as he possibly could. Of course there were those who were offended by his posts, I suspect because of his audacity to state his position more than his words but that was expected I guess.

The first diary found What it's Like to be an Atheist is quite long but very eloquently and patiently explains HOW he feels as an atheist living in a world of theists. I share many if not all of his frustrations. Reading this post put everything in a nutshell that I have ever felt and thought about being an atheist in what I feel is a world gone mad.

I've always been an atheist, I know nothing else. From my earliest memory of considering the question, I'm talking maybe age three or four, I was skeptical as hell. The God stories just didn't add up. I'm amazed everyday of my life that everyone isn't an atheist like me. But they're not, I have no idea why that is, but it is reality. And based on many questions over the years it sounds possibly hard for someone who is not one to understand it. So follow me for a bit if you can. And I'll try to describe the world as seen through atheist eyes.

Imagine that you live in a world where 90% of the people around you sincerely believe in something that appears to you to be downright whacky, if perhaps relatively pleasant on the surface in many respects. Say they believe in Santa Claus; beard, the big red suit, the flying reindeer, the sled loaded with a billion gifts, the North Pole Workshop, Mrs. Claus and the elves; all of it.

But in this fantasy world, they're not content merely to believe in Santa Claus, they want you to publicly agree all the time that you also believe in Santa, in their specific version of same, and they pressure everyone else in numerous ways to pretend that they're not strange or childish for believing in this. They don't just limit it at that even, they insist everyone kiss their ass about their Santa belief every damn day of their lives and if you don't humor them at the drop of hat under any circumstances, you're being disrespectful, you're out of line. No matter how much you humor them, they always demand more.

Imagine, seriously imagine for a moment now, that these people, the vast majority of the electorate, vote for politicians based in large part on what they think Santa wants, campaign speeches all end with "Be good or Santa won't come to visit". And most of these voters won't even consider voting for someone who doesn't believe in Santa Claus and his factory at the North Pole. Yet they routinely congratulate themselves as belonging to the most graciously tolerant and open minded people in all of history. ... There's more ... and it's worth reading

The second diary found Why I am an Atheist explains WHY he is an atheist. This diary is a much more controversial effort as the mere existance of his rational questions is obviously an insult to many theists. None the less it is a highly readable insight into the mind of one atheist who is able to put down his thoughts so well into words and I am happy to have someone else explain how I feel. Especially when he does it so much better than I can.

In my Santa Claus analogy I mentioned near the end to imagine why it is you don't literally believe in Santa and his North Pole factory. I bet for most of you, it's not because you hate Santa, I mean who would? It's probably not because you hate Christmas or despise giving or receiving gifts. I doubt it's because you detest having days off or eating kickass food with your family and friends. You probably can't prove there is no Santa and even if you try, I assure you from long experience in dealing with creationists* I can offer a counter argument.

No, none of that is the reason: Your disbelief in a literal Santa Claus, flying reindeer, nocturnal visits, toy factories, elves, etc., likely centers on three concrete objections:

1 . "It" makes no sense

2. There is no evidence for "it"

3. We're adults who can get by fine at Christmas time and enjoy ourselves without "it" having to be true

Evidence by far is the key. Something might not make sense, like Quantum Mechanics, but we accept it because of the evidence. OTOH something might make sense, like the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe, but we don't accept it as valid, yet, because we have no evidence. The reason for this asymmetry is, as the late Carl Sagan said: Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. ... Once again there's more and it's worth reading

IA

Christian Aid?

2005-11-01T08:46:00.000-08:00

Last week I read an article about a Christian handing out hurricane aid after Katrina who witnessed a victim receiving supplies at a relief station managed I assume by christians. This said atheist had a bumper sticker saying something like "Proud Atheist" or some such message. The relief worker was more or less outraged and felt the desire to deny this victim the *Christian* aid she was handing out. This struck me as very interesting but even more interesting was the aid worker's characterisation of the sticker as anti christian hate speach.

Hmmmmm.....

Lets examine this a little.

If the sticker had said *Proud Christian* would that have been anti atheist hate speach? How about *Proud Muslim* or *Proud Jew*?

The hypocrisy should be obvious.

Having a bumper sticker advertising one's philosophical persuasion as an Atheist is NOT any more hate speach than a Christian having a Jesus fish on their car an Anti Atheist message. I would suggest that anyone who feels that it is, is not terribly secure in their faith in the first place perhaps.

I happen to have a Darwin Fish on my car. I don't consider it any worse that the myriad of Christain bumperstickers I see every day and I don't consider it to be anti Christian either ... rather it is pro evolution. I suppose it does tag me as an atheist, which I am, but it in no way disparages any other faith altho there are undoubtedly those out there who will think it does. I think it says more about them than it does about me however *shrugs*

The person in the article also decided not to deny the atheist their aid, suggesting that they would later reflect on who was giving it ... the suggestion being, they would be humbled or perhaps ashamed or better yet converted by the act. I would argue that aid should be blindly given ... unless of course there IS an ulterior motive for your aid..... Is there? If so .. is it really aid?

The other inference I get from her statement is that she probably thinks atheists do not deliver aid to those in need ... I would like to let her know that that would be a false assumption. Granted atheists don't have the structural organization that a tax funded church provides which enables the christian relief efforts to be so WELL ADVERTISED but I suspect that the ratio of atheists who volunteered to deliver aid was quite comparable to the number of faithful who turned out as well. They just don't make such an issue about it.

LOOK AT ME! AN ATHEIST HANDING OUT AID AT A NON CHRISTIAN AID CENTER! LOOK AT ME AND REMEMBER THE ATHEIST HANDING OUT AID! BE IMPRESSED AT MY GENEROUSITY! BE VERY IMPRESSED!

Ridiculous ... absolutely ridiculous ... and yes I know I'm being cynical about this but this is screaming out for cynicism .... so there!

REFERENCE LINK HERE -----> Getting hurricane relief to Christians, atheists

"Tuesday - We went to a food distribution center that was set up in a church parking lot. ... One woman came through the line with bumper stickers on the back of her van that were very blatantly anti-Christian. They said things like “Atheist and proud.” ... At first I was mad. I wanted to walk up to her van and say, “give me back that Clorox.” How dare she drive through a church parking lot with such anti-Christian bumper stickers on her van and ask for free stuff?

Then I thought to myself that when this is all said and done, people like her are going to look back and remember who came and helped, who were the ones that rolled up their sleeves, did the work and gave freely. "

Fitzmas

2005-10-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

Will I get what I want this year?

It's actually a silly word for a very serious event. Lots of people out there think it's inappropriate. Maybe it is but that hardly matters to me. To me it represents the hope that America MIGHT regain it's collective sanity post 9/11.

I would hazard a guess that I already have gotten a small gift from recent events. Delay has been indicted, Frist is being investigated. The media is talking again and oh what a sound that is to my ears. Critical thought being expressed. Questions being asked, and miracle of miracle, idiotic statements and blatant lies being challenged by the talking heads. AMAZING! Course it's tepid at best but at least they are doing it ... well SOME of them are doing it. The tone has changed at any rate. I have heard in the voices of the commenters bemusement and incredulity when reporting the wingnut spin on recent events. The obvious lies and contorted positions the wingnut pundits have to assume to try and make this look not exactly good but not quite so bad is FINALLY being ridiculed for the nonesense it usually is and SOME people are listening if the polls are to be believed.

Will I get what I want this year?

I have no idea .... but I have a sneaky suspicion that I will get at least some of what I want. I doubt I will get everything tho .. I suspect Rita Cosby will get to keep her show for a while yet, there are always more missing pretty white girl stories to cover .... and Bill O'Reilly's head isn't likey to explode from the sheer pressure of his idiocy, but they say you can't get everything you want so I guess I'll have to deal.

As for Fitzmas .... let the indictments and the great American awakening from their collective political stupor begin ... please oh pretty please ....

IA

Ok so I'm back

2005-10-24T22:19:00.000-07:00

Way back in June I hung up my blogger shoes rather abruptly for a couple of reasons.... the first being my kids got out of school for the summer and I suddenly had daytime competition for the computer .... they won I lost :)

The second reason was far more mundane. I got bored or burnt out or whatever. I was just so tired of being outraged all of the time. I pretty much totally stopped watching the media on TV cause what really is the point anyway. They don't report real news and watching one more story about a pretty missing white girl was seriously making me want to toss my cookies every time I tuned in.

The one thing I DIDN'T do was stop paying attention altogether I just let others do the outrage thing for me ... cause frankly there are a lot of people out there a LOT smarter than me who do the whole outrage thing way better than I can and with better resources to boot. It was a lot easier to let them carry the load while I was off busy doing things that people like to do in the summer.

Sooooo .... after a several month hiatus I logged back onto my site to use the freethought radio link cause I felt like a little light humor of the eve of Fitzmas and much to my surprise I noticed that even after this many months some people were still dropping by to check it out .... waves to Jessica *s*

I was pretty much blown away so I decided to check my stats from sitemeter and I was STUNNED I tell ya just stunned that I had 16 visitors in the last week .. laughable under most circumstances but wow I havent had a single new thought on here since JUNE and these people werent just stopping in by accident they were staying a few and checking out many of my earlier posts. Ok so no one said hey or anything but can ya blame them I mean I havent exactly been keeping things current.

All that said i decided that I might just dabble my toes in the water a bit once again. Not gonna jump right in or anything but I'll try and post something every once in a while just to keep my feet wet.... that said ... check in tomorrow. If what I think is gonna happen, happens, I just might have a thing or two to say ... and if it doesn't I might anyway.

In the meantime don't forget to check DKos where the world goes to stay informed ... I know I do.

IA

THIS is how it's done

2005-06-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

Mr. Michael Abramowitz, National Editor
Mr. Michael Getler, Ombudsman
Mr. Dana Milbank
The Washington Post
1150 15th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20071

Dear Sirs:

I write to express my profound disappointment with Dana Milbank's June 17 report, "Democrats Play House to Rally Against the War," which purports to describe a Democratic hearing I chaired in the Capitol yesterday. In sum, the piece cherry-picks some facts, manufactures others out of whole cloth, and does a disservice to some 30 members of Congress who persevered under difficult circumstances, not of our own making, to examine a very serious subject: whether the American people were deliberately misled in the lead up to war. The fact that this was the Post's only coverage of this event makes the journalistic shortcomings in this piece even more egregious.

In an inaccurate piece of reporting that typifies the article, Milbank implies that one of the obstacles the Members in the meeting have is that "only one" member has mentioned the Downing Street Minutes on the floor of either the House or Senate. This is not only incorrect but misleading. In fact, just yesterday, the Senate Democratic Leader, Harry Reid, mentioned it on the Senate floor. Senator Boxer talked at some length about it at the recent confirmation hearing for the Ambassador to Iraq. The House Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi, recently signed on to my letter, along with 121 other Democrats asking for answers about the memo. This information is not difficult to find either. For example, the Reid speech was the subject of an AP wire service report posted on the Washington Post website with the headline "Democrats Cite Downing Street Memo in Bolton Fight". Other similar mistakes, mischaracterizations and cheap shots are littered throughout the article.

The article begins with an especially mean and nasty tone, claiming that House Democrats "pretended" a small conference was the Judiciary Committee hearing room and deriding the decor of the room. Milbank fails to share with his readers one essential fact: the reason the hearing was held in that room, an important piece of context. Despite the fact that a number of other suitable rooms were available in the Capitol and House office buildings, Republicans declined my request for each and every one of them. Milbank could have written about the perseverance of many of my colleagues in the face of such adverse circumstances, but declined to do so. Milbank also ignores the critical fact picked up by the AP, CNN and other newsletters that at the very moment the hearing was scheduled to begin, the Republican Leadership scheduled an almost unprecedented number of 11 consecutive floor votes, making it next to impossible for most Members to participate in the first hour and one half of the hearing.

In what can only be described as a deliberate effort to discredit the entire hearing, Milbank quotes one of the witnesses as making an anti-semitic assertion and further describes anti-semitic literature that was being handed out in the overflow room for the event. First, let me be clear: I consider myself to be friend and supporter of Israel and there were a number of other staunchly pro-Israel members who were in attendance at the hearing. I do not agree with, support, or condone any comments asserting Israeli control over U.S. policy, and I find any allegation that Israel is trying to dominate the world or had anything to do with the September 11 tragedy disgusting and offensive.

That said, to give such emphasis to 100 seconds of a 3 hour and five minute hearing that included the powerful and sad testimony (hardly mentioned by Milbank) of a woman who lost her son in the Iraq war and now feels lied to as a result of the Downing Street Minutes, is incredibly misleading. Many, many different pamphlets were being passed out at the overflow room, including pamphlets about getting out of the Iraq war and anti-Central American Free Trade Agreement, and it is puzzling why Milbank saw fit to only mention the one he did.

In a typically derisive and uninformed passage, Milbank makes much of other lawmakers calling me "Mr. Chairman" and says I liked it so much that I used "chairmanly phrases." Milbank may not know that I was the Chairman of the House Government Operations Committee from 1988 to 1994. By protocol and tradition in the House, once you have been a Chairman you are always referred to as such. Thus, there was nothing unusual about my being referred to as Mr. Chairman.

To administer his coup-de-grace, Milbank literally makes up another cheap shot that I "was having so much fun that [I] ignored aides' entreaties to end the session." This did not occur. None of my aides offered entreaties to end the session and I have no idea where Milbank gets that information. The hearing certainly ran longer than expected, but that was because so many Members of Congress persevered under very difficult circumstances to attend, and I thought - given that - the least I could do was allow them to say their piece. That is called courtesy, not "fun."

By the way, the "Downing Street Memo" is actually the minutes of a British cabinet meeting. In the meeting, British officials - having just met with their American counterparts - describe their discussions with such counterparts. I mention this because that basic piece of context, a simple description of the memo, is found nowhere in Milbank's article.

The fact that I and my fellow Democrats had to stuff a hearing into a room the size of a large closet to hold a hearing on an important issue shouldn't make us the object of ridicule. In my opinion, the ridicule should be placed in two places: first, at the feet of Republicans who are so afraid to discuss ideas and facts that they try to sabotage our efforts to do so; and second, on Dana Milbank and the Washington Post, who do not feel the need to give serious coverage on a serious hearing about a serious matter-whether more than 1700 Americans have died because of a deliberate lie. Milbank may disagree, but the Post certainly owed its readers some coverage of that viewpoint.

Sincerely,

John Conyers, Jr.

The pressure mounts

2005-06-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

I've been kinda busy the last few days so haven't had much time to blog. On top of that my outrage meter has been so maxed out that some days it's just a relief to go comatose for a while. That said I was delighted to see that CNN has FINALLY given the downing street minutes the coverage it deserves.

It was a joy to see all the accusations against "too stupid to be president" actually in printed form on a major media newsite such as CNN, who for months has been in MAJOR denial that there was any news actually happening in the world.

I imagine their reluctance to face reality will no doubt return soon but if we can keep the pressure on it might be possible to FORCE them to actually do their jobs.

See the story ...... Forum focuses on 'Downing St. memo' it's a thing of beauty.

The president "may have deliberately deceived the United States to get us into a war," Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, said. "Was the president of the United States a fool or a knave?"

The Democratic congressmen were relegated to a tiny room in the bottom of the Capitol, and the Republicans who run the House scheduled 11 major votes to coincide with the afternoon event.

"We have not been told the truth," Cindy Sheehan, whose soldier son was killed in Baghdad a year ago, told the Democrats. "If this administration doesn't have anything to hide, they should be down here testifying."

The White House refuses to respond to a May 5 letter from 122 congressional Democrats about whether there was a coordinated effort to "fix" the intelligence and facts around the policy, as the Downing Street memo says.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan says Conyers "is simply trying to rehash old debates."

When Conyers couldn't get inside the White House gates Thursday, an anti-war demonstrator shouted, "Send Bush out!" Eventually, White House aides retrieved the petitions at the gate and took them into the West Wing.

"Quite frankly, evidence that appears to be building up points to whether or not the president has deliberately misled Congress to make the most important decision a president has to make, going to war," Rep. Charles Rangel of New York, senior Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, said earlier at the event on Capitol Hill.

Misleading Congress is an impeachable offense, a point that Rangel underscored by saying he's already been through two impeachments. He referred to the impeachment of President Clinton stemming from an affair with a White House intern and of President Nixon for Watergate, even though Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment.

Conyers pointed to statements by Bush in the run-up to invasion that war would be a last resort. "The veracity of those statements has -- to put it mildly -- come into question," he said.

Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson said, "We are having this discussion today because we failed to have it three years ago when we went to war."

"It used to be said that democracies were difficult to mobilize for war precisely because of the debate required," Wilson said, going on to say the lack of debate in this case allowed the war to happen.

We've come a long way baby

2005-06-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

Air base hosts 1st military gay wedding

Thats Canada guys not the US ... Doh! I have to say that stories like this make me very happy. I hope the couple has many happy years together and I wish them all the best.

IA

What was the Tipping Point

2005-06-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Lately all over the blogospere I keep seeing references to the holocaust to describe current events and it got me wondering.

Before the holocaust really got started there was a period when all the signs were negative and things were starting to look rather grim. What tipped off the Jews that managed to escape, that it was indeed the time to get out and in fact the time to get out was NOW.

Some did get out. Some managed to escape the horror that was to come. Some ... the lucky ones, knew that the time to go was NOW and they acted on it. Some of these "lucky" ones fled to the West and they stayed "lucky" ... others went East ....

How do you know "when" the time to flee has come and just as important how to you know "where" to flee. How did these Jews feel and how did they know. The obvious answer is they DIDN'T know. They were guessing ... hedging their bets ... survival instincts perhaps.

That said, I asked myself, who are the "Jews" of today's society. First I would have to say gays. Second I would say are the non-theists. They are the new target groups for the neocons. They are the groups that the radicals would like to see go away. They are the one facing imminent threat. They are the ones outside of "accepted" American society. They are easy to marginalize, easy to dismiss, easy to disagree with ... easy to discriminate against. Easy that is, if you are part of the population living in apathy and easily led. Easy if you have the ability to "hate" people who think differently than you do, who ARE different from you. Sadly, I think that represents a large chunk of today's society. People who care to much about what other people do with their lives and people who just don't care period.

How does it start, this thing called fascism .. does it start with a bang or a whimper. History, if we choose to examine it, clearly shows that it starts with a whimper.

So considering the looming theocratic fascist state rising in America, how do you know when it is the right time to leave. I think if you are asking that question, the time has already come. There are already groups out there, out there RIGHT NOW, who think gays should be eliminated and I don't mean converted. These guys think being gay is suitable cause for a DEATH penalty for gawds sake. How long will it be before they start coming after non-theists? Jew's weren't the only inhabitants of the death camps you know. If the time isn't now, when exactly is it?

The ones who waited too long during the Nazi years or were unfortunate enough not to have the means to leave in time, paid the ultimate price ... many of them refused to see the signs before it was too late. How many said to themselves things would get better soon ... that everything would turn out ok in the end. Well it did ... but unfortunately it did so long after they were dead.

I can't believe these kinds of thought are in my head but I have to say to my American friends, have you thought about it? Do you feel threatened by the very community in which you live? Is it time to leave? Are you leaving? Are you even thnking about it? Is there time to retreat from the abyss? I dunno and I wonder ... is THIS what it felt like BEFORE the holocaust? Is this the beginning of history repeating itself? I didn't think it could happen so soon ... so soon after we as a world declared, we'd never forget.

We did ... not all of us of course but enough did that now, it might be time to start paying the price.

IA

All in the name of Big Business

2005-06-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Microsoft helping to censor Chinese blogs

I guess corporate profits are more important than freedom.

Chinese bloggers who use Microsoft's new Chinese-language Web portal will have to watch what they say.

There are reports that users of the MSN Spaces service face restrictions on certain words, such as "freedom", "democracy" and "human rights."

Agence France-Presse said bloggers who attempted to use those words were said to generate a message saying the language was prohibited.

"This message contains a banned expression, please delete this expression," the pop-up warning reads.

MSN marketing director Adam Sohn confirmed that Microsoft was working with the Chinese government to censor language, but did not give examples.

[...]

(snark)But, but, but ... it's a BIG market (/snark)

IA

Chinese Population Control

2005-06-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

You might wonder what new steps China is taking to control their ever growing population boom. Well wonder no more .... here's how ----->

Here's some exciting medical news from the Chinese government: Smoking is great for your health.

No kidding. Here's just a taste.

Cigarettes, according to China's tobacco authorities, are an excellent way to prevent ulcers.

They also reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease, relieve schizophrenia, boost your brain cells, speed up your thinking, improve your reactions and increase your working efficiency.

And all those warnings about lung cancer? Nonsense.

[...]

"Smoking removes your troubles and worries," says a 37-year-old female magazine editor, quoted approvingly on the website. "Holding a cigarette is like having a walking stick in your hand, giving you support.

"Quitting smoking would bring you misery, shortening your life."

Well there you have it .... smoking removes your troubles and worries .... I guess I would have to agree ... but it does so ...

BY KILLING YOU.

I can only imagine how they deal with all the cancers and other smoking related health effects. I suppose ignoring them is one option ... works for them I guess.

IA

Hear hear!

2005-06-12T11:29:00.000-07:00

Gay advocates fight churches' charity status

I have long felt that organized religion takes undue advantage of their tax free status. Now it appears there is mounting pressure to end their priviledged status. Sorry folks but when you cross the line and use your churches to push a political agenda you can no longer claim you are strictly a charitable organization.

You crossed that line a long time ago but now it's catching up to you.

It's pretty simple really. Organizations advocating FOR SSM do not recieve charitable organization status but churches advocating AGAINST SSM do. Why does one group recieve preferential treatment that the other does not. It's obvious that opposing SSM is NOT a charitable act so churches should not be allowed to use monies donated to them to promote a political agenda while at the same time benefiting from tax laws designed to help charitable organizations. A no brainer.

You wanna promote bigotry ... ok ... you wanna use public funds to do it ... NOT ok.

IA

There really is only one response to this article

2005-06-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

AMEN

And on CNN no less. Unbelievable. Maybe they read my blog. LOL

IA

Downing Street Minutes

2005-06-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Randi Rhodes just announced on Air America that the number is ABOVE 450,000 signatures ... OMG That's INCREDIBLE. Fantastic. Amazing!

If you haven't signed yet go to John Conyers Website and add your John Henry to the list.

IA

So THIS is a democracy huh?

2005-06-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

Sensenbrenner Gets Angry, Abruptly Ends Hearing

You could have fooled me. But you know it will fool the cable networks news channels cause they are so busy yelling at Dean for speaking the truth they will surely overlook this travesty. I hope the anger the democrats are feeling right now turns into action.

Dean was RIGHT. He is getting TONS of air time and the more his message is repeated by those who suffer from hypocritical outrage, the better.

This guy however was a buffoon and the more his antics are played the more people will realize that fact. Of course we all know this will never make it to air ... he's a Repug ... dontcha know?

The only people the media calls to task about alleged mistakes are the Democrats.

IA

Awwwwwww

2005-06-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

Poor poor CNN.

Seems like the Jackson trial wasn't the pot of gold they hoped it would be.

I'm thinking of throwing them a sympathy party. Waddya think? Should I?

Perhaps I shouldn't call it a sympathy party .... maybe WAKE might be more appropriate.

"This turned out to be a story that didn't even have enough traction to compete with the runaway bride, which blew Michael Jackson off the screen for a week and a half," said Thompson, head of Syracuse University's Center for the Study of Popular Television.

An early indication of public indifference came when footage aired of Jackson performing an impromptu dance on an SUV's roof after pleading innocent to child-molestation charges in January 2004.

"I was saying to myself, 'Boy, oh boy, I can't wait to see what the numbers are for this thing,' " recalled Jerry Burke, Fox News Channel's daytime executive producer.

But he said the incident didn't rate with viewers, as it turned out. Burke calls the trial itself "turnoff TV" for graphic sexual references and language such as "Jesus juice" as a nickname for wine.

'We were greatly disappointed'

Big media was wrong but they still kept pluggin on "like the little engine that could" ... they just KNEW their fortunes were tied to this loser .... forget REAL NEWS, the thing that people USED to tune in to watch, CNN just KNEW that a big name celebrity trial was where it was at NOW.

Too bad they were wrong. I'm crying in my hanky. Boo hoo.

Funny thing is they STILL think the trial could have been a winner. If ONLY they had been allowed in the courtroom. THEN people would have tuned in ... just like OJ .. yeah ... that's it .... just like OJ ... "drool"

Damn I can't believe they actually published this piece of media drivel just to make excuses why the Jackson trial didn't pan out for them the way they had hoped it would. If you want to improve your rating's guys I have a piece of advice for ya. REPORT THE NEWS like you're supposed to, like you USED to do and people might tune back in again. Abandon all this newmagazine shit and stike out for a new frontier, separate yourself from the fauxes of the world. Be unique! Be different! Report the news! Think about how refreshing it would be!

*sigh* A world where the jackson trial would only get the air time it deserved ... with a one liner like ... "nothing new to report here ... now in OTHER NEWS .... George W. Bush embarassed the United States once again when he ...."

IA

PS: I thought I'd give honourable mention here to Olberman's closing remarks in the article cause they are such a hoot. I truly think he's the ONLY one on cable news that actually "gets it"

Would cameras have been a courtroom improvement?

"For their (the viewers) psychological and sociological health," Olbermann replied, "I don't think they missed a damn thing."

So ...

2005-06-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

The Downing Street Minutes have FINALLY broken thru the media's self imposed blackout. I wonder what's gonna happen now ... call me a cynic but I think I know. In fact it's already started.

The Repugs are dismissing the minutes as discredited and the MSM is dutifully going to march in lockstep with that line. On Countdown last night I heard the guest actually say that the Minutes had the feel of a DYING story.

DYING? Christ people are only JUST NOW starting to learn about it!

Bush claims that the minutes are irrelevant because they went to the UN after the DSM were taken. DAMN ... that's the POINT Mr President. You decided to go to WAR before you went to the UN! After your UN visit where, you had your man Colin LIE for you and when you demanded that Saddam allow the weapon inspectors back into Iraq, HE CAPITULATED! The inspectors DID go back in, and they were doing their job. I watched them do it on my TV screen .... and they continued to do their job until YOU ORDERED THEM OUT! YOU! MR GODDAMN PRESIDENT. YOU ordered them out.

Yeah you went to the UN all right. You crossed your T. But you didn't care ... did you MR President? You had ALREADY decided to go to war before you went to the UN, DIDN'T you Mr President. Nevermind that Kofi Annan, you know him, the SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UN, declared that your invasion of Iraq would be an ILLEGAL WAR of aggression against a sovereign nation. You cared so much about the UN that you feel completely justified in ignoring ANYTHING they said that didn't fit into your little plan to jump start the Rapture.

If the American public continues down the path of extreme apathy as I suspect they will, the Repugs may just get their wish that this story go away. I know everyone on the left will do whatever they can to prevent that but it's an uphill battle. How can you fight against such apathy when they are willing to accept lies, not even good lies, as the truth. Some on the 'right' are claiming that the minutes have been discredited by everyone who has examined them up to and including the 911 Comminsion. Oh REALLY? If you cared to check your timelines the 911 commision completed it's work a YEAR ago and the DSM did not come to light until May 1 OF THIS YEAR. I wasn't aware that the 911 Commision has a TIME WARP MACHINE? How convenient. I wonder if they'll let me borrow it sometime.

COME ON PEOPLE. If someone lies to you once it's a sure bet that they would do it again. How could you possibly trust ANYTHING that a proven liar says to you.

How can you actually continue to trust a man who was willing to LIE you into an illegal war of aggression against a sovereign country, a man who is willing to utilize TORTURE for gawd's sake TORTURE in your name for the SAME illegal war.

Do you REALLY think actions like that make you SAFER in the LONG RUN? What about your kids? Will they be safer too?

Go to www.DowningStreetMemo.com or www.AfterDowningStreet.org and take action to help keep this story alive. It's the most important thing you will do all day.

IA

Just when you think you're getting somewhere ...

2005-06-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

Wow did I ever underestimate the power of some people's ability to hate. There are actually some liberal party members BESIDES Pat O'Brien willing to bring down their OWN government in order to prevent the SSM bill from becoming law in this country. How much hate is THAT?

I am stunned that ANYONE could be so filled with fear and hate that they could actually prefer to see their government fall than allow other Canadians to enjoy life as they desire. It doesn't hurt ANYONE to allow this. No one.

No church has to perform a SSM. They don't even have to rent their halls to gays for the celebration of such a marriage. They are being given a free hand to discriminate based on their religion. So WHY are they still so determined to make everyone else live by their religious standards? Can't they see they are imposing their belief structure on other people. People who have a RIGHT to be treated equally under the law.

Marriage is a CIVIL ceremony NOT a religious one. You can get married in city hall WITHOUT a preacher but you CAN'T get married in a church without the sanction of the state, vise a vie a marriage licence. Getting married in a church only sanctifies the marriage in the eyes of your god whoever that may be it doesn't make it legal unless you have that little piece of paper from the government. There is no law that says you MUST get married in a church ... and this SSM bill specifically states that NO church will be forced to perform a marriage in opposition to it's beliefs. So what's the fucking problem here?

Paul Martin is right on this. The idiots opposing this are just that .... idiots, incapable of separating theiur own personal beliefs from what is right. This bill is right. It stops the discrimination on people who only want to live their lives free to marry whom they choose without interference by those who disagree with their lifechoice.

Don't approve of Same Sex Marriage? DON'T GET ONE but for gawds sake don't stop the people who DO want one. That's wrong. It's judging others by YOUR standards and that's just not fair, nor is it Canadian. I'd even go so far as saying it's not moral either. So get of your high horse and start representing ALL Canadians for a change and not just the 'straight ones'

Link

IA

Argh

2005-06-06T14:05:00.000-07:00

Ontario Liberal MP to sit as Independent

All I can say is that I hope the voters in London realize that a vote for Pat O'Brien in the next election is a vote for prejudice and bigotry. I suspect they will. London is a University/College town and young people by and large realize that homosexuality is NOT a threat either to them or to society.

That this guy is willing to sacrifice his party on the altar of his prejudice and bigotry is a sad testament to his lack of loyalty, integrity and honour. Yeah he's entitled to his opinion but Paul Martin is allowing a FREE vote on this. He could have voted his opinion WITHOUT leaving the party. I suspect his leaving has much much more to do with his desire to PREVENT a vote on this.

Crap like this realy really makes me sad. I was hoping we could FINALLY agree that gays are people too, and as such deserve all the same rights and protections that all we heterosexual people get. Geez what's so wrong with that anyway ... I mean REALLY .... what's so wong with that!

In all the passion surrounding this issue no one ... and I mean NO ONE, has EVER been able to explain to me why SSM is a bad thing. Not ONE person. Not ONE arguement that makes ANY sense at all. The ONLY arguments I ever see are based on a religious view and while I am sure these views are deeply held PERSONAL beliefs they are NOT a valid justification to endorse prejudice.

That's my opinion. I encourage you to try and change my mind but unless you have something more substantial than religious bigotry you're wasting your time.

IA

To Much Anger to Succeed

2005-06-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

Toronto Star online editorial

The whole article is a hoot even if somewhat pretentious but the closer is a positive knee slapper and pretty much sums up Stevie's standoffish arrogance.

Alarmed by the positive poll readings Martin garnered recently from his encounters with pre-voting-age Canadians who appear to enjoy the Prime Minister's company, Harper's handlers arranged a photo-op of their own at a Wallaceburg, Ont., rehab centre for children.

But the Tory leader was miscast for the assignment. He watched silently, not knowing what to say to these kids. Until, that is, one of the finger-painting toddlers leaned toward his tailored suit.

"Don't touch me," Harper said.

Okay. So what are you doing here?

Pretty much speaks for itself doesn't it?

IA

Good

2005-06-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

It's about time.

Liberals fast-track gay marriage bill

IA

Separation of church and state is dead ....

2005-06-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

America is no longer a democracy.

It is a theocracy. All those naysayers who say that will never happen are either delusional or lying cause it's pretty much a done deal.

Earlier this week I was horrified to read about patriot pastors but it doesn't end there. Today I see a remarkably similar story coming out of, where else? Texas
Getting evangelical churches to campaign on your behalf is about as immoral as you can get not to mention illegal. That hasn't stopped these Repugs before and I doubt it will now.

MY big question is ....

Are the American SHEEPLE going to let them get away with this. Do you REALLY think these fanatics have your best interests at heart or their own. Do you actually think YOUR brand of faith is safe?

All you people who think it's ok to support this type of blending of church and state, also probably think there is nothing wrong with the discrimination against the gays or the godless. There is no hope for you. Your bigotry is too ingrained. Your fear to strong. But there will come a day that you will regret your stance. I'm as sure of that as I am that the sun will come up tomorrow.

But for all you people who realize that this is a bad idea. A bad idea not just for your country but a bad idea for your faith. You people need to start speaking up instead of allowing the fanatics to go unchallenged. This is wrong. This goes against EVERYTHING the US was founded on.

Cant you SEE that? Aren't you going to STOP IT? Don't you CARE about your country?

IA

I have a Question

2005-06-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

Everytime a plane is deemed a threat by the US it's diverted to Canada.

If it's such a threat to a US city that it can't land there then what makes it so much safer for it to land in Canada?

The fighter escort I understand .... the diversion I don't.

I mean really? Are the people in the Canadian city more expendable or something?

Do they think we Canadians have some magic polite pill or something that will turn them away from their vile evil terrorist ways or are they just trying to inconvenience them by sending them to beautiful Halifax as a sidetrip.

Just wondering ... but if I lived in Halifax I'd be pissed.

Plane sends hijack alert, will land in Canada

IA

The plot thickens

2005-06-02T17:22:00.000-07:00

Well it appears that the Grewal Tapes may have been altered. Experts say Grewal tapes were altered Fancy that. Doesn't surprise me actually and it doesn't look to good for ol' Stevie Harper.

Seems to me there were similar nefarious offences perpetrated against Hillary Clinton way back when ... don't believe me? Do a google. My guess is someone in the conservative party was taking notes or else they got their hands on the little black Republican Dirty Play Book. I guess they skipped the part that suggested that when doing a splice on an audio tape you really really need to be careful to cover your tracks and at least TRY and make your splice invisible.

This smells dirty for Harper and he is definitely on the defensive. If he plans on running his next campaign trying to paint the Liberals as some sort of corrupt party with links to devil worshipers he's gonna have a little explaining to do himself regarding this possible sloppy scandal/frame attempt.

IA

Have you signed it yet?

2005-06-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

If not ....

WHY NOT?

What are you waiting for?

It's your country.

Fight for it.

Sign the John Conyers Downing Street Minutes Petition NOW !

NOTE: Link is now working but may experience some slowdown or crashes during periods where high profile bloggers or media sources direct traffic toward this site.

He wants 250,000 signatures. Last week he said 100,00 but due to the incredible response so far, over 80,000 he thinks if he can get 250,000 to sign it would make an unprecedented statement.

I think he's right.

To view his statement regarding his letter to the President and also to read the update on the response to this petition go here -----> Congressman Conyer's DKos diary update

IA

Pardon my language .... but ...

2005-06-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

What the FUCK?

Patriot Fucking Pastors? PATRIOT PASTORS?????????

A member of my church gave to me a copy of the Ohio Restoration Project. This project is led by so-called Christians who have a plan for Ohio. The project will target 2,000 pastors throughout the state to become "patriot pastors." These patriot pastors will be briefed on a specific political agenda and asked to submit names of their parishioners in order to increase a database to 300,000 names. These pastors will be asked to place voter guides in their church pews.

Drawing the line between churches and politics

I'm telling you guys this type of crap is not gonna stop. NOT EVER. As long as these freaks remain in office, and let me tell you something else, it's gonna get increasingly worse with every little victory they get. You have to STOP this and you have to STOP this NOW!

IA

Downing Street Minutes

2005-06-01T13:25:00.000-07:00

Grewal Tapes

2005-06-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

A bit of Canadian Politics for a minute.

So, the Conservative member for the riding of Newton-North Delta in British Columbia, Gurmant Grewal, has released secretly recorded tapes allegedly proving that the Liberals were courting him in the days preceeding the non confidence vote last month.

Ummm DUH.

A few comments first. The tapes are apparently incomplete and in some are in Punjabi, so they have to be translated. Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh claims the translations of the alleged conversations are inacurrate or misleading and the beginning and ends of the tapes have NOT been released suggesting to many, me included that some comments may have been taken out of context and without the entire tape and knowing who initiated the converstaion as well as how it ended it is impossible to make any conclusions.

My opinion is that these guys are trying to do a deliberate smear of the prime minister and are only releasing the bits of the tape that support their claim. Unless the entire tape is released it is impossible to draw any conclusions regarding intent. It MATTERS who initiated the conversation and it MATTERS how it ended. To release only bits and pieces is highly suspicious imo. If they were REALLY interested in getting the truth out there they would have released the tape in it's ENTIRETY. That they have not leads me to conclude that they are attempting to spin this to their advantage in a manner I would expect from this group of neocons who take their lead from the corrupt gang south of the border apparently.

That the Liberals would have courted Conservatives before the big vote does not surprise me in the least. This is politics folks. If the Liberals had merely rolled over and accepted defeat I would have been FAR more outraged. They fought for what they wanted and I expect no less from them. As to whether a prime post was offered as a reward I have no idea, but I would expect that if a person was discussing a party change that person's future prospects and opportunities available in the party might be discussed. Offering a position as a bribe is one thing, discussing prospects is quite another ... unless the FULL transcript is released it is simply impossible to determine which scenario we are discussing here.

Personally I think this is a blatant attempt by the Conservatives to twist these tapes to suit their goal by deceitfully releasing only that parts that APPEAR to support their claims. I think that is inherently dishonest and crass. I am admittedly partisan here, but that's how I see it and unless I hear the FULL recording I think I will continue to hold that position.

Context is everything.

[update] Oops I guess a resource link might be a tad useful ... see below

Martin, Dosanjh question authenticity of tapes

[UPDATE 2] Having read further transcripts of the tapes here I have come to the following conclusion.

It sounds to me like Grewal is pushing for some sort of reward post for himself and/or his wife in return for a vote favourable to the liberals and considering how these tapes were put forward by him and his gang of thugs, I think that he intitiated the discussions with the liberals deliberately to entrap them in a scandal. In that light their discussions with this cretin take on a whole new slant for me. He was pushing for a patronage appointment and they, in their attempt to lobby his support, did not slam the door in his face. I don't think that's the same as trying to bribe the guy if that is indeed what he is trying to allege. If he did indeed initiate these conversations in order to deceive (and again I wouldn't put it past him) exactly who is the unethical person here?

Not me!

2005-05-31T08:15:00.000-07:00

So Dick dismisses Amnesty International's scathing report huh? It offends him apparently. Wow. Well I'm convinced. He's innocent then cause, he says it's a load of bunk. That's some evidence he put out there.

Not Me! Not Me! I didn't do it. They're wrong ... why? Cause I said so that's why.

Reminds me of a 2 year old.

If the media had ANY integrity AT ALL they would be all over this and call his bluff. His bluster is NOT a defence against the indefensible. There are some SERIOUS allegations out there and just saying it's not true cause we say it's not true isn't enough. Letting these guys get away with investigating themselves is WROING and the media must NOT accept what they are saying. These guys are known LIARS and they are circling the wagons. That the media seems to accept the "not us we're the GOOD guys" defense, without ANY apparent suspicion as to their motives is DISGUSTING.

I feel like the world is crumbling all around me and there isn't a damn thing I can do to stop it. These guys lie and the media accepts it ... most of the population doesn't give a crap and people are dying. I wonder sometimes in my despair if this isn't exactly what the neocon dominionists want. Destroy everything to make the weak easier to manipulate theu their religion ... the only thing they have left that gives them hope .... I wouldn't put it past these evil bastards.

Cheney offended by Amnesty criticism

Gee we don't want to offend Dick now, do we? Better not say anything bad about him then at least until he's out of office .... Wouldn't want to rock the boat now would we? People dying and the administratin lying is ok as long as we don't OFFEND anyone ... well offend anyone in POWER anyway ... truth is irrelevant ... it's POWER that we need to stay in business dontcha know ...

Disgusting

[UPDATE] Now Georgie is getting in on the game Bush: Amnesty report 'absurd' The way they are attacking this leads me to believe they are really really afraid of this. Nothing to see here .. move along ....

The sad part is these guys are getting so good at lying and the media is so supportive that most people will just blink once or twice and then in perfect zombie form will dully repeat ... Nothing to see here ... move along ...

[UPDATE 2] Rummy is getting in on the act today as well. A day late and a dollar short as they say ... Rumsfeld rejects Amnesty's 'gulag' label" Well good for him. The more the merrier. I think they should all start denouncing the Amnesty Report, it helps keep it in the news dontcha know?

Fact is, Rummy, Guantanamo is very MUCH like a gulag and you guys are acting very much like I remember the Soviets acting way back when .... when people were routinely disappeared, you know sort of like the amercian policy of "rendering" detainees to countries where it's ok to torture and where you are considered guilty until proven innocent, you see the US no longer stands behind the innocent until proven guilty meme, it's considered quaint apparently just as the Geneva Convention is. Oh yes Rummy this report makes you look bad, very very bad and I am not surprised at all that you and your gang of cronies are coming out slinging ... I have news for ya ... history is catching up to you REAL fast. It couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of assholes.

IA

Downing Street Memo plea from John Conyers

2005-05-27T14:52:00.000-07:00

I am posting the entire diary originally posted over at DKos here because 100,000 signatures is a LOT of signatures and the wider coverage his request gets the better his chances of getting them. This is a very important issue and it continues to shock me that this is now DAY 26 that the main stream media has ignored it. I simply cannot fathom how a story this important could be so totally blacklisted, I can only assume there is collusion in the media engaged in a deliberate supression. If you can help please don't delay, time is of the essence. I am currently researching whether non Americans can participate.

Letter by John Conyers on Downing Street Memo/Minutes

I have written to you in this space on a number of occasions about my profound concern about the implications of the "Downing Street Memo," which actually consists of the minutes of a July 2002 meeting between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his top advisers. During this meeting, Blair and his advisers reveal details about conversations with their American counterparts. These details cast substantial doubt on the honesty of contemporaneous claims made by the Administration to Congress and to the American people about the Iraq war.

First, the memo appears to directly contradict the Administration's assertions to Congress and the American people that it would exhaust all options before going to war. According to the minutes, in July 2002, the Administration had already decided to go to war against Iraq.

Second, a debate has raged in the United States over the last year and one half about whether the obviously flawed intelligence that falsely stated that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction was a mere "failure" or the result of intentional manipulation to reach foreordained conclusions supporting the case for war. The memo appears to close the case on that issue stating that in the United States the intelligence and facts were being "fixed" around the decision to go to war.

These are not routine questions within a partisan give and take. Under the United States Constitution (Article I, Section 8), the Congress has the sole power to declare war. If the Executive Branch deceives the Congress in this duty, it represents an attack of our democracy of the most serious nature. These Constitutional questions are not going away and must be answered forthrightly and completely by this Administration.

I and 88 of my colleagues (that number is growing - more on that soon) asked the Administration to come clean about these troubling allegations. Our inquiries have been met with silence.

The press has also been negligent in giving this matter the attention it deserves.

I am committed to seeing this through until we get the answers we deserve. But I need your help.

The conventional wisdom, which unfortunately governs Washington's political discourse, hold that the American people have long ago made peace with the mistakes or deceptions which led us into war. Help me prove them all wrong. I want to show the White House, the Press and my congressional colleagues that nothing could be further from the truth.

That is why today I am giving you the opportunity to sign on to a letter asking the same questions of the President that now nearly 100 Members of Congress have asked. If I get at least 100,000 signatures on this, I will personally deliver the letter to the White House.

If you want to sign on to this letter, go to my website www.johnconyers.com

I also want you to know that I am exploring many, many avenues to get to the truth about this matter.

Thank you in advance for your help and assistance.

John Conyers

American style taliban coming to a riding near YOU

2005-05-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

Christian activists capturing Tory races

This is why I think organized religion should NOT be tax exempt. They use the money they should be paying to the government to push a religious agenda. They use their built in constituencies to forward the religious message. Preaching from the pulpit ... using the sheeple as fodder for their ambition. They claim to be helping people but their idea of helping is to further their own personal agenda.

I have no objection to a religious person running for office and it pains me that I even have to make that distinction. What upsets me is that the neo con activists described in the article usually run to push a religious agenda and they do so with the active support of huge organizations who's very existance depends on their continuing tax exempt status. I think that's wrong.

These kinds of candidates are not just regular people devout in their faith, letting it guide their decisions to better serve their constituents, no, these guys are running deliberately to HIJACK the political process to push their OWN brand of religious dogma ... they are NOT there to serve their constituents they are there to advance the radicaL RIGHT CAUSE at the EXPENSE of their constituents. The sad thing is they let them.

Once THAT line is crossed and I think it is clearly being crossed here then it's time to rethink the position that organized religion holds in our society and the rules governing their involvement in politics not the least of which is their tax free status. The time to do that is NOW ... before they use this influence unduly to gain a stranglehold on our government.

I don't want Canada to become a theocracy. I don't think many people do. But the risk is there nonetheless and I hope we don't sleepwalk our way toward one as it appears the US is doing.

IA

Daily Quote

2005-05-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. it is simply too painful to acknowledge -- even to ourselves -- that we've been so credulous. (So the old bamboozles tend to persist as the new bamboozles rise.)

[Carl Sagan, The Fine Art of Baloney Detection]

Carl was such a visionary. I often wonder what he would say about world events today and the rise of superstition over reason. I suspect pretty much the same as he said back then ...

IA

Freudian Slip or the Truth?

2005-05-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

Remarks by President Bush in a Conversation on Strengthening Social Security

Now, a personal savings account would be a part of a Social Security retirement system. It would be a part of what you would have to retire when you reach retirement age. As you -- as I mentioned to you earlier, we're going to redesign the current system. If you've retired, you don't have anything to worry about -- third time I've said that. (Laughter.) I'll probably say it three more times. See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda. (Applause.)

President Bush, 5/24/05

Speaks for itself ... doesn't it?

IA

What's next?

2005-05-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we saw the Amnesty International report citing that Human Rights abuses were on the increase worldwide due in large measure because the once proud US ... the shining light for humans rights .... er well glowing light anyway, was now pretty much abandoning it's role as a world leader in the fight for decency, due for the most part on it's reckless so called "war on terror".

Today I read about 3 cross burnings in Durham NC. In an atmosphere of mistrust and hatred is it any wonder that this symbol of ultimate bigotry and prejudice would rear the unholy spectre of a reinvigoration of the KKK.

The mood of the country is ugly, the respect they had in the world has declined and their once mighty military is overstretched, and mired in what looks to be an unending middle east conflict.
Things are definitely looking grim, but the swaggering knuckle draggers still swagger and the preznit and his gang of nitwits still try and act like they are relevant on a global scale. But they aren't. Not really. They may still be a superpower. They may still have a lifestyle that reflects that power. But it is becoming increasingly clear to me that it is all smoke and mirrors.

The US is in decline and it is a decline that is accelerating FAST. As someone who lives in a country bordering them this is a very frightening prospect indeed and I grieve for the 50% or so of the folks down there who still cling to the ideals that once made America the great country it was.

I wish I had the answer that could make everything go back to how it was just a few short years ago. The insanity that gripped their leaders after 911 was caused in my opinion because the US had elected people who simply lacked the courage to respond to the attack with the strength and resolve displayed so many times in the past. The stature of the US rested on a knife's edge and the weak leadership and ideologues in charge right now are systematically destroying EVERYTHING that made the US what it once was. I have NO idea what their eventual purpose is or even if they HAVE a purpose, all I know is I don't like the way things are going and if the general public doesn't start waking up soon it may be too late to ever go back. It may already be too late.

That said I have to ask myself if the sole remaining superpower is so out of control, what can the world do to help. No one country alone can stand and hold the US to account for it's abuses. We need to stand united in opposition to the wingnuts in control.

I expect my country to stop hanging in the wings and to speak out on the abuses they see instead of acting as enablers to abuse. I want MY leaders to call a spade a spade and stop molly coddling the corrupt administration of George Bush. There is a time to speak truth to power and if the time is not now ... then when exactly is it?

If ever we needed a strong UN, this is the time. I hope John Bolton is NOT confirmed as the US ambassador to the UN but if he is I definitely want to see fireworks and some SPINE shown COLLECTIVELY by the other UN members so that this fascist will NOT have his way with them. He must NOT be allowed to rape the UN and infect the rest of the world with his fear and hatred.

Gawd .... when I think back to when politics wasn't all that important to me, and how I used to rely on the US to do the right thing ... the sane thing ... even when I was impatient with them sometimes for being so darn REASONABLE in the face of great threat .... it makes me want to cry. I want that reasonableness back goddamnit and I want it NOW.

IA

Parent's religious rights defiled by court

2005-05-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Judge: Parents can't teach pagan beliefs

An Indianapolis father is appealing a Marion County judge's unusual order that prohibits him and his ex-wife from exposing their child to "non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals."

[...]

Cale J. Bradford, chief judge of the Marion Superior Court, kept the unusual provision in the couple's divorce decree last year over their fierce objections, court records show. The order does not define a mainstream religion.

This is simple, a no brainer really a clear violation of the US Constitution so it should be easy to correct, right?

RIGHT?

Both parents are pagan and even tho divcorced both parents agree that their son should be raised in their faith. So why do I think these poor folks are gonna have to go banckrupt trying to correct a very very bad unconstitutional court ruling by an obviously ignorant judge.

The climate in the US is such that this simple case should alarm EVERYONE with a non mainstream religious view. Don't think for one minute that this is an isolated case. It may be now but how about in 2 years ... will YOU still feel that YOUR religious rights will be equally protected under the law?

I used to be certain of the answer to that. Now I'm not.

Thanx to the good folks on DKos for the heads up on this.

IA

Some people have NO sense of humour

2005-05-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

I'm thinkin that this principal should pull the cross outta his ass.

Christian School Cancels Graduation Over Senior 'Crisco' Prank

I mean .... REALLY!

The small senior class at Lighthouse Christian Academy thought they were pulling a memorable graduation prank when they sneaked into the school and slathered Crisco on door handles, covered toilet seats with plastic wrap and barricaded stairways with plywood.

Maybe, but it's also going to cost them a memorable experience -- as punishment, Principal Luke Pearson has canceled their graduation ceremony. He also told them to stay home the last six days of the school year.

[...]

Using shaving cream, they signed their work "Senior Class of 2005," put up a poster that read "We love you, Mr. Pearson," and left a note saying they wouldn't be at school that day.

But you know what the REAL scary part of this story is?

The news site that published this story has a online survey up with the question ... "Do you think the principal's punishment was too severe?" Yes or No?

At the time of this posting 55 percent of the respondents (all 22 of em)had answered .... NO.

Perhaps a collective cross yanking is in order.

IA

A Sane Christian

2005-05-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

This is what I mean when I rant about the need for Christians who are true to their faith speaking out against the unethical religious right noise machine. The following letter to the editor is an example of just that. We need more like this woman .... much much more, but that her voice is raised at all is a victory.

Reader Views: Relationship with Christ can't be legislated

To Mr. Larry Fisher: I find your column in [Friday's] paper both inflammatory and insulting. Since you did not answer the phone number published, I will resort to email.

I am a 58-year-old Christian widow, live in Searcy, and I do not believe in the homosexual lifestyle. However, I agree with our Senators and Representative that the definition of marriage should be addressed by States.

How dare you lump all "liberals" in one basket and declare that we have "no absolutes" in our beliefs. It would be easy to assume that all conservatives are like you, and state that they get in everyone's business and think they know everything ... absolutely! Very few things in this world are absolute - there's lots of gray.

Everyone will have to answer to God for his/her transgressions, on a personal basis. Not on the basis of what someone else believes or laws that are passed. Marriage laws passed by man will not cause one homosexual to make it past the Pearly Gates. Nor will they stop anyone who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ from entering.

So tell me, Mr. Fisher, who are you protecting? The statement "unless this is stopped, there will be polygamy soon" is both ludicrous and inflammatory, with absolutely no basis in fact. For that matter, we have states who already overlook polygamy. Their beliefs will have no impact on my ability to enter Heaven.

As for the judges who can't seem to make it past the Senate - How dare you play the race card! If there is any group who judges people by skin color, it would be radical conservatives such as yourself. Look at the makeup of the Democratic Party. The filibuster was used on Clinton nominees, but now that it doesn't work for the little Bush groupies, we're ready to throw out a 200-year-old tradition! I say this is typical of right wing conservatives who have decided what we all should believe and will go to any extreme to ram you own beliefs down the throats of anyone who dares to think differently!

The biggest difference I see in liberal and conservative views, is that I'm perfectly happy allowing you to think that you and people like you will be the only ones admitted to Heaven; while you feel that you must protect the rest of us from our own "misguided" thoughts by passing laws that will protect us from ourselves! My relationship with Jesus Christ is none of your business - and it can't be legislated.

I normally refuse to read your "editorials" and wish I have skipped over it today as well. But I have concerns that extremists like you are being published and taking to the airwaves, while those of us who feel differently sit back and chuckle at your statements, thinking that sound thinking adults will see it for what it is. Maybe more of us need to speak up so that your opinions don't become the only ones expressed.

You will, undoubtedly, continue the self-righteous Bible thumping. But in my humble opinion, when thumping, you have about as much chance of converting the heathen to Christianity, as Muslim extremists have in converting the world to their religion by flying large planes into tall buildings.

Loretta Rainbolt

Searcy

Bravo Ms. Rainbolt, bravo.

IA

Oh goodie

2005-05-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

The nice Americans are gonna honour the Canadians that they killed in Afghanistan ... YIPPEE. THAT should square everything dontcha think?

Having the DEAD Canadians names engraved on some memorial should make EVERYTHING ok again right?

The guys who did the killing were ADEQUATELY punished after all. One was even docked a month's pay and MAN that's gotta HURT. Nevermind that he has been banished from ever flying again ... er ... for the US military anyway. As for the OTHER killer .. well he was punished by having all charges dropped.

Justice served.

I feel so HONOURED right now as a Canadian to have the four dead Canadians mentioned by the lordly US military on an piece of rock. Gee what an honor, what a coup.

BULLSHIT. Who do they think they're kidding.

Obviously someone

Makes me ill to think ANYONE is buying into this charade and even more so when it's the families of the victims. DAMN.

CTV also mentions this story and I found an interesting quote in their article.

"We're going to honour them as we would any Americans," Maj. Tom Bryant, spokesman for the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 187th Infantry Regiment, told The Canadian Press last week.

Oh REALLY? We are American now, are we? I had NO idea. /hissy fit

IA

The American God

2005-05-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

I am an atheist, and as such I have no belief in a deity. As such I am not really an authority on godly matters, not by a long shot, not the least of which because there seem to be so darn many of them. Even within the Christian population there appears to be a multitude of different god's. I am never sure if there is one or three christian gods what with the holy ghost/spirit thing and all, but even ignoring THAT controversy there is a huge disconnect between the god of the old testament and the new testament. The vengeful god and the forgiving god ... there are many different flavours of god, and therin lies the problem. It's too easy to pick and choose the god that suits your own personality best. That hardly speaks well of the existance of any god imo but I digress ...

What interests me the most and indeed fascinates me in a macabre sort of way is the emergence of a clear winner in the god wars, the American God.

This god is more rooted in the god of the old testament than the new. In fact he is so old testament that he can be embraced by almost everyone including Jewish Americans without too much discussion. That really helps him gain popularity. He is also a kick ass god and that very much appeals to those Amercans who are all swaggering bravado, you know the ones, they are always stalking around sayin things like "we're gonna go kick their asses over there in sawdee araybeea man, damn ayrabs done raised our gaz prices agin. Bubba go git me my shotgun and I'll show em who's da boss." or "Fukin Eye rackees, we should nuke the bastads, fer bomin us on 911" You know the kind. All bluster, no facts.

The god of the old testment hated gays ... convenient ..... seemed to condone incest, murder and adultery .... VERY useful, yes indeed, the powers that be can really USE a god like THAT right now. The god of the old testament was arrogant, demanding, abusive, sadistic and petty.

I have often heard it said that people in a group always seem to gravitate to the lowest common denominator and apparently this new/old American God is that denominator. Knuckle draggers of the world UNITE.

The Republicans have certainly embraced this new/old American god. He is a very useful guy to have around indeed. They don't seem to think it's a bad thing at all to lie, cheat and steal to further their own ends, and they cynically use this new god to beat all opposition to their knees. Especially those pesky Jesus lovin hippy freaks known as the Democrats. Damn Libruls .... The American god HATES Libruls dontcha know?

This new/old American god doesn't let hypocrisy stand in his way either. If it suits him to endorse a culture of life one day, he doesn't even bat an eye the next when he embraces a culture of death. You see it's the ends that matter. Don't you get it? If wailing about the culture of life during a discussion on euthanasia is ok on Monday it is perfectly ok to switch gears on Tuesday and kill untold numbers of people in his culture of death campaign. You know the one .... it's the campaign to rid the world of all opposition to the one TRUE god. The American god. The god of the Republicans, thank you VERY much, no Democrats need apply. Just don't CALL it the culture of death .. THAT doesn't sound NEARLY as good as "the culture of life"

If you need clarification on this god's current state of mind on all things ... just ask George Bush and friends. They apparently have a direct line to the almighty American God. Just don't ask them about the god of the NEW Testament. Apparently the all new American god doesn't like HIM much and he just might throw a hissy fit if he hears about THAT god. That pussy apparently thinks helping the poor and the weak is a GOOD thing! Imagine THAT.

Paise jesus ..umm ...ooops ... I forget thou shalt put no other gods before ME! Hail George ... the NEW AMERICAN GOD. Of course the new/old American god doesn't really mind you invoking Jesus' name as long as you do it to get what you want from the sheeple, just don't get any wierd ideas about actually FOLLOWING that radical's teachings. THAT would be going to far .....

IA

Bad Faith

2005-05-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

Want to see a detailed look at the spiral downward from a democracy to a theocracy?

Look Here

IA

How can America keep allowing this to occur in their name?

2005-05-20T10:51:00.001-07:00

In U.S. Report, Brutal Details of 2 Afghan Inmates' Deaths

The story linked to above in the New York Times puts my previous post to shame. I simply do not have words to describe how horrified I truly am. I don't even have the heart to post exerpts because I simply cannot read it again to try and isolate them for you. The article is long, detailed, sad, brutal, honest and horrifying and I recommend reading every single word of it. If you do not it is as if you too have your head buried in the sand.

Yes it is hard. Yes it is humiliating. You must still read it. You cannot understand the truth of what is going on in your name unless you do. Hiding from it will not wash away the sin. There is evil being done in the name of the USA and it is YOUR job to bring it to light, not bury it. It is YOUR responsibility to let your leaders know that actions such as this will NOT be tolerated and similarily whitewashing of these events and a few token trials will not SATISFY you.

For gawd's sake what are the american people WAITING for? Why aren't they out in the streets Why aren't they demanding answers?

The line that resonates with me the most in this article was the last, and the truth of it breaks my heart.

He also added a detail that had been overlooked in the investigative file. By the time Mr. Dilawar was taken into his final interrogations, he said, "most of us were convinced that the detainee was innocent."

Innocent. Dead. Do you really think these two were the only ones? Do you think your silence will save any more innocents? How many more have to die to satisfy Bush's blood lust for revenge.

IA

In what sort of world could this be considered right?

2005-05-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

Army: Soldiers did mock executions

Witness statements from his platoon said Yancey took a boy detainee out of a truck and fired his weapon next to the detainee's head.

[...]

In another incident, just two days later, Yancey's platoon found a man and his sons taking metal from an ammunition factory. A sergeant in the platoon detained the bunch and asked the man to choose which son should die.

Witnesses in the platoon said the sergeant took one of the sons around the corner of a building and fired a shot to scare the father into believing his son had been shot.

[...]

Martin took one suspect to a remote desert location and forced him to dig his own grave, interrogated the man and then ordered soldiers to pretend to shoot him, according to sworn statements in the documents.

Note that they said he was interrogated BEFORE they pretended to shoot him. I dunno what you would call it but I call it sadistic, immoral and torture. This is what the Bush administration condones by stance that the geneva convention does not apply to non prisoners of war. That's why these poor bastards in Iraq and Gitmo are NOT classified as such. That why they give silent approvalt to detainee's beeing RENDERED to countries that DO allow torture within their borders.

If people visiting this site consider themselves moral, consider themselves Christian then you simply CANNOT allow this sort of treatment to continue and if you remain silent you are just as guilty as the animals who are doing the torturing. No amount of hand washing or confession will cleanse your soul.

IA

Government PASSES non confidence vote

2005-05-19T15:16:00.000-07:00

Looks like the Liberals prevailed in saving the government from falling for the time being. I for one am very happy.

IA

H -Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E

2005-05-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

That's how you spell it.

This is what it looks like.

Can anyone say 2008?

IA

Watching CPAC

2005-05-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

What a hoot. I tuned in to see what our illustrious leaders were discussing on this day that may see our government fall. The discussion is very interesting and illuminating and I highly recommend anyone interested in watching to tune in. Link on right navbar or here CPAC

Democracy in action is a wonderful thing to watch, it's noisy, it's irreverent it's sometimes agrivating but always informative and I am absolutely rivetted so blogging might be light today. This is my country in action and I simply must pay attention.

IA

Outrageous

2005-05-18T11:30:00.000-07:00

Lawmaker criticizes academy chaplain’s reassignment

The Air Force’s decision to reassign a deputy chaplain at the Air Force Academy who co-wrote a report about improper religious pressures on cadets has all the signs of a cover-up, says Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass

Capt. Melinda Morton, who helped write a Yale Divinity School report that some academy officials were promoting evangelical Christianity in their official capacity as military officers is being reassigned to Japan.

[...]

The Air Force’s explanation is that the academy’s chief of chaplains has moved up his retirement date, so it makes sense for his deputy — Morton — to also leave at the same time.

“It makes zero sense,” Frank said. “If anything, you would probably say if a new person was coming in, it would be better to have her there to help train him.”

The fact that the reassignment came just two weeks after Morton refused to defend the academy is more evidence she is being punished, Frank said.

He's right, this smells to high heaven. I applaud Capt Morton for her honesty and integrity. She deserves to be rewarded not punted off so she can't cause the powers that be any more grief. They should be ashamed but sadly I doubt they have the capacity.

IA

It's people Like this that give Atheists a bad name

2005-05-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

I have a real problem with this story and it might not be what you would expect.

Driver allowed to keep Christian vanity plate

Of COURSE he should be allowed to keep his plate. The idjit who complained, assuming it was an atheist, was an ass if they did it because the plate held a religious message.

The driver has a right to say whatever the heck he wants to on his own personal plate. He paid extra for the priviledge. The fact that licences are issued by the government is irrelevant in my opinion because the statement displayed on this person's plate was his own personal message not a government endorsement of religion. When atheists make such frivolous claims and harass people of faith for legitimate expressions of their faith it hurts us all.

For christ's sake I have a darwin fish on my car. Would this idjit file a claim that I don't have a right to advertise my atheism? Free speach works both ways bozo.

If you want to make legitimate claims against the illegal insertion of religion into places where it doesn't belong and expect those claims to be taken seriously you CAN'T do shit like this.

IA

Wow .... I mean ...just WOW

2005-05-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

The following is a transcript of the testimony given today by George Galloway a British MP who has been implicated, much to his ire, in the Oil for Food scandal. This guy is pissed and he let em have it on Capitol Hill today. I have to admit it was a refreshing change from all the ass kissing I usually see in the media.

"Senator, I am not now, nor have I ever been, an oil trader. and neither has anyone on my behalf. I have never seen a barrel of oil, owned one, bought one, sold one - and neither has anyone on my behalf.

"Now I know that standards have slipped in the last few years in Washington, but for a lawyer you are remarkably cavalier with any idea of justice. I am here today but last week you already found me guilty. You traduced my name around the world without ever having asked me a single question, without ever having contacted me, without ever written to me or telephoned me, without any attempt to contact me whatsoever. And you call that justice.

"Now I want to deal with the pages that relate to me in this dossier and I want to point out areas where there are - let's be charitable and say errors. Then I want to put this in the context where I believe it ought to be. On the very first page of your document about me you assert that I have had 'many meetings' with Saddam Hussein. This is false.

"I have had two meetings with Saddam Hussein, once in 1994 and once in August of 2002. By no stretch of the English language can that be described as "many meetings" with Saddam Hussein.

"As a matter of fact, I have met Saddam Hussein exactly the same number of times as Donald Rumsfeld met him. The difference is Donald Rumsfeld met him to sell him guns and to give him maps the better to target those guns. I met him to try and bring about an end to sanctions, suffering and war, and on the second of the two occasions, I met him to try and persuade him to let Dr Hans Blix and the United Nations weapons inspectors back into the country - a rather better use of two meetings with Saddam Hussein than your own Secretary of State for Defence made of his.

"I was an opponent of Saddam Hussein when British and Americans governments and businessmen were selling him guns and gas. I used to demonstrate outside the Iraqi embassy when British and American officials were going in and doing commerce.

"You will see from the official parliamentary record, Hansard, from the 15th March 1990 onwards, voluminous evidence that I have a rather better record of opposition to Saddam Hussein than you do and than any other member of the British or American governments do.

"Now you say in this document, you quote a source, you have the gall to quote a source, without ever having asked me whether the allegation from the source is true, that I am 'the owner of a company which has made substantial profits from trading in Iraqi oil'.

"Senator, I do not own any companies, beyond a small company whose entire purpose, whose sole purpose, is to receive the income from my journalistic earnings from my employer, Associated Newspapers, in London. I do not own a company that's been trading in Iraqi oil. And you have no business to carry a quotation, utterly unsubstantiated and false, implying otherwise.

"Now you have nothing on me, Senator, except my name on lists of names from Iraq, many of which have been drawn up after the installation of your puppet government in Baghdad. If you had any of the letters against me that you had against Zhirinovsky, and even Pasqua, they would have been up there in your slideshow for the members of your committee today.

"You have my name on lists provided to you by the Duelfer inquiry, provided to him by the convicted bank robber, and fraudster and conman Ahmed Chalabi who many people to their credit in your country now realise played a decisive role in leading your country into the disaster in Iraq.

"There were 270 names on that list originally. That's somehow been filleted down to the names you chose to deal with in this committee. Some of the names on that committee included the former secretary to his Holiness Pope John Paul II, the former head of the African National Congress Presidential office and many others who had one defining characteristic in common: they all stood against the policy of sanctions and war which you vociferously prosecuted and which has led us to this disaster.

"You quote Mr Dahar Yassein Ramadan. Well, you have something on me, I've never met Mr Dahar Yassein Ramadan. Your sub-committee apparently has. But I do know that he's your prisoner, I believe he's in Abu Ghraib prison. I believe he is facing war crimes charges, punishable by death. In these circumstances, knowing what the world knows about how you treat prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison, in Bagram Airbase, in Guantanamo Bay, including I may say, British citizens being held in those places.

"I'm not sure how much credibility anyone would put on anything you manage to get from a prisoner in those circumstances. But you quote 13 words from Dahar Yassein Ramadan whom I have never met. If he said what he said, then he is wrong.

"And if you had any evidence that I had ever engaged in any actual oil transaction, if you had any evidence that anybody ever gave me any money, it would be before the public and before this committee today because I agreed with your Mr Greenblatt [Mark Greenblatt, legal counsel on the committee].

"Your Mr Greenblatt was absolutely correct. What counts is not the names on the paper, what counts is where's the money. Senator? Who paid me hundreds of thousands of dollars of money? The answer to that is nobody. And if you had anybody who ever paid me a penny, you would have produced them today.

"Now you refer at length to a company names in these documents as Aredio Petroleum. I say to you under oath here today: I have never heard of this company, I have never met anyone from this company. This company has never paid a penny to me and I'll tell you something else: I can assure you that Aredio Petroleum has never paid a single penny to the Mariam Appeal Campaign. Not a thin dime. I don't know who Aredio Petroleum are, but I daresay if you were to ask them they would confirm that they have never met me or ever paid me a penny.

"Whilst I'm on that subject, who is this senior former regime official that you spoke to yesterday? Don't you think I have a right to know? Don't you think the Committee and the public have a right to know who this senior former regime official you were quoting against me interviewed yesterday actually is?

"Now, one of the most serious of the mistakes you have made in this set of documents is, to be frank, such a schoolboy howler as to make a fool of the efforts that you have made. You assert on page 19, not once but twice, that the documents that you are referring to cover a different period in time from the documents covered by The Daily Telegraph which were a subject of a libel action won by me in the High Court in England late last year.

"You state that The Daily Telegraph article cited documents from 1992 and 1993 whilst you are dealing with documents dating from 2001. Senator, The Daily Telegraph's documents date identically to the documents that you were dealing with in your report here. None of The Daily Telegraph's documents dealt with a period of 1992, 1993. I had never set foot in Iraq until late in 1993 - never in my life. There could possibly be no documents relating to Oil-for-Food matters in 1992, 1993, for the Oil-for-Food scheme did not exist at that time.

"And yet you've allocated a full section of this document to claiming that your documents are from a different era to the Daily Telegraph documents when the opposite is true. Your documents and the Daily Telegraph documents deal with exactly the same period.

"But perhaps you were confusing the Daily Telegraph action with the Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor did indeed publish on its front pages a set of allegations against me very similar to the ones that your committee have made. They did indeed rely on documents which started in 1992, 1993. These documents were unmasked by the Christian Science Monitor themselves as forgeries.

"Now, the neo-con websites and newspapers in which you're such a hero, senator, were all absolutely cock-a-hoop at the publication of the Christian Science Monitor documents, they were all absolutely convinced of their authenticity. They were all absolutely convinced that these documents showed me receiving $10 million from the Saddam regime. And they were all lies.

"In the same week as the Daily Telegraph published their documents against me, the Christian Science Monitor published theirs which turned out to be forgeries and the British newspaper, Mail on Sunday, purchased a third set of documents which also upon forensic examination turned out to be forgeries. So there's nothing fanciful about this. Nothing at all fanciful about it.

"The existence of forged documents implicating me in commercial activities with the Iraqi regime is a proven fact. It's a proven fact that these forged documents existed and were being circulated amongst right-wing newspapers in Baghdad and around the world in the immediate aftermath of the fall of the Iraqi regime.

"Now, Senator, I gave my heart and soul to oppose the policy that you promoted. I gave my political life's blood to try to stop the mass killing of Iraqis by the sanctions on Iraq which killed one million Iraqis, most of them children, most of them died before they even knew that they were Iraqis, but they died for no other reason other than that they were Iraqis with the misfortune to born at that time. I gave my heart and soul to stop you committing the disaster that you did commit in invading Iraq. And I told the world that your case for the war was a pack of lies.

“I told the world that Iraq, contrary to your claims did not have weapons of mass destruction. I told the world, contrary to your claims, that Iraq had no connection to al-Qaeda. I told the world, contrary to your claims, that Iraq had no connection to the atrocity on 9/11 2001. I told the world, contrary to your claims, that the Iraqi people would resist a British and American invasion of their country and that the fall of Baghdad would not be the beginning of the end, but merely the end of the beginning.

"Senator, in everything I said about Iraq, I turned out to be right and you turned out to be wrong and 100,000 people paid with their lives; 1600 of them American soldiers sent to their deaths on a pack of lies; 15,000 of them wounded, many of them disabled forever on a pack of lies.

If the world had listened to Kofi Annan, whose dismissal you demanded, if the world had listened to President Chirac who you want to paint as some kind of corrupt traitor, if the world had listened to me and the anti-war movement in Britain, we would not be in the disaster that we are in today. Senator, this is the mother of all smokescreens. You are trying to divert attention from the crimes that you supported, from the theft of billions of dollars of Iraq's wealth.

"Have a look at the real Oil-for-Food scandal. Have a look at the 14 months you were in charge of Baghdad, the first 14 months when $8.8 billion of Iraq's wealth went missing on your watch. Have a look at Haliburton and other American corporations that stole not only Iraq's money, but the money of the American taxpayer.

"Have a look at the oil that you didn't even meter, that you were shipping out of the country and selling, the proceeds of which went who knows where? Have a look at the $800 million you gave to American military commanders to hand out around the country without even counting it or weighing it.

"Have a look at the real scandal breaking in the newspapers today, revealed in the earlier testimony in this committee. That the biggest sanctions busters were not me or Russian politicians or French politicians. The real sanctions busters were your own companies with the connivance of your own Government."

I am speachless in awe. Man did he let them have it.

Transcript was entirely stolen from Common Dreams I hope they will forgive me but this needs to get out there and I had to reprint the entire thing. I just had to.

IA

And now for something completely different

2005-05-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

Wow. Big news. Belinda Stronach former contender for the Reform ...er Alliance ... er Conservative Party Leadership has cross the floor to become a LIBERAL. For you Americans out there it is as if John McCain suddenly announced he was becoming a Democrat.

I mean this is HUGE! I always wondered why she was consorting with those wingnuts in the first place since her social positions were often more in alliance with the Liberals ... but I digress.

A move like this has MAJOR implications for the uncoming non confidence vote in the House of Commons. I can just imagine Harper right now with his panties in a bunch and that image makes me very happy. This bastard is taking my country right to the brink and I want him to SUFFER, and if this defection does that, then I am a happy voter.

Because of Belinda's defection we are now faced with this scenario. 152 Conservatives vs 152 Liberals and 3 count em 3 independants to decide whether our government falls or not. One of those independents is going to back the Liberals saving the government the other 2 are UNCOMMITTED. Talk about power. Talk about close calls.

I have no idea how this is going to shake out but I am pulling HARD for the Liberals. I do NOT want to risk the chance that Canadian Neocons could squeek out a victory over this. I think the Liberals are holding a strong hand tho and IF our government falls I will do EVERYTHING in my power to punish the Conservatives for doing this to us. The best thing going for the Liberals right now is momentum and the fact that the Conservatives are being forced to vote against the most popular budget in years in order to bring this government down. People aren't going to be very happy about that and I'm guessing the Liberals will be able to capitalize on that.

Your move Stephen. Make it a good one .. your moves so far haven't been very, well, ummm, thought out, not to mention successful. Serves you right for your blatant opportunism. But the tides has turned .... hasn't it?

Resource Link

IA

It's time to ask some serious questions

2005-05-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

For instance, why DID Newsweek retract their story? It's not as if this was a Newsweek exclusive. The Koran story has been known and widely reported for years prior to this, based on interviews from released detainees ... that's plural detainees not singular. There's strength in numbers. The difference in the Newsweek story was they had GOVERNMENT corroboration. Of course the government source was only to quick to retract his confirmation of the incident, after the administration got to him I suppose, or maybe that was the plan all along.

Keith Olberman had a very good analysis of the whole sordid mess on Countdown last night. I suggest you read the transcript. It's not posted yet but I will update when it becomes available.

Olberman has also called for Simple Scottie McClellen's resignation on his blog, as well he should. Scottie's fake outrage is all too transparent and Keith rightly calls him on it as well as on Scottie's direct contradiction of General Myers statement regarding the Newsweek's story being directly responsible for the Middle East protests, something General Myers dismisses. Which is it Scottie? Reponsible or not responsible.

"The violence that we saw in Jalalabad was not necessarily the result of the allegations about disrespect for the Koran, but more tied up in the political process and the reconciliation process that President Karzai and his cabinet is conducting in Afghanistan," Myers said.

Finally DKos reports on how hypocritical the Whitehouse is, in slamming Newsweek for single sourcing a story. It seemed to be just fine for them to go to war based on a single suspect source and his so called intelligence.

Just to get this straight it was ok to go to war and have over 1600 American deaths and untold thousands of civilian deaths based on a single disreputable source but it's NOT ok to write a story that has many non government sources but only one waffling government source who apparently caves under pressure. OK, I get it. I don't like it but I get it.

There is some serious dirt here, I am sure of it. I hope the media FINALLY realizes that unless they call them on it the will become redundant. WAKE UP, DON'T LET THEM DO THIS TO YOU. DON'T LET THEM SILENCE YOU. Based on Newsweek's spineless response I don't hold out much hope. They were only too quick to cave. I think we can blame Rathergate for that, don't you? You see, it's working .... this intimidation ... Just look at CNN turing into a news magazine channel instead of a NEWS channel, look at the MSNBC lineup which is all punditry little news during primetime, and lets not forget the fact that many well resourced, factual stories don't even warrant a mention on the MSM anymore especially if they are critical of the current administration, cause well the masses just aren't that into REAL news anymore apparently. Bullshit. The reason your ratings are falling dipshits is because you don't bother to report the news anymore. People are abandoning you for the internets where there is still a chance to see the real news if you know where to look.

Man, I am so far into tin foil hat territory it scares me. But I simply cannot ignore the evidence before me. Can you?

IA

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!

2005-05-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Until further notice all news has been cancelled.

Newsweek issues retraction of true story to appease critics even tho this same kind story has been repeatedly reported for 3 years.

Aaron Brown cancels new to bring us an "Anatomy of Murder" with Aaron? No ... With Sanjay ... where are you Aaron?

Lou Dobbs is bringing us "America's Bright future" ... what about your crappy present

Anderson is answering the question we ALL need to know ... what happens when we dial 911

Pretty face vacuous Paula Zahn is sure to deliver hard hitting news ... ummmm ... not.... especially when the person of the day is Pope John Paul II who has been dead for a month and lets not forget that "star trek is going off the air ....

Larry King the most irrelevant man on TV is interviewing a VERY IMPORTANT PERSON .... Robert Blake. Ugh.

Well that's CNN's lineup ... should I continue or what's the point....War? What war? Memo? What memo? Real news? What real news? There is no news ... nothing happening at all .... nope nuthin .... WAIT!!!!! There was that runaway bride last week ... No wait that was 2 weeks ago .... wasn't it?

IA

Truth

2005-05-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

There is only one version of the truth. The truth does not pick sides nor does it discriminate. You cannot bend, fold or otherwise mutilate the truth and still have it remain the truth. It is the savior or the innocent and condemner of the guilty. It is not sentient nor ignorant it just is.

So why do the Conservatives fear it so much.

"The more compelling our journalism, the angrier the radical right of the Republican Party gets," he explained. "That's because the one thing they loathe more than liberals is the truth. And the quickest way to be damned by them as liberal is to tell the truth."

So sayeth Bill Moyers, a man I have paid tribute to before on this site. It's interesting how he can give voice so eloquently to something I have been knawing at for so long. You can download a video of Bill Moyers' speach here in zipped format if you like.

Whenever I watch the talking heads discuss this or that on the cable news networks that I increasingly avoid, I am always stunned by the apparent deliberate twisting of facts in a blatant attempt to 'spin' the data on the table to fit a fake view of reality. It always puzzled me why people fall for this twisting of the truth with nary a peep of protest. We have become so dependant upon our spoon fed 'news' that aparently we (I mean most not all) are incapable of thinking for ourselves to filter out the bullshit. Now I know those on the far left also like to spin events to their favour as well, it's political nature after all, but they are not obliged to do so as often, especially right now, as the truth and the the facts all appear to lie in their favour.

When the truth is on your side it simply isn't required to spin. So the question remains, when will the majority of people wake up and start to think critically about what few facts manage to reach them across the SCLM. When will they begin to see the truth, naked from the 'spin'.... will that day EVER come? Is THAT why the right's embrace of religion and the religious is so obvious and prominent right now? Is it the ability of the religious to be led, to believe things without regard to the facts, that drives the Republicans current courtship of them? I mean if they feel these are the people they can most easily delude with their twisted truth then it follows that they would actively use them to try and persuade the rest of the sheep to follow along meekly irregardless of their own religious circumstance.

Dkos has an interesting more politically relevant post up on this issue. The Right's Crusade against the Truth

With people like Markos leading the charge it might be possible to force the media to report the truth instead of the drivel they feed us now. We simply MUST keep the pressure on and hopefully the truth will eventually win out.

Pope takes aim at heathen europe

2005-05-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Rome - In a stern criticism of colonialism, Pope Benedict XVI said on Friday that along with Christianity, Europe had brought corruption and violence to the African continent.

The newly-elected pontiff said in a meeting with Rome's clergy: "We have to confess that Europe has exported not only faith in Christ, but also all sorts of vices, the sense of corruption, and violence that devastates" the continent.

Okaaaay ..... But the exporting of christianity brought nothing but goodness and light I suppose. Nevermind that Africa was probably doing quite well up til then with their own religious beliefs. I happen to think that the exporting of christianity, usurping local superstitions with an alien foreign superstition did more harm than arguably any other import you could think of with the exception perhaps of disease. Which the church found was a particularily useful tool in forcing conversions. Nothing like a little fear of death to inspire someone. Like they always say ... get em while they're down .... okay I'm paraphrasing there but the idea is the same. Why do YOU think the church likes to flock to areas where there is widespread death disease and starvation? You think it's only to HELP people? Think again....

That the pope in his arrogance and conceit could make such a claim is in itself revealing. His ulterior motives are extremely suspect and I personally think this is a shot across the bow of a secular Europe. The pope is not pleased ... so quake in your boots you heathenistic secularists.

Resource Link

Survival Tips you Need to Know also known as ...

2005-05-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

How to Escape a Burning Airplane

As I have occaionally admitted, I don't know much, but I do know this.

There are some things we should know and this is one of them. Knowledge is power and sometimes knowledge can save our life. Now like the diarist I think this story has far wider implications and MIGHT actually have some relevance in understanding the current state of affairs in America, vise a vie the war, the media's deafening silence and our almost total comatose reactions to the multitude of outrages surrounding us.

Yet another interesting read.

IA

Anti American Terrorists

2005-05-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

It takes one to know one

Well written piece, chilling in it's assessment but so compelling that it demands our attention.

IA

America is at WAR

2005-05-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

But you wouldn't know it to read the news these days. That is an outrage. So why isn't anyone outraged? I know if I had a friend or loved one over in Iraq I'd be screaming bloody murder over this. For all the "support the troops" rhetoric thrown around by everyone, exactly WHERE is the support. A few flags, a few ribbons, a bumper sticker doesn't cut it.

Ever since it became too risky for reporters to be in Iraq the news from there basically shut down. There are a few official snippets leaking out now and then by a military concerned more about managing the facts than the truth, and some stories that make it out by virtue of the size of the atrocity, ie car bomb or masacre. Some stories are leaked by the soldiers themselves in emails and via the internet but for the most part any real reporting in Iraq has ceased on all the major networks.

On CNN's website the lead is about Base closings. It goes downhill after that with no mention of the war. MSNBC faes no better, CBS? Not much better but does have a small sory link down the page about keeping the pressure on the insurgents. ABC would cover the war if it weren't so darn HARD but since it is, nada ... no mention. You get the picture. No fancy bunker buster bombs to watch no flashy expolsions or tracer fire into the night sky .... no body cares.

War news comes after runaway brides, friday the 13 stories, pope sainthood, sports and entertainment. Hell if you weren't paying attention, and believe me most people aren't, you could actually fool yourself into thinking there was no war at all! Which is precisely what the administration wants. Keep the people sedated and ignorant and it's easier to manipulate them. Do Americans LIKE being puppets? I guess most do. That means the few who ARE awake and I know you are there railing against the machine, have to scream louder .... much much louder. Loud like I remember during the Vietnam war. THAT loud or no one can hear you.

The soldiers dying over there deserve better. They deserve MUCH MUCH more. Don't forget them. Don't let your governemnt and lazy news organizations do this to them.

Kos has a story today that you won't see on any major news broadcast about an ENTIRE SQUAD being wiped out and like him it makes me want to vomit.

The explosion enveloped the armored vehicle in flames, sending orange balls of fire bubbling above the trees along the Euphrates River near the Syrian border.
Marines in surrounding vehicles threw open their hatches and took off running across the plowed fields, toward the already blackening metal of the destroyed vehicle. Shouting, they pulled to safety those they could, as the flames ignited the bullets, mortar rounds, flares and grenades inside, rocketing them into the sky and across pastures.

Gunnery Sgt. Chuck Hurley emerged from the smoke and turmoil around the vehicle, circling toward the spot where helicopters would later land to pick up casualties. As he passed one group of Marines, he uttered one sentence: "That was the same squad."

Among the four Marines killed and 10 wounded when an explosive device erupted under their Amtrac on Wednesday were the last battle-ready members of a squad that four days earlier had battled foreign fighters holed up in a house in the town of Ubaydi. In that fight, two squad members were killed and five were wounded.

In 96 hours of fighting and ambushes in far western Iraq, the squad had ceased to be.

Every member of the squad -- one of three that make up the 1st Platoon of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment -- had been killed or wounded, Marines here said. All told, the 1st Platoon -- which Hurley commands -- had sustained 60 percent casualties, demolishing it as a fighting force.

Somebody PLEASE explain to me why this story ISN'T the lead story on the news today.

IA

What is WRONG with these people

2005-05-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

I saw this yesterday. It was one of many stories I saw that put me into overload mode.

I mean these thugs don't want to allow gays to marry, foster or adopt kids who could use a loving caring home, hold certain jobs or one could argue even exist, so I guess it shouldn't suprise me that they would like to deprive them of their Gay Games as well.

The American Family Association AFA is obviously not so much concerned with family as they are with promoting prejudice and bigotry. All of their activism links are focused ONLY on anti gay hatred and propaganda no pro family activites in sight. One of their action items currently targets Kraft Foods which so generously has decided to sponsor the Gay Olympic Games in Chicago, and the wingnut thugs are trying to intimidate them into withdrawing their support. WHY? What possible purpose does it serve except to promote hatred? I get so angry at senseless shit like this. The naked bigotry. The obvious prejudice. The hate. The lies and distortions. These assholes must NOT be allowed to get away with this.

If this strikes you as an injustice and you want to do something to show your support Blogactive has a few suggestions

IA

Morality

2005-05-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

What's morality? Are the Republicans moral? Are the Democrats? Are priests?

I'm just askin cause lately I've been hearing a LOT of stories about behaviour I wouldn't classify as very moral and it's interesting how things shake out.

Can a GROUP of people actually be classified as more moral than another?

What if a member of that group acts in an immoral fashion? Are they still members of that group? If so can the group still be considered moral? How does a group maintain their morality label with an offending member in their midst? Do they kick the offending member out or claim that the offending member was never REALLY part of their group. Is such ouster in itself moral?

I'm asking these questions because of all the hypocrisy inundating all the news I'm hearing these days. Things like ...

A mayor and ex boy scout leader (of course) who has made his fortune in good measure because of his staunch anti-homosexual stance. Advocating and initiating all sorts of hateful prejudicial anti-gay legislation, claiming the moral highground I suppose that homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of his judeo-christian god. Interesting things about this mayor? Apparently he's a closet gay man himself. But hey at least he claims he never molested anyone under the age of 18.

Was it denial about his own sexuality that drove hime? Was it shame? Was it self preservation? But most important ... was it moral?

Why are there so many stories about closeted gays being the most vitriolic advocates AGAINST homosexuality?

Yesterday I was astounded to hear a story about the aptly named Neal Horsley. Darling of the extreme right, passionate anti-abortion activist, anti-gay all round moral fine upstanding scion of the moral majority. Someone the extreme fundamentalist call one of their own. Indeed. This is the same man who recently went on the Alan Colmes Radio show and basically admitted to engaging in beastiality. This is the same man who spent time in prison for dealing drugs. The same man who admits to engaging in homosexuality himself. If this man were any more repressed he'd explode, no WONDER he is so anti everything. I mean REALLY ...

"Is it true?" Colmes asked.

"Hey, Alan, if you want to accuse me of having sex when I was a fool, I did everything that crossed my mind that looked like I..."

AC: "You had sex with animals?"

NH: "Absolutely. I was a fool. When you grow up on a farm in Georgia, your first girlfriend is a mule."

AC: "I'm not so sure that that is so."

NH: "You didn't grow up on a farm in Georgia, did you?"

AC: "Are you suggesting that everybody who grows up on a farm in Georgia has a mule as a girlfriend?"

NH: It has historically been the case. You people are so far removed from the reality... Welcome to domestic life on the farm..."

Colmes said he thought there were a lot of people in the audience who grew up on farms, are living on farms now, raising kids on farms and "and I don't think they are dating Elsie right now. You know what I'm saying?"

Horsley said, "You experiment with anything that moves when you are growing up sexually. You're naive. You know better than that... If it's warm and it's damp and it vibrates you might in fact have sex with it."

EWWWW YUCK! Yet this guy is someone the right is more than willing to rally around. Morality be damned.

Next up, all the hypocrites blathering on about the sanctity of marriage. Sanctity my ass. Where were they defending the sanctity of marriage during their multiple divorces ( or better yet when they were getting a little on the side or even BETTER yet when they were forcefully sodomizing their wives or terrorizing them so much that they were forced to flee under the cover of night in a foreign country to get away. Just today I saw a report about a frequent failed republican candidate charged today with statutory sodomy against 13 YEAR OLD. HOW MORAL IS THAT!

How about when lying about sex was so important that it got a president impeached but lying about a war resulting in the deaths of thousands of soldiers and hundreds of thousands of civilians is apparently just business as usual.

And there's more

Oh I'm sure the Repugs could probably post a list of Democrats whose behavious was just as immoral, altho the beastiality thing is pretty extreme imo, but then again they aren't the party beating everyone on their heads about exactly how MORAL and RIGHTEOUS and GODLY they are and how they represent the MORAL vote in the country.

Moral my ass. I am just SICK of listening to these guys moralize about the depravity of all the rest of us as if they were the absolute symbol of purity and goodness. The references that I link to in this rant were all too easy to find and there were many many more that I did not include which turns my stomach quite frankly but if you feel so inclined ... do a google.

The short of it is there are a LOT of immoral goings on going on both inside and outside of government and the Republican party is NOT the protector of morality for the American people in fact one could argue they are in fact the poster boys for immorality. So get off yer high horse or back away from that mule slowly cause you are BUSTED.

IA

Outrage meter

2005-05-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

My outrage meter has maxed out. I simply cannot focus on any one thing today so I'm packing it in and like the elitist I am, I'm going sailing. Hey at least a sailboat is easy on the gas.

IA

Some Americans believe God is going to end the world;

2005-05-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

others believe the end of cheap oil will end America.

I count myself among the latter. Whether people like it or not sooner or later the oil is going to run out. It is unreasonable to believe that the artificially low gas prices we in the west enjoy now will be sustainable and I ask you, what will you do when it all ends? And it WILL end. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but sooner rather than later it WILL end and before that day comes you can bet our respective economies will be in the crapper along with our standard of living.

What will YOU do when that day arrives? I for one have NO idea and the puny attempts some of us do to try and delay that day are dwarfed by the apathetic millions who are incapable of fathoming the coming crisis. Like lemmings to the cliff ... I desapir sometimes, I truly do.

IA

Stories like this really piss me off

2005-05-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

Expletive gets through on 'SNL'

NBC did all it could to remain in compliance with the anal retentive FCC rules regarding profanity and it galls me that this is even considered news worthy when so many real profanities aren't. Profanities like an illegal war for instance or the genocide occuring right now in Darfur.

It's absurd in the extreme. I suppose one day I won't be allowed to express myself or my outrage here on my personal blog either, without fear of reprisals from sanctimonious straight laced bible thumpers who object to my chosen form of expression. It will be a sad day indeed if and when that happens.

I am not a big cusser here on my blog but sometimes it's NECESSARY to get my feeling of outrage across. I would never intentionally do it, if it had the potential to harm someone else like the asshole on SNL did but I certainly reserve the right to be as potty mouthed as I need to be in my own personal space. You come here ... you risk seeing a cuss word. End of story.

I keep dreaming that one day the FCC will wake up from it's bible based stupor and realize that they are quickly becoming a mockery of their former self. An organization so out of touch with reality that they can no longer see the big picture. They then recant all of their recent repressive regulations and go back to supporting freedom of expression and speach at which point little cherubs come out of the clouds and start shooting all the remaining evangelicals with cupid style arrows that make them see the truth of their sad sorry little lives at which point they all repent and start acting sane and we all go back to living like we used to.

I DID say it was just a dream, didn't I?

IA

Religion Gone Wrong, Be Ye Not Deceived

2005-05-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

When I read certain articles I am profoundly humbled. I can only dream of being so eloquent. Luck for me however is that there are people out there who say what I feel so much better than I ever could.

Anthony Wade is one of those people

IA

They were greeted with flowers and cheers

2005-05-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dutch shower Canadian veterans with flowers, cheers during VE Day parade

It's a debt they insist can never be repaid, but thousands of grateful Dutch residents offered their Canadian liberators flowers, oranges, beer and kisses on Sunday during a parade billed as the last big "Thank You."

More than 200,000 people - families representing three generations and some who drove for hours - braved frequent downpours to cheer on the 1,500 Canadian war veterans who basked proudly in the adoration. Young children rushed to slap hands with the veterans with a fervour normally reserved for pop stars and sports heroes

[...]

Overhead, planes dating back to the war flew past, the drone from their propeller-driven engines briefly drowning out the cheers and the drums, bagpipes and marching music from some 20 bands accompanying soldiers, veterans and RCMP officers in red serge uniforms taking part in the parade.

In stark contrast THIS was the scene during Bush's recent visit to the Netherlands.

Bush to visit cemetery on VE Day

While the Dutch remain grateful for America's World War II sacrifices, Bush's 16-hour visit is being marred by protests over the current war in Iraq, to which the Netherlands contributed 1,400 troops for 18 months until last March.

A poll taken on the eve of Bush's visit said nearly one-third of those asked would have preferred that Bush not come to the Netherlands.

Dutch police and armed forces were deploying 3,000 troops on security detail for the visit, while NATO surveillance aircraft monitor events from overhead.

Quite a different reception don't ya think? I guess the Dutch like the Iraqi's before them, didn't get the memo.

Feel the love George, feel the love.

IA

Pastor tries to undo damage he caused

2005-05-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

This via Buzzflash, we learn that the pastor involved in the church ousting democrats flap, has had a change of heart. That is supposing this guy HAS a heart. Methinks it is more a case of self preservation than altruism.

Political pastor blames ‘misunderstanding’

I wonder where the misunderstanding was .... was it the constant threats by him or perhaps the applause and catcalls as the excommunicated left the room?

If I were them I would NOT return to a church where I was OBVIOUSLY not welcome and it appears they agree with me. It is gratifying to see sane christians willing to fight for their faith as these people are doing. That pastor has to go ... he is not a man of god, and the people kicked out of their church realize that and are working to remedy it.

“This all started over politics and our right to vote for whoever we wanted to,” said Thelma Lowe, who has been attending the church for 42 years. She and her husband Frank, a deacon at the church for 35 years, were among those voted out.

“Things will never be the same here until he leaves,” she said.

Chandler, 33, has been at the church for less than three years.

[...]

“He needs to leave,” said Marlene Casey, 42, a lifelong member. “A lot of blood, sweat and tears have been shed by the people he told to leave.”

Added Lewis Inman, a deacon at the church who said he was voted out Monday: “He could have apologized and made everything right. He’s not man enough.”

I applaud them and I hope they prevail. They have the moral high ground, it should be no contest. SHOULD BE .... but things seem to work differently under the Bush administration ....

IA

What goes around, comes around

2005-05-08T23:16:00.000-07:00

Cdn. mad cow crisis forces U.S. layoffs

I don't really want to gloat over someone else' misfortune but this story had me feeling a little bit like doing just that. American cattlemen may have outsmarted themselves by unreasonably keeping the border closed to Canadian live cattle. I can't help but hope that the Canadian cattle industry is indeed capable of turning this unfair border closing around to expose the hidden silver lining. Expanding our markets and relying less on the American market can only be good for us in the long run and I for one am tired of being taken for granted by our large trading partner to the south.

No offense guys but it's hard to see so many of our industries unfairly targeted by large american corporate interests in spite of repeated rulings by the world trade organization in Canada's favour. It feels good to have a little payback sometimes. Even if it's only a hint of good news, it's still welcome, a little hope is better than none.

And some experts predict the Canadian beef industry actually stands to come out ahead of the U.S. system, if Canada continues to ramp up its own processing facilities and court other foreign markets.

The Canadian industry has lost an estimated $7 billion since international borders slammed shut to Canadian cattle two years ago when a cow in Alberta was discovered with the wasting disease known as mad cow, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

American producers reaped the benefits almost immediately. Cattle prices soared south of the border and ranchers had no competition when it came to finding slaughterhouses to process their beef.

But the tables appear to be turning.

In an affidavit attached to a recent American Meat Institute court motion to reopen the U.S. border to Canadian cattle, Thomas Rosen, president of the Rosen Meat Group, said the lack of Canadian animals to process will mean the end of some slaughterhouses in the U.S.

FDA to ban anonymous gay sperm donations

2005-05-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

I have to wonder what the REAL agenda was behind the FDA's recent proclamaition.

If it was truly to protect against the spread of HIV then I would expect adequate screening procedures to be set up not the banning of gay participation in the program. Surely the FDA realizes that indiscriminate sexual practices among heterosexuals is just as risky as among the homosexual community. Do they REALLY think the only risk comes from GAY donors?

Besides the fact that this is just another commentary on the marginalization of the gay community by the religeofascist right. It defies all logic. HIV screening is really the ONLY way to ensure the integrity of the sperm donations, not the wholesale banning of gays.

I have to wonder if the real hidden agenda behind this ruling is to prevent any gay sperm from making gay babies. It's really the only reason that I can see for this ridiculous discrimination against gays only.

The people who made this rule are supposed to be people of SCIENCE for gawds sake. They are supposed to know BETTER.

U.S. FDA to implement gay sperm donor rules

IA

Rubella outbreak "God's Will"

2005-05-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

I tried being understanding of the religious wingnuts in Ontario refusing to be vaccinated due to their religious convictions but now I find out ~~a pregnant woman is among those infected~~ 9 pregnant women have been exposed and 2 actually have Rubella, and that's where my understanding evaporates. *

* Two pregnant women among Ontario rubella cases

Frankly I do not understand, nor do I want to, how people of faith can sit passively by and accept that an unborn child may be in jeopardy and that just because it's the will of god that somehow makes it ok.

Did they ever think that god might be sending them a message that their passivity is what is hurting this baby and that they should change their ways? Did they ever think that maybe he's punishing them, for being so blind to the wonders of modern medicine that he inspired by giving us our will to learn? Maybe he's crying that these people are so misguided that they would use their free will to allow a child to be hurt. Did they ever think that? Did they?

No ... they think that their god somehow wants this child to die after being conceived or suffer a lifetime of physical disability because of his/her exposure to an easily avoided disease. They feel he's testing them or has some mysterious design that we, as mere humans are incapable of understanding.

Poppycock.

It's out of guilt that they allowed this to happen. They cannot face the fact that their own ignorance may have harmed this child so they stubbornly hold to the belief that the fact that it's "god's will" somehow absolves them of any complicity. If they were to EVER go back on this belief it's clear that they'd have to face up to a multitude of remorse and guilt for this tragedy as well as countless other tragedies in the past. All caused as a result of their adherence to their superstitious beliefs. That's why they will never own up to their responsibility. Group guilt.

It's a cop out and I HATE that we as a society allow it and even encourage it.

Resource Link - Ont. rubella oubreak described as 'God's will'

IA

Congressman John Conyers Press Release

2005-05-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

Conyers Press Release Full Text here

Congressman Conyers issued the following statement: "These allegations strike at the heart of our democracy and present the most troubling constitutional questions. Did the Administration lie to the American people about it's intentions with respect to Iraq? Did the Administration engineer a confrontation with Saddam to justify the war? Did the Administration deliberately manipulate intelligence to deceive the American people about the strength of its case for war?"

"These allegations - that the Bush Administration had already decided to go to war with Iraq, during a time when it was publicly stating that it had not -- echo allegations by former Bush Administration officials Paul O'Neill and Richard Clarke. When these officials brought these allegations forward they were slandered by Administration officials as lacking credibility. The source of these allegations - the British government itself - cannot be similarly assailed."

Senator Conyers has obtained 88 signatures from members of Congress demanding answers regarding the prewar deal alluded to in the leaked British memos. I continue to be amazed that the MSM still feel that a runaway bride is more important to cover than this. It's that sort of attitude and stick your head in the sand mentality of the press that got America into this mess in the first place. WAKE UP PEOPLE!

IA

Oh my F***ing Gawd

2005-05-06T00:04:00.000-07:00

This story is SHOCKING TOTALLY SHOCKING. If ANY of you out there were still in denial about the US becoming a theocracy you can pull your head out of whatever hole you are hiding it in because this st0ry is surely only the beginning, and NO it is not a joke. It is real. I am speachless totally speachless. I may comment further tomorrow but it's late here and I simply don't have the energy. This story sucked it all outta me.

East Waynesville Baptist Church has just kicked out all its Democratic members.

Yeah you heard me right all it's DEMOCRATIC members ....if you voted for Kerry ... it's out with you!

"One of the local women who got excommunicated said on TV that it was like a cult. Another man who got excommunicated said that the rest of the congregation stood up and applauded as the Democrats were told to leave."

The diary posts links to the original story as well as many online resources confirming the story as well as a link to a TV video covering the event.

Disgraceful, indefensible and outrageous. There had better be a backlash from the sane christian community regarding this. Now is not the time for apathy. I understand from the diary that 40 non democratic members of the church left in protest of this travesty, and I say good for them at least SOMEBODY understands how horrible this is.

VIDEO HERE

G'nite. I hope I can get to sleep after this ... and I'm not even christian.

Col. David Hackworth RIP

2005-05-05T12:36:00.000-07:00

I am saddened to note that the Col. has passed. He was a man who's opinion I valued and whose courage I admired. I will miss his unique insight and direct habit of speaking truth to power. He was certainly one of a kind. I sure hope someone out there is capable of continuing his legacy, it would be a tragedy indeed if his voice did not live on in people of conscience everywhere.

IA

Your religion, your health and you

2005-05-05T08:28:00.000-07:00

There is an outbreak of Rubella aka German Measles in a small Ontario town near where I grew up. Rubella you might ask? Aren't there vaccinations to prevent Rubella? Well yes actually there are.

The interesting thing about vaccinations in Ontario is, that you aren't obligated to receive one even tho they are freely available, and by that I mean available AND free. Some people however CHOOSE not to be vaccinated and in this case apparently, MANY people chose not to be vaccinated due to religious beliefs. The outbreak originated in a school of course .... a religious school where 60% of the students were unvaccinated due to their beliefs. Now I should be clear their religion doesn't specifically ban vaccinations it just doesn't endorse them either ... take away from that what you will. People are people and if they are ambivalent about vaccinations in the first place what do you want to bet they aren't exactly vigorous about obtaining them.

I can just hear the conversations among the mothers in their churches, you know the conversations ... one mom telling her third or fourth hand vaccination story about some anonymous kid suffering brain damage due to an ambiguous shot, usually a vaccination but could be a flu shot depending on the conversation. These horror stories seem to get worse with every telling and the usual outcome is everyone privy to said conversation going away determined to avoid THAT fate. Vaccination for my kid? NO WAY.

Well this time it has come back and bit them in the ass. Their kids are getting sick. I wonder how they feel about vaccinations now. There are 83 cases in the community already up from 56 yesterday. Over 350 kids are being kept home from school to try and stop the spread of what should never have been a threat in the first place if they weren't so darn suspicious of medicine and science. But I think I do know how they feel.

When I was a kid (a long time ago) there was a polio scare in our area. I remember it being a big deal and everyone had to be revaccinated. My memory is somewhat shaky cause I was a kid but this stands out for me cause my father was a doctor. If I remember correctly the outbreak was because of a group of people who had declined to be vaccinated against polio due to their religious beliefs. I can't be sure it is the SAME group involved in this more recent case but the outbreak DID occur near Norwich and Woodstock if my memory isn't playing tricks on me, the same communities affected today. Now the articles I have read do not identify the religious group involved in this Rubella outbreak but I have a hunch it might involve a rather large mennonite community in the area.

So how do they feel? Based on the earlier case as well as this one in the same general area I would say their opinions haven't changed one bit regarding vaccinations and that sometime in the future we will be reporting that yet another outbreak of a preventable disease has occured in their community. Should we feel sorry for them? I don't know. They go into this willingly. They risk the greater community as well. This disease while not terribly severe for children is quite serious for adults and especially pregnant women and their unborn children. So I just don't know. I DO know I feel sorry for the kids who got sick and I hope they all recover quickly with no complications. I DO hope they grow up with a different attitude about getting THEIR kids protected after having experienced this ordeal. I just don't think they will.

Resource Link

IA

What's wrong with this picture?

2005-05-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

Government tested AIDS drugs on foster kids

IA

Idaho Atheists Fight Back

2005-05-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

This should be interesting :)

IA

The Colbert Report

2005-05-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

Stephen Colbert is going to get his own show on The Comedy Network. It is going to air 4 days a week following "The Daily Show" at 11 PM.

I have long wondered why TDS was not a 1 hour show considering it's huge success. Well I gues it sort of is now. I will have to continue to wonder tho about why it only airs 4 days a week instead of 5 days a week.

Congratulations to Stephen. From the article I read it sounds pretty much to be a guaranteed success. I am particularily looking forward to the lampooning of the various idiotic media personalities such as O'Reillly ... go Stephen GO!

Story here

IA

When the President Talks to god

2005-05-03T22:58:00.000-07:00

Here

IA