LEAVWORLD: GRAFFITI POLITTI

With all of the fun that some folks poke at Pres. Bush, I thought I'd share Rep. Rangel's little gaffe on the floor of the House the other day. As all of the Dems came to speak out in support of Israel and against Hezbollah, Rep. Rangel called them "Hizbaloo," and "Hullabazoo." No big thing, but just as funny as our "misunderestimated" president's gaffes are. That "Hullabazoo" one cracked me up.

Crossposted from Stop the ACLU ACLU Website: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -- A United Nations human rights body expressed grave concerns today about the record of human rights in the United States. The American Civil Liberties Union with a delegation of 10 and working with a broad coalition of other groups is in Geneva to monitor the examination of the United States the U.N. Human Rights Committee (HRC). In a two-day session that concluded today, the committee members pressured the United States for answers on the following issues: The sentencing of children to life without parole and the disproportionate incarceration of minorities; The militarization of the border; The failure to prevent human rights violations and respond in a non discriminatory manner to Hurricane Katrina; The failure to end racial profiling practices, specifically the profiling of South Asian convenience store employees in Georgia; Warrantless spying on ordinary Americans; The abuse of women in prison; and The indefinite d...

This is from Rob Port, the author of the Say Anything blog. It's a follow-up to his July 16th post, New York Times Photographer On The Wrong Side , which is worth reading first. Over the weekend the appearance of a photo showing an Iraqi terrorist firing on U.S. soldiers which appeared in the New York Times caused something of a stir in the blogosphere. Today Jon Henke has some further thoughts on the subject: Many on the Right have recently argued that one negative consequence of extending Geneva Convention protections to unlawful combatants will be the death of more innocent civilians. Similarly, if journalists—even just a few—begin operating as explicit accessories to one side or the other, what do you suppose the consequences will be for other journalists? If journalists become camera-wielding extensions of the US military, the consequence will be that more journalists are killed on sight. And why not? As far as a military force is concerned, an enemy is an enemy. Why, I ask...

I saw a Syrian spokesman on the PBS NEWSHOUR last night, and couldn't believe what I heard. This guy was saying that Israel "kidnapped," or "illegally detained" over 9,000 Palestinians, among them the 9 Palestinian Hamas legislators. I wasn't born yesterday, and can see this for the load of crap this is. I have an idea: why doesn't Israel offer a three for three trade of the "hostages?" The Syrian spokesman seemed to make a big point of how small a trespass the kidnapping of the Israeli soldiers was, and how awful the arrest of the Hamas legislators was. Doesn't it stand to reason that any exchange of "prisoners" should be a fair trade, and not a ridiculously unbalanced exchange? The Hamas legislators should be worth much more, in relation to the Israeli soldiers. Hezbollah, of course, doesn't give a s#!t about the Hamas legislators, or the Palestinians. Lebanon is facing the consequences of not fighting the terrorists in thei...

I write this post for those who say that "we're stretched to thin," implying that we don't have the capacity to handle further military action beyond Iraq. Another implication of this argument is that we could not handle all of the "hot spots," meaning Iraq, Iran, No. Korea, Israel, India, among others, going critical at once. I refer readers to the biography of Gen. George Marshall, who reluctantly gave his name to the famous Marshall Plan, in his post-military years. During his service, and at the onset of WW II, he was charged with building a military out of next to nothing. I think that he would be happy with the strength of our military against the threats we face today. President Bush named these three states as "the Axis of Evil." Did that provoke them to their latest level of malevolence? Were they not always "state sponsors" of terrorism, and inhuman treatment of their own people, as well? Iraq shows the difficulty involved in c...

Crossposted excerpt from Assorted Babble By Suzie I call on my Christian friends to pray for our President while at the G8 Summit in Russia Thursday. Throughout my research for months now, I feel President VLadimir Putin is or may be a terrorist and perhaps a larger threat than Iran, N.Korea and/or UBL. A little background below and other links on this subject...Is Vladimir Putin reverting back to his roots as a KGB leader and communist? Putin is showing two personalities, but has a real motive behind his masquerade. Is he sharing nuclear weapons and/or secrets with our enemies including Al-Qaeda? Below you will read a quote from our VP Cheney about the change in attitude with Russia. Russia refuses to vote to sanction Iran and North Korea. In January according to Moscow News , they report on several articles, one it is not profitable for Russia to impose sanctions on Iran and this may be the case with North Korea also. Iran and Russia have very close ties and common goals. At the begi...

Crossposted from STOP THE ACLU I am going to assume that most people can agree that America's population is found across a vast political spectrum. From libertarians and liberals to moderates and conservatives we find each other across a broad field on ideas and issues. Many times we can all agree that certain things are problems within society yet be on the opposite extremes on how to solve that problem. One of the problems of society that most people can agree on is that of crime. The solution to reducing this problem most likely is found somewhere in the middle and not the extremes. One of the purposes of the Constitution is to ensure domestic tranquility. Due process, the Fifth Amendment right, is a procedural right, one that defines the methods that can properly be used to ensure domestic tranquility. Without both, there can be no liberty. Domestic tranquility can easily be achieved without respect for due process, as dictatorships throughout history have shown. It is also qui...

Alright, I'm going to tie this all together. North Korea is tied to Iran, who pulls strings in Syria, who controls elements in Hamas, with more Iranian control over Hezbollah. Kim Jong "Ill" needs to get off of the World stage right now. The Palestinians are meat in the grinder for the terror masters' political distraction. In fact, I will predict that North Korea will not launch another missile, anytime soon. The rest is pure "conspiracy theory" conjecture. The truth is that I question the timing of the newest attack on Israel, by Hezbollah. The relationships I mention above are facts. Would they risk war with Israel to help North Korea? Kim is the most likely avenue for a terrorist to get a nuclear weapon; more than Iran, China, or Russia. They may be willing to risk much for the potential levelling of a Western city. (I think back, to the '93 WTC bombing. Shortly after his conviction, the the militant Islamist and blind cleric Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman ...

Crossposted from California Yankee , a great blogger I have added to my blogroll! James Haldeman, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel, is running as a Republican for the South Kingstown seat held by Democrat John Patrick Shanley Jr., is endorsed by the mayor of Fallujah , Iraq: The endorsement letter from Mayor Dhari Abdul Hadi al-Irssan describes Haldeman as Fallujah's "favorite USA colonel." Al-Irssan said he would support Haldeman for president if he chose to run for that post as well. "As flattered as I am," Haldeman said. "I think that to serve in (House) District 35 will be plenty for me right now." Haldeman, a pilot for American Airlines, came out of military retirement to go to Fallujah. According to The Providence Journal , as commander of the civil military operations center in Fallujah, Haldeman oversaw reconstruction of water-treatment and power plants, schools and hospitals, and led efforts to encourage social interaction between Iraqis an...

To: HAMAS in the PA cc: Mahmoud Abbas, and FATAH Re: Release Cpl. Gilad Shalit End all hostilites in Gaza. It is within your power. Release Cpl. Shalit, and stop the rockets from raining over the border with Israel. Is Palestine to be a martyr nation, killed before it has a chance to be born? Whose bidding do you serve, to destroy your own people so? The holding of hostages is prohibited, under Geneva, and most legal systems in the world. The polls say that the Palestinian people support this terrorist act. I see this as a product of over 20 years of brainwashing, not as any shred of legitimacy to your actions. We in the US are not going to sit by, as you try to get public opinion against Israel over the arrest of Hamas legislators. The old game is over, and you can no longer compare a terrorist kidnapping with legitimate arrests. You have the power to coexist peacefully in your hands. If you can supress the terrorists in your midst, and free Cpl. Shalit, the suffering you bring will e...

Perhaps they're learning, perhaps not. Read this excerpt from a recent NYCLU email alert: Dear Christopher Leavitt, Today the New York Court of Appeals turned its back on same sex couples and their families by denying them the protections that come with legal marriage. But all is not lost. Now it's up to the state Legislature to right this wrong and pass a law that respects the same-sex couples' right to marry and protect their families. If NY's liberal judiciary is rejecting gay marriage as judicial legislation, even the ACLU should get it by now. Somehow, I don't think they will. At least they're being forced to go through the proper channels to achieve their goal, in this case. This was a (belated) production of Stop The ACLU Blogburst. If you would like to join us,please email Jay or Gribbit. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll. Over 200 blogs already on-board. PS: Think "civil unions," my gay freinds.

More of Bloomy's blowhard testimony from the Senate immigration hearings, this time regarding the criminal aspect of illegal immigration. Excerpted from the NY POST July 6, 2006 -- PHILADELPHIA - Fake green cards are a "dime a dozen" on the streets, Mayor Bloomberg testified yesterday before a Senate Committee - after a Post investigation revealed how easy it is to buy the forged documents. Bloomberg testified at a Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing held by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) that it's all too easy to get - and use - the fake documents. "Fake green cards are a dime a dozen," Bloomberg said in an emotionally charged, 16-minute speech at Independence Hall. "You can buy one for $50 to $100. Fake Social Security cards are also easily obtained. And for $125 cash, you can get both cards." "Such a deal!" The Post reported yesterday that one of its reporters was able to get a high-quality, forged green card and Social Security ca...

A caller on today's Limbaugh show made an interesting comment about Mayor Bloomberg's testimony at the Senate immigration hearing in Philadelphia. Specifically, this portion:"Although they broke the law by illegally crossing our borders . . . our city's economy would be a shell of itself had they not, and it would collapse if they were deported," Bloomberg said. "The same holds true for the nation." The caller pointed out that this is similar to the economic arguments made by the South before emancipation. The analogy isn't perfect, but the argument is the same. In the current situation, Bloomberg wants to "legalize" an underclass of workers, but says nothing about increasing their wages. In fact, his argument depends on being able to pay these workers the minimum wage, which may be more than some make now. How else would his economic "collapse" happen, if not that companies would have to pay higher wages, to replace the depleted ...

North Korea test-fired seven missiles on July fourth, after threatening the U.S. with nuclear annihilation if it interfered. We needn't have bothered. Six of the seven were nodong scuds, and one was their new taepodong, purportedly able to reach U.S. soil. The taepodong failed less than forty seconds after launch. The nodongs, while disturbing, are a weapon No. Korea has beeen known to posess. Kim Jong Il is madman, but his bark is worse than his bite, as was shown on the fourth of July. It's a good bet that China, being the key player in this situation, is limiting No. Korea's expertise with their missile program. They have no desire to see any nuclear retaliation aimed at a country on their border. I don't see that this helps No. Korea at all with that relationship. Russia will also feel pressure to redefine their relationship with their former "client-state." Japan will find more political support for expanding their military capabilities, which is also goo...

This is Cindy Adams' July 4th column. Republished with respect, but not permission. June 28, 2006 -- I'M thinking July 4. I'm thinking 1776. I'm thinking patriotism. I'm thinking when all Americans were united in loving and supporting their country. WWII. 1942. A True Story magazine article headed "Movie Stars Honor and Serve Our Country." It featured Pvt. Mickey Rooney, who took basic at Fort Riley, Kan., and was in the European theater of operations. Besides latrine and KP duties like everyone else, he did jokes for the guys like, "You know what a troop train is? A bunch of compartments separated by crap games." It had photos of Lt. Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Cmdr. Wallace Beery and Robert Montgomery, who was our embassy's naval attaché in London. It featured a layout on Oscar winner Jimmy Stewart, who had joined up. There was Lt. Tyrone Power, Lauren Bacall's future husband Humphrey Bogart in the Navy, and Sgt. Glenn Ford, always to be rem...