WisdomIsVindicated

A couple things about Herman Cain

2011-12-06T10:25:00.000-06:00

I came across this op/ed today about Herman Cain's departure from the GOP presidential primary (The Fall of Herman Cain: A Conservative’s Lament | NetRight Daily). For the record, though I really like Herman Cain, I am inclined to believe that he is not being truthful about his relationships with the various female accusers, and particularly Ginger White . . . I simply do not believe that he would have failed to disclose this relationship with his wife if it was not illicit. Accordingly, I am bothered by the likelihood of his infidelity as well as the likelihood that he is now being deceptive. I know, I know, the allegations could be false, but I do not believe that is likely. If they are, then I will change my opinion. Until then, his explanations fall short.

That being said, the following passage re. Cain inspires me:

Before becoming President, Barack Obama authored The Audacity of Hope. The President might want to pull up a chair and take notes, for Herman Cain could teach him a thing or two about audacity. Try being a black conservative and alienating yourself to over 90 percent of your family and friends.

The same reporters who teared up on Election Night 2008 found little or no inspiration in Herman Cain, who remembers separate water fountains in segregation-era Georgia, vaulting from obscurity to become, briefly, a front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, truly a first for a black American. Forget the generic niceties we’re hearing — he expanded the debate, he livened up the discussion — Herman Cain merits praise for exemplifying the strength of character.

Gosnell Abortion/homicde case . . .

2011-11-13T14:29:00.000-06:00

I guess the money was good . . .Fourth Defendant to Plead Guilty in Gosnell Abortion Case | LifeNews.com:

A fourth defendant is expected to plead guilty today in the gruesome case involving the botched abortion deaths and the abortion-infanticides of dozens of unborn children that took place at the abortion facility run by Kermit Gosnell.

Republicans want to end public education!

2011-11-08T09:59:00.000-06:00

I was alarmed to learn today--from a TN Democratic Party GOTV-for-Senate-District-6 email, that Republicans in Tennessee want to end public education:

Wining (sic) this deeply red district would be a political shocker and could deal a strong blow to Republicans’ extreme plan to end public education and hand over our democracy to lobbyists and special interests.

Thankfully all the Left's lobbyists and special interests--Labor Unions like the NEA come to mind, will fight tooth and nail to thwart the GOP's extreme plan . . .

"High Tech Lynching"

2011-11-05T10:48:00.000-05:00

Watching this video, I am reminded of how much I admire(d) Clarence Thomas (watch until the end)

That being said, I like Cain, but regrettably, his situation seems different than the attacks on Clarence Thomas. There seems to be more to the allegations against Cain, to include actual complaints filed, actual legal settlements, third-party witnesses, etc. Frankly, where there's this much smoke . . .

However, I think the ugliest thing about "sexual harassment" is that it is so subjective and so patronizing to females, and it is so hypocritical for Democrats. Libs, who foster sexualization of every part of our culture (and thereby encourage women to assert sexual leverage) and who pooh-pooh traditional values and who try to pretend that there is no difference between men and women act like flirting or telling a dirty joke is a Federal offense (at least when Republicans do it). DEMS IGNORED A SITTING PRESIDENT HAVING SEX WITH AN UNPAID INTERN, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE . . . and now they're pursuing this story like it is some big deal?

While it bothers me to think that Cain might have been unfaithful to his wife and have violated the teachings of his faith, I think that we shouldn't let the Liberal media establishment frame this debate and drive this story.

A couple things re. Perry's "drunk" speech

2011-11-03T16:35:00.000-05:00

After viewing the entire Rick Perry "drunk" speech, I have a couple of observations:
1) I do not think that Perry is drunk or high or anything . . . he may be a little tired or exhausted, I guess.
2) I do think that Perry is patronizing in the speech. A little bit like the "brother" comment in reference to Herman Cain in a previous debate, or Hillary Clinton's puttin' on an accent.
3) Although such patronizing can be related to racism or prejudice, I'd say it is more a result of trying to connect with an audience with whom the speaker isn't comfortable.

See for yourself . . .

Obama the Anti-Regulator!!

2011-10-27T15:23:00.000-05:00

An Obama campaign press release today (sent to all of us diehard supporters of the O) proclaims that "Obama Has Approved Fewer Regulations Than Bush Up To This Point." Of course, if you read the report, as opposed to the press release, the thesis of the press release collapses (I can only imagine how much the phrase "Up To This Point" needs to be unpacked). Why? Because of this key paragraph in the article Obama Has Approved Fewer Regulations Than Bush Up To This Point, Analysis Finds:

Obama has approved 4.7 percent fewer rules than Bush had at the same point in his presidency, but they cost businesses more, according to a Bloomberg News analysis. Obama's regulations are expected to cost businesses between $100 million and $4.1 billion more than Bush's, Bloomberg finds.

I should say that most conservatives wouldn't present Dubya as our standard on the issue of big gov't or regulation, but such disingenuous and deceptive spin isn't pretty. Hey, whatever it takes to win, right?

Coke, WWF and global warming

2011-10-26T12:41:00.000-05:00

You have to read DEEP into press releases on the campaign to see any reference to "climate change," so I'll give Coke credit for being savvy enough to want to have it both ways, but . . .Coca-Cola Can Goes White to Save the Polar Bear:

"This campaign is about working together to save one of the most important places on Earth," said Gerald Butts, President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund Canada. "As sea ice continues to melt at alarming rates, polar bears and local communities alike are threatened. With Coca-Cola's support, we can expand our reach and impact to help chart a sustainable future for this critical Arctic ecosystem."

But that sure conflicts with the data,

'Arctic rent seekers experts tell us that the ice is melting “faster than predicted.” Interesting conclusion, given that US Navy PIPS2 data shows that since 2008 the area of 2.5+ metre ice has nearly doubled and now covers almost the entire Arctic Basin. NSIDC also shows that the area of multi-year ice has substantially increased since 2008'

. . . where I spontaneously say, "Jindal for President"

2011-10-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

Rise of the Republican Reformers - Josh Kraushaar - NationalJournal.com

As Jindal demonstrates, advancing good policies is good politics. The wonky Jindal is far from a natural pol, but his hands-on approach allowed Louisiana to rebound beyond expectations in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. As the Republican front-runner, Romney would be well-advised to take a cue from Jindal instead of worrying whether doing so would become fodder for Democratic attack ads in a general election. It’s called leadership, and it’s something voters across the political spectrum yearn for.

Where Liberty and Life collide . . .

2011-08-13T23:20:00.001-05:00

While I don't think that Congressman Ron Paul is the best candidate for president (He is too prone to conspiracy theorizing, in my opinion), I appreciate that he hammered the issue of abortion during his remarks (on c-span.org) at the Ames Straw Poll. Likewise, I have little respect for Libertarians who--while priding themselves on their willingness to take unpopular but principled stands, ignore the innocent human life growing inside a woman's body when proclaiming themselves "pro-choice."

I believe this message was tailored to the rather conservative activists who vote in the Iowa GOP primaries (in fact, even Paul muddled the point a bit when straying off the script, stating: "The prime reason that government exists in a free society is to protect liberty, but also to protect life."), but in this digital age, any candidate who disingenuously made such remarks on such a stage would be more naive than disingenuous . . . so Paul deserves credit.

Rushing to "the moral is . . ."

2011-07-24T16:21:00.000-05:00

Because I am "Christian" and I am politically conservative I winced at reports that the murders in Norway were committed by a "Christian Fundamentalist." Frankly (and ironically, in the context of this admission) I regret that in the wake of such a tragedy my thoughts would so quickly turn defensive of me and mine. But it made me start to think about how soon after a tragedy has occurred is it right to think or say, "the moral of the story is . . ."?

The essay below highlights the dangers of rushing to judgment. The best quote from the article is: "Meanwhile, the deputy police chief announced that the shooter was a “Christian fundamentalist” but no one has reported either the evidence for the claim or how the police determined that. Whatever the case, he may be the only Freemason, Rome-leaning, Protestant fundamentalist in the world." Here's a link to the article.

UPDATE: here's a particularly salient comment following the op/ed.
The Atlantic has this terrorist all figured out » GetReligion:

I do think the “fundamentalist” angle taken on this story is off-base. Breivik’s Christianity appears to be of a cultural kind - Christianity as the religion of opposition to Islam & “cultural Marxism.” He wrote this book under the pseudonym “Andrew Berwick.” I certainly haven’t read the whole thing; it’s incredibly long at 1511 pages. Page 1309 has some interesting bits on the Christian angle:

A majority of so called agnostics and atheists in Europe are cultural conservative Christians without even knowing it. So what is the difference between cultural Christians and religious Christians?

If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and God then you are a religious Christian. Myself and many more like me do not necessarily have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and God. We do however believe in Christianity as a cultural, social, identity and moral platform. This makes us Christian. …

European Christendom and the cross will be the symbol in which every cultural conservative can unite under in our common defence. It should serve as the uniting symbol for all Europeans whether they are agnostic or atheists.

The pacifist/suicidal Christians must never be allowed to dominate the church again which one of the reasons why I personally believe that the protestant Church in Europe should once again should reform to become Catholic (Nordic countries, the UK, Germany, Benelux etc). Re-introduction of cultural and Church aspects relating to honour should be the core of our objective when reforming the Church. My hope is that the future nationalist leadership in Western European countries will agree. At the very least, we must support the conservative, anti-pacifist cultural Christian leaders and ensure that they are able to influence the European churches. There must however be clear distinctions. The Church must not put any limits whatsoever on issues relating to science, research and development. Europe will continue to be the world’s center for research and development in all areas, strengthened by a predictable and “unchangeable” cultural framework. This again will considerably strengthen European and societal cohesion and therefore contribute to sustainable societies where harmony, progress, freedom and the furtherance of mankind are the primary civilisational pillars.

There’s also a lengthy interview with Breivik beginning p. 1351 that reveals many of his ideas about “Christianity.”

Obama: flip-flopping, hypocritical wuss

2011-06-24T22:30:00.001-05:00

This just in: Barack Obama may not have really, really meant it when he claimed to oppose homosexual marriage: In this "Politico" story about the impending vote on homosexual "marriage" in NY:

President Barack Obama, at a Thursday fundraising stop in New York City, told a group of 600 gay and lesbian supporters that “gay and lesbian couples deserve the same legal rights as every other couple in this country” but stopped short of endorsing same-sex marriage.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/57738.html#ixzz1QFrBXLwb

If you harbor any residual respect for Mel Gibson . . .

2011-05-28T22:35:00.000-05:00

. . . don't look at this photo from Cannes Celebrity Pictures, Celeb Photos - E! Online

Teachers too old or over-priced?

2011-05-24T09:51:00.001-05:00

More than 300 Metro teachers displaced as positions eliminated | Nashville City Paper: "Lockhart, the veteran Whitsitt Elementary teacher, is among a handful of teachers who have alleged the district chose to displace her because of her age. Older teachers tend to earn larger salaries than newer employees. The teachers’ union is helping file complaints through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

“There seems to be a pattern of discrimination against older teachers and minorities in some instances,” Huth said. “It is clear to us that there is some discrimination involved.”

Way to go teachers' union!! Bog down the EEOC with bogus complaints!

Newt's job interview

2011-05-15T21:59:00.000-05:00

For the record, I like Newt's innovativeness and ability to articulate Conservative ideas. But I have a hard time respecting his character. So, I have been meaning to post about his now-famous comment regarding his past infidelity during a CBN interview:

There’s no question at times of my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate.

It reminded me of this classic scene from The Office when Michael Scott was sitting for a job interview from David Wallace:

David: . . . So, let me ask you a question right off the bat. What do you think are your greatest strengths as a manager?
Michael: Why don't I tell you what my greatest weaknesses are? I work too hard. I care too much. And sometimes I can be too invested in my job.
David: Okay. And your strengths?
Michael: Well, my weaknesses are actually... strengths.
David: Oh. Yes. Very good.
Michael: Thank you.
David: Very good.

The Olympics is about homosexual marriage?

2011-05-09T22:12:00.000-05:00

USOC official Peter Vidmar resigns after anti-gay marriage actions - USATODAY.com:

When the Tribune story broke, reaction was nearly immediate — and almost entirely negative — within the USOC. Aimee Mullins, the former president of the Women's Sports Foundation and chef de mission for the 2012 U.S. Paralympic Games team, said she was 'concerned and deeply saddened' about Vidmar's past actions.

'The Olympic movement is about promoting equity for all,' she said.

Who says?

Amusing typo in shark story

2011-05-08T07:53:00.000-05:00

Having just recently watched Jaws "On Demand," this story about a large great white shark spotted off of the New England coastline caught my eye. Then there was this funny typo in reference to the man in the boat snapping photos of the shark:

The crew left Menemsha Harbor at 6 a.m. in a 23-foot boat Sea Ox and headed out to sea about a mile off Gay Head. The shark, Lynch and Farrissey said, passed by dwarfing the center console skiff.

That’s when the 28-year-old Lynch started snapping photos with his cell phone after the Coast Guard asked him to record the amazing encounter. Lunch forwarded those images to state shark experts and the Herald.

(emphasis added)

how come no sickness language re. rape?

2011-05-07T09:46:00.000-05:00

This whole "slutwalk" phenomenon ("Cop's rape comment sparks wave of 'SlutWalks' - US news - Life - msnbc.com") is ironic . . . the barbarians have had enough and aren't taking it anymore!!!

I know, I know; some people are saying this is sort of a variation of the "Take Back the Night" rallies which I agree with in principle. And you will hardly find a more devout "law and order" person than myself. I'm not sure that the death penalty is inappropriate for a man who forces sexual intercourse on a woman. But it is interesting to me that this subject presents a clash between hand-wringing Liberal views on "crime" and radical Feminism. If these persons ("sexual offenders") are just "sick" or victims of society or some-such, is it right (much less wise) to tempt them or induce them to act out?

I'd say this phenomenon is more a reflection of the power of social media and the fact that young people have too much time on their hands than it is some statement about what a majority civilized Westerners think.

Re. the PWND t-shirt . . .

2011-05-07T09:19:00.001-05:00

I thought this exchange, in the comments section from the PWND Osama t-shirt page, was funny (though "urban" is probably more accurate than "ebonics"):

#
RufusVonDufus
RufusVonDufus about 21 hours ago

Help! What does the PWND mean? I don’t get it.
#
yeahbaby
yeahbaby about 21 hours ago

PWND A variation of the word “owned”. The only reason that this word came about was because of a typo, and given that P and O are right next to each other. It has nothing to do with combining words or anything of the sort. It is rumored to have come about from an early Warcraft3 map, in which the creator meant to have a trigger say “Player X got ownd”, trying to use the “1337speak” variation of “owned”, but hit P instead of O, thus giving birth to “pwnd”.
#
Pouncekitty
Pouncekitty about 21 hours ago

Variation of a word? You mean a typo. Some idiot made a mistake, but instead of correcting it, invents MORE EBONICS! Jeez! Thank-you Teachers Unions and Liberals for making education so pointless. erwos fdsuu weroiss feertt! You don’t understand that?

Sore Loser Update -- WI Supreme Court election

2011-05-05T10:33:00.000-05:00

Wisconsin Supreme Court Recount – Day 8 « Hot Air:

As for the type of nitpicking the Kloppenburg campaign has been doing, they successfully challenged 18 of the 24 absentee ballots in the Sauk County town of Sumpter, most of them from a convent, because they broke heavily for Pross…er, lacked witness signatures on the application. 14 of the 18 that were in the drawdown (random removal) were for Prosser, while the pre-recount canvass for the town had Kloppenburg carrying the town 96-83.

For the record, I think it is probably right--absent extraordinary circumstances (which it appears the State of WI is experiencing/facilitating), to exclude the votes of even these Prosser (my guy) supporting convent-dwellers, but certainly Democrats don't want to deny these persons the right to vote?!

Pelley bumping Couric

2011-05-04T00:35:00.000-05:00

I thought the following was an interesting statement about Scott Pelley, who is reportedly replacing Katie Couric as the CBS Evening News anchor (here):

“A lot of journalists are haphazard in their approach to stories,” she says, but “Scott has an incredibly specific set of criteria for what he wants in a story. It should be important or meaningful, expose injustice, involve human struggle, be about people, and bring honor to CBS.

Something doesn't feel right about these journalistic criteria.

Palin, in spite of the spite . . .

2011-05-02T07:33:00.001-05:00

I liked this report about Sarah Palin's gracious comments to Lefty Rachel Maddow at the WHCD on Saturday ("The Palin Challenge" -- BLTWY:

At the height of MSNBC's after-party at the Italian Embassy just after midnight- Palin's hostess Greta Van Susteran ran off to find the guest bartender, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, and procure the needed caffeiniated beverage.

Surely Maddow was happy to oblige, after the former vice presidential nominee said how much she 'admires' the journalist.

'Your work ethic shines,' she said to the MSNBC anchor.

An interesting admiration, to be sure.

I'm not sure why that is "interesting," but it sure was considerate for Palin to say such a thing.

The suck up media types

2011-05-01T18:26:00.000-05:00

I love this psycho-journalistic tick that you see by MSM journalists when "reporting" on the whole Obama-birth-certificate issue; in this case, a story about Obama's jokes at Trump's expense over the weekend:

Last week Obama released his longform birth certificate to finally put the rumors — which had already been disproven — to rest.

Obama will "find savings in" Medicare and and Medicaid . . . hmmm

2011-04-12T10:23:00.000-05:00

From today's "Morning Jolt" newsletter (sign up here) at NRO:

2. Obama: Let's Undo That Big Tax Compromise I Made Three Months Ago

I mentioned this yesterday, but as this becomes Tax Hike Week in the Obama White House, I hope the country notices that the president is now seeking to undo the concession he agreed to just a matter of weeks ago. I know all statements from Barack Obama come with an expiration date -- I'm the one who made the axiom! -- but it's kind of striking that he's willing to return to this well so quickly. By this standard, START will be up for renegotiation soon.

Thankfully, Eric Cantor hasn't forgotten: "Mr. Cantor called the debate over top personal-income-tax rates 'settled' by last year's elections and the subsequent tax deal. 'It was then that we all agreed it wouldn't be a good thing if we want to see job creation for taxes to go up,' he said."

It also will include, well, something about spending less on Medicare, but the wording is going to be pretty interesting. The Washington Post hints, "The speech is intended as a declaration of Obama's commitment to seriously tame the deficit while outlining his long-term budget principles -- key components of his campaign for re-election in 2012. After gingerly avoiding any discussion until now of cuts in the government's massive benefit programs for the elderly and poor, Obama will acknowledge a need to reduce spending on Medicare and Medicaid while at the same time tackling defense spending and calling for increased taxes on the wealthy, White House officials said."

The Media Research Center notices the New York Times is spinning already; Obama's plan to spend less on Medicare somehow is completely different from the "cuts" of the other guys: "Examine Calmes'[s] word choice: While she portrays Republican plans as involving a 'shrinking of Medicare and Medicaid,' Obama 'envisions a more comprehensive plan' that includes finding 'savings in Medicare and Medicaid,' as if Obama was making a painless offer. Which phrase will be more palatable to undecided voters nervous over the impact of Medicare cuts?"

What's that? You're not going to "amputate" my leg, you're just going to "find savings in my lower extremities"? Oh, that sounds much better!

HA! -- "Obama turns next to cutting deficit"

2011-04-11T07:45:00.001-05:00

This article (especially the WH-press-release-like headline) is laughable Obama turns next to cutting deficit - USATODAY.com:

WASHINGTON — President Obama plans to outline a fresh multiyear plan to cut the federal deficit by raising taxes on the wealthy and limiting government health benefits for the poor and elderly in what the White House says will be a major speech to the nation Wednesday.

'Every corner of the federal government has to be looked at,' White House senior adviser David Plouffe told CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, two days after Obama and congressional leaders struck a down-to-the-wire deal over spending cuts for the remainder of this budget year, which ends in September.

Which reminded me of this splendid cartoon.

Interesting "predictors" of divorce . . .

2011-04-10T20:22:00.000-05:00

"Unhappy Marriage: Signs you'll get divorced"; especially this one (sure counters conventional wisdom):

6. If you are currently married but have cohabited with a lover other than your current spouse, you are slightly more than twice as likely to divorce than someone who has never cohabited.

The same study by Ohio State University sociologists that produced this result also found that even those who cohabit only with their future spouses "are still 83 percent more likely to experience a marital disruption relative to those that did not cohabit prior to marriage." Cohabitation statistics are hot buttons, used by some pundits to decry premarital sex and "shacking up." A widely quoted 2003 study by Western Washington University sociologist Jay Teachman found that women who cohabit with anyone besides their future husbands face a raised divorce risk ranging from 55 to 166 percent, but that those who cohabit only with their future husbands face no elevated risk at all.

Anna M. Cunningham (2007): Premarital cohabitation and marital disruption across time: new results from the NSFH 3, paper delivered at the Population Association of America 2007 annual meeting.

It's about FUNDING PLANNED PARENTHOOD

2011-04-08T13:31:00.000-05:00

Mike Pence, Chris Smith signal room to move on abortion - Richard E. Cohen and Jonathan Allen - POLITICO.com Folks, this issue is about continuing to fund the controversial activities of Planned Parenthood. You can get all these services (except for ABORTION) somewhere else (and for less $$, frankly).

I guess Feinstein means well . . .

2011-04-01T09:43:00.000-05:00

I have long contested that most liberals are well-intended even though they're wrong . . . the mixture of elitism and (candidly) wanting compels them to espouse all manner of flawed policy positions.

And this is a good example. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) appears (video) to be hand-wringing over what to do now that we're engaged in military action in Libya . . . "let's send in the International Military Court police!!" (Hat Tip to NRO's Morning Jolt who recommends sending in Team America World Police. Though Lefties typically get a political pass for their failed policies based on good intentions, this example is just troubling.

For forward-looking GOP, there's no turning back . . .

2011-03-30T13:13:00.000-05:00

From Jim Geraghty's National Review Online Newsletter, "Morning Jolt":

I'm reminded of The Hunt for Red October, and the anecdote that the defecting Soviet submarine captain, Marco Ramius, shares with his crew, "When he reached the New World, Cortez burned his ships. As a result his men were well motivated." To go back on their pledges to cut government would be suicide in 2012; there's no way the Republicans can win a spending race with Obama. Presuming Republicans decided to completely ignore the deficit and debt, Obama could simply promise to double whatever the GOP proposed spending. There's no turning back. Republicans can either go down swinging, standing up for the concepts of limited government that they spent the past two years touting, or they can lose by a landslide.

The opposition's message, every cycle, is essentially, "Vote for us for free ice cream." The fiscally conservative message is, "There is no more free ice cream, and in fact the ice cream has never been free." If selling that message were easy, we would never have gotten into this mess.

I think there is more upside to (verifiably) doing what they said they would do than there is to trying to avoid being cast as the bad guy. Not to mention, things are different (media-wise and as far as political organizations) now than when Bill Clinton avoided any blame for shutting down the government way back when. The American public just isn't as lemming-ish as it has been in the past. Heck, a bunch of Americans are still skeptical of Obama's claims that he is a devout Christian (via Drudge).

Sounds like the KGB to me

2011-03-27T19:36:00.000-05:00

Well, Media Matters is dropping all pretense ("Media Matters' war against Fox") of not being a propaganda arm of the Left (ironically, MM vilifies FoxNews for being a propaganda arm of the GOP).

Watchdogging is one thing, but the tools at Media Matters are actually attempting to destroy an opposing voice. Losers.

Simplifying Pi?: Article a Hoax, But Hits Close to Home

2011-03-27T15:51:00.001-05:00

Whew, the "Simplifying Pi" post at Huffington Post was a hoax.

Gee, if Conservatives (and Republicans) weren't so stupid, Liberals wouldn't have fallen for this hoax and American students wouldn't fair so poorly in math and science, ya know?

Thanks for shedding some light on this subject Jennifer Welsh . . .

Jalen Rose and "Uncle Toms"

2011-03-16T20:15:00.002-05:00

You may have not heard about the tempest in a teacup surrounding the "Fab Five" documentary about the 1991 University of Michigan B-ball team. The controversy centers around the seemingly gratuitous statement in the movie by Jalen Rose that Duke recruited “black players that were ‘Uncle Toms.’" Rose is trying to spin his comment as something he thought "when [he] was 17 years old" or as meaning something other than what-every-other-American-knows-it-means, but the sad thing is that he is blatantly not backing off of the comment.

Bottom line, those sentiments are racist. It's the whole "acting white" issue, and it's sad that a marvelously fortunate and exceptional black person like Jalen Rose can't grasp that, more often than not, success in life is the result of things like working hard, making wise decisions, and acknowledging time-tested social norms.

Grant Hill, a former player at Duke U. summed it up when he wrote on the NYTimes blog,

To hint that those who grew up in a household with a mother and father are somehow less black than those who did not is beyond ridiculous.

America's in trouble race-relations-wise and in general as long as "being black" means what Jalen Rose seemingly thinks it does.

SHAME? Try PRIDE.

2011-03-10T22:36:00.001-06:00

The Left (posing as "Labor") in Wisconsin is trying to tag Walker and the GOP with the word "SHAME." Uh, try "PRIDE." Gov. Scott Walker on mob scene in Madison . . .

Nashville in the news!!!

2011-03-10T09:10:00.000-06:00

Nashville gets a shout out in this report about controversy surrounding hearings about American radicalization of Islam within the U.S. chaired by Congressman Peter King (R-NY) ("King draws fire"):

Melvin Bledsoe, whose son allegedly attacked an Army recruiting center in Arkansas, said in written testimony obtained by Fox News that Americans are ignoring the issue. He plans to describe how his son, Carlos, was radicalized when he went off to college in Nashville, Tenn. In his testimony, Bledsoe will explain how his son's personality changed and how, when he returned home for the holidays in 2005, he told his family he converted to Islam. From that point, he changed his name and eventually traveled to Yemen.

"Some Muslim leaders had taken advantage of my son. But he's not the only one being taken advantage of. This is going on in Nashville and in many other cities in America," Bledsoe plans to say. "In Nashville, Carlos was captured by people best described as hunters. He was manipulated and lied to. That's how he made his way to Yemen."

Phil Zuckerman, clueless about Christ

2011-03-07T20:04:00.001-06:00

I just read an article by Phil Zuckerman, writer and wannabe-psychoanalyst of the Huffington Post, plainly asserting that Jesus Christ would be a Democrat (essentially). As my first boss and mentor used to say, "wrongo mooseface." Phil Zuckerman: Why Evangelicals Hate Jesus:

The results from a recent poll published by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (http://www.pewforum.org/Politics-and-Elections/Tea-Party-and-Religion.aspx) reveal what social scientists have known for a long time: White Evangelical Christians are the group least likely to support politicians or policies that reflect the actual teachings of Jesus. It is perhaps one of the strangest, most dumb-founding ironies in contemporary American culture. Evangelical Christians, who most fiercely proclaim to have a personal relationship with Christ, who most confidently declare their belief that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, who go to church on a regular basis, pray daily, listen to Christian music, and place God and His Only Begotten Son at the center of their lives, are simultaneously the very people most likely to reject his teachings and despise his radical message.

I've always enjoyed it when the moralistic, judgmental Liberals declared, "you can't legislate morality." Of course, every law is someone's morality. And Zuckerman's confusion on this point is a close cousin to his cluelessness on another point . . . that is, that there is a distinction between what an individual ought to do and what government ought to do (or force citizens to do).

Liberals (now "Progressives") are all about legislating morality, and their policies more often than not pick "winners and losers" and expand government at the expense of liberty.

Chip Forrester wields the "F" Word

2011-03-04T23:52:00.001-06:00

Wow. In the weekly Tennessee Democratic Party Members' email to me and the millions of other supporters on their list (cough), Chip Forrester, the Democrats' Chairman, is calling Gov. Bill Haslam a fascist for attempting to rein in the out-of-control public employee Unions. I assume the follow up email will expound on how the story that Adolph Hitler--leader of the National Socialist Party in Germany, outlawed unions. Give me a break.

Proposal Could Punish Women for Miscarriages

2011-02-26T14:58:00.000-06:00

I think this bill is wrong-headed, (Georgia Lawmaker's Anti-Abortion Proposal Could Punish Women for Miscarriages - FoxNews.com), but it is quite apparent that Planned Parenthood is hoping to seize on the bill (which has been introduced and rejected--by the GOP, for the past 8 years) to distract from the organization's negative publicity of late. And how's this line from the PPFA spokesperson for IRONY:

"This type of initiative in Georgia and the recent attacks on publicly funded contraceptive programs nationally are out of step with the needs of women and families and out of step with American values," she added.

More vital services from PPFA . . . not

2011-02-26T11:07:00.000-06:00

From the FRC newsletter . . .

Planned Parenthood's Mammosham

Before you sign up to race for the cure, maybe it's best to get up to speed on what, exactly, you're running for. A few years ago, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which raises millions of dollars a year for breast cancer research, admitted that it gives a portion of its proceeds to Planned Parenthood. When people grilled the Foundation on their partnership, Komen tried to tamp down the controversy by saying that Planned Parenthood "provides vital services." Considering the latest news, they might want to change that statement to "refers for vital services." Apparently, Planned Parenthood doesn't need our tax dollars for free mammograms--because they don't offer them! Pro-lifer Jill Stanek did some digging, and it turns out that one of the organization's biggest arguments for government funding is completely invalid. "If [the pro-life provisions in this budget] ever becomes law," Cecile Richards has warned, "millions of women in this country are going to lose their health care access, not to abortion services, to basic family planning--you know, mammograms, cancer screenings, cervical cancer."

That's interesting, Stanek says, because not one Planned Parenthood in America performs mammograms. Even the organization's website tells women to "ask your local health care provider, health department, or staff at your local Planned Parenthood center about where you can get a mammogram in your area." Obviously, Richards and friends will stoop to any level of deceit to keep the government checks rolling in. Meanwhile, what business does Susan G. Komen have funneling money to an organization that a) does nothing to prevent breast cancer, and b) lies that it does? There are plenty of respectable health clinics out there (1,200, in fact) that would host the screenings without promoting abortion--a procedure that may have more to do with causing breast cancer than curing it.

Indiana temper tantrum . . .

2011-02-24T17:19:00.002-06:00

Wow. Any parent will tell you that you never win giving in to temper tantrums. Indiana kills 'right-to-work' bill - Jennifer Epstein - POLITICO.com:

"Republicans in Indiana’s state senate on Wednesday killed a proposed “right-to-work” bill that would have reduced the power of unions in the state.
. . . .
"Democratic legislators fled the statehouse on Tuesday to block a vote on the proposed bill, following a similar move by Democratic lawmakers in Wisconsin over that state’s proposed legislation to limit collective bargaining rights for public sector unions."

Democrats only believe in majority rule when they're in the majority.

Democracy=negotiate? Who says?

2011-02-21T14:26:00.000-06:00

Wisconsin governor calls on Democrats to come home | Reuters:

Wisconsin Democratic senate minority leader Mark Miller told CBS' "The Early Show" on Monday that public employees had agreed to economic concessions and the governor needed to be open to a compromise on other matters.

"The governor has not done anything except insist that it has to be his way, all or nothing," Miller said. "The governor needs to recognize that this is a democracy and in a democracy you negotiate."

"The unions, the public employees, have agreed to the economic demands, all they ask is they be able to retain the workers' rights and we are supporting them on that," he said.

Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, a nonpartisan advocacy group, said that while the Democrats won't want to stay away for too long, there's nothing the Republicans can do to compel them to come back if Walker is unwilling to negotiate.

"There doesn't seem to be a lot of pressure from the districts for the senators to come back," Heck said. "And let's face it -- it's a budget repair bill that doesn't have to be done until June. There's no rush."

The GOP senate needs to start voting on all the things that don't need more than a simple majority to make a quorum. Seems like these Democrats are sore losers.

Nice signs, false sick notes from Wisconsin

2011-02-20T12:26:00.000-06:00

'Fake' Sick Notes Given to Wisconsin Protesters Amid Anti-Union Bill Faceoff - FoxNews.com: Nothing like integrity to bolster your position; and here were two nice slogans from the counter protestors in Wisconsin:

"Your Gravy Train Is Over . . . Welcome to the Recession" and "Sorry, we're late Scott. We work for a living."

SOME of the WI union's collective bargaining privileges . . .

2011-02-18T10:12:00.000-06:00

There's quite a bit of sloppy reporting on Dems' WI tantrum. In particular, most news outlets are leading or headlining with the phrase "stripping public workers of collective-bargaining rights." That's not accurate, though it certainly bolsters the argument for calling the proposed legislation "controversial." From the WSJ:

The governor's proposal, part of a bill aimed at overcoming a $137 million deficit in the current budget and a projected $3.6 billion hole in the next two years, would allow collective bargaining on wages, but not pensions and health care. Workers would be required to pay more for both. And raises would be limited to the inflation rate, unless voters approved steeper boosts.

For Democrats, the end justifies the means

2011-02-18T00:07:00.000-06:00

Budget Battle: Democrats Who Left State are Located:

They play hooky, we get the shaft

2011-02-17T17:04:00.000-06:00

Where Does the Left Get the Time? - By Jay Nordlinger - The Corner - National Review Online:

As I look at the union members swarm the Wisconsin capital, I have a familiar thought: A great advantage of the Left is that they are organized and determined — and have a lot of time. Paid time. The taxpayer is funding these “days of protest,” engaged in by the public-school teachers. They are using their “sick” leave, provided by the taxpayer, to go rallying.

And what are the other citizens of Wisconsin — the majority — doing? What they always do. Going about their business, or businesses; providing for their families. As we speak, some are having to stay home with their school-aged children, who have been locked out of their classrooms by their teachers — their “teachers.”

Proud to be a Republican

2011-02-14T20:23:00.000-06:00

This kind of report makes me proud to be a Republican . . . amazing: In a State of Sticker Shock, Stores Try to Sell Public on a Radical Idea - WSJ.com:

After a decade of lobbying, retailers in Michigan appear close to winning a repeal of the state's notorious Item Pricing Law. The law requires all stores to affix a price sticker to every jar of baby food, every box of Jell-O and every slithery bag of frozen spinach in their stores.

Interdependence and Tobacco-Free Hiring

2011-02-11T15:41:00.000-06:00

Fascinating debate about one potential downside of collectivism (or state-mandated interdependence):Tobacco-Free Hiring in Workplaces - NYTimes.com:

More hospitals and medical businesses in many states are adopting strict policies that make smoking a reason to turn away job applicants, saying they want to increase worker productivity, reduce health care costs and encourage healthier living.

Rep. Lee is a loser, but . . .

2011-02-10T11:06:00.001-06:00

Again with the "hypocrisy" rationale. Maureen at gawker.com attempts to justify/qualify her rubbernecking of train wreck Christopher Lee with the following Married GOP Congressman Sent Sexy Pictures to Craigslist Babe:

Yesterday, we reached out to Rep. Lee, whose support for 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and vote to reject federal abortion funding suggests a certain comfort with publicly scrutinizing others' sex lives.

But I don't see the "scrutinizing" angle here, especially with the allusion to taxpayer funding of abortion. Ms. Maureen, I guess you believe that opposition to abortion is motivated by interest in the "sex lives" of the person seeking to perpetrate the abortion rather than the innocent, yet-to-be-born human?

More about the science-denying Left

2011-02-07T16:27:00.000-06:00

More about the science-denying Left:

This [story] from Spain -- Madrid's mayor proclaimed massive air pollution reductions except, ah, "The state prosecutor's office found that in 2009 the Madrid municipality had quietly moved nearly half its pollution sensors from traffic-clogged streets in the city centre to parks and gardens" -- reminds us of the cheapest way to cool the planet . . . :

A couple things about the O'Reilly Obama interview

2011-02-06T21:45:00.001-06:00

1. Bill O'Reilly is rude and self-important. Interrupting and stepping on the statements of the President (or, heck, any interviewee) is annoying and unprofessional. If he wasn't able to do the interview without "having" to interrupt, etc. he shouldn't have done the interview.
2. Obama did a good job and stayed on point. That being said, I disagree with his policies and presuppositions, and think that he is--like most liberals, a master of image over substance,

Watch the entire interview here . . . Video - Bill O’Reilly interviews President Obama before Super Bowl XLV - National Political Buzz | Examiner.com.

In case you missed the expose on a NJ Planned Parenthood franchise . . .

2011-02-02T22:06:00.002-06:00

Ken Whitehouse's op/ed about electing atty general

2011-02-02T15:50:00.000-06:00

This is a disappointing piece of journalism from Ken Whitehouse on bills being filed to require election of the attorney general.
Ken Whitehouse--"State Republicans move to make attorney general an elected office" | Nashville City Paper:

As the new Republican legislature eases into its first legislative session under Gov. Bill Haslam, some lawmakers are trying to make fast use of their overwhelming majority. In an opening act of sorts, state Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet, has introduced legislation calling for a constitutional amendment to popularly elect the state’s attorney general.

First, it is disingenuous to characterize filing of these bills as opportunistic or power-hungry or over eager with the phrase, "fast use." They have to file the bills for the entire session within the next few weeks. And this is not the first session that a Republican has filed such a bill. Bill Dunn has filed this type of bill every session he has been in office if I'm not mistaken. That's long before Obama or Democrats' socialized medicine or the Tea Party Movement or Bachmann or Palin or blahblahblah. Stupid statement Ken.

And concluding the "article" with the phrase "entities that poured untold financial resources into the [neighboring state's AG] race"? That's kind of sloppy if it is supposed to be journalism? I guess he could have said "gosh awful amounts," or maybe "obscene amounts."

Former Attorney General Paul Summers, now a partner at the Nashville law firm Waller Lansden Dortch and Davis, tells The City Paper, “I can’t say I agree with what they want to do, but I do agree with the procedure.”

And though I don't necessarily agree with Gen. Summers' view about the best way to choose an AG, I commend him for acknowledging that Beavers and Co. are following the correct procedure . . . contrast that with the way that folks tried to take over control of judicial selection.

Tennessean focuses on Judicial Selection

2011-01-31T08:19:00.001-06:00

The Tennessean editorial page on Sunday was devoted to the issue of judicial selection. If you're interested, you can read all three op/eds. Suffice it to say, whatever the purported advantages of appointment/retention of judges, opponents of electing judges need to change the Constitution rather than skirting it.

Judge-selection system in state instills trust

Skirting constitution is an abuse of power

Electing judges will only create problems

Increased respect for Jon Stewart

2011-01-29T12:11:00.000-06:00

I have criticized Jon Stewart in the past (just search "Jon Stewart" on the blog to see) and I have always respected him as being intelligent and clever, but I have an increased respect for him in challenging Rachel Maddow in this interview: Check out this great MSN video: Jon Stewart on George W. Bush

Limbaugh['s speech] in the crosshairs

2011-01-29T09:37:00.000-06:00

For the record, I believe it is unkind to mimic a dialect in a derogatory manner, so I would not defend Rush Limbaugh's actions here (based on what I've heard that he did). On the other hand, I think these people are making idiots of themselves to criticize "making fun of any country's leader." But this attack on Limbaugh appears to reach a new level (My Way News - "Asian-American lawmakers demand Limbaugh apology"):

Yee has been joined by Asian-American state and federal lawmakers who say Limbaugh's comments are inciting hate and intolerance amid a polarized atmosphere. A number of civil rights groups, including Chinese for Affirmative Action, Japanese American Citizens League and the California National Organization for Women, have joined Yee in calling on sponsors to pull advertisements from Limbaugh's program.

Did sitting appellate judges get their supper for free?

2011-01-27T15:03:00.000-06:00

Conservatives want judges to sing for their supper and submit to contested elections — but will that pimp out the bench? | Jeff Woods | Nashville Scene:

Calling it a threat to their independence and integrity, judges on the state's highest courts are descending into the muddy political trenches of the legislature to try to put down a conservative populist uprising.

The judges are apoplectic over the possibility of a change in state law that they say would put justice up for sale in Tennessee. It would end their comfy, hard-to-lose yes/no elections and force them to hit the hustings like common politicians to shake down fat cats, cut backroom deals, kiss babies, talk tough in TV ads and promise the moon to voters in competitive campaigns.

But having already been placed on the bench by a coalition of powerful special interests and powerful politicians, did sitting appellate judges get their supper for free?

Who says appointment with retention votes for judges is best?

2011-01-24T14:34:00.002-06:00

Interesting analysis of the comment from Iowa Supreme Court Justice Mark Cady heralding the Iowa version of choosing judges by commission appointment and retention: ("Iowa’s Crazy Judges, Part II" - By Gary Marx - Bench Memos - National Review Online)

Hooray for "Citizens United"

2011-01-22T19:24:00.002-06:00

T-ball nation v. Tea Party Nation

2011-01-20T11:42:00.000-06:00

In an article about the central role of women in the Tea Party Movement (The American Spectator : "Women for Tea"):

The women interviewed in the film believe their children will be the losers as government pushes a “dependency” agenda and the country loses its competitive edge. “The current administration is promoting T-ball nation,” says Doreen Borelli. “With T-ball, you hit the ball, everyone gets on base, everyone supposedly wins and everyone goes for ice cream after the game. But life isn’t like that.

Steve Cohen bungles smear attempt

2011-01-20T11:05:00.000-06:00

Interesting back history on the concept of "the Big Lie," which demonstrates that Jewish and Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen was rather careless (not to mention clueless) in pulling the Holocaust card. (The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : The "Big Lie"):

So no, Rep. Cohen didn't call Republicans Nazis, he just smeared them in terms that the Nazis pioneered. I'm sure his bubbe would be proud.

Aside: I don't know about you, but I love me some yiddish.

Look out: Philly abortionist has been "targeted" . . .

2011-01-19T11:23:00.000-06:00

Very disturbing story (which plainly raises questions of how the abortion industry exploits (here) the poor and racial minorities), but Democrats will surely seize on this last sentence from the article ("Abortion Dr. Kermit Gosnell Arrested" -- myfoxphilly.com):

He has also been targeted in multiple lawsuits, at least one charging that a woman died from a botched abortion.

More on Obama's Tucson speech

2011-01-19T11:14:00.000-06:00

Though many pundits applauded President Obama's Tucson speech for flatly stating that political rhetoric did not cause the shooting, Byron York observes that Obama was merely playing "good cop" to the four days of "bad cop" from the rest of his party ("Rethinking Obama's political performance in Tucson" | Byron York | Politics | Washington Examiner):

But how could he have said otherwise? By the time Obama spoke, there was irrefutable evidence that shooting suspect Jared Loughner was deeply mentally ill and acted out of no recognizable political agenda. Obama simply could not have made the case that Loughner's acts were in any way the product of political rhetoric from right or left.

He didn't need to. The point Obama wanted to make was not that political rhetoric caused the violence but that such rhetoric -- like, for example, criticism directed at Barack Obama -- should be toned down. So even as he conceded that rhetoric did not cause the violence, Obama argued that it should be muted anyway. And he cloaked his appeal in so much emotionalism, in so many tear-jerking references to the recently departed, that some in his audience might not have noticed he was making the political point he wanted to make all along.

As Ann Coulter wrote,

It's not that both sides did something wrong; neither side did anything wrong. The drama queens need to settle down.

Behind the NYT's Smug Grin

2011-01-17T11:05:00.000-06:00

The New York Times as a very interesting and detailed report about the AZ shooting ("Behind Jared Loughner’s Mug-Shot Grin" - NYTimes.com), but having read a variety of other stories about the shooter's ideologies, it is difficult to miss the writer's attempts to tie the shooter to conservatism:

He became an echo chamber for stray ideas, amplifying, for example, certain grandiose tenets of a number of extremist right-wing groups — including the need for a new money system and the government’s mind-manipulation of the masses through language.

And this,

A few days later, during a meeting with a school administrator, Mr. Loughner said that he had paid for his courses illegally because, “I did not pay with gold and silver” — a standard position among right-wing extremist groups.

It is pretty noteworthy, as reflected in the link/headline chosen by The Drudge Report, that the shooter was a GWB hater--"a tenet of a number of left-wing groups," you could say.

And I think the liberal media's account of another event is being obfuscated to make the shooter out to be a Pro-lifer:

In February, an administrator reported to the campus police that [the shooter] had disrupted the class with his strange reaction to the reading of another student’s poem, taking a huge leap from its context to abortion, wars and killing people. The school official described him as “creepy.” They would keep an eye on him.

Sorry, but the girl's poem was about an abortion, and it is not a big leap from abortion to "killing people" . . . unless you are a hard-core liberal. What lousy "journalists" . . .

Take time to watch MLK's "I Have a Dream" Speech

2011-01-17T10:25:00.000-06:00

Judges: Politics for me but not for thee

2011-01-16T10:00:00.000-06:00

It's no shock that appellate and supreme court judges in Tennessee are political, but it is shocking to hear them claim that they oppose elections "because politics and money corrupt the judiciary" and yet give heavily to candidates who will protect them from facing contested elections. Tennessee judges donate to politicians who oppose judicial elections | tennessean.com | The Tennessean:

According to Wade, Tennessee's Supreme Court justices and appellate judges uniformly oppose a switch to an electoral selection process.

"Contributing to campaigns from time to time doesn't mean that I cannot and most jurists cannot compartmentalize those issues," Wade said. "All of us have a constitutional right to support any candidate of our choice, and yet when I put on the black robe, partisan politics and friendships play no role.

. . . .

Wade was the most frequent contributor to political campaigns over the past four election cycles among judges from Tennessee's highest courts.

BTW, despite saying repeatedly that these big spending judges gave to both Democrats (who characteristically like the undemocratic and unconstitutional TN Plan) and Republicans (who more often than not oppose the TN Plan), the reporter failed to ask the obvious question (that, or failed to like the answer to said question): were the Republicans who got money from judges supporters of not electing judges?

Well, Republican Doug Overbey--the Maryville lawyer who was just about the only Republican in the Senate who fought to preserve the TN Plan (here, and here), sure doesn't count. Neither would the Republican who faced TN Plan opponent Mike Bell in the primary (story here). Judges gave money in a primary race? Someone who makes a campaign contribution in a primary, particularly a primary of the other political party, hardly seems like someone who "contribut[es] to campaigns from time to time."

This is great reporting from Andy Sher of the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Judges' donations draw criticism | Chattanooga Times Free Press, but I have to say that it concerned me to read this statement from the article:

All five Supreme Court justices back the Tennessee Plan for selecting and retaining judges.

Look, because of my experience over on the years on this issue, I was aware that all the Supreme Court justices liked the Tennessee Plan--which ignores the constitution's requirement of contested elections. But it is stunning to think that this is common knowledge. Especially when you consider that they would be the ones deciding on whether a given system complies with the Tennessee Constitution.

And that's the problem with a system that insulates judges from "politics" (read: accountability). The reason that a lot of money is potentially spent on judicial elections is because the persons elected in such elections have a LOT of impact on voters' lives. I guess we voters just need to just leave all this politicking to judges and unaccountable commissions . . .

Of course Naifeh supports this move

2011-01-14T11:21:00.000-06:00

Harwell calls for streamlined process, drops 12 subcommittees | Nashville City Paper:

State House Speaker Beth Harwell abolished 12 subcommittees Thursday in her first attempt to make good on her promise to streamline the labyrinth-like legislative process.

Harwell, the Nashville Republican who was elected as the new speaker at the start of the 107th General Assembly on Tuesday, did away with all but one subcommittee for each of the House’s 13 standing committees.
. . . .
Rep. Jimmy Naifeh, D-Covington, who often used the subcommittee system to kill legislation when he was House speaker, said he supports Harwell’s restructuring.

“She’s the new speaker, and if there are changes to be made now is the time to make them,” he said. “I’m going to be open to the idea. There’s always room to change things. You don’t do something just because it’s always been done that way.”

Even though this sort of thing limits the legislative tricks available to Harwell and Republicans, it is a great means of increasing transparency and efficiency.

Say what you mean, mean what you say, do what you say you'll do.

Not exactly false equivalence

2011-01-13T11:48:00.000-06:00

Liberal Seek Ban on Metaphors In Wake of Arizona Shooting - HUMAN EVENTS:

It's not that both sides did something wrong; neither side did anything wrong. The drama queens need to settle down.

Hateful DAILY KOS posts 48 hours before AZ shootings

2011-01-12T15:18:00.001-06:00

IS DAILY KOS INVOLVED IN ARIZONA MURDERS? “My CongressWOMAN voted against Nancy Pelosi! And is now DEAD to me!” — eerie Daily Kos hit piece on Gabrielle Giffords just two days before assassination attempt; repeated use of word “dead” in relation to Giffords just 48 hours before she and a dozen others were fired upon. UPDATE: Daily Kos scrubs “dead to me” thread but screengrabs document everything; UPDATE: school classmates and former friends describe shooter Jared Lee Loughner as committed Leftist « HillBuzz.org: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Collectivism and the AZ shooting

2011-01-12T13:03:00.000-06:00

From the Sarah Palin response (view below) (BTW, it's amazing that such a thing is necessary in this context) it resonated that Collectivism, a touchstone of the liberal/progressive movement, is manifested in their response to this and other individual acts. This is one example of the building blocks of a worldview . . . and I'd say this premise is unwittingly accepted by many who vote for Democrats or liberals.

It was cool to see that Ronald Reagan had a salient quotation on the issue. Here's what appears to be the quote from Ronald Reagan:

We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.

Sarah Palin: "America's Enduring Strength" from Sarah Palin on Vimeo.

Why immortalize murderers?

2011-01-12T12:06:00.001-06:00

At the end of an article about polling(?) related to the Arizona shooting, I appreciated this side comment: ("Why Are We Polling About the Gunman’s Motivations?"):

*You’ll notice I rarely write the gunman’s name. This is deliberate. I remember the Weekly Standard writing an editorial about the Columbine killers back in the 1990s, focusing on the abominable irony that we so often remember the names of the perpetrators of mass murder but rarely recall the names of the victims. At the end, I lamented that the editorial perpetuated the killers’ fame by naming them, only to reread it and find that the writer had artfully avoided mentioning either one. News coverage requires specific names, but afterward, when we digest and analyze, it is good to forget the names of evil men who killed in order to be remembered.

Tip o' the hat to Jim Geraghty - The Campaign Spot - National Review Online.

On a slightly different note, you can see the same principle in operation during broadcasts of live events (this happened recently during a college bowl game when a person "streaked" onto the field). If idiot attention seekers disrupt an event, by averting the camera we discourage future similar acts by denying idiots the stage they are usurping. Though I typically am curious to see what is happening at the scene, I can appreciate that broadcasting companies have an interest in discouraging such conduct.

A Horrid Crime, a Dishonest Debate - Andrew C. McCarthy - National Review Online

2011-01-11T23:29:00.001-06:00

Here's another nice op/ed rebutting the Left's efforts to blame Conservatives for the AZ shooting ("A Horrid Crime, a Dishonest Debate" - Andrew C. McCarthy - National Review Online):

If wanton violence has a cause other than mental illness, it is a culture that lionizes the savages. That culture is not the culture of the Tea Partiers so despised by the Left. Many Tea Partiers are part of what until recently was called “the Christian Right,” an amorphous group of Americans, not all of whom are actually Christians, tied together by their shared acceptance of basic Judeo-Christian principles, such as equality and the sanctity of life (even the lives of their ideological opponents). They love liberty, because in their hands it is guided by virtue. It leads to the good life and the good society, not to dissipation and anarchy. Many of them pray for President Obama despite their revulsion at most of his policies. All of them consider him their president and would rally behind him if the good of the nation demanded it. Their dissent does not diminish their patriotism.

For our opinion elites, though, they are a punch line or, when disaster strikes, a punching bag. Those elites scoff at the very idea of real, knowable virtue — unless it is rhetorically useful in showing that America has failed to measure up. They would erase any traditional understanding of virtue from public life, replacing it with their vapid “values.” Under these, the young learn, a terrorist can still be a hero if he kills for noble reasons, if it becomes fashionable to deny the humanity of those he takes as his enemies.

ESPN v. FOXSports

2011-01-10T20:06:00.000-06:00

I complained about this several years ago (though it seemed much more recent . . . yikes), but can I say for the record, how happy I am to have had ESPN doing the BCS Bowls this year? The NFL-hosting FoxSports Network was not a good fit for the BCS broadcasts these past years.

God bless this woman . . .

2011-01-10T19:54:00.000-06:00

Learning that some brave persons on the scene of the AZ shooting tackled and restrained the shooter, I want to give a shout out to the Ohio woman in this story: Fists swinging, Ohio woman comes to cop's rescue - CNN.com

In the Left's crosshairs

2011-01-10T18:27:00.000-06:00

Great op/ed re. the Arizona tragedy from Ken Marrero--the Blue Collar Muse ("Only Those Engaged in Violent Imagery and Rhetoric Can Stop Doing So" | Blue Collar Muse):

In the aftermath of the Tuscon carnage; before I learned the name of any victim beyond Representative Giffords and along with hearing the name of the shooter, I also learned I was to blame.

Beyond the ignorant premise that any Tea Partier anywhere had anything to do in any way with such senseless violence lies the sad reality that the obvious has yet again escaped the political Left. While a woman struggles for her life and her husband and children suffer in unimaginable limbo, 5 other families would trade anything for even long shot odds at getting their loved one back. In response, as a friend of mine tweeted, “My Conservative friends offer prayers, my Liberal friends offer blame."

Instapundit: The Arizona Tragedy and the Politics of Blood Libel

2011-01-10T07:56:00.004-06:00

Glenn Reynolds: The Arizona Tragedy and the Politics of Blood Libel - WSJ.com:

. . . [T}hose who purport to care about the health of our political community demonstrate precious little actual concern for America's political well-being when they seize on any pretext, however flimsy, to call their political opponents accomplices to murder.

The Donald's ego

2011-01-06T00:08:00.000-06:00

You may have heard the recent news report that Donald Trump is considering a run for president, and my first reaction was, “maybe he has a chance, as a famous and–by some calculations, successful businessman.” So it was rather poignant to stumble upon an ESPN "30:30" special this evening that featured The Donald: Who Killed the USFL?

I guess I haven't paid enough attention to Trump all these years, but having viewed this documentary, I sure hope that Trump's candidacy doesn't get any traction.

Irony of buying favor with judges

2011-01-05T15:36:00.000-06:00

Nice op/ed from Gail Kerr Tennessean, "Fundraising to Keep Judges from Being Bought is Ironic"):

Lawyers and former judges are raising money from big law firms to try and preserve the current method of seating Tennessee's appellate court judges.

The irony is not lost: Those very legal eagles argue that allowing judges to be popularly elected would create a system in which special interests and big powerful law firms can buy the state's judiciary.

My only quibble is with Kerr's flat assertion that, "Overall, the current system has worked beautifully to place appeals court judges who have followed the rule of law." Who says?

Cross-posted at Tennessee Judicial Reform Blog.

"Nicely" stated on problems with electing judges . . .

2011-01-01T17:19:00.000-06:00

Aside from the fact that contested elections for all judges is required by Tennessee's constitution, it is disingenuous for politicians to claim that elections beget "bought" judges. State Rep. Frank Nicely has it right I think (New fight brews over judge selection process in Tennessee | tennessean.com | The Tennessean):

The Tennessee Plan will expire in 2012. Emboldened by new Republican majorities after November's elections, however, opponents may press the issue sooner. Opponents say that in addition to being unconstitutional, the Tennessee Plan makes judges unaccountable to voters.

'If elections are so crooked that you cannot elect a judge … then what does that say about our form of government?' said state Rep. Frank Niceley, R-Knoxville.

Cross-posted at judicialreformcoalition.blogspot.com

Soros-selected judges for Tennessee

2010-12-31T15:29:00.000-06:00

It appears that lawyers' special interest groups are gearing up for a serious fight to defend their hold on Tennessee's current unconstitutional system of selecting judges. "John Jay's college of justice" and "Help us help us help ourselves." Actually, I don't believe they were caught off guard in 2009, as the group carrying the water at that time was the TBA. This go 'round, with Republican majorities in both houses of the Tennessee General Assembly, retention-election supporters will be working under the auspices of a Soros-funded group calling itself Tennesseeans for Fair and Impartial Courts ("TFIC").

Here's more information about what we can expect from TFIC.

Cross-posted at judicialreformcoalition.blogspot.com

ALL the costs of healthcare

2010-12-19T10:11:00.000-06:00

Fascinating USATODAY.com article about how Americans are overtreated to death. As the article states, this phenomenon is a large factor in our ballooning healthcare costs. So, in the context of doctors who are concerned about lawsuits and family members who can't bear to stop treating a loved one, readers should make sure their legal (living will, etc.) and spiritual preparations . . . and share it all with those closest to you.

Howe and why at Belmont University

2010-12-14T08:02:00.000-06:00

As Belmont University seemingly beats a hasty retreat in the wake of parting ways with soccer coach Lisa Howe, ostensibly because Howe violated the university's morality policies (here), I thought this quote from Congressman Mike Pence (from a recent George Will op/ed) was pertinent:

You would not be able to print enough money in a thousand years to pay for the government you would need if the traditional family continues to collapse.

According to The City Paper, this is a "scandal." I don't think so. Belmont needs to stand by their policy, without regard to the cat calls from our culture's libertine left or squishy "center-right." There's no question that the Bible prohibits homosexual activity. Belmont may offend their biggest individual financial supporter. They may be swimming upstream against political correctness. They may lose a great soccer coach. But they needn't accept the premise that this or any other policies rooted in Judeo-Christian ethics are arbitrary or based in bigotry.

Poor, poor Rangel the victim . . .

2010-11-16T11:23:00.000-06:00

As CNN reports, House panel finds Rangel guilty of ethics violations:

Washington (CNN) -- A House ethics subcommittee found longtime Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel guilty Tuesday on multiple violations of House rules.

On Monday, Rangel, D-New York, walked out of the House ethics subcommittee trial, complaining he has not had sufficient time to hire a new legal team to respond to ethics allegations.

He has had an attorney for many months--the majority of the time he has been facing these allegations. He has known since September that he needed to replace his attorney. He has loads of personal and political resources to pay for an attorney. He has been found in violation without putting up a defense. He is playing us all like a fiddle.

Dems' 2010 silver lining?

2010-11-10T09:47:00.000-06:00

Much of what William Saletan writes in this Slate article may be true, because of the crass reality of modern politics, and how difficult it is to repeal an "entitlement." But I think Saletan may be mistakenly ignoring the less-than-superficial historic-ness of this election.

We'll soon see how much the new GOP majority reverts to form . . .

Gibbs: "My guys" is right

2010-11-08T20:43:00.000-06:00

Robert Gibbs threatened to pull the One from bi-lateral talks in India. Thereby demonstrating his commitment to his buddies in the media, if not his commitment to diplomacy. RG you're so tough!!

The Left's latest bailout scheme

2010-10-03T10:25:00.001-05:00

This report (here)--about Lefty plans to put taxpayers on the hook for mismanaged private employers' pension promises, is amazing to me. And it shows the flaw in fascist or socialist intermingling of gov't and business. Sens. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., and Dick Durbin, D-IL, along with Reps. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., and Patrick Tiberi, R-Ohio, should be ashamed for sponsoring this latest ticket to European Socialism.

Don't promise your employees something you cannot fulfill; carefully weigh pie-in-the-sky promises from your employer; don't expect taxpayers to bail you out if you are (a) the employer or (b) the employee in the above scenario.

I'm telling you: the Federal gov't is too big, Congress has too much power and we have got to keep our eyes on these scoundrels.

When you hear phrases like "socializing risk," hold onto your wallet.

Yep. DeMint: conviction wins over squish any day

2010-09-20T15:10:00.001-05:00

DeMint: Tea Party slate will get Republicans to a Senate majority - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room:

'The quickest way to 60 votes in the Senate is to have candidates who stand on principle,' DeMint said on CNN's 'State of the Union.'

He added that by wanting true conservatives to represent the party, 'I'm just talking about common-sense people who don't think that balancing a checkbook is a radical idea.'

Clever political ad; another reason to create jobs

2010-09-14T10:20:00.000-05:00

Here's a clever political ad from Sweden, touting jobs (because work is a great place to fall in love . . .) And this ostensibly Conservative Swedish political party even has a shout out to the 2-3% of same-sexers. Nya Moderaterna - Love at work - valfilm 2010 commercials | adland.tv

This is one more example of how important job-creation is . . . and more reason to conclude that Barack Obama hates America ;)

"Meddling" is probably more accurate than "regulation"

2010-09-10T22:27:00.000-05:00

This paragraph from Thomas Sowell's excellent op/ed today ("Inherited from Whom?" - National Review Online), caused me to conclude that the word "regulation" is probably inapt when discussing the impact of "Progressive" (Liberal) policy:

Another political fable is that the current economic downturn is due to not enough government regulation of the housing and financial markets. But it was precisely the government regulators, under pressure from politicians, who forced banks and other lending institutions to lower their standards for making mortgage loans.

It's politically unfortunate that the connotation of "regulate" is typicajavascript:void(0)lly benignly or even positively restrictive.

Dems and economic politics over economic progress

2010-08-30T10:46:00.001-05:00

This is an interesting discussion (Robert Barro: The Folly of Subsidizing Unemployment - WSJ.com) of how Democrats are wont to choose political gain over economic gain. First, Democrats are probably angling for the low tax policies of the Bush administration for political reasons more than economic ones. ("Democrats can't agree over killing or saving the Bush-era tax cuts - The Hill's On The Money). That's old news. BTW, that title should probably be "Democrats can't DECIDE about killing or saving the Bush-era tax cuts."

But second, the conversion of unemployment insurance to a welfare program--even though it has likely hurt Obama's resume on job creation, will still be a useful weapon for claiming that Republicans aren't as compassionate toward Americans.

8/28 Rally: Sharpton and Libs can't help themselves

2010-08-28T11:35:00.000-05:00

This article manifests how Al Sharpton and Liberals/Progressives can't help their partisan selves. Perhaps it manifests their ignorance . . . I don't know. ("Beck rally: Glenn Beck rally underway" - latimes.com) From the article:

Attendees were encouraged not to bring political signs and flyers. Skeptical Democrats have countered that the event is "blatantly political." Many in the crowd wore shirts and hats in the colors of the American flag.

So does wearing red, white and blue evince "blatant[] politic[s]"? I'd say that claiming it does evinces an ugly view of America. And then there's Sharpton's comments:

"In '63, they went to Washington for a strong national government to protect civil rights," Sharpton said in an interview earlier this week. "He and Palin are going there for a weak national government and to advocate state rights."

I can hardly believe that Sharpton would be so stupid as to advocate on behalf of Big Government. Whether or not MLK was appealing to THE GOV'T by marching to DC--the Democrats in power sure seemed to need some arm-twisting to get on board with the Civil Rights movement--he was definitely appealing to the conscience of individual Americans. I hate to make the event "political," but since Sharpton brought it up, does he seriously believe that our problems in America at this juncture stem from a need for a bigger, more powerful Federal government?

On Mehlman: What he said . . .

2010-08-27T11:53:00.001-05:00

The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : ("Ken Mehlman and the "Anti-Gay" Bush-Era GOP"):

Yesterday former Republican National Committee Chairman and Bush campaign chief Ken Mehlman publicly announced he was gay. That doesn't particularly interest me -- it's his business and it wasn't the world's most closely guarded secret -- but it has occasioned some commentary on the Republican Party and conservative movement that is interesting.

Please read on . . .

Antle is right about how plainly responsive electoral opposition to homosexual activism has been.

Harvesting embryos: "Promise" is subjective . . .

2010-08-24T12:05:00.000-05:00

Judge Roils Stem-Cell Research - WSJ.com:

WASHINGTON—A U.S. judge blocked the federal government from funding research involving human embryonic stem cells, a surprise blow to one of the most promising yet controversial areas of current scientific research.
. . . .
Stem cells are the building blocks of the body's tissues and organs. Those derived from embryos can develop into any type of tissue and are considered especially promising for research into diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
. . . .

Many scientists (not to mention ethicists) disagree. And of there's private funding and California's funding. And adult stem cells are well worth the investment. Sorry to deny you this largely symbolic prize . . .

Blahblahblah -- sensitivity for thee

2010-08-22T14:31:00.000-05:00

Dr. Laura's N-word Rant, Jennifer Aniston's R-Word Slip: Five Words that Need a Rest - ABC News:

"We have some words we'd like to ban, particularly among members not in the LGBT community, such as 'fag/faggot,' 'tranny' and 'he-she,'" David Hauslaib, editorial director of Queerty.com told ABCNews.com.

Like the N-word, these words are often used by the people most offended by them, but Hauslaib said that doesn't give others a free pass to use them.

"There's a reasonable argument that anyone using these words is doing harm, but it's unrealistic to think members of the LGBT community will stop saying 'fag' in jest, and that's an individual's right," Hauslaib said. "Words that are derogatory to any community generally get a pass when used by those who belong; anyone outside that culture, however, doesn't have permission because they are not directly impacted by such language."

Though I don't use any of these words, it's kind of hard to take seriously the complaints from someone like Mr. Hauslaib.

Confused about O's religion? Why not?

2010-08-22T14:24:00.000-05:00

This muddled ~~apologia~~ article from ABC News illustrates why some Americans are confused about the President's religious beliefs ("Franklin Graham Says President Obama was 'Born a Muslim.' As Pew Poll Shows, More Americans Confused About President's Religion." - ABC News).

Obama has favored a more private faith since he took office in January 2009, attending formal church services just a handful of times, including Easter of this year.

Like his predecessor George W. Bush, Obama has said he prefers worshiping at the chapel at Camp David. But the president rarely goes to the presidential retreat, and instead spends Sundays at the White House. Weekend activities often include basketball or golf.

Still, the president has said his Christian faith is part of his daily life. Last year, Obama told ABC's Terry Moran on 'Nightline' that he relied on his BlackBerry as one tool to keep the faith.

"My faith and neighborhood initiatives director, Joshua DuBois, he has a devotional that he sends to me on my BlackBerry every day," Obama said. "That's how I start my morning. You know, he's got a passage, scripture, in some cases, quotes from other faiths to reflect on."

His worship practices are just like W's!! (except that actions speak louder than words). And while I, too, use my Blackberry for daily devotions (www.youversion.com is the bomb), I think Obama seems uncomfortable with the idea that his devotions might possibly exclude "quotes from other faiths."

Gee MSM, can you blame people for being a little confused or even cynical?

Rev. Graham's teachable moment . . .

2010-08-20T20:51:00.003-05:00

It's interesting to read these stories about polling data that reflects a significant portion of Americans believe that Obama is a Muslim. Like this one: ("Franklin Graham Says President Obama was 'Born a Muslim.' As Pew Poll Shows, More Americans Confused About President's Religion." - ABC News) The interjections "correctly" :

At the same time, the number of Americans who said they believed, correctly, that Obama is Christian has declined from 48 percent in March 2009 to 34 percent today. But 43 percent of Americans now say they don't know what Obama's religion is at all.

And this article in Time: One Fifth (Wrongly) Think Obama’s Muslim - Newsweek And this ABC online article: ("The Rev. Franklin Graham Says President Obama was 'Born a Muslim' -- Comments Come As Poll Shows One in Five Americans Wrongly Believes Obama Is Muslim" - ABC News) From inside the article:

The poll found that 18 percent of those surveyed wrongly identified Obama as Muslim, up from 11 percent in March 2009. At the same time, the number of Americans who said they believed, correctly, that Obama is Christian has declined from 48 percent in March 2009 to 34 percent today.

They seem to be falling all over themselves to remind Americans of what they SHOULD believe.

Personally, I think (a) that Franklin Graham's statement (as opposed to the MSM's characterization of it) is accurate, (b) that the MSM is dying to find a way to impugn and demonize Franklin Graham (how's that for "outreach"?!), (c) that Obama is probably less devout (about anything) than he wants voters to believe he is, and (d) that this op/ed, kind of like a stopped clock that is right twice a day, is worth reading (except for the last sentence which reflects a confusion between one's culture and one's practiced faith). According to the red letters in the Bible, a person is not born a Christian . . . it is an individual choice which is typically confirmed by "fruit."

UPDATE:
Aha! The MSM must be reading Michael Kinsley:Change of Subject: Still more depressing poll results: "Michael Kinsley has an on-point observation:

I blame pollsters themselves. They have created a world where everything is an opinion, nothing is a fact, everybody is entitled to an opinion, and every opinion is equally valid. The Pew press release about this latest poll is scrupulously neutral. It talks about 'the view that Obama is a Muslim,' as if it is just like any other view about the president's religion. Not a word in it hints that there might be a right answer and a wrong one . . ."

This is stupid. I guess Kinsley thinks that "push polls" are a more accurate view of what people think than plain ol' polls?

And the Chicago Tribune's Eric Zorn appears to share my skepticism about Obama's "faith."

Lastly, it's somewhat entertaining to watch Lefty journalists who are beside themselves that a segment of the public is skeptical of their guy. "The nerve of these morons!! these idiots!! They're in a full-court press on this, which is only going to backfire on them.

Harry Reid on being a Mormon and a Democrat

2010-08-19T10:19:00.001-05:00

This morning Glenn Beck was pondering the intersection of Harry Reid's religion (LDS or Mormon) and his political party (the Democratic Party). I found this 2007 speech at BYU which is directly on point. I haven't had the chance to read it, but one highlight is Reid's statement that,

My faith and political beliefs are deeply intertwined. I am a Democrat because I am a Mormon, not in spite of it.

UPDATE: After reading the speech, I think one fallacy in Reid's thinking is that a collection of policy positions constitute an over-arching principle for governing. I perceive that Reid, by ticking off this laundry list of Democratic policy positions, starts first with a policy position that sounds right and then attempts to support that position with his religious views rather than starting with principles and working toward his positions. And Big Government proposals always sound more generous than they actually are.

It appears to me that Reid uses a profession of worldview as window dressing.

Bredesen or McWherter over Sundquist?

2010-08-18T13:25:00.001-05:00

The Haslam for Governor campaign is in the news for leaving former Republican Governor Don Sundquist out of his most recent ad "For all of Tennessee" while including Democratic state leaders Phil Bredesen and Ned McWherter. I have to say that, from what I know, neither McWherter nor Bredesen ever betrayed his supporters, and with such disdain, as did Don Sundquist by supporting a state income tax within weeks of having been elected by pledging opposition to same. Sundquist further sullied even the sordid stereotype of politicians.

Propping up spendthrift unions

2010-08-17T11:24:00.001-05:00

This is getting aggravating.

First Democrats propped up GM, which was bankrupt due to spendthrift union spending/obligations.

Then Democrats propped up the spendthrift school unions in certain areas of the country.

And now the Teamsters are demanding a bailout. Give me a break.

There ought to be a major string attached to all this deficit spending on behalf of these special interests . . . no campaign contributions (in-kind or other) for 10 years. It's too obviously a pay-off for political support from these groups. Wow.

Come on Mr. President

2010-08-16T09:38:00.001-05:00

I can understand a person's support for a Ground Zero mega-mosque to be built by apolojihadist Imam Rauf, but I am disappointed that Obama is waffling on his support of it. Finger to the wind and all that.

He'd be right at home in our Democratic Party . . .

2010-08-14T08:03:00.001-05:00

While reading this article about the sinking of the South Korean military vessel, I couldn't help but think back to the irresponsible, contrived attacks on George W. Bush's GWOT policy:

In South Korea, where attitudes toward the North go to the core of the country's politics, opposition politicians have expressed deep skepticism with the official line that Pyongyang was at fault. Choi Moon Soon of the opposition Democratic Party, a member of the National assembly, is typical. He told TIME on August 13 that he believes the ship simply ran aground, and that the government concocted the whole North Korea attack story as a way to influence local elections that were held on June 2. (Elections which President Lee's ruling party actually lost.) He says he doesn 't believe the government will ever publish the report, and questions even whether it actually exists.

As TIME magazine reports, Choi Moon Soon (lyrical, huh?) is wrong. He would make a great "truther."

Update: Will SC Dems pull a Lautenberg?

2010-08-13T17:02:00.001-05:00

The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in SC has been indicted (as forecast), but I'm wondering if anti-democratic (and moral relativist) Democrats will try to pull a Lautenburg to get a candidate they like on the ballot. I don't know what SC law is, but that didn't matter in NJ.

Aside: ol' Jim McGreevey makes an appearance in this story!

UPDATE: I like how CNN "Wire Staff" continue to look askance at Greene's candidacy (in particular, whether or not he is a stooge who didn't even pay his own filing fee):

The obscenity issue is one of several controversies swirling around Greene's long shot candidacy. Observers have also questioned how the 32-year-old nominee, who is believed to have very little personal wealth, was able to afford the $10,440 filing fee required to get his name on the Democratic Senate primary ballot.
South Carolina's top law enforcement agency said it determined that Greene used his own money to pay the fee, though the state attorney general's office said it did not receive a request from the agency to subpoena Greene's bank records.

Well, it appears (here) that a pretty thorough (and transparent) investigation disproves CNN's thesis. Great reporting CNN!!

A couple things about those Boo Scouts . . .

2010-08-13T15:25:00.000-05:00

I skimmed this story last week and wanted to comment on it, but forgot until now. In case you missed it, here's the video:

Not cool. Not consistent with what the Scouts teach (esp. "Boy Scout Law"). Not good that this group of Scouts are getting this much attention. They're "kids," sure, but they should not be heralded. It's much more important that young people learn self-control, respect for authority and discretion than . . . whatever character quality defenders of these boys claim was being demonstrated.