Sunday, May 31, 2009
iPhone lost
Went for a long bikeride this morning. I brought the iPhone just in case. I must have hit a bump and caused it to fly out of the bike pack. It was early, but I retraced the miles-long path twice to no avail. Luckily I had the lock feature on, so someone finding it would have to guess a 4-digit password. If they were smart enough to guess that, I stymied that by causing the device to remote wipe if they tried to synch it. If they were smart enough to break it open and take the SIM card, I prevented that by calling AT&T to disable the SIM card. I don't know how they do that. I asked AT&T to help me pinpoint the GPS location, but they said they only do that in life-and-death situations. Wonder why. I would have paid money. The replacement phone cost $400.
California: mandatory gay day for kindergarten
Now this is one way to impose right thinking...
***************************
Mandatory 'gay' day for K-5 students
Board imposes homosexual curriculum on classes
By Chelsea Schilling
'And Tango Makes Three' book about homosexual male penguins who name their chick Tango because 'It takes two to make a Tango.'
A California school district has approved a mandatory homosexual curriculum for children as young as 5 – and parents will not be allowed to remove their children from the lessons.
The mandatory program, officially titled "LGBT Lesson #9," was approved May 26 by the Alameda County Board of Education by a vote of 3-2. Students from kindergarten through fifth grade will learn about "tolerance" for the homosexual lifestyle beginning next year.
The curriculum is in addition to the school's current anti-bullying program and is estimated to cost $8,000 for curriculum and training.
Parents will not be given an opportunity to opt-out of lessons that go against their religious beliefs. Some parents are threatening to sue the school board and mount a recall. Opponents presented a petition with 468 signatures from people who don't want the homosexual lessons in the curriculum.
At the board meeting, parent Julie Kim said, "The topics covered in this curriculum for all the grades should be left up to the parent to discuss with their children."
The district's legal counsel recommended against giving parents an opportunity to opt out of the lessons, claiming only health or sex education topics require opt-out provisions:
[T]he most prudent course of action for Alameda Unified School District's Board of Education in regards to the proposed lesson is to recommend providing notice to parents, not to allow an opt out of the instruction.
The school district claims it will re-assess the curriculum, but only after it has been in place for a full year.
According to the Island of Alameda, trustee Tracy Jensen addressed a crowd at City Hall following the vote.
"We are not telling anyone what to think," Jensen said. "We are letting children know that gay people exist and they deserve to be treated with respect, regardless of whether or not you believe that homosexuality is acceptable."
But Capitol Resource Institute's Karen England explored the curriculum and released a statement condemning the program before the board's vote.
"This curriculum ignores the fact that every child has a mom and a dad, to redefine ideas like 'family.' School absolutely should be a safe place, but this isn't just about safety. Students have to embrace highly controversial social values or risk being labeled as bigots," she warned. "Five year old kids aren't ready to think on their own about sexuality – and their families' values will be dismissed. That's not an education in critical thinking. It's social activism."
(Story continues below)
In kindergarten, children will be introduced to "The New Girl … And Me" by Jacqui Robins. The book is about a young girl who is new at a school and strikes up a friendship with another girl after a popular boy refuses to play with her.
In first grade, students will read "Who is in a Family?" By Robert Skutch. It explores different types of families. One page states, " … Robin's family is made up of her dad, Clifford, her dad's partner, Henry, and Robin's cat, Sassy."
Curriculum for 1st grade students includes 'Who's in a Family?'
Teachers will ask children to "identify and describe a variety of families" and "to understand that families have some similarities and some differences."
"If a student responds that one family in the book is made up of a mother, a father and two children and a cat, you may acknowledge that some families look like this," the curriculum states, "but also ask students for other examples of what a family can look like."
Teachers are told to reflect and "reinforce to students that in our school and our community there are many different types of families that provide love and care to each other. Remind the students that all family structures are equally important."
Second grade students will read about two homosexual penguins that raise a young chick in the book "And Tango Makes Three" by J. Richardson and P. Parnell.
The two male penguins, Roy and Silo, are described as being "a little bit different."
"They didn't spend much time with the girl penguins, and the girl penguins didn't spend much time with them," the text states.
When the male penguins nurture an egg, it soon hatches. "We'll call her Tango," it states, "because it takes two to make a Tango."
The book declares, "Tango was the very first penguin in the zoo to have two daddies."
3rd grade students will watch 'That's a Family' film
In the third grade, students will watch a film called "That's a Family," featuring some homosexual couples in addition to traditional families.
According to the lesson plan, it aims to "assist students in developing sensitivity to gay and lesbian family structures" and teach "respect and tolerance for every type of family."
Fourth graders will be required to read an essay titled, "My School is Accepting – but Things Could be Better" by Robert, an 11-year-old who has two lesbian mothers.
They are introduced to terms such as "ally," "gay," "lesbian" and "LGBT."
Teachers are instructed to ask, "How do you think Robert feels when he hears people say things like, 'this is gay' or 'You're so gay'?"
By fifth grade, students learn to "identify stereotypes about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people." They are told that "LGBT people have made important contributions within the United States and beyond."
Teachers are asked to write the acronym LGBT and ask students the meaning of each letter. Students discuss why stereotypes are "incorrect and hurtful" to LGBT people and people with LGBT family members.
The children are provided with a list of famous LGBT people, including novelist James Baldwin, singer Elton John, comedian Ellen Degeneres, pop singer Christina Aguilera, Rep. Tammy Baldwin, poet Walt Whitman, singer Lance Bass, figure skater Rudy Galindo, homosexual politician Harvey Milk, Army veteran Jose Zuniga and basketball player Sheryl Swoopes.
***************************
Mandatory 'gay' day for K-5 students
Board imposes homosexual curriculum on classes
By Chelsea Schilling
'And Tango Makes Three' book about homosexual male penguins who name their chick Tango because 'It takes two to make a Tango.'
A California school district has approved a mandatory homosexual curriculum for children as young as 5 – and parents will not be allowed to remove their children from the lessons.
The mandatory program, officially titled "LGBT Lesson #9," was approved May 26 by the Alameda County Board of Education by a vote of 3-2. Students from kindergarten through fifth grade will learn about "tolerance" for the homosexual lifestyle beginning next year.
The curriculum is in addition to the school's current anti-bullying program and is estimated to cost $8,000 for curriculum and training.
Parents will not be given an opportunity to opt-out of lessons that go against their religious beliefs. Some parents are threatening to sue the school board and mount a recall. Opponents presented a petition with 468 signatures from people who don't want the homosexual lessons in the curriculum.
At the board meeting, parent Julie Kim said, "The topics covered in this curriculum for all the grades should be left up to the parent to discuss with their children."
The district's legal counsel recommended against giving parents an opportunity to opt out of the lessons, claiming only health or sex education topics require opt-out provisions:
[T]he most prudent course of action for Alameda Unified School District's Board of Education in regards to the proposed lesson is to recommend providing notice to parents, not to allow an opt out of the instruction.
The school district claims it will re-assess the curriculum, but only after it has been in place for a full year.
According to the Island of Alameda, trustee Tracy Jensen addressed a crowd at City Hall following the vote.
"We are not telling anyone what to think," Jensen said. "We are letting children know that gay people exist and they deserve to be treated with respect, regardless of whether or not you believe that homosexuality is acceptable."
But Capitol Resource Institute's Karen England explored the curriculum and released a statement condemning the program before the board's vote.
"This curriculum ignores the fact that every child has a mom and a dad, to redefine ideas like 'family.' School absolutely should be a safe place, but this isn't just about safety. Students have to embrace highly controversial social values or risk being labeled as bigots," she warned. "Five year old kids aren't ready to think on their own about sexuality – and their families' values will be dismissed. That's not an education in critical thinking. It's social activism."
(Story continues below)
In kindergarten, children will be introduced to "The New Girl … And Me" by Jacqui Robins. The book is about a young girl who is new at a school and strikes up a friendship with another girl after a popular boy refuses to play with her.
In first grade, students will read "Who is in a Family?" By Robert Skutch. It explores different types of families. One page states, " … Robin's family is made up of her dad, Clifford, her dad's partner, Henry, and Robin's cat, Sassy."
Curriculum for 1st grade students includes 'Who's in a Family?'
Teachers will ask children to "identify and describe a variety of families" and "to understand that families have some similarities and some differences."
"If a student responds that one family in the book is made up of a mother, a father and two children and a cat, you may acknowledge that some families look like this," the curriculum states, "but also ask students for other examples of what a family can look like."
Teachers are told to reflect and "reinforce to students that in our school and our community there are many different types of families that provide love and care to each other. Remind the students that all family structures are equally important."
Second grade students will read about two homosexual penguins that raise a young chick in the book "And Tango Makes Three" by J. Richardson and P. Parnell.
The two male penguins, Roy and Silo, are described as being "a little bit different."
"They didn't spend much time with the girl penguins, and the girl penguins didn't spend much time with them," the text states.
When the male penguins nurture an egg, it soon hatches. "We'll call her Tango," it states, "because it takes two to make a Tango."
The book declares, "Tango was the very first penguin in the zoo to have two daddies."
3rd grade students will watch 'That's a Family' film
In the third grade, students will watch a film called "That's a Family," featuring some homosexual couples in addition to traditional families.
According to the lesson plan, it aims to "assist students in developing sensitivity to gay and lesbian family structures" and teach "respect and tolerance for every type of family."
Fourth graders will be required to read an essay titled, "My School is Accepting – but Things Could be Better" by Robert, an 11-year-old who has two lesbian mothers.
They are introduced to terms such as "ally," "gay," "lesbian" and "LGBT."
Teachers are instructed to ask, "How do you think Robert feels when he hears people say things like, 'this is gay' or 'You're so gay'?"
By fifth grade, students learn to "identify stereotypes about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people." They are told that "LGBT people have made important contributions within the United States and beyond."
Teachers are asked to write the acronym LGBT and ask students the meaning of each letter. Students discuss why stereotypes are "incorrect and hurtful" to LGBT people and people with LGBT family members.
The children are provided with a list of famous LGBT people, including novelist James Baldwin, singer Elton John, comedian Ellen Degeneres, pop singer Christina Aguilera, Rep. Tammy Baldwin, poet Walt Whitman, singer Lance Bass, figure skater Rudy Galindo, homosexual politician Harvey Milk, Army veteran Jose Zuniga and basketball player Sheryl Swoopes.
Pravda: America becoming Marxist
From the erstwhile Soviet mouthpiece...
**************************
It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.
BREAKING NEWS
Lessons of democracy from the USA
The strict traditions of Sumo wrestling
More...
True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists.
Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls, to the whims of their elites and betters.
First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their "right" to choke down a McDonalds burger or a BurgerKing burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us about our rights and about our "democracy". Pride blind the foolish.
Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the "winning" side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the "winning" side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox churches are scandalously liberalized in America.
The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe.
These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them?
**************************
It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.
BREAKING NEWS
Lessons of democracy from the USA
The strict traditions of Sumo wrestling
More...
True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists.
Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls, to the whims of their elites and betters.
First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their "right" to choke down a McDonalds burger or a BurgerKing burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us about our rights and about our "democracy". Pride blind the foolish.
Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the "winning" side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the "winning" side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox churches are scandalously liberalized in America.
The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe.
These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them?
Obama on George Tiller, abortionist
The man who specialized in partial-birth abortions was murdered... at church? today. And the President thought this deserved comment.
**************
"I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr. George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."
**************
"I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr. George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sonia Sotomayor
Obama's choice is clever: dare the Republicans to reject the first Latino nominee, if you don't count Cardozo. By doing so, they'll be spending political capital. Then, Obama will appoint a more liberal nominee, and the Republicans won't have as much left to fight it.
Also clever on the Catholic front. Fresh on the heels of dividing Catholics over Notre Dame, he has chosen a person who is as Catholic in Name Only. If Republicans opppose the sixth Catholic on the bench, then when the next one isn't Catholic, Obama can say, Well, I tried. Now you're getting an athiest.
Also clever on the Catholic front. Fresh on the heels of dividing Catholics over Notre Dame, he has chosen a person who is as Catholic in Name Only. If Republicans opppose the sixth Catholic on the bench, then when the next one isn't Catholic, Obama can say, Well, I tried. Now you're getting an athiest.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Is population control a progressive issue?
Some "liberals" back this idea, but doesn't it go against freedom of choice?
***********************************************
Secret billionaire club seeks population control
Gates, Rockefeller, Turner, Oprah, Buffett, Soros, Bloomberg attend meeting
Posted: May 24, 2009
6:48 pm Eastern
WASHINGTON – Some of the richest men and women in the world met secretly recently in New York to conspire on using their vast wealth to bring the world's population growth under control.
The meeting included some of the biggest names in the "billionaires club," according to the London Times – Bill Gates, David Rockefeller, Ted Turner, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, George Soros and Michael Bloomberg.
The meeting at the home of Sir Paul Nurse, a British Nobel Prize-winning biochemist and president of Rockefeller University, was the inspiration of Gates and took place three weeks ago.
"The informal afternoon session was so discreet that some of the billionaires' aides were told they were at 'security briefings,'" the Times reported today.
Stacy Palmer, editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy, speculated that the secrecy surrounding the meeting may have been due to concern that "they don’t want to be seen as a global cabal."
Get the inside story on the globalist insiders who have been meeting for decades in highly guarded secret. Learn from author who penetrated Bilderbergers
According to the Times, the billionaires were each given 15 minutes to present their favorite cause. Over dinner they discussed how they might settle on an "umbrella cause" that could harness their interests. Taking their cue from Gates, the report said, they agreed population control was the No. 1 issue.
In February, Gates, 53, outlined an ambitious plan to cap global population at 8.3 billion – about one billion fewer than currently projected.
Patricia Stonesifer, former chief executive of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said the billionaires would continue to meet over the next few months.
A guest at the meeting told the Times population growth would be addressed as a potentially disastrous environmental, social and industrial threat.
"This is something so nightmarish that everyone in this group agreed it needs big-brain answers," said the guest. "They need to be independent of government agencies, which are unable to head off the disaster we all see looming."
As to secrecy, the guest said, "They wanted to speak rich to rich without worrying anything they said would end up in the newspapers, painting them as an alternative world government."
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
***********************************************
Secret billionaire club seeks population control
Gates, Rockefeller, Turner, Oprah, Buffett, Soros, Bloomberg attend meeting
Posted: May 24, 2009
6:48 pm Eastern
WASHINGTON – Some of the richest men and women in the world met secretly recently in New York to conspire on using their vast wealth to bring the world's population growth under control.
The meeting included some of the biggest names in the "billionaires club," according to the London Times – Bill Gates, David Rockefeller, Ted Turner, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, George Soros and Michael Bloomberg.
The meeting at the home of Sir Paul Nurse, a British Nobel Prize-winning biochemist and president of Rockefeller University, was the inspiration of Gates and took place three weeks ago.
"The informal afternoon session was so discreet that some of the billionaires' aides were told they were at 'security briefings,'" the Times reported today.
Stacy Palmer, editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy, speculated that the secrecy surrounding the meeting may have been due to concern that "they don’t want to be seen as a global cabal."
Get the inside story on the globalist insiders who have been meeting for decades in highly guarded secret. Learn from author who penetrated Bilderbergers
According to the Times, the billionaires were each given 15 minutes to present their favorite cause. Over dinner they discussed how they might settle on an "umbrella cause" that could harness their interests. Taking their cue from Gates, the report said, they agreed population control was the No. 1 issue.
In February, Gates, 53, outlined an ambitious plan to cap global population at 8.3 billion – about one billion fewer than currently projected.
Patricia Stonesifer, former chief executive of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said the billionaires would continue to meet over the next few months.
A guest at the meeting told the Times population growth would be addressed as a potentially disastrous environmental, social and industrial threat.
"This is something so nightmarish that everyone in this group agreed it needs big-brain answers," said the guest. "They need to be independent of government agencies, which are unable to head off the disaster we all see looming."
As to secrecy, the guest said, "They wanted to speak rich to rich without worrying anything they said would end up in the newspapers, painting them as an alternative world government."
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
Saturday, May 23, 2009
No new taxes in California
The very blue state of California interestingly rejected their Republican governor's proposal to save the state budget by raising taxes. Very interesting! I wish progressives weren't so linked to higher taxes, and could see the problem with this in the long run. Progressivism isn't about government power, it's about helping people.
Modesty triumphs talent in Idol, Dancing
So, Kris beat Adam Lambert in American Idol, even though Adam was clearly more talented. Why? Kris was more modest. People like that.
On the same night, Shawn Johnson of Olympic gymnastics fame beat out a more flashy and less clothed former bacherlorette and Dallas Cowboys chearleader. What was different about Shawn? She was the underdog, but precise in her steps.
Is America choosing a different path? Or is this just a blip.
On the same night, Shawn Johnson of Olympic gymnastics fame beat out a more flashy and less clothed former bacherlorette and Dallas Cowboys chearleader. What was different about Shawn? She was the underdog, but precise in her steps.
Is America choosing a different path? Or is this just a blip.
No freedom of assembly in San Diego
Is this for real?
**************************
Home: No place for Bible study
County demands pastor obtain $10,000 permit to host friends
Posted: May 22, 2009
5:13 pm Eastern
By Drew Zahn
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
A San Diego pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a county official and warned they will face escalating fines if they continue to hold Bible studies in their home.
The couple, whose names are being withheld until a demand letter can be filed on their behalf, told their attorney a county government employee knocked on their door on Good Friday, asking a litany of questions about their Tuesday night Bible studies, which are attended by approximately 15 people.
"Do you have a regular weekly meeting in your home? Do you sing? Do you say 'amen'?" the official reportedly asked. "Do you say, 'Praise the Lord'?"
The pastor's wife answered yes.
She says she was then told, however, that she must stop holding "religious assemblies" until she and her husband obtain a Major Use Permit from the county, a permit that often involves traffic and environmental studies, compliance with parking and sidewalk regulations and costs that top tens of thousands of dollars.
And if they fail to pay for the MUP, the county official reportedly warned, the couple will be charged escalating fines beginning at $100, then $200, $500, $1000, "and then it will get ugly."
**************************
Home: No place for Bible study
County demands pastor obtain $10,000 permit to host friends
Posted: May 22, 2009
5:13 pm Eastern
By Drew Zahn
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
A San Diego pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a county official and warned they will face escalating fines if they continue to hold Bible studies in their home.
The couple, whose names are being withheld until a demand letter can be filed on their behalf, told their attorney a county government employee knocked on their door on Good Friday, asking a litany of questions about their Tuesday night Bible studies, which are attended by approximately 15 people.
"Do you have a regular weekly meeting in your home? Do you sing? Do you say 'amen'?" the official reportedly asked. "Do you say, 'Praise the Lord'?"
The pastor's wife answered yes.
She says she was then told, however, that she must stop holding "religious assemblies" until she and her husband obtain a Major Use Permit from the county, a permit that often involves traffic and environmental studies, compliance with parking and sidewalk regulations and costs that top tens of thousands of dollars.
And if they fail to pay for the MUP, the county official reportedly warned, the couple will be charged escalating fines beginning at $100, then $200, $500, $1000, "and then it will get ugly."
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Carla Bruni on the Pope and contraception
This is why the world disrespects the French. 43% said the Pope should step down? Says the third wife of the philanderer in chief.
*****************************************************
France's First Lady said that the Church's teachings had left her feeling "profoundly secular".
She departed from her post's traditional religious neutrality to accuse the Pope of "damaging" countries like Africa with his stance on birth control.
Related Articles
Can the Catholic Church survive Carla Bruni's attack on Benedict XVI?
Pope upbraids Catholics who have attacked him with un-Christian 'hostility' over the Williamson affair, according to leaks
New leader of Roman Catholic church: 'Do not marginalise faith'
The Dawkins Delusion: Benedict XVI is 'stupid, ignorant or dim'
Once again, I'm ashamed to be a CatholicThe Italian-born former supermodel risked angering believers in France and beyond by declaring that the Pontiff's proclamations showed that the Church needed to "evolve".
In March, the Pope sparked controversy while on an Africa tour by saying that the AIDs pandemic which has crippled the continent "can't be resolved with the distribution of condoms; on the contrary, there is the risk of increasing the problem".
Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy said: "I was born Catholic, I was baptised, but in my life I feel profoundly secular.
"I find that the controversy coming from the Pope's message – albeit distorted by the media – is very damaging.
"In Africa it's often Church people who look after sick people. It's astonishing to see the difference between the theory and the reality.
"I think the Church should evolve on this issue. It presents the condom as a contraceptive which, incidentally, it forbids, although it is the only existing protection," she told Femme Actuelle, the women's magazine.
The comments will cause Mr Sarkozy embarrassment in a country where, despite the separation of Church and State, a majority of the population was born Catholic.
André Roux, a constitutional historian said: "It's unprecedented for a first lady to criticise the Pope. Charles de Gaulle's wife was very Catholic and would never had taken up position, remaining very discreet. The same was true of Bernadette Chirac, who never gave her opinion on religion or international affairs.
"Even Danielle Mitterrand, the wife of François Mitterrand who was not a believer and aired her political views, never attacked the Pope.
"In my view, there is a certain obligation to keep counsel when one is the wife of a head of state, such comments are not opportune. Given her public position the effects of her comments risk carrying more weight than just the personal views of Carla Bruni."
Mr Sarkozy wrote in a 2005 book The Republic, Religions and Hope: "I acknowledge myself as a member of the Catholic Church", even if his religious practice was "periodic".
When he visited the Pope in Rome shortly after his election in 2007, he left his then girlfriend Miss Bruni – a single, unmarried mother – in Paris to avoid embarrassment.
After becoming Mr Sarkozy's third wife last year Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy has campaigned against the spread of Aids in Africa. The Pope's stance against the use of contraceptives in Africa was roundly criticised in France – including by many Catholics. Some 43 per cent of them wanted the Pontiff to step down, according to one poll.
*****************************************************
France's First Lady said that the Church's teachings had left her feeling "profoundly secular".
She departed from her post's traditional religious neutrality to accuse the Pope of "damaging" countries like Africa with his stance on birth control.
Related Articles
Can the Catholic Church survive Carla Bruni's attack on Benedict XVI?
Pope upbraids Catholics who have attacked him with un-Christian 'hostility' over the Williamson affair, according to leaks
New leader of Roman Catholic church: 'Do not marginalise faith'
The Dawkins Delusion: Benedict XVI is 'stupid, ignorant or dim'
Once again, I'm ashamed to be a CatholicThe Italian-born former supermodel risked angering believers in France and beyond by declaring that the Pontiff's proclamations showed that the Church needed to "evolve".
In March, the Pope sparked controversy while on an Africa tour by saying that the AIDs pandemic which has crippled the continent "can't be resolved with the distribution of condoms; on the contrary, there is the risk of increasing the problem".
Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy said: "I was born Catholic, I was baptised, but in my life I feel profoundly secular.
"I find that the controversy coming from the Pope's message – albeit distorted by the media – is very damaging.
"In Africa it's often Church people who look after sick people. It's astonishing to see the difference between the theory and the reality.
"I think the Church should evolve on this issue. It presents the condom as a contraceptive which, incidentally, it forbids, although it is the only existing protection," she told Femme Actuelle, the women's magazine.
The comments will cause Mr Sarkozy embarrassment in a country where, despite the separation of Church and State, a majority of the population was born Catholic.
André Roux, a constitutional historian said: "It's unprecedented for a first lady to criticise the Pope. Charles de Gaulle's wife was very Catholic and would never had taken up position, remaining very discreet. The same was true of Bernadette Chirac, who never gave her opinion on religion or international affairs.
"Even Danielle Mitterrand, the wife of François Mitterrand who was not a believer and aired her political views, never attacked the Pope.
"In my view, there is a certain obligation to keep counsel when one is the wife of a head of state, such comments are not opportune. Given her public position the effects of her comments risk carrying more weight than just the personal views of Carla Bruni."
Mr Sarkozy wrote in a 2005 book The Republic, Religions and Hope: "I acknowledge myself as a member of the Catholic Church", even if his religious practice was "periodic".
When he visited the Pope in Rome shortly after his election in 2007, he left his then girlfriend Miss Bruni – a single, unmarried mother – in Paris to avoid embarrassment.
After becoming Mr Sarkozy's third wife last year Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy has campaigned against the spread of Aids in Africa. The Pope's stance against the use of contraceptives in Africa was roundly criticised in France – including by many Catholics. Some 43 per cent of them wanted the Pontiff to step down, according to one poll.
American Idol red state vs blue state?
A funny analysis. Is everything political and cultural these days?
***********************
Now comes the real blockbuster election - one that will hinge just as much on complex demographic, technological and geographic factors as last year's epic presidential battle.
We are talking, of course, about "American Idol," the season finale of which will begin Tuesday night and end Wednesday night with the crowning of a new Idol.
Theories abound over who has the inside edge - the neo-glam, San Diego-bred Adam Lambert, 27, or the younger, more down-home Kris Allen, 23, of Conway, Ark.
Veteran political consultants say the 2008 presidential election is a useful prism through which to view this high-profile faceoff.
"The profiles of Adam and Kris suggest that this is really a red state versus blue state showdown," suggested Chris Lehane, a California-based political consultant who worked on the presidential campaigns of Al Gore and John Kerry.
The way Lehane sees it, Adam is the liberal in this race, the hipster from big blue California with a certain progressive flair, including painted fingernails and copious amounts of eyeliner.
Kris is more of a red-state country boy - a baby-faced, guitar-pickin', churchgoin' son of the land of Woo Pig Soiee, which voted solidly Republican in the last election.
"It will come down to whether Adam is able to build on the blue-state, progressive wave we have seen building since 2006, or whether this is a last gasp for the red state viewer/voter," explained Lehane by e-mail.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/americanidol/2009/05/19/2009-05-19_lambert_vs_allen_american_idol_finale.html#ixzz0FxW7RJSH&B
***********************
Now comes the real blockbuster election - one that will hinge just as much on complex demographic, technological and geographic factors as last year's epic presidential battle.
We are talking, of course, about "American Idol," the season finale of which will begin Tuesday night and end Wednesday night with the crowning of a new Idol.
Theories abound over who has the inside edge - the neo-glam, San Diego-bred Adam Lambert, 27, or the younger, more down-home Kris Allen, 23, of Conway, Ark.
Veteran political consultants say the 2008 presidential election is a useful prism through which to view this high-profile faceoff.
"The profiles of Adam and Kris suggest that this is really a red state versus blue state showdown," suggested Chris Lehane, a California-based political consultant who worked on the presidential campaigns of Al Gore and John Kerry.
The way Lehane sees it, Adam is the liberal in this race, the hipster from big blue California with a certain progressive flair, including painted fingernails and copious amounts of eyeliner.
Kris is more of a red-state country boy - a baby-faced, guitar-pickin', churchgoin' son of the land of Woo Pig Soiee, which voted solidly Republican in the last election.
"It will come down to whether Adam is able to build on the blue-state, progressive wave we have seen building since 2006, or whether this is a last gasp for the red state viewer/voter," explained Lehane by e-mail.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/americanidol/2009/05/19/2009-05-19_lambert_vs_allen_american_idol_finale.html#ixzz0FxW7RJSH&B
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Free speech in South Bend?
A report from the street after Obama spoke...
***********************************************
Sunday, May 17, 2009
I just spoke by phone with a friend, Sonny Torres, who went to Notre Dame this weekend with his wife Karen to protest the university giving Obama an honorary degree and a platform for promoting his policies which include murdering unborn children. Neither of my friends had any intention of getting arrested, but the Lord apparently had other plans.
After six hours of joining in the protests off campus, Karen and Sonny left to begin their long ride back to Virginia. But they got turned around and pulled into the parking lot of a credit union bordering the university campus to get their bearings. As they did, they noticed a group of police cars gathering and officers putting up barricades which appeared to mark the route of the Obama motorcade. So Karen and Sonny got out and Karen pulled out her sign, a half posterboard sheet, that read, "Shame on Notre Dame!"
A few minutes later a police officer came over and told them they'd have to move back 50 feet from the road which they did even though others were standing closer. As they walked back with the officer, they objected to being singled out and asked why those walking on the sidewalk weren't being moved back. The officer spoke into his phone and a minute later they were surrounded by cops and Karen was summarily arrested, handcuffed, hauled off, and charged with criminal trespass.
In the meantime Sonny, still in the credit union parking lot, watched as a growing crowd gathered, one person carrying a sign that read, "We're proud of Notred Dame" and another with a sign praising Notre Dame president, Fr. Jenkins. Sonny went over to the officer who spoke to them originally and asked why Karen was arrested and these people weren't. The officer claimed Karen "was belligerant" (if you dare to ask a question, you're "belligerant") and then threatened Sonny with arrest as well.
Sonny stayed in the parking lot another fifteen minutes or so and watched the officer sit in his car twenty feet from a group of about 80 people not 50 feet from the street, not ten feet, but actually sitting and standing on the curb practically in the street itself. Apparently none of those who came to worship at the feet of the abortion president was trespassing even though they gathered in the same place, even closer to the street, on ground forbidden to my friends because of Karen's sign, an unwelcome form of speech.
After talking to Sonny, I called the jail and spoke to Deputy Vawastowski (Is she a polish Catholic?) who told me Karen was charged with criminal trespass and her bail was set at $250. She could not give me the statute under which Karen had been charged and said she had no other information, but it would be on the arresting officer's charge sheet.
Now, let's recap this and make everything perfectly clear. Approximately 100 people ended up milling around in the same area as my friends, some much closer to the street within the forbidden 50 foot zone. But the only individual singled out for arrest FOR TRESPASSING was a woman holding a sign that said, "Shame on Notre Dame!" Those bearing signs of approval were unmolested. If this isn't a first amendment violation and a case of false arrest I don't know what is.
The Department of Homeland Security may have pulled their "right-wing extremist" report, but it's clear that pro-lifers are in the sites of law enforcement who will use any pretext to shut them up and make sure the abortion president won't be embarrassed by their signs. The deputies in this case acted like little brownshirts I'm sad to say. (My brother is a retired police officer and one of my heroes. It pains me when I have to criticize law enforcement officers who abuse their authority.)
I hope when you read this you're as angry as I am and will call the jail and protest the false arrest of my friend Karen Torres. The number at the South Bend jail is 574-245-6518. Ask them why they didn't arrest any of the other 50-100 people in the same area who were obviously trespassing as well if my friend was. If you call, please be polite, but express your concern that Karen's was singled out, a clear violation of her right to free speech.
***********************************************
Sunday, May 17, 2009
I just spoke by phone with a friend, Sonny Torres, who went to Notre Dame this weekend with his wife Karen to protest the university giving Obama an honorary degree and a platform for promoting his policies which include murdering unborn children. Neither of my friends had any intention of getting arrested, but the Lord apparently had other plans.
After six hours of joining in the protests off campus, Karen and Sonny left to begin their long ride back to Virginia. But they got turned around and pulled into the parking lot of a credit union bordering the university campus to get their bearings. As they did, they noticed a group of police cars gathering and officers putting up barricades which appeared to mark the route of the Obama motorcade. So Karen and Sonny got out and Karen pulled out her sign, a half posterboard sheet, that read, "Shame on Notre Dame!"
A few minutes later a police officer came over and told them they'd have to move back 50 feet from the road which they did even though others were standing closer. As they walked back with the officer, they objected to being singled out and asked why those walking on the sidewalk weren't being moved back. The officer spoke into his phone and a minute later they were surrounded by cops and Karen was summarily arrested, handcuffed, hauled off, and charged with criminal trespass.
In the meantime Sonny, still in the credit union parking lot, watched as a growing crowd gathered, one person carrying a sign that read, "We're proud of Notred Dame" and another with a sign praising Notre Dame president, Fr. Jenkins. Sonny went over to the officer who spoke to them originally and asked why Karen was arrested and these people weren't. The officer claimed Karen "was belligerant" (if you dare to ask a question, you're "belligerant") and then threatened Sonny with arrest as well.
Sonny stayed in the parking lot another fifteen minutes or so and watched the officer sit in his car twenty feet from a group of about 80 people not 50 feet from the street, not ten feet, but actually sitting and standing on the curb practically in the street itself. Apparently none of those who came to worship at the feet of the abortion president was trespassing even though they gathered in the same place, even closer to the street, on ground forbidden to my friends because of Karen's sign, an unwelcome form of speech.
After talking to Sonny, I called the jail and spoke to Deputy Vawastowski (Is she a polish Catholic?) who told me Karen was charged with criminal trespass and her bail was set at $250. She could not give me the statute under which Karen had been charged and said she had no other information, but it would be on the arresting officer's charge sheet.
Now, let's recap this and make everything perfectly clear. Approximately 100 people ended up milling around in the same area as my friends, some much closer to the street within the forbidden 50 foot zone. But the only individual singled out for arrest FOR TRESPASSING was a woman holding a sign that said, "Shame on Notre Dame!" Those bearing signs of approval were unmolested. If this isn't a first amendment violation and a case of false arrest I don't know what is.
The Department of Homeland Security may have pulled their "right-wing extremist" report, but it's clear that pro-lifers are in the sites of law enforcement who will use any pretext to shut them up and make sure the abortion president won't be embarrassed by their signs. The deputies in this case acted like little brownshirts I'm sad to say. (My brother is a retired police officer and one of my heroes. It pains me when I have to criticize law enforcement officers who abuse their authority.)
I hope when you read this you're as angry as I am and will call the jail and protest the false arrest of my friend Karen Torres. The number at the South Bend jail is 574-245-6518. Ask them why they didn't arrest any of the other 50-100 people in the same area who were obviously trespassing as well if my friend was. If you call, please be polite, but express your concern that Karen's was singled out, a clear violation of her right to free speech.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The UK's ban of Michael Savage
Quite an extreme step that smacks of censorship. I guess the Brits never learned the lesson of the American Rebellion aka Revolution.
***********************
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Two Americans banned from entering the United Kingdom because the government feels they have been "stirring up hatred" responded by slamming the country's home secretary, and one of them threatened to sue her.
Jacqui Smith said she did not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views.
Radio talk show host Michael Savage and the anti-gay Rev. Fred Phelps were listed Tuesday among white supremacists and radical Islamic clerics who will not be allowed into the country.
Savage, whose conservative daily show can be heard on radio stations across America, lashed out in an audio clip on his Web site and devoted seven stories on his main page to the ban. He is listed under his real name, Michael Alan Wiener.
Britain's Home Office said it decided to exclude the 22 people on the list after measures by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith last year targeting people "who have engaged in spreading hate."
"She has painted a target on my back, linking me with people who are in prison for killing people," Savage said. "How could they put Michael Savage in the same league as mass murderers when I have never avowed violence?" Watch more about Savage's reaction »
According to the British Home Office, Savage is on the list for "seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence."
Smith said she is determined to keep those who "spread extremism, hatred and violent messages" out of the country.
Don't Miss
Nine of 11 England terror suspects released
Web site: UK Home Office
"Coming to the UK is a privilege, and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life," Smith said. "Therefore, I do not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views, as I want them to know that they are not welcome here.
The Home Office named only 16 people on the list, saying it was not in the public interest to disclose the names of the other six.
Savage called Smith a "witch" in the audio clip and asked why six names on the list weren't released. He also questioned why North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez didn't make the list.
Savage said he has seven attorneys working on a defamation lawsuit against Smith and encouraged his listeners to call off any travel plans to England and boycott all British products.
Savage's show is not syndicated in England.
The outspoken Kansas Rev. Fred Phelps and his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, also made the list for "engaging in unacceptable behavior and fostering hatred."
Phelps did not issue a response on his Web site. However, the site linked to a British news story on the ban and the link called Smith a "neo-Nazi dyke" and "filthy God-hater."
Phelps and his followers at Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church oppose homosexuality. They picket the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq, saying their deaths are God's way of punishing the United States for supporting homosexuals.
They have expressed similar views about the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks and Hurricane Katrina. The church's slogan is "God Hates Fags."
Also on the list:
• Former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard Don Black, who established the white supremacist Web site Stormfront, which the Home Office called one of the oldest and largest hate group sites.
• Eric Gliebe, chairman of the National Alliance, one of the largest neo-Nazi groups in the United States. The Home Office accused Gliebe of "justifying terrorist violence, provoking others to commit serious crime and fostering racial hatred."
• Samir al Quntar, a Lebanese man who spent three decades in prison for killing four Israeli soldiers and a 4-year-old girl in 1979. Al Quntar is listed for "engaging in unacceptable behavior by seeking to foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence" in order to provoke terrorist acts, the Home Office said.
• Nasr Javed, a leader of the Kashmiri militant group, Lashkar e Taiba.
• Islamic clerics Abdul Ali Musa, Abdullah Qadri Al Ahdal, Amir Siddique, Yunis Al Astal and Safwat Hijazi.
• Wadgy Abd El Hamied Mohamed Ghoneim, whom the Home Office describes as a prolific writer and speaker. The Home Office said he has sought "to foment, justify or glory terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs and to provoke others to commit terrorist acts."
• Mike Guzofsky, the leader of a militant Jewish group who also has ties to Kahane Chai, a group that the U.S. State Department lists as a foreign terrorist organization.
• Russian skinheads Artur Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky, whom the Home Office said are "leaders of a violent gang that beat migrants and posted films of their attacks on the Internet."
***********************
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Two Americans banned from entering the United Kingdom because the government feels they have been "stirring up hatred" responded by slamming the country's home secretary, and one of them threatened to sue her.
Jacqui Smith said she did not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views.
Radio talk show host Michael Savage and the anti-gay Rev. Fred Phelps were listed Tuesday among white supremacists and radical Islamic clerics who will not be allowed into the country.
Savage, whose conservative daily show can be heard on radio stations across America, lashed out in an audio clip on his Web site and devoted seven stories on his main page to the ban. He is listed under his real name, Michael Alan Wiener.
Britain's Home Office said it decided to exclude the 22 people on the list after measures by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith last year targeting people "who have engaged in spreading hate."
"She has painted a target on my back, linking me with people who are in prison for killing people," Savage said. "How could they put Michael Savage in the same league as mass murderers when I have never avowed violence?" Watch more about Savage's reaction »
According to the British Home Office, Savage is on the list for "seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence."
Smith said she is determined to keep those who "spread extremism, hatred and violent messages" out of the country.
Don't Miss
Nine of 11 England terror suspects released
Web site: UK Home Office
"Coming to the UK is a privilege, and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life," Smith said. "Therefore, I do not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views, as I want them to know that they are not welcome here.
The Home Office named only 16 people on the list, saying it was not in the public interest to disclose the names of the other six.
Savage called Smith a "witch" in the audio clip and asked why six names on the list weren't released. He also questioned why North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez didn't make the list.
Savage said he has seven attorneys working on a defamation lawsuit against Smith and encouraged his listeners to call off any travel plans to England and boycott all British products.
Savage's show is not syndicated in England.
The outspoken Kansas Rev. Fred Phelps and his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, also made the list for "engaging in unacceptable behavior and fostering hatred."
Phelps did not issue a response on his Web site. However, the site linked to a British news story on the ban and the link called Smith a "neo-Nazi dyke" and "filthy God-hater."
Phelps and his followers at Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church oppose homosexuality. They picket the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq, saying their deaths are God's way of punishing the United States for supporting homosexuals.
They have expressed similar views about the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks and Hurricane Katrina. The church's slogan is "God Hates Fags."
Also on the list:
• Former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard Don Black, who established the white supremacist Web site Stormfront, which the Home Office called one of the oldest and largest hate group sites.
• Eric Gliebe, chairman of the National Alliance, one of the largest neo-Nazi groups in the United States. The Home Office accused Gliebe of "justifying terrorist violence, provoking others to commit serious crime and fostering racial hatred."
• Samir al Quntar, a Lebanese man who spent three decades in prison for killing four Israeli soldiers and a 4-year-old girl in 1979. Al Quntar is listed for "engaging in unacceptable behavior by seeking to foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence" in order to provoke terrorist acts, the Home Office said.
• Nasr Javed, a leader of the Kashmiri militant group, Lashkar e Taiba.
• Islamic clerics Abdul Ali Musa, Abdullah Qadri Al Ahdal, Amir Siddique, Yunis Al Astal and Safwat Hijazi.
• Wadgy Abd El Hamied Mohamed Ghoneim, whom the Home Office describes as a prolific writer and speaker. The Home Office said he has sought "to foment, justify or glory terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs and to provoke others to commit terrorist acts."
• Mike Guzofsky, the leader of a militant Jewish group who also has ties to Kahane Chai, a group that the U.S. State Department lists as a foreign terrorist organization.
• Russian skinheads Artur Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky, whom the Home Office said are "leaders of a violent gang that beat migrants and posted films of their attacks on the Internet."
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Those Dark Middle Ages...
...get such a bad rap. It was the age of William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Isaac Newton (1643-1727), John Locke (1632-1704), Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642), Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1550), Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675), Samuel De Champlain (1575-1635), Rene Descartes (1596-1650), Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), Blaise Pascal (1632-1662), and Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677); it was the age that saw the publication of the King James Bible (1611), the creation of the logarithm (1614), the discovery of circulatory system (1628), the Founding of the Royal Society of London (1660), the creation of calculus (1684), and the Glorious Revolution (1688).
Pray tell what was so dark about the period preceding the "Enlightenment".
Pray tell what was so dark about the period preceding the "Enlightenment".
Domestic Extremism Lexicon
Some entries:
(U) anti-immigration extremism (U//FOUO)
A movement of groups or individuals who are vehemently opposed to illegal immigration, particularly along the U.S. Southwest border with Mexico, and who have been known to advocate or engage in criminal activity and plot acts of violence and terrorism to advance their extremist goals. They are highly critical of the U.S. government’s response to illegal immigration and oppose government programs that are designed to extend “rights” to illegal aliens, such as issuing driver’s licenses or national identification cards and providing in-state tuition, medical benefits, or public education.
(U) Mexican separatism (U//FOUO)
A movement of groups or individuals of Mexican descent who advocate the secession of southwestern U.S. states (all or part of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas) to join with Mexico through armed struggle. Members do not recognize the legitimacy of these U.S. states, including the U.S. government’s original acquisition of these territories.
(U) black nationalism (U//FOUO)
A term used by black separatists to promote the unification and separate identity of persons of black or African-American descent and who advocate the establishment of a separate nation within the United States.
(U) black power (U//FOUO)
A term used by black separatists to describe their pride in and the perceived superiority of the black race.
(U) racial Nordic mysticism (U//FOUO)
An ideology adopted by many white supremacist prison gangs who embrace a Norse mythological religion, such as Odinism or Asatru.
(U) skinheads (U//FOUO)
A subculture composed primarily of working-class, white youth who embrace shaved heads for males, substance abuse, and violence. Skinheads can be categorized as racist, antiracist, or “traditional,” which emphasizes group unity based on fashion, music, and lifestyle rather than political ideology. Dress often includes a shaved head or very short hair, jeans, thin suspenders, combat boots or Doc Martens, and a bomber jacket. (also: skins)
antiabortion extremism: A movement of groups or individuals who are virulently antiabortion and advocate violence against providers of abortion-related services, their employees, and their facilities. Some cite various racist and anti-Semitic beliefs to justify their criminal activities.
anti-immigration extremism: A movement of groups or individuals who are vehemently opposed to illegal immigration, particularly along the U.S. southwest border with Mexico, and who have been known to advocate or engage in criminal activity and plot acts of violence and terrorism to advance their extremist goals.
patriot movement: A term used by rightwing extremists to link their beliefs to those commonly associated with the American Revolution.
(U) anti-immigration extremism (U//FOUO)
A movement of groups or individuals who are vehemently opposed to illegal immigration, particularly along the U.S. Southwest border with Mexico, and who have been known to advocate or engage in criminal activity and plot acts of violence and terrorism to advance their extremist goals. They are highly critical of the U.S. government’s response to illegal immigration and oppose government programs that are designed to extend “rights” to illegal aliens, such as issuing driver’s licenses or national identification cards and providing in-state tuition, medical benefits, or public education.
(U) Mexican separatism (U//FOUO)
A movement of groups or individuals of Mexican descent who advocate the secession of southwestern U.S. states (all or part of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas) to join with Mexico through armed struggle. Members do not recognize the legitimacy of these U.S. states, including the U.S. government’s original acquisition of these territories.
(U) black nationalism (U//FOUO)
A term used by black separatists to promote the unification and separate identity of persons of black or African-American descent and who advocate the establishment of a separate nation within the United States.
(U) black power (U//FOUO)
A term used by black separatists to describe their pride in and the perceived superiority of the black race.
(U) racial Nordic mysticism (U//FOUO)
An ideology adopted by many white supremacist prison gangs who embrace a Norse mythological religion, such as Odinism or Asatru.
(U) skinheads (U//FOUO)
A subculture composed primarily of working-class, white youth who embrace shaved heads for males, substance abuse, and violence. Skinheads can be categorized as racist, antiracist, or “traditional,” which emphasizes group unity based on fashion, music, and lifestyle rather than political ideology. Dress often includes a shaved head or very short hair, jeans, thin suspenders, combat boots or Doc Martens, and a bomber jacket. (also: skins)
antiabortion extremism: A movement of groups or individuals who are virulently antiabortion and advocate violence against providers of abortion-related services, their employees, and their facilities. Some cite various racist and anti-Semitic beliefs to justify their criminal activities.
anti-immigration extremism: A movement of groups or individuals who are vehemently opposed to illegal immigration, particularly along the U.S. southwest border with Mexico, and who have been known to advocate or engage in criminal activity and plot acts of violence and terrorism to advance their extremist goals.
patriot movement: A term used by rightwing extremists to link their beliefs to those commonly associated with the American Revolution.
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