I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peacably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

November 16, 2009

• Axelrod Signals Obama Will Try to Strip Abortion Language From Health Care Bill 11-15-09
  Barack Obama doesn't care what your religious beliefs are, nor is he remotely concerned that you be permitted to exercise them or avoid the imposition of contrary beliefs on you. That's why he'll almost certainly do what Axelrod says unless, of course, Pelosi's posse doesn't beat him to it.
• ACLU threatens to sue Stow-Munroe Falls School District over 'interference' with school newspaper
  11-14-09
  This case isn't quite as clearcut as it might seem at first blush, although I do believe there's been censorship at the school. While I'm inclined to give administrators in this kind of setting the final say, it's clear that there's an apparent issue with a particular principal who, by all appearances, has been out of line and abusive of power more than once. Case in point: There's nothing mentioned in either of the two issues of the newspaper at the crux of the debate that should have been censored, and yet both were. The only good news here is that the students working on the newsletter are learning a whole lot more than they would have if everything had moved along smoothly this year.
• Obama Aide Dunn Renews Criticism of Fox, Hails Jon Stewart 11-14-09
  Wow. Wow. I got nothin'.
• COMMENTARY The Mormon Church Supports Gay Rights ... Wait, What? 11-13-09
  It's simple enough to explain: The church doesn't believe anybody should be discriminated against. Period. That's an entirely different thing than suggesting that it would approve of homosexuality. People really shouldn't try to confuse the two. I frankly agree with the activist who suggests the gay community don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Besides, the church is really only practicing what it preaches by taking this position.

November 13, 2009

• Ayers, Dohrn accuse Hillary of 'white supremacy' 11-13-09
  Let's see, we can't call a terrorist a terrorist because that might be offensive, but these idiots can talk like they do and no one bats an eye. I never thought I'd see the day where I'd defend Hillary Clinton, but of all the criticism she does deserve, this ain't it.
• Former clinic director: Church chilly to my pro-life turn 11-13-09
  The former clinic director needs to get over it. Some churches consider one view of abortion while others have the opposite. That's not a matter of politics or of any kind of freedom whatsoever, other than the freedom to believe as one believes. If she has a problem with her current church (or they with her), she needs to change churches. These things don't—and shouldn't be expected to—work the other way around.
• Classmates: Hasan defended suicide bombings, held Islamist views 11-12-09
  We draw all sorts of lines where freedom of religion is concerne: Child brides, multiple wives, child abuse, and so on. Now how is this kind of thing not abusive and in even broader terms? Why the tolerance for fundamentalist Islam? We might as well be tolerant of ritual human sacrifice which, in some ways, is what jihad actually is!
• MSNBC's Nancy Snyderman Lobbies IRS: Go After Catholic Bishops for Opposing Abortion in Health Care Bill 11-12-09
  I don't consider MSNBC to be a remotely reliable new source, and I'm no fan of Dr. Snyderman, either. But I'm afraid she's right on this one. If you want to lobby politics, you're a lobbyist, not a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt religious group. Here's the deal: The Catholic church opposes abortion. Priessts preach against it in services, and some write against it in publications. Those who are "good" Catholics don't need a lobbying group to suggest they vote for or against anything because "good" Catholics will toe the "official" religious line. Those who don't toe that line aren't good Catholics. The end, no politics involved. (By the way, that means the church has another and more important decision to make, and that's whether or not to kick out particularly bad Catholics—like Nancy Pelosi and Patrick Kennedy who openly favor abortion.)
• Patrick Kennedy clashes with outspoken RI bishop 11-12-09
  Kennedy wants to have his cake and eat it, too. Abortion, to Catholics, is a terrible sin. While such a sin might be forgiven, promotion of it and repetition of it will surely not find much favor with those who consider abortion immoral. Kennedy should find another church, and rank-and-file Catholics should either admit they're not much for the church, either, or stop supporting him.

November 12, 2009

• Democrat Questions Catholic Group’s Tax-Exempt Status After Bishops Pressed for Ban on Abortion Funding 11-12-09
  Did the Catholic group do anything morally wrong? Nope. In fact, it did precisely what it deems morally right. But that's neither here nor there. The group was politicking, something that's forbidden under 501(c)(3) regulations.
• Student prez punished for allowing free speech? 11-12-09
  This has nothing to do with the student's own religious beliefs, and it never did. Now, there may come a day when he does refuse equal space and time for those with whom he disagrees, and then he should be taken to task. But today is not that day; the school couldn't be more wrong. I almost hope this matter does end up in court so that school officials will be punished. At least then they can say they've taught their students something that's actually worthwhile!
• BLOG ENTRY Newly Revealed Documents Contradict NEA Chairman Landesman 11-12-09
  Okay, everybody who's surprised the involvement went deeper and higher into the White House than earlier reported, raise your hand. Everybody. Anybody? No?
• Shuler: Pelosi the "most misunderstood person" in D.C. 11-11-09
  You simply cannot use the words "devout Catholic" to describe Nancy Pelosi and expect me not to laugh. Forget everything else, and focus solely on the abortion issue as connected to health care reform, and you'll start to snicker a little yourself. (As an aside, how is it that Catholic authorities haven't excommunicated this pretender yet?)
• COMMENTARY What's behind America's politically correct 'love' of Islam? 11-09-09
  There's a big difference between truly free speech and what we're seeing now, and there's an even larger gulf between the teachings of anyone promoting peace and those coming from extremist Muslim imams and adherents. I've said it before and I'm going to keep repeating it until everybody gets it: Your freedom of religion ends at the line that, when crossed, harms others. Period.

November 11, 2009

• Free Speech Rights Prevented Probe Into Hasan E-Mails, Investigator Says 11-11-09
  Oh, excuse me, but that's just so much BS. I'll bet any of you whatever you like that if any of my emails contained threats against public officials—even conversationally—they'd be investigating. And they should be. This is just one more excuse for a failure that lies less in the hands of the investigators than it does squarely at the feet of those who would have had those same investigators for lunch had they continued.
• CAIR speaker to Muslims: OK to attack Fort Bragg 11-11-09
  You can talk about freedom of speech and freedom of religion all that you like, but when it gets to this point, lines must be drawn. You are free to believe as you like unless you believe in killing me because I believe as I like instead of as you like. And to encourage others to think that way, in fact to exhort others to think that way, isn't akin to yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theatre. It's far, far worse.
• Dispute over Texas Fair speech restrictions heats up 11-10-09
  In a case like this, free speech doesn't apply because of the venue. Someone wanting to preach and/or hand out tracts is effectively a vendor, and it seems to me to be perfectly reasonable to expect that person to adhere to the same rules and regulations to which other vendors must adhere. Contrary to the assertions of some of the more rabidly religious, this isn't about religion at all.
• Magistrate says sectarian prayer before county commissioners meeting violates First Amendment
  11-09-09
  I agree. Unless representatives of all religions aren't only invited but welcomed, there's a clear preference going on here. Shame on those commissioners not just for encouraging this sort of thing, but also for apparently not seeing a thing wrong with it.
• Ministers Rally in DC for Religious Freedom 11-09-09
  As long as what the ministers say doesn't encourage members of their congregations to infringe the rights of homosexuals (or any other group deemed "sinful"), then it's a violation of their freedom of speech and their freedom of religion to criminalize their expression. I don't personally care whether you're gay or not, but some people and religions have moral issues with that sort of thing. While I disagree, it's not up to me to demand they change those beliefs, either, nor is it up to the federal government to police them. Shame on every last member of Congress who helped push this freedom-stealing measure through!

November 10, 2009

• 10 Percent of U.S. Mosques Preach Jihad, FBI Estimates 11-10-09
  Tell me something: If I publicly exhorted people to attack politicians or to go after blacks, what do you suppose the FBI would—and should!—do to me? And then answer this: Why aren't the authorities doing that in these mosque?
• CNN: 'Right wing' may generate backlash against Muslim soldiers 11-10-09
  Why demonize the right wing? They may be right, but in this case, they're also correct. Major Hasan was a Muslim terrorist. Should there be an assumption made that all Muslims are terrorists? Of course not. But those that are should be investigated, and I suspect many haven't been solely out of a concern for political correctness. If CNN doesn't like it, that's the very least of our problems.
• Justice Dept. Asked For News Site's Visitor Lists 11-10-09
  This is unbelievably sickening. And while it began under the Bush administration, it's apparenty tacitly if not implicitly okay with the Obama administration, too. It's not okay with me at all given the unbelievable chill on both free speech and freedom of the press I can feel just reading about the case!
• White House communications chief to step down 11-10-09
  Do I believe Anita Dunn should step down? Yes. Do I believe it will matter insofar as White House anti-free press and free speech policies are concerned? Not a bit.
• Google says Murdoch stories can be taken off 11-10-09
  Given that Google doesn't reprint stories but rather piques the interest of readers with snippets, and then sends those interested readers directly to the original source—complete with its advertising displays—I think Murdoch is shooting himself in the foot, here. He'll likely find out when he goes to paid content that Google referrals would have proved even more valuable. Too bad, but it's his choice.
• COMMENTARY Vatican Engineered Victory for Pelosicare 11-09-09
  ...and the insanity continues. It seems to me that if the Catholic Church wants to engage in the endorsement of candidates and causes, it needs to lose its tax-free status. It's not religious freedom, folks, when it imposes or interferes with the rights of others.
• Senior Democrat is 'confident' that Stupak amendment will be stripped 11-09-09
  Of course it will be. The only people dumb enough to think it wouldn't be were those Democrats who figured it was now okay to vote for the Pelosi Plan. Just remember: Without Stupak, whatever you think of abortion, you will be facilitating them with your money. I'm pretty sure that's a plain violation of your religious freedom! What do you think?
• COMMENTARY Fort Hood: Austin American-Statesman promotes gun control 11-09-09
  Now how is failing to fact check, and deliberately furthering mistaken conclusions by publishing long debunked "facts" remotely unbiased reporting? No wonder nobody trusts the media these days! I'm fairly sure it can't be trusted!

November 9, 2009

• Army shooter's mosque run by Muslim Mafia 11-09-09
  You know what? Your freedom of religion ends right about here. Actually, it should have ended right about there, but it didn't. So here works for me. Here and now.
• Democratic consultant says he got a warning from White House after appearing on Fox News 11-08-09
  So much for freedom of speech or freedom of the press, eh?
• The military's blinders 11-07-09
  Oh, why not? Political correctness has already heralded the upcoming death of free speech, it may as well just plain herald death!
• Spat Over 'Terrorists' Halts Conn. 9/11 Memorial 11-07-09
  I'm at a loss as to how we've become so politically correct that we can't even mention simple facts without being accused of some bias or another. The fact is that not only were the 9/11 crimes committed by Muslims but that they were inspired by Islam. There's no reason whatsoever, other than sheer denial, not to say so. This isn't freedom or respect for religion. This is naivite to the point of being quite literally dangerous.

November 6, 2009

• AMA's Endorsement of House Health Care Bill Sparks Internal Uprising 11-06-09
  The rationale behind this endorsement has nothing to do with the quality of health care and everything to do with quid pro quo. Given the grievous damage the Pelosi Plan would do to health care, the health care industry, and to the lives and health of every last American, the AMA couldn't possibly have made their choice for any other reason. Kudos to those who are lobbying their own group for a reversal of a policy that, according to this story, likely wasn't properly set in place to begin with.
• 'Sesame Street' Ombudsman Says Fox News Parody 'Should Have Been Resisted' 11-06-09
  And now we have propaganda for toddlers! Awesome work, PBS, just awesome. On the bright side, this may actually be a case of liberal lobbying that Barack Obama didn't personally request. On the darker side, it was still paid for with tax dollars...
• Polk County teacher suing state over fingerprinting 11-06-09
  My guess is that there are going to be a lot more cases like this in the relatively near future, particularly as at least one school (University of Akron in Ohio) has gone so far as to actually require DNA from applicants. Whatever your religious beliefs may be, it's hard not to imagine this kind of thing as being at the very least the mark of a ravening beast called government.
• Taxpayers swarm Capitol to protest Obamacare 11-05-09
  I'd like to extend my personal thanks to each and every concerned American who was in Washington yesterday to protest the nightmare that is the Pelosi Plan, and offer my undying gratitude to Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) who not only sees what's going on but who has the courage of her convictions to do something about it.
• Obama's 'army' crashes colleges for health 'reform' 11-05-09
  Okay, now this is what I'd call "astroturf!" Apparently, Obama fears he can't win without paid lobbyists of every stripe. I agree, he probably can't. Here's what I propose: When you call your politicians, preface your remarks by saying that you are actually calling to express your own thoughts and that you are not being paid to express somebody else's. (NOTE: Maybe we ought to look at making "Obama's Army" adhere to lobbyist rules since that's clearly what they are...)
• COMMENTARY The White House War on Speech 11-05-09
  This administration is a true horror where freedom of almost any kind is concerned. They're so obviously in the wrong, is it any wonder they don't want you to know what's happening? And that those who try to spread the bad news are marginalized or silenced?
• COMMENTARY Gibbs on Capitol Hill Protest: "I'm Sure There's a Jon Voight Joke in Here Somewhere"
  11-05-09
  Isn't it funny how the White House persists in diminishing anyone and everyone that doesn't toe their socialist line? Oh, sure, even Gibbs admits people have the right to speak out. He just wishes they'd do so more responsibly, apparently. Gibbs is right about one thing: Republicans don't have a plan to counter the Pelosi Plan. They have several.

November 5, 2009

• March on Washington at hand! 11-04-09
  Marches and protests are not only our right, but our obligation when we see things like this about to happen to our freedom!
• NEA raves to teachers about Alinsky 'guidebook' 11-03-09
  His motives were obviously reprehensible, but whether we like it or not, his techniques work. I suspect the NEA has motives nearly as dark and as anti-freedom as Alinsky's, but that doesn't mean we can't still learn from Alinsky—or from the NEA's dubious position on the issue.
• FEATURE Religious Right Activists Use Wide Variety Of Tactics To Evangelize In The Classroom November, 2009 Issue
  Too true. And very much too dangerous for the freedom of belief for all.

November 4, 2009

• Christians to take 'hate crimes' challenge to Holder 11-03-09
  Whether you're a Christian or not, and whatever you think of homosexuality, I would hope you're supporting this challenge. The precedent set here will effect everyone in the end, and if the precedent is a bad one, we'll all suffer accordingly. Good for the groups that are testing this issue sooner rather than later!
• ' If they feel 'offended,' you're fired 11-03-09
  Unbelievable. Unfortunately, however, not entirely unexpected. This is how they're going to censor our every though and word, by threatening everything from our livelihood to our liberty. I'm glad to see the professor is fighting and that FIRE is standing behind him. Let's just hope any judge who eventually hears the case will be on the side of freedom as well.
• ' Petition seeks FCC probe into 'hate speech' in media 11-03-09
  And heeee-eeee-eeere we go! This is precisely what most of us who opposed this measure in the first place said would happen. There are times I really hate to be right.
• ' Christmas carols to be required in public schools? 11-03-09
  You know, if other holidays and religious events are treated comparably, I was actually pretty much on board with this whole thing. And then I saw the quote from the woman promoting this whole deal, and I remembered why things like this are generally a really bad idea...

November 3, 2009

• 'Westernized' Woman Allegedly Hit by Dad's Car Dies 11-03-09
  Do I believe in freedom of religion? Of course I do! Do I believe in freedom of religion that infringes on another's rights? Not a chance. If this Iraqi transplant wanted to live his own life according to his own fundamentalist Islam, that's fine. But to force his daughter to do so is reprehensible, and to kill her when she didn't bow down to that force is inexecusable.
• Consignment shop owner can keep American flag painted on North Palm Beach location 11-02-09
  I grant you that the flag got her some consideration that a painting of something else might not have garnered, but I still agree with the decision allowing her to keep it. And I frankly hope it does open a "Pandora's box" as one councilman fears. Painted walls add interest and character to a community, and offer residents and entrepeneurs a source of pride. Maybe the fact that so many zoning boards have issues with those things has some bearing on urban blight. We already know the opposite is true!
• Man fired after saying homosexuality wrong 11-02-09
  Actually, he was fired because he couldn't keep his mouth shut, even when talking with Human Resources personnel. That being said, I believe the woman involved shouldn't have been imposing conversation about her upcoming wedding onto other employees, either, no matter who she's planning to marry.

home | alerts | constitution | bill of rights | our view | movie reviews | shop | contact | site map

This site optimized for Firefox. This page last updated Monday, November 16, 2009