Blog Smith is inspired by the myth of Hephaestus in the creation of blacksmith-like, forged materials: ideas. This blog analyzes topics that interest me: IT, politics, technology, history, education, music, and the history of religions.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
But Does She Have a Long-Form Birth Certificate?
No one seemed to check the paperwork as employers do but the woman who Obama hailed from the podium as someone seeking employment was convicted of drug fraud. Perhaps that has something to do with her unemployed status.
Sessions to Senate: Don't Rubberstamp Progressive Kagan Nomination for Obama
Sen. Sessions encouraged his Democrat colleagues in the Senate to carefully scrutinize Obama's nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Sessions argued that Kagan is a legal progressive and stated that the American people do not want Senators to confirm a Supreme Court nominee who would impose their own social or political views from the bench, and that such a philosophy is contrary to our legal heritage. Kagan does not believe in the American Constitution.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
March on Washington Against Police Brutality Aug 26, 2000: New Black Panthers, Shabazz
National Chairman of the New Black Panther Party, Malik Zulu Shabazz, has long been spewing racial hatred.
The entire video of one of his racist rants is available.
The occasion was the Redeem the Dream March on Washington Against Police Brutality which was held on the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. Participants addressed a variety of topics including racial profiling, recent brutality cases in several cities, and the state of race relations.
Redeem the Dream, Shabazz speech transcript:
(Begin 3:10:15)
... You might be a doctor. You might be a lawyer. You might be a scientist. You might have evolved to the privileged class of society, but no matter how high you fly, no matter how high you think you have gone, you still the actual fact that we are still treated as niggers in the hills of America. Racism stinks, rotten, from the core to the ceiling of America today.
Thirty seven years later, ladies and gentleman of the black jury. I ask you, ladies and gentleman of the black jury, thirty seven years later, how do you find white America on injustice and racism?
Crowd: Guilty!
Ladies and gentleman of the jury, on America's state and federal police, how do you find them on police brutality and racism, how do you find them?
Crowd: Guilty!
Thirty seven years later, black ladies and gentleman of the jury, how do you find white America and the outlaw governor George Bush of Texas, on the outright, cold-blooded murder on (inaudible) in Texas, how do you find them?
Crowd: Guilty!
How do you find them?
Crowd: Guilty!
How do you find her on the conspiracy to incarcerate black youth? How do you find her?
Crowd: Guilty!
How do you find her after 400 years, after serving to build a country, how do you find white America today on the denial of reparations today, how do you find her?
Crowd: Guilty!
How do you find her?
Crowd: Guilty!
We in the New Black Panther Party led by our national chairman Khallid Abdul Muhammed have a black dream today. We have a black dream which is truly a vision. We have a black dream today of little black boys, little black girls, joining hands with other black youth and black students to organize, stop the violence in our communities, and unite against a common enemy.
We have a black dream today, and a vision today, of all of our people, black lawyers, black preachers, doctors, teachers, scientists, rap artists, gang members - all black people working for a common cause.
We have a dream today as I conclude, a black dream today of self defense. Of self defense in the face of racism. In the face of police brutality. In the face of overwhelming odds against us we today have a vision of a black dream today, a black dream that when we see caskets rolling in the black community, that when we see caskets rolling and funerals in the black community, that we will see caskets and funerals in the community of our enemies as well.
We have a black dream today that we believe in the Old Testament law of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a limb for a limb, and a life for a life.
And when we organize, when we organize and unite, organize and unite like (inaudible) Stokely Carmichael said, then justice will flow down like a mighty river and then we can join hands and say ‘Free at last. Free at last. Black power. Black power. Then we will be free at last.'
Black power! Black power! Black power!
Thank you very much.
(End 3:14:03)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Jindal Calls Obama’s Actions in Gulf a ‘War’ on Louisiana
Governor Bobby Jindal gives a speech at the Rally For Economic Survival in Lafayette, Louisiana. Over 11,000 people gathered at the Cajun Dome to protest what they say is an assault on Louisiana’s economy by President Barack Obama.
“The fact that the federal government can’t do its job shouldn’t cost thousands of Louisianans OUR jobs.”
“The fact that the federal government can’t do its job shouldn’t cost thousands of Louisianans OUR jobs.”
Obama Once Again Makes Erroneous Claim That Foreign Entities Can Spend Unlimited Amounts in U.S. Elections
Obama incorrectly stated that a landmark campaign-finance ruling allows foreign entities to pour money into U.S. elections.
The Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in Citizens United vs. the FEC lifted restrictions on companies, unions, and other organizations, allowing them to make independent expenditures in political campaigns.
That ruling, however, did not allow corporations to contribute directly to a campaign or to coordinate expenditures with a campaign. Nor did the ruling lift existing law that blocks foreign contributions to political campaigns.
Under the FEC regulation 11 CFR 110.20(i): “A foreign national shall not direct, dictate, control, or directly or indirectly participate in the decision-making process of any person, such as a corporation, labor organization, political committee, or political organization with regard to such person's Federal or non-Federal election-related activities, such as decisions concerning the making of contributions, donations, expenditures, or disbursements in connection with elections for any Federal, State, or local office or decisions concerning the administration of a political committee.”
Further, federal law, under 2 USC 441-Sec. 441e, also prohibits foreign donations to political campaigns.
Police State for Christians in New Mexico
Bernalillo County Sheriff Deputy Jim Goff's July 17 comments recorded. Goff, an 18-year veteran deputy, was ordering the protesters to leave a sidewalk outside a pavilion in Albuquerque where the heavy-metal concert was scheduled to take place. He said the area was private property belonging to Hard Rock Casino and threatened to take the protesters to jail unless they vacated the pavilion area. Heavy-metal rocker Rob Zombie was performing at the pavilion, which has a 15,000 seat capacity and hosts large concerts. According to the Albuquerque Journal, the pavilion is on state trust land and owned by the state of New Mexico. It was leased to Bernalillo County in the 1990s. The county subleases the 15-acre tract of land to Live Nation, an entertainment company that operates the facility. Jeremy De los Santos, one of the protesters, told KRQE-TV 13 his group believed it was on public property because it was outside the pavilion. He admitted to arguing with deputies when asked to leave. De los Santos can be heard on video saying, "It's our constitutional right. These people are free right here to be out here, why can't we?" Goff argued with the Christian group as members recorded his comments, saying, "People don't want to see that. … You must have a crush on me, man. Are you like a gay homosexual or something like that? You keep filming me!" The protesters were taken down the street from the event, and one deputy with the last name of Allen ordered a protester to turn his video camera off.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Democratic Socialists Exploit Arizona Immigrants
Eliseo Medina at Netroots Nation: Unite to Defeat anti-immigrant, anti-Hispanic movements
Eliseo Medina, SEIU Vice President and Democratic Socialists of America Honorary Chair, was the lead speaker at last weekend's 2010 Netroots Nation discussion of Civil Rights in the Modern Era.
Here Medina tugs on the heartstrings and plays on the emotions as he urges the gathered, mainly young "progressives" to unite behind the illegal illegal immigrant community. Medina is very careful to blur the line between illegal immigrants and Latino Americans.
His message is that by exploiting the Latino vote, "progressives" can carry several key states in November. To do that, the left must portray any resistance to illegal immigration as an attack on all Latinos.
Physicist Declares Climate Change a Fraud
Physicist Dr. Denis Rancourt, a former professor and environmental science researcher at the University of Ottawa, has attacked the politicized global warming movement.
In a video released by Climate Depot, Dr. Rancourt declares that the entire man-made global warming movement is nothing more than a “corrupt social phenomenon.” “It is as much psychological and social phenomenon as anything else,” Rancourt, who has published peer-reviewed research, explained in a June 8, 2010 essay. (Rancourt's email: claude.cde@gmail.com)
“I argue that by far the most destructive force on the planet is power-driven financiers and profit-driven corporations and their cartels backed by military might; and that the global warming myth is a red herring that contributes to hiding this truth. In my opinion, activists who, using any justification, feed the global warming myth have effectively been co-opted, or at best neutralized,” Rancourt said.
IAN HUNTER AT HIGH VOLTAGE 25 JULY 2010
Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Who Do You Love?
Who Do You Love? (2nd version)
Who Do You Love?, partial clip
ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY
HAVING THE PLUG PULLED
22 August 2010 Update straight from the Horse's Mouth.
Chris Miller: I think High Voltage was a combination of errors all of which I had nothing to do with. They did apologize, but it wasn't all their fault. Like I said, it was a combination. I was annoyed because the stage sound was great and you never know what' it's going to be like on a festival. It's frustrating to ravel 3,000 miles - to rehearse for a 35 minutes set - which somehow becomes 10 minutes. I hadn't even started. I felt bad for Andy, who came with me and I felt bad for all those people who came to see us. The whole thing got blown out of all proportion. I got angry - for about 30 seconds - what can you do?
Bill McCue: 'Great RH pic of you with Pagey at High Voltage. Do you two get on these days? I remember bad blood between Zep and MTH at the Uris in the 70's. Re: age - what's your secret?' Jimmy came to a MTH gig at Hammersmith but I wasn't able to meet him as I was leaving the stage and going straight back to the hotel to preserve the vocals. It was great he popped down to High Voltage with Ross. We had a couple of chats before and after the gig - he was genuinely nice. We never mentioned the Uris. We were talking about the real early days. My secret is Ross Halfin!
According to Greyhound Croydon:
Agree that the Down'n'Outz and IH set turned out to be such a huge disappointment. Don't get me wrong... Joe and the Down'nOutz were brilliant. They seem to put more life and soul into some of the songs than the originals ever had live - and I do know - I have seen most of them live by Mott, British Lions, MTH and IH. They make you realise how good some of the more obscure or less popular songs were. The Quireboys are an exceptionally 'up' band and back Joe Elliot perfectly. If you get the chance, go and see them live. You won't regret it one bit. The problem at HV was the set length taking into account IH was meant to be a special guest. I must admit I was standing there thinking 'when are you bringin Ian on?' because I just knew they were running out of time. I think the brutal truth (sorry Joe) is that Joe just did too many songs before bringing Ian on stage, specially when you consider the last two before IH were true IH live classics. When Ian did come on with Andy York it was all a bit confused for a few minutes. Nobody quite seemed to know what they were doing - though that could well have been because Joe was getting hassle from the organisers. Two slightly uncomfortable songs later the PA system said 'thanks to the Down'n'Outz', followed by the band attempting another song to find all the PA system shut down. I really thought the crowd might be able to get another song out of the organisers but then the PA started playing recorded music and the stage hands were already pulling the equipment off the stage. A little entertainment followed when Ian raised his guitar ready to swipe at the organiser, but luckily realised his guitar was more valuable than the reults would have been worth. Nonetheless he still grabbed the organiser and started remonstrating with him. A waste of time though. Still - it did remind me of the last Hammersmith Odean gig by Mott, even though the result wasn't as satisfying. Nice to see Ian still has the old fighting spirit he always used to show though!And, there was discussion about the incident on the High Voltage web site and the web site contact music also ran a story about the event. Finally, Classic Rock emailed an attendee (name redacted) as an explanation:
So... that was that. Really annoyed at the organisers at first but you have to say, they have a strict deadline for ending the day and ELP were the headliner. It wouldn't have been fair to them or the ELP fans to have their proper time cut short. The organisers really should have let IH and Joe at least say goodbye though, rather than just cutting power. That is unforgivable.
Hi [Name appeared here]At least with the controversy they made the tabloids: any publicity is good publicity as in Hollywood I suppose. Even if the brief article is off-base it can not really hurt to publicize their music.
Thanks for your email. Your disappointment was shared by a lot of people, not least most of the Classic Rock staff. What appears to have happened is that Joe Elliott and co.'s set overran its allotted time. As the headliners (ELP) could not overrun to make up the time, due to a curfew that carried huge financial penalties (and possibly problems getting a licence for next year's event), Joe and ian had to come off before they had finished their planned set. They did, however, play for the amount of time they were scheduled to play. Maybe they timed their set wrongly.
Sorry for the disappointment, but it does appear to have been the artist(s) at fault, and not the festival organisers. .
Cheers,
CR
Obama Lied About Lockerbie, Correspondence Withheld
Scottish government ministers, stung by accusations that they released Abdel Baset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, the only person convicted of the 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 bombing in which 270 people were killed, to ease a massive oil exploration contract in Libya, are pointing out that it is the U.S. government that is blocking the release of two documents relating to the decision.
One of the documents is a demarche and letter to Scottish First Minister Salmond from deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in London, Richard LeBaron, dated August 12, 2009, eight days before Megrahi was released.
Leaked to London’s Sunday Times this week, the letter reportedly argues that Megrahi should remain in custody – but goes on to say that if Scotland concludes he must be released, then doing so on compassionate grounds would be “far preferable” to his repatriation under a prisoner transfer agreement (PTA) which Britain negotiated with Libya in 2007.
The text verifies that Obama lied with his statement of the time that “all of us here in the United States were surprised, disappointed, and angry” about Megrahi’s release.
The second document which Scotland says the U.S. is withholding permission to make public is a note of a telephone conversation between Scottish justice minister Kenny MacAskill and Attorney General Eric Holder, apparently on June 26, 2009. The contents of that note remain secret.
The arrangements about Lockerbie has been shuffled under the carpet for some time.
FIOS Verizon In-Home Agent
This sounded like a good idea but it crashed my browser, my side bar, and then my computer. At this time it seemed more like a beta release than anything. I will see when and how the company responds.
Ten local incidents where photographers were asked to stop taking pictures
Banned photographs are becoming more prevalent in the increasingly restrictive environment of post-911. Security and police are asking citizens to stop filming and photographing events and buildings even when they have no legal authority to do so.
Goldman Sachs Redistributes $4.3 Billion in Taxpayer's Money to Overseas Banks, hedge funds and pensions
Goldman reveals where bailout cash went: overseas.
Royal Bank of Scotland
Barclays.
DZ AG Deutsche Zantrake Genossenschaftz Bank
AIG received the bailout of $85 billion at the discretion of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which was led at the time by Timothy Geithner. He now is U.S. treasury secretary.
An attempt to reach Geithner Friday night through the White House public information office was unsuccessful.
Pakistan Supports Terror; Yet, U.S. Sends Billions in Aid
Afghan Bombshell: WikiLeaks 'War Diary' exposes US cover-up
One of the biggest leaks in U.S. military history has exposed several cover-ups over the war in Afghanistan, including the deaths of hundreds of civilians. The whistle-blowing website, Wikileaks, handed over 90-thousand classified documents to British, American and German newspapers. They also include information on increased Taliban attacks, as well as NATO fears that Pakistan and Iran are fueling the insurgency. The White House says the leaked Pentagon files and field reports were no surprise, but that they threaten national security.
Pakistan Spy Service Aids Insurgents, Reports Assert
As I have asserted for years, the Pakistanis have been playing the Americans to the hilt. They take our aid and it goes right into funding additional terror. The recently released Wikileaks documents simply verify the connection that I suspected for years.
It is also not surprising that these leaks surfaced now, not longer after the retirement and departure of General McChrystal. My guess is that the American military has been advising Obama about these conditions, all to no avail. The soldiers who have been placed in harms way do not have the support that they need and deserve. The Pakistanis are two-faced and their involvement with America's enemies contrast sharply with the frequently optimistic public propaganda spoon fed to the American public. Pakistan is portrayed as an ally by American officials and we need their support to sustain a drone campaign over parts of Pakistani territory to strike at al-Qaeda havens. Clinton recently announced $500 million in assistance and called the United States and Pakistan “partners joined in common cause.”
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Anita Moncrief FEC charges against Obama administration, ACORN whistleblower
ACORN whistle-blower Anita Moncrief held a press conference today at the Right Online Convention in Las Vegas. She announced today that she will press FEC charges against the Obama Administration for the campaign’s illegal work with ACORN during the 2008 election.
Anita Moncrief set a new web site Emerging Corruption.
Pamela Geller vs "Palestine Center" Rap Artist, Debate Staten Island Mosque Victory, "Mosques in America:" References
Russian Language Television had me in the ring with Will Youmans, hip hop rapper from the Palestine Center.
The Palestine Center is virulently anti-semitic -- cf. a recent lecture for legitimizing the genocidal jihad group Hamas: "The Requirements for Co-Existence with Hamas" by Robert Pastor (2009) or "Legacy of the 1948 Catastrophe" by Dr. Michael Fischbach -- (Palestine Center). And most recently they hosted the academic, John Mearsheimer. The claims are listed below:
The Requirements for Co-Existence with Hamas by Robert Pastor (2009)
Legacy of the 1948 Catastrophe by Dr. Michael Fischbach
The Future of Palestine:
Righteous Jews vs. New Afrikaners
by John J. Mearsheimer
The Muslim "rap artist" denies that the Muslim American Society is the Muslim Brotherhood in the U.S., but the Muslim Brotherhood's own website carries the Chicago Tribune expose from 2004 that identifies the MAS as the Brotherhood's arm in the U.S.: "In recent years, the U.S. Brotherhood operated under the name Muslim American Society, according to documents and interviews." -- Chicago Tribune, 2004, via the Muslim Brotherhood's English-language website, Ikhwanweb. And according to a captured internal document, the Muslim Brotherhood's "work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and 'sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and Allah's religion is made victorious over all other religions." -- Cf. An Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Brotherhood in North America
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Joe Elliot's Down 'N' Outz Featuring Ian Hunter - All The Young Dudes, Live at Borderline Club, 22 July 2010
Ian Hunter joins Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliot's band Down 'N' Outz onstage during All The Young Dudes at The Borderline in Soho on 22nd July 2010. The mic wasn't ideally placed and they didn't quite get the sound right on Ian's voice but this is what was captured.
Overnight Angels
Roll Away the Stone
ENGLAND ROCKS
Here’s the set-list: ‘Funeral For A Friend’/‘Love Lies Bleeding’, ‘One More Chance To Run’, ‘Golden Opportunity’, ‘Storm’, ‘Overnight Angels’, ‘Whizz Kid’, ‘Shouting And Pointing’, ‘Who Do You Love’, ‘One Of The Boys’, ‘England Rocks’, ‘By Tonight’, ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Queen’ and ‘Good Times’, plus ‘All The Way From Memphis’, ‘Roll Away The Stone’ and ‘All The Young Dudes’.
Hector Maldonado demonstrates how the DNC did not certify Obama's Constitutional eligibility to be POTUS.
Army Combat Vet and Missouri Senate Candidate Hector Maldonado demonstrates how the DNC did not certify Obama's Constitutional eligibility to be POTUS.
No Mosque at Ground Zero, Cordoba
Message from Frank Gaffney: The Center for Security Policy today unveiled a powerful 1-minute video opposing the construction of a 13-story, $100 million mega-mosque near the hallowed ground of the World Trade Center. The Twin Towers were destroyed on 9/11 by adherents to the barbaric, supremacist and totalitarian program authoritative Islam calls "Shariah." And the imam who is promoting this mosque has publicly declared that he seeks to "bring Shariah to America."
As the ad makes clear, Shariah's followers have long built mosques on the most sacred sites of those they have conquered -- for example, on Jerusalem's Temple Mount, at Constantinople/Istanbul's St. Sophia Basilica and in Cordoba, Spain, the capital of the occupying Moors' Muslim kingdom.
A growing chorus of New Yorkers and other Americans -- including, notably, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin -- have expressed outrage at the prospect of a similar, permanent beachhead for Shariah being use to defile Ground Zero, and symbolize America's defeat at the hands of her enemies. We say, "No Mosque at Ground Zero."
ReAL Chairman Dr. Jim Garlow appears on Fox and Friends to discuss the Cordoba Initiative and its meaning.
British school project declares Obama born in Kenya
Congratulations to Barack Obama,son of Kisumu, for getting elected to the highest and most powerful office in the world, The President of United States of America. Obama’s father was born in Kisumu, Kenya. It is a pride for Kisumu and whole of Africa.
John Jay, the first U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, wrote in a letter dated July 25, 1787 to George Washington regarding the qualifications of the president:
Permit me to hint, whether it would not be wise and seasonable to provide a strong check to the admission of foreigners into the administration of our national government; and to declare expressly that the command in chief of the American Army shall not be given to nor devolve on, any but a natural-born citizen.
Jindahl states rigs are gone to Africa
Jindahl quotes Obama saying, "Governor, if people lose their jobs because of the [drilling] moratorium, they can file a BP claim. I said, with all due respect, what if BP doesn't pay. He said don't worry Governor, they can file an unemployment claim. I said with all due respect Mr. President, we don't want a BP check or an unemployment check, we want to go back to work."
Obama also told Jindahl if the drilling rigs leave, meaning if they are taken to other locations because of a lack of operation in the Gulf of Mexico, "the rigs will just come back." Jindahl tells the crowd - "as if you can turn it on and off like a switch." Jindahl said the rigs are gone for years, two are on their way to Africa right now.
EPA Official Tells All About The Oil Spill
"Wwho owns BP, you find that it’s the majority ownership, a billion shares, is a company called BlackRock that was created, owned and run by a gentleman named Larry Fink. And Vanity Fair just did recently an article about Mr. Fink and his connections with Mr. Geithner, Mr. Summers and others in the administration."
"Fink’s long-standing relationships with senior government officials, particularly former Treasury secretary Henry Paulson and Geithner, his successor."
Gulf Residents Outraged over Handling of $20 Billion BP Fund
Pentagon Plans Presidential Communications Network That Can Survive Nuclear Attack
The Nuclear Weapons Effects National Enterprise report details a new plan.
A high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) attack potentially could disrupt or damage electronic systems over much of the United States as revealed in a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee in July 2008. And if this plan is implemented, then why would a cyber bill effectively shut down the remainder of the Internet? A plan in place would ensure that critical communications would continue. There is no need to shut down private, civilian networks, unless the intent is cut off debate, disagreement, and discussion.
Three-Quarters of Congressmen Support Auditing the Federal Reserve, so Why Isn't It Law?
Robert Eugene Simmons Jr.
If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.
Thomas Jefferson
Friday, July 23, 2010
Retired Army Major General Jerry Ralph Curry appeared on the Talk to Solomon Show and was questioned about Obama eligibility challenger LTC Terry Lakin and Obama's eligibility.
Retired Army Major General Jerry Ralph Curry appeared on the Talk to Solomon Show and was questioned about Obama eligibility challenger LTC Terry Lakin and Obama's eligibility. During this exchange MGEN Curry says that LTC Lakin is a very brave man but they will try to destroy him personally. He goes on to say we shouldn't play games with Obama. The MGEN then says the House and Senate need to serve notice on Obama to clear up his eligibility or resign. Video of the exchange embedded below.
Hat tip to the Conservative Monster.
The short video is posted below MGEN Curry's bio; Jerry Curry has had several careers. The first began when he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Private during the Korean War. Serendipitously, this led to a 34-year military career during which he worked his way up through the infantry ranks to retire as a Major General. Next came a career in the private sector, which included standing as a candidate for the U.S. Congress. This was followed by three years as the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Today, in addition to his business consulting work, he pursues an operatic career.
Jerry is a decorated combat veteran, Army Aviator, Paratrooper, and Ranger, who for nearly forty years has served his country both in the military and as a Presidential political appointee. During the Viet Nam War, he was a U.S. Advisor to a South Vietnamese infantry regiment and flew helicopters and reconnaissance planes. Along the way he earned three college degrees.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Obama's worst nightmare
Herman Cain, an Atlanta radio talk-show host, former CEO of Godfather's Pizza and 2004 Senate seeker. "We've also got to beat Barack Obama."
'The One' may have met his match in emerging presidential candidate.
Presidents On U.S.-Muslim Ties
Obama Promotes Islam.
Obama-Clinton emphasized words such as "peace"; Bush-Reagan used "peace" less. Obama-Clinton emphasized "war" less; Bush-Reagan used "war" more. Obama-Clinton emphasized "freedom" less; Bush-Reagan used "freedom" more. Obama-Clinton de-emphasized "democracy"; Bush-Reagan used "democracy" more. Obama-Clinton emphasized "Islam"; Bush-Reagan de-emphasized "Islam."
By comparing their respective speeches, you elicit a clear contrast in the use of words and thus what concepts or ideas they emphasize.
Americans Declining Confidence in Institutions
Congress Ranks Last in Confidence in Institutions
This year's poll also finds a 15-point drop in high confidence in the presidency, to 36% from 51% in June 2009. Over the same period, Obama's approval rating fell by 11 points, from 58% to 47%.
Another interesting statistic is that although confidence has been declining, which is the general trend, the top four highest ranked institutions have traditionally been associated with the right-wing in American politics: military, small business, police, and church or organized religion.
The military continues its long-standing run as the highest-rated U.S. institution. Small business and the police occupy second and third places, respectively. These three top-tier institutions all earn high confidence from a majority of Americans, something no other institution achieves this year.
The military has been No. 1 in Gallup's annual Confidence in Institutions list continuously since 1998, and has ranked No.1 or No. 2 almost every year since its initial 1975 measure.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Kagan: 1st Sharia (Islamic law) Compliant Supreme Court Justice?
To simply promote study about sharia law is not objectionable but Kagan has honored those who promote sharia law in Pakistan. Likewise, Kagan has been criticized for promoting Noah Feldman, author of The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State, but it is not the topic per se which is objectionable, the rise of Islamist states are an important area of study. It is rather what are Kagan, Feldman, and perhaps most importantly, Islamists advocating for the rise of Islamist states. In short, is it a good thing or a bad thing based on what I would argue is a radically opposed understanding of law as based on the American Constitution, having profound implications for the role of religion in society, the basis of citizenship, and the notion of natural rights.
Stated baldly, per Feldman, that the contemporary world is oddly enough experiencing a re-birth of Islamic states and is thus worthy of study, I whole-heartedly concur, although it is a trend I view warily. On the other hand, when Feldman asserts, as he does, that "Americans have never fully resolved the question of whether the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and property preexist the U.S. Constitution or derive from it " (Rise, p. 13), then I have to take issue with Feldman. The Founders believed inalienable rights arise from a Supreme Being or Power, i.e., God.
Feldman does develop his notion into an even more problematic area. He argues that an opposing (and I would argue one that is faithful to the American Constitution)
"viewpoint that emerges from inward looking constitutional thought is that international bodies (and hence, the law they produce) lack the legitimacy of direct, democratic procedures. The outward looking concept is characterized by the view that the constitution is the paradigm of the rule of law and should embody justice in governance. This view embraces international organizations as an institutional link between universal values of freedom and justice and the implementation of the rule of law." Cf. "Feldman calls for outward-looking view of Constitution"
I believe you have the outlines demarcated between two substantially opposing viewpoints of the law. On the one hand, do natural rights precede individuals and are guaranteed by God? Or, does the law arise from a universally human and international understanding of justice? The first is the American understanding of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness while the latter is the international and contingent nature of humanly applied justice.
Professor Feldman, who joined the faculty of HLS in 2007, is a distinguished scholar in the areas of constitutional design, law and religion, and legal history. His most recent book, which examines the history of Sharia law, is titled The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State. His three previous books are Divided by God: America's Church and State Dilemma, What We Owe Iraq: War and the Ethics of Nation Building, and After Jihad, America and the Struggle for Islamic Democracy. His experience before joining the HLS faculty included a role as senior constitutional advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and service as law clerk to Justice David Souter at the U.S. Supreme Court. He graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University in 1992 with an A.B. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, was a Rhodes Scholar, received a D.Phil from Oxford University in Islamic Thought in 1994, and received his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1997.
The Constitutional Judiciary in the Muslim World:
Its Influence on the Interpretation of Constitutional and Legislative Texts
1970 to 2008 (November 12-14, 2008)
November 12
Welcome by the Dean of Harvard Law School, Professor Elena Kagan
Paper Abstracts
1. Wednesday, November 12, 9:30 - 10:15 am: The 20th century judiciary of the Muslim World: its historical emergence (Adel Omar SHERIF)
The purpose of this presentation is to shed light on the emergence and spread of the specialized model of the constitutional judiciary in a number of the Islamic countries during the last third of the 20th Century. We are going to highlight the interesting role it has been playing in shaping the constitutional, political, societal, economical dimensions of the systems of government and the citizens’ daily life of those countries through the noteworthy influence it has continuously left on the process of interpreting the constitutional and legislative texts, especially since the 1970s until today.
The scholarly literature is still debating whether the constitutional judiciary in the Muslim World has come into existence responding to public pressures, outside influence or true intentions on the rulers’ part to introduce effective judicial, and more democratic, reforms. These scholarly debates have led to different theories on the phenomenal evolution of the constitutional judiciary that reflects a progressive development of the legal thought in the Muslim World. These theories will be evaluated in the course of the presentation.
The increasing trend towards inscribing Islamic Shari’a principles into state constitutions in Islamic countries and the challenges that the constitutional judiciary has met with, in its attempt to enforce these norms, will be analyzed through an examination of its jurisprudence as it has evolved over the past forty years or so.
2. Wednesday, November 12, 11:15 - 11:45 am:
The introduction of the “Principles of the Islamic Shari’a” as a major source of the national legislation in the constitutions of major Muslim countries, 1970-2008 (Baber JOHANSEN)
The introduction of constitutional amendments in the 1970s and 1980 that made “the principles of the Islamic Shari’a” a major or even the major source of national legislation has, on the one hand, given a new Islamic dimension to constitutional law, it has, on the other, raised the question of the relation between this amendment and the other articles of the constitution. Is the Islamizing amendment an article above or in the constitution? Do all other articles of the constitution have to be interpreted in its light or is the constitution one body in which the new amendment has to be interpreted in a way that guarantees the rights and freedoms protected by the constitution? In the last instance the question is how, if the Islamizing amendment is above the rest of the constitution, the constitution can guarantee its status as being above the positive law and the constitution.
In the debates on constitutional law this question has been discussed in great detail and from multiple and contradictory positions. The discussion in this paper will center on the conditions under which this amendment has been introduced into the constitution of Pakistan, the constitution of Egypt and the constitution of the UAE and how the legal debates and the positions of the Supreme Courts differ with regard to this question.
3. Wednesday, November 12, 2:00 - 2:30 pm:
The emergence of the constitutional judiciary in the Arab World
(Salsabil KLIBI and Ghazi GHERAIRI)
The introduction of a constitutional judiciary in the political regimes of Muslim countries is part of a process of reform of the political power of those states which has its origin in the Nahda [Renaissance] that these countries initiated since the 19th century. Since their beginning these reforms saw in the occidental world their source of inspiration if not of pure and simple importation.
But the reformers of the Muslim World are constantly nagged by one question: “ Is this occidental model on which the awakening of the Muslim World depends compatible with the precepts of the shari’a”?
Until today, this question has never ceased to torment the minds in this part of the world. This fact explains the tension that characterizes the reform process of the Muslim World since the 19th century, a tension between the imperatives of Modernity and all their implications concerning the status and the role of religion in the exercise of political power but also between the concept of the individual and his relations with the society and the political power on the one hand, the precepts of Islam on the other.
4. Wednesday, November 12, 3:00 – 3:30 pm
Landmark decisions of the Tunisian constitutional judiciary
(Ghazi GHERAIRI)
The modern history of Tunisia shows us the remarkable presence, since the 19th century, of a strong constitutional consciousness, expressed as well in the discourse of claiming rights as in the official language. It is even possible to speak of a Tunisian constitutionalism.
In spite of this historical basis the institution of an organ that controls the constitutional character of statutes is of very recent date still largely imperfect.
In fact, the Tunisian Constitutional Council is a young institution created in 1988. Its contribution to the crystallisation of fundamental principles of Tunisian Law is still at its very beginnings.
But it is possible to detach a certain number of principles that the Council has either proclaimed, reaffirmed or clarified. These principles are held together by the task of combining in one system the relations between public institutions on the one hand, the fundamental rights of individuals on the other.
5. Thursday, November 13, 9:00 - 9:30 am
Changes in the Family Law from 1950-2008: the case of Malaysia (Abdul Hamid MOHAMAD)
Malaysia is a Federation of 13 States. The Federation provides the legislative lists for the Federal Parliament and the State Legislative Assemblies. While most laws are a Federal matter and within the jurisdiction of the common law courts, Islamic law, including family law, is a State matter within the jurisdiction of the Shari’ah courts. To avoid conflict of jurisdictions between the two courts, the Federal Constitution was amended. However, while some jurisdictional issues have been settled by the Federal Court (Supreme Court), some issues still persist and require legislative intervention.
With the establishment of the Shari’ah courts, laws, procedural and substantive, had to be codified. Procedural laws, civil and criminal, of the common law courts were adopted, with necessary modifications to make them Shari’ah-compliance. In the codification of the law of evidence and family law, laws from both sources were adopted even though a large portion of which were from the Shari’ah source.
I foresee that Muslim majority countries will adopt principles of both common law (or civil law) and the Shari’ah and that there will be a disintegration of the mazhabs within the Shari’ah itself.
6. Thursday, November 13, 9:30 - 10:00 am
The evolution of Family Law in Morocco from 1950 to 2008 (Miloud Laksir)
The presentation deals with the evolution of family law in Morocco across three distinct periods in the history of Morocco.
1. Before Morocco became a French protectorate in 1912.
-Islamic Law and traditional rules were applied to Moroccan Muslims;
-Moroccan Jews had their own courts governed by Jewish family law;
-Foreigners living in Morocco were governed by their national family Law or by the provisions of bilateral agreements.
2. During the French Protectorate.
-Islamic Judge remained in charge of the implementation of Islamic family Law as far as Moroccan Muslims were concerned;
-As for Moroccan Jews, they continued to be ruled by the principles of Jewish family law;
-Modern courts were established for non-Muslim foreigners to deal with their family cases, except for the Americans whose cases were considered by American consulates.
3. The period during which Morocco has been independent.
-In 1958, the first Family code was adopted and was amended in 1993, in particular its provision concerning marriage and matrimonial supervision;
-The year 2001, saw a major step forward accomplished in Morocco through the establishment of a Royal commission Chaired Chief Justice Dr Driss DAHAK, with the mandate of conducting a comprehensive revision of the provisions of the family code in force then. The four-year work of the Commission resulted in the drafting of a new family Law which was adopted by Parliament in February 2004.
-The provisions of the new Law stressed among other things, the principle of equality between husband and wife concerning the conclusion of the marriage contract.
It also placed the issue of divorce and marriage with more than one wife, under the court’s control strengthened the rights of the child and eased procedures regarding alimony.
7. Thursday, November 13, 10:00 - 10:30 am
The growing influence of the judiciary in the fields of marriage, maintenance, divorce and succession: the role of family jurisdictions
(Brahim BAHMANI)
Before the French protectorate was established in Morocco in 1912, Islamic law was applied in the country according to the Malikite rite. Then judges were appointed by the King in his capacity as Commander of the Faithful and the King would review decisions under special circumstances.
During the Protectorate period, the French introduced in Morocco, civil, criminal, commercial and property laws. However Moroccan Islamic law judges continued to be in charge of the implementation of Islamic law in cases concerning personal status, succession and properties without a title.
Furthermore, Moroccan Jews have their own judges who apply to them Jewish religious law. As to the French and other foreigners, residing in Morocco their family relations are governed by the provisions of the Royal Decree of 1913, which is still applied to non-Muslim foreigners.
When Morocco gained its independence, a code of personal status was introduced in 1958 and was amended in 1993. Then, in 2004, the present family Law of Morocco was adopted and entered into force.
The presentation consists of four parts: marriage, divorce, maintenance and succession. Each part will feature specific laws and how they were implemented by judges and how through this exercise, the Judiciary influenced the legislator in changing those laws.
Comments on key decisions will also constitute a major aspect of the presentation
8. Thursday, November 13, 10:30 - 11:00 am
Filiation and integration into the family of the orphaned child: an alternative approach (Walina Cheikh MAOULAININE)
The presentation will have two sections:
Section one will deal will the filiation of the child, the means to establish filiation, which are married life, confession of the father, and sexual intercourse by mistake (Choubha). This section will also touch on recourse concerning filiation through anathema oath and acknowledgement of fatherhood.
Section two will focus on the integration of the orphan into the family in the light of the Moroccan family law and other laws.
9. Thursday, November 13, 3:30 - 4:00 pm
The evolution of Tunisian Family Law between legislation and jurisprudence, from the enactment of the Code of Personal Status (1956 to the present) (Salsabil Klibi)
Tunisia did not proclaim the idea of laïcité in the text of its constitution, as Turkey did, but she has nevertheless opted for a positivist definition of its legal order.
In fact, in proclaiming the principle of the sovereignty of the people, a people that makes law through a parliament which it elects directly, Tunisia recognizes indirectly that the state is the only source of law and that the shari’a is limited to the role of a material source of law.
However, in its first article, the Tunisian Constitution proclaims also:” Tunisia is a free, independent and sovereign state. Arabic is its language and Islam is its religion”.
This ambiguity of the constitutional text inspires the question whether there is a possibility of a third way between a laic and a theocratic state.
Family Law is the privileged place for the unfolding of the sharia, even in states that want to demark themselves from it. In analyzing some court decisions on the liberty to contract marriage and on inheritance we will try to show the direction in which the consciousness of the Tunisian judge, reflecting without doubt the collective Tunisian consciousness, has – even if hesitatingly –developed. Starting with the idea that the shari’a can legitimately unfold in the law of a state that claims to pertain to Islam it has recognized the concept that Islam is but one characteristic of the society. Consequently, the judge who works out solutions to conflicts that refer to personal status law has to take into consideration or even make prevail other political values that have been given the status of legal rules of the highest rank.
A summary report of the conference is available as well.
China oil spill
The China oil spill received the immediate attention of President Hu Jintao; 40 oil-skimming boats and about 800 fishing boats were also deployed. I take it that the President, he must not be a golfer, got right to work in order to protect the nationalized oil industry. This is quite a contrast the American disaster and so far there is no word that the oil rigs will be shut down as in the U.S. case.
Nat Hentoff on Drones, Contemporary, Technological, Standing Military
"A standing military force with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty. The means of defense against foreign danger have been always the instruments of tyranny at home."
James Madison
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Ask for Natural Born Citizen Status: In Fact Document It
July 2010 in front of El Arroyo in Austin on 5th Street: Arizona.
Hillary, Hint, Pakistanis Will Not Divulge Osama Since You Keep Giving Them Money
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/07/20/hillary_clinton_pakistani_government_knows_where_biden_laden_is.html
Short version of Hillary's nonsense about trying to bribe the Pakistanis.
Why Doesn't Pakistan Have Dams? Hospitals? They Don't Pay Taxes.
Why Doesn't Pakistan Have Dams? Hospitals? They Don't Pay Taxes
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/07/18/world/asia/1247468421481/tax-free-living-in-pakistan.html
There is no reason for the Pakistanis to pay taxes when the Americans will show up and build up their infrastructure for them.
Pakistan’s Elite Pay Few Taxes, Widening Gap
"If you take out morality from the country then this is what's going to happen."
Monday, July 19, 2010
`America Is Not for White People,' Brown Berets
Brown Beret protesters before Californians who rallied at Angel Stadium (Anaheim, CA) who support Arizona's SB 1070 law on July 13, 2010.
Racist NAACP Speaker
Shirley Sherrod, USDA Rural Development Georgia State Director, delivered at the NAACP's 20th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet.
The video shows Sherrod speaking of racial considerations being a factor for how much help she would give.
"The first time I was faced with having to help a white farmer save his farm, he took a long time talking but he was trying to show me he was superior to me. I know what he was doing, but he had come to me for help. What he didn't know while he was taking all that time trying to show me he was superior to me was, I was trying to decide just how much help I was going to give him," Sherrod said.
"I was struggling with the fact that so many black people had lost their farmland, and here I was faced with having to help a white person save their land. So I didn't give him the full force of what I could do. I did enough," Sherrod said. "So that when he, I assumed the Department of Agriculture had sent him to me, either that or the Georgia Department of Agriculture, and he needed to go back and report that I did try to help him."
In the video, Sherrod also spoke of referring the white farmer to a white lawyer, thinking the latter would be more sympathetic because of race. "So I took him to a white lawyer that had attended some of training that we had provided because Chapter 12 bankruptcy had just been enacted for the family farm. So I figured if I take him to one of them, that his own kind would take care of him."
The NAACP had no immediate response.
"Modern Islam"- Ford Hall Forum Debate/ Boston- 04/22/10: Bilal Kaleem vs. Zuhdi Jasser
Boston's Ford Hall Forum hosted a debate on April 22, 2010 between Bilal Kaleem, the Muslim American Society and the Islamic Society of Boston's Exec. Dir. and Zuhdi Jasser, President and Founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy. They were both asked to address the question of "A Modern Islam?" Their debate is very revealing about the core Islamist ideologies of the MAS and the ISB especially in light of recent developing controversies in the Boston area and nationally over the ideologies of the Islamic Society of Boston, the Muslim American Society, and their supporters. Watch the entire hour and a half (Parts 1-11) through the Q&A to get a sense of how AIFD and Dr. Jasser expose the ideology and agenda of the Islamists of the MAS and ISB. This is Part 1 of 11.
U.S. Taxpayers Fund Islamic Enclave in Philadelphia: $1.6 billion
A ‘Muslims-Only’ Enclave Thrives In Philadelphia by Paul Williams, PhD
The Jawala Scouts, for boys ages 7-17 are based on the group’s motto of “The Qu’ran is Our guide and the Sunnah is Our Practice!”
According to their website, Muslim training includes:
* MILITARY DRILLING
* ARCHERY
* WRESTLING
* MARTIAL ARTS
* HORSEMANSHIP
* CAMPING AND HIKING
* SURVIVAL TRAINING
* FIRST AID TRAINING
* FIRE ARMS SAFETY
World Wealth Redistribution: Pakistan $500 Million More
Clinton announced that American wealth will be re-distributed to Muslim-majority Pakistan to build dams and hospitals.
A hidden world, growing beyond control
The results of a two year Washington Post investigation. The article features an extensive, searchable database built by The Post about Top Secret America. From avatars and lasers to thermal cameras and fidget meters, this multimedia gallery takes a look at some of the latest technologies being developed by the government and private companies to thwart terrorists.
The top-secret world the government created in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that no one knows how much money it costs, how many people it employs, how many programs exist within it or exactly how many agencies do the same work.
These are some of the findings of a two-year investigation by The Washington Post that discovered what amounts to an alternative geography of the United States, a Top Secret America hidden from public view and lacking in thorough oversight. After nine years of unprecedented spending and growth, the result is that the system put in place to keep the United States safe is so massive that its effectiveness is impossible to determine.
The investigation's other findings include:
* Some 1,271 government organizations and 1,931 private companies work on programs related to counterterrorism, homeland security and intelligence in about 10,000 locations across the United States.
* An estimated 854,000 people, nearly 1.5 times as many people as live in Washington, D.C., hold top-secret security clearances.
* In Washington and the surrounding area, 33 building complexes for top-secret intelligence work are under construction or have been built since September 2001. Together they occupy the equivalent of almost three Pentagons or 22 U.S. Capitol buildings - about 17 million square feet of space.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
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