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30 April, 2013
"Caucasian" is now a naughty word
“Bachelor” star Sean Lowe may be realizing that he may not have the right moves on the dance floor to win this season of “Dancing with the Stars.” There are some younger contestants that may be doing much better than Sean himself, and he is now making a joke about how he could thrive on the dance floor. However, his joke may have rubbed people the wrong way, as some people feel that his tweet did come off a little racist. Even though he is mocking himself in the tweet, some feel that it was highly inappropriate. And he isn’t deleting the tweet, so his publicist may not find it to be a big deal. According to a new Wetpaint Entertainment report published on April 25, “Bachelor” star Sean Lowe is now being accused of sending out some racist tweet.
“Getting ready for Latin week with the rumba. When is Caucasian week? That's when I'm really going to shine,” Sean tweeted this week. While he did tweet it to mock his own dancing skills, he could have worded it differently, since some people are clearly taking offense to the tweet. Sure, he probably didn’t mean to mock other races, but it sounds like he is being a little insensitive.
Source
Man fined for racism after Welsh sheep slur
Not quite clear whether it was his words or behavior that was penalized
A man who was fined for racism after he branded Welsh people “sheep shaggers” claims he was using a term for people living in the countryside.
Anthony Taaffe had to be restrained and sat on by an off duty policeman and security staff at a holiday park in Wales after he was seen shouting and swearing while drunk, a court in Lladudno heard.
He then called the off duty policeman and security a staff “a bunch of sheep s******s.”
The court heard there were children present at the time at the holiday park in Gronant.
But Taaffe, of Bolton, told the court that he hadn’t been insulting Welsh people specifically and that instead he was using the words because it “is a term for people living in the countryside.”
The 47-year-old was fined £150 after he admitted racially aggravated disorderly behaviour.
Source
New Zealanders are also routinely joshed about their many sheep and supposed carnal connections with them but mostly they seem to smile through gritted teeth about it. The joke seems reliably hilarious to Australians but it undoubtedly gets tedious to Kiwis. It seems that the Welsh have a similar problems with the rougher element among the English. Ethnic jokes are jokes no more
29 April, 2013
Asian-American Frat Under Fire for Blackface Video
The curious convention that whites (and Asians?) must not look like blacks again
The Lambda Theta Delta Fraternity at the University of California, Irvine, has apologized after the release of a YouTube video featuring one of its members in blackface.
The video depicts members of Lambda Theta Delta, an Asian-American fraternity, performing to the Justin Timberlake Song, "Suit and Tie." Members say it was designed to promote an upcoming fraternity event.
Halfway through the clip, one of the members, in an attempt to portray rapper Jay-Z, appears made up in blackface.
"I feel personally offended at that act whether it was for ignorance, whether they just didn't know about it, I feel like that's not an excuse," Ayana Baines, member of UC Irvine's Black Student Union told ABC News affiliate KABC-TV.
Lambda Theta Delta President Darius Obana told KABC-TV the makeup was meant to distinguish one of the performers as Jay-Z. "In a nutshell it was pretty much just to play that role and be Jay-Z and kind of distinguish himself from the other guys in the video," he said.
Source
Too much truth
I have to tread warily here in case I get something wrong but I gather that many of the Orthodox in Israel do avoid normal citizen duties by spending their lives as "students" -- just studying religious texts. Anger over that is common among more secular Israelis
Deputy Finance Minister Mickey Levy (Yesh Atid) called the ultra-Orthodox public "parasites" during a live radio interview on Wednesday, exacerbating the already tense situation between the ultra-Orthodox public and a government which seeks to implement universal conscription and changes in the ultra-Orthodox educational system.
In an interview with Kol Berama, an ultra-Orthodox radio station, Levy, a former Jerusalem District police chief, said that the community must join the labor force because "it's impossible to be parasites on the Israeli public. The ultra-Orthodox must bear the burden. and enter the job market. It is impossible to continue to be carried on the shoulders of the Israeli taxpayer."
Levy immediately apologized and retracted his remark, and said that "you are equal citizens, [and must] be obligated with responsibilities" instead of "continuing to live off those. who serve their country."
MK Eli Yishai of Shas immediately denounced Levy's remarks, likening them to statements made in 1942 Germany. "If similar statements, such as the deputy minister said, were spoken about the Jewish community by a parliament member in another country, that country would be shocked, and rightly so."
Source
28 April, 2013
Brit forced to apologise after describing severely disabled boy as a 'vegetable'
Given the severity of his handicaps, "vegetable" would seem a reasonable quick description. And anything on Twitter has to be short
The son of an MP has been forced to apologise after describing Katie Price's disabled son as a 'vegetable'.
Ian Lavery Jnr, 24, cracked a sick joke on Twitter about ten-year-old Harvey and made a crude reference to his mother.
Last night, Price, 34, blasted the pair and claimed the joke should be treated as a hate crime like racism.
The model told The Sun: 'This makes me sick to my stomach. Not just that someone could be so vile as to say such a thing, but also could think it clever to repeat to the world on Twitter.
'What kind of father, what kind of MP, is Ian Lavery?
'These disgusting comments aimed at Harvey all too often get aimed at other disabled children and the poor souls his father's charity rightly campaigns for.'
Harvey was born with septo-optic dysplasia, which causes blindness and growth hormone deficiency and also suffers from Prader-Willi syndrome, which can lead to obesity and diabetes.
Ian Lavery Jnr, from Newcastle, reacted angrily with a string of expletives when he was first challenged on Twitter about his comments.
But today he told MailOnline: 'I unreservedly apologise for any offence that I have caused Katie Price and her family.
'I am ashamed that my actions have caused such distress, to my father, especially given how strongly he campaigns for disabled rights.
Source
Depicting suicide is a no-no
Even if you depict it as failing
HYUNDAI has apologised for a commercial that shows a man trying to kill himself by piping emissions into his car.
The 60-second ad was intended to be used in the UK, and shows the suicide bid failing because the ix35 SUV model used - a fuel-cell model - does not produce harmful emissions.
Hyundai said it did not order or approve the "offensive" ad, and apologised for it appearing, carsguide.com.au reports.
"Hyundai Motor deeply and sincerely apologises for the offensive viral ad," the Korean car maker said in a statement.
"It runs counter to our values as a company and as members of the community. We are very sorry for any offense or distress the video caused. More to the point, Hyundai apologizes to those who have been personally impacted by tragedy."
The ad sparked outrage after it went viral.
Source
26 April, 2013
Fair's fair
Restaurant worker 'took photos of bad tippers and posted images online with insulting hashtags such as #jew and #hillbillies'
A Delaware restaurant has come under fire after photographs of bad tippers and their receipts were uploaded to its social networking sites alongside offensive and racist messages.
The Padi Restaurant in Hockessin has apologized after images appeared on its manager's Instagram account and the eatery's Facebook page calling people names such as 'cheap' and 'hillbilly'.
But the manager, Aaron Kwan, has denied he took the images or wrote the messages - and has instead blamed other employees for accessing his online profiles when he was not looking.
After the Wilmington News Journal reported about the messages, the Instagram and Facebook accounts were promptly removed. The News Journal shared several of the offensive messages.
Among them, there was a photo of a bill for $53.80 for a customer with an Indian surname, who had tipped $5.20 - less than 10 per cent. The photo appeared on the Instagram account, fumanchu85, alongside the message: 'What do you expect from a last name like that? #cheap #jew'
In a similar message, where a diner with a $45.90 bill paid a $6.10 tip, the person wrote: 'With a last name like that, I don't think you will ever expect a GOOD tip. #cheap #jerk #indian.'
Edward B. Rosenthal, an attorney representing the restaurant's owner and Kwan's aunt, Eve Teoh, said the business is working hard to restore its image after the messages emerged two weeks ago.
Source
He doomed himself once he used racial epithets
25 April, 2013
The naughtiness of describing illegals as illegals spreads to Australia
Tony Abbott's [conservative leader] office has defended his continued use of the word "illegal" to describe asylum seeker boats by referring to the UN Refugee Convention. But the UN High Commissioner for Refugees says it does not use the word "illegal" to describe asylum boats, or encourage others to do so.
On Monday the Opposition Leader re-launched the Coalition's "illegal boats" billboards, used during the last election campaign. The billboards read: "How many illegal boats have arrived since Labor took over? 639 illegal boats. Labor has lost control of Australia's borders."
Reactions were swift, with a petition launched calling on Mr Abbott to apologise for the word.
But Mr Abbott's office referred to Article 31 of the UN Convention which states "contracting states shall not impose penalties, on account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees".
Source
Women's basketball team the Boston Bombers to rename their franchise after terror attack
I guess I can understand that one!
Up until last week the Boston Bombers were just a basketball team out of New England.
The city's only semi-professional women's basketball team has changed their name after abruptly closing their Facebook page and website in a bid to disassociate themselves from last week's horrific attack.
They revealed their new name of the Boston Bulldogs on Tuesday.
'We was planning on changing it once the Boston incident happened,' a team spokesperson confirmed to MailOnline.
The Bombers were one of more than 40 teams part of the Women's Blue Chip League, a non-salaried league that provided its players with advanced exposure for opportunities to compete in the next level.
The team featured a red and black logo of a detonating bomb with four basketball seams crossing the front.
Source
24 April, 2013
Black hate speech
Ms. Wright was a counselor at Andrew Jackson Middle School in Grand Prairie ISD. That was until the district announced that she has been “immediately relieved of all duties.” The action was reportedly taken after an offensive remark written from her Facebook page (now removed from the web) was posted on WFAA-TV’s Facebook page. The statement in question referenced to the tragedy in West, Texas.
WFAA’s report states that the school district was quite clear in how they viewed the statement attributed to Ms. Wright, calling it “highly offensive, insensitive to the tragedy happening to our friends and neighbors in West, and disrespectful to the very human bond that we share with the people of West, especially those who have lost their loved ones.”
Source
British businesswoman/actress wins High Court battle over businessman who attacked her property business
Actress Linda Bellingham has won damages and an apology from a businessman who wrongly accused her and her husband of being involved in property fraud.
Darren Richards created anonymous blogs that defamed Miss Bellingham and her property business, Virtual Property World, which she owns with her husband Michael Pattemore.
The 64-year-old actress, who starred as the mother in the Oxo television adverts, won a six-figure settlement from Richards who has also apologised.
Mr Richards accused Mr Pattemore of being involved in property fraud. The couple believed he was trying to stop customers using their property business
Miss Bellingham and her husband only discovered what had been written on the blogs when they were contacted by the British Franchise Association.
The couple applied to the High Court and were granted an 'unmasking order' which meant Google and Wordpress had to reveal the IP address of the computer which posted the blog.
Source
Libel is harder to uncover now but is still illegal, as it should be. It can do great damage.
23 April, 2013
Colorado Democrats "mis-speak" on rape
In the House, Representative Joe Salazar (D-Thornton) made an incoherent and insensitive argument on the floor that college girls might not know when they were about to be raped and might overreact to a perceived threat with deadly consequences should they be allowed to carry concealed weapons on campus.
Two weeks later as a Senate committee was discussing the same campus gun ban, Senator Evie Hudak (D-District 19) came under fire for citing research that contradicted a woman who’d been raped on a college campus in Nevada and her emotional testimony that she might have been safer had she been carrying a concealed handgun.
Those gaffes, in part, forced Senate Democrats late Friday to kill House Bill 1226, the campus gun ban. “Republicans will remind the public about these blunders as often as possible until 2014 elections,” former state Representative B.J. Nikkel (R-Loveland) tells me.
Source
But being Democrats, nothing will be held against them
A rude cashier and a stupid firm pile up trouble for themselves
A New Jersey woman of Korean decent is suing CVS for $1 million after claiming that a store employee used a racial Asian slur on her receipt.
Hyun Lee, 37, of Egg Harbor, N.J., was picking up photos from a CVS, also in Egg Harbor, N.J., when she noticed that the cashier had identified her as “Ching Chong Lee” on her receipt.
According to her attorney, Lee contacted CVS customer relations, but was apparently told by CVS in an email response that the employee would be “counseled and trained.”
“He should have been terminated immediately,” Lee said through her attorney, Susan Chana Lask
Unhappy with CVS’ response, Lee filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against CVS Caremark Corp., CVS Pharmacy, Inc., CVS, New Jersey CVS Pharmacy LLC and the unnamed cashier on April 16 in federal court in Camden, N.J.
Lee is seeking $1 million due to “injury, mental anguish, severe emotional distress, harm, and damages,” that she allegedly continues to suffer from as a result of the alleged receipt, according to the lawsuit.
Source
The cashier probably thought it was a great joke but such jokes are big trouble these days. Firing the jokey one would have been wisest for the firm.
22 April, 2013
TMZ accused of racism, bigotry over Boston bombing article that blames hip hop
TMZ has been accused of insensitivity, racism and bigotry after posting an article on the Boston bombings and subsequent manhunt.
The gossip website posted a brief article in which they appeared to be linking the terrorist attack to hip hop music and its "violent", "degrading" culture. The evidence? Tamerlan was signed up to a website called Real-HipHop.com and liked hip hop.
Source
I gather that nobody was saying that HipHop CAUSED the masssacre so what is the problem about noting that a violent man liked violent music? Or are we supposed to ignore the violent lyrics of HipHop?
Mexico Barbie sparks controversy
"As part of its Dolls of the World line, Mattel toy company introduced a new Mexico Barbie. The doll with long, dark, wavy hair dons a frilly fiesta dress trimmed with lace and colorful ribbons. She comes with a pet chihuahua tucked under her arm and her own passport.
Mexico Barbie, which sells for $29.95, is meant to teach girls 'about the culture, traditions and ancestral dress of Mexico,' according to Mattel’s description. But some critics say that instead she’s bolstering Mexican cultural stereotypes."
Source
So what? Stereotypes exist because they are a rough guide
21 April, 2013
Must not praise Margaret Thatcher
Britain’s two most powerful civil servants were today accused of having ‘prostituted your high office’ after writing an article about Margaret Thatcher.
Labour MP Paul Flynn launched a lengthy attack against Sir Jeremy Heywood and Sir Bob Kerslake, before storming out of a Commons committee.
The mandarins had praised the Iron Lady as a ‘kind and considerate boss’ who would make shepherd’s pie for staff when working late in Downing Street.
Sir Jeremy, the Cabinet Secretary, and Sir Bob, the head of the civil service, were forced to deny being pressured into writing the piece by Tory strategists as they were accused of breaching rules on impartiality for Whitehall staff.
The two men were giving evidence to the Public Administration Select Committee. Civil servants are supposed to remain impartial because they have to work with all political parties if they win a general elections.
Mr Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West, began the session with a 10 minute attack on the article.
He said: ‘The main controversy going on in the country may have passed you by is on the verdict on Margaret Thatcher’s period in government, this is something which divides this country, it’s the hottest political issue of the moment.
‘You penned an article that was entirely sycophantic, no kind of criticism whatsoever. This is not what civil servants traditionally should do.’
Sir Jeremy refused to apologise for the article, insisting it was ‘about the civil service relationship with Margaret Thatcher as a person, as a human being’.
Sir Bob added: ‘The article is not intended to be a comment on her policies, critical or otherwise.’
Source
Homebuilders scrap 'master bedroom' because of racist, gender-biased connotations
The “master suite” is being phased out — not from our homes, but from our lexicon.
A survey of 10 major Washington, D.C.-area homebuilders found that six no longer use the term “master” in their floor plans to describe the largest bedroom in the house. They have replaced it with “owner’s suite” or “owner’s bedroom” or, in one case, “mastre bedroom.”
Why? In large part for exactly the reason you would think: “Master” has connotation problems, in gender (it skews toward male) and race (the slave-master).
Source
19 April, 2013
"Racist" to say that Al Qaeda may infiltrate the USA via Mexico
Representative Gohmert (R-Texas), of course, begs to differ: Think Progress reports that Gohmert said, “We know Al-Qaeda has camps on the Mexican border. We have people that are trained to act Hispanic when they are radical Islamists.”
Other representatives, including Steve King (R-Iowa), expressed similar opinions, arguing that immigration reform should slow down, citing the tenuous connection between immigration reform and the Boston Marathon bombing.
King and Gohmert’s opportunistic response to the Boston Marathon demonstrates not only the inherent racism that undergirds our discussions of public policy, but the willingness of our national policymakers to stoop to new lows in the face of horror.
Source
Whites must not dress like Africans
Blacks and whites must be segregated?
On Feb. 13 a group of white student athletes at Hopkins dressed up to celebrate their upcoming trip to a state ski meet.
Some African-American students said the ski team members called it "Ghetto Spirit Day." But one of the students who came up with the idea for the day, whom MPR News has agreed not to name, said he and his teammates called it "Rapper Day."
"I thought it was just going to be fun with my friends and I guess some people just thought it was a really big deal, and I think it got a little bit out of proportion." - Unnamed Hopkins High School student
"I thought it was just going to be fun with my friends and I guess some people just thought it was a really big deal, and I think it got a little bit out of proportion," the student said.
Two African-American students complained to school administrators about how the white students were dressed. "One of them was wearing basketball shorts, a tank top, a "do-rag." Mind you these are all white students," he said.
Almost 70 percent of Hopkins High School's students are white. About one-fifth are black.
The other protesting student, a senior, said "They dressed up like gangsters basically. There were sagging chinchilla coats with the chains, joint in the ear just mocking our culture. Really how we reacted, we felt it was modern day 'blackfacing.'"
Source
18 April, 2013
Censoring vet’s advice insults 1st Amendment
"Somewhere on Earth, a beloved pet is suffering and may die because Texas forbids Ron Hines -- a 69-year-old, Texas-licensed veterinarian with a Ph.D. -- from giving advice over the Internet, even for free. Now Dr. Hines has brought a First Amendment challenge to the use of a 19th century regulatory model to suppress a 21st century technology that can often disseminate knowledge faster, better and cheaper than a visit to a brick-and-mortar veterinarian."
Unbeknownst to Dr. Hines, in 2005, Texas outlawed giving veterinary advice solely via the Internet. Veterinarians may give advice only if they have physically examined the animal at least once. Texas passed this law, and many other states did the same, as Internet-based veterinary information reduced the need for pet owners to make expensive in-person visits to their local vets.
Source
Australian radio jock suggests 'left-wing radical students' may be linked to Boston bombing
The fact that American college students are right now reading textbooks written by Weather Underground bomber Bill Ayers must not be mentioned, of course
Broadcaster Alan Jones is facing an online backlash after suggesting on national television that "left-wing radical students" were behind the Boston Marathon bombings and that Australia should reconsider its intake of foreign university students in response.
In a segment on Channel Seven's Sunrise on Wednesday morning, the controversial 2GB host said Boston was a student city home to prestigious institutions such as Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and suggested that students could be the culprits.
"I wouldn't be surprised if this was a conspiracy amongst students, left-wing radical students in Boston, and I think we have to think also very seriously here about our own student numbers," Jones said on Sunrise.
"We're very keen to have foreign students pay the way of universities in this country without a lot of discernment about who comes in. But I think the fact that we've been spared this kind of thing, touch wood, for so long highlights, as I said, the relentless work done by ASIO and all our police organisations."
Source
He's entitled to speculate.
17 April, 2013
Liberal Jewish censorship neutered: One synagogue axes Pamela Geller talk but 2 Others Invite Her
Her April 14 appearance at Great Neck Synagogue was canceled amid liberal protests, but anti-Islam blogger Pamela Geller got the last laugh: The next morning, two other area synagogues invited her to speak the same day as the canceled speech.
“Two courageous and magnificent Rabbis have asked me to speak on Sunday,” Geller wrote last Thursday on her blog, “Atlas Shrugged.” “Rabbi Yoseph Geisinsky of the Chabad, Great Neck and Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg of Congregation Beth-El in Edison, New Jersey have both invited me to speak at their synagogues on Sunday – the same day I was scheduled to speak at the Great Neck Synagogue on Long Island until that synagogue caved to a leftist/Islamic supremacist smear and intimidation campaign.”
Geller wrote that the invitations both came Thursday morning, hours after Great Neck Synagogue announced the cancellation.
Chabad of Great Neck is five minutes away from Great Neck Synagogue. Geller is scheduled to speak there at 10:00 a.m., the same time set for the canceled gig, on the theme of “The Imposition of Terrorism in the United States.” Her talk in Edison, an hour and a half south, is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The title there is “The Imposition of Sharia in America.”
The scheduling and canceling of Geller’s Great Neck Synagogue talk has become the focus of a major left-right Jewish war of words, pitting left-wingers who say she is a bigot and shouldn’t have a platform against right-wingers who call her a fighter against terrorism — and accuse the left of hypocrisy for failing to honor freedom of speech.
“The liberals came out of the woodwork to defend Islamic extremists rights to speak at Brooklyn College and call for the destruction of Israel,” New York state assemblyman Dov Hikind of Brooklyn said in a statement issued by his office. “But when author Pamela Geller was prevented from speaking at a private synagogue because of bullying and intimidation, the liberals were mum. Where have all the liberals gone?”
Source
Update: Her relocated talk got an overflow audience.
'Women don't have mental strength for Formula 1 and would find it tiring': Motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss, 83, becomes embroiled in sexism row
Sir Stirling Moss has infuriated women drivers by claiming they are not mentally tough enough to compete in Formula One.
He accepts they can cope with the physical demands of handling a Formula One car, but believes the stress of a high-speed race is too much for them.
Sir Stirling, 83, who won 16 grand prix in the Fifties and Sixties, said: ‘I think they have the strength, but I don’t know if they’ve got the mental aptitude to race hard, wheel to wheel. ‘The trouble is, when you’re racing, it’s pretty tiring.
He added: ‘We had three-hour races in those days. You needed tremendous concentration. Now races are only one hour and ten minutes.
‘We’ve got some very strong and robust ladies, but, when your life is at risk, I think the strain of that in a competitive situation will tell when you’re trying to win.
‘The mental stress, I think, would be pretty difficult for a lady to deal with in a practical fashion. I just don’t think they have the aptitude to win a Formula One race.’
Only five female drivers have raced in a grand prix, the last in 1992.
But Sir Stirling’s comments were attacked by Formula One test driver Susie Wolff, 30, who said: ‘I completely disagree with him. It makes me cringe hearing that.
‘I’ve got a lot of respect for Sir Stirling and what he achieved, but I think we’re in a different generation.
‘In the days they were racing, every time they stepped into a car, they were putting their life on the line. But F1 is much more technologically advanced – it’s much safer than it was.’
The most successful female Formula One driver was Italian Lella Lombardi, who competed in 12 races in the 1970s and became the only woman to finish on the championship scoreboard when she earned half a point by coming sixth at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.
Source
I imagine that race driving uses a lot of old hunting reflexes so men should have an inborn advantage there.
16 April, 2013
Major victory in court for the First Amendment!
Colorado has the initiative process; that is, we lowly citizens can act as the legislature and change law. Elected officials of all stripes hate the initiative, and you can understand why. The initiative is the check and balance on their power. Would politicians ever vote to limit their own terms? Of course not. Fortunately, through the initiative, we the people did. Would they ever vote to limit how much they spend, or ask voters for a tax or debt increase? We the people did through the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Would politicians ever vote to make all their meetings open to the public? Well, we the people did…you get the idea.
So in 2009, the legislature passed a bill, HB-1326, that made it so onerous, expensive, and potentially personally bankrupting that no thinking person would ever put something on the ballot again. (And as you’ll see, I am no thinking person.) So we decided to fight to keep our right to petition. It has been a long and expensive fight, but with a judge’s order on Friday, we have now completely won!
Let me give you an idea just how bad this law was. It made the proponents of an initiative personally liable for the actions of petition gatherers. I’ve been a political activist for over two decades and, like most Americans, never thought that being part of the democratic process would land me in court and possibly bankrupt me. Well, that’s just what happened.
I was the sponsor of our Health Care Choice initiative in 2010, along with our health care star Linda Gorman. When the opponents wanted to derail the effort, they used the new law and claimed that a paid petition gatherer misrepresented my initiative to get a citizen to sign my petition. So into court I was dragged. If the opponents won I would be liable for their legal costs. We of course won, but still, my legal costs were about $100,000. This nuisance complaint did what it was created to do - cost time and money. If, however, we’d lost, I’d have had to pay hundreds of thousands to the opponents. I would have been wiped out and in bankruptcy.
After what happened to me, it became clear that no one would ever chance their own fiscal ruin by putting an initiative forward again. With our input, the Secretary of State has made rule changes to provide at least some protection to future sponsors.
If that wasn’t enough, HB-1326 outlawed paying petition gatherers by the signature. Instead, they were to be paid by the hour or on salary, which would make the process so expensive that only very rich people and political interests could get things on the ballot. We were able to get a judge to temporarily enjoin that just in time for us to get the signatures needed for the Health Care Choice initiative in 2010.
On Friday, the judge made that temporary injunction permanent! This is a major victory for the right to petition.
And if THAT wasn’t enough, HB-1326 required that petition gatherers be residents of Colorado, even though the most effective, professional gatherers travel around the country and may be out-of-state. Again, the law was made to make it unaffordable to get something on the ballot. On Friday, the judge permanently enjoined that part of the law, too. We’ve won on everything.
Source
French uproar over dictionary's marriage definition
Larousse, the authoritative French dictionary, has infuriated right-wing MPs after it altered its definition of marriage to a union of "two persons" rather than "between man and woman".
MPs from the opposition UMP have called for boycotts of the dictionary after accusing it of taking sides in France's debate on gay marriage.
Larousse's 2014 edition, due to be published in June, defines marriage as a "solemn act between two same-sex or different-sex persons, who decide to establish a union".
The government of Francois Hollande has proposed a gay marriage law and the legislation is being contested in parliament.
Laurent Wauquiez, the vice-president of the UMP, criticised Larousse for taking sides and pre-empting the final parliamentary vote on an issue that has divided France.
"It's incredible, this is not normal, the law has not passed yet. I'm a member of parliament, I believe in what I do and I find it incredible," he said. "I studied politics and social sciences from their books. I can't believe they are doing this."
Source
15 April, 2013
Defending Middle School Student’s Right to Openly Wear a Rosary
Rosaries are worn as bling by some African gang bangers so the school was not totally out of order. Keeping gang activity out of schools is highly desirable
We recently assisted a middle school student in Texas, and his mother, who requested our help to ensure that the student is able to keep openly wearing his rosary while he is at school.
The student has worn a rosary to school to symbolize and express his Christian faith, which has grown especially important to him during his continuing fight against cancer that has appeared in his throat and lungs. On multiple occasions, however, teachers and administrators told him to remove or hide his rosary. He believed that hiding or removing his rosary would indicate that he is ashamed of his faith.
His mother discussed the matter with various school administrators and staff and they stated that requiring her son to remove or hide his rosary was supported by District policy. They also advised that her son might face disciplinary action if he continued to openly wear his rosary.
We sent the school district a letter explaining that the school’s actions violated the student’s freedom of speech.
The school district’s attorney reviewed the matter and advised that the student would be permitted to openly wear his rosary without further incident.
The ACLJ will continue to defend the free speech rights of students wearing rosaries, cross necklaces, religious clothing, and similar expressive attire around the country.
Source
Pamela Geller silenced by Leftist Jews
Liberal Jews are truly disgusting. Do they think that bowing down before the Islamofascists is going to do them any more good than when they bowed down before Nazism? One suspects a fatal lack of balls
Geller is the nightmare of the liberal Jewish establishment. She is a beautiful and articulate speaker and writer who has risen to prominence in the US for her steadfast commitment to exposing the deadly pathologies of Jew hatred, misogyny and other prejudices inherent to jihadist ideology.
Geller was scheduled to speak on April 13 at the Great Neck Synagogue in Great Neck, New York. The topic of her talk was "The Imposition of Shari'a in America."
Last month, after learning of her talk, a consortium of Islamic and leftist activists in Nassau County led by Habeed Ahmed from the Islamic Center of Long Island launched a pressure campaign to coerce the synagogue into cancelling her speech. Members of the group telephoned the synagogue and castigated Geller as a bigot, and likened her to the Nazis in the 1930s.
In short order liberal rabbis Michael White and Jerome Davidson took over the opposition to Geller and launched a media campaign attacking her as a bigot and demanding that the Great Neck Synagogue cancel her speech.
On Wednesday the synagogue caved in to their massive pressure. Citing "security concerns" the synagogue board released a statement saying that while "these important issues must be discussed, the synagogue is unable to bear the burden" of the pressure campaign surrounding Geller's planned speech. Her event was canceled.
Source
14 April, 2013
A win for truth
The actress who sued IMDb - the Internet Movie Database - for revealing her date of birth has lost her case in a Seattle court.
Huong (aka Junie) Hoang, a 41-year-old actor born in Saigon, launched her suit against IMDb.com, which is owned by Amazon, in October 2011. She originally sought $1 million in damages for loss of career opportunities stemming from the website's publication of her date of birth. This was later amended to unspecified compensatory damages and costs.
Ms Hoang had claimed she was born in 1978 when she submitted her information to the site, which hosts career information on many thousands of industry professionals. She was in fact born on July 16, 1971, a fact IMDb made public following a dispute with the actress over her entry.
The Guild and AFTRA argued that IMDb should allow actors to indicate an “age range” they could feasibly play.
Unfortunately for Ms Hoang and all the other rank-and-file actors out there, it was decided in a pre-trial hearing last week that this case would not consider such matters. No expert witnesses would be called to testify on the subject of ageism in Tinseltown (Ms Hoang's lawyers reportedly had nine witnesses lined-up to testify that IMDb had refused to take down birthdate details when requested).
That meant the issue at stake was simply whether or not IMDb had breached its contract with Ms Hoang by using her credit card data to determine her true age, and then publishing that information against her wishes.
In the end the jury sided with IMDb's argument that it was motivated purely by the “search for truth”.
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NY Town Removes Veterans’ Gadsden Flag For Being an offensive Tea Party Symbol?
So is there something illegitimate about the Tea Party? What is wrong with calling for lower taxes? Was not American independence the result of a tax protest?
The United Veterans Memorial & Patriotic Association is fighting a New York town for the right to fly the Gadsden flag bearing the phrase, “Don’t Tread On Me.” The veterans group had flown the flag, used by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps since 1775, at the New Rochelle Armory, but the city council claimed it was an offensive Tea Party symbol and voted to have the flag removed.
According to the website Talk of the Sound, one council member compared the Gadsden to the gay pride flag while another member likened it to Nazi and, more oddly, Mickey Mouse flags.
The Thomas More Law Center is now representing the veterans group, claiming that if one were to use the city council’s logic, even the Stars and Stripes would be removed from flagpoles around the country.
“Using the City Council’s reasoning, they would remove the Stars and Stripes from flagpoles because both Democrat and Republican Parties, as well as most political candidates, use the Stars and Stripes in their campaign messaging,” said Richard Thompson, president of the center.
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12 April, 2013
Bar owner questioned by British police after writing 'offensive' comment about 1958 Munich air disaster on pub blackboard
A publican has slammed police after he was questioned on suspicion of committing a public order offence over a comment he wrote on his pub blackboard about the 1958 Munich air disaster.
Former magistrate Kevin Banks, 55, wrote 'Munich' in capitals before using the word as an acronym to spell out the message: 'Manchester United Never Intended Coming Home.'
The controversial comment was one of Mr Banks' regular 'thought for the week' comments he writes on the blackboard in the tap room to get punters talking.
But police were called in by customer who noticed the message alongside routine announcements written by Mr Banks including use of electronic cigarettes at his pub and prices of lager.
Today, Mr Banks accused officers of cracking down on free speech over the way they handled a complaint.
An officer went to speak to the father-of-six and gave him 'words of advice' before the landlord agreed to let him rub out the message. No further action will be taken against him.
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Must not use "suicide" metaphorically
Laurie Fisher, An Australian rugby football coach, asserted that the opposing team (Limerick) would be so soundly defeated in a forthcoming match that they would feel like suicide afterward. His message to his team was:
"Suicide watch in Limerick tonight. Got to dust off and give 100% to the team next week. Only 80 mins away from HC semi-final."
A footballer comments:
Along with the majority of the world, I see nothing wrong with his statement. Yet, some of you little PC pilgrims, who are in desperate need of a hobby, felt the need to get your tedious voices heard. Apparently the word 'suicide' is now on the PC black list.
Laurie got some feedback for his time. A few examples follow.
'Your flippancy about suicide is unacceptable and in bad taste.'
'An absolute disgraceful comment to make! Have tweeted local journalist about it'
Neither Laurie, or myself, are advocating an increase in suicide. I cannot believe that sentence has to be written. To any thinking person, this is obvious.
I noticed, when shown this, that Laurie apologised for his 'indiscretion'. I will do no such thing. I'm here to tell you that if you are so politically correct that you take offence to Laurie's comment, you are an idiot.
Offended? I don't care. Thinking of commenting on this story to tell me I'm the devil? Go for it, you might amuse me for a short period of time.
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11 April, 2013
French goons shoot themselves in the foot
The French military (the Direction centrale du renseignement intérieur) forced the closure of a Wikipedia page in French about a French military radio station.
The page was subsequently reinstated by someone in nearby Switzerland, where French is also spoken. As a result of an internet hue and cry, the "censored" page has become the most read page in French Wikipedia!
The goons who wanted to suppress information ended up spreading it far and wide! They don't seem to have decided what to do next but they clearly can't win now.
Details here.
Fury about German TV series on the war
But the series spoke truth. I have a high regard for Poles in general but I have yet to meet one who did not have a bee in his bonnet about "The Jews". With a few exceptions, Poles were quick to help Hitler round up Jews in Poland
Poland has accused its neighbour of distorting historical facts and making victims of the war out of the real criminals. The reason for the allegations is the German TV station ZDF three-part documentary which aired at the end of March 'Our Mothers, Our Fathers'.
It focussed on the fate of five Germans in WWII and upset people in Poland after it depicted Polish resistance fighters as anti-Semitic.
In one scene a group of fighters orders a train with concentration camp victims to carry on when they realise the passengers are Jewish. In another a partisan says 'we drown Jews like rats.'
The Polish ambassador to Berlin was furious at the depiction of Poles as hostile towards Jews in the programme
ZDF responded saying that in no way was it intending to trivialise historical facts or reduce German responsibility with the mini series. Producer Nico Hofmann said the depictions of 'the Polish situation... are based on historically vetted material' and there was no intention to defame the Poles.'
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10 April, 2013
Must not praise Margaret Thatcher?
Geri Halliwell led stars talking about the late politician on the social networking site but after posting a message praising Lady Thatcher she swiftly deleted it and apologised to her followers.
The Spice Girl appeared to anger fans by writing: 'Thinking of our 1st Lady of girl power, Margaret Thatcher, a grocer’s daughter who taught me anything is possible…x’
Geri quickly deleted the Tweet writing simply: 'I'm sorry if I offended u. X'
The singer has praised Lady Thatcher in the past and in the run up to the 1997 election she said: 'I saw a lot of what Mrs Thatcher did. She was definitely the original Spice Girl rising from the greengrocer's daughter to Prime Minister.'
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The entertainment industry leans heavily Left
Long-winded alternative to "illegal alien"
In a horrific story that the national newspapers are thus far ignoring, the Associated Press is trying out its new linguistic gymnastics on illegal alien and murder suspect Jose Zarate.
According to investigators, 25-year-old Zarate went to Maria Saucedo’s home around 9:30pm on Monday, expressing interest in pursuing a romantic relationship with the woman’s 13-year-old daughter. After Saucedo refused his request, Zarate allegedly pulled out a rifle and shot the 31-year-old mother in the chest at close range while her daughter was in the room.
The Associated Press reports that “The sheriff’s office says Zarate is not a U.S. citizen and has been living in the country illegally.” Or, more concisely, he’s an illegal alien.
Troublingly, this trend of avoiding legal terminology is apparently spreading into the law enforcement community. An Arizona deputy seems to have adopted the AP’s new standard, reportedly referring to Zarate as a “non-U.S. citizen who has been living in the country without proper authorization.”
Why say “illegal alien” when you could use a dozen words to say the same thing?
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9 April, 2013
Must not mention menstruation
I must say that I would not like to be in the company of an armed female at certain times of the month
An Arizona veterans services official was fired and her boss resigned after she said women might be less suited for combat because of their menstrual cycles.
Former state Rep. Terri Proud, hired as an administrative assistant with the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services, made the comment this week to the Arizona-Sonora News Service.
“I understand that women want to be on the front lines, and they want to do their service and women are very strong. We’ve really come far through the years. We’re extremely strong,” Proud said. But, she added, “Women have certain things during the month I’m not sure they should be out there dealing with. I don’t know how to address that topic in a very diplomatic manner.”
Proud, a Republican, was fired Wednesday and her supervisor, Veterans’ Services Director Joey Strickland, resigned
Proud made national news during her time in the Arizona legislature when she said last year that women who want an abortion should be required to watch one first.
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Must not criticize native customs
Maori customs certainly are bizarre by Western standards but Pakehas (white New Zealanders) understand them and have adopted them to some extent
A Danish MP has offended New Zealand’s Maoris by describing their traditional welcome dance as ‘uncivilised and grotesque’.
Right-wing politician Marie Krarup went on to say in a piece she wrote for a Danish newspaper that she was shocked to be welcomed by a dancing ‘half naked man’.
The traditional greeting, known as a powhiri, is given as an honour to visitors to New Zealand, but Miss Krarup has left the Maoris in no doubt that she failed to understand the value they all place upon the ceremony.
Miss Krarup recalled that when she arrived at the Devonport Naval Base, the headquarters of the Royal New Zealand Navy located on the North Island, she and the group she was with were greeted by a man shouting and screaming in Maori and poking his tongue out.
She felt like an idiot, she said, as she gave a hongi - rubbing her nose with a warrior - and the waiata, a Maori song, performed by naval personnel sounded like a Danish children’s song about a happy ladybird. The song, she said, was accompanied by a ‘kindergarten-teacher-guitar-accompaniment.'
Maoris said today that the politician clearly had no understanding about the local culture and should have, at least, had the decency to read about it before arriving in the country.
Maori culture expert Dr Ranginui Walker, said her remarks showed complete ignorance.
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8 April, 2013
Students Want Catholic Priest Removed from University
Religious liberty groups are mobilizing to defend the chaplain of George Washington University’s Newman Center after gay students launched an effort to have the priest fired because he preaches against homosexuality and abortion.
“It’s discrimination against Catholics,” said Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society. “Secular colleges are fast becoming a very unsafe place for Catholics who hold true to their faith. This is a very, very sad situation.”
Two gay students at George Washington told the GW Hatchet student newspaper that they want Father Greg Shaffer removed from campus over his anti-gay and anti-abortion views.
Damian Legacy and Blake Bergen said they want the university’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion to investigate the priest and they are calling for the student government association to defund the Newman Center.
They were particularly offended by a blog post the priest wrote calling gay relationships “unnatural and immoral,” the newspaper reported.
A GWU spokesperson disputed reports that an investigation had already been launched. They said they have yet to receive any complaint.
The university released a statement noting that it “strives to embody the spirit of mutual respect and reasoned debate that is essential to our academic mission.”
They declined to answer specific questions about the controversy or the status of Father Shaffer only to say that he is not an employee of the university.
“We are therefore committed to ensuring that all members of our community are free to express their religious beliefs while honoring the right of others to express theirs,” the statement read.
Reilly told Fox News that he found the incident “absolutely disturbing.”
“Chastity outside of marriage has been the Catholic church teaching for more than 2,000 years,” he said. “The only discrimination occurring there is trying to silence a priest for trying to teach the Catholic faith.”
Michael Sheehy, a 1997 GWU graduate, suggested if the gay students felt uncomfortable with the Newman Center’s teachings – perhaps they should go somewhere else.
“No student is forced to attend Catholic Mass and religious programs at the Newman Center, nor condemned for doing so,” Sheehy told Fox News. “The students in this article are certainly free to avoid this campus center, but also have no right to dictate how other students can or should practice their faith.”
This is “diversity gone too far, and disrespectful to freedom of thought, conscience and practice of established religious doctrine,” he added.
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South African university apologises for running survey saying white people are 'more attractive' than black people
Some opinions must not be uttered. There is an old saying: "Concerning tastes there can be no dispute" but not these days apparently. I wonder if I am allowed to say that I have a preference for redheads?
A South African student newspaper caused a racial storm after publishing a poll that said white people are the most attractive race.
The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Varsity newspaper conducted a survey of 60 students to decide which race is the most attractive.
It showed that 38 per cent of those surveyed thought that whites were the most attractive, while Africans had the lowest rating with just eight per cent.
The survey took in a wide range of ethnicities, with people from who were white, Indian, East Asian, mixed race, black or ‘coloured’ backgrounds.
The poll, which was conducted to accompany an article entitled ‘Is Love Colour Blind’ by student Qamran Tabo, has been condemned as racist.
The paper was forced to apologise after students and human rights activists complained.
The UCT Young Communist League of South Africa lodged a complaint with the country’s Human Rights Commission as they believe that the ‘charade of a survey’ incited racial hatred.
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7 April, 2013
Canada calls Muslim customs "barbaric"
Jason Kenney, the federal immigration minister, deserves congratulations for releasing an updated guide for newcomers that refers to certain unacceptable cultural practices as “barbaric.”
Those practices include any that “tolerate spousal abuse, honour killings, female genital mutilation, forced marriage or other gender-based violence.” The term “barbaric” is strong, but it leaves no room for misinterpretation. That is the most important issue here.
There is no question that some will be offended by “barbaric” and its connotations of primitive cultures and a lack of sophistication. It is a provocative adjective to use in reference to another culture, especially in Canada, where it does not quite fit with our self-image of a multicultural, all-accepting country that embraces other peoples with open arms.
But there are three overriding points that justify the term’s use. One, the most obvious, is that honour killings, spousal abuse, female genital mutilation and forced marriage are unjustifiable and savagely brutal acts that have no place in Canada. Mr. Kenney is absolutely right about that.
Secondly, these sorts of gender-based cruelties have no place in any country, and Canada is sending a strong message about it. Gender equality is a basic human right, and countries that embrace it as such tend to fare better economically than those that don’t. Not that a basic human right needs economic justification, but Canada is a prosperous and safe place to live, and its attitudes about the rights of women and girls are a critical part of that success.
Finally, the absolute clarity of the government’s position on barbaric cultural practices is a healthy step toward pluralism and away from the illusion of multiculturalism. The latter – a word that gets tossed around liberally in Canada – presumes there is no dominant culture. But that is not true about our country. We are a pluralist society that welcomes other peoples and encourages them to celebrate their unique cultures and traditions but only, as Mr. Kenney’s updated guide also says, as long as they “are consistent with Canadian values such as human dignity and equality before the law.” Anything else is non-negotiable.
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Britain attempts to opt out of EU rules that let people easily delete their online data
Freedom to shut up
Britain is attempting to opt out of a European initiative allowing people to easily remove their details from online service providers such as Facebook.
The controversial move has caused uproar among privacy campaigners, who today accused the government of blocking an 'essential move'
The rule, known as the 'right to be forgotten' has been developed by the EU justice commissioners in the face of growing complaints about the way Facebook and other social media giants retain information.
In its current form, which is not finalised, article 17 of the Data Protection Regulation provides for punitive fines – up to 2% of global turnover – for companies that refuse to comply with requests to erase customers' personal details.
Nick Pickles, director of privacy and civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, said: 'The right to be forgotten is a political sound bite that got out of control, but the idea behind it is an essential move.
'It’s absolutely right that for companies who do not legally need to keep data, if you leave a service you should be able to delete your data wherever it appears across that service. 'This change gives citizens that right.'
Britain's objection to the EU move is that unrealistic expectations will be created by the right's expansive title because the controls proposed will be relatively modest in their impact on the way data spreads, or is traded, across websites.
Mr Pickles agreed with these concerns, but called for the bill to be saved.
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5 April, 2013
Associated Press drops “illegal immigrant” from stylebook
Leftist orthodoxy to be enforced
"The Associated Press, the largest news-gathering outlet in the world, will no longer use the term 'illegal immigrant.' ...
AP Stylebook editors sat down with a number of groups who were concerned about their entry on the the term in recent years and 'sought the views of a cross section of AP staffers' on the issue, according to Colford.
Kathleen Carroll also noted in the Tuesday blog post that the AP prefers to label 'behavior' rather than 'people,' writing that instead of using the term 'schizophrenic,' the AP now prefers saying that one is 'diagnosed with schizophrenia.'"
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Ohio school takes down Jesus portrait under legal threat?
A portrait of Jesus that had adorned a southern Ohio public school district building since 1947 has been taken down after officials decided they could not risk losing a lawsuit to the American Civil Liberties Union.
The superintendent of Jackson City Schools told The Associated Press that the decision was made after the district's insurance company declined to cover litigation expenses. Phil Howard said a student club that the school says owns the portrait took it down Wednesday morning at his direction.
"At the end of the day, we just couldn't roll the dice with taxpayer money," Howard said. "When you get into these kinds of legal battles, you're not talking about money you can raise with bake sales and car washes. It's not fair to take those resources from our kids' education."
The "Head of Christ," a popular depiction of Jesus, had been in an entranceway's "Hall of Honor" in a middle school building that was formerly a high school.
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4 April, 2013
Buckley had it right
And Orwell understood too
3 April, 2013
Facebook trumps the media
The painfully politically correct media howl if anyone just mentions the word race. But nobody likes to be preached to all the time so it's no wonder that the less monolithic messages found on Facebook are influential. Facebook gives you the diversity of views that you cannot get in the media. And the Left always tell us what a good thing diversity is
According to a new study, the longer you spend on Facebook, the likelier you are to agree with racist sentiments.
The research—published in the latest issue of the academic journal Computers in Human Behavior (it's behind a paywall)—was led by Shannon Rauch, assistant professor of psychology at Providence College, and Kimberley Schanz, a doctoral candidate at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Rauch and Schanz took 623 participants (69 percent of them were female) and asked them to rate their level of Facebook usage on a scale of 1 to 8, with the higher number indicating a higher frequency of consumption of the social network.
They were then asked to read one of three different Facebook notes about race, supposedly written by "Jack Brown," a fictional 26-year-old male.
The first, dubbed the "superiority message," it argued that whites as a whole were superior to blacks. The second, "victim message," insisted that whites had become the "oppressed racial group in America." The third post was called "the egalitarian message," arguing that all races were equal and that anti-black sentiment was still an issue.
The study's subjects were then asked to indicate how much they agreed with the message that they read. Rauch and Schanz found that users who spent more time on the social networks were more likely to find truth in Brown's racist notes.
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CO: False "hate speech" allegation harms the accused. No consequences for the accuser?
Perjury might be considered for starters. But the "teen" who abused Gagne is probably black, so that gives him special protection
Hate crime charges against an Oak Creek Town Board member have been dropped. The Town Board member says he was the victim of a false accusation as a result of an altercation.
An Oak Creek Town Board member says he was the victim of a false accusation after hate crime charges stemming from a dispute were dropped.
According to Steamboat Today, Gagne was arrested on Sept. 24 following an altercation. He was charged with Class 5 felony bias-motivated crime, misdemeanor bias-motivated crime, misdemeanor third-degree assault and misdemeanor menacing.
Bernard Gagne Jr. said in a statement Thursday it was an easy accusation to make and a hard accusation to dismiss.
“I was the victim of a false accusation,” Gagne Jr. said. “Not just any accusation, but that of racism. It is such an easy accusation to make, but one of the most horrible accusations that can be brought against someone, especially when it is not at all true.”
According to authorities, a 17-year-old boy said he was threatened while leaving a store and alleged racial threats were made after Gagne hit him.
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2 April, 2013
New York Times accused of sexism after obituary to brilliant rocket scientist leads with her cooking
Nice to see a liberal icon falling foul of its own rules
She was one of the first female rocket scientists in the U.S. but the New York Times decided to lead an obituary for Yvonne Brill with her penchant for cooking beef stroganoff and being 'the world's best mom'.
The obituary opened with the following: 'She made a mean beef stroganoff, followed her husband from job to job and took eight years off from work to raise three children.'
The Grey Lady met the ire of several high-profile scientists and scholars following the publication of the obituary which led to a plethora of angry reactions on websites like the Daily Beast and Jezebel.
Brill was awarded a National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Barack Obama in 2011. Writing for Jezebel, Doug Barry chided the newspaper for burying the quite obvious lead.
'Oh yes, by the way, Number One Mom Yvonne Brill, Preparer of Divine Beef Stroganoff, Cleaner of Messy Diapers, also invented a little system that helped make satellites work. It's nothing, really, just the industry standard.'
CNN Editor and Daily Beast Washington Bureau Chief Howard Kurtz also wrote a rebuke to the obituary. 'Would a male scientist have drawn such an obit opening about his great fatherhood skills? Obviously not.'
Shortly after the uproar, the obituary for Brill was altered with a new introduction that at least introduced her career as a rocket scientist.
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Classic sandwich bar drops 'Chink' name
Another Leftist assault on history and custom
A classic Philadelphia cheesesteak restaurant is changing its name after almost seven decades from "Chink's" because of fear of causing racial offense.
Chink's Steaks has been renowned for its girth-busting meat and melted cheese sandwiches since it was opened by Samuel "Chink" Sherman in 1949, according to a history on the eatery's website www.chinksteaks.com.
Sherman gave what was at first just a sandwich shop his own nickname and after he died in 1997, his protege Joe Groh kept on the tradition.
Only recently, Groh told CBS television, have people started to complain about the potential for seeing the name as a racist term for Chinese.
"We did not associate it with the racial slur," he said, but change is needed so that "we no longer inadvertently alienate anyone in the Philly community."
The website says the new name will be "Joe's Steaks and Soda Shop."
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1 April, 2013
Must not compare ANYTHING to slavery
Some hysteria below from a female Harvard graduate who works as an obstetrician. What she is reacting to is also hysterical but to call it racist is a huge stretch. I have no dog in the fight concerned but think that homebirth advocates have a case. Homebirth was after all normal for most of human history. To this day, Britain accommodates homebirth -- and mortality there is no different from in the hospital system -- perhaps in part because homebirths evade the real dangers of treatment-resistant hospital-borne infections and the frequently negligent standard of obstetric care in British government hospitals
Nothing says “racial insensitivity” quite like invoking slavery to describe something that you don’t like. I’ve written before about the unbearable whiteness of homebirth advocates, and the white homebirther’s burden, but Jan Tritten’s histrionic blather in this month’s issue of Midwifery Today reaches a new low. Even as I copy these words, I cannot believe that Tritten had the unmitigated gall to write them:
… [The] anti-slavery movement parallels our movement to free women in pregnancy and birth from the jaws of the medical establishment. This plays out all around the world with some countries being worse than others. The treatment of motherbaby is often abusive—horrendously so. Perhaps nothing is as horrible as slavery and I don’t mean to downplay it in any way by this comparison, but the effects of pregnancy, birth and the first year of life affect both mother and child for their entire lives
Tritten’s claims skate perilously close to racism.
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Ms Tritten specifically said: "nothing is as horrible as slavery and I don’t mean to downplay it in any way" but that was not enough, apparently.
Black surgeon slammed for "homophobic" comment
It's just a typical Leftist stretch to say that he "equated" homosexuality with pedophilia
Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson told Andrea Mitchell Friday that he is prepared to refrain from speaking at the university’s School of Medicine commencement ceremony, after students and faculty petitioned over comments he made this week that were widely seen as anti-gay.
Carson told FOX News host Sean Hannity Tuesday, “My thoughts are that marriage is between a man and a woman. It’s a well-established, fundamental pillar of society and no group, be they gays, be they NAMBLA, be they people who believe in bestiality–it doesn’t matter what they are–they don’t get to change the definition.”
Carson’s comparison of gay relationships to pedophilia (NAMBLA stands for the North American Man/Boy Love Association) and bestiality has caused the pediatric neurosurgeon to fall from his perch as a Republican rising a star in recent days.
Carson also offered an apology for his Tuesday comments and addressed his mention of bestiality and pedophilia.
“What I was basically saying and if anyone was offended, I apologize to you. What I was basically saying is there is no group. I wasn’t equating those things, I don’t think they’re equal. If you ask me for an apple and I give you an orange you would say, that’s not an orange. And I say, that’s a banana. And that’s not an apple either. Or a peach, that’s not an apple, either. It doesn’t mean that I’m equating the banana and the orange and the peach. In the same way I’m not equating those things.”
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Mohammad
"HATE SPEECH" is free speech: The U.S. Supreme Court stated the general rule regarding protected speech in Texas v. Johnson (109 S.Ct. at 2544), when it held: "The government may not prohibit the verbal or nonverbal expression of an idea merely because society finds the idea offensive or disagreeable." Federal courts have consistently followed this. Said Virginia federal district judge Claude Hilton: "The First Amendment does not recognize exceptions for bigotry, racism, and religious intolerance or ideas or matters some may deem trivial, vulgar or profane."
Even some advocacy of violence is protected by the 1st Amendment. In Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), the U.S. Supreme Court held unanimously that speech advocating violent illegal actions to bring about social change is protected by the First Amendment "except where such advocacy is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action."
The double standard: Atheists can put up signs and billboards saying that Christianity is wrong and that is hunky dory. But if a Christian says that homosexuality is wrong, that is attacked as "hate speech"
A prophetic comment on Norwegian hate speech laws: As Justice Brandeis once noted, repressive censorship “breeds hate” and “that hate menaces stable government,” rather than promoting safety; “the path of safety lies in the opportunity to discuss freely supposed grievances and proposed remedies.”
Voltaire's most famous saying was actually a summary of Voltaire's thinking by one of his biographers rather than something Voltaire said himself. Nonetheless it is a wholly admirable sentiment: "I disagree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it". I am of a similar mind.
The traditional advice about derogatory speech: "Sticks and stones will break your bones but names will never hurt you". Apparently people today are not as emotionally robust as their ancestors were.
The KKK were members of the DEMOCRATIC party. Google "Klanbake" if you doubt it
A phobia is an irrational fear, so the terms "Islamophobic" and "homophobic" embody a claim that the people so described are mentally ill. There is no evidence for either claim. Both terms are simply abuse masquerading as diagnoses and suggest that the person using them is engaged in propaganda rather than in any form of rational or objective discourse.
Leftists often pretend that any mention of race is "racist" -- unless they mention it, of course. But leaving such irrational propaganda aside, which statements really are racist? Can statements of fact about race be "racist"? Such statements are simply either true or false. The most sweeping possible definition of racism is that a racist statement is a statement that includes a negative value judgment of some race. Absent that, a statement is not racist, for all that Leftists might howl that it is. Facts cannot be racist so nor is the simple statement of them racist. Here is a statement that cannot therefore be racist by itself, though it could be false: "Blacks are on average much less intelligent than whites". If it is false and someone utters it, he could simply be mistaken or misinformed.
Categorization is a basic human survival skill so racism as the Left define it (i.e. any awareness of race) is in fact neither right nor wrong. It is simply human
Whatever your definition of racism, however, a statement that simply mentions race is not thereby racist -- though one would think otherwise from American Presidential election campaigns. Is a statement that mentions dogs, "doggist" or a statement that mentions cats, "cattist"?
Was Abraham Lincoln a racist? "You and we are different races. We have between us a broader difference than exists between almost any other two races. Whether it is right or wrong I need not discuss, but this physical difference is a great disadvantage to us both, as I think your race suffer very greatly, many of them by living among us, while ours suffer from your presence. In a word, we suffer on each side. If this be admitted, it affords a reason at least why we should be separated. It is better for both, therefore, to be separated." -- Spoken at the White House to a group of black community leaders, August 14th, 1862
Gimlet-eyed Leftist haters sometimes pounce on the word "white" as racist. Will the time come when we have to refer to the White House as the "Full spectrum of light" House?
The spirit of liberty is "the spirit which is not too sure that it is right." and "Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. While it lies there it needs no constitution, no law, no court to save it." -- Judge Learned Hand
Mostly, a gaffe is just truth slipping out
Two lines below of a famous hymn that would be incomprehensible to Leftists today ("honor"? "right"? "freedom?" Freedom to agree with them is the only freedom they believe in)
First to fight for right and freedom,
And to keep our honor clean
It is of course the hymn of the USMC -- still today the relentless warriors that they always were.
It seems a pity that the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus is now little known. Remember, wrote the Stoic thinker, "that foul words or blows in themselves are no outrage, but your judgment that they are so. So when any one makes you angry, know that it is your own thought that has angered you. Wherefore make it your endeavour not to let your impressions carry you away."
"Since therefore the knowledge and survey of vice is in this world so necessary to the constituting of human virtue, and the scanning of error to the confirmation of truth, how can we more safely, and with less danger, scout into the regions of sin and falsity than by reading all manner of tractates, and hearing all manner of reason?" -- English poet John Milton (1608-1674) in Areopagitica
Hate speech is verbal communication that induces anger due to the listener's inability to offer an intelligent response
Leftists can try to get you fired from your job over something that you said and that's not an attack on free speech. But if you just criticize something that they say, then that IS an attack on free speech
"Negro" is a forbidden word -- unless a Democrat uses it
"It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood." -- Karl Popper
Why are Leftists always talking about hate? Because it fills their own hearts
Leftists don't have principles. How can they when "there is no such thing as right and wrong"? All they have is postures, pretend-principles that can be changed as easily as one changes one's shirt
When you have an argument with a Leftist, you are not really discussing the facts. You are threatening his self esteem. Which is why the normal Leftist response to challenge is mere abuse.
The naive scholar who searches for a consistent Leftist program will not find it. What there is consists only in the negation of the present.
The intellectual Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (AD 121-180) could have been speaking of much that goes on today when he said: "The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
I despair of the ADL. Jews have enough problems already and yet in the ADL one has a prominent Jewish organization that does its best to make itself offensive to Christians. Their Leftism is more important to them than the welfare of Jewry -- which is the exact opposite of what they ostensibly stand for! Jewish cleverness seems to vanish when politics are involved. Fortunately, Christians are true to their saviour and have loving hearts. Jewish dissatisfaction with the myopia of the ADL is outlined here. Note that Foxy was too grand to reply to it.
DETAILS OF REGULARLY UPDATED BLOGS BY JOHN RAY:
"Tongue Tied"
"Dissecting Leftism" (Backup here)
"Australian Politics"
"Education Watch International"
"Political Correctness Watch"
"Greenie Watch"
"Food & Health Skeptic"
"Immigration Watch International" blog.
