Time, By John Cloud Monday, Aug. 30, 2010- One of the most contentious issues in the vast literature about alcohol consumption has been the consistent finding that those who don't drink tend to die sooner than those who do. (link)
Comment: I'll drink to that.
Anyone with information about the Murfressboro Mosque construction site arson is urged to call the AFT Bureau's toll-free hotline, at (877) A-T-F – FIRE. Or you can contact your local police department.
Early Saturday morning, arsonist set a fire at the construction site of the future Murfressboro Mosque in an attempt to destroy four pieces of construction equipment left on the site, striking fear into the heart of local Muslims.
"The members of the community are very scared," said Camie Ayash, spokeswoman for the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro. "As I mentioned, it's Ramaadan. We try to come together as a community in the evenings to break our fast together. Our attendance level has been very low, because people are scared to leave their homes." (link)
This arson attempt recalls the intimidation and violence perpetrated by the Klu Klux Klan across the south in the sixties, when crosses were burned in the yards of Blacks who attempted to register to vote and churches were torched including the 1963 church bombing at a Birmingham church that killed four little girls.
The sign marking the future site of the Murfreesboro Mosque was destroyed twice in the last few months. In February 2008, a Mosque in Columbia, Tennessee was destroyed in a fire and graffiti left behind included swastikas and the words "white power." (link)
There has been a lot of opposition to the Murfressboro Mosque and it has been fueled by local radio talk show host and politicians. In the recent election for the 6th Congressional district seat, candidate Lou Ann Zelenik came out against the construction of the mosque and issued a statement including these excepts: (link)
Lou Ann stands with everyone who is opposed to the idea of an Islamic training center being built in our community. This "Islamic Center" is not part of a religious movement; it is a political movement designed to fracture the moral and political foundation of Middle Tennessee.At a demonstration against the Mosque in Murfressboro earlier this summer, demonstrator Evy Summers was quoted as saying, "No mosque in Murfreesboro. I don't want it. I don't want them here. Go start their own country overseas somewhere. This is a Christian country. It was based on Christianity." (link)
Radical Muslims are killing our servicemen and servicewomen every day. They say they want to kill us, and time and again they have backed up their words with action.
Until the American Muslim community find it in their hearts to separate themselves from their evil, radical counterparts, to condemn those who want to destroy our civilization and will fight against them, we are not obligated to open our society to any of them.
In all of the controversy about the "ground zero mosque" and the Murfressboro Mosque, I have been disappointed in some of our Republican politicians, such as our own Lou Ann Zelenic and Ron Ramsey and nationally I have been very disappointed in Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich. To tell you the truth, I had gotten over Sarah Palin a long time ago and really did not expect much better from her but was really disappointed in Newt Gingrich. I had always been impressed by Newt and thought he was an intellectual and a thoughtful person. I was more disappointed in Newt than anyone else. He surprised me. At one time, he was one of my favorite politicians and a person that I thought should have been President.
On the other hand, some other people went up several notches in my estimation, including Karl Rove, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Governor Chris Christie and most of all Ron Paul.
Ron Paul deserves a Peace Prize, except that after awarding the Peace Prize to Barack Obama for not being George Bush, I am not sure the Peace Prize has much value. I have never been a supporter of Ron Paul. I have thought he was too far outside the mainstream. While I was an opponent of our going to war in Iraq, I still think we have interest in the world and I cannot support Paul's isolationist foreign policy. On several other issues, I have thought Paul was too much of an absolutist. However, if the election was being held today, I would vote for Ron Paul before I would vote for Newt Gingrich. I am giving Ron Paul a second look.
Please watch this clip. Unfortunately you must watch a 30 second commercial before you get to the Ron Paul clip. Go 2:16 into the clip to see the Ground Zero Mosque discussion. Paul criticizes Gingrich for comparing the Muslims to Nazis and says he "overstepped his bounds" and was "over the top." He criticizes those who would purposely attempt to confuse all Muslims with Al Qaeda. Ron Paul sounds like the voice of reason, moderation, decency, and common sense.
George Stephanopoulos, ABC - I asked Karl Rove if he was concerned that the heated rhetoric from some of his fellow Republicans on the proposed Islamic center would undercut the work that President Bush did and the work President Obama is trying to do to reach out to the moderate Muslim world.
"I am," Rove told me.
By expressing his concern Rove joined New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former speechwriter Michael Gerson and former undersecretary James Glassman -- three Republicans who have said the controversy could have negative repercussions. (link)
GOP Breakfast: Beth Campbell, SEC 21 and Senate candidate Steve Dickerson, SD. 21, listen to a pitch from 5th District Congressional candidate David Hall at Saturday's Green Hills GOP breakfast meeting at Nero's Restaurant.
"This campaign is about getting our country back on track," GOP 5th Dist. Congressional candidate David Hall told a breakfast club meeting at Nero's Restaurant. "People are concerned about the socialistic agenda we appear to be moving into," the Goodlettsville home builder told Republicans from the affluent Green Hills area. (Read More. Photo and story from Dru's Vues, too, Saturday, August 28, 2010)
Last night I was at fund-raising event for one of our local Republican candidates who is running for a state house seat. It was at a salsa night club that had been taken over for the evening by the candidate for a campaign party. The event was cash bar, but lots of good food and a festive atmosphere. I enjoyed chatting with lots of people I knew and making new acquaintances.
My wife and I were at a small, tall table at which you stand. I had just returned from the bar with our drinks when I looked up I saw someone approaching. This was not someone meandering by and mingling; they came up to our table with purpose. This gentleman did not introduce himself or anything. He walked up to me and said, "You need to Google 'Muslim History'."
I was a little taken aback and not sure I had heard him correctly and I said, "Pardon Me?"
He said, "You need to Google 'Muslim history'. Apparently, you don't know anything about it."
I said, "well, I know a little. Why do you say that?"
He said, "Then you are and idiot." With that, he turned and abruptly walked back across the room.
I don't know who he was but apparently he knows who I am and has read my blog and has taken exception to some of my blog post. Maybe it was the blog post where I pointed out that that hot sexy babe, Miss USA, is a Muslim and does not wear a burqa. Maybe, it was the blog post in which I said that the first amendment also applies to Muslims and Muslims have a right to build houses of worship. Maybe it was the blog post in which I said that the First Amendment is as important as the Second and Tenth Amendment. Maybe it was the blog post in which I told of my experience of being able to buy wine in a grocery store in Muslim Turkey but lamented that I cannot buy wine in a grocery store in Christian Nashville. I don't know. I guess I should be flattered that someone is reading and that he cares enough to seek me out to give me a piece of his mind.
I would have liked to have had a conversation.
"I am surprised that Ben West whose voting record is conservative, who voted against a state income tax, and has always voted to defend Second Amendment rights would be supporting a candidate who in the Metro Council supported one of the biggest tax increase in history," said Jim Gotto. "He also, along with Megan Barry and Frank Harrison, voted against renewal of the 287g program which allows the Sheriff to report to Immigration Services those people who have been arrested who are illegal immigrants. It seems inconsistent that Ben West, with his conservative voting record would be supporting my opponent, when my values are so much closer to those of Ben West."
(Nashville) — State Representative Ben West, Jr. (D-Hermitage), who is retiring after serving the 60th House district for 26 years, endorsed Metro Councilman Sam Coleman Thursday as his replacement in the upcoming November election.
West was joined in the endorsement by Coleman’s four former opponents from the August Democratic Primary: Larry Crim, Tommy Bradley, Charles Hager and Chris Tobe.
“I am casting my total support behind Sam, because he understands the needs of Hermitage, Donelson and Antioch,” West said. “I plan to work tirelessly to ensure that his transition into the state house is a smooth one. I know that he will continue to serve the district in a fine manner.”
Republicans had been hopeful that the retiring West would endorse the Republican candidate Jim Gotto, or at least not endorse anyone. Ben West is a conservative Democrat and votes with Republicans more than Democrats. He is a fiscal and social conservative and is a strong advocate for the 2nd Amendment. In the last year he has been present at tea party events and at various Republican events. He and his wife Phyllis were enthusiastic supporters of Cece Heil in her quest to win the Republican nomination for the 5th Congressional District. They serving as sponsors of a fund-raising event for Cece and they worked the polls for her.
Our Constitution rights are slip, slip, slipping away.
"Government agents can sneak onto your property in the middle of the night, put a GPS device on the bottom of your car and keep track of everywhere you go. This doesn't violate your Fourth Amendment rights, because you do not have any reasonable expectation of privacy in your own driveway - and no reasonable expectation that the government isn't tracking your movements." (read more)
So ruled The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which is the most liberal of the circuit courts. The ninth covers California and eight other western states. Hopefully this decision will be appealed to the Supreme Court and be reversed, but for now this is the law. The ruling stems from a 2007 case when Drug Enforcement Administration agents suspected an individual of growing marijuana and snuck onto his property in the dead of night and placed a GPS tracking device underneath the suspects Jeep parked in the driveway just a few feet from his home.
The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution says, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
The ninth ruled that because the vehicle was in an area readily accessible that 4th Amendment protections did not apply. Think about that: If the owner would have had the car parked in a garage or had a gate, the placing of the device would have been illegal, but because it was readily accessible, the slipping onto the property and placing the tracking device was legal. So, poor people who do not live behind gated driveways or have garages have lesser rights than those who do.
In the last few years we have seen a steady erosion of our rights. Following the attack on 9-11, the administration of George W. Bush weakened our constitutional protections in the name of security and the administration of Barack Obama has accelerated that weakening of our rights in the name of health care reform and financial reform. Now the 9th Circuit Court has further eroded our constitutional rights in the name of combating marijuana.
Chief Judge Kozinski, a conservative justice appointed by President Ronald Reagan, dissented form the ruling saying, "1984 may have come a bit later than predicted, but it's here at last."
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