70th Anniversary of the Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28th, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance

I Pledge Allegiance to the flag

Of the United States of America

And to the Republic for which it stands,

One Nation

Under God,

Indivisible,

With liberty and justice for all.

Due to time constraints (work, men's basketball game, stress, etc.) I was unable to post this in time yesterday afternoon. I apologize for the inconvenience.

A Christmas Prayer

Loving Father,

Help us remember the birth of Jesus,

that we may share in the song of the angels,

the gladness of the shepherds,

and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate

and open the door of love all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift

and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,

and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,

and Christmas evening bring us to our beds

with grateful thoughts,

forgiving and forgiven,

for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Federal Agents' Visit was a Hoax

Just goes to show you, leftist student activists have to continually make up accusations of being abused by systems designed to protect us from terrorist attacks in order to prove true the atrocities of the Bush-Hitler regime.

A Political Christmas

Cindy Sheehan Mistreated by the Press?

Why do I find this so hard to believe?

You feel like you were mistreated by the press?

They got hold of everything I've ever said and scrutinized it so carefully. They never scrutinized what Bush said. No one said, "Why did you lie to the American people and say there was WMD?" The press found an easy target in Iraq, and they found an easy target in me.

Congress Allocates One More Month Toward Congressional Democratic Bush Bashing

I can not tell you how ashamed I am today to hear this news. Not because the Patriot Act was extended for one month by the House of Representatives and six months by the Senate. In fact I defend the creation and the necessity of the Patriot Act with my life. What I am ashamed of however is the Congressional Republicans, with the exception of Jim Sensenbrenner, a gritty man who has taken way too much unnecessary shit for his actions this year, who caved in to the partisan bantering of the left, namely Russ Feingold who ignorantly believes he is securing his presidential nomination with this filibuster effort, and compromised on an extension of the Patriot Act. Here’s a news flash to Feingold – nobody outside of the state of Wisconsin knows who the Hell you are, so you have no shot in Hell in garnering the nomination, particularly with Hillary running. I am further ashamed of the Congressional Democrats … scratch that, the Democratic Party in general who do not take the security of this nation seriously at all. They care more about the partisan score sheet on Capitol Hill then they are about protecting this country from yet another September 11th, or worse. Screw the extension! The Patriot Act is vital in winning the war against terrorism and should be made permanent. What the extension accomplishes is that is allows Congressional Republicans retreat to their holes in the ground and push back the date on which to seriously debate this issue. Furthermore, it allocates a few months for Congressional Democrats toward their Bush bashing.

Saddam: White House 'No. 1 Liar in the World'

My response …

Bite me.

If they were smart they would put in a solid glass or plastic cage like they did with the Nazis during World War II and shut him up.

Poll: More Americans Prefer 'Merry Christmas' Greeting

According to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll, sixty-nine percent of the one-thousand and three adults surveyed preferred “Merry Christmas” as a greeting as opposed to “Happy Holidays” which only managed to garner twenty-nine percent of those surveyed. This is a huge drop from last year’s survey which indicated that forty-one percent of adults preferred it over “Merry Christmas”.

Stuff this in your stocking and smoke it. Yeah, I said stocking.

Clinton NSA Eavesdropped on U.S. Calls

There is definitely a level of contradiction when it comes to the media’s attack on the Bush administration for wire-tapping people suspected of terrorist activities without a court order …

During the 1990's under President Clinton, the National Security Agency monitored millions of private phone calls placed by U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries under a super secret program code-named Echelon.

On Friday, the New York Times suggested that the Bush administration has instituted "a major shift in American intelligence-gathering practices" when it "secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States to search for evidence of terrorist activity without [obtaining] court-approved warrants."

But in fact, the NSA had been monitoring private domestic telephone conversations on a much larger scale throughout the 1990s - all of it done without a court order, let alone a catalyst like the 9/11 attacks.

In February 2000, for instance, CBS "60 Minutes" correspondent Steve Kroft introduced a report on the Clinton-era spy program by noting:

"If you made a phone call today or sent an e-mail to a friend, there's a good chance what you said or wrote was captured and screened by the country's largest intelligence agency. The top-secret Global Surveillance Network is called Echelon, and it's run by the National Security Agency."NSA computers, said Kroft, "capture virtually every electronic conversation around the world."

Echelon expert Mike Frost, who spent 20 years as a spy for the Canadian equivalent of the National Security Agency, told "60 Minutes" that the agency was monitoring "everything from data transfers to cell phones to portable phones to baby monitors to ATMs."

Mr. Frost detailed activities at one unidentified NSA installation, telling "60 Minutes" that agency operators "can listen in to just about anything" - while Echelon computers screen phone calls for key words that might indicate a terrorist threat.

The "60 Minutes" report also spotlighted Echelon critic, then-Rep. Bob Barr, who complained that the project as it was being implemented under Clinton "engages in the interception of literally millions of communications involving United States citizens."

"Dr. Germ" and Other Saddam Cronies Freed

I don’t know about anyone else but I just think this is a terrible idea.

King Kong

Annan Tells Bush Iraq Vote Went Well

First off, what right does Kofi Annan have in telling President Bush that the Iraqi elections went well? Last time I checked Annan believed it was a mistake for the United States to have invaded Iraq, unilaterally or not, and the United Nations refused to do little in the way of restoring stability in the region. And secondly, why should we take your word for it?

Politics in Film - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

The Office of Homeland Security – MU Division welcomes you our esteemed guests to the second edition of our brand new topic series, politics in film, which offers comprehensive critiques of past and present feature films that deal with a wide variety of political issues.

The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, though not nearly as controversial as director Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ was last year, deals directly with the theological underpinnings of Christianity present in the classic children’s book series by author C.S. Lewis. At a time in American history when Christian conservatives are in a heated conflict with political correct and multicultural liberals for the very sake of Christmas, this film’s release in theatres could not have come at a more crucial juncture. It may not rouse the masses as nearly as much as The Passion of the Christ did but it should rile them to attention.

US House Votes to Wall Up Mexico Border

Finally! Congress is getting off their asses and stepping up security on the US/Mexican border. I suppose they realize national security does matter when it comes to defending our borders. Wow, what a concept!

Iraq Voter Turnout Estimated at 70 Percent

Now if only we could get this kind of turn-out in the United States.

One Final 'Tookie' Williams Post

If the facts against ‘Tookie’ Williams weren’t enough, take a gander at the pictures of the leftist protestors causing a commotion outside San Quentin Prison on the evening of the execution.

Comic Fodder

Sheehan Leeches Off Son's Death Yet Again

Shameless and exploitive. That’s all that can be said about this photo of Cindy Sheehan in the latest issue of Vanity Fair magazine. Thanks to the Drunk Report for the heads up.

More Thoughts on 'Tookie' Williams

I can honestly respect those who are against the death penalty (I think they are wrong but I can accept that they have different beliefs when it comes to the issue of just punishment). However, ‘Tookie’ Williams is hardly the person I think they should be voicing their extreme opposition to the practice on.

Here are some facts on ‘Tookie’ Williams that are being ignored in the media and, more importantly, among his supporters:

While in prison, Williams maintained his innocence, refused to aid police investigations with any information against his gang, and was involved in attacks on guards and other inmates as well as multiple escape plots.

Court records show that as Darryl and Sims walked to the counter area to take money from the register, Williams walked behind Owens, pulled the sawed-off shotgun from under his jacket and told Owens to “shut up and keep walking.” While pointing the shotgun at Owens’ back, Williams directed him to a back storage room and ordered him to lie down. Coward said that he next heard the sound of a round being chambered into the shotgun. He then heard a shot and glass breaking, followed by two more shots. Records show that Williams shot out a security monitor and then killed Owens, shooting him twice in the back at point blank range as he lay prone on the storage room floor.

Once back in Los Angeles, Sims asked Williams why he had shot Owens. Williams said that he “didn’t want to leave any witnesses.” Williams also said he killed Owens “because he was white and he was killing all white people.” Coward testified that Williams had bragged about the shooting, stating, “You should have heard the way he sounded when I shot him,” as he made gurgling or growling noises and laughed about Owens’ death.

According to court transcripts at approximately 5:00 am on March 11, 1979, Stanley Williams entered the Brookhaven Motel at 10411 South Vermont Avenue. After entering the hotel lobby area, Williams broke down the door that led to the private office. Inside the private office, Williams shot and killed 76 year old Yen-Yi Yang. Williams then shot and killed Yang’s wife, sixty-three year old Tsai-Shai Yang. Lastly, Williams killed Yang’s daughter, 43 year old Yee-Chen Lin, after which he emptied the cash register and fled the scene.

According to the forensic pathologist, Yen-Yi Yang suffered two close range shotgun wounds, one to his left arm and abdomen, and one to the lower left chest. Tsai-Shai was shot twice at close range. The pathologist explained that one shotgun wound was to the coccyx, or tailbone, and the other shotgun wound was to the anterior abdomen with the charge entering at the navel. Yee-Chen Lin was shot once in the upper left face area at a distance of a few feet.

Witnesses testified that Williams referred to the victims in conversations with friends as "Buddha-heads", a derogatory term for Asians, particularly Japanese.

The trial record shows that after the jurors returned their guilty verdicts, Williams said, “Sons of bitches,” in a voice sufficiently loud that the court reporter included this statement in the trial transcript."

"On the day that the jury began its penalty-phase deliberations, an alternate juror reported to the bailiff that some jurors believed that Williams had threatened them. In response to questioning by the trial judge, the alternate juror stated that the jurors sitting in the center of the jury box had told her that after the verdicts were read, Williams looked at the jury and said that he was going to get all of them."

Yep, sounds to me like a person who should be exonerated.

But wait, there’s more …

On June 30, 1981, just two months after being sentenced, Williams was involved in a violent fight with another inmate. Williams was observed kneeling over the other inmate and striking him in the head with his closed fists. When Williams was ordered to cease fighting, he ignored the order. Only after repeated orders to stop, did Williams stop his violence. (P. Exh. 6).

On January 26, 1982, Williams was ordered to lineup for his return to his cell. Williams refused the order and became hostile. The guard then explained the line-up procedure to Williams. Williams responded by saying "you'll get yours boy, I can do anything now because I know what the gunmen will do…one of these days I'll trick you boy." (P. Exh. 7).

On January 28, 1982, Williams had two separate instances where he threw chemical substances at guards. In one of these instances, Williams threw a chemical substance in the eyes and on the face of a guard. As a result of that assault, the guard suffered from chemical burns to these areas and had to be taken to the hospital where he received emergency care. (P. Exh. 8).

On January 29, 1982, Williams again attacked a guard by throwing a chemical substance on him. (P. Exh. 9).

On February 16, 1984, a guard saw Williams bending over another inmate and striking him with his closed fists. In an effort to stop the attack, the guard blew his whistle and drew his weapon. Williams, however, continued to fight. Only after a guard fired a warning shot did Williams stop fighting. (P. Exh. 10).

On June 8, 1984, Williams was observed participating in inappropriate behavior with a female visitor. When the guard advised the female of the prison policies, Williams became verbally hostile and stated, "you are looking around too much and that's not your job. I have dusted many officers on the street, one more would not make any difference." (P. Exh. 11).

On July 4, 1986, Williams stepped between a guard and another inmate and began to beat up the inmate. The guard ordered Williams to stop but Williams continued with the assault. Eventually, after gun officers responded, Williams stopped the attack. (P. Exh. 12).

On October 10, 1988, Williams was involved in a fight that led to him being stabbed by Tiequon Aundray Cox (aka Lil Fee), a Rolling 60s Crips member, and fellow death row inmate. Prison officials subsequently learned that this stabbing was done in retaliation for a September 22, 1988 stabbing of another inmate ordered by Williams. (P. Exh. 13).

Though the prison guards noted that he still remained a member of the Crips gang, "The violations are usually involving batteries on inmates, batteries on staff. But we have also received information that has identified him as an active member of the Crips," Crittendon said.

"The particular set is known as the Blue Note Crips, and that information we have received since his arrival here in April 1981 and as recent as June of 2000," Crittendon said."

Does this sound like the type of person who deserves to be placed in prison for the rest of his natural life? For what purpose? So he can cause more bodily harm to his fellow inmates and prison personnel? So he could continue to make a cool dime after his crimes? Yep, there’s justice in the mind of the left.

The Da Vinci Code Trailer Premieres

Source: The Hollywood Blacklist

I must say that I was a bit disappointed with the official trailer for director Ron Howard’s feature film adaptation of the best-selling novel, The Da Vinci Code, but I remain in anticipation of its release on May 19th, 2006.

A Thought on 'Tookie' Williams' Execution

Okay, I fully realize that we are smack-dab in the middle of finals week at Marquette University (I have a Biology for Non-Science Majors examination set for eight in the morning tomorrow) and I have a comparative politics essay due Thursday I should be working on right now, but I felt that if I didn’t make some sort of comment about the ‘Tookie’ Williams execution now I might forget and never get to it once exams were over and done with. I’ll try however to make this as quick as possible.

The defiant and vehement outcry of the anti-death penalty crowd toward the execution of ‘Tookie’ Williams has me completely baffled. Perhaps it is as Professor McAdams said the sight of European and Hollywood ‘airheads’ like Jamie Foxx (who has grown quite an ego ever since he won that Academy Award for his portrayal of Ray Charles last year - it was good but I don't believe it was Oscar-worthy) and Snoop Dogg that has caused the media sensation that it has. Whatever the case, I was quite relieved to hear that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger still has a backbone (I have known since the beginning that he was a ‘moderate Republican’ but even he is beginning to tread thin ice in Californian – rumor has circulated that Republicans are courting Mel Gibson to run for governor) and refused to grant Williams clemency for the brutal murder of his four victims. Scores of anti-death penalty protestors reportedly wept at the news that Williams was executed at 12:35 this morning, though I would care to bet that not a single one of them could identity the reason he was convicted in the first place or what the names of his victims were.

One particular Hollywood ‘airhead’ comment from Bianca Jagger had me in stitches. She believed “Williams' subsequent Nobel Peace Prize nominations for his work to prevent young people from forming gangs should exonerate him of previous offenses”. Nobel Peace Prize or not, he is still a cold-blooded murderer. Yassar Arafat actually won the Nobel-Peace Prize and yet he remained one of the most ruthless and vile terrorists on the planet up until he death (and even then his ‘spirit’ lived on). Should that alter our perception of him? Leftists, sit down! We all know what you think, so don’t bother. Anyway, I wonder if Bianca Jagger would feel the same way about Williams were she to interview the surviving family members of the victims of Williams.

Here’s a quadrary I came up with when examining this case – would the European and Hollywood ‘airheads’ still be clamoring for Williams’ clemency were he a white man instead a black man? Five bucks says no, but then again that’s just me talking.

Furthermore, this man was a gang leader. Do you honestly believe that just because he was caught this time for murdering four victims that this was the first and only time he had actually committed a murder? Somehow I find that very hard to believe.

The 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes For 2005

Yes, it is that time of the year again. The time of the year when we collect all the monumental moments of the past twelve months and condense them into one tinny-tiny little list.

From Right-Wing News, here are some of my favorites from their “40 Most Obnoxious Quotes for 2005” list:

6) "For those of you who do, as a matter of principle, oppose war in any form, the idea of supporting a conscientious objector who's already been inducted [and] in his combat service in Iraq might have a certain appeal. But let me ask you this: Would you render the same support to someone who hadn't conscientiously objected, but rather instead rolled a grenade under their line officer in order to neutralize the combat capacity of their unit?"
-- University Professor Ward Churchill on supporting soldiers who frag their officers

11) "(The) idea that we're going to win the war in Iraq is an idea which is just plain wrong."
-- Howard Dean

17) "I heard from a very reliable source who saw a 25 foot deep crater under the levee breach. It may have been blown up to destroy the black part of town and keep the white part dry."
-- Louis Farrakhan speculates that New Orleans was deliberately flooded

26) "Well I would say that in the year 2000, the country failed abysmally in the presidential election process. There's no doubt in my mind that Al Gore was elected president."
-- Jimmy Carter

33) "The day Dick Cheney is going to run for president, I'll kill myself. All we need is one more liar."
-- Helen Thomas

35) "As a matter of fact, I was talking to my friend Laura, who sings on the record, and we're both getting to the point where we want to start families. We're convinced that if we have children, we're going to do everything in our power to make them gay. Like maybe drinking a lot of extra soy milk while she's pregnant, or anything that would work to make that happen. I'd just rather have a really sharp, interesting, smart gay son than some big dumb hetero meathead."
-- Moby

Katrina Death Stats Contradict Racial Complaints

Despite the acclamations of rap artists like Kayane West who argued that “Bush doesn’t care about black people” and that, according to testimony by witnesses of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina that high-numbers of blacks died because of federal incompetence, it turns out that forty-one percent of the dead collected are white, a remarkable statistic considering that white residents make up only twenty-eight percent of New Orlean’s population.

Politics in Film - The Island

Politics in film – this is a new concept I have decided to tackle on this site. There are a number of feature films that have hit the domestic box office, or are just about to, that comment on a variety of topics in the field of political science – the war in Iraq, oil, feminism, etc. – and since I enjoy writing movie reviews, although it has been less frequent then in the past, I thought I would put my skills in this area to good use for this site. This won’t be a weekly or bi-monthly sort of thing, but instead whenever I feel the whim to commentate politically on a film, I will post it here.

The first one up is an unlikely political commentary, Michael Bay’s science-fiction thriller, The Island, which unfortunately bombed over the summer season and comes to DVD tomorrow. The film’s story covers a variety of controversial topics, human cloning and totalitarianism among them, and in an age where the extent to which stem-cell research can be conducted is the hot topic in the American forum, this film may very well shed light on what is to come based on our actions today.

Lieberman's Pro-War Views Concern Dems

I reported less then a month ago that Senator Joseph Lieberman was a marked man within his own party and this seems to confirm that fact. Hold strong, Joe! In a time when a political party places political power over the security of its nation and ostracizes those who stray from the extremist party rhetoric, there is no clear evidence that the Democratic Party has lost its way then right now.

Skipping Over Bush's Improved Polls

CBS’s The Early Show last Thursday chose to ignore President George W. Bush’s improving poll numbers, an increase of about five points in the last month according to the network’s own poll, while the New York Times by some sheer miracle placed the report as a headline on their front-page above the fold.

Al Franken: Duelfer Report Said Iraq's WMD "Were Destroyed by President Clinton"

Setting the record straight, here is what The Duelfer Report actually stated:

“UNSCOM and IAEA inspectors departed Iraq just before the bombing and never returned. The Iraqis were satisfied with the outcome. They said, given a choice of sanctions with inspections or sanctions without inspections, they would prefer without." (Vol. 1, p. 11)

Yep, sure looks like ol’ Slick Willy showed them a thing or two.

That is what you would think unless you happened to have read Frontpage Magazine’s interview with UNSCOM inspector (1996-98) Bill Tierney who said, “Operation Desert Fox was a perfect example of the uselessness of strike operations” and that We didn’t break his will, we didn’t destroy his weapons making capability”.

Oops, sorry Al, wrong again!

"Stupid" CNN Trashes Ann Coulter

This is a real low even by CNN’s standards which are pretty abysmal to begin with.

Have a Very Merry PC Hanukwanzmas!

MUSG Write University Administration a Blank Check

Tomorrow morning Marquette University Student Government (MUSG) may trumpet the passing of Resolution 1 “On Behalf of Student Expression” as a solid and decisive victory against the ever-increasing encroachment of the Marquette University Administration into the individual private lives of the student body but some of us, I among them, are less then optimistic.

Let me start by saying how disappointed I am in the student body of Marquette University. Student comments on the resolution and the issue at hand, which specifically involved the College of Dentistry student who was suspended for comments he made on his personal blog, were recognized by the student government (this was merely general comments and opinions, nothing specifically involving the exact language of the resolution or individual perspectives or retorts to comments made by senators of the student government in regards to the language of the resolution), which meant that this was the best opportunity in which the student body could express their frustration and anger toward the decision by the Associate Dean of the College of Dentistry and work cooperatively with their senators to open the field of dialogue with the campus administration to make sure this does not happen again. However, the attendance was sparse at best; appalling at worst. Few showed up outside of the individuals who had a particularly stake in the passing or failing of the resolution or the issue of free speech on campus in general (GOP3.com, 1832, and Office of Homeland Security respectively). This can only mean that the student body of Marquette University is lazy or they simply do not care either way what happens in regards to free speech rights on campus which I think (and I hope I am not alone on this) reflects poorly on the senators of the student government and, more importantly, the university administration. I do not believe the lack of participation in this meeting had any direct correlation to final exams. I, as well as the others in attendance, certainly had work yet to be accomplished as well and yet we were able to find the time to come down to the Alumni Union and attend this important meeting.

And now my thoughts on the resolution itself.

While I will agree with Senator Brock Banks who penned the resolution and with whom I had had a lengthy conversation with following the passage of the resolution (this involved my concerns toward the specific language of the resolution and the guarantee that the university administration would listen to our concerns and take them into consideration) that this was a commendable first step for MUSG, one specific paragraph stuck out in my mind and was an area of concern for every student in attendance.

The following is a paragraph taken from Resolution 1 “On Behalf of Student Expression” which was presented and passed by MUSG this evening …

Whereas: It is recognized that Marquette University, in accordance with its Jesuit values and ideals and in compliance with its Policies and Procedures, reserves the right to monitor and censor expression both on and off Marquette’s campus;

The concern raised by Ryan Alexander of 1832 in regards to this particular paragraph, one which I agree with mind you (Yes, Hell did freeze over and pigs did fly for a short period of time there), is that the language used directly contradicts the position MUSG sought to take in regards to the issue of free speech rights for students and by passing the resolution with this specific paragraph intact was in effect writing a blank check to the university administration.

This is blatant hypocrisy and not a single senator at that meeting, not even the ones I felt were conservatives (I will not name names but they know who they are if they are reading this), spoke out against this.

As GOP3.com points out, Senator Brock Banks, again the author of this resolution, stated that he spoke with Dean McCarthy who said that “their [the university administration] view is that when you commit yourself to MU student [sic], you sign onto a contract with a policy and student conduct code” and you must therefore project a ‘Marquette image’ regardless of whether you are on or off campus. Neither Banks nor McCarthy it seems (nothing more was said by Banks regarding McCarthy’s exact definition – if one exists in the first place – of this image) clarified as to what exactly encompasses this so-called ‘Marquette image’ the administration desires its student body to project. McCarthy, however, went on to say to Banks that this (signing onto a contract) in effect gives them “the right to censor student expression whenever they want”.

Seems fair enough, right? I don’t think so!

I just do not see the point of passing a toothless resolution like this. This ‘Let’s take action, albeit insignificant action, and show that we are at least doing something, even if it in the end turns out to be nothing, and we’ll resolve the real issue when we come back from a month-long break if any one of us remembers it when we get back’ approach does not fly with me one bit.

Even the senators from MUSG themselves are quick to admit that passage of the resolution is essentially for show and that a Student Bill of Rights, whatever that may entail, though I would assume that from what they were saying that the issue of free speech, in one form or another, would be included, would be discussed next semester.

I, however, am not willing to hold my breath that this will be done. I mean, how long did it actually take MUSG to come up with the funding needed to build those notice boards they have wanted to build for two years now? And is there any sign that these notice boards will be built any time in the near future? Not as far as I can tell.

And even if it is discussed as MUSG claims they will, how are we sure that this Student Bill of Rights will not be as hollow or toothless as this resolution was?

Once more MUSG has shown to the student body of Marquette University and, more importantly, to the university administration itself that they have no backbone when it comes to issues that directly effect the constituents they insist they represent. Once more they have allowed this administration to walk right over them in pushing students around without fear of reprisal. As it was with the ‘Gold’ issue in May 2005, so it seems as though this issue must be carried on the shoulders of the individual students (Brandon Henak, Daniel Suhr, Brian Collar, Ryan Alexander, and myself) and professors (Dr. McAdams) in order for something to be done in regards to this issue.

Regardless of whether the university administration has the right to do something does not mean for a second that they have that right to do so, especially when the punishment is disproportionate to the crime as it was in this case (although many would argue that no crime was committed in the first place).

UN Wipes Israel Off the Map ... Sort Of

In spite of their blatant disregard of the international legislation the United Nations themselves signed in 1948 which made Israel an official nation-state, the United Nations held a conference in honor of International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in which a map of the ‘Palestinian state’ with the exclusion of Israel was on prominent display.

Contact Dental School Officials

In conjunction with GOP3.com a list of contact information has been provided for students and alumni of Marquette University to voice their animosity toward the decision of College of Dentistry to suspend a student for voicing his right to free speech.

Dr. Denis Lynch: Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Contact Dr. Lynch via email at: denis.lynch@marquette.edu

Contact Dr. Lynch on the phone at: 414-288-7485


Dr. Anthony Ziebert: Chairman of Department of General Dental Sciences

Contact Dr. Ziebert via email at: anthony.ziebert@marquette.edu

Contact Dr. Ziebert on the phone at: 414-288-3704

Remember Pearl Harbor

December 7th, 1941

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of American was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan ... The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu ... Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implication to the very life and safety of our nation. As commander in chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us"


God of the Ages,
In your sight nations rise and fall,
And pass through times of peril.
On this day we remember with gratitude
Those who died in defense of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941,
And all those who gave their lives in this nation's defense during the ensuing conflict
Hasten the day when there will be no more war,
And all your children will learn to live together as brothers and sisters,
In peace

For your own Name's sake,

Amen

Journal-Sentinel Poll: Marquette Wrong on Discipline of Student Blogger

From the Marquette Warrior comes the latest poll results from the Milwaukee* Journal Sentinel:

Do you agree with Marquette’s discipline in this case?

No (87.2%)

Yes (12.8%)

Total votes: 1,552

Vrakas, the Bratrayal?

Just when I thought I could trust a Wisconsin Republican Politician, another one bites the dust.

Thousands March Worldwide Against Global Warming

Come here to Wisconsin where students are freezing their asses off walking to classes and say that.

Protect MU Student Free Speech Rights

From 1832 comes a request for students of Marquette University to sign the following petition defending our right to free speech. Please sign the petition before the Friday appeal deadline.

Bob Beckel: Dems Have Not Called Bush a Liar

Ha, ha that is hilarious. Then what do you call these:

June 2, 2005 interview with Rolling Stone – Harry Reid – Q: “You’ve called Bush a loser.” Reid: “And a liar.” Q: “You’ve apologized for the loser comment.” Reid: “But never for the liar, have I.”

November 18, 2005: Sen. Edward M. Kennedy: Bush and Cheney “have begun a new campaign of distortion and manipulation.” The two men could not find weapons of mass destruction and “they can’t find the truth either.”

Al Gore: “A systematic effort to manipulate the facts.”

Sen. John Edwards: “myths perpetrated by the Bush administration” and “certainly the integrity and character of the President of the United States is at issue, no question.”

Rep. Dennis Kucinich: “war based on falsehood” and “White House deception”

Former Pres. Jimmy Carter speaking at the DNC Convention: “we cannot lead if our leaders mislead.”

Al Sharpton: “He lied in Florida. He’s lied several times. I believe he lied in Iraq.”

Sen. Joe Biden: “By misrepresenting the facts, misunderstanding Iraq and misleading on this war…”

Rep. John Conyers: “cook the intelligence”

Rep. Maxine Waters: “The President is a liar. Dick Cheney, the chief architect of the Big Lie, is not only a liar, he is a thief.”

Rep. Edward Markey: “We know that the Bush administration deliberately misled the American public about nuclear weapons in Iraq, about Al Qaeda in Iraq…”

Alright, by a technical standpoint only three of those statements ‘directly’ call President Bush a liar or that he lied about the urgency to invade Iraq. But, in regards to the other statements, those are the closest things you can say to calling the president a liar without ever having to actually use the term ‘liar’.

Today Show Airs Pro-Christmas Tree Story

The TODAY Show’s Matt Lauer and Tucker Carlson (not exactly ardent Christian or conservative at one might have wanted but the closest person to the real thing as any one from the left-wing media can tolerate for an extended period of time on live television) aired a pro-Christmas Tree segment on the morning show this past Friday.

A spokesman for Lowe’s which temporarily altered the name of its Christmas Trees to ‘holiday trees’ argued that the home-improvement chain recanted on their decision, not because Christians put up a good fight, but in order to avoid "confusion”.

What's This?!

The liberal media actually refuting a statement by a blatantly anti-war Democrat? Has Hell frozen over or something? Nah, it’s just Matt Lauer demonstrating that he is not nearly as biased as his partner, Katie Couric, is. If Katie Couric had said this (fat chance in Hell, I know), I may have fallen over from a heart attack. It is however funny to see Senator John Kerry reputed by the media which defended him so ardently less then a year ago.

RPW Chairman Rick Graber Calls on Wisconsin’s Congressional, State Dems to Repudiate DNC Chairman Howard Dean’s Comments

Source: Republican Party of Wisconsin



“It is disappointing to see that Howard Dean, in saying that we can’t win in Iraq, is joining other Democrat leaders in supporting retreat and defeat in the focal point in the War on Terror. Merely days before historic elections, Dean’s comments serve to undermine the significant progress that has been made in Iraq. Dean’s call for immediate removal of troops conveys the wrong message to our men and women in service, and the Iraqi people who have shown tremendous courage in defeating the enemy and creating a stable, democratic government. I encourage Democrat leaders in Wisconsin to reject his remarks and defeatist strategy.”

Travelgate Plot Thickens

Source: Republican Party of Wisconsin



Amidst an amassing amount of evidence indicating pay-to-play tactics were utilized in the awarding of a lucrative state contract to a company whose executives contributed $20,000 to the Doyle campaign, a Channel 27 News investigation recently revealed that his administration approved a hefty bonus to Georgia Thompson, a member of the contract evaluating committee who was critical to approving the bid. (Channel 27 News, 11/23/05)

Members of the evaluating committee told Channel 27 News they felt Thompson was putting pressure on them to favor Adelman Travel Systems for the $750,000 contract, even though they rated a competing vendor higher. As a result of the timing of Adelman’s donations and concerns raised by the committee, a federal-state-county investigation is underway into how the contract was awarded.

“The Adelman Travel donations certainly didn’t pass the smell test, but this is just flat out bad government,” said Rick Graber, chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. “Taxpayers shouldn’t have to suffer at the expense of a Governor who rewards powerful special interest groups that pad his coffers and his minions who help funnel the money.”

The station’s investigation revealed that state records show Thompson won her first bonus ever since her hire in 2001 shortly after she helped Adelman win its contract. According to a state official, Thompson’s bonus was a result of her “additional workload” and “extra effort” in ensuring that new state programs stayed on track.

“Apparently Thompson’s additional workload includes directing money to Doyle’s campaign account,” said Graber. “Under Doyle, government is for sale to the highest bidder and apparently now, those who work hardest to capture the campaign cash are rewarded at taxpayer expense.”

In response to the Travelgate scandal, the Republican Party of Wisconsin submitted an open records request to the Department of Administration asking for a list of all contracts the Doyle Administration has entered into since the Governor took office.

“It’s no wonder Doyle is one of most vulnerable governors in the country,” said Graber. "In less than a year, residents will finally get the leadership they deserve when they elect either Mark Green or Scott Walker.”

Suspension Round-Up

So much to do, so little time in which to do it. I want to comment further on the suspension of the student blogger from the College of Dentistry this evening but right now I am bit preoccupied (I have class in less then a half-hour). My roommate will be in the library for most of the evening, so I’ll likely be there with him for the majority of the night which will allow me to write an editorial and an open-letter regarding the event as well as comment on other events throughout the world which I have been meaning to write about for some time now.

In the meantime, here is a quick round up of the stories which have covered the student suspension …

The story made it into the Marquette Tribune this morning, though I must admit that I am a bit disappointed that it was not their top story at least according to their online version (this instead was).

The Milwaukee* Journal Sentinel has also posted an article on the incident as well.

Eminent Domain reflects on the beer binging aspect of the case.

Sanjuro's Dojo, an MSOE student blog, comments as well.

A weigh in from Letters in Bottles, a student blog deep in the heart of the People’s Republic of Madison.

And according to GOP3.com, the suspension of a student blogger within the College of Dentistry has made the news wires across the country.

Liar, Liar, Shirt on Fire

On Thursday, December 1st, Ryan Alexander accused Daniel Suhr of being liar and claimed that the t-shirt design Suhr claimed was not OSD approved was in fact legitimate.

The following is a response I received this morning from the Office of Student Development regarding the t-shirt design …

Joseph,

In regards to your e-mail, an application for a t-shirt fundraiser by the College Democrats has not been submitted to the Office of Student Development.

Kelly Neumann

So not only was the t-shirt design not approved by the Office of Student Development, it was never submitted in the first place.

Censorship at Marquette University

GOP3.com and The Marquette Warrior have reported that a student in the College of Dentistry has been suspended for negative remarks he made regarding one of his professors, of whom is unnamed, on his personal blog. This is a censorship at its worst.

Back in late-October 2005 I reported how a student at Duquesne University was suspended by campus officials for an ‘offense’ statement he posted on his Facebook blog in regards to a protest he made over the formation of the gay/straight alliance at the university and refused to remove it when officials demanded he do so along with a public apology. This is hardly a new trend for college universities. Remember when Marquette University officials nearly had a heart attack over the Adopt a Sniper fundraising campaign the College Republicans put together? The decision of the Marquette Dental School Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Denis Lynch, is just the latest example of this. Who is to say, taking into account the story of the student who was suspended for comments he made on Facebook, that DogEars, a website set up on which students can review their professors and evaluate the courses they have taken, will be safe in the future?

I intend on sending an e-mail to Denis Lynch for a comment in regards to this event and I would suggest that the rest of the student body at Marquette University, if they care at all about their right to free speech, do the same.

Sam Weaver Couldn't Hit a Broad Side of a Barn

Yes, our traffic jumps through the roof when we talk about The Warrior. “Desperate for traffic” might be a bit of an overstatement, though – we have no advertisers and no competition, at least in terms of other left-leaning blogs on campus, so thus, we have no reason for desperation. The increases in traffic are purely for excitement. No offense to those who write or enjoy pieces on state politics, but I’d much rather argue about The Warrior or other campus issues than gubernatorial primaries or Peg Lautenschlager’s driving record. Look at the comments on our respective sites – I think our readers agree.

Then you audience is nothing more then a bunch of pians. If you so desperately want The Warrior to go away then stop talking about. Somebody at 1832 should at least make an attempt to constrain Ryan Alexander or something to that effect before he busts the seat of his pants again the next time an issue of The Warrior is published and handed out on campus. 1832 is attempting to make an issue out of something which doesn’t exist. There are far more significant issues then the never-ending debate over whether The Warrior has a clear political agenda or not. And if your audience, Mr. Weaver, can not see that then you have clearly failed in your responsibility to educate them.

However, she did write about the “unfortunate effect of a campus culture in which…an outspoken student is considered a bigot.” Kastner’s McCarthy-ist posts calling out members of the Muslim and Arab student associations based solely on their heritage, and the outrage that followed, was the most prominent example of an outspoken student being considered a bigot this semester.

Here’s the thing though – Joseph McCarthy was right in the end afterall. For 1832 to derieve racism and bigotry from the two posts on which ‘moderate’ commentator Brent Bray (if he’s a moderate then I’m a flaming liberal) discussed in his article is a real stretch even for Ryan Alexander the far-left extremists his blog embodies. Furthermore, was there a competition for most ‘outspoken student being considered a bigot this semester’? I wasn’t aware. And I didn’t even prepare a speech. I would just like to accept this award on behave of the little cretin whose nerves I steamroll over every day of my life. Thank you. Rest assured I'm not losing any sleep over it.

Lastly, I’d like to say that I didn’t mean to start some sort of war between 1832 and all entities Red on campus – the “thesis” of my post, if you will, praised The Warrior’s current issue, and most of my jabs were pretty lighthearted and good-natured. Simple misunderstandings do not equal "blatant lies". I’m not going to take this too seriously, and I suggest you do the same.

You see, that’s funny. My comments in the very same article he ridicules me for were also meant in just and yet he and the rest of his fellow left-wing extremists of Marquette University are chomping at the bit (literally – they are that kinky) and label me a racist and a bigot. Anyone else see a contradiction in all of this? Nah, didn’t think so either.

More Vandalism Against The Warrior

Well, seeing as how Ryan Alexander has refused to learn the fact that all his bitching, whining, and moaning about The Warrior newspaper does nothing but increase awareness and interest in the independent student publication, it does not come as a surprise that the sophomoric vandals who first egged Brandon Henak’s house have not learned from their mistake. I will be interested to see Mr. Alexander twist this around and accuse Henak of egging his own house … again.

Demand Fitzgerald Stop Catering to Special Interest Groups

About a month ago at the Grazing with the Elephants event in Waukesha, Wisconsin, I was able to meet Wisconsin State Senator Scott Fitzgerald. Besides the photo-op, I was able to speak with him for awhile on a few issues and he seemed like a nice enough guy. However, when I heard this afternoon on Mark Belling’s radio program that he was planning to vote against the repeal of the automatic gas tax, this motivated me to take action against him. It is bad enough when Democrats cave in to special interests (its sort of a natural reflex when you become a liberal I suppose), but it’s even worse when Republicans whose platform is based on limiting government and fighting special interests does it. Sadly, Wisconsin Republicans have been doing a lot of this lately, especially this year for some reason. I may be a registered Republicans but I am first and foremost a conservative. This is why I am not reprehensive about criticizing Republicans when they deserve it.

I am requesting that if you are fed up with the automatic gas tax increase and Wisconsin State Senators who ‘whore themselves out’ to special interest groups (as Mark Belling so poignantly put it) that you call up State Senator Scott Fitzgerald’s office immediately and demand that he listen to his constituents and repeal the automatic gas tax.

Capitol: 608-266-5660

District: 920-386-2218

Call Scott Fitzgerald Today and Demand He Listen to His Constituents and Repeal the Automatic Gas Tax

Maguire Anti-Catholic?

In the two days since the second full edition of The Warrior newspaper hit the streets of Marquette University, I am surprised, quite frankly saddened, that more people have not picked up on one particular article in the independent newspaper that stuck out the most in mind while reading the publication on Wednesday.

The article “Thoughts on the Christmas holiday...” was a questionnaire of sorts which asked three professors at Marquette University, all of whom had differing degrees of studies, what they did to celebrate the Christmas season. Dr. Daniel Maguire, a professor of the theology department, was one of the three interviewed.

Below are the questions asked of him by staff members of The Warrior newspaper as well as his responses to those inquiries. I’ll chime in every now and then to add a quick comment or two, but I’ll save a majority of my comments for the end.

Q: “What religion are you?"
A: “I’m a professional Catholic. Personally, I am enriched by all the world religions and all partial captures of the truth.”

I'm tempted to ask - what's the difference between a regular Catholic and a 'professional' Catholic? Does Maguire believe he's superior then the rest of the Roman Catholic Church that he has to dictate to himself a title of sorts?

Q: “Do you celebrate Christmas?”
A: “Yes.”

Q: “If so, do you celebrate according to your religion or have you adapted a bit?”
A: “I celebrate with friends and family and try to remind people what Jesus was about. I fi nd the current Republican party anti-Christian in the extreme.”

Maguire is taking Ryan Alexander's lead in automatically assuming that The Warrior is indeed a College Republican-funded newspaper which, again, is not true in any sense. I thought a man with a doctorial degree would not be so naive but I guess I was wrong. As wrong as Maguire is in his statement above, his comment that the 'Republican Party is anti-Christian in the extreme' is a welcome change from the tired rhetoric of the left who claim the Republican Party does nothing but cater to the agenda of the 'religious right'. Talk about a rebel!

Q: “What traditions have you passed on to your kids?”
A: “We do a variety of things that we like to keep private.”

Q: “What have you taught them about Christmas?”
A: (Declined to share family traditions.)

Q: “Are there any traditions you do not celebrate that are part of your faith?”
A: “Jesus died for our sins; I think that’s a horrible concept. [Emphasis added by the Office of Homeland Security] Most of history thought the gods were bloodthirsty, and that they preferred human blood. We actually reverted back to human sacrifice. Incarnation itself is enough. Jesus was killed for fighting the Roman Empire. He was the original teacher of passive resistance, and the Romans eventually saw him as a problem and killed him.” (He sees the passive teachings as enough to glorify Jesus, not death.)

Q: “Is it important to make Christmas a holiday that everyone can celebrate? That is, including non-religious symbols and characters?”
A: “When you recognize that all religions have a little bit of the truth, then celebration of parts of the truth makes good sense to me.”

Q: “What would you say is the meaning of Christmas? Does society’s celebration of Christmas reflect this meaning?”
A: “There’s hypocrisy in the way Americans celebrate Christmas. It’s like the Nazis celebrating Christmas. [Emphasis added by the Office of Homeland Security] Hey, folks, why don’t you look at what you’re doing to the world, then get sincere about Christmas? I see Christmas as a time for many people to be superficial and waste money buying non-essentials.

Q: “If Christ hadn’t been born into the world, would there still be a need for a holiday like Christmas?”
A: “There is no one religion that has it all, and I think that the cooperation among religions is the way to go.”

Quite honestly I do not know where to begin with this interview. I really don’t. Can you believe that these responses are coming from a theology professor teaching at Marquette University? How can the Jesuits, as liberal as they are in terms of Catholic teaching and practice, allow this man to remain here, poisoning the minds of students with his blatant anti-Catholic, anti-American rhetoric? Perhaps Ryan Alexander and the rest of his disgruntled College Democrats, instead of bitching about The Warrior (which appears as though it is here to stay for the short-term at the very least) and egging Brandon Henak’s house (while Alexander has advised his fellow College Democrats not to act out physically, they are apparently so thick-headed that the message – if there was ever one to begin with coming from him – isn’t getting through), should confront some of the vital topics this independent newspaper covers head on.

Winning the War on Christmas

According to a report by ABC News, Christians have won a few significant battles in the current war against Christmas. Macy’s Department Store no longer advertises ‘Happy Holidays’ but instead ‘Merry Christmas’, Lowe’s stopped selling ‘holiday trees’ and now sells only Christmas trees and both Capitol Hill in Washington DC and Boston, Massachusetts have renamed their ‘holiday trees’ Christmas trees.

However, this little blurb in the entire article stuck out in my mind the most …

Critics say putting together an armada of Christian attorneys is likely a publicity stunt. If they sued Boston over the name of its tree, they'd likely lose because governments can call their trees whatever they want.

Let’s get things straight here – just because the government (not just the United States but any world government) has the power to do something does not automatically make it right. Renaming a Christmas tree a ‘holiday tree’ is one of the most idiotic, asinine appeals to the PC-crowd in this country that I have ever heard of.

1832 Continues to Jab OHS

From Sam Weaver at 1832 …

Diana Sroka's column continues to bemoan the lack of conservative freedom at one of the more Republican institutions not named after Bob Jones in the country. She mourns "the unfortunate effect of a campus culture in which…an outspoken student is considered a bigot". Perhaps it's "unfortunate", but when you imply that Marquette's Muslim Student Association and Arab Student Association could be harboring potential terrorists, you get what you deserve.

GOP3.com does a good job at correcting him about this. The liberals on campus love to put words into people’s mouths while at the same time perpetrating themselves as moderates when in fact they are not. But what can I say? They made a ton of traffic off of smearing my name and their continued discussion of it has certainly increased traffic on my end of the internet as well. Apparently, if I scratch you back, you can stick a dagger in mine and claim I’m scratching yours.

MU College Democrats Disregard OSD

GOP3.com and The Office of Homeland Security reported the less then classy new t-shirt design that was approved by the Marquette University College Democrats back in September 2005 but now news comes in via GOP3.com that MUCDs have been caught in one of their own lies, claiming the Office of Student Development approved the t-shirt design when in fact they had not.

More Bitching From Ryan Alexander About The Warrior

UPDATE: Yeah! This The Office of Homeland Security's 500th Post!

I do not know how I could forget this but the second full issue of The Warrior newspaper has been released.

Along with it comes more bitching from Ryan Alexander and his weblog 1832.

Here is what he had to say …

I got back into Milwaukee late last night and was greeted this morning by the newest edition of Marquette College Republican's publication called The Warrior.

Brandon at GOP3.com said it best that Alexander just wants to continue perpetrating the lie that the College Republicans are funding publication when in fact they have done no such thing and that The Warrior is independently funded by advertisements.

The first thing that I noticed about The Warrior today is that like its one page "special issue" that went out before Thanksgiving break, their circulation seems to be way down from their first issue as I didn't see any of the Republicans passing it out during my class changes, saw very few people walking around with it, saw few people with a copy in the Library or in any of my classes, and as a result it took me awhile to find a discarded copy to pick up.

Another lie from Alexander. What a surprise! He assumes that their publication numbers are down when in fact they are quite the opposite. They went from 2000 copies of the independent newspaper last issue to over 4000 this time around. I’m no math major or anything but that seems like an increase to me, doesn’t it Ryan? I saw Brandon Henak, Diana Sroka, Sarah Kirby, Mary Ellen Burke, and several others passing out copies of The Warrior several times over the course of my school day on Wednesday. First when I was heading to Schroeder for lunch at around 11:30am then when I went to Biology for Non-Science Majors at 1:50pm and then again when I returned home from my Biology class at 2:30pm. Alexander must be blind (fill in your own insult here) because I saw numerous people carrying a copy of the independent newspaper with them.

Their circulation seems to be down for a few reasons: 1) The paper has been rightfully discredited and exposed as a right-wing talking piece rather than a truly independent news source; 2) Its really cold out, which means few students are going to take the time to stop, remove their hands from their jacket pockets, and take a copy when they want to get indoors as quickly as possible; 3) The fact that its really cold out means fewer of the Republicans are willing to stand outside for a extended periods of time distributing their right-wing propaganda piece.

How typical. Just like when he attempted to discredit me with his arrogant accusations, he wants in his mind to believe that he is making a difference when in fact his best option to begin with would have been to shut-up about entirely. Instead, thanks to his ambigious ranting he has caused a sensational amount of free publicity for the independent publication, more then any amount of advertisement spending could have garnered them. Thank you Mr. Alexander, thank you!

It is trying to mislead people into thinking that JUSTICE supports The Warrior, which it most certainly does not (JUSTICE was one of the main organizations against the university changing the nickname back to "Warriors").

He doesn’t seem to get humor either, unless of course it is making fun at the expense of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Then it’s funny to him. That’s the communists for you.

Needless to say it will be interesting to see how JUSTICE reacts to this.

Yes, it will be interesting to see them get off their asses and attempt to actually accomplish something. Can’t argue with that.

Comic Fodder

In Honor of International Solidarity Week for the Palestinian People

Flight 93 Memorial Still an Islamofascist Shrine

Source: Little Green Footballs

Yesterday I reported that the Pennsylvania memorial for the victims/heroes of Flight 93, entitled ‘Crescent of Embrace’, was being grudgingly redesigned to represent a less Islamic-fascist image, but according to Error Theory I may have been speaking too soon.