Stewart: Fox News is a Terrorist Command Center?

Wherein Jon Stewarts shows that clearly Fox News - through the transitory property of associated guilt - is a Terrorist Command Center.



Interesting to note that when Michael Moore came after the NRA and Charlton Heston for their staging a rally not long after the tragic events at Columbine, people like John McCain called him a "Disengenous Filmaker". The right found minor technical issues with his claim of insensitivity by the NRA supporters to show Moore to be a "propogandist", such as the fact that the NRA actually did cancel some of their previously planned events in the area.

Fact: At Denver, the NRA cancelled all events (normally several days of committee meetings, sporting events, dinners, and rallies) save the annual members' voting meeting -- that could not be cancelled because the state law governing nonprofits required that it be held. [No way to change location, since under NY law you have to give 10 days' advance notice of that to the members, there were upwards of 4,000,000 members -- and Columbine happened 11 days before the scheduled meeting.] As a newspaper reported:

In a letter to NRA members Wednesday, President Charlton Heston and the group's executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre, said all seminars, workshops, luncheons, exhibits by gun makers and other vendors, and festivities are canceled.

All that's left is a members' reception with Rep. J.C. Watts, R-Okla., and the annual meeting, set for 10 a.m. May 1 in the Colorado Convention Center.

Under its bylaws and New York state law, the NRA must hold an annual meeting.

The NRA convention April 30-May 2 was expected to draw 22,000 members and give the city a $17.9 million economic boost.

"But the tragedy in Littleton last Tuesday calls upon us to take steps, along with dozens of other planned public events, to modify our schedule to show our profound sympathy and respect for the families and communities in the Denver area in their time of great loss," Heston and LaPierre wrote.

Moore's fabrication here cannot be described by any polite term. It is a lie, a fraud, and a few other things.

Despite Heston's speech of defiance, the NRA did take a few steps back in what they were doing and only continued the primary event because the Law required them to - at least that's how Moore's critics put it at the time.

But now with the Park 51 Community Center they think people feelings should count more than anything else, never mind the law, or the Constitution.

This we have while Howard Dean is attempting to split the baby.



Call me silly but the baby doesn't usually survive this procedure. 1st Amendment Freedom of Religion (not to mention Private Property Rights) can not be overridden by someone's hurt feelings.

Dean's argument here is that at least some people opposing the Mosque aren't doing it for bigoted reasons, but here's my question to that point - if you've gone from opposing al Qeada to opposing where Muslim's can and can't worship - then you've certainly crossed the concerned citizen/bigot barrier.

Who is this person who isn't a bigot, but can conflate the actions of 19 men with the religion of over a Billion people (who weren't there, and didn't support what they did?)?

I can understand Harry Reid's argument, because it's simply based in cowardice and a desire to side-step the issue by shoving it out-of-sight/out-of-mind. That's just head-in-the-sand political expediency.

Dean is a little more earnest, instead of running from the problem he wants to confront it with dialogue, he wants a discussion between the Center and the mythical unicorn-like Non-Bigots who are too sensitive to think Muslim's can worship 2 blocks from Ground Zero, however they can worship inside the Pentagon and FOUR BLOCKS from Ground Zero.

Yeah, ok.

Here's another recent parallel to this impasse, the makers of the movie Jesus Camp, have a new film coming out about a corner "12th and Delaware" in Florida where a Abortion Clinic sits directly across the street from an "Crisis Pregnancy Center" where they virulently propagandize pregnant women against Abortion.

Is Anybody asking this Crisis Center to move and stop deliberately defrauding and propagandizing pregnant women? Not so much.




Maybe we she take a book from Dr Laura's page and tell all these hyper-sensitive people that they just need to "grow a sense of humor"?

Ok, well maybe not.

Anyhoo, I do have a suggestion for a potential "Compromise".

Wanna hear it?

Alright, instead of moving the Community Center a single inch - they should take some of the top floor prayer space and offer it up for use as a Chapel and a Synagogue. If you're goal is to help foster greater "Inner Faith" cooperation, actually having an inter-faith house of worship - with it's own gym and spa - would go a long way toward doing exactly that. People of faith within the community, and even those of no particular faith at all could come together - co-mingle - and express themselves, and express their faith while enjoying a game of hoops or other activity. Even Newt Gingrich has supported this idea (if you can ignore all the other bullshit he says about Imam Rauf, the rationale for al Qaeda and the purpose for making the Community Center) at about 4:25.



Many people are reacting to the idea of the Center out of fear, but if they also feel that they share in it's existence, that they're welcome and invited in - (where they can "keep an eye on what's happening" if they feel like) - then it won't be nearly as frightening, and might actually be able to better accomplish what it is they have originally set out to do.

I don't think will work mind you, but I think if there were talks (which I don't support) then there is something that could be put on the table to negotiate over. If this line in the sand, which already been drawn by one of the biggest critics of the Center, isn't enough - then too bad.

If the neo-bigots and the cowards don't want to go for this idea (even when it comes from when of their own) I say tell 'em to take a hike - they already have approval for the Center, the support of the City Council and Support of the Mayor.

They actually don't need anyone elses approval at this point.

I do take Dean's point that trying to do a positive thing, becomes far more difficult when it begins which such vitriol (Y'know like the Civil Rights Movement, Equal Rights Movement did - and Gay Rights Movements continues too) and in the end they want to be part of the local community, not an irritant inside it.

Offering this compromise (even if it gets slapped down - which I think it will) would make swallowing the dictates of the law and Constitution a little bit easier, at least for some.

Vyan

Prager, Goode, The New Intolerance and the Soldiers of God

Music by Disturbed - "Diefy"


In recent days we've had one-right wing radio host accuse Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) of trying to Undermine American civilization by being sworn in with his hand on the Quran instead of the Bible.

Nevermind the fact that no congressman is EVER sworn in with thier hand on the Bible.

Now we have Congressman Virgle Goode (R-VA) stating we need to better restrict immigration in order to prevent a majority of Muslims from being elected to Congress - except for the fact that Keith Ellison is not an immigrant!

Keith Ellison is an African-American.

Mr. Ellison dismissed Mr. Goode’s comments, saying they seemed ill informed about his personal origins as well as about Constitutional protections of religious freedom. “I’m not an immigrant,” added Mr. Ellison, who traces his American ancestors back to 1742. “I’m an African-American.”

Since the November election, Mr. Ellison said, he has received hostile phone calls and e-mail messages along with some death threats. But in an interview on Wednesday, he emphasized that members of Congress and ordinary citizens had been overwhelmingly supportive and said he was focusing on setting up his Congressional office, getting phone lines hooked up and staff members hired, not on negative comments.

“I’m not a religious scholar, I’m a politician, and I do what politicians do, which is hopefully pass legislation to help the nation,” said Mr. Ellison, who said he planned to focus on secular issues like increasing the federal minimum wage and getting health insurance for the uninsured.

But raising the minimum wage seems to be exactly what Goode is afraid of.

Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr., R-5th, said in a statement, "Increasing the minimum wage in America will be a magnet for illegal aliens to come to this country. We do not need a strong magnet to lure illegals here."

His further comments on immigration and Muslims:

I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way. The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don’t wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran.

The Ten Commandments and “In God We Trust” are on the wall in my office. A Muslim student came by the office and asked why I did not have anything on my wall about the Koran. My response was clear, “As long as I have the honor of representing the citizens of the 5th District of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives, The Koran is not going to be on the wall of my office.”

Meanwhile Prager, who is Jewish and had been appointed by President Bush to be a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council has had his comments about Ellison rebuffed by a resolution from that Executive Commitee of that very council.

Resolution

WHEREAS, the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, the governing body of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, is charged with implementing the mission of the Museum as a living memorial to the victims of the Holocaust devoted to teaching the lessons of the Holocaust for the benefit of all mankind; and

WHEREAS, Dennis Prager, a member of the Council, has recently publicly expressed and disseminated certain statements which have been widely interpreted as being intolerant;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Executive Committee of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, while recognizing that Dennis Prager has the right to express his personal views freely, disassociates itself from Mr. Prager’s statements as being antithetical to the mission of the Museum as an institution promoting tolerance and respect for all peoples regardless of their race, religion or ethnicity.

And for good measure, we have this incredible comment from yet another Congressional Representative, Rep Robin Hayes (R-NC) who thinks the solution in Iraq is to have our soldiers convert all the Muslims to Christianity.

“Stability in Iraq ultimately depends on spreading the message of Jesus Christ, the message of peace on earth, good will towards men. Everything depends on everyone learning about the birth of the Savior.”

Now this is so ignorant as to be just plain pathetic. Muslims happen to revere both the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. He is a prophet to them. They already know about his birth, they already know about his teachings.

So Jesus is a complete image of God. Qur'an says :"He is the Word(12)", this refers to Jesus. And Bible says:"The Word was with God and the Word became flesh to live among us..." (13) Jesus clearly stated that :"Me and the farther are One"(14).

Conclusion: Jesus, The almighty God and Holy Spirit are all One and this is the complete meaning of the unity. Ever since creation, God has determined for people to know him through many ways and methods. Messangers and prophets from Adam to Abraham and then Moses all prove of this divine will.

Where this all leaves us is in a very ugly place where naked bigotry and ignorance has begun to be openly expressed by members of the Holocaust Memorial and Congress.

This is an embarrisment to this nation.

But what's worse comments such as those made by Hayes only continue re-enforce the claims of radical muslims that American interest in the middle-east is nothing more than a New Crusade against Islam.

With this kind of talk Hayes just plays into the hands of Al-Qaeda by confirming what their leaders have always been saying: those American soldiers are just modern Crusaders.

And there just might be some truth to that charge if what has been occuring at the Air Force Academy is any indication.

Capt. MeLinda Morton is a prime example. A chaplain at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Morton has been trying her mightiest to end the force-fed evangelism that is rampant on campus. Rather than thanks, her outspoken defense of the Constitution has gotten her booted from her job and a one-way ticket to exile in Japan - known as "reassignment" in military speak.

Her fight against proselytizing is taking place in Colorado Springs - control central for the most radical elements of the Christian Right. James "tolerance is a homosexual plot" Dobson's Focus on the Family is based there - a concern so large that there is no need to use a street address on a letter. Also nearby is the Officers' Christian Fellowship, an organization whose express purpose is to create "ambassadors for Christ in uniform." Its slogan is: "Christian Officers Exercising Biblical Leadership to Raise up a Godly Military." (That's funny, the Taliban say something very similar.)

There is significant cross-pollination between the local evangelical groups and the Academy, to a point where cadets are reportedly cajoled, harangued and even bullied into being "saved."

As dangerous as al-Qeada may be - this radical bullying of Congressmen to conform to Christianity and proselytizing of our military to become "evangelical soldiers" just might be even more dangerous to the freedom thoughts and free worship of all of us, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Athiest and Agnostic.

And this is a fight none of us can afford to lose.

Vyan