W.V. Fitzgerald

Is Donald Trump the New Face of the Republican Party?

2015-07-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

You may recall Donald Trump’s 2011 tirade questioning President Obama’s citizenship, the endless claims that he had a team of investigators who had found some “interesting” information concerning his birth certificate. You may also recall that at the end of the day Trump could not back up any of his claims with even one piece of evidence or produce the investigators he claimed to have hired. Despite the fact that it was obvious that he was lying and the entire world knew it he continued to make the outlandish claims and never once admitted that they were false. Trump simply repeated the story until people stopped asking and forgot about it. Trump went even further by questioning President Obama’s education at Columbia and Harvard saying:

"I heard he was a terrible student, terrible,"

And:

"How does a bad student go to Columbia and then to Harvard? I'm thinking about it, I'm certainly looking into it. Let him show his records,"

Once again he had “heard” this from a nameless, faceless somebody who he could not identify nor could he produce any supporting evidence of his claims. Of course, we are all familiar with his recent controversial comments regarding Hispanic immigrants living in the U.S., his outlandish and once again unsupported claims that they are drug smugglers, criminals and rapist. Today on twitter he took that even further when he capitalized on the tragic shooting death of Kathryn Steinle using her to further his own political agenda. He completely ignored the fact that countless murders were committed by god ole home grown, born in the U.S.A citizens and that the majority of immigrants are hard-working, law abiding people who never have an encounter with law enforcement.This is only the most round of Trumpism (he says it's not racism so ...), he has been on a tirade against Hispanic immigrants for quite a while now.

So far his campaign seems to be just more of the same, a lot of wild accusations about what he can an will do and absolutely no explanation of how he will do it: how does one make Mexico pay for the great wall of America, hmmm.

When it comes to Donald Trump the only thing that does seem to be supported by the evidence is that he will lie to all of us abut anything and he will continue to lie even when we know he is lying (if he repeats it enough it must be true, right?). He will attack any group of people and cast them all into the same mold despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. He has never socialized with anyone outside of his own social economic status, if he had he would know how misguided he is. Mr. Trump has never had to apply for a job or truly work for anything, he has never had to worry about insurance or how he would pay the bills but yet he will attack those who do.

So, the question is if he doesn't represent the views and opinions of a large number of republicans how can he be polling so well?

The Political Business Cycle: What Republicans are not Talking About

2012-11-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

The business cycle is a term used to describe all of the ups and downs that every business goes through over the course of it's life time. There are the times of great prosperity, production and profits are at or near there maximum potential as is the number of employees they have hired-the economy is doing good. When the economy goes through a slump or a recession profits, production and the number of employees usually goes down as well, it's all part of the cycle.

The political business cycle, on the other hand, has a somewhat different definition. The "political business cycle" refers to economic policies (fiscal policy, monetary policy) enacted by our elected officials for the purpose of political gain. These policies may have relatively quick positive impact on the economy but be destine to cause problems in the long term. Our elected officials may reason that "I will implement the policy to win the election, if I win I will reverse course and minimize the damage, if I lose it will not be my problem".

In the past this approach has been used almost exclusively to bring about a positive impact on the economy, if only for a short time. However, since the 2010 mid-term election have we witnessed the "political business cycle" in a much more sinister light?

When The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell , said: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president,” how far was he and other Republicans willing to go to achieve that goal?

Conventional wisdom and experience tells us that during a recession the national debt goes up, largely due to the reduced tax revenue resulting from high unemployment and lower production and in most cases stimulus spending. Experience also shows that under these circumstances cutting government spending to offset the debt will only result in higher unemployment and an even longer recession with a much more difficult recovery resulting in even more lost tax revenue. Mit Romney himself did a great job of explaining the effects of such cuts when asked why he wouldn't emplement all of his cuts emediatly if elected:

"Well because, if you take a trillion dollars for instance, out of the first year of the federal budget, that would shrink GDP over 5%. That is by definition throwing us into recession or depression. So I’m not going to do that, of course. What you do is you make adjustments on a basis that show, in the first year, actions that over time get you to a balanced budget."

Two examples of how this works are clearly visible in Britain and Spain. Britain cut their government spending across the board and raised taxes to help lower their debt. The result, economic growth stalled and their national dept exceeded their estimates by almost 100%. Spain followed a similar course and their unemployment soared to 20% and their debt exploded.

With that in mind, the questions we should all be asking ourselves are:

Why did house republicans force, bully and even blackmail America into making budget cuts at a time when they knew it would keep unemployment high and prolong the recession?

Why did they block every bill that was designed to lower unemployment including President Obama's Jobs plan that would have created more than a million jobs?

Why have they wasted the past few months forcing over 30 re-votes on the Health care bill continuing to do so even after it was upheld by the supreme court, shouldn't that time have been used to find a solution to the upcoming mandatory cuts that will result in yet another recession? Would finding a solution to that problem help remove some of the uncertainty that is preventing the private sector from hiring at a greater rate, is that the goal?

Who benefits from a weak economy and high unemployment?

Has our economy been sabotaged for the purpose of a political victory?

These are just a few of the questions that we should be asking, after we have asked and honestly answered these questions we should then ask ourselves what we can do to bring an end to the problem.

See also: Did Republicans deliberately crash the US economy? The Guardian
Our Clinton Nightmare: factcheck.org

The irony of hurricane Sandy and Eric Cantor's campaign ads

2012-10-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

Is Hurricane Sandy coming just days ahead of the election bad timing for Eric Cantor and the house Republicans? For some it serves as a daily reminder of their position following Hurricane Irene.

As my family and I prepare for the effects of Hurricane Sandy I can’t help but be reminded of hurricane Irene. In August 2011 my family and I hunkered down in our Richmond Virginia home as Hurricane Irene swept up the east coast of the United States. We lost our electricity early in the storm so we spent the night listening to the occasional tree falling outside and the sound of our privacy fence blowing across the yard like a kite with no-one holding the string. As the storm moved out of the area and the sun came up we were happy to find that with the exception of our neighbors utility shed that had been obliterated the damage in our immediate area was mostly confined to the fence and trees, we had been lucky. We would spend the next eight days cooking over a fire in the back yard and living by candle light before getting our electricity turned back on and that was short when compared to many in the region.

In the past, even the most hardened politician would have called for unity and a temporary suspension of the partisan politics of the day when faced with a disaster, particularly if it involves their constituents.

Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont said it best when he told the New York Times:

“Historically in this country we have understood that when communities and states experience disasters, we as a nation come together to address those. That is what being a nation is about,”

Unfortunately, in the aftermath of Irene Eric Cantor and the House Republicans did not call for unity, they did not call for the nation to come together nor did they put the partisanship on hold while Americans dealt with the disaster. In an unprecedented move, Eric Cantor announced that he and his counterparts would be holding disaster relief hostage, if they couldn’t have their way they wouldn’t approve the funding. Their response to the disaster served to prove to anyone who may have previously had doubts that for the house Republicans, nothing is sacred, nothing is off limits; even a natural disaster that affects millions of Americans is not more important than promoting their agenda.

For the past several days we have all been watching the projected path of Hurricane Sandy and listening intently to the expected effects of the coming landfall along the east coast. The real irony of it all is that for many of us here in Virginia the reports have been intermingled with Eric Cantor’s campaign ads serving as a constant reminder of what a vote for Cantor will get us in a time of crisis. With election so close at hand I don’t believe that we will be hearing any statements from Cantor or his counterparts regarding disaster relief, at least not before the election.

Is Sandy Bad Timing for the Republicans?

2012-10-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

The Newsroom - Tea Party is the American Taliban

2012-09-09T12:39:00.001-07:00

I stumbled across this video on YouTube and I thought I would post it here. We have all seen the tea party in action and it is quite clear that they will stop at nothing to get their own way. They have demonstrated a willingness to destroy America rather than compromise, they have held our economy hostage and refused to approve disaster relief after Joplin Missouri and Irene in 2011.

What I find most interesting about the tea party is that they call themselves patriots, the real patriots put on a uniform and risked their lives to defend this country and ensure our continued freedom. They fought for "We The People" not "We the Privileged few". They fought so that each and every one of us could go to the poll and vote, not for some states to purge their voter rolls and change laws to disenfranchise those voters who may disagree with them. The Tea Party is an embarresment to all Americans.

Should the Death Penalty be Abolished?

2012-07-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

(Note: I originally wrote this as a paper for my English 112 class, it is rather long but I hope that it will be informative. A list of all sources used can be found Here.)

The death penalty has long been a point of debate; both sides make strong and seemingly logical arguments to support their positions. It seems that there is only one question that we need to ask to determine if the death penalty should be abolished: is our justice system infallible? The simple answer is that there is no perfect system of justice. In many cases mistakes, improperly informed juries, un-proven scientific evidence, incompetence and misconduct can lead to innocent people being wrongly convicted.

One of the most common arguments of pro-death penalty advocates is the need for justice; let the punishment fit the crime. A 2009 Dayton Daily News article seems to show that many of America’s police chiefs agree with this sentiment. A survey ordered by the Death Penalty Information Center of Washington, D.C found that 83% of the 500 police chiefs surveyed favored the death penalty in first degree murder cases. Kettering Police Chief James O’Dell told the Dayton Daily that he believed in the sanctity of life but “there are some people, I just have to say, the death penalty was made for.” (Beyerlein).

Another common argument in favor of the death penalty is the need for closure for the family of the victim. Mark Klaas is the father of Polly Klaas who was abducted and murdered in 1993 by Richard Allen Davis; Polly was twelve-years-old at the time. When asked if he believed that the execution of Richard Allen Davis would bring closure, he responded:

I believe his execution would bring closure to my daughter. She is the one that he contemplates as he acts out in his prison cell. It's not going to change my life one way or the other. But I don't invest a lot of time or energy in thinking about Richard Allen Davis. He's dominated my family's life quite enough as it is. I'm content to see him at least be on death row and know that at some point he may have to face that final judgment (Brooks).

Lora Owens was one of about 50 people who witnessed the highly publicized execution of Stanley "Tookie" Williams in December 2005. Lora is the stepmother of Albert Owens, who was shot and killed by Williams during a robbery almost 30 years ago. She described the experience as “very difficult,” she went on to say: "I don't take pleasure in that, but I do believe that the justice system worked.” After the execution Owens was described as appearing to be willing to forgive Williams as she told reporters: "Even a man like Tookie Williams deserved to have someone who loves him,"(Victim’s)

Bud Welch described his experience with the death penalty quite differently. Prior to April, 1995 Bud Welch was a self-described death penalty opponent; that changed for a brief period following the death of his daughter, Julie, in April 1995. Julie was among the 167 people killed in the Oklahoma City bombing carried out by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. For months following the death of his daughter Welch focused on little other than revenge, he didn’t feel the need for a trial, only retribution. During those months of focusing on revenge Bud made daily trips to the bombing site, he was also slowly killing himself with increasing alcohol abuse and cigarettes. With McVeigh’s trial fast approaching bud was making one of his daily trips to the bombing site when he had a revelation: "I realized his execution would not be part of my healing, I was able to get rid of the anger and need for revenge."(Velasco) Bud would later be one of five family members of the victims to ask the jury to spare McVeigh’s life. Three years after the bombing Bud met with Bill McVeigh, Timothy’s father, and found an instant connection with him: "I realized both me and Bill McVeigh would bury our children," he said. "When your children die, you bury them in your heart." (Velasco) Bud went on to become an outspoken opponent of the death penalty, a board member of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and president of Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights.

Balancedpolitics.org states the following on the pro-death penalty side of the debate: “DNA testing and other methods of modern crime scene science can now effectively eliminate almost all uncertainty as to a person's guilt or innocence.” With that in mind, it would seem that we should be confident that know innocent person will be executed. We have all, to some degree, been led to believe that forensic science is “proof beyond a reasonable doubt,” but is it? A study of the reliability of modern forensic science by the National Academy of Science stated:

With the exception of nuclear DNA analysis, however, no forensic method has been rigorously shown to have the capacity to consistently, and with a high degree of certainty, demonstrate a connection between evidence and a specific individual or source. (NAS 7)

According to The Innocence Project as many as 50% of all wrongful convictions that were later overturned due to DNA evidence could be attributed to un-validated or improper forensic science making it the leading cause of wrongful convictions. They further point out that DNA testing is only possible in about 5-10% of all criminal cases that make their way into our courts.(“Innocence”) Despite recommendations made by NAS, there are no federal guidelines regarding the use and standards of forensic science in the courtroom. When faced with new and unproven “scientific evidence” or “expert testimony” the presiding judge must determine if it will be allowed as evidence, often without fully comprehending what he is ruling on.

Ray Krone, a former death penalty supporter, has traveled the world advocating for the abolishment of the death penalty. He has spoken at high schools, law schools and even to the Senate Judiciary Committee. What makes Ray such a highly sought after expert on the subject? On April 8, 2002, Ray Krone became the 100^thdeath row inmate to be exonerated of all charges since 1973. It cost Ray more than ten years of his life, with the first three spent on death row, to earn this honor. Ray had been convicted and sentenced to death for a murder and sexual assault that he did not commit. Ray is an excellent example of how un-proven evidence and a misinformed jury can lead to an innocent person being found guilty. The prosecutions entire case rested on the fact that Ray lived in the general area, was a regular customer at the bar where the crime was committed and knew the victim. The only physical evidence introduced during the trial was a bite mark impression that the prosecutor told the jury proved that Ray committed the crime (Krone). In reality bite mark evidence is controversial at best. Experts disagree on the reliability and accuracy of bite marks as evidence. A study conducted in 1999 by a member of the American Board of Forensic Odontology found a 63 percent rate of misidentification using bite marks, findings that Ray’s case seems to support (Santos).

Although not death penalty cases the following two examples are current cases that serve to demonstrate the imperfect nature of our legal system:

Warren Horineck is currently serving 30 years in prison for the murder of his wife. Warren’s case can only be described as one of the most unusual cases in the history of criminal justice. Warren, an ex-police officer, was no angel, but no one involved in the investigation, including the prosecutor, believes that he committed this murder; no one involved in the case believes that a murder was committed by anyone. All of the evidence in the case seems to support Warren’s story that his wife committed suicide after a night of drinking. He was only charged due to a strange Texas law that allows private attorneys to seek a grand jury indictment without the involvement of the prosecutor. Despite the fact that the prosecutor’s office recused themselves from the case and the lead investigator, as well as the CSI, took the stand in defense of the suspect, he was convicted. He was convicted solely on the testimony of a paid expert witness, Tom Bevell, who specializes in blood spatter. Bevell testified that the blood found on Warren’s shirt was the result of back spatter that had occurred when he fired the shot that killed his wife. The coroner involved in the original investigation has stated that the blood on Warren’s shirt and pants was consistent with someone administering CPR. Anita Zannin, a blood spatter pattern analyst, attempted to recreate the shooting only to discover that, if it happened the way the blood spatter expert says it did, there would be little if any blood on the shooter (CNN). Despite all of the evidence to the contrary, Warren remains in prison. The jury later said that their decision was based entirely on the testimony of Tom Bevell who still serves as a paid “expert” witness.

The case of the Winfrey family brings to light two even more troubling issues with our justice system: official misconduct and how a suspect’s financial situation can directly affect the outcome of their trial. Richard Winfrey Sr., Richard Winfrey Jr. and Megan Winfrey were charged with murder. The only evidence against them was a scent lineup in which blood hounds allegedly found their scent on the victim, and the word of a jailhouse informant. Richard Winfrey Sr. and Megan both went to trial with a court appointed attorney; they were both found guilty. It took two years for Richard Winfrey Jr. to go to trial. During this time, his family had saved enough money to pay for his defense. The defense discredited deputy Pikett, the self-trained dog handler, and found reason to believe that he had used commands to rig the outcome of the lineup. It took less than 15 minutes for the jury to acquit Richard Winfrey Jr.. Richard Winfrey Sr. has since been acquitted and Megan is still in prison awaiting an appeal. Additional cases involving Deputy Pikett and his dogs are being scrutinized (Grissom).

As I stated earlier, 83% of the 500 police chiefs surveyed support the death penalty for first degree murder cases. However, when those same police chiefs were given a choice between the death penalty and a sentence of life without parole, only 47% favored the death penalty. When asked to list in order of effectiveness methods of reducing violent crime the increased use of the death penalty was overwhelmingly listed last. Hiring more police officers and reducing drug abuse and an improved economy were listed as the most effective methods of reducing violent crime. Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl said: “One question is, what are we trying to accomplish with the death penalty? If it’s deterrence, it doesn’t seem to get the job done at all. If it’s justice, that’s another question” (Beyerlein).

Norm Stamper, a police officer for 34 years, wrote an article speaking out against the death penalty. According to Stamper a 20 year study has shown that 10 of the twelve states that have abolished the death penalty consistently have murder rates lower than the national average. He points out that cutting back on appeals and attempting to speed up the death penalty process to save money will only result in a greater risk of executing an innocent person. Stamper goes on to say:

Our communities would be exponentially better off by reinvesting the time, money and resources we spend on trying to get a few people executed into crime prevention measures that work. Spending scarce public resources on after-school programs, mental health care, drug and alcohol treatment, education, more crime labs and new technologies, or on hiring more police officers, would truly help create safer communities.(Stamper)

In a 2008 op/ed written by Ray Samuels, a police officer for 33 years and chief of the Newark California police department, he expressed deep concern regarding the death penalty. Ray began his article with:

THERE ARE three words you rarely hear from law enforcement: We were wrong. We do not like to admit it, but, despite our best efforts, we sometimes get it wrong. A lifetime in law enforcement has taught me that lesson and showed me that, when it comes to the death penalty, the risk of a mistake is just too great. (Samuels)

Samuels wrote the article after several pieces of legislation designed to help prevent wrongful convictions failed to pass because they were to “expensive”. Samuels points out that abolishing the death penalty would save the state of California more than $125 Million each year. He further points out that, if a mistake is made and an innocent person is sentenced to life, there is a chance to correct the mistake; once the death penalty is carried out there is no such opportunity.

In his article Samuals states that mistaken witness identification and false confessions are the leading causes of wrongful convictions. How common are mistaken eye witness identifications? According to Gary L. Wells, professor of psychology at Iowa State University, it is far more common than we might like to believe. Wells, who has conducted extensive research into mistaken identification, says that out of 232 cases of wrongful conviction he reviewed 177 had resulted from mistaken eye witness identification. In a study conducted by Wells 200 crimes were staged; witnesses were rounded up and asked to identify the “suspect” from a police lineup. Prior to viewing the lineup the witnesses were told that the real suspect might not be in the lineup. The actual suspect was present in the first 100 lineups, 54% of the witnesses identified him correctly, 21% said they were not sure; the remainder identified the wrong person. In the next 100 lineups the witnesses were again told that the suspect might not be present and in fact he wasn’t. Despite the fact that the “suspect” was not in the lineup 68% of the witnesses identified a suspect. This is the results of what Wells has identified as “relative selection”; when the real suspect is not in the room the witnesses subconsciously focus on the closest match.(Wels)

The idea of confessing to a crime that we did not commit seems unthinkable to most of us yet is happens. Why would an innocent person confess to a crime that they did not commit? Those with a psychological disorders, low IQ, compliant or suggestible personalities and anxiety disorders are most at risk for false confessions. In many cases they may lack the ability to comprehend the consequences of confessing. In almost every case of a false confession obtained during an interrogation false statements or false evidence presented by police have played a role. When faced with false statements such as “we found your fingerprints” or “we have a witness” a suspect, particularly those who’s memories are clouded by drugs or alcohol may begin to doubt their own reality and simply accept what they are being told leading them to confess.(Perina)

According to The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics at year end, 2010, there were 31558 prisoners on death row nationally. Four states, California, Florida, Texas, and Pennsylvania held over half of all death row inmates in the United States.(Capital) When we compare this information with the FBI murder rate statistics for 2010 we find that California had 1811 murders, and Texas had 1246 murders making them the two states with the highest murder rates in the U.S. . Pennsylvania had 648 murders, giving them the fourth highest murder rate coming in behind New York. No statistics were available for Florida.(Murder) The statistics seem to call into question the deterrent effect of the death penalty on violent crime. (Note: these Numbers are not based on per capita and therefore could be considered as skewed)

Deathpenaltyinfo.org has published the “Innocence List”, a list of 140 people that they are aware of who were sentenced to death but have since been proven innocent. They make it clear that there is no way to be sure but based on the studies that have been done they believe that between 2.3 and 5% of inmates currently incarcerated in the U.S. were wrongfully convicted. To help put that in perspective if the number was only 1% it would equate to 20,000 people. There is only one question that we need to ask to determine if the death penalty should be abolished: is our justice system infallible?

Sources For: Should the Death Penalty be Abolished

911: Tolerence May be Our Greatesr Revenge

2011-09-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

There are those who would have us believe that all Muslims are the enemy. Is it possible that our greatest revenge for 911 will be to dispel this myth and have Christians and Muslims living together at piece in America?

For many of us our since of security was shattered on 911 as we watched the most horrific attack on American soil being carried out, not by a foreign superpower but rather a relatively small yet dangerous group of extremist. Prior to 911 many of us were completely unaware of Al Qaeda and the threat they posed to the safety and security of America. We felt quite safe standing on American soil, after all, it was simply inconceivable that anyone would dare attack the most powerful country in the world.

As we watched the towers fall we all became painfully aware of Al Qaeda and the threat they posed. Shock and disbelief soon gave way to outrage and the reality that America was now at war. In what may have been a shining moment for then president George Bush he drew a clear distinction between Islam and Islamic extremist, there would be no mass roundup or internment camps for Muslims living in America and attacks on innocent Muslims would not be tolerated. They are American citizens and therefore had been attacked just as we all had been attacked. As the planes hit the Twin Towers there were no Christians or Muslims, no black or white, American citizens or foreign nationals, among those who died, they were all victims.

Since 911 there have been those who have refused to accept the fact that this is not a war between Christians and Muslims but rather a war between America and the extremist. Those who pour out a message of hate and attempt to convince us that all Muslims are our enemy are in fact giving Bin Laden and his followers exactly what they wanted. Such rhetoric only serves to fuel the fires of suspicion, hatred and potential violence resulting in an endless cycle of conflict thereby ensuring that Al Qaeda’s ultimate goal is realized.

As individuals we have little if any control over global political and social issues but we each have the capability to help deprive the extremist of achieving their goals simply by treating each other with kindness and respect. On this tragic anniversary there are no Christians or Muslims, no black or white, no citizens or foreign nationals among those who lost friends and family on 911, there are only those who grieve. I can think of no better way to honor the dead than by promoting peace among those who live.

The Tea Party: Political Incompetence or Intentional Disruption ofGovernment

2011-08-11T00:12:00.000-07:00

It is not uncommon to see a good old-fashioned political battle of words in Washington. Each side will do their best to convince everyone that they are right and gather their supporters to join the fight. If no one side can muster enough support for a clear victory the compromising begins with both sides giving a little and taking as much as they can until a deal is struck.

Over the past few weeks we have all watched as Washington ground to a halt in the debt ceiling debate only managing to squeeze out a deal at the last possible moment. Many of us agree that the majority of the trouble stems from the TEA party's all or nothing, "we will not compromise" approach to the debate.

Some political analysts have attributed this to a lack of political experience on the part of the TEA party backed republicans, they simply didn't realize that compromise is how things get done. It seems to me that you could ask any fifth grader and they could tell you that compromise is an essential component of government in America. If we are to believe the analyst explanation for their actions then it seems that politically incompetent would be the proper term.

On the other hand it is no secret that the TEA party republicans have no plans of being re-elected, in other words, political suicide has no deterrent effect allowing them to be as disruptive as they please without fear of voter backlash.

According to the New York Times Representative Tom Reed, a freshman Republican from upstate New York said:

“Re-election is the farthest thing from my mind, like many of my colleagues in the freshman class, I came down here to get our fiscal house in order and take care of the threat to national security that we see in the federal debt. We came here not to have long careers. We came here to do something. We don’t care about re-election.”

This fact alone strikes me as unusual, how often do we see someone run for an elected office but yet have no interest in a political future? This combined with the timing of their run for office could lead one to ask if this is an intentional effort to disrupt the government in America at a time when we are all beginning to think about the 2012 elections.

Most Americans would agree with the idea of getting the debt under control and certainly we need to be able to defend our country. We would also most likely agree that we need elected officials that can get something done as opposed to bringing Washington to a halt.

The tea party representatives have made it clear that they are willing to put their agenda ahead of the best interest of the American people openly stating that they had no objections to pushing America into default rather than compromise, a move that was clearly in no ones best interest.

The Times Of India said it best when they said:

"Never before in history has a group of extremist politicians succeeded in taking the good faith and credit of their own country hostage in order to assert their will."

At the end of the day the republicans kept their promise not to raise taxes. Unfortunately, they made no such promises regarding America's credit rating, your 401k or interest rates.

Richmond’s Most Unusual Robbery: A First Hand Account

2011-06-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

It is not uncommon to find me writing about the news, however in this case I am not only the author of this post but the subject of it as well. Despite that fact I will do my best to remain objective and simply relay the story including what I believe are some important facts that seem to have been overlooked in recent reports.

On Monday June 6, 20011 I was walking along East Main street in Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom, a walk that is usually routine and quit uneventful. This day however was to be anything but routine or uneventful.

As I walked in the 1800 block of east Main street I passed a man sitting on the sidewalk, as I passed he began saying that I was faking and I didn’t need the cane. Initially I thought that this must be someone I had met in the past, I turned and step closer and asked, “Who are you”. As he continued his tirade I saw his hand move and he opened a pocketknife and acted as if he was (unclear on this part) cleaning his nails or whittling.

At this point I said “have a good day” and began to walk away, he continue to hurl insults such as you are faking, you don’t need that F… cane, you are taking advantage etc. I thought I heard him rustling around as if he was getting up, I soon realized that he was in fact walking towards me from behind.

My only thought at this point was “I can’t have my back to this guy”, I turned to face him and as I had feared he still had the knife in his hand. At this point he was only a couple of feet away, he continued his verbal assault and his hands seemed to be flailing around rapidly as he ranted. It took all of my limited vision to try to keep up with the knife.

He took a few steps as if he was going to walk away, suddenly he turned and approach me again this time saying “I’m taking this F…. cane” and grabbing it from my hand. As he walked away with my cane I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and tried to dial 911, again he returned, this time slapping the phone from my hand breaking it and striking me along the outside corner of my right eye.

After he walked away I went into the nearest door I [later heard that it was a gym) and the police where called. The first police officer arrived in less then a minute followed by several others. With the help of witnesses police located and arrested William V. Carter within approximately 10 minutes, Carter is being held in the Richmond City Jail, he is charged with robbery and is currently awaiting a preliminary hearing.

Hundreds Attend Funeral for Slain 13-year-old

2011-05-06T02:20:00.000-07:00

Devin Hawkins never sold drugs or belonged to a gang yet on April 23 the 13-year-old was shot and killed by suspected gang members. Devin was another innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of drugs, guns and violence.

Devin "Chumpy" Hawkins is described by friends and family as a happy teenager and student at Carver Middle School who had incredible talent on the football field. He was further described as a super star with a bright future.

On April 23, an argument in the streets near Devin’s home turned deadly, an argument that Devin was not involved in. The 13-year-old was outside when shots rang out, he was running for his house when he was struck and killed by a stray bullet. He died only feet from his front door in the Broadwater Townhome community in southern Chesterfield.

Rev. Lamont Hobbs delivered what is described as a rousing eulogy at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Petersburg where approximately 600-700 people turned out to say goodbye to Devin.

During the eulogy Hobbs acknowledge the local media for “getting this one right” by making it clear that Devin was not a drug dealer or gang member. He went on to call on parents to do their part to keep their children away from drugs, guns, and violence by checking their children’s rooms. He called on the community to do their part by reporting “wrongdoing” to the authorities.

Hobbs said:

"It ain't about Devin and where he is, the question is what are we going to do? We have got to get our house in order."

And in a closing that received a standing ovation Hobbs said:

"You need to have a jailhouse shakedown in your house,"

A 17-year-old who was shot in the leg during the incident is now believed to have been the intended target after he became involved in a verbal altercation.

The 17-year-old helped identify three suspects in the shooting. Jermon Rasheem Woodson-Jones, 21, who turned himself in after consulting an attorney, has been charged with criminal gang participation and being an accessory after the fact. Jermaine Powell, 18, who lived in the same block as Devin, was arrested and charged with criminal gang participation earlier this week. Yesterday police and the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force arrested William Timothy Walker, 21, the alleged gunman, in Harrisburg, Pa. Walker has been charged with homicide, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and gang participation. All three suspects are believed to be members of a localized chapter of the "Bloods" street gang.

9-year-old Girl Struggles to Recover 3 Years After Being Thrown into a Fire

2011-04-28T22:52:00.000-07:00

On April 29, 2008 in Trauali Jhanauti village in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh 6-year-old Kamlesh, a Dalit (untouchable), was walking with her mother, Manju, when she walked onto a road meant for the "upper cast". What happened next seems so horrific that it defies all semblance of humanity.

According to Gulf News a local man identified as Sunny allegedly beat Kamlesh and then threw her into a fire pit. When Manju, who was 8 months pregnant at the time, attempted to rescue her daughter she was attacked by several men and beaten unconscious. After regaining consciousness she was able to pull Kamlesh to safety but she had suffered severe burns over a large portion of her body.

Kamlesh is now 9 years old and the pain and scars serve as a constant reminder of what has been called another case of caste violence left unpunished. She lost the ability to move her right elbow and hand. She will also need extensive plastic surgery to repair the scars. According to Gulf News the family has exhausted their modest finances paying for the medical care that has been necessary over the past three years. Without outside assistance it appears unlikely that the family will be able to afford the medical care necessary for Kamlesh to regain the use of her arm or the plastic surgery that would help hide the scars of this horrid act.

Four people were named in the 2008 complaint but only Sunny was arrested. Manju was left so traumatized that she developed what is only being described as "psychiatric issues" and was unable to testify in court. Although there were other witnesses they would not testify out of fear. Sunny was released after 6 months and the charges where withdrawn.

Kamlesh's father, Saudan Singh told IBN::

“This is not the first time that this has happened. The problem is no one comes forward to speak. No one came forward to help,”

The traumatic and unthinkable acts committed against Kamlesh on that day seems a high price to pay for a young girl not "knowing her place" in society.

Donald Trump: The Great Fraud?

2011-04-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

For quite some time now we have listened to Donald Trump talk about the “team of investigators” he has sent to Hawaii, last night he discussed his investigation with Anderson Cooper. As do most of Donald Trumps “Birther” rants last nights interview left many of us questioning, not President Obama’s citizenship but rather Donald Trump’s honesty. Donald Trump seems quite capable of making wild allegations and fueling the “Birther” fire but producing any actual evidence or even an actual investigator seems to be a problem for him.

Trump has made the comment, "you wont believe what they (his investigators) are finding" but when he is asked to elaborate on that or any other evidence he claims to have found he provides everything except a straight answer. So far, some of the answers he does provide are "we will see what happens", "its none of your business", "I don't want to say now, but it's going to be very interesting".

The CNN team has said that they haven't found one person during the course of their investigation who have been contacted by Trumps investigators, when Cooper asked trump if he thought the he former director of the Hawaii Department of Health (one of 2 officials who have seen the Original certificate) was someone they should be talking to Trump responded:

"Well I’ve been told very recently, Anderson, that the birth certificate is missing, I’ve been told that’s it not there or it doesn’t exist. And if that’s the case it’s a big problem."

Cooper then asked: "Who told you that?"

Trump responds: "I just heard that two days ago from somebody."

In true Trump style he dodged the original question all together and offered up some more "inside" information from yet another nameless, faceless "somebody".

There seems to be nothing about his "investigation that seems particularly honest and his information is certainly not being backed up by evidence. I began to ask myself if there was a possible financial motivation for Trump's massive "birther" campaign". Well, it turns out that there is at least one, Trumps TV show, The Celebrity Apprentice, has enjoyed a 12% increase in the ratings do to the added publicity.

Oddly enough, a USA Today Gallop poll shows that 7% of those polled say Donald Trump was definitely or probably born in another country. Nearly three in 10 say they don’t know enough to say.

I have to ask myself if the 7% really believe Trump was born in another country or is this attempt to distance the United States from "The Donald" and save us more embarrassment in the future.

Koran-burning Pastor Sparks Inter-Faith Unity

2011-04-24T15:35:00.000-07:00

Pastor Terry Jones Good Friday protest that was planned to be held at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn may not of had the desired effect, in fact it seems to have produced the exact opposite response to what Jones would have liked.

Jones’s ongoing efforts to promote division, hostility and anger between the Muslims and Christians in America met with opposition from both the City of Dearborn and the The Metropolitan Detroit interfaith community.

The city dis-alaud the protest after a jury determined that it would be a breach of the peace. The potential for violence and riots are a valid concern whenever Jones and his Dove Outreach Ministry plan such an event. In response Jones is planning a protest at the city hall next week.

In a show of unity and support for freedom of religion and their disagreement with jones and his message religious leaders, both Muslim and Christian, came together to speak out against Jones.

Steve Elturk, Imam Council of Islamic org. of Mich. said that he would welcome Jones if he came in a peaceful manner and was willing to have a peaceful dialog.

It seems that Jones was so upset with the outcome that he later shot a whole in the floorboard of his own car. (accidentally of course)

?

First Female Commandant of the Army's Quartermaster School is Promoted to Brigadier General

2011-04-23T18:03:00.000-07:00

In 2005 "Trailblazer" Gwendolyn Bingham became Fort Lee's first female garrison commander. In November of 2010 she once again left her mark when she became the first female commandant of the U.S. Army Quartermaster School at Fort Lee.

In March of 2010 Col. Gwendolyn Bingham was recognized by the U.S. Army Women’s Museum at Fort Lee along with 11 others as “a trailblazer who is setting a path for others to follow”. On Friday, April 22 the path became a little longer for those following in her footsteps.

Bingham’s story began 30 years ago when she was commissioned as a second lieutenant after graduating from college on a ROTC scholarship. At the time she only planned to serve her four-year commitment and then enter the civilian work force. Her path would take her in a far different direction and she now admits that she was bitten by the “Army bug” at a young age saying:

“Quite honestly, I think I was hooked from the moment I walked on a parade field with my dad,”

Her father, Army first sergeant Edward McMillion, (now deceased) helped send Bingham on her path when he pinned the second lieutenant bars on her shoulder at the University of Alabama in 1981 when she was first commissioned.In 2005 Bingham made history at Fort Lee when she became the installations first female garrison commander. On November 22, 2010 she once again left her mark when she became the 51st commandant and the first female commandant of the U.S. Army Quartermaster School at Fort Lee.Bingham, originally from Troy, Ala, has spent the past 30 years of her life serving in the U.S. Army. Her career began at Fort Lee and although she has been called away on assignments she considers Fort Lee her home saying at the November ceremony:

“Today, I feel like Dorothy — there simply is no place like home,”

Bingham went on to say:

“It’s really not about me. . . . I don’t really look at it from the historical side, It’s indeed an honor for me to be the first, but I just feel privileged and honored to be a part of a team with all the men and women that have served with me in the past and continue to serve here with me at Fort Lee.”

Although she has held the position for the past six months the promotion to brigadier general makes it official, she is now the first female quartermaster general.Retired Lt. Gen. David S. Weisman described the turnout as the largest he has ever seen at a promotion ceremony. Among those in attendance where the mayors of Hopewell, Petersburg and Colonial Heights, as well as former Petersburg Mayor Annie M. Mickens and Delegate Rosalyn Dance, D-Petersburg.During the ceremony Maj. Gen. James E. Chambers compared Bingham to Lt. Gen. George Patton and Gen. Omar Bradley saying:

“Inside, she has the heart of a lion.”

And

“Don’t tell her it can’t be done.”

Bingham’s children, Phillip and Tava, participated in the ceremony by slipping off her former rank insignia and replacing it with the single star of a brigadier general. After the ceremony Bingham told reporters that she had never planned on becoming a general:

“Only about one percent of the entire Army is the general officer rank. It wasn’t something I had my sights set on.”

Brigadier General Bingham now oversees the training of more than 20,000 military personnel annually in her new role as quartermaster general.

Murfreesboro Anti-Mosque Campaign Resumes

2011-04-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

Any one who watched the recent CNN special "Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door," with Soledad O'Brien is familiar with the ongoing debate in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I found this story particularly interesting because local Muslims say that they always felt welcome in Murfreesboro both before and after 9-11. The local Imam recalls how in the weeks following 9-11 Murfreesboro residents would approach him on the street to offer words of reassurance.

However, the welcoming attitude of some Murfreesboro residents suddenly changed when the local Muslims purchased a plot of land and received approval to build a new Islamic center and Mosque. The congregation soon found themselves at the center of a battle for their religious freedom, a battle that began with protest, vandalism, arson, and harassing phone calls.

When these methods failed to stop the construction a lawsuit was filed by Kevin Fisher, Lisa Moore and Henry Golczynski seeking an injunction to prevent any future building permits from being issued for the project. They claimed that proper public notice was not given prior to approving the plans; according to the county a public hearing was not required because the land was already zoned for religious meeting use. Fear became the weapon of choice for Joe Brandon Jr. and Tom Smith, attorneys for the plaintiffs, with their entire case seemingly being based on unfounded allegations of Sharia law, Jihad and Islamic extremism invading Murphysboro. They further argued that Islam is not a religion. The case was later dismissed with the judge informing the plaintiffs that Islam is in fact a recognized religion.

According to DNJ.com 14 new plaintiffs have joined the lawsuit and attorneys for the plaintiffs have filed an amended motion, once again attempting to halt the construction. The claims made in this motion seem to be even more ridiculous than the first.

In an effort to have most of the claims in the suit dismissed Attorneys for the county, Jim Cope and Josh McCreary, filed a motion arguing that the plaintiffs have no standing in the lawsuit.

According to dnj.com Brandon and Smith countered by arguing that all 17 plaintiffs have standing based on the following:

Fisher: Because he is an African American Christian who'd be discriminated against and subjugated as a second-class citizen under Sharia law and be denied his civil rights.

Moore: Because she's a Jewish female who's targeted in a Muslim call to kill Jews in "jihad" in support of Palestine and as a woman whose rights would be subordinate to those of men in Sharia law.

Golczynski: Because he lost a son who was killed while serving in the U.S. Marines in combat in Fallujah, Iraq, by insurgents pursuing jihad as dictated by Sharia law.

According to Brandon and Smith the remaining 14 have standing because they live in the general vicinity of where the new Mosque will be located.

A news release by Brandon says:

"The residents neighboring the property of the 52,000-square-foot Muslim Brotherhood Training Center fear for their property values, their safety, their privacy and constitutional rights," (I am not aware of any involvement by the Muslim brotherhood)

Brandon has claimed that the leadership of the Mosque has promoted anti-American sentiment and has ties to terrorist organizations, these allegations by Brandon continue despite the fact that local Muslim leaders were questioned by the FBI (as were many Muslims across the country) shortly after the attacks on 9-11. It seems apparent based on their continued freedom that no threat was found in Murfreesboro.

In a strange twist of events attorney Joe Brandon Jr is now complaining that his rights are being violated. Brandon complained that his right to privacy is being violated after it was discovered that surveillance cameras had been installed in the vicinity of the new Mosque construction site. The claims are based on the fact that he and the plaintiffs in the case use the road by the site on a daily basis. He has filed a motion demanding to know who installed the cameras and who receives the data from them.

Although it was originally claimed by Brandon that members of the mosque had placed the cameras they deny any knowledge and say that they only became aware of them after Brandon complained. Local authorities are referring all questions in this matter to the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The FBI, who has been conducting an investigation into arson at the construction site, says they can’t comment on an ongoing investigation or the methods they may be using.

It is important to note that not all Murfreesboro residents are against the construction of the new Mosque. Counter-protestors have turned out to support the Muslim community and their right to freedom of religion.

Free Speech does not Equal Freedom from Responsibility

2011-01-16T19:28:00.000-08:00

For the past week we have all watched with horror the unfolding of events in Tucson. The conversation quickly turned to violent rhetoric spotted by politicians and their supporters. As we watch some of the more notable instances of violent rhetoric being defended as free speech it became clear that for many freedom of speech also means freedom from common sense.

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords continues to improve from a gunshot wound to the head received in the mass shooting outside of a Safeway store in Tucson on January 8. Although it appears that Gabrielle Giffords was the intended target 19 people were shot leaving six dead. Newly elected student council member, Nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green, was the youngest and possibly the most memorable victim of the shooting. For many of us the photos of Christina will be forever etched into our minds, a child who was born on a day of national tragedy and only nine years later became the victim of a day of national tragedy.

The events of January 8 led to a barrage of accusations and finger pointing regarding violent political rhetoric that seems to be the norm for some politicians and their supporters. We all heard the reports of campaign rallies held at shooting ranges with slogans such as “Lets take out Gabrielle Giffords” and cross hairs being drawn over democratically held districts (including Gabrielle Giffords) with slogans saying “Don’t retreat, reload”. I do not mention these two exercises in “Free Speech” to say that one party is more inclined to make such statements than the other, but rather because they have been the most publicized and seem to be the most relevant.

To the best of anyone’s knowledge these statements had nothing to do with the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords but they do bring about an interesting debate under the circumstances. Does our constitutional right to freedom of speech absolve us of responsibility for the outcome? If we incite violence under the guise of “Free Speech are we then not responsible for the resulting violence?

If, in fact, we believe that our freedom of speech is open ended then how can it be that Tucson shooting victim, James Eric Fuller, was arrested for yelling “your dead” to tea party leader, Trent Humphries. There was no act of violence committed so was he not simply exercising his right to free speech?

We could take the debate a bit further by asking the question: are we not all culpable to some degree for the outcome if we support in any way those who stoop to such levels as a means to gain political power? Do we, as Americans, not have a responsibility to make it clear to those who seek to lead our country that this is unacceptable?

This is a debate that will no doubt go on well into the future. At the end of the day it will most likely come down to an individual decision. As we enjoy the freedom that comes with being an American we must also understand that those freedoms come with responsibilities. Will we continue to support this type of irresponsible use of our freedoms or will we take a stand against it?

Hate Groups Receive High Marks from the Better Business Bureau While Legitimate Businesses Struggle

2010-11-13T16:21:00.000-08:00

America's most well known business reporting agency, the Better Business Bureau has come under fire after a 20/20 report revealed questionable practices on the part of the agency. It appears that the Arlington, Virginia based non-profit group should take a good look at their own "Standards of Trust" that they require their accredited members to follow.

The 20/20 investigation found that such well known names as The Ritz Carleton, Wolfgang Puck, and Disney World have received the lowest rating offered by The BBB, an F. None of the three are accredited (paid) members of the BBB.

The 20/20 report came after business owners complained about questionable practices buy the consumer watchdog group. Just one example of the "pay for an A" ppractice was allegedly video taped by 20/20. Liz's Antique Hardware had a rating of C when she was reportedly told that it would not be changed unless she became an accredited (paid) member. According to 20/20 she gave them her credit card number and within 24 hours she had a rating of A+.

The BBB claims that not just anyone can be an accredited member, accredited members are by invitation only and must agree to uphold the highest standards of business practices (and pay the membership fee).

Angry business owners, with the help of an anonymous blogger, submitted Hamas and a racist website, stormfront.org and payed the $425 fee for accreditation. Using Bill Mitchell, president of the L.A. BBB and Aryn Whiting as the business owners along with fictitious address, the two businesses received an A- and an A+ respectively.

After watching the report I decided to search the BBB website and see what other colorful businesses would turn up with good ratings.

It took me about five seconds to find the Ku Klux Klan with a B+ rating. The KKK's business type is listed as general membership and lobbying. According to the BBB they have had no complaints filed against them and the BBB has no information regarding any government actions against the KKK.

A few minutes later I discovered the American Nazi Party, self described aryan revolutionaries, sporting a impressive B rating. Once again the BBB has received no complaints and is aware of no government action against the ANP.

I need to point out that neither of these organizations are accredited (paid) members of the BBB. It appears that if they would pay their membership fees they could easily have an A+ by this time tomorrow.

I am sure I am not the only one who has a problem with the idea that hate groups enjoy B-A ratings while many legitimate businesses have to struggle with a C and pay to receive an A+.

In the heading of the BBB website it says "start with trust", perhaps the American trust has been misplaced when it comes to the BBB.

Are the Second Amendment and Gun Control Compatible?

2010-11-10T15:29:00.000-08:00

The debate over gun control and the second amendment has gone on for years. Ultimately, the interpretation of the second amendment and the rule of law regarding the possession of firearms depends on who you ask. It seems that those on both sides of the debate take an "all or nothing" point of view.

If you ask an opponent of gun control they would most likely say there is no debate, after all, the second amendment is quite clear.

Those in favor of gun control will have no trouble citing countless cases of innocent bystanders and victims of violent crimes being injured or killed as a result of the lack of gun control and thereby make a compelling argument that guns should be outlawed.

Is it possible that both are, to some degree, right? The second amendment reads as follows:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

When I read this I have to ask myself one question, has the wording become outdated as it applies to the modern world? Our founding fathers had no knowledge of the evolution of firearms or of America and our military power.

They could not have foreseen a time when the muskets and flintlocks of their day would be replaced by assault rifles and automatic handguns.

They could not have foreseen a time when America would be one of the most powerful countries in the world with a powerful full time military to defend us against our enemies. They could not have foreseen a time when "well regulated" militia would be represented by the thousands of reservist who serve our country on a moments notice when called upon to do so.

Is it possible that the real question is not how do we protect or eradicate the second amendment but rather how do we modernize it?

We often hear the argument that "I need my guns for hunting", or "I need them to protect my home from possible intruders". Both of these can be considered valid points, however, do we really need an AK47, Uzi, or AR15 for hunting? Can we not defend ourselves with the same shotgun we use for hunting; will it somehow be less effective than an automatic handgun?

Is their a valid reason why a honest person with a valid reason to own a firearm would object to a waiting period, background check, or a permit for a handgun? With handguns being the weapon of choice for most criminals is it possible that eliminating handguns could decrease crime by making it more difficult to conceal a weapon?

These are just a few of the points that will debated well into the future. What is your opinion? Is it possible to modernize the second amendment and find a reasonable compromise to this debate?

Dolphin Maimed and Thrown Back into the Ocean to Die

2010-07-29T10:46:00.001-07:00

WVFitzgerald.blogspot.com

As I sat on the beach at Atlantic Beach North Carolina word began to spread that a dolphin had washed ashore only a couple of hundred yards away. I grabbed my camera and started walking down the beach to where a small crowd had gathered.

I immediately noticed a huge wound in the dolphin's side accompanied by large teeth marks, the dolphin was also missing it's tail. The people in the crowd speculated that the dolphin had been the victim of a shark attack.

A small group of three researchers arrived to transport the remains to a more hospitable environment for preservation and further study. They quickly conducted a preliminary examination taking measurements, checking body temperature and examining the wounds.

Despite their apparent sense of urgency to move the animal the researches took a moment to express there thanks to the person who had called them. They went on to say that they collect approximately 130 sea animals annually that wash ashore along the coast.

After completing their examination the researchers determined that a shark had in fact attacked the dolphin. This was evident in the two large bite wounds, one on each side of the midsection. They then informed the crowd that the missing tail was not the result of the shark attack. The tail had been cleanly severed by a knife or other sharp object.

Although impossible to prove, they believed the most likely scenario was that the dolphin became tangled in a fishing net, the fishermen then cut the tail off to free the animal without risking damage to their nets. The dolphin was thrown back into the ocean, alive but unable to swim or defend itself properly.

The presents of the injured dolphin soon attracted a hungry shark that attacked leaving the two gaping wounds; shortly thereafter the tide carried the remains to the beach. According to the internal body temperature the dolphin had died shortly before washing ashore.

It seems that this is a case of time and money outweighing the need for the humane treatment of all life. As is the case for most of us "time is money" in the fishing industry and nets cost money. It is most unfortunate that this results in an animal of any kind being maimed and left to suffer before eventually dying. If it is in fact necessary to injure the dolphin to remove it from the nets I would have to say that I believe it would be far more humane to kill it as opposed to letting it suffer.

Interview with Westboro Baptist Church: Hate in the Name of God

2010-06-05T08:19:00.000-07:00

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="242" caption="Members of Westboro Baptist Church demonstrate at the Virginia Holocaust Museum, Author: JCWilmore Creative Commons Attribution 3.0"][/caption]

Shirley Phelps-Roper from Westboro Baptist Church takes the time to answer some of my questions regarding the church, their controversial views, and their protests.

Most of us have heard about the Kansas based Westboro Baptist Church group. They routinely make headlines by traveling the United States holding what are most commonly refereed to as hate rallies. The church is commonly known as a hate group due to the message they attempt to spread through their protest.

Members of Westboro Baptist Church routinely appear carrying signs with such slogans as "God hates you", "God hates Jews", "fags are beast", "God hates fags", "Obama is the beast" and "thank God for dead soldiers” just to name a few.

I first became aware of the church in March of this year when they traveled to Central Virginia to hold anti-Semitic and anti-gay protest at four locations around Richmond and Henrico County. They held demonstrations at the Virginia Holocaust Museum, The Jerusalem Connection, Weinstein JCC, and Hermitage High School.

This group seems to simply show up around the country from time-to-time carrying signs and shouting slogans.

Many of us are left with more questions than answers after such an event, "what is their point?” "What do they hope to accomplish?” what do they believe in beside hate?"/ Well, you get the point. I decided that in the interest of fairness and understanding I would like to ask them a few questions about their church and their views and get their side of the story.

I decided on several questions and sent an email to Westboro Baptist Church and asked if they would mind answering them for the purpose of this article. Shirley Phelps-Roper took the time to answer my questions and here is what she had to say.

What inspired Fred Phelps to start the Westboro Baptist church, what was his vision for the church?

Phelps-Roper: WBC was started by Eastside Baptist Church in Topeka, KS and they invited Pastor Fred Phelps to be her first pastor. The vision of WBC is and has always been to serve God in the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven according to the written word that is found in The Book, the Word of God, commonly called The Bible!

I read on Wikipedia that the church is mostly made of Mr. Phelps's extended family, is this true? If so why, has he had trouble recruiting new members from outside of the family?

Phelps-Roper: Today, this tiny little flock of slaughter has about 70 people who regularly attend the service of the Church when we meet each week with God, pursuant to the pattern that is shown in The Bible of a New Testament Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of those 70 souls, about 45 are members in good standing of WBC. Of those, about 85% are related by blood or marriage. Not quite the 100% that were related to Noah when God destroyed the old world with a flood of waters, saving 8 souls and sending, by some authorities, 16 billion souls directly into the bowels of hell! I say, 100% of those souls on that ark were related by blood or marriage.

What is your agenda, why travel the country holding what are most commonly described as hate rallies? What do you hope to accomplish?

Phelps-Roper: Our agenda is to preach the Gospel of Peace. As a matter of fact, those that hear and receive this gospel, it is a sweet smelling savor of life unto eternal life. To the rest, and the vast majority of mankind, it is a horrible savor of death, unto eternal punishment in hell where the worm dieth not and the fire is never quenched. Eternal torment. THAT is our agenda.

As a matter of beautiful, that-is-how-our-God-rolls fact, we are by this method, binding this nation to the standards of God. Further, we are bringing the thunder! We are using every fiber of our beings, and every resource at our disposal and every gift and calling that we received from our God to get this job done and to complete our testimony!

We also write songs, and this question has the first line of our Crazy Train (written for the benefit of the raging rebels called Metal Heads at the funeral of Ronnie James Dio) parody. "AMAZING / that's how God rolls / Billions of people / drowning in woe-oe-oe-oe-oe / CRAZY / it's much too late / to speak of God's love / when you brought on his ha-a-a-a-ate!"

These are not commonly described as "hate rallies;" they're called PROTESTS! As in "God sent his servants, rising early, daily and betimes, and sending, to protest your sin and your disobedience, for which thing, the wrath of God abides upon the children of disobedience." They're "love fests."

Most churches try to convert new members, on your website home page (godhatesfags.com) it says "God Hates You". Why would anyone join a church if they have already been told that God hates them, doesn't that make it pointless?

Phelps-Roper: That is an excellent question. You see this confirms what I said above. If God, in HIS MERCY, has given you eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart of understanding, you will see that sign and you will say, MY GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE. THAT is what the Bible says in the Old AND New Testaments.

You will say with Paul, "KNOWING therefore the TERROR of the Lord, we MUST warn our fellow man that his sin is bringing on his destruction and great wrath from God and death and hell!" THAT my friends is what God calls: LOVE THY NEIGHBOR. Further, God says, if you do NOT give such a warning, then (1) You hate your neighbor in your heart, and (2) Their blood will be upon your hands and in the Day of Judgment, God will require it of you! You will know that God said IF you OBEY MY COMMANDMENTS, THEN, I will not abhor you! You will know that the default for 99.999999% of all humans is hell.

You see friend, we must NOT concern ourselves with how the masses of Doomed America view the words, because, we do not serve the masses; we serve The Living God. We care about what HE says! HE said: "get out and give the words to EVERY human, and make sure it is MY WORDS that you give."

Jesus taught love, so how can any self described Christian justify teaching hate in any form?

Phelps-Roper: Jesus taught obedience! Here is the verse for you: 1Jo 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

This is another verse for you that puts a proper face on your words: 1Jo 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

The Bible is FULL of God's hatred. It is perfect, like his love. It is NOT an evil passion like it is in men. God does not hate you the way you hate us! No foaming-at-the-mouth with God. It is a perfect determination to send the UNREPENTANT to hell for eternity. You see GOD'S standard is the ONLY standard that matters. HIS standard is this: NO FORGIVENESS without repentance. NO love for the rebels. So while the Bible speaks of God's love, it is not for the vast majority of this last generation of Doomed Americans. You littered your landscape with lying preachers, professional mourners that put on a program of squally nonsense instead of just telling you WHAT GOD REQUIRES OF YOU! They do that because you pay them to do that. God requires that you OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS.

In short, if you do not preach and understand and teach the hatred of God, you are NOT preaching Bible truth.

Based on what most of us have seen at your rallies it seems clear that you are anti-Semitic and anti-gay. Based on the "God Hates America" slogan your known for would it be fair to say that you are anti-American?

Phelps-Roper: You are working WAY too hard at this. We are ANTI-SIN! We are PRO-OBEY! You are breaking down the demographics too much. With God, there are only two: Those that OBEY and those that do NOT OBEY!

Most known "hate groups" make it clear that they are anti-African American. With that in mind what is your belief regarding African Americans?

Phelps-Roper: My dad (Pastor Phelps) and my mom have 13 children. 11 of us are attorneys. My dad spent 25 years pioneering civil rights for black people and women and the elderly in the Federal Courts, as THE leading civil rights lawyer of his day. We think what God says! God NEVER said it was abomination to be black or female or elderly. Sodomites are identified by a perverted and filthy sex practice that they voluntarily engage in.

We must go to the words, because it is always and only about the words:

Ex 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

25. Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.

How would you compare Westboro Baptist Church with other known hate organizations like the Neo-Nazis or the KKK? Are there any connections?

Phelps-Roper: What a silly question. How would you compare WBC to such rebels? We stand daily in your streets with the Bread of Life, in the bright light of day, open faced and honestly telling you that you must OBEY YOUR GOD. For our kindness, you entreat us with questions such as this.

In the asking of this question, you determine where the hearts and minds of your reader dwell. Shame on you!

According to your website Westboro Baptist Church was bombed on August 20, 1995. Why do you say that America bombed your church?

Phelps-Roper: America only acts by her government. When a bomb goes off, DUTIES arise. You know how that looks.

The ATF and more government agencies do things to investigate. People are put on trial and sentences get long for use of bombs, ESPECIALLY when directed at churches. E.g. the man in CA that was sentenced to 20 years in Federal Prison for conspiring to set off a bomb at a Jewish Temple. When that bomb was directed at us, we had to offer a $5,000 reward to catch the criminals. Then the prosecutor charged ONE of the three criminals with lesser offenses and NO charges for two of the men. Then, the prosecutor let that one plead to an even lesser offense and he got a sentence of 6 days in jail and he was permitted to serve them on weekends so as not to disrupt his life.

THAT failure to do your sworn duty is why God is using that SAME BOMB as the #1 killer of the children of Doomed America in war in Iraq and Afghanistan. You see, those guys used an IED. Roadside bomb. They did that in a day when most people didn't even know what an IED was. Now, EVERYONE knows. THAT amazing fact is HOW GOD ROLLS!

He promised that if you mess with his people, you have touched the Apple of HIS EYE! He promised to repay you TO YOUR FACE for that. AMAZING! All praise goes to THAT GOD! It belongs to THAT GOD! Shout loud and long Hallelujahs!

For most of us 9-11 was the single greatest tragedy since Pearl Harbor yet you carry signs saying "Thank God for 9-11". Why?

Phelps-Roper: Here is the verse that selfish DOOMED Americans forgot or ignored: BE YE THANKFUL! Here are three excellent reasons to Thank God for ______ EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING!

1. BE YE THANKFUL!

2. We all deserve such death as in 9-11, Pearl Harbor, Coal Mines exploding, etc. But on this day, you still have the breath of life and you can still repent! BE YE THANKFUL! In HIS mercy, God has not cut you off, but has yet given you space to repent. BE YE THANKFUL! The time is growing so very short, make up your mind. Serve God or destruction!

3. If you are a servant of God, you know by such confirmation as 9/11 that God has not sent us onto the mean streets of Doomed America now in our 20th year, without confirming our words! We told you from the beginning, IF YOU GO the way of Sodom, you will suffer her fate! So here is the passage that helps you understand what I am saying here:

Psalm 58:10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

Why do you say thank God for dead soldiers and IED's?

Phelps-Roper: BE YE THANKFUL! YAY! Rejoice all ye that mourn for the sins of rebellious Doomed America! Shout Hosanna! Our God doeth all things well! Keep your eyes on that oil, that beautiful oil! Your destruction is imminent!

For many of us it seems likely that some of your rallies could spark violence against your members, has this ever happened?

Phelps-Roper: There is always a determination among the children of Satan to harm us, but our God has our back and he doeth all things well. HE keeps us in all our ways! So even as you try a thing here and there, we are all good, all the time! Here is a good, clear articulation of that promise that we go forth with:

Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

This is just ONE of many, many promises of God to his prophets! Also this amazing fact: "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain." Ps 76:10

Funerals are a sad and traumatic event, so why does your church believe that it is OK to cause more pain for the friends and family of the deceased by holding rallies at funerals?

Pelps-Roper: Blah, blah, squall! Each person that touched the dead child's life is personally responsible for that child residing in hell! Luke 16:18-32 will show you that the dead and in-hell child wants us there and wants us there and that child wants you to LISTEN so that you might not also go to hell!

Why does your church believe that President Obama is the anti-Christ, couldn't it have just as easily been George W. Bush or Rush Limbaugh?

Phelps-Roper: Another question that demonstrates your Bible ignorance. We don't hate on you for it, we just note that this so-called "Christian" nation is amazingly and deliberately Bible ignorant! Had you bothered to read that precious book, you would not be in all this trouble! But I'll answer.

George Bush is indeed anti-Christ as is Rush Limbaugh. However, Obama is THAT WICKED, THE BEAST (see Revelation 13) that is spoken of that will preside over the final end of Doomed America and then, he will get his global power-grab on and he will from that vantage point, bring the nations to march against Jerusalem and of course the prophets say and Christ said it will be THE WORST affliction in this earth from the Creation to that day, and ever after. That means WOE, WOE, WOE unto Israel, as these events are NOW. You can, even as I write, see how things are getting into place. Israel is not in the position she was in even a year ago and certainly not two years ago. I digress.

There are too many words about this to put into this answer, so I would refer you to the body of work that WBC has done called www.beastobama.com. Also, see www.jewskilledjesus.com for some much needed clarity. If you know or do not know, these events are already playing out, and you cannot stop ONE BIT OF IT! Praise ye the Lord!

When your group visited Richmond Virginia there was an 11-year-old boy in the group, do you believe that teaching hate based on religious preference, sexual orientation, or skin color is going to limit the child's future in the modern world?

Phelps-Roper: How funny is that?! You see, you don't need to worry about that little guy and his future. Because he resides with the People of God and he appears to be a little servant of God, he will be just fine.

He is a smart little child, his name is Noah. He is my #10 of 11 children. And he understands what he is doing in this life. Your unbelief is not, cannot and must not be binding upon our obedience to God! Get over the big lie of skin color in that question. Just forget the straw man called race! We are teaching that child what the Lord his God requires of HIM!

It would be easy to say that it appears that Westboro Baptist Church has declared themselves the judge of all things human and believe they are the divine voice of God. Would that be a fair statement?

Phelps-Roper: God is the Judge of all! HE HAS JUDGED! HE HAS ISSUED HIS JUDGMENT! He is at this very hour judging this nation! Look to the oil!

When God sent 9/11, this nation had an opportunity, like the Men of Nineveh to REPENT! But instead of repentance and a calling for of a day to fast and mourn for your sins, Bimbo Bush climbed on top of that pile of rubble and raised his fist to God and declared REVENGE! Bad move.

God is judging this nation and pursuant to HIS PRECIOUS PROMISES, clearly announced in his word, and articulated over and over, this very land that you have defiled is going to VOMIT YOU OUT!

Spewing time is on the way! See the adumbrations of that in the exploding power plants, coal mines and oil rigs, where God turned walking, talking, breathing rebels against him into human projectiles, vomiting them into the depths of hell! God alone has that power, and THAT is the God that is judging this nation! WOE unto you that forgot God! One more run to the words rebels:

Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Well, there you have it, hopefully the answers to a few of the many questions that you might be asking the next time you see Westboro Baptist Church in the headlines.

Water Insecurity is Becoming Critical for the Arab Region

2010-03-18T08:29:00.001-07:00

A combination of nature and human activity have left many countries in the Arab region facing the possibility of severe water shortages in the near future. In some cases the water use exceeds the natural recharge rate by more than one and a half times.

A combination of population growth, lack of pricing policy reforms, an increases in household incomes, droughts and in many cases the absence of adequate water treatment facilities has greatly reduced the availability of water suitable for consumption and agricultural purposes throughout the Arab region. In some cases water use is as much as 1.5 times higher than the natural recharge rate.

According to the World Bank the Middle East and North African regions are by far the driest and most water scarce regions in the world. The global per capita average water availability is close to 7,000 cubic meters per capita, per year. The regional average for the Middle East and North Africa is 1,200 cubic meters per year. Throughout this region, however, the averages ranges between 1,800 cubic meters per person in Iran to less than 200 cubic meters per person in Jordan, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen. The regional average of available water per capita, per year is expected to plummet to only 500 cubic meters by 2025.

Agriculture in the region accounts for approximately 5 – 20% of the GDP yet consumes up to 90% of the available water supply, in many cases through the use of illegal wells. Yemen for example, is considered to be one of the worlds most water scarce countries; approximately 80% of the ground water supply is consumed by agriculture and in 2009 authorities discovered 494 illegal wells throughout the country.

Direct and indirect affects of climate change is expected to further complicating the problem. Some of the possible affects will be loss of coastal zones, more severe droughts and desertification, and increased groundwater salinity; this could potentially lead to an increase in epidemics and infectious diseases.

Following an assessment of the progress that is being made to combat the situation in the region Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, said::

"Climate change is likely to aggravate these trends. Thus it is in the interests of nations across the region to constructively engage in the climate change negotiations as countries look to Mexico and the UN climate convention meeting later in the year,"

Richmond Va: No Welcome Mats for Westboro Baptist Church Hate Group

2010-03-13T10:33:00.001-08:00

Recently, representatives of the Kansas based Westboro Baptist Church visited Richmond Virginia to picket outside of the Holocaust Museum, Hermitage High School and other Jewish sites around the area carrying signs and chanting "God Hates Jews" and "God will destroy you."

In what could be described as a shinning moment for Richmond the group was met by counter-protestors at every turn, hundreds came out to voice their disapproval of the teachings of the church. As one young man so eloquently stated: "you can't come to Richmond to spread hate and expect not to be answered"

As the group arrived at the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Shockoe Bottom, they found themselves facing as many as 400 counter protesters. Executive director of the Virginia Holocaust Museum, Jay M. Ipson, (A Holocaust survivor) invited the members of Westboro Baptist Church inside to talk; his invitation was declined with a member of the group saying they did not come here to negotiate. Ipson later told reporters that he invited them in because if they wanted to hate him they should at least get to know him first. He went on to express his pride and gratitude to the counter protesters by telling the Richmond Times Dispatch:

"I feel like I'm 25 feet tall, this community is standing behind one another in love, not in hate."

Counter protesters came from many walks of life including 28-year old Iraq war veteran Nathan Cox of Mechanicsville, who played rock music through a megaphone to drawn out the group. The group is known to protest at the funerals of American soldiers killed in action, Cox told reporters that he first heard of the group while still serving in Iraq.

Although the Westboro group never picketed at Virginia Commonwealth University VCU students, faculty and staff took to the campus with their own anti-hate rally carrying signs with such slogans as “God Loves All People,” and “God Hates Morons”. The VCU rally that focused on inclusiveness was also joined by several faith-based and community organizations from around Richmond. The group was also met by opposition and increased police presents when they held an anti-gay protest at Hermitage High School.

It seems that the visit from the group has only served to give the people of Richmond a chance to stand together and speak out and their message was clear: Hate groups such as this one are not welcome.

Kentucky Mom Pleads not Guilty to Murder in the Death of Newborn

2010-03-11T12:04:00.001-08:00

20 year old Ashley Cox pleaded not guilty to murder charges that resulted from allegedly giving birth in a restroom at the Roederer Correctional Complex in La Grange, Kentucky where she was visiting her Boyfriend.

According to police Cox gave birth in a restroom at the facility, she then stuffed toilet paper into the infant’s mouth causing her to suffocate. Cox allegedly placed the infant in a trash can and covered her with paper.

After allegedly hiding the body, Cox told prison officials that she had a miscarriage and Oldham County EMS then transported her to Baptist East Hospital in Louisville. While examining Cox doctors found that she had not had a miscarriage but rather gave birth to a full term infant. Hospital staff informed prison administrators of their findings and the Kentucky State Police were called in to search for the newborn. The infant's body was found at 4:29pm and Oldham County Coroner Brett Donner pronounced the death at 4:42.

An autopsy revealed that the infant was alive at birth and according to the arrest warrant had no "medical abnormalities". Cox was charged with murder and concealing the birth of an infant, she is currently being held on $2.5 million bond in the Oldham County jail.

Cox is the mother of a two year old daughter and prior to her arrest reportedly worked at a day care center. Cox's sister told reporters that the family was unaware of the pregnancy.

According to police Cox gave birth in a restroom at the facility, she then stuffed toilet paper into the infant’s mouth causing her to suffocate. Cox allegedly placed the infant in a trash can and covered her with paper.

After allegedly hiding the body, Cox told prison officials that she had a miscarriage and Oldham County EMS then transported her to Baptist East Hospital in Louisville. While examining Cox doctors found that she had not had a miscarriage but rather gave birth to a full term infant. Hospital staff informed prison administrators of their findings and the Kentucky State Police were called in to search for the newborn. The infant's body was found at 4:29pm and Oldham County Coroner Brett Donner pronounced the death at 4:42.

An autopsy revealed that the infant was alive at birth and according to the arrest warrant had no "medical abnormalities". Cox was charged with murder and concealing the birth of an infant, she is currently being held on $2.5 million bond in the Oldham County jail.

Cox is the mother of a two year old daughter and prior to her arrest reportedly worked at a day care center. Cox's sister told reporters that the family was unaware of the pregnancy.

Toyota Slows Production in the Wake of Recalls

2010-03-09T07:45:00.001-08:00

Toyota announced today that they have planned what they are calling non-production days at 2 US plants located in San Antonio, Texas and Georgetown Kentucky.

The Georgetown plant is scheduled for 1 non-production day on February 26, with an additional 3 non-productions days possible in March and April. The Georgetown plant builds the Toyota Camry, Avalon and Venza and employs about 6,850 people.

The San Antonio plant, which builds the Tundra pickup truck and employs 1,850 people, is scheduled for 2 non-production weeks, the weeks of March 15 and April 12. During the down time the San Antonio plant will be installing new equipment that will allow them to built the Tacoma pickup, the new equipment was originally scheduled to be installed on the weekends during the month of March.

The Huntsville, Alabama plant will also experience some non-production days, the Huntsville plant make V-8 engines for the Tundra pickup truck and the slowdown will coincide with the San Antonio plant. About three hundred employees are expected to be affected.

Toyota plans to pay the workers for the non-production days and provide them with additional training.

Toyota announced the slow down in response to growing inventory as they attempt to deal with recalls. Over the past 5 months Toyota has recalled more than six million cars in America alone and 8.1 million worldwide. They also stopped sales of eight models, including the Camry and Corolla in the United States. Toyota officials believe the total cost of the recall could reach $2 billion. According to CNN Money Toyota spokesman Mike Goss said:

"We don't want inventory to build up for our dealers, we can't keep sending vehicles to dealers until they can start moving those vehicles."

The recalls are expected to take a toll on Toyota’s reputation as the safety leader, Toyota announced that January sales were down by 16% from last year and they expect to see a decrease in sales of about 80,000 vehicles in North America alone as a result of the recalls.

Meanwhile, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that they will be launching a probe to determine how and when Toyota became aware there was a safety issue with the recalled models. According to federal law automobile manufacturers have 5 days from the date they discover a safety defect to notify the NHTS and begin an immediate recall. David Strickland, Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said:

"Our top priority is safety and we expect that all manufacturers address automotive safety issues quickly and in a forthright manner,"

Gay Wedding Leads to 5 Arrests In Kenya

2010-02-28T08:36:00.001-08:00

in Kikambala beach resort in Kenya yesterday. Under Kenyan law homosexuality is illegal and is punishable by up to fourteen years in prison.

It is unclear if the intended couple are among those who were arrested, according AFP they escaped arrest however the BBC is reporting that two of the men had wedding rings in their possession and are believed to be the intended newlyweds.

The secret wedding was disrupted after locals found out about the plans and contacted the authorities. Three of the men were reportedly apprehended by civilians and turned over to the local police; two of the men were reportedly beaten. A crowd gathered outside of the police station where the men were being held to protest against homosexuality, local officials say that the men might have been stoned if they were not arrested. Police later thanked the public for their assistance and urged continued cooperation.

District officer George Matandura said:

"We are grateful to the public for alerting the police. They should continue cooperating with the police to arrest more, it is an offence, an unnatural offence, and also their behavior is repugnant to the morality of the people."

The wedding was criticized by Christian and Muslim clerics alike, according to AFP Sheikh Ali Hussein of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya said:

"We cannot allow these young boys to ruin their future through homosexuality, we shall use all means to curb this vice."

The five men are expected to undergo a medical exam to determine if they had “illegal carnal knowledge of each other.” Before being charged with homosexuality.

Thursday another gay wedding was disrupted before it took place after authorities became aware of the plans, the couple and their guest were forced to flee when word spread that the police and local residents were searching for them.