Day: November 13, 2009

Trial of 9/11 Criminals In New York City: The Right Thing To Do!

Ronald 1 Comment

The 9/11 conspirators will finally leave Guantanamo Bay naval base prison, where they have been in limbo through all of the years of the Bush Administration, and will be held accountable in federal court in New York City for their crimes.

This trial will be done under the Constitution and will legitimize our reputation as a country that follows law, rather than hysteria, in pursuing terrorists.

We have already had terrorists, both domestic and foreign, who have been prosecuted in federal courts and have all been given life sentences in maximum security prisons. There is no possibility of any of these war criminals being given their freedom, and the odds are good that they may all receive the death penalty, as Timothy McVeigh was given after the horrific Oklahoma City terror attack of 1995.

The irrational fear that holding the trial in New York will provoke more terrorist attacks, while detaining people for years in Guantanamo Bay will not have the same effect, is being promoted by the Republican party opposition and talk radio and Fox News Channel. They fail to see that inaction on holding people accountable is the legacy of the Bush Presidency and is counterproductive to the fight against terrorism.

Now, the Obama Presidency WILL hold the war criminals accountable for their despicable actions, and justice will finally, belatedly, be served! I salute Attorney General Eric Holder and President Obama for their courage and their decisiveness!

Joe Biden And The Homeless

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Vice President Joe Biden went unceremoniously today to a DC homeless shelter, because he felt a need to remember what less fortunate people go through, particularly at a time of ten percent unemployment. He served a meal to a group of homeless men.

Not looking for publicity, Biden declared the line that I have often used in class and elsewhere, when people tend to make a harsh judgment about poor people and the homeless.

“There but for the grace of God, there goes I!”

It is important for everyone always to keep this in mind as one moves on through life’s journey!

Fox News Channel: More Evidence Of Lies And Racism!

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Fox News Channel continues to conduct itself in an outrageous manner.

All of its talk show hosts–Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck–continue to use the “racism” charge against Barack Obama.

Now it is revealed that Rupert Murdoch, the journalism mogul who owns Fox News and many newspapers, believes himself that Obama is a racist and backs up his employees in their assertions.

Not only that, but Sean Hannity has been revealed as a liar–no surprise–in his so called “inadvertent” use of a two month old tape to show a rally in DC of Tea Party people–with a larger crowd then compared to a more recent event–and both events tinged with racism and anti semitism references. This was revealed by Jon Stewart on his Comedy Channel show, and forced Hannity into an admission of a so called “error”!

So the continued evidence of lies and racism on the part of Fox News Channel and its owner and employees and star talk show hosts makes one wonder: Why does any thinking person continue to watch this disgrace of a news channel, which is rightfully, as some have said , to be considered an “opinion” channel, out to distort the truth and reality and to poison the atmosphere of political discourse!

The Republican National Committee, Michael Steele And Abortion

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Isn’t it interesting that the Republican National Committee has, as part of its health care plan with Cigna, allowed its employees to have abortions since 1991, and now, suddenly, are aware of this anomaly and are announcing, through Chairman Michael Steele, that abortion will no longer be covered?

So a legal right to abortion, which has existed since 1973, and was covered for RNC employeees despite GOP platform language at national conventions ever since, now will come to a halt, although back in 1991, it was put in without controversy and debate.

What does this tell women in this country? It makes clear that you had better not get pregnant and have a health problem, as you are not entitled to an abortion no matter what the reason or the age of the female. It is catering to the religious right, so concerned that every fetus be born, but of course unwilling to believe in assistance to poor women and poor children in any form by government, because then it is “socialistic”!

There are women who are against abortion, and that is their prerogative. But it is clear a majority of women want the privilege to control their own reproductive rights, and see what the Republicans are now making very public, as really a declaration of war on their constitutional rights!

So the Republican party continues to show its lack of concern about Latinos, African Americans, women, young people, veterans who need government support and concern, state governments in turmoil, poor people, moderates, environmentalists, civil libertarians, and immigrants.

This party is alienating itself further every day from the majority of the American people, and seems only concerned about religious extremists who wish to impose their values on the whole nation. Is there any hope that the GOP someday will regain its senses and become a party separated from the control and dominance of the talk show hosts, FOX News, and religious right wingers?