Race/Religious war perpetrated by the government

Ha, bet that headline got your attention didn't it? Well in a roundabout way it is true. Our government at the local, state, and federal level has legislated preferential treatment in such a way that Race and Religion schisms are not mended. Instead they are perpetuated.

I'm still sick of politics in general and so am looking at social issues that ought to be non-partisan. I know it aint as sexy as bashing the crooks and liars on either side that are vying for our attention in one regard and diverting it in others.

Anyway, back to the topic. I am talking primarily about hate crimes and the legislation of same. I understand that some folks think that attacks specifically against gays is somehow worse than a mugging in the park. I cannot agree.

Assault and Battery is A&B no matter who the victim is. A violent attack has always been illegal. And obviously the victim is just as battered. I see the elevation of certain assault crimes to the level of Hate Crimes or even Domestic Terrorism as just another intrusion of the government into society. HCL unfairly elevates certain people or groups above that of society in general. It sends a message that if you are going to beat on someone it better not be anyone who can self-identify with protected label. It's a far reach, theoretically speaking, a smart mugger could simply target young to middle age, heterosexual, nonfat, christian, white males to avoid the penalty enhancement of HCL.

It isn't simply skin color or sex, national origin or sexual identity, age or gender either. There is a religious double standard as well. If you paint a swastika on a synagogue it's very likely that you will be charged with a hate crime instead of simple property damage via malicious vandalism. Dump a Koran in the toilet and you are in the same boat. Race pigs next to a mosque and watch out.

But, amazingly enough when it comes to Christianity we tolerate a lot. Dump a cross into urine and it's art. A moment of silence? It's really church v. state. None of that is a hate crime, instead it is a constitutional issue. Yet, when we accommodate Muslims in our public schools, isn't that exclusion of other faiths and thus, in an admittedly broad interpretation, a hate crime?

How about burning the Flag? I personally feel victimised every time someone does that. I am a vet. Thus the crime is obviously anti-vet. Again, in an admittedly broad interpretation, a hate crime?

The above examples are part tongue in cheek and part "Hey! Double Standard Alert!". In truth I see hate crimes as the criminalization of your personal beliefs. If you hate gays, blacks, women, crippled old people, fat people, thin people, kids, vets, hippies, girlymen, Muslims, Jesus freaks, yadablahetc...... then you may be a twisted freak, but you are not a criminal. At least not today. Hate crimes mean that your personal beliefs are now subject to government regulation. It is a short cliff to fall over.

Just think, in twenty years, an anti-terrorist rally could no longer be free speech. Instead it will be illegal to even think such thoughts.

Prosecute the crime, not the thoughts of the criminal.

hate+crime

Social Graces: Race Relations and BOND.

A buddy of mine told me that I didn't post enough to this blog. Not counting the fact that I do have a life..... heh. Plus, most of what gets blogged here is political in nature and frankly, I am sick of politics for the nonce. Everyone on the left is a socialist to some degree or other. Everyone on the right is trying sooooo hard to be conservative lite that it is rather disgusting. There are no independent candidates that have a hope in hades either. So, what are reality based folks supposed to do if they are civic minded? I guess we look at social issues and see if there is any solutions that are possible within the constraints of today.

So, this post is about race relations in America today. What are the realities? The reality is that there are more blacks in prison on a per capita basis than any other ethnic group. In fact, only recently have whites overtaken blacks in jail actual population numbers. For other stats demonstrating that blacks are still over represented in the justice system check out the first link at the end.

Here is another reality. White criticism of blacks or Hispanics as a group is perceived as racist. Black criticism of blacks isn't tolerated much better. Black pride is "cultural". White pride is associated with the KKK or skinheads. Under these conditions no dialog about the state of race in the USA is possible.

On top of that there are those that exploit racial tension for all that it is worth. Look at Jessie Jackson or Al Sharpton. Both are way too quick to point the finger and label everything as racist. Young Mr. West of course ensured we all knew that Bush abandoned the Blacks during hurricane Katrina.

There is one reasonably prominent Black Leader that seems to be pointing to the members of the black community and telling them to get thier act together. Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson isn't pulling any punches either. When discussing the conduct of Blacks during the hurricane, he openly attacked the media opportunists as well as the lawless who made it into the superdome.

Enter Jesse Jackson and Louis Farrakhan. Jackson and Farrakhan laid blame on "racist" President Bush. Farrakhan actually proposed the idea that the government blew up a levee so as to kill blacks and save whites. The two demanded massive governmental spending to rebuild New Orleans, above and beyond the federal government's proposed $60 billion. Not only that, these two were positioning themselves as the gatekeepers to supervise the dispersion of funds. Perfect: Two of the most dishonest elite blacks in America, "overseeing" billions of dollars. I wonder where that money will end up. Source

His articles are life affirming and direct. He calls for moral stances, and leads you to believe that by demanding high standards you should expect high achievement. The second link at the end of this is his website. It is worth a look. Be sure to check out his previous writings.

My questions now are: How can we eliminate the stereotyping inherent in any negative discussion on race? How can we (or should we) get big government out of the race game? Is racism demonstratably alive and well or are we seeing the aftermath? Equal opportunity is guaranteed, equal achievement is not. How can we get that message out in a positive manner? Is there a way to address the issue without using guilt and history as a club?

Or is it all a waste of time and we need to simply await the "race war" that so many groups believe is coming?

I don't have the answers. But, the first step is asking the question.

DOJ Stats by race.
BOND Website

Off to the Races

Looking at the current crop of candidates I am almost tempted to stage a run for the Presidency. Since I don’t believe I will be able to raise the Cash that the others have, the shadow approach might be best. Picture a combination of Jeff Foxworthy and a televangelist. It’d go something like this.

“Mah fellah ‘mericans”, A’hm Phil and Ah need y’all to write me in to be the President. Thass right, Ah said President. Big Chair, Ovuul Office an all that.”

“Fact is folks that Ah don owe nobody nothin. Ah gots no skeletens in th closet. An bein the honest guy that Ah am, Ah’ll tell ya how to vote.”

“IF YOU BELIEEEEVE: That Uncle Sugar is there to make sure you get a check to soothe your ego when you don’t have a job, Then folks, Don’t vote fer me.”

“IF YOU BELIEEEEVE: That international welfare is a god given right and we are obligated by some moral power to provide it to every nation in the world, Then folks, Don’t vote fer me.”

“IF YOU BELIEEEEVE: That banning assault rifles and handguns is ok, Then folks, Don’t vote fer me.”

“IF YOU BELIEEEEVE: That the income tax is fair and progressive, Then folks, Don’t vote fer me.”

“IF YOU BELIEEEEVE: That pages are for turning instead of talking dirty to, and that freezers are for ice cream and not cash, Then folks, Vote fer me.”

“IF YOU BELIEEEEVE: That killing terrorists is a dirty job that has to be done, Then folks, Vote fer me.”

“IF YOU BELIEEEEVE: That we should stick by our friends and leave everyone else the hell alone, Then folks, Vote fer me.”

“IF YOU BELIEEEEVE: That the constitution is somehow alive and open to interpretation (except when it suits ya), Then folks, Don’t vote fer me.”

“IF YOU BELIEEEEVE: That there is a wall of separation in the first amendment, Then folks, Don’t vote fer me.”

“IF YOU BELIEEEEVE: That the job of the press is to do anything but make money, Then folks you are reeeeeeeeally deluded, and yeah, Don’t vote fer me.”

Anyway y’all, I gots lots more of those, and jest as soon as I find that ol videeeo camera ah’ll be on youtube right along witcher favorite demercrats.

politics comedy vote

Maybe they do work for us after all...

How's it going folks? Hopefully everyone reading this is happy, healthy, and prospering. The title of this post indicates that maybe I was wrong in my earlier entry They Don't Work For Us. Only time will confirm it. But, I am going to hold out an (out of character) unrealistic hope.

An amazing thing happened recently. The people, yup the McUSA's , roared like lions instead of whimpering like kittens. And in that roar they crashed the Senate switchboards as they opposed the CIB . Suddenly the exalted ones in the Senate discovered there was intelligent life outside of thier chambers. And, more importantly, some realized that getting rehired might not be as rubber stamped as before.

Honestly, I cannot prove scientifically that the crooks and liars we elected actually heard the roar and obeyed. So, I would like to propose a test to see if we can induce failure again. This time we want it to occur on September the 11th at noon eastern time. Obviously the date is symbolic to those both for or against the war. It is also midway thru the last month of the fiscal year. It is after the summer and holiday recesses. And it isn't close enough to Christmas to ruin anyone's festive moods. Finally, I would propose that this time we crash both switchboards to see if it can be done.

My personal issue call will be to get the Fairtax moving instead of sitting on the shelf in the House Ways and Means Committee under Charlie Rangels thumb. It would be awesome to see the same type of roar again.

But, I don't personally have the resources to reach and sell it (a single issue) to the nation at large. If, on the 12th of September, the news tells me that the switchboard crashed simply because the people roared over a thousand different issues then I will still consider the experiment a success.

But, curiosity compels me to ask: What issue will you call for?

senate switchboard crash immigration fairtax

More Justice For All?

Bush commutes Libby prison sentence. Thus spake the Almighty Press. Well, y'all know this isn't going to set well with Democrats right? In fact according to the AP story

"As Independence Day nears, we are reminded that one of the principles our forefathers fought for was equal justice under the law. This commutation completely tramples on that principle," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said through a spokesman.

Somehow I think we all knew that he, and others, would weigh in. Bloomberg notes:

Bush's decision was denounced by Democrats. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, who had demanded that Bush promise not to pardon Libby, called the commutation ``disgraceful'' and said, ``History will judge him harshly for using that power to benefit his own vice president's chief of staff.''

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama of Illinois said Bush's action cements his legacy as one of ``cynicism and division'' that ``placed itself and its ideology above the law.''

I have to say that I support GWBush in general because he is the President. I also have to say that my support is in the form of loyal opposition more and more. Today added to that list.

I'm kind of in a conundrum. I despise criminals with the same intensity that the Orkin man feels for cockroaches. I break crime into three broad categories. Those that involve violence either as an act or as a result, those that don't, and those that involve national security. Of course the violent felons should be locked away forever. Of course any crime that results in death (even speeding or dui) should result in a death sentence. And of course, I recognise that the power to pardon or commuteis absolute and without question. So in this case I have to subordinate my opinion in favor of reality. At least this President isn't (so far) as prolific as some when it comes to exercising this privilege.

By commuting the sentence, he signals both parties that he is loyal to his people for better or worse. That in and of itself is honorable. So we have a case of someone doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. Sounds like politics as usual huh?

The reality is that the US Criminal Justice system, at the Federal level, needs a series of modifications to bring it into the twenty-first century. Since the Democrats are in power, it isn't realistic to propose the more "radical" of them. But, here are some steps along the way that would come closer to the phrase "and justice for all". If the democrats work toward these, thier ultimate reward might be the favor of the McUSA family come the next round of elections.

First: All guilty verdicts involving violence or national security must result in long incarcerations. Non-violent crimes should not result in incarceration. This partially feeds the "liberal" desire for rehabilitation as well as the "right wing" desire for retribution.

Second: No federal conviction receives parole in any form save pardon or commutation by the President.

Third: Eliminate any and all "Club Fed" institutions unless they are set aside for the mentally ill. Prisoners in thier right minds whether they were drug runners, congressional aides, staffers, cops, etc are all housed together.

Here is the most radical of the suggestions. Once the verdict is in, the presiding judge should draft a neutral executive summary. This summary should be given to a sentencing judge. Almost everyone agrees that "equal justice under the law" isn't a reality in todays United States. So, each case gets two judges. The presiding judge makes sure that the case proceeds according to law and procedure. He will ensure the jury is properly instructed. In short he will do as he always has except for sentencing.

The sentencing judge will receive a brief from the presiding judge which will be sanitized with regard to race, religion, gender, notoriety, national origin, age, etc etc. He will not know if he is sentencing a poor white female, an old black man, a rich Muslim sheik, or a crippled poor Mexican male. His sentence is based on the facts presented to him devoid of the prejudices we see so often. Think Paris Hilton, Sandy Berger, and Scooter Libby.

The bottom line is that in this country we have a standard of justice that isn't being met. It is more a matter of how much attorney you can afford, which old boy club you belong to, and who you know. I don't think justice will ever be truly blind, but maybe in the sentencing phase we can at least turn down the lights.

AP Story via Yahoo News

Bloomberg

Scooter+Libby Justice Plamegate