May 14, 2005
Vicente Fox: Mexicans do jobs "not even blacks will do"
Mexican President Vicente Fox tossed a not-so-veiled insult at black Americans yesterday when he insisted that the US should admit illegal immigrants because they do jobs that
"not even blacks will do.""There is no doubt that Mexicans, filled with dignity, willingness and ability to work are doing jobs that not even blacks want to do there in the United States," he said in a speech broadcast in part on local radio and reported on newspaper web sites.Fox said recent, tougher measures against immigrants do not represent "the road we should be building between friends and partners."
Mexico has been seeking an accord with Washington for years to make it easier for millions of illegal Mexican immigrants to live and work in the United States. The country expects to repatriate this year more than 250,000 foreigners, mostly Central Americans headed for the U.S. border.
Fox would do better by trying to better economic conditions in his own country as opposed to making it easier for people to slip across the US border to live and work here illegally.
If people have skills and a desire to enter this country to work, then they should apply for a visa and come here legally. But Fox prefers the illegal route - less hassle and headache for him; plus he doesn't have to pay for things like health care and education for those people. We're saddled with it.
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A friend of mine went to the spot were Latino day laborers waited to be selected to do work. He tried for 2 weeks before giving up. He was never selected. Only the Latino men.
In the D.C. area, an INS raid wiped out the restaraunt help in the Arlington area and the Rockville Pike area. The workers were replaced by Black and white people willing to do the work.
On Maryland's Eastern Shore, Sen. Mulkulski is helping crab picking companies expand the immigrant pool. The companies can't find help because of the low pay. Whites and Blacks in the area either want more money, or the companies are cheating people.
Meanwhile, I see Black men working as garbage collectors. That's a rank job, but yet I see Black men doing it. I see Black women working in hotels as maids. I see Black people working as janitors.
Mexico is trying to hurt this country, and the President wants to help.
Posted by: DarkStar at May 14, 2005 05:55 PM (cnw1A)
Posted by: DefConservative at May 15, 2005 06:15 AM (41yzV)
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Mexico is a more racist country than the US, and that's why they feel comfortable saying things like that. Fox, like many white Mexicans, also looks down on the black and brown Mexicans who end up crossing the border to work in America. The brown "Indios" in Mexico are like the Black people in America -- they are economically oppressed.
I find it ironic that conservatives are going nuts over this issue. It's not like the right-wing were ever the best friend of African Americans.
Oh yeah, Fox is also a right-winger. Ironic.
Posted by: LeftPerspective at May 16, 2005 09:47 PM (cJAxT)
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As an African-American male, who often feels the stings of prejudice and racism from our European - American brethren, it really is a sad testimony to the Republic of Mexico and their citizenry to make such a statment. American history shows that most states, especially in the South, were build on the back of Blacks. Laziness has never been, nor will be a trait of African Americans. I was insulted by his statement.
Posted by: stevan white at May 17, 2005 04:00 AM (ToClK)
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how come in what every major city you go to you dont see any hispanic homless but you see plenty of black homeless.
Posted by: how come at May 17, 2005 06:50 AM (VZ0Yh)
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I just googled and got this site. Excellent.
Anywho, as a working class 24 year old Mexican/American (born in East Los), living in one of the perspective lands of goshen surrounding the Los Angeles area, and without a completed college education, I see the plight of of the immigrant workers here.
In general, they/we work exponentially harder (obviously not smarter) duties than most people around town, in their Luxus' (Lexi, heh). In the hills, where the valid people live, you see an army of old Chevy trucks, their occupant's hands busy in hot tar, putting roofs on the elite's castles. Dark skin, sweat, blood, sometimes death for the peanuts these immigrants (and uneducated, like me, are paid.
In Oxnard, and other places alike, a resemeblance of they days of the black cotton pickers exists. Various forms of cancers the only tangible pay off by the end of these Fruit Picker's career. And many, many more examples exist. But I'd leave it up to you to pick these out. (MENTAL UVAS, SI!)
I think that the comment Vicente Fox has made is most likely a racist remark, but not a bash to the black man only. Keep this in mind, the word black, in spanish, "negro," tends to be used as an alternative word for slave. I don't really want to go into a discussion about symantics, but let's just assume that he meant slave instead of African Americans: the intention of the comment is to simply imply that Mexican immigrant's legitimacy in the working world (we ARE the majority of service, and industrial workers) is of that of a slave was hundreds of years before. Meaning, the ILEGITIMACY of our work is what let's the wealthy stay wealthy by providing non living wages to the people who make the products we need/want.
There is steam roller behind Fox's words, but the people on top will continue to support the theory: Vicente Fox = Simple Racist. It's much, much more complicated than that. FIGURE IT OUT, 1+1=3!!!
PS, I WAS ONCE IN LOVE WITH A BEAUTIFUL BLACK WOMAN. THERE, THAT SHOULD PROVE I AINT RACIST, RIGHT?
Posted by: DroneLuigi at May 17, 2005 08:38 AM (pO1tP)
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I'm a US born slave descendant. My understanding of Fox's comment is this: Mexicans take jobs that "even blacks" (read "even the lowliest members of US society") won't take. Meaning that Mexican immigrants are truly the lowliest of all, despite all that dignity and capacity to work (humble campesinos toiling without complaint for wages that don't buy more than frijoles y tortillas, etc, etc.)
The thing is . . . he's right. But why single out the fact that slave descendants won't work for slave wages? No one in the US wants that kind of work. Many illegal immigrants take the work and live marginal lives (in the economic sense) because they see their work situations as temporary--not careers on which they hope to build lives in the states (though many stay and do just that). So they're willing to take jobs that pay wages so low they've got to live four guys in a one-bedroom apartment, and still work two (or more)jobs. Why would a slave descendant want to compete for slave wages? If you want US citizens to do the job, pay them, and they will come. And it can be done. Hey, pay restaurant workers more = hire more US workers = fewer restaurants = less obesity = fewer public charges for providing social services to low-wage US workers AND illegal immigrants because there will be less demand for their labor.
NOTE: I was sitting in a Mexican restaurnt a few years ago, eating my enchilada combo plate, and Black woman came in and asked the owner if he was hiring. He said yes, but he only hired people who spoke Spanish so that they could communicate with the other staff. She nodded in a sad, resigned way and left. I looked around me. All of the customers were English speakers, but all of the staff was Latino. "Hmm" I thought, "this is a new qualification for low-wage work; A reverse language barrier." Interestingly, the restauarant didn't survive, despite hiring staff to do work "even blacks won't do".
Posted by: Comprendo at May 18, 2005 12:29 AM (M8vQT)
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I have a simple question:
Why is a US president allowing another country's elected president 'make' US immigration policy with hurtful remarks like this?
Go beyond the obviously ignorant statement, and read between the lines. He's telling us that US Citizenship means nothing. We have no sovereignty, no rights to defend our borders, nothing.
It should be noted that we fought another 'border war' with 'outlaw bandits' who committed crimes against Americans outright - robbing banks, individuals, and raping women - and who then 'ran back across the border' where US law enforcement couldn't follow.
Until the US Government got involved and sent General Pershing (who later led US forces in France during WWI) to the Southwest, with orders to 'seek and destroy' those elements of Mexican Banditos' (gangs) that were committing these crimes.
The same argument applied then: the banditos were seen as 'heroes' because they brought wealth back from 'stolen lands occupied by the gringo' and distributed it among the poor - the 'Robin Hood' excuse.
Does no one see they're doing the same now? It's not an 'armed incursion', but it's still against the law.
The difference is, our own government is clearly 'owned' by the interests of big corporations that benefit from a supply of 'cheap labor', and for that reason, is unwilling to defend the sovereignty of the United States, or the value of American citizenship.
Old Italian saying: 'the fish rots from the head down'. It's time to get the 'corporate hoodlums' out of our own government, and elect a government that will defend our borders, enforce immigration laws, and restore meaning to American citizenship.
Posted by: Steve Sciotto at May 19, 2005 05:12 AM (ZEJzj)
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"I'm a US born slave descendant. My understanding of Fox's comment is this: Mexicans take jobs that "even blacks" (read "even the lowliest members of US society") won't take. Meaning that Mexican immigrants are truly the lowliest of all, despite all that dignity and capacity to work (humble campesinos toiling without complaint for wages that don't buy more than frijoles y tortillas, etc, etc.)"
Posted by: Comprendo at May 18, 2005 05:29 AM
I am a Black male who lives in the South and I agree with the statement above; I think it is a slap in the face to White America for having an obvious underclass for Fox to use as a comparison.
Posted by: Sharpe at May 23, 2005 12:28 PM (/st7n)
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Mexicans of all people have absolutely no right to be racist. Mexicans have to risk their lives to cross the U.S. border and they have been doing that for decades. It goes to show you how smart a Mexican is because if I was a Mexican and I knew that my people have risk their lives for decades to cross the U.S. border and the U.S. still has not opened the border for my country to freely cross, that would have told me that the U.S. doesn't want us Mexicans to reside in their country. The U.S. Border is straight rejection to Mexicans and they still risk their lives to cross it that goes to show you the intelligence level a Mexican has. As far as us blacks (African Americans) our ancestors certainly did not ask to come here, our ancestors were bought here. So that is the difference between Blacks and Mexicans, us blacks we are Americans automatically, we built this country and no one has to question our citizenship. Mexicans on the other hand have to sneak over here because they are obviously not openly accepted here and they have not nearly contributed as much as blacks.
As far as the comment that was made by the Mexican Government stating that Mexican immigrants in the United States did jobs "not even blacks" would do. I agree with him because he is right that Mexicans do the jobs that blacks wonÂ’t because us blacks wonÂ’t accept less just to be accepted. We wonÂ’t be overworked and underpaid so since the Mexican government thought he was being sarcastic little does he know he wasnÂ’t. What a hell of a representative!
Posted by: Samantha at August 04, 2005 01:16 AM (k0vE9)
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I have to admit that I love when a person responds to a racist comment with another racist comment and doesn't think anything of the hypocrisy of his -- or in this case her -- action. Don't demean the reputation of other blacks by making comments like this because, whether you realize it or not, a lot of people take one person's opinion or statement as a reflection upon that person's race, religion, etc. As far as insulting the intelligence of a Mexican such as myself, Samantha, in my opinion, you can start doing that whenever blacks begin to score higher on standardized tests than Mexicans, and other Hispanics for that matter. I hope what I wrote did not sound racist, but facts are facts.
P.S. By the way the average Hispanic also outearns the average black by about $1,500 a year last time I checked.
Posted by: Daniel at August 07, 2005 10:58 PM (uGNog)
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Yeah, I agree - blacks were forced to live here; beaner were not. I wish we could do what the white ruling class of Mexico (like Fox) does: round all the dumb ass loser in the U.S. (especially the Mexicans) and ship their worthless asses up to Canada.
Posted by: JMan at August 19, 2005 04:03 PM (0GoP/)
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No matter what anybody says, my mexican people get the job done that's it, not having excuses for every little thing.
Posted by: jg at August 20, 2005 12:06 AM (+tdxz)
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Dam do I have to say a lot on this topic so here it goes... lol.
First of all I'm going to write down some quotes that were just interesting to me:
"Mexico wants to hurt this country, and the President wants to help" -DarkStar
"Mexico is a more racist country than the US and thats why they feel comfortable saying that" "Brown indios in Mexico are like the black people in America they are economically oprresed" -LeftPersepctive
"Mexicans of all people have absolutely no right to be racist" "... that goes to show you the intelligence level that Mexicans have" -Samantha
"Yeah I agree blacks were forced to live hear; beaner were not." -Jman
Man where do I begin hahahaha I mean there is just so much hypochresy and ignorance in many comments posted here. I think I'll start off with the first comment made about Mexico trying to hurt this country. Yeah thats exactly what Mexicans are trying to do ya know? Since obviously we have nothing to do in Mexico we go to our meeting room, eat tacos and tamales, and brain storm on how to ruin this country. Also illegals take jobs that Americans wont take. Bad illegals bad! Ok on a seriouse not how the hell is Mexico trying to hurt this country? I agree with ya'll that the comment Vicente Fox made is totally un-acceptable but he did ask for an apalogy and did recognize how bad it was. What are people so prideful now a days that an apology wont be accepted? How sad if you ask me.
I also heard a lot of crap of "illegals stealing our jobs". Ok then hum if illegals are stealing americans jobs then why are they there in the first place? And if its such a big of a concern then why aren't Americans taking up the jobs so that illegals wont take them? I mean how come Americans dont start taking up jobs in the fields picking fruit under the hot sun. Work in factories where the conditions are horrible and the boss exploits you. You know why u dont see that? Cuz seriously Americans don't want those jobs they just pisst off and being racist cuz they are seeing more "brown people" in their neighborhoods. Then of u treat illegals and see them as if they were the ultimate enemy. I mean u guys are taking out ur anger and blaming them for everything when in reality the people to blamme (if you want to blame some one cuz here in america we like to blame other groups other than our own for the prob lems going on in our communities and our lives) should be the corporations for hiring "illegals" and the mexican government for being sooooooo stupid and incompitant that they cant take care of their citizens (yes I'm mexican and i despise the mexican government for being so stupid).
Its evident that there is a lot of hate towards illegal immigrants, but before u guys critique them try to understand why they are doing it. Many illegals from Mexico (or whatever country of origina they are from) leave their country because they know that if they stay there they will sure not survive and die sooner then expected. Either that or live under the worst conditions imaginable. I mean the ghettos here in the United States is luxury compared to the living conditions found in Mexico and other third world countries. People do anything and everything to ensure the safety and well being for their family and if its to leave for another country legally or illegaly through a very dangerouse border to make sure that ur family has one more plate of food so be it. And I'm 100% sure that if the tables were turned and the U.S. was the third world country and Mexico was the richest in the world then a lot of people from the U.S. would be going to mexico illegaly to ensure ur family's well being. And don't say no cuz you would. Just dont critique something u have no idea about. U only see "illegals" coming here and getting jobs but u have no idea why. A lot of us say were chrisitians and follow jesus but yet some christians are the ones who bash illegals the most. i dont get that. the only christians that i've seen help out illegals are catholics other then that nobody. but i could be wrong.
I also read this other comment written by LeftPerspective saying that Mexico is more racist then the United States but then compares american racism with mexican racism. So how can Mexico be more racist if you compare it to the U.S.? Still the idea of Mexico being more racist is funny. I mean the united states had massiv slavery, commited genocide against native americans, stole their land, created words such as "nigger", were racially segregated and still are for that fact in many areas but Mexico is more racist. Were more racist when in mexico the spanish, indians, and black slaves (yes there is such thing of afro-mexicans and mexicans being of african descent of course some more then others) that were brought to mexico all intermarried freely and they were taught they were part of la raza cosmica ,the cosmic race; where they were taught that they were the perfect mix of races and that they should be proud to be who they were and they were thanked for bringing into the world more mixed children. Yaeh bad bad mexicans and their horrid racism.
Then I read some other comment on how "mexicans had no rights to be racist" yet that same person mad a bad commented on Mexican intelligence. Hmmm how strange protesting a racist comment with another racist comment. Interesting method to use.
Well unlike u i think that illegals are actually pretty smart to come here illegaly or legaly for that matter because if they dont leave there is no hope for they and their family. So its a smart choice to do whatever it takes to help ur family.If you didn't know (samantha) during the era of slavery there were black slaves that immigrated to mexico to escape that harsh reality of their lives. I'm not saying that it was a massive immigration but there was immigration. How would have liked them if the Meixcan government classified them as illegal and started to deport them back to the U.S. to become slaves again. Dont u think that thats extremely unfair? Illeglas in the united states aren't coming to the U.S. cuz of slavery but the mentality is he same "leave or have no future". And thats what i think everybody should keep in mind.
Another thing that read hear often was that unlike mexicans, blacks were forced to live here and therefor they became U.S. citizens. ok first of all our ancestors were on this continent and in some parts of what is today th United States way before any black slave, european, or asian ever landed on this continent. Second if u all dont know about the treat of guadalupe here it is. the treaty of guadalupe gave southwestern states like california, utah, nevada, texas, etc to the U.S.. So a part of what was once Mexico now became the United states and all the Mexicans who were living in that area became U.S. citizens automatically. So dont anybody be talking like if all Mexicans immigrated here and or are illegal because thats not the fucking case. In fact only about 25-30% of all latinos including Mexican, Cuban, Colombian, etc are illegal. And just to add another fact in on here the treaty stated that any land owned by Mexicans who now were part of the United States because of the treaty got to keep their land and be sole owners of it. Of course the united states didn't keep their word took out that part of the treaty and started stealing the land of the Mexican land owners eventhough they were promised that the land would be theirs. Kinda funny aint it?
One more thing before I conclude, I also dont want to hear any white person say "this is my country and illegals get out". Bull shit. Eurapeans came here, befriended the native americans, killed many of them up to the point of extinction in some cases, stole THEIR land, and brought black slaves to build it up. So dont be sayin that b.s. no more all right? The real owners of this land and in my opinion the only TRUE AND REAL AMERICANS are the NATIVE AMERICANS. NO ONE ELSE!
To conlcude i would like to say that just because the Mexican president made a racist comment (which he later apalogized for) doesn't make every Mexican a racist. Yes there are some racist Mexicans but not all likewise with blacks, whites, asians, whatever. The ideology of "since one person did it everybody from that group is/are the same" is somehitng we've been trying to fight here in the untied states especially those who are of color. But then we are the bigest hypochrites when we have that ideology while making a point or presenting an argument. I also hate it when blacks and latinos fight each other instead of work together. I believe that if latinos and blacks worked together then there is no end to the things we can do to better our communities and how much damage we can do to the white supremacy here in america.
I'm just saying lets not be hypochrites and to not just listen to ur side but also be willing to learn and hear what the other side is. Some of u might think i'm un american or un-patriotich but i dont care. I care more abou being humane and knowing that these people "illegals" ,or whatever you like to call them, are humans and they need our help. Lets not be prideful and help the human race out. Everybody in the world has gotten help somehow to better themselves. How bout we be their help? Some will agree and some may not with my view points but different viewpoints is what makes america the country that it is.
Posted by: Angry Chicano at August 23, 2005 12:08 AM (6mUkl)
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I feel that it is racists to say that hispanics do jobs that even blacks won't do. I am of black and hispanic descent and want only the best for my cultures but it is those who think like that that make it hard for both of them.
Yo me siento que soy racistas para decir que hipanos hacen los trabajos que aun negros no haran. Soy de bajada y necesidad negras e hispanas N el mejor para mis culturas pero soy los que piensan como que eso lo hace duro para embos.
Posted by: Jatoria at September 18, 2005 07:12 AM (4OdaU)
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Yo me siento que soy racistas para decir que hipanos hacen los trabajos que aun negros no haran. Soy de bajada y necesidad negras e hispanas N el mejor para mis culturas pero soy los que piensan como que eso lo hace duro para embos.
Posted by: hurt at September 18, 2005 07:16 AM (4OdaU)
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Jatoria your spanish SUCKS as much as my english lol.
Im a Mexican, live in Mexico, never gone to U. S. and Vicente Fox has a BIG mouth; but you have to understand that is not easy to know if you been a racist if there is not so much of a variety here, when we go out to the streets everybody speaks the same, look more or less the same, maybe there is ignorance in the president words but not hate, at all.
Besides many people leave to U. S. as a kind of tradition, For example: I live in the state of Mexico of most inmigrants (GUANAJUATO), and many of my friends have already they father sendin DOLLARS to live well here and yet they leave just because dont want to study and become a person with succes in his own country, I think they are the ones that become gangs and stuff, if you work hard believe me you will be someone, my father was very very very poor but he got a... (that money that school give for your good performance i dont remember the word) anyway we have two houses of our own, im studing for Engineer in Comunications, and he and mom are "just" elementary school teachers.
I just want you to know situation in Mexico before debate about it, we are not as screwed up as you think, if you work hard and use your brain you move on just like in any other place in this world. Gracias Nos vemos
Posted by: One_Mexican at October 01, 2005 07:57 PM (3SaS3)
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and we only racist with persons from HONDURAS, EL SALVADOR and GUATEMALA jaja sorry mexican inside joke
Posted by: One_Mexican at October 01, 2005 08:11 PM (3SaS3)
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I think your way of react (American way)is contagious because a few months in the TV news politicians were talking about a videogame in wich President Bush was kidnnaped in...MEXICO CITY!!!! jaja.
And they wanted to buried this game in the highest mountain and burn it because of the representation of the city and shit. but why dont they do something about the insecurity and change the image of that godforsaken city of Hell?, Well i think we are picking a few new "population control" moves from our neighboor in the north.
Posted by: One_Mexican at October 01, 2005 08:32 PM (3SaS3)
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Which racial group does vincente fox belong to?
Mestizo,white,or native american.
Posted by: Ush at October 03, 2005 08:21 PM (yJqvp)
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He is a pure white guy running mexico which is sad.Most mexicans are either mestizo or native american,and yet some white guy is running that country.In my opinion only mestizo hispanics should count as minorities.Why dont you guys consider yourselves to be 2 or more races?You are half white-half native indian aren't you?
Posted by: john at October 07, 2005 11:27 AM (yJqvp)
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If Vicente Fox is white or purple does not matter he was born in Mexico grow up in Mexico, me and my mom knew him when he was gobernator of Guanajuato (where I live) and visit her school, and he speak like a mexican (we dont speak spanish like suposed to be, like in spain).
Many people regrets that he is our president but not for some reason as stupid as been white (wich i dont think he is). RACE IS NOT AN ISSUE HERE.
The first time i meet an African american person it was in the university, he was from Texas and i feel weird only the first 5 minutes of knowing him, then was normal, except because i look like a kid next to him.
Posted by: One_Mexican at October 09, 2005 10:52 AM (alZmZ)
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John, you say is sad that he was president and white because Mexicans are not whites SO...
Are you saying that a black person could never be president of US because that will be sad?
Posted by: One_Mexican at October 09, 2005 11:03 AM (alZmZ)
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wow i can not believe some of the thing that some of you are posting on this websit. Ok i know that everyonre has his/she own right to believe what you want. But have you ever put your self in the shoe of these people trying to come to the u.s. these people leave their family they life everything for the same thing that your ancestors left their lives for and dont tell me that this didnt happen in your family because the only way that it didnt happen some way down your blood line is if your native american. these people come to the u.s. thinking about how their going to make their lives better and all they is a country that treats them like trash instead of helping them they send them back where they came from. The go though the trouble of putting there life on the line and all u can say is send them back. ok what vicent said might have been politically wrong to say and i'll give ya'll that but to say that these people don't deceive to be here is wrong they work hard and get practiclly nothing in return. There are a lot of people in this country that don't know what they have. The whole reason they bother to go through what they do to get here is because people make America seem like such a wonderful place and all they want is to be able to give their family a better life. What they dont see is how hard it is and what they have to give up. But most of the people writting about how they want these imigrants out of the country know that. they know all the trouble it is to leave their family behind. they know how it feels to know that they might die on the way to America, the promise land. They know that to get a visa it can take years.
Posted by: Diana Santos at November 03, 2005 06:19 PM (D74iq)
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Wow, I can not believe some of the thing that some of you are posting on this website. Ok I know that everyone has his/she own right to believe what you want, but have you ever put your self in the shoe of these people trying to come to the United States. These people leave their family; they leave their life everything for the same thing that your ancestors left their lives for. Don’t tell me that this didn’t happen in your family because the only way that it didn’t happen is if you’re Native American. These people come to the U.S. thinking about how their going to make their lives better and all they find is a country that treats them like trash. Instead of helping them, you rather send them back where they came from. They go though the trouble of putting there life on the line and all you can say is send them back. Ok what Vicente said might have been politically incorrect, I'll give you all that, but to say that these people don't deceive to be here is wrong they work hard and get practically nothing in return. These people are not here to rob, steal, or kill there here to work and no matter what anyone says there are jobs out there that most people won’t even think twice about doing. I know most of you wouldn’t dare work picking grapes of practically nothing. So who do you think is going to do it? I know you’re not going to want to do it! There are a lot of people in this country that don't know what they have. The whole reason they bother to go through what they do to get here is because people make America seem like such a wonderful place and all they want is to be able to give their family a better life. What they don’t see is how hard it is and that they won’t get anything in return. But most of the people writing about how they want these immigrants out of the country know this. They know how heartbreaking it is to leave their family behind. They know how it feels to know that they might die on the way to America, ‘the promise land’. They also know that part of this country was theirs to begin with. They know that to get a visa it can take years. They know the dreams that people have each and everyday of being able to come too America and doing something with their lives. I bet most of them don’t, but I know that most of them know that the dream that these people are searching for will not be found, at least not in America. Now imagine that all of a sudden your wish came true and all the illegal immigrants did leave. How are all those jobs going to be filled? How are these businesses going to stay open see as how now they have to pay their employees a higher salary? All these people want is to accomplish the ‘American Dream’ instead of worrying about people for are trying to make a decent living how about we all turn our focus on though who don’t? If you got as heated as me over this topic because you felt like I did, or if you got heated because of the total opposite please please e-mail me I would love to hear your excuse.
Posted by: Diana Santos at November 03, 2005 06:20 PM (D74iq)
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May 13, 2005
Senator Robert "KKK" Byrd's senility comes out on Senate floor
I got a chance to watch
this exchange (MP3) on the Senate floor yesterday (Thursday) on C-Span2.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) were going back and forth over the Constitutional or Nuclear option regarding an up-or-down vote on judicial nominees, when the so-called dean of the Senate, Senator Robert "Sheets" Byrd (Shakey 'N Senile-WV) stepped up and began a rambling story of the Bible, and American history and God knows what else until Frist & Reid left Byrd talking to himself on the floor.
"Didn't you also say as the other part of that statement to the president of the United States, being critical of the potential legacy I might have to leave in order to stand up for fairness and principle, didn't you also say you would give all of these nominees up-or-down votes?" asked Frist."I don't remember what I said," Byrd replied, "a few or all or three or four, I don't remember."
Former KKK Grand Kleagle Byrd is 87 years old. And he sounds like it. He sounds like he gets his meat loaf, mashed potatoes & corn through a straw. Or at least he should be.
Mind you, he continues to rail on -- pocket version of the Constitution in hand -- against the Constitutional option, claiming that this would limit speech, and that changing the rules would "go against tradition."
Uh... Senator... Last I checked, you yourself changed the rules of the Senate in the past to suit your own agenda in the past.
Perhaps you should consider taking up residence at a senior citizens community.
Posted by: mhking at
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1
I'm going to ask again: Where were the conservatives when the Republicans refused to let 62 Clinton appointees even get a COMMITTEE HEARING?
Now they complain about another SENATE RULE denying an up or down vote?
Posted by: DarkStar at May 14, 2005 07:29 AM (cnw1A)
2
What, they run out of room at the Old Kleagle's Home?
I mean, they've got to run out of places to name after him in WV at some point. Every pig path and outhouse built with Federal money's named after the guy...
Posted by: Chap at May 14, 2005 09:46 AM (DjCKu)
3
And when he rambled on about being born again and offered lessons from the bible, I did not notice the ACLU sounding the alarm about the coming American Theocracy.
Posted by: Stephen Macklin at May 15, 2005 06:50 AM (U3CvV)
4
Someone call the orderly, Byrd's messed his sheets again.
Posted by: BobG at May 15, 2005 01:10 PM (lhVve)
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Judges now packing heat
After the Fulton County Courthouse shootings in Atlanta back in early March, more judges in Georgia
are carrying weapons.
The sheriff of one county said since then officers have given guns to eight Superior and State Court judges. Police said some judges have also asked for some firearms training.State law allows judges to carry guns in court. And one judge said while a few of his colleagues have always carried weapons, more are now bringing their own guns to work.
One judge said he likes having his gun with him because it gives him "a great deal of confidence" that he'll complete the day.
After all, as Dredd likes to say, the Judge IS "The Law."
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Nuclear option on the horizon
Sounds like that
backbone replacement operation on Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has taken hold, and he's ready to rip.
The Majority Leader will continue to discuss an appropriate resolution of the need for fair up or down votes with the Minority Leader. If they can not find a way for the Senate to decide on fair up or down votes on judicial nominations, the Majority Leader will seek a ruling from the Presiding Officer regarding the appropriate length of time for debate on such nominees. After the ruling, he will ensure that every Senator has the opportunity to decide whether to restore the 214-year practice of fair up or down votes on judicial nominees; or, to enshrine a new veto by filibuster that both denies all Senators the opportunity to advise and consent and fundamentally disturbs the separation of powers between the branches.
There will be a full and vigorous Senate floor debate that is too important for parliamentary tactics to speed it up or slow it down until all members who wish have had their say. All members are encouraged to ensure that rhetoric in this debate follows the rules, and best traditions, of the Senate.
It is time for 100 Senators to decide the issue of fair up or down votes for judicial nominees after over two years of unprecedented obstructionism.
All hands on deck! Red Alert! Shields Up!
Last word is that we should look for the fireworks to begin Monday or Tuesday.
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Splash damage will get you every time
A CIA Predator drone has killed Al Qaeda operative Haitham al-Yemeni in the remote northwestern portion of Afghanistan.
"The debate was over whether to hit him individually or wait until he was part of a bigger group," NBC analyst Roger Cressey reported. There was no clarification if the actual strike was against just al-Yemeni or targeted a gathering of suspected militants.Information leading to the hit is thought to be connected to the recent capture of Abu Faraj al-Libbi, described as al-Qaida's No. 3, in northwest Pakistan on May 2.
The CIA will neither confirm nor deny the operation -- NBC News is quoting well-placed Defense Department sources. Sounds like they may be on the trail of other bad guys in that neck of the woods.
Good hunting.
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May 12, 2005
Dyson attacks Cosby on Today while interviewer Roker does nothing
After
pointing out rabid moonbat Michael Eric Dyson's rampage on personal responsibility by black America in general, and on Bill Cosby's message of personal accountability in particular in the form of Dyson's new book "
Is Bill Cosby Right
," I've received a number of e-mails, some just plain calling me stupid, others telling me that I don't know what it means to be black, and yet others telling me that I'm going to hell for selling out my birthright. There were precious few who agreed with me, even in part.
Larry Elder agrees with me, and pointed out how it was open season on Cosby during a recent interview on NBC's Today where Dyson railed on in his foaming-at-the-mouth fashion, unchecked by interviewer Al Roker (yes, they got the weatherman to do the interview instead of the show's anchors; no offense to Roker, but Al's forte is usually much lighter fare).
Al Roker: "Do you think there's any validity in some of the things he said?"Michael Eric Dyson: "Oh sure . . . there's validity always. Tim[othy] McVeigh had a point. The state is over-reaching. But the way you do it, dropping bombs and castigating of human beings, that's terrible. . . . Let's hold the larger society accountable for creating the conditions that lead to some of the downfalls of the poor people." Roker said nothing.
Roker then read three quotes from Cosby: "Those people are not Africans; they don't know a damn thing about Africa. With names like Shaniqua, Shaliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap, and all of them are in jail." Next, "All this child knows is 'gimme, gimme, gimme.' These people want to buy the friendship of a child . . . and the child couldn't care less. . . . These people are not parenting. They're buying things for the kid. $500 sneakers, for what? They won't . . . spend $250 on Hooked on Phonics." And finally, "You can't land a plane with 'why you ain't . . . ' You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth . . ."
Dyson: ". . . Black people have always been creative in naming their children. Africans name their kids after the days of the week, after conditions of their birth. Black people in 1930s gave their kids names after consumer products, Cremola, Listerine, Hershey Bar. So black naming has always been creative. I'm not worried about Shaniqua and Taliqua, I'm worried about Clarence and Condoleeza, who can hurt us in high places of power in America." Roker said nothing.
Dyson then accused Cosby of hypocrisy. After all, Cosby was a "pitchman" for "Jell-O Puddin' Pops. . . . He created artificial desire in people to spend beyond their means . . . "??!! Roker said nothing.
Huh!?
Dyson is so wrapped up in trying to attack black conservatives, that he goes after Bill Cosby for doing commercials for Jello? Mind you, in the midst of this entire exchange, Al Roker (whom I have a great deal of respect for in general) literally sits there and says nothing. My presumption -- rightly or wrongly -- is that Roker agrees with the mindless bilge that Dyson is spewing.
Near the end of the interview, Dyson tried to dress himself up as the "homeboy made good" who's trying to "protect" all the other "homeboys."
Dyson: So I'm speaking forth . . . on behalf of those people who are poor, because, after all, I was a teen father, lived on welfare until I was 21, then went to get a Ph.D. at Princeton, now I'm gonna have Afro-nesia [sic] and forget the people from which I've emerged? No, bro, I ain't the one." To which Roker "fired back" with this show stopper: "You know, you gotta come out of your shell."
And of course, thanks to the mindset of soul patrol charter members like Dyson, the only way one can help the black community is to blame the white man and not demand personal accountability -- and to trash anyone who says otherwise. The implication is that he is trying to help, and anyone else with an alternative view, including Cosby, is trying only to hurt black America.
Please. Spare me.
If you want to see more of Dyson's ad hominum attacks on Bill Cosby and black conservatives, you can tune into C-Span2/BookTV's AfterWords this Sunday (6P ET/PT & 9P ET/PT), where Dyson will wax poetic with author Debra Dickerson ("The End of Blackness").
And to reiterate my earlier headline, yes, I think Dyson has completely lost his damn mind. His view is irresponsible and potentially more damaging than anything anyone outside the black community could ever do, simply because he promotes a victimhood based on a second-class status as a people. We are not second-class people, and we need not accept that attitude or mindset, contrary to what Dyson is peddling.
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1
I completely agree with and support you. I have asked others to read the articles on the CITY JOURNAL...at http://city-journal.org/ by Kay Hymowitz and Heather Mac Donald addressing issues brought to the fore by Dr. Cosby. I pray that the African-American community awakens to the deceptions it has fallen prey to for so long.
It is also interesting to read the comments made concerning the N.J. Star Ledger's article "Where Have all the Black Men Gone" on the Free Republic web site.
Posted by: ocs at May 12, 2005 08:07 AM (NgvHm)
2
Michael,
I have read Larry Elder's article at townhall.com and glad I missed Dyson
on NBC. Over thirty years ago while teaching
mathematics in high school, I was told by
15 year old that certain student was not
black because both his parents had a
college education and that his mother
was a math teacher in junior high!
Dyson also spoke out against Clarence
and Condoleeza. You do not have to add
last names! Dyson is Professor at Univ of
Penn (a private, Ivy Leage school) and
Larry Elder has degree from Brown Univ and
Law from Univ of Mich.
James M. Barber
Posted by: James M. Barber at May 12, 2005 10:39 AM (c9L0c)
3
I saw the comments on your previous post. Haven't read or heard Dyson yet, but apparently it's not something I will look forward to.
Your blog has been consistently well thought out, well written, logically consistent and interesting. Keep charging, and if you're right, you're right--and someone who calls you "an idiot" like that one lady might be suffering from a little projection.
Illegitimi non carborundum.
Posted by: Chap at May 12, 2005 10:47 AM (IduDU)
4
For a liberal like Cosby to be attacked so viciously, he must really have touched a nerve.
Debra Dickerson is an interesting writer, I look forward to her take on the whole controversy.
Posted by: Steven J. Kelso Sr. at May 12, 2005 01:12 PM (U4SDZ)
5
What is WRONG with some black people?! If I want to get an education I'm "white". If I speak properly I'm "white". If I don't want to blame white people for all my problems I'm not "black". If I disagree with the "Soul Patrol" and any of its "followers" I'm not "black".
A lot of black people my age are waking up from the Kool-Aid.
I agree with you, Mr. King and with Larry Elder and DEFINATELY with Bill Cosby. I see the foolishness he criticized EVERYDAY and it makes me SICK.
Why some black people can excuse the mess I see and hear everyday makes me question their sanity. It's disgusting and I refuse to let any future child that I bring into the world fall into that trap.
Posted by: Jade at May 12, 2005 03:20 PM (jUFKo)
6
Dyson speaks "The King's English" yet isn't accused of "acting white". He's highly educated and isn't accused of "acting white".
There's more of dynamic to the "acting white" charge than what is stated here. But lazy thinking, and perhaps "victimology" prevents people from digging a little further.
Black "Soul Patrol"ers have been harder on the "Soul Patrol" than "Black conservatives" have, but funny that never gets mentioned.
Remember when Marion Barry said that Jesse Jackson doesn't know how to run anything 'cept his mouth? How about the none-to-silent criticisms of the NAACP from within the Black community.
Jesse Jackson, Sr. has slammed rappers, but no press. Sharpton has slammed rappers as well. No press until recently.
But "Black conservatives" either don't see it or over look it.
I ask: why?
Posted by: DarkStar at May 12, 2005 04:50 PM (cnw1A)
7
Michael....now
THAT WILL PREACH.
Posted by: Ambra Nykol at May 12, 2005 08:03 PM (Jxe8M)
8
How can a black person not know what it means to be black? That's a good one. I'm going to have to write that down.
I guess, since I'm pro-life, I must not know what it means to be a woman?
Posted by: Julie Anne Fidler at May 13, 2005 06:57 AM (ywZa8)
9
You've got it right my friend. Maybe Cosby didn't use enough tact but his message was true, and that's not something some in the black community was to take responsibility for.
It's always easier to play the victim.
Posted by: Paladin at May 13, 2005 08:07 AM (Rfqkp)
10
I can roll with Cosby on most of his opinions. But when he brings up the "black sounding" names slant (along with fellas like Jesse Lee Peterson), he loses me. The "black sounding" names argument is so stupid and damaging that I wish the "goon hand" would be applied liberally to those that mention the subject.
Tell the Chinese, Japanese, and Indians to change their names and then we'll talk.
Posted by: Solomon at May 13, 2005 07:41 PM (FBz/S)
11
I'm nagged by Dyson's reference to "artificial desire." What is that?
Posted by: Interested-Participant at May 14, 2005 02:04 AM (6krEN)
12
Using Jesse Lee Peterson's own standard, JLP is a race hustler.
Posted by: DarkStar at May 14, 2005 07:31 AM (cnw1A)
13
I'm really fuckin' sick and tired of hearing these black "intellectuals" bitch, whine and blame whites and racism for their problems. So, let me get this straight, Dyson. It's hard for a black person to get educatued and to become successful, yet you have a phD? Man, I guess "the man" must have let you slip by huh? I mean, do you see whites sitting around and blaming blacks for their problems?
Posted by: Matt at May 16, 2005 05:39 PM (VyY+y)
14
I heard the speech Bill Cosby gave back in November 2004, and I just recently read Micheal Dysons book "Is Bill Cosby Right or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind". My feeling on the whole subject is that I'm split 50/50 on both point of views. On one hand I do agree that some in the black community "lack the good sense god gave them" but to ignore certain political and economic policies that hurt not only poor blacks but all poor people is just down right naive. I think the issue is the judgemental attitudes we have toward one another, I'm not talking about the black elite and black poor but in general. Talking about so and so is not black cuz he votes this way or acts that way, or so and so is ghetto trash because he has no degree or the way dresses, man all of it is bullshit. I can tell you from personal experiance as can others in the black community we are our own worst enemies, I mean all of us, black elite, middle-class, and poor. I grew up poor in the D.C. area from Nigerian immigrants(P.G. County to be exact) where a good majority of the population is black, and i can't tell you how much hell I caught from both sides, and it baffles me to this day how we pass judgement on each other. I mean do you ever wonder how immigrants from certain cultures can come hear not speaking a word of english start whole communities, businesses send thier kids to college and thrive, while we cast stones at each, hell I don't know, maybe I've lost my fuckin mind, but I do know this we are the laughing stock while others are thriving.
Posted by: ore at May 24, 2005 10:22 AM (AaaKa)
15
I think that much of the confusion has to do with the inability of the readers to comprehend Professor Dyson's position. We live in a era and culture where average is okay (look who won the Presidency-George Bush) and look where that has gotten the U.S. If the readers read with comprehension all of Dyson's work, they will see that Dyson has never been one who argues either one thing over the other (self-help vs. holding white supremacy accountable). He has been "both/and" on the issue-self help and hold the criminality of white supremacy. Dyson's point has been that every criminal is held accountable except the white supremacist or institutional racism. Professor Dyson responds to ideas that resonate out of Cosby and others who support Cosby's point because of its lopsided attacked. "They aren't taking care fo their fair share?" As one who doesn't quite understand that position, what fair share is he talking about? Its vague and cliche--it has no relevancy.
The problem has been there has never been a voice for the indenfensible black poor person. No one, with some exception, get the attention that Dyson amasses as a public thinker because his abilities are undeniable. I think what makes Dyson's contribution so disturbing to those who find his arguments wrongheaded is that he is heavy weight thinker in the midst of average thinkers. For instance, Debra Dickerson who is a brilliant scholar in her own right, seem to stumble, in fact could not hold her own with Professor Dyson on Booknotes on the vast majority of her points. She appeared to be more like the student who had not done her homework, than a professor. Much of what America has grafted from their biblical exegesis of the sacred text in these days are ideas of the religious right that reign has nothing to do with the poor or justice. This shortsided thinking informs those persons who support the narrow and calous thinking of Mr. Cosby. Jesus stood the poor and for justice; this is Jesus' core message. Who on earth is defending the poor? Joel Ostein? George Bush? Everyone, wake up at one time.
Bottom line, Bill Cosby is out of his league. Bill Cosby is only right within a context. Bill may have well said these remarks in front of a bunch of white men(Mass media present at NAACP Meeting). If Cosby came to my church and said these things and couched his points with "I am not nieve about racism becasue it does exist and I am not going let white supremacist off of he hook, howerver, today we are going to talk about taking responsibility" then he would have been on point. Cosby is out of his league.
Posted by: JC at July 04, 2005 03:55 AM (e+ciV)
16
Exsqueeze me but doesn't Mr.Dyson have just as much right to his opinion as anyone else and doesn't he have the same 'freedom of speech' entitlement as you? So where in the hell do you get off criticizing his comments and by the way I feel Mr.Cosby made some good points but he also made some bad ones and I don't exactly see where he is an expert considering he hasn't been in a poor black neighborhood in what 30 odd years. That goes triple for mr. self-righteous,hating,puppet larry elder or 'house negro' star[fading]jones and another thing if you or Mr.Cosby can't take criticism of your comments then don't tell us. If you can't stand the heat then don't open your mouth in a public forum[like this one]Mr.Cosby is entitled to his opinions but so are the ones who disagree and he should be 'called on it too'. I especially didn't like his comments he wasn't letting white people 'off the hook' then why in the hell didn't he mention them then?!! That comment really confused me because if he only meant poor black people then why allow white people to even come into the conversation and if he meant ALL poor people then why single out one group it sounds like backpeddaling bullshit to me and people who backpedal aren't rational 'deep' thinkers they are phonies who can't own up to what they say. Or who can talk the talk but can't walk the walk and to that little shit 'brat' the reason why white people don't 'blame' black people for your problems is because the people you glorify and worship and vote into office and make laws and hold 99.9% of power in this country look just like you so whose to blame there.
Posted by: lauren morris at September 01, 2005 07:40 PM (jXT0d)
17
i listened to several other interviews with dyson and he DOES in fact tackle the issue of personal responsibility of the black poor many many times. He is not condoning "blame whitey" and all the other things you and some of the commenters are blaming him for. I won't fight or argue about this, but instead I'd let dyson speak for himself. In other words I would suggest you listen to all the other interviews you can find on the internet and maybe read the book and see what he says about that. I have since found 2 more interviews you can listen to dyson, one on NPR http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4628960 and one here http://www.leftbusinessobserver.com/Radio.html
You are only getting one thing from this ridiculous Roker interview (isn't he a weatherman? why did he interview him?) and not knowing what else he believes.
Posted by: CB at September 22, 2005 08:42 AM (SP1s2)
18
EVERYONE on earth MUST see the movie "Crash". You won't be able to speak for hours. You'll think, you'll reflect, you'll change, you'll grow. No matter what your color, you'll grow.
Posted by: Fern at October 20, 2005 10:21 AM (NklkN)
19
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of divorces over the last thirty years. Experts estimate that at least half of all marriages will end in divorce.
Divorce has an effect on everyone involved, especially children if there are children in the relationship. Many times divorces become very hostile, which results in long courtroom battles. These battles are over money, houses, land and cars, but the most sensitive, traumatic and often the most cruel battle is the battle over the custody of the children.
Custody battles for children are often long and heated debates over which parent is the better parent for the child. (Of course, the best parent is "both parent's") In the past, custody was always awarded to the mother because of the belief that children needed to be nurtured. In recent years, there has been an upward trend of fathers seeking custody rights to their children. (Still, when it comes to actual distribution of respective shared of parenting time, mothers are given or take on average an amounts of parenting time that is virtually unchanged from what it was in the past) Often parenting plans can be set up with mediation between the two parents but in most cases, the court becomes involved.
During custody battles, there is a growing trend of one parent alleging abuse by the other parent. Before 1973, Child abuse was rarely reported to authorities and often it was covered up. In 1963, there were reports of suspected child abuse, but between 1976 and 1993, the total yearly number of child abuse reports grew from 669,000 to over 2.9 million after the child abuse protection legislation went into effect that Senators like Mondale sponsored.
The passing of this legislation has also resulted in the increase of allegations of child abuse in divorce battles. In 1975, thirty five percent of all child abuse reports were unsubstantiated, but by 1993, that percentage skyrocketed to sixty six percent. In divorce, when allegations of abuse are made and the police conduct investigations, ninety seven percent of these claims cannot be substantiated. (resulting in wasted state and county resources).
It is obvious that many allegations of abuse that are reported in divorce situations are false. and ninety five percent of those accusers are women. With the high amount of divorces, the percentage of those divorces which abuse is reported, and the percentage of which are unsubstantiated, it shows that children are being used as pawns by one parent to hurt or destroy the other parent. These false allegations of abuse, even if proven to be false, can ruin lives and have a devastating effect on the children.
Many children believe these false allegations, because the accuser has forced it on them for years. Yes, the courts have started ordering that "No derogatory remarks" be made to or in the presence of the children. However, this order is about as enforceable as visitation orders. Our court simply just can't handle the callous behavior of some parent's, and the legislature has not put laws in place to prevent or punish those making the allegations. In other words, the parent making these claims has "no fear of punishment" from the courts or the current law.
Two syndromes have been occurring in rapidly increasing numbers since 1980. The first is called Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS). Douglas Darnall, Ph.D. States that, many women say that PAS does not exist or it is simply a tool used by male dominant courts to take the children from their mothers. They also contend that fathers and attorneys use PAS as an aggressive defense for physical and sexual abuse.
There are three different types of alienators. The first is the naïve alienator who recognizes the importance of and encourages the relationship between the children and the other parent and only occasionally will do or say something that may alienate. This is not done to try to destroy the relationship between the children and the other parent. The second is the active alienator who alienates the children from the other parent by lashing out at the other parent in front of the children. They may even give the children the choice of whether or not the child wants to visit with the parent although the court has ordered rights to visitation. The third type of alienator is the obsessed alienator who does everything in their power to align the children to their side and campaign to destroy their relationship with the targeted parent.
The obsessed parent is bitter and angry and tries to completely remove the targeted parent from their lives by vilifying them and set themselves up as a victim/hero. Some weapons that the alienating parent uses are false allegations of domestic violence, sexual or physical or emotional abuse of the child, mental illness on the part of the target parent, or alcoholism/drug abuse/homosexuality on the part of the target parent. This is a form of parentectomy, or the removal or erasure of a parent from the child's life.
Sexual Allegations In Divorce
The second syndrome that is occurring is called Sexual Allegations In Divorce (SAID). SAID is a false accusation against one parent, usually the father, for molesting the child. In the American society, there is such sensitivity or outrage about child abuse that when an allegation is made, it is presumed to be true. Instead of being innocent until proven guilty, the accused child molester, especially fathers, are guilty until proven innocent.
Upon allegation, the courts generally order the removal of the child from the father and at the very best, allows the father only limited supervised visitation until the matter is completely settled. Frank Zepezauer Columnist / Researcher for the liberator, , states that "in some jurisdictions, the accusation can send a man to prison for life. In others, it can incarcerate him for ten or twenty years or more and brand him, for the rest of his life as a sex offender. At the very least, it can immobilize him in custody proceedings by involving him in costly litigation." SAID is often used by women to alienate the father from his children. It is used more often than physical abuse since there is often no physical signs from sexual abuse.
A defense attorney in San Jose, California states, "In one fell swoop, she (the mother) can get her husband completely out of her and her children's lives, and assure herself complete custodial control. And in one fell swoop, she can completely destroy the man's life, and any semblance of a normal relationship between him and his children."
One may wonder what the alienator would have to gain in making such false accusations or why one parent would try to erase the other parent from the child's life. There are several reasons. Fear of losing their parental identity, loss of family structure, envy, rage and revenge are all viable bases for which one parent will alienate the other parent from the child.
An epidemic of lies
The use of false allegations in divorce is rapidly becoming an epidemic, which is spreading throughout the world. According to the National Shared Parenting Association (Saskatchewan Chapter), in Canada a Children's Aid Society study showed that of 1200 complaints of abuse, 900 involved custody disputes. Of those 900 allegations, two-thirds (600) were found to be false.
Most people do not realize the effects of parental alienation on children and the false allegations of abuse. Many young children whose mothers have made false allegations of abuse will develop false memories of abuse because of leading questions or suggestive counseling. These children are left fatherless.
Parentectomy results in children becoming depressed, sometimes reaching suicidal proportions. They often lack self-esteem. Often they will turn against the alienator in later adolescence when they realize they have been "brainwashed" against the other parent.
David Blankenhorn Founder and president of the institute for American values, a private, nonpartisan organization devoted to contributing intellectually, and also supporter of fathers count act of 1999
gives statistics of fatherless children. He states that forty percent of American children will live apart from their fathers sometime before they are 18. He also says that drugs, child and adult abuse, poverty, teen pregnancy, gangs, crime and growing prison population are all driven by the separation of fathers from their children.
He states, "A man can communicate to his son how to be a good man. The best mother in the world can't do that." "Children who are deprived of their natural fathers, compared to children in two-parent families, are more likely to go to prison by eight times, to commit suicide by 5 times, to have behavioral problems by 20 times, to become rapists by 20 times, to run away by 32 times to abuse chemical substances by 10 times, to drop out of high school by 9 times, to be seriously abused by 33 times, to be fatally abused by 73 times and to have a 44 percent higher mortality rate."
These statistics are alarming and horrifying but what is behind all the statistics are hurting children whom long for a normal life and were never given the chance to have that. They long for a healthy relationship, with both their parents. Many times the mother has so convinced the children that their father is worthless, that they have a bitter resentment toward their father, which is solely based on the fabrications of the mother. This can ruin the child emotionally.
But it is not only boys that need their fathers in their lives to help them become emotionally stable. "Adolescent girls whose parents divorced during their oedipal years, we postulate that particular coping patterns emerge in response to the absence of the father which may complicate the consolidation of positive feminine identification in many female children and is observable during the latency years. We illustrate both the existence of these phenomena and implication for treatment:
1. intensified separation anxiety
2. denial and avoidance of feelings associated with loss of father
3. identification with the lost object
4. object hunger for males."
This also shows the hurt and anger that a child goes through with the loss of the father in their lives. They repress their feelings and act out upon them trying to make themselves whole again but without any hope of doing that because the only way would to be able to undo the emotional abuse that the alienating parent perpetrates on the child. The target parent has literally lost their children. In essence, their children have died.
The target parent grieves but continues to love their children from a distance. They are forced to live as if their children are dead. The only hope that the target parent has is that someone will be able to reach their children and explain what has happened and the child will be willing to start a relationship with their lost parent.
This alienation from their child can, as one can imagine, cause an increase in suicide rates among fathers. It is financially devastating to those who choose not to take their lives and result in poverty. They must fight long legal battles to clear their names of the crime that they have allegedly committed. This can take thousands upon thousands of dollars as well as years of court proceedings.
Many men lose everything they own to fight the court system because not only have they lost their rights as a parent, they have lost their reputation as well but they are still required to pay child support to those children. Even once a man has been cleared of the charges of abuse, there will always be emotional scars from the abuse that their ex-wife and the court system has ravaged them with. As stated earlier, many are branded as child molesters for the rest of their lives even with an acquittal.
Mondale Act of 1974
The legislation that passed that began this massive surge of false abuse allegations is called the Mondale Act of 1974 or the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA - 42 USC Sec. 5101). This law was well intentioned to stop child abuse, but it has created an epidemic of false allegations of abuse. CAPTA matches monies to states that comply with their provisions, which are to set up programs for the identification and prosecution of child abusers. CAPTA created a vague and ambiguous definition of child abuse that is left up to the subjective discretion of the caller who reports the abuse or investigator. CAPTA has been revisited many times and has had minor amendments.
President Clinton re-authorized the act in the fall of 1996. Most states have what are called Child Protective Service Workers (CPS). These workers, along with law enforcement officers, investigate abuse reports. While the law enforcement officers have been trained to be objective, the CPS have not been and they even are called "validators" which raises a question to their role in an investigation. The CPS has authority to deny a parent the access to the children even if there is a court order that allows him to have visitation with the children. The CPS will send a child for an evaluation.
According to the Mondale Act, if an evaluator does not report suspected abuse and the child goes back to an abusive situation, the evaluator can be imprisoned. These evaluators are often either afraid of the consequences of imprisonment if they mistakenly place a child back in the home of an abuser or they may even be a validator as the CPS workers.
The indicators that these validators use to determine abuse are actually quite common behavior that even normal children sometimes exhibit. The indicators include, bedwetting, acting out, nightmares, whining, temper tantrums, thumb-sucking, and compliant and fearful behavior. These validators often propitiate allegations of abuse because it puts food on their tables. It is their career and without such allegations, they could be without a job.
Although this is a horrifying thought, this is a reason to ignore evidence that shows innocence and only present to the court "evidence" that substantiate the client's claims of abuse.
Millions of false allegations
In Armin A. Brott's A parenting expert and author
of A system out of control: The epidemic of false allegations of child abuse, he states, "In California, for example, the Victim/Witness program will pay directly to a licensed therapist up to $10,000 per child for counseling – as long as the child was alleged to have been abused.
An additional $10,000 is available to counsel the child's mother. The only catch: to get their therapy paid for, the child victim and her mother must see a therapist from an approved list. Guess who directs the mother to a therapist who would be best for her and her child? CPS, of course."
These CPS workers often ask leading questions that can distort the children's memories. In their reports to the court, they often ignore evidences that would clear the accused, such as lie detector tests and outside therapist evaluations and rely solely on the child's evaluations which have been skewed by the CPS and the therapists that they recommended. In a report disseminated by the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) Child Maltreatment 1995 Reports From the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System depicts more than three million reports of alleged child abuse and neglect in 1995 of which two million of were without foundation.
False allegations of abuse in divorce are an epidemic that is sweeping the world. Children are becoming heirs to hatred passed down to them from their parents. Because this is all they know, they in turn foster this pain, hatred and deceptiveness in their own adult relationships. The children are crushed under the weight of the system and a parent that is only looking out for his [ or perhaps “her”] own best interests.
Look at the rise in crime in recent years. There needs to be accountability set within the legislation that would help stop the false allegations of abuse and the propagation of such allegations by the judicial system through CPS. The Mondale Act does not provide boundaries that would provide for prosecution of those who make false accusations.
Where is the protection of the innocent in all of this? The CPS has become a money-making business and not a public service. Their theories that children do not lie about such issues are false. Many times children are coached into believing that something happened when it really did not. It is important to have laws to protect the innocent children from abuse but it is also equally important to protect the innocent adult from a wrongful accusation that could ruin them for the rest of their life.
America's judicial system was founded on the principal that the accused is innocent until proven guilty. The CPS has changed the law in this issue to guilty until proven innocent. Those who commit perjury are indicted and imprisoned and there should also be the same punishment for those who falsely allege abuse.
This legislation will never change until men and women come together and protest the unjustness of this issue. Most people's attitudes are "it is better to falsely convict than to allow a child to be abused." There is no justice in this. The American Constitution gives us the rights to justice.
Only if we decide to speak can our voices be heard. There needs to be an accountability that the CPS has to answer to so that they cannot simply ignore the truth. Therapists should not have to fear making an honest evaluation. We cannot sit by and allow the burden of proof to always be on the father. The burden of proof must be placed once again on the courts and the person who makes the allegations.
Children and the target parent will never lead normal, healthy lives until the abuse is stopped. Legislation needs to be changed to protect all the innocent, not just one. Let's be the voice of freedom and justice to change the legislation on the abuse laws so that false allegations cannot be made so easily, destroying the life of one of America's citizens and hurting the most precious thing that God has given us, his children.
These are cold and hard facts, and our legislature must pass new laws stopping these allegation and the physical destruction of American families. People enter marriage as if it were a temporary contract, with the attitude "if it doesn't work out, we can always get a divorce". The problem with that is the children and the emotional effects caused to them by these parentsÂ’ attitude.
Respectfully,
IBsnatchin
Posted by: Stan at November 01, 2005 02:43 PM (6krEN)
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May 11, 2005
Atlanta missing & murdered children case being reopened
The missing and murdered children case, which gripped metro Atlanta a generation ago
is being reopened.
Five murders from the spree more than 20 years ago are being reopened by the DeKalb County Cold Case squad. DeKalb Police Chief Louis Graham announced the reopening of the case today, flanked by relatives of the children.
Wayne Williams was convicted in the murders of two young men, and tied peripherally to the cases of 20 others (the victims were all black, as is Williams) between 1979 and 1981.
Graham announced that five murders thought to have happened on DeKalb County soil and originally linked to convicted killer Wayne Williams will be reopened. He said that no tip was too small and every piece of evidence will be re-examined.Graham, who worked on the original task force investigating the murders, said the cases have nagged him for years and he wants to bring justice to the family members of the victims.
"I have always felt their pain," Graham said. "You have to feel their pain and you try to do the best you can to help them."
Relatives of many of the remaining 20 victims felt that Williams was not the only person murdering youngsters during that timeframe, and expressed relief that these five cases were being reopened.
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Michael,
This is very good news.
Posted by: cynthia at May 11, 2005 06:41 PM (WTJBL)
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Michael,
I'm from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I saw the movie, "Who Killed Atlanta's Children?" And I was very grief and disappointed with the Atlanta police forces & FBIs who were supposed to follow up with these murdered cases. They didn't do what they supposed to do and I strongly believed that KKK has alot to do with these murders. I'm very glad that this case being reopened. It's fair for the victims' family to bring the killers to justice.
Posted by: Rachel Goh at September 27, 2005 06:55 PM (5ywkF)
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Miami weatherman-child molestor Kamal faults others for troubles
Former Miami TV weathercaster Bill Kamal, convicted earlier this year of child molestation after being nabbed in an FBI sting, gave a jailhosue interview to Miami television station WPLG-TV/DT, which is being aired this week. Kamal refused to accept blame for the arrest, and though he pled guilty to charges of child molestation, blamed others -- particularly an AOL chatroom called "Dads & Sons" -- for his troubles.
"(The Web site) was dads and sons, or sons and dads, and I said, 'Well this is an odd chatroom.' I mean if I were a child molester, if I were a sexual predator, how do you become one at 48 years old? As I was driving up (to Fort Pierce), I thought, 'Could this be a trap? Could this be that?'"
The interview is being carried in multiple parts on WPLG-TV and their web site (what do you expect? it is May sweeps after all).
Kamal, formerly with Miami's WSVN-TV and Washington's WUSA-TV, is serving a five-year sentence in the federal medical center in Deven, MA. His story has been all over the media: Veteran TV weatherman goes on the internet and chats up what he thinks is a fourteen year-old boy (though in part two of the interview series, Kamal insists that he thought the "teen" was an adult playing the part of a teenager, and that he didn't do anything wrong), and sets up a meeting in Ft. Pierce, FL. When he arrives, he is nabbed by an FBI team who has set Kamal up.
Is five years enough time for someone like that? Even if you do believe his story, you have to admit that he belongs in jail. But is that long enough? What about after he gets out? Stick a "lojack" on him the rest of his life? Chemically castrate him? How else do we protect our youngsters?
Time will tell.
(Kamal interview Part I / Part II / Part III / Part IV)
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May 10, 2005
DC Comics unveils new logo
After 25 years, DC Comics has changed their logo as seen in the upper left corner of their comic books from the DC bullet logo (which itself is directly descended from the original circular Detective Comics logo) to a new stylized logo which retains circular elements of the older logo. The new logo was introduced in a memo from Publisher Paul Levitz.
we've decided this is the moment to do something we've debated for the last few years and introduce a new DC logo. The symbol that graces DC SPECIAL will be spinning onto the whole line in June, and as fast as we can, onto all our films, TV shows, video games, licensed products and the DC DIRECT line as well. Look for the launch of the film version on BATMAN BEGINS, and keep your eyes peeled to play art detective as you watch.It seems like it was only a moment ago (could it really be over 25 years?) when legendary designer Milton Glaser's DC logo went up in the corner of our comics, just as my first LEGION story was being published. It went on the famed DOLLAR COMICS, DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, WATCHMEN and on to IDENTITY CRISIS, with literally thousands of issues between. It marked years in which we expanded the creative reach of comics, changed how talented people could be rewarded and recognized for their efforts in comics, and had some great times that we shared with our readers. I'm confident that when we look back on the era of this new DC symbol, lovingly created by designer Josh Beatman of Brainchild Studio under the care of our design wizards Richard Bruning and Georg Brewer, it'll have just as awesome a run.
The new logo will not only appear on the printed page, but also as an identifier on television and motion picture projects, as well as on their web site.
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That's a decent new logo. A little too sports-team in flavor, if you ask me, but it has a nice, dynamic feel to it. The movement of the circle--with it's varying widths--is nice and the angle on the star has a fun attitude.
It's a good re-design that will be recognizable and long-lived, even if it does feel a little too much like something you'd see on a football jersey these days.
Posted by: zombyboy at May 11, 2005 01:12 PM (1yNBe)
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There's an interesting history and commentary of the logo here: http://www.apocalyptek.com/index.html
Posted by: Martin at July 14, 2005 11:31 AM (dvbf2)
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Wilbanks enters treatment program
Runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks
has entered a "voluntary medical treatment program."
According to a statement from the family's church, "Ms. Wilbanks entered a highly regarded, inpatient treatment program on her own volition to address physical and mental issues which, she believes, played a major role in her 'running from herself' as she described in a public statement last week."Wilbanks entered the program late Monday. The location of the program and suggested duration of treatment was not disclosed.
Is she truly seeking help, or is this something to clean up her image and get her out of the collective doghouse with folks in Gwinnett County?
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Nichols arraignment to be streamed on web
WXIA-TV/DT Atlanta
will be streaming live video of the arraignment hearing of Fulton County Courthouse shooter Brian Nichols this afternoon from Atlanta.
Once a live link goes up, I'll link to it here.
UPDATE 1P - Here you go (WMP).
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May 09, 2005
Atlanta courthouse shooting suspect Nichols converts to Islam
According to broadcast reports this evening, Brian Nichols, the suspect in the Fulton County Courthouse shootings in Atlanta on March 11, has had a jailhouse conversion to Islam.
Nichols, who was indicted last Thursday on 54 charges, including four counts each of murder and felony murder, has requested -- and received -- permission to talk to a local Imam. Nichols will be allowed to pray in accordance to the tenants of Islam as well.
The indictment includes 18 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, 7 counts of kidnapping, and five counts of hijacking a motor vehicle.
As you'll remember, Nichols was being readied for a rape trial when he overpowered and severely injured his guard, entered the courtroom and shot to death Judge Rowland Barnes and the court stenographer. Nichols subsequently escaped the courthouse, killing a Fulton County Sherrif's deputy, and later killing a US Customs agent before his capture in Gwinnett County.
Fulton County DA Paul Howard has stated that he plans on requesting the death penalty in Nichols' case.
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Posted by: DarkStar at May 09, 2005 04:07 PM (cnw1A)
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Not even Allah can save him from the death chamber.
Posted by: D.C. Thornton at May 09, 2005 04:18 PM (m4I4k)
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Who didn't see that one oming....honestly
Posted by: Sgt Fluffy at May 09, 2005 04:41 PM (gBuyL)
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its common among blacks who have been jailed to come out as muslims. men like farakan tell blacks christianity is uncompatible with blackness. This is troubling. Freedom House just released a study detailing the pervasiveness of the saudi style islam in our schools, jailes, government, amercian mosques...
Posted by: shari at May 09, 2005 08:07 PM (dV1mA)
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It was because the courts graciously afforded that piece of human debris the right to appear at trial in street clothes that he exploited that right as an opportunity to go on a killing rampage.
At this point the only right he deserves is that of a speedy execution.
Posted by: clark smith at May 10, 2005 01:56 AM (og/++)
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Which type of Islam? Are we talking Screwy Louie?
Posted by: Steven J. Kelso Sr. at May 10, 2005 11:58 AM (U4SDZ)
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DarkStar has the question of the day.
Posted by: BobG at May 11, 2005 11:21 AM (kOoql)
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I bet the only thing he is trying to do is to make sure he is protected from physical and sexual abuse while he is in jail...
Posted by: cynthia at May 11, 2005 06:35 PM (WTJBL)
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Terrorists in Iraq nab Japanese hostage
The so-called Army of Ansar al-Sunnah claims to have grabbed Japanese national Akihiko Saito. They claim he is "severely injured," and have
released a photocopy of his passport.
Iraqi militants claimed today they took a Japanese security contractor hostage after ambushing a convoy of foreigners and Iraqi troops in western Iraq.The Ansar al-Sunnah Army identified the Japanese hostage as Akihito Saito, 44, and posted a photocopy of his passport, including his picture, on the group’s official website. It said Saito was “severely injured” in the fight.
The report could not be independently confirmed. Junji Gomakudo, First Secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Baghdad, said officials were trying to confirm a report of a kidnapped Japanese citizen but said they did not know if the claim was true.
The group posted other photo ID cards allegedly belonging to Saito, with one identifying him as a security manager of Hart GMSSCO, a British-based firm that provides security in Iraq. Another document seemed to be a weapons permit....
JapanÂ’s Kyodo News agency said Saito was employed by a security firm from Cyprus and may have been working as a security officer at a US facility.
If all goes according to the terrorists' regular script, they'll kill the hostage as soon as they get a chance. More details as they become available, and full coverage can be found at
The Jawa Report.
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Q&A with the RNC's Tara Wall
New RNC Director of Outreach Commuications, Tara Wall, is the subject of a
new Q&A over at New Leadership Blog this morning.
I think we should be proud of RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman’s aggressive, bold and comprehensive approach to reaching out to our community, by forming an African American Advisory Committee. In addition to his on-going series of “Conversations With The Community,” which has taken him to communities across the country, Chairman Mehlman has tapped the expertise of numerous African-American leaders with diverse backgrounds, talents and experiences (grassroots, business, faith, elected officials) – to act as a sounding board for the Party’s goals in reaching out, deepening and growing our Party, while increasing our share of the black vote. Quite frankly, I’m not familiar with the specific kind of criticism you’re referring too – but I can tell you that we as a people are not monolithic. Even within the GOP, the face of black Republicans come in many shapes, sizes and backgrounds. We should champion that. The Advisory Committee, which meets with the Chairman monthly, is continuing to grow as we add new faces every day. And I encourage you to stay tuned for what’s to come.
The Advisory Committee has come under fire from some, most notably, fellow Project 21 member
Mychal Massie in his World Net Daily column in late March.
Outreach is a necessary and laudable goal with the Republican Party -- the GOP needs to show that black conservatives are not this ideological anomaly who has lost connection to black America. On the contrary, the GOP in general, and we, in particular, need to demonstrate to the "man on the street" in black America, that outside of politics, we are no different -- we are all looking for the same things. We want lower taxes, we want cheaper gas, safe streets, better schools, and are struggling with getting our yards just right, fertilizer notwithstanding.
I applaud the strides the GOP has taken thus far and encourage them to continue to move forward, and to add other voices to the fray.
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Is it just me, or are Republican women better looking than Democrat women?
Posted by: Steven J. Kelso Sr. at May 09, 2005 11:18 AM (U4SDZ)
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That's very good. It might not also hurt if they're willing to call out some of the out-and-out bigots that are clearly out there (Jared Taylor and Peter Brimelow readily come to my mind).
Posted by: hchutch at May 10, 2005 07:05 AM (10G2T)
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Why is it any different for the left to criticize the senators who haven't signed the Anti Lynching Bill than for the right to criticize Durbin for his remarks? Both are being done for political gain.
The left is learning who to respond in kind. You need to learn to take it as well as you give it out.
Ann Coulter is good looking? I may join a monestary it that is true.
Posted by: Ray B. at June 23, 2005 06:58 AM (n5xQN)
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May 08, 2005
Jennifer Wilbanks' crinimal record
"Runaway Bride" Jennifer Wilbanks has had more than one brush with the law.
She has a prior criminal record -- which should make it easier for the local DA to charge her with filing a false police report (if she actually DID file a false report).
Court records show that Wilbanks was arrested three times in that county on shoplifting charges from 1996 to 1998.In 1996, as district attorney, (Wilbanks' lawyer Lydia) Sartain prosecuted Wilbanks for allegedly shoplifting $1,740 in merchandise from a Gainesville mall, court records show. Sartain dropped the felony charge after Wilbanks, then 24, completed a pretrial diversion program, the records show. Wilbanks performed 75 hours of community service and paid restitution, according to court records.
Months before that felony arrest, police had charged Wilbanks with misdemeanor shoplifting for allegedly taking $37.05 in merchandise from a Gainesville Wal-Mart. Court records show that officials dismissed the case after Wilbanks completed "Project Turnabout," a six-week counseling program for shoplifters.
She was arrested again, city court records show, in April 1998, when Wilbanks, then 25, was charged with shoplifting $98 worth of merchandise from a store. She pleaded guilty and served two weekends in jail. A judge also sentenced her to probation, a $400 fine and 50 hours of community service.
In addition, John Mason is not the first man that Wilbanks left standing at the altar. She jilted one other suitor several years ago when she backed out of an engagement.
Sounds like she needs some serious help from the local shrink.
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Damn what a psycho. I dated a girl along time ago like this....sheesh, what a friggin nut job.
Posted by: Sgt Fluffy at May 09, 2005 02:27 PM (gBuyL)
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What a lie she has been living. She is a criminal and should be punished. She is NOT a young girl, yet has been acting like one. She needs a lot of work on herself before she marries any one. As for starting a family, what will she do when she has a sick child crying all night???
You better think long and hard before you rush into a life with her, John.
Posted by: Keddy at May 11, 2005 07:47 PM (DOQ4h)
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An iPod vending machine in Atlanta
A
vending machine full of Apple iPods for sale at Atlanta Hartsfield.
Figure you need lots of quarters for this machine.
Of course, my teenaged daughter wants to know how long before one gets installed at the mall.
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May 06, 2005
Suburban Atlanta teacher fired for flunking sleeping football player
Dacula High School
science teacher Larry "Doc" Neace was fired by the Gwinnett County School Board last night.
Neace was found insubordinate after failing a football player who fell asleep in his class, and refusing direct orders to change the student's grade. District rules prohibit teachers from using grades as a punitive measure.
Neace, a 23-year veteran of the suburban Atlanta school system, cut the grade of said football player in half after observing the student sleeping. The student whined to his daddy, who in turn whined to the school administration.
"What we have in this case is a case of a pampered football athlete sleeping in class and being given favored treatment on an academic grade," said Neace's lawyer, Michael Kramer. "What we have here is the principal essentially attempting to coerce and intimidate a teacher."School officials said they gave Neace a chance to restore the football player's grade. When he refused, they sent him home. He has not been allowed back at school since April 14, when he was told he could resign or face being fired.
School officials on Thursday argued their case before the Gwinnett school board, which weighed the teacher's fate into the early morning hours. The hearing at school district offices in Lawrenceville lasted more than five hours.
Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks recommended to the board that Neace be fired. "He cannot have a policy that supersedes board policy," Wilbanks said. "He had no right to do that."
Neace said he had a practice of reducing the grades of students who waste time or sleep in class. His course syllabus warns that wasting class time can "earn a zero for a student on assignments or labs." No administrators had previously complained about the practice, which he adopted more than a decade ago, Neace said.
School officials said Thursday that it appeared Neace allowed students to sleep in class. "He said it was not his job to wake up students," Assistant Principal Donald Mason said.
When asked Thursday if students sleep in his class, Neace responded, "Very rarely."
Very rarely, indeed -- if you know that sleeping will cost you your grade, you won't sleep in the man's class. Sounds pretty simple to me.
This is a case of a pampered football player and a school administration whose priorities are completely screwed up. Mind you, the parents of the spoiled football player have taught their brat kid a valuable lesson. If you whine loud enough and long enough, hand-wringing administrators will give you whatever you want.
So much for personal responsibility.
Neace, in an interview on Atlanta radio station WSB this morning, said that he only wants to get back in the classroom. He loves teaching and he won't let this sour him on it.
Neace has plenty of support from students throughout Dacula High School, with signs and shirts being made in his favor. When the principal got up to speak at an assembly, the students chanted, "We want Doc!" The principal ignored them.
The principal is obviously a hand-wringing idiot more concerned about this football player than about education and commensurate discipline in his school.
Feh.
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It's a shame something can't be done to the parents who have inflicted this lazy dolt on society.
Posted by: BobG at May 06, 2005 05:52 AM (aw0SG)
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Stop by and read my first hand account of a similar incident when I was teaching. Hand-wringing idiocy is more common among principals than most people imagine.
Semper Fi . . .
Posted by: Mustang at May 06, 2005 06:11 AM (nP7cz)
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If I suffered academically for sleeping in class, and I went to my parents to get them to make the teacher undo it, I'm pretty sure that discussion would have gone very badly for me.
I must have defective parents.
Posted by: Gib at May 06, 2005 07:04 AM (PsC2M)
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I don't know... it the board's policy seems rather clear, and failing someone for nodding off is pretty harsh. My teachers had a rule for these situations that was very effective: If you fall asleep, you lose your chair for the rest of the class.
Posted by: Lawrence at May 06, 2005 07:27 AM (EpOLb)
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Thanks for the additional details. I saw this over at Michelle Malkin's but your post gives more context.
Posted by: Chap at May 06, 2005 08:51 AM (+Fv6T)
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Great post! My wife and eldest daughter are both educators in GA, one is a high school counselor and is one a brand-new elementary teacher. Both are in different county school systems. Both come back almost every week with horror stories about parents who will not allow their children to be accountable. It's always the teacher's fault in their self-focused and totally unaccountable little world. Or it's always racial. Or it's always somebody else's fault. It's the "dog ate my homework" excuse carried to the level of absurd pathology. And too many squishy school administrators just reflexively cave in to these unreasonable and neurotic pressures which such unbelieveably childish parents bring them. And who ultimately suffers? The kid, and the rest of the students. And of course, the teachers who remain unsupported in their futile effort to set higher standards.
I want to know what has happened to simple leadership that holds to a principle and regardless of whether it is popular or not, sticks by it? That this Gwinette teacher was fired is shameful.
Posted by: Politickal Animal at May 06, 2005 01:45 PM (1JF8c)
7
I'm going to have to disagree with you folks -- but then what do I know, since I am only a teacher.
The simple fact here is that the student did A work and was given an F on the assignemtn for a disciplinary infraction. That is not only poor educational practice, but a violation of district policy. The man had a dozen other ways to deal with the situation -- anything from assigning a d-hall to calling the kid's coach (trust me -- I've had defensive linemen break down in tears when I've hit the coach's number on speed dial). He picked one that was banned by the district, and when he refused to abide by the policies set by his employer he was fired, and properly so.
Tell me -- how many of you would have gotten away with that sort of insubordination in YOUR workplace (or would allow it if you were an owner/manager)?
http://rhymeswithright.mu.nu/archives/079990.php
Posted by: Rhymes With Right at May 07, 2005 05:28 AM (t8EJH)
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Amen Rhymes! I was thinking the same thing reading the comments. If he does B work he should get a B. There were other ways to punish this kid.
The teacher is a nut.
Posted by: princec at May 08, 2005 01:15 PM (5LCcf)
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Someone needs to thank Mr. Cheek for raising such a stellar young man, who
in his somnolence rids us of the scourge known as the demanding teacher. Well done!
Posted by: Got My Mind Right! at May 08, 2005 04:27 PM (jca3+)
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Is the glass half full, or half empty? The central issue in this conflict is the question of whether the docking of points from a grade for wasting time in class is a discipline issue (says GCPS)or an academic issue (says Doc Neace).
If you look at Mr. Neace’s grading policy in his syllabus he does not say directly that there will be points awarded for participation, and this fact was accurately pointed out by Wilbank’s attorney. However, in reply Doc Neace explained to Wilbanks attorney that participation “was built into his policy.” Doc sees ‘wasting time in class’ as a failure to participate.
‘Positive points awarded for participation’ in one class syllabus would apparently pass muster with the school system and board as an academic assessment, BUT the negative statement that ‘wasting time results in zero points’ is viewed by the school system and board as a discipline issue.
I think the school system is splitting hairs over the specific words used or not used in Doc NeaceÂ’s syllabus. So is the glass half full or half empty? If you state the negative or positive you still have the same result:
Participating = Not Wasting Time for points awarded or not deducted
Wasting Time = Not Participating for points deducted or points not awarded
Why doesnÂ’t the local school system and board get it? Maybe someone at the State level will understand.
(I am a mom of three kids who were honor grads of Dacula HS. Principal Nutt, through his oppressive rules and resulting rock bottom morale has chased all of the good teachers to more faculty freindly schools.)
Posted by: Karen Armsby at May 09, 2005 06:49 AM (wDZ9c)
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In fairness, if the boy earned an 'A' he deserves his 'A.' If he fell asleep in class then he risked not getting all of the information he needed for the test. If he is allowed to take the test (a better punishment would have been to not allow the boy to take the test), then he should be awarded whatever grade he earned.
I failed a class in High School for this exact reason, I cut the man's class too many times. I eaned an 'A', and got a 'F.' The irony, it was Business Law, and now I am a corporate attorney.
Posted by: stephen johnson at May 09, 2005 10:53 AM (h49cq)
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It wasn't a test, it was a physics lab that they did in class that day, and had an assignment to complete based on the information given during the lab. How did this young man get a perfect score? Hmm. His classmates have claimed he doesn't actually do his own work, he gets the answers from friends. So do we give him an F for sleeping, or for cheating? Both would be punishment by way of lowered grade. No, instead we fire the respected 23 year veteran teacher - who by the way was following the law of the state of Georgia which states that a grade cannot be changed once it has been entered in the books... The purpose of the law being to protect teachers from being pressured into changing an athlete's grade. And Mr. Corporate Attorney above should also know that once a practice has been universally accepted over a long period of time, as Doc Neace's grading policy has been for 10+ years, it becomes accepted as a legal custom. The policy was clearly stated in the class syllabus for over a decade and both students and their parents sign and agree to it at the beginning of the school year, and the administration most certainly has had access and veto power over it.
Poor Dacula students - they lost the best teacher that school had so that a whining spoiled football player could get his way. I don't know how Nutt and the school board can live with themselves after the terrible disservice they have done to their students.
Posted by: Dacula Alumni at May 09, 2005 06:08 PM (HoSBk)
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I taught for 28 years...or, rather, I fought for 28 years! Everyone screams "standards" and blames the teachers for not demanding them, yet the moment they do so, they are overruled by GUTLESS PRINCIPALS and COWARDLY SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS who shrink when confronted by angry parents making excuses for the behavior of the children they themselves have spoiled!
When, oh when, will those with the power back their teachers? When will the blame be placed where it belongs?
Accountability begins at home!
Posted by: lois Heaton at May 16, 2005 04:57 AM (Y+4y+)
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Why do people assume talking to a coach is going to stop a student's behavior. That depends on what type of coach you have. I have had coaches in my face yelling at me to raise an athletes grade so he can participate in the "big game." The coach could care less if the student has done any work. Parents often do the same thing. They are more concerned with after school sports than with their child's education. I have been a teacher for 6 years and I am amazed every year at the lengths some parents will go to in order keep a child eligible in a sport. In my school, if a parent comes in and complains about a grade, the administraters crumble and give in. It doesn't matter that the student has been sleeping in class, turned in work that has been copied, or nothing at all. I have also dealt with parents who do their child's homework so the child can concentrate on their sport. We are raising a generation of whinners who refuse to take responsibility for their actions. I wonder if the teacher would have been fired if this particular student was not an athlete. There is a double standard when dealing with students. Athletes must pass at all cost and other students just need to suffer. What really infuriates me is that I know the grades I give really don't mean that much. I have had the administration secretly change my grades in order to pass students who do nothing. I think the school board has created a incredibly stupid policy. Teachers now days have few tools to use to discipline students. And if the student was raised in a home without rules, they see no reason to follow them in school. What can I do about it? I can give detention (which many athletes skip in order to go to practice) or call home (often to parents who lie for their child and refuse to do anything to help). And to the person who claimed that they failed because they skipped too many classes (but supposedly had a pasing grade) I have one thing to say to you: I'm glad you were failed. If you had pulled a similar stunt at a job, you would be fired. Teenagers claim they want more freedom, well guess what, freedom comes with responsibibity. You need to acknowledge that fact that if you fail a class, you share some of the blame. I can't force you to do anything. Only you can decide that and if you choose to fail, then you better be ready to accept the consequences and not run crying to your parents like some whinny little first grader. Students need to grow up and start participating in their own education instead of whinning when they face consequences for inappropriate behavior of lack of effort.
Posted by: kjmylly at May 17, 2005 01:16 AM (c1kJs)
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Jawa Report gets terrorist caught
The esteemed Rusty Shackleford over at
The Jawa Report printed an e-mail from a supposed terrorist (who was here in the US illegally) awhile back. An astute reader forwarded the info to the FBI who finally got off of their hind quarters (after much harranguing), investigated, and arrested the sorry SOB.
From time to time we like to do something called post the terrorist's e-mail. It's not just great fun to sign up for gay porn using a terrorists e-mail, it also pays off from time to time.I'm not at liberty to give all the details yet. I'll post the rest of the story when the reader gives permission. I've been holding back on this one for a month. I can't anymore, though.
The basic story is we posted a terrorist's e-mail. A reader with an Arabic sounding e-mail address sent off a message to the terrorist. The terrorist responded. The FBI was informed. The FBI didn't do diddly-squat. The reader kept bugging the FBI. The FBI finally investigated, and ...... drumroll please ..... the FBI now has said terrorist locked up in a jail.
Works for me.
Whatever we need to do to get those scum-sucking terrorists caught and tossed. Good work, Rusty!
Posted by: mhking at
02:56 AM
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You people don't even need a story or evidence you just make shit up and say it happened. No wonder most of the country doesn't trust repugnicans
Posted by: madmatt at May 06, 2005 09:27 AM (h1rMx)
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I'll admit to not knowing the full story - hell, the portion of Rusty's statement I've quoted above indicates that he can't reveal all the details yet.
But that never stopped you moonbats from accusing us of not having evidence, did it?
Posted by: Michael at May 06, 2005 09:55 AM (bJ0qq)
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He's a real terrorist? What'd he do?
and:
"I'll admit to not knowing the full story ... But that never stopped you moonbats from accusing us of not having evidence, did it?"
Color me confused.
Either you have evidence or you don't.
You seem to be admiting with one hand that you don't,then you take your other hand off of your dick long enough to whine about being accused of not having evidence. Help a poor moonbat out.
-
Posted by: JRI at May 06, 2005 10:10 AM (EeQUM)
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No, you ass, I reported what Rusty had on his blog. My initial statement was that the capturee was a "supposed terrorist" - i.e.,
I don't know for certain.
I know Rusty. I trust Rusty, I trust his word and I trust his blog. He says specifically that he can't divulge all the details yet, and I believe him. I take him at his word.
And provided that what he reported is accurate, then I'm happy. I am also confident and comfortable that Rusty will report said details when he able to make them available.
It's obvious that those elements aren't enough for you. [shrug] Sorry 'bout that.
Posted by: Michael at May 06, 2005 10:33 AM (bJ0qq)
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May 05, 2005
CafePress shop: "Save America, Kill Republicans"
Only a few weeks ago, CafePress.com had to pull a shop off of their site for encouraging violence against President Bush (the plainly named "Kill Bush" page).
Today, there's another shop, this time going after Republicans: "Save America, Kill Republicans." The shop sells shirts, baseball caps, thongs, aprons, and other things with the offensive saying on it. The site is sponsored by the blog "NaughtyGirlsX.com."
If past performance is any clue, the site will disappear within the next few hours. But this makes me wonder about motives.
Posted by: mhking at
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This is the liberals idea of freedom of speech.
Posted by: LHM at May 05, 2005 04:40 PM (I9+F4)
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Have you seen the crap on that site (naughtygirlsx.com)? What a bunch of trashy sluts!!
I bet their parents are proud...
TV (Harry)
Posted by: Inspector Callahan at May 06, 2005 05:24 AM (qKXq+)
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You certainly should be Harry...she could suck the chrome off a trailer hitch. They sell Kill Democrat ones as well, that must be conservative free speech.
Posted by: madmatt at May 06, 2005 09:29 AM (h1rMx)
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I'm not seeing the "Kill Democrats" shirt from NaughtyGirlsX.com (http://www.cafepress.com/ngx). If you can find the shirt, please tell me where it is...
In my mind, both sides (who are threatening lives) are wrong -- but then again, you knew that, right?
Posted by: Michael at May 06, 2005 09:52 AM (bJ0qq)
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I sent an e-mail to them stating that I would boycott all clients of theirs until this was yanked cause we all *know* that if the situation was reversed, they'd be HOWLING about the *cough* hate.
Posted by: Mad Mikey at May 06, 2005 12:00 PM (FzhYM)
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I've seen anti-liberal t-shirt that ridicule Democrats for their ineptitude, foolishness, gullibility, power-lust, etc., but I've never seen a conservative leaning t-shirt that advocated homicide. Besides, it's just too funny watching them flail around in panic as their whole power structure unravels right in front of their impotent eyes.
Posted by: Enlightenment Reactionary at May 06, 2005 02:24 PM (fnVZr)
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The only good republican...
is a jailed republican...
Posted by: Patrick Henry at July 28, 2005 09:29 PM (OL931)
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Stupid liberals.. its ok to kill kids before they are born without they're parents concent and its ok to allow people in the middle easst to get killed, but we cant kill a fucking deer in alaska to save us all alot of money on gas and we cant carry guns, even though if we all had guns then no one would commit any crimes cause they would know they would die if they did But whatever keep fighting for the right to kill kids and save adults who joined the army at their own will.
Posted by: Andrew at September 24, 2005 11:14 PM (YpTc6)
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May 04, 2005
Columnist Sneed: FBI to exhume body of Emmitt Till
According to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed, the FBI is planning to
exhume the body of Emmitt Till, the 14 year-old black Chicago boy who was killed in Mississippi after allegedly whistling at a white woman. Till's body is buried in Burr Oak Cemetary just outside Chicago in Alsip, IL.
Till's body, which is buried next to his mother's at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, will be exhumed within the next few weeks, and an autopsy will be conducted by Cook County Medical Examiner Ed Donahue, according to a source."The FBI wants to know who killed Till, and due to the brutal beating he received, an exhumation may provide the evidence they need" to make a case, said the source.
The murder of Till, an unsolved case standing at the center of the American civil rights movement, gave meaning to the term "Mississippi Justice."
Then, last year, a new chapter was added to the Till story.
The U.S. Justice Department reopened the case following a documentary by African-American filmmaker Keith Beauchamp, 32, who claimed to have uncovered new evidence. The documentary, "The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till," chronicled Till's nightmare death and the sham trial of his alleged murderers.
Beauchamp believes that there are five people still alive who can shed light on who actually murdered Till. The FBI feels that they can solve this case once and for all.
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Exhuming the body of Emmitt Till may not give answers to how and whom the killers were; however, it does give moral conscience another opportunity to see if we are treating all Americans equal. The story of Emmitt has mesmerized high school students I teach and has made them stop and think of how, themselves, treat others. If it can show how he was killed and by whom (though we already have heard the confessions of Willam and Bryant), it sends the message that others in this decade, era can be convicted for their crimes as well. It is time justice got tough!
Posted by: Carol Hesprich at May 20, 2005 11:14 AM (PIYg3)
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those stupid white muthafukkaz should rot in prison! too bad they didnt get em long ago so they would have lived their lives in prison! racist son of a bitches
DeRRtY s0uF
Posted by: Natalie at June 21, 2005 11:16 PM (ETCHo)
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Does anyone know the results from the exhuming of Till's body? What if anythign did they find out? And if they did found something out when wil the release it to the public? If any one has any ideas or any other information about it please contact me at Daman4life13@aol.com. It is very important to me to know what happened. Thank You
Posted by: Travis Sewell at October 28, 2005 08:57 AM (ywZa8)
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