Official Announcement: Senator Jeff Sessions is an Idiot.

"The group who spoke here the other day did not represent the American ideals of freedom, liberty and spreading that around the world," Sen. Jeff Sessions, an Alabama Republican, told the crowd. "I frankly don't know what they represent, other than to blame America first."

This statement was made on Sunday, Sept. 25, at a pro-war rally in Washington, D.C., and of course, Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions was right in the middle of it, proudly proclaiming the "ideals" not of America, but of the pro-war movement.

See, in America, there are different political parties (at least by name), and there are different opinions, and there is this thing we like to call the First Amendment, which gives us a freedom of speech, which can be used as a freedom to dissent.

Using this American freedom angers the pro-war movement, as can by seen by signs at the rally stating, "Arrest the Traitors," with a list of names like "Cindy Sheehan."

So by using an American right to free speech to dissent a war and attempt to bring our troops home - alive - this is seen by Sessions and the pro-war movement as a form of treason.

Sessions' statement was in response to an anti-war protest that occurred the day before, in which Cindy Sheehan was one of the speakers. And the reason that I referred to Sessions as an "idiot" in the title is because of the part where he said, "I frankly don't know what they represent, other than to blame America first."

Using phrases like "blame America first" make him sound more like a political pundit rather than a US Senator. The "blame America first" phrase has been the slogan of talking heads like Sean Hannity for quite a while now,and for a US Senator to start using the phrase automatically lowers his respect level, and makes him look foolish. It is as if he is in Washington, getting first-hand information on what is really going on at the highest levels of government,but he still has to take his talking points from Fox News. It is rather pathetic.

He also said, "I frankly don't know what they represent..." It was an anti-war protest. They represent the anti-war movement. They represent peace. They represent the support of our troops. Senator Sessions may be able to sleep at night
knowing that he helped and continues to help send troops off to war to die, but some of us don't like to see our troops die. Some of us feel that putting a yellow ribbon on your car does not make it all right for our young people to die.

I have heard people try to justify this war by saying things like "they hate us because of our freedoms," but it sounds like the pro-war movement hates America's freedom of speech. Maybe Sessions and his followers should think long and hard before calling others "traitors."

more info:
Sessions: Anti-war demonstrators 'Blame America First'

How to help victims of hurricane Katrina...

Here are some ways to help:

The Veterans for Peace have a hurricane relief effort. They are set up in Covington, Louisiana right now and can get donations directly to people (without the red tape of some others.)

Here is a link to their site: Veterans for Peace

Also, Newsweek has a list of organizations, including links to their web sites and phone numbers.

See the list by clicking here.

FEMA "slow" to accept help...

Apparently, Amtrak has offered assistance to the New Orleans area for evacuations, and the US Senator from Louisiana, Mary Landrieu, said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was "dragging it's feet."

This is from the Financial Times at FT.com:

But critics of the handling of the crisis by government agencies said they were slow in accepting offers of help.

Mary Landrieu, the Democratic US senator from Louisiana, accused the Federal Emergency Management Agency of having "dragging its feet" when Amtrak offered trains to evacuate victims.

"Offers of medicine, communications equipment and other desperately needed items continue to flow in, only to be ignored by the agency," she said.

Also interesting is that when Wal-Mart sent three trailer trucks full of water, FEMA turned them away.

This is from a story in the New York Times:

But local officials, who still feel overwhelmed by the continuing tragedy, demanded accountability and as well as action.

"Why did it happen? Who needs to be fired?" asked Aaron Broussard, president of Jefferson Parish, south of New Orleans.

Far from deferring to state or local officials, FEMA asserted its authority and made things worse, Mr. Broussard complained on "Meet the Press."

When Wal-Mart sent three trailer trucks loaded with water, FEMA officials turned them away, he said. Agency workers prevented the Coast Guard from delivering 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and on Saturday they cut the parish's emergency communications line, leading the sheriff to restore it and post armed guards to protect it from FEMA, Mr. Broussard said.

more info:
Federal agency 'slow' to accept business help (Financial Times)
After Failures, Government Officials Play Blame Game (NY Times)

Senator Rick Santorum wants to penalize those who don't evacuate....and more...

Yes, Senator Rick Santorum, in an interview last weekend, said that people who don't heed evacuation warnings may need to be penalized next time something like this happens. He waited until yesterday (Tuesday) to "clear up" what he said, saying that he did not mean that for people who did not have cars or other resources.

Here is Santorum's weekend quote:

You have people who don't heed those warnings and then put people at risk as a result of not heeding those warnings. There may be a need to look at tougher penalties on those who decide to ride it out and understand that there are consequences to not leaving.

Here is Santorum's Tuesday quote:

Obviously most of the people here in this case, an overwhelming majority of people just literally couldn't have gotten out on their own. Many didn't have cars ... and that really was a failure on the part of local officials in not making transportation available to get people out.

Jay Reiff, campaign manager for Bob Casey, Jr., who is running against Santorum in the next election, said:

At face value (Santorum's comments) show an incredible amount of insensitivity to the Gulf Coast. What exactly does Senator Santorum mean by imposing penalties on people who often times had no transportation and no place to go?

I think that is a good question. However, according to former first lady Barbara Bush, things aren't so bad. She toured the Houston Astrodome in Texas, where many of the hurricane victims were taken after the Superdome, and had this to say:

So many of the people here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them.

So the "underprivileged" should be happy that they have no shelter of their own and they're living in a sports stadium, sleeping on a cot. I mean, from Mrs. Bush's quote, you would think they had just won the fuckin' lottery.

And in that good ol' "things are gonna be all right" spirit of encouragement, Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert told Arlington Heights, Illinois', Daily Herald newspaper that he wasn't sure we should rebuild New Orleans at all because it's located below sea level. Actually, let me go ahead and put the quote from the Washington Post here:

It makes no sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that's seven feet under sea level.

Then, in a save-face move, he issued this statement:

My comments about rebuilding the city were intended to reflect my sincere concern with how the city is rebuilt to ensure the future protection of its citizens and not to suggest that this great historic city should not be rebuilt.

Yeah, Mr. Hastert, that's sure what I got out of it. Being unsure of rebuilding actually means being unsure of how to rebuild, right?

more info:
Santorum: Penalize Those Who Don't Evacuate
Hastert Questions Rebuilding New Orleans (Washington Post)

Selling the Ranch......

One person who is clearly upset with the way that Bush and the federal government have handled the hurricane Katrina catastrophe has written an open letter to President Bush at SellTheRanch.com.

Here is an excerpt of the letter:

Sell the Ranch. That's right, sell your ranch in Texas, and donate the money to the victims of this horrible tragedy. I realize you love your ranch; you've spent almost a year of your presidency there, doing important things like clearing brush, eating pretzels, and taking naps. But that's exactly why you need to sell it. So many people have lost their homes; the least you can do is give up ownership of one of your many residences for their benefit to show that you have some trace of compassion. Think of it as a symbolic gesture that you're finally ready to stop running away from the responsibilities of the Oval office, and you're ready to meet head-on the full duties of the highest office in the land.

more info:
Sell the Ranch

When Arrogance goes Overboard

A friend sent me a link to this Associated Press article that appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today.

The article is titled, "Nations extend offers of help" and talks about how the U.N. and other nations (including Venezuela, despite Mr. Christian posterboy Pat Robertson calling for the assassination of Venezuela's President on his 700 Club..."Thou shalt not kill???") are willing to help the people of our gulf coast in their time of need. Many people have compared certain aspects of Hurricane Katrina to the recent Tsunami that occurred, and some are asking why aid seemed to get to India faster than New Orleans...anyway, here is the article. Pay close attention to our President's response (bold added for emphasis):

FOREIGN AID

Nations extend offers of help

By BARRY SCHWEID
Associated Press
Published on: 09/02/05

Washington — In a dramatic turnabout, the United States is now on the receiving end of help from around the world as two dozen countries offer post-hurricane assistance.

Venezuela, a target of frequent criticism by the Bush administration, offered humanitarian aid and fuel. Venezuela's Citgo Petroleum Corp. pledged a $1 million donation for hurricane aid.

The United Nations informed U.S. Ambassador John Bolton it was prepared to support the relief effort "in any way possible."

Undersecretary-General Jan Egeland said his office had offered the services of the U.N.'s disaster assistance and coordination teams to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon sent a letter to President Bush offering hundreds of doctors, nurses, technicians and other experts in trauma, natural disasters and public health.

Sharon said the teams and equipment could be ready in 24 hours.

With offers from the four corners of the globe pouring in, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has decided "no offer that can help alleviate the suffering of the people in the afflicted area will be refused," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Thursday.

However, in Moscow, a Russian official said the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency had rejected a Russian offer to dispatch rescue teams and other aid.

On Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin sent condolences to Bush and said Russia was prepared to help if asked.

Offers have been received from Russia, Japan, Canada, France, Honduras, Germany, Venezuela, Jamaica, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, China, South Korea, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, NATO and the Organization of American States, the spokesman said.

Still, Bush told ABC-TV: "I'm not expecting much from foreign nations because we hadn't asked for it. I do expect a lot of sympathy and perhaps some will send cash dollars. But this country's going to rise up and take care of it."

"You know," he said, "we would love help, but we're going to take care of our own business as well, and there's no doubt in my mind we'll succeed. And there's no doubt in my mind, as I sit here talking to you, that New Orleans is going to rise up again as a great city."

Historically, the United States provides assistance to other countries experiencing earthquakes, floods and other disasters.

more info:
Nations extend offers of help

Taking on James Dobson - at the Capital City Free Press

My newest column, "Focus on the Family...and the Lies" is up at the Capital City Free Press.

Excerpt:
"...So we can see here that after comparing a utilitarian approach to life, whether stem-cell research or Nazi Germany, a comparison has not actually been made. Just because you use an analogy to compare two things, you did not actually compare them. So making a comparison is not really comparing at all, but rather comparing two ideas or philosophies, in a comparison, to compare the two.... see where this is going?..."

Read the rest here: Capital City Free Press.