The Rise of American Fundamentalists - at the Capital City Free Press

"The Rise of American Fundamentalists" is online at the Capital City Free Press.

"If judges must acknowledge 'God' in their rulings, does this act specify which 'God' they must refer to? If a judge were to make a ruling acknowledging 'Allah' as the source of law, would there be an outcry from Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family or Pat Robertson and his 700 Club or Roy Moore, who needs no introduction? You bet there would."

Read the entire article here: http://www.capcityfreepress.com/opinion16

And be sure to check out the rest of the Free Press here: Capital City Free Press

Republicans love family values - that's why a porn star and her boss are coming to the White House

Some of you may know the name Mary Carey even if you are not an avid porn connoisseur. She is the porn star who, along with such other names as Hustler's founder Larry Flynt and child-star Gary Coleman, ran against Ahnold the Governator in the recall election of 2003.

Mary Carey has been an exclusive contract girl for Kick Ass Pictures, run by Mark Kulkis, since 2003. Kulkis was actually her campaign manager during the election.

After that election, in the 2004 Presidential election, Republicans all over were talking about the morality vote, and how people were standing up for family values.

It seems that they have reverted back to their old money-comes-before-family-values-and-morality kind of ways. Kick Ass Pictures released a company press release saying that the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has invited Mary Carey and Mark Kulkis to a dinner in Washington, D.C. on June 14, and yes, President Bush will be in attendance.

According to the press release, Carey and Kulkis will be meeting with Karl Rove, a.k.a. the devil, about "important national issues."

Both are excited about attending the event. Kulkis talked about Republicans being the pro-business party and stated that the porn industry has "contributed over $10 billion to the national economy last year."

Carey is especially excited to meet Karl Rove, saying that "Smart men like him are so sexy. I know that he's against gay marriage, but I think I can convince him that a little girl-on-girl action now and then isn't so bad!"

The release did not say if Kulkis, an Honorary Chairman on the NRCC's Business Advisory Council, would assist in any future plans for Carey to run for office, but Carey has expressed interest in running for Lieutenant Governor of California next year. Said Carey, "Since Arnold is a Republican, I thought this dinner would be a great networking opportunity for me."

more info:
Mary Carey to Dine with President Bush

NC preacher shows his insanity, Jesus Christ can't get a drivers license, and it's Starbucks vs. The Boss.....

This article originally appeared on NBC affiliate WFIE14's web site at http://www.14wfie.com/Global/story.asp?s=8945, but now it says "our apologies...you have reached a page that is currently unavailable..." blah blah blah.

However, doing a search for "democrats church" on their site brings up this page: http://www.14wfie.com/Global/SearchResults.asp?qu=democrats+church, showing that the article used to be there.

Anyway, here it is, in all its insanity:

"NC-Preacher Throws Democrats Out of His Church
May 6, 2005, 3:29 PM

"The minister of a Haywood County, North Carolina Baptist church is telling members of his congregation that if they're Democrats, they either need to find another place of worship or support President Bush.

"Already, the Reverend Chan Chandler has ex-communicated nine members of East Waynesville Baptist Church. Another 40 members have left in protest. During last Sunday's sermon, he acknowledged that church members were upset because he named people, and he says he'll do it again because he has to according to the word of God.

"Chandler could not be reached for comment Friday, but says his actions weren't politically motivated. One former church member says Chandler told some of the members that if they didn't support George Bush, they needed to resign their positions and get out of the church, or go to the altar, repent and agree to vote for Bush.

"A former church treasurer says she's at church to worship God and not the preacher."

Also, speaking of religion and Christianity...loosely, anyway.......Jesus Christ cannot get a drivers license in West Virginia.

A "white-haired businessman" who has been using the name "Jesus Christ" for 15 years cannot get a drivers license in West Virginia. According to MSNBC, "He has a U.S. passport, Social Security card and Washington, D.C., drivers license bearing the name Jesus Christ."

West Virginia won't let him get a drivers license under the name Jesus Christ because his Florida birth certificate bears his real name, "Peter Robert Philips, Jr.," and he hasn't gotten an official name change in Washington.

Mr. Philips, or Mr. Christ, tried to get an official name change two years ago by a District of Columbia court, but a judge denied the change, saying that the name could provoke a "violent reaction" or "significantly" offend people. Christ's attorney says the attempted name change was an expression of his faith.

...And Starbucks has officially banned the new album by The Boss, Bruce Springsteen.
His new album, "Devils and Dust," apparently has a song that offended the Starbucks bosses. The song "Reno" on the album is about an encounter at a Nevada brothel, referencing oral sex and the line: "Two hundered dollars straight in, two-fifty in the ass."

If you ever thought that a double vanilla latte and prostitution mixed well, you are mistaken.

more info:
Jesus Christ has trouble with graven image
Starbucks Bans the Boss

From Impeachment to Impalement...

"From Impeachment to Impalement: the Threats and Violence of the Right" is my newest column published in the Capital City Free Press.

Here's an excerpt:

"Due to this outcry from right-wing extremists and an increase of death threats, judges across the country are having to hire extra security to protect themselves...One unnamed judge told Newsweek, 'When I go home I go out and cut the grass and wash my car. Anyone who wants to do harm to me can.'"

Read more here: Capital City Free Press

Also......be sure to catch the Free Press' exclusive interview with the one and only Rude Pundit.

Read the interview here.

Check out the Rude Pundit's blog here.

Fox Boss Gets It Wrong.....and Rush Proves Al Franken Right - He is a Big Fat Idiot

Just some highlights of the week......

While reading last week's issue of Newsweek, it mentioned the "Conventional Wisdom" section that has been around for over seventeen years. It's commonly called "CW."
Well...recently, Roger Ailes, head of the Fox "News" Channel and the guy who Bill O'Reilly dedicated "Who's Looking Out For You?" to, got on C-Span and outright lied about Newsweek's CW section. (Now, in Ailes' defense, he probably did get his "facts" from Fox "News.") Ailes said that despite George W. Bush's re-election, he "has never gotten an up arrow" in the CW.

Do not let the facts get in your way, Mr. Ailes. Pay no attention to the 7 Up arrows or the 10 Sideways arrows that appeared in CW since the re-election. You take that 1 solitary down arrow, and you make it seem like that's the only arrow that ever existed. You do that without checking the facts, cause, dammit, those facts just might get in the way of your ideology and the point you're trying to make. Oh I know how much you hate it when facts get in your way like a rubber-necker at a fatal car accident, when you are stuck behind him screaming, "Go, you sorry bastard...Hannity's about to come on!!!" You must fight the truth, Mr. Ailes. May the Fox be with you.

In another note...Rush Limbaugh had this delightful quote regarding Al Gore's new television network that was created for young viewers: "What the hell is that, Al? What the hell is the point of view of young people? They're out getting oral sex all day long, that's what they're talking about."

After making this statement, there was a long pause, followed by some ruffling magazine pages, then a "I wish I were young again...er...uh...we'll be right back, folks after a word from our sponsors."

Luckily, if young people are out getting oral sex all day, we can rejoice in the fact that they are not being influenced by Rush-the-rambling-idiot on the radio.

On a lighter note, here is a quote from an Iraqi film called "The Dreams of Sparrows." The quote is from an interview with a drunk in the street, bottle in hand, "In the past, I couldn't drink in street. Now I can. I am free thanks to George Bush."

Upon hearing this quote, Bush got all teary-eyed, thinking back to the days when he would do keg stands in the frat house, grab his cup o' beer, smoke a joint and go into the street and party....."Memories," says Bush, "That's what I'm bringing to the rest of the world. Memories."

more info:
Newsweek: From the Editor's Desk - April 25
Limbaugh..sad, sad man.

...more on Tom DeLay...

Just to point out exactly how sad Tom DeLay is, I thought it would be fun to show that his fellow Republicans have even started questioning him.

CBS News reported that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said that it was time for DeLay to stop blaming a left-wing conspiracy for his ethics problems. Gingrich encouraged DeLay to lay out his case for the American people.

DeLay has been blaming George Soros and MoveOn.org for his troubles. In the Chicago Tribune, it was reported that he encouraged Senators to answer questions by saying, "Tell them that this is all a plot and the Democrats are out to get me."

Gingrich went on to say, "DeLay's problem isn’t with the Democrats; DeLay's problem is with the country..."

See, it's so much easier to blame everyone else for your own shortcomings. Way to be a leader and a great example, Tom.

Ps - If I screw up, it's not me, it's Tom DeLay.

more info:
House leader DeLay appeals for GOP senators' support
Gingrich Criticizes DeLay

Someone please fire Tom Delay

How many scandals can someone be involved in? If House Majority Leader Tom DeLay spent half as much time doing something good for the country that he spends being…well…unethical, he might actually be an OK guy; but alas, that would not be the Tom DeLay we have come to know.

Just for starters, let’s get some ground rules. The Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives on Gifts and Travel state that "a Member, officer or employee may not accept travel expenses from 'a registered lobbyist or agent of a foreign principal.'"

This situation goes back all the way to 1997 (see how long his ethics have been absent?) and explains what Tom DeLay was doing on that trip to Russia that was funded by money from Russian oil lobbyists. Oops.

And if that didn’t catch enough attention, there was the more than $500,000 that he paid to his wife and daughter from his national political action committee, AMPAC. His daughter was lucky enough to also get over $3,500 per month since 2003 from AMPAC, and a whopping $222,000 in fees (for her consulting firm) from his House campaign committees.

If that’s not enough, add to it the accusations that he laundered some corporate money that was used to rig congressional election districts to enhance his power in a way that Enzyte could never do; metaphorically (and who knows? Possibly literally) prostituting himself for legislative favors, bribing other Congressmen (not that we’re surprised at that one), and getting rid of the Republican chairman of the ethics committee who, according to author Jim Hightower, “had the audacity to reprimand him three times in the past year.”

So what does Tom DeLay do to try to get away from the media’s focus on his unethical behavior? Be the poster boy for the Terry Schiavo case. That’s right, Mr. Unethical became the mouthpiece for an overreaching Congress and the religious right, trying to place the focus on the “culture of life” rather than a culture of ethics (or lack, thereof), adding to this his veiled threats of liberal, activist judges (which he just now apologized for.)

All this and DeLay’s response is that the media are out to get him. Classic.

more info:
TruthOut
Alternet: Hammer Nailed
Alternet: "Whimpering Tom" DeLay
DeLay's Apology (USA Today)

The Campaign has already begun - at the Free Press

My new article, "The Campaign has already begun" is now online at the Capital City Free Press.

What better way to start out April Fool's Day by talking about Newsmax.com and some lies that they started...which are now being forwarded to people through email...

"Some outlets, like Newsmax.com, (a company that should take the word “news” out of their name to protect the integrity of journalism) twist and pervert the truth into stories, or outright lies, that they can use to further their own political agendas.

"To journalists, truth should be paramount. Sensationalists who pose as journalists, however, have no regard for truth, unless it fits into their agendas. And what’s the easiest way these days to spread lies about your political enemies? Forwarding lies through email messages..."

Read the entire article here.

Visit the Capital City Free Press here.

Two Letters to the Editor of the Montgomery Advertiser

Letter no. 1:

Concerning the new budget that Congress is trying to pass, I ask, "Should we not take time to get it right?"

When it is customary to take time to analyze and debate issues concerning budgets, why would the President and many Republicans in Congress attempt to push a budget through with record speed? Some may spin it as "efficient government," but that's just what it is - spin. The truth is that they want to pass the budget without giving our "independent" media or critics a chance to evaluate what is just more tax breaks for the rich, a bigger deficit, and the widening of the rich-poor gap in this country; but I guess some of our "leaders" see more poor people as more recruits to fight their never-ending wars.

more info about the budget:
Bush's Budget Lies - The Nation
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Letter no. 2:

Your online poll says that tri-county taxpayers are "failing" when it comes to supporting schools?

So far, the majority of the respondents to the poll say they would not favor a tax increase.

We pay a regressive 10% sales tax in Montgomery, and our governor recently tried to increase taxes by two billion dollars. All this, and we hover around #49 in national ratings. Maybe throwing money at the problem is not the solution.

more info:
Montgomery Advertiser

So Bush Came to Montgomery.....

Here is a synopsis of the Bush "town hall meeting" that took place in Montgomery on Thursday, March 10, 2005 on the AUM campus. Synopsis written by Valerie Downes and is printed here with permission of the Montgomery Peace Project:

"MPP [Montgomery Peace Project] gathered at the back entrance of AUM University and protested the Bush Administration's proposed privatization of social security as well
as their policies of war, threat to civil liberties, and the destruction of social programs.

"A group of roughly 45 individuals participated with approx. 30 members protesting for the full 4 hours of the permit. We were joined by several students from Auburn University and a couple from New Orleans, LA.

"The group received a relatively warm reception from 1pm to 4pm with the number of honks, thumbs up, waves, or simply no reaction from cars outweighing the yells of disapproval and thumbs down.

"At 4pm the group divided in two in order to cover both entrances of AUM. A group of 25 individuals rallied at the Taylor Road exit in hopes of catching the president as he exited. They were side by side with many Bush supporters, and did in fact, see the Bush parade exit.

"Back at the Brown Springs Road entrance, the group of 8 remaining MPP protesters received a not-so-warm farewell from people exiting the 'town hall script-o-meeting.' Gestures learned in adolescence were on display by the Bush fan club. But we did receive the occasional smile and wave.

"MPP member, Robert Delk, attended the event. The audience stood to applaud President Bush at the end of the meeting, and Robert refused to stand. Once outside, he said he would have 'much rather been out here with you all.'

"An excellent protest experience overall with some good media coverage. Wayne Sabel was interviewed for WSFA news last night. Birmingham News, the Anniston Star, and student journalists did several on the spot interviews. Clear Channel radio did an interview with MPP which aired this morning on 97.1fm. Amy Carr was part of a roundtable on WSFA yesterday afternoon discussing the social security plan.

"The wednesday night poster party at the Sabel's home was covered in Thursday's Montgomery Advertiser as well."

more info:
Montgomery Peace Project

How Low Can You Go?

How low can you go? That's the question Americans should be asking the organization USA Next, whom Newsweek describes as a "well-funded conservative group."

The group posted two pictures on its web page - one picture of an American soldier in camouflage and the other picture was of two men wearing tuxedos and kissing. The American soldier had an "X" over his picture, the tuxedo-clad kissing men had a checkmark. The caption read, "The REAL AARP Agenda."

Now, the fight between AARP and USA Next has absolutely nothing to do with the Afghanistan or Iraq War or the "War on Terror," and it has nothing to do with the issue of gay marriage. Their fight is over Social Security.

What does Social Security have to do with war or gays? I don't know either, but this kind of “advertising” is pretty low.

What is so appalling is that it seems we cannot have a real debate on Social Security because some "well-funded" groups are too busy bringing up divisive issues, rather than actually find out what's best for people. And USA Next has endorsed the private accounts that Bush (the "uniter, not divider," remember?) has been having all those scripted-but-we-will-still-use-the-word-"town hall meetings" about. We've got people worried about their retirement, and all USA Next can think about is two guys kissing.

USA Next's CEO, Charlie Jarvis, admitted that the ad was a "test." He wanted to see if "left wing bloggers" would just focus on one of the pictures and "explode." He said, "My guess was right."

Well, I think we, not "left wing bloggers," but Americans, should "explode" about that kind of ad. It is misleading, and it diverts the attention from the real issue of Social Security. Let's talk about facts and numbers and real people. Let's talk about solutions. Let us not be distracted by organizations like USA Next who try to divert the issue and divide this country. When I am a senior, I would much rather be a part of AARP and talk about real issues, than be part of an organization that just misses the point.

more info:
AARP
USA Next
Information in this article is from a Newsweek article titled, "Seniors Draw Fire," which is in the March 7, 2005 issue.

The USA is catching up to Saudi Arabia

Recently, the US Supreme Court brought the United States out of the Middle Ages by making a decision that even Saudi Arabia made long before us - the Court has banned the execution of minors.

Of course, this caused some outrage by some conservatives still trying to tell the rest of us about morality.

So why is it that the same morality that fights gay marriage is the same morality that says it's OK to execute children?

Freedom at War with Fear at CapCityFreePress.com

"Freedom at War with Fear: Parallels in the War on Terror" is online at the Capital City Free Press

"So what do we do to feel safer? We surrender some of our freedoms to the USA PATRIOT Act. We surrender some of our free speech. We attack those who disagree. We don’t ask questions. We wage war for fictitious reasons. We embrace paranoia..."

Read the entire article here.

By Definition...

Terrorist
ter·ror·ist
n : a radical who employs terror as a political weapon; usually organizes with other terrorists in small cells; often uses religion as a cover for terrorist activities

"Bush believes he was called by God to lead the nation at this time, says Commerce Secretary Don Evans..."
-USA Today

"I emphatically stated that, 'I believe 'the blessing of heaven is upon him,' and I am persuaded that he will win this election and prevail on the war against terror in order to keep America safe from her avowed enemies," [Pat] Robertson said.
-CNN

"CIA Director George Tenet took the unusual step Friday of publicly defending the agency's intelligence on Iraq's possession of chemical and biological weapons -- amid growing criticism that the Bush administration exaggerated what it knew about the Iraqi weapons program to advance its case for going to war."
-Charlotte Observer

"Bush created more terrorists in a war waged for all the wrong reasons and then uses the disastrous results to instill fear in the minds of the American people, in order to enhance the power of the corporate masters he serves and their investment in his re-election....Bush's policies in the war in Iraq have accelerated the recruitment of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network and made America far less safe. That's according to a British military think-tank that actually supported the war."
-Common Dreams

Something to think about.

Ignorant Pratt-Villains get Alabama back in the National Spotlight

Prattville, AL - It has been awhile since Alabama was in the spotlight. Last time this state got national media attention, its Supreme Court Chief Justice was in trouble for not removing a two-ton monument of the 10 Commandments.

But alas, things change, and I'm sure that if there was an eleventh commandment, it would say something to the effect of, "Thou shalt not throw a freakin' chair during a high school basketball game, stupid!"

During a Prattville High vs. Stanhope Elmore High school basketball game, a fight broke out. Approximately 75 to 100 people were involved in the fight, but so far, only eight juveniles and four adults have been arrested.

The police had to end up using tasers to break the fight up.

Luckily, someone caught the whole thing on video - all the punching, kicking, flying chairs - all of it. After seeing the video on local stations, the national media started showing it. I personally saw it on CNN Thursday morning. The Montgomery Advertiser reported that it also aired on NBC's "The Today Show," Fox 'News' (but only because they sensationalize everything) and MSNBC. "Inside Edition" and the Associated Press reportedly called some officials for comment.

Go Prattville! Go Stanhope! Let's show the nation that we can have bigger and better brawls! The NBA has nothing on us!

more info:
Media's eyes sting Prattville

By the Numbers - at the Capital City Free Press

My new column, "By the Numbers," is up at the Capital City Free Press.

Here is an excerpt:
"12 - The number of minutes Sen. Boxer took to question Rice’s integrity, due to her inaccuracies, or 'miscalculations' as George W. Bush likes to call them. Most people call them lies."

Also, be sure to check out "Off the Record with Joseph O. Patton" for a preview of the 2006 Alabama Governor's race.

"By the Numbers"
"Off the Record with Joseph O. Patton"
Capital City Free Press

Is SpongeBob SquarePants part of the "pro-homosexual" agenda?

Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family thinks so.

This march, 61,000 schools will receive a music video put out by the nonprofit We Are Family Foundation. The video contains images of characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Barney, Winnie the Pooh, Bob the Builder and the Rugrats, singing the 1979 hit song "We Are Family."

The We Are Family Foundation uses the Tolerance.org "Declaration of Tolerance," which, in the last paragraph says, "To help keep diversity a wellspring of strength and make America a better place for all, I pledge to have respect for people whose abilities, beliefs, culture, race, sexual identity or other characteristics are different from my own." (Tolerance.org is part of the Southern Poverty Law Center.)

Dr. Dobson and the American Family Association issued a "gay alert" warning of the music video because they say it promotes homosexuality because of Tolerance.org's inclusion of "sexual identity" in its "Declaration of Tolerance."

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann said the video "does promote tolerance of diversity, but contains no reference to sex, sexual lifestyle, sexual identity or Paris Hilton."

Olbermann goes on to say, "By the way, not only did I not see any sexual identity in that, I didn't even see very much of SpongeBob either. Although Winnie the Pooh wasn't wearing pants."

This is not the first time the Christian right has gone after a children's cartoon character for promoting homosexuality - in 1999, Rev. Jerry Falwell accused the purple Teletubbie of being gay.

In another story, a Christian bookstore, which was formerly a lucrative sex shop, is now going out of business in Kentucky. Once SpongeBob and Tinky Winky stopped shopping there..............

more info:
Christian groups go after ‘SpongeBob’
We Are Family Foundation's tolerance pledge
Keith Olbermann: "Will Spongebob make you gay?"
Sex shop made into Christian store is for sale
Focus on the Family
American Family Association

What Weapons of Mass Destruction???

The United States is calling off the search for WMD in Iraq.

It's been almost two years since the United States invaded Iraq, a country who did not attack us, and a country who, according to reports, has not had an active WMD program since 1991. Now, after many thousands of troops and civilians have died, we are calling off the search for the WMD.

So we now know, officially, that one of two things are true:

1 - Saddam has officially fooled the weapons inspectors, George W. Bush, Tony Blair, the neocons who run the country, and everyone else who was screaming "War!" by hiding those things so we would never find them.....

....or....

2 - WE HAVE BEEN LIED TO.

And the cherry on top of this bloody sundae is that the President is still tying the Iraq war to 9/11.

Here's White House spokesman Scott McClellan to CNN: "We had a regime that had a history of using weapons of mass destruction and had a history of defying the international community and had a history of ties to terrorist organizations in Iraq. We had the attacks on September 11 [2001], that taught us we must confront threats before it's too late."

And there is Bush's oh so simplistic equation once again:
Saddam = bad man/bad regime. 9/11 = Bad event. Bad man + Bad event = War on Terrorism = War on Iraq.

Charles A. Duelfer, the man who heads the Iraq Survey Group that has been searching for Iraq's mysterious WMD, released a preliminary report, stating that in March 2003, the very same month of the invasion, Saddam had no stockpiles of WMD, nor had he started any program to make WMD.

The Iraq Survey Group is the organization that said that Saddam's WMD program and his nuclear (or "nucular" if you're an ivy league "C" student who plans on running for President one day) program ended in 1991 after the Persian Gulf War.

That's why "W" stands for "Wrong".

more info:
Official: U.S. calls off search for Iraqi WMDs (CNN)

Both Sides Should Be Grateful

Unlike the election in 2000, the Senate is not absent. Recently, when Senator Barbara Boxer of California joined Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones and other house members to object the certification of Ohio’s Electoral Votes, it was not a sign of one side being a “sore loser,” rather, it was a sign of true democracy – and both Republicans and Democrats (and all other parties, for that matter) should be grateful.

We should be grateful that someone in our government wants all the votes counted, whether it changes any outcomes or not. Having all votes counted is not a partisan issue, it is an American issue, and what could be more American than allowing democracy to work?

As Americans, we all owe a debt of gratitude to Senator Boxer, Representative Jones and the other members of Congress who are standing up for democracy. To them, I say “Thank you.”

Click here to join MoveOn.org in sending your own letter to the editor of your local newspaper about what Senator Boxer did for democracy.

A New Year.....A New Article....

"American priorities in a new year" is up on the new edition of the Capital City Free Press...

"...Setting priorities must be more than lip service, and it should start at the top. It makes no sense to put a yellow ribbon on your house or car and say, "I support our troops" if you are willing to send them to war unprotected..."

Click here to read the entire article.

Oh, and speaking of priorities, the Bush administration finally caved in to public outcry and upped the disaster aid for the tsunami victims from $15 to $35 to $350 million....for a minute there, it seemed like the big inauguration this month would get more funding than a disaster killing 140,000 people....but hey, if you were about to serve a second term after winning only one of the two elections, you'd want to party, too.