On another note, JMBzine will be changing. Since I'll be starting law school in less than a month, this section (the Politics blog) will morph into a blog on the Law. I'll likely post my class notes here along with my thoughts on my experience as a One-L. I'll probably touch on politics some, but I really won't have the time to write on it like I used to. For more information on this transition, please read the front page of JMBzine.com.

posted by J.M. Branum at 9:16 PM | link

• AP/Yahoo: Supreme Court Rules on Bus Searches - I had been following this case as it weaved its way through lower appellate levels and am bothered by the actions of the court in this case, and in similiar cases regarding automobile searches.
  

  The reality is that cops through their uniform, gun, and their image have a coercive presence. Many people, whether they are on a bus, train, or driving a car do not realize that if a cop is asking for permission to search your stuff, then he/she can't search your stuff without your consent.
  

  I wish the Supreme court would have ruled otherwise, as I think it would be a strong reaffirmation of Miranda but this doesn't change the fact that WE have the right to tell cops know when they ask to search our person and belongings if the cops don't have probable cause.
  

• NY Times: Solicitors Do Not Need Prior Permission, Court Rules
  

• Reuters: Tough China Web Rules Force Cafes Underground --- I can not believe that the Chinese fascist regime has closed down all of the internet cafes in Beijing. They'll probably shut down the internet in China next.

S.C. troopers set to block plutonium

This is so incredible. State's rights have gotten a bad rap (deservedly so to some extent, since so many Southern states have misused their sovreignty to oppress individual rights of African Americans in the past) but past abuses don't justify the current encroachment on state's sovereignty by the Federal government. I'm glad to see a Governor standing up for their state's laws, constitution and welfare against an abusive federal government, when it is a truly just cause and not bigotry or stupidity.
posted by J.M. Branum at 8:57 PM | link

Maybe I'm sickened by the screw the poor bill that looks like will pass in congress (a.k.a. the bankruptcy "reform" bill.") or maybe it is the total lack of disregard of human rights (both here and abroad) by our government. In either event, it all seems very futile to me.

What really bothers me though is I have to pay for this garbage. It's my tax dollars that are being used to oppress the poor, to pay for bombs to drop on civilians, to pay for government goons to harrass foreigners, to exploit the 3rd world, to kill the innocent who are undoubtably in line on death row, etc. Worst of all, I have to pay for Neo-McCarthyites like Ashcroft to rape our democracy.

I feel like I'm being beaten with a stick and then billed for the privilige. And there's nothing I can do about it.

This all reminds me of a conversation I had with my friend Jason awhile back. He said that when Jesus was confronted with the issue of paying taxes to an evil corrupt government, he said "Render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar's and to God what is God." He then explained that Jesus wasn't saying it was a moral obligation to pay your taxes, but rather who cares about dirty money anyway. Do what the system wants with what is theirs, but don't give up what is truly God's.

In a way that makes sense. I could refuse to pay taxes, but they would take the $ anyway. The only way to avoid this is to voluntarily live in extreme poverty. But what they can't take from me is hope. Defiant hope.

They might say that the people of Afghanistan and Iraq are expendable, but I can still love them.

They might say "screw the poor" but I can combat their oppression through generosity.

They can even say some people are so evil that society must murder them, but I can still love them.

So anyway, that's where I stand. I guess that means my temporary hiatus from political blogging continues. I frankly can't take the angst of lamenting a dying civilization anymore. The negativity and hopelessness of it all is eating my insides up, and I hate myself for confusing hatred of evil with hatred of the people who push for evil.

Even John Ashcroft is made in God's image. If I can't love him, I really can't love anyone.
posted by J.M. Branum at 9:12 PM | link

Why?

I don't know. It is not like me. Part of it is that I can not maintain a perpeptual state of anger. I can vent about that "fascist John Ashcroft" or narrow-minded people like E.K. Gaylord, or even how pathetic of a President Dub-ya is shaping up to be.

But, really it seems futile. Politics, or public policy is really best decided on a local level. Certainly it is a national event if terrorists strike, but in the big picture where I shop and what I buy will influence more than whether I write a nasty letter to a politician or not.

So, this particular section of JMBzine might be on hiatus for awhile. Likely not forever, but for awhile. When I do come back, I will mostly focus on the law, as that is my profession (I'm a paralegal right now and starting law school in August). In the meantime, I think my time would be better spent in deepening my spiritual life, painting a picture, or planting some flowers.
posted by J.M. Branum at 6:43 PM | link

• NY Times: Who get the death penalty? An op-ed by Bob Herbert
  

• Thesmokinggun.com - The Smoking Gun brings you exclusive documents--cool, confidential, quirky--that can't be found elsewhere on the Web. Using material obtained from government and law enforcement sources, via Freedom of Information requests, and from court files nationwide, we guarantee everything here is 100% authentic. (owned by court TV)
  

• Alllaw.com: A useful set of forms for General Practice Lawyers
  

• MSNBC: MSNBC: North Koreans rush for freedom
  

• Progressive.org: McCarthyism Watch --- Protesters Detained in Milwaukee: Are You on the No Fly List?
  

• NY Times : Welcome to our law school, young man. We'll see you in court.
  

• MSNBC: Cuba may have biological arms
  

  Hmm... this story makes me wonder if Bush is considering an invasion of Cuba to help get his brother Jeb re-elected. No one has ever said previous to this that there are biological weapons in Cuba.

Well folks, as you can see I'm having a horrible time keeping this thing updated. Part of the problem is that I'm stressing too much on topical headers and the like. So, to simply things I'm scrubbing them. I'll keep the three topical blogs (culture, politics, and random) but within those you won't see anymore headlines. Sorry for the change, but this will help me to just post stuff on the fly instead of waiting for me to get several stories for each category.


Also, this specific blog is changing it's name and focus to "Politics & Law." Most likely it will focus more on law as time goes by and I start law school.

• NY Times: America Can Persuade Israel to Make a Just Peace, by Jimmy Carter - After reading this, I wish Carter was President right now instead of Bush.
  

  Besides the fact that Carter has a firm grasp on the situation and a just understanding of the rights of all parties involved... Carter is so dang smart. Sheesh, Bush is a nice guy but I don't think he is smart to handle this situation.

• I've been doing lots of thinking on the situation in Israel/Palestine, and lots of arguing. It is such a hard situation. Most Christians I know are so pro-Israeli and frankly I think they are wrong. How can you support the usurpation of the native inhabitants of a land?
  

  Yet, as a Christian I am faced with a very difficult issue? Why did God support that very position?
  

  In the Old Testament (aka the Jewish scriptures) we read of how God took a people out of captivity (certainly a noble thing that has inspired liberation movements throughout history) into a new land where they conqueor the inhabitants and wipe them off the face of the earth. In some cases (i.e. Jericho) God even instructed them to totally anihilate the inhabitants, including women and children. I don't know about you, but this is extremely troubling.
  

  Now fast forward to today. Does God still show that kind of favoritism, and want the people of Israel to have a protected position in their land and to wipe out the native inhabitants of the land?
  

  I do not think so. The reason I would argue is that the Jesus in inaugerating the New Covenant extended Israel's covenant relationship to all who would follow Him. This new Kingdom was also different than the previous nation of Israel in that it was a spiritual kingdom and not a physical one.
  

  There are so many difficult questions here though. I guess I'll just have to respectfully disagree with those who favor Israel's position over all others, and have to hold to faith in a Lord who inaugerated a new covenental relationship to ALL NATIONS.
  

• My friend Aaron sent me a very fascinating op-ed piece: Opinion Journal: The Hard Way --- It's easier to fight than to pray. So let's pray.
  

  Boy this story hit me a like a locomotive. Peggy Noonan is so right here, and makes me wonder how much our efforts to bring peace through politics and war are really just ourselves chasing the wind.
  

• MSNBC: Is digital copying about to die? --- The Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act would put the kibosh on copying
  

• MSNBC: Web talk lands some in hot water
  

  Interestingly enough, the site that sued to prevent consumers from discussing their bad experienes must have chickened out since the publishing of this story (Petswarehouse.com at least right now is off-line). However, the damage has already been done with many folks settling out of court for thousands of dollars for supposedly libeling this business. Frankly though, I don't like to see people who oppress free speech get off so easy, so here is the contact information for petswarehouse.com, found via whois:
  

  
  BOB Owner bob@PETSWAREHOUSE.COM
  PETS WAREHOUSE.com
  1550 SUNRISE HIGHWAY
  COPIAGUE, NY 11726, US
  Phone: 516789-9300
  Fax: (516)789-3224
  
  

  If you think this situation is absurd, please call or email 'Bob' and let him know how you feel.
  

• Yahoo/Reuters: China asks Bush why he called Taiwan a country
  

• Yahoo/Reuters: East Timor presidential candidates hold debate
  
  
  The debate's symbolism was probably more important than its content, since the vast majority of Timorese are expected to pick independence hero Xanana Gusmao when they vote on Sunday.
  

  Standing side-by-side and speaking in Portuguese -- the language of former colonial ruler Portugal but which many of Timor's youth barely understand -- the two men discussed a range of topics for two hours. At the end, they embraced.

  
  

I forgot where I found this online, but it is some of the best satire making fun of whitey that I have seen in a long time...

The Bureau of Caucasian Affairs


United Native Americans are proud to announce that it has bought the state of California from the Whites and is throwing it open to Indian settlement.


UNA bought California from three winos found wandering in San Francisco. UNA decided the winos were the spokesmen for the White people of California. These winos promptly signed the treaty, which was written in Sioux, and sold California for three bottles of wine, one bottle of gin, and four cases of beer.


Leyman L. Brightman, the Commissioner of Caucasian Affairs, has announced the following new policies: The Indians hereby give the Whites four large reservations of ten acres each at the following locations; Death Valley; The Utah Salt Flats; The Badlands of South Dakota; and the Yukon in Alaska. These reservations shall belong to the whites "for as long as the sun shines or the grass grows" (or until the Indians want it back.)


All land on the reservations, of course, will be held in trust for the Whites by the Bureau of Caucasian Affairs, and any White person who wants to use his land in any way must secure permission from Commissioner Brightman.


Of course, Whites will be allowed to sell trades and handicrafts at stands by the highway. Each White will be provided annually with one blanket, one pair of tennis shoes, a supply of Spam, and a copy of The Life of Crazy Horse.


If your are competent enough, you will be able to be a BCA reservation superintendent. Applicants must have less than one year of education, must not speak English, must have an authoritarian personality, proof of dishonesty, and a certificate of incompetence. No Whites need apply. Commissioner Brightman also announced the founding of four boarding schools, to which White youngsters will be sent at the age of six (6). "We want to take those kids far away from the backward culture of their parents," he said. The schools will be located on Alcatraz Island; the Florida Everglades; Point Barrow, Alaska; and New York, New York.


All courses will be taught in Indian languages, and there will be demerits for anyone caught speaking English. All students arriving at the school will immediately be given IQ tests to determine their understanding of Indian Language and hunting skills.


Hospitals will be established for the reservations as follows: Whites at Death Valley may go to the Bangor, Maine Hospital; those at the Utah Salt Flats may go to Juneau, Alaska Hospital; those at the Yukon may go to the Miami Beach Hospital; and those at the Badlands may go to the Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. Each hospital will have a staff of two part-time doctors and a part-time chiropractor who have all passed first aid tests. And each hospital will be equipped with a scalpel, a jack knife, a saw, a modern tourniquet, and a large bottle of aspirin.


In honor of the Whites, many cities, sports teams, street cars, and products will be given traditional White names.


One famous Indian movie director has even announced that in his upcoming film, Custer's Last Stand, he will use many actual Whites to play the parts of soldiers, speaking real English, although, of course, the part of Custer will be played by noted Indian actor Jay Silverheels.


Certain barbaric White customs will, of course, not be allowed. Whites will not be allowed to practice their heathen religions, and will be required to attend Indian ceremonies. Missionaries will be sent from each tribe to convert the Whites on the reservations. White churches will either be made into amusement parks, museums, or will be torn down and the bricks and ornaments sold as souvenirs and curiosities.


--Author Unknown (edited)

This post was removed on January 11, 2003 at the request of the author of the op-ed that I had quoted here. I received the item via email forward and wrongly assumed that the op-ed piece had been released to the public domain.

posted by J.M. Branum at 8:44 AM | link

Starting today I am changing the headline/subject headers to be topical in nature.

• NY Times: F.C.C. rules on ownership under review
  

• NY Times/AP: Rumseld says captures Qaeda leader won't be tortured
  

  If you read between the lines here though, you can see the headline is wrong. Rumsfeld did not say that he wouldn't be tortured, but only that the US will not send him to a third country to do it. Sheesh, the media is getting too lazy! They should have asked the follow-up question, "Will the US use torture as a means of extracting information from this person?" If Rumsfeld dodges the question, then we know the answer.

Think the Desert Storm ended 10 years ago? Think again. Read CCMEP's listing of all US bombings of Iraq since 2000.

• Jerusalem IMC: Life here has totally stopped; it’s dead - This is one of the most compelling reports I have read of the events in Ramallah. Reading it I am struck with the fact that the Israelis are repeating history, except they've swapped roles. 60 years ago they were the victims of fascists who committed some of the world's worst attrocities against mankind, the holocaust. Today, the Israelis are the fascists. Read the account above again and tell me that they're not acting like the Nazis they hate so much.
  

  Yet, finger pointing will not bring peace or freedom. The Palestinians may be justified in fighting for their freedom, but such "justification" will not bring freedom. Sadly we Americans have armed Israel too well, so there is no hope of military victory for the Palestinians. (even if their muslim brothers support them, they would still lose to the the fascist state of Israel.)
  

  True liberation can only come through non-violent resistance.
  

• Here are the latest updates from the Jerusalem IMC:
  
  1545: An ambulance has just come under fire in Ramallah trying to get around IDF tanks and internationals and medical staff were told over a loudspeaker to stay inside the hospital and then the IDF proceeded to open live fire on the hospital. A CBS news television crew was forcibly escorted out of Ramallah by the IDF. As a result, the remaining news crews in the area are concerned that they too may be expelled from the area, a concern which is affecting their ability to cover breaking news to the best of their ability.
  

  1255:The one aid truck the Occupation Forces they then attacked. Soldiers took out the medical aid and stomped it into the ground they took out sugar, flour and other food aid and dumped it out and threw tea gas again at the group. Earlier they shot at a UN convoy. Now they are beating the protestors with batons.

  
  

• Foxnews: Saddam May Find Resistance in Oil Embargo Plan --- Iraqi President Saddam Hussein says he's ready to go to war using one of his most effective weapons: oil.
  

This news items is taken from the Jerusalem, Palestine IMC:

2330 URGENT Update: Israeli Occupation Forces are staging a major confrontation at Manger Square in Bethlehem proper. They have bombed the sacred mosque that is found here (the birthplace of Jesus and a holy site for Muslims and Christians alike). At least 5 people are dead and at least 30 wounded so far. In addition, IDF is preventing any ambulances from arriving on the scene, allowing innocent people to bleed to death. 300 people, including families, fighters and journalists, are being held prisoners in the three churches of the square. IDF threatens to bomb them if they do not surrender.


2300 Update: The situation in Bethlehem continues to be intermittent clashes, tanks rolling by, APCs rolling by. IMC-Palestine is experiencing difficulty with communication because of the 24-hour curfew imposed by Israeli occupation forces. The situation continues to deteriorate by the minute, with IDF attacking Red Crescent and UN ambulances, religious buildings, television and communication stations and journalists. We will continue to update as possible. Please keep posting news coming out of Palestine so that we can document these days of Israeli terror.




Am I the only one who finds that the support of the Israelis by the majority of Evangelical Christians to be ignorant and wrong? The Israelis are committing war crimes here by targeting civilians, refusing to allow injured to receive medical care, firing on ambulances, and even attacking sacred holy sites!? It just seems so ironic that so many Christians are defending Israeli attacks on the very place that the Prince of Peace was born.

• FOXnews: Law school lawsuit threatens academic freedom --- A low-profile lawsuit at the University of Virginia School of Law could make professors liable for the childhood traumas of their students. - This is an interesting lawsuit but I think the author of this column is a bit alarmist. I agree with her that this lawsuit sounds on the surface to be absurd, BUT there does seem to be a difference in testimony between what happened. Most likely though, this case will be thrown out long before it is actually tried.
  

• Ifeminists.com is a site I surprisingly discovered from Foxnews.com. It seems to be written from a primarily individualistic (or hard-core Ayn Randian Libertarian) viewpoint. I think the site raises some good points, but overall I think most women will not find the "freedom" to be exploited by pornography, prostitution, and non-violent sexual harrasment to be an empowering concept.
  

• NY Times/AP: Sharon Proposes Arafat's Exile as Fighting Rages in West Bank
  
  RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) -- Widening its offensive, Israel seized control of Bethlehem and another West Bank town Tuesday in a day of wild fighting that left at least 13 Palestinians dead. Palestinian gunmen forced their way into the Church of the Nativity, traditional birthplace of Jesus, and Israeli tanks and helicopters pounded the headquarters of a Palestinian security chief.
  
  

More content to be added soon.
posted by J.M. Branum at 9:16 PM | link