The War for Free Speech, Pacific Theatre.

The Congressional-Executive Committee on China has published findings on the supression of the freedom of expression in the "People's Republic", and it's a must read. Congressman Tom Lantos was particularly eloquent in his opening statement for hearings with "Big Net" (Yahoo, Google, Microsoft, and Cisco) on their dealings with Red China in internet censorship and surveilance on Chinese citizens who dare speak of freedom or religion.

Let Me Guess...It's Our Fault?

The Hard Left's premiere spokescritter Amy Goodman (she is darned good at her job) has, predictably, blamed the Cartoon War on the West, particularly the US. Appearing on Hardball, Goodman dismissed the notion of Islamofascist intolerance for freedom of speech, and said that the uproar was caused by relentless Western oppression of Islamic people.

Republican Dry Rot.

Rich Lowry has a great article in the latest National Review about how the '94 Revolution and the Contract with America has been smashed by K-Street and "earmarks". The Republicans should not be surprised if they are cashiered this fall, not that the Democrats are really going to find the faith of fiscal conservatism. Alas, back into the wilderness...

A Fundamental Question.

Here's one of the original copies of our Bill of Rights, the creation of men who proposed that God had bestowed upon a man the dignity of a unique identity and with it the inalienable value of fundamental rights and the pursuit of his happiness.
Twice in the course of our history, we have faced mortal threats to this proposition. The first threat was found within our own country, the corrupt belief that some men were the property of others and thereby could be denied these God-given rights. The second threat believed that the individual existed only to serve the State, and that therefore the concept of a Creator's gift of "inalienable rights" did not exist.

We pose this question: isn't it clear that we now facing another mortal threat, by those whose claim that human beings exist to serve self-proclaimed proxies for God, where death is ordained for those who fail to obey?

Here's a photo from an earlier "Cartoon War" (visit the US Holocaust Memorial Museum for more information):

Baloney into the Grinder.

Hugh Hewitt shows why giving an ignoramus like Joel "Who?" Stein column space in a major newspaper is like giving a 15-year old boy keys to the liquor cabinet and the Ferrari...
(thanks to Michelle Malkin).

The World Turned Upside Down.

Twenty five years ago this past week the Reagan Revolution came to Washington, and world was changed: the demise of the Soviet Union, the rescue of America from malaise and the misery index with the awakening of the American economic dynamo, and the renewal in our pride to be Americans. Viva La Reagan Revolucion!

Remembering MLK.

Stanford University has a great site of his collected papers and speeches. Measuring a man by the "content of his character" is one the profound definitions of true equality - and so simple. To bad we don't adhere to it; too bad many even reject the concept of character.

"...But a Great Cigar is a Smoke."

Kipling's remark was never more appropriate than for the Avo Piramides.
This was a spectacular cigar to welcome in the New Year during a lovely winter walk on the shores of Little Traverse Bay.

Eradicating the Parasites of Leviathan.

John Fund reminds us of another reason for limited government: dampening corruption. Newt Gingrich, Tom Coburn, and John McCain are beating the drum on this point as well.

Let Us Honor Brave Men.

With the poor words that we write here we try to offer some comfort to the grieving families of the men of the Sego Mine. We honor their service to our country in doing a dangerous job. May they find eternal peace in the arms of a loving God.

Say Yes! to Abramoff.

As reported by the Detroit Free Press:

"Former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and associate Michael Scanlon
encouraged an American Indian tribe in Michigan to make big political
contributions. At least seven Michigan members of Congress benefited...

Here's a look at the Michigan connections of Abramoff:
...

Contributions to Michigan congressional members (all since 1999):
(Rep. David) Camp (R-Midland), $35,500; Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Flint, $19,000; (Debbie) Stabenow (D) $5,000; Carl Levin (D), $2,000; Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, $4,000; and Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, $2,000."

Let the Chips Fall.

Jack Abramoff cops a plea today, and will start singing a Who's Who of Congresscritter Corruption. And let every one of them, Republican and Democrat alike, have their heads handed to them. And if one of them dares to claim discipleship to the Reagan doctrine of smaller government, let that one be buried up to the chest next to a hill of fire ants. This just stinks.

Glenn Reynolds offers his opinion.

Current Reading:

River of Doubt, by Candice Millard.

Wither the West?

The New Criterion's latest issue addresses the throat-baring by Western intellectuals to Islamofacism. This exerpt from Roger Kimball's essay:

Here is the novelty: Our new enemies are not political enemies in any
traditional sense, belligerent in the service of certain interests of their own.
Their belligerence is focused rather on the very existence of an alternative to
their vision of beatitude, namely on Western democracy and its commitment to
individual freedom and economic prosperity. I return to Hussein Massawi: “We are
not fighting so that you will offer us something. We are fighting to eliminate
you.”

And to oppose this threat the intelligensia offers Cindy Sheehan, Michael Moore, and Noam Chomsky.

Christmas Gospel Readings: John

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Christmas Gospel Readings: Luke 2

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Christmas Gospel Readings: Luke

The Magnificat

And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers,to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

Christmas Gospel Readings: Matthew


Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

All Things Ill Considered.

Julian Sanchez at Reason - Hit and Run has a nice little piece on conservative window dressing at NPR. The comments that follow the essay hit the nail squarely on the head about the standard fare on NPR's news programs All Things Considered and Morning Edition.

The Cycle of News Topics on ME and ATC (many courtesy of the thoughtful commentators on Sanchez's essay):

• The unfairness of the capitalist system
• The danger to the environment posed by the capitalist system
• The danger to children posed by the capitalist system
• Continuing racism in the US
• Continuing sexism in the US
• The plight of illegal aliens in the US
• Scandals in the (Catholic) Church, mostly about sex
• The latest threat posed by fundamentalist Christians
• Scandals of Republican politicians
• Too little funding for public education
• Inadequate healthcare
• "Progressive" art (almost always the last piece in the morning)
• Israeli persecution of Palestinians
• Crisis in the US Military (scandal, fraud, abuse, some-ism)

Write each of these on a 3x5 card, arrange them in any order you want, and voila! An instant Morning Edition program!

The Labyrinth of Justice.

The fate of "Tookie" Williams draws nigh. The Mainstream Meatpackers have provided an incessant drumbeat of reasons to grant Williams clemency from death. It's also important to recall Williams' brutal deeds. Here is a passage detailing the court record of the first killing by Williams, a convience store clerk named Albert Owens:

When [Williams' accomplices] Darryl and Sims entered the 7-Eleven, Owens put the broom and dust pan down and followed them into the store. Williams and [Williams' accomplice] Coward followed Owens into the store. (TT 2146-2152). As Darryl and Sims walked to the counter area to take money from the register, Williams walked behind Owens and told him "shut up and keep walking." (TT 2154).
While pointing a shotgun at Owens' back, Williams directed him to a back storage room. (TT 2154).

Once inside the storage room, Williams, at gunpoint, ordered Owens to "lay down, mother f*****." Williams then chambered a round into the shotgun. Williams then fired the round into the security monitor. Williams then chambered a second round and fired the round into Owens' back as he lay face down on the floor of the storage room. Williams then fired again into Owens' back. (TT 2162).

...Both of the shotgun wounds were fatal. (TT 2086). The pathologist
who conducted the autopsy on Owens testified that the end of the barrel was "very close" to Owens' body when he was shot. One of the two wounds was described as ". . . a near contact wound." (TT 2078).

After Williams murdered Owens, he, Darryl, Coward and Sims fled in the two cars and returned home to Los Angeles. The robbery netted them approximately $120.00. (TT 2280).

Once back in Los Angeles, Williams asked if anyone wanted to get
something to eat. When Sims asked Williams why he shot Owens, Williams said he "didn't want to leave any witnesses." Williams also said he killed Owens "because he was white and he was killing all white people." (TT 2189, 2193). Later that same day, Williams bragged to his brother Wayne about killing Owens. Williams said, "you should have heard the way he sounded when I shot him." Williams then made gurgling or growling noises and laughed hysterically about Owens' death. (TT 2195-2197)...

The record of the Williams killing of the three members of the Yang family can be found here.

The point here is not to advocate death for Williams. In fact, we at Dead Drifts oppose the death penalty because it represents the ultimate power over an individual the State can acquire and ultimately abuse. But it is the law in California, and the monstrous - and racist - nature of Williams' crimes cannot be dismissed frivolously. If it is the intent of capital punishment to express the outrage of society and the State toward heinous acts, then such an expression can be justified in the Williams case.