Other International News- Africa

Terrorism is difficult. Its especially difficult when you its being waged halfway across the world, and multiple actors make any progress near impossible at best.
This is the case in Somalia. The U.S. supposedly wants a peacekeeping force in the region, but others think it will do nothing but inflame the tensions if it is not agreed upon by both parties.
Why do I bother to bring this up? Two reasons: first, the fact that all news around the world is important, and two, that this particular topic shows the worlds unwillingness to cross us when it comes to terrorism.

One EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some member states shared Brussels’ misgivings but Security Council permanent members Britain and France were reluctant to oppose Washington openly because of the “terrorism issue”.

I must emphasis that the article does make clear that the US officials interviewed denyed wanting to mount an independent peacekeeping force. So a lot of this is hearsay at best.

But its still important to sit back and see how other countries handle the US when it comes to terrorism worldwide. I would argue that the Iraq war has crippled America's ability to work with other countries on fighting terrorism (don't get me started on the methods used to fight terrorism) .
Hopefully the American people can see what is happening, and demand that America no longer tries to go it alone on terrorism, and instead collaborate with others to complete our common goal.

More Ellison Posting

I just can't get enough of this Keith-Ellison-bashing story. Read my previous post for the background.

The USA Today had an article that was titled, "Newly Elected Muslim Lawmaker Under Fire". Of course, he was not under fire until the bigoted Dennis Prager decided to make it an issue.

At the bottom of the story was this nugget, showing, once again, that Prager is allergic to doing research.

Prager, who is Jewish, wrote that no Mormon elected official has "demanded to put his hand on the Book of Mormon." But Republican Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon, carried a volume of Mormon scriptures that included the Bible and the Book of Mormon at his swearing-in ceremony in 1997.

Oops.

But wait, there's more.

According to the Library of Congress, Theodore Roosevelt became the first and only president to take an oath without a Bible in 1901. In 1961, John F. Kennedy took his oath on a Catholic (Douay) version of the Bible. Several Jewish members of Congress have taken their oath on the Torah. Article VI of the Constitution specifies that "... no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."

Even the Swamp from the Chicago Tribune sees the inherent stupidity in the statements by Prager.

Here we just celebrated Thanksgiving which had something to do with Pilgrims finding religious freedom in what later became America, as I recall, and days later, there’s a heated debate over someone choosing to take his oath of office on the Koran versus the Bible.

There is precedent in other religious texts being used. The only way that people can be angry now is if they are specifically against the use of the Koran.

And maybe that's what Prager is.

Conservatives Attack Keith Ellison's Religion

Conservatives are all about religion. Unless it's a different religion than Christianity; then they attack you.

Far-right Jewish talk show host Dennis Prager attacked Keith Ellison for using the Koran in his swearing in process. Prager says by doing so, Ellison will, "undermine[] American civilization." As if this isn't offensive enough, Prager goes on to denigrate the Koran itself. "America should not give a hoot what Keith Ellison's favorite book is," the blowhard writes, as if the Koran is some Sci-Fi novel that Ellison happens to like.

Of course, there are some problems with Prager's baseless attacks. From TPM Cafe:

The fact is that Members of Congress do not hold any book when they are sworn in. They simply gather in the House chamber and are sworn in en masse. Prager is referring to the private non-official swearing in ceremonies some Members stage essentially as a photo op.

Oh, but there is so much more from Prager, who obviously does not understand the seperation of church and state.

In your personal life, we will fight for your right to prefer any other book. We will even fight for your right to publish cartoons mocking our Bible. But, Mr. Ellison, America, not you, decides on what book its public servants take their oath.

So wait -- Prager is saying you are free to practice your religion as long as you keep it away from everyone else. But for official events, you must use the tome of Christianity. Has Prager ever read the Constitution -- the real writing that members of Congress should be concerned with?

Mark Daniels, a Christian, Ohio State University graduate with a Master's Degree in divinity, writes this on his blog:

irst, there's a little thing we Christians call "the Golden Rule." It was enunciated by Jesus, Who we believe is God as well as human, meaning that His word carries more than a little weight with us.

Jesus said, "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you..." (Matthew 7:12) As a Christian, I would be deeply resentful if I were forced to use a Koran when I swore an oath of office. Constitutional issues aside for a moment, no person should be forced to use the religious symbols or texts of any faith against their wills.

Christianity insists that no one can come to faith in Christ or be under the authority of God's Word by anything other than voluntary means. For Christians, faith in God is about having a trusting relationship with Christ, not adhering to some values system.

This is the Christian argument against forcing someone to use a Bible even if they do not believe that it is the Word of God. But there is also the Constitutional argument. Again, from Mr. Daniels:

[T]he Constitution clearly states, in Article 6, that there can be no religious test for holding office.

Prager ignores that pesky Constitution, saying basically the opposite of what the Constitution says:

If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress.

That sounds like a religious test for holding office to me...

I could go on all day with Prager's baseless, horrible attacks on Ellison and Islam in general. I mean, the man compared the Koran to "Mein Kampf"!

Would they allow him to choose Hitler's "Mein Kampf," the Nazis' bible, for his oath?

Why does Town Hall let this joker continue to write for them?

John F Kennedy (May 29, 1917–November 22, 1963)

Forty-three years ago today, John F Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. This is one of those moments that everyone remembers exactly where they were, exactly what they were doing when they heard the horrible news.

I was not alive then; I was still twenty years away from coming into this world. But it is still one of those events I have seen a thousand times on video, via the infamous Zapruder film.

I was looking around at different stories, and found this:

When a president is struck down by violent means, a blow is struck at the vital organs, at the nationhood, of the United States. The tragedy of the Kennedy family is a tragedy in all American homes.

The loss of the individual means as much as the blow that has been struck at the nation. John F. Kennedy studied the history and institutions of his nation throughout his life, seeking always to add to his knowledge and, most important, to apply this knowledge to public service. His speeches often echoed the words of former presidents, not out of feeble imitation as some charged, but out of deep respect for the men who preceded him in molding the office of president into the most important job in the world.

Who knows what would have happened with the rest of the Kennedy presidency? What we do know is that 43 years ago today was a horrible day in American history.

FOX Shows its Pro-Business Colors

I find it odd to find an article with such a sypathetic headline: "The Playstation 3 is Expensive for Sony, Too."
But of course since it was from Fox News, its not all that odd. I just found it was an odd tack to take when talking about the new video game system.
It could be dismissed as just a new angle on the story, but i find it odd that FOX is the one essentially telling the corporate side. Awesome.

Steny Hoyer New Majority Leader

In the end, it wasn't really all that close. From Talking Points Memo:

Hoyer prevails, 149-86 . . .

It's done.

Steny Hoyer (D-MD) will be the new House majority leader, holding off an upset bid by John Murtha (D-PA), who had the backing of Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi.

The final tally was not far off from predictions. Hoyer had long been the favorite. Until Pelosi's active involvement on behalf of Murtha this week, there wasn't much doubt about the outcome. But Pelosi's last-minute aggressive advocacy for Murtha did throw the race into turmoil.

Meanwhile, AmericaBlog throws in their two cents.

These intra-caucus battles are the worst kinds of elections. They get very intense and very personal. But, it's over now. The Democrats have to move on to the real agenda now. There's a lot of work to do. And, the Republicans are sharpening their knives. It's going to get ugly, so we'll need unity.

Remember, we won. This was an election for Majority Leader. Our side is in power. Nancy Pelosi is going to be the Speaker. They've got their leadership team in place. Now, they have to produce.

Meanwhile, Republicans, eager to find anything wrong with the Democrats, have gleefully said that this is a testament to soon-to-be Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's inability to lead.

Besides the fact that many Republicans saying this use the veiled assertion that it is Pelosi's gender that shows she cannot lead, this is ludicrous. Pelosi's backing of Murtha was more of a show of loyalty than anything that would truly change the vote.

The detestable Bob Novack writes about Jack Murtha.

Never before during his 32 low-profile years in the House could anyone have imagined Murtha seeking any leadership role. He has been a backroom distributor of federal pork who disdained public exposure, and he was in the headlines only as an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1980 Abscam scandal.

The only reason people believed that Murtha had any real shot is that the media decided to make it out like the race would be close. Steny Hoyer might even be able to take out Nancy Pelosi in a secret-ballot session.

He was the right choice, and the Democrats made the right decision.

Meanwhile, the Republicans resuscitate[d] racist Lott for a leadership position. Way to give up on getting the black vote, Republicans.

Just About Sums It Up

Olbermann Ratings Up, O'Reilly's Down Since Election Day

Countdown with Keith Olbermann is receiving significantly higher ratings since election day, and Fox News' Bill O'Reilly's are down since the same day.

Media Matters has the transcript from the November 10 edition of Countdown.

OLBERMANN: Its masterminds would argue just how connected or how intentional, but even they would agree the fates of Fox News Channel and the Republican Party are inextricably intertwined. So, guess who else is having a crappy week? Not counting Tuesday's election coverage, Bill Orally's ratings are down another five percent just from last week. Countdown's, coincidentally, are up another 32 percent. A look at that clichéd but coveted 25-to-54-year-old audience from last night: The O'Really Factor, 405,000; Countdown, 321,000; CNN, 210,000; Nancy "I Know What You Did Last Summer" Grace, 200,000. That's right -- we were doing 79 percent of Bill O's business. And it was worse the hour before at 7 o'clock. Wolf Blitzer, 327,000; Chris Matthews, 302,000; Shepard Smith on Fox, 262,000. Fox, third place. He will be punished severely!

I think the most telling point is "the fates of Fox News Channel and the Republican Party are inextricably intertwined." Fox News has been an important ally and megaphone of Republican talking points. If Fox News' ratings go down, the Republican party will suffer. After the Republican party went down in flames Tuesday night, Fox News suffered.

Maybe people are finally growing tired of the 'news' from Fox News' perspective.

And speaking of Olbermann, there is an arrest in the white powder case. Don't remember this? Read my post here.

Olbermann wasn't the only public figure targeted.

According to a federal search warrant, among those who received threatening letters were Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show;" talk show host David Letterman; Keith Olbermann of MSNBC; Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, who is set to become Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, both Democrats.