Wendy Gonaver is a Quaker from Pennsylvania and a lifelong pacifist as well as an instructor in American studies. She was ready to start teaching at Cal State when officials presented her a loyalty pledge to to “defend” the U.S. and California constitutions “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” It is precisely the type of free speech and free exercise issue that Gonaver expected to teach about. She will not have the chance. When she declined the pledge, she was told that she could not teach in any public school in the state. It is the Cal State version of the Thomas More oath for teachers. Continue reading “California’s Thomas More Pledge: Cal State Fires College Instructor for Refusing to Sign Loyalty Oath”
Category: Bizarre
It was bad enough when polls of Iraqis were polled as overwhelmingly supporting attacks on U.S. personnel. Now, Iraqi officials have expressed absolute outrage at the suggestion that they should bear a small fraction of the costs of the war through cheap fuel for the U.S. military. Iraqi officials have said that the U.S. has a greater debt to pay Iraq and that the request is “immoral.” Continue reading “Iraqis Are Outraged at Suggestion that They Pay Part of War Costs Through Fuel”
Wheaton College professor Kent Gramm thought that divorcing his wife of 30 years was bad enough. Yet, he probably did not expect that the one asset that neither he nor his wife Lynelle would share is his income. He was fired by the college after 20 years, which viewed his divorce to be immoral. Continue reading “Matthew 19: Thou Shall Not Teach if Divorced — At Least at Wheaton College”
In Tarpon Springs, Florida, police has identified the body of a suicide victim as “D.C. Madam” Deborah Jeane Palfrey, 52. This is the second suicide associated with the case.
Muslims in the Indian state of Maharastra in the video below are shown tossing babies off a tower in a 500 year old tradition. While we would call the ritual child abuse, it apparently is called tradition in India — and an honor for the parents and terrified baby. Continue reading “Shock Video: Muslim Faithful Toss Babies from Indian Tower in 500-Year-Old Ritual”
Lesbians in Greece have gone to court to establish that they are not lesbians. Natives of the island of Lesbos are asking a court in Athens to establish that homosexual women are not lesbians — unless presumably they live on the island of Lesbos. Continue reading “What will the Isle of Man Say? Lesbians Sue Over Name”
In Memphis, Tenn., people are shaking their heads over the decision of Daphne Beasley, the principal of Hollis F. Price Middle College High School in South Memphis, who published the names of gay students who were “couples” on a list with heterosexual couples. The result was to “out” the students — a potentially dangerous course. Continue reading “Public Affection (No), Public Beating (Yes): Memphis Prinicipal Outs Two Gay Students”
Ginnah Muhammad is a Muslim woman in Michigan who was forced to decide whether to violate her religious principles (in removing a veil before testifying) or to lose her small-claims lawsuit. Muhammad wears a full hijab as well as a niqab, a veil that covers all but a 2-inch space for her eyes.When she refused, Hamtramck district court in 2006 dismissed her case. She has not appealed to the federal court. Continue reading “Not-So-Blind Justice: Muslim Woman Appeals Ruling Over Wearing of the Veil in Court”
Just when it seemed that things could not be worse for Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his former aide Crhistine Beatty, it did. Now emails released this week further establish a very compelling case that both lied under oath and spent millions in public funds to try to hide their role in the firing of a police officer as well as their affair. Continue reading “New E-Mails Strengthens Criminal Case Against Detriot Mayor and Aide”
Albert Hofmann, the father of the mind-altering drug LSD, died in Basel, Switzerland at the age of 102. He discovered the effect of lysergic acid diethylamide-25 by accident and used himself as the first test case. Continue reading “Albert Hofman — Father of LSD — Takes The Ultimate Trip”
A Dartmouth lecturer Priya Venkatesan appears to have some unresolved teaching issues with her Winter ’08 Writing 5 class. Most professors deal with a rude class with stern lectures, implied grading threats, and more homework. Venkatesan reportedly took a different tack: she informed the class that she is going to sue them for discrimination under Title VII. This appears genuine, though it remains hard to believe that any rationale academic would threaten such legal action. Continue reading “Dartmouth Professor Announces Intention to Sue Students for Being Mean to Her”
Once again, one has to wonder where we find some of the bureaucrats who run agencies like child protective services. University of Michigan Christopher Ratte, 47, made an innocent and understandable mistake at a Detroit Tiger’s game at Comerica Park. He bought his 7-year-old son a lemonade without understanding that it had alcohol. The result? The boy was taken from his parents for two days and Ratte had to move out of the home as subintelligent bureaucrats debated the matter. Continue reading “Michigan Professor Temporarily Loses Custody of Son Over Oversight at Baseball Game”
While many of us have continued to call for a ban on earmarks as a core area of corruption and abuse, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) appears unrepentent — even after years of criticism directed against her for earmarks. In 2009, Clinton has demanded nearly $2.3 billion in federal earmarks — 300% received by any other senator. Continue reading “Clinton Seeks $2.3 Billion in Earmarks”
Ashley Alexandra Dupre is outraged. Outraged. After working as a high-priced prostitute and been advertised on the Internet for shopping Johns, Dupre was shocked to learn that an earlier video that she made with Girls Gone Wild is being marketed by the company. Unfortunately, it may not be possible for both Dupre and GGW founder Joe Francis to lose, but here’s hoping . . . Continue reading “Spitzer Prostitute Sues Girls Gone Wild”
It may be the longest false imprisonment case in history. A 73-year-old man known only for now as Mr. F., has confessed in Amstetten, Austria to keeping his daughter (known as Elisabeth F) in a prison in his cellar for 24 years while he raped her and had children with her. They had a total of seven children and further confessed that one of the children (a twin) died and was burned in his oven. It is without question one of the most disgusting and disturbing crimes of the century. Continue reading “Austrian Father Confesses to Imprisoning and Raping Daughter for 24 Years”