Category: Politics

Flashpoint? Evidence Points to a North Korean Torpedo as Cause of Warship Sinking

North Korea has long succeeded in committing crimes ranging from kidnapping to murder with little consequence as the West tries to avoid a full-out war in Asia. That may get increasingly difficult after both South Korean and U.S. officials confirmed that North Korea likely sank the warship Cheonan (Pohang-class corvette) with a torpedo.
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Danish Newspaper Allegedly Forces Controversial Cartoonist Into Retirement in Wake of Threats From Muslim Extremists

Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard recently survived worldwide calls by Muslims for his murder and a recent attack at his home by a Muslim with an axe. His newspaper the Jyllands-Posten daily newspaper has responded by effectively firing him — allegedly to avoid further death threats from extremists. If true, it is only the latest example of newspapers and publishers caving in to such threats, including the shameful act of censorship by Comedy Central and a similar act by Yale University Press.
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Prosecutors Charge Former Nurse With Encouraging Suicide

There is a fascinating case in Minneapolis that raises some important free speech issues in an assisted suicide case. William Melchert-Dinkel, 47, was charged with two felony counts of aiding suicide under a Minnesota law that criminalizes even verbal encouragement of suicide. Adding to the novelty is the fact that state prosecutors are charging Melchert-Dinkel in deaths that occurred not only outside the state but outside the country.
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Seattle Cartoonist Declares May 20th as “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day”

While a Saudi lawyer is suing in England over the Danish cartoon controversy (here), Seattle cartoonist Molly Norris has declared May 20th “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day.” Norris took the action after the shameful decision of Comedy Central to censor an episode of South Park after Muslims threatened to kill the creators of South Park for showing Mohammed in a bear suit.
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Saudi Lawyer To Sue In England Over Danish Cartoons on Behalf of the Descendants of Mohammed

Muslim lawyers are continuing their campaign against Danish newspapers over those Mohammed cartoons, even after one newspaper, Politiken, apologized to Muslims. Now, in England, they have filed a lawsuit on behalf of 95,000 direct descendants of Mohammad over the cartoons filed in Denmark.
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Governor Signs Controversial Immigration Law Amid Promises of Legal Challenges

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has signed that state’s new immigration bill despite widespread questions over its constitutionality. Shortly before Brewer announced the signing, President Barack Obama ordered the Justice Department to monitor possible civil rights violations, here.

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Pennsylvania Representative “Outs” Opponent For Being a Faux Bisexual

Pennsylvania Rep. Babette Josephs (D., Phila.) has outed her opponent, Gregg Kravitz, in a bruising campaign in Philadelphia. While politicians often face allegations of being a closeted homosexual, Josephs is accusing Kravitz of being a closet heterosexual in the liberal district.

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Pope on a Rope: Benedict XVI Named in New Abuse Lawsuit

Pope Benedict XVI is named in a new lawsuit on child abuse in a case that will test the claims of diplomatic immunity claimed by the Vatican’s lawyers, here. The claims stem from the alleged cover-up of abuse by a priest at a Catholic school in Wisconsin, Father Lawrence Murphy. The lawsuit seeks the names of potentially thousands of similar priests facing “credible allegations of sexual misconduct” against them.

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Hold It For New York: Governor Closes Last Restrooms on Non-Toll Roads in New Jersey

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie strongly suggests that you go before taking to the New Jersey non-toll roads. As another example of how states are selling or reducing basic services in this economic crisis, Christie will close the last two restrooms to save $270,000.

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Not Funny: Comedy Central Accused of Self-Censorship of South Park

We previously posted on the death threats levied against South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, here. The extremists appear to have succeeded. Comedy Central confirmed that they blocked out mention of Mohammad’s name and image in the later episode.

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Obama to Gay Rights Protesters: You Don’t Have To Holler

President Barack Obama chastised liberal protesters who interrupted his speech this week in support of Senator Barbara Boxer by asking why they think they need to holler to be heard. In the meantime, back in Washington, the White House was clearing Lafayette Park of media who were unable to hear protesters who handcuffed themselves to the fence. They apparently needed to holler but it did little good.

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New York Town Threatens To Use Eminent Domain If Citizens Do Not Sell Out To Powerful Developer

Despite the criticism of the Supreme Court’s eminent domain ruling in Kelo, the city of Auburn, New York appears undeterred and is threatening to invoke eminent domain to seize private property for a private company. The Kelo opinion was wrongly decided in allowing a Connecticut town to seize homes to give the land to a private company. Putting that flawed legal logic aside, I am astonished that elected officials continue to abuse eminent domain powers in this way and shows the need for state laws barring the practice. Mayor Mike Quill insists that the interests of the majority (and one powerful developer) must trump the property rights of a few citizens.
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South Park Creators Threatened With Death Over Depiction of Muhammad

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the latest writers or artists to face death threats over a depiction of Muhammad. In this case, the threats are based on an image of Muhammad in a bear suit on the cartoon program “South Park.” Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee of RevolutionMuslim wrote on his Twitter account “May Allah kill Matt Stone and Trey Parker and burn them in Hell for all eternity. They insult our prophets Muhammad, Jesus, and Moses…”
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