Gabrielle Giffords

The Westboro Baptist Church, The Supreme Court, And Free Speech

Ronald 2 Comments

What the author feared would happen has indeed occurred!

The Supreme Court of the United States has, by an 8-1 vote, decided that the hateful, anti gay Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, headed by the Reverend Fred Phelps, and consisting of about 50 people, almost all his relatives, have the right to disrupt military funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq or Afghanistan to protest the fact that gays have rights, and that America is going to the devil because gays are allowed to exist in America!

The fact that a military funeral is a time of mourning and stress for those connected to the dead soldier apparently had no effect on the Court, except for Associate Justice Samuel Alito, who, somewhat surprisingly, was the only dissenter.

So the Westboro Baptist Church can continue its evil deeds and disrupt funerals and promote hate, and the right of privacy of funeral attenders, including the family of the deceased, does not matter!

This despicable group not only has done this dastardly deed to families of soldiers, but also were present at the funeral of the nine year old girl murdered when Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was seriously wounded in Tucson, Arizona in January. The only difference there was that a large group of sympathizers of the parents of the young girl formed a wall of resistance to these characters, and kept them much further away from the funeral procession.

This is not, in the author’s mind, freedom of speech, or freedom of religion, or freedom of assembly. To call the Westboro Baptist Church a church is a mockery of the whole concept of religion!

All decent people will deplore this decision, and be embarrassed that Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined with Chief Justice John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, and even the ultimate swing vote, Anthony Kennedy, in writing this reprehensible decision!

This is not a victory for free speech, but rather a victory for hate, and insanity, and lack of respect for the dead, and lack of patriotism regarding the military, who sacrifice themselves every day in far off lands!

Surprising, but the author must commend Samuel Alito for having the courage to go against the tide, a man that the author has not highly admired. So I salute Alito for his brave stand for decency!

The Insanity Of Weapons On College Campuses: How Does It Promote Safety And Security?

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Texas and Arizona are leading the charge in promoting the idea of allowing guns on college campuses to prevent against threats to students and professors, as most infamous in the Virginia Tech massacre of 2006, but also present in other circumstances and incidents over the years.

Anyone over the age of 21 could carry a gun on campus under the Arizona proposal. How would one enforce this, when one considers that the majority of college students are under 21? And how does this save professors and students from a crazed gunman?

Does it not in fact promote the danger of any student unhappy with a grade, or angry at his girlfriend because of a dispute, or just anyone depressed and stressed, from opening up on fellow students and professors?

Would not the extreme rarity of a Virginia Tech event be worsened by exchanges of gunfire within a classroom or in a student lounge, as crossfire could lead to more people being harmed than otherwise? Are we not overreacting to a occasional tragic event, which could better be prevented by having strict gun control laws to prevent unstable people from having the ability to purchase a gun at a Walmart or other place similar, as Jared Loughner did in Tucson, Arizona before shooting Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killing six victims and wounding twelve people?

By this logic being promoted, then all high school students and teachers and administrators should have weapons on their person so as to prevent another high school massacre as at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado!

Utah is the only state to allow guns on all college campuses, but with the likelihood of Texas and Arizona joining them, the reality is that there will be more tragic shootings and deaths, not fewer.

But this is the gun lobby at its most extreme, and the nation is moving toward more violence, not less, in a country already with the highest death rate from guns in the world!

Arizona Is At It Again, Adding To Its Image As The Mississippi Of The 1960s!

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Arizona, the state of the near assassination of Gabrielle Giffords due to its loose regulation of who can purchase guns; the state denying 96 citizens, who need transplants, of any assistance because of budget cuts, but giving tax breaks to corporations; the state of discriminatory legislation against Latinos and Hispanics that is now being contested in the federal courts; now is adding to its horrible image as the equivalent of Mississippi in the 1960s, despite Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour’s belief that his state was a paragon of virtue in its treatment of African Americans in that decade!

Governor Jan Brewer, a person who evades explanation and responsibility for her wretched administration of the state government, is expected to sign new discriminatory legislation against illegal immigrants within the state, which is being considered by the Arizona legislature.

Under the proposed and likely legislation, illegal immigrants would not be allowed to drive within state boundaries, enroll their children in schools or receive most public benefits. Additionally, their children would have special birth certificates that make it clear they are not considered to be Arizona citizens.

School officials would have to ask for proof of citizenship for students, and hospitals would have to ask for papers of citizenship for those receiving non emergency care.

Also, no licenses would be given to illegal immigrants, including marriage licenses. And if one person in a family was an illegal immigrant, then a family could be evicted from public housing units. Additionally, if caught driving a car in the state boundaries, an illegal immigrant would face 30 days in jail and lose ownership of the car.

These laws are obviously unconstitutional, but the promoters of them hope the Supreme Court, unduly influenced by conservative business interests including the Koch Brothers, might continue their practice of acting in a manner which makes one wonder as to their qualifications to sit on the Supreme Court due to conflict of interest.

These new proposed laws would challenge basic freedoms and rights, which Arizona fails to understand is guaranteed to all who live in the United States, not just citizens.

Arizona citizens, who are decent people and do not promote hatred and prejudice as government policy, are embarrassed and upset as what the Arizona legislature is about to do only adds to that state being seen as a pariah and a disgrace!

And, by the way, if all illegal immigrants were somehow forced out of the state, the effect economically on Arizona would be massive, and the public relations damage done to Arizona’s image already will not be overcome any time soon, if ever!

The Moderation Of John McCain: Return Of The “Old” McCain

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Senator John McCain of Arizona has been transformed again, now back to the moderation he was famous for until he had a contested primary for re-election from former Congressman J. D. Hayworth in the midterm elections of 2010.

Highly critical of President Obama over the past two years, and generally very cranky and irritable, as well as mean spirited, and denying he had ever been a maverick, even though he called himself that for years, suddenly McCain is smiling and supportive in many ways of President Obama.

Now he feels that President Obama handled the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson masterfully, and also feels he has handled the Egyptian Revolution situation in am excellent manner. He has consulted recently with Obama, and suddenly, he is back to his old self that made him more appealing than most Republicans over the past decade.

Meanwhile, other Republicans, particularly many of those thinking of running for President, are finding fault with the approach of Obama, including Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann, Donald Trump, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, John Bolton, and others.

Isn’t it amazing how when campaigning for advancement politically, candidates will conjure up criticism and be hypocritical, while when the pressure is off, such as with John McCain in 2011, suddenly a charming, smiling, supportive politician recognizes accomplishment when it occurs! 🙂

The Gun Holocaust Going On In America: Some Sort Of Control Of Assault Weapons Essential!

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America is in the midst of a holocaust, caused by gun violence!

Not only have we witnessed the horrors of the attempted assassination of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, the wounding of 13 people, and the murder of six victims, including a nine year old girl.

We have also seen the growing violence against police officers, with just about a dozen attacked and a few killed across the country just in the past 24 hours!

We have seen the heated rhetoric, particularly of talk show host Glenn Beck, who is ratcheting up the talk of gun violence, promoting images of shooting people in the head constantly in recent days, as he condemns those who he sees as trying to threaten Americans’ rights to the Second Amendment! 🙁

Also, the statistic that on the average, 34 Americans are killed by gun violence in each 24 hour period, makes it clear that we are in the midst of a gun holocaust!

Cannot something be done to crack down on assault weapons, magazines that allow multiple bullets in the dozens in a short time, the ability to prevent mentally ill people from gaining the ability to purchase weapons, and other tactics to lower the gun violence without taking away a person’s right to hunt or to protect oneself with a hand gun?

If we cannot do something to control and limit gun violence, then everyone of us is in constant danger, and why would anyone wish to be a police officer when the threats are so great against their longevity?

It is essential that President Obama call for some reasonable controls on guns, while not taking away the rights of law abiding Americans. If he does not do so in some form tomorrow night, then we face more tragedies like Tucson, and more police victims, and all of us are in a growing dangerous position as we go about living our lives! 🙁

Gabrielle Giffords’ Congressional Seat: Should It Be Taken Away After Three Months? NO! :(

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A controversy has developed about Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ Congressional seat, as there is an Arizona law that states that if a member of the legislature cannot serve for three calendar months, then the seat should be declared vacant, and an election held to replace that member.

It is only felt to affect state legislative seats, and not the US Congress, which has always been the judge of its own membership.

Even the suggestion that her seat be taken away from her after three months due to the long period of recovery from being shot in the head in Tucson is an outrage!

There have been many examples of members of Congress who had long recuperations from injuries or health crises and did not see their seat taken away.

A few examples are as follows:

Senator Lyndon B. Johnson took six months off after a severe heart attack in 1955.

Senator Ted Kennedy was in the hospital for months after a small plane accident in 1964.

Senator Joe Biden was out of commission for months while recuperating from brain surgery in 1987.

Senator Tim Johnson had a long recovery after suffering a massive stroke which paralyzed him for a period of time in the early part of the past decade.

Of course, Congresswoman Giffords would have to decide whether she could seek reelection in 2012, but in the meantime, the only thing that is lost is her vote, as her staff is well equipped to handle all constituent needs without her presence.

It would be unjust to strip her of her position in the present Congress after such a horrific attack.

If she chooses to leave, that is her own choice, and if she chooses not to run for reelection, that is also her choice, but she should not be pushed out.

And certainly outrageous would be to hold an election, which would likely lead to a Republican replacing her. If anything, a Democrat could be appointed to replace her without an election, so that the party victory is upheld.

Speaker John Boehner: Inappropriate Responses To His Position And Significance!

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Speaker of the House John Boehner has demonstrated inappropriate responses to the position he holds, by recent actions rejecting gestures from President Obama.

In November, he refused to meet with the President on the budget at a White House meeting.

Last week, he rejected the offer of the President to travel on Air Force One to visit wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and to attend the memorial service for the victims of the Tucson shootings.

Now he has turned down the offer to attend the State Dinner for the Chinese President, who is visiting the United States.

What Boehner fails to understand is that he is not just a Congressman from Ohio now! He is the Speaker of the House, two heartbeats away from the Presidency!

Therefore, he has a special responsibility to attend important meetings and significant events, and to bone up on dealings with foreign nations, as the burden of the office of the Presidency could theoretically fall into his hands at any time!

His significance in the government structure is such that he has a responsibility to stop acting in a petty, overly partisan manner!

Right now, he is an embarrassment to the distinguished office that he has inherited! 🙁

Reflections On The Eve Of Two Anniversaries And The Recent Arizona Tragedy!

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This week marks the birthday and national holiday for the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr., who would have been 82 years old yesterday.

It also is the 50th Anniversary of the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy this coming Thursday.

And sadly, it is just a little more than a week since Jared Lee Loughner opened up fire in Tucson, Arizona, and killed six, wounded nineteen and attempted to assassinate Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords at a Congressional meeting with constituents outside a supermarket.

These three events all are tied together by the connection of gun violence, and by the specter of the plague of mental illness which is so much ignored in this society, as compared to people who have physical illnesses, such as heart disease or cancer.

Besides having reasonable controls on the type of ammunition available, and preventing unstable people from having the right to weapons, we need to recognize that mental illness is a malady which must be addressed, instead of overlooked and ignored until a tragedy occurs.

The need for national health care is ever more important in the midst of this recent tragedy, and the critics of the health care legislation that the Republicans are now trying to repeal must accept that the responsibility of all Americans is to help prevent future tragedies by providing necessary intervention, no matter what the cost in taxes!

The sooner we realize that we all have a responsibility to each other, that this is not just a ME society, but rather a WE society, then we will be able to start healing as a nation with many troubles, trials, and tribulations!

Reality: States With Higher Gun Ownership and Lax Gun Laws Have Higher Number of Gun Caused Deaths!

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The attempted assassination last week of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, which also led to six people dead and thirteen wounded, has again brought attention to gun control and access laws.

The astounding reality is that states with higher gun ownership and lax guns laws have much higher numbers of gun caused deaths!

It is ironic that the average citizen seems to think that owning and carrying a concealed weapon makes one safer, when in reality it does not!

One of the people in the crowd at the event in which Giffords was shot had a gun, had not pulled it out, and realizes now that he might have , in the heat of the moment, been seen as an accomplice had he done so. Also, others might have been shot in the moment of the anarchy of what was going on.

The idea, as in Arizona, that one can bring weapons to a bar or restaurant, where drinking can lead to arguments and fights, and that such carrying protects you, is a total insanity!

The idea being considered to allow people to bring guns on college campuses is totally unnerving, as an educational institution is no place for such weaponry!

We are becoming more and more two nations, defined by gun ownership and carrying of such weapons. Popularity of guns ownership is much higher in the South and the West, reminiscent of the old tradition in the nineteenth century of the frontier and the Wild West. The Northeast, Pacific Coast and major metropolitan areas in general see much lower rates of ownership and carrying, which is ironic as more people live in these areas, and yet the level of violence is much lower.

The fact that this nation is the most violent in the world, with the highest death rate from guns, should be a sobering point that makes us wonder whether there is not a need for some type of greater controls for reasons of public safety.

And the concept that ownership of guns protects us against a tyrannical government is truly insane, as we do not have that kind of government, and anyone who believes so is indeed dangerous, as he or she is paranoid and schizophrenic–in other words, mentally ill!

John Boehner: Poor Judgment!

Ronald 1 Comment

Speaker of the House John Boehner has shown terrible judgment in the past few days since the Tucson, Arizona tragedy.

While he expressed the proper statements in the wake of the attempted assassination of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and promoted an appropriate resolution through the House of Representatives on the matter, he showed very poor judgment in two other ways.

First, he failed to attend the memorial service on Wednesday evening in Tucson, which many politicians attended, and where Barack Obama gave what might be his best speech in office. The reason given is that he had a previous commitment that prevented him from attending–a Republican fund raising event! 🙁

Is a party fund raising event more important than the memorial service? Under NO circumstances is it an acceptable reason for the leader of the House of Representatives, second in line to the Presidency, to choose to play politics at such a delicate and significant moment! 🙁

The other example of terribly poor judgment is Boehner’s rejection of New York Republican Congressman Peter King’s proposal that a bill be considered to ban any weapon within 1,000 feet of any government official and any government event. Such a bill would make it a crime to do so, and lower the chances of such a horrific event as occurred last weekend, and it would also protect the ordinary citizen attending any public event hosted by a politician.

With the tragic event fresh in our minds, it is extremely disturbing that Boehner continues to play politics and to be unwilling to take leadership on an important suggestion that could save lives and make public events safer.

Boehner’s lack of principle so quickly just as he became Speaker a week ago is a bad sign of the future with him as a leader, and already makes one wish for the return of the accomplished leadership of Nancy Pelosi, hopefully in 2013!