Hey, dimbulb tourists! It's a church!

Roto-Reuters: Gum battle marks St Peter's 500th anniversary

Michelangelo designed its dome and Bernini created its columns, but St Peter's Basilica has the modern age to thank for the chewing gum stuck to its floors and the graffiti marring its walls.

As the Vatican launched a 500th anniversary celebration of St Peter's on Thursday, the prelate in charge of the upkeep of Christianity's largest church was considering how to save it for another half millennia.

"People have no idea how much time and energy is wasted removing chewing gum," Cardinal Francesco Marchisano told a news conference on Thursday to launch a year-long series of events.

"It gets stuck all over the place and finds its way into the crevices in the marble. Ah, that poor marble!"

As many as 30,000 visitors stream every day into the basilica, which marks the burial place of the apostle St Peter and was built by some of Italy's most famous architects, including Michelangelo, Donato Bramante, Raphael and Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Visitor numbers have swelled further since the death of Pope John Paul II last April and thousands daily queue for hours to visit his tomb deep in the bowels of the church -- some of them dropping gum and scribbling on the marble as they wait.

An army of Vatican workers, known as "sanpietrini" (little St Peters), work full time trying to repair the damage and remove the stains left by visitors.

Marchisano said upkeep was not cheap. Although he declined to give a precise figure, he said most of the funds were met by tickets sold to those wanting to visit the giant dome or "cupola."

Aid has also sometimes come from the guilty.

Marchisano recalled a rector from an English university who sent a cheque for 1,500 euros ($1,850) after he discovered his students had signed their names on the ceiling of the cupola designed by Michelangelo in 1558.

One place the vandals could not damage is the necropolis of St Peter, where only 50,000 visitors are allowed in each year because of its tiny space and the need to protect the ancient paintings and relics from humidity, he added.

The Vatican is marking its year-long celebration of St Peter's with a series of events. A major exhibition about the basilica's history, including the first display of the stone marking St Peter's 2,000-year-old tomb, will open in October.

I get mail from starving filmmakers...

Mr. Fritz, the suspiciously German-surnamed artiste who made the documentary about the Slave China punk band Joyside gets it just a little tiny bit.

I think.


Kevonthefritz said

You are an idiot...but thanks for the plug on your website.

I would like to send you a copy of the film to do a review. Then you can tell me if you think these dudes are smarter than me. I never remember the paper or myself claiming to be smarter than JOYSIDE.

The title of that song is "A Girl From Nowhere" and not a girl from London. Originally it was but they changed it because it was no longer about a specific girl but girls in general.

Also to be noted in the credits of the film there is a credit given to Super Bowl Champs Pittsburgh Steelers.


Fritz, baby, thanks for visiting and commenting.

You are wrong. I only play an idiot on the computer. It is my idiom and I get it from the Russian side of the family.

I would love to have a copy of your film, but that would entail the disclosure of my dacha's secret location. I will consult with my attorneys and e-mail you later.

With regard to my comment on the level of your mental acuity, I was referring to your statement quoted in the article:

"I kind of think in Eastern Europe, two things ended Communism -- rock 'n' roll and Pope John Paul II."

While Pope John Paul the Great's role has been largely ignored, I find it hard to believe rock 'n'roll could even crack the Top Ten list of reasons the Soviet Union fell. (See Reagan, Solidarity, AFL-CIO, Thatcher, the insipid idea of socialism itself, et cetera.)

That was the first time I grew suspicious of your gray matter.

The second? You went back to the hellhole in a cesspool wrapped in barbed wire and an enigma that is Slave China. Joyside, on the other hand:

"They just want to play music and get out of China."

That seems the more reasonable and rational position. The fact that they can't get out makes them slaves, not dopes. I doubt they would be brain surgeons out here in the real world, but then again, they aren't bloggers. Or filmmakers.

Every cretin that takes a check from Lancaster Newspapers, Inc. deserves to be ignored into unemployment. But it is tough to fight a monopoly. I wish I had denigrated their intelligence. Thanks for reminding me.

As for the song title, I couldn't understand a word the guy said. I was going off the graphics at the beginning of the video.

All that being said, I would like to offer my humblest appy-polly loggies for any offense my typing caused. (Super Bowl XL Champion Steelers fans must stick together.)

The Theology of the Body: 91. St Paul's Analogy of the Union of Head and Body

In his General Audience of 25 August 1982, the Holy Father continued his catechesis on theology of the body, by further examination of Ephesians 5. He focussed attention on the analogy of head and body, as analogous to both the Christ-Church relationship and the husband-wife relationship.


St Paul's Analogy of the Union of Head and Body

During the general audience at St Peter's Square on Wednesday evening, 25 August, the Holy Father continued his catechesis on the Letter to the Ephesians.


1. In the preceding reflections on the Letter to the Ephesians (5:21-33), we drew attention especially to the analogy of the relationship which exists between Christ and the Church, and of that which exists between husband and wife united by the bond of marriage. Before undertaking the analysis of the further passages of the text in question, we must note that within the range of the fundamental Pauline analogy: Christ and the Church, on the one hand, and man and woman as spouses on the other, there is a supplementary analogy: the analogy of the head and of the body. This analogy confers a chiefly ecclesiological significance on the statement we analyzed: the Church as such is formed by Christ; it is constituted by him in its essential part, as the body is by the head. The union of the body with the head is above all of an organic nature. To put it simply, it is the somatic union of the human organism. The biological union is founded directly on this organic union, inasmuch as it can be said that the body lives by the head (even if at the same time, though in a different way, the head lives by the body). Besides, in the case of man, the psychic union, understood in its integrity, and the integral unity of the human person is also founded on this organic union.

Eschatological perspective

2. As already stated (at least in the passage analyzed), the author of the Letter to the Ephesians has introduced the supplementary analogy of the head and the body within the limits of the analogy of marriage. He even seems to have conceived the first analogy, "head-body," in a more central manner from the point of view of the truth about Christ and the Church proclaimed by him. However, one must equally affirm that he has not placed it alongside or outside of the analogy of marriage as a conjugal bond—quite the contrary. In the whole text of the Letter to the Ephesians (5:21-33), especially in the first part with which we are dealing (5:22-23), the author speaks as if in marriage also the husband is "head of the wife," and the wife "the body of the husband," as if the married couple formed one organic union. This can find its basis in the text of Genesis which speaks of one flesh (Gn 2:24), or in that same text to which the author of the Letter to the Ephesians will shortly refer in the context of this great analogy. Nevertheless, the text of Genesis makes clear that the man and the woman are two distinct personal subjects who knowingly decide on their conjugal union, defined by that ancient text with the words "one flesh." This is equally clear also in the Letter to the Ephesians. The author uses a twofold analogy: head-body, husband-wife, for the purpose of illustrating clearly the nature of the union between Christ and the Church. In a certain sense, especially in the first part of the Letter to the Ephesians 5:22-23, the ecclesiological dimension seems decisive and dominant.

Particular relationship

3. "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church, his body, and is himself its Savior. As the Church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church, and gave himself up for her..." (Eph 5:22-25). This supplementary analogy "head-body" indicates that within the limits of the entire passage of the Letter to the Ephesians 5:21-33, we are dealing with two distinct subjects. In virtue of a particular reciprocal relationship, in a certain sense they become a single subject. The head, together with the body, constitutes a subject (in the physical and metaphysical sense), an organism, a human person, a being. There is no doubt that Christ is a subject different from the Church. However, in virtue of a particular relationship, he is united with her, as in an organic union of head and body. The Church is so strongly, so essentially herself in virtue of a mystical union with Christ. Is it possible to say the same thing of the spouses, of the man and the woman united by the marriage bond? If the author of the Letter to the Ephesians sees also in marriage the analogy of the union of head and body, this analogy in a certain sense seems to apply to marriage in consideration of the union which Christ constitutes with the Church, and the Church with Christ. Therefore, the analogy regards, above all, marriage itself as that union through which "the two become one flesh" (Eph 5:31; cf. Gn 2:24).

Bi-subjectivity

4. This analogy, however, does not blur the individuality of the subjects: that of the husband and that of the wife, that is, the essential bi-subjectivity which is at the basis of the image of "one single body." Rather, the essential bi-subjectivity of the husband and wife in marriage, which makes of them in a certain sense "one single body," passes within the limits of the whole text we are examining (Eph 5:21-33) to the image of Church-Body united with Christ as head. This is seen especially in this text where the author describes the relationship of Christ to the Church precisely by means of the image of the relationship of the husband to the wife. In this description the Church-Body of Christ appears clearly as the second subject of the spousal union to which the first subject, Christ, manifests the love with which he has loved her by giving himself for her. That love is an image and above all a model of the love which the husband should show to his wife in marriage, when the two are subject to each other "out of reverence for Christ."

Two become one flesh

5. We read: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the Church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the Church, because we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man should leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'" (Eph 5:25-31).

Aim is sanctification

6. It is easy to perceive that in this part of the text of the Letter to the Ephesians (5:21-33), bi-subjectivity clearly dominates. It is manifested both in the relationship Christ-Church, and also in the relationship husband-wife. This does not mean to say that the image of a single subject disappears: the image of "a single body." It is preserved also in the passage of our text, and in a certain sense it is better explained there. This will be seen more clearly when we submit the above-quoted passage to a detailed analysis. Thus the author of the Letter to the Ephesians speaks of the love of Christ for the Church by explaining the way in which that love is expressed, and by presenting at the same time both that love and its expressions as a model which the husband should follow in regard to his wife. The love of Christ for the Church has essentially her sanctification as its scope. "Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her that he might sanctify her" (5:25-26). Baptism is a principle of this sanctification. Baptism is the first and essential fruit of Christ's giving himself for the Church. In this text baptism is not called by its own proper name, but is defined as purification "by the washing of water with the word" (5:26). This washing, with the power that derives from the redemptive giving of himself by Christ for the Church, brings about the fundamental purification through which Christ's love for the Church acquires a spousal character, in the eyes of the author of the letter.

7. It is known that the sacrament of baptism is received by an individual subject in the Church. However, beyond the individual subject of baptism the author of the letter sees the whole Church. The spousal love of Christ is applied to her, the Church, every time that a single person receives in her the fundamental purification by means of baptism. Whoever receives baptism becomes—by the virtue of the redemptive love of Christ—at the same time a participant in his spousal love for the Church. In our text "the washing of water with the word" is an expression of the spousal love in the sense that it prepares the Bride (Church) for the Bridegroom. It makes the Church the spouse of Christ, I would say, in actu primo. Some biblical scholars observe that in this text, the washing with water recalls the ritual ablution which preceded the wedding—something which constituted an important religious rite also among the Greeks.

Ecclesiological dimension

8. As the sacrament of baptism, "the washing of water with the word" (Eph 5:26) renders the Church a spouse not only in actu primo but also in the more distant perspective, in the eschatological perspective. This opens up before us when we read in the Letter to the Ephesians that "the washing of water" serves, on the part of the groom "to present the Church to himself in splendor without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish" (Eph 5:27). The expression "to present to himself" seems to indicate that moment of the wedding in which the bride is led to the groom, already clothed in the bridal dress and adorned for the wedding. The text quoted indicates that the Christ-spouse himself takes care to adorn the spouse-Church. He is concerned that she should be beautiful with the beauty of grace, beautiful by virtue of the gift of salvation in its fullness, already granted from the moment of the sacrament of baptism. But baptism is only the beginning from which the figure of the glorious Church will emerge (as we read in the text), as a definitive fruit of the redemptive and spousal love, only with the final coming of Christ (parousia).

We see how profoundly the author of the Letter to the Ephesians examines the sacramental reality, proclaiming its grand analogy. Both the union of Christ with the Church, and the conjugal union of man and woman in marriage are illumined in this way by a particular supernatural light.

Behold the antique media's masochistic submissiveness before the teeny, tiny phallic symbol that is Slavemaster Hu.

AP: Chinese Media Ignore White House Gaffes
BEIJING - Chinese news reports made no mention Friday of the protester who interrupted President Hu Jintao's visit with President Bush or a White House announcer flubbing China's official name. But ordinary Chinese commenting on Web sites accused President Bush of insulting Hu. "You can see from Bush's lack of respect for foreign leaders just how lacking he is in class," said a posting on a bulletin board run by the People's Daily, the main Communist Party newspaper.

1. Of course Slave China's government-run media made no mention of yesterday's slave revolt. They were too busy helping the secret police track down the poor woman's family members who were not fortunate enough to make it to freedom.
2. Stupid BushMonkey White House! How hard is it to say "Slave China".
3. Respect? Hu's a mass-murdering thug. He's lucky we don't hang him from from the nearest tree.


From the Chicago Tribune:

More pomp than circumstance
Two leaders agree to disagree on issues

WASHINGTON -- With a 21-gun salute and an array of military honor guards, President Bush welcomed President Hu Jintao of China to the White House for an hourlong meeting and a ceremonial lunch, but they had little tangible to show for a meeting marred by protest on the South Lawn.

"Marred"? Just pretend that protester was a scientologist or a moslem protesting CuriousGeorge's policies. Or imagine it was Cindy Sheehag! The antiquers would call her a martyr.


The Guardian: Protester gatecrashes Hu visit as China and US fail to make progress

Same as the one above. Who cares what British commies think?


The piece de la resistance has to be this steaming pile of dictator-envy by noted pantywaist Dana Milbank of Washington's other newspaper.

China and Its President Greeted by a Host of Indignities

Awwww...poor murderous son of a bitch.

If only the White House hadn't given press credentials to a Falun Gong activist who five years ago heckled Hu's predecessor, Jiang Zemin, in Malta. Sure enough, 90 seconds into Hu's speech on the South Lawn, the woman started shrieking, "President Hu, your days are numbered!" and "President Bush, stop him from killing!"

Bush and Hu looked up, stunned. It took so long to silence her -- a full three minutes -- that Bush aides began to wonder if the Secret Service's strategy was to let her scream herself hoarse. The rattled Chinese president haltingly attempted to continue his speech and television coverage went to split screen.

"You're okay," Bush gently reassured Hu.

But he wasn't okay, not really. The protocol-obsessed Chinese leader suffered a day full of indignities -- some intentional, others just careless. The visit began with a slight when the official announcer said the band would play the "national anthem of the Republic of China" -- the official name of Taiwan. It continued when Vice President Cheney donned sunglasses for the ceremony, and again when Hu, attempting to leave the stage via the wrong staircase, was yanked back by his jacket. Hu looked down at his sleeve to see the president of the United States tugging at it as if redirecting an errant child.

Then there were the intentional slights. China wanted a formal state visit such as Jiang got, but the administration refused, calling it instead an "official" visit. Bush acquiesced to the 21-gun salute but insisted on a luncheon instead of a formal dinner, in the East Room instead of the State Dining Room. Even the visiting country's flags were missing from the lampposts near the White House.

But as protocol breaches go, it's hard to top the heckling of a foreign leader at the White House. Explaining the incident -- the first disruption at the executive mansion in recent memory -- White House and Secret Service officials said she was "a legitimate journalist" and that there was nothing suspicious in her background. In other words: Who knew?

Hu did. (If Milbank wasn't such a pinko pinhead, I'd think he was trying to be funny. - F.G.) The Chinese had warned the White House to be careful about who was admitted to the ceremony. To no avail: They granted a one-day pass to Wang Wenyi of the Falun Gong publication Epoch Times. A quick Nexis search shows that in 2001, she slipped through a security cordon in Malta protecting Jiang (she had been denied media credentials) and got into an argument with him. The 47-year-old pathologist is expected to be charged today with attempting to harass a foreign official.

Bush apologized to the angry Chinese leader in the Oval Office. "Frankly, we moved on," National Security Council official Dennis Wilder told reporters later. It was, he said, a "momentary blip."

Maybe, but Hu was in no mood to make concessions. In negotiations, he gave the U.S. side nothing tangible on delicate matters such as the nuclear problems in North Korea and Iran, the Chinese currency's value and the trade deficit with China.

Wilder pleaded for understanding. "Some people today want to see a quick fix to the trade imbalance," he explained. "But in the new global economy there is no quick fix."

In the arrival ceremony, Bush, after leading Hu on a review of the troops, welcomed him to the White House. Hu clapped for himself. He was less enthusiastic about the long list of demands Bush made in his welcome speech: expand Chinese consumption of U.S. goods, enforce intellectual property rights, and allow freedom to assemble, speak and worship.

Hu's reply was overshadowed by what the White House transcript politely called an "audience interruption," as if somebody had sneezed.

Oh, Dana! You're such a clever boy!

The meeting in the Oval Office brought more of the same. In front of the cameras, Bush thanked Hu for his "frankness" -- diplomatic code for disagreement -- and Hu stood expressionless. The two unexpectedly agreed to take questions from reporters, but Bush grew impatient as Hu gave a long answer about trade, made all the longer by the translation. Bush at one point tapped his foot on the ground. "It was a very comprehensive answer," he observed when Hu finished.

Last came the unofficial state luncheon. After the butter heirloom corn broth and the ginger-scented dumplings had been consumed, Hu rose with a toast that proclaimed he and Bush had "reached a broad and important agreement on China-U.S. relations."

The White House didn't see it that way. Instead of a statement about a new accord with China, it issued a press release titled "MEDICARE CHECK-UP: Prescription Drug Benefit Enrollment Hits 30 Million . . . ."


WTF??? Is Bob Dornan back in Congress?

Hu's visit nothing to celebrate

Today, President Bush will roll out the red carpet for Chinese President Hu Jintao, a leader whose government brutally crushes freedom, democracy and the religious expression of the Chinese and Tibetan people. Hu will receive the best welcome U.S. taxpayer money can buy, including full military honors and a 21-gun salute.

This is the same regime that provides military technologies to countries that threaten international security, including Iran and North Korea. The same regime that threatens Taiwan with a military attack, detains and tortures Chinese people for expressing their political and religious beliefs and arrests Tibetans for carrying a picture of the Dalai Lama.

Nope. That was Nancy Pelosi, who apparently strapped on a pair she borrowed from Hitlery. Don't worry, all you left-fascists out there. She doesn't mean a word of it.


In the following editorial, the geniuses at the Old Gray Whore once again pretend there is no difference between us and the commie butchers. (Well, to be fair, there isn't much difference between the NYT and the slavemasters. All that is missing is the nerve to pull the trigger.)

How Dare They Use Our Oil!


How's this for nerve? The leader of a country that consumes more than 20 million barrels of oil a day is warning the leader of a country that consumes some 6.5 million barrels not to try to lock up world oil resources. When President Bush welcomes the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, to the White House today, the American complaint will be that China's appetite for oil affects its stance on Iran, Sudan and other trouble spots.

In other words, China is acting just like everyone else: subjugating its foreign policy to its energy concerns. The United States does it, too — witness its long-running alliance with Saudi Arabia.

Still, the size of China's population — 1.3 billion people — puts things into an alarming context. China recently overtook Japan as the world's second-biggest consumer of oil. Its real gross domestic product is growing at 8 to 10 percent a year, and its need for energy is projected to increase by about 150 percent by 2020. China's move from bicycles to cars has accelerated its oil consumption; by 2010, China is expected to have 90 times the number of cars it had in 1990, and it will probably have more cars than America by 2030.

That leaves the world with two options. The first is to manage energy resources better. The other is to look for another planet. Simply continuing the current trends isn't viable, especially with the growing needs of India, with its one billion people and a growing economy of its own.

Stop the presses! The world has only two (count 'em, two!) options. These guys must be Ivy Leaguers.

BTW, did you ever notice how the Old Gray Whore's options never include freedom? They've never met a strongman they didn't like. (Insert leftist sadomasochistic fantasy here. "Oh, Hu. You're much, much bigger in person!"

The United States doesn't have the right to tell a third of humanity to go back to their bicycles because the party's over. Clearly, Mr. Bush and Mr. Hu must tackle energy in a real and meaningful way. That can be done only if the United States both helps China find alternative energy sources and shows that America is doing the same thing itself.

The best possible course would be for China to leapfrog an oil-based economy and head toward sustainable alternative fuels, just as other countries are jumping past the construction of land lines for telephone service and going straight to wireless systems. China has a lot of biomass — crops, forests and wood products — that could be converted into ethanol.
China, like America, has a lot of coal. But the world can't afford for it to go ahead with a proposal to build hundreds of coal-fired power plants; that would be an environmental disaster. The United States can help stave that off by sharing clean coal technology.

None of this cooperation will work unless the United States provides leadership by making sacrifices of its own. Asking other countries to lay off the world's oil supply so America can continue to support its gas-guzzling Hummers doesn't really cut it.

Said the knuckleheads who ride limos to the office.


And finally, there's this bit of nonsense brought to you by the orphaned bastard child of noted humanitarian Ted "I can't even keep Jane Fonda satisfied" Turner.

Godless Man at Yale

From CNN:

Yale President Richard Levin met privately Friday morning with Hu, but like the Chinese leader's earlier welcome in Washington, not everything went as planned. (Details)

A CNN reporter was thrown out of the welcoming ceremony after he shouted a question about whether Hu had seen the protesters gathered on the city green, school officials said. Yale spokeswoman Helene Kalsky said the reporter was thrown out because he was invited "to cover an event, not to hold a press conference."

I'll bet you $20.00 CNN doesn't make a peep about it.

Hu answered two questions from the crowd during his speech, both of which had been submitted in advance. He was asked whether China was concerned that limiting political freedom would cause social unrest that could undermine the economic growth.

He said China is committed to democracy.

Ha! Get a load of the comedic stylings of Sheckey Hu. When he kills, he really kills.

"China's political system suits its economic development," Hu said.

Religion of Fascism Update.

That Front Page Symposium was right on target. When we are all about to be beheaded by the mohammedan conquerers and their leftist enablers, we should remember that we had plenty of warning.

The good news? Our own totalitarian leftist quislings will be right behind us.

Islamic States Press for Limits on Free Expression
(CNSNews.com) - Islamic groups and governments are pressing international organizations to take steps, including legal ones, to provide protection for their religion in the wake of the Mohammed cartoon controversy, and they're having some success. Full Story

How would you like to beat down Slavemaster Hu and his commie thugs?

Adopt a baby girl from Slave China! Not only can you set these little girls free, chances are excellent you will be saving their lives as well. (Plus, you can say nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah to your friendly neighborhood "feminist" babykiller.)

Human life has always been dirt cheap in China, and girls especially so.It is now worse than ever thanks to the rebellion against God known as communism.

Nota Bene: Be very careful, kiddies. There are plenty of people out there who have no problem exploiting the desires of decent people seeking to adopt.

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Brother Derek is not just Fyodor's sentimental pick to win the Kentucky Derby.

From Sports Illustrated: The One To Beat
By Tim Layden

Kentucky Derby dreams can change people. They can make wealthy owners squander millions on frail yearlings with good breeding, and they can make trainers believe that a slow horse will suddenly run fast or that a fast horse will run far. Derby dreams can go beyond hope. This year they are giving a 47-year-old man one more reason to keep on living.

On a July afternoon in 2004, trainer Dan Hendricks was in a motocross crash that left him paralyzed below the waist. Once vibrant, he lay in a San Diego hospital bed, numb and disconsolate.

"He was talking about the most desperate things you can imagine," says fellow trainer Dick Mandella, who visited him the day after the accident, "like wishing the wreck hadn't stopped hurting him halfway."

Twenty-one hard months have passed for Hendricks. He runs his stable of 23 thoroughbreds from a six-wheel, motorized all-terrain chair. "It's still hard to deal with," he says of his condition. He has been helped by his tireless staff, by the love of his three sons and by a powerful bay 3-year-old colt named Brother Derek, who might wear a blanket of roses on the first Saturday in May.

Last Saturday at Santa Anita Park, Brother Derek toyed with four opponents and won the Santa Anita Derby by 3 1/4 lengths, solidifying his status as the Kentucky Derby favorite. After the race Hendricks reached up from his wheelchair in the winner's circle and lovingly smacked the white splotch in the middle of Brother Derek's brown face. "He's been an inspiration to me," says the trainer. "He's been a big help in getting me out to work every day."

Hendricks raced motocross bikes as a teenager, quit at age 18 and then started again 24 years later because it was something he could do with his boys: Chris, 15, Matt, 13, and Greg, 10. He even began racing again, in veterans' events.

On the afternoon of his accident, at a motocross track an hour from home, Hendricks went off a jump, got sideways in the air and landed badly; his head slammed into the dirt. "I knew it was a bad sign that I didn't feel any pain in my legs," he says. "They told me in the hospital that I had a complete fracture of my T3 vertebra, which means no chance for recovery."
Hendricks underwent surgery to stabilize his spine and returned to work in six weeks. Assistant trainer Francisco Alvarado had helped keep the stable running, but the barn needed Hendricks's relentless, chops-busting spirit. "We missed his jokes," says Alvarado.

Hendricks sought something beyond the old routine, and he found it on a March morning in 2005, eight months after the accident. At the Barrett's auction of 2-year-old horses in Pomona, Calif., Hendricks and his longtime client Cecil Peacock, an oilman from Calgary, wanted Brother Derek, and Peacock paid $275,000 for the California-bred juvenile.

Hendricks's horse sense is in his genes. His father, Lee, and Lee's twin brother, Byron, were renowned horsemen. In the 1950s they had a barnstorming rodeo act that featured expertly trained dogs, mules and horses. At the climax of the act each twin stood on the backs of a team of horses -- Roman riding -- and then jumped over a car from opposite directions. Lee, 82, says he and his brother, who died in 1992, were once paid $10,000 for a show at Madison Square Garden and appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. The Hendricks brothers called their act The Flying Twins. Later they helped break racehorses of bad habits and became known as The Horse Psychiatrists.

Two mornings before the Santa Anita Derby, Dan popped a tape into a VCR in his tack room and narrated as his dad and uncle performed their magic on an old TV show. "Incredible," he said. "My father is the best horseman I've ever known." At the end of his career Lee worked briefly as a thoroughbred trainer, and he introduced Dan to the racetrack. "He was always such a good kid," Lee says of Dan. "And now, what a great job he's doing with this horse."

Brother Derek went into the Santa Anita Derby with three consecutive victories and was sent off at 1-2 odds against Derby hopefuls A.P. Warrior and Point Determined and two other colts. The quartet had no chance against Hendricks's horse. Under jockey Alex Solis -- who suffered a broken back in a spill, with no spinal damage, 16 days after Hendricks's injury and missed seven months of riding -- Brother Derek bounded out of the starting gate and into the lead. When pressed briefly on the far turn by A.P. Warrior, Solis let the reins out, and Derek rolled away effortlessly. He ran his final three eighths of a mile in a brisk 36.79 seconds and his last furlong in 12.61 under a hand ride, suggesting little fatigue and no foreseeable problem with the Kentucky Derby's 1 1/4 miles.

There will be questions, of course. Brother Derek seems to like running on the lead, which could be problematic in what figures to be a 20-horse Derby field. "Even I'm not sure he has the right style for the Derby," says Hendricks. "But I know he's the best horse I've ever trained."

As Solis, 42, a three-time runner-up in the Kentucky Derby, talked about Brother Derek following Saturday's race, tears welled in his eyes. "This horse is so amazing," he said, "sometimes you get emotional." Peacock, meanwhile, who turned 79 on Sunday, is having his first Derby dream. "I used to joke about running in the Kentucky Derby," he says. Then there is Hendricks, who now works relentlessly on six wheels instead of two legs, remaking his life while tethered to a gifted colt. One morning at Santa Anita he fed Brother Derek carrots and then whisked his chair up a small ramp into his office.

"The only scary part," he said, flashing a crooked smile, "is that eventually this ride is going to end." Not before May 6, it won't. And maybe not after.

Congrats to Julio Franco.

Mr. Franco hails from the Dominican Republic, a place notorious for poor record keeping. He may be older.

Sports Illustrated: Franco becomes oldest player to hit homer
Julio Franco became the oldest player in major league history to hit a home run on Thursday night when he connected for a two-run, pinch-hit shot in the eighth inning at San Diego.

Speaking of kids killing kids in Kansas...

I think I figured out the totalitarian "logic" at work in the Jayhawk State, kiddies. While it is bad for teens to shoot other children to death in their school, it is ok for them to kill their own children with an abortion because children in the womb are property, not people.

Of course, this breaks down quite rapidly if you realize what they'll do to you if you kill your dog. Ironic and sick.

Kansas teens planning Columbine-style attack: police
Reuters - Five Kansas high school students were arrested after police learned they were allegedly planning an attack on Thursday's seventh anniversary of the Columbine, Colorado, school massacre, authorities said.


SOUTHEAST KANSAS: Students arrested in plot to kill
The Wichita Eagle - Five teenage boys accused of plotting to kill other students in a shooting rampage at their southeast Kansas high school were arrested Thursday after details of the alleged scheme appeared on MySpace.com.

MySpace, again.

Alleged Kansas school shooting plot foiled
WIS-TV Columbia - Kansas law officials say they've foiled a plot to attack a rural high school. Cherokee County Sheriff Steve Norman says five students are in custody. He says deputies found guns, ammunition, knives and encoded messages in the bedroom of one of the suspects.

Making Kansas Safe For Kids Killing Kids Update.

Remember this one, kiddies? From January 31, 2006: Is fornication with a child protected by the constitution?

Here's a surprise for you. Our moral and intellectual superiors will do anything to keep child murder "legal".

Medical News Today: Federal Judge Rules Against Broader Application Of Kansas Law That Would Have Required Reporting Of Sexual Activity Of Teens
U.S. District Judge Thomas Marten on Tuesday ruled against broadening the application of a state law that is the basis for a legal opinion issued in 2003 by Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline (R) that would have required health care workers and counseling professionals to report sexual activity among minors age 16 and younger, the Wichita Eagle/Kansas City Star reports...

Judge Marten? Fat, dumb, and fascist is no way to go through life.

Happy Birthday, blog!

One year ago I began this foray into the wilds of Bloggerdom. I am thinking of reposting something one year old each day. I hope I can do it without bringing too much shame to my name.

Here is how it all started, kiddies:

Beginning
This blog begun April 21, the feast of St. Anselm: Bishop, Doctor of the Church, and author of the ontological argument for the existence of God.(See Anselm's Discovery by Charles Hartshorne)

This is the anniversary of Pat Tillman's death. May God have mercy on his brave soul. Never forget the others like him whose names we'll never know.

I took a swipe at Earth Day:

In some backwards precincts, this is Indoctrinate Your Children With Pagan Dirt-Worship Day. (Formerly known as Scare People Into Living In Mud Huts Day)



From the Just Because It's Old Doesn't Mean It's Outdated Dept:

Philip Melanchthon was a good man who dedicated himself to accomplishing the impossible: Reconciling Luther with the One, True, Church.

Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) on Romans 13:5 and following:"...let us learn that in those who believe in Christ, the works of political and economical life are works and acts of worship of God, not merely secular works, because society must be preserved in order that God may become known in it. This purpose is not a worldly matter, since all activities of the political life are aimed at this purpose: God wanted them to be exercises of confession, and on account of this purpose he imposed them on us." (courtesy of The Acton Institute)

We were all much younger a year ago...

Saint of the Day and daily Mass readings.

Today is the Feast of St. Anastasius the Sinaite, abbot, writer, and defender of The Faith known as "the new Moses". Pray for us, all you angels and saints.


Today's reading is Acts 4:1-12.
Today's Responsorial Psalm is Psalms 118:1-2, 4, 22-24, 25-27.
Today's Gospel reading is John 21:1-14.


[Links to the readings will be from the NAB until I can find another chapter and verse searchable Douay-Rheims Bible on-line.]


Everyday links:

The Blessed Virgin Mary
The Rosary
Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Prayers from EWTN
National Coalition of Clergy and Laity (dedicated to action for a genuine Catholic Restoration)
The Catholic Calendar Page for Today


Just in case you are wondering what exactly Catholics believe, here is

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.


Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession,was left unaided.Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me. Amen.


St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse, pray for us.


Prayer to St. Anthony, Martyr of Desire

Dear St. Anthony, you became a Franciscan with the hope of shedding your blood for Christ. In God's plan for you, your thirst for martyrdom was never to be satisfied. St. Anthony, Martyr of Desire, pray that I may become less afraid to stand up and be counted as a follower of the Lord Jesus. Intercede also for my other intentions. (Name them.)


Prayer To Saint Michael The Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the divine power, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.


Prayer to End Abortion

Lord God, I thank You today for the gift of my life, and for the lives of all my brothers and sisters. I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the resurrection of Your Son. I am ready to do my part to end abortion. Today I commit myself never to be silent, never to be passive, and never to be forgetful of the unborn. I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, and never stop defending life until all my brothers and sisters are protected and our nation once again becomes a nation with liberty and justice, not just for some, but for all. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Theology of the Body: 90. A Deeper Understanding of the Church and Marriage

In his General Audience of 18 August 1982, the Holy Father continued his catechesis on theology of the body, looking more closely at the two-way analogy found in Ephesians 5, between the relationship of husband and wife and the relationship of Christ and His Church.


A Deeper Understanding of the Church and Marriage

During the general audience of Wednesday, 18 August, Pope John Paul delivered the following address to the large crowd present in St Peter's Square.


1. Analyzing the respective components of Ephesians, we established that the reciprocal relationship between husband and wife is to be understood by Christians as an image of the relationship between Christ and the Church.

This relationship is a revelation and a realization in time of the mystery of salvation, of the election of love, hidden from eternity in God. In this revelation and realization the mystery of salvation includes the particular aspect of conjugal love in the relationship of Christ to the Church. Thus one can express it most adequately by applying the analogy of the relationship which exists—which should exist—between husband and wife in marriage. Such an analogy clarifies the mystery, at least to a certain degree. Indeed, according to the author of Ephesians, it seems that this analogy serves as a complement to that of the Mystical Body (cf. Eph 1:22-23) when we attempt to express the mystery of the relationship of Christ to the Church—and going back even further, the mystery of the eternal love of God for man and for humanity, that mystery which is expressed and is realized in time through the relationship of Christ to the Church.

Understanding reciprocal love

2. If—as has been said—this analogy illuminates the mystery, it in its turn is illuminated by that mystery. The conjugal relationship which unites husband and wife should help us—according to the author of the Letter to the Ephesians—to understand the love which unites Christ to the Church, that reciprocal love between Christ and the Church in which the divine eternal plan for the salvation of man is realized. Yet the content of meaning of the analogy does not end here. The analogy used in Ephesians, illuminating the mystery of the relationship between Christ and the Church, contemporaneously unveils the essential truth about marriage. Marriage corresponds to the vocation of Christians only when it reflects the love which Christ the Bridegroom gives to the Church his Bride, and which the Church (resembling the "subject" wife, that is, completely given) attempts to return to Christ. This is redeeming love, love as salvation, the love with which man from eternity has been loved by God in Christ: "...even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him..." (Eph 1:4).

Analogy follows two directions

3. Marriage corresponds to the vocation of Christians as spouses only if that love is reflected and effected therein. This will become clear if we attempt to reread the Pauline analogy inversely, that is, beginning with the relationship of Christ to the Church and turning next to the relationship of husband and wife in marriage. In the text, an exhortative tone is used: "As the Church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands." On the other hand: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church...." These expressions make it clear that a moral obligation is involved. Yet, in order to recommend such an obligation one must admit that in the essence of marriage a particle of the same mystery is captured. Otherwise, the entire analogy would hang suspended in a void. The call which the author of Ephesians directed to the spouses, that they model their reciprocal relationship on the relationship of Christ to the Church ("as—so"), would be without a real basis, as if it had no ground beneath its feet. Such is the logic of the analogy used in the cited text of Ephesians.

4. As we can see, the analogy operates in two directions. On the one hand, it helps us to understand better the essence of the relationship between Christ and the Church. On the other, at the same time, it helps us to see more deeply into the essence of marriage to which Christians are called. In a certain sense, the analogy shows the way in which this marriage, in its deepest essence, emerges from the mystery of God's eternal love for man and for humanity. It emerges from that salvific mystery which is fulfilled in time through the spousal love of Christ for the Church. Beginning with the words of Ephesians (5:21-33), we can move on to develop the thought contained in the great Pauline analogy in two directions: either in the direction of a deeper understanding of the Church, or in the direction of a deeper understanding of marriage. In our considerations, we will pursue the latter first of all, mindful that the spousal relationship of Christ to the Church is at the basis of an understanding of marriage in its essence. That relationship will be analyzed even more precisely in order to establish—presupposing the analogy with marriage—in what way the latter becomes a visible sign of the divine eternal mystery, as an image of the Church united with Christ. In this way Ephesians leads us to the foundations of the sacramentality of marriage.

Mentality of the time

5. Let us undertake, then, a detailed analysis of the text. We read in Ephesians that "the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church, his body, and is himself its Savior" (Eph 5:23). The author has already explained that the submission of the wife to the husband as head is intended as reciprocal submission "out of reverence for Christ." We can presume that the author goes back to the concept rooted in the mentality of the time, to express first of all the truth concerning the relationship of Christ to the Church, that is, that Christ is the head of the Church. He is head as "Savior of his Body." The Church is exactly that Body which—being submissive in everything to Christ as its head—receives from him all that through which it becomes and is his Body. It receives the fullness of salvation as the gift of Christ, who "gave himself up for her" to the last. Christ's "giving himself up" to the Father by obedience unto death on the cross acquired here a strictly ecclesiological sense: "Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her" (Eph 5:25). Through a total giving up of himself because of his love, he formed the Church as his Body and continually builds her up, becoming her head. As head he is the Savior of his Body, and, at the same time, as Savior he is head. As head and Savior of the Church, he is also Bridegroom of his Bride.

Fruit of Christ's love

6. Inasmuch as the Church is herself, so, as Body, she receives from Christ her head the entire gift of salvation as the fruit of Christ's love and of his giving himself up for the Church, the fruit of his giving himself up to the last. That gift of himself to the Father by obedience unto death (cf. Phil 2:8) is contemporaneously, according to Ephesians, a "giving himself up for the Church." In this expression, redeeming love is transformed, I would say, into spousal love. Giving himself up for the Church, through the same redeeming act Christ is united once and for all with her, as bridegroom with the bride, as husband with his wife. Christ gives himself through all that which is once and for all contained in his "giving himself up" for the Church. In this way, the mystery of the redemption of the body conceals within itself, in a certain sense, the mystery "of the marriage of the Lamb" (cf. Rv 19:7). Because Christ is the head of the Body, the entire salvific gift of the redemption penetrates the Church as the Body of that head, and continually forms the most profound, essential substance of her life. It is the spousal form, given that in the cited text the analogy of body-head becomes an analogy of groom-bride, or rather of husband-wife. This is demonstrated by the subsequent passages of the text, which will be considered next.

April the 20th Update.

Columbine Victims Still Healing
San Francisco Chronicle - As a sophomore at Columbine High School seven years ago, Marjorie Lindholm was a cheerleader with a 3-plus grade-point average who wanted to become a doctor. Her life changed dramatically when the killing spree began on April 20, 1999. Lindholm found...


Clinton will keynote Columbine ceremony
Rocky Mountain News - Ground-breaking ceremonies for a permanent memorial to the victims of the Columbine High School slayings will wait for another two months so former President Bill Clinton can deliver a speech at the event, the memorial committee announced today.

April the 19th Update.

Families remember victims of 1995 explosion
11th anniversary brings 168 seconds of silence --Associated Press

6 Davidians due for release 13 years after Waco inferno
Imprisoned for manslaughter, weapons offenses related to deaths of 4 federal agents --Associated Press

From The Get Your Kids Out Of The Government Indoctrination Centers Department:

2nd-graders read story about 'gay' wedding
Since same-sex marriage is legal in state, administrator says no parent OK needed --WND

Heck, it beats MySpace.

Man advertises for child bride
Yard sign says he'd like to pay for young virgin --Associated Press

Scott Crossfield, Requiescat in pace.

One of the greatest pilots ever has died.

From My Way News:

Legendary test pilot Scott Crossfield, the first man to fly at twice the speed of sound, was found dead Thursday in the wreckage of a single-engine plane in the mountains of northern Georgia, his son-in-law said.

Searchers discovered the wreckage of a small plane about 50 miles northwest of Atlanta, but the Civil Air Patrol didn't immediately identify the body inside.

Ed Fleming, Crossfield's son-in-law, told The Associated Press from Crossfield's home in Herndon, Va., that family had been told it was Crossfield.

Crossfield's Cessna was last spotted in the same area on Wednesday while on flight from Alabama to Virginia. There were thunderstorms in the area when officials lost radar and radio contact with the plane at 11:15 a.m., said Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Crossfield, 84, had been one of a group of civilian pilots assembled by the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, the forerunner of NASA, in the early 1950s.

Air Force Capt. Chuck Yeager had already broken the speed of sound in his history-making flight in 1947. But Crossfield set the Mach 2 record - twice the speed of sound - in 1953, when he reached 1,300 mph in NACA's Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket.

In 1960, Crossfield reached Mach 2.97 in an X-15 rocket plane launched from a B-52 bomber. The plane reached an altitude of 81,000 feet. At the time, Crossfield was working as a pilot and design consultant for North American Aviation, which made the X-15. He later worked as an executive for Eastern Airlines and Hawker Siddley Aviation.

More recently, Crossfield had a key role in preparations for the attempt to re-enact the Wright brothers' flight on the 100th anniversary of their feat near Kitty Hawk, N.C. He trained four pilots for the Dec. 17, 2003, flight attempt in a replica of the brothers' flyer, but poor weather prevented the take-off.

Among his many honors, Crossfield was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1983.

On Wednesday, his plane had left Prattville, Ala., around 9 a.m. en route to Manassas, Va., not far from his home.

Religion of Peace, Love, and Understanding Update. (Sorry, Declan. You too, Elvis.)

Muslims 'taught to despise unbelievers as filth'
Students at London school for imams told others like pigs, dogs
--London Times

Olmert's 'non-response' to suicide attack
Israeli defense establishment concerned new government weak on terrorism --WND

Peres: Give the Palestinians an airport
Israeli defense officials fear Gaza facility will enable weapons smuggling
--WND

Palestinian rocket master gets government post
No. 2 on Israel's most wanted list to be Hamas' interior minister --Ynet News

Gratuitous Sienna Miller Photos of the Day.

There is nothing quite like a non-veil wearing, independent, individualistic, opinionated blonde with a British accent.

Sienna Miller is the hottest heroine around.

The fabulous Sienna (Exactly what was Jude Law thinking?) says "Boo!" to the goat rapists.

Don't expect me to post any Steve Buscemi photos.

Sienna Miller reportedly feared for her life after getting a flood of death threats from Islamic extremists.

The American-born, British-bred actress best-known for starring in the remake of "Alfie" as well as her engagement to actor Jude Law, is said to have received a torrent of vicious threats from Muslims furious she's starring in "Interview," a remake of director Theo van Gogh's 2003 thriller.
Van Gogh is the Dutch director who was shot and killed in 2004 by an Islamic extremist in connection with his film "Submission: Part I," which was aired on Dutch television in August of that year.

Warning letters have been sent to Sienna, 24, who is currently filming the movie in New York, stating "she will be sorry" unless she pulls out of the project.

"Sienna refuses to give in to these threats. The people behind them represent everything she abhors," a crewmember told Britain's Daily Star. "The film hasn't got anything to do with Islam. But because it's being made as a tribute to Theo, the Islamic fundamentalists have hit the roof."

"She was scared to begin with," the source added. "But her co-star Steve [Buscemi] has been receiving similar letters, so they've been supporting each other and laughing about it." (Thanks to WND for the heads up.)

Stoned and Parkherb, call your office.

Arab airline hijacks kids of 'South Park'
Carrier based in UAE uses hauntingly familiar images

Hauntingly?

Chris Reardon caught us red-handed. (Sorry, Ward.) Now what'll we do?

Oh, woe is me! Our fiendish plot to indoctrinate the youth of America has failed! Who will fill the ranks of the Klan now?

Curse you, Cornel "Wild" West! Curse you, Ward "Big Chief" Churchill!

From Best of the Web Today:

Spot the Idiot
In the Daily Collegian, University of Massachusetts-Amherst student Chris Reardon faces up to the unbearable whiteness of being:

OK, I have something to confess here. Until very recently, I was one of those white people. You know the kind. The ones that think race relations are all hunky-dory because we live in a progressive society and because the civil rights movement started 40 years ago. I was too young to know anything about the Rodney King incident and the L.A. riots, and I didn't know enough about economics to understand how and why Hurricane Katrina was a disaster of racist policy. I knew that there was a problem, but I had been too brainwashed by
white-controlled media and by disgustingly racist history lessons to realize just how deep the issue went.

For a number of reasons (not the least of which being the fact that I finally cracked open my Sociology 106: Race, Class and Gender textbook), I've gone through a semi-enlightenment, and I am not happy. They say that those who do not learn their history are doomed to repeat it. I'd like to annotate that
proverb a little by adding that those who muddle the truth of their history are doomed to continue those practices that they wish to forget.

It actually reads better translated into Redneck.

Sure does:

OK, ah have sumpin t'confess hyar. Until mighty recently, ah was one of them white varmints. Yo' knows th' kind, cuss it all t' tarnation. Th' ones thet reckon race relashuns is all hunky-do'y on account o' we live in a progressive society an' on account o' th' civil rights movement started 40 years ago. ah was too yo'ng t'knows ennythin' about th' Rodney Kin' incident an' th' L.A. riots, an' ah didn't knows 'nuff about economics t'unnerstan' how an' whuffo' Hurricane Katrina was a disaster of racist policy. ah knowed thet thar was a problem, but ah had been too brainwarshed by white-corntrolled media an' by disgestin'ly racist histo'y lessons t'reckanize jest how deep th' issue went.

Fo' a number of reasons (not th' least of which bein' th' fack thet ah finally cracked open mah Sociology 106: Race, Class an' Junder textbook), I've gone through a semi-enlightenment, an' ah's not happy. They say thet them who does not larn their histo'y is doomed t'repeat it. I'd like t'annotate thet provahb a li'l by addin' thet them who muddle th' truth of their histo'y is doomed t'continue them prackices thet they wish t'fo'git.

I'd like t'start wif slavery. As explained by Billy Bob B. Moree in his article "Racist Stereotypin' in th' English Language," th' fack thet we still reckon of th' African varmints who were kidnapped an' sploited fo' centuries as slaves who had masters is clear evidence of white ethnercentrism in th' histo'y lessons still taught t'our chillun today. "Th' term slave cornnotes a less than hoomin quality an' turns th' cappive varmint into a thin'," Moree says.

Thet we still refer t'black varmints who were fo'ced t'wawk fo' no pay as slaves is simply a means of minimizin' th' damage done by aristocrats at th' time. Th' psychological impack of larnin' about how slaves were bett up an' raped is lessened on account o' we still reckon of slaves as propuhty, not varmints.ah doubt yo'll see a change enny time soon, howevah, on account o' our histo'y is writ by th' dexcendents of th' varmints who sploited Africans an' by th' varmints who is currently sploitin' millions of on overseas labo'ers. Sweatshops an' chile labo' haf a minimal impack on th' lives of U.S. citizens - 'cept th' fack thet th' producks thet come fum on overseas is substantially less expensive than U.S.-made merchan'ise - simply on account o' we doesn't hafta see it.

Continued, cuss it all t' tarnation...

SLAVE REVOLT!

HU HECKLED ON SOUTH LAWN: 'YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED'

Hu Hu! The cry of the historicus trashbinus.

From Drudge:

The arrival ceremony for Chinese president Hu Jintao was interrupted by a protester who appealed to President Bush to stop Hu from 'persecuting the Falun Gong,' a banned religious movement in China.

The woman began shouting from the top of a camera stand located directly in front of Hu and Bush.

'President Bush, stop him from killing'... 'Stop persecuting the Falun Gong,' she yelled... She also shouted in Chinese, 'President Hu, your days are numbered, No more time for China's ruling party.'

As far as I know Falun Gong could be the Slave China version of scientology, but that does not mean it is right for the commie creeps to kick their teeth in and shoot them.

Memo To The Haters: This is one way you can tell the good guys from the bad. Good guys use sarcasm and buying power to express their displeasure. (Instant translation for the scatologist disciples of O.M.Hubbard: Take the criticism like men, you cretins.)

The incident occured right after Bush urged Hu to allow Chinese to 'speak freely'. The woman, had a temporary pass with a big 'T' on it, also unfurled a yellow 'Falun Gong' banner.

The woman was taken away by uniformed secret service officers. Bush leaned over and whispered to Hu, 'You're okay.' Hu, who had stopped talking briefly, then resumed speaking.

Awwww...look at Georgie be compassionate towards the little mass murderer. Ain't it cute?

On China TV: As Hu was speaking when yells of protesters became audible, the screen went black. When the feed came back the screen once again went black when woman was again heard. During CNN International's post-speech commentary, at mention of south lawn heckler, the screen also went black again. The CNN feed returned when the incident ended.

Pseudo-science (and real fascism) Update.

Fair-Weather Alarmists
"Two U.S. explorers plan to start a four-month summer expedition to the North Pole next month to gather information on the habitat of an animal they believe could be the first victim of global warming--the polar bear," Reuters reports from Los Angeles.

"Project Thin Ice 2006" will be the first such expedition since 2004. Reuters explains that the explorers had to call off the mission they planned last year because of--we kid you not--"unusually heavy snow and ice."

That arch-criminal Dick Cheney actually dares to gives his tainted cash to those less fortunate.

From Best of the Web Today:

He's So Generous, He Belongs in Prison
Paul Caron, who blogs about tax law, has an item about Vice President Cheney, and here's a selection of the reader comments about it:

"Why is this man not in jail?"

"How does this guy sleep at night? This administration makes me sick to my stomach. They are sooooo corrupt."

"This administration has no shame. They are 'do as I say, not as I do' people."

"REPREHENSIBLE, totally devoid of any moral values, ...a true, dyed-in-the-wool Robber Baron."

"I look forward to one day, watching him being escorted out of the White House in handcuffs. Until then...keep the pressure on them and keep calling your representatives. If not you...who?"

What did Cheney do now? He donated 77% of his 2005 income to charity. In most years donations to charity are tax-deductible only up to 50% of income, but Congress lifted the cap last year as a response to Hurricane Katrina. So these moonbats are actually attacking Cheney for being too generous.

The nerve of that man. Showing up the Forces of Compassion with actual compassion!

The Repansycan mole inside The Party of Blasphemy, Buggery, and 'Bortion strikes again.

From Best of the Web Today:

Keep Your Day Job, Howard
Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, stopped by the offices of the liberal American Prospect for lunch last week, and according to the Prospect's Tapped blog, Salon's Walter Shapiro had this exchange with him:

Shapiro: Governor, from where you sit, is the fact that there will be two caucuses between the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary a done deal, or is this still open for negotiation, as to whether there will be caucuses and/or
whether New Hampshire will have its traditional unmolested Iowa/New Hampshire role in American history?

Dean: We don't molest anybody. We leave that to the deputy press secretary of the Homeland Security agency.

Dean's reference is to Brian Doyle, who was arrested this month for allegedly sending sexually explicit emails to a "14-year-old girl" who was actually a police detective. Blogger Kevin Aylward notes that this case has gotten lots of attention from liberal bloggers, "heaping generous portions of blame on the Bush administration."

But it turns out, also according to Aylward, that Doyle is a career civil servant and a registered Democrat! (Emphasis mine.) Dean's little joke is not only tasteless but is at the expense of his own party.

BTW, why is Howie Spleen still called "Governor" when he has not held that office in years and has never been a character in a Dickens novel? There is no way I would address Gerald Ford or Goober II as "Mr. President". (Heck, Clinton would be lucky if I refrained from spitting in his face.)

Sorry, Howie, this is America and we don't have honorary titles. Why don't you win an election and get back to us.

Democrass Doyle Update:

Out of Time
It turns out that Brian Doyle, who resigned as deputy press secretary at the Department of Homeland Security after being charged with solicitation of a minor and transmitting pornographic material to a minor, is not a career civil servant, as we said yesterday. As CNN reported earlier this month, he actually spent most of his career in the mainstream media:

That explains a lot.

Friends and former co-workers say Doyle was disciplined by Time magazine after he allegedly used company computers to view adult pornography in the publication's Washington bureau office. . . .

Time began an investigation after an employee in the bureau complained after finding offensive photographs on her computer, sources said.

The photos, which were not of juveniles, were traced to Doyle. The complaint was dropped after Doyle's colleagues signed a petition of support, the sources said.

Doyle received a formal warning and was required to undergo mental health counseling before returning to work, the sources said.

Sources disagree over whether Time suspended Doyle or whether he took a leave of absence after the incident.

Time magazine said only that it employed Doyle for 26 years and refused to comment further.

Doyle, a registered Democrat, left Time in 2001 to work for the government.

Slavemaster Hu Update: Slave China resorts to goat-rapist tactics in its war against its own people.

It's not really hard to believe if you remember the kind of monsters these commies are.

And besides, CBS wouldn't lie to you, would they?

With more than a billion people, China has too many men. According to the latest census, an average of 120 boys are born for every 100 girls, the greatest imbalance in the world.

As correspondent Lesley Stahl reports, the root of the problem is a traditional preference for sons. In China, as in other Asian countries, it is sons, not daughters, who usually take care of their parents in old age.

To deal with its population explosion, China imposed its strict and harshly enforced one-child policy in the 1980s, and that’s when things started going out of whack, as couples, faced with having only one child, went to great lengths to ensure it was a boy. And 60 Minutes found they still do...

Here it comes:

The (sex) imbalance grew out of communist China's draconian social engineering policies, where a woman, after having one child, was forced to make a choice: sterilization or insertion of an IED.

在奴隶中国政府真正地拥有您的子宫! ("In Slave China the government really does own your womb!" or its non-union Altavista equivalent.)

To make sure the women kept their birth control devices in, the government — starting in 1982 — sent portable ultrasound machines all over the country. They are compact and lightweight and even some small villages got as many as two or three. But in a classic case of unintended consequences, pregnant women realized that the machines could also identify whether they were having a boy or a girl. And, as a result, by conservative estimates, more than 8 million girls were aborted in the first 20 years of the one-child policy.

May God have mercy on their poor little souls.

The government has tried to discourage these abortions. Zhao Baige, vice minister of the Family Planning Commission, says it is now illegal to get an ultrasound in order to identify the sex of a baby.

I get mail from confused rookie drinkers...

Responding to my post on the Brent Musberger Drinking Game


Fancy L said

I've got a way better drinking game for you. Check out http://fancylarry.blogspot.com for the rules to the finest drinking game this side of Pawtucket.


Ol' Fancy Larry just doesn't get it, kiddies.

Real drinking games are meant to be intellectual endeavors that also allow us to express our outrage (Musberger) or our admiration (Bob Newhart). They exist for the edification and intoxication of serious (not to say professional) imbibers.

Larry's game is inferior because it gleefully accepts the spilling of cold, delicious beer. While this tragedy is often unavoidable, it is a tragedy and must not be accepted so cavalierly.

Also, his game involves much unnecessay and dangerous physical activity that gets in the way of drinking. Combine this with the spilled beer,and you have a recipe for disaster. Real drinking games sit your butt in front of the tv and allow it to stay there.

Finally, the name "Shenanigans" is more than suspect. It sounds like the lounge at your friendly neighborhood Quality Inn.

I believe that Mr. Larry's game is not for real men. However, it does have potential as a spectator sport. I would watch if it were played by two teams of hot babes wearing tight t-shirts and even tighter shorts. (Of course, I'd watch poetry readings if they were like that.)

BTW...Larry, I'll vote for you if you're running against the McChurian Candidate, Senator War Hero.

Saint of the Day and daily Mass readings.

Today is the Feast of St. Agnes of Montepulciano, Tuscan nun and foundress of religious communities. St. Agnes was famous for her visions. Pray for us, all you angels and saints.

Today's reading is Acts 3:11-26.
Today's Responsorial Psalm is Psalms 8:2, 5, 6-7, 8-9.
Today's Gospel reading is Luke 24:35-48.


[Links to the readings will be from the NAB until I can find another chapter and verse searchable Douay-Rheims Bible on-line.]


Everyday links:

The Blessed Virgin Mary
The Rosary
Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Prayers from EWTN
National Coalition of Clergy and Laity (dedicated to action for a genuine Catholic Restoration)
The Catholic Calendar Page for Today


Just in case you are wondering what exactly Catholics believe, here is

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.


Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession,was left unaided.Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me. Amen.


St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse, pray for us.


Prayer to St. Anthony, Martyr of Desire

Dear St. Anthony, you became a Franciscan with the hope of shedding your blood for Christ. In God's plan for you, your thirst for martyrdom was never to be satisfied. St. Anthony, Martyr of Desire, pray that I may become less afraid to stand up and be counted as a follower of the Lord Jesus. Intercede also for my other intentions. (Name them.)


Prayer To Saint Michael The Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the divine power, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.


Prayer to End Abortion

Lord God, I thank You today for the gift of my life, and for the lives of all my brothers and sisters. I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the resurrection of Your Son. I am ready to do my part to end abortion. Today I commit myself never to be silent, never to be passive, and never to be forgetful of the unborn. I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, and never stop defending life until all my brothers and sisters are protected and our nation once again becomes a nation with liberty and justice, not just for some, but for all. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Theology of the Body: 89. Reverence for Christ the Basis of Relationship Between Spouses

In his General Audience of 11 August 1982, the Holy Father continued his catechesis on theology of the body, by examining more closely the right relationship between husband and wife as described in the fifth chapter of the Letter to the Ephesians.


Reverence for Christ the Basis of Relationship Between Spouses

During the general audience of 11 August the Holy Father gave the following address.


1. Today we begin a more detailed analysis of the passage of the Letter to the Ephesians 5:21-33. Addressing husbands and wives, the author recommends them to be "subject to one another out of reverence for Christ" (5:21).

Here it is a question of a relationship of a double dimension or degree: reciprocal and communitarian. One clarifies and characterizes the other. The mutual relations of husband and wife should flow from their common relationship with Christ. The author of the letter speaks of "reverence for Christ" in a sense analogous to that when he speaks of the "fear of God." In this case it is not a question of fear which is a defensive attitude before the threat of evil. But it is above all a case of respect for holiness, for the sacrum. It is a question of pietas, which, in the language of the Old Testament, was expressed by the term "fear of God" (cf., e.g., Ps 103:11; Prv 1:7; 23:17; Sir 1:11-16). Arising from a profound awareness of the mystery of Christ, this pietas should constitute the basis of the reciprocal relations between husbands and wives.

Moral instruction

2. The text chosen by us, as likewise the immediate context, has a "parenetic" character, that is, of moral instruction. The author of the letter wishes to indicate to husbands and wives the basis of their mutual relationship and their entire conduct. He deduces the relative indications and directives from the mystery of Christ presented at the beginning of the letter. This mystery should be spiritually present in the mutual relationship of spouses. The mystery of Christ, penetrating their hearts, engendering in them that holy "reverence for Christ" (namely pietas), should lead them to "be subject to one another"—the mystery of Christ, that is, the mystery of the choice from eternity of each of them in Christ to be the adoptive sons of God.

Husband not the "lord"

3. The opening expression of our passage of Ephesians 5:21-33, which we have approached by an analysis of the remote and immediate context, has quite a special eloquence. The author speaks of the mutual subjection of the spouses, husband and wife, and in this way he explains the words which he will write afterward on the subjection of the wife to the husband. In fact we read: "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord" (5:22). In saying this, the author does not intend to say that the husband is the lord of the wife and that the interpersonal pact proper to marriage is a pact of domination of the husband over the wife. Instead, he expresses a different concept: that the wife can and should find in her relationship with Christ—who is the one Lord of both the spouses—the motivation of that relationship with her husband which flows from the very essence of marriage and of the family. Such a relationship, however, is not one of one-sided domination. According to the Letter to the Ephesians, marriage excludes that element of the pact which was a burden and, at times, does not cease to be a burden on this institution. The husband and the wife are in fact "subject to one another," and are mutually subordinated to one another. The source of this mutual subjection is to be found in Christian pietas, and its expression is love.

No one-sided domination

4. The author of the letter underlines this love in a special way, in addressing himself to husbands. He writes: "Husbands, love your wives...." By expressing himself in this way, he removes any fear that might have arisen (given the modern sensitivity) from the previous phrase: "Wives, be subject to your husbands." Love excludes every kind of subjection whereby the wife might become a servant or a slave of the husband, an object of unilateral domination. Love makes the husband simultaneously subject to the wife, and thereby subject to the Lord himself, just as the wife to the husband. The community or unity which they should establish through marriage is constituted by a reciprocal donation of self, which is also a mutual subjection. Christ is the source and at the same time the model of that subjection, which, being reciprocal "out of reverence for Christ," confers on the conjugal union a profound and mature character. In this source and before this model many elements of a psychological or moral nature are so transformed as to give rise, I would say, to a new and precious fusion of the bilateral relations and conduct.

5. The author of the Letter to the Ephesians does not fear to accept those concepts which were characteristic of the mentality and customs of the times. He does not fear to speak of the subjection of the wife to the husband. He does not fear (also in the last verse of the text quoted by us) to recommend to the wife that "she respect her husband" (5:33). It is certain that when the husband and wife are subject to one another "out of reverence for Christ," a just balance will be established, such as to correspond to their Christian vocation in the mystery of Christ.

"Out of reverence"

6. Nowadays our contemporary sensitivity is certainly different. Our mentality and customs are quite different, too, as is the social position of women in regard to men. Nevertheless, the fundamental moral principle which we find in the Letter to the Ephesians remains the same and produces the same results. The mutual subjection "out of reverence for Christ"—a subjection arising from the basis of Christian pietas—always produces that profound and solid structure of the community of the spouses in which there is constituted the true "communion" of the person.

A great analogy

7. The author of the text to the Ephesians, who began his letter with a magnificent vision of God's eternal plan in regard to humanity, does not limit himself to emphasizing merely the traditional aspects of morality or the ethical aspects of marriage. He goes beyond the scope of teaching and writing on the reciprocal relationship of the spouses. He discovers therein the dimension of the mystery of Christ of which he is the herald and the apostle: "Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church, his Body, and is himself its Savior. As the Church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her..." (5:22-25). In this way, the teaching of this parenetic part of the letter is inserted, in a certain sense, into the reality of the mystery hidden from eternity in God and revealed to mankind in Jesus Christ. In the Letter to the Ephesians we are, I would say, witnesses of a particular meeting of that mystery with the essence of the vocation to marriage. How are we to understand this meeting? In the text of the Letter to the Ephesians it is presented above all as a great analogy. There we read: "Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord...." Here we have the first component of the analogy. "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church...." Here we have the second component which clarifies and motivates the first. "As the Church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject to their husbands...." The relationship of Christ to the Church, presented previously, is now expressed as a relationship of the Church to Christ, and this contains the successive component of the analogy. Finally: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her...." This is the ultimate component of the analogy. The remainder of the text of the letter develops the fundamental thought contained in the passage just now quoted. The entire text of the Letter to the Ephesians in 5:21-33 is completely permeated with the same analogy. That is to say, the mutual relationship between the spouses, husband and wife, is to be understood by Christians in the light of the relationship between Christ and the Church.

I don't know about you kiddies, but I feel rather icky after that last post on the left's second-favorite false religion (after socialism and...

...before scientology). So what's a good Catholic to do? Why, immerse himself in Pope John Paul the Great's Theology of the Body, that's what.

Next up? #89: Reverence for Christ the Basis of Relationship Between Spouses. Talk about timing! Compare and contrast this one with the perverse religion of the mohammedans.

BTW, it is also a wonderful antidote for all that freudian phallacy. (What do you want for free? It seemed clever at the time.)

Religion of Peace and Rape Update.

I know what you're thinking. "There he goes again. That Fyodor and his over-the-top polemics!"

Guess again, kiddies. It seems the mohammedans are vastly overrepresented when it comes to raping non-mohammedan European women. It seems the true believers have a bit of a thingee for non-veiled female humans, of all things. It feels a bit strange to pine for the old days when only goats had to fear such depredation.


FrontPageMagazine Symposium: To Rape an Unveiled Woman
By Jamie Glazov

(Nota Bene: As you read this, think about the supine attitude the so-called feminists have adopted toward mohammedism and then compare it to what they say about Catholicism's teaching on the relationship between men and women.)

A Muslim rape epidemic in sweeping over Europe -- and over many other nations host to immigrants from the Islamic world. The direct connection between the rapes and Islam is irrefutable, as Muslims are significantly overrepresented among convicted rapists and rape suspects. The Muslim perpetrators themselves boast that their crime is justified since their victims were, among other things, not properly veiled.

What is the psychology here? What is the significance of this epidemic? And how do we face it when our own feminists, with a few exceptions, are deafingly silent about it?

To discuss this issue with us today, we are joined by:

Pierre Rehov, a French filmmaker who has filmed six documentaries on the Palestinian Intifada. His new documentary, Suicide Killers, explores the psychology of suicide bombers. It is based on interviews with the victims of suicide bombers, the families of suicide bombers, would-be bombers themselves, and experts on suicide killer mentality.

Nancy Kobrin, an affiliated professor to the University of Haifa, Arabist, psychoanalyst and author of the upcoming book, The Sheikh's New Clothes: Islamic Suicide Terror and What It's Really All About;

Peter Raddatz, a German scholar of Islamic Studies and the co-author of the renowned “Encyclopaedia of Islam.” He is the author of many books, including From Allah to Terror? Jihad and the Western Deformation, Allah's Veil and The Turkish Danger. In a few months he will publish World Risk Iran.

and

Gudrun Eussner, a journalist with a Ph.D at Free University Berlin, specializing in mass communication and political science, and Iranian philology. She has experience working in numerous Muslim countries, including Bosnia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, Usbekistan and others.

FP: Pierre Rehov, Nancy Kobrin, Peter Raddatz and Dr. Gudrun Eussner welcome to Frontpage Symposium.

Peter Raddaz let’s begin with you.

A man sees a woman and she is not veiled. He thinks to himself: “Oh, I must rape her now.”

No matter how much I try to figure this out, I can’t. What’s the mindset here? If a person is upset that a woman is not veiled, it implies he wants some kind of supposed “morality.” But if he is thirsting for purity, how does perpetrating a violent sexual atrocity against the “immoral” one fit into moralizing her and the rest of society – and himself?

Raddatz: Your questions concerning mindset and morals put us right into the middle of the problem. They are the terms any culture's collective psychology is basing on. In the case of prevailing orthodox Islam we are faced with a deep division between the sexes. With Allah's unlimited ruling license the males are entitled to be the masters of the females. The Koranic order says that the man has to "go to the woman" whenever he likes, to "enjoy her however he likes", and to discipline her in case she develops her own ideas like sexual self-determination.

Over the centuries this basic frame had been filled with a lot of "prophetic" instructions as to what disastrous role the woman could play if the man as Allah's deputy does not carry out this divine license of fertilizing control. Insofar the woman is looked upon from a "higher" biologistic viewpoint regarding her as "seed field" that - under strict male surveillance signaled by "Islamic correct" veiling - guarantees for the continued survival and expansion of Islam.

We are dealing here with premodern, partly archaic thinking that divides its world into two Manichaean halves. Irrespective of the usual statistical remnant of liberal "dissidents", the orthodox ideology bases on an Islamic half that accords to Koran and "prophetic" tradition and a non-Islamic half consisting of unbelievers and disobedient women. The religious war - known as "jihad" - against the latter two groups belongs, therefore, to the most prominent duties of the "believing" Muslim. Its "religious" dimension is boosted enormously by customary family "honor" installing male control from early youth on, often widening into brutal raping, sometimes incestuous punishing patterns. Here a complicated interaction between father, mother, son and daughter comes into play about which, I guess, Dr. Kobrin will give us quite interesting insights.

Thus, the ontological being in Islam is not defined by individual right but clearly as integral part of the community in terms of a whole and "holy" entirety. In this context the primary form of human being is seen in the male that assumes the right and duty to assist Allah in conserving and expanding his "umma", meaning his community.

Its biologistic "thinking" demands the "pure" man as the real human dominating the "impure" woman as a lower form, rather close to some animal-like existence. Therefore, sexuality cannot be sublimated and has to serve - aside from ramifications into homo-, paedo- and sodo-variants - a basic double function: fertilizing and punishing.

This paradigm expresses itself not only in highly standardized family patterns but also in an equally conformistic education system. All contents, in school and university of almost every Islamic country, are ultimately restricted and tied to Islamic purposes, thereby avoiding abstract thinking categories that could relativate and jeopardize the dogma's absolute uniqueness. By the same token, however, and this is the core of "modern" Islam's tragedy, the male controllers are confined to physical methods of "sublimation" whenever problems arise. Aside from the usual bombing "protest" against Western "arrogance" and "unbelieving morals", the current rape wave is the vital expression of an ongoing jihad against women who under Western influence may drift slowly out of the grip of male Muslim hands.

The war character of this behaviour may become clearer from its archaic punishment perspective that has come out of use generally but survived in Islam until present times. During the Algerian independence war the freedom fighters used to publicly sodomize French officers in order to achieve the enemy's maximum degradation. The same applies to the woman as a possible internal enemy containing even a double danger: her alleged disobedience is a bio-political security risk for the Islamic entirety and her independent "devilish" sexuality represents a religious blasphemy, contaminating male purity. Both have to be dealt with accordingly: beating, raping, torturing, stoning, and killing.

While some UN organizations keep on complaining about this, the Western feminists keep silent because they are not interested in the general problem but rather concentrate on clutching to their few elitarian privileges, mainly in business. Doing this they are simple part of a greater Western mainstream that has started to adjust to Muslim immigrant political "sharia" demands based on the growing radical Islamist influence as well as oil price pressure. And mind you: keeping Muslim women obedient through male "honor" might also sustain their "seed field" fertilization rate thereby compensating for the Western "morals" of pornography and weak reproduction. In this respect global elite ideology, anti-Semitic "new age" fascism and Islam are not so far apart.

FP: Thank you Dr. Raddatz. Dr. Eussner?

Eussner: Thank you, Jamie. I agree with Peter: The survival and expansion of Islam worldwide is the main goal of Islam since its invention by Mohammed. In this respect, the history of Islamic conquest is self-explanatory. The other aspect is the lack of appreciation for the individual as such. For both, men and women, it is true, that there are no individual rights, but for women it is even worse.

It may sound harsh, but the distinction between "fertilizing" and "punishing" a woman is evident. On the one hand you have sexuality as a tool serving the expansion of Islam, and on the other hand there is sexuality as a weapon against disobedient and non-Muslim women, both categorized as "unbelievers". Against them jihad is the duty, and what to do with women "conquered" in jihad, this may be read in the Qur'an: they become slaves to be used by the victors.

Why is the raping of unveiled women, either Muslim or non-Muslim, now spreading widely in our countries?

The conduct towards these women is due to the new developments initiated by Salafists like Tariq Ramadan. He has invented and introduced a new definition for the Western countries: they should no longer be seen the traditional way as Dar ul-harb, the space of war, but as Dar el-dawaà, the invitation to Islam, or Dar ash-shahâda, the space of testimony.

While orthodox Sunni Muslims, stuck to the unchanged application of the tradition are not at all in line with this "modern" interpretation, the "scholar" Tariq Ramadan has paved a soft way for Muslims to take possession of countries formerly belonging to the Dar ul-harb. When living in Dar ul-harb there are two alternatives for the Muslims: either conquer the land by force and rule it by Qur'anic law or, if not strong enough, keep quiet and wait, not touching the property of the enemy.

Dar el-dawaà and Dar ash-shahâda are two of the trickiest inventions ever to reach the goal of conquest: at a quick and superficial glance it means resigning from the conversion of the West to Islam, permitting everybody to keep on in his belief, but on closer examination that means what the French call "l'entrisme", unnoticed penetration.

The Muslims are not living any longer in a hostile surrounding; they are almost in Dar ul-Islam. Professor Nezvat Yalçintas, member of the Istanbul parliament, made an interesting statement. During the inauguration of the Murabitun mosque in Granada, Spain, in July 2003, he told the audience that Paris, Rome, Madrid now were components of the Islamic world due to the erection of new mosques.

But as Muslims are still obliged to wage a perpetual war against those infidels who refuse to submit, the jihad is continuing in Dar ash-shahâda, and people not behaving according to the Qur'anic laws have to be punished. The trick of introducing these new definitions has a severe impact on Muslims' consciousness, especially on young Muslim men. People not behaving according to the Qur'anic laws are to be punished even stronger now. The Muslims are not any more restricted by the laws of Dar ul-harb, that has evaporated without notice, merely by changing the definition. The inhabitants of our countries are to obey to Muslim male supremacy and Qur'anic laws. What better a justification for conduct towards women?

The jihad against the infidels is conducted on each and every level, not only as terror and suicide bombing. The jihad against women, who by their behaviour in the public sphere, are "asking for rape", as the Danish mufti Shahid Mehdi, a Qur'an teacher of young Muslims in Copenhagen, put it in 2004, and/or towards their husbands, by their alleged disobedience are challenging the survival and expansion of Islam, of the "Ummah", is a must for the Muslim men.

As far as the Western feminists are concerned, they seem to be hovering in other dimensions, in absolute arrogance, learned from ethnologues like Claude Lévy-Strauss. For them, freedom is that each "culture" may it be as inhuman as can be, is entitled to prosper even on our soil. The next act in this surrealistic piece of stage play is the unlimited understanding that Norwegian Professor Ms. Unni Wikan, shows for Muslims raping Western women: Norwegian women must take their share of responsibility for these rapes, as they are not dressing and behaving according to Muslim understanding. The Norwegian women, in her view, are to realize that they live in a multicultural society and adapt themselves to it, as Mark Steyn reported already in 2002.

FP: Thank you Dr. Eussner. Mr. Rehov, your turn.

Rehov: There are very few observations that I can add to Dr Eussner’s and Dr Raddatz’s surveys on both the cultural and religious seeds of the phenomenon, although there is a personal dimension that I would like to explore.

Of course, in a cultural environment where women are undermined, not to say considered as second rate citizens or even dangerous to the dominant male, the temptation to rape as a result to “ provocation “ is great. Female “provocation” in the Muslim society is usually a definition for the mildest behavior. Smiling, singing, talking, being alone for one minute in the same room as the rapist, having answered a question in an inappropriate way, wearing clothes which are not strictly in obedience with what is locally considered as the Muslim rules, all of these innocent behaviors are seen as a misconduct authorizing “revenge.”

In a society where sex is absolutely forbidden, taboo, and where separation between males and females is absolute, where in most cases marriages are not the result of love but of a financial arrangement between two families, the sensual or erotic aspect of any relationship between genders is, de-facto, suspicious, considered evil, and therefore an act of aggression. Sexual “revenge”, containing violence, can be naturally considered as the automatic answer to the “ provocations “ described above, and this for two reasons.

In Muslim society the male is dominant and almighty since he is made after God, when women have been created as a necessary evil to tempt males. In other words, the female body is the closest thing to the Devil, something which has to be dominated as a proof a faith. We go back to the sacrifice of Eros to Thanatos, as one of the basic sacrifices of all monotheisms, where, since the origins of the Bible, first inspiration to the Koran, women have been the carriers of the original sin.

In such a pattern, a male will not only consider any suspect behavior, including the mildest one, as an evil temptation, but he might look forward to experiencing one, as a religious challenge. Whatever will happen then won’t be the result of his own will, but he believes in having received absolution in advance for an act that, he knows, is against his own religion. During these minutes of deception and absolute power, he is not abusing a woman but fighting the Devil inside.

Of course, primitive chauvinism is the second reason. Again, since males in chauvinist societies are deprived of all natural pleasures resulting from what we consider a normal relationship between men and women, beside sexual ones, the level of frustration is very high and the fear of impotency even higher. A male tempted must react. The automatic result to frustration and fear is usually violence. In this case, sexual violence.

A friend of mine is a retired chief of police, who used to be in charge of the security of a major city in the south of France. He reported to me that his men had to face an average of 10 rapes a week, 80% made by Muslim young men. 30% being what we call, in French, a “ tournante “, meaning that the victim is being raped by an entire gang, one after the other, often during an entire night. My friend reports that, in many cases, he was able to locate and arrest the rapists, often very young ones, and, as part of the investigation, call the families. He was astonished that, in most cases, the parents not only would back up their rapist children, but also would not even understand why they would be arrested. There is an instant shift in the notion of good and evil as a major component of culture. The only evil those parents would see, genuinely, is the temptation that the male children had to face. Since in most cases the victims were not Muslims, the parents’ answer and rejection was even more genuine: how could their boys be guilty of anything, when normally answering to a provocation by occidental women, known for their unacceptable behavior?

Kobrin: Thanks, Jamie. So far I agree with everything the panel has said. There are several layers to this tragedy which will ultimately occur here in the United States, if it hasn’t already. Why? Because other aspects of Islamic practices in extremis, such as marriage under Sharia law but not civil law, polygamy and clan practices of female genital mutilation in the African Muslim immigrant populations persist even though FGM was outlawed in 1994.

I have it from first hand experience interviewing Muslim male immigrants that they hate it here in the United States because if they raise their hand, the women and children call the police. However, in the same breath, these same women will defend their men because it is part of the fused mentality and identification with the aggressor.

I interviewed Muslim women who justified wife beating because it is “educational.” These women were probably brutalized as little girls and are unable to know NOT to blame the unveiled woman victim. Every Muslim male and female that I have interviewed has experienced being beaten as a child and have witnessed the beating of their mother.

Rape is learned behavior in the home. Peter is absolutely correct in describing the insidious sexual dichotomy of Muslim male supremacy over the lowly denigrated female. Pierre underscored the degree to which a family will defend its own rapist because of alleged “honor.” Why should it surprise us that they have moved out into the streets and feel entitled to rape? At the ideological level which Gudrun has so aptly introduced into this discussion, we encounter the classic practice of taqiya, lit. ‘guarding one’s self’ more commonly thought of dissimulation and its insidious behavior of orchestrating jihad by every possible means in a clandestine manner. Rape is just one more weapon in the jihadi arsenal for Dar el-dawaa and Dar ash-shahada. While the labels may change, Muslim male sexual inadequacies, to put it mildly, remain the same and their rage is inflicted brutally on the other. I do not recall ever reading in the literature on rape as a weapon of war that the underlying issue of child sexual abuse is probably the precursor for such despicable behavior. The sexual norms of the Arab Muslim world are totally different. As a psychoanalyst and trauma expert, if there is physical violence going on in the home, I always wonder about sexual abuse and the perpetrator parents. These Muslim rapists are essentially babies, as they show us their pathetic need to target the most vulnerable because they are completely emasculated. They cannot control themselves sexually and they are sexually confused as well. Power, aggression, rage and sex yield a near lethal mix arising out of bizarre family dynamics which they experienced growing up.

They are directly attacking not only the venerable Western female but also the rape should be thought of as a kind of ambush on the Western male.

I never really bought the argument that Bouyeri murdered Theo van Gogh because of the film -- Submission. Sure that was part of it but the fact that Van Gogh called the Jihadis – a fifth column of goat f--kers (!!!!! - F. G.) must have really hit Bouyeri where it hurt and he lost it – I might add, shortly after his mother died. To be a goat herder is to be on the lowest rung. Male children are routinely treated as if they were goats. The pet goat is also slaughtered and eaten. Again the imagery goes hand in glove with the dissociated, denied behaviors and ideologies. Rape is a forced sexual fusion. The rapists remain erotically fused to their mothers upon whom they completely depend emotionally but hate it. As for the Western feminists in academe who have completely sold out to political correctness, they too remain clueless as to what their behavior tells us about themselves. They function as another fused family who must go to extreme lengths to defend these male rapists as well. I would assume that at some level these feminists must really be terrified because if they were to take a hard look, they would have to admit to themselves that they might be next.

FP: I think you have hit the nail on the head, but I do not think the radical feminists are afraid of being next. From my study of the Left, they crave to be next and that is why they support these dark forces. They yearn to submit to the dark forces of totalitarianism and even to be devoured by them. It is the same death-wish virus that motivated many Western communists to go to Stalinist Russia to supposedly build communism, when they actually only went to their deaths, giving their lives for an idea that butchered them.

Dr. Raddatz, go ahead.

Raddatz: There seems to be a remarkable consent among ourselves on the subject, contrary however, to the official "Islamic correct" reception on Western elite level. Here we can register a very modest resonance to the rising wave of violence against Muslim women. In Europe, for instance, we have a whole species of literature at hand in which female authors from Islamic countries give us personal experience reports on their respective lives with male violence in their families. The public discussion on this was and still is close to zero and the current rape wave has not given much incentive to it.

In Germany in 1960, in words: sixty so-called scientists from all thinkable and unthinkable departments, foundations, institutes and what have you published an "appeal" in "Die Zeit", a renowned weekly paper. Here they warned against a "general suspicion" the Western societies may spread over all Muslims in case they keep on criticizing "the few" who act violently against their women. By the same token they themselves criticized a German-Turkish female sociologist for her book on her personal youth experience with family violence as well as the inability of the vast majority of Turkish immigrants to integrate into the German society. Here we see another case of the Western decadence game called "victim turning perpetrator" which is constantly gaining aggressive elements among European - male - "intellectuals".

Earlier in this discussion, Nancy Kobrin described the central role the mother-son-relation is playing in this cynical game, how rape is functioning as substitute measure punishing the mother for eternalizing the male dependence on her, irrespective of the usual imitation reflex following the parental violence behaviour. The personal literary reports and the official UN analyses on Islamic family dynamics concur in a somewhat disquieting aspect. They confirm not only the tendency to incest but also an even stronger attitude towards anal sexuality, meaning an unusually high percentage of males preferring anal intercourse to vaginal, especially in the framework of "normal" marital life.

Nancy certainly knows much more about this but the so far irrefutable Freudian theory, the "Anatomy of Human Perversion", offers en explanation which might give us some additional insight.*(See below for an in-depth explanation. - F. G.) According to this the phallic organization of infantile sexuality if kept from diversification, for instance by Oedipal defectiveness, develops into a general male dominance neglecting the female i.e. vaginal "specialty" altogether. In the adult phase neglect turns into semi-conscious contempt and hate for all female attributes forcing the pervert to physically prefer anus to vagina and verbally compare women with animals and even feces. All this is vastly manifest in the texts of Islamic tradition and daily confirmed in the regrettable practice of actual Islamic life.

Now, I'm no freudian, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I'm pretty sure that the good doctor is saying nobody has to endow a Rock Hudson Memorial Chair in Non-Euclidean Sex at ol' Riyadh U. because they've got it covered. Big time.

If Western "elites" are not able to openly discuss these deficits they indicate their readiness to assume similar attitudes and possibly destruct the grown order. The growing aggression against women as well as the obvious sympathy for homo- and paedo-sexuality put them closer to Islamic preferences and may even signal a meta-social trend that could lead back into pre-modern i.e. totalitarian structures. (Emphasis mine.) Insofar we are not only dealing with a mere mode of the Left as Jamie implies, but also with a Neo-fascist thinking frame that wants to install Islam unchanged and incessantly demands "respect" for its adored wholeness.

* FP: Dr. Raddatz, could you kindly, in simple terms, explain what you mean when you refer to “the phallic organization of infantile sexuality” being kept from “diversification”? What exactly is “oedipal defectiveness” and why and how does it develop “into a general male dominance” that neglects the female vagina, etc.? Break this down into simple terms for me and our readers. This is obviously crucial because it is the foundation to the pathology in the culture under examination.

Raddatz: I will at least try to put this matter into somewhat simpler terms, as it is a very complicated problem indeed. It gets even more complicated as the relativistic development of modern Western science often obscures the view into those contexts, especially if they concern other cultures. Take for instance what I refer to as "the phallic organization of infantile sexuality". Basically it means that the Koran and Tradition are the fundamentals of Islamic societies and are centered around the maximization of male potency. Upon certain festivities like circumcision and others all family members fondle and even kiss the "member" of male babies, speak respective magic formulas and donate money notes to activate Allah’s mercy for its future fertilizing power.

Eeewwwwww! Can you imagine what other nonsense these poor saps have been taught is the will of their god? The mind boggles.

Perhaps I have been too kind in calling the evangelists of hate merely goat-rapists...

The term "infantile" in this respect does not stop at individual male dominance from juvenile age on. It also concerns an infantile society from the anthropological point of view. Western psychology has declared the Freudian theory of "penis envy" as obsolete. The Muslim theory represents the opposite. Since a millennium ago here the sex theologians circle around one and the same project: the optimized spreading and utilization of collective semen by elevation of man, repression of woman, polygamy, rape and marital law. Even Allah bows to the penis power: She, who wants to pray rather than to have sexual intercourse, is a sinneress. And Muhammad bowed to those who wanted to fornicate with prostitutes during pilgrimage, leading to the world famous tradition of "dripping penises in Mecca".

So, mohammedism is rape...

What do these practices tell us? Above all they lead us back into pre-modern if not pre-cultural times. Cave drawings show hunters killing big animals while their erected penises are connected through a power line with vaginas of the group' s women. In other words, without dominating women men cannot rule freely - i.e. neglecting the natural order - over the society. This is a very old, pre-modern truth, obviously still deeply rooted in Islam, thereby preventing this culture from sexual and ethical emancipation. Female existence is felt as being lower than the animal stage, and satisfying female sexuality is, therefore, psychotically feared as "devilish" temptation which leads us right into our second point, the "oedipal defectiveness".

The freudian explanation may be hooey or not. It does not matter to me why they do the things they do. I only care about stopping them. If it happens through science, reason, conversion to The One True Faith, (much to be preferred) or war, it is up to them.

Men who have been raised as omnipotent family monarchs, some sort of alpha males with a penis as irrefutable power instrument, things may get difficult in the adult age. As I pointed out before, and Nancy Kobrin has described so clearly, incest is one of the biggest social problems in Islam, and incest at last is also connected inseparably to the Oedipus complex. It is the meta-historical expression of breaking the world order by elevating the narcissistic omnipotence of man. As this obviously cannot find the basic fulfillment though reuniting with the mother, it "sublimates" its frustration by repressing, punishing and raping women. The male principle culminates in itself, thereby forced to destruct instead of construct, to express itself not in terms of products but in "disducts" - like feces - and to ultimately drift from vagina to anus. There is no "culture" in the world where more married people practice anal intercourse than in Islam. Individually it is again connected to a regression of the adult person into a childhood ego-idea closing the Oedipal circle of hating the female uniqueness one more time.

There can be no doubt that homosexuality is on a strong march forward, and there can be even less doubt that "disducts" like vomit and feces are also gaining popularity as means of expression on theater stages as well as in films and on television. Watch also the many other aesthetic aspects to this phenomenon like the diminishing degree of light in films, the growing majority of black clothing instead of bright colors, the spreading primitivity of "art" and so on. Not to speak of the biological regression into which a whole myriad of reasons against children has converged. Needless to say that the grown order and its society has to be replaced by an "order" that functions on a counter basis as opposite and alien as possible. The late Michel Foucault is the most efficient priest of this project.

I knew those little goth pinheads were up to no good.

What we are watching here is an ultra long-term, meta-historical process, which cannot be influenced on a short-term basis - one of the reasons why it is so difficult to explain and why I must apologize for having been quite academic again. This process simply exceeds the limits of human feasibilities and our lifetimes as well. It is the consequent inexorability of its "progress" that stuns everybody who observes it. All we can do is to be conscious of it and talk and write against it where ever our creator has put us.

Memo To Anybody In The Year 2525 Who May Read This: Good luck, you poor dumb bastards.

Meanwhile we can enjoy people who recognize that the creation does not come from man but contains men and women as unity inside an order which is compatible with their minds. The goal of the non-system, however, is the abolishment of every known system, the break of the human mind, the total change from perpetrator to victim, from the old reality to a "New Age, the ultimate return into chaos where we - allegedly - come from. On its way there this "thinking" regards Islam as the most attractive companion as it has "achieved" the most important prerequisite already - the absence of "old" ethics.

Instant translation: The rebellion against God and His good order continues apace on innumerable fronts.

FP: Dr. Eussner, your turn.

Eussner: Let me answer Pierre Rehov first. I agree in what you said about experiencing religious challenge, the proof of faith, Pierre. The religious task of fighting the Devil inside may be achieved in abusing unveiled women. But this is only half of the story, the religious side. The political side is even more important, as political Islam is using religion as a pretext, as a manipulating tool. The message given to the Muslim women in Muslim and in Western countries is: you don't ask for nothing, neither for equal treatment nor for liberty, otherwise you will be punished, i.e. beaten and raped.

A disobedient woman is outlawed. The high percentage of gang raping is due to the cowardliness of the young Muslim men, in France named "les jeunes", the youngsters. As their religion is never appreciating the individuum as such, but only as part of the Ummah, "les jeunes" are not strong enough on their own, so they are acting as representatives of the Ummah, fighting unbelievers, disobedient and unveiled women.

This is consented to by the families. You said it in mentioning your friend, the retired chief of police: the parents of the rapist children don't understand why their children were arrested. This is showing their close attachment to Islamic law, the sharia. In midst of our Western society they are living according to their law, which is not compatible to our values and laws.

Allow me to please comment on the very interesting comments you made, Nancy Kobrin. Your words support what Pierre said for Europe. The Muslim male immigrants hate it in the USA because they are not totally free to live according to the sharia. Women and children are entitled to call the police and sometimes do. But Muslim women are submitted to their law, they defend their men, they identify with the aggressor. They are afraid of the men. Islam rules by force and violence. And the young Muslim men, living somewhere at the end of a hierarchy of Muslim men, starting with Mohammed at the top and themselves at the bottom, they are indeed essentially babies who are not able to control themselves. Targeting the most vulnerable parts of the society is a typical sign of totalitarian regimes.

Political Islam, that is an Islam not only confined to the mosques and the private spiritual life but ruling through the sharia, leads to fear and submission. And we find today, that this fear is spreading into our Western society. Government authorities and offices, media, educational institutions, political parties, intellectuals and feminists are submitting themselves to Islamic claims and laws. The Islamization of our societies is in the making. Step by step we are pulling back. We are not defending our values, but we are submitting to the outrageous claims of dictatorial Islamic governments. What better an example as the handling of the publication of 12 Danish cartoons!

You pantywaists who run Comedy Central, call your office. (And you too, Parker and Stone, you hypocrites.)

And, Peter, you said it: there is a very modest resonance to the raising wave of violence against Muslim women. Even worse: in Germany we are not only facing opposition by ignorant ministries, government authorities and media against the reality Muslim women are facing, but a whole bunch of social scientists are running down testimonies and reports by the victims.

Ah, social science...it smells like...snake oil!

Turkish female academics testifying about the situation of Muslim women in our society, talking about forced marriages, beating and rape, are torn down by multi-culti loving leftist social scientists. In my research work on the campaign against the French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut I came across a feminist in favour of the head scarf, who is understanding fully the rioting Muslim youngsters, that is the Allah Houakhbar shouting mob of the French suburbs, and to round it off, cooperating closely with the Salafist Web Site Oumma.com and a so-called Third World Solidarity Center, supporting Tali Fahima and thanking Yasser Arafat for his valuable contribution: "Choukran Abu Amar!"

FP: Pierre Rehov?

Rehov: Answering first to Dr. Raddatz, I'd like to stay a little bit away from any kind of Freudian approach to the problem. In some ways, I believe that Freudism is a tool to explain many problems and behaviors in an involved civilization, most of those problems being generated by the "taboos" of this civilization.

When talking about "rape" by young Muslims, I think that our usual approaches don't apply anymore. What builds a Muslim young male's ego is very far away from what we consider as part of the subconscious of any young male in a modern Judeo-Christian society. I am not sure, for instance, that a Freudian approach could explain the level of fear towards Witches, or the violence generated by Inquisition during the dark ages of Christianity. (Oh, man. Osama bin Rapist was formed by racial memories of the Inquisition? You gotta try really hard to make a freudian look reasonable in comparison, doc. - F.G.) Freudian- in my opinion - is not a tool to understand behaviors connected to the irrational. Although, of course, I am not a psychiatrist, not an analyst.

Back to our rapists, I would make it simple by saying that genuine frustration, combined with a high contempt toward women, as a result of a culture in which women are classified way under men, leads to an instinctive - animal type - behavior, not censored nor punished by common cultural values.

Inside the Palestinian territories, I collected a lot of different stories involving raping of an innocent girl who later on was slaughtered by her own father or cousin, because she had lost her virginity.

This example to say that, in Muslim culture, values exist, but the line between good and evil is drawn somewhere else, far away from our understanding. Protecting women against themselves is considered a good action, even if this includes death penalty, as long as family's honor - which is paramount - is saved.

When Dr. Eussner adds to my previous comments that religion is only half of the explanation, and that we mustn't forget the political aims, I could not agree more. Although I'd like to emphasize that in the Muslim world, religion and politics is one single thing. There is no separation between powers in any Muslim society and the ideal Muslim society accepts the Shari'ah (Muslim law, written in the Koran ) as the basis for any civil society, including its rules of punishment.

In addition, I can see in any raping of a non-Muslim woman by a Muslim male as a racist action, and it is high time for us to acknowledge and condemn it. The level of contempt towards non-Muslim women is the reflection of the level of hatred towards the society which creates equality between men and women. We all know that there is a sexual component in any form of racism. I personally see primitive racism as the expression of a fear connected to the unconscious protection of the genes among the males. Raping women belonging to another cultural, religious group or race is an act of male domination not only against the woman herself, but against the entire group in which she belongs.

Fyodor's solution? The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Buy your daughter a gun for her birthday and teach her how to put two in Osama bin Phallic Organization of Infantile Sexuality's head. Let him use his tiny, defective, mother-loving gonads on the 72 virgins his god promised him.

Therefore, we have to differentiate two types of rapings: the aims are different whether the victim is a Muslim or a non-Muslim. In the second case, hatred is added to contempt.

FP: Nancy Kobrin, last word goes to you.

Kobrin: People are more similar than they are different. However, the devil is in the details.

That could be the understatement of our age.

Everything is always already psychosexual. Rape by definition is psychosexual, obviously. It is one thing to have rape fantasies which is very common (cf. M. Bader. Arousal: The Secret Logic of Sexual Fantasies, Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, 2002). It is quite another not to have any boundaries and to inflict rape, which is a forced sexual fusion. This concretely expresses the inability to be separate and independent. It is pure aggression, rage and severe separation anxiety. The Arab Muslim culture by definition promotes an incested family, a “closed circle”, and their “Freud” is Abdelwahab Bouhdiba, Sexuality in Islam, Saqi Books, 1998. If you read French, it’s been available since 1975 in the original.

[1] This brings me to Freud. He is not as western as people would like to think. In fact he held strong identifications with Sephardic culture since his adolescence as expressed by a significant body of correspondence (before e-mail) in Spanish with his childhood Rumanian Jewish friend Edouard Silberstein. Elsewhere I have argued that his romance with Spanish was his “private Ladino” which served him better than Yiddish which was often stigmatized. The Sephardic culture of Andalusia and its over-idealized Golden Age provided a much-needed psychological refuge for the young Freud facing severe anti-Semitism in Vienna where he was growing up. He needed to cling to a fantasy of convivencia/ coexistence. He was also aware of the Ottoman Empire’s history of breathing down Europe’s neck. It has been western philosophical tradition which co-opted Freud to its various ends while at the same time never able to see this special emotional tie that Freud had. For Muslims Sephardic and Mizrahi cultures and their Jews are most especially threatening because they are so similar up to a point and the fear is one of merging with the Other and losing their fragile sense of self. The jihadis are terrified of them because they raise the question of imitation and inauthenticity. The radical Islamists and to a lesser extent the Ummah harbor such fears of being fraudulent. The identities are intertwined, even geopolitically.

[2] This brings me to the recent tragic death of 23 yr old Ilan Halima z”l, baited and tortured to death. We have seen this time and again before. This is yet another psychosexual tactic in the arsenal of terrorism along with gang rape and suicide bombing. These strategies to annihilate the Other which is always perceived as female should be read functionally and by this I mean, that imagery is key. The terrorists think visually. I recently read Dr. Temple Grandin’s Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism and her other book co-authored with Catherine Johnson, Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior, Scribner, 2005. I do not mean to say that terrorists are simply autistic. It is more complicated than that but their behaviors such as gang rape is terror-driven and similar to the rapist roosters who rape and murder hens when they have been bred incorrectly because this is not normal for roosters. “There is no species alive in nature where half the males kill reproductive-age females.” (Grandin, Animals in Translation, p.70)

Now, that is interesting.

In my work on Islamic suicide terrorism, I have noted that the rage is really against the prenatal Muslim mother, misdirected to the infidels who represent her in the jihadi mind’s eye. Interestingly enough, Grandin also notes that “humans have neotenized dogs: without realizing it, humans have bred dogs to stay immature for their entire lives.” (P.86) I would substitute the word "bred" for concepts like child-rearing practices, etc. And raise the question as can it be that Arab Muslim boys turned rapists have been "neotenized", that is raised to stay immature for their entire lives?

Hmmmm...this could very well have been an installment of SEX IS DEATH. Subtitle: allah, my eye.

Finally, the scariest thing of all of this is when bad becomes normal. Quoting Grandin: “The really bad thing was that the change happened slowly enough [talking about the rapist roosters] that the farmers and probably the breeder colonies, too didn’t realize they’d created a monster. Nobody noticed what was happening. As the roosters got more and more aggressive, the humans unconsciously adjusted their perceptions of how a normal rooster should act. It was a case of the bad becoming normal, . . . [emphasis mine].” (p.72)

Uh oh...this means eggs are rape. P. J. O'Rourke, call your office.

Those who defend the rapists and their culture (no matter where they are located on the spectrum of politics) have unconsciously adjusted their perceptions of how Muslim males should act. They have done so because at some unconscious disavowed level they themselves are terrified. I am not advocating “compassion” for them because they are terrified. That is their problem and I refuse to blame the victim. However, I am advocating understanding the problem at the deepest level possible for ourselves because it is crazy making and we need to stay grounded in what is predicted to be a very long marathon on terrorism. The Israelis say between 300 to 500 years (Sorry, poor dumb bastards of 2525. - F.G.) and considering the transgenerational transmission of trauma, to my analytic ear that sounds just about right. Thank you Jamie and your staff at FrontPageMag.com along Dr. Raddatz, Dr. Eussner and Mr. Rehov as it has been for me a thought provoking exchange.

FP: Pierre Rehov, Nancy Kobrin, Peter Raddatz and Dr. Gudrun Eussner, thank you for joining Frontpage Symposium.

Click Here to support Frontpagemag.com.

Jamie Glazov is Frontpage Magazine's managing editor. He holds a Ph.D. in History with a specialty in Soviet Studies. He edited and wrote the introduction to David Horowitz’s new book Left Illusions. He is also the co-editor (with David Horowitz) of the new book The Hate America Left and the author of Canadian Policy Toward Khrushchev’s Soviet Union (McGill-Queens University Press, 2002) and 15 Tips on How to be a Good Leftist.

To see his previous symposiums, interviews and articles Click Here.

Fyodor's Website of the Day.

DiscoverTheNetworks.org

This is a handy little site that helps you navigate the labyrinthine looney left. From the groups you mustn't let your kids near, to the issues that make them foam at the mouth, to bios and classification (Memo To The Folks At DTN: Boobra Stresshand may only be an "affective leftist" now, but if she thought she could get away with it she'd line up a couple hundred enemies of the people and put a .22 slug into each one's head.)
of your friendly neighborhood left-fascist, DiscoverTheNetworks has them all arrayed for your viewing horror.

Personally, the most interesting section is that labeled "Funders". Take an extra-incredulous gander at the number American corporations (What a great "conservative" institution!) that fund the destruction of the very system that enables them to exist.

CIA mines 'rich' content from blogs

George, if you're reading this, give me a sign...like killing more bad guys.

From Bill Gertz of The Washington Times:

President Bush and U.S. policy-makers are receiving more intelligence from open sources such as Internet blogs and foreign newspapers than they previously did, senior intelligence officials said.

The new Open Source Center (OSC) at CIA headquarters recently stepped up data collection and analysis based on bloggers worldwide and is developing new methods to gauge the reliability of the content, said OSC Director Douglas J. Naquin.

"A lot of blogs now have become very big on the Internet, and we're getting a lot of rich information on blogs that are telling us a lot about social perspectives and everything from what the general feeling is to ... people putting information on there that doesn't exist anywhere else," Mr. Naquin told The Washington Times.

Eliot A. Jardines, assistant deputy director of national intelligence for open source, said the amount of unclassified intelligence reaching Mr. Bush and senior policy-makers has increased as a result of the center's creation in November.

"We're certainly scoring a number of wins with our ultimate customer," said Mr. Jardines, who became the first high-level official in charge of the government's nonsecret intelligence in December.

"I can't get into detail of what, but I'll just say the amount of open source reporting that goes into the president's daily brief has gone up rather significantly," Mr. Jardines said. "There has been a real interest at the highest levels of our government, and we've been able to consistently deliver products that are on par with the rest of the intelligence community."

Mr. Naquin said recent OSC successes have included the discovery of a technology advance in a foreign country. Also, most data on avian flu outbreaks come from open sources, he said.

"Have we got coups out of it? Close to it," Mr. Naquin said. "But certainly we've had more insight than we've ever had before."

The OSC uses powerful computers and software technology to "sift" the Internet for valuable intelligence. It also buys information from commercial databases.

Why Robespierre Chose Terror

John Kekes, at FrontPageMagazine.com, reminds us of the original terrorist, Robespierre, and why he is the immoral and anti-intellectual father of every bloodthirsty, power-mad ghoul to tread upon his fellow man since the French Revolution.

The American attitude toward the French Revolution has been generally favorable—naturally enough for a nation itself born in revolution. But as revolutions go, the French one in 1789 was among the worst. True, in the name of liberty, equality, and fraternity, it overthrew a corrupt regime. Yet what these fine ideals led to was, first, the Terror and mass murder in France, and then Napoleon and his wars, which took hundreds of thousands of lives in Europe and Russia. After this pointless slaughter came the restoration of the same corrupt regime that the Revolution overthrew. Aside from immense suffering, the upheaval achieved nothing.

Leading the betrayal of the Revolution’s initial ideals and its transformation into a murderous ideological tyranny was Maximilien Robespierre, a monster who set up a system expressly aimed at killing thousands of innocents. He knew exactly what he was doing, meant to do it, and believed he was right to do it. He is the prototype of a particularly odious kind of evildoer: the ideologue who believes that reason and morality are on the side of his butcheries. Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, and Pol Pot are of the same mold. They are the characteristic scourges of humanity in modern times, but Robespierre has a good claim to being the first. Understanding his motives and rationale deepens our understanding of the worst horrors of the recent past and those that may lurk in the future.

Historians distinguish three phases of the French Revolution. The last, the Terror, ran roughly during 1793–94. It began with the fall of the moderate Girondins and the radical Jacobins’ accession to power. As the Jacobins gained control of the Committee of Public Safety, which in turn controlled the legislature (the Convention), the disputes among their factions sharpened. After an interregnum of shared power, Robespierre became dictator, and the Terror started in earnest. It took the form of the arrest, show trial, and execution of thousands of people, including the leaders of the Girondins and the opposing Jacobin factions, who were suspected of opposing—actively or passively, actually or potentially—the policies Robespierre dictated.

Robespierre’s constituency outside the Convention was the mob, roaming the streets of Paris, the center of the Revolution. Large parts of France were hardly involved; for most people, life went on during the Revolution much as before. The mob in Paris consisted largely of destitute sans-culottes (“without knee breeches”), who maintained themselves by a mixture of crime, prostitution, begging, and odd jobs. Robespierre and his followers incited them to action whenever political expediency called for it. But even when unincited, having nothing better to do, they formed the crowd that watched the public executions, jeered and abused those about to die, rejoiced at the severed heads, adulated the leaders temporarily in power, and cursed them after they fell. Like flies, they were everywhere as the Revolution went on its bloody way. Their enraged, expectant buzzing formed the ghastly background of the slaughter of the innocents.

Historical distance and revolutionary rhetoric must not be allowed to obscure the Terror’s savagery. The descriptions that follow are only a few among many that could be given. Stanley Loomis writes in Paris in the Terror that, in the September massacres of 1792, “the bloody work went on for five . . . days and nights. On the morning of the third, the prison of La Force was entered and here took place the murder of the Princesse de Lamballe. . . . The frenzy of the crazed and drunken murderers appears to have reached its highest pitch at La Force. Cannibalism, disembowelment and acts of indescribable ferocity took place here. The Princess . . . refused to swear her hatred of the King and Queen and was duly handed over to the mob. She was dispatched with a pike thrust, her still beating heart was ripped from her body and devoured, her legs and arms were severed from her body and shot through cannon. The horrors that were then perpetrated on her disemboweled torso are indescribable. . . . It has been loosely assumed . . . that most of the other victims were, like herself, aristocrats—an assumption that for some curious reason is often supposed to mitigate these crimes. Very few victims were, in fact, of the former nobility—less than thirty out of the fifteen hundred who were killed.”

What Robespierre had unloosed were the most depraved urges of society’s dregs. The resulting anarchy temporarily served his purpose, much as the Kristallnacht served Hitler’s, the purges Stalin’s, and the cultural revolution Mao’s. Each perpetrated the terror to frighten opponents into abject submission and establish himself more firmly in power.

Having secured Paris, in 1793 Robespierre appointed commissioners to enforce his interpretation of the Revolution outside the capital. In the city of Lyon, writes Simon Schama in Citizens, the guillotine began its work, but it was found to be “a messy and inconvenient way of disposing of the political garbage. . . . A number of the condemned, then, were executed in mass shootings. . . . [A]s many as sixty prisoners were tied in a line by ropes and shot at with cannon. Those who were not killed outright by the fire were finished off with sabers, bayonets, and rifles. . . . By the time that the killings . . . had finished, one thousand nine hundred and five people had met their end.” The commissioner in Nantes “supplemented the guillotine with . . . vertical deportations. . . . Holes were punched in the sides of . . . barges. . . . Prisoners were put in with their hands and feet tied and the boats pushed into the center of the river. . . . [The] victims helplessly watched the water rise about them. . . . [P]risoners were stripped of their clothes and belongings . . . [Y]oung men and women [were] tied naked together in the boats. Estimates of those who perished in this manner vary greatly, but there were certainly no fewer than two thousand.”

In the Vendéan massacre, recounts Schama, “Every atrocity the time could imagine was meted out to the defenseless population. Women were routinely raped, children killed, both mutilated. . . . At Gonnord . . . two hundred old people, along with mothers and children, [were forced] to kneel in front of a large pit they had dug; they were then shot so as to tumble into their own grave. . . . Thirty children and two women were buried alive when earth was shoveled onto the pit.” In Paris, Loomis writes, Robespierre ordered the kangaroo court, known as the Revolutionary Tribunal, to be “as active as crime itself and conclude every case within twenty-four hours.” “The victims were shepherded to the courtroom in the morning and, no matter how many of them there might be, their fate was settled by no later than two in the afternoon of that same day. By three o’clock their hair had been cut, their hands bound and they were in the death carts on their way to the scaffold.” “Between June 10 and July 27 [1793] . . . 1,366 victims perished.” Most of these people were innocent of any crime and were unable to defend themselves against accusations of which they were not even informed.

These atrocities were not unfortunate excesses unintended by Robespierre and his henchmen but the predictable consequences of the ideology that divided the world into “friends” and less-than-human “enemies.” The ideology was the repository of the true and the good, the key to the welfare of humanity. Its enemies had to be exterminated without mercy because they stood in the way. As the ideologues saw it, the future of mankind was a high enough stake to justify any deed that served their purpose. As Loomis puts it, “[A]ll who played a role in the drama . . . believed themselves motivated by patriotic and altruistic impulses. All . . . were able to value their good intentions more highly than human life. . . . There is no crime, no murder, no massacre that cannot be justified, provided it be committed in the name of an Ideal.”

The ideal, however, was simply what Robespierre said it was. And the law was what Robespierre and his followers willed it to be. They changed it at will and determined whether its application in a particular case was just. The justification of monstrous actions by appealing to a passionately held ideal, elevated as the standard of reason and morality, is a characteristic feature of political ideologies in power. For the Communists, it was a classless society; for the Nazis, racial purity; for Islamic terrorists, their interpretation of the Koran. The shared feature is that the ideal, according to its true believers, is immune from rational or moral criticism, because it determines what is reasonable and moral.

Norman Hampson notes in his biography of Robespierre that “the revolutionary tribunal . . . had become an undiscriminating murder machine. . . . Imaginary . . . plots and absurd charges were everyday events.” As Robespierre put it, “Let us recognize that there is a conspiracy against public liberty. . . . What is the remedy? To punish the traitors.” Hampson writes: “Robespierre took the attitude that clemency . . . was a form of sentimental self-indulgence that would have to be paid for in blood.” He declared: “There are only two parties in France: the people and its enemies. We must exterminate those miserable villains who are eternally conspiring against the rights of man. . . . [W]e must exterminate all our enemies.”

Robespierre, recounts Schama, “rejoiced that ‘a river of blood would now divide France from its enemies.’ ”

The result of this climate of hysteria was Robespierre’s Decree of the 22nd Prairial. It “expressed in principle the views of the whole Committee [of Public Safety],” writes J. M. Thompson in his biography of Robespierre. “The Committee was fanatical enough to approve, and the Convention powerful enough to enforce, as a New Model of Republican justice . . . a law which denied to prisoners the help of counsel, made it possible for the court to dispense with witnesses, and allowed no sentence except acquittal or execution; a law which, at the same time, defined crimes against the state in such wide terms that the slightest indiscretion might bring one within the article of death. To any right-minded or merciful man such procedure must seem a travesty of justice.”

Empowered by this model republican justice, the Revolutionary Tribunal sent to death 1,258 people in nine weeks, as many as during the preceding 14 months. “The inescapable fact” about Robespierre, notes Hampson, is that “under a judicial system which he initiated and helped to direct . . . a government of which he was, perhaps, the most influential member, perpetrated the worst enormities of the Terror. . . . [N]o defence is possible for the wholesale massacres . . . in which . . . an average rate of thirty-six [persons] a day were sent to the guillotine.”

Robespierre “became as incapable of distinguishing right from wrong—not to say cruelty from humanity—as a blind man is of distinguishing night from day.” Let us now try to understand his frame of mind.

Robespierre was born in 1758 in the town of Arras. His father was a feckless lawyer; his mother, the daughter of a brewer, died in childbirth when Robespierre was six. A few months after her death, the father deserted his four young children. Robespierre and his brother went to live with their maternal grandparents. At 11, not an unusual age in those days, Robespierre won a scholarship to the University of Paris. After ten years there, he emerged with a law degree, returned to Arras, and started to practice law. In early 1789, he won election to the Convention as a representative of the Third Estate in Arras. Beginning as a fairly radical democrat, he became, as the Revolution unfolded, more and more radical.

Robespierre never married. He was not known to have had any love affairs. Nor did he have any interest in sex, money, food, the arts, nature, or indeed anything but politics. He was about five feet three inches tall, with a slight build, a small head on broad shoulders, and light chestnut hair. He had “nervous spasms which occasionally twisted his neck and shoulders, and showed themselves in the clenching of his hands, the twitching of his features, and the blinking of his eyelids,” says Thompson. He dressed fashionably and wore glasses, “which he was in the habit of pushing up onto his forehead . . . when he wished to look anyone in the face.” “His habitual expression seemed to his friends melancholy, and his enemies arrogant; sometimes he would laugh with the immoderateness of a man who has little sense of humor; sometimes the cold look softened into a smile of ironic and rather alarming sweetness.” With his shrill, rough voice, “[h]is power as a speaker . . . lay less in the manner of his delivery, than in the seriousness of what he had to say, and the deep conviction with which he said it.”

Robespierre made no secret of his convictions. He expressed them in several crucial speeches, of which copies, written in his own hand, remain. In his August 1792 speech, Robespierre said that France was living through one of the great events in human history. After an initial period of stumbling, the Revolution of 1789 became in August 1792 “the finest revolution that has ever honored humanity, indeed the only one with an object worthy of man: to found political societies at last on the immortal principles of equality, justice and reason.” The Revolution was the finest ever, because, for the first time in history, “the art of government” aimed not at “deceiving and corrupting man” but at “enlightening them and making them better.” The task of the Revolution was “to establish the felicity of perhaps the entire human race.” “The French people seems to have out-distanced the rest of the human race by two thousand years.”

But a serious obstacle barred the way. “Two opposing spirits . . . [are] contending for domination . . . [and] are fighting it out in this great epoch of human history, to determine for ever the destinies of the world. France is the theater of this terrible combat.” The conflicts between the friends and the enemies of the Revolution “are merely the struggle between private interests and the general interest, between cupidity and ambition on the one hand and justice and humanity on the other.” All the current political choices, consequently, were choices between good and evil, allowing Robespierre to demonize his opponents.

Note that in declaring his aim to be a society in which “the immortal principles of equality, justice and reason” would prevail, Robespierre simply dropped liberty and fraternity, substituting whatever he regarded as justice and reason. The justification of the massacres was that those killed were enemies of the republic, counterrevolutionaries who had conspired against that equality, justice, and reason whose realization would “establish the felicity of perhaps the entire human race.” The pivot on which all turned was those principles of equality, justice, and reason, which Robespierre spelled out in a declaration that formed the basis of the Constitution of 1793. Some extracts: “Article 1. The object of every political association is to safeguard the natural and imprescriptible rights of men.” “Article 3. . . . rights belong equally to all men, whatever their physical and moral differences.” “Article 4. Freedom is the right of every man to exercise all his faculties at will. Its rule is justice, its limits are the rights of others, its source is nature, its guarantee is the law.” “Article 6. Any law which violates the imprescriptible rights of man is essentially unjust and tyrannical.”

How did Robespierre actually interpret these principles? He said: “[W]e must exterminate all our enemies with the law in our hands”; “the Declaration of Rights offers no safeguard to conspirators”; “the suspicions of enlightened patriotism might offer a better guide than formal rules of evidence.” Commenting on an execution, he said: “Even if he had been innocent he had to be condemned if his death could be useful.” In a letter advising the Revolutionary Tribunal, he wrote: “People are always telling judges to take care to save the innocent; I tell them . . . to beware of saving the guilty.”

Collot, the official commissioner he personally appointed to supervise the massacres, expressed succinctly their shared interpretation of the principles enshrined in the Declaration: “The rights of man are made, not for counter-revolutionaries, but only for sans-culottes.”

Saint-Just, Robespierre’s closest ally, said: “[T]he republic consists in the extermination of everything that opposes it.”

That's modernity in a nutshell, kiddies. A passionate love affair with death - the death of others.

The inconsistency between the Declaration, providing the basis of the constitutional guarantee of equal rights for all citizens, and the actual policies that Robespierre dictated and that his followers enforced, was so blatant as to require an explanation. This Robespierre provided in a speech in December 1793.

“The object of a revolutionary regime is to found a republic; that of a constitutional regime is to carry it on. The first befits a time of war between liberty and its enemies; the second suits a time when freedom is victorious, and at peace with the world.” The current regime in France was revolutionary, he argued, struggling to become constitutional. But internal enemies threatened the successful completion of this struggle. “Under a constitutional regime,” he went on, “little is needed but to protect the individual citizen against abuse of power by the government; but under a revolutionary regime the government has to defend itself against all the factions which attack it; and in this fight for life only good citizens deserve public protection, and the punishment of the people’s enemies is death.” The revolutionary regime “must be as terrible to the wicked as it is favorable to the good.”

There was, therefore, no inconsistency between the Declaration and the Terror. “The Declaration of Rights offers no safeguard to conspirators who have tried to destroy it.” The Declaration guided the constitutional regime whose establishment was the ultimate aim. The Terror was merely the means to it, forced on the revolutionary regime by enemies who prevented the realization of the constitutional regime.

This piece of sophistry was then new, but to those who look back on the twentieth century it is depressingly familiar from the use that many murderous regimes have made of it. They all claimed that their aim was human well-being, but that incorrigibly wicked enemies, who have disguised their true nature and conspired against the noblest of aims, threatened its achievement. The supposed threat was so serious, and the aim so important, as to warrant extreme, albeit temporary, measures—to identify enemies, unmask their conspiracies, and exterminate them. To a handful of clear-sighted and courageous heroes of the revolution—like the KGB, the SS, and the Red Guard—falls the duty of performing these necessary tasks. They must harden their hearts and do what needs to be done in the interest of the greater good. The grave threat averted, the extreme measures will no longer be necessary, and then human well-being will be within everyone’s reach.

Exactly!

A remarkable feature of the ideological frame of mind is that those in its grip actually believe these justifications for disemboweling, lynching, mutilating, burying alive, drowning, and hacking to pieces their unfortunate victims. In fact, the atrocities only strengthen the utter certainty with which ideologues hold their convictions and impose their aim.

An ideology is a worldview that makes sense of prevailing political conditions and suggests ways of improving them. Typical ideologies include among their elements a metaphysical outlook that provides a God’s-eye view of the world, a theory about human nature, a system of values whose realization will supposedly ensure human well-being, an explanation of why the actual state of affairs falls short of perfection, and a set of policies intended to close the gap between the actual and ideal. This last component—commitment to a political program and its implementation—is what distinguishes ideologies from religious, personal, aesthetic, or philosophical systems of belief. Ideologies aim to transform society. Other systems of belief do not involve such a commitment; if they do, they become ideological.

In the course of history, many different and incompatible ideologies have held sway, all of them essentially speculative interpretations that go beyond undeniable facts and simple truths. Resting on fallible hypotheses about matters that transcend the existing state of knowledge, they are especially prone to wishful, self-deceiving, anxious, or self-serving thinking—to unchecked flights of fantasy and imagination. Reasonable people therefore regard ideologies, including their own, with robust skepticism and demand of them conformity to elementary standards of reason: logical consistency, the explanation of indisputable and relevant facts, responsiveness to new evidence and serious criticism, and recognition that the success or failure of policies derived from them counts as confirming or disconfirming evidence.

The source of Robespierre’s deepest convictions and of his certainty about them was his unquestioning commitment to an ideology he had largely derived from Rousseau, whom he regarded as “the tutor of the human race.” This ideology led him to believe that politics was an application of morality and that a good government was based on moral principles that ineluctably cause the interests of individuals to become indistinguishable from the general interest. Put another way, uncorrupted human beings intuitively recognize and act in the general interest. Any divergence between individual and general interest indicates the individual’s immorality and irrationality. If any individual fails to see that his true interests are the same as the general interest, he must be forced to act as if he did see it, for his own good.

Sound familiar? How stupid and evil are we that we continue to fall for this vile lunacy over and over again?

Ah, but the worst is yet to come...

But who are those uncorrupted human beings who know what is in the general interest? Robespierre answers: “There do exist pure and sensitive souls. There does exist a tender, but imperious and irresistible passion . . . a profound horror of tyranny, a compassionate zeal for the oppressed, a sacred love of one’s country, and a love of humanity still more holy and sublime, without which a great revolution is no more than the destruction of a lesser by a greater crime. There does exist a generous ambition to found on earth the first republic in the world. . . . You can feel it, at this moment, burning in your hearts; I can feel it in my own.” The plain message when the bombast is deflated is that, since the people have been corrupted, they cannot be trusted to know what is good for them, but he, Robespierre, knows, because he is uncorrupted.

Just for fun, kiddies, make a list of all our moral and intellectual superiors who think they know. Those are the denizens of the totalitarian middle.

Now make a list of those with nerve (or psychosis) enough to act, not just talk. Of course, the problem today is the same one that afflicted 18th century France: You usually can't tell a mass-murderer from a blow-hard until he starts killing.

Fyodor's solution?

Make sure individuals and families retain as much power over their lives as possible and severely limit that which is subject to politics and the whims of politicians.

If he had left it at that, his belief in his own purity would be no more than a megalomaniac’s offensive folly. But he did not leave it at that. He regarded it as his duty to coerce the corrupted population to live according to what he in his purity regarded as virtue. He said: “The enemies of the Republic are cowardly egoists, the ambitious and the corrupt. You have driven out the kings, but have you driven out those vices that their fatal domination bred within you?” Robespierre convinced himself—and coerced others to believe or pretend to believe—that his will was the general will, the will that everyone would act on if everyone were as pure as he. When he encountered opposition, he knew with absolute certainty that his opponents were either vicious and had to be exterminated for the common good, or were ignorant and had to be coerced for their own good to act as if they were as pure and virtuous as he.The basis of Robespierre’s ideology was not reason but passion, which became his touchstone of reason and morality. He did not ask whether he should nurture that passion, whether it was an appropriate reaction to the facts, whether it was too strong, or whether he should be guided by it. The aim of his politics was to make the world fit his passion, not vice versa. The result was that he blinded himself to the actual requirements of reason and morality and decreed the murder of thousands simply because he suspected that they might disagree with his passionately held views. All the while, he self-righteously proclaimed that his vicious actions were virtuous and that he was the champion of reason and morality.

Hence Fyodor’s Rule #5: You can always spot a totalitarian because he’s the one doing that which he accuses others of doing. Only worse.

It may be said in a misguided attempt to defend Robespierre that he sincerely believed his ideology and acted on it in good faith; people can do no more than that. Of course, if this excuse were valid, it would, absurdly, excuse SS concentration-camp guards, if they were sincere Nazis; KGB torturers, provided they were committed Communists; or Islamic terrorists, if they are truly fanatical. But the reprehensible beliefs of the ideologues strengthen rather than weaken responsibility for such actions. One wants to say that people ought not hold beliefs from which monstrous actions follow. And this is just what is right to say in response to any effort to excuse Robespierre. If his ideology led him to mass murder, he should not have held it.

Many people, of course, do not choose the ideology they hold but acquire it through indoctrination. It may be too much to demand of them to resist indoctrination, if it is persistent and sophisticated, and if they know of no reasonable alternatives. Not being able to resist ideological indoctrination, however, is one thing; committing atrocities in its name is quite another. People do have a choice as to whether they torture or murder. Decent people will question their ideology if they see that it leads to inflicting horrors. And if they do not question it and commit atrocities, then they are justly held responsible not for what they believe but for what they have done.

Simple and elegant, as the truth always is.

Robespierre, however, was not indoctrinated. He constructed his ideology himself, from his readings, education, and early political experience. As a lawyer trained to sift through evidence and evaluate the interpretations of facts, he had the ability to think critically about his ideology; yet he did not. He is, therefore, responsible for the mass murder he caused. And the same is true of countless Communists, Nazis, Maoists, and terrorists who chose their ideology in preference to readily available alternatives of which they could not be ignorant.

But why did all those follow Robespierre who did not share either his ideology or his monstrous passion? Many followed because he let them act on their worst urges, which they had to suppress when law and order prevailed.

Others—overwhelmed by the political changes, by the widespread chaos and uncertainty, by the blood that had already been shed—yearned to understand what was going on, what justified it, and what its aim was. Many people accepted Robespierre’s explanation, bombast and implausibility notwithstanding, because any explanation of what they were living through was better than no explanation.

But the chief reason that people followed him was fear. No one was safe, and people hastened to testify by words and deeds that they were loyal, enthusiastic supporters. Robespierre wielded his power over life and death as arbitrarily as Hitler, Stalin, and Mao did. Arbitrariness is the key to terror: if there are no rules, justifications, or reasons, then everyone is at risk. People can try to minimize the risk only by outdoing others in toeing the line. Dictators understand that, and it explains much of the “spontaneous demonstrations” and public adulation that they extract from the duped and terrified people at their mercy.

Robespierre, who saw himself as a romantic hero battling against great odds, yearned for power and was indifferent to the cost of achieving it. When he succeeded in concocting an ideology from the flotsam of Rousseau’s ideas and other bits and pieces, he held on to it with fanatical dedication, for it provided him not merely with a political program but also with a justification of his quest for power. In a strangely closed circle, when he perpetrated the monstrous acts of the Terror, he took their very monstrosity as evidence of the purity of his motivation and convictions. He and his fellow ideologues were the elect whose passions guided them to know good and evil, truth and falsehood, however obscene or forbidden their actions might appear to the unelect.

Though Nazism, Communism, various kinds of terrorism, and white, black, and yellow racism demonstrate how easily ideologies lead to inhumanity, not even irrational and immoral ideologies lead necessarily to mass murder, of course. Ideologues must have the opportunity to act in accordance with their beliefs—opportunities that spring from the combination of deep and widespread resentment about the burden that people must bear, weak or weakening government, and no prospect of quick and substantial improvement. It was the presence of these conditions that permitted Robespierre to become the monster he was.

Castigating Robespierre more than 200 years after his death would have little point if he were not the prototype of the ideological frame of mind that is very much with us today. If we understand him, we understand that it is utterly useless to appeal to reason and morality in dealing with ideologues. For they are convinced that reason and morality are on their side and that their enemies are irrational and immoral simply because they are enemies. Negotiation with such people can succeed only if we have overwhelming force on our side and have shown ourselves unsqueamish about using it. Justifying its use to the electorate of a democratic country—used to thinking of politics as a process of reasonable negotiation and compromise—must involve showing in sickening detail the monstrosities committed in the name of the ideology. And that is the point of reminding ourselves of the crimes of the long-dead Robespierre.

From The Plank In Your Own Eye Department:

The Evans-Novak Political Report has its eye on the Democrasses' Grand Poohbah of ethics.

West Virginia-1: The Washington Post has added its editorial voice to those calling for Rep. Alan Mollohan (D) to step down as top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee. Mollohan may have hidden millions in assets and liabilities on his personal financial disclosure forms that are required for members of Congress.

Meanwhile, Mollohan's fundraising for the first quarter of the year put him well ahead of his opponent, State Del. Chris Wakim (R). But the filings also show that Mollohan received contributions from employees of all the non-profits to which he is now accused of funneling money.


Sign up here to get your own FREE subscription to The Evans-Novak Political Report.

A public service announcement from TheChurchMilitant.

LEFT: The thug formerly known as #@!!&%!#!!.


In order to promote domestic tranquility and to prevent Chris Matthews' head from cavitating clean off his shoulders and killing a whole bunch of those MSNBC clowns, from this day forward the president of Iran shall be known as President Hungadunga.

How to tell if your language and literature professor is a Nazi.

Ahhh...Education! Can't you just smell it?

Christian News Wire: University Professor Leads Students to Destroy Anti Abortion Display

Northern Kentucky University Professor Sally Jacobsen allegedly assisted pro abortion students in tearing down an anti abortion display Thursday.
After becoming aware of the incident involving the professor, Mark Harrington, the executive director for the Midwest Region of the Center for Bio Ethical Reform (CBR), interviewed Katie Walker, the organizer of the display, on Activist Radio.

“Katie and the students of Northern Right to Life (pro life student group at Northern Kentucky University) showed great courage. They are rightfully pursuing charges against the professor,” said Mark Harrington, CBR’s Midwest Director and Host of Activist Radio. “We have all heard of anti war professors occasionally abusing their classrooms to speak out against the war in Iraq. Jacobsen, by inciting students to violence, has gone far beyond the conditions of her position as a professor.”

The Cincinnati Enquirer quoted Sally Jacobsen, a longtime professor in NKU's literature and language department, as saying "I did, outside of class during the break, invite students to express their freedom-of-speech rights to destroy the display if they wished to. Any violence perpetrated against that silly display was minor compared to how I felt when I saw it. Some of my students felt the same way, just outraged."

The display is comprised of 400 white wooden crosses called the Cemetery of the Innocents. CBR is now making plans to bring the Genocide Awareness Project (GAP) to Northern Kentucky University next semester.

Additionally, of particular note were the comments of NKU President James Votruba who said, "Freedom-of-speech rights end where you infringe on someone else's freedom of speech."

"I don't buy the claim that this is an act of freedom of speech, to destroy property," Votruba said.

He said he was gathering information about the extent of Jacobsen's participation. Dozens of NKU students saw Jacobsen participating in tearing down the display.

"I don't know if she was pulling up the crosses, but I think she was out there with the students. If so, as far as I'm concerned, she went outside the conditions of her employment," Votruba said.

Contact: Mark Harrington, Executive Director for the Center for Bio Ethical Reform (CBR) Midwest, 614-419-9000, mark@cbrinfo.org

Mark Harrington is the Executive Director of CBR Midwest, and hosts The Mark Harrington Show.

And then what happened?

Brown Daily Herald: Professor put on leave after abortion controversy

A professor at Northern Kentucky University was put on leave after admitting she encouraged students to destroy an anti-abortion display on campus.

Sally Jacobsen, a professor of literature and language, will not return to the school and will retire at the end of the semester, the Associated Press reported.

According to the AP, Jacobsen acknowledged that, on April 12, she led graduate students to rip up 400 crosses that were supposed to represent a cemetery for aborted fetuses. A group called Northern Right to Life had set up the display a week earlier.

Katie Walker, a representative of the group, told the AP she hopes those who destroyed the crosses will be prosecuted.

Go get 'em, Katie! (I love all girls, but I love Katies the best.)

"I just hope they're held accountable for their actions," Walker said.

Most of the antique media went with this headline:

Professor Put On Leave After Abortion Spat

That leads me to believe AP labeled this instance of totalitarian violence a "spat".

Here's some good news from WSB in Atlanta:

"By leading her students in the destruction of an approved student organization display, Professor Sally Jacobsen's actions were inconsistent with Northern Kentucky University's commitment to free and open debate and the opportunity for all sides to be heard without threat of censorship or reprisal," said NKU President James C. Votruba.

Jacobsen, who's been teaching for 27 years, will retire at the end of the semester.

One small step for education, one giant leap for reality.

University police are investigating the vandalism report.

"Further action may occur once a full investigation has been completed," said Votruba.

I'd say a year in the county lockup should help our gal Sal remember she's not a member of the Taliban.

Oops! On the advice of counsel, I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to the Taliban. Even they find abortion sickening.

If Tom Cruise wasn't a rich leftist, he'd be labeled a dangerous cultist and the Clintons would burn down his compound and kill everyone there.

Imagine what would happen if someone from...oh, I don't know...let's say someone belonging to Opus Dei , tried to make a funny like this...

WSB-TV 2: Placenta Eating Comment Was Joke, Cruise Says
(Apr 18 12:47 PM) The reports of Tom Cruise eating Katie Holmes' placenta after she gives birth to their child have escalated out of control.

BBC: Cruise plays down 'placenta plan'
(Apr 18 5:33 AM) Actor Tom Cruise denies reports he plans to eat the placenta and umbilical cord of his new baby.

BBC: Tom Cruise 'will eat baby's placenta'
(Apr 18 1:50 AM) Actor Tom Cruise says he plans to eat the placenta and umbilical cord of his new baby.

I believe him because Slavemaster Hu's in town and Tom could get all the Slave Chinese placenta or fetuses he wants with a reference from Hitlery.

Meanwhile, the Hawaiians are not amused in the least.

BTW, kiddies, there are no such things as coincidences.

Saint of the Day and daily Mass readings.

Today is the Feast of St. Anthony Pavoni, Dominican inquisitor general for Piedmont and Liguria in Italy. Pray for us, all you angels and saints.

Today's reading is Acts 3: 1-10.
Today's Responsorial Psalm is Psalms 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9.
Today's Gospel reading is Luke 24:13-35.


[Links to the readings will be from the NAB until I can find another chapter and verse searchable Douay-Rheims Bible on-line.]


Everyday links:

The Blessed Virgin Mary
The Rosary
Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Prayers from EWTN
National Coalition of Clergy and Laity (dedicated to action for a genuine Catholic Restoration)
The Catholic Calendar Page for Today


Just in case you are wondering what exactly Catholics believe, here is

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.


Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession,was left unaided.Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me. Amen.


St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse, pray for us.


Prayer to St. Anthony, Martyr of Desire

Dear St. Anthony, you became a Franciscan with the hope of shedding your blood for Christ. In God's plan for you, your thirst for martyrdom was never to be satisfied. St. Anthony, Martyr of Desire, pray that I may become less afraid to stand up and be counted as a follower of the Lord Jesus. Intercede also for my other intentions. (Name them.)


Prayer To Saint Michael The Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the divine power, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.


Prayer to End Abortion

Lord God, I thank You today for the gift of my life, and for the lives of all my brothers and sisters. I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the resurrection of Your Son. I am ready to do my part to end abortion. Today I commit myself never to be silent, never to be passive, and never to be forgetful of the unborn. I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, and never stop defending life until all my brothers and sisters are protected and our nation once again becomes a nation with liberty and justice, not just for some, but for all. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Orit on Passover.

My favorite hot Israeli babe celebrates (sort of) right here in the good old USA.

Yeah, seder was pretty boring this year, and I know everyone at my family's table agreed, except maybe for mom, who is the most religious one in the family. My aunt and her boyfriend kept turning the pages to see when we'd get to the meal -- the Shulkan Orech. My rebellious teenage sister was unusually quiet. I think she was wise and smoked a joint before the seder began. My dad just complied with my mom's instructions. And I too went along, keeping my boredom to myself, if only to make my mother happy.

And this year, since I'm in the Diaspora and not in Israel, I had to keep two seders. That was a small torture.

Just a few days earlier, as I was helping my mom rinse the Pesach dishes, I asked her why everyone goes so overboard on Pesach. How is it going to make us holier if we eat on a set of hametz-free dishes? How is vacuuming every single food crumb behind the sofa going to teach us the value of Jewish liberty? How is crashing into the whole Jewish world with our shopping carts at the kosher market going to bring us closer to God?

Yes, on Pesach I have a lot of questions.

And my mom said we have some answers. "If we don't keep the tradition, we'll assimilate. We're already assimilating."

"You know why we're assimilating, Mommy," I answered. "Because all this cleaning and praying is so boring and unattractive! I don't blame the non-affiliated Jews for saying -- heck, I don't want a part of THAT!"

She wasn't happy with my answer, but she didn't argue with me either. I think she knew I was on to something.

And now, after seder, none of my family members -- except for my mom -- is any closer to Judaism than they were before we began. In fact, I wager my non-religious aunt and uncle went home just calling my traditional family "psycho."

On Pesach, we have become so enslaved to the rituals and traditions (what my friend likes to call OCD [Obsessive Compulsive Disorder-ed] Judaism), that we have forgotten what Pesach is all about: liberation -- Jewish liberation. To me, that comes from embracing a set of moral values that encourage us to think for ourselves, to live truly, to honor our fellow man and woman, and to fight against tyranny. It doesn't necessary come from adhering to the minutiae of modern Jewish law.

Maybe that's why Jews have for centuries been slaughtered for the sake of keeping their tradition, rather than keeping their tradition for the sake of not being slaughtered. The rituals have become a value in and of themselves, while the principles they were supposed to uphold got lost in the hametz.

So, on this Pesach, as on last Pesach - I am asking questions. I am asking questions the rabbis wouldn't want me to ask.

Because we Jews are still not liberated. So I wish for us on this Pesach that we clean ourselves of the junk that has been holding us back from standing up for our freedom -- as individuals and as a people -- to release ourselves from our bondage and cross the sea of liberty, self-reliance, honesty, spiritual cleanness. And less boredom.

On the one hand, I'm sorry to hear her opinion of Jewish tradition. (I'm a big tradition man myself.) On the other hand, as a Catholic, I know the Messiah. That tends to make Judaism a bit...um...outdated.

I really shouldn't comment on any of this, but I can't help myself. Maybe someday...

The Theology of the Body: 88. The Call to Be Imitators of God and to Walk in Love

In his General Audience of 4 August 1982, the Holy Father continued his examination of the fifth chapter of Ephesians as part of his ongoing catechesis on theology of the body. The prescriptions for family relationships should be understood in light of the Apostle's teaching on the Christian vocation.


The Call to Be Imitators of God and to Walk in Love

During the general audience on Wednesday afternoon of 4 August, the Holy Father gave the following address.


1. During our talk last Wednesday I quoted the fifth chapter of the Letter to the Ephesians (vv. 22-25). Now after an introductory glance at this classic text, one should examine the way in which this passage—so important both for the mystery of the Church and of the sacramental character of marriage—is situated in the immediate context of the whole letter.

While realizing that there are a number of problems discussed among biblical scholars as regards the authorship, the date of composition, and those to whom the letter was addressed, one must note that the Letter to the Ephesians has a very significant structure. The author begins this letter by presenting the eternal plan of the salvation of man in Jesus Christ.

"God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ...has chosen us in him that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace...as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him..." (Eph 1:3, 4-7, 10).

The author of the Letter to the Ephesians, after having presented in words full of gratitude the plan which, from eternity, is in God, and at a certain time is already fulfilled in the life of humanity, beseeches the Lord that men (and directly those to whom the letter is addressed) may fully know Christ as head: "He has made him the head over all things for the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all" (1:22-23).

Sinful humanity is called to a new life in Christ, in which the pagans and the Hebrews should join together as in a temple (cf. 2:11-21). The Apostle preaches the mystery of Christ among the pagans, to whom he especially addresses himself in his letter, bending "the knee before the Father" and asking him to grant them "according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man" (3:14, 16).

Vocation flowing from the divine plan

2. After this profound and moving revelation of Christ in the Church, in the second part of the letter the author passes to more detailed instructions. These are aimed at defining the Christian life as a vocation flowing from the divine plan, which we have previously spoken of, namely, from the mystery of Christ in the Church. Here also the author touches various questions which are always valid for the Christian life. He makes an exhortation for the preservation of unity, underlining at the same time that this unity is constructed on the multiplicity and diversity of Christ's gifts. To each one is given a different gift, but all, as Christians, must "put on the new nature created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (4:24). To this is linked the categorical summons to overcome vices and to acquire the virtues corresponding to the vocation which all have obtained through Christ (cf. 4:25-32). The author writes: "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us...in sacrifice" (5:1-2).

Condemns pagan abuses

3. In the fifth chapter of the Letter to the Ephesians these directives become more detailed. The author severely condemns pagan abuses, writing: "For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light" (5:8). And then: "Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine [referring to the book of Proverbs 23:31]...but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart" (5:17-19). The author of the letter wishes to illustrate in these words the climate of spiritual life which should animate every Christian community. At this point he then goes on to consider the domestic community, namely, the family. He writes: "Be filled with the Spirit...always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God the Father. Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ" (5:20-21). Thus we enter precisely into that passage of the letter which will be the theme of our special analysis. We might easily observe that the essential content of this classic text appears at the meeting of the two principal guidelines of the entire Letter to the Ephesians: the first, that of the mystery of Christ which, as the expression of the divine plan for the salvation of man, is realized in the Church; the second, that of the Christian vocation as the model of life of the baptized individual, and of the single communities, corresponding to the mystery of Christ, or to the divine plan for the salvation of man.

4. In the immediate context of the passage quoted, the author of the letter seeks to explain in what way the Christian vocation thus understood should be realized and manifested in the relations between all members of the family; therefore, not merely between the husband and wife (treated of precisely in the passage of 5:21-33 which we have chosen), but also between parents and children. The author writes: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (this is the first commandment with a promise) that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" (6:1-4). Following that, he speaks of the duty of servants in regard to their masters and, vice versa, of masters in regard to servants, that is, in regard to the slaves (cf. 6:5-9). This is to be referred also to the directives concerning the family in the broad sense. The family, indeed, comprised not only the parents and children (according to the succession of generations), but included also in the wide sense, the servants or slaves of both sexes.

Moral obligations

5. Thus, then, the text of the Letter to the Ephesians which we proposed as the object of a deeper analysis is found in the immediate context of the teaching on the moral obligations of the family society (the so-called "Haustaflen" or domestic codes according to Luther's definition). We find similar instructions also in other letters (e.g., in Colossians 3:18-24, and in First Peter 2:13; 3:7). Moreover, this immediate context forms part of our passage, inasmuch as the classic text which we have chosen treats of the reciprocal duties of husbands and wives. However, one must note that per se the passage of the Letter to the Ephesians 5:21-33 deals exclusively with married couples and marriage, and what regards the family also in the broad sense is already found in the context. First, however, before undertaking a more detailed analysis of the text, it should be added that the whole letter ends with a stupendous encouragement to the spiritual battle (cf. 6:10-20), with brief recommendations (cf. 6:21-22) and with a final farewell (cf. 6:23-24). That call to the spiritual battle seems to be based logically on the line of argument of the entire letter. It is the explicit fulfillment of its principal guidelines.

Having thus before our eyes the overall structure of the entire Letter to the Ephesians, we shall seek in the first analysis to clarify the meaning of the words: "Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ" (5:21), addressed to husbands and to wives.

Have no fear, kiddies. That commie bastard thug of a slavemaster from China is just here on business.

Maybe the Clinton's can give him some more secret military information as a lovely parting gift.

Business Meetings to Kick Off Hu Visit

Wasn't it Calvin Coolidge who said "The business of communism is murder"?

Of course it's me, your friendly neighborhood registered Democrass voter of this voting district in which I am now standing.

Democrats Will Appeal Ruling on Indiana's Voter ID Law
Crosswalk.com via CNSNews.com - A federal court has upheld an Indiana law requiring people to show a government-issued photo ID before voting...

Head Democrass thug Howie Spleen came this close to announcing the introduction of The Party of Blasphemy, Buggery, and 'Bortion's Helping the Dead and Terroristically Inclined to Vote Twice or More Act of 2006:

"Indiana's voter ID law, widely regarded as one of the most restrictive in America, creates unfair obstacles that will prevent citizens who are lawfully eligible to vote from casting their ballots," said DNC Chairman Howard Dean in a statement issued on Monday.

"I applaud the Indiana Democratic Party's decision to appeal this ruling," Dean said. "As part of our Party's commitment to doing whatever we can to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to participate in our democracy, the DNC will assist the Indiana Democratic Party's legal challenge to this unfair law and continue our fight to make it easier for all Americans to exercise their right to vote."

After I woke from my Dean-induced coma, I read the following:

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker issued an opinion saying that the plaintiffs, including the Indiana Democratic Party and the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, had produced "not a single piece of evidence" that the law would prevent registered voters from casting ballots.

The ruling means voters who show up for Indiana's May 2 primary must produce a driver's license, passport, or other photo identification issued by the state or federal government.

People who don't have a driver's license or other acceptable photo identification may get a free ID card from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, press reports said.

And the Indiana Secretary of State says people who are "unable or unwilling" to present photo ID on Election Day may cast a provisional ballot, as long as they follow up with the County Election Board within 13 days -- providing either a photo ID at that time or an explanation of why the law's exemptions apply.

That seems perfectly reasonable to me, but then again, I'm a hater and oppressor of the hated and oppressed.

Yep, I was right. That pesky Second World War is winding down.

AP: Germany to Help Open Holocaust Records

Germany agreed Tuesday to help clear the way for the opening of Nazi records on some 17 million Jews and enslaved laborers who were persecuted and slain by the Nazis and their collaborators during the Holocaust more than 60 years ago.

At a news conference at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries said her country would work with the United States to assure the opening of the archives held in the German town of Bad Arolsen and allow historians and survivors access to some 30 million to 50 million documents.

Until now, Germany resisted providing access to the archives, citing privacy concerns. "We always put it forward that way in meetings," Zypries said.

But in a meeting Tuesday with Sara Bloomfield, director of the museum, Zypries said Germany had changed its position and would immediately seek revision of an 11-nation accord governing the archives.

She said that should take no more than six months.

Speaking in German, the minister said, "We now agree to open the data in Bad Arolsen in Germany. We now assume the data will be safeguarded by those countries that copy the material and use it, and now that we have made this decision we want to move forward." Her remarks were translated into English for reporters.

Bloomfield, in an interview, called the decision "a great step, a really important step." She said , "I will be completely thrilled when I get the material in the archives."

For 60 years, the International Red Cross has used the archived documents to trace missing and dead Jews and forced laborers, who were systematically persecuted by Nazi Germany and its anti-Semitic confederates across central and eastern Europe before and during World War II.

But the archives have remained off-limits to historians and the public.

Stephen A. Smith takes out Jesse Jackson at the knees.

Yeah, I know. It is that Stephen A. Smith. Stephen freakin' A. Smith of the Philly Inquirer and ESPN. This may just be a blind squirrel with a broken watch moment, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and try to watch him rant on the ol' four letter network without throwing something at my tv.

Some people just need to go away. If not forever, then at least for a little while.

Rats! He's backpedaling before he even gets on the bike!

I'm talking about the kind of people who have had their time. The kind of people whose substance has dwindled. The kind of people who have contaminated their own good deeds with bullying tactics and manipulation - all in the desperate pursuit of nothing but airtime.

I'm talking about the one and only, the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

In Durham, N.C, a 27-year-old black female, a stripper-for-hire, alleges she was attacked on March 13. The alleged incident occurred at 610 N. Buchanan Blvd., a home leased by three members of Duke University's lacrosse team.

After the allegations, 46 players rendered DNA samples. None of the samples connected any of the players to an attack on the woman, who is a student at North Carolina Central University.

The case for District Attorney Mike Nifong reportedly has been augmented by the woman's identification of two of the alleged assailants, while being 90 percent positive about a third.

Eventually, the hope is that the truth will come out.

But what difference will it make, ultimately? Especially with the presence of Jesse Jackson?

Whack!

You can tell Jesse Jackson is coming from a mile away. All you have to do is follow the noise and rest assured that the Baptist preacher's fire-and-brimstone rhetoric won't be far behind. So forgive me if I'm annoyed as Jackson pushes his way into this situation, potentially polarizing communities nationwide in all the wrong ways, possibly jeopardizing our interest in the truth - purely because I'm disgusted by his version of things.

Smack!

As well as his participation.

Now, don't get me wrong. A black woman allegedly being victimized by white male college students definitely conjures up racial implications. And if racial slurs indeed were uttered, this certainly provides the grounds for it being a civil-rights issue.

But if local ministers and officials of the NAACP are handling matters, and individuals such as the Rev. Al Sharpton have the good sense to offer counsel without becoming directly involved publicly, why is Jackson grasping for TV time with everyone from ESPN to CNN?

Ouch! You know Jesse can't stand being compared to Sharpton.

Why is Jackson inserting himself into a situation that requires neither his presence nor input? Why publicize that his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in Chicago will pay for the accuser to finish her education?

With Jackson, we know why.

We know that he loves attention. We know that attention leads to a perception of power. We know that perceived power is easily translated into riches. And with Jackson - judging by accusations levied against him from black conservatives and other watchdog groups - we also know that's how he works.

Heehee!

Before anyone jumps to Jackson's defense, wondering why on earth anyone would feel this way about his involvement, a look at his recent history should explain it all.

Terrell Owens systematically went about the business of alienating Donovan McNabb, his teammates and the Eagles organization in a quest to get more money. Yet Jackson felt the need to interfere. Even others such as Sharpton proclaimed at the time that Jackson should not be involved because the Owens case was not a civil-rights issue.

Pow!

Months later, after some idiot decided to throw a syringe into the outfield near Barry Bonds in San Diego, Jackson stuck his nose into matters, accusing Major League Baseball and the local police of failing to protect Bonds.

Crack!

So in one instance, Jackson is defending the indefensible Owens.
In the other, he's defending someone in Bonds who, basically, refuses to defend himself.

What a joke. If only it were funny.

When you think of this woman who allegedly has been raped, think about the pursuit of truth and the need for cooperation in the Durham community. Think about the local officials, law-enforcement and otherwise, doing their due diligence in pursuit of the truth.

Think about what it would be like if it were your daughter who had been raped. Or if it were your son who was accused of rape.

Then ask yourself one more thing: Would you like it being politicized? Especially by someone like Jackson, whose agenda lately has a camera nearby?

Amen to that, Brother!

If Jackson was really sincere, matters would be dealt with behind the scenes. Away from the glitz and glare. That is where he could wield his considerable clout.

The problem? Doing so would require Jackson to care about someone else more than himself.

We pray that he will in this case.

Deep down, though, we know better.

Wow.

All in all, I'm impressed with Mr. Smith's effort. Let's hope he keeps it up.

This is the final America the Racist Cesspool update.

Pittsburgh's other newspaper explains why.

Black business owners on rise

Black Americans are becoming entrepreneurs at a rapidly increasing rate and Pittsburgh is following the trend, a new report issued by the Census Bureau suggests.

The report, "Survey of Business Owners: Black-Owned Firms: 2002," says that between 1997 and 2002, the number of black-owned businesses in the United States rose 45 percent to 1.2 million, while the combined revenue increased 25 percent to $88.8 billion.

"It's encouraging to see not just the number but the sales and receipts of black-owned businesses are growing at such a robust rate, confirming that these firms are among the fastest growing segments of our economy," said Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon.

Slated for release today, the report also shows a significant if not quite as dramatic increase in local black business ownership. It found 4,363 black-owned firms in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area as of 2002, up 38.8 percent from 3,142 in 1997. Revenue figures for the metro area, which includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties, were not available.

Doris Carson Williams, president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania, found the Census Bureau figures encouraging but not surprising.

As blacks join the numbers of those being downsized by corporations, she said, "more and more have found that entrepreneurship is a viable option for them. They don't want to go through the corporate menagerie again."
Both local and national figures show the greatest numbers of black-owned businesses in the fields of health care and social assistance.

Suprise! Blacks are just like other humans.

Other categories with a strong presence of black-owned businesses include retail; professional, scientific and technical services; and transportation and warehousing.

New York City had more black-owned firms than any other city at 98,076, followed by Chicago (39,424), Los Angeles (25,958), Houston (21,226), and Detroit (19,530).

Among states, New York had the greatest number of black-owned firms with 129,324, followed by California (112,873), Florida (102,079), Georgia (90,461) , and Texas (88,769). These five states accounted for about 44 percent of all black-owned businesses in the United States. Pennsylvania had 24,757. (Thanks to Laura Ingraham for the heads up.)

Sister Karen Klimczak, Requiescat in pace.

A beloved servant of God has been murdered by one of those she tried to help. Cry for his soul, not hers. She now rests in the arms of God.

Buffalo News: Missing nun dead; man charged
PAROLEE LIVED IN HER SHELTER

Just as 600 people prayed for a miracle that a missing nun who devoted her life to nonviolence would be found alive, authorities made the devastating announcement Monday evening that her body had been recovered and that an ex-convict she tried to help was arrested in her murder.

"We've lost a tireless champion of the people," said Mayor Byron W. Brown while flanked by the detectives who solved the tragic case.

Police said Sister Karen Klimczak, 62, who had lived and worked at Bissonette House - a halfway house on 335 Grider St. named for the Rev. A Joseph Bissonette, a priest brutally murdered in the same building in 1987 - was killed by one of the parolees staying there.

"It is a tremendous tragedy that this repeats itself 19 years later," Brown said.

Authorities identified the suspect in Sister Karen's murder as Craig M. Lynch, 36, who was released from Wyoming Correctional Facility in January after serving a sentence for an auto theft conviction.

Lynch led police to the nun's body Monday afternoon, police said, while a massive search by more than 50 local and federal law enforcement officers and 100 volunteers was under way in the streets surrounding the East Side halfway house.

Sister Karen was last seen alive at about 9:45 p.m. on Good Friday at the halfway house, authorities said.

Police say they now believe that Lynch had broken into Sister Karen's upstairs room at Bissonette House to try to steal her cell phone when he heard her coming to the door.

Detective Sgt. James P. Lonergan, who headed the investigation, said Lynch hid behind the door, then grabbed the nun from behind and attacked her.

Police believe she was suffocated but were awaiting the results of an autopsy to say for sure how she was killed.

Easter Bunny Busted

Mr. Bunny (left) and his lovely and talented assistant (who, for professional reasons, has chosen to retain her maiden name).

From The Smoking Gun:

Cops: Rowdy rabbit, wife struck woman in Florida mall melee

APRIL 17--A Florida mall dispute ended Saturday night with the arrest of the Easter Bunny on battery charges. The rambunctious rabbit (aka Arthur McClure, 22) was nabbed after he allegedly struck a mall visitor who beefed about the early closure of a photo line on which kids and parents waited for a snapshot with the cuddly character. According to Fort Myers Police Department reports, patron Erin Johansson complained to the Easter Bunny's assistant (Crystal Frechette, 25) and the two women began to argue. That's when Frechette (who's married to McClure) allegedly punched Johansson in the face. At that point, the report notes, the 280-pound McClure removed his costume's head and joined the fray, clocking Johansson in the back of her head. McClure and Frechette, pictured below in Lee County Sheriff's Office mug shots, were each charged with two misdemeanors for their alleged roles in the brawl. McClure's occupation is listed as "Easter Bunny" on the arrest report, which also notes that he has a bear head tattooed on his right arm. (5 pages)

The unspeakable horror continues apace.

Please pray for this poor girl.

I do hope there is a particularly nasty circle of Hell reserved for folks like Mr. Goff.

Ohio Stepfather in Syringe Rape Convicted

A man accused of impregnating his teenage stepdaughter with a syringe eight years ago was convicted Monday of rape.

The jury in the retrial of John Goff, 44, found that he forced Shenna Grimm to be inseminated with his sperm when she was 16, at a time when her mother could no longer conceive.

Jurors also convicted Goff of sexual battery and child endangering, said Jason Adams, a staff attorney for the judge who presided over the trial.

Goff was convicted in 2002 of the same charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison, but last June an appeals court overturned the convictions, saying a detective's testimony about statements by Goff's wife should not have been allowed.

The new jury deliberated about three hours on Friday and broke for the weekend before reaching a decision Monday afternoon.

Goff's lawyer, Jerry McHenry, declined to comment because sentencing and designation of Goff as a sexual offender were still pending.

Bill Canterbury, a spokesman for prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh, said Goff cannot be sentenced to more than the 20 years he got in 2002. He has been in prison since then.

"He'll get credit for the years he's already served," Canterbury said.
No sentencing date was set. The sexual offender status hearing was scheduled for April 26.

The horrific I can understand...but the following makes no sense at all:

In the 1990s, John Goff and his wife, Narda, campaigned for a tougher state rape law. Their activism was sparked by the acquittal of a man accused of molesting Grimm. At the time, the law required intercourse for a rape charge.

John Goff's conviction in 2002 came under the tougher state rape law.
(Thanks to Breitbart.com and WND for the heads up.)

Hawaiians await bill on access to placentas.

There's a headline you don't see very often.

As the birth of his third child drew closer and closer this fall, Kalehua Krug and his wife, Kihapai, knew they needed the cooperation of their doctor to perform an important Hawaiian birth ritual.

The Krugs told him they would need to take home their daughter's placenta, the organ that unites a mother and her child and is considered a part of the child in traditional Hawaiian belief.

Under the Krugs' family practice, the placenta is planted in the earth along with a tree that is watched as it grows to better understand psychological and spiritual changes in the child.

You learn something new every day.

But while the Krugs had no problem getting back the placenta, known as "iewe" in Hawaiian, from two previous children born at another hospital, their doctor at Kaiser Permanente hospital refused to release material from the afterbirth, treated as medical waste.

Kalehua Krug said the doctor, whom he did not identify, told them that while he did not personally agree with the state rules, the hospital could not release the placenta. But it agreed to keep the placenta frozen in storage.

With the support of legislators and now the state Health Department, a law allowing the placenta to be released to birth parents in Hawaii appears set to become law. Passed by the Hawaii Legislature, it awaits Gov. Linda Lingle's signature.

Meanwhile, Krug said he feels the life of his daughter, Leleapao'o, is in suspension.

"This is a part of my child in essence being held captive -- kidnapped," he said.

After her birth, Leleapao'o developed a herniated belly button -- the point where she had been connected to the iewe -- which Krug said required him to visit the iewe and make a commitment to it that the family would get it back.

Umm...I was with them up to this point. Really, I was.

It took about four hours at the hospital to negotiate for access to the placenta for a short ceremony, he said, and a few days later the baby's belly button retracted.

"This comes down to being able to take care of your child in the way that we deem appropriate," said Krug, who trains Hawaiian immersion teachers at the University of Hawaii.

Hawaii's rule dates back to 1990, when AIDS was still an emerging threat and relatively little was known about the disease other than its connection to blood, said state Health Director Chiyome Fukino.

A request by a Hawaiian couple in the spring for the placenta of their child first made the department aware of the conflict between its rules and traditional practice.

The parents asked for their newborn's placenta, also at Kaiser Permanente, and were denied. The Health Department then sent out a memo to all hospitals clarifying that placentas cannot leave the hospital.

"The rules are in place for the health and safety of the public, and unfortunately this was an unforeseen consequence of these rules," Fukino said.

Fukino said that changing the rules without legislation would have taken longer because it would have required a lengthy rule-making process.
While Hawaiian tradition is clear, no one can be sure once the placenta leaves the hospital that it will only be benignly buried in the ground, she said.

"You don't know what everyone's going to do with this," said Fukino.

The law would be a first in the United States. There are currently no state laws addressing the cultural need to take placentas from hospitals, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The placenta's importance is not a concept exclusive to Hawaiian culture and is found in Polynesia, Asia, Africa and in Western counterculture. (Thanks to StarBulletin.com for the heads up.)

The following is not I REPEAT NOT a spoof from The Onion.

Time magazine: Kennedy among best senators
Durbin, McCain, Specter, Snowe also make Top 10

Les Kinsolving is my hero.

From WND's man at the White House:

All orientations welcome at White House Easter Egg Roll?
McClellan skirts question about masochists attending event next year

By Les Kinsolving

Presidential press secretary Scott McClellan today affirmed that the White House Easter Egg Roll, which occurred earlier today, welcomed "all families," but he did not respond to whether or not alternative orientations beyond homosexuality would be similarly welcomed in years to come.

Asked WND: "Since this morning's annual White House Easter Egg Roll welcomed everybody, including those wearing rainbow leis promoting their sexual orientation, will next year's event include all sexual orientations, including those wearing arm bands proclaiming that pain is pleasure, or not?"

Responded McClellan: "Les, the Easter Egg Roll is a very happy tradition at the White House that dates back to 1878. It is a time for families, and we welcome all families and their children who want to come and participate in the Easter Egg Roll."

"All orientations?" pressed WND. "My question was [on] all orientations."

Said the spokesman: "And you got a response to your question."

Tuesday Combo Platter Special: It Takes A Village To Staff A Gestapo Unit Update AND The Michael and Cathryn Borden Memorial Book of the Day.*

I've Always Been a Yankees Fan: Hillary Clinton in Her Own Words by Thomas Kuiper

Mistress of Darkness and US Senator Hitlerly Schickelgruber (N-NY) has been known to tell a whopper or two when she feels the need to lie. (How can you tell when she's lying? 1. She's awake. 2. She's just nodding off after a heavy meal of Chinese fetuses.)

Return with me now to those thrilling days of yesteryear when men were women and interns were fat and had no self-esteem...

Get to know Hillary Clinton like never before with this often shocking, always hilarious collection of the former-First Lady and aspiring-President's own quotes!

From claiming to be named after a famed mountaineer (Sir Edmund Hillary actually scaled Mt. Everest years after she was born), to bragging about being a lifelong Yankees fan (although she grew up in Chicago rooting for the Cubs), Hillary shows that there's no tall tale too tall to tell.

With extensive, attributed sources, including recollections from former Clinton aide Dick Morris, this is the biggest collection of Hillary quotes ever... witty with clever illustrations, and always hilarious context.

Whether it's yelling at her Secret Service guards:

"If you want to remain on this detail, get your a** over here and grab those bags." (To an agent who wanted to keep his hands free in case of a security threat.)

...or grumbling about photo ops with young children, or arguing that taxpayers should buy her a pool, Hillary is never short on ambition and is sometimes salty enough to make a sailor blush!

"This wonderful little book will give you all the ammunition you need to hold up your end of the argument and make sure that Hillary's quotes and lies are not forgotten but come back to haunt her."...from Dick Morris's Forward

From health care to Oval Office high jinks, from Watergate to Whitewater, this is a book that humorously but pitilessly underscores Hillary’s hypocrisy, flip-flops and endless pandering. and one and one that could have a major impact on her Presidential aspirations. With HIllary almost certain to play a big role in the 2008 presidential elections. “I've Always Been A Yankees Fan” is sure to be one of the most applauded - and pilloried - Hillary titles of the year.

* WTF??? Look here.

It Takes A Village To Staff A Gestapo Unit Update.

I would like to introduce the official logo of the It Takes A Village To Staff A Gestapo Unit Update. (Thanks to FreeRepublic.com for not suing me. My only complaint? No swastika. But the skulls on her tiara more than make up for it.) It will appear on every Our Gal Hit update until her hired goons take me out.






Hillary has $20 million to campaign
Washington's other newspaper: Money could be used for races for Senate, presidency

Hmmm...$20 million could buy a lot of Slave Chinese fetuses to help smooth those "laugh lines"...and Slavemaster Hu is coming for a visit...Hey, wait a minute...

Who's behind those anti-placenta regulations????

From The Hand of God Department:

Psalms book spares rabbi
In Tel Aviv attack, pocket Scriptures next to heart ripped apart by shrapnel --WND

24's Body Count Update.

The evil President Hilter (a hybrid consisting of equal parts Machiavelli, King Lear, Fellatio D. Rascalvelt, Nixon, and just enough of the two Goobers to scare the living daylights out of anyone paying attention) and his henchman, Robo Cop, appear to have vanquished Our Hero. But have no fear, kiddies, Jack Bauer never makes mistakes that get himself killed or prevent him from winning in the end.

Again, I would like to ask the producers of 24 to kill off Jack this season. Also, I would like President Hilter to succeed in all his evil plans and declare himself Emperor. It's just not right that the bad guys only win in real life. Stop coddling us, Hollyweird! Let your dark totalitarian fantasies see the light of the cathode ray tube!

From Right Wing Nuthouse:

BODY COUNT

Six thugs are done in. One good guy bites the dust. Jack had a fun night as he got to blow up a gas truck and kill 4 bad guys.

JACK: 30

SHOW: 181

Super Bowl XL Champion Steelers Update.

Memo To Mel Brooks: It is good to be the king.

From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Steelers to celebrate with Bon Jovi

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced today that Bon Jovi will headline the Steelers World Championship Celebration Concert Sunday, July 23 at Heinz Field.

Ward ends Korean visit with a promise
Korean-American football star Hines Ward wound up a trip to South Korea that saw the Steelers receiver play catch with the president and shed tears in public, saying Tuesday he wants to help mixed-race children in the country. (2006-04-12)

Bettis to be inducted into Bowling Hall
Just a little more than two months after announcing his retirement from football, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis is already headed for the Hall of Fame — the Bowling Hall of Fame. (2006-04-12)

Bettis can follow the leaders
Jerome Bettis blazed a trail in the NFL as a big back that lasted thanks to a rare combination of power, agility and deceptively quick feet. (2006-04-16)

Overseas troops embrace Starks
Right tackle Max Starks returned home Friday from a 12-day USO tour in which he and fellow NFL players Patrick Kerney of the Atlanta Falcons and Bryce Fisher of the Seattle Seahawks visited U.S. military bases in the Balkans, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf region. (2006-04-09)



Steelers sign James Harrison
Backup linebacker James Harrison signed a four-year contract with the Steelers on Thursday.

Harrison will receive $5.5 million over the course of the contract, which included a $1.375 million signing bonus. Harrison can earn another $1 million if he becomes a starter.

"We're excited with the prospect of him staying with the Steelers. It doesn't get any better than that," Harrison's agent Bill Parise said. "We're very pleased with the contract. It's indicative of the Steelers. They're visionaries. They look down the road four to five years and want to build a football team for the future, as well."

Harrison serves as a backup at three of the four linebacker positions, including both outside spots. He started three games last season for the injured Clark Haggans and contributed 18 tackles, a sack and an interception in those contests.

He made a strong impression on at least two occasions last season -- hurdling San Diego Chargers tailback LaDainian Tomlinson on an interception return and body-slamming a fan who ran onto the field during a Christmas Eve game in Cleveland.

Harrison, 6-foot, 242 pounds, finished with 30 tackles and three sacks during the regular season. He also added 18 special-teams tackles. He missed two of four postseason games with an ankle injury but rebounded with three special-teams tackles in Super Bowl XL.

Penguins Update.

LEFT: Penguins rookie Sidney Crosby is congratulated after scoring his 100th point of the season in the second period against the New York Islanders at Mellon Arena, April 17, 2006. Chaz Palla/TRIBUNE-REVIEW

What may be the last Pittsburgh Penguins season draws to a close with a bit of good news.

Sidney Crosby turned to Ryan Malone on the bench before Monday night's Penguins game against the New York Islanders and told him it was the most nervous he'd been before a game this season.

Thirty-five minutes and 44 seconds later, at 15:44 of the second period, Crosby assisted on a goal by Malone that gave him three points on the night and 100 on the season.

Crosby is only the seventh rookie in the history of the NHL to reach the century mark and is tied with Mario Lemieux for points by a rookie.

"It was a special moment," Crosby said after the Penguins' 6-1 win over the New York Islanders in their final home game of the season. "You're only a rookie once. You only get one opportunity to do that, and it was nice to be able to do that, especially here. I scored my first goal here, and it was a very similar feeling to that. It's also nice the way the guys were really pushing for me the last few games here and trying really hard to help me accomplish this. I can't say enough about what they've done to support me."

After the goal, a wide-eyed, smiling Crosby raced over to embrace Malone, while the sellout crowd of 17,084 at Mellon Arena went wild, sending the decibel level through the roof and "Pittsburgh First" T-shirts that were given away at the door down to the ice below.

Crosby assisted on three of the Penguins' first four goals, getting his first point one minute, four seconds into the game and his second and third points just 25 seconds apart in the second period. He has 38 goals and 62 assists, and is five points behind the Washington Capitals' Alexander Ovechkin, who reached 100 points exactly one week earlier.

At 18 years, 253 old, Crosby is the youngest player to ever reach the milestone.

He stood at 80 points with 10 games to go in the season but now has six goals and 14 assists for 20 points in his last nine games going into tonight's 2005-06 season finale at the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"It's something that's been talked about a lot, so it's nice to get it and nice to have the weight off the shoulders, too," Crosby said.

For all the flash that Crosby is capable of exhibiting, his assist for the 100th point was fairly routine and came just six seconds into a Penguins power play.

"Johnny (LeClair) knew I was going to lose the draw, so Johnny got a good jump on the guy and ended up knocking it to Sid," Malone said. "Sid gave me a good pass, and I had a lot of time to tee it up in the slot and ended up putting it in (past goaltender Garth Snow). He gave me a nice pass earlier in the period that I should have buried, so I told him I owed him one."

It was the Penguins' 22nd win of the year, as they edged closer to finishing out of last place. With 58 points and one game left they are just ahead of the St. Louis Blues, who have 56 points and finish their season tonight at the Chicago Blackhawks. (Thanks to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review for the heads up.)

The Brent Musberger Drinking Game.

This sounds like a lousy way to die of alcohol poisoning. I can't believe people pay Brent to cover games. It's even worse when he does basketball.

From Fanblogs.com on 9/10/05:


Brent Musburger Drinking Game

For those "folks" about to enjoy the "dandy" Texas-Ohio State game, Brent Musburger is calling the game for ABC, "pard-ner". The good folks at the Tigernet Forums revive this well-traveled, oft-posted web gem:

The Brent Musburger Drinking Game

WARNING!
Play at your own risk. It is conceivable your whole party will be passed out with 8 mins remaining in the 1st quarter.

*Note: Partner is spelled "Pardner," because that's the way Brent says it.

Rule #1: "The Pardner" A person is picked to be the Pardner at the beginning of the game. The first time Brent says "Pardner," the Pardner has to take 1 drink, and then picks someone else to be the Pardner. The next time Brent says it, the new Pardner has to take 2 drinks, and then pick a new Pardner, and so on and so on. The Pardner must wear a special "Pardner" hat.

Rule #2: "Folks" Everyone drinks 1 when Brent says "Folks." However, if Brent says "Hold on Folks", everyone must drink once but the first person to drink has to finish their drink for not holding on.

Rule #3: "It's a foot race!". Whenever Brent says "It's a foot race" everyone has to finish their drink. The first one done becomes "That Man" and gets to punch the Pardner in the arm.

Rule #4: "There's that man again". After someone becomes "That Man," they get to give away 3 drinks to someone of their choosing the next time Brent says "That Man." That person then becomes "That Man." If Brent says "That Man" before "It's a footrace," The Pardner becomes That Man. If The Pardner becomes That Man first, he gets to punch the new That Man in the arm twice after giving away the 3 drinks. There must also be a special hat for "That Man."

Rule #5: "Dr. Pepper". Every time Brent says "Dr. Pepper" everyone has to yell out "I'M A PEPPER!" and take 2 drinks. Afterwards, each person must give out a satisfied "AAAAAAAHHHHH!", as if in a Dr. Pepper commercial. Anyone who fails to do so must drink again.

Rule #6: "Jack Arute". Whenever Brent says "Our ol' buddy Jack Arute" everyone has to say "AROOOOOOT!" Last one to do it has to do a shot. If everyone does it simultaneously, the Pardner must do a shot.

Rule #7: "In the college game". Whenever Brent says this little gem, everyone must say "Shut the **** up Brent", drink 2, and punch the Pardner in the arm.

Rule #8: Mentioning a Big 10 school during a Big 12 game. Whenever Brent does this, the first person who names the Big 10 school's mascot gets to make somebody drink for 11 seconds, since there's 11 schools in the Big 10.

Rule #9: Calling a touchdown before the player actually scores. For example, during an interception return, Brent says "It's a touchdown!" before the player actually scores. In this case, everyone must start drinking and continue to drink until the player actually does score. If by some odd event, the player does NOT score, everyone must finish their drink.

Rule #10: "Gary, my man". Whenever Brent says "Gary, my man", the Pardner gets to choose someone to be Gary. From that point on, that person must be referred to as "Gary, my man" until the game is over. "Gary, my man" gets to give away 5 drinks the rest of the game any time Brent says "Gary, my man". If someone talks to "Gary, my man" without calling him that, they have to do a shot. If there is someone playing the game actually named Gary, that person is automatically "Gary, my man".

Rule #11: "The Major". If Brent has a pet nickname for one of the players during the game, for example calling Major Applewhite "The Major", everyone must drink 5 anytime Brent uses this nickname. However, "Gary, my man" does not drink but gets to give away 5 drinks since this person already has a nickname of their own.

Rule #12: "John Saunders". The first time Brent quips with John Saunders, everyone must drink 1. The next time, everyone must drink 2, and so on and so on.

Rule #13: In the booth. Whenever there's a camera shot of Brent in the booth, the Pardner must make a toast to Brent. After the toast, everyone must drink 1.

Rule #14: "My Friend" Every Pardner gets to choose a "Friend." The friend must always get up to get the Pardner another drink (since the Pardner will be doing quite a bit of that). However, when Brent utters "My Friend" the friend gets to punch the Pardner in the arm for making him get up so much.

Saint of the Day and daily Mass readings.

Today is the Feast of St. Apollonius the Apologist, martyr and Roman senator whose Apologia, or defense of the faith, is considered one of the most priceless documents of the early Church. Pray for us, all you angels and saints.

Today's reading is Acts 2:36-41.
Today's Responsorial Psalm is Psalms 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22.
Today's Gospel reading is John 20:11-18.


[Links to the readings will be from the NAB until I can find another chapter and verse searchable Douay-Rheims Bible on-line.]


Everyday links:

The Blessed Virgin Mary
The Rosary
Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Prayers from EWTNNational Coalition of Clergy and Laity (dedicated to action for a genuine Catholic Restoration)
The Catholic Calendar Page for Today


Just in case you are wondering what exactly Catholics believe, here is

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.


Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession,was left unaided.Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me. Amen.


St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse, pray for us.


Prayer to St. Anthony, Martyr of Desire

Dear St. Anthony, you became a Franciscan with the hope of shedding your blood for Christ. In God's plan for you, your thirst for martyrdom was never to be satisfied. St. Anthony, Martyr of Desire, pray that I may become less afraid to stand up and be counted as a follower of the Lord Jesus. Intercede also for my other intentions. (Name them.)


Prayer To Saint Michael The Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the divine power, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.


Prayer to End Abortion

Lord God, I thank You today for the gift of my life, and for the lives of all my brothers and sisters. I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the resurrection of Your Son. I am ready to do my part to end abortion. Today I commit myself never to be silent, never to be passive, and never to be forgetful of the unborn. I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, and never stop defending life until all my brothers and sisters are protected and our nation once again becomes a nation with liberty and justice, not just for some, but for all. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

If Iggy Pop had to be a rocker in Slave China like the guys from JOYSIDE, he'd piss his pants. (Well, more often.)

ABOVE: Members of the Chinese punk band Joyside.


LancasterOnline: 'Wasted Orient': Rockin' in the not-so-free world

In Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China, real rock 'n' roll music is hard to come by.

"The music hasn't caught on in China because the government won't let it," said Lancaster County native and filmmaker Kevin Fritz. "I kind of think in Eastern Europe, two things ended Communism -- rock 'n' roll and Pope John Paul II. Rock music has been a rallying cry for a lot of people, so it's threatening to China's government."

Ahhhh...the young artistic genius. (He seems to have forgotten that 50's revival group Ronnie and the Buildup. My old brain remembers how instrumental they were.) How will Slave China survive without folks like Mr. Fritz?

Ha! That's a joke, the whole world is crawling with 'em.

But seriously folks, ignore the filmmaker and pay attention to his subject, Slave China punk rockers Joyside.

But the 27-year-old still managed to find a hardcore underground scene in Beijing. One band in particular, Joyside, caught his eye and inspired his new documentary, "Wasted Orient," which premiered at The Chameleon Club on Wednesday.

"These guys were different," Fritz said. "When things are rough, people in the city either just do what the government tells them, or they rebel and possibly get killed.

"The guys in Joyside are just looking the other way," he said. "They're not fighting the system, but ignoring it. That's their rebellion. Sometimes they get drunk all day and just sit around. They don't measure success like everyone else there does. They just want to play music and get out of China."

They sound smarter than Fritz.

Fritz made the documentary for less than $2,000, with a crew of only himself and a wide-angle lens camera that he rented for $25 a day.

He gets close to the members of Joyside, who are singer Bian Yuan, bassist Liu Hao and drummer Fan Bo. In an almost "Real World" fashion, audiences get to experience the tension between the musicians when guitarist Yang Yang (a Japanese native) is kicked out of the band and replaced with new guy Xin Shuang.

Yuan has a perfect rock star face and swagger that Fritz compares to Mick Jagger. Hao's parents are in the People's Liberation Army and think of their musician son as a failure.

Since only two of the band members have jobs, Joyside usually has $150 to live off of every month.

"They depend a lot on the kindness of friends," Fritz said. "People help them out. When I was there, I let them use my shower. Otherwise, they kind of live like squatters.

"There's references to other Beijing bands like rising stars Brain Failure, an outfit that was lucky enough to be granted visas that permit them to visit America and tour.

"Joyside was invited to play the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, but they couldn't get the visas to go," Fritz said. "They didn't have the connections."

Joyside sings in English -- with British accents, which could be a tribute to the archetypal punk bands of the U.K. like The Sex Pistols. Though Joyside also admires American punkers The Dead Boys and the Ramones.

"We bonded a lot through music," Fritz said. "We listened to different CDs like Anthrax, Skid Row and The New York Dolls. And I followed them everywhere."

Which wasn't always easy, especially since Fritz had to communicate in Chinese the whole time while operating his camera. As a Caucasian, Fritz was always the minority.

"It was fine, but some people there have never seen a white person before," he said. "When those people glance at you for the first time, you kind of feel like an alien from another planet."

Beijing is China's second largest city in terms of population (7.5 million), and home to countless richly historic sites.

It's also a major transportation hub, with dozens of railways, roads and expressways entering and leaving it in all directions.

"I rode the train with the guys -- in fifth class," Fritz said. "When you get between the cities, farmers start climbing on board with their livestock. But that's how you travel when you don't have money."

But the filmmaker already knew what it was like to be a struggling artist before he began shooting "Wasted Orient."

Fritz majored in film at Syracuse University in New York and later snagged a scholarship to study Chinese at Beijing University (often referred to as the Chinese Harvard) in 1999.

"I really liked the country and the people, and I got to learn conversational Chinese," Fritz said. "I can't write it very well, but I learned enough to get my point across."

But his interest in music eventually led him to Beijing's underground music scene.

"I was in several bands when I was a teenager," Fritz said. "So music's always been important to me. I finally discovered something called the Midi Festival, which is like China's version of Woodstock.

"Four years later, he was a film school graduate with a lot of good ideas but no job -- ergo, no steady cash flow to fund his projects.

Lucky for Fritz, Beijing University usually is in need of teachers. He returned to the school in 2003 to teach subjects like film history.

"They had a need, and I was crazy enough to go back," he said, laughing. "I also did some promotional work for an adoption agency that represents orphaned girls and special needs children. I even had some translation jobs on the side."

Check out the Wasted Orient website here. Below is a link to a Joyside video taken from the documentary. The song seems to be called Girl From London, however.

http://www.cookiewise.com/Movies/Girl_From_Nowhere.wmv

WWII appears to be drawing to a close.

Mainichi Daily News: Ex-Imperial Japanese Army soldier, once declared war-dead, found alive in Ukraine

A former Imperial Army soldier, who hasn't been seen by his Japanese family since he went off to fight in World War II and was declared among the war dead in 2000, has resurfaced in Ukraine and is returning to Japan to see his relatives after 60 years, the government said.

Ishinosuke Uwano, now 83, was expected to arrive in Japan on Wednesday, accompanied by his Ukrainian son, for 10 days with his surviving relatives in Iwate, about 460 kilometers (290 miles) northeast of Tokyo, said Suminori Arima, who is in charge of locating war veterans lost overseas for the Health and Welfare Ministry.

"It's wonderful that Mr. Uwano can make a homecoming visit in good health," Arima said.

Arima declined to say exactly where Uwano had been for the past six decades, nor why he had not been in touch with his Japanese family in all that time.

Uwano was on the island of Sakhalin in Russia's far east when the war ended in August 1945, and was last reported seen on the same Pacific island in 1958. Arima did not say who reported seeing him there. Public broadcaster NHK said he was drafted in 1943 to fight in Sakhalin.

He failed to return to Japan and didn't contact any of his relatives there. In 2000 Uwano's family agreed to register him as having died in the war.

But the aging Uwano, who now lives in Ukraine at an undisclosed location with his Ukrainian family, asked someone in his local community to help him track his Japanese relatives. Inquiries by his acquaintance, whom Arima did not identify, eventually reached the health ministry, which sent staff to interview Uwano at the Japanese Embassy in Kiev, Arima said.
Kyodo News agency said Uwano, who moved to Ukraine in 1965 and now has three children, is currently in Zhitomir, a city just west of Kiev.

The Iwate prefectural government was working to restore his family registry -- a record of all births, marriages, deaths and other information -- to rerecord him as alive.

The ministry refused to provide any more information on the returning war veteran and details of his Japanese and Ukrainian families were not disclosed.

The government believes about 400 former Japanese World War II soldiers remain in the former Soviet Union, including 40 who have been identified.

Last year, Japanese officials went to a remote Philippine village after receiving information that two former Japanese World War II soldiers could be hiding out there -- but it turned out to be a wild goose chase.

Dear E.T., Please take all earthlings who believe in you to their reward now and leave us ignorant neanderthals to wallow in our our filth. Please.

The doyen of Goober I's braintrust, Alfie "Tangled" Webre is alive and...um...you can decide for yourself how well he is.


LEFT: Mr. Webre has evolved to the point where he is now two-thirds vegetable, just like the Boomshakkalakkas of planet Hungadunga.


From WorldNetDaily comes details of Alfie's latest Super Genius endeavor:

President Jimmy Carter's former UFO guru, Alfred Webre, is still promoting the quest for extraterrestrials – now suggesting it is a matter of spiritual life and death for humanity.

In his new book, "Exopolitics – Politics, Government and Law in the Universe," he concludes that Earth has been "under quarantine" too long from more spiritually evolved "Off-Planet Cultures" – or OPCs, as they are known in ET circles.

Webre has also devised a new SDI plan – but it has little to do with the Strategic Defense Initiative invented by Carter's successor in the White House. This SDI is the "Star Dreams Initiative."

How cute is that? (I hope somebody remembered to remove all sharp objects from his room.)

Webre believes that humanity can help leave a legacy of peace and hope to future generations by taking specific steps to end the self-imposed embargo of the planet.

Embargo? WTF???

Webre's views have received the support of prominent individuals besides the former president and peanut farmer from Georgia. Paul Hellyer, former defense minister of Canada, is one fan. Another is Bryan O'Leary, former NASA astronaut.

"Much of this book rings true," writes O'Leary. "Certainly, our civilization cannot go on as we have. We will need all the help we can get to lift ourselves out of tyranny, genocide, and ecocide. So why not reach out toward those who are clearly more wise?"

Webre, who has given exopolitics presentations around the world, will give his next May 6 in British Columbia following the debut of a new version of "Star Dreams," a Robert Nichol's feature film about crop circles.

The controversial documentary explains that there have been almost 11,000 recorded crop circles worldwide since 1980, many of them baffling prominent scientists.

I don't think putting them to sleep counts as "baffling".

Webre's SDI program was prepared through his work as futurist at Stanford Research Institute and as a result of Carter's interest in the subject after he saw a UFO in 1969.

The little green men were spying on our primitive nuclear subs? Nope, too primitive. (Oops! According to the Jeopardy episode of 4/18/06, Goober I left the US Navy in 1953. Silly me. He must have been back in Georgia by '69. Maybe they were after Coca-Cola's secret formula.) They must have been interested in Carter himself. Then they engineered Vietnam, Watergate, and Gerald Ford's tripping (Stumble Ray guns) to put their own "human" in the White House".

"The goal of the 1977 project was to fill the knowledge gap on this subject but was terminated because of the political climate at the time," explains Webre.

Of course! The Republicans!

Webre also says that Robert Nichol's film on crop circles will help prepare people's mindset for what he will be revealing after the film during his presentation.

If he shows up at the theater wearing nothing but a trenchcoat...

Nichol's updated documentary includes new interviews with researchers such as an investigative reporter, a Native American artist, and a former NASA consultant. The featured "investigative reporter" is Emmy Award-winning TV producer Linda Moulton Howe. She explains that some crop circles in the U.S. have been worth studying because they show biochemical and biophysical changes that cannot be made by hoaxers using boards and strings.

Hey! I was born here. I can draw. I'm a native American artist!

During his film interview, Native American artist Rod Bearcloud focuses on the spiritual meaning of crop circles. He believes that they are sent to us by the "Star Nation people," known in our western culture as extraterrestrials.

Aren't Star Nation people really just Dallas hockey fans?

In the film, Richard Hoagland, a frequent guest on the late-night talk-show circuit, claims evidence of an ancient civilization on planet Mars has been concealed by NASA. Hoagland was a former consultant to NASA and a science advisor to Walter Cronkite of CBS News during the historic Apollo Missions to the Moon.

That's the guy who found a giant sculpture of Jesus' face on Mars. Honest. It's in the Weekly World News every eight months.

Nichol concludes only a minority of crop circles are hoaxed. He explains that skeptics often ignore the more complex formations with anomalies that defy our current scientific understanding.

Joe Sobran on something infinitely more important than politics.

The link above will take you to Joe's current on-line column. The archive is here. Not all of his past columns are available in the archive.

Let’s call him Jack. He is 15, the runt of the litter in a large family, his father having deserted long ago. Jack barely knows him. He thinks it’s normal to be fatherless.

Boys are the primary victims of divorce and irresponsible fathers.

Jack is a tiny, cute boy with a cowlick on his forehead, a snub nose, and an endearing sense of humor, but he was always in the soup from the time he started school. “A trouble magnet,” he has been called. He couldn’t stay out of fights, which he usually lost, and was expelled from school countless times, when he bothered to show up at all.

Jack was an affectionate kid, but he got used to being humiliated. He was small for his age, and he’d been told he was “ugly” so often that he refused to believe otherwise.

Jack was a bit slow in school, with a short attention span. They put him in “special education.” Other kids were quick to call him a “retard.” One day he came home from school and told his mother he had been diagnosed as “hyperactive.” By then he knew how to interpret official euphemisms.
“That means bad,” Jack explained sadly. It also meant Ritalin. Her heart ached, but there seemed no other way to control him.

"Get your Soma! Get your Soma right here!"

Not that it controlled him very much. By the time Jack reached his teens, he was smoking, and not just tobacco. To support these expensive tastes, he stole. Now he was getting into trouble with the police, not just the school authorities. He was hanging out with the wrong kind of kids. Neither his mother’s tearful pleas nor Ritalin seemed to make much difference. His young life was already shaping up like a Merle Haggard song. Mama tried. Would Jack turn 21 in prison, doing life without parole? The trajectory seemed all too clear.

Jack was like a lot of kids — incorrigible for sure, but not wicked. The lovable black sheep, who never seemed to hurt anyone but himself. His grandfather tried to help by taking him in for the summer a few times, just to help Jack’s poor mother, and the two became attached to each other. Jack’s humor made the old man laugh, when Jack’s behavior wasn’t driving him nuts. They shared a love of old Marlon Brando movies, On the Waterfront and The Godfather, both of which furnished them with running gags.

The old man often asked Jack what he wanted to do when he grew up. Partly he wanted to start the boy thinking about the future, but mostly he sensed that Jack needed someone to listen to him with respect. To most people, he was a pest or a problem. But what was inside him?

Someone else took an interest in Jack too. He was befriended by a Brother Thomas, we’ll call him, a member of a Catholic religious order, through Big Brothers of America. Jack saw him weekly and loved him with a passion, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to smoke and steal and break his mother’s heart.

Despite warnings and lectures and probations, he wouldn’t change. Why? Why? He was ruining his life, and it was all so needless.

Finally, inevitably, Jack was arrested for something more serious — being accomplice to some bigger boys in a minor robbery. He was put in a “juvenile detention center,” a clean, well-lighted dungeon. He was helpless and homesick.

Then something happened that wasn’t inevitable. Jack started praying. Hard. Daily. Constantly. He said the rosary twice a day, he became devoted to the great saint Padre Pio. He repented bitterly, not just for what he had done, but for the way he had hurt his mother. For the first time, he was putting himself in someone else’s shoes.

Ta-da!

“I just want to cry when I think of all the bad things I have ever done. She did not deserve the mean things I have said to her,” he wrote to his grandfather. (He added a postscript — a joke from On the Waterfront.)

His grandfather barely resisted the urge to write back to the little boy, “You are more of a man than your father.” Though it was the truth.

Suddenly Jack had matured dramatically. Only weeks before it would have been hard to imagine. And everyone who knew him marveled, understanding that the Good Shepherd had found the black sheep: “There is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine of the righteous.” And he who said that was pretty righteous himself.

Do you know how difficult it is to find gratuitous Australian cheerleader photos?

A bare midriff ban might make sense for school age girls, but pro cheerleaders? C'mon, kiddies. Let's just ban Barbie.

From The Backdoor Taliban Department:

Cheerleaders such as these performing recently in Wollongong, Australia, have until the end of next year to cover up.


CNN: Australian cheerleaders areordered to cover up
Officials fear bare midriffs send wrong message to young girls

Australian cheerleaders have been banned from baring midriffs by officials of the sport who fear displays of skin may encourage eating disorders.
Gymnastics Australia has ordered cheerleading troupes to find new uniforms by the end of the year.

Nerine Cooper, national cheerleading manager for Gymnastics Australia, said the decision, which followed similar moves in the United States and elsewhere, was needed because cheerleaders often performed in front of family groups.

"We don't want girls to feel under pressure to lose weight because of uniforms," she told Sydney's Sunday Telegraph.

But Lisa Ince, head of Sydney Promotional Dancers, said the order was unfair.

"It's ridiculous really, if the thinking is that a midriff is offensive, then every dance school and athletics club would face the same restrictions," Ince said.

The ban will affect about 105 teams registered with Gymnastics Australia.
In the United States, the National Federation of State High School Associations issued a new rule for the 2006-07 school year requiring that cheerleading uniforms cover the midriff.

"I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part. "

From The Your Friendly Neighborhood Antichrist Department:

ARCHBISHOP ATTACKS DA VINCI CODE 'OBSESSION'...

Opus Dei Asks for 'Da Vinci' Disclaimer...

Tom, Hollywood Hates Da Hair...

Slave China Update.

From Drudge:

Falun Gong asks Bush to help stop China's alleged abuse...

Hey, what's up with that "alleged" crap?

China issues slew of regulations to curb media...

Sand storm, pollution envelop Beijing...

NEW SURGE BY CHINA OUSTS UK AS No 4 ECONOMY...

The Theology of the Body: 87. Marital Love Reflects God's Love for His People

In his General Audience of 28 July 1982, the Holy Father continued his catechesis on theology of the body by laying the groundwork for an examination of St. Paul's teaching on marriage in the fifth chapter of Ephesians. Marriage, as a sacrament, signifies the relationship between Christ and His Church, and before that, the spousal love between God and his chosen people.


Marital Love Reflects God's Love for His People

At the general audience in St Peter's Square on Wednesday, 28 July, the Holy Father began a new phase of his catechesis on the theology of the body, drawing from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians to begin a series of talks on matrimony.


1. Today we begin a new chapter on the subject of marriage, reading the words of St. Paul to the Ephesians:

"Wives, be subject to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church, his body, and is himself its savior. As the Church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the Church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the Church, because we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one.' This is a great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband" (Eph 5:21-33).

Simple and fundamental

2. We should now subject to deep analysis the quoted text contained in this fifth chapter of the Letter to the Ephesians, just as we have previously analyzed the individual words of Christ that seem to have a key significance for the theology of the body. The analysis dealt with the words with which Christ recalled the beginning (cf. Mt 19:4; Mk 10:6), the human heart, in the Sermon on the Mount (cf. Mt 5:28), and the future resurrection (cf. Mt 22:30; Mk 12:25; Lk 20:35). What is contained in the passage of the Letter to the Ephesians constitutes almost a crowning of those other concise key words. The theology of the body has emerged from them along its evangelical lines, simple and at the same time fundamental. In a certain sense it is necessary to presuppose that theology in interpreting the above-mentioned passage of the Letter to the Ephesians. Therefore if we want to interpret that passage, we must do so in the light of what Christ told us about the human body. He spoke not only to remind historical man, and therefore man himself, who is always contemporary, about concupiscence (in his heart). But he also spoke to reveal, on the one hand, the prospectives of the beginning or original innocence or justice, and on the other hand, the eschatological prospectives of the resurrection of the body, when "They will neither marry nor be given in marriage" (cf. Lk 20:35). All of this is part of the theological viewpoint of the "redemption of our body" (Rom 8:23).

Meanings converge

3. Even the words of the author of the Letter to the Ephesians(1) are centered on the body, both its metaphorical meaning, namely the Body of Christ which is the Church, and its concrete meaning, namely the human body in its perennial masculinity and femininity, in its perennial destiny for union in marriage, as Genesis says: "The man will leave his father and his mother and will cling to his wife and the two will be one flesh" (Gn 2:24).

In what way do these two meanings of the body appear together and converge in the passage of the Letter to the Ephesians? Why do they appear together and converge there? We must ask these questions, expecting not so much immediate and direct answers, but possibly studied and long-term answers for which our previous analyses have prepared. In fact, that passage from the Letter to the Ephesians cannot be correctly understood except in the full biblical context, considering it as the crowning of the themes and truths which, through the Word of God revealed in Sacred Scripture, ebb and flow like long waves. They are central themes and essential truths. Therefore the quoted text from the Letter to the Ephesians is also a key and classic text.

4. This text is well known in the liturgy, in which it always appears in relation to the sacrament of marriage. The Church's lex orandi sees in it an explicit reference to this sacrament, and the lex orandi presupposes and at the same time always expresses the lex credendi. Admitting this premise, we must immediately ask ourselves: in this classic text of the Letter to the Ephesians, how does the truth about the sacramentality of marriage emerge? In what way is it expressed and confirmed there? It will become clear that the answers to these questions cannot be immediate and direct, but gradual and long-term. This is proved even at a first glance at this text, which brings us back to Genesis and therefore to "the beginning." In the description of the relationship between Christ and the Church, this text takes from the writings of the Old Testament prophets the well-known analogy of the spousal love between God and his chosen people. Without examining these relationships it would be difficult to answer the question about how the sacramentality of marriage is dealt with in the Letter to the Ephesians. We will also see how the answer we are seeking must pass through the whole sphere of the questions previously analyzed, that is, through the theology of the body.

Body enters into definition of sacrament

5. The sacrament or the sacramentality—in the more general sense of this term—meets with the body and presupposes the theology of the body. According to the generally known meaning, the sacrament is a visible sign. The body also signifies that which is visible. It signifies the visibility of the world and of man. Therefore, in some way, even if in the most general way, the body enters the definition of sacrament, being "a visible sign of an invisible reality," that is, of the spiritual, transcendent, divine reality. In this sign—and through this sign—God gives himself to man in his transcendent truth and in his love. The sacrament is a sign of grace, and it is an efficacious sign. Not only does the sacrament indicate grace and express it in a visible way, but it also produces it. The sacrament effectively contributes to having grace become part of man, and to realizing and fulfilling in him the work of salvation, the work begun by God from all eternity and fully revealed in Jesus Christ.

6. I would say that already this first glance at the classic text of the Letter to the Ephesians points out the direction in which our further analyses must be developed. It is necessary that these analyses begin with the preliminary understanding of the text itself. However, they must subsequently lead us, so to say, beyond their limits, in order to understand possibly to the very depths how much richness of the truth revealed by God is contained in the scope of that wonderful page. Using the well-known expression from Gaudium et Spes, we can say that the passage we have selected from the Letter to the Ephesians, "reveals—in a particular way—man to man, and makes him aware of his lofty vocation" (GS 22), inasmuch as he shares in the experience of the incarnate person. In fact, creating man in his image, from the very beginning God created him "male and female" (Gn 1:27).

During the subsequent analyses we will try—above all in the light of the quoted text from the Letter to the Ephesians—to more deeply understand the sacrament (especially marriage as a sacrament), first in the dimension of the covenant and grace, and afterward in the dimension of the sacramental sign.

NOTE

1) The question of Pauline authorship of the Letter to the Ephesians, acknowledged by some exegetes and denied by others, can be resolved by means of a median supposition which we accept here as a working hypothesis: namely, that St. Paul entrusted some concepts to his secretary, who then developed and refined them.

We have in mind this provisional solution of the question when we speak of "the author of the Letter to the Ephesians," the "Apostle," and "St. Paul."

I'll take "gutless opportunists" and the points.

I get it. It's easy to make fun of scientology. It's brave to stand up to Oliver Cromwell Jr. in the White House. And, ooooh, those darn "Jesus is God" people must be stopped. But when the guys who pay Parker and Stone say bend over and take it like an inmate, they race each other to see who can drop their pants faster.

Philly.com: Howard Gensler - 'South Park' episode no comedy for network


Depending on your world view, Peabody Award-winning "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker are either satirists who ridicule the powerful and pompous, brave defenders of free speech or gutless opportunists on the highway to hell.

Their latest foray into the news, following beefs with Scientologists, Christians and just about every other religion known to man and beast, revolves around Muslims... er, Christians... er, Comedy Central.

This Holy Week episode of "South Park" was to contain an image of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, in its unique cut-from-construction-paper style.

Comedy Central, remembering what happened when a Danish newspaper ran cartoons of Muhammad, nixed the idea - perhaps fearing thousands of angry people outside its offices, perhaps fearing that "South Park" would lose its edge when Parker and Stone had a fatwa issued against them.

But the "South Park" guys don't like getting their ideas censored and so the episode instead featured an image of Jesus defecating on President Bush and the American flag.

As you might imagine, some people found that offensive.

But Parker and Stone didn't win a Peabody by evading the tough issues so they re-wrote the episode around the Comedy Central decision. Hence, the character Kyle is shown trying to convince a Fox network executive to air an uncensored "Family Guy" even though it had an image of Muhammad.

"Either it's all OK, or none of it is," Kyle said. "Do the right thing."

The executive decides to strike a blow for free speech and agrees to show it. But at the point where Muhammad is to be seen, the screen is filled with the message: "Comedy Central has refused to broadcast an image of Muhammad on their network."

It is followed shortly by the images of Jesus, President Bush and the flag.
Being familiar with the free- speech issue, we got the joke. Because Comedy Central feared Muslim violence, it wouldn't air the mere image of Muhammad. Because Comedy Central did not fear rampaging Christians, but merely a letter-writing campaign to the FCC and local politicians that might also generate favorable publicity for "South Park," it would air a far-more-heinous image with Jesus, the president and the flag.

Trying to make some hay ("Hay", he says. - F.G.) of the issue, frequent "South Park" critic, William Donohue, of the anti-defamation group Catholic League, called on Parker and Stone to resign out of principle for being censored.

Ahhhh, but they are not men of principle, so that's not an option.

"The ultimate hypocrite is not Comedy Central - that's their decision not to show the image of Muhammad or not - it's Parker and Stone," he said. "Like little whores, they'll sit there and grab the bucks. They'll sit there and they'll whine and they'll take their shot at Jesus. That's their stock in trade."

Mr. Donahue is one of the few who always cuts through the crap.

I don't know what this means, and I don't really want to...

AP: Robot Birth Simulator Gaining Popularity

...but if Tom "Mother Ship" Cruise is worried about Katie's screams screwing up his kid forever, (Like Daddy's sorry excuse for a religion won't do that.) maybe he should marry one of these robots and leave the little Catholic girls' souls alone.

Religion of Peace and Love Update.

Another "Better death than democracy" genius votes against reality.

AP: Suicide Bomber Kills 8 in Tel Aviv
A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up outside a fast-food restaurant in a bustling commercial area of Tel Aviv during the Passover holiday Monday, killing eight other people and wounding at least 49, police said. Israeli Prime Minister-designate Ehud Olmert said Israel would respond "as necessary."

Hamas: Tel Aviv bombing 'Israel's fault' Leaders of new Palestinian government call suicide attacks 'legitimate' --WND


Those who would kill innocents must be destroyed before they can act on their vile delusions of piety.

Let slip the dogs of war...

Fyodor went to New Jersey for Easter and all he got was this horrific story.

LEFT: 'Happy birthday' murder suspect Arthur L. Tiggs.

WNBC: Police: Birthday Celebrant Fatally Shot Stranger On Street
NEWARK, N.J. -- A man who told friends he wanted to celebrate his birthday by killing someone was being sought Wednesday in the fatal shooting of a man outside a city bar over the weekend.

Authorities say Arthur L. Tiggs, 26, of Orange, was at the Cave Lounge in Newark early Sunday, drinking with friends to celebrate his birthday. The group stepped outside and Tiggs suddenly said something about wanting to shoot someone simply because it was his birthday, witnesses told police.
He pulled out a gun, walked across the street and, without saying a word, shot Lance Pettiford, 27, once in the head, police said. Pettiford, a Newark man who also had been inside the bar, collapsed as Tiggs ran off.

Authorities said the two men did not know each other and had not argued.

"This victim's life was taken for no reason at all," said Police Director Anthony Ambrose. "What a shame."

On Wednesday, investigators from the Newark Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office searched an Orange apartment where family members said Tiggs had gone Monday to drop off his 6-year-old daughter. He told relatives he was going south, police said.

Tiggs has one criminal charge on his adult record, authorities said. He was arrested in 2003 by Middlesex County authorities for receiving stolen property and possessing burglary tools, but the case was dismissed a year later.

Saint of the Day and daily Mass readings.

Today is the Feast of St. Robert of Chaise Dieu, Benedictine abbot and founder of religious communities. Pray for us, all you angels and saints.

Today's reading is Acts 2:14, 22-33.
Today's Responsorial Psalm is Psalms 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11.
Today's Gospel reading is Matthew 28:8-15.


[Links to the readings will be from the NAB until I can find another chapter and verse searchable Douay-Rheims Bible on-line.]


Everyday links:

The Blessed Virgin Mary
The Rosary
Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Prayers from EWTN
National Coalition of Clergy and Laity (dedicated to action for a genuine Catholic Restoration)
The Catholic Calendar Page for Today


Just in case you are wondering what exactly Catholics believe, here is

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.


Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession,was left unaided.Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy clemency hear and answer me. Amen.


St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse, pray for us.


Prayer to St. Anthony, Martyr of Desire

Dear St. Anthony, you became a Franciscan with the hope of shedding your blood for Christ. In God's plan for you, your thirst for martyrdom was never to be satisfied. St. Anthony, Martyr of Desire, pray that I may become less afraid to stand up and be counted as a follower of the Lord Jesus. Intercede also for my other intentions. (Name them.)


Prayer To Saint Michael The Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the divine power, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.


Prayer to End Abortion

Lord God, I thank You today for the gift of my life, and for the lives of all my brothers and sisters. I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the resurrection of Your Son. I am ready to do my part to end abortion. Today I commit myself never to be silent, never to be passive, and never to be forgetful of the unborn. I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, and never stop defending life until all my brothers and sisters are protected and our nation once again becomes a nation with liberty and justice, not just for some, but for all. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

HE IS RISEN!

A joyous and blessed Easter to all. There is no reason to fear death because it has been conquered.