Comments on: Pull Up A Chair…

By: threesmommy

threesmommy — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 18:36:07 +0000

What is this “winter” of which you speak? I live in SoCal–it’s fire season. What we do for others out here is: make a banner saying “thank you firefighters”; make cookies and take them to the firefighters with their tents at the local park; and keep our children indoors until the smoke goes away.

By: Boudica

Boudica — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 03:14:10 +0000

There is a group home for autistic kids in my neighborhood. It’s visible from my house. It seemed only natural during seasonal holidays to bring over treats, either bought or homemade. I thought it would be nice to get to know these neighbors. So glad I did, love the handmade art work they sign and send by way of a thanks. What is most amazing to me is the staff’s gratitude. They told me that the rest of he neighbors deeply resent their presence. Can you imagine? Anyway, these are wonderful neighbors, and it makes me feel terrific to let them know they are being thought of. You have to feel for these kids, and the wonderful and dedicated people,(who make very little money), who genuinely care for them. The staff is so happy that someone out here remembers and fusses just a bit. How can you not love that!!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 00:29:38 +0000

Sorry, thought I could include the video for above . . . here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 00:14:54 +0000

I just got a chance to sit down to catch up on today’s events and saw your post. I’m in CT and have been helping out on the Lamont campaign, between what’s happening in this state and the major events that have taken place this week, I have really been feeling the need to find something to make me feel good. I stumbled upon this the other day on Youtube and have probably watched it a hundred times over the past few days. It always makes me smile.

Entitled: Inspiring Story! Free Hugs Campaign (music by sick puppies)
From: PeaceOnEarth123

By: mindymeacham

mindymeacham — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 18:07:49 +0000

orangejumpsuit @ 196

Frank, 153

Based on that, I think it’s reasonable to ask Hastert and Boehner if they knew Foley was gay. There are layers and layers of hypocrisy here in this story.

Not so sure this is the appropriate question to ask. What needs to be determined is what Bolehrt and Hastert knew prior to the story breaking on ABC, about sexual harrassment and/or exploitation of minors via the Internet. If it turns out they knew something without responding appropriately, then they are in deep shit. But the focus should not be on Foley being gay.

“Mr. Congressman, what did you know and when did you first learn about Rep. Foley’s alleged sexually explicit interchange of messages with the pages, and if you did, what did you do about it?”

That is the question to be asked.

BTW, are we calling this one Foleygate?

I just hope it’s Theshitshitthefangate and it helps the blue team take over the house and senate!

BTW I think it has been established pretty much that gay men are about as likely to exploit children sexually as are heterosexuals. So may as well ask if Mark Foley is male? His sexual preference probably doesn’t enter into it. His problem is more his regressed sexuality and his willingness to abuse his power. The fact that he has had so much power and abused it in so many ways is just well.. as disgusting as everything else that has been going on with the Republican controlled government. Shame on anyone who knew about his predatory ways and did nothing.

By: Nora O’Floinn

Nora O’Floinn — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 17:59:35 +0000

This past few weeks, I’ve had to take a break from the barrage of news and political diatribes. So, I’ve been listening to the newest from The Wailing Jennys, the soundtrack from the outstanding film, “Tsotsi” and the new Bob Dylan, “Modern Times.” We’ve also been re-watching the tape we made of Spike Lee’s beyond-outstanding HBO documentary, “When the Levees Broke.” It’s hard not to cry every time. And feel ashamed of what this country has become.

By: angie

angie — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 17:50:41 +0000

Well the National Book Festival is taking place right now on the Mall.

cspan has cameras there.

Can’t one dem show up and speak?

please?

By: ding7777

ding7777 — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 17:43:15 +0000

The right-wings are comparing Foley to Gerry Studds.

Studds and his male page said they were consenting adults at the time of the relationship but most accounts say the page was 17 years old. Is 17 considered a consenting adult?

By: LindaR

LindaR — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 17:23:00 +0000

kirk murphy @ 206 — great post, thanks!

By: Wigwam

Wigwam — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 17:02:19 +0000

Here is the get-out-of-jail card from Section 8 of the final MCA:

(b) Protection of Personnel- Section 1004 of the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 2000dd-1) shall apply with respect to any criminal prosecution that–

(1) relates to the detention and interrogation of aliens described in such section;

(2) is grounded in section 2441(c)(3) of title 18, United States Code; and

(3) relates to actions occurring between September 11, 2001, and December 30, 2005.

Note that 2441 (18) is the War Crimes Act of 1996, which makes war crimes into federal crimes.

This subsection (8)(b) of the MCA is the complete abandoment of the legacy of Nuremberg, which we imposed on the world — the British, French, and Soviets wanted a military action, not a precedent setting trial. The Protection-of-Personnel section of the DTA explicitly authorizes a variant of the just-following-orders defense. I call that variant the good-faith defense: “I commited this war crime having accepted in good faith my boss’s assurance (or my lawyer’s assurance) that it was legal.”

Everybody in the Executive Branch can blame their boss up to the President, who can then blame the White House Counsel, who can plead that he was just rendering his best legal opinion (in good faith). Everybody’s faith is good, and nobody gets convicted.

An airtight defense, except that there was never “good faith” between Bush and Gonzales. In February 2002, Gonzales recommended in writing that Bush issue an opinion that the Geneva Conventions don’t apply to GWoT detainees as a way to create a get-out-of-jail card. This has been a long-planned ruse, and I doubt that any court would buy the pleas of good faith.