Site Meter Touch the Hand: May 2007

Thursday, May 31, 2007

American People, Have You Forgotten?

I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live.
Martin Luther King Jr., Speech in Detroit, June 23, 1963





"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."
John F. Kennedy

Sunday, May 27, 2007

"Whites" With A Cross To Bear?


Early this morning the news caught my eye in regard to comments that Ophra Winfrey made at Howard University with 2,200 soon-to-be graduates of the nation's most prestigious black university.

A woman who now holds a holds honorary doctorate in humanities, Oprah Winfrey rose from poverty and a troubled youth to become the most powerful and influential woman in television and, according to Forbes Magazine, the world's most highly paid entertainer.

As she stood in front of 30,000 people, Oprah gave encouragement to all graduates saying:
My integrity is not for sale, and neither is yours," Winfrey said at graduation ceremonies Saturday for Howard University, recalling times when she was under pressure to change course or avoid topics to boost ratings or appease advertisers. "Do not be a slave to any form of selling out. I stand here as a symbol of what is possible when you believe in the dream of your own life," Winfrey said. "Don't be afraid. All you need to do is know who you are.


She was exceptional with that and I was beginning to hear the compassion within her words as she spoke however she went a step further with this to become what I feel was an insensitive,unnecessary remark.

Winfrey said that while growing up her grandmother, a servant in 1950s Mississippi, hoped that Winfrey would "get some good white folks" to work for.

"I regret that she didn't live past 1963 and see that I did get some really good white folks — working for me,"


I want to believe that she was sincere in saying that she really does have good "white" people working for her and that this comment was foolish, insensitive, yet meant as a compliment.

Also the question surfaces " Isn't it a delight that when you become so big that your allowed to kill two birds with one stone?" I must admit that she is one of the cleverest women I know. She is able to compliment the "white" people, yet never let them forget.

Asking a question today of a dear blogger friend of mine, I ask " Would thinking that someone was predigest against white people mean that I could be predigest against them for thinking they were predigest?

Thank goodness there is some logical friends in my life. The reply was "Racism is racism and if you see it in someone of color does not mean that you are racist, but that they are."

I'm glad I'm just 46 and never experienced those days, yet at times I feel like we as the white generation of this age and time, will always have a cross to bear because of past history.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

The Secret Iraq Documents

There seems to be a false story going around based on poor research by a professor that is slamming our efforts in Iraq. To read further, please check out Lamplighter for details.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Calling The Kettle Black





LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Former President Carter says President Bush administration is "the worst in history" in international relations, taking aim at the White House's policy of pre-emptive war and its Middle East diplomacy.

The criticism from Carter, which a biographer says is unprecedented for the 39th president, also took aim at Bush's environmental policies and the administration's "quite disturbing" faith-based initiative funding.

"I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history,"Carter told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in a story that appeared in the newspaper's Saturday editions. "The overt reversal of America's basic values as expressed by previous administrations, including those of George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan' and others, has been the most disturbing to me."

Carter spokeswoman Deanna Congileo confirmed his comments to The Associated Press on Saturday and declined to elaborate. He spoke while promoting his new audiobook series,"Sunday Mornings in Plains," a collection of weekly Bible lessons from his hometown of Plains,Ga.

"Apparently, Sunday mornings in Plains for former President Carter includes hurling reckless accusations at your fellow man," said Amber Wilkerson, Republican National Committee spokeswoman. She said it was hard to take Carter seriously because he also "challenged Ronald Reagan's strategy for the Cold War."

Carter came down hard on the Iraq'war. "We now have endorsed the concept of pre-emptive war where we go to war with another nation militarily, even though our own security is not directly threatened, if we want to change the regime there or if we fear that some time in the future our security might be endangered," he said. "But that's been a radical departure from all previous administration policies."

Carter, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, criticized Bush for having "zero peace talks" in Israel. Carter also said the administration "abandoned or directly refuted" every negotiated nuclear arms agreement, as well as environmental efforts by other presidents. Carter also offered a harsh assessment for the White House's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, which helped religious charities receive $2.15 billion in federal grants in fiscal year 2005 alone.

"The policy from the White House has been to allocate funds to religious institutions, even those that channel those funds exclusively to their own particular group of believers in a particular religion," Carter said. "As a traditional Baptist, I've always believed in separation of church and state and honored that premise when I was president, and so have all other presidents, I might say, except this one."

Douglas Brinkley, a Tulane University presidential historian and Carter biographer, described Carter's comments as unprecedented. "This is the most forceful denunciation President Carter has ever made about an American president," Brinkley said. "When you call somebody the worst president, that's volatile. Those are fighting words."

Carter also lashed out Saturday at British prime minister Tony Blair. Asked how he would judge Blair's support of Bush, the former president said: "Abominable. Loyal. Blind. Apparently subservient."

"And I think the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world," Carter told British Broadcasting Corp. radio.


Ummmmmm... calling the kettle black? Judge and remember for yourselves.


Presidential Politics: Scandal, Conflict, and Crisis

As Carter watched the defeat of Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern in 1972, he knew he would have to market himself as a different type of Democrat to have a shot at the White House in 1976. He was completely unknown on the national stage. In the aftermath of Nixon’s Watergate scandal, however, this became an advantage. It also helped Carter that the disgraced Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew were replaced on the republican ticket by Gerald Ford, a political insider with no charisma and an uncanny knack for falling down stairs on camera. Despite an ill-advised interview in Playboy magazine, which plummeted his rating in the polls, Carter squeaked out a narrow victory.

Carter’s newcomer status soon showed itself in his inability to make deals with Congress. Sensing his shallow public support, Congress shot down key portions of his consumer protection bill. Carter was determined to free the nation from dependency on foreign oil by encouraging alternate energy sources and deregulating domestic oil pricing. But the creation of a pricing cartel by OPEC, the oil producing countries organization, sent oil prices soaring, caused rampant inflation, and a serious recession. Carter was also deeply troubled by public scandals involving his family, including a mysterious $250,000 payment by the government of Libya to Carter’s brother Billy.

Foreign affairs during the Carter administration were equally troublesome. Critics thrashed both Carter’s plans to relinquish control of the Panama Canal and his response to Soviet aggression in Afghanistan by pulling out of the Olympics and ending the sale of wheat to the Russians. His recognition of communist China, which expanded on Nixon’s China policy, and his negotiation of new arms control agreements with the Soviets, were both criticized by conservatives in the Republican Party.

However, the serious crisis of Carter’s presidency involved Iran. When the Ayatollah Khomeini seized power there, the U.S. offered sanctuary to the ailing Shah, angering the new Iranian government, which then encouraged student militants to storm the American embassy and take over fifty Americans hostage. Carter’s ineffectual handling of the much-televised hostage crisis, and the disastrous failed attempt to rescue them in 1980, doomed his presidency, even though he negotiated their release shortly before leaving office.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Washington Times, Young And Abe


Frank Gaffney,Washington Times columnist and prominent neocon opened his Wednesday column with a forceful quote attributed to President Abraham Lincoln:
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled, or hanged."
This quote is no doubt news to Lincoln scholars. However, it has appeared in the Washington Times and Insight Magazine as well as being cited thousands of times on the Internet. It was even used last year at a DC press conference by Congressman Jack Murtha’s Republican opponent, Diana Irey.

Alas the historians are correct - the quote is fake. It first appeared in the pages of Insight magazine when J. Michael Waller opened his 12/23/03 article, “Democrats Usher in An Age of Treason,” with those words. He later explained in an email to Factcheck.org:

The supposed quote in question is not a quote at all, and I never intended it to be construed as one. It was my lead sentence in the article that a copy editor mistakenly turned into a quote by incorrectly inserting quotation marks.
The Washington Times did finally pull the Gaffney column from its site, but not before Republican Congressman Don Young of Alaska cited the quote on the House floor.

During floor debate on the Iraq war yesterday, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) used the fake quote and attributed to Abraham Lincoln as advocating the hanging of lawmakers who undermine military morale during wartime

After he left the House floor yesterday, Young found out that -- whoops -- he mistakenly put words in Abe's mouth. His spokeswoman, Meredith Kenny, stated:
"Now that he's been informed these are not the actual words of Lincoln, he will discontinue attributing the words to Lincoln. However, he continues to totally agree with the message of the statement," Kenny said. "Americans, especially America's elected leaders, should not take actions during a time of war that damage the morale of our soldiers and military -- and that is exactly what this nonbinding resolution does."
And no, Kenny said, Young was "not advocating the hanging of Democrats."

Now we could just let this drop here, but I propose we adopt the Democrats theory first put forth during the Dan Rather scandal over the fake documents - it may be fake, but it is accurate.

Friday, May 11, 2007

JAY LENO..." HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD"


Just by chance I happened to stumble across a question Jay Leno asked on The Tonight Show after reading a poll that was in Newsweek on "Unhappy Americans." It is well worth the post here. Some say Jay said all of this, some say not, but regardless it needed to be said. Just perhaps it will feed the soul and gratitude will be achieved.

The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What we are so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world? Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have , and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful Ass every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells , and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the MEDIA. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Jay Leno


Finally,someone/ones with enough guts to stand up and say shut the hell up and get grateful...

Disastrous Consequences


CAMBRIDGE, England - Iraq's president, worried about growing opposition in Congress to funding for the war, said Friday he believes U.S. and British troops will need to stay in Iraq for one or two more years to help stem the bloodshed.

Jalal Talabani told students at the University of Cambridge that all of Iraq was safer because of Saddam Hussein's ouster and that many people were living "normal" lives.

"I think within one or two years, we will be able to recruit our forces and prepare our armed forces and tell goodbye to our friends," he said.

Talabani's visit comes as the Baghdad government is growing concerned about rapidly deteriorating support for the war in the United States and Britain. The government has dispatched senior officials to Washington this week to warn U.S. lawmakers that pulling out troops would have disastrous consequences

On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed a draft bill that would fund the war only through July. The bill is unlikely to survive in the Senate, but it indicates the war's unpopularity among U.S. lawmakers and their frustration with the lack of progress in the Iraqi parliament


It's a limit Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned would be disastrous. He also warned that his evaluation of force levels in Iraq in September will not lead to a rapid troop withdrawal, and that at least some U.S. forces are likely to be in Iraq for a protracted period of time.

He said he didn't know if it will take 25,000 troops or another number, but it would probably include intelligence officers, logistical support and air power, and they would be needed to maintain stability in the war-wracked country.


"The evaluation in September will not lead to a precipitous decision or actions, but would point us in a new direction ... either because the surge is working, or because the evaluation is that it's not," said Gates. Earlier Wednesday he told senators he would consider reducing U.S. troop levels in Iraq in the fall if the Iraqi government begins to make progress.
We are concerned," Talabani said. "We hope that Congress will review this decision and help the American army to stay until the Iraqi army will be able to replace them and to protect the security of Iraq."

He offered assurances that Iraq's leaders were doing everything they could on the political front to pursue reconciliation among divided ethnic and religious factions.

Recent Update On Bill
Doug Mills, New York Times
Just a short while ago, President Bush made good on his promise, and vetoed the war spending bill that included a timeline for troop withdrawal passed by the Democratic-controlled Congress last month. He made his action public in a short announcement, saying the Democrats had approved a plan that set a “rigid and artificial” deadline that “would impose impossible conditions for our commanders and troops in combat.”

“I recognize that many Democrats saw this bill as an opportunity to make a political statement about their opposition to the war,” he said. “They sent their message,” but now, he warned, Congress should begin working on a new bill so that troops can get necessary funds. A meeting with Congressional leaders from both parties is scheduled for tomorrow at the White House. Benchmarks for the Iraqi government appear to be a likely starting point for negotiations.“The need to act is urgent,” he said.

Mr. Bush also defended his troop buildup, saying that sectarian murders in Iraq have decreased “substantially” since January. He added that the suicide attacks still occurring are “largely the work of Al Qaeda, the enemy that everyone agrees we should be fighting.

Mr. Mills, it's President Bush, not Mr. Bush. Was this an editors error or your lack of respect. A title is always expected, regardless of ones on demeanor.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Can A Good Muslim Be A Good American?

Can a good Muslim be a good American? I have asked many of these questions myself and here are some answers received back.

Theologically - no. Because his allegiance is to
Allah, the moon god of Arabia.

Religiously - no. Because no other religion is
accepted by his Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)

Sculptural - no. Because his allegiance is to the
five pillars of Islam and the Quran (Koran).

Geographically - no. Because his allegiance is to
Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day.

Socially - no. Because his allegiance to Islam
forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.

Politically - no. Because he must submit to the
mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of
Israel and destruction of America, the great Satan.

Domestically - no. Because he is instructed to marry four women
and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34).

Intellectually - no. Because he cannot accept the American
Constitution since it is based on Biblical
principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.

Philosophically - no. Because Islam, Muhammad, and
the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and __expression.

Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is
either dictatorial or autocratic.

Spiritually - no. Because when we declare "one nation under God,"
the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah
is NEVER referred to as heavenly father, nor is he ever
called love in The Quran's 99 excellent names.

Therefore after much study and
deliberation....perhaps we should
be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country.

They obviously cannot be both 'good' Muslims and 'good' Americans.

Murdered Because Of Being White



Dozens of New Charges in Double Murder Case Announced
Posted: 5:05 PM Feb 1, 2007. Last Updated: 11:40 AM Feb 8, 2007.
Reporter: Whitney Daniel, WVLT Staff

Knoxville (WVLT) - The District Attorney General of Knox
County announced the list of charges facing now five suspects in the double murder of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom.

The District Attorney General Randy Nichols is not saying whether or not he will seek the death penalty, but he does say the State will seek conviction for all charges filed in a 24-page indictment from the Knox County Grand Jury.

Lemaricus Davidson, 25, faces a total of 46 charges. Davidson was indicted on 16 counts of Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, 2 counts premeditated murder of Christian and Newsom, 2 counts especially aggravated robberies from Christian and Newsom, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, and 2 counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.

Letalvis Cobbins, 24, faces a total of 46 charges. Cobbins was indicted on 16 counts of Felony Murder growing out of rape,
robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, 2 counts premeditated murder of Christian and Newsom, 2 counts especially aggravated robberies from Christian and Newsom, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, and 2 counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.

George Thomas, 24, faces a total of 46 charges. Thomas was indicted on 16 counts of Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, 2 counts premeditated murder of Christian and Newsom, 2 counts especially aggravated robberies from Christian and Newsom, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christian and Newsom, 20 counts aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom, and 2 counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.

Just last night, police in Lebanon, Kentucky, arrested 18-year-old Vanessa Coleman. She faces 40 Tennessee state charges. Coleman was indicted on 12 counts Felony Murder growing out of rape, robbery kidnapping and theft of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, 1 count Premeditated Murder of Christian only, 1 count Especially Aggravated Robbery of Newsom only, 4 counts especially aggravated kidnapping of Christia n and Newsom, 20 counts of aggravated rape of Christian and Newsom and 2 Counts of theft from Christian and Newsom.

Eric Boyd, 24, also arrested in connection with the fatal carjacking, only faces federal charges as an accessory after the fact. He was not indicted by Knox county grand jury.

Felony Murder carries a possibility of death, life without the possibility of parole and life with parole. Especially Aggravated Robbery is a Class A felony that carries a possibility of 15 to 60 years in prison. Aggravated Rape is a Class A felony that carries a possibility of 15 to 60 years of prison.

At a news conference Thursday, Nichols commended the
cooperative efforts between several departments and credits that cooperation for the fast pace this case is moving through the court system.

Nichols says he hopes to move the case to trial on the first day it's set.

The four are expected to make their first court appearance within ten to fifteen days.

This is certainly a case garnering a lot of public interest, Nichols recognizes that and says he expects all kinds of requests filed in this case, including a change of venue in order to receive a fair trial. But he says he does hope 12 Knox County jurors will be able to determine the guilt or innocence of these suspects.

The animals pictured above side by side; car-jacked, then raped Christopher Newsom, cut off his penis, then set him on fire and fatally shot him several times while they forced his girlfriend, Channon Christian, to watch. An even more cruel fate awaited her!

Channon Christian, was beaten and gang-raped in many ways for four days by all of them, while they took turns urinating on her. Then they cut off her breast and put chemicals in her mouth ... and then murdered her.


Where be the Revs Al and Jesse? Are they providing counsel and help to the families of the victims?

Of course not - the victims were white

Why hasn't this received National coverage by the news media like the Duke "rape" case?

Oh, that's right - the victims were white

Why hasn't the NAACP, ACLU, New York Times etc., called for an investigation?

Must be cause the victims were white

Why hasn't the FBI been called in to investigate this as a hate crime?

Oh, that's right - the victims were white."

So, if a white news radio jock uses the phrase "Nappy headed", it gets 2 weeks of constant news coverage.

If two white people are tortured, raped, and murdered by a group of black people, it barely gets a blip in the news.


What's wrong with this picture folks?