And then you have....

[DrLeftover]

Actor and comedian Jay Mohr waded into the gun debate on Twitter after Monday’s deadly terrorist attacks at the Boston Marathon.

“What bothers me most about today is that we’re getting used 2 it. ENOUGH. 2nd amendment must go. Violence has 2 stop. Culture MUST change,” the Jerry Maguire actor tweeted Monday night.

What bothers me most about today is that we’re getting used 2 it. ENOUGH. 2nd amendment must go. Violence has 2 stop. Culture MUST change.

— Jay Mohr (@jaymohr37) April 15, 2013



http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/16/actor-blames-boston-attack-on-gun-culture-2nd-amendment-must-go/

 

[DrLeftover]

As we now move into the official Political Aftermath period of the Boston bombing — the period that will determine the long-term legislative fallout of the atrocity — the dynamics of privilege will undoubtedly influence the nation’s collective reaction to the attacks. That’s because privilege tends to determine: 1) which groups are — and are not — collectively denigrated or targeted for the unlawful actions of individuals; and 2) how big and politically game-changing the overall reaction ends up being.

This has been most obvious in the context of recent mass shootings. In those awful episodes, a religious or ethnic minority group lacking such privilege would likely be collectively slandered and/or targeted with surveillance or profiling (or worse) if some of its individuals comprised most of the mass shooters. However, white male privilege means white men are not collectively denigrated/targeted for those shootings — even though most come at the hands of white dudes.

Likewise, in the context of terrorist attacks, such privilege means white non-Islamic terrorists are typically portrayed not as representative of whole groups or ideologies, but as “lone wolf” threats to be dealt with as isolated law enforcement matters. Meanwhile, non-white or developing-world terrorism suspects are often reflexively portrayed as representative of larger conspiracies, ideologies and religions that must be dealt with as systemic threats — the kind potentially requiring everything from law enforcement action to military operations to civil liberties legislation to foreign policy shifts.

“White privilege is knowing that even if the bomber turns out to be white, no one will call for your group to be profiled as terrorists as a result, subjected to special screening or threatened with deportation,” writes author Tim Wise. “White privilege is knowing that if this bomber turns out to be white, the United States government will not bomb whatever corn field or mountain town or stale suburb from which said bomber came, just to ensure that others like him or her don’t get any ideas. And if he turns out to be a member of the Irish Republican Army we won’t bomb Dublin. And if he’s an Italian-American Catholic we won’t bomb the Vatican.”

http://www.salon.com/2013/04/16/lets_hope_the_boston_marathon_bomber_is_a_white_american/

 

[Evil Eye]

What does control have to do with bombings?

http://www.salon.com/2013/04/16/lets_hope_the_boston_marathon_bomber_is_a_white_american/

Sounds about right.

 

[DrLeftover]

All you have to be is an idiot yammering flaming liberal talking head in the media, and it makes perfect sense.

 

[Fatal Dawn]

I don't understand the connection of the two sources. The first is one person’s feelings and reactions which isn’t meant to be taken as political wisdom (as the actor, himself noted):

He further stressed that his aim was not to politicize the event, but instead to point out what he described as a cultural numbness to violence.

“No politics here at all,” he tweeted. “Just sick of watching bloodshed on tv.

The second source, however, is actually an insightful analysis on the attribution of crimes to cultural stigmas with ethnic groups.

Not that I agree with the divisive tone of the editorial, but I do agree that there is difference in perception between crimes committed by ethnic minority groups and those committed by Whites. Minority groups have the ugly potential of serving as monoliths for their actions (not just in this instance, but in general). Minority groups are just easier to typify than majority groups.

 

[DrLeftover]

The only connection is the subject.

 

[DrLeftover]

And this is not from those disgusting haters at Fox...

One hundred days into his second term, Obama has already lost control of the agenda, if he ever had control in the first place. He ricocheted through his news conference, as he has through his presidency recently, between issues and crises not of his choice.

He was asked about unrest in Syria, the September attack on American officials in Libya, the bombing in Boston, troubles implementing his health-care law and difficulty closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay. Karl pointed out that Obama’s gun-control legislation collapsed, that his attempts to undo the “sequester” cuts have been ignored and that 92 House Democrats defied his veto threat on a cybersecurity bill.

“Well, if you put it that way, Jonathan, maybe I should just pack up and go home,” Obama replied. “Golly.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-at-obamas-press-conference-a-presidential-bystander/2013/04/30/42d640be-b1cf-11e2-9a98-4be1688d7d84_print.html

 

[DrLeftover]

A prominent pastor was allegedly disinvited from speaking at Morehouse College’s baccalaureate service this week after he criticized President Barack Obama, who will deliver the school’s commencement address.

The Rev. Kevin Johnson, a Morehouse alumnus and the senior pastor of Bright Hope Baptist Church in North Philadelphia, Pa., wrote an opinion column earlier this month in the Philadelphia Tribune accusing Obama of neglecting the black community in his cabinet picks–they’re overwhelmingly white–and broader political agenda.

The day after the article ran, Johnson said, Morehouse President John Silvanus Wilson, Jr. phoned to express reservations about his “untimely” comments regarding President Obama. Johnson asked administrators to honor their invitation, but learned days later he had been replaced by three alternate speakers.

http://georgiatipsheet.com/2013/04/30/pastor-who-criticized-obama-disinvited-from-morehouse-graduation-ceremonies/

 

[DrLeftover]

August 20, 2013

YUCAIPA (CBSLA.com) — School district officials in San Bernardino County say they will discontinue a policy that required elementary school students to kneel down before being dismissed to class.

Principal Dana Carter at Calimesa Elementary School had reportedly instituted the policy, which called for students at various times of the school day to kneel down on one knee and wait for the principal or another administrator to dismiss them, as a safety measure.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/08/20/students-allegedly-forced-to-kneel-down-for-dismissal-at-yucaipa-school/


"... a safety measure"?

 

[DrLeftover]

August 26, 2013

The bill, introduced by State Sen. Ricardo Lara, names the Boy Scouts, Little League, Future Farmers of America and 19 other organizations as examples of groups that could be stripped of their tax-exempt status if found to discriminate based on gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, race, religion or religious affiliation.

The measure also threatens tax-exempt status for public and private schools found to sponsor discriminatory youth groups. One critic said it could even threaten an exemption status held by a church.

“Traditional values regarding heterosexuality are being branded as the legal equivalent of racism, and so there’s the quite genuine fear that the tax code really is the battleground against the traditional churches,” said Alan Reinach, executive director of Church State Council, which opposes SB 323.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/26/california-bill-targets-tax-exempt-status-for-disc/

 

[DrLeftover]

"And now for something completely different."

09/09/2013

A self-proclaimed “sorcerer” from the Golan Heights manipulated a woman into having sex with him as part of a series of “magical treatments” he was providing her to help her recover from a break-up with her boyfriend, Tel Aviv police said.

Things became more complicated for the alleged victim, when during questioning by police she admitted that she had asked the man to physically attack her ex-boyfriend’s girlfriend, after which police detained her for three days before releasing her to house arrest on suspicion of conspiring to cause someone bodily harm.

The story began six months ago, police said, when the woman found the 39-year-old Golan Heights resident on the Internet and asked him to help her with holistic treatment to recover from emotional despair caused by the break-up. Over the coming months the man held a number of meetings with the woman, during which he promised that through the power of sorcery he could make her boyfriend come back to her – all while charging her thousands of shekels in fees.

During a recent treatment, the man allegedly convinced the woman to have sex with him, saying that it was a ritual needed in order to make the magic work.

http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Police-Self-proclaimed-sorcerer-manipulated-woman-into-sex-and-bilked-her-out-of-thousands-325615

(1,000 shekles is +/- $275)

 

[Evil Eye]

o.o A sorcerer?

Error: Sympathy not found.

 

[DrLeftover]

9/12/13

Richard Stengel, the top editor of Time magazine for the past seven years, is planning to step down as managing editor for a new job at the U.S. Department of State, sources familiar with the situation tell POLITICO and Capital New York.

If confirmed, Stengel will serve as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, the role responsible for leading “America’s public diplomacy outreach, which includes communications with international audiences, cultural programming, academic grants, educational exchanges, international visitor programs, and U.S. Government efforts to confront ideological support for terrorism,” according to the State Department’s website.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/richard-stengel-leaving-time-state-department-96732.html

 

[DrLeftover]

September 15

Obama says Iran shouldn’t misinterpret U.S. response to Syria

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-says-iran-shouldnt-misinterpret-us-response-to-syria/2013/09/15/fd6f27cc-1e05-11e3-8459-657e0c72fec8_print.html

 

[DrLeftover]

September 18, 2013
LANSING (WWJ) - Could this mean the end of welfare as we know it?

A bill has passed in the Michigan Senate that would require those receiving public assistance to do some “volunteer” work. Another bill, which passed the House Commerce Committee, requires drug testing, revoking benefits for welfare recipients who refuse the test or who test positive.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/09/18/bill-would-require-michiganders-to-work-for-welfare/

 

[DrLeftover]

Sep. 29, 2013

As women in Saudi Arabia prepare to challenge the kingdom’s ban on female driving next month, a leading Saudi cleric is warning women that driving could damage their ovaries and pelvises and could result in babies born with medical problems.

Sheikh Saleh bin Saad al-Luhaydan, decribed by Reuters as “one of Saudi Arabia’s top conservative clerics” warns that driving “rolls up the pelvis.”

With video
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/09/29/saudi-sheikh-has-this-scientific-warning-driving-affects-womens-pelvises-and-ovaries/

 

[DrLeftover]

Long Island Middle School Bans Footballs, Other Recreational Items
Concerns About Injuries Prompted Ban, Port Washington Officials Say
October 7, 2013

As CBS 2’s Jennifer McLogan reported Monday, officials at Weber Middle School in Port Washington are worried that students are getting hurt during recess. Thus, they have instituted a ban on footballs, baseballs, lacrosse balls, or anything that might hurt someone on school grounds.

Tossing a football during recess has long seemed to be a rite of passage for kids in the school community.

“I think we need the soccer balls, the footballs and everything, so we can have some fun,” one student said.

But the students will have no such option anymore. They were just informed that during recess, football is out and Nerf ball is in. Hard soccer balls have been banned, along with baseballs and lacrosse balls, rough games of tag, or cartwheels unless supervised by a coach.

With video

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/10/07/long-island-middle-school-bans-footballs-other-recreational-items/

My question is this: Which is safer for the kids, playing ball at recess, or riding the bus to and from school?

 

[Evil Eye]

My question is this: Which is safer for the kids, playing ball at recess, or riding the bus to and from school?

I'm sure that's next on the list.
Maybe after enforcing helmets.

 

[DrLeftover]

October 26, 2013, 7:11 p.m.

WASHINGTON — As America's road planners struggle to find the cash to mend a crumbling highway system, many are beginning to see a solution in a little black box that fits neatly by the dashboard of your car.

The devices, which track every mile a motorist drives and transmit that information to bureaucrats, are at the center of a controversial attempt in Washington and state planning offices to overhaul the outdated system for funding America's major roads.

The usually dull arena of highway planning has suddenly spawned intense debate and colorful alliances. Libertarians have joined environmental groups in lobbying to allow government to use the little boxes to keep track of the miles you drive, and possibly where you drive them — then use the information to draw up a tax bill.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-roads-black-boxes-20131027,0,6090226.story

 

[DrLeftover]

"Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich is Racist, Says Portland School Official"

http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/114604-schools-beat-the-drum-for-equity