Forgive for what?: I respectfully disagree with Rabbi Hier of the Simon Weisenthal Center (link below) thanking Benedict XVI for absolving the Jews for the death of Jesus. While this is a good thing for the Jewish people, I find myself INCREDULOUS as to even discussing this utterly insulting matter. That one even needs to give credence to these moronic accusations is testament (forgive the pun) to the stupidity of the human race. Pardon me if I say to his Holiness, Benedict, I was NOT staying up nights pacing, worrying and wondering IF the pope will pardon me. Really, pardon me for what?

That this accusation of deicide has been an albatross around the Jewish neck for millennia culminating in the orgasmic slaughter of the six million cannot be denied. Absolving the Jewish people by his Holiness, Benedict XVI for our collective guilt for the death of Jesus I find patently and absolutely absurd! The dastardly deeds committed by the Church with respect to the Jewish people have been done and cannot be undone. Let the Pope ask God for His forgiveness. I for one thank the church for nothing!

http://www.wiesenthal.com/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=lsKWLbPJLnF&b=4441467&ct=9146873

How Washington Works: Glen Greenwald says it all in his "Chris Dodd Shows How Washington Works" article in Salon.com. If you REALLY want to know how Washington works read his article in its entirety. I should say read it and weep! After you have a good cry DO SOMETHING!


http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/

Free Speech Means Free Speech: Quoting in pertinent part Supreme Court Justice Roberts writing for the Court's majority upholding the rights of the Westboro Bapitst Church to carry hateful signs at US soldiers' funerals:

“Speech is powerful,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote for the majority. “It can stir people to action, move them to tears of both joy and sorrow, and — as it did here — inflict great pain.”

But under the First Amendment, he went on, “we cannot react to that pain by punishing the speaker.” Instead, the national commitment to free speech, he said, requires protection of “even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate.”

I must concur. As difficult as this SCOTUS decision is and as disgusting to see as those hateful signs carried by the insipid Westboro Baptist Church attendees is, our First Amendment freedom of speech is THAT precious to us that the Court’s decision to uphold free speech trumped its prohibition no matter how noxious the content of that speech.

The HOPE that the First Amendment bestows upon our nation is that odious speech if brought into the light will allow other speech which would, one trusts, counteract it. As much as I loathe these messengers of doom who spout destruction, lies and hate, I love our Constitution’s First Amendment more which gives ALL of us the ability and the duty to speak out against them.

Forcing groups underground does a disservice not only to our coveted freedom but does a disservice to law enforcement as well. The disgusting hate-filled signs protesting at service men and women's funerals, who have given their last full measure of devotion to our country, when out in the open can serve to alert those who keep a close watch on hate so that we are aware of the monstrous threat within.