World News Korner

Courtesy of the Patriot News:

"The only solution is an all-white revolution," said one of 10 Ku Klux Klan members during a klan protest rally held Saturday at the Gettysburg National Military Park.

But, Marguerethe Jaede, of Columbus, Ohio, who was in the area for a lacrosse tournament and happened upon the rally while in the park, didn't agree. They're "preaching hate and ignorance," Jaede said.

Held by the Traditional Rebel Knights of Braddock Heights, Md., the rally was organized to protest against black on white violence, illegal immigration and gay rights, among other subjects.

The group also expressed opinions about President Obama, Jews and white supremacy. "We are taking back this land," one klan protester said. "Anyone stands in our way, they're going in the ground."

Seriously with the rise of the rabid Right Wing in the form of the Tea Party, the disrespect directed toward the President by members of Congress, and an undercurrent of racism running through just about everything in politics these days, who did not see this type of thing coming?

I think it is only going to become more blatant as time goes on.

These may be relatively small groups willing to go public right now, but there are undoubtedly hundreds more waiting in the wings to see what the reception is for their vitriol, and if it appears that there are those sympathetic to their message I think seeing larger groups is a given.

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Courtesy of the Chicago Tribune:

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled that business owners can object on religious grounds to a provision of President Barack Obama's healthcare law that requires closely held companies to provide health insurance that covers birth control.

The court held on a 5-4 vote on ideological lines that such companies can seek an exemption from the so-called birth control mandate of the healthcare law. The decision means employees of those companies will have to obtain certain forms of birth control from other sources.

In a majority opinion by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, the court said the ruling applies only to the birth control mandate and does not mean companies would necessarily succeed if they made similar claims to other insurance requirements, such as vaccinations and drug transfusions.

This is a very unfortunate decision by the Supreme Court, and very discriminatory toward women.

I can assure that Hobby Lobby has no such objection to offering health insurance that covers Viagra for men. It is only preventing the potential pregnancies that might result from those medication induced boners that gives them the vapors.

And the argument against providing this coverage due to religious beliefs is itself completely indefensible. It is essentially some mutation of the pro-life argument against providing abortion, however the majority of the medications restricted by this decision are for the prevention of conception, not the termination of conception.

The Bible says NOTHING about birth control and even if it did there should NEVER be an instance where an employer's religious beliefs superseded the family planning or health concerns of their female employees.

Update: Here are the five top takeaways from Justice Ginsberg's dissent.

5. The ruling is too broad: “In a decision of startling breadth, the Court holds that commercial enterprises, including corporations, along with partnerships and sole proprietorships, can opt out of any law (saving only tax laws) they judge incompatible with their sincerely held religious beliefs.”

4. For-profit corporations are not religious organizations: “Religious organizations exist to foster the interests of persons subscribing to the same religious faith. Not so of for-profit corporations. Workers who sustain the operations of those corporations commonly are not drawn from one religious community.”

3. The ruling violates separation of church and state: “The exemption sought by Hobby Lobby and Conestoga would…deny legions of women who do not hold their employers’ beliefs access to contraceptive coverage”

2. The ruling favors an extreme form of “Christianity” over other religions: “Approving some religious claims while deeming others unworthy of accommodation could be ‘perceived as favoring one religion over another,’ the very ‘risk the [Constitution's] Establishment Clause was designed to preclude.”

1. Where does it end?: “Would the exemption…extend to employers with religiously grounded objections to blood transfusions (Jehovah’s Witnesses); antidepressants (Scientologists); medications derived from pigs, including anesthesia, intravenous fluids, and pills coated with gelatin (certain Muslims, Jews, and Hindus); and vaccinations[?]…Not much help there for the lower courts bound by today’s decision.

[...] The court, I fear, has ventured into a minefield.”

You can read her entire dissent at the link at the top.

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Courtesy of Raw Story:

A Louisiana State Representative, seeking her district’s U.S. House seat, has posted a campaign video calling climate change “the greatest deception in the history of mankind,” and stating that it can be disproved using a simple thermometer.

In the video Lenar Whitney, who is running for the seat representing Louisiana’s sixth congressional district being vacated by Republican Bill Cassidy, claims climate change is being pushed by liberals, including former Vice President Al Gore, as a way to gain more power for government and raise taxes.

Using terminology usually associated with former half-term Governor Sarah Palin, Whitney claims that her pronouncement that climate change is a fraud, “caused liberals in the lamestream media to become unglued,” before equating herself with George Orwell, who once said: “In a time of universal deceit – telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”

“Any ten-year-old can invalidate their thesis with one of the simplest scientific devices known to man. A thermometer.”

“The Earth has done nothing but get colder each year since the films release,” Whitney adds. “God certainly has a wonderful sense of irony.”

“The conspiracy of global warming has had a devastating effect on the American Dream,” she continues before lauding the work of America’s oil companies.

I love how Sarah Palin is used as the barometer for determining degrees of stupidity.

It seems to me that Louisiana is currently being overrun by a whole passel of Sarah Palin clones these days. Including it's Governor.

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Courtesy of Breitbart:

According to Google Support's "Dangerous Products or Services" page, the company "[wants] to keep people safe both online and offline, so [they] won't allow the promotion of some products or services that cause damage, harm, or injury."

Included in the dangerous products for which ads will be blocked are "Guns & Parts." This covers "functional devices that appear to discharge a projectile at high velocity, whether for sport, self-defense, or combat."

Also included is a ban on ads for "any part or component that's necessary to the function of a gun or intended for attachment to a gun." This covers "gun scopes, ammunition, ammunition clips or belts."

The ban will also halt ads for "dangerous knives... throwing stars, brass knuckles, [and] crossbows," among other things.

Just another reason to love Google.

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Larger image.

So essentially the argument used here is that since there have been advances in science which disagree with some of Darwin's hypothesis that the entire discipline should be rejected and a return to biblical explanations for life embraced.

And since when is the "true calling" of scientists to master nature for the benefit of mankind?

I thought their calling was to examine and explore facts in order to better understand the reality in which we live.

As for scientists rejecting Darwin, according to the Smithsonian magazine nothing could be farther from the truth:

Perhaps because of that remarkable success, "evolution," or "Darwinism," can sometimes seem like a done deal, and the man himself something of an alabaster monument to wisdom and the dispassionate pursuit of scientific truth. But Darwin recognized that his work was just the beginning. "In the distant future I see open fields for far more important researches," he wrote in Origin.

Since then, even the most unanticipated discoveries in the life sciences have supported or extended Darwin's central ideas—all life is related, species change over time in response to natural selection, and new forms replace those that came before. "Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution," the pioneering geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky titled a famous essay in 1973. He could not have been more right—evolution is quite simply the way biology works, the central organizing principle of life on earth.

In the 150 years since Darwin published Origin, those "important researches" have produced results he could never have anticipated. Three fields in particular—geology, genetics and paleoanthropology—illustrate both the gaps in Darwin's own knowledge and the power of his ideas to make sense of what came after him. Darwin would have been amazed, for example, to learn that the continents are in constant, crawling motion. The term "genetics" wasn't even coined until 1905, long after Darwin's death in 1882. And though the first fossil recognized as an ancient human—dubbed Neanderthal Man—was discovered in Germany just before Origin was published, he could not have known about the broad and varied family tree of ancestral humans. Yet his original theory has encompassed all these surprises and more.

Darwin never claimed to have provided all of the answers but the template that he did provide has helped just about every scientific discipline imaginable make incredible discoveries that benefit mankind in incalculable ways.

We owe Charles Darwin a huge debt of gratitude for his invaluable assistance with breakthroughs in anthropology, biology, zoology, ichthyology, ornithology, genealogy, medical advancements, you name it and it was probably benefited in some way by the work of Charles Robert Darwin.

And EVERY science class in America should make it a priority to teach that to their students.

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Courtesy of Newsmax:

Militia members and other concerned U.S. citizens are converging on the border town of Laredo, Texas, on Friday to create a blockade against illegal immigrants crossing into the United States, the organizer of the human chain and protest said on Newsmax TV's "MidPoint."

"This will continue for days and weeks to come" and spread "to other points" along the U.S.-Mexico frontier, Barbie Rogers, founder of the Patriots Information Hotline, said in a telephone interview.

Rogers declined to give an exact head count beyond "more than 50 people" or reveal whether participants are armed, citing worries about their security.

But she said blockaders will follow the same rules of engagement as protesters in an April standoff between federal officials and Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy. "Just like at the Bundy ranch, there will be no patriot out there on that line that will fire first," Rogers said.

Just like the Bundy ranch standoff huh? And just when I thought this was going to be a bad idea.

But seriously how can having a bunch of xenophobic, heavily armed Rambo wannabes monitoring the border in camouflaged motorized scooters not work out for the best?

I swear these idiots will not be happy until they have some how managed to start a war with Mexico.

Watch out Canada! You know you're next!

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Courtesy of Joan of the Arctic's Facebook page:

Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. (Well according to Darwin more of a very, very, very distant cousin actually.) My sister sent me a clip of Nancy Pelosi either speaking such gibberish, considering her track record, or confessing one heck of a great conversion. (Apparently her sister is Breitbart.) Yesterday, Ms. Pelosi spoke highly of illegal immigrants storming our U.S. border, including the children being used and abused in this crisis, and said America needs to look at this as an “opportunity,” not a crisis. She proclaimed, “every child, every person, has a spark of divinity in them and is therefore worthy of respect” because we are “all God’s children.” Amen, sista'! (Did she really say "sista?") But, really? How sincere is this politician’s concern? Never seen as a pro-child/pro-life advocate with respect for that sacred “spark of divinity” in every innocent human life in the womb, Ms. Pelosi often touts her Catholic faith but overlooks this doctrine her Church has preached for 2000 years. (As do the majority of Catholics these days.) Hopefully she’s changed her tune on the issue of life – in which case, I’m sure she’ll invite those who understand the impact a culture of life can have on America to use her new, refreshing advocacy statement. Her words yesterday are the foundational pro-life message that can educate those in her party who constantly claim to be “for the children" in one breath, but in their next breath advocate snuffing out the life of innocent children soon-to-be-born. Cynics (or those of us living in reality) recognize typical liberal hypocrisy here, but then again we can hope this is revelation of a profound Pelosi political conversion! Though I won’t hold my breath. (Oh yeah, it's Pelosi who's spouting gibberish.)

- Sarah Palin

Okay well first off unlike the "pro-life" movement Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats are much better at advocating for the needs of actual living human beings, whether it be educational needs, nutritional needs, or civil rights, than those who seem to only care about fetuses up until they are born and then could really could not care less what happens to them.


And secondly, well I seriously doubt that Nancy Pelosi, or anybody else, really cares what Palin has to say on this or any other matter of real importance.

Speaking of pro-child how is that custody case going in Wasilla?

I think I know, and if I'm right it is good news for everybody involved who's last name is NOT Palin.

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Courtesy of WNEP:

A woman was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to her leg after police say a vendor at the Eagle Arms Gun Show at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds accidentally shot her on Saturday.

Police in Columbia County said vendor Geoffrey Hawk, the owner of “In Case of Emergency,” shot Krysta Gearhart of Orangeville in the thigh with a semi-automatic .380 while demonstrating a concealed carry holster. Usually, the demonstration is done with a plastic model of a gun.

“Often times that is what is utilized. This time the vendor used a real gun,” said Sergeant Leonard Rogutski of the Bloomsburg Police.

Police say that there was not a magazine attached to the weapon, however there was a round in the chamber.

Reports were that while the customers remained fairly calm that the other vendors were upset because it "makes them look bad."

"Dammit! Did we shoot another one? That makes it so hard to sell these instruments of death when somebody gets shot in here."

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"Each Defends diaper comes with the preamble of the Constitution printed right on it."

Considering how these Teabaggers constantly misrepresent the Constitution and essentially wipe their asses on it, I thought this was a particularly appropriate parody.

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Anti-tank rifle at top of picture depicting very troubling cache of weapons.

Courtesy of KATU:

A very large anti-tank rifle is probably one of the last thing you want in possession of a wanted criminal, but that's exactly what the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office reportedly found inside a storage locker belonging to a suspected drug dealer.

The Snohomish County Regional Drug and Gang Task Force arrested 40-year-old Aaron Knapp outside his storage unit in Everett Wednesday on suspicion of attempted delivery of a controlled substance.

According to the Sheriff's Office, a search warrant served on Knapp's Mercedes and storage unit turned up a pound of meth, half a pound of heroin, 15 firearms and approximately $40,000 in cash.

Of those firearms, 12 were military assault rifles (five of which were confirmed stolen), two were stolen handguns and one was a fully functional 20 mm anti-tank/sniper rifle, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Gee I wonder how the NRA will defend this loser's right to own an arsenal of military assault rifles and a freaking anti-tank rifle?

You know, not that I am an expert on the Constitution or anything, but I have a little difficulty in believing that the Founding Fathers had anything like this in mind when they wrote:

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Don't you agree?

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Sarah Palin at Newsmax dinner.

So all of you undoubtedly remember that last week Palin unleashed a nasty little twitter post comparing the missing IRS e-mails to the 18 minute gap during the Watergate investigation.



Well that reminded the folks at Mediaite of a little something:

Perhaps Palin forgot what it was like to be the subject of a similar investigation exactly three years earlier after her office released her emails to the press. On June 13, 2011, the Anchorage Daily News reported that “Nearly a month of former Gov. Sarah Palin’s emails are missing from the documents released to media organizations last week, a gap that raises questions about what other emails might also be missing from what’s being nationally reported as her record as Alaska governor.”

According to the documents Palin’s office provided, she sent no official emails from between December 8, 2006 and December 29, 2006, in other words her first full month in office. As the paper put it, “That means zero emails during a period during which, among other things, Palin put out her proposed state budget, appointed an attorney general, killed the contract for a road out of Juneau and vetoed a bill that sought to block state public employee benefits to same-sex couples.”

The Anchorage Daily News that the gap was due to Palin’s preponderance to use a personal Yahoo email account instead of the official state account, thereby allowing her to hide certain communication from public view. The first email Palin was on record as sending came on January 2, 2007, one month after she took office.

You know I think a couple of you brought that up last week as well.

And Mediaite is right that once again Palin is demonstrating a staggering amount of hypocrisy, especially when you remember that she created that Yahoo account specifically to keep her e-mails from being subpoenaed in case of an investigation, which kind of makes it seem that she was always planning to engage in some unscrupulous behaviors even at the very beginning of her first term.

I am sure that Richard Nixon would beam with pride at her deceptive activities and attempts to outmaneuver those who were supposed to keep her on the straight and narrow.

(More Newsmax photos here.)

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In the article Krugman lays out six predictions made by the naysayers, and then points out that all of them turned out to be wrong:

1. Enrollment will be very low, and

2. Even if people sign up, they won’t pay their premiums.

Reality: Signups exceeded expectations, and the vast majority paid.

3. More people will lose coverage cancelled by Obamacare than gain it.

Reality: Sharp drop in the number of uninsured.

4. Rate shock.

Reality: Like it says, affordable care.

5. Young people not signing up, and death spiral.

Reality: Pretty good demographics.

6. Soaring health costs.

Reality: Health costs are below anyone’s expectations.

But you know none of this matters within the Right Wing bubble, where facts are of no consequence and denying reality is their lifeblood.

Still I find it very gratifying to know that they were all wrong.

Not that I really EVER suspected that they would be right.

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The idea is that if you see a bear you can jump into a nearby car for protection.

However that may not be quite enough.

I had a teacher in high school whose job it was to wrangle bears on the North Slope.

He was not allowed to carry a gun, and had to resort to firecrackers and a broom to chase the inquisitive creatures away.

Once he saw a truck by the side of the road with a bunch of yellow stuff piled beside one broken window.

When he approached and knelt down he realized that was the stuffing from inside the seat cushions.

He said that he had a moment of terrible realization and stood up only to come face to face with a huge black bear that had manged to break the window and squeeze itself into the small opening in order to dig for the sack lunch the owner had stored under his seat.

He said they both panicked and he fell back onto the ground while the bear somehow turned itself around in the cab and smashed through the other previously unbroken window to get away.

I have never left food in my car while camping since.

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"I intend to do my job. And if it makes Republicans in Congress mad that I am trying to help people out, then I welcome them to join me so we can do it together."

I swear Job of the Bible had nothing on this President when it comes to demonstrating patience in the face of constant disappointment and adversity.

When the historians write about the Obama presidency it will be with admiration.

I am guessing the Republicans will not receive the same consideration.

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Courtesy of SF Gate:

A federal judge upheld Colorado gun restrictions that were enacted in response to 2012 mass shootings, saying Thursday that limiting the size of ammunition magazines and expanding background checks on firearm purchases are constitutional acts.

But gun-rights advocates who sued the state to overturn the laws called the ruling only the first round and said they planned to appeal.

In a 50-page decision, U.S. District Judge Marcia Krieger said both laws don't infringe on individuals' right to bear arms. The judge further said that limiting magazine sizes doesn't obstruct individuals' ability to protect themselves, and that the expansion of background checks to include firearms sold online and between private parties "is no more severe" than the requirements already in place for commercial sales before the new law.

Gun rights advocates and county sheriffs filed the lawsuit to overturn the laws, which Democrats passed last year without Republican support.

Two Democratic state senators who voted for the laws were recalled from office. A third Democratic lawmaker resigned while a recall effort was ongoing.

Former state Sen. John Morse, one of the recalled lawmakers, welcomed the ruling.

"You can't have a 100-round magazine and walk into a movie theater and start killing people. That's not what the Second Amendment is about," Morse said.

Even before the ruling, Morse said he remained unwavering in his support for the laws even if they cost him his seat.

"I knew when we were doing it that it was the right thing to do. There's no question," he said.

Of course there's no question about it. It is bringing sanity to an insane situation in this country.

And it is very sad that John Morse had to sacrifice his career to help fight to protect potential future victims against gun violence.

All I have to say it that it is nice to hear something positive about gun control laws for a change.

It gives me a little hope for the future.

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Jordan D. Haskins, candidate for the state legislator, and public masturbator.

Courtesy of Raw Story:

A candidate running to represent Michigan’s 95th House district in the state legislature wants you to know that once you look past his bizarre sexual fetish and multiple felony convictions, he is a rock-ribbed conservative Republican, whose “stool of conservatism” is held up by “faith, family and freedom.”

Michigan Live reported Friday that Saginaw’s Jordan D. Haskins dismisses the arrests and prison time as the results of youthful indiscretion and said that he is ready to “move on from that and do what I can” to serve his state as a Republican state Representative.

“I have dreams,” Haskins said to Michigan Live, “and I want to make a difference.”

Haskins, 24, has served prison time in two states and is currently on parole, but there are no rules preventing him from running for the state House.

On four occasions between April of 2010 and January of 2011, Haskins broke into vehicles on public and private property, disconnected the ignition wires, then started the engine. As the wires snapped and spit sparks, Haskins would masturbate to climax in a sexualized ritual he calls “cranking.”

Haskins has lived in Michigan and North Carolina and has lengthy criminal records in both states, dating back to the age of 15. Early offenses had mostly to do with breaking into cars and going on joyrides.

“I was just a lonely, angry kid at the time,” he said. “If anything, I could be put on ‘World’s Dumbest Criminals.’”

Valid point, after all who hasn't broken into cars, hot wired them, and then polished the bishop while listening to the vehicle's engine turning over?

Well me for one.

And here I thought I was fairly well versed in deviant behaviors, and yet I have never even HEARD of this one.

And look I don't like to judge other people's sexual proclivities, but he guy DID get convicted for his, and this did not happen when he was an adolescent, but instead only three or four years ago.

Yeah if I were a voter in Michigan's 95th district I am pretty sure this would be more than enough to dissuade me from casting my vote for this guy.

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10 - You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.

9 - You feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.

8 - You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Triune God.

7 - Your face turns purple when you hear of the "atrocities" attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in "Exodus" and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in "Joshua" including women, children, and trees!

6 - You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about gods sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.

5 - You are willing to spend your life looking for little loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (few billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by Bronze Age tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that Earth is a few generations old.

4 - You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects - will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet consider your religion the most "tolerant" and "loving."

3 - While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor speaking in "tongues" may be all the evidence you need to "prove" Christianity.

2 - You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.

1 - You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history - but still call yourself a Christian.

(Source.)

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You know I am not always a huge fan of petitions, but I am so goddamn sick and tired of these rich assholes undermining our democracy that I think this is one petition that deserves our support.

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So after yesterday's post on Palin's appearance at the "America Won't Stand For This" rally, or whatever it was called, I continued to look around for any other coverage besides the initial source from the local ABC affiliate and the tweets that we found and embedded in the post.

So this morning somebody sent me the Breitbart write up by Charlie Spiering.

Some of you may remember that I used a number of Spiering's tweets to flesh out my post, as there was not much to work with.

Apparently Charlie finally recovered from the hangover he got while freebasing all of that "FREEDOM!" and handed in his column.

The column starts off with Spiering commenting on the "long lines waiting to get inside the convention center." Which is odd because he had tweeted in response to a question about turnout that "The seats are filled. I'm guessing a few hundred."

And in the piece itself he stated that it was "a crowd of about 500." (So much for those reports that it numbered in the thousands.)

Spiering went on to say that most of the crowd were irritated by the recent Tea Party defeat in Mississippi, and quotes a number of disgruntled attendees who claimed Cochran "prostituted" himself and resorted to dirty tricks. Because you know resorting to attracting black voters is considered "dirty tricks" by this crowd of crackers.

Spiering then tied all of that together with the upcoming race between Tea Party favorite Joe Carr, who has a snowball's chance in hell of unseating established Republican Senator Lama Alexander.

(Carr does have one thing going for him however, Sarah Palin has not yet endorsed him.)

Spiering briefly covers remarks by West, Pirro, and Santorum, but I don't think any of us are interested in what they have to say.

Farther down in the article Spiering finally mentions the Wasilla White Walker's appearance:

Palin also disparaged the Republican party for their actions in Mississippi.

“Well shoot, our own party was proving this last week, to potentially manipulate and exterminate the integrity of a primary election,” she said, pointing out that the “the bloated political clash from both sides were trying to discourage people aligned with the Tea Party. ("Bloated political clash?" Could she have meant "bloated political CLASS?")

Palin reminded activists that the results should inspire them to redouble their efforts, pointing out that the establishment politicians would try to discourage them.

“It does make a difference,” she said. “What you are doing makes a difference and now more than ever we need to ramp it up. Don’t retreat, we gotta reload.” ("I would like to thank the bumper sticker industry for their assistance in helping me to write this speech. I couldn't have done it without y'all.")

In spite of their frustration, Palin soon had the crowd laughing as she peppered her speech with political jokes and taking shots against President Obama and his allies. (Yep nothing gets the Right Wing fringe laughing harder than poking fun at the black man in the White House.)

Palin took the stage acknowledging that Sevierville was Dolly Parton’s home town, explaining that she once dressed up as Parton for Halloween when she was in High School.

Hell, she STILL dresses like Dolly Parton.

She also reminded them that the media was also trying to sound a death knell for the Tea Party but it was very much alive. (And that's why there were less than 500 people in attendance, and they had to move the rally to a smaller venue. You know, because the Tea Party is SO popular.)

“Us bitter clingers and wingers, we ignored those yappin' little lapdogs in the media and with a new social media kind of reporting you know we were able to kick those little varmints away, we were able to ignore what it was that they were saying,” she said. (Yes because as every good conservative knows, if you ignore the facts they will simply go away.)

Palin held up Sen. Ted Cruz as an example of a Washington politician that was fighting for them, and explained that it was more important than ever to send him allies in his fight against the Washington establishment.

“He is there for a reason not a season, and that’s what we need more of,” she said. “We need to send the good guys reinforcements to take the battle to Capitol Hill for us.” (More "good guys" who pass no legislation, and instead spend all of their time seeking the spotlight and trying to get on camera as often as possible? Yes that would be the kind of politician supported by Sarah Palin.)

Although she hasn’t endorsed Joe Carr yet in his primary, Palin dropped a hint to Tennessee voters that he was one of their allies.

“We need to be pretty discerning here of what kind of ‘Carr’ we send to D.C.,” she said as Carr supporters in the hall cheered.

Well if he wasn't doomed before, he is now.

I think that this rally is a good indication of just how badly the Tea Party has fallen out of favor with the American people.

In 2010 I would imagine that this convention center would have been packed to the rafters with Right Wing lunatics, leaking Skoal juice from their lips, and screaming for the end of big government and a return to the America that they once enjoyed.

You know the America back before those Negroes got the vote and women knew that their place was in the kitchen and on their knees scrubbing floors.

And right along with viewing the demise of the Tea Party is the added spectacle of watching Sarah Palin's slowly decomposing visage carted from one tiny gathering of the political fringe to the next, until finally she is talking to a living room full of aged Lyndon LaRouche supporters for a cup of coffee and a ride back to the street corner from where she stands yelling conservative bumper sticker slogans at passers by.

And I plan to write about it all.

Update: Palin finally mentions the rally on Facebook:

Thank you, Sevierville Tea Partiers, who work so hard. The great people and great organizers there are making a difference. I was honored to meet them and speak at the rally this week!

Well that is certainly short and lacking in any detail.

She also links to the same Breitbart article that I link to up above, which makes me wonder where she got the idea to write a post today? Hmmm.

(Everybody wave to Sarah.)

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From Jesse DeBoard's Facebook page.

Courtesy of WKRC:

Videos that made their way around Facebook and other social media sites had neighbors talking about fears of violence.

The video showed a man and two women carrying around high-powered weapons. They made no attempt to hide their weapons and the videos are full of racial slurs. The voice in the video was that of a man who recorded three of his friends walking through the streets of East Price Hill. They flaunted the fact that they are legally carrying AR-15's through the neighborhood.

Since that video was recorded, Cincinnati police have arrested two of the four people in connection with the recent CIRV initiative. Charged were Jesse Deboard, the man heard on the video. The other was identified as Stephanie Coverman. Warrants are out for Chris Masters and Christina Tharp.

There is no way that I can adequately explain just what a vile little shit this Jesse DeBoard punk is, so I will embed the video that he posted of their heavily armed, expletive filled jaunt down a street in their neighborhood.

Let me warn you that about two minutes in you will want to wash his mouth out with soap and then slap the shit out of him.

Update: Okay well the video got removed, so I will leave it up to Raw Story to describe a little of the vulgarity:

“Broad day, you see this? Walking down the street with a AR-15,” says the man filming the demonstration, who police later identified as Jesse Deboard.

The group then brags about openly carrying assault weapons on city streets. “Open carry in the state of Ohio, the cops can’t do nothing,” one of the men says on camera.

Deboard can be heard asking if unidentified Facebook friends “still want that drama, though.”

“This is going on YouTube, n*gga, world star,” Deboard says to a passing group of black men.

His almost comical overuse of the "N" word is incredibly grating, as is his pathetic tough guy verbal diarrhea. The diarrhea dries right up when the police show up however.

The police then attempt to explain to the kids that by walking around with their rifles on display it makes them a prime target for robbery, but these idiots are far too immature to recognize the truth in those words.

After the talk with the police the punks go on their way, and suddenly DeBoard gets mouthy again.

I have to imagine that he again clammed the hell up after the cops showed up at his door and placed his ass under arrest.

However he could certainly talk some shit on Facebook:

Love when.mfs start shit take.off runnin and they wanna.squash it when.they alone then.come.to.my house 30 deep but scatter like cockroaches when.i.come.outside BY MYSELF NO.GUNS.MF!!!!!!! Yall aint bout that life #sitthefuckdown!!!!!!

I hate ol prison built buttercup soft ass pretty boy wannabe thug never in these streets only think u was hard cuz u did time tatted up even they face cuz they was in prison got patched up for protection fake made up gangbanger ass nigguhs and the bitches who entertain this shit is even more amusing.

Take a good look Wayne LaPierre, this is the lovechild that was delivered by NRA lobbying efforts. Now everybody can walk around acting like a dick while carrying a dangerous implement of death.

Even this little turd.

Update 2: I found some new footage that contains a portion of the video.

It leaves out a lot, but you get the idea.

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Courtesy of HuffPo:

Faced with the threat of legal action over his use of executive power, President Barack Obama pointed his finger squarely back at congressional Republicans on Friday, stating that their historic inaction prompted him to go it alone to address the nation's problems.

"They don't do anything except block me and call me names," Obama said in a speech on the economy at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Without citing which specific executive actions he intended to challenge, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced this week that he would bring legislation to the floor authorizing the House to file a lawsuit against the president to "compel" him to enforce existing law. "We elected a president, Americans note; we didn’t elect a monarch or king," he wrote in a memo to his colleagues.

That set the president off on Friday. In an interview with "Good Morning America," he dismissed the suit as nothing more than a "stunt." And in his remarks in Minnesota, he argued that he was forced to take action on immigration, the federal minimum wage and pay discrimination because this Congress, which has been called the least productive Congress in history, refused to compromise on legislative priorities.

"They've decided to sue me for doing my job," Obama said.

"If you’re mad at me for helping people on my own then join me and we’ll do it together," he added. "I want to work with you, but you gotta give me something. You gotta try to deliver something. Anything."

Good for him goddamn it!

It is well past time for the President to stop treating these assholes as if they are public servants trying to do the best thing for their constituents and the country, who simply have a differing point of view.

They are essentially traitors, that this point who are being driven to obstruct ANY progress at the behest of big business groups and crazed fringe elements within their party.

If they were the doctors and administrators of a mental health facility (Which of course they might as well be.), they would be facilitating the sharing medications between patients, taking them on field trips to strip clubs, and encouraging them to follow the advice of the voices in their head to kill random strangers.

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Did this guy actually feel it necessary to point out to a bunch of folks carrying long guns and assault style rifles where the muzzle is located? And then call it "the dangerous end" as if he were talking to preschoolers?

This Open Carry Texas group recorded and posted this video, I'm sure, to help put people's minds at ease about their activities. But it actually had the opposite effect on me.

At one point the guy conducting the instruction says "Keep your hands away from the trigger mechanism. We have no reason to be shooting at anybody today." As if that is something that individuals openly carrying weapons designed for warfare must be reminded of.

If this is the level of confidence these organizers have in the people participating in their silly little protests, that just convinces me even more that somebody, somewhere. is going to get shot by one of these ammosexual idiots.

(H/T to Americans Against the Tea Party.)

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Courtesy of The Clarion-Ledger:

Sources have confirmed that attorney Mark Mayfield has committed suicide.

Mayfield, vice chairman of the Mississippi Tea Party, and is one of the three men charged with conspiring with Clayton Kelly to photograph U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran's bedridden wife in her nursing home and create a political video against Cochran.

Mark Mayfield of Ridgeland, an attorney and state and local tea party leader, was arrested last month along with Richard Sager, a Laurel elementary school P.E. teacher and high school soccer coach. Police said they also charged John Beachman Mary of Hattiesburg, but he was not taken into custody because of "extensive medical conditions." All face felony conspiracy charges. Sager also was charged with felony tampering with evidence, and Mary faces two conspiracy counts.

Damn this McDaniel guy is like a magnet for negative karma.

Or is it simply Karma, as there are some lingering questions as to whether or not this is indeed a suicide. Not that I am accusing anybody of anything, I am simply saying that this is a rather convenient death for some people.

I wonder if this will convince McDaniel to finally admit defeat or, with one less person connecting him to the nursery home break in, will convince him that he is untouchable?

Boy that Sarah Palin sure can pick'em!



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Courtesy of NPR:

Aaron Carapella, a self-taught mapmaker in Warner, Okla., has pinpointed the locations and original names of hundreds of American Indian nations before their first contact with Europeans.

As a teenager, Carapella says he could never get his hands on a continental U.S. map like this, depicting more than 600 tribes — many now forgotten and lost to history. Now, the 34-year-old designs and sells maps as large as 3 by 4 feet with the names of tribes hovering over land they once occupied.

"I think a lot of people get blown away by, 'Wow, there were a lot of tribes, and they covered the whole country!' You know, this is Indian land," says Carapella, who calls himself a "mixed-blood Cherokee" and lives in a ranch house within the jurisdiction of the Cherokee Nation.

For more than a decade, he consulted history books and library archives, called up tribal members and visited reservations as part of research for his map project, which began as pencil-marked poster boards on his bedroom wall. So far, he has designed maps of the continental U.S., Canada and Mexico. A map of Alaska is currently in the works.

These were proud people, living a subsistence lifestyle that was in harmony with the nature around them.

Just imagine how different America would look today if the white settlers had respected their sovereign right to the lands that they had lived on for thousands of years.

But sadly they were non-Christian heathens and were at the mercy of Manifest Destiny:

The religious fervor spawned by the Second Great Awakening created another incentive for the drive west. Indeed, many settlers believed that God himself blessed the growth of the American nation. The Native Americans were considered heathens. By Christianizing the tribes, American missionaries believed they could save souls and they became among the first to cross the Mississippi River.

At the heart of manifest destiny was the pervasive belief in American cultural and racial superiority. Native Americans had long been perceived as inferior, and efforts to "civilize" them had been widespread since the days of John Smith and MILES STANDISH. The Hispanics who ruled Texas and the lucrative ports of California were also seen as "backward."

Just another shameful chapter in the book of horrors visited upon those ethnically impure heathens who dared to stand in the way of the Christian Caucasians who felt duty bound to destroy their cultures and bring them to Jesus whether they wanted it or not.

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Must I do everything?

Courtesy of The Hill:

The Obama administration is "not bluffing" in its intent to take executive action on immigration policy if House Republicans don't act soon, top Democratic leaders warned Thursday.

President Obama has delayed any potential changes to his deportation policy to allow House GOP leaders time to bring legislation to the floor this summer. But if the Republicans don't act in July, the Democrats say, unilateral changes by Obama are inevitable.

"We're at the end of the line," Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said Thursday during a press briefing in the Capitol. "We're not bluffing by setting a legislative deadline for them to act.

"Their first job is to govern," Menendez added, "and in the absence of governing, then you see executive actions."

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) piled on. Noting that a year has passed since the Senate passed a sweeping immigration reform bill with broad bipartisan support, he urged House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to bring a similar bill to the floor.

"I don't know how much more time he thinks he needs, but I hope that Speaker Boehner will speak up today," Durbin said. "And if he does not, the president will borrow the power that is needed to solve the problems of immigration."

The Republicans are opposed to doing anything on the immigration policy, in fact many of them believe that is why Eric Cantor lost his primary.

So it is pretty clear that Boehner and the House Republicans are not going to bring the bill to the floor anytime soon, and if the President attempts to pass immigration reform on his own and they do nothing, they are at risk of losing their seats in the next election cycle.

Now the only question remaining is are the Republicans serious about trying to sue the President, or is all of this simply a way to save face while forcing the President to take all of the heat for immigration reform while allowing the Republicans to stand back throwing mud and staying squeaky clean themselves?

I tend to think it is the latter, which makes the Republicans a party of shiftless cowards.

Not that that is any news to most of us.

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Photo courtesy of Saul Young

Okay folks I did my best to dig up some info on last night's pathetic Teabagger support group in Tennessee and there is barely a hint to be found that the thing even happened.

(If a conservative teabags you in the woods, and you don't notice it, should you still feel disgusted?)

The local ABC outlet jotted down a few notes:

An event featuring a former vice presidential candidate like Sarah Palin and other well known politicians wrapped up in Sevierville around 11 p.m. They were speaking for a series called America's Last Stand.

6 News could only take pictures inside where well known politicians like former Senator Rick Santorum and former Governor Sarah Palin spoke to dozens. Other speakers included Fox News personality Judge Jeanie Pirro and Col. Allen West.

The 6 News team asked to interview Palin but were turned down due to "limited time in her schedule."

Yeah right!

Or it could be due to the fact that she looked like this:

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Looks like she brought one of those feisty uncooperative wigs with her.

However thankfully there were a few folks tweeting during the event.

One Breitbart News contributor provided these gems:

- @SarahPalinUSA says that Cochran team chose to "manipulate and exterminate" the integrity of the Mississippi primary
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) June 27, 2014

- @SarahPalinUSA says she carries a gun because a cop is too heavy to carry...
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) June 27, 2014

- @SarahPalinUSA says that govt can have her moon pies and R/C Cola when they pry it from her "cold sticky hands"
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) June 27, 2014

- @SarahPalinUSA now mocking liberals who slap coexist stickers on their "Berkeley branded butts" while military is fighting terrorists...
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) June 27, 2014

"God doesn't drive parked cars" - @SarahPalinUSA says encouraging Americans to get involved
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) June 27, 2014

Hang on I have to take a moment to breathe into a brown paper bag at the memory that she was once the governor of my state.

But wait, there's more.

Fashion report: jeans, tank top, with a UT orange shirt. #PalinRally pic.twitter.com/EkZHZn9dZP
— Bean Counter (@TNBeanCounter) June 27, 2014

Palin: The radical left is so dimwitted when they try to call us racists. #PalinRally pic.twitter.com/GxcrCyzCmz
— Bean Counter (@TNBeanCounter) June 27, 2014

From what I can gather this was yet another incoherent speech gleaned from various conservative bumper stickers delivered by what looked like a bag lady that somebody lured in off of the street.

Earlier the organizers had bragged that CNN was going to cover the event, but if that was true it kind of looks like partway through they said "Fuck it!" and walked out.

Well since that whole thing was barely newsworthy I thought it appropriate to share something a little more interesting.

Here is an excerpt from a new book by longtime Tonight Show producer Dave Berg, where he discusses the crazy requests made by guests. Including one from 2010:

PALIN'S PLANE

Sarah Palin asked for a private jet to fly her from Alaska to Burbank for her 2010 appearance. The cost? $35,000. She got it.

Who in the hell would spend $35,000 to fly this loser down from Alaska, when they could have bought 1st class round trip tickets for the whole family for around $12,000?

But of course this fits the well established pattern that Palin is known for of trying to get as much money or swag as possible.

Remember this is the woman who charged the state of Alaska a per diem to stay in her own house.

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Courtesy of Americans Against the Tea Party:

If this hilarious gun safety ad doesn’t shame half of America’s parents into locking up their weapons, we don’t know what will. So, now, how do we get through to the other half? (Got ideas? Please leave your ideas in the comments below.)

Evolve, the group behind the ad, proclaims themselves as “a third voice” in the gun control debate. They aim to steer clear of divisive gun politics and take a new approach towards preventing the next tragedy: Good marketing. And why not? Waiting for our GOP-led Congress to pass legislation is like waiting for Hell to freeze over (an actual possibility, thanks to the GOP’s lack of action on climate change).

Somehow I am a little late learning about this group Evolve, but damn do I like their style.

As a matter of fact this is not their first ad, and the one that preceded it is equally entertaining. Personally I think taking out the "dumbasses" part was a bad idea. We could REALLY use that part right about now.

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So today's the day that Sarah Palin, Judge Jeannine Pirro, Rick Santorum, and Allen West, attempt to rally the over fed undereducated folks that make up the Tea Party base.

There will be plenty of raw meat thrown out into the toothless crowd, piles of word salad, and of course deep fat fried bullshit.

According to their Facebook page the venue is set up and awaiting their D-list guests.


America's Last Stand Final set up for tonight's show is almost complete, Sarah Palin has arrived in Knoxville as have the rest of our Very special guests! John Michael Montgomery's bus is about 30 minutes out, and everything is being put in place. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, come out and get them as soon as possible as we have a limited number still available, you don't want to miss this FANTASTIC show, heck even CNN is here, along with FOX News, all of the local television stations, as well as the folks from Breitbart.com, Radio 94.3, and Q100! Doors open for the show at 4:30, but if you still haven't gotten your tickets be sure to get here early!

Let's see, star spangled stage all set up? Check!

A rather pathetic number of Chinese manufactured padded chairs for broad American butts in place? Check!

Sarah Palin in the back stapling her roadkill wig into place? Double check!

Tickets all sold out? Uh.....well....maybe not quite a check?

At least not according to a post a few days ago.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR FACEBOOK FANS ONLY! Buy one, get one FREE tickets! Use code "Palin" at check out.(Offer for GA & VIP Only)

(I believe "GA" stand for general attendance.)

Now maybe I am misreading this, but if you are offering a two for the price of one sale, that does not exactly sound like it is standing room only at this event.

And after what just happened in Mississippi one has to wonder just how enthusiastic the conservatives are about a rally right now. After all there really is not much to celebrate.

(By the way speaking of Mississippi, that son-of-a-bitch is still refusing to concede.)

I don't know how much this JL Production. Inc. and Seveir County Tea Party folks are paying Sarah Palin, Judge Pirro, Rick "Please don't Google me" Santorum, and Allen West in speaking fees, but it looks to me that it is very unlikely they are going to break even.

Which is really kind of pathetic if you think about it.

I mean at least during Custer's last stand there were a substantial number of attendees.

I mean sure they massacred Custer and his men, but at least they bothered to show up.

Update: Concerning the attendance.

@DonWiley4 @AllenWest Seats are filled, I'm guessing a few hundred
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) June 26, 2014

It does not sound like they were anticipating too many to show up.

Update 2: And here she is.

Fashion report: jeans, tank top, with a UT orange shirt. #PalinRally pic.twitter.com/EkZHZn9dZP

— Bean Counter (@TNBeanCounter) June 27, 2014

Such a fashion icon. Don't you agree?

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Courtesy of Politico:

President Barack Obama is letting his inner Don Rickles run free, mocking climate deniers as the crowd who used to think the moon was made out of cheese or spineless dopes who can’t or won’t listen to science even though the science is all overwhelmingly pointing in one direction. Their heads are in the sand. They are members of the Flat Earth Society.

“It’s pretty rare that you encounter people who say that the problem of carbon pollution is not a problem,” Obama said. “In most communities and workplaces, they may not know how big a problem it is, they may not know exactly how it works, they may doubt they can do something about it. Generally they don’t just say, ‘No I don’t believe anything scientists say.’ Except, where?” he said, waiting for the more than accommodating crowd to call back, “Congress!”

Obama smiled — not his big toothy self-satisfied grin, but his stick-it-in-the-ribs smirk.

“In Congress,” he said. “Folks will tell you climate change is hoax or a fad or a plot. A liberal plot.”

Then, Obama said, there are the people who duck the question. “They say, hey, I’m not a scientist, which really translates into, I accept that man-made climate change is real, but if I say so out loud, I will be run out of town by a bunch of fringe elements that thinks climate science is a liberal plot so I’m going to just pretend like, I don’t know, I can’t read,” Obama said.

“I mean, I’m not a scientist either, but I’ve got this guy, John Holdren, he’s a scientist,” Obama added to laughter. “I’ve got a bunch of scientists at NASA and I’ve got a bunch of scientists at EPA.”

“I’m not a doctor either, but if a bunch of doctors tell me that tobacco can cause lung cancer, then I’ll say, okay. Right? I mean, it’s not that hard.”

You know since many Americans, especially young Americans, now get their news from the Daily show, and the Colbert Report did a better job of teaching us about SuperPAC's than the networks, I totally support the President's mocking of the Republicans, and his attempt to use humor to illustrate the ridiculousness of their anti-science arguments.

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Courtesy of HuffPo:

The National Rifle Association is fighting proposed federal legislation that would prohibit those convicted of stalking and of domestic violence against dating partners from buying guns, according to a letter obtained by The Huffington Post.

Federal law already bars persons convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from purchasing firearms. S. 1290, introduced by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), would add convicted stalkers to that group of offenders and would expand the current definition of those convicted of domestic violence against "intimate partners" to include those who harmed dating partners.

Aides from two different senators' offices confirm that the NRA sent a letter to lawmakers describing Klobuchar's legislation as "a bill to turn disputes between family members and social acquaintances into lifetime firearm prohibitions." The nation's largest gun lobby wrote that it "strongly opposes" the bill because the measure "manipulates emotionally compelling issues such as 'domestic violence' and 'stalking' simply to cast as wide a net as possible for federal firearm prohibitions."

Yes this is clearly just a case of the liberal wanting to take as many guns away from American patriots as possible, and has NOTHING to do with the fact that the majority of gun deaths in the country are from accidental shootings and incidences of domestic violence.

The NRA letter goes on to suggest that this legislation could be used in a situation where two gay men got into a "shoving match" and that resulted in one, or both of them, having their 2nd Amendment rights suspended.

Which of course is funny in that I seriously doubt the NRA gives a shit about protecting the rights of the LGBT community who do not fit very comfortably inside their targeted demographic, and is of course a ridiculous argument as this legislation is focused on those CONVICTED of domestic violence and a shoving match hardly qualifies.

The letter also suggests that taking the rights away from convicted stalkers is unfair because "'Stalking' offenses do not necessarily include violent or even threatening behavior."

Once again it must be remembered that this is somebody who was CONVICTED of stalking somebody, and one must assume that if somebody continues such an activity after being convicted for it that they are undoubtedly in an unstable mental state, which should preclude them from owning a firearm in the first place.

This whole thing drives me crazy. It is as if the right to own a gun supersedes EVERY other single right, and must be given priority over the rights of every person who may be placed in danger by another person's right to own that weapon.

People with mental health issues, violent tendencies, and obsessive personalities should be the LAST people to be allowed access to guns, and yet in their single minded focus on saturating the country with deadly weapons the NRA is completely unwilling to see the insanity of their point of view.

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