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___________________________________ EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT... As religious leaders see (1) dwindling support by grassroots Christians for a federal gay marriage ban, and (2) the writing on the wall about the possibility of passing such a constitutional amendment in Congress, tactics are changing. Many leaders are now looking to use the issue strictly as a political weapon...while one is going so far as to support the notion of moving to a state which would then secede from the union! All this and more in today’s edition of “Lawfully Wedded” on the News & Views EXTRA page at: http://www.chuckmuth.com/newsandviews/nv.cfm _____________________________________ BIG VICTORY FOR INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM, STATES RIGHTS “A federal appeals court yesterday upheld Oregon's assisted-suicide law, saying U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft's bid to outlaw it ‘far exceeds the scope of his authority under federal law.’ The 2-to-1 ruling by a three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said physicians in Oregon can continue to prescribe lethal doses of medication to mentally competent, terminally ill patients without facing sanctions or federal criminal prosecutions. “...The panel said that the attorney general cannot exercise control over an area of law traditionally reserved for state authority and that there is no evidence Congress wanted the attorney general to regulate the practice of assisted suicide. . . . George Eighmey, executive director of Compassion in Dying of Oregon, a plaintiff in the case, said, ‘The message this decision sends to John Ashcroft is this: Keep your hands off of Oregon and all Oregonians.’ " - Washington Times, 5/27/04 GET THEE BACK IN THE CLOSET “(Al) Gore turned up at New York University yesterday with a raging speech against the Bush administration's foreign policy. . . . Democratic consultants cringed when Mr. Gore said the Bush foreign policy was ‘based on domination of the rest of the world’ and failed even to mention the name of Nick Berg, the American who was beheaded by terrorists as a direct challenge to the country's stomach for the Iraq fight. In fact, Mr. Gore continues to come across as a poor sport who hasn't gotten over his 2000 defeat and is bent on petty revenge. Many Democrats wish they could find a way to keep Mr. Gore in a closet somewhere until November.” - John Fund, Political Diary, 5/27/04 HOW SOON THEY FORGET “Algore proclaims George Bush as the most dishonest president since Richard Nixon. How quickly we forget Bill Clinton.” - Lyn Nofziger, “Musings,” 5/27/04 BUSH-WHACKING BACKLASH “Boy, is it getting ugly out there as very top Democrats broadcast their visceral and intense personal hatred for President Bush. Al Gore yesterday ranted at Bush as ‘the most dishonest president since Richard Nixon.’ House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi has called him ‘incompetent.’ Democratic chief Terry McAuliffe claimed he was ‘AWOL’ from the National Guard. . . . Bush-hating billionaire George Soros, funding anti-Bush ads, compared the president to Hitler. But mostly, other Democrats, like...John Kerry, seem to be cheering them on, not rebuking them. . . . But they might want to ponder whether the personal tone of attacks on Bush helps explain why Kerry is stalled and tied in polls despite six weeks of nonstop bad news for Bush." - Deborah Orin, New York Post, 5/27/04 FOREIGN LEADERS FOR KERRY Diplomat Hans Blix - the United Nation’s version of the hapless Inspector Clouseau, who did his damnedest to keep the U.S. out of Iraq and Saddam in power - issued his endorsement this week in the presidential contest. “I place my trust in the multilaterism of Democratic candidate John Kerry,” the Swedish meatball said, adding that he thought the whole world should be able to vote on November 2 in the U.S. election. Responded the Wall Street Journal, “Mr. Kerry remarked in March that foreign leaders were privately supporting his candidacy. Mr. Blix has now revealed the kind of foreigners he was referring to.” HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT “It would be a mistake...to think John Kerry has no principles or agenda. He just does not have any that he would dare reveal in an election year. . . . It is hard to believe there is much room on the political spectrum to the left of Ted Kennedy. But Mr. Kerry has found it. Now he has to hide it before the voters find out. . . . John Kerry should get the Academy Award if he succeeds in this year's challenging acting performance - but not the presidency.” - Columnist Thomas Sowell THE ENEMY WITHIN “Abu Ghraib is the new Tet offensive. By lying about the Tet offensive during the Vietnam War, the media managed to persuade Americans we were losing the war, which demoralized the nation and caused us to lose the war. And people say reporters are lazy.” - Columnist Ann Coulter GASBAGS “It seems that many journalists are so invested in the story line that ‘BUSH LIED!!!! about WMDs’ that they wouldn't acknowledge otherwise if they themselves were gassed.” - James Taranto, Best of the Web, 5/26/04 “AVERAGE” MUST BE PRETTY DARN LOW “The Washington Post reports that nearly two-thirds of America's 1.6 million civilian full-time federal employees received merit bonuses or special time-off awards in 2002. Think about that. Statistically it implies that the vast majority of federal workers are operating at above-average levels.” - Wall Street Journal, 5/27/04 I WANT MY MTV...AND BIG MACS “MTV has refused to screen ads for Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock's film about fast food and overeating, because they are ‘disparaging to fast food restaurants.’ Roadside Attractions and Samuel Goldwyn Film said MTV sister network VH1 was planning to use clips from the movie in a program called Best Week Ever, but the clips were pulled before the show aired.” - Sydney Morning Herald, 5/26/04 WHY NOT JUST GIVE ‘EM A NEW CAR, AS WELL “Despite protests from a state legislator, the Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority agreed Friday to continue its pilot program providing affordable home mortgages to undocumented immigrants. State Rep. Glen Grothman (R-West Bend) opposed the loan program at WHEDA's monthly board meeting May 21 in Madison. . . . ‘How can we expect employers not to hire illegal aliens, or border patrol or INS workers to enthusiastically do their jobs when a state agency is initiating a program almost specifically designed to break the laws,’ he said.” - Milwaukee Business Journal, 5/24/04 SURVEY SAYS! Washington insiders say that while the issue of illegal immigration stirs up a lot of fuss, it’s NOT an issue which swings votes one way or the other in an election campaign. Are they correct? Is a candidate’s position on illegal immigration an issue which, in and of itself, could swing your vote one way or the other in a given election? * Yes * No * Maybe Cast your vote by clicking the “Survey Says!” tab at www.citizenoutreach.com ACTIVIST UPDATE Here’s a quick update on two issues we featured in News & Views which many of you were involved in a few months back… 1.) Hale DeMar of Wilmette, Illinois, woke in the middle of the night to find an intruder in his kid’s room...and shot the scuzzball. In return, the local chief flat-foot charged the homeowner with violating a local gun law. Many of you were outraged and made it known with calls and emails. Well, you’ll be happy to know that the state legislature heard. This week they passed a bill affording more protections to homeowners who shoot intruders regardless of local gun control laws banning weapons. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Democrat Gov. Rod Blagojevich has threatened to veto the bill. You can contact the guv by going here: http://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactthegovernor.cfm 2.) Some goofballs in Santa Fe, New Mexico, actually proposed mandatory seat belts...for dogs. Well, some sanity finally struck the city’s public-safety committee this week, which decided to strike the asinine proposed ordinance. City Council-critters said they were “flooded by complaints about the proposed ‘doggie seat belts’ from residents as well as people in other cities.” Nice job, gang. Again, national grassroots Internet activism CAN have an impact. Which brings us to… DODGING COMMON SENSE Catch this example of public school stupidity from Grasonville, Maryland, as reported in the Eastern Shore Star Democrat: * * * QUOTE * * * An 11-year-old boy has been suspended from Grasonville Elementary School for 10 days for including a knife in his class project. The 5th-grader included a steak knife in a box of items he took in to illustrate the assignment: "What would you take on a camping trip and why?" said Lt. Dwayne Embert of the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office. Embert said the knife was part of the boy's project; the boy never threatened anyone. "The child brought in a steak knife in a decorated shoe box," said Principal Anne Dodge. It was a project for his reading class. He turned the box in on May 10. On Monday, May 17, it was the Grasonville boy's turn to present. About 3:20 p.m., he took the items out of the box to talk about them. The teacher saw the knife, took it, and contacted the principal, Dodge said. "It was a tool. He brought in different types of tools," Dodge said. She, too, said the student never threatened anyone. The student and his possessions were removed from the classroom, a parent was notified and the sheriff's office contacted, Dodge said. Dfc. Kristy L. Murphy investigated. Parents of children in that reading class were contacted by phone and a letter went home to them, Dodge said. In the letter, she recounted what had happened and wrote, "I urge you to discuss this incident as well as the one last week with your child in an open and honest matter. If at any time they are aware of a dangerous situation, encourage them to talk to any adult as quickly as possible. The staff and I will make safety a top priority so that all students feel safe in school and can concentrate on academics." Students know better than to bring weapons to school; it is in the handbook everyone gets at the beginning of the school year, Dodge said. Schools have a zero tolerance for weapons. * * * UNQUOTE * * * Cops, letters to parents and a 10-day suspension because a kid brought a steak knife in a box to class for a project asking what you would take on a camping trip? Is this insane, or what? How does someone who allows something this idiotic become the principal of a public elementary school? Here’s the info I know you all are looking for: Principal Anne Dodge Phone: (410) 827-8070 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Chuck Muth’s News & Views is published by Citizen Outreach, a non-partisan, 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. The opinions and views expressed in Chuck Muth's News & Views reflect those of the writers, editors and columnists therein and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Citizen Outreach, its officers, directors or employees. Published by: Citizen Outreach Chuck Muth Editor/Publisher 611 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, #439 Washington, DC 20003-4303 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, just go to: http://www.chuckmuth.com/newsletter/ To be REMOVED, go to: http://www.chuckmuth.com/remove/default.cfm Or send your request to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To make a secure online contribution to Citizen Outreach, go to the “Donate” page at www.citizenoutreach.com.
