http://www.azconservative.org/Semmens1.htm
JOHN SEMMENS: Semi-News Poll Shows Muslims Support Democrats Oct. 27, 2006 The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) released a poll of 1,000 registered Muslim voters in the United States it said showed the community has changed a great deal since 2000. In 2000, Muslims voted for George W. Bush, but they switched to support the Democrats in 2004 to protest the anti-Muslim policies by the Bush administration. "Bush keeps saying Islam is a 'religion of peace,'" said Iham Aklohd, a poll respondent from Washington, DC. "We are warriors for Allah. We are not 'turn-the-other-cheek' pansies. He has defamed us. Now the Republicans must pay." Aklohd emphasized that it was not only Bush's words of disrespect that has Muslims riled. "Bush is interfering with our religious outreach efforts," Aklohd said. "His spies listen-in on our phone conversations. His troops kill our Muslim brothers." Many poll respondents expressed confidence that Democrats would be more respectful of the ways of Islam. "We don't hear Democrats insisting Islam is a religion of peace," said Mohamed Nifhim, a poll respondent from Michigan. "They aren't demanding we yield to decadent western values." "Unbelievers are enemies of God," said Ibak Mohron, a Saudi here on a student visa. "There must be no interference with our struggle against them." Mohron said he will be voting for Democrats in November because "they accept our right to live by our own values. They will disband the troops. They will stop the American government from fighting on the side of Satan." Future Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) welcomed the poll results. "This is just one more piece of evidence showing that Americans are ready for a change from the failed policies of the Republicans," Pelosi said. New Jersey Confused about Sex The administration of Democratic Governor John Corzine rejected its share of federal abstinence education money, saying the rules are inconsistent and violate the state's educational standards. State education officials took exception to two elements of the program's curriculum. "This program would have us teach that sex within marriage is the 'expected standard of human sexual activity' and that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy," said Education Commissioner Hank Job. "We find these requirements both burdensome and erroneous." "The contention that abstinence is the only sure way to avoid pregnancy is patently false," Job continued. "Gay sex and bestiality don't result in pregnancy. A complete education cannot overlook these options." "And who is to say what the 'expected standard' for sex might be?" Job asked. "I'd venture to say that more sex takes place outside the bonds of matrimony than in. If the majority of sexual encounters are occurring outside of marriage how can we say marriage should be the 'expected standard?'" New Jersey is the fourth state so far to reject the abstinence education money. The others are California, Pennsylvania and Maine. In related news, in a 4-3 ruling, the New Jersey Supreme Court gave the state legislature six months to enact either a gay marriage or "civil union" statute. Writing for the majority, Justice Barry Albin said "Although we cannot find a right to same-sex marriage in the constitution or statutes, we can no longer tolerate the absence of such a right in our state. We are hereby ordering the state legislature to amend the marriage statutes to include same-sex couples or create a parallel statutory structure." The three dissenting justices denounced the ruling as "insufficiently aggressive." "The court should, itself, have created a same-sex marriage amendment to the constitution," said Associate Justice Guy Bangor. "Handing the responsibility over to legislature is a dereliction of the court's duty to provide the community with the laws it needs to function in our 21st century world." Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) praised the NJ court's action and asserted that she hoped New York Democratic Gubernatorial hopeful Eliot Spitzer would carry out his promise to enact a same-sex marriage law when he takes office early next year. Omaha Wants Citizens to "Rat out" Smokers The city of Omaha, Nebraska enacted a citywide ban on smoking that went into effect on Oct. 2. Now, the Omaha Police Department (OPD) is encouraging city residents to call 911 to report offenders. Teresa Negron, sergeant in charge of public information of the OPD, said the department encourages people to report "any and all criminal activity they may observe." "Smoking has killed more people than the guys we put on death row," said Negron. "People who insist on smoking are, in effect, mass murderers. The city council has outlawed this scourge. It's now up to us to crack down on these malefactors by all possible means." The crack down has its critics. Amy Kauffman, research fellow for the Hudson Institute called the new program "a horrible thing" and a waste of city resources. "911 is for emergencies," Kauffman said. "Someone lighting a cigarette or pipe in a public place is not an emergency." Mark Meddler, president of Independent Nebraskans Against Noxious Emissions (INANE), disagreed, calling the program "a good use of our city resources." "The pushers and users of tobacco have terrorized our city for far too long," Meddler said. "This measure is a modest first step in cleaning up our city." Meddler pointed out that smoking isn't the only problem that needs fixing. "We're such a fat country," Meddler said. "Somebody needs to do something about that too." Meddler says that the city council ought to ban unhealthy foods, as well. "If we make it harder to get fatty foods, people will eat healthier," Meddler said. "If you knew that eating a greasy meal would be reported by your neighbor you'd think twice before taking that first bite." Scandal Rocks Allen Campaign Republican Senator George Allen's campaign for reelection was dealt what many in the media are calling a "death blow" when a former classmate came forward to reveal sordid details from Allen's past. In a new television ad paid for by the "Webb for Senate" campaign, Albie Wyner, a pre-school classmate of Allen's at the Mary Moppet Day School of Fairfax Virginia revealed that during a particularly tense playground confrontation in 1955, Allen called him an inappropriate name. "I remember we were playing tag," Wyner said. "Georgie tagged me and said I was it. I didn't want to be it. So, I slapped him. He called me a 'pooh-pooh head.' I started to cry. I was so humiliated. I told the teacher, but she was a Republican and wouldn't do anything. George Allen ruined my life. Don't let him ruin yours. Vote for James Webb for U.S. Senate." Reached for comment, Allen said he did not recall the incident. "I was in pre-school 50 years ago," said Allen. "I don't remember who was in my class, much less what may have happened on any given day." Webb characterized Allen's memory lapse as "awfully convenient." "A man who forgets so easily isn't someone the voters should trust to be their senator," Webb said. "The indifference to suffering demonstrated by this incident is indicative of the heartless nature of the Republicans when it comes to human rights. I only hope that the message gets through to enough Virginia voters in time." College Graduates Dumber than Ever The American Institutes for Research assessed the literacy of graduating seniors from two- and four-year colleges and universities. The findings indicate that many college graduates are only semi-literate. 20 percent of U.S. college students completing four-year degrees have limited quantitative skills. For example, they are unable to estimate if their car has enough gas to get to the next gas station or to calculate the sum of a list of purchases. The study also finds that more than 50 percent of students at four-year colleges have limited literacy skills. For example, they can't understand the arguments in a newspaper editorial. These results have occurred despite the massive resources invested in education. Universities nationwide have been receiving increased taxpayer subsidies, tuition and fees for decades. Royal Conway, spokesman for the American Association of University Administrators, took issue with the negative conclusions some have been drawing from these study results. "Let me point out that, taking these results at face value, they show that almost half of college graduates are literate and 80 percent have some grasp of numbers," said Conway. "I think this shows that higher education is not a total failure." Conway went on to challenge the premises of the study. "The study also presumes that literacy is a goal of education," Conway said. "Not everyone agrees on this narrow view. Life has multiple objectives. Literacy isn't the only path to happiness. The electronic media can bridge the gaps in a person's reading skills and allow them to function without a full knowledge of the language." Conway pointed to the vast number of illegal aliens who can't speak English as evidence that full literacy is not essential. "Businesses like McDonalds have developed icon-based cash-registers that help overcome illiteracy," said Conway. "Our graduates fit right in with these emerging technologies. So, I'd say we're doing okay." Iran President Wants to Launch Population "Bomb" Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, says he wants the country's population to double in an effort to ensure the country's "dominance." Ahmadinejad, himself the father of three, said that he wanted to overturn the current policy that discourages Iranian couples from having more than two children. "Western countries have negative population growth, they are worried and scared that if our population grows we may dominate them," he said. Ahmadinejad's push for a baby boom is not universally popular. Many are concerned that the country would not be able to cope. Despite Iran's oil wealth, the economy is strained. Inflation is around 20 perception per year. Unemployment among young people is believed to be over 20 percent. An economist, who asked to remain anonymous, called Ahmadinejad's statement "a publicity-seeking gimmick to distract attention from the government's economic failures." Ahmadinejad said he is still weighing options for stimulating the birth rate. "For now, we are urging our people to marry and multiply," he said. "But we will not hesitate to take firmer measures if necessary. If wives are uncooperative the Prophet-peace be upon him-has commanded that their husbands may beat them. If husbands are unwilling, we will beat them. If needed be, we can outlaw birth control devices or ensure that only defective versions are available." In related news, Australia's most senior Muslim cleric, Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali, compared immodestly-dressed women who do not wear the Islamic veil with "meat that is left uncovered in the street and is then eaten by cats." The remarks came forth as a criticism of Australia's "harsh" laws against rape. "Women who show their faces in public are the instigators of men's lust," al-Hilali said. "When they naturally respond to these provocations they are charged with rape and face lengthy prison terms. The blame must be put where it belongs. It is the woman's duty to cover herself. Failure to do so is the real crime. When Australia comes to Islam we will fix the law." [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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