Redstate

Posted at 11:13am on Jul. 16, 2007 Moonbeam Brown's revenge

By Darleen

As goes California, so goes the nation

Kelo? Schmelo. What's an eminent domain threat, beaten back in some states, when all land usage can be usurped using the great cudgel of Global Warming™?

Back in the 1970's, then Governor Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown's vision for California, especially for the riff-raff below the Grapevine, was Don't build it and they won't come. State tax revenues for highway construction and maintenance dried up like the Santa Ana River during a five-year drought. The major testament to Moonbeam's legacy for me was traveling through Orange County down the 55 freeway to Newport, then diverting onto surface streets that ran alongside a fenced, weedy pit in the ground where the freeway was supposed to be. It wouldn't be until the 1990's that the last bit of the 55 was completed.

Moonbeam has never given up on getting people to get rid of their cars.

Indeed, Moonbeam has never given up on getting rid of people.

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Posted at 4:17pm on Jul. 3, 2006 Mt. Soledad War Memorial - Execution stayed

By Darleen

Breaking

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court intervened Monday to save a large cross on city property in southern California.

A lower court judge had ordered the city of San Diego to remove the cross or be fined $5,000 a day.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, acting for the high court, issued a stay while supporters of the cross continue their legal fight.

Lawyers for San Diegans for the Mt. Soledad National War Memorial said in an appeal that they wanted to avoid the "destruction of this national treasure." And attorneys for the city said the cross was part of a broader memorial that was important to the community.

Let me add a rather provocative statement I heard Michael Medved state only about an hour ago (paraphrased as best as I can recall).

You cannot be a proud, patriotic American and be hostile to America's Christian heritage.

The poltroon that has pursued the destruction of this war memorial should leave this country for one more suited to his black little heart.

Stop the ACLU has more.

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Posted at 12:45pm on May 7, 2006 The clash between sexual liberty and religious liberty

By Darleen

A well-written and important article, Banned in Boston, tackles the thorny issue of just how far the government can and will go in punishing religious institutions who resist change according to "public policy." It starts with the disturbing development of the Catholic Charities of Boston, one of the nation's oldest adoption agencies, being forced to quit.

To operate in Massachusetts, an adoption agency must be licensed by the state. And to get a license, an agency must pledge to obey state laws barring discrimination--including the decade-old ban on orientation discrimination. With the legalization of gay marriage in the state, discrimination against same-sex couples would be outlawed, too.

Of course, the C.C.B. case is a bit complicated. They had placed some children (they specialized in adoptions of hard-to-place children) with same-sex couples which put them at odds with the Vatican and they had to assure the Vatican they would abide by its edicts. But the bigger issue is with Massachusetts and that it doesn't even hinge upon CCB receiving government money or subsidy at all but is only about the state license to operate (as all adoption agencies in MA had to have). And a request for a narrow religious exemption appeared dead on arrival. It appears that no matter how much good CCB has done in the past, or how many children will be hurt by the absense of their services, MA has declared CCB persona non grata.

This March, then, unexpectedly, a mere two years after the introduction of gay marriage in America, a number of latent concerns about the impact of this innovation on religious freedom ceased to be theoretical. How could Adam and Steve's marriage possibly hurt anyone else? When religious-right leaders prophesy negative consequences from gay marriage, they are often seen as overwrought. The First Amendment, we are told, will protect religious groups from persecution for their views about marriage.

So who is right? Is the fate of Catholic Charities of Boston an aberration or a sign of things to come?

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Posted at 11:00pm on Feb. 14, 2006 Shame on Democrats

By Darleen

Gallup Poll shows support for Israel by Americans is at its highest since the Gulf War. But --

77 percent of Republicans support Israel, as opposed to only 50 percent of Democrats. Americans who follow the news tend to support Israel more than those who are not as in tune with global affairs by a ration of 66 to 59 percent.

Too many Dems are in thrall to the far-left anti-Israel wing of the party and are not even following world events.

For shame. On so many levels.

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Posted at 12:42pm on Jan. 24, 2006 Pictures from Frisco 'Walk for Life'

By Darleen

Thanks to Zombie, here and here. There are just so many images, so much anger and outright hatred and weirdness it's hard to point to just one. Or even a handful.

Even as a reluctant pro-choicer, I gotta say I have a lot of respect for the majority of pro-lifers who participated. Their self-discipline and self-restraint in the face of frankly whacked-out pro-abortionists was amazing.

Good LORD, pro-choicers! You want to be represented by people who hold signs demanding the death of their political opponents?

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Posted at 5:34pm on Jan. 13, 2006 Of disposable cell phones and priorities

By Darleen

Last night ABC news carried the startling story of large quantities of disposable cell phones being purchased by Middle Eastern individuals.

In one New Year's Eve transaction at a Target store in Hemet, Calif., 150 disposable tracfones were purchased. Suspicious store employees notified police, who called in the FBI, law enforcement sources said.

In an earlier incident, at a Wal-mart store in Midland, Texas, on December 18, six individuals attempted to buy about 60 of the phones until store clerks became suspicious and notified the police. A Wal-mart spokesperson confirmed the incident.

Look at those dates again. Is it coincidence that these large purchases were made shortly after the New York Times unconscionable article (12/15/05) crippling the effectiveness of the NSA intelligence gathering? Domestic terrorist cells shuttling their communications to much more difficult to trap and trace disposable cell phones?

Is is coincidence that neither the NYTimes nor Washington Post are covering this story?

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Posted at 2:18am on Jan. 13, 2006 All Condi needs is a good, hard schtuping

By Darleen

but she's too old to really enjoy it. At least, that's what the leader of the Liberal and Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), Vladimir Zhirinovsky is saying

This is NOT parody

Condoleezza Rice's anti-Russian stance based on sexual problems.

The US Secretary of State released a coarse anti-Russian statement. This is because she is a single woman who has no children. [...]

Condoleezza Rice released a coarse anti-Russian statement. This is because she is a single woman who has no children. She loses her reason because of her late single status. Nature takes it all.

"Such women are very rough. They are all workaholics, public workaholics. They can be happy only when they are talked and written about everywhere: "Oh, Condoleezza, what a remarkable woman, what a charming Afro-American lady! How well she can play the piano and speak Russian! What a courageous, tough and strong female she is!

"This is the only way to satisfy her needs of a female. She derives pleasure from it. If she has no man by her side at her age, he will never appear. Even if she had a whole selection of men to choose from she would stay single because her soul and heart have hardened. [...]

This is really scary. Ms. Rice's personal complexes affect the entire field of international politics. This is an irritating factor for everyone, especially for the East and the Islamic world. When they look at her, they go mad.

"Condoleezza Rice needs a company of soldiers. She needs to be taken to barracks where she would be satisfied. On the other hand, she can hardly be satisfied because of her age.

Lordy! And here I thought such misogynist thinking was basically moslem in nature!

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Posted at 2:33pm on Jan. 12, 2006 A few words on women's tears

By Darleen

Let's leave aside, for the moment, the nature/nurture origins of what I'm about to say. Men and women generally act differently when emotionally overwhelmed. Each individual may have a different threshold, breaking down during a crisis or after it concludes, but that time will signal a demarcation of sex.

If someone you love is being treated shabbily, unfairly and unjustly, is being bullied and slandered in front of you and you can't do a thing about it, there will come a time when your frustration reaches such a threshold that you'll react.

Men lash out.

Women leak.

Some don't (or won't) get it.

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Posted at 5:56pm on Jan. 10, 2006 Mexican smugglers hiring MS-13 to murder US Border Patrol Agents

By Darleen

Vincente Fox's temper tantrum about the US audacity in finally taking baby steps to protect our sovereignty (wow, what a concept!) is mirrored in a more vicious manner by angry smugglers

Mexican alien smugglers plan to pay violent gang members and smuggle them into the United States to murder Border Patrol agents, according to a confidential Department of Homeland Security memo obtained by the Daily Bulletin.

The Officer Safety Alert, dated Dec. 21, warns agents that the smugglers intend to bring members of the international Mara Salvatrucha street gang also known as MS-13 into the country for the deadly mission.

"Unidentified Mexican alien smugglers are angry about the increased security along the U.S./Mexico border and have agreed that the best way to deal with U.S. Border Patrol agents is to hire a group of contract killers," the alert states.

[...]

Intelligence officials last year reported that MS-13 gang members had been linked to terrorists seeking entry into the country.

Michael Friel, a representative with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said he could not comment directly on the memo, but noted "this wouldn't be the first time agents' lives have been threatened.

[...]

Over the past year, Border Patrol agents have warned they are facing more danger than ever before along the divide between the two countries. Many believe stepped-up enforcement by the United States has led to a similar increase in violence by drug smugglers and border crossers.

Last week, agents in Texas reported two separate incidents in which someone fired on them from the Mexican side of the border. Officers in Arizona were issued pocket-sized cards last year with suggested maneuvers in case they encounter Mexican military troops while on patrol.

Not to worry, though. I'm sure the "A"CLU and its fellow travelers will be still on the border watching those purveyors of true criminality ... the Minutemen.

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Posted at 4:13pm on Jan. 8, 2006 An Alito and Dean Duet

By Darleen

What can one really say about the official slander aimed at SCOTUS nominee Sam Alito by Howard Dean? Well, the RNC has an excellent, point by point refutation.

And for those of us gleeful of Dean's psychotic dissembling, there's a wonderful bit of satiric humor with "Dean's Song"   Do NOT Miss It!!!

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Posted at 1:57am on Nov. 25, 2005 US Post Office goes Politically Correct

By Darleen

About four hours ago - after the turkey carcass was put away and we sat around the dining table sipping hot coffee and finishing the pie crumbs off our plates - my mother riveted all attention on her as she related her experience with US Post Office.

As has been her custom for as long as I can remember, my mom prepares her Christmas cards over the Thanksgiving weekend in order to have them ready to mail the first week of December. She enjoys purchasing beautiful cards, writing notes, addressing them by hand and affixing whatever Christmas stamp the USPS issues that year. So she stops by her local US Post Office a few days ago then asks the man behind the counter for this year's Christmas stamps. He pulls out a sheet of something called Holiday Cookies. To know my mom is to know that she has never indulged in cutesy stuff. Every year she always selects the Christmas stamp that features a classic painting of Madonna and Child. She asks if they have any classic Christmas stamps and the man pulls out a couple of sheets of last year's Madonna and Child. Mom notices he doesn't seem happy and he says to her, "These are all I have and they'll be the last you ever see." Mom asks, "What do you mean?" He explains the USPS will not be issuing any more "religious" stamps.

Ever.

Mom is momentarily stunned. She then raises her eyebrows a bit and asks, "Are you allowed to say 'Merry Christmas' to us?"

The man's face falls and he lowers his voice in answer, "No. We can only say 'Happy Holidays,'" he tries to smile at her, "But if you say 'Merry Christmas' to me directly I will respond in kind."

What is going on? Something so innocuous as a Christmas postage stamp has now very quietly given way to near meaningless "Holiday" fluff? Reading over the USPS Press Releases about the Cookie stamps and I am annoyed at the tortuous language used in an effort to avoid the dreaded "C" word

The season kicks off on Oct. 20 with the dedication of the 2005 holiday stamps, celebrating the child in everyone and evoking favorite memories from the simple pleasure of decorating cookies of the season. The stamps, featuring cookie-shaped gingerbread men, Santa Claus, snowmen and an angel, will be dedicated at a special ceremony in the Pillsbury Test Kitchens in Minneapolis. Anita Bizzotto, USPS Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, will be the dedicating official.

"What would the holidays be without cookies? These cookie stamps are a great way to share the joy of the season," Bizzotto said.

Geez, and what season would that be, eh?

Last year's Christmas (as well as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa) stamp is currently available, but if the employee at my mother's US Post Office is right, you won't be seeing any new issues.

I plan on checking this with my local Post Office tomorrow. I urge you, too, to take a few minutes and ask at your local PO.

cross-posted at Darleen's Place

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Posted at 9:35pm on Nov. 20, 2005 The 'Unpopular' War

By Darleen

When I posted at my own weblog regarding the Republicans successfully calling the Democrat's bluff via Murtha, one of my commenters countered:

It still doesn't make the war any more popular.

That does beg the question, is any war popular?

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Posted at 2:31pm on Nov. 6, 2005 9th Circuit Court of Appeals - All your children belong to us

By Darleen

The 9th Circuit has a well-deserved reputation for judicial rulings that fly in the face of common sense, let alone coming from the outlands of Left elitism. The latest ruling is jawdropping in its patently offensive and blatantly anti-parent basis.

Parents' rights were not violated when a Southern California elementary school conducted a psychological survey of their children and asked them about sexual feelings and masturbation, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. ...

"Parents have a right to inform their children when and as they wish on the subject of sex,'' said Judge Stephen Reinhardt in the 3-0 ruling. "They have no constitutional right, however, to prevent a public school from providing its students with whatever information it wishes to provide, sexual or otherwise.''

This is not just about the appropriateness of demanding six year olds to answer questions about masturbation and suicide, this is a direct ruling that parents, once they deliver their children to the school house door by legal compulsion, have no inherent rights to control, oversee or even question what the teacher wishes to teach to the children.

No wonder vouchers plans and homeschooling are hated by the Education Elites ... it interfers with their Great Social Experimentation on a legally captive audience.

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Posted at 3:39pm on Oct. 2, 2005 Bennett skirmish - latest in a War started 40 years ago

By Darleen

In following and discussing the hysteria swirling around Bill Bennett and his "A Modest Proposal" style of remarks, I found something about the assertions of Bennett's "racism" strangely familiar.

Here was the drumbeat by the usual suspects, not only condemning Bennett out-of-hand but even the unconscionable effort by some members of Congress to get Bennett off the air. This is the kind of "race"-baiting that has completely controlled the discussion for the past forty years. Any challenge to the hegemony is met with swift, take-no-prisoners action.

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Posted at 12:46pm on Sep. 25, 2005 Ontario UN-Christian School -- they haven't changed

By Darleen

I actually read the story of the 14 y/o girl expelled from a private Christian school because her parents are lesbians a couple of days ago. I hesitated to write about it, but after reading Beth's excellent piece on the subject, Giving Christians a bad name, I realized I needed to add my voice rather than recuse myself from the subject. First I need tell you of my bias.

About 1987 I looked to enroll my daughters at Ontario Christian and it was I who rejected the place.

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