Dawnsinger

Free Saddam!

After reading this in-your-face smackdown of the tea-sippers marching in support of Saddam's regime, I'm left speechless.

"Pictures of Bush as Hitler sieg-heiling away would get them killed if this was truly the country they insist it is. Nothing will happen to them. They know it. They would be killed for doing this in Saddam’s Iraq, of course; they know that too. Doesn’t matter. Bush is worse than Saddam . . ."

So just another link for James Lileks, who eloquently says everything that needs to be said.

Read the smackdown . . .

How then should we vote: Take II

MichNews.com has an interesting article about Christians who loathe Bush, but can't in good conscience vote for Kerry. The bottom line is that a certain group of hard-core, professed Christians have no one to vote for . Kerry is Roman Catholic in name only, while espousing a list of views contrary to conservative teachings, while Bush is . . . well, the article is unclear on exactly why these Christians are anti-Bush. Writer J. Grant Swank Jr. posits that the main issue infuriating anti-Bush Christians is the war in Iraq. They are peaceniks, evidently, and therefore against the president who launched a war they see as immoral . . . based on lies. Again, it's unclear.

Quorn: It's what's for dinner

I have to admit - in my diabetic, high-cholesterol world - I might be inclined to try "a fungus-based meat substitute that millions of Europeans have eaten for years."

As for activists who are trying to keep me from trying it, I say that we down here in the state that created boudin and nutria (the other, other, other white meat) don' need yo help.

Read the story

Loony bureaucrats du jour

So much stupidity, so little time . . .

But today's award goes to Candian prison officials who insist that guards can't wear knife-proof Kevlar vests because it hurts the self-esteem of prisoners.

Read the Calgary Sun story

Lawyer punching: Outburst or ploy?

Chaos ensued today when Mr. Malik El-Shabazz of Philadelphia, accused or the rape-murder of a sixe-year-old girl, went postal and punched his defense attorney in the face just as the prosecution rested its case.

Mr. El-Shabazz is accused of raping and smothering young Destiny Wright during a girls slumber party at his sister's house, then dumping her body in a vacant lot.

The trial continues tomorrow - prosecutors are expected to argue against a mistrial, saying that was the point of today's attack.

Read the story

But do they sell cookies?

In the wake of an uproar over a Girl Scout council's affiliation with Planned Parenthood, and an ensuing campaign by a pro-life group to boycott Girl Scout cookies, there is renewed interest in a faith-based alternative to the Scouts.

Read the story | American Heritage Girls online

How then should we vote?

Independent pollster John Zogby says religion and religious beliefs are going to be a critical factor in this year's presidential election, an escalating trend seen as both inevitable and alarming (Read the story).

Most political pundits seem to see religious Americans - well, let's just fill in the implied "Christian" word - as sheep to be played. In their view, the only reason a candidate would ever bow his head is in a cynical campaign strategy. The only way to avoid such an accusation, I suppose, would be for a candidate to completely hide his religious faith. I'm not sure the pundits even recognize the existence of true religious faith, except as some type of mass hallucination by the Great Unwashed.

Pundits will believe what they will. But it's worth asking - to rip off Dr. Francis Schaeffer's famous analysis of the rise and decline of Western civilization - for those of us who are both Americans and Christians: "How then should we vote?"

"Passion" reducing anti-Semitism?

A new study, released this week by the Institute for Jewish and Community Research, shows that the movie "The Passion of Christ" may actually be reducing anti-Semitism. This first scientific survey comes in the wake of months of hysteria about the possibility that the movie about the torture-execution of Jesus would rekindle hostility against Jews. Historically many Jews have been persecuted because of anti-Semitic teachings that as a whole, Jews should be held responsible for Christ-killing.

The new study, however, finds that a sizable number of Americans say the film makes them LESS likely, rather than more likely to hold Jews and Jewish institutions responsible for Jesus' death. The study's author, Dr. Gary Tobin, cautions that this reaction might be different in other parts of the world, but sees hope that the movie has brought the issue into the open and fostered discussion about it.

Rather than rely on the chopped-down wire stories about this study, I asked the Institute for a copy of their official release.

The full text, plus details on the Institute, follows:

Breaking 10 Commandments with 'Passion'

Mel Gibson is reaping rewards from breaking Hollywood's 10 Commands of Moviemaking, according to this Hollywood Reporter article.

I would have added to the list: "Thou shalt continue the tradition of anti-Christian bigotry in moviemaking."

Anti-pedophilia expert relies on first-hand research

This guy advises people on how to protect their kids against pedophiles. And he's got in-depth personal experience to draw on.

Read the story . . .