Britain Has Better Taste in Idiots: Phelps & Savage Banned

Rule Britannia!

Britain just recently came out with its list of "Least Wanted."

Unacceptable Behaviour

LONDON — Britain for the first time has published a list of people barred from entering the country for what the government says is fostering extremism or hatred.

The list includes popular American talk-radio host Michael Savage, who has called the Muslim holy book, the Quran, a "book of hate." Savage also has enraged parents of children with autism by saying in most cases it's "a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out."

The list Tuesday also includes Americans Stephen Donald Black, a white supremacist, and anti-gay preacher Fred Phelps.

Hamas parliament member Yunis Al-Astal and Egyptian cleric Safwat el-Higazi also are on the banned list.

To see the actual list, click HERE. Notice that many of them are either suspected terrorists or preachers of hate.

From the actual list:

Frederick Waldren Phelps, Sr. and Shirley Phelps-Roper

American pastor and leading spokesman of Westboro Baptist Church. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by fostering hatred that might lead to inter-community violence in the UK.

The 79-year-old and his daughter are barred for their anti-gay comments. Both have picketed the funerals of Aids victims and have claimed the deaths of American soldiers are a punishment for US tolerance of homosexuality.

Michael Alan Weiner (aka Michael Savage*)

Controversial daily radio talk-show host. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence.

His views on immigration, Islam, rape and autism have caused great offence in the US.

"Great offence" puts his description quite civilly. Our list would describe him simply as A**HOLE. He's probably loving every syllable of the BBC News' description. But think about it: would YOU like to be banned from entering a country because they think you're an a**hole? There's something perverse about taking pleasure in other people's displeasure, isn't there?

*Michael Savage changed his name to suit his demeanor instead of a very small part of his anatomy. Ooops! I guess it's pronounced like "whiner" so sorry, Michael!

Rove, Hatch and Sessions: Empathy and the Constitution Don't Go Together. Translation: We Can't Have Judges With Hearts!

They Believe In The Dick Cheney Version:
The Credo Of The Inquisition!

I love it when people call me a "bleeding heart liberal" because, let's face it, they're realizing that I HAVE a heart! Have you ever heard the words "heart" and "neo-conservative" together in the same sentence? In the same paragraph? On the same page?

From the man who used to be "Bush's Brain"*:

Karl Rove:

On the other hand, she’s [Judge Sonia Sotomayor, a potential nominee for the upcoming Supreme Court vacancy] also likely to draw opposition from conservatives because her opinions on the Circuit Court of Appeals have been very liberal and very expansive. In fact, this is going to be one [of] the big dividing lines. President Obama…said he wanted a judge who would uphold the Constitution, but also a judge [who] would be empathetic. These two things are in conflict.

Then there's Orrin Hatch:

From Crooks and Liars:

Hatch: I have no problem with judges having a heart, wanting to do what's right and wanting to live within the legal constraints that do exist. When they start substituting their own personal policy preferences for what the law really is then that's the misuse of empathy, and a person like that shouldn't be sitting on the bench.

Compassionate Conservatism goes out the window.

Now we have the problem of Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III (R - AL) possibly heading the Judiciary Committee. Irony: this is the same committee which once denied him a Federal Court bench offered to him by Reagan. Reason for the refusal: "gross insensitivity” on racial issues. (He once said that the KKK wasn't so bad - that was until he found out that some of them smoked pot!)

Two controversial issues puts Sessions at the top of the torture heap:

- he opposed John McCain's anti-torture amendment and...
- he supported Cheney's proposal to exempt the CIA from any ban on the use of torture.

Watch Rachel Maddow's show about Sessions. Do you think he'll in any way agree about whom an African American President nominates for the Supreme Court? Today, Sessions seems like a throwback to Big Daddy in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (watch Burl Ives below). We'd better watch out, because Big Daddy's in power!

Just a thought.

*Now he's more like the Bush Administration's mouth.

U.S. Soldiers Told To: Hunt for Jesus

What To Give With Those Free Bibles:

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Ryan Grim ryan@huffingtonpost.com | HuffPost 05/ 4/09 02:24 PM

Soldiers In Afghanistan Given Bibles, Told To "Hunt People For Jesus"

A U.S. church raised money to send Bibles, printed in the Pashtu and Dari languages, to American soldiers stationed in Afghanistan, a report on Al Jazeera documented Sunday night.

It is against military rules to proselytize -- a regulation one of the soldiers filmed by the network readily acknowledged. "You cannot proselytize, but you can give gifts," says the soldier. It is a crime in Afghanistan to attempt to convert anyone from Islam to any other religion. "I also want to praise God because my church collected some money to get Bibles for Afghanistan. They came and sent the money out." The footage is said to be roughly a year old.

The Al Jazeera report also shows a military preacher urging army parishioners to "hunt people for Jesus."

If Jerry Falwell couldn't get people to convert by raining 600,000 bible tracts down on the tsunami victims, I guess the next move for conversion must be more direct: have occupying troops throw them at people. Watch the video below:

My question: those New Testament "Bibles" and supposedly full Bibles are very, very small. Is Pashtu that succinct of a language? Are the Muslim Afghanis tiny people? Does it come with a microscope? Is this the Reader's Digest Version of the Bible?

And this thing about "hunting for people." Do you bring them back to camp hanging from a pole shouldered (front and back) by soldiers? Can you set traps? Do you need a license? Is there a specific season?

Seriously, it's rather insulting for a foreign soldier to tell you that he has a gift for you* and you find out that it's the book being used as justification to kill you. In Afghanistan, it's illegal for anyone to proselytize. And it's illegal to be an apostate.

Just what are these idiots doing?

Just a thought.

* Rev. Rod Parsley would rather soldiers give them a bullet...in the head.

Rush Limbaugh Is In Love With Joe The Plumber

From Media Matters (via Pam's House Blend):

LIMBAUGH: Why are they still kneecapping Sarah Palin? Hmm? I mean, I know I'm fair game. I'm out there. But why are they still kneecapping Sarah Palin? They're out there kneecapping Bobby Jindal. They're still kneecapping -- the drive-bys, the Democrats -- Rick Santorum. They're still jumping on Joe the Plumber -- a private citizen, for heaven's sake. All he did was ask Obama a question. Why are they continuing to try to destroy virtually anyone and everyone who can articulate conservatism? It's 'cause they are afraid of us.

Yes, we're afraid of them, but not for the reasons Limbaugh might rant about. Conservatism isn't at issue here. Uber Right Wingnutism is. People like Rush Limbaugh support right-wing violence by what they say...and what they DON'T say. Also, Rush, Sam Wurtzelbach (JtP) gave up being a private citizen a long time ago because he realizes that being a "celebrity" means more money than being a part-time-apprentice-would-be-small-business-owner plumber. He's enjoying the part of a fake John Doe. He's fair game as much as you are, Rush.

And as for Sarah Palin: she's gonna damn well keep herself in the limelight if she has to murder her whole family. Jindal and Santorum will also willingly join her in the Hypocrits Hall of Fame.

Another reason to think that the Right is in terrible straits: Rush Limbaugh defending Sarah Palin, Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum and Sam Wurtzelbach (JtP) as if they matter in the scheme of things. They don't. But please don't tell him.

Just a thought.

News Flash!: FOX NEWS Channel Is No Longer Fair And Balanced! (Gasp!!)

It Is Now:

Please bear with me on this one.

About 10 years ago, I was the host of a syndicated radio program on Talk America Radio Networks called "Strictly Books". I was also the producer. And promoter. And anything else you can think of in regards to putting a radio show together. The advantage I had over other talk show hosts: I had been in the book publishing business for 25 years as a book publicist. So I was on BOTH sides of the fence: media on one side, promoting on the other. I used to book authors for programs like the one I had! I knew promotional bullshit more than most.

Along with all sorts of free pre-pub copies (mostly unsolicited and irrelevant) I got an author bio and "suggested questions" sheet. I never referred to them at all. While it was impossible for me to read 20-30 books (PER WEEK), I nevertheless skimmed through and took the stance of a browser at the bookstore. I paid particular attention to any information about the author and joined it to the book's subject matter.

The best response to a question: "Gee, nobody's asked me that before! And THAT'S the real purpose of the book!"

At no time, however, did I ever tell the author or the publisher the slant I wanted or the way the author was going to be presented. The purpose of the program was more journalistic: what did the author want to talk about? If I knew of an opposing viewpoint, I brought it up. The idea was mutual respect: both host and guest have to gain each other's respect from the start. I did it with Steve Allen and I did it with William F. Buckley.

The point is: watch the video below. Radio talk show host Michael Smerconish let's go some serious accusations of Fox bias - with proof. Simply put, the purpose of Neil Cavuto's program is to BASH OBAMA. Fox producer's email to Smerconish:

"Wanted to see if you're available today at 4:05 for Neil's show today. The topic is on Obama and his cockiness. We're looking for someone who will say, yes, he's cocky and his cockiness will hurt him."

And when Smerconish demurs, he gets this:

"What about a debate off the top on the show on whether or not Hillary is trustworthy? We have someone who says she is and we're looking for someone who says she isn't."

"Now, how common is that in cable news, that you only get to appear if you're willing to take a predetermined, precooked, prepackaged position?"

Smerconish's answer, of course, is "pretty often." But the point of this post is: Fox is dead set against airing anything positive about Obama or his administration. They've been ordered to be strictly on the right wingnut side. Their motto/logo still says: "FAIR and BALANCED." Can't it be more truthful? How about:

The Right's News
(What They Want You To Know)
At the Right's Time
(When They Want You To Know It)

Now for fun, let's see Red State Update take on Fox
(and journalists in general):

With Friends Like These...

Sam Wurzelbacher Let's Us See His Gentler,
More Homophobic Side!

What is it with people who say "I have gay friends, but..."? Is prefacing your statement like that proof that you're not homophobic? Rick Warren does it all the time, but does anyone believe him? No. Simply because no one has come forward to say that they're both gay and friends of the Warrens. Glinda the Good Witch of the North's "Come out! Come out! Wherever you are!" hasn't worked yet.

And the "gay friends" ploy usually winds up telling more about the person's feelings than that person wants us to know. Take this last from Joe The Plumber:

I've had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn't have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they're people, and they're going to do their thing.

His wording says more just using bad grammar: "had some friends that are actually". In other words, he no longer has friends who are homosexual, it's hard to believe that the ones he knew are still homosexual, but in order not to seem homophobic, they're still people, even though being homosexual is a very big sin. Of course, he can always Foxx Out and say "I'm sorry my wording was poor."

Oh forgive the poor souls who are so terribly misunderstood simply because their rhetoric is out of whack. But do we really need to listen to people who don't think before they speak? I didn't think so either.

It's Official: Some Christians Like To Torture People!

And Atheists Might Be The Ones Who Are MOST Pro-Life!

From nuns rapping little boys' knuckles with a ruler to Torquemada to the Salem Witch Trials, it's no secret that some clergy and some faithful followers were into corporal punishment - in a BIG WAY. Although the subject of torture is confined to the military these days, it may be interesting to the reader that the people who approve of torture (in the U.S.) are to a large percent, Christian.

These are the latest findings from Pew Research Center:

A combined 54 percent of at-least-weekly church-goers say torture is either often or sometimes justifiable; for those who attend monthly or a few times a year, that figure is 51 percent; for those who do not attend, it is 42 percent. Evangelicals, according to the survey, are more prone to saying torture is justifiable than members of the nation’s other two main Christian groups: so-called “mainline” Protestants and white, non-Hispanic Catholics. Unaffiliateds–a conglomerated group of atheists, agnostics, and those who say their religion is “nothing in particular–support torture the least: 40 percent say it’s justifiable often or sometimes.

Those approval ratings are much higher than most European countries. So much for civilization and "Christian values." And while we're at it, what about the death penalty? Surely America's compassionate religious population would be so pro-life that they would strenuously oppose capital punishment. Well, not really:

wikipedia:

In 2000 the Southern Baptist Convention updated Baptist Faith and Message. In it the convention officially sanctioned the use of capital punishment by the State. It said that it is the duty of the state to execute those guilty of murder and that God established capital punishment in the Noahic Covenant.

And persecution/discrimination too?

(The Intelligence Daily)

-- As reported in yesterday's New York Times, a South Carolina chapter of Habitat for Humanity prohibited a group of Secular Humanist volunteers from wearing their “Non Prophet Organization” T-shirts; a Charleston-area teacher "came out" as a nonbeliever after years of church dinners and demurrals; and Humanist Loretta Haskell struggled over her role as a church musician. While such stories remain commonplace, a related story with a substantial bearing on these anecdotes is one of America’s best-kept secrets.

So torture and capital punishment could stick around for a long time if America's Christians have anything to say! Pro Life? Hmmm. Looks like once you're out of the womb, you're on your own, kid!

Just a thought.