Sunday, April 19, 2009

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Marc R. Stanley: Durban II: Stop Reading Between the Lines Top
It is not worth responding to most of the predictable, simple minded attacks of some Republicans, but this one is too good to pass up. This week, the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) attacked President Barack Obama for "flip-flopping" on U.S. participation at the U.N. Conference on Racism in Geneva (Durban II). But the RJC seems to be confused and does not let truth stand in the way of a political attack. The truth is that the Obama administration has a very clear policy toward Durban II and hasn't changed it since their policy was announced in February. It seems that in their odd and desperate attempts to prove that Obama is somehow anti-Israel, Republicans overlooked the facts once again. The Jewish community is not buying RJC's patently ridiculous claims. In a piece titled, "Consistency, not flip-flopping, on Durban," JTA took RJC to task: The headline on the Republican Jewish Coalition's press release today [April 14, 2009] calls on President Obama to stop the "equivocating and flip-flopping" on the Durban II conference, and the release expresses concern that the president might "renege" on his promised boycott of the conference. But the Obama administration hasn't actually flip-flopped on its position regarding the conference -- and always left open a possibility that it might attend the gathering next week in Geneva. The facts of the matter are straightforward. If Republicans would bother to compare the State Department's most recent statement on the situation to the statement made on February 27th, they would see how ludicrous their attacks are. JTA agrees and notes that, "[T]he State Department statement doesn't indicate any change in position, but is merely reporting what progress has been made on meeting the conditions that it initially laid out for participating in the conference -- after pulling out of pre-Durban II meetings in late February." Unwarranted criticisms are nothing new for Obama's right wing critics. Before the President even had an opportunity to announce its Durban II policy, as NJDC has previously noted, the administration's die-hard foes could not wait to attack. Ira N. Forman, NJDC Executive Director, captured the situation perfectly in his March 3rd post: As soon as the administration took its first moves to try to salvage the conference, they pounced. It was not just the knee-jerk Republican organizations who screamed that the President's actions represented an "extremely disturbing change in American foreign policy regarding Israel." One commentator at National Review online stated, "What is new is that the new president of the United States doesn't care about the U.N.'s reincarnation of 'Zionism is racism.'" At the rabidly right-wing American Thinker web site, we were told, "Well, file this info in the 'this was predictable' column." The article went on to breathlessly report that the U.S. would attend Durban II. Richard Heideman, a Republican-leaning Jewish activist, predicted, "the chances that U.S. President Barack Obama will boycott a conference against racism are slim....because that's his mindset." Unfortunately, the Republican playbook of attacks against our president always remains predictable and simple-minded. Especially in the Jewish community, Obama's right-wing critics are so consumed with ideological combat that "positive policy outcomes take a back seat to scoring partisan points." Instead of trying to read between the lines and enhance the coffers of their groups, right wing groups, like the RJC, should be commending President Obama for his policy on Durban, not waging misleading attacks. Crossposted on NJDC's blog. More on Barack Obama
 
Blagojevich, Springfield Gridlock Helped Illinois Stimulus Projects: LaHood Top
Illinois' long-dysfunctional government ultimately helped the state gain quick approval for a large share of federal stimulus money to fix roads and bridges, U.S. Transportation Secy. Ray LaHood said Sunday. More on Stimulus Package
 
Dawn Teo: McCain's Hometown Sheriff Blows Off McCain, Senate Hearing For Colbert Top
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - Senator John McCain's hometown sheriff, Joe Arpaio, is skipping out on a local Senate hearing Monday, organized in part by McCain, to appear on Comedy Central's Colbert Report . The Phoenix hearing will feature three panels of state and local officials who will discuss the impact of border violence on Arizona communities. Sheriff Joe, who is famous (and controversial) for his reality show, tent-based jails, and large contingent of immigration enforcement officers, says he never intended to appear before McCain and other senators at Monday's hearing. Rather, Arpaio believes that submitting a written statement would better maintain the integrity of the hearings. According to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs , the hearing will examine the increasing violence on the southern border of the U.S. and will evaluate ways that federal, state, and local government agencies can mitigate violence on this side of the border, as well as ways that the U.S. can work with the Mexican government to tamp down on drug cartel violence in both Mexico and the U.S. McCain underscored the importance of the hearing, With Phoenix ranking second only to Mexico City for the largest number of kidnappings for any city in the world, it is appropriate that the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hold this hearing in Arizona. The violence, crime and drug trafficking in Mexico due to the raging wars among the drug cartels is increasingly coming across the border and threatening the safety of Arizonans and all Americans. I look forward to hosting this hearing in Arizona and working closely with my colleagues, the new Administration, and Mexican President Calderon to put an end to the violence caused by the Mexican drug cartels and restoring law and order. An official statement from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) said that an appearance by Arpaio at the hearing would likely politicize the process, create disruption, and be "ultimately disrespectful of the process." In other words, Arpaio believes if he shows up, the hearing would become a media circus focused on his presence. MCSO currently has the largest contingent of local law enforcement officers enforcing federal immigration laws under a 287(g) agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, which has been the subject of fierce debate and controversy. Reverend Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders are planning a large demonstration in Phoenix in June. Protest organizers are demanding Arpaio's resignation or removal from office, and they are calling for an end to all 287(g) agreements. The Colbert Report episode featuring Arpaio will air Monday evening. More on Immigration
 
Illinois Holocaust Museum Opens In Skokie: Bill Clinton, Elie Wiesel Address Crowd Of Thousands Top
SKOKIE, Ill. — Thousands of people have attended the opening of a new Holocaust museum in suburban Chicago, with videotaped remarks by President Barack Obama kicking off the event. Obama says that when school children visit the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, they'll learn there is no greater obligation than to confront acts of inhumanity. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn also spoke at the Sunday opening of the $45 million, 65,000 square-foot facility. Former President Bill Clinton was to give the keynote speech. The new museum is considered the largest of its kind in the Midwest. It houses more than 2,000 Holocaust survivor testimonies. ___ On the Net: Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center: . http://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org More on Bill Clinton
 
Roxana Saberi Is No Spy, Says Obama Top
Roxana Saberi, a 31-year old American journalist sentenced to eight years in prison in Iran last week, was not "engaging in any sort of espionage," President Obama said Sunday. Obama, talking to reporters at a press conference at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, said that he is "gravely concerned with her safety and well-being."
 
Jill Biden's Outfits: In The Red Again On Friday (PHOTOS) Top
Jill Biden really loves red. She wore it well at the inaugural balls in January, then again on a recent visit to Fort Bragg . And she was at it again during a trip to St. Louis with her husband on Friday, where she wore a red skirt suit. The skirt was full and fell above the knee. See photos below or read more about Jill Biden's style here . Vice President Biden greets students from the City Academy as his wife Jill Biden looks on, Friday, April 17th. A close-up of Jill. Jill Biden introduces her husband Vice President Joe Biden as he takes part in a discussion about college affordability at the University of Missouri St. Louis in St. Louis on Friday. *Follow Huffington Post Style on Twitter and become a fan of Huffington Post Style on Facebook *
 
Roland Burris Holds First Fundraiser As Senator Top
CHICAGO - U.S. Sen. Roland Burris is returning to fundraising for the first time since his appointment by now-ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Aides say about 50 people are expected at Sunday's fundraiser in Chicago. They say the Illinois Democrat will speak to reporters but won't take questions about his legal troubles. Burris is being investigated by the Senate Ethics Committee and the Sangamon County state's attorney for seemingly contradictory statements he's made about his appointment by Blagojevich. He says he's racked up $500,000 in related legal expenses. A report released Thursday shows he raised just $845 in the first three months of the year. Fundraiser organizers have said the money raised will go to Burris' campaign fund, not his legal defense fund. -Associated Press
 
Kenneth C. Davis: Gay Marriage: A "Loving" History Top
As historical anniversaries go, April 10, 1967 may not seem like a date we all should remember. But that was the day that the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case Loving v. Virginia . On June 12, 1967, the Court issued its ruling in the case, striking down state laws prohibiting interracial marriage ("miscegenation") in America. Yes, a little over 40 years ago, Barack Obama's parents could not have married legally in the home state of Washington, Jefferson and Madison. The Court ruled that that anti-miscegenation laws, such as those in Virginia, violated the Fifth Amendment's "Due Process Clause" ("No person shall be ... deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law...." ) and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment ("nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law ..."). In the unanimous majority opinion, Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote: "Marriage is one of the 'basic civil rights of man,' fundamental to our very existence and survival." The Loving case deserves discussion in light of the recent decisions to allow same sex marriage in Iowa (a court ruling) and Vermont (a legislative act). I have no doubt that this unresolved question is the greatest civil rights question facing America today. I am not a Constitutional lawyer, but I am certain that this landmark case will be invoked as the battle over same sex marriage continues. I also have no doubt that the country will -- perhaps ever so slowly -- catch up with Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont in permitting same sex marriage. Change in American history is often slow. And it usually comes from the bottom up -- not the top down. Whether it was abolition, civil rights, or even independence itself, when it comes to most of the great social upheavals of our past, the politicians and "leaders" have generally had to be dragged kicking and screaming in the direction of change. It may be glacially slow, but it will happen, in part because there is a generational change that will someday make the existing same sex marriage prohibitions on the books seem as antiquated -- and despicable -- as the now-unconstitutional bans on interracial marriage. Before her death in 2008, Mildred Loving, the woman of African-American and Native American descent who brought the suit against Virginia, issued a statement on the 40th anniversary of the decision. She wrote: "Surrounded as I am now by wonderful children and grandchildren, not a day goes by that I don't think of Richard and our love, our right to marry, and how much it meant to me to have that freedom to marry the person precious to me, even if others thought he was the 'wrong kind of person' for me to marry. I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry. Government has no business imposing some people's religious beliefs over others. I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That's what Loving, and loving, are all about." I can't say it any better than that. More on Gay Marriage
 
Norb Vonnegut: Raiders of the Rubber Chicken Circuit Top
Not another Ponzi scheme. The lineup of disgraced financiers is growing. Danny Pang is the newest entrant. Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal ("WSJ") reported that authorities are investigating his firm for...you guessed it...a Ponzi scheme. At stake are $4 billion in assets under the control of Private Equity Management Group. The picture of Pang at a charity event in Los Angeles is classic. There's Pang posing with a star from "Desperate Housewives." For a $100,000 gift, you can get your picture taken with anyone. Apparently, this prerogative holds true even if the money isn't yours. But that's not the point. We find similarities every time a new Ponzi scheme is uncovered. Swindlers control the flow of information. They use sexy names to describe their investment styles, like Madoff and the "split-strike option strategy." And now, I would suggest a third example of recurring behavior: Philanthropy. Madoff, Sir Allen Stanford, and Pang were all noted for their largess among charities. They gave big and grew powerful through the patina of success, excess, or whatever. They became regulars at black-tie fundraising events, which begs one all-important question. Wouldn't it be safer to leave formal wear in the closet and just write the check? More on Bernard Madoff
 
Washington Post Snaps Best Local Street Style Top
n spring, when Mother Nature's to-do list can include a chilly morning, a sunny afternoon and an evening downpour all in the same day, getting dressed presents more than the usual outfit quandary. But even when the forecast is unpredictable, a few perennial style secrets can help you weather the season. "You have to understand proportion to know how to layer, to know how long your tank top should be under your sweater or under your blazer," says Stacy London of TLC's hit makeover show "What Not to Wear." "For men, it's all about details -- when you see Brad Pitt in a suit, the reason it looks so good, besides Brad being Brad, is that it's tailored to perfection. A pocket square, the lining of a jacket, cuff links -- the great thing about men's tailoring and style is that it's all in the details." On a recent afternoon, we style-stalked savvy locals who mastered the art of dressing for the tricky transition between seasons. All show off elements of their personal style -- skinny studded pants, prep-school saddle shoes, stacks of funky bracelets -- while paying attention to proportion and fit. London would be proud. More on Fashion
 
John Wellington Ennis: Does the First Ammendment Protect the Right to Be a Dumbass? Top
Upon seeing John Ziegler in handcuffs, I was struck by the sheer suaveness of a simpleton who discovered that getting in the face of security with a camera will lead them to apprehend you. It was similar to how he looked on a reality dating show explaining his ideal relationship to a clearly perturbed woman: that marriage should be renegotiated every five years like a business contract. How did this not go over well? This video shows Ziegler on the USC campus trying to get in to an event he was not invited to, nor granted press credentials for. The event was an award ceremony for Katie Couric at the Walter Cronkite center. (Why Katie Couric was being awarded for journalism eludes me.) That the event was reportedly honoring her interviews with Sarah Palin would be sufficient reason to get Ziegler angry enough to show up and cause a scene. As I wrote here on the Huffington Post , Ziegler's documentary, Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected and How Sarah Palin Was Targeted, offers little substance supporting his assertion that the media conspired to bring down Sarah Palin, other than Ziegler's own voiced-over rants. Further, in my sit-down interview with Ziegler to give him the platform to make his case of media bias, he offered no substantive issues to champion Palin, and showed contempt for the idea of truth. So it was not surprising to see him attempting to heckle Katie Couric, whom he blames for Palin's downfall. Despite original claims that this was shot by some other company from Orange County that has nothing to do with Ziegler, the microphone he is thrusting in people's faces is clearly feeding audio to the camera. Nor was it surprising to see USC security guards lose their patience with Ziegler after he refused to leave despite repeated requests. They asked him, told him, then laid hands on him as he cries out that he is not blocking the sidewalk, and a Borat-like struggle ensues as Ziegler awkwardly attempts to hold his ground. NOTE: At this juncture, yelling out "I JUST WANT TO ASK A QUESTION!" will not ingratiate you to local authorities. Nor will it grant you the credibility that will make a public relations person representing an event say, "OH! Well if you just want to ask a question..." I have been in similar situations with a camera many times. As Spinal Tap keenly observed, there is a fine line between clever and stupid. In being confrontational with cameras, there is a fine line between making a point and looking like a dumbass. When you are up close to cops, security, or soldiers, and they say don't film, they mean it. They are asserting their authority in this situation. If you mock that authority, they don't like it. They will take it to the next level of deterrence, because if they don't stand up to you, who else might threaten the thin blue line between society and chaos? Many conservatives tend to sympathize with law enforcement in these situation, particularly when independent media types are manhandled outside of political conventions. This is where strategies such as "tact" and "respect" come into play, antiquated concepts to John Ziegler. I have consistently found that if you acknowledge the officer's authority, step off like they request, and inquire as to how you can best get what you want, you will receive similar respect in turn. Many conservatives seem surprised at the restrictions on non-credentialed media after seeing this happen to someone whose cause they sympathize with. I have been struck by the many outcries on Breitbart about how this proves we live in a fascist/communist society, and that the liberal establishment is clearly picking on an innocent guy for being conservative, or whatever. No, this video shows what misbehavior in front of security guards on a private campus gets you. If you do not believe me, I suggest you go to a private university, stand outside an event you are not welcome at, and yell "I JUST WANT TO ASK A QUESTION!" Nobody is going to ask you how you voted in the last election, how much you make a year, or whether or not you teabag ( not that there's anything wrong with that ). You will make whatever authorities present uncomfortable, and they will remove you because you are freaking people out. What's more, the claims that USC is a liberal autocracy are dubious. My first week there as a film student, there was a rally held by the Young Republicans, then the largest extra-curricular group on campus. The rally was in protest of a bill in California that would include homosexuals under job discrimination laws applying to other minorities. The homophobia was like school spirit before the USC vs UCLA football game. When I was writing for the USC paper (the regrettably named Daily Trojan ), our opinion section regularly featured outspoken conservative views. What this video shows is not reflective of USC campus security, who have to police the outlying South Central L.A. neighborhood in bulletproof attire besides telling unwelcome provocateurs to behave. This video is not reflective of a media conspiracy to silence conservative critics. This video shows a guy who craves attention being obnoxious and then being escorted away by security guards, as they are wont to do with someone causing a scene. What is remarkable is that Ziegler was not charged or cited, and that he was able to walk away with the footage. Perhaps, if this were not a middle-aged white guy in a suit, and instead a young black guy with low-slung pants, there might well have been a different outcome to this standoff. I suspect many young black men who do not seek confrontation with cops might concur. This type of pseudo-struggle does not bestow any type of journalistic legitimacy. Getting a reaction from people by showing up with cameras and getting in their face is not hard. Michael Moore flogged that horse into dog food decades ago. It is such a tired tactic of self-imposed importance, I parodied it in my documentary FREE FOR ALL! when I crashed Diebold headquarters asking questions. Yes, we have a glorious First Amendment which says that congress shall pass no law abridging the freedom of speech or freedom of the press. And when an individual shows up uninvited on private grounds, congress is not involved in making laws that prohibit people from kicking a crackpot off their property. While an alarming number of citizen journalists have been restricted, harassed, arrested, even beaten in trying to report from their place in the world, this video is more like a Tom Green bit, and just as painful. This is more misinterpretation of our country's founding principles. Like people protesting taxes while they receive tax cuts, this is maligned patriotism, with self-pitying posturing projecting a fallacious air of vindication. John Ziegler is a discredit to his cause, and any who embrace him should be embarrassed. More on Sarah Palin
 

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