Op-ed article from Kuro5hin last year.

...

Adolph Hitler is the face of evil for most Americans, so much so that what we think of when we say "Hitler" is a caricature of the real man. The real man was just a man. Hitler did not invent anti-Semitism in Germany. Hitler did not invent militarism in Germany. Hitler did not invent concentration camps. Hitler did not invent pre-emptive war. He was just a man, a small and insecure man who gave voice to what his fellow Germans and Austrians would have said if they had dared voice their opinions but did not dare say because it was not politically correct.

...

On this day, Hitler's birthday, let us reflect upon evil and recognize it for what it is: something that lives in the souls of nations, not in the souls of politicians. For politicians are nothing more than mirrors reflecting what the people desire in their heart of hearts. All Hitler did was voice the darkness in the soul of the German nation -- he did not invent it. Hitler never personally killed a Jew. Hitler never personally marched across a border to invade another nation. Without the willing participation of the German people in the evil that was the Third Reich, Hitler would have been just another failed artist in Vienna muttering slurs against Jews over a brewski at the local beer hall. But the German people basked in the reflected glow of hate and prejudice, their own hate and prejudice reflecting back from the mirror that was Hitler, and gleefully participated in the destruction of millions. If Hitler the man had never existed, they would have found another man in his place, another demagogue willing to give voice to the darkness in their souls.

Adolf Hitler - Date of birth: April 20, 1889

Phil Valentine is the most outspoken critic of illegal immigration in Nashville. He has a daily talk show in Nashville and writes weekly columns for the state's largest newspaper.

Meme'd for reference.

Newspaper Columns by Phil Valentine

TIRRC is a statewide, immigrant and refugee-led collaboration whose mission is to empower immigrants and refugees throughout Tennessee to develop a unified voice, defend their rights, and create an atmosphere in which they are viewed as positive contributors to the state.

Meme'ed for reference.

Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition

Elonka wrote:

"No citizen should be subjected to criminal charges for a crime he might commit. This is a fundamental principle in our society: One does not take blame for what might happen, only for violations of the law that he actually commits."

Well said.

I've been following this story about police shutting down a rave in Utah, and I have to admit concerns. If it was shut down because police observed actual illegal drug activity, that's one thing, and I'm okay with it. If, on the other hand, it was shut down because, "It was a rave, and there's usually drug activity at a rave, so we shut it down on general principle," then that's an entirely different matter, and I'm completely opposed to it.

Continuing to watch as the details unfold . . .

Elonka

I have concerns as well. Do you remember the RAVE act? Reducing Americans Vulnerability to Ecstasy. The original bill that was defeated, but it snuck into the act that ushered in the AMBER Alert program a few months later.

The original RAVE act can be found here:

http://www.emdef.org/s2633/

Here's what I object to:

...
(a) IN GENERAL- Section 416(a) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 856(a)) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking 'open or maintain any place' and inserting 'open, lease, rent, use, or maintain any place, whether permanently or temporarily,'; and

(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

'(2) manage or control any place, whether permanently or temporarily, either as an owner, lessee, agent, employee, occupant, or mortgagee, and knowingly and intentionally rent, lease, profit from, or make available for use, with or without compensation, the place for the purpose of unlawfully manufacturing, storing, distributing, or using a controlled substance.'.

...

You can tell by the verbage of the bill that they are focusing solely on electronic music events. The law can be strictly applied to any public venue really. A football game could be a place where people use a controlled substance.

RE: Can Police Shut Down a Rave for what *Might* be Happening There?

Someone snapped a picture of this truck in an Applebee's parking lot in Kentucky. I hope this turns out to be a fake. This is sad.

Enlightened Motorist

bucy wrote:
] ] Just hours before being sworn in for a second term, Vice
] ] President Dick Cheney publicly raised the possibility on
] ] Thursday that Israel "might well decide to act first" to
] ] prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
]
] Whoa...

And this is a surprise to who?

RE: Cheney Says Israel Might 'Act First' on Iran

Was curious about Freaknic (with an F) and did a google image search. Found this picture from 1998.

For those living in ATL, was it really so dicey that the cops had to walk around with GUNS DRAWN? Sheesh...

Freaknic

Applicants also had to show certificates to prove they had plastic surgery.

...

This is seriously fucked up. But hey, at least it's an honest competition. You know all the tits are fake!

I can see it all so clearly: Scandal at the RealDoll 2005 competition breaks out. It is discovered that Liu's breasts are not augmented. In fact, nothing at all about Liu is fake. Instantly disgraced, her crown is revoked.

WTF indeed.

Beauty Pagent for Silicon Beauties

I was listening to the radio this morning. It was a talk show. Steve Gill was talking with Charlene, one of the owners ( I suppose ) of the Palm downtown. They were talking about a fundraiser going on for prostate cancer research. $500 a plate. They were talking about how all the doctors and lawyers of Nashville will be there, etc.

Then the lady starts to recount the story of one of the previous fund raisers. A story about a guy who bought a $1200 bottle of wine and tried to pour it for his friends at the table. Steve said he was there and that the guy missed most of the glasses, pouring some of it on the tablecloth. They were both laughing about it as they surely played back the memory in their heads.

It occured to me, I wonder if the irony is lost on them? Drunk rich people sitting around spilling expensive wine on a table? All under the guise of helping prostate cancer research? The irony being, wouldn't that $1200 surely help the cause better than pouring it out on the table and helping a handful of people create toxins and stupor for their bodies?

I don't think it occured to them at all really.

Decius wrote:

] Sinclair's statement on their decision to cancel the Koppel
] broadcast. I meme this because I prefer raw arguement to a
] journalist's summary thereof. Reach your own conclusions.

I think his statement is reasonable. As the owner of these stations it is Sinclair's choice to make. They obviously have a strong conviction about it. It remains to be seen how balanced the alternative programming Sinclair airs will be. If they truly do offer such a program, I commend them for sticking to their word. We'll see.

I agree that ABC is going to use this to send a message. It is no coincidence that they are broadcasting this on the eve of the anniversary of the end of "major combat operations." That the insurgency happened this month and the news of coalition torture of Iraqis is hitting will only serve to soften where ABC was going to put the dagger anyway. I have no doubt this was planned for April 30th for a long time. As much as I lean to the left, I have to side with Sinclair in principle on this one.

RE: Sinclair Broadcast Group: For the record