The Word on the Kurds

Iraq wants the Kurd separatists to hit the road. And where are they to go? Turkey? I am sure the Turks would just love that. It would save them the trouble of flying into another country and bombing the hell out of it. The U.S. tried that; it doensn't work.

Roasted Turkey?

Apparently Turkey is thinking about doing some preemptives striking against Kurdish north Iraq. There is great fear among the Turks that an attempt by the Kurds to form their own country might embolden the Kurds in south Turkey to join in and try to take a bit of Turkey with them.

I really have no comment for this; I personally think it wouldn't hurt to just let the Kurds have their own land and call it a day, but given that would probably result in the Turkish Kurds trying to take a bit of Turkey with them, it seems to be a lose-lose situation.

Al Qaida on the Meltdown?

The U.S. military has reported that it has done significant damage to the Al Qaida terrorist group--significant to the point where it has declared victory over the organization.

I don't buy this one bit.

Al Qaida is like a nest of wasps. You think you've killed them all, but unless you kill the source then it will continue to go on forever, and even if you manage to kill the queen of the hive there is another wasp waiting to take the dethroned's place. On a slightly side note, given that this is coming from the same group that declared "Mission Accomplished" for the Iraq War and we are still there, I think that the credibility factor is lacking.

I personally do not believe it is possible to completely destroy Al Qaida; it is a beast that will have to die on its own, and right now it is thriving.

Alabama Sex Toy Ban

Yes, the state of Alabama has nothing better to do with tax dollars than to put laws into place that essentially ban people from having the opportunity to choose how they spend their private time...but it is still legal to own guns, buy porn, Viagra and men's sex magazines.

Alabama legislators, given that Alabama is at the bottom of the barrel every year for education, I think you can find better ways to spend your time. Sex toys do not create prostitution. People who don't want to find dates on their own create prostitution. I would think that sex toys would be a disease-and-unplanned-pregnancy-free alternative. Speaking of unplanned pregnancies, would you rather your daughter use one sex toy 50 times or sleep with 50 different guys? Maybe you see nothing wrong with driving her to an abortion clinic instead of embracing the idea that she could be entertaining herself in a disease-free environment, but the rest of the world does not concur.

The medieval age is over, Alabama. It is high-time you came into the 21st century.

Link to petition against ban:
http://gopetition.com/petitions/say-no-to-alabamas-sex-toy-ban.html

Wow

Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize. So we could have had an Academy Award-winning, Peace Prize winner as president...

Put that in your hookah and smoke it.

The Ohio School Shooting: A Thought

The incident in Ohio, where a teenager opened fire wounding four people may very well bear the same origins as the other shootings. My concern with this recent shooting is that students viewed as "different" are going to be targeted by teachers and students, which will only inflame these "different" students even more. Although no one has mentioned it, I cannot help but suspect that this student was subjected to bullying.

Bullying has got to be the most underrated problem in schools. I have constantly heard adults say that bullying is not a big deal, but for a teenager or younger person, it is a huge deal. Schools should start implementing rules that buckle down on bullying instead of fishing out atheists and those who listen to Marilyn Manson.

Unless of course they want to wait until it happens to their school to act.

Where the Pro-Life Movement Goes Wrong

I'm sticking my neck out for this one, but it wouldn't be the first time.

When I started this blog, I vowed that I would never bring the abortion debate to this forum. I still intend to keep it that way. You cannot have a debate on a polarized issue, it simply is not possible. What I would like to discuss is the actual pro-life movement.

I was reading another blog where a woman was expressing concern about photos of aborted babies being exposed to children. There were those who stated that showing those photos only heightened animosity against the movement instead of invoking sympathy for the babies. I am obliged to agree. Where the pro-life movement goes wrong is in its delivery. If you want someone to listen to you, calling them a baby killer is probably not going to work. It is this lack of a compassionate approach that has made me hesitant to actively participate in the movement.

What disturbs me even more is that these same people (I have seen this repeatedly) are the ones against social programs designed to help these children that they are trying to save. I have even heard some go as far as suggesting legislation that protected fathers for "having to pay for babies they didn't want."

There are two people involved in this debate, and maybe if some sensitivity was given to both parties, before and after the pregnancy, then maybe these women would feel that there are other options besides abortion.

Hate is a poor salesman.

Detecting Criminals Before They Strike: Is It Possible?

I keep reading about the tragedy in Wisconsin about the sheriff's deputy that killed six teens. I keep reading and hearing over and over again, "How did he get through the system?"

What I like to refer to as "professional" criminals get through the system because the system does not know how to detect when someone is playing its own game against it. To me, it would make perfect sense for someone with the mentality that this deputy displayed to get into a position of power. The same frame of logic applies to other criminals in positions of power. They know how to "play the game," which makes them a million times more terrifying than the criminals we expect to see on the street. I personally do not believe there is a way to truly flush them out because they are so willing to adjust to whatever is designed to stop them.

My heart goes out to the survivors of this tragedy, but the fact that this was done by someone that had the audacity to put on a uniform that is representative of an institution that is supposed to protect the people does not shock me in the least.

Bush's Comments on Torture

President Bush made the comment that the United States does not condone or engage in torture, refuting recent reports that beg to differ. I think that the survivors of the likes of Abu Ghraib would disagree as well.

Craig Vows to Stay in Office

Despite having a judge refuse to throw out his initial guilty plea for shenanigans dans la salle de bains, Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) is vowing to stay the course.

I honestly feel sorry for the Republican party. It is bad enough that they have to compete for the White House on the heels of a most unpopular president, but then they have to deal with this guy. Mr. Craig, give up the ghost; salvage what little dignity you can muster and free your party from the stain of your presence. Think of bigger pictures than those that include yourself, sir, and walk away. In the long run, people will think better of you for it.

All Children (except the rich ones) Left Behind

President Bush took a huge gamble on behalf of his party by slamming a veto on a $30 million health care plan for children. His reason? It was too much money and we can't have people that "might" be able to afford health care coverage depending on the government, despite the fact that we are probably one of the lone wealthy countries that doesn't provide universal coverage.

But this bill was just for kids.

The Senate saved their skins by voting to override the veto, but 19 House Republicans and a spatter of Democrats decided to ring the death knoll on their bids for reelection by going against the grain. I guess we can't have families with lower incomes than theirs running around insured...that would be unethical.

I guess they need the extra cash so that they can pay for the life insurance of the soldiers that are dying in Iraq.

My Wasted Vote

The Senate just approved 150 billion dollars to continue funding this debacle in Iraq. While I recognize that there simply aren't enough votes to do anything concrete about this war, I still cannot help but wonder why did I make such an exaggerated effort to go to the polls last election. What exactly are those who still hold their votes--that gift from the American people--out to end a long-lost cause? How many more limbless veterans or bagged bodies must be returned to our soil before it dawns on these hopeful individuals that Iraq was an absolute failure?

I exercised my right to vote yet it has left a bitter taste in my mouth.