Beware Brownwood : Identity Imposter(s) at Work in Your Neighborhood !

Below is the *post that was made by imposter using my name as the author @ cityofbrownwood.com website.
Who all is involved in this ?

" I Am A Gay Business Owner - Author - steveharris
1 Posts Posted - November 18 2004 :  07:45:34    

And I find Newstalk 96.9's conservative views disgusting. And have you ever heard how bad the station goofs up on all the local business owners' commercials? It's a giant clusterphuck of glitches. And where else in the world can you listen to TWO shows and TWO commercials at the same time! But the business owners who are paying for the ads don't complain because Phil Watts is head of the "Good Ole Boy" club."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, let’s connect the dots to see who the “PLAYERS” are ! Note where the computer was traced to !

Where are the dots leading us to ? Who are the person(s) who made the mistake of using my name fraduantly to make their own post ? Until the webmaster (traced to Landmark Life ? ) who controlled the site gives us the IP address of the offending computer, we will continue to ask " Who all was involved in this fradulant scheme ? " !

From: Steve Harris and Steve Puckett
Date: Sat Nov 27, 2004 07:23:55 PM US/Central
To: webmaster@cityofbrownwood.com
Cc: steve_squared@verizon.net
Subject: regarding "I am a gay business owner" on your website

I noticed that you have an article that says that it was posted by Steve Harris of Brownwood Texas on November 18, 2004. I am Steve Harris of Brownwood and this is not my posting. Please see to it that the post is removed or corrected. Regards, Steve Harris

From: Steve Harris and Steve Puckett
Date: Sat Nov 27, 2004 08:40:07 PM US/Central
To: webmaster@maxwebportal.com
Cc: info@maxwebportal.com, steve_squared@verizon.net
Subject: fradualant use of my name to post

I found the post (below) that someone has attributed to me. I did not post this and would appreciate it being removed immediately. I would also like to know how I can find out who submitted this using my name. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Any questions I can be reached at 325.646.5576.

Regards, Steve Harris
---------------------------------
I Am A Gay Business Owner - Author - steveharris
1 Posts Posted - November 18 2004 :  07:45:34    


----------

for more information on this visit March 1st blog.

Brownwood ID Imposter ( background info & computer trace )

From: "John Ivy"
Date: Tue Nov 30, 2004 09:49:54 PM US/Central
To: steve_squared@verizon.net
Subject: RE:

I will remove the thread ASAP, sorry for the inconvenience as far as finding out who did it I can only offer a couple of suggestions as the board is anonymous and no logs are kept. The site was only redesigned 1 day prior to the post and the only person the owners had contacted about the site were the radio station more over an email was sent to Cathy and to the Morning show guy asking to forward to James W.

again I appologize for any embarrasment this post has caused.

Webmaster

From: "John Ivy"
Date: Tue Nov 30, 2004 09:57:27 PM US/Central
To: steve_squared@verizon.net
Subject: RE:

The IP address used to post the message was

User's IP address:
4.226.78.125
date and time
Nov 18,2004 07:45

here is the reverse lookup information Maybe you could find more by contacting Level 3 Communication( the owner of the IP used)

How I am searching:
Asking d.root-servers.net for 125.78.226.4.in-addr.arpa PTR record:
d.root-servers.net says to go to ns2.Level3.net. (zone: 4.in-addr.arpa.)
Asking ns2.Level3.net. for 125.78.226.4.in-addr.arpa PTR record:
ns2.level3.net [209.244.0.2] says to go to poolns1.Level3.net. (zone: 226.4.in-addr.arpa.)
Asking poolns1.Level3.net. for 125.78.226.4.in-addr.arpa PTR record: Reports dialup-4.226.78.125.Dial1.Dallas1.Level3.net. [from 4.0.0.8]

Answer:
4.226.78.125 PTR record: dialup-4.226.78.125.Dial1.Dallas1.Level3.net. [TTL 86400s] [A=4.226.78.125]

Level 3 Communications
1.877.453.8353
Broomfield Colorado
abuse@level3.com

-----------------------Now for the really interesting part of this story !-------------------

From: "John Ivy"
Date: Wed Dec 01, 2004 08:40:34 PM US/Central
To: steve_squared@verizon.net
Subject: RE: regarding someone fraudauntly using my name as a member

It was not an oversight to leave the name in the database I will however remove it from view if possible. I changed the password so that the person using it could not reregister using the same false credentials. If this doesnot suit you please let me know. I will do whatever you need.

BTW the IP I gave you last night was the same IP used to post the newstalk article urging people to tune in and listen.

newstalk969
1 Posts Posted - November 18 2004 :  08:07:55    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's the hottest show in Central Texas and beyond. Hosted by James Williamson, the show offers invaluable insight to the world we live in.


==================================================
=== VisualRoute report on 01-Dec-04 3:39:44 PM ===
==================================================
Report for myserver.cityofbrownwood.com [12.176.52.11]

Analysis: IP packets are being lost past network "AT&T Worldnet
Services ATTSVI-12-112-0-0" at hop 11. VisualRoute cannot determine
the next network at hop 12.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| IP Address | Node Name | Location
| Tzone | Network |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 192.168.1.13 | MOM | ...
| | (private use) |
| 192.168.1.1 | - | ...
| | (private use) |
| 207.40.145.1 | adsli-1.wcc.net | ?San Angelo,
TX | | west central wireless SPRINTLINK |
| 208.6.232.1 | wl-bb1-sa.wcc.net | ?San Angelo,
TX | | west central wireless FON-34901135364039 |
| 144.228.138.173 | sl-gw34-fw-10-0-TS10.sprintlink.net | Fort Worth,
TX, USA | | Sprint SPRINTLINK |
| 144.232.11.9 | sl-bb20-fw-4-2.sprintlink.net | Fort Worth,
TX, USA | | Sprint SPRINT-INNET9 |
| 144.232.11.218 | sl-bb21-fw-14-0.sprintlink.net | Fort Worth,
TX, USA | | Sprint SPRINT-INNET9 |
| 192.205.32.69 | sprint-gw.dlstx.ip.att.net | Dallas, TX,
USA | | AT&T Bell Laboratories NETBLK-ATT |
| 12.123.17.82 | tbr1-p012101.dlstx.ip.att.net | Dallas, TX,
USA | | AT&T Worldnet Services ATTSVI-12-122-0-0 |
| 12.122.12.66 | gbr5-p20.dlstx.ip.att.net | Dallas, TX,
USA | | AT&T Worldnet Services ATTSVI-12-122-0-0 |
| 12.123.196.73 | ar2-p310.ftwtx.ip.att.net | Fort Worth,
TX, USA | | AT&T Worldnet Services ATTSVI-12-122-0-0 |
| 12.119.196.166 | - | ?Morristown,
NJ, USA | -05:00 | AT&T Worldnet Services ATTSVI-12-112-0-0 |
| | |
| | |
| 12.176.52.11 | myserver.cityofbrownwood.com | ?Brownwood,
TX, USA | | LANDMARK LIFE INSURANCE LANDMARK63-52 |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roundtrip time to 12.119.196.166, average = 51ms, min = 35ms, max =
87ms -- 01-Dec-04 3:39:44 PM

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who owns the site ? See below.

Domain names in the .com and .net domains can now be registered
with many different competing registrars. Go to http://www.internic.net
for detailed information. Domain Name: CITYOFBROWNWOOD.COM
Registrar: PRIMUS TELCO PTY LTD DBA PRIMUSDOMAIN/PLANETDOMAIN
Whois Server: whois.planetdomain.com
Referral URL: http://www.planetdomain.com
Name Server: NS1.SITELUTIONS.COM
Name Server: NS2.SITELUTIONS.COM
Name Server: NS3.SITELUTIONS.COM
Name Server: NS4.SITELUTIONS.COM
Name Server: NS5.SITELUTIONS.COM
Status: ACTIVE
Updated Date: 23-sep-2004
Creation Date: 14-jun-2002
Expiration Date: 14-jun-2005
NOTICE: The expiration date displayed in this record is the date the
registrar's sponsorship of the domain name registration in the registry is
currently set to expire. This date does not necessarily reflect the expiration
date of the domain name registrant's agreement with the sponsoring
registrar. Users may consult the sponsoring registrar's Whois database to
view the registrar's reported date of expiration for this registration.

[whois.planetdomain.com]

The data contained in the database of Primus Telecommunications Pty Ltd
(PlanetDomain/PrimusDomain) is made available to assist persons in
obtaining information pertaining to the domain name registration
record. No guarantee of accuracy is offered or given. By submitting a
search request you agree to use the data for lawful purposes, and also
agree NOT to
1) use the data to allow, enable, or otherwise support any marketing
activities, regardless of the medium used. Such media includes but is
not limited to e-mail, telephone, facsimile, postal mail, SMS, and
wireless alerts.
2) sell or redistribute the data except insofar as it has been
incorporated by yourself into a value-added product or service that does
not permit the extraction of a substantial portion of the bulk data from
the value-added product or service for use by other parties.
Primus Telecommunications Pty Ltd (PlanetDomain/PrimusDomain) reserves
the right to forbid access to any party who abuses the terms and
conditions herein or who is deemed to have queried the database
excessively, and to change these terms and conditions at any time.

Domain Name: CITYOFBROWNWOOD.COM
Reseller..............: PlanetDomain
Created on............: 15 Jun 2002 00:00:00 EST
Expires on............: 14 Jun 2005 00:00:00 EST
Record last updated on: 15 Jun 2004 00:00:00 EST
Status................: ACTIVE
Owner, Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Billing Contact:
Concerned Citizens
cheri umowski (ID00027811)
411 here st
brownwood, TX 76801
United States
Phone: +325.4510591
Email: brownwoodsite@cityofbrownwood.com

Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.SITELUTIONS.COM
NS2.SITELUTIONS.COM
NS3.SITELUTIONS.COM
NS4.SITELUTIONS.COM
NS5.SITELUTIONS.COM

http://www.CITYOFBROWNWOOD.COM/
-----------------------------------
From: "Level 3 security operations"
Date: Wed Dec 01, 2004 09:30:11 AM US/Central
To: steve_squared@verizon.net
Cc:
Subject: Thank you for contacting Level 3 Communications

Thank you for contacting Level 3's Network Security Operations department.

This message is to inform you that your case is being investigated and
action will be taken in accordance to Level 3's Acceptable Use Policy.
You can find a link to the Level 3 Acceptable Use Policy at:

http://www.level3.com/764.html

Your case has been assigned a tracking reference of:
Please use this reference in all further inquiries regarding this issue.
Each complaint received is addressed in accordance to the Level 3
Communications AUP, however, if you wish to escalate or check the
status of this case, please submit feedback via the following web
interface:
http://incident-report.level3.com/

Please be sure to include your email address and tracking reference
when submitting the web form.

Level 3 Communications has submitted its dial pools to the MAPS DUL,
http://www.mail-abuse.org/dul/. This project provides a mechanism to
restrain the receipt of Unsolicited Commercial E-mail. When implemented,
the process prevents receipt of e-mails directly from an end user that has
not properly gone through the mail server of their ISP. Thus, Level 3 is
actively involved in the reduction of unwanted e-mail.

Sincerely,
Level 3 Communications
Network Abuse Agent
877-453-8353
abuse@level3.com
www.level3.com
---------------------------
OrgName: LANDMARK LIFE INSURANCE
OrgID: LLI-10
Address: 5750 S COUNTY ROAD 225
City: BROWNWOOD
StateProv: TX
PostalCode: 76801
Country: US
NetRange: 12.176.52.0 - 12.176.52.255
CIDR: 12.176.52.0/24
NetName: LANDMARK63-52
NetHandle: NET-12-176-52-0-1
Parent: NET-12-0-0-0-1
NetType: Reassigned
Comment:
RegDate: 2003-04-19
Updated: 2003-04-19
OrgTechHandle: JIV2-ARIN
OrgTechName: Ivy, John
OrgTechPhone: +1-915-646-6579
OrgTechEmail: john@landmarklife.com
# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2004-11-30 19:10
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.
OrgName: LANDMARK LIFE INSURANCE
OrgID: LLI-10
Address: 5750 S COUNTY ROAD 225
City: BROWNWOOD
StateProv: TX
PostalCode: 76801
Country: US
Comment:
RegDate: 2003-04-19
Updated: 2003-04-19
AdminHandle: JIV2-ARIN
AdminName: Ivy, John
AdminPhone: +1-915-646-6579
AdminEmail: john@landmarklife.com
TechHandle: JIV2-ARIN
TechName: Ivy, John
TechPhone: +1-915-646-6579
TechEmail: john@landmarklife.com
# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2004-11-30 19:10
# Enter ? for additional hints on searching ARIN's WHOIS database.

-------------------------Update--------------------------
Announcements
Posted by admin   (December 01 2004 through January 31 2005)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Childs Play (Slander / libel / etc)
People please try to be grown up in here. Quit fraudulently assuming other peoples identities and posting crap. All IP’s are logged and traceable to the PC used to post such material. I will voluntarily release this Information to any law enforcement / legal request. Say what you want but don't hide behind someone else’s good name.
Posted by admin   (November 22 2004 through December 31 2004)

source: cityofbrownwood.com

--------------
From: "John Ivy"
Date: Thu Dec 02, 2004 05:36:42 PM US/Central
To: steve_squared@verizon.net
Cc: webmaster@cityofbrownwood.com
Subject: Re: regarding someone fraudauntly using my name as a member

I was asked by my boss today about this website, I try to keep all aspects of this recreational activity away from my work if at all possible. Aparently the city attorney is involved and asking questions. This website is hosted at SItelutions RDNS service and Winsave hosting services it was recently hosted off my hyperhog account until I discontinued service shortly after I left BCI. I then used Redirected DNS to facilitate my hosting and to spoof IP's to prevent hackers from defacing or denial of services on my site. It will report many different IP's usually one that the server had just disconnected a session from and report that back to the computer asking the WHOIS question or pinging. I generally block all ICMP protocol traffic , it also allowed me to host on a residential DSL line (my house). More recently it has been hosted on commercial hosting sites named above. I passed this information on to my Boss to pass on to the City Attorney. Like I said I am sorry someone has chosen to disrespect you and this open forum of communication. I will probably take the site back to a members only registered site. I beleive a lady named Mary has been helping you track down the site origins, I hope this helps you and/or her in your endeavors. The Company I work for has no aaffiliation to this site and non should be implied. I have to make a living somehow, right.

John Ivy

'51 Silver Streak Clipper & '59 Airstream

'51 Silver Streak Clipper & '59 Airstream
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

How moderates helped re-elect President Bush

E.J. Dionne / Syndicated columnist
WASHINGTON — John Kerry was not defeated by the religious right. He was beaten by moderates who went — reluctantly in many cases — for President Bush.

This will be hard for many Democrats to take. It's easier to salve those wounds by demonizing religious conservatives. But in the 2004 election, Democrats left votes on the table that could have created a Kerry majority.

Consider these findings from the network exit polls: About 38 percent of those who thought abortion should be legal in most cases went to Bush. Bush got 22 percent from voters who favored gay marriage and 52 percent among those who favor civil unions. Bush even managed 16 percent among voters who thought the president paid more attention to the interests of large corporations than of "ordinary Americans." A third of the voters who favored a government more active in solving problems went to Bush. True, 22 percent of the voters said that "moral values" were decisive in their decisions. But 71 percent picked some other issue.

All this means that Bush won not because there is a right-wing majority in the United States, but because the president persuaded just enough of the nonconservative majority to go his way. Even with their increased numbers, conservatives still constitute only 34 percent of the electorate. The largest share of the American electorate (45 percent) calls itself moderate, and 21 percent of this year's voters — bless them — called themselves liberal.

to view the entire article please visit: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002086565_dionne10.html

Seeing Purple in Brownwood

JOHN YOUNG, Opinion page editor
Thursday, March 03, 2005
For those analysts who think of the nation in terms of red and blue, the Oct. 25 Newsweek featured a very purplish nation.
A national map compiled by a Princeton professor shaded each U.S. county based on proportional votes in the 2000 presidential race. It did not disenfranchise "blue" voters in "red" states and vice versa, meaning that close votes showed in purple.
A few days after the magazine hit newsstands, the 2004 presidential election proceeded to show how little hues had changed in four years.
What is striking about the map is how purple the so-called monolithic South is. The same goes for the Midwestern heartland. Indeed, a band of purple extends from the Great Lakes all the way to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
It reminds us that a winner-take-all mentality can mislead us just as it misdefines us.
Recently, an exhibit at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas helped draw a bead on such matters, as well as how the political process has changed. The exhibit is now where everyone with a computer can see it: the Internet.
"The Living Room Candidate," a virtual exhibit of the American Museum of the Moving Image (livingroomcandidate.movingimage.us) mainly focuses on how campaign commercials have changed over 50-plus years.
They show, on one plane, innocence lost – as appeals go from starchily dignified to embarrassingly vicious. They also show how campaign themes went from governing to branding, as one would with any product. The exhibit shows how more and more ads have used the "oversimplified language of polarization," in the words of curator David Schwartz.
In living color
As a sidelight, the exhibit applies that modern-day color-TV wrinkle, red states vs. blue states, to presidential elections since that black-and-white test-pattern year of 1952 (click on "results" with each year to see its map).
In succession the maps offer a compelling reminder of what changed the South from monolithically Democrat to a safe harbor for the Republican Party. It wasn't gay marriage.
The seeds of change are seen in the changes between 1960, where John Kennedy was widely supported in the South, to 1964, when a band of southern states – South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana – forsook the Democrats for Barry Goldwater.
That year, of course, was the beginning of the end of Jim Crow laws, with passage of the Civil Rights Act. On the 1968 map, with majority revulsion over those trends and more, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Arkansas are neither red nor blue but marked in white, in the column of segregationist George Wallace.
Richard Nixon took this as a cue with his "Southern strategy." It appealed to the fears of whites in an age of race riots, forced busing and an activist federal government enforcing civil rights.
Almanac of American Politics author Michael Barone says that race is the key factor of America's defining political split – that being the more metropolitan and diverse hues of the "blue" and the transparent homogeneity of sweeping plains of "red." Religion – the conservative evangelical dominance in the "red," is a secondary factor, he told Newsweek.
All of which explains why so much of America is purple. Major metro areas and a rapidly increasing, and hard to peg, Hispanic population, are purple even in "red" states. And because of political power owed to generations since the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the color purple is destined to grow.
The nation's most crimson planes are those where diversity is only an abstraction. That also applies to white-flight suburbs around those pulsing urban centers.
Put race aside and see where religion serves as a political trump card, and where such issues as school prayer and faith-based initiatives are pure gold.
The social isolation inherent in such homogeny fits hand-in-glove with fundamentalist Christianity, where a world of difference and cultural churn can be walled off and prayed away. A purple land? Perish the thought and think red and blue.
John Young's column appears Thursday and Sunday. E-mail: jyoung@wacotrib.com.

We See Purple !

A Blended Country
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

Anyone for a Texas size slice of Mixed Berry Pie from a Deep in the Heart of Texas Deli ?

Religion and the Election

Progressive faith did not lose this election
by Jim Wallis

Religion was a big factor in this election, and "moral values" were named as a key issue for voters in the exit polls. On the Republican side, George W. Bush talked comfortably and frequently about his personal faith and ran on what his conservative religious base called the "moral issues." On the Democratic side, Senator John Kerry invoked the New Testament story of the Good Samaritan, talked about the importance of loving our neighbors, and said that faith without works is dead - but only began talking that way at the very end of his campaign.

We've now begun a real debate in this country over what the most important "religious issues" are in politics, and that discussion will continue far beyond this election. The Religious Right fought to keep the focus on gay marriage and abortion and even said that good Christians and Jews could only vote for the president. But many moderate and progressive Christians disagreed. We insisted that poverty is also a religious issue, pointing to thousands of verses in the Bible on the poor. The environment - protection of God's creation - is also one of our religious concerns. And millions of Christians in America believe the war in Iraq was not a "just war."

So in this election, one side talked about the number of unborn lives lost each year, while the other pointed to the 100,000 civilian casualties in Iraq. But both are life issues - according to the Pope, for example, who opposes both John Kerry's views on abortion and George Bush's war policy. Some church leaders challenged both candidates on whether just killing terrorists would really end terrorism and called for a deeper approach. And 200 theologians, many from leading evangelical institutions, warned that a "theology of war emanating from the highest circles of government is also seeping into our churches."

Clearly, God is not a Republican or a Democrat, as we sought to point out, and the best contribution of religion is precisely not to be ideologically predictable or loyally partisan but to maintain the moral independence to critique both the left and the right.
-----------
In a deeply polarized country, commentators reported that either political outcome would "crush" the hopes of almost half the population. So perhaps the most important role for the religious community will come now, when the need for some kind of political healing and reconciliation has become painfully clear. In the spirit of America's greatest religious leader, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., the religious community could help a divided nation find common ground by moving to higher ground. And we should hold ourselves and both political parties accountable to the challenge of the biblical prophet Micah to "do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God."

to view the entire article please visit: https://secure.ga3.org/03/SMH_donate_online/n5dAM1F713BHh

Moral values across the spectrum

Christianity Today, Week of November 1

'Moral Values' Tops Voters' Concerns—But What Does It Mean?
Sexual morality probably trumped social justice concerns, say observers.
By Kevin Eckstrom and Michele M. Melendez, Religion News Service | posted 11/04/2004 9:15 a.m.

WASHINGTON—Forget Iraq. Forget terrorism. Forget the economy. The biggest factor shaping people's votes Tuesday (Nov. 2) was the mother of all sleeper issues—"moral values."

In nationwide exit polls, one in five voters said moral values were the most important issue in casting their votes, outpacing every other major topic. Those "values" voters overwhelmingly went for President Bush over Sen. John Kerry, 79 percent to 18 percent.

The stronger-than-expected role of moral values signals that the nation's values agenda is likely to be dominated by "social morality" concerns for abortion, gay marriage, and stem-cell research—issues vital to Bush's base. The election also marks a defeat for progressive groups who tried to cast "social justice" concerns of poverty, war, and the environment as moral issues.

Either way, Jim Wallis, a self-described progressive evangelical, said neither blue states nor red states should try to claim a corner on the values market.

"The right wants to say these are the only moral values, the left wants to say only our issues are moral values," said Wallis, convener of the Washington-based Call to Renewal anti-poverty group. "The truth is there are moral values across the spectrum."
------------------
"The secular fundamentalism of the left is as much a problem as the religious fundamentalism of the right," he said.

Adelle M. Banks, Itir Yakar and Wangui Njuguna contributed to this report.

source: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/144/42.0.html

Brownwood Traffic Circle Close-up

bwd circle
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

Proposed 1929 Downtown Brownwood Hotel

Proposed 1929 Downtown Brownwood Hotel
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

Brownwood Texas Traffic Circle

Brownwood Texas Traffic Circle
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

Desecration of Photo !

Desecration of Photo !
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

OrthodoxyToday.org
      Commentary on social and moral issues of the day
      Sunday, December 12, 2004 - 02:50 PM

The Artist as Vandal: Culture and the desecration of religious symbols
Johannes L. Jacobse

“ Desecration is more than the destruction or misuse of the symbol itself. Desecration is sacrilege; the use of the symbol in ways hostile to its meaning and in ways that the tradition considers profane. By desecrating the symbol, the desecrator not only defiles the symbol, he also denies the legitimacy of the community to whom the symbol belongs.
-----------------------
“ There is contempt of the past, a senseless denial of any possibility of enduring meaning, in desecration art. Desecration art functions like the parasite; it destroys the heritage from which it draws its meaning. Ofili’s piece illustrates this. The icon gives the piece meaning, yet the icon is what the piece seeks to destroy. Destroy the meaning of the icon and the meaning of the piece is destroyed with it like the parasite that dies with its host. The artist is vandal and the museum the gate to this cultural barbarism.
-------------------------
*Russell Kirk “Civilization without Religion?” The Heritage Foundation Report (July 24, 1992). 

This article was published on Front Page Magazine website under the title "Desecration as a Political Weapon."
----------------------
Repairs made to James Byrd gravesite after desecrated

(5/28/04 - JASPER, TX) — A funeral home completed repairs to the desecrated gravesite of a black man from Jasper who was dragged to death.

Workers from Robinson Community Funeral Home repaired the gravesite of James Byrd Junior.

Three white men were convicted in the 1998 death in which Byrd was chained to a pickup and dragged.

Two of the attackers were sent to Texas death row, while the third received a life prison term.

Two white teenagers have been charged with criminal mischief for disturbing Byrd's gravesite and two others.

The damage was discovered May sixth to the sites at the Jasper City Cemetery.

Racial slurs and profanities were etched into a steel plate covering part of the vault of Byrd's grave. His headstone was also knocked over.

Workers replaced the steel covering, put the headstone back in place, secured it -- and left flowers at the site.

source: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/state/print_052804_APstate_byrd.html
------------------------
Mother of dragging victim James Byrd Jr. aghast at desecration of grave
Associated Press

JASPER — Whoever desecrated the grave of James Byrd Jr., a black man who was dragged to death behind a pickup by three white men in 1998, lacks a conscience, his mother said Friday.

“I just think whoever did it must be very sick to go and do something like that to someone’s grave,” Stella Byrd said from her East Texas home, a day after authorities discovered racial slurs and profanities etched into a steel plate covering a portion of the vault of her son’s grave.

Byrd’s headstone was toppled, Jasper Police Chief Stanley Christopher said.

“Whoever did it, they must not have any conscience,” Stella Byrd said.

Byrd said she and her husband, both in their late 70s, were dealing with the news as best they could. She said she hadn’t been able to go to the city cemetery where her son is buried, but other relatives had gone to view the damage.

Police patrols have been increased around the cemetery on Main Street, about six blocks north of downtown. About 8,000 people live in Jasper.

James Byrd Jr. was 49 years old when three white men chained him by his ankles and dragged him nearly three miles behind a pickup in the early morning of June 7, 1998. The crime resulted in two death penalties and one life sentence for the convicted killers and thrust Byrd’s close-knit family into the world spotlight.

“These people have had five years to try and heal over this. And then some jerk comes up and does this and it just opens the wounds all over again,” Christopher said. “It is just a shame that someone would do this and not let them have final closure.”

People cleaning their family's plot alerted police to the desecration Thursday afternoon.

Byrd’s grave was dusted for fingerprints and the police chief said the effort resulted in a partial print, but it isn’t enough to run through federal fingerprint databases.

Jasper Mayor David Barber called the desecration a horrendous act and said city workers have called the Byrd family to find out whether they can help restore the grave.

Christopher said the case is being investigated as criminal mischief, which would be considered a state jail felony because a human burial plot was damaged.

If the amount of damage exceeds $20,000, it could become a felony, which can be enhanced to a hate crime at trial if it is proven the crime occurred as the result of bias or prejudice, the police chief said.

source: http://www.news-journal.com/news/newsfd/auto/feed/news/2004/05/07/1083988723.02632.0689.0627.html;COXnetJSessionID=B8kz7SuQGFqrTsaSkKk0y3ggkxsks8GDwR2tW0SA4GLr0SISy5g2!-1525185344?urac=n&urvf=11028820350790.680385474120691

Brownwood Blogging

Terry Eastland: When everyone has a say, sound will be hard to ignore

01:00 AM CST on Sunday, February 13, 2005
By TERRY EASTLAND
If you're reading this column in its original – which is to say, paper – format, you're having an old media experience. If you're reading it at DallasNews.com, you're getting it in cyberspace, and you're a click away from the so-called new media of the blogosphere.
If you're familiar with the blogosphere, you know that it's made up of blogs; that "blog" is short for "Weblog"; and that "Weblog" joins together "log," which is a daily diary or journal, and "Web," which is the place where the log is maintained. One person or several may contribute to a blog. Example: the one at DallasNews.com/opinion is run by the editors of these pages.
Not everyone has traveled into the blogosphere. A blogging pastor writes that a majority of his parishioners don't even know what a blog is. But my sense is that sooner or later, most of them will.
The first blog appeared in 1997. (There are actually Internet historians who keep track of these things.) Now there are 6 million blogs, with 35,000 being started every day. Not every blog stays around, but the total number is likely to keep growing.
You can find blogs on not only politics but also just about every other topic. And while the blogosphere is now an important development (as CBS News finally grasped), it is eventually going to make world history, according to Hugh Hewitt, a lawyer, radio talker and, not least, a blogger.
In his new book, Blog, Mr. Hewitt (full disclosure: We're friends going back two decades) argues that the blogosphere is helping effect "an information reformation similar in consequence to the Reformation that split Christianity in the Sixteenth Century." Part of this is wrong, but part also happens to be right.
Mr. Hewitt notes the invention of the first printing press with movable type (in the mid-1400s by Johannes Gutenberg) and how it made possible the mass production of books, the most important of which was the Bible. The printing and widespread reading of the Bible ultimately led to the challenge to a church hierarchy claiming authority over what to believe. As Mr. Hewitt puts it, "the democratization of the Bible" led to "the democratization of the Church."
The difficulty with the analogy is that it's hard to see how a modern information reformation (thanks to the blogosphere) could ever be similar in consequence to the first.
The problem is that today, there is no hierarchy of the same importance to society as the Catholic Church of old that might be democratized. Mr. Hewitt talks about how "old hierarchies" are vulnerable to bloggers. But the one he especially takes to task are the old media, meaning the traditional press and network news, and their influence is hardly comparable to that of the church Martin Luther protested.
That said, it's worth thinking about the role of a printing press compared with that of a Weblog. A printing press is a means of production, while a Weblog is essentially one of distribution. A publisher of a paper document has to print and then distribute it, while a blogger has only to post entries, whereupon they are available immediately to anyone with a computer and Internet access. The effect is immediate distribution – to those who come to the site (which emphasizes the importance of cheap, high-speed Internet access). And while a publisher may pay heavy printing and distribution costs, a blogger pays fees for necessary services that scare no one.
Here is where you find a democratizing effect, for the expense of blogging is so low we can all be bloggers now. And to the extent bloggers have reliable information or worthy opinions, "old hierarchies" will have to take notice – and adapt.
Adaptation on the part of pre-blogosphere institutions is, in fact, the story to come – indeed, one already unfolding. Major change, if not a reformation, lies ahead.

Terry Eastland is publisher of The Weekly Standard. His e-mail address is teastland@weeklystandard.com.

source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/viewpoints/stories/021305dnedieastland.8effc.html

Our " On the Road " Food Finds

If your traveling- Here are Our Reviews of some of our favorite restaurants.
We suggest you visit a great site ( www.chefmoz.org ) for online restaurant reviews before hitting
the road ! If you find a great food find, let us know and we will post your review.

Holly's Drive In
615 S. Broadway St. -
Post, TX 79356
806.495.2704

Cold Night/Long Drive/Great Burger
Just drove 10 hours from Pagosa Springs, Colorado (in the heavy snow storm) headed home and stopped in for a break at Holly's. Ordered a cheeseburger and chips and was very pleased with the taste and freshness. Already looking forward to making this a regular stop on our trips to the mountains. Just sorry it took me seven years to discover Holly's !    [14 Feb 2004 14:26:31]
Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Cheeseburger
     úSteve , The Steves' (Brownwood Texas) 


Abuelos Mexican Food Embassy
4782 S 14th Street -
Abilene, TX 79605
325.692.4776

incredible and well worth the drive from Brownwood.
Just experienced one of the best dinners we have ever had. The enchilada dinner was perfect. The filet and shrimp platter was perfect as well. Our server, Margarita (1st day on the floor ! ), was great and very attentive. We're already looking forward to our next visit. Being in the " business " ourselves, we appreciate what Abuelos brings to the hospitality table. Great Food, Great Drinks, Great People. Salud. The Steves - Brownwood    [30 Aug 2003 10:10:24]
Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: whatever sounds good to you !
     úThe Steves, Steves' Market & Deli   stevsqrd at bwoodtx dot com

Cypress Street Station
158 Cypress Street -
Abilene, TX 79601
325.676.3463 Well worth the drive from Brownwood......
We've been satisfied diners of Cypress Station for about 7 years. The food and service have always been well worth the 3 hours of "windshield time" ( Brownwood to Abilene - Abilene to Brownwood ). Not only is the food great, but the restored building itself is a true gem for Abilene and its visitors. Flambe tableside service has a nice flair too! Service has always been top notch as well. Being in "the business" ourselves, we appreciate all that is offered at Cypress Street Station. Bon apetit ..........    [11 Apr 2003 20:07:36]
Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Beef Tenderloin and Special of the Day
     úthe steves , Downtown Brownwood    

Frankie’s Place Sicilian Ristorante & Bar
214 Pagosa Street 2nd & Pagosa (2nd) -
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
970.264.1800
970.264.2255 fax
970.264.1700 delivery

Can't wait to get back to Frankie's Place
As we were recently walking along the sidewalk (snow falling) we came upon Frankie's Place and noticed/commented on the building itself. Since a closer inspection of the building was required to confirm my suspicion, we decided to go inside and order a cappuccino at the Bar. Frankie himself greeted us and filled our order. As we conversed with Frankie, fellow Texans overheard our conversation and commented on how great the food was at Frankie's. While we did not get a chance to dine at Frankie's this trip, we will make it a point to do so on our next visit to Pagosa Springs. We know the building is great, we know the cappuccino is great and we know that Frankie makes you feel right at home and from what we witnessed the patrons looked/sounded very pleased with their menu selections. See ya soon Frankie & congratulations on your 2 year anniversary !    [14 Feb 2004 14:15:59]
Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
     úThe Steves  

The Catfish Place
905 W Commerce St - (new location Austin Avenue)
Brownwood, TX 76801
325.641.1568

For catfish & the fixins we choose The Catfish Place
As fellow restaurant owners, we appreciate the fine quality catfish and sides and we especially appreciate the " feels like home " service (this is a family run business). For some of the Best Catfish in Central Texas we recommend The Catfish Place. Can you taste it ?    [11 Apr 2003 17:10:16]
Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: all you can eat caftish & corn nuggetts with ranch dressing
     úThe Steves, Brownwood 

Smitty's Bar B Q
708 W Austin Ave - map
Brownwood, TX 76801
325.646.5922

Congratulations on your Texas Monthly Recognition
I've never tried the Cabrito, but I have enjoyed the brisket & sausage at Smitty's. After reading this months Texas Monthly Magazine, I'm looking forward to trying the Cabrito described in the article. As another Brownwood recipient (3/99) of a Texas Monthly Honorable mention, we congratulate Smitty's on a job well done.    [30 Apr 2003 19:06:40]
Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Brisket, Sausage & Cabrito
     úSteve , Steves' Market & Deli - Downtown Brownwood   


The Turtle Restaurant
514 Center Street (Adams) - map
Brownwood, TX 76801
325.646.8200
325.643.5878 fax
Hours
Tues-Sat Lunch: 11am-2pm, Dinner: 5:00pm-9:00pm and Sunday Brunch 10:30- 2:00p.m.

This newly renovated 1930s building is true to its historical roots. Chef Garry Botbyl is a CIA graduate and has had recipes published in Food and Wine Magazine. The menu constantly changes to follow the seasons and is eclectic. Herbs and produce are purchased from local growers whenever possible.
Reservations for dinner are suggested

Sooooooooooo Glad You're Here La Tortue !
From the moment you enter the door, you know you've entered someplace special. The " Restored Building " is a story unto itself! The salads are great. The soups are equally satisfying. Not to be outdone, the entrees will amaze you. I suggest the tenderloin or grilled salmon. The Gourmet Burger will blow you away too! Don't be surprised at the outstanding Caesar Salad.
Most likely the finest location in Central Texas for an incredible and memorable evening meal. After a long day in " the business ", we appreciate the attention to the " details " ! Bon Apetit...........    [11 Apr 2003 20:23:12]
Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: choosing your own is the fun part !
     úThe Steves   



Underwoods Cafeteria
402 E Commerce Street - map
Brownwood, TX 76801
325.646.1776

Best Fried Chicken in Central Texas ?
In our household, Underwood's is known to put out some fine fried chicken and homemade tasting fresh rolls. We consider the chicken found at Underwood's as the Best in Central Texas. Consistent to the core, Underwood's always seems to please those who have "grown up" on the tastes of the Underwood family dishes. Family owned and operated is obviously one of their strengths!    [11 Apr 2003 22:53:13]
Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Fried & Roasted Chicken & Rolls
     úAnonymous   

Waiving Private Ryan in the New Moral Climate

by Tony Norman
 Last night brought us all a bracing dose of the new morality. It's getting to the point where even jingoism and flag waving have to pass a sniff test on Veterans Day.

In a political climate awash in rhetoric about moral values, it was only a matter of time before the network broadcast of "Saving Private Ryan" would be deemed too risky for affiliates spooked by the threat that the Federal Communications Commission might fine their network if they showed the profanity-laced World War II movie.

When Janet Jackson had her infamous "wardrobe malfunction" at the Super Bowl, who would've thought that an exposed mammary gland had the capacity to offend more Americans than a military incursion into Iraq?

Last week, while watching the red spread across the electoral map like a geyser of blood erupting from a bullet wound, even the most despairing of us didn't think we'd be entering the regulatory dark ages of a second Bush term this quickly. The headlong gallop into aesthetic poverty and cowardice is amazing.


for the entire article visit: http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1112-29.htm

Sports and the "High Five"

( Posted for KXYL's JW and JR W because of their imense interest in this topic and their continious gay bashing, innuendos, jokes, etc. )

Glenn Burke: A Gay "Hero" With Feet of Clay
By Bob Brigham
The Diamond Angle
(Reprinted by permission of The Diamond Angle. This story was written in 1995).

It was late in the 1977 season. Dusty Baker of the Dodgers was rounding third, heading for home, having just hit his 30th home run. And the Dodgers were heading for a National League pennant. The on-deck hitter was Glenn Burke, enjoying his second season in the big leagues. As Baker crossed the plate Burke raised his hand. Baker responded by raising his. The two hands slapped together and a bit of history was made. The first high-five in baseball.
--------
"He was a hero to us", said Jack McGowan, former sports editor of the San Francisco Sentinel, a gay newspaper. "He was ... real. He was athletic, clean cut, masculine. He was everything that we wanted to prove to the world that we could be."
--------------
Gays come in as many varieties as straights. Artists, businessmen, doctors, construction workers, teachers. And professional athletes. And don't forget panhandlers, street thugs, drug users and felons. Our "hero" had metamorphosed into the latter group. Once the toast of any Castro Street bar he walked into, he was now welcome in none of them. He was more apt to be seen hanging around the door, badgering patrons for a handout. Loan? Forget it. Glenn doesn't repay, was the word in the neighborhood.
-------
Burke felt the that club knew about his sexual orientation. The Dodgers, one of the most image-conscious organizations in an image-conscious sport, would not have tolerated a gay ballplayer in the '70s. They might in today--if he could hit .500 with 150 home runs. But they would have to come up with a cover story. General Manager Al Campanis once suggested that it would be a good idea if Burke got married.

In his autobiography "Out At Home," written with Erik Sherman, Burke said that he felt his close association with Spunky Lasorda was something Spunky's dad could not tolerate. Although the rest of the world accepts that the Dodger manager's son was gay and died of AIDS, Tommy is in total denial on both counts.
--------
Did baseball give up on Glenn Burke or did he give up on baseball? Whichever, Alice Burke thinks it was the beginning of the end for her son.

Baseball Was His Life

to view the entire article please visit: http://www.outsports.com/baseball/2003/0617glennburke.htm
---------------------------------------------------

Billy Bean played major league baseball from 1987 through 1995. He broke into the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers, and tied a major league record with 4 hits in his first major league game. He went on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Diego Padres. Born in Santa Ana, California in 1964. He was a multi-sport star at Santa Ana High School, where he was chosen “athlete of the year” as a senior. He was selected Valedictorian of his graduating class, and went on to become an “All-America” outfielder twice before graduating from Loyola Marymount University in 1986 with a degree in Business Administration.

After years of living secretly, Billy came out publicly in 1999. His story was front- page news in the New York Times, and subsequently on a nationally televised story with Diane Sawyer as well. He is the only living former major league baseball player to acknowledge his homosexuality. He has been working actively to try and dispel the myth and stereotypes that follow people of diversity. He was a featured spokesman on behalf of the Democratic National Committee during campaign 2000, and travels around the country, as a national spokesman, on behalf of the Human Rights Campaign, reaching out to many young adults who are desperately in need of a role model. In the prime of his career, Billy walked away from Major League Baseball in 1996, in part, because of a year long struggle dealing with the sudden death of his former partner, and the frustration of holding onto that secret all alone. His desire not to let that happen to anyone else pushes him to share his story.

“I believe that all people, regardless of their personal belief, or religious denomination, would agree that being honest with yourself, your family, and those around you, is a great foundation for living your life. It has been a long, hard journey for me, and I want people to learn from my mistakes, not share them.”

Billy lives in Miami Beach with his partner of 9 years, Efraín Veiga. They share a real estate business redeveloping residential properties. He is the author of, “Going the Other Way: Lessons from a life in and out of Major League Baseball.” (Avalon Publishing Group, NYC.) The film adaptation of his book, produced by Storyline Entertainment will soon air on the Showtime network. Billy, still devoted to competitive sports, travels around the country playing tennis and basketball in organized tournaments in hopes of raising the visibility of athletes of diversity.

to view the entire article please visit: http://www.billybean.com/bio.asp

Finding "Common Ground" ? Success will require unity, civility and the need to put country ahead of politics.

Success will require unity, civility and the need to put country ahead of politics.
11/04/04 Editorial: A second term
The votes tell the story.

President George W. Bush won a hard-fought but convincing victory over Sen. John Kerry, leaving no doubt who the majority of American voters supports.

Kerry could have waged a legal battle over Ohio's provisional ballots. Instead, he called Bush and offered his congratulations when it became apparent that Bush would win Ohio despite outstanding provisional ballots.

In keeping with this nation's tradition of respecting the will of the people, Kerry said in his concession speech that the outcome should be decided by votes, not a protracted legal process. That was a gracious and prudent decision.

Fortunately, both Bush and Kerry agreed in advance to emphasize the need for national unity now that nearly a year of heated political campaigning is over.

While encouraging his followers to not give up on their goals, Kerry warned of the danger of division in our country and the need to find common ground.

In his speech Wednesday afternoon, Bush told Kerry supporters that they can be proud of their efforts.

Bush reached across the aisle to Democrats when he said the issues that confront the nation will require the broad support of all Americans. He asked for the assistance of the men and women who voted for Kerry and pledged that he would work hard to earn their support.

Thanks to an aggressive effort to register voters, this presidential election recorded an all-time high voter turnout. Bush won a broad nationwide victory with the greatest number of popular votes for any candidate in U.S. history.

Bush not only received more votes than any presidential candidate in history, he also was the first to win an absolute majority of the votes since 1988.

Unlike the 2000 presidential election, Bush won the popular vote this time, and by a solid margin of about 3.5 million votes.

Once absentee and provisional ballots are counted, about 120 million voters will have registered and cast ballots in this presidential election. That will be nearly 60 percent of eligible voters nationwide, the highest turnout since 1968.

This is an excellent development that should be nurtured with the goal of increasing voter turnout in all elections. The United States traditionally has lower rates of voter turnout than many nations with less democratic experience.

In a sense, the robust voter turnout translates into a win for democracy and a loss for that perennial election bugaboo, voter apathy.

In introducing Bush to his supporters Wednesday afternoon, Vice President Dick Cheney referred to the seats Republicans picked up in both the U.S. House and in the U.S. Senate, indicating that Bush's popularity had coattails long enough to increase the GOP majorities in Congress. Cheney called the margin of victory a mandate for Bush.

Indeed, the victory carries with it a considerable burden for leadership for the next Bush administration.

Holding the reins of both the executive and legislative branches of government, coupled with the likelihood of additional GOP appointments to the judiciary, the Bush administration has the opportunity to accomplish much .

In his Wednesday speech, Bush mentioned reforming the "outdated tax code" and overhauling Social Security.

Other issues that need attention include establishing democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq, curbing budget deficits and health care costs.

Success will require unity, civility and the need to put country ahead of politics.

source: http://www.wacotrib.com/news/newsfd/auto/feed/news/2004/11/04/1099546457.18121.4606.7806.html

Dallas County voters shatter stereotypes in one fell swoop.

Bold new leadership in sheriff's department
Dallas Morning News
01:43 AM CST on Wednesday, November 3, 2004

Who would've ever imagined:
A woman sheriff in Dallas County?
A Democratic woman sheriff in Dallas County?
A Hispanic Democratic woman sheriff in Dallas County?
A gay Hispanic Democratic woman sheriff in Dallas County?
Lupe Valdez

Of course, none of those modifiers captures the most salient facts about sheriff-elect Lupe Valdez – that she is a seasoned law enforcement veteran with both police and administrative skills. But, darn it, besides having recommended her, we're tickled that Dallas County voters managed to shatter at least four different stereotypes in one fell swoop.

Of course, Ms. Valdez may find that winning the job over the able and well-qualified Republican Danny Chandler was the easy part. She walks into a department tainted by years of good-old-boy cronyism, if not outright corruption. She's an outsider – a plus. But she's also an outsider in a department that may greet her with some special skepticism.

Fine. A little awkwardness is OK. But only a little. The Dallas Sheriff's Department is a troubled agency with urgent and serious responsibilities to the residents who put their trust in Ms. Valdez. We call on the department's leaders to welcome the new boss, roll up their sleeves and get to work.

source: http://www.dallasnews.com/cgi-bin/bi/gold_print.cgi
-----------------------------------------
Political novices, campaign pros
They were the unlikely core of Valdez's winning race for sheriff

11:02 PM CST on Saturday, November 6, 2004
By JAMES M. O'NEILL / The Dallas Morning News
They were a motley crew. They had virtually no political campaign experience. They had relatively little money to work with.
And they won.
The group of political novices who coalesced around Democrat Lupe Valdez – the sheriff's candidate who squeezed out a stunning victory over the better-financed, better-known, better-connected Republican Danny Chandler – lacked political expertise.
-------------------------
"Lupe's success was very important for the party," said Susan Hays, the Democratic Party chairwoman for Dallas County. She noted a dearth of good, experienced campaign people in the region, and many who have worked a statewide or congressional race are not inclined to work on a local race.
"But she already had a great, energized base," Ms. Hays said. The team that formed around Ms. Valdez meshed well – not a sure thing in an election campaign, when strangers are thrown together under tense conditions.
---------------
“ Young Texas Democrats are realizing they can't just flee the Republican-controlled state for places where there are more like-minded folks. "If the tide is going to change here, we have to stay and change it ourselves," Amy Ward
---------------
source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/110704dnmetvaldezteam.43b04.html

What’s Being Written....Letters to Editor

Abilene Reporter News

All-Christian nation

November 24, 2004

When our founding fathers wrote, ''Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,'' they obviously could not imagine a world where Muslims, people of other faiths and even the godless were allowed to participate in the government of our nation and pervert our laws toward their own seditious ends.

Our revered founding fathers intended that our nation adhere solely to biblical principles. Our laws are built on the bedrock of Christian values, and society will surely crumble if we allow our laws to differ even one jot or tittle from those of the Bible. We are God's people, after all, and we must ensure that this remains a godly nation.

Given that we are a Christian nation and any deviance from Christian principles will weaken us, the expression of any non-Christian ideology will hurt America and is, in fact, an act of treason.

Surely, the question we should be asking is this: Should we criminalize non-Christian worship and the values that accompany it, or is it enough to simply exclude the godless from participation in our political and legal systems?

Let's dispense with the pretense that surrounds the debate over the separation of church and state and cut right to the chase. The United States should amend our Constitution to prohibit the expression of any non-Christian religious belief or, at the very least, disenfranchise those whose beliefs are not in keeping with the morals and values of our great nation.

J.R. Patton
Abilene

------------------
His 'own image'?

November 30, 2004

I cannot begin to describe my disappointment with the Nov. 24 letter by J.R. Patton, ''All-Christian America.''

Since Patton appears to want to remake America in his ''own image,'' I'm saddened that he did not give us a complete list of all the other things he cannot tolerate. I'm sure there are plenty of other things he could add to the list to outlaw. How about people of other races? How about all those people who speak another language besides his? Perhaps we could also find some people who belong to another political party, as well.

While we're at it, how about those who read books that he doesn't like? Shall we outlaw all the things he doesn't personally approve of?

Sorry, but when the founding fathers of this nation concluded their work, they didn't personally hand him the keys, and that is very good news for the rest of us.

Jerry Hollingsworth
Abilene
---------------------------

U.S. should avoid path of religious fanaticism
December 12, 2004

I am one of those rare Germans who are very observant of religious fanaticism of every kind, including what we Germans can only call ''pseudo-Christian madness.'' Mr. Patton starts with the false claim that the U.S. founding fathers were Christians and intended to build a Christian nation. The evidence against that claim has been produced countless times, but fundamentalists cling to their delusions because they have nothing else to cling to. He continues with the statement that ''non-Christian ideology will hurt America.'' Aaah, but what is ''non-Christian''? The Bible claims that one of Jesus' central teachings was ''love your neighbor, love your enemy. Love your enemy - think about that. But every time I take a look ''across the big pond,'' I feel a sense of disquietude at what is called ''Christianity'' in the US. All that hatred and bigotry ... did not the U.S. Christians first come up with the slogan ''What would Jesus do?''? Indeed, what would Jesus do? Preach that thou shall hate all who don't believe like you do? If so, ask yourself ... where is there any difference between you and the Muslim terrorists?!

By the way, as Mr. Patton demands the banning of any non-Christian belief from the U.S., all you readers please consider this: You Americans have been comparatively lucky. Most of the bloodshed and hatred committed in the name of the Lord has taken place here in ''old Europe'' before there even was a United States of America. In fact, it was the two of the ''big three'' monotheistic belief systems (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) that have by far the most blood on their hands. Inquisition, witch burnings, crusades, force-conversions at sword point - if people were killed without any rational reason, Christians and Muslims did it. How well off would you be indeed with only ''Christian'' beliefs? Christians all across the world can't agree on the ''right way'' to believe. Who are the ''True Christians''? Let's face it, in a way the United States is ill, and the disease is called ''religious fanaticism.'' I see no significant difference between your fundamentalists and the Islamic ones. Only that the U.S. happens to have the biggest armed forces and the most nuclear warheads in the world. Mr. Patton sees ''unbelievers'' as the cause of all evil? Well ... if anything will eventually be the downfall of the U.S. as a whole, it will be people like him. If they ever get absolute power in your nation, you will see that. We Germans learned our lesson about the consequences of fanaticism. We learned it the hard way. And thankfully, the U.S. helped us learn it. I honestly fear that the time will come soon when we can repay that debt ... because then, the small majority of your voters will have created a situation where it's irrevocably ''the U.S. against the world.'' Don't underestimate the power of the whole world. With some cynicism, I dare say ''We tried it once, and we can tell you, the world is very strong.''
Thore Schmechtig,
Gifhorn, Germany

-----------------
With the heretics

December 7, 2004

All too often, I can only conclude that the depths of human intolerance and ignorance are bottomless pits.

There was an appalling letter to the editor in the Nov. 24 Abilene Reporter-News, ''All-Christian nation.'' Its premise is such an insane attack upon the Bill of Rights that I first thought it must be a very sick joke.

Apparently, the author's self-professed ''Christian values'' are such that he seriously advocates constitutionally outlawing as treason any practice, expression or utterance of a non-Christian religious belief in the United States.

He specifically named Muslims but included ''people of other faiths'' and the ''godless'' to be among our country's internal enemies, those who pervert what should be laws based solely upon the Bible and erode the Christian fundamental bedrock of our nation with their lies and sedition.

I seem to recall that treason is a hanging offense.

Rather than disenfranchising Americans whom certain Christians find to be offensive, why not follow the precedent of Nazi Germany? Round up the heretics into death camps.

Paul Suddath
Abilene

---------------
Radical thinking

December 7, 2004

J.R. Patton and his ''All-Christian nation'' letter of Nov. 24 is enough to scare anyone to death. His thinking is no different from the Middle East Muslim extremists. They hate Christians and Jews, and Patton's ideas show hate for everyone who is not a Christian.

The sad part about it is that his ideas are the thinking of the right-wing religious groups of this country, who make up much of the Republican Party.

It is time for ordinary people of this country, both nationally and locally, to stand up against this radical right-wing ''religious'' thinking.

A.J. Dickerson
Brownwood

-----------------------

Sound familar ?

Monday November 1, 2004
Historian: Presidential campaigns continuing to evolve
By Gene Deason -- Brownwood Bulletin
 Hearing political campaigners claim an opponent would tear down churches, dissolve marriage and force all women into prostitution sounds extreme, even for today's rough-and-tumble world of politics. But such a tactic was business as usual for those backing top presidential candidates in 1800.

Those were some of the outrageous claims made by those supporting President John Adams, America's second commander-in-chief, as they sought a second term for him against Thomas Jefferson, according to historian Dr. Paul F. Boller Jr., professor emeritus of history at Texas Christian University. The Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom at Howard Payne University hosted Boller for an election season appearance in classes and at a luncheon Thursday to help put today's presidential campaign tactics into perspective.
High school students from Blanket, Brady, Lingleville, Rochelle, Star and Stephenville attended the luncheon, and everyone presented received a complimentary autographed copy of Boller's most recent book, "Presidential Anecdotes" (Oxford University Press).
Jefferson, of course, prevailed in 1800, despite such vicious electioneering. But Jefferson's supporters didn't exactly take the high road themselves, however. Boller noted that they labeled President Adams as a fool, a hypocrite and a licentious tyrant.

for entire article visit: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2004/11/01/news/news04.txt

Similar to Brownwood 1996 ! Leon Laureles ?

Ex-high school football star set to die
Inmate to be executed for '94 robbery, killing of gay man in Houston
09:15 PM CST on Monday, November 8, 2004
Associated Press

LIVINGSTON, Texas – As the star quarterback for his Houston high school football team, Demarco McCullum was accustomed to getting his name in the newspaper.
Where he got in trouble was when reports of his exploits moved from the sports section to the news section. As a result, he traded a college athletic scholarship for a cell on Texas' death row.
Mr. McCullum, 30, was set to die tonight for the abduction, robbery, beating and fatal shooting of a gay man in Houston 10 years ago.
"I realize when I look back, you're young, you go out, you're not mature – which I wasn't, you fail to look beyond the moment," he said from a small cage in the visiting area of death row at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Polunsky Unit near Livingston. "I did not have my eyes on the future."
Instead, prosecutors said, it was quick and easy money that Mr. McCullum and three of his football-playing buddies were seeking when they approached Michael Burzinski, 29, outside a Houston gay club the night of July 30, 1994.
Mr. Burzinski, who had moved to Houston from Toledo, Ohio, was beaten and taken away in his own car, forced to withdraw $400 from an automated bank machine, then shot in the back of the head. His body was dumped in north Harris County, miles from where he was abducted, and the car was abandoned and torched three blocks from where one of his attackers lived.
A reward posted for information in the case prompted a tip to a Crimestoppers phone line. Mr. McCullum was arrested the day he was supposed to leave for Tyler Junior College, where he had been given a football scholarship.
"It was the first time I'd ever been in a courtroom," he said of his court appearance. "When they said: 'The State of Texas vs. Demarco McCullum,' I kind of froze."
Also arrested were Terrance Perro, Decedrick Gainous and Christopher Lewis. Mr. Gainous, who was to have played football with Mr. McCullum at Tyler Junior College, and Mr. Perro received life prison terms.
Mr. Lewis testified against Mr. McCullum and got a 15-year sentence.
In a statement that defense attorneys argued was coerced by police, Mr. McCullum said he shot Mr. Burzinski "because that is what everybody said I should do."
"I wish my mother had made me stay home that night," he added. "I feel terrible about what happened."
He disputed accusations that he and his companions were hunting for homosexuals because they believed gays had money and targeted Houston's Montrose neighborhood, known as an area frequented by gays.
Mr. McCullum grew up in Seminary, Miss., a town of 400 north of Hattiesburg, and moved in 1990 to Houston, where he went to Aldine High School. By the time he graduated in 1994, his football prowess earned him "Mr. Aldine" honors from his school.
He didn't have convictions, but authorities tied him to a series of shootings, robberies and assaults that summer.
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected a clemency plea. Mr. McCullum's lawyer, David Schulman, said appeals were exhausted.
Mr. McCullum would be the 21st Texas inmate put to death this year and the first of two this week. He was to be followed to the death chamber 24 hours later by Frederick McWilliams, convicted of fatally shooting a man in Houston while stealing a car.
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