Brownwood Police Chief: "elected on a popularity contest"

Victor Cristales / Reporter-News
Brownwood Police Department Police Chief Virgil Cowin, left, talks with Cpl. Troy Carroll on Friday in his office in the Brown County and City of Brownwood Law Enforcement Center. While most cities in the state have an appointed system for choosing their police chief, Cowin is one of only five elected police chiefs in the state.
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Picking Who's in Charge
San Angelo voters to decide whether to ditch police chief election
By Nicole C. Brambila / Scripps West Texas Newspapers
April 30, 2005
Of the five Texas cities that still elect their police chiefs, most have fewer than 20,000 people.
But not San Angelo.
With more than 88,000 people, San Angelo is by far the largest municipality in Texas that still elects its top law enforcer. Voters will decide May 7 whether to scrap the current system and opt for an appointed chief instead.
The practice of electing a chief dates to the late 1800s, when most municipalities elected a marshal. It largely died out with the adoption of city charters by the mid-1900s.

Proponents of an appointed system in Brownwood, Coleman, Stamford, Groves and San Angelo - which still elect their chiefs - contend a change would bring more accountability and expertise to the office.

''You're basically getting elected on a popularity contest ... and that doesn't make you qualified for the job,'' said Brownwood Mayor Bert Massey. ''The mayor and city council are almost without tools to see anything done in the police department.''

rest of story...

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Brownwood Jail Death:''Medically, that is not considered a heart attack.''

Report: Inmate had meth in his system
Man collapsed after arrest in Brownwood
By Celinda Emison / Reporter-News Staff Writer
April 30, 2005
''He died of cardiac arythmia, which is an alteration of the normal rhythm of the heart,'' said Dr. Elizabeth Peacock of the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office. ''Medically, that is not considered a heart attack.''
source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/nw_local/article/0,1874,ABIL_7959_3741606,00.html
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rest of story...

Brownwood to Pilot Point: Small Town Politics & Football

For those interested in viewing the local sports discussion as they relate to the story reported below visit www.cityofbrownwood.com ( All Forums BISD SPORTS Brownwoodlions.com.... religious zealots or? ) and research the postings of The Real Rocket, hoot_baker, JTF, and Maroon Thru-n-thru !
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Football is king, but crown is slipping
Pilot Point weathers UIL troubles, scathing e-mails, coaching turnover
10:49 PM CDT on Friday, April 29, 2005
By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News
PILOT POINT – Football is all that counts.
That's the theme of a January e-mail exchange between Pilot Point High School football coaches. It was part of a string of e-mails – some racist, some sexist, many anti-administration – that revealed the unseemly side of a program that has brought pride and conflict to this northeast Denton County town.
The program has endured a series of recent controversies, including the e-mails, published in a local newspaper; several University Interscholastic League rules violations; and a power struggle that resulted in the resignation of legendary coach G.A. Moore. The UIL plans an investigation that could result in significant sanctions.
Principal Steve Whiffen said that the emphasis on football has divided the community for years, and that anybody perceived to be an obstacle to the football program's progress has been subjected to vicious, personal attacks.
"Frankly, it's time for us to reassess our priorities as a community and as a school district," said Mr. Whiffen, who has been at Pilot Point for six years. "It's time for us to focus on kids and our mission of opening doors of opportunity for children. It is time for us to stop using children."
Mr. Moore, the state's all-time wins leader in football, was considered the program's savior when he returned to his alma mater three years ago after winning five state titles and his final 57 games at rival Celina. It was his third stint at Pilot Point, which Mr. Moore led to state titles in 1980 and '81.
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The e-mails
Excerpts published by the Denton Record-Chronicle of e-mail exchanges between Mr. Russell and his assistant coaches indicated a disdain for sports other than football. The e-mails were written after Mr. Russell, who declined to comment, was promoted Jan. 10.
Darren Hall and Mike Segleski, who is also the head track coach, sent e-mails encouraging Mr. Russell to fire several coaches. Mr. Friday was a frequent target of criticism. Mr. Hall, who also resigned, expressed disappointment about the success of Mr. Friday's girls basketball team in one e-mail.
Other material in the e-mails included racial epithets and sexual innuendo about students and derogatory comments about administrators and board members.
--------------------
Mr. Whiffen and Glen Ray, the vice president of the school board, said the recent developments are part of a disturbing trend. They describe a community divided between a local legend's loyal followers, including several players who won state championships under Mr. Moore, and an administration that was criticized for not granting Mr. Moore autonomy.
"It's just small-town politics," said Mr. Ray, a 1979 graduate who played in the marching band.
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The new Pilot Point
Much had changed in Pilot Point since Mr. Moore left in 1986. The school had moved from Class 2A to 3A. It no longer is a rural town known primarily for horse ranches and high school football.
New homes have been built, and new people moved in, many of whom were commuters with no local ties. Some are more passionate about fine arts than football, said Mark Foster, the school board president, who moved from New York in 1981.
"I think sports are an awesome thing because they teach discipline," said Amanda Watson, a math teacher whose son played football. "But I think we focus on the wrong things around here. I want my kids to grow up and be successful because of their education."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/043005dnspopilotpoint_.5db5a8a1.html
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Scandal shaving coach's state record
8 victories have been subtracted, and UIL is seeking more
10:49 PM CDT on Friday, April 29, 2005
By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News
PILOT POINT – G.A. Moore is losing his lead over Gordon Wood on the list of winningest football coaches in state history.
Mr. Moore surpassed Mr. Wood in 2002 with his 397th victory and had a 412-83-9 record when he announced his retirement from Pilot Point in December. Since then, Mr. Moore has been forced to forfeit eight wins, and more forfeits are a possibility.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/highschools/topstories/stories/043005dnspopilotsider.5db5bca0.html
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Pilot Point e-mail excerpts

05:13 PM CDT on Thursday, April 28, 2005

E-MAIL EXCERPTS
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story contains material that might be offensive to some readers. The following are excerpts of e-mails sent on the Pilot Point school district computer system over the names of members of the Pilot Point High School coaching staff and obtained by the Denton Record-Chronicle through a Freedom of Information Act request. The e-mails were written by Mike Russell, who resigned last week after being hired to become head football coach and athletic director upon the retirement of G.A. Moore; Darren Hall, an assistant football coach who resigned this week; Mike Segleski, track coach and assistant football coach; and Stephen Riddle, an assistant football coach. All the e-mails were sent since the beginning of the year. The Record-Chronicle did not change any grammar, capitalization or spellings. The newspaper has removed obscenities, racial epithets and the names of other coaches mentioned in the e-mail conversations. School officials redacted the names of students before releasing the e-mails.
Jan. 13:
Segleski: So what are you saying Hall?
Hall: School board members are the DEVIL reincarnated!
Russell: Heard GA [Moore] might run for Board here!
Hall: [Racial epithet] has my vote!
Russell: They also talked about his buddy the Old principal --- Would be a great pair - That meey/ting the other night only made the Natives more restless - They are now PISSED!
Hall: Let’s start over - completely! Fire everyone, except us [racial epithet]s, and rebuild with our kind of folk!
Russell: They plan to attack every week! - No rest for this board.
Hall: Any time frame on notifying the girls side of the "big" news?
Russell: Originally Friday - probably next Tuesday.
Hall: Sounds great.
Jan. 14
Russell: Where is Hall at?
Segleski: He’s on his bell to bell thing again.
Russell: Tell him it’s Friday.
Hall: I don’t like Friday - if ya know what I mean.
Segleski: You bringing the game of Yahtzee for you, goober and gomer to play on the way to Pottsboro?
Hall: It’s called "Who’s the Moron?" I’ll win cause I’m having to be around them - but they’ll be a close second.
Segleski: Ya’ll all going to be sitting in one seat?
Hall: BOYS< ya’ll have failed to realize that I’ll be on a bus with lots of young ladies. I’ll be busy impressing them with my Fully-Loaded - vocabulary.
Russell: They will hope Xxxxx misses the bus!
Jan. 19
Hall: Just start firing the "rusty" out of everyone. Get on a roll and piss’ em all off early.
Segleski: Yeah, just do it. We’re behind you.
Russell: You boys will probably start hiding when you see me!
Hall: If you notice, me and Seg are always going opposite of you in the afternoon. I can’t wait to get to b-ball nowadays.
Segleski: Did you just say that?
Hall: NO, I didn’t say I like b-ball just wanted to go over and stand watch. Russell could drop the big bomb any minute and any person around - I thought he might drop it on Xxxxx yesterday.
Segleski: Russell is going to start firing admin now too. Hey, can you get me fired from teaching and just let me coach?
Hall: The Grey Ghost is asking about coaching changes at PPHS on Allsports.
Segleski: Should we ask if he’s gay again or what he does with school board members?
Russell: Does he not have a clue who you are?
Segleski: No clue. He always as me have you seen what they are saying about me.
Russell: Poor guy!
Hall: He told Xxxxx yesterday that he didn’t think Xxxxx would ahve a job here next year.
Russell: Wonder why!
Hall: She had 20 questions for me this morning about it. I just gave a quick "Rusty" and grabbed my crotch and walked away.
Jan. 21
Hall: PP_BEARCAT just emailed me and said that Xxxxx was in charge of the girls and that Russell was in charge of the guys and he was told this by a school board member. Russell has nothing to do with the girls program.
Russell: WRONG!
Hall: That roundball stuff is gonna be hard to fill. You hear PP, you think football.
Russell: That is the way we want it - Just like the other night leaving - I heard Xxxxx say - B-ball doesn’t matter - Football is all that counts.
Jan. 25
Russell: Xxxxx came in today with his Graffitti Notebook I turned into Xxxxx last week - Complete with Gang Signs - Says he is now going to turn in his work so he can pass - Fat Rusty chance since he made 55 1st Semester.
Segleski: ditto for World Geography for him. I’ll have him for a 3rd go around next year.
Russell: We need to find a Baseball Coach - Know of any?
Segleski: All of my coaching buddies hate it as much as bball. If Hall doesn’t start taking to us, let’s give it to him.
Jan. 26
Russell (to Hall): Silicon Challenge - Can you tell a real pair from a fake one [Pictures of breasts].
Russell: My A/C is not working - would like to open door and air out room - too many Idiots going to lunch - Everybody stops and hollers ...
Hall: My air is set at 66!!!!!! The girls don’t like it. The guys do!!!!!!!!!!!! [Racial epithet] is about 6 points away from being mentally retarded.
Russell: Got my weekly headache today - GA showed up today ...
Jan. 28
Hall: Xxxxx took a starters pistol into his Supt’s office one day when he found out the Supt wanted to confront him on his off-season/powerlifting/track workouts that he had every day for every kid in athletics. He said he pulled it out and said "This is my
GD athletic program and I’ll run it is I see fit" Supt, thanked him for coming and said Keep up the good work!
Russell: What a great approach!
Hall: We are watching the sex video in class -- Got several fresh girls that are making comments about how it didn’t really happen that way.
Russell: Have them summarize their findings
Jan. 31
Russell: Xxxxx got her nails done Friday nite - The little Vietnamese girl that does them must be making too much money - She had her eyes done so that she had less slant - now she is going to have breast implants - Hunt would have wood!
Feb. 2
Hall: I know Xxxxx don’t like the work ethic -or like of-of these kids. He may just not be real happy about anything right now.
Russell: Need to get rid of this bunch - Also I know he wants the Girls – Xxxxx needs to change sceneries - Maybe Ponder.
Feb. 7
Russell: Tom and I can take care of the throwers////weight groups!////Big BUTTS
Segleski: So Xxxxx will be with you?
Russell: We need to call him little.
Feb. 8
Hall: Xxxxx, I regret to inform you that your daughter needs to apply at Hooters cause her talents don’t lie in the area of softball.
Russell: What? Will she be a COOK?
Feb. 11
Hall: for b-ball game vs. W’boro Bearcats -Love getting beat by the PotHead Bearcats.
If you breed the two you might get a decent athlete who likes to smoke the "Ganja from the Motherland" Wait a minute - I resemble that remark.
Hall: Xxxxx is sitting here-would you like to help him with his jump shot.
Riddle: Tell him nobody is watching.
Hall: Tell him that every game is against Pottsboro, and he’ll score 30
Riddle: Tell him the lights are off and everyone has gone home.
Russell: He showed up at 7:50-Hall talked to him-Came to me-He thinks he was still loaded-Very talkative and mouthy -Not like typical Xxxxx.
Feb. 15
Russell: ...GA also knows of a possible 6-3 soph from Frisco that may look at moving here.
Danny Joe David: Keep on Hall about his buddy. We got to get some athletes in here. ...
Feb. 16
Russell: Just got an e-mail from coach in Sherman-Old PP name-looking for a job-has three sons-Do not know ages.
Hall: We only have two more visitation days this month-Maybe wait til March-supposed to get 3 extra days then.
Russell: GA is fulltime recruiter -NO LIMITS
Segleski: Are we allowed to send him on the road or is this one of those months they can just come to our campus?
Feb. 17
Russell: He came by - not getting much help out of him on some things-mentioned that he did not want to run for the Board-told him about Calhoun not going to be here on Fri-Told him we were short handed-He said that he didn’t want to run or the Board because he might coach again-Said Denton Liberty had talked to him-I need to talk to Cloyce. ...
Feb. 18
Hall: I say we all go-one hand on your peckers, the other on a resignation letter-let them figure out how to put on track meets without coaches.
Segleski: My hands not long enough, it’ll take two where am I going to put the resignation letter
Hall: Tell the supt to let Corky run his own track meets-His girls ain’t invited!
Segleski: He won’t do anything to upset the Cork.
Hall: Let that pear-shaped little [expletive] to do his own thing.
Hall: May quit coaching and be a straight teacher-get involved in all these extra programs and be on all those committees.
Russell: I would haul PIG [expletive]-before I would be a full-time teacher for Xxxxx.
Feb. 21
Hall: Saw this posted on Allsports. Pilot Point one win away from Regional Tourny...I tell you what, if they get to the Regional Tourny, we need to get rid of that coach, that just proves that he can’t do his job...oops the School Board approved for his contract to be renewed... DANG, Guess we’ll have to sit through another WINNING SEASON next year.
Feb. 22
[After discussing Bremond opening]
Hall: BREEMONDD 1A in south central... Got lots of speed-good mix of white germans and dark [racial epithet]!
March 4
Hall: This ain’t gonna be a abd place when we get everyone fired or killed off.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/longterm/stories/042905dnspoemails.2225133ad.html
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rest of story...

Define " Gas Gouging " & Blowing Smoke ?

In last nights press conference President Bush stated: " There will be no price gouging at gas pumps in America.",
the same day the world's largest publicly traded oil company, Exxon Mobil Corp., announced that its profit for the first three months of the year had risen 44 percent to $7.86 billion from the corresponding quarter a year ago.

Does " no more price gouging " begin today for the oil companies now that their bank accounts are
stuffed to the gills ?

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APRIL 28, 2005   
COMMENTARY
By John Carey

Bush Is Blowing Smoke on Energy

Hitting all the points in a noted GOP pollster's playbook, the President's plan is driven by politics not policy. Worse, it won't cut oil dependency.

rest of story...

Wells Said, Well Said, Well Said

Hot-Button Issues: Texas doesn't need these laws
Dallas Morning News Editorial
12:03 AM CDT on Friday, April 29, 2005

The culture war is surfacing in Austin. The big national debates over gay marriage and abortion have arrived in the form of three controversial bills in the Legislature:
Gay marriages and civil unions
Like many Texans, legislators are uncomfortable with the state approving marriages among gay and lesbian couples. It was no surprise then that 101 House members voted Monday for a constitutional amendment to ban such marriages.
The surprise was that the amendment also could forbid civil unions. When the Senate takes up this proposal, the chamber should make sure the amendment doesn't do so. Civil unions allow gays to do practical things like make medical decisions for their partners without granting their unions the same sanctity as marriage.
We hope the Senate thinks practically here. If a gay man goes into a coma because of a stroke, it makes sense that his committed partner has the legal right to guide his care.
Parental approval of an abortion
The House State Affairs Committee voted Monday to require a pregnant teenager to secure her parents' consent before getting an abortion. This newspaper supports requiring teens to notify their parents before having an abortion, but requiring a parent's consent goes too far. Whether or not any of us likes it, desperate teens will get abortions, and some will go straight to the back alley if they must get their parents' permission.
What's more, the legislation would make it a crime for anyone to coerce a child into an abortion. If this provision passes, parents could get hauled into court for strongly urging their child to end a pregnancy. How can the state demand that parents be responsible for the choice, and then penalize them if they make a particular choice? That, in effect, coerces teens to bear unwanted children.
Pharmacists' conscience clause
The House State Affairs Committee also has considered legislation to let pharmacists opt out of filling a patient's prescription for birth control or the "morning after" pill. We respect pharmacists who face this dilemma, but they could remain true to their beliefs by simply allowing a colleague to fill the prescription. "Texans won't benefit if they have to worry whether their pharmacist's values clash with their prescriptions," we wrote last year. We still think that, and urge the committee to stop this bill.
We understand why these bills are moving in Austin. Many Texans feel strongly about these issues. But they don't make for good law.
source:http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/042905dnediculturewar.5802c06a.html
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Religion, Politics & The Big Country

Thursday, April 28, 2005 · Last updated 7:24 p.m. PT
Text of Bush's press conference-Part I

Q: Mr. President, recently the head of the Family Research Council said that judicial filibusters are an attack against people of faith. And I wonder whether you believe that, in fact, that is what is nominating Democrats who oppose your judicial choices. And I wonder what you think, generally, about the role that faith is playing, how it's being used in our political debates right now.
BUSH: I think people are opposing my nominees because they don't like the judicial philosophy of the people I've nominated. And some would like to see judges legislate from the bench. That's not my view of the proper role of a judge.
Speaking about judges, I certainly hope my nominees get an up-or- down vote on the floor of the Senate.
They deserve an up-or-down vote.
I think, for the sake of fairness, these good people I've nominated should get a vote. And I'm hoping that will be the case as time goes on.
Role of religion in our society? I view religion as a personal matter. I think a person ought to be judged on how he or she lives his life or lives her life.
And that's how I've tried to live my life: through example.
Faith plays an important part in my life individually. But I don't ascribe a person's opposing my nominations to an issue of faith.
Q: Do you think that's an inappropriate statement? And what I ask is ...
BUSH: No, I just don't agree with it.
Q: You don't agree with it?
BUSH: No. I think people oppose my nominees because of judicial philosophy.
Q: Sir, I asked you about what you think of ...
BUSH: No, I know what you asked me.
Q: ... the way faith is being used in our political debates, not just in society generally.
BUSH: Well, I can only speak to myself. And I am mindful that people in political office should say to somebody, You're not equally American if you don't happen to agree with my view of religion.
As I said, I think faith is a personal issue. And I take great strength from my faith. But I don't condemn somebody in the political process because they may not agree with me on religion.
The great thing about America is that you should be allowed to worship any way you want. And if you chose not to worship, you're equally as patriotic as somebody who does worship. And if you choose to worship, you're equally American if you're a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim.
And that's the wonderful thing about our country and that's the way it should be.
source: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apwashington_story.asp?category=1151&slug=Bush%20Text%20I
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Letter to the editor - abilene reporter news

Dems and liberty
April 29, 2005
I do not understand why Ernest Wiatrek is so confused. He wrote on April 20 that Democrats today are ''secular, elitist, and confrontational . ... why must they assault our religious liberty?'' Democrats ''bellyache'' not against the First Amendment, but in protection of it.
Dave Haigler, whose letter prompted the attack, is a Christian and religious liberty defense lawyer. Our founding fathers knew there had to be neutrality at the federal level so all could participate in government, not just different denominations running each different state. How much more important is this today in an America represented by more faiths than Christianity? Voluntary prayer at football games is a giant step in that direction that I applaud as a Democrat. Mandatory, or teacher-led, prayer in the school crosses the line of ''free exercise.''
Democrats realize that everyone in the country is not a Christian and wishes to exercise their faith the way that is appropriate for them. I did not support Chief Justice Roy Moore, who displayed the Ten Commandments display illegally, when there was an appropriate (and legal) route he could have taken. He made himself a martyr, though, as he furthered the religious right's cause to interpret free expression in a way that excludes other beliefs.
Thank God we live in a nation where religious liberty is important and maintained by the Constitution.
Lauren Edwards
Abilene
source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/op_letters_editor/article/0,1874,ABIL_7984_3738151,00.html
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Note: I agree with the President and Lauren Edwards view on the issue of faith. My question to the President would be, did all of Clinton's Judicial Nominees get a "up or down" vote and why are the Republicans trying to change the Filibuster rules. President Bush has had more than 95% of his Judical Nominees approved by Congress. Is this approval rate one of the highest rates for any U.S. President ?

What's being Written......Austin, Brownwood to Pasadena

Put the children first
Re: April 20 article, "Bill puts kibosh on gay foster parenting":
If state Rep. Robert Talton is really concerned about Texas children, why is he focusing on the sexual orientation of potential foster parents? What about the reason we need foster parents in the first place: the epidemic of child abuse in this country? Where is the increased support for families at risk, treatment of abusers and public education? Does he believe that it is better for a child to be molested, beaten or starved than to grow up with gay parents? Does he believe that it's better for a child to die than to think that homosexuality is OK?
Child abuse is a complicated problem with many causes. Protecting children takes organization, cooperation, strong social systems and good science.
Homosexuality is a much easier issue. The argument involves both sex and God, which makes it terribly exciting. Why get bogged down trying to really help children when there's fighting to be done?
KATIE BUCHANAN
Austin
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/04/28Letters_edit.html
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Thursday April 28, 2005
News
Mother arrested for drugs; boy, 3, removed from home
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin
 Lawmen found a 3-year-old boy at home with his pregnant mother Tuesday when they served a search and arrest warrant in the 2400 block of Waco in Brownwood and found methamphetamine, marijuana and firearms, authorities said.
The boy's mother was arrested on drug charges, and Child Protective Services workers took the boy from the home, sheriff's investigator Tony Aaron said.
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/28/news/news01.txt
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rest of story...

Politicians, Courage & Covering Butts

Waco Tribune Herald - Editorial: A courageous vote
Wednesday, April 27, 2005

House Joint Resolution 6, which would amend the Texas Constitution to ban gay marriage, is unnecessary. Texas does not recognize gay marriage or civil unions. Case closed. Yet 101 members of the Texas House voted Monday for HJR 6. Why? Because it's good politics.
For that reason, State Rep. Jim Dunnam deserves great credit for voting "no." So doing, he is guaranteed to have the vote used against him on the campaign trail. For that reason, quite a few opponents who know this bill wasdubious counted the votes and fled for the other side.
Lawmakers should always choose principle and reject unnecessary legislation. Proponents of this bill have chosen to stage political theater to paint themselves as "pro-family" or opponents as "pro-homosexual."
It's pure posturing. When legislation is redundant, pointless and distracting, as with HJR 6, lawmakers should vote "no."
source: http://www.wacotrib.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2005/04/27/20050427waceditorial_2.html
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Texas Representative Senfronia Thompson's(D-Houston) remarks from the House floor on Monday debating the gay marriage amendment (HJR 6).

I have been a member of this august body for three decades, and today is one
of the all-time low points. We are going in the wrong direction, in the
direction of hate and fear and discrimination. Members, we all know what
this is about, this is the politics of divisiveness at its worst, a wedge
issue that is meant to divide.
Members, this issue is a distraction from the real things we need to be
working on. At the end of this session, this Legislature, this Leadership
will not be able to deliver the people of Texas, fundamental and fair
answers to the pressing issues of our day.
Let's look at what this amendment does not do: It does not give one Texas
citizen meaningful tax relief. It does not reform or fully fund our
education system. It does not restore one child to CHIP, who was cut from
health insurance last session. It does not put one dime into raising Texas'
Third World access to health care. It does not do one thing to care for or
protect one elderly person or one child in this state. In fact, it does not
even do anything to protect one marriage.
Members, this bill is about hate and fear and discrimination. I know
something about hate and fear and discrimination. When I was a small girl,
white folks used to talk about "protecting the institution of marriage" as
well. What they meant was if people of my color tried to marry people of Mr.
Chisum's color, you'd often find the people of my color hanging from a tree.
That's what the white folks did back then to "protect marriage." Fifty years
ago, white folks thought inter-racial marriages were a "threat to the
institution of marriage." Members, I'm a Christian and a proud Christian. I
read the good book, and do my best to live by it. I have never read the
verse where it says, "gay people can't marry." I have never read the verse
where it says, "thow shalt discriminate against those not like me." I have
never read the verse where it says, "let's base our public policy on hate
and fear and discrimination." Christianity to me is love and hope and faith
and forgiveness- not hate and discrimination.
I have served in this body a lot of years-and I have seen a lot of promises
broken. I should be up here demanding my 40 acres and a mule because that's
another promise you broke. You used a wealthy white minister cloaked in the
cloth to ease the stench of that form of discrimination.
So, now that blacks and women can vote, and now that blacks and women have
equal rights-you turn your hatred to homosexuals- and you still use your
misguided reading of the Bible to justify your hatred. You want to pass this
ridiculous amendment so you can go home and brag...brag about what? Declare
that you saved the people of Texas from what? Persons of the same sex cannot
get married in this State now. Texas does not now recognize same-sex
marriages, civil unions, religious unions, domestic partnerships,
contractual arrangements or Christian blessings entered into in this State-
or anywhere else on this planet Earth.
If you want to make your hateful political statements then that is one
thing, but the Chisum amendment does real harm. It repeals the contracts
that
many single people have paid thousands of dollars to purchase to obtain
medical powers of attorney, powers of attorney, hospital visitation, joint
ownership and support agreements. You have lost your way- this is obscene.
Today, you are playing to the lowest common denominator- you are putting
aside the real issues of substance that we need to address so that you can
instead play on the public's fears and prejudices to deceive and manipulate
voters into thinking that we have done something important.
I realize that gay rights are not the same as civil rights-but I can
guarantee you we are going in the wrong direction. I can not hide my skin
color. In fact, in most of the South, people as pink as Rep. Wayne Smith
were still Black by law if they had a great grandparent who was African. I
was unable to attend an integrated and equally funded school until I got my
Master of Laws degree. There were separate and unequal facilities
for nearly everything.
I got second-hand textbooks even worse than the kind you're trying to pass
off on every public school student next year. I had to ride to school on the
back of the bus. I had to quench my thirst from filthy coloreds-only
drinking fountains. I had to enter restaurants from the kitchen door. I was
banned from entering most public accommodations, even from serving on a
jury.
I had to live with the fear that getting too uppity could get you killed ---
or worse. I know what third-class citizenship feels like. In my first term,
one of my colleagues walked up and down this aisle muttering about how
"Nigras" should be back in the field picking cotton instead of picking out
committees.
So, I have to wonder about Rep. Chisum's 3/5 of a person amendment. Some of
you folks hid behind your Bible then, too, to justify your cultural
prejudices, your denial of liberty, and your gunpoint robbery of human
dignity.
We have worked hard at putting our prejudices against homosexuals in law. We
have denied them basic job protections. We have denied them and their
children freedom from bullying and harassment at school. We have tried to
criminalize their very existence.
But, we have also absolved them of all family duties and responsibilities:
to care for and support their spouses and children, to count their family's
assets in determining public assistance, to obtain health insurance for
dependents, to make end-of-life or necessary medical decisions for their
life partners---sometimes even to visit in the hospital,
even to defend our own country. And then, we can stand on our two hind legs
and proclaim, "See, I told you homosexual families are unstable." And nearly
every one of you on this Floor has a homosexual in their extended families.
Some of you have shunned and isolated these family members. Some of you,
even some of the joint co-authors, have embraced them within your own family
for the essence of Christianity is love. Yet, you are now poised to
constitutionalize discrimination against a particular class of people.
I thought we would be debating real issues: education, health care for kids,
teacher's health insurance, health care for the elderly, protecting
survivors of sexual assault, protecting the pensions of seniors in nursing
homes. I thought we would be debating economic development, property tax
relief, protecting seniors pensions and stem cell research, to save lives of
Texans who are waiting for a more abundant life. Instead we are wasting this
body's time with this political stunt that is nothing more than
constitutionalizing discrimination. The prejudices exhibited by members of
this body disgust me.
Last week, Republicans used a political wedge issue to pull kids -sweet
little vulnerable kids- out of the homes of loving parents and put them back
in a state orphanage just because those parents are gay. That's disgusting.
Today, we are telling homosexuals that just like people of my ilk, when I
was a small child, they too are second class citizens. I have listened to
all the arguments. I have listened to all of the crap.
Mr. Chisum is a person who I consider my good friend and revere. But, I
want you to know that this amendment is blowing smoke to fuel the hell-fire
flames of bigotry. You are trying to protect your constituents from danger.
This amendment is a CYB amendment for you to go home and talk about.
----------
CYB - Cover Your Butt

Brownwood Jail Deaths

Thursday April 28, 2005
Op Ed: Letters To The Editor
Substance abusers are people, too
Dear Editor:
Thanks to Steve Nash for finally giving comprehensive coverage to the recent jail death in Brownwood. The story was barely mentioned on KTXS-TV and poorly covered in the Abilene Reporter-News. Those stories left more questions than answers.
On the face of it, if we assume that everyone is telling the truth, there was no apparent misconduct by Brown County officials. However, it is difficult to assume, in today's climate, that everyone is telling the truth. I have difficulty, for example, understanding how a handcuffed detainee, in the screened back portion of a patrol car, can continue to be "combative." What would such a person be fighting with, the window?
At any rate, I'd also like to thank your writer for the mention of the other deaths that occurred at the jail. It is interesting to me that all three deaths were connected with the charge of public intoxication.
It would seem to me that it would be a good idea for Brown County law enforcement officials to revise their policies on medical evaluation and treatment of prisoners. While persons who abuse substances are obviously not usually wonderful citizens in their addictions, they do have lives, and often hurt no one but themselves. Society considers them a nuisance, as they often well may be, but sometimes, if they survive, they do get better. And, last time I checked, public intoxication was not a capital crime.
Tom McDaniel
Clyde
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/28/op_ed/letters_to_the_editor/letter01.txt
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rest of story...

Nash joins in on the "Condoms & Cucumbers" Bandwagon ? or "Tea & Crumpets" ?

" There is another bill in the works that would require condoms be made available to male inmates in state-run prisons." Steve Nash

Thursday April 28, 2005
Op Ed: Columnist
No harm, no foul -- just crumpets, cats and Lassie -- Steve Nash
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/28/op_ed/columnist/opinion05.txt
----------------------------
What's Nash not telling you ? Read below.........

"Prisons are the only place in the community where you can't protect yourself," Walker says. "There's no way you could practice this idiotic reasoning except with prisoners. That should not be the attitude -- these folks will be returning to the community."
In fact, according to Hennessey, 98 percent of the inmate population gets out again, going back to their lovers, homes, neighborhoods, friends, wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, not to mention meeting new ones. It's a statistic he calls "one of the best-kept secrets of the criminal justice system."
"You don't see that on TV," says Hennessey. "You see people arrested in the news, or on television shows, you see people walked away and given sentences. But the fact of the matter is almost all of them eventually get out and come back into the various communities. People come out who either obtained the disease in prison or were diseased before they were in prison and now they're getting back out, and I think it's to the community's benefit to understand better how to prevent the spread of disease."

rest of story...

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Note to Nash, We are honored that you continue to visit our soapbox blog. We've noticed that you've picked up on our postings and have entertwined them in your columns. ex: UFO's ! Good for you.......By the way, I've always wanted to meet someone who could "Identify" every object they've ever seen !

Perhaps you could identify these !

http://stevesmarketanddeli.com/2005/04/brownwood-hunting.htm
http://stevesmarketanddeli.com/2005/04/afternoon-lilly-steves.htm
http://stevesmarketanddeli.com/2005/02/hootbaker-bustin-out-deception.htm

check back daily for updated list !

Secret Service Investigating * Presidential Threats Heard on Brownwood's KXYL ?

* The threats were directed at President Clinton by callers to KXYL.
--------------------------
How Do You Spell "DUMB?" Air America's Randi Rhodes' Assassination Humor
by Joe Gandelman
You have to wonder when radio talk show hosts on the left and right make jokes about murdering political leaders or foes whether they have a mental problem — or a mental to begin with.
Don't they read the PAPERS and see what kinds of crazy people we have out there? And I'm not just talking about the ones in Congress.

Posted on April 27, 2005 | Permalink | 1 Trackbacks

(link)TheWebHead (mail):
Joe, not sure if you actually listened to Randi's show today, but she's in Florida, the bit was produced in New York. She knew nothing about it, has apologized so profusely it actually has become annoying, and the bit actually makes no reference to Bush. Yeah, someone could misconstrue the old man talking about a president instead of a young guy trying to privatize his SS, but it doesn't appear to be their honest intent. You contrast this with the clear comments G. Gordon Liddy, Ann Coulter, etc. had made in the past with direct death threats to then President Clinton, or the recent threats by DeLay and Cornin against federal judges, there's a clear difference... Though I guess that doesn't fit the agenda to squash any liberal voices from the airwaves.
4.27.2005 9:58pm

rest of story...

Brownwood Religious Zealots

" Long before our founders met in Philadelphia, their forebears first came to these shores to escape oppression at the hands of despots in the old world who mixed religion with politics and claimed dominion over both their pocketbooks and their souls.
This aggressive new strain of right-wing religious zealotry is actually a throwback to the intolerance that led to the creation of America in the first place.
James Madison warned us in Federalist #10 that sometimes, "A religious sect may degenerate into a political faction."
Unfortunately the virulent faction now committed to changing the basic nature of democracy now wields enough political power within the Republican party to have a major influence over who secures the Republican nomination for president in the 2008 election. It appears painfully obvious that some of those who have their eyes on that nomination are falling all over themselves to curry favor with this faction.
They are the ones demanding the destructive constitutional confrontation now pending in the Senate. They are the ones willfully forcing the Senate leadership to drive democracy to the precipice that now lies before us.
I remember a time not too long ago when Senate leaders in both parties saw it as part of their responsibility to protect the Senate against the destructive designs of demagogues who would subordinate the workings of our democracy to their narrow factional agendas.
Our founders understood that the way you protect and defend people of faith is by preventing any one sect from dominating. Most people of faith I know in both parties have been getting a belly-full of this extremist push to cloak their political agenda in religiosity and mix up their version of religion with their version of right-wing politics and force it on everyone else.
They should learn that religious faith is a precious freedom and not a tool to divide and conquer."
to read the entire trasncript go to:

rest of story...

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Who are these people who " believe that they can do or say anything in the name of God and it's ok." ?

rest of story...

Brownwood Dysfunctional ? Is it time to change the Pecan Bayou to De-nile ?

Major network upgrade needed
By Celinda Emison / Reporter-News Staff Writer
April 28, 2005
BROWNWOOD - The city of Brownwood's computer network system could be on the brink of ''catastrophic failure'' according to a technology consultant hired to evaluate the city's technology.
''This is a wake-up call,'' said Jerry Byrd, of Tatum Partners, a computer consulting firm of Dallas, who addressed the council Tuesday.
source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/nw_local/article/0,1874,ABIL_7959_3735415,00.html
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Brownwood City Councilman, Brownwood Police Chaplain and KXYL Talking Head says: "It's a new era for Brownwood. It's a new generation. We're going to have ... a young, progressive city manager with a great temperament and loads of experience.
"He's going to be inheriting a family that is not dysfunctional ... a city that does not have major spots, blemishes or wrinkles. He'll do the touchup paint and the trim and things like that, but he's not inheriting an albatross."

source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/21/news/news02.txt
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rest of story...

KXYL's James Williamson Defining " Projection " : Now that's * " RICH " !

It is soooooooooooooooooooooo * Rich to hear Brown County Republican Party Spokesperson and KXYL Talking Head, James Williamson, try and convince himself and his audience that "Projecting" is a Partisan issue ( in his case he will tell you it's a Liberal or a Democrat or anyone left of his extreme right position who's guilty of employing the Projection tactic.) Next thing we know James will be trying to convince us that "Wolves in Sheeps Clothing" are exclusively Democrats ! Anyone know if their is a Pyschological Term for " Wolves in Sheeps Clothing " using " Projection " as a tool for Partisan Political gain via the talk radio airwaves ? Remember, it's James Williamson who, when his opinion has been challenged on the air, retorts: "Are you Gay ?" ! I think there is some "projecting" going on in Brownwood and it may start within the walls of Watts Communication !

rest of story...

3
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Projection: Projection is one of the defense mechanisms identified by Freud and still acknowledged today. According to Freud, projection is when someone is threatened by or afraid of their own impulses so they attribute these impulses to someone else. For example, a person in psychoanalysis may insist to the therapist that he knows the therapist wants to rape some women, when in fact the client has these awful feelings to rape the woman.

source: http://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.cfm?term=Projection
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* Rich - Very amusing or absurd (Slang)

Walk a mile in shoes of a non-Christian

Abilene Reporter News
April 27, 2005

I was raised on a cotton farm, had a 25-year military career, am an independent voter that has consistently voted GOP in the presidential elections, strongly religious (just not a member of Christianity), fought for freedom during three separate conflicts, former member of Law Enforcement and very hard on crime. I guess I am not the secular, elitist, Democrat that Mr. Waitrek (Apr 20) spoke of, but I take umbrage with his whining about his ''religious liberties'' being taken. If he had ever been a member of a minority religion, he would see why we are finally rising up against the constant bombardment of Christian dogma! You want Christmas, give the Muslims Ramadan, and give the Jews Chanukah! You want prayer at football games; let the Voodoo priest sacrifice a chicken also! Because of the strong Christian heritage in this country, Christians see nothing unequal about the sanctioned Christian holidays and displays, but to us non-Christians it is a slap in the face. The ''traditional'' Pledge of Allegiance? The traditional Pledge (pre-Eisenhower administration) did not contain ''under God,'' the pre-Eisenhower currency did not contain the motto ''In God We Trust'' - see the Conservative Christian dogma creeping in? What is the downside of exhibiting a religious item in a secular courthouse? The exhibit implied government sponsorship, giving insult to those not of that religion, that is the downside. If Mr. Waitrek and his ilk would walk in our shoes for just one week, their attitude might be changed forever.

Dave Van Allen
Sweetwater
source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/op_letters_editor/article/0,1874,ABIL_7984_3731624,00.html
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A New Class of Victims
Ruben Navarrette Jr.
SAN DIEGO -- As if it needed another one, America has developed a new class of victims. They're called Republicans.
It used to be that the Republican Party was where you went when you were tired of the victim mentality peddled by liberals. Now it's where you go when you feel victimized by liberals.
To listen to the leaders of the GOP, their tormentors come in threes: the liberal media, left-leaning academics, and what House Majority Leader Tom DeLay calls an "arrogant, out-of-control, unaccountable judiciary."
When it comes to playing the victim, DeLay deserves an Academy Award. Speaking to religious conservatives during the Terri Schiavo ordeal, DeLay tried to relate the poor woman's ordeal to his own alleged ethical indiscretions and said that his political opponents were out to get him. Later, when the story broke that DeLay's wife and daughter had pocketed more than a half-million dollars by working for his political action committee, he could have pointed out that this is common practice in Washington. Instead, DeLay whined that his detractors in the media were trying to "embarrass" him.
It's a line he picked up again this week when he blamed his troubles on the "legion of Democrat-friendly press."
But it's the business about the judges that really showcased DeLay's victim mentality. The majority leader has since apologized for the "inartful way" in which he expressed his frustration over the reluctance of the federal judiciary to intervene in Schiavo's case and order the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube to be restored.
Inartful? More like insane. DeLay went ballistic over the Schiavo case, vowing: "The time will come when the men responsible for this will answer for their behavior."
That kind of talk was creepy enough to scare off some of DeLay's fellow Republicans. Vice President Dick Cheney vouched for the importance of an independent judiciary, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist distanced himself from DeLay's judicial jihad. Ditto for Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Anthony Kennedy -- both appointed by Republicans. The justices told a congressional hearing that criticism comes with the territory and that the independence of the judiciary is worth preserving.
Now it is Frist who is toying with the victim rhetoric. He plans to join Christian conservatives in a national telecast on April 24 intended to draw attention to what Republicans claim is an abuse of the filibuster rule by Senate Democrats. The way the religious right sees it, Democrats are victimizing "people of faith" when they oppose some of President Bush's judicial nominees. Frist and prominent religious leaders are planning to gather in Kentucky for a telecast to be distributed on the Internet and to churches around the country.
And it's not just conservatives in Congress who are whining. On a recent installment of "Fox News Sunday," conservative commentator William Kristol described efforts to filibuster judges as an attempt by Democrats to maintain control over the judiciary. After moderator Chris Wallace pointed out that most federal judges were appointed by Republican presidents, Kristol responded that those Republican presidents had too often deferred to the recommendations of the American Bar Association, which Kristol considers a left-leaning organization. So now the problem is the ABA?
It's not that Kristol doesn't have a point about where the group's political sympathies lie. And it's not that I'm unsympathetic to Republican concerns about how Democrats have treated some judicial nominees.
The president has a right to nominate whomever he wants to the bench, and it's an outrage that Democrats have -- since Bush took office -- denied 10 of his more than 200 nominees the courtesy of a vote. For that, Democrats should pay a political price in future elections, and they may well.
But that doesn't mean Republicans should resort to the so-called "nuclear option" of changing Senate rules to make it easier for them to break through judicial filibusters. If Republicans do that, they'll look desperate and out of arguments -- or pretty much how Democrats look whenever they resort to filibusters in the first place.
Republicans should avoid emulating their opponents. This world-is-out-to-get-me routine is unappealing, and it's getting tiresome. Whenever Republicans hit a snag in pursuing their agenda, some of them immediately look for someone to blame. They should look in the mirror and ask what they could do differently. Instead, they're still acting as if they are powerless and in the minority.
Well, if this keeps up that may become the reality.
Ruben Navarrette's e-mail address is ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.
source: http://www.postwritersgroup.com/archives/nava0421.htm

Earth to KXYL ?

SpacePixNet_earth
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

When the Brownwood Talking Heads Lie to you about there not being a market for "progressive" talk radio shows like Ed Schultz, remind them to compare his audience reach (the "Round" Globe via Satellite Radio like XM) and their Audience Reach ( A "Flat" circle around Brownwood Tx.! ): ! I think I'll stick with Ed Schultz & Satellite Radio since they offer shows which explore both sides of the issues and have both sides represented behind the microphones.

KXYL's audience...

KXYL Elephant Propoganda ?

Marion Bishop, the KXYL talking head wants you to focus on the PETA Elephant Activist in Abilene instead of focusing on these Elephants.............

rest of story...

Brownwood Airwaves, XM Satellite, General Motors & Spanish Sports Channel

Washington Business Journal - 1:38 PM EDT Tuesday
XM's next goal: Spanish sports channel
Jeff Clabaugh
Staff Reporter

Trying to score more subscribers with more sports, XM Satellite Radio is targeting Spanish-speaking sports fans with its latest programming play.
The District-based company says it will add a 24 hour Spanish-language sports channel as part of a deal with the sportscaster best known for screaming "goal!"
The partnership, with Andres Cantor, who is chairman of soccer programming syndicator Futbol de Primera, will go on the air this summer. Among its first broadcasts will be coverage of the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 soccer championship. XM plans to carry English language broadcasts of the World Cup on another channel.
General Motors will sponsor the new channel, which will also air baseball, boxing and other sports from Mexico and Latin America. Cantor, and his company, will create and produce original programming for the channel.
XM Satellite (NASDAQ: XMSR) already offers six other channels in Spanish, including a channel that airs Spanish language coverage of major league baseball, a Spanish language version of CNN and various music channels in Spanish.
source: http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2005/04/25/daily15.html

Brownwood Library: Welcome Texas Country News Readers

“ Libraries are critical to democracy. In order to have an educated public, you have to have libraries. ”
----------------
Libraries smarting from cutbacks
Bedford, cities across U.S. fight closure of 'people's university'
10:05 PM CDT on Tuesday, April 26, 2005
By ANDREW BECKER / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
SALINAS, Calif. – How do you close a public library?
Jan Neal cringed when she heard the question. As library director in author John Steinbeck's hometown, she never expected to become the nation's leading expert on shuttering libraries.
But that's the query she received recently from a Bedford librarian after the Fort Worth suburb, like Salinas, nearly ended library service because of a budget shortfall.
"It was a really disappointing experience," Ms. Neal said. "I thought, 'Oh, my gosh, these guys are in the very same boat we're in, but they're not even in California.' "
Fundraising in Salinas and an anonymous $125,000 donation for Bedford's library gave both systems a reprieve. But if a permanent source of money cannot be found in the next few months, the libraries will close, perhaps for good.
Yolanda Cesareo, 7, (right) and brother, Alejandro, 9, took part with sister Maria in a 24-hour read-in recently in Salinas, Calif., to raise money to keep the libraries open.
And they are not alone. From coast to coast, budget strains and tax pressures are forcing cities to make hard choices about how to spend limited money, and libraries, much to many residents' dismay, are taking the hit.
Residents are left stunned and outraged at the thought of doing without a beloved national resource. Can't check out books for the summer, log onto the Internet for free, listen to preschoolers giggle during story time or get help searching for a job? Incomprehensible.
"We live in a lower-income area, and if the libraries close, many people won't have anywhere else to go," said Josh Roberts, 17, a Salinas High School junior who has joined the fight to keep the city's three libraries open.
But library backers face an uphill battle.
In the last 18 months, the nation's public libraries have seen their budgets cut by $111.2 million – as much as 50 percent in some states – the result of struggling economies and reductions in state financing, according to American Library Association figures. The cuts have forced layoffs, reduced operating hours and put many libraries at risk of closing.
First lady Laura Bush, a former librarian and schoolteacher who was honored recently by the association for her library advocacy, has not commented on library budget cuts across the nation.
She has, however, established the Laura Bush Foundation to help fund public libraries, said Mrs. Bush's spokeswoman Susan Whitson.
"We have seen in the last several years more reductions in library budgets than any other time in our history," said Carol Brey-Casiano, president of the library association, which recently sent delegations to Salinas and Bedford to provide assistance and advice.
The interesting thing, Mrs. Brey-Casiano said, is that the cuts come at a time when Americans are using libraries more than ever. In 2002, libraries logged 1.2 billion visits nationwide, compared with 500 million in 1990, she said. The number of books checked out is up 500 million for the same period.
Mrs. Brey-Casiano attributed the upswing to a stagnant economy, saying that since the Great Depression, whenever there's a dip in the economy, library use goes up.
"The library is the people's university. It's the place where anyone can go to get the resources they need – free of charge – to further their knowledge," she said. "Libraries are critical to democracy. In order to have an educated public, you have to have libraries."

rest of story...

KXYL Talking Heads Bashing Satellite Radio ! 2 to 70 ?

rest of story...

"Christians", KKK, & Politics: Birds of a Feather ? & More....

April 26, 2005
Justice Sunday Preachers
by Max Blumenthal

Senate majority leader Bill Frist appeared through a telecast as a speaker at "Justice Sunday," at the invitation of the event's main sponsor, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins. "Justice Sunday" was promoted as a rally to portray Democrats as being "against people of faith." Many of the speakers compared the plight of conservative Christians to the civil rights movement. But in sharing the stage with Perkins, who introduced him to the rally, Frist was associating himself with someone who has longstanding ties to racist organizations.
Four years ago, Perkins addressed the Louisiana chapter of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC), America's premier white supremacist organization, the successor to the White Citizens Councils, which battled integration in the South. In 1996 Perkins paid former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke $82,000 for his mailing list. At the time, Perkins was the campaign manager for a right-wing Republican candidate for the US Senate in Louisiana. The Federal Election Commission fined the campaign Perkins ran $3,000 for attempting to hide the money paid to Duke.
As the emcee of Justice Sunday, Tony Perkins positioned himself beside a black preacher and a Catholic "civil rights" activist as he rattled off the phone numbers of senators wavering on President Bush's judicial nominees. The evening's speakers studiously couched their appeals on behalf of Bush's stalled judges in the vocabulary of victimhood, accusing Democratic senators of "filibustering people of faith."
James Dobson, who founded the Family Research Council as the Washington lobbying arm of his Focus on the Family, invoked the Christian right's persecution complex. On an evening when Jews were celebrating the second night of Passover, Dobson claimed, "The biggest Holocaust in world history came out of the Supreme Court" with the Roe v. Wade decision. On his syndicated radio show nearly two weeks earlier, on April 11, Dobson compared the "black robed men" on the Supreme Court to "the men in white robes, the Ku Klux Klan." By his logic, the burden of oppression had passed from religious and racial minorities to unborn children and pure-hearted heterosexuals engaged in "traditional marriage."
Bishop Harry Jackson, from Hope Christian Church in College Park, Maryland, was Justice Sunday's only black speaker. Jackson had recently unveiled his "Black Contract With America," a document that highlights wedge issues like gay marriage that would presumably pry black churchgoers away from the Democratic Party. But so far he has been disappointed. "Black churches are too concerned with justice," Jackson lamented in his speech. Nonetheless, his association with the right wing has done wonders for his personal profile. Just after Bush's second inauguration, he was among a contingent of black clergy members invited to the White House for a private meeting.
Justice Sunday also featured a token Catholic, William Donohue, who heads the nation's largest "Catholic civil rights organization," the Catholic League. In the battle to confirm far-right judicial nominees like William Pryor, who happens to be Catholic, Donohue has become a key asset for the Christian right's evangelical faction. He has argued that Democratic senators opposing Pryor and others are motivated by anti-Catholicism. "There isn't de jure discrimination against Catholics in the Senate," Donohue claimed on Sunday. "There is de facto discrimination. They've set the bar so high with the abortion issue, we can't get any real Catholics over it."
But for all his concern with anti-Catholicism, Donohue had no qualms about sharing the stage with Southern Baptist Theological Seminary president Dr. Albert Mohler. "As an evangelical, I believe that the Roman Catholic Church is a false church," Mohler remarked during a 2000 TV interview. "It teaches a false gospel. And the Pope himself holds a false and unbiblical office." Donohue, who has protested against Democrats who have made no such comments about Catholics, was silent about Mohler. In fact, the site of Justice Sunday, Highview Baptist Church, in Louisville, Kentucky, is Mohler's home church.
"We're fed up and we're on the same side," Donohue declared. "And if the secular left is worried, they should be worried."
For Tony Perkins, Justice Sunday was the fulfillment of a strategy devised more than two decades ago by his political mentor, Woody Jenkins. In May 1981, in the wake of Ronald Reagan's presidential victory, Jenkins and some fifty other conservative activists met at the Northern Virginia home of direct-mail pioneer Richard Viguerie to plot the growth of their movement. The Council for National Policy (CNP), an ultra-secretive, right-wing organization, was the outcome of that meeting. The CNP hooked up theocrats like R.J. Rushdoony, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell with wealthy movement funders like Amway founder Richard DeVos and beer baron Joseph Coors. As DeVos famously said, the CNP "brings together the doers with the donors."
Jenkins, then a Louisiana state lawmaker, became CNP's first executive director, and promptly made a bold prediction to a Newsweek reporter: "One day before the end of this century, the Council will be so influential that no president, regardless of party or philosophy, will be able to ignore us or our concerns or shut us out of the highest levels of government."
Eighteen years later, in 1999, the CNP was addressed by Texas Governor George W. Bush, on the eve of his presidential campaign. At the gathering, which was closed to the press, Bush reportedly sought to put to rest any notion that he was a moderate. Later, when he was asked to release to the public a transcript of his speech to the CNP, Bush stubbornly refused. But the press reported rumors that he had promised the CNP he would appoint only antiabortion judges if elected.
For years, Jenkins had been grooming Perkins as his political successor. "To Jenkins, Perkins was like a son, and the feeling was and is mutual," wrote former Jenkins staffer Christopher Tidmore. In 1996 Perkins cut his teeth as the manager of Jenkins's campaign for US Senate. It was during that campaign that, in an attempt to consolidate the support of Louisiana's conservative base, Perkins paid David Duke $82,000 for his mailing list. After Jenkins was defeated by his Democratic opponent, Mary Landrieu, he contested the election. But during the contest period, Perkins's surreptitious payment to Duke was exposed through an investigation conducted by the FEC, which fined the Jenkins campaign.
Six years later, in 2002, Perkins embarked on a campaign to avenge his mentor's defeat by running for the US Senate himself. But Perkins was dogged with questions about his involvement with David Duke. Perkins issued a flat denial that he had ever had anything to do with Duke, and he denounced him for good measure. Unfortunately, Perkins's signature was on the document authorizing the purchase of Duke's list. Perkins's dalliance with the racist Council of Conservative Citizens in the run-up to his campaign also illuminates the seamy underside of his political associations. Despite endorsements from James Dobson and a host of prominent CNP members, Perkins was not even the leading Republican in the senatorial race.
In the wake of his defeat, with Dobson's blessing, Perkins moved to Washington to head the Family Research Council. In a closed meeting at the Plaza Hotel in New York City during the Republican National Convention in August 2004, an alliance drawing in Frist was sealed. Perkins's associates at the CNP presented the Senate majority leader with its "Thomas Jefferson Award." The grateful Frist declared, "The destiny of the nation is on the shoulders of the conservative movement."
On Justice Sunday, Perkins introduced Frist as "a friend of the family." "I don't think it's radical to ask senators to vote," Frist said from a giant screen above the audience. "Only in the United States Senate could it be considered a devastating option to allow a vote." His face then disappeared, and Perkins returned onstage to urge viewers to call their senators.
But there is more at stake here than the fate of the filibuster. With Justice Sunday, Perkins's ambition to become a national conservative leader was ratified; Bill Frist's presidential campaign for 2008 was advanced with the Christian right; and the faithful were imbued with the notion that they are being victimized by liberal Democratic evildoers.
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050509&s=blumenthal
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Tuesday September 6, 2005
News
Roy Spence announces project to explore 'Amazing Faith of Texas'
By Roy Spence Jr. -- Special to the Bulletin

Almost 40 years ago, back in the mid-1960s, then-Texas Gov. John Connally envisioned a unique showcase for the remarkable array of cultures represented by the people of Texas -- from Spaniards, French and Germans to English, Swedes, Poles and Greeks.
That idea became the Institute of Texan Cultures, a highlight of the 1968 World's Fair in San Antonio. It remains a legacy of Hemisfair to this day, part of The University of Texas at San Antonio.
For more than three decades, my colleagues and I have been blessed to witness and be immersed in the color and character of those cultures as our firm has served countless projects related to consumer behavior. And we have been intrigued by the richness and variety of faiths embraced and practiced by those cultures.
Yet today there seem to be voices that too often attempt to amplify our cultural and religious differences instead of celebrating those ideas and beliefs that unite us as people and as Texans.
It is fitting that we recognize and celebrate the remarkable faith of Texas. We therefore are undertaking an unprecedented not-for-profit project to collect and publish a series of essays and portraits in book form recording the faith of real people and families across the Lone Star State. And we need the help of our fellow Texans in this endeavor. If you have a story to tell, you will find details at the end of this article that tell how you can participate.
"The Amazing Faith of Texas" is a humble attempt to build a common purpose around the variety of faiths of our people. It reflects my concern that here and around the world we are many times hearing the views and voices of only those who seek to divide people and cultures, helping create an environment that fuels cultural wars in the name of religion.
I certainly am not a pastor or religious scholar by any means. But I am a Texan and an American. And a person who loves God and loves those who "love thy neighbor as thyself."
I believe in my heart that it is time to begin to mend fences and build bridges amongst our neighbors. When we dig deep we see common ground in how we should treat one another and how we should love one another. If we listen, read and study carefully, we can hear the calling of the whole family of faith guiding us to be compassionate, humble, charitable, forgiving and above all, to have faith -- Amazing Faith.
This journalistic journey is motivated in part by personal experience that has given me an appreciation for the diversity of faiths held by our collective cultures.
I grew up in the First United Methodist Church in Brownwood, Texas. There was, and probably still is, a friendly rivalry between the Methodists and the Baptists. That's OK.
I moved to Austin, went to The University of Texas and met and married my wife of 28 years, Mary Couri Spence. She grew up Catholic in Peoria, Illinois. We were married in the Catholic Church in Houston by our cousin, the late and wonderful Monsignor Jimmy Jamail. Our children were baptized Catholic.
By chance we moved next door to Reverend Gerald Mann, the founder and now Pastor Emeritus of Riverbend Church of Austin. Our families became best friends and I worked with Gerald Mann on his radio and television ministries.
Two other roads led me to a better understanding as well. One was the journey of a friend of 30 years who decided to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a rabbi. I had the privilege of being part of his amazing quest.
The second, and perhaps the most life-changing experience, occurred in the days just after 9/11. Ten colleagues, making our way back to Texas from the D.C. area, conceived of a public service announcement called "I Am an American." As a show of solidarity with Muslim Americans, the ad was a simple reminder that this country is made up of people of many different cultures, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and that we are all in this together.
I respect different religions simply because each one, while unique in rituals and tactics, in its own way reports to the higher callings of virtues and values that seem to be the ties that bind all faiths.
Our collective house here in Texas has been built on the strong foundation of the spirit of community. Texans have a rich, instinctive tradition of extending a hand, especially when one of our neighbors faces trouble. We as Texans and Texans of faith need to come together and raise the spiritual barn together.
So the book we will publish will be a celebration of what unites us, not what divides us, as Texans and as a family of faith. It is my hope that in some small way we can help bring our state and nation closer together in recognizing that while we may have differences in how we practice our faiths, we need to be more aware that "we are all in this together."
I ask you and all Texans -- if you want to share a personal story on your own faith as well as what unites all faiths please visit our Web site at www.amazingfaithoftexas.com to submit a short essay and share a photograph of your place of worship.
Common ground on higher ground -- that is what The Amazing Faith of Texas is all about.

Roy Spence, a native of Brownwood, is one of the nation's foremost marketing industry leaders. As founder and president of Austin-based GSD&M, he has been associated with prominent Texas projects for three decades, including the state's highly successful "Don't Mess with Texas" campaign. "The Amazing Faith of Texas" book is a pro bono initiative.

source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/09/06/news/news04.txt

Where is the Hate Taught ? It starts locally !

April 26, 2005, 6:02PM
4 juveniles charged in Santa Fe hate crime
By RUTH RENDON
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
SANTA FE, Texas— Four juvenile boys remained in custody today after being charged with spray painting racial slurs, burning a cross and leaving a noose on a tree at the home of a 65-year-old African-American resident over the weekend.
The four boys, who are white, are being held in the Galveston County Juvenile Justice Center in Texas City. The boys, ranging in age from 13 to 16, are charged with criminal mischief with a hate crime attachment, making the offense a third degree felony, Santa Fe Police Lt. Philip Meadows said.
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The Anti-Defamation League issued a statment today saying the organization had contacted Santa Fe police and federal authorities and is confident the matter is being investigated thoroughly.
"We also are grateful that the neighborhood rallied around the targeted family. But this incident serves as a reminder that we have a long way to go and much work to do to eradicate hatred from our community," said Martin Cominsky, southwest regional director for ADL.
Cominsky called the situation "sad" and attributed the alleged conduct of the boys to a "lack of understanding differences and a lack of knowledge about other people. What people don't know scares them."
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source: source: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3154821
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Religious overtones color a murder in Texas
By SEAMUS McGRAW
The victim was a Jew, slaughtered in a Houston apartment, his throat slit so deftly with a 6-inch butterfly knife that he was nearly decapitated.
The killer was an Arab, a newly minted religious Muslim and the son of a millionaire Saudi businessman. He had been bailed out of trouble by the Saudi consulate after previous scrapes with the law, and in the hours after the slaying, authorities said, he plotted to flee to his homeland.
On the surface, the bizarre murder last summer of Ariel Sellouk at the hands of Mohammed Ali Alayed seemed to have all the elements of a classic hate crime, especially when viewed against the violence in the Middle East, continued uncertainty about American security in the wake of the September 11 attacks and the ongoing war on terrorism. But when Alayed appeared last week in a Houston courtroom to plead guilty to murder, there was no mention of terrorism or international intrigue.
The word "hate" with all its legal connotations was never even mentioned.
"It didn't help me," said Stephen St. Martin, assistant district attorney of Harris County.
"The hate crime statute would only enhance [the sentence] one penalty level, and murder is already at the highest level," the prosecutor
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Almost from the beginning, investigators suspected that Sellouk had been murdered because he was a Jew. The Anti-Defamation League also looked into the case to determine whether it was a hate crime.
Ultimately, Parnham said, such theories were "discounted." The defense lawyer said, "there was no evidence to substantiate the hate element."
St. Martin, however, was unwilling to rule out antisemitism as a possible factor in the killing. But, the prosecutor added, there may not have been enough evidence to prove it conclusively, and so he opted to try the case as a straight murder rather than a hate crime. "I'm not saying it was not a hate crime," St. Martin told the Forward. "I'm just saying that it would have been extremely difficult to prove that to a jury."
From the prosecution's point of view, it was a wise call. Even Parnham acknowledges that St. Martin's murder case against Alayed was nearly airtight. "The circumstances supporting the evidence in this case were overwhelming in favor of guilt," he said.
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source: http://www.forward.com/issues/2004/04.01.23/news8.html

Protecting Marriage or Blowing Smoke ?

April 26, 2005, 3:39PM
House OKs proposal to ban gay marriage
The measure to amend constitution now goes to Senate
By CLAY ROBISON
Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN - Voting for the second time in two weeks to restrict the rights of homosexuals, the Texas House on Monday approved a measure to lock into the state constitution a ban on same-sex marriages and civil unions.
After often-impassioned debate, the amendment was approved 101-29, winning one more vote than the 100 necessary for approval of a constitutional amendment. Speaker Tom Craddick, who rarely votes, cast a ballot for the proposal, and eight other House members abstained.
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"This amendment is blowing smoke to fuel the hell-fire flames of bigotry," said Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston.
Thompson, 66, an African-American who grew up with segregation, said the legislation reminded her of the time when interracial marriages were illegal.
"When people of my color used to marry someone of Mr. Chisum's color (white), you'd often find people of my color hanging from a tree. That's what white people back then did to protect marriage," Thompson said.

source: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3152946
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Dallas Morning News Letters to the Editor

Well, now, picture this
I was disheartened Tuesday to read the headline, "House bans gay unions," given that our legislators still haven't solved school finance or how many children should receive health coverage.
But the photograph next to that headline of President Bush and Crown Prince Abdullah holding hands while strolling through a field of bluebonnets (in a completely heterosexual way, of course) had me laughing all day.
Kudos to The Dallas Morning News for the juxtaposition – and to President Bush for showing his softer side.
Vivek Patel, Dallas

Let's just outlaw gays
Forget the war on terrorism, it seems like we are waging war on homosexuals. First, they cannot get married. Second, they cannot be foster parents. And lately, they are fired from their jobs for being homosexuals.
Why don't we just make being homosexual against the law? We can have separate water fountains and restrooms just for them, so the rest of us don't get AIDS. Make them sit at the back of the bus. Make them shop at "homosexual only" stores, so we don't have to mingle with them.
After all, their homosexuality might rub off on us.
This would spare every homophobic, bigoted public official from coming up with law after law to further stigmatize them and ostracize them from society.
Gilbert Solis, Garland

source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/letters/stories/042905dnedifriletters.5802e818.html

Where is Brownwood's KXYL Talking Head (James Williamson) "Not" Shining His Light !

" Only the light of inquiry will uncover the filth, graft, media manipulation, and possible criminal activity which undergirds this story. "

rest of story...

Attitude heard on KXYL-Brownwood's Talk Radio? : " You're on his side, or you're on the side of the devil,"

Some believe power got the best of their pastor
Ex-members say Arlington church lost its focus; leader has denied sex, drug charges
09:51 PM CDT on Monday, April 25, 2005
By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News
ARLINGTON – Pacing next to a kitchen table-size lectern in his $3 million church, Terry Hornbuckle often warned his congregation about demons.
Daily life was a fight against the basest human urges, he would explain to hundreds gathered at Agape Christian Fellowship in southeast Arlington. In one of his self-published books, Mr. Hornbuckle called it "Psychological Warfare."
It was a battle the sharply dressed, charismatic preacher told the growing crowds that he could help them win – as long as they followed his advice and Scripture.
Now, former church members fear that Mr. Hornbuckle, who is free on bail on sexual assault and drug charges, has fallen prey to the demons he so eloquently preached against. He has denied the criminal charges.
"He's not a man of God," said Kevin Thornton, a former church member who became disenchanted with Mr. Hornbuckle in part, he said, because of the church's emphasis on money. "It really upsets me when people abuse their power."
If the criminal charges are valid, the pastor's story is a familiar one, said Ole Anthony, head of the Trinity Foundation, a Christian watchdog group based in Dallas. It's not unusual for huge nondenominational churches that preach the gospel of prosperity – in which followers are asked to donate to their church or pastor expecting God to provide financial success in return – to disintegrate as a result of accusations of their leader's indiscretions, he said.
"There are so many examples of this where there isn't any accountability with the churches," Mr. Anthony said, recalling Robert Tilton, the Farmers Branch televangelist whose $80-million-a-year ministry collapsed under the weight of fraud accusations and questions about his infidelities in the early 1990s.
Mr. Hornbuckle, 43, who started his 2,500-member nondenominational church in 1986 with a dozen friends, was indicted last month on charges that he sexually assaulted three female church members – ages 17, 20 and 37 at the time – and, in two of the cases, drugged them. He's also facing a drug charge after police said they found one to four grams of methamphetamine and a glass pipe in his car during his arrest.
Agape church member Sean Verdun, like many supporters of Mr. Hornbuckle, said that the person who would commit these alleged crimes bears no resemblance to his pastor, who he said is committed to empowering and uplifting people. Mr. Verdun said he believes his pastor was set up.
Mr. Hornbuckle and his church also are facing lawsuits filed by the alleged victims.
'Frivolous' charges
Through their publicists, Mr. Hornbuckle and church elders declined to comment on the allegations or discuss the history of Agape for this story.
Terry Lee Hornbuckle
Born: Feb. 2, 1962
Home: Grapevine
Education: Graduated, Wilmer-Hutchins High School, 1980; bachelor's degree in business, University of Texas at Arlington, 1986; master's degree in religious education, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1989; some Internet doctorate classes, Trinity Theological Seminary, Newburgh, Ind.
Church history: Mr. Hornbuckle starts Victory Temple Bible Church in Arlington with 15 members, 1986; the church moves into a former Dairy Queen building, 1987; church is renamed Agape Christian Fellowship, 1992; church moves into an 8,000-square-foot strip mall storefront in Arlington, 1995; church moves into a 30,000-square-foot, $3 million building in Arlington, 1999

Shortly after his arrest, Mr. Hornbuckle, who was briefly suspended from his duties as pastor but was reinstated last week, proclaimed his innocence at a news conference.
"These charges are frivolous," he said last month. "Those are accusations that I categorically deny." He also said in a previous written statement that the women demanded that he pay them millions of dollars in "hush money."
One of Mr. Hornbuckle's associates also was indicted on two counts of aggravated perjury in connection with her testimony before the grand jury about the case.
Lawsuit allegations
Two of the alleged victims said that Mr. Hornbuckle slipped them a date rape drug, and they woke up in a bed in a Euless apartment, according to the lawsuits. A third alleged victim said that Mr. Hornbuckle forced himself on her in a truck. In each case, the lawsuit claims that he told the women he wanted to meet to talk about spiritual or personal matters.
In a statement issued through her attorney, one alleged victim said Mr. Hornbuckle "created a place of worship and praise, and then used it to deceive and abuse people.
"What Bishop Hornbuckle did was terrible and wrong, even more so because he did it in God's name," said the woman, who is not being identified because she is an alleged victim of sexual assault. "I want him to understand the pain and anguish he has caused, to me and to so many others."
At least three former church members said they filed complaints with the IRS alleging that the church's charitable-giving statements – used to calculate income tax deductions – reflected only a fraction of the donations made to the church.
One of those, Mr. Thornton, said that church officials refused to explain why the donations listed on his statement one year amounted to only one-third of his actual contribution.
The IRS, as is its practice, refused to confirm or deny the existence of the complaints.
Mr. Verdun said he believes there is a conspiracy against Mr. Hornbuckle because of the church's work to help low-income families. One program has helped more than two dozen families buy houses, and that is threatening to some, Mr. Verdun said.
"People get set up all the time in America," he said. "It's nothing new."
Mr. Thornton and his wife, Tamme, who attended the church from 1998 to 2000, said they believe that Mr. Hornbuckle's fall started when the church moved to its current site from a strip mall storefront in Arlington in 1999. They say the charming and accessible pastor grew more aloof as both his congregation and the church's bank account grew.
"He became more of a diva," said Mr. Thornton. Questions for Mr. Hornbuckle had to be funneled through church elders, and members of the congregation were asked to provide "security" for the "first family." The security detail standing in front of the stage scans the crowd intently during church services. The entrance to the church is gated, and weekday visitors must press a call button for admittance.
Tanisha Edwards, who attended Agape for seven years and left in 2003, said she also noticed that Mr. Hornbuckle began distancing himself from average members of the congregation. Mrs. Edwards said that Mr. Hornbuckle announced that he would no longer perform weddings or funerals.
"Pastors are supposed to lead the sheep," she said. "You're not supposed to leave them out in the pasture."
Former church members said he began to behave and live like wealthy, celebrity televangelists such as Creflo Dollar of Atlanta, who served as one of his role models. In a 1999 interview with The Dallas Morning News, Mr. Hornbuckle said he patterned his ministry after that of Mr. Dollar and other pastors of large megachurches, including T.D. Jakes and Tony Evans.
Education questions
Mr. Hornbuckle graduated in 1980 from Wilmer-Hutchins High School. He then enrolled at the University of Texas at Arlington and graduated in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in business. Three years later, he earned a master's degree in religious education at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth.
However, the educational background he listed on the Agape Web site is not entirely accurate. It says that he has a "pre-law degree" from the Oral Roberts University School of Law in Tulsa. A university spokesman said records show that Mr. Hornbuckle took classes there in 1983 and 1984 but did not receive a degree.
The Web site also said he's "currently pursuing a PhD in Conflict Management at Trinity Theological Seminary in Newburgh, Ind., but officials at the Internet university said he withdrew in 2000 after taking classes for five months.
In 1986 – the year he graduated from UTA – Mr. Hornbuckle started Victory Temple Bible Church with 15 members, and moved the church into a former Dairy Queen. By the mid-1990s, he had renamed the church Agape Christian Fellowship, and his congregation had doubled from 250 to 500 members. The church then moved into an 8,000-square-foot storefront at an Arlington strip mall in 1995.
Some former Agape members said Mr. Hornbuckle became friends with former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Deion Sanders and would occasionally appear at Thursday prayer meetings with other Cowboys players. Mr. Hornbuckle has described himself as either spiritual adviser or chaplain to the Cowboys. Team officials said that Mr. Hornbuckle has never served as chaplain or had any official position with the team.
It was just before the move to the 30,000-square-foot Destiny Center in 1999 when Mrs. Thornton said she started becoming disenchanted with the church and its growing emphasis on money. The high-pressure pleas for donations were constant from the Hornbuckles and guest speakers.
"I need 10 people to bring up $1,000," she said, mimicking the requests for money. "That kind of raised a red flag."
Personal finances
Mr. Hornbuckle often bragged in the pulpit about the new luxury car he bought, the jewelry his wife wore or the vacations they took, former church members said.
Last year, the Hornbuckles started construction on a 12,200-square-foot house in Colleyville that's expected to be worth more than $1.1 million, according to city construction documents.
Mrs. Hornbuckle testified at a recent bail reduction hearing that she and her husband are each paid $50,000 annually from the church, and they receive an $80,000 yearly housing stipend.
On the church Web site, a document for new members said that "bad things" happen to members who do not give 10 percent of their income as a tithe. "Disobedience gives Satan the right to wreak havoc in your life" if they don't tithe, the document says, and tells them to pay the church before paying any bills "be it electricity, child support or water."
At a recent Wednesday night service, those in attendance were asked to stand and hold up envelopes if they were tithing or giving an offering. Only a few of the 90 plus on hand remained seated.
Mr. Anthony, of the Trinity Foundation, said congregations preaching prosperity are growing in popularity.
"It teaches people how to be motivated and become a millionaire," he said. "It's really in line with the health and wealth preaching that is so foreign to the New Testament."
Mrs. Thornton said that in the late 1990s, a "cultish" atmosphere began to take hold. Many of the women tried to dress, look and act like Mrs. Hornbuckle. When Mr. Hornbuckle shaved his head bald, a sea of shiny bald heads filled the pews the following Sunday.
And questioning Mr. Hornbuckle, said Mr. Thornton, was out of the question.
"You're on his side, or you're on the side of the devil," he said.
Staff writer Kathryn Yegge contributed to this report.
E-mail jmosier@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/042605dnmethornbuckle.491cb4f4.html

Brownwood: Supporting Our Troops ?

Published on Monday, April 25, 2005 by the New York Times
Marines From Iraq Sound Off About Want of Armor and Men
by Michael Moss
 
On May 29, 2004, a station wagon that Iraqi insurgents had packed with C-4 explosives blew up on a highway in Ramadi, killing four American marines who died for lack of a few inches of steel.
The four were returning to camp in an unarmored Humvee that their unit had rigged with scrap metal, but the makeshift shields rose only as high as their shoulders, photographs of the Humvee show, and the shrapnel from the bomb shot over the top.
"The steel was not high enough," said Staff Sgt. Jose S. Valerio, their motor transport chief, who along with the unit's commanding officers said the men would have lived had their vehicle been properly armored. "Most of the shrapnel wounds were to their heads."
Among those killed were Rafael Reynosa, a 28-year-old lance corporal from Santa Ana, Calif., whose wife was expecting twins, and Cody S. Calavan, a 19-year-old private first class from Lake Stevens, Wash., who had the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis, tattooed across his back.
They were not the only losses for Company E during its six-month stint last year in Ramadi. In all, more than one-third of the unit's 185 troops were killed or wounded, the highest casualty rate of any company in the war, Marine Corps officials say.
In returning home, the leaders and Marine infantrymen have chosen to break an institutional code of silence and tell their story, one they say was punctuated not only by a lack of armor, but also by a shortage of men and planning that further hampered their efforts in battle, destroyed morale and ruined the careers of some of their fiercest warriors.

for the entire article go to: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0425-07.htm
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200: Number of Humvees outfitted with top-of-the-line armor for troops in Iraq that could have been purchased with the amount of money blown on the inauguration.

rest of story...

Brownwood Hunting

Brownwood Hunting
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

Welcome XM Worldzone Listeners

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Brownwood Poor Getting The Squeeze ?

EDITORIAL
Squeezing more from the poor
EDITORIAL BOARD
Monday, April 25, 2005

Texas is fast becoming the usury capital of America, with solid legislative support for a law allowing short-term lenders to charge up to 390 percent annual interest on so-called payday loans.
Most people who need a quick loan and have to rely on their next paycheck to repay it are in a weak financial position, and these usurious interest rates give lenders the right to prey on them. No one would stand for the Legislature raising home loan interest rates to 390 percent, but since payday loans target the poor, too many lawmakers don't care.
Plus, it's good for business. Wall Street is apparently watching the Texas Legislature to see if the lawmakers can revive the sagging payday loan industry by letting it charge exorbitant interest rates.
Even worse, the bill approved by a House committee last week will give Texas lenders a way out of more restrictive federal usury laws. Payday loans have been limited by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., but House Bill 846, by state Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, would allow Texas lenders to skirt the federal restrictions.
The FDIC guidelines limit short-term loans to six a year per customer. The industry trade group says customers average eight loans a year, and if Texas lenders can make their own loans without going through banks in other states, they don't have to abide by the FDIC guidelines.
According to an article last week in the American-Statesman's Business section, the payday industry is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on lobbyists to get favorable legislation passed. It must be working. Flynn's bill sailed through the committee process on a 5-1 vote.
As one opponent of the payday loan bill observed, it allows companies to charge interest rates that would make a loan shark blush. By rejecting this legislation, lawmakers can stand up for their constituents instead of turning loan sharks loose upon them.
source: http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/04/25usury_edit.html

KXYL pondering Exploding Frogs ?

World News
April 26, 2005
Mystery of toads that explode in the night
From Roger Boyes in Berlin
AN OUTBREAK of exploding toads is perplexing the residents of Hamburg. The affected creatures seem to behave quite normally, croaking and languidly snapping up flies. Suddenly, after nightfall, they start to balloon to more than three times their normal size and can barely crawl before popping. Their entrails are expelled distances of up to one metre.
Thousands of the green amphibians have died this way. “It is a deeply shocking sight,” said Werner Smolnik, a leading activist from the Nabu environmental protection group.
A meeting of wildlife experts has been summoned to explain the phenomenon, which has occurred near a lake in a fashionable part of the city. Tabloid newspapers have already called it the “Pond of Death.” Man known for violent streak charged with injuring kitten

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Old E. Dallas neighbor says he threatened to kill her after his arrest
09:26 PM CDT on Monday, April 25, 2005
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
Angela Alanis has been terrified of the man she calls the neighborhood bully.
MICHAEL AINSWORTH/DMN
An Old East Dallas man, who has been charged with animal cruelty after a kitten was injured Saturday night, has three cats. Neighbor Angela Alanis, who called police, holds one of the man's cats, Smokey.
He broke windows and knocked down her fence, but she did not report it, she said. She did not even report it when she said he threatened to harm her and her husband.
"He was telling us that he was going to kill us – that this is his neighborhood," said Mrs. Alanis, 32. "We were afraid he would retaliate."
But Mrs. Alanis put fear aside late Saturday and called police when she spotted him hurling a kitten to the pavement in the 4600 block of Manett Street in Old East Dallas.
"If he can do that to the cats, what else is he capable of?" Mrs. Alanis said Monday. "We were just always afraid he would do something crazy."
Edward Pinales, 32, is being held in the Dallas County Jail on charges of animal cruelty and retaliation with bail totaling $125,000. He was also held without bond on a misdemeanor charge of civil contempt.
In this neighborhood of 1940s-era brick bungalows, Mr. Pinales bragged out his gang membership and was known as a ruffian with a propensity toward violent behavior, particularly when he drank, some neighbors said. Others described him as a cat lover who helped with household chores.
Mr. Pinales had lived with his grandparents since he was a teenager, did not drive and had no visible means of employment, neighbors said.
Some neighbors did not want to be quoted by name but echoed Mrs. Alanis' comments. They said they suspected that he had vandalized their property, but they also had refrained from turning him in.
Charming or nasty?
"When he's sober, he can be very, very charming," said one neighbor who has known Mr. Pinales since he was a teenager. "When he drinks, he's just as nasty as can be."
to read the entire article please go to : http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/042605dnmetbully.48fe0d50.html
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"Afternoon Lilly @ Steves' "

"Afternoon Lilly"
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. -   Anais Nin
(Photo By Steve Harris)

Celebrating Multi-Culturalism down the road from Brownwood. See ya there !

Ballinger celebrates with cultural festival
By Nargis Nooristani / Scripps West Texas Newspapers
April 23, 2005

Ballinger is bringing a taste of faraway lands to West Texas through its 30th annual Texas State Festival of Ethnic Cultures and Arts and Crafts.
''I can't wait every year to get the soul food, and the German sausage is out of this world,'' said Billie Simpson, organizer of the vendors at the event.
The two-day festival, today and Sunday at the Ballinger courthouse square, is sponsored by the Ballinger Chamber of Commerce.
It celebrates the cultures in the community through food, entertainment and arts and crafts in 75 booths.
''It's mostly to get people to come to our town,'' Simpson said. ''It's a lot of work, but it works to bring people in.''
A parade kicks off the event at 10 a.m. today, featuring antique cars and trucks.
Live entertainment, mechanical-bull riding and the crowning of Miss Ballinger are traditional activities that the event will feature.
But the food makes the event something to look forward to, said Patricia Hohensee, who oversees the food booths.
Ten food booths set up by nonprofit groups will feature food specialties such as German, Czech, Native American and Mexican American.
''It's neat that it brings all of our cultures in the community together working toward a common goal - to participate in the fair,'' Hohensee said.
Hohensee has been participating in the fair for 18 years and said it's a way for her to get involved in bettering the community.
''It's just the civic thing to do,'' she said.

Details
What: 30th annual Texas State Festival of Ethnic Cultures and Arts and Crafts
When: Today-Sunday
Where: Ballinger courthouse square
How Much: Free
More Information: Ballinger Chamber of Commerce, (325) 365-2333

source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/nw_local/article/0,1874,ABIL_7959_3723185,00.html

What I would have asked Brownwood's Congressman Mike Conaway (see end of article)

Saturday April 23, 2005
News
Congressman updates area officials on national issues
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin
 
Social programs and energy were among topics U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway of the 11th Congressional District discussed with city and county officials from Brown and neighboring counties Friday at Brownwood City Hall.
Conaway, a Republican from Midland and freshman congressman, said Friday's gathering was his third regional meeting in which he discusses issues with local officials.
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An audience member asked Conaway why it typically takes Congress a long time to accomplish anything. The answer, Conaway said, "is just raw, ugly politics."
"A policy as broad and wide-ranging as Social Security, if we pass that on a party line vote, we don't have the right answer," he said. "We can talk all day about being the party in charge ... we're short a statesman in Congress. Solutions don't wear jerseys. They don't wear Democratic jerseys, they don't wear Republican jerseys.
"Right now we're not doing a very good job of being able to work with each other. We're so worried that letting the other side have a better idea will be to our ultimate demise, that in many instances we will disagree with their better ideas just (because) we can't let them win.
"We don't know how to let the other side win gracefully, we don't know how to lose gracefully, and that's not good for a system that demands compromise. "We don't know how to work with each other in a nonpartisan way to effect what's good for America.
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/23/news/news01.txt
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end of article: I would have asked my Congressman to comment on the following:

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Brownwood Texas and FOX News

Fox news cover this......

Angry Driver Mows Down Lawn Mowers
Thursday, April 21, 2005
What's the first thing you do when you have a fight in your car with your lady love? Why, drive into a row of lawn mowers, of course.
That's what Brownwood, Texas, police figure 19-year-old Joseph Eisenbach was thinking Sunday morning, according to the Brownwood Bulletin.
source: source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,154074,00.html
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Did Fox News Cover this.....

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What's more important to the Welfare of Brownwood and its residents and what "filters" at the News desks classifies what is "News" ? I think it's that ole "Condoms and Cucumbers" style of "News" found on Brownwood Talk Radio and by local Bulletin Reporter/Columnist Steve Nash. Is it "Entertaining News" with a "Dumbing Down" driven purpose ?

Question for Republican Robert Talton: Would Jesus get a meeting with you if he didn't bring food to the Capital ? Follow the Bread Crumbs....

Some fault lobbyists' use of room at Capitol
Panel says arrangement allowing receptions at facility is legal, popular
08:18 PM CDT on Friday, April 22, 2005
By DAVE MICHAELS / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN – Lobbyists have regularly enjoyed free use of a meeting room in the Texas Capitol this year where interest groups are able to promote their agenda while serving lawmakers free breakfast or lunch.
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Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Lewisville, said she doesn't approve of lobbyists reserving the room.
But she thinks it's OK for other groups. She reserved the room in January for the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association.
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In some cases, lawmakers have used the Legislative Conference Center to host community groups and nonprofits. For example, Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, hosted a group of local crime-watch leaders.
But some of the Capitol's priciest and most successful lobbyists have reserved the room for their clients.
The influential lobbying firm Hillco Partners twice asked lawmakers to reserve the room, on one occasion for MD Anderson Cancer Center and another for an Arlington company that makes flu vaccines.
Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, sponsored the reservation so MD Anderson could discuss biomedical issues with Harris County lawmakers. Mr. Talton serves as the chairman of the House's Houston-area delegation.

"I told them when I was elected [chairman] that the only time I was going to meet was if somebody fed us and talked to us," Mr. Talton said Friday.
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Bill Messer, a lobbyist who is close to House Speaker Tom Craddick, reserved the conference center last month for McDonald's. The corporation supports a bill that would shield restaurants against some lawsuits.
Heather Tindall, a spokeswoman for Mr. Craddick, said McDonald's executives did not talk business at the event.
source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/042305dntexreceptions.397a297d.html
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Republicans Tom Delay and Bill Frist's Mantra: "No Play our Way, No Pay Your Way" - Is this a "learned behaviour" ?

Two Evangelical Leaders Advocate Defunding Courts They Don't Like
by Joe Gandelman
If you don't like the way a judge or an entire court rules, take their money away.
Does that sound downright unamerican to not only law students, law professors but virtually anyone who has lived in this country over the past several hundred years? Yes — but that's precisely the idea of two of the nation's two Evangelical Christian leaders who have been working with GOPers in Congress, according to the L.A. Times.
source: http://www.themoderatevoice.com/posts/1114182285.shtml

more on Talton.......

bread crumbs...

Pasadena's Robert Talton wants to ban gay foster parents. Now I get it !

After reading what's going on in Pasadena (see below) I understand why Republican Robert Talton want's to Ban Gays from becoming Foster Parents ! It's the Gays Stupid ! And if you'll notice, Brownwood looks pretty similar to Pasadena !

The Pasadena Citizen Newspaper Stories for Friday, April 22,2005

Christian mission's security raising neighbors' concerns
Idelta Madrigal no longer lets her granddaughters play in the front yard when her husband's out of town.
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Drive-by shooting reported on Shaver
Pasadena police are investigating a drive-by shooting that occurred in the 3600 block of Shaver Street at about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday.
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Kids may be setting fires in vacant house
The Pasadena Fire Marshal's Office is investigating signs of arson at a vacant home on West Thomas Street.
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Man convicted of making false report
A Pasadena man pleaded guilty Tuesday of calling in a false bomb threat to the Pasadena Police Department.
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Alleged drug dealer caught Tuesday
The Pasadena Police Department narcotics team arrested two men on Tuesday for the alleged possession of marijuana.
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SoHo police, Secret Service agents investigate possible forgery ring
The South Houston Police Department is working with the United States Secret Service to break up a possible check cashing ring believed to be responsible for stealing and altering treasury checks.
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Armed robbers hold up restaurant, customers
Two suspects are at large after robbing the Taqueria Arandas restaurant at 1629 Richey about 1:15 a.m. Friday.
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Man arrested for allegedly setting fires
The Pasadena Fire Marshal's Office has received written confessions from a 19-year-old man arrested for drug charges Saturday by Pasadena police.
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Zambrano draws 30-year sentence
Edgar Zambrano, 33, of Pasadena, was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in prison by U. S. District Judge Marcia Crone in Beaumont.
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Statements cause school to increase security on campus
The Pasadena Independent School District conducted a metal detector drill at Pasadena Memorial High School Thursday morning after a student allegedly made remarks about bringing a gun to school.
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Police search for masked robbers
Pasadena police are investigating an aggravated robbery that took place about midnight Tuesday at an auto service business.
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Students hold out hope for lost classmate
Teens gathered together at Dobie High School to pray for Austin Childs, 17, a classmate who has been missing since Sunday.
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Police investigate bank robbery
Pasadena police are on the lookout for a man who robbed the Moody National Bank in the Kroger's Food Store at 3550 Spencer Highway Monday.
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Students found with knives at PISD school
A Thompson Intermediate School student was recently arrested after he allegedly held a knife to another student's neck on school property.
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The loss of a family pet can often involve the grieving process
Most people have experienced the death of a loved one at least once in their lives. They become familiar with the process of grief through personal loss.
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Baseball insider talks to Pasadena Rotarians Friday afternoon
Pasadena Rotary Club members got a post opening day review of the Houston Astros' season at their afternoon meeting Friday at the First United Methodist Church.
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Fire alarm disrupts school
Pasadena Independent School District police arrested a 16-year-old student for allegedly activating a fire alarm at Pasadena High School at about 10 a.m. Thursday.<
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Child arrested for alleged animal cruelty
Pasadena police arrested an 11-year-old boy for animal cruelty after he allegedly hurt a cat by strangling it with a rope at 2802 West Side.
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'Forever' banned from PISD libraries
Pasadena Independent School District superintendent Dr. Rick Schneider has banned the book "Forever" by popular children's author Judy Blume from the shelves of libraries within the district.
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Search warrant nets 116 pounds of marijuana
Law enforcement officers arrested five suspects Wednesday after allegedly finding 116 pounds of marijuana in a residence at an apartment complex at 1015 Richey St.
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Police search for robbery suspect
The Pasadena Police Department is investigating three aggravated robberies that officials believe may have been committed by the same person. The robberies occurred over three days.<
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Investigation leads to recovery of vehicles
Law enforcement officials arrested two suspects after the Pasadena street crimes unit and the auto theft unit received information about a stolen car in the 8400 block of Concorde in Houston.
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Suspect allegedly admits to forging check in SoHo
South Houston police recently arrested a man after he allegedly forged a check to purchase a car.
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Pasadena police investigate burglary, attempted arson
Pasadena police and the Pasadena Fire Marshal's Office are investigating the burglary of an apartment in which it appears that the burglar tried to set the apartment on fire.
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Nature center to be hub of summer activity
Since April and the spring time change are already here, can the end of the school year be far behind? Students are already staring out the classroom windows and teachers are more than ready for a change of pace and scene. Summer is the time for fun, isn't it?
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Reward offered for information regarding murder of father, husband
"My little girl prays every night for the soul of the person who killed her father,"
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High school students work together to raise funds for aquatics equipment
When the aquatic teams at Sam Rayburn and Pasadena high schools compete in a tournament, the only trace of rivalry apparent is when they put on the blue and green swimming caps signifying their respective teams.
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Parents charged with endangering child
The parents of a child who was injured while riding a scooter in Pasadena on March 25 have been charged with alleged endangering a child, a state jail felony.
The child was riding an electric scooter and ran a stop sign, according to Pasadena police Sgt. Mike Baird.
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Pasadena police focus efforts on Richey Street
The Pasadena Police Department has started a new initiative to help deter crime on Richey Street.
In the past few months there has been an increase in criminal activity in that area, according to L.W. Rahr, Pasadena assistant police chief.
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source: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd=1574&Nav_Sec=69984
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Read more on Republican Robert Talton

bread crumbs...

Brownwood's " Modest Needs " ?

what's yours...

Would Brownwood Reporter, Steve Nash, be able to see & identify this ?

Hate Letter Scare Hit Illinois College 
Friday, April 22, 2005 7:15 p.m. ET
By Michael Conlon
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Hate mail containing a threat of violence prompted a small Christian college near Chicago to place its black and other minority students under protection off campus, the school said on Friday.
A spokesman for Trinity International University in the town of Deerfield said about 100 of its 1,000 undergraduate students were removed from campus and spent Thursday night under protection in a hotel or in private homes.
They returned to classes on Friday without incident, said the school, which is affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and also has campuses in Miami and Santa Ana, California.
Three hate letters were sent to specific students during the past two weeks and the last one threatened physical violence, said Ken Tracz, police chief in nearby Bannockburn.
He told reporters that specific threat prompted the college to act, given that the third week of April marks a number of violent anniversaries in the United States -- the massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado, the Oklahoma City federal building bombing and the conflagration that ended the siege at the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, on April 19, 1993.
Officials said the letters may have been sent by someone within the school but the source had not been found, and the details of the threats were not disclosed.
School officials were not available to comment on whether the protection would be extended a second night.
The incident is the latest in continuing hate-related problems in the United States involving immigrants, Muslims, blacks and others.
But it comes as no surprise that it could occur even on a quiet Christian campus, according to Mark Potok, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law center, which monitors such activity.
"University and high school campuses are the most common venue, incredibly enough, for hate crimes, in homes and on the street," he said.
"That's really remarkable since one thinks of a university campus as being open-minded and tolerant," he added. "But it very much reflects what's going on in society at large."
Potok said hate crimes in general are on the rise and run in all directions, though most are anti-black or anti-Jewish. His Montgomery, Alabama-based group recently published a report saying that xenophobic hatred and violence are on the rise in the state of Georgia, where nearly 1 million Hispanic immigrants have arrived since 1990.
Violence against Muslims sharpened after the attacks on New York and Washington in 2001 and continues to be cataloged by the Council on American-Islamic Relations
On Friday, it urged the FBI to investigate vandalism at a mosque in Colorado where a brick was thrown through a window. There has been a series of similar incidents in recent months involving Muslim individuals and institutions nationwide, according to Ibrahim Hooper, communications director for the group.
source: http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=1023615&tw=wn_wire_story&from=email
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Friday April 22, 2005
Op Ed: Columnist
Proper protests, complicated cases and lawsuits without merit -- Steve Nash

The Associated Press reports that a Vietnam veteran spit tobacco juice into the face of Jane Fonda in Kansas City after waiting in line in to have her sign her new memoir.

I'm hardly a Jane Fonda fan (nor do I play one on TV), and I have held a low opinion of her behavior during the Vietnam war. There's the matter of that little photo she's never managed to live down and the Hanoi Jane moniker she'll probably never shed.
The veteran was quoted as saying that Fonda was a "traitor" and that her protests against the Vietnam War were unforgivable. I'd agree she was a traitor -- not because she protested, because you can do that in America -- but because she gave aid and comfort to the enemy and undermined American POWs in North Vietnam.
But even if she'd kissed Uncle Ho full on the lips, spitting in her face wasn't the way for the veteran to make his point. I'm hardly a touchy-feely Michael-Row-the-Boat-Ashore-singing tree-hugger, but I can't agree with assaulting or otherwise disrupting the activities of someone with whom you disagree.
I don't agree with the "Cat Ballou" actress being spit at any more than I agree with recent pie-throwings on college campuses that targeted conservative speakers including Ann Coulter, David Horowitz and William Kristol. I guess in some groups, tolerance is only practiced toward people you like.
As for Jane Fonda, I don't think we quite know what to do with her. She certainly seems to have remade herself and modified some of her views, but how much? At one time I held a very harsh view toward her activities in North Vietnam, and although that view has softened somewhat, I haven't read enough of her current writings to know whether to say no harm, no foul.
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Got a call recently from a young woman who wanted to talk about an assault which the police had already investigated. As best I could tell, she was not one of the participants but was related somehow, or used to be, to some or all of the people who were involved.
I could not keep up with the minutiae of the relationships -- who was dating who, who was an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend or ex-in-law, who was pregnant with whose child. It was more confusing than a soap opera.
Who's on first?
I don't know how cops manage to keep it all straight when they're trying to sort through an assault that involves multiple relationships, especially when exes are involved. Some of it is tragic-comic, although it is quite sad when you think about the circumstances these babies are going to be born into -- circumstances that often include poverty, neglect, violence, and drugs and alcohol.
I know of at least one recent case in which a woman was released from the Brown County Jail and gave birth to a baby who tested positive for methamphetamine. The baby is in foster care and the woman is in prison.
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Another recent Associated Press article told of a Canadian aerospace company's agreement to pay a Mormon man $159,000 to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit.
The lawsuit claimed the company had discriminated against an employee and then fired him for complaining about it. A top company executive told the man that his religion was a detriment to his ability to sell business jets and that customers would be offended by his religious-based decision not to drink or smoke, the AP reported.
That defies logic, and ranks up there with the Wendy's finger-in-the-chili story. People just don't behave this way. When was the last time your religious affiliation was a factor in whether you kept your job? When was the last time someone got offended because you don't smoke or drink? There's got to be more to this story.
I have the same reaction when I read about racial discrimination lawsuits that claim someone got lousy or no service in a restaurant because of his or her race. I'm not saying that discrimination never happens, or that bad service never happens.
But the purported facts as stated in the lawsuits are so unbelievable as to be -- well, unbelievable, not in this era. When I go in restaurants, the staff is too busy just trying to survive to pay attention to who is what race and then go out of their way to give bad service.
Now, if these events as depicted in the lawsuits truly happened, then shame on the defendants. I guess I view these alleged events with the same skepticism with which I review reports of UFO sighting. I can't prove they don't exist. I just know I've never seen one. And I have never remotely seen the behavior that is claimed to have existed in these discrimination lawsuits.
Steve Nash writes his column in the Brownwood Bulletin on Thursdays. He may be reached by e-mail at steve.nash@brownwoodbulletin.com.
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/22/op_ed/columnist/opinion05.txt
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Seven Arab Americans sue Denny's owner alleging discrimination

MIAMI — Seven men of Middle Eastern descent have sued a South Florida Denny's restaurant franchisee and one of its managers for $28 million, saying they were kicked out because of their ancestry and compared to Osama Bin Laden.
The men, who are all U.S. citizens, are seeking $4 million each from Restaurant Collection Inc., which owns the Denny's franchise, and shift manager Eduardo Ascano, whom they say compared them to the Al-Qaida terrorist leader.
"This was a terrible act against Arab Americans," Alan C. Kauffman, one of the attorneys for the group, said Wednesday.
The seven men are of Egyptian, Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian descent and include a doctor, a real estate agent, an insurance broker and a restaurant owner. They live in Broward and Palm Beach counties. They filed suit last week in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court. No trial date has been set.
Restaurant Collection's owner, Alfonso Fernandez, said in a statement Wednesday that the men's allegations are false.
"We are truly committed to treating all of our guests with respect, and we take every guest concern seriously," Fernandez wrote. "These allegations of discrimination were immediately and thoroughly investigated by an independent, outside agency that found no evidence whatsoever to support the guests' claims."
Fernandez did not identify the agency. However, an investigation by the Florida Commission on Human Rights said "reasonable cause does exist" to support the discrimination claim.
The seven men say they went to Fernandez's restaurant in Florida City, on the southern tip of the Florida peninsula, about 2 a.m. Jan. 11, 2004. They say they were seated, given menus and received their drink orders. But an hour later, their food hadn't arrived. One of the men — Ehab Albaradi — approached Ascano and inquired about the group's order, the lawsuit says.
Ascano allegedly said: "Bin Laden is the manager of the kitchen" and "Bin Laden is in charge."
Albaradi and a second man, Usama El-A-Baidy, decided to speak to Ascano again about their order.
Angered, Ascano told the short order cooks in the kitchen to cancel the group's order, the suit claims.
El-A-Baidy then asked Ascano why he had used the name bin Laden.
"We don't serve bin Ladens here! You guys, out!" Ascano allegedly said.
A group of officers from the Miami-Dade County and Homestead police departments eating at the Denny's also told the seven men to leave and threatened to arrest them if they didn't, the lawsuit said. The officers have not been identified, Kauffman said.
Miami-Dade police spokeswoman Cathy Webb said Thursday that the department could find no record of a complaint being filed by the men and because so many months have passed, it will be difficult to determine who the officers were. Homestead Capt. Ed Bowe said no complaints were filed with the department and its records show no on-duty officers were at the restaurant at the time.
Ascano no longer works for the resaurant, Fernandez said. Ascano does not have a listed phone number and could not be reached for comment.
Denny's restaurants have long been the targets of discrimination lawsuits across the country.
The 1,600-restaurant chain, which has annual sales that exceed $2 billion, settled a 1994 lawsuit for $54.4 million that accused the chain of asking blacks to prepay for meals. Since then, it has faced at least six more discrimination lawsuits filed by African-Americans and Hispanics and has been investigated in at least two cases involving discrimination against people of Middle Eastern descent.
Debbie Atkins, a spokeswoman at Denny's Spartanburg, S.C., headquarters said Thursday that the company stands by the independent investigation that cleared Restaurant Collection, but reiterated "we have zero tolerance for discrimination." She said the company has instituted several diversity and anti-discrimination programs in recent years.
"We are a very different company" compared to a decade ago when it was facing the earlier discrimination charges, Atkins said.
source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/gen/ap/FL_Dennys_Lawsuit.html

Earthwise, it's what's Playing at Steves' and around the Globe ?

What about the Music James?

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home.
--James Michener
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To our Friends: Tune in Monday Morning to Nikki Strong (Earthwise) @ XMworldzone Channel 100. You might just hear Brownwood Texas mentioned Globally !

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Read more (below) on the studios of XM Radio. Now I know why we chose them over Sirrus ! "Funky"

rest of story...

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From: Steve Harris and Steve Puckett
Date: Fri Apr 22, 2005 09:54:59 AM US/Central
To: worldzone@xmradio.com
Subject: We're listening to Worldzone from "Deep in the Heart of Texas"

We're so thankful for xmworldzone. You bring us a "mini-vacation" everyday without us having to get on a plane, a bus, a cab, or a train. We sponsored a show (Music Without Borders) for three years on a local station run by the local University and we were saddened when the school chose to "go a different route". Now we have you ! We play xmworldzone in our "ecletic" restaurant (Steves' Market and Deli) and our customers love to take the music journey with us ! Keep up the good work, The Steves / Brownwood, Texas

....and it starts on the Brownwood airwaves of KXYL !

Now conservatives are the victims
By Ruben Navarrette Jr.
April 22, 2005
SAN DIEGO - As if it needed another one, America has developed a new class of victims. They're called Republicans.
It used to be that the Republican Party was where you went when you were tired of the victim mentality peddled by liberals. Now it's where you go when you feel victimized by liberals.
To listen to the leaders of the GOP, their tormentors come in threes: the liberal media, left-leaning academics, and what House Majority Leader Tom DeLay calls an ''arrogant, out-of-control, unaccountable judiciary.''
When it comes to playing the victim, DeLay deserves an Academy Award. Speaking to religious conservatives during the Terri Schiavo ordeal, DeLay tried to relate the poor woman's ordeal to his own alleged ethical indiscretions and said that his political opponents were out to get him. Later, when the story broke that DeLay's wife and daughter had pocketed more than a half-million dollars by working for his political action committee, he could have pointed out that this is common practice in Washington. Instead, DeLay whined that his detractors in the media were trying to ''embarrass'' him.
It's a line he picked up again this week when he blamed his troubles on the ''legion of Democrat-friendly press.''
But it's the business about the judges that really showcased DeLay's victim mentality. The majority leader has since apologized for the ''inartful way'' in which he expressed his frustration over the reluctance of the federal judiciary to intervene in Schiavo's case and order the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube to be restored.
Inartful? More like insane. DeLay went ballistic over the Schiavo case, vowing: ''The time will come when the men responsible for this will answer for their behavior.''
That kind of talk was creepy enough to scare off some of DeLay's fellow Republicans. Vice President Dick Cheney vouched for the importance of an independent judiciary, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist distanced himself from DeLay's judicial jihad. Ditto for Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Anthony Kennedy - both appointed by Republicans. The justices told a congressional hearing that criticism comes with the territory and that the independence of the judiciary is worth preserving.
Now it is Frist who is toying with the victim rhetoric. He plans to join Christian conservatives in a national telecast on April 24 intended to draw attention to what Republicans claim is an abuse of the filibuster rule by Senate Democrats. The way the religious right sees it, Democrats are victimizing ''people of faith'' when they oppose some of President Bush's judicial nominees. Frist and prominent religious leaders are planning to gather in Kentucky for a telecast to be distributed on the Internet and to churches around the country.
And it's not just conservatives in Congress who are whining. On a recent installment of ''Fox News Sunday,'' conservative commentator William Kristol described efforts to filibuster judges as an attempt by Democrats to maintain control over the judiciary. After moderator Chris Wallace pointed out that most federal judges were appointed by Republican presidents, Kristol responded that those Republican presidents had too often deferred to the recommendations of the American Bar Association, which Kristol considers a left-leaning organization. So now the problem is the ABA?
It's not that Kristol doesn't have a point about where the group's political sympathies lie. And it's not that I'm unsympathetic to Republican concerns about how Democrats have treated some judicial nominees.
The president has a right to nominate whomever he wants to the bench, and it's an outrage that Democrats have - since Bush took office - denied 10 of his more than 200 nominees the courtesy of a vote. For that, Democrats should pay a political price in future elections, and they may well.
But that doesn't mean Republicans should resort to the so-called ''nuclear option'' of changing Senate rules to make it easier for them to break through judicial filibusters. If Republicans do that, they'll look desperate and out of arguments - or pretty much how Democrats look whenever they resort to filibusters in the first place.
Republicans should avoid emulating their opponents. This world-is-out-to-get-me routine is unappealing, and it's getting tiresome. Whenever Republicans hit a snag in pursuing their agenda, some of them immediately look for someone to blame. They should look in the mirror and ask what they could do differently. Instead, they're still acting as if they are powerless and in the minority.
Well, if this keeps up that may become the reality.
Ruben Navarrette's e-mail address is ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.
The San Diego Union-Tribune
source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/op_columns/article/0,1874,ABIL_7981_3719207,00.html

Is 96% an A+ ?

When you hear someone from the Right side of the Political aisle crying and whining about President Bush not being able to get his judicial nominees approved and appointed, remind them that President Bush has gotten 96% of his nominess approved.

Lake Brownwood State Park Drug Bust & New Brownwood City Manager

Thursday April 21, 2005
News - Brownwood Bulletin
Federal charges filed in online drug operation
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin
 Brown County Sheriff's investigator Billy Arp unsnapped his holster, placed his hand on the butt of his .45 caliber Springfield Arms pistol and approached the driver's side of a Dodge Pickup Tuesday at Lake Brownwood State Park.
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/21/news/news01.txt
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From India to Brownwood to all places in between !
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Indians accused of running net-based drug ring in US

Washington, Aug. 21 (PTI): At least three Indians, including two in the US, have been arrested as the American Drug Enforcement Administration busted an Internet drug ring and nabbed 20 people across continents, US officials said.
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In the US arrests occurred in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Ft. Lauderdale and Sarasota, Florida; Abilene and Tyler, Texas; New York, NY; Greenville, SC; and Rochester, New York. Internationally, arrests were made in San Jose, Costa Rica; New Delhi, Agra, and Mumbai.
source: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200504212164.htm
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Feds Arrest 20 in Internet Drug Bust
Posted April 20, 2005 5:45PM

Among the organizations targeted was a Philadelphia-based Internet pharmacy that allegedly smuggled prescription painkillers, steroids and amphetamines into the United States from India, Germany, Hungary and elsewhere, repackaged them and sold them throughout the world.
Twenty people in the United States and abroad were arrested on charges they ran Internet pharmacies that illegally shipped narcotics, steroids and amphetamines to teenagers and other buyers around the world, federal authorities announced Wednesday.
The arrests were the result of a yearlong investigation by six federal agencies of online pharmacies that often operate in the shadows of the Internet, with no fixed address and no way to track where they are located, Drug Enforcement Administrator Karen Tandy said.
The drugs were shipped to buyers with little or no effort to verify ages or medical need, allowing teenagers or drug abusers easy access to addictive and dangerous drugs, officials said.
Tandy and officials from the FBI, Customs, the Internal Revenue Service, Food and Drug Administration and the Postal Service were to formally announce details of Operation Cyber Chase at a news conference Wednesday.
source: http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=33235
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News - Brownwood Bulletin
Kevin Carruth chosen as city manager
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin

 Kevin Carruth of Hillsboro will be the new city manager in Brownwood, city council members decided Wednesday night.
Council members voted 4-1 after a nearly 5 1/2-hour session to offer the job to Carruth, 39, who has been city manager in Hillsboro since October 2000. Council member Charles Lockwood, who favored offering the job to Brownwood City Attorney Pat Chesser, cast the "no" vote, council members Dave Fair and Ed McMillian said this morning.
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"All three were top shelf," Fair said.

"It's a new era for Brownwood. It's a new generation. We're going to have ... a young, progressive city manager with a great temperament and loads of experience.

"He's going to be inheriting a family that is not dysfunctional ... a city that does not have major spots, blemishes or wrinkles. He'll do the touchup paint and the trim and things like that, but he's not inheriting an albatross."

source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/21/news/news02.txt

Heartland Church and Lighthouse Quote

heartland church
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

What did Benjamin Franklin mean ?

Drugs & Suicide " Near Brownwood ": Too Klose for KXYL's Komfort Zone ?

Thomas Metthe / Reporter-News
2 charged in drug case
Authorities organize sweep of online trafficking suspects
By Raquel C. Garza / Reporter-News Staff Writer
April 21, 2005
Two men made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Abilene in connection with an international Internet drug trafficking case.
Matthew Melao and Christopher Geoff Laine were two of 20 people arrested within the past few days in eight U.S. cities and four foreign countries, according to a news release issued by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Melao, who was arrested in Abilene, and Laine, who was arrested near Brownwood, appeared in federal court for an initial hearing Wednesday to review charges including conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance; conspiracy to import a controlled substance; introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce; and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The two men were charged with seven of 44 counts issued by the grand jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/nw_local/article/0,1874,ABIL_7959_3716970,00.html
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Brownwood center defends no-suicide pacts
By Celinda Emison / Reporter-News Staff Writer
April 21, 2005
Officials at a Brownwood crisis counseling center defended their policy of having a man who was suicidal sign an agreement on Saturday that he would not harm himself before his appointment with counselors on Monday.
Kim Cruz, program manager of the Crisis Unit at the Center For Life Resources, said counselors sign agreements with clients on a regular basis.
''We do this if we think a person has thoughts of hurting themselves,'' she explained. ''During that time, if they have thoughts of doing harm to themselves, they can contact our crisis hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week.''
According to the report at the Brown County Sheriff's Office, Marvin Webster Ratliff notified officers on Sunday via 911 that he intended to crash through a barrier and drive off a bridge.
The report said that 30 seconds later a witness notified deputies that a car had indeed gone off the bridge, on U.S. Highway 183 North, 1.5 miles from the Brownwood Regional Airport.
source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/nw_local/article/0,1874,ABIL_7959_3716926,00.html

Brownwood CPS Cases, Republican Talton & Banning Gay Foster Parents

House OKs CPS bill, bans gay foster care
GOP lawmaker tacks on measure late; joint talks with Senate ahead
10:39 PM CDT on Tuesday, April 19, 2005
By ROBERT T. GARRETT / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN – The Texas House approved a sweeping overhaul of protective services for children and adults Tuesday, including a last-minute amendment that would ban gays, lesbians and bisexuals from serving as foster parents.
The amendment, tacked on by Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, was deemed "unworkable" by Rep. Suzanna Gratia Hupp, R-Lampasas, sponsor of the overall House bill. But Ms. Hupp voted with the majority as the amendment was approved, 81-58.
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Rep. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, a co-author of the bill who is likely to be named to the conference committee, said he's not sure if the gay foster ban would survive.
"I would hope the Senate will have a little more sense ... and be a little bit more sensitive," he said.
The ban on gay foster parents, which Mr. Talton had previously failed to push past House committees, came late and unexpectedly.
Mr. Talton convinced his colleagues that all current and prospective foster parents be required to declare their sexuality. Those who declare themselves – or are later found to be – gay, lesbian or bisexual would be disqualified.
"It is learned behavior," Mr. Talton said of homosexuality.
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The amendment brought swift objection from Kathy Miller, president of the progressive Texas Freedom Network.
"The House today put personal and political biases ahead of the interests of children who have been abused and neglected," Ms. Miller said, adding that the measure would "further strain a foster system that is already overburdened, forcing more children into institutions rather than safe, loving homes."
"Texas children who most need the state's protection have been cast aside in favor of a narrow, mean-spirited agenda."
source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/042005dntexnucps.2a8b5f58.html
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Maybe Republican Robert Talton's Attitude is a " Learned Behavior " !

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Neo-Con Republicans mantra: " Blame it on the Gays "

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What Neo-Con Republicans Robert Talton and James Williamson don't want you to see...

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From the Austim American Statesman
EDITORIAL
Narrow-minded amendment
EDITORIAL BOARD
Thursday, April 21, 2005

Maybe common sense will prevail when dueling versions of legislation overhauling Texas' child and adult protective services gets worked out in conference committee.
It's difficult to gauge what's more outrageous in the House's amendment barring gays, lesbians and bisexuals from being foster parents: the appalling ignorance behind the amendment, or the potential harm to children in foster care.
There is no objective reason to prohibit gays from being foster parents, and none was offered in the Legislature. There are no studies suggesting that homosexuals are any worse than heterosexuals at caring for children; it's just a bias, plain and simple.
The amendment's sponsor, state Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, thinks people choose to be gay or lesbian, and he doesn't want them fostering children. In a preposterous statement, he said foster children might "choose to be homosexual or lesbian, then that's their choice when they turn 18." But until then, he wants them in traditional families.
Unfortunately, by limiting foster families, many of those children will end up in institutions and state care, not traditional families. And that's not good for the children who need love and attention. And it's not good for the state because it costs more money.
It is shocking that 81 House members supported Talton's ridiculous amendment. It would be a show of integrity to have that amendment stripped from an already difficult bill when it goes to conference.
source: http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/04/21foster_edit.html
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Dallas Morning News Editorial
Kids Before Politics: Ban on gay foster parents drags down bill
12:02 AM CDT on Friday, April 22, 2005
Problem: You have a shortage of something you really need.
Solution: You turn aside some of the very people who are willing to supply it.
That's what the Texas House did this week when it loaded down the bill reforming the state's child protection system with an amendment that would block gays and lesbians from becoming foster parents.
Fortunately, Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Senate seem cool to the idea. We urge them to freeze this counterproductive idea in its tracks.
The amendment's author, Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, said it's necessary to keep children out of gay homes because homosexuality is "learned behavior." Leaving aside the many ways government goes astray when it decides to regulate private morality, let's look squarely at Mr. Talton's assertion.
Because, in the judgment of the American Academy of Pediatrics, if homosexuals learn their sexual orientation, they don't learn it from gay parents. After reviewing the available research, the academy concluded that children raised in homes with gay or lesbian parents are no more likely than other children to identify themselves as homosexual when they reach adulthood.
"A growing body of scientific literature demonstrates that children who grow up with 1 or 2 gay and/or lesbian parents fare as well in emotional, cognitive, social and sexual functioning as do children whose parents are heterosexual," the analysis concludes.
Mr. Talton assuredly wants to do what is best for the children. But he's wrong about what that is. As things stand now, thousands of children who are removed from dangerous homes in Texas are forced to live in institutions and group homes because there aren't enough foster homes.
All foster homes should be rigorously screened. Some gay and lesbian applicants will be found unsuitable – for the same reasons some heterosexuals are found unsuitable. Meanwhile, the Legislature should stop charging after imaginary problems and tackle the very real and pressing ones – like providing foster homes for children who desperately need them.
source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/042205dnedifoster.33f6c94c.html
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Letter to the editor
Sad over amendment
Re: "Anti-gay language spurs concern over CPS bill," yesterday's news story.
I was greatly saddened and embarrassed for the members of the Texas House upon learning that the banning of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals from serving as foster parents had passed as an amendment to the CPS overhaul bill.
As a former child welfare worker in Illinois, I know how difficult it is to place children in safe, loving and permanent homes. There are countless instances where children have been removed from foster parents who are Christian and heterosexual because they were being abused and neglected.
Members of the Texas House have removed a valuable resource for CPS workers because they want to continue to advance an ideological agenda.
And what of foster children who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered? They exist. Wouldn't it be more appropriate to allow them the option to live with a nurturing and understanding family?
William Hamel, Dallas
source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/letters/stories/042205dnedifriletters.33f6f4f6.html
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Young: Shades of Ol' Jim Crow

JOHN YOUNG, Opinion page editor, Waco Tribune Herald
Thursday, April 21, 2005

Someday, my friend and I agree, we'll look back at this period in much the same way people look back at the days of tail fins, sock hops and "colored" drinking fountains.
Someday, we agree, understanding, acceptance and a broader sense of justice will have overcome the raw politics of division that seem to rule today.
Someday, we agree, when a person stands up for the rights of individuals who are contributing every day in every way to a better society, that person will not be accused of supporting the "gay agenda."
Someday. But not today.
Wednesday the Texas House passed a bill that would prohibit gays and lesbians from being foster parents.
The amendment, added to a restructuring of Child Protective Services, would require foster-care applicants to state their sexual orientation.
The author, State Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, said his intent is to protect foster children from a bad influence. Homosexuality, he said in The Dallas Morning News , "is learned behavior."
Maybe once this session is over, Talton will take to the road and show us the evidence backing up his statement. If it were the case – that homosexuality spreads by contact – we should get serious about rounding up these contagions in modern-day leper colonies.
When discrimination ruled
Someday, my friend and I agree, people who exploit issues like this will be viewed the way history now sees George Wallace, Lester Maddox and other professional segregationists.
They coasted on fear and inference through prosperous political careers. They jailed people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Medgar Evers for seeking basic civil liberties. Now we have an MLK Day. Medgar Evers is venerated. Lester Maddox's day has passed.
As it is, however, a politician can coast a long way today on that other, more current, more convenient hot-button issue based on human prejudice.
Gay marriage is illegal in our state. It's a non-issue. Yet, Rep. Talton has teamed with State Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, to author a constitutional amendment to ban it. A House committee has approved it.
Actually, the authors want to go further than keeping same-sex couples away from the altar. Talton's original bill would deny same-sex partners any of the varied benefits or protections granted to life partners, or "any legal status similar to marriage for unmarried persons." Critics assert this would deny gay couples such things as hospital visitation rights, inheritance and health care benefits. That add-on didn't make it out of committee. But it could get attached on the floor.
"For the first time in history these amendments would actually write discrimination into the Texas Constitution, a document that is supposed to ensure equal rights for all Texans," says Houston educator Sue Null.
Null has a vested interest. She has a gay son and lesbian daughter, and is active in the Houston chapter of Parents and Friends for Lesbians and Gays – PFLAG. But we should all have a vested interest when laws discriminate against people based on what they are. Surely we did when civil rights legislation chased Jim Crow out of town.
Human rights aside, there's another serious problem with rejecting caring, law-abiding citizens who would provide foster care. This state is in a terrific pinch to tend to the many children who need it. Last year McLennan and Hill counties had to remove more than 550 abused and neglected children from their homes and find them foster homes.
The rationale by which the state would reject gays and lesbians from providing this crucial service could be used for any job – teacher, social worker, volunteer. Of course, we know that gays and lesbians serve those roles ably. The issue in deciding if one is fit for a job, or a scholarship, or to eat in a particular restaurant, is how one comports one's self, nothing more and nothing less.
That was the issue that brought Dr. King to the barricades.
Someday today's most convenient and inflammatory political hot button will be history. Someday, not today.

John Young's column appears Thursday and Sunday. E-mail: jyoung@wacotrib.com.
source: http://www.wacotrib.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2005/04/21/20050421wacyoung_col.html
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Abilene Reporter News Letter to the editor
Foster parent bill
April 23, 2005

I am a straight male. Always have been, always will be. But this business of making it illegal for gays to be foster parents disturbs me. It wasn't so long ago that it was illegal for people of different races to marry, and now it happens all the time. And yes, I've heard all the objections to gays being foster parents. 'Gays will turn kids gay.' Wrong. People are born gay, not made. 'Gays will molest our kids.' Wrong again. The vast majority of child molesters are straight men. 'It's morally wrong.' That's the same argument that kept people of different races from marrying. If this law is allowed to pass, it will legalize discrimination, plain and simple. We don't let it happen in Iraq - why should we let it happen here?

Bryan Bell
Abilene

Are the Bullies from Brownwood ?

Non-Christian Air Force Cadets Cite Harassment
Wed Apr 20, 7:55 AM ET
By David Kelly Times Staff Writer
DENVER — The Air Force Academy, still recovering from rape and sexual harassment scandals, is facing charges that some Christian cadets have bullied and berated Jews and students of other religious backgrounds.
School officials said Tuesday they had received 55 complaints over the last few months and were requiring students — and eventually all employees — to attend a course on religious tolerance.
"Some complaints had to do with people … saying bad things about persons of other religions or proselytizing in inappropriate places," said academy spokesman Johnny Whitaker. "There have been cases of maliciousness, mean-spiritedness and attacking or baiting someone over religion."
About 90% of the academy's 4,300 cadets identify themselves as Christians; the school's commandant, Brig. Gen. Johnny A. Weida, describes himself as a born-again Christian.
Mikey Weinstein, an academy graduate and a lawyer in Albuquerque, said that his son Curtis — a sophomore at the academy — had been called a "filthy Jew."
"When I visited my son, he told me he wanted us to go off base because he had something to tell me," Weinstein said. "He said, 'They are calling me a … Jew and that I am responsible for killing Christ.' My son told me that he was going to hit the next one who called him something."
Weinstein, 50, said he wanted Congress to investigate what he said was a pervasive Christian bias at the academy.
"When I was at the academy, there wasn't this institutional notion that if you didn't accept Christ you would burn eternally in hell," he said. "I want the generals to come out and say, 'Yes, we have a systemic problem and we are working to fix it.' "
Air Force officials said they got an inkling of a problem after reading the results of a student survey last May.
Many cadets expressed concern over religious respect and a lack of tolerance. Then "The Passion of the Christ," Mel Gibson's film about the crucifixion, was released. Hundreds of movie posters were pinned up in the academy dining hall advertising the film. Cadets did mass e-mailings urging people to see it.
School leaders denounced the e-mails, saying students should not use government equipment to promote their religion.
At that point, officials began looking into the situation.
"We started getting people coming forward," Whitaker said. "Folks sent e-mails to the chaplain describing events — none of which were reported when they happened. Many of the complaints have been addressed."
Two years ago, the academy's reputation was tarnished by a scandal in which dozens of female cadets said their complaints about sexual assaults had been ignored.
In response to the complaints of religious intolerance, the Colorado Springs, Colo., campus created the RSVP program, which stands for Respecting the Spiritual Values of all People.
The cadets are required to attend a 50-minute class; soon all 9,000 employees of the academy will have to take part.
"A lot of this is just insensitivity or ignorance," Whitaker said. "These are people who are going into a very diverse Air Force, where they will have to deal with people of all faiths."
Weinstein called the RSVP program window dressing for a more serious problem.
"It's Jim Crow, it's lipstick on a pig, it's eye candy," he said. "I love the academy, but they are lying when they say this isn't a systemic problem. Do you know how much courage it takes for these kids to come forward?"
The academy is about 60% Protestant and 30% Catholic. Included in the number of Christian cadets are 120 Mormons. There are 44 Jews and a handful of Hindus and Buddhists at the academy, officials said.
Colorado Springs is home to more than 100 evangelical Christian organizations, including Focus on the Family, the International Bible Society and New Life Church, whose pastor, Ted Haggard, heads the National Assn. of Evangelicals.
Tom Minnery, vice president of public policy at Focus on the Family, denounced any acts of bigotry but said it was Christians who were facing discrimination.
"If 90% of cadets identify themselves as Christian, it is common sense that Christianity will be in evidence on the campus," he said. "Christianity is deeply felt and very important to people … and to suggest that it should be bottled up is nonsense. I think a witch hunt is underway to root out Christian beliefs. To root out what is pervasive in 90% of the group is ridiculous."

source: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=3&u=/latimests/20050420/ts_latimes/nonchristianairforcecadetsciteharassment

Email from Les !

From: " ANGELA DAVIS" consecrate1@msn.com
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 18:24:12-0500
To: info@stevesmarketanddeli.com
Subject: anything goes!

Steve, where do I start? You and I had a discussion last year on the radio, concerning "right-wing extremists" Talk about paranoid! If you remember, I challenged you to name one "extremely conservative" state, this was during the presidential elections I believe. You couldnt name one. I on the other hand named off a slew of "left leaning" states. Your problem Steve is that you are only looking through one eye when you are holding a pair of binoculars.Iam going to touch on a number of issues,skiming over them if you willFirst I have heard you speak to James on the radio and for some reason your mantra is tying fundamental christianity to :anti gay, anti free speech, anti ........ well you get the picture. Either you were raised in a very oppressive enviroment beaten over the head with the bible or maybe your just plain wrong! Just because some are hateful does mean you clump us altogether. I could say the smae for left-wing radicals, burning expensive suv's to the ground to "protect" the enviroment,thats a good one spewing toxic fumes in the air saving the planet,that's a good one.Or people putting spikes in tree's so when loggers hit them with their chainsaw's they are severely injured or maimed. And if you have read the reports of people,like exliberal David Horowitz being attacked at universities for using his free speech rights.Did you know that of all professors polled, fully 80% aligned themselves to the left? Or that instead of teaching the youth of tomorrow they are indoctrinating them?Conservative speakers get shouted down by "leftwing" or the new term progressives while speaking on academic freedom bill of rights that David Horowitz is trying to get implemented in all universities. This bill of rights "which the left is opposed to" by the way I always thought the left believed in free speech? I guess only when it concerns them.Why do you suppose that the left would be opposed to teaching students just the facts and not "their own beliefs." We have leftwing professors spewing anti semitic hate,aligning themselves with muslims activists. Yes leftists attack jews also.I challenge you to go to the web site: "Front Page Mag.com and see for yourself what the left is doing to this country.No christian slant hear just the facts. I believe you will come away with a different point of view after reviewing what progressives are doing in our campuses nationwide. Go ahead and get back to me. Now remember use both eye holes while viewing thru the binoculars.
                                          Les Davis

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Note to Les:
It's good to know you are visiting our webblog since I no longer participate (call in) on local talk radio (it's been many months and it seems to be driving some of the KXYl faithful nuts ! see our archives). Anyone who knows me ( it's obvious Les does not! ) knows that I have always maintained that the extremists on the left who violate & endanger people and property because of their beliefs are exactly like those on the extreme right who do the same thing except for one major difference, those on the extreme right use the BIBLE to justify their behavior (see our archives - what's not playing on the Brownwood airwaves) ! For the record, when I use binoculars I use both eyes. The only time I use one eye is when I am looking through the scope of a rifle ( I'm a NRA Member ! ) or when I'm taking a photograph. Regarding your right(red)/left(blue) wing states comments, I've learned to look at the blend of any discussion, which in this case, the color from the mix (red & blue) is Purple (see our archives) !
Regards, Steve Harris
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David Horowitz ?

Right-wing snake oil
David Horowitz sells it

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who is Les Davis ?

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Email UPDATE:

From: "ANGELA DAVIS"
Date: Thu,21 2005 07:58:02-0500
To: info@stevesmarketanddeli.com
Subject: no I'm not "Hoot baker"

my computer is under my wife's name, Angela,I happen to be the husband Les. s a matter of fact I didnt realize there was the website "unofficial city of brownwood" until two days ago.
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from Steve Harris- One of KXYL's Marion Bishop favorite tactics when he got a challenging caller, he'd add another caller to have a three against one type of conversation (like the conversation Les mentions above). KXYL likes the yelling, name calling, & bullying. It makes them lots of money !
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Email from Les:
Iam asking that you pull your "post"  of describing me as "hoot baker" I thought we could have a civilized debate on issues, but you are no different than the ones you constantly belittle and rant about. You claim you have more insightful balanced info, but I dont see it. You seem to be the James williamson of the left, with your disparging remark.
 Les
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from Steve Harris- Les want's a civilized debate ? Les writes: "Either you were raised in a very oppressive enviroment beaten over the head with the bible or maybe your just plain wrong!" Civilized debate as in the Bullying debate found at KXYL of which he mentions ! As for Les's comment "you seem to be the James Williamson of the left, with your disparging remark", I find that very interesting. After listening to James "Bully" anyone left of his hard right position as "cockroaches" and worse for years on the Brownwood airwaves, Les doesn't understand that I am simply holding a mirror up to James' accusations of what he thinks the Democrat Party is (he likes to define everyone and we don't let him define who we are or what we stand for ! ). I know, and have documented on our Blog, every time James accuses the Democrats of something I can immediately find documentation of Republicans doing the exact same thing. It's really weird when a caller challenges James and his opinion and James asks the caller if they are Gay.
Freaky !

Answers to the above:
Raised in opressive enviroment ? No
Beaten over the head with the Bible ? No
Just plain wrong ? Sometimes Yes and Sometimes No !
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Does this (below) surprise anyone (Democrat, Independent, or Republican) ?
Clinton impeachment was retaliation for Nixon, says retiring congressman
Henry Hyde
By Andy Shaw
April 21, 2005 — Republican Congressman Henry Hyde made some surprising comments Thursday on the impeachment hearings of President Bill Clinton. He now says Republicans may have gone after Clinton to retaliate for the impeachment of Richard Nixon. Hyde is stepping down after this term.
source: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/042105_ns_hyde.html
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Note to Les........ I agree with Orin Hatch ! (He's speaking of R's and D's.)
" Both sides have been wrong on some issues, no question about it." Utah Republican Senator Orin Hatch - Dallas Morning News - Friday, April 22, 2005 page 20a

Brownwood Reporter Nash & Tattooed Man ! Fixation ?

Wednesday April 20, 2005
News
Assaults keep lawmen busy
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin
 
Brownwood police received reports of recent assaults, including one that stemmed from a basketball game at Coggin Park and another in which a woman won't tell police what happened despite witness' statements that she was abducted.
A 20-year-old man playing basketball Wednesday evening was teamed with a tattooed man he didn't know, according to a report filed by officer Mike Clark.
The man told police that the tattooed man seemed to have a "problem" with him from the time the game began, and accused him of not passing the ball. He tried to calm the tattooed man and said it wasn't deliberate.
"You don't know who you're messing with. You're messing with the wrong (expletive)," the tattooed man, who is black, said, using a racial epithet.
The 20-year-old backed away but was hit several times in his face and forehead when the tattooed man began swinging his fists, Clark's report states.
He retrieved his belongings and walked to his car, and the tattooed man followed him and kicked him, then drove away in his own car, Clark's report states.
Witnesses told Clark that the 20-year-old is a likable person who never causes problems and had done nothing to provoke the incident. An investigation continues.
http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/19/news/news03.txt
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more information on tattoos for those who are interested.....

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Brownwood Gay & GOP

Robert Scheer:
GOP Gays and the 'Finkelstein Phenomenon'
COMMENTARY

The issue arguably cost John Kerry the presidential election, and Kansas has just become the 18th state to constitutionally ban it, yet there are reasons to feel optimistic about the granting of full civil rights to people who have chosen a life partner of the same sex.
Even as the heartland state was enshrining bigotry in its constitution, a bipartisan legislative majority in Connecticut this month approved same-sex civil unions — and, unlike the laws allowing same-sex marriage in Massachusetts and civil unions in Vermont, this one was not in response to a court order.
More important, we continue to see public expressions of what I am calling the Finkelstein Phenomenon: The slow but inexorable societal acknowledgment that gay people are real people living real lives, not an abstraction or a subculture. And many of them are Republicans.
Arthur Finkelstein, for example, is an enormously effective right-wing GOP political operative who revealed recently that in December he took advantage of the groundbreaking and much-maligned Massachusetts law to marry his longtime partner. When asked why, he cited "visitation rights, healthcare benefits and other human relationship contracts."
Finkelstein, in the past, must have conveniently forgotten his own interests when he helped engineer the election of known conservative gay-bashers such as Jesse Helms. He represents — along with Dick Cheney's highly regarded lesbian daughter and the Log Cabin Republicans — yet another example for conservatives of how being gay is much more fundamental than a "lifestyle choice." In fact, it is just another manifestation of the human experience.
Acknowledging this, the Connecticut Legislature granted gay couples the same tax advantages, family leave privileges, hospital visitation rights and other benefits now reserved for heterosexual married couples. And although the state's Republican governor did manage to have an amendment inserted into the bill defining marriage as a union of a man and a woman, the law's opponents were right when they said that this partial civil rights victory will ultimately lead to the legal acceptance of gay marriage.
"It's hard to believe that the train, as it rolls down the tracks, is going to stop at this station," complained state Sen. John Kissel, who voted against it. "Going down this track has a price to it."
The price may be high for bigots. But as many whites learned in the post-segregation South, there is a far greater gain in learning to respect people who are "different" and to live with them constructively.
Although racial segregation was a "traditional value" for most of this nation's existence, it was belatedly overturned as subversive of the values of a democratic society, as discrimination against gays will be.
Integration was most ardently opposed by Southern white Baptist preachers who cited the Bible, and now we hear the same Scripture-based attacks on gay marriage. Yet this is hypocritically selective because Christian writings are full of historical anachronisms, such as the acceptance of polygamy and women-as-chattel. Marriage to a divorcee, a common occurrence even among conservatives, is expressly forbidden in Matthew (5:27-32): " … whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
In any case, religious interpretations should never intrude on matters of secular law, as has occurred relentlessly in the same-sex marriage debate. But faced with a logical and long-building civil rights movement spurred by the "coming out" of millions of regular Americans, conservative politicians have fallen back on "traditional religious values" because they can find no other convincing argument for supporting repression.
As San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer wrote last week in reaffirming his preliminary ruling in March, laws limiting marriage to a man and a woman discriminate against same-sex couples on the basis of gender without a legitimate state interest for doing so.
"To say that all men and all women are treated the same in that each may not marry someone of the same gender misses the point," Kramer wrote, dismissing the state's argument that tradition provided sufficient grounds for such discrimination.
As it has been for racial minorities, women and immigrants, the progressive acquisition of civil rights is marked by partial victories, regional setbacks and flare-ups of naked hostility and even violence. Yet the pattern is clear: The breakthrough Connecticut legislation eventually will be followed by other states and the nation as a whole because it is so obviously an extension of rights that all citizens in a democracy deserve
source: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-scheer19apr19,0,2839125.column?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

Robert Talton: Understanding the Texas Theocrats !

Talton must have had Brownwood Texas in mind when he tagged on his last-minute ammendment to prevent Gays and Lesbians from being Foster Parents. Mr Talton is surely aware that Gays & Lesbians in Texas are the second most targeted group in the State (behind Blacks) according to Texas Department of Public Safety Hate Crime Statistics. Mr Talton must then deduce that placing foster children in a Gay and Lesbian Household would increase the chances of that child being attacked, harrased, bullied etc. by community members (adults and kids) who are not members of their household. Has Mr Talton's comments (see: Who is Talton) played a role in creating a hostile enviroment for these children and their foster parents ! Was that his goal or was he simply pondering President Bush's comments to the UN ? We agree with the President and that is why we discuss these issues in the light of day.
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" Eventually, there is no safety in looking away, seeking the quiet life by ignoring the struggles
and oppression of others. "

President G.W. Bush-United Nations-Sept. 21, 2004
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“ The focus of this statement is on hate crimes related to 9/11. We wish not to dismiss other acts of hate that have been leveled against people of color and the gay and lesbian community in Texas.
For one example, the ACLU, with local concerned citizens, is currently investigating a rash of hate crime in Brownwood, Texas. We suspect at least 10 hate crimes in that town alone-including murders and even murders of witnesses to those hate crimes. Local officials have repeatedly refused to investigate or prosecute these crimes according to the mandates of the the Hate Crimes Act. In one instance, a field officer drafted a crime report which clearly documented race as the motive of the violent crime. Nevertheless, the local District Attorney's office still refused to prosecute this at all, much less as a hate crime. Our conclusion is that the law alone is not enough. The Texas Attorney General, or some external body, must be vested with full authority to prosecute these crimes or at least monitor the law's enforcement in some meaningful way. ”

William Harrell, Esq. Executive Director, ACLU of Texas
To the House Judicial Affairs Committee Regarding
The Committee's Oversight of the Texas Attorney General's Office

August 15, 2002 San Antonio, Texas

source: House Judicial Affairs Committee
[PDF/Adobe Acrobat]
... the ACLU, with local concerned citizens, is currently investigating a rash of hate crime in Brownwood,. Texas. We ...

archive.aclu.org/news/2002/harrell_statement.pdf

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Background on Tarlton amendment:

House OKs CPS bill, bans gay foster care
GOP lawmaker tacks on measure late; joint talks with Senate ahead
10:39 PM CDT on Tuesday, April 19, 2005
By ROBERT T. GARRETT / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN – The Texas House approved a sweeping overhaul of protective services for children and adults Tuesday, including a last-minute amendment that would ban gays, lesbians and bisexuals from serving as foster parents.
The amendment, tacked on by Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, was deemed "unworkable" by Rep. Suzanna Gratia Hupp, R-Lampasas, sponsor of the overall House bill. But Ms. Hupp voted with the majority as the amendment was approved, 81-58.
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Who is Talton

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Who are the Brownwood Theocrats ?

The Theocrats
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Tuesday 19 April 2005

One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.

- Bob Dylan, 'With God on Our Side'

    Ten years ago today, an anti-government extremist named Timothy McVeigh parked a Ryder truck filled with fertilizer and fuel oil in front of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. At 9:02 in the morning, the truck exploded and carved out the guts of that building like a gourd. 168 people, including 19 children, died in the blast. It remains today the most devastating act of domestic terrorism in American history.

    McVeigh was birthed from a movement that became all too prominent during the 1990s. The militia people, they of the Black Government Helicopters and the theory that the United Nations was getting ready to take over the world, made up the far-right flank of Newt Gingrich's GOP back in the day. After Oklahoma City, however, the militias petered out and faded into the backwoods background from whence they came.

    That breed of extremist was on the outside looking in at the time. They have been replaced today by an extremist movement of surpassing menace. Like the militias before them, this new breed likewise represents the far-right flank of the GOP. Unlike their predecessors, however, this new breed enjoys unprecedented insider status. They are represented vigorously in Congress and the White House, and are calling many of the shots.

    McVeigh and his militia ilk wanted to destroy the government so they could keep their guns and pay no taxes, basically. McVeigh destroyed the Murrah building to strike a blow for this cause. As catastrophic as that attack was, it pales in comparison to the damage this nation will endure if these new extremists are allowed to have their way. Their vision of America does away with the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the separation of church and state.

    They are the Theocrats, the Christian Taliban right here in America, and they are deadly dangerous both to this nation and the world entire. These people do not in any way represent mainstream Christianity, yet sadly they are redefining the meaning of that faith across the board. They would annihilate all that America has stood for these last two hundred years to 'save' the nation, literally as far as they are concerned, and right now, they believe they have the power to get everything they want.

    It remains to be seen if they are correct in this assumption. While they make up only a small minority of the populace, the Theocrats enjoy the sponsorship of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, House Majority Leader Tom Delay as well as George W. Bush. Yet their most recent foray into power politics, the Terri Schiavo debacle, blew up decisively in their faces. Some 80% of the populace decided they did not like these people placing themselves into the role of mother, father, husband, wife, doctor and priest all in one sitting.

    The most recent polls indicate this ghoulish sideshow has cost the Republican majority and the White House significant standing with the citizenry; each now is suffering the lowest approval ratings to this point in their tenure, and if DNC Chairman Howard Dean's words are to be heeded, this issue will be used as a barbed stick to be wielded by the Democrats during the upcoming 2006 midterm elections.

    The Theocrats lost that particular fight but are gearing up for the next one, and it is upon the coming battleground that a good portion of the future health and well-being of this republic will be decided. Majority Leader Frist is teaming up with the worst elements of the Theocrat armada in an attempt to paint Democrats in Congress as 'anti-Christian,' the ultimate purpose of which is to undo the generations-old recourse of the Congressional minority, the filibuster.

    Though we live today in an age where official hypocrisy is as common as sunlight and shadow, the reasons for Frist's looming attack on the filibuster forge new precedent in the annals of foolishness. Twelve of 204 Bush nominations to the Judiciary have been stopped by the Democrats, those twelve being far feathers on the right wing who have no place on the bench. This equals a Judicial nominee approval rate of 95%, which is a far cry from the obstructionism of the Republican Congress during Clinton's term, when one out of three seats in the Federal court system were left empty thanks to the efforts of the Gingrich brigades.

    Why were these twelve nominees singled out and blocked? Let us look at a few examples. One Bush nominee, Jay Bybee, was one of the wonderboys who told Bush he could ignore laws forbidding torture. Bush nominee Carolyn Kuhl ruled that a woman's right to privacy was not violated by a doctor who invited a drug salesman to personally observe her breast exam. Bush nominee Charles Pickering once described a cross-burning as a "drunken prank." Bush nominee Jeffrey Sutton believes the Americans with Disabilities Act "is not needed."

    Et cetera.

    Frist's desire to do away with the filibuster is being referred to as the 'Nuclear Option.' It is aptly named, for the results of a Frist victory in this will be monstrous. The destruction of the filibuster is about far more than these twelve forlorn nominees. If Frist and the Theocrats are able to do away with this last lingering firebreak, the Theocrats will have a wide-open highway on which to drive through the most terrifying aspects of their agenda. The despicable invasion of privacy that was the Schiavo mess will be a forgotten footnote compared to what will come if Frist and the Theocrats have their way with the filibuster.

    Imagine this scenario: A bill is introduced in the House to require children to say the Lord's Prayer each morning in every American public school. Arguments in favor of American pluralism and freedom of (and from) religion fall on deaf ears. Thanks to the massive GOP majority in the House, the bill is passed and reaches the Senate, where outraged Democrats are powerless to stop it without the filibuster. It passes there, and is placed on the desk of Mr. Bush, who happily signs away yet another barrier separating the church and the state.

    Crazy, right? Wrong. This is a benign hypothetical compared to the draconian legislation the Theocrats would like to see passed. Should they get their way, you will not be safe in person, thought or deed if any of these cut against the fundamentalist grain. America won't become a land of bourkas and beheadings, probably, but if you don't have a Bible in your hand at all times, you'll probably lose your job and credit rating. For starters.

    Frist and the Theocrats do not have the destruction of the filibuster sewn up quite yet, however. The GOP has a 55-44 majority in the Senate, with Jeffords the Independent caucusing with the Democrats. 51 Senators are needed to kill the filibuster. The Democrats can count on all 44 of their Senators to oppose, and can likewise count on Jeffords to do the same. At this point, GOP Senators McCain and Chafee have also stated they will oppose the action.

    Seven GOP Senators are on the fence: Collins and Snowe of Maine, Hagel of Nebraska, Lugar of Indiana, Murkowski of Alaska, Specter of Pennsylvania, and Warner of Virginia. Whoever convinces a majority of these undecided Senators will win the filibuster fight.

    We have seen how ugly, bloody and dangerous things can get in other countries when religious extremists gain complete political supremacy. It can happen here. Unless it is stopped, right now, it will happen here.

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    William Rivers Pitt is a New York Times and internationally bestselling author of two books - 'War on Iraq: What Team Bush Doesn't Want You to Know' and 'The Greatest Sedition Is Silence.' Join the discussions at his blog forum.
source: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/041905Y.shtml
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Brownwood Theocrats ?

" They believe that they can do or say anything in the name of God and it's ok. "
* Republican Congressman Mike Connaway's Chief Of Staff Jeff Burton (email March 11, 2004) commenting on the Campaign with rival Republican & HPU Professor Bill Lester. Note: The majority of Brown County Republicans voted for Connaway's opponent Bill Lester !

rest of story...

Brownwood's KXYL: Spreading the Lies

rest of story...

Getting screwed by " W " ?

note: This guy better watch out for the Brownwood Taliban ( * see below ) heard on KXYL and led by James Williamson. They refer to anyone who challenges them, or their leader, as " Communists, Pagans, Socialists, left wing counter culture, Gay, baby killing, cockroaches, pimps, perverts, & pedophiles" .

Bush supporter sues RNC over 'W' logo
By DAVID KOENIG
Associated Press Writer

A Texas insurance agent has sued the Republican National Committee and one of its suppliers, claiming they stole his design for those ubiquitous "W" bumper stickers touting President George W. Bush in 2004.
Jerry Gossett of Wichita Falls says he pitched his idea to the RNC's supplier of campaign materials, The Spalding Group of Lexington, Ky., in 2001. Gossett says he left samples of his work with Spalding, but the company said it wasn't interested in using it.
In 2003, Gossett flew to Washington to pitch the design to then-RNC chairman Ed Gillespie, a meeting set up with the help of Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, for whom Gossett had organized a fund-raiser.
A couple weeks later, Gillespie wrote back, "Unfortunately, we are precluded from working with your company by existing licensing agreements."
That seemed to be the end of the story for Gossett. Then in early 2004, one of his sons spotted a similar logo on a Web site and Gossett traced it back to the RNC. This month, Gossett's Rally Concepts LLC sued in federal district court in Texarkana, seeking unspecified damages for copyright infringement and conspiracy.
The RNC and its supplier deny any wrongdoing.
"The only comment I would say is that from the RNC's perspective, the case is frivolous," said Tracey Schmitt, the RNC's press secretary.
Officials at Spalding did not respond to phone messages, but a lawyer for the company dismissed Gossett's claim to the iconic logo.
If the case ever gets to trial, the outcome could hinge on the similarities — and differences — between Gossett's logo and the Spalding design that wound up on so many red-state bumpers.
Gossett said he was inspired by scenes of firefighters raising a flag at the site of the World Trade Center. On a yellow legal pad, he drew an American flag fluttering from a large W, next to the number 43. Bush is the 43rd president, and the number distinguishes him from his father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st president.
Gossett took his drawing to a Wichita Falls print shop, which made a few bumper stickers and caps using the design.
None of Spalding's earlier designs for the Bush campaign looked quite as minimalist as Gossett's logo. There were, however, significant differences between Gossett's version and the one that Spalding produced.
The Spalding design reads "W '04" instead of "W 43." It is also rounded, unlike Gossett's rectangular design.
William H. Hollander, a lawyer for Spalding, said two key elements in the Spalding design had emerged as early as 1999. Bush's campaign used a wavy flag to the right of the "W," and Spalding used a stand-alone "W" in campaign material it produced for Bush, he said.
Gossett's design doesn't meet the legal test of being "substantially similar" to Spalding's, Hollander said in a letter to Gossett's lawyer. He said the company wasn't interested in discussing a settlement.
Gossett says he is a loyal Republican who voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004. Records show he donated $250 last year. But he said he has become jaded by his experience with the business end of politics.
"I just didn't realize how difficult it is to break into the political spectrum," he said. "The big RNC against little me, there was absolutely no chance to win."
source: http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/gen/ap/TX_W_Bumper_Sticker_Lawsuit.html

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Brownwood Taliban

rest of story...

Brownwood Talk Radio Listeners " starving minds " !

KXYL FM NEWSTALK 96.9 - is the trade area's only news, sports, and information radio station. People are hungry for information and we are willing to feed the starving minds. Talk Radio is addictive. The more we feed them, the more they want. This is news and talk radio at its best, delivering your advertising message (7) days a week, 24 hours a day!
source: http://www.wattsradio.net/about_us.htm
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Note last * paragraph in this story !

Domestic Extremist Groups Weaker but Still Worrisome
By Lois Romano
A decade after the Oklahoma City bombing, which killed 168 people and turned a spotlight on violent anti-government extremists, the number of paramilitary militia groups has dropped dramatically and other radical-right groups have splintered and fallen into disarray, according to terrorism analysts and law enforcement officials.
But those authorities say the threat from domestic terrorists remains strong and is worrisome because of "lone wolf" actors who may have associated with extremist groups and remain committed and violent. They point to people such as Eric Rudolph, who pleaded guilty last week to attacks at an abortion clinic and the 1996 Summer Olympics that killed two people.
Two years ago, federal agents in Texas arrested William Krar, a white supremacist who possessed enough sodium cyanide to kill 6,000 people, half a million rounds of ammunition and 60 pipe bombs. Krar, who had ties to anti-government groups, pleaded guilty to possessing a chemical weapon and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, much of the federal government's focus -- and the nation's worries -- has turned to foreign threats. But advocacy groups and experts in homegrown terrorism say cases such as Rudolph's and Krar's show that domestic threats still bubble dangerously close to the surface.
"If Krar had a Middle Eastern name, we would have had the military in there," said Ken Toole, director of the Montana Human Rights Network, which tracks militia and hate groups. "The war on terror continues to focus on the external threats, but do not kid yourself. The hard core is still out there in this country."
Ten years ago today, Army veteran Timothy J. McVeigh -- fueled by an intense hatred of the government -- blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in what was then the deadliest act of terrorism on U.S. soil.
Investigators initially suspected foreign terrorists, and Americans were stunned to learn that the attack was by one of their own. It drew unprecedented attention to the ferocity of anti-government sentiment in this country, as well as to the extraordinary number of extremist hate groups with a long reach.
Since then, terrorism experts and law enforcement officials agree that many of the militia and other organized radical groups -- such as white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Christian Identity adherents -- have weakened, in large part because they felt the heat of law enforcement and negative public perception after the Oklahoma City bombing. They said the number of militia groups has dropped from about 900 right after the bombing to 150 today.
In some ways, observers say, the domestic terrorism threat is broader today because of recruitment on the Internet, and because it comes not only from the radical right but also from left-wing radical environmental groups, which have caused tens of millions of dollars in property damage but no fatalities.
The Southern Poverty Law Center reported the existence of more than 762 hate groups last year, an increase from previous years. According to the Anti-Defamation League, 15 law enforcement officials have been killed by anti-government extremists in the past 10 years.
"What has changed is that the numbers of the committed have steadily dropped since the Oklahoma bombing, but those who are committed have hardened views," said Daniel Levitas, author of "The Terrorist Next Door: The Militia Movement and the Radical Right."
David Trochman of the Militia of Montana said in an interview that members are "much more private" about belonging to a militia since the bombing but that his members remain unhappy about what is happening in the country, particularly what he sees as liberal border policies.
Officials at the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI acknowledge that since the Sept. 11 attacks they have viewed foreign threats as a higher priority than domestic ones. A recent department internal assessment of threats did not list militias, white-supremacist groups and violent antiabortion activists. The assessment, first reported by Congressional Quarterly, did mention radical environmental groups and animal rights activists as potential threats.
John Lewis, deputy chief of the FBI's counterintelligence unit, said authorities had seen the "resourcefulness" of foreign terrorists. "That being said, we are very committed to investigating domestic threats," he said.
Both agencies noted that in recent years there has been heightened communication with local law enforcement to help identify domestic-based threats. The official added that although the domestic groups have been relatively quiet since the 1995 bombing, the FBI has hundreds of ongoing probes involving extremist groups nationwide.
Lewis cautioned that the threat of "eco-terrorists" cannot be minimized simply because there have been no fatalities in their attacks. "When you're burning homes, buildings and ski slopes, it's just a matter of time," he said. "In my view, they have just been lucky."
Experts attribute the weakened state of most hate groups to the death of prominent leaders in the extremist movements that left a power vacuum and dwindling membership because of infighting. Others, they say, simply distanced themselves after the Oklahoma City bombing. "They didn't sign up to kill babies," said Mark Pitcavage, the national director of fact-finding for the Anti-Defamation League.
The current void in leadership on the radical right plays a major role in assessing the immediate threat of such activists, said academics and terrorism experts.
One of the most significant losses for anti-government zealots was the 2002 death of National Alliance founder William Pierce. Pierce wrote "The Turner Diaries," considered McVeigh's blueprint for the Oklahoma City bombing, and has received virtual cult status among far-right extremists. Last fall, Aryan Nations founder Richard G. Butler died, dividing the once formidable group into two factions, hampered by lawsuits and arrests.
The conviction of white supremacist Matthew Hale in Chicago for threatening a federal judge gutted his World Church of the Creator, which advocated the premise that "white people are the creators of all worthwhile culture and civilization." And Robert Millar, head of Elohim City, a white-separatist compound in northeastern Oklahoma linked to McVeigh, died in 2001.
"The few leaders they have left can barely drag their oxygen tanks to the meetings," said Joe Roy, chief intelligence analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Consequently, there has been no one strong voice articulating a cause, which leaves angry but aimless dissidents. "It takes someone to preach the gospel," said Robert Heibel, executive director of Mercyhurst College Institute for Intelligence Studies and a former FBI chief of counterintelligence.
Others argue that the most dangerous times can be during a power vacuum. "You have more marginal people trying to act out and hard-core believers trying to fill the void," Toole said, adding: "Everyone has to understand that they are just regrouping -- a new generation will come in."
And maybe some of the old voices will bridge the gap. After notorious former Ku Klux Klan leader David

* Duke was released from prison last spring, where he had served more than a year for fraud, 300 people turned out to hear him speak in New Orleans on Memorial Day -- and 67,000 tuned in through the Internet. "It just shows you just how hungry they are," Roy said.

Staff writer John Mintz and research editor Lucy Shackelford contributed to this report.

Evangelicals want to control judiciary

By Cynthia Hall Clements, The Lufkin Daily News
Sunday, April 17, 2005

The evangelical elite in this country seems to have taken the admonition from the book of Proverbs, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” a bit too personally.
In fact, they seem to think that they, and only they, impart godly knowledge to the rest of us — fellow believers, agnostics, and atheists alike — who refused to be co-opted into their strict world view and for that reason alone, we should fear them. They have the ear of the Almighty in Heaven, and they are His voice here on earth, or so they would want us to believe.
Some evangelicals wave the banner of Jesus Christ, chant His words over their subversive political tactics, and demand God's blessings on their politics. They exploit faith to justify their oppressive political agenda, and in the process stifle religious freedoms and trample on civil liberties in this country. Somehow I do not think that the familiar hymn, the call-to-action of the Christian faith, “Onward Christian Soldiers,” means that true believers are to wage war on the culture in the political arena through the government.
Mark Levin's book, “Men in Black: How the Supreme Court is Destroying America,” would be easy to reject as yet another tirade in the battle against the alleged spiritual enemy of “judicial activism.”
Levin, in rank-and-file goosestep with other religious conservatives, condemns liberal judges run-amuck for destroying all things good and moral in this country. Terri Schiavo is dead, and “abortion on demand” is still legal. The courts are clearing the way for homosexuals to marry, but the Supreme Court recently ruled it unconstitutional to execute minors. Immigration, socialism, moral relativism, a whole host of other “-isms,” and even affirmative action make the list of the top 10 sins of Supreme Court justices on Levin's tablets.
It is past time, centuries past, according to Levin, to unseat Supreme Court justices and other federal judges, especially those who refuse to kneel at the altar of religious extremism, carefully cloaked as “Christianity.” Force them to repent of their sins, all under the guise of demonstrating Christ's love, of course. Levin questions the “high moral authority” that our country confers upon the Supreme Court.
Instituting term limits, amending the U.S. Constitution to erode the power of the judiciary, and conferring on Congress a “supermajority” two-thirds veto over all Supreme Court decisions are among Levin's suggestions to make the courts accountable to the whim and will of the majority. On James Dobson's radio program, Levin also railed against judicial nominations being “obstructed” by a “small cabal of radical left-wing Senators.” Strip them of their judicial independence, and the courts may bow to the latest public opinion poll.
It is not “mobarchy” or tyranny of the majority, Levin reassures his readers. Sure, I say. Works fine as long as you are in the majority, but wait and see what happens when you are in the minority. The view is not the same from the bleacher seats.
Levin states in his book about the High Court, “They've announced that morality alone is an insufficient basis for legislation.” Here is the really important question Levin fails to ask, “Whose definition of ‘morality?'” The answer to this question shows the hypocrisy of Levin and other right-wingers. After all, if these evangelicals approved of the decisions of the Supreme Court and other federal judges, “judicial activism” would be a friend not a foe, a means to the end of changing the culture.
But here is one nagging fact curiously de-emphasized in Levin's book. Republican presidents appointed seven out of the nine sitting Supreme Court justices. As President, Bill Clinton only appointed two justices — Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Stephen Breyer — during his first term in office. What more does the religious right want? It would appear total control — ex post facto — over High Court decisions with which they disagree.
Levin's book would be easy to dismiss, even though it is currently on the New York Times bestseller list, except for James Dobson's, of Focus on the Family fame, endorsement of and commentary on it. Dobson's statement on his April 11 radio broadcast, comparing the Supreme Court justices to the Ku Klux Klan, would be farcical if it were not so frightening.
“I heard a minister the other day talking about the great injustice and evil of the men in white robes, the Ku Klux Klan, that roamed the country in the South, and they did great wrong to civil rights and to morality. And now we have black-robed men, and that's what you're talking about,” Dobson said in his conversation with Levin.
With a listening audience of as many as 7 million for his radio program, Dobson is an obviously power player in the evangelical movement in this country. As such, he has the responsibility to use the power of the pulpit of his para-church organization judiciously instead of resorting to gratuitous hate speech. People who tuned in to Dobson's program for Biblical advice on marriage and parenting last week instead heard his denunciation of the “unelected, unaccountable, arrogant judges” on the Supreme Court. Dobson's influence and impact make his statements so frightening.
Perhaps a better name for Levin's book would have been, “Men in Pulpits: How the Evangelical Elite is Destroying Faith."
My only fear is now that by debunking the myths of Levin, Dobson and others in this space, I have given credibility to their cause. It has none.
source: http://www.lufkindailynews.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2005/04/17/20050417LDNclements.html;COXnetJSessionIDbuild71=CkPuQua4VdO6yRMgvdMdH3DkApPUZq2ePpVwyYRwhUsLkgzl5lIQ!-1752721936?urac=n&urvf=11139029583710.9400662270676524

"Holy War" ? Just what some talking heads are pushing !

Editorial: Frist joins 'holy war'
LAS VEGAS SUN
WEEKEND EDITION
April 16 - 17, 2005
Next Sunday the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, is going to ratchet up his campaign to change Senate rules so that filibusters against judicial nominations are no longer allowed. This would make it easier for President Bush to get his judicial nominees approved. Frist is going to appear with high-profile religious leaders in a telecast, originating from a church in Kentucky, that will portray Democrats as "against people of faith" because they have opposed some of Bush's judicial nominees. Some religious conservatives have been angered by court rulings -- on gay marriage, abortion and prayer in schools to name but a few -- and believe that ending judicial filibusters would enable Bush to get judges confirmed who share their views on faith.
The New York Times reported Friday that fliers promoting the telecast are calling the event "Justice Sunday." The fliers also show a man holding a Bible in one of his hands and a gavel in the other. Subtlety, alas, isn't a strong suit of the Family Research Council, which is organizing the show that will be broadcast directly to churches and aired on some Christian television and radio programs.
It's offensive to hear religious leaders say Democrats are against faith simply because they oppose what, in effect, would be a court-packing plan by Bush. It's also deeply disturbing that some religious and political leaders would try to pit Christian against Christian based on their political beliefs on an issue -- judicial appointments -- that should have nothing to do with religion. Religious leaders not affiliated with "Justice Sunday" should speak out against such hatred and language that more resembles a holy war and which has no place in political debate in the United States.
source: http://www.lasvegassun.com/opinion/

Tom Delay, Barney Frank & KXYL's James Williamson

As this relates to James Williamsons obsession with Barney Franks ethics while defending Tom Delays ethics:

On todays Meet The Press - Rep. Barney Frank " I've been the focus of ethics probes fifteen years ago because I behaved inappropriately." But here's the difference." I changed my behavior," said Frank. " Tom DeLay changed the ethics committee."

As everyone knows, DeLay was admonished three times in 2004 for ethical lapses, more than any other politician, I believe. But as Frank points out, instead of cleaning up his house, DeLay hammered the Republicans into weakening the Ethics Committee, reverting to the rules they'd just changed in 1997, making it far more difficult to bring an ethics investigation forward and purging the committee of the three Republicans who dared to stand up for ethical behavior and had DeLay slapped on the wrist.

source:
Tom DeLay Hits The Trifecta On Sunday Morning News Shows
by Michael in New York - 4/17/2005 01:56:00 PM
http://www.americablog.org/

Brownwood: Asbestos, Health, Politics & Morality

I would like to know what happens to the poor who have terminal conditions..do they get treated if they cant pay ?
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LEXI
Newbie
8 Posts
Posted - April 17 2005 :  16:43:17
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this questions is posted at: http://www.cityofbrownwood.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=333&FORUM_ID=34&CAT_ID=12&Forum_Title=Global%2FWorld+Economy&Topic_Title=Should+the+U%2ES%2E+Have+Universal+Health+Care%3F&whichpage=2&tmp=1
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Here's the answer to the question:

Brownwood Bulletin Page 5a Sunday, April 17, 2005

" Transplant fund open for Walker "

"Ron Walker, a resident of Brownwood for the past 12 years, is in urgent need of a lung transplant."
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"After he was diagnosed, the insurance company he had used for years suddenly dropped all health coverage in the state of Texas."
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"When his wife Judy, contacted the hospital, she was told that without insurance, he must have a minimum of $ 225,000 in an account before he could even be considered for a transplant. "

A fund has been set up for his transplant in the name of Judy Walker at TexasBank, 400 Fisk Ave. Brownwood, TX 76801. To help, call Pam Woodcock at 642.3537 or Mandy Sharp at 641.8671.
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Brownwood Asbestos....

rest of story...

ISSUES

ASBESTOS COMPANIES
...WHAT THEY KNEW AND WHEN
Internal industry documents show that the asbestos companies have known since the 1930's that asbestos is harmful. The documents prove that the industry concealed the hazardous nature of asbestos from the workers and the public for decades.

The Asbestos Bailout Bills, SB 15 and HB 8, shield these wrongdoers from accountability. Shouldn’t lawmakers be strengthening protections for the victims and their families instead of protecting companies that knowingly poisoned their workers?



Voices of the Asbestos Victims...
The Asbestos Companies: In Their Own Words...
At least 2,651 people have been killed by asbestos in Texas since 1979...
Over 680,000 Tons of asbestos-laden vermiculite shipped to Texas by W.R. Grace...
42% of Texans at risk of exposure...
PLANT EMPLOYEES AT RISK FOR ASBESTOS ILLNESSES
Report inconclusive on Grace operation's threat to neighborhood
By JIM GETZ, Dallas Morning News, October 5, 2005
They called it the giant cigar. Diane Smith and Linda Bates recall that the towering smokestack of W.R. Grace's Texas Vermiculite plant behind Thomas A. Edison Middle School spewed what they thought was ash, so the kids saw it as a stogie. "It was like glitter," Ms. Smith said of the particles the kids licked off the ice cream they bought at the Good Luck hamburger stand where Ms. Bates' mother worked. But a new report from a federal agency says the W.R. Grace facility produced something more ominous than glitter. Read More...

HONOR VETS
LETTER TO THE EDITOR, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, July 14, 2005
Politicians in Washington love to talk about the greatest generation, but whether they truly honor those who defended this country in its darkest hour depends on actions, not words. The asbestos bailout bill before the United States Senate dishonors all asbestos victims, and especially Navy veterans from World War II on, including myself, since 1969...Read More...

Asbestos boss likely to breathe free
By RICK CASEY, Houston Chronicle, June 15, 2005
So what punishment did Houston businessman Eric Ho get for stealthily subjecting immigrant workers to potentially high levels of asbestos? If you missed Sunday's column, Ho bought the defunct Alief General Hospital in 1997 with the intention of converting it to housing. He was informed by the seller that it required as much as $400,000 worth of asbestos abatement. Read More...

Lege Briefs: Perry Signs Block on Asbestos Suits
WIRE REPORTS, San Antonio Express-News, May 20, 2005
HOUSTON — Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill into law Thursday that will make it more difficult to file asbestos-related lawsuits. Those who oppose the new law say it merely protects corporations that knowingly harmed thousands of Texans.Texas Watch, a consumer advocate group that has criticized the measure for failing to ensure asbestos victims will receive compensation, called the new law "special interest, insurance industry-backed asbestos legislation." Read More...

Senate passes bill on asbestos suits
Reform would let only those with serious illnesses seek compensation
ASSOCIATED PRESS, Houston Chronicle, April 27, 2005
AUSTIN - A flood of asbestos lawsuits in Texas' judicial system would become a trickle if a Senate bill that is meant to reform how those cases are treated is approved, supporters say. Read More...

Compromise seeks to tweak asbestos policy
By LOMI KRIEL, San Antonio Express-News, April 27, 2005
AUSTIN — Danny Martinez didn't think he was that out of shape. After all, he's worked under the South Texas sun on oil rigs all his life, lifting heavy pipes and tools. And in his mid-40s, he didn't think he was that old either. But sometimes he couldn't breathe, no matter how wide he opened his mouth and how deep he inhaled. Read More...

Feds investigate deadly ore shipped to Dallas
By LISA FALKENBERG, Associated Press, Dallas Morning News, April 23, 2005
After dark, the silver dust fell on Bedford Street like spilled glitter. It clung to window sills, the black habits of neighborhood nuns and, at least once, the bare arms of Concepcion Hernandez's sister. Hernandez, 79, remembers how her sister refused to wash it off, insisting on wearing it to a meeting with attorneys and city leaders as evidence that nearby factories, including a lead smelter and asbestos plant, were poisoning her neighborhood. Read More...

Asbestos compromise reached
Trial lawyers back anti-lawsuit measure
By W. Gardner Selby, Austin American-Statesman, April 23, 2005
Legislation limiting asbestos lawsuits gained sudden momentum Friday after business interests and trial lawyers endorsed a revised measure. Texas could be poised to restrict such lawsuits after the 2003 Legislature stalled on the issue. Read More...

ASBESTOS BILLS STRIP VICTIMS OF THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS [Waco]
Legislation lets polluters escape responsibility; Consumers call for stronger victim protections
April 20, 2005, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: ALEX WINSLOW (512) 381-1111 or (512) 699-6644
Read More...

Se debate iniciativa de daños por asbesto
El Senado revisa una propuesta para quitar responsabilidad a fabricantes de asbesto
By CRIS VILLARREAL NAVARRO, RUMBO, April 19, 2005
Harlingen — La organización Texas Watch (TW) pidió a sus 8,000 miembros en todo el estado que se movilicen para detener la aprobación de las iniciativas HB 8 y SB 15. Hoy miércoles, un comité del Senado estatal empezará la revisión de la iniciativa que liberaría a las compañías de seguros y a los fabricantes de asbesto de toda responsabilidad legal con los afectados de enfermedades mortales derivadas de la exposición al producto. Read More...

ASBESTOS BILLS STRIP VICTIMS OF THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS [Harlingen]
Legislation lets polluters escape responsibility; Consumers call for stronger victim protections
April 19, 2005, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: ALEX WINSLOW (512) 381-1111; Nick Smallwood (español)
Read More...

Fresh Heir?
By RACHEL STONE, Beaumont Enterprise, April 17, 2005
Any exertion, and Arrel Martin is finished. The 77-year-old can't walk half a city block without stopping to rest. He can't mow his own lawn, and picking up a few groceries is a marathon task that takes hours to complete. His lungs refuse to work for him and he feels like he's drowning, Martin said last week in a telephone interview from his home in Orange. Read More...

WINSLOW: DENYING ASBESTOS VICTIMS THEIR CHANCE TO GET JUSTICE
Commentary by N. ALEX WINSLOW, Austin American-Statesman, April 16, 2005
Asbestos is a deadly product that leads to progressive, incurable diseases, including cancer and slow suffocation. An unknown number of Texans were knowingly exposed to poisonous asbestos by polluters who are now trying to escape accountability. At the Texas Legislature, lawmakers are considering legislation that will further strip the legal rights of thousands of Texans suffering from devastating asbestos-related diseases. Read More...

Asbestos bill faulty
OPINION, Dallas Morning News, April 16, 2005
The Texas Legislature is considering legislation that will strip the legal rights of thousands suffering from devastating asbestos-related diseases. Deep in the bill is a provision that would throw out the claims of thousands of asbestos victims who have been waiting for their day in court. Read More...

Consumer advocacy group stomps against asbestos bills
By TRICIA CORTEZ, Laredo Morning Times, April 14, 2005
Two Republican-led bills in Austin could greatly affect who is eligible to file an asbestos claim in court. Lining up on one side of the aisle, in support of the bills, are major oil and gas corporations, refineries, chemical plants and groups who lobby on behalf of business interests. The other side is represented primarily by consumer advocacy groups and trial lawyers. Read More...

ASBESTOS BILLS STRIP VICTIMS OF THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS [Laredo]
Legislation lets polluters escape responsibility; Consumers call for stronger victim protections
April 13, 2005, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: ALEX WINSLOW (512) 381-1111; Nick Smallwood (español)
Read More...

Lawmakers weigh asbestos lawsuit
Measure requires more medical proof.
By W. GARDNER SELBY, Austin American-Statesman, April 12, 2005
Nearly two years after asbestos-related legislation faltered, despite Gov. Rick Perry slipping over a brass rail to try to save it, a Senate panel Monday opened debate afresh. Senate Bill 15 would require plaintiffs who claim they became sick from asbestos to present detailed medical evidence before filing a suit. Read More...

SENATE COMMITTEE CONSIDERS RADICAL ASBESTOS LEGISLATION
Victims, Consumer Group Urge Committee to Reject SB15
April 11, 2005, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: ALEX WINSLOW (512) 381-1111
Read More...

Lawmakers to ponder asbestos bills
By SCOTT E. WILLIAMS, Galveston County Daily News, April 11, 2005
A committee of state senators today begins discussing a bill that would place new limits on asbestos lawsuits. N. Alex Winslow, executive director of the nonprofit consumers’ group Texas Watch, said the new law would deny legal recourse to people afflicted with either cancer or asbestosis, a hardening of the lungs, from exposure to asbestos. Read More...

ASBESTOS BILLS STRIP VICTIMS OF THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS [Galveston]
Legislation lets polluters escape responsibility; Consumers call for stronger victim protections
April 7, 2005, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: ALEX WINSLOW (512) 381-1111
Read More...

Asbestos legislation being crafted to shut out victims
Lawmakers pledge fairness but real goal is voiding claims
Editorial by N. ALEX WINSLOW, Houston Chronicle, April 4, 2005
Asbestos is a deadly product that leads to progressive, incurable diseases, including cancer and slow suffocation. Countless Texans were knowingly exposed to poisonous asbestos by polluters that are now trying to escape accountability for their callous inaction. Read More...

Businessman aims to tighten litigation laws
Critics say the plan would offer special protections to insurance companies
By TIM EATON, Scripps Howard Austin Bureau, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, April 1, 2005
AUSTIN - A businessman from Corpus Christi visited the Capitol Thursday and pushed to tighten laws on asbestos litigation...But critics said it offers special protections to insurance companies. Read More...

Memorandum from Texas Watch to members of the Texas Legislature
on Asbestos Litigation (HB 8 & SB 15) - April 1, 2005

Gilmore demands W.R. Grace probes
By DARRYL R. ISHERWOOD, Trenton Times, March 22, 2005
HAMILTON - Mayor Glen Gilmore has called on state and federal law enforcement officials to hold W.R. Grace & Co. and its executives accountable for exposing workers to asbestos at the former Zonolite plant in the township. Read More...

Dreams exploited
By WILLIE J. SMITH, Trenton Times, March 20, 2005
The sinister side of the American dream for African-Americans fleeing the Old South in search of a better day in the mid-decades of the last century surfaced in recent days in reports by The Times on the former W.R. Grace/Zonolite facility in Hamilton. Read More...

ASBESTOS BILL STRIPS VICTIMS OF THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS [Austin]
Legislation allows polluters to escape accountability
March 16, 2005, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: ALEX WINSLOW (512) 381-1111
Read More...

Old ore factory draws attention from legislator
By ANTON CAPUTO, San Antonio Express-News, March 7, 2005
State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer wants state environmental regulators to investigate a site near downtown San Antonio that handled tons of asbestos-contaminated ore. The request was made by letter Feb. 24, shortly after a San Antonio Express-News report publicized the link between the defunct factory at 354 Blue Star St. and the recently indicted W.R. Grace Co. Read More...

Ban sought on 'wet' asbestos removal
By ANNA M. TINSLEY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, March 3, 2005
State Rep. Marc Veasey wants to make sure a controversial proposed method of removing asbestos with water is never used in Texas. Use of the procedure -- created in Fort Worth and actually dubbed the "Fort Worth method" -- was proposed for years on the dilapidated east-side Cowtown Inn, until federal environmental officials said last year that they needed more tests. Read More...

Nothing frivolous about asbestos, Opinion 1
OPINION, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, February 21, 2005
Although several thousand Texans have died from diseases connected to asbestos exposure (either asbestosis or mesothelioma), Gov. Rick Perry says he wants to stop "frivolous asbestos lawsuits." Meanwhile, W.R. Grace & Co. and its top executives have been indicted in Montana on several criminal counts on accusations of exposing workers and residents in Libby, Mont., to asbestos while being aware that the exposure would be deadly to a significant number of those exposed. Read More...

Nothing frivolous about asbestos, Opinion 2
OPINION, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, February 21, 2005
Regarding an item in the Feb. 8 National Briefs, "Mine owners indicted on asbestos charges": Perhaps high-ranking employees of W.R. Grace & Co., which "categorically denies any criminal wrongdoing," should read the reams of data produced on the topic since the early 1900s. Read More...

The Cruel Saga of Asbestos Disease
COMMENTARY by PAUL BRODEUR, LA Times, February 18, 2005
The renowned epidemiologist Dr. Irving J. Selikoff was known to say that studying asbestos disease was like throwing a rock into a pond and seeing how far the ripples extended outward. In pioneering studies conducted in the 1960s, Selikoff demonstrated the horrific extent of asbestos lung disease in heavily exposed asbestos insulators. He then showed that asbestos disease was also striking less- exposed workers who toiled alongside the insulators in shipyards and on building construction sites. Read More...

Life and death matter
LETTER TO THE EDITOR, San Antonio Express-News, February 18, 2005
President Bush wants tort reform. In his State of the Union address, he referred to "frivolous asbestos claims" as an example for that need. However, the article "Feds accuse company of asbestos cover-up" (Feb. 8) stated that federal prosecutors charged W.R. Grace, a chemical company, with covering up asbestos dangers to employees and residents in a small Montana town from 1976 to 1990. Dust from the mining operations covered nearby baseball and football fields, and unknowing residents used contaminated mine materials in their gardens. Read More...

Factory handled tons of asbestos
By ANTON CAPUTO, San Antonio Express-News, February 17, 2005
A company charged with covering up the existence of deadly asbestos in ore it took from a Montana mine shipped hundreds of thousands of tons of the material to factories in Texas over three decades, including one near downtown San Antonio, according to newly released details of a federal investigation. Read More...

Proposals would limit asbestos lawsuits in Texas
By BRANDI GRISSOM, Associated Press, Dallas Morning-News, February 16, 2005
Charles Kramer's battle with terminal cancer has taken him to the state Capitol. With oxygen tank in tow, he's there this week to ask lawmakers to carefully consider proposed changes to Texas' legal system involving the asbestos litigation system. Read More...

New Analysis Shows Growing Number of Asbestos Related Deaths in Texas
Texas Legislature Set to Debate Limits on Asbestos Liability This Session
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Environmental Working Group, February 14, 2005
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 — At least 259 Texans died in 2002 from just two forms of asbestos disease, according to a new report on asbestos mortality by the Washington, DC-based Environmental Working Group (EWG) Action Fund. More than one third of the deaths in 2002 (103) were in just three metropolitan areas: Houston with 44, Beaumont with 34, and Dallas with 25. Read More...

A Slow Death In Texas: Asbestos Mortality on the Rise in the Lone Star State
By ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP
Read More...

W.R. Grace Charged in Asbestos Exposure Cases
By Kathy Witkowsky, NPR: All Things Considered, February 8, 2005
W.R. Grace and seven of the company's officials face criminal charges, accused of knowingly exposing mine workers and residents of Libby, Mont., to asbestos and covering up their knowledge of the dangers. Read More...

W.R. Grace Indicted Over Mine's Asbestos
By BOB ANEZ, Associated Press Writer, February 8, 2005
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) - A federal indictment charges that W.R. Grace and Co. and seven of its executives knew a mine was releasing cancer-causing asbestos into the air and tried to hide the danger from workers and townspeople. Read More...

W.R. Grace indicted in Libby asbestos deaths
Mine company and seven executives face criminal charges
By ANDREW SCHNEIDER, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 8, 2005
MISSOULA, Mont. -- W.R. Grace & Co. and seven of its current or former executives have been indicted on federal charges that they knowingly put their workers and the public in danger through exposure to vermiculite ore contaminated with asbestos from the company's mine in Libby, Mont. Read More...

INDICTMENT: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA vs. W.R. GRACE
Read More...

The Politics ( because all politics is local ! )......

rest of story...

"Anything in the name of God" ? Yes, and it begins in Brownwood !

Published on Sunday, April 17, 2005 by the New York Times
Get Tom DeLay to the Church on Time
by Frank Rich
 
A scandal is like any other melodrama: It can't be a crowd pleaser unless the audience can follow the plot. That's why Monica Lewinsky trumped Whitewater, and that's why of all the story lines ensnaring Tom DeLay, the one with legs is the one with the craps tables. It's not just easy to follow, but it also has a combustive cultural element that makes it as representative of its political era as Monicagate was of the Clinton years. As the lies and subterfuge of the go-go 1990's coalesced around sex, so the scandal of our new "moral values" decade comes cloaked in religion. The hair shirt is the new thong.
This time the plot begins with money. Two K Street fixers, a lobbyist named Jack Abramoff and a flack named Michael Scanlon, managed to snooker six American Indian tribes into handing over $82 million in exchange for furthering their casino interests. According to The Washington Post, some of their tribal takings, cycled through a nonprofit center for "public policy research," helped send Mr. DeLay golfing in Scotland. The pious congressman, a gambling foe, says he had no idea of his trip's sinful provenance. Never mind that Mr. DeLay was joined abroad by Mr. Abramoff, whom he has described as one of his "closest and dearest friends," or that Mr. Scanlon had once been his spokesman. Mr. DeLay was as innocent of the goings-on around him as a piano player in a brothel.
Beltway cronyism, dubious junkets, loophole-laden denials are all, of course, time-honored Washington fare. The few on the right backing away from Mr. DeLay, from The Wall Street Journal's editorial page to Newt Gingrich, make a point of reminding us of that. As they see it, more in sorrow than in anger, the Gingrich revolutionaries who vowed to end the corruption practiced by Congressional Democrats have now been infected by the same Washington virus as their opponents. That's true, but this critique of Mr. DeLay and company by their own camp all too conveniently sidesteps the distinguishing feature of this scandal. Democratic malefactors like Jim Wright and L.B.J.'s old fixer Bobby Baker didn't wear the Bible on their sleeves.
In the DeLay story almost every player has ostentatious religious trappings, starting with the House majority leader himself. His efforts to play God with Terri Schiavo were preceded by crusades like blaming the teaching of evolution for school shootings and raising money for the Traditional Values Coalition's campaign to save America from the "war on Christianity." Mr. DeLay's chief of staff was his pastor, and, according to Time magazine, organized daily prayer sessions in their office. Today this holy man, Ed Buckham, is a lobbyist implicated in another DeLay junket to South Korea.
But it's not merely Christian denominations that figure in the religious plumage of this crowd. Mr. Abramoff, who is now being investigated by nearly as many federal agencies as there are nights of Passover, is an Orthodox Jew who in his salad days wore a yarmulke to press interviews. In Washington, he opened not one but two kosher restaurants (I hear the deli was passable by D.C. standards) and started a yeshiva. His uncompromising piety drove him to condemn the one Orthodox Jew in the Senate, Joe Lieberman, for securing "the tortuous death of millions" by supporting abortion rights. Mr. Abramoff's own moral constellation can be found in e-mail messages in which he referred to his Indian clients as "idiots" and "monkeys" even as he squeezed them for every last million. A previous client was Zaire's dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko, who, unlike Senator Lieberman, actually was a practitioner of torture and mass murder.
Another Abramoff crony is the political operative Ralph Reed, whom Mr. Abramoff hired for his College Republicans operation in the early 1980's. Mr. Reed, who has called gambling "a cancer on the body politic" and is running for lieutenant governor in Georgia, is now busily explaining that he, like Mr. DeLay, had no idea that some of his consulting firm's Abramoff-Scanlon paydays ($4.2 million worth) were indirect transfers of casino dough. Mr. Reed, of course, is best known for his stint as the public altar boy's face of Pat Robertson's political machine, the Christian Coalition.
It was at a Christian Coalition convention in Washington in 1994 that I first encountered yet another religious figure who pops up in this tale, the South African-born Rabbi Daniel Lapin. He was regaling the crowd with scriptural passages proving that high taxes are "immoral." Now the show rabbi of the Christian right, Rabbi Lapin has moved on to bigger broadcast pulpits. When he's not preaching the virtues of "The Passion of the Christ," he is chastising "Meet the Fockers" for promoting "vile notions of Jews" that "are not too different from those used by Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels." He apparently didn't like the idea that Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman played characters who enjoy sex.
Rabbi Lapin, according to Slate, is the networker who jump-started the mutually beneficial business relationship of Jack Abramoff and Tom DeLay by introducing them in the early 90's. That was some mitzvah. As Marshall Wittmann, a former Christian Coalition lobbyist who later jumped to the Democratic Leadership Council, told me recently, "We now see the meaning of Judeo-Christian values."
The values alleged so far in this scandal - greed, hypocrisy, favor-selling, dissembling - belong to no creed except the ruthless pursuit of power. They are not exclusive to either political party. But the religious trappings add a note that distinguishes these Beltway creeps from those who have come before: a supreme righteousness that often spirals into anger and fire-and-brimstone zealotry that can do far more damage to America than ill-begotten golf junkets.
It's not for nothing that Mr. DeLay's nickname is the Hammer. Or that early in his Christian Coalition career, Ralph Reed famously told a Knight-Ridder reporter that he wanted to see his opponents in a "body bag." The current manifestation of this brand of religious politics can be found in the far right's anti-judiciary campaign, of which Mr. DeLay is the patron saint. As he flew off to the pope's funeral in Rome, the congressman left behind a rabble-rousing video for a Washington conference on "Confronting the Judicial War on Faith" staged by a new outfit called The Judeo-Christian Council for Constitutional Restoration. Another speaker, a lawyer named Edwin Vieira, twice invoked a Stalin dictum whose unexpurgated version goes, "Death solves all problems; no man, no problem." The reporter who covered the event for The Washington Post, Dana Milbank, suggested in print that one prime target of the vitriol, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, might want to get "a few more bodyguards." It wasn't necessarily a joke.
You can see why Dick Cheney and President Bush in rapid succession distanced themselves from Mr. DeLay's threats of retribution against judges who presided in the Schiavo case. If an Eric Rudolph murders a judge in close chronological proximity to that kind of rhetoric, they've got a political Armageddon on their hands. Mr. DeLay got the message, sort of. At his Wednesday news conference, he tried to dial back some of his words, if only as a way of changing the subject from Indians and his own potential outings in a court of law. Unlike Bill Frist, he has yet to sign on to next Sunday's national Christian right telecast bashing what its organizer, the Family Research Council, calls "out-of-control courts."
Many believe that Mr. DeLay's legal fate is tied to that of Mr. Abramoff, whom the congressman has now downsized into one of "hundreds of relationships I have in Washington, D.C." Mr. Abramoff, intriguingly enough, hasn't always been a creature of the capital. He was raised in Beverly Hills, the town that is supposed to be anathema to every value that Republican theocrats stand for. And he returned there for a time in the late 1980's, when he produced an anti-Communist action film called "Red Scorpion." Once it was reported that extras and military equipment had been supplied by South Africa's racist government, Arthur Ashe's Artists and Athletes Against Apartheid condemned the film, and no major studio would touch it. But it opened nationwide nonetheless, to few customers and many protesters.
In 1992 Mr. Abramoff, eager to prove that he was unlike secular show-business Democrats, told The Hollywood Reporter that he was starting a Committee for Traditional Jewish Values in Entertainment to emulate Christian anti-indecency campaigns. (He didn't.) But "Red Scorpion," on which Mr. Abramoff shares the writing credit, has many more four-letter words than "Meet the Fockers," as well as violence, bloodied beefcake (Dolph Lundgren's) and crucifixion imagery anticipating "The Passion of the Christ."
Though Mr. Abramoff has closed his yeshiva and is now being sued for back wages by its former employees, his cinematic creation survives on DVD. "Red Scorpion" is seriously Godawful, but, unlike the Ten Commandments displayed in Tom DeLay's office, it may yet endure as a permanent monument to what these people are about.
© 2005 NY Times Co.

Brownwood Child Abuse: Tip of the Texas Iceburg ?

Abuses found at foster homes
Exclusive: Abuse found in foster homes overseen by contractors
10:20 PM CDT on Saturday, April 16, 2005
By RANDY LEE LOFTIS and PETE SLOVER / The Dallas Morning News

" Often, however, the records reviewed by The News describe cases in which foster care providers knew about problems but did not act.
In one such case, two foster families – not identified by name or location in a 2004 report – were having their foster children assemble weapons in the families' home-based gun store.
"All of the children work or spend at least 20 hours a week at the barn" that housed the armory, according to a state report. "The children are putting together and packing knives, gun magazines, etc. ... Many of the kids reported that one night they worked until 2-4 a.m. in the morning helping their [foster] dads complete an order."
A caseworker for the foster care contractor, New Horizons Ranch, based in Brownwood, knew the children were working at the armory "because the children told her," a state investigation found. After a tip triggered a state inspection, the contractor removed the children and shut the foster homes.
One problem, the inspector noted, was that the contractor's reports of its home visits, meant to document conditions and reinforce the rules, seemed to be copied verbatim from reports the parents themselves wrote and sent in.
New Horizons' executive director, Del Barnett, said New Horizons knew about the gun store when it approved the families as foster parents. New Horizons also knew that the children were working there, he said. They worked voluntarily and were paid more than minimum wage, he said. New Horizons regularly checked the kids and the families and didn't find any abuse in the kids' work at the gun store, he said.
The state inspection report said the children should never have been allowed to work in such a place. "The [foster] facility director was told that this is not an appropriate working place for children," the report said. "It is against standards for children to be around these types of items."
Mr. Barnett said New Horizons didn't object to that finding.
"It's just a question of whether a kid should be around a gun or not," he said. "We might debate that both ways. It certainly could get out of hand, and that's the danger. If it's a job and it's supervised, well, I don't know. I'm not really trying to defend or not defend that."
New Horizons kicked the parents out of its foster program for unrelated reasons in September 2003, six months before the state wrote its report, he said. The families moved on to another foster care contractor, he said. "

rest of story...

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When discipline turns fatal
Texas lacks tough law on prone restraint that's banned in three states
By Jonathan Osborne and Mike Ward
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, May 18, 2003
" A last-resort tool
In the world of therapy, from wilderness camps to private treatment centers, restraint is supposed to be a last-resort emergency tool for residents who pose a danger to themselves or others.
Instead, Hayes said, "What we find quite often is, it wasn't an emergency until staff intervened."
State reports show that in these facilities, the use of restraint is widespread. Records also show that restraints are used as a form of punishment, for the convenience of staff or to simply take control of a situation.
For example, at a youth ranch outside Brownwood, state documents show, children were being restrained for crying or simply for moving their hands. At least one resident was restrained for refusing to go to school. In another instance, a 16-year-old boy was belittled, threatened with the suspension of home visits and grabbed in the face before staff members took him to the ground, where he died in 1999, according to a DPRS report.
The report says there is strong evidence that the boy "stopped struggling with staff -- and was largely unresponsive -- long before the restraint was terminated."
The report also says it wasn't the first time restraints were misused at the New Horizons Ranch.
"Serious incident reports indicate that the staff sometimes used restraint as punishment, for their convenience or when the child was not necessarily a danger to themselves or others," the state report says."

rest of story...

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CPS & Deputies Remove Children from Filth
March 05, 2003
Three children were removed from a trailer in Brownwood, Texas after they were found in an excrement-filled trailer. According to police the children were a 3 year-old girl and her 6 & 8 year-old brothers who lived there with their 24 year-old mother, her 22 year-old boyfriend and another 20 year-old woman.
The bedroom where the 6 year-old was removed was full of cockroaches with the deputy estimating 100 or more in the room. The children were living in the filthy trailer with an overflowing toilet. The kitchen was full of dirty dishes, rotten food, cockroaches were everywhere and there was no edible food to be found.
According to one Deputy the filth from the wet floors stuck to their boots when they entered the trailer.
CPS officials were filing to the Child Protective Court where they would be reviewed by Judge Rob Hofman who would determine whether the emergency removal of the children was justified. A required court hearing should take place within 14 days.

rest of story...

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Let's invite John Davis to Brownwood (replace the word Dallas with Brownwood below)

Robert Miller:Social worker a groundbreaker in Texas
01:50 PM CDT on Sunday, April 17, 2005
John E. Davis knew when he was growing up that he "didn't want to be a teacher or a preacher," but in a way he combined the two when he became a social worker.
--------------------
"I felt the reason that I was able to make a greater impact here is that Dallas wasn't flooded with social workers, a situation that means a goodly portion of the population was underserved."
If he had his way, Mr. Davis would like to have social service clinics in every community in the city, rich and poor, because there are drug addiction and other mental health problems communitywide.
He also says with candor that "Dallas is still not a place to be poor. If you're in Dallas, to be poor is considered an indication that you have a character flaw."
Sounds a little like a preacher, a little like a teacher, but mostly like a social worker.
source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/columnists/all/stories/041705dnbusmiller.1e5aa41f.html

" Anything in the name of God ": It starts in Brownwood Texas !

EDITORIAL
Bill Frist's Religious War
Published: April 16, 2005
Right-wing Christian groups and the Republican politicians they bankroll have done much since the last election to impose their particular religious views on all Americans. But nothing comes close to the shameful declaration of religious war by Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader, over the selection of judges for federal courts.
Senator Frist is to appear on a telecast sponsored by the Family Research Council, which styles itself a religious organization but is really just another Washington lobbying concern. The message is that the Democrats who oppose a tiny handful of President Bush's judicial nominations are conducting an assault "against people of faith." By that, Senator Frist and his allies do not mean people of all faiths, only those of their faith.
It is one thing when private groups foment this kind of intolerance. It is another thing entirely when it's done by the highest-ranking member of the United States Senate, who swore on the Bible to uphold a Constitution that forbids the imposition of religious views on Americans. Unfortunately, Senator Frist and his allies are willing to break down the rules to push through their agenda - in this case, by creating what the senator knows is a false connection between religion and the debate about judges.
Senator Frist and his backers want to take away the sole tool Democrats have for resisting the appointment of unqualified judges: the filibuster. This is not about a majority or even a significant number of Bush nominees; it's about a handful with fringe views or shaky qualifications. But Senator Frist is determined to get judges on the federal bench who are loyal to the Republican fringe and, he hopes, would accept a theocratic test on decisions.
Senator Frist has an even bigger game in mind than the current nominees: the next appointments to the Supreme Court, which the Republican conservatives view as their best chance to outlaw abortion and impose their moral code on the country.
We fully understand that a powerful branch of the Republican Party believes that the last election was won on "moral values." Even if that were true, that's a far cry from voting for one religion to dominate the entire country. President Bush owes it to Americans to stand up and say so.
source: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/16/opinion/16sat1.html?
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The Brownwood Implications to the Editorial above: * " They believe that they can do or say anything in the name of God and it's ok. "

* Republican Congressman Mike Connaway's Chief Of Staff Jeff Burton (email March 11, 2004) commenting on the Campaign with rival Republican & HPU Professor Bill Lester. Note: The majority of Brown County Republicans voted for Connaway's opponent Bill Lester!
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rest of story...

Brownwood & Wichita Falls Meth Similarities (includes the Press!)

Lawmen nab five in local drug sweep
Local, state and federal law enforcement officials arrested five people Wednesday on sealed drug-related indictments in Brown County, authorities said. All five are free on bonds, Brown County Jail records state. The arrests resulted from an ongoing ...
2.5K - Apr. 15, 2005; scored 499.0
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com
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rest of story...

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Whither Loyalty?
Take amphetamines to fly a multi-million dollar airplane for the military, and it's okay even if you're so hyped up you bomb your allies. Take them to stay up late preparing lesson plans for elementary school children in Wichita Falls, though, and you do a perp walk and get your mug shot in the morning paper (reg. required), despite 27 years on the job.
That's what I don't get about the drug war -- how in the world can this level of hypocrisy not be obvious to those engaged in it? Here's a teacher who has devoted her life to the children of Wichita Falls. She apparently has developed a drug abuse problem. Are her troubles met with sympathy or compassion? Was she immediately offered drug treatment or counseling? Does anyone appreciate her years of service despite her poor personal decisions that weren't "associated with the school"? Of course not. They're hanging her out to dry. Here's how the school district's PR officer tried to spin the situation:

[Wichita Falls ISD Public Information Officer Renae] Murphy stressed the search warrant involved a home and not a school district facility.
"It wasn't at school or associated with school," she said.
She said any time an employee is arrested, that employee is placed on administrative leave while the investigation is conducted.
"These kinds of charges and actions are taken very seriously," Murphy said, "and termination is an option," depending on the outcome. She said a teacher who's convicted of a crime stands to lose his or her certification.
Murphy said she's never seen a case involving a charge like this in her six years as public information officer for the district.
She said the schools - and the community - expect teachers and all employees to be role models for the children.
"When one person fails to be that role model, that casts a shadow on everyone else," she said. "That's unfortunate because we have employees throughout our district who are exemplary leaders."
Students at Sam Houston for the most part didn't have a lot of questions about the incident Friday, Murphy said.
"The teachers have spoken very professionally about the incident," using information they'd been provided, Murphy said. She said the school wanted to reassure students and parents.
"School goes on and nothing has changed for them and their school life there at Sam Houston."
One wonders: Whither loyalty?
After 27 years, the Wichita Falls ISD is ready to throw this woman out like yesterday's garbage. Where's the statement about how her recent struggle with drug abuse doesn't diminish nearly three decades of service to the town's children, at crap wages and uncertain retirement benefits, or that many people at the school love her and support her and wish her the best? Not one kind word was cast in her direction.
In these comments, and indeed apparently in the school district's administration and local media coverage, we find no mercy, no compassion. "Nothing has changed" is sure right -- Wichita Falls is in a the throes of a drug abuse problem that its media and public officials are pretending is a result of personal moral failings. It's not; addiction is a medical problem that afflicts a certain portion of the population pretty much regardless.
Certainly if any other teachers do have a drug problem, they sure as hell know now they'd better not reach out to ask for help. Their employer has made it very clear that they're more concerned about "reassuring" the parents than supporting a teacher wading through through troubled personal waters. (And can there really only be one non-exemplary teacher in Wichita Falls? Isn't that like the kids in Minnesota who are all above average?)
There's a lot of harsh, ugly, punitive drug warrior talk coming out of Wichita Falls these days, all with an annoyingly judgmental tone. Wichita Falls state Sen. Craig Estes thinks he can incarcerate his way out of the drug abuse problem. He's wrong.
This isn't the first Texas teacher caught with drugs off campus recently; a Tarrant County teacher was found with marijuana growing in his garage after an illegal search (apparently he couldn't afford to buy it on a teacher's salary). Drug abuse has now famously reached all the way into the prosecutor's offices of one of the most outspoken tough-on-crime-DA's in the state.
Drug abuse isn't just happening to those "other people" anymore. It's happening to our teachers, our prosecutors, our cops, our politicians, people in every walk of life. Treating it as a criminal instead of a medical problem makes things worse and doesn't solve any of the associated problems. The teacher in question is 51 and was functioning on the job; a leave of absence to attend a drug abuse program, plus a lot of support from her peers and community, and it's easily conceivable that in a year's time she could be back teaching, drug free, and able to contribute for quite a while longer during a time when Texas has a shortage of experienced teachers. Instead, she'll be criminally charged with possession of 1-4 grams of meth, which is a third degree felony that will get her 2-10 years.
What a waste. And the waste isn't a result of her poor decisions, it's a result of bad public policy.
Have we become so heartless, so absorbed with "gotcha" strategies and the phony high-ground of moralizing about zero tolerance that, even when we're talking about a school teacher with 27 years in the same distict, no public sympathy may be mustered at all on this woman's behalf? Recently, juries in that county have been routinely doling out max sentences for low-level drug users, and I wouldn't be surprised if the locals decide to make her an example.
I wonder, if Jesus Christ himself walked into the Wichita Falls school district offices and announced, "Let those among you who are without sin cast the first stone," if every SOB in the room wouldn't pick up a rock and fling it with all their might? Or for that matter, the offices of the Times Record News?
- posted by Gritsforbreakfast @ 10:05 AM 2 comments
source: http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2005_02_01_gritsforbreakfast_archive.html  

Brownwood Meth and Children

Will community *leaders from Brownwood be in attendance ?

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(* leaders definition: local/regional press, law enforcement, school administrators, church leaders, community organizations, etc.)

"Arrogant, out of control and unaccountable": Sounds like the KXYL "Hammer" !

Dallas Morning News - Letter to the Editor
12:05 AM CDT on Saturday, April 16, 2005
'THE HAMMER' UNDER FIRE
Critical DeLay should look in the mirror
Re: "DeLay backs off judge remarks – He apologizes for 'inartful' comment about Schiavo case," Thursday news story.
I laughed out loud when I read Tom DeLay's comments regarding the judges involved in the Terry Schiavo case. Mr. DeLay described the judges as arrogant, out of control and unaccountable and said the time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior.
I'd use those same words to describe Tom DeLay.
Carol Stroud, Carrollton

The pendulum has swung far right in Brownwood Texas

DON'T PLAY WITH FIRE!
A letter to Brownwood (Texas) Independent School District from Dr. Teresa Whitehurst
July 26, 2004

Brownwood ISD Board of Education
PO Box 730
Brownwood, TX 76804

Dear Board Members:

As a member of ChristCentered Christians for Nonviolent Parenting (CCNP); as a clinical psychologist with decades of experience working with children, families and schools; and as the author of How Would Jesus Raise a Child? (Baker Books, 2003), I would like to encourage you to keep Brownwood schools free from the stain of adult violence against children. This violence poses as discipline but is in reality assault with a deadly weapon, and would merit a prison term for any school employee caught hitting any person over the age of consent with the very same wooden board. This assault with a weapon is euphemistically called "paddling".
But there's another serious problem with paddling, one that the pro-paddlers inevitably fail to mention...
Imagine if an employee in your school system decided to touch a child's private parts in order to "administer discipline". What would the school board's reaction to this kind of "bad touch" be? How would the press react? Might there be a lawsuit? In the psychology of sexual behavior, the buttocks are officially designated an "erogenous zone", and medical research tells us that the buttocks are one of the key areas of the human body that play a pivotal role in sexual intercourse. When touched gently or violently, the nerve endings of the buttocks activate, and lead to a cascade of sexual arousal.
The literature is replete with accounts of rape victims who never came forward to name their accuser or even to admit they'd been violated because they were so ashamed at their bodies' involuntary response to touch, thinking that this would suggest they enjoyed the assault. Nerve endings can and do function without our conscious consent.
The pendulum is beginning to turn against spanking and paddling as science amasses more and more evidence regarding the sexual role played by the buttocks, and the ways in which any touch--with a hand or with a paddle--can create unwelcome but unavoidable arousal. This, in combination with the humiliation of having to bend over in sexual-style positions so that the adult can touch the child on his or her buttocks for the "paddling", can and usually does lead to a lifetime of struggle with deviant, often dangerous sexual fantasies and behaviors. I invite you to do a Google search on the words "spanking" and "paddling"--the evidence of lifelong sexual deviancies acquired in childhood, when impressionable children are made to "assume the position", is readily available.
By the way, it's important to note that, if your fellow board members vote paddling back into the schools, this move may place all board members at risk. Lawsuits regarding inappropriate adult-child touch may not leave individual school board members immune from litigation. I once worked for a North Carolina program wherein the governor himself (!) and other state staff were personally sued, because the system for which they were ultimately responsible failed to protect a minor from physical assault by adults. In this time of controversy and litigation, this scenario, should Brownwood yield to the Southern Baptist preacher agitating for the return of paddling, seems not only possible but probable.
I have been working at Project Zero, Harvard's premier research institution on the needs of students and educators, for a number of years. Project Zero painstakingly studies the variables that lead to school success for children in elementary, junior high and high school, and takes special note of obstacles that interfere with learning. Great strides have been made at Harvard and at other research institutions towards discovering how educators can better help children to feel safe from ridicule, bullying and violence so that they can focus on what's being taught, think creatively, and speak up when they don't understand the material.
However, as any child could tell you, being hit--or trying to concentrate in the classroom while knowing that other children are being assaulted down the hall--is the ultimate obstacle to learning. Just as our society has finally cracked down on sexual harassment in the workplace, defining it as anything that creates "a hostile work environment," our educational system needs to crack down on adult violence, intimidation, and sexualized punishments that create a "hostile learning environment". Isn't a positive learning environment what Brownwood schools want to provide for their students?
In closing, you have an opportunity to make your voice heard for the sake of students throughout your school district by taking a stand against the return of painful, humiliating, sexually-charged assaulting of children who are posed in sexual positions, a very "bad touch" indeed. If it wasn't right for Abu Ghraib prison guards, surely it isn't right for Brownwood educators.

Best regards,
Teresa Whitehurst, Ph.D.
2822 Hillside Drive
Nashville TN, 37212
http://www.nospank.net/whthrst2.htm
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Abilene Reporter-News, Texas, 9 August 2002
Brownwood ISD ponders discipline change
District may reinstate corporal punishment in its code of conduct
By Loretta Fulton
Reporter-News Staff Writer

The "board of education" may return to Brownwood schools if district trustees find enough support among parents for corporal punishment.
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Connie Carmichael is the mother of two Brownwood High School students and she has no objections to reinstating corporal punishment. In today's society, adults are afraid to draw disciplinary lines, Carmichael said, and she believes children must know how far they can go without being punished. Adding paddling to the range of punishments should be an option, she said.
"I think maybe we need to return to some of those old messages," she said.
Peter Seward, associate professor of communication at Howard Payne University in Brownwood and a single parent of eight children, agrees to a point.
He is not averse to spankings at home but is strongly opposed to them at school. When he spanks his children, Seward said, he tells them why and afterward assures them he loves them.
"Schools can't do that," he said of the reassurance.
http://www.corpun.com/uss00208.htm

Brownwood's Attitude: Don't Ask Don't Tell

If you took a poll of Brownwoodians, would the numbers reflect that the majority would support discrimination (based on personal prejudice) that directly puts their loved ones in danger ? Would their hatred of gays rank over the security of their loved ones ?

Why Doesn't Uncle Sam Want These Troops ?

Military Struggles With Recruiting Problems, But Won't Let Gay Soldiers Serve

Apr. 15, 2005 - The Pentagon is forcing some soldiers to stay in Iraq longer than expected and struggling to meet its recruiting goals. At the same time, it's kicking good soldiers out, and that makes me want to say, "Give Me a Break."
Thousands of soldiers serving in Iraq now have finished the tours they signed up for, but are being kept in Iraq anyway. Mark Bryant is one of those soldiers. In 2000, he signed up for what he thought would be a four-year hitch in the army. Last September, he completed those four years and was looking forward to spending more time with his wife and son. But what he and thousands of others didn't know was that the fine print in their contract said that they could be kept on longer in a period of war or national emergency.
Now his wife Michelle is upset that her son can only see his father's image on a TV screen. "I don't think it's fair, and because of that fine line print, he gets sent over there, when there are people wanting to go over there," she said.
The "people" she's referring to are soldiers who were kicked out of the military because they're gay. Although the phrase "Don't ask don't tell" implies that if you don't announce you're gay you won't be discharged, that's not always how it works.
Jack Glover and David Hall, for example, did not tell. They were confronted by their commanding officer after another soldier told the commander that Glover and Hall were in a relationship. Both refused to say whether they were gay.
"Three months later, we were called in by our commander to say you know we've been told that we have to dis-enroll you," Hall said.
Justin Peacock was thrown out of the Coast Guard after another soldier reported that he had been holding hands with another man.
"The military said that I was gratifying, gratifying myself and it was a sexual desire and they had to discharge for it because it was a homosexual act," Justin said. Glover, Hall and Peacock are among the 10,000 soldiers who have been kicked out of the military for being gay since "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was implemented in 1993.
This year a GAO report found the military has discharged hundreds of gay soldiers even though they were in "critical occupations" -- people like Arabic translators and intelligence analysts. Recruiting and retraining soldiers to fill the positions left open by discharged gay soldiers has cost the Department of Defense almost $200 million.
"I was military intelligence. I had a skill they needed. And they just gave it up because I'm gay," said Tommy Cook.
"They're kicking gay Americans out who want to serve their country honorably when people are fighting and screaming to get out of the Army. It makes me so mad," said Glover.
The group we interviewed is part of a lawsuit filed by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. They are suing to overturn the military's policy on gays. They want to be re-instated into the military.
The Department of Defense wouldn't agree to an interview about this, but sent us a statement that said, "Individuals discharged under the provisions of that law represent a very small percent of military discharges." But small percentages make a difference.
In the first half of this fiscal year, which ended March 31, the Army missed its active-duty recruitment target by 6 percent. The violence in Iraq makes many potential soldiers hesitant to sign up. At a press conference last month Francis J. Harvey, the secretary of the Army, was asked whether anybody at the Pentagon was reconsidering the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
"To my knowledge, it's certainly it's not within the purview of the Army to change that type of policy," Harvey said. He went on to say that he didn't see any need to change it.
Retired Army Lt. Col. Bob Maginnis was an adviser to the group that designed the current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," policy, but he doesn't think gay should be permitted to serve at all. He thinks having gays serve compromises group "cohesion."
"Cohesion is the bonding that you get trust and confidence over a long period of time, soldiers trusting one another when they go into combat. You break that by, you know, putting in open homosexuals, and you lose that glue that keeps those units fighting," he said.
"It just so happens some people don't fit in as the military believes that they should," he added.
But the people I talked to did fit in. Their fellow soldiers liked them. When they were kicked out, people told them, "We're sorry to see you go."
Maginnis said, "You know, it [the military] is an incredibly discriminating organization, but after all it has an incredible mission. And that is to be combat effective on a battlefield, which has no mercy for the warrior."
What about gay soldiers who've served with honor? Stacy Vasquez was honored for her service in the Army. She won the Army commendation medal, the Army achievement medal, and the Army good conduct medal, as well as dozens of other awards.
"I served for over 10 years. I was there. And I didn't interrupt unit morale and cohesion. You can't tell me that the army promoted me seven times because I interrupted unit morale and cohesion," she said.
Maginnis' answer to that was that "most soldiers are given commendations if they've been around for any length of time, you know, if they've deployed once."
Vasquez pointed out that the military also resisted admitting blacks and women. "They said the same thing about women being in the army a long time ago as well. But here we are today fighting in Iraq. And I think we're doing just fine."
I suggested that women don't threaten people in the same way that homosexuality threatens some people.
"Well maybe to some people homosexuality is more threatening. But we're serving anyway. I mean don't ask, don't tell doesn't mean we can't serve. It just means that they don't want to know about it," Vasquez said.
It's true that gay soldiers are already an integral part of the military. The Urban Institute estimates that 65,000 currently serve.
Some of them are openly gay. "Everybody knew. I mean I was out of the closet the whole time I was there," Justin said.
"The British have gay soldiers, the Australians have gay soldiers, they're serving right next to our service members in Iraq right now," David said.
That's true. According to the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military based out of the University of California at Santa Barbara, of the 26 NATO countries, most -- including Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, and Great Britain -- allow openly gay people to serve.
Their troops are "very different than ours," said Maginnis. "We have forced intimate situations in foreign areas. ... The Brits don't have nearly the same type of concentration and forward deployment as the United States."
The American military is so different that what works for our allies will not work for us? It is wrong that while soldiers like Mark Bryant want to return to their families we're keeping top soldiers out.
Give Me a Break.
source: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/GiveMeABreak/story?id=673844&page=1

Who's Profiting from the Selling Out of Brownwood ?

" As a small-business owner myself, I admire people who take risks, invent new products, create jobs and spark the economy. My problem is not with corporations themselves, but with the political system that tends to ignore the interests of regular folks in favor of corporations."

Published on Friday, April 15, 2005 by the Denver Post
Sharing the Tax Burden
by Reggie Rivers

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Brownwood's James Williamson's Daily Diatribe:"These type of people vote Democrat".

Ex-principal guilty of sexual abuse, sentenced to 15 years
TYLER, Texas — A former East Texas principal was convicted of sexually assaulting seven girls and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
A jury on Thursday sentenced Russell Thomas Hirner, 43, after deliberating for about four hours. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child earlier in the day.
"I accept responsibility," Hirner, the former principal of the Longview Baptist Christian Academy, testified. "I couldn't bring myself to tell and I vowed to God that after it came out I'd make a disclosure."
Prosecutors had pushed for life in prison.
"You are not doing this to Russell Hirner; Russell Hirner did this to himself and his family," Rusk County District Attorney Michael Jimerson told jurors in closing arguments.
Defense attorney Joe Shumate pleaded for a lighter sentence, arguing that Hirner had not committed inappropriate acts for two years prior to his March 2004 arrest, was remorseful and formed a healing relationship with a pastor.
The defense argued Hirner had fallen into a deep depression, and a family member testified that both she and Hirner had been molested by a family member in the past.
Hirner also has been indicted on 16 counts of first-degree aggravated assault of a child in Gregg County.
Information from the Tyler Morning Telegraph, www.tylerpaper.com
http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/gen/ap/TX_Principal_Abuse.html
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Minister accused of molesting kids
He left post at Plano's Custer Road Methodist last month
10:31 PM CDT on Friday, April 15, 2005
By JENNIFER EMILY and TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
A minister is facing charges of indecency with a child after being accused of molesting two relatives, police said.
Tom David Brown, 67, of Dallas was arrested Thursday by Dallas police on charges of indecency with a child by exposure and indecency with a child by contact.
Mr. Brown could not be reached for comment.
Police said the incidents began in 1998 and occurred as recently as March. Authorities say the victims, preteen girls, gave accounts to police.
The incidents occurred in a northeast Dallas residence, police said.
Mr. Brown was a minister at Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano.
Church spokesman Stan Luckie said the church did not want to comment about the allegations.
"At this point, all we're doing is praying for Tom and his family and those who are involved," said Mr. Luckie, chairman of the staff parish relations committee.
Mr. Brown was an associate pastor at the church for five years before he resigned March 28, Mr. Luckie said.
Mr. Brown was released from the Dallas County Jail after posting $8,500 bail, Dallas County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Don Peritz said.
E-mail jemily@dallasnews.com and teiserer@dallasnews.com
source:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/041605dnmetpastor.15cacdbc.html

On the Count of 3: " 1, 2, 3 - HYPOCRITE "

Marriage Act sponsor facing divorce
By Skip Cauthorn, scauthorn@nashvillecitypaper.com
April 15, 2005
 
Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Jeff Miller, the sponsor of Tennessee’s Marriage Protection act, is facing divorce because of his alleged relationship with a Senate aide, his wife said.
Miller (R-Cleveland) has been the chief sponsor of the Marriage Protection Amendment, which passed the Senate in February mere days prior to the divorce filing.
Brigitte Miller, Sen. Miller’s wife of 15 years, said he is having an affair with a legislative researcher and that he and the young lady accompanied the Millers’ three daughters to a November Martina McBride concert in Nashville.
“They’ve been seeing each other for a while,” Mrs. Miller told a Capitol Hill reporter. “Now he admits things. But he said it’s only been since he moved out. But I know better. I’ve got things that tell me differently.”
Sen. Miller said at the time of the concert the aide was a “friend,” Mrs. Miller said.
A court date has not been set in Bradley County Circuit Court. Sen. Miller, who is representing himself in the proceedings, filed a countercomplaint with the court March 23. The countercomplaint said the February claim of “inappropriate marital conduct” is without merit.
Miller didn’t return calls to his legislative office Thursday afternoon but issued the following statement:
“My wife and I are in the process of getting a divorce. Divorce is a very difficult time for everyone. It is a very private matter, which is played out in public proceedings. Our chief concern right now is the best interest of our children,” the statement said. ... “It became apparent over the last week or so that we have irreconcilable differences which we have been unable to resolve.”
The Marriage Protection Amendment, which passed the Senate floor Feb. 23, would place a ban on gay marriage in the state constitution. The amendment, which says marriage should be defined as between “one man and one woman,” will go before the voters in a November referendum next year.
Miller described the measure last year, in the first of two passages needed for a constitutional amendment, as a means of preserving the sanctity of marriage.
In addition, while pushing the marriage act through the Senate last year, Miller openly opposed an amendment sponsored by state Sen. Steve Cohen that would have included an “adultery clause.”
Cohen’s amendment, which failed, stated: “Adultery is deemed to be a threat to the institution of marriage and contrary to public policy in Tennessee.”
Prior to the passage of the amendment last year The City Paper learned Miller’s brother and Nashville resident Gregg Miller was openly gay.
Gregg Miller said at the time he was surprised to learn Sen. Miller was pushing the initiative.
“It’s not going to hurt my relationship with [my brother]. He’s a grown man and I love him and my whole family loves him and we love each other,” Sen. Miller said of his sibling. “We support each other whenever we feel like the other person is in the right. But, if the other person is not acting appropriately according to the belief systems that we all have, then we still love each other but we disagree.”
Mrs. Miller said she has suspected the senator to have had extramarital affairs in the past.
“I think he’s played around for a long time. … It’s not any more wrong to be gay than to commit adultery,” she said.

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Remember Brownwood: Think "Condoms & Cucumbers" !

KXYL's James Williamson and Brown County Republican Party Spokesperson want's you to think of "condoms and cucumbers" instead of discussions like below. Remember to not complain about getting "hosed" as you fill up your gas tank, purchase your prescription medications, purchase your groceries, and write your checks to the utility and insurance companies or Arnold and James W. will refer to you as girly men ! Are you watching your pensions ?
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Apr 15, 7:38 PM EDT
Wall St. Suffers Worst Day in Two Years
By MICHAEL J. MARTINEZ
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street suffered its worst single day in nearly two years Friday, with the Dow Jones industrial average falling 191 points for its third straight triple-digit loss. Deepening concerns over economic growth and higher prices led to the worst week of trading since August.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WALL_STREET?SITE=1010WINS&SECTION=BUSINESS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
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General Motors Needs a Pit Stop to Brake Slide: Mark Gilbert

March 18 (Bloomberg) -- David Cole, president of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan, blasphemed the auto industry in January by suggesting a U.S. automaker might go bankrupt. After General Motors Corp.'s bombshell this week, his words don't sound so profane.
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000039&cid=gilbert&sid=a8ENDuudqUMQ
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Who's Defending Delay in Brownwood ?

KXYL's James Williamson (Brown County Republican Party Spokerperson) is his defender. Here's what the San Antonio Express (one of James' favorite news sources) has to say about it: " This support sends a disturbing message to the voters: In defending DeLay, they align themselves with his alleged behavior."

If you "goose-step" with James and KXYL please don't read this......

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Neo-Con Republicans and Brownwood Golf ? Changing the Rules !

How'd you like to play golf with these Neo-con Republicans who change the rules as they go along ? These must have been the kids who grew up bullying other kids, changing the rules on the playground to suit their own interests, and cutting in the cafateria line right after reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and Praying out loud in the Classroom ! Fortunately not all Republicans are like this (see story below).

April 15, 2005
10 Ex-G.O.P. Lawmakers Attack Changes in Ethics Rules
By PHILIP SHENON and SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
WASHINGTON, April 14 - Ten former members of Congress, all Republicans, joined in a letter to the House leadership on Thursday to say they believed that revisions in House ethics rules this year were an "obvious action to protect Majority Leader Tom DeLay" from investigation. They said the changes needed to be reversed "to restore public confidence in the People's House."
The letter, to be presented Friday to Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, is signed by Mark Andrews, a former member of both the Senate and the House from North Dakota, and nine other former House Republicans. While it offers no conclusion about the merits of ethics controversies now swirling around Mr. DeLay, it says "the consensus in our respective districts" is that "the previous admonitions to Mr. DeLay for casting discredit on the House were well-merited."
The letter may be another blow to Mr. DeLay, who is under investigation by a grand jury in his home state, Texas, and is facing growing calls from fellow Republicans to answer accusations involving his financial ties to lobbyists and his management of his political and campaign committees.
A spokesman, Dan Allen, said Mr. DeLay would withhold comment on the letter until it had been received in the House. Spokesmen for Mr. Hastert did not immediately return phone calls for comment.
The 10 onetime lawmakers who signed the letter, all of whom left Congress before the late 1980's, described themselves as former members "who served under impeccably honest leaders."
"We offer no judgment on Mr. DeLay's actions in the obtaining of funds and favors from lobbyists and foreign agencies, other than to note that they are the subject of continuing disclosure and discussion well outside the Beltway and in the heart of areas of strong respect for traditional Republican values of honesty and accountability," they said. "We write not as a Revolt of the Elders but in the sincere hope that you will act to restore public confidence in the People's House."
"We felt grave concern," the letter added, "when the Republican leadership changed the ethics rules several weeks ago to require a bipartisan majority vote to even investigate a charge of ethical misconduct. We saw it as an obvious action to protect Majority Leader Tom DeLay."
A copy of the letter, which called on House leaders "to reinstate the old rules," was provided to The New York Times by the Public Campaign Action Fund, a private group that monitors campaign fund-raising and has long been critical of Mr. DeLay.
Mr. DeLay was admonished three times by the House ethics committee last year, in part for appearing to link his support for legislation to political donations. The committee is now effectively shut down, because Democrats object to the rules changes, which make it more difficult to open an investigation. The changes allow an accusation to be dismissed if the panel, which is equally divided between Democrats and Republicans, deadlocks along party lines. In the past, the investigation proceeded if the committee deadlocked.
On Thursday afternoon, Mr. DeLay defended the new rules in a tense and exceptionally formal exchange on the House floor with Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the Democratic whip. Mr. Hoyer complained that the new rules would "preclude the investigator from gathering the facts." Mr. DeLay, on the other hand, maintained that Mr. Hastert had developed the changes with an eye toward shielding lawmakers from unfair allegations.
Apart from Mr. Andrews, those who signed the letter were John H. Buchanan of Alabama, M. Caldwell Butler of Virginia, Paul Findley of Illinois, Bud Hillis of Indiana, James Johnson of Colorado, Richard W. Mallary of Vermont, Wiley Mayne of Iowa, Pete McCloskey of California and G. William Whitehurst of Virginia.
Several were described during their Congressional careers as moderates; the letter was drafted by Mr. McCloskey, who was often described as a Republican maverick and who supported Senator John Kerry last year over President Bush.
In a telephone interview, Mr. McCloskey said he had felt compelled to prepare the letter because of his concern that "if the Republicans circle their wagons around DeLay like they circled their wagons around Richard Nixon, it may have the same result."
The letter was not the only development Thursday with possible implications for the majority leader. Representative George Miller, Democrat of California, asked the House Resources Committee to examine the work of Jack Abramoff, a longtime lobbyist friend of Mr. DeLay, in representing the government of the Northern Mariana Islands, an American commonwealth in the Pacific.
In 1995, Mr. Abramoff, with Mr. DeLay's help, persuaded the House to defeat a bill that would have stripped the Marianas of their exemption from federal minimum wage and immigration laws. From 1996 to 1998, Mr. Miller said, more than 85 members of Congress and Congressional aides, including Mr. DeLay, traveled to the Marianas; Mr. Miller and others have cited news reports suggesting that lobbyists may have paid for the trips, a possible violation of House rules.
source: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/15/politics/15delay.html?pagewanted=print&position=

U.S. Border, Illegal Immigrants, Minutemen, & The ACLU

USA Today Editorial

Border is right problem, 'Minutemen' wrong answer

They've come from across the USA to a scrubby stretch of Arizona's border, carrying binoculars and video cameras, sometimes a weapon and always a conviction that the U.S. border with Mexico is a sieve. The Minuteman Project, a self-styled "neighborhood watch" patrolling a 23-mile swath of desert to spot illegal aliens, has attracted hordes of TV cameras and thrown a spotlight on a festering national problem — the estimated 600,000 illegal immigrants who cross the border each year, elude capture and stay.
Certainly, the "Minutemen" have scored a publicity coup that has put burrs under the saddles of the Border Patrol and even President Bush, who has called them "vigilantes."
If that were the end of it, the Minutemen might declare victory, go home and lobby for solutions to illegal immigration — answers that don't lie in citizen posses.
Trouble is, the Minutemen plan to stay on patrol until the end of the month, perhaps longer, and perhaps expanding to other states, according to co-founder Chris Simcox. Half of the more than 600 volunteers carry guns, perfectly legal in Arizona but potentially dangerous when mixed with anger over immigration. It is a job meant for law enforcement professionals.
As of Wednesday, the volunteers had essentially stuck to their stated goal of spotting migrants and calling authorities. Still, the potential for both mischief and tragedy is high. In the past six months, 135 Border Patrol agents have been assaulted with guns and vehicles along Arizona's border.
Far from welcoming the amateur assistance, the Border Patrol has devoted scarce resources to this small sector in an effort to prevent violence among Minutemen, counter-protesters and migrants. Minutemen are also disrupting operations by tripping underground sensors, authorities say.
All in all, it's a case of understandable frustration leading to unfortunate action.
There's no question the federal government doesn't adequately protect the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border, where agents catch 1 million illegal crossers but hundreds of thousands elude them each year. The 9,700 agents on that border are simply outmatched. Last year, Congress authorized 2,000 new Border Patrol agents starting this fall, but Bush undercut that by funding just over 200 new agents in his budget.
The Minutemen do nothing to deal with the root cause of the problem — the lure of U.S. jobs better than those in Mexico. Bush proposed a "guest worker" program last year to match willing Mexicans with U.S. jobs, at the same time offering incentives for them to return home. Instead of following that sensible lead, the House Republican majority has focused on anti-immigration efforts that may do more harm than good.
Then again, immigration typically draws more emotion than thought.
That's what is happening in Arizona. Last week, a Minuteman volunteer snapped a photo of a migrant holding a T-shirt with this mocking slogan: "Bryan Barton caught me crossing the border and all I got was this lousy T-shirt." Project leaders sent the volunteer packing, but the incident shows how easily citizen law enforcement can turn ugly.
If the Minutemen have put a spotlight on immigration, fine. But the answers won't be found in the Arizona desert. They lie instead in Mexico City and Washington.
source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2005-04-13-edit_x.htm
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"The rest of the story", Because we know you are smart enough to research on your own and do not depend on the KXYL spoon feeders !

rest of story...

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Fewer Foreigners in Military ? Here's a clue......

Fewer Foreigners in Military
By The Associated Press
April 14, 2005, 4:28 PM EDT

WHAT'S HAPPENING: Despite the promise of expedited citizenship, fewer foreign nationals are enlisting in the U.S. military in recent years.
HOW MANY: Annual non-citizen enlistee total fell nearly 20 percent from fiscal year 2001 to 2004, compared to 12 percent decline for citizens.
WHY THE DROP: Military says there's no one explanation but factors include Iraq and Afghanistan military actions, where 142 non-citizen troops have died. Some legal immigrants say they're willing to wait and go through regular citizenship application.
source: http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-non-citizen-soldiers-summary-box,0,145113.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines
------------------------------
Now for the clue......

page 5a - Abilene Reporter News - April 15, 2005

" Non-citizens' casuality rates represent 8 percent of the total despite being less than 3 percent of active duty
military personnel. "

Getting Hosed (Condom & Cucumbered) In Brownwood ?

While KXYL's James Williamson (Brown County Republican Spokesperson) keeps you interested in things like this (

rest of story...

you're getting hosed like this

rest of story...

Brownwood Bagley's " Walking the Walk "

House of Hope
Brownwood pair runs faith-based alcohol and drug recovery program
By Celinda Emison / Reporter-News Staff Writer
April 14, 2005
BROWNWOOD - When it comes to recovery from alcohol and drugs, James and Janet Bagley have two things to offer their clients - a faith-based recovery program and hope.
''We don't turn anyone down,'' James Bagley said. ''We tell people to drop everything and start over - we're here to help.''
In 2003, with money from their own pockets, the Bagleys started The House of Deliverance, a recovery center for adult men at 405 Cordell Street in Brownwood.
Both Bagley and his wife, Janet, are employed by the Texas Youth Commission in addition to operating House of Deliverance.
The five-bedroom home located in the heart of what has been called by police the most drug-plagued area of Brownwood, can accommodate up to 10 men at a time.
''When you go to the hospital, there are doctors offices located all around it,'' said Bagley, who serves as program administrator. ''That's our thought here - we are where the sick people are.''
The Bagleys are hosting the second annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament this weekend to raise funds in hopes of expanding services by possibly adding a second house and full-time staff.
Currently, one resident is appointed to monitor the house at all times. Bagley conducts daily morning devotionals at the house and is on call in the evenings if the resident-in-charge needs assistance.
In the past two years, the Bagleys have helped more than 30 clients from 18 to 72 years of age. The 72-year-old man had been addicted to crack cocaine. Others who come to the home have alcohol problems, as well as addictions to methamphetamine and heroin.
''The Christ component to HOD (House of Deliverance) is very important,'' said James Bagley, who says he wants to change the labels that are placed on people dealing with addiction.
The Rev. Aaron Blake, and the Greater Faith Community Church, support the House of Deliverance by ministering to the clients. James Bagley serves as a deacon of the church.
''Our church ministry provides a holistic approach to the spirit, soul and the body,'' Blake said. ''What the Bagleys are doing with the men will change not only the mental, but also minister to the spirit of the man and translate into the healing of the body.''
Brian Barberena, 23, of Fort Worth, has been living at the House of Deliverance since last July. Barberena started using heroin with friends at the age of 17. He's been to at least four treatment facilities for drug addiction.
Each time, Barberena eventually relapsed, returning to his addiction. In May, after completing treatment in Stephenville he came to Brownwood to stay in another half-way house.
He was doing well, working at a major manufacturer and attending school. But while things looked good on the outside, Barberena's demons came calling, and he relapsed using crack cocaine, and was kicked out of the half-way house.
''A friend told me about James Bagley, and I called him,'' he said. ''He (Bagley) went out of his way to take me in, and it just amazes me - he doesn't do this for any reason other than to help someone.''
Now, Barberena is one of Bagley's star residents. He's attending school to become a registered nurse. Bagley said he has seen Brian Barberena change right before his eyes.
''I will hate to see him leave because I think he has something to offer the next person that comes,'' Bagley said.
Details
What: Second annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament
When: Saturday
Where: Brownwood High School, 2100 Slayden
Entry fees: men's championship: $125; men's recreation $100; women's recreation $100; boys/girls high school $50; boys/girls junior high school $50
Contact: James Bagley (325) 998-0349
Email: jbag1933@aol.com.

Contact Brownwood staff writer Celinda Emison at (325) 641-8804 or emisonc@reporternews.com.
source:http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/nw_local/article/0,1874,ABIL_7959_3698789,00.html

GOP must see the light ?

Letter to the editor - Waco Tribune Herald
Thursday, April 14, 2005

GOP must see the light
The federal deficit balloons, the Tom DeLay Inc. machine swirls in moral and ethical problems. Taxpayer's money is used for Republican propaganda while a Republican fake journalist, an admitted Internet prostitute, has enjoyed free daily press passes to the White House.
Despite all this political morass, the GOP has managed to spook millions of Americans into believing that the Democrats are atheists and not as patriotic as Republicans.
Of course, the king of all Republican bamboozlements is the idea that tax cuts for the wealthy will eventually benefit everybody, while benefits for our veterans and the destitute are cut to pay for them.
Oh, how I pray that some day people such as Grover Norquist, among others, will see the Christian light.

Leo Davis

source: http://www.wacotrib.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2005/04/14/20050414wacletters.html

Part of this Equation- " Razzing " or Bullying: What James Williamson won't tell you !

Note: Leave it to Brown County Republican Party Spokesperson and KXYL Talk Show Host, James Williamson, to twist this into a liberal topic. Knowing his style and interest, I'm surprised he didn't alledge that the bat was Gay ! For over 20 minutes on his show James Williamson, and his best students, made jokes about this tragic incident and asked where's the ACLU , I guess we're going to have to sue Big Bats etc., etc.,etc.,. It took Marion Belknap to call in and mention the bullying aspect of the story. Marion also commented about the negative nature of the calls and James's handling of the topic. Kudos to Marion Belknap. The more I hear the more I understand the comment by Former Texas Lt Governor Bill Ratliff (Republican) who characterized these caliber of individuals as " the taliban " !
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Posted on Thu, Apr. 14, 2005
Boy accused of attack with bat
By Hector Becerra and Anna Gorman
Los Angeles Times
PALMDALE, Calif. - It was a warm spring night, and families in the tidy subdivisions on the eastern edge of Palmdale had gathered at the local ballpark to watch Pony League baseball under the lights.
Then screams silenced the stands.
As witnesses watched helplessly Tuesday night, a 13-year-old player standing in the snack bar line is accused of grabbing an aluminum baseball bat out of his equipment bag and clubbing a 15-year-old spectator in the head.
Bystanders, including his father, a coach in the league, rushed to Jeremy Rourke, a former Pony League all-star who lay unconscious on the ground. Jeremy was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead a few minutes later.
The 13-year-old, according to witnesses, looked stunned. He had just killed the brother of one of his closest friends, they said. Still wearing his red Angels cap, the boy was interviewed by sheriff's deputies before being taken into custody.
Some bystanders told authorities that the dispute appeared to be over one of the boys cutting in line. Others said Rourke was teasing the 13-year-old, a pitcher and third baseman who had just lost a game against the rival Dodgers.
"Jeremy apparently said something like, 'How could you lose to a team with no wins?' " said Jay Croom, a longtime Pony League parent. "I don't think Jeremy's intention was to start a fight, but when you know other baseball players, you give them a hard time. It's called razzing."
Rourke was a junior umpire for the league, but he was not umpiring that night.
Parents and players described both boys as enthusiastic baseball lovers. Both families had been active in the Pony League for years.
The suspect "is quiet, a cute boy. His parents are nice. I've never known him to be a troublemaker," said Kelly Unger, a close family friend of the Rourkes. "Now you have two families whose lives are ruined."
Several witnesses said that Rourke and the 13-year-old exchanged words and shoves in the snack bar line before the suspect retrieved his bat. They said the boy first hit Rourke in the shin or knee, then struck him a second time on the head.
"I saw them pushing each other. I heard, dink, dink, I heard the sound of him hitting his leg," 10-year-old player Troy Momjian said. "Then I looked back and then I saw him take a full swing at Jeremy's head, and then Jeremy lay on the ground."
On the ballfield Wednesday night, players and their parents gathered again, this time to mourn. Many people in the league said they don't want to take sides because it's a tragedy for both families.
"One life was taken," said Bill Blaylock, regional director for the Pony League and a 20-year volunteer. "One life, I believe, will be ruined."

Don't look at this if..........

you're a KXYL Goose-stepper !

here ya go...

Brownwood Immigrant Bashing Attitudes ? Listen to Brownwood's KXYL

Article Published: Sunday, April 17, 2005
Letter to the editor - Denver Post

The coverage of the so-called Minuteman Project on the Arizona border with Mexico reveals what is most likely at the heart of this so-called patriotic movement.

First, there is a picture of a shrieking Littleton woman standing beneath a Confederate flag. Then there's the comment by a man who drove his trailer from Houston to Arizona, and said he's moving out of his city: "When your KFC is now a taco joint, you know it's time to move out." A "volunteer" who intercepted an immigrant made his prey pose for a picture, holding the message, "Bryan Barton caught an illegal alien and all I got was this T-shirt." And finally, this from a Denver man who joined the party: "This isn't my typical vacation. But it gave me something worthwhile, instead of sitting on a beach drinking Coronas."

Would these self-appointed border police be so up in arms if the people they hunt were not brown of skin and Latino of origin? What is it that these hard-working, family-oriented immigrants truly threaten? Could it be the shaky notion of white superiority?

Arnold Grossman, Denver

Brownwood " Hate Radio " Broadcasting Live From " Sin City " !

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They'll be flying on Southwest Airlines where diversity policies are obviously one of their strengths. Kind of surprised that the KXYL talking heads would fly an airlines with such a policy. Remember the KXYL Mantra: " Diversity ='s perversity " !

rest of story...

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Are they taking Brown County Republican Spokesperson and KXYL talking Head James Williamson to Vegas with them. He'd be in Hog Heaven with all that "SIN" going on around him ! Maybe take in a couple of shows ?

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Hope the talking heads run into Ed Schultz while they are in Vegas. Remember Connie's comments that there is no market for Ed's type of show (His is the fastest growing show nationwide on talk radio.). What a hoot ! Hi Hoot_baker !
---------
MPR News
Big Ed Schultz
Created by luckky on 7/23/04 at 12:11 PM
Big Ed Schultz is a political moderate who tells it like it is. He slams reich wingers and their ilk and takes no prisoners in his radio show that appears locally on 740 AM during the afternoons. His is the fastest growing show nationwide on talk radio.
Some critics will say that he's a "liberal" or "leftist" for taking the viewpoints that he expresses. Well, fear not.
He is openly pro 2d Amendment rights and is a pro-lifer.
For more info log on to,
http://www.wegoted.com

David Barton and the American Taliban

Op/Ed - The Nation
In Contempt of Courts
Mon Apr 11, 6:09 PM ET
Op/Ed - The Nation
Max Blumenthal

Michael Schwartz must have thought I was just another attendee of the "Confronting the Judicial War on Faith" conference. I approached the chief of staff of Oklahoma's GOP Senator Tom Coburn outside the conference in downtown Washington last Thursday afternoon after he spoke there. Before I could introduce myself, he turned to me and another observer with a crooked smile and exclaimed, "I'm a radical! I'm a real extremist. I don't want to impeach judges. I want to impale them!"
For two days, on April 7 and 8, conservative activists and top GOP staffers summoned the raw rage of the Christian right following the Terri Schiavo affair, and likened judges to communists, terrorists and murderers. The remedies they suggested for what they termed "judicial tyranny" ranged from the mass impeachment of judges to their physical elimination.
The speakers included embattled House majority leader Tom DeLay, conservative matriarch Phyllis Schlafly and failed Republican senatorial candidate Alan Keyes. Like a performúance artist, Keyes riled the crowd up, mixing animadversions on constitutional law with sudden, stentorian salvos against judges. "Ronald Reagan said the Soviet Union was the focus of evil during the cold war. I believe that the judiciary is the focus of evil in our society today," Keyes declared, slapping the lectern for emphasis.
At a banquet the previous evening, the Constitution Party's 2004 presidential candidate, Michael Peroutka, called the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube "an act of terror in broad daylight aided and abetted by the police under the authority of the governor." Red-faced and sweating profusely, Peroutka added, "This was the very definition of state-sponsored terror." Edwin Vieira, a lawyer and author of How to Dethrone the Imperial Judiciary, went even further, suggesting during a panel discussion that Joseph Stalin offered the best method for reining in the Supreme Court. "He had a slogan," Vieira said, "and it worked very well for him whenever he ran into difficulty: 'No man, no problem.'"
The complete Stalin quote is, "Death solves all problems: no man, no problem."
The threatening tenor of the conference speakers was a calculated tactic. As Gary Cass, the director of Rev. D. James Kennedy's lobbying front, the Center for Reclaiming America, explained, they are arousing the anger of their base in order to harness it politically. The rising tide of threats against judges "is understandable," Cass told me, "but we have to take the opportunity to channel that into a constitutional solution."
Cass's "solution" is the "Constitution Restoration Act," a bill relentlessly promoted during the conference that authorizes Congress to impeach judges who fail to abide by "the standard of good behavior" required by the Constitution. If they refuse to acknowledge "God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government," or rely in any way on international law in their rulings, judges also invite impeachment. In essence, the bill would turn judges' gavels into mere instruments of "The Hammer," Tom DeLay, and Christian-right cadres.
Conference speakers framed the Constitution Restoration Act in pseudo-populist terms--the only means of controlling a branch of government hijacked by a haughty liberal aristocracy against the will of the American people. As Michael Schwartz remarked during a panel discussion, "The Supreme Court says we have the right to kill babies and the right to commit buggery. They say the people have no right to express themselves, that the people have no right to make laws. Until we have a court that reflects a majority," Schwartz continued, his voice rising steadily, "it is a sick and sad joke that we have a Constitution here."
The right wing claims that judges should reflect majority opinion. But what is the majority opinion? After DeLay and Senate majority leader Bill Frist passed special bills ordering federal courts to consider the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, according to a Gallup poll, Congress's public approval rating sank to 37 percent, lower than at any time since shortly after Republicans impeached President Bill Clinton. Meanwhile, 66 percent of respondents to a March 23 CBS News poll thought Schiavo's feeding tube should be removed. The notion that the Christian right's agenda is playing well in Peoria must be accepted on faith alone.
The recent right-wing fixation on impeaching judges was conceptualized by David Barton, Republican consultant and vice chairman of the Texas GOP. In 1996 Barton published a handbook called Impeachment: Restraining an Overactive Judiciary, which was timed to coincide with Tom DeLay's bid for legislation authorizing Congress to impeach judges. "The judges need to be intimidated," DeLay told reporters that year.
In 1989 Barton published a book titled The Myth of Separation, which proclaims, "This book proves that the separation of church and state is a myth." The Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, in a critique of his 1995 documentary America's Godly Heritage, stated that it was "laced with exaggerations, half-truths, and misstatements of fact." Barton is on the board of advisers of the Providence Foundation, a Christian Reconstructionist group that promotes the idea that biblical law should be instituted in America. In 1991 Barton spoke at a Colorado retreat sponsored by Pastor Pete Peters, an adherent of racist Christian Identity theology with well-established neo-Nazi ties. During the 2004 presidential campaign, the Republican National Committee hired him as a paid consultant for "evangelical outreach." The RNC sponsored more than 300 events for him.
DeLay's bill, based on Barton's writings, failed due to lack of GOP support. But the judicial impeachment campaign was reignited six years later when a federal court ordered the removal of then-Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore's Ten Commandments monument from courthouse grounds. In February 2004 a group of about twenty-five enraged ministers and movement leaders gathered in Dallas to plot a new response. The Constitution Restoration Act was the result. According to Moore, he was a principal author, along with Herb Titus, the former dean of Pat Robertson's Regent University law school, and Howard Phillips, a veteran third-party activist whose US Taxpayers' Party served as a vehicle for the antigovernment militia movement during the 1990s. All three men stalked the halls of the downtown Marriott last Thursday and Friday.
In the Senate the bill was sponsored by Richard Shelby, a senator from Roy Moore's home state; among the co-sponsors is Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, who is contemplating a run for the Republican nomination for President. The bill was introduced on March 3, before the Terri Schiavo affair erupted, before Florida Circuit Judge George Greer ordered the removal of her feeding tube and before he became the poster-child for the right's judicial impeachment campaign.
Now, according to Howard Phillips in a speech to the conference, his "good friend" Wisconsin GOP Representative James Sensenbrenner is planning to hold hearings on the Constitution Restoration Act in the House. DeLay, who appeared on a big screen during a Thursday morning session to call for the removal of "a judiciary run amok," has put his name on the act as the House sponsor.
The Schiavo case remains the flashpoint for the right. That was apparent at a Thursday evening banquet honoring the lead attorney for Terri Schiavo's parents, David Gibbs. After a breathless introduction from Peroutka, who called the removal of Schiavo's feeding tube "an act of terror," Gibbs confidently strode to the lectern while a crowd of about 100 regaled him with a thunderous standing ovation. Baby-faced, with his hair molded tightly against his scalp and clad in a well-tailored navy blue suit, Gibbs maintained a cool disposition during his speech, presenting a sharp visual contrast to the wildly gesticulating, bedraggled figures who held the microphone throughout most of the conference. But Gibbs's impeccable appearance and measured tone were not enough to mask the lurid nature of his speech.
First, Gibbs suggested that Schiavo fell into a persistent vegetative state not because of an eating disorder but as the result of "some form of strangulation or abuse at the hands of her husband, possibly." Then, Gibbs asserted that after Schiavo's parents were awarded millions of dollars by the state to provide for her care, Michael Schiavo "began moving against the family to kill his wife." These claims, however, did not hold up in court because, as Gibbs explained, "a judge that never went to see [Schiavo] was the judge who made the decision that her life did not matter."
As members of the audience gasped, Gibbs painted a vivid portrait of Schiavo in her hospital bed. "Terri Schiavo was as alive as anyone you see sitting here," he said. "She liked my voice. It was loud and deep and she would roll over and try to talk back." But after Judge Greer "literally ordered her barbaric death," everything changed.
Gibbs described his visit to Schiavo's hospital room after her feeding tube had been removed. Schiavo lay in bed "with her eyes sunken deep in her head...she was skeletal," Gibbs recounted. "Then she turned to her mother suddenly, like she wanted to speak, and she just started sobbing." By now, members of the audience were crying.
As soon as he left the stage, one of the event's planners asked all the men in the room to get down on the floor and pray. With no other choice, I moved my plastic-upholstered chair aside, took to my hands and knees and listened as plaintive voices arose all around me with prayers for Schiavo's parents and maledictions against judicial tyranny. A saccharine version of Pachelbel's Canon emanating from the player piano in the hotel lobby seeped through the banquet hall's open doors, suffusing the ceremony with a dreamlike atmosphere. When I finally dared to look up from the ground, I realized that my head was only inches from an enormous posterior belonging to William Dannemeyer, the former congressman who once issued a letter to his colleagues listing twenty-four people with some connection to Bill Clinton who died "under other than natural circumstances."
As the conference attendees filed out of the banquet hall and into the rain-flecked night, mostly silent except for the few who were still sobbing, they seemed prepared to do anything--absolutely anything--against judges. "I want to impale them!" as Michael Schwartz told me.
"This isn't Colombia. This isn't drug lords terrorizing the judiciary. It's America," Florida Judge George Greer declared recently. Greer remains under police guard.
On Monday, April 11, at Senator Frist's invitation, David Barton will lead him and other senators on an evening tour of the Capitol, offering "a fresh perspective on our nation's religious heritage."
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2281&ncid=742&e=5&u=/thenation/20050411/cm_thenation/20050425blumenthal
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David Barton in Abilene

rest of story...

Partisan hacks won't understand !

rest of story...

Public Intoxication and Brown County Jail Deaths

Wednesday April 13, 2005
News
Man dies after public intoxication arrest
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin

A 38-year-old man collapsed at the Brown County Jail Monday afternoon a few minutes after his arrival and was pronounced dead at Brownwood Regional Medical Center, authorities said Tuesday.
The Texas Rangers are investigating the death of Christopher Stewart James, who was arrested by Brownwood police near the girls softball field at Brownwood High School. James' body has been sent to the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy, Ranger Calvin Cox of Abilene said.
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State law requires that an outside agency investigate a death that occurs in law enforcement custody, Cox and Sheriff Bobby Grubbs said.
"When we're holding the type of people we're holding, there's always the possibility of this occurring," Grubbs said. "Of course we want this investigated in depth ... to make sure all the procedures have been followed correctly."
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Two inmates died last year at the jail.
In March, Andy Ewing, 48, was found unresponsive in his cell after being arrested and charged with public intoxication. An autopsy report showed that alcohol withdrawal syndrome with delirium tremens led to Ewing's death, records show.

In April, James Ukele, 48, collapsed and died of respiratory distress as he was being released from the jail after serving a sentence for public intoxication, records show.

source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/13/news/news01.txt
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UPDATE
Thursday April 28, 2005
News
Autopsy shows custody death caused by meth-induced heart attack
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin
 Autopsy and toxicology reports show Christopher James died of a "heart attack induced by methamphetamine" shortly after being taken into custody on April 11, Brown County Sheriff Bobby Grubbs said Wednesday.
Local authorities initially referred questions to Texas Ranger Calvin Cox of Abilene, who investigated the death. Grubbs said he spoke with Cox late Wednesday afternoon and that Cox had asked him to release information.
"(Cox) indicated there was no evidence of wrongdoing or negligence on the officers' part," Grubbs said. "I feel like (James' arrest) was handled properly. This pretty well concludes it, I think."
Brownwood police said they encountered James, 38, near Brownwood High School after someone reported that a man was possibly intoxicated and possibly hallucinating.
James fought with officers and made reference to methamphetamine, and an officer wrote in a report that he suspected James was on drugs because of "his strength, his actions and his paranoia about someone coming for him."
Jailers were attempting to put a straight jacket on James, 38, who fought with them as they escorted him to a cell for violent offenders, according to reports from police who arrested him. James quit breathing and jailers performed CPR until GoldStar paramedics arrived. He was taken to Brownwood Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
A video from a Brownwood police car showed James thrashing and kicking nearly nonstop in the car's back seat as he was driven to jail.
The video did not have sound, but James appeared to be yelling for most of the 10-minute ride to the jail.
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/28/news/news03.txt

Who are the Leaders.........

of the American Taliban ? Is it James D and James W ? Birds of a feather ? You will know them by their fruit ?

James Dobson compared Supreme Court justices to the KKK
On his April 11 radio broadcast, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson continued his tirade against what he has termed "judicial tyranny." With Mark Levin, author of Men In Black: How the Supreme Court Is Destroying America (foreword by Rush Limbaugh), as his guest, Dobson likened Supreme Court justices to the Ku Klux Klan:
DOBSON: I heard a minister the other day talking about the great injustice and evil of the men in white robes, the Ku Klux Klan, that roamed the country in the South, and they did great wrong to civil rights and to morality. And now we have black-robed men, and that's what you're talking about.

rest of story...

Growing fruit for God ?

Galatians 5:22-23 lists some fruit that we need to grow: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. This is fruit that God desires for us to grow.  Fruit that will be a sign and a witness that we are growing in Christ.

rest of story...

Have you noticed the Wolves ?

Have you noticed how the Taliban Wing of Todays Republican Party is beginning to look alot like the Taliban Wing of the Old Democratic Party of the 50's and early 60's. In 1964 President Lyndon B Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act and many Southern Democrats Bolted to the Republican Party because they were against Black Civil Rights Legislation. Treating folks equally, fairly, and justly has never been one of the strengths of the " Bible Belt ". Quite to the contrary, The Southern Baptist Churches (Convention) even went as far as to justify their support of slavery by quoting scripture ! It's good to know your local " wolves in sheeps clothing" ! Listen carefully, you may hear them on Brownwood Talk Radio and they may even quote you a scripture or two !

Coming out of the Woodwork !

SECOND EDITION: STORY DEVELOPING
Minnesota state senator comes out, endorses 'outing' anti- gay politicians
By John Byrne | RAW STORY Editor
A Minnesota state senator who bucked his party in voting against a measure to that would bring an amendment to the state’s constitution to prohibit gay marriage to the full Senate has revealed that he is gay, RAW STORY has learned.
The senator, Republican Paul Koering, has also endorsed efforts to expose gay politicians who wield their power to oppose gay rights.
Koering, 40, hails from farm country, some 150 miles north of Minneapolis. He says his decision to come out was a complex one, but that the marriage amendment vote—aligned with the two year anniversary of his mother’s death—finally led him to believe the time was right.
Koering also spoke at length with Mike Rogers, whose blogACTIVE.com website has reporting on the private gay lives of prominent anti-gay politicians, who he says helped him in his process of coming out. Rogers is also the editor of an editorially independent franchise site of Raw Story Media, RawStoryQ.
Since the vote, Koering says he’s been besieged by calls and emails from people wanting to know his orientation.
“It’s hampered me from doing the real work that I want to do here,” Koering told RAW STORY. “I just felt that I need to talk to these reporters and say, ‘Yep I’m gay, so what?’ and now that’s done let’s talk about the real issues, good paying jobs with healthcare benefits, talk about issues that affect families and people in their daily lives.”
As a proud Republican legislator who stood alone against his party to take a stand against what he sees as discrimination, Koering’s support for reporting on “hypocritical” gay politicians—including Republicans—is certain to send a shockwave through the Washington gay community.

rest of story...

Q:" Who dares tell Sgt. Stout that he is unfit for service?" A: KXYL's James Williamson of course !

Posted on Wed, Apr. 13, 2005
'Don't Ask' has failed
OUR OPINION: ROS-LEHTINEN ON TARGET: LIFT MILITARY BAN ON GAYS
Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Republican-Miami, is right on target when she talks about lifting the ban on gays and lesbians who serve in the U.S. military. Even House Republican leaders who support the ban would be hard-put to refute her logic.
The ban ''doesn't make any sense,'' Ms. Ros-Lehtinen says. ''There's no scientific evidence that sexual orientation has an effect on the ability to perform as a military officer or a buck private.'' Precisely.
Along with Christopher Shays, R-Conn., and Jim Kolbe, R-Arizona, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen is cosponsoring the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which would end the wasteful and punitive ''Don't Ask, Don't Tell'' policy that allows homosexuals to serve as long as they don't reveal their sexual orientation.
This policy, created after President Bill Clinton unsuccessfully sought to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, has cost $200 million since it was adopted in 1998. The costs come from recruiting and training military personnel who replace those booted out once they reveal their homosexuality.
For evidence of the truth of what Rep. Ros-Lehtinen says, consider the Army is mulling the fate of a sergeant who was awarded a Purple Heart for bravery in Iraq and has since revealed that he is gay. Congressmen Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, and Robert Wexler, D-Boca Raton also are cosponsoring the bill. Sadly there isn't a similar bill in the Senate.
On this issue, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen diverges from the GOP party line. We commend her for this principled stand.
Ditto, for the other members of Florida's congressional delegation who support eliminating the ban. Getting rid of the ban would help strengthen our armed forces and save tax dollars. In war or peace, what matters most in soldiers is how well they fight.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/11377419.htm
-----------------------

washingtonpost.com

Repeal the Gay Ban
Wednesday, April 13, 2005; Page A16
ARMY SGT. ROBERT Stout received a Purple Heart after an exploding grenade in Iraq last May left shrapnel in his face, arm and legs. He would like to remain in the military, and he said in an interview that he would reenlist were it not for the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. But Sgt. Stout is through denying that he is gay, so he recently declared his sexual orientation to the Associated Press. Now he'll be lucky if he's allowed to serve out his tour, which ends in May, without being kicked out of the service. For under U.S. policy, even the most decorated and patriotic gay soldier is just a homosexual to be rooted out at the military's earliest convenience.
The military wastes a lot of money making sure that gay soldiers are either deeply closeted or ex-soldiers. According to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office, the services have spent $190 million recruiting and training replacements for gay service members kicked out during the past 10 years. More than 750 of the 9,488 men and women discharged from the military during that time, moreover, "held critical occupations"; many had training in languages important to the war on terrorism. The gay ban, in other words, is as self-defeating as it is demeaning to people who want to serve their country at a time of great need. It is long past time for it to go.
Last month, Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-Mass.) introduced a bill that would repeal "don't ask, don't tell." It now has 72 co-sponsors, including three Republicans. The House leadership's commitment to the current policy makes quick passage improbable. Supporters are fighting at this stage for a hearing, which would help their cause, because there are no good arguments for keeping patriotic men and women out of honorable service because of their sexual orientation. There's no evidence that gay soldiers undermine military discipline or perform badly. American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan fight alongside allied forces that don't discriminate.
Yet as Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) put it to the Miami Herald in explaining her decision to back the bill: "We investigate people. Bring them up on charges. Basically wreck their lives." These are "people who've signed up to serve our country. We ought to be thanking them." She's right. Who dares tell Sgt. Stout that he is unfit for service ?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48148-2005Apr12.html

KXYL's James Williamson got his Delay * talking points

Republicans comment on Tom Delay

rest of story...

----------------------
Joe Conason
The New York Observer
04.13.05
DeLay's 'moral' defenders ignore his sleazy allies
Hammer crew seems reminiscent of the old Cosa Nostra
As the rhetoric of the radical right turns shrill and even violent, the stunning moral emptiness of its leadership can no longer be ignored. Pious politicians and political preachers may hope to divert attention from their disgrace by threatening judges or denouncing the media. But what has emerged from the scandals surrounding House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is a dark portrait of Washington's conservative elite, whose behavior should repel every American honestly concerned about "moral values."
For a moment, set aside the issues raised by Mr. DeLay's acceptance of possibly illegal favors from foreign interests, which are now the subject of several federal investigations. Forget all his sleazy favor-mongering and bullying. Consider instead the character of the lobbyists who have risen to the commanding heights of the capital economy, thanks to their connections with him -- and compare the morality of their business practices with the "family values" propaganda that keeps them and their patrons in power.
The top dog in this predatory pack, until lately, was Jack Abramoff, a super-lobbyist whose status as Mr. DeLay's close friend, fund-raiser and golfing buddy brought him wealth and power. Known to his peers as "Casino Jack," Mr. Abramoff and his associates have apparently conned several Indian tribes out of as much as $80 million. According to reports in the National Journal and other news sources, the Republican lobbyists played the tribes against each other as they competed for gambling permits and market share.
Among the consultants recruited by Mr. Abramoff to operate the Indian casino scheme was Ralph Reed, the famed evangelical Christian activist who founded the Christian Coalition with Pat Robertson, and who now hopes to be elected lieutenant governor of Georgia. For a sweet fee of $4 million, Mr. Reed concocted "grass-roots anti-gambling" groups that Mr. Abramoff then deployed to stifle the tribal competitors of his clients.
For a skillful hypocrite like Mr. Reed, it was simple enough to "get our pastors riled up" against yet another sinful establishment -- as he boasted in an e-mail to Mr. Abramoff -- because they understood gambling's destructive effects on families. At one point, he even persuaded James Dobson, probably the most powerful evangelical leader in the country, to organize opposition to a proposed casino in Texas.
Surely Mr. Dobson, who warns against the evils of gambling in his broadcast diatribes, didn't realize he was putting his huge Focus on the Family network to work for "Casino Jack." (Mr. Reed also claims that he didn't know what Mr. Abramoff was doing. Nobody believes him.) But Mr. Dobson has yet to speak out against the crooked matrix that misled him so badly, or the political leadership in Washington that profits from it.
Still uglier than the Indian gaming affair -- and more directly implicating Mr. DeLay -- is the story of Mr. Abramoff's clientele in the northern Marianas Islands. The Pacific commonwealth serves as a haven for garment sweatshops that evade U.S. labor and immigration laws while legally labeling their products "Made in the U.S.A." Nearly every big name in the American rag trade has dealt with factories there.
Several years ago, the gross abuse of the laborers in the islands -- mostly young women imported from China and Thailand -- drew unwanted attention from the federal government. When Clinton administration officials proposed to crack down on the Marianas sweatshops and labor contractors, the commonwealth's ruling elite hired Mr. Abramoff to protect them. He sponsored dozens of luxury junkets to the islands for Republican politicians and commentators, spread around plenty of campaign money, and soon had Mr. DeLay pledging to defend the Marianas factories from modern labor standards.
The conditions endured by the women workers in the islands ought to have shocked any religious conscience. Swindled, starved and overworked, many of them were ultimately forced into prostitution -- and when they got pregnant, they were forced to endure abortions. Young women who arrived expecting to work in restaurants found themselves suddenly hustled into topless bars, where they were coerced into drinking and having sex with customers. And they often were deprived of the money paid by the johns.
Promoted by Mr. DeLay and Mr. Abramoff as a libertarian utopia, the islands were actually a sinkhole of indentured slavery and sex tourism. Enchanted by all the easy money and free vacations, however, those Washington worthies and their friends disregarded the suffering.
With sweatshops, whorehouses and casinos as the commercial underpinnings of their little empire, and with their thuggish approach to campaigns and debates, the DeLay crew seems reminiscent of the old Cosa Nostra. Yet such unsavory parallels don't disturb the right-wing establishment. Rallying behind Mr. DeLay are the Family Research Council, the Heritage Foundation, the Free Congress Foundation, the American Conservative Union and the rest of the "movement," with everyone fervently declaring, amid displays of piety and indignation, that his defense is their next great crusade.
If and when the Hammer falls, their credibility will crash with him.
Joe Conason writes for the New York Observer and Salon.com, and is the author of Big Lies: The Right-Wing Propaganda Machine and How It Distorts the Truth.
For more Conason columns, see his archive.
E-mail Conason at jconason@observer.com.
http://workingforchange.speedera.net/www.workingforchange.com/img/2001/whiteline-bg.gif
---------------------------------
The Delay Talking Points: " DeLay recommended that senators respond to questions by saying Democrats have no agenda other than partisanship, and are attacking him to prevent Republicans from accomplishing their legislative program. "

And James accuses the Democrats of gettng a fax of what to say ! Pot calling the Kettle Black ? James, what about your comment where you said the only thing the Liberals use a Bible for is to stand on while peeking into someones window. Are you speaking from first hand experience ?

http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/politicsnational_story_103122313.html

CBS 2 Chicago WBBM-TV | cbs2chicago.com
Newt Gingrich Criticizes DeLay
* DeLay Urges GOP Senators To Blame Democrats When Asked About Controversy
Apr 13, 2005 11:21 am US/Central
There was fresh criticism Tuesday of embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay from a prominent member of his own party.
In an exclusive interview with CBS News Correspondent Gloria Borger, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said it's time for DeLay to stop blaming a left-wing conspiracy for his ethics controversy and to lay out his case for the American people to judge.
"I don’t want to prejudge him and my hope is that Tom will be able to prove his case," said Gingrich, who engineered the Republican takeover of the House in 1994. "But I think the burden is on him to prove it at this point."
Is he doing that? "I don’t know yet. I think the jury's out," said Gingrich.
"DeLay's problem isn’t with the Democrats; DeLay's problem is with the country," Gingrich continued. "And so DeLay has a challenge: to lay out a case that the country comes to believe, that the country decides is legitimate. If he does that he's fine."
Hoping to hold support among fellow Republicans, DeLay urged GOP senators Tuesday to blame Democrats if asked about his ethics controversy. He also accused the news media of twisting supportive comments so they sounded like criticism.
Officials said DeLay recommended that senators respond to questions by saying Democrats have no agenda other than partisanship, and are attacking him to prevent Republicans from accomplishing their legislative program. One Republican said the Texan referred to a "mammoth operation" funded by Democratic supporters and designed to destroy him as a symbol of the Republican majority.
DeLay also thanked Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., for his recent comments and said the news media had twisted them to make them sound critical, the officials added, all speaking on condition of anonymity.
In an appearance on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday, Santorum said DeLay "has to come forward and lay out what he did and why he did it and let the people then judge for themselves. But from everything I've heard, again, from the comments and responding to those, is everything he's done was according to the law."
The officials who described DeLay's brief remarks noted that the session, a regularly scheduled weekly lunch, was held under rules of secrecy. Dan Allen, DeLay's spokesman, declined comment.
DeLay's case is at the heart of a broader controversy in the House, where Democrats accuse Republicans of unilaterally changing ethics committee rules to prevent any further investigation of DeLay. Republicans have denied the allegation.
The panel arranged a meeting for Wednesday, and Rep. Alan Mollohan of West Virginia, the senior Democrat, said he would renew a push for a bipartisan rewrite of the rules that Republicans put into effect in January on a party-line vote. Officials in both parties said they knew of no compromise discussions.
One senior Republican spoke sympathetically of DeLay after the closed-door meeting.
"I hope he survives, and I hope he will stay in there and do his job," said Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss.
"The power of prayer is the only thing that will sustain you" in the circumstance DeLay is in, Lott added, and he spoke disparagingly of any Republicans who fail to stand by the Texan.
"That's the problem, you know, Republicans eat their own. ... Democrats stand by their own until hell freezes over," said Lott, who was ousted as Senate majority leader two years ago after making controversial race-based comments at a birthday party for the late Strom Thurmond.
DeLay was admonished three times last year by the House ethics committee. Recent articles have disclosed that his wife and daughter were paid approximately $500,000 in recent years by political organizations under his control, and have raised questions about the financing of three overseas trips he took.
DeLay has consistently denied any violation of either law or House rules.
His private remarks to Senate Republicans were in keeping with the response frequently offered on his behalf by House Republicans: Blame the Democrats and occasionally the news media for the scrutiny he faces. House Republicans intend to follow the script later in the week, hoping to showcase passage of bankruptcy legislation and estate tax repeal as a counterpoint to Democratic charges that they are merely power-hungry.
Several Republicans stressed that DeLay's appearance at the senators' lunch was routine, noting that GOP leaders of one house have begun attending meetings of the rank and file of the other house in recent weeks.
His remarks were "very low-key. It wasn't demanding or threatening or pounding the table," Lott said afterward.
source: http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/politicsnational_story_103122313.html  

Do what ?

Is this (see below) true since it was reported in the Washington Times ( one of KXYL's James Williamson’s favorite news sources ) Also do a little research on the owner of the Washington Times. James Williamson, the voice of the Brown County Republicans will not want you to see this because it blows his theory that this is a Democrat issue !

rest of story...

Sung Yung Moon, owner of the Conservative Newspaper, The Washington Times:

rest of story...

Brownwood & Her Religious Extremists: " It's kind of scary ".

Note: We supported Republican Mike Conaway, Brownwoods Congressman. He lost Brown County to HPU Professor Bill Lester. The Bulletin Editorialized the race as a clean one. Research the race for yourself. (see our archives) We disagree with the Bulletin's assesment and ran an ad to that affect. We agree with the San Angelo Standard Times which described Conaway as in "the mainstream". It's encouraging to see mainstream Republicans (see Conaways Chief of Staff, Jeff Burton, emails below) acknowledge what is going on in our end of the district ! If you need to hear some "scary" for yourself, just listen to newstalk 96.9FM !
-------------------
Representative Mike Conaway (R-TX 11th)
1st-term Republican from Texas.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/staff/?id=141944
------------------------
Mon Mar 15, 2004 11:24:24 AM US/Central

“ It's kind of scary on your end of the district. ”

Jeff
Jeff J Burton
Campaign Manager
Mike Conaway for Congress
(432) 685-1033 Office
(432) 352-3923
--------------------------------
Thu Mar 11, 2004 02:11:19 PM US/Central

“ They believe that they can do or say anything in the name of God and it's ok.
We ran into it all over during the campaign. But we know now that it's only a
small segment of the population...About 25% :) ”

Jeff J Burton
Campaign Manager
Mike Conaway for Congress
(432) 685-1033 Office
(432) 352-3923

confirmation:
From: "Jeff Burton"
Date: Thu Mar 11, 2004 02:11:19 PM US/Central
To: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
Subject: Re: ARNews
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A Father's Vote for Gay Rights

A Father's Vote for Gay Rights
Md. Delegate Helps Pass Partnership Registry
By Matthew Mosk
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 13, 2005; Page A01
Cassi Niemann didn't know exactly what legislative district her father represented or the precise jargon to describe what he was doing in Annapolis last week.
But in the posting on her personal blog Saturday, the 25-year-old daughter of Maryland Del. Doyle L. Niemann (D-Prince George's) made clear that she knew he had done something important. Something controversial. And he had done it for her.
What Niemann did was speak out on the House floor in support of the Medical Decision Making Act, one of two gay rights bills passed in the final days of the Maryland General Assembly's 2005 session, which ended late Monday.
"I am casting this vote for my daughter, who I love dearly, who is 25 and is in a committed relationship with another woman," Niemann said. "Now, should we deny her the rights that we would expect, that I would expect for my wife and I? No. I'm casting my vote for her."
If the governor signs it, as he has suggested recently he might do, the act would add Maryland to the list of six states that grant medical decision-making rights or more expansive privileges to same-sex couples. The measure also creates a registry to provide them, and other unmarried couples, official partnership status. A second bill, adding penalties for hate crimes against gay and transgender people, would place Maryland with eight states and the District providing such protections.
Passage of the Medical Decision Making Act came after procedural wrangling Monday that left it in jeopardy until after 11 p.m. as Senate opponents threatened a filibuster. The bill's critics decried it as a denigration of traditional marriage. They called for a last-minute amendment clarifying that nothing in it would supersede a state law that defines marriage as between a man and woman -- a move that proved popular, even among supporters who did not want the bill to be misconstrued.
Still, gay rights advocates labeled it a major step forward for the civil rights of the state's 11,000 same-sex couples. But to several lawmakers and their loved ones, the measure's passage was, as Cassi Niemann explained in her blog, deeply personal.
"I feel so honored to have been a part of that moment. And proud," she wrote after posting a transcript of the remarks her father made on the floor and an audio link to the speech. "And guess what, THE BILL PASSED!"
For the past three months, members of Maryland's part-time citizen legislature dissected more than 2,600 bills -- many esoteric or banal. But in the final week of the session, the debate and eventual passage of gay rights legislation in this very public forum was, at times, almost intimate.
An opponent of the initiative, House Minority Whip Anthony J. O'Donnell (R-Calvert), described to members how he worried about the ramifications if, say, his 18-year-old "baby girl" got swept up in a romance and there was such a registry available to her.
"Under the provisions of this bill, she may decide to designate a partner for life, because kids at that age sometimes think that their friends are going to be their friends forever," O'Donnell said. "And should a tragedy befall my little girl, my baby girl," he continued at nearly a whisper, "her mother and I . . . would no longer have any say, because the life partner would take precedence over us."
O'Donnell told members that he knew some might dismiss his fear. "But it's a real concern of a real mom and dad," he said. "And I'm sure it's shared by thousands of Marylanders who believe the same thing."
Del. Joanne S. Parrott (R-Harford) invoked her struggle to care for her terminally ill father and how it was by virtue of existing laws that he made clear his wishes. Those legal remedies are available now to anyone, she argued, questioning the need for a new law.
Del. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery), who is one of three openly gay state lawmakers, said Parrott's assessment of the measure missed the point. Her father was elderly; he was going from the hospital to a nursing home; he had already assembled needed documents.
But for Madaleno, in the event of a car accident involving his partner, he said, he would have no way to prove to a hospital's satisfaction that he could speak for his partner unless he carried legal papers with him.
Without a state registry, Madaleno said, he could be denied the ability to sit at the bedside of his loved one in the hospital and convey his wishes in the midst of a medical crisis.
"My partner of many years, Mark, has an immediate family of two parents, in Las Vegas; one brother, in Texas; and one person he loves with whom he shares is home and his life, me," Madaleno told the members. "If he is hospitalized, will I have to stand at the door, waiting for his mother or father to try to get here from Nevada? I don't want my partner to have to sit in a room of strangers and face a medical emergency alone."
The delegate said that as he listened to the subsequent debate, he wondered whether other delegates were "so repulsed by the idea of two men being together that . . . [they] would deprive someone of the common human decency of deciding who your family is."
Niemann said he didn't think that was the case. Only when homosexuality becomes an abstraction do people seem to lose their sense of tolerance, he said -- which is why he felt compelled to invoke his daughter's name when he rose to speak on the floor of the House.
He didn't view this as a heroic measure. "I don't see any reason she should be denied any legal rights," Niemann said matter-of-factly a few days later.
But to Cassi Niemann, it was nothing if not heroic. She was at work and unable to talk yesterday, but she has made her feelings plain on the Internet. She called her father the day after the speech, Del. Niemann said, a smile spreading across his face.
"She posted it on her blog site. Tracked down the audio recordings. She was proud of me. She said that."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47825-2005Apr12.html

Brownwood Talk Radio KXYL Newsflash

Loved hearing the KXYL Morning Talking Heads conversation regarding internet information and it's lack of credibility. I find their comments interesting since they "goose-step" to WND (Worldnetdaily.com) articles and others which are filled with half truths ( but this is what they do best for partisan reasons ! ) They accuse others of trying to divide our country with the D or R label and normally use their precious airtime bashing anyone left of their extreme right position ( unfair and unbalanced comes to mind ) . There is a reason that former Texas Lt Governor Bill Ratliff ( a Republican) referred to these type of individuals as "hatemongers" and as "political pornographers" ( listen to James Williamsons show to get an idea of what he meant ) typical of "Nazis the Ku Klux Klan, the Taliban and Al Qaeda". For you history buffs, do a little research on how women (see below) were often used to promote the hateful agendas of the above mentioned groups (and you don't think it is going on today!). Everything begins locally as many of us realize (and I don't have to rely on the internet for this "fact" ) ! Out of curiosity, does anyone know the current rate of " selling one's soul " ? Is it $ 35.00 per show ?

Women of the Klan

rest of story...

Hitler’s Women

rest of story...

Brownwood Partisan Hacks ?

THE NEW REPUBLICAN HERD
They don’t vote with their hearts and they don’t vote with their heads...they vote with their party.
GATHERING THE HERD
A new breed of lawmakers has lumbered onto Capitol Hill. They represent no one. They ignore their constituencies. They are blind to the issues that confront the nation. They cast their votes with no regard for the will of the people.
Their voting pattern is a window into their mindset and philosophy:  They don’t vote with their hearts and they don’t vote with their heads. They vote only in lockstep and only as directed. One for all, and all for one, they dutifully vote with their party.
They are the new, mindless and obedient herd of George W. Bush Republicans.
Totally submissive, the GWB Republican herd methodically falls in line.  Not unlike the suicidal terrorists they are taught to loathe, they follow their leader even if it means their own demise.  They protect the corporations that poison the very air they have to breathe.  They vote to eliminate the civil rights that are rightfully theirs. They vote billions of their own tax dollars to the Halliburtons of the world, even as they watch the quality of life around them crumble.
With each bill they pass, they and their nation suffer. With each law they support, they and the American people lose out. They seem to accept their own self-deprivation with stoic stupidity. How reminiscent of the pledge in Animal House who, after each paddle to his bottom, cried out: Thank you, sir. May I have another?   And sure enough, they soon have another chance to perform to whip of their trainer.
FOLLOWING THE HERD
The herd began to form early in the Bush presidency, but formed an unbroken tail to trunk link after 9/11. Every lie uttered by the Bush administration was sworn to and promoted by the steadfast herd of compliant Republican legislators.  The path to war was cleared and paved by the bowing and scraping of the loyal Senators and Representatives, who never questioned, never challenged, never debated, and never wavered.
But the GOP herd is virtually powerless without its lemming voters.  The lure to reel in the least informed and most vulnerable Americans began to take shape almost immediately, and reached its most frenetic moments right before the 2004 election.
The 2004 campaign was the perfect stomping ground for the GWB Republicans to set an example of blind obedience for their symbiotic lemmings. During that time, one after another of the herd lined up to support and campaign for a president with whom they disagreed on a wide range of issues. How degrading it was to see John McCain fawn over the very person who had launched such vile personal attacks against him in the previous election. McCain had disagreed and even challenged George Bush on issue after issue, yet he campaigned with him with unrestrained enthusiasm.
The hypocrisy extended into the RNC convention where the moderate herd members were paraded before the nation. One after another, they abandoned their own principles and trumpeted high praise on a candidate who vehemently opposed a woman’s right to choose, who opposed gay rights, who destroyed environmental protections and who flaunted the separation of church and state.  Herd mentality rose obediently to the occasion.
And so, in the end, the lemmings in the Red States came out in droves.   They stood in line as the most uninformed electorate in history and voted in unison for a candidate that ran primarily on a gay marriage issue. They followed the herd in true lemming fashion and believed they were safe from terrorists because the herders had told them so.  What they did not see is was that they were swimming directly to their own destruction.  And so they were.
One is hard pressed to find a single person who has not been victimized by the policies of the current administration.  And yet, the followers of the GWB Republicans lined up to thank their abusers and mimic their request for more paddling. Millions of Americans willingly voted away their civil rights, their jobs, access to affordable health care, clean air, clean water, consumer protections, their privacy, and any opposition to an illegal war. These millions of followers eagerly voted away the greatest protection they had as Americans – the checks and balances guaranteed by their own Constitution.
The logical question has to follow: How could so many people follow a herd of blind elephants and vote against their own interests?  How?  Enter - God at stage right.
PRAYING WITH THE HERD
It’s fairly easy to understand the herd itself: follow the leader or lose your support for reelection.  Power corrupts absolutely.  But understanding the lemmings, - the millions and millions of people who cast votes that actually jeopardized their own well-being, is far more complicated. One obvious explanation is the way in which the herders in the White House played the religion card.
Religion plays a huge part in the incomprehensible mindset of the American people. According to Religious Tolerance.org, The United States has a higher level of church attendance than any other country at a comparable level of development.  This is a very significant statistic: 53% of Americans consider religion to be very important in their lives. This compares with 16% in Britain, 14% in France and 13% in Germany. Fifty three percent! That is very close to the percentage of Americans who approved of George Bush’s performance as president at the end of his first term.  It is also very close to the number of people who cast votes to keep Bush and his Republicans in power.
It might help, then, to consider the connection between trust and truth. The more fundamental a religion, the more it presents itself as the source of absolute truth, and the more it demands complete and unquestioning trust from its followers.
Repressing individual thought stands in opposition to healthy human development. The human brain has the ability learn and to process experiences so that we, as thinking people, may ultimately understand the reality in which we live.  As small children, we place our unquestioning trust in those authority figures who provide us with the safety and nurturing we need. We learn from them and believe completely in what they tell us.  And then we grow up.
As we grow older and wiser, we learn that there must be a valid reason to place our trust someone. Normally developing children eventually challenge what they are told, and ultimately learn to believe in our own senses and draw their own conclusions.  The child who is told not to touch a hot stove eventually chooses to test the caution and touch it anyway.  You just know that will happen, and in a way it’s often an important, if painful, learning opportunity.  The child is learning to think, to question and to understand how to make independent decisions in life.
But more important, the child in this example discovers, perhaps for the first time, that his or her parent had told the truth. This experience becomes a tangible validation of trust. The child was able to discern the reliability of the source of the truth, and the parent, quite justly, earned the trust of the child. The operative words here are earned the trust. Bear that in mind.
That natural process, obviously, is reversed in much religious teaching that forgoes the learning element and leaps immediately to the trust factor. In such settings, trust is simply demanded from the fold, while developmental thought processes about religious teachings are absent.  Followers are simply told to trust and obey those in authority. The trust is based on pure faith, not reason. There is never a hot pot to touch and no lesson from which to learn.  The trustworthy nature of the leader is a given, and must never be challenged.
That attitude may be fine in the church or the temple or the mosque. It is disastrous when applied to the democratic process on which the greatness of the United States depends. It is also disastrous when it is used by those in political power to further their own agenda of greed and power.
When people block their own critical thinking and ignore the need to learn by experience, they become more and more comfortable with trusting those in power without requiring any validation for that trust at all. This leaves them in a dangerously vulnerable position. And didn’t George W. Bush and his herders understand that well!
To lure that 53% of religious voters, The New Republicans sang the back-up chorus to George Bush’s 2004 preaching campaign. God had chosen their leader. God had directed his policies, and God alone would decide what was good for America.  The issues of the day were forgotten, and gay marriage and abortion rights replaced terrorists as the fear factors to be reckoned with. They knew the drill: Don’t think. Don’t question.  Just trust me.  Hallelujah.
DISPERSING THE HERD
There is something to be said for following a good leader. But there is nothing to be said about following blindly. The herd is in power because it functions as one.  Each trunk is linked to the tail in front, and the New Republicans have learned the art of synchronized voting.  It’s time for a change.
What is going on is politics at its worst. Absolute trust has been placed in the hands of legislators who control life and death on this planet. They control the wealth, the health, and the well being of every person in this nation, if not the world. They are the power elite who have betrayed the naïve trust of those to whom they pandered.  They cannot be trusted because they have done absolutely nothing to earn the trust of the people.
The New Republicans wrapped themselves in the American flag after the attacks of 9/11. The asked that God Bless America, - not the rest of the world, and proceeded to rubber stamp everything George W. Bush demanded.  Democracy went down the proverbial drain, as good and evil were the dominant themes of the day. All that Bush and his cohorts wanted was good, and all that they opposed was evil. Hallelujah, once again.
The greatest error of all would be for the opposition to emulate their strategy.
Ironically, today, every candidate for public office in the United States today seems compelled to publicly declare his or her dedication to religion. In order to compete with the George W. Bush New Republicans, Democrats and Independents have assumed the position: I believe, I believe, just watch me. I’m steeped in my faith, my bible and my God.  Now, vote for me.  The issues take a back seat.  Reality remains distorted. The destructive consequences of the Bush years are swept under the rug. And the game is played to the hilt.  It has to stop.
The basis of American democracy is a system of checks and balances built into our Constitution. That system is a marvelous mechanism of non-trust! Blind trust in any branch of government is in direct conflict with American democracy that demands accountability and oversight. Refusing to question or challenge is a cowardly surrender to tyranny.  The rug has to be pulled from under the herd by demanding that the American electorate reaffirm its commitment to democratic processes. Those who would unseat the herd have to return to the issues that affect the people and must have concrete plans for reclaiming the nation and undoing the damage that has been done.
* The mantra must change from TRUST ME to QUESTION ME!
* The message must change from I BELIEVE in GOD to I BELIEVE IN THE PEOPLE!
* The process must change from PARTY LINE VOTING to OPEN DEBATE AND CHALLENGEI
* The presidency must change I AM NOT ACCOUNTABLE to THE BUCK STOPS HERE!
As it stands, George Bush and his New Republican herd can be trusted only to lead the American way into oblivion.  Leadership in these troubled times is not determined by church attendance or religious belief. We need leaders at every level of government who understand the needs of the people and who believe in the basic precepts of democracy. Theocratic thoughts and practices that are the antitheses of democratic ideals belong in houses of worship, not in state houses or in Congress. They surely have no place in White House decisions.
The herd can be dispersed in 2006. Those who attempt to form their own herds will be defeated, as they should.  America is in desperate need of trustworthy leaders who aspire to earn the trust of those who follow them.  It is not enough to ask for trust; the operative phrase is earn it.
It is not enough to claim the authority to be trusted. It is not enough to cash in on those whose blind trust is the foundation of their faith.  It is simply not enough to allow those who have betrayed the trust of the nation to continue to run it. It is simply not enough.
*
RELIGION AND 9-11 - Those who adhere to religious doctrine agree to a mandatory forfeiture of all critical thinking skills the moment they climb aboard the Holy Wagon.

source: http://tvnewslies.org/html/the_new_republican.html

Republicans and Pedophilia: What KXYL and James Williamson aren't talking about. Why ?

Posted for Brown County Republican Party *Spokesperson ( KXYL's James Williamson ) and his best "students" who have been fed a regular diet that this issue is a Democrat issue (James has made this a partisan issue !). James pumps his students full of partisan propoganda on issues such as this. James verbally refers to the Democratic Party as the party of " Pimps, Pornographers, Perverts & Pedophiles " . When a caller challenges his "on air" comments, he becomes very agitated (nervous ?) when the " light " is shown on his ignorant/partisan hack statements. Does James Williamson keep information (see below) from his students for partisan reasons ? As David, a caller to his show yesterday, said plainly:

James, " Pedophiles seem to hide behind their marriages, their kids, and their Churches " !
---------------------
One of the myths regarding child molesters is that they “look different” or behave differently from others in some way. Here are some statistics describing child molesters:
*   97% are male
*   91% are heterosexual
*   91% are religious
*   75% are married or formerly married
*   73% are Caucasian
*   65% earn a middle income or above
*   48% are college educated
http://www.perspectives.com/forums/forum4/32618-7.html
----------------------
STOP REPUBLICAN PEDOPHILIA
* Republican County Commissioner David Swartz pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison.
* Republican judge Mark Pazuhanich pleaded no contest to fondling a 10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation.
* Republican anti-abortion activist Nicholas Morency pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography on his computer and offering a bounty to anybody who murders an abortion doctor.
* Republican legislator Edison Misla Aldarondo was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted rape of an underage girl.
* Republican Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year sentence in federal prison for sexually abusing 8- and 10-year old girls.
* Republican campaign consultant Tom Shortridge was sentenced to three years probation for taking nude photographs of a 15-year old girl.
* Republican racist pedophile and United States Senator Strom Thurmond had sex with a 15-year old black girl which produced a child.
* Republican pastor Mike Hintz, whom George W. Bush commended during the 2004 presidential campaign, surrendered to police after admitting to a sexual affair with a juvenile.
* Republican legislator Peter Dibble pleaded no contest to having an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old girl.
* Republican activist Lawrence E. King, Jr. organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s.
* Republican lobbyist Craig J. Spence organized child sex parties at the White House during the 1980s.
* Republican Congressman Donald "Buz" Lukens was found guilty of having sex with a minor and sentenced to one month in jail.
* Republican fundraiser Richard A. Delgaudio was found guilty of child porn charges.
* Republican activist Mark A. Grethen convicted on six counts of sex crimes involving children.
* Republican activist Randal David Ankeney pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a child.
* Republican Congressman Dan Crane had sex with a minor working as a congressional page.
* Republican activist and Christian Coalition leader Beverly Russell admitted to an incestuous relationship with his step daughter.
* Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had sex with a 16 year old when he was 28.
* Republican congressman and anti-gay activist Robert Bauman was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar.
* Republican Committee Chairman Jeffrey Patti was arrested for distributing a video clip of a 5-year-old girl being raped.
* Republican activist Marty Glickman (a.k.a. "Republican Marty"), was taken into custody by Florida police on four counts of unlawful sexual activity with a juvenile and one count of delivering the drug LSD.
* Republican legislative aide Howard L. Brooks was charged with molesting a 12-year old boy and possession of child pornography.
* Republican Senate candidate John Hathaway was accused of having sex with his 12-year old baby sitter and withdrew his candidacy after the allegations were reported in the media.
* Republican preacher Stephen White, who demanded a return to traditional values, was arrested after allegedly offering $20 to a 14-year-old boy for permission to perform oral sex on him.
* Republican talk show host Jon Matthews pleaded guilty to exposing his genitals to an 11 year old girl.
* Republican anti-gay activist Earl "Butch" Kimmerling was sentenced to 40 years in prison for molesting an 8-year old girl after he attempted to stop a gay couple from adopting her.
* Republican Party leader Paul Ingram pleaded guilty to six counts of raping his daughters and served 14 years in federal prison.
* Republican election board official Kevin Coan was sentenced to two years probation for soliciting sex over the internet from a 14-year old girl.
* Republican politician Andrew Buhr was charged with two counts of first degree sodomy with a 13-year old boy.
* Republican politician Keith Westmoreland was arrested on seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition to minors under 16 (i.e. exposing himself to children).
* Republican anti-abortion activist John Allen Burt was charged with sexual misconduct involving a 15-year old girl.
* Republican County Councilman Keola Childs pleaded guilty to molesting a child.
* Republican activist John Butler was charged with criminal sexual assault on a teenage girl.
* Republican candidate Richard Gardner admitted to molesting his two daughters.
* Republican Councilman and former Marine Jack W. Gardner was convicted of molesting a 13-year old girl.
* Republican County Commissioner Merrill Robert Barter pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual contact and assault on a teenage boy.
* Republican City Councilman Fred C. Smeltzer, Jr. pleaded no contest to raping a 15 year-old girl and served 6-months in prison.
* Republican activist Parker J. Bena pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on his home computer and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and fined $18,000.
* Republican parole board officer and former Colorado state representative, Larry Jack Schwarz, was fired after child pornography was found in his possession.
* Republican strategist and Citadel Military College graduate Robin Vanderwall was convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet.
* Republican businessman Jon Grunseth withdrew his candidacy for Minnesota governor after allegations surfaced that he went swimming in the nude with four underage girls, including his daughter.
* Republican director of the "Young Republican Federation" Nicholas Elizondo molested his 6-year old daughter and was sentenced to six years in prison.
* Republican benefactor of conservative Christian groups, Richard A. Dasen Sr., was charged with rape for allegedly paying a 15-year old girl for sex. Dasen, 62, who is married with grown children and several grandchildren, has allegedly told police that over the past decade he paid more than $1 million to have sex with a large number of young women.

source: http://www.armchairsubversive.com/

------------
* spokesperson: James represented the Republican Party for Brownwood's Elementary Students. See our archives.

Brownwood Texas: Are Your Better Off ?

rest of story...

Waco: Kinky Friedman for Texas Governor

Waco Tribune Letter to the Editor: The best choice in '06: Kinky
I don't know about many of my fellow conservatives out there, but I can honestly say that Gov. Goodhair has never represented me during his time in office. Don't get me started about that conservative-in-disguise Kay Bailey Hutchison or "Grandma" Strayhorn. Fortunately, we have a choice in the next governor's race.
Plan now to skip the Republican primary next year. Then sign the petitions to get Kinky Freidman on the 2006 ballot, and vote for him.
Friedman rises above Republican or Democrat. Some of his antics I may not agree with, but he's certainly a better choice than what we're faced with right now.
Kinky for governor, 2006.

Jason E. Stringer
Waco
http://www.wacotrib.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2005/04/11/20050411wacletters.html

Republican Tom Delay: What's being written......

House majority leader DeLay gets heat from fellow Republicans
04/11/2005
By LOU KESTEN  / Associated Press
Embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is drawing heat from some fellow Republicans who say his continuing ethics problems are harming the GOP.
"Tom's conduct is hurting the Republican Party, is hurting this Republican majority and it is hurting any Republican who is up for re-election," Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., told The Associated Press on Sunday. He called on DeLay to resign from his leadership position.
DeLay, R-Texas, has been dogged in recent months by reports of possible ethics violations. There have been questions about his overseas travel, campaign payments to family members and his connections to lobbyists who are under investigation.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D89D6PMO0.html
Letter to the editor
... or DeLay must go

Following is a copy of my recent e-mail to the Republican National Committee chairman:
"I usually vote Republican and have given small sums to your campaigns. ...
"I want you to know, however, I am refusing to vote for another Republican or donate any further sums until Rep. Tom DeLay is removed from any leadership position. ... His recent venomous comments about the federal and state judiciaries reveal him to be a demagogue of the worst type. ...
"It is clear he wants the government more involved in my family life, a prospect I always believed the party disagreed with. Finally, his lack of personal accountability and ethics is deeply troubling. If the party wishes to condone this type of conduct I can only withhold my support in protest."
Steve Howen, Dallas

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/letters/stories/041105dnedimonletters.4f24.html

Religion & Politics: Brownwood, Crawford & Israel

Being discussed on Brownwood Talk Radio. Call in guest was Rev. Jim Vinyard ( background-see below - adherents of Revava, the far-right Jewish group and background information. ).

April 11, 2005 THE WORLD
Bush, Sharon to Meet as Tension Brews
* Differences over West Bank settlements and pressure from rightist blocs at home may stir discord between allies at today's Texas summit.
 By Peter Wallsten and Tyler Marshall, Times Staff Writers
CRAWFORD, Texas — Throughout their shared time in office, President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have been ideological soul mates, each man reaping political windfalls with key voting blocs at home for their cooperation.
But as Bush and Sharon meet at the president's ranch today, the potential for discord between the two friends and fellow ranchers looms larger than ever. And for both men, the political crosscurrents are increasingly complicated as each faces growing pressure from right-leaning supporters who worry that Israel is giving up too much, too fast to the Palestinians.
---------------------
" The strain in Bush's base will be evident today in Crawford, just a few miles from his ranch, when a group of Baptist preachers and Orthodox rabbis holds a rally to protest the road map and the Gaza withdrawal. Some plan to wear bright orange shirts and hats with the message, "Israel belongs to the Jews."
"I love President Bush, I voted for him twice. But I have no idea why he's doing this," said the Rev. Jim Vineyard, pastor of the 3,500-member Windsor Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma City and a rally organizer.
"I wish I could be with President Bush for 15 minutes," Vineyard added, "to stand with him with a Bible and tell him that when he stands before the judgment seat of Christ, he will have to give an answer to the Lord Jesus Christ why he gave the little land of Israel to the Arabs." "

rest of story...

-----------------------
Background info:

Police halt 'ultranationalist' Jerusalem protest
(Filed: 10/04/2005)
Israeli police have prevented a march by ultranationalists on a site in Jerusalem that is sacred to Jews as well as to Muslims. Police carry away a protestor
The march on what Muslims call Haram al-Sharif and Jews call Temple Mount was due to be in protest against Israel's plan to pull settlers out of the Gaza Strip, but was banned because of the threat it posed to the peace process.
Thousands of police were ready to stop adherents of Revava, the far-right Jewish group, but only a small number eventually turned up for the march and there were only a handful of arrests.
Palestinian militants had threatened to abandon a ceasefire with Israel if the march went ahead.
The compound houses the 1,300-year-old al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock mosque and is Islam's third holiest site. 
It is also sacred for Jews, treasured as the spot where King Solomon's Temple, which housed the Ark of the Covenant, once stood.
Ariel Sharon, Israel's prime minister, is due to meet US President George W Bush tomorrow to discuss the peace process.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/04/10/uisrael.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/04/10/ixportaltop.html
-------------------
Know your Guest ?

Friday, February 13, 2004
 
Outed!
Jim Vineyard formerly on staff at First Baptist of Hammond (Jack Hyles' church), has been the subject of previous posts on the FFF from men who left Vineyard's present church (Windsor Hills Baptist Church) and school (Oklahoma Bible College). While verbal abuse, violence, intimidation, crude language, and even corporal punishment have figured in previous discussions about Vineyard, the most shocking allegation is that he has told married women to masturbate in order to sexually arouse themselves for their husbands. Jerry Watson has asserted more than once that when he and his wife went to Vineyard for counseling, this is exactly what Vineyard told his wife to do. At least one other person gave an account of Vineyard telling a woman to look at herself nude in a mirror and do this.
In terms of sexual obsessions and indiscretion in language and actions, Vineyard's alleged homophobia is already legend, and he is credited for seeing tendencies to homosexuality in other men where there are none. It amounts to a mania according to some who briefly joined his inner circle of hunting and fishing buddies.
But now, evangelist Tim Lee has produced what he claims is a letter from a pastor to Vineyard, rebuking Vineyard for telling a young woman about oral sex in graphic detail. The Evangelist has also produced what he claims is Vineyard's reply to the pastor, a letter in which the recipient is called a "pharisaical 'fart' of a pastor" and a "squirt".
If you read the FFF, you realize of course that Tim Lee resorts to namecalling frequently, though he seldoms uses sexual innuendo. He contents himself mostly with calling lost people idiots, though he makes a regular habit of it, and runs a quasi-column on who is currently on his idiot list. But even his indifference to the requirements of his own office for kindness and dignity pale in comparison to the excesses of Jim Vineyard, if those excesses are true.
There currently are enough witnesses against Jim Vineyard to validate the situation of him speaking inappropriately to women as a problem that needs to be investigated by the elders. But this problem, of course, takes place in the disobedient churches of Independent Baptist Fundamentalists, where there are no elders: just one pastor and several subservient deacons. The pastor is not held in check by a board of peers, and other fundamentalist pastors do not preach against the corruption that every day increases in fundamentalism.
So even though everybody who reads the letters are shocked, nobody is going to take any real steps to do anything. And Jim Vineyard, if he has really done any of these things, will get away with it.
http://www.pipeline.com/~jeriwho1/2004_02_08_archive.html

Brownwood Pocketbooks/Politics: Following the Money !

rest of story...

Egg on your face ? How about on your burger ?

Why is there an EGG on this burger?
In New York, they call it a Texas burger — but Dallas burgermeisters say they've never heard of such a thing
April 8, 2005
By SARAH LISTON / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
NEW YORK — Any Texan worth his or her salt knows that the ingredients that make a hamburger "Texan" are: a charbroiled beef patty, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, a toasted sesame seed bun and (most important) yellow mustard.
Beth A. Keiser / Special Contributor
Order a 'Texas Burger' in New York City and this is likely what will wind up in front of you. Weird, huh?
But in New York City, diners and burger joints have their own version of the "Texas Burger."
In New York, the Texas Burger is a plain hamburger (meat and bun) topped with a fried egg.
Often sharing the menu with classic New York fare such as pastrami on rye and potato knishes, it can be served by itself or "deluxe," with lettuce, tomato, onion and fries.
From Neil's Coffee Shop on the Upper East Side to Washington Square Diner in Greenwich Village, this same Big Apple version of the Texas Burger has a place on the menu.
So where does it come from and why is it named after Texas ?

rest of story...

Our U.S. Senator " Wondering Aloud " !

Dallas Morning News Editorial page

A headline for your thoughts

It's not what you say, it's how you say it. Just ask Texas Sen. John Cornyn (right), who in a recent Senate speech, linked courtroom violence to unpopular, politically motivated judicial decisions. Ducking the political backlash, he now says he was simply wondering aloud. Here's our advice to a former Texas high court justice who presumably knows the importance of an independent judiciary. The next time the urge to wonder aloud strikes you, make sure you're standing in your shower, not on the Senate floor.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/040905dnedihitsandmisses.9f194.html
-----------------------
Senator John Cornyn on question of his drug use....

rest of story...

" Spirit of a Sunrise "

"Spirit of a Sunrise"
Originally uploaded by photosteve.

REST IN PEACE
Mario Castillo - Brownwood Marine
Terri Schiavo
Pope John Paul II
Sarah Jane Gonzalez
Olivia Maria Gonzalez
Monica Kay Gonzalez



" Prophecy " Grandfathers Words

The time has come,Grandfather said,
to talk of many things,
Not of the past,but times to come,
Spirits on Eagles Wings.
Remember yes, of days gone by,
But not dwell in the Past.
Child of the stars
Touch the Earth of today,
Your journey will take you
Across lands near and far,
In the winds you will learn
Like the Willow to bend,
In eyes that are shining,
The wonders you'll see,
The workings of Creation,
and you'll always be free.
To journey to where
The sunrises of life,
Bring wisdom and learning,
not turmoils and strife,
With a heart and a mind
That are open and true,
Your journey of life,
Like Great Spirit is you.

http://groups.msn.com/THROUGHTHEVEIL/greatspirit.msnw

Photo by Steve Harris

Brownwood & Sweetwater: Six Degrees of Separation & Domestic Violence

April 7, 2005
More Information in Sweetwater Murder-Suicide
     The community of Sweetwater is at a loss after police find four bodies in a apparent murder-suicide.  A mother, her two young daughters, and the woman's common law husband were all found inside their home.  According to Sweetwater Chief of Police Jim Kelley, a call came in around 8:45 Tuesday night when a neighbor couldn't get a hold of the family.  When police got on the scene at the house on Avenue F, they found the body of 39 year old Dion Sepeda in a living room recliner with an apparent self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head.  Shortly after, police found three more bodies on a bed inside of the house.  Those bodies were that of 37 year old Sara Gonzales and her two daughter, 8 year old Olivia and 6 year old Monica.  Police say all three suffered from blunt force trauma to the head.  Sara Gonzales worked at the Sweetwater MHMR and her two daughters attended Southeast Elementary.  Officials involved in this case say it's been difficult to deal with.
source: http://www.krbctv.com/news_one.htm
------------------------------
Brownwood Domestic Violence Help:

NOAH PROJECT-CENTRAL TEXAS
915-643-2699
800-444-3551

rest of story...

Brownwood Talking Head's (KXYL) & Spoonfeeding

This is another exmple of the laziness of Brownwood Talking Heads @ KXYL 96.9 FM. Connie Carmichael goes off on a diatribe (see story below) without even exploring the other side of the story ( she thinks repeating worldnetdaily.com talking points (WND) is being responsible to her audience ! ) I believe Ben from Coleman, a frequent caller to KXYL, is right when he says that they simply use talking points. This is one of frequent daily examples where they try to influence their audience by giving them a "Neo-Conservative" viewpoint often utilizing "Neo-Conservative" news sources ! Fortunately, many people are catching on to how they are being misled by the Brownwood Talking Heads by the intentional failure to research "the rest of the story" . As Connie was spewing her talking points from worldnetdaily.com, I chose to research and contact the Hospice directly and received a press release from them (see below).

From: "Info@wghs.org"
Date: Fri Apr 08, 2005 02:13:29 PM US/Central
To:
Subject: Re: press release ?
April 8, 2005
Statement from West Georgia Health System
West Georgia Hospice/Hospice LaGrange

Federal (HIPAA) regulations prohibit us from speaking publicly about
the treatment or records related to individual patients. However, we
can say that we do not deny nutrition or hydration to any patient.

The staff of West Georgia Hospice/Hospice LaGrange provides
compassionate and quality care to each of its patients, which includes
offering food and water at frequent intervals.


Steve Harris and Steve Puckett 04/08/05
10:32 AM >>>

Our local talk radio station is using the story found below as 100%
factual. Can you please send us a statement in response to the charges
below so that we can counter any misinformation in an informed manner.
-----------------------
Granddaughter yanks grandma's feeding tube
81-year-old neither terminally ill, comatose, nor in vegetative state
Posted: April 7, 2005
7:33 p.m. Eastern
By Sarah Foster
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
In a situation recalling the recent death of Terri Schiavo in Florida,
an 81-year-old widow, denied nourishment and fluids for nearly two
weeks, is clinging to life in a hospice in LaGrange, Ga., while her
immediate family fights desperately to save her life before she dies of
starvation and dehydration.
Mae Magouirk was neither terminally ill, comatose nor in a "vegetative
state," when Hospice-LaGrange accepted her as a patient about two weeks
ago upon the request of her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, 36, an
elementary school teacher.

source: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43688

What is the Canton Mafia ?

rest of story...

Living Will For Free ( What local Talking Heads Haven't Offered You )

rest of story...

Dirty Dancing, Texans and Football...There goes the allowance !

New moves weaken bill on cheerleaders' dancing
08:14 PM CST on Tuesday, March 29, 2005
62 days until the Legislature adjourns
New moves weaken bill on cheerleaders' dancing
A bill that would have cut funding to schools with dirty-dancing cheerleaders was seriously weakened by a House committee Tuesday. Lawmakers removed the potential funding cuts and voted to leave disciplinary decisions up to the state education commissioner and school districts. The legislation by Houston Democratic Rep. Al Edwards, which has caught national attention, would discourage sexually suggestive performances in schools. A lawyer with the Texas Education Agency said it could encompass dramatic or musical performances as well as those typically seen during Friday night football games. The bill was left pending for a possible future vote.
Karen Brooks
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/legislature/underthedome/stories/033005dntexdome.9ad54.html
----------------
JENNA IN DIRTY DISCO DANCE
VIDEOTAPE of Jenna Bush in very high spirits at a bachelorette party is being sold and could end up on national TV by the end of the week. Luckily for Jenna, the cameraman missed "the high point . . . Jenna on all fours doing 'the butt dance' — and doing it very well — as guys were ogling her thong," said our source. Club patrons do the suggestive dance when the deejay plays the 1988 hit "Da Butt," by E.U. The president's blond daughter arrived at NerveAna, a '90s-themed lounge on Varick Street, at 10:30 p.m. last Friday with several other pretty young things in a battered old blue minivan. Sources said it was Jenna's third visit to the club, which features replicas of Monica Lewinsky's blue dress and O.J. Simpson's white Bronco. Jenna, who plans to teach school in D.C. next fall, wore jeans, moccasin boots and a midriff-baring, satiny blue top. She lit up a cigarette "and she was very polite when she was told she'd have to go outside to smoke," said our source. Before leaving at 3:30 a.m., Jenna and her pals gamely joined a conga line and danced around the club.

source: http://www.nypost.com/gossip/44048.htm

Welcome KXYL FM 96.9 Listeners

Shout out to Jimmy ( one of KXYL's & James Williamson's best students) for mentioning our ad in the Texas Country News on todays News & Views. KXYL must be spiraling downward. We've got CC and Dave Fair calling us wanting us to participate in their shows and "Breadman" Jimmy giving us free plugs. What's up with that ? One word: Freaky !

Social Justice (& Injustice) Begins at Brownwood's Front Door

Thursday April 7, 2005
News
HPU to begin work on Center for Social Justice
By Gene Deason -- Brownwood Bulletin
Photo by Scott Coers -- Work on the restoration of the old Coggin Academy Building at Howard Payne University is expected to begin soon.  
Work on the restoration of the historic Coggin Academy Building is expected to begin within 30 days, Howard Payne University President Dr. Lanny Hall said.
It is anticipated the work will take at least six months to complete.
The facility, on the Daniel Baker campus of Howard Payne, will become the Bettie and Robert Girling Center for Social Justice, an undergraduate multidisciplinary program involving the departments of social work, sociology and criminal justice and the legal studies program, Hall said.
"Howard Payne University is deeply grateful to the Girlings for their vision, their generosity and their commitment to give back to this community," the university president said. "They are wonderful Christian entrepreneurs who are meeting the needs of thousands of people on a daily basis."
A $500,000 gift from the Girlings, principal owners of Girling Health Care Inc. of Austin, has made the restoration possible. For more than 37 years, Girling Health Care provided care to people in their homes through a variety of services, and now series serves clients in Texas, Florida, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Illinois. Mrs. Girling is a Brownwood native and a graduate of Daniel Baker College.
Hall said the total cost of the restoration project, including site work, furnishings, technology, landscaping, and architectural and engineering services is projected to be $649,721. A total of $550,000 has been raised, and fund-raising continues as the university invites individuals, foundations and corporations to be a part of the restoration project.
"This first floor of the two-story facility will house a courtroom and two seminar rooms, all designed in the style and feel of the 19th century," Hall said. "The second floor will include up to seven faculty offices, a conference room and work space for support staff and student employees."
The Center for Social Justice will provide formal educational programs for undergraduate students, structured conferences for scholars, practitioners and the general public, and other existing educational programs to promote greater understanding in the field of social justice on the local, state and national levels. The center will encourage networking among universities, public schools, governmental agencies, independent counselors and social workers in West Central Texas.
Gregory Free and Associates, historic restoration specialists based in Austin, will be leading the design team. Based in Austin, this firm is involved with the development and design of several restoration projects in Brownwood, including the Lyric Theater.
ATC Services of Georgetown has been chosen as the contractor for the project. ATC Services has worked with Free on a number of historic renovation projects.
Built in 1876, the Coggin Academy Building is described as the oldest school building in continuous use west of the Mississippi River in the United States.
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/07/news/news04.txt

Civil Rights Discusion: From Austin, to Brownwood, To Eastland

Bringing it home
09:24 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 6, 2005
By KAREN BROOKS / The Dallas Morning News
THE MIX
Bringing it home

Eight hours into committee testimony on a proposed ban on gay marriage, a young gay man with a blonde mohawk stepped up to the podium and topped everyone else who spoke passionately about the bill. Speaking against the bill, Rob Keffer said: "It hits home really, really hard, to know that someone in your family has the power to do something [to stop the ban], and they might not because it's something personal that they don't necessarily agree with you on." Who's that family member? His dad is Rep. Jim Keffer, an Eastland Republican, powerful committee chairman, and a bill co-sponsor. Another co-sponsor? His uncle, Rep. Bill Keffer, a Dallas Republican. After his son's testimony, the usually gruff Jim Keffer leaned over to his microphone on the dais and addressed his son. "I want you to know, and this committee and the people, that I do love you very much. I'm very proud of you for your stance, for having the courage to come up here and talk." His son replied: "I love you, too."

Finding religion

It's no secret that the Democrats are trying to reclaim God from the Republicans. Still, it was a surprise to see the House's on-the-ball Democratic caucus chairman, Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, beat the GOP to the punch and file a resolution honoring Pope John Paul II. Who was asleep at the altar for the GOP on that one? Also, the only other rep to speak on the floor about the resolution was a Catholic Democrat. Nary a Republican stepped up to the mike. As it happens, more than half of Mr. Dunnam's staff, including his last four staff chiefs, are Catholic.

High Fidelity

"I failed somewhere."
–Rep. Jim Keffer, R-Eastland, a sponsor of a ban on gay marriage, joking after his gay son told his dad's committee that he and his siblings are Democrats

rest of story...

-------------------------
Note: Jim Keffer is a Republican and is Brownwood's State Representative who we supported. We have found him to be a true "compassionate conservative" on many issues. This must be a very difficult vote to cast. If this legislation is approved and goes to the voters, the majority of Texans will vote to deny equal treatment under Texas Law ( it's steeped deeply in our culture/religion folks ! ). What is Jim's position on the issue of Civil Unions for relationships being granted rights and responsibilities by Texas Law. Does he agree with Vice President Dick Cheney and George W Bush on the subject of Civil Unions ? We do.

Listen to State Affairs Testimony 04/04/05 2:04pm-2:30AM

rest of story...

it's being discussed

rest of story...

East Texas Shooting: "Canton Mafia" ,Football, Boys Being Boys and Texas Bullies

GARY JOE KINNE
CANTON - The Canton High School athletic director was the apparent victim of a shooting on campus this morning, and just after 1:30 p.m. officials announced the suspect, Jeffery Doyle Robertson, had been captured.
Law enforcement officials responded to a report of shots fired Canton High School around 9:20 a.m., where Gary Joe Kinne, the Canton High athletic director and football coach, had been shot. He was transported by helicopter to a Tyler hospital. Kinne underwent surgery and came out of it at 1:40 p.m. His condition is critical but stable, according to Department of Public Safety officials.
Kinne was reportedly shot at the school's athletic field house in Canton. Police Chief Mike Echols said Kinne was shot in the chest.
The Governor's Office of Homeland Security identified the shooter as Jeffrey Doyle Robertson, father of a Canton High School student. According to the Associated Press, the suspect fired a high-powered rifle and fled the scene in a 2004 black Dodge pickup.
At mid-day police were searching an area around Garden Valley after a pickup was found abandoned on Farm to Market 1995.
Robertson had other weapons in his truck and had made a statement that he had a hit list and would not be taken alive, said Sophie Yanez, a spokesman for the state Homeland Security office.
With the suspect at large, Canton schools were immediately placed on lockdown.
Six Tyler schools were also placed on low-level lockdown as a precautionary measure, Tyler Independent School District officials. Those schools were John Tyler High School, Stewart Middle School, Boulter Middle School, and Dixie, Orr and Peete elementaries.
Police Chief Echols said Robertson was an original member of the "Canton Mafia" and had been warned off all school premises and not to attend any school functions.
Officers were originally told that the suspect may be headed toward Tyler where he has friends. Later, police issued a statewide alert.
According to the Tyler Police Department spokesman Don Martin, Robertson is driving a 2004 black Dodge pickup with license plate 64N XW1. Kinne is a former Baylor linebacker who signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles out of Baylor and also played one year in the old World League for the Orlando Thunder.
His post at Canton began two years ago, his first as head coach, after spending six years at Mesquite High School. He also spent one year at Allen and three at Kaufman. Kinne also has family ties to Tyler. His father, Gary Kinne Sr., played on Tyler Junior College's national championship football team. His mom Nancy, was an Apache Belle.
source: http://www.tylerpaper.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14302095&BRD=1994&PAG=461&dept_id=226369&rfi=6
-------------------------
CANTON SHOOTING SUSPECT
"A TICKING BOMB"
By: ROY MAYNARD, News Reporter April 07, 2005
  Steve Smith says he's warned school authorities and the Canton police since the fall of 2003 that Jeffrey Doyle Robertson, the father of a Canton High School athlete, was a "ticking bomb."
"He's a very high-strung, hot-tempered individual," said Smith, a Canton business owner and the father of another athlete. "I had an encounter with him a year and a half ago, when I got a call from my son, who told me this guy had just threatened to kill him."
The threat arose from an incident on the field, Smith says. Robertson's son, a freshman football player then, was walking off the field, when some older students "razzed" him, "like kids do," said Smith.
"This guy blew up," Smith reports. "He thought some kids were picking on his son. My son wasn't even the one who said anything. But he threatened to kill him."
Smith went to the school to complain, and then to the Canton police.
"But the Canton police wouldn't press charges," Smith said. "I was very frustrated at that. Eventually I talked to the father (Robertson) himself, and I told him he had no business threatening kids. This isn't about winning game. This is about what we're teaching these boys."
Though the incident seemed to be resolved, Smith warned his son to avoid Robertson.
"I told him if he sees this guy, stay away," Smith said. "I do know that my son was very fearful."

source: Tyler Morning Telegraph
---------------------
Shooting shatters town's calm

Canton HS official in critical condition; some saw suspect as 'time bomb'
08:42 AM CDT on Friday, April 8, 2005
By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News
CANTON, Texas – Jeffrey Doyle Robertson has long been known by some in this East Texas town as a hothead, bullying his way through life with an ill temper and a violent manner.
When Mr. Robertson was in high school, he and his friends were such scrappers that police issued a town curfew. More recently, the self-employed air-conditioning repairman was known as a man who went around looking for fights and often meddling in the affairs of his son's high school football team.
So some in the town of 3,200 were not surprised Thursday when, according to authorities, Mr. Robertson took a gun to Canton High School and shot the head football coach.

Gary Joe Kinne
Gary Joe Kinne, also Canton's athletic director, remained in critical condition Friday at Trinity Mother Frances Health System in Tyler. Mr. Kinne, 37, was shot once in the chest, police said.
"The family, they're in each other's arms," said Truman Oakley, Canton High's assistant principal. "Canton is a small town, a close-knit town. ... That support is really holding them up right now."
Mr. Oakley said pastors, friends, colleagues and others had rushed to the Tyler hospital to be with the coach's family.
Several hours after the shooting, Mr. Robertson's abandoned, black extended-cab pickup was found near a golf course east of Canton. Numerous guns and knives were scattered beside his vehicle and the nearby woods, including two .45-caliber handguns.
A worker at the golf course saw Mr. Robertson hiding in the woods and alerted searchers who were combing the area.
Mr. Robertson was soon captured. He appeared to have wounded his forearms with a knife, police said. Police said several people in town told them that Mr. Robertson was celebrating his birthday party Wednesday night and named five people he wanted to kill.
"He was at a party last night, drinking heavy," Police Chief Michael Echols said. "We do know that he had certain people that he was very upset with."
Also Online
  Rebecca Lopez reports
Coaches say pressure from parents part of job
Coach brings out the best in players

Long-held grudge
The dispute between Mr. Robertson and the school had apparently boiled since August, getting so bad that he was banned from football games and practice, officials said.
Police and others in Canton, about 60 miles east of Dallas, said Mr. Robertson got into a shoving match with Mr. Kinne and an assistant coach after a football practice in August.
"It all started with his son," said parent Catherine Whitlock. She said Mr. Robertson intervened in an argument between his son, Baron, and hers, Byron.
Baron Robertson "called his father, and his father came up to my son, and the coaches intervened. The parent was going to jump my son, and the coaches jumped in," Ms. Whitlock said.
Another player, Steve Smith Jr., said he once argued with Baron Robertson. Mr. Robertson later grabbed him by the shirt, pushed him against a fence and threatened to kill him and his family if he ever messed with his son again, the student said.

His father, Steve Smith Sr., said he told his son to avoid Mr. Robertson.
"I said, 'He's a walking time bomb,' " the father said.
Mr. Smith said he complained to the school and to police, but Mr. Robertson was never charged with a crime.
Mr. Smith said that when he arrived at the school Thursday, he told the superintendent: "Stevie was threatened by this guy and y'all chose to do nothing about it."
Canton school district Superintendent Larry Davis declined to comment on Mr. Smith's statements or complaints from other parents. "I have no personal knowledge of that," Mr. Davis said.
Four years ago, Mr. Robertson was tossed out of at least two baseball games for yelling at umpires and players, Canton resident Bobby Williamson said.
"He was a real hothead," Mr. Williamson said. "He's the type that went looking for trouble."
Different opinions
But some who know Mr. Robertson disagree, calling him kind and compassionate, despite his temper.

"He does anything for me," said Rhonda Miller, a cousin of Mr. Robertson's wife. "I suspect he was pushed to the edge in some way."
Karen Johnson, whose husband worked with Mr. Robertson at the Dallas Plumbing Co., also praised him.
"About a year ago, my best friend died of cancer," she said. "All the time he was going there to the church and the hospital, Jeff would come and visit and look after the family."
Ms. Miller said Mr. Robertson had reason to be angry.
"I don't want him portrayed as a lunatic," she said. "A lot of parents want to take action and get things done, and it's very frustrating when you don't get a response from the administration."
Cathy Scallions, who works at Peace Pharmacy, said that after a recent fatal accident, Mr. Robertson tried to console the victim's son, even following the ambulance to Dallas to be at his side.
Another time, he bought an air conditioner for a friend who had no cooling system in her home during the summer. And when a friend was incarcerated in a West Texas prison, Mr. Robertson would take the man's children there to visit him, said Ms. Scallions, who used to work with his wife.
"He's always been there to help people. He's really a good person. I don't know what happened," she said. "You'll find out he's helped so many people. But, you just, you don't mess with his kids."
Reliable worker
Mr. Robertson commuted daily from his home in Canton to far northeast Dallas, where he co-owned Priority Heating & Air on Switzer Avenue.
He helped start the business in 2002 after leaving the nearby Dallas Plumbing Co, where he worked for six years installing air-conditioning systems. Before that, he worked in the oil field business, friends said.
His family had a long history working in Dallas; his father worked at Dallas Plumbing about four decades before moving to West Texas. He could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Business associates described Mr. Robertson as high-strung and a good worker. But his affinity for alcohol, fisticuffs and guns often got him into trouble on the weekends, they said.
"He didn't show up that way to work," said John Downs, who co-owns Dallas Plumbing. "He was a good employee for us. It surprises me that he went to this extreme."
He said Mr. Robertson seemed to be a good father to his two children.
"He took his son hunting and fishing," Mr. Downs said.
He said the police contacted him Thursday morning, advising him to lock his business's doors and stay away from the office while Mr. Robertson remained at large. A Dallas police patrol car was parked nearby most of the day.
Mr. Downs said the police didn't mention a hit list but added, "I guess they were calling everyone who Jeff knew."
He said one of the last times he saw Mr. Robertson, he had a cast on his leg. Mr. Robertson told him and others that he had gotten into a road-rage incident with a trucker on a local freeway and that it had ended in a brawl.
"He had bad bruises all over," Mr. Downs said. "He said the guy ran over him. I told him that if he didn't get in control of his temper, he'd be in trouble."
Rickey Morgan, who manages the office warehouse complex on Switzer Avenue and leases space to Mr. Robertson and his business partner, called the shooting suspect "pretty high-strung."
"He had a thing for guns," Mr. Morgan said. "He would say he always carried a couple of guns with him for personal protection. That kind of concerned me. He always seemed to have a lot of enemies."
'Shelter in place!'
Jenie Addison, a 10th-grader at Canton High, said she was in speech class when a secretary yelled over the intercom: "Shelter in place! Shelter in place!" a warning given when someone is on school grounds who should not be.
The teacher locked the door, closed the blinds, turned off the lights and told the 20 students to sit and be quiet in the corner, the 17-year-old said. Then the teacher led them in prayer.
They sat that way about 90 minutes.
Students reached for their cell phones, calling their parents and trading text messages with friends elsewhere in the building to find out what had happened.
Canton City Manager Charles Fenner said police got a call about 9:15 a.m. from someone in the school who had taken a call from the field house. Mr. Kinne, though wounded, was able to call for help.
Chief Echols said Mr. Kinne was shot with a high-caliber handgun at close range.
The chief said Mr. Robertson had run-ins with the law in the past. After the shoving match last year with Mr. Kinne, Mr. Robertson was charged with disorderly conduct. However, the charges were dropped, the chief said.
"We haven't had any problems from him in quite a while," Chief Echols said. "It seems like he's been upset with the coaching system at the school for quite a while."
Staff writers Kimberly Durnan, Lee Hancock and Jason Trahan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/040805dntexshooting.1b4dafba4.html

For Fans of Phil Watts' KXYL Talking Head James Williamson

If your a fan of Phil Watts' (KXYL FM 96.9) Talking Head James Williamson, you will enjoy this post (below) but may not hear James mention it and many other examples ( too close to home ?). James, The Brown County Republican Party Spokesperson and Brownwood Talk Radio Host (News and Views) speaks to issues like this on a daily basis and " herds his sheeple" to believe this topic is a partisan issue (Evil Democrats, Liberals, etc.). Reasonable people know when they are being duped and being used for partisan reasons and being talked down to on a daily basis ( alot of other folks read to James ! ). Truly smart men, truly married men, truly Christian men, truly straight men do not have to remind you of this on a daily basis (example: A truly Rich man will never boast of being Rich !) . Who exactly are these type of individuals trying to convince ? A tactic of late used by KXYL's James Williamson is when a caller challenges James and his ideas (on the air), James asks the individual "Are you Gay ?". I know this issue is very important to both KXYL men since they use the topic constantly to generate controversy which equates to "mucho dinero" & votes ! As KXYL's Connie Carmichael recommends " Follow the Money " !
G.O.P. Consultant's Marriage Is a Gay One
By ADAM NAGOURNEY
Published: April 9, 2005
WASHINGTON, April 8 - Arthur J. Finkelstein, a prominent Republican consultant who has directed a series of hard-edged political campaigns to elect conservatives in the United States and Israel over the last 25 years, said Friday that he had married his male partner in a civil ceremony at his home in Massachusetts.
Mr. Finkelstein, 59, who has made a practice of defeating Democrats by trying to demonize them as liberal, said in a brief interview that he had married his partner of 40 years to ensure that the couple had the same benefits available to married heterosexual couples.
"I believe that visitation rights, health care benefits and other human relationship contracts that are taken for granted by all married people should be available to partners," he said.
He declined further comment on the wedding, which was in December.
Some of Mr. Finkelstein's associates said they were startled to learn that this prominent American conservative had married a man, given his history with the party, especially at a time when many Republican leaders, including President Bush, have campaigned against same-sex marriage and proposed amending the Constitution to ban it. Mr. Finkelstein has been allied over the years with Republicans who have fiercely opposed gay rights measures, including former Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina, and has been the subject of attacks by gay rights activists who have accused him of hypocrisy. He was identified as gay in a Boston Magazine article in 1996.
One of Mr. Finkelstein's associates, who declined to speak on the record, citing Mr. Finkelstein's desire for privacy, said Mr. Finkelstein did not view his marriage as a political statement and had specifically decided to have a civil ceremony rather than a religious one. This associate argued that over the past 20 years, Mr. Finkelstein had identified himself as a libertarian and an opponent of big government, distancing himself from social conservatives as they have gained political muscle and dominance in the party.
Mr. Finkelstein's associates declined to provide his spouse's name. He was married at his home by a gay state official, whose name and office were not released. The ceremony was attended by relatives of both men, a few friends and a state legislator, an attendee said.
None of Mr. Finkelstein's better-known political clients, among them Gov. George E. Pataki of New York and former Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato of New York, attended, that person said. Several of Mr. Finkelstein's long-term political associates said that he had not told them about the wedding, and that they had learned about it from a reporter.
The wedding was disclosed by an associate of Mr. Finkelstein's, and he confirmed it in the interview.
Mr. Finkelstein has frequently come under criticism by gay rights groups for representing politicians who have been ardent foes of gay rights. He helped create the template for a line of attack he repeatedly invoked against Democrats, including Mario M. Cuomo of New York, describing them as liberal.
In Israel, Mr. Finkelstein used similar attacks against the Labor Party as an adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and as a consultant to the winning and losing campaigns of Benjamin Netanyahu, the former prime minister.
Mr. Finkelstein has regularly described himself as a libertarian who supports same-sex marriage and abortion rights while opposing big government. In an interview with Maariv, an Israeli newspaper, after the American elections last year, he criticized the Republican Party as growing too close to evangelical Christians, warning it could cause long-term damage to the party.
Details of Mr. Finkelstein's relationship have appeared in regular news accounts over the years, as they did in the Boston Magazine article, which reported that Mr. Finkelstein lived with his partner and two children in Ipswich, Mass.
Still, some conservative friends said Mr. Finkelstein's marriage would roil conservatives and highlight divisions among them over the importance of social issues to their movement.
"In recent years, Arthur hasn't pretended to be a social conservative," said one longtime conservative associate, who cited Mr. Finkelstein's aversion to publicity in declining to be identified. "But this is the same man who was the architect of Jesse Helms's political rise."

source: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/09/politics/09finkelstein.html?ex=1270699200&en=ca95af744bb6439b&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

Many wary of GOP's moral agenda

Page 1A
Many wary of GOP's moral agenda
Poll: Public disliked Schiavo intervention
By Susan Page
USA TODAY 
WASHINGTON — The controversy over Terri Schiavo has raised concerns among many Americans about the moral agenda of the Republican Party and the political power of conservative Christians, a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll finds.
In the survey, most Americans disapprove of the efforts by President Bush and Congress to draw federal courts into the dispute over treatment of the brain-damaged Florida woman. She died last week.
Some old stereotypes about the two parties have been reversed:
•By 55%-40%, respondents say Republicans, traditionally the party of limited government, are “trying to use the federal government to interfere with the private lives of most Americans” on moral values.
•By 53%-40%, they say Democrats, who sharply expanded government since the Depression, aren't trying to interfere on moral issues.
The debate over Schiavo has spotlighted the central role “values” issues — abortion, stem cell research, same-sex marriage and the right to live or die — now play in politics.
Mark Rozell, a professor at George Mason University in Virginia who studies religion and politics, says the case has created a “clear backlash.”
“It's one thing to look at religious conservatives as part of a broad coalition that makes up the Republican Party,” he says. “It's entirely another if people think that religious conservatives are calling the shots in the Bush administration for what was a deeply personal situation.”
But Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition says a poll his group commissioned shows wide support for those who sought to preserve Schiavo's life when the issue is placed “in the broader context of protecting the rights of the disabled.”
He met with members of Congress Tuesday to push for legislation to set “clear guidelines” in such cases.
In the poll taken Friday and Saturday, Bush's job-approval rating is 48%, 3 percentage points higher than in mid-March. His standing on personal characteristics such as trustworthiness remains above 50%.
Still, Americans by 53%-34% say they disapprove of Bush's handling of the Schiavo case. Congress' rating on Schiavo is worse: 76% disapprove, 20% approve.
By more than 2-to-1, 39%-18%, Americans say the “religious right” has too much influence in the Bush administration. That's a change from when the question was asked in CBS News/New York Times polls taken from 2001 to 2003. Then, approximately equal numbers said conservative Christians had too much and too little influence.
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20050406/1a_offlede06.art.htm
------------------------
As it relates to Brownwood Texas, Religion, Politics (Republicans Bill Lester and Mike Connaway Race):

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
To: ;
;
;
; "Jeff Burton"

Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 10:31 AM
Subject: are the numbers correct ?
on page 5a of the wednesday march 10, 2004 Bulletin the numbers show
that Mike Conaway received 2,198 Brown County votes to Lester's 1,314 .
Is this correct ?

From: "Jeff Burton"
Date: Thu Mar 11, 2004 10:39:57 AM US/Central
To: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
Subject: Re: are the numbers correct ?
nope. it's the other way around. Lester won Brown, Kimble and Coleman
Counties.
Nobody's perfect.:)
Jeff J Burton
Campaign Manager
Mike Conaway for Congress
(432) 685-1033 Office
(432) 352-3923
----------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
To: "Jeff Burton"
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 2:08 PM
Subject: Re: ARNews
Jeff, In todays Brownwood Bulletin Editorial it was written that Bill
Lester ran a clean campaign. Am I missing something ? I find his run
for office comparable to the FreePAC'rs and our community has had plenty
of experience with them ( We and Mayor Massey publicly stood up against
their dirty campaigning as well ! ) What are your thoughts ?

From: "Jeff Burton"
Date: Thu Mar 11, 2004 02:11:19 PM US/Central
To: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
Subject: Re: ARNews

He and his people are out of touch with reality. They believe that they can
do or say anything in the name of God and it's ok. We ran into it all over
during the campaign. But we know now that it's only a small segment of the
population...About 25% :)
We are going to just let things settle down in Brownwood for a little while.
And then we will kiss and make up.

Jeff J Burton
Campaign Manager
Mike Conaway for Congress
(432) 685-1033 Office
(432) 352-3923
------------------------------
From: "Jeff Burton"
Date: Mon Mar 15, 2004 11:24:24 AM US/Central
To: "Steve Harris and Steve Puckett"
Subject: Re: should be concerned if you are living/visiting within these public airwaves

Yeah, I'm not surprised. It's kind of scary on your end of the district.

Brownwood Feels Like Home: 8oz of liquid in a 16oz cup ? Is it half full or half empty ?

Wednesday April 6, 2005
Op Ed: Columnist
Community must strive to always keep the larger goal in mind -- Bill Crist
"Brownwood is as much what it isn't as what it is."
There are probably many ways to interpret that statement, the fact of which in itself reinforces its message. The comment was made by Brian Jordan, a Brownwood native and copywriter for advertising agency GSD&M, and delivered to the roughly 50 delegates at last week's Texas Downtown Association mid-year conference. The conference, which was held in Brownwood, focused on marketing the many faces of downtown. That is something Brownwood and many other cities, large and small, struggle with daily.
What does it mean to not be something, as opposed to being something, and how can that possibly be good for a community? It would seem that having a tangible identity, like "The Big Apple" or "Gateway to the West" would help a city market itself. Being able to build a promotional campaign around a slogan or logo and using it consistently is important for building name recognition. Sometimes the logos revolve around a landmark or the geography of an area. At times a slogan may reflect the majority of the population. Our neighbors 60 miles to the east adopted the slogan "The City of Champions" based largely on the accomplishments of the town's high school athletic teams and rodeo champions.
But what does a city that identifies more with what it's not than what it is rally around? Some might joke an inferiority complex. Others might suggest a black hole. The proverbial "half-empty cup" comes to mind. When a group of Brownwood citizens was faced with that very question five years ago, though, they brainstormed for ideas, got outside experts involved and decided on a positive approach rather than negative. From that exercise, Brownwood found an identity that it could rally behind and market; "Feels Like Home."
There are many reasons why the slogan fits our community and is a good one for us. Its broad scope touches just about everyone, invokes generally positive feelings and doesn't pigeonhole us to just one facet of Brownwood or Brown County. Without a doubt the area is a draw for outdoor recreation, but hunting and fishing appeal to a portion of the population, not all of it. Brown County has a rich and storied history, but again, the study of that history doesn't necessarily appeal to a broad audience. That doesn't make promoting those features a bad idea, but just suggests that a broader picture is necessary. As Jordan told the delegates at last week's conference, everyone has a home. And to look at Brownwood's population, and the number of second and third generation families that still call the area home, Brownwood does feel like home to a good many people.
With slogan and logo in hand, the group went to work and a new community Web site was created and the Brownwood Reunion Celebration was planned to help with the public launch of the site. This September will mark the site and event's fifth year in existence, and a large celebration is planned for the third weekend in September.
It would be na•ve to think that every civic group embraces the "Feels Like Home" slogan and that all segments of the population feel that way about Brownwood. However, as long as we are a community that can more closely identify with what we are not than what we are, there are going to be disagreements in what exactly our community is and should be. That is not uncommon, though, and civic leaders, both elected and volunteer, cannot let that become an obstacle to progress. Though frustrating at times, it is important to keep the larger purpose in view, or to borrow another slogan, to "keep the main thing the main thing."
Bill Crist is associate publisher of the Brownwood Bulletin. His column appears on Wednesdays. He may be reached by e-mail at bill.crist@brownwoodbulletin.com.
http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/06/op_ed/columnist/opinion04.txt

Republican: Blame it on your aide ? It's even in Brownwood !

Martinez admits his staffer wrote Schiavo talking points memo
RAW STORY
STORY EXCERPTS LEAKED:
WASHINGTON (AP) — A one-page unsigned memo that became part of the debate preceding Congress' vote ordering a federal court review of the Terri Schiavo case originated in Florida Republican Sen. Mel Martinez' office, Martinez said Wednesday.
The memo — first reported by ABC News on March 18 and by The Washington Post and The Associated Press two days later — said the fight over removing Schiavo's feeding tube "is a great political issue ... and a tough issue for Democrats."
"This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited that the Senate is debating this important issue," said the memo, which was described at the time as being circulated among Senate Republicans.
Martinez told the AP's Matt Yancey and other news organizations in a written statement "he discovered Wednesday that the memo had been written by an aide in his office."
"It is with profound disappointment and regret that I learned today that a senior member of my staff was unilaterally responsible for this document," Martinez said.
In the statement, Martinez said he accepted the resignation of the staffer, whom he did not identify, who drafted and circulated the memo. "This type of behavior and sentiment will not be tolerated in my office," he said.
"Until this afternoon, I had never seen it and had no idea a copy of it had ever been in my possession," Martinez said of the document. He had previously denied knowing anything about the memo and condemned its sentiments.
Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, asked for information on the bill a Martinez authored in regards to the Schiavo case, Martinez said, and Martinez "pulled a one-page document from his coat pocket and handed to Harkin," according to AP.
"Unbeknownst to me," Martinez revealed, "I had given him a copy of the now infamous memo."
Allison Dobson, a spokeswoman for Harkin, said the Martinez had given Harkin a copy of the memo, which RAW STORY was told of earlier in the day and held on embargo until the wire story.
Martinez also told AP he also had apologized to Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., who was cited in the memo because he had declined to become a sponsor of Martinez's bill.

Originally published Apr. 6, 2005. AP's Matt Yancey authored the original Associated Press report.

rest of story...

The Rest of the Story...What KXYL won't tell you !

rest of story...

Brownwood Diversity ?

rest of story...

Honesty, Hypocricy & Character. I voted for Ron Kirk

A case of "Do as I say, not as I do" ?

During Wednesday's debate in Texas between Senate candidates Ron Kirk (Democrat) and John Cornyn (Republican), they were asked if they had ever done drugs:

KIRK: I tried marijuana when I was in college, but I didn't like it...

CORNYN: ...I agree with President Bush that campaigns unfortunately have become
kind of more like Jerry Springer than a discussion of the issues.
There is a zone of privacy for youthful indiscretions and the like...

KIRK: I wish I'd have let you answer first.
 
ha ha
Looks like Kirk is honest and Cornyn doesn't want to talk about his drug use
And without knowing anything about this race, I can guarantee that Cornyn
wants to imprison people for doing the same damn things he did as a wild college kid.
It's not the drug use that makes Cornyn a son of a bitch.
It's wanting to jail young people for having the same "youthful indescretions"
that Cornyn had and now refuses to be open and honest about.

http://www.bartcop.com/0914.htm

The Politics of Deception ?

Published on Wednesday, April 6, 2005 by ABC News
Are Honors for Physicians the New Political Diploma Mill?
Doctor Named 'Physician of the Year' -- for a Fee
by Brian Ross
 The good news reached the Jamestown, N.Y., office of Dr. Rudolph Mueller in a fax from a congressman in Washington. Mueller had been named 2004 Physician of the Year.
"My secretary came running in and said, 'Dr. Rudy, look at what you've won, you're Physician of the Year,' " said Mueller, an internist.
But to receive the award in person at a special two-day workshop in Washington last month, Mueller found out that he would have to make a $1,250 contribution to the National Republican Congressional Committee. It was a disturbing discovery, he said.

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"Some" Texas Republicans & Their State of Mind & Hypocricy !

EDITORIAL - New York Times
The Judges Made Them Do It
Published: April 6, 2005

It was appalling when the House majority leader threatened political retribution against judges who did not toe his extremist political line. But when a second important Republican stands up and excuses murderous violence against judges as an understandable reaction to their decisions, then it is time to get really scared.
It happened on Monday, in a moment that was horrifying even by the rock-bottom standards of the campaign that Republican zealots are conducting against the nation's judiciary. Senator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, rose in the chamber and dared to argue that recent courthouse violence might be explained by distress about judges who "are making political decisions yet are unaccountable to the public." The frustration "builds up and builds up to the point where some people engage in" violence, said Mr. Cornyn, a former member of the Texas Supreme Court who is on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which supposedly protects the Constitution and its guarantee of an independent judiciary.
Listeners could only cringe at the events behind Mr. Cornyn's fulminating: an Atlanta judge was murdered in his courtroom by a career criminal who wanted only to shoot his way out of a trial, and a Chicago judge's mother and husband were executed by a deranged man who was furious that she had dismissed a wild lawsuit. It was sickening that an elected official would publicly offer these sociopaths as examples of any democratic value, let alone as holders of legitimate concerns about the judiciary.
The need to shield judges from outside threats - including those from elected officials like Senator Cornyn - is a priceless principle of our democracy. Senator Cornyn offered a smarmy proclamation of "great distress" at courthouse thuggery. Then he rationalized it with broadside accusations that judges "make raw political or ideological decisions." He thumbed his nose at the separation of powers, suggesting that the Supreme Court be "an enforcer of political decisions made by elected representatives of the people." Avoiding that nightmare is precisely why the founders made federal judgeships lifetime jobs and created a nomination process that requires presidents to seek bipartisan support.
Echoes of the political hijacking of the Terri Schiavo case hung in the air as Mr. Cornyn spoke, just days after the House majority leader, Tom DeLay, vengefully vowed that "the time will come" to make the judges who resisted the Congressional Republicans' gruesome deathbed intrusion "answer for their behavior." Trying to intimidate judges used to be a crime, not a bombastic cudgel for cynical politicians.
The public's hope must be that Senator Cornyn's shameful outburst gives further pause to Senate moderates about the threats of the majority leader, Senator Bill Frist, to scrap the filibuster to ensure the confirmation of President Bush's most extremist judicial nominees. Dr. Frist tried to distance himself yesterday from Mr. DeLay's attack on the judiciary. But Dr. Frist must carry the militants' baggage if he is ever to run for president, and he complained yesterday of "a real fire lighted by Democrats around judges over the last few days."
By Democrats? The senator should listen to what's being said on his side of the aisle, if he can bear it.

source: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/06/opinion/06wed1.html?ex=1113451200&en=428d261b03c436df&ei=5070

Letter to the editor- Abilene Reporter News
Advantage who?
April 6, 2005

In 1988 Tom DeLay's father was working on a boat dock at the DeLay family lake house when Mr. DeLay fell and as a result suffered a severe head injury. With a feeding tube and blood dialysis DeLay could have lived several more years and could theoretically still be alive today, although only in a very diminished condition, much like a more famous invalid, Teri Schiavo. Despite being prominent conservative Christians, the DeLays opted to decline medical treatment that would have prolonged the elder DeLay's life.
It seems ironic that Tom DeLay would now present himself as a champion of the Right to Life movement because when his father lay in a hospital bed drowning in his own toxic bodily waste there were no protests, no Right to Life sermons, no candlelight vigils and no special sessions of Congress called on his behalf.
In political speeches and religious sermons Republicans often allude to human life as an absolute value. However, in practice, the value that they actually place on it, is contingent on financial and political concerns.
As a disabled person, I know that Republican politicians spent much of their time cutting funding for aid programs for the handicapped. So, when Bush, DeLay and their Republican cohorts decided to proverbially jump in the Schiavo case with both feet, I knew that their concern was not for Ms. Schiavo, but how they might use her case for their political advantage.

Ricky Jannise
Abilene

http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/op_letters_editor/article/0,1874,ABIL_7984_3678314,00.html

Texas Republican Hubris: Tom Delay, John Cornyn, James Williamson (Gay Animals?)

Hubris: Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance:

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Newsflash: This just in over the Central Texas Airwaves. Your Brown County Republican Spokesperson and KXYL Talking Head James Williamson wants you to focus on Box Turtles and this....

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and this

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and not on What's being written to Cornyn and Delay...
Cornyn......

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Delay......

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Republican Texas Senator John Cornyn and Box Turtles ?

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FYI- Box Turtles: " Box turtles even have qualities we admire, such as the persistence and perseverance".

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Brownwood Drugs

Commissioners court discusses inmate count
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin
“ Grubbs and Johnson said one factor in the increase is the methamphetamine problem in the county. "It's everywhere, and it affects everything," Johnson said. Sheriff's officials have gotten increasingly active in drug enforcement activities, resulting in more arrests, Grubbs and Johnson said.”
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/05/news/news04.txt
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Brownwood and Iraqi Christians

Who's Better Off ?
By Rep. Ron Paul, MD
4-7-5
 ...before the US House of Representatives, April 6, 2005.
  Whenever the administration is challenged regarding the success of the Iraq war, or regarding the false information used to justify the war, the retort is: "Aren't the people of Iraq better off?" The insinuation is that anyone who expresses any reservations about supporting the war is an apologist for Saddam Hussein and every ruthless act he ever committed. The short answer to the question of whether the Iraqis are better off is that it's too early to declare, "Mission Accomplished." But more importantly, we should be asking if the mission was ever justified or legitimate. Is it legitimate to justify an action that some claim yielded good results, if the means used to achieve them are illegitimate? Do the ends justify the means?
  The information Congress was given prior to the war was false. There were no weapons of mass destruction; the Iraqis did not participate in the 9/11 attacks; Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein were enemies and did not conspire against the United States; our security was not threatened; we were not welcomed by cheering Iraqi crowds as we were told; and Iraqi oil has not paid any of the bills. Congress failed to declare war, but instead passed a wishy-washy resolution citing UN resolutions as justification for our invasion. After the fact we're now told the real reason for the Iraq invasion was to spread democracy, and that the Iraqis are better off. Anyone who questions the war risks being accused of supporting Saddam Hussein, disapproving of democracy, or "supporting terrorists." It's implied that lack of enthusiasm for the war means one is not patriotic and doesn't support the troops. In other words, one must march lock-step with the consensus or be ostracized.
  However, conceding that the world is better off without Saddam Hussein is a far cry from endorsing the foreign policy of our own government that led to the regime change. In time it will become clear to everyone that support for the policies of pre-emptive war and interventionist nation-building will have much greater significance than the removal of Saddam Hussein itself. The interventionist policy should be scrutinized more carefully than the purported benefits of Saddam Hussein's removal from power. The real question ought to be: "Are we better off with a foreign policy that promotes regime change while justifying war with false information?" Shifting the stated goals as events unravel should not satisfy those who believe war must be a last resort used only when our national security is threatened.
  How much better off are the Iraqi people? Hundreds of thousands of former inhabitants of Fallajah are not better off with their city flattened and their homes destroyed. Hundreds of thousands are not better off living with foreign soldiers patrolling their street, curfews, and the loss of basic utilities. One hundred thousand dead Iraqis, as estimated by the Lancet Medical Journal, certainly are not better off. Better to be alive under Saddam Hussein than lying in some cold grave.
  Praise for the recent election in Iraq has silenced many critics of the war. Yet the election was held under martial law implemented by a foreign power, mirroring conditions we rightfully condemned as a farce when carried out in the old Soviet system and more recently in Lebanon. Why is it that what is good for the goose isn't always good for the gander?
  Our government fails to recognize that legitimate elections are the consequence of freedom, and that an artificial election does not create freedom. In our own history we note that freedom was achieved first and elections followed - not the other way around.
  One news report claimed that the Shiites actually received 56% of the vote, but such an outcome couldn't be allowed for it would preclude a coalition of the Kurds and Shiites from controlling the Sunnis and preventing a theocracy from forming. This reminds us of the statement made months ago by Secretary Rumsfeld when asked about a Shiite theocracy emerging from a majority democratic vote, and he assured us that would not happen. Democracy, we know, is messy and needs tidying up a bit when we don't like the results.
  Some have described Baghdad and especially the green zone, as being surrounded by unmanageable territory. The highways in and out of Baghdad are not yet secured. Many anticipate a civil war will break out sometime soon in Iraq; some claim it's already underway.
  We have seen none of the promised oil production that was supposed to provide grateful Iraqis with the means to repay us for the hundreds of billions that American taxpayers have spent on the war. Some have justified our continuous presence in the Persian Gulf since 1990 because of a need to protect "our" oil. Yet now that Saddam Hussein is gone, and the occupation supposedly is a great success, gasoline at the pumps is reaching record highs approaching $3 per gallon.
  Though the Iraqi election has come and gone, there still is no government in place and the next election - supposedly the real one - is not likely to take place on time. Do the American people have any idea who really won the dubious election at all?
  The oil-for-food scandal under Saddam Hussein has been replaced by corruption in the distribution of U.S. funds to rebuild Iraq. Already there is an admitted $9 billion discrepancy in the accounting of these funds. The over-billing by Halliburton is no secret, but the process has not changed.
  The whole process is corrupt. It just doesn't make sense to most Americans to see their tax dollars used to fight an unnecessary and unjustified war. First they see American bombs destroying a country, and then American taxpayers are required to rebuild it. Today it's easier to get funding to rebuild infrastructure in Iraq than to build a bridge in the United States. Indeed, we cut the Army Corps of Engineers' budget and operate on the cheap with our veterans as the expenditures in Iraq skyrocket.
  One question the war promoters don't want to hear asked, because they don't want to face up to the answer, is this: "Are Christian Iraqis better off today since we decided to build a new Iraq through force of arms?" The answer is plainly no.
  Sure, there are only 800,000 Christians living in Iraq, but under Saddam Hussein they were free to practice their religion. Tariq Aziz, a Christian, served in Saddam Hussein's cabinet as Foreign Minister - something that would never happen in Saudi Arabia, Israel, or any other Middle Eastern country. Today, the Christian churches in Iraq are under attack and Christians are no longer safe. Many Christians have been forced to flee Iraq and migrate to Syria. It's strange that the human rights advocates in the U.S. Congress have expressed no concern for the persecution now going on against Christians in Iraq. Both the Sunni and the Shiite Muslims support the attacks on Christians. In fact, persecuting Christians is one of the few areas in which they agree - the other being the removal of all foreign forces from Iraqi soil.
  Considering the death, destruction, and continual chaos in Iraq, it's difficult to accept the blanket statement that the Iraqis all feel much better off with the U.S. in control rather than Saddam Hussein. Security in the streets and criminal violence are not anywhere near being under control.
  But there's another question that is equally important: "Are the American people better off because of the Iraq war?"
  One thing for sure, the 1,500 plus dead American soldiers aren't better off. The nearly 20,000 severely injured or sickened American troops are not better off. The families, the wives, the husbands, children, parents, and friends of those who lost so much are not better off.
  The families and the 40,000 troops who were forced to re-enlist against their will - a de facto draft - are not feeling better off. They believe they have been deceived by their enlistment agreements.
  The American taxpayers are not better off having spent over 200 billion dollars to pursue this war, with billions yet to be spent. The victims of the inflation that always accompanies a guns-and-butter policy are already getting a dose of what will become much worse.
  Are our relationships with the rest of the world better off? I'd say no. Because of the war, our alliances with the Europeans are weaker than ever. The anti-American hatred among a growing number of Muslims around the world is greater than ever. This makes terrorist attacks more likely than they were before the invasion. Al Qaeda recruiting has accelerated. Iraq is being used as a training ground for al Qaeda terrorists, which it never was under Hussein's rule. So as our military recruitment efforts suffer, Osama bin Laden benefits by attracting more terrorist volunteers.
  Oil was approximately $27 a barrel before the war, now it's more than twice that. I wonder who benefits from this?
  Because of the war, fewer dollars are available for real national security and defense of this country. Military spending is up, but the way the money is spent distracts from true national defense and further undermines our credibility around the world.
  The ongoing war's lack of success has played a key role in diminishing morale in our military services. Recruitment is sharply down, and most branches face shortages of troops. Many young Americans rightly fear a coming draft - which will be required if we do not reassess and change the unrealistic goals of our foreign policy.
  The appropriations for the war are essentially off-budget and obscured, but contribute nonetheless to the runaway deficit and increase in the national debt. If these trends persist, inflation with economic stagnation will be the inevitable consequences of a misdirected policy.
  One of the most significant consequences in times of war that we ought to be concerned about is the inevitable loss of personal liberty. Too often in the patriotic nationalism that accompanies armed conflict, regardless of the cause, there is a willingness to sacrifice personal freedoms in pursuit of victory. The real irony is that we are told we go hither and yon to fight for freedom and our Constitution, while carelessly sacrificing the very freedoms here at home we're supposed to be fighting for. It makes no sense.
  This willingness to give up hard-fought personal liberties has been especially noticeable in the atmosphere of the post-September 11th war on terrorism. Security has replaced liberty as our main political goal, damaging the American spirit. Sadly, the whole process is done in the name of patriotism and in a spirit of growing militant nationalism.
  These attitudes and fears surrounding the 9-11 tragedy, and our eagerness to go to war in the Middle East against countries not responsible for the attacks, have allowed a callousness to develop in our national psyche that justifies torture and rejects due process of law for those who are suspects and not convicted criminals.
  We have come to accept pre-emptive war as necessary, constitutional, and morally justifiable. Starting a war without a proper declaration is now of no concern to most Americans or the U.S. Congress. Let's hope and pray the rumors of an attack on Iran in June by U.S. Armed Forces are wrong.
  A large segment of the Christian community and its leadership think nothing of rationalizing war in the name of a religion that prides itself on the teachings of the Prince of Peace, who instructed us that blessed are the peacemakers - not the warmongers.
  We casually accept our role as world policeman, and believe we have a moral obligation to practice nation building in our image regardless of the number of people who die in the process.
  We have lost our way by rejecting the beliefs that made our country great. We no longer trust in trade, friendship, peace, the Constitution, and the principle of neutrality while avoiding entangling alliances with the rest of the world. Spreading the message of hope and freedom by setting an example for the world has been replaced by a belief that use of armed might is the only practical tool to influence the world - and we have accepted, as the only superpower, the principle of initiating war against others.
  In the process, Congress and the people have endorsed a usurpation of their own authority, generously delivered to the executive and judicial branches - not to mention international government bodies. The concept of national sovereignty is now seen as an issue that concerns only the fringe in our society.
  Protection of life and liberty must once again become the issue that drives political thought in this country. If this goal is replaced by an effort to promote world government, use force to plan the economy, regulate the people, and police the world, against the voluntary desires of the people, it can be done only with the establishment of a totalitarian state. There's no need for that. It's up to Congress and the American people to decide our fate, and there is still time to correct our mistakes.
 
April 7, 2005
 
Dr. Ron Paul is a Republican member of Congress from Texas.

Even in Brownwood Texas !

Satellite Radio Takes Off, Altering the Airwaves
By LORNE MANLY
Published: April 5, 2005
Just a blink after the newly emergent titans of radio - Clear Channel Communications, Infinity Broadcasting and the like - were being accused of scrubbing diversity from radio and drowning listeners in wall-to-wall commercials, the new medium of satellite radio is fast emerging as an alternative. And broadcasters are fighting back.
The announcement on Friday by XM Satellite Radio - the bigger of the two satellite radio companies - that it added more than 540,000 subscribers from January through March pushed the industry's customer total past five million after fewer than three and a half years of operation. Analysts call that remarkable growth for companies charging more than $100 annually for a product that has been free for 80 years.
Total subscribers at XM and its competitor, Sirius Satellite Radio, will probably surpass eight million by the end of year, making satellite radio one of the fastest-growing technologies ever - faster, for example, than cellphones.

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2005 Brownwood Hunting Expo

April 30, 2005 @ The Brownwood Coliseum. More information @ www.brownwoodhuntingexpo.com

Brownwood: Young and Jobless ?

Young and jobless: Some prefer to be their own boss
07:23 PM CDT on Sunday, April 3, 2005
Associated Press
CHICAGO – Sarah Levy loved being a restaurant pastry chef, but not the long hours, the relatively low pay, or the constant yelling that goes on in high-stress kitchens.
So this spring, the 23-year-old Chicagoan moved to a different kitchen – at her parents' home – and launched her own business, Sarah's Pastries & Candies Inc.
"I feel better when I'm working for myself and building a name for myself," says Ms. Levy, who started turning a profit last month.
She's one of the lucky ones; she got financial backing from her dad to help start the business. But she's not alone in her decision to strike out on her own. A number of young people are doing the same, driven by everything from a wish for more flexibility to a chance to test their own ideas.

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Brownwood's KXYL, Kinky or Kay Bailey ?

Recent caller to Brownwood Talk Radio, KXYL, said she was driving by a downtown Brownwood Restaurant (just happens to be ours !) and saw the Kinky Friedman for Governor Poster on the window and thought it " was a joke ". She said the went inside and also saw Kinky's Salsa being sold. If she thinks Kinky's run for Governor is a joke she may enjoy the DMN letter " These guys are a hoot " below. The second letter may cause all the Repulcian partisan hacks and "Clinton Haters" at KXYL some major discomfort !

These guys are a hoot
What is wrong with our Texas Legislators?
One wants to pass a law governing meteorologists. One wants to control high school cheerleading. And now they want to fight the Bowl Championship Series.
In the meantime, our taxes have increased by 50 percent in 7 years, our insurance (car and home) costs and the industry are generally unregulated and the school finance system is a joke.
Legislators? How about "Laughalators"?
Glenn Young, Southlake

Please, show that clip
Gov. Rick Perry, when Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announces she is running for governor, please buy enough air time for the clip of her being praised by Sen. Hillary Clinton to air it on every station in Texas, every hour of every day.
Texans need to know that Ms. Hutchison will work with Democrats to get things done to benefit all of her constituents, not be the lapdog of Rep. Tom DeLay and the GOP extremists.
Lee Franke, Frisco

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/letters/stories/040205dnedisatletters.a786.html

The Hammers and their threats on Judges ! What do Local & Regional Judge's think of these comments ?

Posted for KXYL's Connie Carmichael (aka The Hammer) and her call for a violent act against Florida Judge.

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DeLay Threat Potentially Illegal
via Think Progress
Sen. Frank Launtenberg (D-NJ) has sent a letter to Tom Delay advising him that his threat may have violated federal law:
You should be aware that your comments yesterday may violate a Federal criminal statute, 18 U.S.C. 115 (a)(1)(B). That law states:

“Whoever threatens to assault…. or murder, a United States judge… with intent to retaliate against such… judge…. on account of the performance of official duties, shall be punished [by up to six years in prison]”

Threats against specific Federal judges are not only a serious crime, but also beneath a Member of Congress. In my view, the true measure of democracy is how it dispenses justice. Your attempt to intimidate judges in America not only threatens our courts, but our fundamental democracy as well.
Read the full text of the letter here.
   http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/04/01.html#a2261
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Delay takes heat for comments on judges in Schiavo case
By Larry Wheeler
Gannett News Service
Abilene Reporter News
Saturday, April 2, 2005 page 5a

Washington- Comments made by House Majority Leader Tom Delay after the death of Terri Schiavo may have violated a federal statute, a senior Senate Democrat said Friday.
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“It is doubtful Delay’s ambigious statement would qualify as one of the 700 explicit threats against federal judges logged each year by the U.S. Marshals Service, which is responsible for court security.”
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If you hear threats being made against Judges, please contact the U.S. Marshals Service.....

texas.....

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or

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florida......

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Because they heard " Brownwood Feels Like Home " ?

Man shot, heads north
Austin robbery suspects end up in Brownwood
By Celinda Emison / Reporter-News Staff Writer
April 2, 2005

“ It is unknown why the men came to Brownwood. “

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Wounded man lies to police about 'drug deal gone bad'
By Steve Nash -- Brownwood Bulletin
 An Austin man with Brownwood ties was driven to the Brownwood hospital Thursday with gunshot wounds to his legs, claiming he had been shot here in a robbery attempt. But Austin police said the man was shot in what was initially reported as a home invasion in Austin, and the man told Brownwood police he was shot in "a drug deal gone bad," a Brownwood police detective said.
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He said police don't know specifically why they came to Brownwood but said Harper once attended Howard Payne University and has friends here.

source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/03/news/news01.txt

What type of Person ?

What type of person hates Gays and Lesbians more than he loves the security of this Nation and the lives of our soldiers ? Listen to Brownwood's KXYL 96.9FM-Talk Radio, James Williamson's News & Views, for a local example of the type of person & attitude. See our post :
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Discrimination is Deadly !
OPERATION: IRAQI FREEDOM
U.S. miscalculations left troops vulnerable Pentagon underestimated number of MPs, Arabic translators needed

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