Free at last!

I have felt all along that the two border patrol agents who were sent to prison for doing their job should never have been punished. I believe the prosecutor in the case was to eager to prosecute and get another 'star in his cap'. When people are hired to do a job, they should not be punished for doing just that. Now these men have been separated from their families for two years.

Today, President Bush commuted their sentences! This means their stay in jail will be shortened and Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean will soon be home with their families. Thank you, President Bush, for deciding to commute their sentence and get them back home with their families where they have belonged all along!

Technorati Tags: Border Patrol Agents, Ignacio Ramos, Jose Alonso Compean, President Bush

Apologize - ALONE!

I am with Neil Cavuto on this one! When a person gets in trouble, they usually do it alone. This is what happened with some recent politicians. Yet, when they are caught, they go before the microphones with wife in hand, for ‘support’. To me, it’s only humiliation in the highest form!

The wife and family are the ones that need support for what they have already been put through. But, these men seem to be so needy they bring their wives to stand with them on the podium. I could see the humiliation written all over New York Governor Spitzer’s wife today as he announced his recognition. What wife would not be humiliated when she finds out her husband has been using prostitutes! I, for one, would not be a wife standing on stage were my husband to be found using prostitutes! He would have to bear the burden by himself; after all, he got himself into the mess!

Going back to the last few men who have been caught at something, whether it was the prostitution rings or the homosexual scandals, they have brought their wives out for support. When I see a woman standing on stage, I wonder if she’s there for his support or for her children. Today, Governor Spitzer’s wife looked as though she wanted to be every where but with him. But she was made to endure his long speech of how sorry he was – probably sorry he had been caught. But, pictures sometimes speak louder than words. And, then, the footage showing them arriving back at their apartment only 15 minutes later, she jumped out of the SUV and made it for the door very hastily. That is not the way of a loving wife – one that actually supports her husband. Or, it is not my way!

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: Governor Spitzer, Resignation, Apology

Another school shooting

What is going on with our nation's young? Every where you look, there seems to be one more shooting in school. Today, a student was shot by a fellow student during gym class at a Memphis, Tennessee school.

It is the second shooting reported in a Memphis high school this month. On Feb. 4, a 16-year-old student was shot in the leg in side a classroom during an argument with another student over music. The student suffered non-critical injuries and the suspected shooter was charged.

If I had a child in school today, I think I'd be wanting the school officials to install metal detectors in every door way. Then, have guards checking out the cars of every student. There just seems a need for some kids to have a gun, which is definitely not a good thing for school environment and the hot tempers of some kids. There comes a time when one has to give up some freedoms, and this seems to be one of those times! It may not be the choice of some parents. But, I would rather have a live child than a dead one! And, if metal detectors could help, why not install them?

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: School, Shooting, Memphis, Tennessee, Metal Detector

Chalk Drawing by a Child called Graffiti

We grew up playing hopscotch, only we did not have sidewalks on which to draw. But, when my children came along, we had concrete driveways on which they drew hopscotch, faces, and other things. Never did we consider it graffiti. It was just a way for children to have fun; after all, water washes it off. Sidewalk chalk comes in all different colors and gives a child a way of expressing himself/herself without being destructive.

The city of Brooklyn apparently thinks differently. In fact, a woman reported a young 6 year old girl, Natalie Shea, after she had drawn on her front step, and reported a graffiti drawing.

Obviously not all of Natalie Shea’s 10th Street neighbors thought her blue chalk splotch was her best work — a neighbor called 311 to report the “graffiti,” and the Department of Sanitation quickly sent a standard letter to Natalie’s mom, Jen Pepperman.

The family faces a $300 fine for this ‘graffiti’ drawing of this little 6 year old child! The city has passed a local law 111 in 2005, which defined “graffiti” as “any letter, word, name, number, symbol, slogan, message, drawing, picture, writing … that is drawn, painted, chiseled, scratched, or etched on a commercial building or residential building.”

The law says that the drawing can only be considered graffiti if the owner of the property does not give consent. How could the woman who called the law know if Natalie’s Mom had given her consent or not? In a world where many children have become criminals, what is wrong with a 6 year old drawing with sidewalk chalk to pass off the time? She definitely is staying out of trouble – or is she? What damage does chalk do to any surface? After all, it washes off with water or with the first rain. And, it gives a city child, or even a country child, an outlet for staying out of trouble – again, does it? Seems we have a group of people who think it is criminal. What will be deemed criminal next?

Linked at Conservative Cat
Stuck on Stupid

Technorati Tags: Chalk, Graffiti, Brooklyn, Law

Teacher Smackdown

I just found a blog called Teacher Smackdown. In their 'about' statement, they give the following:

Teacher Smackdown identifies the molesters, thieves, and lecherous adults masquerading as teachers in our society. It also gives parents resources and information on protecting our kids and identifying these monsters. Teacher Smackdown – putting the spotlight on bad teachers betraying the public trust one kid at a time. These are their stories.

As is stated in one post, there are good teachers who are not bad people, but have a problem with alcohol or drugs. They need help rather than jail time. But, some do land in jail for these actions.

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: Teachers, Spotlight, School, Smackdown

Hate Crimes Memo

Liberty Counsel, a nationwide public interest religious civil liberties law firm, has a memo out about hate crimes and what impact they have on religious organizations and clergy. I urge you to read the following:

THE IMPACT OF HATE CRIMES LAWS UPON
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND CLERGY
By: Erik W. Stanley, Esq.
and Mathew D. Staver, Esq.

Technorati Tags: Hate Crimes, Religious, Clergy

Honor Killing

clipped from www.reuters.com LONDON (Reuters) - A Kurdish woman was brutally raped, stamped on and strangled by members of her family and their friends in an "honor killing" carried out at her London home because she had fallen in love with the wrong man.

It is hard to believe, in this day and time, that things like this occur. But, evidentially, they occur much more often than we know.

Technorati Tags: Honor Killing, London, Kurdish

Are we safe any place?

I was on my way home from the grocery store and post office, listening to one of my favorite radio talk shows this morning. An announcement was made of a bank robbery in Bessemer, AL, this morning at 9AM, in which 2 people were killed and 2 others wounded. The robber was headed out the door with a gun to the head of a woman hostage, when he tripped. An off-duty deputy was driving by and saw the incident. The robber was shot and captured.

Over the weekend, Key West Inn in Fairhope, AL, was robbed. A lone black man, wearing only shorts and having a T-shirt wrapped around his head to hide his identity, came through the hotel lobby and demanded the money from the clerk and he did not resist, but handed him over all the money. Then, the man left on foot, and it is not known whether a car was waiting for him or not.

This morning, police were studying surveillance video from the lobby for clues, Sawyer said. Fairhope Police have described the suspect as 6 feet tall, 180-200 pounds and in his 20s or 30s.

Having just come out of the grocery store, this sort of made me a little nervous. We never know what is just around the corner, just waiting to happen. But, we can't sit around worrying, and waiting for something to happen. We need to put our trust in the Lord and go about our daily routines. It is sad that we live in a world now where people have no respect for others. These kind of people are out to make their own way through crime and it doesn't matter if people get in the way. As one man said, looks like all banks are going to have to have an armed security guard at every door. But, he concluded with, "I pray it doesn't come to one on every corner holding a gun, as I've seen in countries I have visited." I pray that it never comes to that here in the United States, either.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Don Surber
Third World County

Technorati Tags: Safe, Crime, Bank, Robbery, Hotel

Tragedy at Virginia Tech

Update: Weds April 18, 4PMCDST - NBC recieved a package sent by Cho Seung-Hui, apparently between shootings. (told in news conference on Fox News)

Update: The shooter has been identified as 23 year old Cho Seung-Hui, a Korean and English major at Virginia Tech.

Up until my husband came home, I had not turned on the Fox News. And, this is certainly not the norm for me, when I usually watch the news most of the day. But, today,for some reason, my television never got tuned into Fox News, that is, until my husband said to me, "What did you think of the killings?". I wanted to know what he was talking about. And, he explained that some guy had shot so many students on the campus of Virginia Tech and more were injured.

As of now, there are 33 dead, including the shooter, who shot himself, and 13 more are in the hospital, possibly critically injured. We have no idea what was in the mind of this person. We don't know if he had something against someone on the campus, or had a hatred for the campus itself. We may never know his motive, but we do know it was one of destruction, killing, and upsetting the lives of 26,000 students. Those students will have this embedded in their minds for the rest of their life, and they did not deserve this.

There is really no way to know what another person might do on any given day. But, there should be some warning sign that a person is having a problem. But, we don't even know the identity of this person. Bill O'Reilly just announced this young 23 year old man was a Chinese nationalist that arrived on campus a year ago. But we don't know his name. For those families who lost a child, I pray the many questions they are going to have can be answered by the authorities - that they will be able to piece together the reason for this tragedy.

KOIN News 6 for local news - Campus Massacre
Blue Star Chronicles also has a good post on the tragedies, with some pictures.

The students at Virginia Tech need our prayers, as do the families of the victims. This is not something they will forget so quickly, and will most likely have a big impact on their future lives.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Pursuing Holiness
Don Surber

Technorati Tags: Virginia Tech, Massacre, Tragedy, Death, Prayer

Tucson man in Nicaragua prison

27 year old Eric Volz, from Tucson, is in prison after being convicted of murdering his x-girlfriend in Nicaragua. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He had been living in Nicaragua for about 2 years when he was arrested.

Many people believe he is innocent. He had an alibi and 10 witnesses, but that was all ignored. His attorneys are appealing the conviction, but he is still in prison.

It's believed by some that he was arrested because he is an American. He is the publisher of a bilingual magazine called El Puente Magazine.

HT: Stacy Harp

Linked at Conservative Cat
Third World County
Basil's Blog

Technorati Tag: Eric Volz, Nicaragua, Prison, Murder

Convicted Border Agents headed to prison in 24 hours

Two men, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, border agents, were just doing their job in trying to apprehend an illegal alien drug smuggler. In 24 hours, these two men will be leaving their families for 11 or 12 years in Federal Prison.

From Steve Elliott, President, Grassfire.org Alliance:

The only official word from the White House came through Spokesman Tony Snow last week who gave no indication that the President is considering taking action.

There is so much at stake here, first for these two agents and their families who have already paid such a high price, and secondly for our nation.

In the minds of millions of Americans, if these men go to jail this President will have sided with an illegal alien drug smuggler instead of the men and women who are literally standing on the wall protecting our nation's borders.

If you want to do something to try and help these men, you can go to the Grassfire.org and sign their petition. Also, you can call your state senators or the following numbers:

The White House 202-456-1414

Justice Department 202-514-2001

These men do not deserve what they are getting. They were sent to do a job, and, in doing so, they now face prison sentences. Where does our government stand: with keeping our country safe, or with the illegals, therefore taking away any authority the border guards have? You tell me.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Don Surber
Blue Star Chronicles
Planck's Constant OTA

Technorati Tags: Border Agents, Drug Smuggler, Prison, Federal Prison, President Bush, Petition

My heart breaks

Listening to the stepfather of Shawn Hornbeck, at the press conference today. my heart just breaks for this family. Yes, he is home after four years of being separated from his family. He looks in good health and is in very good spirits. But, he has missed four years of his life with his family. He has not been in school since the day he left four years ago.

Having children of my own and five grandchildren makes me realize this could happen to any of us. There is not one family with children that is isolated from an incident like this. There is no way to know whether there is someone out there looking to steal a child from a family. The only thing we can do is to watch after our children as much as possible. The rest of us, as citizens, should take time to be more aware of our surroundings. Thank the Lord, in the case of Ben Ownby, another young man, age 15, was paying attention to details. And, without him, maybe both of these boys would still be missing.

The Hornbeck family set up a Shawn Hornbeck Foundation, looking for their son. And, the stepfather says that the efforts to find other lost children will continue. They are so grateful to have their son back! He says that America has changed. People have put on blinders, keep to themselves and mind their own business. In other words, we take care of self, and let others do the same. I suppose you can say this is the reason Shawn was missing for four years. But, again, we are thankful that no harm was done to Shawn and Ben; they are once again reunited with their loving families, unlike many other missing children that may never be found.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Church and State
Stuck on Stupid

Technorati Tags: Press Conference, Shawn Hornbeck, Shawn Hornbeck Foundation

Two Happy Families Tonight in Missouri

William Ben Ownby got off the school bus Monday afternoon within walking distance of his home. And, he disappeared. An investigation has been going on since that afternoon. The 13 yr old's abduction was not witnessed, but another young boy got off the bus and realized Ben had disappeared. He noticed a rusty, beat up white truck making a hasty get away. Later, he told this to the authorities, which turned out to be the break in the case.

Today, there is not only one boy who had been abducted at home with his parents, but two. A truck fitting the description was seen at an apartment complex in Richmonds, MO, by officers who came to the complex to serve a warrant unrelated to the abduction.

When the police found Ben Ownby alive in the apartment of Michael Devlin, there sat another missing teenager who was abducted 4 years ago.

The second boy, Shawn Damian Hornbeck, 15, was last seen riding his bike on a the way to a friend's house in Richmond - in October, 2002. Richmond is town about 60 miles South of St. Louis.

Both boys have been returned to their families. They are overjoyed to be back with their parents. News has it that both boys are in good condition.

Michael J. Devlin, 41, was arrested and has been charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping, said Franklin County Prosecutor Robert Parks. Parks stated that more charges are likely and his bail had been set at $1 million.

Authorities in Utah sat that Devlin is listed in their state as a sex offender.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Blue Star Chronicles
123 Beta
Cao's Blog - Friday OTB

Technorati Tags: Kidnapping, Missouri, Ben Ownby, Shawn Hornbeck, Michael Devlin, Utah, Sex Offender

Nifong drops rape charges; others stand

Seems Nifong finally decided he didn't have enough evidence to prosecute the three lacrosse players with rape.

"The victim in this case indicated that, while she initially believed that she had been vaginally penetrated by a male sex organ ... she cannot at this time testify with certainty" that it occurred, Nifong wrote. Since such penetration is one of the elements the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt in a prosecution of a charge of first-degree forcible rape, "the State is unable to meet its burden of proof with respect to this offense," he continued.

When is the legal community going to realize they have a joke for a District Attorney in Durham? No, absolutely NO DNA linked either of the three boys charged with the rape of this accuser. In fact, it didn't even link her boyfriend! He has known this all along, but proceeded to charge these boys and ruin their lives forever. It doesn't matter that he has now 'decided' to drop this charge; it will always remain in the minds of people and most will always either wonder if they are indeed guilty or simply believe they are. And, on top of that, he's keeping the charges of kidnapping and other sexual offenses. And, Nifong has to know this accuser is lying, and these boys are innocent.

This is a travesty that never should have taken place. I believe, as others do, that Nifong saw a way of furthering his career and getting re-elected, which he did. He kept the truth away from everyone until he was re-elected. And, now that it's almost time for the trial to take place months later, he 'decides' to drop the rape charges. Why not drop them all? Why not confess you know these boys are innocent? Why not charge the accuser for lying?

Better still, why is Nifong not being charged for misconduct in the prosecution of these boys? The accuser has constantly changed her story. She had sex with 3 different men, but NOT these 3 men from Duke University. DNA proved that. And, as with this charge, the state will be unable to prove any of the other charges. Yet, this man proceeds to prosecute. Can you say "waste of taxpapers money"?

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: Nifong, Lacrosse players, Prosecution, Duke University, Rape

Non-Western Christians and the cross

When the British Airways employee was suspended for refusing to remove the cross from her neck, we heard lots about this on our news. So this brought about a look at what the cross means for those Christians in the Muslim world.

To those of us living in the Western world, we look at the cross on a chain as a piece of jewelry. But, to those non-western Christians, it means much more. It identifies them sympolically with their faith, church, and community.

The Muslims look on the cross with hatred, because it identifes the so-called 'false religion'. But, those Christians, who live in the Muslim world, the cross symbolizes the persecution and martyrdom they have had to endure for centuries.

Muslim hatred for the cross is evident in the hadith (traditions) that foretell the Muslim belief that, in the End Times, Jesus will reappear as a Muslim and will break all crosses. In history for example, Caliph al-Mansur (754-775) forbade the public display of the cross and destroyed the crosses on top of many churches.

Forbidding the public display of crosses continues to be the case in modern day Saudi Arabia. Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim (996-1021) forced Christians to wear a five-pound cross around their necks as a sign of humiliation.

Coptic Christians in Egypt tattoo it on the inside of the right wrist. They want to be identifed as marked followers of Christ.

"They want to be identifed as marked followers of Christ.

But, they face persecution, when doing so. In April 2005, a 17 year old girl was kidnapped, raped, and tortured for 23 hours, by an extremis Islamic group. They tried removing her tattoo from her wrist with scissors. Imagine the pain this young girl went through for her identity with Christ. Would we be able to endure the pain she went through for her love of our Saviour?

Linked at Conservative Cat
Pursuing Holiness
Third World County
GM's Corner

Technorati Tags: Non-western Christians, Christians, Persecution, Cross, Muslim, Egypt

Thank the Lord for cell phones!

A cell phone was the undoing of the kidnapper of 14 year old Elizabeth Shoaf in Lugoff, South Carolina. Elizabeth's kidnapper, 37 year old Vinson Filyaw, had left her unattended with his cell phone in a booby-trapped bunker only one mile from her home. She text-messaged her Mom, who notified the authorities, and it led to his capture.

Filyaw will be charged with kidnapping, possession of an incendiary device and impersonating an officer, he said.

Sheriff Steve McCaskill said they were happy to find Elizabeth alive. But, it was a big relief to get this criminal off the streets. He had tried to carjack another woman outside a pizza restaurant around 2AM yesterday, and was caught about 5 miles from his house on foot.

Elizabeth seemed to be unharmed. But, she was taken to a hospital for a check up.

Technorati Tags: Cell Phone, Kidnapping

Child porn suspect felt torn between two worlds

Kenneth Gourlay, the now 28 year old, who was accused of molesting 13 year old Justin Berry, was torn between his love of God and his attraction to young boys. He got into pornography via the Internet while a student at the University of Michigan in 1999.

Last week, a computer was seized from Gourlay's home. A deleted file of his diary was found on the harddrive.

"The biggest struggle for me lately is trying to cope with my sexual desires," Gourlay, now 28, wrote in a computerized diary in August 2000. "Unfortunately, I don't know what to do besides wait for God to finish."

Justin Berry testified that he was enticed into the Internet sex trade, lured to Ann Arbor and molested by Gourlay. Gourlay is now charged with 10 felony counts related to pornography and molestation of a minor in 2001. He could get a maximum of 20 years on any of those charges.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Jo's Cafe Monday Specials
Basil's Blog Picnic 2006-05-22

Technorati Tags: Child porn, Internet, Pornography, Justin Berry, Kenneth Gourlay, Molestation

Is this America or some banana republic?

I cannot take credit for that question, because it came from a post made by Thomas Sowell over at Jewish World Review. He is writing about 'the biggest scandal' about the Duke University lacrosse players, and possibly a race card being played.

According to Newsweek, the young man at NCCU said that he wanted to see the Duke students prosecuted, "whether it happened or not. It would be justice for things that happened in the past."

I thought that this was America, the place where you could get a fair trial - where you were 'considered innocent until found guilty'. Perhaps not. At least, Prosecutor Nifong is using this incident of the accusation against the lacrosse players to further his career. Why else would he postpone the trial until next year?

It is not hard to explain politically, however. The District Attorney may well owe his recent election victory to having tapped into the kinds of racial resentments expressed by the young man at North Carolina Central University.

Now Mr. Nifong is riding a tiger and cannot safely get off. His bet best may be to let this case drag on until it fizzles out, long after the media have lost interest. His extraordinary postponement of the trial for a year suggests he understands that.

The police have even taken the taxi driver in for questioning about the case - the guy who can substantiate one of the players alibi! How can they stop his testimony, since the surveillance camera at the bank shows the truth?

If nothing else, the harassment can serve as a warning to anybody else who might feel like coming forward with testimony that undermines the prosecution's case.

Is this the way we now do things in America? Or, is this how cases have always been handled? Will these boys get a fair trial? And, if they are found innocent, which the last boy to be accused has attested to, how will they ever get their reputations back? Will the courts reprimand Nifong for his handling of this case? I doubt it!

Thanks to John In Carolina for the link to the Sixth Amendement of the Constitution, which does say these boys have the right to a speedy trial. Go over to John's and read the response he got from a law professor.

Linked at Conservative Cat
Wednesday Specials at Jo's Cafe

Technorati Tags: America, Duke University, Lacrosse, Speedy Trial, Constitution, Sixth Amendment