The Coyote Chronicles

Brave New World

2007-02-06T14:02:00.000-08:00

Blogger, you lost me. When you froze up, unexpectedly, I was patient. When you went down altogether, taking some of my smartest stuff with you, I hung in there. When I couldn't even access you at all, I remained loyal. Changing the template is near impossible if you don't know HTML, (and where to insert it), still, I sung your praises. But now, this forced move to new blogger was the last straw. I feel compelled to thank you for a year of free service, however. If the good folks over at Wordpress let me down, I'll be sure to blame this girl from Memphis named Lynnster, who put a gun to my head and made me move, so that you will welcome me back.

Note to the both of you that read my blog: go here, then bookmark. Thanks. Wish me luck.

The I-man keeps me from slitting my wrists

2007-01-30T05:30:00.000-08:00

I'll admit to having this love/hate thing for Don Imus. I enjoy this canterkerous old cowboy most of the time, even though the collection of misfits he surrounds himself with for his morning broadcasts (except for the sports guy) couldn't get work parking cars. But this morning, my God he railed on about his corporate bosses, and I just sat there, mesmorized, at how gutsy (and accurate) his rant was. Apparently, yesterday Imus broadcast his show for the new Center for the Intrepid, an amazing facility that aims to help Veterans learn to overcome their injuries and participate in activities that one would assume they can no longer enjoy. The Center itself, and everything it offers, is an incredible story. To me, though, what is really worth examining is how it was funded, and built. My understanding is that it was completely funded through private donations, some 600,000 Americans donated upwards of 50 million dollars. When I first heard that figure, I thought to myself there was no way to design, build and staff a facility of that caliber with a paltry 50 million. Let me put that into perspective for a minute, the Titans play in a stadium that cost 292 million dollars to build 8 years ago! It occured to me that the architects and contractors involved in this endeavor must have made the most of every dollar. I doubt that anyone involved tried to enrich themselves by padding the budget. This whole project, to me, represents what America can do, given the right circumstances. So ok, thats a story as well. With a budget for the Iraq war of 300 billion, I'm a little ashamed that we couldn't find the money to build a center like this in every state. At the risk of getting off track here, (perhaps another thread is in order) I have to say that we indeed could have done so, and built 100 or so state of the art schools, if more people didn't feel that it's ok to milk every dollar out of a govt contract.
Back to Imus. So yesterday, while I was cooking for the kids, I had the television tuned to MSNBC. I had already endured Nora O'Donnel(sp?) asking a Clinton spokesperson over and over again what Hillary meant by her "evil men" remark. I mean, she wouldn't let it go. I was irritated by it, but chalked it up to a slow news day. Then at 3:00 pm, Tucker convened an entire panel to dissect Clinton's remarks. I think Tucker is a moron anyway, so though my irritation level raised a notch or two, I still managed to keep from yelling at the kids. I always look forward to 4:00 pm, because Chris Matthews, for all his faults, gets a better caliber of guests on his show. To my horror, he had three talking heads droning on about, yup, what the hell Hillary Clinton "meant". I lost it. The kids were forced to tie me up in a chair to keep me from kicking the dog(or them), and duct-taped my mouth in an effort to curb the obscenities I was spewing at the TV. Around 10:00 pm they turned me loose, and I went to bed muttering about MSNBC. (I have to watch MSNBC, since CNN sold out long ago, and well, Fox is Fox, and I have a brain cell left.) I always watch Imus while I get the kids breakfast. Like I said, it's a love/hate thing. He is a remarkable man, who does some great work outside of a TV studio. I hate it when he is dismissive of some people unfairly. But today, he went after his masters with a vengeance. He called Matthews an idiot. He essentially called Abramson a whore, and an idiot. He railed on about the fact that the coverage of the Center for the Intrepid was perfunctory, and half-hearted. He referred to his own network as a sorry excuse for a news organization. In short, he nailed it. I suppose he is wealthy enough that he doesn't need this gig, but it was refreshing to hear someone in the biz taking their own network to task. My hat is off this morning to Mr. Imus.

The Dismal Science

2007-01-29T06:56:00.000-08:00

Paul Krugman dissects Friedman, here.

Milton Friedman often assured audiences that no special institutions, like minimum wages and unions, were needed to ensure that workers would share in the benefits of economic growth. In 1976 he told Newsweek readers that tales of the evil done by the robber barons were pure myth:

There is probably no other period in history, in this or any other country, in which the ordinary man had as large an increase in his standard of living as in the period between the Civil War and the First World War, when unrestrained individualism was most rugged.

(What about the remarkable thirty-year stretch after World War II, which encompassed much of Friedman's own career?) Yet in the decades that followed that pronouncement, as the minimum wage was allowed to fall behind inflation and unions largely disappeared as an important factor in the private sector, working Americans saw their fortunes lag behind growth in the economy as a whole. Was Friedman too sanguine about the generosity of the invisible hand?

H/T Ezra Klein

Amnesty is another word for Pardon.

2007-01-18T06:29:00.000-08:00

I'm always ready to admit to being one of those people who sees shades of grey everywhere. I really don't think I could come up with a single absolute if I had to. I've taken a lot of heat for it through the years, as many have tried to convince me that there are indeed issues that are up/down, black/white, or right/wrong, and that my refusal (which is more of an inability) to see this is proof that I am somehow unprincipled. So, I have to ask this today, to my many friends and acquaintances who are comfortable with absolutes, and particularly those who have patted me on the head and said that my passion for human rights notwithstanding, we are a nation of laws, first and foremost. The "Rule of Law" argument is the last and best refuge for those who are against the idea of forgiving the trespasses of those who circumvent our immigration laws by crossing our borders "illegally." "Law is the cornerstone of our great nation!", they exclaim, and then conveniently forget that our laws allow for things like forgiveness (pardons) and that amnesties are applied rather often. Letting the punishment fit the crime is another fundamental component of our system of laws, after all, no one wants to sentence a jaywalker to life in prison, right?

So, this has me scratching my balding head. Two border patrol agents tried to apprehend a drug smuggler, somehow botched the takedown and when the smuggler attempted to flee by crossing the Rio Grande, they (illegally) shot him in the ass. Then they compounded this "mistake" by (illegally) policing up their spent shell casings, and if this wasn't enough, they then filed a false report about the whole incident. I count three laws broken at the very least. Apparently, none of their behavior warrants punishment, at least according to Lou Dobbs , various parasitic politicians, and so called "grass-roots" groups. To them, the ends justify the means. The Chairman of the Border Patrol says that these two officers were doing all they could to keep this poison off the streets, just doing their jobs so to speak. I applaud the effort, right up to the point when they broke the law. But this post isn't about these two officers, really, it's about the hypocrisy of those that apply the rule of law only when it is convenient. I thought that the prosecuting attorney summed it nicely, here. I guess I'll take some comfort in the fact that close to a quarter million people signed a petition seeking amnesty for these two officers. Apparently, a lot of other people see shades of grey...

Guns are for cowards

2007-01-02T06:12:00.000-08:00

I really didn't want to make my first post of the New Year a downer. I really didn't. Then I read about this, and well, I feel compelled to say something. The story isn't anything new, drive-by's are a common occurence in just about every American city. The fact that one of the victims was an NFL corner, and by all accounts a good guy, makes it newsworthy. Recently, Real Sports did a story about pro athletes that stay "strapped", (which means they carry a gun, for those of you unfamiliar with ghetto slang) for fear of just this type of incident. What the gun nuts don't ever say is that Darrent Williams could have had a loaded 9mm in a shoulder holster, a Walther PPK in his sock, a 357 magnum (six inch barrel, nickel plated) stuffed into his waistband, and an MK 16 SCAR-L tucked away under his driver seat, and he would be just as dead this morning. That's because a drive by is a cowardly act. I cannot remember a single story in the last, oh, say, 140 years or so where two guys in a beef calmly walked out through the swinging doors of a saloon and faced each other in the street, drew their six shooters and the fastest guy walked away. That, I could almost admire. No, what happens in real life is that two guys, or a group of guys, sling insults from across the room, and the mixture of alcohol and testosterone suddenly makes someone feel that he must defend his honor, his "rep", by killing the person that vocally bitch-slapped him. Being a coward at heart, he retreats into the parking lot, retrieves whatever weapon he bought from someone who stole it from a "collector's" house, and waits for the poor victim and his friends to climb into their ride. Then he boldly slinks up in his ride when they are not looking, and blasts away. A young man with a great future dies in a hail of bullets, a coward drives away laughing. Unfortunately, this scenario is repeated nearly every day, in nearly every city and town in the country. The ugly truth is that your precious second amendment rights will not protect you from someone like the asshat that shot and killed Darrent Williams. What might actually protect you is a complete cultural turn-around that results in our love affair with phallic-like weapons ending forever. Now, I'm not anti-gun. I own a few, and they are useful tools when you live in the country. I also own some saws, a drill or two, two trucks, and a gas-powered auger. I just don't spend my day pre-occupied with the newest models of gas powered augers, because, well, that would make me awful boring to be around. In fact, I had a number of conversations last year, and wrote fifty or sixty blog posts and not once did I mention how powerful my auger is, or how shiny the bit is, or even how much it throbs and rattles when I crank it up. So, it escapes me, this fascination with guns, and I always conclude that those that have it must be compensating for some percieved physical shortcoming. All I know is, there is an entire community grieving because some sniveling jerk had to prove to the world that even dickless cowards have power.

See you next year!

2006-12-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

To both of my loyal readers: I've decided to shut down operations here at the Chronicles for the Holidays. It's best for me to "pull away" from all things political during Christmas, I find that it clears my mind and allows me to enjoy watching the kids squirm while they wait for Santa. I intend to do some cooking, and to spend time with the horses, in short, I just want to enjoy this time. My daughter will be having some surgery the week after Christmas, (again) and I need to be fully focused on that as well. My daughter has been trying out her blogger legs of late, and she may post an entry or two (the last post was hers). I'll ask that if you wander by, encourage her by leaving a comment if you have a minute. (It's likely that some of you will eventually wind up working for her one day, think of it as getting the jump on sucking up)
I wish everyone a safe and happy Holiday Season, I hope it finds you enjoying the company of family and friends.

Silly, silly, Sarcastro

2006-12-16T13:49:00.000-08:00

Most people know that our dog, Chip, occassionally browses through area blogs, and particularly likes N.I.T. because he knows Brittney is way cool about animals. So when I heard him laughing his furry little ass off, (howling, you could say) I ran into my office to find him pointing at the monitor and making less than flaterring remarks about Sarcastro's "Hypno-dog." Now, personally, I'm not one to make disparaging comments about people's beloved pets, and really, she's not THAT ugly, but Chip just wouldn't stop having fun at her expense. He said something positive though, called her a "DILF." (anybody?) He thought putting that mutt on the web was a poor choice by Sarcastro...

He also demonstrated an easy defense against being hynotized into buying used appliances...
(see above)

Who's got the hook up?

2006-12-14T08:46:00.000-08:00

I need a solid used computer. Laptop or desktop. I want a decent processor, lots of memory, but I don't need more than 60 gigs of space. It should have a network card, or whatever thingie I need to put together a wireless web connect together for my brats. It should have a CD burner, but I don't need a DVD burner. Some basic software is okay, but one of the reasons I don't just buy a new one is I spend days removing all the bullsh*t that comes pre-installed. Oh, a decent video and sound card, non-integrated would be ideal. Ok, so did I get all the jargon right?

I see you, John H, and raise

2006-12-13T16:41:00.000-08:00

See, John, I can do it in just ten....

1. The Vonage commercial theme song
2. Sarcastro's old clothing
3. That cracking sound you hear when 12 yr old scotch hits the ice
4. Jeb Bartlett
5. "green butter" cookies
6. puppy breath
7. dada
8. Glenn Beck
9. women with slight overbites
10 Tequila drenched meat-ups.

2006-12-13T07:35:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama on MNF

Whether he runs or not, whether he wins or not, this guy promises to shape the debate.

In the busom of the Mothership

2006-12-10T05:25:00.000-08:00

It's official. I'm a complete idiot. I brought my trusty 35mm camera to the Meat-up, thinking I could develop the film, and post some pics of the bash here at the Chronicles. Right. These kids with their fancy booklearnin and digital devices had photos up on their blogs before I made it home. I might as well have brought an 8 track player to the party. Aside from being the obvious techno dinosuar, I had a great time. I managed to move around freely, despite having Ivy clamped to my leg most of the night, and I got to meet a spicy young lady named Ginger, (sorry) and of course, the highlight for me was going mano a mano with the mammoth-sized Glen Dean. Dude, remember that when I refer to you as a brain dead Dittohead, I mean it lovingly, I swear. Actually, it was cool to meet Glen, we even shared a Christmas (thats right, not Holiday) drink together. Very easygoing, I'm happy to learn. Our host was quite accomodating, and did a fine job of making sure Milo (a very cool guy) kept the buffet table full of that delicious BBQ. (Where do you get those perfectly round rolls, anyway?) The night held some surprises, Lisa Z showed up with donations for that poor family that lost everything in a fire, and it was great to see her. Kat Coble is lovely, and I didn't feel intimidated by her at all, at least in person. To my knowledge, the boob freckle never made an appearance, though I think Aunt B offered to flash me a peek of something, I can't say for sure. I got to meet the butcher! Worth the price of admission right there. Other than the fact that it was a tad disconcerting to be slamming shots of tequila in front of our (probable) future mayor, I had a great time, and, oh, one of my favorite moments was watching Sarcastro do his Kevin Pollok imitation. Hilarious. Thanks for the invite, y'all, lets do it again sometime.

Update: A couple of noteworthy additions, thanks to the dignified and indeed quiet Chris Wage for bringing items to donate to the family that suffered a devastating fire, and I should have mentioned that Britt is beautiful and friendly, and Rex L. Camino and his lovely wife were fun to hang with. (except, dude, were you even alive in the seventies?) Sorry if I have failed to acknowledge anyone else, this is all my addled brain can recall this morning....

Falsifying Information?

2006-12-08T06:38:00.000-08:00

Today's City Paper contains an LTE from the good Sheriff of Mecklenburg County, N.C. (Charlotte) He accuses me of "falsifying" information. To my knowledge, I didn't present any information. I echoed concerns that the local (Charlotte) advocates have about the application of the 287(g) program. Since I am doubtful that the City Paper will print my reply, I am posting it here for both of my readers to digest:

The Sheriff from Charlotte accidentally omitted a few points that would have shed a bit more light on his 287(g) program. Like Nashville, the Sheriff in Charlotte does not perform front line policing. Therefore, he is correct to say that the program does not affect anyone not arrested and brought to his jail. What he did not say is that he or his deputies have virtually no control over who may end up in custody. The statistics I have (provided by the training officers) indicate that over half of the NTA's issued resulted from traffic stops. A traffic stop can occur over the heinous crime of a broken tail-light. Couple that with the fact that the Mecklenburg County Jail's policy is that everyone who is processed through the program receives an NTA, regardless of the nature of the crime he or she is accused of committing. The result is that someone like Gustavo Reyes would be treated the same as someone like Claudia Nunez. I have to ask, is this the purpose of this program? Is our community better off with this mother of two being sent back to El Salvador, while the truly dangerous simply move to an adjacent county that does not possess the same access to the ICE database? It is the Police Dept who will be exercising most of the discretion. It should be said that the deputies in Mecklenburg County, and particularly Sgt. Stansell, were completely transparent, helpful and indeed professional while I was their guest. It should be said that my reservations about this program have nothing to do with any lack of confidence in the ethics or abilities of the personnel in Charlotte, or Nashville. However, the suspension of the Driving Certificate Program here in Tennessee makes those in our community already living in the shadows the most vulnerable to arrest for petty traffic violations. The end result will be tremendous pain and suffering as families are separated indefinitely, often times with the added tragedy of the sole breadwinner being incarcerated and deported. Meanwhile, some myopic elected officials will point to their statistics as proof that they are making their communities safer. Every immigrant advocate that I know wants to see the removal of criminals in every community, and, if the 287(g) program is applied judiciously, it can be a tremendous tool for Sheriff Hall and Chief Serpas. That doesn't mean that the potential for abuse should go unmentioned.

Then vs. Now

2006-12-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

I wandered over to newscoma's site this morning, and her post reminded me that my father enlisted in the Army and fought the Japanese during WWII. He wasn't even a citizen. My mother, another non-citizen, worked in factories producing spare parts for various types of vehicles used in the war. When I was young, I placed little value on the stories they told of this time in their lives. They rarely spoke of the hardships, rather, they spoke almost fondly of a time when virtually every American participated in some way in the war effort. People rationed supplies, and didn't complain. The odds were that you knew someone on your street that had lost a son, or husband, or brother, and there was a shared experience of loss, but also a shared experience of purpose. How different the American war experience is today. The men and women who volunteer to serve and fight love this country as much as their grandparents did, and this war will produce it's share of heros. But the uncomfortable truth is that the rest of us may be different. It should be said that I do not believe that our young should be in Iraq, but the fact is that they are indeed there, and I have to wonder how many of us would gladly absorb a tax increase or ration gas if it meant our troops had all that they needed. Anyway, I too will join in Newscoma's call to President Bush to bring our soldiers home, so that we can begin the shared experience of healing.

Lies, damn lies, and statistics

2006-12-05T06:13:00.000-08:00

I'm relunctant to call attention to this woman or her website, as most of the time I find her amusing in a sad sort of way. Lately, though, she has begun to morph from pitiful to somewhat dangerous, mostly because she lacks the intellectual heft to distinguish between legitimate concerns regarding immigration, and mindless nativism. I say dangerous because she has this curious fascination with guns, and I think she considers herself some sort of Super Patriot, doing all she can to sound the alarm over the advancing brown invasion. Her post today poses the question "is illegal immigration more of a threat to "us" than terror"? To support this idiotic claim, she points to some rather dubious statistics, then as source she links to this sorry excuse for an elected official. He doesn't even bother to attempt to link to credible sources to support his shrill assertions. She asks her readers to "do the math." According to Rep King, 13 people a day are killed by drunk drivers who happen to lack documention to be here legally. So, I multiplied that number by 365, (cuz, you know, we never take a day off from our devious plan to wage a war of attrition on our nation's highways), and came up with 4,745 deaths. Her logic tells her that since 4745 is higher than the number killed fighting terror, drunk undocumented people are ipso facto more of a threat. Let's run with that a minute...According to what is arguably the oldest drunk driver watchdog group in the world, MADD, the total number of alcohol related traffic fatalities in 2005 was 16,881. Of that number, drivers between the ages of 15-20 removed 6,409 souls from the planet, and male drivers mowed down an alarming 9,988. In addition, between Thanksgiving and New Years, we lost 3,511. So, in doing my math, I have concluded that male drivers, young drivers, and the Holiday Season are all more of a threat than "the war on terror." Who knew? I should add the disclaimer that I am using only American dead,(as she is) but I'm pretty sure that the tens of thousands of Iraqi families that have lost members to this farce of a war would take issue with this construct.

I suppose I should point out to her the big red herring here, that a person's legal status has absolutely ZERO to do with their inclination to commit crime. I said this months ago, when the nativists were all pointing to Gustavo Reyes as the poster child for immigration failure, when in fact, it was a failure of our courts to imprison this man well before he amassed his lengthy criminal record. But, after reading her website, I'm pretty sure the logic would be lost on her. I can't bring myself to get into the whole gun/penis envy thingy...

Gotta say this, I really do

2006-12-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

I hate word verification. Most of the time, I have trouble distinguishing the letters, i's and l's, for example, so inevitably I get it wrong, and have to start all over. So, I started wondering, how many people just don't bother to get into the "settings" of their blogger account to turn this decidedly inconvenient feature off? Surely most bloggers don't get enough traffic to warrant having this extra security feature, do they? I mean, I like Chris Wages's word verification model, if I had to pick one. My browser remembers it for me, and since it never changes, it barely slows me down. As I discover more and more good blogs, and, as I feel that it is polite to comment when someone posts something heartfelt, I waste a fair amount of time proving I'm not a spammer, or whatever. Anybody else find this annoying, or even a tad pretentious?

Own a piece of Sarcastro

2006-12-01T15:14:00.000-08:00

I like Sarcastro. Aside from our kids, though, we have little in common. I think he's a damaged, bullying corporate apologist, he thinks I'm a whiny goody goody that reads pop political authors. Fair enough, I say, we don't have to see eye to eye to be friends. So it has been a mixed bag for me to watch his cyber yard sale unfold. I actually plunked down a few bucks for a sportcoat that would make Herb Tarlek blush. The washer and dryer set were nice, and I considered bidding on them, but I would have had to convert them from gas to propane, and I didn't feel like it. Still, they are fine appliances. Right after they went on the block, it started getting a tad surreal for me. Who offers a kayak for sale, then photographs it upside down? Is this to let the potential buyer know that perhaps it is wise to perfect the "roll"? And its BLACK, for heavens sake. Then he offers up what has to be the ugliest damn chiminea I have ever laid eyes on, it's gaping maw made it look like something from a Tim Burton movie. Shudder. I was ok with the various pieces of Americana, which he labeled bric a brac, I actually thought some of it was kinda cool. Then came the kicker. A framed poster from the HBO miniseries, The Brotherhood. He explained that his new wife (thankfully) put her foot down because it didn't go with any of "her stuff." He must have lobbied hard to get to keep his poster from Black Hawk Down. But here is where the admiration kicks in. He priced it, unflinchingly, at 200 dollars. American. Cash and goddam carry, baby. No OBO, thats my price, and you will pay it to own this piece of my life. Ballsy, and possibly brilliant. In fact, I am willing to deliver the damn thing to whomever buys it, cause I really want to meet THAT GUY. So, wander over, browse at your leisure, and load up the PayPal account, you won't want to miss out on this. Yes, I purposely didn't bring up the couch...theres no way he was serious, really.

Is this guy relevant?

2006-11-30T17:15:00.000-08:00

This is the type of blog post that forces us to defend blogging as an alternative to mainstream media. I mean, inedited? What a moron. Two school board members? It would be funny if it wasn't so very sad. What. a. moron. Though I would say a "rock solid" moron.

Satan's wreath claims five

2006-11-27T05:52:00.000-08:00

A Colorado Community is fighting the Devil as only a Colorado Community can.

4 days of gluttony

2006-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

How much does a person have to eat before it's considered sinful? It's been an orgy of food and drink over here, coupled with some of the prettiest weather I've seen since moving to Tennessee. I even got a little work done, spent a nice couple of days with a new blogger friend, it was great to get to know him. I felt funny not posting, I mean I'm letting down both of my readers....

Actually, I find this scary as all get out.

Wanted: a job with 272 paid vacation days.

2006-11-17T05:41:00.000-08:00

I heard this term on MSNBC the other night, and it has been rolling around in my cluttered head ever since. Apparently, some years ago, the Congress decided to be a "Family Friendly" operation. What this means, if I understood correctly, (always a stretch) is that they shortened their work week so that members of Congress could commute home on Wednesday, the better to be with their families. In fact, the joke around Washington is "What does one Congressman say to another on Wednesday?" "Have a nice weekend." I think I also heard that the Congress worked a total of 93 days last year. 93. nine-three. I've been reading Flank Two's take on the conservative Congress's accomplishments over the last week, (and not at all saving the pics as screensavers, really.) and the facts are indisputable. Faced as we are with issues that could determine our collective fate, Congress wasted many of those 93 days attempting to ban flag burning, gay marriage, and though this wasn't last year, I have to lump in the whole Freedom Fry thing. So naturally, I'm pretty frosted about that. But that's another post. Today I'm wondering how our Congress can see the value of giving it's members time to be husbands and fathers, but doesn't work like mad to help the Average American achieve the same? American workers get far less time off, paid time off, that is, than our European counterparts. And yet, our productivity is only slightly higher, but our quality of life is demonstrably lower. I am certainly no economist, so I keep this guy bookmarked because I like his writing style, and he delves into economic matters in a way that I can usually follow along. Plus, when he was at Pandagon, he made me laugh. Alot. Anyway, my family made the decision long ago to get by on less, so that we would have more time together. Sure, retirement looks sketchy right about now, but this is time and an opportunity that we will never get back. I try to think of it as an investment in my children, that can't be measured by a bank account balance or financial portfolio. It's a roll of the dice, maybe, but I like the odds. That said, I'm wondering if either of my readers feel the same, that is, is it worth working ourselves to death to insulate ourselves from financial insecurity? And, if you think so, shouldn't we then demand that our representitives do the same?

I hit the half-century mark!

2006-11-15T06:14:00.000-08:00

50. Shit. I know that the 40th birthday is supposed to be the significant milestone in a man's life, but since I was hopelessly drunk on my 40th, and don't remember any of it, (it should be noted, though, I was told that my friends found me face down in a snowbank, and threw me into a car, then drove me around until they got hungry enough to stop at the Waffle House, with me passed out in the backseat, the bastards) so I'm going to navel gaze a bit and try to decide what being 50 means to me. I know it means that in 5 years I can qualify for the Senior Tour, and that (more likely) in 5 years I qualify for the Senior Citizen discount at IHOP. I'm trying not to think about how many more years until I can draw Social Security, since there isn't any guarantee that it will be there. My dad died when he was 60, but my mother lived to be 80, so I am splitting the difference and figuring I got roughly 20 years. Since I have a 10 yr old daughter, and an 8 yr old son, the numbers base line is tied to milestones in their lives. I imagine I'll see them both graduate from High School, and (hopefully) college. My level headed daughter swears she won't marry until age 30, so I'm sketchy about whether or not I'll give her away. Chances are not good I'll be a doting grandpa to her kids. Rats. My son has made no proclamations, so perhaps he will marry and procreate in time for me to completely trash his kid's diet with sugary foods, and let them break every rule he holds dear when they are in my house. Actually, I think I'll be quite happy if I see some evidence that I have done right by them, but how exactly does one measure that? I've decided that when the time comes that they are faced with some unexpected trouble, that they approach it without fear, and accept whatever consequences their decision brings, without whining or seeking to blame someone other than themselves. In other words, don't panic, make a decision, and live with it. That's really all I think I can hope for. I'm already reasonably sure that they will both be engaged, compassionate adults, and I think that they will look back on their childhood and heap praise on their mother and me for our wisdom and patience. (If they don't, I have a sizable collection of photographs they won't ever want to be public that I keep handy)
Lastly, I'll say that perhaps the best thing about hitting this mark is that I have finally come to completely trust my instincts. I've lived in alot of places, and been faced with many trials, and I have managed to survive and prosper. I trust my judgement, but more important, I trust that the people I call my friends will point out when my judgement has failed me, and I trust that I will listen to them. Thats what I have to show for taking up space on this planet for 50 years. Check back in 2016 for an update...

Hatchet Job

2006-11-14T13:57:00.000-08:00

This one has me scratching my head. Kleinheider posts today about Yuri Cunza, and for the life of me I cannot figure out why. Apparently, another reporter contacted Cunza yesterday for a quote on the forced prostitution ring broken up by the FBI. Cunza, who was at lunch when the call came in, agreed to meet the reporter and comment. In the piece, he made some good points, not the least of which is that the immigrant community will have to keep watch for these types of awful crimes, and that it is vital for immigrants to know they can report crimes without fear of reprisals. That should have been the end of the story. Not so fast, you say, Adam? What about Yuri's alleged fondness for strip clubs? How about his criminal record? Well, frankly, before Volunteers Voters posted those facts on their website, I didn't know these things about Mr. Cunza. To my thinking, I still shouldn't know. I don't care if he set up an office on the stripper's runway, it would have nothing to do with the story that he commented about. If I were Mr. Cunza, I'd be more than a little hot about this unnecessary personal attack. As I stated above, I'm still unclear as to his motivation. Was he attempting to undermine a colleagues story? Does he have some undisclosed personal vendetta towards Mr. Cunza? A more likely explanation may be that Mr. Kleinheider did not deem Mr. Cunza worthy enough to voice outrage over this poor girl's plight. That would have at least been consistent, as evidenced by his rather souless post about Claudia Nunez.
Adam indeed has a penchant for Rule of Law. And I mean the strictest possible application of it as well. No problem, I know many people like him. But I have to ask, what law did Yuri Cunza break? Whatever his past history, absent some conviction for some offense of "moral turpitude", the fact remains that he is a local businessman, well connected to the immigrant community, and therefore a suitable choice for a reporter looking for a quote about an immigrant related event. From time to time I am contacted by local reporters to comment about immigrant issues, however, I may be less inclined to grant an interview if I will be subjecting myself to this kind of scrutiny. Adam, this was a rookie mistake, and you should be man enough to apologize to Yuri Cunza as fast as possible...

Update: Volunteer Voters has cleansed their site of the article, so I am just going to post the link from Nashville is talking:

Volunteer Voters
Cunza Found Somebody Better?
Yesterday our wonderful Hispanic Affairs Video Journalist Amy Napier packaged a very important piece...
11/14/2006 (13:52:32)

Lou Dobbs, mi casa es su casa

2006-11-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

Night after night, millions of people tune into CNN to watch this supposed warrior for the Middle Class. They rushed out to buy his book. They send him fawning emails thanking him for his "sky is falling" warnings about the little brown horde. I wouldn't call him shrill, but he does scrape the bottom often during his broadcasts. One of his favorite tactics (though not his alone, virtually every network "news" program does likewise) is whenever undocumented workers are mentioned (you know, illegals) they immediately cut away to a shot of 4 or 5 guys climbing through a hole in a fence, on their way to (in random order) rape your daughters, kill your parents in a drunken car crash, infest your neighborhood with all manner of third world maladies, or, if you are lucky, just take your job. He justifies his xenophobic rhetoric by hiding behind "National Security, and his heartfelt desire to protect the middle class worker." I'm not going to bore both of my readers by rehashing that right now, except to say, ok, let's for one minute agree that we should seal the border tight, until we have dealt with the 14-20 million undocumented people already here. Bear in mind, that is a HUGE concession, but I'll make it, for the time being. This is where he loses me completely, and according to this article, and this article, and this article, this is where the GOP completely lost the opportunity to keep the roughly 42% of Hispanic voters that voted for George W. Bush. And what an opportunity it was. Had they undertaken the task with some guidance from, I don't know, actual Hispanics?, and with a measure of compassion, they could have solidified the perception that they are the Party of National Security, and kept at least a portion of incoming immigrants locked into some form of indentured servitude, and retained a large bloc of Hispanic voters. What did they do instead? They let foaming at the mouth on-air "personalities" like Dobbs frame the debate. And boy did they. In their self-righteous slathering about rule of law, they rejected any solution short of wholesale deportation, and cried Amnesty! Amnesty! all the way to and through the mid-term elections. The result? An ass-kicking 69 percent, wait, let me repeat that, because it's a litte like holding a caramel on your tongue for a minute...69 percent of Hispanics voted for DEMOCRATS. By the way, Lou, those are your numbers, I took them right off my TV screen. Now, of those voting, (which, by the way, the number of Latino voters in this midterm set a record) 69 percent said the main issue for them was immigration, compared to 29 percent of non-latino voters. I'm going to borrow my daughters favorite retort here, "well, DUH." Having lived through this before, (California has had a number of would- be politicians attempt to build a career on the backs of Latinos) I saw this coming, in my sleep. Oh sure, for awhile, the cute slogans work, but, eventually, the American public snaps to the fact that no viable solutions are being offered, only hateful propaganda. In addition, many of them know Latino people, and embrace some of the culture. Some, God forbid, actually learn to speak a little Spanish so they might interact with them. I shed no tears for the Republican Party, they brought this on themselves. Again.

Lou, if you are truly a guardian of the Middle Class, do an expose' on credit card and banking practices, for starters. If you truly believe that the American worker can outperform all others (as I do) then work to level the playing field, so that they have no exploitable pool of workers with whom they must compete. Get on board with a minimum wage increase, and while you're at it, show some love for the Unions. We are a forgiving people, amigo, and will gladly open our homes to you, and show you just how much we bring to the American way of life.

Lawyers, Guns, and Money, and random thoughts.

2006-11-08T06:15:00.000-08:00

Oh man, What do you want to bet that every lawyer in the Southeast is headed for Virginia today. I'll take this opportunity to congratulate Howard Dean, since not a single talking head bothered to acknowledge the merits of a 50 State strategy. Sure Shumer and Emanuel picked good candidates, and funneled money to the right places, but Dean built the Demoratic infrastructure necessary to carry those candidates to victory. I have to say that I am outraged and embarassed that Tennessee voters turned out to be such bigots, not because they didn't elect Ford, but because they passed this terrible amendment that denies the most basic human rights to many of their fellow citizens. Shameful. I also have to breathe a huge sigh of relief, in my county, the Democrat (sort of) won by 170 votes. His ooponent was a completely inexperienced, unqualified kid, whose support came from area churches, period. He almost won. Scary. Anyway, I told you this would be random, I'm sleep deprived. Lastly, I'll send this out to Mr. Macaca:

I'm a desperate man
Send lawyers, guns and money
The shit has hit the fan

Update!: Mr. Bush, may we measure for drapes now?

Couldn't let this slide

2006-11-07T05:55:00.000-08:00

I was going to just gently prod everyone to make time to vote, with no endorsements (like it matters) of either Party or Candidates, because I figure by now, if you haven't made up your mind, keep your wishy washy ass at home. Until I saw this, over at TGW. By far, this has to be the ugliest, most mean spirited ad I have ever seen, and that is truly sayin something. I know nothing about this particular race in New York, but I'm asking those of you who might have friends or relatives there, call or email them and ask them to go vote against this jerk. Even if the Dem challenger is a DINO. Even if he or she (I told you I know nothing about this race, sue me) is currently in rehab, or hell, jail for that matter. Vote against ads like this one. Mad props to the fine bloggers at Tennessee Guerilla Women. (My kids just die when I try to use their lingo...)

48 hours

2006-11-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

Sean Lewis pleads his case for Claudia Nunez in New Orleans this Wednesday. Please consider spreading the word through your contacts, or websites, asking people to take a moment and read and sign the petition asking for Deferred Action Status. This will temporarily allow Mrs. Nunez to remain with her husband and two small children while her case is sorted out. The clock is ticking. Please do what you can, and thank you for your time, and your compassion.

Hell has frozen over!

2006-11-03T09:17:00.000-08:00

Boston's WKRO has done the right thing. They have fired John DePetro, for making derogatory remarks about a candidate. At the risk of of being called a hypocrite by Kleinheider, I will say that I feel no compassion for this man, and yes, while I'm at it, praise be to God. Just when I thought that dim-witted radio whores (see Phil Valentine) could get away with saying anything without fear of losing their jobs, Boston restores my faith that eventually, someone in charge will say, "Hey, that's over the line". It's long overdue right here in Nashville.

Hat-tip to Bob Boulrice

Brown Skinned Citizens, keep a bag packed!

2006-11-02T14:04:00.000-08:00

I have to travel to Georgia next week, so, according to this article, I had better hit the travel sized toiletries section at Walgreens before I go. Seems that our Department of Homeland Security, which now oversees I.C.E., has decided that if you look "Mexican", it's probable cause enough to be picked up in raids, or "sweeps" which is their preferred euphemism. Thankfully, the good folks at The Southern Poverty Law Center have filed suit, and plan to send a message to the Federal Govt that if they continue to target people due to skin color, they had better be prepared to defend themselves in court. "This was a widespread sweep, based largely on racial and ethnic profiling, in violation of the 4th and 5th Amendments to the United States Constitution," Mary Bauer, attorney for the plaintiffs, said at a news conference here. Those amendments pertain to the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure and the right to due process.

"Agents saw brown skin," Bauer said, "and made a presumption of illegality."

Indeed.

Hat-tip to Rebecca U.

Compassion for a young family

2006-10-31T08:31:00.000-08:00

Last night, a group of local bloggers had an opportunity to meet Claudia Nunez. Her story has been reported, and quite well, by P.J. Tobia of the Nashville Scene, and by Amy Vitteri of Channel 2 news. In our fast-paced world, a story like this passes us by and rarely leaves a lasting impression. However, when reasonable people come face to face with the realities of a broken system, when the tragedy is not abstract, but flesh and blood, and seated three feet away, it tends to linger in your mind much longer. Sometimes, it compels people to take action. A couple of the bloggers have initiated an online petition, while others will hand-carry the same petition around to garner support for this young, scared family. Mrs. Nunez' attorney and myself will launch the paper petition at the TIRRC Annual Convention this Saturday. We will have a booth set-up, so please come by and offer support to Mrs. Nunez if you attend the meeting. I will link to the online petition when it goes live, but here I think is the final draft:

To District Director Stella Jarina,

We the undersigned are petitioning you so that you might take into consideration the case of Claudia Nunez. Mrs. Nunez is a mother of two, and wife to an immigrant here legally. Five years ago Claudia came to the United States on a visitation Visa from El Salvador. Since that time, the situation in El Salvador has become increasingly dangerous for returning Immigrants. According to some accounts The Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), which formed in America, and has since spread to El Salvador, have been accused of beating, raping, and in some case murdering immigrants who have been deported from the United States back into El Salvador. Because of the potential threat to Mrs. Nunez, and also because Mrs. Nunez has no support structure to return to in El Salvador, we request that the case of Claudia Nunez be administratively closed until such time that the either the situation in El Salvador improves, or that she has the ability to petition the US Government for legal immigration status.

Claudia Nunez is not a violent criminal, she is simply a mother who is trying to raise her daughters and live in peace. Claudia was arrested on a minor traffic violation, driving without a license, and because she tried to do the right thing and appear in court, she is now faced with deportation. We the undersigned simply ask that you take into consideration the extraordinary circumstances surrounding her case, and decide to focus on more dangerous illegal immigrants currently going through the system. Please allow Mrs. Nunez's daughters, who are American Citizens, to grow up with their mother in this their birth country.

UPDATE! PLEASE GO SIGN THE PETITION HERE!

A Sleeping Giant? Maybe...

2006-10-27T14:03:00.000-07:00

According to this article , the immigration issue is galvanizing voters, but probably not the voters the GOP had in mind. Seems the tone of last summer's debate left a sour taste in many Latino mouths. The article focuses on the races in Colorado, where, apparently, there is a large percentage of Latino voters. I have held the belief that the GOP has, in it's efforts to cling to power by foisting this issue on the American public before they thought it completely through, lost most if not all the progress they made in appealing to Latino citizens. By allowing a long list of ignorant would-be candidates to regurgitate whatever talking points they heard from Talk Radio, they have made the Latino community distrustful of their Party, and their intentions. Not once have I heard a member of the Republican Party denounce hateful talk jocks when they made untruthful and dangerous claims. Not a peep while they likened hard working immigrant families to terrorists. No outrage when some said the immigrants would bring on the next plague. The GOP's focus has been strictly punitive in nature, with no compromise that might allow residents here to at least claim some "legal" status while we sort through this very complicated issue. I believe that one day, sooner than later, they will see the inherent cruelty of advancing a political agenda on the backs of those least able to fight back.

H/T to Orah Bilmes

Never Been Kissed

2006-10-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate to know one of the organizers of this event, to be held at the Frist on Saturday night. Bob Degraw is truly one of the nicest people I have ever met, and he has first hand experience with this physical affliction, commonly called cleft lip. Cleft lip and cleft palate comprise the most common birth defect in the United States. One of every 600 newborns is affected by cleft lip and/or cleft palate.

I know it's steep, but if you are financially able, and available on Saturday, please consider coming out in support of this important cause. Besides helping out, you'll get to see an Honest-to-God supermodel, some beautiful designer rags, (remember, Edith Head gave great gown) and I think one of my favorite people in Nashville will perform, Ms. Suzanna Spring. How can you go wrong? I'll be there, manning the ticket area, but be advised I cannot be bribed. I'm pretty sure I can't be bribed...

Educate, Advocate, Celebrate

2006-10-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

After a day stuck in the bowels of the Mecklenburg County jail, (ok, truth be told, the facility did actually have a sterile office type ambience with nary a whiff of bowel) I was lucky enough to make contact with the Director and Asst. Director of the Latin American Coalition. I have been in my share of non-profit offices, and this one was impressive not only because of it's recent "decor makeover", which was lovely, but because of the talent and attitude of the staff. It was already well past close of business when I wandered in, but they were all extremely helpful and quite cheerful for that hour. I sat down with both Angeles Ortega (bottom) and Jess George (top). Both struck me as incredibly bright, engaged and committed. Apparently, that afternoon, they received notification that a grant application they had submitted was approved, so there would now be some funding for a program they had already started. It was cool to see how excited they were, and I shared in their excitement after I looked at the impressive range of services they provide to the Charlotte area immigrant community. I was shocked to learn that their organization serves more than 12,000 families each year, through their education and advocacy programs. A partial list: Job banks, Tutorial programs, Small Business Development, First-time Home Buyer, Spanish AND English classes, Notary, translation, tax filings, consumer rights, and labor rights. Talk to any of the staff for about one minute, and it's easy to see that each of them truly loves what they do, and seeks to serve the community first and foremost. I guess I just felt that I had to call attention to this group of people, because in my humble opinion, they truly "walk the walk". It was nice to meet you guys!

I Go To Jail

2006-10-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

Miguel Ortiz* sold ice cream from a push-cart in downtown Charlotte to earn money for his family. A couple of local thugs assaulted him in broad daylight, so he called the police to report it. At some point, the responding officer decided to question Miguel about his citizenship, and, upon learning that he lacked the proper documentation, arrested him. He is now scheduled for deportation.

Elaine Villa* got into a yelling match with a neighbor over a fight between their children. This took place in her front yard, and the neighbor notified police that she had been “threatened” by Mrs. Villa, who was subsequently arrested, and is awaiting deportation.

Both Mr. Ortiz and Mrs. Villa had no prior criminal record. In fact, this was the first encounter with the police of any kind. Unfortunately for them, the city they lived in is the model city for a new program, administered and in part staffed by I.C.E. agents, that screens any foreign born person for immigration violations, once they enter the Mecklenburg County Jail in Charlotte, N.C. It works like this: When a person reaches the jail, a form is filled out, and the first two questions they ask “everybody” are “of what country are you a citizen?” and “Where were you born?” If either answer given is something other than the United States, the person is automatically fingerprinted and run through the I.A.F.I.S. (Integrated, Automated, Fingerprint Identification System) which is linked to I.C.E.’s database, housed in Vermont. If the person has an immigration violation, or any prior criminal history, that person is held until deported, usually without opportunity to post bond. However, if no information turns up on the search, the Sheriff’s Dept has a team of 12 officers, trained by I.C.E., which will interview the person and determine whether to hold them for deportation, or, issue them an NTA (Notice To Appear) to the immigration office in ATLANTA, GEORGIA. (More on that later) So far, so good, right? Well, my next question seemed appropriate enough. “What happens if they don’t indicate something other than the U.S.?” The man that answered my question, Sergeant Quinn Stansell, is one of two team leaders in charge of this unit. He replied, “If something seems out of place, like, if the person speaks a language other than English, we have the discretion to run them through this process anyway.” Really. Apparently, speaking any language other than English is probable cause to believe you may have committed an immigration violation, and subjects you to this dehumanizing process. Let me say up front that Sgt. Stansell, and his staff, were very professional and well informed. He seemed to genuinely feel that this program was making Charlotte, well, Mecklenburg County a safer place. The reason I make this distinction is that if Mr. Ortiz or Mrs. Villa had entered any other county jail in the country, they would both be home with their families today. That’s because no other county anywhere has this program, though the Davidson County Sheriff has applied to the Federal Government to bring this program here to Nashville. This is the point where I alert you to the presence of the elephant in the room. If this program’s intent is to “weed out” the worst offenders in our communities, doesn’t it seem logical that those that we really want gone will simply stop operating in Davidson or, in this case, in Mecklenburg County? I asked that question to Sgt Stansell. “Well, the Sheriff was elected to protect the people of Mecklenburg County, and this program will help us do just that.” As I said, I really feel that he believes it. I liked him, he was courteous, accommodating, and completely transparent, and gave me unfettered access to his staff and the facility. But I have to wonder why the obvious flaw has escaped him. The smaller neighboring counties that do not have the manpower or resources to implement this program will simply absorb the worst of the lot, and here in the Davidson County area we may very well rid ourselves of people like Mr. Ortiz or Mrs. Villa, while Sumner, or Robertson County deal with the inevitable migration of drug dealers, murderers, robbers and the like. Of course, there are many other problems associated with this program, the lack of due process is perhaps the most alarming, and I hope to further cover this early next week. Stay tuned.

* To protect their privacy, I have not used their real names.

Road Trip

2006-10-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

I'll have much more about my trip to Charlotte. N.C. soon, but I haven't posted because I have been, well, in Charlotte. Anyway, it's approx 420 miles, up thru Knoxville, over to Asheville, on 40, then down Hwy 26 into and thru the tip of South Carolina, then 85 on into Charlotte. The day I left it was rainy as hell in Nashville, and I was wasn't looking forward to the messy drive. Luckily, I think I outran the rain, because after I passed Knoxville, I was treated to some beautiful Fall foliage. In earlier days, I would have been quite content to crank up some tunes, enjoy the leaves, and take a leisurely drive through the mountains. However, as I get older, I find that I have lost all patience with semi trucks, tractor-trailers, whatever they are called. There are way too many of them. Long lines of huge trucks, seemingly caravaning up and down both sides of that mountain. Fast. In fact, if is practically impossible to drive the posted speed limit without being literally goosed out of the way, often when there is no "out of the way" to be had. Lately I have been doing alot of driving, all over the country, and I swear I think the entire highway infrastructure is being repaired simultaneously. I sometimes wish I had invested into whatever company manufactures orange barrels. So, I feel my grip on the wheel getting tighter by the minute, and I am quite ill by the time I finally roll into Charlotte. I got there right at rush hour, and had no room reserved, and I was tired, hungry, and numb-assed. I saw a promising part of town, so I exited the freeway and eased into a chain hotel parking lot. As I got out of my car, I spotted this man, a bell hop, or valet possibly, dancing around by the lobby doors. I don't mean like "break-dancing", I mean, gliding about as if he had a partner. One arm raised, as if holding a woman's hand, the other seemingly affixed to his belt buckle, he swayed and dipped to imaginary music, or at least music only he could hear. I leaned back against my car, lit a smoke and just watched him for 10 or so minutes, and soon I was grinning from ear to ear, just like he was. Finally, I wandered over to him, and said, "today must be your Friday". He asked me why I said that. I explained that people sometimes get a bit giddy when they know their work week is about to end, and I assumed he was looking forward to something special on his day off. He said, "no sir, it happens that I am 70 today, and just damn grateful to be alive." He opened the door for me, and actually danced me inside and toward the front desk. I was caught a little off-guard, but really it didn't make me uneasy for a moment. In fact, 420 miles of knuckle whitening road just fell away, and I was completely enjoying this man. He went back outside, and I commented to the clerk at the desk that his birthday was apparently a big deal to him. He told me, "nah, he is like that everyday, and everybody loves him." Really?!! Every day? Yup, he said, he is constantly in a good mood, and is anxious to be as helpful as possible. I went on to tell the clerk that the old guy had made my day, and I was happy that I decided to stop there. He seemed genuinely appreciative that I told him so. Then I used their restroom, got back in my ride, and drove over to the Econolodge.

A reader responds...

2006-10-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

That sounds a tad pretentious, huh? Like I have a readership. I mean, outside of the hardcore dozen or so I badger to read my blog. Anyway, I recieved a thoughtful email from one person who happened across the Coyote Chronicles, and I decided to post it. I am finding out that some folks are relunctant to leave a comment on a subject, perhaps because by the time they have determined their feelings about a given subject, it may no longer be topical. That is actually one reason I stopped going to certain blogs, the authors would put up 8-10 posts a day, and there wasn't time to digest what I read, much less respond with anything other than a "Ditto!" All that said, this is what I recieved, and I'd like to thank "Woody" for taking the time to email me.

Never accused of being a fast thinker, I have been mulling over and digesting what you wrote last week, I have finally come to this conclusion. The emotion you should be feeling (as if you have a choice) is sadness, not anger.

In the world today we have an Iraq war that has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths of innocent people, over 2,700 deaths of brave American young men and women, we have genocide in the Sudan, we have N. Korea developing nuclear weapons and an administration refusing to negotiate, violation of civil liberties at home, a Congress that has paralyzed itself by it’s inability to get along with each other and by selling out to Religious Fundamentalism and I could go on and on.

So change needs to happen and it need to happen now. Am I angry that change will probably occur because of a sex scandal? No. I am sad.

To millions of Americans the Foley issue is more important than the issues I have raised earlier. Life for Americans has become so complicated and varied that few people have the time or the energy to think of anything else, except taking care of their own. We have a society that pits us against ourselves. One example is, we are living longer thanks to chemistry and advancement in medical technology so we are all worried about our retirement, so we have 401-ks from our jobs, if the stock market goes up,

we have more money for retirement, if the stock market goes down we have nothing because social security will not be there for us. So what makes the stock go up? Profits. What makes corporate profits? Low costs. What is the best way to keep costs down? Low wages, outsourcing and cutting benefits like health care. So by investing in corporations to secure our futures we are betting against ourselves as workers. It is bewildering.

So we need a change. It is sad that it takes something like the Foley affair to motivate people to make that change. Now if not even that convinces people that a change is needed, then I will be furious and livid.

(emphasis mine)

A Nation of laws?

2006-10-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

A writ of Habeus Corpus has been granted by Tyler Gill, 7th Judicial Circuit Judge, ending the indefinite incarceration of 17 people ordered held by Carol Sue Browning, a Todd/Logan County District Court Judge. These 17 people committed various infractions, all misdemeanors, in fact, most had committed traffic violations. The District Court judge then had them jailed, and attempted to initiate deportation proceedings from her bench. The Writ states, in part:

The Court finds that the detentions were illegal and in violation of the Kentucky and U.S. Constitutions, and,
1. It is illegal to hold a prisoner without bond.
2. It is illegal to hold a person not convicted of a crime indefinitely under any circumstances.
3. The detentions were illegal because the District Court denied counsel to the prisoners.
4. The initiation of deportation action against the detainees violated the constitutional doctrine of seperation of powers.

And the money quote: "The fact that the detentions are illegal is not subject to reasonable debate. The initiation and ordering of these detentions by a court of law is especially baffling. In the cases before the court, the Rule Of Law has inexplicable been ignored or abandoned by the very institution entrusted to uphold it." (emphasis mine)

I have to wonder how many of these "detainees" were sole breadwinners for their families, and jailed for something as minor as missing a stop sign? Thankfully, the 7th Circuit reins in a District Court judge before she can permanently disrupt more lives.

Hat tip: Freddy Peralta at KCCIR

Illegals, witches invade Loganville

2006-10-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

I'm guessing someone needs a job. Church secretary seems like a logical career move for this poor woman, beset as she is by witches and little brown people. The online edition of the Washington Post carried this story . Laura Mallory, a mother of four, told a hearing officer for the Gwinnett County Board of Education on Tuesday that the popular fiction books are an "evil" attempt to indoctrinate children in the Wicca religion. I was blessed relatively late in life with children, so the Teletubbies, Barney, VeggieTales, and even SpongeBob have been a part of our household for years, even though all of these have at some time been targeted by some "Christian" kook or another. My daughter read Harry Potter two years ago, mainly because, as a "big" book, it carried mega-points for her Accelerated Reading Program, and she, like her mother, is a tad competitive. (Ok, I'm actually the competitive one.) Anyway, she read it, and then the entire series, and has yet to attempt to fly, or turn me into a newt. (Ok, maybe once...it got better) Oh, sure, we did have an uncomfortable conversation once as to why SpongeBob, an obvious hunk, lived alone in Bikini Bottom and only had male friends, but I think I dodged the issue by explaining to them that no self-respecting homosexual would dress like that. In addition, I have yet to catch my children rummaging through the crisper in search of a celery stalk that would talk to them. To my knowledge, the only thing my kids have ever read that made them uncomfortable was the Starr Report. When I came across this story, I wasn't completely surprized at this brand of Betty Bowers Christianity. See, I've been to Loganville many times, because a good friend of mine owns a restaurant there. Take my word for it, that is the only reason I would go there, unless I happened to be on my way to Athens, Ga. When my friend opened his place, he had a small bar, mainly to help offset volitile food prices. More than a few Loganville "Christians" saw fit to wander by and explain that they would never frequent his place, because he served alcohol. So, instead, on Friday and Saturday they flock to Applebee's and the Outback Steakhouse. Sigh. It wasn't that long ago that the county tried to eliminate funding for Spanish language fiction at the lie-berry. It seems that the thought of undocumented workers enjoying a book enraged many area residents. In short, tis a silly place.
(I love it when I can reference Monty Python twice in a single post) More on this later, as I must go tend to a wart on my daughter's nose...

Hat tip to Raul.

Foley actually a Democrat?

2006-10-04T05:33:00.000-07:00

If this hadn't been aired during O'lielly's show, I might have thought some young production assistant screwed up. Now, coupled with Kathrine Harris's statements that implied it was the Democrats covering this up....well, it doesn't take the C.S.I. team to solve this puzzle. Fox has stooped so low, shredded ANY credibility they may have had, any Democrat that doesn't call them out is a fool. Hat tip to Music Row Democrats and TGW.

Maf54 saves the GOP

2006-10-03T06:10:00.000-07:00

I'm furious. Livid. Since the 2000 election, I have been in the trenches, alongside Democrats, Liberals, and even a few moderate Republicans, in this fight to save this country from a handful of evil men. I have registered voters, walked many districts to canvass for candidates, organized, and participated in rallies and demonstrations. I donated hard earned money, and suffered the slings and arrows of those who labeled me subversive. In short, I was fully engaged. I couldn't wait for the mid-terms. I felt that perhaps this election would finally be a referendum on so many outrages; depleted uranium shelling in Iraq, rampant cronyism and profiteering that left our troops unprepared and under-equipped to protect themselves, PNAC, Plamegate, Abramoff, Schiavo, environmetal disasters, crushing debt. The list was long, and I would have been satisfied if ANY of these drove sane people to the polls to oust these bastards. Now, to my despair, it looks like maf54, a sad, lonely closet queen who abused a position of trust over a kid, might be what propels Democrats to a November victory. It isn't even pedophilia, for crissakes. To me, this seems like the very definition of an pyrrhic victory. Don't get me wrong, with whats at stake, I'll admit that I'll take any victory at this point, so that Democrats control one or both houses. We need investigations into many things, if we are to cleanse the wounds, and begin to heal as a Nation. It's just that I feel that the focus will be on this pathetic situation between maf54 and this kid, instead of policies that have resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. Whats likely to happen now is that a handful of culprits and enablers will face defeat at the polls, and next election season will be a porn-fest of accusations about someone's sexual pecadillos. Rove or someone like him will spend millions to find and exploit it, because it will be seen as way to motivate voters. Maf54 will go to rehab, find God, repent, and eventually re-surface in politics, and the time, money, and effort we spend investigating this bullshit will have been wasted. The GOP will not be judged on their destructive policies, rather, they will come away from this virtually unscathed, and lie there, patiently, until their time rolls around again. And it will.

William Rivers Pitt, still a favorite

2006-09-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

He breaks down the stupidity here.

Welcome to Nathan Bedford's Tennessee

2006-09-27T05:54:00.000-07:00

Nelly Rivera and her husband moved to Tennessee from Florida roughly four months ago, in part to escape the threat of hurricanes. Little did they know her presence at a local library would set off an altogether different type of storm. Nelly, an American citizen of Puerto Rican descent, landed a part time position as a Library Assistant at the Marshall County Memorial Library in Lewisburg, Tn. Before her arrival there, Spanish speaking residents and visitors looking for reading or reference material had a handful of books and periodicals to choose from, but there was no one at the Library that actually spoke any Spanish. A handpainted sign that said simply "Espanol" sat on a shelf adjacent to those few books. Nelly, because she is fluent is two languages, and because she is a friendly, helpful person, started helping those who did not speak English by teaching them how to use computers, and started offering children's book readings in Spanish. Apparently, this did not sit well with several Lewisburg citizens. At least one, Jeanie Morris, expressed her displeasure loudly enough that last night, she was invited to address the monthly meeting of the Library's Board. The meeting was held in a classroom like area just off the main floor of the Library, and was attended by approx 20 people. Channel 2 news sent a reporter, as did the Nashville Scene. The entire Board was present, local citizens who do the often thankless job of overseeing a critical part of the community, and do so without pay. Jeanie Morris, however, did not see fit to show up and make her case. Instead, one local citizen named Robin Minor decided to vent his frustration to the assembled group. He started his tirade by informing the Board that he was a lifelong resident of Lewisburg, and that he was angry that his tax dollars were being used to provide materials in Spanish at the library. When informed by the Board Chairman that the bulk of the materials had been donated by local citizens, he demanded to know exactly how much money had been spent by the Library for books in Spanish. The answer? 130 dollars. Total. He then proclaimed that even a penny was too much, and accused the Board and the library of being enablers. The Board Chairman, John Rowe, further informed Mr. Minor that the library also had books written in French, Russian, Gaelic, and Japanese. Mr. Minor then demanded that the Board require all donated books be written in English only. The Board, clearly embarrassed for this man, thanked him for his input and moved on to New Business, as they had a full agenda that night. As we all left the room, I noticed a portrait of Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Confederate officer widely believed to have ordered the massacre of a largely black garrison after capturing them at Fort Pillow, and who was among the founding members of the Klu Klux Klan.
Days before this meeting, prompted by telephone calls from outraged local citizens, the County Mayor, Joe Liggett, paid a visit to the library, and, (apparently unfamiliar with the I-9 form) nervously asked the library Director "what papers do you guys have for her?" (meaning Mrs. Rivera) Nelly overheard this, and promptly produced a copy of her birth certificate, which clearly indicates that she was born in New Jersey. Mr. Liggett was not present at this meeting.
This sad incident makes me wonder how many other brown skinned citizens are made to feel unwelcome here in Tennessee. The amount of local Governments proposing ridiculous ordinances to punish the undocumented in their communities is proof to me that the rhetoric of Hate Radio is obviously winning out, in fact, Mr. Minor, disgruntled by his quick dismissal by the Board, shouted out in the parking lot to his handful of friends that they should all call the radio stations in the morning. (It should be noted that Mr. Minor was formerly a social studies teacher in Lewisburg schools) That should give you the shivers.

Si, se puede

2006-09-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

Today I put out a call to action for people to donate to a fund dedicated to purchasing security equipment for the Espinosa family home. The response was overwhelming. I was looking for a few hundred dollars, I think we have raised three times that, so we may have enough left over to get the family a good guard dog as well. People are caravanning to the house on Saturday, and we will install the lighting then. I cannot express how much a gesture like this means to a scared family. Thanks to everyone that pitched in!

Cowards strike in Bowling Green

2006-09-13T06:28:00.000-07:00

Channel 5 (Nashville) covered this story last night. Apparently, this Salvadoran family recently purchased this home, and now they are afraid to stay in it. This kind of thing happens when irresponsible elected leaders help create this climate of fear. When there is no public backlash in response to hateful rhetoric, it is considered ok to continue to do it. Silence is tacit approval. I'm all for educating the public, and I believe that non-violent protest is the most effective tactic, but, this type of incident calls for a "circling of the wagons." This family needs to know that they are not alone in this struggle. More later...

Meeting Tonight in Springfield

2006-09-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

In the 1960’s, Nashville City officials elected to close the public swimming pools rather than allow black Americans to use them. Conventional wisdom of the day said that the Negro was incapable or unworthy of fully integrating into white American culture. Historian Victoria Wolcott wrote of that era that to many white Americans, “segregation meant safety.” The attempt to separate those who worked in our factories and farms, cleaned our houses, and cared for our children was the shameful legacy of the Jim Crow south.

Today, too many Americans, fearful and anxious about the state of our precious country, again elect to lash out at those least capable of defending themselves. Once again, the voices of separation and division have returned, and are a constant barrage against our better selves. An alarming number of our elected officials have sought the easy way out, giving in to the seduction of power over reason, retribution over forgiveness and understanding, and pride over humility. Some, motivated by ambition, and dangerously uninformed, seek to climb to power on the backs of those who work and contribute, but are forced to live in the shadows of society. It was wrong in the 60’s, and it remains wrong today.

Surely, there must be those in positions of power that have some vision and compassion. Our County can and should work together to find answers that help us embrace these new neighbors, and offer them an opportunity to live without fear. Those of us blessed with so much have a moral obligation to see to it. It is time for us to shape our own legacy here in Robertson County.

Whats next, internment camps?

2006-09-05T13:11:00.000-07:00

Seems Davidson County officials have decided upon yet another knee-jerk response to help them identify and deport "illegal immigrants." The tragedy caused by Gustavo Reyes was an apparent catalyst to this new program.
I'm wondering what Reye's legal status had to do with the fact that he drove around drunk and eventually killed two people? Seems he had been arrested for drunk driving at least 6 times, and had arrests for other violations as well. Why is nobody lamenting the fact that our court system failed us in this instance? Reyes should have been incarcerated long ago. Period. Now, Davidson County officials plan to train 10 of their offficers to enforce FEDERAL immigration law. Sort of. The article states that if an officer suspects that a person might be here illegally, they plan to ask him or her to either: A) produce documentation, or B) name their place of birth and where they went to High School. The article doesn't mention anything about that pesky law enforcement perequisite: probable cause. Or due process for that matter. Also, it clearly says that even after police bring a suspected illegal immigrant in, when they run his/her name through their database (another concern, who will ensure that the database is accurate and updated daily, and who pays for that?) if the person has a "immigration hold" or prior arrests, he/she is held until he/she is removed by ICE. Ok, what happens if they don't have an immigration hold, and no priors? This seems poorly thought out, and I suspect someone got a fat contract to provide police departments with a fancy new terminal and software package, paid for with Homeland Security funds....more as this develops.

Take the time to read this, please

2006-08-27T05:58:00.002-07:00

The article is too long to post here, but find 10 minutes or so today and read this. Jane Smiley is never shrill, and enjoys a reputation as a tireless researcher. Forget what you think you know about how we got to be nearly powerless pieces in a huge corporate shell game. Thom Hartman, another writer and novelist I respect, wrote an entire book about this same subject.

DLC called out

2006-08-14T05:41:00.000-07:00

(Image coutesy of www.radicalruss.net)

David Sirota nails it:

2006-07-19T06:01:00.000-07:00

ten things i hate about commandments

Exception to the rule...

2006-07-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, our local "newspaper" printed an LTE that I sent in calling out those that would seek to link criminal activity to undocumented workers by the use of "red herring" arguments. I awoke to find that a few of my fellow Tennesseans took issue with my position. Some made reasoned arguments, others, not so much. My favorite:

The point of our immigration laws is to keep people who don't belong here out. Third worlders don't belong in the United States. Like it or not, their I.Q.s, except for orientals, average 7 to 20 points below the average American white. Asking them to learn English and become productive participants in our society is too big a stretch. Asking them to be good drivers when they can't even understand the traffic laws and come from cultures with a propensity for heavy drinking, is also a stretch. Nearly 150 years after the civil war and over 30 years since affirmative action, blacks argue that they have not been fully assimilated into our society. Is it fair to blacks to further

burden the system by adding eleven to 20 million iummigrants? No.

Shunned by my peeps

2006-07-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

Just found out that some elitist type bloggers threw a bash and I didn't make the A-list. Swear to God, if I find out a certain editor of a certain "alternative" newspaper got me blackballed...I'll just wander over to the puddle and hug me some fawns till they drop stone dead.

If Phil had his way...

2006-05-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

Local Radio Host advocates shooting immigrants crossing the border in search of work. Normally, I dismiss the rantings of talk-radio "personalities" as empty, ignorant rhetoric. These modern day snake oil salesmen only worship ratings, and most of the time the pathetic game of one-upmanship leaves me cold and disinterested. The entire format is structured to appeal to the listener's fears and prejudices, get them nodding in agreement, then bombard these vulnerable souls with a massive advertising onslaught. Mattresses, mortgages, diamonds and diets are all hawked by these heartless blowhards, and they exist in every major city. However, last Thursday night, Phil Valentine was the host of a public town hall style meeting in Franklin, Tn. In the presence of at least two elected officials, he shouted out "SHOOT HIM" in response to a question about what to do with undocumented workers caught multiple times crossing our borders. Click here for audio.
Not only was Mr. Valentine"s poisonous remark alarming, but the laughter and cheers immediately following are positively chilling. Such is the effect of unregulated talk-radio, espescially coupled with the demise of the Fairness Doctrine. It was just last year that Daniel Schertz pleaded guilty to conspiracy in a plot to pipe bomb a bus carrying undocumented workers.
Recent brutal attacks in Utah and Texas may be part of a new wave of violent anti-immigrant activity, fueled at least in part by an unholy alliance of radio-jocks and white supremist groups. Honest, ethical debate is long gone in this country, the tactics employed by Talk Radio hosts are designed to camoflauge the fact that their positions are seldom supported by anything as trivial as, well, facts. Phil Valentine in particular likes to wrap his venom in Patriotism or Christianity, he is never shy about invoking either to cover his filthy monolouges. For example, a quote taken from his website says " a recent poll shows that most Mexicans hate America and Americans." I searched everywhere for a link to that supposed poll, or a footnote, anything, as I was curious who funded and conducted it. Also, his positions flip flop to suit the issue at hand. Again, an article on his website makes a passionate argument against any increase in minimum wage, stating, "there are too many jobs and too few people to fill them." Proponents of comprehensive immigration reform have repeatedly argued that it's not a question of American's unwillingness to do certain jobs, but that a better educated, aging population has left us with too few low skilled workers.
Since his remark was made last Thursday, I have been contacted by community leaders who are rightfully outraged by it, and moreso by the presence of certain elected officials whose silence amounts to tacit approval. Here's to hoping they make a collective effort to make these people account for irresponsible and dangerous statements...

Quote of the day...

2006-01-27T05:50:00.000-08:00

From the Huffington Post: "Inviting Tim Russert to keynote a conference on journalistic ethics is like having Jack Abramoff keynote a conference on lobbying reform."

I thought it might be fun to conjur up a few more on this topic...anyone?

2006-01-22T06:06:00.000-08:00

I just don't know what to think. Years ago, I was a Dennis Miller fan. I have seen his "Live from Washington" performance so many times, I think I could recite it word for word. It really made me laugh. His show, (on HBO) was great, and I may be the only person on the planet that enjoyed his brief acting career. Of course, I was disappointed by his sudden conservative shift. I still am. I watched his new comedy special last night, and it was easy to tell that he has little or nothing left. Most of the show wasn't funny. So, in this interview,
when he states that he is just a comedian, well he just confuses me. I think occum's razor applies here. I think Mr. Miller has aged, and grown conservative since he has much to protect. There is no more edginess in his comedy, in fact, last night's show felt a little like a tired sermon. Or, it could be that he has tried, unsuccesfully, to tap into a new audience by pandering to the fears of most conservative Americans. He took ridiculous positions on immgration (build a wall!) Global warming (the sun is hot, right?) and drilling in the Anwar.(you know you are never going to Alaska) I just think he is out of original material. A personal note to Dennis...If you ARE going to pander to uninformed, semi-illiterate audiences, you may have to change your whole routine. The obscure cultural and historical references that set you apart from other comedians is lost on this crowd...trust me.

2006-01-19T07:12:00.000-08:00

I had this whole "New Beginnings" theme running around in my head to kick off the revival of this crappy blog, but instead, I opted for something that made me laugh. I do find myself looking at art more lately, and I have saved some stuff I found while belly-boarding the web. (I never could surf) Anyway, a friend recently sent an email titled "Catharsis", which was funny because that's what I have decided blogging is really about. I'm sure a friend or two will wander by and occasionally leave a comment, and that's cool, but I think just the act of sitting and banging out an idea is in many ways healing. So, expect all manner of random crap in here, and if something strikes home, leave a note on the door. For now, I think I would like to call attention to my friend's newest adventure.
He was foolish enough to invite me to contribute, and I am mulling it over, cuz I'm certain I will offend at least as many as I reach....but there's great reading in there. Be well.

Mack