McCain/Palin: Barack Obama Is the Man Who Never Was

Way back when Barack Obama decided to become a national icon of post-racial politics and the agent of change, he no longer was seen publicly with the people from the Chicago Wards who helped get him elected to the Illinois Senate and the U.S. Senate. I commented on this fact in a blog that I was once a contributor - Illinoize. I stopped writing for that local blog during the goofy and failed BIG BOX Ordinance idiocy orchestrated by SEIU ( one of Obama's crucial political organizations). I criticized SEIU for masquerading as a labor union and noted the willingness of the already co-opted Media in playing dress up for that redistribution of wealth agenda.

Obama became a figure. I vote for a person and I hitched my vote to John McCain who happened to be a Republican. All of Obama's wardrobe has been designed and cut by Progressives and that is why Obama is never seen with Ward level Democratic volunteers or leaders. He is post-political -doncha know? The very people who Obama sneered at in San Francisco ( working class people Catholics, Jews, and Protestants) helped bring him to elected office. Obama needed the Chicago Democratic Ward level help -in that case the Machine helped Obama more than he helped the Chicago Machine. The goofs who did McCain's Chicago Ad should have spent a little time with a Chicagoan. Not that he'd say anything - 'I don' know nuttin' see! Dis Canary don' sing, see?' So, the Mad Men did what most Chicago films do - background shots - and missed the true nature of the truth.

But, Obama became a Progressive clotheshorse and wore raiment of their cookie-cutter pose of a leader.

Today, Tony Blankley got to heart of Obama's problem - the Man is Not Genuine. He is like the Man Who Never Was from WWII.

The image of Barack Obama that the press has presented is not a fair approximation of the real man. They have consciously ignored whole years in his life, and showed a lack of curiosity about such gaps that bespeaks a lack of journalistic instinct. Thus, the public image of Mr. Obama is of a "Man who never was." I take that phrase from a 1956 movie about a real life WWII British intelligence operation to trick the Germans into thinking the Allies were going to invade Greece, rather than Italy, in 1943. Operation "Mincemeat" involved the acquisition of a human corpse dressed as a Maj. William Martin, R.M. and put into the sea near Spain. Attached to the corpse was a brief-case containing fake letters suggesting that the Allied attack would be against Sardinia and Greece.

To make the operation credible, British intelligence created a fictional life for the corpse — a letter from a lover, tickets to a London theater, all the details of a life — but not the actual life of the dead young man whose corpse was being used. So, too, the man the media has presented to the nation as Mr. Obama is not the real man.

Absolutely, Sir! Obama makes Hollywood look Genuine. Obama makes what passes for journalism these days look like the real deal. Obama's past and associations are guarded like weapons grade plutonium - unless of course in the former Soviet Union. The very people howling for Obama are not what one might consider Genuine -Bill Maher,The View, MSNBC, Pamela Sue Anderson, P-Diddy, Tony Rezko, Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, Keith Olbermann and Tom Hayden. Genuine clowns to be sure, but persons?

There is a genuine problem with Barcak Obama's will to be anything but Genuine and Tony Blankley says it better than anyone else.

The public image of Mr. Obama as an idealistic, post-race, post-partisan, well-spoken and honest young man with the wisdom and courage befitting a great national leader is a confection spun by a willing conspiracy of Mr. Obama, his publicist David Axelrod and most of the senior editors, producers and reporters of the national media.

Perhaps that is why the National Journal's respected correspondent Stuart Taylor has written that "the media can no longer be trusted to provide accurate and fair campaign reporting and analysis." That conspiracy has not only photo-shopped out all of Mr. Obama's imperfections (and dirtied up his opponent Mr. McCain's image), but it has put most of his questionable history down the memory hole.

The public will be voting based on the idealized image of the man who never was. If he wins, however, we will be governed by the sunken, cynical man Mr. Obama really is. One can only hope that the senior journalists will be judged as harshly for their professional misconduct as Wall Street's leaders currently are for their failings.

Tony Blankley is a syndicated columnist.

Click my post title for the full article!

Francis Boyle, University of Illinois Law: What Being A Gold Plated Jerk is All About

A circle does not get any better than the full 360 degrees ( I originally had 350 degrees -blind, cranky old jerk, Hickey! Yes, It does take one to know one and I stand in awe of Francis!) and Francis Boyle, Law Professor of University of Illinois completes the empirical proof necessary to fully explain the nature of being a jerk*

Francis Boyle is trolling for work as Iran's mouthpiece in seeking damages against America, Great Britain and, of course, Israel. Francis hates St. Paddy's Day pub crawls and once sought to outlaw them in Urbana.

07/29/2008 05:52 PM ID: 72353
US Law Professor Reportedly Offers to Represent Iran in Lawsuit Against the United States Over Sanctions
Iran: According to local broadcaster Press TV law professor Francis Boyle from the University of Illinois has suggested Iran sue the US in the International Court of Justice over sanctions stemming from the country's nuclear program.

The United States has threatened further sanctions unless Iran suspends it's nuclear enrichment. Boyle, an international law expert, has even offered to represent Iran, saying that the action would discourage further sanctions or military attacks.

"...Iran should sue these states immediately, convene an emergency hearing by the World Court, and ask the court to indicate provisional measures of protection on behalf of Iran against the United States, Israel and the EU-3," said Boyle.

Source: www.upi.com

As my Irish cousins would say, Chupa me, pendejo!" Y Que Pendejo!!! Oy! Chupa me, pendejo!" Talk Laugh! That lad's a right bollix enough!


When it seemed that academic jerks like Billy 'The Rich Insulated Domestic Terrorist' Ayers and Ward Churchill raised the bar on jerks, Francis Boyle trots out to the international competitive pits and sails over the parallel goal!

The University of Illinois is a tax-payer funded university with a Board of Trustees that hired not only Ayers ( U of I Chicago) but Francis the Persian Mouthpiece!

Chief Illiniwek took up much of their time.

Several years ago a nice little book( Workforce Management’s editor, John Hollon) explained exactly why jerks rule and universities and corporations have warts go away quicker than jerks:

1) The jerk has specialized skills: This is by far the most recurring theme to rationalize keeping jerks in your company. This theory suggests the knowledge, skills and abilities held by the jerk can’t be replaced in the marketplace. You’ll rarely hear this rationalization about accounting, HR or marketing professionals (since these skills transfer easily across industries), but you’ll hear it constantly when it comes to technical competencies in areas like engineering, product development and programming. Additionally, the more specialized and niche-oriented your line of business, the more you’ll hear this reason for keeping a jerk around.

2) The jerk is a knowledge hoarder: Also known as the "hostage taker" among my circle of HR friends. In this scenario, the company is unwilling to move on a jerk because he has managed to become the only person working on a specific project or product within a given area for the past 12 to 36 months. As a result of this hostage situation, the managers evaluating the situation are not only unwilling to move the jerk out, but they are also unwilling to start cross-training others in the area for fear of upsetting the jerk in question.

3) The jerk owns our most important customers: A specialized form of the knowledge hoarder, this "customer hoarder" has been allowed over time to carve out a position as the sole individual responsible for talking to your customers, often the most important ones. Most commonly seen in sales and support functions, the managers at your company will often avoid confrontation with this flavor of jerk so they can make it through the next month or quarter.

4) The jerk has friends in high places: Nothing stops managers from removing a jerk from your company quicker than this assumption or rumor. Often part of the informal grapevine, yet rarely verified, this scenario assumes that the jerk used to work for or with a ranking officer at your company. The reality is these relationships are usually loose at best, and if the ranking officer understood the impact of the jerk-like behavior, he or she would green-light a termination quickly.

5) HR won’t let me fire the jerk: Yes, I said it. You may be part of the problem. This is the reason you don’t hear much about (because it is about you, HR people), but you can rest assured the blame is being laid at your feet—probably right now. Get out of the way! Approve the termination request and don’t ask for the paper trail. If you have to have a paper trail, have a professional-conduct policy with teeth, and insist on moving the jerk to a final warning the first time he acts like a jerk, and terminate him the second time it happens—even for the little stuff related to jerk behavior.

6) The jerk is much better at confrontation than I am: Confrontation is never easy. This is especially true with someone like a jerk, who actually thrives on confrontation. As you work though the other reasons to keep a jerk around that I’ve included on this list, keep in mind that confrontation is also an issue in the manager’s mind. What can you do? Simple: Partner with the manager to work though the other issues, and when the manager arrives at the conclusion that now is the time to move the jerk out of the company, be a partner. Make it easy, reinforce the decision, be part of the termination conference—whatever it takes to move forward.

Here’s why you have to go through this exercise, as painful as it may be. A seat at the table requires HR people to engage in the age-old debate about results and their associated costs. Before you mobilize against a jerk, make sure you know which item from the list above is the stated business reason for keeping him or her around.

It's not enough to simply identify the jerk and cite The No Asshole Rule, no matter how true the premise is. You’ll have to be a business partner and find a way to help address the concern, real or imagined, that has been stopping the jerk’s removal. Skip this step, and you risk the boomerang effect that ends up with you being hurt professionally because you weren’t prepared.

So put on your helmet and get in the game. But be prepared for contact early and often.

Yep, jerks often tend to make folly a self-directed enterprise that collects collateral damage - wives, kids, friends, colleagues and such - but Francis has gone positively universal! I'll disappoint my family and friends with the best of them, but I do shrink from betraying my country. I am a rank amateur.


Francis! You stand alone, Son! Enjoy the view!




*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asshole

John McCain: Meeks Shall Inherit the Earth - Education as a Redistribution of Wealth Scam

Rev. Senator Meeks of Illinois plans to bus thousands of truant CPS students* to Winnetka's New Trier School District and enroll them in the affluent northern suburb.

Given the cost of gassing up the buses need to take his expected 'thousands of children,' Rev./Senator Meeks is going on the hip in a huge way to bring focus on what he believes to be a two-tiered funding inequity in how education dollars are spent.**

New Trier spends $ 17,000 per student and CPS spends $ 10,000 per student, according to a piece in Salon.

Meeks said he expects several thousand Chicago students to travel in a caravan of buses to New Trier Township High School in the leafy, North Shore suburb of Winnetka, where they will attempt to enroll.

State statistics indicate that the New Trier district spends around $17,000 annually on each of its students compared to the roughly $10,000 a year spent for each student in Chicago public schools.

"We, as a civilized people, can't do it this way," Meeks said. "We're doing irreparable harm to hundreds of thousands of kids."

A civilized solution, Rev./Senator Meeks, is school choice. You oppose School Choice.

School Choice would give your constituents and all Illinois families the choice of where to send their children.

It will save you thousands of needed dollars wasted gassing buses, feeding the children, providing chaperons, security to protect the children up there in Winnetka.

Keep it real, Rev./Senator! Get behind School Choice. End this social justice issue.

John McCain is all about School Choice.

Rev./Senator Meeks will not get behind School Choice. He and Senator Obama are behind a redistribution of wealth strategy for education - noted in the Salon article. The Annenberg Challenge's Billy Ayers is the true craftsman of this 'education reform' dodge. Senator Obama, Rev. Senator Meeks Senate colleague, was the first Chairman of the Chicago Challenge. Redistribution of wealth is at the core of this scam and itr has nothing to do with the safety of children or reforming education.

Overhauling how public schools are funded in Illinois has been hotly debated for years — but to little avail. Critics want the state to move away from a system where money for local schools derives largely from local property taxes, saying the status quo results in vastly better funding of schools in property-rich neighborhoods.

That is socialism, Rev./Senator, not social justice. Keeping it Real.

* Rev./Senator Meeks is calling on CPS students to skip school and go on his field trip.

** Who is springing for the trump to take the kids to Winnetka? Will they be ticketed as truant?

Code Stupid Part-VII - Easter Attack Was Only a Test

Here is a salient point concerning future acts of terror by the Network that the Chicago Tribune's Stacey St. Clair told me in a phone conversation 'that we have no interest at this time in pursuing' -


The Chicago Police Department is getting tired. And the people of Chicago are taking notice of the growing effectiveness of anti-war actions. This effectiveness is contributing to citywide movements to pass legislation in the city that states the city will oppose a preemptive attack on Iran. It is fueling desires for more leaders to be outspoken on the war in Iraq.

The Network that planned and executed the terror attack on worshippers at Holy Name Cathedral this past Easter Sunday continues its war on America.

International Solidarity Movement - Kevin Clark ISM's Chicago Director is head of the effort - it seems. Kevin Clark was intrumental in getting people killed in Gaza in 2003.

Here is the full press statement by their spokeman - aniother Kevin:

March 24, 2008

Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War Disrupt Easter Mass

By Kevin Gosztola


At this moment, updates on the action are coming in regularly. The latest is that, according to one of the defendant's lawyers, at least one of the activists is being spat upon by the guards. Guards are also encouraging other inmates to "mess with" and abuse the defendant. As soon as enough funds can be raised, the activist being spat on will be the next activist bailed out of jail.

Those conducting jail solidarity for the activists are asking that people from the Chicagoland area willing to help bail the activists out of jail monetarily contact Tim Salemme at (773) 759 - 8399 to arrange a donation or email holyname6@riseup.net.

Now for those unaware of what started all of this or how several members of the antiwar movement in Chicago became involved in a battle to bail activists out of jail so they are not abused or "messed with", the story is as follows.

Six members of the anti-war group "Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War" staged a dramatic die-in on Sunday during the 11 AM Easter mass at Holy Name Cathedral. The group, in addition to calling for an immediate end to the illegal and immoral war in Iraq, decried Cardinal George's January 7th meeting with Chicago's Mayor Daley and President Bush.

Holy Name Cathedral is Chicago's largest parish and one where Chicago's most prominent Catholic citizens attend. The protesters knew these people would be in attendance and knew that press, which usually extensively cover the services, would be present when the "die-in" was conducted.


Easter services at Holy Name are traditionally one of the most heavily attended masses of the year, and this mass was no exception, with people packed wall to wall for today’s Easter morning holiday service.
The group of young activists, dressed in their Easter best, sat through the 11AM mass until George reached the homily. A few seconds into the cardinal’s main holiday message, the protesters rose from their seats, turned to address the thousands of parishioners in the auditorium, and talked about the continuing death of both Iraqis and Americans in Iraq as the war enters its sixth year.


The protesters then laid down in the aisles and discharged packets of fake blood that covered them in red. Stunned ushers rushed in after a moment or two to try to remove the protesters, and also brought in some Chicago police officers who were stationed in the lobby to help with traffic control for the overflow crowd. The protesters did NOT resist arrest, agreeing to stand up and walk out of the auditorium, where they were subsequently arrested by cops outside.
During a ten minute wait for the police to show up, the activists conducted a series of media interviews with local television outlets. When the police arrived, the cuffed protesters were loaded and taken to an area police station.

On Monday, the activists attended a hearing. The details, which happen to be posted in the comments section of this article, show just how hard the system is working to make an example of these activists.


(The) hearing was in regards to charges of felony defacement of property
at a place of worship in excess of $300; that makes the charge a Class III
felony. The fake blood allegedly used in the action stained the
auditorium's carpet and 14 chairs, incurring a $400 cleaning bill.
According to the prosecuting attorney, the cleaning failed and the carpet
will need to be replaced at a cost of $3000. Special conditions have been
set for all the arrestees which prevent them from having any contact with
Cardinal George, Holy Name Cathedral, or the area of 735 N. State Street.

The bond for Ephran, Regan, Mercedes, Ryane, and Angela is set at $25,000
each. Donte's bond is set at $35,000. In order to be bailed out, each
arrestee needs to post 10% of their bond. All told, we need to raise
$16,000.

All arrestees are scheduled to appear in court at Branch 42 on March 31st.

The six activists were put back in jail and people began mobilizing to get these young patriots out of jail. After all, as many will attest to, it was a nonviolent direct action. Being disruptive was the point and making a point, which they did, was also the plan. That this action was effective and that it has produced this editorial from Kathy Kelly (which can be found in the comments section) is a testament of how great of an action it was.

Dear Editors,

The six activists who raised their voices, during Cardinal George's Easter homily in Holy Name Cathedral, recalled suffering and carnage caused by the war in Iraq. They screamed. They poured "stage blood." They fell to the floor.

Under U.S. occupation, and as a result of U.S. economic sanctions and military war waged since 1991, Iraqis have seen horrific bombings outside and within their worship places, along with the physical and social destruction of their country. Iraqis have endured mass killing, kidnappings, torture, incarcerations without cause, and an almost complete breakdown of vital infrastructure services including electricity, sewage treatment, and health care delivery.


Take Action Now --- Call Cardinal George and demand charges are dropped: 312-751-8230 and submit letters of support to the local newspaper, Chicago Tribune

In the U.S. and in Iraq, arms ache for loved ones who will never return. Yet many of us may feel numb, even forgetful, regarding the terrible cost of this war. The Easter Sunday action at the cathedral gave us an opportunity to remember that we are a nation at war and to consider ways to follow Jesus' teachings, --to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, heal the sick, love our enemies and bless the peacemakers.

Many thanks to the courageous folks who participated in the action at the Cathedral on Easter calling the church to take a real stand against the war, not just give it lip service.

This was an action that was a gift to the peace movement. It was something to help it reenergize and reform the events the movement plans. (Some peace groups are still planning events as follow-ups to the recruitment center actions in Berkeley which occurred at the end of January and in the beginning of February. They were desperate for something new to happen that they could respond to.)

This action called into question Cardinal George (who still sees George W. Bush as a person worth holding meetings with even though he has shown no sign of being willing to repent for his sins involving the people of Iraq and the people of America) and the Catholic establishment of Chicago.

Cardinal George is cited as saying (this too can be found in the comments section) after the protesters were dragged out of the church by security:


"And so should we all, call for peace. Peace, is of course, the salutation that the risen Lord brings to those whom he has called to witness to Him. Peace, I give you, because they were afraid, and therefore they need to be gifted peace."

"They were afraid, first of all, of Him, because they didn't recognize him at first. But, they were afraid also, as we all are, of our sinfulness and of the enormous difficulties that are incumbent upon working for peace in the world in different ways in which people see the need to work for peace."

"In that witness, I think we can be grateful to those who interrupted this holiday."


Watch the video at
http://chicago.indymedia.org/media/all/display/29168/index.php

And so, it would appear that the peace movement got Cardinal George to rhetorically show he supports these activists in some way. In fact, he has taken an odd stance against the Catholic activists saying something like he does not support them because they disrupted worship but had they not disrupted worship, he would be on their side 100%.

In the context of the fifth anniversary, this is a stunning and unexpected action that took place.

Chicago's peace activists were out in full force in March 19th's permitted march held at night through the city after a rally in downtown Chicago. The peace movement did not quit after the permitted march was over and police were led willy nilly around the city as primarily young activists marched down the sidewalk back towards downtown from the spot where the permitted march ended. The event ended at the ABC7 Chicago news station where activists disrupted business as usual for the ABC News team by making the point that they were partly responsible for the continuation of this Iraq war.

The following day, March 20th, a slew of creative actions occurred. From Chicago Indymedia, this gives you an idea of what the Chicago Police Department had to deal with before arresting the Holy Name 6:

The first action of the day came early in a typically briskly cold Chicago morning during rush hour, as five people hurled a banner that read, “We Heard You Malachi,” at the Millennium Flame near the Kennedy Expressway. The banner was referencing the peace martyr Malachi Ritscher, who killed himself in a public suicide meant to express opposition to U.S. war policies in Iraq. Traffic police reportedly intervened to put a stop to the action in which no arrests were made.

About ninety minutes later, four people locked themselves arm-to-arm in front of local Congressman Rahm Emanuel’s (D-IL) office on Irving Park Road in opposition to his stance on Iraq. The Chicago-based groups the Christian Peacemaker Teams and Voices for Creative Nonviolence were reported as being behind the action whose participants were apparently all arrested. Around the same time, the northbound lines Lake Shore Drive were blockaded by a group with an unknown affiliation of about a dozen people, which according to corporate news accounts, reportedly resulted in a traffic accident.

By around 1:30pm in the afternoon, eight people at Federal Plaza stepped into the lobby of Federal Plaza requesting the presence of State Senators. Seven people kneeled down until they were arrested, including the likes of Voices in the Wilderness activist Kathy Kelly, one of the speakers and organizers of the permitted march on Wednesday. Kelly is a veteran activist who previously traveled to Iraq as one of the “human shields” and has been arrested within the U.S. on many prior occasions for past anti-war activism; as a result, Kelly may face jail time because of this latest arrest.

Other non-violent actions and small demonstrations, including a protest against Raytheon at the University of Illinois at Chicago and another one waged by Columbia College students against a recruiting station, were also held throughout the day.

Thursday’s actions in Chicago were part of a larger week of civil disobedience waged all across the country. One of the first acts of civil disobedience was undertaken against Chevron and Iraq war policies by the U.S. last Saturday, where up to fifty protesters locked themselves together in front of an Chevron-owned oil refinery in Redmond, California. In downtown Washington D.C. on Wednesday, up to thirty people were arrested that blockaded an Internal Revenue Service building. Over two-dozen people were arrested in San Francisco on Wednesday as well, in the midst of a die-in that completely blocked Market street in the downtown area. Five protesters who staged a sit-in at a Federal building in Wooster, Massachusetts were also taken into custody by local police authorities and arrested on Wednesday.

The Chicago Police Department is getting tired. And the people of Chicago are taking notice of the growing effectiveness of anti-war actions. This effectiveness is contributing to citywide movements to pass legislation in the city that states the city will oppose a preemptive attack on Iran. It is fueling desires for more leaders to be outspoken on the war in Iraq.

Take Action Now --- Call Cardinal George and demand charges are dropped: 312-751-8230 and submit letters of support to the local newspaper, Chicago Tribune

With the 4,000th casualty, another church in the Chicago area held the second protest in two days (although this one was supported by the church leadership). On a wall at St. James Episcopal Church in Chicago, 4,000 black squares, each inscribed with the name of a fallen soldier, were hung as a reminder of those Americans who have been lost in this war.

Says Michael McConnell of the American Friends Service Committee:

"I think we're at the place where the war is becoming very frustrating to many in our society and that we're going to see escalating actions of non-violence because this war has gone on for too long."
The people are tired of waiting for the media and the politicians to take the necessary steps to preserve what's left of this democracy and begin repairing it so future generations of Americans can have a future. They see how we have let a recidivist war criminal run this nation and its principles into the ground and see how the media has been complicit by refusing to cover real news, which is news that is necessary for Americans to preserve their freedom and democracy.

And the people aren't waiting for November to possibly see this war ended maybe by a candidate that gave an antiwar speech in 2002. They are interrupting Easter masses and shutting down businesses that are supporting operations in Iraq because they know that the only way to end this war is to make business and life as usual impossible---so impossible that our leaders respond by immediately withdrawing troops from Iraq, issuing reparations to Iraqis, and giving our veterans all the benefits they were promised before being deployed.

Take Action Now --- Call Cardinal George and demand charges are dropped: 312-751-8230 and submit letters of support to the local newspaper, Chicago Tribune


United States Office of Homeland Security, Cook County States Attorney, Illinois Attorney General, Illinois Secretary of State, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weiss, Archdiocese of Chicago Law Office Take Action Now!

The Chicago News Media is not about to.

Code Stupid, Part VI: Snow Runs Off The Committed Mopes from Last Night's Action at Cardinal's Residence

My Godson, Bart, questioned the choice of 'domestic terrorist' in describing the violent assault on worshippers this past Sunday at the Easter Mass of Holy Name Cathedral by The Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War. Bart is a wonderful and thoughtful young man. Yep, domestic terrorist works here. Any act of violence perpetrated upon persons with no direct involvment in policy, strategy, or tactical involvement in any conflict is an act of terror. Bart thought that I have been watching too much Fox Cable News - Bill-O, Hannity, and that crew - the guys that Hate McCain. Not so, young nephew. I watch only local news NBC Channel 5, because the only news person with any brains or integrity is Mary Ann Ahern. But for comic relief, I tune in to the clown opera at MSNBC - The Tool Shed. MSNBC has more Tools on hand than the Sears Hardware Outlet on 111th Street.

Yesterday, the network sent out a press release calling for an 'Action' at Cardinal George's residence.

Didn't happen - the snow covered the commitment. 'These are Times that Try Men's Souls' and snow and Chicago wind off of LaSalle Drive and State parkway is tough on the timid.

Here is a report on the activities of the radical network that sparked the Easter Guerrilla Theatre:

First, we should examine the base element of the Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War and their supporters.

Catholic School Girls Against the War
The website for the Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice (which evidently hosts the group’s Internet presence) describes the group as:

“...a humorous, political street theatre group composed of college students and young adults.”

It is obvious to even the most intellectually challenged that the designation “street theatre group” is an attempt to inoculate their actions; an attempt to re-define any of their civil disobedience – criminal acts – as “theatre.”

As far as the “humorous” description goes, I suppose humor is in the eye of the beholder, although I don’t believe that any of the young children in attendance at Holy Name Cathedral, children who were frightened by the actions of this group – in their place of worship, a place that is meant to provide sanctuary, found the splattering of fake blood and shrieks of agenda-driven insolence “humorous.”

Illinois Coalition for Peace & Justice
In their Structure & Statement of Values, the Illinois Coalition for Peace & Justice, which is linked to the Progressive Democrats of America website, claims their organization:

“...models a just and peaceful society...[resolving] to use our work in the Illinois Coalition for Peace and Justice as a model of equal and supportive relationships in a peaceful and just society...”

The ICPJ is by definition an anti-war protest organization. Where they claim to act as a coordinating organization, they facilitate the activities of a number of activist groups, including the American Muslim Council, the Campus Anti-War Network and Code Pink, to name just three.

Interestingly, their Structure & Statement of Values declaration says they:

“...work in common for: alternatives to militarism, global community, lives of active nonviolence, human rights for all, preservation of the environment...”

By disrupting a religious service and, in the process, creating fear among children and angst among adults, it is hard to see how the ICPJ – through its member organization, the Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War – promoted any of these tenets and/or values, especially “global community,” “nonviolence” or “human rights.”

International Solidarity Movement
The organization that sent a representative to act as a “witness” for the protesters, the International Solidarity Movement, is an anti-war organization but only where the United States and the West are concerned. In fact, it can be argued that they are vehemently anti-Western and anti-American.

The International Solidarity Movement is, according to Discover the Networks,

“...a radical, anti-Israel organization that recruits Westerners to travel to Israel to obstruct Israeli security operations...[they justify] Palestinian terrorism against Israeli civilians...”

Though the organization claims to adhere to a commitment to non-violence, its members openly call for the "liberation of Palestinians by any means necessary...[including] legitimate armed struggle."

One of the groups officials, Hisham Jam Joun, a veteran of the Marxist-Leninist terror group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, led pro-Palestinian protests against the Israeli security barrier.

In 2003, two British nationals executed a suicide bombing in an Israeli bar that killed three people and wounded more than 50. In the course of their investigation into the bombing Israeli officials discovered that the bombers had met with International Solidarity Movement leaders just prior to carrying out the attack. This prompted the Israeli government to formally accuse the organization of maintaining ties to Palestinian terror entities. Said one IDF officer:

“...as far as we are concerned, ISM is not an international organization or a peace organization. It's a pro-Palestinian organization, set up by Palestinians, funded by Palestinians and linked to Palestinian terror."

In addition, the group continues to advocate for the release of Marwan Barghouti, a leader in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. Barghouti was convicted of committing acts of terrorism and with the murders of 26 people through the facilitation of several suicide bombing events that took place in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

To put it mildly, there is nothing peaceful about the International Solidarity Movement or their actions. The causes for which they advocate are about as far away from “humorous, political street theatre” as one can get.

The Question of Constitutional Rights
The violent, intolerant, hypocritical and narcissistic nature of these groups exposed, the facet of this story that is truly shocking is this: These intellectually stunted malcontents attempted to deny the people attending Catholic Mass at Holy Name Cathedral their constitutionally guaranteed right to practice their religion, yet charges to this affect are not being explored. Instead they are being charged with felony criminal damage to property and misdemeanor simple battery.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution specifically states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

This guarantee of non-intervention by government with regard to religion, speech and assembly has been interpreted over the years to provide for the sanctity of religious practice, the protection of free speech and the inviolability of peaceable assembly.

By interrupting a religious service on its most holy of days (the resurrection of Christ, signified by the celebration of Easter, is the most glorified event in the Catholic faith, not Christmas, which signifies the birth of Christ) the Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War denied the parishioners their constitutional right to freely practice religion, they denied Cardinal Francis George his constitutional right to freedom of speech and religious practice and both their right to peaceably assemble.

That federal authorities are not exploring the possibility of charging, not only the six malcontents from Catholic Schoolgirls Against the War but the leaders of both the Illinois Coalition for Peace & Justice and the International Solidarity Movement, with violating the constitutional rights of the Cardinal and the parishioners of Holy Name Cathedral is a testimony to how little value we place on our constitutional rights, how delinquent we are in understanding the ideology behind our constitutional rights and our apathy in defending them when they are attacked.

Ingenuous protest is one thing and it is perfectly acceptable, but anarchist indignance goes beyond anything that can be deemed acceptable. Charge them, prosecute them and make an example out of them.

by Frank Salvato

Frank Salvato is a political media consultant, a freelance writer from the Midwest and the Managing Editor for www.TheRant.us . He is a contributing writer to OpinionEditorials.com and AmericanDaily.com. He has appeared as a guest panelist on The O’Reilly Factor and his pieces are regularly featured in Townhall.com and occasionally featured in The Washington Times as well as other national publications.


http://www.opinioneditorials.com/guestcontributors/fsalvato_20080328.html

A young woman in New York, by the name of Katie O'Malley, offers this insight:

Once content to thump drums and dig deep for chants that rhyme, the “peace” movement’s foothold on the public soapbox has slipped. The peaceniks -- ANSWER, MoveOn.org, Code Pink and the rest -- are in the midst of very public identity crisis. They are facing, for the first time, visible and vocal opposition to both their words and their methods. And it has made them angry….very angry….angry enough to (pause for dramatic effect) use violence as an option!

As organizations have come together to face them in the streets (and have successfully released the left’s stranglehold on activism and the media) the lefties have revealed their inner violent streak to which they have always proclaimed an immunity.

We have certainly seen incidents of violence within the misnamed “peace” movement since its inception decades ago. These lovers of dialogue and group hugs have bombed buildings (just ask Obama’s “acquaintance” William Ayers of the Weather Underground), stormed institutions and screamed vile and evil comments to Vietnam Veterans, since they first began their activism. In Ayers memoir, “Fugitive Days,” he goes so far as to write, “I don’t regret setting bombs. I didn’t do enough.” At least he is honest about it. ( emphasis my own)
His disturbing perspective and the inherently un-peaceful legacy of the 1960s peace movement has been enthusiastically embraced by the newest generation, tutored by the aging hippies of yore.

A steady uptick in violence against the military has been unfolding in recent months. The recruiting station in Washington, DC at 14th & L, the site of a storming and trashing on February 15, received additional overtures of “peace” last week when rocks were thrown at the windows and the exterior of the building, DC Metro police and counter protestors there to support the recruiters, were covered in red paint lobbed at them. What happened to daisies? They don’t stain and they don’t hurt!

The Times Square recruiting station in New York was the site of a bombing on March 6. Recruiters in Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Texas and Tennessee have all been the recipients of this special kind of leftist love in the last 12 months, just to name a few. Counter protestors in Berkley have not received hugs and love, but instead have been shoved and hit with signs proclaiming “Give Peace a Chance.”

Katie O'Malley of New York

Click my post title for more of Katie O'Malley's thoughts.