Patriots Help Out Father of Fallen Marine

Albert Snyder, father of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, whose funeral was picketed by the Westboro Baptist "Church," lost his case in the Supreme Court, and will have to pay for legal costs, according to an article in ydr.com.

At the moment, Snyder owes $16,510.80 for the costs of appealing the case to the Fourth Circuit court of appeals. Attorneys for Westboro have filed for additional costs from the 2007 trial in U.S. District Court in Maryland. Those costs are about $100,000, Snyder's attorney, Sean Summers, said during a news conference Wednesday.

And Snyder could owe a tab for the Supreme Court filing, though that hasn't been levied yet, his attorney Craig Trebilcock said.

Supporters are lining up to help pay.

True friends coming out of the woodwork include people who donated to the defense fund via the Web site http://www.matthewsnyder.org/, Dr. Donald Gilliland, the country band Big and Rich, and Bill O'Reilly.

Wisconsin Union Protesters' Slime Trail Has Lead in It!

RadioViceOnline says that union protesters caused $7.5 million worth of damage to the Wisconsin state capitol.

Authorities found dozens of rounds of live ammunition outside the state Capitol building in Madison, Wis., where protesters have gathered to rally against the governor’s budget repair bill.

Dane County Sheriff’s deputies discovered 11 rounds near the State Street entrance to the building early Thursday, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

Officials also found 29 rounds near the King Street entrance and one round near the North Hamilton Street entrance.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Chief Susan Riseling said the bullets were 22-caliber long rifle hollow points.

Officers conducted a sweep the grassy areas and bushes outside the Capitol, and Department of Administration lawyer Steven Means asked that the Capitol be cleared for a security check, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

As Chris Matthews asks nearly every night on “Hardball”, what is it with the right and their guns? Oh wait, it wasn’t the right. Hey maybe this is some kinda of plot by the left to call for further gun control? Maybe this is how they will say how dangerous it is for people to own guns? Maybe it was as I stated, a calling card. I shudder to think these rounds were intended for Republicans. But then … after listening to the rhetoric (You’re F***ing dead), who knows.

UPDATE1: WisPolitics.com reports that the $7.5 million damage estimate may be higher than the actual amount needed to restore the state capitol building. The same source mentions that union volunteers are offering to clean up the damage. What about the slime trail? We don't have an answer to that yet.

UPDATE2: Glenn Beck's The Blaze reports that Wisconsin Tea Party supporters are organizing a cleanup "flash mob" on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

Cenk Uygur Channels Unborn "Non-Persons!"

This NewsBusters snippet pays a visit to the Twilight Zone:

Wouldn't blame you for doubting this, so fantastical is the proposition. But Cenk Uygur has claimed that given the chance, unborn babies would oppose restrictions on their mothers' right to abort them.

CENK UYGUR: By all accounts, the fetus will be the youngest ever to testify. That's because he or she is not really testifying, because he or she is not really a person yet. In fact, at that point, we don't even know whether he or she is a he or she. You know what else hasn't formed at that point? Their mouth. Making it a little hard to testify. But goofball Republicans have wheeled in a woman, done an ultrasound, and listened to the heartbeat of the fetus in the womb.

If the bill is enacted, it would be the first, I'm sorry, it would be the most restrictive abortion law in the country. Now, we reached out to the fetus to see if he or she wanted to come on the show, but it did not say anything, because it does not have a mouth. But if it could talk, I'm pretty sure it would say, could you please get out of my mother's uterus.

Thought for the Day

[click cartoon to enlarge]

Find more choice editorial cartoons at "Al Poxalips" and "Republican Attack Machine."

To the Shores of Tripoli (Part 2)

FOX News reports that the U.S. Navy is sending 2 ships and 1200 Marines "to perform evacuations and humanitarian relief" in Libya. Ever since the rebellion against Muammar Gaddafi began, over 140,000 foreign workers and others have fled the country, paralyzing the oil industry. For some unaccountable reason, the article shows one Iranian warship sailing through the Suez Canal on the way to Syria.

When Confronted, Attorney General Holder Asserts His Right to Be Offended

Glenn Beck's The Blaze describes what Eric Holder told a House Appropriations subcommittee:

Continuing to face down questions as to why the U.S. Justice Department went easy on prosecuting members of the New Black Panther Party who stood armed with nightsticks outside a Philadelphia polling location during the 2008 presidential election, Attorney General Eric Holder expressed his personal frustration over the criticism that race played a role.

During a hearing of a House Appropriations subcommittee Tuesday, Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas, accused Holder’s DOJ of failing to cooperate with a Civil Rights Commission investigation into the decision to dismiss the case. Holder seemed to take personal offense when Culberson read comments from former Democratic activist Bartle Bull condemning the decision as the most serious act of voter intimidation he had witnessed during his career.

“Think about that,” Holder fired back. “When you compare what people endured in the South in the 60s to try to get the right to vote for African Americans, to compare what people subjected to that with what happened in Philadelphia, which was inappropriate….to describe it in those terms I think does a great disservice to people who put their lives on the line for my people,” said Holder, an African American....

He Who Was Demonized Speaks Out

Charles G. Koch answers his critics on the Wall Street Journal:

"...For many years, I, my family and our company have contributed to a variety of intellectual and political causes working to solve these problems. Because of our activism, we've been vilified by various groups. Despite this criticism, we're determined to keep contributing and standing up for those politicians, like Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who are taking these challenges seriously.

"Both Democrats and Republicans have done a poor job of managing our finances. They've raised debt ceilings, floated bond issues, and delayed tough decisions...."

Is There a Way Out of the Mess in Wisconsin?

American Thinker has an op-ed piece by Cliff Thier offering 2 possible solutions to the stalemate in the Wisconsin state government.

The Movie Award Few Bother to Collect

To the surprise of no one, "The Last Airbender" swept yesterday's Razzie Awards with 5, according to MSNBC. "Sex and the City 2" took 3 awards, and Ashton Kutcher was picked as worst actor for "Killers" and "Valentine's Day."

Policemen, Firefighters Go Over to the Dark Side in Madison, WI

Glenn Beck's The Blaze has a disturbing report of off-duty police and fire personnel joining the substance-fueled protest at the Wisconsin state capitol.

The Green Bay Press-Gazette reports:

Hundreds of off-duty police officers and deputies joined protests today against Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill that would strip most collective bargaining powers from about 170,000 public employees....

EDITORIAL NOTE: Although policemen and firefighters are exempted from Gov. Walker's proposed legislation, it appears they fear that if what they perceive as "union-busting techniques" prevail, they will be targeted next.

Text of Proposed Senate Resolution

EDITORIAL NOTE: This may be just a set of words, and the Senate hasn't passed it yet, but, as they say, words have power.

Proposed Senate Resolution calls for “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day”

Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) last week sponsored a resolution designating March 30 as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” The proposed resolution S.RES. 55, presently has 5 cosponsors. It states and resolves that the Senate:

(1) honors and recognizes the contributions of veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces in Vietnam during war and during peace;

(2) encourages States and local governments to also establish `Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day'; and

(3) encourages the people of the United States to observe `Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day' with appropriate ceremonies and activities that:
(A) provide the appreciation Vietnam War veterans deserve, but did not receive upon returning home from the war;
(B) demonstrate the resolve that never again shall the Nation disregard and denigrate a generation of veterans;
(C) promote awareness of the faithful service and contributions of such veterans during their military service as well as to their communities since returning home;
(D) promote awareness of the importance of entire communities empowering veterans and the families of veterans to readjust to civilian life after military service; and
(E) promote opportunities for such veterans to assist younger veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in rehabilitation from wounds, both seen and unseen, and to support the reintegration of younger veterans into civilian life.

Source: TREA (The Retired Enlisted Association) Washington Update

Three Cartoons = 3,000-Word Blog Post

Still in the Fight: America's Most Wounded Soldier Refuses to Quit

Capt D.J. Skelton (left) with his first sergeant, Sgt 1st Class James O. Bishop at the Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA.

The Daily Mail (U.K.) has run a story about Capt. D.J. Skelton, who was nearly killed by an RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004.

Since then he has endured 60 surgeries, wears a glass eye and a prosthetic for the roof of his mouth, and has only partial use of his left arm and left ankle. Instead of asking to be medically retired, he learned Chinese Mandarin, graduated from West Point, and personally body-pierced the women's soccer team. Now he is eager to rejoin his unit (the 2nd Stryker Cavalry) in a few months.

"The body is resilient. The body is amazing," Capt Skelton said. "I can either dwell on what happened and be miserable and pissy and complain or I can look at what I do have left and figure out how to make the most of my new life... how to make what I have work while always looking for creative ways to make up the difference."

Is Muammar Gaddafi Losin' It?

The Drudge Report has been running all kinds of strange news out of Libya, which is in a state of civil war. Gaddafi has found a scapegoat for his woes: Osama bin Laden! He claims that the protesters have been drinking Nescafe spiked with hallucinogenic drugs. We know that other cities have joined Benghazi in breaking away from his regime, supported by members of the Libyan military who refuse to fire on their fellow countrymen and brother/sister Muslims, so Gaddafi has been relying on Chadian and other mercenaries to fight for him. Meanwhile, foreign affairs analyst Nile Gardiner condemns the Obama administration for not even bothering to vote "present."

More Evidence of the Media's Fixation on Race

This story ran on ABC News:

At 17 months, Triniti and Ghabriael are chubby-cheeked twins, born 11 weeks early at three pounds each and now healthy and a joy to their parents.

But when their mother, Khristi Cunningham of Akron, Ohio, takes them in public, the babies get a lot of second looks and questions.

Triniti has ebony-colored skin and all the classic dark features of an African American, but "Gabe," as his parents call him, is ivory-white with steely blue eyes and blond hair. He's now 10 pounds heavier than his sister, but it's their racial identity that gets people scratching their heads....

EDITORIAL NOTE: This can happen in any mixed-race marriage, but black-and-white siblings, for some reason, receive the most attention.

A Heartwarming Story of a Soldier Who Refused to Quit

"Extreme Makeover Home Edition" has built a new home - and arranged a wedding - for SSG Patrick Zeigler, who nearly lost his life during the Fort Hood massacre. His fiancée, Jessica Hansen, loyally stood by his side and gave him a powerful incentive to keep fighting each step of the way on the road to recovery. She maintains a blog: "Turning Tragedy Into a Love Story: Patrick & Jessica."

Nine Candidates for Mayor of Colorado Springs Hold a Public Debate

First group of 5 candidates

Candidate Mitch Christiansen, recovering from a bout with pneumonia

Second group of candidates

The 9 candidates for what could be one of the most important elections in the history of our city, answered some tough questions on a variety of topics ranging from the SDS (Southern Delivery System) to the fate of Memorial Hospital. The people of Colorado Springs voted to institute a full-time strong mayor system, so whoever gets elected will be setting precedents and writing a new chapter in our history.

The Colorado Springs Gazette ran a summary of the debate. News First 5 (KOAA-TV) recorded the proceedings for later rebroadcast.

All but one of the candidates have set up Web sites for you to find out where they stand on the issues. We encourage you to visit all of the following links:

Steve Bach [commercial real estate broker] - http://www.stevebachmayor.com/

Brian Bahr [owner of Challenger Homes] - http://springsmayor.com/

Mitch Christiansen [general contractor, real estate broker, and consultant] - Withdrew his candidacy on 16 March and endorsed Steve Bach.

Kenneth Duncan [“recently laid off”] - http://home.comcast.net/~kpduncan/site/

Tom Gallagher [city council member] - http://www.springsgov.com/Members.aspx?MemberID=25

Buddy Gilmore [CEO of Shape Technologies] – http://gilmoreforcoloradosprings.org/

Phil McDonald [owner of the Uniform Shop] - Withdrew his candidacy on 9 March 2011 and threw his support to Steve Bach.

Dave Munger [retired educator and small business owner/volunteer] - http://www.mungerformayor.com/home

Richard Skorman [independent businessman, former city councilman and vice mayor] - http://skorman4mayor.com/#1

Another Case of Anti-Military Bias at Columbia University

Once again universities betray themselves as one of the last refuges of bigotry in American society, according to this New York Post article.

Columbia University students heckled a war hero during a town-hall meeting on whether ROTC should be allowed back on campus.

"Racist!" some students yelled at Anthony Maschek, a Columbia freshman and former Army staff sergeant awarded the Purple Heart after being shot 11 times in a firefight in northern Iraq in February 2008. Others hissed and booed the veteran.

Maschek, 28, had bravely stepped up to the mike Tuesday at the meeting to issue an impassioned challenge to fellow students on their perceptions of the military.

"It doesn't matter how you feel about the war. It doesn't matter how you feel about fighting," said Maschek. "There are bad men out there plotting to kill you."

Several students laughed and jeered the Idaho native, a 10th Mountain Division infantryman who spent two years at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington recovering from grievous wounds.

Maschek, who is studying economics, miraculously survived the insurgent attack in Kirkuk. In the hail of gunfire, he broke both legs and suffered wounds to his abdomen, arm and chest.

An op-ed piece in Washington Times points out that this long-standing anti-military policy was never about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" or anything else connected with the armed services.

What's Good Enough for You Ain't Good Enough for Me

Check out this Washington Times article to see how much confidence public school teachers have in their own system. Here's a list of major cities and the percentage of teachers who send their children to private schools:

Philadelphia - 44%
Cincinnati - 41%
Chicago - 39%
Rochester NY - 38%
Baltimore - 35%
San Francisco/Oakland - 34%
New York City/NJ Suburbs - 33%
Milwaukee/New Orleans - 29%
Washington DC - 28%

Both the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers refused to comment on the study that yielded these statistics.

“Across the states, 12.2 percent of all families — urban, rural and suburban — send their children to private schools,” says the report, based on 2000 census data.

Muslim Cleric Planning White House Protest

There's a FOX News story about Anjem Choudary, who once said “the flag of Islam will fly over the White House.” The cause he has been pushing is to impose Sharia law over the United States.

John Hawkins at Right Wing News says "Bring 'em on!"