www.DemocraticFundamentalism.org - News in Review

With that, let's get into the news...

As always, let me first welcome those of you linking in from other websites or through email. On this site, democraticfundamentalism.org gives links to complete news stories on other websites in order to give you access to the full information you'll probably want to read. Just go to democraticfundamentalism.org and the News in Review, and select the text version of today's report, and you'll find all the links to the stories that will give you more background on what I'm going to talk about this time.

And of course, as I always say, you don't have to take my word for anything.. I don't have to make this stuff up.

First, I have to say how disappointed I was last night... it's one of the few times you'll ever catch me complaining about it raining in the rain forest... but I wasn't able to see the Leonid shower... but I'll definitely get some of the view of the eclipse tonight... I was just thinking of how I don't know much about astronomy. But there's something about the big dipper. Maybe one day I'll explain that.

Nonetheless.. back on planet earth... I heard someone say that unraveling the divisions caused by fundamentalist religious groups and reconciling them while upholding the separation of church and state would be a complex problem.. and it is... but the answer is not in persuading anyone about anything.. the answer is in education: giving people objective information, and empowering them to know the difference between fact and those clever, deceptive explanations. To respect and acknowledge the difference between right and wong.

Dateline Alabama:

Alabama told to remove Ten Commandments AP & CNN

MONTGOMERY, Alabama (AP) -- A Ten Commandments monument in the rotunda of Alabama's judicial building violates the constitution's ban on government promotion of religion, a federal judge ruled Monday.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson gave Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who had had the 5,300-pound granite monument installed in the state building, 30 days to remove it.

Moore testified during the trial that the commandments are the moral foundation of American law. He said the monument acknowledges God, but does not force anyone to follow his conservative Christian religious beliefs.

A lawsuit seeking removal of the monument argued that it promoted the judge's faith in violation of the constitution's ban on government establishment of religion.

"This is a question of whether the politically powerful can impose their views on others," Southern Poverty Law Center attorney Danielle Lipow argued during the trial before Thompson.

Moore testified he decided to locate a monument to the Ten Commandments in the building shortly after he was elected chief justice in November 2000.

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This story is a combination a number of unfortunate ironies and worrisome attributes... to begin with, this judge is supposed to have the ability to make unbiased, objective decisions, and that includes on matters of separation of church and state. But there's more to cause concern. This judge had this statue moved in in the middle of the night. He didn't ask anyone if he could put it there.

He didn't ask anyone if they wanted it. He just decided to take it upon himself to impose the placement of this statue, even though he knew he had to sneak it in because it was not appropriate... and I suppose you know that this judge wants to implement his own religious beliefs into the rulings he will make... he apparently believes it is more important than upholding the constitution.. the old ends justify the means...

I have to believe that if I placed a 2-1/2 ton sculpture on state or federal property I would probably be arrested for malicious mischief or something... this guy actually is challenging the court ruling telling him to remove it from a place he had no authority to place it in in the first place.

This is just one example of the agenda of heritage.org and Jerry Falwell expressing its influence over the neo-conservative administration and followers of George Bush. And more of the same should be expected as Bush judicial nominees take their places in the courts of this country.

When you research fundamentalism, any kind of any religion, you rarely see a report of positive effects for a society because of its imposition. Those who disagree or refuse to conform are persecuted. In Iran, they just executed a man for questioning whether the clerics of the church had the right to govern the country. And that's what it fundamentalism devolves to... what any fenaticism devolves to... and anyone questioning those in power will be subjected to monitoring if only to find a reason to prosecute and remove those who would stand up to their authority.

That's a pattern in history that has occurred time and time again.

I'm about to reach one of those places where I want to say Don't get me started but I'm already started so I might as well continue on....

Of course, it doesn't just stop there. this taking sides and applying inappropriate influences and deceiving people into thinking it's an objective occurrance... what am I really babbling about? I'll tell you.

CNN WOLF BLITZER REPORTS Aired Monday... November 18, 2002 - 17:00 ET

"Bush at War" Bon Woodward re: Roger Ailes

Woodward writes of a president frustrated over the so-called hand wringing of his top aides over war strategy. The president, he says, was preoccupied by media coverage of the war and public perceptions. Woodward writes that Roger Ailes who had been a media adviser to the first President Bush and is now chairman of the Fox News Channel sent a confidential message to the White House.

Woodward writes: "His back channel message: The American public would tolerate waiting and would be patient, but only as long as they were convinced that Bush was using the harshest measures possible." Woodward says Ailes' message had to be confidential because in his position as head of a news network, he was not supposed to be giving political advice.

Ailes has issued this statement: "Bob Woodward's characterization of my memo is incorrect. In the days following 9/11, our country came together in non-partisan support of the president. During that time, I wrote a personal note to a White House staff member as a concerned American, expressing my outrage about the attacks on our country. I did not give up my American citizenship to take on this job."

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Now, I always say I don't expect anyone to agree with me about everything. And I technically have no problem with a network executive offering advice to anyone they feel like... that is their right... what I do dislike, however, is what this communication really points to... and it isn't about access to the president or press... it has to do with someone advising a president on the kind of image that needs to be presented in order to maintain public confidence... as opposed to encouraging the president to be honest and forthright... to me, it shows up like a "how to" of maintaining a facade.

Another example of the ends justify the menas.. and that the government is telling us things to mislead us into following their lead, in order to implement their agenda. It's simple deception.That's what concerns me.

It's why on the front of this site I encourage you to read the article How to Generate Public Acceptance of War by Hermann Goering, Hitler's #2 man. It's all about the same thing... manipulating a citizenry into accepting the inevitable. It's why 75% of Americans believe war with Iraq is unavoidable. You've been trained to believe that. And if you don't believe it, you'll seem out of place, in the minority...won't you? That's the whole point. When you feel outnumbered, you surrrender.

Fox NEWS. At least now we know where they really stand.

Well, I've kidded around so much about running for vice-president so that Al Gore could be president... that I always worry just a little about what he'll say he believes in when he goes on tv and gives speeches... and have to find out that I disagree with him... I'm happy to say, so far he hasn't disappointed me with his opinions and philosophies.

In this case, he was on Larry King Live... Larry King always finds a way to capture my interest... tonight it was 2 things... one was an interview with Al and Tipper Gore. In this case they were talking about the Total Information Awareness System.... and the dangers to the right to privacy. War in Iraq. Stuff like that...

CNN LARRY KING LIVE
Interview with Al & Tipper Gore Aired November 19, 2002 - 21:00 ET

CALLER: What do you think about the homeland security becoming a cabinet position?

A. GORE: Oh, I don't think it's a bad thing to make it a cabinet position. I think that moving the boxes around on the organizational chart has limited benefit, but I think in this case, it can bring some limited but real benefits. I would like to add one other thing on this.

While making it a cabinet department is a good thing, and many other features of that bill are excellent, I am growing more and more concerned about the violations of individual privacy that are contained in the current draft.

KING: Like?

A. GORE: Well, they have a plan that this guy, Admiral Poindexter has been put in charge of in the Pentagon -- you know, he was the one in the Iran Contra business. It's called Total Information Awareness, and if carried out, this plan would empower the government to collect information on every citizen of the United States and keep it there, and then in the discretion of somebody in the administration, they could use it or not use it, presumably because they were simply focused on countering the terrorism threat.

But fear can cause people to make mistakes, and fear can cause great nations to make mistakes, and just yesterday, the news came out this morning of this secret court dramatically changing the standards for wiretapping American citizens, and giving the Justice Department the right to go in and use a much weaker standard to listen in on conversations. What in the world are they doing here?

KING: Couldn't they say -- I don't want to speak for them -- the fear is warranted?

A. GORE: Well, the fear -- the fear is warranted, but the remedy needs to be matched to the threat. And see, what is -- the objective of terrorists is to destroy our way of life. We should not give them part of their victory by destroying important parts of our own way of life.

And a right to privacy is a part of every American's right. And this whole -- you know, for many years going back to George Orwell and before, there have been these warnings that the new technologies of communication and wiretapping and everything create the possibility of a Big Brother-type state, and we've always pushed that away and said, No, we want nothing like that in the U.S. We will cast our lot with free speech and openness and the rights of the individual.

And now, step by step, we're actually getting into a situation where some of the things they're contemplating would take us big steps down the road to a Big Brother-type approach. I think there ought to be a lot of resistance to this. I think it -- that part of it ought to be defeated overwhelmingly.

About the only thing I'd add to that is Nuff Said.

Well, actually, I have to point out that many of the stipulations and intents of the consitution were put there to prevent the extremes of fenaticism and to prevent any one individual or group from becoming so powerful and getting carried away... they were very wise about anticipating human nature... to keep wealth from controlling the ploicies of the country... there's that phrase about how absolute power corrupts absolutely... and there's alot of wisdom in that phrase. Something to remember when considering what is going on in this administration.

Let's do some entertainment news

I have to tell you, I'm still really enjoying the new Phil Collins album called Testify... it's some really good music.. And I love the love songs and the radical stuff too...

The new George Harrison CD is out... haven't picked it up yet, but I will soon, I've been waiting for that one. That CD... it's called Brainwashed... somehow, that title doesn't surprise me at all. Interesting story though. It was an album he was working on when he died... Jeff Lynne stepped in afterward to produce and complete it. Lynne said he was concerned that he had made the cuts too slick for Harrison fans.

Jeff Lynne was a good friend of Harrison's and a big talent in his own right. He was the leader of the Electric Light Orchestra, and appeared with Harrison, Roy Orbison, and others as the Traveling Wilbury's in the 80's...had a hit called "Handle Me With Care"... anyway... this is one album that's sure to be a treat.

Speaking of new releases... Kevin Kline, one of the finest character actors in Hollywood today... of course that's my opinion... he was in Grand Canyon and Life As A House and Orange County... and many others.. anyway... he's got a new movie that's being released on Friday called the Emperor's Club ... they've got a website called www.emperorsclub.com I just have feeling it's going to be great... there's a quote from it that I love "How will history remember you?" Says it all. I'm hanging that one on the wall.

Couple of birthdays of some famous people.... Dick Cavett is 66... Alan Young, the man who played Dave in the program Mr. Ed.. you know, the talking horse.. he's 83 today... a show I loved when I was a kid... Jodie Foster... thought she was incredible in Contact... she's 40...

And there's this other guy I talk about from time to time who turned 69 today... found it out because Al Gore was late getting to the Larry King Live program tonight... so Larry brought on his 2 children and his wife and he announced it was his birthday. Happy Birthday Larry.

What I thought was incredibly poignant and moving has to do with something I believe in... I've been writing a book I call For the Love of the World... and in it, one of the Chapters is called Children: Creators of the Universe.

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Tonight, Larry King summed up what that chapter is all about... another example of why I'm hooked on Larry King, and CNN. Here's what Larry said. He began talking about his children.

KING: Chance and Cannon King were both born in Los Angeles. He 3-and- a-half years ago, he 2-and-a-half years ago. It may seem strange for someone my age to have children this young. I do have three older children, who are grown up. And Shawn has a child as well, who is 21- years-old. And my other children are in their late 40s, early 40s and mid 30s. And they're having these two boys now go to school -- preschool. And trying to raise them to be good kids in a difficult world.

KING: We taped an interview earlier today with Bono. It's going to play on World Aids Day on 1st of December. It was an extraordinary hour. And I asked Bono if having children made any difference in his life. And he said, Yeah, it made him more serious about the world. It made him think about things differently.

KING: These kids make me think things differently. I think my greatest hope on my 69th birthday would see that they grow up in a safe, sane world without people harming people

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Children, creators of the universe. Like I try to remind you, imagine it's a whole new world, and all you have to do is imagine it.

With that, we'll call it a wrap.

Recommended Reading
For the Love of the World - an online book in progress located at www.globaldcunion.org that discusses human nature, and the possibilities of our world.
How to Generate Public Acceptance of War by Hermann Goering, Hitler's #2 man. Read this quote, find out why that's significant, and why it should be viewed as an acceleration in the Bush Administration's plan to convince Americans to go to war in Iraq... soon... to save his Presidency]
Recommended book: Reasonable Doubts: The Criminal Justice System and the OJ Simpson Trial by Alan M. Dershowitz. It's short, inexpensive and incredibly revealing. Includes a new distinction; testilying. My copy cost $3 See Also: The Genesis of Justice and Shout Fire.
10/19/2001 - From Hitler To Saddam Hussein to Osama bin Laden - Insider Connections and the Bush Family’s Partnership with Killers of Americans
Special from Time.com The Legacy of Abraham Father of Muslims, Jews and Christians We have the same father. Why do you treat us this way?" Who might the father be? I asked. "Ibrahim," he said. "The song is called Ismail and Isaac," after his sons. more...
Things you will want to know Audio 46 minutes Current events, religious history, and this site.
What the Bible Says About the Times We're In	Mississippi and Meredith Remembering Integration	The Power of Caring www.cnnsi.com/caring

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