A Trip Down Memory Lane

First tonight, a great summary of what the left wants us to forget about their behavior as they call us racists, homophobes, misogynists, and criticize us for non-existent violence.

Ah... the good old days when dissent was the highest form of patriotism:



Next, we have CBS reporting on the G20 in Pittsburgh.

Notice how calmly and reasonably the reporter presents her information. She is very unbiased about this clearly ferocious and radical protest:



Finally, a video we all remember all too well, courtesy of CNN correspondent Susan Roesgen:

Fox News Screws Over Sarah Palin, Planned to Use Prerecorded Interviews During Her "Real American Stories" Special

Last night I posted about an upcoming Fox News Channel special called Real American Stories , which is scheduled to air on Thursday April 1 at 10pmET, and re-air Sunday at 9pmET.

Mediaite.com seemed to have the scoop on this special, with a paragraph written as follows:

The show will “focus on a range of such stories including a Marine Medal of Honor recipient who gave his live to save his comrades.” But also there will be the celebrity guests – a very broad range of celebrity guests.

Included in the list of celebrity "guests" were rapper and actor LL Cool J and Country music star Toby Keith. This same paragraph appeared in different forms across the blogosphere.

Today the internet is spattered with articles about replies from LL Cool J and Toby Keith. Apparently Fox News planned to use prerecorded interviews of the two men, and neither seems too enthusiastic about the situation.

Regarding Toby Keith, Mediaite.com reports that according to HitFix:

Keith, who says he’s a registered Democrat, was not told about the usage of a past interview for Palin’s program. “We were never contacted by Fox,” his rep tells Hitfix.”I have no idea what interview it’s taken from.They’re promoting this like it’s a brand new interview. He never sat down with Sarah Palin.

Mediaite.com also offers their own account of the situation with Mr. Keith:

Well we knew he wasn’t interviewed by Palin, but he is a significant part of the special – and more so than LL Cool J (and Jack Welch). His story is narrated by Palin.

But Fox tells us they did contact several members of Keith’s team to make them aware that he would be part of the program, including Elaine Schock, his publicist, who spoke with a Fox News producer, and the USO, where his manager is on the board. An insider tells us Welch wasn’t contacted either – and as far as we know, is happy with his part in the show.

LL Cool J made a comment via Twitter, which read:

"Fox lifted an old interview I gave in 2008 to someone else & are misrepresenting to the public in order to promote Sarah Palins Show. WOW"

Later, in a discussion with E! Online, a representative followed up on his behalf:

Contrary to what was reported, LL Cool J was never scheduled to be a guest on Real American Stories with Sarah Palin this week. The show had planned to use an interview from 2008 that was being repurposed without LL’s permission. This statement is not a reflection of any feelings LL has toward Fox News or Ms. Palin, whom he has never met, rather a clarification of what we have seen published in the media.”

For their part, Fox News told Mediaite the following:

“Fox News did not commit to restrictions on its interview with Mr. Smith so therefore the network did not need his permission to use the interview in this program.”

In my opinion, Fox News Channel did Sarah Palin a terrible disservice in this instance.

Over the past few months, Mrs. Palin has done a significant amount of work on her presentation. She has become much more clear and concise in her statements, and seems to be working hard to refine her dialect.

I frequently hear radio advertisements with Palin in support of John McCain (a whole different topic), and while her voice is still distinct, she has clearly made changes in her cadence, and seems to be making a conscious effort to lose some of her "folksy" edge that some found questionable.

Additionally, she has now made quite a few appearances on various Fox News Channel shows as a political contributor, and I believe the same changes can be seen during these discussions. This is very important, because although she may be prepped with some questions and information, there is no way for her to be completely scripted in these situations.

Fox News could have easily avoided this situation. Had they made an effort to contact a few people, they would have gained permission to use these segments without backlash. Otherwise, they might have simply given Palin the opportunity to conduct her own interviews, which would have given her more credibility.

Instead, Sarah Palin today is once again being unjustly scathed by the leftist media.

Be sure to check out Right Klik's post on the subject - it seems LL Cool J wanted to directly connect with as many people as possible, including RK! And there's more at Memeorandum.

Sarah Palin to Host Special on Fox News Channel

Tonight I saw a commercial on Fox News Channel for a special hosted by Sarah Palin. Seems it's no April Fools joke...

Real American Stories will air Thursday April 1 at 10pmET, and re-air Sunday at 9pmET. Palin's guests will include country singer Toby Keith, rapper/actor LL Cool J and former General Electric CEO Jack Welch.

From Mediaite.com:

The show will “focus on a range of such stories including a Marine Medal of Honor recipient who gave his live to save his comrades.” But also there will be the celebrity guests – a very broad range of celebrity guests.

From The Los Angeles Times Entertainment Blog:

Sarah Palin’s media domination continues this week with the debut Thursday of “Real American Stories,” a new series on Fox News hosted by the former Alaska governor about people with “real-life tales of overcoming adversity.”

The premiere episode also boasts an eclectic trio of celebrity guests. Country music star Toby Keith will discuss his song “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” while rapper LL Cool J and former General Electric Chief Executive Jack Welch will discuss their professional successes in a segment called “In Their Own Words.”

Worthy of perusing is this Newsweek piece, in which LL Cool J offered some advice to then President-elect Barack Hussein Obama.

It's also interesting to note that if you Google "ll cool j republican" there are quite a few links that seem to prove him to be often affiliated with the Republican Party. I wonder if the left will call him a racist...

Jack Welch was the CEO of General Electric from 1981 until 2001. When he left General Electric, their stock was selling at about $50 per share. Today they closed at $18.30 under the leadership of Jeffrey Immelt.

While I'm not a big fan of Country music, even I know Toby Keith is a mega-star. I have seem him interviewed on a number of occasions and have great appreciation for the person he appears to be, and I know he's been very involved in supporting our Armed Forces over the years.

On a personal note, I met LL Cool J once. There was a charity NBA event going on in Cleveland, and he and his guests dined at the restaurant I worked at.

He was incredibly gracious, to say the least. He was very concerned about making sure all of his guests were served first, and unlike many celebrities had no special requests. He had absolutely no arrogance about his demeanor; in fact, he came across more humble than arrogant.

He also left a 50% gratuity on a $150 check. Pretty cool.

Check out Memeorandum for more discussion.

Political Messaging and The Damage Done

Late last night I posted about the FBI raids on some Militia camps in the Midwest, and in that post I explained I find it curious that while President Barack Hussein Obama was overseas on a "surprise visit" to our Armed Forces, the FBI conducted these raids.

I would like to be clear that when I posted my opinion with the information, I was not directly alleging that these Militia groups were innocent of unscrupulous behavior. Of course, they must be considered innocent until proven guilty, but I most definitely believe it is possible for these groups to be guilty of the charges brought against them, which include plotting to attack and kill law-enforcement officers as part of a plan to 'levy war' on the United States.

My concern as I posted this information last night was messaging. While timing is certainly critical in all law enforcement maneuvers, there is something (to borrow a phrase) fishy about the timing of these FBI raids.

We all remember the left's reaction to President Bush, standing aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln with a huge banner above him stating "Mission Accomplished," when there was so much work yet to be done to secure Iraq and begin helping the Iraqi people understand freedom and Democracy. While at the time the left's harsh commentary seemed out of line, in retrospect I think we can all acknowledge that the Bush administration was guilty of poor messaging.

Similar, yet not quite as severe, was the visual created by President Bush receiving information about the terrorist strikes on September 11, as he sat and continued to read "My Pet Goat," holding the book upside down. While the position of the book was not important, it again seemed to the left like bad messaging - as if he was never really in control, even though we all know we were truly blessed in having George W. Bush in office, as opposed to AlGore.

President Obama has been no friend to Christianity since coming into public office. By now we've all seen the picture of him in Muslim garb.

He attended Trinity United Church of Christ, a church that preached just as much (if not more) Marxist theory as Christianity.

In a move that appeared politically expedient, he left Trinity United before being elected president, and he and his family have not settled into a new place of worship since moving into The White House. As a few of our recent presidents have not attended services on a regular basis this normally would not appear out of the ordinary, but this was a man who attended his previous church for twenty years. Why the sudden lack of commitment?

Since being elected, President Obama has made what seems at times to be an extraordinary effort to be inclusive of all religions, and at times has acted almost in denial of Christianity's history in The United States. He made a speech for Ramadan in 2009 that seemed to address and cow to Muslims worldwide, as compared with President Bush's speeches that focused primarily on American Muslims and guests of America.

After (false) rumors swirled about The White House possibly having a "Holiday Tree" instead of a Christmas Tree, we ended up learning that through it all, there ended up being an ornament painted with a picture of Chairman Mao on this year's tree. However, the rumors paint the bigger picture, that of an anti-Christian agenda.

Throughout the year-long debate over the "health care reform," Tea Party Patriots and Conservatives have been painted by the Obama administration and the "mainstream media" as racists, bigots, homophobes, misogynists, and have been labeled with the crude nickname "teabaggers" by everyone from radical street liberals to MSNBC and CNN hosts.

In what I believe is an unprecedented display of arrogance, The White House, President Obama, and Congressional Democrats have made direct statements attacking American citizens, and in some instances associated one particular news outlet (Fox News) with a grassroots movement, all the while creating scene after scene of what they call "AstroTurf."

As I mentioned in last night's post, President Obama canceled a recent trip to his birthplace childhood home of Indonesia in order to send proper messaging about the "health care reform" legislation. Politically this was a wise move, and perhaps served him well in the long run since, due to much muscling, swindling, and a magic carpet ride - the legislation passed.

So when every headline surrounding this Militia event described a "Christian" Militia, and we have such an amazing history of political messaging from this administration, as well as concerns from the left over the previous administration's appearances during critical occasions, I simply ask...

These Militias are specifically labeled "Christian" by major news outlets.

These raids took place while President Obama was overseas doing something he should have been doing for the past fourteen months - showing good faith as the Commander-in-Chief of our Armed Forces.

And, lest we forget, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has already issued warnings about "domestic terrorists..."

Coincidence?

More perspective via Memeorandum.

Andrew Breitbart and the Egg-Throwing Reid Supporters

I happened to catch Andrew Breitbart filling in for Michael Savage this past week, and one of the things he discussed during the show was the lack of physical evidence provided by Reps. Lewis, Cleaver, Pelosi, at al as they hurled accusations of racial epithets and spitting by Tea Party Patriots.

To be fair, there is one video out now that shows a man yelling loudly in a crowd of 30,000 people and it appears that he "sprayed it" as he said it, but there is still no audio or video evidence of any other contemptuous behavior.

Contrast that with the following videos.

The first video (Via The Founding Bloggers) shows eggs being thrown at the Tea Party Express bus and films a man getting verbally aggressive with Breitbart.



The second video (Via Hot Air) shows Breitbart having a discussion with local law enforcement about the egg throwing incident.

In the the second video, Breitbart also describes how Reid supporters made a blatant effort to misdirect traffic, including Breitbart himself. Very hospitable.



Also worthy of note is how well spoken and polite Breitbart is in dealing with law enforcement officials, as opposed to what we have come to know as left-wing behavior when dealing with police (WARNING: LANGUAGE IN LINKED VIDEO).

For a full account of the day's events as they took place, be sure to check out Left Coast Rebel's post on the Searchlight Tea Party, he essentially live-blogged it on Saturday through feeds and contributions from across the blogosphere.

Check out Cliff's post at Another Black Conservative for a couple other great links, and there's a lot more discussion at Memeorandum.

Terrorists Bomb Moscow Subway, Dozens Dead and Injured

FoxNews.com is reporting that female homicide bombers hit a jam-packed Russian subway system at rush-hour, killing at least 34.

From FoxNews.com:

37 people were killed in two explosions that hit the Moscow metro during morning rush hour on Monday, local news agencies reported.

The first hit the Lubyanka Metro Station in central Moscow about 7:56am local time. Twenty-five people were killed and 15 people were injured.

Sky News reported that a second explosion hit the Park Kultury station, three stations away on the same line, about 40 minutes later at 8:38am local time. Emergency services told AFP 12 people were killed and seven injured. Initial reports were that 15 had died.

RIA Novosti reported that a security source told the agency the Lubyanka station was hit by a bomb. Interfax, quoting a Russian security source, reported the first blast may have been caused by a suicide bomber.

[...] The Moscow Metro, which spans almost the entire Russian capital, is the world's second most heavily used metro system after Tokyo's twin subway.

The Lubyanka Station is on the Sokolnicheskaya Line of the Moscow Metro, located under Lubyanka Square.

The square houses the former headquarters of the KGB and the Lubyanka prison. It now houses the Federal Security Service of Russia, which succeeded the KGB.

It is located a third of a mile (500 meters) from the Kremlin.

Spokeswoman for the Russian emergencies ministry Irina Andrianova told ITAR-TASS 14 people were killed in the train at Lubyanka and 11 on the platform.

Sky News reported the explosion struck the second car of the train.

Andrianova added that rescue workers were on the scene. ITAR-TASS said emergency services were impeded from accessing the site of the blast due to the early morning rush hour traffic.

All train services on the Moscow metro system have been suspended.

Sky's correspondent in Moscow, Amanda Walker, said the attack struck right at the peak of morning rush hour.

"It's the time when thousands of people are heading to work, there are lots of different lines, people going in and out everywhere," Walker said.

"You could not get a busier time and whoever is behind the attack couldn't have hit more in the heart of the network."

"The city is certainly on high alert," she said after reports that it could have been a suicide bomber.

The Russian capital over the last decade has been hit by a string of deadly explosions claimed by militants from its turbulent southern region of Chechnya but this has become less frequent in recent years.

The last fatal attack on the Moscow subway was in 2004. That attack, which killed 39 people and wounded another 150, was claimed by Chechen terrorists.

"Whenever this kind of thing happens in Russia the finger immediately points at Chechnya," Walker said.

However, she said there has been no direct claim from any group, including Chechen separatists who have been responsible for previous attacks.

According to The Council on Foreign Relations:

The Chechens are a largely Muslim ethnic group that has lived for centuries in the mountainous Caucasus region. For the past two hundred years, Chechens have resisted Russian rule. During World War II, Russian leader Joseph Stalin accused the Chechens of cooperating with the Nazis and forcibly deported the entire population to Kazakhstan and Siberia. Tens of thousands of Chechens died, and the survivors were allowed to return home only after Stalin's death.

Experts say there are several ties between the al-Qaeda network and Chechen groups. A Chechan warlord known as Khattab is said to have met with Osama bin Laden while both men were fighting the 1979-89 Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Alexander Vershbow, a U.S. ambassador to Russia, said shortly after September 11, 2001, "We have long recognized that Osama bin Laden and other international networks have been fueling the flames in Chechnya, including the involvement of foreign commanders like Khattab." Khattab was killed in April 2002.

Zacarias Moussaoui, whom U.S. authorities have charged with being the "20th hijacker" in the September 11 attacks, was reported by the Wall Street Journal to be formerly "a recruiter for al-Qaeda-backed rebels in Chechnya." Chechen militants reportedly fought alongside al-Qaeda and Taliban forces against the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance in late 2001. The Taliban regime in Afghanistan was one of the only governments to recognize Chechen independence.

Russian authorities, including former president Vladimir Putin, have repeatedly stressed the involvement of international terrorists and bin Laden associates in Chechnya—in part, experts say, to generate Western sympathy for Russia's military campaign against the Chechen rebels. Russia's former defense minister, Sergei Ivanov, claimed that a videotape of Khattab meeting with bin Laden had been found in Afghanistan, but Russia has not aired the tape publicly.

Chechen female suicide bombers are commonly known as "Black Widows," due to their all-black dress style, as well as the fact that previously many Chechen women were widows of men killed by Russian forces in Chechnya.

The Agenda Continues: FBI Raids Christian Militias in Midwest, Syria Urges Palestinian Violence on Same Day

Remember when Barack Hussein Obama would not leave America because of the impending vote on his health care debacle? Remember how important the "messaging" was that he remain stateside for something to which he was so thoroughly tied?

Well, you'll please excuse me if I find it quite curious that today while Obama was overseas on a "surprise visit" to our Armed Forces, news has broken that the FBI conducted raids on a number of Militia camps in the Midwest over this weekend. These camps appear to be affiliated with a group that calls themselves "Hutaree." The group's members describe themselves as Christian soldiers preparing for the arrival and battle with the anti-Christ.

There is at least one video on the Hutaree website showing people conducting what appears to be a military-type drill, and on YouTube there is a Hutaree Channel, offering more of the same.

From The Associated Press:

Michael Lackomar, a spokesman for the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia, said one of his team leaders got a frantic phone call Saturday evening from members of Hutaree, a Christian militia group, who said their property in southwest Michigan was being raided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"They said they were under attack by the ATF and wanted a place to hide," Lackomar said. "My team leader said, 'no thanks.' "

The team leader was cooperating with the FBI on Sunday, Lackomar said. He said SMVM wasn't affiliated with Hutaree, which states on its Web site to be "prepared to defend all those who belong to Christ and save those who aren't."

"We believe that one day, as prophecy says, there will be an Anti-Christ," the group's Web site said. "Jesus wanted us to be ready to defend ourselves using the sword and stay alive using equipment.

[...]Lackomar said none of the raids focused on his group. Lackomar said about eight to 10 members of Hutaree trained with SMVM twice in the past three years. SMVM holds monthly training sessions focusing on survival training and shooting practice, Lackomar said.

Further information comes from The Detroit News:

One of the Hutaree members called a Michigan militia leader for assistance Saturday after federal agents had already began their raid, Lackomar said, but the militia member -- who is of Islamic decent and had heard about the threats -- declined to offer help. That Michigan militia leader is now working with federal officials to provide information on the Hutaree member for the investigation, Lackomar said Sunday.

"They are more of survivalist group and in an emergency they withdraw and stand their ground. They are actively training to be alongside Jesus," he said.

Sources from the Michigan militia community said one of the FBI raids took place Saturday during a wake for a Hutaree member who had died of natural causes. A Hutaree leader was arrested during the wake while at the same time agents were conducting raids at other locations.

Also worth noting:

Dawud Walid, executive director of the Council on Islamic-American Relations of Michigan, made an announcement Sunday during the group's 10th anniversary banquet about receiving a call from a network journalist about the alleged threat against Muslims.

"Don't allow this news to scare you away from practicing your faith," said Walid.

Audible gaps were heard throughout the banquet hall when the news was announced. Walid said he will call local authorities about more information on the allegations. He urged local Muslims to recommitt themselves to their faith in light of the accusations.

According to WXYZ News in Detroit, Federal agents will not comment on the investigation, only saying that they are serving a number of search warrants and that the warrants are sealed. Authorities said they expect to release more information about the investigation early this week.

Excuse me while I am just a bit suspicious of anything that is anti-Christian, involves the Obama administration, and has CAIR involved.

One more note of interest: Today The Jerusalem Post is reporting that Syrian President Bashar Assad urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to withdraw from a US-supported peace plan and take up arms against Israel, according to two delegates who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Coincidence?

Discussion via Memeorandum.

Huffington Post's "Proof" of Rep. Cleaver Being Spat Upon

Huffington Post tonight is offering what they call proof that Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) was the victim of a deliberate spitting last Sunday during San-Fran-Nan's March to The Capitol.

In the article they attempt to call out Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity:

Cleaver released a statement confirming the incident, but some questioned his claims. Fox News personality Sean Hannity asked if there was any evidence proving that it had actually happened, and Tea Party groups offered a cash reward for proof.

In this article they offer a video that, as Chris W. at my thoughts on freedom points out, has been available via Left Coast Rebel since March 24th. The video clearly shows Rep. Cleaver reacting to something, but as HotAirPundit pointed out last Wednesday, the man was yelling continuously way before Cleaver approached the steps, and it looks like the man yelled directly in Cleaver's ear, startling him for a second while spraying him at the same time.

Today HotAirPundit offers a lot of other information about the incident, all of which clearly discredits HuffPo's attempt to smear an innocent person.

Oops. Looks like HuffPo screwed the pooch.

Here's the video from Left Coast Rebel, which is of the same incident and from the same angle as Huffington Post's offering:



I saw this piece on Huffington Post earlier today. As many of you know, I enjoy rattling the leftists cages once in a while, and this one was an easy target. There was clearly a majority of leftists overreaching and claiming that this spraying guy should have been arrested on counts of terrorism... uh, huh.

Anyway, my favorite moment during my brief stay there today was when I saw a comment from someone named "CalebAbell" that read as follows:

"This is a perfect example of doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. Most of the right wing rage is based on the fact that they have a black president and it drives them crazy. The spitter in the article is likely one of them.

That doesn't take way from the fact that most people in congress, democrat and republican, deserve to be spit on for a variety of good reasons."

I attempted (under my screenname "solopico") to reply to this post as follows:

"You're incorrect on all counts.

Tea Parties are not about Obama's skin color, they're about government being out of control.

And nobody deserves to be spit upon."

What happened next was most fascinating. Huffington Post was in the middle of deleting the comment from "CalebAbell" when I tried to post my reply, which led to the following screen appearing:

(click to enlarge)

Of course, none of this means anything significant, but I always enjoy pointing out how Huffington Post attempts to protect their own. They are a private entity and have every legal right to act disgracefully as they have on many occasion, but considering that their header on their front page is "The Internet Newspaper," you'd think they would have a little bit less of a partisan angle in their approach to the news.

Discussion via Memeorandum.

The Associated Press' New Standard: Andrew Breitbart Must Prove Tea Party is Not Racist

If there was ever any doubt about the partisan leanings of The Democrat Party Controlled State-Run Associated Press, that doubt took a flying leap out the window yesterday in this piece provided by "journalist" Michael R. Blood.

Paid to offer a factual account, yet clearly working for the Obama agenda as well as documenting his opinion of the events that transpired yesterday at the Tea Party Express rally in Searchlight, Nevada, Mr. Blood began his piece rather fairly and accurately.

The wind whipped U.S. flags behind the former Alaska governor as she stood on a makeshift stage, holding a microphone and her notes and speaking to a cheering crowd. She told them Reid, fighting for re-election, is "gambling away our future."

"Someone needs to tell him, this is not a crapshoot," Palin said.

Even Mr. Blood couldn't equal the blatant misrepresentation of CNN's Fredericka Whitfield, who claimed that there were "Hundreds, if not dozens of people" in attendance at the rally, as he estimated the crowd at about 7000. (For the record, Politico reported nearly 20,000 in attendance).

He continued his account by noting that Senator Dingy Harry is trailing in the polls, stating:

A string of polls has shown Reid is vulnerable in politically moderate Nevada after pushing Obama's agenda in Congress. His standing has also been hurt by Nevada's double-digit unemployment and record foreclosure and bankruptcy rates.

Of course, the Statist Mr. Blood couldn't resist offering Dingy Harry's sarcastic jab at the Tea Party Patriots, as he offered:

The Searchlight native responded with sarcasm to the large crowd gathered in the hardscrabble town of about 1,000 he grew up in.

"I'm happy so many people came to see my hometown of Searchlight and spend their out-of-state money, especially in these tough economic times," Reid said Saturday in a statement released through his Senate campaign. "This election will be decided by Nevadans, not people from other states who parachuted in for one day to have a tea party."

However, the next bit of "work" by Mr. Blood proved exactly where his political heart lies, as he stated:

It's been called a conservative Woodstock, and takes place just days after the historic health care vote that ushered in near-universal medical coverage and divided Congress and the nation. The vote was followed by reports of threats and vandalism aimed at some Washington lawmakers, mostly Democrats who supported the new law.

Conservative columnist Andrew Breitbart disputed accounts that tea party activists in Washington shouted racial epithets at black members of Congress amid the health care debate, although he didn't provide any evidence.

"I know you're not a racist group," he told the crowd.

In two paragraphs, Mr. Blood managed to both completely de-legitimize his own credentials, as well as prove that her, like the majority of American media, are working in favor of the Obama agenda.

Unless someone can prove to me otherwise, the burden of proof remains on the Congressional representatives to prove the use of racial epithets by any members of the crowd on the Capitol lawn last Sunday.

Writing for Big Journalism, Larry O'Connor rightly offers:

Now, on to the assault on basic fairness: Is the AP now on record that the Tea Party activists who protest at these gatherings are ipso facto guilty of racism if someone accuses them of racism? Is that all it takes? Have there been any calls from the AP for members of the Congressional Black Caucus to prove that the protesters that day shouted the N-word? Just yesterday, the AP referred to Ft. Hood terrorist Malik Nadal Hasan as a “suspect.” Apparently, Hasan is afforded the right to be innocent until proven guilty, but tea party protesters are not.

There were upward of 30,000 in attendance that day from all political leanings, as well as many major media outlets, yet somehow over the course of one full week nobody has been able to produce evidence that and slurs were used.

As O'Connor continues:

There are multiple videos of the CBC’s march down the middle of the tea party protest last Sunday. You can see on the videos that many people are holding flip cameras in their hands. These days, just about anyone with a cell phone has the capability of capturing events on video. And yet, here we are, one week later, and not one person has produced a video showing anyone saying the N-word. Not one.

Isn’t it obvious that for someone to fan the flames of racial politics as members of the CBC did last week, the burden of proof should be on them? And, isn’t it a lot easier to prove that someone did use the N-word versus proving someone did not?

In fact, for Breitbart to meet the AP’s standard, he would have to provide hours and hours of video from every angle of the protest to prove that the N-word was not used. And even then, nut jobs at left-wing “watchdog” groups will claim that the tapes he provided were “heavily edited.”

A final thought - Andrew Breitbart had previously offered $10,000 of his own money to anyone who could provide evidence that the "N-word" had been used during last Sunday's Congressional walk to the Capitol Building. Breitbart has now upped the stakes to $100K.

I sincerely doubt that The Associated Press will make any effort to investigate and seek the truth, because it does not fit the Obama agenda.

Stand By Your Values and Principles, and May God Bless Eric Cantor

With this statement, Eric Cantor has shown that he is truly a man of principle.



Thank you, Congressman Cantor.

We can only wish that the "mainstream media" would show this video and discusses it honestly, so that Americans could witness and understand exactly what kind of shenanigans are happening in Washington, specifically regarding the actions of the Democrat Party and their supporters.

The liberal agenda is clear. They are scared for their political future, and they now plan to do anything and everything possible to discredit good Americans who oppose Barack Hussein Obama and the "progressive" agenda.

We have every right under The Constitution to speak freely in dissent of this government. We should never threaten or attempt to intimidate anyone with whom we disagree; instead we should challenge them in the battlefield of ideas, for there we are sure to find victory.

Do not give in to their pressures. No matter how frustrating their radical behavior becomes, we must all stand true to what we know is right.

Our faith in God and the greatness of America will see us through these trying times. Be strong, and do not be afraid. We shall overcome.

Rhetoric Matters

Today across the front page of every major newspaper, and headlining every news show on cable and network, were stories about "hateful right-wing racists" and "teabaggers," as the leftist smear machine went into full effect.

I caught the beginning of every prime-time MSNBC show this evening, and all three lead with stories condemning the violent actions and threats perpetrated against Congressional representatives this weekend and over the past couple of days.

First, let's make sure we all understand and agree that if some of the events described actually took place, that would be reprehensible. However, to date there is no physical evidence that any Congressional member was called a racial epitaph or spat upon. No video tape, no picture, no audio. All we have is the word of a handful of members of the Democratic party, but then I doubt they would make any effort to smear Tea Party Patriots... especially given that there were, what - 30,000 or more people in the surrounding area, many with cell phones and video cameras, plus news agencies? Not one person managed to capture these events on camera?

An interesting side note - it seems Andrew Breitbart has offered $10K of his own money, to be donated to the United Negro College Fund, to anyone who can produce such video footage.

It seems there has been a window broken at one member's local office, and a handful of nasty phone messages left for Bart Stupak. I do not wish to diminish the seriousness of such events, but there should be full investigations conducted before blame is placed upon anyone - after all, isn't part of the American legal system the presumption of innocence until guilt is proven beyond reasonable doubt?

So as the leftist media and left wing politicians ratchet up the smear campaign - spending an amazing amount of time just on Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, Mr. Beck decided to turn it back on the left in one of the funniest segments of television in recent memory.

How Barack Hussein Obama Got Elected, And What The Future Holds For America

You've all probably seen the woman who expected Barack Hussein Obama to pay for her gas and mortgage, as long as she helped him get elected.

Perhaps you've heard the clips from Detroit, recorded by a local radio reporter when millions of dollars of stimulus money was distributed to local citizens, many of whom have been unemployed or underemployed for months if not years due to liberal government policies and unions' bastardization of the automobile industry. It is from these clips the phrase "Obama Money" was coined.

Remember Henrietta Hughes, the woman who claimed she was living in a vehicle with her son, but was later found out to be a fraud who had chosen to sell all of her belongings? She was then given a free place to live - by a Republican, no less...

And of course there's Edison State College student Julio Osegueda, who had some very serious concerns about his benefit package from McDonald's.

These are all well known Barack Obama supporters, and are all cases in which the majority of Americans took pause as they witnessed very different attitudes and behaviors from what we once believed was... well, American.

I believe there is a new, rather extreme and extremely undesirable sense of entitlement in America, mostly found amongst today's youth. I do not blame President Obama for this change in our culture, because it existed before his election, but I do believe that his election can be directly attributed to the the shift in morals and civility in America over the past few decades.

I also believe that amongst the politically left-leaning class in America, there is a new aggressive agenda in place which is determined to undermine the very foundation of Constitutional law, as well as to portray honest, decent, hard-working Conservative people as racists, hate-mongers, and violent dissidents who simply can not stand to see a Black man in the Office of The Presidency.

I do believe that President Obama exemplifies much of what is wrong with a certain segment of today's America in his redistributive, "spread the wealth around" mentality. There are many who believe that simply being born entitles them rights to a job, a home, food, and... yes - health care, and President Obama is most certainly guilty of perpetuating these beliefs.

However, to say that my issues with President Obama are due to his race is simply ludicrous. There are many fine, upstanding people who come from different ethnic backgrounds for whom I would cast a vote in a heartbeat. My differences with President Obama are not based on the color of his skin, but instead the content of his stance on substantial political issues - his political character.

What makes America great is that in America, we are driven first maintain our existence, and further to achieve the lifestyle we desire. We do not wake up every day and go to work because the State tells us to do so; we go to work with a purpose. First and foremost, of course, our purpose is sustenance, and sustenance is no doubt a wonderful motivator.

Many in America are able to find a sense of purpose within society's possibilities that offers them enough comfort that they do not need to strive for riches. Therein exists America's "Middle class."

Not everyone in America feels the need to become exceedingly wealthy, and in some cases it is purely a matter of skills and capability that brings a person to their proper place in society. Of course, there are also cases in which some, for reasons beyond their own control, are not able to

The following story and video provide what I believe to be solid evidence of such a change in society. Of course I can not prove that Ms. Robyn Foster, the subject of the story and focus of the video, voted in the 2008 presidential election and if so for whom, but I do believe she represents a problem in American culture today.

The problem Ms. Foster represents is a sense of entitlement coupled with a complete disrespect for authority. While the disrespect for authority alone might be chalked up to youth and immaturity, the addition of a sense of entitlement can be seen throughout much of network television and other media, most specifically MTV-like entertainment programming such as reality and "dating" shows like CBS' "Big Brother" and Tila Tequila's "A Shot at Love."

From BlackVoices.com:

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee student Robyn Foster may have crossed the line last Monday, March 15, during a discussion with Anthropology professor Kathleen Foley Winkler.

In a video posted to YouTube , a student identified as Robyn Foster, yells back and forth with Foley Winkler who remains off camera, reportedly arguing over the wording of a question on a recent exam.

Things got heated and when a fellow student told Foster to sit down. Foster allegedly threw a water bottle at the student compelling the professor to call campus police. That's when an unnamed fellow student and intern at a Milwaukee TV station began recording the incident.

Campus police arrived and took Foster to the ground when she refused to leave the classroom. Foster now faces a charge of disorderly conduct. A witness told WTMJ radio that before calling police, Foley Winkler gave Foster "four of five chances" to leave the classroom on her own.

** WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE **

Defining a News Channel: A Telling Exchange Between Opinion Show Host Geraldo Rivera and News Anchor Bret Baier

Last week Fox News Channel was once again lambasted by the leftist media as a partisan operation functioning as an arm of the RNC, hell-bent on destroying Barack Hussein Obama's Holy regime presidency, after Special Report anchor Bret Baier conducted a well executed and persistent interview with the president.

This is, of course, nothing new; anyone who flips over to CNN or MSNBC from time to time (or checks in here) certainly knows the other cable news networks constantly deride FNC and complain about what they perceive as a bias. Some hosts on other networks essentially make a living petitioning Fox News Channel to no avail, for they who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

As events transpired on the floor of The House of Representatives on Sunday, Fox News Channel carried video feeds in the background during shows throughout the evening as their prime-time hosts offered discussion on this major news story.

However, any time the network broke into coverage of a specific event such as a vote count or a speech on the House floor, the show in progress was preempted and news anchor and Special Report host Bret Baier assumed the role of moderator and anchor.

As the events of the evening came to a close, Geraldo Rivera was to assume hosting duties, as is typical for a Sunday night on FNC. Bret Baier closed his final panel and discussion and offered control to Rivera. As Baier attempted to sign off, Geraldo attempted to engage Bret in a discussion about the historical nature of the evening's events.

I am not here to judge Geraldo for his opinions. Anyone who has watched Geraldo through the years understands that his politics lean somewhere along the lines of moderate Democrat, and that's fine. What I found most fascinating as this transition unfolded was the ability and determination Bret Baier showed to remain the consummate professional in his duties as news anchor.

Geraldo made multiple attempts to bring Baier into a heartfelt and opinion-based discussion about the new legislation, but Baier held his ground. Discussing only facts as they pertained to the points Geraldo was making, Baier displayed exactly why he was chosen to succeed Brit Hume as the primary host of Fox News Channel's political coverage.

Quite simply, this is what makes Fox News Channel the best in cable news.

Compare the professionalism of Bret Baier as seen in the first clip with MSNBC'S coverage of the presidential primary, as seen in the second clip.





Now share this post with a liberal friend or relative who doesn't believe that Fox News Channel is a real news network. They still won't agree with you, but you'll always know you put the truth in front of them and gave them the chance to accept reality....

A Bloody Mary for the Health Care Debate Hangover

I honestly can't stand Bloody Marys, and I quit drinking some years back so I've kinda forgotten what a hangover feels like... But I'd imagine if there were such a thing as a Bloody Mary to help bring one out of a health care hangover, this might just do the trick.

So... in case you missed it, here's the better part of Monday morning's first half-hour of the Glenn Beck Radio Show. If you were - or are - feeling down about the health care mess, here's a little pick-me-up that's well worth your nine and one-half minutes.

Warning... Beck makes fun of Michael Moore's "cottage cheese ass," so be careful about consuming food and beverage while listening to this clip!

A Victory For Common Sense...?

Last night we learned that Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak is just as much a DemocRat and abortion proponent as the rest of the slime-balls on the left side of the aisle in Congress and The White House. Amazingly, this man who attempted to portray such an honorable position for so long has now placed his faith in the most pro-abortion president in our nation's history.

Last night we watched in disgust as San-Fran-Nan joked about bets being placed about the exact number of YEA votes in the final tally. We witnessed the horror of her pathetic attempt to portray this unconstitutional monstrosity of a legislative debacle as something worthy of mention alongside the greatness of our Founders and The Declaration of Independence.

Yesterday we were forced to witness the disgraceful behavior of the leftists as they gathered around Speaker Pelosi, who insisted on using the same gavel used in 1965 to pass Medicare reform.

Last night we listened and watched as the leftists hissed and booed at Minority Leader John Boehner as he gave an impassioned speech which included his request for a simple call of the role - a request for each member to stand and be counted as he or she cast their vote.

Last night and this morning, we once again saw headlines from the leftist "lame-stream media" as they attempted to denigrate the Tea Parties and anyone who voiced disdain for this abhorrent gathering of special interests payoffs and special favors. Patriotic Americans were accused - without proof aside from the words of known race-baiters Sheila Jackson Lee, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and James Clyburn - of spitting on Congressional representatives and using racial epitaphs. Mind you, should these accusations be true the actions described are reprehensible, but just as disgraceful (and maybe more so) is the willingness of an entire media to run with a story with absolutely zero validation, based purely on political ideology.

Last night we witnessed Barack Hussein Obama as he attempted to credit those who voted for this legislation for voting with "courage and conviction."

Last night we watched as Barack Hussein Obama had the nerve to call the passing of this legislation "A victory for common sense."

Really...?

Common sense did not experience victory last night on the floor of The House of Representatives.

Common sense experienced victory today as America's sleeping giant awoke to the dawn of a new era. If there was ever a doubt about exactly who we are dealing with currently in elected office, that doubt was shredded last night as one liberal leader after another championed this purely partisan debacle of legislation as something grandiose to the level of Social Security and Medicare.

Exactly; and thank you for the clear definition, leftist liberal leaders.

I for one am so grateful that the left are willing to champion this new legislation in the same fashion that they champion the two most fiscally destructive social programs in the history of The United States. Social Security and Medicare are currently responsible for approximately $91 trillion of unfunded liabilities, and if Medicare Part D (Prescription Drugs) are added in the total unfunded liabilities reach closer to $108 trillion.

As Wisconsin's Paul Ryan said last night, there is a lot wrong with this bill. However, last night's vote was not simply a choice regarding health care, it was a choice about what kind of nation we are to be moving forward.

We now have two clear paths from which we can choose: the path of dependence on the government which will eventually lead to financial ruin and the destruction of America, or the path of individual sovereignty which will lead to great possibility and offer the only possibility for the continuation of The United States of America as the greatest nation on God's Earth.

We can choose to be the great monolith of non-thinkers who simply trust that the entitled class knows best, as they tell us we should all be cradled from womb to tomb as we are given equal results, having no opportunity for individual excellence or prosperity, or we can choose to resist the restrictive nature of progressivism, instead striving to utilize all of our God-given talents and accepting that we are all born into this world with equal rights and opportunity, but the results are directly affected by the cause of our actions.

As we make these choices, over the past forty-eight hours one thing has become crystal clear: True Conservatism is the only path to success in America.

I Couldn't Have Said it Better Myself: The Thougts of Hyphenated American

Today (Sunday) I posted a video of Ray Charles singing America The Beautiful. In the comments section, fellow blogger Hyphenated American offered his thoughts, from a post he offered on his own blog earlier in the day.

Hyphenated American understands all too well the road we are traveling. From his profile:

I was born, raised and educated in the former USSR, but currently I reside in the United States. This means that in addition to being very well-versed in Marxism-Leninism, I also have a pretty deep understanding of American politics and history.

And from his blog header:

If you are suddenly in the mood to read the insane ramblings of a Jewish-Russian-Chinese Cossack about American politics (word of caution: English is his second language) - then you found the right blog.

Without further adieu, here are the thoughts of this former Soviet citizen. While his words ring true every day; at this time they seem more needed than ever before.

I Want My Country Back!

It seems like the ultra-liberals have been able to bribe and coerce enough congress-scumbags to pass the Obamacare. And as I said before, there would be hell to pay for this monstrosity. Obamacare is the very definition of unlimited government - the threat of which was forewarned by the Founding Fathers more than two centuries ago. The federal government, which is up to its neck in debt and unfunded liabilities, decided to launch the biggest entitlement of all times – the medical care for all. The spending on this new entitlement will surely dwarf many if not most of Federal programs and will make the bankruptcy of federal and state governments inevitable. The time of reckoning is at hand, brothers and sisters. Obamacare is the last breath of the liberal order – and it’s time to take America back from the party of thieves and looters.

All patriots of this nation must stand together and fight back. United we will win! There is no blue or red America anymore – there are only those that believe in America the beautiful, America the free, America the shining city on the hill – and those that believe in welfare socialism and government tyranny. Today, we fight not only for our personal well-being – but for the dignity and honor of this country, for the right to look into the eyes of our children and say – we defended this nation from the perils of socialism. In November 2010, we will answer the crucial questions of our times - are American people worthy of the efforts of the Founding Fathers? Will American people have to right to proudly say “We are Americans” – or they will forever live in infamy and indignity of welfare socialism?

I am glad that the Democratic Party passed the Rubicon. From now on, there is no coming back for the liberal elites, no talk of compromise and middle-ground. Today, it is abundantly clear that we either will live in Obama-America or America that our Founding Father envisioned. You cannot have both.

The November elections will be the most important elections in our lifetime. If you don’t vote for America in November – you don’t deserve to be called an American.

Written by a Russian immigrant who loves America and who loves freedom.

Check out more thoughts from Hyphenated American here.

Quote of the Day:

“If you believe this isn’t going to cost the government anything, you are likely to see leprechauns riding on unicorns with pots of gold circling the capitol”

-Rep Devin Nunes, California's 21st District

America The Beautiful

On the day that Barack Hussein Obama and his minions attempt to make America a nation of needy losers, let us revel in the beautiful music and words of a man who understood America's true greatness.

Ray Charles could have been the perfect example of a charity case. Born in the poverty-riddled and racially divided south at the beginning of The Great Depression, Ray was blinded by the age of five, lost his father by age ten, and his mother passed five years later. Instead of complaining, Ray used the talents he had to earn a living... and the rest, as they say - is history.

Ray Charles didn't need government to help him. Ray Charles overcame poverty, racial discrimination, thieves, users, addiction and other personal demons, and through it all recognized the greatness and beauty of a nation that would allow a man who was determined to succeed to fulfill his dreams.

No matter the outcome of today's vote, we will not give this greatest of nations over to those who wish to destroy her. We will fight with every ounce of energy within us.

With God, history, and truth on our side - we will prevail.

Follow-Up on NJ Wal-Mart Incident, and Pathetic AP Journalism on Display

Earlier this week I posted about an incident that took place at a New Jersey Wal-Mart. During the incident, someone used the Wal-Mart intercom system to announce, "Attention Wal-Mart customers: All black people leave the store now."

Today The Associated Press is reporting a 16-year-old boy was arrested Friday on charges of harassment and bias intimidation. Authorities said he was released to the custody of his parents; they did not know whether he had a lawyer.

From The Associated Press, via yahoo.com:

"This was an extremely disturbing event on many levels," Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton said at a news conference. "Any statements like these that can cause harm or grave concern must be addressed as quickly we possibly can."

Dalton said the case would be handled in juvenile court in neighboring Atlantic County, where the boy lives. He would not say whether the boy has a criminal record, citing the teen's age, and would not disclose the teen's race, saying that did not factor into the investigation.

Authorities would not say whether the announcement was planned or made impulsively. Police said they were also investigating a teenage boy who accompanied the suspect to the store, but they had not charged the other boy.

Although a manager quickly went on the intercom system and apologized for the remark, many customers expressed their anger to store management. Some community members said Saturday that they've heard reports of similar incidents happening at the store in recent months that were not reported to police.

"We are concerned about that, and we're looking into these incidents. We want to work with the community to make sure these types of incidents don't happen," said Loretta Winters, president of the Gloucester County chapter of the NAACP.

Winters said she hopes the boy will get counseling and be educated about sensitivity so he can understand the consequences of his actions.

"I'm assuming this person didn't realize how hurtful his comments were," she said.

I said it before and I'll say it again - Although I understand why, I disagree with all the fuss. This was a prank. The overreaction to this event is quite simply liberal victim-hood run amok.

This was a 16-year-old kid, for Heaven's sake. 16-year-old kids do really stupid stuff - just ask my parents! They had two of us, and I know the elder (me) certainly was guilty of his fair share of stupidity.

I credit Loretta Winters of the local NAACP for her statement of the fact that she assumes the teen didn't understand how hurtful his comments might have been, but I then must wonder why she and others seem hell-bent on prosecuting this situation. As I said before, this is certainly no hate crime. This was kids being kids; no more, no less.

Furthermore, as Hack Wilson points out in his post on the subject, a simple YouTube search of walmart intercom pranks shows that this is not a first of it's kind event.

Later in the article, The Associated Press tried to associate this prank with real possible discrimination:

The incident was the latest in a series of problems the retailer has had in its dealings with minorities and women.

There have been several past instances of black customers claiming they were treated unfairly at Walmart stores, and the company faced lawsuits alleging that women were passed over in favor of men for pay raises and promotions.

In February 2009, the retailer paid $17.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in its hiring of truck drivers.

And the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued the company in May 2009, claiming some Hispanic employees at a Sam's Club subsidiary in California were subjected to a hostile work environment. That suit alleges managers failed to stop repeated verbal harassment, including the use of derogatory words, against employees of Mexican descent.

Really, Associated Press? This is your standard of journalism? This was a teenager pulling a prank, and you somehow believe you can equate this situation to possible instances of real discrimination?

Trashy journalism, to say the least.

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today on March 17, 2009, a relatively humble guy from Phoenix, Arizona sat down in front of his computer and began a rambling account of an afternoon out at a place called Oggi's, where he had a beer and a small pizza and met a bunch of others who normally weren't very politically active.

Motivated by Glenn Beck's We Surround Them event, this patriotic individual had come home the night of Friday, March 13, 2009 and signed up for the local "Meetup" group that evolved into a 9.12 project group.

Not feeling like joining that group was enough, and uncertain what would come of this new "membership," he decided that he should use whatever tools and skills he had in front of him, so he looked into what was needed to write a blog.

Why a blog, you ask? Well, he had a computer, and he had an internet connection. So far, so good. He had taken a composition class during a short-lived venture into secondary education and had received nothing but 'A' grades for his work, and his classmates always wanted to do study groups with him, so he figured he must be a decent writer.

So the account of the events of March 13, 2009 were written, and The Wisdom of Soloman had begun.

It was a slow start, as I'm sure many bloggers understand. March brought just one other posting - a discussion about some time spent on my favorite hate-filled liberal stomping ground, The Huffington Post. This new blogger didn't know much about what he was doing back then. No links to external sources validating statements, nobody to have discussions with about his writings. He had installed this neat little thing on the side of his blog for "followers," but didn't even know what that meant, and really didn't know much about where to find other blogs written by like-minded individuals.

April, May, June, July... six posts total across those four months. He had a couple of people add themselves as "followers" (Thanks to Track-A-'Crat, Jill from Pundit and Pundette, Nickie Goomba, and Opus at MAINFO, some of my first followers!) but didn't have a whole lot of interaction.

Then Van Jones and the radical smear-machine attacked Glenn Beck, and by proxy smeared the blogger who was searching for inspiration. A post was written on the blog, a letter sent to Glenn Beck offering support, and - the rest is history, as they say.

The aforementioned blogger had found his inspiration, and since then - with the exception of a couple of sicknesses, a wonderful Christmas break, and one or two spells of blogger's block - The Wisdom of Soloman has been a bustling scene of activity.

Along the way through all of this, the blogger (who by now you certainly know is me) has had a wonderful array of experiences.

I've been inspired by some incredible writers. I've even written some pieces I'm actually impressed with from time to time.

I've made some friends through online discussion, and I value all of you who visit me here in my little corner of the blogosphere.

I believe that through this experience I've grown as a person. I also believe that I have gained more wisdom by learning from all of you than is imaginable. I can only hope that I am able to offer the same.

I honestly take great pride in being one of the people who someday will be looked back upon as those who saved America. We all - including me - probably feel rather small and insignificant as we fight this monstrous political machine that wishes to strip us of our individual liberties.

Of course, our fight will never be finished. As I write this, in the background on TV is Chris Matthews playing clips of presidents including Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Richard Milhous Nixon, James Earl Carter, William Jefferson Clinton and Barack Hussein Obama... all discussing how important this damned health care legislation has been throughout the years.

Of course it is important - to politicians. They think they are giving us something as they do this, but what they don't understand is that we have all we need as long as we have freedom, and with this legislation that must be defeated, they are attempting to take away our freedom.

I've said this before because I sincerely believe this is true: we all have many things to do with our time. We have commitments to family, work, friends, community, church, and so much more. The fact that out of all the things you could do with your time, you come to visit me - well, it's beyond humbling.

So with this post, I celebrate my first anniversary as a blogger, and I thank you all very much.

God Bless us, each and every one, and God Bless The United States of America.

Raaaaacist Industrial Complex Alert: Two Women to Boycott Wal-Mart in New Jersey After "All Black People" Asked to Leave, NBC Calls Women "Victims"

"I think they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said Shelia Ellington.

Ellington made this statement after a man reportedly used a PA system in a Wal-Mart along Rt. 42 in Turnersville, N.J. just before 5 p.m. on Sunday to announce, "Attention Wal-Mart customers: All black people leave the store now."

Patricia Covington, Shelia Ellington, and Virginia Tinsley were inside the store when the announcement was made, and told the Courier Post that customers and store employees looked stunned when they heard it.

"In 2010, I want to know why such statements are being made because it flies in the face of what we teach them [our kids] at home, and that's tolerance for people," said Ellington. "It was a disgusting comment. Once I heard that, I was absolutely shocked and appalled."

"I can't believe it in this day and age," Covington told the paper. "Wal-Mart needs to be more responsible."

The man was very calm when he broadcast the message, according to Tinsley. "He had a million dollar voice," the Washington Township resident said. "He wasn't nervous, [he was] really calm."

The women said the store's manager immediately addressed his shock about the incident to a large crowd of angry shoppers who gathered in the front of the store. He then made an apology over the intercom.

Tinsley said her husband then called 911 to report what had happened.

Washington Township police and the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office are investigating the incident as a possible bias crime.

Wal-Mart management called the incident "unacceptable," and said it's working to make sure nothing like this happens at any other stores.

Wal-Mart issued this statement Wednesday:

"We're just as appalled by this as our customers. Whoever did this is just wrong and acted in an inappropriate manner. Clearly, this is completely unacceptable to us and to our customers."

Store management is now working to limit which phones can access the PA system.

According to the nbcphiladelphia.com article and the update link offered there, all three women are boycotting the store.


I must say that there is no need for behavior like this, and the person who used Wal-Mart's public address system to make such a statements is a jackass, to say the least.

Wal-Mart committed no crime. If the person who committed this act is a Wal-Mart employee, there is no criminal act to be investigated. The employee can and should be dealt with internally in an appropriate manner, which in my opinion should not include termination. Suspension without pay for a week or two should be a sufficient punishment.

If the store surveillance system turns up footage of a perpetrator who is not a Wal-Mart employee, then perhaps a misdemeanor of some kind has been committed, and I would assume justice would be served accordingly. But "bias crime?" Not so much.

For these women to claim that Wal-Mart needs to be more responsible and that someone needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law? While emotionally understandable, these statements are generally illogical, and speak to a bigger issue.

That bigger issue is this: The fact that a division of NBC News is using a headline reading, "Wal-Mart Paging Victims: "It Was Disgusting" speaks to the perpetuation of racism in America that will never end if the Raaaaacism Industrial Complex does not stop making victims of people who are not truly victims.

Certainly these women had every right to be disgusted by the announcement they heard. I also agree completely with the statement made by Shelia Ellington, who described how such an act flies in the face of everything good people should be teaching their children. This was not an act of good behavior by a good person; it was a blatant act of stupidity by a jackass. However, it is my opinion that to once again throw the words "victim" and "racist" around in this instance diminishes the real meaning of these words that have real significance when they are truly applicable to a situation.

I hope Wal-Mart figures out who did this, and I hope reasonable and proper punishment is applied. Wal-Mart has clearly apologized and told these women that this is unacceptable by their standards.

I hope these women get over it quickly and get back to living life. I wish them well.

Finally, I wish the media would stop using "victim" and "racist" as tools to sell advertising revenue.