Monthly Archives: May 2011
Outrage as Steelers’ Running Back Insufficiently Happy With Bin Laden’s Death
Popular outrage is swelling tonight against Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall following the star’s tweets about the slaying of Osama bin Laden.
Mendenhall, whose previous tweets about the merits of the NFL Draft came under scrutiny, caused quite a stir when, citing the Christian principle “those who judge others, will also be judged themselves,” wondered whether it was appropriate to “celebrate” the death of anyone.
Mendenhall’s comments were quick to spawn a flurry of controversy and public condemnation. Steelers owner Art Rooney II termed Mendenhall’s lack of joy incomprehensible in an official response, saying that the “entire Steelers’ organization” is officially very proud of the killing.
Mendenhall’s comment was a paraphrase of Matthew 7:1, a part of the biblical Sermon on the Mount termed the “discourse on judgementalism.” Though the sermon is considered the canonical word of God throughout Christendom, there is a considerable debate among Christians today over whether there is an implied Osama Exemption within the sermon that permits Christians to celebrate his slaying.
(Read more from news.antiwar.com)
Haaretz WikiLeaks exclusive / Netanyahu agreed to join Olmert’s government if Israel attacked Iran
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed willingness to join Ehud Olmert’s government in 2007 if Israel initiated an attack on Iran, a document from the Israeli WikiLeaks collection has revealed. (Read more from haaretz.com)
American Euphoria over annoucement of Osama’s Death
Holy shit! Perhaps it’s not worth it to try to save America from itself. Perhaps the best thing is to find a good place to run, so that I can be far, far away from these psychopaths.
On a completely unrelated note, a friend of mine announced that he caught Big Foot, but immediately after verifying his identity, dumped the body in a lake.
Osama photo under suspicion
Graphic video can be found HERE which suggests the released photo of a dead Osama Bin Laden is a blend of two previously existing photos.
Happy Osama is Dead Day
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Israel Rails Against Palestinian Reconciliation Deal
Israeli officials appear united in publicly condemning yesterday’s announced reconciliation deal among Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah. Officials responded today with repeated warnings that they have ruled out any future peace talks.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has taken a line literally of asking Fatah to choose between the right-wing Israeli government and Hamas, saying they cannot have ties with both. Since the Netanyahu government broke off peace talks with Hamas in September, however, it appears the threat to not hold additional peace talks was not a major one for Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas.
Indeed, Israeli officials have occasionally insisted that talks with Fatah were pointless precisely because Hamas was not involved, and they hold sway over a large chunk of the population. It seems either way, the largely illusory peace process would be “imperiled.”
Which has led Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to insist that Israel may begin withholding all taxes collected for the Palestinian Authority. Since Israel only occasionally pays this amount in full at any rate, and is constantly finding excuses to withhold it to punish officials, this too may be an empty threat.
But top US Congressmen are also threatening to withhold aid to the Palestinian Authority to punish them for “shunning peace talks” by accepting a peace deal with the rival Hamas faction. (Read more from news.antiwar.com)
Is there hope for liberty in our lifetime?
Israel intellectuals and artists back Palestinian state
Dozens of Israeli intellectuals and artists have signed a petition calling for a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders and an end to the occupation.
The signatories include 16 winners of the Israel Prize, the country’s highest civilian honour. Among them are rights pioneer Shulamit Aloni, historian Yehuda Bauer and sculptor Dani Karavan.
The petition also backs the Palestinian drive for recognition by the UN, in the absence of progress in peace talks. (Read more from bbc.co.uk)
For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto by Murray Rothbard
* non-aggression principle
* applying the same moral standards to the state as we do to individuals
* divine right of kings -> common good / public welfare / fallibility of market
* taxation as legalized / organized theft
* emotivists vs. utilitarians vs. natural rights (absolutist)
* a theory of justice in property (23:30) — hypothetical case of government-granted property
* @ 28:40 the connection between self ownership and property ownership
* extrapolation to ownership of goods & land
* attributing actions to collective nouns like “society” or “nation” instead of individuals. (noted by historian Parker T. Moon)
* “the very words conceal the facts and make international relations a glamorous drama in which personalized nations are the actors, and all too easily we forget the flesh and blood men and women who are the true actors.”
* definition of freedom (private property not invaded)
* shouting fire in a crowded theater
* “Empire building is done not by nations but by men. The problem before us is to discover the men — the active interested minorities in each nation who are directly interested in imperialism and then to analyze the reasons why the majorities pay the expense, and fight the war necessitated by imperialistic expansion.”