Fo Shizzle!

Ten days after President Obama's historical election in November 2008, Michael Steele, the Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), participated in a conference call with various conservative bloggers. During that call, Steele stated that conservatives should not soften their attacks "just because the President of the United States is a black man". Steele continued to comment on this specific topic by claiming that "the Obama campaign played the race card in reverse beautifully". Steele would launch his campaign for the position of RNC Chairman just ten days later.

Despite his opinions above, Steele sang a different tune regarding race during his interview with George Stephanopoulos on Monday's edition of "Good Morning America". When asked if he felt that he, as an African American, has "a slimmer margin for error than another Chairman would", Steele replied: "The honest answer is yes...Barack Obama has a slimmer margin. We, a lot of folks do. It's a different role for, you know, for me to play and others to play. And that's just the reality of it."

And Steele thinks that President Obama has "played the race card"? Let's take a look at some other incidents involving Steele since he became Chairman of the RNC:

• In response to a question about his plan for "inclusion of diverse populations" within the Republican Party, Steele answered: "I got the fried chicken and potato salad."
• During an appearance on "The Curtis Sliwa Show" on ABC Radio, Steele offered "some slum love out to my buddy", Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (who was born to immigrants from India). Steele eloquently described President Obama's stimulus package by uttering "There's a lot of bling bling -- the bling bling's got bling bling in this package". He insisted the Republican Party "has got to take it's head out of it's you know what and recognize that America doesn't look like America in 1952. That America now is something very different, very beautiful -- that has a lot of strips and strains to it. But it's real and we've got to get in the real." Addressing the criticism from Meghan McCain, the daughter of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), that Steele's new "hip-hop" strategy for the Republican Party isn't "going to work", Steele claimed: "I'm not stupid. I was born in [Washington, D.C.] on 8th Street. I know what's up. I know what time it is." After Sliwa informed Steele that he was going to play a song from Jay-Z, Steele responded with "There you go, playa".
• While Steele was speaking in front of approximately 150 students at Howard University, one of those students mentioned her plans to study business law. Steele's reply? "Business law! Mo money!"
• To update the image of the Republican Party, Steele reported that he was creating a public relations team to develop an "off the hook" campaign for "urban-suburban hip hop settings".

As you can see, Steele has never been afraid to play the race card. However, when he does so, it is in a manner that is extremely offensive and degrading to other African Americans. Or in Steele's words, he is just plain trippin'.

Then Mr. Bush Was a Serial Offender

The individual with the pen name of "Robin of Berkeley" is a frequent contributor to the conservative web site American Thinker and, in her words, "a recovering liberal and psychotherapist" as well. With articles titled "Sarah Palin Is One Tough Mother" and "Obama the Repo Man", this writer's allegiance is certainly without question. And while she definitely has the freedom to voice her opinions, the most recent article went way too far. That article, "The Rape of America", actually compares being raped to the actions of President Obama and the Democrats:

• "Let's start by analyzing the mind of a rapist. His goal: Domination and absolute power, through any means necessary. His motivation: punishing another, degrading her, feeling superior and godlike. Making her feel like an object, nothing, a no-thing. What else propels him? Taking what he wants just because he wants it. Feeling the surge of power, the adrenaline rush, the thrill of stealing a piece of her. Anything else? Feeding primitive, twisted impulses; expressing sadistic needs; the savage excitement of subjugating and controlling another."

If you think those comments were offensive, "Robin of Berkeley" didn't stop there:

• "And the aftermath of rape? The destruction of something in the victim that will never return: a feeling of safety in the world, in her own body. The nightmare of being treated as an animal -- no, worse than this since animals are now venerated. And from this nightmare, she may never completely awaken."
• "This country is being raped."
• "And just like in a gang rape, people who could have done something about it didn't. In fact, the liberal media and many Democrats have stood around watching, egging on the players. Can someone explain to me how the Democrats' complicity is any different from what happened a few months ago at Richmond High School? There, a gang of boys raped and beat a girl as a crowd not only snickered but filmed the assault."
• "We also have the economic rapes, the constant shrieks of 'Gimme, gimme'. Give me what you have because I want it. Whether it's the iPod torn from your ear, or a big chunk of your income, or your standard of living, no matter. I want it, I demand it, give it to me. Or the intrusions into our very bodies by Obamacare's biggest of Big Brothers. Our medical records, our personal information, our physician/patient relationship, our DNA -- they want it so they will take it from us."
• "And now that the left has finally appropriated our health care and our student loans, our banks and newspapers and automobile companies, are they happy? Satisfied? Grateful, for God's sake? No, the mocking continues, the outright threats and the violence escalate."
• "Still not sure that the sexualization of children, the wilding of women, the looting of the economy and the intrusions into our bodies constitute the rape of America? I have one final piece of evidence. A majority of citizens are shouting 'No' from the rooftops. No to Obamacare. No to socialism. No to trashing the Constitution. And yet, to Obama and the left, the assertion of 'No' does not matter. Smug and entitled, drunk with power and giddy when they see our fear, they take what they want anyway."

Northern Exposure of the Day

As part of her deal with the devil (otherwise known as her employment with FOX News), Sarah Palin will serve as the host of a television program called "Real American Stories". This one-hour program is being described as "a series exploring inspirational real life tales of overcoming adversity throughout the American landscape".

The first installment of this series (which ironically aired on April Fool's Day) was originally scheduled to include LL Cool J (born James Smith) in a segment called "In Their Own Words". However, according to a spokesperson for the actor/musician, "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." To further emphasize his position, LL Cool J posted the following comments on Twitter: "FOX lifted an old interview I gave in 2008 to someone else and are misrepresenting to the public in order to promote Sarah Palin's show. WOW." So how did FOX News respond to the fact that the network was clearly planning on using previous footage of LL Cool J inappropriately? In a completely mature manner, of course: "'Real American Stories' features uplifting tales about overcoming adversity and we believe Mr. Smith's interview fits that criteria. However, as it appears that Mr. Smith does not want to be associated with a program that could serve as an inspiration to others, we are cutting his interview from the special and wish him the best with his fledgling acting career." "Fledgling"? While I certainly don't compare LL Cool J to the great thespians of our time, I wouldn't describe his career as fledgling considering the fact that he has a starring role on CBS's "NCIS: Los Angeles" and has performed in more than twenty films, not to mention his widely successful music career.

And in case anyone thinks that this was just an isolated incident, there is also Toby Keith. Keith was surprised when a radio reporter contacted his publicist in order to obtain details on the country singer's announced appearance on Palin's program. The publicist replied: "You're wrong. There is no Sarah Palin special with Toby Keith on it on FOX." The reporter then responded by e-mailing the press release from FOX News which claimed that Keith would "explain the inspiration behind his song 'Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue'" during the television program. Keith's publicist believes that the interview was conducted in Las Vegas in January 2009. At the same time, neither Keith nor his publicist received an e-mail or telephone call from FOX News to inform them that the footage would air on Palin's program.

This Unfortunate Day in History

On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was fatally shot while standing on the balcony outside his second story room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN. The highly respected civil rights leader was in Memphis to support a sanitation workers' strike and was preparing to leave for dinner when a bullet struck him in the jaw and severed his spinal cord. Dr. King was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival at St. Joseph's Hospital. Dr. King was thirty-nine years old, leaving behind a wife and four small children. According to biographer Taylor Branch, the autopsy revealed that Dr. King had the heart of a sixty-year-old, quite possibly resulting from the stress of the thirteen years of the Civil Rights Movement.

In the months prior to his assassination, Dr. King became increasingly concerned with the issue of economic inequality in the United States. He organized the Poor People's Campaign to focus on this issue, including an interracial march of poor Americans on Washington, D.C. And then in March, he traveled to Memphis in support of poorly treated African-American sanitation employees. Dr. King left the city but vowed to return in early April in order to lead another demonstration. On April 3 in Memphis, Dr. King delivered his final sermon, prophetically declaring:

"Well, I don't know what will happen now.
We've got some difficult days ahead.
But it really doesn't matter with me now
Because I've been to the mountaintop
And I don't mind.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life.
Longevity has its place.
But I'm not concerned about that now.
I just want to do God's will
And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain.
And I've looked over
And I've seen the Promised Land.

I may not get there with you.
But I want you to know tonight
That we, as a people, will get to the promised land.

And so, I'm happy tonight.
I'm not worried about anything.
I'm not fearing any man.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

Dr. King was killed the next day. Captured more than two months later, James Earl Ray, a habitual offender and escaped criminal, eventually pleaded guilty to murdering Dr. King and was sentenced to ninety-nine years in prison. (Although evidence exists which casts some doubt on Ray's guilt, it is certainly not along the same lines of Lee Harvey Oswald, where there is absolutely no way that he could have killed President John F. Kennedy.) However, the actual gunman is not even of importance here. It is that the irony of Dr. King's murder is almost to the point of immeasurability: A man who consistently preached and lived non-violence was felled by an assassin's bullet.

Idiotic Sign of the Week

At one point last year during the health care debate, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) offered his summary of the Republican health care plan: "Don't get sick. And if you do get sick, die quickly." He also started a web site (http://www.namesofthedead.com/) to memorialize Americans who "die simply because they have no health insurance". This time around, Grayson focused his energy regarding health care on a urologist in Mount Dora, FL.

Jack Cassell, the aforementioned urologist, posted the following sign last week on his office door: "If you voted for Obama...seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years." (He also provides Republican reading material in his waiting room under a sign which reads "This is what the morons in Washington have done to your health care. Take one, read it and vote out anyone who voted for it.") When asked about patients who may disagree with the notice on his door, Cassell declared that "If they read the sign and turn the other way, so be it".

According to a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Health, there are "no grounds for a complaint" against Cassell. At the same time, it is evident from this moron's childish signs and comments that he does not believe in the Hippocratic Oath. This point is emphasized when you read the sections concerning "I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures that are required", "I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm" and "May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help".

With all of that being said, what more could you expect from an individual who obtained his medical degree from the St. George's University School of Medicine in Grenada, British West Indies? The Doctor of Medicine Program at this heavily regarded educational institution is only approved by three U.S. states (Florida, New Jersey and New York) and recognized by the Medical Board of California. Cassell is probably not complaining about all of the publicity, especially since his wife is currently running as a Republican candidate for Lake County Commissioner.

I'm Scared of Islands Now

At a recent hearing before the House Armed Services Committee, Admiral Robert Willard, the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, provided testimony in regards to his command's FY 2011 budget. When the discussion focused on the plans to transfer thousands of U.S. troops from Okinawa, Japan to Guam, Willard was present for possibly the strangest comment he has heard during his 40+ year military career.

This unbelievable remark concerning Guam was uttered by Rep. Henry Johnson (R-GA):

Johnson: "This is an island that, at its widest level is, what, twelve miles from shore to shore? And at its smallest level or smallest location, it's seven miles between one shore and the other. Is that correct?"
Willard: "I don't have the exact dimensions but, to your point, sir, I think Guam is a small island."
Johnson: "Very small island and about twenty-four miles, if I recall, long. So twenty-four miles long, about seven miles wide at the least widest place on the island and about twelve miles wide on the widest part of the island. And I don't know how many square miles that is. Do you happen to know?"
Willard: "I don't have that figure with me, sir. I can certainly supply it to you if you'd like."
Johnson: "Yeah, my fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize."

Yes, you read that right. Now I understand that Johnson has been experiencing numerous health issues (including cognitive) due to his long battle with hepatitis C. However, the last sentence of this exchange between Johnson and Willard is a little disconcerting, illness or not. With that being said, Johnson has already proven himself to be much better than his predecessor, Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), who is famous for striking a U.S. Capitol Police officer and claiming that Mr. Bush and his administration had prior knowledge of the 9/11 attacks.

I Can Hardly Believe It Myself

Despite the tensions between both candidates' teams during the 2008 presidential campaign, Sarah Palin attended and delivered speeches at rallies last weekend for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in preparation for the primary election in August against J.D. Hayworth. And I am actually in favor of it. Congratulations, universe. You win.

Now based on their history with one another, everyone in the world should have expected Palin to speak out in support of McCain. While McCain remains an extremely immature individual who clearly got by on his father's coattails, he is certainly a much better option candidatewise than Hayworth. For starters, Hayworth is actually a former member of the United States Congress. In fact, Hayworth served as a member of the House of Representatives for six consecutive terms until he lost a re-election bid in 2006. But I'll come back to that. Let's first take a closer look at various aspects of Hayworth's career as an elected official:

• In his initial run for Congress in 1994, Hayworth criticized his incumbent opponent for voting for President Bill Clinton's budget plan, which Hayworth described as "the largest tax increase in history". However, this budget plan assisted the United States in migrating from an inherited 1993 budget deficit of a then record $290 billion to a budget surplus of $236 billion, while also creating the country's first two balanced federal budgets in forty years.
• During his first re-election campaign in 1996, Hayworth fired two of his campaign aides for forging his signature in order to file a campaign affidavit within the established deadline.
• In a fundraising letter for his 1998 re-election campaign, Hayworth not only referred to President Clinton as an "unprincipled philandering President" with "the most corrupt administration in U.S. history" but also claimed that his Democratic opponent was financed by "trial lawyers, radical homosexual rights groups, environmental extremists...along with almost every other left wing wacko group you can think of".
• A 1998 "Washingtonian Magazine" survey of 1,200 congressional staff members from both parties ranked Hayworth as the second "Biggest Windbag" in the House. Hayworth stated he "was hoping to get the No. 1 spot". Luckily his wish was granted when he won the "No Rocket Scientist" category.
• A similar survey in 2006 (this time involving more than 1,700 staff members) ranked Hayworth No. 2 again. By the way, McCain was ranked in the same 2006 survey as the "Straightest Shooter" in the Senate and tied for third as the "Senator I’d Like to See Win the Presidency in 2008".
• Between 2001 and 2005, Hayworth's wife Mary earned $20,400 a year from TEAM PAC, Hayworth's political action committee, for performing bookkeeping and other administrative functions. As the only employee of TEAM PAC after December 1999, the fund shelled out $107,000 through the end of 2004 for Mary's salary and payroll taxes, or approximately twenty-six percent of its $411,000 in revenue. This occurred despite the fact that TEAM PAC also paid $70,000 to an external political consultant and a California bookkeeper during the same time, thereby designating forty-three percent of the total revenue for fundraising and administrative expenses.
• While many Republican members of Congress returned the contributions they received from Native American tribes associated with the now incarcerated lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Hayworth, on the other hand, decided to keep the $150,000 in campaign contributions that he received from those tribes.
• Hayworth voted for the 2005 Transportation Reauthorization Bill which contained, among other things, millions of dollars earmarked for the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere" in Alaska. McCain did not support the legislation.
• In 2006, Hayworth declared the current immigration law misinterprets the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and, as a result, a child of undocumented immigrants born in this country should not be given U.S. citizenship. He delivered these comments even though the amendment specifically states that "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside".
• Earlier this month during an interview with an Orlando radio station, Hayworth compared same sex marriage with zoophilia: "You see, the Massachusetts Supreme Court, when it started this move toward same sex marriage, actually defined marriage -- now get this -- it defined marriage as simply, quote, 'the establishment of intimacy'. Now how dangerous is that? I mean, I don't mean to be absurd about it but I guess I can make the point of absurdity with an absurd point. I guess that would mean, if you really had affection for your horse, I guess you could marry your horse." A complete examination of the 45-page decision on the case of Hillary Goodridge vs. Department of Public Health clearly proves that the phrase "the establishment of intimacy" does not occur once in the entire document. In fact, the word "intimacy" only appears six times in the decision. And to further contradict Hayworth's claims, Margaret Marshall, the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, started the ruling with the following: "Marriage is a vital social institution. The exclusive commitment of two individuals to each other nurtures love and mutual support; it brings stability to our society."

As I mentioned earlier, Hayworth is a former member of Congress. When he was seeking re-election in 2006, "The Arizona Republic", which had supported Hayworth in previous congressional races, decided to endorse his Democratic opponent. In explanation of its shift, the newspaper had these wonderful things to say about Hayworth:

• "The biggest problem in Congress is extreme partisanship and Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) is among Capitol Hill's worst offenders."
• "Hayworth always has been an enthusiast for rough-and-tumble politics."
• "It is high time to hit this matter squarely: J.D. Hayworth is a bully. He may not yet have reached the point where you can't take him anywhere but you certainly can't take him to a calm, civil discussion."
• "During this past term, Hayworth has devolved from a windy and sometimes cartoonish politician into an angry demagogue who has shamelessly and divisively exploited the immigration issue, arguably the No. 1 concern of Arizonans."
• "Hayworth and like minded allies did manage to monkey wrench this year's hope for realistic immigration reform. Some accomplishment."
• "Hayworth's bombastic rhetoric and obnoxious behavior have gotten him into his toughest political fight yet. In a meeting last week with [the newspaper's] Editorial Board, Hayworth repeatedly positioned himself like a smirking hawk, inches from the face of his 'prey', Mitchell, while the Democrat responded to questions. For that overbearing attempt at intimidation, Hayworth deserves a sound rap on the knuckles."
• "The 5th Congressional District needs a bridge builder, not a bomb thrower."

Aside from the endorsement from "The Arizona Republic", numerous prominent Arizona Republicans crossed party lines by openly supporting Mitchell. Combined with the fact that he is a intolerant egomaniac and a crooked politician, this is why, boys and girls, Hayworth is no longer a member of the United States Congress.

Upon Further Review, Part II

On the web site for the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Virginia, the following duties and powers are listed:

• Provide legal advice and representation to the Governor and executive agencies, state boards and commissions and institutions of higher education. The advice commonly includes help with personnel issues, contracts, purchasing, regulatory and real estate matters and the review of proposed legislation. The office also represents those agencies in court.
• Provide written legal advice in the form of official opinions to members of the General Assembly and government officials.
• Defend criminal convictions on appeal and defend the state when prisoners sue concerning their incarceration.
• Defend the constitutionality of state laws when they are challenged in court.
• Enforce state laws that protect businesses and consumers when there are violations.
• Represent consumers in utility matters before the State Corporation Commission.
• Collect debts owed to state agencies, hospitals and universities.
• Conduct or assist criminal investigations and prosecutions in certain limited cases (for example, Medicaid fraud, money laundering, theft of state property, environmental crimes and computer crimes).
• Represent the Department of Social Services in its efforts to collect child support on behalf of children and families.
• Supervise the appointment and payment of private attorneys hired by other state agencies for various matters.
• Assist victims of crime who are following criminal cases at the appellate level.
• Provide information to the public on identity theft prevention and remediation.
• Administer grants to help reduce crimes involving gangs, drugs and sex predators.
• Administer the Sexually Violent Predator Civil Commitment Program to protect children from the most dangerous predators.

I have provided this information because not one of these bullet points specifically addresses the actions of and legislation passed by the United States government. Now I am not being naive in this situation and simply thinking that no state has ever filed suit against the federal government, as Cuccinelli and other state Attorney Generals recently did regarding the constitutionality of the new health care bill. However, challenging new legislation or the findings by a government agency (as was the case with Cuccinelli and the EPA's report on greenhouse gases) is not an area on which a state Attorney General should focus the majority of his/her time. In fact, State Sen. Donald McEachin (D-VA) commented on this very subject: "What we would prefer to see [Cuccinelli] doing is going after these predatory lenders that are breaking the law, going after Internet predators. That's the mission of the Attorney General's office. To be a consumer advocate, to protect our children. To ensure our safety. Not to tilt at windmills in a Don Quixote type fashion."

With that being said, Cuccinelli clearly thinks that he and his role are above the federal government, the White House and, most of all, President Obama. Combining this arrogance with his (1) prejudice towards homosexuals, (2) alarmist attitude regarding the federal government and (3) stance on President Obama's citizenship, the residents of Virginia (including myself) should expect to be ignored for the next four years.

The True Definition of Cowardice

As a result of voting for the recently passed health care bill, certain Democrats have been experiencing scary, dangerous and irresponsible reactions for their support of the legislation. Vandals broke windows at the local offices of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY). Slaughter also reported that an individual contacted her office last week and promised to "send snipers to kill the children of the members who voted yes". Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) has received voice mail messages containing violent threats such as "You're dead", "We know where you live" and "We’ll get you". Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) was forced to change his personal cell phone number after Gary Emineth, Chairman of the Republican Party of North Dakota, provided that number and the contact information for Pomeroy's office in Washington, D.C. to delegates and a television audience as Emineth spoke at the state Republican convention. And if those stories aren't frightening enough, here are three more that will surely make you scratch your head.

First on the list is right wing blogger (and resident nutjob) Mike Vanderboegh who posted these comments on his web site: "If you wish to send a message that [Nancy] Pelosi and her party cannot fail to hear, break their windows. Break them NOW. Break them and run to break again. Break them under cover of night. Break them in broad daylight. Break them and await arrest in willful, principled civil disobedience. Break them with rocks. Break them with slingshots. Break them with baseball bats. But BREAK THEM. The time has come to take your life, your liberty and that of your children and grandchildren into your own two hands and ACT. It is, after all, more humane than shooting them in self defense." While he receives private health insurance through his wife's employer, Vanderboegh ironically is unemployed and currently receives monthly disability checks for his supposed congestive heart failure, diabetes and hypertension. Since he rants uncontrollably against the new health care bill, I wonder if he will stop accepting those checks from the evil socialist federal government. I doubt it--most cowards wouldn't.

The second incident involved Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-OH) and the Committee to Rethink Reform. The organization used a photo of Driehaus and his two young daughters in a newspaper ad urging him to vote against any health care reform bill which included federal funding for abortion. (Of course, this despicable action is completely hypocritical. While the organization wants to protect unborn children, they don't seem to have an issue with putting Driehaus's daughters in harm's way by publishing their faces in "The Cincinnati Enquirer".) But the most offensive aspect of this entire situation may be multiple statements from Rep. John Boehner (R-OH). During an interview last week with the National Review Online, Boehner declared that, if Driehaus voted for the health care bill (which he eventually did), Driehaus "may be a dead man. He can’t go home to the west side of Cincinnati." However, on Thursday at his weekly news conference at the United States Capitol, Boehner claimed that "I've said countless times that it's possible to disagree without being disagreeable". Really? Boehner, in an cowardly effort to deflect attention away from his remarks regarding Driehaus, also had this to say: "No one saw this quote until Congressman Driehaus and other people made an issue of it."

The last event, which occurred in my state of Virginia, is truly gutless and clearly the most infuriating of the three. In an apparent attempt to foster the Lynchburg Tea Party's "mutual commitment of respect and understanding", tea bagger Michael Troxel posted the home address of Rep. Thomas Perriello (D-VA) on his blog "just in case any of his friends and neighbors want to drop by and say hi and express their thanks regarding his vote for health care". Troxel also uttered that he was promoting such behavior because nothing communicates your stance better than "a good face to face chat. It has a much more personal touch to it." With that being said, due to the fact that he is not only a coward but also an idiot as well, Troxel failed miserably at putting his Bachelor's degree in Print Journalism from Liberty University (the educational institution founded by Jerry Falwell), as well as his experience as a staff member of the university's newspaper, to good use. Why? Because Troxel, instead of posting Perriello's home address, actually published the home address of Perriello's brother Bo. Honest mistake, right? Maybe. (Although I'm still not sure which half baked web site Troxel used to obtain the incorrect information. I'm also not sure if Troxel has ever uncovered the Perriello's actual address.) However, the problem with Troxel's error is that Bo lives with his wife and four children under the age of eight at that address. As if that wasn't enough, both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local authorities started an investigation after a severed propane line was discovered on Bo's property. I'm sure it was just a coincidence--that sort of thing happens all of the time.

There are a couple of side notes on the Perriello/Troxel story. After Troxel posted the address, Nigel Coleman, the organizer of the Danville Tea Party, did the right thing by avoiding due diligence altogether and verifying if the information was correct. Coleman instead decided to just cut and paste the address and then posted it on his Facebook page. At the same time, when he was informed about Troxel's fantastic investigative skills, Coleman's response was more than typical (but cowardly nonetheless): "Do you mean I posted his brother's address on my Facebook? Oh well, collateral damage." When Coleman was informed of the severed propane line, Coleman was "shocked" and "almost speechless" but also uncertain if this event was related to the posting of the home's address.

Last but not least, Kurt Feigel, a blogger and one of Troxel's local colleagues, justified Troxel's actions in an interview with POLITICO.com: "We should be protesting on his front lawn. He betrayed his district." Of course, Feigel is the same coward who operates the SendARope channel on YouTube on which he, among other things, encourages others to threateningly send ropes to politicians with which they disagree.

This Day in History

Forty-five years today, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech on the steps of the State Capitol in Montgomery, AL after the successful completion of the march from Selma, AL to Montgomery. Officially titled as "Our God Is Marching On!", the brilliant address is more commonly known as the "How Long? Not Long." speech. Here is an excerpt from the most famous portion of the speech:

"I know you're asking today, 'How long will it take?'. Somebody’s asking, 'How long will prejudice blind the visions of men, darken their understanding and drive bright eyed wisdom from her sacred throne?'. Somebody’s asking, 'When will wounded justice, lying prostrate on the streets of Selma and Birmingham and communities all over the South, be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men?'. Somebody’s asking, 'When will the radiant star of hope be plunged against the nocturnal bosom of this lonely night, plucked from weary souls with chains of fear and the manacles of death? How long will justice be crucified and truth bear it?'.

I come to say to you this afternoon, however difficult the moment, however frustrating the hour, it will not be long because truth crushed to earth will rise again.

How long? Not long because no lie can live forever.

How long? Not long because you shall reap what you sow."

To read a full transcript of the speech, you can click on the following link: http://www.mlkonline.net/ourgod.html. This link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAYITODNvlM) will allow you to view a video of a longer version of the above excerpt.