Free Republic

In the next few hours, we have a crucial opportunity to fight one of the most cynical and offensive smears ever launched against Barack. Tonight, WGN radio is giving right-wing hatchet man Stanley Kurtz a forum to air his baseless, fear-mongering terrorist smears. He's currently scheduled to spend a solid two-hour block from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. pushing lies, distortions, and manipulations about Barack and University of Illinois professor William Ayers. Tell WGN that by providing Kurtz with airtime, they are legitimizing baseless attacks from a smear-merchant and lowering the standards of political discourse. Call into the "Extension 720" show...

How should Bible-believing Christians align themselves in the Jewish-Palestinian conflict? There are Biblical reasons for treating both sides with compassionate public justice in the same way that disputes should be settled between nations generally. In other words, the Bible does not teach us to be partial to Israel or to the Palestinians because either has a special divine status. I do not deny that Israel was chosen by God from all the peoples of the world to be the focus of special blessing in the history of redemption which climaxed in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. "The LORD your God has...

Paper on America's love affair with the SWAT team and "dynamic entry" raids. See scary accompanying map of botched no-knocks and other SWAT-style raids.

City of Light's finest bomb houses, arrest scores, kill dogs, and achieve nothing "We're going to have to be mobile, agile and slightly hostile in trying to get the job of policing done in the City of Buffalo," Buffalo Police Chief H. McCarthy Gipson announced when he was appointed to his position in February 2006. In April, Buffalo police made good on the boss's promise. The city conducted a massive anti-drug sweep from April 18 to April 20, dubbed "Operation Shock and Awe." Scores of police officers dressed in battle gear conducted 38 no-knock SWAT raids over the course of...

Gay pride group sues Star Tribune over ads The organizer of the annual Twin Cities Pride Celebration has sued the Star Tribune, accusing the newspaper of discrimination and breach of contract for refusing to publish ads for the festival. The advertisements showed two men kissing. The lawsuit, filed Friday in Hennepin County District Court, said the newspaper applied different standards to GLBT/Pride Twin Cities because the newspaper had published ads depicting a heterosexual couple kissing. The lawsuit also contends the newspaper breached its advertising contract, and retaliated by failing to publish any of its advertisements, including one that did not...

SILVER SPRING, MD – Hundreds of concerned citizens and leaders from across the nation will join Hurricane Katrina survivors Wednesday to call for the resignation of the heads of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the NOAA Headquarters just outside of Washington, D.C. During an 11 a.m. demonstration, advocates will demand that NOAA stop covering up the growing scientific link between severe hurricanes and global warming while insisting on real solutions to the problem of global warming. The protest comes at the start of the 2006 Hurricane season, which officials at the...

Gestapo-like tactics prompt outrage, complaints among owners, citizenry. In the ongoing effort to keep public places clear of intoxicated citizens and drunk drivers, some police agencies are using a controversial tactic – going directly into bars and restaurants to make arrests. Such is the situation in northern Virginia, where Fairfax County Police are targeting patrons suspected of having one too many. "[Officers] were talking to one of the guests, then physically pulled him off the barstool," Richie Prisco, general manager at Champps bar told the Reston Times. "They were really aggressive and nasty." According to the report, police are hauling...

(Waterford, California) The City Council has voted to seize property for public projects three times since 2004, and it's still paying for those decisions. Waterford pursued eminent domain — its right to take land for the public good — to acquire land for a planned government center, a river park and its second stoplight. Each decision landed the city in court because property owners wanted more money than the city offered. One businessman, Ron Coleman, forced the city to pay more than double what it originally offered to buy his used car lot on Highway 132. The city paid $300,000...

IM SICK AND TIRED OF ALL THIS TALK OF ETHICS IN CONGRESS AND CHARGES BEING BROUGHT UP AGAINST REPUBLICANS! THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS WHAT ITS DOING SO LIBERALS SHOULD BE QUIET! WE NEED TO ARREST AND KILL ANYONE WHO SPEAKS OUT AND HAVE THE FCC TAKE CONTROL OF ALL THE MEDIA AND REQUIRE LICENCES FOR JOURNALISM! LETS PRAY FOR TOM DELAY THAT HE GETS OUT ALRIGHT! AND THAT ALL THE DEMOCRATS ARE THROWN IN JAIL UNTIL THEY DIE WITHOUT TRIAL! THIS IS A WAR WERE IN! TRUST THE GOVERNMENT FOR ONCE OTHERWISE YOU ARE AN IDIOT AND A COMMUNIST TRAITOR! GOD...

Son of Florida Gov. Bush Arrested 12 minutes ago AUSTIN, Texas - The youngest son of Florida Gov.Jeb Bush was arrested early Friday and charged with public intoxication and resisting arrest, law enforcement officials said. AP Photo: John Ellis Bush, 21, shown in this photo provided by the Austin, Texas Police Department,... John Ellis Bush, 21, was arrested by agents of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission at 2:30 a.m. on a corner of Austin's Sixth Street bar district, said commission spokesman Roger Wade.The nephew ofPresident Bush was released on $2,500 bond for the resisting arrest charge, and on a personal...

Calaveras County Safe Again By Jeff Knox (Manassas, VA, April 27) The people of Calaveras County – the remote central California mining region made famous by the gold rush of 1849 and the jumping frogs of Mark Twain – can breath easier now that Richard Wilmshurst has been brought to justice. Wilmshurst was convicted last month of illegal possession of a machinegun and illegal possession of "Assault Weapons" in California. The judge sentenced Wilmshurst to three years probation and ordered that he dispose of his "arsenal". Wilmshurst, by the way, is a car dealer and land speculator with a law...

7-29-04                          TYRANNY UPDATE!  Oshkosh police say 'Sorry' for trampling citizens' rights in door-to-door gun confiscations.     Oshkosh, Wis. -- In what appears to be an admission of wrong-doing by the Oshkosh Police Department, Fox 11 WLUK (Green Bay) has reported that area resident Terry Wesner was offered an apology by the department.     Police evacuated citizens from their homes within a quarantined area near Smith Elementary School Saturday night (July 17, 2004) to conduct a broad gun sweep of the neighborhood following the shooting of Oshkosh police officer Nate Gallagher.    Residents reported returning home from area shelters -- where...

      Congressman Ron Paul addresses the U.S. House of Representatives July 10, 2003   "Neo-conned"   The modern-day, limited-government movement has been co-opted.  The conservatives have failed in their effort to shrink the size of government.  There has not been, nor will there soon be, a conservative revolution in Washington. Political party control of the federal government has changed, but the inexorable growth in the size and scope of government has continued unabated.  The liberal arguments for limited government in personal affairs and foreign military adventurism were never seriously considered as part of this revolution. Since the...