Free Republic

As I publish this, the Indonesian national holiday Hari Kartini is just beginning. Geopolitically, Indonesia is a free market democratising society which is wavering between being non aligned in its region and being troubled by some aspects of modern Chinese expansionism. It behooves The West to try to understand Indonesia better. It is the fourth biggest nation in the world by population. The Kartini Day holiday celebrates the life and spirit of Javanese princess Raden Ajeng Kartini, who established the first high school for girls in Java over a hundred years ago during Dutch Colonial rule. This made Kartini a...

Good evening comrades, welcome to the brave new world in which political enemies aren’t considered “innocent until proven guilty” — but rather, are graciously afforded “the right to a trial to prove their innocence.” Don’t take my word for it, listen to former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). In reaction to Manhattan Alvin Bragg indicting former President Donald Trump, Pelosi tweeted: “The Grand Jury has acted upon the facts and the law. No one is above the law, and everyone has the right to a trial to prove innocence. Hopefully, the former President will peacefully respect the system,...

Being an altar boy today "Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have been with a loose girl." The priest asks, "Is that you, little Joey Pagano?" "Yes, Father, it is." "And who was the girl you were with?" "I can't tell you, Father. I don't want to ruin her reputation." "Well, Joey, I'm sure to find out her name sooner or later so you may as well tell me now. Was it Tina Minetti?" "I cannot say." "Was it Teresa Mazzarelli?" "I'll never tell." "Was it Nina Capelli?" "I'm sorry, but I cannot name her." "Was it Cathy...

Twitter, Facebook deemed defendant guilty immediately after Wisconsin shooting Social media platforms rendered a verdict on Kyle Rittenhouse long before he went to trial, suppressing claims that he was innocent and blocking users from searching for details of the case. Immediately after the anti-police riots that thrust Rittenhouse into the national spotlight, social media companies began to block users who expressed support for the Illinois teen. Twitter suspended the accounts of users who called Rittenhouse innocent, including the defendant's own lawyer. Facebook said it "designated this shooting as a mass murder and … removed the shooter’s accounts from Facebook and...

KIDS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. THE FOLLOWING 25 STATEMENTS ABOUT THE BIBLE WERE WRITTEN BY CHILDREN. *THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED OR CORRECTED. INCORRECT SPELLING HAS BEEN LEFT IN*. 1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF. 2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS. 3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING...

One day her teacher, a nun, called on Carol while she was sleeping in class. "Tell me, Carol, who created the universe?" When Carol didn't stir, little Johnny, who was her friend sitting behind her, took his pencil and jabbed her in the rear. "God Almighty!" shouted Carol. The nun said, "Very good," and continued teaching her class. A little later the nun asked Carol, "Who is our Lord and Savior?" But Carol didn't stir from her slumber. Once again, Johnny came to her rescue and stuck her in the butt. "Jesus Christ !!!" shouted Carol. And the nun once...

In Part I, I introduced my story: I explained how I got into hard rock/ heavy metal music; mentioned some of the music I loved (and still do); noted the sea change in America–from relative innocence to corruption, ushered in through huge music festivals such as Woodstock and Altamont; and I broached darker elements in the music, including outright Satanic messages and images. In Part 2, I told a personal story of how corruption overtook my innocence–how sex, drugs, and rock & roll worked together by building on EXISTING, unresolved issues in my life, thereby opening up a “gateway” to...

https://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/priceless-student-reactions-to-gorgeous-teachers/85938623/

Brian D. Hill of USWGO news files the Petition for Rehearing in the Fourth Circuit US Appeals Court in dismissal of his 2255 Writ of Habeas Corpus Appeal; citing Actual Innocence – Your opinions: @LLinWood @SidneyPowell1 ?by Laurie AzgardBrian D. Hill, formerly of USWGO alternative news, files his petition for rehearing in the corrupt “Fourth Circuit” “U.S. Court of Appeals”, in their bid to wrongfully dismiss his writ of habeas corpus through his 2255 motion, again citing that actual innocence overcomes any procedural bars including the one-year statute of limitations. This petition was timely filed. The opinion of this corrupt...

A wise admonition — and one that might have saved Ahmaud Arbery’s life if Bob Rubin’s and Jason Sheffield’s client had stuck to it in the first place. The two attorneys argued yesterday “there is more to the story” of why Travis and Gregory McMichael tracked down and killed Arbery, and scolded people on their assumption of guilt without hearing the whole truth. “That’s the purpose of a trial,” Rubin intoned at a press conference late yesterday afternoon. Consider this today’s entry in the Someone Left the Irony On Department, with due hat-tip to MAD Magazine. Be sure to watch...

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.(Matthew 18:10)Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.(Luke 17:1-2)The world of pagan sexual anarchy that our blind leaders are intent on plunging us into,...

Democracy. Freedom of Speech. The Presunption of Innocence. The need for guilt to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. These pillars of Western society are under attack from within.

On Wednesday morning, former Special Counsel Robert Mueller testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee about his 448-page report. It was released to the public in April after a two-year-long investigation. Republican Congressman John Ratcliffe didn't waste any time with his brief, five minute questioning period and ripped Mueller for making up a standard of guilt only applicable to President Trump. "Now your report, and today you said that, 'All times the Special Counsel team operated under, was guided by, and followed Justice Department policies and principles,' so which DOJ policy or principle sets forth a legal standard...

The American justice system works well. It does not work perfectly. Like a well running, expensive automobile, a single malfunctioning part can result in minor inconvenience or, sometimes, disaster. Our justice system has several defective parts in it. At the least, they undermine confidence in our system. At worst, they can ruin your life — yes, your life. They have been used against President Trump in an effort to destroy his effectiveness as president and even to seek his removal from office. A few recent cases, well publicized, have provided an oil dipstick by which we can measure the threat....

Murtaza Ahmadi went viral in 2016 after pictures of him emerged wearing a makeshift Lionel Messi shirt fashioned out of a plastic bag. The Afghan boy’s humble tribute to his Barcelona idol touched the hearts of many, including, it seems, Messi himself. Murtaza would receive a package from the player via UNICEF, which included a real signed shirt, and he later even met his hero in a friendly played in Qatar. But those moments of joy have been replaced by dark times. The seven-year-old has been forced to flee his home after receiving death threats. His family say his fame...

Undoing wrongful convictions takes a killer instinct. Chicago-based exoneration specialist Kathleen Zellner's got it. Her record speaks for itself. Over the past two decades, she has righted more wrongful convictions than any private attorney in America. What's her secret? The Herculean task of untangling official lies, investigative bias, prosecutorial misconduct, ineffective counsel and forensic junk science to free 19 innocent men requires more than intellectual firepower (of which Zellner possesses a chess grandmaster's surplus). The job demands iron will and unshakeable fortitude to beat a system rigged to preserve government errors and protect prosecutions. As the "Survivor" slogan goes: "Outwit,...

I've been listening to crazy people saying things like, "someone isn't entitled to the presumption of innocence," or an accusation that is not only unproven but unprovable is "corroborated" in growing alarm. What goes through my mind is that this is the way you un-make civilization. Part of the problem is that our civilization – arguably, at least in terms of keeping the most people alive and in relative comfort – is not normal in the history of the world. This strange idea that each individual has rights, that the rights are inherent to them, that they deserve to be...

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh came out swinging in his opening remarks, defending himself against the sexual assault allegations levied by Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford and launching partisan attacks against Senate Democrats, who he called an “embarrassment” and warned, “what goes around, comes around.” “You’ve tried hard, given it your all, no one can question your effort,” Kavanaugh said, referring to Democrats. “But your coordinated and well-funded effort to destroy my good name and destroy my family will not drive me out.” Kavanaugh’s defiant statement — which he read large pieces of through tears — is different...

I envy Kevin. My brother, Kevin, thinks God lives under his bed. At least that's what I heard him say one night He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped to listen, 'Are you there, God?' he said. 'Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed...' I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room. Kevin's unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. But that night something else lingered long after the humor. I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in. He was born 30 years ago, mentally...

Children In Church ---------------------------------------------------------- Jesus' Dad's Name A Sunday school teacher asked her class, "What was Jesus' mother's name?" One child answered, "Mary." The teacher then asked, "Who knows what Jesus' father's name was?" A little kid said, "Verge." Confused, the teacher asked, "Where did you get that?" The kid said, "Well, you know, they are always talking about Verge n' Mary.'' -------------------------------------------------------- KIDS IN CHURCH 3-year-old Reese: "Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ A little boy was overheard praying: "Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about...