The American Apologist

The Atlanta Journal Constitution has an article today about former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and her “relief effort” in the Gaza Strip. It appears she was on that yacht which collided with an Israeli Navy patrol boat.  Here is the (obviously) unbiased report about the incident — you can tell it is unbiased because they refer Cynthia and her Palestinian & Hamas relief effort as “international peace activists”. Gee, where was their activism for peace when Hamas was firing THOUSANDS of rockets on Israelis? This is a classic example of media spin on a political agenda. The Nazis used to call it propaganda, but today we call it journalism.

Read the “whole” story then see more comments below:

Updated: 10:28 a.m. December 30, 2008

McKinney relief boat hit by Israeli ship

By CRAIG SCHNEIDER

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, December 29, 2008

A boat carrying international peace activists, including former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, and medical supplies to the embattled Gaza Strip sailed back into a Lebanese port on Tuesday after being turned back and damaged by the Israeli navy, organizers of the trip said.

The crowds on the docks in the Lebanese port city of Tyre were jubilant and cheering as they welcomed the vessel.

Petros Karadjias/AP

Cynthia McKinney is aboard the yacht Dignity, which set sail from Cyprus on Monday.

The boat, which set off from Cyprus Monday wanted to make a statement and deliver medical supplies to embattled Gaza. The trip’s organizers said the boat was clearly in international waters, 90 miles off the coast of Gaza, at the time of its close encounter with the Israeli navy.

“Our boat was rammed three times, twice in the front and one on the side,” McKinney told CNN Tuesday morning. “Our mission was a peaceful mission. Our mission was thwarted by the aggressiveness of the Israeli military.”

Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, denied there had been any shooting although the two ships had made “physical contact.”

Palmor said there was no response to a radio warning to the Dignity, and the vessel then tried to out-maneuver the Israeli patrol boat, leading to the collision.

Cyprus state radio said the Cypriot government would seek explanations from Israel over the incident.

McKinney called on President-elect Obama to address the Gaza crisis, saying the weapons being used by Israel were supplied by the United States.

McKinney denied that the incident was an accident. “What the Israelis are saying is outright disinformation,” she said. “What happened to us last night was a direct threat to our mission, but not our cause.”

Palmor called those allegations “absurd.”

“There is no intention on the part of the Israeli navy to ram anybody,” Palmor said.

In a press release, the Free Gaza movement stated, “Contrary to international maritime law, the Israelis are actively preventing the Dignity from approaching Gaza or finding safe haven in either Egypt or Lebanon. Instead, the Israeli navy is demanding that the Dignity return to Cyprus — despite the fact that the ship does not carry enough fuel to do so.”

McKinney is a high-profile member of a boatload of activists that set sail Monday from Cyprus to deliver medicine to war-torn Gaza.

McKinney, who ran as the Green Party candidate for president, sees the voyage as a humanitarian mission, said her father, former Georgia state Rep. Billy McKinney.

“Her mother did not want her to go,” he said, referring to concerns at home for her safety. “But I think that certain people have missions in life and you can’t deter them.”

The activists, organized by the Free Gaza Group, said their 66-foot yacht called “SS Dignity” would defy an Israeli blockade of Gaza and ferry 16 activists and three tons of Cypriot-donated supplies. The supplies are intended to help treat the wounded from Israeli bombings against targets in Gaza, in retaliation for rocket fire aimed at civilians in southern Israeli towns.

Israel’s aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip continued for a third day on Monday. By Monday, the death toll rose to 364, with some 1,400 reported wounded, according to Palestinian medical officials.

McKinney had sent an e-mail days ago to friends and supporters saying she intended to go to Gaza, said Hugh Esco, a Decatur resident who ran her presidential campaign Web site.

“She has stood with people all over this planet against oppression,” said Esco.

McKinney said she will petition President-elect Barack Obama to speak out against the attacks on Gaza.

The Free Gaza group has made five deliveries of aid by boat to Gaza since August, defying a blockade imposed by Israel when Hamas won control of the territory in June 2007. Organizers say they are aware they may be stopped this time.

“I don’t know if she’ll get off the boat,” her father said. “I hope she gets back safely.”

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.

First of all, I had to laugh out loud when I read Hugh Esco’s quote — “She has stood with people all over this planet against oppression.” — really, Hugh? Look at this map and tell me who is the minority and who is the majority?

The blue states represent the Arab/Muslim world (much like the leaders of the America’s blue states represent the pro-Arab/Muslim population) and the red state (that teeny, tiny spec next to the Medditerrainian Sea) is the Jewish state of Israel. Hamas, Palestinian terrorist organization with well-documented ties to Iran, controls the Gaza Strip. In the past few years they have fired THOUSANDS of rockets and missiles into Israel. Where was Cynthia McKinney’s outrage and concern for the Jewish community?

I also had to laugh at this gem: “McKinney, who ran as the Green Party candidate for president, sees the voyage as a humanitarian mission” — that sentence not only reaffirms her peace activist position, but it ingratiates her with all of the Global Warming crowd too! When I read it, I immediately thought they meant this “green party” — they call themselves Hamas.

Ms. McKinney and her leftist cronies always try to spin the Palestinian problem. The problem isn’t that Israel is violent and uses “disproportionate response” — the problem is with the Palestinians. They want the total destruction of the non-Muslims; America and Israel are their 2 primary targets, but it won’t stop there. Not unless “we” stop them (and soon).  Just watch this video taken from Palestinian TV:

Hat Tip to Omri Ceren at Mere Rhetoric and Robert Avrech at Seraphic Secret. For additional information on the *real* state of oppression against Jews and/or Israel, go visit Linda at Something… and a Half of Something or Joshua at JoshuaPundit — in fact, I particularly recommend watching this video to see why Israel has to fight this war.

David Spade… sometimes I think he’s one of the funniest comedic actors I’ve seen and in the next minute I think — “Geez, this guy is lame and he doesn’t even know it!” Maybe that’s the sign of a good actor. I don’t know, but I do appreciate Mr. Spade putting his money where his mouth is. Yesterday, David Spade donated $100,000 to the Phoenix Police Department to help buy 50 AR-15 rifles for their squad cars. He decided to donate the money after hearing that police were having to buy their own rifles. According to the AP story:

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Phoenix Police Department has gotten some high-powered goodies courtesy of actor David Spade.

The one-time Phoenix resident donated $100,000 so that the department can buy approximately 50 AR-15 rifles.

Spade said he wanted to make the donation after seeing a TV news report about Phoenix officers having to buy their own rifles. Spade grew up in the Phoenix area and graduated from Arizona State University.

Phoenix Police Sgt. Alan Hill says the rifles will be given to patrol officers and that the agency was grateful for the gifts.

“These guys need to be able to do their jobs and I am just happy I could help,” Spade said in a statement released by his publicist.

You will also note that when a Hollywood star is buying the weapons, the AP does NOT refer to them as “high powered, automatic assault rifles”…

# # # # #

Secondly, I missed a momentous occasion recently involving another great actor and a truly great American.  Gary Sinise was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by President George W. Bush.  Sinise was awarded the Medal for his work supporting American troops through the USO and for providing school supplies to Iraqi children.

Joe

H/T: Robert Avrech’s post and to Dirty Harry for his original post.

Let me preface this story with a confession — I have absolutely no tolerance for drunk drivers. I may have compassion for a tortured soul who turns to the bottle for emotional escapism, but once they get into a vehicle and decide to drive on the public roadways… well, suffice to say, that’s where my empathy ends.

Last Friday a woman by the name of Elizabeth Drewes, of rural Champaign, IL, got into her Cadillac Escalade after the lunch hour and went for a drive. Unfortunately, her drive included going westbound on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 74 headed west. Predictably, in less than a quarter-mile, she was involved in a 3 car pile-up which killed a 24 year old woman by the name of Brittany Babb. Miss Babb was a passenger who was riding in a minivan with her fiance, Zach Acton. He received injuries, but from all accounts I’ve heard, he will recover physically. Three other people, from the third vehicle, were treated and released. The alleged drunk driver, Elizabeth Drewes, was not injured and refused medical attention. She also refuse a breathalizer and was combative when she was arrested.

There are several factors which raised my eyebrows about this story:

• it was 1:00 PM (after lunch) when this woman, a 53 year old chemist, was (reportedly) so drunk that she entered the freeway going the wrong direction. I *really* would have expected it to be 1:00 AM after the bars close, but who the hell is so drunk at lunch time??

• and if someone was serving her drinks, who wouldn’t notice the “drunk lady” at lunchtime??

• and, of course, she has “a history”. According to local news accounts, Ms. Drewes was reportedly arrested on Sept 30th for DUI with a blood-alcohol level of .31 (the legal limit in Illinois is .08, so she was almost 4X the limit).

Why was this woman still driving? I realize she hasn’t been found guilty of DUI on either charge, but driving is a priveledge, not a freedom. Shouldn’t she have had her license revoked and reinstated if she was innocent?

Read the story here for more information.

Let me know what you think…

Joe

You’ve probably heard more than one liberal claim that “George W. Bush stole Florida from Al Gore in the 2000 Election.” or “Bush stole Ohio in 2004!!“. Well, the liberals’ favorite media maven, Ann Coulter, has an interesting post today regarding the history of American elections and the results aren’t always so good for the Republicans. Check it out…

Joe

H/T: 7.62mm Justice

Robert Avrech writes on his blog, Seraphic Secret, about the recent Islamic terrorism in the Mumbai Massacre in India. In particular, he writes about the targeting of Jews by the terrorists. Mr. Avrech is a talented and passionate writer — in fact, he makes his living from writing — and here’s a small excerpt of his post from today:

The mainstream media are unwilling to admit that Islamic terrorists, in fact, the entire islamic world is a sewer of Jew-hatred. The media prefer a false narrative of national liberation movements whose grievances and roots we must understand, i.e. poverty, lack of education, lack of jobs, yadda, yadda. It’s a tediously pat narrative that feeds left-wing delusions of romantic third world revolutionaries. But it’s a bit like claiming that the Crips and the Bloods are selfless neighborhood Robin Hoods.

The liberal media do not comprehend that in the Islamic world Jew-hatred masquerades under the guise of so-called national-religious liberation movements. Divisions of land, international treaties, billions in foreign aid, and noble speeches from gullible western politicians cannot and will not solve the genocidal Jew-hatred that is the bedrock of Islamic terrorism. More precisely, Westerners cannot solve this fundamental and ancient bigotry. Only the Muslim world can fix what is so terribly broken in their religion, their tribes, and their societies.

The world must choose between Jew-haters and Jews.

And the world should be acutely aware that once Jews become politically acceptable targets of hatred and murder, well then everyone becomes fair game, for Jews are the canary in the coal mine of civilization.

Neither Karen nor I are Lubavitch Hasidim, but as Seraphic Secret has been saying since the Mumbai pogrom: “Now, we are all Lubavitch.” This goes for Jew and non-Jew alike, those who recognize that fighting the evil of transnational Islamic terrorism is the civilized world’s highest priority.

Robert uses one metaphor which struck me with force — “for Jews are the canary in the coal mine of civilization.” It is, oh so, true.

Shalom aleichem,

Joe

P.S. — in excerpting his work, I have removed his links (I’m sorry, Robert, but I’m lazy today), so go visit his site to see all of the included links.

For years I have seen bits and pieces of the satire put forth by The Onion, but today, Greta from Hooah Wife and Friends posted about their latest spoof — disabled American vets.

It is not funny and it sinks to a new low. Please see Greta’s post and contact the appropriate people to voice your opinion.

Thanks,

Joe

As everyone now knows, IL Governor Rod Blagojevich (a Chicago Democrat) has been arrested by the FBI on corruption charges. It involves his “pay to play” scheme where he has been caught on tape (apparently) asking how much he should get in return for his appointing someone to the Senate seat recently vacated by President-Elect Obama. There are only 2 points I’d like to make:

1. Chicago politics has been the realm of “The Chicago Machine” (a.k.a Chicago Democratic Machine) since the Anton Cermack ruled Chicago in the early 1930’s. Graft, patronage, the threat of violence and voter fraud have long been a hallmark of the City politics. Go look at the Wikipedia page here for a history of the events. What you may not know is that Rod Blagojevich is married to the former Patti Mell, daughter of Chicago (Democrat) Alderman Dick Mell, another power broker in Chicago politics. Furthermore, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan (Chicago Democrat) is the daughter of Illinois Speaker of the House, Michael Madigan (Chicago Democrat) and that all of these people have to answer, in some form or another, to the Honorable Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago and strong supporter of Barack Obama. In short, they are all intertwined in their political relationships and patronage schemes…
2. Down state Illinois is not nearly as corrupt. I won’t say we don’t have any corruption in our politicians, I’m sure we do somewhere, but for the most part, Chicago Democrats are giving the State of Illinois a bad name.

Well, there you have it. All you needed to know about politics in Illinois in 2 short paragraphs. Of course, I could into a long rant about gun control in Illinois (one of the few remaining states without concealed carry), or about how Emil Jones, the retiring Leader of the Illinois Senate who is targeted as Barack’s replacement in the US Senate, and about how he strong-armed the University of Illinois and channeled millions of State dollars away from the flagship (downstate) university in order to fund his pet project, Chicago State University (home of the Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center), or how he has hand-picked his replacement in the Illinois Senate (surprise — he suggested his son, Emil Jones II), but I won’t go into it…

Joe

Update: Michael Reagan has an interesting post on this subject at Townhall. My only complaint is that he routinely calls it the Daley Machine (when, in fact, it is the Chicago Democratic Machine) and he keep saying things like “Illinois corruption” when he means “Chicago corruption”.