Sunday, January 18, 2015


News Clips For The Day


http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/01/16/377705559/arizona-first-in-nation-requiring-high-schoolers-to-pass-civics-test

Arizona 1st In Nation To Require High Schoolers To Pass Civics Test
Scott Neuman
JANUARY 16, 2015

What year was the Constitution written? Who was president during World War I?

If you couldn't answer one or both of the above, you might not be able to pass a civics test given to candidates for U.S. citizenship. Or (starting in 2017) graduate from high school in Arizona.

On Thursday, Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill making a high school diploma in the state contingent upon students passing the same test given to candidates for U.S. citizenship. The class of 2017 will be the first to have the new requirement.

According to The Arizona Republic:
"The bill sailed through the Arizona Legislature's committees Thursday morning, was approved by both houses Thursday afternoon and was signed by Ducey Thursday evening.

"The American Civics Act will require students to pass 60 of the 100 questions on the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization civics test. They can first take the test in eighth grade, and can retake it until they pass."

The Associated Press reports the test is "being pushed nationally by the Scottsdale-based Joe Foss Institute, which wants all 50 states to adopt it by 2017."
The AP says:

"The institute says legislatures in 15 states are expected to consider it this year.
"The Foss Institute, whose motto is 'Patriotism Matters,' created a civics institute to promote the test to state legislatures as a way to increase knowledge of basic government by students.

" '[Its] genesis is basically an extension of our original mission in trying to ensure the delivery the very basics civics education that every high school graduate should have,' said institute President Frank Riggs, a former California congressman who ran for Arizona governor as a Republican last year."

During an interview with an immigration official,candidates for naturalization are required to correctly answer 6 out of 10 questions selected from a pool of 100 shown below. Besides the civics test, they must also prove competency in English by demonstrating reading, speaking and writing skills.




I think a Civics course is fine, and even desirable, but I don't think it should be required of all US students to graduate from High School or the civics course taught using politically biased viewpoints as the undisputed rule of law. I don't think most adult Americans could pass the citizenship test without studying, however, so recently naturalized immigrants could be the best educated people we have at this time. Of course if the threshold is 6 out of 10 questions to pass that isn't so difficult and the students can take the test repeatedly from the eighth grade up until they pass. Most high schools do have a Civics course, but they aren't all required courses. The Republicans, of course, are recommending it to promote patriotism. I just think all voters should know a fair amount about how the government works to make them more competent citizens and voters.

One interesting question on the official US test is “What is the economic system in the United States?” The answer choices are “capitalist economy” and “market economy.” First, I don't know what the difference between the two would be. I've always considered them to mean essentially the same thing. Upon reading the definitions, I found the following two definitions and descriptions sound so much alike as to be indistinguishable. They look like the same or almost the same thing to me. Neither is described as being “completely” free of government intervention. So if they are virtually the same thing, why is that a question on this test and in this form? I found the following definitions.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/market+economy

“Market Economy”

“An economy in which the greater part of production, distribution, and exchange is controlled by individuals and privately owned corporations rather than by the government, and in which government interference in the market is minimal. Although a total market economy is probably only theoretically possible (because it would exclude taxation and regulation of any kind), capitalist economies approximate it and socialist economies are the antithetical to it (see capitalsm and socialism). Market economies are also called free economies, free markets, or free enterprise systems.”

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition, from
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/capitalist+economy gives a definition of capitalist economy in which market economy is included as a synonym.

“capitalist economy”

Noun

1.
capitalist economy - an economic system based on private ownership of capital

capitalism

venture capitalism - capitalism that invests in innovative enterprises (especially high technology) where the potential profits are large

free enterprise, laissez-faire economy, market economy, private enterprise - an economy that relies chiefly on market forces to allocate goods and resources and to determine prices

From these two definitions it seems as though the Market Economy is the goal of present-day Republicans as they fervently work to diminish taxes and regulations, and that “capitalist economy” is probably the correct answer to the question as it actually stands today. A “total Market Economy” is a theoretical construct, according to “dictionary.reference.com.” In addition, as far as I know the Constitution itself doesn't mandate any economic system, so that is another reason for that question not to be on a required Civics test.

On that issue see the very long but enlightening paper in the University of Richmond Law Review (http://lawreview.richmond.edu/economic-regulation-in-the-united-states-the-constitutional-framework/, University Of Richmond Law Review, Economic Regulation in the United States: The Constitutional Framework, Mark C. Christie *, March 2006 (Volume 40, Issue 3). It states that the Constitution does not require any one economic system for the US, and in fact leaves the matter open to the legislature and courts, which have down through the years made adaptations as necessary, such as during the events of the New Deal. The final conclusion and summarizing statement from the article is quoted here:

“The Framers of the United States Constitution were passionate about the protection of individual property rights and the right of private parties to form and enforce contracts, both rights essential to the functioning of a market economy, but they did not intend to enshrine laissez-faire capitalism in the new republic’s basic law. State governments inherited the power to regulate economic activities from the British sovereign upon independence, and the Framers considered that power inherent in government. Through the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, the Framers gave the federal government an enumerated power of economic regulation, which most would agree has properly grown as the American economy has evolved from one essentially local in nature to one that is national in scope.”

See also below the following comments on answers.yahoo.com:

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110227123330AALS94X
“Is the constitution an economic document?

i have to do this report on if the constitution is an economic document so could anyone tell me how the constitution is an economic document i need reasons

 Best Answer:  The Constitution has a Money clause and contract clause that does deal with economics. No state may impair the obligations of a contract. No state may create bills of credit or make anything but gold and sliver coin tender to pay debts. Yes these two clauses show that the framers were not happy with how the state created a mess under the Confederation. Money and contracts were controlled by the central gov’t. 

However, the Constitution never imposed those limits on the federal government. The feds can stop a contract and print money. Although it is not explicity stated, it is implied. 

The Constitution also changed limitations on economic character. Congress had power to regulate foreign commerce and interstate commerce. Commerce was a broad word and the authority was a bit broad too.

Source(s):http://apussurvival.wordpress.com/2008/1...
It has significant economic aspects. 

It proscribes: 
types of taxes and tariffs the government can impose 
government impairment of contracts 
eliminates slavery and indentured servitude 
state legislation and state judiciaries (federal diversity jurisdiction) favoring the commercial interests of its own residents over non-residents 

It protects 
private property from government takings 
intellectual capital by means of patents and copyrights 
individual property and liberty interests from arbitrary government regulation and legislation 

It attempts to limit 
how Congress can spend money 
how Congress can regulate interstate commerce 
how long Congress can raise and appropriate money for a military 
etc. etc.


A final point on the Arizona law. The news article states that the legislation is being pushed around the country in state legislatures by the Joe Foss Institute. That is non-profit but it looks to be decidedly conservative rather than liberal or neutral. See below:

Joe Foss Institute
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Disclaimer by Wikipedia: The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (August 2014)

The Joe Foss Institute is a nonprofit organization in the United States that aims to promote an appreciation among students for the American tradition of liberty, the country's military history, and patriotic values. It was founded in 2001 by flying ace and politician Joe Foss, and is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.[1] The institute lists its five values as freedom, patriotism, integrity, service, and character, and targets its programs at military veterans, students, and teachers.[2]

Since its founding in 2001, the Institute has served nearly 1.5 million students through in-classroom presentations, educational materials and scholarships.[3][4]
History

The Institute was founded in 2001 by Medal of Honor recipient General Joseph J. Foss and his wife Donna Foss. Throughout his high profile career, General Foss always made time to visit classrooms and speak with the students – America’s future leaders. His goal was to ensure the children understand America’s freedoms and the importance of public service, integrity and patriotism.[6]

The Joe Foss Institute was created to carry on that vision by offering free educational programs and curriculum for schools and youth groups nationwide. General Foss recognized the importance of preparing our children to be informed and engaged citizens.[7]

Organization Operations[edit]

The Joe Foss Institute offers free educational programs for teachers around the country. Currently, the Institute offers three primary programs; Veterans Inspiring Patriotism,[8][9][10] “You are America” Civics Series[11] and the Joe Foss Institute Scholarship Program.[12][13] The Institute has co-sponsored programs with the Bill of Rights Institute and theBoy Scouts of America.

Stars in Service[edit]

The Institute holds an annual Stars in Service event to honor national heroes, educators and public servants.[14][15]Traditionally held in Arizona, honorees, presenters and speakers have included; Dr. Charles Krauthammer, Carl Bernstein, Tom Brokaw, Richard Dreyfuss,Gary Sinise, Joe Mantegna , General Jerry Boykin, General Michael Moseley, Dr. Craig Barrett, Ross Perot, Jr. , and Medal of Honor recipients Sammy L. Davis and Mike Thornton.[16]






http://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-record-6-million-turn-up-for-pope-francis-last-day-in-asia/

A record 6 million turn up for Pope Francis' last day in Asia
CBS/AP
January 18, 2015

MANILA, Philippines - A record 6 million people poured into Manila's rain-soaked streets and its biggest park Sunday as Pope Francis ended his Asian pilgrimage with an appeal for Filipinos to protect their young from sin and vice so they can instead become missionaries of the faith.

The crowd estimate included people who attended the pope's final Mass in Rizal Park and surrounding areas, and lined his motorcade route, said the chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Francis Tolentino.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said the Vatican had received the figure officially from local authorities and that it was a record, surpassing the 5 million who turned out for St. John Paul II's final Mass in the same park in 1995.

The pope's trip to Asia was marked by statements that surprised some for its seeming break from his more liberal minded views. While he defended freedom of expression and freedom of religion Thursday in the wake of the attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris that left 12 people dead, calling them both basic human rights, he cautioned against insulting or ridiculing other faiths, saying "there is a limit to free speech."

He also issued his strongest defense yet of church teaching opposing artificial contraception on Friday, using a rally in Asia's largest Catholic nation to urge families to be "sanctuaries of respect for life."

Francis marked an important feast day Sunday honoring the infant Jesus by dedicating the final homily of his weeklong Asian trip, which began in Sri Lanka, to children. It was a reflection of the importance that the Vatican places on Asia as the future of the church since it's one of the few places where Catholic numbers are growing - and on the Philippines as the largest Catholic nation in the region.

"We need to see each child as a gift to be welcomed, cherished and protected," Francis said in his homily. "And we need to care for our young people, not allowing them to be robbed of hope and condemned to a life on the streets."

Francis made a triumphant entry into Rizal Park riding on a popemobile based on the design of a jeepney, the modified U.S. Army World War II jeep that is a common means of public transport here. He wore the same cheap, plastic yellow rain poncho handed out to the masses during his visit to the typhoon-hit eastern city of Tacloban a day earlier.

The crowd - a sea of humanity in colorful rain ponchos spread out across the 148 acres of parkland and boulevards surrounding it - erupted in shrieks of joy when he drove by, a reflection of the incredible resonance Francis' message about caring for society's youngest and most marginal has had in a country where about a quarter of its 100 million people lives in poverty.

Francis has dedicated his four-day trip to the Philippines to the poor and marginal. He denounced the corruption that has robbed them of a dignified life, visited with street children and traveled to Tacloban to offer prayers for survivors of the deadly 2013 Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated one of the Philippines' poorest regions.

Earlier Sunday, Francis drew a huge crowd to Manila's Catholic university, where he came close to tears himself hearing two rescued street children speak of their lives growing up poor and abandoned.

The pope ditched his prepared remarks and spoke off the cuff in his native Spanish to respond to 12-year-old Glyzelle Palomar, who wept as she asked Francis why children suffer so much. Palomar, a former street child rescued by a church-run foundation, told him of children who are abandoned or neglected by their parents and end up on the streets using drugs or in prostitution.

"Why is God allowing something like this to happen, even to innocent children?" Palomar said through tears. "And why are there so few who are helping us?"

A visibly moved Francis said he had no answer. "Only when we are able to cry are we able to come close to responding to your question," he said.

"Those on the margins cry. Those who have fallen by the wayside cry. Those who are discarded cry," he said. "But those who are living a life that is more or less without need, we don't know how to cry." And he added: "There are some realities that you can only see through eyes that have been cleansed by tears."

A steady rain from the same tropical storm that forced Francis to cut short his visit to Tacloban on Saturday fell on the crowd, but it didn't seem to dampen spirits of Filipinos who streamed into the capital for Francis' final day.

"I am not satisfied just seeing him on TV," said Rosalinda Kho, a devout Catholic who arrived before dawn outside Rizal Park with her daughter, Rosana, to score a place for the Mass. "This is a once in a lifetime chance to see him in the flesh, even from afar."

By the time the gates opened, the roads leading to the park were mostly closed. Many people camped out on tarpaulins on the ground where they had spent the night, surrounded by bags of food. Some pilgrims carried images of the infant Jesus to mark the feast day.

In his homily, Francis urged the crowd to protect their children from sin, alcohol and gambling, saying the devil "distracts us with the promise of ephemeral pleasures, superficial pastimes."

"Filipinos are called to be outstanding missionaries of the faith in Asia," he said.

Bracing for huge crowds, the government put out a public service announcement warning the elderly, pregnant women and children against coming to the event. They urged the crowd to carry their things in transparent plastic bags since they'd be easier to inspect. An appeal to use raincoats rather than umbrellas went unheeded.

Earlier, officials had suggested Mass-goers consider using adult diapers since access to public toilets would be limited. As it was, traffic cops were given diaperssince they couldn't leave their posts, though authorities backed off an initial order to use them.

Rommel Monton, a 28-year-old call center agent, said he was struck by Francis' willingness to practice what he preaches, particularly as it concerns the poor.

"He doesn't want to be treated as someone special. Look at his vehicles, they are not bullet-proof: He wanted them to be open so that he can feel he is close to the people," he said. "How will you be able to protect your followers if you are not with them, if you are afraid to show yourself, to stand behind them or stand before them?"

Francis sought to stand with one Filipino family struck by tragedy during his visit: He spent 20 minutes Sunday meeting with the father of Kristel Padasas, a volunteer with Catholic Relief Services, who died Saturday in Tacloban when scaffolding fell on her. Witnesses said a sudden gust of wind toppled the structure, which had served as a platform for a large loudspeaker during the Mass.

The father was overwhelmed by the loss but was "consoled thinking that she had helped prepare the meeting of the people with the pope," said Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman.




“The pope's trip to Asia was marked by statements that surprised some for its seeming break from his more liberal minded views. While he defended freedom of expression and freedom of religion Thursday in the wake of the attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris that left 12 people dead, calling them both basic human rights, he cautioned against insulting or ridiculing other faiths, saying "there is a limit to free speech."... Francis marked an important feast day Sunday honoring the infant Jesus by dedicating the final homily of his weeklong Asian trip, which began in Sri Lanka, to children. It was a reflection of the importance that the Vatican places on Asia as the future of the church since it's one of the few places where Catholic numbers are growing - and on the Philippines as the largest Catholic nation in the region.... Francis has dedicated his four-day trip to the Philippines to the poor and marginal. He denounced the corruption that has robbed them of a dignified life, visited with street children and traveled to Tacloban to offer prayers for survivors of the deadly 2013 Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated one of the Philippines' poorest regions.... "Those on the margins cry. Those who have fallen by the wayside cry. Those who are discarded cry," he said. "But those who are living a life that is more or less without need, we don't know how to cry." And he added: "There are some realities that you can only see through eyes that have been cleansed by tears."... In his homily, Francis urged the crowd to protect their children from sin, alcohol and gambling, saying the devil "distracts us with the promise of ephemeral pleasures, superficial pastimes."

Asia is the fastest growing area worldwide for the Catholic religion. Six million is a huge crowd, even for the Pope, and they are sleeping on tarps laid down on the ground, wrapped in plastic rain slickers. They have very little in the way of sanitary facilities and likewise whatever food they brought with them. Still they have come to see the Pope in person. Many of them probably believe that they have access to miracles in his presence. He is also simply one of the most popular Popes since I've been observing the news. He speaks to and for the poor, and according to this article some 25% of the Philippine population are poor.

This pope is a person of deep and humanitarian thought stressing restraint from ridiculing other religions, and cautions the parents to protect their children from “sin, alcohol and gambling,” as “superficial pastimes.” That is the problem that so many of the poor people in the US cities here have, too. Too poor for good housing and nourishing food, they have access to street drugs and other crimes, instead of building a constructive life of studiousness, work and honesty. The fact that most of them can't get a job is the reason, but it still remains a societal and psychological problem. As a result of such home situations, so often the kids don't grow up into good and successful citizens. Religion is a matter of daily life as much as ritual or dogma to me, and human relations is our ability to love our fellow man. Pope Francis speaks to the people in their deprivation and urges them to keep trying to do good, as all good religions should, and the response to him is overwhelming.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/german-anti-islam-rally-canceled-after-threat-to-organizer/

German anti-Islam rally canceled after threat to organizer
CBS/AP
January 18, 2015

BERLIN - A weekly rally by a German group protesting what it calls "the Islamization of the West" was called off on Sunday because of a terrorist threat against one of its organizers, the group and authorities said.

The group calling itself PEGIDA, or Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West, has organized rallies every Monday in the eastern German city of Dresden. Last week's event drew the biggest crowd yet, with police estimating some 25,000 people attended.

PEGIDA said on its Facebook page that this Monday's rally was called off for security reasons because, according to police, "there is a concrete threat against a member of the organization team."

Dresden police chief Dieter Kroll said in a statement that there was a "concrete" threat connected to a member of the PEGIDA team and Monday's demonstration. In view of that, he issued an order barring any rallies in the city on Monday.

Kroll said there had been a call for attackers to mingle with the demonstrators and kill one of the protest organizers. He didn't specify where the threat came from, or if any group was behind it, but said it resembled an Arabic-language Tweet describing PEGIDA as an "enemy of Islam."

He said there was no information about any specific potential attacker or how exactly an attack might be carried out, which led officials to conclude that there was no way to prevent possible danger other than canceling the rally.

The move comes amid heightened security concerns across Europe following last week's terror attacks in Paris, in which 17 people were killed.

PEGIDA called on supporters to instead hang flags out of their windows and light candles on Monday evening. It said the group and authorities were working on a "security concept" for its next rally on Jan. 26.

The Dresden rallies have drawn criticism from many German politicians. Similar groups in other German cities haven't drawn anywhere near as much support, and there have been much larger demonstrations against them.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has taken a strong public stance in recent weeks against groups like PEGIDA.

"Excluding population groups due to their faith or their origin is beneath the dignity of our liberal state," the chancellor said in a speech in Berlin. "Hatred of foreigners, racism and extremism have no place in this country."

Felix Menzel, who runs a right-wing magazine that supports the anti-immigrant cause, told CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips that there is an element of "told you so" to the France terror attacks.

"Yes that's the scenario that they spoke about in the last weeks," Menzel said.

Germany has some 4 million Muslim residents, mostly of Turkish origin. That is equivalent to about 5 percent of the population of 80 million.



Pegida
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West[note 1](German: Patriotische Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes), commonly known by its German acronym Pegida, is aGerman organization based in Dresden. Since 20 October 2014 it has been organizing public demonstrations, aimed at the German government, against what it considers to be the Islamization of theWestern world.

Origin[edit]

Pegida was founded in October 2014 by Lutz Bachmann, who runs a public relations agency in Dresden.[1]Bachmann's impetus for starting Pegida was witnessing a rally by supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on 10 October in Dresden,[2][3] which he posted the same day on YouTube.[4] The next day he founded a Facebook group called Patriotische Europäer Gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes ("Patriotic Europeans against Islamization of the Occident")[5] which initially was mainly directed against arms shipments to the PKK.[2]

A few days earlier, on 7 October, a group of Muslims assumed to be Salafists had violently attacked PKK supporters who were gathering after a demonstration against the Islamic State.[6] The same day Yazidis and Muslim Chechenshad violently clashed in Celle.[7]

The first demonstration on 20 October 2014 drew only a handful of people.[2] However On October 26, of 5000 protesters, "at least 400 right-wing extremists went on a rampage in downtown Cologne during a demonstration" by "Hooligans Against Salafists".[2][21] In the following days, the movement began drawing public attention and subsequently its weekly Monday demonstrations started to attract larger numbers of people. Among 7,500 participants on December 1, the police counted 80 to 120 hooligans. The demonstrations grew to 10,000 people on December 8, 2014.[21][22]
During weekly demonstrations, Pegida supporters have carried banners with slogans including "For the preservation of our culture", "Against religious fanaticism" and "Against religious wars on German soil".[23]

Institutionalization and clones across Germany[edit]

On 19 December, PEGIDA e.V. was legally registered in Dresden under register ID VR 7750[24] with Bachmann being chair, Rene Jahn vice-chair and Kathrin Oertel the treasurer. Pegida also formally applied for the status as anonprofit organization.[25]

Pegida has spawned a number of significantly smaller clones across Germany, including Legida in Leipzig, Dagida inDarmstadt[22] and Fragida in Frankfurt.[26] After some internal disputes, representatives of Pegida NRW, an affiliate aiming to operate in the federal state of North Rhine Westphalia, distanced itself from the Bogida, Dügida and Kögidaclones in Bonn, Düsseldorf and Cologne, which were said to be taken over by members of the openly xenophobic right-wing splinter party Pro NRW,[27] including Melanie Dittmer, who subsequently was replaced as media representative of Pegida NRW by Sebastian Nobile, a member of the German Defence League, another anti-Islamist organization modeled after the English Defence League.[28]

Aftermath of Charlie Hebdo and exacerbating controversies[edit]

While the demonstration on 29 December was cancelled by the organizers, the movement continued to draw large numbers of participants in early January. After the Charlie Hebdo shooting on 7 January in Paris, politicians including German ministers Thomas de Maiziere and Heiko Maas, warned Pegida against misusing the attack on Charlie Hebdo for its own political means. On Saturday, 10 January, some 35,000[citation needed] anti-Pegida protesters came together to mourn the victims of Paris, holding a minute's silence in front of the Frauenkirche.

Pegida organizers however insisted on their right to do the same, which they finally did on Monday evening in front of a record audience of some 25.000 participants. Facing growing opposition by anti-Pegida protesters, both in Dresden and Leipzig, main organizer Bachmann declared the six key aims of Pegida, which include calls for selective immigration and generally stricter law and order politics but also included anti-EU sentiments and calls for a reconciliation with Russia.[29]

Political positions[edit]

At the beginning of December 2014, Pegida published an undated and anonymous one-page manifesto of 19 bulleted position statements.[31]

Affirms the right of asylum for war refugees and politically persecuted people.
1. Advocates to include a duty to integrate into the German Basic Law.
2. Advocates for decentralized housing of refugees.
3. Suggests creation of a central refugee agency for a fair allocation of immigrants among countries of theEuropean Union.
4. Demands a decrease in the number of asylum seekers per social worker from currently 200:1.
5. Suggests to model German immigration policies after those of the Netherlands and Switzerland and demands an increased budget for the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees to speed up processing of applications.
6. Demands an increase in funding for the police.
7. Demands implementation of all asylum laws including expulsion.
8. Mentions zero tolerance towards criminal refugees and immigrants.
9. States that Pegida oppose a misogynic and violent political ideology, but does not oppose assimilated and politically moderate Muslims.[32]
10. Supports immigration as in Switzerland, Canada, Australia and South Africa.
11. States that Pegida support sexual self-determination (opposing "early sexualization of children"[33]).
12. Argues for the protection of Germany's Judeo-Christian culture.
13. Supports the introduction of referenda as in Switzerland.
14. Opposes weapon export to radical and non-permitted groups, such as the PKK.
15. Opposes parallel societies/parallel jurisdictions, for example Sharia courts, Sharia police and peace judges.
16. States that Pegida oppose gender mainstreaming, and political correctness.
17. Indicates that Pegida oppose any radicalism, whether religious or politically motivated.
18. Says that Pegida oppose hate speech, regardless of religion.

Pegida's specific demands are unclear, largely because Pegida has refused to dialogue, calling the press a politically correct conspiracy.[34] Demonstrators have been chanting "Lügenpresse" (liar press) a term which had surfaced during World War I[35] and was used in Nazi propaganda.[36] The use of "Lügenpresse" was so offensive to be picked as un-word of the year (German: "Unwort des Jahres") for 2014: that's a term chosen by a German panel of linguists every year as most offensive, and a major news item in Germany.[35]

Deutsche Welle has written that Pegida call Islamism a misogynist and violent ideology.[33][37]





“Kroll said there had been a call for attackers to mingle with the demonstrators and kill one of the protest organizers. He didn't specify where the threat came from, or if any group was behind it, but said it resembled an Arabic-language Tweet describing PEGIDA as an "enemy of Islam."... The Dresden rallies have drawn criticism from many German politicians. Similar groups in other German cities haven't drawn anywhere near as much support, and there have been much larger demonstrations against them. Chancellor Angela Merkel has taken a strong public stance in recent weeks against groups like PEGIDA. "Excluding population groups due to their faith or their origin is beneath the dignity of our liberal state," the chancellor said in a speech in Berlin. "Hatred of foreigners, racism and extremism have no place in this country.".... Germany has some 4 million Muslim residents, mostly of Turkish origin. That is equivalent to about 5 percent of the population of 80 million.”

The Wikipedia article on PEGIDA gives a great deal of background information. Though I don't disagree with everything on their list of proclamations, including their characterization of Islamism as misogynistic and violent ideology, they are linked in some of their language with Hitler's followers ("Lügenpresse" (liar press) a term which had surfaced during World War I[35] and was used in Nazi propaganda.) and have been holding ever enlarging rallies once a week, so I am not surprised that the German government is alarmed with the group. Also disturbing is the fact that the “main organizer Bachmann declared the six key aims of Pegida, which include calls for selective immigration and generally stricter law and order politics but also included anti-EU sentiments and calls for a reconciliation with Russia.[29]” Surely most Germans don't want a return to the Cold War relationship with Russia, although the formation of the EU has been under attack by nationalistic conservative groups in the last year's news articles in other parts of Europe.

One thing is clear to me. The more ISIS, etc. mount violent attacks against Western targets as they did in France, the more such groups as PEGIDA are likely to emerge across the world. Islamic people, peaceful or not, will have greater and greater discomfort when they try to move to the West to get away from the decimated political and social environments which are taking over much of the Middle East. They come for a quality of life that may not be available to them in the West as it is replaced by ethnic and religious hatred.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/6-year-olds-hanging-death-leaves-questions-unanswered/

6-year-old's hanging death leaves questions unanswered
AP January 16, 2015

MINNEAPOLIS -- Police in Minnesota have closed their investigation of a 6-year-old girl's hanging death by ruling out foul play, and said the evidence points to an accident or suicide.

Kendrea Johnson was found unconscious in a bedroom of her foster home in Brooklyn Park with a jump rope around her neck Dec. 27. There were no witnesses in the room.

"All of the evidence leads back to either suicide or accidental," Deputy Chief Mark Bruley said. "The reality is she was in the room by herself and we'll probably never know the answer to that."

Bruley said Kendrea had been getting treatment for emotional problems including suicidal thoughts. Child protection workers put the girl in foster care in December 2013 after her mother allegedly abused drugs. She had been at that particular home since March.

Citing police investigative records, the Star Tribune reported Thursday that investigators found a note written in purple marker in a child's handwriting reading: "I'm sorry." A second note said: "I'm sad for what I do."

Kendrea's foster mother said the girl had said she wanted to jump out a window and kill herself because "Nobody likes me," the newspaper reported. She drew pictures at school of a child hanging from a rope, and police found healed ligature marks on both sides of her neck, the newspaper said.

Suicides among young children are rare. There were 33 suicides among children ages 5-9 in the U.S. between 1999 and 2006, according to statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kendrea's biological mother and grandmother have said they believe somebody else killed her. Bruley said it was hard for him and his investigators to accept that a 6-year-old could have deliberately taken her own life.

"She clearly had emotional issues. Does that mean she fully understood the consequences? I don't know," he said.

David Palmiter, a psychology professor at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania, who researches child and adolescent behavioral disorders, said he never had come across a case of suicidal thinking in a child younger than 10 in more than 25 years of practice.

"If you just think about a 6-year-old and their level of cognitive function, that's a really complex task for a 6-year-old to formulate an evaluation of your place in the universe ... decide you're at fault and nothing can be done about it," he said.

Burley said he didn't blame Kendrea's family for being upset or searching for alternative answers. But he said his detectives did an "extremely thorough" investigation and examined every bit of evidence.

"It's an absolute tragedy all around," he said.




“Bruley said Kendrea had been getting treatment for emotional problems including suicidal thoughts. Child protection workers put the girl in foster care in December 2013 after her mother allegedly abused drugs. She had been at that particular home since March.... Citing police investigative records, the Star Tribune reported Thursday that investigators found a note written in purple marker in a child's handwriting reading: "I'm sorry." A second note said: "I'm sad for what I do." Kendrea's foster mother said the girl had said she wanted to jump out a window and kill herself because "Nobody likes me," the newspaper reported. She drew pictures at school of a child hanging from a rope, and police found healed ligature marks on both sides of her neck, the newspaper said.... David Palmiter, a psychology professor at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania, who researches child and adolescent behavioral disorders, said he never had come across a case of suicidal thinking in a child younger than 10 in more than 25 years of practice."If you just think about a 6-year-old and their level of cognitive function, that's a really complex task for a 6-year-old to formulate an evaluation of your place in the universe ... decide you're at fault and nothing can be done about it," he said. ...

“... police found healed ligature marks on both sides of her neck, the newspaper said.” If I understand the article correctly, she had been at the foster home for a mere 3 months, which doesn't seem long enough for this problem to develop from scratch during that time period. Maybe her mother, in addition to abusing drugs, abused her daughter as well and gave her no love or proper attention. A child that age should be energetic and lively, and relatively “simple” in her thinking pattern, but if she has been systematically treated cruelly perhaps not. There was one horrible case in the news some fifteen or so years ago of a drug-abusing mother who held her daughter over a burner on the stove causing her severe lesions. Others have been burned with cigarettes or battered repeatedly. Such parents are mentally ill, but they their deeds are evil. A child who has to endure that can hardly be expected to be normal. As the psychologist said though, that is a “really complex task” for a typical six year old's mind to formulate and carry out. This story is profoundly sad and depressing to me. The world is often a very dark place indeed.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/man-unlikely-to-face-charges-after-allegedly-shooting-police-chief/

Man unlikely to face charges after allegedly shooting police chief
CBS NEWS
January 17, 2015

SENTINEL, Okla. -- The man who allegedly shot an Oklahoma police chief four times during an attempted arrest likely won't face criminal charges.

CBS affiliate KWTV in Tulsa reported Washita County 911 dispatchers received two calls Thursday morning, claiming there was a bomb inside the Sentinel Head Start school. The caller identified himself as Dallas Horton.

Sentinel's mayor, Sam Dlugonski, said Horton shot Police Chief Louis Ross three times in the chest and once in the arm after the chief and four Washita County sheriff's deputies raided the Horton home.

"(Ross) borrowed a (bulletproof) vest from the county before he went in, and it saved his life," said Dlugonski. "It was a blessing that he borrowed that vest."

Authorities said Horton claimed he didn't know it was an officer inside the home.
"Don't know what he heard or didn't hear, screaming from five officers of the law announcing our presence, requesting to see hands," Ross told KWTV.

The police chief is black, and the suspect is white.

After the shooting, investigators from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation searched Horton's home and found several guns and a possible explosive device. According to KWTV, the house has signs by the front door that say "Certified Zombie Killer" and "Warning: Zombies inside -- Enter at your own risk."

Dlugonski said he's known Horton his whole life.

"He loved guns, camo gear, knives. Stuff like that," said Dlugonski.

The OSBI released Horton Thursday afternoon, saying there was not enough evidence to arrest him for the shooting. Investigators said an OSBI computer analyst determined the 911 calls did not come from Horton's home.

As of Friday, Ross had not been interviewed by OSBI. He said the investigation is ongoing and didn't want to comment on Horton's release but that he has faith in the system.




There is a horrible TV show running now about a time period after “the apocalypse,” and therefore a religious concept, called “The Walking Dead.” There are apparently religious conservatives who are into stockpiling guns, food, etc. against a time when law and order breaks down, and maybe as in this case “zombies” come up from their graves. That is the plot of the TV show, and to me it is too horrific in its filming for me to even consider watching it. I wouldn't have to believe in zombies to have bad dreams after seeing those images. One skeleton with bits of dead flesh clinging to it stands up and snaps is bare teeth at the camera. I think to mentally deficient or disturbed people – people who might also be collecting an arsenal to protect their home – zombies might not be a ridiculous form of fiction. This man seems to me to be one of those paranoid individuals who thought he was being invaded by evildoers when the police burst into his home, even if they did announce themselves. He said he didn't hear them. Luckily in this case Police Chief Ross was wearing his kevlar vest and survived. The article didn't look as though this killing was racial, so much as a mental problem. The man had just made two calls falsely claiming that there was a bomb at a local school. He has two or three screws loose, I think. Perhaps he will be committed to an asylum for mental health treatment.