ThoughtCrimes.org

Bush Officials Objected To Awarding Medal To J.K. Rowling Because Harry Potter Books Promote Witchcraft
Think Progress

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civil award, and is given to individuals who have contributed to: 1) the security or national interests of the United States, 2) world peace, or 3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

In his new book, Speechless: Tales of a White House Survivor, former Bush speechwriter Matt Latimer reveals how politicized the revered Presidential Medal of Freedom became during the Bush administration.

Latimer writes that administration officials objected to giving author J.K. Rowling the Presidential Medal of Freedom because her writing “encouraged witchcraft”

If witchcraft or voodoo existed, Bush would have died a thousand deaths by the end of 2002, certainly he would never have made it to 2004.

These are the people who were, and to some degree still are, running this country. They believe in witches and magic, and are I guess J.K. Rowling should have been glad they confined their dislike of her to simply denying her an honor, rather than tying her to a stake in the West Lawn and having a barbecue.

That said, the "Presidential Medal of Freedom" at this point has zero prestige in my eyes. When you give it to war mongers and torture advocates, Ms. Rowling would be better served by Dumbledore's view that appearing on chocolate frog cards is the more genuine accolade.

Rick Santorum begins his this week's rant by flat-out lying to his readers.

"Let's set aside Koh's disputed comments about the possible application of Sharia law in American jurisprudence."

This refers to the current lie propagated by East Bloghistan that Koh claimed Sharia (that delightful kind of law that Ricky and his pals are always trying to impose here under the banner of "family values") could be applciable under U.S. law.

By claiming that the comments are "disputed", Little Ricky intentionally creates the false impression that there is some question about the remarks. Actually there is NO RATIONAL question about the remark. One person, Steve Stein claims the remark was made, everyone else present says no such remark was made and that Stein's claim is "fictitious" (i.e. a LIE).

I was the organizer of the Yale Club of Greenwich event on March 13, which Meghan Clyne references.

The account given by Steve Stein of Dean Koh's comments is totally fictitious and inaccurate. I was in the room with my husband and several fellow alumni, and we are all adamant that Koh never said or suggested that sharia law could be used to govern cases in US courts.

The subject of his talk was Globalization and Yale Law School, so, of course, other forms of law were mentioned. But never did Koh state or suggest that other forms of law should govern or dictate the American legal system.

When you start your column off with a lie, and a deliberate one at that, nothing else you have to say is worth reading.


*Here at ICT, we got into a discussion about the words "douche" and "douchebag" as an insult. Douche is defined as:

1) a small syringe with detachable nozzles; used for vaginal lavage and enemas.

2) A douche is a device used to introduce a stream of water into the body for medical or hygienic reasons.

To use either word as an insult doesn't really fit, and is a tad sexist. Let's be honest, equating a device for cleaning vaginas with Rick Santorum, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, et all, debases self-respecting vaginas (a vagina with no self-respect would be Ann Coulter), and implies that these people might actually have a redeeming, utilitarian function.

The correct phrase for these people is "colostomy bag":

1) A removable, disposable bag that attaches to the exterior opening of a colostomy (stoma) to permit sanitary collection and disposal of bodily wastes.

2) A receptacle worn over the stoma to collect feces following a colostomy.

It is obvious to even the most casual observer that while these people are certainly full of it, "it" isn't vinegar and water.

Is Obama the Antichrist?
Newsweek

On Nov. 5, Todd Strandberg was at his desk, fielding E-mails from around the world. As the editor and founder of RaptureReady.com, his job is to track current events and link them to biblical prophecy in hopes of maintaining his status as "the eBay of prophecy," the best source online for predictions and calculations concerning the end of the world. Already Barack Obama had drawn the attention of apocalypse watchers after an anonymous e-mail circulated among conservative Christians in October implying that he was the Antichrist.

Looney evangelicals have been calling Obama the Anti-Christ since last Spring, nothing new there. Why Newsweek has chosen to give free publicity to this sick person and his delusional web site is a question that should be asked in the exit interview of the writers and editors responsible for this reprint of the Weekly World News.

Former "Saturday Night Live" ingénue Victoria Jackson fueled the fire when, according to news reports, she wrote on her Web site that Obama "bears traits that resemble the anti-Christ."

Wow! I can't question the validity of this story. After all, a third-rate unemployed comic who used to work on Saturday Night Live about 20 years ago believes Obama could be That One™.

Now Strandberg was receiving up-to-the-minute news from his constituents in Illinois. One of the winning lottery numbers in the president-elect's home state was 666— which, as everyone knows, is the sign of the Beast (also known as the Antichrist). "It is very eerie, and I take it for a sign as to who he really is," wrote one of Strandberg's correspondents.

Except that it is not "the number of the beast". That number, according to language scholars at Oxford University examining the oldest known copy of the Revelations text, is 616. You would think that as "holy" as these books are supposed to be, people would actually learn what they say.

According to a 2006 study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, a third of white evangelicals believe the world will end in their lifetimes. These mostly conservative Christians believe a great battle is imminent.

These people bear close watching. As soon as they start buying Kool-Aid, time to round them up into protective custody before they add the sacred cyanide to the mix.

Before Christ comes again, those who are saved will ascend to heaven, according to this end-times theology, in a huge, upward whoosh called the Rapture. Strandberg is so certain that the Rapture is coming, he's bought a number of Internet addresses in addition to RaptureReady: AntiAntichrist, Tribulationus and RaptureMe. In the event that RaptureReady crashes during the apocalypse, anyone who needs an update will, with a simple Google search, be able to get one.

You know, I really, really, REALLY wish this was true. The idea of this planet's population of sanctimonious assholes simply vanishing one day is very, very appealing.

Va. pharmacy follows faith, no birth control sales
Associated Press

A new drug store at a Virginia strip mall is putting its faith in an unconventional business plan: No candy. No sodas. And no birth control. Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy is among at least seven pharmacies across the nation that are refusing as a matter of faith to sell contraceptives of any kind, even if a person has a prescription.

No candy, no soda, and no contraceptives? How do you plan on making money? Also, shouldn't you just open a church instead of a pharmacy and charge admission? At least that would be a more honest way to make money than what most churches do.

"I am grateful to be able to practice," pharmacy manager Robert Semler said, "where my conscience will never be violated and my faith does not have to be checked at the door each morning."

Then why are you a pharmacist? The dispensing of drugs is pretty damned difficult when you have decided to insert yourself into the moral lives of everyone who walks through the door.And I doubt this jackass will stop at contraceptives, since there are certainly other drugs that he can get on his moral high-horse about. AIDS drugs, STD drugs, hormones, etc.

On Tuesday, the pharmacy celebrated a blessing from Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde. While Divine Mercy Care is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, it is guided by church teachings on sexuality, which forbid any form of artificial contraception, including morning-after pills, condoms and birth control pills, a common prescription used by millions of women in the U.S.

When Cardinal Bernard Law goes to jail for aiding and abetting child rapists, the Catholic Church can discuss other people's morality. Until then, STFU!

"This pharmacy is a vibrant example of our Holy Father's charge to all of us to wear our faith in the public square," said Loverde, who sprinkled holy water on the shelves stocked with painkillers and acne treatments. "It will allow families to shop in an environment where their faith is not compromised."

If people don't want to buy contraceptives, there are lots of places they can go and not buy them. McDonalds comes to mind. McDonalds doesn't sell condoms, so these people can have a Big Mac meal AND feel sanctimonious at the same time.

Now, a few questions:

1 ) Will you sell Viagra and other similar drugs? If so, will you make the customer swear that the drug will only be used for pro-creative sex with his lawful wife?

2 ) Will you continue to sell products such as Vaseline and K-Y Jelly since those products are used by some people to masturbate and masturbation is a sin under Catholic Doctrine?

3 ) You say you won't sell "candy", could you define "candy" for me? Will you sell peanuts, almonds and such? What about granola bars, are they "candy". Are potato chips "candy".

4 ) What about "sodas". Do you mean only carbonated beverages with corn syrup and sugar? What about fruit juices? What about caffeine-free diet drinks?

5 ) I notice that tobacco is not on your list, please explain.

6 ) No mention of beer and/or wine, please explain.

7 ) If you think someone is gay, will you refuse them service?

8 ) Will you sell to atheists?

9 ) What about other non-Christian religions like Jews, Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists?

10 ) Will you sell to a customer who you know votes for pro-choice candidates?

Palin once blessed to be free from 'witchcraft'
Associated Press

A grainy YouTube video surfaced Wednesday showing Sarah Palin being blessed in her hometown church three years ago by a Kenyan pastor who prayed for her protection from "witchcraft" as she prepared to seek higher office.

The video shows Palin standing before Bishop Thomas Muthee in the pulpit of the Wasilla Assembly of God church, holding her hands open as he asked Jesus Christ to keep her safe from "every form of witchcraft."

"Come on, talk to God about this woman. We declare, save her from Satan," Muthee said as two attendants placed their hands on Palin's shoulders. "Make her way my God. Bring finances her way even for the campaign in the name of Jesus. ... Use her to turn this nation the other way around."

Great, next stop, the Salem Witch Trials?

This should be a question at the debate for Biden and Palin:

Do you believe in witchcraft?

Biden would say no, Palin would hem and haw and try to duck the question knowing that if she says "no", she alienates her insane base and if she says "yes" she alienates rational people.

McCain on sexy film: 'I work with boobs every day'
Republican senator defends role in breast-laden 'Wedding Crashers'
World Net Daily

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is defending his cameo appearance in "Wedding Crashers," the sexy comedy the Drudge Report called a "boob raunch fest."

"In Washington, I work with boobs every day," joked McCain during an appearance on NBC's "Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

McCain was responding to Leno, who noted Matt Drudge ran a headline last week screaming that the Republican was starring in a "boob raunch fest."

"I think that pushes the limits of his imagination," said McCain of the headline.

Drudge had reported that McCain, "who once held hearings chastising Hollywood studios for producing R-rated films and marketing them to teens -- is now playing a part in one!"

Ah, the Drudge giveth, and the Drudge taketh away.

In one scene in the film, veteran actress Jane Seymour goes topless in an attempt to seduce Owen Wilson, who plays a divorce attorney trying to pick up women at weddings to which he has not been invited.

These are people who have George Bush's simian visage hanging up in their homes, can stare into the soulless evil that is Dick Cheney, and yet they are repelled by Jane Seymour's breasts?

Blair 'to devote life to faith'
BBC News

Former prime minister Tony Blair has promised to "spend the rest of my life" uniting the world's religions

He said faith could be a "civilising force in globalisation", bringing people together to solve problems such as malaria and extreme poverty.

Mr Blair, who is now a peace envoy to the Middle East, told Time magazine that religious belief had given him "strength" while in power.

So, you are blaming God for your war crimes? He told you to illegally invade a country and kill hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians?

First, despite his claims to the contrary, George Bush ain't God, or any god, unless wankery has a god.

Second, a good start toward peace between the world's religions would involve your signed confession and immediately imprisonment.

Third, religion such as yours is not a solution, it's the problem.

Joseph Lieberman To Headline Upcoming Pastor Hagee Summit
Huffington Post

Senator Joseph Lieberman is scheduled to headline Pastor John Hagee's 2008 Christians United For Israel Washington-Israel Summit this July 22. In accepting Hagee's invitation, Lieberman became the most senior elected representative confirmed to appear at the annual gala. Last year, when Lieberman spoke at Hagee's summit, he compared the Texas televangelist to the biblical prophet Moses, dubbing him "an Ish Elochim," or "a man of God." Unless he rescinds his pledge to appear at this year's summit, Lieberman can be expected to deliver another soul-stirring tribute.

Here's what John Hagee has said about Jews:

Those who came founded Israel; those who did not went through the hell of the Holocaust. Then god sent a hunter. A hunter is someone who comes with a gun and he forces you. Hitler was a hunter. And the Bible says - Jeremiah righty? - “they shall hunt them from every mountain and from every hill and out of the holes of the rocks”, meaning: there's no place to hide. And that will be offensive to some people. Well, dear heart, be offended: I didn't write it. Jeremiah wrote it. It was the truth and it is the truth. How did it happen? Because God allowed it to happen. Why did it happen? Because God said, “my top priority for the Jewish people is to get them to come BACK to the land of Israel”. Today Israel is back in the land and they are at Ezekiel 37 and 8. They are physically alive but they're not spiritually alive.

Interesting "God" this fellow worships. Hitler is one of his henchmen.

And this is the person that Lieberman wants to praise?

Parents Pick Prayer Over Docs; Girl Dies
Associated Press

Police are investigating an 11-year-old girl's death from an undiagnosed, treatable form of diabetes after her parents chose to pray for her rather than take her to a doctor.

An autopsy showed Madeline Neumann died Sunday from diabetic ketoacidosis, a condition that left too little insulin in her body, Everest Metro Police Chief Dan Vergin said.

She had probably been ill for about a month, suffering symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, excessive thirst, loss of appetite and weakness, the chief said Wednesday, noting that he expects to complete the investigation by Friday and forward the results to the district attorney.

The girl's mother, Leilani Neumann, said the family believes in the Bible and that healing comes from God, but she said they do not belong to an organized religion or faith, are not fanatics and have nothing against doctors.

Except you let your daughter DIE, rather than take her to a doctor.

"We just noticed a tiredness within the past two weeks," she said Wednesday. "And then just the day before and that day (she died), it suddenly just went to a more serious situation. We stayed fast in prayer then. We believed that she would recover. We saw signs that to us, it looked like she was recovering."

Yeah, praying always works. Nothing like getting God to dial 911 for you.

Her daughter — who hadn't seen a doctor since she got some shots as a 3-year-old, according to Vergin — had no fever and there was warmth in her body, she said.

The girl's father, Dale Neumann, a former police officer, said he started CPR "as soon as the breath of life left" his daughter's body.

Lock this scumbag up with all the other child molesters.

Leilani Neumann said she and her husband are not worried about the investigation because "our lives are in God's hands. We know we did not do anything criminal. We know we did the best for our daughter we knew how to do."

Still trying to blame your imaginary friend.

For Lawyer, Next Stop in Foreclosure Case Is Excommunication
Jewish Daily Forward

With the national mortgage crisis growing worse by the day, a Boston lawyer is looking to alleviate matters by appealing to Jewish law.

David Grossack, an attorney representing an elderly couple whose home is being foreclosed on, argued in a letter to a Boston rabbinical court, or beit din, that his opposing counsel, Jewish lawyers who represent the Federal National Mortgage Association, have defied Jewish law and therefore should be excommunicated. To be specific, Grossack is seeks for them to be put in what’s known as cherem, or full exclusion from the Jewish community. This legal feature in Halacha, or Jewish law, was famously applied to philosopher Baruch Spinoza in the 17th century but has been used very rarely in modern times.

“I want to shame them,” Grossack said of attorneys Mark Harmon and Jason Greenberg. “They’re not doing anything illegal. But it’s not halachically correct, and it’s not helping the Jewish community.”

Grossack, who is not affiliated with any congregation, describes himself as “self-taught.” In his letter to the Rabbinical Court of Justice, Grossack claimed that defending “predatory lending practices” in court is tantamount to “aiding and abetting lending at interest, which we Jews forbid to each other.” Although neither party represented in the case is Jewish, the lawyers on both sides are, and Grossack interprets the talmudic injunction as extending beyond its literal meaning.

Geez, a lawyer who wants to bring down the entire American way of life.

He is, of course, going to lose. I am sympathetic, and approve of what he is doing morally, but here we get into that dangerous ground of mixing religion and politics. It is nice to finally see someone actually use religion for a truly moral purpose, but once you open the door to this kind of thing, all of the rabid crazies charge in.

He will lose because if there's one thing the hard right religiously insane loonies in this country can't stand it is the use of religion in any way that takes money out of their pockets.

That's just un-American.

According to Yitzhok Adlerstein, a professor of Jewish law and ethics at Loyola Law School Los Angeles, Grossack’s case doesn’t look good.

“The only time you can use cherem is when you live in a structured Jewish community, with one recognized Jewish court that has the tacit approval of the people in the community,” Adlerstein said. “In the modern world, cherem can’t be used, because a person can just say to the court, ‘Who are you?’”

Adlerstein was also skeptical of Grossack’s claim that Harmon and Greenberg were acting in defiance of Jewish law in the first place, arguing that it was indeed permissible for a debtor’s assets to be seized according to Halacha. Finally, he argued that “a Jewish lawyer cannot be party to certain actions that directly defy Jewish law, but there are lots of things that Jewish attorneys can do when the litigants involved agree to be governed by secular law. Heartless as it may be, the law is the law.”

And as always, there is a religious leader who will let the guilty weasel off the hook, even in religion.

Pastor's hellfire sermons put Obama's campaign in hot water
The Guardian (UK)

Barack Obama faced potential damage to his campaign yesterday after television networks aired footage of sermons by the former pastor of Obama's church likening the Democratic frontrunner to Jesus and declaring: "God damn America."

In the sermons the Rev Jeremiah Wright, who presided over Obama's marriage and provided the title of his book Audacity of Hope, condemned what he described as a systemic effort to keep black people in poverty.

The accusations of racism could prove embarrassing to Obama who has based his candidacy around a message of unity. In his sermons Wright reportedly refers to the US as being under the influence of the Ku Klux Klan, and describes black Republicans as sellouts.

"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing God Bless America. No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," he said in a 2003 sermon which was aired by ABC television.

"God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

Sorry dude, but Pastor Wright has to go. His statements have crossed the line into Ferraro territory and you must "repudiate" them. Denouncing them would be better, but the Sen. Clinton set the standard.

Kansas HS refuses female official
Sport's Illustrated

Kansas activities officials are investigating a religious school's refusal to let a female referee call a boys' high school basketball game.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association said referees reported that Michelle Campbell was preparing to officiate at St. Mary's Academy near Topeka on Feb. 2 when a school official insisted that Campbell could not call the game.

The reason given, according to the referees: Campbell, as a woman, could not be put in a position of authority over boys because of the academy's beliefs.

Campbell then walked off the court along with Darin Putthoff, the referee who was to work the game with her.

"I said, 'If Michelle has to leave, then I'm leaving with her,"' Putthoff said Wednesday. "I was disappointed that it happened to Michelle. I've never heard of anything like that."

Bravo sir, bravo!!

Fred Shockey, who was getting ready to leave the gym after officiating two junior high games, said he was told there had been an emergency and was asked to stay and officiate two more games.

"When I found out what the emergency was, I said there was no way I was going to work those games," said Shockey, who spent 12 years in the Army and became a ref about three years ago. "I have been led by some of the finest women this nation has to offer, and there was no way I was going to go along with that."

And a tip of the hat to you as well.

Apparently, according to the "wise" men of this school, a woman is acceptable to give birth to, and raise the Son of God, but she is not fit to referee any basketball game he might play in.

It is nice to know that in this day of perpetual land development, there are still rocks that slimy reptiles can live under. I just didn't realize they had rocks the size of high schools.

Megachurch Leader Charged With Perjury
Associated Press

An 80-year-old leader of a suburban megachurch who is at the center of a sex scandal has been charged with lying under oath for saying he had sex outside marriage with only one other woman, court documents show.

A warrant for the arrest of Archbishop Earl Paulk, co-founder of Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church, was issued Monday, according to court documents. Paulk was making arrangements Monday night to turn himself in, WAGA-TV reported.

Former church employee Mona Brewer is suing Paulk, his brother and the church on allegations that Paulk manipulated her into an affair from 1989 to 2003 by telling her it was her only path to salvation. In a 2006 deposition stemming from the lawsuit, the archbishop said under oath that the only woman he had ever had sex with outside of his marriage was Brewer.

See, this is the problem with "having faith". It allows you to delude yourself into these kinds of situations. While the Bible is full of unsavory activities sanctioned by "God" (incest, infanticide, genocide), I don't recall any place where Jesus says, "Spread 'em, if you want salvation."

But the results of a court-ordered paternity test revealed in October that Paulk is the biological father of his brother's son, D.E. Paulk, who is now head pastor at the church.

Actually, this IS covered in the Bible (see Onan), but the brother has to be dead for it to be OK.

As part of Brewer's lawsuit, eight women have given sworn depositions that they were coerced into sexual relationships with Earl Paulk.

Paulk and his brother, Don, have been hit with lawsuits from former members alleging they were coerced into sexual affairs, but this is the first time criminal charges have been filed against the archbishop.

Iran dominates Republican presidential debate in conservative South Carolina
London Times

Mr Huckabee has faced grave doubts about his foreign policy experience, his greatest vulnerability, but got one of the biggest cheers of the night when asked about the incident last week when Iranian boats swarmed US navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Asked whether the American commanders on the scene were right in not attacking the Iranian boats, Mr Huckabee said he backed their decisions, before warning Iran: "Be prepared, first, to put your sights on the American vessel. And then be prepared that the next thing you see will be the gates of Hell, because that is exactly what you will see after that."

Don't you just love it when "manly men" talk tough?

Yeah, this is the guy we need running the country. A religious bigot who drags our discussion down to the level of suicide bombers.

But Huckleberry Hound wasn't the only testosterone-intoxicated git on the dais.

Fred Thompson, the former Tennessee senator and Law & Order star who is banking all on victory in South Carolina to revive his campaign, said of the Iranian boat crews: "I think one more step and they would have been introduced to those virgins that they're looking forward to seeing." The crowd cheered.

Hey, Granpa Fred? I know it's hard to keep track of all these pesky fact things, but you really should try. The guys in the water were Iranian sailors, NOT members of Hezbollah. This would be like one of their stupid, fossilized politicians equating American sailors to Klansmen.

The rest of the usual gang of idiots chimed in with their approval to the "get tough with brown people" motif being advanced.

The creaking sound you may have heard was their paleolithic phallic members stirring back to life at the thought of more war.