Deaflympics Chinese Player Forgot to Remove Hearing Aid, Team Disqualified

In the Deaflympics Australia vs China women basketball game at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Melbourne, Australia, the Chinese womens basketball team got disqualified today, five minutes into the game, because one Chinese basketball player forgot to take off her hearing aid.

9.8. Hearing Aids: The use of hearing aids is strictly forbidden during the time of match.

Just goes to show the absurdity of the regulations in the CISS/Deaflympics rule book. That's a serious infraction for the whole team because of one hearing aid? Can we say "poor sportsmanship" from the CISS/Deaflympics committee?



Awaiting further confirmation of this travesty of an incident......

UPDATE: Although not a confirmation but more idiocy from Deaflympic officials (well, they can't help but follow idiotic regulations by the CISS/Deaflympics) on disqualifying a deaf/hh tennis and track player for wearing a hearing aid. Gassspppp! You can almost hear a truck drop on the ground for the crowd to hear. Yep, that's cheatin' folks. Gives you a big edge over the other deaf tennis player whackin' that little green/yellow ball over the net back and forth, back and forth... Frankly, you don't have time to listen to anything to give yourself an advantage over the other player. You couldn't even cheat any more so running a track race, too, cause you're running man! Not listening. Lots of UNcommon sense by the CISS/Deaflympics rule books. Just like the U.N....UNcommon sense.

Kudos and congrats to the winners of Deaflympics! Hard work is well earned.

Thumbs down to CISS/Deaflympics officials and their kooky rules over the prohibition on the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants during a game and penalizing the whole team for one player's mistake for wearing a hearing aid so small and light you'd forget you have it on. What's next? Ban deaf/hh players who may one day wear self-powered, implantable hearing aids? That would be interesting to see.

Ya see folks...it's all about common sense. If they don't have it, well, then they don't have it.

Will the 6th Deaf World Golf Championships Violate Lauri's Right in 2006?

Now, since Lauri is an American Deaf golfer she cannot file a complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Commission regarding the illegal discrimination that will soon take place in Edmonton in 2006 at the World Deaf Golf Championship. But Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing Canadian golfers can do so in order to help correct this oversight by the people of the World Deaf Golf Championships Committee.

If you are interested in seeking legal counsel from a lawyer regarding the upcoming Edmonton 2006 World Deaf Golf Championships you can contact him. Be sure to inform the lawyer that in the 2006 World Deaf Golf Championships official website they specifically expressed a rule forbidding the use of a hearing aid during the tournaments.

The rule states:

“It is not allowed to wear hearing aids during the tournament.”

This could also include cochlear implant according to the CISS/Deaflympics regulations.

“Athletes taking part in the Deaf World Championships shall be forbidden from using any hearing aids or cochlear implant aids during competitions.” - Deaf World Championships regulations (updated March 2003).

Who can file a complaint?
A Canadian citizen or a person who is legally present in Canada can file a complaint. Usually the person who has suffered from the discrimination files the complaint but, in certain cases, it may be filed by a third party, such as a relative or a collective bargaining agent. A human rights complaint can be filed with the Commission if:

• It is filed within one year of the alleged events.
• The discrimination is based on one of the eleven prohibited grounds.
• The situation is considered a discriminatory practice under the Canadian Human Rights Act.


The 2006 World Deaf Golf Championships will be the 6th hosted event to be held in Alberta, Canada. Let’s make sure they do not get away for the 6th time by violating Canada’s Human Rights for Deaf, deaf, and hard of hearing golfers who may prefer to use their hearing aids or cochlear implants in Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing related sports events.

Lauri, who is Deaf, made the top five and therefore qualified to represent the U.S. Women’s team at the Deaf World Golf Championships but problems arose when she wore her hearing aid at the U.S. Deaf Golf Championships. She would have played in Stockholm Sweden in July 2004 but was denied the 2004 World Deaf Golf Championships in Stockholm, Sweden. She was not qualified to enter in the eyes of the Deaf World Golf Championships committee. Although the World Deaf Golf Federation was formally established to oversee and sponsor the biennial world deaf golf championships under auspices of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (CISS), this does not give them the right to discriminate Lauri's right to play in the 6th 2006 World Deaf Golf Championships in Edmondton, Canada. The Canadian Human Rights Commision will make sure of that only if they are made aware of the blatant rules and regulations by the CISS/Deaflympics organization against Deaf, deaf, and hard of hearing players who may prefer the use of their hearing aids or cochlear implants during their games.

Lauri has every right to be allowed to compete in the 6th annual World Deaf Golf Championships game in Edmonton, Canada. Your help is needed to bring this to light.

UPDATE: The president of Canada Deaf Golf Association (CDGA) and its associated members have been informed of this travesty. An email was received from the president of CDGA that they will look into this legal matter as soon as possible. The president states that

"....in all deaf sports championships on national and provincial levels, we let our members compete with hearing aidsand/or CI. "

Watch here for further updates....

Canada To Prevent Discrimination at Deaf Games

“Athletes taking part in the Deaf World Championships shall be forbidden from using any hearing aids or cochlear implant aids during competitions.” - Deaf World Championships regulations (updated March 2003).

"It is not allowed to wear hearing aids during the tournament." - rules for 2006 World Deaf Golf Championship in Edmonton, Canada.

Breaking...just received a letter from Lauri who was discriminated and prevented to play in the Deaf World Golf Championship in Stockholm, Sweden because she wore a hearing aid in the U.S. Deaf Golf Championships (July 2003) after she protested that she be allowed to wear it. The email letter sent to her was from the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) who read her letter of complaint regarding the unfair discriminatory practices she had to endure from the CISS/Deaflympics. To put it succinctly and confidently, the CHRC will make sure that such discriminatory practices will not spill into Canada where the World Deaf Golf Championship will take place in Edmonton, 2006. Even WRAD is understandably upset and perplexed by these rules and regulations under the CISS/Deaflympics guidance.

Canadian's Human Rights laws prohibits the discrimination and targeting of people just because they are different. This includes those who want to wear their cochlear implants or hearing aids over those who do not.

There was a similar incident that took place during a Deaf baseball tournament where players were ordered to play without their hearing aids. The letter to Lauri explained further that, of course, an uproar ensued and after the dust settled the teams were eventually allowed to let their players keep their hearing aids on. The on-going atmosphere in the CISS/Deaflympics organization is creating more conflicts, disharmony, elitism, and discriminatory practices among those who wear hearing aids and cochlear implants. Not everybody read lips well. Not everybody signs or signs well. Not everybody rely on sounds for communication. Different strokes for different folks.

The player's hearing aid or cochlear implant is the player's responsibility when it comes to taking care of it. And if it becomes damaged, then it is the player's responsibility to pay for it. A player has choice. He or she can wear it or not. It is not up to the Deaf Sports organizations to decide for the players.

Check out the British Columbia Deaf Sports Federation website.

If you have similar stories worth sharing please contact Kokonut Pundits.

The UN's DERT and SCHAT Teams

Somehow acroynyms seem to show what the U.N. is really made up of and their actions shows it in the worst possible ways.

From the Diplomad:

The post below reports on the impending arrival of Ms. Margareeta Wahlstrom "United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Team Cordinator (for Tsunami victims - koko) and the Secretary-General's Special Coordinator for Humanitarian Assistance in Tsunami-affected-countries."

Hmm, the UN's own "dirt" and "scat" teams. Even a flower bed need dirt and manure for it to blossom. But this is the U.N. were talking about.

Ok. Ok. So I added "Team" to DER...but this is about the DER "team" helping Tsunami victims. Eh no?

When Racism Rears Its Ugly Head at UVA

This is what we don't need in America when it comes assaulting people who are simply different. At University of Virginia an article recounts an assault on one of their students:

On February 26, a 19-year-old biracial student named Daisy Lundy claimed she had been attacked by a white man. Her story: as a candidate for Student Council president, she had decided to go out for “a little late-night campaigning at the library.” She walked to her car at around 2:00 a.m. to get her cell phone. The white attacker approached her, grabbed her by her ponytail and pushed her head against the car. During the assault, she claimed, the attacker said:
“No one wants a nigger to be president.”

This action is completely uncalled for. People who are self-serving do this by calling racist names and assaulting people (whether verbally or physically) are all but boorish, immature, unfeeling, and unthinking people. Daisy has every right to run for student council without fear of reprisals or attacks. But some people simply do not get it.

When people think they are special who believe they have every right to verbally assault everybody based on incongruities as justification for their behaviors, then that's when they run the risk of being extremists and that's dangerous.

Off the subject but if you read at the bottom of the UVA story link, I disagree about UVA's attempt to prosecute frat students for wearing blackfaces at a Halloween party when we have the film industry supporting this type of movie. What the frat brothers have done may be tasteless or even boorish but that's why we are protected by the first amendment. If somebody want to dress up like Bill Cosby to the hilt and act like him because he admires the guy, it should be taken as a compliment without fear of being singled out. This is true for those who want to dress up like Bill Clinton (minus the stained blue dress). But, a blackface is a different story that even Whoopi Goldberg laughed when Ted Danson did it but he got the short end of the stick by the public.


BTW, UVA Cavaliers lost to Wake on Sunday. The Cavaliers not only dropped their 10th straight ACC opener, but lost a precious home game. :-)

Life is good.

Please visit Hero Bracelet.

Visit Hero Bracelet and buy one in memory of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq (and Afghanistan).

Our goal is to help memorialize these brave men and women, and in doing so, help raise money to support their families. Every bracelet purchased ($8.50) will allow a minimum of $2 to be donated to the Fallen Heroes Fund, a non-profit, non-political fund instituted to provide aid to these families.

Each HeroBracelet is engraved with the name, rank, hometown and date of death of an American soldier lost in Iraq. It is engraved on black anodized aluminum and can be easily fitted to any wrist.

I am in support of this organization. They have so far produced 18,000 of these bracelets.

My cousin, Maj. Gregory Stone (see link for complete story and updates), was killed in the Camp Pennsylvannia grenade tent attack in 2003 in Kuwait. Like so many other soldiers, the attack left behind a fiance', his son, and family.

"Stingy" Commentators Eat Own Feet

U.S. to the rescue. Where's the U.N.?

Let the U.N. worshippers, the Norwegian Jan Egeland fans, the anti-American and anti-Bush bloggers, NY Times fans and Liberal Op-Eds eat this for a change by none other than the Associated Press. They keep putting their feet in their mouths, time again and again, in the most discombobulating way solely because all they have is an agenda to smear President Bush (and America) and nothing else. Pathetic. This is why some these people simply do not think but with their feet in their mouths. Their actions pretty much fit the "Crab Theory" but on a massive international and political scale.

U.N. attempts to take credit for USAID's work.

Doesn't suprise me how the United Nations (UN) is trying to take credit for what USAID is doing to get the job done for the tsunamis victims.


Saturday, January 01, 2005
UN Death Watch . . .

Well, we're heading into Day 7 of the Asian quake/tsunami crisis. And the UN relief effort? Nowhere to be seen except at some meetings and on CNN and BBC as talking heads. In this corner of the Far Abroad, it's Yanks (that means the United States of America - kokonut pundits) and Aussies doing the hard, sweaty work of saving lives.

Check out this interview (on the UN's official website) with Sec. Gen Annan and Under Sec. Gen Egeland shows:

Mr. Egeland (that's your favorite Norwegian Jan Egeland - link provided by Kokonut Pundits): Our main problems now are in northern Sumatra and Aceh.<...> In Aceh, today 50 trucks of relief supplies are arriving. <...> Tomorrow, we will have eight full airplanes arriving. I discussed today with Washington whether we can draw on some assets on their side, after consultations with the Indonesian Government, to set up what we call an “air-freight handling centre” in Aceh.

Tomorrow, we will have to set up a camp for relief workers – 90 of them –which is fully self-contained, with kitchen, food, lodging, everything, because they have nowhere to stay and we don't want them to be an additional burden on the people there.

I provided this to some USAID colleagues (link by Kokonut Pundits) working in Indonesia and their heads nearly exploded. The first paragraph is quite simply a lie. The UN is taking credit for things that hard-working, street savvy USAID folks have done. It was USAID working with their amazing network of local contacts who scrounged up trucks, drivers, and fuel; organized the convoy and sent it off to deliver critical supplies. A UN “air-freight handling centre” in Aceh? Bull! It's the Aussies and the Yanks who are running the air ops into Aceh. We have people working and sleeping on the tarmac in Aceh, surrounded by bugs, mud, stench and death, who every day bring in the US and Aussie C-130s and the US choppers (link provided by Kokonut Pundits); unload, load, send them off. We have no fancy aid workers' retreat -- notice the priorities of the UN? People are dying and what's the first thing the UN wants to do? Set up "a camp for relief workers" one that would be "fully self-contained, with kitchen, food, lodging, everything."

The UN is a sham!
http://diplomadic.blogspot.com/


U.S. aircraft carrier reaches Sumatra, Marines head toward Sri Lanka
JAKARTA, Indonesia – One of the biggest U.S. military disaster relief missions in history kicked into high gear Saturday as an aircraft carrier battle group arrived off the shores of tsunami-battered Sumatra and began launching helicopters laden with supplies.

A flotilla carrying Marines and water purifying equipment was heading for Sri Lanka, meanwhile, and a former staging base for B-52 bombers in Thailand roared with the takeoffs and landings of giant cargo planes.

At least nine Seahawk helicopters from the USS Abraham Lincoln began flying badly needed relief missions, supplying material for temporary shelters into villages along Sumatra's devastated northwest coast.


Here's President Bush' January 1, 2005 radio address.


And a final note about the whereabouts of the United Nations in all this mess (of theirs):

We have US C-130s flying in and out of here dropping off heaps of supplies; US choppers arrive today; USAID is doing a knock-out job of marshalling and coordinating US and local resources to deliver real assistance to real people. The Aussies have planes and troops delivering stuff; even the Indians have goods on the way. The UN? Nowhere to be seen. OK, I'm not being fair. Last night they played host to a big "coordination" meeting of donors to announce that the UNDP has another large "assessment and coordination team" team arriving. Our USAID guys, who've been working 18-20 hrs/day, came back furious from this meeting saying everybody would be dead if the delivery of aid waited for the UN to set up shop and begin "coordinating."

The UN types are upset with the US, Ms. Short, dear, not because we're undermining them but because we're showing them up as totally inept.

And the people who want to rant about the "stinginess" ("too little, too late") on the United States part can simply ram it up where the sun doesn't shine.

While PRESIDENT Bush is getting things done in a very big way rather than go through the "I feel your pain" empathy route a la Bill Clinton by biting his lower lip, Bill Clinton need to learn to stop showboating and taking the spotlight just to feed his delusional political purposes (hoping to have them transferred over to his dear Senator Hillary Clinton) by taking advantage of an international disaster of epic proportion. But that's Bill Clinton. Right?

You guys get my drift, yet? Get in there and help for a change!

Questioning Kwanzaa.....

While some think celebrating Kwanzaa is "cool" but like me, and others, have deep reservations about the so-called "holiday."

Frontpage Magazine has provided an article about the Kwanzaa celebration and its curious history, which is disturbing.

When once asked why he designed Kwanzaa to take place around Christmas, Karenga explained, “People think it’s African, but it’s not. I came up with Kwanzaa because black people wouldn’t celebrate it if they knew it was American. Also, I put it around Christmas because I knew that’s when a lot of bloods would be partying.”

Even among the some of the Deaf black community they celebrate Kwanzaa. They have every right to celebrate their cultural recognition. However, seeing how Kwanzaa represents can only cause me to question it further. I still remain open but reserve the right to see things differently, and rightly so.

However, Kwanzaa celebration consists of seven "principles." They are Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination – code for "buy black"), Ujima (collective work and responsibility – groupthink), Ujamaa (cooperative economics – socialism), Nia (purpose) Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith – in man, not God).

To provide a symbol of his seven "principles," Karenga used the menorah from Judaism with Kwanzaa’s colors (red, black, and green), and re-named it the "kinara."

One thing though, for December 25, I certainly won't be saying happy Kwanzaa but Merry Christmas. Even though I'm a "white dude" I certainly have an opinion in this. So do black ministers from all over the United States.

Rev. Peterson said: "Kwanzaa is an anti-God, anti-American, and anti-white holiday created by a black felon. Kwanzaa only serves to further separate blacks from God and America. Black Christians should stop celebrating this pagan holiday-instead, they should stand up for Christmas. "

But sadly some of them are incorporating Kwanzaa into their Christmas program noting that "Imani" and Faith in God are an oxymoron. You cannot have both and be celebatory. Reverend Peterson makes that clear.

You make the call with your conscious.

Day by Day cartoon

If you like political cartoons then check out the Day by Day cartoon by Chris Muir. Think of Doonesbury but reverse that political line of thinking. :)

BTW, don't bother whinning to me about political cartoons. Either you love 'em or hate 'em.

Deaf scuba diver survives tsunami

Tsunami survivor describes underwater horror
By Karen Kaufman

"Our boat was lucky. We saw a cruise liner stuck near the islands with three people dead," said Londoner Naomi Hayim from her boat off the coast of Phuket yesterday.

Hayim, who is deaf, and 13 other people (including another deaf person) were diving at Richelieu Rock, a collection of submerged pinnacles renowned for its visiting whale sharks north of the Surin Islands (about 60 kilometers off the west coast of Phang Nga province) when the tsunami hit. "We realized that the wave went right over us as we were diving," she said yesterday via SMS messaging on her cell phone.

She said the giant wave created a whirlpool with incredibly strong currents. The divers were swept under, completely losing each other and severely hampered by poor visibility. All 14 eventually surfaced and found each other, though an exhausted Hayim could not be certain yesterday how long they had actually been submerged. Luckily all 14 were unharmed.

Hayim, 26, was brought up in London's Maida Vale and is a divemaster and marine biologist. She also studied clown fish and sea anemones at the Institute of Marine Biology in Eilat in 2000. A battle with meningitis when she was just a baby left her deaf. She has never, however, let this stop her from doing anything she put her mind to and graduated from Queen Mary, University of London with a degree in marine and freshwater biology.

Hayim is part of Worldwide Dive and Sail, a company that offers seven-day sailing and diving trips aboard a 21-meter yacht. Her ability to lip-read and sign enables her to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing people how to dive. The yacht left Phuket on Friday for what was supposed to be a week-long underwater adventure for holiday-makers who joined from Britain, the Netherlands and Austria. There were no Israelis on board - as Naomi put it "I'm the only Jew here."

Yesterday afternoon, the boat and its passengers turned back toward Phuket, but by early evening they were instructed to stay out at sea for fear of aftershocks and because the port at Phuket had been ruined. Hayim said that they are now waiting to hear from the Thai authorities when they will be able to go back to land. As the trip was due to last a week, the boat still has enough food and equipment for several more days.Hayim's group was one of several diving excursions that were at sea when the tsunami struck. "We are very lucky that nothing terrible happened," she said last night.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/519302.html

Sticks and Stones....

"His mother should have abort him, though.
LOL. R-"

Actually, its "His mother should have aborted him, though." Kind of how I feel about Michael Moore. Though that would be unfair of me to say that since I know better. I shall keep this quote for posterity sake as a reminder of how people use their freedom of speech and expression. Thank God for the United States of America.

Reaching out to those who may need serious help.

Read below
=========

What's the matter? Don't you have a sense of humor?Were you ever bullied, humiliated, harassed, or treated with contempt? Were you ever called names, such as fatso, baldy, geek, retard, or ugly? When you tried to fit in at a new school, job, or neighborhood, did someone or some group make racial slurs, belittle your religion, make fun of your appearance, ridicule your opinions, mock your speech, or deride your beliefs? When you tried to express yourself, did they show appreciation or show disdain? When you arrived, did they cheer or jeer? Did they celebrate you or denigrate you?

If you spoke up after being taunted, did they try to blame you, the victim, by saying, "What's the matter? Don't you have a sense of humor? Don't be so sensitive, I was just kidding. Don't be a sissy!" When you complained to your boss, parents, or teachers, did they help? Instead of doing so, they may have compounded the problem by brushing it aside and saying something like, "Don't let it get to you. You've just got to learn how to get along with people!" I wonder which is worse, to be made the brunt of jokes or to have one's pain trivialized?

Intimidation of others takes many forms. It could be physical violence or verbal abuse. You may be prevented from doing what you want to do or forced to do what you don't want to. You may be shunned, ostracized, or given the silent treatment. The abusers may steal your property or your reputation. You may be criticized, insulted, or threatened. The result of it all is considerable emotional and physical pain.

What can we do about such abuse when it happens to us? First, we can learn to understand the causes. Once we do, that may be enough to, if not end the pain, at least lessen it. Understanding the causes will also point out options and possible solutions. So, why are some people so belligerent?

They ACT tough because they're WEAK. They have little or no confidence. They feel like losers. They feel unsuccessful and incompetent. They feel that they have no power over their lives and are desperately looking for a method of filling this vacuum. Then along comes you. If, somehow, they can make you feel bad; if they can control your emotions, they will have redeemed themselves, for now at last they will have some CONTROL and POWER. True, it is destructive rather than constructive power, but any power is better than none. Granted, it is control over the lives of others rather than over their own life, but, again, some control is better than no control.

Because of the complexity of life, there is not one explanation of hostility, but many. However, there is a commonality. In all cases the aggressor is weak. He or she may wear their belligerence as a shield. They may be afraid of being laughed at because of their own incompetence, so they lash out at others in a preemptive attack. Also, because of feelings of worthlessness, they seek ways of becoming the center of attention and ways of gaining popularity. After all, if Jay Leno can earn millions and win respect by insulting the President of the United States, why can't they become a local `hero' by making fun of you?

Other reasons for indulging in malicious behaviour include peer pressure, jealousy and envy, not knowing any better, and the glorification of violence on TV and in the movies and video games. The instigators themselves may also be victims. Perhaps they're being abused by a sibling, a parent, or a neighbor and are now striking out at others to release some of their pent up hostility. Politicians sometimes exemplify yet another reason for insulting others: manipulation. Candidates running for office with a weak platform will often slander their rivals to divert attention from their own lack of ideas.

It is also helpful to understand that the pain we feel when insults are slung our way, is not caused by the insults themselves, but our internal reaction to them. This important lesson, (that it is not outside events, but our reactions to them that causes our suffering), is a major tenet of modern psychology. Yet, this teaching is hardly new. Nearly 2,000 years ago, the Greek philosopher Epictetus taught,

"It is not he who gives abuse that affronts, but the view that we take of it as insulting; so that when one provokes you it is your own opinion which is provoking."

We may not be able to change the abuser, but we can change our mind. We can decide that the frail attempts of a weakling trying to hurt us can be ignored. What better revenge can you enact than to deprive the abuser of the satisfaction of seeing you get upset?

Another point to ponder is a harasser cannot change the truth. A shrill little man may call Luciano Pavarotti "fatso," but does that diminish in any way the quality of Pavarotti's voice or his magnificent accomplishments? Of course not. Here's how Samuel Johnson (1709 ~ 1784) advanced the same argument,

"A fly may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still."

So, why let the pathetic attempts of an insecure person irritate you?

Did you know that Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, and Michelle Pfeiffer were all bullied in school? Who's laughing now? Doesn't this demonstrate that things change? Just because you're in an unpleasant circumstance today, doesn't mean that it will remain that way indefinitely. Also remember that bullies are not really attacking you, but attacking events that occurred in their lives.

Can anything positive be said about insults? At least it is far better to have someone hurl insults at you than to stone you to death! Which is why Sigmund Freud wrote, "The first human being who hurled an insult instead of a stone was the founder of civilization." Changing from physical abuse to verbal abuse may be a step in the right direction, but it offers little consolation to those suffering mental anguish. Aren't there other things that can be done to eliminate or lessen the impact of bullying? Yes, there are, but I'm afraid I ran out of space! So, tell you what, I'll share the second half of this article with you next week. - from the Personal Development website.

http://personal-development.com/chuck/index.html - lots of goodies to read.

Hey, I'm a pretty happy guy.

Sticks and stones......well, you know the old saying. But I do need a laugh once in a while. This one was a knee slapper. Really.

Oh, by the way, check out Ski Apache cam...the southern-most ski resort in the United States on Sierra Blanca (12,003 ft high). Can't wait to get my ski board and join my buddies for some cool shushing!

The "stinginess" bandwagon...a dangerous ride

It's incredible that people have the gall to call the U.S. initial contribution of $35 million as being "stingy" or not enough to help with the tsunami victims of Asia. First it was $15 million, beating out all other countries for their initial contributions and then later the amount went to $35 million as more information came in noting the gravity of the situation where over 100,000 were killed and millions displaced over 11 different countries. That alone is a logistical nightmare rather than one just one country affected by a disaster.

And since the disaster struck four days ago the initial $35 million will undoubtedly go into the billions of dollars from the U.S. Government support and help. Not only cash, but expertise and equipments such as C-130 cargo planes and Navy carriers.

"Moving a carrier strike force and a Marine expeditionary unit within 72 hours should not be considered dillydallying," State Department spokesman J. Adam Ereli said. "The planes are on the ground in Indonesia tonight." Rice and water-purification equipment have been unloaded in some stricken areas for distribution, U.S. officials noted.

Name a country who is sending out a Naval carrier, cargo planes, boats filled with supplies, food, medicine, tents, equipments and armed personnel to help with the disaster? Moving a Naval carrier is not cheap and would easily surpass Spain's contribution of $60 million dollars.

The United States is also assisting in ways not covered by the $35 million, including sending Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials to the region to help protect residents from diseases that some experts worry could double the number of victims.

The administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Andrew Natsios. Ambassador Natsios responded about Jan Egeland's "stingy" comment:

ANDREW NATSIOS: I have written books on this. I've been doing this work for 15 years. Jan Egeland is a friend of mine; we're the biggest donor to fund his office and his staff.

I called him and said, Jan, what are you talking about? He's talking about development assistance, not disaster relief. For disaster relief, it's simply nonsense. He doesn't know what the data shows.

If he did, he wouldn't have made that comment. He told me he was misquoted and he was speaking about development assistance.

What he did not know is that President Bush has arranged the largest increase in development assistance since Harry Truman.

The budget when Bill Clinton entered office for ODA, Official Development Assistance, which is an international formula used by 27 countries that are donor governments, was 10.6 billion dollars. In 2003, it was $24 billion.

You've had a 140 percent increase. We're well beyond what the president committed at Monterey and at Johannesburg. There is a huge effort to combat HIV/AIDS, the millennium challenge account. My food aid budget has been increased hugely.

GWEN IFILL: So you're saying even when talking about development assistance, that those numbers don't add up?

ANDREW NATSIOS: Those numbers don't add up. What they do is they use a European formula, which we've never used in the United States in 55 years, which is to use a percentage of our Gross National Product.

The reason that people quote that is because in Europe it's been used as a standard, but our economy grows so much faster than the Japanese or the European economy that we would never catch up.

No matter how much we do, we could never be... if we did, we would dominate the entire world and overwhelm everybody with the amount of money but a 140 percent increase in three years is a massive increase in development
assistance.

And in clarification of what Jan Egeland's "stingy" comment:

"I never said anybody had been stingy over the tsunami,'' Egeland said. "I understand very much the president's answer" because the United States is the biggest donor to humanitarian and disaster relief.

Egeland, who was a journalist for 10 years, said he realized "10 seconds'' after making the "stingy'' comment on Monday that it wasn't clear and was open to misinterpretation. "And I immediately then started to correct it ... I was not pressured by anybody. I took the initiative myself,'' he said.

How true. The United State spent $2.4 billion on disaster relief aid so far in 2004, far, far more than any other nation. U.S officials predicted the biggest-ever U.S. response to a natural disaster will be in the weeks ahead where the resulting cost that may last several months (and years in certain areas) to go over easily into the billions. Your tax dollars at work for DISASTER RELIEF. Don't bite the hands that feed you.

Bob Stenehjem - a Seattle native with a heart of gold.

Bob Stenehjem. He's a Seattle native in Washington state. A merchant seaman who was vacationing in Thailand when the tsunami hit there. Bob is an example of what one man can do to help ease the pain and misery of those who were injured or lost loved ones. The Seattle Times produced his email message describing what he did to help with the tsunami tragedy.

The lobby was chaos. I went up to a long table full of phones and people and asked what they needed. The people at the table looked majorly overwhelmed. The lady asked what languages I spoke, and I told her a little Spanish, fairly good American Sign Language and English. She said sit here and answer phones.

And that was just a start. Read the rest of his email and you'll see why Bob Stenehjem is a man whose heart is made of gold. He just want to help like everybody else. Who wouldn't?

A Digital Piano or a Laptop?

Decision, decision, decision. In a few months I am thinking of either getting a digital piano full length 88-keyboard wide with a hammer action weighted keys response so that it will feel just like that of a real piano. Or get myself a wide-screen laptop with all the bells and whistles, and set up a remote router for broadband connection.

But my real dream is to get a baby-grand piano...the real thing, but for now a digital piano will be a better move for me since it can replicate sound for sound the deep rich and rewarding sound of a baby grand, concert grand, upright piano (the old saloon type rinky dink sound), and even a Harpsichord. Nothing fancy. Just piano sounds and I'll be a happy camper. A good digital piano that looks like a regular, wood semi-upright piano. Not the cheapo kinds that stand alone where you can put it on a table. I wouldn't mind getting myself a mini-baby grand digital piano. Am willing to spend 3 or 4 thousands dollars for a nice digital piano.

Just to let you know I've been playing the piano since I was seven and I haven't stopped.

I am learning to play a piano piece by Jelly Roll Morton called "Fingerbuster." Click on the name to listen to it (require Realtime player). And there's a reason why the piece is called "Fingerbuster". It's a super fast music. Excellent early Jazz piece. You can listen to the piece if you can or get your friends to hear it and watch their faces (sorry for those who cannot hear but I'm trying to be gracious here and blogging for own peace of mind, I'm hard of hearing, y'know). And I'm also learning to play Morton's piece called "Perfect Ragtime" (Click to listen). Very nice, fast piece, but not fast like Fingerbuster. You can listen to many of Morton's pieces in the Jelly Roll Morton link above by scrolling past the bio of Jelly Roll Morton.

You see, I love playing ragtime and early jazz pieces. But the problem is that I have a piano and it is called a Melodigrand. Unfortunately it has only 64 keys (a mini-spinet piano, bleh). Woefully short of the needed 88 keys in a full keyboard length piano. A needed requisite when playing ragtime and early jazz pieces when I do my stride playing hitting the high and low octave notes. My Melodigrand is outrageously out of tune, and the damper peddle does not work while the sustain does. And it was given to me for free by a generous woman, who, incidentally, never played a piano in her life. Met her at church one time and she learned about my piano playing skills. This "piano" drives me nuts and has somewhat prevented me from practicing the thing I love. I want the rich sounds. The full length keyboard. The ability to play and do realtime recording for my own composition (maybe put it on the internet). And to play it anytime I want without disturbing anybody, even while my hearing kids are watching TV. All I have to do is wear a head phone and practice to my hearts content. My source of relaxation. And when I say practice it's usually about 2 hours. What relaxation to hear crisp, clean sound coming from my own fingers! How many deaf/hard of hearing pianist have you met in your life? I haven't met anyone yet.

What to do? A digital piano or a lap top computer? The answer? Well after thinking about it and since I already have a computer, I think I will get myself a digital piano (perhaps get myself a laptop later on in 2005, so much for decisions, eh?). Makes perfect sense. And in a few months, the time will be right to get myself something that I always wanted (aside from getting a real baby grand piano) and that is to get the next best thing to progress further into my piano playing hobby. I've played in a few gigs. My sister's wedding. Even did a demo at the theater of Gallaudet University for those who appreciated Ragtime or piano music (fyi, I played "Maple Leaf Rag" and the all-time favorite, "The Entertainer"). You can listen to Maple Leaf Rag here. Or "The Entertainer" here. But it's time to get serious and get my fingers all limbered up for "The Fingerbuster" piece. And maybe get back into these fun gigs I can do.

Let 'er rip!

So much for a start about my creativity. Some people have no idea on what creativity means, literally clueless, and even more so when it comes to appreciating music. Real music, to me. You can certainly see why I enjoy playing the piano, especially ragtime and early jazz pieces. Real foot stompin' music makes ya want to tap your foot and shake your head to and fro. And for those with Cochlear Implants or hearing aids, you'll love these Ragtime and early Jazz pieces. Now, classical music is good. Play it right, the sounds will carry you away. Some pieces if played right could even make you cry when they can emanate the reminiscing feelings of yore and regrets. Music is powerful stuff. I even played the violin when I was little. Taught myself to play the saxophone and was good enough to be in a Middle School symphony band. And played the drums for several years ending up in high school with the marching band and had fun going to those marching band competitions in Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. Whether you can feel it or hear it, it can get you going in all the right places. Evelyn Glennie, is the world's best known fulltime professional deaf percussion soloist (i.e. drums, cymbals, bells etc) is a fine example of how deaf (and hard of hearing) people can use music to define themselves and enjoy.

Here's another deaf group called "Beethoven's Nightmare." I've never heard this group play but they are an example of what deaf and hard of hearing people can do when it comes to music. Certainly the group "Beethoven's Nightmare" (I love the name! So funny..and sooo right) has been gaining in popularity and are in demand.

“We love music. And we want to show America and the world that being deaf doesn’t exclude you from loving and performing music,” deaf-guitarist Steve Longo said on behalf of the all-deaf trio. “We want to dispel the mystery and myths about deafness and deliver our work of art that we’d like to believe Ludwig Van Beethoven would have found intriguing.” Beethoven’s birthday is Dec. 17.

For those who insist on looking down on deaf or hard of hearing people who enjoy listening and/or performing music need to rethink their positions on their ability to hear (or feel) music for their own personal enjoyment. After all, who gives a fig about what other people feel when it is the person him/herself that counts when it comes to enjoying and making music.

Where to go to help the tsunamis victims?

Instead of complaining like a lot of people would rather do, please stop by and contribute to one of your favorite charity(ies) or favorite organization(s) and help the tsunamis victims. Complaining are for hot air which waste time. Compassion is needed here.


Here's a great resource to start with.

http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/

and a sister site,

http://tsunamihelpneeded.blogspot.com/

Thanks to GINDY who stopped by my blogsite.

My thoughts and prayers to the victims.

When Some Liberals Refuse to Think First about Aids to Tsunami Victims

There is a problem among some Liberals, Europeans, United Nation worshippers and people who insist on thinking with their foot in their mouth. Even among some Deaf militants, too, who want to lump the initial $15 million relief aid to the tsunami victims (which billions more dollars will come out of the United States government) as “a typical Republican administration” response. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Now, this is a natural disaster event that took place only but two days ago. The momentum will gather in giving more aid to the countries, mostly Muslims, affected by the 15 to 30 foot high tsunami killer waves. This has always been the case for the United States, even during the Clinton (gasp!), Carter, and JFK (no, not John F. Kerry, he lost, remember?) administrations to give aid and comfort to countries in times of need.

The chief of U.S. Agency for International Development, which distributes foreign aid, was quick to point out Tuesday that foreign assistance for development and emergency relief rose from $10 billion in President Clinton's last year ( in office) to $24 billion under President Bush in 2003. Secretary of State Colin Powell said assistance for this week's earthquake and tsunamis alone will eventually exceed $1 billion.

And yet, we will need permission to get more money and this will require more time to ask Congress to allocate monies for this emergency need. How ironic when some Liberals make the claim of "stinginess" when they should be looking at Clinton's administration. If some of the Democrats insist on putting their feet in their mouths, be my guest.

The “stingy” comment came from Jan Egeland, a Norwegian U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, who suggested that the United States and other Western nations were being "stingy" with relief funds, saying there would be more available if taxes were raised.

"The United States, at the president's direction, will be a leading partner in one of the most significant relief, rescue and recovery challenges that the world has ever known," said White House deputy press secretary Trent Duffy. But U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland suggested that the United States and other Western nations were being "stingy" with relief funds, saying there would be more available if taxes were raised.

"It is beyond me why are we so stingy, really," the Norwegian-born U.N. official told reporters. "Christmas time should remind many Western countries at least, [of] how rich we have become."

"There are several donors who are less generous than before in a growing world economy," he said, adding that politicians in the United States and Europe "believe that they are really burdening the taxpayers too much, and the taxpayers want to give less. It's not true. They want to give more."

But even now, Jan Egeland, is desperately back-peddling his prior comments:

Egeland said on Tuesday, however, that his remarks had been misinterpreted. "It has nothing to do with any particular country or any particular disaster," he told reporters.

How typical of some of these Euro-trash who like nothing better than to berate other countries on what they should or should not do with their monies when it comes to helping other countries in times of emergency need. And when they get caught in the cross-fire they back peddle saying they never meant it that way.

Even before the announcement of the $15 million dollar installment (which means more will come and has increased to $35 million to date, and growing) was made Colin Powell ordered a dozen C-130 planes from the Pacific Command which are now hauling in food, water, blankets, emergency shelter and other relief supplies. The Thailand government has offered the United States a base to use as a regional support center in the recovery effort for those planes. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is sending a 21-member disaster-relief team to the region to help organize relief efforts. Also, the Pentagon ordered the Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which had been in port at Hong Kong, to sail for the stricken area to provide assistance. A five-ship fleet headed by the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard will skip a port call in Guam to sail for the region. So much for a “stingy” United States government, which is just beginning on their third day of humanitarian aid of epic proportion in the tsunami crisis.

As always, any initial emergency response will be a bit chaotic while relief organizations and government scramble to assess needs and deploy resources. If planning calls for significant food aid, the United States will need to scramble because of other prior crisis’s in Sudan, West Africa and other areas hit by drought and fighting. But the tsunami killer waves crisis will undoubtedly produce more deaths through diseases such as cholera, malaria, and diarrhea due to unsanitary waters, fecal matters, dead rodents, and rotting bodies.

In an interview on NBC's "Today," Powell said Tuesday:

"Clearly, the United States will be a major contributor to this international effort. And, yes, it will run into the billions of dollars."

Anyone who has enough brain power can figure out that by sending out aircraft carriers, large cargo planes and ships loaded with supplies, thousands of personnel help, armed military forces, expertise and the likes will go into the billions…easily. Lt. Col Bill Bigalow, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Command put it quite succinctly that

"It is still very much an emerging crisis, and the important aspect is to take the finite amount of resources we have and apply them where they can best be allocated."

It’s all about making efficient use of money, time and resources. Not about throwing money around haphazardly because time is of essence! It must be done with quick planning. Without proper planning more needless deaths can arise through carelessness and greed such as the United Nations’ Oil for Food scandal causing hundred of thousands of Iraqis deaths, most of them children, when medicine, food, and clean water could have saved them over several years time while under Saddam’s rule and while the United Nation looked the other way as they collected the kickbacks and bribes. If you want to condemn an organized body, be it that of the United Nations.

Not only will the U.S. Government contribute (per your tax dollars at work) also private and philanthropic organizations will gather their wills to collect monies, clothing, food, medicine, and even tents. Such important organizations jumping in are the Salvation Army, Network for Good, and Feed the Children responding to the biggest tsunami disaster in recent memory.


More of these types of organizations, many of them Christian organizations, will grow since the United States is a nation about giving and helping those who are in need. We want to give because that is our nature, unlike the United Nations and other countries. And yet the United States is the biggest contributor already! What happened to Saudi Arabia? Should not they be the biggest contributor? With all that profits from oil they ought to be the most overly concerned and most generous contributor as a Muslim country. Most of the victims are from Muslim countries. Saudi Arabia pledged $10 million cash and assistance. Talk about irony here.

What these other countries taking pride of their government foreign aid contribution, notably Norway at .92 percent of the GNP (being the higest of all countries while U.S. is near the bottom), do not consider other contributions such as philanthropic and private organizations in the United States as being one of the biggest (if not the biggest) in the world when it comes to dollars spent of foreign aids. The amount spent is stagering and the usual rule of thumb is more than three times what the U.S. government spends.

Americans privately give at least $34 billion overseas -- more than three times U.S. official foreign aid of $10 billion (2001 figure):

International giving by U.S. foundations totals $1.5 billion per year

Charitable giving by U.S. businesses now comes to at least $2.8 billion annually

American NGOs gave over $6.6 billion in grants, goods and volunteers.

Religious overseas ministries contribute $3.4 billion, including health care, literacy training, relief and development.

$1.3 billion by U.S. colleges are given in scholarships to foreign students

Personal remittances from the U.S. to developing countries came to $18 billion in 2000

But looking at the U.S. and Foreign Aid link you will note the irony of some of the figures (and remarks like Kofi Annan's) given out when you think about all what the United States has done over the years when it comes to international aid...private and government. And the biggest irony came from our former President Jimmy Carter who remarked:

“We are the stingiest nation of all,” former President Jimmy Carter said recently in an address at Principia College in Elsah, Ill. Dec 29, 1999.

There’s more to it than dumping monies on a nation in need. There are other resources that are much more valuable than just money alone. Money alone cannot take the place of human dignity and respect. We must remember that as a nation that cares we must help our neighbors in times of need. Sadly, there are those who want nothing more than to falsely accuse the United States just for the sake to make political (but worthless) points. A good example of this can be seen how an overly-zealous person bent on making political points so soon after a disaster which the United States government and other private groups are still organizing and planning:

They were quick enough to spend billions of dollars on the War on Iraq, terrorism but only $15 million for the devastated places?

Again, again and again -- what a typical Republican administration.

The United States will always be there to help countries in times of need, even if it means being back-stabbed by politically driven and jealous idiots here and abroad knowing that an emerging crisis takes time to organize, collect and dispatch the needed resources to the affected areas.

Please visit your favorite charity or philanthropic organization to help the tsunami victims by donating money, time or supplies. Time is of essence. My thoughts and prayers go to the tsunami victims.

A false hate crime reported...a real doozy

Here's one real stupid man, hoping the media will get a wind of this supposedly "hate crime" that took place recently:

Police said a 22-year-old man was charged with filing a false report about a hate crime. Floyd Elliott, of Independence, told police that on Dec. 14, two subjects attacked him in the parking lot of his apartment complex.

He said the attackers cut him in the stomach, branded him with a hot knife, and
attempted to carve the word "Fag" on his forehead.

Investigators were suspicious about the report because the head carving was backwards, as if done while looking into a mirror.

Later, Elliott admitted to police that the injuries were self-inflicted. He said he falsely reported the attack to increase the police presence in his neighborhood.

Now, the poor guy will have a scar with the carved name "FAG" spelled backward on his forehead from now on. Call it a badge of honor...in his ability to spell things backward while looking in the mirror. What people will do just to get attention by committing a crime. For whatever reason, people who do these sorts of things need to get their heads examined. I'm sure this strange story will come up in one of those "Stupid Crimes" books.

When religious intolerance exists one day out of 365 days of the year

Merry Christmas everybody. And on December 25 is the date to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior. Though we don't know the exact birthdate yet we celebrate it on December 25 every year. The Christmas holiday has become a marketing dream that stretches for a whole month with reminder of Christ in Christmas everywhere. Soon to be replaced with "Happy holidays" or "Merry Xmas" and the increasing lawsuits or bannings of anything related to Christmas may it be words, visuals, or songs. Even schools are banning anything Christmas on school buses where kids cannot express their good cheer by singing (iniatiated themselves) the songs of Christmas.

"(The kids) were very upset over the fact that she can no longer play Christmas carols or any Christmas music relating to religion, or (use) the word 'Christmas' on school buses," Hartough said.

When it comes to freedom of expression, those kids have a right to express their good holiday cheer with a hearty Christmas song on a school bus. Better than to sing a foul-mouthed, police-killing rap song. And yet, it is these Liberal weenies who are so afraid of offending anyone they're willing to start with religious group, notably the Christian group, by ignoring completely the freedom of expression given to everybody. We are eerily getting close to that of Saudi Arabia where they ban anything related to Christmas (any non-Muslim related theme) that smacks of religious intolerance. We are a nation becoming intolerant to Christian themes, notably the Christmas celebration.

Saudi Arabia has stated publicly that its policy is to protect the right of non-Muslims to worship privately. However, Defense Minister Prince Sulta also stressed that the kingdom would never allow churches to be built.

Earlier this year, Sheik Ibrahim al-Ghaith, chief of the powerful religious police, said Saudi Arabia would never allow public displays of non-Muslim faith.

The State Department said in 1993 that "non-Muslim worshippers risked arrest, lashing and deportation for engaging in overt religious activity that attracts official attention."

Religious police agents become very active in the days leading up to Christian and Western celebrations. A few weeks ago, a toy store owner was detained for promoting witchcraft because he carried such Halloween decorations as scary masks and witches' hats.

It is fascinating and funny (and sad) to watch people throw themselves into a fit over Christmas decorations, songs, Nativity scenes, and the Christmas holiday cheers that go with it. Seems like every Liberal is against Christmas Day (1 day out of 365 days of the year) who want to ban it and play the role of the Grinch. Maybe they are complaining that the celebration leading up to Christmas Day is too long? That's not us, that's a marketing ploy. We want to celebrate that one day, given to us, by Congress, as day of remembrance and thanks for Jesus Christ.

You cannot sing Christmas songs on a school bus. You cannot have a Christmas parade. You cannot do anything publicly in some places for fear of offending someone (Liberals, mostly) when they know they have advanced warning that Christmas is coming down the road once a year. Well, when they start banning anything related to Christmas, I'm offended! The majority of Americans become offended. The ACLU does not have A CLU!!

The ACLU is always finding new ways to outrage traditional America. This month, the ACLU’s biggest focus is censoring Christmas, a national holiday. The ACLU is clamping down on school districts, trying to deter them from promoting Christmas in any way. No Christmas tree, no carol singing, and by no means, any mention of the name of Jesus Christ.

The ACLU says that we cannot publicly celebrate our own national holiday unlike Halloween or Thanksgiving, which is celebrated in public schools without much prejudice.

The ACLU believes that Christmas offends the beliefs of non-Christians. Yet homosexuality doesn’t impose on other people’s values? How biased can one organization be? Not even Ramadan or Hanukah were discriminated against by the ACLU last year.

In the First Amendment, it says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. "

If the leaders of the ACLU ever took the time to find out why this phrase was there, then maybe they would reform its views.

England, the country that the colonists came from, had only one church and it was the Anglican Church or the Church of England. All others were illegal. King Henry the Eighth had a falling out with the Catholic Church some years back over a divorce issue and outlawed the Catholic Church. He established the Anglican Church and allowed no others to exist.

Our forefathers saw this as religious tyranny, and some groups like the Quakers came to America to escape from religious persecution. One of the fundamental principles laid down by the founding fathers was the concept of religious freedom, without repercussions from the government.

Today, it has been bastardized into the popular notion that religion (especially Christianity) has no place in our society or in any public forum. It is ironic that the laws of this nation are based upon the laws laid down in the Ten Commandments.

Some Christians are fighting back. People in the "Public Advocate of the United States" will sing Christmas carols at noon on December 8 in front of the ACLU office building in Washington, D.C. But they are not alone in this fight. In Maplewood, New Jersey, parents of the Columbia High School brass ensemble, are fighting for their rights to sing Christmas carols at the school’s holiday concert. Since the ACLU will not defend the students' rights, Attorney Demetrios Stratis, affiliated with the conservative civil liberties group Alliance Defense Fund, will do so.

You have Liberals like Maureen Dowd whinning and complaining about Christmas. Gee, they must've had real bad experiences as kids, or really, really bad and "grinchy" parents. Maybe they did not get the train set they wanted as kids?

Maybe a solution can be found here. However much reasoning we try to impart, we are fighting back and will fight back against the insanity of those who claim to be a tolerant group (i.e. Liberals) when they are mostly intolerant when it comes to Christmas and Christians. Liberals are the wolves in sheep clothings looking out for your best interest. It is the Political Correctness they have at heart. Not freedom of expression or freedom of religion.

Let the Battle of Christmas begin so that we won't become like Saudi Arabia which is a model of intolerance. Is this what Liberals want? Somehow I seem to think so.

Oh, by the way, Merry Christmas!

Hate Crime Bill - a double standard.

Here's the definition of what constitute as a hate crime:

Hate-crimes" are defined as violent acts motivated by prejudice based on race, gender, disability or sexual orientation. A senate staffer told the Washington Times that one purpose of the bill was to place the weight of the federal government on the side of the homosexual lifestyle.

But as Paul Craig Roberts elaborated further,

There is nothing new in politicians pandering to special interests. However, "hate-crimes" bills pander in ways that violate the 14th Amendment by creating unequal standing in law.

Hatch’s bill assumes that women need protection from men’s hatred, blacks need protections from the hatred of whites, the disabled require protection from being hated by the able-bodied, and homosexuals need protecting from heterosexuals.

The effect of Hatch’s bill is to divide the population into a victim class and a perpetrator class: White, heterosexual, able-bodied males (WHAMs) are the perpetrators, and everyone else their victims.

If a homosexual is assaulted, a hate-crime will have been committed in addition to the crime of assault. But if a heterosexual is assaulted, it will merely be an act of assault. Similarly, if a black is assaulted, robbed or murdered, a hate-crime charge will be added if the assailant is white. Rape itself can become a hate crime.

Hate does play a role in some murders, but usually it is hatred of a person, not of a race or gender or sexual orientation. Most cases of assault result from the workings of alcohol or from anger. Robbery results from a desire for money, and rape is driven by lust.

A Hate-Crimes bill would be problematic because once it is instituted then it will sooner or later it become a platform in the future to charge anybody who dare think outloud saying "I hate these deaf and dumb people." Or say "Fairies can go to hell" Or say "I hate Spics". The slurs are bad enough and even dumb to say them in first place but to be charged with a hate crime is going too far. Ridiculous even. But a police did arrest a person for saying a slur word but it was a private conversation to begin with. A Michigan housewife, Janice Barton, was jailed when a deputy sheriff overheard her using the word "spic" in a private conversation with her mother.

Mrs. Barton was arrested for using the word "spic” in a public place. Hearing some people talking Spanish in a restaurant, she said to her mother - not to the people
speaking Spanish - "I wish these damned 'spics' would learn to speak English."

One of the Spanish-speakers could understand her, though. She was an off-duty Sheriff's Deputy named Caroline Benitez. She followed Mrs. Barton outside, took down her license number, and complained to the local police.

Two weeks later, Mrs. Barton was arrested under a local ordinance forbidding "insulting conduct" in a public place. Judge Brent Danielson found Mrs. Barton guilty, and sentenced her to 45 days in jail, of which she actually served four. How reassuring that is when you relate similar jailing charge with Jack Kevorkian.

To give some perspective on this 45-day sentence, contrast it with the sentence in a contemporaneous Michigan case, in which mass killer Dr. Jack Kevorkian pled guilty to assaulting police and resisting arrest on the occasion of dropping off the body of his latest - at that time - victim, approximately his 120th, at the ER in Royal Oak.

The judge gave him a $900 dollar fine, and let him go, even though Kevorkian himself wanted to go to jail, and even though he was practically certain to kill again if he were released. (He did, of course, and by a strange coincidence, he’s now in a maximum-security facility near Manistee.)

What's next? Thought police cruising blog sites and whatnot looking for slurs or inflammatory articles where bloggers can be charged with a "hate crime"? A Hate-Crimes bill would lead nothing but more trouble. It is one-sided benefitting only to a certain group. A Hate-Crime bill is nothing but a license to practice a double-standard because it would be applied unequally to everybody. Had there been a fictional book detailing a story on ways to kill President Bill Clinton, (as it did with President Bush with a book called "CheckPoint") I'm sure Liberals would have gone ahead and instituted a nation-wide Hate-Crimes bill. But when Liberals do it, they say it's "Freedom of Speech." Even if it means joking about ways to kill the President over a radio station.

Simply put, these people are twisted.

UPDATE: This is where we're headed where by making gestures (not obscene) will be a crime:

Last week, Spain's Anti-Violence (reads..anti-hate crime) Commission fined two fans 6,000 euros ($9,860 Cdn) and banned them from entering sporting grounds for five months for making monkey chants against Barcelona's Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o during a league match. The fans of the club Albacete were identified by police after other spectators complained about their behavior.

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. Anybody who does that to me doesn't deserve a response from me. Just doing the monkey thing makes you look silly anyway that commensurate with your intelligence to that of, well, a monkey. Now, they're handing out kids gloves in the name of protecting people from being "offended" and who have no self-control over their emotional, tantrum outbursts. Thought police are next. Just watch.