This is wrong on so many levels. Watch it all the way to the end.
I’ve never been a conspiracy theorist. I’ve never worn a tinfoil hat, never had any desire to. But this is scary as hell. You just saw a man assaulted and arrested by the Philadelphia police department for daring to wear a McCain-Palin t-shirt after the election. He did not do anything wrong, did not violate any laws; he was simply exercising his right to freedom of speech. I sure as hell hope this man sues for his rights being trampled on.
Welcome to the age of Obama.
P.s. A friend reminded me, I should probably point out that I do not agree with the anti-Israel, anti-establishment message at the end of the video. It’s just the actual arrest shown in the video that ticks me off.
I’ve been awake all night, feeling miserable, so I won’t really have too much to say, but I just saw this and it seriously makes me want to cry. Will they really stop at nothing?
SONORA, CA – The California Republican party is asking the secretary of state to investigate an organized voting campaign involving developmentally disabled adults in Tuolumne County.
As many as ten clients of the Thumbs Up! adult care center have already cast absentee ballots under the supervision of center director David Simerley, and nearly all of them were for Barack Obama.
“We all registered to vote and we all sat together as a group and went over our ballots and voted,” Simerley told News10.
Among those voting was Michael Rascon, 56, whose father described him as having the mental capacity of a 5-year-old.
“What kind of people would do this to somebody like that,” asked Sam Rascon, who discovered his son had registered and voted only after seeing him with an Obama button last Thursday. “He wouldn’t know one candidate from another.”
News10 spoke to Michael Rascon at the Thumbs Up! center about the election. When asked which candidate he’d voted for, Rascon answered “the black man.” He was unable to remember Obama’s name.
Simerley said the absentee voting followed field trips to both local Republican and Democratic party headquarters.
“When we register people to vote, we try to be totally non-partisan,” Simerley said. He insists he exerted no influence over his clients despite the fact nearly all of them voted Democratic in an otherwise Republican county.
“I think maybe Obama would appeal to people with disabilities,” he explained.
Clients interviewed by News10 agreed that Simerley had allowed them to choose their candidate freely although Simerley filled out the ballots for those who can’t read or write. One client said he voted for McCain.
Simerley said his voting campaign also involved developmentally disabled adults not directly under his care. Tuolumne County clerk Deborah Russell confirmed Simerley took out 25 voter registration cards in January, but she could not say how many had been returned.
Russell said she’s asked the district attorney to investigate the specific complaint by Sam Rascon that his son was manipulated.
California Republican party leaders are calling on Secretary of State Debra Bowen to conduct a broader investigation of Simerley’s activities, according to the party’s communications director Hector Barajas.
When asked about it on Tuesday, Bowen had not yet heard of the complaint. “The situation’s never arisen,” Bowen said.
She explained there is no prohibition against developmentally disabled adults voting without a court order declaring them incompetent.
Simerley defends his actions despite complaints from Sam Rascon and other parents of his adult clients. One parent actually tore up her son’s absentee ballot before it was mailed.
“Our mission is to help these people become valued, respected citizens,” he said. “And one of the most important things is to vote.”
This is absolutely appalling. These poor disabled people were taken advantage of by ruthless political profiteers. It doesn’t sink any lower than taking advantage of the weakest, most helpless amongst us, just to attain power.
Remember, this was done without the consent of their families! Their families are the ones who have the legal right to make decisions on their behalf! Not the director of that facility, not the employees; the families.
This is hideous, beyond hideous. Do Obama supporters really believe that they cannot win based solely on the merits of their ideas, but rather they must trample upon the most helpless amongst us just to get ahead? Power attained via treachery and deceit will never be exercised with wisdom and benevolence. It never has and it never will.
This is a clear and obvious case of absolute voter intimidation, manipulation, and outright fraud. I sincerely hope the families of the individuals who were victimized in this situation will stand up for their rights and hold these people accountable for their hideous actions. I hope those who speak on the behalf of these people will speak up now, because let there be no doubt, the people under the care of that home were manipulated, victimized, and utterly extorted. This is not the behavior of a democracy, this is not in the spirit of a democratic election. This is hideous and it must be stopped. This wrong must be righted immediately.
While the news is focusing on recent outbursts at McCain rallies, I doubt anyone’s bothering to mention a few of the things going on at those rallies that might be aggravating participants. Things like this.
Imagine, if you will, if a Republican showed up at an Obama rally wearing t-shirts that said, “Obama is a N*gger!” What do you think the reaction would be? I bet they wouldn’t be allowed in and I bet it would be all over the news the following day as yet another example of “right-wing bigotry”.
But when it’s Obamaniacs who show up at a Republican rally, wearing t-shirts that say “Sarah Palin is a c*nt”? (Which, in my opinion, is one of the most disgusting words anyone could ever fling at another human being.) No one notices, no one cares, and no one bothers to explain the kind of treatment these rally goers are subjected to that might have contributed to their outbursts during the rally. No, of course they couldn’t talk about that on the news! Democrats aren’t the problem, it’s those right-wing bigots!
As an Independent, I’m always happy to point out when there are failings on both sides. But honestly, I’m so sick and tired of the radical left’s constant air of moral superiority, looking down on the right as if the left is perfect in its kindness, tolerance of others, and infinite wisdom. Somehow that just doesn’t jive when they’re the ones showing up at rallies with profane and insulting t-shirts.
If the left is our country’s shining example of tolerance, then we’re doomed. Silly me, here I thought tolerance was about acknowledging our differences, maturely agreeing to disagree, and respecting their rights as an individual to do as they please. But apparently, to the party of sitting on high horses (or high jackasses…), tolerance is about spitting in the faces of anyone who dares disagree with you. It’s about calling names, ridiculing others, and reducing debates to nothing more than shouting matches.
Naturally, this is only one instance. How can only one small group of people with nasty t-shirts lead to me saying such broad things about Obama supporters as a whole? Because these people are only following the instructions of their dear leader, Barack Obama. They’re only following his orders to “argue” and “get in the faces” of anyone who dares to disagree with them. I’d say those four individuals are working hard to make their beloved leader proud.
As for me, I find it disgusting. I was worried about behavior like this the minute I heard Obama give those orders. Now we’re seeing the consequences.
Mr. Obama, you reap what you sow; look at the disrespect you planted and the behavior you’re harvesting.
Completely outside the MSM, a lot of people have been talking about this video of the militant Obama youth group. These average people, along with local media outlets, have been trying to figure out what happened. A radio station in Kansas City has interviewed the Director of the Urban Community Leadership Academy, Joyce McGautha. In this interview, she explained that she was fully aware of the group in question, she was aware that the video was being made, but the only thing she’s upset about is that the video was released. So in other words, she’s just angry that they got caught.
In addition to this, she also clarified that it was a teacher who formed this group and trained these children on school grounds. Worst of all, that particular teacher is still employed by the school.
She also states repeatedly that she doesn’t want to discuss the word “militant”, and she doesn’t think that them wearing fatigues, marching, and chanting is “militant”. So in other words, she’s also in denial.
She was aware, she knew the teacher was carrying on these activities, that teacher is still employed, she doesn’t see anything wrong with what these children have been encouraged to do, but she’s angry that it was released for the public to see. The only reason she’s concerned is because oops, someone found out that they were indoctrinating children and that it might have been in violation of the law.
With all of this, I can’t help but wonder, what else is going on in that school that we aren’t seeing?
That said, in the interview, Ms. McGautha further clarified that the school is actually managed and overseen by the University of Central Missouri. Ms. McGuatha is the director, who answers to the Board of Directors, which then answers to the University of Central Missouri. So please continue to contact the University of Central Missouri at the following address, to make sure they know that their school has been violating the law and indoctrinating junior high students in a militant fashion. Ann Pearce
Associate to the President
660-543-4203
Administration Building 206 apearce@ucmo.edu
It sincerely disturbs me that the leadership of this school can’t even begin to fathom why what their employees have done is so reprehensible. It so greatly upsets me that the adults in this situation don’t even understand their own legal, ethical, and moral responsibilities with regard to the children in their care. This school needs to be either shut down or completely restructured, along with extensive efforts to right the wrongs that have been taught to these children. The damage has been done, it’s time to clean up the mess.
Update: It appears that the teacher in question was suspended yesterday, but according to a statement released by the school, he was only suspended for violating school policy in releasing the video to the public. Honestly, that’s the last thing any of us should be concerned about in this situation.
Oh, and also, according to the Huffington Posts’ campaign contribution database, McGautha donated $375 to Obama’s campaign. Can’t say that’s a huge surprise, though. (Sorry for linking to the HuffPo! They’re about as extreme as you can get.)
I’ve discovered some interesting things about the video that I posted earlier, the one with the troop of African American teenagers marching militantly while chanting, “Alpha! Omega! Alpha! Omega!” about Obama. Guess what? That took place in a public charter school. Those boys are students of that school. That school receives federal funding. Your taxes paid for those children to wear fatigues, develop their own new Obama salute, militantly worship Barack Obama, and spread propaganda about him.
Ask yourself, if these were white teenagers chanting and marching in military garb about McCain, what do you think the backlash would be like?
The school is apparently also sponsored by the University of Central Missouri, a state university. That means they receive government funding too, and some of that government funding is then being funneled back into the Urban Community Leadership Academy, which is training its teenagers to march for a political candidate and refer to him as a god.
Again. If this were a video of white teenage males chanting about McCain, do you think you’d be hearing about this on a new, tiny, barely noticed blog? Or would CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, all the big news boys, be shouting this from the rooftops at the top of their voices for all the world to hear?
We need to get this out and we need to get this out now. Send the video to your friends, because if the media won’t share this news story, then we’ll have to do it for them. This school has violated so many laws that it’s absolutely sick and Obama’s benefiting from it.
Here’s contact information for the school, just in case you were wondering:
The Urban Community Leadership Academy
1524 Paseo Blvd
Kansas City, Missouri
64108
816-483-8035
I’m off to send this video to a few news agencies that I’m sure will be completely fair, balanced, and nonpartisan in their response. I’m sure they’ll do their duty and report this gross abuse of federal laws and taxpayer dollars.
Well, we can hope, right?
Update, Oct 4, 8:19PM: I’ve found a graph that illustrates the school’s sources of funding for 2006, thanks to schoolmatters.com. Take a look for yourself, because these are your taxes at work.
This is what I was talking about. Is this what you want for your children?
Yes, at the beginning, they’re chanting, “ALPHA! OMEGA! ALPHA! OMEGA!” They’re calling Obama a God. They are worshiping him as militants. And this was recorded at a school in Kansas City, Missouri – The Urban Community Leadership Academy. A school. It was originally uploaded to YouTube by the school itself.
That is one of the scariest things I have ever seen in my life.
This is no joke, this is serious. When people talk about Cult of Personality, this is what they’re talking about – the outright, militant worship of a politician, one who is vying for the most powerful position in the world.
Here’s yet another example of what we mean by Cult of Personality:
Compare that to this video from North Korea, where young women of the Korean People’s Army hero worship Kim Jong-il, referring to themselves as “Dear Leader’s Beautiful Flowers.” This is Cult of Personality and this is where it leads.
Tell me, is this what you want your country to be? Is this how you want your children trained? This is Obama, these are his closest supporters, these are the people who know him best. Is this who you want to vote for?
Like most interested voters, I watched the presidential debate Friday night with great interest. One moment surprised me, however, as the debate seemed to turn into a game of ‘me too, me too!’ over – of all things – bracelets.
When John McCain was asked about the war in Iraq, he mentioned a bracelet that was given to him by the mother of a soldier who was lost in Iraq. He spoke about how much this meant to him, how he wore this soldier’s bracelet every day, and it reminded him how important it was that he ensure this soldier’s death would not be in vain.
In response to McCain, Obama said, “I’ve got a bracelet too.” After a bit of fumbling and a moment to look down at the name inscribed on the bracelet, Obama said that it was given to him by the mother of Sergeant Ryan David Jopek, another soldier who tragically lost his life in Iraq. Obama claimed that Mrs. Jopek had given him the bracelet saying, “Can you please make sure that no other mother is goin’ through what I’m goin’ through?”
Here’s the exchange:
(Sorry it’s from Fox News, I know some of you won’t like that. I didn’t record the debate so I couldn’t upload my own copy, I was stuck with whatever was available on YouTube. Regardless, there aren’t any talking heads to skew it, so it shouldn’t matter.)
While both candidates of course have the right to wear whatever bracelets they wish, unfortunately Mr. Obama has completely mischaracterized Mrs. Jopek’s intentions. Not only that, but he has utterly disregarded repeated requests by the family that he not wear the bracelet or use it for political purposes.
According to Mr. Brian Jopek, ex-husband of Ryan Jopek’s mother, Tracy, “she just wanted Mr. Obama to know Ryan’s name.” He went on to say, “she wasn’t looking to turn it into a big media event” and “just wanted it to be something between Barack Obama and herself.”
As far back as March of this year, Mr. Jopek was asked about Obama’s use of their son’s name, and how he and his wife felt about it. In talking with a local Wisconsin radio show, Mr. Jopek mentioned that he had been surprised to see Obama wearing the bracelet and mentioning Ryan’s name repeatedly while on the campaign trail, despite his wife personally requesting that Obama not use the bracelet politically, both when she first gave him the bracelet and again afterward when he continued to mention her son.
(You can listen to that radio show here, it’s at about ten minutes into the program.)
During that interview, Mr. Jopek stated that his ex-wife has shied away from responding to any questioning about Obama’s use of their sons name, “Because she is a Barack Obama supporter and she didn’t want to do anything to sabotage his campaign.”
Since Obama has again gone against the wishes of the Jopek family, this time mentioning their son on the largest national stage possible, Mrs. Jopek is again being hounded by reporters despite her wish to stay out of the limelight. She confirmed to the AP that she asked Obama not to mention their son, but again, her wish not to upset Obama’s campaign came forward. She said that she was “satisfied” with the way in which her son was mentioned, and refused to say anything negative about her chosen candidate.
Personally, I find this absolutely appalling. It’s disgusting to me that Obama has taken advantage of the good will of his own supporter – a grieving mother who has lost her son in a time of war – by mischaracterizing her intentions in giving the gift of a bracelet representing the memory of her lost son, and repeatedly denying her request that he not turn her son into campaign rhetoric for political gain. This is beyond low, and yet again, is being mostly ignored by the main stream media.
NewsBusters.org has a good article about this situation, available here. As far as I can tell, NewsBusters seems to be fairly even – they attack inaccuracies in both campaigns evenly, as well as bias in either direction amongst the main stream media.
I like to refer to myself as an ‘Old School Feminist’, meaning I subscribe to the feminism of the 1940s. Historically, feminists of this era and the era of the Suffragettes held to the belief that women and men should both have the same opportunities in life – that anything a man could do, a woman could do just as well, if given the same opportunity to thrive.
That may sound like the modern 1960s-era feminism to you, but it differs in one major way: it didn’t attempt to raise women up by beating men down. Rather than just tipping the scales of inequality and malice in the opposite direction, Old School Feminism sought to teach men the error of their ways, encourage them to acknowledge and respect women, and ask for their help to change the system to recognize the equal rights of everyone, regardless of gender, race, or creed. It wasn’t “Dog eat dog”, it wasn’t “me first, you second”, it was about real tolerance.
