Intelligent Design

Ai Dios Mio!

Will it never end? So the latest in the "kick the damn foreigners out" saga of Ohio was reported recently in an Cincinnati Post article. It seems there is some debate amongst the haters themselves, as to how much hate is acceptable, and in what way expressing that hate publicly is alright. Butler County Commissioner Michael Fox went too far according to our hater prize winner Rep. Combs, when he made the following statement in reference to a local bar that has a sign up saying "For Service, Speak English":

If you can't learn to say "I want a beer" in English you are too stupid to drink anyway.

On another similar note, check out elenamary's recent encounter with another Cincinnati area ignoramus, and as she put it: Reason #5387 on why Ohio is messed up.

Rep. Courtney Combs, Wins the Unicornhat "Hater of the Year" Award

Back to our dear, idiotic Rep. Courtney Combs (so soon!). His latest and greatest idea is known as the Ohio English Unity Act (I for one, do not want to be "united" with this fool, in fact I'm mounting a campaign to make it illegal for him to enter the state): declaring English as Ohio's "official" language. Rep. Combs, I ask you: Why are you giving Ohio such a bad name? I mean, my goodness... as an Ohioan I already have to apologize to the rest of the world for Bush! REALLY FOLKS, THIS GUY IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF OHIO (even if he is a Representative of Ohio).

Here's the story from the Dispatch:

Bill may push for English only
State-documents idea called rights violation
Monday, October 31, 2005
Sherri Williams
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A proposed law intended to unite Ohioans under one language could instead divide immigrants and native-born Americans, opponents of the legislation say.

The Ohio English Unity Act would declare English as the state’s official language and require state agencies to produce records only in English.

State Rep. Courtney Combs said he will introduce the bill in the House by the end of the year.

"I do not want to see the U.S. as a bilingual nation; it divides it," the Hamilton Republican said. "The business language of the world is English. If we go down the line and have different pockets of different people speaking different dialogues, it creates a problem."

Forms and pamphlets, such as crime victim’s information that is now printed in Spanish by the Ohio attorney general’s office, would be available only in English.

The legislation disrespects immigrants, said Julia Arbini Carbonell, president of the Ohio Hispanic Coalition. "It’s telling a certain group in Ohio that, ‘We simply don’t want you here.’

"It’s a bill about intolerance."

The legislation could conflict with an amendment of civilrights law that requires government agencies to ensure that people who don’t speak English well are receiving services, said Benson A. Wolman, chief executive and general counsel at the Equal Justice Foundation in Columbus.

"It’s of questionable legality and could prompt litigation," he said. "But I expect the common sense of the General Assembly will avoid that need."

The state law, Combs said, would apply only to state publications and would comply with federal law. He said he has the support of 21 other legislators and thinks the bill will pass.

The Ohio Department of Administrative Services spent $103,156 on translating documents into other languages from October of last year through this month, said Ben Piscitelli, spokesman for the department. That does not include translated materials printed by other state offices.

While Combs wants to eliminate state documents in languages other than English, the city of Columbus wants to increase the number of documents in Spanish, said Lillian Williams, the city’s new-Americans coordinator.

The Fire Division publishes publicinformation requests and forms about testing smoke-alarm systems in Spanish. The Police Division also publishes forms in Spanish.

"Our whole goal is to make sure our limited-English residents have full access to city service," Williams said. Documents also will be printed in Somali, she said.

When the Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs learned of Combs’ bill, it conducted a survey to gauge Ohioans’ attitudes on language issues, said Ezra Escudero, executive director of the commission.

The survey, distributed to 724 people across the state, found that 89 percent think government offices should offer services in languages other than English. Twenty-six percent thought the proposed legislation would encourage immigrants to learn English.

The commission has been working with Combs to develop a bill that does not persecute people who are trying to learn English, Escudero said. Expanding language instruction, promoting multiple-language skills and bolstering funding to groups that help immigrants are better alternatives, he said.

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission ruled this month that a tavern in Mason named the Pleasure Inn engaged in discriminatory practices when it put a sign in its window stating: "For service, speak English."

State law prohibits denying access to public accommodations based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or ancestry.

"That sign is the equivalent of a 1960s ‘whites only’ sign," said Christia Alou White, spokeswoman for the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. "Language is an inherent characteristic of their national origin."

The Ohio English Unity Act could provoke other incidents like the Pleasure Inn case, Carbonell said.

"It gives the green light for those who are intolerant to be more aggressive about it."

sherri.williams@dispatch.com

Sen Harry Reid's Statement: BRAVO

Dems Demand Answers On Iraq


Sen. Harry Reid's statement, released before taking the Senate into closed session, is published here in full: "This past weekend, we witnessed the indictment of I. Lewis Libby, the Vice President's Chief of Staff and a senior Advisor to President Bush. Libby is the first sitting White House staffer to be indicted in 135 years."

The statement continues:

"This indictment raises very serious charges. It asserts this Administration engaged in actions that both harmed our national security and are morally repugnant.

"The decision to place U.S. soldiers in harm's way is the most significant responsibility the Constitution invests in the Congress.

"The Libby indictment provides a window into what this is really about: how the Administration manufactured and manipulated intelligence in order to sell the war in Iraq and attempted to destroy those who dared to challenge its actions.

"As a result of its improper conduct, a cloud now hangs over this Administration. This cloud is further darkened by the Administration's mistakes in prisoner abuse scandal, Hurricane Katrina, and the cronyism and corruption in numerous agencies.

"And, unfortunately, it must be said that a cloud also hangs over this Republican-controlled Congress for its unwillingness to hold this Republican Administration accountable for its misdeeds on all of these issues.

"Let's take a look back at how we got here with respect to Iraq Mr. President. The record will show that within hours of the terrorist attacks on 9/11, senior officials in this Administration recognized these attacks could be used as a pretext to invade Iraq.

"The record will also show that in the months and years after 9/11, the Administration engaged in a pattern of manipulation of the facts and retribution against anyone who got in its way as it made the case for attacking Iraq.

"There are numerous examples of how the Administration misstated and manipulated the facts as it made the case for war. Administration statements on Saddam's alleged nuclear weapons capabilities and ties with Al Qaeda represent the best examples of how it consistently and repeatedly manipulated the facts.

"The American people were warned time and again by the President, the Vice President, and the current Secretary of State about Saddam's nuclear weapons capabilities. The Vice President said Iraq "has reconstituted its nuclear weapons." Playing upon the fears of Americans after September 11, these officials and others raised the specter that, left unchecked, Saddam could soon attack America with nuclear weapons.

"Obviously we know now their nuclear claims were wholly inaccurate. But more troubling is the fact that a lot of intelligence experts were telling the Administration then that its claims about Saddam's nuclear capabilities were false.

"The situation was very similar with respect to Saddam's links to Al Qaeda. The Vice President told the American people, "We know he's out trying once again to produce nuclear weapons and we know he has a longstanding relationship with various terrorist groups including the Al Qaeda organization."

"The Administration's assertions on this score have been totally discredited. But again, the Administration went ahead with these assertions in spite of the fact that the government's top experts did not agree with these claims.

"What has been the response of this Republican-controlled Congress to the Administration's manipulation of intelligence that led to this protracted war in Iraq? Basically nothing. Did the Republican-controlled Congress carry out its constitutional obligations to conduct oversight? No. Did it support our troops and their families by providing them the answers to many important questions? No. Did it even attempt to force this Administration to answer the most basic questions about its behavior? No.

"Unfortunately the unwillingness of the Republican-controlled Congress to exercise its oversight responsibilities is not limited to just Iraq. We see it with respect to the prisoner abuse scandal. We see it with respect to Katrina. And we see it with respect to the cronyism and corruption that permeates this Administration.

"Time and time again, this Republican-controlled Congress has consistently chosen to put its political interests ahead of our national security. They have repeatedly chosen to protect the Republican Administration rather than get to the bottom of what happened and why.

"There is also another disturbing pattern here, namely about how the Administration responded to those who challenged its assertions. Time and again this Administration has actively sought to attack and undercut those who dared to raise questions about its preferred course.

"For example, when General Shinseki indicated several hundred thousand troops would be needed in Iraq, his military career came to an end. When then OMB Director Larry Lindsay suggested the cost of this war would approach $200 billion, his career in the Administration came to an end. When U.N. Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix challenged conclusions about Saddam's WMD capabilities, the Administration pulled out his inspectors. When Nobel Prize winner and IAEA head Mohammed el-Baridei raised questions about the Administration's claims of Saddam's nuclear capabilities, the Administration attempted to remove him from his post. When Joe Wilson stated that there was no attempt by Saddam to acquire uranium from Niger, the Administration launched a vicious and coordinated campaign to demean and discredit him, going so far as to expose the fact that his wife worked as a CIA agent.

"Given this Administration's pattern of squashing those who challenge its misstatements, what has been the response of this Republican-controlled Congress? Again, absolutely nothing. And with their inactions, they provide political cover for this Administration at the same time they keep the truth from our troops who continue to make large sacrifices in Iraq.

"This behavior is unacceptable. The toll in Iraq is as staggering as it is solemn. More than 2,000 Americans have lost their lives. Over 90 Americans have paid the ultimate sacrifice this month alone - the fourth deadliest month since the war began. More than 15,000 have been wounded. More than 150,000 remain in harm's way. Enormous sacrifices have been and continue to be made.

"The troops and the American people have a right to expect answers and accountability worthy of that sacrifice. For example, 40 Senate Democrats wrote a substantive and detailed letter to the President asking four basic questions about the Administration's Iraq policy and received a four sentence answer in response. These Senators and the American people deserve better.

"They also deserve a searching and comprehensive investigation about how the Bush Administration brought this country to war. Key questions that need to be answered include:

How did the Bush Administration assemble its case for war against Iraq?

Who did Bush Administration officials listen to and who did they ignore?

How did senior Administration officials manipulate or manufacture intelligence presented to the Congress and the American people?

What was the role of the White House Iraq Group or WHIG, a group of senior White House officials tasked with marketing the war and taking down its critics?

How did the Administration coordinate its efforts to attack individuals who dared to challenge the Administration's assertions?

Why has the Administration failed to provide Congress with the documents that will shed light on their misconduct and misstatements?

"Unfortunately the Senate committee that should be taking the lead in providing these answers is not. Despite the fact that the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee publicly committed to examine many of these questions more than one and a half years ago, he has chosen not to keep this commitment. Despite the fact that he restated that commitment earlier this year on national television, he has still done nothing.

"At this point, we can only conclude he will continue to put politics ahead of our national security. If he does anything at this point, I suspect he will play political games by producing an analysis that fails to answer any of these important questions. Instead, if history is any guide, this analysis will attempt to disperse and deflect blame away from the Administration.

"We demand that the Intelligence Committee and other committees in this body with jurisdiction over these matters carry out a full and complete investigation immediately as called for by Democrats in the committee's annual intelligence authorization report. Our troops and the American people have sacrificed too much. It is time this Republican-controlled Congress put the interests of the American people ahead of their own political interests."



--Alexandra Walker | Tuesday 5:13 PM



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