THE OTHER SHOE DROPS: Updates To Previous Posts
† Schools For Scandal: Some six months ago, administrators at King Middle School in Portland, ME, decided to allow girls as young as 11 years old to obtain prescription contraceptives from its city-run student health clinic. Responding to a Freedom of Access request by The Associated Press the city reported that just one 14-year old girl has availed herself of the service to date:
“If it helps one student who otherwise might be in a position of being at risk, then it's worth it,” said Lisa Belanger, who oversees Portland's student health centers. …
Michael Heath of the Christian Civic League of Maine said he remains troubled that young girls could be given contraceptives even though state law defines sex with a nonspousal minor under 14 as gross sexual assault.
“There's no circumstance where a school should be providing contraception to kids,” Heath said.
† What Freedom Of Religion Means To Muslims: Part III: When The Washington Post interviewed “moderate” Muslims about Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the U.S., they found few are willing to forget – much less forgive – that lecture at the University of Regensburg in Germany in September 2006 lecture during which he quoted Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus slamming Muhammad for commanding adherents to spread Islam by the sword. Without expressing any remorse for the Italian nun in Somalia who was killed in retaliation by an “outraged” Muslim, Omar T. Mohammedi, a member of the New York City Commission on Human Rights tells the WaPo: “I don't think he did enough to apologize.”
Many “moderate” Muslims are also miffed about Benedict performing an Easter Sunday baptism of Magdi Allam, an Egyptian-born Italian Muslim (third item). The WaPo explains:
Conversion and religious freedom remain major, thorny issues in the relationship between the Vatican and Muslim countries. Some Muslim countries prohibit Muslims from converting, and punishments can include the death penalty - a position that Catholics find an anathema.
“The whole idea of having civil laws against people converting - and threatening them with death - is totally abhorrent to our view of religious liberty,” said the Rev. Thomas Reese, a theologian with Georgetown University.
Another point of tension between the Vatican and the Muslim world is the issue of proselytizing, which is part of the Catholic mission but condemned by many Muslims.
At Ground Zero, on behalf of nearly 3,000 9/11 terrorism victims, their loved ones and a nation that is still grappling with the horror of that day the pontiff prayed for G-d to change the hearts of murderous jihadis: “Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred.” Lord, hear our prayer.
† Pundits To The Left! Pundits To The Right!: Surprise, surprise: The New York Times reports that many of the retired military officers cable and broadcast news programs tap to analyze Iraq war strategy and tactics were treated to private briefings by the Pentagon – in some cases, by then-defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld himself - and given talking points. The Stiletto doesn’t find the briefings objectionable per se – the analysts would need the background to provide an intelligent assessment of the often chaotic theatre of operations in Iraq. That said, however, news organizations using these military analysts should have disclosed their close relationships with the Pentagon to viewers (“[i]nternal Pentagon documents repeatedly refer to the military analysts as ‘message force multipliers’ or ‘surrogates’ who could be counted on to deliver administration ‘themes and messages’ to millions of Americans ‘in the form of their own opinions.’”), as well as any connection they had to military contractors as lobbyists, executives, board members or consultants.
Fox News executive producer Marty Ryan tells Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz that retired military officers are “valuable” because they “have access to and know what the thinking of the Pentagon is” and that “[s]ome of the business ties aren't necessarily relevant when you're asking them about a specific helicopter operation.”
But print media seems less sanguine about conflicts of interest. The report “raises a red flag,” Cox Newspapers Washington bureau chief Andy Alexander tells Editor & Publisher’s Joe Strupp. “If we were to seek comment from [former generals], we would probably ask them about whether they had connections that would make them less than neutral,” he adds. “The reader is entitled to know where this or that commentator is coming from on an issue,” agrees McClatchy Newspapers Washington bureau chief John Walcott. “It doesn’t necessarily disqualify them from commentating, it must be transparent.”
† Does Obama Have “A Jewish Problem”?: Fresh from handing terrorist group Hamas a public relations coup by meeting with its leaders, former U.S. President and superdelegate Jimmy Carter hinted that he would follow the lead of his town of Plains, his state of GA and “all of my children, all of my grandchildren, and all of their spouses” who voted for Obama. For Jewish voters already leery of Obama, Carter’s all-but-endorsement just may be the kiss of death.
† It's A Topsy-Turvy Campaign: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review – owned by Richard Mellon Scaife, who personally bankrolled conservative groups and publications that dug into Bill Clinton's sordid past while he was the governor of AR and uncovered information that ultimately led to his impeachment - has endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Dem nomination, citing Obama’s inexperience and inscrutability on the issues:
Political courage is essential in a president. Clinton has demonstrated it; Obama has not.
She has a real record. He doesn't.
She has experience of value to a president. He doesn't.
Clearly, she's the wiser choice to represent Democrats this fall.
Ah, but since when have Dems ever made “the wiser choice?”
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