Pigfest in South Carolina
For too long, conservative activists and fund-raisers have dominated American politics, imposing their values on others. This is an affront to our sacred liberties and, furthermore, makes it harder for liberals to impose their values.From the "About Us" page:
That's why People for the Correct Way was founded. When conservatives use cheap smear campaigns, simulated grass-roots lobbying, phony polls, and oversimplification in pursuit of their goals, we don't just sit back--we do the same!
After all, one thing that makes this country great is the right of each and every citizen to sink to the lowest common denominator.
People for the Correct Way is an independent, nonpartisan organization dedicated to determining what is correct. We believe that for every important national issue, there is our way and the highway. From our Washington, D.C., offices, which overlook a striking view of a picture of Capitol Hill, we fight for justice, media attention, and to hire the best-looking interns.
Matt Feeney at Slate - Unplugging The Matrix: Why the sci-fi franchise went south - Mr. Feeney fawns over the first movie and moons that the other two don't live up to it. I'm planning to see Revolutions this afternoon with my kids.
Mark Sage at "PA" News via Scotsman.com - Armed Police Storm School in Drugs Raid - they stormed in, demanded that everyone lie face down on the floor, handcuffed those who refused, and searched bags, with weapons at low-ready. No drugs were found, though their drug-sniffing dogs barked at a few of the bags. CBS News has a slightly different version of this story here. There are some small blurry pictures here and RealPlayer and Windows Media video here. The school's web page is www.berkeley.k12.sc.us/HIGH/shs/shs.htm. Stratford High School, 951 Crowfield Blvd., Goose Creek, SC 29445, 843-820-4400. Principal George McCrackin's email address is GeorgeMcCrackin@Berkeley.k12.sc.us. You can find other email addresses for the Berkeley County School District at their E-mail Directory. [smith2004]
Officers ran into the South Carolina school, screaming at pupils to lie face down, before rifling through their bags.I sent the following:
Students who did not do as they were told were handcuffed.
Parents were outraged at the raid, but principal George McCrackin said he would "utilise whatever forces that I deem necessary" to keep drugs out of the school.
Stratford High School in Goose Creek has 2,700 pupils but does not have a reputation for drugs or crime.
...
Parent Latonia Simmons called the incident "senseless".
"Now why did they have to take all that force?" she told CNN.
"They were innocent kids. They were just minding their own business, getting ready for class."
But Mr McCrackin denied the raid was an over-reaction.
He said: "I'm sure it was an inconvenience to those individuals who were on that hallway. But I think there's a valuable experience there."
Police said CCTV footage inside the hall led them to believe there had been "drugs activity".
To: GeorgeMcCrackin@Berkeley.k12.sc.us
Subject: Drug Raid at Stratford High School
From: "Bill St. Clair" <bill@billstclair.com>
Date: Sat, 08 Nov 2003 07:49:57 -0500
Mr. McCrackin,
I read on the internet about the drug raid at Stratford High School. You were quoted as saying, "I'm sure it was an inconvenience to those individuals who were on that hallway. But I think there's a valuable experience there." I'm so happy you're teaching your kids about the reality of living in a police state. Do they goose step around the grounds during PE? To whose picture on the wall do they, "Sieg Heil" every morning, Herr Bush, Herr Ashcroft or Herr McCrackin?
Guess what? The young very-nearly-adults in your school have the same fourth amendment rights as the rest of us. They may not be searched without a warrant, drug war exceptions to the Bill of Rights notwithstanding. You have engaged in a conspiracy to deny them their civil rights. You should be arrested for violating 18 USC 241 and face a criminal trial. Maybe ten years in Club Fed will adjust your fascist attitude.
Enjoy your busy email inbox.
-Bill St. Clair
bill@billstclair.com
Firearm News - Paypal no longer allowing firearms-related transactions - guess ebay has decided they don't need to do business with gun owners any more. I sent them a letter a long time ago saying I would never do business with them after they announced that they would not allow firearms in their auctions. [firearmnews]
Rich Lowry at townhall.com via Liberty Forum - The boy and his gun - once again, a bunch off idiots are making noise about banning toy guns. What they really want to ban is boys. They want to turn them all into girls. [libertyforum]
The recent scare caused by a toy gun that closed down a congressional building has prompted Brooklyn Democratic Congressman Ed Towns to declare a new urgency to passing his proposed ban on "realistic looking" toy guns. His bill would "ban toys which in size, shape or overall appearance resemble real handguns." Next Towns will be after "realistic looking" daggers, bows and arrows, battle axes and lightsabers -- which, after all, could confuse Stormtroopers into thinking they are facing a threatening situation.
The spirit behind the Towns bill is outrage that toy guns exist at all. "It seems that the only thing toy guns accomplish," Towns wrote in a letter to congressional colleagues, "is to make it easier to commit a crime or whet kids' appetite for a real gun when they get older. They serve no purpose in society and should be banned." This is false. Toy guns serve an enduring, hallowed purpose -- the delight of boys.
Boys are the littlest "gun nuts." For them, joy is a good cap gun. If it shoots something, makes a big bang or looks fearsome, boys love it. Many parents have seen their ambition to keep their boys from toy guns frustrated by their kids' unstoppable trigger fingers. If denied a toy gun, a boy is liable to use a stick, or bite his sandwich into the shape of a gun, or pretend to shoot with his sister's Barbie doll. As the essayist G.K. Chesterton wrote back when bows and arrows were the issue, "No society, claiming to be sane, would have dreamed of supposing that you could abolish all bows unless you could abolish all boys."
