Local comedian and Minneapolis crime

Local comedian Louie Anderson points out Minneapolis mayor Ryback's failure to control his city, "Comedian calls Minneapolis "dangerous"":

Comedian Louie Anderson is having second thoughts about opening a comedy
club in downtown Minneapolis because he said the area seems "dangerous."

Anderson, a native Minnesotan, was a guest on the KQ in the morning show when he made the comments. He visited the site of the would be club at night and became concerned.

"I don't think people are going to come down here to a comedy club,
you know, when it's a two stab minimum," said Anderson.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak said downtown crime has been reduced greatly over the year. He credits the city's "safezone" initiative that combined police, deputies, and private security to reduce robberies and car thefts.

Anderson was a guest on the radio show when a second man was found murdered in a parking ramp two blocks away from where his club would be. Managers of other night clubs believe Anderson is overreacting and should reconsider opening a comedy club downtown.

Everyone seems to "get it" except the mayor and the Democratic machine which rules Minneapolis.

Still think the Red Star has no agenda?

The picture below appeared in this morning's Red Star Home and Garden section with an article titled "Shared spaces":

Different styles. Different stuff. Different budgets. There's lots to negotiate when sharing space with a roommate. Three sets of roommates have found creative ways of blending belongings and tastes to create environments where everyone can feel at home.

Innocent enough, no?


Notice anything that stands out in the picture? How about the "Code Pink" button prominently displayed on one of the purses.

What is Code Pink? We find out from David Horowitz' web site Discover the Network that Code Pink is a group founded by pro-Castro radical Media Benjamin:

Code Pink for Peace is a self-described "grassroots peace and social justice movement" formed in December 2002 to join the cadre of anti-war groups protesting against America's then-impending war in Iraq. Code Pink was founded by four experienced activists and hardcore Communists - Jodie Evans, Medea Benjamin, Diane Wilson, and a radical Wiccan activist calling herself Starhawk. Ms. Evans is the nominal leader of the organization, which works closely with Medea Benjamin's group Global Exchange, which in turn maintains strong ties to the Communist Workers World Party (WWP). Code Pink also works hand-in-hand with United For Peace and Justice, whose leader Leslie Cagan is a longtime devotee of Fidel Castro and the Socialist Party USA. Throughout the 1990s, many of the Marxists currently working for Code Pink organized anti-free trade protests - some of them violent - and filed numerous high-profile lawsuits that forced American corporations to spend millions of dollars defending themselves.

So is it just an accident that the prominently displayed button appears in a large picture in a special section of the Red Star? Methinks not.

Anyone who still believes the Red Star is not a propaganda organ for the left has not been paying attention, or has not been reading Rambix and the Red Star.

Local issue - apologies

Thus it begins. Rambix may be late to this party, but Minnesota State Representative Ron Erhart is exposed as a member in good standing of the RINO (Republican In Name Only) club. The more Rambix learns about Mr. Erhart, the worse it gets. He in fact may be a liberal parading as a Republican.

The evidence (partial examples):

1. He voted to raise taxes in the 2005 session (increase gas tax).
2. He voted to deny his constituents the right of self-defense (against the Minnesota Personal Protection Act).
3. In 2004 he was endorsed by the NARAL Pro "choice" group.
4. In 2003, he supported the interest of NARAL 95%.
5. In 2004, Mr. Erhart supported the pro-homosexual group OutFront Minnesota 36% of the time.
6. In 2003, Mr. Erhart supported the pro-family positions of the Minnesota Family Council 33% of the time.
7. In 2004, the NRA Political Victory Fund gave Mr. Erhart a grade of "F", and in 2003, he received a "D" from Minnesota Concealed Cary Reform.

Appraently, Mr. Erhart is afraid to lay out his positions, per the Project Vote Smart web site:

REPRESENTATIVE RON ERHARDT REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY RESPONSES TO CITIZENS ON ISSUES THROUGH THE 2004 NATIONAL POLITICAL AWARENESS TEST. REPRESENTATIVE RON ERHARDT REFUSED TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION WHEN ASKED TO DO SO BY: Major News Organizations and key national leaders of both parties including, John McCain, Republican Senator Geraldine Ferraro, Former Democratic Congresswoman Michael Dukakis, Former Democratic Governor Bill Frenzel, Former Republican Congressman Richard Kimball, Project Vote Smart President

Here are the bills Mr. Erhart has authored: "19 House Documents Found In Legislative Session 84 (2005-2006)". He has been in his seat since 1990; It may be time to let him go. Rambix will keep an eye on Mr. Erhart. Do we really need another RINO?

What if it succeeds?

Every day the MSM selectively print stories about trouble in Iraq. We understand the theory that if you only print good news no one would buy the newspaper, but obviously there are success stories and they aren't being heard in the MSM.

A lot of newsprint is used to cover the multitude of predictions of failure in Iraq, mostly from liberals and media (essentially the same thing). Even conservatives will sometimes dwell only on the next hurdle that is to be overcome to defeat the terrorists and control the country. Cindy Sheehan and her ilk are busy with their blame America first agenda and exercising their right to be stupid in public. Our enemies certainly take comfort in the "anti-war" traveling circus.

Despite all the negative rhetoric, what we don't hear, from any side, is "what if?". What if President Bush succeeds in bringing a viable democracy to Iraq? The outcome does not always look so certain, but if freedom takes hold then the president will go down in history as a man of great vision. He sometimes fumbles the methodology, and sometimes gives an impression of a loose trajectory toward the ultimate goal, but those details will be forgotten if he prevails.

America will not lose the Iraq war per se, but anything less than a clear, positive outcome will be seen as failure. There are untold variables and obstacles on the path to victory, and any aspect can upset the process. Therein lies the danger. The road has not been smooth, but there is a sense of progress, particularly in light of the milestones reached, such as the successful vote in January, and the recent development of the constitution.

Maybe it's time to envision victory in Iraq. What if it succeeds? Well, if it succeeds, the Bush Doctrine will be vindicated, and we will have witnessed one of the greatest national transformations in world history. That's all.

Red Star agenda in full force

Whereas it has been established that the Red Star has long since dispensed with any pretense of objectivity, and

Whereas it is self-evident the Red Star has an agenda that is consistent with socialist, leftist, deviant and criminal-class-worshiping thought, and

Whereas the Red Star maintains a monopoly on Minneapolis old media,

Rambix hereby declares the Red Star a liberal propaganda organ nonpariel (Is that French? Sorry).

The definition of propaganda is: The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause.

Does the Red Star fit the definition? Let's see.

Rambix has previously documented "the paper's" [as an institutional voice] fascination with, and bias towards, two issues in particular: homosexuality and liberalism. And how is that tendency expressed?

With regard to homosexuality, the paper takes every opportunity to portray homosexuals in a "normal" light (the left hates the word "normal"). To wit, today's Variety section, front page story, "Hand in hand".

The print version of the paper displayed the story accompanied by a large photo array. It is ostensibly a human interest story, but no purpose is noted. It simply describes the lives of two homosexual men and their long relationship. The Red Star attempts to create a heart-warming love story.

Clearly the purpose of the article is to set the table for the ongoing homosexual marriage debate. The writing "normalizes" the relationship. It gives an example of homosexual males in a monogamous relationship.

For others in the Twin Cities gay community, Dedina and Paula provide a reason to believe in monogamy and the power of long-term relationships. They've been together 48 years, helping each other through unemployment, diabetes, depression and even a quintuple bypass surgery.

Interestingly, the pastor at the couple's church all but admits it's unusual for homosexual males to remain monogamous:

"For a gay couple to stay together since they met in 1957 is pretty unusual, particularly for men of their generation -- they're gems of God," said the Rev. Paul Eknes-Tucker, pastor at All God's Children, where the motto on the church program tells worshippers to "just come as you are."

The Red Star's agenda reveals itself near the end of the article:

Having support in an increasingly accepting community has helped Dedina and Paula maintain their relationship for nearly 50 years. But there have been times when they wish the union could be legally on par with heterosexual marriages.

And more:

If they were legally married, the townhouse would flow automatically to the surviving spouse. Widows have no obligation to notify relatives so they can contest a will.

"Even though Bob and Ken have been together 48 years, they have to specifically give notice to relatives to contest the will," Keate said. "In Bob and Ken's case, it's really outrageous they can never become each other's closest relative."

This article by writer Curt Brown, and endorsed by the Red Star, shows the insidious nature of their propaganda. Adults can generally distinguish rhetoric from fact, and the subjective from the objective, but a teen who picks up the paper and reads the article may not have the same judgment capability. The teen or the child no longer have many examples in the MSM with which to counter-balance the onslaught of socialist propaganda, such as the above article. The impressionable child then is at risk of becoming indoctrinated with leftist viewpoints.

The other prominent Red Star agenda is liberalism, as evidenced by the frequent swooning support of the religion of Wellstone. The Red Star does not fail us on this count today as well, in "Wellstones' legacy alive and growing". Huzzah!

The next time you see such a glowing article in the Red Star written about a conservative will be the first time.

Nearly three years after his death, Paul Wellstone's legacy shows no sign of diminishing. Two books about the senator were published this month alone. Wellstone Action!, a liberal political training center based in St. Paul, boasts 8,500 alumni across the country and now is adding "advanced placement" classes.

And at least a dozen buildings are named after Wellstone and/or his wife, Sheila, including schools, a housing complex and a battered women's center.

Soon there will be a movement to change the name of Minneapolis to Wellstone! The city could be painted green and everyone would receive free government handouts. It would be Utopia.

Construction workers are pouring sidewalks at the nearly-finished Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center for Community Building in St. Paul ... For people who supported the Wellstones, all this is a fitting tribute to a remarkable couple.

Indeed. There is plenty of Wellstone! merchandise to fill your home:

On one wall was a poster for "Wellstone World Music Day," which commemorated the first anniversary of his death. A bookshelf full of "Vote" videos were ready for future get-out-the-vote drives. A copy of "Wellstone!" -- a feature-length documentary about the lives of Paul and Sheila -- was in a bag on the floor.

Well, the left and their flagship Red Star love Wellstone! even more than they love deviant lifestyles. What happens then if a homosexual couple have a Wellstone! bumper sticker next to the rainbow sticker? It would be almost unimaginably wonderful!

Isn't it obvious?

St. Paul emulates Minneapolis

St. Paul, of course, is not immune to violent crime. They've certainly had their share. But they are getting positively Minneapolis-like: "Two teenagers beaten by man with a bat in St. Paul".

This is bad stuff. Really bad.

The crime appears to be gang-related, at least on the part of the attacker. This should come as no surprise, as we've seen more and more violent street gangs infiltrate Minnesota from LA, Chicago, and Detroit. Any crime follower knows that a large share of violent crimes seem to be committed by felons from those cities. They are drawn to Minnesota by our relative wealth (more $ to spend on drugs, etc.), our still-generous welfare system, and especially our lenient justice system.

This type of attack is the result:

A 13-year-old boy was in critical condition Saturday night after a man beat him and a 13-year-old girl with a baseball bat Friday night.

The two were standing outside a home at Payne and Ivy Avenues in St. Paul Friday night around 10:30 p.m. Police say a vehicle with four men pulled up to the children and one man got out armed with a bat. He said "are you a blood" and police say he began beating the children.

The girl got away, but the boy is in critical condition at Regions Hospital with severe head injuries.

There isn't much suspect information, but it's a start. Let's hope the criminal is brought to justice forthwith.

USMC Pride

When you're in trouble, who do you call? If you want the best in the world, you call on the United States Marine Corps. We owe our freedom to these fighting men and women. They may not be perfect, but there are none better.


Image "borrowed" from Anti-Strib.

2nd Amendment debate OVER

Andy Sullivan of Reuters reports"Neighbors tell of gun battles after the storm".

NEW ORLEANS, Sept 21 (Reuters) - After the storm came the carjackers and burglars. Then came the gun battles and the chemical explosions that shook the restored Victorians in New Orleans' Algiers Point neighborhood.

"The hurricane was a breeze compared with the crime and terror that followed," said Gregg Harris, a psychotherapist who lives in the battered area.

Why haven't the Red Star and the New York Times investigative staff looked into the efficacy and utility of personal firearms to combat the looting and pillaging by the beasts in New Orleans?

After the storm, the neighborhood association had to act as law enforcement and emergency response unit as city services collapsed and the police force was unable to protect them.

Citizens organized armed patrols and checked on the elderly. They slept on their porches with loaded shotguns and bolted awake when intruders stumbled on the aluminum cans they had scattered on the sidewalk.

How badly would you want firearm protection in the event your city went dark in the throes of some catastrophe? You would want some hot lead, and fast.

We love the police, but what if you lived under the New Orleans PD or similar? Then you should prepare to defend yourselves:

For Harris, the first warning sign came on Tuesday, the day after the storm, when two young men hit his partner, Vinnie Pervel, over the head and drove off with his Ford van.

"A police car drove up behind me and saw it happening but he didn't do anything," said Pervel, who heads the 1,500-household neighborhood association.

People took it upon themselves to protect the neighborhood and each other:

A Texas woman who runs a Web site called Polimom.com served as a link between those who stayed and those who had left. With her help, they stockpiled an arsenal of shotguns, derringer pistols and an old AK-47.

They were put to use the next day.

"Some looters came up and pulled a gun on the wrong group of men," said Harris, who said he did not fire a gun himself and declined to say who else was involved in the battle.

The bottom line is that the police are by nature responders. Especially in the event of a major catastrophe. We pray for protection, but we may end up on our own. One has to be prepared for any circumstance. New Orleans could conceivably happen anywhere.

Minneapolis stranger rape - the mayhem continues

The most recent Minneapolis violent crime occurred on the north side, which we know has a high crime rate. Nevertheless, this is a henious event: "Man, 47, arrested in Minneapolis rape", as reported on KSTP, but apparently not the Red Star as of the time of this posting (Please correct us if we missed it).

Charges are expected today after a disturbing attack in Minneapolis. A 28-year old woman told police she was kidnapped at knifepoint after her car broke down near the 2100 block of Glenwood in north Minneapolis. She was trying to get to the Penn-Wood convenience store when she was assaulted. Later, she was able to get away and flag down a car for help. Police say stranger-on-stranger assaults are "very rare." "This type of...assault is about as bad as it gets," said Capt. Rich Stanek of the Minneapolis police department. Police have arrested a 47-year old man who lives in the neighborhood and he will likely be charged today. They plan to interview the victim one more time before charges are filed.

Yes, Capt. Stanek, this is about as bad as it gets. Welcome to Minneapolis, where you suffer the death penalty for changing a tire, and the rape penalty for having your car break down.

Proof of Red Star racial censorship - REPOST

Repost from 6/19/05; this is one of Rambix' most important posts. It remains relevant:
---
On June 17th, Rambix posted a Minneapolis Police crime alert for the Lowry Hill East and Whittier areas of Minneapolis (near Uptown). We noted that there was no mention of the robberies in the Red Star. And this is probably against all blogging protocol, but we're going to re-post part of that post because it's important:

"And isn't it almost guaranteed that if the Strib reported these crimes, no suspect description would be given? Remember the Red Star axiom: If the perp is black, suppress useful suspect description. If the perp is caucasion, give identifying information down to their favorite color." [6/17/05 Rambix entry]

Today, two days after the Rambix post, the Strib prints a small article inside the Metro/State section titled "Seven robberies prompt warning". Here's part of the article describing the robberies:

"In the first holdup, a man demanded money at gunpoint from a victim about 3:20 a.m. last Sunday at 26th Street and Bryant Avenue S. The last robbery was about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday when two men with a gun threatened another person near 24th Street and Lyndale Avenue S."

and

• Four teenage males demanded money at about 8:30 a.m. last Sunday at 22nd Street and 1st Avenue S.

• A man demanded money at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 2600 block of Harriet Avenue S.

• Two teenage males demanded money at knifepoint about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 2800 block of Colfax Avenue S.

• Four young men demanded money about 2 a.m. Wednesday in the 2700 block of Pillsbury Avenue S.

• A man threatened a victim with a baseball bat in a robbery about noon Wednesday at 28th Street and Aldrich Avenue S.

Here's the Crime Alert again from the prior Rambix posting that came directly from the police:

Facts:
In the past week, there have been seven robberies of persons.
June 12, 3:20 a.m. 26xx Bryant Ave. S.—Suspect black male, 25-35 years old, 5’11"; demanded money at gunpoint.
June 12, 8:30 a.m. 1st Ave/E. 22nd St.—Suspects four black males, 16-18 years old; demanded money.
June 14, 3:30 a.m. 26xx Harriet Ave.—Suspect black male, 20-25 years old, 5’5"-5’7"; demanded money.
June 14, 11:30 p.m. 28th/Colfax Ave. S.—Suspects two males 15-16 years old; demanded money at knifepoint.
June 15, 2:00 a.m. 27th/Pillsbury Ave.—Suspects four black males, 18-25 years old; demanded money.
June 15, noon W. 25th St./Aldrich Ave S.—Suspect black male, 20-30 years old, 5’11"-6’; demanded money, threatened with baseball bat.
June 15, 11:30 p.m. 23xx Lyndale Ave. S.—Suspects two black males, 23-35 years old, 5’9"-6’; demanded money at gunpoint.

Notice anything different? The Red star stripped the suspect information out of the Crime Alert!

Incredibly, the Red Star did exactly as Rambix predicted. The suspects for whom we had descriptions were black males, and the paper suppressed the information. They mention that the suspects had varying descriptions, which is not true. All the known suspect identifications were black males. There were no varying suspect descriptions within each incident. Then why did the Strib censor the information?

If anyone finds out what the Red Star's reasoning is, please post it here. This is an incredible display of censorship, with potential public safety implications.

REPOST: Downtown Minneapolis crime - some offended by stats

Reader Greg brought up an issue that shouldn't be pushed to the side, so here is a repost from 7/10/05:

---

In a July 9, 2005 Red Star article, on the "Safe Zone", reporter David Chanen details the apparent drop in serious crime following an initiative which, among other things, puts more officers on the street, has more officers walking beats, focuses on chronic offenders, and has something called "roving concierges". In other words, they're dumping more resources into the hot spots. Not an unproven strategy, but it cannot be sustained indefinitely because of finite funding. Other initiatives:

"The City Attorney's Office recently developed several changes to respond more effectively to misdemeanors. Public urination and drug paraphernalia possession were added to the list of offenses that require a court date, and misdemeanor offenders are no longer automatically released without bail. Homeless offenders get an immediate court date to decrease the chance that their case will result in a warrant for not appearing."

The interesting part is that Mr. Chanen, or the editor, inserts what appears to be an unsourced opinion into the news article:

"While the report said the results were promising, it also raised concerns that 70 percent of the people arrested were black and that 60 percent of the alleged offenders who received citations didn't pay fines or appear in court."

Raised concerns by whom? By the reporter? By the Red Star editor?

If police are out arresting those folks who choose criminal behavior, and if 70% of those same people are black, isn't the issue the high rate of criminal behavior among blacks in the given area? The concern over the high number of black arrests in this case should result in introspection in the black community over the anti-social behavior of such a large percentage of blacks proportional to their representation in the downtown Minneapolis area, not how many blacks the police "choose" to arrest.

Facts are facts. When the police are under the microscope, as they are, all they want to do is arrest the criminals. If the criminals turn out to be a large part of one racial makeup or another, then we shouldn't in the least insinuate that it has anything to do with the choices the police make as to who to arrest, which is what the Red Star is doing - and we'll tell you the reason.

As noted on numerous occasions throughout this blog, the Red Star is a champion of minimizing, sympathizing with, and justifying, criminals and criminal behavior. Here's the explanation of how they do it. Instead of saying "it also raised concerns that 70 percent of the people arrested were black", they should say "it also raised concerns that 70 percent of the people committing the crimes were black".

See how that works? In the printed paragraph, the reporter mininizes the behavior of the black suspect. The police are essentially implicated for arresting too many blacks. In the Rambix edited quote, the blame for the criminal action falls squarely on the criminal, which is where it should be. It's not about the police, or race, it's about the criminal behavior.

This is how the Strib twists reporting and engages in social engineering. And that is why Rambix is here, to make sure they don't get away with it.

Murder in Minneapolis

Death is the penalty for changing a tire in Minneapolis. Rambix has written extensively about the escalation of violence in the city this spring, summer, and now fall. The Red Star reports, "Man, 18, is fatally shot in downtown Minneapolis".

Curiously, the article says that there has been a "dramatic drop" in downtown violent crime this year. Hmmm. How do you explain this: "Strap on the Kevlar and visit scenic Minneapolis!". And especially this: "Minneapolis crime spiral". Or even this: "Exploding crime".

Granted, there may be unusual circumstances that we are unaware of in this case, in light of the very late (early?) hour of the crime, 4:20 am. But last we checked, it's not illegal to be out at that hour, and certainly not worthy of the death penalty.

Police say the area is frequented by drug dealers, many of whom have been pushed out of the heart of downtown by a successful summer crime-fighting program. "We have drug activity in that area, and [maybe] this is the result," said Lt. Michael Kjos, who is helping to oversee the Safe Zone Initiative downtown.

There may be drug dealers, but this is virtually in the heart of downtown Minneapolis! It's near the Target Center, home of the Timberwolves. It's near the bus depot, where your loved ones may be traveling to and from. It's a particularly public area.

The article mentions a "dramatic drop in [downtown] violent crime this year" downtown, yet homicides are already 5 past last year citywide, and we're only in September. Is it progress if you push murders, rape, and robbery a few blocks in any given direction?

He [Captain Stanek] said the homicide is the third in the First Precinct this year. Overall, it is the 40th homicide in the city. Last year at this time there had been 35.

It was the second fatal shooting in that area of downtown in two months.

It seems as if they're just pushing the criminals to new neighborhoods. Why not throw them in jail? Utilize former NYC mayor Giuliani's broken window theory, and clean these scabs off the streets.

Business officials said Tuesday that the killings are aberrations, considering the dramatic turnaround in violent crime downtown.

"Definitely, the trend has improved," said Kent Warden, executive director of the Minneapolis Building Owners and Managers Association.

As proof, police and business owners point to the fact that violent-crime rates in the city are up about 12 percent this year, but down 20 percent in the Safe Zone downtown since April, when the extra security measures began.

Here's a call out for mayor Ryback to clean up your city. You are running for re-election for crying out loud. Let's hope the votors keep this in mind.

Minneapolis violent crime & reward money

Qwest is offering a $10,000 reward for information about the shooting of a Qwest employee on Sept. 6th. Anyone with any information is asked to call the Minneapolis Police Tip Line at: 612-692-TIPS (8477)

REWARD
(Up to $10,000)

* Around 12:00 p.m. on (Tuesday) September 6, 2005, a Qwest Employee was robbed and shot. The incident occurred on 46th St, between Aldrich and Bryant Ave. N., Minneapolis.

Minneapolis Police believe the suspect to be a:

- Lone black male, armed with a handgun.
- Approximately 16-24 years of age.
- 5’10, slender build and long black hair.
- The suspect was last seen on a bicycle, heading northbound in the alley between Aldrich and Bryant Ave N.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Minneapolis Police Tip Line at:

612-692-TIPS (8477)
* Up to a $10,000 Reward is being offered by Qwest for information which results in an arrest and criminal charges being filed in this case.

American justice

"S. Dakota resort owner reportedly shoots teens during alleged break-in"

Two teenagers were treated for shotgun wounds after the owner of a northeast South Dakota business reportedly shot them during an attempted break-in.

"Minneapolis homeowner shoots burglar"

A south Minneapolis homeowner shot a man suspected of breaking into his house, according to police.

The shooting occurred on 16 th Avenue South. One witness overheard three men arguing outside the house after which one of the men broke through a large front window.

The burglary suspect is being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center, and is expected to live. The homeowner is not expected to face charges, according to one Minneapolis police officer.

Rmabix says: Crime is a dangerous occupation. And let's be thankful for our 2nd Amendment rights.

Fumbling, stumbling, bumbling - mayor Nagin in the news again

It's obvious that poor mayor Nagin is in over his head and is reeling from the pressure of the very public exposure of his unworthiness.

Mayor Nagin exhorted his citizens to come back, come back to New Orleans! That is, until someone told him that another hurricane is on the way. He retracted, as the Red Star reports:

"I am concerned about this hurricane getting in the gulf. ... If we are off, I'd rather err on the side of conservatism to make sure we have everyone out,'' Mayor Ray Nagin said. The announcement came after repeated warnings from top federal officials — and the president himself — that the city was unsafe.

Rambix has previously written about the mayor in a post titled "New Orleans mayor falls apart in crisis". He clearly has not gotten himself back together.

The president is in charge:

"The mayor — you know, he's got this dream about having a city up and running, and we share that dream,'' the president said. "But we also want to be realistic about some of the hurdles and obstacles that we all confront in repopulating New Orleans.''

Mayor Nagin is not fit to run the local shoe store, much less a major American city. Here he shows his ignorance by criticizing Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen, the top federal official in charge in New Orleans:

Before reversing course Monday, a clearly agitated Nagin snapped that Allen had apparently made himself "the new crowned federal mayor of New Orleans.''

No composure, no class. And he has the nerve to shift blame to the feds. Mayor Nagin should step down immediately and seek employment at the local shoe shop. We'll not hold our breath.

The city of New Orleans is in bad shape now, but it wasn't in such good shape before the hurricane. Anti-Strib documents the liberal connection, which includes mayor Nagin. Just like Minneapolis, liberals own New Orleans lock, stock, and barrel. And they get all the "credit" for it's current state.

Another consequence of our cultural decline

SPECIAL REPORT

If television and popular media reflects societal values, we're all in trouble. For years conservatives have made noise about the utter lack of shame and wanton immorality thrust upon the public, especially our children, from many different sources in many different areas of our lives. We knew that our children were not immune to these influences, simply because they are so impressionable in their formative years.

It appears our worst fears are coming to fruition.

The Red Star reports, via AP: "More women trying bisexuality, study finds". This is the type of story the Red Star likes to print, because they are frequent champions of alternative lifestyles. Rambix has written about that in the past.

More women — particularly those in their late teens and 20s — are experimenting with bisexuality or at least feel more comfortable reporting same-sex encounters, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Where there used to be shame, there is now acceptance, especially for women:

It wouldn't surprise Kat Fowler, a 27-year-old art student who dates both women and men, if men were less likely to talk about their experiences.

"There's a certain higher level of discrimination (for men). It's a lot easier for women to have these kinds of experiences and be open about it because it's more accepted,'' said Fowler, who attends the University of Florida.

It's more accepted because everytime one opens a newspaper, or turns on a television, they are greeted with media output that wouldn't have been thinkable even 10 years ago. There has been a pernicious drive to normalize alternative lifestyles, particularly homosexuality.

The sheer volume of this content emanating from popular media gives the impression that these behaviors exist in greater proportion than the actual numbers support. This creates a veneer of normalcy and leads to acceptance. Despite what you're told, the homosexual "civil rights" argument is not about civil rights, it's about the desire for lifestyle acceptance.

The trend among college women has prompted some sexual behavior experts to light-heartedly refer to the term "LUG,'' or "lesbian until graduation,'' said Craig Kinsley, a neuroscientist at the University of Richmond who studies the biology of sexual orientation and gender.

The obvious implication is that choice is involved. The women are not behaving this way out of an innate drive, but rather out of influence by popular culture.

How deep have the purveyors of the homosexual lifestyle pervaded into our societal institutions? The New York Times reports "Vatican to Check U.S. Seminaries on Gay Presence":

Investigators appointed by the Vatican have been instructed to review each of the 229 Roman Catholic seminaries in the United States for "evidence of homosexuality" and for faculty members who dissent from church teaching, according to a document prepared to guide the process.

They wouldn't initiate this step unless there was a serious problem. It appears there are many priests who do not follow church doctrine, and the Vatican is serious about rooting out the offenders.

In a possible indication of the ruling's contents, the American archbishop who is supervising the seminary review said last week that "anyone who has engaged in homosexual activity or has strong homosexual inclinations," should not be admitted to a seminary.

Of course that's right; if one doesn't follow church teachings, one should be released from duty. The unspoken reality:

The issue of gay seminarians and priests has been in the spotlight because a study commissioned by the church found last year that about 80 percent of the young people victimized by priests were boys.

This is incredible, if true:

It is unknown how many Catholic priests are gay. Estimates range widely, from 10 percent to 60 percent.

This falls in line with the growing frequency of young folks experimenting with bisexuality and homosexuality. The nature and rapidity of these developments calls for serious changes in oversight of the influences on our children, particularly within the popular media and the urch.

UPDATE:

In a 1986 Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith titled "On the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons", JOSEPH CARDINAL RATZINGER [then] Prefect, and ALBERTO BOVONE Titular Archbishop of Caesarea in Numidia Secretary lay out the moral teachings of the church vis a vis homosexuality. Some excerpts:

To chose someone of the same sex for one's sexual activity is to annul the rich symbolism and meaning, not to mention the goals, of the Creator's sexual design. Homosexual activity is not a complementary union, able to transmit life; and so it thwarts the call to a life of that form of self-giving which the Gospel says is the essence of Christian living. This does not mean that homosexual persons are not often generous and giving of themselves; but when they engage in homosexual activity they confirm within themselves a disordered sexual inclination which is essentially self-indulgent.

As in every moral disorder, homosexual activity prevents one's own fulfillment and happiness by acting contrary to the creative wisdom of God. The Church, in rejecting erroneous opinions regarding homosexuality, does not limit but rather defends personal freedom and dignity realistically and authentically understood.

And here's the tie in to the popular culture trends:

...increasing numbers of people today, even within the Church, are bringing enormous pressure to bear on the Church to accept the homosexual condition as though it were not disordered and to condone homosexual activity. Those within the Church who argue in this fashion often have close ties with those with similar views outside it. These latter groups are guided by a vision opposed to the truth about the human person, which is fully disclosed in the mystery of Christ. They reflect, even if not entirely consciously, a materialistic ideology which denies the transcendent nature of the human person as well as the supernatural vocation of every individual.

The Catholic church is feeling the adverse effects of the societal free-for-all, anything goes, shameless culture which is enveloping our children, families and cultural institutions. The Catholics are not alone in feeling the pressure to conform the church to society, but the question remains: will 2000 years of tradition be sufficient to offset the cultural juggernaut?

UPDATE II:

More news from the Vatican, "Pope bans homosexuals from ordination as priests":

Pope Benedict XVI has given his approval to a new Vatican policy document that bans men with homosexual tendencies from being ordained as priests, reports Catholic World News.

The policy statement is a direct result of the pope's concern about the pedophilia scandal in the church – especially in the U.S.

MDE posts on Minneapolis crime and mayor Ryback

Read Minnesota Democrats Exposed take on Minneapolis mayor Ryback and his loss of control of the city here. One day the Red Star may catch up to the bloggers on these issues. One day indeed.

Cracking the liberal hold on colleges, one liberal at a time

In Minnesota, like any other state, we have many colleges that have an overt liberal bent, although the intensity can vary. Highly rated St. Olaf college and Carlton College in Northfield, for example, are infamous for their left-wing bias. They are considered good schools, despite lacking intellectual diversity. Between those two in particular, they churn out thousands and thousands of Minnesotans as well as students from all over the nation, and, to some extent, the world.

While St. Olaf certainly leans left, Carlton is off the charts. Green hair and nipple rings are de rigeur (Is that French? Sorry). The students at Carlton who don't fit in, or who are considered outsiders are the ones who don't wear a greasy Wellstone! shirt to class. If your vehicle isn't covered with leftist stickers, gay advertisements (rainbows, or the double bar "human rights" symbol), Wellstone! stickers, or Kerry/Edwards, you are probably some intolerant conservative.

Then along comes the Center of the American Experiment's new website, "Intellectual Takeout". Methinks the Red Star picking up Katherine Kersten as a permanent columnist has given the CAE and conservatism in Minnesota in general a shot of adrenaline. Katherine is a fellow of the CAE. Mary Jane Smetanka of the Red Star reports in today's paper: "New conservative website aimed at college students":

Hoping to breach the walls of supposedly liberal colleges and universities with intellectual ammunition, the Center of the American Experiment Tuesday launched a new website for conservative college students.

Center CEO Annette Meeks said the website (www.intellectualtakeout.com) is the first of its kind and is intended to "support free exchange of ideas on campus." "The point is not to indoctrinate students," she said, but to "expose students to points of view not readily available in the classroom."

The students, of course, are the ones who will benefit directly from intellectual diversity. Says student Nolan Soltvedt:

Nolan Soltvedt, a University of Minnesota senior, welcomed the site's debut. While he said he hasn't seen overt bias in most of his classes, he's been uncomfortable with some professorial asides and political discussions that were unrelated to class subjects. He said conservative students can feel intimidated.

"For me, this will be an excellent resource," he said. "Sometimes it's tough to get both sides."

Of course, this will drive the green-haired, nipple ringed, ACLU-lovin' crowd crazy, but isn't that the point?

More on the Palestinian fun fest

Joshua Mitnick reports for the Washington Times a little more truth in "Palestinians rejoice, loot as Israel wraps up pullout" (You won't see this in the NYT or Red Star).

Despite Palestinian Authority pledges to keep Gazans out of the abandoned Israeli settlements for a few days, the Palestinian security forces did not prevent militants from torching synagogue buildings and firing guns in celebration, while looters made off with truckloads of debris.

Indeed, let's give them a state. Little Green Footballs provides a bit more clarity here:

Anyone surprised by this animalistic behavior has not been paying attention: An orgy of looting and arson [Jerusalem Post].

More from the Jerusalem Post:

The greenhouses, left behind by Israel as part of a deal brokered by international mediators, are a centerpiece of Palestinian plans for rebuilding Gaza after 38 years of Israeli occupation. The Palestinian Authority hopes the high-tech greenhouses will provide jobs and export income for Gaza’s shattered economy.

During a tour of Neveh Dekalim, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei implored Palestinians to leave the structures intact, even as people scavenged through debris elsewhere in the settlement.

“These greenhouses are for the Palestinian people,” he said. “We don’t want anyone to touch or harm anything that can be useful for our people.”

Just minutes away, crowds of looters in the Gadid settlement overwhelmed hundreds of guards trying to protect the greenhouses. Guards acknowledged that in many cases, they were unable to stop the looting.

“They are taking plastic sheeting, they are taking hoses, they are taking anything they can get their hands on,” said Hamza Judeh, a Palestinian policeman.

Alas, the Palestinians have destroyed productive facilities left by the Israeli settlers for immediate gain. Violence and shortsightedness will keep these folks in the stone age indefinitely. Any predictions on what Gaza will look like 5 years hence?

New York Times - biased?!

America's "Newspaper of Record", the New York Times, has small summaries of several articles on the front page, beneath the fold. An entry today (9/12/05) in the paper version is titled "Israel Withdraws From Gaza". It reads:

After Israeli troops began an overnight evacuation of the Gaza Strip, Palestinians rushed into the former settlements and shot off fireworks in celebration.

Sounds innocent enough. The paper version mentions no burning of synagogues, nor the mayhem that ensued. Clearly, from the "teaser" on the front page quoted above, the paper is sugarcoating events. Here's the Jerusulem Post version:

Gunmen from several Palestinian factions stormed through the settlement. One group planted a flag from the ruling Fatah movement on the roof of the yeshiva, while others set a fire inside.

Flames also shot skyward from the synagogue building in the isolated settlement of Morag in southern Gaza.

"They [Israelis] destroyed our homes and our mosques," said a man who gave his name only as Abu Ahmed. "Today it is our turn to destroy theirs."

Surely the Palestinian authorities took control?

Palestinian policemen stood by and watched, admitting they were outnumbered by the crowds and had little motivation to stop them. An officer who refused to give his name said, "The people have the right to do what they are doing."

"The Palestinians failed in their first task when they did not protect the synagogues left standing in the settlements of Gush Katif," Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said on Monday. "The arson of this morning is a barbaric act of people with no respect for holy places," he continued.

Rambix does not believe the New York Times was not knowledgeable of these facts. Why would they choose not to report them in the paper version? It can be explained by institutional bias against Israel, and for the Palestinians.

Here's the New York Times online version of the story as of the time of this posting:

NEVE DEKALIM, Gaza Strip, Sept. 12 - Throughout the abandoned Israeli settlements of Gaza, Monday was a carnival of celebration, political grandstanding and widespread scavenging for a Palestinian population whose occupiers vanished overnight, as the Israeli Army pulled its last soldier out of Gaza at 6:50 a.m.

Now it's a "carnival of celebration" and "scavenging".

Behind him, a settlement synagogue built in the shape of a huge Star of David was smoldering, fires inside sending smoke through the edges of the star. Atop the building, in the dim smoky moment before dawn, one could see a huge green flag of Hamas, with a smaller Palestinian flag flying below it.

A few minutes later, a large black flag of Islamic Jihad was flying just under the Hamas flag, above the Palestinian one.

Five minutes later, the Palestinian flag had been taken down altogether.

Yes, let's give them a state.

More analysis on Powerline here.

Remember the fallen of 9/11

Rambix won't try to duplicate the myriad sites with 9/11 memorials, but with this simple post Rambix asks that you pause a moment to reflect on your blessings, and say a prayer for the fallen of 9/11.

Jail's full, as it should be

Red Star reporter Mike Kaszuba writes about the Hennepin County (Minn) jail, and it's apparent jail population surge here.

For the first time since the jail opened in 2001, the average daily number of inmates last month topped 700 prisoners. On Aug. 29, it surged to 756 inmates -- nearly 300 more inmates than were typically in the jail four years ago. The inmates have far exceeded the capacity of the new 330-bed jail, forcing the county to increasingly rely on the old jail facility at Minneapolis City Hall. The old jail, which occupies the fourth and fifth floors, is more than 100 years old and is undergoing an extensive remodeling. Combined, the old and new jails have 839 beds.

Less felons on the streets? It's like Christmas! More good news:

County officials said the surge has occurred because a larger percentage of the jail's population consists of inmates charged with more serious crimes who are unable to post bail. While the length of stay for inmates charged with gross misdemeanors fell 13.5 percent from 2002 through 2004, inmates charged with felonies spent 17.9 percent more time in the jail.

Possible causation:

At the jail, the results of the jump in serious crime is not hard to find.

Darrell Perkins was charged in the killing of man in north Minneapolis in a botched deal to sell the drug Ecstasy, and he has been at the County Jail since March 14. Lamarr Lucky Smith was charged with the July slaying of Martin Ruiz Diego, who was gunned down in May during a robbery after he and his wife got off a bus to go home after finishing a shift at McDonald's. Minneapolis Police Chief Bill McManus called it an unprovoked, cold-blooded execution. Smith has been at the jail since July 26.

Nobody should feel bad that Lamarr "Lucky" Smith is off the streets. Rambix has written about that piece of garbage before, here.

We like Penny Steele, but she needs to have a better handle on how the jail in Minnesota's most populous county is so relatively small:

Commissioner Penny Steele said it "will always remain a mystery" to her how the county decided the new jail should have 330 beds. "I've never known exactly how that number was arrived at. I just know it just came," she said.

The solution?

"That creates a hardship on the staff," [Sheriff] McGowan said of the rising inmate population and the increasing overtime for deputies. "The issue has to be addressed."

Well, that's not a solution, but it's a start. Count Rambix as "Happy to pay" higher taxes for more jail beds.

The sun rose, birds chirped, a Minneapolis City Council member took bribes

More details emerge from the Red Star regarding yet another corrupt liberal city government official. Minneapolis City Council member Dean Zimmerman appears to be headed anxious to get in the line of council members going to prison:

Minneapolis City Council Member Dean Zimmermann took $7,200 cash in exchange for support on zoning changes, according to a federal affidavit filed Friday.

The search warrant affidavit claims the FBI had probable cause to believe Zimmermann violated the law by accepting "bribes in exchange for official acts."

In a highly detailed six-page portion of the affidavit, the FBI claims to have both audio and videotapes of Zimmermann taking cash from an unidentified cooperating witness on three separate occasions in June, July and August. Zimmermann, 63, discussed with the witness cash contributions for his campaign and for personal debts in exchange for zoning help, the FBI said.

Why exactly do people keep putting liberals in charge of the city of Minneapolis? The citizens end up with corruption, incompetence, and ignorance. They have parks covered with weeds the libs like to think represent beautiful nature, crime spirals out of control, bums pervade the city streets, ugly buildings become the rule rather than the exception in the city, and elected officials lie, cheat and steal. And on and on.

Do city dwellers have no common sense?

Bumbling, stumbling, fumbling...

FEMA thought it would be a great idea to give each Hurricane Katrina displaced family a $2000 credit card. But to their utter shock and amazement...

...from the outset, there was confusion.

Word spread quickly among the thousands of refugees in the Houston Astrodome following announcement of the program Wednesday. FEMA workers, however, were unaware of the announcement and had no cards to offer.

On Thursday, the Red Cross began distributing its own debit cards at the Astrodome. The Red Cross assigned appointment times to the refugees, but many people started lining up anyway and waited for hours. Many fainted in the heat, and police had to be brought in for crowd control.

Around Houston, poor people who heard that the government was giving out money tried to get into the Astrodome complex for cards, prompting officials to lock the gates. By Thursday evening, electronic freeway signs in Houston were flashing, "There are no debit cards at the Astrodome."

This plan fell apart faster than a liberal wants to spend your money on a government program. Yes, it's probably a good thing the director of FEMA has been sacked.

Red Star breaks Air Ameriscam story

The Red Star breaks the Air Ameriscam story in today's paper, "Loans to Franken's radio network examined". If only Michelle Malkin could catch up with the Red Star's timely reporting.

And in other breaking news, the Red Star reports on the symbolic fall of Communism with President Reagan's "Tear down this wall" speech.

All this and more in the current edition of the Red Star.

Minneapolis city council member in FBI probe

Rambix has previously posted on the lengthy democrat/liberal criminal list in "Minnesota Democrat criminal list grows". Quite stunning, actually. Now we may get to add another one, this time from the Green Party, as the KSTP news reports here.

Of course, at this early stage, there is no indication Dean Zimmerman has done anything wrong. On the other hand, having the FBI and Minneapolis police raid your home would not make most people's list of best ways to spend an evening.

If criminal activity is found, this would make the 3rd Minneapolis City council member in as many years to find himself on the business end of the law. There are a couple others in the past that have managed to slither away before their questionable activities could be scrutinized by authorities, but two have actually made their way to prison.

We've said this before dozens of times, and we'll say it again. This is what happens when liberals own the city government lock, stock and barrel. It will be very interesting to see (1) how this plays out, and (2) how the Red Star will spin it.

By the way, isn't Zimmerman the freak who wanted to be called "Zimmerperson"?

UPDATE:

The Red Star reports here:

Federal agents executed a search warrant at the home of Minneapolis City Council member Dean Zimmermann today. Zimmermann, a Green party member who is seeking re-election, was not available for comment, but his campaign manager, Lauren Maker, said the agents spent three hours at his home.

The Red Star gives a little more info than KSTP at this point:

Maker said the agents confiscated everything relating to Zimmermann's campaign, including financial records and a pre-primary mailing in process. Maker said the agents told her the affidavit attached to the warrant was sealed, so she was unable to explain the purpose of the search.

But Maker also said the agents took Zimmermann's personal financial records as well.

Minneapolis criminals claim another victim

Minneapolis has become the kind of city where a guy can be out doing his job, in the middle of the day, minding his own business, and nearly lose his life to a northside Minneapolis criminal. The latest incident happened at noon on Tuesday, a balmy late summer day:

A Qwest Communications employee working on a telephone service box was shot twice about noon Tuesday in north Minneapolis, police said. The man was able to return to his van in the 4500 block of Bryant Avenue N. and call police. Spokesman Ron Reier said the man was semi-conscious when police arrived. He was taken to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale and was expected to survive, Reier said. Police did not release his name.

No further comment is really necessary. Other than to keep this in mind at the upcoming mayoral election.

Getting serious

It's not like the old days anymore. Illegal aliens are going to be deported. Despite the sympathy factor for some high profile cases, like the "Apple Valley school squatter", 9/11 has taught us some lessons in our approach to who we allow in our country, and by what method.

We'd love to have the squatter come in America's front door, legally. But for now, he's got to go. We wish him well.

Throwing cash at Katrina victims

Rambix fully supports private, corporate, and charitable efforts to provide financial support for the victims of disasters in general, and Hurricane Katrina in particular. Rambix does not, however, support the US government giving $2000 debit cards to "families displaced by Hurricane Katrina":

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is administering the program. FEMA officials said the program is aimed at those most in need, so not all families that fled their homes will be eligible.

Obvious problems emerge. For example, how does the government determine who is "most in need", especially since few will have documentation? What is the check on fraud? Is it a "no-strings attached", i.e. no conditions? Will the cards be used to buy booze, cigarettes, and other non-essentials?

The idea is for one card to be issued to each household. If a million people have been displaced, that might equal roughly 300,000 households. What's 2000 times 300,000? A lot of zeros! Are they kidding?

It's unclear how much the debit card program will cost the government, but it could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars since hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski, a Republican, said he had concerns about the potential for abuse.

"That's a lot of money. The question is how do you separate the needy from those who just want a $2,000 handout," he said.

It takes a Republican to ask the salient questions. Thanks, Frank. Here's the answer to the potential fraud question:

As a safeguard against fraud, FEMA will use aerial photographs of devastated areas to verify that the refugees were, indeed, forced from their homes in cases where they cannot provide documents to prove their losses or identities.

This is unbelievable. What kind of a circus are they running? There are hundreds of millions of dollars pouring in from all over the world in private donations, and the US government has the audacity to give hundreds of millions of tax dollars in unaccountable cash to basically anyone who asks?

Let's go to New Orleans!

Officer down

The Red Star reports the death of a Lino Lakes police officer while helping to apprehend a piece of garbage who was fleeing in a stolen vehicle. Sadly, the criminal survived.

A Lino Lakes officer was killed Tuesday evening while trying to stop a man fleeing police on Interstate Hwy. 35W near County Rd. 23. Police had chased the man from Wyoming in Chisago County when he reached an area in Lino Lakes where an officer had spread a spike strip to flatten his tires. The southbound suspect veered into the median, hit the officer standing near her car and then hit a northbound van, the State Patrol said.

Our prayers are with the unnamed officer.

This event may cause howls from the feel-good crowd, who likely will call for an end to all police chases. This, of course, will give a green light for all criminals to flee the police. Many criminals drive unregistered, stolen, or other vehicles with unclear ownership, thus negating the ability of the police to track the driver down later if no chase is given.

Rambix rejects calls for no chases. Instead, fleeing criminals should be chased hard, and taken down with extreme prejudice. They should be charged in a court of law commensurate with the potential harm they cause by their chosen actions. That's all.

Our understanding is that the officer has a family. God bless them.

Things that make you go hmmm

A troubling dichotomy from the AP, "Man turns himself in for killing sex offenders".

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) - A man turned himself in to authorities in the killing of two convicted child rapists, saying he picked the victims from a sheriff's Web site, police said.

Rambix does not condone vigilante action in most cases. This story can make one scratch one's head, however.

Hank Eisses, 49, and Victor Vasquez, 68, were found shot to death at their apartment Aug. 27. They were both classified as Level III sex offenders, considered the type most likely to reoffend. Sex offenders in Washington are required to register with local authorities, and the information is provided on the Web.

Alright, alright. Even though some liberal judge would probably let these dirtbags run free, Rambix does NOT condone or even suggest such action. That would be immoral (Do you know that murder is the only unforgivable sin, since the person who is dead cannot forgive?). Child rapists, though? That really gives one pause.

We have to let the courts do their thing, which, in many cases, is sadly not enough.

Islamist terror is a clear and present danger

The terror virus is spreading and we're half asleep. From New York, Bali, East Africa, and countless other locales, Islamic fundamentalist terror has made its mark. Lest we forget, here's a detailed chronology.

Until the first World Trade Center bombing on February 26, 1993, terrorist attacks had not penetrated the US mainland. Following that attack, 9/11, and the foiled Millenium attack, various agencies have become increasingly concerned over local terror cells. Minnesota has made a disproportionate number of enemy arrests, most notably Zacharias Moussaoui.

An area of great concern is America's prisons, gangs, and other criminal associations. World Net Daily and Little Green Footballs now report a potential unholy alliance between Islamists and gangs. There is a call to declare Jihad against the LAPD:

The Nation of Islam in Los Angeles is calling on the Crips and Bloods street gangs to stop fighting each other – and to unite in a jihad against the LAPD. That's the essence of a flyer obtained by KFI News and circulated in South Los Angeles, calling on members of two violent street gangs to start a "holy war" against the police department.

The LAPD is aware of the fliers calling for the alliance:

It's unclear who created the flyer so the LAPD has declined to comment, other than saying officers have been aware of them for several days.

"This is deeply disturbing," Los Angeles Police Protective League President Bob Baker told KFI. "Quite frankly, this is a case in which I hope our mayor, our police commission and our community leaders can step in to remind everyone of our shared priorities."

It's impossible at this time to confirm the veracity and/or the extent of the threat, but there should be no doubt that this is a possibility and is something should not be allowed to fester. We musn't let our guard down. Ever.

The benefits of socialism, French style

Americans regularly hear from leftists about the wonders of Europe and it's welfare states. As in Minneapolis, people there are eager to pay higher taxes, because it means the government will take care of them when needed (Remember the "Happy to pay for a better Minnnesota signs"?). Given the oppressive taxes, one would at least expect a fair return. Apparently not, as seen in this BBC report "Living in squalor by the Eiffel Tower".

Reporter Carolyn Wyatt:

I have seen poverty across the former Soviet Union, in Afghanistan and southern Iraq. Yet the state of this slum in the middle of one of Europe's richest cities comes as a physical shock.

Or maybe the benefits do not accrue to "foreigners".

When Fofanna Satou and her husband came here from Ivory Coast, they held in their hearts a similar dream, albeit a more modest one. What they wanted was a country where they could live in peace and raise their children without fear of civil war. All they wanted was a job and a decent home to live in.

So now you can pay burdensome taxes in France and still live in squalor? Only if you're the underclass (in a "classless" society).

Paris City Council has started renovating some of the tumbledown buildings. But it is a slow process and property developers are more lucrative clients than the poor.

Liberte, Equalite, Fraternite!

Rich Lowry on New Orleans

Rich Lowry is the editor of the National Review. After reading this article, Rambix somewhat immodestly thinks Mr. Lowry has been reading Rambix and the Red Star.

New Orleans mayor falls apart in crisis

In the aftermath of the Twin Towers attacks in New York City, mayor Rudy Giuliani stood tall. His confident, take-charge presence made America feel that there was some semblence of control following the terrorist attacks, particularly when none of us knew whether or not further attacks were forthcoming. His leadership during our national crisis vaulted him into near legendary status as the go-to man. So much so, in fact, that there are calls for him to lead the hurricane relief effort nearly 4 years to the day after 9/11.

Contrast this with New Orleans Democrat mayor C. Ray Nagin, who fell apart like a cheap suit when the heat was on:

For many reasons, he was politically and emotionally out of control at a moment that could define his legacy as a leader during the nation's worst natural disaster.

Mayor Nagin's tear-filled tirade is the antithesis of the behavior of rock-solid Giuliani when the chips were down:

"Don't tell me 40,000 people are coming here," he said. "They're not here. It's too doggone late. Now get off your a***s and do something, and let's fix the biggest g*****n crisis in the history of this country."

Mayor Nagin was not up to the task. He and Louisiana Democrat Gov. Kathleen Blanco were full of vitriol and rhetoric, but as front line leaders they let their people down. They allowed looting to get out of control, they clearly had no disaster plan despite the obvious deficiencies in the city infrastructure, and they fell down when their people needed them most.

Don't let the Louisiana leaders deflect the blame to the national government. We've already seen the race-baiters, hucksters, and left-wing rabble rousers try to put this mess on the president's plate. No such luck. The buck stops with the Democrat mayor Nagin and the Democrat governor Blanco.

Good news amidst the bad

This won't make the front pages of the papers:

The nation's unemployment rate dipped to a four-year low of 4.9 percent in August as companies added 169,000 jobs, a sign that the labor market continued to gain traction before Hurricane Katrina struck.

Some nice economic news heading in to the weekend.

Treasury Secretary John Snow noted this improvement and said it showed the economy had good momentum that would enable it to withstand the economic fallout from Katrina and surging oil prices. Snow said growth would be a bit slower for a brief period of a quarter or two.

"I am confident, based on the strong economy that we have, that we will recover and recover well," he said.

A strong and growing national economy is the best buffer for the oil price shocks and disruptions caused, in part, on hurricane Katrina. We're fortunate to have that solid base, and we'll hope for continuing positive trends.

On our own

The anarchy in New Orleans is both disturbing and eye-opening. One thing is clear: we cannot rely on the government to protect us. We can hope they will, we can pray they will, but we cannot count on it.

This should also pretty much seal the long-time simmering 2nd Amendment issues. The debate is over. No one who is honest with themselves can now dispute the need for citizens to have the capability to defend themselves. In New Orleans we are presently witnessing devolution, entropy, anarchy, and social breakdown. Citizens are behaving like animals and feral beings:

Mr. Compass [police superintendent] said that some stranded tourists who had sought shelter at the convention center instead found trouble. "The tourists are walking around there and as soon as these individuals see them, they're being preyed upon," he said. [Source: NYT]

New Orleans has turned into Mogadishu. Where is the evidence that this is a major American city? Where are the leaders? Who is in charge? How could they let things get so out of control?

"We need additional troops, food, water. And we need personnel, law enforcement.
This has turned into a situation where the city is being run by the thugs." [Source: NYT]

President Bush came out forcefully, but is this sufficient?

"We're dealing with one of the largest relief efforts in our nation's history, and the federal government's got an important role to play," President Bush said. "Our first priority, of course, is to save lives."

Should he not have said: "We will not tolerate disorder, we will not let people go hungry, looters will be arrested and prosecuted, and we will begin the task of rebuilding New Orleans immediately"? That may have played well with the average American.

We may not get hurricanes in our cities, but what if this was a terrorist attack? The New Orleans debacle could happen anywhere. That's why we have to be prepared to defend our family and our homes, and if the government steps in - great, but if they don't, we're on our own.

For an interesting take on the armed self-defense issue, see Mitch Berg's take on Shot in the Dark, "Birth Of A Second Amendment Activist".

Looting and guns

As the looting plaguing New Orleans makes it's way to the front pages of papers like the Red Star, we find this account of the growing lawlessness:

"There are physical threats to safety from roving bands of armed individuals with weapons who are threatening the safety of the hospital,'' said [Tenet HealthCare Corp.] spokesman Steven Campanini. He estimated there were about 350 employees in the hospital and between 125 to 150 patients.

This is why many Americans want their guns:

New Orleans' homeland security chief, Terry Ebbert, said looters were breaking into stores all over town and stealing guns. He said there are gangs of armed men moving around the city. At one point, officers stranded on the roof of a hotel were fired at by criminals on the street.

Here's another story from the Old York Times, "Police and Owners Begin to Challenge Looters":

Some frightened homeowners took security into their own hands.

John Carolan was sitting on his porch in the thick, humid darkness just before midnight Tuesday when three or four young men, one with a knife and another with a machete, stopped in front of his fence and pointed to the generator humming in the front yard, he said.

One said, "We want that generator," he recalled.

"I fired a couple of rounds over their heads with a .357 Magnum," Mr. Carolan recounted Wednesday. "They scattered."

He smiled and added, "You've heard of law west of the Pecos. This is law west of Canal Street."

When law and order break down, we're on our own. The criminals will acquire guns, or use other lethal means to get what they want. Our right as citizens to possess firearms is the right of self-protection. New Orleans is evidence of that.