tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6985410624887121452024-03-05T03:06:00.155-05:00MARYLAND, MY MARYLAND"One horse-laugh is worth ten thousand syllogisms." MenckenRICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-82090276506702811452015-04-10T16:39:00.000-04:002015-04-10T16:58:04.552-04:00Thomas J. DiLorenzo, the League of the South, the MPPI and one of its (former?) directors, Larry Hogan<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">In an earlier <a href="http://rbc-in-md7blogspotcom.blogspot.com/2014/11/baltimore-sun-indifferent-to-mppi.html">post</a>, I referred to the Maryland Public Policy Institute as composed of not a few “crackpots.” Maryland's own Governor has been on the MPPI Board of Directors, which suggests we have a closer look at, yes, the "crackpots" who have been given op-ed space in the Baltimore Sun:<br /><br />Let's begin with Thomas J. DiLorenzo, with a former allegiance to the League of the South (see below). DiLorenzo is (0r was) an economics professor at Loyola University Maryland and is (or was) also on the MPPI Academic Advisory Board. Professor DiLorenzo is the co-author with James T. Bennett of a book entitled: CancerScam. Amazon’s own review of this book states (emphasis added): <br /><br />“According to James T. Bennett and Thomas J. DiLorenzo, authors of Cancerscam, smoking can be good for society, if not for the smoker. Consider all the money the government could save, for instance, on social security if millions of people die young from smoking-related illnesses. Much of Bennett and DiLorenzo's book is taken up with their argument that the government's campaign against smoking is intrusive and unwarranted. They liken smoking to other hazardous choices such as skydiving or skateboarding and point out that there is no national campaign to educate practitioners of these activities. They then launch into an attack on the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society, which they accuse of diverting funds into an antismoking program run by a left-wing public interest organization. Cigarette manufacturers and major stockholders in tobacco companies will love this book; those who deal with the medical, social, and personal fall-out from smoking, on the other hand, will find little to agree with here.”<br /><br />A favorable review in the Wall Street Journal (excerpt conveniently posted at Amazon) states: <br /><br />"The biggest Washington scandals often involve taxpayer money earmarked for causes no one could object to, such as cancer research. That immunity from criticism often means that taxpayers see their money diverted to politics and puffery, with few tangible results. CancerScam is the first effort—and a brave one—to expose this outrage."<br /><br />Neither of these reviews mentions that DiLorenzo billed the R.J. Reynolds tobacco company $30,000 for his part in writing the book. The funds were passed through the Atlas Economic Research Foundation. [See Source below]. <br /><br />This may not make DiLorenzo out to be a crackpot - just a Ph.D. for sale. But there is, sadly, more:<br /><br />DiLorenzo is (or was) a researcher for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Ludwig_von_Mises_Institute">Ludwig von Mises Institute</a>, which is a spin-off from the Heritage Foundation. DiLorenzo often speaks at Mises Institute events defending the “Jeffersonian” secessionist tradition.<br /><br />DiLorenzo’s preferred term for the American Civil War is “War to Prevent Southern Independence.”<br /><br />DiLorenzo has written extensively in support of the Southern states right to secede, here is an example: <br /><br />“If the war was over the central government's "right" to destroy the right of secession, which both Abraham Lincoln and the U.S. Congress insisted, then the South was in the right, according to both Rothbard and Acton. One need not defend or glorify the Confederacy in order to arrive at such a conclusion.” <br /><br />DiLorenzo has spoken at events sponsored by the League of the South, but subsequently has walked back his association with this hate group’s agenda by stating he does not formally endorse their program, forgetting that in 2005 DiLorenzo did endorse the League, stating that it "advocates peace and prosperity in the tradition of a George Washington or a Thomas Jefferson."<br /><br />DiLorenzo has written a book entitled: Lincoln Unmasked: What You're Not Supposed to Know About Dishonest Abe - in which he attacks a cabal of mostly unidentified historians for ignoring “facts” about Lincoln that DiLorenzo claims to have either unearthed or given, at long last, their proper weight.<br /><br />Publisher’s Weekly, in a review posted at Amazon, called DiLorenzo’s Lincoln book “a laughable screed” and concluded: “at the root of the author's loathing of Lincoln is an ideological commitment to states' sovereignty.”<br /><br />All of this got Mr. DiLorenzo into the Baltimore Sun as a credible opinionator. <br /><br />What probably got DiLorenzo a position with the MPPI is his view that “healthcare freedom” won’t be restored until “some states begin seceding from the new American fascialistic state.” <br /><br />Anyone want to defend this crackpot? or the Baltimore Sun for giving him a megaphone? or the Maryland Public Policy Institute for including him among their roster of academics?<br /><br />SOURCES:<br /><br />DiLorenzo billed tabacco company for writing CabcerScam: “Thomas DiLorenzo” <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Thomas_DiLorenzo">entry</a> at SourceWatch.com<br /><br />DiLorlezo as a Mises Institute speaker: See his <a href="http://academy.mises.org/faculty/thomas-j-dilorenzo/">profile</a> at the Mises Institute.<br /><br />On DiLorenzo’s description of the American Civil War as the “War to Prevent Southern Independence” as well as his statements in support of secession: <a href="http://archive.lewrockwell.com/dilorenzo/dilorenzo82.html">An Abolitionist Defends the South</a>.<br /><br />On DiLorenzo’s endorsement of the League of the South: <a href="http://archive.lewrockwell.com/dilorenzo/dilorenzo91.html">The Dreaded 'S' Word</a><br /><br />On DiLorenzo’s appeal for states to secede so as to avoid the Affordable Care Act: <a href="http://mises.org/library/american-healthcare-fascialism">American HealthCare Fascialism</a><br /><br />On DiLorenzo published in the Baltimore Sun, see 2010 Sun op-ed - Writers Don’t Understand How Markets Work.</span>RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-89996137403919230022014-10-21T09:19:00.000-04:002014-10-21T09:39:47.604-04:00TODD HUFF - A DISASTER THAT KEEPS INFLICTING HIMSELF ON BALTIMORE COUNTY<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Todd Huff, the discredited Baltimore County councilman for my district three, has discarded all pretence that he actually ever represented any constituents.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Defeated in the GOP primary, one-term Todd is now pushing a bill whose text he will not make public but which he says (<i>Baltimore Sun</i>, Oct 21 2014) "has been an important issue to me for the past four years."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And here, we thought <i>the</i> important issue </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">for Todd was keeping hold of a county vehicle for his</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://rbc-in-md3.blogspot.com/2013/02/todd-huff-too-drunk-to-drive-but-not.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">drunk driving escapades.</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What is this "important issue" that lame-duck Todd is huffing about?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's a bill which Todd Huff has now withdrawn but declared he will reintroduce, which would "by right" permit certain commercial activities on Baltimore County farmland.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>By right</i></b>? Oh yes, that means, without further approval under existing Baltimore County rules and regs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Wanna host a motorcycle rally out in a field someplace? No prob. Just do it. Never mind traffic or noise or your neighbor's privacy or security or any other public safety issues. Just do it!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thanks, Todd, Been good to know you. Not. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Let's be sure the rest of the County Council knows the difference between farming operations and "celebratory events" that would undermine forty years of smart growth in Baltimore County. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To help along the campaign to retire this secret proposal along with its sponsor, here is a letter reprinted from the Oct 21 2014 <i>Baltimore Sun</i>, which ought to be circulated to every member of the Baltimore Council:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Farm bill is bad for Baltimore County</b></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><i><i><i>Your recent article on the Baltimore County agricultural tourism bill unfairly describes battle lines being drawn between farmers on one side and local land preservationists on the other (“County bill sparks debate over tourism on farms,” Oct. 14). This is an inaccurate oversimplification.</i></i></i></i> </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><i><i>Farmers are the leading land preservationists representing the majority of landowners by far who have placed their property in permanent preservation. Everyone in Baltimore County’s rural 3rd District, farmers and community groups alike, wants to see farming continue to be economically viable. The community as a whole is open to the idea of agricultural tourism, and they said as much at the County Council work session. It is the wording and construction of this particular piece of legislation that has everyone rightly alarmed.</i></i></i> </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><i><i>Councilman Todd Huff, who remains in office for only six more weeks, has had this bill prepared behind closed doors and is pulling out all stops to rush it through. As written, the bill essentially converts all of the resource conservation zones into business zones. I agree with the assessment of County Executive Kevin Kamenetz that the bill conflicts with county efforts to protect rural land from commercial development. As such, it is bad public policy, not just for Baltimore County but also for everyone in the Baltimore region who benefits from the cleaner air and water made possible by the presently protected resource zones.</i></i></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Both candidates who would replace Mr. Huff after his term expires say they are ready to take up the issue as soon as the new council is seated. Wth a willing future councilman and a supportive community, this fatally flawed bill should be resoundingly voted down.</span></i></blockquote>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sharon D. Bailey</span></i></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The writer is president of the Prettyboy Watershed Alliance.</span></i></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Source:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Baltimore Sun October 21, 2014 article (p. 2):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>"Baltimore County buys rural acres from megachurch</i></b>" which contained this snippet:</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">[. . .] "In other business, the council delayed action on a bill that would have made it easier for farmers to engage in moneymaking activities such as hayrides and corn mazes.<br /> Councilman Todd Huff, a Lutherville Republican who grew up on a farm in Sparks, withdrew his agritourism bill and introduced a new version in a procedural move to keep the legislation alive as the council nears the end of its four-year term.<br /> The bill had been scheduled for a vote Monday and faced possible defeat.<br /> Huff’s bill would have allowed farm owners to operate the extra farm-related activities “by right,” without requiring approval from the county. It would also have allowed farmers to apply to host up to a dozen “celebratory events,” such as weddings, per year.<br /> Farmers supported the bill, but it came under heavy criticism from citizens planning groups, which said activities would draw traffic and noise to rural communities. Kamenetz had threatened to veto the bill.<br /> Huff said the new version would eliminate the provision for celebratory events, but a draft was not available at Monday’s council meeting. It could be voted on at the council’s Nov. 17 meeting.<br /> Huff, who was defeated in the Republican primary, said he hopes he can get the bill passed before he leaves office. “This has been an important issue to me for the past four years,” he said.</span></blockquote>
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-43435805340831176382014-09-09T16:20:00.000-04:002014-09-09T16:25:18.771-04:00<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 32px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 29.439998626708984px; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">WHAT HAPPENS . . . ?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 32px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 32px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.1500000000000001;">When a member of the family ‘comes out’ . . . </span></span></span></div>
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-5657606382747323092014-08-16T12:09:00.002-04:002014-08-16T12:09:50.916-04:00IS THE FIREFIGHTERS CHARITABLE FOUNDATION A SCAM? LOOKS LIKE . . . <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Today, I received a call from the "Firefighters Charitable Foundation."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">A quick check at the Charity Navigator</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3698#.U-99VI1dUxk">website</a> shows </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Firefighters Charitable Foundation</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"> gets a score of only 28.49 out of a possible 100.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Here is the problem:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">only a fraction of the money raised</span></b></blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">by the Firefighters Charitable Foundation </span></b></blockquote>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">goes to any charitable purpose</span></b></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Charity Navigator reports that "fund raising expenses" chew up 87.7% of the money raised; administrative expenses get 5.2% more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">This leaves only 7% for actual charitable purposes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Steer clear of the Firefighters Charitable Foundation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Give your money locally to the firefighters in your community.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-14450276565317981102014-07-31T10:12:00.004-04:002014-07-31T10:12:38.199-04:00Ray Rice's Many Mistakes<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Today at a news conference, Ravens running back Ray Rice will list his many mistakes, including things like this:</span></span></div>
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<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back in the third grade I pushed a second-grader down on the playground.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once, driving home, I was daydreaming and almost pulled into a neighbor’s driveway.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">I did not know that lots of elevators have working cameras on them.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Couple years ago, I fumbled away the football.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last year, I cold-cocked a woman in an elevator, knocking her unconscious.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">One time in a restaurant I ordered something just to try it and I didn’t like it.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last year or maybe the year before, I dropped a pass from Joe, which would have advanced our position eight or ten yards or so.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">One time I did not lace up my shoe right and it came undone on second and four and I slipped down without advancing the ball.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">One time, I dragged a woman off an elevator after knocking her unconscious.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the sideline once, I picked up my helmet and was about to put it on but it was not my helmet.</span></li>
<li style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">One time I forgot to bring my ticket to the dry cleaners and they had to look through all their tickets to find my stuff.</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Background:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bal-john-harbaugh-expects-ray-rice-to-speak-from-the-heart-thursday-20140730,0,5769092.story" style="text-decoration: none;">Ray Rice To Speak from the Heart</a></span></span></div>
RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-2127857332259346722014-07-25T08:18:00.002-04:002014-07-25T08:49:37.751-04:00Along the Rio Grande, Riding Shotgun with Racists<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Couple weeks ago, Frederick County, Maryland, Sheriff Chuck Jenkins announced he was going on a “border tour” to get a “first hand look” at the refugees from Central America - many of them unaccompanied children - who have been crossing from Mexico into the US by the thousands in recent weeks.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Now the gullible sheriff is back home in Maryland, offering interviews and soon, we surmise, he will be heading to D.C to share around his new knowledge.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">According to the Associated Press, Sheriff Jenkins’ “fact finding mission” was being sponsored by a group known for fact-free screeds against immigrants: the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Too bad Sheriff Jenkins does not pick his sponsors better than this.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the </span><a href="http://www.splcenter.org/publications/the-nativist-lobby-three-faces-of-intolerance/fair-the-action-arm" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Southern Poverty Law Center</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, FAIR was founded by John Tanton, a prominent figure in our contemporary nativist, i.e., Tea Party movement. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">John Tanton carries a lot of weight with the Tea Party crowd and for good reason. He has complained long and loud about a supposed “Latin Onslaught” heading into the United States. In his own crude words, Tanton frets about the Hispanic birth rate in the US, which compares unfavorably, Tanton says, to the birth rate of White Americans. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">According to John Tanton, here’s the problem:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">“those with their pants up are going to get caught by those with their pants down!”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.15; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Apart from the blatant racism espoused by its founder John Tanton, the Southern Poverty Law Center reports that FAIR:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">“has long been marked by anti-Latino and anti-Catholic attitudes”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">“has mixed this bigotry with a fondness for eugenics, the idea of breeding better humans”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">“has accepted $1.2 million from an infamous, racist eugenics foundation” (That would be the Pioneer Fund, which according to the New York Times, has promoted theories affirming the genetic superiority of whites.”) (Sourced below.)</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">The Southern Poverty Law Center adds that FAIR:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“has employed officials in key positions who are also members of white supremacist groups.”<br /> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“has promoted racist conspiracy theories about Mexico's secret designs on the American Southwest”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Now that he’s back home, Sheriff Chuck Jenkins of Frederick County, MD needs to answer a couple questions: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sheriff Jenkins, are you in agreement with the FAIR nonsense about immigrants or did you merely want free airfare to the</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Rio Grande</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Sheriff Jenkins, did you take vacation days for your FAIR junket to Texas or did you bill all this as official, salary-based anti-immigrant “fact finding” to the taxpayers of Frederick County?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">SOURCES:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/us/17immig.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">The Anti-Immigration Crusader, NY Times April 17, 2011</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.splcenter.org/publications/the-nativist-lobby-three-faces-of-intolerance/fair-the-action-arm" style="text-decoration: none;">FAIR - The Action Arm: Southern Poverty Law Center, Feb 2009</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Frederick-County-Md-sheriff-joins-border-tour-5621657.php" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Frederick County, MD Sheriff Joins Border Tour</span></a></span><br />
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<br />RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-30992232921477405782014-07-03T08:45:00.002-04:002014-07-03T10:07:33.863-04:00There is no 911 the Immigrant Kids Can Call. That is Why They Come to the US<div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Comment in Response to Ross Douthat's NYTimes Oped about thousands of unaccompanied kids from Central America, entering the US from Mexico:<br /><br />To Ross Douthat:<br /><br />You are cruelly clueless about what is driving kids and young people to rush north. Believe it or not, the USA is not seen as a paradise that millions of people want to sneak into. The young people of Central America are running for their lives. <br /><br />Like the 14 year old interviewed on Aljazera, who said he was taken out of school by a gang member (they have the run of the school), who insisted that he join up. He told his grandmother about this and she said, 'if you join, another gang or the police will kill you. At least if you go the the US, no one will kill you.' </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Or the other young adolescent, who said, a gang grabbed her and told her to give them her mother's cell phone number in the states, so they could extort money, pretending she had been kidnapped, but if the child did not give up the number, she really would be kidnapped.<br /><br />It is incredible to me that you are so absurdly misinformed about Central America and the dynamics of the northern migration. It is as if you have just dropped in from another planet, coming here on a mission of obfuscation and deceit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ross, don't you get this: <i>t</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>here are no police to be called who will respond and no other authorities who can protect these kids from gangs that the USA actually created in El Salvador. </i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ross, have you never heard this? Have you never read a word about this? Or, more tragically for your readers, you know this but have decided not to let actual facts influence what you write?<br /><br />Ross, have you never looked into how El Salvador is divided by a truce (not a clean victory) after a bloody civil war, and that the country is divided still?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ross, have you not discovered that the US added to the civil war problem in El Salvador a generation ago by propping up one side so the truce, and no clear victory, could be engineered in the first place? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ross, have you never informed yourself about how the USA, more than a docade ago, began to deport gang members back "home" to El Salvador, a country these kids were born in but had no memory of or prospects for survival in, apart from the gang affiliations they brought with them? <br /><br />Ross, is it possible, you know nothing about any of this? Is it possible, Ross, it is wilful ignorance, which enables you to say: the unaccompanied minor refugee phenomenon is only a matter of better US security at the southern security? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ross, are you really that badly informed? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ross, are you unable to find out how favorably the current Administration stacks up to previous one on the question of robustness of its border security program? Isn't this fact relevant to your insistence that the current surge of unaccompanied kids into the US is merely a question of border security?<br /><br />A Salvadoran friend of mine, age 19, was murdered in El Salvador in 2012. A bunch of kids with one or two adults in the mix grabbed him, held him down and dropped an enormous stone on his head, then stripped his headless body and left him where his mother would find him. The boy's uncle was a cop, who began to ask around. Well, the cop-uncle is now in the US, having fled to avoid threats directed against him and probably against his own children.<br /><br />Don't you get it? There is no 911 you can call, Ross. There is nothing. <br /><br />What the hell would you do, Ross, if you or your children were threatened with death if you did not pay the extortion demanded by a 15 year old, whom you did not even know, but who could tell you the route your daughter took to and from school? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ross, would you just stay put, and let yourself be killed? Let your kids be killed?<br /><br />Ross, permit me to make a suggestion: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>please inform yourself before you settle comfortably into a further round of smug, fact-free pontificating about a region of the world you are deliberately clueless about - free also, I might add, from the slightest practical suggestion about what to do with the kids who make it into the US. </i></span></div>
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-77402349159410282972013-10-07T16:32:00.000-04:002013-10-07T16:34:31.358-04:00Bigotry on the Baltimore County Council - We Can Fix This in 2014.<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Oct 7 2013 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The 7th Day of the Month - Marks the anniversary date, when five members of the Baltimore Council hung out the NOT WELCOME sign to immigrants.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The bigoted initiative was led by the GOP-affiliated council member, <a href="http://rbc-in-md3.blogspot.com/2013/06/june-7-infamous-day-baltimore-county.html">David Marks</a>, who touted his hostility by <a href="http://rbc-in-md3.blogspot.com/2013/06/june-7-infamous-day-baltimore-county.html">diverting campaign funds</a> to cover costs of the anti-DREAM act initiative.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Mr. Marks then mislead the public when he announced, <a href="http://towson.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/council-members-to-issue-statement-of-support-for-ref0f56c5fab6">falsely</a>, four of his colleagues signed a "letter" endorsing the anti-DREAM Act campaign.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When given the opportunity to welcome rather than discourage people from moving in, o</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">ther jurisdictions are reacting differently.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Compare the narrow-minded perspective of our Baltimore County elected officials to the realities elsewhere: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">" . . . struggling cities are trying to <b>restart growth</b> by <b>luring enterprising immigrants</b>, both highly skilled workers and low-wage laborers. In the Midwest, similar <b>initiatives have begun</b> in <b>Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Lansing, Mich.</b>, as well as <b>Detroit</b>, as it strives to rise out of bankruptcy. In June, officials from those cities and others met in Detroit to start a <b>common network</b>."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">With the 2014 elections, we have a chance to correct the unfortunate presence of bigots on the County Council. Let's do that. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Before you vote for:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Vicky Almond</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Kathy Bevins</div>
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Todd Huff</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
David Marks</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
John Olszewski</div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Ask: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">(1) are your new views on DREAMERs now lined up with the voters of Maryland?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">(2) do you now support in-state tuition for All graduates of Maryland high schools? or</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">(3) are you still playing the politics of bigotry? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sources: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">NY Times, Oct 6 2013 - </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/07/us/ailing-cities-extend-hand-to-immigrants.html?ref=us" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Ailing Midwestern Cities Extend a Welcoming Hand to Immigrants</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Brian Sears in the June 8-9 2011 <a href="http://towson.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/council-members-to-issue-statement-of-support-for-ref0f56c5fab6">Towson Patch</a></span><br />
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-6252480959747622342013-07-19T18:32:00.005-04:002013-10-08T10:39:45.202-04:00President Obama: Treyvon Martin Could Have Been Me<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">President Obama today, July 19, 2013, made an extended statement about the killing of Trayvon Martin and the trial that followed which resulted in the acquittal of the killer, George Zimmerman. Here, according to the <i>New York Times</i>, is what the President said:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“I think it’s important to recognize that the African-American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that — that doesn’t go away.” </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“There are very few African-American men in this country who haven’t had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me." </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot, I said that this could have been my son."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">"Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“I don’t want to exaggerate this, but those sets of experiences inform how the African-American community interprets what happened one night in Florida. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">And it’s inescapable for people to bring those experiences to bear.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“I think it would be useful for us to examine some state and local laws to see if it — if they are designed in such a way that they may encourage the kinds of altercations and confrontations and tragedies that we saw in the Florida case, rather than defuse potential altercations.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“Am I wringing as much bias out of myself as I can; am I judging people, as much as I can, based on not the color of their skin but the content of their character? That would, I think, be an appropriate exercise in the wake of this tragedy.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“When I talk to Malia and Sasha and I listen to their friends and I see them interact, they’re better than we are. They’re better than we were on these issues. And that’s true in every community that I’ve visited all across the country.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“That all contributes, I think, to a sense that if a white male teen was involved in the same kind of scenario, that, from top to bottom, both the outcome and the aftermath might have been different,” </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The <i>Times </i>reported that the President praised the judge in the case and said,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“Once the jury’s spoken, that’s how our system works.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“For those who resist that idea that we should think about something like these Stand Your Ground laws, I just ask people to consider if Trayvon Martin was of age and armed, could he have stood his ground on that sidewalk?”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“And do we actually think that he would have been justified in shooting Mr. Zimmerman, who had followed him in a car, because he felt threatened?”</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The <i>Times</i> reported that the president said he was not advocating “some brand new federal program.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">But he said Americans should try to figure out new ways to </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“bolster and reinforce our African-American boys.” </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">He said that he and the first lady, Michelle Obama, talk often about the black youth who need positive reinforcement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">“There are a lot of kids out there who need help who are getting a lot of negative reinforcement,” he said. “And is there more that we can do to give them the sense that their country cares about them and values them and is willing to invest in them?”</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The White House has issued a video of the President's remarks:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/07/19/president-obama-trayvon-martin-could-have-been-me">President Obama: Trayvon Martin Could Have Been Me | The White House</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The NY<i>Times</i> item: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/20/us/in-wake-of-zimmerman-verdict-obama-makes-extensive-statement-on-race-in-america.html?nl=us&emc=edit_cn_20130719&_r=0">In Wake of Zimmerman Verdict, Obama Makes Extensive Statement on Race in America</a></span></div>
RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-53342123606090815392013-06-07T22:43:00.000-04:002013-06-07T22:43:49.896-04:00June 7 - Infamous Day for Baltimore County Councilman David Marks<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">J</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">une 7, 2011 - Two years ago.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCp5YFDfFqrRlsqLo7nCKR37xMP2Z8SSeIi9A8vdFtknAPtxt4NZTGkRB38oEJShuGk7EnN9ogcGBmMmgj0XobCbzdMet0_Z4LB4YLSCzWj2YrmL801vVkmyQAdtrNLhKjw93IM9gdTaI/s1600/David+Marks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCp5YFDfFqrRlsqLo7nCKR37xMP2Z8SSeIi9A8vdFtknAPtxt4NZTGkRB38oEJShuGk7EnN9ogcGBmMmgj0XobCbzdMet0_Z4LB4YLSCzWj2YrmL801vVkmyQAdtrNLhKjw93IM9gdTaI/s320/David+Marks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Credit: Baltimore Sun</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">That was the day Baltimore County Councilman <b>David Marks falsely announced</b> that he had secured the signatures of four of his council colleagues on a letter denouncing our DREAMERS.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Despite several requests Mr. Marks has never produced such a letter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Once again I ask - <b>Mr David Marks, produce the letter you claim to have passed around and gotten signed by four of your council colleagues</b>?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In his enthusiasm to align himself with bigotry, David Marks also announced that he had diverted campaign funds from supporters into the effort to collect signatures on petitions to place Maryland's new DREAM Act before the voters in the election set for November 2012.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">According to Brian Sears, writing in the TOWSON PATCH, June 8 2011:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Marks, a Perry Hall Republican, has signed the [anti-DREAM Act] petition. In fact, <b>Marks said he used his campaign account to pay for half of a booth</b> he shared with volunteers collecting signatures at the Towson Spring Festival." </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Well, sadly for simple fairness and also needlessly expensive for Maryland taxpayers, signatures were collected, counted and verified and the anti-Hispanic, anti-high-school kids referendum was placed on the ballot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But guess what? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">On November 6, 2012 </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">bigotry and David Marks, lost</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The voters of Maryland upheld the state's DREAM Act.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">End of story? Not quite. Next year, November 2014, David Marks will be on the ballot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Time for the voters of the Fifth District to send Mr. Marks where the anti-hispanic referendum was sent. . . . </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">away</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">, </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">away<span style="font-size: large;">,</span></span></div>
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-11488783360010333902013-05-26T20:13:00.000-04:002013-05-26T20:48:22.916-04:00President Obama: "I'm still learning how to be the best husband and father I can be. Because success in everything else is unfulfilling if we fail at family."<br />
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eyder Peralta </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/19/185348873/two-excerpts-you-should-read-from-obamas-morehouse-speech?ft=3&f=111787346&sc=nl&cc=es-20130526" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">blogging</span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on NPR website: </span></span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">President Obama, on Sunday [May 19 2013] , delivered a rare, very personal commencement address at Morehouse College, the historically black, all-male insitution that is the alma mater of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.</span></span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a short speech, but Obama did not shy away from the subjects of race and responsibility. We've embedded video of the address above, but here are two excerpts you should read. They are taken from his prepared remarks</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">On Personal Responsibility:</span></span></b></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"We know that too many young men in our community continue to make bad choices. Growing up, I made a few myself. And I have to confess, sometimes I wrote off my own failings as just another example of the world trying to keep a black man down. But one of the things you've learned over the last four years is that there's no longer any room for excuses. I understand that there's a common fraternity creed here at Morehouse: 'excuses are tools of the incompetent, used to build bridges to nowhere and monuments of nothingness.' We've got no time for excuses – not because the bitter legacies of slavery and segregation have vanished entirely; they haven't. Not because racism and discrimination no longer exist; that's still out there. It's just that in today's hyperconnected, hypercompetitive world, with a billion young people from China and India and Brazil entering the global workforce alongside you, nobody is going to give you anything you haven't earned. And whatever hardships you may experience because of your race, they pale in comparison to the hardships previous generations endured – and overcame.</span></span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"You now hail from a lineage and legacy of immeasurably strong men – men who bore tremendous burdens and still laid the stones for the path on which we now walk. You wear the mantle of Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington, Ralph Bunche and Langston Hughes, George Washington Carver and Ralph Abernathy, Thurgood Marshall and yes, Dr. King. These men were many things to many people. They knew full well the role that racism played in their lives. But when it came to their own accomplishments and sense of purpose, they had no time for excuses."</span></span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdN-U1MWaCMmY66TzH8vxMpKw-Sd3yVM3PxGxshx50HkmoNaVhu7yn_SSj3R0-CUshAZCToyhKuXbe8C6FMocv0yh5mY-6acNgiDYPaDhpVXFbPf7nbaT5Bt-S_yIl5N4AxXftIruP-M/s1600/obama-morehouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdN-U1MWaCMmY66TzH8vxMpKw-Sd3yVM3PxGxshx50HkmoNaVhu7yn_SSj3R0-CUshAZCToyhKuXbe8C6FMocv0yh5mY-6acNgiDYPaDhpVXFbPf7nbaT5Bt-S_yIl5N4AxXftIruP-M/s320/obama-morehouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">On Family:</span></span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"I was raised by a heroic single mother and wonderful grandparents who made incredible sacrifices for me. And I know there are moms and grandparents here today who did the same thing for all of you. But I still wish I had a father who was not only present, but involved. And so my whole life, I've tried to be for Michelle and my girls what my father wasn't for my mother and me. I've tried to be a better husband, a better father, and a better man.</span></span></b></div>
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<b id="docs-internal-guid-45e44050-e330-af14-eed9-b42896d66049" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"It's hard work that demands your constant attention, and frequent sacrifice. And Michelle will be the first to tell you that I'm not perfect. Even now, I'm still learning how to be the best husband and father I can be. Because success in everything else is unfulfilling if we fail at family. I know that when I'm on my deathbed someday, I won't be thinking about any particular legislation I passed, or policy I promoted; I won't be thinking about the speech I gave, or the Nobel Prize I received. I'll be thinking about a walk I took with my daughters. A lazy afternoon with my wife. Whether I did right by all of them.</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Be a good role model and set a good example for that young brother coming up. If you know someone who isn't on point, go back and bring that brother along. The brothers who have been left behind – who haven't had the same opportunities we have – they need to hear from us. We've got to be in the barbershops with them, at church with them, spending time and energy and presence helping pull them up, exposing them to new opportunities, and supporting their dreams. We have to teach them what it means to be a man – to serve your city like Maynard Jackson; to shape the culture like Spike Lee. Chester Davenport was one of the first people to integrate the University of Georgia law school. When he got there, no one would sit next to him in class. But Chester didn't mind. Later on, he said, 'It was the thing for me to do. Someone needed to be the first.' Today, Chester is here celebrating his 50th reunion. If you've had role models, fathers, brothers like that – thank them today. If you haven't, commit yourself to being that man for someone else."</span></span></div>
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<span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Source:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/19/185348873/two-excerpts-you-should-read-from-obamas-morehouse-speech?ft=3&f=111787346&sc=nl&cc=es-20130526" style="text-decoration: none;">Two Excerpts You Should Read From Obama's Morehouse Speech by EYDER PERALTA May 19, 2013 5:02 PM</a></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br />
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</b>RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-31541334435869643772013-05-21T09:35:00.002-04:002013-05-21T12:18:15.697-04:00''Minuscule" Misconduct = 'We Don't Make Enough $$ to Be Honest' : John Olszewski Sr, David Marks Fail to Disclose Outside Income <div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>"Minuscule" John & </b><b>"Minuscule" David</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">What are these boys up to now?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Willful and false financial disclosure filings can carry a criminal penalty. Failure to file or report information could lead to a civil fine for an elected official, up to $1,000 in addition to late fees. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">For venal Baltimore County councilmen, no worries. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">That's because a venal elected official can do pretty much as he likes, so long as he can dredge up a county attorney who is prepared to state that their criminal misconduct is "minuscule."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">John Oszewski Sr. has been on the County Council for close to 15 years; he has been elected four times. This has not been time enough for him to figure out his mandatory disclosure requirements. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Bur Mr. Oszewski has figured out that he does not need to bother the voters about his outside income so long as someone else with a county government title is prepared to call his misbehavior "minuscule." That would be county attorney Mike Field (read on, please.)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Since 2010, according to the <i>Baltimore Sun </i>and the <i>Lutherville-Timonium Patch</i>, Baltimore County Councilman </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">John Olszewski Sr</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> has engaged in criminal conduct.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrNRkOC-Y5ONW7QRuke5Ijddczm9Bp-jVkHxOl-0ffUEl39A6FHfkSeKeqeDOYyqMQ35nLCfP79PjYJiP0ixH5s7AUatcQtedyCE7XEQbPvtgGDRtHyNyGRo_fJFAIi4orMGBQ1t-8hE/s1600/Miniscule+Johnny+O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCrNRkOC-Y5ONW7QRuke5Ijddczm9Bp-jVkHxOl-0ffUEl39A6FHfkSeKeqeDOYyqMQ35nLCfP79PjYJiP0ixH5s7AUatcQtedyCE7XEQbPvtgGDRtHyNyGRo_fJFAIi4orMGBQ1t-8hE/s320/Miniscule+Johnny+O.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Minuscule Johnny O</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">He has failed to disclose his employment with a company that has garnered a least one contract with the county to work on a new high school, being built in his district. The media sources also reported that Mr. Oszewski has worked for a second company.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The two companies are:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Mason & Son LLC</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>D&M Painting & Drywall Inc.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Hold on a minute; Oszewski, Sr, has also worked for a third employer:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>APS East Coast Inc.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">All this info has now been made public but only after Patch.com asked Minuscule John about his off-the-record employment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Do these businesses need to rely on the push-pull of the free market? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Do they need patronage by the public? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Maybe not, since they have a double-dipper, government-paid insider, positioned to provide them confidential info about construction projects, the bidding process, the competition - an eager 36-hour a week employee, who can informally help channel tax dollars their way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When the <i>Patch </i>asked Mr. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Oszewski</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> why he had not reported his outside income on the mandatory disclosure forms, he channelled his colleague, David Marks (read on, <i>por favor</i>) by calling his own deception "an oversight." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Mr. Oszewski told the <i>Patch</i> that he must have </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">thought the disclosure forms were actually non-disclosure forms: "</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I thought that meant something else," he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In a surprising slip into candor Minuscule John told the <i>Sun</i> his job(s) entailed the need to "drum up business" for his employer(s).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Don't Disclose - Ask Mr. Mike Instead</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Olszewski told the <i>Sun</i>, that instead of reporting his outside income for years, he had asked County Attorney Michael Field about recusal. Mr. Mike, stepped right up to defend non-disclosure of private employment by public officials. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The <i>Sun </i>reported Mr. Field, as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Field said he does not see the councilman voting on the budget as a conflict of interest because the council doesn't vote on individual school contracts, and the D&M contract is "a minuscule part of the budget."</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The <i>Sun</i> spoke with Jennifer Bevan-Dangel, executive director of Common Cause Maryland, who called Olszewski's omissions "very troubling" and added:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"These reports are critical for public trust and for ensuring that decision makers are listening first to the interests of constituents and not the voices of special interests," she said, adding that Olszewski could have been making budget decisions that affect his employer. </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">'</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>The ethics board needs to ask itself what's going on here.' </b>"</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Will the Ethics Commission do anything? Well yes . . . they already have, since Mike Field has weighed in and since he is the guy who provides legal advice to the Ethics Commission. Mini Johnny O case closed even before it is opened. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sweet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Mr. Mike to the Rescue of David Marks, too</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Following an earlier Patch.com report, the <i>Baltimore Sun </i>reported (May 13) that another member of the County Council, David Marks "was late" to disclose his employment by Loyola University.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Mr. Marks was hired not to teach political ethics of course, but "political science." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">According to the Patch, Mr. Marks, on April 25, 2013, referred to his failure to disclose private employment "an . . ." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What is it again? Oh yes, ". . . an oversight." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Minuscule Dave Marks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The <i>Sun </i>added:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">"Marks said he notified Field before accepting the teaching position to ensure that there was no conflict of interest."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">and: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">"Several weeks ago, he said, he wrote to the county ethics commission to clarify that he had held the teaching position last year."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So nice that Minuscule David "clarified" it all privately - but not on time and not publicly. Of course not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Jennifer</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Bevan-Dangel of Common Cause Maryland is asking if there is an "</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">endemic problem" of lax county oversight on ethics requirements. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Don't bother to ask Baltimore County attorney 'Minuscule' Mike Field, who steps up, as requested to become part of the problem, himself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Sources:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Patch stuff:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Minuscule John's </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Financial disclosure <a href="http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/ethics/financialdisclosurestatements.html">forms filed March 27</a><br /><br />April 25 interview, in which Minuscule David Marks said his <a href="http://perryhall.patch.com/articles/late-disclosure-of-teaching-job-an-oversight">failure to file a required amended report</a> within 30 days of his hire was "an oversight."</span><br />
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<a href="http://timonium.patch.com/articles/olszewski-missing-job-disclosure-an-oversight" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Olszewski: Missing Job Disclosure 'An Oversight' - Lutherville Timonium Patch May 7 2013</a><br />
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<a href="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-05-19/news/bs-md-sun-investigates-ethics-disclosure-20130519_1_county-council-dundalk-democrat-baltimore-county" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">County councilman hasn't disclosed outside jobs for years - Baltimore Sun May 19 2013</a><br />
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-54124230460498042342013-05-20T08:35:00.000-04:002013-05-20T08:36:02.223-04:00"I had Concerns With Cross Dressers" - Senator James Brochin Votes Against Civil Rights<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Senator James Brochin does not like cross dressers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But why?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">His complete e-mail explanation to me for not letting Maryland's HB 449 out of committee:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"I had concerns with the language as it allowed cross-dressers. Previous versions which I supported did not include this and I tried to work with the sponsor but he liked his language."</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisr_PRvmFCVmnVU6i6maPhYlFSmkPbK4LCfJ-p-K28t8_i4UCKj4uIkOZ2T53AwmRpYy0GdrO0bOJymW7NegBteVHOp1dvW-w3AN6uyO5g6p0e12w_f9B4vhYvV3HXnR8T28CYD1OnSBI/s1600/This-Is-The-Army_gals_(Broadway).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisr_PRvmFCVmnVU6i6maPhYlFSmkPbK4LCfJ-p-K28t8_i4UCKj4uIkOZ2T53AwmRpYy0GdrO0bOJymW7NegBteVHOp1dvW-w3AN6uyO5g6p0e12w_f9B4vhYvV3HXnR8T28CYD1OnSBI/s320/This-Is-The-Army_gals_(Broadway).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Credit: US Army Production of</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Irvin Berlin's "This Is the Army, Mr Jones" (1942)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This sort of flippant response begs many questions:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Isn't cross dressing more of an on-stage, display thing? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Was Senator Brochin turned on by Robin Williams in <i>Mrs. Doubtfire</i>? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Is Senator Brochin's electoral district flooded with cross dressers?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Is Baltimore County sinking under a tide of public cross dressing?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Is Maryland seeking disaster relief funds to combat a tsunami of public cross dressing?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Are cross dressers across America lined up to use the public restroom at McDonalds? Walmart? Starbucks? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Is it accurate to blame an unnamed sponsor of a civil rights bill for one's own negative vote?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Is it fair to block a vote in committee when there is every indication that a majority of votes will pass the bill into law if it makes it to the Senate floor? (There were 23 sponsors in the Senate, with 24 votes needed for passage.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">One final question: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Did Senator Brochin sell his vote in exchange for $$ from restaurant or other retail associations, who prefer not to go public against civil rights?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stay tuned . . .</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For more information:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.capitalgazette.com/news/government/transgender-rights-bill-killed-by-committee/article_812b3ce3-7537-5204-81c0-19a9840be26d.html">Capital Gazette: Transgender rights bill killed by committee</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.baltimoreoutloud.com/lgbtq-news/maryland/item/1841-transgender-bill-dies-in-committee"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Baltimore Outloud: Transgender Bill Dies in Committee</span></a><br />
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<br />RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-23964894129328680352013-02-24T16:35:00.003-05:002014-10-21T09:17:07.180-04:00Todd Huff - too drunk to drive but not too drunk to huff 'n puff<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">PHOTO CREDIT: BALTIMORE COUNTY </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">POLICE </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DEPARTMENT - REPRINTED IN </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">THE </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">BALTIMORE SUN</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Reporter Alison Knezevich, of the <i>Baltimore Sun </i>published (February 23, 2013) the news of County councilman Todd Huff's most recent arrest. It happened just the other day in Baltimore County when the police pulled him over for driving erratically.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Before being led away Huff demanded of the police, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>"Don't You Know Who I am?"</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Putting his extensive arrest experience to good use, Huff then asked to be able to make a call to the head of the County police. This was denied and Huff then tested positive at twice the legal alcohol limit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">. . . regular stuff for Mr. Huff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">More than a decade ago, Huff got into trouble for leaving the scene of an injury accident in Anne Arundel County.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Huff has also been charged with a handgun violation and with writing a bad check. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">What-me-worry-Todd has gotten "away" without even a record. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Constantly on the lookout for ways to protect the well connected from the consequences of their own misconduct,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> <b>o</b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>ur ever cooperative official-dumb expunged these incidents from Todd Huff's otherwise mediocre record of public service</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Since Todd Huff is not likely to be made responsible for his drunkenness or his other, future bad behavior, perhaps the rest of the County Council will pass a resolution establishing the <b>Huff-and-Puff Fund</b>, for payments to members of the public, in anticipation of the next time Mister Huff is out driving drunk in a County vehicle and hurts someone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">And to answer the question, Todd, which you put to the police: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Yes, Todd Huff, we know who you are.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Source: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-02-23/news/bal-county-councilman-arrested-on-dui-charges-20130223_1_dui-charges-legal-limit-baltimore-county-councilman">Baltimore Sun - Baltimore County Councilman Todd Huff arrested on DUI charges - Councilman was driving county-owned Jeep, police say</a></span><br />
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-6942480099457712872012-12-07T10:44:00.003-05:002012-12-07T10:44:38.530-05:00David Marks - (1) hostile to immigrants (2) anti-education (3) abusive of his public trust; that's 3 strikes.<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">December 7th:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This date marks the anniversary of the attack by the nation of Japan on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">December 7 is also the birthdate of Noam Chomsky who said, "We should not be looking for heroes but for good ideas."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">December 7 also marks the date 18 months ago in Baltimore County, which gave us no heroes and a very bad idea. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">June 7, 2011 is the date that Baltimore County Councilman David Marks proudly and <b>falsely</b> announced that he and four other members of the Baltimore County Council signed a letter denouncing the newly passed Maryland DREAM Act. (If there ever was such a letter, let Mr. Marks produce it, with the signatures of his County Council colleagues affixed to it.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In 2011 Mister Marks claimed that he had arranged for four other members of the County Council to join him in opposition to Maryland Dreamers, children without legal status in the US who want and need to continue their education in junior college and beyond.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">David Marks is so zealous against higher education for Hispanic and other immigrant kids that he claimed, back in 2011 he diverted a portion of his campaign funds into the effort to place his prejudices on the November 6 2012 ballot - where he was resoundingly defeated - Maryland's DREAM Act garnered almost 60 percent of the statewide vote.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No doubt, at this point, 18 months down the road, and having been repudiated by the voters of Maryland, Mister Marks would prefer that everyone forget that he is no hero to education, or to children or to his constituents. David Marks would dearly hope that we would all forget that he has shown himself willing to use his position as a locally elected official to lobby for his prejudices to gain purchase across Maryland.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Mister Marks, now that you and a handful of like-minded bigots have lost in your effort to keep immigrant kids on the lowest economic rung , you may want to change the subject.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But you cannot change your character.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-66419612607533385582012-11-09T11:51:00.001-05:002012-11-09T11:51:12.769-05:00". . . Are you gay?' I said, 'Nobody's perfect.'<div class="tr_bq">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Maizie Hirono, newly elected Senator from Hawaii: </span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">"I'm a woman. I'll be the first Asian woman ever to be elected to the U.S. Senate. I am an immigrant. I am a Buddhist.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">"When I said this at one of my gatherings, they said, 'Yes, but are you gay?'</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">"I said, 'Nobody's perfect.'"</span></blockquote>
RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-40553065468101340672012-11-04T06:28:00.001-05:002012-11-04T06:46:45.713-05:00"Catholic Woman’s Loss Transforms into Struggle for Civil Marriage Equality"<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />
Some in Maryland, such as the <a href="http://rbc-in-md3.blogspot.com/2012/11/scare-tactics-will-not-work-in-maryland.html">Maryland Catholic Conference</a>, have stated that civil marriage equality is not needed because same-sex couples enjoy "many" of the legal protections that hetero-couples enjoy.<br />
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That would be like saying - as was said a half-century ago - that water fountains need not be de-segregated because there are plenty of water fountains that Black folks could use.<br />
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The argument was silly and hurtful then. It is silly and hurtful today.<br />
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Case in point:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.lfbadvocacygroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/4682_1157288408667_4406093_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class=" " height="267" scale="0" src="http://www.lfbadvocacygroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/4682_1157288408667_4406093_n.jpg" style="border: 0px none; line-height: 16.79166603088379px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Charlene Strong" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Charlene Strong (pictured above) lives in Washington State. In 2006, she lost her spouse, Kate Fleming, to a torrential flood. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In recent years, Strong has been talking about the hurtful mistreatment she received from hospital administrators, and a funeral director who refused to acknowledge her relationship with her deceased spouse. As Strong told the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/lesbian-answers-bishops-call-for-dialogue-on-gay-marriage/2012/10/31/9f7a4b66-239b-11e2-92f8-7f9c4daf276a_story.html">Washington Post</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“They were willing to take the word of someone on the phone, 300 miles away,’</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"Who knew her allergies? I did. Who knew what her wishes were? I did."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Her poor treatment at the hands of ostensible care givers and service providers has prompted Strong to campaign to legalize marriage equality.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Strong has continued her commitment to the Catholic Church - despite the campaign against marriage equality, which the hierarchy has mounted. Why? As Strong has <a href="http://spokanefavs.com/culture/education/strong-speaks-to-zags-about-gay-marriage-the-catholic-church">said</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">‘The church kept me from going crazy after my wife died. They were there to help bury her with tremendous compassion . . ."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“When you leave the church you can’t fix the church. You can’t be part of the discussion.”</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sources:</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://spokanefavs.com/culture/education/strong-speaks-to-zags-about-gay-marriage-the-catholic-church">Strong speaks to Zags about gay marriage, the Catholic Church - <i>Spokanefavs</i></a></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/lesbian-answers-bishops-call-for-dialogue-on-gay-marriage/2012/10/31/9f7a4b66-239b-11e2-92f8-7f9c4daf276a_story.html">Lesbian answers bishop’s call for dialogue on gay marriage - <i>Washington Post</i></a></span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Special thanks to Bondings 2.0, for its report and for the photo (above) : <a href="http://newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/catholic-womans-loss-transforms-into-struggle-for-equality/">Catholic Woman’s Loss Transforms into Struggle for Equality - Bondings 2.0</a></span><br />
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-8489127851932830622012-11-02T14:51:00.000-04:002012-11-02T14:55:47.091-04:00CATHOLICS FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN MARYLAND - AD IN THE SUN<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br />With appreciation to <a href="http://www.marylandjuice.com/2012/11/closing-arguments-marriage-equality.html">MARYLAND JUICE</a> for passing this along to us:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">JUICE #3: CATHOLICS FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY BALTIMORE SUN AD - Last Monday, Maryland Juice reported on <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQyttC5FaCdF9WD78KjlNvk02KsQfaow0jxPzlKgb-oAQnALogrP76yLPWnv-Velx2ituks-0J7l-OmxNw9TSC_lrOt4PC-NJgUovxH9XN3A-PGATozzWvQmDN_JmJfLyX0l9cR5HCJ4kP/s640/sun.jpg">a full-page ad that appeared in The Baltimore Sun</a>, which made a specious argument asking "Christians" to oppose civil rights. Now a group called Catholics for Marriage Equality is countering the effort with their own full-page ad in The Sun:</span><br />
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-87770048789027868502012-11-02T10:18:00.000-04:002012-11-04T06:24:47.458-05:00Scare Tactics Will Not Work in Maryland: Vote FOR Question Six <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2203021147288382" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Maryland Catholic Conference has issued a misleading final appeal, urging people to vote against Question Six, which extends marriage equality to gay and lesbian Marylanders. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here are the reasons the MCC advances against Marriage Equality - followed by their refutation:</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MCC</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is not necessary to redefine marriage in order to provide rights and benefits to other couples</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Response</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The Marriage Equality law does not "redefine" marriage. When the public schools were opened to Black citizens, the schools were not "redefined" but were simply opened to all citizens. When public accommodations were opened to all, regardless of race, restaurants were not "redefined" but were merely ordered to serve everyone equally. When the Supreme Court told Virginia (and Maryland) that by-racial marriages were legal, marriage was not "redefined" but was merely made legal for marriage partners of all races. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MCC</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:“</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many of the rights and benefits sought by those who want to redefine marriage are already available to domestic partners in Maryland.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Response</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: T</span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he MCC forgets to say that in the very recent past, the MCC has opposed civil unions. </span></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is disingenuous in 2012 for the MCC to asset indirectly that some second tier legal status is now, suddenly good enough for gay Marylanders.</span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MCC</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: “. . . </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is not discrimination to believe that marriage is to be between a man and a woman</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Response</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Yes, it is discrimination to bar same-sex couples from going to the courthouse to get a marriage license. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the US, under existing laws, the government must have a compelling interest to justify forbidding some citizens from having all the rights enjoyed by other citizens. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the case of the right to obtain a marriage license, there is no good reason for the government to forbid a license to same-sex couples and permit it for heterosexual others.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MCC</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: “We all know and love family members, friends and colleagues who are gay, but reserving marriage for one man and one woman recognizes the uniqueness of that relationship above all other relationships.”</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Response</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: the Church is free to ‘reserve’ its wedding regulations as the Church sees fit. But these ‘reservations’ cannot be made to apply to non-Catholics. </span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">It is disingenuous to claim to "love" someone while at the same time, campaigning against their civil rights.</span></span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MCC</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marriage between one man and one woman has been recognized by both government and religion throughout time and across cultures because it is the only relationship capable of bringing children into the world and providing them with the love of a mother and a father.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Response</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Throughout ‘time,’ i.e., many different attitudes and practices have been “recognized” as the marriage norm. Many of these practices are forbidden under modern US law and are no longer followed. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the past and in some parts of today's world, multiple wives have been permitted for men. In some cultures, girls and women were (and are) considered chattel, to be bartered or sold into marriage, against their will. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In colonial Maryland, white women were prosecuted and enslaved, together with their children, if they selected an African slave as a mate. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well into US history, wives were not permitted to inherit property. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Going along with the times, the Catholic Church in Maryland made no objection to these unfair civil laws, which treated women as second class citizens. Like racial segregation, these unfair marriage rules were followed by the Church.</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By ending racial segregation, the civil government took the lead and extened civil rights to those whom the Church treated as undeserving of full civic participation. </span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once again, today, the official leaders of the Catholic Church, sadly, are on the wrong side of a civil rights issue.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MCC</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't be fooled into thinking we can redefine marriage and protect religious freedom. We've seen it too many times already - if marriage is redefined, churches, religiously affiliated institutions, private businesses and individuals will be exposed to lawsuits and harassment just for expressing their religious beliefs about marriage.</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Response</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: These statements are scare tactics. These arguments are no more than a veiled justification for discrimination. </span></span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Maryland as in the US as a whole, no one can do business with the public and practice discrimination against certain members of the public. </span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Under existing law, no business or charity can offer services (i.e., adoption) to a heterosexual couple and deny those same services to a same-sex couple. </span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MCC</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And don't take the Question 6 ballot language at face value. What the new law redefining marriage pretends to offer as religious protections, it then takes away in language that has not been included in what you will read at the polls. According to the actual legislation, religious organizations that accept state or federal funds are excluded from certain religious liberty protections if they partner with the government to provide services to the community.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Response<span style="font-weight: normal;">: More scary language, which is intended to justify backdoor discrimination. </span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In Maryland, no agency or institution (i.e., Catholic Charities) can take tax money and then turn around and discriminate against taxpayers. </span></span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claiming the so-called right to practice unlawful discrimination is a very poor argument against the right of citizens to be able to go to the courthouse and obtain a civil marriage license.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conclusion</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: using faulty logic and scare tactics, the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in Maryland - unlike a majority of the laity - is campaigning against the civil rights of gay and lesbian Marylanders. </span></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Church is advocating against the civil rights of many Maryland Catholics, including couples and their children, who number in the thousands. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It would be poor public policy to create a two-tier approach to marriage. This is bad for couples, for families, for kids and bad for society.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vote FOR Question Six in Maryland.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the complete statement of the MCC, refuted above, click <a href="http://capwiz.com/mdcath/issues/alert/?alertid=62063721">here</a>.</span></span></b><br />
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b>RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-75216811548280982582012-11-02T08:28:00.001-04:002012-11-02T12:51:22.258-04:00"No one should face discrimination under the law" - Baltimore Sun<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Baltimore Sun Has Endorsed </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Marriage Equality - </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Vote FOR Question Six in Maryland</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Maryland's marriage equality law protects religious institutions while affirming the principle that no one should face discrimination under the law</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The case for Question 6, which would affirm Maryland's law authorizing same-sex marriage, is simple. It upholds the principle that the law should treat everyone the same. Marriage is both a religious and a civil institution. Churches, synagogues and mosques have always set their own rules about which marriages they recognize, and this law does not change that fact. What it does is to ensure that no Marylander faces discrimination under the law when it comes to one of the state's fundamental institutions.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Opponents of the measure have sought to confuse the issue by warning of unintended consequences of marriage equality. They claim that those who, for religious reasons, oppose same-sex unions will be persecuted. That children will be taught about same-sex marriage in school against their parents' will. That it will somehow rob children of the best possible upbringing.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Those are no more than scare tactics.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">[. . . ]</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Civil unions and domestic partnerships in some states have sought to afford gay families the same packages of rights and benefits as married couples — a difficult and usually incomplete task, given the number of laws that reference marriage in one way or another. But that approach creates two kinds of marriage — one for straight people and one for gay people — and that inevitably relegates same-sex couples to second-class citizenship.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Maryland's marriage equality law protects the rights of religious institutions to set their own doctrine and practices, but it also affirms the principle that the state's civil laws should not foster discrimination. Everyone deserves to be treated equally under the law, and for that reason, we urge voters to support Question 6.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Source: </span><a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-question-6-20121030,0,6770949.story" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">For Question 6 Our view: Maryland's marriage equality law protects religious institutions while affirming the principle that no one should face discrimination under the law</a></div>
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-47090355181846874342012-10-29T21:23:00.000-04:002012-10-30T12:31:13.128-04:00A scandal that brings shame to the Baltimore Archdiocese: dividing Catholic from Catholic<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>A brief reflection, prompted by the appearance in the on-line <b>Catholic Review</b> of an announcement of the opinion of a prominent Catholic athlete - he opposes the expansion of civil marriage to gay and lesbian Catholics.</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A century ago many bishops of the Roman Catholic Church in the US were united on the subject of civil rights for Catholics. The bishops were especially sensitive about the mistreatment of Italian and Irish Catholics, who suffered discrimination in many areas of public and community life in America.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Today, the hierarchy of the church is of a different mind. Today, the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church is campaigning actively in the Civil realm, to deprive many Catholics of Civil Rights enjoyed by others Catholics.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Today, to its greater shame, the hierarchy is even willing to encourage individual lay Catholics to denounce the efforts of other Catholics to seek the protection of the civil law for their children and for themselves.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Today, Maryland Catholics are treated to the spectacle of a prominent athlete, a Roman Catholic, given visibility in an official, Catholic media outlet, so that he might give his personal opinion; which is that gay and lesbian Catholics be denied the right to go to the courthouse and get a marriage license - a right which the prominent athlete enjoys but which is to be denied to other Catholics in Maryland.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">America, for 150 years, has progressively expanded civil rights. America does not contract such rights; on the contrary, broader participation in public life is a powerful trend in our civil society. The expansion of civil liberties, the inclusion of more and more citizens in the circle of civic participation often is not easy. Civil rights campaigns are well described as civil rights struggles. Such struggles have cost people their liberty and their lives.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In truth, and in the interest of justice, there can be only one side for the Roman Catholic Church in the struggle for civil rights in America. The church simply must be on the side of justice. The church - to be true to its own justice traditions - simply must be on the side of the expansion of civil liberties. The church must not become an advocate in a campaign to deny civil liberties to Catholic and other citizens of the United States. Tragically, this has already occurred.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A campaign to deny civil rights inherently involves demagoguery, appeals to fear, encouragement of division and hatred. We see all of this today in Maryland, as the opponents of civil rights for gay and lesbian Marylanders exploit these themes.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sadly, to it's shame, the current leadership of the Archdiocese of Baltimore is campaigning actively with the demagogues, the dividers, the haters. Scandalously, the leadership is coldly, cruelly and with calculation setting Catholic against Catholic.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We leave to future developments, the answer to the as yet unanswered question: why?</span></blockquote>
RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-17910060775619767902012-10-29T12:32:00.003-04:002012-10-30T12:21:50.968-04:00Fr Dick Lawrence: marriage entails the mutual support and common life of spouses<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I join Dick Ullrich, who has send an e-mail as follows:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">_____________</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">ABSOLUTELY MUST HEAR: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Father Dick Lawrence, Pastor of St Vincent de Paul, Baltimore, preach on Marriage Equality.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> <br />Click on Link, Left Side Bar for Quick Links, Select Homilies, and then Select Oct 28. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Please share this message with others especially Catholics.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.stvchurch.org/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">http://www.stvchurch.org/</span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">____________</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Here is a direct link to the</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.stvchurch.org/AudioFiles/102812.mp3">Audio of Fr. Lawrence's homily</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">At the website, this homily is summarized:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"The pastor again reads a letter from Archbishop Lori urging Catholics to vote again Question 6 – the Marriage Act citing the primacy of procreating and educating children as the prime purpose of Marriage. The pastor takes a different approach citing the equally compelling reason for marriage (since Vatican II) as the mutual support and common life of the spouses. Two approaches, two different scriptural bases. The pastor urges all to vote – and to vote their conscience."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For a fine summary of Father Lawrence's homily, see:<br /><br /><a href="http://newwaysministryblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/baltimore-catholic-pastor-preaches-in-support-of-marriage-equality-and-conscience/">Baltimore Catholic Pastor Preaches in Support of Marriage Equality and Conscience</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The <i>National Catholic Reporter</i> also reported Pastor Lawrence's homily: </span><a href="http://ncronline.org/node/38101" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Baltimore pastor speaks his mind in homily on same-sex marriage</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-83390355358302856092012-10-22T18:07:00.001-04:002012-10-22T18:22:31.897-04:00Debunking the Anti-Marriage Ads<br />
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From </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 14.467592239379883px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Walter Olson's blog:</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://allmdfamilies.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/anti-6-theme-children-do-best-when-raised-by-their-married-mom-and-dad/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Maryland for All Families</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Anti-6 theme: “Children do best when raised by their married mom and dad”</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">"The first TV ad by the No on 6 campaign </span><a href="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-10-09/news/bs-md-anti-same-sex-ad-watch-20121009_1_gay-marriage-maryland-marriage-alliance-marriage-matters" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">pushes</a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> the “maybe it’s bad for the kids” theme that has worked well for marriage opponents in earlier campaigns. No matter that it’s based on an absurd non sequitur, since Maryland is not somehow voting on whether or not gays should have or raise kids (they’re doing that already), but on whether gay households with or without kids should be able to form legally recognized commitments, advancing the security and stability of those families."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"At any rate, Annie Linskey at the Baltimore Sun has an <a href="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-10-09/news/bs-md-anti-same-sex-ad-watch-20121009_1_gay-marriage-maryland-marriage-alliance-marriage-matters">excellent article</a> examining the basis of the claims.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"The methodology and findings of the Regnerus study have been extensively criticized from many quarters; [Walter Olson's] contribution to this literature appeared <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/walter-olson/regnerus-gay-parenting-study_b_1681253.html">in the Huffington Post</a>."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">John Corvino, has made a valuable contribution in his series of videos on same-sex marriage, entitled:</span></blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=P1S7zIOvRNs" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Debunking the Regnerus Study - John Corvino - YouTube</a></blockquote>
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RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-14392499799357772012-10-22T08:49:00.001-04:002012-11-02T12:51:41.051-04:00For Details on Romney's 5 trillion dollar tax plan - a simple "click" here<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">At Long Last . . . the details are out . . . </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.romneytaxplan.com/">Mitt Romney's 5 trillion dollar tax plan </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.romneytaxplan.com/">ROMNEYTAXPLAN.COM</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's all there is to it.</span><br />
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<br />RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-698541062488712145.post-55645959767064697292012-10-19T09:45:00.001-04:002012-10-19T12:04:33.398-04:00"Government deals with marriage as a civil status . . . "<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Opponents of the civil rights of gay Marylanders often argue from Scripture that marriage is about one man and one woman. So <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/18/knights-of-columbus-donate-millions-to-anti-gay-marriage-effort-report-says/">says the Knights of Columbus</a> through a spokesman: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"We are one with the church on the subject of preserving traditional man-and-woman marriage."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Marriage is man-and-woman marriage. And that's it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But that is <i>not</i> it. Not everyone in Maryland reads Scripture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Not everyone in Maryland reads Scripture in just the same way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In the United States we do not call in the prosecutor to enforce religious beliefs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Judge Dennis Jacobs, a conservative federal circuit judge, <a href="http://rbc-in-md3.blogspot.com/2012/10/breaking-doma-ruled-unconstitutional-by.html">yesterday (Oct 18 2012) made this clear</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Civil rights in the United States are not regulated by any one religion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Judge Jacobs issued a decision in the three judge decision in the Windsor case stated: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>". . . law (federal or state) is not concerned with holy matrimony. Government deals with marriage as a civil status . . . A state may enforce and dissolve a couple’s marriage, but it cannot sanctify or bless it. For that, the pair must go next door [to the Church]."</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In Maryland, this year, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">civil marriage equality is on the ballot. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The question we are asked to decide on Nov. 6 is whether all the citizens of Maryland enjoy <i>the same civil right to</i> <i>marry the one you love</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In our society, there can be only one fair answer to this question: </span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Everyone who believes in equal protection under law should</b> <b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">vote FOR Question Six</b> <b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">on November 6.</b></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Source: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://allmdfamilies.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/judge-jacobs-strikes-down-doma-section-3/">Judge Jacobs strikes down DOMA section 3 | Maryland for All Families</a><br /><br /><a href="http://rbc-in-md3.blogspot.com/2012/10/breaking-doma-ruled-unconstitutional-by.html">DOMA Ruled Unconstitutional by Federal Appeals Court</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/us/appeals-court-rules-against-defense-of-marriage-act.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20121019&_r=0">A federal appeals court on Thursday ruled that gay Americans are a class of people who deserve the same kinds of constitutional protections as many other victims of discrimination. - NY Times</a><br /></span><br />
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<br />RICHARD BALDWIN COOKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01481621550903107972noreply@blogger.com0