People should not fear their governments; governments should fear their people.
Denmark Tightens Immigration Rules. Parliament voted Friday to adopt a law to tightened Denmark’s immigration and asylum rules, making it harder for foreigners to seek asylum, get residence permits and welfare benefits. [AP World News]
This is interesting to read, because I have several relatives in Denmark–most of whom immigrated there from the US and Chile. I wonder if they would have been allowed in under this new law?
3 teens killed at Itamar yeshiva. The yeshiva security guard Arieh Kleiman succeeded in shooting the terrorist and one of the student’s teachers Rabbi Nitzan Yamin shot and killed the infiltrator as members of the community’s response team arrived. [Jerusalem Post]
The terrorist was stopped by two civilians, particularly by the teacher. This is much better than what would have happened in America–here the terrorist would probably have been able to kill dozens before the police finally showed up and stopped him.
FBI objects to the Constitution. Boulder Weekly –
FBI objects to the Constitution – When a jury asked for copies of
the first and fourth amendments, the f.b.i.’s atttorneys objected. The
judge overruled their objection and read the text to the jury, but
would not give them a printed copy. [kaba]
bq.
“Their agents obviously haven’t read the Constitution, so why would
they want anyone else looking at it?” said Darryl Cherney,
co-plaintiff in the civil rights lawsuit, now in its sixth week.
[End the War on Freedom]
The only surprising part of this story is that the judge overruled the objection. The courts generally do their best to ensure that the Constitution has no place in them.
Editorial: Are we too PC to live?. At one time, political correctness was annoying. Then it became a threat to our culture. And now, it has become flat-out self-destructive insanity. Political correctness has become an actual mental illness, causing people to refuse to acknowledge the world around them, even if they risk danger or death from their denial. And we cannot mount an effective defense against the terrorist attack while denying reality.
Is the American society now actually too PC to live?
I’m afraid we might well find out. [FirearmNews.com]
Echelon’s Architect. Meet Bruce McIndoe. He has information that the Danish government and several others around the globe, continuously pretends isn’t there. McIndoe knows that Echelon is real. Because he helped to build it. “Yes, that’s right”, McIndoe confirms to the Danish paper Ekstra Bladet today Bruce McIndoe dedicated more than ten years of his life to Echelon. He helped to finalize the original Echelon system starting in 1987. After that, he started to design Echelon II, an enlargement of the original system. [Cryptome]
An interview by two Danish journalists with one of the architects of the Echelon system.
Act Would OK Snail Mail Searches. The House overwhelmingly approves the Customs Border Security Act, which says mail can be searched at the border ‘without a search warrant.’ Declan McCullagh reports from Washington. [Wired News]
This Act is a blatant violation of the Fourth Amendment, but that’s never stopped Congress before. I rather doubt it will stop them now. Note that this Act refers to the US Postal Service, and doesn’t say anything about FedEx.
GM mosquitoes offer malaria hope. Genetic engineers take the first step towards disarming mosquitoes
that carry malaria. [BBC News: sci/tech]
The article ends with the sentence, “Such moves may well be opposed by environmentalists.” In fact, the use of these mosquitoes would certainly be opposed by ecofreaks, just as they oppose the use of DDT. Ecofreaks don’t mind at all if two million children die each year of malaria, so long as the genetic purity of insects is preserved.
Bill of Rights – Security Edition.
Bill of Rights – Security Edition – a great idea for airplane
travelers. $4, 3 for $9.99, 5 for $15 postpaid. [smith2004]
bq.
The First Ten Amendments to the constitution of the United States
printed on sturdy, pocket-sized, pieces of metal.
The next time you travel by air, take the Security Edition of the Bill
of Rights along with you. When asked to empty your pockets, proudly
toss the Bill of Rights in the plastic bin.
You need to get used to offering up the bill of rights for inspection
and government workers need to get used to deciding if you’ll be
allowed to keep the Bill of Rights with you when you travel.
[End the War on Freedom]
I don’t think this is such a great idea unless you have lots of free time, although it is pretty amusing. However, the FBI issued an advisory years ago that carrying a copy of the US Constitution was a sign of a “domestic terrorist.” Expect to spend lots of time having your cavities if you actually try this.
Just for the record, define ‘refugee camp’. Are these Palestinians considered to be refugees from Jordan — which expelled them in 1972, killing 20,000 in the process? Are they refugees from Kuwait, which expelled all the Palestinians there after 1991, for taking the wrong side in the Gulf War? And if so, why aren’t they blowing up buses — and demanding a “right of return” — in Jordan and Kuwait? [The Libertarian]
Some good comments on the Jenin “refugee camp.” This column was written over a month ago, but I only just found it.
Forget Arafat. The Palestinians deserve democracy. [OpinionJournal]
Sounds of discontent are being heard from the sane Palestinians. I’ve been reading some editorials suggesting that Arafat will lose power, but I don’t think that will happen. More likely if he believes he may lose power, he’ll suddenly end his terrorist attacks on Israel. The Israelis will then have no choice but to agree to peace, and Arafat will then be free to once again plant his boot firmly on the neck of the Palestinians.