Cross Posted from Revealing the ACLU: Last month I wrote about a group called STAT (Stop The ACLU Tyranny), who was fighting to preserve the Nativity Scene in the city of Berkley. The city Nativity Scene, like so many others, had come under attack from the ACLU.

Well, Monday Night The Berkley City Council voted on this issue.

From Hometown Life:

The Berkley City Council voted 6-1 Monday night to give the city’s nativity scene to the Berkley Clergy Association for display at local churches.

The council’s options, narrowed from five originally, were either give the Christmas display to the clergy or secularize the nativity.

Before the vote was cast, the council listened to about two hours of citizen comments, including arguments on Supreme Court precedence, religious freedom, community acceptance of others beliefs, watering down Christmas, decoration dollars, minority rights, national agendas, and individual civil liberties.

Berkley clergy members spoke against secularizing the display, saying that only adds fire to flames of an already watered down Christmas.

While I agree with core statement by the clergy involved, I cannot think that the resolution is acceptable. This was not a win for the conservative side of establishment law, as the ACLUs ultimate desire of removing Christian symbols from public property has succeeded. The rights for a church to have a Nativity was never in question.

I do agree that it should be moved rather than secularized. In a move the core message is maintained. When secularized the core meaning of the Christian symbol is removed, and it becomes meaningless.

I am glad that STAT, who supported the Nativity on Public property, agreed and kept with the fight until the end.

The leader of the group Stop the ACLU Tyranny, Georgia Halloran, showed up with a lawyer from the Thomas More Law Center to renew her side of the debate, that she believed the nativity should remain on city property.

“I would say the city capitulated to the ACLU, no matter what was said up there,” she said after the vote. Her group has some options that were mentioned during the meeting, such as a ballot referendum or lawsuit against the city.

“We are not finished,” Halloran said.

I am glad STAT is intending to fight on, and that they now have some high quality support in the Thomas Moore Law Center. However, now that the City has made a decision, the battle has become exponentially more difficult.

If this comes as a surprise to you, then you should be ashamed.

From Fox News:

Russia has begun delivery of Tor-M1 air defense missile systems to Iran, a Defense Ministry official said Friday, confirming that Moscow would proceed with arms deals with Tehran in spite of Western criticism.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue, declined to specify when the deliveries had been made and how many systems had been delivered.

Ministry officials have previously said Moscow would supply 29 of the sophisticated missile systems to Iran under a $700 million contract signed in December, according to Russian media reports.

I wonder if Tehran is going to insist that the missels are for purely peaceful use as well? When the guy gets a line, he sticks with it.

This just goes to show that the Cold War is not really over, it has just morphed. Had Russia tried this during the Reagan Years they could have expected serious fall-out, but not any longer. We lack politicians with backbone, especially in the newly elected congress. By supplying weapons to Iran, Russia has made its stance on the issue very clear, and deserves a harsh response from the US. I am sure Bolton will have some properly sarcastic words, but words are not enough.

I am certainly not calling for the invasion of Russia, but we should certainly cut off the over $50 Million in aid we have provided so far this year. Also, we should consider a similar stance of support for counties, like Georgia and Chechnya who actively oppose Russia.

This a great one from Reuters:

Turkey’s top Muslim official said on Thursday Pope Benedict should state clearly during a planned visit to Turkey next week he believes Islam, like Christianity, to be a religion of peace.

Which would, of course, be a blatant lie. Islam is no more peaceful than was Nazism. You need only look at the stats or watch the news to plainly see the truth about this so-call religion of peace.

“I think the attitude the Pope should take is that neither Islam nor Christianity is a source of violence,” said Ali Bardakoglu, who heads Ankara’s Directorate General for Religious Affairs which controls Turkish imams and writes their sermons.

I am not so sure the families of victims killed during 9/11, Madrid Bombings, London bombings or the hundreds and thousands of other Islamic militant kills would agree. In fact, I am not so sure that people like Bin Ladan would agree either. Finally, I do not think the Quaran agrees either.

Cartoon by Chip Bok

H/T To Discerning Texan

A republican group at Boston University decided to stir the Affirmative Action Pot and has begun offering a White Only Scholarship with the sole intention of sparking a debate.

From the Boston Globe:

Boston University’s Republican students group has started a scholarship for white students, to spark debate about race-based programs.

“We are trying to convey the absurdity of any race-based scholarship,” said Joseph Mroszczyk, a senior from Danvers who is president of the university’s College Republicans. “I don’t think race should be part of any scholarship. It should be based on merit or economic need.”

The $250 scholarship, which will be funded by the chapter and will do little to meet the university’s base tuition of $33,330, has ignited a debate on campus about whether it is the right way to address views on race-based scholarships and affirmative action.

I am glad someone took this on in a direct and overt way. The racial playing field is much more leveled today that it was 15 or 20 years ago and it is about time program, like scholorships, which are affirmative action based, are leveled as well.

By using a very small dollar amount, and specifically mentioning the goal of the scholarship is to spark a debate I believe the group may have taken some of the emotion out of the discussion. There is no menevolence in this - its all about reasoned discussion. I hope the opposition replies in kind.

Naturally, the University is taking steps to distance itself somewhat from any potential blow ups.

Kenneth Elmore, BU’s dean of students, said in a statement that the scholarship goes against the university’s goal of increasing diversity on campus. He agreed the issue of race-based programs is worthy of debate, but questioned the group’s approach.

“It appears to me that they’re trying to push a debate as it relates to affirmative action and American society,” Elmore said. “I want students to know that I encourage debate and will help students foster creative debate around the university. I hope the College Republicans and other students will try to do the same.”

Unfortunately, the local Republican Party is trying to distance themselves even more. Why is having a backbone and politics so dynamically opposed?

Brian Dodge, executive director of the Massachusetts Republican Party, said the state party did not endorse the scholarship. “Their actions are misguided and offensive,” he said.

A national party spokesman called the scholarship “highly inappropriate.”

Wimps.

So far all I have found is commentary from the student base which is mixed. I would be verry interested to see what national organizations who are pro-affirmative action (NAACP, ACLU, etc) have to say.

Also Reporting:
Stop The ACLU

More good news ignored by the main stream media.

Coalition Forces killed four terrorists and detained six suspected terrorists during a mission to disrupt an al-Qaida vehicle-borne improvised explosive device cell in Tarmiyah Friday.

As ground forces made their way toward the targeted building, they received enemy fire from the vicinity of a mosque. Coalition Forces returned fire, killing four terrorists, and continued toward the targeted building.

At the targeted building, the ground forces detained two suspected terrorists. After they left the building, they returned to the vicinity of the mosque and six individuals, including two wounded men, exited the building.

Four suspected terrorists were detained and the two wounded men were treated by ground forces on scene. They were then medically evacuated to a nearby military medical center.

Considering the amount of human suffering and damage inflicted by VBIEDs, it is always significant when Coalition Forces are able to eliminate and detain terrorists involved in organizing these attacks.

This one actually got me to laugh out-loud.

H/T To An Ol’ Broad