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geforce 5200 driverDecember 11, 2005
...Europe Expected to Deny CIA Prisons?
Image from the Washington Post, of detainees at the Afghanistan prison known as "the Pit".
So, it seemed a pretty clear cut case when US Secretary of State Condaleezza Rice was going to deny that the CIA was shipping prisoners to secret locations (in eastern Europe, just to add that extra touch of sinister) and Europe was upset because the CIA planes were using their airports to do it.
However, the European Union had a secret deal with the CIA, the Telegraph, a British Newspaper reports today. The article describes an agreement in 2003 to allow the US to use "transport facilities" (i.e. airports) to transport "criminals" (i.e. terrorists). Tony Blair used this language to deny that he knew anything about a deal involving airports. The agreement was discussed confidentially, and then deleted from the record before its publishing. No wonder the US administration seemed so unworried by the European dissent; Europe already signed off on such actions.
Posted by Elizabeth Tangora at 02:50 PM | Comments (10)
December 09, 2005
Listening to Each Other
Forget what I wrote on Ann Coulter being heckled at UCONN, this is what I meant to say:
Find more Tom Tomorrow, the smart-assiest liberal political cartoon out there, at the Working For Change archive. While you're there, check out two of my all time favorites.
Posted by Elizabeth Tangora at 10:29 AM | Comments (4)
December 08, 2005
Ann Coulter Heckled at UCONN
Ann Coulter speaking at a different event at University of Pennsylvania
The last time most of us heard about Miss Coulter, it was because she had narrowly dodged being hit by a pie by a student who had gotten up on stage during her speech. Normally, that would be enough to make someone reconsider speaking at Universities. Not Ann Coulter. She thrives on this stuff, and so do conservatives. The fact is that there is no other method so effective at wringing stupid, petty, often violent behavior out of liberals, and such behavior is not only the lifeblood of Coulter's books it's a fantastic clip for the talk shows that help her sell the books.
News articles aren't written about the schools that manage to pass through a Coulter visit without incident, there are no headlines that read "College Democrats Resist Overwhelming Urge to Protest Ann Coulter". Considering how predictable the formula is; Coulter is booked, students are angry, students protest in various student-like ways (supposedly at UCONN a student got into the speaker system and played circus music), it's rather strange that college Republicans keep booking Coulter. It's stretching everyone's imagination to ask that people believe you had no idea the student body would be furious at you spending $16,000 to bring in a woman who has made a career out of making people furious. And before anyone says 'just because her views are unpopular on campus doesn't mean she shouldn't be heard', be sure you're ready to say why Coulter should be heard. She continually comes under criticism for inaccuracy, and most of her material is either lewd, offensive, or both. In the BREITBART.com article one campus Republican remarks with contempt, "It really appalled me that we're not able to come together as a group and listen to a different view in a respectful environment". Really? Was 'coming together' and 'listening to different views' your actual goal? Because it seems like the campus Republicans went to great lengths to get Ann Coulter even though her speaking price exceeded the typical amount alloted for speakers. That amount of money could probably bring in someone who actually tries to foster a useful dialogue between conservatives and liberals.
So the traditional post-Coulter questions are being debated, which should surprise no one, since it's the same thing that happens whenever a college blows its top at having her around. Should she still be allowed to voice her unpopular views at colleges? Well, yes, though I personally doubt Coulter has so much difficulty exercising her freedom of speech that she's reliant on colleges; since we're talking about a woman with several books, some of them composed from the articles that she writes for nationally syndicated newspapers, and who frequently makes television appearances. Coulter is still an American citizen, and therefore there's no way to just get her to be quiet and go away, unless someday liberals and conservatives can arrange a trade (Moore for Coulter). All college liberals can do to curb her appearances on campuses is to stop making the appearances into the pitched battles they've become. Oppose the booking, and the exorbitant amount of money it involved, but politely endure Coulter's visit. Know yourself, and know that if you can't attend without throwing something then you shouldn't attend.
And thumbs up to a brilliant question mentioned in the above article. Smith student attending the speech who asked if Coulter really believed that women shouldn't vote, and Coulter replied that it was just a joke.