» Denominational Diversity in North America: Why Are There So Many Denominations? Theological Matters

» Denominational Diversity in North America: Why Are There So Many Denominations? Theological Matters
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:

Denominational Diversity in North America: Why Are There So Many Denominations?

Two hundred years ago frontier revivalist Barton Stone was fed up with Presbyterianism. He found the denomination too theological, too elitist, and out of touch with the common frontier folk he ministered to in southern Kentucky. His biggest problem was that he believed Presbyterianism was not biblical. To Stone, pure Christianity must be built solely upon a plain reading of Scripture, and as he surveyed the Protestant denominations of his day he concluded that they all were contaminated with human traditions. He thus founded a new group that would not be another denomination but merely an organization of biblical believers bound together to worship God according to scriptural guidelines. To capture their anti-denominational spirit, they simply called themselves “Christians.”
Stone was not alone. Other groups in America’s early decades embraced similar ideals. Alexander Campbell, for instance, founded a movement known as “Disciples.” In New England, Abner Jones and Elias Smith formed a group of “Christians” from former Baptists. And in Virginia, James O’Kelly’s Republican Methodists sought a non-hierarchical, more biblical version of Methodism. In time, the two largest of these new groups—Stone’s Christians and Campbell’s Disciples—merged in 1831 to form what would become the Disciples of Christ, a movement known for its commitment to baptismal regeneration and weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Ironically, what was intended to be a denomination-less movement of “mere Christians” wound up forming another denomination in the eyes of most onlookers.

Why do denominations form? Why are there so many of them?

These are complex questions with even more complex answers. Every denomination has its own unique mix of factors that influenced its origins. At the risk of over-simplifying, we can identify several of these factors that led to many denominations:

• Fresh Biblical Insight: A denomination will form when a group of Christians discerns a teaching in Scripture that other Christians had previously overlooked. The new group will find the scriptural teaching so compelling that they find it necessary to form a new group of Christians. In time this group forms a new denomination. During the Reformation, Protestants found justification by faith so central to apostolic Christianity that they could not remain in fellowship with the broader Roman Catholic Church.
• Biblical Primitivism: This is a subset of the last point. When a group consciously attempts to reduplicate certain features of the primitive, New Testament church, then historians sometimes call that group “primitivist.” Over the centuries different denominations emerged as they sought to reduplicate an aspect of New Testament Christianity which they considered to be central for the church.
  • Baptists sought to reduplicate the pattern of believer’s baptism found in the New Testament.
  • Congregationalists sought to reduplicate the New Testament pattern of autonomous churches operating directly under the apostolic authority of the Word.
  • Early Pentecostals sought to reduplicate the New Testament practice of speaking in tongues.
• Political Changes: Sometimes denominations form because of changes related to the political climate of the host nation.
  • To a significant degree, Anglicanism arose when Henry VIII found it expedient for the English church to break ties with the Roman Catholic Church.
  • In contrast, the absence of an official state church in early America allowed for the rise to numerous denominations, some orthodox, others heretical.

These are just some of the reasons that denominations have emerged throughout in the history of the church.
With these observations we begin a new series on “Denominational Diversity in North America.” Over the next year we will be taking brief tours of the prominent denominations that appear in our North American context. Our goal is to take one denomination a month and explore its origins, distinctive views, history, and main leaders.
Due to constraints of space, the entries will be limited to description only; we will not be offering a detailed response to these groups from a Baptist perspective.

• First, we will examine denominations that formed in England prior to the founding of America: Anglicanism, Presbyterianism, Quakers, and Methodism.
• Next, we will turn our attention to those denominations that emerged directly on American soil: the Disciples of Christ, Seventh Day Adventism, Mormonism, and Pentecostalism.

As this list indicates, some of these groups are far more orthodox than others; Mormonism, for instance, is outright heretical. It is our hope that these brief tours will help us understand the diverse religious landscape around us so that we can be better witnesses in our complex world.
__________________________
Robert Caldwell serves as assistant professor of church history at Southwestern Seminary. His research focuses on the history and theology of Evangelicalism in North America, with specialties in American Awakenings and the theology of Jonathan Edwards. Currently he is writing his third book, Theology of the American Revivalists: The Theology of the Great Awakenings from Edwards to Finney (forthcoming from IVP Academic).
 http://www.theologicalmatters.com/index.php/2013/08/29/denominational-diversity-in-north-america-why-are-there-so-many-denominations/

Fast- food workers protests: Union images of the labor force don’t match reality. - Slate Magazine

Fast- food workers protests: Union images of the labor force don’t match reality. - Slate Magazine
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:

“If you work for a living, you’re labor, too!” So read the text of a full-page newspaper advertisement sponsored by the American Federation of Labor  in the spring of 1947. As the anti-union Taft-Hartley Act was wending its way through Congress, the AFL tried to convince the general public that it represented everyone, not just unionized workers.

This was a tough sell—and it still is. The chosen face of organized labor has long been the noble manufacturing worker, often one who produced machinery for American war efforts. This worker was white and male, he was his family’s sole breadwinner, and he probably wore overalls and muscles. Long after the AFL’s 1947 appeal, he remained the quintessential American laborer of the postwar period.

A Congress of Industrial Organizations cartoon from 1948

Courtesy of Reuther Library, Wayne State University.

Successful branding efforts by the AFL and the Congress of Industrial Organizations, which joined forces in 1955, helped win both public support and more favorable contracts for their members. But the campaigns also carried hidden costs. The indelible image of the blue-collar working man now competes with the more diverse demographics of the actual American working class. That cognitive dissonance around what labor “should” look like is part of the challenge facing fast-food workers demonstrating for higher pay, better working conditions, and the right to unionize this Labor Day.

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The demands of fast-food workers in some 60 cities across the country aren’t extreme or unusual. We might imagine a steelworker, autoworker, or miner making similar demands. But the burger flipper at McDonald’s or the cashier at Wendy’s doesn’t have a century-long heritage of imagery celebrating their contributions to the American economy. It’s harder to romanticize the work of service occupations, which employ nearly 18 percent of the American workforce, compared with about 9 percent in manufacturing jobs—a gap that will continue to widen as the service sector expands and manufacturing shrinks.

Yet food service workers are in far worse shape than those who work in manufacturing. The average hourly earnings of workers in nonsupervisory positions is just more than $11 an hour, with food-preparation and serving workers taking home less than $9 an hour, on average. (By contrast, steelworkers receive more than $24 an hour on average, and those in motor vehicle manufacturing are paid more than $27 an hour.) Fewer than 2.5 percent of food-service and accommodation workers are represented by a union, which would likely improve their wages: Unionized full-time food workers make $585 per week on average, compared to $424 for non-union workers.

In the postwar period, union leaders would rally pubic support by stressing that the men of the labor movement had mouths to feed. In a 1947 newspaper advertisement against Taft-Hartley, the CIO featured a picture of a young girl asking, “Why is my Pop worried?” The answer: He might have to go on relief, just as he did during the bad old days of the Depression. “These three are all tied together—families, unions and the United States of America,” the ad argued.

From the April 14, 1947, edition of CIO News Courtesy of Tamiment Library, New York University

Like “Pop,” the fast-food workers demonstrating across the country are often family breadwinners; 40 percent are 25 or older, and about 25 percent of them have children, according to the Center for Economic and Policy Research. But these breadwinner parents don’t look like Pop in many other respects. For one thing, 58 percent of food preparation workers are women. For another, among employed men, 22 percent of blacks and Latinos work in service jobs, compared with just 14 percent of whites. (Among employed women, 28 percent of blacks and fullly one-third of Latinas are in service, compared with 20 percent of white women.) And unlike Pop, they may not be big and brawny, even if the work they do is physically demanding.

A Herbert Block cartoon from the Feb. 19, 1955, edition of the Garden City Newsday following the merger of the AFL and CIO. Courtesy of Reuther Library, Wayne State Universityhttp://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2013/09/fast_food_workers_protests_union_images_of_the_labor_force_don_t_match_reality.html

The gap between our entrenched image of the working class and its demographic reality creates a paradox. On the one hand, it’s clear that unionizing would make the lives of millions of service-industry workers better. On the other, if unions were built to protect the industrial worker in overalls, it’s easy to see why the public might think that as those workers become fewer and farther between, then union power should shrink accordingly.

That perception needs to be shattered for fast food workers to win higher pay, better working conditions, and the right to unionize. As we celebrate Labor Day this year, we should rethink our concept of labor—and of who really does the laboring

Hezbollah mobilises ahead of potential US Syria strike - Yahoo! News

Hezbollah mobilises ahead of potential US Syria strike - Yahoo! News
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah group, a close ally of the Syrian regime, is redeploying its forces ahead of possible US strikes on Damascus, according to witnesses in Lebanon.
The reports come as the daily Al-Akhbar, which is close to both Hezbollah and the Syrian regime, said on Monday that the group had "called on all its officers and members to man their positions."
Residents speaking to AFP in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre said there appeared to be a general mobilisation of the group's members, even if such a movement was not being publicly discussed.
Many Hezbollah fighters have disappeared from local villages in the last five days, though strict security measures around group headquarters and checkpoints have remained in place, residents said.
The situation is the same in the Bekaa Valley of eastern Lebanon, a stronghold of the organisation.
Residents said fighters, including gunners, had left their regular posts, and switched off their mobile phones to ensure they could not be traced.
In the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut, also considered a Hezbollah bastion, teenagers have replaced more experienced fighters at checkpoints inspecting cars entering the district.
A Hezbollah spokesman declined to comment on the reported redeployment of the group's forces.
On Monday, Al-Akhbar also reported that the "Syrian army has mobilised units that have not participated until now in the conflict."
"It has established an operations room... with Hezbollah and the units in charge of missiles are at an unprecedented level of alert," the daily added.
"The Islamic resistance (Hezbollah) has called on all its officers and members to man their positions," the newspaper reported.
The reported mobilisation comes after US President Barack Obama said he favoured the use of military action against Syria in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus.
But Obama has said he will seek approval from Congress for any strikes in response to the attack, for which the Syrian regime denies responsibility.
Hezbollah is a close ally of the Syrian regime, and has dispatched fighters to battle alongside Syrian troops and against rebels seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.
Wadah Charara, an expert on the group, says it commands around 30,000 fighters, including 10,000 with extensive combat experience.
Between 800 and 1,2000 Hezbollah fighters are thought to have taken part in the Syrian regime's battle to recapture the town of Qusayr in central Homs province earlier this year.
 http://news.yahoo.com/hezbollah-mobilises-ahead-potential-us-syria-strike-191153343.html

White Supremacist Ex-Con Caught With Arsenal of Weapons

White Supremacist Ex-Con Caught With Arsenal of Weapons
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
What was supposed to be a bust for counterfeit sports jerseys turned out to be so much more, after federal agents raided the home and business of Richard Schmidt. The Ohio resident, who is an ex-con, was discovered to have the kind of firearm stash that your favorite rapper only raps about, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

But what began with investigators chasing box loads of counterfeit jerseys and baseball caps ended in one of the most perplexing seizures of weapons in Ohio: Authorities in December nabbed 18 guns that included assault rifles, more than 40,000 rounds of ammunition and body armor from Schmidt, a felon who killed a man and wounded two other people in 1989.
Investigators also found possible links to white supremacist groups. He had a VHS tape of a national meeting of the National Socialist Movement and stickers from the National Alliance, according to an inventory of seized items filed in U.S. District Court in Toledo. Agents also obtained notes with the names of Jewish and NAACP leaders in Detroit.

The names of the black leaders in Schmidt's notes were not released, but there is also evidence to suggest that Schmidt is a racist who would target Jews and members of ethnic groups. The man he was convicted of killing in 1989 was Hispanic.

Schmidt returned to Toledo in 2003 after getting out of prison. State incorporation records show he soon formed a nonprofit, the Vinland Preservation League, designed to push environmental and historical conservation and preservation.
The name of the nonprofit suggests more about Schmidt. In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, made note of a profile on yahoo.com involving a Rick Schmidt from Toledo, who went by vinlander101. Photos from the profile match Schmidt.
The law center lists the Vinlanders Social Club as a rogue group that "had a reputation for drinking, brawling and following a racist version of Odinism, a form of ancient paganism practiced by Vikings."

 http://www.theroot.com/buzz/white-supremacist-ex-con-caught-arsenal-weapons

Forward Progressives — President Obama Just Made a Brilliant Move On Possible U.S. Military Intervention in Syria

Forward Progressives — President Obama Just Made a Brilliant Move On Possible U.S. Military Intervention in Syria
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
The big news of the day is President Obama’s comments about his plans to seek approval from Congress for military intervention in Syria.
Now, for many liberals this was the last thing they wanted to hear.  For Libertarians it’s just “more proof” that President Obama is no different than George W. Bush.
But for Republicans, what the heck are they going to say?  In short—nothing.  They can’t.
And that’s why this move is brilliant.
The President knows Syria is going to get much worse before it gets better.  I’ve frequently seen the argument, “With so much bloodshed already, do we really need U.S. bombs causing more?”  Well, that’s not really an accurate way to look at it.  Some others may ask, “Is the loss of 1,000 lives worth saving 100,000?”  It’s a rhetorical question that really has no right or wrong answer, but should definitely cause you to pause for a moment and think about the consequences of any choice we make.


Now some might say “All life is sacred, how can you value any one life over another?”  And that’s true.  But people are going to die in Syria regardless if we get involved or not.  Over 120,000 have died in nearly 3 years of their civil war.  Our involvement is meant to try and curb some of that death.  Nobody is saying if we get involved that there won’t be the loss of innocent lives.  It’s war; horrific decisions are made all the time.  As I’ve said plenty of times, there is no such thing as a “clean war.”  If we get involved it’s meant to try and expedite an end to the seemingly endless bloodshed.  And yes, that means our bombs and missiles will most likely kill innocents.  Like I said, it’s war.  Is it better if we did nothing and simply allowed thousands to die anyway?  Is an innocent death less of a tragedy because they were killed by Bashar al-Assad’s weapons?
But I still don’t know how I feel about our possible involvement.  And that’s not what I see as brilliant in Obama’s plans.
What I think he did that’s absolutely genius is he’s put the burden on Congress to decide what we’ll do.  He put his stamp of approval on what he feels we should do, but now he’s sent it on to Congress.
While Republicans harped on about the “tyrant” President Obama who would circumvent Congress to wage war, he laughed right in their face and endorsed military action — but only with Congressional approval.
Now what can Republicans say?  If they don’t support military involvement, then don’t approve it and that’ll be the end of it.  If they do, then he will.
But wait, endorsing our involvement in Syria would mean Republicans would have to support something President Obama has endorsed.  Which is something they just don’t do.
However, if they choose not to endorse action in Syria, how can they continue to claim to be the party that’s “hard on terror?”  Isn’t this the party that voted for Bush, McCain and Romney — all men who governed and campaigned on preventative war?
Doesn’t curbing violence in Syria qualify as preventative war?
Furthermore, don’t they try and paint President Obama as “weak on terror?”  Well, he’s made a bold (and unpopular with liberals) stance on Syria to hopefully end the violence and take out a corrupt government that has probably used chemical weapons on its own people.
So now who’s going to be “weak on terror?”
But again, for us to get involved in Syria, Republicans would have to endorse something President Obama supports.
And we know most of them won’t do this — and so does he.  That’s what I think makes this absolutely brilliant.
He can take a bold call for his support of military action, something that will anger many within his own party, and force Republicans to either look weak on terror or support something he’s publicly said he supports.
No matter which decision they make, it’s going to make them look weak.
Their whole bet had been that Obama would either back off and look weak himself, or bypass Congress and go into Syria without support.
Well, he did neither.  Essentially, he called their bluff and put it on Congress (more specifically Republicans) to make that call.
But I don’t think for even a second he believes he’ll get approval from Congress, because Republicans have had the political strategy the last few years of, “Whatever Obama does, just do the opposite.”  I always use the joke that if Obama came out in support of oxygen, Republicans would suffocate.
So while liberals can get up in arms over Obama publicly endorsing military involvement in Syria, they always tend to forget that he’s a brilliant chess player.
Remember this past spring when liberals threw a fit over his budget proposal that included a chained CPI?  The outrage was ridiculous.  I told these people who were overreacting to calm down, that Obama had a plan.  Then at the end of the day, almost exactly what I said would happen—did.  Republicans turned on the chained CPI proposal (something they had actually pushed for) and the budget never even sniffed the possibility of being passed.
Which most of the American people blamed Congressional Republicans for — something I theorized was Obama’s plan with his budget all along.
Now he’s doing the same thing with his decision on Syria.  He made his stand, called their bluff (not going it without Congressional support as the right-wing media had fear mongered on for weeks) and has decided to let Congress decide.


And if the last few years of Congressional Republican behavior is any indication, we stand absolutely no chance at getting involved in Syria.
Which will be truly ironic coming from the party which started our last 2 wars and had its last two presidential candidates run on the promise of being “tough on terror.”  So I guess in 2016, whoever Republicans pick to run won’t be able to use that line to pander to their voters.
Unless Republicans do what they haven’t done since Obama became President — support something he’s endorsed.  And I’m pretty sure Obama knew, with his comments today, that is something they just won’t do.
But at the end of the day, Republicans in Congress will have the tougher questions (and decision) to make — not President Obama.
He doesn’t need to worry about being re-elected, but they do.
 http://www.forwardprogressives.com/president-obama-just-made-a-brilliant-move-on-possible-u-s-military-intervention-in-syria/

The 'Dream' Is Still Alive | Michael Steele

The 'Dream' Is Still Alive | Michael Steele
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
I had the pleasure of running into Donna Brazile the other day and talking about the 50th Anniversary programs and celebrations for the 1963 March on Washington.
She noted that she had been asked by Coretta Scott King to serve as the National Youth Coordinator for the 20th anniversary celebrations in 1983 and showed me a vintage poster proclaiming "We Still Have A Dream - Jobs Peace Freedom". Our shared remembrances and that poster got me thinking about how much America has changed, and how important Dr. King's Dream was for a nation and a young black boy coming of age in late 20th century America.
The America that convenes on the Mall in 2013 to celebrate and commemorate Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech is a very different America from the one Dr. King spoke to in August, 1963.
While the vice-like grip of Jim Crow laws were slowly weakening across the country and "For Whites Only" signs no longer greeted those who sought relief at nearby water fountains on the Mall that hot August day, Dr. King surely knew that this moment would be less about the past and more about the future. His words would not only speak to those assembled, but would also press upon future generations the need to "take up the cause of freedom".
In some respects, that iconic moment which launched an historic movement closed a particularly dark chapter in America's history: a chapter which chronicled the burden of slavery and institutionalized discrimination; a chapter which imprinted segregated public accommodations and schools on the very soul of American life; a chapter in which the foundation of America--freedom and equality--was rocked by lynchings and fire bombings.
In that moment, Dr. King turned the page to reveal a new chapter for America--one we are still writing today--steeped in hope, yes, but desperate for opportunity. So, where are we fifty years later? How much of the Dream has become reality; and how much of our reality has faded the Dream?
We've elected a black man president of the United States and yet a black boy is still "profiled" to be a threat and killed because of it. African Americans have reached the pinnacles of industry and commerce, entertainment, sports and politics and yet black unemployment sits at 13.4 percent and the poverty rate exceeds 28 percent (46 percent for a single mother with children under 18). The black family and the black church--the "social safety net" of the black community--anchored the African American experience as we marched off plantations and ultimately on Washington.
But now 67 percent of black children live with one parent (black children are seven times more likely to have a parent in prison) and 68 percent of black babies are born to unwed mothers. African Americans have overcome the terror of police dogs and water hoses but find themselves three times more likely to be stopped, questioned and arrested on the streets of metropolitan America than Whites. The passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act guaranteed political and civil opportunities for full participation at the ballot box, but many African Americans now find that access under reconsideration in the face of new voter registration and voter ID laws and recent Supreme Court decisions.
Dr. King's speech challenged the status quo of his time and now so must we. But we must first answer for our generation the question often asked of him: 'When will you be satisfied?'
As Dr. King would reply, "We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "for whites only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."
And yet today our actions at times belie the truth of Dr. King's response. Put another way: are we satisfied? By our perseverance and ingenuity, courage and determination we built this country. Have we, in the process of assimilation, forgotten that we still have what is required of us to rebuild our communities? It seems now we are willing to give it away--whether it's our political capital or economic power.
Do we not appreciate that if we are not satisfied then no one else can be satisfied for us?
The way others see us starts with how we see ourselves and how we express that to others. So, if we are willing to tolerate the killing of over 500 African Americans in a major metropolitan city in the course of one year--so will the rest of America. If we are willing to tolerate failing school systems and the continued poor education of our children--so will the rest of America. If we tolerate living in boarded-up neighborhoods or the redlining and "gentrification" of our communities that displace our parents and grandparents--so will the rest of America.
Fifty years later, our progress is measured by statistics, but it is also measured by our willingness to no longer be satisfied with the status quo and to make real the Dream for this and future generations. But even in this hour some ask "is the Dream still alive?"
The truth is the Dream did not die on a balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee because the Dream lives in each one of us. That, more than anything else, is the true legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-steele/the-dream-is-still-alive_b_3845365.html?utm_hp_ref=media&ir=Media

SCOTUS Justice Ginsburg to perform same-sex wedding

SCOTUS Justice Ginsburg to perform same-sex wedding
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:


WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is performing a same-sex wedding this weekend in what is believed to be a first for a member of the nation's highest court.
Ginsburg is officiating at the marriage of Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser and John Roberts, a government economist, on Saturday. Kaiser says he asked Ginsburg to officiate because she is a longtime friend.
The private ceremony is taking place at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a memorial to President John F. Kennedy. The 80-year-old Ginsburg, an opera lover, is a frequent guest at the center.
Justices generally avoid taking stands on political issues. The wedding, though, comes after the court's landmark ruling in June to expand federal recognition of same-sex marriages, striking down part of an anti-gay marriage law.
 http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/30/supreme-court-justice-ginsburg-same-sex-wedding/2749687/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28USATODAY+-+News+Top+Stories%29

Syrians in 'conscience of the revolution' city call for President Obama to 'just do it' - Yahoo! News

Syrians in 'conscience of the revolution' city call for President Obama to 'just do it' - Yahoo! News
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
Because of their country's repressive history, Syrian public opinion has been difficult to gauge since the civil war began there. This video, however, shows a group of brave protestors calling on U.S. President Barack Obama to stage a military strike on the Assad regime.

One sign created for the protest showed Obama in a baseball uniform, telling him to "just do it." Another, in English, says "Hit Assad Down; Let Syria Shine." Another says, "We are not after punishing Assad more than having a military intervention to get rid of his brutal dictatorship and let us live peacefully."

The town of Kafr Nabl is in Syria's Idlib governate, and has attracted young people to relocate there because of its daring anti-government stance.

Something else striking about this video is the fairly significant number of people willing to appear in it. This is not the first time Kafr Nabl has made its views known, however. Near the Turkish border, in a region that produces olives and figs, Kafr Nabl rebelled against the government in early 2011, and, says this story by National Public Radio, was "liberated" by anti-government rebels who kicked out members of the regime. It's something like an Assad-free zone.
"It's been called the "conscience of the revolution." Every Friday, protesters take to the streets of Kafr Nabl, holding handmade posters with clever, sarcastic messages. At one point, pictures from Kafr Nabl began spreading on Facebook. Now they've gone viral. Early on the messages were directed at the Syrian government: "Stop killing us with your tanks." Then they were directed at the international community: "Let us die, but do not lie." The art is even more biting. President Obama waltzing with Syrian President Bashar Assad. References to a Pink Floyd album with Syria on the dark side of the moon. And a fictional game show called "Terrorists' Got Talent" showing Assad killing innocent people." http://news.yahoo.com/syrians-in--conscience-of-the-revolution--city-call-for-president-obama-to--just-do-it--215613300.html

Joe Walsh: Former U.S. Rep Publishes Racist ‘I Have A Dream’ Rant | News One

Joe Walsh: Former U.S. Rep Publishes Racist ‘I Have A Dream’ Rant | News One
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, Former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), published a hypocritical, bigoted tirade describing his dream for Black America, reports The Huffington Post.
Known for his racist musings, the Tea Party darling’s list includes every single stereotypical talking point that the right wing has levied against the African-American community.
Read more from Joe Walsh’s My Own Dream for America:

In the build-up to this momentous occasion, many people have invoked King’s legacy to promote their own various causes. Yesterday, President Obama was asked by morning radio host Tom Joyner what King would think of Obamacare. The president quickly responded that King, “would like it.” While our commander-in-chief usurped King’s dream to selfishly promote his own legacy, our country’s race-baiter-in-chief, Rev. Al Sharpton is using this week to push back against the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling to strike down parts of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Of all the commentators who have been  asking whether King’s dream has been achieved, FOX News’ Juan Williams seems to be the only one with whom I agree. When asked by Chris Wallace if the dream has been fulfilled, Williams noted that there isn’t, “any question that [African Americans] have come along way,” before importantly pointing out that blacks have to address the problems that are created within their communities. “I think that if you look at the realities of today, you’ve got to talk about things like family breakdown,” Williams said. “You’ve got to talk about the fact that 70 percent of black children today are born out of wedlock. I think Dr. King would cry.”
I have a dream that all black parents will have the right to choose where their kids attend school.
I have a dream that all black boys and girls will grow up with a father.
I have a dream that young black men will stop shooting other young black men.
I have a dream that all young black men will say “no” to gangs and to drugs.
I have a dream that all black young people will graduate from high school.
I have a dream that young black men won’t become fathers until after they’re married and they have a job.
I have a dream that young unmarried black women will say “no” to young black men who want to have sex.
I have a dream that today’s black leadership will quit blaming racism and “the system” for what ails black America.
I have a dream that black America will take responsibility for improving their own lives.
I have a dream that one day black America will cease their dependency on the government plantation, which has enslaved them to lives of poverty, and instead depend on themselves, their families, their churches, and their communities.

While Walsh seems passionate about Black men not having children until they can afford to care for them, the former congressman is better known for being a deadbeat father than anything he accomplished during his one term as a U.S. representative.
During Walsh’s run for office, his Democratic challenger Tammy Duckworth ran a pointed ad calling him out for the $117,00 in back child support that his ex-wife claimed he owed for the support of his son.
Walsh decried the ad as “dirty” at the time, but when his term was over, he petitioned a judge for a reduction in child support because he could no longer afford his already small payments because he was no longer employed.
With these facts in mind, he might want to rethink his dream to include his own child being taken care of first.
See Duckworth’s ad below:

 http://newsone.com/2702665/joe-walsh-racist-dreams/

Republicans Decline To Speak At March On Washington Commemoration | News One

Republicans Decline To Speak At March On Washington Commemoration | News One
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
Not a single Republican elected official — not one — participated in the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, despite invitations from event organizers, reports the Washington Post.
Republicans came up with a laundry list of excuses, from ill health to scheduling conflicts, to justify their absence, but former Republican Chair Michael Steele said that the conservative response is a typical — and damaging — one:

“It’s part of a continuing narrative that the party finds itself in with these big deals for minority communities around the country and how they perceive our response to them,” he said.
Steele was not invited to speak because he isn’t a current party or elected official. “But if I were the current chairman and hadn’t been invited, that’d be a different story,” he said. “If I hadn’t been invited, I would have forced myself on them.”

Read more from the Washington Post:

“We had a very concerted effort, because this is not a political moment. This was about us coming together as a community, so we wanted to be sure that we had all political representations,” Daughtry said. “We attempted very vigorously to have someone from the GOP participate and unfortunately they were unable to find someone who was able to participate.”
House Speaker John A. Boehner (Ohio), the highest-ranking Republican in Washington, was invited to attend Wednesday’s gathering but declined because of a scheduling conflict, aides said.
Boehner was in Jackson Hole, Wyo., and had no public schedule Wednesday but has been headlining dozens of GOP fundraisers nationwide this month. Aides noted that he led an official congressional commemoration of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech on July 31 at the U.S. Capitol that other top congressional leaders attended.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) received an invitation to attend 12 days ago, which was too late to change scheduled political appearances Wednesday in North Dakota and Ohio, aides said.

Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), currently the only Black senator serving in the United States government, was not invited to speak, but his spokesperson issued the following statement minimizing any political controversy that fact could potentially cause:

“Senator Scott was not invited to speak at the event,” said Greg Blair in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “The senator believes today is a day to remember the extraordinary accomplishments and sacrifices of Dr. King, Congressman John Lewis, and an entire generation of black leaders. Today’s anniversary should simply serve as an opportunity to reflect upon how their actions moved our country forward in a remarkable way.”

Scott was appointed by South Carolina governor Nikki Haley earlier this year after former Sen. Jim DeMint retired.
Though the GOP couldn’t find time to attend the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, the Republican National Committee did manage to organize a separate event at the Capitol Hill Club.  U.S. Rep. Allen West (R-Fla) and T.W. Shannon, speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives were in attendance, as were other high ranking conservative officials.
Though the Republicans engaged in clear passive-aggressive behavior in declining to attend the commemoration, there was at least one who responded with dignity and class.
Former President George W. Bush, who was invited but couldn’t attend because he is recovering from heart surgery, issued the following statement:

Laura and I are proud to join our fellow Americans in commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech.
When Reverend King came to Washington, D.C., in the summer of 1963, his purpose was to hold our Nation to the standards spelled out in the Declaration of Independence. He called all of us to live up to that document’s fundamental promise and the underpinning of our founding – that all of us are created equal and endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights. From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, with thousands gathered around him, Dr. King looked out over the American capital and uttered simple, powerful words that changed the hearts of millions. The dream he had spread a message of hope, justice, and brotherhood that took hold in the hearts of men and women around the world.
Our country has come a long way since that bright afternoon 50 years ago; yet our journey to justice is not complete. Just to the East of the Lincoln Memorial, where President Obama will speak on Wednesday, stands the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. There on the National Mall our President, whose story reflects the promise of America, will help us honor the man who inspired millions to redeem that promise.
Dr. King was on this Earth just 39 years, but the ideals that guided his life of conscience and purpose are eternal. Honoring him requires the commitment of every one of us. There’s still a need for every American to help hasten the day when Dr. King’s vision is made real in every community – when what truly matters is not the color of a person’s skin, but the content of their character.
Laura and I thank the King family and all who work to carry on the legacy of a great man and the promise of a great Nation. May we continue to march toward the day when the dignity and humanity of every person is respected. And may God continue to bless America.

His brother, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, declined his invitation.
Martin Luther King III voiced his disappointment in the partisanship tone of the commemorative march:

“It would have been great” to see, King said, “that around the banner of Martin Luther King everyone could come together, because Dad represented the interest of all who were mistreated.”

U.S. President George W. Bush (R) escorts Coretta Scott King throughout the White House after the signing of a proclamation celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 21, 2002 in Washington D.C.
Photo by TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Imageshttp://newsone.com/2702987/republicans-absent-from-march-on-washington/

Bush, and his family, maintained a friendship with Dr. King’s widow until her death in 2006.
Unfortunately, their party couldn’t put aside ego and partisanship to come together in that same spirit of shared humanity.

▶ Take Me to the King/I Surrender All - Tamela Mann - YouTube

▶ Take Me to the King/I Surrender All - Tamela Mann - YouTube
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
Tamela Mann performs "Take Me to the King" on Bobby Jones Gospel.

'Obamacare' protest comes to Raleigh :: WRAL.com

'Obamacare' protest comes to Raleigh :: WRAL.com
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:

Raleigh, N.C. — A group known as the "Tea Party Express" protested the Affordable Care Act in Raleigh Wednesday.

The group gathered outside the Sheraton Raleigh to encourage Congress to oppose any spending bill that includes funding for the health care law. Among those in attendance was Greg Brannon, a Republican running to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan.
There is a difference of opinion about the law across the North Carolina congressional delegation, and it has become a partisan sticking point as Congress considers a continuing resolution for federal funding.
Fourth District Congressman David Price, a Democrat, said he wants to fund it.
Republican 13th District Congressman George Holding issued a statement Wednesday saying he approves of stalling federal funding so long as the law is included.
"'Obamacare' should be repealed and replaced with patient-centered health care reform," Holding said. "We should do whatever we can to prevent its implementation including leveraging the continuing resolution.”
Fellow Republican 6th District Congressman Howard Coble said his vote on a spending bill would not be decided by the presence of the health care law in the bill.
He and Holding added their signatures to an Aug. 21 letter to congressional Republican leaders that said, in part, "We should continue our efforts to repeal 'Obamacare' in its entirety this year, next year and until we are successful."
"Congress should not play political games with keeping the government running," Hagan said. She supports funding the Affordable Care Act.
 http://www.wral.com/-obamacare-protest-comes-to-raleigh/12828010/

UN showdown set over action against Syria - Yahoo! News

UN showdown set over action against Syria - Yahoo! News
 JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
Bashar al-Assad's friends and foes headed for a showdown at the United Nations Wednesday, as Britain pushes for a resolution to pave the way for military strikes over suspected chemical attacks.
The meeting comes as the United States and its allies pressed their case for likely military action against the Syrian president's regime, despite stern warnings against intervention from key Damascus supporters Russia and Iran.
Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain would present a resolution "condemning the chemical weapons attack by Assad" to a meeting of the Security Council's five permanent members in New York on Wednesday.
"We've always said we want the UN Security Council to live up to its responsibilities on Syria. Today they have an opportunity to do that," he said via Twitter.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also urged the Council to "find the unity to act... to use its authority for peace".

View gallery."

Foreign forces and bases in the Middle East and selected Syrian military equipment. (AFP Photo/)

But the prospects for a quick, much less positive, vote on the draft resolution look dim.
Close Damascus ally Russia, which has already used its veto to block resolutions condemning Syria, said Wednesday it was premature for the Council to act before a UN team inspecting the sites of the alleged attacks releases its findings.
UN-Arab League envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi confirmed that chemical "substances" were used in the attacks that are thought to have killed hundreds of people on the outskirts of Damascus on August 21.
And inspectors headed Wednesday to Eastern Ghouta, a site of one of the reported attacks, after delaying their work for a day over security concerns.
Brahimi added that any military action must have UN approval.

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A member of the Islamist Syrian opposition group Ahrar al-Sham fires against a Kurdish militia durin …

"I think international law is clear on this. International law says that military action must be taken after a decision by the Security Council," he said.
However, such as is the case when NATO forces helped rebels oust Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, there is a precedent for acting without the United Nations.
A senior US official said Washington has ruled out unilateral action and is conferring with allies on potential punitive strikes that could last for more than a day.
"Any military action would not be unilateral. It would include international partners," the senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters.
US President Barack Obama's deputies are holding discussions with Turkey, Jordan and other partners on contingency plans in preparation for any retaliation by Syria in the event of US-led action, the official said.

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This US Department of Defense photo shows US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel as he speaks with Fren …

"There's a possibility that the Syrian government would use chemical weapons again. I don't think you can discount that," said the official.
But if the United States took no military action, then it would send a dangerous signal to other regimes with chemical stockpiles, including North Korea, the official said.
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said the American military was already prepared to act if Obama gave the order -- though White House aides said no final decision had been taken.
"We have moved assets in place to be able to fulfil and comply with whatever option the president wishes to take," Hagel told the BBC. "We are ready to go, like that."
A military campaign in Syria is expected to be limited in scope, likely to last only several days and to target military sites but not chemical weapons stocks themselves, sources in Washington said.

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The United Nations Security Council meets on November 27, 2012 at UN headquarters in New York. Basha …

French President Francois Hollande said his country was "ready to punish" those behind the chemical attacks and that he would meet the leader of Syria's main opposition bloc on Thursday.
But Russia warned of the consequences of any possible military action.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by the ministry as saying "a military solution will lead only to a further destabilisation of the situation in the country and the region".
And supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran, the Assad regime's chief regional ally, warned on Wednesday that "US intervention will be a disaster for the region," state television reported him as saying.
"The region is like a gunpowder depot. (Its) future cannot be predicted" in case of a strike on Syria, he added.

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British Prime Minister David Cameron arrives at 10 Downing Street in central London on August 27, 20 …

The developments came after US Vice President Joe Biden said the chemical attacks could only have been perpetrated by Assad's forces.
"There is no doubt who is responsible for this heinous use of chemical weapons in Syria -- the Syrian regime," said Biden.
Analysts expect to see cruise missiles launched from US and allied submarines, ships and possibly warplanes, firing into Syria from outside its waters and airspace.
Syria's UN ambassador hit back at the accusations against the regime, repeating an assertion that the alleged attacks had been carried out by rebels.
"Many facts tend to prove the innocence of the Syrian government, which has been subject to false accusations," Bashar al-Jaafari told state media.
Such facts also showed that "armed groups have used chemical weapons in order to bring about military intervention and aggression against Syria," he said.
His remarks came as rebel fighters said they fired Katyusha rockets at government positions in central Damascus on Wednesday in retaliation for the alleged chemical attacks on civilians.
The conflict erupted in March 2011 with peaceful anti-regime protests but, following a brutal crackdown on those demonstrations, it evolved into a war that has killed more than 100,000 people and created millions of refugees.http://news.yahoo.com/obama-cameron-no-doubt-syria-regime-waged-chem-071600422.html

Viral Video Shows Police Violently Arresting Individual Who Was Allegedly Only Observing Protest | Video | TheBlaze.com

Viral Video Shows Police Violently Arresting Individual Who Was Allegedly Only Observing Protest | Video | TheBlaze.com
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:

A video uploaded to YouTube on Monday shows multiple police officers violently arresting a man who was allegedly observing a protest at the Wisconsin State Capitol.

“Damon Terrell went to the Solidarity Sing Along to observe and take pictures and/or video,” the video’s opening scene claims. “Despite statements from the DOA that Observers will not be arrested, he was arrested for observing.”

The video then shows a group of police officers confront Terrell, who slowly backs away saying “this is not illegal,” before tackling him to the ground and taking him into custody.

Police reportedly charged Terrell with felony battery and resisting arrest. Just moments before, police had reportedly arrested his brother CJ Terrell for demonstrating.

Watch the video of the incident below:

Jeremy Ryan, the individual who uploaded the video of the arrest to YouTube, spoke with TheBlaze Tuesday afternoon and said he thinks the arrests were racially motivated.

“Police come into the rotunda, they look at him and his brother who are at the time the only minorities in the rotunda and they go straight for them,” Ryan said, noting Terrell was not participating but “walking around taking pictures” and “just observing the singalong.”

“I think that whenever you go after the first two minorities that you see that that looks a bit racist and I do think there were some racial motives,” he continued. “I can’t see any other reason why they were chosen, so I do think it was racially motivated.”

Ryan said he didn’t see “any resisting whatsoever” and that officers “just grabbed him [Terrell] and threw him onto the hard marble floor and started manhandling him.”

In his opinion, disciplinary actions should immediately be taken against the officers involved.

“I think these officers should be at least taken off rotunda duty,” Ryan said. “I think it creates a safety risk for everyone when you have officers like that behaving in a public building”

A spokesperson for the Wisconsin Capitol Police did not respond to multiple requests for comment from TheBlaze on Tuesday.

Watch another video showing the incident from a different angle:

However, Stephanie Marquis, reportedly speaking for the Department of Administration, said in a statement obtained by the Journal Sentinel on Monday, that “both individuals refused to leave and actively resisted officers when they were placed under arrest…. When officers began to arrest Damon Terrell, he began to walk away and actively resisted arrest.”

She reportedly added that one officer sustained an injury, but declined to go into details citing medical privacy concerns.

Still, Ryan says he thinks Terrell did nothing wrong.

“It does appear as though an officer may have been injured in the struggle, however, just because an officer gets arrested illegally arresting someone doesn’t mean the individual assaulted the officer,” he said.

A video posted on a local Occupy group’s website appears to show Terrell moments before his arrest telling an officer that arrests of the singalong protesters are “not” legal.

The protest, called the “Solidarity Sing Along” occurs every day at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. It originally started to protest Governor Scott Walker’s position on collective bargaining, but, after protesters were told they need permits to demonstrate in the building, has evolved into a protest over free speech rights.

 http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/08/27/viral-video-shows-police-violently-arresting-individual-who-was-allegedly-only-observing-protest/

Home Base system to help NC teachers | abc11.com

Home Base system to help NC teachers | abc11.com
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The Department of Public Instruction held a demonstration Tuesday morning to show how the Home Base system will work as it is implemented across the state.

The computer system will allow teachers to go to one place to find lesson plans, assessments, and track their students' progress instead of going to multiple websites.
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. June Atkinson says this is going to help school districts save money in the long run and help teachers who right now are facing some challenges.
Eventually, teachers will be able to have students use the system if they want to do work ahead of time, do extra work, or get extra help. The system will also cut down on text books by using digital ones.
Atkinson explained that with teachers facing a tough new budget, this system could save them some sanity.
"Our teachers have many, many challenges this year with larger class sizes, with less money for text books, less money for instructional materials and supplies. So Home Base will help them. This will allow them to do the work faster and they can be assured that the materials on the website will be vetted," she said.
Most of the program's nearly $20 million price tag is coming from Race to the Top, a federal grant program. It will cost a little more than that to maintain the program every year and officials say that money will come out of state funds.
 http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=9220761

Raleigh police threaten arrest for charity feeding homeless | abc11.com

Raleigh police threaten arrest for charity feeding homeless | abc11.com
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A group from a local church has been feeding the homeless in downtown Raleigh virtually every Saturday and Sunday for the past six years, until this weekend.

When volunteers from Love Wins Ministries showed up at Moore Square Saturday morning, they said they were greeted with officers from the Raleigh Police Department. The group wrote on their blog, that the officers told them if they distributed any food to the nearly 70 people waiting, they would be arrested.

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PHOTOS: Police threaten arrest for charity feeding homeless

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The 100 sausage biscuits and gallons of coffee went uneaten because of the fear of arrests. The group said in the past they had a good relationship with the Raleigh Police Department. Because of a city ordinance, the distribution of food in any of the city's parks is prohibited.
» Click here to read the city ordinance «
Love Ministries' Rev. Hugh Hollowell said that if the group were to get a permit to distribute the food it would cost $800 each day.
However, the group said they would set up on the sidewalk, making sure to clean up after themselves and keep the sidewalk clear.
Raleigh police spokesman Jim Sughrue told ABC11 that no arrests were made Saturday in connection with the feeding activity.
"People were simply informed the ordinance prohibits the kinds of actions some groups have been engaged in at the park. Work is ongoing with those involved, some of whom are developing alternative sites, etc.," Sughrue said.
The group has asked for help from the public in finding a private building or parking lot downtown that they can use to feed the hungry.
Several groups rallied in support of the group Sunday afternoon at Moore Square. Love Ministries said it did not organize the event and that they just want to feed the homeless. Raleigh mayor Nancy McFarlane was on hand at the rally and talked with Hollowell.
"I can't tell you why it kind of came up just now, I think it's really been recognized that its growing and growing, there's more need," McFarlane said. "I'm sorry for the confrontation or whatever happened yesterday, but I think the outcome is going to be good."
McFarlane said there will be a special meeting to address the issue. She expects to announce a time and place for the meeting on Monday.
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=9218431

Colin Powell to North Carolina Governor: ‘There is no voter fraud’ | The Raw Story

Colin Powell to North Carolina Governor: ‘There is no voter fraud’ | The Raw Story
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
Speaking at the CEO Forum in Raleigh, North Carolina to an audience that included Governor Pat McCrory (R), former Secretary of State Colin Powell attacked the restrictive voting law the governor signed into law on August 12. The new law requires photo identification at the polls, limits the number of early voting days and makes it difficult for college students, both in-state and out, to vote.
Moments after the Governor left the stage, Powell said he generally wants “to see policies that encourage every American to vote, not make it more difficult to vote.” He also said that the new law will hurt Republicans, because it “immediately turns off a voting block the Republican Party needs.” To minority voters, he said, it sends the message that “we are really sort of punishing you.’”
Gov. McCrory defended the bill after signing it, claiming it was necessary to prevent voter fraud. “The need for photo ID has been questioned by those who say voter fraud is not a problem in North Carolina,” he wrote. “However, without the higher level of identification a photograph provides, is it possible to know? Even if the instances of misidentified people casting votes are low, that shouldn’t prevent us from putting this non-burdensome safeguard in place. Just because you haven’t been robbed doesn’t mean you shouldn’t lock your doors at night or when you’re away from home.”
In what appeared to be a direct rebuke of the Governor’s claim that such fraud is widespread but difficult to detect, Powell said “You can say what you like, but there is no voter fraud. How can it be widespread and undetected?”http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/22/colin-powell-to-north-carolina-governor-there-is-no-voter-fraud/

McCrory uses Facebook to call out lawmakers :: WRAL.com

McCrory uses Facebook to call out lawmakers :: WRAL.com
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
Raleigh, N.C. — Gov. Pat McCrory is using Facebook to call on lawmakers to sustain two vetoes he issued earlier this month.
"Contact your representative, Julia Howard @ 919-733-5904 who represents Davie and Forsyth counties and tell her to sustain my vetoes of fiscally irresponsible & job-killing legislation: HB 392 & HB 786," reads one of more than a dozen posts the governor made to his official Facebook account Tuesday night.
McCrory vetoes included a bill that would require drug testing for welfare recipients, and a measure that would extend the amount of time farm workers could be employed without undergoing a background check.
McCrory has said he vetoed the drug testing bill because of a potential constitutional issue. The background check bill, he said, would open a loophole for people here illegally to take jobs away from North Carolinians.
When a governor vetoes a bill after the legislature has adjourned, he has 40 days to call the General Assembly back into session to try to override his veto or make adjustments to the measures in question. McCrory has still not called the legislature back and his 40-day window ends shortly after Labor Day.
Senior Republican leaders have said over the past few weeks that sentiment is growing within the House Republican caucus to override McCrory's vetoes. More Info     Find your representative
Among those the governor is calling out on Facebook are House Finance Co-Chairwoman Julia Howard, R-Davie, House Finance Co-Chairman David Lewis, R-Harnett, Appropriations Chairman Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, Judiciary Chairman Leo Daughtry, R-Johnston, and Republican Conference Leader Ruth Samuelson, R-Mecklenburg. http://www.wral.com/mccrory-uses-facebook-to-call-out-lawmakers/12799078/

Texas Deputy Allegedly Rapes Woman In Front Of 3 Children [VIDEO] | News One

Texas Deputy Allegedly Rapes Woman In Front Of 3 Children [VIDEO] | News One
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
Lisa Rodriguez has accused a Texas sheriff’s deputy of sexually assaulting her in front of her children, reports KHOU.com.
Rodriguez, a resident of Houston’s Cloverleaf area in East Harris County, said the deputy came to her home to question her about harassing phone calls, but ended up raping her.

“He hurt me,” Rodriguez said. “He took something from me without even asking. That’s what hurt the most and my children were in the same house I was.”

Her brother, Bobby Rodriguez, continued the story after she was interrupted by investigators:

“He was like well, if you don’t go to jail what can you do for me,” Bobby Rodriguez was told. “That’s when they went upstairs and he told her it was best for them to talk in the room.”
Rodriguez said after the deputy raped her and left, Rodriguez called her brother and they reported what happened. “The Harris County Sheriff’s Office takes these allegations extremely serious,” said Captain Ken Melancon. “He’s actually been temporarily relieved of duty pending the outcome of this investigation.” A rape kit was done and the Harris County Internal Affairs Department and Special Victims Unit are investigating.

See KHOU report below:
As previously reported by NewsOne, this heinous act is, unfortunately, not an anomaly. In February 2012, a 19-year-old mother of two in Milwaukee called 911 after a brick was thrown through her bathroom window and someone began kicking her front door.
After distracting his partner, Police Officer Ladmarald Cates allegedly raped the woman.
Read more on that story here.
Even more recently, two police officers in Lauderhill, Florida found themselves on the other side of the law after being arrested for forcing women into sexual intercourse and groin-punching during a routing traffic stop on May 24, 2012.
Read more on that story here. 
http://newsone.com/2678351/texas-deputy-allegedly-rapes-woman-in-front-of-3-children-video/

Cory Booker Wins Senate Special Election Primary | #NJSEN | At the Races

Cory Booker Wins Senate Special Election Primary | #NJSEN | At the Races
JohnButts@JBMedia - Reports:
Newark Mayor Cory Booker won the Democratic primary Tuesday and is now favored to win the New Jersey Senate special election in October.
Booker held off three other elected officials in the no-drama, two-month sprint to win the low-turnout nomination fight with relative ease. Less than an hour after polls closed, Booker led with 56 percent of the vote when the Associated Press called the race with just 7 percent of precincts reporting.
Trailing Booker was Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. with 25 percent, Rep. Rush D. Holt with 14 percent and state Speaker Sheila Oliver with 4 percent.
In the Oct. 16 special to fill the remaining term of the late Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, Booker faces Republican nominee Steve Lonegan. In the GOP primary, Lonegan, a legally blind conservative activist and former mayor of a small borough in Bergen County, handily defeated Alieta Eck, a physician and first-time candidate.
Beyond his financial advantage and personal popularity, Booker is a heavy favorite thanks to the state’s strong Democratic lean in federal elections. President Barack Obama won the state with 58 percent in 2012, and no Republican has been elected to the Senate from New Jersey in four decades.
The race is rated Safe Democratic by Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call.
After Gov. Chris Christie set the special election date in early June — a day after Lautenberg died of viral pneumonia — Booker entered the race as the instant front-runner. He boasted a national profile and was able to count on well-connected friends in the political, entertainment and tech worlds for support.
When it came to fundraising, he left the competition in the dust. After filing with the Federal Election Commission in January, Booker raised $8.6 million through July 24, the end of the pre-primary fundraising period.
Booker’s name identification advantage, impressive campaign team and the short timeframe of the race allowed the mayor to cruise into primary day with his margin of victory and potential fit in the Senate the only lingering questions.
Deeper dives into Booker’s finances, including details of a sizable stake in an internet company called Waywire and the annual payouts he reportedly received since leaving his former law firm, didn’t surface until the last week of the race and apparently had no bearing on the end result.
Pallone’s endorsement by the Lautenberg family and Holt’s background as a nuclear physicist never provided the spark both needed. The special-election clock ran out on them, but they have options for 2014: seek re-election to the House or challenge the eventual winner of this Senate seat for a full term. http://atr.rollcall.com/cory-booker-wins-senate-special-election-primary-njsen/