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Liberals Tag

Posted by Amy Miller on August 03, 2015 18 Comments
Retailers including Wal-Mart, Amazon, and Sears have reached a $300K compromise with New York regulators who say that the outlets' sales of toy guns violate state law. Federal law requires that toy guns display an orange strip to indicate non functionality, but New York law goes further by banning the sale of black, blue, silver, or aluminum imitation guns. (New York City goes even further---your mock glock needs to be transparent or brightly colored in the Big Apple.) Officials also hit a total of 67 online third-party sellers with cease-and-desist letters in an attempt to prevent indirect sales from slipping across state lines. For their part, the New York AG's office is sticking to their guns (I'm so, so sorry) over the controversial crackdown; officials claim that their regulations work to keep citizens safe from mix-ups with law enforcement:
“There have been instances in states around the country in which police officers have mistaken toy guns for actual guns,” Eric T. Schneiderman, the attorney general, said in an interview. “It’s an absolutely unnecessary risk, because toy guns, as New York law requires, can be easily distinguishable.”

Posted by Leslie Eastman on June 25, 2015 40 Comments
As summer officially opens, battle lines are being drawn in the war against "cultural appropriation". This particular engagement pits Sioux Indians against a counter-cultural group that loves Native Americans a little too much.
The peace and love were interrupted by profanity Monday as Rainbow Family members confirmed their plan to congregate an estimated 5,000 people July 1 to July 7 somewhere in the Black Hills, but were immediately confronted by opponents of the gathering. ...The Rainbow Family of Living Light is a loose association of people who’ve been gathering since 1972 around the ideals of peace and healing. Some Native Americans have expressed concern that the gathering is not appropriate for the Black Hills, considered sacred Indian lands. Before the indoor meeting began, Native American activist James Swan, of the United Urban Warrior Society, parked a pickup west of the building, planted two flags and used a portable sound system to berate the Rainbow Family contingent that was gathered under a light rain on the west lawn of the visitor center.
I must admit, having your culture appropriated by The Rainbow Family of Living Light would be disturbing, as this video clearly shows:

Posted by New Neo on June 20, 2015 19 Comments
While thinking about Obama's comparison of mass murders in the US to the same phenomenon in Europe, it occurred to me that part of what Obama has done during his presidency is to capitalize on an already-existent attitude among many liberals that everything European is better than everything American. That's one of the reasons that Obama can get away with erroneously stating that mass murder by gun is practically nonexistent in Europe and linking it to enhanced gun control. Not too many liberals in this country are going to question that because of the pre-existing idea that Europe has gotten its act together in so many respects while we falter far behind, alone among developed (or, as Obama said, "advanced") countries in bitterly clinging to our troglodyte ways, our guns and our religion. Other things we cling to, and of which Obama would dearly like to free us, include our American exceptionalism, our nationalism rather than internationalism, our rugged individualism, our income inequality, and our idea that "we built that." Things he's already greatly improved about America (i.e. Europeanized, at least to the extent we have allowed him, which is not to the extent he would like) are health insurance and our relations with the Muslim world and with Israel.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on May 15, 2015 31 Comments
On May 3, 2015, we started the ball rolling down the hill on the subject, Columbia Multicultural Advisors: Put Trigger Warning on Ovid’s Metamorphoses:
I think we have the 2015 Phrase of the Year: Trigger Warning. But now they’ve gone too far.... Not all is well with The Metamorphoses at Columbia University. In an Op-Ed in The Columbia Spectator, Our identities matter in Core classrooms, four members of the Columbia Multicultural Affairs Advisory Board complain that the study of classic works of Western civilization in general, and The Metamorphoses specifically, are “triggering,” insensitive, and make some students feel “unsafe” .... The solution? First, a rewrite of the Core curriculum.... Then, Trigger Warnings.... And of course, the mandatory re-education training....
The topic has been percolating around the intertubes since our May 3 post. We got a special shout out yesterday from Jerry A. Coyne at The New Republic, Life Is "Triggering." The Best Literature Should Be, Too:

Posted by William A. Jacobson on April 18, 2015 23 Comments
One of my early posts at Legal Insurrection, on November 11, 2008, was Is It Time For Conservatives To Sit Down In The Snow?. The post analogized what conservatives were about to experience in the aftermath of Obama's first victory to the experience of Soviet Jewish Refusenik Anatoly (Nathan) Sharansky. I related the story of Sharansky's release from the Soviet gulag, and how he resisted to the very last moment of his release:
Sharansky spend almost a decade in Soviet prison because of his activities on behalf of Jews who wanted to emigrate to Israel. Sharansky was subjected to torture and other indignities, but never lost his spirit.Sharansky notoriously refused to obey even the most mundane orders from his captors. Sharansky understood that to compromise even a little would lead to compromising a lot. Throughout his ordeal, Sharansky kept his spirits alive by reading a small book of psalms. As Sharansky was being led to the airplane that would take him from the Soviet Union to East Germany for the exchange, the Soviets confiscated his book of psalms.It would have been easy for Sharansky simply to keep walking towards the plane and freedom. But Sharansky understood that the Soviets confiscated his book of psalms not because they wanted the book, but because they wanted to show that even in this last moment, they were in control.

Posted by Jay Caruso on April 10, 2015 18 Comments
ALEC, or the American Legislative Exchange Council is an organization that is described as such:
"...is a nonprofit organization of conservative state legislators and private sector representatives that drafts and shares model state-level legislation for distribution among state governments in the United States. According to its website, ALEC "works to advance the fundamental principles of free-market enterprise, limited government, and federalism at the state level through a nonpartisan public-private partnership of America's state legislators, members of the private sector and the general public".
To many Democrats and others on the left, however, ALEC is some kind of modern version of the Illuminati, secretly working to take over the United States, using the people within their organization to brainwash public officials into doing their bidding.

Posted by Amy Miller on February 26, 2015 5 Comments
Infiltrators come in all shapes and sizes. As someone who has taken a camera into a hostile environment for the specific purpose of generating viral content, I can tell you that at pretty much any conservative event you attend, you're going to run into at least one lefty with an agenda. It's almost impossible to prevent---when you open up your conference to the paying public, you're welcoming the public to attend. The Conservative Political Action Conference isn't just a 3-day sprint for conservative activists; it's chum in the water for liberals looking for a scoop. Those who attend aren't there to learn, or even to laugh---they're there to catch you doing something stupid. More from the Huffington Post:
Roaming the halls of CPAC on Thursday were five members of the group, American Bridge. They were wearing attendee badges, meaning they paid for the privilege of being there. And they were wielding cameras, five in all. “We have done CPAC before,” said Jesse Lehrich, the group’s deputy communications director. “But not to this extent.” Lehrich, who appeared dressed in an outfit that one would imagine fits a conservative conference -- a patriotic splash of blue jacket, red tie and lighter shirt -- said that the goal was to find a viral moment. He assumed that it would come from one of the side panels, when the cameras were off and some of the less polished speakers would appear. “The panels off the main stage tend to be the stuff that other people don't see,” he said.
It's the "less polished" (read: untrained and most likely less famous) speakers that usually bear the brunt of a liberal assault. Most progressives already know that when they listen to someone like Ted Cruz or Ben Carson speak, they're going to hear something they'll disagree with. They might even hear something they think is crazy; but that's pretty much old news because it's something their audience is already expecting. Disagreement doesn't earn clicks---the unexpected does.

Posted by Leslie Eastman on February 06, 2015 21 Comments
In my last post on the continuing measles outbreak, I encouraged Americans to consider vaccinations. Imagine my surprise upon discovering that, as the co-founder of a San Diego Tea Party group, I am also labeled one of the dreaded #antivaxxers! Well, then I personally would like to welcome an iconic Democrat, Robert T. Kennedy, to the ranks of the Tea Party! While some "Tea Party" people don't choose to vaccinate themselves or their children, a look at the states where non-medical exemptions from vaccinations are an option shows that many of them went for Obama in the last election. The Obama Administration must be worried that the lack of immunization for childhood diseases is going to blossom into a major healthcare PR crisis of Ebola-like proportions, because its friends in the mainstream media are now smearing those who don't vaccinate with that vile term, "Tea Party." How, then, can these mainstream publishers explain the preponderance of progressive non-takers?

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on February 04, 2015 41 Comments
It certainly looks that way. NBC News Anchor Brian Williams has long claimed he was on a helicopter forced down by RPG fire while reporting from Iraq in 2003. An exclusive report in Stars and Stripes, a military publication, tells the story of Williams' indiscretion. Williams was forced to recant when a soldier protested Williams' rendition of the story. As recently as Monday, Williams claimed, on national news, that he was under fire on a Chinook. Take a look: It was during this commemoration that those involved in the incident stepped up to correct the record:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on February 02, 2015 31 Comments
In Oakland, California, one alternative scout troop is far more socially active than their counterparts across the globe---and they're not affiliated with the Girl Scouts. They call themselves, "Radical Brownies." Their mission? "The Radical Brownies empower young girls of color so that they step into their collective power, brilliance and leadership in order to make the world a more radical place." There are no badges for stitching, taking care of pets or being a good neighbor. Radical Brownies "badges earned are custom-made," and "reflect our social justice and culturally-inclusive values." Badges include Radical Beauty Badge, Food Justice Badge, Radical Self-Love Badge. This social-justice version of the girl scouts is a relatively new endeavor by group organizers. In the video below, co-founders Marilyn Hollinquest & Anayvette Martinezco discuss why they decided to create the group. In short, their goal is to show young girls what the world would look like if it were free of "isms":

Posted by Amy Miller on January 29, 2015 26 Comments
Legal Insurrection is not a media "watchdog"-type blog. We understand that the New York Times operates on a bias, and that 90% of what is said on MSNBC is generally garbage that should be ignored. This, however, cannot be ignored. I think that by now we've all seen the liberal freakout that has dominated in the wake of the fantastically successful release of "American Sniper." We acknowledge the reality of the divide between conservatives and some progressives over the need for armed conflict, and its resulting debates. But what's been happening with regards to the narrative about this movie as it relates to Chris Kyle's legacy is beyond shameful. Check out what this guest on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" had to say about what troubles him regarding the spotlight that has recently been shone on "American Sniper" protagonist Kyle:

Posted by New Neo on January 23, 2015 4 Comments
It's long been apparent that the West faces a special dilemma, which is expressed very well in the following passage by Roger Kimball (and "liberal" and "liberalism" in the following doesn't just mean "liberals" as in "progressives," but also "liberals" as in "classical liberals"):
Liberal regimes have always suffered from this paralyzing antinomy: Liberalism implies openness to other points of view, even those points of view whose success would destroy liberalism. Tolerance to those points of view is a prescription for suicide. Intolerance betrays the fundamental premise of liberalism, i.e. openness. Of course (may I say “of course”?), there is a sense in which the antinomy is illusory, since any robust liberalism, i.e., a liberalism buttressed by a core of conservative backbone, understands that tolerance, if it is to flourish, cannot be synonymous with capitulation to ideas that would exploit tolerance only to destroy it. The “openness” that liberal society rightly cherishes is not a vacuous openness to all points of view: it is not “value neutral.” It need not, indeed it cannot, say Yes to all comers.
And yet that basic instinct for practical self-preservation, that paradoxical prohibition necessary for the general openness, is often ignored today. "Democracy is not a suicide pact"---at least, it shouldn't be. The origin of that last phrase lies in several statements by historic Americans, but the most specific one was by Supreme Court Justice Associate Justice Robert Jackson in 1949, in a dissent to the decision in the freedom of speech case known as Terminiello:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on January 05, 2015 16 Comments
When he's not fighting with the teleprompter or holding rallies that summon Black Jesus, Al Sharpton stays pretty busy. But how does he make the big bucks? Isabel Vincent and Melissa Klein of the New York Post have the skinny:
Want to influence a casino bid? Polish your corporate image? Not be labeled a racist? Then you need to pay Al Sharpton. For more than a decade, corporations have shelled out thousands of dollars in donations and consulting fees to Sharpton’s National Action Network. What they get in return is the reverend’s supposed sway in the black community or, more often, his silence.
Even corporate behemoths like Sony Pictures aren't immune to the Sharpton shakedown:
Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal met with the activist preacher after leaked e-mails showed her making racially charged comments about President Obama. Pascal was under siege after a suspected North Korean cyber attack pressured the studio to cancel its release of “The Interview,” which depicts the assassination of dictator Kim Jong-un. Pascal and her team were said to be “shaking in their boots” and “afraid of the Rev,” The Post reported. No payments to NAN have been announced, but Sharpton and Pascal agreed to form a “working group” to focus on racial bias in Hollywood. Sharpton notably did not publicly assert his support for Pascal after the meeting — what observers say seems like a typical Sharpton “shakedown” in the making. Pay him in cash or power, critics say, and you buy his support or silence. “Al Sharpton has enriched himself and NAN for years by threatening companies with bad publicity if they didn’t come to terms with him. Put simply, Sharpton specializes in shakedowns,” said Ken Boehm, chairman of the National Legal & Policy Center, a Virginia-based watchdog group that has produced a book on Sharpton. And Sharpton, who now boasts a close relationship with Obama and Mayor de Blasio, is in a stronger negotiating position than ever. “Once Sharpton’s on board, he plays the race card all the way through,” said a source who has worked with the Harlem preacher. “He just keeps asking for more and more money.”
Sony is not the only corporation that landed in Sharpton's crosshairs. According to the NY Post, AEG, Plainfield Asset Management, Macy’s, Pfizer, General Motors, American Honda, and Chrysler have all "donated" to Sharpton's organization.

Posted by Amy Miller on December 23, 2014 8 Comments
Bloomington City Attorney Sandra Johnson is making moves to hold accountable the organizers of this past Saturday's "Black Lives Matter" protest at the Mall of America. Officers were present on-site, and once the chanting started, moved to close almost 100 stores and several entrances to the mall. I say "moved to" as opposed to "were forced to" because the shutdown occurred as soon as the protests began, and there were no reports of some sort of violent instigating event; but perhaps it's a good thing the officers moved so quickly, based on how mall employees describe what happened next: From CBS Minnesota:
Nate Bash works at one store near the rotunda, which he didn’t want us to name. “You had people yelling and screaming inside the mall that wanted out and you had people yelling and screaming outside the mall that wanted in,” he said. “I would say the mall was less than half as busy as it should have been considering what day it was.” “This was a powder keg just waiting for a match,” said Johnson.
Police officers are busy using social media in an attempt to single out the organizers (arresting every single protester would be chaos, and not worth the trouble;) their goal is to target the organizers and participants who encouraged others to come to the mall even after officials made moves to emphasize that the Mall of America is privately owned, and those disrutping business would be asked to leave. Officials don't yet know how much money was lost during the shutdown, but they're throwing around words like "staggering," so I'm willing to assume that losses were well worth the effort to track these people down and file a lawsuit.

Posted by Leslie Eastman on December 17, 2014 6 Comments
Last week, traffic on two Los Angeles freeways came to a halt as fire crews responded to a massive inferno that incinerated a downtown luxury apartment complex under construction. There is currently no cause that has been officially determined by arson investigators. The best lead in this case may be two men who were captured on video near the scene, in recordings taken shortly after the fire ignited.
Investigators asked for the public’s help Monday to identify two men seen on surveillance video taken the day of the massive apartment fire in downtown L.A. last week. Two men authorities say are potential witnesses are seen in surveillance video walking in the area of the fire, which caused tens of millions of dollars in damage Dec. 8 to the seven-story Da Vinci Complex, 906 N. Fremont Ave.. The two individuals are not considered suspects or persons of interest, and investigators would like to interview them because they were in the area of the fire, officials said. One edited video apparently shows a man in a black jacket, black pants and a black and white baseball cap grabbing at the fence around the apartment complex as it burned before firefighters pull him away from the fence, KNX 1070’s Claudia Peschiutta reports. ...A second video shows a different man, wearing a football jersey with the number 21, a backpack and a baseball cap walking by the area.
A CBS Local video reviews the details as they are known:

Posted by Amy Miller on December 16, 2014 16 Comments
Did you know that the elf on your shelf is training your children to accept the inevitability of the surveillance state? Neither did we. Digital technology professor for the University of Ontario’s Institute of Technology Laura Pinto thinks so, and in her new paper “Who’s the Boss,” she discusses the nefarious way in which Santa's most popular emissary is conditioning children to devalue their own privacy, and using threats (have you been naughty or nice?) to elicit acceptable behavior. EAG News has a helpful excerpt:
When children enter the play world of The Elf on the Shelf, they accept a series of practices and rules associated with the larger story. This, of course, is not unique to The Elf on the Shelf. Many children’s games, including board games and video games, require children to participate while following a prescribed set of rules. The difference, however, is that in other games, the child role-plays a character, or the child imagines herself within a play-world of the game, but the role play does not enter the child’s real world as part of the game. As well, in most games, the time of play is delineated (while the game goes on), and the play to which the rules apply typically does not overlap with the child’s real world.
And here I thought the dead eyes and homicidal expression were the worst things the elf on my friend's shelf had going for it. I don't have kids. I don't have an Elf. Until about two days ago, I had no idea that the point of the Elf on a Shelf was to conjure up a few moments of peace for mommy and daddy in their otherwise chaotic, child-filled world:
The Elf on the Shelf®: A Christmas Tradition is a cleverly rhymed children’s book explaining the story of Santa’s scout elves, who are sent to be Santa’s eyes and ears at children’s homes around the world! Adopt your own scout elf and learn the tale of Santa’s finest helpers. The whole family will enjoy this Christmas tradition.
Scout elf, indeed. From the man who brought us the terror of, "he sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake" comes this weirdness, and in gallops academia to ruin the fun.

Posted by Amy Miller on December 15, 2014 26 Comments
The media has created its own uproar over the Sony Hack. Business Insider has called it an "act of war," and now Sony is trotting out its lawyers and demanding that media agencies refrain from reporting the contents of the stolen data, and delete anything they may have acquired as a result of the hack. Of course, outlets have turned Sony's demand into its own story, and debate over the ethics (and legality) of reporting on stolen data has gotten heated even as the initial furor over "racist" and "shocking" e-mail conversations has tapered off. On Bloomberg’s With All Due Respect, host John Heilemann defended the newsworthyness of the hacked e-mails, taking on Aaron's Sorkin's position that it is "morally treasonous" for other media organizations to profit off of Sony's misery.
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