Randall Kallinen: Big Man in Houston Atheist Community

USANow's most recent post summarized the efforts of the Houston ACLU, led by Randall Kallinen, in bringing back Jenna Jameson's autobiography to Houston library bookshelves. Kallinen was quoted as saying that nude pictures of Jameson do not constitute pornography by any standard.

After a little research, USANow has learned that Kallinen is the attorney for Houston Atheist Society's "Activist of the Year", Kay Staley. Staley is the Real Estate professional who sued the Harris County to remove the Bible display in front of the Civil Courts building. During their awards ceremony on December 12th of last year, Staley stated: "That display had been bothering me since I first started law school in 1970. I just never could find an attorney who would take the case. Then I happened to sit near Randall Kallinen at a dinner event, and he was looking for a plaintiff for this very thing. It's Randall who really deserves the award. He did such a tremendous job."

Given his track record on the Jameson case, and his role in the ACLU, it is little surprise that Kallinen is a big man in the Houston area atheist social circuit. This fact provides further evidence that the ACLU agenda is driven by radical atheism.

As for the 2005 Houston Atheist Society's awards, Kallinen's work taking the Bible away and bringing pornography back to Harris County citizens will surely give him the inside track for some type of lifetime achievement award.

Porn for the Public: Courtesy of the ACLU

The Houston Public Library system recently placed copies of porn actress Jenna Jameson's autobiography, How to Make Love Like a Porn Star, in their closed stacks which made the book only available upon request. Houston Mayor Bill White and the City Council were instrumental in the library's decision.

The Houston library made a wise decision in taking this book, which contains nude photos of Jameson, off the shelves. Many Houston Independent School District students visit the library, and it is a safe bet that 99% of parents would not want their children to peruse the pages of Jameson's book.

Unfortunately, the local chapter of the ACLU wedged themselves into the issue, stating in a letter to the city that the removal of the book violated the First Amendment. Said Randall Kallinen, the president of the Houston ACLU, "This book has a lot of literary merit. This is about the biography of a woman in a certain industry, it is the porn industry, and it is not a pornographic book by any standards." Hmmmm, naked photos of a porn star do not constitute pornography "by any standards"? One is left to wonder what constitutes pornography in the eyes of Kallinen and the ACLU. After another review of the book by the library committee, the book has been returned to the open shelves in the "Fine Arts" section.

Has any other society in our world's history considered pornagraphic images, or the autobiography of a woman who was paid to have sex with dozens of men, to be "fine arts"? Does any other entity, outside of the ACLU, consider this book appropriate for the general public of all ages?

UPDATE: The Houston chapter of the ACLU has a page where you can send your comments: Contact Houston ACLU You will notice 2 problems with this page: 1) The comment field is about 15 characters long. 2) There is no button to send your comments. Is the Houston chapter of the ACLU incompetent, or are they uninterested in public comments on their activities? I suspect it's a little of both.

Great News on the Economy

The Labor Department announced today that new jobless claims fell to 303,000 for the week ending Feb 5th. This is the lowest jobless claims total in over 4 years. A key driver behind this good news is that layoffs have declined 13% over the prior year.

In other economic news, the trade deficit declined by roughly 5% in December to $56.4 billion dollars. While this is good news, the fact that we import $56 billion more than we export every month is quite sobering. How do we solve this problem? BUY AMERICAN.

So You Want to be a Palestinian Apologist?

There can be little doubt that common Palestinians are living a life of suffering, tragedy, and limited opportunity. Their territories are occupied by the Jews, and real Arab support for Palestinian people is limited. Of course, organizations like Hamas receive millions of dollars annually from various Muslim "charities", but it comes as little surprise that very little funding trickles down to every day needs, like education, infrastructure, and health care.

So while it's easy to sympathize with the common Palestinian, and it's easy to condemn terrorists in Hamas, where can we draw the line between innocence and guilt? How pervasive are anti-Semitism and terrorist ideals in Palestinian culture? Most importantly, can we bundle the Palestinian Authority with the common Palestinian, or with the likes of Hamas? For answers, let's turn to the Palestinian Media Watch which makes its living monitoring official media and propaganda of the Palestinian Authority. Take a look at the summary of their latest report, Kill a Jew, Go to Heaven, and you'll see that the Palestinian Authority is no friend of peace.

For a sneak peak, here's a quote from a Muslim scholar which was broadcast on Palestinian Authority TV last month:
“…and the rock and the tree will say: Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!”

Here is another quote from September, 2004:
“We are waging this cruel war with the brothers of the monkeys and pigs, the Jews and the sons of Zion.”

Let's hope and pray that Mahmoud Abbas will address the pervasive anti-Zionist propaganda being fed to all Palestinians by their government. Otherwise, worldwide efforts towards bringing peace and stability to the Middle East will remain a futile waste of time and money.

Hey Rumsfeld, Get Some More of Them Drones!

Hmmm, we have a $400+ billion defense budget. Perhaps we should build and deploy more of these. With all due respect to "shock and awe", the advancement of U.S. drone aircraft has been the big military story of this war.

Having a few hundred of these bad boys roaming the skies might make Iraqi terrorists think twice before they plant a roadside bomb. You might be thinking that General Atomics, the manufacturer of the Predator drone aircraft, would be a great addition to your stock portfolio. But the company, a spinoff of General Dynamics, is private.

Neoliberal Message: Delivered Best Through Anarchy

As we've witnessed on many occasions over the past year, the radical left is ill-equipped to engage in public discourse purely on the merits of their arguments. For the most part, their agenda is one that promotes immorality, promiscuity, atheism, and complete wealth redistribution within the United States. Picture Stalin as a porn peddler, and you have the radical left incarnate.

Because their platform is anathema to the majority of clear-thinking Americans, the neoliberal minions resort to demonstrations and violence. Witness attacks on Republican party offices, and tire slashing of RNC vehicles during our last election cycle. Witness the violence perpetrated by the radical left who demonstrated during last year's Republican National Convention.

What is becoming clear is that the radical left-wing agenda is kept on life support by a few out-of-touch academics, the socialist and communist parties, and a core group of adolescent thugs who flock to any event which even smells of anarchy.

In the most recent episode, the University of Colorado Board of Regents convened a meeting to discuss disciplinary action to be taken against Ward Churchill. Recall that Churchill is the man who compared the victims of 9/11 to a murderous Nazi, calling them "little Eichmanns", after Nazi death merchant Adolf Eichmann. Clearly, the pinhead Churchill has no business interjecting his views in the realm of public discourse, much less teaching at a major university. The UC Board of Regents actions are long overdue. However, it should come as little surprise that Churchill has his little band of henchmen who attended the Board of Regents meeting. So how do the neoliberal anarchists respond to a civil Board of Regents meeting? They were so loud and disruptive that 2 were arrested, and another was led away in handcuffs! How do you get arrested at a meeting of university Board of Regents? These dimwits clearly had no logical or moral ground on which to defend Churchill, so they simply started a mini-riot at the Board of Regents meeting.

The bottom line is that the radical left message is one of immoral socialism. This message is so abhorrent to the majority of Americans that very few will give the neolib deviants the time of day, so they're forced to rely on a bevy of uninformed adolescent thugs to get the word out. What a proud group the neoliberals must be!

"New Theory" Reported by Newsweek is 3,500 Years Old

The MSNBC website today is reporting this shocking story about a new theory on the origin of human life.

Apparently, radical scientists are claiming that all life can be characterized by an "intelligent design". That is to say that life was created by a higher level being, and our complex nature is evidence of our divine creation.

Interestingly enough, this theory has been previously proposed and can be found here.

All sarcasm aside, modern theories related to intelligent design have been promoted for many years. For an excellent synopsis of the theory, read Darwin's Black Box by Lehigh University biochemist Michael Behe.

Let Freedom Ring!

Iraqis walking to a polling station in Al Alamara.



Expatriots voting in Irvine, California.



Iraqis lining up to vote in Az Zubayr, in Southern Iraq.



An Iraqi woman displays her ink died finger indicating she has just voted.

Mixed Economic News

The US economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate in Q4 2004, according to the Advance report by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Advance reports are based on incomplete data, and will be refined when the Preliminary report is issued on February 25th. Economists were expecting GDP growth of 3.6%.

Personal consumption, equipment and software, and government spending were key drivers to fourth quarter growth. Growth was hampered by the trade deficit, as imports serve to offset GDP growth numbers. In addition, exports were down for the quarter vs. Q3.

The good news is that the economy expanded at a 4.4% rate in 2004. Over the past 16 years, only 2 years have witnessed higher GDP growth. In 1997 and 1999 the economy grew at a 4.5% clip. This is further proof that 2004 was indeed an outstanding year for economic growth.

Save The Elephants

Elephant Walk at Texas A&M is an annual tradition where humans take a last stroll across the A&M campus before they graduate. This tradition began in 1926. For more information, look here.

Apparently, somebody at PETA heard about Elephant Walk and became alarmed. So PETA "fired off a letter to A&M President, Dr. Robert Gates". PETA is concerned about the dangers of allowing "the public to come into contact with elephants"!

I've long known that PETA is an alarmist organization prone to over-reaction, but this story takes the cake.

Here is PETA's letter.

Letter to President Bush

I found this handwritten letter to George Bush on an Iraqi blog last month. The letter, dated November 1st of this year, is posted on the Road of a Nation blog>.

There's no question that Iraq is not going as smoothly as the administration had hoped, and Iraq is clearly a very dangerous place for our soldiers. But the freedom and prosperity of 25 million people lay in the peace, as do prospects for a peaceful US ally in the heart of the Middle East. Let's hope that more and more Iraqis like Sarmad begin to take the lead within that nation's political discourse.

Inauguration Day Quotes

The neo-liberal dividers were out in full force yesterday hoping to take the shine off of George Bush's inauguration day. It is times like this when we develop a true understanding of the nature and characture of the neo-liberals in this country. Most rational, decent people understand that there is a time and a place for protest, and there are times when protests are inappropriate. I'd suggest that an Inauguration Day Parade is an inappropriate time to protest. Bush won fair and square, so let him and his supporters celebrate in peace.

Unfortunately, neo-liberals cannot even contain their spite for one day. Here are a couple select quotes from the "opposition".

"There were more problems in our election than the one in Ukraine, and Ukraine's election was overturned" - Some uninformed punk.

"Personally, I don't feel much like celebrating. So I'm going to mark the occasion by pledging to do everything in my power to fight the extremist Republican's destructive agenda." - Nancy "Botox" Pelosi


"Democracy means working together for the good of our country; it also means keeping faith with your ideals, never retreating from core convictions even as you work to find common ground. We have strong differences, and we argue and fight with all our hearts and energy, and our system endures because we Americans expect nothing less." - John Kerry As an aside, where was this rational John Kerry hiding during the election?

Judge Rules Against School Board Because They Sided with Christians

U.S. District Judge Clarence Cooper, a Bill Clinton appointee, ruled against the Cobb County School District, which had placed stickers on science books that stated evolution is a "theory, not a fact". What makes this ruling a complete farce is that the judge did not make his ruling based on whether or not evolution is a theory or a fact. Rather, Judge Cooper ruled against the school board simply because the school board sided with "religiously motivated individuals".


Clarence Cooper

I'll say it again, because this may be the greatest assault on the rights of Christians ever. Judge Clarence Cooper in Cobb County, Georgia, ruled against a school board because they took an action which was recommended by "religiously motivated" people. Furthermore, said Cobb, the evolution sticker sends "a message that the school board agrees with the beliefs of Christian fundamentalists and creationists". Oh, the horror! A school board agrees with Christians! I suppose that, if it were within his power, Cooper would recommend these school board members be fired for such abhorrent behavior.

Since when does our Constitutation say that, as part of the separation of church and state, that the state cannot agree with the church? If a teacher began teaching beastiality as a legitimate life choice, and Christian parents petitioned the school board for a change in curriculum, would the dimwit Cooper rule in favor of the teacher because the school board agreed with Christians?

It should come as no surprise that the case was brought against the school board by the American "Civil Liberties" Union. Apparently the hacks at the ACLU, as well as Judge Clarence Cooper, believe separation of church and state prevents any member of the state from enacting any policy recommended by the church. Taken to its logical conclusion, it seems these neo-liberals envision a state that is not only separated from the church, but a state that is diametrically opposed to the church.

Here's the full story from CNN.

"Thank You" from Indonesia

In the wake of the recent tsunami disaster, several of the world's military forces have been rushed into service to help bring aid to victims. Military manpower and equipment is needed to reach remote areas, to airlift supplies, etc. To date, the United States, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore have sent military personnel to Indonesia, where more than 100,000 people lost their lives and tens of thousands more citizens are homeless.

Apparently, the presence of military personnel is not necessarily welcomed in Indonesia. Said Indonesian Vice President Yusuf Kalla about the tenure of military relief personnel, "Three months are enough. In fact, the sooner the better."

Sorry our troops are such a menace, Yusuf. By the way, you're welcome.

Final New Jobs Report for 2004

The Labor Department reported 157,000 new jobs in December and adjusted November's new job figure upwards by 34,000.

During the presidential campaign a year ago, the Bush administration was widely criticized for predicting 2.6 million new jobs this year. Although critics were correct in their opinion that the administration was overly optimistic, the Bush team was not as far off as many predicted. In total, 2,231,000 new jobs were created in 2004, or 86% of the figure forecasted by the administration.

Rewind to this February, when John Kerry was issuing daily negative attacks on the president:

"Now George Bush is saying he's going to create 2.6 million jobs this year alone — and his advisers are saying, 'What, you didn't actually believe that, did you?' Apparently George Bush is the only person left in the country who actually believes the far-fetched promises he's peddling."

Well John, it's too bad you were so bearish on America, and such a cowardly critic of President Bush during the campaign, otherwise maybe it would be your administration making the forecast for 2005.

Democrats Desperate to Undermine Bush

In a scene reminiscent of 2000, congressional Democrats are desperately trying to undermine the credibility of our recent presidential election and to smear the Republican party as perpetrators of dirty tricks and disenfranchisement.

Despite the fact that George Bush won Ohio by roughly 118,000 votes, Barbara Boxer (Democrat Senator from CA) and a handful of Congressmen have objected to the counting of Ohio's 20 electoral votes. As a result, the official certification of George Bush as the election winner will be delayed by a few hours.

John Kerry has not joined this fight. In addition, it is clear that this token objection will be over-ruled, and George Bush will be the certified winner later today. But the rabid neo-liberal faction of the Democratic party is not concerned with accomplishing anything, they are simply intent on undermining the legitimacy of George Bush.

All the while, the world is working to bring relief to Southeast Asia in the wake of the devastating tsunami, and men and women are risking their lives to ensure Iraqis are free to vote later this month. Further proof that the neo-liberal claims of compassion and human rights being at the top of their agenda is a lie. Undermining all things Republican is their primary focus.

Victims in the Eyes of the ACLU

Please take a look at this picture, and think about what word comes to mind to describe this group of people:



A)Juveniles
B)Homosexuals
C)Deviants
D)Victims

If you're an ACLU attorney, the correct answer is D. These pinheads were demonstrating along George Bush's motorcade route in Lancaster, PA, in an effort to protest the "attrocities" at Abu Ghraib prison. They were subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct. One of the men "had his arm twisted"! Said ACLU attorney Paula Knudsen, "These unjustified arrests were motivated by politics, not law. The actions of these men are clearly protected under the First Amendment."

Somehow I doubt James Madison, the primary author of the First Amendment, had "mooning the President" in mind as a method of peaceful assembly.

HISD Gets Their Hombre

Houston Independent School District named Abe Saavedra Superintendent yesterday. Mr. Saavedra will earn $270,000 in base pay and will have incentive based bonuses of $60,000. Mr. Saavedra fits the districts long list of requirements, namely:

Candidate must be Hispanic

Candidate must be alive

Candidate must be Hispanic

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) lobbied hard to ensure that a Hispanic was hired. They went so far as to say the new superintendent "must be Hispanic" in order to fix the "dropout problem". USANow will now anxiously await Saavedra's unique programs in an effort to discern precisely what he will do that no Anglo nor African American could do.

Prior to hiring Saavedra, HISD went through the motions by interviewing three other candidates for the job. Two of the candidates were in the last year of their contracts, and their contracts are not to be renewed. The third candidate was being forced into early retirement after the Tucson school board lost confidence in his leadership. Apparently, HISD searched nationwide to find 3 "candidates" who would make Saavedra look like the only man for the job. HISD was forced to find weak candidates because Saavedra himself was forced to resign by his former school district in Corpus Christi.

During yesterday's board meeting, Saavedra stated that his race had nothing to do with his hiring. "I think I offer a certain level of sensitivity to that culture. I intend to be the superintendent for all kids". Saavedra then thanked the board in both English and in Spanish, which makes no sense because every HISD board member is fluent in English. So much for being a superintendent for "all kids" - a good portion of HISD students aren't even able to understand his comments to the school board.

$20 Million for Palestinian Authority, $0 for Boy Scouts

From CNN today:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Citing a "renewed opportunity for peace" in the Middle East, the Bush administration said Wednesday it will give $20 million directly to the Palestinian Authority.

Assistant Secretary of State William Burns made the announcement in Oslo, Norway, at a meeting of the Palestinian Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, a group representing various countries and organizations promoting Palestinian reforms.

Burns said the decision to give the money to the authority was made after the group fulfilled its promises for financial reform, and reflected U.S. "confidence" in the continuation of its reform program.

Hmmmm, it seems that the Palestinian Authority is pretty ardent in their support of Islam. In fact, their former president, Yasser Arafat, has been known to murder in the name of Islamic jihad. So where are the pinheads from the ACLU when we need them? How come they're not outraged by the US government sponsorship of an entity whose very existence is grounded in religious extremism? ACLU attorneys fought vigorously against government sponsorship of scout troops, because a fundamental expectation of every scout is a belief in God. If sponsoring Boy Scouts is such a bad idea, why is it OK to fund the Palestinian Authority?

A Father's Love, Iranian Style

Persian Pride!

Isn't this a lovely photo? We see a father lovingly helping his daughter with her apparel in a park setting.

The occasion? Iran's Headquarters for Commemorating Martyrs of the Global Islamic Movement held this very special ceremony for 200 recruits today. Each of the recruits has volunteered to carry out suicide/homicide bombings against Americans and Israelis. Can't you see the pride of the father, as he gazes in approval at his daughter, who will soon blow herself up into tiny pieces in the hopes of murdering others?

Thursday's "ceremony" also included the unveiling of a large stone column commemorating a 1983 attack on U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon as "the biggest suicide bombing operation against global blasphemy." The martyrs-to-be and their parents must have been filled with great pride as they commemorated the murder of 241 US Marines.

Word to your Mullah: Don't put any Iranians in charge of your efforts to market Islam as the "religion of peace".

Full Story from CBC.