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(05/03/12 12:02am)
Arizona's SB 1070, being pushed by the state's Republican governor Jan Brewer, has been challenged by the Federal government, and is now being debated in the United States Supreme Court. The anti-immigration bill essentially allows state law enforcement to assume the role of federal immigration officials, and detain people whom they merely suspect of being present in the country illegally. Racial profiling of population based on the color of their skin is yet another power granted to the state's police, all in order to make life in Arizona unbearable for people of various ethnic groups as a way to deter illegal immigration. Even before one raises the argument of unconstitutional powers assumed by the state by taking on a role reserved to federal officials, one must consider the vile nature of the bill and the vicious hatred it spews against immigrants. Passage of this bill is bound to usher in an Orwellian atmosphere in Arizona for immigrants and their descendents who were born of a different skin color. Every aspect of their public life will be subject to constant harassment by the state law enforcement, essentially robbing them of a sense of security and of belonging.
(04/25/12 4:10am)
As the Republican primaries slowly reveal Mitt Romney as the obvious contender for the United States presidency, focus on the economy is off the backburner and has found itself being touted again as a serious national issue. Social conservatism glib talk has hopefully made its exodus with the likes of Rick Santorum. Social issues have distracted discussion of issues such as jobs and the economy, issues more pressing and of far more importance than almost anything else being spouted about during the height of the debates.
(04/18/12 1:49am)
Last week, the Tennessee legislature signed a bill into law allowing school teachers to bring in supplemental theories and textbooks to address controversies in existing science and to entertain unscientific debate in the classroom, all under the guise of "encouraging critical thinking" among schoolchildren. This deplorable bill was scripted by the state’s Republican lawmakers with help from the Discovery Institute, an organization known for its championing ‘Intelligent Design’ as an alternative to Darwinian evolution by natural selection.
(04/11/12 1:39am)
While the state of Wisconsin was enjoying the long Easter weekend, Gov. Walker quietly signed into legislation a duo of anti-abortion bills. The purpose of these bills is to make it harder for women to access abortion services, while ensuring that the events in the examining room are scripted and orchestrated by the government.
(03/28/12 3:36am)
The recent shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman has grabbed the country in rapt attention, especially because the perpetrator of the killing has not been detained yet. This is because Florida’s ‘Stand your ground’ law grants immunity to people who have used deadly force in their own defense. The lack of substantial witnesses in this case has also compounded the applications of the law, because there is no concrete evidence proving Zimmerman was not acting in self- defense. A similar incident occurred in Slinger, Wis. earlier this month in which a 20-year old man, Bo Morrison, was shot dead by a homeowner, Adam Kind, upon whose porch the former had intruded after partying at a neighbor’s house late after midnight. Wisconsin’s Castle Doctrine was invoked in this situation, and Kind has not been detained in relation to this shooting.
(03/21/12 2:24am)
The GOP has been blaming President Obama for the high gas prices. But they should look at their supporters and lobby groups first to see the real problem.
(03/07/12 2:57am)
Six American soldiers were killed by Afghan National Army soldiers last week. They were among the 40 people killed in anti-American attacks after American soldiers accidental burned copies of the Koran at the Bagram Air Base. This comes at a time when the United States is increasing training efforts to prepare for transferring security duties to Afghan forces by 2014.
(02/29/12 1:14am)
(02/22/12 1:34am)
The twisty race for the Republican presidential nomination now
finds itself with former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in the
lead, ready to take the fight to President Barack Obama. He
recently launched into a tirade against Obama, chiding the
president's policies protecting the environment as based on a
theology that has nothing to do with the Bible. Apart from being
interpreted as an attack on Obama's faith by the media, it also
makes one ponder what Santorum bases his opinions.
(02/15/12 2:35am)
Two recent studies concerning the discovery of mutated H5N1
virus strains, commonly known as avian flu, which are capable of
transmission among mammals have generated a huge debate over the
regulation and dissemination of scientific knowledge. Many
scientist seem to b divided over whether the studies should be
published since the virus strains could be used for bioterrorism.
The papers in question, from the lab of Ron Fouchier at the Erasmus
Medical Center in the Netherlands and by Yoshihiro Kawaoka at
UW-Madison-submitted to "Science" and "Nature," respectively-await
judgment from the scientific community, particularly from the
National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity.
(02/08/12 2:31am)
The decision taken by Susan G. Komen for the Cure to cut funding
to Planned Parenthood resulted in a severe backlash by supporters
of both organizations. Planned Parenthood received nearly $700,000
last year from Komen to conduct breast cancer exams and mammography
referrals for women in need. Komen insists that their decision was
based on a need to adopt more stringent eligibility criteria and to
prevent association with controversial organizations. Planned
Parenthood has been the subject of an investigation by U.S. Rep.
Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., regarding the use of federal funds and to
discern whether they are being used to provide abortion services at
Planned Parenthood's health centers.
(02/01/12 1:54am)
The death toll in Syria rose by another 400 people since last
Thursday after a wave of killings promoted by President Bashar
al-Assad. On Monday alone, over 25 people were reportedly killed in
a government-led crackdown on protesters dissenting Assad's rule
over the Syrian people. Monday also witnessed yet another statement
by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemning the recent
escalation in violence in the country and a promise of an
international resolution on the issue from the United Nations
Security Council.
(01/27/12 3:09am)
Mitt Romney’s spectacular fall from the front-runner position in
the Republican candidacy following the South Carolina primary
election can be attributed to a variety of causes. Arguably, his
reluctance to reveal his taxes seems to have been the greatest.
Voters seemed to be indignant at the fact Romney would be taxed at
a meager 15.4 percent for the 2011 fiscal year despite reported
income that would make him eligible for the 35 percent tax
bracket.
(10/09/11 6:00am)
The populist revolution has swept across the Atlantic and stoked
the flames of discontent in several American cities, most notably
New York. From the Egyptian struggle against oppression that echoed
loud from Tahrir Square to the heroic standoff at
Benghazi, and from a Hazare-led fasting against
corruption in India to the Greek protests against austerity
measures, the world's population has been fighting against
oppression in all shapes and sizes. A commonnality
exists among these seemiingly varied movements—most of
these revolutionary events have been populist in nature,
representing the majority population against a minority of
extremely powerful people who call all the shots. It may be the
first time in history that a number of localized revolutions have
had such a common defining character.
(09/28/11 6:00am)
A bill that could potentially criminalize first-time
operating-while-intoxicated offenders is on a list of proposals to
be considered in the Wisconsin Legislature this fall. Penned by
Gov. Scott Walker, it already has the support of a few
Democrats.
(09/21/11 6:00am)
With the race for the Republican presidential nomination heating
up, the past few weeks have seen extensive campaigning and
passionate debates that have shed more light on the contenders.
Watching contender U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann,
R-Minn., is like revisiting the 2008 presidential
election.
(06/09/11 6:00am)
On May 19, president Obama stirred a bristling forest fire by
suggesting that Israel and Palestine establish boundaries based on
1967 pre-war borders. His now infamous speech reminds us how often
Western attempts at Middle East diplomacy fail.
(11/11/05 6:00am)
A married duo of Washington insiders, UW-Madison alumni Rita
Braver and Robert Barnett, discussed insights on their careers and
on the current state of Washington with UW-Madison students
Thursday.