23 April 2009
Doug Williams
The Parade Deck News Blog
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read this in English thank a veteran.
Thought for the day…
If there is any principal of the Constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment than any other it is the principal of free thought,-not free thought for those who agree with us but the freedom for the thought that we hate. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes JR.
The Parade Deck News Blog mourns the passing of Officer Terry Adams, of the Tifton Police Department, Georgia. Officer Adams was responding to a call with his lights and siren on. A pickup truck pulling out of a shopping center collided with Officer Adam’s motorcycle. Officer Adams is survived by his wife and four children. For information on how to help Officer Adams family contact the Tifton Police Department at 229-382-3132, or visit the odmp website at www.odmp.org
Mainstream Media Negligent In Its Duties
The media is an important tool of a democracy. It has a responsibility to report news events fairly,
accurately, and without prejudice. No matter how distasteful a media outlet finds a position it has an obligation to professionally cover a story. If it fails to do so the outlet not only violates the public trust, it undermines free speech and it is guilty of negligence of its duties. When a group of outlets exhibit the same behavior they not only undermine free speech but they destroy their credibility as well. Over the past year and a half criticism of the mainstream media has increased because of biased reporting.
In August 2008 the ombudsman (November archives the Parade Deck) for the Washington Post reported that during the Presidential election Barack Obama received three times the favorable front page coverage than John McCain did. CNN and NBC admitted that they felt that the recent Tea Party protests held across the country were not newsworthy. Both organizations actually accused Fox News of giving too much coverage on the Tea Parties.
During my sophomore year in high school and my freshmen year in college I was cursed (or at least I thought I was) with an English teacher named Nelda Andrewartha. This teacher tormented me by forcing me to write on numerous subjects that I found morally or personally offensive. What I didn’t realize was that “Mrs. A” had taught me one of the basics of journalism, which is to professionally write an article without expressing your opinion.
When I was a new student at the University of Alaska I was given two difficult assignments. I had to write a paper supporting the death penalty, and I had to write a paper on why abortion should remain legal. As a Catholic I support neither idea; however, thanks to the tutelage of Mrs. Andrewartha I was able to produce two well written papers that presented both sides of the issues without interjecting my opinion on either position. For the record I got an “A” on both papers
In my first semester of Journalism classes I learned that the basic elements in a good news story were who, what, when where, how, and why. My professor, Edgar Blatchford, told me that if people want your opinion they’ll read an opinion column. The second lesson that I learned was that there were ethical standards in Journalism and that there were serious consequences for unethical behavior. In the past, news outlets reported stories based on the facts and expressed its opinion on an issue in a compass piece or an opinion column. So if I can write a professional article why can’t the mainstream media? What has happened to the professional stands that Journalists are expected to adhere to?
Most media outlets are controlled by people with liberal ideologies. Some of the more liberal outlets are losing subscribers and viewers because of shoddy reporting-so they resort to cheap showbiz tactics in order to attract an audience. Most reporters in the industry are honest professionals that take their responsibility to the people seriously. I cannot say enough good things about Dan Rather (former CBS reporter) or Tom Brokaw of NBC.
There are agencies such as the Huffington Post, CNN, and NBC which is owned by General Electric who have no concept of ethical reporting. The most recent example would be the Tea Party Protests. The Huffington Post actually advertised for Citizen Journalist to infiltrate Tea Party protests and cover unruly crowd behavior. I was surprised and disappointed when Tom Brokaw allowed Janeane Garofalo to launch a hate platform against the Tea Party protesters. She went on to say that those who disagreed with the Obama administration’s policies were racist. NBC failed to produce one piece of footage that supported her claim of racism. By failing to mention disclaimers that MS. Garofalo claims about were unsubstantiated NBC leaves the public with the impression that her statements are true. I would like to believe that Brokaw’s voice in the background encouraging Ms. Garofalo’s rant was due to job preservation.
The most blatant misconduct during the Tea Party story was that of CNN’s. CNN’s own Susan Roesgen conduct at the Chicago Tea Party was the worst that I have ever seen. MS. Roesgen would ask questions of a gentleman who had his child with him and then interrupt him when he tried to answer her questions. During the taped interview that aired on the 16 April episode of the Glen Beck show, she berated the gentleman for being at the protest and then proceeded to tell him that his opinion was wrong. She went on to tell the gentleman how the Obama stimulus plan would affect benefit him. In other footage that was aired on CNN Ms. Roesgen was confronted by other protestors about her behavior. Ms. Roesgen quickly said that this was an anti-government, anti-CNN protest that was not news worthy and shouldn’t be viewed during the family hour.
You may not agree with the position of the Tea Party protesters but let’s examine the merits of the story. The Tea Party protest started with the rant of one individual about the economy on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The protest grew into a movement that carried out nonviolent protest in 2200 cities on 15 April. The protesters were both Democrats and Republican. The stock exchange rant was worth five minutes of fame at best. The fact that the rant grew into a nonpartisan movement that played out in over 2200 cities is a story worth covering. The story should have been covered by every news agency, and it should have been given ample coverage.
If I had been a managing editor here’s how I would have dealt with Ms. Roesgen’s conduct. Susan Roesgen would have been fired for professional misconduct. The producer that aired the segment would also have been fired for allowing the clip on air. As managing editor, I would have personally made a public apology that same day for the poor conduct of my staff; and made it clear that CNN does not tolerate unprofessional or unethical behavior. I would have personally invited the gentleman that was the target of Ms. Roesgen’s abusive behavior onto either a morning or evening segment and allow him to state his case.
The media is supposed to be the public’s watchdog. It should report a story in a fair and balanced manner and allow the public to form its own opinion on an issue. The media should also promote the free exchange of ideas. It should never be allowed censor a story because of ideological differences. When the media allows free speech to be suppressed they undermine the concept of a free press.
I am emailing this article to people on my contact list in hopes that you will forward it to others. Even if you don’t agree with me please forward this to others so that they can make up their own mind on the issue? What can you do to help the current media crisis? Contact your local outlet and let them know how you feel. If that doesn’t work contact the outlets advertisers and tell them that they should only advertise with professional news outlets.
You may view my work at http://paradedeck.wordpress.com/
Semper Fi
Doug Williams
9 April 2009
Doug Williams
The Parade Deck News Blog
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read this in English thank a veteran.
Thought for the day…
“Life is about choices, not chances.” Lyle Sankey; Professional Rodeo Cowboy (retired), coach, and mentor.
The Parade Deck mourns the loss of the following officers:
Detective Allen Pearson. Lenoir County Sheriff’s Department, North Carolina. End of Watch: Tuesday 7 April 2009.
Deputy Sheriff Richard J. Stiles Jr. East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Department Louisiana. End of Watch: Tuesday 7 April 2009.
Police Officer Paul Sciullo III. Pittsburg Police Department, Pennsylvania. End of Watch: Saturday 4 April 2009.
Police Officer Stephen Mayhle. Pittsburg Police Department, Pennsylvania. End of Watch: Saturday 4 April 2009.
Police Officer Eric Kelly. Pittsburg Police Department, Pennsylvania. End of Watch: Saturday 4 April 2009.
Sergeant Randy White. Bridgeport Police Department, Texas. End of Watch: Thursday 2 April 2009.
Sound Off
By Doug Williams
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Criminal Behavior not the fault of Conservatives
The weekend of 3 April was a violent one across the nation. On Friday 3 April 2009 Jiverly Wong age 41 went into the American Civic Association in Binghamton, NY and gunned down 13 people in cold blood before taking his own life. The next day in Pittsburg, PA Richard Poplawski age 22 murdered three police officers and wounded two other officers. Poplawski surrendered to police after one of his weapons jammed and he was wounded by police. On Sunday 34 year old James Harrison killed his five children ages 7-16 in a trailer park in Pierce County, Washington. Harrison then drove to a casino in neighboring King County and shot himself.
Left wing bloggers Andrew Sullivan of the Atlantic and Markos Moulitsas of the Daily Kos blamed Fox News’s Glenn Beck for the deaths of the officers. They claim that Beck’s commentaries about civil unrest sparked the violence. Comments on these sites also blame Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity as well for the violence because of the contents of their news programs. I’ve followed crime stories in the news since the 1970′s and it’s always amazed me how the far left will blame a criminals actions on everything but the criminals for their actions. Sure they have drug or alcohol problems, they came for broken homes, or a variety of other tough problems in their lives, but in 98% of
the cases they made a conscious decision to break the law.
Jiverly Wong had recently lost his job, was going through a divorce, and felt that people were making fun of him for his poor command of the English language. It is obvious from the conflicting statements made by friends who said he was quiet and often helpful, and coworkers who described him as a gun obsessed loner who hated America that he was under a great deal of stress, and we may never know what actually set him off. News organizations have also unfairly taken issue with the fact that Wong practiced at the range on a weekly basis (this is an issue I will address later). Wong wrote a two page rambling letter to a Local news paper before the shooting. In short he planned these murders.
Richard Poplawski was a neo-Nazi who had a problem with authority. He was discharged from the Marines during boot camp for assaulting his Drill Instructor. Friends and family stated that he feared that the Obama administration was planning to take away his guns. These statements were picked up by the far left kooks at the Huffington Post, the Atlantic, and the Daily Kos hence the attack on Beck and his colleagues at Fox News. It was not Glenn that made Poplawski pull the trigger. Poplawski got into an altercation with his mother because his dog urinated on the floor and she asked him to leave; he didn’t and she called the Police. Instead Poplawski made a conscious decision to set up a hasty ambush for Pittsburg Police. When his mother let the officers in Poplawski shot the officers in cold blood.
James Harrison was an abusive and controlling husband whose wife was about to leave him, so he murdered his five children before taking his own life.
The three people I just described were selfish antisocial people who were miserable cowards and failures in life. They wanted take as many people as possible down before taking their own live, and they wanted immortality courtesy of the media. These individuals chose to commit these cowardly acts. Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, and Sean Hannity had nothing to do with it. The best thing that the media could do in these cases is to refuse to address these individuals by name. When describing the motives it would be best to refer to the suspects as dirt bags, cowards, lunatics, waste of oxygen or some other adjective. Don’t give them what they want.
. For the record I try to maintain my proficiency with firearms on a regular basis if my schedule allows it. I am a responsible gun owner who has never thought of using a weapon in an irresponsible manner. When my whole world was turned upside down, and I went through a bad divorce I never thought of picking up a firearm and harming my former spouse and children. Instead I chose to seek out friends and family who helped me cope with major changes in my life. If anything I’m stronger for it. There are also many people like me that have stressful incidents in their lives. They own guns and they frequent ranges; but they don’t go on shooting rampages because life gets rough.
I am sure that the anti gun lobby will use these incidents as the rally cry for more gun laws. The best thing to do is to allow cooler heads to prevail and use existing laws to prosecute offenders. The left could try something really unique like holding people accountable for their actions instead of making excuses for them. If the far left really want to do something constructive my vote would be to revamp the mental health system so that people could get the help they need before they harm themselves and/or others.
Semper Fi
Doug Williams
Did you know that swimming can give you a total body workout, give your body the aerobic workout it needs to lose weight, as well as protect you aging joints from damage? So what are you waiting for? Go down to your favorite store get a suit that fits and hit the water. Now that you know there are no excuses.
2 April 2009
Doug Williams
The Parade Deck News Blog
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read this in English thank a veteran.
Thought for the day…
“And above all have a fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” I Peter, Chapter IV, verse 8.
The Parade Deck mourns the loss of Trooper Mike Haynes of the Montana Highway Patrol, Montana. On 23 March 2009 a vehicle operated by an intoxicated driver struck his Patrol car head-on on US 93 near Kalispell, Montana. End of watch Friday, 27 March 2009.
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Sound Off
Doug’s Opinion
Obama’s Tax Policy Hurts Charities and the Poor
It’s bad enough that charitable organizations are losing donations because of the economy; soon they will face even bigger budget short falls because of President Obama’s decision to reduce tax deductions for charitable tax deductions. The reduction is aimed at those who make more than $250,000 a year so that it will help pay for Obama’s programs. The tax hike will do little to help with the federal deficit and will only hurt charities and the poor. Some of the smaller organizations that provide a valuable service to those in need will have to close their doors because of projected budget shortfalls.
Having been an officer of several charitable organizations over the years I have always been grateful for every donation I have received. As long as the money did not come from criminal activities I never cared about why the money was being donated, because I believe that the reason for giving is between the donor and the almighty.
During my tenure with Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Anchorage, Alaska the economy and our chapter were going through a rough spell. We were spending a lot of money outsourcing our print jobs so that we could ramp up our membership and raise funds for our public awareness campaigns. Our solution was to purchase a copier at a cost of $8500.00. Because of the economy none of the office supply companies were able to donate the equipment, so we had to raise the money ourselves. We received donations from the middle income sector and one of the Washington chapters of M.A.D.D. but we were still about $4,000 dollars short of our goal. Near the end of the tax year several large contributors came through with the rest of the needed funds. I would like to believe that the money was donated because of a belief in our cause, but in reality the true motivation for giving was likely a tax credit. That’s ok because we were able to reach our funding goal so that we could lower our operating costs in order to better serve the community.
Because of rough economic time President Barack Obama has chosen to reduce the deductions that taxpayers earning over 250,000 can take for charitable donations. President Obama believes that the wealthier 1% should pay their fair share of taxes, and rightfully they should. Some will argue that upper income taxpayers should not be allowed to use charitable donations as a tax credit. The argument is that the money used for charity could fund government entitlement programs, or that the government could give the money to charities. That sounds good in theory but in practice the theory is flawed. In order to be able to accept government funding, a charity must be willing to accept the strings that are attached to the funds.
It’s good to have rules about accepting taxpayer money because of waste and fraud. Often times the government attaches such stringent rules to a charity that the funding actually undermines the charity’s mission or it severely limits the application of the funds. In the case of our copier, even if the funding had been available for capital equipment, our news letter would have been subject to government approval. The restrictions attached to the bill would not only hinder free speech, but it would make board members fearful of criticizing lawmakers out of fear of “biting the hand that feeds you.” Because our fight against drunk driving has always been an uphill battle we would be unable to accept such funding.
You are probably wondering how much impact the nation’s top 2-3% wage earners have on charities. In an article written by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann on 28 March 2009, Morris points out that 4,000,000 people had adjusted incomes of $200,000 or more. The group was responsible for 3% o the tax returns, and paid 31% of tax revenue owed to the government. This same group made 44% of all charitable contributions (81 Billion Dollars) in 2008. The money went to churches that further distributed these funds to other needy causes, hospitals, universities, disease research, food banks, soup kitchens, as well as cultural institutions. Many of these donations helped with budget shortfalls that our government would not have been able to meet if they were in charge of charitable donations. Let us not forget the smaller and lesser known groups that traditionally miss out on their piece of the pie.
Now let’s get back to the argument that the government could do a better job of providing for charities. When the economy is up the government would be able to help some but not all charitable groups. In leaner times for the government charities would suffer (as well as the poor) because of the lack of funding. In addition charities run the risk of budget cuts if they are not popular or they are not considered politically correct at the time. If a group makes a powerful political enemy (it happens all the time) they could be shut down due to lack of funding. This is yet another example as to why we cannot and should not be dependent upon the government for everything.
Charitable groups serve a useful purpose in that they have the ability to function with minimal government oversight, and often help people become self sufficient. This is not something that the Government is able to do. Without the assistance of affluent donors charities rarely accomplish certain goals in a reasonable time frame. So wouldn’t it make sense to allow for the current tax credits to remain so that private charities can best serve those in need?
By trying to punish wealthier taxpayers Barack Obama is only punishing charities and the poor. He is also undermining the charitable nature of our society by dictating when and to whom we may donate money too. In his effort to bring about change in our society Obama is overlooking those who can benefit from change the most, the poor. Why is it that the government must destroy a system by interfering in the private sector before it realizes that it shouldn’t have interfered in the first place? If Obama really wanted to help the poor he should leave tax credits for charitable contributions alone.
Semper Fi
Doug Williams
Attempting to broaden your mind is no excuse to cut out your PT time. I’m willing to bet you were stuffing food in your pie hole while you were reading this article. Well guess what sweetheart it’s time to pry your wide load out of that computer chair and do some PT. Now drop and give me twenty-five.
22 March 2009
Doug Williams
The Parade Deck News Blog
St. Patrick’s Day Edition
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read this in English thank a veteran.
Thought for the day…
“Bless those who have fallen given their life for another may their spirit live on from then and forever…” From a Policeman’s Prayer by Corporal Tim Scott, South Bend Indiana Police Department and Patrolman D. Adams Elkhart Police Department.
The Parade Deck mourns the passing of the following officers:
Sergeant Mark Dunakin, Oakland Police Department, California. End of Watch Saturday 21 March 2009
Sergeant Daniel Sakai, Oakland Police Department, California. End of Watch Saturday 21 March 2009.
Sergeant Ervin Romans, Oakland Police Department, California. End of Watch Saturday 21 March 2009.
Police Officer John Hege, Oakland Police Department, California. Date of incident Saturday 21 March 2009. End of Watch Sunday 22 March 2009.
“What is it to be Irish?
Why on Saint Patrick’s Day, to be Irish is to know more glory, adventure, magic, victory, exultation, gratitude and gladness than any other man can experience in a lifetime.” Hal Boyle, What it means to be Irish?
Steve Dunne, Drummer Police Pipe and Drums Band of Bergen County
Bergen Police Drummer Dies on Parade Route
By Doug Williams
It was a rare warm sunny Saint Patrick’s Day in New York. The Police Pipe and Drums Band of Bergen County, New Jersey began its place in the parade at 41st street. The band had led the historic “Fighting 69th” up 5th Avenue to 75th Avenue when tenor drummer Steve Dunne collapsed. Two members of the band immediately began CPR on Dunne while members of the band and the NYPD shielded the scene from the crowd. Despite their heroic efforts Dunne, age 59, was pronounced dead at St Luke’s Hospital at 12:36 p.m. According to an N.Y.P.D. spokesperson Dunne died of an apparent heart attack.
Sergeant Steve Dunne was a retired New York City Court Officer from the Bronx. He was highly regarded by his peers who described him as an old school Irish cop who could teach you a lot if you were willing to learn. He enjoyed Irish music and culture. Before joining the Bergen Police Band he played in a band with a group of court officers. He was known for his dedication as a performer. During a concert in Cleveland the neck strap on his drum broke and the drum hit the ground. According to the New York Times story on Dunne, as the drum bounced back up, and Dunne caught the drum with one hand and continued playing with the other, without missing a beat.
Dunne joined the band that year as a bass drummer and played with the band until a problem with his knee forced him to take a break in 2001. Dunne returned to the band in 2005 as a tenor drummer, which was a lighter instrument. In honor of Dunne the band boarded a bus to the New York City Armory on Lexington between 26th and 27th street and completed its performance.
After the parade the band formed up at the haven Pub and Restaurant on 51st Street. A lone bag piper led a procession that included Dunne’s drums, his sticks crossed on top of it, along with his hat, into the establishment. Like any true Irishmen his friends ordered his favorite drink, (which happens to be Guinness) and raised a pint in salute to Dunne and his drum.
A viewing was held on Friday, 20 March 2009 at the Riverdale on the Hudson Memorial Home, Bronx NY. Funeral Services were held the Following day at St. Margaret of Cortona R.C. Church Located 6000 Riverdale Avenue in the Borough of the Bronx, New York City. Steve Dunne is survived by two brothers Peter and Robert, and a sister Bonnie Dunne-Martin, all of Florida.
Sunny Skies Bless St. Patrick’s Day in New York
This year was the best St. Patrick’s Day that I have ever experienced. Over the course of twenty years I have been involved in numerous St. Patrick’s Day celebrations working behind the scenes planning the parade or taking care of security issues. This year thanks to the woman who allows me to live with her (She’s not big on bag pipes or Irish music) and father Bill O’Farrell I was able to not only march in the parade, but I was in the “Big Show” at that.
I spent the weeks before the parade inspecting the condition of my kilt and other accessories. I spent countless hours polishing my brass so that I would look my best. This year I opted to wear a Glengarry instead of my Irish Rifles Caubeen. (See pictures below.) Despite my best planning I managed to leave my sporran at home, but fortunately for me my father in-law was able to loan me one in a pinch.
We started the day off with a morning Mass at the division II Hibernian Hall of Suffolk County in Babylon, New York. The procession included a color guard and pipers. The Priest shared several funny stories during the Homily and reminded us to stick with a partner in case of an emergency. At the end of the swords used by the color guard were retired and the new ones were blessed by the Priest.
After the Mass I had the pleasure of meeting members of division II before taking the hour bus ride into the city. We departed the bus near Grand Central Station, where we stopped for a snack. I had a hard time keeping up with the rest of the group because I was constantly being greeted by past and present Marines who complimented me on my kilt. It gave me a deep sense of pride when a young Marine said that I was “still good to go sir.
After our side trip to Grand Central we went to our staging area on 46th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue where we waited for our turn to enter the parade. We were supposed to march around 1:00 p.m., so it was no surprise when 2:00 p.m. rolled around and we were still standing around. After all the running joke is that Ancient Order of Hibernians really stands for Any Old Hour. Sadly it would be much later that we learned about the tragic events involving Steve Dunne.
My mother in-law Mary and my wife Kathleen along with the Hibernian women of Suffolk County marched in front of the Saffron United Pipe Band, while the men of the Suffolk County Hibernians brought up the rear. Even though it was near the end of the Parade the crowds were still heavy along the streets with many in the crowd expressing their loyalty to Suffolk County. It was good to listen to the sounds of the Saffron United Pipes and Drums as we marched up 5th Avenue. At the risk of sounding biased I must say that there is nothing like the sound of the Marine Corps Hymn being played on the bag pipes. Sadly all good things must come to an end. After a little over two miles we came to the end of the line and made our way back to the buses for some food and beer.
I’m looking forward to one day playing the pipes in the parade one day but I still have to learn to play them. If you are reading this and you know of a bag pipe instructor in the Northern Virginia area, have them drop me a line in the comment section. If my wife tries to discourage you just pretend that you didn’t hear her.
I’ve attached a group of pictures of the parade below. I hope you enjoy them. Remember to get out and do something physical so that your loved ones can enjoy you a little while longer.
Semper Fi
Doug Williams
Fredericksburg, VA. 2009 St. Patricks Day
Irish Rifles Caubeen
My in-laws Bill and Mary O’Farrell
St. Patrick’s Day 2009 N.Y.C
Doug Williams St. Patrick’s Day 2009 N.Y.C.
This is a Glengarry that I am wearing.
Piper from the Saffron United Pipe Band.
St. Patrick’s Day 2009 N.Y.C.
This is me with the woman who allows me to live with her.
Kathleen has tolerated me for the last nine years.
Nassau County Fire Department Pipe and drums.
St. Patrick’s Day 2009 N.Y.C.
East Islip Pipe and Drums.
St. Patrick’s Day 2009 N.Y.C.
Brendan Jordan and Doug Williams
St. Patrick’s Day 2009 N.Y.C.
Doug relaxing after the Parade.
St. Patrick’s Day 2009 N.Y.C.
20 March 2009
Doug Williams
The Parade Deck News Blog
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read this in English thank a veteran.
Thought for the day…
“First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.” Pastor Martin Niemoller.
The Parade Deck mourns the passing of the following officers:
Corrections Officer Adam Sanderson, Florida Department of Corrections, Florida. End of watch Friday 6 March 2009.
Special Agent Paul M. Sorce, United States Department of Justice-Federal Bureau of Investigations, Detroit, Michigan. End of watch, Monday 9 March 2009.
Jailer Thomas Carroll, Goodhue County Sheriff’s Department, Minnesota. End of watch Tuesday 10 March 2009.
Lieutenant Stuart J. Alexander, Corpus Christi Police Department, Texas. End of watch 11 March 2009.
Deputy Sheriff Chad Mechels, Turner County Sheriff’s Department, South Dakota. End of Watch Sunday 15 March 2009.
Parole Officer Jeffery Woolson, New York State Division of Parole, New York. End of watch Thursday 19 March 2009.
Corrections Officer Mark Parker, Orange County Department of Corrections, Florida. Officer Parker died of complications from gunshot wounds sustained on 10 January 2004. End of watch Thursday 19 March 2009.
The following officers died in 2008 but were recently added to the ODMP:
Police Officer Geoffrey W. G. Stone, Vestavia Hills Police Department, Alabama. End of watch Sunday 6 January 2008.
Special Agent Thomas Joseph Byrne, United States Department of Justice – Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Government. Date of incident Thursday 28 August 2008. End of watch Saturday 30 August 2008.
Sergeant Marc Charles Wilbur, Avon Park Police Department, Florida. End of watch Thursday 25 December 2008
You may view the profiles of these brave men at http://www.odmp.org
Sound off
Doug’s Opinion
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Democrats Lose sight of Constitutional Rights
Now that the Democrats are in power they are working overtime to advance their agenda while they still control both houses of congress. The Democrats agenda seeks to curb free speech, circumvent the second amendment, and further restrict religion. Unfortunately the Democrats have lost sight of the people’s rights under the Constitution.
The top priority of the Democrats is talk show radio. Senator Frank Durbin (D. IL) has attached an amendment to the D.C. voting rights act that would reinstate the “Fairness Doctrine, which was abolished by President Regan in 1987. The amendment to the bill contains vague language that states, “Certain affirmative actions are required of the FCC. Including actions to encourage and promote diversity in communication media ownership and to ensure that broadcast station licenses are used in the public interest.”
Many in the talk show industry view this as a means for Harry Reid and other Democrats to banish conservative radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck and Sean Hannity from the airwaves by requiring that station owners allow equal time to present opposing viewpoints. Democrats hope that ownership of radio outlets will be broken up and owners would be leery of airing controversial radio host out of fear of fines, federal sanctions and lawsuits.
The “Fairness Doctrine” had its place in the 1947 when it was put in place so that free speech would not be infringed upon. In three separate cases the United States Supreme Court ruled that the doctrine was necessary to protect free speech, but in its third ruling the court stated that the constitutionality of the doctrine would have to be revisited because of the wide availability of media outlets. It should also be noted that Reid and Durbin also have their sights set on internet blogs as well.
So why are the Democrats afraid of talk radio when the main stream media already shows bias to the liberal agenda? Even though conservative talk shows dominate the market share on the airwaves, talk radio is only a small slice of the broadcasting network. Fear of losing power in Washington is the number one reason. Remember when Rush Limbaugh had a noon television show during the Clinton Administration? Rush Limbaugh covered the White Water scandal when the mainstream media showed little interest in the story. Limbaugh was also critical of the Brady Bill, and Universal Health care. While many disagreed with Limbaugh’s views he did provide a voice for disenfranchised voters which led to the angry white male vote during midterm elections in Clintons first term. After the Republicans gained control of Congress, the mainstream media moved Limbaugh’s show into the early A.M. hours which forced Limbaugh to cancel his TV show.
The Democrats attempt to silence Conservative Radio hosts will eventually find its way in the courts, and they will likely lose because the liberal viewpoint dominates the media. For those of you, who doubt my word, please review the December 2008 article regarding Supreme Court rulings on the “Fairness Doctrine”.
It would seem that the Obama administration has learned from the Nixon and Clinton administration and is willing to use the IRS as a tool to silence those who criticize the Obama administration. Michael Williams (no relation) writer of the Master of None Blog, and vocal critic of Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner. Geithner who you will recall blamed his failure to pay $48,000 in taxes to the IRS on a glitch in his Turbo Tax program. Williams created a website called taxcheat.com. The site sells a red self inking stamp that allows one to stamp the phrase tax cheat over Geithner’s signature on U.S. currency. The site carries the disclaimer that defacing money is illegal, but that’s the fun in civil disobedience. (My stamp should be in the mail soon.)
The second amendment will soon be facing attacks on several fronts. Attorney General Eric Holder JR. has stated that he intends to reinstate the assault weapons ban that expired under the Bush administration. H.R. 45 AKA the Blair Holt’s Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 will give the U.S. Attorney General’s office to regulate licensure, sale, registration, transfer and possession of a firearm. The act prohibits ownership of a firearm if you are not licensed under this act. The act is still being written, but it places a frightening number restriction on gun ownership to the point that the government can ban gun ownership for almost any reason. Gun advocates feel that this is a back door effort to undermine the recent Supreme Court ruling over gun ownership in the District of Columbia. Barack Obama has indicated that he will sign this bill even though he stated that he had no desire to take firearms from gun owners. The N.R.A. is expected to challenge this bill if it becomes law and they feel that gun owners will prevail in this case.
Religion is another favorite target of Democrats. In Connecticut Senator Andrew J. McDonald, (D-Stamford) and Representative Michael Lawlor, (D-East Haven) introduced S.B. 1098. The bill would allow the State of Connecticut to take over the finances of the Catholic Church. The bill was introduced because of an incident where a Priest stole 1.4 million dollars from his parish. The bill sparked public outrage by Catholics, and has been tabled at the request of the State Attorney General’s Office while the constitutionality of the bill is reviewed.
BishopWilliam E. Lori of Bridgeport (BridgePort Diocese) has publicly stated that the bill is a “thinly veiled attempt to silence the Catholic Church on the important issues of the day, such as same-sex marriage.” This sentiment was also echoed by Danbury state Senator Michael McLachlan, (R-24th District). McLachlan says that he is receiving numerous calls from Catholics and non-Catholics alike about the ramifications of this Bill. State Senator Minority Leader John McKinney (R-Fairfield) calls the bill an unconstitutional assault on religious freedoms.” Despite constitutional concerns about the bill the Democrats have chosen to table the bill instead of killing it.
The assault on religious freedom is not limited to the state of Connecticut. The Economic Stimulus Bill that was recently signed by Obama contains a clause that prohibits prayer in any university building that was built with federal funds. The bill would even prevent your child from praying in his or her dorm room.
You may not agree with Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck or Sean Hannity. You may even believe that only the police should have guns. You may even be an atheist, but you should be concerned that our constitutional rights are slowly being taken away.
It was free speech and a free press that allowed the country to learn about Nixon’s involvement in Watergate. If we allow government to silence the voice of someone because they disagree with the ruling party, or we just find their viewpoints offensive; we will no longer have nor will we deserve a democracy.
As far as the right to keep and bear arms goes, nobody is forcing you to own one; however, we the people must fear a government that fears our guns. This country exists today because the people were able to raise a militia and defeat King George. I won’t argument gun control here, but I will raise the point that Hitler banned gun ownership, and we know the rest of that story.
You may have been born an atheist and have vowed to die an atheist, but isn’t it nice to know that you live in a country where you have the freedom to change your mind, or just be who you are without fear of persecution. Freedom of religion and separation of church and state are an important part of our constitution and must be protected. We will always have ideological differences in our culture, but we must learn to agree to disagree.
As a free society we cannot allow a dominant political party, whether it be Democrat or Republican to erode our constitutional rights. Today we give up a few rights to the democrats, and tomorrow we give a few rights to the Republicans. Somewhere down the line we give up the rest of our rights and then we’ll have no freedom. You may not agree with my religious or political beliefs, but one thing is certain; whether you are a Democrat or Republican you have an obligation to ask our Congress not to pass any bill that erodes our constitutional rights. If we do not then one day we will have no freedom, nor will we deserve it.
Semper Fi
Doug Williams
Don’t forget to get out and do some P.T. You’ll look and feel better because you did. If you plan on knocking back a few extra pints for Saint Patrick’s Day then you need to do some extra P.T., also please remember not to drink and drive, I plan to do my extra by marching in the parade in New York. If you don’t have a parade to march in find something else to do. If you can’t think of another activity then get on your face and start pushing sweetheart.
7 March 2009
Doug Williams
The Parade Deck News Blog
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read this in English thank a veteran.
Thought for the day…
“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.”
Thomas Jefferson.
The Parade Deck mourns the passing of the following officers,
Lieutenant David Charles Gann, Sequatchie County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee. End of watch Tuesday 17 February 2009.
Captain Scott Bierwiler, Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, Florida. End of watch Thursday 19 February 2009.
Police Officer Glen Ciano, Suffolk County Police Department. End of watch Sunday 22 February 2009.
The following officers received injuries in the line of duty and died as a result of their injuries in 2008.
Captain Keith Paul Chiasson, Thibodaux Police Department, Louisiana. Date of incident Tuesday 19 February 1980. End of watch Monday 10 March 2008.
Deputy Sheriff Paul William Derouen, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, California. Date of incident Monday 27 January 1986. End of watch Saturday 29 March 2008.
Lieutenant Michael Patrick Howe, Baltimore County Police Department, Maryland. Date of incident Monday 11 August 2008. End of watch Monday 11 August 2008.
Doug’s Stimulus Plan
You’ve all heard my theories about what is wrong with the economy so I won’t bore you with my opinions as to the cause except to say that both political parties created this mess. I don’t believe that we need to bankrupt our country to fix the economy. The best way to fix the economy is for the government to allow the market to correct itself, reduce taxes, and develop jobs programs that will create permanent, not temporary jobs. Unfortunately the Obama administration is more interested in the Democratic political agenda and not the economy. So now we come to the point where my friends and co-workers ask “What would you do Doug?”
Since the people are demanding action by the government, my answer is to keep it simple and do it right. The first part of the problem is the mortgage crisis. For those who are behind on their mortgages, I say turn in the keys and walk away while you still can. Allow the banks to sell the houses at auction and write off the difference. In the case of subprime mortgages the government is responsible because we didn’t learn from our mistakes in the 1980′s and pass regulations that would have prevented the same mistakes from being repeated. We knew that the Subprime market posed a problem, yet we failed to address it, so yes we are obligated to buy up the bad loans and get them off the books. The way this works is simple, buy the home from the mortgage holder and allow the home owner to vacate the premises with a neutral credit rating. The government will lose money buying an underwater property and selling it, but it would be a first step in removing toxic assets from the banking system.
My more liberal friends would say that I am heartless by pushing people out of their homes, but they fail to see the big picture. The goal is to help the market correct itself by removing bad mortgages, and allowing people to move into more affordable housing. The other factor that had a negative effect on our economy was excessive debt. Granted a person may have to rent a few more years before they can move into another house, but when the time comes they will have paid down their credit cards, and bought a house they can really afford.
There will be some people who for one reason or another can never afford a traditional mortgage. My solution would be to model a program after Habitat for Humanity that would build affordable public housing for renters and for low income home owners. The plan would start with rental housing. For those who choose to own a home, they would be required to have a good rental history for at least five years. The program would then refurbish older homes or build new affordable homes along the same guidelines as Habitat for Humanity. The program would ease the housing crunch as well as provide job training for those who show the aptitude for the construction industry.
The second area of my plan involves Wall Street. Wall Street and the banking industry have shown that deregulation cannot work. Where money is involved greed and corruption will almost always triumph. New regulations would have to come to Wall Street and the banking industry to curb corporate fraud. Since the SEC has looked the other way (the Bernie Madoff scandal) an internal affairs division for the SEC would be formed. New regulations would also be put into effect that would curb speculators so that we won’t have a repeat of last summers oil prices.
The third area of my stimulus plan comes in the form of tax credits, tax cuts and job training. Offer a 35% tax credit for any U.S. company that moves its operation back to the United States. Give that company an additional 10% tax credit for providing job training that result in permanent jobs for American workers. For companies such as Dell who provide a service that is essential to American security interests, provide them with an additional 10% credit for ten years for bringing their operations back to the United States. Lower taxes on other businesses so that they can afford to operate. Defense contractors that provide job training and permanent placement for American workers would be given preference in the biding process.
In order to stimulate the economy I would call for a six month freeze on payroll taxes. The Bush Tax cuts would remain in effect. The alternative minimum tax and the estate tax would be repealed.
With the exception of federal law enforcement and the military there would be a one year hiring freeze on government positions. All government agencies would be required to trim 10% from their budget over the next four years. Any budget surplus would be applied to the Social Security and Medicare programs, the rest would go towards the deficit. I would also reverse the Nixon Policy that took us away from the gold standard.
Small businesses would be eligible for capital improvement loans up to $350,000 with a 1% interest rate so that they can update their operations which would give them the ability to compete with bigger operations. These businesses would be able to provide jobs and services to the local community.
As far as bailouts for banks or businesses go, there would be none. If a business fails because of a poor business plan it makes no sense to throw good money after bad trying to keep it afloat. When a business fails it will either be replaced by another company, or several companies will pick up the customer base and fill the void, that is how a free market bests works.
Sound Off
Doug’s opinion
My economic stimulus plan is simple common sense. Don’t spend more than you make, and don’t gouge the tax payer. The cost to the tax payer is a fraction of the Obama plan. If a guy that can barely keep his own checkbook straight can come up with a simple stimulus plan, why can’t the Obama administration?
In December of 2008 I predicted that we would be in a full blown depression by 2011. Given the current spending spree the Democrats are on I am revising my prediction to 2010 for the year we enter the depression. I just don’t think that the Obama administration will admit it until 2011. In the next six months the Dow will improve for maybe 3-6 months, and then it will fall well below the 5000 mark. When that happens, hang on to your wallets because the Obama administration will raise taxes on everyone.
Jane Justice
I spent the last three years working for Aureus Medical as a traveling Respiratory Therapist. Aureus sent me to some really neat facilities where I had the privilege of working with and meeting some wonderful people. My first assignment At Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa set the standard of what a workplace should be largely because of a remarkable Nurse by the Name of Jane Justice.
Like most businesses today hospital administrators have to do more in order to keep the doors open. Jane did her job well and she never complained. She was well liked by both patients and staff alike, and she should be the benchmark that bosses should strive to meet.
I truly enjoyed working for her, and I always kept in touch with her in case she had a need for a traveling therapist. Sadly Jane died in a traffic accident on 21 February 2009. My heart and prayers go out to Jane’s family and friends. Whoever fills the position Jane left at Jenny Edmundson will has some big shoes to fill.
Semper Fi
Doug Williams
Instead of stuffing your pie hole with fast food at work or school take the time to make a healthy lunch which includes some low fat snacks to eat. Sugar free Jell-O, fruits, and vegetables are better that a burrito loaded down with a lot of junk. It’s good for the body and the brain.
Speaking of healthy brains, sitting behind a desk all day can hurt your productivity. Every hour or so get up and do some deep knee bends and some stretches. You’ll not only refresh your mind but you’ll improve your performance as well. While you’re at it get rid of the pogey bait that you have stashed in your desk drawer. Now drop and give me 25!
16 February 2009
Doug Williams
The Parade Deck News Blog
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read this in English thank a veteran.
Thought for the day… For this issue we have two by Thomas Jefferson.
“No man will ever carry out of the Presidency the reputation which carried him into it.”
“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”
The Parade Deck News Blog mourns the passing of Police Officer John Pawlowski, Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania.
End of Watch: Friday, 13 February 2009. Officer Pawlowski’s profile can be viewed at http://www.odmp.org/
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This is not Doug Williams
Same bull, just a different political party.
The American people were rightfully angry about the shenanigans that went on during the Bush administration and the lack of leadership by the Republican Party. The Obama campaign did a good job of blaming the Bush administration for the economy while conveniently omitting the Democrats involvement in the mess. Obama ran on the promise of “change and transparency” in the government. The American people frustrated as they were bought his line and voted in a filibuster proof Democratic majority.
It’s been less than one hundred days and it’s clear that the only change in Washington are the faces. President Obama has allowed the Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi to create pork laden bill that does little to stimulate the economy and promises to bankrupt our country.
In his first Press conference Obama lied to the nation when he told us that Japan’s deficit quadrupled because the Japanese Government failed to do anything about their economic crisis. It was later reported in the media that the Japanese did in fact enact a stimulus bill but Obama’s Spin Doctor’s countered that the Japanese didn’t act quickly enough and this is why Japans economy sufferd for over a decade.
Obama has attempted to frighten the nation into supporting his stimulus bill by telling us that timing was critical for getting the bill passed so that the nation will avoid an economic crisis “like we haven’t seen before.” The President told us that the bill was so important that the nation didn’t have the luxury of posting the bill online for public inspection as promised in his campaign. (So much for transparency.) The bill quickly cleared the House and Senate on Friday and it has yet to be signed by Obama. Guess what? The economy hasn’t tanked, so could it be he was wrong about the urgency or was he hiding the fact that the bill was comprised largely of pork and earmarks from the American People.
The stimulus bill is over one thousand pages long, and only Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and a few key lobbyists really know what is in the bill. The House democrats voted for the bill without even knowing what it contains. House Republicans refused to vote for it. As an Independent, had I been in office I too would have voted against this bill without further scrutiny. Thanks to Arlin Spector, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins, (all moderate Republicans) the Democrats easily passed the bill through the Senate.
According to the Congressional Budget Office the Economic Stimulus Bill’s initial cost of 787 billion dollars will actually cost the taxpayer 3.27 trillion dollars instead of the 1.2 trillion dollar price tag. The new price tag covers startup costs, interest, and the expanded programs that the legislation creates over the next decade.
It’s not clear how the bill will affect the economy because it has been kept from the public eye but here are just a few of the examples of the pork that has been slipped into the bill:
Three billion has been earmarked for ACORN. Remember them, the guys who are under criminal investigation for voter fraud? Does anybody know the status of these investigations now that Obama is in office?
$1.3 billion to bailout Amtrak.
$1 billion for educational programs, including courses on sexually transmitted diseases.
$30 million dollars for wetland restoration in Nancy Pelosi’s district part of which will go towards protecting the endangered salt marsh mouse.
$200 million for a low-pollution, coal fired power plant in Obama’s home state of Illinois.
$45 million for ATV four-wheeler trails.
$200 million to provide computers to community colleges.
$50 million for the National Endowment of the Arts.
$650 million plus in coupons to help consumers buy digital TV converter-box coupons.
$300 million for hybrid vehicles and electric-powered cars, including golf carts for federal workers.
It doesn’t matter it a Democrat or a Republican passed this bill, the items listed above, are good causes, but they have no business in an emergency stimulus package. What should an emergency stimulus package look like? To find out the answer to that one you’ll have to wait until next week to view the Doug Williams emergency stimulus Package.
Semper Fi
Doug Williams
Hey you, quit stuffing that sandwich in your pie-hole and listen up. The snow is melting and the sidewalks are clear. If you can’t get to the gym then talk a walk in your neighborhood or run if you live in a bad one. Most schools will let you use their track after hours so there’s really no excuse not to get out and PT. Diabetes, strokes, and heart disease are no laughing matter. Remember, you are the individual in charge of your own destiny. Now drop and give me twenty-five. Well any day now sweet heart.
9 February 2009
Doug Williams
The Parade Deck News Blog
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read this in English thank a veteran.
Thought for the day…
“As a young man I had two choices in life. I could be a piano player in a whorehouse or I could go into politics. Quite frankly there isn’t much difference between the two.” Harry S. Truman.
Editor’s Note
Please forgive the lapse in postings. The editor and staff were involved in a training session that required us to focus our attention elsewhere. We hope that you understand and we ask for your patience.
Doug Williams
The Parade Deck mourns the loss of the following officers:
Senior Corporal Norman Smith. Dallas Police Department, Texas. End of Watch, Tuesday 6 January 2009.
Police officer Joshua Patrick Broadway, Montgomery Police Department, Alabama. End of Watch, Sunday 25 January 2009.
Detention Officer Cesar Arreola, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Texas. End of Watch, Sunday 18 January 2009.
Police Officer Jarod Dean, Boston Heights Police Department, Ohio. End of Watch, Monday 19 January 2009.
Deputy Sheriff Dominique Smith, Torrance County Sheriff’s Department, New Mexico. End of Watch Tuesday 20 January 2009.
Chief of Police Larry Blagg, Trumann Police Department, Arkansas. End of Watch Tuesday, 27 January 2009.
Captain Richard j. (Rick) Cashin, Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts. End of Watch Wednesday 28 January 2009
Chief of Police Johnny Hamilton, New Ellenton Police Department, South Carolina. End of Watch Wednesday, 28 January 2009.
Sergeant Curtis Massey. Culver City Police Department, California. End of Watch Wednesday 28 January 2009.
Police Officer Chris Jones. Middletown Township Police Department, Pennsylvania. End of watch Thursday 29 January 2009.
Sergeant Greg Hernandez. Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, California. End of Watch Friday, 6 February 2009.
For more information on these brave men or how you can help their families please visit http://www.odmp.org/
Traffic Fatalities Number 1 Killer of Law Enforcement for 2009
As of this print date traffic accidents are the number one leading cause of deaths among law enforcement. Of the eleven officers who were killed in the line of duty Corporal Norman Smith of the Dallas Police Department was the only officer who died as the result of a gunshot wound. Detention Officer Cesar Arreola of the El Paso County Sheriff’s died because of medical reasons, and Chief Larry Blagg of the Trumann was killed by a fallen tree branch. The remaining eight officers died as a result of traffic accidents.
The Parade Deck would like to remind our readers to pay attention while driving in order to protect our officers. Please refrain from texting, dialing a phone, checking emails, shaving, applying makeup, changing clothes, eating or any other task that can distract one from driving. When approaching an emergency vehicle on the side of the road please move over to the next lane, or if no other lane is available please slow down and pass the scene with caution. Most accidents are preventable and paying attention to the road can keep one from being charged with vehicular homicide, so please be careful and be on the lookout for emergency vehicles on the road.
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Sound Off
Doug’s Opinion
Obama’s Order to stop Military trials at Guantanamo Bay is Offensive
On 22 January President Barack Obama lived up to his campaign promise and issued an executive order closing down the prison at Guantanamo Bay. Unfortunately Obama also ordered that all trials at Guantanamo Bay be halted. Susan J. Crawford the top legal authority for military trial at Guantanamo upheld Obama’s order and dropped charges against Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri (mastermind of the U.S.S. Cole Bombing).
Retired Navy Commander and commanding officer of the Cole Kirk S. Lippold, speaking on behalf of the families of the Cole and 9/11 victims expressed outrage that Obama chose to issue the order before speaking to the families. Obama’s attempt to appease the far left and live up to his campaign promise is callused and offensive to the memories of those who died aboard the Cole and in the World Trade Center.
While the Supreme Court has ruled that some aspects of the military tribunals were unconstitutional, it still remains the best avenue to prosecute enemy combatants because of a lesser burden of proof and different discovery rules regarding evidence. Crawford did say that al-Nashiri could possibly be tried in civilian court at a later time, but he will remain in custody at Guantanamo until that matter has been decided.
Al-Nashiri was one of the prisoners that the CIA admitted to water boarding in order to obtain a confession. Water boarding is an effective interrogation technique that simulates drowning. While many consider aggressive interrogation methods such as water boarding acceptable in terrorism cases there are some who consider it torture and do not think that any confession obtained by water boarding should be allowed. In a military trial the confession would be accepted into evidence but the same confession would be thrown out in a civilian trial.
I agree with Senator John McCain and President Barack Obama’s position that something needs to be done about the prison at Guantanamo but we must consider not only the security of this nation but those who have suffered from these criminals as well.
One hundred of the 245 detainees are from Yemen, and Yemen expects to have all one hundred nationals back in their country within a year. While it would be good to return these individuals back to their own country doing so would pose a security threat. For those of you who may have forgotten, all of the suspects that were in Yemenis custody conveniently escaped from prison.
The Yemenis government is also releasing 170 Taliban suspects who are of both Yemenis and Saudi nationality simply because they signed a pledge that they would not carry out acts of terrorism again. Let’s think this one through for a minute. A known terrorist who strikes civilian while hiding amongst civilians, who targets anyone who won’t do as they dictate, women and children included. That same terrorist has vowed to wipe out Israel, western governments, or anyone who refuses to be a Muslim, and he gets out of jail free card because he signs a promise not to be a terrorist? That would be the same as letting our convicted serial killers out because they promised not to kill again. The concept is total lunacy. It’s no wonder that al-Qaida has chosen Yemen as the place to recruit its members; Yemen has become a new safe haven for terrorists.
Closing Guantanamo isn’t as simple as it sounds. The federal correction system will not be able to adequately handle the detainees being mixed into the general population. Clearly we can’t depend on our allies to responsibly manage the detainees their country. We could build a prison to house the population here in the states, or given the economy we could utilize the old naval base in Adak, Alaska. The area is isolated, secure and would have to operate under federal law. Hopefully that would please the far left and some of our European allies.
Releasing the detainees is a bad idea. The ones that we have already released have become poster boys for becoming a terrorist. If President Obama continues down this political path, it will not be a matter of if we have another attack on American soil but when and how bad.
Next week: The so called economic spending bill.
Semper Fi
Doug Williams
Because it’s winter and a lot of people are making excuses as to why they can’t do their PT. Just because some of the health clubs in the warmer states want to close because it’s cold or there’s a little snow on the ground is no excuse for you to be a wimp too. If you have stairs in your house put them to use. Try marching in place while you’re watching the idiot box. Instead of stuffing food in your pie hole do some sit-ups, a few mountain climbers, or some bends and whoopee’s. Going the extra mile for your self will not only make you look and feel better it will give you a better quality of life. Now drop and give me twenty-five and wipe that silly grin off your face.
7 January 2009
Doug Williams
The Parade Deck News Blog
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read this in English thank a veteran.
Thought for the day…
“It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress.” Mark Twain.
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Change, what change?
It’s politics as usual in Washington. Barack Obama has yet to take office and he’s already playing partisan politics by siding with Senator Harry Reid (D NV) over the appointment of Roland Burris to Obama’s vacant seat. Reid is citing the controversy surrounding Governor Rob Blagojevich as the reason he is refusing to seat Burris, although the real reason appears to be the fear of a Republican replacing Burris in 2010.
Even though Blagojevich has not been indicted and is facing impeachment the Governor has the legal authority to appoint Burris to the Senate under Illinois law. It should be noted that President Bill Clinton faced a similar dilemma while undergoing the impeachment process himself, yet his appointments were never questioned.
In an effort to gain support in Illinois and to keep media focus on his legal issues Governor Blagojevich ignored the wishes of the Illinois legislature and appointed Burris to the vacant Senate seat. Blagojevich purposely chose a well qualified African American to fill Obama’s seat knowing the Reid’s refusal to seat him would be seen as racially motivated by some. Reid played into Blagojevich’s hands and accusations of racism have surfaced.
The Obama administration is off to a good start with scandals. Governor Bill Richardson (D NM) withdrew his name from the Commerce Secretary position because of a grand jury probe into a contract that was awarded to a company that does business with the State. The jury is looking into allegations that Richardson had a pay for play policy. No charges have been filed against the Governor.
President-elect Obama has chosen to follow the policy of Presidents Carter and Clinton and cripple the Central Intelligence Agency by nominating former Clinton White House Chief of staff Leo Panetta as head of the agency. Panetta’s only intelligence experience was attending the daily intelligence briefings as Clinton’s Chief of Staff. Critics argue that al-Qaeda came to power under the Clinton administration, and Panetta and Clinton failed to see the threat they posed. Obama could have chosen a more qualified candidate but he chose to cave into the pressure of the far left and pick a Director who will emasculate the Agency. There is already fear and speculations that the new administration will initiate a witch hunt against Agency personnel who carried out Bush’s policies.
Obama did manage to make one good selection for his cabinet by choosing Doctor Sanjay Gupta as his nominee for Surgeon General. Perhaps he’ll come to his senses and put Mr. Panetta into Richardson’s role as Commerce Secretary, and find a more qualified candidate for the CIA.
Barack Obama could have shown some leadership in the Burris affair by telling Harry Reid to seat Roland Burris. Instead of standing up to the far left he chose to nominate a man who will cripple our intelligence community when we really need them. In eight days Obama will no longer be able to hide behind the phrase “There’s only one President at a time.” It will be interesting to see how he will avoid making decisions after that. So far there’s no sign of change we can believe in, only business as usual in Washington.
I have long been a critic of Senator Dianne Feinstein (D CA) for her far left views, however, I have to admit that I was not only surprised but impressed when she went on the record to say that Burris should be seated and that she disagreed with Obama’s CIA choice. Perhaps there’s someone in the Democratic Party who isn’t afraid to lead after all.
Semper FI
Doug Williams
3 January 2009
Doug Williams
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read this in English thank a veteran.
No Law Enforcement fatalities were reported as of this issue.
The Parade Deck
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Getting Closer to a Nanny State
It’s the start of a new year and new legislation is on the books. Some laws make sense. California is one of many States that have had to pass a law making it illegal to write, read, or send text while driving. Illinois has passed a law requiring outdoor sport events to have an Automatic Electric Defibrillator (AED). It’s another financial burden for a facility starting up, but it’s a good law because it saves lives. Oregon has passed legislation regarding smoking in public places. I like this one because it’s nice to tip a pint without someone blowing smoke in your face. My favorite law was passed in Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska, and Washington State. This law requires that people convicted of DUI for the first time to install an ignition interlock system (at their expense) in their vehicle if they wish to continue driving under limited conditions while their Drivers Licenses is suspended.
Two laws that were passed this year have given me pause for concern. California recently passed a cyber bullying law. It’s a good law considering the unfortunate death of a teenager last year, however there are serious concerns if the law is even enforceable. The second law that concerns me is the law passed by Illinois that requires insurance companies to recognize eating disorders as a serious disease. Don’t get me wrong, eating disorders are a serious issue but this law as it is written will cause insurance rate in Illinois to rise.
The laws that really worry me are the ones that are gradually turning us into a “Nanny State”. Arkansas passed a law that prohibits unmarried couples from adopting children. The law clearly targets Gay Couples and it is certainly headed for a legal challenge. There are a growing number of children in the Foster Care System and in orphanages. Social Service Agencies have an obligation to act in a child’s best interest by placing the child with a stable couple, and follow up to make sure that the child is safe and thriving in a new environment. It is the Governments place to enforce laws equally and fairly. It doesn’t matter whether or not one believes in Gay rights, our Constitution states that Government can’t single out a group of people because we don’t share their values.
Oregon is one of a growing number of States banning Trans fat in our fast foods. Governor Patterson of New York is proposing a bill to tax drinks that contains sugar. Patterson and all of the Kool-Aid drinkers believe that the tax would help offset rising health care costs. That’s good in theory but in reality when you read the fine print of the law, the revenue can be used for any program that mentions a health initiative. New York currently has 130 specialty taxes on the books. Isn’t it time that New Yorkers voters grow a back bone and say enough is enough?
Texas, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Iowa and Delaware have joined seventeen other states in mandating fire safe cigarettes. The goal of this legislation is to make a cigarette that will go out if left unattended. As a member of the health care profession I do not endorse tobacco use. I could go on for hours about the number of deaths caused by carelessness involving cigarettes and the negative impact that smoking has had on our society. While well intended by some, the product is unfeasible and is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to ban tobacco.
The most frightening proposal out there is the mileage tax proposed by Oregon. Oregon is worried because people are buying less gas because of fuel efficient cars and the economy. Less gas means less revenue to fix potholes. Their solution to the problem install GPS units in every vehicle so they can tax a driver based on the number of miles. The State claims that they will only be able to tell how far you drive, not where you have been. In most States this law would face stiff opposition because of privacy issues, as well as legal challenges because of discrimination concerns against people who live in rural areas and put at least 200 miles a day on their vehicles. The mileage proposal isn’t just limited to the far left kooks on the west coast; the Kool-Aid Drinkers in Rhode Island and North Carolina are considering similar legislation.
Driving while texting is a proof that people in our society aren’t very intelligent and that we need a law to protect the public. The law in Illinois that defines an eating disorder and mandates insurance coverage is a common example of how poorly our laws are written. It is also an indictment against our legislators who fail to read these bills carefully before voting for or against a bill.
I have a unique idea on how to deal with the Trans fat laws, and the so called “fat taxes” let’s have the people be accountable for the problems related to obesity. Schools could try the novel approach of actually teaching and requiring participation in Physical Education. Parents could stop allowing their kids to spend most of their life on the computer or on the couch watching TV and playing video games. (The Wi systems are ok because they encourage activity.) Get the kids out of the house, even if it’s just to get them to walk laps around the mall. Instead of serving portions that could feed a rifle squad restaurants could follow the European model of portion sizes. This would not only go a long way to reducing waist sizes it would help contain food costs and increase their profit margins as well.
For those who choose to join a fitness center and actually use it a tax break should be given, the same goes to employers who offer subsidies for joining health clubs. Insurance companies should be allowed to charge higher rates for people who refuse to adhere to a health plan. If a person has a true eating disorder and they are actively seeking medical help, then they should not be penalized for their condition.
Laws that give the Government the ability to micromanage our lives should frighten everyone. Every time we allow our Government to pass one of these laws we move one step closer to a “Nanny State” and we allow the erosion of our constitutional rights. In these uncertain times it’s easy for the Government to scare us into passing laws that are supposed to be in our best interest. Instead of questioning our Government we have become a nation of sheep who drink the Kool-Aid because we are told to do so. As long as we continue to be Kool-Aid drinkers we will continue to head towards the “Nanny State.”
When you hear about a bad law make your opinion known to your legislator. Enlist the aid of other voters to make your voice heard. If a legislator fails to listen, then vote them out of office.
Semper FI
Doug Williams
Recently I had cut back on my column because I had an episode of chest pains. Because I have several risk factors I have been given a light duty chit until I get a green light from my cardiologist. This in no way excuses my PT obligations. I have modified my physical activity until I return to full duty and I expect those of you in the same boat to do so as well. The rest of you know the drill, drop and give me twenty-five.
paradedeck
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