Saturday, September 16, 2017
U. North Carolina students, faculty offer dubious legal basis for removing 'Silent Sam' statue - The College Fix
U. North Carolina students, faculty offer dubious legal basis for removing 'Silent Sam' statue - The College Fix:
"Students and faculty at the University of North Carolina have put forth a letter which states they will sue the college if the statue of (Confederate soldier) Silent Sam is not taken down.
The basis for legal action? Titles VI and IV of the Civil Rights Act.
The letter was sent by lawyer Hampton Dellinger to UNC President Margaret Spellings and Chancellor Carol Folt, according to The Daily Tar Heel.
“[T]he statue violates federal anti-discrimination laws by fostering a racially hostile learning environment,” the letter reads. By citing Title VI, the article states, the letter’s signatories are claiming Silent Sam represents “a threat to the safety of people of color on the University’s campus.”
“Taking that down is a way for them to show us that they are listening, not just hearing us, but that they are actually listening to what we’re saying, and how we’re feeling and that our feelings are justified and real,” signee Rimel Mwamba said.
OK, but a piece of granite is … a threat to someone’s safety?
Somewhat to that point, Campus Y Co-chair and letter signee Courtney Staton said Silent Sam could “serve as a rallying point for those looking to harm people of color on UNC’s campus.”"
"Students and faculty at the University of North Carolina have put forth a letter which states they will sue the college if the statue of (Confederate soldier) Silent Sam is not taken down.
The basis for legal action? Titles VI and IV of the Civil Rights Act.The letter was sent by lawyer Hampton Dellinger to UNC President Margaret Spellings and Chancellor Carol Folt, according to The Daily Tar Heel.
“[T]he statue violates federal anti-discrimination laws by fostering a racially hostile learning environment,” the letter reads. By citing Title VI, the article states, the letter’s signatories are claiming Silent Sam represents “a threat to the safety of people of color on the University’s campus.”
“Taking that down is a way for them to show us that they are listening, not just hearing us, but that they are actually listening to what we’re saying, and how we’re feeling and that our feelings are justified and real,” signee Rimel Mwamba said.
OK, but a piece of granite is … a threat to someone’s safety?
Somewhat to that point, Campus Y Co-chair and letter signee Courtney Staton said Silent Sam could “serve as a rallying point for those looking to harm people of color on UNC’s campus.”"
FBI reversal: Bureau will release more Hillary Clinton investigation docs - Washington Times
FBI reversal: Bureau will release more Hillary Clinton investigation docs - Washington Times:
"Weeks after saying there wasn’t enough public interest in Hillary Clinton’s email case, the FBI’s decision has been modified, and the bureau will publicly release more details of its obstruction of justice probe into the former secretary of state.
The Justice Department confirmed the new position in a letter Thursday to Ty Clevenger, a lawyer who’d filed an open-records request for the information."
"Weeks after saying there wasn’t enough public interest in Hillary Clinton’s email case, the FBI’s decision has been modified, and the bureau will publicly release more details of its obstruction of justice probe into the former secretary of state.
The Justice Department confirmed the new position in a letter Thursday to Ty Clevenger, a lawyer who’d filed an open-records request for the information."
Michael Barone: Let's go back to paper ballots
Michael Barone: Let's go back to paper ballots:
"Mickey Kaus notes that the Netherlands is going to go back to conducting its elections with paper ballots.
"Dutch go old school against Russian hacking," he notes, linking to a Politico Europe story.
Kaus adds an appropriate shout-out to Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit, who has been calling for paper ballots for years.
Going back to paper ballots may strike many people, as it used to strike me, as retrograde.
Isn't it a lot faster to count electronic votes?
Isn't there a danger that paper ballots can be altered, defaced, and burned?
Isn't electronic voting cooler and more up to date?
But the arguments against paper ballots wither under inspection.
Speed of counting: Why do we need an immediate result? The press has exit polls, of varying and perhaps improving worth (Britain's was much better this year than in 2015 and 2016).
And speaking of Britain, it only takes until about 5:00am the night of election day, to have the results in for all (save maybe one or two) parliamentary constituencies. California, in contrast, takes four to five weeks to count all its ballots — California, the home of Silicon Valley!
The fact is that sacrificing a bit of speed for reliability is probably a good trade.
Read on!
"Mickey Kaus notes that the Netherlands is going to go back to conducting its elections with paper ballots.
"Dutch go old school against Russian hacking," he notes, linking to a Politico Europe story.
Kaus adds an appropriate shout-out to Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit, who has been calling for paper ballots for years.
Going back to paper ballots may strike many people, as it used to strike me, as retrograde.Isn't it a lot faster to count electronic votes?
Isn't there a danger that paper ballots can be altered, defaced, and burned?
Isn't electronic voting cooler and more up to date?
But the arguments against paper ballots wither under inspection.
Speed of counting: Why do we need an immediate result? The press has exit polls, of varying and perhaps improving worth (Britain's was much better this year than in 2015 and 2016).
And speaking of Britain, it only takes until about 5:00am the night of election day, to have the results in for all (save maybe one or two) parliamentary constituencies. California, in contrast, takes four to five weeks to count all its ballots — California, the home of Silicon Valley!
The fact is that sacrificing a bit of speed for reliability is probably a good trade.
- The strongest argument for paper ballots is that they can't be hacked.
- The second strongest is that there is an independent record of each ballot cast, which some computerized systems lack..."
Read on!
The Women’s March Vagina Costume Is Now High Fashion, Apparently | Activist Mommy
The Women’s March Vagina Costume Is Now High Fashion, Apparently | Activist Mommy"Remember the Women’s March? You know, that massive rally attended by thousands of (leftist) women in which demonstrators dressed up like gigantic vaginas for women’s rights (or something) and happily talked about blowing up the White House and the right to kill a baby in the womb?
Yeah, that one.
Well, in an effort to make sure every aspect of life in America is now political and adequately represents the sick morality of the far-left, one fashion designer has debuted an entire collection of haute couture inspired by female genitalia, giving creative Women’s March vagina costume designers everywhere a run for their money.
According to Breitbart News, the collection, which was put on display during New York Fashion Week by German designer Namilia.
It was quite tastefully named, “My P****, My Choice,” and according to the New York Post, was trotted down the runway as children’s Disney music played, which adds a whole new angle of creepiness to the show..."
Read on!
Donald Trump slams Susan Rice: 'What she did was wrong' - Washington Times
Donald Trump slams Susan Rice: 'What she did was wrong' - Washington Times:
"President Trump said Thursday that Susan Rice admitting that she unmasked the identities of Trump transition team officials caught up in national security surveillance was “just the tip of the iceberg.”
He condemned her actions as “wrong.”"
He condemned her actions as “wrong.”"
New York Teamsters approve slashing benefits to retired members
New York Teamsters approve slashing benefits to retired members:
"WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - Retired members of the Teamsters union in New York will have their benefits cut by around 30 percent starting in October after the 34,000 participants in the pension approved a plan aimed at extending the life of the cash-strapped fund.
Monthly pensions for retired teamsters from nine New York local unions who have 30 years' service will be cut on average to $3,550 from $5,000, according to plan trustees.
Members who are working would also have benefits cut.
The vote by participants in the New York State Teamsters Conference Pension and Retirement Fund sparked an outcry on social media, in part because defeating the proposal required a majority "no" vote by eligible voters.
Votes against the cuts topped votes for the cuts 9,788 to 4,081, but 20,767 eligible participants did not vote, so the cuts were approved, according to the U.S. Treasury..."
Read on!
"WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - Retired members of the Teamsters union in New York will have their benefits cut by around 30 percent starting in October after the 34,000 participants in the pension approved a plan aimed at extending the life of the cash-strapped fund.Monthly pensions for retired teamsters from nine New York local unions who have 30 years' service will be cut on average to $3,550 from $5,000, according to plan trustees.
Members who are working would also have benefits cut.
The vote by participants in the New York State Teamsters Conference Pension and Retirement Fund sparked an outcry on social media, in part because defeating the proposal required a majority "no" vote by eligible voters.
Votes against the cuts topped votes for the cuts 9,788 to 4,081, but 20,767 eligible participants did not vote, so the cuts were approved, according to the U.S. Treasury..."
Read on!
Video of Dog Giving Nazi Salutes Earns Man Hate Crime Charge - Hit & Run : Reason.com
Video of Dog Giving Nazi Salutes Earns Man Hate Crime Charge - Hit & Run : Reason.com:
"A case out the United Kingdom is a perfect example of why legislation restricting "hate speech" is a terrible idea.
In April 2016, Mark Meecham of Coatbridge, Scotland, posted a YouTube video of his girlfriend's dog Buddha responding to the words "seig heil" by raising his paw in a Nazi salute and responding to the question "Do you want to gas the Jews?" by jumping to attention.
According to Meecham, the video was intended to prank his partner's overdone admiration for her admittedly adorable pet.
"My girlfriend is always ranting and raving about how cute and adorable her wee dog is.
so I thought I would turn him into the least cute thing I could think of, which is a Nazi," he says at the beginning of the video, titled M8 Yer Dugs A Nazi."
Meecham's video quickly went viral, racking up some three million views and sparking reactions of both amusement and offense.
Then police showed up at his door and arrested him for a hate crime..."
Read on!
"A case out the United Kingdom is a perfect example of why legislation restricting "hate speech" is a terrible idea.
In April 2016, Mark Meecham of Coatbridge, Scotland, posted a YouTube video of his girlfriend's dog Buddha responding to the words "seig heil" by raising his paw in a Nazi salute and responding to the question "Do you want to gas the Jews?" by jumping to attention.
According to Meecham, the video was intended to prank his partner's overdone admiration for her admittedly adorable pet.
"My girlfriend is always ranting and raving about how cute and adorable her wee dog is.
so I thought I would turn him into the least cute thing I could think of, which is a Nazi," he says at the beginning of the video, titled M8 Yer Dugs A Nazi."
Meecham's video quickly went viral, racking up some three million views and sparking reactions of both amusement and offense.
Then police showed up at his door and arrested him for a hate crime..."
Read on!
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