United Liberty

Famed provocateur Christopher Hitchens made a bad move while in Lebanon:

However, when the controversial author, journalist and broadcaster defaced a political poster on a visit to Beirut last week, he found himself at the wrong end of a bruising encounter that has left him walking with a limp and nursing cuts and bruises.

Hitchens had been drinking on Beirut’s main boulevard, Hamra Street, on Saturday afternoon with two other western journalists after attending a rally to commemorate the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri. They spotted a poster for the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, a far-right group whose logo bears an uncanny resemblance to the Nazi swastika, and Hitchens decided to act.

It looks as if Obama is taking the position against re-instatement of the Fairness Doctrine (which mandated that radio stations give alloted time towards differing viewpoints), according to Politico:

Until now, the Obama administration has remained mum when it comes to the Fairness Doctrine.

But now, White House spokesperson Ben LaBolt tells Fox News that “as the president stated during the campaign, he does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated.”

Indeed, that was candidate Obama’s position last June.

The article also mentions a very strange development:

In the aftermath of the Michael Phelps saga the issue of marijuana has been brought back into the public conversation and at least according to recently published Rasmussen Reports polls, legalization of marijuana (40% support) is more popular than the recently passed stimulus package (38% support).

In a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, Americans are closely divided on the question of whether marijuana should be legalized: 40% say it should be, while 46% disagree. Fourteen percent (14%) are not sure which course is better.- Rasmussen 02/19/09

Did I get your attention yet? If you are wondering what these chronically ill individuals would have done that is so heinous that I would want them to suffer in prison, you might be a little shocked to hear what it is: they smoked a plant!

Patrick J. Deneen at the American Conservative magazine has an article on the resurgent patriotism among the American Left, a quality largely absent on their side since the Vietnam war:

Ed Coleman, an elected Republican, has officially switched his affiliation to the Libertarian Party. Coleman is a city-county councilman in the Indianapolis-Marion County government. The full story can be found here on the website for the Libertarian Party of Indiana.

This is an act of incredible courage by Mr. Coleman who has put aside his party allegience which helped him get elected. He will now have to face the unfair challenges of being a member of a third party if and when he pursues re-election. This is also an impressive coup by the LP of Indiana who have been making measurable strides towards being a legitimate threat to the establishment.

Congratulations to both Mr. Coleman and the LP.

First, let me lay out a couple things. I have no problem with giving back to our country. I am completely for supporting our country, for volunteering in the community, and for sacrificing my time for the betterment of our society and I encourage others to do so as well.

But the problem with Obama’s mandatory service proposal is that it is exactly that: mandatory. The 13th amendment clearly states:

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime where of the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

As a citizen of the United States and the world, I am very concerned with the trends I am seeing in Venezuela. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez seems to be belligering the public into giving him more power:

In honor of Presidents Day, CSPAN released the results of their poll asking who is the best president in American history.  Not surprisingly, Abraham Lincoln (once again) topped the chart, but the regular last place finisher, Andrew Johnson, was replaced today by the last president born in the 18th century, James Buchanan.

Why is he considered the worst president?  Reading through several sources, it appears that President Buchanan is seen as the man who could have stopped the War Between the States (or Mr. Lincoln’s War, as it’s known here in the South).  His “lack of action” is what earns him last place.

Blackwater, the contractor that has the blood of innocent Iraqis on its hands, has changed its name:

Blackwater Worldwide, the contractor that emerged over the last few years as Exhibit A for ugly Americans in Iraq, has decided that the best response is to … change its name.

And check out the name they picked: “Xe.” (Apparently it’s pronounced like the letter ‘Z.’ Raising the question: Why not just call it “Z”?)

They’ve also renamed Blackwater Lodge & Training Center, the subsidiary that does much of their controversial overseas operations. It’s now the “U.S. Training Center Inc.” (Which doesn’t exactly mesh with “Xe,” but whatever.)