Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 9-26-2016
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/98377-james-veverka-9-26-725
To The Daily Sun,
Bob Meade is incorrect. He is wrong about the purpose of the First Amendment. The First Amendment didn't just ensure there would be no state-run religion, but ensured there would be no religion-run state.
Thomas Jefferson understood the First Amendment as establishing a secular, religion-neutral republic. To the Danbury Baptists he wrote, "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between church and state."
Now Mr Meade may think he knows more than Jefferson and maybe he thinks he knows better than James Madison, too, the "father of the Constitution." Mr. Madison reminisced years after the Philadelphia miracle when he wrote to Robert Walsh, dated March 2, 1819, stating, "The civil government, though bereft of everything like an associated hierarchy, possesses the requisite stability, and performs its functions with complete success, whilst the number, the industry, and the morality of the priesthood, and the devotion of the people, have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the church from the state." Notice Madison stresses separation of the church — from — the state.
Article Six of the Constitution is actually the precursor of the establishment clause of the First Amendment (Jefferson's Virginia Religious Liberty law of 1786 is its precursor). It states, after requiring an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution, "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." In fact, the statement, "so help me God" is not in the constitutional oath of office for the president. It's English tradition — an anachronism.
Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story authored the major work, "Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States" in 1833 and said this about the ban on religious tests: "The remaining part of the clause declares, "No religious test shall ever be required, as a" qualification to any office or public trust, under the "United States." This clause is not introduced merely for the purpose of satisfying the scruples of many respectable persons, who feel an invincible repugnance to any religious test, or affirmation. It had a higher object; to cut off forever every pretense of any alliance between church and state in the national government. The framers of the Constitution were fully sensible of the dangers from this source, marked out in the history of other ages and countries; and not wholly unknown to our own. They knew, that bigotry was unceasingly vigilant in its stratagems, to secure to itself an exclusive ascendancy over the human mind; and that intolerance was ever ready to arm itself with all the terrors of the civil power to exterminate those, who doubted its dogmas, or resisted its infallibility."
Maybe Mr. Meade knows more than Justice Story, too. As you can see above, Justice Story was concerned with the same things found in Mr. Vervaeke's statement, "Violence by religion is the reason why we have a separation of church and state in this country." So did James Madison in his "Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments" of June 1785, which laid waste to Patrick Henry's bill to have the State of Virginia support Christian teachers.
It is clear that Mr. Meade believes in the revisionist history of the Christian right wing but the courts don't see it his way at all. Furthermore, the Treaty of Tripoli, unanimously ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1798, is something the Christian right would like to make disappear. Article 11 states, "As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion — as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen — and as the said states never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
Yes, Mr. Meade, this is what is taught in high schools and universities around the nation and the globe. The only place where your one way wall doctrine is taught is in private religious schools and universities that embrace the historical revisionism of the Christian right.
James Veverka
Tilton
Monday, October 3, 2016
Harm Reduction Policies Reduce Abortions. Bans Don't
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 9-16-2016 http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/98116-james-veverka-9-16-715
To the Editor,
Well, well, well, the hornets are out but they still have no stingers. It is certainly interesting how conservatives missed the point of my letter (aside from some obligatory trolling and kicking over a nest). What I said about the rights of the fetus was not made up by me but was based on the rulings of the United States Supreme Court since 1973. Did someone miss that? When people start yelling murderers and killers, there is no reason to be polite. Playing hardball is necessary. Personhood laws have all been struck down by the courts. Did you miss that? I didn't make those court rulings. I also don't see any ovens burning given it has been the law of the land for 43 years. Personhood laws have been struck down by the courts in Oklahoma, Colorado, and North Dakota. Personhood amendments in several states never got enough signatures to appear on the ballot. Although Mississippi's initiative did make the ballot in November of 2011, it failed 59 to 41 percent. No ovens in Mississippi yet.
Russ Wiles seems to think its good that liberal views are out there. Well, we agree since we have always won culture war battles in the end due to our voices. Look how bad the right failed on marriage equality. They may rely on their barbaric old religions of middle eastern desert tribes to enable their bigotry and patriarchy but they still lost.
What the right wing is clueless about is why they fail so miserably to legislate women's bodies no matter how obtusely accusative they get (murderers!). Nobody wants there to be abortions. Nobody is pro-abortion and right wingers are certainly not pro-life given that they vote for politicians more apt to value war, the death penalty, cutting food stamps and welfare for poor families, oppose equal rights for all, teach abstinence-only magic dust, and attack open access to contraceptives and healthcare. The Republican Party platform is an anti-family, anti-worker, anti-science basket of manure and if you vote Republican you are not really pro-life or pro-people
The only way abortion can be addressed to end the vain war on abortion itself and increase access to reproductive healthcare, family planning, sex-ed, and contraception. Abortions and teen pregnancies are at all time lows now and it has nothing to do with extreme right wing policies. Increased access to family planning and contraceptives is what has brought us to the record low in abortions and teen pregnancies. UPI ran an article last week that reported "Declines in rates of teen pregnancy and birth in the United States are being driven entirely by significant increases of contraceptive use, researchers at the Guttmacher Institute report in a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health." On the other hand, Slate reported, "one 2015 study found that between 1.7 and 4.1 percent of the state’s [Texas] women aged 18 to 49 have attempted to self-terminate a pregnancy using herbs, teas, vitamins, caffeine, alcohol, drugs, abdominal trauma, or a medical abortion pill (misoprostol) obtained on the black market or from a Mexican pharmacy. The [Google] searches Stephens-Davidowitz analyzed reveal other specific, disturbing methods: in that there were more than 700,000 Google searches looking into self-induced abortions in 2015. The 700,000 searches included about 160,000 asking how to get abortion pills through unofficial channels—searches like “buy abortion pills online” and “free abortion pills."
Listen righty, we all want there to be fewer unplanned pregnancies and abortions but your way of freaking out (murderers!) is going nowhere. Making up lies about Planned Parenthood ended up increasing support. Thank you! If you really are pro-life you need to change your ways and start supporting harm reduction policies. The war on drugs is just like the war on abortion. Its can't be won your way. Harm reduction policies are the way to go. Voting for politicians that don't even oppose abortion in the cases of rape, certain death of the mother, and incest is madness. Anti-choice laws don't stop abortion. They are not pro-life because they make it far more dangerous and danger doesn't stop people, does it? The Washington Post has reported that defunding Planned Parenthood would actually increase abortions. AP reported in 2015, "Nearly six in 10 Americans — 58% — now think abortion should be legal in most or all cases," so Harry's numbers are wrong. Sorry about those facts, kids
James Veverka
TRAP Abortion Laws Unconstitutional
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 9-6-2016
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/97956-james-veverka-9-6-520
To the Editor,
A Fetus is not a separate individual. It is not a separate person therefore the rights of a fetus do not override the rights of a women who decides to terminate her pregnancy for whatever reason she chooses. If a fetus were a separate life, it would be entitled to the rights we all enjoy. But it is part of another's biological system and the owner of that biological system has the right to decide that system's present and future state. It is not up to any other biological system (or set of ovaries) to decide for her.
A fetus does not have the right to negatively impact a women's health, her career, her family's economic status, or her's life plan in any way. It is ironic that the majority of these forced birth activists are the same crackpots that want to deprive a poor family of assistance after an unplanned pregnancy. At the same time they want to restrict access to contraception and healthcare. Some holier-than-thou lunatics even want to ban contraception. These are the crazed religious fools that will fight to the death for a fetus and then attack welfare and food stamps benefits for these mothers (or murder an abortion provider).
With fundamentalist crazies, its okay for born children to go without food, shelter, a good education, and healthcare. And the self-righteous sociopaths vote that way too. These are the same people that blame poor people for being poor when there are still fewer jobs than seekers. They are worthy of our deepest contempt. While religious nuts scream "murder" like they are jacked up on the psychotic juices of a their pathologically jealous, violent, murderous Biblical God with its horrid examples of genocide, cruel and unusual punishments, and of course, eternal torture, the US Supreme Court sides with a women's choice. When these psychos accuse people of murder, they also incite and legitimize violence which since 1977 has included hundreds of crimes including murder, assault, bombings, vandalism, and arson. And don't forget the phony edited videos which led to the murderous shooting rampage in Colorado this year.
Forced Birth activists have lost huge and will likely never recover after 2016. The US Supreme Court has struck down major TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Provider) laws as unconstitutional. TRAP laws are designed to ultimately infringe on the right of a woman to choose with sleazy underhanded get-around-the-law laws. And soon, there will be another choice friendly justice on the court after Hillary is inaugurated. This year the court has dealt severe blows to the religious fanatics of eleven states who craft laws to make it nearly impossible for women to even make her legal and constitutional choice. The Texas TRAP law is now blocked and that sets precedent. Ten more states with TRAP laws are now on the chopping block after the Texas decision. Six have been challenged in court already. The religious ninnies have lost just as the anti-gay religious bigots have. Oh, did I mention that five states have had their Voter ID laws blocked this year? Schadenfreude to you, democracy and liberty loathing wingnuts.
James Veverka
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/97956-james-veverka-9-6-520
To the Editor,
A Fetus is not a separate individual. It is not a separate person therefore the rights of a fetus do not override the rights of a women who decides to terminate her pregnancy for whatever reason she chooses. If a fetus were a separate life, it would be entitled to the rights we all enjoy. But it is part of another's biological system and the owner of that biological system has the right to decide that system's present and future state. It is not up to any other biological system (or set of ovaries) to decide for her.
A fetus does not have the right to negatively impact a women's health, her career, her family's economic status, or her's life plan in any way. It is ironic that the majority of these forced birth activists are the same crackpots that want to deprive a poor family of assistance after an unplanned pregnancy. At the same time they want to restrict access to contraception and healthcare. Some holier-than-thou lunatics even want to ban contraception. These are the crazed religious fools that will fight to the death for a fetus and then attack welfare and food stamps benefits for these mothers (or murder an abortion provider).
With fundamentalist crazies, its okay for born children to go without food, shelter, a good education, and healthcare. And the self-righteous sociopaths vote that way too. These are the same people that blame poor people for being poor when there are still fewer jobs than seekers. They are worthy of our deepest contempt. While religious nuts scream "murder" like they are jacked up on the psychotic juices of a their pathologically jealous, violent, murderous Biblical God with its horrid examples of genocide, cruel and unusual punishments, and of course, eternal torture, the US Supreme Court sides with a women's choice. When these psychos accuse people of murder, they also incite and legitimize violence which since 1977 has included hundreds of crimes including murder, assault, bombings, vandalism, and arson. And don't forget the phony edited videos which led to the murderous shooting rampage in Colorado this year.
Forced Birth activists have lost huge and will likely never recover after 2016. The US Supreme Court has struck down major TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Provider) laws as unconstitutional. TRAP laws are designed to ultimately infringe on the right of a woman to choose with sleazy underhanded get-around-the-law laws. And soon, there will be another choice friendly justice on the court after Hillary is inaugurated. This year the court has dealt severe blows to the religious fanatics of eleven states who craft laws to make it nearly impossible for women to even make her legal and constitutional choice. The Texas TRAP law is now blocked and that sets precedent. Ten more states with TRAP laws are now on the chopping block after the Texas decision. Six have been challenged in court already. The religious ninnies have lost just as the anti-gay religious bigots have. Oh, did I mention that five states have had their Voter ID laws blocked this year? Schadenfreude to you, democracy and liberty loathing wingnuts.
James Veverka
More Republicans Jumping Ship #3
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 9-2-2016 http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/97756-james-veverka-9-2-395
To the Editor,
Donald Trump gave an immigration "policy" speech Wednesday. It did not go down well in conservative Latino circles. According to Politico, "Jacob Monty, a member of Trump’s National Hispanic Advisory Council has resigned", and Alfonso Aguilar, president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, "is inclined to pull his support." Mr Monty lamented, "What I heard today was not realistic and not compassionate.” Mr Aquilar agreed; "did you hear anything in that speech that was compassionate and humane? No."
On Wednesday, another Republican chose country over party. Richard W. Painter, George W. Bush's former chief White House ethics lawyer wrote in a NY Times Op-ed that Hillary Clinton is the "only qualified candidate in the race and she should become president." According to Politico, Painter advised "the Democratic nominee to do more to assuage the fears and suspicions about the looming presence of the Clinton Foundation as an influence on policy". Now a University of Minnesota law professor, he was also clear on the Clionton Foundation, writing, "There is little if any evidence that federal ethics laws were broken by Mrs. Clinton or anyone working for her at the State Department in their dealings with the foundation. Unfortunately, the foundation is still fuel for Mrs. Clinton’s persistent critics."
Former top aide to retired General David Petraeus, retired Army Colonel Peter Mansour, is voting for Hillary Clinton because, "Donald Trump is not fit to be president". Mansour has said previously, "he would be a dangerous person in that office" where he would be a "foreign policy disaster for the United States." In fact, one recent headline was "Officials Worry About Briefing Trump, Fearing Spilled Secrets". Also on Wednesday, James Clad, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense under President George W. Bush endorsed Clinton, saying, "For Republicans and Democrats alike, everything in national security requires clarity and steadiness, whether managing nuclear weapons or balancing great power rivalries. Never losing sight of the national interest is key – a discipline which Secretary Clinton possesses in full measure." According to Mr Clad, Trump is "incompetent" and an "incoherent amateur" whose presidency "will doom us to second or third class status."
According to a HuffPost/YouGov survey just released, "Republican and Republican-leaning voters say by a 19-point margin, 54 to 35 percent, that Donald Trump wasn’t the best option in this year’s pool of candidates". Really?
James Veverka
Tilton
To the Editor,
Donald Trump gave an immigration "policy" speech Wednesday. It did not go down well in conservative Latino circles. According to Politico, "Jacob Monty, a member of Trump’s National Hispanic Advisory Council has resigned", and Alfonso Aguilar, president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, "is inclined to pull his support." Mr Monty lamented, "What I heard today was not realistic and not compassionate.” Mr Aquilar agreed; "did you hear anything in that speech that was compassionate and humane? No."
On Wednesday, another Republican chose country over party. Richard W. Painter, George W. Bush's former chief White House ethics lawyer wrote in a NY Times Op-ed that Hillary Clinton is the "only qualified candidate in the race and she should become president." According to Politico, Painter advised "the Democratic nominee to do more to assuage the fears and suspicions about the looming presence of the Clinton Foundation as an influence on policy". Now a University of Minnesota law professor, he was also clear on the Clionton Foundation, writing, "There is little if any evidence that federal ethics laws were broken by Mrs. Clinton or anyone working for her at the State Department in their dealings with the foundation. Unfortunately, the foundation is still fuel for Mrs. Clinton’s persistent critics."
Former top aide to retired General David Petraeus, retired Army Colonel Peter Mansour, is voting for Hillary Clinton because, "Donald Trump is not fit to be president". Mansour has said previously, "he would be a dangerous person in that office" where he would be a "foreign policy disaster for the United States." In fact, one recent headline was "Officials Worry About Briefing Trump, Fearing Spilled Secrets". Also on Wednesday, James Clad, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense under President George W. Bush endorsed Clinton, saying, "For Republicans and Democrats alike, everything in national security requires clarity and steadiness, whether managing nuclear weapons or balancing great power rivalries. Never losing sight of the national interest is key – a discipline which Secretary Clinton possesses in full measure." According to Mr Clad, Trump is "incompetent" and an "incoherent amateur" whose presidency "will doom us to second or third class status."
According to a HuffPost/YouGov survey just released, "Republican and Republican-leaning voters say by a 19-point margin, 54 to 35 percent, that Donald Trump wasn’t the best option in this year’s pool of candidates". Really?
James Veverka
Tilton
Republicans Jumping Ship #2
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 8-25-2016
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/97520-james-veverka-8-25-485
To the Editor,
Hillary Clinton is now ahead by nine in NH and six in Florida. She has opened up a six point lead in Ohio and John Kasich is MIA! GOP Maryland Governor Larry Hogan will not back Trump and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson rightly calls him a fascist. GOP Senator Susan Collins penned an op-ed in the Washington Post on why she cannot support Trump. "My conclusion about Mr. Trump’s unsuitability for office is based on his disregard for the precept of treating others with respect, an idea that should transcend politics. Instead, he opts to mock the vulnerable and inflame prejudices by attacking ethnic and religious minorities...Mr. Trump lacks the temperament, self-discipline and judgment required to be president."
Former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson endorsed Clinton in a Washington Post op-ed. "The GOP, in putting Trump at the top of the ticket, is endorsing a brand of populism rooted in ignorance, prejudice, fear and isolationism...I will not vote for Donald Trump. I will not cast a write-in vote. I’ll be voting for Hillary Clinton."
In an op-ed in newyorkupstate.com, House Republican Richard Hanna wrote, "I found him profoundly offensive and narcissistic but as much as anything, a world-class panderer, anything but a leader...Secretary Clinton has issues...But she stands and has stood for causes bigger than herself for a lifetime. That matters...I will vote for Mrs. Clinton..I find Trump deeply flawed in endless ways."
This week, Bush’s Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and founding director of the George W. Bush Institute endorsed Hillary Clinton. James Glassman stated Hillary is "by far the superior candidate. She has the experience. She’s got the character. She has the values. She is the kind of candidate I support and that, as I say, millions of republicans are supporting.” Retired Naval officer, Deputy Secretary of State under Bush, and assistant secretary of defense under Reagan, Richard Armitage is voting for Clinton. Armitage told Politico Trump "doesn't appear to be a Republican, he doesn't appear to want to learn about issues. So, I’m going to vote for Mrs. Clinton".
Brent Scowcroft, National Security Adviser to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush endorsed Clinton. "Secretary Clinton shares my belief that America must remain the world’s indispensable leader. She understands that our leadership and engagement beyond our borders makes the world, and therefore the United States, more secure and prosperous. She appreciates that it is essential to maintain our strong military advantage, but that force must only be used as a last resort." Clinton "brings deep expertise in international affairs, and a sophisticated understanding of the world", qualities "essential for the Commander-in-Chief."
Mark Salter, John McCain's longtime Chief of Staff, is voting for Clinton. He described her as "an adult who understands the responsibilities of an American President". On the other hand, Trump "possesses the emotional maturity of a 6-year-old.". We knew that.
James Veverka
Tilton
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/97520-james-veverka-8-25-485
To the Editor,
Hillary Clinton is now ahead by nine in NH and six in Florida. She has opened up a six point lead in Ohio and John Kasich is MIA! GOP Maryland Governor Larry Hogan will not back Trump and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson rightly calls him a fascist. GOP Senator Susan Collins penned an op-ed in the Washington Post on why she cannot support Trump. "My conclusion about Mr. Trump’s unsuitability for office is based on his disregard for the precept of treating others with respect, an idea that should transcend politics. Instead, he opts to mock the vulnerable and inflame prejudices by attacking ethnic and religious minorities...Mr. Trump lacks the temperament, self-discipline and judgment required to be president."
Former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson endorsed Clinton in a Washington Post op-ed. "The GOP, in putting Trump at the top of the ticket, is endorsing a brand of populism rooted in ignorance, prejudice, fear and isolationism...I will not vote for Donald Trump. I will not cast a write-in vote. I’ll be voting for Hillary Clinton."
In an op-ed in newyorkupstate.com, House Republican Richard Hanna wrote, "I found him profoundly offensive and narcissistic but as much as anything, a world-class panderer, anything but a leader...Secretary Clinton has issues...But she stands and has stood for causes bigger than herself for a lifetime. That matters...I will vote for Mrs. Clinton..I find Trump deeply flawed in endless ways."
This week, Bush’s Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and founding director of the George W. Bush Institute endorsed Hillary Clinton. James Glassman stated Hillary is "by far the superior candidate. She has the experience. She’s got the character. She has the values. She is the kind of candidate I support and that, as I say, millions of republicans are supporting.” Retired Naval officer, Deputy Secretary of State under Bush, and assistant secretary of defense under Reagan, Richard Armitage is voting for Clinton. Armitage told Politico Trump "doesn't appear to be a Republican, he doesn't appear to want to learn about issues. So, I’m going to vote for Mrs. Clinton".
Brent Scowcroft, National Security Adviser to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush endorsed Clinton. "Secretary Clinton shares my belief that America must remain the world’s indispensable leader. She understands that our leadership and engagement beyond our borders makes the world, and therefore the United States, more secure and prosperous. She appreciates that it is essential to maintain our strong military advantage, but that force must only be used as a last resort." Clinton "brings deep expertise in international affairs, and a sophisticated understanding of the world", qualities "essential for the Commander-in-Chief."
Mark Salter, John McCain's longtime Chief of Staff, is voting for Clinton. He described her as "an adult who understands the responsibilities of an American President". On the other hand, Trump "possesses the emotional maturity of a 6-year-old.". We knew that.
James Veverka
Tilton
Republicans Jumping Ship #1
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 8-15-2016
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/97317-james-veverka-8-15-805
To the Editor,
Before the GOP convention, Conservative Ben Domenech stated on Face the Nation, “A hundred and fifty years ago this party was begun by Abraham Lincoln on the idea that constitutional rights were not bound by race or creed,” he said. “That the American eagle’s wings were broad enough to accept all that would come here. Now, this party is coming to Cleveland to die.” Agreed.
It is superbly delicious to see Trump's demise actually accelerate when he denigrated an immigrant American Muslim family and its Gold Star Mother. Seven of ten said Trump crossed the line with the Kahns. The irony makes for an unprecedented level of gloat-and-glee. Republican Congressman and Air Force Veteran Adam Kinzinger is thoroughly repulsed over Trump's attacks on the Kahn family. “Donald Trump is beginning to cross a lot of red lines of the unforgivable in politics". Trump “throws all these Republican principles on their head” and “I’m an American before I’m a Republican”.
Last week, 50 Republicans with National security and foreign policy expertise going back decades signed a letter stating Trump “would be the most reckless president in American history”. The letter warned of Trump's "alarming ignorance" regarding international affairs. “From a foreign policy perspective, Donald Trump is not qualified to be president and commander-in-chief”. "Indeed, we are convinced that he would be a dangerous president and would put at risk our country’s national security and well-being." Many top conservative legal scholars agree. They point out that the damage Trump could do as President would far outweigh a SCOTUS appointment. They would rather have a liberal court than a Trump presidency.
California GOP strategist Rob Stutzman is one of Never Trump's leaders and plans on waiting it out while Trump loses. Jimmy Camp, adviser to many high profile candidates in California for 30 years left the GOP when Trump was nominated. Camp stated, “Donald Trump is a narcissistic, self-centered, unprincipled, miserable example of a human being". Former RNC spokewoman Valerie Walston left the party and announced her departure on Facebook with #NeverTrump
Longtime GOP strategist Mary Matalan left the GOP for the Libertarian Party and George Will declared the GOP is not his party. Lifelong Republican and Jeb Bush's top advisor Sally Bradshaw is leaving the GOP and will vote for Clinton in Florida. Bradshaw said the GOP was "at a crossroads and have nominated a total narcissist -- a misogynist -- a bigot."
Longtime Chris Christie advisor Maria Comella has defected and will vote for Hillary Clinton. Of the Mangled Apricot Hell-Beast she said, "Donald Trump has been a demagogue this whole time, preying on people's anxieties with loose information and salacious rhetoric, drumming up fear and hatred of the 'other'. I’m voting for Hillary Clinton in November and I’m voting for her because I don’t believe it’s enough to say you aren’t for Donald Trump.
Billionaire CEO of HP and longtime GOP megadonor Meg Whitman has endorsed Hillary Clinton. Whitman, who ran for Governor of California against Jerry Brown stated she cannot support a candidate who has "exploited anger, grievance, xenophobia and racial division. Donald Trump is unfit to be president".
Former US Senator Larry Pressler (R-SD) has endorsed Hillary Clinton. “This election is starting to sound like the German elections in [the late 1920s],” Pressler noted of Trump's rhetoric, “This is a very dangerous national conversation we’re slipping into.” Pressier, a Mormon, is sensitive about Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric and the malevolent singling out of a religious group.
GOP writer and activist Chris Ladd recently resigned his GOP precinct committeeman position in Texas."From his fairy-tale wall to his schoolyard bullying and his flirtation with violent racists, Donald Trump offers America a singular narrative – a tale of cowards. Fearful people, convinced of our inadequacy, trembling before a world alight with imaginary threats, crave a demagogue. Neither party has ever elevated to this level a more toxic figure, one that calls forth the darkest elements of our national character. With three decades invested in the Republican Party, there is a powerful temptation to shrug and soldier on. Despite the bold rhetoric, we all know Trump will lose."
At the Democrat's convention, lifelong Republican and Reagan official Doug Elmets' message onstage was clear. “This year’s Republican platform is the most alarming I’ve ever seen. It’s laced with anti-immigrant, anti-gay, anti-women positions that do not represent the views of most Americans. That is why this year I will vote for a Democrat for the first time.” Dittos on the party of bigots and anachronistsic ignoramuses.
But there is some good news for Steve Earle and Russ Wiles. David Duke, onetime Grand Wizard of the KKK is "thrilled" by Trump's candidacy and the American Nazi Party’s chair claimed that a Trump presidency would offer “a real opportunity” for white nationalists and the “pro-white” cause. A real opportunity!
James Veverka
Tilton
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/97317-james-veverka-8-15-805
To the Editor,
Before the GOP convention, Conservative Ben Domenech stated on Face the Nation, “A hundred and fifty years ago this party was begun by Abraham Lincoln on the idea that constitutional rights were not bound by race or creed,” he said. “That the American eagle’s wings were broad enough to accept all that would come here. Now, this party is coming to Cleveland to die.” Agreed.
It is superbly delicious to see Trump's demise actually accelerate when he denigrated an immigrant American Muslim family and its Gold Star Mother. Seven of ten said Trump crossed the line with the Kahns. The irony makes for an unprecedented level of gloat-and-glee. Republican Congressman and Air Force Veteran Adam Kinzinger is thoroughly repulsed over Trump's attacks on the Kahn family. “Donald Trump is beginning to cross a lot of red lines of the unforgivable in politics". Trump “throws all these Republican principles on their head” and “I’m an American before I’m a Republican”.
Last week, 50 Republicans with National security and foreign policy expertise going back decades signed a letter stating Trump “would be the most reckless president in American history”. The letter warned of Trump's "alarming ignorance" regarding international affairs. “From a foreign policy perspective, Donald Trump is not qualified to be president and commander-in-chief”. "Indeed, we are convinced that he would be a dangerous president and would put at risk our country’s national security and well-being." Many top conservative legal scholars agree. They point out that the damage Trump could do as President would far outweigh a SCOTUS appointment. They would rather have a liberal court than a Trump presidency.
California GOP strategist Rob Stutzman is one of Never Trump's leaders and plans on waiting it out while Trump loses. Jimmy Camp, adviser to many high profile candidates in California for 30 years left the GOP when Trump was nominated. Camp stated, “Donald Trump is a narcissistic, self-centered, unprincipled, miserable example of a human being". Former RNC spokewoman Valerie Walston left the party and announced her departure on Facebook with #NeverTrump
Longtime GOP strategist Mary Matalan left the GOP for the Libertarian Party and George Will declared the GOP is not his party. Lifelong Republican and Jeb Bush's top advisor Sally Bradshaw is leaving the GOP and will vote for Clinton in Florida. Bradshaw said the GOP was "at a crossroads and have nominated a total narcissist -- a misogynist -- a bigot."
Longtime Chris Christie advisor Maria Comella has defected and will vote for Hillary Clinton. Of the Mangled Apricot Hell-Beast she said, "Donald Trump has been a demagogue this whole time, preying on people's anxieties with loose information and salacious rhetoric, drumming up fear and hatred of the 'other'. I’m voting for Hillary Clinton in November and I’m voting for her because I don’t believe it’s enough to say you aren’t for Donald Trump.
Billionaire CEO of HP and longtime GOP megadonor Meg Whitman has endorsed Hillary Clinton. Whitman, who ran for Governor of California against Jerry Brown stated she cannot support a candidate who has "exploited anger, grievance, xenophobia and racial division. Donald Trump is unfit to be president".
Former US Senator Larry Pressler (R-SD) has endorsed Hillary Clinton. “This election is starting to sound like the German elections in [the late 1920s],” Pressler noted of Trump's rhetoric, “This is a very dangerous national conversation we’re slipping into.” Pressier, a Mormon, is sensitive about Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric and the malevolent singling out of a religious group.
GOP writer and activist Chris Ladd recently resigned his GOP precinct committeeman position in Texas."From his fairy-tale wall to his schoolyard bullying and his flirtation with violent racists, Donald Trump offers America a singular narrative – a tale of cowards. Fearful people, convinced of our inadequacy, trembling before a world alight with imaginary threats, crave a demagogue. Neither party has ever elevated to this level a more toxic figure, one that calls forth the darkest elements of our national character. With three decades invested in the Republican Party, there is a powerful temptation to shrug and soldier on. Despite the bold rhetoric, we all know Trump will lose."
At the Democrat's convention, lifelong Republican and Reagan official Doug Elmets' message onstage was clear. “This year’s Republican platform is the most alarming I’ve ever seen. It’s laced with anti-immigrant, anti-gay, anti-women positions that do not represent the views of most Americans. That is why this year I will vote for a Democrat for the first time.” Dittos on the party of bigots and anachronistsic ignoramuses.
But there is some good news for Steve Earle and Russ Wiles. David Duke, onetime Grand Wizard of the KKK is "thrilled" by Trump's candidacy and the American Nazi Party’s chair claimed that a Trump presidency would offer “a real opportunity” for white nationalists and the “pro-white” cause. A real opportunity!
James Veverka
Tilton
For Bitter Conservatives, Progressive Change is the End of the World! So Kiss Your Ass Goodbye!
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/96900-james-veverka-8-1-235
To the Editor,
When you read the letters of J.F. McCarthy, Russ Wiles, Steve Earle, Don Ewing, Linda Riley, and Tony Boutin you would think it was the end of the world and its time to place your head between your legs and kiss your world goodbye. Their letters are patently ridiculous and full of mind numbing pessimism and abject darkness. And that doesn't include the fact free nature they all are riddled with. Just like that liar and narcissistic sociopath, Herr Trumpfendoofus. Take J.F. McCarthy who said ISIS is Obama and Clinton's fault. Another lie. ISIS arose in 2004 anf adopted their name in 2006.
What a terrible world they see. They should crawl back under the rock they came from where their thin skin won't be disturbed. I feel sorry for them that their pathetic lives are so full of fear, hatred, ignorance, deceit, and bitterness. And they are the ones who back a GOP that has a party platform that is as divisive as any platform in the history of this nation; anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-women, anti-science and anti-American values of community and tolerance. With the dark and gloomy GOP, its all about dividing America and placing the blame on people with different religions, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or place of origin. Yet it it they who nominated a divisive fascist to prove themselves worthy of that divisive and fascist label.
James Veverka
Tilton
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/96900-james-veverka-8-1-235
To the Editor,
When you read the letters of J.F. McCarthy, Russ Wiles, Steve Earle, Don Ewing, Linda Riley, and Tony Boutin you would think it was the end of the world and its time to place your head between your legs and kiss your world goodbye. Their letters are patently ridiculous and full of mind numbing pessimism and abject darkness. And that doesn't include the fact free nature they all are riddled with. Just like that liar and narcissistic sociopath, Herr Trumpfendoofus. Take J.F. McCarthy who said ISIS is Obama and Clinton's fault. Another lie. ISIS arose in 2004 anf adopted their name in 2006.
What a terrible world they see. They should crawl back under the rock they came from where their thin skin won't be disturbed. I feel sorry for them that their pathetic lives are so full of fear, hatred, ignorance, deceit, and bitterness. And they are the ones who back a GOP that has a party platform that is as divisive as any platform in the history of this nation; anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-women, anti-science and anti-American values of community and tolerance. With the dark and gloomy GOP, its all about dividing America and placing the blame on people with different religions, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or place of origin. Yet it it they who nominated a divisive fascist to prove themselves worthy of that divisive and fascist label.
James Veverka
Tilton
Conservatives Don't Understand the Heller Ruling or Gun Laws in General
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 7-20-2016
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/96576-james-veverka-7-20-435
To the Editor,
Don Ewing isn't paying attention to what is going on in the USA regarding guns laws. He doesn't even understand the Heller V. District of Columbia ruling of 2008. Heller affirmed the right to self-protection but it also made clear that states and municipalities could regulate firearms. Within Scalia's holding is stated:
"1(f) ...United States v. Miller, 307 U. S. 174 , does not limit the right to keep and bear arms to militia purposes, but rather limits the type of weapon to which the right applies to those used by the militia, i.e., those in common use for lawful purposes. Pp. 47–54.
(2). Like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose: For example, concealed weapons prohibitions have been upheld under the Amendment or state analogues. The Court’s opinion should not be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms. Miller’s holding that the sorts of weapons protected are those “in common use at the time” finds support in the historical tradition of prohibiting the carrying of dangerous and unusual weapons. Pp. 54–56."
Heller did not interpret the 2nd Amendment the way the Sun's ammosexual writers do. Go ahead, read Scalia's holding again. "Like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited". Maryland has banned assault type weapons as "dangerous and unusual weapons" that do not fall within the purview of the 2nd Amendment. The Supreme Court has let stand California's ban on concealed carry without providing "just cause" to the Sheriff's Department. It let stand the Connecticut and Highland Park, IL bans on assault styled semi-automatics. The court has also let stand regulations on trigger locks, gun lock boxes, and gun sales taxes. Several places have put limits on the size of magazines and they have survived judicial review. Just last month, California enacted six new gun laws. One was background checks for ammunition sales. Another enacted new rules for lending out guns and another addressed "straw man" purchases which is when a person buys a gun for someone barred from doing so.
Politifact has affirmed that "Americans are 20 times as likely to die from gun violence as citizens of other civilized countries." http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/jan/17/lisa-bloom/americans-are-20-times-likely-die-gun-violence-cit/ More guns or doing nothing are not acceptable solutions to the American Disease. Twenty times is a sickness.
James Veverka
Backlash Against Anti-Muslim Bigotry Continues
To the Editor,
The backlash against anti-Muslim bigotry continues. People like Steve Earle and Russ Wiles are helping the progressive cause when they lump all Muslims together,. Most people are not that shallow. Do you remember when Kim Davis used her perverse and despicable version of Christianity to support her anti-gay bigotry (Leviticus and Romans I)? The public debate that ensued after her refusal to issue marriage licenses helped support for marriage equality to soar to its highest levels yet. The wretch got crushed. When the Supreme Court ruled for marriage equality last June, support was at 53%. By May, it stood at 61%. Game over. The same dynamic has transpired since Herr Trumpf and his army of reprobates degenerates began their shady anti-Muslim crusade of hate. As I have always said, the biggest enemy the right wing has is its own mouth. (Keep screaming, Steve!) With all the inflammatory anti-Muslim rhetoric spewed from the extremists combined with actual attacks in the last year, one would think that the attitudes towards Muslims and Islam would have worsened. Exactly the opposite has happened because most people are intellectually mature enough not to demonize a group because of the actions of a few crazies. After all, most Christians aren't nutters like Demakowski, McCoole, or Ewing.
So here is my "Christmas in July" gift for Steve Earle and Russ Wiles. A new Brookings Institution survey released this week has shown American attitudes towards Muslims and Islam to be progressively improving. According to the report, "respondents who expressed favorable views went from 53 percent in November 2015, to 58 percent in May 2016, to 62 percent in June 2016. At the same time, favorable views of Islam went from 37 percent, to 42 percent, to 44 percent over the same period—still under half, but with marked improvement over a period of seven months." It is clear that Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and progressive voices are winning this debate and will continue to.
James Veverka
Tilton
Horrified Muslims: Fatwas Denouncing Violence
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 7-7-2016 http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/96246-james-veverka-7-7-510
To the Editor,
Russ Wiles wants to know why moderate Muslims aren't chiming in. They are. Recently, pathological liar and Himmler wannabe, Donald Trumpf said that Muslims don't report suspicious Muslims. On June 16, FBI Director James Comey countered Trump's rubbish in a press conference: "They do not want people committing violence, either in their community or in the name of their faith, and so some of our most productive relationships are with people who see things and tell us things who happen to be Muslim. It’s at the heart of the FBI’s effectiveness to have good relationships with these folks,” he added.
If Russ would turn off the lying and dying right wing world, he would know that since 9/11 there have been over 100 Fatwas issued condemning terror. Just Google "list of fatwas against violence". A Fatwa is a legal pronouncement and religious decree issued by clerics, scholars, and experts on Islamic law.
Due to limitations I can't list all of the important Fatwas and declarations against terrorism but I will present some examples. One of the latest major Fatwas was issued this Spring when almost 70,000 Muslim clerics came together to pass a Fatwa against global terrorist organizations including the Taliban, al-Qaida and ISIS. According to The Times of India, almost 1.5 million attendees signed a document protesting global terrorist activity at the annual gathering of South Asian Sunni Muslims. This year, the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, along with 37 other Muslim leaders of various Muslim sects across Canada issued a Fatwa from Calgary condemning followers of ISIS as non-Muslims. Last year more than 120 Muslim scholars from around the world wrote an open letter to the "fighters and followers" of ISIS and denounced them as un-Islamic. On September 11, 2013, 165 Somali religious leaders concluded a five-day National Conference on Extremism in Mogadishu by issuing a fatwa condemning al-Shabaab.
In 2013, Muslim Scholars of the Sunni Ittehad Council in Pakistan issued a collective Fatwa against suicide bombings, the killing of innocents, bombings, and targeted killings declaring them as forbidden. In 2011, the 512 page "Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings" was published by Minhaj-ul-Quran Publications declaring terrorism and suicide bombings are unjust and evil. In 2008, 6,000 Ulama Islamic scholars in India endorsed a Fatwa that declared that all forms of terrorism are against the spirit of Islam. In 2005. Spanish Muslims proclaimed a fatwa against Osama Bin Laden. Issued by Mansur Escudero Bedate, secretary general of the Islamic Commission of Spain, it decrees that Bin Laden and "his" al-Qaida had abandoned their religion and should thus be called "al-Qaida terrorists" without using the adjective "Islamic". Also in 2005, the Fiqh Council of North America, issued a Fatwa against providing support to "terrorist" groups that make up their own rules by unjustifiably referring to Islam.
The facts are not going to influence bigots and fools but most people realize that the ordinary Muslim is just as horrified as we are by the violence. They have suffered far far more than we have at the hands of terrorists. For a sampling, see Part I - Fatwas & Statements by Muslim Scholars & Organization:http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/muslim_voices_against_extremism_and_terrorism_part_i_fatwas/0012209
James Veverka
Tilton
Gun Laws, Statistics, and the Orlando Massacre
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 6-21-2016
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/95790-james-veverka-6-21-755
To the Editor,
Heads are exploding in the delusional barrel sucking world of ammosexuals. First the US 9th District Court recently affirmed the constitutionality of banning concealed carry in California unless one can present "just cause" to the Sheriff's department. Heller 2008 only speaks to home protection which the court made clear. Now the Supreme Court has turned down an appeal to overturn the ban on AR-15 styled weapons of war in New York and Connecticut. Turning down an appeal leaves a lower court ruling in place which means other states can follow suit if they wish. Last year, the high court turned down appeals regarding gun lock-ups, trigger locks, gun taxes, and the Highland Park ban on assault style weapons. They are also banned in Maryland. Colorado has tightened laws after Aurora regarding magazine sizes and gun transfers. All have been upheld in court.
Fortunately, the vast majority of people aren't with the macho NRA psychos and their "small" blood soaked hands. The time has come to end the madness. Again. We do not take the gun nuts' ridiculous arguments seriously at all. If they were actually right, then a nation awash in 300 million guns would be a safer nation and we wouldn't have a gun murder rate that is TWENTY times the average of the rest of the OEDC - the Organization of Economically Developed Countries'. But we do. Twenty times! Every time I hear about gun-free zones being the problem, my eyes just roll so far back I can see my gray matter. Many mass killings have occurred in conceal carry regions. The Oregon college shooting is an example. They call them ambush killings for a reason. A good guy with a gun is useless in a split second ambush killing. He is dead like the rest. Only those with superhero delusion disorders are dumb enough to think otherwise.
The gun nuts want to divert our attention to "all" Muslims for the crimes of a minority of insane fundamentalists but more people were murdered by Americans in the last two days than were murdered in Orlando by the LGBT-hating Muslim fundamentalist terrorist. Every day, 115 Americans are treated in the ER for gunshot wounds. Over 200 are shot and killed every week and the glassy eyed far right could not care less unless they are Muslims or Mexicans. Just think what the shrieking sound would be like if 200 were killed in a week, every week, by Muslims instead of Americans. Don't listen to the crackpots. Dishonesty, delusion, and diversionary tactics are all they have. Fear is the truth-killer. Fear and loathing are them.
Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, and Rick Santorum couldn't wait to get the endorsement of radical anti-gay evangelical pastor Kevin Swanson Swanson is known, like many fundamentalist preachers, for wretching like a psychopath from the stage for the death of homosexuals. The Bible, like Sharia, teaches this evil with it's capital punishment which is why they use violent anti-gay scriptures endlessly ad nauseum. We shouldn't consider a book written by people having hallucinations and delusions who didn't know where the Sun goes at night to be an authority on anything. Swanson is Pastor Scott Lively's pal and they and other Christian fundamentalists were behind the money pushing for the "death for gays" laws in Uganda. Lively is now fittingly on trial for crimes against humanity. Schadenfreude, Pastor Scott, your God hates you, too. (For your information, 115 LGBT people were murdered in 2015 for being themselves. You know who the usual suspects are.)
Donald Trump first responded to the Orlando massacre by accepting congratulations that he was right about Muslims. Now even the GOP establishment hates him for his ugly nature. Then Mein Dumpf couldn't wait to impress the evangelical right by tweeting a picture of himself with hate mongering anti-gay pastor and man of God, Robert Jeffress. Jeffress still conflates being gay with being a pedophile which is a common conservative religious tactic to incite anger, hatred, and hopefully, violence. Jews, Christians and Muslims get executing homosexuals from the Bible's Book of Leviticus mainly. Paul's Book of Romans, Chapter 1 also decrees that those who give up their natural affections also deserve death. Sharia law actually originates from the Bible's Pentateuch which is actually more violent and inhumane than the Quran. Since both worship the 'God of Abraham and Moses', Christianity and Islam can be considered the bastard children of Judaism. They are both tribal and cultural adoptions and adaptations of Judaic superstitions and its God of Abraham.
Before the victims were even identified, Pastor Roger Jimenez from Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento told his congregation that Christians “shouldn’t be mourning the death of 50 sodomites." He said, "that’s great. I think that helps society. You know, I think Orlando, Fla., is a little safer tonight. The tragedy is that more of them didn’t die. The tragedy is — I’m kind of upset that he didn’t finish the job!”. Fundamentalism is just plain evil when it comes to equality and liberty no matter which religion you choose.
Commissioner Stacy White is a Tea Party Republican in Hillsborough County in Florida who was upset when the county commission decided to fly a Rainbow flag outside the court house in honor of the Orlando victims. White called a meeting and complained that it created a hostile workplace. Yes, he said a hostile workplace. Stacy White is the hostile one. What a lowlife heartless scumbag.
James Veverka
Tilton
Russ Wiles' Neo-Fascist Think Tank: Center For Immigration Studies
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 6-3-2016 http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/95371-james-veverka-6-3-600
To the Editor,
Russ Wiles' recent source on immigration, The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), is a right wing extremist, anti-immigration group. Anti-Fascist News asked last October, "Is it a surprise that the Center for Immigration Studies, an openly anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant group, is associating with the fringe of the white nationalist movement?". German fascists had Jews, Slavs, and immigrants to dehumanize while the American neo-fascists have Muslims, immigrants, and refugees. Anti-Fascist News notes that CIS is "dominated by far-right ideas, with publications like VDare standing directly with the white separatist camp that simply uses Republican talking points to broaden the support for blocking foreign immigrants."(1) Conservative website RedState.com's Neil Stevens wrote last month, "I’ve been warning for a while now that the John Tanton universe of Malthusian, anti-immigration groups – FAIR, NumbersUSA, and the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) – are not our friends. They don’t promote conservatives ideas, and we should stay away from them." (2) Ya think? Even sane conservatives find in the CIS an enemy.
Libertarian think tank CATO, not exactly leftist, was highly critical of the CIS study that Russ relied upon with an article titled "Center for Immigration Studies Report Exaggerates Immigrant Welfare Use".(3) Another CATO article is titled, "CIS Exaggerates the Cost of Immigrant Welfare Use".(4) So all of the figures Russ used in his recent letter are anti-immigrant exaggerations and propaganda. The prestigious and widely respected Southern Poverty Law Center which watches hate groups such as CIS notes, "CIS studies have been regularly debunked by mainstream academics and think tanks including the Immigration Policy Center, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities and America's Voice".(6) Did I mention CATO?
Right Wing Watch revealed that in a secret memo that was leaked a few years back, CIS founder "Tanton fretted about “less intelligent” people having children: “Do we leave it to individuals to decide that they are the intelligent ones who should have more kids? And more troublesome, what about the less intelligent, who logically should have less? Who is going to break the bad news [to less intelligent individuals], and how will it be implemented?” At one point, Tanton founded his own pro-eugenics organization, the Society for Genetic Education. He also authored a paper titled “The Case for Passive Eugenics.”(7) CIS fits all the definitions of fascist.
Regarding The Southern Poverty Law Center's hate list, Mr. Wiles also claims, "Pamela Geller and Daniel Greenfield made the list for pointing out and protesting the attacks on Jews by Islamists." This is another convenient sounding obfuscation from the bigot bubble. Geller and Greenfield made the list because they hate Muslims. Period. Radical Islamists may hate Jewish people and their religion but they actually kill far more Muslims than they do Christians and Jews. I think Republican Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina has done us a great service by condemning Trump for his neo-fascist hate speech. Vox's latest on her is perfect and speaks to the depravity of Trump's rhetoric and that of letter writers such as Steve Earle. The article is titled, "S.C. Governor Nikki Haley Holds Nothing Back as She Compares Trump to Shooter Dylann Roof."(8) Governor Haley told reporters that she wished nominee Donald Trump would communicate differently, and slammed his rhetoric. "I know what that rhetoric can do. I saw it happen," she said. This rhetoric is the kind of hateful rhetoric we see from CIS, Greenfield, Geller and of course, our very own seething Steve Earle. They want us to hate and hurt. Its that simple. They hope for violence and dehumanization.
(6) https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2009/center-immigration-studies-reports
James Veverk
Tilton
The Tall Tales of Russ Wiles: The ACLU
Published in The Laconia Daily Sun 6-1-2016 http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/95158-james-veverka-6-1-535
To the Editor,
Russ Wiles sure likes to tell tall tales. One of his latest is nothing more than a falsehood from the right wing bubble. Russ paints for us, "While the ACLU is hell-bent on banning Christian prayers in schools, they fight to allow for Muslims to pray in schools." That's a giant pantload. Let me tell you about the Minnesota charter school, Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA). In 2009 it came to the attention of the ACLU that TIZA was in violation of the First Amendment. The Wikipedia article states: "In January, 2009, describing the Academy as "in essence, a private religious school", Charles Samuelson, executive director of the Minnesota ACLU, announced that the ACLU would filed a lawsuit alleging that the Academy promotes the Muslim religion and that its directors illegally use a holding company to channel taxpayer dollars to a religious organization. The suit accuses the school of holding group prayers during school hours, including a 30-minute prayer session on Fridays, allowing teachers to post religious material on classroom bulletin boards, and enforcing Islamic rules on modesty of dress – including sleeves and skirts or trousers of a certain length, on female but not male students and teachers."
Twin Cities Pioneer Press put it like this: "The ACLU sued the charter school, the Minnesota Department of Education and the charter school’s sponsor Islamic Relief in 2009, claiming leaders used taxpayer money to finance the teaching of religion, directly in violation of the establishment clause that separates church and state."
So once again, Russ spins a tale but runs out of yarn in the face of the facts. That is the right wing way; to make stuff up. Russ cries a river about Christian persecution but what it amounts to is right wing Christians throwing hissy fits when their religion isn't allowed to usurp the establishment clause. The Constitution isn't the Bible. In fact, it never mentions God, Jesus, Christianity, or the Bible. They deliberately did that to separate themselves from England and the 1600's theocratic colonial order which fundamentalists miss so much.
The ACLU, People For The American Way (PFAW.org) and Americans United For the Separation of Church and State (AU.org) will take to court any taxpayer supporter school that promotes any religion whether is be Christian, Muslim, or Jewish. Just this week, the ACLU won a major Appellate Court case in New Jersey where Governor Christie had granted state funding to religious schooling. The ACLU page states, "The ACLU of New Jersey, national ACLU, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State successfully challenged New Jersey’s grants of $10.6 million to Beth Medrash Govoha, an Orthodox Jewish yeshiva in Lakewood, and $645,323 to Princeton Theological Seminary, a Presbyterian seminary, both of which are dedicated to religious training and engage in discrimination". PLONK!
So here you see that the ACLU put its muscle into preventing state support of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. This is what the ACLU does when it comes to the establishment clause. And this one is just for Russ: Another victory just today is that Catholic Hospitals in Illinois can no longer withhold complete medical information and options to women seeking reproductive healthcare. That was done by the Illinois legislature. Winning!
James Veverka
Tilton
Backlash On Anti-Muslim Bigotry
Published in the Laconia Daily Sun 5-27-2016
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/95101-james-veverka-5-27-175
To the editor,
Rest assured that nobody but those in the neo-fascist bigot bubble thinks any of Steve Earle's anti-Muslim rants are anything more than logical fallacies, false equivalencies and outright ignorance. Mein Trumpf has recently gotten some backlash from the US Congress regarding all the fascist hate speech.
According to Reason.com, "The Freedom of Religion Act of 2016 amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include a new SEC. 220. PROHIBITION ON DENYING ADMISSION BECAUSE OF RELIGION that reads ‘‘Notwithstanding any other provision of the immigration laws, an alien may not be denied admission to the United States because of the alien’s religion or lack of religious beliefs.’’ The bill has about 50 co-sponsors.
I have always believed that the right wing's worst enemy is their mouths. Thanks Steve, old pal! About 2000 refugees have been settled so far and Obama's goal is 10,000. This goal will be reached, although national security experts from several administrations suggest raising the goal to 100,000 because our vetting process is much better than any other country's. Keep screaming, Steve!
James Veverka
Tilton
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/95101-james-veverka-5-27-175
To the editor,
Rest assured that nobody but those in the neo-fascist bigot bubble thinks any of Steve Earle's anti-Muslim rants are anything more than logical fallacies, false equivalencies and outright ignorance. Mein Trumpf has recently gotten some backlash from the US Congress regarding all the fascist hate speech.
According to Reason.com, "The Freedom of Religion Act of 2016 amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include a new SEC. 220. PROHIBITION ON DENYING ADMISSION BECAUSE OF RELIGION that reads ‘‘Notwithstanding any other provision of the immigration laws, an alien may not be denied admission to the United States because of the alien’s religion or lack of religious beliefs.’’ The bill has about 50 co-sponsors.
I have always believed that the right wing's worst enemy is their mouths. Thanks Steve, old pal! About 2000 refugees have been settled so far and Obama's goal is 10,000. This goal will be reached, although national security experts from several administrations suggest raising the goal to 100,000 because our vetting process is much better than any other country's. Keep screaming, Steve!
James Veverka
Tilton
Trump Won't Even Faze Hillary
Published in the Laconia Daily Sun 5-25-2016
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/95029-james-veverka-5-25-415
To the editor,
Donald Trump stands almost no chance of being elected. If the election were held today, Hillary Clinton would win in a Electoral College landslide, 347 to 191. In the last six presidential elections, 19 states have voted “blue” every time. That is not about to change, especially with Trumpolini. Those 19 states add up to 242 of the 270 needed for victory. With 28 more needed, Florida has 29 and is likely to go blue. Those 19 do not include New Hampshire, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado, Nevada or New Mexico, which went for Obama in 2012. Only 12 States amounting to 106 votes have voted red in the last six elections. To put it bluntly, the GOP is on the verge of becoming an Electoral College dropout. If they don't take the next autopsy report seriously, well, they always liked to call themselves the Federalists!
The popular vote doesn’t win presidential elections. Electoral College votes determine the winner, which is why the Trump and Sanders camp stress the popular vote polling. The media needs a real fight so they are using a lot of ink to persuade people into thinking its close. Trump wants to look huge and Sanders has the audacity to tell the democrats that polling six months out should overturn the will of the majority of democrats at the convention. Sanders thinks that he can turn superdelegates after losing the pledged delegate race by what will be over 300 by June 14th - with polling. That is bizarre. Finish it out with some grace, Mr. Sanders.
Sanders was done after the March 22 primaries and the GOP was done when they threw out their 2012 autopsy report and nominated an American fascist burning bright with bigotry, racism and misogyny. Remember the autopsy? Better relationships with Hispanics, Women, and African Americans? That went well! The nomination of Trump has all the right wingers and neo-Fascists in Europe thrilled. I say enjoy it while you can because Trumps' thin skin is about to get atomized by Hillary Clinton's furnace. Hillary will destroy him in debates and play in campaign adds every moronic thing that has ever come from his garbage mouth . Trump thinks that bringing up scandals from the 1990s is a good idea. After 25 years of the right wing attacking Hillary Clinton, she is still standing and smiling. He will not even faze her. She has been through it all. Even online packs of wild Hillary-hating wolves who support Bernie tried to dehumanize and demonize her and failed miserably. That was precious! Schadenfreude.
James Veverka
Tilton
Rebuttal to Bob Meade's reply on declining religion
Published in the Laconia Daily Sun 5-20-2016 http://www.laconiadailysun.com/opinion/letters/94894-james-veverka-5-20-339-religion
Can You Prove The Flying Spaghetti Monster Isn't The One True God?
To the Editor,
Bob Meade claimed I said things I actually didn't say in my letter on the decline of religion. Conservative letter writers to the Sun do this all the time which makes one wonder if they actually read or understand the letters. The letter contained three sets of statistics on religion. One was that church attendance has significantly dropped. Only 14% of those born after 1956 attend church services. I never said not going to church meant not believing in God. Mr Mead said I did. Regarding the "nones", the Pew survey puts it this way: "Religious “nones” – a shorthand we use to refer to people who self-identify as atheists or agnostics, as well as those who say their religion is “nothing in particular” – now make up roughly 23% of the U.S. adult population. This is a stark increase from 2007, the last time a similar Pew Research study was conducted, when 16% of Americans were “nones.” The other statistic I mentioned was that only 45% of people 18-30 are sure there is a God. That would mean 55% are agnostic at the outset. This is a major generational shift. In fact, under 18 it gets worse. In one survey, only one in ten high school seniors said religion was important in their lives. In debates regarding science or religion, it is the responsibility of the person who makes a positive claim of something's existence to provide the evidence. The burden of evidence is always with the positive claimant. I don't have to believe anything if there is no evidence for it. Doubt is a logical default position for any claim whether it be scientific or religious until evidence arises that suggests otherwise. This is critical thinking. Asking someone to prove a negative only evidences one has no cogent response. Can Mr Meade prove that the Flying Spaghetti Monster isn't the one true God? Of course he can't. Demanding the proof of a negative is a logical fallacy that is the last defense of one with no answer.
James Veverka
Tilton
Can You Prove The Flying Spaghetti Monster Isn't The One True God?
To the Editor,
Bob Meade claimed I said things I actually didn't say in my letter on the decline of religion. Conservative letter writers to the Sun do this all the time which makes one wonder if they actually read or understand the letters. The letter contained three sets of statistics on religion. One was that church attendance has significantly dropped. Only 14% of those born after 1956 attend church services. I never said not going to church meant not believing in God. Mr Mead said I did. Regarding the "nones", the Pew survey puts it this way: "Religious “nones” – a shorthand we use to refer to people who self-identify as atheists or agnostics, as well as those who say their religion is “nothing in particular” – now make up roughly 23% of the U.S. adult population. This is a stark increase from 2007, the last time a similar Pew Research study was conducted, when 16% of Americans were “nones.” The other statistic I mentioned was that only 45% of people 18-30 are sure there is a God. That would mean 55% are agnostic at the outset. This is a major generational shift. In fact, under 18 it gets worse. In one survey, only one in ten high school seniors said religion was important in their lives. In debates regarding science or religion, it is the responsibility of the person who makes a positive claim of something's existence to provide the evidence. The burden of evidence is always with the positive claimant. I don't have to believe anything if there is no evidence for it. Doubt is a logical default position for any claim whether it be scientific or religious until evidence arises that suggests otherwise. This is critical thinking. Asking someone to prove a negative only evidences one has no cogent response. Can Mr Meade prove that the Flying Spaghetti Monster isn't the one true God? Of course he can't. Demanding the proof of a negative is a logical fallacy that is the last defense of one with no answer.
James Veverka
Tilton
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