Sharing sites: war, contraception, fisa, the n-word

Today I bring you some sites I have looked at over the past few weeks that I just keep coming back to. Powerful, thought-provoking, typically unheard in the regular media.

First up a friend of mine is back blogging after about a year off. He came back with a post about Former Army Private First Class Joseph Dwyer who died this past June. Touching story, powerful words and charge given by Olly Olly Oxen Free over at Peace Between People.

Going into the political realm I give you Sin's Secret Corner who discusses the atrocity that is McCain's view on contraception. Sin doesn't talk about politics a lot, but felt compelled to share what McCain has said and not said about contraception -- birth control pills, Plan B pills, condoms, pregnancy, and STDs. Read Sin's Secret Corner's post.

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Wow. What can I really say about this document signed into existence a week or so ago. First, "in passing the FISA Amendments Act, Congress gave the executive branch the power to order Google, AT&T and Yahoo to forward to the government all e-mails, phone calls and text messages where one party to the conversation is thought to be overseas." What?! The ACLU is suing because they believe the orders violate the 4th amendment to the Constitution. Their complaint alleges

"The law challenged here supplies none of the safeguards that the Constitution demands. It permits the government to monitor the communications of U.S. Citizens and residents without identifying the people to be surveilled; without specifying the facilities, places, premises, or property to be monitored; without observing meaningful limitations on the retention, analysis, and dissemination of acquired information; without obtaining individualized warrants based on criminal or foreign intelligence probable cause; and, indeed, without even making prior administrative determinations that the targets of surveillance are foreign agents or connected in any way, however tenuously, to terrorism."

Last, but not least, the N-word. Why do people still use this word. Perhaps they don't really understand where it comes from or what it has meant to people in the past. The Renaissance Gallery got me hooked on this video by mjul on YouTube. Hopefully you watch the whole video. Hopefully, if you use the word, it helps you understand where it comes from and why it is seen as derogatory and not something you should call your friend.



Now off to see if there is any more news about this shooting and fire in Maplewood. I just hope it is not anyone I know involved or injured from this stuff right across from that 7-11 on Big Bend.