Posts filed under “all along the watchtower”
and you'll know what's what
In my late teens I worked in the cash office of a grocery store that received regular bomb threats. Not for any particular reason, just that a very disturbed man had fixated on our store and a couple of other businesses for his kicks. I’d pick up the phone and he’d whisper I put a [...]
the Bill of Rights doesn't take sides
hey, can I just say that the meme going around right now where people are like “how come no cop ever beat and pepper sprayed the Westboro Baptist Church protesters? huh? they’re the bad guys, not some harmless students!” is a super example of the fundamental disconnect between my fellow lefties and the Constitution, a [...]
basic yearnings of the human spirit
today is Day Eight of the Pelican Bay Prisoner Hunger Strike. you can learn more about the conditions of the prison, and the inmates demands, here: Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity blog Mother Jones piece LA Times coverage one | two Letter from a Pelican Bay Hunger Striker NY Times coverage. Californians can help by contacting [...]
some sex offender thoughts
In working for civil liberties and particular in the specialty of prisoner’s rights and criminal justice reform, there’s one wall I continually find myself smashing up against — the rights of sex offenders. I find it easy to extend my compassion to even the worst of violent criminals. I don’t support the death penalty. I [...]
the battle we're losing
I think at this point it’s clear that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell will fall one way or another – last week’s no vote by the Senate to accept this coming year’s NDAA with the repeal language was a disappointment, but it doesn’t feel like a permanent setback, especially in light of the new stand-alone repeal [...]