NY Times Gay Marriage Roundup: Banner Headlines, Few Opponents, ‘Tears of Joy’
June 27, 2011 No Comment
As expected, New York Times coverage of the law passed late Friday night allowing gay marraige in New York State was heavily favorable. Sunday’s front page New York Times story provided the tick-tock on how New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo marshaled support to pass gay marriage in the Republican-controlled New York State Senate in part by convincing “super-rich Republican donors” to support him, in Michael Barbaro’s “ Behind Gay Marriage, an Unlikely Mix of Forces .” It included this odd anecdote about a Democratic state senator and holdout against history:
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Venus and Serena Williams were both eliminated in the fourth round of Wimbledon on Monday, the first time in five years that neither sister will play in the quarterfinals at the All England Club. (June 27)
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Venus and Serena Williams were both eliminated in the fourth round of Wimbledon on Monday, the first time in five years that neither sister will play in the quarterfinals at the All England Club. (June 27)
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High on a hill, this looks like many other examples of elegant modern architecture. But this house is built with a special ingredient. (June 27)
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High on a hill, this looks like many other examples of elegant modern architecture. But this house is built with a special ingredient. (June 27)
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Tributes paid to Scottish justice, known for his lively judicial commentary, who passed away after a short illness Lord Rodger of Earlsferry, one of the supreme court’s two Scottish justices, has died after a short illness, opening up a vacancy on the 12-strong bench. The 66-year-old Oxford academic and former lord advocate had recently been caught up in a row over the authority of the supreme court in Scottish criminal affairs. There were generous tributes to the long-serving judge from colleagues who praised his ability and the force of his judgments. Lord Phillips, president of the supreme court, said: “For 10 years he has been a mainstay of the law lords and of the supreme court. He was an outstanding jurist and a wonderful companion. His premature death is a tragic loss to the court and to the nation.” Earlier this month Alex Salmond, the leader of the Scottish National party, launched an attack on the Westminster-based court, accusing it of “intervening aggressively” in Scotland’s independent legal system after it ruled that the Scottish system had twice breached the European convention on human rights. The Scottish cabinet has set up an expert legal group to consider how Salmond’s government can block the supreme court from its oversight of criminal cases. An appointments commission will be established in due course by the supreme court to advertise the vacancy and oversee the selection process. Rodger’s replacement will be from the Scottish judiciary. The search for a replacement comes as the House of Lords’ constitution committee begins hearings next month on the judicial appointments procedure. Peers will consider whether parliament should hold US-style confirmation hearings of supreme court justices on the grounds that their role is becoming increasingly influential. The committee will also examine concerns about judicial diversity: of 11 remaining justices, 10 are white men and only one, Baroness Hale, is a woman. None are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Rodger will be missed for his lively judicial commentary. Addressing the deportation of gay and lesbian asylum seekers last year, he observed: “Just as male heterosexuals are free to enjoy themselves playing rugby, drinking beer and talking about girls with their mates, so male homosexuals are to be free to enjoy themselves going to Kylie concerts, drinking exotically coloured cocktails and talking about boys with their straight female mates.” Cameron Ritchie, president of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “Lord Rodger was an eminent and distinguished figure within the Scottish legal profession. He held some of Scotland’s most distinguished positions, including lord advocate and lord president, where he demonstrated immense ability and intellect. Above all he was a great ambassador for the Scottish legal profession and someone who will be greatly missed.” The Crown Office in Scotland said the legal profession was “poorer for his passing”. Lord Hope, deputy president of the supreme court and the other Scottish justice on its bench, said: “Lord Rodger’s premature death has deprived us all of a greatly valued colleague and a much loved friend. It is a desperately sad end to a brilliant career. His contribution to the development of the law was immense. He had so much more still to give, both as a judge and to academic life both in Scotland and at Oxford.” Despite challenging the supreme court’s judgments, Salmond, said: “Lord Rodger made an outstanding contribution to public life in Scotland over many years both as a judge and as lord advocate. “He was held in the highest regard by all those who worked with him in public service, and dedicated himself to the interests of justice during a long and hugely influential career.” Born in Glasgow in 1944 and educated at Kelvinside Academy, Alan Rodger graduated in law from Glasgow University. He was a junior research fellow of Balliol and then a fellow of New College from 1970-1972. He became solicitor general for Scotland in 1989, a post he held until 1992, when he became lord advocate, a post he held until 1995. Judiciary UK supreme court Scotland House of Lords Scottish politics Owen Bowcott guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Amanpour Does Obama’s Bidding in Pushing McConnell to Realize Need for ‘Revenue Raising’
June 27, 2011 No Comment
On Sunday’s This Week, ABC’s Christiane Amanpour repeatedly hit Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell with the White House’s plea for “revenue raising” measures, often the new euphemism for tax hikes, but when she talked to Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn, the Assistant Minority Leader in the House, she failed to press him about agreeing to GOP spending cut proposals and instead only asked him about prospects for a deal.
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Highlights of this day in history: US air and naval forces ordered into the Korean War; John Dean testifies about the Nixon White House’s ‘enemies list’; Stonewall riots spark the modern gay rights movement; Actor Jack Lemmon dies. (June 27)
Continue reading …ABC’s Muir: Will ‘Deeply Felt Criticism in Africa Melt Under the Glow Cast By Mrs. Obama and Her Girls?’
June 26, 2011 No Comment
As the First Lady and her daughters toured Africa last week, Americans were treated to puff piece after piece from their adoring fans in the press. One such aired on ABC's “This Week” Sunday with David Muir actually saying, “Will some of that deeply felt criticism in Africa melt under the glow cast by Mrs. Obama and her girls?” (video follows with transcript and commentary): DAVID MUIR, ABC NEWS: There are many who wonder if Mrs. Obama’s visit will help soothe criticism that her husband has not done enough to reach out to Africa. Critics point out just one visit while in office. Some argue the HIV/AIDS effort was stronger under the Bush administration. But the Obama White House argues it has laid out a plan for Africa combating hunger and widening public health outreach beyond HIV. The question now: will some of that deeply felt criticism in Africa melt under the glow cast by Mrs. Obama and her girls who came here to spread their own message that there is still work to be done. Yes, that's all ailing and starving Africans need to make their troubles go away: a little of Michelle's glow. After all, the Obamas are a magic elixir that wash all of the world's problems away – except, of course, rising unemployment, ballooning gas prices, spiraling food costs, and plummeting home prices. But other than that…
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More than 500 females of various ages armed to the teeth and swearing loyalty are paraded in front of international media Screaming and chanting his name, the 500 women and girls vowed their undying love for one man. Not a pop star or Hollywood actor, but Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. “Kill all the people in Libya first, then come for Muammar Gaddafi,” said 14-year-old Fatima Hassan. “I will kill myself if Muammar Gaddafi is killed. I know our people will kill themselves if he dies.” The event in Tripoli on Sunday was billed as a graduation ceremony for women who had been given weapons training in defence of the regime. Around 50 international journalists, invited and escorted by government minders, arrived to find them clapping, singing, ululating, punching the air and waving green flags in a tented hall set up with chandeliers and two colossal flatscreen TVs. There were elderly women and little girls in the hall, and every age in between. Some held aloft pictures of a luminous Gaddafi, one framed in green Christmas tinsel. A woman waved a green flag and wore a sparkly green cape, green scarf and green bandana with badges showing Gaddafi’s face. Next to her was a woman wearing a watch that displayed his image. Reporters pondered whether the event had been stage managed entirely for their benefit. The Gaddafi groupies painted the first dozen rows green, but behind them were hundreds of empty seats. Outside was a rattle of gunfire as some enthusiastic graduates fired their new weapons into the air with little regard for where the ammunition might land. There was also much idolatry, most of all from the teenager Fatima, who said her father is an engineer and she attended an international school near Edgware Road in London. “We love Muammar Gaddafi and we want to save our country,” she said. “He made us happy. He makes us eat and makes the country free to do what we want. Before, we weren’t free. My grandparents tell us that before Gaddafi, it was bad, there was no bread. He saved us.” Pledging to fight for the man depicted on her necklace, she explained: “There are no women and children now.” Fatima claimed her five brothers have gone to fight for the regime against rebels in Benghazi and Misrata. Asked how she would feel if they were killed, she replied: “It doesn’t matter. I don’t care. It’s for the leader.” With government minders hovering nearby, there was similar fervour from Habib Abdul Qasem, 39, a nanny dressed in military fatigues. “Of course I will defend myself and my country,” she said. “We are an armed nation; everyone in this country has weapons. I keep a gun in my house. I’ve never used it but if the conditions change I will use it against the Crusasders.” Nadia Ali, 30, an unemployed interior designer, added: “We want a Libya that’s strong. Muammar Gaddafi is our father. There is some problem in the rebels’ head. Muammar Gaddafi is a good man who loves the Libyan people. He gave us something.” Gaddafi’s detail of female bodyguards has become the stuff of legend during his near 42-year rule. It is not yet clear what role the newly-trained women will play militarily and whether they could be pressed into action if the Libyan army is overstretched. Moussa Ibrahim, a government spokesman, said: “Libyan women are now joining the armed forces against Nato. We are training them. Their main role is defending homes. We have no plan to send them to the front line. They are not trained for that, and our army is very effective.” But he added with a rhetorical flourish: “We are going to make sure that every mother, the symbol of love and creation, is a bomb, a killing machine.” Ibrahim insisted that the regime is stronger than ever and there has been no discussion of surrender. “We are prepared to give 1.2m weapons away and we have been training many, many, many ordinary Libyans.” The set piece over, journalists were shepherded back to their official bus, but it remained stationary for long minutes as the celebratory gunfire came ever closer. There was growing anxiety on board over the potential for stray bullets. When this was expressed to a government minder, he replied tartly: “Your planes are bombing the Libyan people and you are afraid of a bullet?” Libya Middle East Middle East Muammar Gaddafi David Smith guardian.co.uk
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