Breaking news: a brilliant lawyer is squandering her law degree serving as a high school principal in Alaska

Please read this story carefully. Notice anything? If not, I'll tell you: the 9th Circuit (who else?) stated that a school principal in Alaska "was aware of relevant case law and should have known her actions violated [the student's] rights." This in the process of overturning a decision to the contrary by a lower (though wiser) federal court. Apparently an entire federal court was unaware of relevant case law, but the high school principal was well-versed in it. How she is able to pay off her law school loans on a principal's salary is beyond me.

SRS

What's so bad about the 13th century?

I'm sick of hearing (and reading) that the clash of freedom vs. fundamentalist Islam is a clash of 21st century civilization vs. 13th century barbarism. That's totally unfair to the 13th century. There were plenty of intelligent, rational, and above all, peaceful people in the 13th century. None of the Islamic fundamentalists is peaceful, and the overwhelming majority aren't intelligent or rational. This is just a clash of peaceful, happy, industrious people vs. violent, bloodthirsty savages who are unwilling to work.

I know that if some stranger stumbles across this, I'm probably going to be accused of slandering all Muslims. If the shoe fits, then fine: I am writing about you. Lots of hard-working, peaceable people call themselves Muslims, and that's fine. I don't care what you call yourself - if you want to live in peace with me, I'll live in peace with you; 99.9% of free, western people feel the same way. But if you want to riot and fly planes into buildings and send your children with bombs strapped to their chests to blow up themselves and some Jews too, that's where there's a problem. If you want to shoot a two-year-old girl in the face because she's a Jew or a Christian, then there's a problem. Or if you want to support people who do such things because they're Muslims and you're a Muslim, then there's a problem.

I may write more later about many of the good, intelligent, wise, benevolent people of the 13th century. But I don't have time right now. Remember: don't knock the 13th century, and choose peace.

SRS

Pig update

I've just recently heard some more comments from Rep. John Murtha. That "Rep." stands for reprehensible. His words are lies, and furthermore the sort of lies that undermine national security and America's morale during a time of war. The fact that he is a former marine does not lend credence to his words, but illustrates that he knows he is lying, and he knows the treacherous effect of his words. He shows himself to be treasonous in spirit, and his family should disown him. His dog should bite his leg.

Now as to whether or not he deserves respect: his being elected to the House of Representatives doesn't mean squat. Dennis Kucinich was elected to the House of Representatives, and no one respects him. Seriously, when someone is a traitor to his country, he loses all respect, no matter what office he holds or whatever his station. The country is more important than the House of Representatives or the office of the President. It is by now accepted fact that whatever the impact of the legislation he signed, Bill Clinton was (and is) a pig. I don't feel the least uncomfortable saying that Murtha is a pig. What he is doing is worse than anything we know of Clinton doing, except perhaps allowing the communist Chinese access to missile guidance technology. That was really bad. But so are slandering your country's military during a time of war, lying about the morale and efficacy of the troops, and boosting the morale of your country's enemies and aiding their recruiting by lying about the effectiveness of their efforts.

So Murtha is a pig, and completely undeserving of respect. So is Jimmy Carter. I'm not backing away from that.

SRS