Remember

It's hard to imagine that it's been 7-years today that the lives of so many people were changed.

I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I found out what took place and stood in disbelief that, not one, but two planes were flown into the World Trade Towers.

To all the women and men that lost their life on the planes, on the ground, in the Towers or the Pentagon....Gob Bless you as you look down upon us the meek.

The Best of Both Worlds

Student's 'Fat Lips' comment out of line

While it's hard for me to read this type of comment coming from a "future leader of America", it comes as no surprise because I certainly have heard worse at some of Colleges right here in Worcester. Who said higher education educated?

The Chronicle of Higher Education

College Republicans Get Black Eye Over 'Fat Lips' Comment

The executive director of Pennsylvania’s College Republicans resigned last week over a controversy involving his online posting about Barack Obama’s lips, reports The Morning Call, in Allentown, Pa.

Adam LaDuca, a senior at Kutztown University, wrote on his Facebook page that Mr. Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, was “nothing more than a dumbass with a pair of lips so large he could float half of Cuba to the shores of Miami (and probably would.)”

John Morgan, who writes the Pennyslvania Progressive blog, pasted those comments on his Web site in August, as well as Mr. LaDuca’s remarks that the civil-rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was a hypocrite.

On Friday the Pennsylvania Federation of College Republicans posted a statement announcing that Mr. LaDuca had apologized to the group and had resigned his post.

“We’ve encountered a small bump in the road, and we plan to move forward with tradition and integrity,” said the statement from the co-chairman, Michael Ubbens, a senior at at Susquehanna University.

Here are some of the comments made:

Comments

1. I hope this story opens the eyes of a handful of you who claim to be conservatives or Republicans but who post silly, immature, or illiterate comments here. Especially in this overwhelmingly liberal community, you have a responsibility to represent opposition views carefully and with integrity and respect.
   — S. Britchky Sep 8, 03:13 PM #
2. Where on earth could this guy have picked up the idea that Republicans would tolerate the politics of disparagement and smear?
   — BertW Sep 8, 03:53 PM #
3. I hope this opens the eyes of more than a handful that many who hide among the ranks of conservative republicans are simply thinly veiled racists.
   Sad to think that this young man is more than halfway to a university degree and yet remains so ignorant and closed-minded. Criticize Obama if you like, but do it intelligently and with an understanding that he most certainly is no “dumbass” – I cringe at the prospect of this young man (and tens of thousands like him) voting to select our next leader!
   — rbuck Sep 8, 03:53 PM #
4. While no conservative, I hardly think this student is representative of conservatives. Let’s not wag the finger too quickly around the room.
   — not all conservatives are ... whatever. Sep 8, 04:09 PM #
5. Perhaps not. But it is almost equally disturbing that another Republican student leader, Mr. Ubbens, thinks that such a flagrantly racist and ignorant comment was merely “a small bump in the road.” I guess it depends on your road.
   — Rob Sep 8, 04:20 PM #
6. There may be plenty wrong with Obama, but he is hardly dumb. Admission to Harvard Law School is as competitive as it gets, the work is extremely demanding, and Obama was first (or close to it) in the large class.
   — Californian Sep 8, 04:21 PM #
7. LaDuca’s comments are blatantly racist and unacceptable. However, I do not believe this incident should be used as an attack on the character of all members of the Pennsylvania College Republicans. Such an accusation is sure to arise soon enough in the liberal media. Clearly though, the executive board of the PA College Republicans find these racist remarks just as deplorable as others at any point on the political and social spectrum. To discredit the executive board and other members of the PA College Republicans based on the remarks of one chauvinistic individual associated with the group seems to imply an ulterior political motive against the Republican Party as a whole. In such a case, those making the argument merely seek to gain political ground whereas the racist comments of LaDuca become nothing more than a secondary concern. Such is the downfall of the “sticking-up-for-the-little-guy” mentality when these instances of prejudice are used as a means to some political end.
   — E. Nancy Sep 8, 04:27 PM #
8. As much as I read this story with glee because the conservative author of a racist comment was appropriately chastised, I must admit that “stupid” is not a characteristic reserved for either political persuasion.
   — Al Sep 8, 04:38 PM #
9. Consider the source — Kudzutown University! Poor kid must have been tired of climbing the vines and being irrelevant.
   — Nokeke Sep 8, 04:40 PM #
10. Of course, not all Republicans are bigots, but with the steady realignment that has been occurring since about 1960, virtually all bigots are Republicans, and they form a significant share of that party’s base. Did anyone observe this year’s Republican National Convention? That a College Republican would be caught exhibiting such bigotry and poor taste is not earth shaking.
    — case hardened Sep 8, 04:44 PM #
11. I believe one who makes a statement that “virtually all bigots are Republicans” is surely out of touch. There is only one demographic I am aware of that is voting over 95% for one of this year’s presidential candidates because of his race, and they’re not in the Republican party. I’m afraid there are bad apples in both baskets.
    — OJ Sep 8, 04:53 PM #
12. What’s that OJ? You can document that whites have never voted for whites in this or any other election?
    — perplexed Sep 8, 05:06 PM #
13. If Mr. Obama is a “dumbass,” that doesn’t put a flattering light on Mr. McCain, who graduated from the US Naval Academy fourth from the bottom of his class, not to mention Ms. Palin, who attended five colleges in six years to obtain her degree. So, I think we can leave estimations of intellect out of the discussion and concentrate on the candidates’ proposed policies.
    — heavyd in sc Sep 8, 05:14 PM #
14. OJ-so it’s safe to infer from your comments that blacks are bad apples because they are voting for Obama, or they are bigots because they are voting for him. You should be more prudent in making this argument in public—your own bigotry is oozing like pussing sore
    — zing Sep 8, 05:14 PM #
15. I once had a professor who referred to Jesse Helms as having horns and a pointed tail. Did all Democrats think of him (Helms) in such a manner? Of course, nothing could or did happen to the tenured prof. Yep, it happens on both sides.
    Also, OJ is correct and it it is a given that African Americans vote 90% for Democratic candidates.
    — Cicero Sep 8, 05:28 PM #
16. LaDuca’s comments are deplorable. Absolutely. And I’m glad to see them being roundly condemned.
    It is telling, however, that the condemnation of bias was hard to find last week when it was Sarah Palin who was its victim right here in these blogs.

The windows of Worcester

There is so much construction going on in downtown Worcester that
you would be led to believe that it is " A city on the move".

We'll have to see how the City handles the street vendors and, more
importantly, the PILOT program.

Change does affect VOTING

My polling station has been changed.

Who said change is inevitable...except from vending machines?

Ms. Jones is FREE

After serving a six-month federal sentence, disgraced Olympic athlete Marion Jones was released from a Texas federal prison on Friday. If you recall, Marion was sentenced for lying to prosecutors about her steroid use that helped her win 5 medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Palin: What Men Really think

"Addiction" may very well be the song many men are thinking of when they see Sarah Palin. If not, at least there are some men that are honest. (This male not being one of them.)