‘Because Truth Is an Absolute Defense’
Posted on | August 20, 2012 | 14 Comments
The quoted phrase from the Moore v. Hoff ruling should be drilled into the head of every blogger, as it was drilled into my head years ago as a beginning reporter. How many times did my editors tell me, “Get your facts right, and they can’t touch you”?
An editor has a moral obligation to defend at all hazards a reporter who is telling the truth, which is why the first three rules of journalism are accuracy, accuracy, accuracy.
The principles that apply to newspaper reporting should apply equally to blogger Johnny Northside (who reportedly had only 500 readers per day). Get your facts wrong and you’ve got a problem, but nobody can successfully sue you for writing the truth. And plaintiffs who try to claim “harassment” or “tortious infererence” because they know they can’t win a libel case are a menace to the First Amendment.
This is why I became so enraged by the attempts of Brett Kimberlin to silence his critics with “harassment” claims and other legalistic nonsense, and it’s why I have long since tired of Neal Rauhauser’s cowardly efforts to conceal his malicious acts — the “Gaped Crusader”! — with sockpuppet accounts and other deceptions.
Put your name on it, you gutless punk, or shut the hell up.
UPDATE: Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) has introduced anti-SLAPP legislation that would protect journalists (including bloggers) from nuisance suits. The Rhetorican suggests it should be called “The Kimberlin Law.”
UPDATE II: Welcome, Instpundit readers!
The Truth Goes Viral Again: Progressive Labor Leader Speaks Explicitly About Occupy Movement’s Communist Goals
Posted on | August 20, 2012 | 30 Comments
Leadership Institute intern Danielle Saul got video inside an Occupy DC meeting Sunday where union activist Mike Golash said:
“Progressive Labor is a revolutionary communist organization. Its objective is to make revolution in the United States, overthrow the capitalist system and build communism. . . . An organization has to be built which can bring down capitalism . . . a disciplined organization made up, not of a few people, but of millions and millions of people, can bring down capitalism.”
Hat tip to Danielle’s mom, Ginny Saul. How did I get scooped by Matthew Boyle of the Daily Caller on this, huh? Greedy capitalists!
UPDATE: Just interviewed Danielle Saul by phone. “There were three of us” who produced the video, Danielle said, naming Andrew McCaughey and Nicolas Tomboulides as her collaborators. Danielle explained that the Occupy DC meeting Sunday brought together various constituent groups involved in planning protests next month to mark the one-year anniversary of the Occupy movement.
Mike Golash was speaking on behalf of the Progressive Labor Party, a Maoist group which (if memory serves) was instrumental in fomenting the 1969 split in Students for a Democratic Society that led to the formation of the Weather Underground.
After Danielle sent out the video on Twitter late last night, she was contacted immediately by Boyle of the Daily Caller. When Danielle’s mom woke up early this morning, the video was already being played on Fox News, which amazed Danielle: “Who would have thought that it would have gotten on Fox News?”
Who would have thought it? A guy I used to know, that’s who.
UPDATE II: A quick glance at Wikipedia clarifies the role that Progressive Labor played in the SDS split:
[The so-called “Weatherman” manifesto] had been written by an 11-member committee that included Mark Rudd, Bernardine Dohrn and John Jacobs, and represented the position of the Revolutionary Youth Movement (RYM) wing of SDS, most of which later turned into the Weather Underground Organization. The New Left Notes issue was full of the language of the Old Left of the 1930s; and was thus impenetrable and irrelevant to the majority of SDSers.
Once it became clear that the Worker Student Alliance (WSA) faction was the largest contingent with a majority of the delegates, the convention quickly fell into disarray, as the RYM and allied groups moved to expel Progressive Labor (PL) members and the WSA faction of SDS. The Black Panther representatives attacked PL and at the same time proved itself inclined towards sexism by advocating “pussy power.” The entire convention fell into something approaching chaos, or worse, farce.
The RYM and the National Office faction, led by Bernardine Dohrn, led a breakaway meeting from which PL and WSA members were barred. This group then voted by about 500 to 100 to expel PL from SDS, and then walked out of the conference hall with that 500.
This was a necessary clarification, and also an interesting history lesson. I had remembered that Progressive Labor was involved in the collapse of SDS, but had forgotten that the Maoists were, in fact, the target of the purge led by the RYM, also known as the “action faction,” which subsequently became the Weather Underground terrorist cell.
UPDATE III: The Progressive Labor Party is still in operation, more than 50 years after it was formed in 1961 by dissidents from the Communist Party USA who charged that CPUSA leader Gus Hall had taken “the capitalist road.” PL promoted conspiracy theories of JFK’s assassination as an “apparently well-planned execution,” and organized early protests against the Vietnam War. PLP’s Web site nowadays features headlines such as these:
Capitalism Equals Mass Racist Murder and War
Mexico: Building International
Unity and Communist Solidarity
Dark Knight Rises: Batman Spews
Anti-Communism to Save Capitalism
UPDATE IV: Linked by William J. Hoge and Walla Walla Tea Party Patriots — thanks! — and welcome, Instapundit readers!
UPDATE V: A Memeorandum thread with further commentary by Weasel Zippers, The Lonely Conservative and Gateway Pundit.
Memo to Code Pink: Perhaps You Have Misunderstood the ‘Pussy Riot’ Concept
Posted on | August 20, 2012 | 14 Comments
“. . . the last remains of social order will speedily perish, and society will be overwhelmed in savage anarchy.”
Pussy Riot is an all-female Russian rock band whose members were sentenced to prison for a protest against Vladimir Putin. It is my theory that Glenn Reynolds keeps writing about their case not merely because of his principled commitment to free speech, but also because he likes writing “Pussy Riot” in headlines. And speaking of irresistible headlines:
Respect Women! Dress Up
Like a Vagina for Equal Rights!
Indeed, Medea Benjamin and her crew of left-wing harpies at Code Pink seem to have conceptual difficulties:
This was Saturday at the “We Are Woman” rally in D.C. which — judging from photos included in the Twitchy roundup report — looked kinda loose and floppy. The “We Are Woman” Web page has biographies of the event organizers, a few of which I excerpt briefly:
- Wendy Cartwright cites Hillary Clinton and Rosa Parks as her role models. . . . Wendy is an active participant in numerous organizations in Florida including as a member and supporter of Occupy Tampa and Planned Parenthood. . . .
- Jessica DelBalzo became involved in reproductive rights activism as a high school student. Now she is a single mom living in Flemington, NJ with a daughter and son who inspire her continued fight for women’s rights. . . . She writes openly about her positive abortion experience and encourages other women to do the same.
- Emmy Rivera grew up watching the Civil, and Women’s Rights movements march across her TV in the 70s. She discovered she was Pro Choice after becoming pregnant the age of 16. While her choice was to keep the baby, as a struggling single mother, she was grateful to have Planned Parenthood to turn to for affordable birth control after her son was born.
- Jessica Wainfor . . . is currently a . . . full time student at the University of Rhode Island majoring in Human Development and minoring in Gender and Women’s Studies while also working as a full time preschool teacher.
You get the general idea, eh? These are women who, as Ann Coulter observed in Godless, regard abortion as a holy sacrament and view abortion clinics as sacred temples. To them, the most important right in the Constitution isn’t actually in the Constitution, but rather can be found in the “penumbras, formed by emanations” which — having remained invisible for the first 176 years of the Republic — were first discovered and described in 1965 by Justice William O. Douglas in his infamous majority opinion in Griswold v. Connecticut.
To such disordered minds (I speak of the “We Are Woman” rally organizers, not Justice Douglas, although he seems to have been somewhat delusional himself) are nowadays entrusted “women’s rights.” That this movement has relegated itself to the kook fringe is self-evident, not merely by the meager attendance at their rally, but also by their embrace of Code Pink. Advice Goddess Amy Alkon:
Pssst! Ladies! Of all the ways to demand respect for women, dressing up like a giant vagina probably isn’t one of them.
Probably not.
Todd Akin And Amendment 2.5
Posted on | August 20, 2012 | 61 Comments
by Smitty
One of those people you really don’t want to upset, Dana Loesch, is truly hacked off at those assailing Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin:
Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin appeared on a local St. Louis television show (below) and discussed his thoughts on abortion, even in the instance of rape or incest, which accounts for less than 1% of abortions received. (More.)
Progressive backlash from Roman Polanski fans and deniers of Occupy rapes was immediate.
Read the whole thing, as I’m not bringing forward the reference URLs.
It looks like the Left has another Alinsky Rule 12 play underway. Unlike the failed Sandra Fluke attack on Rush Limbaugh, the fiscal conservative/social conservative overlap is a better place to drive the wedge. Sadly, some nominally conservative people subscribe to SCOTUS Amendment 2.5:
Well regulated worshippers being necessary to the Progress of Hell, the right of the women to abort the children they bear of shall not be infringed.
Abortion has got to be about the sweetest lie Satan has devised. If we’re each body, mind and soul, and a society is composed of men and women arranged in families, then note the contradiction afoot. Here is an argument that purports to be about liberty of the woman, but is really about the anarchy of the body. Men and families appear nowhere in the argument about abortion. Pregnancy is some present-tense condition, free of historical context. And the ‘right’ to snuff a life is free of future impact.
This is not mature liberty for the mind; this is slavery to the crotch. The Left continually makes an emotional appeal to the body, and proudly labels itself pro-freedom, while crushing the minds of Americans with anti-intellectual arguments. Sex is wonderful, but it is ultimately the means to the end of continuing humanity. How does one purport to care about women when sex-selective abortion actively targets women? Todd Akin, himself, is treated to a 65-year late abortion by the Left for offering an argument pertaining to 1% of abortions. Disagree with him if you like; offer counter-arguments. Suggest alternative policies. But crush the man in the manner seen on Twitter? Wow, Obama has really be a healer, hasn’t he?
Of two abortions with which I’ve some familiarity, both involved a context. Four victims: two women, two humans of unknown gender. In both cases, there was significant sin involved. (Can I say ‘sin’? Are we allowed to discuss right and wrong, as though anyone is still accountable for their misdeeds to the Almighty?) And so sin was piled on sin, and there was abortion. I found out much, much later in both cases. Forgive those involved? Yes. Is it true that they’re economically better off for all that? Who knows? That’s all counterfactual. Their souls? Hopefully they’ve prayed for forgiveness. (This is the sort of thing that goes unspoken, un-alluded, even in jest. I’m unsure either woman even knows that I know.)
And so I’m supposedly the evil guy for saying that abortion is wrong, because I’ve never been directly involved with this sort of pagan act. Look how it divides! Those who are enslaved by it are doomed to defend abortion, all the way to their own grave, like the grave they dug for the unborn. If you offer an intellectual objection to the evil, then you get the emotional “You don’t understand” reply. On the contrary: Planned Parenthood doesn’t understand the teleological point of manhood, womanhood, and families.
All I can tell you, as a man, is that I have stood there while my son was born, cut the cord, and heard his first wail of life. That any man is so stunted of mind and soul that he’d share his essence with some latrodectus woman who would devour his essence is disgusting. The arguments in favor of abortion are a sad brick in the wall of the mausoleum of our culture. God have mercy on these people, and heal their blighted souls, and may the lousy ideas of the abortion proponents return to hell.
Update: Lawyers, Guns and Money takes a dishonest swipe at Stacy McCain while evading the central point of this post. Losers.
Update II: linked at The Camp of the Saints.
LIVE AT FIVE: 08.20.12
Posted on | August 20, 2012 | 4 Comments
— compiled by Wombat-socho
TOP NEWS
Former CCP Boss’ Wife Given Suspended Death Sentence
Given fourteen years in poisoning of British businessman
Assad Prays In Rare Appearance As Syrian Civil War Rages On
Attendance at Eid prayers televised
Mitt Romney Goes To Church With The Media
Perhaps the only article on this without the “Mormons are WEIRD” subtext
POLITICS
Democrats Targeting Paul Ryan On Abortion
They say “womens’ rights” but all they talk about is abortion
Twenty Years After Ruby Ridge Murders, Forgiveness For The Feds
Akin Says He Misspoke About Raped Women
Obama Renews Call For Aid To Halt Teacher Layoffs
“Old Ironsides” Struts Her Stuff
Maryland Court Rejects Suit Challenging Redistricting Referendum
THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Oil Continues To Rise On Increasing US Consumer Confidence: NYMEX $96.31, Brent $114.24
ECB Official: Greece Should Remain In Euro
Flight Attendants Accept AMR Contract
Recovery Summer III: Unemployment Up In 44 States
Asian Stocks Fall, PRC Index Lowest Since 2009
HTC Loses $40 Million From OnLive Restructuring
Apple Claims Samsung Abused Its Power
US Viewers Watched Nearly 37 Million Online Videos In July
Google’s Motorola Files New Patent Suit Against Apple
RIM To Sprinkle Blackberry 10 With Android Mojo
The FTC’s Threat To Web Consumers
Nintendo 3DS XL On Sale Now
SPORTS
Hiroki’s Arm, Ichiro’s Bat Beat Boston
Yankees sink hapless Red Sox 4-1; Beckett good, but no match for Kuroda
Melky Cabrera Testosterone Plot Thickens
Carl Crawford Likely To Have Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Pedro Alvarez Ends 19-Inning Game With Dinger; Pirates Beat Cards 6-3
Biffle Regains Points Lead After Win In Michigan
Peyton Manning’s Home Debut A Mixed Bag As Broncos Fall To Seahawks 30-10
Gio Tops Mets For League-Leading Win #16
FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Tony Scott Commits Suicide, Age 68
Jumped to his death off bridge; directed Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, The Last Boy Scout
Carly Rae Jepsen Is Dating Michael Koma
“Expendables 2” #1 With $26.8 Million
James Gunn In Talks To Direct Marvel’s “Guardians Of The Galaxy”
Tonight Show Lays Off 20 staffers; Jay Leno Takes Pay Cut To Save Jobs
Diddy: American Idol Is Going To Have To PAY ME!
Lindsay Lohan Struggles To Defy Gravity In Backless Halter Top
FOREIGNERS
Pussy Riot Won’t Ask Putin For Pardon
Activists Raise Ante In Senkaku Islands Dispute Between Japan, PRC
Assange Takes Aim At US As Diplomatic Crisis Deepens
Burma Government Ends Censorship Of Local Media
South African Miners Face Dismissal Deadline
Pakistan Police Arrest Disabled Christian Girl, 11, For Alleged Blasphemy
More NZ Troops Headed For Afghanistan
Did Texts, Phone Messages Spreading Panic In India’s Northeast Come From Pakistan?
Park Geun-Hye Wins Saenuri Party Nomination For ROK President
BLOGS & STUFF
Zilla Of The Resistance: Mitt Romney Takes a Bold Stand
Valley of The Shadow: Waxman Ineligible To Run In CA-33?
Gateway Pundit: Akin Hits McCaskill On Pro-Abortion Record
Legal Insurrection: Republican Makes Stupid Statement…Everyone Swarm
NewsBusters: Politico’s Priorities – Story With “No Formal Allegations Of Wrongdoing” Deserves 1400-Word Article, E-Mail Alert
Lonely Conservative: Newsweek Cover – Hit The Road, Barack
Chicago Boyz: Newsweek Throws Obama Under The Bus
Power Line: The Spinal Tap Presidency
Deep Fried Manatees: From The “Don’t Piss On My Leg And Tell Me It’s Raining” File
Sacred Monkeys: Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) Introduces Obama As Leader Of Mission To Get Bin Laden
Marginal Revolution: Racism By Political Party
Reihan Salam: How Racism And Political Affiliation Intersect
Jihad Watch: 11-Year Old Down’s Girl Arrested In Pakistan For Blasphemy
Urban Grounds: Elizabeth Warren – Fake Indian. Fake Biker. Real Moron.
Neal Rauhauser Again? Yet Another Conspiracy Theory Smear Emerges
Posted on | August 19, 2012 | 12 Comments
Neal Rauhauser was a speaker at the 2010 Netroots Nation conference
When last we encountered Neal Rauhauser, the “TwitterGate” instigator and Brett Kimberlin associate was e-mailing false and defamatory claims about Brandon Darby to public officials, including law enforcement agencies and members of Congress.
There was a remarkable resemblance between Rauhauser’s crazytalk smear of Darby and the “Breitbart ISR” conspiracy theory that Rauhauser published in February. Anyone can examine and compare the style and content of those documents.
Now, in an anonymous 1,000-word document published on Pastebin (which we can expect soon to be deleted, as has been Rauhauser’s habit whenever his vicious online activities are exposed), Rauhauser has evidently promulgated a new smear, accusing Patterico of exploiting the mentally ill for nefarious purposes:
Pity poor John Patrick Frey aka @Patterio, owner of http://patterico.com
His despicable practice of identifying vulnerable adults and using them to do his dirty work has finally backfired on him in a truly impressive fashion.
Seth Allen, a troll who long carried water for Frey, is now deemed to be a “libelous cretin”. Less than a year ago he was begging Frey for enough money to appear for a damages hearing due for a civil suit he faced over a conflict that Frey and Islamophobic hate talker Aaron Walker had stage managed, with Allen as the fall guy. Allen’s specific defect appears to be schizotypal:
“Schizotypal personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by a need for social isolation, anxiety in social situations, odd behavior and thinking, and often unconventional beliefs.”
Allen is on psych disability.
Mike Stack, a troll with a history of frequenting porn blogs, was left holding the bag for operations aimed at former Congressman Anthony Weiner in response to his reporting an extortion attempt by Congressman Michael Grimm, who represented NY-13 at the time. Stack was outed, publicly humiliated, trolled long and hard by Democratic Underground, and finally swatted by Brandon Darby in an effort to silence him.
[Further material deleted at request of Mike Stack — RSM]
Ron Brynaert, a former journalist who worked with Megan Carpentier and Mike Rogers at Raw Story, faced a framing attempt by Frey, in which he paid for an audio forensics expert to attempt to shift the blame from Brandon Darby. Brynaert lost his job in the summer or fall of 2010 due to the onset of an inability to control his behavior coupled with a drastic reduction in his investigative abilities, per multiple conversations involving Carpentier and Rogers, which others have overheard.
“The acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and potentially psychotic. However, OCD sufferers generally recognize their obsessions and compulsions as irrational, and may become further distressed by this realization.”
Brynaert is on psych disability.
“Michele Lessick” aka @ZAPEM, a troll who publishes enormous conspiracy theories, has been fed information by Frey in order to lead her into attacking targets he selects. Sooner or later she turns on anyone foolish enough to work for her and this happened for Frey in early summer of 2012.
[Further material deleted at request of Mike Stack. — RSM}
Aaron Walker, an Islamophobic troll who formerly operated http://everyonedrawmohammed.blogspot.com, has appeared more as a collaborator than a victim, but Frey uses him in a similar fashion, leading him into harm’s way and trusting that his delusions and obsessions will do the rest. Walker long attempted to provoke reactions from Muslims in America, he has made statements in court to the effect that he fears something called “The Kookpocalypse”, and he has attempted to involve himself in the Swatgate conspiracy theory.
“In cases where reporters of stalking behavior have been judged to be making false reports, a majority of them were judged (by the same people) to be delusional.”
There are no recent screen shots of Frey interacting with or discussing Walker.
Aaron Walker is not on psych disability yet, but his hate speech coupled with his poor courtroom demeanor will cost him his career as a lawyer.
Where is Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley when Frey, who is a Deputy D.A., is engaged in this pattern of finding and manipulating vulnerable adults? Cooley is not up for election and has endorsed Democrat Jackie Lacey against Republican Alan Jackson. There have been multiple internal investigations of Frey, but nothing has stuck yet.
Where is California Attorney General Kamala Harris? If Cooley is unable to touch this problem for some reason it would seem natural that Harris is the next stop.
Where is Washington D.C. U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen? There is a grand jury evaluating election fraud on the part of James O’Keefe and Frey has attempted to obstruct the investigation by intimidating a key witness, Nadia Naffe. Frey used the Scribd account of his wife, Deputy District Attorney Christi Frey, dumping medical records that reveal she, too, is a vulnerable adult.
Where is Eastern District of New York U.S. Attorney Loretta E. Lynch? There is a grand jury evaluating a racketeering case against Congressman Michael Grimm, and the swatting of Mike Stack is clearly part of a payback scheme that Grimm aimed at former Congressman Anthony Weiner. While executed by Brandon Darby and Lee Stranahan, Frey had knowledge of this extremely dangerous stunt after the fact and did nothing to bring justice to the perpetrators.
The particulars of the story change with each event, but Frey’s modus operandi is quite clear – find someone who is either on psych disability or who could easily qualify if their stable living/working situation were disrupted. Learn their specific weakness, manipulate them into a conflict, and stage managing them via a cutout persona that disappears once Frey’s objectives are met.
Frey’s behavior is either that of an extreme ideologue, willing to destroy the lives of anyone he can lure into his schemes, or he is an outright sociopath/psychopath.
If the Washington D.C. grand jury or Staten Island grand jury don’t put a stop to Frey’s dangerous, unethical, illegal conduct, either Jackie Lacey or Alan Jackson will have to deal with him after one of them is elected as the Los Angeles County District Attorney.
Have a good day, Deputy District Attorney John Patrick Frey.
* * * END OF DOCUMENT * * *
In calling attention to this document, of course, I must caution that it is either (a) 100% false, or (b) a carefully crafted concotion of fact and fiction, created so as to discredit witnesses who might possibly provide testimony implicating Rauhauser in the lawsuit that Aaron Walker has filed in Virginia: “All of these people are crazy!” Read more
Rule 5 Sunday: A New England
Posted on | August 19, 2012 | 13 Comments
— compiled by Wombat-socho
For the benefit of those reading Rule 5 compilations for the first time, or who have forgotten since last time: some of the links below are most definitely Not Safe For Work and could contribute to the pollution of your precious bodily fluids.
Laughing Conservative leads off this week with Lucy Mecklenburgh, EBL reminds us that Phoebe Cates is now vintage Rule 5 (speaking of which, Ann Margret), and Valley of the Shadow marks his 1000th post with Kat von D. Fishersville Mike finds Rule 5 at Crumb and Get It, while Randy’s Roundtable takes a break from his vacation to post Kelly Brook. IMNSHO chips in with some Olivia Munn, and First Street Journal has women in uniform at the rifle range.
A View From The Beach starts with Tara Reid, continues with the obligatory cavegirls, mutant butterflies, Ghost Tits, Roller Derby Queen Dani Cushman, the Spice Girls, and finishes with something for Shark Week.
El Opinador Compulsivo cranks up the already-high quality with Lindsay Marie (part 1) and (part 2); Bryci, Katya Bazhenova, Elizabeth Loiaza, and finishes with a suburban Princess Leia.
Soylent Green begins his week with Bella, followed by Monday Motivationer Cara, Tuesday Tomb Raider, Ella Milano for Humpday Hawt, a Thursday Test Drive, Son Of Corsetcare 2, and concludes with Saturday Serbian Snoochskia.
Proof Positive has another San Francisco cheerleader, Angie Harmon, vintage babe Susan Denberg, and Scarlett Johansson putting the Sex In Advertising. Dustbury, meanwhile, wishes hapy birthdays to Halle Berry and Kyra Sedgwick.
American Power returns with Sabine Jemeljanova, the Unspeakable Armenian, Penelope Cruz, Bar Rafaeli, and Katy Perry.
The Daley Gator’s DaleyBabes this week include Giulia Olivetti, the Unspeakable Armenian (would-be destroyer of right-wing blogs?), Marie Kai, Fumina Suzuki, Joahnie Taylor, Lorena Bueri, and Yurika Tachibana.
Thanks to everyone for their linkagery! Next week’s links are due no later than Saturday, August 25 to the Rule 5 Wombat mailbox.
Separated At Birth: Joe Biden / Ron Burgundy
Posted on | August 19, 2012 | 3 Comments
by Smitty
This blog cannot succumb to partisan bias. In the interests of even-handedness, we now present:
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This blog hopes that Ron Burgundy fans take no offense.
via Power Line
Oh, and, flog me gently with a claidheamh mòr:

Pseudajawea Ferrusequus





