“Patriarchal, Racist & Mean-Spirited” Law Temporarily Blocked in Florida

Florida’s brand new Tea Party-approved law requiring all food stamp and other public assistance applicants to pass a drug test before accessing aid has been temporarily blocked. It seems Federal Judge Mary Scriven was concerned it violates the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable search and seizure.

Before signing the law, [Governor Rick] Scott made several references to people on welfare using drugs at a higher rate than the general population. Maria Kayanan, of the ACLU in Florida, called the law “patriarchal, racist and mean-spirited.”

Pre-judicial block, while the law was in operation, over 99% of applicants passed their tests. (6,968 out of 7,000)

This Tea Party-approved measure is estimated to cost the Florida government $178 million a year.

Sounds like a small-government, cut-wasteful-spending, fiscal-conservative type of measure to me. That’s why I’m certain it has nothing to do with poor-bashing, stereotypes, or racism. Just the cold hard facts!

It’s not like we need myths about the good-for-nothingness of the poor to prop up the solid truth of our tots meritocratic capitalist economic system.

Oh, and FYI, Gov. Scott founded the company, Solantic, that has the sole government contract to do this testing.

Family of Hate Crime Victim Opposes Capital Punishment for the Murderer

James C. Anderson was attacked in Rankin County, Mississippi by a group of white teens who were hunting for a black person to harm. He was the first one they saw on the night of June 26, 2011. They beat him and then one of them, Deryl Dedmon, deliberately ran him over with his truck, killing him.

Barbara Anderson Young, James’ sister, wrote a letter to the authorities stating:

“We ask that you not seek the death penalty for anyone involved in James’ murder…

Our opposition to the death penalty is deeply rooted in our religious faith, a faith that was central in James’ life as well…

We also oppose the death penalty because it historically has been used in Mississippi and the South primarily against people of color for killing whites. Executing James’ killers will not help to balance the scales. But sparing them may help to spark a dialogue that one day will lead to the elimination of capital punishment.

Those responsible for James’ death not only ended the life of a talented and wonderful man. They also caused our family unspeakable pain and grief. But our loss will not be lessened by the state taking the life of another.”

This reminds me of two other incidents: the bloodlust of the victim’s families in the case of the West Memphis Three and in the Troy Davis/Mark McPhail case, inspite of incredibly thin evidence in both situations.

Yet in an incident of racially-motivated murder similar to James Anderson’s case, I have another example of a black family wishing to spare the life of a white supremacist perpetrator: the family of victim James Byrd, killed by white supremacist Lawrence Russell Brewer.

These families are amazing examples. Valuing human life above everything, even the possibility of avenging the death of a loved one, is an amazing feat of grace. I applaud the families of James Anderson and James Byrd for their unusual displays of compassion.

Man Loud, Proud of his Islamophobia

Crockett Keller wanted to let the public know about the concealed hand gun training he offers. He also wanted to let the public know that he hates Obama, liberals, socialists and Muslims. In a stroke of brilliance, he combined these two (un?)related items into ONE FANTASTIC RADIO AD!

Admire: