Death Penalty Possible for Doctors Performing Illegal Abortions?

New law could mean death penalty for doctors
Legislators say that wasn't their intent with the abortion measure
By KELLEY SHANNON, Associated Press

AUSTIN - Texas doctors who perform abortions without parental approval or after the third trimester could face capital murder charges because of a new law that takes effect this week, a prosecutors group says.

The Texas District and County Attorneys Association has outlined that scenario in its new book updating the Texas penal code and in public presentations around the state. The group says such charges could occur under the new law because of the 2003 fetal protection law.

Key legislators said Monday that wasn't their intent.

Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Lewisville, who pushed the parental consent measure, said in a prepared statement that her legislation was strictly limited to giving parents the right to consent when a minor is considering an abortion and to preventing late-term abortions.

"There were no discussions about the death penalty during our legislative discussions of this issue," Nelson said.

A capital murder conviction can result in the death penalty.

Rep. Ray Allen, R-Grand Prairie, who sponsored the 2003 bill defining an embryo or fetus as an "individual," said the law may need clearing up in a future legislative session.

I'm sorry but I don't see a problem here. Is there a better means of preventing this from happening than the death penalty for the doctor? Taking a life in this manner is pre-meditated murder. It sounds like to me that these "pro-life" legislators are backtracking on their own professed belief. Were they just trying to make a political statment? I don't want to see doctors put to death, but I also don't want to see our unborn children put to death.

Full Story: Death Penalty for Abortionists?

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Ex-CIA Operative Seeks Asylum

Ex-CIA operative denies Castro assassination plot
Tue Aug 30, 2005 11:11 PM ET By Gina Keating

EL PASO, Texas (Reuters) - An ex-CIA operative denied that he tried to assassinate Cuban Communist leader Fidel Castro as he fought on Tuesday for U.S. asylum and against extradition to Venezuela, where he escaped from jail 20 years ago.

Luis Posada Carriles, a self-described anti-Castro "freedom fighter" accused in the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner that killed 73 people, surfaced in Miami early this year after a 1985 jail break in Venezuela.

The appearance of the 77-year-old Cuban brought extradition demands from Venezuela, where he was a naturalized citizen, and from his homeland of Cuba.

U.S. government lawyers say a record of violent acts makes him ineligible for asylum.
Posada admitted in testimony to using a Salvadoran passport with a false name to enter Panama in 2000 shortly before he and others were arrested for purportedly plotting to assassinate Castro. But he denied involvement in any plot against Castro

The Bush administration needs to develope a little backbone and grant Carriles asylum. Unless there is sufficient evidence of his terrorist activity. If he is an actual terrorist then that is an entirely different matter.

Full Story: Ex CIA Operative

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Reuters Cameraman Held in Abu Ghraib: Considered a Security Threat

Reuters cameraman ordered held in Abu Ghraib

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A cameraman for Reuters in Iraq has been ordered by a secret tribunal to be held without charge in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison until his case is reviewed within six months, a U.S. military spokesman said on Wednesday.

Ali Omar Abrahem al-Mashhadani was arrested by U.S. forces on August 8 after a search of his home in the city of Ramadi. The U.S. military has refused Reuters requests to disclose why he is being held. He has not been charged.

His brother, who was detained with him and then released, said they were arrested after Marines looked at the images on the journalist's cameras.

"The CRRB has determined that Mr. Mashhadani remains a threat to the people of Iraq and they recommended continued internment," Lieutenant Colonel Guy Rudisill said, referring to a hearing of the Iraqi-U.S. Combined Review and Release Board held at a secret location in Baghdad on Monday.

He said Mashhadani would be entitled to a review of his case within 180 days and would be held at Abu Ghraib.

Rudisill said he would not be allowed to see an attorney, his family or anyone else for the first 60 days of his detention, which began in Abu Ghraib last week.

Those evil American troops! Imagine the nerve of them wanting to make sure that this photographer is not part of the terrorist network. The press have really got a distorted view of themselves. This is a press photographer so he should be immune from scrutiny. After all, they're the press, incorruptible, unbiased, altruistic, only interested in the truth (as they see it).

Full Story: Reuters Cameraman

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Hey Houston, Here Comes Cindy! Tell the Ditch Witch Go Home

From Camp Casey, Crawford to Washington DC

From George Bush’s door step to Communities along the way, We Demand That:

1)Elected Representatives Decide Now to Bring the Troops Home
2)We Take Care of Them When They Get Here
3)We Never Again Send Our Loved Ones to War Based on Lies!

We are currently at a significant turning point in how the American public views the war in Iraq. As the death toll in Iraq rises, Cindy Sheehan’s vigil near President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, has captured the hearts and minds of thousands of Americans.

On August 31st, the last day of the encampment, the Bring Them Home Now Tour will launch three buses from Crawford, Texas, each carrying military and Gold Star families, veterans of the Iraq War and veterans of previous wars. These buses will travel different routes across the country, converging in Washington, DC on September 21, for the United for Peace and Justice Mobilization September 24th-26th

"Clap hands, here comes Cindy." She's supposed to get here on the 2nd. I can't wait till she gets here, we need to give her a good ole' Texas welcome...right out of the state. This Left-coast interloper doesn't know what she is headed for. This idiot is going to attempt to challenge Tom Delay? I think we need to greet her with signs, flags, and jeers. This Hate America Tour is repugnant at its core. After she gets through here, she going to go to New Orleans to exploit the tragedy there (are you surprised, she has exploited her son's death?).

Full Story: Ditch Witch in Houston

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Harris County D.A. Responds to Criticism of Stand On Revised Travel Law

In response to the Harris County D.A.'s statement on the newly revised Texas statute on gun possession and travel, I wrote him the following letter:

District Attourney Rosenthal,

Your stance on the enforcement of the Texas handgun travel law is unacceptable. The intent of the State Legislature and Governor in passing this law revision was and is very clear. Your declaration of intent to arrest and prosecute drivers without CCL’s found to be carrying firearms in their automobiles is just as clearly an effort to disregard the will of the people of Texas and Harris County as reflected in the State Legislature. In doing so you are in direct violation of your sworn duties. All data show that the restriction of gun possession leads to higher, not lower crime. The Bill of Rights guarantees each American Citizen the individual the right to keep and bear arms. Your decision in this case not only thwarts will of the Texas Legislature, but flies in the face of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Your disrespect for the will of the people is both shameful and arrogant. Your Liberal agenda will not succeed.

Enjoy your brief day in the sun, it will not last. You may rest assured that you will not be re-elected to office. We gun owners will actively campaign against your re-election.

Sincerely,

Will Malven

The Harris County D.A.'s Response:

Well, as it so happens I am in favor of gun ownership. I took an oath to defend and protect the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this state, and I intend to do exactly that. There are a number of instances where the law permits the possession of handguns in cars we recognize those laws, but I believe that they should be sorted out in court, and not on the streets.

Consider this scenario. Police officers stop a car for a traffic violation. While getting ID from the driver, he sees the butt of a handgun protruding from under the driver's seat. Office asks the driver where he is going. Driver answers that he is going to the liquor store 2 miles from his house. Driver meets the other requisites for "traveling". On the way back from the adult beverage store, driver sees someone who he thinks "disrespected" him some time back and shoots his acquaintance. Victim survives, finds out the police knew about the gun, the settled law is that he was not traveling; officer and his municipality are sued by the victim.

Point is that not everyone is as judicious about gun ownership as you and your friends probably are.

If the legislature had really meant to allow anyone who wanted to carry a handgun (note, the law does not apply to shoulder weapons) in their car, why do you suppose they did not repeal the laws with respect concealed carry permits? Presumptions are simply that. For instance all persons charged with crimes are presumed to be innocent, but that doesn't mean that they are in fact innocent.
By the way, I'm up for re-election in '08.

My Response to His Response:

Sir,

With all due respect, I do not believe in running a justice system out of fear of a law suit. I also, if I am reading the new statute correctly have to say that if the officer can see the butt of the hand gun then it is in plain view and in violation of the statute because 1. it can be seen, and 2. because he is clearly not “traveling” by the definition of traveling in the state law. Lastly, I was not aware that it was settled law to arrest someone just because you think they might possibly commit a crime, as per your example. A policeman is not prescient and has no way of knowing that the driver is going to shoot someone who “disrespected” him. In your example, the policeman already knows the driver’s destination so his possession of the firearm is in clear violation of the law.

The presumption of innocence also certainly doesn’t mean they are guilty either. As to the question “why don’t they repeal the laws with respect concealed carry permits?” It is irrelevant, the intent of the law makers is absolutely clear with regard to this revised statute, otherwise there would have been no reason to rewrite the statute to include the “assumption” of travel.

I and my friends are fully aware of the date of your next re-election bid and we will not forget. It is unfortunate that you have taken such a belligerent attitude toward the people in this county who, as law abiding citizens should be some of your strongest supporters.

Sincerely,

Not only was his response rude, it was superficial and insufficient. He published virtually the same explanation in the letters part of the editorial page. Mind you this is the D.A. who doesn't believe that contaminated DNA evidence is sufficient cause to retry cases.

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Texas Gun Law Controversy: Houston D.A. to Disregard Law Revisions

DA opposed to new handgun law
Pistol-toting drivers without a permit will still be prosecuted, Rosenthal warns
By CLAY ROBISON
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN - Motorists arrested for carrying pistols in their cars without a concealed handgun license will continue to be prosecuted in Houston, despite a new law that purports to give them a legal defense, Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal said Monday.

Although the sponsor said the law should reduce the number of arrests for unlawful handgun possession, Rosenthal said it won't change enforcement practices in Houston after it goes into effect on Thursday.

"It is still going to be against the law for (unlicensed) persons to carry handguns in autos," the district attorney said, adding that the new legal defense can still be challenged by prosecutors.

The new law, enacted during the regular legislative session last spring, seeks to clarify a longtime law that allowed Texans to carry handguns while traveling, a qualification that was subject to a number of inconsistent court interpretations over the years.

The new statute says a person is "presumed to be traveling" if he or she is in a private vehicle, is not engaged in criminal activity (except for a minor traffic offense), is not prohibited by any other law from possessing a firearm and is not a member of a criminal street gang.

It also requires the handgun to be concealed in the car, although weapons can be discovered by officers during routine traffic stops if a driver gives permission for a car to be searched or opens a glove compartment where a gun is secured to retrieve an insurance card or other documentation.

"The intent of the law is to keep innocent people from going to jail," said the sponsor, Rep. Terry Keel, R-Austin, a former prosecutor and former Travis County sheriff who now is a candidate for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

The law, House Bill 823, was supported by the National Rifle Association and the American Civil Liberties Union and opposed by various law-enforcement groups.

More than 237,000 Texans have concealed handgun licenses. But many other law-abiding adults don't have licenses because they are disqualified by exceptions that have nothing to do with public safety, said Alice Tripp, a lobbyist for the Texas State Rifle Association, an NRA affiliate.

Tripp said people who have defaulted on student loans, who owe the state sales tax or franchise tax payments or are behind in child support payments are ineligible to receive a license.

Keel said he hoped the law will prompt police officers to think twice about arresting motorists who meet the new legal presumption and spare them the expense and "indignity" of arrest and prosecution.

Otherwise, he said, "They basically are going to arrest innocent people and make them prove their innocence."

Rosenthal and Rob Kepple, executive director of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, disagreed.

Rosenthal said the new presumption about "traveling" doesn't define what constitutes traveling and can be challenged in court by prosecutors, leaving it to juries to decide verdicts "based upon the facts of the case."

A prosecutor could summon witnesses to successfully argue that a defendant wasn't traveling because he was simply "driving around the corner for a carton of milk," Kepple said.

"I really don't think (the law) should affect how police officers respond in arresting somebody," he added.

Houston Police Department spokeswoman Johanna Abad indicated Houston police were going to take their advice from Rosenthal's office.

This is blatant disregard for the will of the people of Harris County as reflected in the Texas State Legislature.

Full Story: Texas Gun Law Revision

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Texas Congressman Get's It: Go John!

Texas lawmaker proposes volunteer border corps
By Jerry Seper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
August 26, 2005

A Texas congressman, concerned about the government's lack of manpower and resources to protect America's borders against criminal aliens and terrorists, wants a "corps of civilian volunteers" appointed to help guard the nation's borders.

Rep. John Culberson, Texas Republican, has introduced legislation to authorize and fund the "Border Protection Corps" for states along the Mexican and Canadian borders, comprising civilians named by the governors to work as sworn law-enforcement officers, alongside state and local authorities and the U.S. Border Patrol.

Known as the Border Protection Corps Act, the bill would fund -- through $6.8 billion in unspent Department of Homeland Security first-responder funds -- the volunteer groups and the federal government's cost of detaining and deporting foreign nationals caught at the border.

Pending consideration before both the House Homeland Security and Armed Services committees, the bill also would prevent the government from releasing detained aliens back into the United States -- requiring them to be deported or prosecuted if found to be a "dangerous criminal, a terrorist or a potential terrorist."

"I am convinced in my heart that the country has reached its tipping point on illegal immigration, fed up with the full-scale invasion now taking place, particularly on our southern border" Mr. Culberson told The Washington Times yesterday.

"This bill is a common-sense, stop-gap solution to our border security problem until the federal government has the manpower and the resources to fill the breach," he added.

Wow! We do have a Congressman with his head on straight on this issue. Representative Culberson is one of the few people in Congress in the forefront on illegal immigration. Thank-you Congressman!

Full Story: Culberson calls for border volunteers

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Straw Grasping Continues to Escalate for Anti-Roberts Cadre

Roberts tied to Bush-Quayle campaign
Supreme Court nominee said he provided opposition research
Tuesday, August 30, 2005

By Michael McGough, Post-Gazette National Bureau

WASHINGTON -- Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr. provided "opposition research" for the Bush-Quayle-election campaign in 1988, according to an application form that Roberts completed when he sought appointment as deputy solicitor general in the first Bush administration the next year.

The form was one of several Roberts-related documents from the first Bush administration released yesterday by the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas, and the National Archives.

The collection also included materials related to former President George H.W. Bush's decision in 1992 to nominate Roberts to succeed newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. That nomination died in the Senate, but Roberts was nominated to the same appeals court by the current President Bush and was confirmed by the Senate two years ago.

A memo from the file of Lee Liberman, who as an associate White House counsel advised the administration on judicial nominations, describes Roberts as a "superstar non-Hispanic candidate" for the D.C. Circuit. The memo said Bush shouldn't feel obliged to appoint a Hispanic to the D.C. Circuit because "from a political perspective, although a nominee for the D.C. Circuit would get the attention of the national Hispanic organizations, nominees to the 5th and 11th circuits would get much more attention from the populations of the states in those circuits, most notably Texas and Florida."

This just in: Roberts Once Supported Bush/Quail Campaign. Ooh this ought to nail him for sure, Roberts once "stepped on a crack," Roberts once went swimming less than one hour after eating.

Full Story: Roberts Nomination

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Our Borders Are Hemorhaging Aliens

1986 AMNESTY SENT IMMIGRATION NUMBERS SOARING
By Georgie Anne Geyer
Mon Aug 29, 5:41 PM ET

ON THE SAN YSIDRO BORDER CROSSING WITH MEXICO -- Three or four years ago, most of us who were complaining about the lack of border and immigration controls were using the figure of 3 million to 4 million illegal aliens in America. That figure seemed bad enough.

Then the numbers started to boggle the mind. Month after month, in reputable news magazines and from responsible analysts of border affairs, the estimated numbers of aliens in the country kept going up and up and up.

Suddenly, the number was 5 million; then, only a few months later, 8 million. Then some sources started using 12 million as the standard and even, finally, an astonishing 20 million! When the census bureau was to release the 2002 statistics on illegals in America, it had found 10 million more than it had planned for. (In fact, the bureau gave a press conference on a Friday afternoon, when no one would report on it.)

All of this has led to agitation over illegal aliens and an "invasion" that the country has not hitherto experienced. In only the last few weeks, the Democratic governors of both Arizona and New Mexico have declared an "immigration emergency," and Nuevo Laredo on the Mexican side of the border with Texas has had so many murders it is being looked at as the drug/murder capital of the region.

But here on the San Diego end of the border across from Tijuana, for officials who have worked realistically with immigration -- and suffered eternally under the lack of leadership from Washington -- the question of where these estimated numbers of illegals has come from is hardly a mystery.

Pete Nunez, the former U.S. attorney for San Diego and a lifelong fighter for immigration control, told me in a recent talk: "Why are those numbers today so high? Because of the amnesty of 1986! Those 2.7 million illegals amnestied were then able, in the decade of the '90s, to sponsor their family members. That decade turned out to have the highest number of legal immigrants practically in our history, because of the amnesty."

Mr. President and Congress, wake-up! Americans are tired of these continual concessions to Mexico, Corporate Law-breakers, and the Latino voters. It is way past time for these people to be arrested, photo ID'd, and ejected from this nation. Once this has been completely accomplished, we can then give consideration to the issuance of documentation for limited temporary laborers.

Full Story: Alien Invasion

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Al Sharpton, Another Law Abiding Paragon of Liberal Virtue.

Sharpton Evades Police for 9 Miles
Monday, Aug. 29, 2005 8:27 p.m. EDT

A driver for the Rev. Al Sharpton led Ellis County sheriff's deputies on a nine-mile chase at speeds up to 110 mph before state troopers stopped the car, authorities said.

The driver was rushing Sharpton to the airport after his visit with anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan on Sunday at her camp outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford. The car carrying Sharpton and two other passengers was clocked doing 110 mph in a 65 mph zone on Interstate 35 in Ellis County in North Texas, said Lt. Danny Williams.

The car ignored deputies' attempts to stop it and continued speeding and weaving in and out of traffic before it was stopped, Williams said.

Calls Monday to Sharpton's spokeswoman were not immediately returned. A spokesman for his attorney, Michael Hardy, referred inquiries to the spokeswoman.

Deputies arrested Jarrett Barton Maupin, 43, of Phoenix. Maupin told the officers he was hurrying to get Sharpton to the airport. Deputies impounded the rented 2005 Lincoln.

Williams said his officers offered Sharpton and the other, unidentified passengers a ride to a hotel across the highway, but they declined and walked there instead.

Maupin posted a total of $1,000 in bonds on charges of evading arrest with a vehicle and reckless driving.

What about some justice? How does Reverend Al "Tawana Brawley" Sharpton explain this one? It's not just the forty mph above the speed limit, it is the reckless driving and failure to stop. This driver ought to be in jail, $1000.00? Next will come the claims of racism.

Original Story: Reprinted from NewsMax.com© 2005 Associated Press.

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The Plot Thickens: Is This THE Clintonistas' Coverup?

BREAKING!!! - Weldon says records were ordered destroyed!! (Able Danger)
Dom Giordano Show - 1210AM Radio "Big Talker" - Philadelphia 29 AUG 05
Posted on 08/29/2005 6:23:38 PM PDT by Lancey Howard

Congressman Curt Weldon (R - Pennsylvania) gave another exclusive interview to Dom Giordano this evening (Monday) and broke the news that he will be giving a speech on September 8th (next Monday) during which he will present yet another 'Able Danger' witness. This new witness will attest (and will swear under oath when called) that he was "ordered to destroy records" relating to the 'Able Danger' program.
This order to destroy the records occurred prior to 9-11-01. Weldon intimated that it happened during the Clinton Administration.

The witness, who Weldon did not name, says that he was ordered to destroy records and was threatened with jail if he failed to comply. Weldon said that he has the names of the people involved, including the person who gave the order, and HE WILL NAME THEM in his speech.

Congressman Weldon also said that his staff has met with Senator Arlen Specter's (R - Pennsylvania) staff regarding the upcoming Judiciary Committee hearings. Weldon wants to be sure that everybody is on the same page. Weldon also said that he will do whatever he has to do to make sure that ALL the facts come out and that the process "is not manipulated".

Curt Weldon is like a pit bull on a steak. He expressed disgust with the "incompetence" of the 9-11 Commission and said that the victims of the 9-11 terror attacks deserve answers. Weldon is determined to see that they get them.
Weldon did express confidence in Tim Roehmer and John Lehman and speculated that perhaps the poor job done by the Commission was the result of an incompetent staff. Weldon sounded amazed and disappointed that so much important information was either glossed over or swept under the rug by the Commission.

Weldon will give his September 8th speech either to the National Press Club or to a "9-11 families" group which has asked him to speak. He apparently hasn't nailed down the exact venue yet. (For those unfamiliar with Dom Giordano, he is a very good conservative local talk show host here in the Philadelphia area, an area which includes Curt Weldon's district. Weldon comes on Dom's show often and, like this evening, sometimes breaks news.)

If this is true, this will be the biggest scandal in recent history. To quote Major Hofstetler from Hogan's Heroes, "Heads vill roll!" I doubt that the MSM will pick this up until they have their noses rubbed in it. This could be the treason charge pressed against Bill "Nero" Clinton (he played with his cigar while America declined.)

Original Post: Weldon Reports

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Houston CSI: Not Coming Soon to Your TV

Many crime labs won't meet state's accreditation rules
Smaller police departments say no one will collect, test their evidence
By PAM EASTON, Associated Press
Aug. 28, 2005, 11:01PM

PASADENA - Many police departments will be left waiting in line for other agencies to analyze evidence so it can be admitted at trial since state records show only one-third of the state's unaccredited crime labs will meet the accreditation standard by Thursday's deadline.

They face a 2003 law that requires labs to achieve standards required for accreditation by Thursday. Without accreditation, the labs are banned from introducing evidence for criminal trials.

That means large police departments will have to forgo some analysis. Officials at smaller departments say they will have no one to collect and test their crime scene evidence and one private lab in business for decades plans to close.

"We still don't know how devastating the impact is going to be, but it is going to be huge," Mansfield Police Chief Steve Noonkester said. "It is going to hurt every small city in the state."

Eighteen labs, 13 operated by the Texas Department of Public Safety, already were accredited. Those labs will now have to analyze the evidence from departments that aren't accredited while trying to deal with a DPS backlog of 1,100 DNA cases, said spokeswoman Tela Mange.

Well, I guess we won't be seeing any CSI programs out of Houston, unless it is "Houston, Keystone CSI" This is an intolerable situation. It is time for taxpayers to take back local goverment and require top quality performance from all of our civil servants. Mayor White may be the best we've had in recent memory, but he can't do his job alone, and even then he needs to be held to high standards.

Full Story: Crime Labs

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ACLU Intent on Destroying America: Opposing Minute Men

Activists say Minutemen causing fear
ACLU offers training in El Paso
Associated Press
Aug. 28, 2005, 11:28PM

Fear of a civilian patrol group is prompting fewer contractors to pick up workers from Houston corners where day laborers congregate, some activists said.

Workers' fear over the Minuteman volunteers probably led to some day laborers also abandoning their usual corners. And the same concerns caused a day labor organizational meeting Saturday to be closed to the media, according to organizers.

Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union on Saturday began training volunteers in El Paso who plan to monitor the Minuteman volunteers during their planned patrols along the border in October.

The Minuteman Civil Defense Corp. said it plans to patrol Texas' border with Mexico in October, repeating an action it took along Arizona's border in April. The group, which seeks to reduce illegal immigration, also has said it will watch day laborers in Houston and write down the license plate numbers of contractors who pick them up.

--------------------SNIP----------------

In Houston, Maria Jimenez, a leader of the Coalition Against Intolerance and for Respect, said the laborers are very scared.

Houston police stopped photographing day laborers in July after receiving pressure from immigrant rights groups.[My Emphasis]

But some immigrant advocates concede that the Minutemen might be encouraged to hear they're already having an effect.

Can anyone doubt that the ACLU is the most anti-Americans activist group in the Nation? Illegal aliens are lawbreakers. If they don't respect our imigration laws and get away with it, how can you expect them to respect any of our other laws. They routinely drive without licenses or insurance. Wherever they live, the property values decrease, violent crime increases, and they drive our medical and educational costs up. They will eventually destroy our nation unless we do something about the problem.

Full Story: ACLU Interference

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A&M, Wake Up! Diversity is an Artificial Concept

A TURNING POINT: PATH TO DIVERSITY
Deeply rooted in tradition, Texas A&M is investing millions of dollars to win the trust of minority students
By MATTHEW TRESAUGUE
Aug. 29, 2005, 5:32AM
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

Editor's note: This is the first story in an occasional series looking at Texas A&M University's efforts to recruit and retain minority students. Colleges and universities across the state are grappling with how to enroll 600,000 new students, mostly minorities, by 2015 to mirror the state's changing demographics

COLLEGE STATION - Jacob Tadesse arrived eight days before the start of classes at Texas A&M University and, like many freshmen, soon felt alone. So he left the sterile coolness of his dormitory room that first night without a destination in mind.

Wearing a baggy T-shirt and shorts, with his black hair in braids and beads, Tadesse started walking around campus about 10 p.m., hoping to cross paths with someone like him.

An hour later, he saw a friend from Houston. They slumped into chairs in a dormitory lobby and said, ''Howdy," the university's official greeting, to passers-by. Some stopped, others didn't.

After midnight, Tadesse counted those around him: Three blacks, three Hispanics, two Asian-Americans and seven whites. ''I wasn't expecting that," he said later.

What he expects is to succeed despite his surroundings. Texas A&M is a place where roughly 80 percent of undergraduates are white, where the 2,000 members of the quasi-military Corps of Cadets wear uniforms to class, where tradition is everything.

Tadesse, who graduated third in his class from the nearly all-black Jack Yates High School in Houston, is part of Texas A&M's bold effort to increase its minority enrollment without considering race in admissions. The goal is a student body that reflects the diversity of Texas.

The state's second-largest university has invested millions of dollars to attract students who didn't have the luxury of wealth or the best schools. The campaign reversed a seven-year decline in the number of black and Hispanic freshmen last fall, and the university is projecting big percentage increases again as classes start today

-------------------SNIP-----------------

Assimilation not a goal

The sun was high above a drill field last Tuesday as hundreds of Aggies converged for horseshoes and shaved ice. A country radio station, broadcasting live from the gathering, played Redneck Yacht Club .

Before the party ended, two cadets in overalls summoned the students to practice the traditional yells for football games. In unison, they hunched forward with hands on their knees to project their voices.

Tadesse watched with a dozen black students from beneath an oak tree. One of his new friends wanted to join the yellers, but he did not budge from his spot in the shade. ''It's too hot," he said.

Assimilation is not a goal for Tadesse, who also did not attend Fish Camp, a summer program that indoctrinates freshmen to the university's traditions. Instead, he sees Texas A&M as the means to a lucrative career and maybe the wherewithal to create jobs for people from places like the Third Ward.

These jerks don't want to be a part of A&M, they are just leeches. It is pointless to make special set-asides for minority students, if they don't respect the school. Diversity is an absurd concept. People will naturally associate with those with whom they feel most comfortable. That is fine, if blacks and other minorities don't wish to be apart of the school traditions, the law entitles them to do so, but it is pointless to spend millions to recruit them. There is no discernable benefit in diversifying populations if it is going to lead to the destruction of the traditions of these institutions. Let Tadesse go to TSU and someone who wants to be at A&M go there.

Full Story: Disrespecting A&M

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Is Iraq Finally On Its Way?

Committee signs Iraq's draft constitution
Sunday, August 28, 2005; Posted: 5:46 a.m. EDT (09:46 GMT

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The Iraqi constitutional committee signed off on a draft of a constitution Sunday after making some minor amendments, a committee spokesman said.

The draft, which was signed by the committee, will now go to the National Assembly. The amendments were made in hopes of appeasing the Sunni Arab minority, although government spokesman Leith Kubba said not all Sunnis agreed.

President Talabani will announce the final draft of the constitution at a 2:30 p.m. (6:30 a.m. EDT) press conference, his office announced.

It was hoped that Sunday would usher in the end of Iraq's prolonged constitution-drafting drama, as Shiite Arab negotiators now say they plan to go to voters in October with a new compromised draft even if they cannot reach agreement with their Sunni counterparts.

Sunni Arabs on Saturday pored over and debated a compromise Shiite-Kurdish proposal for the draft constitution, the latest development in the highly-charged political fight over the fine print and major legal thrusts in the country's future basic law.

The changes emerged after a week of painstaking negotiations among lawmakers trying to resolve outstanding differences in their talks, another 11th-hour effort to reach a wide-ranging consensus.

"We should hear any minute it's submitted to the assembly," Kubba told CNN.

Some Sunnis agreed to the amendments, he said, while others did not.

Is this a glimmer of hope? Sunni participation in this process would be wise to be sure. I hope they go ahead and approve it. With luck any inequities can be ameliorated later by the constitutional government.

Full Story: Iraqi Constitution

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Palestinian Suicide Bombers Opting for Palestinian Anihilation?

Palestinian suicide bomber strikes in Israel
Sun Aug 28, 2005 7:32 AM ET
By Dimitry Hodorkovsky

BEERSHEBA, Israel (Reuters) - A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up, critically wounding two guards at an Israeli bus station on Sunday in the first such attack since the eviction of Jewish settlers from Gaza and part of the West Bank.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast in Beersheba, three days after troops killed five Palestinians in a raid on a militant hideout in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, drawing a vow of revenge from the Islamic Jihad group.

A police spokesman said nearly 50 people were treated at hospital, most of them for shock. The two guards, who chased the bomber, were critically hurt, the spokesman said.

The explosion, at the entrance to Beersheba's central bus station, followed a call by President Bush for the Palestinians to respond to last week's pullout from occupied Gaza by showing "they will fight terrorism."

Bush, who hopes the Gaza withdrawal will help revive a U.S.-backed peace "road map" envisaging a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel, stopped short of demanding President Mahmoud Abbas dismantle militant groups.

Abbas condemned the suicide bombing, calling it "a terrorist attack" in a statement issued by the official Palestinian news agency WAFA. He described Israel's Tulkarm raid as a "provocation" and urged all sides to show restraint.

Palestinians better get their act together and stop this campaign of death. Israel has made an unprecedented concession by withdrawing from the Gaza settlements. If the Palestinians cannot control this activity, then Israel will be fully justified in wiping them out.

Full Story: Palestinian Bomber

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NAACP Opposes Photo-ID for Voters: Fear It May Prevent Fraudulent Voting

NAACP Prepares To Take Action Against Georgia Voting Law
Justice Dept. Approval of Photo ID Law Called a Step Backward

8/27/2005 6:33:00 PM

To: National Desk
Contact: NAACP Office of Communications, 410-580.5125

BALTIMORE, Md., Aug. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Bruce S. Gordon, president & CEO, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), said today that the Justice Department approval of the controversial Georgia law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls is "a disappointing decision by an agency that is supposed to protect voters" by enforcing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

"By approving Georgia's onerous law requiring voters to present photo identification to vote, the Justice Department weakened one of this nation's most important voting laws," said Gordon. "If left unchallenged, many African Americans and other minorities in Georgia will find it difficult to cast their ballots. I will call on a coalition of civil rights groups to join us in challenging the Georgia law."

Julian Bond, chairman, NAACP National Board of Directors, said: "The 1965 Voting Rights Act required pre-clearance of Georgia's racially motivated voter restrictions, and the Justice Department sadly and wrongly refused to disapprove Georgia's limits on the franchise. Thankfully, the Act allows court challenges and these will surely follow."

Gee, Why should we try to identify who the voters are, lets have everyone vote 2 or three times. NAACP should be ashamed of themselves. Their opposition to photo ID requirements for voters is unconscionable. They know that voter fraud occurrs more on the Democrat side and they don't want a "fair" vote. They have long since ceased to be an advocacy group working for the full integration of blacks into our society, and now spend their time fomenting dissent so that they can maintain their power.

Full Story: NAACP Supports Fraud

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Rap Scene Still Province of Thugs and Criminals

Suge Knight Shot at Miami Beach Party
Aug 28 3:09 AM US/Eastern

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODYAssociated Press Writer
MIAMI BEACH, Fla.
Rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight was shot in the leg early Sunday during a party hosted by Grammy-winning hip hop artist Kanye West, police said.

Knight, 40, was hospitalized in good condition, police said. He was shot during a celebrity-studded party at the Shore Club, one of the many celebrations in Miami Beach ahead of the MTV Video Music Awards scheduled Sunday night, said Miami Beach Police Officer Bobby Hernandez.

Sonja Mauro, a guest at the club, said a shot in the party's VIP section rang out shortly before 1 a.m.

"I was in there and I heard a pop and I ran out and got trampled," she said.
People attending the party began screaming and running for the doors, she said.
Knight co-founded the pioneering rap label Death Row Records and hit the charts in the 1990s with West Coast stars including Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur.

It is time for our society to shut this crap down. If these thugs can't behave like civilized human beings, we need to treat them like the deserve to be treated. This continued acceptance of people like P. Diddy (a.k.a. Puff Daddy, a.k.a. Diddy) as mainstream artists must stop. They are not nice people, they are not decent people, they are a negative influence on our society and they need to be castigated. I am as against censorship as one can be, but these "artists" are trash and their work is trash and it needs to be thrown out, like trash.

Full Story: Suge Knight Shot

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Liberal Luddites Have Fought Nuclear Power With Considerable Success

Study Reveals Scepticism on Nuclear Power

The public is hostile towards the idea of building more nuclear power stations, a poll revealed this week.

A survey of 1,000 people by Populus found that 59 per cent are opposed to nuclear expansion despite fears that gas may need to be imported to meet future requirements. This antagonism is matched by a belief that renewable sources may be able to fill the energy gap in the next 20 years, the survey shows.

A total of 79 per cent of respondents felt that renewables must to be used as an alternative to imported energy. Most added that they do not trust politicians' views about nuclear power.

The research comes to light as rumours surface that the government wants to expand nuclear facilities to replace old reactors and coal-powered stations.

Copyright Haymarket Business Publications Ltd. Aug 12, 2005

It is really sad, how much ignorance guides public opinion with regards to technology. The Wacko Left fear mongers have done a great job of instilling fear of nuclear energy in the general public. As is usual, they have spun a web of lies and distortions designed to generate fear of a "China Syndrome" in every backyard. They dismiss the fact that with the exception of Chernobyl (which resulted from poor design), there have been no deaths due to nuclear accidents with the clever riposte, of "Yet!" "It only requires one!" A dishonest response to the fact that Western nuclear plants have a perfect safety record. Repeat, perfect record, no deaths, zero, zilch, nada, zippo, nary a one. It's the old "Yeah, but..." argument.

Original Post: Red Nova

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Shiites Prepared to Submit Charter Without Sunni Approval

Iraqi Shiites Vow To Submit Charter
By Jonathan Finer and Omar Fekeiki
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sat Aug 27, 1:00 AM ET

BAGHDAD, Aug. 27 -- As another midnight deadline to complete a draft constitution passed Friday without definitive agreement among Iraq's main factions, ruling Shiite Muslim parties said they would present a final version to the National Assembly this weekend with no further changes, even though it was rejected by several Sunni Arab leaders.

As some lawmakers said negotiations were continuing into the early hours of Saturday and others claimed an accord had been reached that many Sunnis would endorse, government spokesman Laith Kubba told al-Arabiya television that "consensus is almost impossible at this point."

"The draft should be put before the people," he said, referring to the nationwide referendum on the document that must be held by Oct. 15. Many Sunni Arab leaders have urged their followers to vote against the constitution, which can be rejected if two-thirds of the voters in at least three of Iraq's 18 provinces oppose it.

The completed document will be presented to the National Assembly on Saturday or Sunday with or without Sunni backing, Humam Hamoudi, a Shiite who is chairman of the constitution-writing committee, told the Associated Press.

I guess we'll see how things are going to break here. Maybe the Sunni people will ignore their leaders and vote for the constitution (well, we conservatives do tend to be optimists).

Full Story: Shiites to Submit Charter

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Hope They Know What They're Doing Over There

U.S. frees 1,000 Iraqis
charter talks go on
By Michael Georgy

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Saturday it had freed 1,000 detainees from Iraq's notorious Abu Ghraib prison at the Baghdad government's request, in the largest release to date.

It was not clear if the decision was linked to a demand by Arab Sunnis opposed to a draft constitution that authorities release Sunni prisoners so they can participate in a referendum on the text and elections later this year.

"I know this is a big one, but I can't say if it is related to anything that is going on," said U.S. military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Steven Boylan.

Whether or not it was part of negotiations on the charter, the release is likely to ease concerns over the estimated 10,000 Iraqi prisoners held in U.S. detention centres in the country.

"This is a good move that we definitely welcome," said Hussein al-Falluji, one of 15 Sunnis on the panel drafting the constitution.

Parliament Speaker Hajem al-Hassani confirmed that a draft constitution with new proposals on disputed points such as federalism would be reviewed by Arab Sunnis and the chamber would receive a response on Sunday.

Sunnis are fiercely opposed to federalism, fearing it would give Shi'ite and Kurdish leaders dominating the government control over oil resources in northern and southern Iraq.

Hopefully this will help things on the constitution front. I think we need to moderate our reliance on this first "constitutional convention." I fear that Bush has invested too much of our political capital on this first attempt solving our problems in Iraq. This provides too much ammo for his opponents in the Democrat Party to suggest that the Iraq War is misguided.

Full Story: Abu Ghraib Release

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I Would Hate to See A Failure Here, but It May Be Necessary

Sunnis Urge Voters to Reject Constitution
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's head of parliament announced Saturday that Shiites and Kurds had agreed to Sunni Arab proposals for the new constitution and were awaiting a response. But Sunni negotiators said the changes fall short of their demands and urged voters to reject the draft in the Oct. 15 referendum.

Speaker Hajim al-Hassani, himself a Sunni, said the amended text, dealing with issues of federalism and former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party, would be submitted Sunday to parliament. The legislature, overwhelmingly Shiite and Kurdish, may vote on it or simply refer it to the voters.

Al-Hassani's comments followed similar statements late Friday by Shiite and Kurdish lawmakers but were significant because he has final say in when the assembly will act.

His remarks indicated that negotiations on the new constitution had run their course. Barring a sudden change of mind by the Sunnis, the charter is likely to go to the voters over Sunni objections, setting the stage for a bitter political battle ahead of the referendum by supporters and opponents of the draft.

If the constitution clears parliament without Sunni blessing, it would be a blow to the Bush administration, which insisted all along that Sunni participation was critical to produce a document which was accepted by all communities.

Sunni Arabs are at the forefront of the insurgency and the Americans hoped the constitution would lure them away from the rebellion. But Sunni negotiator Saleh al-Mutlaq said the final draft fails to meet Sunni aspirations.

"We tell our people that we have fulfilled the duty that you asked us to do," al-Mutlaq told reporters Saturday. "We have sincerely done the job and now the matters are up to you. We want those who did not wake up until now to wake up. We want you to express your point of view but without violence" in the Oct. 15 referendum

The failure of this constitution would be a blow to Bush in the short run, but if it leads to a second election and a better constitution it might be worth it. It would probably be better for the Sunnis to go ahead vote in favor of this constitution for the same reason it would have been better for them to have participated in the first election. The chances are that if this constitution is passed without Sunni concurrence, they will be further alienate themselves.

Full Story: Iraq Constitution

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Iraqi Constitution: Time to Fish or Cut Bait

Iraq constitution talks go on, head for referendum
By Mariam Karouny Thu
Aug 25, 5:42 PM ET

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi negotiators failed to agree a final draft of a constitution on Thursday after the government had insisted that they would and the parliament speaker said discussions could go on for some time yet.

However, if compromises could not be found to overcome the opposition of minority Sunni Arab and other groups, the text so far proposed by the Shi'ite- and Kurdish-led government would simply be put to the people at a mid-October referendum.

"Negotiations are still going on. Everybody was there," speaker Hajim al-Hassani told Reuters. "This is a good sign and we hope we will reach a result tomorrow night."

Asked at a news conference what would happen if there were no consensus after further negotiations, he said: "If we cannot reach an agreement, God forbid, the constitution will be put to the Iraqi people on October 15."

He made clear, however, that after an often confusing series of midnight deadlines over the past 10 days, he was not setting a particular time limit on those discussions. Nor was any parliamentary vote required to adopt the text put to the nation.

Some representatives of the once dominant Sunni Arab minority said they might challenge the legality of the process, urging a new election for an interim legislature to begin again the process of drafting a constitution from scratch.

But government and parliamentary officials indicated that they believed the requirements had been met of a U.S.-sponsored interim constitution, under which parliament "shall write the draft of the permanent constitution" by mid-August.

It may indeed be time to go ahead an hold another election, allowing the Sunis to vote this time. Yes, it is their fault that they didn't vote the first time but the time for blame is past. Better to move on and accomplish a good constitution with proper representation than try to make a silk purse out of this sow's ear.

Full Story: Iraqi Constitution

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Warner Whines About Base Closures

Warner: Defense Closures 'Rigged'
By Spencer S. Hsu, Washington Post Staff Writer
Wed Aug 24, 1:00 AM ET

Virginia Sen. John W. Warner (R) said that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and a senior aide improperly manipulated the national base realignment plan announced earlier this year to compel the movement of more than 20,000 defense jobs away from the Washington area.

Two years before the Pentagon revealed its base closing plan May 13, in a stream of memos and internal records, top department officials were saying that "thinning of headquarters in the National Capital Region remains a[n] objective," according to Warner.

Raymond F. DuBois, Rumsfeld's principal aide for personnel and organizational planning, guided planners in an April 1, 2004, meeting: "The Secretary of Defense wants to reduce footprint and headcount in the [region] . . . -- Moving activities from the [region] is good but moving activities beyond the 100-mile radius of the Pentagon is better," according to minutes of his remarks cited by Warner.

Warner, chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, said the Defense Department acted improperly by singling out one area of the country for cutbacks. He added that he did not know the reasoning behind the 100-mile limit.

He said Rumsfeld's team used the base realignment process to achieve other goals, specifically, unrelated real estate management goals. Congress intended the base-closing procedures to focus on one issue: efficiency -- or, in Pentagon jargon, "military value."

"In simple terms, the military value model was rigged," Warner said, citing a final report in which Pentagon planners adopted criteria that prejudged all leased space as less desirable than owned buildings and the concentration of activities near Washington "as a negative."

DuBois said the Pentagon followed proper procedure in determining the Washington area closures. DuBois, now acting undersecretary of the Army, said Warner's arguments are "well-crafted" but leave out key points. "Decisions were made with respect to leased space in Northern Virginia consistent with military value as well as cost savings -- the two most important criteria," he said.

Well Gee-whiz John, how dare they decide that it is better to keep the bases that we own rather than the ones we are leasing. You aren't perchance one of our landlords are you? Oh I know that's a cheap shot, but you might as well be, you certainly are not as concerned about national security as you are pork for your state.

Full Story: Warner Whines

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The Final Frontier: Keeping a Perspective

Thinking Clearly About Space Part II: Everybody Wants Space
By Monte Davis
National Space Society
posted: 24 August 2005

Who can resist the poetry of Humanity’s Timeless Outward Urge? Space is the endless frontier, we say—it’s in our genes. It’s the next inevitable step in evolution. It’s our species-level insurance against global disasters. It’s the spread of life and intelligence from a pale blue dot to the 99.9…% of the cosmos that isn’t Earth. Throw the bone, cue the music, match dissolve to orbit: thank you, Mr. Kubrick.

It’s all profoundly moving. It may even turn out to be true. But it’s an obstacle to progress, if talk of Humanity persuades us that most actual human beings share our enthusiasm. (Or would, if only there were enough Leadership, enough Vision, enough space advocacy conferences). Zoom in from evolutionary time to the United States, 1965-2005. There’s a consistent pattern in polls throughout those years. If people are asked "Should the nation do X in space?" a majority often says yes. But when asked to rank government activities by spending priority, a larger majority puts space way down the list. They did so at the height of Apollo (roughly 4% of federal spending), and they do so today (at the less than 1% typical of the decades since).

A lot of energy goes into lamenting that, and arguing over what went wrong after Apollo. Try Occam’s razor instead: perhaps we enthusiasts are part of a majority in thinking new achievements in space are admirable, but a minority in the priority we put on achieving them with tax money. Try facing facts: the pace from Sputnik through Apollo was an exception, not the norm. It was enabled by military missile technology that had already done the hardest part of the engineering. It was funded in a unique Cold War period when everything the US and USSR did was part of a global contest. And Apollo itself was aimed at a specific "flags and footprints" victory within that contest. It was never meant to be a foundation for sustained expansion into space, no matter how much we wish otherwise.

This is a perspective of acceptance of things the way they actually are. It's hard when someone else tells you what you should already know and be saying. Just because I consider Space Exploration one of the most important endeavors of mankind, doesn't mean everyone else should or does. It doesn't ease my frustration, just keeps it in perspective. More and better science and math education is a must for this society and could help to change this but not necessarily. I guess I'll just have to wait for my next life to play Star Trek...sigh!

Full Story: Space Exploration

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MS-13 Gang Members Crossing Border in Increasing Numbers

Border's eyes focusing on bloody gang
U.S. lawmen say MS-13 members are trying to slip into Valley amid other immigrants

By JAMES PINKERTON
Aug. 26, 2005, 1:04AM
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle Rio Grande Valley Bureau

ROMA - It was a crude and savage killing, as five "clients" of an immigrant smuggler allegedly beat the Mexican youth to death in the brushy thickets outside of town.

His clients, authorities say, were members of the infamous Mara Salvatrucha gang, or MS-13, and were apparently angry at the 18-year-old smuggler for leaving behind a fellow gang member who had caused trouble.

The killing was in keeping with the violent reputation of the Central American street gang, whose members are known to be involved in various criminal enterprises.

"He was beaten to death with sticks and stones, and I'm not talking about little stones," said Marco Treviño, an assistant district attorney in Starr County. The prosecutor said two gang members are being held on murder charges related to the Aug. 10 attack and ''two or three" other gang members are being sought.

Across the Rio Grande Valley, local police are on the lookout for other MS-13 members, as Border Patrol agents report catching increasing numbers of gang members as they cross the river with other undocumented immigrants. Many are identified as MS-13 members because of large tattoos featuring gang initials in Gothic letters on their arms, hands, legs, chest and foreheads.

Federal agencies began a nationwide operation to round up MS-13 members and other gangs in March in response to a series of machete attacks in communities around Washington, D.C.

"Whenever we come in contact with illegals, we question them to see if they are gang members," said Sgt. Carlos Zamarron of the La Joya Police Department. He said the long-standing information about MS-13 members slipping across the Texas border with groups of undocumented workers has taken on new importance since the smuggler's death two weeks ago.

"We're very aware, and it's a big concern," Zamarron said.
It's time to drop the hammer on illegal immigration. Zero tolerance is a must. The mayor must change the Houston City's policy of not allowing the Houston Police to arrest or even determine the immigration status of those they encounter in the process of performing their jobs. For an American politician to listen more to illegals than to citizens of the city. Politicians are hired by the people to work for them, not for illegals.

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Pre-Kindergarten for Children: Whatever Happened to Playing?

POPULARITY OF PRE-K
Early education fast becoming the norm
But critics contend that poor children aren't getting enough chance to enroll
By CYNTHIA LEONOR GARZA
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
Aug. 26, 2005, 1:27AM

It's the hottest new trend among the 4-and-under set: Though state law does not require any school before the first grade, the number of children attending prekindergarten in Harris County has increased by nearly 50 percent over the past five years.

The numbers reflect a growing national interest in early education as a way to prepare children for the classroom.

"I think in the next few years it's just going to become a societal norm that all children attend pre-K," said Mechiel Rozas, principal at Gabriela Mistral Early Childhood Center, one of two pre-kindergarten schools opened this year by the Houston Independent School District.

Area districts like Cypress-Fairbanks, Pasadena, Spring and Spring Branch have also vastly expanded their pre-K programs in recent years.

Even as more districts create pre-K programs, critics worry that disadvantaged children are not being enrolled. According to the Nationa