Cops Gotta Prioritize

Now, this is a major crime.

A Vancouver man who was trying to buy tickets to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final was robbed of $4,400 this week by a supposed scalper he had connected with on Craigslist.

Police say the would-be ticket seller pulled a weapon on the Canucks fan after luring him to a mall parking lot in nearby Coquitlam, B.C., on Monday.

. . . A police helicopter, dogs and officers did not find the suspect, and an investigation is ongoing.

Be nice if cops would put this level of resources into, you know, actual violence against actual people.

But hey, it's a Canucks fan. Not some nameless, faceless, female sex-worker.

About Bloody Time

New York State has a proud history of civil rights legislation, but it has fallen badly behind in equal marriage rights.

That may be about to change.

Governor Andrew Cuomo has introduced a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.

Marriage-equality legislation has passed numerous times in the State Assembly, but has been repeatedly blocked in the State Senate. In December 2009, when Democrats still controlled the Senate, the bill failed 38 to 24.

Hoping to avoid a repeat of 2009, Cuomo has repeatedly said he would not introduce a bill until enough “yes” votes are secured.

Assured of support in the Democrat-controlled Assembly, the Marriage Equality Act needs 32 votes in the 62-seat Senate to pass.

At this hour, 31 senators have promised support, and six remain undecided.

But the New York Post reported on Monday that privately, Cuomo has the votes needed, and that “far more of the [GOP] members are in play than anyone realizes, including some surprising names from conservative upstate areas.”

This should be interesting. Maybe even ReThuglicans are waking up to the fact that younger Merkins are cool with gay people and don't see any reason to discriminate against them.

Expect ReThuglican caterwauling if this passes.

How many crimes does it take?

How many crimes does it take to make the *criminal justice system* finally act in accordance with the law, and lay charges against one of its own?

Quite a few it seems - most outrageously committed in plain view, in open defiance of the laws that the system has, seemingly and reluctantly, finally enforced. From here:

Former Gatineau police officer Jeffrey Greetham, who was fired last February 9 after a disciplinary hearing, was formally charged Tuesday with sexual assault. [...] The crimes allegedly took place between 21 April and 1 May 2010 [...] In a terse statement, the Chief of Police of the City of Gatineau, Mario Harel, described the behaviour of the accused former police officer as "unacceptable". [...]

During the years he was employed by the force, Greetham's record of charges for actions contrary to his professions code of ethics continued to mount, and in 2002, he had to answer two charges of sexual assaults against a 15 year old girl.

After a very brief hearing, the charges were dismissed. The judge concluded: "Faced with no evidence in support of the complainant's weak version of the alleged sexual assaults, the court is unable to discredit the accused's version."

More about Jeffrey Greetham, here.

The MTV Effect

USian pendants are all over the 'largest national public opinion survey ever conducted on abortion and the influence of religion and moral values on the issue'.

To say that it is a tad schizophrenic would be an understatement.

Two-thirds of the country said the term “pro-life” describes them well, while 70 percent of the country said the term “pro-choice” describes them well. Researchers said people think they’re both. Those who are opposed to abortion think it is among the most critical issues for the country—those who support abortion don’t think it’s a critical issue.

Biiig surprise there. For fetus fetishists, abortion is the ONLY issue.

The study also looks at attitudes towards equal marriage. Millennials (aged 18-29) are way more accepting of same-sex relationships than their elders, but view abortion about as insanely as their parents and grandparents.

HuffPo speculates:

But, why are Millennials so much more supportive of equal marriage for gays and lesbians when compared to the general public than they are of abortion?

My view is that the sheer volume of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people who have come out over the last 25 years has helped to transform public perceptions of same sex relationships. Millennial youth have known GLBT people as family, friends, fellow students, and work colleagues for decades. They know their stories and have glimpsed the reality of their lives. The thought that these individuals should somehow be denied the same rights as straight folks strikes Millennial youth as a social and moral non sequitur. It just doesn't make sense.

When it comes to abortion on the other hand, millennial youth do not have a comparable experience of knowing the stories of women who have had abortions -- whether pre- or post-Roe v. Wade. Plus, the anti-choice movement has successfully stigmatized abortion with its tactics of clinic intimidation, restrictive legislation, and conservative religious opposition.

But see? This is where the The MTV Effect comes into play.

MTV has two teen pregnancy shows: 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom.

About 17% of Americans have seen one or both teen pregnancy shows on MTV and they're more likely (65% to 56% of people who haven't watched the shows) to say abortion should be legal and to say it's morally acceptable (48% to 40%). PRRI [Public Religion Research Institute] calls this 'The MTV effect."

People are more inclined to have a positive view of the legality of abortion if they consider it in the context of an individual situation, if they know someone who had had an abortion, or if they've watched MTV's reality show on unmarried pregnant teens.

Simple. You know gay people; you accept that they have rights. You know or know of young women with unplanned pregnancies; you accept they should have options.

Now here's a genius remark:

“At the end of the day, Americans are committed to the availability of abortion, and conflicted about its morality,’’ Jones said. “I would call it a stable tension.’’

Yeah. Or USian batshittery.

In any event, the challenge for sane, pro-choice Merkins is huge but clear: normalize abortion.

In stark contrast, Canadians have moved on. A recent poll in the Sudbury Star showed that 85% of participants do not want abortion 'debate' reopened vs. only 13% who do.

Canada -- despite our imaginary supposed ginormous shift to 'Conservatard' values -- remains stoutly pro-choice.
(March 2010, EKOS poll).

On Bandwagon Jumping

About this billboard, Andrea Mrozek at ProWoman ProLife (gag) wrote:

A man puts up a billboard following his girlfriend’s (EX-girlfriend’s) abortion:

The sign on Alamogordo’s main thoroughfare shows 35-year-old Greg Fultz holding the outline of an infant. The text reads, “This Would Have Been A Picture Of My 2-Month Old Baby If The Mother Had Decided To Not KILL Our Child!”

Think about it. The man lost his child, a person he would have valued deeply, a person of great personal significance. Every abortion is about one person’s life, and that life is connected to aunts, uncles, fathers, mothers and friends.

On a bad day, if I were this man, I think I’d put up a billboard, too. And my other thought is God Bless America, for having people with gumption like this.

On the original sign, it was 'Created For: N.A.N.I.', a fictional organization whose initials stood for, he said, National Association of Needed Information. Funny thing though, the girlfriend's name is Nani Lawrence.

The original also had a reference to Right to Life New Mexico. (GEFNET is his own company.)

But they backed away from their initial sponsorship.

Being a little closer to the action, maybe RtLNM knew something about the guy.

Oh. Look. He's not just a vindictive shithead, he's a violent, abusive shithead.

Ms Lawrence, who has maintained a very low profile during the shitstorm, took him to court for harassment and violation of her privacy. Fultz countered with the racist and misogynist stand-by 'FREE SPEECH!!!'. That trial may progress, but in the interim, the judge ordered him to take the billboard down. Which, surprise, he has not done.

Now, his ex-wife, Jennifer, has weighed in. On Twitter, she is threatening to expose 'all of the police reports and dirty laundry from [their] marriage'.

Jennifer also claims that at the time they first got together, she was merely 16, while he was 23. Hmmm, one of the evil sides being painted of Greg has been that he has a tendency for young girls. Some even claim he stalked a 13-year-old girl on the family friendly gaming site Neopets.

By the way, Fultz himself says he doesn't know if Ms Lawrence had an abortion or a miscarriage as she claims.

Truth in advertising? Piff.

So, Andrea, are you still backing this lying, violent, misogynist, vindictive short-eyed creep?

Well, heck, I guess if you're 'pro-woman pro-life' ya gotta dance with the guy what brought ya.

ADDED: The creep has a hashtag now: GregFultzIsACreep.

Desperately Wanted: Competent Sculptor

I have some Important Questions for the Canadian media to investigate.

This is supposed to be SHithead? I mean, really. Sculptor could have named it: Generic white guy in suit.

Who decided what colour (Lego) hair to put on it?

Where's the lip gloss? Or is that sold separately?

(I won't even address the stoopitude of the body shape.)

Where were they made?

And the most burning question of all -- who the hell would pay 22 bucks for one.

Inquiring minds want to know.

ADDED: It seems to be the same bobblehead on offer during the election, with all the other leaders, at a local Ottawa soup shop.

Santorum Has a Google -- and an Abortion -- Problem

Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, an absolutely loathesome character, has, as Rachel Maddow points out, a small 'Google problem'.

And as JJ says, we sane people have an obligation to help keep that Santorum problem link at the top of the search results.

DJ! wants to help.

Did you know that Rick's wife had an abortion? Ah, but theirs was Different.

“The doctors said they were talking about a matter of hours or a day or two before risking sepsis and both of them might die,” Santorum said. “Obviously, if it was a choice of whether both Karen and the child are going to die or just the child is going to die, I mean it’s a pretty easy call.”

Yes, Rick. People's criteria may differ, but abortion often is a pretty easy call. One that you and your fellow and sister fetus fetishists want to co-opt in the name of Gord.

But then, who is surprised? All Gord's chillen get knocked up, often inconveeeeniently. When fetus fetishists find themselves with an unwanted, unplanned pregnancy though, their abortions are Different and Moral, unlike all those other irresponsible sluts in the waiting room.

BONUS: In what definitely could be and maybe will become a regular feature: Your Daily Tea Bagger Batshittery, today from, of course, Rick Santorum, on climate change.

It’s just an excuse for more government control of your life, and I’ve never been for any scheme or even accepted the junk science behind the whole narrative.

Oh Brigette!

Two excellent blogposts about Brigette dePape's inspiring action of defiance and civil disobedience at The Pomegranate, A message from Nellie McClung and Courageously Speaking Against the Politics of Fear.

Also, it is heartwarming to hear that Brigette's family - yes, her FAMILY! - supports her unconditionally.

Oh, it's worth reminding people, as Stan did in his comment at Dawg's Blawg that "There are millions of stop signs throughout Canada...and there is just enough room for a six letter word to fit under the STOP."

Sounds like a good cross-Canada flash mob action. Get your supplies of sticky paper and felt markers ready.

ADDED: In her own words: Why I Did It.

More Harper, More Contempt for Canada

Alison at Creekside: WikiLeaks : US bid to "shore up" Harper from the day he was elected is right on top of the issue.

Also, go read Balbulican at Dawg's Blawg and watch the horrendous grimaces that SunTV's *EriKKa Kristensen* makes as the Ann Coulter clone loses control of her bizarre and rude interrogation of cool, gracious and articulate Margie Gillis.

There's civil disobedience, and then there's grossly incivil, unprofessional behaviour. It's become the trademark of SunTV.