News from my state-of-origin: Missouri governor Jay Nixon (D) has declared he will not block Syrian refugees from entering the state. This inspired the state legislature (WTF) to weep and wail and stampede into the Missouri River like frightened antelope, except they didn’t drown, darn it.
After drying himself off, one legislator penned the following letter calling for a special session to consider what to do about the “potential Islamization of Missouri.” I reproduce it here in full, bad grammar and all:
Governor Nixon seems intent on allowing the relocation of Syrian refugees in Missouri.
I do realize that the refugees we should be scrutinizing most is one who professes the muslim faith. Unless I’m mistaken, a practicing muslim can do whatever is necessary for the “good” of the faith – telling “fibs” is a smallpart of what they might do. And, from what I’ve seen, a practicing muslim comes in all flavors (black, white, brown, yellow – American, African, European, etc. etc.). A “white†lie could allow an individual to pass through the vetting process.
In this instance, we cannot afford to be too careful – especially given the fact that immigration officials report they cannot properly vet the refugees (before or after they’ve entered the country).
If my information is correct, Afghan refugees sent to Pakistani and Iranian refugee camps returned to their homeland when it was safe to do so. I see no reason not to follow that example because once they’re on U.S. soil they’d have no reason to leave. Our preference, as a nation, should be to place the refugees in camps so that they can be properly cared for and returned safely home when the time is right.
Unless appropriate legislative action is taken, Governor Nixon may very well proceed with the acceptance of the refugees. For the safety of Missourians, we can ill-afford to wait. I ask that you begin the process of calling the General Assembly into Special Session in order to tie the Governor’s hands, putting a stop to the potential Islamization of Missouri.
Mike Moon
Yes, he was oblivious enough to sign his name to that monstrosity. Remarkable.
First off, good luck trying to “Islamify” Missouri, terrorists. It’s got more conservative evangelical churches per square foot than New Jersey has traffic cones. But I’d personally rather take in hypothetical terrorists hiding among Syrian refugees than the terrorists already in Missouri’s borders — namely, the Missouri state legislature.
Awhile back, Andrew Cohen wrote (in The Missouri Legislature — Unhinged Again) —
What in the world is happening in Missouri? Don’t state lawmakers there have more important things to do with their time, and more practical causes to advance on behalf of their many constituents, than ginning up one unconstitutional piece of legislation after another? Is the political process in Jefferson City so hijacked by radicals that it cannot help itself?
Local journalist David Hudnall writes,
Despite the most corrupt ethics laws in the nation and a rising tide of tea-party gubment haters in the House and Senate, Missouri has mostly escaped national-laughingstock status.
(Missouri is really good at staying under the radar, possibly because it’s surrounded by Illinois, Iowa and Kansas, which tend to get more attention for various reasons. Hardly anyone pays attention to Arkansas, either. )
Basically, whatever whackjob teabagger bills have been introduced anywhere in America have their counterparts in Missouri. They’ve tried to make it illegal to enforce federal laws in the state, especially those concerning guns and Obamacare., for example. They attempted a Stand-Your-Ground law on steroids that would have made it permissible to shoot someone for as mild an infraction as sitting in the wrong seats at Busch Stadium. They tried to make it a crime to even propose legislation that would reduce gun ownership. I wouldn’t put it past them to pass a law arming toddlers before they can go to nursery school.
See also Gloria Shur Bilchik, who provides a medley of recent bills.
Somewhere in heaven, Mark Twain and Harry Truman are weeping.
“(Missouri is really good at staying under the radar, possibly because it’s surrounded by Illinois, Iowa and Kansas, which tend to get more attention”
Well, they got a lot of attention for the continuing abomination they call a police force, case in point, the Michael Brown murder.
The GOP has no place to go on this issue. States have no say over immigration, which is Federal.And there is no widespread panic over Syrian refugees– they go through 2 years of vetting before they can come to the US, which has been made clear over the past month to anybody capable of following the issue on the news.
Americans are in more danger from 1) our own police 2) random white, male, wackos than we shall ever be from ISIL. Indeed, we lose about 100 citizens to gun violence a DAY, and the GOP has no interest whatsoever in even acknowledging that.
For some reason, I’m picturing stellar genius Mike Moon reading his letter aloud while standing in front of a dude loading live turkeys into a grinder.
“I do realize that the refugees we should be scrutinizing most is one who professes the muslim faith. Unless I’m mistaken, a practicing muslim can do whatever is necessary for the “good†of the faith – telling “fibs†is a smallpart of what they might do. And, from what I’ve seen, a practicing muslim comes in all flavors (black, white, brown, yellow – American, African, European, etc. etc.). A “white†lie could allow an individual to pass through the vetting process.”
The question is, is this raw projection, or unfiltered “TEH F’IN STOOOOOOOOOOOOPID!”?
Or, both.
Yeah.
Both.
And, of course, Dumb-‘n-old T-Rump, wants to register all Muslims.
Nothing bad can come of that, now can it?
Look at how smoothly registering people by religion worked in Germany, back in the 30’s and 40’s!.
Ok, a handful, or 6 million, died.
But, after all, like Muslims in America, Jews in Germany were unwelcome, and looked upon as “untermenschen,” so, that was all ok.
Man, talk about doing exactly what the ISIL loons want us to do…
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh…………..
“Unless I’m mistaken…”
He should have stopped right there. Yes, Mr. Moon, you are endlessly and shamefully mistaken.
“I ask that you begin the process of calling the General Assembly into Special Session in order to tie the Governor’s hands, putting a stop to the potential Islamization of Missouri.”
You know as I get older (next year I’m double nickels!) it seems many of our political leaders get dumber and dumber. When I was younger it seemed leaders in this country were intelligent, careful and measured now many of them them seem like lunatics, is it just me?
uncledad …It’s not you. I’ve experienced the same thing. I’m not sure if it’s because I wasn’t paying attention to politics when I was younger or whether the caliber of the politicians has degraded to the point that we see today. One thing I am sure of is the fact that the current field of GOP candidates are off the charts with their level of stupidity. One is worse than the next.. and to refer to the group as a clown car is probably the most apt description possible.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fla-man-who-landed-gyrocopter-at-capitol-to-plead-guilty-to-felony/2015/11/19/97a91de4-8f0a-11e5-baf4-bdf37355da0c_story.html
Things like this show that white American men who legislate know nothing about American women. To Islamize American means taking drivers licenses from women. Who would pick up America’s children from school? It also means forcing American women to cover their hair and wear really hot, smothering clothes. How many American women will go along with this? It will also mean that those same American men will have to take away every American woman’s right to vote. How stupid are these men?! And, why does any one listen to any American talking about this without laughing hysterically loud in their faces.
Yes, let’s nail the mailman protesting our political situation using his free-speech right, but let the billionaires continue to flood and influence our elections with their gains – via ads (mostly for their Reich-Wing pals- legally, or illegally, gotten gains!
If Doug does any time, it will make our ever-increasingly stupid/ignorant country, look even more so.
Sadly, I’m not rich enough – and never will be – to sit in another country, and, as an ex-pat, laugh at our “Idiocracy!”
Oy…
“Yes, let’s nail the mailman”
From the story: “In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal S. Chawla opposed allowing Hughes to travel for the rally, saying that Hughes’s plan showed his mind-set had not changed since his offense triggered a Capitol lockdown”
I thought Doug plead guilty to flying with no papers or was it opposing Oligarchs? Good luck Doug
“does not require pilots to be licensed to fly ultralight vehicles less than 254 pounds, but Hughes’ modifications to his craft exceeded that weight”
Well violating airspace and putting the entire nation at risk is ok if your shy of 255, try pushing 260 and your a felon, make sense, bad mailman!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQJ2_BJja1Q
Let’s hope Doug avoids jail time. However, if he is thrown in the Clink (who knew that Clink was the name of a notorious prison in England from the 12th to the 18th centuries?), those of us who live in the DC area should agree to visit him occasionally to break the boredom.
@Swami: you beat me to the link to the WaPo article. I was going to do that.
@Maha: HST probably is weeping. Mark Twain, OTOH, is laughing his butt off and saying “See? I told you so!” I lived in “Missour-ah” in the 1960s and cast my very first–and almost only–Republican vote there. I refused to vote for the D then running for AG b/c I knew he was a crook. The R that I voted for: John Danforth, a truly good man.
Thinking good thoughts toward Doug. The fact the Government’s case has not been tossed out as an affront to free speech is yet another indictment of our wretched “criminal justice” system.
I’ve long thought the adversarial system in general is an anachronism. Instead of two competing lawyers (one of them being the designated Government b*tt hole), a judge, and a jury (which may be from Florida or otherwise impaired), why not a couple of lawyers and a judge incentivized to try to find out the truth (instead of incentivized to put some citizen in jail)?
I am grateful that the article began by describing Doug as a “Florida postal worker” as opposed to the more notorious label, “Florida man.” Uncle dad brought up a good point, Doug has a First Amendment right to attend the rally and express his views.
Aside from that, thanks for the David Bowie. ..what I wouldn’t give to be double nickels again.
As an example of why Doug is not the typical “Florida man,” I recall the days when a lot of people were talking about the TV show, “Cops.” I had never seen it, and after a few months, I got curious. One rainy afternoon I flicked on the box, this was back in my pre-remote days. I watched the first few minutes of “Cops.” There was the proverbial “man without a shirt.” The common wisdom regarding “Cops” was that “the man without a shirt” was always the perpetrator. Anyway, the scenery started to look familiar, and then I realized that the event had occurred just a few hundred yards from my house. My neighborhood was on national TV!
I don’t suppose that did much to enhance the real estate values, whereas a good spin in a gyrocopter might have..
“watched the first few minutes of “Cops.â€
I always hated that show, it was in my opinion the beginning of the end of good policing. They always show the cop as hero and the “citizens” as unruly animals needing a cage. Now every time we see a cop caught on camera they are beating the crap out of, or worse shooting some poor schmuck. Funny how things look different without a production crew? Funny too how most of the episodes were filmed in Florida, must the water!
Yeah, I watched the segment where the arrest happened near my house and never saw any more of it, ever.
I’ve been away from Florida for nearly twenty years, but the Florida of my memory has a singular oddness about it.
When I think of Doug, I think of how peaceable and rational he is. But, one problem is that so many acts of “civil disobedience” that make it to the TV screen don’t have the merit of what Doug did, and the ideas behind them don’t have the validity or the wide benefit of fighting the purchase of our democracy. Part of it is that sensationalism sells, and good sense doesn’t.
A word to the wise: If you travel down to Florida, wear a shirt, except at the beach, of course.
Oh the plus side, David Vitter had his diaper-clad ass handed to him in the Goober-nor’s race in LA!
What a mess poor Edwards will have, replacing Booby J.!
Also too – and I’d start the over-under date when Mrs. Vitter files divorce papers at… uhm… let’s say, before Thanksgiving.
Thanks to all. I’m back in Florida after the hearing. There’s a huge rally brewing for the spring that I want to attend. We (or they) will march from Philadelphia to DC April 2 to 11. We anticipate that over 1000 will participate in demonstrations risking arrest in sit-ins in DC to rally to get the money out of politics. Over 600 have registered in under a week since the web site has been up. And my sentencing will be on April 13 when things are hitting full stride.
Friday (after hearing) I met Bree Newsome, who climbed the flagpole to take down the confederate flag. Smart, dedicated lady – quite impressive.
What might the penalty be for my aerial trespass? The judge is free to impose up to 36 months, but the prosecutor will not ask for more than 10 months. We are free to argue for probation.
The presence of (potentially) thousands of supporters outside the courthouse prompted the prosecutor to request a change of date so the proceeding would not be a ‘circus’. Later my comment to the press, “I disagree with anyone who thinks representative democracy is a circus.” My attorneys are presenting the case for my participation in the march and legal parts of the protest in DC. Goatherd is right – there are first amendment ramifications to moving the hearing date to sidestep publicity related to my sentencing or preventing me from attending the peaceful parts of assembly.