Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Talk:Barack Hussein Obama

2008-12-11T00:24:22Z

JBrandonLoberg: Replacing page with 'Just when i thought this so-called 'article' was enough of a propagandic smear piece, the Talk page (several pages of "HE'S A MUSLIM!!!!") confirmed a new low has indeed been r...'

Just when i thought this so-called 'article' was enough of a propagandic smear piece, the Talk page (several pages of "HE'S A MUSLIM!!!!") confirmed a new low has indeed been reached...[[User:JBrandonLoberg|JBrandonLoberg]] 19:24, 10 December 2008 (EST)

Pejorative

2008-11-23T19:47:09Z

JBrandonLoberg: liberal example

'''Pejorative''' is an adjective meaning a negative connotation or [[insult]], as in "it is a '''pejorative''' term used to disparage the other side." The use of pejoratives is more commonly referred to as 'name-calling.'

Frequently, when used as a pejorative, the [[denotative]] meaning of a term is downplayed in favour of its [[vernacular]] connotations or associations. For example, the term ''[[liberal]]'' is often used pejoratively toward someone with whose social or political views one does not agree.

Other examples of '''pejorative''' political terms include:

* "[[isolationism]]"
* "[[extremism]]"
* "[[protectionist]]"
* "[[conspiracy theorist]]"
* "[[cronyism]]"
[[category:politics]]

Talk:Intolerance

2008-11-22T22:55:27Z

JBrandonLoberg:

== Necesary? ==
I'm somewhat worried that the part about homosexuality will be misconstrued by certain people as an arbitrary opinion added post facto to force some sort of "agenda," and thus it will invite trolling and vandalization. As it really does not add or detract from the concept of "Intolerance" one way or the other, I propose removing it, so as to not dangle such a morsel in front of the frothy mouths of slathering trolls... [[User:Jros83|Jros83]] 16:17, 23 June 2007 (EDT)

Yes i think that the idea of a intolerance article is rather ironic considering this website is intolerant, please dont try to argue this one, because you can't, you are intolerant. So i agree with the above text, that we should delete it, so that stupid liberals won't voice their opinions and so that we don't all become evil gay people, because then we wouldn't have overpopulation and stuff, so....

This page should just be deleted. It is an agenda, not an artical. If it is not deleated, someone should go in there and rewrite it. --[[User:Rocky|Rocky]]

Yesterday i attempted to clean up the article and remove the pointedly anti-homosexual bias (and roundabout reasoning), but as usual, my edits were quickly reversed. Seriously, people...why use a wiki system when others' contributions are unilaterally discarded?[[User:JBrandonLoberg|JBrandonLoberg]] 17:55, 22 November 2008 (EST)

Intolerance

2008-11-22T00:38:20Z

JBrandonLoberg: several minor edits, listed types of intolerance, removed biased final paragraph

'''Intolerance''' (antonym to [[tolerance]]) is when one does not tolerate the ideas of another.

Intolerance is differentiated from mere [[disagreement]] in that intolerance is the denial, suppression, or negation of another individual or group's right to maintain their own ideas, beliefs, or behavior. It is manifested in the form of religious intolerance, [[discrimination]], [[racism]], [[bigotry]] and [[homophobia]], as [[Corretta Scott King]] illustrates:

*"Homophobia is like racism and [[anti-Semitism]] and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood." <ref> [http://www.equal-marriage.ca/resource.php?id=317 Coretta Scott King, 1998] </ref>

== External links ==

*[http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=intolerance&gwp=13 Answers.com definition]

==References==

<references/>

[[category:homosexuality]]
[[category:politics]]

Dropkick Murphys

2008-10-16T00:08:15Z

JBrandonLoberg:

The '''Dropkick Murphys''' are a [[Celtic]] [[punk rock]] group founded in the basement of a South Boston Barber's shop in 1996. The single "Shipping up to Boston" from their 2003 album: "The Warrior's Code" (originally penned by [[Woody Guthrie]]) was featured in the 2006 drama "The Departed," directed by Martin Scorsese. The Murphys are adamant [[Red Sox]] fans and enjoy a strong following amongst their South Boston working class fanbase. The Dropkick Murphys' album's include many covers of traditional [[Irish ballads]] and drinking songs, as well as themes involving the concerns of the working class man and labor unions. They perform a live show every year on March 17th (St. Patricks day) in the Avalon Ballroom in Boston. In 2004, the Murphys recorded a rock version of the customary Boston Red Sox anthem "Tessie" to help spur their beloved Sox to a victory at the 2004 [[World Series]]. The band's bagpiper, Spicy McHaggis, left in 2005 to pursue a family with his girlfriend.

[[category:bands]]

Dropkick Murphys

2008-10-16T00:06:58Z

JBrandonLoberg: Shipping up to Boston written by Woody Guthrie

The '''Dropkick Murphys''' are a [[Celtic]] [[punk rock]] group founded in the basement of a South Boston Barber's shop in 1996. The single "Shipping up to Boston" from their 2003 album: "The Warrior's Code" (originally penned by [[Woody Guthrie]] was featured in the 2006 drama "The Departed," directed by Martin Scorsese. The Murphys are adamant [[Red Sox]] fans and enjoy a strong following amongst their South Boston working class fanbase. The Dropkick Murphys' album's include many covers of traditional [[Irish ballads]] and drinking songs, as well as themes involving the concerns of the working class man and labor unions. They perform a live show every year on March 17th (St. Patricks day) in the Avalon Ballroom in Boston. In 2004, the Murphys recorded a rock version of the customary Boston Red Sox anthem "Tessie" to help spur their beloved Sox to a victory at the 2004 [[World Series]]. The band's bagpiper, Spicy McHaggis, left in 2005 to pursue a family with his girlfriend.

[[category:bands]]

Harvey Milk

2008-10-10T23:43:23Z

JBrandonLoberg: created stub for Harvey Milk

Harvey Bernard Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978) was an American politician, and the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. He served as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. On November 27, 1978, he and Mayor George Moscone were shot and killed by Dan White, a disgruntled former Supervisor who had resigned earlier.

Allen Ginsberg

2008-10-10T23:32:01Z

JBrandonLoberg: added reference for NAMBLA association, added details to HOWL trial

[[Image:UploaddammitGinsberg.jpg|thumb|right|Allen Ginsberg]]
'''Allen Ginsberg''', one of America's best known poets<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/books/01/04/08/specials/ginsberg-obit.html</ref>, was born June 3, 1926, in [[Newark]], [[New Jersey]]. Along with others such as [[Jack Kerouac]] and [[William S. Burroughs]], he became part of what was dubbed the "Beat Generation" of writers.
Ginsberg was a major advocate for freedom of expression throughout his life, and is most famous for his long poem, "Howl," which drew national attention in 1956 when it was challenged on obscenity charges.
He died of liver cancer on April 5, 1997.<ref>http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/g_l/ginsberg/life.htm</ref> Ginsberg was also a fervent supporter of gay rights, and an anti-war, anti-nuclear and environmental activist, and is known for his controversial behavior. He was widely criticised, even by friends and allies, when he joined the notorious North American Man-Boy Love Association, or [[NAMBLA]].<ref>http://www.ijn.com/archive/2002%20arch/062102.htm#story8</ref> In "Thoughts on NAMBLA," Ginsberg explains his reasons for joining the organisation: "NAMBLA's a forum for reform of those laws on youthful sexuality which members deem oppressive, (it is) a discussion society not a sex club. I joined NAMBLA in defense of free speech."<ref>Bill Morgan, ed., ''Deliberate Prose: Selected Essays 1952-1995.'' New York: HarperCollins (2000), ISBN 0-06-093081-0 (p.170)</ref> When he felt his point had been made--that free speech should be afforded even those with unpopular viewpoints--he quit the organisation.

His most famous works include:

*[http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15308 "Howl"]

*[http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/america.html "America"]

*[http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15307 "Kaddish"]

He studied at [[Columbia University]] in the 1940s and moved to [[San Fransisco]] in 1954.<ref>http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/8</ref> ''Howl and Other Poems'' was published in 1956, and in May of that year, US Customs seized a shipment of the books as they were being sent from the printer (Villiers in London) to City Lights Books in San Francisco. After federal authorities declined Customs Chief Chester McPhee's urging to pursue obscenity charges, the matter was referred to the [[San Francisco Police Department]], who arrested publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti, charging him with publishing and selling an obscene and indecent book. The charge was rejected in October 1957 after a widely publicized trial when Judge Clayton Horn ruled that the book had redeeming social value.<ref>http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/g_l/ginsberg/life.htm</ref>

During the trial, Ginsberg was living in [[Paris]] with his partner Peter Orlovsky. They remained together for forty years, until Ginsberg's death.<ref>http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/g_l/ginsberg/life.htm</ref>

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Poets|Ginsberg, Allen]]

Anarchism

2008-10-10T18:21:39Z

JBrandonLoberg: removed 'anarchists tend to support unrestricted access...' from intro paragraph

'''Anarchism''' is a [[political]] philosophy advocating the removal of the State and the establishment of a society without [[government]]. The term is of [[Greek]] origin (coming from the word "αναρχία" (anarchia), meaning "without rulers". Anarchists oppose the use of prisons. Anarchists tend to oppose any form of government, but can be found expressing support for [[direct democracy]], [[freedom of speech]], de-centralism, individualism and anti-authoritarianism.

Anarchists generally oppose what [[Noam Chomsky]] has termed "illegitimate authority": stopping a child from running into a busy street would be an act of legitimate authority. The government and other coercive entities are considered illegitimate.

==Traditional anarchism==

Traditional anarchism is similar to [[communism]], though unlike in communism, traditional anarchists do not favor [[socialism]] as a means to their end, as it requires a state. Traditional anarchists advocate the formation of [[collective|collectives]]. Traditional anarchism rejects all authority, both business and government.

==Branches of Anarchism==

Individualist anarchism, unlike traditional anarchism, does not advocate collectives. Individualist anarchists differ on the status of [[private property]] and other rights.

[[Anarcho-capitalism]], a form of individualist anarchism, favors private police agencies, security companies, and arbitration instead of government. Anarcho-capitalism is the most extreme form of [[libertarianism]].

Traditional anarchists argue that anarcho-capitalists are not true anarchists. This is due to their support of the authority of business and private property. Traditional anarchists argue that one cannot live without wages under a [[capitalist]] system.

Anarcho-capitalists argue that all support of business is voluntary, since one can choose between companies under a capitalist system. Anarcho-capitalists reject collectives, since they focus on the community rather than the individual, which may lead to a loss of individual freedom.

==Christian Anarchism==
[[Image:Tolstoy.jpg|thumb|Leo Tolstoy]]
Christianity has been influential on some anarchists. Russian novelist [[Leo Tolstoy]] is seen as an important figure in this trend. Tolstoy's Christian anarchism was outlined in his book "The Kingdom of God is Within You". Like all Christian anarchists, he believed that the only authority is God, and that therefore government is illegitimate. To support their views, they will often quote the following passage by [[Paul]]: "there is no authority except that which God has established."

==Anarchism in practice==

Many anarchists believe in a peaceful means of achieving an anarchist system. Some of these means include not voting, secession from government, and peaceful protesting.

Other anarchists support violence as a means of achieving anarchism.

During the [[Spanish Civil War]] there occurred in the Republican areas a "Spanish Revolution". It involved the taking over of workplaces by those who worked in them. Industry began to be organized non-hierarchically. The anarchist union the CNT did this with considerable success.

==Other uses==
In addition to being a philosophy, anarchy can also be a description of a system in which there is no higher governmental authority. The world level of political interaction is considered anarchical, because there is no power over the sovereign states (i.e. there is no world government).

==See Also==
*[[Anarcho-capitalism]]
*[[Nihilism]]
*[[Anarchopedia]]

==Sources==
*[http://www.infoshop.org/faq/ An Anarchist FAQ] - From a traditional anarchist point of view.
*[http://www.mises.org/ Ludwig von Mises Institute] - Promotes Austrian [[economics]] as well as anarcho-capitalism.
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/anarchy/ What Liberals Say - Category: Anarchy], [[Accuracy In Media]]

[[category:International Politics]]
[[category:Political Theory]]
[[category:Politics]]

Talk:Anarchism

2008-10-10T18:20:13Z

JBrandonLoberg:

Terrorist groups? Which anarchists groups in America are deemed terrorist? My search so far has been fruitless.
:Agreed. And [http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0327-04.htm this] seems to suggest that there are no offical anarchist terrorist groups, but that they are sometimes watched by the FBI. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 17:21, 15 September 2008 (EDT)

As i attempted to make issue of before, but has apparently been wiped from this talk page, the introductory paragraph is biased, and inappropriately specific references to unsubstantiated, uncited presumptions, i.e. "Anarchists tend to support unrestricted access to drugs, alcohol, pornography, and gambling. Anarchists also tend to support unrestricted abortion, assisted suicide, and prostitution." If anybody can find conclusive evidence that these positions are peculiar to anarchists, then by all means, cite it, and we'll let the issue rest. However, i am quite doubtful there exists such proof. To be frank, the introductory paragraph represents an ''ad vericundiam'' attack on the character of anarchists, as opposed to the kind of objective description becoming an encyclopedia. Thus, i am taking the liberty of striking the above sentences from the article. i would challenge whomever has been reversing my prior edits to this page to present a factual basis for his/her doing so... [[User:JBrandonLoberg|JBrandonLoberg]] 14:20, 10 October 2008 (EDT)

Talk:Propaganda

2008-09-24T22:05:10Z

JBrandonLoberg:

== Wow, a stolen page ==

Almost all of this page is cut/pasted from creationpedia. really "creative" [[User:Menkatron|Menkatron]] 16:40, 15 March 2007 (EDT)

For your information, I wrote that submission myself--in both places.--[[User:TerryH|TerryH]] 00:01, 16 March 2007 (EDT)

==Weasel Words==

"In one famous example, a television broadcast network circulated for weeks certain memoranda, the contents of which were damaging to the incumbent President of the United States (George W. Bush), though those who obtained those memoranda knew, or ought to have known, that they were forgeries." 
The above lines cite no sources. 
Which 'television broadcast network' is this? 
Elaborate on the 'contents', what were they? 
Who are 'those who obtained those memoranda'?

:Fixed. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 15:56, 9 April 2008 (EDT)

==''Merchant of Venice''==

The reference to Shakespeare's ''The Merchant of Venice'' being blatantly anti-Semitic propaganda is simply not correct. This has been a subject of debate for quite a long time. While, in one example, the Nazis broadcast the play shortly after Kristallnacht as anti-Semitic propaganda, and there are other instances in which it has been used as such, there is ongoing debate as to whether that was Shakespeare's intention. Many of the arguments for a sympathetic reading of the play center around Act III, Scene I, wherein Shylock gives the speech which begins: "Hath not a Jew eyes?" [[User:JBrandonLoberg|JBrandonLoberg]] 18:05, 24 September 2008 (EDT)

Anarchism

2008-09-24T21:53:00Z

JBrandonLoberg: removed 'anarchists support unrestricted access to..."

'''Anarchism''' is a [[political]] philosophy advocating the removal of the State and the establishment of a society without [[government]]. The term is of [[Greek]] origin (coming from the word "αναρχία" (anarchia), meaning "without rulers". Anarchists tend to oppose any form of government, but can be found expressing support for [[direct democracy]], [[freedom of speech]], de-centralism, individualism and anti-authoritarianism.

Anarchists generally oppose what [[Noam Chomsky]] has termed "illegitimate authority": stopping a child from running into a busy street would be an act of legitimate authority. The government and other coercive entities are considered illegitimate.

==Traditional anarchism==

Traditional anarchism is similar to [[communism]], though unlike in communism, traditional anarchists do not favor [[socialism]] as a means to their end, as it requires a state. Traditional anarchists advocate the formation of [[collective|collectives]]. Traditional anarchism rejects all authority, both business and government.

==Branches of Anarchism==

Individualist anarchism, unlike traditional anarchism, does not advocate collectives. Individualist anarchists differ on the status of [[private property]] and other rights.

[[Anarcho-capitalism]], a form of individualist anarchism, favors private police agencies, security companies, and arbitration instead of government. Anarcho-capitalism is the most extreme form of [[libertarianism]].

Traditional anarchists argue that anarcho-capitalists are not true anarchists. This is due to their support of the authority of business and private property. Traditional anarchists argue that one cannot live without wages under a [[capitalist]] system.

Anarcho-capitalists argue that all support of business is voluntary, since one can choose between companies under a capitalist system. Anarcho-capitalists reject collectives, since they focus on the community rather than the individual, which may lead to a loss of individual freedom.

==Christian Anarchism==
[[Image:Tolstoy.jpg|thumb|Leo Tolstoy]]
Christianity has been influential on some anarchists. Russian novelist [[Leo Tolstoy]] is seen as an important figure in this trend. Tolstoy's Christian anarchism was outlined in his book "The Kingdom of God is Within You". Like all Christian anarchists, he believed that the only authority is God, and that therefore government is illegitimate. To support their views, they will often quote the following passage by [[Paul]]: "there is no authority except that which God has established."

==Anarchism in practice==

Many anarchists believe in a peaceful means of achieving an anarchist system. Some of these means include not voting, secession from government, and peaceful protesting.

Other anarchists support violence as a means of achieving anarchism.

During the [[Spanish Civil War]] there occurred in the Republican areas a "Spanish Revolution". It involved the taking over of workplaces by those who worked in them. Industry began to be organized non-hierarchically. The anarchist union the CNT did this with considerable success.

==Other uses==
In addition to being a philosophy, anarchy can also be a description of a system in which there is no higher governmental authority. The world level of political interaction is considered anarchical, because there is no power over the sovereign states (i.e. there is no world government).

==See Also==
*[[Anarcho-capitalism]]
*[[Nihilism]]
*[[Anarchopedia]]

==Sources==
*[http://www.infoshop.org/faq/ An Anarchist FAQ] - From a traditional anarchist point of view.
*[http://www.mises.org/ Ludwig von Mises Institute] - Promotes Austrian [[economics]] as well as anarcho-capitalism.
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/anarchy/ What Liberals Say - Category: Anarchy], [[Accuracy In Media]]

[[category:International Politics]]
[[category:Political Theory]]
[[category:Politics]]

User talk:JBrandonLoberg

2008-09-19T02:26:12Z

JBrandonLoberg:

While CP excepts liberal editors, your edits are questionable.-- [[Image:50 star flag.png|14px]] [[User:Jpatt|jp]] 17:54, 12 September 2008 (EDT)
:Conservapedia is not in business to exalt [[anarchism]]. Be warned. [[User:Bugler|Bugler]] 06:14, 13 September 2008 (EDT)
::I didn't see anything all that bad with it. In the future, it's best to make several small edits and put a descriptive edit comment in each one. Otherwise the entire edit will be reverted, since most people are too lazy to revert just the offending part. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 12:47, 13 September 2008 (EDT)
::Bugler, what exactly did you feel was 'exalting' [[anarchism]]? [[User:JBrandonLoberg|JBrandonLoberg]] 22:25, 18 September 2008 (EDT)
:What makes you think i'm a "liberal editor," and for what reason are my edits continually reverted? The introductory paragraph of an encyclopedic article should explain the topic in general terms, becoming more specific in the following sections. This article starts naming specific issues straight off the bat, and without citations to support them. Frankly, it smacks of bias, which doesn't belong in an encyclopedia. Also, i am unclear as to what edits you find questionable...[[User:JBrandonLoberg|JBrandonLoberg]] 22:25, 18 September 2008 (EDT)

User talk:JBrandonLoberg

2008-09-19T02:25:24Z

JBrandonLoberg:

While CP excepts liberal editors, your edits are questionable.-- [[Image:50 star flag.png|14px]] [[User:Jpatt|jp]] 17:54, 12 September 2008 (EDT)
:Conservapedia is not in business to exalt [[anarchism]]. Be warned. [[User:Bugler|Bugler]] 06:14, 13 September 2008 (EDT)
::I didn't see anything all that bad with it. In the future, it's best to make several small edits and put a descriptive edit comment in each one. Otherwise the entire edit will be reverted, since most people are too lazy to revert just the offending part. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 12:47, 13 September 2008 (EDT)
:What makes you think i'm a "liberal editor," and for what reason are my edits continually reverted? The introductory paragraph of an encyclopedic article should explain the topic in general terms, becoming more specific in the following sections. This article starts naming specific issues straight off the bat, and without citations to support them. Frankly, it smacks of bias, which doesn't belong in an encyclopedia. Also, i am unclear as to what edits you find questionable...[[User:JBrandonLoberg|JBrandonLoberg]] 22:25, 18 September 2008 (EDT)
::Bugler, what exactly did you feel was 'exalting' [[anarchism]]? [[User:JBrandonLoberg|JBrandonLoberg]] 22:25, 18 September 2008 (EDT)

User talk:JBrandonLoberg

2008-09-19T02:22:44Z

JBrandonLoberg:

While CP excepts liberal editors, your edits are questionable.-- [[Image:50 star flag.png|14px]] [[User:Jpatt|jp]] 17:54, 12 September 2008 (EDT)
:Conservapedia is not in business to exalt [[anarchism]]. Be warned. [[User:Bugler|Bugler]] 06:14, 13 September 2008 (EDT)
::I didn't see anything all that bad with it. In the future, it's best to make several small edits and put a descriptive edit comment in each one. Otherwise the entire edit will be reverted, since most people are too lazy to revert just the offending part. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 12:47, 13 September 2008 (EDT)
:What makes you think i'm a "liberal editor," and for what reason are my edits continually reverted? The introductory paragraph of an encyclopedic article should explain the topic in general terms, becoming more specific in the following sections. This article starts naming specific issues straight off the bat, and without citations to support them. Frankly, it smacks of bias, which doesn't belong in an encyclopedia. Also, i am unclear as to what edits you find questionable. [[User:JBrandonLoberg]]

Michael Moore

2008-09-12T21:37:41Z

JBrandonLoberg: /* Criticism */

[[Image:Michael-Moore.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
'''Michael Moore''' (born April 23, 1954) is a [[liberal|left wing]], admitted [[socialist]] filmmaker and [[conspiracy theorist]]. Moore is critical of the US government, as can be seen in his reply to the question "You do not seem to like the U.S., do you?":
{{cquote|I like America to some extent. … Americans are simple and clear. They are charming people. You will understand how good an individual American is. What I am not satisfied with America is that the nation cannot control the government and economy. Only a handful of people have the power to control the country.<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=32174</ref>}}

==Manufacturing consent==
He is a hero in [[liberal]] Hollywood and to booksellers who tend to agree with his politics. Moore's films and commentaries are often based on themes of alleged "capitalist" greed. Though a multi-millionaire, Moore frequently appears on television and in photos dressed like blue-collar workers with whom he attempts to identify.

Moore produced a movie portraying President [[George W. Bush]] as part of a massive conspiracy, named ''Fahrenheit 9/11''.

Moore was the producer and host of the television series "The Awful Truth," which was typified by a type of sketch-comedy activism that was often directed against large corporations and government agencies.

Moore's movie "Bowling for Columbine", which used the Columbine school massacre as a starting point, won the Acadamy Award for Best Documentary. Some of his other work includes the anti-corporate film ''Roger and Me'' and the books ''Dude, Where's my Country'', ''Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American'' and ''Stupid White Men''.

Moore also directed the anti-war music video for "Boom!" by [[System of a Down]], which was released to coincide with the beginning of the [[Iraq war]].

His production company which produces feature documentary-style films is Michael Moore Films.<ref>http://www.michaelmoore.com/</ref>

Michael Moore was the subject of the 2004 documentaries ''Michael Moore Hates America''<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411646/</ref>, ''Fahrenhype 9/11''<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427228/</ref> and the 2007 documentary ''Manufacturing Dissent''.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0961117/</ref> He was also the subject of books including ''Michael Moore Is a Big Fat Stupid White Man'' by David T. Hardy and Jason Clarke<ref>http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Moore-Big-Stupid-White/dp/0060779608/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-2466588-5816760?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174624100&sr=1-1</ref> and ''Forgive Us Our Spins: Michael Moore and the Future of the Left'' by Jesse Larner.<ref>http://www.amazon.com/Forgive-Us-Our-Spins-Michael/dp/047179306X/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-2466588-5816760?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174623950&sr=8-1</ref>
[[Image:Moore html.jpg|right|thumb|Michael Moore, ranting|175px]]

== Sicko ==
In his comedy documentary, ''[[Sicko]]'', Michael Moore argued for the revamping of the American health care system, and supported that of [[Canada]], [[United Kingdom|Britain]], [[Cuba]], and [[France]]. Sicko was released in late June 2007. In this documentary, Moore argues for a nationalized health care system, citing the supposed positive effects from the health care systems of the aforementioned countries, and the supposed negative effects stemming from the health care system of the United States. <ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386032/</ref><ref>http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/about/synopsis/</ref>

==Criticisms of Sicko==

Kurt Loder of [[MTV|MTV news]] alleged:

<blockquote>
"Michael Moore may see himself as working in the tradition of such crusading muckrakers of the last century as Lincoln Steffens, Ida Tarbell and Upton Sinclair — writers whose dedication to exposing corruption and social injustices played a part in sparking much-needed reforms. In his new movie, "Sicko," Moore focuses on the U.S. health-care industry — a juicy target — and he casts a shocking light on some of the people it's failed. 

Unfortunately, Moore is also a con man of a very brazen sort, and never more so than in this film. His cherry-picked facts, manipulative interviews (with lingering close-ups of distraught people breaking down in tears) and blithe assertions (how does he know 18,000* people will die this year because they have no health insurance?) are so stacked that you can feel his whole argument sliding sideways as the picture unspools. The American health-care system is in urgent need of reform, no question. Some 47 million people are uninsured (although many are only temporarily so, being either in-between jobs or young enough not to feel a pressing need to buy health insurance). There are a number of proposals as to what might be done to correct this situation. Moore has no use for any of them, save one. 

As a proud socialist, the director appears to feel that there are few problems in life that can't be solved by government regulation (that would be the same government that's already given us the U.S. Postal Service and the Department of Motor Vehicles). In the case of health care, though, Americans have never been keen on socialized medicine. <ref>http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1563758/story.jhtml</ref>
</blockquote>

==Earnings==
Michael Moore's films have grossed worldwide in excess of $200,000,000.00. A breakdown for just the [[United States of America]] is below.

{| style="background:white" border="1" class="wikitable"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center"|Michael Moore's Gross US box office film earnings<ref>[http://www.the-numbers.com/people/directors/MIMOO.php The Numbers]</ref><ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386032/business</ref>
|-
! Film
! U.S. Gross $
|-
| Roger & Me
|style="text-align:right"| $6,706,368
|-
| Canadian Bacon
|style="text-align:right"| $178,104
|-
| The Big One
|style="text-align:right"| $720,074
|-
| Bowling for Columbine
|style="text-align:right"| $21,576,018
|-
| Fahrenheit 9/11
|style="text-align:right"| $119,114,517
|-
| Sicko
|style="text-align:right"| $24,540,079
|-
| '''TOTAL'''
|style="text-align:right"| '''$172,835,160'''
|}

==Treasury investigation==
According to ''Reuters'' in June 2007, Moore is reported to have hidden assets in Canada in reaction to an official investigation. Moore was operating offshore in Cuba allegedly as a "journalistic endeavor." The United States Treasury Department does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations. <ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1119539820070613 Moore fears film seizure after Cuba trip], Michelle Nichols, ''Reuters'', June 12, 2007. </ref>

==Criticism==
'''[[Christopher Hitchens]]''' said of Fahrenheit 9/11, and Moore's work:
{{Cquote|'''To describe this film as dishonest and demagogic would be to promote those terms to the level of respectability. To describe this film as a piece of crap would be to run the risk of a discourse that would never again rise above the excremental…Fahrenheit 9/11 is a sinister exercise in moral frivolity, crudely disguised as an exercise in seriousness. It is also a spectacle of abject political cowardice masking itself as a demonstration of 'dissenting' bravery." '''<ref>[http://slate.com/id/2102723/ The lies of Michael Moore]. By Christopher Hitchens, //Slate'', June 21, 2004.</ref><ref>[http://www.newmediajournal.us/guest/p_ibbetson/06092007.htm Michael Moore: A Criminal Profile], Paul A. Ibbetson, ''New Media Journal, June 9, 2007,</ref>}}

In 2004, Moore warned that if [[George W. Bush|Bush]] was re-elected as President: "...he's going to bring back the draft. He will be forced to. Because, thanks to his crazy war, recruitment is going to be at an all-time low. And many of the troops stuck over there are NOT going to re-enlist. The only way Bush is going to be able to staff the military is to draft you and your friends. Parents, make no mistake about it - Bush's second term will see your sons taken from you and sent to fight wars for the oily rich."<ref>Moore, Michael [http://www.clark04.com/moore/ ''I'll Be Voting For Wesley Clark/Good-Bye Mr. Bush''] 14 January 2004; Clark for President site. Accessed 17 March 2008</ref> Over four years later, the draft had not been reintroduced, however, soldiers who have met their service obligation, having served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, are frequently sent back into combat regardless, through a military policy known as [[stop-loss]]. The policy has been heavily criticized as amounting to a "back-door draft."

Moore says that corporations are "terrorists" and has said "I don't own a single share of stock" but IRS records showed he owned at least several hundreds of thousand dollars in stocks in Pentagon contractors like Boeing, pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly, and even Halliburton, the company most vilified by Moore in ''Fahrenheit 9/11''.

Moore uses a private jet on his book tours and stays at the Ritz Carlton hotel when in [[London]], but conducts press interviews in a cheap hotel nearby to give reporters the impression he is staying there instead. Moore calls himself "an Average Joe from Flint, MI" and says, "Once you’re working class, you’re always working class". The reality is that hypocrite Moore lives a luxury-class lifestyle out of reach of most Flint residents.

Moore says that Americans who live in white neighborhoods are racist, but lives in a town (Central Lake, Michigan) which according to the 2000 Census, had a black population of zero.

==Wikipedia controversy==
[[Image:Moorecagan.JPG|right|thumb|200px|Moore with [[Leslie Cagan]] [[United For Peace and Justice]]]]
Michael Moore's official website [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/Attack_sites/Proposed_decision#Michael_Moore] put an image and name of a [[Wikipedia]] editor on its main page with links to edit both Wikipedia's article on ''[[Sicko]]'' and the Wikipedia editor's user page. Wikipedia policy explicitly states,
:"A website that engages in the practice of publishing private information concerning the identities of Wikipedia participants will be regarded as an attack site whose pages should not be linked to from Wikipedia pages '''under any circumstances'''."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/MONGO#Outing_sites_as_attack_sites]
Wikipedia Dispute Resolution policy stated aim is to "primarily investigate interpersonal disputes" [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Arbitration_policy#Scope] and not content disputes. Policy further states,
:"Links to attack sites may be removed by any user...Deliberately linking to an attack site may be grounds for blocking." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/MONGO#Links_to_attack_site]
Wikipedia Conflict of interest policy states, "Adding material that appears to promote the interests or visibility of an article's author, his family members, employer, associates, or his business or personal interests, places the author in a conflict of interest." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:COI#What_is_a_conflict_of_interest.3F] and "Campaigning. Activities regarded by insiders as simply "getting the word out" may appear promotional or propagandistic to the outside world... may have a conflict of interest."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:COI#Examples]

Protection of Wikipedia editors from activities targeting editors for harassment also states,"Any user, including an administrator using administrative powers, may remove or otherwise defeat attempts at harassment of a user. This includes harassment directed at the user themselves."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/MONGO#Combatting_harassment], and finally, "It is unacceptable to harass another user."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration/MONGO#Harrassment]

Unequivocally, Michael Moore's official website, michaelmoore.com, engaged in egregious violations of multiple Wikipedia policies warranting blocking of users from Michael Moore's website, and editors linking to it. Further, official Wikipedia policy states all links to Michael Moore’s website from Wikipedia must be removed.

In discussion of the case, harassment and intimidation of a Wikipedia editor was excused, whose expertise on the subject of healthcare was characterized as "an attorney, who is a Fellow at the [[American Enterprise Institute]], a [[conservative]] think tank." [http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-October/083230.html] The interpersonal nature of the attack was ignored by Wikipedia's rule making body, in favor of,
:"a bunch of considerations. One is that ''Sicko'', finally, brings to public attention information which has not been generally presented by American media. This is right up our alley... we and whoever runs Moore's website look ridiculous. ..."

Wikipedia's Neutral Point of View (NPOV), laid down by founder [[Jimbo Wales]] allegedly is "absolute and non-negotiable."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view#_note-0] Wikipedia Arbitration Chairman stated,
:"Obviously we need to make an exception for prominent people whose viewpoint we support."

When asked what he learned from the Michael Moore experience, the Chairman said,
:"If a powerful [[leftwing]] celebrity attacks a [[rightwing]] Wikipedia editor on his website, his supporters on Wikipedia should be able, as a practical matter, to prevent removal of links to his site."

==See also==
*[[Schlockumentary]]
*[[Previous Breaking News/Michael Moore|Articles about '''Michael Moore''' from previous "Breaking News"]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.racewire.org/archives/2007/07/moore_attacks_cnn_network_spew.html Moore attacks CNN network, spews anti-South Asian sentiments], ''RaceWire.org'', July 10, 2007.
*[http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2007-October/082987.html WikiEN-l Harassment sites], Sun Oct 14 19:27:21 UTC 2007.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Michael}}
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Anti-war Movements]]
[[category:propagandists]]
[[Category:Liberal Activists]]

Noam Chomsky

2008-09-12T21:17:52Z

JBrandonLoberg: /* Anti-Semitism */

[[Image:Chomsky3.gif|right|thumb|130px]]
'''Noam Avram Chomsky''' (born December 7, 1928) is a linguist who is best known for his writings on politics. He is an institute professor & professor of linguistics (Emeritus) at the [[MIT|Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) <ref>http://web.mit.edu/linguistics/people/faculty/chomsky/index.html</ref>.
He has always been very critical of [[America]]n and [[Israel]]i foreign policy and sympathizes with [[Palestine|Palestinians]] and has shown support for the terrorist organization [[Hezbollah]]<ref>http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=7&x_issue=11&x_article=1151</ref>. He has also been criticized for [[anti-Semitism]].

His opponents accuse him of expressing admiration for governmental systems such as the Soviet Union, Chinese and Cambodian governments which are characterized by central control, xenophobia, and rejection of free expression. Chomsky counters that he is merely pointing out the West's own crimes and not condoning authoritarian governments that the West opposes. Chomsky identifies himself as a libertarian socialist who is opposed to both neoliberalism and authoritarianism. <ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=19446</ref>

== Background ==
Chomsky was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of William Chomsky, a [[Russian]] immigrant, and Elsie Simonofsky Chomsky. His parents both practiced Judaism. His father taught [[Hebrew]], and published a scholarly edition of a medieval Hebrew grammar.<ref>http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/abcde/chomsky_noam.html</ref>. He received his education at the [[University of Pennsylvania]] where he studied linguistics, mathematics, and philosophy, and eventually earned his [[Ph. D.]] in 1955. Since then, he has taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds the Ferrari P. Ward Chair of Modern Language and Linguistics.

== Anti-Semitism ==
Chomsky has been accused of [[anti-Semitism]].<ref>http://www.jbooks.com/interviews/index/IP_Dershowitz.htm</ref><ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=15381</ref>. In addition to his support for Hezbollah, He has stated that Jews are "the most privileged and influential part of the population", and that "Anti-Semitism is no longer a problem. It's raised, but it's raised because privileged people want to make sure they have total control, not just 98% control"<ref>http://www.variant.randomstate.org/16texts/Chomsky.html</ref>. His statements show striking similarities with classic anti-Semitism.

Chomsky has also been a vocal supporter of controversial author Norman Finkelstein, author of ''The Holocaust Industry'', who has argued that claims of anti-Semitism are used to silence critics of Israel and that the Holocaust is exploited by some Jewish institutions for their own gain.<ref>[http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=311000&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__international_news University denies tenure to Holocaust academic], ''Mail & Guardian'', 12 June 2007.</ref>

==Chomsky's Criticisms of the West==
Chomsky is one of the most vocal critics of the [[United States]] foreign policy. Some of his criticisms are:
#The overthrow of democratic and secular leader [[Mohammed Mossadegh]] in Iran and replacement with the Shah, a brutal dictator in 1953 (Done by the US and the UK)
#The overthrow of social democrat Jacobo Arbenz in [[Guatemala]] in 1954
#The overthrow of democratic socialist Salvador Allende in Chile on 9/11 in 1973
#The Dirty War against the Sandinista government in [[Nicaragua]] in the 1980s
#The backing of a brutal military dictatorship in [[El Salvador]] during the same time period
#Selling weapons to a terror-state ([[Iran]]) to fund another terrorist group (The Contras). (See [[Iran-Contra Affair]])
#Selling weapons of mass destruction to [[Saddam Hussein]] during the Iran-Iraq war.
#Supporting the mujahideen which later became al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan in the 1980s
#Invading [[Iraq]] in 2003 despite lack of support from the [[UN]]
#Blatant Support of [[Israel]] which Chomsky believes is a terror state despite his [[Jew]]ish ethnicity
(Source: Hegemony or Survival)

Many of his critics claim that Chomsky's books are riddled with factual inaccuracies <ref>http://www.paulbogdanor.com/200chomskylies.pdf</ref>.

==Linguistic Works==

===Generative Grammar===
Noam Chomsky advocates the view that the human brain has innate ability to generate grammatical sentences, thus all utterances which is deemed sensical to the speaker is necessarily grammatical, and the only role the linguist should play is to decipher its grammatical structure. This view has been criticized by many linguists as [[nihilism|nihilistic]] in that it rejects the notion of ungrammatical sentences. Noam Chomsky also pointed to instances of infants utter grammatical sentence fragments they have not been taught before as evidence for Generative Grammar.

===Universal Grammar===
Noam Chomsky also proposed the theory that a kind of universal grammar, a grammar that underlies all human languages, is hard-wired in the human brain. Thus all human languages are fundamentally the same, with only superficial differences. This theory of universal grammar has been criticized by linguist Geoffrey Sampson as being not falsifiable, arguing that the grammatical generalizations made are simply observations about existing languages and not predictions about what is possible in a language. To this day, the search for such universal grammar has been fruitless.

For decades, Noam Chomsky and his followers have been trying to make sense of sentences such as:
<blockquote>
''Who will be easy for us to get his mother to talk to?''
</blockquote>
which are deemed to be ungrammatical by a lot of linguists; by using techniques such as linking theory, anti-c-command requirement, A-positions, Bijection Principle, weakest crossover configurations, bound variable anaphora, asymmetric linking, licensing conditions, index of a pronoun, null operator analysis, variable binding, configurational conditions, inappropriate and appropriate antecedents, etc.

== See Also ==
*[http://web.mit.edu/linguistics/people/faculty/chomsky/publications.html List of Chomsky's Publications]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk8pxyAWTBk Chomsky Speaks about American Politics] Chomsky believes the Democrats and Republicans are a single entity
*[http://www.memritv.org/search.asp?ACT=S9&P1=1136# Video of Noam Chomsky with Hezbollah Leaders in Lebanon]
*[http://www.paulbogdanor.com/chomskyhoax.html The Chomsky Hoax] by Paul Bogdanor
*[http://www.grsampson.net/AGwg.html Grammar Without Grammaticality] by Geoffrey Sampson
*[http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=23543 Chomsky's New Blood Libel] by Alan Dershowitz
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXMZZCvFtlw Chomsky on Middle East Television] Chomsky speaks about American Imperialism

==References==
<references/>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chomsky, Noam}}
[[category:Scientists]]
[[Category:Linguists]]
[[Category:Political People]]
[[category:Authors]]
[[Category:Liberal Activists]]
[[Category:Writers]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Anarchism

2008-09-12T21:12:30Z

JBrandonLoberg: expanded definitions, removed biased statements

'''Anarchism''' is a political philosophy advocating the removal of the State and the establishment of a society without government. The term is of [[Greek]] origin (coming from the word "αναρχία" (anarchia), meaning "without rulers". Anarchists tend to oppose any form of government, but can be found expressing support for [[direct democracy]], [[freedom of speech]], de-centralism, individualism and anti-authoritarianism.

Anarchists generally oppose what [[Noam Chomsky]] has termed "illegitimate authority": stopping a child from running into a busy street would be an act of legitimate authority. The government and other coercive entities are considered illegitimate.

==Traditional anarchism==

Traditional anarchism is similar to [[communism]], though unlike in communism, traditional anarchists do not favor [[socialism]] as a means to their end, as it requires a state. Traditional anarchists advocate the formation of [[collective|collectives]]. Traditional anarchism rejects all authority, both business and government.

==Individualist anarchism and anarcho-capitalism==

Individualist anarchism, unlike traditional anarchism, does not advocate collectives. Individualist anarchists differ on the status of [[private property]] and other rights.

[[Anarcho-capitalism]], a form of individualist anarchism, favors private police agencies, security companies, and arbitration instead of government. Anarcho-capitalism is the most extreme form of [[libertarianism]].

==Relationship between the two==

Traditional anarchists argue that anarcho-capitalists are not true anarchists. This is due to their support of the authority of business and private property. Traditional anarchists argue that one cannot live without wages under a [[capitalist]] system.

Anarcho-capitalists argue that all support of business is voluntary, since one can choose between companies under a capitalist system. Anarcho-capitalists reject collectives, since they focus on the community rather than the individual, which may lead to a loss of individual freedom.

==Christian Anarchism==
[[Image:Tolstoy.jpg|thumb|Leo Tolstoy]]
Christianity has been influential on some anarchists. Russian novelist [[Leo Tolstoy]] is seen as an important figure in this trend. Tolstoy's Christian anarchism was outlined in his book "The Kingdom of God is Within You". He believed that the only authority is God, and that therefore government is illegitimate. To support their views, they will often quote the following passage by [[Paul]]: "there is no authority except that which God has established."

==Anarchism in practice==

Many anarchists believe in a peaceful means of achieving anarchy. Some of these means include refusal to participate in government (most commonly abstinence from voting), secession from government, and civil disobedience.

Other anarchists believe that it is necessary to resort to violence in order to abolish present power structures. Still others take the approach that since authorities have historically used violence to suppress efforts toward the systems which give them power, prudence dictates that anarchists should be prepared to fight back.

During the [[Spanish Civil War]] there occurred in the Republican areas a "Spanish Revolution". It involved the taking over of workplaces by those who worked in them. Industry began to be organized non-hierarchically. The anarchist union the CNT did this with considerable success.

==Other uses==
In a broader sense, anarchy denotes the absence of order, or, chaos. For example, "Because of the holiday, it was anarchy at the airport."

==See Also==
*[[Anarcho-capitalism]]
*[[Nihilism]]
*[[Anarchopedia]]

==Sources==
*[http://www.infoshop.org/faq/ An Anarchist FAQ] - From a traditional anarchist point of view.
*[http://www.mises.org/ Ludwig von Mises Institute] - Promotes Austrian [[economics]] as well as anarcho-capitalism.
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/anarchy/ What Liberals Say - Category: Anarchy], [[Accuracy In Media]]

[[category:International Politics]]
[[category:Political Theory]]
[[category:Politics]]

Barry Goldwater

2008-08-16T21:05:59Z

JBrandonLoberg: /* Gay agenda */ Renamed section to be more applicable to expanded information. References added, as none existed before...

[[Image:BarryGoldwater.jpg|right|thumb|Barry Goldwater]]

'''Barry Morris Goldwater''' (1909-1998) was a [[United States]] [[Senator]] and the [[Republican]] nominee for [[President]] in 1964.

==Biography==
Born in a [[Jewish]] family. Father of Barry Morris Goldwater, Jr., a [[U.S. Senator]] from [[Arizona]]; born in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz., January 1, 1909; attended the Phoenix public schools, Staunton Military Academy, and one year at the University of Arizona at Tucson in 1928; began business career in 1929 in family mercantile business; during the Second World War entered active service in August 1941 in the United States Army Air Corps, serving in the Asiatic Theater in India, and was discharged in November 1945 as a lieutenant colonel with rating as pilot; organized the Arizona National Guard 1945-1952; brigadier general in the Air Force Reserve in 1959 and promoted to major general in 1962; retired in 1967 after thirty-seven years service; member of advisory committee, Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior 1948-1950; member of the city council of Phoenix 1949-1952; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in 1952; reelected in 1958, and served from January 3, 1953, to January 3, 1965; did not seek reelection to the Senate in 1964; unsuccessful Republican nominee for President in 1964; elected to the United States Senate in 1968; reelected in 1974 and again in 1980, and served from January 3, 1969, to January 3, 1987; did not seek reelection in 1986; chairman, Select Committee on Intelligence (Ninety-seventh and Ninety-eighth Congresses), Committee on Armed Services (Ninety-ninth Congress); awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] on March 12, 1986; died May 29, 1998, at Paradise Valley, Ariz.

==1964 Presidential campaign==
Barry Goldwater entered the United States Senate in 1953. During the 1960 Presidential election there was a campaign among [[conservative]]s to draft Goldwater for President, a race in which [[Richard Nixon]] ultimately won the Republican nomination and [[John F. Kennedy]] narrowly defeated him for President. The campaign to draft Goldwater to run for President continued in the next election cycle. In 1964 Goldwater seriously sought the nomination, not running for re-election to the Senate that year, and was successful. He was defeated in the general election by incumbent [[Lyndon Johnson]]. After the election he ran successfully again for the Senate in 1968.

Lyndon Johnson was successful in part because of continued public sympathy over the [[John F. Kennedy assassination]], the use of [[negative advertising]] such as the notorious "daisy" TV ad which raised fears of [[nuclear war]] if Goldwater were elected, and negative media coverage of some of the conservative groups supporting Goldwater, such as the [[John Birch Society]]. Johnson ironically ran as a "peace candidate" but shortly after the election drastically escalated U.S. involvement in the [[Vietnam War]].

The 1964 Goldwater campaign helped usher in the modern conservative movement in the United States. The political careers of both [[Phyllis Schlafly]] and [[Ronald Reagan]] got a big boost during the campaign. Schlafly wrote a book, ''[[A Choice, Not An Echo]]'' during the campaign which was widely distributed and launched her career as a conservative political activist. ''A Choice, Not An Echo'' detailed the machinations of the [[moderate]] to [[liberal]] East Coast wing of the Republican Party to hand-pick Presidential candidates (Nixon, [[Wendell Willkie]], [[Dwight Eisenhower]], etc.) and called for conservatives in the party to organize to counter this wing of the party and their "kingmaker" approach to nominating candidates. The book was a rallying call for conservatives in the party and helped Goldwater win the nomination. Reagan gave a speech as part of a "TV for Goldwater-Miller" television ad campaign which made him an up and coming star among conservatives, eventually leading to his own series of Presidential campaigns in 1968, 1976. and 1980, the last of which successfully landed him in the [[White House]]. The 1964 Goldwater campaign was also followed by the rise of a growing conservative campus movement during the 1960s led by [[Young Americans for Freedom]], the rise of a small [[libertarian]] movement which also supported Goldwater but would later split with conservatism over the [[draft]] and [[drug]] policy, and modern conservative movement approaches such as [[direct mail]] organizing.

==Libertarian Social Views==
Disconcerted by the increased influence of the Religious Right upon the Republican Party during the Reagan administration, Goldwater became increasingly vocal advocate of libertarian social policy. After his retirement in 1987, Goldwater described the conservative Arizona Governor [[Evan Mecham]] as "hardheaded" and called on him to resign, and two years later stated that the Republican party had been taken over by a "bunch of kooks". In a 1994 interview with the ''[[Washington Post]]'' the retired senator said, {{cquote|When you say "radical right" today, I think of these moneymaking ventures by fellows like [[Pat Robertson]] and others who are trying to take the Republican party and make a religious organization out of it. If that ever happens, kiss politics goodbye.}}

In response to [[Moral Majority]] founder [[Jerry Falwell]]'s opposition to the nomination of [[Sandra Day O'Connor]] to the Supreme Court, of which Falwell had said, "Every good Christian should be concerned", Goldwater retorted: "Every good Christian ought to kick Falwell right in the ass."<ref>Ed Magnuson, [[Time Magazine]], [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,954833-2,00.html ''The Brethren's First Sister''], July 20, 1981. Retrieved 1/1/07.</ref>

Goldwater also had harsh words for his one-time political protege, President Reagan, particularly after the [[Iran-Contra Affair]] became public in 1986. Journalist [[Robert MacNeil]], a friend of Goldwater's from the 1964 Presidential campaign, recalled interviewing him in his office shortly afterward. "He was sitting in his office with his hands on his cane...and he said to me, 'Well, aren't you going to ask me about the [[Iran]] arms sales?' It had just been announced that the Reagan administration had sold arms to Iran. And I said, 'Well, if I asked you, what would you say?' He said, 'I'd say it's the god-damned stupidest foreign policy blunder this country's ever made!'",<ref>[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-374469737793037291&q=Robert+MacNeil "Archive of American Television Interview with Robert MacNeil Part 5 of 14" (video)]</ref> though aside from the Iran-Contra scandal, Goldwater thought nonetheless that Reagan was a good president.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLATQAU-Hw0&feature=related YouTube - Charlie Rose - Goldwater tribute/]</ref>

Furthermore, Goldwater angered many [[social conservatives]], criticizing the military's ban on [[homosexuality|homosexuals]]: "Everyone knows that gays have served honorably in the military since at least the time of [[Julius Caesar]]."<ref>"Ban On Gays Is Senseless Attempt To Stall The Inevitable", ''Los Angeles Times'', ''Washington Post''. Online at [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/scotts/bulgarians/barry-goldwater.html ]</ref> He also said, "You don't have to ''be'' straight to be in the military; you just have to be able to ''shoot'' straight." A few years before his death he went so far as to address the right wing, "Do not associate my name with anything you do. You are extremists, and you've hurt the Republican party much more than the Democrats have."<ref>[[The Betrayal of America]] by [[Vincent Bugliosi]], 2001</ref>

In 1996 he told [[Bob Dole]], whose own presidential campaign received lukewarm support from conservative Republicans: "We're the new liberals of the Republican party. Can you imagine that?" In that same year, with Senator [[Dennis DeConcini]], Goldwater endorsed an [[Arizona]] initiative to legalize [[medical marijuana]] against the will of social conservatives.<ref> [http://www.reason.com/news/show/30148.html Prescription: Drugs] Reason Magazine</ref>

==References==
<references/>

== See also ==

*[[Conservative links]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldwater, Barry}}
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Jewish Conservatives]]
[[Category:Arizona Senators]]

Affirmative Action President

2008-08-03T22:43:53Z

JBrandonLoberg: removed unsubstantiated/uncited material

''Affirmative Action President'' is a derogatory characterization of 2008 Presidential candidate [[Barack Obama]], used to de-legitimize Sen. Obama's bid for President by asserting that his candidacy has more to do with his race, than his actually being qualified for the office.

On Feb. 4, 2008, ten days after this entry appeared here, Michael Savage commented that, if elected, [[Barack Obama]] will be the first Affirmative Action President, as he has such a small amount of political (or military) experience.<ref>For example, popular radio commentator [[Michael Savage]] observed, "We have a woman and a multi-ethnic man running for office on the Democrat side. Is this not akin to a -- an affirmative action election? Isn't that why the libs are hysterical, tripping over themselves to say [[amen]] and yes to this affirmative election vote?" Savage added, "America's not ready for an affirmative action presidency." [http://mediamatters.org/items/200802040008]</ref>

== Reference ==

<references/>

[[category:politics]]

Anarchism

2008-08-03T21:02:17Z

JBrandonLoberg: multiple edits, clarification of meanings, deletion of "anarchists support unrestricted drugs, etc."

'''Anarchism''' is a political philosophy advocating the removal of the State and the establishment of a society without government. The term is of [[Greek]] origin (coming from the word "αναρχία" (anarchia), meaning "without rulers". Though many differing ideologies fall under the anarchist heading, all are predicated on the idea that hierarchic power structures (such as those intrinsic to government) are inherently repressive and exploitative of the individual, and thus should be abolished. Anarchists can be found expressing support for [[direct democracy]], [[freedom of speech]], de-centralism, individualism and anti-authoritarianism.

==Traditional anarchism==

Traditional anarchism is similar to [[communism]], though unlike communism, traditional anarchists do not favor [[socialism]] as a means to their end, as it requires a state. Traditional anarchists advocate the formation of [[collective|collectives]]. Traditional anarchism rejects all authority, both business and government.

==Individualist anarchism and anarcho-capitalism==

Individualist anarchism, unlike traditional anarchism, does not advocate collectives. Individualist anarchists differ on the status of [[private property]] and other rights.

[[Anarcho-capitalism]], a form of individualist anarchism, favors private police agencies, security companies, and arbitration instead of government. Anarcho-capitalism is the most extreme form of [[libertarianism]].

==Relationship between the two==

Traditional anarchists argue that anarcho-capitalists are not true anarchists. This is due to their support for business and private property which, traditional anarchists argue, creates a de-facto ruling class of owners who are able to manipulate their control of resources as a means of controlling society itself--a condition tantamount to [[feudalism]]. Traditional anarchists argue that a capitalist society is not truly free, as one is beholden to an employer for wages under a [[capitalist]] system.

Anarcho-capitalists argue that all support of business is voluntary, since one can choose between companies under a capitalist system. Anarcho-capitalists reject collectives, since they focus on the community rather than the individual, which may lead to a loss of individual freedom.

==Anarchism in practice==

Many anarchists believe in a peaceful means of achieving an anarchist society. Methods include forming self-sustaining collectives, Because direct democracy plays such an important role in a truly egalitarian society, many anarchists agree that collectives must remain small.

Other anarchists support violence as a means of achieving anarchism. Some anarchist groups have been labeled [[terrorist]] organizations by the US government.[Citation needed]

==Other uses==
In addition to being a philosophy, anarchy can also be a description of a system in which there is no higher governmental authority. The world level of political interaction is considered anarchical, because there is no power over the sovereign states (i.e. there is no world government).

==See Also==
*[[Anarcho-capitalism]]
*[[Nihilism]]
*[[Anarchopedia]]

==Sources==
*[http://www.infoshop.org/faq/ An Anarchist FAQ] - From a traditional anarchist point of view.
*[http://www.mises.org/ Ludwig von Mises Institute] - Promotes Austrian [[economics]] as well as anarcho-capitalism.
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/anarchy/ What Liberals Say - Category: Anarchy], [[Accuracy In Media]]

[[category:International Politics]]
[[category:Political Theory]]
[[category:Politics]]

John Walker Lindh

2008-07-27T01:40:19Z

JBrandonLoberg: full bio

'''John Phillip Walker Lindh''' (born February 9, 1981) was captured in [[Afghanistan]] during the American invasion of 2001, and is often referred to as "the American [[Taliban]]."

==Background==
Lindh was born in Washington, DC, and was baptized and raised [[Roman Catholic]]. When he was 10 years old, his family moved to [[San Anselmo]], [[California]]. As a child, Lindh suffered from an intestinal disorder. Beginning at age 12 in 1993, after briefly attending several middle schools, his family decided to homeschool him. As a teenager, Spike Lee's film ''Malcolm X'' profoundly impressed Lindh, and aroused his curiosity regarding Islam. In 1997, Lindh converted to Islam, attending mosques in Mill Valley and later San Francisco. In 1998, he went to [[Yemen]] for about 10 months, to learn [[Arabic]] for the purpose of being able to read the [[Qur'an]] in its original language. He returned to the United States in 1999, living with his family for about eight months before returning to Yemen in February 2000, then went to Pakistan to study at a madrassa.

==Capture==
John Walker Lindh was captured by Afghan [[Northern Alliance]] force on November 25, 2001 near [[Mazar-i-Sharif]], Afghanistan, and was questioned initially by [[CIA]] officer [[Michael Spann]] and another, unnamed officer at [[General Dostum's]] garrison near Mazar-i-Sharif. Later that day, a violent prisoner uprising, wherein Spann was killed along with hundreds of foreign fighters, plus a US airstrike mere yards from where Lindh was interrogated killed 5 US [[Marines]], allowed Lindh and about 300 other prisoners to escape. Lindh was shot in the right upper thigh during the uprising.

Hiding in a basement bunker, he was discovered seven days later, again by Northern Alliance troops. In an interview conducted by [[CNN]] reporter [[Robert Young Pelton]], Lindh said that the prison uprising was started by some prisoners who had smuggled grenades into the basement, "This is against what we had agreed upon [with the Northern Alliance], and this is against Islam. It is a major sin to break a contract, especially in military situations."

Upon capture, Lindh was given basic first aid and then questioned for a week at Mazar-i-Sharif, before being taken to [[Camp Rhino]] on December 7, 2001, the bullet still within his thigh. When Lindh arrived at Camp Rhino he was stripped and he was restrained to a stretcher, blindfolded and placed in a metal shipping container. While bound to the stretcher his picture was taken by American military personnel. While at Camp Rhino he was heavily medicated.

He was later to complain that as military personnel passed the echoing cargo container around each 24 hour cycle, they hammered on its metal sides and shouted abuse and threats. He remained in severe pain from the bullet that remained in his leg. The photograph of him naked was cropped so as not to show his leg wound. On at least one occasion he was interrogated while naked, drugged and with the bullet still in his leg. On December 8th and 9th he was interviewed by the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI)<ref name="IOL"/>. He was held at [[Camp Rhino]] until he was transferred to [[USS Peleliu (LHA-5)|USS ''Peleliu'']] on [[December 14]], [[2001]]<ref name="Lawsuit">{{cite web |date=[[April 02]], [[2002]]| url = http://news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/terrorism/us032902opp2licmot.pdf| title = UNITED STATES OF AMERICA vs JOHN PHILLIP WALKER LINDH - CRIMINAL NO. 02-37-A| format = PDF| publisher = UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT| accessdate = 2007-08-01 | last= PAUL J. McNULTY [[Lawyer|UNITED STATES ATTORNEY]]|quote=

On [[December 14]], [[2001]], Lindh was flown from [[Camp Rhino]] to the USS ''Peleliu'' where he received the following treatment: 12 days after his US capture in [[Afghanistan]], he was operated on by the ''Peleliu’s'' senior surgeon to remove the bullet lodged in his leg; he received daily medical treatment for the bullet wound as well as mild frostbite on his toes; he received various forms of medication including Motrin and Keflex (an [[antibiotic]]). He and his fellow detainees were advised five times per day as to the time for prayer and the brig supervisor called up to the deck to ascertain the location of [[Mecca]] so that he could advise the detainees in which direction to pray. He and his fellow detainees were provided Quorans to facilitate their prayers. He was permitted to shower twice a week and to wash his feet every day. He was given meals and unlimited water, was permitted to talk with his fellow detainees; and he was repeatedly queried by ''Peleliu'' personnel whether there was anything else he needed.}}</ref>.

He was interrogated before the operation on December 14. While on the Peleliu, he signed confession documents while he was held by the [[United States Marine Corps]] and informed his interrogators that he was not merely Taliban but al-Qaeda, though his father later asserted he was not involved in, and unaware of, al-Qaeda. On [[December 31]], [[2001]], he was transferred to the [[USS Bataan (LHD-5)|USS ''Bataan'']], where he was held till [[January 22]], [[2002]], when he was flown off the ''Bataan'' to begin the journey back to the United States to face criminal charges. While on the USS Bataan, Attorney General [[John Ashcroft]], on [[January 16]] [[2002]], announced that Lindh would be tried in the United States.

His attorney claimed to the press that he asked for a lawyer repeatedly before being interviewed but he did not get one, and that "highly [[coercion|coercive]]" prison conditions forced Lindh to waive his [[Miranda warning|right to remain silent]]. Although the FBI asked [[Jesselyn Radack]], a [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]] ethics advisor, whether Lindh could be questioned without a lawyer present, her advice that this should not be done was not followed.<ref>[http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1056139907383 The Trials of Jesselyn Radack] and [http://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/march/april-2004/the-woman-who-knew-too-much.html The Woman Who Knew Too Much]</ref>

==Trial==
On [[February 5]] [[2002]], Lindh was indicted by a federal [[grand jury]] on ten charges:<ref name="CNN">[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0202/05/ip.00.html Transcript of John Ashcroft - February 5, 2002]</ref>

*[[Conspiracy (crime)|Conspiracy]] to murder U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals
*Two counts of conspiracy to provide material support and resources to designated foreign [[terrorist]] organizations
*Two counts of providing material support and resources to terrorist organizations
*One count of supplying services to the Taliban.
*Conspiracy to contribute services to Al Qaeda
*Contributing services to Al Qaeda
*Conspiracy to supply services to the Taliban
*Using and carrying firearms and destructive devices during crimes of violence

If convicted of these charges, Lindh could have received up to three [[life sentence]]s and 90 additional years in prison. On [[February 13]] [[2002]], he pleaded not guilty to all 10 charges.<ref name="CNN"/>

[[Image:John Walker Lindh Custody.jpg|right|thumbnail|John Walker Lindh In US Custody.]]
A photo emerged from his captivity of him being held naked and bound, wearing a blindfold.<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/04/12/ret.walker.lindh.photos/index.html U.S. troops took photos of blindfolded Walker Lindh April 12, 2002]</ref> When details of the conditions of his captivity began to emerge, it was discovered that he had initially been wounded and hidden for a week with limited food, water, and minimal sleep before being captured. After being captured and taken to a room with a single, sealed-off window, Lindh reportedly had his clothes cut off him and was duct-taped to a stretcher and placed in a metal shipping container for transportation. Lindh was reportedly not allowed release from the stretcher when he needed to urinate. While being interrogated, Lindh allegedly was repeatedly denied access to a lawyer and was threatened with denial of medical aid if he did not cooperate. Lindh was held for over a week in U.S. custody before his wound was treated and the bullet removed.<ref>[http://www.lindhdefense.info/20020613_FactsSuppSuppress.pdf Walker's Transcript of the his time in US custody]</reF>

The court scheduled an evidence suppression hearing, at which Lindh would have been able to testify about the details of the torture to which he claimed he was subjected. The government faced the problem that a key piece of evidence — Lindh's confession — might be excluded from evidence as having been forced under duress.

To forestall this possibility, [[Michael Chertoff]], then-head of the criminal division of the [[U.S. Department of Justice]], directed the prosecutors to offer Lindh a [[plea bargain]], to wit, Lindh would plead guilty to two charges: — serving in the Taliban army and carrying weapons. He would also have to consent to a [[gag order]] that would prevent him from making any public statements on the matter for the duration of his 20-year sentence, and he would have to drop any claims that he had been mistreated or [[torture]]d by U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan and aboard two military ships during December 2001 and January 2002. In return, all other charges would be dropped.

Lindh accepted this offer. On [[July 15]] [[2002]], he entered his plea of guilty to the two remaining charges. The judge asked Lindh to say, in his own words, what he was admitting to. Lindh's [[allocution]] went as follows: "I plead guilty", he said. "I provided my services as a soldier to the Taliban last year from about August to December. In the course of doing so, I carried a rifle and two grenades. I did so knowingly and willingly knowing that it was illegal." On [[October 4]], [[2002]], Judge [[T.S. Ellis, III]] formally imposed the sentence: 20 years without [[parole]].<ref name="Guilty">[http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/07/15/walker.lindh.hearing/index.html CNN.com - 'I plead guilty,' Taliban American says - July 17, 2002]</ref>

As another result of Lindh's plea bargain, a [[Son of Sam law]] was invoked. Any and all profits made from book deals or any movies about Lindh's experience will be automatically handed over to the federal government. Lindh, his family, his relatives, his associates and his friends will be unable to profit financially from his crimes and/or experiences.

Lindh's attorney, James Brosnahan, said Lindh would be eligible for release in 17 years, with good behavior. This is because, although there is no [[parole]] under federal law, his sentence could be reduced by 15 percent, or three years, for good behavior. In addition, Lindh agreed to cooperate "fully, truthfully and completely" with both [[military intelligence]] and [[law enforcement agency|law enforcement agencies]] in the terrorism investigation.<ref name="Guilty"/>

==Association with Osama bin Laden==
While much emphasis has been placed on John Walker Lindh's association with the Taliban, the extent of his association with [[al Qaeda ]]is uncertain. According to CNN, when Lindh came to Afghanistan, he couldn't speak the local languages (Afghanistan encompasses many diverse regional and tribal tongues). Lindh spoke only English and Arabic, so he says he joined the 'Arab group.' That group happened to be al Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden. Lindh describes having met [[bin Laden]] at one point, observed that "bin Laden is against Islam," and that Lindh "never understood [[jihad]] [Arabic for 'struggle'] to mean anti-American or terrorism."

[[Category:Terrorists]]
[[Category:Muslims]]