Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Chappaquiddick incident

2007-06-06T23:21:16Z

Sevenstring:

'''Chappaquiddick''' is the name of a small island, about six square miles, just off of [[Martha's Vineyard]] in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Most of it is conservation land held by the Trustees of Reservations, a private organization.

It is most famous as the location of an event known as the "Chappaquiddick incident," "Chappaquiddick affair," or simply "Chappaquiddick." The narrow bridge connecting Chappaquiddick Island to Martha's Vineyard was the location of the death of a young woman Mary Jo Kopechne in a car driven by Senator [[Ted Kennedy]] on July 19, 1969. This became one of the most famous political events of the late 20th century and likely prevented Ted Kennedy, the brother of President John F. Kennedy, from ever becoming president himself.

This was the statement given by Ted Kennedy to Police Chief Dominick Arena the morning after the accident{{fact}}.

"On July 18, 1969, at approximately 11:15 PM in Chappaquiddick, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, I was driving my car on Main Street on my way to get the ferry back to Edgartown. I was unfamiliar with the road and turned right onto Dike Road, instead of bearing hard left on Main Street. After proceeding for approximately one-half mile on Dike Road I descended a hill and came upon a narrow bridge. The car went off the side of the bridge. There was one passenger with me, one Miss Mary ________(Kennedy did not know how to spell the woman's last name), a former secretary of my brother Sen. Robert Kennedy. The car turned over and sank into the water and landed with the roof resting on the bottom. I attempted to open the door and the window of the car but have no recollection of how I got out of the car. I came to the surface and then repeatedly dove down to the car in an attempt to see if the passenger was still in the car. I was unsuccessful in the attempt. I was exhausted and in a state of shock. I recall walking back to where my friends were eating. There was a car parked in front of the cottage and I climbed into the back seat. I then asked for someone to bring me back to Edgartown. I remember walking around for a period of time and then going back to my hotel room. When I fully realized what had happened this morning, I immediately contacted the police. Do you have any idea how hard it is to dress a dead girl underwater?"

In 1979, a ''New York Times'' editorial observed:
:More important now than the loose ends of his unsatisfying accounts are the reasons they were left so loose. If Mr. Kennedy used his enormous influence to protect himself by leading a cover-up of misconduct—and the known facts lead to that suspicion—there would hang over him not just a cloud of tragedy, but of corruption, of the Watergate kind.<ref>"The Legacy of Chappaquiddick," ''The New York Times,'' November 7, 1979, p. A30</ref>

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Islands]]

Homosexual rights advocacy

2007-06-06T23:19:59Z

Sevenstring:

The '''gay rights''' movement seeks to elevate [[homosexuality]] to the same level of social and political respectability as heterosexual relationships. It denies or dismisses the Biblical prohibitions against homosexual acts and the proven health risks of gay sex. "Our effect is achieved without reference to facts, logic, or proof." [http://www.leaderu.com/jhs/socarides.html]

It seeks to remove the stigma of [[sexual perversion]] from homosexuality by arguing that either,
# Homosexuality is an immutable trait, and discriminating against immutable traits is wrong (cf. race discrimination), or,
# Homosexuality, if not immutable, is highly correlated with personality, and discriminating against such deeply rooted notions of self is wrong, as well (cf. religious intolerance).
The movement does not seek to convince others that homosexuality is ''right'': rather, it seeks to convince the public that it is not ''wrong'' and thus there is no reason to regulate, criminalize, or stigmatize homosexuals.

== Legal Success ==
Courts, including the Supreme Court, have accepted either one or both of these rationales. In ''[[Romer v. Evans]]'', the Court found that discriminating against homosexuals could only be explained by a rational of animus laid bare, which was not enough even to allow state condemnation of homosexuality under the [[rational basis review]] test. ''Romer'', then, protects the status of homosexuality from undue discrimination that occurs without a rational basis.<ref>Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620</ref>

Homosexual conduct was formerly illegal in many states.<ref>See generally ''Bowers v. Hardwick'', 478 U.S. 186</ref> In the last decade of the twentieth century, although these laws existed, they were rarely (if ever) enforced.<ref>''Lawrence v. Texas,'' 539 U.S. 558, Justice Anthony Kennedy, in the Opinion of the Court, found this in his historical analysis.</ref> Without disclosing whether it saw homosexuality as a status protected from discrimination at as high of a level as gender and race, the Court struck down bans on homosexual conduct, framing it as an expansion of its privacy jurisprudence.<ref>''Lawrence v. Texas'', 539 U.S. 558</ref>

The status of homosexuality before the law, then, is in some degree of flux. While bare discrimination against homosexual status is facially unconstitutional lacking a rational basis, and while preventing homosexual conduct is similarly unconstitutional, the Supreme Court has held in these landmark cases that the state may discriminate against homosexuals to preserve an "institution that the law protects" - namely, [[marriage]].<ref>''Lawrence v. Texas''; Kennedy & O'Connor both reached this conclusion explicitly.</ref> As such, the standard to be applied in deciding if discrimination against homosexuals is wrong is somewhere in between [[rational basis review]] and [[strict scrutiny review]]. Justice [[Antonin Scalia]] thinks that this uncertainty will surely be resolved in the favor of gay rights, and he warns that such a legal erosion will result in the downfall of the law's moral authority.<ref>''Lawrence v. Texas'', Scalia, J., dissenting.</ref>

== Opposition to Gay Rights ==
Polls consistently reveal that a clear majority <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/18/AR2007031800484.html | Clinton, Obama Slow to Respond to Questions on Homosexuality] Washington Post, March 18, 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/963906/posts| New poll shows Americans oppose gay civil unions 58%-37%] Washington Post, August 18, 2003</ref> of people agree homosexuality is immoral, sinful, distasteful, degrading, or less than ideal, and prefer that public policy does not encourage it. They also believe that accepting homosexuality would require the loss of rights to free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, and traditional [[marriage]].{{fact}}

Conservatives criticize attempts by gay rights activists to prohibit any statements which are critical of homosexuality, such as the idea that it is "unnatural" or "sinful", using [[hate crime]]s statutes and anti-[[discrimination]] laws.

Conservatives also oppose attempts by homosexual activists to indoctrinate children through the use of ''tolerance'' or ''diversity'' programs in schools which encourage homosexual behavior. Notable figures including [[Tony Perkins]] have expressed concerns.

*The EU parliament called on Polish authorities to publicly condemn and take measures against declarations by officials "inciting discrimination and hatred based on sexual orientation." [http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8OOFTCO5&show_article=1]

== Support for Gay Rights ==

A [[Newsweek]] poll, conducted March, 2007, found that 61% of those polled felt that homosexuals should be allowed to serve openly in the military ([[margin of error]], plus or minus 3%). The poll did not ask directly about current military policy.

The same poll found that 50% of those asked favored legal recognition of same-sex unions, either as marriages or [[civil union]]s or partnerships. 44% felt same-sex couples should have no legal recognition, with 6% unsure.<ref>Polling Report http://www.pollingreport.com/civil.htm</ref>

==History==
As Amazon.com said in a review of a book of [[Harry Hay]]'s writings, he "is the acknowledged father…of the modern gay liberation movement." As a [[Communist Party of the United States]] (CPUSA) organizer, he turned out "essays, position papers, critical studies, and manifestos concerning what it means to be gay in the world." <ref> [http://www.aim.org/media_monitor/A269_0_2_0_C/ Red Roots Of Gay Movement], Cliff Kincaid, Accuracy in Media, September 10, 2003. </ref>

The [[Human Rights Campaign]] referred to Hay as "founder and architect of the modern movement for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights" and "Harry was one of the first to realize that the dream of equality for our community could be attained through visibility and activism". <ref>[http://www.hrc.org/Content/ContentGroups/News_Releases/20021/HRC_Mourns_the_Death_of_Gay_Rights_Pioneer_Harry_Hay.htm Human Rights Campaign Mourns the Death of Gay Rights Pioneer Harry Hay], Press Release, Oct. 24, 2002.</ref> Hay not only promoted homosexual rights, he actively campaigned for the "rights" of [[pedophile]]s. ''The Boston Phoenix'' noted that nowhere was this more evident than in Hay's persistent support of the right of the North American Man-Boy Love Association, [[NAMBLA]], to march in gay-pride parades. <ref>''The Boston Phoenix'', [http://bostonphoenix.com/boston/news_features/other_stories/documents/02511115.htm The real Harry Hay], Michael Bronski, October 31 - November 7, 2002. </ref> NAMBLA maintains a website with a body of Hay's work and a tribute to Harry Hay on its homepage. The [[Human Rights Campaign]] and other gay rights organizations, while revering Hay for his contributions to gay rights, do not support NAMBLA or communism.

In 2006, [[Catholic Charities]] of Boston closed their adoption program after more than a century of finding homes for [[orphans]] and [[unwanted children]] when it was reported by the ''Boston Globe'' that gay couples had recieved children placed from the agency.<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/03/11/catholic_charities_stuns_state_ends_adoptions/ Catholic Charities stuns state, ends adoptions], By Patricia Wen, ''The Boston Globe'', March 11, 2006.</ref> Massachusetts law barring "orientation discrimination" prohibited one of the nations oldest adoption agencies from refusing service to gay activists, and a mass resignation of the agencies Board in protest followed. <ref>[http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/191kgwgh.asp Banned in Boston], by Maggie Gallagher, ''The Weekly Standard'', 05/15/2006, Volume 011, Issue 33.</ref>

==Tactics==

*Kirk and Madsen predicted a mass public change of heart would follow, even among opponents, "if we can actually make them like us." <ref>[http://www.leaderu.com/jhs/socarides.html How America Went Gay], by Charles W. Socarides, M.D., ''America'', November 18, 1995.</ref>

== References ==
<references/>

== External Links ==
*A gay rights perspective, the Human Rights Campaign, www.hrc.org

Al Qaeda

2007-06-06T16:32:47Z

Sevenstring:

{{expand}}

[[Image:al_qaeda.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Osama bin Laden with Al-Qaeda members]]

"Al Qaeda," which roughly translates as "the base" ( القاعدة) in [[Arabic]], is an international Islamist [[terrorism|terrorist]] organization founded in the late 1980s to fight the [[Red Army]] of the [[Soviet Union]] in [[Afghanistan]], during the 1980-89 [[Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan]]. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, Osama bin Bin Ladin and his comrades had their own sources of support and training, and they received little or no assistance from the United States,<ref>9/11 Commission Report[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/pdf/sec2.pdf ''The Foundation of the New Terrorism''], pg. 56.</ref> which only provided funding to indigenous Afghan ''mujaheddin'', which al-Qaeda was not. It is currently led by [[Osama Bin Laden]] and is predominantly composed of fanatical [[Sunni]] [[Islam|Muslim]]s.

Al Qaeda is responsible for the September 11, 2001 attack on the [[World Trade Center]] and [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]], the bombings of American embassies in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] in 1998, the October 2000 bombing of the [[USS Cole]], and numerous smaller attacks. The group's wing in Iraq is believed to be responsible for many of the attacks and bombings there. The 9/11 Commission Report has tied al-Qaeda to the government of [[Ba'ath Party|Ba'athist]] government of [[Saddam Hussein]],<ref>9/11 Commission Report, ''The Foundation of the New Terrorism''.</ref> specifically the alleged harboring of al-Qaeda second-in-command [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]] and cooperation in Saddam;'s war against the Kurds. The 9/11 Commission Report cites Bin laden meeting with Iraqi intelligence officials in Khartoum as early as 1995. It is unclear if Iraq was funding al-Qaeda operations prior to the [[War in Iraq|2003 invasion]].That being said, the 9/11 Commission wrote that they had "seen no evidence that these or the earlier contacts ever developed into a collaborative operational relationship." Furthermore, they had not seen anything that would lead them to conclude that "Iraq cooperated with al Qaeda in developing or carrying out any attacks against the United States."

"However difficult the fight in Iraq has become, we must win it," Mr. Bush said during a commencement speech at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. "Al Qaeda is public enemy No. 1 for Iraq's young democracy. Al Qaeda is public enemy No. 1 for America as well." [http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070523-115137-6054r.htm]

==External Links==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/world/2001/war_on_terror/default.stm BBC Profile of Al-Qaeda]
*[http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070523-115137-6054r.htm Bush shares al Qaeda plans] - Jon Ward, ''Washington Times'' - May 24, 2007

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Terrorists]]

Al Qaeda

2007-06-06T16:28:59Z

Sevenstring:

{{expand}}

[[Image:al_qaeda.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Osama bin Laden with Al-Qaeda members]]

"Al Qaeda," which roughly translates as "the base" ( القاعدة) in [[Arabic]], is an international Islamist [[terrorism|terrorist]] organization founded in the late 1980s to fight the [[Red Army]] of the [[Soviet Union]] in [[Afghanistan]], during the 1980-89 [[Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan]]. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, Osama bin Bin Ladin and his comrades had their own sources of support and training, and they received little or no assistance from the United States,<ref>9/11 Commission Report[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/pdf/sec2.pdf ''The Foundation of the New Terrorism''], pg. 56.</ref> which only provided funding to indigenous Afghan ''mujaheddin'', which al-Qaeda was not. It is currently led by [[Osama Bin Laden]] and is predominantly composed of fanatical [[Sunni]] [[Islam|Muslim]]s.

Al Qaeda is responsible for the September 11, 2001 attack on the [[World Trade Center]] and [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]], the bombings of American embassies in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] in 1998, the October 2000 bombing of the [[USS Cole]], and numerous smaller attacks. The group's wing in Iraq is believed to be responsible for many of the attacks and bombings there. The 9/11 Commission Report has tied al-Qaeda to the government of [[Ba'ath Party|Ba'athist]] government of [[Saddam Hussein]],<ref>9/11 Commission Report, ''The Foundation of the New Terrorism''.</ref> specifically the alleged harboring of al-Qaeda second-in-command [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]] and cooperation in Saddam;'s war against the Kurds. The 9/11 Commission Report cites Bin laden meeting with Iraqi intelligence officials in Khartoum as early as 1995. It is unclear if Iraq was funding al-Qaeda operations prior to the [[War in Iraq|2003 invasion]].
"However difficult the fight in Iraq has become, we must win it," Mr. Bush said during a commencement speech at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. "Al Qaeda is public enemy No. 1 for Iraq's young democracy. Al Qaeda is public enemy No. 1 for America as well." [http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070523-115137-6054r.htm]

==External Links==
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/world/2001/war_on_terror/default.stm BBC Profile of Al-Qaeda]
*[http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070523-115137-6054r.htm Bush shares al Qaeda plans] - Jon Ward, ''Washington Times'' - May 24, 2007

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Terrorists]]

Talk:Al Qaeda

2007-06-06T16:21:09Z

Sevenstring: 9-11 Report

That State Department citation is misleading in it's title, because in reading it, it clealry answers the queastion as "no". [[User:RobS|RobS]] 00:55, 23 May 2007 (EDT)
:The passage is "According to the 9/11 Commission Report, Osama bin Bin Ladin and his comrades had their own sources of support and training, and they received little or no assistance from the United States" (which answers NO), and the state department citation answers NO. The title is an ambiguously worded question, and does not infer yes or no. --[[User:Hojimachong|'''Hojimachong''']][[User_Talk:Hojimachong|talk]] 01:04, 23 May 2007 (EDT)
::Can we agree that A). The USA provided funding/training to indigenous Afghan ''mujaheddin'', and that B). Bin Laden and his cronies were ''not'' indigenous ''mujaheddin'', but foreign fighters. Can this be agreed upon? --[[User:Hojimachong|'''Hojimachong''']][[User_Talk:Hojimachong|talk]] 01:05, 23 May 2007 (EDT)

:::A) yes but this may not be the place to do it. B) Definitely. I propose we use the 9/11 Report cited as this basis for this page. That document is more/less the definitve open source account up to that time. It is very interesting reading, and ambiguos in points. We should not accept ''all'' of it as doctrinaire, but serious students could learn much from a reading of that document about government secrecy, classifications, how to read reports of this nature, and when to investigate further. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 15:51, 23 May 2007 (EDT)

== 9-11 Report ==

Rob - if the part of the report that says that "cites Bin laden meeting with Iraqi intelligence officials in Khartoum as early as 1995" is citable, why is the part on page 66 saying that " . . . to date we have seen no evidence that these or the earlier contacts ever developed into a collaborative operational relationship. Nor have we seen evidence indicating that Iraq cooperated with al Qaeda in developing or carrying out any attacks against the United States" something that has no place in this encyclopedia? It's from the exact same document, after all. [[User:Sevenstring|Sevenstring]] 12:21, 6 June 2007 (EDT)

User talk:Jpark

2007-06-05T21:17:56Z

Sevenstring: Africa

== Africa ==

You are absolutely right. So fix it. That's how Wikis work. [[User:Sevenstring|Sevenstring]] 17:17, 5 June 2007 (EDT)

Aura

2007-06-05T20:39:59Z

Sevenstring:

The '''Aura''' is a term for an energy field believed by some to be produced by the energy generated by a living [[organism]] and surrounding all living things. It is the focus of several pseudo- healing arts, including [[polarity therapy]], [[cranial sacral technique]], and [[Reiki]].

Talk:Cindy Sheehan

2007-06-04T16:15:59Z

Sevenstring:

can you at least leave the part about exploitng her sons death for '''Political gain'''? (no doubt she has)[[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]]
:That's right she carried this boy to term, birthed him, raised him up all the while looking for some way to "cash in" on his eventual demise. Have you no shame, sir?[[User:Rob Pommer| Rob Pommer]][[User_talk:Rob_Pommer|talk]]

:::perhaps a better question would be if she has any shame. she has been heavily criticised for many things. You dont hear about this from the liberal media. Perhaps you should do some research. (I plan to add these later)[[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]]

by the way, did not you hear that her own relatives released a statement saying that she was exloiting her sons death. when she said that her immediate family supported her, her husband divorced her. I am not putting these facts in the article yet because i am looking for a good source. apparently, i have some shame. please dont insult me.[[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]]
:Get a cite (or cites) and we'll examine the veracity of the claim. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 23:56, 19 April 2007 (EDT)

Is it proper to include David Duke's support? The KKK supported Bush for president, but that doesn't mean he supports them. [[User:Czolgolz|Czolgolz]] 00:20, 13 May 2007 (EDT)
::remove it if you really want. But i think she actually would support him, at least regarding Israel. go ahead and take it out.[[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]]
:::Actully most KKK members hate Bush.[[User:Jaques|Jaques]] 07:20, 23 May 2007 (EDT)

I didn't pay much attention to her when I heard she was standing outside the White House gates. I figured she was some sort of attention-seeker then, because anyone else would have gone through the usual channels instead of attracting a media circus.

But it's possible she decided to cash in on her son's untimely demise for political gain. And I wouldn't put it past the Democrats to put her up to it. Exploitation of emotion is something the media is very good at, and the media is saturated with Democrats. (Oh, and did I mention the [[liberal|L-word]] yet?)

I figured the whole point of Democrats using Sheehan was that she could take some sort of "moral high ground" by virtue of being a bereaved mother. The only thing that smells fake about it is that I heard she was more interested in protesting the US military campaign in Iraq, than about expressing her feelings about her son. In other words, she didn't just want to share her grief, she wanted to blame the president and his policies for (something like) "needless deaths" - blame anyone but the enemies of Iraq, I guess.

Anyway, if one our writers would like to research Sheehan's arguments and positions, I suppose our readers might be interested. But we should also air a few conservative rebuttals for balance. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 15:11, 29 May 2007 (EDT)

==Wording==

:Many have declared and celebrated her as the face of the anti-war, anti-American movement.

What does "anti-war" or "anti-American" mean? The media likes to use short words, but an encyclopedia should be clear, even if it takes an extra sentence or two. We're not bound by the 9-second soundbite rule.

Is she against the terrorists, against the new Iraqi army, against the US, or what? Maybe she just doesn't want the US to defend Iraq against the terrorists, but otherwise loves America. Let's be clear about her position, if we're going to mention it at all. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 15:04, 29 May 2007 (EDT)

==Anti-Semetic?==

<blockquote>
She has also made extremely antisemitic remarks
</blockquote>

Nothing in the cited sources show anything anti-semetic. It is possible to not agree with the policies of the state of Israel, or even be against its existence, without being anti-semetic. [[User:Boomcoach|Boomcoach]] 15:52, 29 May 2007 (EDT)

:Perhaps we should say that her remarks were hostile towards Israel or "anti-Israeli". --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 15:55, 29 May 2007 (EDT)

::I think that would be more accurate. [[User:Boomcoach|Boomcoach]] 15:56, 29 May 2007 (EDT)
::She didnt disagree with Israel, Cindy sheehan blamed Israel for the war in Iraq, and her sons death. Claims like this are classic anti-Semitism.[[User:Bohdan|Богдан]] [[User talk:Bohdan|Talk]] 16:00, 29 May 2007 (EDT)
She didn't blame Israel; she blamed neo-con ''support'' for Israel. There is a difference. [[User:AlanE|AlanE]] 16:26, 29 May 2007 (EDT)
::::"My son joined the army to protect America, not Israel" pretty clear to me.[[User:Bohdan|Богдан]] [[User talk:Bohdan|Talk]] 16:28, 29 May 2007 (EDT)
:::::No it isn't clear at all. The fact is that a large part of the reason Islamist terrorists want to attack us is because of US supprot for Israel. This is not a controversial claim, but a well documented fact. Pointing out this fact is in no way anti-Israel or anti-semitic and is not blaming Israel or the US for terrorist attacks. Accepting the realityof what motivates our enemy is not the same thing as validating that motivation.--[[User:Zerba|Zerba]] 13:55, 1 June 2007 (EDT)

::::::She said,
::::::*''Casey was killed for lies and for a PNAC Neo-Con agenda to benefit Israel.''
::::::In her so-called "resignation letter" (I doubt we've seen or heard the last from her) she reiterated,
::::::*''The most devastating conclusion that I reached ... was that Casey did indeed die for nothing.''
::::::Seems pretty clear, even after removing herself as the "face" of the movement, her allegations of a Neo-Con Jewish conspiracy have not changed. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 15:03, 1 June 2007 (EDT)

::::::: She says nothing about a "Neo-Con Jewish Conspiracy". Do you deny that the US supports Israel? Do you deny that Neo-Cons, and Republicans in general are a major part of that support? Disagreeing with the US's support of Israel may be wrong, it may be shortsighted, or it may even be right, but it is not, by itself, anti-semetic.

:::It seems that she feels that the US is spending US lives on the defense of the state of Israel. I don't agree with this sentiment, but there is nothing anti-semetic about it. One can quite easily dislike many things about the state of Israel, and disagree with the support that the US gives it, without having any animosity against Jews. [[User:Boomcoach|Boomcoach]] 11:04, 30 May 2007 (EDT)
::::So the question is when is an anti-Semite not an anti-Semite; is this like the question of when is a communist not a communist? [[User:RobS|RobS]] 16:20, 2 June 2007 (EDT)
::::: No, it is simply commenting that anti-Israel does not equate to anti-Semetic, any more than being anti-Iran is anti-Muslim. I realize that it is much handier, when denigrating someone, to label them as some sort of racist, but I thought that conservapedia claims that this is a vile, evil liberal tactic! [[User:Boomcoach|Boomcoach]] 21:40, 3 June 2007 (EDT)
::::::Sorry, but we got cites to support everthing claimed in the article. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 21:57, 3 June 2007 (EDT)

I defy you to find a single citation where Sheehan says "I hate Jewish people," as opposed to saying something negative about the political entity that is the state of Israel. The two are by no means synonymous. [[User:Sevenstring|Sevenstring]] 21:59, 3 June 2007 (EDT)
:Find me a single citation where [[Trent Lott]] said "I hate black people". [[User:RobS|RobS]] 22:12, 3 June 2007 (EDT)

I don't care a whit about Trent Lott. Don't change the subject. Step up. Make your case. Has Sheehan ever clearly said she hates Jews, as opposed to the politics of the Israeli State? [[User:Sevenstring|Sevenstring]] 22:14, 3 June 2007 (EDT)
:Case is made. Case closed. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 22:17, 3 June 2007 (EDT)

Where? Are you even READING these posts? She is on the record as criticizing the Israeli state and its policies.Fair enough. That is NOT the same as criticizing - much less expressing hatred for - the Jewish people. Where is the case made. Explain it to me like you would to an eight-year-old, 'cause I don't see it anywhere on this page or any other. [[User:Sevenstring|Sevenstring]] 22:19, 3 June 2007 (EDT)
:No, I'm not. And it's too late to rehabilitate her. Her so-called "farwell" did not rescind any of the anti-Semitic venom she's spewed for all these years; and reading her garbage, I do not beleive for an instant she wrote it. It was ghost written for her. The DNC is just going to have to live the historical fact and reality of a woman named Cindy Sheehan who took up their cause. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 22:22, 3 June 2007 (EDT)

Ummm...you haven't even come close to answering any of my questions. [[User:Sevenstring|Sevenstring]] 22:24, 3 June 2007 (EDT)
:Good. Because I do not intend to do so. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 22:40, 3 June 2007 (EDT)

Good to see you put your intellectual honesty on the line like that. [[User:Sevenstring|Sevenstring]] 22:42, 3 June 2007 (EDT)

::Criticism of Israel is anti-semiticism hiding behind a different mask. See [http://israel.jcca.org/articles.htm?y=620051118152416], [http://www.warrenkinsella.com/words_extremism_nas.htm], [http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=2791] [[Image:User Fox.png]] [[User:Fox|Fox]] ([[User talk:Fox|talk]]|[[Special:Contributions/Fox|contribs]]) 11:35, 4 June 2007 (EDT)

::: Those two cites (the 3rd did not resolve as a page) are both opinion pieces, not anything that defines terms in anything but the author's mind. To criticize a political entity for their actions is not the same as attacking the primary religious/racial group that makes up that nation. Can criticizing Israil be part of an anti-semetic attack? Of course, but that does not equate to all attacks on Israel being motivated by anti-semitism. I was appalled by the Israeli secret police killing an innocent Norwegian, in an attempt at exacting retribution for Munich. That doesn't make me anti-jewish and more than my disgust at the actions of islamic terrorists makes me anti-muslim. To claim otherwise is simply to attempt to deflect any sort of criticism of Israel, the same way that people used racism as an excuse for defending OJ. [[User:Boomcoach|Boomcoach]] 11:45, 4 June 2007 (EDT)

so, Fox - by that logic the state of Israel may never be criticized NO MATTER WHAT it does? Ever? [[User:Sevenstring|Sevenstring]] 12:15, 4 June 2007 (EDT)

Cambodia

2007-06-04T13:54:37Z

Sevenstring:

'''Cambodia''' is a small south East [[Asia|Asian]] country in the region known as [[Indochina]]. The indigenous people of Cambodia are known as the [[Khmer]] and it is believed that they have inhabited the land since 380BC.

Cambodia has a total area of 181,040 sq. km. (69,900 square miles), <ref> http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2732.htm </ref> and is bordered by [[Vietnam]], [[Laos]] and [[Thailand]]. The capital city is [[Phnom Penh]]. The population of the country is currently (approx) 14.8 million. The official language is called Khmer, and French and English are also spoken by many people engaged in business and tourism. The main religion is Theravada [[Buddhism]], which is practised by approximately 95% of the population. The two largest rivers are the [[Mekong]] and the [[Bassac]]. <ref> http://www.cambodia.org/ </ref>

In 1975 a radical Communist named Pol Pot managed to seize control of the country and turned it into what can only be described as a malevolent dictatorship. Many Cambodians died while working on the rice plantations (often dubbed as killing fields) that Pol Pot forced the entire country to work on in order to contribute to the economy. In November 1978, Vietnam invaded Cambodia to stop Khmer Rouge incursions across the border and the genocide of Vietnamese in Cambodia. Violent occupation and warfare between the Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge holdouts continued throughout the 1980s. Peace efforts began in Paris in 1989, culminating two years later in October 1991 in a comprehensive peace settlement. The United Nations was given a mandate to enforce a ceasefire, and deal with refugees and disarmament. After the brutality of the 1970s and the 1980s, and the destruction of the cultural, economic, social and political life of Cambodia, it is only in recent years that reconstruction efforts have begun and some political stability has finally returned to Cambodia. The democracy established following the conflict was shaken in 1997 during a coup d'état, but has otherwise remained in place.

== See also ==

*[[World History Lecture Thirteen]]
*[[Pol Pot]]

==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Asian Countries]]

Subversion

2007-06-04T04:56:56Z

Sevenstring: No, it's not.

'''Subversion ''' is an overturning or uprooting. The word is present in all languages of Latin origin, originally applying to such diverse events as the military defeat of a city.

As early as the fourteenth century it was being used in the English language with reference to laws and in the fifteenth century came to be used with respect to the realm. This is the origin of its modern use, which refers to attempts to overthrow structures of [[authority]], including the [[state]]. In this respect, it has taken over from ‘[[sedition]]’ as the name for illicit [[rebellion]], though the connotations of the two words are rather different, sedition suggesting overt attacks on institutions, subversion something much more surreptitious, such as [[erosion|eroding]] the basis of belief in the [[status quo]] or setting people against each other.

'''Subversive activity''' is the lending of aid, comfort, and moral support to individuals, groups, or organizations that advocate the overthrow of incumbent governments by force and violence. All willful acts that are intended to be detrimental to the best interests of the government and that do not fall into the categories of [[treason]], sedition, [[sabotage]], or [[espionage]] are placed in the category of subversive activity.

Recent writers, in the [[post-modern]] and [[post-structuralist]] traditions (including, particularly, [[feminist]] writers) have prescribed a very broad form of subversion. It is not, directly, the realm which should be subverted in their view, but the predominant cultural forces, such as [[patriarchy]], [[religion]], [[individualism]], and [[scientific]] [[rationalism]]. This broadening of the target of subversion owes much to the ideas of Antonio Gramsci, who stressed that [[communist revolution]] required the erosion of the particular form of ‘[[cultural hegemony]]’ in any [[society]].

==External link==
*[http://www.montanaheritageproject.org/index.php/teacherlore/C163/P15/ Allen Dulles on the Soviet Military Threat] (1959)

[[Category:Politics]]

Tom DeLay

2007-06-04T04:52:49Z

Sevenstring:

[[Image:Tomdelay.jpg|right|thumb|Congressman DeLay speaking at a Department of Transportation event]]

'''Thomas Dale DeLay''' (born 1947) is an American [[Republican Party|Republican]] politician. He served in the [[House of Representatives]] from 1984 to 2006, representing [[Texas]]. He was the House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005. DeLay stepped down to handle a response to charges his organization may have received unreported campaign donations from lobbyist [[Jack Abramoff]].In 2005 Delay was indicted by a Texas grand jury on charges related to the alleged payments. DeLay surrendered to police, and one of the indictments against him (conspiracy) has been dropped.

On January 1, 2003, Majority Leader Tom Delay was invited to address the [[Israeli]] [[Knesset]]. Leader Delay remarked,

{{Cquote|The solidarity between the United States and Israel is deeper than the various interests we share. It goes to the very nature of man, to the endowment of our G-d-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness... We know our victory in the [[war on terror]] depends on Israel’s survival. And we know Israel’s survival depends on the willingness of free nations – especially our own – to stand by all endangered democracies in their time of need...In short, it is the position of the people of the United States, as expressed by their representatives in Congress, that Israel’s fight is our fight...The common destiny of the United States and Israel is not an artificial alliance dictated by our leaders. It is a heartfelt friendship between the citizens of two democracies at war, bound by the solidarity of freedom. Brothers and sisters of Israel: Be not afraid. The American people stand with you. <ref>[http://www.tampabayprimer.org/index.cfm?action=articles&drill=viewArt&art=947 Speech of Congressman Tom DeLay at the Knesset], January 01, 2003.</ref>}}

==References==
<references/>

==External links==

*[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=D000217 Official biography]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Delay, Tom}}

[[category:US Representative]]

Tom DeLay

2007-06-04T04:31:35Z

Sevenstring:

[[Image:Tomdelay.jpg|right|thumb|Congressman DeLay speaking at a Department of Transportation event]]

'''Thomas Dale DeLay''' (born 1947) is an American [[Republican Party|Republican]] politician. He served in the [[House of Representatives]] from 1984 to 2006, representing [[Texas]]. He was the House Majority Leader from 2003 to 2005. DeLay stepped down to handle a response to charges his organization may have received unreported campaign donations from lobbyist [[Jack Abramoff]].In 2005 Delay was indicted by a Texas grand jury on charges related to the alleged payments.

On January 1, 2003, Majority Leader Tom Delay was invited to address the [[Israeli]] [[Knesset]]. Leader Delay remarked,

{{Cquote|The solidarity between the United States and Israel is deeper than the various interests we share. It goes to the very nature of man, to the endowment of our G-d-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness... We know our victory in the [[war on terror]] depends on Israel’s survival. And we know Israel’s survival depends on the willingness of free nations – especially our own – to stand by all endangered democracies in their time of need...In short, it is the position of the people of the United States, as expressed by their representatives in Congress, that Israel’s fight is our fight...The common destiny of the United States and Israel is not an artificial alliance dictated by our leaders. It is a heartfelt friendship between the citizens of two democracies at war, bound by the solidarity of freedom. Brothers and sisters of Israel: Be not afraid. The American people stand with you. <ref>[http://www.tampabayprimer.org/index.cfm?action=articles&drill=viewArt&art=947 Speech of Congressman Tom DeLay at the Knesset], January 01, 2003.</ref>}}

==References==
<references/>

==External links==

*[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=D000217 Official biography]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Delay, Tom}}

[[category:US Representative]]

Third World

2007-06-04T04:26:08Z

Sevenstring:

{{stub}}

During the [[Cold War]] period '''Third World''' referred to countries which didn't align themselves to either of the power blocks the [[US]] and its
allies and the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics|Soviet Union]] and its allies. These nations formed the non-aligned movement.

Nowadays third world refers to developing and undeveloped countries which have large scale [[poverty]].

Comintern

2007-06-04T04:24:29Z

Sevenstring:

The Comintern, or Communist International, was an international Communist organization founded by and controlled by the Soviet Union. It was first established in 1919, as a way for the Soviet Union to "export revolution abroad" in its policy of overthrow legitimate regimes; to aid revolutionary Communist parties in other countries and to use foreign Communist parties for espionage and [[subversion (political)]] to further Communist goals.

The Comintern was publicly disbanded in 1943, however its underground apparatus remained active throughout [[World War II]] and into the [[Cold War]] era.

[[Category:Communists]]
[[Category:World War II]]

All Quiet on the Western Front

2007-06-04T04:22:59Z

Sevenstring:

'''All Quiet on the Western Front''' is a [[World War I]] novel by [[Erich Maria Remarque]]. It describes the horrors of trench warfare from the viewpoint of a German private named Paul Baumer.

[[Category:Book]]

All Quiet on the Western Front

2007-06-04T04:22:25Z

Sevenstring: More to the point of the novel...

'''All Quiet on the Western Front''' is a [[World War I]] novel by [[Erich Maria Remarque]]. It describes the experience of trench warfare in a very unflattering way from the viewpoint of a German private.

[[Category:Book]]

Mandate

2007-06-04T04:20:46Z

Sevenstring:

A '''mandate''' is a former [[colony]] that is being supervised by the colonial power as it converts into a newly [[independent]] [[nation]].

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Government]]

Mandate

2007-06-04T04:19:51Z

Sevenstring:

A '''mandate''' is a former [[colony]] that is being supervised by the colonial power as itc onverts into a newly [[independent]] [[nation]].

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Government]]

The Virgin Birth

2007-06-04T04:18:45Z

Sevenstring: A REALLY important "not."

'''The Virgin Birth''' refers to the virgin birth of [[Jesus]] as recorded in the [[Gospels]] of [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] and the [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] (Matt 1:18 - 1:24, Luke 1:26 - 1:38).

It basically states that Jesus was not conceived through the normal biological process, but was conceived by the [[Holy Spirit]] touching [[Virgin Mary|Mary]] to create a baby forming in her womb. She was a virgin, having never had intercourse with a man. In this way Jesus was born without the original sin of [[Adam]] being passed down from generation to generation. Matthew tells us this fulfills the prophecy [[the Lord]] made to [[Isaiah]] in the [[Old Testament]] in Isaiah 7:14 "Behold a virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son"

Talk:Bryan Hathaway

2007-06-04T04:15:55Z

Sevenstring: New page: I mean really - is this at all encyclopedic? ~~~~

I mean really - is this at all encyclopedic? [[User:Sevenstring|Sevenstring]] 00:15, 4 June 2007 (EDT)

Clement Attlee

2007-06-04T04:13:32Z

Sevenstring: Books in italics - articles and chapter titles in quotation marks.

'''Clement Richard Attlee''' (3 January 1883 - 8 October 1967) was the Prime Minister of the [[United Kingdom]] from 1945 to 1951. He was a member of the [[Labour Party]], and is remembered as the leader of the strongly socialist government that was elected in the aftermath of [[World War II]]. During the war, he served as [[Winston Churchill]]'s Deputy Prime Minister.

Attlee was born in Putney, a middle-class [[London]] suburb, in 1883. Educated at Haileybury and University College, [[Oxford]] he became a barrister in 1906. Attlee developed an interest in social problems while doing voluntary work at a boy's club in Stepney. Converted to socialism by reading the works of [[John Ruskin]] and [[William Morris]], in 1913 Attlee became a tutor at the [[London School of Economics.]]

In 1914 Attlee joined the [[British Army]] and served in Gallipoli and Mesopotamia , where he was badly wounded at El Hanna. After recovering back in England, Attlee was sent to France in 1918 and served on the Western Front for the last few months of the war. By the end of the First World War Attlee reached the rank of major.

After the war Attlee returned to teaching at the London School of Economics. Attlee, a member of the [[Labour Party]], became involved in local politics and in 1919 was elected Mayor of Stepney.

In the 1922 General Election he was elected Labour MP for Limehouse in London. [[Ramsay MacDonald]], the leader of the party in the House of Commons, recruited Attlee as his parliamentary secretary (1922-24). In the 1924 Labour Government Attlee was appointed as Under Secretary of State for War.

After the Labour Party victory in the 1929 General Election, MacDonald appointed Attlee as postmaster-general. However, like most ministers, Attlee refused to serve in the National Government formed by MacDonald in 1931. Attlee was one of the few Labour MPs to win his seat in the 1931 General Election and became deputy leader of the party under George Lansbury.

When Lansbury retired in 1935 Attlee became the new leader of the Labour Party. During the Spanish Civil War he supported the non-national combatants from Britian fighting against General Francisco Franco and visited the International Brigades on the front-line in December 1937.

In 1940 Attlee joined the coalition government headed by [[Winston Churchill]]. He was virtually deputy Prime Minister although this post did not formally become his until 1942. It was afterwards claimed that during the Second World War Attlee worked as a restraining influence on some of Churchill's more wilder schemes.

In the 1945 General Election Attlee lead the Labour Party to its largest victory at the polls. During his six years in office he carried through a vigorous program of reform. The [[Bank of England]], the coal mines, civil aviation, cable and wireless services, gas, electricity, railways, road transport and steel were all nationalized. The National Health Service was introduced and independence was granted to [[India]] (1947) and [[Burma]] (1948).

In April 1951 Attlee's already weak position (the Labour majority in the House of Commons had been reduced to six) further deteriorated when two Labour leaders, Aneurin Bevan and Harold Wilson (afterward Prime Minister), resigned from the government over the introduction of National Health-service charges, that were bitterly opposed by the public. When the Conservatives narrowly won the election of October 1951, Attlee resigned. On yielding the party leadership in December 1955, he was created an Earl. In 1937 he published The Labour Party in Perspective and in 1954 his memoirs, ''As It Happened''. He was active in the House of Lords until his death in 1967. [http://www.mdlg05075.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/attlee.htm]

[[Category:UK Prime Ministers|Attlee, Clement]]

International Brigades

2007-06-04T04:10:39Z

Sevenstring:

The International Brigades were foreign non-national combatants who came to Spain to fight against the Nazi-backed Fascist forces of [[Francisco Franco]] during the [[Spanish Civil War]] (1936–39). The Brigades came from 50 countries and many [[leftist]] writers sympathized and popularized them.

Laura Ingalls Wilder

2007-06-04T04:05:05Z

Sevenstring: People here are capitalization happy.

'''Laura Ingalls Wilder''' was an American author best known for writing the series of books including [[Little House on the Prairie]], which also became a popular television show. The books were fictionalized accounts based on her memories of her early family life, growing up in the wilderness.

==Biography==

Laura Elizabeth Ingalls was born on February 7, 1867 to Charles Phillip Ingalls and Caroline Quiner Ingalls. The family moved several times moved throughout the Midwest, to [[Kansas]], [[Minnesota]], and [[South Dakota]]. Laura became a schoolteacher and was married to Almanzo James Wilder, on August 25, 1885, at the age of 18. In 1932 she published the first of the Little House series of books. <ref> http://www.lauraingallswilderhome.com/ </ref> <ref> http://www.albany.edu/ </ref>

==Bibliography==

*Little House in the Big Woods
*Farmer Boy
*Little House on the Prairie
*On the Banks of Plum Creek
*Old Town in the Green Groves
*By the Shores of Silver Lake
*The Long Winter
*Little Town on the Prairie
*These Happy Golden Years
*The First Four Years

<ref> http://www.littlehousebooks.com/ </ref>

==References==

<references/>

[[Category: Authors]]

Morocco

2007-06-04T04:00:45Z

Sevenstring:

'''Morocco''' is a country in northwest [[Africa]] bordered by the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. It has a total area of 172,413 sq miles (446,550 sq km), and a coastline of 1,835 km. The population is approximately 33,757,175.

Morocco is bordered by [[Algeria]] to the east and the western [[Sahara]] to the south. The largest city is [[Casablanca]]. The capital city is [[Rabat]]. The full name of the country is the Kingdom of Morocco. Some of the other large cities in Morocco are: [[Marrakech]], [[Tanjier]], and Safi.

The country was inhabited first by the Berbers, then became a Roman province in the 1st century A.D. In the 7th century it was conquered by Arabs, and later united under Berber-Muslim dynasties. In 1860, [[Spain]] occupied northern Morocco, and in 1912, the French established a protectorate over most of the region. Morocco achieved independence from [[France]] in 1956. The country celebrates its Independence Day on March 2nd. Morocco is now a constitutional monarchy.

The official language is Arabic, although local dialects are also spoken. Many businesses conduct dealings in French, and Spanish is also spoken. The majority of the population, over 98%, is [[Muslim]], and their legal system is based on [[Islamic Law]].

Moroccan leather, a soft pebble-fine leather made from goat skin and tanned with sumac, comes from Morocco.

=References=

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/africa/morocco

http://i-cias.com/morocco/

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mo.html

Whale

2007-06-04T04:00:07Z

Sevenstring:

[[Image:800px-Baleen Whale Physical Characteristics svg.png|right|thumb|400px]]
'''Whale''' is a marine mammals, the [[Cetacea|Cetaceans]].

Living whales are seperated into the toothed whales (which includes [[dolphin]]s, [[porpoise]]s, [[narwhal]]s, [[beaked whale]]s and [[sperm whale]]s) and the whalebone whales; those (mostly very large) cetaceans which have teeth replaced by baleen (whalebone) to filter small prey from the water, which are what people generally think of when the word whale is used. The whalebone whales include the rorquals - the [[blue whale]], fin whale, sei whale, Bryde's whale, [[minke whale]], [[grey whale]]; the [[humpback whale]]; and the various [[right whale]]s.

Although whales are famed for the massive size reached by some species, such as the blue whale (the largest animal to ever live), others are relatively small like the pygmy right whale which grows to about 20 feet <ref> [http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/PygmyRightWhale.htm]American Cetacean Society website</ref>. Though whales have many traits in common with fish (including fins and tails) they are in fact [[mammal|mammals]] and accordingly breath air and lactate. Whales have a number of remarkable [[adaptation|adaptations]] including:

* they decide when to breathe, rather than breathing unconsciously

* they sleep 8 hours a day, yet need to be conscious to breathe

* they can communicate with each other by making remarkably loud noises

* these extraordinary noises can travel for miles under water

* the females nurse their calves while swimming underwater

* the males have a unique cooling system for their internal reproductive organs

* some have two blow-holes, but others only have one

* the blow-holes pass air above water, yet resist intense pressure underwater

* they have massive brains, much larger than the brains of other mammals

* Whales along with humans and horses are some of the few mammal species that do not possess baculum

== Evolution and taxonomy ==
The question of how whales and their relatives could have evolved from terrestrial [[mammal|mammals]] has taxed evolutionary biologists since [[Darwin|Darwin's]] suggestion that they may have evolved from ancient bears. In more recent times molecular and fossil evidence has combined to suggest that modern whales and their relatives arose from ancient [[Artiodactyla|artiodactyls]] (even-toed ungulates) with the closest living relative of all whales being hippos<ref>[http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/41080/molecular_clock_divergence_estimates_and_the_fossil_record_of_cetartiodactyla/index.html] Theodore, JM (2004) Molecular Clock Divergence Estimates And The Fossil Record Of Cetartiodactyla The Journal Of Paleontology 78:39-44</ref>. This kinship has been termed the whippo hypothesis. Evolutionary biologists estimate the last ancestor of whales and hippos lived about 25 million years ago <ref> [http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/lines/IAtransitional.shtml] UCLA Berkley Understanding Evolution for Teachers website</ref>, which is contrast with the [[Young earth creationism|young earth creationist]] position that that whales were [[creation|created]] about 6000 years ago when [[God]] created the [[earth]]. Other creationists are not convinced that the available fossil evidence supports the [[Theory of evolution|evolutionary view]] but make no reference to the corroborating molecular evidence. <ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/re1/chapter5.asp</ref>
<ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v8/i1/whale.asp</ref>
<ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v27/i2/whale.asp</ref>

== Whales in the Bible ==

The great fish that swallowed [[Jonah (prophet)|Jonah]],
<blockquote>
''Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.'' Jonah 1:17
</blockquote>
is often regarded as being a whale. [[Great white shark]]s are also present in the [[Mediterranean Sea]], offering an alternative swallower that is a true fish.

== Whales in literature ==

Arguably the most famous book about whales is [[Herman Melville]]'s ''[[Moby-Dick|Moby Dick]]'', about a whaling-ship captain obsessed with hunting down the sperm whale (Moby Dick) which had bitten off one of his legs.

== References ==

<references/>

[[Category:Marine mammals]]

Grover Cleveland

2007-06-04T03:57:31Z

Sevenstring: Something cannot be "very" unique. Uniqueness is absolute - it would be like saying someone is "very dead" or "very pregnant."

{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="250" style="margin-left:5px"
|align="center" colspan="2"|[[Image:Grover cleveland.jpg|180px]]
|-
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: red no-repeat scroll top left;"|Grover Cleveland;
Twenty-Second and Twenty-Fourth President of the United States
|-
|Born
|March 18, 1837
|-
|Died
|June 24, 1908
|-
|1st Term
|1885-1889
|-
|2nd Term
|1893-97
|-
|}

'''Grover Steven Cleveland''' was the 22nd and 24th [[President of the United States]], and was unique in that he was the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms. He was the only [[Democrat]] elected to the Presidency in the Republican dynasty that lasted from 1850s to when [[Woodrow Wilson]] was President, as a result of the Democratic failure to win the [[American Civil War]]. Many contemporary politicians praise him for his commitment to [[conservative]] thinking. Much like modern conservatives he opposed imperialism, corruption, patronage, corporate subsidies, taxes and inflation.

Cleveland was famous for busting the union train saboteurs during the Pullman strike of 1892 which angered unions very much. He was also a big supporter of gold and a sworn enemy of silver. Unions and silver people kicked him out of the party, eventually, signifying a drastic shift of the Democrats to the left and leading to the nomination of William Jennings Bryan.

==Early Days==

Cleveland was born in Baldwell, New Yersey on March 18, 1837. <ref> [[Encyclopedia of Presidents, Grover Cleveland]], by Zachary Kent, Children's Press, 1988. </ref> He had five brothers and four sisters. His father was a [[Presbyterian]] clergyman, and moved around a lot. His second brother was hanged for murder in Utah in 1882.

He avoided the draft in the Civil War by hiring somebody else to take his place.

He graduated from Princeton and became a lawyer in [[Buffalo]], he became very noted in many ways. After being a lawyer, he was elected sheriff of [[Erie]] in 1870 and hunged many people while in office personally. He was a strong supporter of the Death Penalty.

He was a big friend of [[Franklin Roosevelt]]. When he was 40 he ran for Mayor of Buffalo and won. Many people praised his honesty and he was very popular. In 1884, he was elected Governor.

==As President==
Both Democrats and Republicans voted for Cleveland for President because his oponent was corrupt.

A key part in the campaign was because his opponet had nothing to use on him, he would shout about Cleveland "Ma, Ma, where's my Pa?", because Cleveland had an illegitimate daughter.

When Cleveland won the election his opponents shouted, "Ma, Ma, where's my Pa? Gone to the White House! Ha Ha Ha!"

===Personal life===
Grover Cleveland in June 1886 was married to Frances Folsom Cleveland in the [[white hosue]]. This was the second President married in office, and also married in the White House itself. Some were offended that Celveland was marrying somebody who was 21 years old and his legal guardian too. The Clevelands had many children while in office.

===Actions as President===
Cleveland voted against many spending bills and Government ideas, making him the first modern [[Conservative]]. He vetoed a bill to give $10,000 to distribute seed grain among drought-stricken farmers in Texas, and said: "Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character...." He also blocked funding to Civil War veterans, which some said was good but some said went too far. Cleveland used the veto a lot but said he did not like Presidential power and thought the best thing he could do was to stop congress from doing bad things.

In 1884 Geronimo was captured by Grover Cleveland, ending the Indian wars.

The same year in October Cleveland finished the [[Statue of Liberty]] in [[New York]] and read its dedication in fluent French, as a tribute to its creator, Jean Renoir.

Critics criticizing Cleveland criticize him for signing the Interstate Commerce Act this term, the first critical attempt at Federal regulation.

===Against Tarrifs===
In 1884 Clevland began to battle the tariff. Unlike today [[Republicans]] claimed a high tariff made for high wages, high profits, and fast economic expansion. Cleveland was not able to kill the tariff, and was defeated in 1880 because of it.

===Military Buildup===
A very conservative man, Cleveland did not think the United States should invade in any contry for any reason. However, Cleveland also was in favor of having a strong national defense, and built up the U.S. navy to a huge extent. [[Franklin Roosevelt]] was his secretary of the Navy.

==1888 campaign==
Cleveland lost in 1888 to Republican [[Benjamin Herrison|Benjamin Harrison]], one of the few times the Republican was less conservative than the Democrat. Harrison won the Electoral College by a 204-197 margin, but Cleveland won more votes. This was the last election where this happened.

==2nd Presidency==
Cleveland campaigned to reduce the tariff and stopping the silver people which had lessened the gold reserves of the U.S. Treasury. Cleveland became the only person ever elected president twice when he was elected again in 1892.

===As President===
Like [[George W. Bush]], Cleveland was beset by a stock market crash shortly after becoming president. He successfully navigated the country out of that crisis.

1884 was the year of the famous Pullman strike in Chicago, where workers tried to stop delivering the mail. He sent the army to Chicago to battle the unionizers, saying that "If it takes the entire army and navy of the United States to deliver a postcard in Chicago that card will be delivered."

==Second Tarrif War==
Again he tried to kill the tariff in 1893. The "Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act" was very good at first, but when it went through the Senate it became very bad and filled with loopholes. However, the bill eventually was passed and the tarrif was partially killed, but not enough so that Cleveland refuswed to sing the bill.

Liberals took over the Democrats in 1896 and with the help of Populist firebrand William Jennings Bryan tried to end the use of gold and profectionism. Jeenings lost the Presidency in 1896 and 1900, but in 1904 conservatives and Cleveland came back, and nominated successful candidate (although he did not win because of the strong candidacy of Theodore Franklin Roosevelt) Alton Parker.

==Military==
Cleveland was good at pushing around the English without evoking war, and did a lot of stuff with the power of his Navy, which he continued to build. This Navy was so strong it defeated the powerful Spanish armada during the Spanish-American war in 1884.

At first Cleveland did not support the revolutionairies in Hawaii who in 1894 overthrew the queen and established a Democracy. In fact, he tried to discredit their actions via the controversial Blount Report issued by [[James Henderson Blount]] under his direction. Later, however, he supported the Revolutionaires when the Queen demand the death of every single one.

===Death and Later Life===

Cleveland, nicknamed 'the Growler', retired to [[Princeton]]. There he became enemies with the liberal Woodrow Wilson, who was President of the school. Some people wanted him to run again in 1904, but he was too old. Sometimes liberal President President Theodore Roosevelt asked him for advice.

Cleveland died on June 24, 1908 from a heart and kidney disease, with his wife at his side. He is buried in the Princeton Cemetery. <ref> [[Encyclopedia of Presidents]] by Zachary Kent, Chicago Press, 1988. </ref>

==Honors and memorials==
Cleveland has been on many dollar bills, including the $1000 bill and some of the first $50 bills before Andrew Jackson was put on.

He will be on two dollar coins to be released in 2012 like every other president will, except two for each presidency.

==Trivia==

*He is both the 22nd ''and'' the 24th President because this confused people and he had to be proclaimed both presidents so the issue was cleared up.

*The baseball player Grover Cleveland Alexander was named after him.

* A riverboat known as the Cleveland Steamer was named after him.

*Clevland's grandson is a Presidential impersenator.

*Cleveland's granddaughter Foot is a philosopher at Oxford.

*Many people said Cleveland was harsh to the poor, but he just favored personal accountablity.

*Cleveland was the only police officer to ever become president.

* Grover Cleveland's last words were "I have tried so hard to do right."

==References==
*[http://www.usa-presidents.info/speeches/hawaii.html President Cleveland Message about Hawaii December 18, 1893] - Cleveland's message where he tried to discredit the Hawaiian Revolution. It was contradicted by the Congressionally issued Morgan Report in 1894.

<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cleveland, Grover}}
[[Category:Mayors]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:State governors of the United States]]

J.E.B. Stuart

2007-06-04T03:20:19Z

Sevenstring:

{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="250" style="margin-left:5px"
|align="center" colspan="2"|[[Image:Jeb Stuart.jpg|200px]]
|-
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: gray no-repeat scroll top left;"|James Ewell Brown Stuart
Major General, CSA
|-
|Born
|February 6, 1833
|-
|Died
|May 12, 1864
|-
|}
'''James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart''' was a cavalry officer in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. He was referred to by General [[Robert E. Lee]] as the "eyes and ears of the army." He served in many battles during the [[American Civil War]] and was mortally wounded at the battle of Yellow Tavern on May 11, 1864. Also a devout Christian and often gave the credit to his military victories to God.

==U.S. Military Career==
He served in the U.S. cavalry from 1854 to 1861, when the civil war broke out. After his graduation from West Point he served primarily in the wars against the native Americans. He was stationed in Fort Leavenworth when Kansas broke out in what is known as "bleeding Kansas." He was uninjured despite his involvement in the fights. Here he met for the first time John Brown, an abolitionist for blacks. Later on in 1859, under the command of Colonel Robert E. Lee, he participated in the battle of Harper's Ferry. He was able to signal the attack which led in John Brown's capture. When Virginia withdrew itself from the Union he resigned from the Union Army.

==C.S. Military Career==
He entered the cavalry of the Confederacy and was assigned to assist Colonel [[Thomas J. Jackson]] at Harper's Ferry. Stuart served at the first battle of Manasas and played an important role in defeating the Federal Army there. During the next months made massive raids on General [[John Pope]]'s army and supplies. He participated in the raid on Chambersburg and the battle of Fredericksburg. His service was crucial to the Confederate victory of 3.1 Chancellorsville and led the Second Corps to victory after General Jackson was wounded. He did not participate as much in the battle of Gettysburg, but on the third day made a unsuccessful cavalry charge from the rear while Pickett's division made his brave charge. He continued to serve in various campaign's and battles until the battle of Yellow Tavern at which he was mortally wounded. He died the next on May 12 at the age of 31. <ref> [[The Life of J.E.B. Stuart]], by Mary L. Williamson, Christian Liberty Press, 1997. </ref>

==References==
<references/>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stuart, J.E.B.}}
[[Category:American Civil War]]
[[Category:Military Commanders]]

Talk:Economics:Final Exam

2007-06-04T03:14:58Z

Sevenstring: "No points deducted for wrong answers."

"No points deducted for wrong answers." You've GOT to be kidding me. Is this typical in American homeschools? [[User:Sevenstring|Sevenstring]] 23:14, 3 June 2007 (EDT)

Donut

2007-06-04T03:09:33Z

Sevenstring:

[[Image:Mmmsprinkles.jpg|right|150px|thumb|A toroidal donut, with delectable [[Chocolate]] frosting.]]
'''Donuts''' (or doughnuts) are pastries (usually fried), sometimes coated with sugar, glaze, or frosting. Their shape is either toroidal (doughnut-shaped), rounded (a 'filled doughnut') or elongated (a cruller). Originally, donuts did ''not'' have holes.<ref>http://www.takeourword.com/TOW158/page2.html</ref>

==Types==
Donuts are grouped into four different categories, depending on their composition and the manner in which they are cooked. These are a few examples of how donuts are properly categorized.<ref>http://www.timhortons.com/en/menu/menu_info.html</ref> Tim-Bits, or donut holes, are categorized in much the same way as the standard donut. Donuts can be unadorned, or coated with unbelievably delicious and delectable [[chocolate]] frosting. Other frosting choices include [[maple]], powdered [[sugar]], and [[sprinkles]].
;'''Yeast Donuts'''
:Apple Fritter (A Tim Horton's Original)
:Dutchie
:Chocolate Dip
:Honey Dip
:French Cruller (Though the rising agent is egg.)
;'''Cake Donuts'''
:Old Fashion
:Chocolate
:[[Sour Cream Doughnut|Sour Cream]]
;'''Filled Donuts'''
:[[Berliner Pfannkuchen]]
:Blueberry
:Strawberry
:Boston Creme
:Canadian Maple
;'''Other'''
:Honey Cruller
:Walnut Crunch

==Donuts and Freedom==
In 2006, Tim Horton's Donuts Limited opened up a store in Kandahar, Afghanistan, to provide quality coffee and donut products to NATO Forces stationed there. Since then, the [[double double]] may also be recognized as ''NATO Standard''.

==See also==
*[[bagel]]s

==References==
<references/>
==External Links==
*[http://www.timhortons.com/en/index.html Tim Horton's Donuts Limited]
*[http://krispykreme.com/ Krispy Kreme]
*[https://www.dunkindonuts.com/ Dunkin Donuts]
*[http://winchells.com/ Winchell's]
*[http://www.toppotdoughnuts.com/ Top Pot Doughnuts]
*[http://www.daylightdonuts.com/ Daylight Donuts]

[[Category:Bakery products]]
[[category:food and drink]]

Donut

2007-06-04T03:09:05Z

Sevenstring: So funny, I almost want it to stay - how long has that been there, anyways?

[[Image:Mmmsprinkles.jpg|right|150px|thumb|A toroidal donut, with delectable [[Chocolate]] frosting.]]
'''Donuts''' (or doughnuts) are pastries (usually fried), sometimes coated with sugar, glaze, or frosting. Their shape is either toroidal (doughnut-shaped), rounded (a 'filled doughnut') or elongated (a cruller). Originally, donuts did ''not'' have holes.<ref>http://www.takeourword.com/TOW158/page2.html</ref>

==Types==
Donuts are grouped into four different categories, depending on their composition and the manner in which they are cooked. These are a few examples of how donuts are properly categorized.<ref>http://www.timhortons.com/en/menu/menu_info.html</ref> Tim-Bits, or donut holes, are categorized in much the same way as the standard donut. Donuts can be unadorned, or coated with unbelievably delicious and delectable [[chocolate]] frosting. Other frosting choices include [[maple]], powdered [[sugar]], and [[sprinkles]].
;'''Yeast Donuts'''
:Apple Fritter (A Tim Horton's Original)
:Dutchie
:Chocolate Dip
:Honey Dip
:French Cruller- Or "Freedom cruller" as it ought to be known nowadays. Though the rising agent is egg.
;'''Cake Donuts'''
:Old Fashion
:Chocolate
:[[Sour Cream Doughnut|Sour Cream]]
;'''Filled Donuts'''
:[[Berliner Pfannkuchen]]
:Blueberry
:Strawberry
:Boston Creme
:Canadian Maple
;'''Other'''
:Honey Cruller
:Walnut Crunch

==Donuts and Freedom==
In 2006, Tim Horton's Donuts Limited opened up a store in Kandahar, Afghanistan, to provide quality coffee and donut products to NATO Forces stationed there. Since then, the [[double double]] may also be recognized as ''NATO Standard''.

==See also==
*[[bagel]]s

==References==
<references/>
==External Links==
*[http://www.timhortons.com/en/index.html Tim Horton's Donuts Limited]
*[http://krispykreme.com/ Krispy Kreme]
*[https://www.dunkindonuts.com/ Dunkin Donuts]
*[http://winchells.com/ Winchell's]
*[http://www.toppotdoughnuts.com/ Top Pot Doughnuts]
*[http://www.daylightdonuts.com/ Daylight Donuts]

[[Category:Bakery products]]
[[category:food and drink]]

Espionage

2007-06-04T03:06:07Z

Sevenstring:

'''Espionage''' refers to the act of gathering information, generally using subversive [[mean]]s. A man who engages in espionage is called a [[spy]] or spymaster; a woman is called a spymistress.

The word ''Espionage'' comes from the [[French]] word ''espionage'', meaning literally "to spy". However, it was the Americans and Russians who made the most historical use of espionage, during the [[Cold War]]. Other countries who have used espionage include [[Israel]],[http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/spyring.html] [[Germany]] during [[World War II]], and [[Great Britain]]. Espionage is much less common today, except for [[industrial espionage]], which is what happens when one company spies on another one. However, it has been reported[http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070408004907AA7xtaD] that [[Al Qaeda]] has planted spies in U.S. organizations, as well.

Famous spies include [[Mata Hari]], and [[Benedict Arnold]].

[[Category:Occupations]]

Six-Day War

2007-06-04T03:00:16Z

Sevenstring:

[[Image:Soldiers Western Wall 1967.jpg|right|thumb|IDF soldiers at Jerusalem's Western Wall shortly after its capture.]]
The 1967 '''Six-Day War''' resulted when the [[Egypt]]ian ruler [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] closed off the Gulf of Aqaba, which was the only access [[Israel]] had to the [[Red Sea]]. Israel responded with massive [[preemptive]] air strikes against several Arab nations, including Egypt, killing many Arabs and destroying their military capabilities. Israel conquered [[Jerusalem]], the West Bank, the [[Sinai Peninsula]] and Golan Heights. Humiliated, Egyptian President Abdel Nasser announced his resignation, but later agreed to continue to lead Egypt.

Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol cited principles of self-defense for his approval of air-strikes on Egypt and battles with Jordanian and Syrian forces. Eshkol told a British newspaper, "The threat of destruction that hung over Israel since its establishment and which was about to be implemented has been removed. For the first time in 19 years, Jews are again free to pray at the Wailing Wall and at other shrines sacred to Judaism in Jerusalem and Hebron."<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/10/newsid_3047000/3047177.stm</ref>

This war reportedly displaced 500,000 Palestinians, and Israel offered the Palestinians in Jerusalem the opportunity to become Israeli citizens, but most declined.<ref>''Id.''</ref>

Since this war Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab nations to enter into peace agreements with Israel.<ref>''Id.''</ref>

== References ==

<references/>

[[Category:Wars]]
[[Category:Israel]]

Jazz

2007-06-04T02:59:06Z

Sevenstring:

'''Jazz''' is an American style of music that reflects Americans' roots in Africa and Europe and which originated in New Orleans during the early years of the 20th century. The first jazz recording was made in 1917 by the [[Original Dixieland Jazz Band]], who drew heavily on African-American influences, as well as the marching bands that were popular at the time. It combines African American music, ragtime, and the blues. Jazz is typified by complex collective musical [[improvisation]].

==Early Jazz==
Up until the mid-to-late 20s, jazz was a [[polyphonous]] music - typically, in a band such as [[King Oliver]]'s, the [[cornet]] would hold the main melody, whilst the [[clarinet]] would improvise [[obligati]] above and the [[trombone]] would add a tenor line below. Gradually, a more solo-oriented style emerged, typified by the [[Hot Five]] recordings of [[Louis Armstrong]], where instruments would take turns to solo.

At this time, black and white bands were comprehensively segregated, with the influence of the ODJB hanging heavy over the white bands.

Towards the end of the 1920, the big band sound started to emerge in two places, New York and [[Kansas City]]. In New York, the [[Broadway]] influence led to the development of sophisticated orchestras such as those of [[Fletcher Henderson]] or [[Duke Ellington]], whilst in the Southwest, an earthier, bluesier style was developed by such leaders as [[Bennie Moten]] and [[Jesse Stone]]

==Swing==
The early 1930s were something of a lean time for jazz commercially, although fine recordings were being produced by [[Harlem]] bandleaders such as Ellington and [[Cab Calloway]]. By around 1935 the Swing style was being popularised by white bandleaders such as [[Benny Goodman]], (although black bandleaders such as [[Count Basie]], [[Jimmie Lunceford]] and [[Chick Webb]] had developed it) and by the end of the decade effectively became the sound of Western pop music.

==Bebop==
In reaction against the perceived commercialism of Swing, and its appropriation by white musicians, a group of young, dedicated musicians sought to create a style deliberately intended to alienate the casual listener. With its complex harmonies and irregular melodies, the Bebop style was treated with suspicion by older musicians.

==After Bebop==
During the 1950s the small group came to dominate mainstream jazz, assuming the form that survives to this day - a rhythm section of piano (playing sparse left hand), double bass and drums, with a front line generally consisting of 'horns' (ie, trumpets and/or saxophones).

Various movements emerged in the 1950s.

Hard Bop (epitomised by [[Horace Silver]] and [[Art Blakey]] brought a 'funky', bluesy feel to the music, in reaction to the complexities of Bebop.

Modal Jazz (pioneered by theorist [[George Russell]] and trumpeter [[Miles Davis]]) was also a contrast to Bebop, but sought to give the soloists ample space for expression by eliminating frequent chord changes.

==Fusion==
As rock became the dominant force in popular music in the 1960s, some jazz musicians decided to adapt to it, with varying degrees of success. Miles Davis' Bitches Brew and Herbie Hancock's Headhunters are two seminal fusion albums, although the genre itself remains controversial.

==Today==
Courses in jazz are offered at many major schools, and the number and standard of jazz musicians now is extremely high. Many high schools in the United States today also have jazz bands. A far remove from its New Orleans underclass roots, jazz is a thoroughly mainstream and respected art form.

Types of jazz include:
*[[Bebop]]
*[[Swing]]
*[[Latin Jazz]]
*[[Free Jazz]]

Some jazz musicians include:
*[[Charlie Parker]]
*[[Miles Davis]]
*[[Louis Armstrong]]
*[[Chet Baker]]
*[[Clifford Brown]]
*[[Sonny Rollins]]
*[[Duke Ellington]]
*[[Count Basie]]
*[[Dizzy Gillespie]]
*[[Maynard Ferguson]]
[[category:music]]

New Black Panthers

2007-06-04T02:57:07Z

Sevenstring:

[[Image:NewBlackPantherPty.jpg|right|thumb]]
'''New Black Panthers''' is a black-supremacist organization founded in Dallas, Texas in 1989. Its current chairman is Malik Zulu Shabazz. New Black Panthers is widely considered anti-Semitic, racist, support violence and ethnic nationalism<ref>http://www.adl.org/Anti_semitism/shabazz.asp</ref>.

Recently, Malik Zulu Shabazz appeared on the [[O'Reilly Factor]] and accused [[Michelle Malkin]] of being a "political prostitute"; and on may 15, 2007; Malik Zulu Shabazz blamed the "Jewish lobby" after he was denied entry into [[Canada]].

==External links==
*[http://www.newblackpanther.com Official Site of the New Black Panther Party]

==References==
<references/>

[[category:political Parties]]

Paraguay

2007-06-04T02:54:56Z

Sevenstring: Pigeon?!?!?! Oh, for the love of Mike.....

'''Paraguay''' is the sister nation of [[Uruguay]] and is found in the middle of [[South America]]. Paraguay is home to three varieties of [[leopard]], two of which live nowhere else. The residents of Paraguay speak a [[pidgin]] dialect that combines [[Spanish]] with [[Portuguese]]. Paraguay has the largest [[macaque]] reserve in the world, including more than 34,000 hectares.

Waning immunity

2007-06-04T02:51:42Z

Sevenstring:

Waning immunity is the loss of protective [[antibodies]] over time.

Vaccines often have waning effect against antibodies which can evolve and develop the ability to resist them.
[[Category:Medicine]]

Harry Truman

2007-06-04T02:48:36Z

Sevenstring: There is no period after his middle initial, because it doesn't stand for anything. He was named with an "S" so that both his grandfathers could claim him as their namesake. <ref> [[Encyclopedia of

{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="250" style="margin-left:5px"
|align="center" colspan="2"|[[Image:HTruman.jpg|200px]]
|-
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: purple no-repeat scroll top left;"|Harry Truman;
Thirty-third President of the United States
|-
|Born
|May 8, 1884
|-
|Died
|December 26, 1972
|-
|Term
|1945-1953
|-
|}

'''Harry S Truman''' was the 33rd President of the United States and it was on his decision that the first atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

He was born on May 8, 1884 in Lamar, [[Missouri]]. He lived there as a farmer for 12 years.

During [[World War I]] he went to [[France]] as a captain of artillery. He became Vice President for President [[Franklin Roosevelt|Franklin Delano Roosevelt]] ("FDR") in 1944 and succeeded to the Presidency upon the death of FDR in 1945. Interestingly, Truman rarely met with Roosevelt during his tenure as Vice President <ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/ht33.html</ref>.

He was elected [[President of the United States of America]] (USA) in 1948 as a [[Democrat]]. During his term as President, he presided over the conclusion of [[World War II]] in both [[Europe]] and [[Japan]]. Truman's decision to use nuclear weapons against the Japanese cities of [[Hiroshima]] and [[Nagasaki]] forced the unconditional Japanese surrender to conclude WWII. As a consequence, the United States cancelled a planned invasion of the island nation which had been projected to cause 1,000,000 American and 10,000,000 Japanese casualties. Prior to Japan's surrender, [[Nazi]] German troops and their Axis allies surrendered in Europe. Truman proclaimed his [[Truman Doctrine]] on March 12, 1947 that was intended to thwart the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republic]]'s designs of expansion in the Near East by committing American aid and troops to that region. Truman also committed troops to the Korean Peninsula in 1950 to halt a [[Communist]] invasion of [[South Korea]]. American troops were part of a coalition of member nations of the newly formed [[United Nations]] ("UN") in 1945. The USA had become a founding member of the newly established UN during Truman's presidency.

Truman retired from politics at the conclusion of his presidential term and died on December 26, 1972 in his Independence, Missouri home. His Presidential library is located in Independence.

==Middle Initial==
There is no period after his middle initial, because it doesn't stand for anything. He was named with an "S" so that both his grandfathers could claim him as their namesake. <ref> [[Encyclopedia of Presidents, Harry S. Truman]], by Jim Hargrove, Children's Press, 1987. </ref>

==Links==
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/ht33.html Biography]
*[http://www.trumanlibrary.org Presidential Library]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Truman, Harry}}
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:World War II]]
[[Cateogry:Vice Presidents of the United States]]

Talk:Cindy Sheehan

2007-06-04T02:42:57Z

Sevenstring:

Anthony Kennedy

2007-06-04T02:41:51Z

Sevenstring: ummmm nominee to WHAT, exactly? That should go in the first sentence.

[[Image:Kennedy.jpg|right]]

'''Anthony Kennedy''' is a Supreme Court justice who was nominated by [[Ronald Reagan]] after [[Lewis Powell]] retired. Kennedy shared a deep background and association with Reagan, who turned to him as an associate worthy of reward. Kennedy arrived at his prominent position through simple hard work and loyalty. His consistency and competence earned him a well-deserved reputation for reliability among his peers. It also served to advance his career as an attorney and judge. Described as unassuming and friendly, Kennedy has won the respect and admiration of his colleagues over the years. Kennedy often used his personality to win over allies and form unlikely coalitions.

==Personal Life==
Anthony McLeod Kennedy was born on July 22, 1936 in Sacramento California. The second of three children, Kennedy grew up in the quiet Sacramento community that reflected the rural Central California region. 
Kennedy's father, Anthony J. Kennedy, worked as a lawyer and lobbyist for various businesses. The elder Kennedy, a well-established lawyer had a reputation for influence in the California legislature. 
His mother, Gladys McLeod, participated in many Sacramento civic activities. 
Kennedy attended a local Sacramento high school and Stanford University. He spent a year of his undergraduate studies at the London School of Economics and earned his A.B. and a Phi Beta Kappa key in 1958. After Stanford, Kennedy enrolled in Harvard Law School where he graduated cum laude. After law school Kennedy returned to California and worked as an associate for a law firm in San Francisco. His father died 1963 and Kennedy returned to Sacramento to take over his father's practice. Also in 1963 Kennedy wed Mary Davis, with whom he had three children.

==Early Years as a Lawyer==
Although he lacked vast experience as a lawyer, many of his father's important clients stayed with him out of respect for the elder Kennedy. His clients soon discovered the young lawyer had just as much, if not more, legal skills than his father. 
Kennedy had a talent for socializing and soon made many friends among the influential Californian politicians. Kennedy also donated large sums of money on behalf of himself and his clients to various political officials in the state. 

==Establishing Contacts==
Through his work as a lobbyist, Kennedy befriended [[Ed Meese]] who was a California District Attorney. The two, sharing similarities in age and background, became close friends. Meese left to work for then-Governor Reagan in 1966 and Kennedy continued his work as an attorney and lobbyist. 
The two men did not lose touch with each other, however, and Kennedy continued to help Meese and Reagan in small capacities. Kennedy also taught constitutional law for a brief period during this time at the McGeorge School of Law of the University of the Pacific. In 1973, Meese recruited Kennedy to help Reagan draft Proposition One, a ballot initiative to limit the state's spending. He campaigned throughout the state to push the passage of the proposal and his efforts won him Reagan's favor. 

==The Ninth Circuit==
Kennedy's loyalty was rewarded when Reagan recommended him to President Gerald Ford when a vacancy in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit opened.
Kennedy joined the U.S. Court of Appeals in 1975 at age 38. Kennedy soon became the head of the court's conservative minority as [[President Carter]] expanded and flooded the Ninth Circuit Court with liberal judges. In the turbulent and often divided [[Ninth Circuit Court]] of that time, Kennedy often held majorities with few dissents. His narrow case-by-case approach and his refusal to resort to sweeping conclusions and rhetoric won him the support of many colleagues. Even his opponents admired Kennedy's well-crafted and thoughtful opinions.

=="Sometimes it's better to bet on a horse to show."==
When Justice Lewis Powell retired in 1987, Kennedy appeared on a short list of possibilities for the President's nomination, but [[Ronald Wilson Reagan| Reagan]] nominated [[Robert Bork]], but the feisty, conservative Bork met with fierce opposition from liberals in the Senate and ultimately failed to win confirmation. Reagan nominated Douglas Ginsburg, a judge from the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia Circuit. Ginsburg, however, withdrew himself from consideration when allegations concerning his past marijuana use. Reagan, on the advice of Meese, finally turned to Kennedy to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Kennedy's nomination, unlike Reagan's two previous picks, encountered little resistance. After the tumultuous events surrounding Bork and Ginsburg, Kennedy's low key nomination appeared calming and even liberals thought of him as fair-minded and pragmatic. The Senate unanimously confirmed Kennedy and he was sworn into office on February 8, 1988.

Since he had experience as a federal judge Kennedy made an easy transition to the Supreme Court od the United States|Supreme Court]]. Kennedy has voted consistently with his past record on many issues. He remains conservative on crime issues and still refuses to broaden the scope of his opinions. He has been effective in holding unlikely coalitions on the Court. Kennedy is an important pivot on which close decisions turn. Kennedy has recently become an important part of the [[U.S. Supreme Court|Court's]] centrist bloc. .

[[Category:US Judges]]

Ku Klux Klan

2007-06-04T02:36:53Z

Sevenstring:

[[Image:Artoon.jpg|right|thumb|A political cartoon depicting the KKK and the Democratic party as continuations of the Confederacy]]
The '''Ku Klux Klan''' ('''KKK''') is a racist social and political organization in the [[United States]]. It aims at the suppression of [[African-American]], [[Jewish]], [[Homosexual]], and [[Catholic]] interests. [[Violence]] and [[intimidation]] are historically the means used to achieve these ends. Its active membership is estimated to be less than 10,000 in the United States. The Klan presents itself as a Christian organization, but most Christians who are not members deem it to be inherently un-Christian if not anti-Christian.

A notable former member of the KKK is [[West Virginia]] Democratic Senator [[Robert Byrd]]. This occurred before the [[Dixiecrat|Dixiecrat Revolt]], prior to which the [[Democratic Party]] was overwhelmingly the party of the South, and affiliated with [[Jim Crow]] laws. the modern [[Democratic Party]] has shed its ties with the KKK.<ref>Earl Black, "the Rise of the Southern Republicans," Harvard University Press 2002.</ref> Another, whose membership in the Klan is more recent, is [[David Duke]], who was a Democrat at the time of his official membership with the Klan, and after leaving served as a [[Louisiana]] Republican Representative and as chairman of the party in St. Tammany Parish while maintaining his ties to white supremacist organizations like the NAAWP, which he founded. Despite being in the minority, Duke authored the anti-Affirmative Action House Bill 1013 (1990) which was passed by
the Democratic majority controlled Louisianna State Legislature.

==Further reading==
*John Edgerton, ''Poverty Palace: How the Southern Poverty Law Center got rich fighting the Klan,'' The Progressive (July, 1988).
*[http://nypress.com/15/39/news&columns/mediapolitics2.cfm Best Source of Misplaced Paranoia ], New York Sun.
*[http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/events/conferences/watchdog2/4th_panel_nonprof.html Nieman Watchdog Project. Nonprofit Organizations. Spring 1999 Conference].
*Raymond A. Schroth, [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1141/is_44_36/ai_66888046 HATE.COM - Morris Dees and HBO documentary receive negative assessment], National Catholic Reporter, Oct 13, 2000.
[[category:United States History]]

Anne Frank

2007-06-04T02:24:55Z

Sevenstring:

[[Image:Anne Frank.jpg|right|thumb]]
'''Anne Frank''' was a [[Jewish]] girl who was raised in [[Holland]] during the [[Nazi]] occupation. She, her family, and another family hid in a secret annex above her father's office for over a year until they were captured and brought to a [[concentration camp]]. None of them survived, except her father, Otto Frank. He found her diary and had it published. ''Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl'' was sold all over the world and remains a very popular and inspiring book.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frank, Anne}}
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Women]]
[[Category:World War II]]

Talk:Cindy Sheehan

2007-06-04T02:24:12Z

Sevenstring:

Germany

2007-06-04T02:23:07Z

Sevenstring: Ummm.. Anne Frank was Dutch, right?

{| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" style="margin-left:5px"
|align="center" colspan="2"|[[Image:GermanyMap.gif|250px]]
|-
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: white no-repeat scroll top left;"|Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Federal Republic of Germany
|-
!colspan="2" align="center" style="color: black; height: 30px; background: white no-repeat scroll top left;"|[[Image:Flag of Germany.JPG|250px]]
Flag of Germany
|-
|Capital
|Berlin
|-
|Government
|Federal Republic (parliamentary)
|-
|Official Language
|[[German language|German]]
|-
|President
|Horst Köhler
|-
|Chancellor
|Angela Merkel
|-
|Area
|137,858 sq. miles
|-
|Population (2006)
|82,310,000
|-
|GDP (2006)
|$3.045 trillion
|-
|GDP per capita (2006)
|$36,975
|-
|}

'''Germany''' (official name: '''Federal Republic of Germany''') is a federally organized [[Democracy]] in Western [[Europe]] with a population of about 82.4 million. The capital city and seat of government is [[Berlin]].

As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation, Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. The central German bank, the [[Bundesbank]], has historically been the most influential force within the financial markets of the European Union.

==History==

The emergence of Germany as a nation in its own right came later than for most European powers. The German-speaking areas of Europe had historically been parts of diverse other nations, among them [[Prussia]], [[Austria]], and the [[Holy Roman Empire]], along with numerous smaller principiates.

===Early Germanic Tribes===
The first distinct Germanic tribes emerged around 100BC in northern Germany, and are usually thought to have migrated south from [[Scandinavia]]. From there, the tribes continued to expand, coming in contact with the [[Celts]] of [[Gaul]] in the west, and Slavic tribes to the east. However, not much is known about the early Germanic people due to the lack of a written language. Most of what is known is due to contact with the [[Roman Empire]] and archaeological digs. To the rest of the world, the Germanic tribes inhabited a region known as [[Germania]], Latin for "Land of the Germans".<ref>[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/tacitus1.html Medieval Sourcebook Tacitus: Germania]</ref> Soon, the Germanic people began low-intensity coflict with the Roman Empire, climaxing at the [[Battle of the Teutoburg Forest]]. From this point, the Germanic tribes began winning battles against the Romans. In 410AD, The Germanic tribes assisted the [[Visigoths]] under [[Alaric I]] in sacking the city of [[Rome]].<ref>[http://www.vinland.org/scamp/grove/kreich/chapter7.html The Sack of Rome]</ref> This was a blow to the Western Empire, but not a killing one as the capital had moved to Ravenna in 402 AD. But in 476 AD, dissatisfied German mercanaries led by Odoacer captured Ravenna and deposed Emperor Romulus Augustulus. Since Odoacer refused to assume the title of Emperor, this date is generally considered to be the official end of the Western Roman Empire.<ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/65/od/Odoacer.html]</ref>

===The Holy Roman Empire (843–1806)===

The medieval German empire originated from the division of the [[Carolingian Empire]] in 843, and was known as the ''Holy Roman Empire''. It gradually expanded through the addition of Lorraine, Saxony, Franconia, Thuringia, and Bavaria, and the German king was crowned [[Holy Roman Emperor]] of these regions in 962. Under the reign of the [[Salian]] emperors (1024–1125), the Holy Roman Empire absorbed northern [[Italy]] and Burgundy. The edict of the Golden Bull in 1356 provided the constitution of the empire; it established the election of the emperor by seven Prince-Electors, each of whom ruled one of the more powerful principalities or archbishoprics. Notably, one of these Electors, George Louis the Elector of Hanover (1660-1727), was recruited by the heirless [[Great Britain]] in 1714 to become its king, taking the name George I.

===The Reformation===

In 1517, [[Martin Luther]] wrote his [[The 95 Theses|95 Theses]] questioning the [[Roman Catholic Church]], an act which began the [[Protestant Reformation]]. A separate [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] church was acknowledged as the new sanctioned religion in many states of Germany in 1530. Religious conflicts known as the 30 Years War pitted Protestant German states against Catholic one, and devastated the former Empire. The [[Peace of Westphalia]] (1648) ended religious warfare in Germany, but the empire broke down into numerous independent principalities. From 1740 onwards, the dualism between the Austrian [[Habsburg Monarchy]] and the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] dominated German history. In 1806, the ''Imperium'' was overrun and dissolved as a result of the [[Napoleonic Wars]].

===Nationalism===

It was not until after the fall of French Emperor [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] in 1814 that the [[German Confederation]], a loosely-organized league of 39 states, began to lay the ground for nationhood. Numerous conflicts between these sates marked the first half of the nineteenth century, and it was not until [[Otto von Bismarck]]'s ascension as Prime Minister of [[Prussia]] in mid-century that something resembling the modern sense of "Germany" came into being. Austria was, however, not a part of this new [[North German Confederation]]. After the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian war in 1871, the German Empire was formally proclaimed, under [[Wilhelm I]], with its capital in [[Berlin]].

Aggressive nationalism fostered under the second empire of 1871, given greater impetus by the hubris of Kaiser Wilhelm II, and perverted into Nazism by the shock of defeat and the economic travails of the 1920s immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious [[Allied powers]] of the [[USA]], [[UK]], [[France]], and the [[Soviet Union]] in 1945.

===Post WWII History===

With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western [[Germany|Federal Republic of Germany]] (FRG) and the eastern [[German Democratic Republic]] (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the [[EC]], which became the [[European Union]] (EU), and the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO), while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the [[Cold War]] allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern infra structure up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European currency, the [[euro]].

===The states (Bundesländer) and their capitals===

(in alphabetical order)

Baden-Württemberg - Stuttgart

Bayern - München

Berlin - Berlin

Brandenburg - Potsdam

Bremen - Bremen

Hamburg - Hamburg

Hessen - Wiesbaden

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - Schwerin

Niedersachsen - Hannover

Nordrhein-Westfalen - Düsseldorf

Rheinland-Pfalz - Mainz

Saarland - Saarbrücken

Sachsen - Dresden

Sachsen-Anhalt - Magdeburg

Schleswig-Holstein - Kiel

Thüringen - Erfurt

===Tourism===

[[Image:The_castle3.jpg|left|thumb|Neuschwanstein Castle, a popular tourist destination.]]

== Economic Overview ==

Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy - the fifth largest in the world in [[PPP]] terms - showed considerable improvement in 2006 with 2.7% growth. After a long period of stagnation with an average growth rate of 0.7% between 2001-05 and chronically high unemployment, stronger growth has led to a considerable fall in unemployment to about 8% at the end of 2006. Among the most important reasons for Germany's high unemployment during the past decade were [[macroeconomic]] stagnation, the declining level of investment in plant and equipment, company restructuring, flat domestic consumption, structural rigidities in the labor market, lack of competition in the service sector, and high interest rates. The modernization and integration of the eastern German economy continues to be a costly long-term process, with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $80 billion. The former government of Chancellor [[Gerhard Schroeder]] launched a comprehensive set of reforms of labor market and [[welfare]]-related institutions. The current government of Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] has initiated other reform measures, such as a gradual increase in the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67 and measures to increase female participation in the labor market. Germany's aging population, combined with high chronic unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions, but higher government revenues from the cyclical upturn in 2006 reduced Germany's budget deficit to within the EU's 3% debt limit. Corporate restructuring and growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could help Germany meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration and globalization.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gm.html] CIA World Factbook</ref>

==Politics==
===Political Parties===
The political parties represented in the German [[parliament]] ([[Bundestag]]) are:

*[[Christian Democratic Union of Germany]] (CDU) - center-right
*Christian Social Union of [[Bavaria]] (CSU) - conservative
*Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) - center-left
*Free Democratic Party (FDP) - liberal, centrist
*Alliance '90 / The Greens (Grüne) - left, green
*The Left Party - far left, partly communist

'''Note:''' CDU and CSU traditionally form a common parliamentary faction. The CSU only acts in Bavaria, the CDU in the other states.

==Government==
===Executive Branch===
Germany has a President as [[Head of State]]. However, his political power is small. The actual political power and head of government is the Chancellor ("Bundeskanzler"). The current Chancellor is [[Angela Merkel|Dr. Angela Merkel]]. The current government [http://www.bundesregierung.de] is a coalition between the two largest parties, the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD).

==Famous Germans==
*[[Johann Sebastian Bach]]
*[[Pope Benedict XVI]]
*[[Ludwig van Beethoven]]
*[[Albert Einstein]]
*[[Friedrich Engels]]
*[[Georg Friedrich Händel]]
*[[Dietrich Buxtehude]]
*[[Ernst August von Hannover]]
*[[Daniel Fahrenheit]]
*[[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]]
*[[Henry Kissinger]]
*[[Martin Luther]]
*[[Karl Marx]]
*[[Dirk Nowitzki]]
*[[Friedrich Nietzsche]]
*[[Friedrich Schiller]]
*[[Richard Wagner]]
*[[Otto von Bismarck]]
*[[Wernher von Braun]]
*[[Thomas Mann]]
*[[Hannah Arendt]]
*[[Rosa Luxemburg]]
*[[Marlene Dietrich]]
*[[Käthe Kollwitz]]
*[[Angela Merkel]]
*[[Gutenberg|Johannes Gutenberg]]
*[[Franz Beckenbauer]]
*[[Boris Becker]]
*[[Michael Schumacher]]
*[[Günter Grass]]
*[[Heinrich Böll]]
*[[Wim Wenders]]
*[[Roland Emmerich]]
*[[Rainer Werner Fassbinder]]
*[[Bertolt Brecht]]
*[[Loriot]]
*[[Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen]]
*[[Konrad Adenauer]]
*[[Friedrich Händel]]
*[[Joseph Haydn]]
*[[Otto Hahn]]
*[[Liese Meitner]]
*[[Werner Heisenberg]]
*[[Heinrich Hesse]]
*[[Albrecht Dürer]]
*[[Tillman Bitterberg]]

==War on Terror==
Germany currently contributes troops to the NATO-led ISAF operation in [[Afghanistan]], but did not support the invasion of [[Iraq]]. German military participates in NATO Force Protection Program, protecting US military bases located in Germany.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Germany| ]]
[[Category:NATO members]]
[[Category:EU Members]]

Talk:Cindy Sheehan

2007-06-04T02:19:23Z

Sevenstring:

Talk:Cindy Sheehan

2007-06-04T02:14:39Z

Sevenstring:

Karl Marx

2007-06-04T02:09:59Z

Sevenstring: No serious article on Marx can leave out the Manifesto.

[[Image:KarlMarx.jpg|right|frame]]
'''Karl Marx''' (1818-1883) was a [[Germany|German]] economist who sought to set [[socialism]] and [[communism]] on, what he saw as, a scientific basis. Marx was born in Prussia, educated in Germany, and a writer in London.

Marx saw "primitive" socialist thought as fundamentally a moral movement with no base in a practical science. Marx's solution was to ground an analysis of society on his principle of dialectical materialism.

Dialectic was a principle created by German philosopher [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel]] which, although ferociously complex in his works, is based on the fairly straightforward conception of action and reaction. A situation arises that is less than perfect ("thesis") which provokes a reaction ("antithesis"), eventually a settlement is reached ("synthesis") which, is still far from perfect and provokes its own antithesis. Hegel saw the driving force of changes being the "Geist", variously translated as "spirit" or "mind". Marx took the dialectic and replaced Geist with materialism, at root the metabolism of man. To put it bluntly: you've got to eat!.

The necessity for material sustenance gives rise to an imperfect means of production, which changes as the internal contradictions of thesis and antithesis work themselves out. A key feature of Marx's sociology was that the competition for resources splits society into mutually antagonistic classes ("The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.") whilst the operation of the dialectic serves to continually reduce the numbers of classes until, in the industrial age, society was almost wholly split between "bourgeoisie" and "proletariat".

"''Das Kapital''" ("''Capital''") seeks to demonstrate that the bourgeoisie make profits by exploitation of the proletariat. The exploitation arises where the value of the goods produced by workers is much more than the wages paid, and this "[[surplus value]]" is literally stolen from workers by owners. Marx sought to show that the competition amongst the bourgeoisie forced them to exploit their workers as much as possible. If an individual bourgeois refused to continue the exploitation he would soon be forced into bankruptcy or be taken over by someone who would. The result is a relentless increase in the misery of the proletariat who, eventually, would rebel and replace the existing capitalist system with a socialist/communist system. In what is perhaps his best-known work, the "''Communist Manifesto''," Marx went into greater detail about how this revolution would unfold. .As well as proposing an economic system Marx also had modern views on education, he advocated education for all including women and the lower classes who at the time were without any education.

Mikhail Bakunin observed how rather than discussion of issues, the tried and tested method of leftism and Marxism was spread through the art of character assassination, <ref>Guy A. Aldred, ''Bakunin'', Strickland Press, Glasgow, (1940). </ref> close associates of Marx were adept in the art of
{{Cquote|cowardly, odious and perfidious insinuations. They seldom make open accusation, but they insinuate, saying they "have heard - it is said - it may not be true, but', and then they hurl the most abominable calumnies in your face.}}

===Views on Religion===
Marx is considered very controversial in religious circles for his statement, "Religion...is the opium of the masses." This was written in his 1843 work "A Contribution to the [http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1843/critique-hpr/intro.htm Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right]" and expresses Marx's belief that religion offers a false palliative to assuage the suffering of "the oppressed", which in his view essentially blames faith in God as the hinderance to carrying out the Marxist program.

Karl Marx is often labeled an [[anti-semite]] or a self-hating Jew for his statements such as, "Money is the jealous god of Israel, in face of which no other god may exist", "The god of the Jews has become secularized and has become the god of the world. The bill of exchange is the real god of the Jew. His god is only an illusory bill of exchange", and "What is the worldly religion of the Jew? Huckstering. What is his worldly God? Money".

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marx, Karl}}
[[Category:Political people]]
[[Category:Communists]]

Talk:Cindy Sheehan

2007-06-04T01:59:43Z

Sevenstring:

Iran Hostage Crisis

2007-06-03T20:39:35Z

Sevenstring: True, but not relevant to this article.

[[Image:US_Iran.gif|right|Iranian radicals burn the American flag atop the embassy.]]The '''Iran Hostage Crisis''' was a 444-day standoff at the [[United States|U.S.]] embassy in [[Tehran]], [[Iran]]. On November 4, 1979, members of the [[Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line]] (a radical [[Islam|Muslim]] [[terrorist]] group) seized the American embassy, taking 66 hostages. By January 20, 1981, all hostages were released just moments after [[Ronald Reagan]] was sworn in as [[President of the United States of America|President]].<ref>http://www.historyguy.com/iran-us_hostage_crisis.html</ref>

==Background==
===World War II===
During [[World War II]], [[Reza Shah]], the Shah of Iran, had entertained the idea of joining the [[Axis Powers]] of [[Nazi Germany]], [[Fascist]] [[Italy]], and [[Empire|Imperial]] [[Japan]]. The Iranians, like the Nazis, were extremely anti-[[Judaism|Semetic]] and supported the [[Holocaust]]. In 1941, in a necessary pre-emptive strike to prevent the acquisition of vital oil supply lines by the Nazis, the [[Allies]] invaded Iran to depose the monarch. He abdicated, letting his son, [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]], assume power. America established good relations with the new monarch, whose country proved to be a worthy ally during the [[Cold War]] after the Soviets withdrew under U. S. pressure in 1946. Britain subsequently redeployed its forces to other points throughout its empire. The U.S. gave economic and military aid to Iran, while Iran provided the U.S. military with oil. Iran's strategic location, combined with American military aid, prevented the [[Soviet Union]] from gaining control of the [[Persian Gulf]].

===Operation Ajax===
In 1953, the [[communism|communist]]-leaning Prime Minister of Iran, [[Mohammed Mossadegh]], nationalized American- and British-owned oil companies, including the [[Anglo-American Oil Company]]. The [[CIA]], with aid from British [[MI6]], removed Mossadegh and his Islamo-Communist allies from power in [[Operation Ajax]]<ref>http://www.ardeshirzahedi.org/cia-iran.pdf</ref>. Reza Pahlavi was restored to power. Despite all the [[Western World|Western]] aid and intervention in preventing a Soviet takeover, the removal of the popular Mossadegh created anti-American sentiment in some of the Iranian people. The U.S.'s support for [[Israel]] also enraged many [[Anti-Semitism|anti-Semetic]] Iranians.

===Iranian Revolution===
The hatred of American support finally came to a boiling point in 1979. The [[Iranian Revolution]] transformed Iran from the [[monarchy]] under the pro-American [[Shah]] [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]], to an [[theocracy|Islamic republic]] under the [[Ayatollah]] [[Ruhollah Khomeini]] that allied with the [[Marxism|Marxist]] [[Tudeh Party]]. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who had gained power after the British and Soviet-led invasion during World War II, was forced to flee to the United States to seek surgery for [[cancer]] in October. The Ayatollah referred to the U.S. as "the Great Satan" and maintained that the American government was protecting Pahlavi and supporting the royalist troops who were continuing to engage the rebels in [[guerilla warfare]]. The Iranian public believed the Ayatollah's propaganda, and assumed that the U.S. would soon invade to depose Khomeini and re-instal Pahlavi. The Ayatollah called for his student followers to storm the U.S. embassay and take all Americans captive.

==The Attack==
===Planning===
The idea of attacking the embassy was first proposed in September of 1979, by Ebrahim Asgharzadeh to four fellow university students. Asgharzadeh later said his aim was "to object against the American government by going to their embassy and occupying it for several hours. Announcing our objections from within the occupied compound would carry our message to the world in a much more firm and effective way."<ref>http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200412/bowden</ref> Upon learning they had followed through with their plans, Khomeini called it "The second revolution: the take-over of the American spy den in Tehran."
===Action===
On November 4, 1979, the 300 radical [[Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line]] stormed the embassy. The gate was broken open by a pair of metal cutters that one student hid under her [[hijab]]. Some poured in through the open gates, while others scaled the walls. Iranian police were cooperative, and took no action. Sixty-six American hostages were taken prisoner inside the percieved safety of their embassy.

Three weeks after the initial attack, the Iranians released thirteen female and black prisoners, claiming they were sympathetic to the "oppressed minorities". Another hostage would later be diagnosed with [[multiple sclerosis]] and would be released in July of 1980 to seek medical treatment. The remaining 52 hostages, however, were frequently blindfolded or hooded and paraded before news cameras at the orders of Khomeini.

===American Reaction===
The American public united in outrage at this rash action against the United States. Many Iranians living in the U.S. were deported when they were discovered to be supporters of the [[Iranian Revolution|revolution]]. Americans called upon President [[Jimmy Carter]] to act. However, Carter only ceased oil imports from Iran. Seeing Carter's failure to defend the Americans, Khomeini commented that the "action has many benefits. ... This has united our people. Our opponents [Carter] do not dare act against us." Khomeini added supported from the People's Mujahedin of Iran (a [[terrorist]] group) to his support from the Islamists, when he adopted the slogan "America can't do a damned thing." Together, the Muslim radicals and their Communist allies purged the country of all opposition, citing pro-Americanism as an offense in many executions. The American public continued to urge the President to take justified military action to protect his people. Carter answered by simply arranging for a [[Canada|Canadian]] ambassador to be sent to interview the hostages.

His ill-considered attempt at a rescue mission sealed his fate as the most hated U.S. president in the history of the U.S. armed forces (see [[Operation Eagle Claw]]).

==Consequences==
[[Image:Hostage.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Future Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (left), and another fellow radical, escort an American hostage.]]
Ultimately, it would be [[Iraq]] who would unwittingly cause the release of the prisoners. In September 1980, Iraqi President [[Saddam Hussein]] invaded Iran, forcing the Iranian government to turn to the [[United States]] for support. Carter eventually authorized an $8 billion ransom for the release of the prisoners. The damage, however, had been done. The American people had lost faith in Carter due to his poor leadership in times of crisis. Ironically, the [[1980 Presidential Election]] was held on the one-year anniversary of the attack. Largely due to the hostage crisis, [[California]] Governor [[Ronald Reagan]] was overwhelmingly elected. Reagan’s campaign platform included restoring American power and influence abroad. Immediately after Reagan took the [[Presidential Oath of Office]] on January 20, the hostages were flown out of Iran after 444 days of captivity.

==Mahmoud Ahmadinejad==
The current President of Iran, [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]], according to many of the former hostages, is one of their captors. The Iranian government has denied that Ahmadinejad was one of the [[Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line]].

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Iran]]

Waning immunity

2007-06-03T17:26:04Z

Sevenstring:

Waning immunity is the loss of protective [[antibodies]] over time.

Vaccines often have waning effect against antibodies which evolve the ability to resist them.
[[Category:Medicine]]

Waning immunity

2007-06-03T17:09:17Z

Sevenstring:

Waning immunity is the loss of protective [[antibodies]] over time.

Vaccines often have waning immunity against antibodies which evolve the ability to resist them.
[[Category:Medicine]]