SUNLIT UPLANDS

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop Myers Keep the Scandal Alive

From CatholicCulture.org

By Philip F. Lawler

Last Friday I was rejoicing over the news that one American archbishop, at least, finally seemed to “get it” regarding the sex-abuse scandal. Now I’m afraid I was celebrating too soon. Within hours the smile had been wiped off my face, by two separate incidents that showed how thoroughly many bishops have missed the point.

Two Children to be Tried for Insulting Islam in Egypt as Anti-Christian Hostility Escalates

Coptic Christians Persecuted in Egypt

Among files on arrested converts from Islam, kidnapped Christian girls and beaten monks piling up on the desk of a noted lawyer in Egypt, on top is the case of two boys about to be tried for allegedly showing contempt of Islam.

Attorney Karam Gabriel said anti-Christian hostilities in the restive country are getting worse as the two boys are to be tried in a court in Beni Suef – the same city where a mother and her seven children were convicted last month for reconverting to Christianity – for showing "contempt to Islamic religion and insulting the Koran."

The accusation against Nabil Naji Rizq and Mina Atallah (identified in some press reports as Mina Nadi Faraj), who were 10 and 9 years old respectively at the time of their arrest in late September, of insulting the Koran made headlines throughout the country after a man saw them playing in rubbish that he claimed included pages from the Koran. Accusing them of tearing pages of Islam's holy book – a later version of the story had them allegedly urinating on it – he filed a report that led to the arrest of the two children. They were released in early October.

Read more at The Christian Post >>

Peter Robinson Interviews Former Senator James L. Buckley

Author and former Senator James Buckley discusses the transformation of the federal government and the challenges we face after the 2012 election.

Is America Ensnared in an Endless War?

By Patrick J. Buchanan

"When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal."

So said Richard Nixon in his interviews with David Frost. Nixon was talking about wiretaps and surreptitious entries to protect lives and safeguard national security in a violent and anarchic war decade.

The Nixon haters pronounced themselves morally sickened.

Fast forward to our new century. For, since 9/11, we have heard rather more extravagant claims by American presidents.

Lindsey Graham and Barack Hussein Obama - Blood Brothers, War Criminals

As in so many areas of policy, when it comes to indiscriminate, remote control killing from 30,000 feet - even the murder of women and children - Obama and Lindsey Graham see eye-to-eye.

Graham thinks only liberals and libertarians oppose America acting as an international executioner. But we've never been accused of being either. Call us old fashioned, but some conservatives cling to old ideas, such as observing the United States Constitution and Congress actually declaring war before sending troops or drones out to kill anyone.

From Politico

By Ginger Gibson

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) will offer a resolution next week commending President Barack Obama’s use of drones and the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki.

“Every member of Congress needs to get on board,” Graham said. “It’s not fair to the president to let him, leave him out there alone quite frankly. He’s getting hit from libertarians and the left.

“I think the middle of America understands why you would want a drone program to go after a person like Anwar al-Awlaki,” Graham added.

The newest discussions about drones and al-Awlaki comes after the White House sent a memo to members of Congress explaining the reasoning behind their killing of an American citizen who was working for Al Qaeda.

Graham said the resolution will allow for a debate about who the nation is at war with and what proper action during times of war is.

“The process of being targeted I think is legal, quite frankly laborious and should reside in the commander in chief to determine who an enemy combatant is and what kind of force to use,” Graham told reporters on Wednesday.

Graham said judges should not be the ones to decide individual cases of enemy combatants and the courts would uphold the president’s ability to decide.

“If this ever goes to court I guarantee you it will be a slam dunk support of what the administration is doing. I think one of the highlights of President Obama’s first term and the beginning of his second term is the way he’s been able to use drones against terrorists,” Graham said.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Senator Lee Bright Considers Primary Challenge to Lindsey Graham

Senator Lee Bright

We are delighted that conservative and well-respected Senator Lee Bright is considering a primary challenge to South Carolina's traitorous Senator, Lindsey Graham. Just about any political figure in South Carolina would be an improvement over John McCain's shoeshine boy, and all that we know about Senator Bright suggests that he is a principled, movement conservative in the mold of Senator Jim DeMint. We'd like to see who enters the race before committing. We know of a very gifted former county chairman who would make a superb United States Senator. But one thing is for certain -- we will enthusiastically support the conservative in the race with the best chance of defeating the disgraceful quisling who supports so much that South Carolinians oppose.

Senator Graham may have stockpiled millions for the race, but he is a known quantity and we won't be fooled again by hollow, pre-election, conservative rhetoric and saber-rattling. South Carolina needs two votes in the United States Senate, not one cancelling out the other.

It looked on Friday as if Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., might have avoided a primary in 2014, as one of the only remaining potential challengers, state Sen. Tom Davis, decided to take a pass on the Senate race. But on Monday, state Sen. Lee Bright, a fiscal conservative who was recently supported by former Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, for reelection, announced that he is seriously looking at the race.

Bright told Hotline On Call that while Graham did "a wonderful job" during his first six years in Congress, the Republican has moderated his views since he moved to the Senate. "I just don't feel like he represents the interests of South Carolina," Bright said, citing Graham's position on immigration and climate change.

Bright said that he is not yet "100 percent certain" that he'll get into the race, but felt the need to step up after Davis, the entire congressional delegation and a host of other potential challengers indicated that they would not run against Graham. Bright said he is speaking to Republicans throughout the state, including major donors and grassroots groups who would help knock on doors, and that he would made a decision in the next 60 to 90 days.