Snipets from the news

ISLAMOPHOBIA IS A FICTION. HONEST!
The Guardian reports that British universities to spy on their students.

Lecturers and university staff across Britain are to be asked to spy on "Asian-looking" and Muslim students they suspect of involvement in Islamic extremism and supporting terrorist violence.

Maybe instead of judging people by their skin color, authorities should pay more attention to what students say and do.

Reliance on such an inane strategy would never have caught suspected terrorists Richard Reed or José Padilla, because they aren't 'Asian looking.'

Israel's national airline understands how pointless racial profiling is. That's why they don't use it. The result: no hijackings in over 30 years.

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A HIGHER GAS TAX?
The latest prominent economist to advocate a gas tax increase in order to reduce consumption: former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan.

I'm not sure yet where I stand on this. I'd like to see more money be spent on alternative forms of transportation and energy BEFORE any such idea be implemented. Raising the cost of gasoline before viable alternatives are made more widespread will punish the poor most of all.

But it caught my eye that someone as famously cautious as Greenspan would endorse such a move.

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I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE MOUSE...
'Los Angeles Boy Scouts Learn Copyright Law,' reports NPR.

All scout troops award activity patches and merit badges for hiking, forestry and citizenship. In Los Angeles there's now an anti-piracy patch. For scouts to earn the anti-piracy patch, they must first learn the basics of copyright law.

I'm sorry but there is something about this that seems uncomfortably close to indoctrination.

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WHAT WOULD GEORGE DO?
The AP reports that many governments around the world have tried to rebut criticism of how they handle detainees by claiming they are only following the U.S. example in fighting terrorism.

This isn't really surprising. If the most self-righteous, moralizing government in the world doesn't have to follow international law or otherwise respect its treaty obligations, then why should anyone else?

I know the Bush administration wanted to be seen as a global leader and trend setter. I didn't realize that this is what they meant by it.

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CONGRESS BACKS OFF BULLYING FOR THE GOOD OF JUSTICE
Congress actually did something good!

They amended the law to stop punishing countries that have signed the Rome Treaty to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The ICC was created to try criminals, such as militia leaders that abduct children to be soldiers or sex slaves, from countries where the justice system is non-existent, corrupt or politicized.

US critics of the ICC complained that the court could be used as a political instrument to engage in vendettas against the United States thus putting at risk American servicemen. However, a clause was inserted into the Rome Treaty (at the request of the US, who subsequently still refused to ratify the document) that any ICC investigation can be halted by permanent members of the Security Council.

The US is a permanent member of the Security Council.

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UN APPRECIATED EVEN AMONG REPUBLICANS
Speaking of the UN, the international body may be the focus of harsh rhetoric by the far right but a recent poll suggests that it has far more support amongst the US population, including Republicans, than many people realize.

-78 percent of Americans believe “it is in America's best interest to continue to actively support the United Nations", including 61 percent of Republicans.

-76 percent of Americans believe “recent events prove we need to make the United Nations stronger so it can do more to address problems like terrorism and weapons of mass destruction", including 69 percent of Republicans. Note that the poll question said 'stronger' not 'more submissive.'

-74 percent of Americans believe “ t he U.S. needs the UN now more than ever because we cannot bear all the burden and cannot afford to pay to go it alone around the world", including 59 percent of Republicans.

-73 percent of Americans agree with the following statement: “ The United Nations was created after World War Two to help put an end to global warfare. It is frustrating, but it works. There have been no world wars since then and the United Nations has played a critical role because it provides each nation a forum to air grievances and to work out problems to help stop major conflicts. That is a role no other organization plays and it is a role that is more important than ever today", including 56 percent of Republicans.

Perhaps Sen. Norm Coleman will find another scapegoat to further his ambition.

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BBC LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST... TRANSPARENCY?!
It's hardly a surprise to learn that watchdogs get very testy when someone watches them.

The BBC is fighting in the courts the release of a report on the Corporation's coverage of issues in the Middle East.

A news organization is fighting AGAINST a freedom of information request. This decision shows shocking judgement by the highly respected broadcaster.

The BBC looks just as slimy and secretive as the politicians its reports regularly expose. They are acting guilty and this cloak-and-dagger opacity reflects far worse on them than whatever the report says. And as a publicly funded organization, they should not be acting like this.

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THE WRONG TARGET
President Bush recently signed a bill that created a long fence between the US and Mexico.

Bush commented, "Ours is a nation of immigrants - we're also a nation of law."

Many Americans might be heartened by the president's change of heart on finally respecting the rule of law.

However, the Mexican government's reaction caught my eye.

"I'm sure that the United States is committing a grave mistake in building this fence." Outgoing Mexican President Vicente Fox called the plans "shameful".

While Mexican President-elect Felipe Calderon said the fence was "a grave mistake" which would lead to more Mexican deaths on the border and that "the fence doesn't resolve anything".

I'm on record as saying all immigration from Mexico should be legalized under NAFTA.

That said, maybe everyone would be better off if the conservative Mexican government worried less about what the US does on its side of the border and worried more about remedying the economic conditions which cause some many Mexicans to flee the country (and risk their lives in the process) in the first place!