Don't shed too many tears
"Anyone who is different today faces harassment, whether it is in the way he dresses, or in the position he takes on important issues. And when the price of being different is a cold fear, with good reason, then freedom as we peddle it in our international publicity releases is gone. If and when it disappears, it won't be stolen by big government, the tax collector, or the Supreme Court. Fascism will be the people's choice. It usually is. We've managed to avoid it so far only because nobody nutty enough to give the people what they want has come along. Yet. "~Mike Royko
"I believe that ignorance is the root of all evil.
And that no one knows the truth."~Molly Ivins
“Liberals feel unworthy of their possessions. Conservatives feel they deserve everything they've stolen.”~Mort Sahl
Been talking to 4th, 5th, and 7th graders about complimentary colors and made this oil pastel painting
These ancestral connections may have influenced Paulsen’s position on illegal immigration; “All the problems we face in the United States today,” said Paulsen, “can be traced to an unenlightened immigration policy on the part of the American Indian.
Rob Hubler, Democratic candidate for Iowa's Fifth Congressional District, says the incumbent, Steve King, is obligated to elaborate on why he refused to sign a letter asking Congress' Armed Services Committees that the head of the National Guard Bureau become part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. King is the only Iowa lawmaker in Washington whose name is not on the request.
“If you think the Democrats are going to take away your bible, you’re an idiot. If you think they’re going to take away your gun, you’re an armed idiot. And if you think they’re going to take away your gun and give it to a Mexican to kill your god, you’re Bill O’Reilly.” ~ Bill Mahr
Associated Press - April 1, 2008 12:15 PM ET
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) - A comedian who's run for president eight times since 1968 has joined the 2008 campaign.
The punchline? Pat Paulsen died in April 1997.
To mark April's status as National Humor Month, Paulsen's hat has been thrown into the presidential ring again.
His widow and campaign manager, Noma Paulsen, has just announced the winners of the Pat Paulsen for President 2008 Campaign Slogan Contest. Among the winners was Joel Goodman of Saratoga Springs with the slogan "Pat Paulsen '08: Never Say Die!"
Goodman, director of The Humor Project Inc., has also agreed to become Paulsen's New York campaign manager.
Paulsen first launched his satiric campaign for the presidency on the stage of the "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" in 1968.
On the Web: http://www.paulsen.com
I found a couple of really dilapidated photos of my goddaughter from 98 or so. They were darkroom prints that weren't developed right, so they faded fast and had some chemical marks. A little Photoshop fun and no, they're not good as new, but they are funky and artsy-fartsy!
Clarence Hoffman has been the Iowa State Representative from the 55th District, a sort of dog-legged shape district that stretches across southern Woodbury, all of Ida, the western half of Crawford and the northeast corner of Monona counties. He has served in the Iowa House of Representatives since 1998.
So here is my beautiful new logo for my freelancing designer/photographer/cartoonist business (which hasn't really made me much money yet, but what the heck)!
To the editor:
By the end of this month, Representative Clarence Hoffman (my father) will retire after 10 years of service to Iowa and the people of District 55. As his son, I admit that my opinion is biased; yet, I hope that this brief story of the events of April 9, which I was able to witness, will prove meaningful and maybe even inspirational to the readers of your paper.
First, let me provide a little context. The day began with nearly 4 hours of debate over the local options sales tax bill. Ten years ago, Clarence was one of three Republicans to break with his party to pass this legislation and on April 9, he again broke with his party to renew the bill for the next 20 years. In addition to granting needed property tax relief, the bill provides for the continuation (not addition) of one penny of sales tax for schools. The proceeds of this tax from across Iowa are pooled and then distributed to schools equally on a per student basis. What that means is that Iowa’s retail centers do not get to keep all the tax revenue for their local schools; it means that more dollars come into rural community schools to make sure that every child in the state of Iowa has an equal opportunity to get the best education…an Iowa education. Passing the bill was a victory for rural Iowa, but it came at the price of unusually harsh criticism directed toward Representative Hoffman from party leadership.
Directly following the passage of this bill, Representative Hoffman was invited to give his farewell speech to the members of the House. Some in the Republican leadership were so angry that they left the room; they missed a rare moment. Clarence went around the room thanking Republicans and Democrats by name for their various forms of support and friendship over the years, and he called them to continue to trust one another being Iowans first, Republicans and Democrats second. He even thanked, by name, the very members of party leadership who had moments earlier so harshly criticized him for breaking with the party line.
When Representative Hoffman finished, he received a long, sustained standing ovation. Moments later, a line stretched half way across the house chamber with members of both parties waiting to say thank you and farewell. I spoke with more representatives than and I can remember and several, members of both parties, noted that Clarence’s had been the longest ovation they had witnessed in as many as 12 years in the House.
Am I proud of my dad? You better believe it. But in that moment, I was also overwhelmed with pride to be an Iowan and an American. I’ll admit that I have often been tempted to give up on the partisan, cut-throat politics of winners and losers that so often characterizes our system of government. However, on April 9, I saw a rare moment of reward and recognition for a man who has endured working in the crossfire of politicians far on the right and on the left in order to create a better Iowa, and I will forever be changed for the better because of it.
Sincerely,
John Hoffman
I went to college with John and his brother Louis. We consider Clarence and Lynn dear family friends. They were an important part of our church and the community back when they lived in Charter Oak. Obviously we're going to have some political differences, but it has always been my experience that unlike many of his colleagues (in both parties) Clarence has always striven to serve with both intelligence and integrity. So this standing ovation was well deserved. I told John that I just wish that his Dad would run for Congress and unseat his party's embarrassing Steve King. But you can't always get what you want.
The Hoffmans have lots of reason to be proud of Clarence and I would like to recognize him and thank him for his selfless and charactered service to Western Iowa. There's a reason he's run unopposed for so many years, and it's not because the Dems can't field a candidate, nor is it because the district is just so overwhelmingly Republican - it's because people know Clarence and trust Clarence.
That's why when John asked me for the email addresses of some of the local newspaper editors around here, I asked him if it would be alright to post this to my blog as well. Of course I don't know how much Clarence will appreciate me posting it just above where I accused a bunch of Republicans of being war criminals, but hey, that's the joy of friendships in small towns- you let some things go and overlook others because it's what's in their hearts that truly matters.
"Well done, good and faithful servant" ~Matthew 25:23
The Nuremberg Principles were a set of guidelines for determining what constitutes a war crime. The principles were created by necessity during the Nuremberg Trials of Nazi party members following World War II, Under UN General Assembly and have been international law since adopted in 1950.
Any person who commits an act which constitutes a crime under international law is responsible therefore and liable to punishment.
The fact that internal law does not impose a penalty for an act which constitutes a crime under international law does not relieve the person who committed the act from responsibility under international law.
The fact that a person who committed an act which constitutes a crime under international law acted as Head of State or responsible government official does not relieve him from responsibility under international law.
The fact that a person acted pursuant to order of his Government or of a superior does not relieve him from responsibility under international law, provided a moral choice was in fact possible to him.
Any person charged with a crime under international law has the right to a fair trial on the facts and law.
The crimes hereinafter set out are punishable as crimes under international law:
(a) Crimes against peace:
(i) Planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances;
(ii) Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the acts mentioned under (i).
(b) War Crimes:
Violations of the laws or customs of war which include, but are not limited to, murder, ill-treatment or deportation of slave labor or for any other purpose of the civilian population of or in occupied territory; murder or ill-treatment of prisoners of war or persons on the Seas, killing of hostages, plunder of public or private property, wanton destruction of cities, towns, or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity.
(c) Crimes against humanity:
Murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation and other inhumane acts done against any civilian population, or persecutions on political, racial, or religious grounds, when such acts are done or such persecutions are carried on in execution of or in connection with any crime against peace or any war crime.
Complicity in the commission of a crime against peace, a war crime, or a crime against humanity as set forth in Principle VI is a crime under international law.
War Criminals under Principle VI (a): CIA Director George Tennent, Pentagon official Douglas Fife, Deputy Defence Director Paul Wolfowitz, National Security Advisor and Attorney General Anthony Gonzales, National Security Advisor and Secretary of Statel Condaleeza Rice, Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheny, and President George W. Bush
And don’t forget Principle VI (b): Do the terms, “water-boarding, torture, or Abu Ghraib” mean anything?
Here's a picture of my fellow art teacher, Grant Wood, and I hanging out near his studio in Cedar Rapids. We were painting placid scenes of Iowa prairies when he needed a smoke break. Me, I don't smoke, but I do like to lean against trees in Cedar Rapids.
