PUBLIC MARKS from jasontromm

There are stark differences between the manifestations of radical Christianity, as taught by Christ and His true disciples, and radical Islam, as taught by Mohammed and those who have followed his teachings down through the ages. One is radically merciful, the other radically merciless. One is radically redemptive, the other filled with radical retribution. Indeed, sadly, Islam has no concept for forgiveness. Christianity, on the other hand, is all about forgiveness.

As public relations campaigns go, proudly proclaiming "We Had Abortions'" probably isn't going to win any Addy awards. Such is the gist of Ms. Magazine's current campaign to thwart trends toward curtailment of abortion. The Oct. 10 issue of the feminist magazine features a cover story titled "We Had Abortions," as well as a petition signed by thousands of women who, well, have had abortions. And who are not one bit sorry. ()() Bragging about having an abortion is just sick. Women used to be ashamed when they were forced to wear a scarlet letter on their chest.

I'm starting to think that if Jesus Himself came back to earth, there'd be no shortage of people around who would criticize his every move. I guess that's just the way we've become. When I managed to convince the hateful, horrible members of the Westboro Baptist Church to call off their planned "protests" outside the funerals of the little Amish girls in Pennsylvania, I didn't expect to get a ticker tape parade or anything. In fact, I wasn't looking to do anything at all except figure out how to use my radio show to thwart these people from hurting the Amish mourners any further.

It couldn't be a more bizarre political scene; just look at the various positions being taken. The Democrats are howling, demanding the head of a gay Republican congressman on a platter – together with everyone else's in the Republican leadership. The congressman, Mark Foley, checked himself into a rehab clinic, and soon the Democrats were hotly denying that Foley had an addiction problem, noting that nobody ever saw him drink. I am certainly not defending Foley. I would be calling for his head even without the allegations the boy was underage. But the whole specter of the Democrats demanding the heads of the Republican leadership over moral issues that the Democrats defend as a matter of policy is, to say the least, bizarre. Maybe otherworldly in the depth and breadth of their hypocrisy.

At least liberals are finally exhibiting a moral compass about something. I am sure that they'd be equally outraged if Rep. Mark Foley were a Democrat. The object lesson of Foley's inappropriate e-mails to male pages is that when a Republican congressman is caught in a sex scandal, he immediately resigns and crawls off into a hole in abject embarrassment. Democrats get snippy. Foley didn't claim he was the victim of a "witch hunt." He didn't whine that he was a put-upon "gay American." He didn't stay in Congress and haughtily rebuke his critics. He didn't run for re-election. He certainly didn't claim he was "saving the Constitution."

A radical activist on a mission to "out" conservative homosexual lawmakers and Capitol Hill staffers held on to information about Rep. Mark Foley's relationships with underage male pages, suggesting the story would break at the time of mid-term elections. Blogger Jim Hoft of Gateway Pundit points to a campaign by two activists who had Foley on their "target list" of 20 people and shared the information with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. ()() This seems to be the smoking gun that proves the Democratic leadership knew about Foley for months and did nothing about it.

Republicans on Capitol Hill are desperately hoping to divert us from the Mark Foley scandal with a new storyline: Dem dirty tricks. Why did these disgusting e-mails come out just a few weeks before a critical election? It is true the party of Bill Clinton, Gerry Studds and Barney Frank is not going to clean out the sexual cesspool, but frankly I don't care: I'm not responsible for what they do. Rep. Dennis Hastert is a basically decent man who happens to head up a party that failed to investigate evidence that a GOP congressman (widely known among insiders to be gay) was seeking inappropriate contact with minor boys entrusted to his care. The Washington Times is right: He should resign his leadership post. ()() My question is what did the Democratic leadership know and when did they know it? Aren't they just as responsible? Maybe Nancy Pelosi should resign?

The Democrats finally have their issue. Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) resigned his seat in the House of Representatives on Friday, September 29, after news leaked that he had sexually harassed an underage male Congressional page. Foley repeatedly e-mailed and instant messaged the page, revoltingly asking him to undress, to measure his genitals with a ruler, to list details regarding frequency and method of masturbation, and to tell Foley when he was aroused. "[I'd] love to slip [your shorts] off you and [grab] the one-eyed snake," Foley messaged the teen.

More than 1,100 people participated in the 16th Life Chain in Wilmington and they lined the streets with non-graphic pro-life signs saying women who have abortions can be healed and that they are praying for abortion to stop in the United States. However, some abortion advocates pelted participants with eggs and some activists took the signs away from the people holding them.

Attorneys for The Rutherford Institute have filed a civil rights lawsuit in defense of the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights of a seventh grader who was ordered by Maryland middle school officials to stop reading her Bible during free time at school or face disciplinary action. Institute attorneys have asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland to declare that prohibiting students from reading Bibles or other religious texts during their free time is unconstitutional.

Apparently, Rep. Mark Foley is homosexual. And like many homosexual men, he likes young teen boys. We should pray for him that he gets a handle on this problem and refrains from harming any more kids. Meanwhile, we need to wake up. The fact that this is typical behavior for homosexuals doesn't stop us from continuing to elevate such folks to positions where they gain access to our kids.

While many U.S. troops in Iraq are bracing for an increase in terrorist attacks coinciding with the Islamic holy month, other soldiers, including officers, are cringing at new requirements that include "sensitivity classes" on how to "understand Ramadan and the Islamic culture." ()() As a former member of the U.S. Army reserve, I can tell you this is complete bullshit. When I served under the first President Bush, we didn't worry about crap like this. It won't make our soldiers any safer!

The cringe factor is back in American politics. It suddenly doesn't seem all that long ago we were wincing over the significance of a stained blue dress; now, one finds oneself looking back on Mr. Clinton's proclivity for porcine young women with a certain nostalgia. Hummers, interns, cigars and ''I did not have sex with that woman'' suddenly seem almost respectable, even statesmanlike, compared with underage pages, Internet chats and ''do I make you a little horny?''

Following the revelations about Florida Rep. Mark Foley's sexually suggestive e-mails to a 16-year-old congressional page, I have concluded Republicans are unworthy of retaining control of the federal government. I sincerely regret this is the case. I would much prefer that there were a real viable alternative to the Democrats, who are not only unworthy, but also unacceptable.

Colleges and universities across the U.S. -- including some of the most expensive in the country -- are failing to educate students about the nation's history and essential institutions, which is leading to a "coming crisis in citizenship," a study of more than 14,000 randomly selected students shows.

I don’t usually make predictions, but here’s one I’ll venture: If, God forbid, an attack by home-grown Islamist radicals occurs on American soil, many, if not most, of the perpetrators will have converted to Islam while in prison.

Right now John McCain is the front-runner for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination. But everyone expects that a single major competitor will emerge to challenge him from the right. The question hung in the air of this past weekend's Family Research Council summit in Washington: Who will that candidate be for the GOP's powerful social conservative base?

Muslims are outraged over Pope Benedict’s recent speech, in which he denounced violence as a means of bringing about religious conversion. How did they demonstrate their anger? Ironically, with violent protest -- even murder. ()() Thus proving that what the Pope said is as true now as it was in the 14th century.

A Georgetown County man interrupted two burglars at his daughter's Andrews home, shot one of the men inside the home and held the other at gunpoint until police arrived, the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office said. The men, Ronald Chandler, 34, and Mark Kelvin Jayroe, 45, both of Andrews, are being held at the Georgetown County Detention Center on charges of first-degree burglary, according to a news release. Chandler was shot in the chest and was treated and released from Georgetown Memorial Hospital.

SHE looked like the perfect victim. Last Fri day, 56-year-old Margaret Johnson was leaving her building in her wheelchair. Ex cept for her small dog, she was alone and didn't see the criminal attack her from behind. Having suffered bruises to her neck and arm, a friend of Johnson's said, "She was scared for her life. She's devastated." But this attack ended differently than most crimes in New York City. As her attacker grabbed her "violently" and "choked" her, Johnson pulled out a handgun and shot once, hitting the criminal in the elbow. Johnson was fortunate that she was able to defend herself.

Two conservative hotties with their own version of "The View" in which they discuss Rosie O'Donnell's incomplete view of Islam. This is one of Michelle Malkin's best Vent shows yet.

Michigan State Senator Beverly Hammerstrom, a Republican, has introduced a bill requiring all girls entering the sixth grade to receive a vaccination that protects against cervical cancer. Under the bill, Michigan would become the first state in the nation to require the vaccine for school entry. Since the virus that causes cervical cancer can be sexually transmitted, some parents say giving it to young girls presupposes that they will engage in premarital sex -- and may even encourage such behavior. ()() I'm against mandatory vaccinations in general and this vaccination in particular. It doesn't have a proven track record like the chicken pox vaccination. It's almost impossible to prove that it's working to protect the general population.

An internationally known Princeton "bioethicist" and animal-rights activist says he'd kill disabled babies if it were in the "best interests" of the family, because he sees no distinction in the child's life whether it is born or not, and the world already allows abortion. The comments come from Peter Singer, a controversial bioethics professor, who responded to a series of questions in the UK Independent this week. ()() I wonder how many pro-choice people would agree with this so-called ethicist? Or do they think he hurts their cause to keep abortion "safe and legal?"

The Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks were the beginning of the collapse of the American empire, and it is only a question of time before the next "great big event" strikes the United States, a senior Palestinian terror leader who received American training warned during a WND interview today.

A former military aide to President Clinton who claims he witnessed several missed opportunities to capture or kill Osama bin Laden says the producer of the ABC mini-series "The Path to 9/11" came to him in frustration after network executives under a heavy barrage of criticism from former administration officials began pressing for changes to the script.