PC Crowd Continues To Deny Terrorist Motive in Shooting

A key U.S. senator said Sunday he would begin an investigation into whether the Army missed signs that the man accused of opening fire at Fort Hood had embraced an increasingly extremist view of Islamic ideology.

Sen. Joe Lieberman's call for an investigation came a day after classmates who participated in a 2007-2008 master's program at a military college said they complained to superiors about Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan and what they considered to be his anti-American views, which included his giving a presentation that justified suicide bombing and telling classmates that Islamic law trumped the U.S. Constitution.

"If Hasan was showing signs, saying to people that he had become an Islamist extremist, the U.S. Army has to have zero tolerance," Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, said on "Fox News Sunday." "He should have been gone."

Another classmate told the AP on Sunday that he complained to five officers and two civilian faculty members at the university. He wrote in a command climate survey sent to Pentagon officials that fear in the military of being seen as politically incorrect prevented an "intellectually honest discussion of Islamic ideology" in the ranks. The classmate requested anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

President Obama urged Americans "not to rush to judgement", and his officers seem to be following his politically correct lead. Army Chief of Staff George Casey warned Sunday against reaching conclusions about the suspected shooter's motives until investigators have fully explored the attack. "I think the speculation (on Hasan's Islamic roots) could potentially heighten backlash against some of our Muslim soldiers," he said on ABC's "This Week." When asked why the Army didn't investigate his anti-American comments and beliefs, he said "You don't want to be against diversity." See Chick's THE CHAPLAIN.

House Passes Socialized Health Insurance

The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a massive overhaul of the American health care system Saturday night by a vote of 220 to 215. One Republican, Rep. Joseph Cao of Louisiana, crossed the aisle, while 39 Democrats joined the Republicans in opposing the measure.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called passage of the bill "an historic moment for our nation and for America's families," while Republicans warned that the bill will raise taxes, increase insurance premiums and make cuts to Medicare. Pelosi promised it would "not add a dime to the deficit," but critics openly laugh at this claim. The bill is expected to be one of the most expensive programs ever enacted by Congress.

The $1.3 trillion-dollar bill would require individuals to buy health insurance, and would also require medium and large businesses to provide it to their employees. Consumers would be able to buy their insurance on an exchange, including a public insurance option for people who do not have access to insurance through their jobs. Low- and middle-income families would receive government subsidies to purchase insurance, which would be be paid for through tax increases, as well as fees on medical providers. Finally, the bill would prohibits insurance companies from dropping or denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions or cost of care.

The current bill prevents verification of citizenship, essentially allowing illegals to use the tax payer paid plan as well. (Democrats refused to alter the language to prevent this loophole after pressure was applied by Hispanic groups.) They did tighten language to prevent the bill from paying for abortions, but Democrats promise to change that language later as the bill is adopted. It must now pass in the Senate, which will be much more difficult. See Chick's HERE HE COMES.

Muslim American Murders 13 in Terror Attack

Although mainstream media and the White House are suggesting it was not a terrorist attack, an American Muslim army officer murders 13 fellow US soldiers in a killing spree in Fort Hood. 30 others were wounded. Authorities have identified the alleged gunman as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, an Army psychiatrist. The Muslim-American was born in the US, but was outspoken in his criticism about the US war in Iraq and Afghanistan. He passed out copies of the Koran in the morning before the killing spree, and, later in the day, shouted "death to the infidels" (in Arabic) as he shot his comrades in cold blood. He was also seen wearing traditional Muslim robes before changing into uniform and carrying out the killings.

He was shot and brought down by a woman police officer. Although his motives are uncertain, it appears clear that some American Muslims are identifying with the anti-US rhetoric shouted by critics both overseas and domestically. Perhaps profiling likely terrorists based on their beliefs and angry statements is not racists, but common sense. See Chick's THE CHAPLAIN.

Jesus On Pickup Truck

Jim Stevens said he's not particularly religious and is clueless about why an image resembling Jesus Christ keeps appearing on his pickup. Stevens, of Jonesborough, Tennessee, said nearly every morning, an image that looks to him like the face of Jesus Christ has appeared in the condensation on the driver's side window of his Isuzu truck. A Johnson City Press photo of the truck showed a facial image.

Stevens said when he first saw the image, he figured it would evaporate and not return. But it kept reappearing for two weeks now.

Stevens said folks at the grocery store he goes to were amazed to see the image. He said he isn't going to wash the truck for a while.

Maine Voters Undo Gay Marriage Law

Voters' stunning repeal of Maine's same-sex marriage law is forcing gay rights advocates to regroup and recalibrate their strategy. Legal experts say if other social movements are a guide, it should also teach them to be patient.

"Every time people have had an opportunity to vote, they've voted it down," said University of Chicago law professor Gerald Rosenberg. "Is the [Supreme Court] really going to step in here?"

On Tuesday, Maine became the 31st state where voters rejected marriage equality for gay couples through a referendum. The defeat -- the first time the vox populi reversed a decision by its own elected representatives -- took gay advocates by surprise.

Their side outspent, outcanvassed and outmaneuvered their foes, only to lose in the most politically friendly region of the country. Except for Iowa, every state with same-sex marriage is in New England. Since 2004, when a court in Massachusetts became the first to sanction gay marriage, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire have decided through judicial or legislative action to allow same-sex couples to marry.

"It just goes to show that even in a very, very liberal state like Maine where the Legislature and the governor came out and supported it, when people have a chance to affirm traditional marriage, they do it. Thirty-one out of 31 states," said former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, a social conservative. "While there are many politicians who are going to push this, the people are not accepting of it."

Voters in Washington state approved a measure to give gay couples all the rights and benefits of marriage without the name, but gay activists have prevailed most often in the courts. It was a decision by the California Supreme Court to allow same-sex marriage there that sparked last November's Proposition 8 ballot initiative that outlawed same-sex marriage after more than 18,000 gay and lesbian couples had legally tied the knot.

The votes on Proposition 8 and in Maine are the latest examples of popular backlash when judges are viewed as out of the mainstream.

See Chick's DOOM TOWN.

Nun Murdered on Reservation

A nun has been found dead in her residence at a church in a small community on the Navajo Indian reservation near the Arizona-New Mexico border, the FBI said Monday.

Sister Marguerite Bartz, 64, failed to show up to Sunday Mass and a colleague who went to check on her discovered her body. Investigators believe Bartz was killed sometime between Halloween night and Sunday morning, but FBI Special Agent Darrin Jones said he could not disclose any details about how she died. The FBI and state police were searching her residence for any clues.

Authorities and officials with the Diocese of Gallup, which oversees the parish in Navajo, said they were not sure whether Bartz or the church were the target, or if the attack was a random act.

Authorities were also searching for Bartz's vehicle, a beige 2005 Honda CR-V with a New Jersey license plate, and asking anyone who spoke to Bartz on Halloween night to contact investigators.

Bartz was one of more than a dozen Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament who are currently ministering within the Diocese of Gallup, which spans 55,000 square miles in New Mexico and Arizona.

The diocese said there is usually another sister who lives at the residence with Bartz, but she was out of the state at a meeting and Bartz was alone.

"She was known to be a woman always passionate for justice and peace, and the life she lived would tell us that she would respond to this incident with a spirit of forgiveness towards whoever is responsible for these acts," the diocese said in a statement released Monday. See Chick's THE TRUE PATH.

Vatican Condemns Halloween

The Holy See has warned that parents should not allow their children to dress up as ghosts and ghouls on Saturday, calling Hallowe'en a pagan celebration of "terror, fear and death".

The Roman Catholic Church has become alarmed in recent years by the spread of Hallowe'en traditions from the US to other countries around the world.

As in Britain, it is only in recent years that Italian children have dressed up in costumes, played trick or treat on their neighbours and made lanterns out of hollowed out pumpkins.

The Vatican issued the warning through its official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, in an article headlined "Hallowe'en's Dangerous Messages". The paper quoted a liturgical expert, Joan Maria Canals, who said: "Hallowe'en has an undercurrent of occultism and is absolutely anti-Christian." Parents should "be aware of this and try to direct the meaning of the feast towards wholesomeness and beauty rather than terror, fear and death," said Father Canals, a member of a Spanish commission on church rites.

Last year a newspaper controlled by the Italian bishops, Avvenire, called for a boycott of Hallowe'en, calling it a "dangerous celebration of horror and the macabre" which could encourage "pitiless [Satanic] sects without scruples".

Earlier this week the Catholic Church in Spain also condemned the growing popularity of Halloween, saying it threatened to overshadow the Christian festival of All Saints' Day. The Bishop of Siguenza-Guadalajara, Jose Sanchez, said there was a risk that Halloween could "replace Christian customs like devotion to saints and praying for the dead."

See Chick's HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Scientology Spokesman Bolts News Interview

A video of spokesman Tommy Davis walking out of an interview with Martin Bashir on 'Nightline,' is making the rounds on the Internet.

Davis was offended when Bashir asked questions about the popular celebrity religion's beliefs.

"Do you believe that the Galactic Emperor called Xenu brought his people to earth 75 million years ago and buried them in volcanoes?" Bashir asked.

"Martin, I'm not going to discuss the disgusting perversions of Scientology beliefs that can be found out commonly on the Internet and be put in the position of talking about things that ... talking about things that are so fundamentally offensive to Scientologists to discuss," Davis replied.

But the 'Nightline' anchor pressed on. "Well, I have the burden of my own journalistic responsibility that I bring to this meeting and I hope that I've been appropriately respectful of you in my asking of the questions."

"Well you haven't to the degree that the question you asked me you know by virtue of the fact that it's been made very clear in other media entities that it's something that we considered offensive. And it is in violation of my religious beliefs to talk about them," Davis answered.

Bashir tried to ask again, but was interrupted. "I'm going to stop you, if you're going to ask me that question again and you're going to repeat things about volcanoes and this kind of thing and so on and so forth, I will stand up and walk out, Martin. Because what you are doing by doing that, is you are intentionally asking me things which you know I find offensive and you're insisting on asking me of them, so I'm asking you one more time," the Church's spokesman said.

"Mr. Davis, I'm not trying to offend anybody. I'm just trying to ask you a series of question about the public faith that you have. I'm not trying to mock you, I'm trying to understand what your beliefs are. You've explained what auditing is, you've explained the growth of the church. You've done all of those things. I am asking you, in the context of those questions, is it true that L. Ron Hubbard said that understanding the origins of the human race as described through Xenu and the Intergalactic Emperor," Bashir was unable to finish his question because at this point, Davis tore off his microphone and walked off the set.

Clinic Caves on No Hat Policy to Muslim Doctor

A Texas health clinic operator says it regrets telling a Muslim doctor applying for a job that she couldn't wear her traditional headscarf.

Coppell, Texas-based CareNow called the ban a misunderstanding. It said in a statement it plans to clarify its policy and continue training current workers to prevent confusion in the future.

Dr. Hena Zaki of Plano says she was shocked when CareNow officials told her last month in person and later by e-mail that a no-hat policy extended to her hijab.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations wrote to CareNow, explaining federal law requires employers to reasonably accommodate religious practices of an employee.

Honor Killing Father Arrested

A young Iraqi woman whose father allegedly hit her with his car because she had become too Westernized died from her injuries Monday after laying in a coma for nearly two weeks.

Noor Faleh Almaleki, 20, underwent spinal surgery and had been in a hospital since Oct. 20, when police say her father ran down her and her boyfriend's mother with his Jeep as the women were walking across a parking lot in the west Phoenix suburb of Peoria. The other woman, Amal Khalaf, is expected to survive.

Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, fled after the attack but was arrested Thursday when he arrived at Atlanta's airport, where he was sent from the United Kingdom after authorities denied him entrance.
Peoria police interviewed him and brought him back to Arizona over the weekend, but have declined to release what Almaleki said to them.

At a court hearing over the weekend in Phoenix, county prosecutor Stephanie Low told a judge that Almaleki admitted to committing the crime.

"By his own admission, this was an intentional act and the reason was that his daughter had brought shame on him and his family," Low said. "This was an attempt at an honor killing."

Family members had told police that Almaleki attacked his daughter because he believed she had become too Westernized and was not living according to his traditional Iraqi values.

Almaleki had faced charges of aggravated assault, but Peoria police spokesman Mike Tellef said the charges will be upgraded in light of Noor Faleh Almaleki's death.

Obama Allows AIDS immigrants to America

In yet another tip of the hat to his gay supporters, President Barack Obama said Friday the U.S. will overturn a 20-year-old U.S. travel ban against people with HIV early next year. It will allow AIDS infected tourists to visit, as well as immigrants to move to, the USA. Refugees who have AIDS who become citizens will be eligible for taxpayer paid health insurance under the new health care reform, costing Americans billions in added taxes. Any citizens they infect will also add to the cost and death toll.

The U.S. has been one of about a dozen countries that bar entry to travelers based on their HIV status. Obama said the ban will be lifted just after the new year, after a waiting period of about 60 days.

"If we want to be a global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it," Obama said at the White House before signing a bill to extend the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program. Begun in 1990, the program provides medical care, medication and support services to about half a million people, most of them low-income.

In 1987 the Department of Health and Human Services added the disease to the list of communicable diseases that disqualified a person from entering the U.S. However, now common sense has been replaced with political correctness.

The department tried in 1991 to reverse its decision but was opposed by Congress, which in 1993 went the other way and made HIV infection the only medical condition explicitly listed under immigration law as grounds for inadmissibility to the U.S. See Chick's GOING HOME.