Let's get this straightened out once and for all: Did Dylan Roof commit an act of domestic terrorism, or did he not?

First things first: let's all get on the same page in terms of exactly what domestic terrorism IS. Okay then -- according to the Cornell University Legal Information Institute:



Now, let's look at the evidence available to us:






Our next order of business is to determine if Roof's actions fit the legal definition of domestic terrorism -- did they:

Involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State? Yes -- shooting people is considered a violation of criminal laws in the United States, including the state of South Carolina.

Appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population? Yes -- his writings and the statements he made to his friends, his very victims, and law enforcement strongly suggest that he intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population.

Appear to be intended to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion by assassination? Yes -- declaring a civil war on part of the civilian population is certainly a vote of no confidence in government policy.

Occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States? Yes -- they occurred in the United State of South Carolina.

All that's left do now is determine what part of the civilian population Roof was trying to coerce or intimidate. Well, by his own admissions, Roof intentionally traveled to a place that he knew would contain a lot of black people, and shot nine of them because they were black and he wanted to start a race war against blacks. So his act of domestic terrorism must have been based on race, and the black race in particular -- right?










Wow -- I almost blew it, and I certainly owe Mr. Roof an apology. There I was, all set to brand him as a race-based domestic terrorist just because he admitted that he was trying to start a race war against blacks! Not once did I consider that Root might have been trying to intimidate or coerce the civilian populations of the religious in general, Christians in particular, the pharmaceutical industry, gun control advocates, or even his own relatives.

Roof told his acquaintances he wanted to start a race war against blacks; he told his victims he was murdering them because they were black; he confessed to law enforcement that he'd tried start a race war against blacks, and how do I thank him? With irresponsible speculating and baseless conclusions!


rocktivity

I was going to add that to my previous post. But when I clicked on the article's link to the Gibson Dunn Bridge(t)Gate "Mastro" report at GDCreport.com, this is what came up:


It's gone -- the ENTIRE Mastro report is GONE from GDCreport.com! The cover letter Gibson sent to Christie -- GONE! The executive summary minus the recommendations -- GONE! The interviews with nearly six dozen of Christie's best friends that made this DU thread possible -- GONE! All 360 pages of the report itself -- GONE!




Well, I hope all you haters are happy -- maybe now you'll face the truth instead of believing all this nonsense about Gibson Dunn getting 7 million dollars of taxpayer money from Christie (minus what was "donated" to his Republican Governors Association). Apparently, the law firm of Gibson Dunn Cutcher is actually so broke they can't even afford keep their web URL names renewed. But what are we supposed to do now -- especially now that the report may become a key component in the trials of Kelly and Baroni that are tentatively scheduled for mid-November?

Since there was absolutely no reason to believe that the Mastro reports might unceremoniously disappear one day (especially since it was financed with taxpayer money), I guess there's nothing we can do...except regret that someone didn't have the foresight to download them first...and have a place where they could be uploaded, too!


rocktivity

before the fecal matter makes a close encounter with the oscillating air circulation mechanism."

I wonder if it has to do anything to do with John Oliver's followup look at FIFA:









That's what he gets for taking advice from Chris Christie!


rocktivity

Ocotber 2006:

(PDF): The Sexually Explicit Internet Messages That Led to Fla. Rep. Foley's Resignation

Hastert afraid to report Foley for fear of being seen as homophobic

Hastert Fights to Save His Job in Page Scandal

AP has a list of Repuke "excuses" for Foley's not being fired earlier

GOP House leaders call for criminal investigation of Foley

Posted by Rocktivity:

10/1/2006: ...(Rocktivity) calls for criminal investigation of GOP House leaders since at least two of them can charged as acessories. There is now also a matter of a six-figure contribution Foley made to one of the leaders who was told about the e-mails--hush money?

10/4/2006: I want to see when Foley gave Reynold's comittee $100,000, though I've also heard it could be as high as $350,000. Are such amounts normal?

rocktivity

Colonoscopy A test that allows your doctor to look at the inner lining of your large intestine (rectum and colon)...(H)elps find ulcers, colon polyps, tumors, and areas of inflammation or bleeding...(T)issue samples can be collected (biopsy) and abnormal growths can be taken out. (It) can also be used as a screening test to check for cancer or precancerous growths in the colon or rectum (polyps).

Laparoscopy: a surgery that uses a thin, lighted tube put through a cut (incision) in the belly to look at the abdominal organs or the female pelvic organs. Laparoscopy is used to find problems such as cysts, adhesions, fibroids , and infection. Tissue samples can be taken for biopsy through the tube (laparoscope).

Frist-oscopy: a diagnosis made by a doctor outside his area of expertise by viewing a four-month-old video.

GOP-oscopy: A camera built into a vaginal probe determines if a fetus is present in order to intimidate women out of seeking abortions. Fulfills the federal definition of rape:




rocktivity

Unless Ledisi struck a deal to sing at the Oscars on Feb. 22, she got stung big time. But it all depends on whose idea was it to do a MLK/Selma tribute to begin with. I'm betting it was the Grammy people, simply because it makes sense -- and because inviting Ledisi as well as John Legend and Common (all Grammy nominees, but not for Selma) makes sense, too. But Beyonce threw a monkey wrench into the timeline, and not "coincidentally."

Forcing herself on Legend (and forcing Ledisi out) solved several problems for Queen Bey simultaneously:

1) She could join Katy Perry in presenting a more sedate stage image in the face of Obama's message to change the culture away from sexual exploitation and violence. They both wore long white dresses and stood still, in stark contrast to what they did at last years' Grammies:

[center] [/center]

2) She was nominated for two Grammies for her song Drunk In Love, which not only undermined Obama's message, but which she performed at last year's Grammies. I guess she felt that re-performing it with entirely new staging wasn't a viable option.

3) It would show that she could be more than a half-naked Madonna clone. Lady Gaga won a Grammy for singing with Tony Bennett -- why couldn't she win one for singing with Jessye Norman someday?

4) An online cottage industry has arisen on the premise that she and her husband are practicing satanists (I like to call it the Illumin-Nutty). Performance of a gospel song would surely put a dent in that.

But there's a problem that both Beyonce and the Grammies overlooked: 5) She and Ledisi were competing for a Grammy, which Beyonce won. That raises the possibility of a quid pro quo -- which is why the Grammies should have insisted that either Leisidi remain involved, or Beyonce choose another song.

So here's how I think it went down: Grammies invite Legend/Common and Ledisi to do a Selma/MLK tribute, Beyonce invites herself to be part of the tribute, Grammies dis-invite Ledisi.

And now for the benediction: Ledisi's version of the song from the Selma album:



She sings it a capella? That suggests another possible problem for Beyonce: 6) Maybe she was either just plain jealous, worried about being out-sung, or both!


rocktivity

Now that takes some real guts. To come out against sexual assault? On a show featuring rap and hip-hop?

Yeah, doesn't he realize that contributing to a culture that abhors sexual exploitation/intimidation and is based on merit/talent would put most of those Grammy performers out of business?

On the other hand, it might explain this review:








It seems like only a year ago that Obama White House guest Beyonce and Katy were carrying on like this at the Grammies...oh, wait -- it WAS only a year ago:




rocktivity

P.S: "You didn't like my lip-synched, auto-tuned matator ripoff? Well, there wouldn't BE a Beyonce, Taylor, or Katy if there hadn't been a Madonna -- so you can kiss my 56-year old ass!"

When rapper Rick Ross displayed Gangster Disciple insignia on one of his albums, the Gangster Disciples made a diplomatic, courteous request that they be compensated:




rocktivity

He misses the cut, goes to a wine bar with a friend, pays the tab, waits for his friend to make a potty stop, then lights out? If something weird had happened before he left the bar, surely it would have been noticed. How about, he was drowning his sorrows in more ways than one BECAUSE he missed the cut?


rocktivity

And Mr. Huckabee wins the gold medal for completing a two-and-a half twisting self-contradiction with a pike! Doesn't he know that "the rock beat" is:

...a dominant and repetitious offbeat which competes with the melody and distracts from the words of a song. The contradictory messages in the beat, the words, the melody, the style of the presentation, and the appearance of the musicians all create a subtle confusion in the minds, wills, and emotions of the listeners, which leads them to question the absolute moral standards of God...

In this letter, a member of the band 98 Degrees tries to intercede with an associate of Huckabee's in hopes of saving him:



Oh, and here is he is performing the ultra wholesome Catch Scratch Fever with the ultra wholesome Ted Nugent (link):




rocktivity