“There is no place in the Montana judiciary for perpetuating the stereotype that women and girls are responsible for sexual crimes committed against them,” the Montana Supreme Court concluded, holding that Judge G. Todd Baugh violated ethics rules."

..............


Last year, Judge G. Todd Baugh sentenced former teacher Stacey Dean Rambold to just 31 days in jail, suspending the remainder of what would have been a 15-year prison sentence, for raping his 14-year-old student. This sentence was later overturned. But the controversy didn’t end there. Baugh explained his sentence by saying that the victim was a “youth that was probably as much in control of the situation as [Rambold], one that was seemingly, though troubled, older than her chronological age.” Baugh explained his sentence to the press by saying, “it was horrible enough as it is just given her age, but it wasn’t this forcible beat-up rape.” The girl’s family said emotional distress from the crime led her to commit suicide. After more than 30,000 people called for his resignation, later apologized for the comments as well as the sentence.

...............

Conservative State Supreme Court reaffirming that 19th century sexual crime stereotypes should no longer have a place in or be perpetuated within the Montana judiciary, eh?....because the place for perpetuating the stereotype that women and girls are responsible for sexual crimes against them is in the Republican Party.


http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/06/05/3445295/montana-high-court-orders-suspension-public-reprimand-for-judge-who-called-rape-victim-in-control/

Queen of Hearts: Now then, are you ready for your sentence?
Alice: But there has to be a verdict first.
Queen of Hearts: Sentence first! Verdict afterwards.
Alice: But that just isn't the way.
Queen of Hearts: [shouting] All ways are...!
Alice: ...your ways, your Majesty
------------------

How much more evidence does America need? Republicans are attacking the foundations of democracy from voter rights, gerrymandering, poll taxes, false mailers, false voter fraud allegations, undermining Presidential authority, attacking foreign policy while in foreign lands, obstruction of the Senate, many more, but now this......attacking the rule of law, the presumption of innocence, the supremacy of military law for military personal, the no man left behind tradition, the right of due process, the right to a defence and the right to testify.

How long will the media remain codependent, eating up the ready made right wing plates of red meat lies and obvious propaganda......... to keep viewers watching?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2646222/Taliban-leaders-given-heros-welcome-footage-claiming-prisoners-arriving-Qatar-Guantanamo-release-no-American-presence-sight.html

--------------------

The Taliban commander told NBC News the exchange was the first time its 'enemy' had 'officially recognized our status.'
He said: 'Once we confirmed the arrival of our five heroes back in Qatar, celebrations started everywhere in Afghanistan and the neighboring Pakistan.

--------------------

The mostly mid- to high-level Taliban officials were detained early in the war in Afghanistan (2001-2003) because of their positions within the Taliban, not because of ties to al Qaeda, CNN reported.

--------------------

In response, the White House said that officials considered what they called 'unique and exigent circumstances' and decided to go ahead with the transfer in spite of the legal requirement.
And Hagel, who was traveling to Afghanistan to meet with U.S. troops, said the action was not relayed to Congress because of its urgency. He said intelligence indicated that Bergdahl's 'health was deteriorating.'
At Bagram Air Field, Hagel thanked the special operations forces that participated in the rescue.

(Celebration of real soldiers at Bagram)

Gen. Joseph Dunford said there was a sense of excitement in the headquarters as the news spread.
'You almost got choked up,' he said. 'It was pretty extraordinary. It has been almost five years and he is home.'
----------------------

P.S. What happens after Qatar transfers the Taliban to Afghanistan? I assume the Afghan government is not going to be all that kind to them.

If you turn these graphs upside down and ignore facts, history and math, then Obama is a failure.....how much longer can the media sustain the false narrative and con job in the face of facts?


http://www.marketwatch.com/story/household-net-worth-climbs-15-trillion-in-1st-quarter-2014-06-05


WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Thanks to rising house prices and a growing stock market, U.S. households and nonprofits added $1.5 trillion in net worth in the first quarter, according to Federal Reserve data released Thursday.

The data was part of a voluminous report called the “financial accounts of the United States,” which contains details on an array of assets and liabilities. The gain in net worth to $81.76 trillion was driven by a $758 billion increase in the value of residential real estate and a $361 billion rise in corporate equities.

Taking on the Uniform Code of Conduct and the Soldiers Code of Conduct cherished by the military and all military personnel is creating a GOP/Media war versus the military.......leave the popcorn, pull out the candied almonds for this one.

The freaky media and their freaking talking heads exploding is hilarious, hating anyone other than a white man making the tough calls is outrageous to them. I think the vast majority of Americans are seeing what the media and the GOP are doing to military tradition and they must not be pleased, dolts that they usually are this one is on their level of understanding.

"Do you approve or disapprove of the United States releasing five Taliban prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay in exchange for the release of a U.S. soldier who was being held as a prisoner of war in Afghanistan?"

Approve 45%, Disapprove, 48%, (Don't Know), 8%
___________________

Uh, oh, seems Americans are not nearly as outraged as the RW Media....

And two other points, if I may. First, the question admits Bergdahl was a POW and a prisoner, not a hostage.
Second, if the question added that the prisoner was held captive for five years, I think the numbers would change.

Fox and McCain and the rest of the cult have jumped the shark, walking this back is going to be almost as disastrous as doubling down on the crazy hypocrisy.


http://www.foxnews.com/politics/interactive/2014/06/04/fox-news-polls-bergdahl-release-obama-leadership-and-veterans-health-care/

Edit: Fox is burying this little tidbit and screaming about push poll questions on other issues.....the shark of public opinion is biting back. The righteous outrage of the left wing at the faux outrage of the right wing is like nothing I have seen, and fully justified.

The starting five of the released Taliban are now an average age near 50 years. The team has been imprisoned all that time in the most notorious prison in the world, tortured, force-fed, humiliated, separated from each other. They still have another year in the penalty box under house arrest in the sands of Qatar.

So WTF is everyone talking about, would you put these guys in the game? They are probably barely able to wipe their own asses, let alone ever be collectively or individually of great concern......but the return of the Last Warrior is cause for celebration, screw the media and the GOP.

Edit: By the way, every brown man wearing turban and a beard is not AQ, you simple, lying, racist morons. And that includes the Duck Dynasty crowd and their bandana, put a turban on any of them and you could call them AQ also, you idiots and traitors.

“There’s something strangely inconsistent about a nation and a press that will praise you when you say be nonviolent toward Jim Clark, but will curse and damn you when you say be nonviolent toward little brown Vietnamese children. There is something wrong with that."

Martin Luther King, Jr., speaking at the height of the racial and Vietnam wars of the '60's.

......................

Bengazhi two weeks ago and since forever, then the VA thing, now the prisoner swap thing, nothing seems to stick. The incredible quick pivot to the latest, greatest nouveau outrage is an overplayed hand.

GOP operatives seemed to have two ex army guys at the ready to offer their opinions that Bergdahl was a deserter, they must have known from someone this was about to happen, and their pathetic denials that they are not is a story unto itself. Not to mention soldiers attacking other soldiers for personal profit and gain is going to win them few friends in the public and fewer in the military.

The thing is, Bergdahl is an American soldier, the last in enemy captivity, at the end of a WAR. He is part of a prisoner swap with the enemy, a POW swap. Just ask Israel which routinely swaps dozens of prisoners for a single soldier. How outraged are the GOP with America's greatest ally?

It is Fox and the GOP versus the military and military codes and ethics, that is what this is boiling down to. And when the GOP votes against VA benefits increases this week (again), will America finally wake up to the evil they represent?

The GOP have followed Roger Ailes right off a propaganda cliff this time, because if there is one thing the American military does very well it is counter-propaganda.

Just posted: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025044161

________________

Post posted thought:

Is it the same guys who scream that First Amendment rights include unlimited, un-disclosable cash to any and all unlimited candidates in a fair democratic election process the same guys screaming a soldier has no free speech rights at all in critiquing government war policy, even while speaking in private? Because that is one big hypocrisy booger right there.

will destroy the Republican years long campaign of Obama is a weak President and the hateathon that keeps their brainwashed minions obedient, high on hate, junkies enslaved to outrage, will fade.

There is no measured debate or any debate with these extremists, nothing will satisfy them, all things Obama does are reacted to with justified measure of rage usually reserved for serial killers and pedophiles.

Any lie and deflection is fair game to protect the brainwashed from the truth. Hate is the grease that is the easiest balm to apply to turn every action into a reaction of pure frothing at the mouth hate.

All coming to a cable network near you because they love that kind of stuff to fill the endless panels and never ending airtime.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/05/31/1303420/-Sgt-Bowe-Bergdahl-is-returned-and-immediately-attacked-by-the-Right-Wing

"Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl (who was captured when he was an E-3, and promoted twice while in captivity) has been released.

In just about every comment section of any article about the release you will find some right wing nuts calling him a "traitor", "deserter" and "collaborator". (most of those making these accusations have zero military experience of course)

I think the reasons for this are two fold: first that he was released under Obama's watch. That irked them to no end. second, he was released due to negotiations and not a massive deadly assault into another nation - like with bin Lauden.

These right wing nuts feel they have the Sgt. pegged as a "traitor" because the Taliban said he was helping them. That he is a "deserter" because the Tailban said he had walked away from his post…or gone out drinking…or left the FOB to use a makeshift latrine…or go AWOL for a few days. That he is a "collaborator" because he appeared in several (4) videos produced by the Taliban instead of fighting to the death or escaping.

It seems that the Taliban is a more reliable source of information about a US Soldier than the US Military which has stated:"The Taliban are known for lying and what they are claiming [is] not true" and "I'm glad to see he appears unharmed, but again, this is a Taliban propaganda video. They are exploiting the soldier in violation of international law.""

Edit: The Taliban are not AQ, you freaky morons, and lying about it because it makes your hate of the President more palatable to your freaking voter base, and so you can fundraiser on it get on the freaky cable TV news shows to screech said sad lies, makes you freaking traitors.
Is the problem the exchange rate, should it have been 3 for 1, 4 for 1?

Source: The Canadian Press

FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu has called Alberta's oilsands "filth" created by greed, and has urged all sides to work together to protect the environment and aboriginal rights.
"The fact that this filth is being created now, when the link between carbon emissions and global warming is so obvious, reflects negligence and greed," Tutu told more than 200 rapt attendees at a conference on oilsands development and treaty rights in Fort McMurray on Saturday.
"The oilsands are emblematic of an era of high carbon and high-risk fuels that must end if we are committed to a safer climate."
"Oilsands development not only devastates our shared climate, it is also stripping away the rights of First Nations and affected communities to protect their children, land and water from being poisoned."

Read more: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/faith/desmond-tutu-calls-oilsands-filth-urges-cooperation-on-environment-261378781.html

---

The Athabasca, or Alberta, Tar Oilsands, as they were once known, are a source of immense wealth and immense environmental damage, the opposing forces of wealth are huge, but building a straw to suck up this filth and distribute it throughout the world will make climate disruption inevitable.