CentrePoint News News That Matters

By Michael Carl

The National Education Association is suggesting its teachers and NEA-connected schools celebrate China on the anniversary of the repressive communist regime’s violent founding.

The NEA’s website has a page called Diversity Events and lists Oct. 1 as the day to celebrate Chairman Mao’s successful revolution.

University of North Carolina-Wilmington Criminal Justice professor Mike Adams says the NEA’s position is borne out of intellectual arrogance.

“Well, the next thing you know they’ll be celebrating the birth of Nazi Germany, but certainly that would be anti-climactic, because communist China has killed more people than Nazi Germany,” Adams said.

“I think the only one way to describe the arrogant hubris of these pseudo-intellectuals is that they’re ‘holier than thou,’” Adams said.

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http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=184721

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By Michael Carl

The U.S. Senate race in Washington state is a surprise this year as Republican political newcomer Clint Didier and two-time Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi both are polling at 48 percent – a three-point lead over Democrat incumbent Patty Murray.

Washington state’s open primary is only a week away, and regardless of party, the two top vote getters will advance to the November general election.

Pollster Scott Rasmussen says the poll numbers show the incumbent is in trouble.

“At this point in time, the race is a reflection on the incumbent. People are basing their opinions on whether they want to send Patty Murray back to the Senate or not,” Rasmussen observed.

Didier’s campaign adviser, Kathryn Serkes, says Didier is holding his own because he’s the people’s candidate.

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http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=184833

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By Kim Landers/ABC

A United States judge has blocked the most controversial parts of Arizona’s new immigration laws, aimed at cracking down on illegal immigrants, a day before the law was due to come into effect.

Arizona Judge Susan Bolton blocked the requirement that police check a person’s immigration status and the requirement for immigrants to carry their identification at all times. However, this is already part of the nation’s immigration laws as legal permanent residents are required to carry their Alien Identification Cards wherever they are in the U. S.

There was no explanation from Judge Bolton on how the Arizona provision conflicts or counteracts existing U. S. Immigration Law.

A rival gang member is shot in an ambush in Mexico's Sonora State along the Arizona-Mexico border. Authorities report that Phoenix, AZ leads the nation in kidnapping. 'No-travel' warnings have been issued for parts of Arizona. (Photo courtesy of the Minuteman Project.)

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer says the restrictions could be temporary while the court resolves the issues.

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/29/2967240.htm?section=world

By CBC

A U.S. judge has blocked the most controversial sections of Arizona’s new immigration law from taking effect Thursday, handing a major legal victory to opponents of the crackdown against illegal migrants.

The law is still to take effect — but without many of the provisions that angered opponents, including sections that required police officers to check a person’s immigration status while enforcing other laws.

Republican Gov. Jan Brewer said the state likely will appeal the ruling and try to get the judge’s order overturned.

“It’s a temporary bump in the road,” she said.

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http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/07/28/arizona-immigration028.html

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By Stephen Eichler, JD

The ruling by District Judge Susan Bolton to explain which parts of the law was struck down, or enjoined, and which parts are still going to take effect on Thursday.

The term “Enjoined” means to legally prohibited or restrained by injunction. For the layman use the word ’stopped’ for a basic description as a replacement word.

I. What is enjoined

1. Requiring verification of immigration status:  Requiring that an officer make a reasonable attempt to determine the

A shot-up Jeep Grand Cherokee, fortunately on the Mexican side of the Sonora-Arizona border. (Photo courtesy of the Minuteman Project.)

immigration status of a person stopped, detained or arrested if there is a reasonable suspicion that the person is unlawfully present in the United States, and requiring verification of the immigration status of any person arrested prior to releasing that person.

Reasoning: Pre-empted by federal law because it creates an additional burden on the federal government by increasing the number of immigration-verification requests to the federal government.

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http://minutemanproject.com/newsmanager/templates/light.aspx?articleid=3765&zoneid=1

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By Stephanie Lucero/CBS 11

With the continued violence along the border, there is growing concern about travel to Mexico. Those about to board buses in Dallas say they called first to ask about security.

Edgar Bonilla, a Junior at Skyline High School, spent last summer at his grandmother’s home in Durango, Mexico, but due to the violence his parents decided he would not make the trip this year.

“I thought it was a smart decision,” says Bonilla. “Why go down there. Why risk it,” he says.

A recent shootout near the Arizona border, inside Mexico's Sonora State, left this man dead by his truck. (Photo courtesy of the Minuteman Project.)

Other passengers preparing to travel to the border region and the interior of Mexico expressed similar concerns outside of two depots on Jefferson Boulevard in Oak Cliff.

Glafira Rodriguez of Arlington says she decided to take the evening bus trip because passengers will arrive at the border region during daylight hours. “I’m sad about the condition of my country” Rodriguez says, who is a naturalized U.S. Citizen. “I don’t know what happened now. So I’m scared.”

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http://cbs11tv.com/local/mexico.border.violence.2.1826259.html

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By Michelle A. Vu

A controversial Florida church known for publicly condemning what it considers sins plans to burn copies of Islam’s holy book on the upcoming ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The non-denominational Dove World Outreach Center, which has in the past joined the extremist Westboro Baptist Church in protesting homosexuality, is organizing the “International Burn A Quran Day” to oppose Islam, which it sees as a “violent and oppressive religion.”

“We only did it because we felt there needed to be an outcry against Islam, because Islam is presenting itself as a religion of peace,” explained Dr. Terry Jones, senior pastor of Dove World Outreach Center, to The Christian Post on Tuesday.

“We see the effects of Islam on Europe. As it has done nothing, Islam is beginning to take over there,” he added.

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http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100728/fla-church-plans-burn-a-quran-day-on-9-11/index.html

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By MEMRI

This is the first-person account of an Egyptian journalist who visited Gaza and says the ‘Strip’ is in pretty good shape.

Stores Overflow with Goods

Journalist Ashraf Abu Al-Houl wrote in Al-Ahram: “I was last in Gaza in mid-February. Returning three weeks ago, I found it almost unrecognizable… and the greatest surprise was the nature of that change. I would have expected a change for the worse, considering the blockade – but the opposite was the case; it seemed as if it had emerged from the blockade.

“A sense of absolute prosperity prevails, as manifested by the grand resorts along and near Gaza’s coast. Further, the sight of the merchandise and luxuries filling the Gaza shops amazed me. Merchandise is sold more cheaply than in Egypt, although most of it is from the Egyptian market, and there are added shipping costs and costs for smuggling it via the tunnels – so that it could be expected to be more expensive.

“Before I judge by appearances, which can be misleading… [I would like to point out that] I toured the new resorts, most of which are quite grand, as well as the commercial markets, to verify my hypothesis. The resorts and markets have come to symbolize prosperity, and prove that the siege is formal or political, not economic. The reality [in Gaza] proves that the siege was broken even before Israel’s crime against the ships of the Freedom Flotilla in late May; everything already was coming into the Gaza Strip from Egypt. If this weren’t the case, businessmen would not have been able to build so many resorts in under four months.”

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http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4482.htm

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By Kenneth Conboy

The Indonesian president on 16 July signed a decree establishing a new National Counter-Terrorism Agency that answers only to him. It is tasked with “preventing terrorism, protecting civilians, de-radicalizing terrorists, and building national preparedness.” It will be launched later this year, though no specific date has been set. Ansyad Mbai, who heads a counter-terrorism desk under the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, will likely initially serve as its caretaker chief. The agency will have its own budget and staff, including members seconded from the police, State Intelligence Agency, and military.

The new body has been established after the Indonesian government came under criticism following the July 2009 hotel bombings in Jakarta.

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http://counterterrorismblog.org/

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By Minuteman Project

Violence along the U. S.-Mexican border continues to escalate with the number of shootings increasing on a monthly basis. Gang shootings, ambushes and paramilitary operations by Mexican cartels and the Mexican military are a daily fact of life for the border area.

This pickup was attacked with automatic weapon fire. (Photos courtesy of Jim Gilchrist and the Minuteman Project)

These images are graphic, but they only tell part of the story. For the rest of this photo story, click here…

http://minutemanproject.com/newsmanager/templates/light.aspx?articleid=3469&zoneid=1

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By Jessica Rettig/US News

With no Republican support, the Senate, voting 57 to 41 this afternoon, fell short of the required three-fifths majority to end debate on the DISCLOSE Act. The bill—which Democrats crafted as a response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Citizens United v. the Federal Election Committee case—would set new campaign finance laws for some corporations, unions, and interest groups. Democrats, who had been highly critical of the court’s ruling, hope to pass the bill as a way to curb what they believe is an unlawful edge for corporations, including foreign entities, in political races. Critics have pointed to the exemptions for certain organizations, such as unions and the National Rifle Association, as a reason to question the Democrats’ motivation for passing it during the midterm campaign season.

The bill, which would be enacted 30 days from its passage and potentially in time for general elections in November, would force organizations to disclose the source of funding for political ads. Today’s vote, which was expected to fail due to lack of bipartisan support, should have little lasting effect, as Democrats say they are willing to bring the bill to a vote again soon. Since it will require support from at least one Republican senator, it is unknown whether the Democrats will have enough votes to pass the bill in the future. Nevertheless, the debate will likely emerge as a vehicle for both parties to push political talking points.

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http://politics.usnews.com/news/articles/2010/07/27/senate-republicans-block-disclose-act.html

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