Riehl World View

No, King Isn't Mao

Gee, thanks, Allah. lol Talk about my conservative chickens coming home to roost. HotAir Headlines links a Josh Gerstein piece with the header: Why is the MLK Memorial being built in China? And why does it look like Mao? Gerstein notes a Federal probe.

A federal investigation is under way into the organization raising funds for a memorial to the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in the nation’s capital, according to two people interviewed as part of the inquiry.

The scope of the inquiry is not clear, but it seems to focus on whether the foundation was obliged to follow federal procurement rules, including competitive bidding and so-called “Buy American” policies favoring domestic sources. The foundation is largely supported by private donations, but it received almost $10 million from the federal government in 2006.

Full disclosure and, hopefully, a head-exploding moment for some of my more vocal liberal readers ... through an arrangement with a consulting agency, I was retained to launch the MLK Memorial blog some time back, in part to deal with the many controversies that arise during the building of every DC monument.

Having been in their offices and viewed models and various photos - the monument's image is from a picture of King, after all .. I never once thought the image resembled Mao. I found it to look strong and determined and representative of King's firm vision for America, such as it was.

And in terms of outsourcing because a Chinese sculptor won the competition ... I thought that's how we often determine the best person for a given task - competition? Will conservatives suddenly feel differently? I would hope not. I didn't think we normally backed affirmative action-like measures that would mandate an American, or possibly a black American sculptor?

I must confess, the model of the entire park area is beautiful - but I did cringe when I read it was crescent-shaped. No doubt eventually someone will probably make a fuss about that, too.

As you'll see from scrolling the top posts here - controversy over DC monuments isn't exactly news over the years ... and through the building of many significant monuments.

After this latest silliness gets hashed out, maybe the next controversy should be "How did a conservative get hired to help out with the MLK memorial blog?" As a blogger, the more controversy, the better, in my opinion. ; )

Though I would add, having met and worked with many of the fine - and often seemingly liberal and black people, if it matters to you - behind the effort to make this Dream come true - it's a shame they have to struggle with so many obstacles in their work. I am pleased and proud to have been associated with them as a consultant during recent months. The engagement should be ending soon, as scheduled.

I anticipate foundation employees will be handling the blogging themselves. But it's been great fun helping them get started, even if it meant regularly reading quite a few liberal blogs to look for pertinent items.

A personal aside, it's been a positive, educational experience for me. But, alas, I fear conservative and liberal will rarely meet when it comes to forming opinions and policies. We simply think differently, I guess.

Moron Alert: Stephen King

I always realized author Stephen King was a bit off. I didn't know he was a total ass. Evidently he is. What a freaking jerk. The guy writes crap as far as intellect is concerned. Why these basically pop artists, including musicians and actors think they actually have some unique insight into anything but their craft is beyond me. What's really pitiful is how much of the public gives them the time of day when it comes to anything beyond their particular profession.

Early Monday morning, NewsBusters informed readers about a truly disgraceful comment made last month by famed horror author Stephen King concerning people that can't read having to enter the Army (video embedded right).

Hours later, I mentioned in the comments section that I was receiving a lot of strange e-mail messages.

Well, it turns out King wrote about my piece at his website, and instructed readers to "find Sheppard on the internet" -- please notice the embedded link goes to my NewsBusters blog! -- and write me with text that included "Hi, Noel—Stephen King says to shut up and I agree":

You Think America Hasn't Changed?

Couldn't help but acknowledge on my blog the story of Mildred Loving, who has passed away. A black woman, she married a white man in 1958. They were charged in Virginia with "cohabiting as man and wife, against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth.”

Last year she penned a message which includes an account of their arrest, treatment by the justice system and subsequent exile from Virginia. Chilling.

Not long after our wedding, we were awakened in the middle of the night in our own bedroom by deputy sheriffs and actually arrested for the “crime” of marrying the wrong kind of person. Our marriage certificate was hanging on the wall above the bed. The state prosecuted Richard and me, and after we were found guilty, the judge declared: “Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix.” He sentenced us to a year in prison, but offered to suspend the sentence if we left our home in Virginia for 25 years exile.

The New Zoo Review

No, not the New Zoo Review of late 60's, early 70's childhood fame that, arguably, had a hot babe in a mini skirt, a frog and some goof in glasses, as I recall - but the zoo-like quality of growing portions of our human world today. After reviewing some top headlines, all I'm left thinking is Are we not men and women, or are more and more of us simply animals everyday?

Admittedly, this is a hodgepodge of links. But they all have a common theme for me this morning - the degradation of society.

Three purebred animals - looking like products of our liberalized prison system and the Black Muslim Brotherhood, gun down a cop in Phila. I assume they are black muslims, given the beards and choice of disguise. What a tribute to their new found religion. Fortunately, one or two of the vermin was also gunned down in the street by the Phila police. Let's just call those justified shootings, same for the one not found yet, hopefully - and move on, shall we? I think rehabilitation is a bit much to ask.

Yes, it's all because America wasn't kind enough to the scumbags, I know. But, in for a penny in for a pound, I say - so let's finish the job and kill the last piece of sub-human detritus and make a holiday of it, for all I care.

Then there is this bit from Europe. A case that's been in the news. The weirdo in Austria who kept his daughter in the basement for so many years, etc. Apparently the house is becoming something of a tourist attraction. Must we really continue to call the animals who find such a thing tourist worthy "human?" Perhaps it's time for a sub-classification of the species? Any suggestions in comments will be entertained.

And last, we come to another sub-class, of a sub-class of human. I forget my biology, but surely there's a genus and a species, or whatever they are called. From the class of politicians we have a special subclass - black politicians. The Examiner takes a look at John Conyers today. Who Owns John Conyers.

This isn't intended to be racist, white or black - makes no difference to what is happening to people, and politicians today. I could highlight Mark Foley for example. But because of Conyers I started thinking of Maxine Waters, Cynthia McKinney and a few others. Perhaps it's time we admitted there is a crisis in black political leadership these days. I can't believe the idiots mentioned above represent the average hard working, achieving black individual in America today.

The idiot black pols acquire power from being re-elected in the worst districts in America, districts representing all the spoiled fruit of the new-liberalism going back to Johnson. And I can't believe the average successful and truly progressive black individual in America isn't feeling misrepresented by the established black political class. What a shame.

And, yes, I would ascribe most all of what is linked above to the decline of society brought about by post-sixties liberalism. What a miserably failed, self-indulgent and over-hyped decade that one is.

And to think - much if it began with a wholesome looking,somewhat busty babe in a mini-skirt. Who would have guessed?

Vietnam War Memorial Wall Goes Virtual

I must have missed this in the news. Link via Richie at the MLK Foundation blog.

The virtual version of the famous memorial — which is a pair of 246-foot black granite walls inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 American military casualties — is searchable.

Was Alleged Racist Tea Ad "Too Hot?"

I wish this could be chalked up to British humor, but it's for real. Fortunately, the ad was determined to not be racist. But it's frightening, if not unexpected for the UK, that something like this would even become an issue.

I'm glad we had a little tea party of our own some centuries back and hope we don't forget all of the freedoms we've come to appreciate, allowing even more of this type of potential censorship in America going forward.

A light-hearted TV advert for Twinings tea in which three white women flirt with a young black American has been cleared of playing on negative racial stereotypes.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it had decided not to uphold a lone complaint from a viewer who believed the ad suggested black men were sexually promiscuous and existed to provide sexual services for white women.

The complainant, a woman who has not been identified by the ASA, alleged that an ad for Lady Grey tea and another for Earl Grey, which also featured the black character, were both offensive and harmful.

In the plug for Earl Grey, Stephen Fry is seen behind the counter of a tea shop as the black male, named Tyrone, writes a message on a blackboard informing customers that the drink "puts the zing in your ding-a-ling".

Dismissing the claims of racial bias, an ASA panel described the innuendo used to promote the aromatic beverages as unlikely to cause widespread offence.

The panel observed: "Although we acknowledged the innuendo was mildly sexual, we did not consider that it was reliant on the young man's ethnic origins or a racial stereotype.

"We noted the character of Tyrone was shown as an attractive, confident young man... clearly enjoying the attentions of, and flirting with, the women."

Hampshire-based Twinings, which traces its history back to 1706, defended the ads, which first aired in October 2006, against the claim of racism.

The firm's advertising agency, Lowe, informed the ASA that the black character had been chosen as the "perfect foil" for Fry.

It's A Boy ... Oops, Nevermind!

Well, this is just stupid. But it isn't stopping the media from proclaiming "he's" pregnant. "Thomas" Beatie is a woman who only went part way with a gender re-assignment process and Beatie is now claiming "he" is pregnant. The Advocate item here.

Oregon Man Says He's Pregnant

Transgendered Man Writes In 'The Advocate'

Thomas Beatie, who used to be a woman, appeared in the most recent issue of The Advocate, a magazine for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender readers, Portland, Ore., television station KPTV reported.

Beatie wrote the article, which includes a picture of him while he was 22 weeks pregnant. According to the story, he went through a sex change, but decided only to have chest reconstruction and testosterone therapy.

He wrote in The Advocate that their situation "sparks legal, political and social unknowns."

Speaking of unknown ... after all, the happy couple is still a package short of a full-load, if you get my drift.

In total, nine different doctors have been involved. This is why it took over one year to get access to a cryogenic sperm bank to purchase anonymous donor vials, and why Nancy and I eventually resorted to home insemination.

UN Doesn't Heart Free Expression

Big surprise ... not!

Just another day at the U.N., as in line with its general and agency-by-agency buckling under to the demands of its allied blocs of thug states, UNESCO pulled its sponsorship of Reporters Without Borders’ Online Free Expression Day.

Well, This Isn't Good

AP photo by Matt Rourke - story here. A two-mile section of I-95 in Philadelphia will be shut for days, but that picture is probably very bad news on a much larger scale. Concrete that is up to specification should not do that.

It could be due to corruption, simply laziness, or just poor work performance. But with that pillar not right, I imagine they will all need inspecting. And it happening doesn't exactly give one a warm fuzzy for our government built and regulated infrastructure. I bet you can't wait until they take over health care.

A crack in a concrete support pillar to Interstate 95 is shown in Philadelphia, Monday, March 17, 2008. Repairs to the crack will require closure of both northbound and southbound lanes of the highway north of the city, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Gene Blaum said. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Damn!

Just Damn! Check out the awesome pic with this story. It's as if the entire town is being swallowed up by a massive wave.

Britain was bracing itself for a second day of storms today as forecasters warned almost the entire country would be battered by gale-force winds tonight and into tomorrow.