Bill-O'-Notes® » News & Politics

Motive v. Justice

Bill O'Neill — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:59:48 +0000

If I read one more [so called] news story on this insidious shooting in Arizona as one that is an act derived from or linked to “divisive politics” I’m going to go on another 30-day news-fast. We are a society woefully obsessed with “motive” and not content with “justice” for those who break the law. The “social outcast with wild beliefs steeped in mistrust” who opened fire and killed six people was trying to assassinate Rep. Gabrielle Giffords on Saturday. Here’s the story. After droning on in the article about every societal ill and political basis or justification, there is one line in a paragraph all to its own: “It was not clear whether those issues motivated the shooter.” Never let a meta-narrative get in the way of a good story, tragic as it may be.

Abomination for a Church

Bill O'Neill — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:22:15 +0000

Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas – that’s the abomination dressing itself up as a church every Sunday morning and then traveling nationwide to protest as funerals of fallen United States soldiers. And it happened again. This time, residents of a small town sent the clearly lost souls back on the road to spew their false doctrine elsewhere. Here’s the story from Fox News “We got everybody here early so we could take up all the parking spots,” Rebecca Rooney of Weston, Mo., told Fox4kc.com. “We did that so Mr. Phelps wouldn’t have a contingency that was really close.” It seems that there is a steady drumbeat of the lunacy associated with Westboro Baptist Church. Their modus operandi is not the Great Commission, the spreading of the Gospel message, but one of co-opting solemn moments like those of a funeral for a loved one, a loved one whose notoriety is borne out of fearless service to our nation. In the book of Matthew chapter 28, verses 18-20, Jesus commands, Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Continue reading →

Peter Shumlin, You’re Confusing Me

Bill O'Neill — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 01:28:58 +0000

Mr. Shumlin, you are confusing me. In tonight’s mail you sent me two large, glossy color cardboard mailings for your candidacy for Vermont governor. One mailing is a photo of a pouting little girl writing with her pencil. The slogan? “If Brian Dubie wins, she loses.” The other mailing from you? It’s a woman with a fiery stare and the words, “Brian Dubie thinks abortion should be illegal” and “Brian Dubie will endanger our freedom and our health.” Your shell game is shell-shocking, Mr. Shumlin. So, Mr. Shumlin, you claim that if PRO-LIFE candidate Brian Dubie wins, then young life “loses”? How can you as the pro-abortion candidate point the finger of endangerment to “health and freedom” to the pro-life candidate? With a straight face? There is nothing more protecting of young life than advocating that they get the chance to breathe air in the first place. All of this is about as inconsistent as your position on “saving” $40(M) million in tax dollars by early release of prisoners spending NEW tax money up front in order to do that, AND also spending $33M from the “savings of $40M to start early childhood education programs. Your shell game is shell-shocking, Continue reading →

Senator Boxer Entitled to Her Title?

Bill O'Neill — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 04:51:31 +0000

Senator Barbara Boxer has worked so hard for her title. Perhaps it is time to give her a rest? I’ve worked so hard for that title. Call Me Senator from RightChange on Vimeo The question remains, is Senator Boxer entitled to her title? Her constituents will decide in November.

Federal Court: 1st Amendment Protects Religion on Vanity Plates

Bill O'Neill — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 03:09:20 +0000

The 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals ruling affirms the view that the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides for religion on vanity plates on automobiles.

A Drunk Uncle at a Family Reunion

Bill O'Neill — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 22:38:35 +0000

The crackpots are the drunk uncle at the family reunion who blurts out every family secret (that everyone actually KNOWS of but simply never speaks of). So, instead of dealing with the family issues they prefer to gag the uncle until the party is over.

Joy Jones for VT State Rep

Bill O'Neill — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 03:53:45 +0000

I’m supporting Joy Jones for Vermont State Representative in Addison-Rutland 1 serving the towns of Shoreham, Whiting, Orwell and Benson. I hope you will too. Open publication – Free publishing – More vermont

VT Gov Race: Hurry Up & Wait

Bill O'Neill — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 02:06:06 +0000

With no unity around a Democratic candidate, there were more than a few people with proverbial checkbooks open on Wednesday ready to start to restore the Democratic race’s cash but were faced with an unanswerable question, “To whom shall I write this check?”

Vermont not “OK” with cross

Bill O'Neill — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 04:18:35 +0000

Do you know what makes this “Vermont” story all that more interesting to me? I had to go to an “Oklahoma” news source to find it. Greetings from Vermont.
The battle is on between religious freedom and land use laws around the country. The Oklahoman reports in NewsOK that here in Vermont a couple of Roman Catholics wish to maintain an illuminated cross of substantial size, twenty four feet, at a chapel they built for their very large family and the general public. State and local authorities say “no.”

White House Cover-up

Bill O'Neill — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 05:59:35 +0000

Some images just scream for a subtitle. Okay, I’ll bite: “This gives a Whole New Meaning to TARP Funds.” Then there’s, “Welcome to open government.” Here’s the mysterious (AP) photo of the White House covered by a huge tarp (8/15/10).

An Obama ‘hamina-hamina-hamina’ moment

Bill O'Neill — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:36:14 +0000

Here now, the first in a series of “homina homina homina” moments in the life of President Barack Obama: [video] President Obama backslid Friday night on the Ground Zero mosque when he said, “I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there….” Gee, I wonder why. The de-facto victory mosque, to be named after the location of a prior victory location in Europe, is going to be a burden to the Obama administration and his party. President Obama does have a bully pulpit; the question is, who is the bully’s target?

Stark’s Reality

Bill O'Neill — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:55:05 +0000

I think it is fair to say that approval numbers are making a noise that dwarfs that of the “Dean Scream” heard around the world when then Vermont Governor Howard Dean, in his run-up to the Democratic presidential nomination, which all but expelled the methane from his campaign’s presumed renewable energy sources. But as with methane and politics, however, there is alway plenty to go around. Light a candle?