What Happened to The First Amendment?

Proposition 8.  Arguably one of the most controversial laws passed by voters in this country.  Also, one that has highlighted so much that is wrong in this country, at a time in which so much went right.  Such a paradox: Barack Obama, an African-American, elected president, at the same time that marriage rights are forcibly taken from homosexuals.

Here's the thing that frustrates me most about Prop. 8: it is literally unconstitutional.  It says it right there, First Amendment in the Constitution, Separation of Church and State.  Everything about Prop. 8 is the Church getting their hands dirty in the State's cookie jar.  It was put up by the Church, funded by the Church, organized by the Church, and voted for by the Church.  And the weirdest thing is that the most vocal and powerful Church that helped pass Prop. 8 was the Mormon Church.  According to an article in The New York Times, the Mormons "made up 80 percent to 90 percent of the early volunteers who walked door-to-door in election precincts" and "as much as half of the nearly $40 million raised on behalf of the measure was contributed by Mormons".  But the Mormons are polygamists, and the law defines marriage as "one man and one woman", not "one man and a dozen women"!  Well, as long as it isn't two men, or two women, right?  Because that would be a sign of the Apocalypse!

So, back to the Constitution.  It says, Religious Freedom - no interference by government, no imposition by other religions.  I'd say the Church making a law defining marriage definitely imposes upon me and you.  Dan Agin, in an article in The Huffington Post, puts it quite well.  He writes, "It's one thing for clergy to impose values on their own flock - - it's something quite different for clergy to impose values on people outside their flock."  Well said, sir!  I'm not a member of the Catholic or Christian or Mormon or any other Church, and I don't need them telling me whom I can legally marry!  

Well, there's a bright side to this debacle - the country is up in arms over the law, and things will be changed.  There are a lot of people, homosexual or heterosexual or transexual or bisexual or whatever you feel like calling yourself, who are pissed off and not letting this issue go away.  Through the tools of Facebook and other social networking sites, people are protesting all over the nation.  Today, there was a protest held in Rhode Island, on the steps of the State House (kudos if you went!) at the same time as other protests at every state capitol in the nation.  Trust me, this infraction of our civil and religious rights will not be forgotten, and it will be fought to the end.  Look out for new referendums or legislation or court cases that tackle this issue head-on.  They will be coming.

Hope Wins

History has been made! The first African American President, Barak Obama is elected. In this time of war and economic crisis, Obama has inspired a generation. It wasn’t too long ago that most American had never heard of him. But to hear his speeches you quickly realize that this man is special and will do great things. He already has. First he got the entire country excited about the election for the first time in many years. More people voted; even more adults voted for the very first time. More college students voted and got involved and more African Americans voted. It is hard to believe that it was just over forty years ago African Americans didn’t have the right to vote. We all know who Martin Luther King, JR. was. We studied him in school. He have heard his “I had have a dream speech.” We all know about the civil rights movement, and we celebrate Martin Luther King Day every year. But until this election it really didn’t hit me not only how far we have come, but that it wasn’t long ago that African Americans Couldn’t vote. It didn’t hit me that it was in my parent’s life time not my grandparents’ life time. If Martin Luther King had lived he could have seen how all his work and dreams have been realized. Not only can African Americans vote, they can be President. It was amazing to see the reaction from people around the country when Obama won. To see grown men cry was moving. To hear African American women say that now they can tell their children that they really can grow up to be whatever they want. To see every color, every religion standing side by side cheering was inspirational. Martin Luther King’s dream has truly been realized. This country is united and ready to move forward. And finally to see people from other countries all over the world cheer and be excited can only give us hope for a better world. It was time for change and time for this country to hope again. This is a great day to be an American.

Class Act

Barack Obama’s acceptance speech, as expected, was great. We all know he is a gifted speaker, which is one of the reasons he was elected. He not only has good ideas about making the country better, he has the ability to inspire us and to make us believe that we can be better. He came on stage with his family and you could feel his excitement, but he didn’t gloat or pat himself on the back. He thanked everyone for their hard work and made us feel that we were just as much a part of this victory. He talked about the hard work that was ahead of him but together we could do it. He told us that it would take time to make the changes this country needed, but the changes would be made. Even though the hard work to get elected was behind him, the hardest work is ahead of him. It wasn’t as much a victory speech but a speech of a man ready to get down to work and to lead our country. He even canceled the fireworks because this was a speech of moving forward, of getting down to business. He showed his dedication and his leadership ability. He thanked those who voted for him and included those that didn’t. He said that he would be the President to everyone. That’s a class act.
John McCain also showed class. Although you could see his disappointment, he accepted defeat with grace. He made it clear that he would stand beside his President and help him. When Obama’s name was mentioned, McCain shushed the audience. That’s a class act. Even President Bush showed he has class. Let’s face it; Bush took a beating during this campaign. Even McCain distanced himself from Bush. But Bush not only called Obama to congratulate him but he invited the Obama family to the White House before he is sworn in and he promised to make the transition as smooth as possible. This has not always been the case with past Presidents. It shows a lot from Bush.

WHO WANTS TO WORK FOR OBAMA???

"The Obama transition team is sending a seven-page, 63-item questionnaire to every candidate for Cabinet and other high-ranking positions in the incoming administration. The questions include everything from information on family members, Face book pages, blogs and hired help to links to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, American International Group and troubled banks as well as lawsuits, gifts, resumes, loans and other topics of interest. Keep in mind that there are about 7,000 positions to fill which includes 15 Cabinet positions and nearly 200 ambassadorships as well as agency heads and their immediate subordinates, policy executives and advisers, and top aides to those officials. This sounds like a big job but that's not even half of it. The largest part of the questionnaire asks appointed officials (some that are in high rank positions) and their spouses to list real estate and other business transactions, affiliations and relationships as well as personal financial and tax information. The questions also go in depth about writings of any kind, speeches, testimony, online communications and even personal diaries.
One can argue that Obama's question seem very contradicting because some of the questions he want answered are some things that was pointed out about him. For a example, one of the questions requires immigration status of any kind. Obama's grandmother who was not a citizen was living in the U.S. Another example would be that he was accused of having ties to William Ayers so it seems that his questions are bias/contradicting.
However, I believe that it’s very logical to want to know the people that you’re working with especially in this time of turmoil. If this much intense information and background check was implied many of our problems would’ve been avoided. It is wise to take this precaution where Obama would be aware of the people he is working with as well as any situation that could arise from the result of the questions. I think a lot could be accomplished just by simply asking questions.

The Second Coming of the Messiah?

Since Obama's victory in the 2008 presidential campaign he has been the recipient of much deserved praise. Around the world people are celebrating his victory and proclaiming that the U.S. is once again the "country of dreams" ("U.S. Again Hailed as "Country of Dreams", Washington Post). People across the globe also believe that "Americans overcame the racial divide and elected Obama because they wanted the real thing: a candidate who spoke from the bottom of his heart" ("Country of Dreams). While this is all nice and seems to be "the end" of racial politics, doesn't it seem to be too much of a fairy tale ending to the major problem of inequality and racism.

I feel the need to play the part of the devil's advocate at this point. While I am a proud supporter of Obama, and am excited about his victory and what he represents for American politics, it all just seems too good to be true: there must be a catch. Yes, we overcame a HUGE racial boundary in the U.S. by electing our first black president. This is and rightly should be a cause for major celebration. Just a few decades ago this feat would have been completely impossible to even imagine. I hate to be a pessimist amidst this historical period of time, but I feel like all this praise may not be what we need.

While it is excellent that we elected our first black president, should we really be patting ourselves on the back for that? I mean it did take us 232 years to finally accomplish this! I feel like, if anything, this just highlights the racial inequalities of our country, and here we are patting ourselves on the back for doing something that should be commonplace rather than history-making. Also, many political pundits talk of Obama like they would their first love, or discuss him as if he is the second coming of the messiah. I completely agree that Obama has the makings of being an amazing president and that he is more than qualified for the job, but are we placing him too high on a pedestal? I fear that by putting him on the level of a "deity" then nothing he does will ever live up to our exaggerated expectations. Sure, all the hype is good because, for the first time in a long time I have seen almost everyone around me excited about politics, but honestly, this is a double-edged sword. Any flaw in his policies, any poor decisions he makes, and misstep throughout his presidency will now be magnified by our expectations of what he is capable of. So, despite all the excitement, I feel the need to remind everyone: don't forget, he is human and shit happens.

Palin says she would be "honored" to help Obama

Palin said that she would be honored to help Obama "even though he hung around an 'unrepentant domestic terrorist.'" She said that she would help Obama with the issues she spoke about during the campaign. She also states that she is concerned about Obama's ties to William Ayers. "If anybody still wants to talk about it, I will," she said. "Because this is an unrepentant domestic terrorist who had campaigned to blow up, to destroy our Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol. That's an association that still bothers me, and I think it's fair to still talk about it."Palin seems like a "sore-loser," she needs to get past the fact that she and John McCain just didn’t win the election. Obama don’t need her help she didn’t know what she was doing for the most part during the campaign. Her judgments against Obama didn’t have any impact during the campaign, so what is her reason to put people against Obama now that he is president? It's annoying that after her loss that she is still trying to attack Obama with the same claim that still haven’t worked. Obama came this far alone and he can accomplish his plans and visions alone. She has lost her popularity and created a worst image for her taking cheap shots at Obama when the election is over. She can always go back to Alaska and implement her ideas there “maybe to an audience that wants to listen.”

It's All For The Children

As you all know, California passed Prop. 8, making it illegal for homosexuals to marry.  But did you know that it is now also illegal for both homosexual and heterosexual couples that are not married to adopt children?  

According to an Op-Ed article in The New York Times, Arkansas passed the Proposed Initiative Act No. 1 by a 57 % vote.  The law bans those who are not legally married from being foster parents or adopting children.  The law bans both gay and straight couples, but the Arkansas Family Council (who sponsored the law) has stated that it was written specifically to thwart "the gay agenda".  Hold on a sec - "the gay agenda"?  Does anyone else have a problem with that sentence?  I thought gays just wanted to be able to live their lives that way they wanted, the way that they're comfortable with, and maybe get married and have children, like anybody else.  Turns out maybe they've got an ulterior motive - like, say, any and all Muslims?

Well, this law is supposed to help children, by limiting their parents to only those who are married.  Sounds like the Arkansas Family Council believes that only married couples are fit to be parents.  But wait - where's the research to show that that's true?  Did they ever consider that being married does not automatically make you a good parent? (answer: of course they didn't - they're the Family Council, so they know what's best for parents)  

Here's another problem with the law: this can destroy families.  Say that a parent passes away - what happens to their child?  It used to be that a relative could adopt the child - something that I think we all would feel comfortable with for our child, and a situation in which the child would undoubtably feel more secure and comfortable in.  But now, unless that relative is married, the child is screwed - it's off to a foster home, or into state custody until they get adopted.  I can only imagine the terror and uncertainty the child must feel.  Now, yes, I know that there are many children that would not get a chance to live with relatives anyway, because they don't have relatives - but for those that do, it must be all the worse knowing that they could have gone to live with a family member.

So now gays are screwed - absolutely no way for them to have children.  Can't have children unless they're married, and can't get married.  But here's a scary thought: how long until the social conservatives decide that they should have the final word in any aspect of child-rearing - including whether we're "fit" to care for our own biological children?  Think about it - it's not that big a step away.

Liberman's Dilemma

Senator Joe Liberman continues to dig himself into a great hole: he is only one of two independents and after campaigning with fellow Republican Senator John McCain, he is only becoming more and more isolated. Harry Reid, the majority leader has had serious thoughts of removing Liberman from his chairmanship and they have both had several private meetings to discuss this but neither have come to any compromise. Joe had threatened that if he had lost his chairmanship, he would remove himself from the Democratic cacusus and begin caucusing with the Republicans.

If anything Liberman cannot afford to remove himself from the Democratic side of the Senate. He agrees with everything they believe in except for the Iraq War which puts him between a rock and a hard place. In Conneticut, his home state, citizens were polled on the following questions:

• Do you approve or disapprove of the job Joe Lieberman is doing as U.S. senator?

Approve 36 (45)
Disapprove 61 (43)

• If the 2012 election for U.S. Senate were held today would you to reelect Joe Lieberman would you consider voting for another candidate or would you vote to replace Lieberman?

Reelect 35
Consider Someone Else 18
Replace 48

• If Joe Lieberman loses his committee chairmanship at Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and switches his allegiance to the Republican Party would you that make you more likely reelect Lieberman more likely to consider voting for another candidate or more likely to vote to replace Lieberman?

Reelect 31
Consider Someone Else 15
Replace 52

• If you could vote again for U.S. Senate would you vote for Ned Lamont theDemocrat Alan Schlesinger the Republican or Joe Lieberman an Independent?

Lieberman (I) 34 (36)
Lamont (D) 59 (51)
Schlesinger (R) 3 (7)

It seems that the people of Connecticut don't like the Republican version of Lieberman, the one that trashed Democrats on the campaign trail with John McCain, the one that spoke at the RNC convention, the one that failed to hold the Bush Administration accountable in Congress, and the one that pretended Katrina never happened. I can predict with certainty that Liberman will most likely not be re-elected when his term ends. But also don't forget: it's either they keep Liberman on to get the magical 60-seat Filibuster proof position (which they can obtain I believe even without him if the three disputed races are resolved soon) or Joe Liberman consorting with the Republicans; trying to get reelected in New England, which as we all know is perhaps the one of the most Democratic areas in the United States. Below is a video clip I found on 'Daily Kos' but broadcasted by MSNBC, watch it:

Help Protect the Sanctity of Marriage and Family

Now that California voters narrowly approved a measure that would rescind the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry legally as guaranteed under the California state constitution, we need to realize the fight has just begun. Prop 8 was the beginning. Now let's finish the job:

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Happy Birthday Marines

On this day in 1775 the United States Marine Corps was founded by an act of the Continental Congress. Thanks to a change in regulations by the Marine Commandant, under aged Marines will be able to drink at on base birthday celebrations. They've certainly earned it.

Casualties: U. S. Navy and Marine Corps Personnel Killed and Wounded in Wars, Conflicts, Terrorist Acts, and Other Hostile Incidents

NAVY MARINE CORPS
ACTION KIA WIA KIA WIA

Revolutionary War,
19 Apr.1775 - 11 Apr. 1783 342 114 49 70

Naval War with France,
July 1798 - 3 Feb. 1801 14 31 6 11

Barbary Wars, Mediterranean
Sea, 10 Jun. 1801 -
4 Jun. 1805 31 54 4 10

USS Chesapeake attacked by
HMS Leopard, off Cape Henry,
Virginia, 22 Jun. 1807 3 18 0 0

War of 1812,
18 Jun. 1812 - 17 Feb. 1815 265 439 45 66

Marines escorting a convoy of
supply wagons ambushed by an
irregular force of Native
Americans and African Americans
in Twelve Mile Swamp near
St.John's, East Florida,
11 Sep. 1812 0 0 2 7

USS Nonsuch captured pirate
ship Caledonia off Savannah,
Georgia, 9 Apr. 1813 0 3 0 0

USS Essex crewmembers battle
with Taipis Tribe, Nuka Hiva,
Marquesas Islands, 29 Nov. 1813 1 2 0 0

USS Essex crewmembers battle
with Taii Tribe, Nuka Hiva,
Marquesas Islands, 27 May 1814 4 1 0 0

Ambush of Navy personnel on
Apalachicola River, Spanish
Florida, during reconnaissance of
fort and settlement occupied by
free African Americans and
escaped slaves, 17 Jul. 1816 4 0 0 0

USS Macedonian shore party
fired on by mob during Peruvian
War of Independence, Callao,
Peru, 6 Nov. 1820 2 6 0 0

Suppression of Piracy in
West Indies, 1822-1825 4 5 0 0

USS Fox fired on from Spanish
castle El Moro, St. Johns,
Puerto Rico, 5 Mar. 1823 1 0 0 0

USS Porpoise skirmish with
Greek pirates, near Andros
Island, Aegean Sea,
23 Oct. 1827 1 0 0 0

USS Potomac punitive Landing at
Qualah Battoo, Sumatra,
6 Feb. 1832 2 7 0 4

Seminole War, Florida,
1835 - 1842 8 12 3 5

USS Natchez Sailor's dispute
with fisherman led to bayonet
attack by Mexican guard,
Vera Cruz, 25 Oct. 1836 0 2 0 0

Wilkes Expedition, skirmish
with natives at Malolo, Fiji,
24 Jul. 1840 2 2 0 0

Mexican War,
24 Apr. 1846 - 30 May 1848 13 3 11 47

USS Plymouth landing party
skirmish with Chinese Imperial
troops during Taiping Rebellion,
5 Jun. 1855 1 1 0 2

USS Water Witch engagement with
a Paraguayan fort at Itapiru,
1 Feb. 1855 1 0 0 0

USS Powhatan engagement
with Chinese pirates
near Hong Kong, China,
4 Aug 1855 3 6 2 0

USS John Adams punitive
expedition to Viti Levu, Fiji,
28-31 Oct. 1855 1 0 0 2

Operations against Native
Americans, Puget Sound,
Washington Territory, 1855 3 1 0 0

USS Portsmouth, USS San Jacinto
and USS Levant reduction of the
Barrier Forts, Canton, China,
16-22 Nov. 1856 7 15 0 6

USS Massachusetts Coxswain Gustave
Englebrecht killed in skirmish with
Native American at Port Gamble,
Washington, 22 Nov. 1856 1 0 0 0

Confrontation with mob during
election violence outside
City Hall, Washington DC,
1 June 1857 0 0 0 2

USS Vandalia, punitive
expedition to Waya, Fiji,
9 Oct. 1858 0 3 0 2

Chartered river steamer
Toey-Wan supported English
and French attack on Chinese
forts at mouth of Peiho River,
China, 25 Jun. 1859 1 1 0 0

Marine assault on building
occupied by abolitionist John
Brown and followers, Harper's
Ferry, Virginia, 18 Oct. 1859 0 0 1 1

USS Saratoga and chartered
steamers Indianola and Wave,
gun battle and boarding of
Mexican armed steamer General
Miramon, near Vera Cruz,
Mexico, 6 Mar. 1860 1 3 0 0

Civil War (Union forces only),
15 Apr. 1861 - 26 May 1865 2,112 1,710 148 131

USS Wyoming battle with naval
forces of Japanese feudal
warlord off Shimonoseki,
13 Jul. 1863 3 6 1 0

USS Hartford and USS Wyoming,
landing party skirmish with
natives near Taka, Formosa,
13 Jun. 1867 1 0 0 0

USS Oneida Sailor wounded
during attack on foreign
residents by Japanese troops
during Meiji Restoration,
Hiogo, Japan, 4 Feb. 1868 0 1 0 0

USS Mohican battle with
Mexican pirate steamer
Forward in Teacapan River,
Mexico, 17 Jun. 1870 2 7 0 1

USS Monocacy, USS Palos
and steam launches from USS
Colorado and USS Alaska,
attack on Korean fort along
Salee River, June 1871 2 12 1 1

Marines from Brooklyn Navy
Yard guarding revenue officers
engaged in destroying
illegal distilleries in
Brooklyn, New York,
14 July and 17 Oct. 1871 0 0 1 3

USS Baltimore Sailors
fight with Chilean Sailors;
mobs subsequently attacked
US Sailors, Valparaiso,
16 Oct. 1891 2 18 0 0

USS Maine sunk in Havana Harbor,
Cuba, 15 Feb. 1898. (Sometimes
attributed to hostile action.) 266 54 0 0

Spanish American War,
15 Feb. 1898 - 10 Dec. 1898 10 47 6 21

Philippine Islands Insurrection,
4 Feb. 1899 - 25 Apr. 1901 9 0 7 19

USS Philadelphia punitive
expedition to Apia, Samoa,
1 Apr. 1899 4 4 0 1

Boxer Rebellion, China,
20 Jun. 1900 - 12 May 1901 4 26 9 17

Seaman Johnson shot by insurgents
while in a small boat from USS
Yankee at Santo Domingo,Dominican
Republic, 1 Feb. 1904 1 0 0 0

Apprentice 2d class Charles Doctor
from USS Columbia landing party
wounded by insurgents at Santo
Domingo, Dominican Republic,
11 Feb. 1904 0 1 0 0

While taking supplies to
US Army Camp Tabla, USS
Pambanga shore party
attacked by Moro rebels,
Basilian Island, Philippines,
24 Sep. 1911 1 3 0 0

Pacification of Nicaragua,
4 Aug. 1912 - 31 Jan. 1913 2 0 5 16

Occupation of Vera Cruz,
Mexico, 21-23 Nov. 1914 17 57 5 13

Pacification of Haiti,
25 Jul. 1915 - 6 Apr. 1917 2 0 7 29

Small boat from USS Annapolis
fired on by Mexican soldiers
at Mazatlan, 18 Jun. 1916 1 0 0 0

Pacification of Dominican
Republic, 1916 - 1924 0 0 17 50

SS Aztec sunk by German
submarine off Island of
Ushant, France, resulting
in death of Boatswain's Mate
1/c John I. Eopolucci,
1 Apr. 1917 1 0 0 0

World War I, 6 Apr. 1917 -
11 Nov. 1918 431 819 2,461 9,520

USS Monocacy fired on by
Chinese bandits, taking 80
bullet hits, north of Chenglin,
Yangtze River, China. Chief
Yeoman H. L. O'Brien killed
and Seaman W. W. Donnelly
wounded during firefight.
17 Jan. 1918 1 1 0 0

USS Olympia shore party operated
with British, French, Serbian
and White Russian troops in
skirmishes with Bolshevik forces
along the Dvina River near
Archangel during the Allied
intervention in northern Russia,
15 Aug. - 6 Sep. 1918 0 3 0 0

Armed guard detachment from
USS Monocacy defended oil
barge from bandit attack,
north of Ichang, Yangtze
River, China, 17 May 1921 0 1 0 0

USS Stewart (DD-224) fired on
by Chinese troops near Wuchang,
Yangtze River, China,
5 Sep. 1926 0 2 0 0

USS Pigeon (AM-47) fired on
Chinese below Hanyang,
China, 19 Sep 1926 0 3 0 0

Nicaragua Pacification,
1927 - 1933 1 2 47 66

USS Noa landing force
fired on by Chinese
warlord's troops, Nanking,
China, 24 Mar. 1927 0 1 0 0

USS Penquin (AM-33) fired on
by Chinese below Kiangyin
forts, China 25 Apr 1927 0 5 0 0

Armed guard detachment on
SS Chi Ping fired on by
bandits, north of Wanhsien,
Yangtze River, China,
14 Mar. 1930 0 1 0 0

USS Guam came under fire
from bandits while
attempting to rescue
missionaries near Yochow,
Yangtze River, China,
4 Jul. 1930 1 0 0 0

USS Palos fired on by
bandits at Changsha,
Yangtze River, China,
31 Jul. 1930 0 1 0 0

Marine 2d Brigade guarding
International Settlement,
during fighting between
Japanese and Chinese forces,
Shanghai, China,
Aug.-Oct. 1937 0 1 0 3

USS Augusta struck by
Nationalist Chinese anti-
aircraft shell, Shanghai,
China, 20 Aug. 1937 1 18 0 0

USS Augusta hit by shrapnel
during fighting in Shanghai,
China, 14 Oct. 1937 0 1 0 0

USS Panay sunk by Japanese
air attack, near Nanking,
Yangtze River, China,
12 Dec. 1937 2 43 0 0

USS Kearny damaged by German
submarine, Atlantic Ocean,
17 Oct. 1941 11 22 0 0

USS Salinas damaged by German
submarine, Atlantic Ocean,
30 Oct. 1941 0 1 0 0

USS Reuben James sunk by
German submarine, Atlantic
Ocean, 31 Oct. 1941 115 8 0 0

World War II, 7 Dec. 1941 -
31 Dec. 1946 36,950 37,778 19,733 68,207

1st Marines reconnaissance
patrol fired on by 40-50
Chinese communist guerillas
northwest of Tientsin, China,
6 Oct. 1945 0 0 0 3

7th Marines jeep patrol fired
on by Chinese communist snipers
near Tangshan, China
19 Oct 1945 0 0 0 2

Ambush of 5th Marines jeep patrol
by Chinese communist snipers
outside of Peiping, China
26 Oct 1945 0 0 0 1

Two marines hunting near 7th
Marines railroad outpost shot by
two Chinese west of Anshan, China,
4 Dec 1945 0 0 1 1

One marine attacked while on
liberty in Tientsin, China,
9 Dec 1945 0 0 0 1

Two 7th Marines supply trucks
ambushed by Chinese communist
guerillas near Tangshan, China,
15 Jan 1946 0 0 0 2

Marine hunting party attacked by
irregular forces in the vicinity
of Lutai, China, 7 Apr 1946 0 0 1 0

5th Marines bridge guards attacked
by Chinese communists firing
mortars, near Tangku, China,
5 May 1946 0 0 0 1

7th Marines sentry attacked by
guerillas in Lutai, China,
7 May 1946 0 0 0 1

1st Marines reconnaissance patrol
ambushed by 50-75 armed Chinese
in village 10 miles south of
Tientsin, China, 21 May 1946 0 0 1 1

Marine sentry attacked in Tangku,
China, 2 Jul 1946 0 0 0 1

Supply convoy, protected by 11th
Marines detachment, ambushed by
Chinese communist forces at Anping,
China, 29 July 1946 0 0 4 11

Chinese communist raid on 1st
Marine Division ammunition supply
point at Hsin Ho, northwest of
Tangku, China 3 Oct 1946 0 0 0 1

Two Chinese communist companies
about 350 men, attack 1st Marine
Division ammunition supply point
at Hsin Ho, northwest of Tangku,
China, 4-5 Apr 1947 0 0 5 17

Marine hunting party ambushed
by Chinese communists outside
of Tientsin, China,
25 Dec. 1947 0 0 1 0

PB4Y2 from VP-26, Det A,
shot down by Soviet
aircraft, over Baltic Sea
off coast of Latvia,
8 Apr. 1950 10 0 0 0

Korean War, 25 Jun. 1950 -
31 Jan. 1955 505 1,576 4,267 23,744

P2V-3W from VP-6 shot down
by Soviet aircraft, over Sea
of Japan off Vladivostok,
Siberia, 6 Nov. 1951 10 0 0 0

PBM-5S2 from VP-731 attacked by
Chinese fighters over the
Yellow Sea, 31 Jul. 1952 2 2 0 0

P2V-5 from VP-22 shot down by
anti-aircraft fire near Swatow,
China, 18 Jan. 1953 9 0 0 0

P2V from VP-19 shot down
by Soviet aircraft, over Sea
of Japan near Siberian coast,
4 Sep. 1954 1 0 0 0

P2V from VP-9 shot down
by Soviet aircraft, St. Lawrence
Island in the Bering Sea,
22 Jun. 1955 0 10 0 0

P4M-1Q from VQ-1 shot down
by hostile aircraft near
Wenchow, China, 22 Aug. 1956 16 0 0 0

P4M-1Q from VQ-1 attacked by
North Korean fighters near the
Korean Demilitarized Zone,
over Sea of Japan, 16 Jun. 1959 0 1 0 0

Vietnam War, 4 Aug. 1964 -
27 Jan. 1973 1,631 4,178 13,091 51,392

Intervention in the
Dominican Republic,
28 Apr. 1965 - 21 Sep. 1966 1 0 9 25

USS Liberty, attacked by
Israeli forces in the
Eastern Mediterranean,
8 Jun. 1967 31 168 2 1

LCDR Ernest A. Munro killed and
RMCS Harry L. Greene wounded by
communist terrorists, Guatemala,
16 Jan 1968 1 1 0 0

USS Pueblo, captured by
North Korean forces in the
Sea of Japan, 23 Jan. 1968 1 8 0 1
[All crew members, 79 Navy and 2
Marines, subsequently awarded the
purple heart for the period of
their captivity]

A-1H from VA-25 on a ferry flight
from the Philippines to an aircraft
carrier in the Tonkin Gulf shot
down by MIG interceptor after
accidently violating airspace of
Hainan Island, China
14 Feb. 1968 1 0 0 0

P3B from VP-26 on a coastal
surveillance photo-reconnaissance
mission, shot down, possibly by
a Cambodian naval vessel, crashing
in the Gulf of Thailand,
1 Apr. 1968 12 0 0 0

Sailors from USS Independence and
accompanying destroyers injured by
students during anti-American
riots in Istanbul, Turkey,
16-23 Jul. 1968 0 19 0 0

Sailors from USS Columbus and
accompanying destroyers injured by
students during anti-American
riots in Izmir, Turkey,
19-22 Dec. 1968 0 14 0 0

EC-121M from VQ-1 shot down
by North Korean aircraft over
the Sea of Japan, 14 Apr. 1969 30 0 1 0

Two UH-1Bs from HAL-3 Detachment
3 shot down in Svay Rieng
Province, Cambodia, by Cambodian
anti-aircraft fire, 28 Apr. 1969 4 4 0 0

Seabee wounded and Marine
Security Guards killed and
wounded during Terrorist
attack on US Embassy softball
game,Phnom Penh, Cambodia,
26 Sep. 1971 0 1 1 3

Marine Security Guard Sidney T.
James wounded during an attack
by a radical communist group,
U.S. Embassy, Manila,
Philippines, 1972 0 0 0 1

LCDR Franklin G. West wounded by
North Korean forces, Panmunjun,
Korea, 3 Mar 1974 0 1 0 0

CDR Robert M. Ballinger killed
by dynamite explosion during
investigation of tunnel built by
North Koreans in the southern
portion of the demilitarized
zone, Korea, 20 Nov 1974 1 0 0 0

Seabees killed by gunfire during
terrorist ambush of jeep on
northeast edge of US Naval Base
at Subic Bay, Philippines,
3 Feb. 1975 3 0 0 0

Two Marines from Marine Security
Detachment, Saigon, killed during
artillery attack while providing
security for Defense Attache
Office, at Tan Son Nhut Airport,
Saigon, Republic of Vietnam,
29 April 1975 0 0 2 0

"Mayaguez Incident," battle with
Khmer Rouge forces, Koh Tang
Island, Cambodia, 14 May 1975 2 3 14 41

Sailor wounded during attack by
unidentified gunman against U.S.
Air Force Bus, 14 miles north of
Clark Air Bus, Philippines,
11 Dec. 1976 0 1 0 0

LT Robert E. Nelson serving with
UN observers in the Lebanese
village of Maroun Al Ras wounded
during attack by Israeli Defense
Forces, night of 14-15 Mar 1978 0 1 0 0

U.S. Embassy Marine security
guard wounded, Kabul,
Afghanistan, 7 Aug 1978 0 0 0 1

U.S. Embassy Marine security
guard wounded, Beirut, Lebanon,
6 Oct 1978 0 0 0 1

SGT Garry Downey and SGT Kraus
wounded by Iranian guerillas during
attacks on U.S. Embassy, Tehran,
Iran, 11 and 14 Feb. 1979 0 0 0 2

Marine security guards injured
when leftist protesters attempted
to storm U.S. Embassy, San Salvador,
El Salvador, 30 Oct. 1979 0 0 0 2

Marine Security Guard CPL
Steven Crowley killed by
sniper fire during attack by
mob on US Embassy, Islamabad,
Pakistan, 21 Nov. 1979 0 0 1 0

Puerto Rican nationalists armed
with automatic weapons ambushed
a Navy bus driving to Sabana Seca
Naval Communication Center near
San Juan, 3 Dec 1979 2 10 0 0

BMCM Sam Novello killed by
Turkish leftists at his home in
Istanbul, Turkey, 16 April 1980 1 0 0 0

Marines wounded in terrorist
attack, Costa Rica, 17 Mar 1981 0 0 0 3

Crewmen from USS Pensacola
(LSD-38) attacked by terrorists
in San Juan, Puerto Rico,
16 May 1982. 1 3 0 0

U.S. Embassy Marine security
guard wounded, Beirut
Lebanon, 7 Jun 1982 0 0 0 1

Lebanon Peacekeeping,
25 Aug. 1982 - 26 Feb. 1984 19 8 234 151

Terrorist bombing of US
Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon.
Casualties included IS1 Daniel
J. Pellegrino and eight Marine
Security Guards, 18 Apr. 1983 0 1 1 7

Lieutenant Commander Albert A.
Schaufelberger killed by
terrorists, San Salvador,
El Salvador, 25 May 1983 1 0 0 0

CPL Guillermo Sanpedro killed
in terrorist attack, Cyprus,
23 Oct. 1983 0 0 1 0

Operation Urgent Fury,
invasion of Grenada, West Indies
23 Oct.1983 - 21 Nov. 1983 4 1 3 15

Capt. George Tsantes shot by
terrorists near Athens, Greece
15 Nov. 1983 1 0 0 0

Lt. Mark A. Lang killed and LT
Robert O. Goodman wounded when
A-6 Intruder from VA-85 shot down
while attacking Syrian antiaircraft
batteries at Hammana, east of
Beirut, Lebanon, 4 Dec. 1983 1 1 0 0

Commander, Carrier Air Wing Six
(CVW-6) CDR Edward K. Andrews
flying an A-7 Corsair II, shot
down by aircraft fire, near
Beirut, Lebanon, 4 Dec 1983 0 1 0 0

LCPL Rudolfo Hernandez killed
in terrorist attack, Germany,
7 Feb. 1984 0 0 1 0

HN Carl P. Englund wounded,
Beruit, Lebanon, 29 Feb 1984 0 1 0 0

PO1 Michael R. Wagner
assigned to Defense Attache
Office, killed; CEC Harvey L.
Whitaker and BU1 Stephen E.
Haycock and four Marine security
guards wounded in terrorist bombing
of US Embassy Annex, East Beirut,
Lebanon, 20 Sep. 1984 1 2 0 4

Seabee Steelworker 2nd Class
Robert Dean Stethem of Underwater
Construction Team ONE was killed
by terrorists in Athens, Greece,
on TWA Flight 847,
14 Jun. 1985 1 0 0 0

Off-duty Marines assigned to
Marine Security Guard Detachment,
San Salvador, El Salvador,
killed by terrorists armed with
automatic weapons at a cafe in
the Zona Rosa district of San
Salvador, 19 June 1985 0 0 4 0

USS Stark struck by Iraqi
missiles, Persian Gulf,
17 May 1987 37 5 0 0

Terrorist grenade attack on
USO club in Barcelona, Spain,
27 Dec. 1987 1 5 0 0

Col. Rich Higgins, killed by
pro-Iranian terrorists.
Captured on 17 Feb. 1988 in
Lebanon and declared dead on
6 Jul. 1990. 0 0 1 0

USS Samuel B. Roberts struck
Iranian mine, Persian Gulf,
14 Apr. 1988 0 10 0 0

Japanese Red Army terrorist
bombing of USO club in Naples,
Italy, 14 Apr. 1988 1 4 0 0

Loss of AH-1T helicopter during
operations against Iranian naval
forces, possibly to hostile
action, Persian Gulf,
18 Apr. 1988 0 0 2 0

Capt. William E. Nordeen,
Defense and Naval Attache,
killed by terrorist car bomb
in Kifissia, the suburb of
Athens, Greece,
28 Jun. 1988 1 0 0 0

Lt. Robert Paz,USMC shot and
witnesses, Navy LT and his wife,
beaten by Panamanian forces at
a road block in Panama City,
16 Dec. 1989 0 1 1 0

Operation Just Cause, Panama,
20 - 24 Dec. 1989 4 9 1 3

Persian Gulf War,
2 Aug. 1990 - 3 Mar. 1991 5 12 24 92

Operation Restore Hope,
Somalia, 9 Dec. 1992 -
4 May 1994 0 0 2 15

Bombing of Federal Building,
Oklahoma City, 19 Apr. 1995 0 0 2 0

Khobar Towers in Dhahran,
Saudi Arabia bombed by
terrorists, 25 Jun. 1996 0 1 0 0

Terrorist bombing of US Embassy
in Nairobi, Kenya, 7 August 1998
Marine security guard Sgt. Jesse
Aliganga killed, one Marine
guarded wounded 0 0 1 1

USS Cole (DDG 67) hit on port
side near forward stack by
explosive-laden suicide boat
while refueling, Aden,
Yemen, 12 October 2000. 17 39 0 0

American Flight 77 hijacked by
terrorists struck the Pentagon.
Casualties include 33 sailors,
6 Department of the Navy civilians,
and 3 Navy civilian contractors
killed and 4 sailors and 2
Department of the Navy civilians
wounded.
Arlington, VA, 11 Sep 2001. 33 4 0 0

Operation Enduring Freedom,
Afghanistan,
7 Oct 2001 through 16 July 2005. 15 6 9 84

Lance Corporal Antonio Sledd
killed, and another Marine wounded
by terrorists during Exercise
Eager Mace in Kuwait, 8 Oct 2002. 0 0 1 1

Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq,
19 Mar 2003 through 16 Jul 2005. 26 320 522 5,049

Bush Deregulates

There are 70 days left until Barack Obama takes over the White House and the Presidency.  In that time, there is so much that Bush can do to screw the American people - and he's not wasting any time.  The Deregulator is working hard (for once), easing restrictions and language on rules and regulations governing pollution and land usage.  Some of these changes are:

1. A change in the definition of solid waste that would exempt approximately 1.5 million tons of hazardous waste from rules governing its labeling, transportation, and disposal.
2. It is now voluntary for animal farms to apply for permits to discharge waste into waterways - and the companies decide if they pollute enough to warrant a permit.
3. There is under consideration the removal of Congress's power to control uranium mining, which is currently being used to limit mining near the Grand Canyon.
4. There is under consideration a rule change in power plant emissions controls that would change emissions limits to an hourly limit, thereby actually increasing overall emissions.
5. There is under consideration the removal of a requirement that the Fish and Wildlife Service evaluate federally approved mining, logging, and power plant projects for their impacts on endangered species.  Instead, the federal agencies that issue the permits would decide on their own.

There is so much more Bush could do, and probably will try to do.  Bush is also trying to make it harder for consumers to sue companies for providing faulty products, such as bad motorcycle brakes and pain medications.  The lawsuit-protection language Bush wants could be devastating to consumers who were injured by blatant negligence on the part of the companies.  In the next 70 days, we need to be on the lookout for Bush's sneaky attempts to change the laws to suit him and his cronies.  Obama's presidency should not only be about fixing what Bush did wrong - he needs to have some time to focus on his initiatives to better the lives of all Americans.

Sources:

The Wall Street Journal: Bush Rule Changes could Block Product-Safety Suit

Pro Publica: Bush Forces Deregulation in Waning Days of Administration

The Huffington Post: CA Atty. Gen. Calls of Bush Admin. to Abandon Endangered Species Changes

What's Up With The G.O.P.?

Lately, everyone's been saying, what's up with the Republicans?  How will they respond to the losses of the election?  Well, one pundit is saying that the Republicans had already changed, during the election.  Jeffery Feldman, in an article in The Huffington Post , stated that the Republicans have become a party of hard-right nationalism.  And you know what?  He's damn right.  Think about the last two months, in particular.  What was the McCain-Palin message?  FEAR OBAMA!!!!  Fear Obama, because he's a socialist, and has associated with terrorists, and wants to take away our guns, and is secretly a Muslim and HE HATES AMERICA!!!!

Even before McCain-Palin, the Republican Party has tried to use hard-right nationalism to fire up the base and win elections.  The 1992 and 1996 presidential bids of Pat Buchanan come to mind.  But the difference was, according to Feldman, that Buchanan tried to claim that America was under a social and cultural threat, while McCain-Palin claimed that Obama threatened every American's property and life.  For some as-yet-unwritten-about reason, McCain-Palin's message resonated within their base much more strongly than Buchanans'.

So, what does that mean now?  McCain-Palin have fired up their base so much that they are feeling physically threatened.  In order for Obama to have a safe and effective presidency, those Americans need to be calmed down, reassured that Obama has their interests very much at heart.  According to Feldman, their are two areas in particular that would calm them down, and maybe even get them to support Obama, however grudgingly it may be.  

1. The automotive industry.  Right now, the "Big Three" are in serious economic trouble.  If Obama gave them a rescue package that forced them to re-tool their factories for better fuel efficiency, then they could finally begin producing cars competitive to the asian brands.  This would help decrease unemployment problems, and halt the collapse of American manufacturing.

2. Health Care.  Their are millions of uninsured Americans, to whom an illness or injury is devastating.  If Obama can create a new, effective, widespread health care system, he can get support from an enormous section of the U.S. population.

These two issues are just some of the most pressing, that are hurting America very hard.  If Obama wants to pull the hard-right nationalists back toward the middle, he needs to try to solve the issues that are truly scaring them, deep inside.  Incidentally, those same issues are scaring the rest of middle-class America.  So we really aren't that different, are we?