NTDTV Blackout In China Muzzles The Oppressed

When the plug was pulled on the New Tang Dynasty TV's satellite feed to China, it wasn't just that nation's voice of freedom that was silenced. It was also a calculated move by the Chinese government to silence the country's oppressed.

NTDTV is, or should I say was, the only independent Chinese language broadcast into China. But it wasn't a one-way street.

Network spokeswoman Carrie Hung was my guest today on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com. And she told of how the audience that surreptitiously watched their broadcasts feels like an integral part of their lives has been stripped away.



It's particularly sad that this occurred as the Beijing Olympics approach. Also sad is the decision by the government to limit the coverage that the news media that's permitted in country for the Games may produce.

There should be a louder international outcry. Not just about the suppression of press freedoms. But about what that really means. That human rights violations are continuing unabashed. Continuing because they will never be fully exposed.

Human rights violations are only successful when they don't see the light of day. NTDTV was the main source of that much needed light.

Please go to this link to help NTDTV purchase their own satellite to continue their important broadcasting to the people of China. http://english.ntdtv.com/?c=216

Red Roses Ban In Saudi Arabia

Banned along with dogs and cats

Remember I told you about cats and dogs being banned in Saudi Arabia's capital because men use them to attract women and that leads to flirting?

Well now, they're banning red roses too. Most anything else that can be given as a gift colored red, too. Because as everyone knows, red is the color of love. And if there's one thing the world does not need is love sweet love. At least from the standpoint of the sanctimonious religious police in Saudi Arabia (I know, sanctimonious and religious police is redundant, isn't it?).

This is all so hard to fathom in modern times.

It gets worse, of course. We brought you the story some weeks ago of the British woman married to a Saudi man who was arrested, stripped naked and then forced to put her clothes, that had been dumped in human waste, back on and walk home. All because she went to a Starbucks to take a meeting with her business partner, a man, when the electricity in her office went out.

The U.S. government and American based multinational corporations continue to do business with these human rights abusers because, well, it's good for business. But shouldn't there be at least some attempt to negotiate a code of human rights with those with whom we do business?

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/judybaxter/10724142/

Blasphemy Still A Crime In 'New' Afghanistan

Afghanistan's government isn't controlled by the Taliban any longer. But it still isn't reflective of American ideals.

Ghaws Zalmy (also spelled Zalmai in some reports), a noted journalist and spokesman for the attorney general in Afghanistan, faces death if convicted on a charge of blasphemy for translating the Koran into a Persian dialect.

Even if he is acquitted, Zalmy could be killed.

The News Talk Online audience member who brought this story to my attention asks a simple question. "This," he writes, "is the democracy our soldiers die to protect?"

Of course, the mission in Afghanistan isn't simply to prop up the government there. It's to root out Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda (though increasingly, the thought is that bin Laden is now hiding in northern Pakistan). But the writer makes an excellent point.

The United States, and the rest of the free world, face tough choices in the world in general and the Middle East specifically. Do you reject regimes because of their human rights violations. Or do you support them because you fear the alternative would be worse.

Afghanistan is one such place. So is, for example, Saudi Arabia.

That aside, the case of Ghaws Zalmy shouldn't be debated. The United States, the United Nations, the free nations of the world and all leading journalist and human rights organizations should be pressuring the Afghan government to free him and to ensure him, and those who were arrested trying to help him flee the country, safe passage to a country of their choice.

Chinese Global TV Network Shut Out Of China During Olympics Topic Of Next News Talk Online

New Tang Dynasty Television covers China and the rest of Asia and distributes its content mainly via satellite.

But under apparent pressure from the Chinese government, the satellite provider NTDTV uses to beam its shows to mainland China has turned off the transponder. So the Chinese people can't see NTDTV's coverage of Chinese affairs, from inside or from outside the nation.

Joining me as my guest on the next News Talk Online on Thursday July 31 to talk about the repression of human rights and free speech in China will be NTDTV spokeswoman Carrie Hung. To talk to her at 5 PM New York time CLICK HERE. There is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.

News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio to an additional 12 million households.

Attorney Can't Believe Minister Is In Jail For Quoting Scripture

Except for the self-professed witch, who said he could understand being tossed into jail if he cast a spell on a judge, most callers to News Talk Online on Paltalk.com couldn't understand how a minister could be sentenced to prison for quoting the Bible.

Neither can Rev. Edward Pinkney's attorney, Buck Davis, who was my guest on the show.



Pinkney, on probation following a conviction on ballot tampering charges, wrote a letter to the editor of a Chicago newspaper complaining about the Berrian County, MI court system. The probation department brought it to the attention of the judge. Who read the scripture Pinkney quoted. Talking about God's wrath.

The judge viewed that as a threat.

Here's a great question posed by one caller, Bill from Atlanta. If the judge viewed the scripture as a threat, then does that mean the court is recognizing a religion? And whatever happened to separation of church and state.

Malik, an attorney from Indianapolis, told Davis that he feels he will win on appeal. Davis appreciated that optimistic view of course. But the issue remains. How can a minister, or anyone else in the United States, be imprisoned, for a minimum of three years no less, for quoting the Bible?

To learn more about Rev. Pinkney's case and to find out how you can help please go to: http://bhbanco.blogspot.com/

Lawyer For Minister Jailed For Quoting Scripture On Paltalk

Pinkney holding his electronic tether

before being sentenced to prison





Last I checked, the Constitution of the United States protected religious speech. But maybe no longer.





A Benton Harbor, MI minister has been thrown into that state's largest prison for three years for quoting scripture.





I am not kidding.





Rev. Edward Pinkney is a community activist in the impoverished mostly black Benton Harbor. Across the river from the almost exclusively white and more affluent St. Joseph.





Pinkney lead a recall campaign against a local politician. The recall was successful but the election wasn't certified, the result of some alleged improprieties in the handling of the ballots.





Pinkney was ultimately charged with and convicted for tampering with the ballots, in what his supporters claim was a political use of the judicial system. He was sentenced to a year in the Berrien County jail.





While there, he found decrepit conditions for the mostly black inmate population. So, as he did on the outside, the good reverend began organizing a campaign to improve things in jail.





He wrote a letter to the chief judge of the county court demanding that the jail be cleaned up. And included scripture, which refers to God's wrath. Deuteronomy 28:14-22. Which says, in part:








The LORD will put a curse on you, defeat and frustration in every enterprise you undertake, until you are speedily destroyed and perish for the evil you have done in forsaking me.The LORD will bring a pestilence upon you that will persist until he has exterminated you from the land you are entering to occupy.The LORD will strike you with wasting and fever, with scorching, fiery drought, with blight and searing wind, that will plague you until you perish.





Apparently it was the "perish" part that caused the judge to unleash wrath of his own. And sentence Pinkney to three years for, I guess, making Biblical threats.





Joining us today on News Talk Online on Paltalk to talk about the Rev. Pinkney case is his attorney, Hugh "Buck" Davis. Who says this may be the first case in the United States of a minister being imprisoned for quoting the Bible.





To talk to Davis on News Talk Online on Paltalk at 5 PM New York time today CLICK HERE. There is no charge.





Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.





News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio to an additional 12 million households.

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Photo credit: People's Tribune/daymonjhartley.com

Banning Cats And Dogs In Saudi Arabia

Banned in Riyadh, are babies next?

This comes from the You Can't Make This Stuff Up Department.

Seems they're banning the sales of cats and dogs, and the walking of canines, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, because men use the animals as a means of breaking the ice with women. In other words, they use the pets as props to flirt with members of the opposite sex.

It's been long understood that walking a cute dog on a public street attracts members of the opposite sex. Which then leads to, horrid, conversation. Which leads to - Allah knows what else!

But here's something the authorities in Riyadh may have overlooked. The same thing goes for walking babies.

That's right. As any single straight guy knows, if any of his buddies have recent offspring, the thing to do is borrow the baby and stroller to give Mom and Dad a break. Then when women come up to ooh and ah the baby, you tell them very quickly, "oh this isn't my baby, it's my buddy's, I'm just giving Mom and Dad a break. Besides, I just love children."

If there's anything a woman loves in a man more than his compassion for a puppy it's his love of children. Especially a young, single woman whose biological clock is, "tick, tick, ticking."

So if the authorities in Saudi Arabia really want to end this horrid flirtation practice, maybe they should ban babies as well!

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sephiroty/320928712/

Moving Closer To Mission Accomplished

Troops can relax a bit

So the president was just a bit premature when he landed on an aircraft carrier to declare "Mission Accomplished!" in Iraq. But the times have caught up with the commander-in-chief.



Unless something terribly untoward happens today or tomorrow, July will record the fewest U.S. military combat fatalities in Iraq since the invasion.



And to think that a year ago this war was viewed as all but lost.



That's not to say that there aren't continuing casualties. The recent spat of suicide bombings shows that Iraq is not quite yet a sought after tourist destination.



But it does show that the surge is working. That the day that the Iraqis can take over the lead is closer. And that the president may, soon, once again, be able to declare Mission Accomplished. This time with a greater degree of veracity.

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Photo credit: Staff Sgt. Micky M. Bazaldua/USAF

Come And Visit Israel

If you read or watch or listen to the news about Israel it's all about terrorist attacks and stalled peace processes. With a dash of political scandal tossed in for seasoning.

David Saranga is trying to change all that. By telling the world that Israel is a great place to visit.

As the Israeli government's chief spokesman in New York, he's been doing just that. And that's the message he brought to News Talk Online on Paltalk.com.



But you can't duck the tough questions when your an Israeli government spokesman. The number one issue in the minds of audience members was, "will there ever be peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians?"

Saranga nearly avoids that one with his political reply. He's an optimist. And he'd like to think so. But he's a realist as well. And doesn't see a peace treaty in the immediate future.

Perhaps the next U.S. administration will step up to the challenge and do what the current White House has been inept at. Take a lead in the peace process.

If not, maybe the European Union or the United Nations or the Arab League will.

Until then, the best Saranga can offer us is images of bikini clad women on Israeli beaches. For some of us, that may just be enough to get us to travel to Israel. But for others, the fear of terrorism or war will overshadow Saranga's sunny portrait of the Holy Land.

One-Third Of UK Muslim Students Think It's OK To Kill In Name Of Religion

An extremely disturbing survey out of the United Kingdom.

One-third of Muslim students believe it's OK to kill in the name of their religion.

Say something nasty about Islam. You're dead.

We aren't talking about uneducated people in Middle East countries where the entire society drums these ideals into their brains. We're talking about students in Britain.

The Centre for Social Cohesion, which conducted the study, termed the results "deeply alarming."

That reaction, even for the Brits, is a wholesale understatement.

Presidential Race Closer Than You May Think

Who really leads?

As I've reported here, a recent Gallup poll showed that Barack Obama returned from his foreign trip with a 9 point lead over Republican rival John McCain.

But now another Gallup poll shows McCain leading Obama by 4 points. Yet a third poll shows him trailing Obama by 6.

How is this possible?

The poll giving Obama a lead is among registered voters. The poll that favors McCain surveyed those registered voters who are likely to cast ballots in November.

It's all so confusing. And reminds us that the only count that really matters is the election itself.

Aaron Brown Spreading The Journalistic Faith

Aaron Brown is an old-school journalist.

This, in this day of "new media" may sound like a slam. But it's actually a compliment.

Brown, the former CNN anchor turned journalism professor and now host of the PBS series Wide Angle says it's not the job of journalists to push their views on the consumers of news. But he fears that on the cable networks, that's what's happening. Especially with all the big name opinionated personalities they're featuring.

He also finds believes it's important that Americans learn more about the world than just what's happening between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. That's what he's trying to do with Wide Angle.

For example, he just returned from Jordan where he reported on the Iraq refugee problem there. The Iraq war, by the way, is, in his opinion the most under reported international story in the United States.

Brown's comments came during his appearance on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com.

He also believes the emerging European Union/China influence on global economics and Africa remain sparsely reported important stories in the United States.

David Saranga, The Israeli Government's Spokesman In New York, On News Talk Online

There's no area of the world that attracts more media attention than the Middle East.

Three of the great religions of the world claim the same neighborhood as their roots. But instead of always being a common factor that results in affinity, it becomes the root of a lot of fighting in the name of religion.

Now, as Pres. Bush's term grinds to an end, an 11th hour push is on, once again, to develop a peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. But as always, factors get in the way.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is fighting a corruption scandal. And infighting between Palestinian factions makes it difficult to determine with whom to negotiate.

Joining me as my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com tomorrow, July 29, to talk about this and all other issues that matter to his nation will be Israel's chief spokesman in New York, David Saranga.

Saranga is the consul for media and public Affairs at the consulate General in New York. Previously he as deputy spokesman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Israel, responsible for contact with the foreign media. He previously served in Israel’s embassies in Romania and Spain.

To talk to Saranga on Tuesday July 29 at 5 PM New York time CLICK HERE. There is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.

News Talk Online is syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio to an additional 12 million households.

Let's Not Celebrate The 'End' Of The Iraq War Prematurely

Yes, it is true that the surge is "working." Fewer American troops are casualties in Iraq. The Iraqis now think they can begin the process of taking over security for the nation.

But let's not fool ourselves into thinking the war in Iraq is "over." Because for the Iraqi people, it is far from ended.

Fifty people are dead in bombings in Iraq today. More than half of the dead were at the hands of three female suicide bombers.

About 250 others are reported wounded.

Imagine this happening in the United States. Would we feel that the war on terrorism was "over?" Hardly!

Apatheic U.S. Public Fuels High Pump Prices

Cutting down on fuel consumption

Why are fuel prices so high in the United States?

An article in the New York Times today suggests public apathy may be a contributing factor.

According to the story, in nations where public protests over high prices are feared, the governments subsidize gasoline and diesel. Resulting in artificially low prices at the pumps.

In the United States, of course, the best we can do is drive less (which isn't a bad idea regardless) in the hopes that the law of supply and demand work.

Apparently they are, a bit, as prices have begun inching down over the past week.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/labor2008/2703556405/

McCain Eats Obama's Foreign Tour Dust

Barack Obama claimed his foreign trip was not political in nature. He even, with a straight face, suggested it would result in lower ratings because Americans are more concerned about domestic issues, like the economy, than foreign matters.

But the Democratic presidential candidate emerges from the tour with a 9-point lead over Republican rival John McCain.

It's the kind of bump one might expect following the Democratic National Convention. Instead, it's happening now. Leaving McCain scrambling.

Oddly enough, prior to this trip, McCain was perceived as the foreign policy candidate. He, of course, has far more year's service in the Senate than does Obama. And he is a war hero.

But several things worked against McCain during the Obama trip. The first was news media coverage of Obama. The second was coverage of McCain.

Obama got star-like media treatment. That's because he was greeted like a rock star along the way. So the coverage reflected all that.

The McCain camp had been arguing that Obama was getting a disproportionate opportunity in front of the cameras. So the news media responded by stepping up its coverage of McCain.

Unfortunately, several gaffes by McCain on foreign policy issues tarnished his image as well.



Remember, the campaign is one of imagery. And right now, Obama is the one who is shining.

Obama Claims Trip Is Apolitical

Sporting a flag lapel pin on foreign trip

With a straight face, Barack Obama told reporters that his foreign trip was not political in nature. And that he wouldn't be surprised if he slipped a bit in the polls because of it because the American people are concerned about domestic issues like the economy.

Obama must be a good poker player trying to pull of that bluff.

He knows as well as we do that the trip was totally political in nature. If he was interested, as a U.S. senator, in the state of the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, why didn't he go on a fact finding mission before he became a candidate for president?

The fact is, Obama has successfully taken from John McCain the one issue that has been perceived as McCain's strength.

Suddenly, the relatively inexperienced in foreign affairs Obama appears to have a handle on the world's top hot spots. Afghanistan. Iraq. Iran. And Israel.

Not political indeed!

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barackobamadotcom/2701924391/

Iran Claims It's Doubled It's Centrifuge Capacity

Iran Pres. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claims that the nation now has 6,000 centrifuges in its uranium enrichment nuclear plant. Double the number previously claimed.

The comments are sure to catch the attention of the United States, Israel and those in the rest of the world who are concerned that Iran is developing nuclear weapons.

Iran claims it's just enriching the uranium in order to produce energy for the nation.

Obama Claims World Unity On Iran

Editor's note: The following essay was written by News Talk Online producer Boaz Frankel

Yesterday on News Talk Online we discussed the statement made by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama that the world is united against the Iranian nuclear program. I found that statement to be unclear and irresponsible given that in reality Russia sold the nuclear technology to Iran, China doesn't seem to be worried about it given its financial interests in Iran and of course the European Union that is divided on the issue.

I feel that if a representative of the USA speaks abroad to our friends and allies and makes a false statement it reflects on the American people.

Former CNN And Current PBS Anchor Aaron Brown On News Talk Online

Brown

Aaron Brown, who is perhaps best known for anchoring much of CNN's coverage on September 11, 2001 and who now hosts the PBS Wide Angle series will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com Monday July 28. Wide Angle is a weekly public affairs series which focuses on stories around the world.

Brown's first day on the air at CNN was the day New York's Twin Towers and the Pentagon were attacked by terrorists who hijacked airplanes. Prior to working at CNN. Brown was a longtime reporter for ABC where he was the founding host of World News Now.

Known for his low key style, Brown began his career covering the Vietnam protests and the Watergate scandal in the 70s.

He also covered the start of the Iraq war, the O J Simpson trial, the Columbine High School shootings and the war in Bosnia.

He is the winner of three Emmys, a DuPont, two New York Film Society World medals and a George Foster Peabody. His coverage of 9/11 earned him the coveted Edward R. Murrow Award.

Brown will talk about the way the news media covers the news domestically and around the world.

To talk to Brown at 5 PM New York time Monday July 28 CLICK HERE. There is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.

News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio to an additional 12 million households.

Obama On Tour

Editor's note: The following essay was written by News Talk Online political correspondent Alan Jasie

Barack Obama was in the heart of Germany today, the city of Berlin speaking before an enthusiastic crowd estimated to have been over 200,000. Paltalk’s own Sonny Stengle spoke to the News Talk audience about the favorable press that Obama has received in Germany.

Obama’s trip, financed by his campaign which has included stops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel as well as Germany has been a public relations coup for his campaign. The three major U.S. networks sent their evening news anchors to cover the trip. Obama looked presidential in delivering this address near the spot in Berlin where JFK gave his famous “Ich bein ein Berliner” speech. Also, this was also near where Ronald Reagan in challenged Gorbachev to “tear down that wall.”

John McCain, the Republican nominee, has been relegated to the sidelines by the Obama trip. This is actually a good thing for McCain as in the last few days his campaign has shown him in situations that do McCain a major disservice. The video of McCain with George G.W. Bush riding around in a golf cart at the exclusive Kennebunkport compound looked like a couple of retirees out for a ride at the country club. In another awful move, his campaign put him in a supermarket in Pennsylvania showing him shopping with a young mother and her small children. This staged event looked like Grandpa out with the family in an environment he was clearly not being comfortable in. What were they thinking at Team McCain? Why put him in these unnatural situations? Let John McCain be John McCain and not put him these awkward positions.


On this day, the stock market dropped over 280 points so for all the speeches and photo ops, let’s get to the real issues of this campaign. Our economy is sick and we need more than spin to get the United States on the right track.

Russia Arms Iran

The showdown with Iran now could lead to a straining of relations between the United States and Russia.

Russia is reportedly providing missiles to Iran to protect that nation from an attack.

There's been speculation that Israel or the United States might attempt an attack on Iran's nuclear facility over fears that Tehran has resumed its nuclear weapons program there.

Bush A Great President?

Mike Horn believes Pres. Bush will be remembered as one of the greatest presidents in modern times.

Hard to believe, given his current low popularity rating. But that's what Horn thinks.

Horn's comments came during an interview on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com.

Horn, the president and CEO of CRN Digital Talk Radio (which syndicates News Talk Online) argues that the reason the United States has not been attacked since 9/11 is that this president has taken the fight to the terrorists.

Of course, many in the audience were appalled by that argument. They believe that there was no justification for the invasion of Iraq. That there were no terrorists there before the U.S. went in. That Saddam Hussein, as bad as he was for the Iraqis, was certainly contained and not a threat to the anyone else in the world, much less to the United States.

But there were, to me, a surprising number of those in the audience who rallied behind Horn and his position. Thanking me for finally bringing to the show someone who defends Pres. Bush. And who believes history will remember him well.

Pres. Bush Defender On Paltalk

Horn blasting the news media

Mike Horn is one of those rarities in the media these days. He's sticking to his convictions. He's defending Pres. Bush.

Horn, talk show host and president and CEO of CRN Digital Talk Radio, which syndicates News Talk Online on Paltalk.com, believes Americans are safe from terrorism because of the policies of the White House. And, despite the president's low approval rating, he's not afraid to publicly say it.

Horn is also critical of those in the news media who aren't just reporting the news, but who are clearly attempting to influence the voters to select their candidate for president.

To talk to Mike Horn on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com at 5 PM New York time today CLICK HERE. There is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.

News Talk Online is syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio into an additional 12 million households.

Obama Pledges Support For Israel

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says the United States must defend Israel's right to protect itself.

Obama, speaking in Israel, also says he is committed to helping the Israelis and Palestinians develop a lasting peace.

Once again he is taking the spotlight from John McCain.

And once again, he is creating lasting images in the minds of voters. He is looking and sounding presidential. And he is likely wiping away in the minds of some voters their concerns about his relative foreign policy inexperience.

Is Obama The Foreign Policy Wiz He Now Looks Like?

Barack Obama's public relations coup on his foreign trip is staggering.

No longer is John McCain assured of being viewed as the candidate with foreign policy credentials. Obama's interactions with leaders of Afghanistan, Iraq and, now, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, bring the voters images of a man in control of the situation. He looks, well, presidential.

But is this form or substance?

Callers to News Talk Online on Paltalk.com yesterday weren't necessarily in agreement on this one.

Some wanted to know why it took Obama so long to visit the troops and the generals in Iraq. Others argued, you don't need to actually be in country to know what's the best policy to follow.

One thing's for certain. The trip, and its extensive coverage, leaves McCain struggling to regain some of the campaign spotlight..

Obama Wins Al-Maliki's Support

Generally, leaders of one nation don't stick their noses into the politics of another.

But one good interference in one country apparently warrants one in return. The United States pushed through the process of a new government in Iraq following the fall of Saddam Hussein. Now Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki appears to be returning the favor, giving sustenance to the campaign of Barack Obama.

Al-Maliki has been struggling to explain his stated desire for a timed withdrawal of U.S. troops from his nation. Obama has helped him clarify his position. And, in return, al-Maliki is helping Obama shore up his image as understanding foreign relations. Issuing a statement through a government spokesman that a withdrawal of U.S. combat troops in 2010, something Obama is calling for, sounds like a good plan.




Leaving John McCain, who has been out front on this issue, scrambling for attention.

One thing's for sure. Al-Maliki and Obama, if elected, seem on the path of mutual respect and cooperation. But by not hedging his bets, the Iraqi prime minister may be setting himself up for a cooler relationship with a Pres. McCain.

Bush Administration Not Reflective Of Conservative Values

Former Republican Congressman Mickey Edwards has impeccable conservative credentials. So he offers a degree of veracity when he says the Bush administration fails to adhere to conservative values.

They may call themselves conservatives, he argues. But they are not.

During an interview on News Talk Online on Paltalk, Edwards noted that the Bush administration used the War Powers Act to get us into Iraq without declaring war, supports warrantless wiretaps, and has politicized the Justice Department.

Had a Democratic president done any of the above, he says, there would be a hue and cry from the Republican Party. A party that he says has been largely silent about the transgressions of this White House.

McCain Struggles To Regain Foreign Policy Spotlight

Republican presidential candidate John McCain had pretty much been conceded the corner on foreign policy. Many political observers noted that he has longer standing in the U.S. Senate than his Democratic opponent Barack Obama. And that as a war hero, better military credentials as well.

But Obama has been shifting the spotlight to himself with his trip to Afghanistan, Iraq and, later this week, Israel. He has gotten a vote of confidence, of sorts, from the Iraqi government, which is agreeing with his plan to withdraw U.S. troops by 2010.

McCain is firing back. At least he is attempting to. By arguing from the campaign trail in Maine that he has been consistently correct about Iraq.

McCain argues, correctly, that he supported the surge that has resulted in significant pacification of the insurgency. Many people thought his early support of that effort would become his downfall in the Republican primary campaign. But those who predicted that, obviously, have been proven wrong.

McCain says, yes, a withdrawal could take place, in two years. But he opposes a timetable because conditions could change on the ground. He notes that Obama had favored a withdrawal of the troops by this past March. That would have upset the surge, which he calls a success.





But in the meantime, for the moment, the focus is on Obama. Who is working on improving his image on foreign relations. So far, that image enhancing plan, seems to be working.

Islamic Fundamentalists Need To Move Into The 21st Century

Human rights activists in Iran say nine people, eight of them women, have been sentenced to being stoned to death for adultery.

Amazing, that in this day and age, adultery is a capital offense in Iran. And that the method of death is stoning.

This is what happens when a fundamentalist theocracy is running a country.

Iran used to be a modern society that contributed mightily to the world.

And in ancient times Iran contributed even more. For example, it's believed that the world's first orchestra was formed in Iran. The first private banks, likewise, were established in Iran.

To see a once great society reduced to the stoning of adulterers is, to put it mildly, disheartening.

A Meeting Of The Minds In Iraq

The Iraqi government seems to like Barack Obama's timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops by 2010.

Obama met today with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to discuss the future of America's military commitment. Following the meeting, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh issued a statement saying that the 2010 date sounds about right.




This leaves Obama's Republican presidential opponent John McCain looking out-of-step. McCain has been saying the U.S. will withdraw, but not following any timetable.

McCain is the one who is supposed to have the foreign affairs credentials. But on this trip, Obama is beginning to overshadow McCain.

Janet Jackson's Nipple Not Obscene

A federal appeals court has rescinded the fines the FCC issued against CBS and the affiliates who carried the broadcast of Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show.



The court ruled the fines were arbitrary and capricious. They also presupposed that a woman's breast is obscene. And offensive. And shouldn't be seen by children.

Of course, since the function of a woman's breast is to provide sustenance to an infant, the ruling was a bit contradictory to nature. But such is the way of the FCC during the Bush administration.

Perhaps the commission will lighten up a bit. Its rules with regard to broadcasters aren't at all in step with the realities of society.

The kids are hearing and seeing much worse on videos and the music they download and play. Cable TV and satellite radio as well as the Internet rightly aren't constrained like over-the-air TV. This gives broadcasters a disadvantage in programming.

Maybe the FCC under the next administration will be more accommodating to reality in its rulings.

Obama To Meet With Olmert, Abbas

He's a candidate for president of the United States but he's using his trip to Afghanistan, Iraq and now the Middle East to show that he's presidential as well.

The campaign of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama says he will meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Wednesday.

Obama will be in Israel on Tuesday to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livini, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

He will also be meeting with Palestinian Authority Pres. Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Obama has been taking a lot of heat for his relative lack of foreign policy experience. But he is wisely using this trip to position himself as a potential diplomatic leader.

World leaders will be taking notice but so should the American voters. The current administration has an abysmal diplomatic record. How Obama conducts himself on this trip will give voters insight into his ability, or lack thereof, in changing that image.

Obama In Iraq Pursing A Withdrawal Timetable

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is in Iraq where he is following up on that nation's prime minister's call for a timed withdrawal of U.S. troops. Something his rival, Republican John McCain, has scoffed at.

Obama writes in today's New York Times that Prime Minister al-Malaki's call for a timetable for the U.S. troops to leave "presents an enormous opportunity."




In this, Obama is correct.

The United States invaded Iraq, deposed the dictator Saddam Hussein, oversaw elections and touted the fact that it had brought democracy to the country.

Now that there's a duly-elected government, it's time to put that democracy to work and follow the wishes of a sovereign nation whose leader is requesting a schedule for withdrawal.

9/11 Families Can Visit Ground Zero One Last Time

Ground Zero

Last year was supposed to be the last year that 9/11 families would be permitted to visit the bedrock of Ground Zero during the September 11 memorial services. The reason: construction made it too dangerous to let them descend to the depths of the World Trade Center site.

But the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is lagging way behind schedule on construction, is reversing itself, allowing the families to, one more time, make the journey to what many of them consider their loved one's final resting place.

The problem, of course is, that for many of the families, there has been no recovery of remains. So it's either Ground Zero, or the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island, where the debris from the attacks was taken, that can be considered their loved one's "cemetery."

The memorial center at Ground Zero won't be completed and open until 2010. That's if it is open on schedule.

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Turning Humans Into Currency

Shalit

Hezbollah got the remains of 19 fighters in return for the bodies of two captured Israeli soldiers it returned this past week to Israel.

Hamas is vowing to not make the same "mistake."

Instead, Hamas, which controls the Gaza, will demand the return of 10 percent of the live Palestinian prisoners Israel holds. That is, if Israel wants captured soldier Gilad Shalit back.

That leaves the Israeli government with a tough choice. Does it do all it can to win Shalit's safe return? Even if that means releasing as many as 1,000 terrorists?

Not an easy decision to make.

Obama Puts Together Impressive Foreign Relations Team

Barack Obama has a perception problem. Whether it's justified or not makes no difference. It's there and he needs to fight it.

That problem is that he's weak on foreign policy. Two things, it is argued, give his opponent, John McCain, an advantage in this area.

McCain has years of experience in the Senate that Obama lacks.

And McCain is a Vietnam War hero. Giving him, it is argued, a perspective Obama can never obtain.

Fair enough. But similar things were said about John F. Kennedy when he was running for president. But when the Cuban missile crisis hit, Kennedy rose to the occasion.

Presidents have a habit of doing that. Especially when they are surrounded by a good foreign relations team.

Obama is putting together a team of advisers that rival any. In fact, it could be argued that the group that's counseling him on foreign affairs matters outshines whatever is driving the Bush administration.

Having Trouble Getting On An Airplane?

Lewis

It's not so much fun flying these days.

The cost of airfare is rising. The amenities are declining. Why, some airlines are charging you to check luggage. Others are now charging for those little packets of peanuts. How crazy is that?

But the biggest complaint passengers have is going through the screening process. They hate having to take off their shoes and belts, open their carry on luggage for everyone to see their toiletries and suffer random pat downs.

But for some it's much worse than for others. For those on certain lists, the humiliation at the screening points is amplified.

Even for one U.S. congressman.

For the record, let's make it abundantly clear that Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) is not a terrorist. He's been in the Congress of the United States for more than 20 years. He's one of the good guys.

But Congressman Lewis says he's still subject to extensive searches every time he flies. Because he's on some kind of terrorist watch list.

He carries a letter announcing who he is whenever he flies. But the letter holds no weight with the Homeland Security screeners.

Lewis keeps raising this point (this has been going on for years) because he feels, heck, if it's happening to him, it's happening to others as well.

It's not that Americans don't want secure screening. It's just that they want it done smartly and efficiently. These kinds of screw ups, where people who obviously don't warrant a second and third look before boarding a plane, makes us all wonder, well what about the people who do need closer scrutiny? If they're searching the wrong people, who's searching the right ones?

Now's The Time To Pressure The Chinese On Christian Oppression

Open Doors USA President and CEO Carl Moeller is focusing on China these days. Not that there isn't a lot of other oppression targeting Christians around the world. It's just that, he told my audience on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com, now is the time to concentrate on China.

Two reasons. Positively, because of the Olympics, there is attention plenty focusing on China. So now, he says, is the time to get the story out.

But on the negative side of the coin, the Olympics, he says, is causing for there to be a crackdown on Christians, especially those the government feels might talk to reporters about the lack of religious freedom in China.

Moeller also fears that when the Olympics end and the reporters go it could get a lot worse for many Christians in China.

Michigan Could Be Key To Presidential Election

John McCain said it today while campaigning there. MSNBC cited a poll that seems to confirm it. Michigan could be one of the key states in the presidential election.

One might ask, "Why Michigan?" Both John Kerry and Al Gore carried the state

But Barack Obama is under performing in Michigan. Yes, Michigan is suffering mightily through this economic downturn, and one might guess that would reflect poorly on any Republican candidate. But Michigan's governor is a Democrat, and the Democrats control the state legislature. Many voters there blame Lansing, not Washington, for their economic woes.

McCain might not be doing himself much good there, though, going to a Warren, Michigan auto plants to call for an electric vehicle tax credit. But the Republican presidential hopeful prides himself on straight talk. We need more politicians who are true to their positions and who are not just making pronouncements out of political expediency.

Obama used to be like this. At least with McCain, we know where he stands on the issues.

Want To Give More Of Your Money To Uncle Sam? Then Vote Obama

Economic insecurity for some

Time for change. That's what Barack Obama says. But for many Americans, an Obama presidency will mean less change. Or green. In their pockets.

That's because Obama wants to increase the federal income tax. And those who make more than a quarter-million-dollars a year would pay more in Social Security taxes.

The New York Sun has studied Obama's tax plans. It reports that some people will give nearly 60 percent of their income to the government.

Of course, the vast majority of Americans don't make that much money. So Obama may feel comfortable proposing taxing the rich, who, he may presume, would more than likely vote Republican anyway. But where's the equity in all this?

America is a capitalistic nation. We are told from birth to put ourselves to the grindstone and we will reap rewards. Obama's plan penalizes success. To me, that seems blatantly un-American.

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Andrew Klavan Touts His Conservative Values In His New Novel

Andrew Klavan, who was my guest today on News Talk Online on Paltalk, believes the very entertainment industry he belongs to is, by nature, liberally biased. So he's embarked on a one-author campaign to use his own works to counter that trend.

Klavans' new thriller, Empire of Lies, is as much a condemnation of what he believes is a left-leaning news media and liberal screen writers and authors who feed their viewers and readers an anti-American diet along with their stories.

Empire's main character was an amoral lefty journalist who found God, moved from the social cesspool of New York to a Midwestern town where he took a job as a newspaper editor and used the paper to rail against a city government that was going broke on corruption and welfare programs.

He was rewarded with a high paying job, a far from modern lawyer wife and three children in an upscale version of Leave it to Beaverland. But, alas, his past called him back east where he was forced to confront it and slip down the hole leading to Hell.

His worse transgression likely was at the beginning of the story, when he withheld the real reason for the trip from his wonderful wife. Thus building his Empire of Lies.

Klavan makes no bones about the conservative philosophy he espouses in this thriller. He has been predictably condemned by the left. But also by conservatives who found his explicit descriptions of group sex and S&M parties too graphic for their tastes.

U.S. Urged To Use Care In Transferring Detainees To Their Home Countries

The United States, already under criticism for its treatment of suspected terrorists, is being cautioned that those detainees who are sent to their home nations could face torture there.

A new report by the Council on Foreign Relations urges the U.S. to take steps to ensure that this doesn't happen.

Report author Ashley Deeks, international affairs fellow at the CFR, says this becomes even more critical if the next administration decides to close the Guantanamo detention facility and transfer the prisoners to their home countries.

Deeks writes that other nations that are actively arresting suspected terrorists face the same issues.

McCain Or Obama, Who's The Better Candidate To Bring The Troops Home From Iraq?

The debate raged during today's News Talk Online on Paltalk.com over who is the better candidate, John McCain or Barack Obama, to bring the troops home.

Many felt McCain is better suited as commander-in-chief because of his wartime military experience.

That may be true, but the Republican presidential hopeful isn't warming up to the Iraqi prime minister's request that the U.S. come up with a timetable for withdrawal.

The question is, why not?

The United States has argued that the dictator Saddam Hussein was replaced by a representative government elected by the people. We're spreading democracy to the Middle East. Great. Then let democracy work and respect the wishes of the elected government of Iraq.

Brits Prefer Former Penal Colony To Home Sweet Home

Trading in the Union Jack for this

Despite being high wage earners, a new study by the Australian Visa Bureau concludes that many British subjects are emigrating to Oz because of what they view as a poor quality of life in the UK.

Ironic, isn't it, since Britain originally populated Australia with criminals?

Reasons cited include the lack of sunshine in England (folks from there are a bit pale I've noticed) and the fact that the industrious British find they are laboring (sorry labouring) long and tedious hours just to get ahead.

The cost of living is also given as a reason for this trend.

Australia is, obviously, a whole lot less crowded than the British Isles isn't it?

Seems like Australia is just the right paradise for beleaguered Brits mate!

Former Congressman And Leading Conservative Mickey Edwards On Paltalk

Edwards

Mickey Edwards, a leading figure in the American conservative movement for more than four decades, a former U.S. congressman, former national chairman of the American Conservative Union and a founding trustee of the Heritage Foundation will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk Monday July 21st.

Edwards is the author of a new book, Reclaiming Conservatism, in which he argues that conservatives today have abandoned their principles and have become champions of what they most feared - a government that fails to adhere to the U.S. Constitution.

Edwards is a lecturer at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He is also a vice president of the Aspen Institute and director of the Institute’s Aspen-Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership program.

He served as a member of Congress for 16 years, during which time he was a senior member of the House Republican leadership as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, a member of both the House Appropriations and Budget Committees, and ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Foreign Operations. After leaving Congress, he taught government and public policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government for 11 years before moving to Princeton in 2004. He has also taught at both Harvard Law School and as a visiting professor at Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute.

Edwards has been a regular columnist for a number of newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Examiner, and Boston Globe, and for years broadcasted weekly political commentary on National Public Radio's All Things Considered. His articles have also appeared frequently in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, San Francisco Examiner, Miami Herald, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Boston Herald, Tulsa World and other major newspapers, and in such publications as The National Interest, The Public Interest, and Policy Review.

He is the author of two books, co-author of a third, and has contributed chapters to several more.

Edwards has chaired task forces on foreign policy for The Brookings Institution and the Council on Foreign Relations and is a director of several organizations in the fields of public policy and foreign affairs, including The Constitution Project. He has also been an advisor to the State Department.

To talk to Edwards at 5 PM New York time Monday July 21 CLICK HERE. There is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.

News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio to 12 million additional households.

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Photo credit: Robin Holland

A Nation In Mourning

In Israel where every Jewish life is valued and where the degrees of separation between families and friends is small there is sorrow today over the news that Hezbollah confirmed that Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, Israeli soldiers it seized in a 2006 border raid, are dead.

Two coffins have been returned to the Israelis. Forensic testing is underway to confirm they are the remains of the two abducted soldiers.

The entire nation has been watching this saga play out. Praying for their safe return. But losing hope with each passing hour, day, week, month and year since they were taken.

The news also puts additional pressure on the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert who came under fire for what many Israelis believe was a failed effort against Hezbollah in Lebanon. And who faces a political crisis over a corruption investigation. Many Israelis have been outspoken about the need to bring Goldwasser and Regev home. Their deaths will not change this.

At least, if the coffins truly carry their remains, the two soldiers have been returned to their homes, their families and their nation.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shilohmuse/469781769/

Canadian Minister Pushes Free Speech Limits

"Islam," pastor Mark Harding told me during an interview on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com, "is a satanic cult."

With that early remark, Harding set the stage for a heated debate over tolerance toward religions and free speech.

Harding is the Canadian Christian pastor who ran afoul of that nation's hate speech laws and was sentenced to two year's probation. He was also ordered to study under an imam to learn about religious tolerance.

For many, myself included, it was obvious that the lessons were lost on Harding, as he expressed his "religious" views that Islam is a dangerous religion that, in itself, breeds intolerance, hatred and terrorism.

But while some of what he said may be reprehensible, it begs the question of government interference in his right to say it.

It's better that the Mark Harding's of the world get their bully pulpits, make their statements and engage in debate over their positions. To his credit, Harding welcomes such debates, to the point, he says, of getting thrown out of mosques and being bounced from Paltalk rooms by room administrators who are offended by his rhetoric.

One thing Harding and I agree on. It's not the government's responsibility to limit speech. In the United States, this is a right protected by the constitution. Apparently such safeguards do not apply to our neighbors to the north.

The Nation Strikes Back At The New Yorker Cartoon

No, this is NOT the New Yorker cover cartoon, though it looks a bit similar.

This is the cover of The Nation, striking back at the New Yorker cartoon which attempted to lampoon those who would portray Barack and Michelle Obama as terrorist supporters.

The New Yorker cartoon was poking fun at those who brand Barack an extremist Muslim in disguise.

Notice in this cartoon, poking fun at the New Yorker cartoon, Michelle Obama is NOT slinging an AK47, Osama bin Laden's portrait is upside down and it's a copy of the New Yorker burning in the fireplace, not the American flag.

Afraid Of A Food Poisoning? Don't Panic

Siegel

Our good friend, Dr. Marc Siegel, who used to do a show on Paltalk, has written a piece for FoxNews.com that bears reading.

Siegel says those of us who are afraid to order salsa with our chips at our favorite Mexican restaurants ought to park our concerns.

The chances, Siegel says, of suffering Salmonella poisoning are pretty slim.

You can read his words for yourself here. But this is the thing about Dr. Siegel that I really like. He takes these health crisis that, correctly, are reported by the media, but which are sometimes overblown, and puts them into perspective.

In the past he's tackled the fear of the bird flu (the promised pandemic thankfully never occurred), West Nile Virus (more deaths from the flu, thank you) and contamination on commercial airplanes (the air is pretty well filtered).

We thank him for helping us put our fears aside so we can concentrate on other things that go bump in the night. Like terrorism or meteors that are targeting planet Earth.

U.S. Must help Pakistan Root Out Al Qaeda: CFR

A new Council On Foreign Relations report concludes that the United States will need an adjusted, long-term commitment to Pakistan's tribal regions in order to bolster U.S. security and eliminate national and international terrorist networks.

"The security challenges of Pakistan's tribal areas lie at the center of broader regional and global threats to stability," the report by the council's Center For Preventive Action says.

"The best way to meet these challenges is through enhanced partnership with the political and security institutions of the Pakistani state, and the best way to improve this cooperation is by planning, organizing, and budgeting for a decades-long U.S. commitment to the region."

The report, Securing Pakistan's Tribal Belt, outlines the dangerous nature of terrorist insurgencies in Pakistan's tribal areas, formulates strategies for addressing these challenges, and distills these strategies into policy proposals for the next U.S. administration. The author of the report is former State Department official Daniel Markey, senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The report says the tribal belt along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan faces the challenges of "harsh geography, poor education, and scarce infrastructure."

At present, it concludes, "the Pakistani government lacks the political, military, or bureaucratic capacity to fix the tribal areas on its own."

Andrew Klavan, Conservative Thriller Writer, On Paltalk

Klavan

Andrew Klavan is one of those rarities in Hollywood. He doesn't get spanked by conservative talk show hosts.





That's because his books, some of which have been turned into movies, champion conservative points of view.





His latest novel, a thriller, does just that.





Empire of Lies is about a guy who lived a very amoral life in New York City. Before finding God and moving to the Midwest where he embraced family values. But his past came calling. And he returned to New York, to help a former lover and find a missing person.





The book is described as a fictional condemnation of the media and the very entertainment industries from which Klavan finds sustenance.




Klavan will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com Thursday July 21st at 5 PM New York time. To talk to him then, CLICK HERE. There is no charge.





Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.





News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio to an additional 12 million households.

Religious Freedom Crucial Foreign Policy Issue: Poll

More than half of Christians in America believe religious freedom should be a high priority in crafting U.S. foreign policy, according to a recent Wilson Research Strategies survey commissioned by Open Doors USA.



"The persecution of Christians in the world today is on the rise, with an estimated 100 million suffering some sort of repression and even death for their faith,” said Carl Moeller, president and chief executive officer of Open Doors USA, a Christian ministry which has served persecuted Christians around the world for more than 50 years. Moeller will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com at 5 PM New York time Friday July 18 to talk about persecution of Christians in China in advance of the Olympics.



“Open Doors commissioned this study to try to understand what Christians in America feel about religious freedom. Clearly, it is a priority.”



According to the survey, 54 percent of U.S. Christians polled consider religious freedom an important issue in making U.S. foreign policy. This is an especially high priority with those who attend church most frequently (60 percent), compared with those Christians who never attend (40 percent). The study shows that 96 percent of respondents believe strongly that religious freedom is a basic human right, and that more than eight in 10 believe it is a very important basic right.





Respondents did not believe that direct intervention should form our religious freedom foreign policy. Instead, they favored the U.S. using more indirect policies, such as economic sanctions (20 percent) and diplomatic measures to pressure persecuting regimes rather than having the U.S. directly intervene.

The Al-Bashir Indictment

Sudan Pres. Omar al-Bashir's indictment on charges of genocide for the mass killings of his own citizens in Darfur is being watched closely by international leaders, and, of course, resisted by al-Bashir himself.

While the indictment by the International Court in the Hague prosecutor certainly brings into focus the crimes against civilians in Darfur, there are some potential negative consequences. Including increased resistance to outside intervention.

There have also been allegations leveled at the International Court that it is racist, only targeting African regimes. Of course, those who are being victimized are African, so it's difficult to follow this line of reasoning.

Of course, in order to bring al-Bashir to justice he must first be in custody. So the indictment is a very small first step in the process.

Prosecutors have had decidedly mixed results in the International Court attempting to prosecute genocide in the past. Hopefully they will be more successful this time.

Time To Hold Government Accountable

Common Cause Pres. Bob Edgar believes it's time for the citizens of the United States to hold their government accountable. And to insist that the elected officials adhere to the Constitution they swore to uphold.

Edgar's comments came during an interview on News Talk Online on Paltalk.com.

Edgar is concerned about such constitutional transgressions as warrantless wiretapping of Americans and political actions by a Justice Department that, he says, during this administration, has failed to protect all Americans.

He says he is "horrified" by some of the actions of former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

He also says the United States was "led into war by lies and misstatements."

"We need to have a commission on reconciliation," Edgar said, "to get to the heart ... of war crimes" committed by the current U.S. government.

Rules Restricting Photographers And Videographers Relaxed In Big Apple

No permit required

Restrictive regulations designed to limit the rights of photographers and videographers have been rescinded in New York City.



The move is being heralded by the New York Civil Liberties Union as a victory for the First Amendment, and follows the filing of a suit against the city by the NYCLU.



It was a case that was widely followed by filmmakers and journalists across the nation and around the world.



New York City today issued rules that respect the constitutional right to photograph and film on sidewalks and other public places.

Under the new rules, which the city negotiated with the NYCLU, anyone with a handheld camera or a tripod is free to film on city sidewalks for as long as they please without a permit so long as they don’t establish a physical perimeter around or direct passersby away from more than half of a sidewalk. The rules, released by the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcast. state that photographers and filmmakers who are simply standing on city sidewalks with cameras and tripods need no permit and no insurance. The rules also expressly state that no permit is required for photography and filming of parades, rallies, protests and demonstrations .

In May 2007, the city proposed rules that would have required permits and $1 million of insurance for anyone who spent 30 minutes photographing or filming in a single location. The NYCLU and scores of filmmakers and photographers opposed the proposal, which would have restricted a wide range of casual photography and film making.

“We are glad the City stepped up and agreed to issue rules that respect New Yorkers’ First Amendment rights,” said Donna Lieberman, NYCLU executive director. “Now the NYPD needs to get its act together and stop hassling photographers and filmmakers.”

The NYPD has a history of harassing photographers and violating their First Amendment rights, and the NYCLU has filed two lawsuits recently in an attempt to force the department to adopt policies and trainings so that officers will understand and respect the constitutionally-protected rights of photographers and filmmakers.

Still photographers and filmmakers whose work does not require a permit but are afraid of police harassment may apply for a free “optional permit,” an official document they can present if stopped and questioned by a police officer that explains they are engaged in legal activity. The optional permit does not require insurance.



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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mannequindisplay/260893689/

Mark Harding, Christian Pastor Who Was Convicted Of Hate Crime For Speaking Out Against Islam, On Paltalk

Harding

Mark Harding, who served two years probation and was sentenced to study under an imam to learn tolerance to Islam, will be my guest on News Talk Online on Paltalk Tuesday July 15.

Harding, a Christian minister, was convicted under Canada's restrictive laws that prohibit speech that is deemed hateful to any religious belief.

Harding's conviction stemmed from his handing out pamphlets outside an Ontario high school protesting the Toronto school providing a room for Muslim students to pray in. One of the pamphlets contained a list of what he said were atrocities perpetrated by Muslims around the world. The pamphlets warned Canadians to be on guard with the local Islamic population.

The case is seen as a struggle between two values in a free society. Religious tolerance and free speech.

To talk to Harding at 5 PM New York time on Tuesday July 15 CLICK HERE. There is no charge.

Paltalk is the largest multimedia interactive program on the Internet with more than 4 million unique users.

News Talk Online is also syndicated by CRN Digital Talk Radio to an additional 12 million households.