Of course he’s claiming the insanity defense: The Seattle JCC shooter who proclaimed he was a soldier of Islam when he was on his way to murdering one and wounding five others, is trying the insanity defense. The jury is currently deliberating. The prosecution played his martyr calls for the jury several times; we shall see if common sense prevails.
Syrian dictator bitches about Israel democracy: You have to love the irony. The Dorktator is up in arms because the Israeli Knesset passed a law requiring a national referendum before any Israeli government can withdraw from disputed territories, thus ensuring another Gaza withdrawal cannot happen. Of course the Dorktator would be upset about a law that asks for the will of the people. If his people could vote, he’d be dead. Not out of office. Dead.
If it’s Friday, this must be the Bi’ilin fence protest: The IDF arrested the protest’s leader, and there’s a lovely quote from some anarchist moron who insists the weekly riots are peaceful protests. Sure. That’s why an IDF officer lost an eye from a thrown stone, and why the riots routinely have to be broken up with tear gas. Even the AP acknowledges they are not “peaceful protests.”
Never saw that coming: The Vatican’s talks with Israel failed. Let’s see, the Church wants not to pay taxes, sovereignty over a room on Mount Zion and other Christian holy sites (even the ones that overlap Jewish holy sites), and a return of various properties to the Church. Hm. I say Israel asks for the return of the Temple items stolen by Rome 2,000 years ago, the Jewish documents that the Church is hoarding, and tell the Church to shut up and pay property taxes like everyone else in the world. Didn’t someone in early Christianity say to render to the state what is owed to the state? Or were those just words?
Shalit deal collapses again; everybody really surprised: Remember this, the next time you hear the word “imminent” mixed with “release” when discussing Gilad Shalit. Hamas wants the mastermind of the Netanya Massacre freed, among other mass-murderers. Not. Gonna. Happen.
Can someone find Ehud Olmert and kick him very hard in the ass for me? So Operation Cast Lead was such a success that Hamas is stronger now than they were before the IDF went in. Sure, 90% of the rockets have stopped. But the arms buildup is starting to sound really, really bad. Actually, I think I want someone to kick Ariel Sharon in the ass as well. He’s the one that started it. Oh, wait. And Condi Rice, for making Israel give up the Philadelphi Corridor. And George W. Bush, for allowing her to do it. Yeah, that’s about it for now.
I have a list of about 25 others to kick in the ass. It would make a great Chanukah gift.
A kick in the ass is not sufficient. A kick in the face is getting closer, but is still not sufficient.
Well, just to play devil’s advocate for a moment, do synagogues not also operate without taxes? In the US anyway? We just happen to have this one really BIG synagogue in Italy with cool frescoes.
Regarding the insanity defense, the thing that gets me is that they always say the act itself proves insanity. “Only an insane person would shoot five people”. “Only an insane person would drown her kids”. “Only an insane person would knife her husband”. etc.
John,
That’s merely a variation of the orphan defense, in which the perp who murdered his father and mother demands the mercy of the court on the grounds that he is an orphan.
The only nearly sure thing that will bring Shalit home is for Israel to capture the top dog of Hamas and exchange him for Shalit. The poor guy likely is doomed.
“I say Israel asks for the return of the Temple items stolen by Rome 2,000 years ago”
They can’t. The Vandals took them from Rome in 455 and brought them to Africa with them. What happened then I don’t know. I don’t think they were there when the Byzantines conquered the place in the 530s.
“Regarding the insanity defense, the thing that gets me is that they always say the act itself proves insanity. “Only an insane person would shoot five peopleâ€. “Only an insane person would drown her kidsâ€. “Only an insane person would knife her husbandâ€. etc.”
Well, that’s the everyday definition of insanity. The legal system, as usual, has a different and far more specific definition. I think it has something to do with lacking the ability to differentiate right from wrong, and therefore being incapable of willful intent to commit the crime. Pretty much any sign of prior planning to commit the crime invalidates it as a defense, as well as any attempt to conceal the crime from others. I am not a lawyer, though, so that’s just my opinion.