DefendtheDefenders.org believes that the basic legal coverage provided by the military is not nearly enough for a fair and adequate defense in both the court of law and the court of public opinion. Outside civilian counsel is an important component of a successful legal defense. It is, however, very expensive. The more experienced and successful the lawyers, the more costly their services. Our boys, however, don’t wear the uniform for the money; so most don’t have the financial reserves to engage the top law firms in the country for their own defense. It is sad, but true: “justice” and a fair trial are expensive.
Why does the court of public opinion matter and why should you care? Because it has a real impact on the silent victims- the families of those warriors who have already suffered the terror of their loved one being at risk far away only to have them return to a war here at home.
Go there now http://www.DefendTheDefenders.org
Monday, February 14, 2005
Who Will Defend The Defenders?
Generations of Valor
Pearl Harbor survivor Houston James of Dallas embraced Marine Staff Sgt. Mark Graunke Jr. during a Veterans Day Commemoration in 2004. Graunke lost a hand, a leg and an eye when he defused a bomb in Iraq last year. 
Poll: Plurality of Americans Approve of Mention of God By Elected Officials
FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. Feb. 8-9, 2005. N=900 registered voters nationwide.
And why is this news? With Gavin Newsom and other secularists attempting to remove the reference of God from government it is important to remember that in American Democracy, majority rules. We must resist "tyranny by the minority" at all costs.
Are The Democrats United As They Claim?
Not according to many Washington insiders:
The new chair of the DNC, Howard Dean makes no apologies for his dislike and distrust of the Clinton camp inside the party.
According to FoxNews' reporter Major Garrett (doing research for his upcoming book, "The Enduring Revolution: How the Contract With America Continues to Shape the Nation") Howard Dean has more respect for Newt Gingrich than for Bill Clinton. Whereas Dean gives Gingrich credit for the right-wing revolution that eventually turned control of the Whitehouse and both houses of Congress to the Republicans, he blames Bill Clinton for leading the Democratic Party into complacency and defeat.
It appears that Howard Dean can count among his admirers, failed presidential Candidate John Kerry. Many Washington insiders are speculating that Kerry intends to join forces with Dean in order to create a counter balance to the Clinton wing of the Democratic Party and possibly to run for President again in 2008. In fact, it is reported that John Kerry recently donated $1,000,000 to the DNC for Dean's use and sent an email to his supporters. In the email Kerry states: "Join me with a contribution of your own to show the incoming DNC chair - former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean - that you want to support organizing in your community."
According to Rick Klein of the Boston Globe:
The donation to the Democratic National Committee is a signal that Kerry intends to work through the existing party organization after his unsuccessful presidential campaign. One aide to the senator said it should send a message of good will to Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor who was Kerry's rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, now in line to be the next Democratic National Committee chairman.
With Hillary Clinton said to also be seeking the Democratic nomination for President in 2008, we can expect some real fireworks within the minority party between now and election day.
The UN Loves The Little Children
Yes, the United Nations loves little children so much that numerous UN Peacekeepers and civilian UN staff in DR Congo have sexually exploited and abused women and girls.
As The BBC reports UN forces meant to protect civilians have instead sexually abused Congolese children.
As a of last month a team investigated 72 allegations of abuse by UN peacekeepers and civilian staff. Twenty-six of these, involving soldiers from Pakistan, Nepal, Tunisia, South Africa and Uruguay, were substantiated.
And what pray-tell has the United Nations instituted as a fix for this sick tragedy? In response, the UN introduced a non-fraternisation policy, banning its peacekeepers from having sex with local people.
But UN officials stressed they have no power to discipline peacekeepers.
They can only send them home and request that the country of origin takes action.
And it is only when countries like Morocco prosecute offenders, they say, that sexual abuse by peacekeepers can be stamped out.
UPDATE: ABC News Reports that United Nations workers dispatched to the Congo as peacekeepers have instead been raping and pillaging their way through the country, with one senior U.N. official photographing his victims as he assaulted them.
ABC News Congo Sex Crimes Investigation - Slideshow
