BLACK REVS VS. REVOLUTION: Many black ministers are rallying against what they find the offensive notion that the campaign in favor of same-sex "marriage" is equivalent to the struggle for civil rights for blacks. A number of pastors gathered March 22 in Atlanta and 30 signed a declaration that said, "This is neither a hate nor a fear issue. People are free in our nation to pursue relationships as they choose. To redefine marriage, however, to suit the preference of those choosing alternative lifestyles is wrong." According to AP, "Bishop William Shields of Hopewell Baptist Church told the crowd of about 250 that gay marriage is 'a threat to who we are and what we stand for.' 'I'm not here tonight to discriminate against anyone. I'm here to stand on the word of God,' Shields said. Bishop Donn Thomas of Messiah's World Outreach Ministries said the civil rights movement 'was a positive freedom for African-Americans to experience our capabilities as men and women created in the image of God.'"
IMMIGRANTS VS. ENVIRONMENT: Several immigration reform proponents are trying to get elected to the Sierra Club's board, and Rep. Tom Tancredo (R.-Colo.) wants the government to study the effects on the environment of the massive levels of immigration into this country. "Radical environmental groups rarely pass up an opportunity to criticize badly needed forest thinning projects or to characterize energy exploration proposals as threats to the environment," said Tancredo, chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus. "But one primary threat to that they have remained largely silent on is the threat to our environment posed by ever-increasing levels of immigration." Notes Tancredo's office: "Uncontrolled illegal immigration has had serious environmental consequences for a number of sensitive areas along our borders. The completion of an environmental impact statement, as called for in the bill, will both help to better quantify the scope of these impacts, and assist policymakers in making a determination about what level of immigration is appropriate." Added Tancredo, "We require exhaustive environmental reviews when the federal government makes even the most minor of decisions like where to build a road or how many acres of brush to clear in a forest."
GOOD PROFS? Campus Watch has come up with a list of a small minority: Middle East scholars who are not rabidly pro-Muslim and anti-American. The list is of 31 university dons who "offer thoughtful and balanced analysis of the Middle East, amidst a sea of politicized scholars," says Campus Watch. Dr. Daniel Pipes, Campus Watch founder, said, "Since the launch of Campus Watch, students and parents have been seeking our advice when applying for Middle East programs. While many of our reports are negative, we also see it as part of our mission to recommend the specialists who do praiseworthy work." The list includes Bernard Lewis of Princeton, Fouad Ajami of Johns Hopkins, and Shaul Bakhash of George Mason.
FOR ENGLAND: The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) has announced that it is opening a London office, and "joining with embattled British citizens in their fight to restore their firearms rights," says CRKBA: "This is the first time an American firearm civil rights organization has opened an office on foreign soil." CCRKBA Chairman Alan M. Gottlieb has appointed veteran Conservative Party activist Greg Smith as the organization's European representative. 'British citizens and gun owners from other European countries will be funding this effort,' Gottlieb said. 'Just as with America's war against international terrorism, we are taking the fight against international gun control to our enemies.'" Noted Gottlieb, "Since the United Kingdom banned privately owned handguns in 1997, gun crime has nearly doubled."
EU VS. MICROSOFT: On March 24, the European Union socked Microsoft with a $613-million fine for abuse of its "near monopoly." Not only that, said AP, "The EU's antitrust authority said that 'because the illegal behavior is still ongoing,' it was also demanding changes in the way Microsoft operates. It gave Microsoft 90 days to offer computer manufacturers a version of Windows without the company's digital media player. . . . Microsoft also has 120 days to release programming code to rivals in the server market." The company, which does 30% of its business in Europe, said it would appeal.
