Constitutional Question

The country I call home is one of tolerance and rule of law as defined by our Constitution. It seems to me that there are many Americans who are getting tired of our tolerance being taken for granted. They're certainly more than testy about non-U.S. citizens, especially those who entered this country illegally and partake of its tolerance and benefits, placing demands on U.S. citizens. Our country's tolerance of illegal immigration is unequaled anywhere else in the world but I fear that's about to change.

A friend e-mailed this link from Michelle Malkin. It's pretty typical of what's out there in the conservative blogs. The photo of the Mexican flag over an inverted U.S. flag flying over a California high school is an image that's getting a lot of attention. And evidently the protesters still haven't realized how this incites anti illegal immigrant sentiment.

He also sent this from an article on NewsMax.

Here in Mexico, where I (legally) reside, the L.A. march was called a "Megamarcha" and was warmly reported in the media.
But don't think for a second that Mexico would allow the same sort of nonsense to occur here. Mexico respects her sovereignty too much for that. Even we legal gringos are not allowed to participate in protest marches. In 2002, a number of Americans were immediately expelled for doing just that.
The Mexican Constitution's famous Article 33 gives the Mexican government the right to expel immediately, without right of appeal, any non-Mexican whose presence in the country is "deemed inconvenient."

I checked the Mexican constitution here and found the characterization accurate. Here's the relevant Article 33 of the Mexican Constitution. It's clear that Mexico denies to Americans and other foreigners living legally within its borders what it demands America give to illegal Mexican immigrants.

Chapter III
Of Foreigners
Article 33 - Foreigners are those who do not possess the qualities determined in Article 30. They have the right to the guarantees of Chapter I of the first title of this Constitution, but the Executive of the Union has the exclusive right to expel from the national territory, immediately and without necessity of judicial proceedings, all foreigners whose stay it judges inconvenient. Foreigners may not, in any manner, involve themselves in the political affairs of the country.

Why do american citizens have to go to alternative media for this information?

Media DisHonor Awards

Brent Bozell and the MRC are one of my favorite touchstones. Many days, while surrounded by fellow journalists who proclaimed the evil of conservatives, disdain for all things military and in general the omniscience of their own perspective, MRC verified that my perspective was not unique. Some day I might just have to write a local journalist's version of Bernie Goldberg's "Bias."

Last night the Media Research Center hosted the Media DisHonor Awards where they roasted and toasted the most outrageous media bias of the previous year. Ted Turner won the top award with Chris Matthews, Jack Cafferty and Rosie O’Donnell also taking high (or low?) honors.

My favorite thing about the awards is that MRC uses tapes and transcripts of the actual words of these media darlings to show their outrageous bias and/or stupidity. I challenge anyone who thinks there is no bias in the media to view the clips of last night's winners and the daily postings at MRC before they try to repeat the no liberal bias mantra.

GraphicLens has graphics on media bias here and here.

Questions for CAIR

Investors Business Daily published an editorial asking the Council on American-Islamic Relations some questions the American public has an increasing interest in, especially in light of recent events. The answers are important and found in the Koran, though there are conflicting verses, especially between the early Suras and those written after Muhammad gained a foothold for his new religion.

The implicit question for Islam's adherents, and other potential subjects, revolves around who submits and how. Is submission to Allah's will freely chosen or compelled? The process of deciding that answer, and the world's reaction to it, is becoming be one of the great turning points of modern times. The article and the cited verses are worth the time.

Sura 9:29
Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.

Snow puppy

Chance would be happiest if there was snow year-round. Less than two inches fell overnight and this morning Chance had a merry romp.


He pulled the cover off of the grill and pulled it around in the snow.


Chasing a soccer ball is fun any time.

Puppy games

Chance, our 3-month-old golden retriever puppy, has a thing for the bathtub. It's highly recommended to make sure the bathroom door is closed tightly if a shower or bath is in one's plans. Chance thinks the bathtub is his favorite playground, especially when there's water in the tub. Turning on the tap or shower with the door open is certain to be followed by the sound of Chance galloping down the hallway.


After a good romp in the tub or a bath Chance likes to lay in someone's lap – if they don't mind a little dampness. . .



. . . or in the sun. Deb took this excellent photo.

It's interesting to compare these photos, taken about a month ago, to these photos or these, or this one.

We're Back

After an unintentionally long hiatus Scribbling Monk and GraphicLens are back.

A surprisingly successful GraphicLens post on Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment site pushed some reevaluation and retooling of the GraphicLens site. The main GraphicLens page where we posted graphics and the blog are now combined into one site. We hope this will encourage comments. We've also enabled trackbacks thanks to Jeremy's efforts.

Scribbling Monk posts will be picking up too. Our puppy, Chance, is growing faster than one can imagine. My wife and I are're expecting two grandchildren this year. Our daughter is getting married in June. And the paper where I work has just been sold. Life is a wild ride.

I've been saving up some thoughts on all these topics, especially the tectonic shifts as the mainstream media adapts - or doesn't - to technological and societal changes.