Indiana National Guard Member Faces Deportation from Canada

An estimated 50,000-90,000 Americans moved to Canada during the Vietnam war to avoid the draft. The Canadian government welcomed them after an initial reluctance. Now, decades later, many soldiers have deserted to Canada to avoid the war in Iraq. So far, Canada has rejected all claims for refugee status.

Corey Glass from Fairmount, Indiana is facing deportation back to the US on June 12th where he will likely be charged with desertion, which although unlikely, is still punishable by death.

U.S. deserter faces deportation from Canada

Sgt. Corey Glass, 25, says he fled to Canada to avoid fighting "illegal" war in Iraq

(CNN) -- A U.S. soldier who deserted to Canada will not face persecution if he returns to the United States, Canada's refugee agency ruled Wednesday.

National Guardsman Corey Glass says he fled to Canada to avoid combat in the Iraq war, which he doesn't support.

National Guard Sgt. Corey Glass, 25, says he fled to Toronto in 2006 after serving in Iraq because he did not want to fight in a war he did not support.

"What I saw in Iraq convinced me that the war is illegal and immoral. I could not in good conscience continue to take part in it," Glass said Wednesday. "I don't think it's fair that I should be punished for doing what I felt morally obligated to do."

Glass, who's still on active duty and is considered absent without leave, applied for refugee status at the Canadian border in August 2006 on the grounds of objection to military service.

But Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board denied his application for refugee status Wednesday, prompting the Canadian Border Services Agency to issue a June 12 deportation order.

CNN

Anomalies--Shelbyville's got 'em!

The Heritage House Convalescent Center in Shelbyville, Indiana was already home to the world's tallest woman, Sandy Allen, at 7 feet, 71/4 inches. Now, it also boasts the world's oldest woman, Edna Parker, age 114.

I always knew there was something special about Shelbyville.

Welcome to Indiana

From the Indystar's website:

Should Indiana school districts add sexual orientation to their nondiscrimination and equal opportunity hiring policies?

No: 53%

Yes: 47%

Total Votes: 1234

Local Blogger Appears on O'Reilly Factor

Abdul Hakim-Shabazz, a local lawyer and media figure appeared on the O'Reilly factor this week. Abdul is also contributor to the Indiana Barrister Blog and runs the Indiana Blog Review. The Youtube clip of his appearance is here.

H/T Masson

Indiana's own: Congressman Steve Buyer in the News

Please read this post on Americablog which quotes this Indianapolis Star article where former Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Steve Buyer says that the Democrats are politicizing the Walter Reed scandal. He claims he visited Walter Reed Veteran's Hospital and did not notice anything but "gung ho soldiers".

Dan Burton--Birdie Golfer and Bogey Congressman

Nisha, from sunlight network has a post about my Congressman, Dan Burton, who as we all know by now missed 19 votes while he played in the Bob Hope Pro-Am golf tournament. The post mentions a new allegedly non-partisan site administered by the American Conservative Student Union which will track the voting attendance records of American Congressman. Let's hope this does shed more light on our absentee Congressman who sadly will only be defeated in a GOP primary as this heavily gerrymandered district is one of most heavily concentrated Republican districts in the nation. I suppose I shouldn't be so upset that Burton isn't voting because I rarely agree with his voting history, but perhaps this next election will be finally be the time we finally part ways with this Congressman who has failed to distinguish himself in his 24 years of elected office.

Here are some of Burton's career highlights:

In 2006, he fought against extending the Voting Rights Act for minorities.

"On the start of the 2007 legislative session of Congress, a measure banning lawmakers from accepting gifts and free trips from lobbyists and discounted trips on private planes was put before Congress. The measure passed 430-1, with Rep. Burton as the sole vote against the measure."

He vigorously attacked President Clinton on his infidelities and even called him a "scumbag", yet he admitted he had fathered a child out of wedlock.

"In 1997, Burton was accused of demanding a $5,000 contribution from a Pakistani lobbyist. When the lobbyist was unable to raise the funds, Burton complained to the ambassador for the Bhutto government and later threatened to make sure "none of his friends or colleagues" would meet with the lobbyist or his associates."

John McGoff, the former Marion County Coroner, will run against him in the GOP primary in 2008. This could be the best chance to end his career.

Exposé of Brandt Hershman -- The author of SJR-7

Bil Browning at bilerico.com has a good piece on Senator Hershman, the crusader behind SJR-7, the bill which proposed a constitutional amendment legally define marriage as between a man and a woman.

Browning points out that Hershman may be pursuing this amendment under the guise of protecting families, but the good Senator divorced his wife after forcing her to have an abortion.

Here is an excerpt of Browning's post and a link to the rest of his entry.

"Good old Brandt has realized that he's no longer able to whip folks into a fury with the gay boogieman. Hoosiers point out that a constitutional amendment (for something that's already against the law) ranks pretty low on the totem pole compared to the war in Iraq, taxes, employment, immigration, and, hell, even Daylights Savings Time. His support is fleeing the ship. Hoosiers tend to be a rather tolerant bunch for the most part. They might be slow to change, but they are a live-and-let-live group in a conservative sort of way. If there is one thing they won't tolerate, it's a snake-oil salesman who says one thing and intends something else entirely. You know, someone like Brandt Hershman."

Continue reading at Bilerico.

Also, please read Advance Indiana's: Why Brandt Hershman Can't Be Trusted On SJR-7

Hard hitting news

Why is the following the headline on Indystar.com?


Reality star, wounded activist trade words



Yes, that is Erik Estrada (aka John Poncharello from CHIPS). He is in Muncie filming a CBS reality show Armed and Famous where he and lesser celebrities like Latoya Jackson, Jack Osborne, WeeMan and some WWE wrestler woman that I have never heard of (and even if I had, I wouldn't admit it) are acting as reserve officers on the Muncie Police Department. Apparently, Randall Sims (pictured) whom the author of the article charitably called an "activist" and Estrada traded words after a domestic altercation.
Apparently, this article was first written for the Muncie Star Press, but the Indianapolis Star website picked it up and made the story its headline.

Now, I do suppose this is news. The Star has certainly done its best to track the exploits of the reality show participants as there have been numerous articles on about the filming. On the other hand, there is a lot more important news to be featured at the top of the Star website than countless articles about a group of has beens and never will bes.

Lawmaker wants death penalty for certain murders involving children

The Indianapolis Star reports that Representative Terry Goodin will introduce a bill to require prosecutors to seek the death penalty in certain child murders.

This is a feel good piece of legislation that would cause problems for prosecutors and county budgets all over the state. Death penalty trials are expensive and to require a prosecutor to seek the death penalty could impose a financial burden that some smaller counties cannot handle. It speaks volumes that both the Indiana Prosecuting Attorney's Council and Public Defender Council are against the legislation. The article reports that the bill passed the House last year but was not picked up by the Senate.

No stamp for you

The new Marion County Clerk took office today. Apparently, someone forgot to order file stamps for the new Clerk elect, Beth White. As every lawyer knows, if one needs to file a document in court, it must have the file stamp signature from the clerk.

I do not know whose responsibility this is--if it is the outgoing Republican's duty or the Democratic clerk elect. The new clerk is apparently calling around town trying to find the vendor who can fill the order the quickest.

As of now, some of today's filings still have Doris Ann-Sadler's signature, who is no longer the Clerk.

The Killing Zone

Today's Indianapolis Star has an interactive map of all 153 homicides in Indianapolis-Marion County in 2006. It's no surprise the three most concentrated areas are the near Eastside and Haughville. Special recognition goes to 42nd Street and Post Road. Take note those of you who don't believe crime exists outside 465.

Happy Holidays

Posting will be a bit light over the next few days of the holiday season.

Indiana rock star John Mellencamp's song "Our Country" has been used as the theme for many Chevrolet truck commercials. The song is played over a photo montage of Americans for a feel-good patriotic commercial. Of course, there are several spoofs of these commercials on youtube.

The first video directly spoofs the commercial and has a "Vote Democratic" message.

The second one lists many atrocities in which the US government and people have been involved. This is a 3 minute video and is not for the faint of heart.

No carryout liquor on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve

Imagine this nightmare. It is Christmas Eve and you're at your uncle's house to celebrate Christmas. Your aunt's side of the family is there too. You panic because you see her deadbeat brother darken the door. The last time you saw him he had just surfaced after being missing for three weeks. He had been whining about his wife brainwashing him by withholding all food from him except for Totino's pizzas. Behind him is his daughter whose voice makes Diane Rehm or Fran Drescher's sound like Maria Callas. The only thing that is going to help you make it through this Christmas is to sit in that comfortable chair in the corner and crawl deep inside of a bottle of your favorite beverage. The only problem is that Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday and you have the misfortune of living of living in Indiana.

Welcome to hell, amigo.

Indiana is one of only three states in the nation which does not allow carryout alcohol sales on Sunday. The other two are Connecticut and Georgia.

This year, Indiana's archaic blue laws will have an effect on liquor stores as they will have to close on the busiest day of the year. Apparently, the legislature could have granted a special dispensation to allow sales on this day, but they did not. Why didn't the Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers lobby for special permission to open on New Year's Eve?

Another reason to watch the Colts game tonight...

Apparently, some off duty IPD officers are going to picket outside of the RCA Dome to picket the fact that they do not have a contract and are not going to receive retroactive pay for 2006.

A lot of this grass roots activism apparently began as a web campaign on the Indy Undercover blog, which is a blog ran by an anonymous IPD officer.

The local media have been tipped off and the blogging activists claim that CNN has been as well.

Bayh's worst kept secret

It's no secret for quite some time that Senator Evan Bayh has had his eye on running for President in 2008. This should have been apparent by all of the time he has spent in Iowa, New Hampshire and even the fact that he initiated a meeting with ten local Indiana bloggers in May. He announced this weekend that he is forming an exploratory committee.

He has an uphbill battle. All the buzz is about Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton. John Edwards has quite a few supporters and of course, there is the resurgent Al Gore. Daily Kos ran a poll just the other day and listed several contenders: including the obscure Governor Vilsack, political corpse John Kerry, and even Jimmy Carter(?!).

They forgot Evan Bayh though.

That's his problem. How will he get the talking heads to remember and include him in the list of serious candidates? I have criticized Senator Bayh ever since he was a 32 year old Governor because I thought he was too conservative. I haven't changed my opinion, but I think he would make a good Presidential candidate for the Democrats in 2008. He is one of the most popular governors in the history of this red state. He is electable and can win votes in the South where other candidates (like Hillary Clinton) cannot. Yes, he voted for the war and the Patriot Act, but he voted that way because he trusted that this administration was telling the truth. He is pragmatic and deliberative. Even when I disagree with him I am assured he has given his opinion careful thought. This will be a welcome change from the Bush administration.

Anyway, it's early. It is not official, but I think it's imminent. If the Democrats want to have a chance in 2008 against the GOP feelgood frontrunners of Guilani and McCain, they should look past Clinton or the inexperienced newcomer Obama and pay some attention to the Senator from Indiana.

Fixing up the City

After the success of last year's outdoor exhibition of Tom Otterness' sculptures, the Arts Council of Indianapolis has a new exhibition featuring English artist Julian Opie's work.



I look forward to seeing all of his displays, except for maybe the 16 foot electronic likeness of Bryan Adams at White River State Park. The Indianapolis Star has an article on the exhibition.

Also, Jason has a fine post about a contest to create a downtown landmark for Indianapolis.

John Hostettler: Wingnut

According to dkos (thanks to Jim for pointing it out), Johnny Ho has another trick up this election year. He introduced new Christian Supremacy legislation into Congress.

H.R. 2679 has emerged from the House Judiciary Committee and is ready to hit the floor. What is H.R. 2679 designed to do ? Well, it's designed to defund plaintiffs in Establishment Clause cases by eliminating awards for attorney's fees. What will that mean ? Well, let's take a case that's not hypothetical at all, a real incident.

So - to take a real example [ link directly below to "Jews On First" who have the best coverage of the case in question ] - if you're a Jewish family living in Southern Delaware and you complain about the rather blatant and exclusionary promotion of Christianity in the local public school and you and your family are subsequently harassed and your children called "Christ killers", subject to death threats, and eventually hounded out of town ( and along the way you have to sell your house of 18 years under duress ), the point of the law is to make it harder for you to seek some sort of legal redress.

So, if H.R. 2679 ( ironically titled "the Public Expression of Religion Act" ) passes the US House and Senate, that family hounded out of its home in Southern Delaware would be hard pressed to scratch up the money to take the school board - that was defending (and even condoning) the "Christianizing" of local schools - to court. It would be financially prohibitive. Now, somebody might start a petition "Regarding Religious Intolerance In Public Schools" ( in fact, someone did and you can even sign it - please do* and if your org. wants to join the coalition let me know ) but that would be unlikely to help your family out directly.

Or - to bring up another recent and notorious case ( see below, "the 2% Solution" ) you might be told by the speaker of the Indiana House, Brian Bosma, to buzz off because you only represent about 2% of the Indiana population.

The article goes on to quote Hostettler as blaming the Jews for killing Jesus and that it is okay for citizens to carry nuclear weapons under the second amendment.