Catch me up (open thread)

And I will add something new to the debate since you asked: Hezbollah is a terrorist organization committed to the destruction of Israel.

And a well-armed terrorist group to boot which controls southern Lebanon.

Lebanon can't control them and Israel stepped in.

Did Israel go too far? Maybe they did and they will pay for it for years to come, as we will pay for our many foreign policy mistakes.

But how can anyone see Hezbollah as anything but a terrorist group? (And I'm not saying Mark does, by the way, as he won't say directly, I just don't know).

Hezbollah - guilty
Israel/U.S. - way guiltier

Thanks Mark for that clarification.

And while I disagree with your opinion, I do respect it, as you appear to be a thoughtful and concerned citizen.

Mark asks:

does anybody know if Price had the common political decency to speak out against this tragic carnage?"

The answers are only a Google search away:

"It is critical for our interests in the Middle East that we press both Israel and Lebanon for an immediate cease-fire, and that we follow such an agreement with intensive diplomacy toward a comprehensive political settlement. The escalating Israeli offensive is destroying Lebanon's infrastructure and increasing popular support for extremist elements, yet U.S. and Israeli interests require a stronger, not weaker, Lebanon."

from: http://www.ajc.com/today/content/epaper/editions/today/opinion_447dcea4f...

"The Lebanese people, like the Israelis, are living under a dense cloud of fear and danger," Price said.

The congressman visited Lebanon as part of a congressional team trying to mentor young democracies around the world. Lebanon was chosen by the House Democracy Assistance Commission, of which Price is co-chairman, as a partner for the program.

Thursday, Price said the United States needs the Lebanese government to emerge stronger, not weaker, from the conflict.

"Democracy has a foothold in Lebanon -- the most significant foothold for democracy in the entire Middle East, outside of Israel," Price said in his speech. "We must not allow the current conflict to destroy that foothold."

from: http://www.newsobserver.com/659/story/462637.html

OP,

Hez B' Allah was formed in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon in the early 1980's. Two decades later Hez B' Allah succeeded in forcing Israel to withdraw its major presence, a result not realized by the UN after many resolutions with which Israel refused to comply over the entire period of its occupation. Still, Israel occupies some border areas that clearly are not theirs. Israel has continually occupied these pieces of land and have regularly kidnapped and brutalized people in Lebanon with cross border raids right up to the day before the capture of their now famous two IDF soldiers. At about 03:30 the day before the IDF soldiers were captured Israeli personnel crossed the border and kidnapped two brothers to take back to Israel and join the thousands of prisoners that Israel holds without charge. That is what prompted Hez B' Allah's capture of the two IDF people. After Israel began killing dozens of innocent Lebanese people by bombing civilians Hez B' Allah began firing rockets into Israel. I condemn this action by Hez B' Allah and demand that they stop immediately. I condemn the Israeli actions against Lebanon and demand that they withdraw from all occupied territories in Lebanon and Palestine immediately.

These are the facts and my response to these facts given my reading of the history of the area. I could change my response if presented with reliable information to the contrary.

Peace,
Jon Paul

Good for David Price!

Noble sentiments that hold both sides responsible.

Yet Price did support the resolution supporting israel's actions.

Mark, only 8 members voted against the resolution you refer to, 4 voted "present."

So why single out Price?

Well, he's "my" representative. It's very depressing that so few had the courage to go against the Israeli Lobby. Death and instability are endorsed. I hardly know what to do in the face of such tragic ignorance.

Mark, I'm not sure what you mean by the "Israeli Lobby" but isn't it possible that Price and the others who voted for the resolution supported it on its merits and not because of any "lobby?"

Mainstream media can be informative too: the N&O Under the Dome ran a piece on July 21 where Price expresses his concern for Lebanon. On July 23 the N&O ran Price's floor statement on the matter, and on July 29 he sent a letter to the President calling for a ceasefire. His editorial ran in the AJC on July 8. Most of this is available at: http://price.house.gov/News/

Rep. Price has a very reasoned position, to my eye. By my read, one of his key concerns - in addition to the tragic loss of life and carnage - is the endangering of the current nascent democracy in Lebanon. There are no answers here as easy as not supporting the "pro-Isreal" lobby.

I'm resurrecting this thread only to tell Dan Siler that he broke off an hilarious aside yesterday during the 5 p.m. show. Reporting on the celebration/opening whazzit out at Vilcom, he mentioned that he was, in fact, at that moment sitting in the studio at the Vilcom complex, but added something like, "Yet I'm also with you." Existential, metaphysical questions dogged me the rest of my drive. Thanks, Dan!

(I'm serious -- it was sharp and quick. I liked it.)

I will never let this thread die:

It's good to know that we've still got truth-hating baby fascists and nascent alcoholics running around the U still. Without them, who would grow up to be our censors and gin-blossomed power freaks?

http://www.dailytarheel.com/media/storage/paper885/news/2006/11/29/News/...

Sima Silahi's deportation. I'm trying to figure a way to stop Sima's deportation. Are others concerned about this? Seems way more important than whether or not Bruce can dance. I'm not sure what exactly can be done, though. thoughts?

Whether or not Chapel Hill has a policy similar to Carrboro's, a final order for removal probably overrides it. Sima entered the US legally (student visa) and neglected to change her immigration status. Maybe she was afraid to try. Her nationality might have been an obstacle, given the political climate at the time ... and now.

This week's Indy has a piece (not yet online, probably up tonight) on page 19, covering Hampton Dellinger's recent announcement for Lt. Governor: "His first campaign stint was in grade school leafleting for Gerry Cohen - now director of Bill Drafting at the General Assembly - during Cohen's career on the Chapel Hill Town Council in the mid 1970's. Dellinger and his buddies did a lot of two-wheeling downtown and liked Cohen's plan for bike paths. [Dellinger's] campaign site is http://www.hdforltgov.com "

I don't even remember what my position on bike paths was (for them, I assume)

oops , I posted the above in the wrong thread, sorry

well, it might actually be the correct thread, since the first post in it was about me. It isn't very relevant to what the thread became, however

Online now at:
http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A41144

Sorry to resurect this thread but I'm feeling a bit panicked. Where is the government access channel? I live in Time Warner's Carrboro coverage area and have always gotten government access on channel 18. Since last Tuesday, Channel 18 has become the Weather Channel. I only have basic service--please don't tell me government access has become part of the standard coverage.

According to Time Warner, Carrboro no longer receives the Government Access channel on the basic cable service. It may be received on the standard service but they don't know.

So now, not only do you have to be wealthy to know the weather, but also to know what local government is doing? Why is cable even needed at all for Government Access?

Hi Terri,

According to a search on the Time-Warner site, Government Access just isn't accessible in Carrboro anymore, regardless of how much money you shell out. It's still channel 18 in Chapel Hill. It could be sharing a channel or under another name, but I don't really watch television enough to know what the other channels are. Maybe "local bulletin board" on channel 4?

http://www.timewarnercable.com/CustomerService/CLU/TWCCLUs.ashx

To me, this just seems like another reason to put pressure on local governments to webcast their meetings. I know that's still not going to help bring them to everyone who is socioeconomically advantaged, but it's certainly a start.

To Time Warners credit, they corrected the problem this morning. I'm not sure if it was a technical problem or a total oversight, but they called me back an hour or two after I brought the problem to their attention this morning and tonight the Carrboro BOA meeting is coming through loud and clear.

However, for the record, I do not believe government access should be associated with a cable channel. Nor do I believe that a commercial webcasting application such as Chapel Hill has contracted for is in the best interest of open access.