Fox News' Reaction To The Obama Administration's DOMA Announcement

As some of you may have read, the Attorney General of the United States, Eric Holder, released a statement yesterday, announcing that the federal government will no longer defend Section 3 of DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) in court.  Here is an excerpt from the announcement:

After careful consideration, including a review of my recommendation, the President has concluded that given a number of factors, including a documented history of discrimination, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny. The President has also concluded that Section 3 of DOMA, as applied to legally married same-sex couples, fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional. Given that conclusion, the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute in such cases. I fully concur with the President’s determination.

Consequently, the Department will not defend the constitutionality of Section 3 of DOMA as applied to same-sex married couples in the two cases filed in the Second Circuit. We will, however, remain parties to the cases and continue to represent the interests of the United States throughout the litigation. I have informed Members of Congress of this decision, so Members who wish to defend the statute may pursue that option. The Department will also work closely with the courts to ensure that Congress has a full and fair opportunity to participate in pending litigation.

Furthermore, pursuant to the President's instructions, and upon further notification to Congress, I will instruct Department attorneys to advise courts in other pending DOMA litigation of the President's and my conclusions that a heightened standard should apply, that Section 3 is unconstitutional under that standard and that the Department will cease defense of Section 3.

House Speaker John Boehner (R, OH) issued the following statement:

"While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending, the President will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation." 

I happen to have my Republican/Democrat translation dictionary handy.  The Democratic translation is as follows:

"While Republicans want Washington to focus on redefining rape, intruding on women's reproductive rights, reversing gay rights in states across the nation, and eliminating collective bargaining rights in the Midwest, the Muslim that you people voted into office will have to explain why he isn't coddling old, rich, straight, white men and NASCAR fans like Dubya used to."

As you could imagine, Fox News went ape shit.  Just take a look at Megyn Kelly's face as she is reporting the announcement.  She looks like she is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  Of all people for them to talk to on air, Maggie Gallagher, the head of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).  NOM was started with funding by the Mormon church in 2007 as an organization to spearhead the campaign against Prop. 8 in California.  The Southern Poverty Law Center, the nation's leading experts in hate crimes and hate and extremist organizations, officially lists NOM as a "hate group".  This is epic:



Then, later in her show, she had political commentator Monica Crowley on as a guest.  Crowley called the President, "Mubarak Obama".  Just watch:



Guess that answers the question why 72% of Republican primary voters think Obama is a Muslim or isn't sure.  You know Fox News...."fair and balanced".

"Egypt Is Free!" "Egypt Is Free!"

For years, I have heard the saying, "The revolution will be televised", but I never thought I would actually see it.  In recent years, especially in the Middle East, a peaceful revolution often equates to a bloodbath.  It leads to an "open season" being called upon those in the streets, which, more often than not, are students.  People are arrested and tortured.  Some simply disappear, never to be seen again.

When Hosni Mubarak announced Thursday night that he was not leaving office, it appeared that Egypt would be  a repeat of what we have seen before.  The crowd of nearly a million, which had previously been peaceful, had become angry.  They had reached their limit.  There was talk of storming the offices of the state run television station and the presidential palace.  People in the Mubarak regime would pay with their lives.

That, fortunately, did not happen.  As the sun rose over Cairo, thousands remained in the streets and in Tahrir Square.  Tens of thousands more arrived at local mosques for Friday afternoon prayers.

So began the 18th day of protests in Tahrir Square.  Hundreds of thousands of people gathered together determined to obtain their freedom by any means necessary.  Up to this point, protests had been peaceful.  After Mubarak's refusal to leave office last night, it was increasing growing clear that the atmosphere was changing.  Senior military officials threatened to remove their uniforms and join the protesters last night.  Many soldiers on the street had already joined the protests.  With the exception of a couple of close allies within the government, Mubarak had no friends or protection from what was facing him on the other side of the Ministry walls.

Then at 3:19pm Cairo time, it is reported that Mubarak has left Cairo with his family for Sharm el-Sheikh.  Approximately an hour later, the government reports that soon an "urgent and important" statement would be released by the Egyptian presidency.  At 6:29pm, Vice President Suleiman makes the following statement on state run television.  It lasts only 30 seconds.  It's a paragraph long, and is so short, many Egyptians didn't hear it the first time it was spoken.  It changes the course of Middle Eastern history.

Within seconds, the nation of Egypt exploded into a frenzy of joy.  Tahrir Square became Liberation Square, and it became the nucleus for a party that lasted well into the middle of the night:

There are fireworks tonight over the skies of Cairo.  At the moment, it is currently a little after 3 in the morning there, and people are still dancing in the streets.  February 11, 2011, is their Independence Day.  Tonight, they are celebrating.  They are holding their loved ones, and remembering the 300 that gave their lives so that 80 million of their Egyptian brothers and sisters could have freedom.

The founders of the website 1000memories.com have set up a site called Egypt Remembers.  It is a very touching memorial of the 300 martyrs that were killed during the fight for democracy.  The site is trying to gather as much information about the victims as possible, including pictures, cause of death, occupation, and family information as it comes in.  It is heartbreaking to see how many of these people were just kids.  15, 16, and 17 years old.  Many were shot coming out of their mosque.  Some were shot or beaten on their way home from protests.  They deserve a look out of respect.

Egypt's future is uncertain.  At this point, we can be nothing but optimistic.  Today was a historic day for the people of Egypt, for the Middle East, and for the people of the world.  I feel privileged that I was alive to see such a monumental day in history.  Congratulations Egypt.  The people of the world are celebrating with you. 

Message From Egyptian Activist Via Twitter

On Saturday 29th January 2011, @marcinhosavant said:

URGENT MESSAGE FROM ACTIVIST IN EGYPT. PLEASE REPOST IF YOU CAN! "To all the people of world"

Alicia Ali Marsden

To all the people of world

The people in Egypt are under governmental siege. Mubarak regime is banning Facebook, Twitter, and all other popular internet sites Now, the internet are completely blocked in Egypt. Tomorrow the government will block the 3 mobile phone network will be completely blocked.

And there is news that even the phone landlines will be cut tomorrow, to prevent any news agency from following what will happen.

Suez city is already under siege now. The government cut the water supply and electricity, people, including, children and elderly are suffering there now. The patients in hospitals cannot get urgent medical care. The injured protesters are lying in the streets and the riot police are preventing people from helping them. The families of the killed protesters cannot get the bodies of their sons to bury them. This picture is the same in north Saini (El-Sheikh zoyad city) and in western Egypt (Al-salom). The riot police is cracking down on protesters in Ismailia, Alexandria, Fayoum, Shbin Elkoum, and Cairo, the capital, in many neighborhoods across the city.

The government is preparing to crackdown on the protesters in all Egyptian cities. They are using tear gas bombs, rubber and plastic pullets, chemicals like dilutes mustard gas against protesters. Several protesters today have been killed when the armored vehicles of the riot police hit them. Officials in plain clothes carrying blades and knives used to intimidate protesters. Thugs deployed by the Egyptian Ministry of Interior are roaming the streets of Cairo, setting fire on car-wheels as means of black propaganda to demonize protesters and justify police beatings and state torture

All this has been taken place over the past three days during the peaceful demonstrations in Cairo and other cities. Now, with the suspicious silence of the local media and the lack of coverage from the international media, Mubarak and his gang are blocking all the channels that can tell the world about what is happening.

People who call for their freedom need your support and help. Will you give them a hand?

The activists are flooding the net (youtube and other sites) with thousands of pictures and videos showing the riot police firing on armless people. The police started to use ammunition against protesters. 15-year old girl has been injured and another 25 year old man has been shot in the mouth. While nothing of these has appeared in the media, there is more to happen tomorrow. Will you keep silent? Will you keep your mouth shut while seeing all these cruelty and inhumane actions?

We don’t ask for much, just broadcast what is happening

Written by: Mariam Hussien

Shame On You, Saturday Night Live

Speaking of last night's SNL, during Weekend Update, Fred Armisen came on to do a three minute spot dressed as Hosni Mubarak to discuss the lack of internet and the protesting in the streets:



To make light of the situation going on in Egypt, to trivialize it the way that they did, was tasteless and uncalled for.  As of Saturday morning, the people of Egypt were without a link to the outside world.  As of this morning, the world has practically no visual link to them.  The army currently has "shoot to kill" orders tonight when it comes to the protesters on the streets.

There are some things you don't joke about.  Some things are off limits.  I don't remember Saturday Night Live doing a skit on the pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in '89, or the genocide in Darfur, or the hurricane and following humanitarian crisis in Haiti.  Why should this be any different?

Bloodshed Expected Tonight In Cairo

As I reported this morning, Mubarak's plan to send the army into Cairo Saturday backfired.  For the most part, soldiers sided with the protesters, protecting them from the local police.  The government is incensed.  Rumors started circulating around 1pm local time in Egypt that the authorization was given to the Egyptian army to "shoot to kill" starting tonight.

This information is coming from Shadi Hamid, a fellow at the Brookings Institute.  He has been receiving calls from multiple contacts inside Egypt (protesters, journalists, organizers) since the protests began on January 25th.  As the day continued, the news became even more frightening.  According to his Twitter account, not only had the above information been confirmed, but a memo had been discovered that the order is to go into effect at midnight.

Based upon the actions seen by the majority of the troops on the ground so far, it's unlikely that they will suddenly start shooting protesters.  The threat at the moment appears to be from the air.  For hours now, military jets and helicopters have been flying over Tahrir Square, the focal point of the protests, at low altitudes, trying to scare the protesters.

Al Jazeera was kicked out of the county today.  Video is scarce.  How many more lives will have to be lost before someone steps in? A senior member of the opposition is saying that "tonight is the night", and that "there will be major bloodshed".  It won't be the blood of the army or government officials, but of hundreds, or perhaps thousands of people seeking freedom.

Updated News On Egyptian Protests

It's now 8:30am, Sunday morning in Cairo, and thousands of people are already out in the streets for another day of protesting.  The last 36 hours have been nothing short of newsworthy.

Early morning Saturday, Cairo was on fire.  Looters were roaming the city.  It has been reported that the National Museum has had multiple mummies decapitated and that there is a possibility that Tutankahmun's tomb has been damaged.

Eyewitnesses and journalists on the ground claim that the majority of the looters are, in fact, plain clothes Egyptian police disguised as protesters so that the blame will be placed on them.  There was a curfew in place Friday night from dusk till dawn that was not being followed by anyone.  Thousands of people were still in the streets.  There were no police in the city.  Egyptian state television was showing pictures of a burning, but a peaceful Cairo.  Al Jazeera showed it's journalistic integrity Friday night by essentially calling "bullshit".  They showed a split screen image.  On the right was the state television feed.  On the left was the Al Jazeera feed:  what really was happening.  From the New York Times:

"At one point, the screen was split. On one side was live video of a police van that had been set on fire by protesters defying a curfew, with the sounds of gunfire and explosions. On the other side was the scene being broadcast by state television: a quiet tableau of the night sky in downtown Cairo, with the message that a curfew had been imposed.

Al Jazeera’s news anchors often drew attention to the limits of their reporting, noting that they did not know what was happening in some parts of the country because phone lines had been cut. At one point, a correspondent warned that Egyptian security forces were poised to attack the building where the channel’s reporters were working. Anchors told viewers to switch to another satellite channel, and told them how to do it, in case its transmission was interrupted."

Saturday morning comes, and Mubarak sends out the military to deal with the protesters.  His plan backfires. The video below shows a group of protesters coming in contact with a squad of police.  The police start to fire shotguns into the crowd.  Three armored military vehicles come in from behind the protesters.  Instead of blocking the protesters in, they form a barrier between them and the police.  The video below that shows another armored vehicle acting as a barrier against the tear gas canisters being launched by the police.  In the second video, the protesters are even seen riding and dancing on the military property.





At 1:30am, local time Cairo, a reporter managed to Tweet out a message saying that approximately 6000 prisoners had escaped a local prison.  Sky News later confirmed that is wasn't just an escape at one location, but at multiple jails and prisons around Cairo.  The atmosphere is pure chaos.

The sun is up on Egypt again.  Today, the women are leading the protests.  The men of the family have been standing guard overnight to protect their homes from looters and local police.  It is up to Egypt's mothers, sisters, and daughters to continue their fight for democracy.  At this point, it appears to be just a matter of time.