I first blogged about this the other day. The trial of the century? It should be.

Richard Landes of Augean Stables has posted a review of the first trial date. There seems to be much that he found encouraging especially the court appointed official who is supposed to represent the French people at large.

Then came Madame le Procureur de la République. A screen writer could not have written a better speech. All the best tropes of civil society — honesty, accountability, fairness, transparency, context… the dangerous powers of an uncriticized quatrième état (fourth estate)… the right of the public to know, and therefore the responsibility of France2 to show the tapes of their cameraman Talal abu Rahmeh… the fact that what Phillipe had said was in fact defamation of Charles Enderlin’s reputation as a journalist, but that the evidence more than supported such an accusation… that this was not the typical case of libel, where the person slings unconsidered insults at another, but a carefully studied and considered criticism… that any sharp language was more than justified in the context of a case where one wants to attract attention… that it was not malice to want que Charles Enderlin tombe [that Charles Enderlin should fall].

There is far more - go read the rest of the post, hit the links if you are so inclined. But it's nice to know that not everyone in France is ready to roll over on their right to have a reliable press!

Posted by: Teresa in Current Affairs at 08:53 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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But I'm betting most of you don't even know it's happening. First, it's taking place in France. Second, it is the French news media involved in the fray. Neither of these things encourage the US news media to actually... cover the news.

Starting September 14, three Frenchmen go on trial in Paris for questioning the veracity of the 2000 videotape of the putative murder of Palestinian child Mohammed Al-Dura by Israeli soldiers. This tape - promulgated by the French state-run channel France 2 - is often credited with helping instigate the so-called “Al-Aqsa Intifada”. Now, six years later, in the shadow of revelations about media manipulation and “fauxtography” by Reuters and others, these trials take on extraordinary unexpected resonance. Not since the days of Alfred Dreyfus and Emile Zola has the French legal system been put to such a test on basic issues of racism and freedom of expression.

Heaven forbid anyone question whether or not the French news media is telling the truth.

Richard Landes who blogs at Augean Stables has been doggedly pursuing this case. He has the raw footage video and commentary at his companion site The Second Draft. He is currently in France to testify at the trial on behalf of the men accused of "criticizing the French media". Yes folks that is why these men are being tried in court! Ah the enlightened French.

Keep your eye on this case. There are 3 scheduled trials of which the first starts today. (this via Richard who was at the blog meet last Sunday in Cambridge).

It's a scary thing when a supposedly democratic society puts people on trial for daring to question whether or not the press are telling the truth. The fact that this can happen makes me conclude that France is a democracy in name only. After all it looks good in front of the world and in the UN. And in France as in the UN - looks are everything.

Stay Tuned.

Posted by: Teresa in Current Affairs at 07:48 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I spent quite a bit of time yesterday reading the tributes of the 2996 bloggers. Even with the main web site overwhelmed and crashed, I was able to find more than enough wonderful posts presented. Everyone did an outstanding job. It ended up that I didn't comment on any of them (that I remember). It was too much. I couldn't bring forth the words as the day went on to tell all the bloggers I was reading how well they all did. Nevertheless, they were all excellent.

While I'm glad I did this one thing to honor those who died that day, I don't think I'll be doing anything similar in the future. From now on, I will do what I have done for the previous years and step away from the internet and other media. I will remember the day privately. It works better for me. It's a personal preference on how to deal with these things.

We should never forget, but after taking the time to remember, once again, we need to step forward and take on life.

Posted by: Teresa in Current Affairs at 09:09 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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I'm a little late, Sol has his post up about the protest on Sunday. He's not only got pictures, but he has some video too! Be sure to go watch it.

I was going to add it to my post from the other day, but that one has dropped down a bit and I don't want you to miss this.

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It seems to be a feature of Cambridge, whenever one tries to drive there, one will get lost. However, after missing a vital turn, getting stuck in traffic (Memorial Drive is closed and this causes no end of problems), my husband and I did finally make it to our destination - a small restarant in Harvard Square. There we met a group of New England bloggers (more on that in another post) and about a half a block from the protest.

What protest you ask?

The protest revolving around the visit of Mohammed Khatami, former Iranian President, to speak at Harvard.

The trip has angered many conservatives because Mr. Khatami presided over the nuclear weapons development and cheating that Mr. Bush has pledged to stop.

This is the first protest I've ever attended. Not that I was a participant, merely an observer. It was very interesting. Lots of news people roaming about trying to get sound bytes. Television, radio, and print journalists were all there.

Approximately 99% of the protesters were anti-Khatami. I didn't get close to the counter protesters but it looked like there were very few - with one fairly large sign. It was peaceful, there were some speakers, but since they didn't have a bullhorn, most of what was said went unheard by the large crowd of people.

I did take a few pictures with my Treo. Sadly I am not the best of photographers under any circumstances and the Treo camera is not only new to me, I have a hard time seeing the screen to see if the pictures are any good especially in sunlight.

In any case, here are 4 of the crowd pictures.

Last of all I got one picture of Michael Graham. Local radio talk show host who has been under fire from the local Islamists for daring to question the funding of a new Mosque being built in Boston.

I took 2 pictures, but apparently I didn't save the second one and it is nowhere to be found on my Treo which is most annoying. It showed the most excellent sign Michael was carrying that said "I'm only here for the Virgins"

Even though Governor Romney declared that no state agencies should help Khatami when he visited. Police presence was everywhere to be seen. Khatami got a police escort to the venue. (I was surprised because I thought he was already in the building when we got to the protest site) He arrived with multiple police cars and 3 big black SUV's, plus some motorcycle escort... oh and let's not forget the snipers on the roofs of the buildings and in the parking garage across the street.

They took him to a rear entrance of the building that was not visible from the street where the protest was being held. At the time the motorcade came through I was across the street from the protesters, they started shouting "USA! USA! USA!" As the vehicles drove past. There might have been some other things yelled, but I couldn't hear them over the sirens.

I guess that level of police presence is necessary with such a controversial figure, but it would have been fun to see him fight traffic and end up lost on the Cambridge side streets like the rest of us.

I will be updating this post with links to the other bloggers. They had digital cameras and were taking many photos and talking to many people. I'm sure they will have some interesting things to say. Stay tuned.

UPDATE:

Via Instapundit I found out there were more bloggers there than I thought. Robert Mayer of Publius Pundit has some great pictures and commentary.

Mitch Townsend (one of the bloggers I met at lunch) from Chicago Boyz has got his post and more pictures from the protest.

And I see Miss Kelly has her post and pictures up too!

JRTelegraph was at the protest, although we didn't meet. He got a picture of Michael Graham with his sign - check it out.

Posted by: Teresa in Current Affairs at 11:56 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Trumpets should be blaring, there should be television cameras at gas stations...

My local gas station today...

Regular 2.69/gal
Middle Grade 2.79/gal
Premium 2.89/gal

Just a few weeks ago the prices where well over $3.00/gal for all grades the headlines were screaming about the price of gas - it led the news...

So I ask again - where are the headlines?

Posted by: Teresa in Current Affairs at 10:14 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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The former Governor of Illinois, George Ryan, was sentenced to 6-1/2 years in prison today on federal corruption charges.

The former governor told the judge he deeply regretted that his conviction caused a loss of faith in government, saying, "When they elected me as governor of this state, they expected better, and I let them down, and for that I apologize."

I hate to tell George, but I never did have any "faith" in the government of the State of Illinois, it has always been corrupt. However, he did manage to bring the office of Secretary of State and Governor to all time lows by his actions.

There is a quick timeline of events here. As usual, the wheels of justice turn with excruciating slowness. The investigation having started 13 years ago.

The incident that gave the investigation staying power was quite horrific.

Nov. 8, 1994: A part falls off a truck near Milwaukee, causing a fiery accident that kills six children of the Rev. Scott and Janet Willis. A state inspector begins an investigation of the driver, Ricardo Guzman, who got his license from a Melrose Park drivers license facility.

Yes, it took 6 children dying in the most horrendous way possible, to really get the attention of investigators. If you don't remember the accident, the rough outline is as follows: the minivan hit the part that fell off the truck. The minivan caught fire, the parents were able to get out of the van, but unable to get to their children before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

How many others have died because the Illinois Secretary of State was handing out truck licenses for bribes? We will never know.

George Ryan wasn't the Governor, he wasn't a State Representative... he was the man who ran the Secretary of State's office. He benefitted financially from these bribes in his quest for public office and he allowed the practice to flourish.

Ryan was snared in an eight-year federal probe that exposed rampant bribery in state driver's license facilities while he was secretary of state. The investigation has been among the most successful in modern Chicago history in reach and significance, with 75 convictions.

...

In April, following a nearly six-month trial, a federal jury convicted Ryan of steering millions of dollars in state business to Warner and other friends in return for vacations, gifts and other benefits to Ryan and his family.

Ryan was also convicted of gutting corruption-fighting efforts and misusing state resources for political gain.

Before he was sentenced, Ryan read a statement he had prepared. Here are a few excerpts.

His father told him...

But he also told me that, as a public official or even as a citizen, that we all had an obligation to make life just a little bit better for the next generation.

Well, he certainly worked to make life better for himself. He got some nice vacations out of the deal - I hope he enjoyed them.

"But, you know, it's for my wife that I harbor the greatest anxiety. We met when we were freshmen in high school in English class in 1948. It was a long time ago. It was 58 years ago. And we have almost been inseparable." ...

"I know now that we face the prospect of involuntary separation. And it's really very excruciating for both of us for that to happen." ...

Of course the Willis family has no choice in the matter - their children died - they are separated and no judge can change that. So listening to George lament that he will be away from his wife leaves me more than unmoved.

I am best known for which contributions I have made for improving the fairness and the accuracy of the criminal justice system.

Ah yes, the last item I will touch on is the effort by Ryan to sway world opinion in his favor... in other words, commuting the death sentences of every inmate on death row to life in prison. This was his last hurrah as he left the governor's office. As he had been a staunch supporter of the death penalty up to time the formal investigation started closing in around him, one can only surmise that the tactic was to sway opinion and try to get the investigation dropped.

I have no sympathy for George Ryan. He has skated out from under the law for years. It's time he paid some small price for his crimes. It won't bring back the Willis children, it won't help any other person who was a victim of a truck accident by a driver with a bogus license, and it won't comfort the families of murder victims, but it will be very satisfying to see him behind bars.

Posted by: Teresa in Current Affairs at 12:06 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Michele has a post you MUST read. No excerpts - just go read it.

Posted by: Teresa in Current Affairs at 12:06 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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