Free Republic

The redefinition of the word violence continues among revelations that discounting a sexual partner's feelings and withholding sex constitutes sexual violence at the University of Michigan. The relevant info can be found at the university's "Stop Abuse" webpage: Examples of sexual violence include: discounting the partner's feelings regarding sex; criticizing the partner sexually; touching the partner sexually in inappropriate and uncomfortable ways; withholding sex and affection; always demanding sex; forcing partner to strip as a form of humiliation (maybe in front of children), to witness sexual acts, to participate in uncomfortable sex or sex after an episode of violence, to...

When I discovered my status in high school, I was worried I wouldn't be able to attend college at all.After I arrived home from soccer practice, the phone rang. “El Camino,” my mother said as she handed it to me, referring to a nearby community college. I was taking engineering courses there, offered in conjunction with my high school, but the woman from the registrar’s office had a problem: The Social Security number I had provided to receive college credit did not match my name, and if I couldn’t provide a valid number, I’d have to pay almost $2,000 for...

Tragic tale of frontier nation's abandonment of firearms and freedom ___ SYDNEY, Australia -- In the country that has some of the most restrictive firearms legislation in the world, law-abiding citizens must obtain police permission before purchasing a gun and subject themselves to public ridicule, surprise searches without warrants, arbitrary confiscation and burdensome government regulations. It's a fate that could befall America, some warn, if citizens willingly surrender their firearms -- and with those guns, an entire nation's hard-won freedom. Australian Josh Coughran, who was forced to turn over his pistols and license when increased work commitments prevented him from...

Doctoral Degree: Social Justice Education Concentration Social Justice Education is an interdisciplinary concentration of study with a focus on social diversity and social justice as they apply to formal and non-formal educational systems. It uses and generates research and theory to understand the sociocultural and historical contexts and dynamics of specific manifestations of oppression (e.g., ableism, classism, heterosexism, racism, religious oppression, transgender oppression and sexism) in social systems. It brings together faculty and students with interests in issues of social diversity and social oppression, inclusion, equity, social justice, critical theories, critical pedagogies, dialogues across differences, individual and collective empowerment, liberatory...

The explosive wave of reactions to the fatal shooting of unarmed teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri hasn’t lost its momentum just yet. Black student leaders have come together in support of racial equality with the formation of a multi-university group, the Black Ivy Coalition. The coalition dedicated to social change is comprised of members from all eight Ivy League institutions, with plans to gain student memberships from colleges across the nation, and was officiated with the release of a statement summarizing their motivations and ambitions (see full text below). Their tagline? “It is now time for our generation to...

Before I get started with my question (and boy, do I need ideas!) I want to note that I'm a *secular* Conservative, and do not identify as a Christian. So any forthcoming ideas from y'all that are based strictly on Bible teachings, etc. are not going to be terribly useful to me. My problem: Our twin boys are 7 (pushing 8) and homeschooled. They probably know more about history than any other seven-year-olds in town, but I'll admit I've skipped over some areas of education so far. One of those "skipped over" areas is the concept of homosexuality. I wanted...

Ohio Carry organized another open carry walk on Saturday, the 13 of September.  This was part of their ongoing effort to educate the public about their constitutional rights in Ohio.  Note the completely different image from what the Bloomberg media campaign is trying to craft for open carriers.  From the morningjournal.com in Vermilion:  In an effort to educate the public and combat stereotypes surrounding gun rights, Ohio Carry’s Northeast and Northwest chapters hosted a joint open carry and firearm education walk in Downtown Vermilion Sept. 13. Ohio Carry, founded in 2012 as a firerm rights, advocacy and education group,...

The push to require that “gay history” be taught in the nation’s is already in place in California and is now making headway in Massachusetts. The LGBT teachers conference brought in techniques that activists can use to expedite that process around the country. This is the sixth part in our series on this year's annual GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) Conference held in Boston in April 2014 which brought together LGBT teachers, school officials, and education activists (and their "allies") -- along with children as young as fifth grade -- where they outlined their latest tactics for the schools....

DETROIT — Driving down Waterman Street in Mexicantown in Southwest Detroit you pass boarded up houses, closed down businesses, and other things that make up too much of the city. Until you get to Cesar Chavez Academy. The school stands out like an island. No boards. No graffiti. No garbage in the parking lot. This is a place for learning. And it's where Daniel Felix has excelled. He came to Detroit from Los Angeles as a child and lives a few blocks from the high school with his two brothers, a grandfather, and parents who speak mostly Spanish. Felix with...

The alternative online publication philebrity.com, which is about "Philly Arts, Gossip, Media, Music, Nightlife & Politics".   The have picked up on the theme of irrationality of those who wish to disarm the citizenry by attribution volition and motivation to inanimate objects: "..3,373 people were killed by guns in Philadelphia between September 11, 2001 and the end of 2013, and 174 more have been murdered so far this year." People were killed *with* guns, not "by" guns.   There is a large difference.   Guns are not alive.   Guns do not make choices.  Guns do not have volition or...

Ann Arbor Public Schools three months ago negotiated a tentative agreement with its teachers union to provide “merit pay” of just $150 annually to educators who receive a “highly effective” rating. Under a law passed in 2011, however, merit pay is considered a “prohibited subject” for collective bargaining purposes. Yet Liz Margolis, spokeswoman for Ann Arbor Public Schools, claims that the district didn’t violate the law because choosing whether to negotiate over the issue remained under the “sole authority” of the school board. Margolis said parties can discuss prohibited subjects, but the union can’t require bargaining on it. But according...

Ayaan Irisi Ali has often been rejected by the "multicultural" establishment, perhaps most memorably in April of this year by Brandeis University. According to Brandeis, "She is a compelling public figure and advocate for women's rights, and we respect and appreciate her work to protect and defend the rights of women and girls throughout the world," said the university's statement. "That said, we cannot overlook certain of her past statements that are inconsistent with Brandeis University's core values." [Emphasis added.] According to the Fox News article linked above, Ali, a member of the Dutch Parliament from 2003 to 2006, has been quoted as making...

I missed the notifications of this 8 September 2014 event.   It seems that those notifications are coming closer and closer to the event date, almost as if those conducting the events do not want anyone to do any pre-planning.   Toledo has a checkered history of police bullying private buyers and sellers.   Buckeyefirearms.org did a great job of exposing this last year, with four videos:  Video 1, Video 2, Video 3, and Video 4.  It did not matter much.  There were plenty of private buyers there this year. This year, the police seem to have learned more about the law. ...

A school district in the suburbs of Chicago has announced plans to rename two schools in honor of first lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama. The suburb is Park Forest, Ill., according to The SouthtownStar. The two schools, both located in Park Forest Chicago Heights School District 163, will be the Michelle Obama School of Technology and the Arts and the Barack Obama School of Leadership and STEM. (STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.) The school to be named after Michelle Obama is currently called Forest Trail Middle School. The school named after President Obama is currently...

The Detroit Free Press recently reported that teacher salaries in Michigan have dropped 8 percent from 1999 to 2013 when factoring in inflation. The average teachers’ salary in Michigan was $49,044 in 1999-2000 and increased to $61,560 in 2012-13. But the gap in pay between teachers and the average worker has increased significantly over this time period. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, teachers now have 23 percent higher salaries than the median household income in Michigan, which was $50,115 in 2012. This is higher than in 1999-2000 when teacher salaries were 10 percent higher than the median household income...

The man attempting the robbery appears to have a pistol gripped shotgun of unknown make.    In the video, it is clear that he hides the shotgun until he starts to attempt the robbery.   In the narrative, it is unclear exactly what happens next, whether the father pulls out a gun and tells the robber to leave after the daughter is threatened, or whether the father hands the gun to the 20 year old son,  or whether the son takes the gun from the father, and then shoots the robber.  It seems most likely that the father handed the handgun...

 Mayor Hodges of Minneapolis is all wet. I recently wrote about Mayor Sly James of Kansas City saying that "Too much violence is committed by guns".   I was skeptical that he had actually said that, because the Mayor is a well educated man, and served on active duty as a Marine.   It is a nonsensical statement to say that violence is committed "by" guns.   It transfers volition and responsibility to an inanimate object.  But, with another Mayor saying much the same thing, I begin to wonder. Minneapolis Mayor Betsey Hodges, at a "Gun Violence" conference in Milwaukee, used the...

The video embedded below presents the views of a Muslim who regrets that the Islamic State, its predecessors and progeny, are Islamic and driven by Islam as it now exists.Zuhdi Jasser, a Muslim, supports the efforts of Hirsi Ali and others who call attention to the horrific actions taken by Islamists (also referred to as "Muslim extremists") in the name of and because of Islam. He rejects efforts by Obama and others to excommunicate the Islamic State, et al, from Islam which -- like the IS, et al, -- is neither peaceful nor tolerant. He hopes that Islam will eventually become peaceful and tolerant. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R2JMR-LKO4] Video...

In what may be the ultimate Nanny State move, Vermont has outlawed consuming or bringing brownies, cakes, or cookies to school. The mandates are part of a new program titled “Smart-Snacks-in-Schools” and will apply to lunch items, vending machines, and fundraising events between midnight and half and hour after school. Boston.com reported:

Lincoln Motors marketing manager Thompson hopes the campaign with the Black Greeks will boost sales, help communities.To continue in its efforts to give back to local communities, the Lincoln Motor Company has teamed with the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated (NPHC), a group of nine African-American Greek-letter organizations. The program, “The Divine Nine Driven to Give Program,” is an extension of Lincoln’s national Driven To Give program that kicked off in August. “Being able to engage with influencers on initiatives that matter most to them is key in our efforts to introduce some of our newest products, like the first-ever Lincoln...