Free Republic

COLUMBIA, SC — THE GOOD THING about Brad Hutto is that he doesn’t try to convince us that Lindsey Graham is a liberal. Which is to say that, unlike the six opponents Mr. Graham easily swept aside in the Republican primary, and unlike the reality-show self-promoter who is self-financing a quixotic independent campaign against him, Mr. Hutto is not unhinged from reality. To the contrary, Mr. Hutto has had a respectable career in the state Senate, where, despite being part of an ever-dwindling minority party, he has had a significant amount of influence on public policy — sometimes for good,...

Having three non-Democrats running as Democrats in their Democratic primaries has put South Carolina’s county and state Democratic parties in need for near Demagoguery, it seems, in order to restore democracy. To explain it simpler, less alliterately, and in more detail: Karen Smith, a self-declared Tea Party sympathizer, is challenging Rep. Jim Clyburn in the June 10 Democratic primary. Phil Black challenged incumbent Republican Rep. Joe Wilson in the last two GOP primaries, but is doing it again as a Democrat in 2014. Jay Stamper originally sought Republican support for U.S. Senate in Jan. 2013, then quickly claimed to be...

Taylor used to be a player in Williamson County, with it and Georgetown vying for funds and the attention of passers-through. But no more, and despite what many city officials will tell you, it will not be a player unless something is done to counteract the rapid growth of surrounding communities. What needs to be done is, Taylor needs to forget its past and embrace something residents see as so vile, that when I first arrived here I thought its mere mention was a dirty word. I am speaking of Rick Perry’s Trans-Texas Corridor. The Texas Department of Transportation (another...

’60 Minutes’ Iraq War Report Exaggerates Level of Military Dissension Posted by Noel Sheppard on February 25, 2007 - 21:23. As NewsBusters previewed here and here, CBS’s “60 Minutes” aired a segment Sunday dealing with a small group of American troops that have signed a petition called “Appeal For Redress.” Simply put, these soldiers want U.S. troops to come home from Iraq immediately.Unfortunately, the piece exaggerated the size of this group, while also misrepresenting military opinion of the war (video available here courtesy of Ms Underestimated, approximate transcript available here courtesy of CBSNews.com).CBS’s Steve Kroft introduced the segment: Tonight you’ll hear...

To many in America's armed forces, these men and women are doing the unthinkable: Active-duty soldiers, sailors and Marines speaking out against the ongoing conflict in Iraq. They've signed on to what's called "An Appeal for Redress" - and they say it's time for U.S. troops to come home. Lara Logan has the story.

<p>They say they are not disloyal. They say they are not shirking their duty and that they do not oppose war. But over 1,000 active-duty and reserve members of the U.S. military are against the war in Iraq and have said so in an unusually public way -- by petitioning Congress last month. Several of them appear to explain their actions in a Lara Logan report to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday Feb. 25 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.</p>

For my generation of activists born post the Civil Rights and Peace Movement of the 1960´s, the struggle against the Vietnam War conjures up images of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King´s advocacy and the conscientious objection of heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali . For others, images of peace activists being viciously beaten and attacked by Chicago police in the summer of 1968 and Jimi Hendrix giving his rendition of the "Star Spangle Banner" at Woodstock holds a place in our national conscious. Over thirty years after the U.S lost the war in Indochina, my generation is coming to know the...

Norfolk-based sailor uses Web to channel opposition to war By LOUIS HANSEN, The Virginian-Pilot © November 5, 2006 NORFOLK - Jonathan Hutto graduated from Howard University with a degree in political science and a résumé of social activism. He worked for the American Civil Liberties Union and Amnesty International after college. He whipped up grass-roots protests against police departments and college administrators. One day in 2003, broke and seeking direction, Hutto enlisted in the Navy. The Navy couldn't have known it then, but they know it now: They had signed up a sailor strongly opposed to the Iraq war. Seaman...