Foster mom: "More girls arrive to us because their parents were detained by the ICE... will be hurt by AZ law"

By GottaLaff

How can you tell which one of these kids might or might not be "legal"?

My pal TexBetsy has shared something that is a must-read, and she has graciously allowed me to cross-post most of it here. But please go to her place and read the whole thing:

I am a mother, a foster mother, a host mother, and an emergency shelter mother. I am a mother. You know me as Cassie’s* host mom for the last 17 months but I have been a mother for over twenty years to thirty-one girls. [...] Our girls come in all sizes and all colors. Most were born in the United States but some were not. Some speak only English and some speak Spanish as well. [...]

We met war orphans from El Salvador and Nicaragua. [...]

In the past few years since President Bush started detaining immigrants under homeland security laws we have had more girls arrive to us because their parents were detained by the ICE. Like all children in foster care, these girls want to be reunited with their family-by-blood, and they have a difficulty understanding why they are separated. Often they do not know for months if their parents are in detention or have been sent back to their native country.

Arizona’s new immigration law makes this worse and will cause more strife within families. My husband and I carry our temporary custodianship papers with us at all times but we do not always have citizenship papers for the girls in our family. Some do not have their documents and some do not have citizenship in the United States. Some are of undetermined legal status until their birth parent’s detention hearing is concluded.

[...] The children in my care have suffered abandonment and loss they spend their whole lives trying to understand. Some will never recover even though their chances through life are better in a loving home than in an abusive one connected only by blood.

Children in foster care will be hurt by the Arizona law. Children of documented and undocumented immigrants will be hurt by this law. [...] Good people of conscience can not support laws that will lead to fractured childhoods and distrust of government when the family relationships can and should be kept in tact.

*I've also posted Cassie's writings, which are fantastic. Links here.

Very few people are talking about this problem from the families' perspective. It's even more rare to hear from someone who speaks for children.

Children often cannot or will not can speak for themselves. I know that from first hand experience, having worked with elementary, middle, and high school level kids for years. And sadly, once a child has been hurt deeply, they are often damaged for life. It takes immense patience and diligence to help them restore trust and a sense of security once they've experienced pain and fear.

Thank you, TexBetsy, for sharing these invaluable insights.

VIDEO: Standing O for the Vitter Pill, who prefers TV personalities to community organizers

By GottaLaff

Remember David Vitter, aka The Vitter Pill? This would be the same Vitter who favors corporations over sexual assault victims. The very same Vitter Pill who wants to defund Planned Parenthood. The one and only D.V. who was subpoenaed by the D.C. Madam. That same wacky zany guy who has a diaper fetish.

Yes, that David Vitter.

It seems the "We are Rushpublics and we approve Vitter's message" party is into him. He got a standing ovation at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference (SRLC).

Oh, and check out Mr. Personality's intro... using notes. I guess teleprompters weren't an option:

Andy Guinn, co-chair of the SRLC, introduced Vitter by saying he “fights everyday for Louisiana and her families.”

It gets better. The Values Party got a real boost when The Pill touted style over substance:

During his address, Vitter said, "I'll take a TV personality over a community organizer any day," an apparent reference to Sarah Palin and Barack Obama.

That's right, MeMe McNasty is preferable to someone who actually, you know, cares about people. Because that's how their party rolls.

McCaskill: 'Weird' when good job numbers used as political fodder

By GottaLaff

I'm glad somebody finally came right out and said this:

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) on Sunday fired back at Republicans who claim the recent drop in unemployment is not enough to prove Democrats are handling the economy effectively.

In a pair of tweets to followers this afternoon, McCaskill remarked:

December of last year we lost more than 600,000 jobs. November this year we lost 11,000. Good news. Progress. Still work to do.

So weird when politics turns good news into cynical disappointment.

Of course, referring to the job numbers as any kind of "improvement" whatsoever would be an admission of defeat in their sick beady little eyes... just as passing a decent health care reform bill would.

To the Rushpublics, "America first" is code for "screw ordinary citizens, we're power hungry money-grubbers". Higher employment numbers and healthy Americans make them look like the self-serving failures that they are.

As McCaskill tweeted, "Weird".

A Teen's Reaction to the Fort Hood Memorial Service

By GottaLaff

Image via Fort Hood Sentinel

I've previously posted the observations of a remarkable high school student regarding the Ft. Hood shootings. Her insights were unique and poignant. Please read them here and here.

She just IMed me the link to her own blog post on the same subject, and I strongly recommend going over here to read it. Just to tantalize you, here is an excerpt or three:

The United States has been at war in Afghanistan since the fall of my second grade year, and in Iraq for half of the years I have been in school. [...]

My brother wears the same uniform as the grieving soldiers, and he has served at Fort Hood. I lived with him at Fort Hood during one of his trainings for his career as an army truck mechanic. The buildings in the background of the live shots were familiar to me, and I imagined that afternoon what it would be like to attend a memorial for my own brother. [...]

We have not seen military funerals for any of the 5000 military service members killed in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan since I learned to write my name in cursive. Our morning announcements don’t indicate the number of those forever wounded in body or soul in that time. And we have certainly seen no mention of Afghan or Iraqi civilians killed by our military since my adult teeth started coming in.

Remember, the author just turned 18. The "professional" punditiots could take lessons.

Fellow Soldiers, family and guests take a moment of silence during a memorial service for 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Soldiers: Spcs. Jake Velloza, Jeremiah McCleery, and Shawn Sykes, June 18, at Fort Hood’s 1st Cavalry Division Memorial Chapel. Sgt. Karl Williams, 3rd BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

"Why didn’t my school show ... memorials for... the 100+ Ft. Hood soldiers that ... committed suicide this year?"

By GottaLaff

Yesterday I posted something I hope you already read, or will read. It was about a Texas school district that thought President Obama's education speech should be off limits, but didn't blink when kids watched him talk about mass murder. I described the point of view of one of the students.

That teen and her brother recently called Fort Hood home, and now the 25-year-old brother is in the Army, stationed in Afghanistan.

I have now been given permission to link you to the 18-year-old's blog site. She goes by the name freckles cassie and, she shows up here too.

Here's a comment she left on one of the blog posts that was well worth quoting:

Why didn’t my school show us the memorials for all if the 100+ Fort Hood soldiers that have committed suicide this year? Or all of the homeless vets who die from lack of VA health care? Or even all of the memorials for all of the soldiers & marines killed in Iraq & Afghanistan?

From the Department of Sad Irony: Freckles Cassie, a teenager who writes blog entries and comments, is already heads and shoulders better at analysis and is more astute than anyone on ClusterFox and most punditiots in general.

Go get 'em, Freckles Cassie.

School: Obama education speech? No. Empty boots & Taps? No problem.

By GottaLaff

I have a friend who has a high school aged niece living in Williamson County, Texas. The niece's 25-year-old brother is in the Army, stationed in Afghanistan.

I just heard from my friend, just a few minutes ago. It turns out that the niece was very distraught today... so distraught, in fact, that she had a panic attack and had to leave school. You see, the brother and sister lived in Fort Hood from 2004-2006.

The sister wanted to know why she needed her parents' permission to stay in school for President Obama's education speech, but not for the empty boots and Taps that aired without restriction during today's speech honoring those slain by the Ft. Hood shooter.

Good question.

She is still pulling herself together as I write this, which, per my friend, requires a wash cloth and substantial make-up touch-ups.

Yes, in all its education-oriented wisdom, the school district banned the president's speech about why it's important to stay in school, work hard, and aim high. Kids at high schools throughout the district needed the okay from Mom and Dad for that...except those in U.S. government classes. I guess those kids were immune to indoctrination.

However, witnessing the agony of families mourning for their children, fathers, sisters who died at the hands of a fellow soldier? That works for Williamson County.

And speaking of military deaths, putting a young girl through the daily pain and anxiety of wondering whether her own brother is alive or dead, or could come face to face with another Nidal Hasan? She can handle that, she's old enough. That won't leave an imprint at all.

But hearing these words will scar her forever:

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

That was a no-no, but this is perfectly acceptable:

I join her in her fears for her brother's life... and in her tears over the priorities of what's left of our so-called family values.

Randall Terry Targeting Obama’s Children’s School

Classless scum. Via Alan Colmes thru Oliver.

Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry has decided to conduct a protest outside the Sidwell Friends school in DC, where the Obama daughters attend (via Right Wing Watch) The press release says:

On Thursday, 9/17 and Friday 9/18, Various Pro-Life Groups Will Stage Protests at High Schools From Noon to 1:00 P.M., Showing Pictures of Aborted and Healthy Babies — the Same Pictures Jim Pouillon Was Showing When He Was Gunned Down

[...]

MEDIA ADVISORY, Sept. 15 /Christian Newswire/ — The following is submitted by Randall Terry, Director, Operation Rescue Insurrecta Nex:

One protest will occur at Sidwell Friends School in Washington DC, where many high powered politicos send their children.

“We will not be intimidated into silence. We will continue to show images of aborted babies at high schools, no matter what the cost.

Mark Sanford Takes Another Vacation

By GottaLaff

Who's footing the bill this time?

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) said he is leaving the state again with his wife and sons for a two-week European vacation, according to The State.

"Sanford said the trip long has been scheduled and was meant as a last family getaway with his family's four sons while they all still are living at home... This will be Sanford's fourth out-of-state trip since vanishing for five days to Argentina in mid-June."

Said Sanford: "I thought about pulling the plug... Obviously, critics will criticize."

C-Streeters will be so jealous. They must miss him terribly.

Cartoon of the Day

Click to enlarge, via.

Cartoon of the Day

Click to enlarge, via.

"Track"ing Bristol Palin's MySpace file

By GottaLaff

(This entry can be found enlarged and readable here)

Rather than plaster this post with gory details of Bristol's MySpace entries and other documentation, I'll link, and you take a peek for yourself. The files are pdf formatted, so it's easier that way.

The Gawker piece includes the following:

[R]evelations that Sarah Palin had previously accused her daughter of being pregnant and that Bristol's brother [Track] once told their mother that Bristol was a "stoner."

I'm tucking my snarkage away for now and saving it for another post. Ripping into a teenager isn't too appetizing; however, mocking Mommy Dearest, the supposed fine, upstanding, god-fearin' adult who taught her daughter everything she knows and proselytizes, is much more entertaining, even addicting.

And speaking of 2012, if those screen shots/quotes are as authentic as they seem, Shooty McMouthOff's family values, and Mother of the Year "you betcha" image, need some serious revamping.

This link takes you to (pdf) screen grabs of her MySpace pages.

I'll leave you with this Ezra Klein Tweet:

Note to Bristol Palin: "Tight" doesn't mean what you think it means. At least not in California.

Note to Shooty: "Abstinence" doesn't mean what you think it means. At least not in your own family.

People Magazine: No money, no deals on Bristol Palin baby's pics... so far

By GottaLaff

Is there a story about the Palin family that isn't laughable?

A People magazine executive denied media speculation Tuesday that Bristol Palin made at least $300,000 for giving the publication first shot at photos of her newborn son. [...]

MSNBC's report quoted unnamed sources saying bidding for the baby photos began at $100,000 and increased after Johnston's mother Sherry was arrested on felony drug charges this month involving OxyContin, a potentially addictive prescription painkiller. MSNBC said estimates of the deal were in the $300,000 range.

People managing editor Larry Hackett said the magazine has had "conversations" about photos with a Palin representative but no deal has been made and no money has been given to the Palins.

"Would I like the pictures? I would love the pictures but I don't have them," he said.

Hackett wouldn't elaborate on discussions, however, if they are continuing or how much the magazine would be willing to pay.

"Would we pay for a picture of her and her kid? I don't know. It's something I would consider. It's not something I would rule out of hand," he said.

The $300,000 figure would be appropriate for a sit-down portrait session of the newborn and his parents -- but only if it includes Sarah Palin, said Paul Harris with Pacific Coast News, an entertainment photo agency based in Los Angeles.

And unless Alaska's Republican governor is a presidential contender in 2012, Harris doesn't anticipate escalating interest in paying big money for street photos of her grandson and his teenage mother.

"Maybe if the father left her and went off with Angelina Jolie, but that might not happen," he said.

Above all else, no matter what, we must--must!-- respect the privacy of that paragon of family-values-families, The Palin Bunch, that makes every effort to stay out of the spotlight:

The governor's office on Tuesday did not return requests for comment but has said the baby's birth is a private, family matter.

I'm sure there will be no photos of Grandma DimBulb schlepping Trig and Tripp and Trials and Tribulations around with her, acting as if they are nothing more than movie props. That would be wrong. That would be an invasion of privacy. That would be using her own family for personal gain:

Profiting off a newborn? Nah. She'd never stoop that low.