MORE PARANOIA ABOUT "RACISM" IN THE BRITISH POLICE

There was no evidence of racism in the police concerned so the British authorities have decided that there must have been "unwitting" racism -- i.e. racism that the police officers concerned did not themselves know they harboured. So now you can be condemnned not only for thought-crimes but even for thoughts you did NOT have!

"Four police officers were guilty of the "most serious neglect of duty" over the death of ex-paratrooper Christopher Alder in 1998, a watchdog has ruled. Mr Alder, 37, who was black, choked to death at a Hull police station. The police watchdog said the officers had been guilty of "unwitting racism". Humberside Chief Constable Tim Hollis apologised following the Independent Police Complaints Commission's report. But Humberside Police Federation said the officers "strongly dispute" it. Mr Alder's sister said those responsible had still not been held to account, and is calling for a public inquiry.

Five officers were cleared of manslaughter and misconduct in 2002 regarding the death of Mr Alder. Of the five, one was involved to a lesser extent than the other four in the events surrounding Mr Alder's death, the IPCC report said. Mr Alder, a father-of-two and a Falklands veteran, was injured during a scuffle outside a Hull city centre hotel and taken to Hull Royal Infirmary for treatment. He was later arrested for an alleged breach of the peace and taken to Queens Gardens police station. Half an hour later he choked to death on his own blood and vomit as he lay on the floor of the police station, without moving, for 11 minutes with his trousers round his ankles. CCTV footage showed officers laughing and joking as Mr Alder lay dying. It was more than 10 minutes before officers realised the seriousness of the situation and went to his aid.

In a 400-page report published on Monday, Independent Police Complaints Commission chairman Nick Hardwick described the behaviour of the officers present at the time as "disgraceful". The four officers criticised were Pc Matthew Barr, Pc Neil Blakey, Pc Nigel Dawson and Sergeant John Dunn. A fifth officer, Acting Police Sergeant Mark Ellerington, was also involved but to a lesser extent than the others, the report said. In 2004 it emerged that all but Pc Blakey had since retired on medical grounds.

Mr Hardwick said: "I believe the failure of the police officers concerned to assist Mr Alder effectively on the night he died were largely due to assumptions they made about him based on negative racial stereotypes. "I cannot say for certain that Mr Alder would have been treated more appropriately had he been white - but I do believe the fact he was black stacked the odds more heavily against him." Mr Hardwick said that although there were "serious failings" by the four police officers, they did not assault Mr Alder and that it could not be said "with certainty" they had caused his death. But their "neglect" undoubtedly did deny him the chance of life, he said.

Humberside Police Federation spokesman John Savage said the officers denied they had neglected their duties or acted in a racist manner, "unwitting or otherwise". The officers were cleared of manslaughter and misconduct by a crown court in 2002 and cleared of misconduct at an independent disciplinary tribunal in June 2003, he said. No concerns had been raised about racism in those cases and the men found it "very surprising that the IPCC has sought to do so now", he added.

Chief Constable Tim Hollis, who was not with the force at the time of Mr Alder's death, said: "The time is...right for me publicly to apologise to Christopher Alder's family for our failure to treat Christopher with sufficient compassion and to the desired standard that night. "The failure of the officers to explain to the IPCC their actions, including noises recorded on the video before and after Christopher's arrival in the custody suite, appears to have contributed to the IPCC view regarding unwitting racism.""

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MEDIA: CONSERVATIVES ARE CONTROVERSIAL AND LIBERALS ARE ANGELS"

Too often I am asked by reporters to discuss "the religious right". My answer is always the same, "when your paper reports about the "religious Left", I will talk about the "religious right". The liberal media always talks about Falwell and Robertson, but never note THE REV Jesse Jackson or THE REV. Al Sharpton about their radical agendas. Or how about that radical Rev. Barry Lynn of "Americans United" or some such organization that claims to be religious, but demeans believers!

It is time for honesty in reporting and the media. No wonder few trust or respect the Times (LA, NY, Contra Costa, etc.). Left and Right understand that many stories in the media are biased. They have a problem keeping opinions on the opinion page, and just getting the story in the news section. Below is an article from the North County (San Diego) Times--like the other "Times", they have a real problem with straight reporting.

I spoke with Ron Nehring, chairman of the San Diego County Central Committee (and Vice Chair of the California Republican Party) about this article and thought you would like his take on it. I strongly suggest you use his approach and challenge the media when you see stories that are blatantly propaganda stories instead of straight news stories. Ron noted for me the following:

1. For instance, have the newspaper ever used the term "ultraliberal" referring to anyone or anything? In fact, the only uses of the term "ultraliberal" I can find through several searches of newspapers around the State is on the opinion or letters to the editor pages, never in the news pages. Is this because only conservatives can be "ultra" (extreme), but liberals never are? This would be an interesting thought the next time a story is written about the San Francisco Board of Supervisors or SF mayor.

2. The story suggests that the County Board of Education was an "ultraconservative" board at some point. It was stated as though it is a fact, although clearly even if it were true, it would be opinion.

3. The article refers to Nehring's own high school board as "highly controversial." That appears to be another characterization of fact based on (someone else's) opinion. By contrast, why is Susan Hartley"s consistent opposition to Governor Schwarzenegger"s reform agenda not considered "controversial" for a Republican elected official in a Republican district? Why was her appointment of Democrat Sharon Jones to a Republican seat represented by Republican Ernie Dronenburg not considered "controversial"? That was NOT in the story.

4. Although Gary Felien is a very pleasant, typical Republican guy with support from such mainstream Republican colleagues as Senator Morrow, the story manages to associate his name with "highly controversial" "ultraconservative" "extremists" and to paint his positions on issues based almost solely on the actions of others.

Oceanside investor declares candidacy for county education seat

Gary Felien, an Oceanside investor who sits on the San Diego Republican Party Central Committee, has filed papers seeking a seat on the nonpartisan San Diego County Board of Education. Felien's last-minute filing on March 10 for the June 6 election has some local educators, including opponent Susan Hartley, concerned that area Republicans may be seeking a return to the politics of the ultraconservative board of the mid-1990s. Both Felien and Hartley are Republicans. Hartley described herself Monday as a fiscal conservative and a social moderate.

Felien said Monday he's nowhere near as conservative as Susan Fey or Jim Kelly, two county school board members who made headlines in 1996 by leading the successful fight against accepting more than $50 million in federal and state education money, saying there were too many federal strings attached.

Hartley said she believes Felien's decision to seek a spot on the board is part of a bigger political picture. "His candidate statement includes endorsements from the extremist faction that tried to control the county board in the past," Hartley said, referring to an endorsement from Kelly, the former board member and a former Baptist minister, past county board president and now president of the highly controversial Grossmont Union High School District.

Felien confirmed Monday that he has been endorsed by Kelly, and that he also has been endorsed by state Sen. Bill Morrow, R-Oceanside, a vocal opponent of illegal immigration, and Congressman Darrell Issa, R-Vista. Felien said he decided to run during conversations with other Republican Party central committee members. Felien said he and others believe Hartley does not represent the political views of voters in the Fifth District, an area that covers parts of Pala, Fallbrook and Camp Pendleton and stretches south from Oceanside to north coastal San Diego.

In April the San Diego Republican Party will take up the curious question of which if either of the two Republicans ---- Felien or Hartley ----- to endorse, according to Ron Nehring, chairman of the San Diego Republican Party. Nehring also serves on the Grossmont school board with Kelly. "I believe it's all orchestrated," Hartley said, saying she can't understand why the party would challenge one of its own Republicans on the board.

Felien cited Hartley's opposition to all four failed propositions touted by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last fall as an example of her leftward leanings. All four propositions failed statewide but passed in San Diego, Felien noted.

Hartley said she submitted a resolution opposing Proposition 76 ---- the so-called "Live Within Our Means" legislation, that would have restructured the way California funds schools. That was the only official action she took on any of the propositions, she said, "It's completely within our purview to take a stand on (Prop. 76) ---- in fact, it's our obligation," Hartley said. "If it has to do with the financial health of the schools, I believe it's our duty."

Felien said he works out of his Oceanside home as an investor after having worked 21 years as a corporate accountant and analyst. He said he believes he's qualified to help guide the county board of education and its $300 million budget. Felien said he wants to increase opportunities for students to learn basic household finance. Too many teenagers and young adults do not know how to balance a checkbook, calculate compound interest or critically assess pitches for car loans, he said. Citing his son's recent experience at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Oceanside with a program called "Future Cities," Felien said he wants to help spread similar proven programs around the county that help students learn business, science and math. Felien, citing recent stories in the North County Times, said he wants to examine how districts calculate graduation and dropout rates. He said he supports more vocational opportunities for students who do not want to go to college and advocates closer cooperation with local businesses, adding that schools should focus on teaching specific skills identified by employers.

Get the picture--use something that others did years ago, claim it was "controversial", hence you are bad today! This is McCarthyism in the media. It is time that conservatives refuse to accept bad and obviously misleading reporting to stand. We need to write letters to the editor, meet with the editor and make clear, using talk radio and the Internet, that it is no longer acceptable for media to use character assassination against conservatives. The time has come for all of us to respond to this sort of reporting, not allow it to stand.

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