In light of the NRAsshole Convention in the great city of Houston, Greater State Of Texas…here is the first really true public service announcement from the NRAsshole Organization for it’s membership….
A ‘Gun Lobby’ commercial reassuring all Americans that 2nd Amendment Gun Rights will not be taken away by the government. Help Support their efforts to keep guns in the hands of those who want them. No questions asked.
The current background check ‘loopholes’ create a very dangerous environment, where anyone can easily bypass the system of safety regulation and get the guns that they desire. Contact your local Senator and tell them that this is unacceptable.
For More Information about how you can support the effort, please visit:
The George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston is prepared for the annual convention of the National Rifle Assn. The event, which begins Friday, is expected to draw more than 70,000 people. (Johnny Hanson / Associated Press / May 1, 2013)
HOUSTON — The National Rifle Assn.’s annual convention begins in earnest Friday in Houston, with leaders who have spent the year defending the group in the wake of mass shootings emboldened by the recent defeat of federal gun control legislation and ready to rally around this year’s theme: “Stand and Fight.”
“If you are an NRA member, you deserve to be proud,” Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s chief executive wrote to members last week, saying they “exemplify everything that’s good and right about America.”
On Friday afternoon, LaPierre is scheduled to appear at the convention with a panel of political leaders who have championed gun rights, including former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin (who some tea party advocates are hoping will make a run for the Senate), Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (also a tea party favorite), Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
LaPierre will address the membership again Saturday before a “Stand and Fight” rally.
More than 70,000 people from across the country and abroad are expected to attend the three-day event at Houston’s downtown convention center drawn by, among other things, a gun trade show, youth day, firearms classes and a speech by rocker and NRA ally Ted Nugent.
“It is on track to be the largest NRA annual meeting ever,” NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam told the Los Angeles Times. “I think a lot of it has to do with the fight that we’re in. People understand that now more than ever they need to come out and support the 2nd Amendment.”
Gun control advocates also planned to flock to the convention center, and Arulanandam said that shouldn’t cause friction.
“That is people exercising their 1st Amendment rights. We respect their 1st Amendment rights, and we hope they respect our 1st and 2nd Amendment rights,” he said.
Among events gun control groups have planned: a petition drive for expanded background checks of gun purchasers, veterans speaking out against illegal guns, and a vigil near the convention center for victims of gun violence that will start Friday morning and last through Sunday.
The “No More Names” vigil includes the names of those killed in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and others who have died since then in gun violence, said Lauren Weiner, a spokeswoman for Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for Change.
When supporters held a similar event last month ahead of the Senate gun control vote, they had collected about 3,300 names, Weiner told The Times.
“We don’t want to add any more names to the list. That’s our goal ideally through passing legislation,” Weiner said.
Among those expected to attend the convention is Erica Lafferty, daughter of slain Sandy Hook principal Dawn Hochsprung. Lafferty has become an outspoken proponent of gun control legislation.
Weiner said the failure of gun control legislation has emboldened rather than demoralized supporters, citing an incident earlier this week in which Lafferty and others confronted Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) over her vote.
“We look at it as a first step in a process,” Weiner said of the legislation’s defeat. “It has galvanized folks — you’ve seen it in New Hampshire this week. Folks realize that we need to be louder,” particularly relatives of those killed in Newtown.
Kim Russell, national field director for the gun control group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said their membership grew and donations poured in after the Senate vote (20% of their total donations to date came within 24 hours). They, too, plan to have a presence in Houston.
“That Senate vote was the second alarm. Newtown was the first,” Russell told The Times. “There’s a backlash now.”
Followed by Mr. Erik “my Head Up My Rectum” Rush…..Faux Spews News contributor:
WorldNetDaily columnist and Fox News contributor Erik Rush responded to the Boston Marathon explosions, which left two dead and possibly over 100 injured. President Obama gave a press conference saying, “Today we are not republicans or democrats, we are Americans” but some people ignored those words calling for unity.
Today, President Obama unveiled the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative, which aims to help researchers find new ways to treat, cure, and even prevent brain disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury.
The First Family today welcomed more than 30,000 guests to the South Lawn for the 135th annual White House Easter Egg Roll. This year’s theme, “Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You” was inspired by Let’s Move!, and the day’s fun included numerous opportunities for the young guests to get moving, from the traditional Egg Roll to the Eggtivity Zone, an obstacle course where players and coaches from professional sports teams taught kids how to play sports and showed them easy, fun ways to stay active and fit.
After being introduced to the crowd from the Blue Room Balcony by “Kid President” Robbie Novak, President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha headed over to cheer on some of the youngest visitors as they raced down the Lawn in the Egg Roll. The President and Bo then made their way to the Storytime Stage where he gave a dramatic reading of “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”, calling it “one of my favorite books.” Next up for the President was a drop by at the White House basketball court, where he joined some of the Washington Wizards in throwing the ball around with kids.
First Lady Michelle Obama speaks alongside actors Harrison Ford and Chadwick Boseman as she welcomes high school and college students from across the country for a workshop with the cast and crew of the film 42
Film Workshop for Students: 42
Published on Apr 2, 2013
Following a welcome from First Lady Michelle Obama, 80 high school and college students from across the country participate in an interactive student workshop with the cast and crew of the film “42.”
MRS. OBAMA: Welcome to the White House. (Laughter.) It’s nice. Let’s do this. (Applause.) I know sometimes it’s hard to know how are you supposed to act in the White House. (Laughter.) Everybody is sitting with their — just loosen up, loosen up. It’s okay. You all are here. You’re just going to talk. I can tell you all talk a lot. (Laughter.) So you’re just going to talk a little more right here in the White House. We are honored to have you. Welcome, welcome.
Let me start today by thanking Paulette for moderating today’s workshop. Paulette is the new Director of the Office of Public Engagement right here in the White House, and we’re glad to have her on our team. I want to give her a round of applause — Paulette. (Applause.)
I want to thank Harrison Ford — I’ve wanted to say that for a while. (Laughter.) Harrison Ford. So you think you trip because I’m here? I’m tripping out — (laughter) — because he’s here. And look at this stage — Mr. Harrison Ford, Chadwick Boseman — he’s as cute as he was in the movie. (Laughter.) Just admit it. (Applause.) Outstanding — as well as Brian Helgeland, who is here as well. You’re going to hear from them.
And I want to thank all of you young people here, because I want to make sure I know who’s here. We have students from Gaithersburg, Maryland — who are you, where are you? (Applause.) Maryland in the house. Alexandria, Virginia. (Applause.) You guys are here. We’ve got some D.C. kids. (Applause.) Of course you all are the loudest ones. (Laughter.) It’s okay. We’ve got students from the Animo Jackie Robinson Charter High School in Los Angeles — where are our L.A. kids? (Applause.) There you go. You can be louder. (Laughter.) It’s okay, you all traveled.
But I want to make sure that you all know how welcome you are here in this house, because the truth is we do these things — we make sure that we do these workshops so that you all know that this is your house, too. So we want you to make yourselves at home. We want you to feel good and relaxed and learn and ask questions, okay?
And finally, I saved the best for last. I want to pay special thanks to a woman that I am totally in awe of. And I’m not going to get emotional. I’m going to say that now, because I can tend to get emotional. But she’s a woman of strength, of courage, conviction; a woman who paved the way for me, but she paved the way for millions of Americans all across this country. We have with us Mrs. Rachel Robinson. (Applause.)
And this is what a beautiful woman looks like. She is a proud 90-years-old, and I’m telling you that because she told me she’s proud of it. (Laughter.) And I told her she wouldn’t have to tell anybody how old she was because she doesn’t look a day over 40 (laughter) — beautiful, and smart, and gifted, and graceful. So we are just so thrilled to have everyone here.
Now, the President and I, we watched this movie over the weekend. It was just us, because our girls were away. And they are definitely going to watch this movie. We think that everybody in this country needs to watch this movie. And I can say with all sincerity that it was truly powerful for us. I don’t know about you, but we walked away from that just visibly, physically moved by the experience of the movie, of the story.
And it wasn’t simply the wonderful performances, because the performances were brilliant — brilliant. I mean, I’m no movie critic, but you all are pretty good. (Laughter.) And it wasn’t the wonderful screenwriting or the directing. It was the raw emotion that it just makes you feel after the experience. I mean, watching anyone go through what Jackie and Rachel Robinson did — the outright discrimination they encountered at every turn, from the fans in the stadium to the airport receptionist, even from some of his own teammates. And you’re left just asking yourselves, how on Earth did they live through that? How did they do it? How did they endure the taunts and the bigotry for all of that time?
And while so many in this country still face clear challenges, they still exist today. I was struck by how far removed that way of life seems today. I mean, there’s work to be done, but things have changed. Major League Baseball is fully integrated. You can’t imagine the baseball league not being integrated. There are no more “Whites Only” signs posted anywhere in this country. Although it still happens, it is far less acceptable for someone to yell out a racial slur while you’re walking down the street — it still happens, but not tolerated. That kind of prejudice is simply just not something that can happen in the light of day today.
And then on the other hand, for us to be able to sit in the same room as Rachel Robinson — do you all understand? We are here with Rachel Robinson — (applause) — the woman who lived through that life whose memories and perspectives will forever be shaped by those experiences. Her presence here today makes us realize just how connected we are to that part of our history. It is very real and very tangible. In the end, I can’t help but marvel at just how far we’ve come over the course of this woman’s life. But it also remind us how far we have to go, how much more work we have to do.
Jackie and Rachel Robinson’s story reminds us how muc hard work it takes to move a country forward. It reminds us how much struggle is required to make real progress and change.
So as you reflect on this story, not just today, but I hope you keep thinking about it for the rest of your life, I want you to think about how much strength it took day in and day out for Rachel and Jackie Robinson and for thousands of other people just like them all across this country to keep pressing ahead, even though some folks wouldn’t even treat them like they were human beings. They just kept pressing ahead.
It would have been easy for them to get mad, because I know I was mad just watching the movie. It would have been easy for them to get mad or to give up. But instead, they made hate — they met hatred with decency. I want you all to keep that in mind — they met hatred with decency. And, more importantly, they gave their absolute very best every single day — do you hear — they gave their best every single day.
From the time they were young people just like all of you, they worked hard to prepare themselves for greatness so that when the opportunity came their way, they were ready for that greatness. This would have been a totally different story had they not been prepared, had they not trained themselves, had they not educated themselves.
Yes, Jackie Robinson certainly was a tremendous athlete, but he was so much more than that. He bravely served in our Armed Forces. He attended college at UCLA. He competed as hard as he could at everything he did so that his gifts wouldn’t go to waste. And Rachel Robinson was in every way his equal, ladies — in every way his equal. She made her education a priority. She worked hard in school. She eventually became a nurse.
So Jackie and Rachel Robinson weren’t destined for greatness — they prepared themselves for greatness, which meant that they could make a difference outside of baseball, as well. And that is the only thing that is important for you to understand. You can be great in your profession, you can earn a lot of money, you can be famous, but the question is what are you doing for others.
After he retired, Jackie Robinson became a leader in the Civil Rights Movement working with Dr. King, the NAACP. He helped to start a bank to help other minorities start their own small businesses and to own their own homes. And after his death, Mrs. Robinson carried on that legacy by starting the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which has provided college scholarships and training and career opportunities for more than 1,400 underserved students. In fact, I know that we have a few Jackie Robinson scholars here today who are studying at Howard, and Georgetown, and Yale, and Brown, and even my alma mater, Princeton — righteous. (Laughter.)
And I have seen the quality of these scholars firsthand because one of my personal assistants, little Kristin Jones, was a Jackie Robinson scholar in 2003. And I was couldn’t be more impressed by the work that she has done and the young woman that she has become — very proud of you. And more than anything else, that is Jackie Robinson’s legacy — opening up a whole new world of opportunities to young people like Kristin and every single one of you here today.
And that’s why it was so important for me to have all of you here for this event. We intentionally did this. Now, we’re going to have a screening for a bunch of fancy people somewhere later on down the line, but we wanted to be here with you. Because this isn’t just about watching a wonderful movie about an important moment in history, this is about helping all of you believe that you can write your own history.
And I can’t say this enough to enough young people — you might not be able to hit a ball like Jackie Robinson, but you can get your education. In fact, you must get your education and demand more of yourself every single day. You have to do that, and you have to pick up yourself when somebody knocks you down — because you will get knocked down. But to do all of that, you have to put the work in. That’s all I have to say.
All of this is about hard work. And you have to be willing to face any obstacle you might encounter along the way. That’s what Jackie and Rachel Robinson did, and the same could be said for all the folks on this stage, quite frankly.
Before he became an actor, Harrison Ford had to overcome a crippling fear of speaking in front of an audience. So he’s terrified right now. (Laughter.) And it took Chadwick 10 years of hard work before landing his first starring role. So this stuff doesn’t come easy. And then Brian sits down to create a script, and that means hundreds of hours of writing and rewriting, painful doubting and rewriting — (laughter) — oh, you can see the pain — before he comes up with a finished product. And that’s really the secret.
And I want all young people to understand — what does it take? What does it take? What’s the secret? The secret is that no one comes out a finished product. None of us are finished products. There is no magic that makes someone an actor or a director or a doctor or a lawyer or a President or First Lady. There is no magic. That is the one thing I want you all to understand. If you gain nothing from this movie or any of our lives, there is no magic. It takes grit. It takes determination and a whole lot of hard work. And as you know in the movie, it takes guts.
So as you think about the obstacles you face in your own life, as you hear someone telling you that you’re not good enough, or that you don’t belong, I want you to think about how Jackie Robinson got up and played after he got spiked in the leg. I want you think about that. I want you to think about how Rachel Robinson is still working to make this world a better place at 90 years old. She’s still not stopping. You can rest a little bit. (Laughter.)
And then I want you all to put your heart and soul into everything you do — every single thing you do. Can you promise me that? There is no exception to that rule. Everything you do, you have to do 120 percent. And you all are capable of doing that. Everyone is capable of doing that. And that’s going to start right now.
Your first test of how passionate you’re going to be is right here today. Because I want you all to take full advantage of what we have for you. I want you to ask questions. I don’t want you to hesitate. I don’t want you to be shy. Because the first step in greatness is just using your voice, just knowing that whatever question, whatever thought, whatever ideas that you have have meaning and relevance in the world, and you will not hesitate to make your voices heard.
Take advantage of these folks. Make sure you understand and ask questions and push and drive. And when you leave here I want you to promise me that you’re going to keep doing that every single day, no matter what you want to become in life; that that is how you’re going to lead your life — with greatness, with focus, with drive, determination. And when you do that, and I know you will, you will be something great.
Don’t know what it is. I still don’t know what I’m going to do with my life. But you will be something great. You all have everything it takes to make that happen, and it is an honor for me to be here with you guys.
Have fun. I got to go work. But I’m going to get a report on what’s been going on here today, so talk and ask questions. Thank you, guys. (Applause.)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama said Tuesday that a new movie chronicling Jackie Robinson’s rise through Major League Baseball, including the racial discrimination he endured while breaking the sport’s color barrier in the 1940s, left her and the president “visibly, physically moved” after they saw it over the weekend.
The film, “42,” also left the couple wondering “how on Earth did (the Robinsons) live through that. How did they do it? How did they endure the taunts and the bigotry for all of that time?” she said.
Mrs. Obama commented at a workshop for a group of high school and college students who saw the movie in the White House theater. Some of the students attend a Los Angeles charter school named for Robinson and others are undergraduate scholars in a program that bears the baseball great’s name.
The students also participated in a question-and-answer session with Robinson’s widow, Rachel, and members of the cast and crew, including Chadwick Boseman, who plays Robinson, Harrison Ford, who stars as former Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey, and screenwriter Brian Helgeland.
President Barack Obama was holding a separate screening of “42″ for the cast and crew later Tuesday.
Mrs. Obama said everyone should see the movie, which opens nationwide April 12.
“I can say with all sincerity that it was truly powerful for us,” she said. “We walked away from that just visibly, physically moved by the experience of the movie, of the story,” and the “raw emotion” they felt afterward.
The first lady added that she was also “struck by how far removed that way of life seems today,” noting how times have changed despite progress still to be made toward eliminating racial discrimination.
“You can’t imagine the baseball league not being integrated. There are no more “Whites Only” signs posted anywhere in this country. Although it still happens, it is far less acceptable for someone to yell out a racial slur while you’re walking down the street,” she told the students. “That kind of prejudice is simply just not something that can happen in the light of day today.”
After several years in the Negro Baseball League, Robinson broke his sport’s color barrier in 1946 to become the first black Major League Baseball player, batting for the Brooklyn Dodgers. His number was 42.
Barack Obama broke a similar barrier by winning election in 2008 as the first black U.S. president.
Echoing her husband, Mrs. Obama said the Jackie and Rachel Robinson story is a reminder of the amount of hard work it takes to move a country forward.
“It reminds you how much struggle is required to make real progress and change,” she said.
Statement by the President on the Withdrawal of the Nomination of Caitlin Halligan
Today, I accepted Caitlin Halligan’s request to withdraw as a nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. I am deeply disappointed that even after nearly two and a half years, a minority of Senators continued to block a simple up-or-down vote on her nomination. This unjustified filibuster obstructed the majority of Senators from expressing their support. I am confident that with Caitlin’s impressive qualifications and reputation, she would have served with distinction.
The D.C. Circuit is considered the Nation’s second-highest court, but it now has more vacancies than any other circuit court. This is unacceptable. I remain committed to filling these vacancies, to ensure equal and timely access to justice for all Americans.
This sickens me. President Of The United States, Barack Hussein Obama, has not the right to select his appointees for positions he deems these people qualified because of racist, ignorant dumbass Congressmen & Senators obstructing The Presidents choices.
Every past POTUS has had smooth sailing when it comes to picking personnel for their cabinet.
Today, President Obama will sign legislation to strengthen and reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. The new law will provide resources for thousands of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault — and better equip law enforcement officials to stop violence before it starts.
Here are some of the top stories from the White House blog:
Senate Delays Negatively Impacting our Judicial System
An infographic illustrates the unprecedented delays in the judicial confirmation process: 78 percent of President Obama’s circuit court judges have waited more than 100 days for a vote, compared to 15 of President Bush’s nominees.
9:30 AM: The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing.
12:25 PM: The President meets for lunch with Representatives Chris Van Hollen and Paul Ryan.
12:30 PM: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney.
1:55 PM: The President signs the Violence Against Women Act; The President and the Vice President deliver remarks.
Obama ‘Dinner Dates’ The Very GOP Lunatics Who Want To Topple Him
Talking Points Memo: President Obama has invited House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan to lunch Thursday at the White House. Rep. Chris Van Hollen has also been invited…
Talking Points Memo: President Obama dined with 12 Republican senators at Jefferson Hotel in Washington on Wednesday night. In attendance, per the White House:
Senators Lindsey Graham, Bob Corker, Kelly Ayotte, John McCain, Dan Coats, Tom Coburn, Richard Burr, Mike Johanns, Pat Toomey, Ron Johnson, John Hoeven and Saxby Chambliss.
Editor’s Note: On March 7, Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns led the U.S. delegation to the Friends of Yemen ministerial meeting in London, United Kingdom. This meeting reaffirmed the international community’s continued support for the people of Yemen during their historic transition process, including the upcoming National Dialogue and, ultimately, national elections in early 2014. The United States is committed to the Friends of Yemen process and its goal of supporting Yemen as it endeavors to achieve meaningful political, economic, and security sector reform. As part of this commitment, Rashad Hussain, Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic States, recently traveled to Yemen. (by USAID)
As a part of our on-going efforts to deepen and expand partnerships with Muslim communities around the world, I recently visited Sana’a, Yemen. I heard first-hand from Yemeni government officials, civil society, and religious leaders about a variety of issues, including the country’s political transition and National Dialogue, U.S.-Yemen cooperation, and U.S. engagement with Muslim communities around the world. I was impressed by the passion and optimism of Yemen’s vibrant civil society, and by the determination and sincerity of its people. There is so much more happening in Yemen than what is conveyed in news headlines that I wanted to share some of my observations.
Just before my arrival, the government announced that the National Dialogue would officially begin on March 18. I spoke with a broad array of civil society activists about their goals and concerns about the National Dialogue. I encouraged the full and active participation of all parts of Yemeni society in the National Dialogue, and highlighted the important role that civil society plays in ensuring the Dialogue’s success.
I also met with a group of influential religious leaders and discussed a range of issues, including violent extremism, protecting human rights, and U.S. policies in the region. Religious leaders play a vital role in Yemeni society, and I emphasized their importance in ensuring the health, protection, and prosperity of their communities. We discussed efforts to promote humanitarian assistance and the protection of religious freedom, especially for minority groups. In discussions regarding violent extremism, I highlighted the importance of discrediting the destructive ideology of terrorism, and noted that no grievance justifies the killing of innocent people. I also questioned the idea that terrorism occurs as a response to certain policies, asking what foreign policy grievance could drive someone to bomb a religious center or a Friday prayer.
The leaders showed a clear understanding of their responsibilities, and expressed their willingness to partner with the United States on these and other initiatives. The Foreign Minister and officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs also welcomed our interest in expanding partnerships with Yemen and suggested various areas of potential cooperation, including in addressing the challenges facing Yemeni youth.
In all of my meetings, I emphasized the U.S. commitment to continued assistance in addressing these critical needs and in partnering with the people of Yemen. The U.S. government gave Yemen over $119 million in humanitarian aid last fiscal year, and plans to provide significant support this year given the severity of the crisis. The international community needs to do its part to help Yemen address its humanitarian challenges, and I will continue to urge our partners to support the UN’s Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan.
What struck me the most by my visit was the enthusiasm and hope in the eyes and voices of the people I met. Yemenis are working to build a democratic and prosperous Yemen, and we are honored to be able to support their efforts.
Rashad Hussain is the U.S. Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
RT @MsRock4Ever: And WHY aren't WAR CRIMINALS gw bush and dickless cheney in prison with the rest of their foolish cronies?? @RichardEDerrJrStill A MilitantNegro 9 minutes ago
RT @5catjenny: @MrMilitantNegro Been seeing it since Day 1 of O's presidency. Sure shows the severe racism that still exists and who they a…Still A MilitantNegro 12 minutes ago
Prudence 
Jueseppi B.
