Bloggers are discussing the disappearance of several Islamist Web sites, a California Supreme Court decision on how businesses must treat registered domestic partners, and Iran’s announcement that it’s resuming uranium enrichment.
Terror links broken: Israeli intelligence agents discovered over the past two weeks that extremist Islamic Web sites have been removed from the Internet. The Israelis suspect British intelligence.
The blogosphere says, “Hooray!” American blogger Code Orange of the Orange Bellcap writes, “I am glad someone thought of this since the CIA seems not smart enough to do this. Congrats and a thumbs up to the Brits!” The politically unaffiliated IOpian of The IOpian View notes, “The elephant in the room is why didn’t they do this four years ago? How much of Zarqawi’s thunder could we have stolen by taking him offline two years ago with no way to distribute his ‘Best of Beheadings’ videos?” New Jersey blogger Viking Son of Right Jokester quips, ” ‘We have removed our own sites,’ an Al-Qaeda spokesman said, ‘and have simply transferred our propaganda operations to the NY Times.’ “
Other bloggers fear fascism is in the making: Anonymous blogger Mayday! laments, “It is quite possible that in the near future, the internet will be shut down—or at the very least, any sites that are deemed to be questionable will be eliminated, leaving only those pages approved by the powers that be.” Commenting on Dvorak Uncensored, Ed Campbell adds, “Now, religious fanatics of whatever stripe have a precedent for destroying the intellectual product of those they disagree with—as absolutely justified.”
Read more about the vanishing terrorist Web sites here.
Gays on par: In response to a lawsuit against a California country club, the state Supreme Court ruled that businesses must afford the same benefits to registered domestic partners as to married couples.
Bloggers say, “Forget Canada; I’m moving to California!” Political Animal’s Kevin Drum, a writer for the Washington Monthly, writes in the magazine’s blog, “It’s true that California sometimes seems like loon central, and it’s also true that Sacramento is almost completely disfunctional. Still, there are times when it seems like it’s the only sane state in the union.” Professional Homosexual Douglasse, a Los Angeles resident, is happy but skeptical: “The majority’s discussion of heterosexual marriage versus gay domestic partnership worries me, as I fear that they might tell us in the Fall that we’re separate, but really-really-super-uber equal.”
Other bloggers think the state is overstepping its bounds. Fifteen-year-old Andy Nevis of California High School Conservative asks, “Who’s next? Will churches be forced to hold Gay marriage ceremonies? This is potentially very dangerous to the liberty that we enjoy to decide what behavior we morally accept.” Libertarian-leaning Scott Spicciati of Aggressive-Voice Daily worries, “I am cautious whenever a court strips power away from private companies to regulate their own businesses. It was good when country clubs/restaurants were desegregated, and required to comply with sensible safety laws, but now you can’t smoke in them, certain employees can only work certain hours, liquor can only be sold at certain times, it’s nearly impossible to discriminate against applicants (even where there’s good reason to), and customers can sue when the coffee is too hot.”
Read more about the ruling here.
Iran goes nuclear: In defiance of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran announced Tuesday that it would resume uranium enrichment activities.
Some bloggers think the United Nations needs to back down. Political Apathy’s Adrake, a systems engineer, writes, “I don’t think it’s right or fair for us to demand that other countries drop nuclear programs on account of the fact that they MIGHT try and pursue nuclear weapons. … Is it fair for us to present the message that it’s okay for us to have these toys but not anyone else?” EU opponent Ken Adams of Eurealist affirms, “During the two-year nuclear negotiations between Iran and the EU troika of Germany, Britain, and France, the Europeans proved that they are not honest negotiators and that their main objectives are to kill time and blackmail the Iranian nation.”
Others say Iran must be controlled. Advertising agent Wes of The Cabana sneers, “And here we thought that they wanted to cooperate. … Who actually believed that bullshit? Have they ever told the truth?” Retired stock broker Mover Mike thinks Iran’s announcement is the perfect opportunity for the United Nations to prove that it’s not “worthless for preventing war.” He entreats, “Stand up and deliver a resounding NO!”
Read more about Iran’s resumption of nuclear activity here.
