Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Twilight Zone: At the Threshold of the Fifth Dimension

Click Here to Read the Commentary






John—Wonderful commentary on The Twilight Zone… I was 11 years old when it premiered, and I, too, was utterly captivated and fascinated from the beginning.



Regarding your favorite twelve episodes--- my personal favorite, (not on your list,) was “The Lonely”. Now there was an episode that really spoke to alienation and the need to reach out for human companionship…



Cheers~ Patrick





Mr. Whitehead:

Very well said, sir. My only complaint – and it isn’t really a complaint because favorite episodes are subjective – is that you did not mention “Deaths-Head Revisited,” which was a truly chilling episode, not only because of what happened to Oscar Beregi’s “Captain Lutze” at the end, but because there actually was a Dachau concentration camp.

After the inhabitants, the ghosts, of Dachau, led by Becker (Joseph Schildkraut), stage the trial of Lutze, sentencing him to become insane, which we see happening, Becker tells Lutze, writhing in pain on the ground, that his final judgment will come from God.

As the doctor who later arrived on the scene looks around and asks, “Dachau ... Why do we keep it standing,” we hear one of Serling’s most impassioned closing narrations of the entire series.

"There is, of course, an answer to the doctor’s question. All the Dachaus must remain standing. The Dachaus, the Belsens, the Buchenwalds, the Auschwitzes—all of them. They must remain standing because they are a monument to a moment in time when some men decided to turn the Earth into a graveyard. Into it they shoveled all of their reason, their logic, their knowledge, but worst of all, their conscience. And the moment we forget this, the moment we cease to be haunted by its remembrance, then we become the gravediggers. Something to dwell on and to remember, not only in the Twilight Zone, but wherever men walk ... God's Earth."

I’d say it’s undoubtedly one of the finest half-hours of television ever produced. Those you cited definitely have merit (I’m quite partial to “The Obsolete Man” and “The Howling Man” myself), but, in my opinion, “Deaths-Head Revisited” is certainly among the best that the series had to offer. Rod Serling’s brother Robert later opined that the beautiful “Walking Distance,” with Gig Young as a harried ad exec who suddenly finds himself back near Homewood, the town he lived in as a child, as among his best work, wonderfully displaying his nostalgia for his hometown of Binghamton.

But, I won’t try to debate any further – in part because there’s still another 142 episodes left! Ha.


Best regards,
Tom




Mr. Whitehead,

WOW! Really enjoyed your Twilight Zone article "Are we at the threshold of the Fifth Dimension?"

For me...the best show growing up, the show was right up there with Warner Brother's cartoons and Alfred Hitchcock when I was a kid; I'm still a kid at heart. Today's generation is missing so much not watching those episodes every week. As a youngster, not knowing what a genius meant, I knew he was one!

I remember some of my friends talking about Rod Serling when he taught at Ithica, brilliant man!

The episode that really hits home for me was "The Bewitchin Pool." When I was in 1st through 5th grade my parents fought all the time; I would be up stairs in my bed trying to sleep with a wicked knot in my stomach praying that they would stop fighting. Boy-O-Boy do I wish I had a swimming pool where I could go and be with Aunt T!

Wonderful article and thank you for the memories...

Best regards,

Jeff




Can John suggest or offer a place to get and relive these episodes. Does John recall the episode of the man that was horribly deformed and hideously ugly, but was offered the chance to go to another planet to escape Earth. He accepts and travels to the new place. As he disembarks a very beautiful, young lithe woman meets him and is about to board his craft to go back to Earth, obviously an exchange. She looks at him and says "You are so beautiful and I am so ugly. Will they accept me on Earth?" He is speechless.

Yep, 45 years ago and I remember that one like yesterday.

Bob

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Citing Free Speech, Rutherford Institute Appeals Case of State Worker Found Guilty Under NJ Hate Crime Law for Joking with Black Co-Worker

Click Here to Read the Press Release





I am SO grateful you are taking on precisely a case like this. Being charged for a crime based on anything other than objective criteria is wrong. I loathe pranks (because it is very disrespectful and selfish) but I also think that you aren't a criminal based on subjective feelings. Thank you. I really look forward to hearing how this case results. Your the first person I've heard about that is taking on a case like this. I don't hear about much but still, this is welcome, welcome news.

Bill

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Identity Ecosystem: Big Brother Logs On

Click Here to Read the Commentary





Guys:

This is one of these days I like the Rutherford Institute. As you might
guess, I happen to agree with this position. Virtually all administrations
are guilty of trying to invade personal liberties. It just so happens that
this particular one wants to add to the "Nanny State" adding "Big Brother's"
influence whilst the last one justified invasion on "national defense"
grounds. Yet, where the ACLU was vociferous during the Bush years, they are
tepid lap dogs to this Administration. They are a left leaning politically
driven entity without real regard for the Constitutional rights "they
trumpet" they seek to protect.

Regardless of parties, Presidents and movements, once we give an "inch" of
our personal liberties they will be forever gone in the precedents and
ratio decidendi of civil rights decisions. The Rutherford Institute
consistently seeks to vindicate rights without regard to proponents of encroachment.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Rutherford Institute Challenges Biometric Photo Requirement for Oklahoma Drivers’ Licenses, Demands Religious Accommodation

Click Here to Read the Press Release





The United Nation's International Civil Aviation Organization, that handles driver's licences, may be the Last and 8th head of the beast. Beginning with the fist world ruler to the last: Babylon, Egypt, Assyria, Medo Persia, Greece, Rome, Britain (the sun never set on the British empire), The League of Nations [that was wounded in it's authority or head], has come back after the head wound as the U.N. and the whole world wonders after it. You have a case for the Beast as well as the mark of the Beast. I hope this helps you.


Thursday, September 22, 2011

Zero Tolerance: Appeal Filed Over Suspension of High School Lacrosse Players Charged with Possession of Deadly Weapons (Penknife, Lighter)

Click Here to Read the Press Release






All the members of the Talbot County School Board deserve an award plaque. LACK OF CONSCIENCE. --- LACK OF CHRISTIAN BELIEF IN LOVE AND CHARITY
LACK OF COMMON SENSE --- IMPLEMENTING AN ABUSE OF POWER


Monday, September 19, 2011

E-Verify: De Facto National ID and the End of Privacy

Click Here to Read the Commentary





Mr. Whitehead,
I read the editorials of many authors in my search for information and understanding in my effort to be prepared and to encourage those around me to also prepare. I would like to tell you that your work is some of the best I have found. You are clear, eloquent and always illuminate the lay of the land to your readers great benefit. Thank you sir, for all you do. It is greatly appreciated.
~Kaye





E-Verify is necessary. We must stop illegal aliens from coming here and working. The status quo is unacceptable. We have legal quotas that numbers almost a million people a year for people to come here legally. Surely you don’t suggest we do nothing to stop people from coming here and working illegally. This is insanity.



Ralph


Monday, September 12, 2011

Constitution Day: Is the Constitution on Life Support?

Click Here to Read the Commentary





Per the Sixth Amendment, don't forget that the jury has the right to judge *the law itself* in addition to the facts of the case.


And you are right about education. People are taught *what* to think rather than *how* to think. Please see my essay on education at http://www.alicelillieandher.blogspot.com.


Thank you.


Alice




John

I am a constitutional law researcher based in Minnesota. I was taught how to study and interpret the constitution by an individual that spent 30 years of his life and probably over 50 thousand hours studying and compiling research in this area. He died in 2008 without once ever petitioning the courts.

The State and federal taxing powers. Licensing and administration. Police powers. Contract and property rights. Gun control.

As for the constitution. Its still there. Under most circumstances, it simply cannot be reached because of complicated relationships created through unknown waivers.

An example:

Property law and building codes.

The State, under its police powers has the power to regulate building construction, alteration, or repair. It creates administrative agencies to oversee those activities. Here in Minnesota, as determined by the MN Court of Appeals, the Code regulates the “ACT” of building.

Most engaged in the activity are contractors and engaged in an activity subject to regulation under a license. The Code is written by the same agency that licenses.

The power to license includes the power to regulate under the license.

That would mean that the Code would fall within the context of business regulations. Hence in MN, the Codes controlling statutes fall under Chapter Title “Trade Regulation/Consumer protection Laws”

The Code must be enforced equally upon all whom would fall within its scope.

The law must be enforced within the purpose and context of the political/economic aspects of this States police powers it was created under at its inception.

THE RUB:

Substance over form. What is the State really doing?

Its placing restrictions on one mans right of property through a third party regulatory scheme (licensed activity) by a licensee who lacks property and therefore standing to argue injuries or wrongs or that those restrictions are unreasonable or arbitrary.

It is beyond the competency of the courts to engage in any such collateral inquiry.

In other words, the licensee cannot reach into the right of the property owners as a means to limit the powers of the State to regulate what amount to be a business/occupations privilege. The very powers upon which the Code is created. Judicially untouchable

Moreover, regulation of the privilege under the license poses a political question upon the courts.

The same laws created under the same political economic aspects of this States police powers are being lifted up and out of context and are applied upon the property owners themselves via integration with zoning permits.



Like and similar circumstances? Constitutional/judicial Due Process for challenge of a code violation? Hardley. The law must be enforced equally upon all.


Where then does this leave property and its constitutional/judicial protection?

Unreachable. The power to regulate INCLUDES the power to PROHIBIT under the license. Application to the privilege includes the acceptance of the conditions under the license.

The CONSTITUTION and it protections are irrelevant.

It get better.

The State also has the power to impose an occupation tax upon its licensees. This would fall within the context of an excise or privilege tax. Based on the value of the materials, labor, overhead and profit of the work done.

Instead they call it a permit fee and allow municipalities to contract Code enforcement to LLC’s to save money.

Revenue derived from a fee is a TAX. If the State is prohibited from imposing an EXCISE TAX upon civil liberties (property) (power to tax is power to destroy) how can the municipality hand an LLC the power to derive revenue from a so called fee if they themselves are prohibited from doing so?


Where the power to tax exist in this State, it cannot be suspended or contracted away. It must be collected for public purposes.

AND, if the State has the power to tax the occupation based on valuation of the work done, how can a private for profit LLC move into the constitutionally exclusive sphere of an occupation tax whereby deriving revenue from a fee for private purposes?

Where the power to tax exist the privilege of corporate profit and gain cannot displace it.

HMMM

And what of the constitution?

Again. Irrelevant.

We are all being taxed and regulated as if we are mere trespassers on our own property. And the courts sit by idle doing exactly as they are suppose to....as what is left of this once great republic burns. Think mere procedural due process under a licensed and taxable privilege as distinguished from constitutional/judicial due process involving an activity that is a bona fide civil liberty.

If the law is to be enforced equally upon all, which form of due process trumps? How does the court sit in relation to the “RIGHT” as that right is affected by the enforcement of the law?

Are we to believe that the courts would apply an entirely separate standard of scrutiny upon the codes provisions depending on whether or not an actual right was exercised and possessed?



Sincerely


Mark




Dear John W. Whitehead,

As a Yellow Dog Democrat it was an easy and delightful read of your opinions in your current article. I am a freelance stage director and spend time in lots of different venues. At the moment I am in the small, highly Republican town of Mt. Carmel, Illinois. It is so politically partisan that the local paper is called THE DAILY REPUBLICAN. Seeing your column in this "rag" I almost skipped it, being pretty certain that it probably would be more "Fox News" cant. Happily, I did not skip it.

Thanks for so cogent and well reasoned a summary of what has gone wrong with our country. The only thing you omitted that I would love to see in print is a repudiation of the Supreme Court's right wing majority for ignoring their own bias toward "states rights" and then blatantly intruding into the Florida recount process and thus stealing for Bush an election that most voters thought ought to have gone to Gore.

Keep up the good work.

Tom

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Ten Years After 9/11: Have We Become the Enemy of Freedom?

Click Here to Read the Commentary






Mr. Whitehead,

Whatever the actual cause of the collapse of World Trade Center (WTC) buildings 1, 2 and 7, plane crashes and/or fire were not the cause. Architects, engineers, physicists too numerous to ignore - even people with a good knowledge of high school physics - have proved that the collapses happened at near free-fall acceleration (of gravity: 9.8 m/sec/sec). The flaw in the NIST reports is that they computed an average acceleration of the collapses, instead of the dynamic (instant-by-instant) acceleration of the collapses. Any high school physics teacher, with software available free on the Internet, could compute and graph the data points obtainable from on-line videos of the collapsing buildings. I have personally done such computations and graphed the data: points of fixed points on the three buildings after the actual collapses began, rather than at the first buckling and shuddering, with no actual downward movement. The results are inescapable: the buildings met NO significant physical resistance by the underlying floors - impossible unless those floors had had their structures destroyed before being reached by the collapsing floors above. Only an event comparable to a so-called "controlled demolition"could have achieved this result.

Therefore, the questions that remain are: Who? and Why? Your commentary, while accurate, is too timid - and far too late. The fascist state has arrived in the U.S., as it did in 1930's Germany, in the guise of "security". As the German people (out of the belief that "it can never happen here"), failed to recognize early enough the destruction of the Republic, so have the American people. NOT a "democracy", but a Republic called the United STATES of America, as the Founders intended.

Now it is too late! The situation is beyond repair or restoration by political means. Only methods that would result in the deaths of millions of our own citizens by a government determined to retain power. And, just as people like yourself failed to challenge those seizing power while they were seizing it, you will also be late in calling for the overthrow of the usurpers who have seized our nation's government. Your commentaries, therefore, are as smoke in a wind storm - they will achieve nothing of consequence. Those now in power will never yield that power back to the citizenry; only force will attain that goal. And men such as yourself, too weak and too late in their critiques when power was first being seized, will likewise delay the call for decisive action by the citizenry.

Brave words by timid men: Were you "part of the problem", as the Vietnam War-era protesters used to chant? My personal opinion is "Yes", as were most Americans. "When good men do nothing..." You certainly must know the rest of that quote.




Dear Sir,

Very well done! Great writing and the truth too!

It is time for all of America to confront the path that America has been
taken and route out those that are doing it and to take it back to its roots
of respect and freedom. Enough is enough.

Thank you very much for all of your work for us!

Sincerely,
Larry




Mr. Whitehead, you shock me!! While there are arguable reasons why we should not have gone into Iraq the supposed lack of weapons of mass destruction was NOT one of them! Surely you haven't bought into the leftist lie that Iraq didn't have any, you are certainly better than that!! Hussein had and USED his weapons on his own people many times throughout the Iran Iraq war and after and had threatened to turn those onto neighbors. You have much of the Liberal theology in your articles that has brought Christianity down to the level of "just another religion" but you have always had many thought provoking ideas in them. Please don't destroy your credibility by spreading hogwash.




We, meaning in this case John, has done an excellent job of refusing to acknowledge that today's US population is a bunch of profligates unworthy of the nation they inherited. And until we can unbreak an egg, or make butterflies strong, or a charismatic leader emerges, there's nothing anyone can do to change that.

Alas,
Rey





Follow the money. There is a war in this country, but its against the White Christians. There being pushed out of all the sports, tv, movies, name it and you'll see. a negro can committe a crime and not concidered racism. But, if a white man even speaks out against the racist in this country, its turned around. What a bunch of hyprocrites.
On April 23rd, during a debate on immigration law, Congressman John Rankin makes the following statement to the House on the subject of the Jews, which is recorded in the Congressional Record, "They whine about about discrimination. Do you know who is being discriminated against? The white Christian people of America, the ones who created this nation...Communism is racial. A racial minority seized control in Russia and in all her satellite countries, such as Poland, Czechoslvakia, and many other countries I could name. They have been run out practically every country in Europe in the years gone by, and if they keep stirring race trouble in this country and trying to force their Communistic program on the Chrisitan people of America, there is no telling what will happen to them here."
Don't forget GOD took away the Kingdom from the Jews and made their house desolate (Matt.21:43;23:38). They are still enemies of Jesus Christ, this country and its Christians. The white are systematically pushed out of everything great they have done in this country.


Thursday, September 1, 2011

When Martin Luther King Reached the Point of No Return

Click Here to Read the Commentary





Hi John..one of your alltime best. Gives me chills.

Brew

Rutherford Institute Appeals to Virginia Supreme Court on Behalf of 14-Year-Old Honor Student Expelled for Shooting Plastic ‘Spitwads’

Click Here to Read the Press Release





We have these programs because the ACLU and its buddies on the bench have restricted the teacher's ability to use their discretion to deal with kids.

Get the lawyers our of the schools and let the principals do their jobs.

We don't have to get the lawyer's kids out of the public schools because they don't go there.

Give the public school principal the same freedom given to the private school and the problem will disappear.

Alan