May 6, 2011 | 3:24 pm

Bin Laden’s hideout shaped a lot like map of Israel

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

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Now here’s a weird story about the Osama bin Laden hideout. The compound was shaped remarkably like the state of Israel.

Fittingly, the residence was situated where Jerusalem would be on a map overlay.

The French news site JSSNews first reported the resemblance. Via Ynet:

The website compared satellite footage and imagery of the area with Israel’s outline and concluded that the main house – where bin Laden was captured and killed – is located where Jerusalem can be found on a map of Israel.

The compound’s gate parallels the location of Tel Aviv, its dumping ground matches the location of Tiberias, and another building matched the location of Haifa.

Read more about the bin Laden conspiracy theories here, here and here.

May 6, 2011 | 11:51 am

Osama’s death gives new life to Birthers

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

The Daily Beast has a great story titled “The Birthers Become ‘Deathers.’” Here’s an excerpt focusing on the activities of quasi-founder Andy Martin:

Martin says he’s been convinced Obama’s birth certificate is “probably a valid document,” though he still has some questions. Now he’s turning his attention to bin Laden’s death. On May 3, after flying back from Iowa, where he was campaigning for president, he filed an FOIA request for the “Bin Laden capture/kill archive” in order to “immediately counteract any conspiracy theories.” In the request, he warns: “We have learned from the original and continuing firestorm over the missing Obama birth certificate that secrecy leads to public skepticism. Skepticism inevitably leads to corrosion of confidence in government. You ought not to let that same process replicate itself in the case of the termination of bin Laden.”

It’s that claim—to be out only for the truth—that Martin says makes the doubter movement more powerful than ones that paint fantastic alternative histories. “The reason the birther movement could never be stopped is because I launched it with truth and not lies—I knew there had to be a birth certificate, so why not show it?—it’s the same reason the doubter movement won’t be stopped.” Of course, Obama’s birth certificate was shown, though people can always doubt its authenticity. Highly classified documents pertaining to the killing of bin Laden never will be, meaning Martin can question forever. It remains to be seen whether the public will feel as entitled to see such documents as they did the birth certificate.

In keeping with his strategy, Martin declines to say what exactly he expects to find other than “the truth,” saying only that what evidence we have raises questions.

Definitely worth reading the rest here.

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May 5, 2011 | 3:05 pm

Boy, 10, accused of killing neo-Nazi father

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Here’s something you don’t read about everyday. Thankfully, I guess. It’s from the Riverside Press-Enterprise, which is in California’s Inland Empire, which is a popular locale for neo-Nazis.

The P-E reports:

A 10-year-old Riverside boy was charged Wednesday with murder in the slaying of his father, a neo-Nazi leader, and court documents reveal that the boy has a history of violent behavior.

The boy was charged with intentionally shooting his father, Jeff Hall, inside his Riverside home about 4 a.m. Sunday. He also was charged with using a gun in the commission of the killing.

(skip)

Hall was the leader of the Southwest chapter of the National Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi organization, which has held rallies in Riverside and on the U.S.-Mexico border. He ran unsuccessfully for the Western Municipal Water District last year. Authorities said his political beliefs were unrelated to the shooting.

The odd thing about this story, beyond what the boy is accused of doing, is how the P-E reporter framed it. The neo-Nazi reference is just treated as an odd detail but not actually explored.

Maybe the reporter isn’t familiar with neo-Nazi ideology, but violence is typically not something that is condemned. If this boy was surrounded by that, you have to wonder how that influenced his behavior.

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May 5, 2011 | 1:53 pm

Again constitutional, the National Day of Prayer returns

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Last month, a federal appellate court overturned a ruling that the National Day of Prayer was unconstitutional. The order was just in time. Today is the 2011 National Day of Prayer.

I’m not sure what makes this year different. CBS News seems to think it’s that the event “spotlights prayer’s healing power.” But it doesn’t sound that different from most years. USA Today reports:

Congress established the day in 1952, but the president by law must proclaim a day in May every year.

This year, President Obama called on Americans to “pray, or otherwise give thanks, in accordance with their own faiths and consciences, for our many freedoms and blessings.”

“In prayer, we have expressed gratitude and humility, sought guidance and forgiveness, and received inspiration and assistance, both in good times and in bad,” the proclamation said.

This is different than the National Prayer Breakfast, and observances manifest mainly in small gatherings around the country. In Washington, U.S. Rep. Pete Stark, Congress’ first “out atheist,” had his own response: declaring today a National Day of Reason.

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May 4, 2011 | 12:03 pm

Reporters: ‘Obama was killed ... whoops I mean OSAMA’

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Check out that laugh track.

I’ve already started to type “OBama” instead of “OSama” a few times since Sunday. Fortunately, I’ve caught it each time. Other reporters would do well to take Sarah Pulliam Bailey’s advice: stick with bin Laden or OBL.

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May 3, 2011 | 7:24 pm

ChristianMingle.com’s national TV spot

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Just caught this commercial during a timeout in the fourth quarter of the Heat-Celtics game. Pretty funny. Christian Mingle, aka a dating site for Christians that isn’t eHarmony. Click through to YouTube and look at all those dislikes.

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May 3, 2011 | 10:46 am

Steelers lost Super Bowl; now Mendenhall tweets on bin Laden

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Via Wikimedia Commons

Another from the Maybe Athletes Shouldn’t Use Twitter file.

Steelers’ running back Rashard Mendenhall has caused a stir over a series of tweets yesterday concerning the death of Osama bin Laden. First, I should point out that, I agree with Mendenhall on this:

“For those of you who said you want to see Bin Laden burn in hell and piss on his ashes, I ask how would God feel about your heart?”

And this:

“I believe in God. I believe we’re ALL his children. And I believe HE is the ONE and ONLY judge.”

Absolutely true, and, as I mentioned last night, a lot of religious folks have been disturbed by the sporting-even nature of some of the “U-S-A!” celebrations of bin Laden’s assassination.

Under international law and a nation’s ability to defend itself against its enemies, bin Laden definitely had it coming. But from a religious perspective, “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.” At the very least, bin Laden’s death should probably be greeted with a bit more measure.

Anyway, there is not the same able for debate over another Mendenhall tweet:

“What kind of person celebrates death? It’s amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We’ve only heard one side…”

After that, he mentioned how we don’t really know what happened on 9/11. I’m not going to touch that—“South Park” did it!—and there’s more at ESPN.com.

But I am going to take issue with the premises of the above statement.

Osama bin Laden’s bad public image was not the case of one-sided news reporting in which one man was bad-mouthed without a chance to respond. First, there was a time when bin Laden gave interviews. Second, and more important, bin Laden took credit for 9/11 and released numerous tapes and videos declaring war on the United States.

End of story.

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May 2, 2011 | 9:27 pm

Trump compares gay marriage to unorthodox new putters

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Speaking of Donald Trump, here’s how he explains his opposition to gay marriage. Via The New York Times:

“It’s like in golf,” he said. “A lot of people—I don’t want this to sound trivial—but a lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive,” said Mr. Trump, a Republican. “It’s weird. You see these great players with these really long putters, because they can’t sink three-footers anymore. And, I hate it. I am a traditionalist. I have so many fabulous friends who happen to be gay, but I am a traditionalist.”

If you read my coverage of Prop. 8, you know why I oppose denying same-sex couples the chance to marry.

Why yes, that is a photo of Trump and me, just before I got fired.

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May 2, 2011 | 8:33 pm

Should religious people rejoice bin Laden’s death?

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Going back-to-back-to-back-to-back like the Dodgers in the 2006 NL West race against the Padres, here comes the fourth straight Osama bin Laden-related post at this here blog. The reason, besides the fact that bin Laden’s death is big news, is that RNS has an interesting story about how religious people should respond.

Here’s an excerpt:

“A Christian never rejoices” in the death of any man, no matter how evil, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said, but instead “reflects on the serious responsibility of each and every one of us has before God and before man.”

For many Americans, bin Laden’s death was quite literally an answer to prayer. Muslims who saw bin Laden as an apostate breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Ethicists and pastors searched for the appropriate space between vindication and vengeance.

U.S. special forces did what they had to do. How everyone else is supposed to feel about it is a little less clear.

“As Christians, we believe that there can be no celebrating, no dancing in the streets, no joy, in relation to the death of Osama bin Laden,” Christian ethicist David Gushee said. “In obedience to Scripture, there can be no rejoicing when our enemies fall.”

Definitely an interesting story hook. My Facebook news feed has been a mixture of people celebrating Osama’s death, references to law school finals, bin Laden jokes (which I really don’t get), and people commenting on Osama’s death in light of God’s justice.

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May 2, 2011 | 4:17 pm

Hamas calls bin Laden ‘holy warrior’; condemns killing

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

Hamas does a lot of surprising things. But this one really shocked me when I heard it this morning. It particularly surprised because it was transitioned into by the radio reporter as, generally, “but not everyone was rejoicing bin Laden’s death.” The reporter didn’t, however, mention that Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States.

Anyway, here’s what Hamas said in regards to the U.S. taking out bin Laden, as reported by Haaretz:

“We regard this as a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood,” Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip, told reporters.

Though he noted doctrinal differences between bin Laden’s al-Qaida and Hamas, Haniyeh said: “We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs.”

Haniyeh’s reported comments came following an earlier remark by a Palestinian Authority spokesman who said Monday the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. forces was “good for the cause of peace”.

Really? I mean ... REALLY?! This is a battle Hamas wants to fight?

How is it they mixed ratings again?

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May 1, 2011 | 11:15 pm

A global holiday? World leaders rejoice Osama’s death

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

People are having all kinds of responses to Osama bin Laden’s long-awaited death—here’s some Christian folks riffing on it and here’s a Jewish take on Osama’s demise. Better, the BBC has a good roundup of what world leaders are saying.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

This is a resounding triumph for justice, freedom and the values shared by all democratic nations fighting shoulder to shoulder in determination against terrorism.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg

After September 11, 2001, we gave our word as Americans that we would stop at nothing to capture or kill Osama bin Laden. After the contribution of millions, including so many who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, we have kept that word.

The killing of Osama Bin Laden does not lessen the suffering that New Yorkers and Americans experienced at his hands, but it is a critically important victory for our nation - and a tribute to the millions of men and women in our armed forces and elsewhere who have fought so hard for our nation.

New Yorkers have waited nearly 10 years for this news. It is my hope that it will bring some closure and comfort to all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001.

Check out the rest of the quotes here.

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May 1, 2011 | 9:09 pm

Osama bin Laden reportedly killed *

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

This was a long time coming:

Osama bin Laden, hunted as the mastermind behind the worst-ever terrorist attack on U.S. soil, has been killed, sources told ABC News.

That’s from ABC News, but the story is all over the place right now.

The crazy thing is that it took so long. It’s been almost a decade since the 9/11 attacks. And bin Laden’s relevance seemed to have faded as other terror leaders rose up and more al Qaeda cells grew up around the world.

I have to wonder what sort of response there will be from bin Laden’s fellow travelers. Here’s hoping the violent brand of Islamism has died with bin Laden. But only naivete would allow such a belief. The real question is who is going to step up to take bin Laden’s place.

*Updated with that video of the president’s press conference.

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