Supreme Court: School violated rights

By William R. Toler

In an assertion of the Fourth Amendment, the high court ruled 8-1 Thursday that school officials violated the privacy rights of Savana Redding when she was strip searched for ibuprofen.

The search took place in 2003 after a fellow student caught with ibuprofen claimed she got the pills from Redding. The assistant princpal had Redding’s bag searched before ordering a school nurse to conduct the strip search, which included Redding shaking out her bra and pulling her underwear out.

Redding was represented in this case by the American Civil Liberties Union. ACLU lawyer Adam Wolf said students can now breathe a sigh of relief. “Today’s ruling affirms that schools are not constitutional dead zones,” he said. “While we are disappointed with the Court’s conclusion that the law was not clear before today and therefore school officials were not found liable, at least other students will not have to go through what Savana experienced.”

Hanging from the gallows

By William R. Toler

A Duplin County man is being investigated for a creative political statement.

Lacy Phipps, an elderly Faison man, has local, state and federal authorities up in arms for building a gallows setup featuring officials associated with the justice department.

Hanging from the gallows are life-sized mannequins representing District Attorney Dewey Hudson, Sheriff Blake Wallace and former Attorney General (and governor) Mike Easley along with judges, according to the Sampson Independent.

Phipps created the display because he recieved no justice for the death of his son in 1995.

Un-American City?

By William R. Toler

The city of Kinston was named as one of the top-ten All American cities last week along with Statesville.

But some citizens in Lenoir County would beg to differ with that decision.

Earlier this month, city leaders voted 3-2 to annex the neighborhood of Crestview and other communites along Hwy 258, although there had been protests and threats of law suits, according the Kinston Free Press.

North Carolina is one of two states in which involuntary annexation is legal. Nebraska is the other.

Mayor “Buddy Rich” made a statment during one interview saying that if people didn’t want to live in the city, then they shouldn’t have moved to an area that would be annexed. What a pompus thing to say.

UPDATE: Bell visa granted

By William R. Toler

Last week on Coast to Coast A.M., host George Noory informed the audience that Art Bell’s wife Airyn was granted her permanent visa.

While broadcasting from Manila, Bell, creator of the overnight radio show, had told listeners of his plight and encouraged them to flood President Barack Obama with emails to try and fix the debacle. He had also written a letter to Sen. Harry Reid for assistance, before being informed that his bride’s visa application had been terminated.

Bell’s problem caught the attention of millions of listeners and the alternative press, including the Independent Register.

Congratulations Art and Airyn. I hope to hear your broadcast again from the high desert.

Another Waco?

By Richard C. Evey
Libertarian/Patriot

I have often wondered and people have asked me: When will the government stop the over taxation, over spending, abuse of our freedom, the unconstitutional laws, endless wars, abuse of power and when will the American people say ENOUGH??

When will the American people take a stand and tell the government to return government back to government by and for the people and not by and for the elected officials and the wealthy?

What will it take: another WACO, RUBY RIDGE?

IF it happened, would the American people see and listen to the real truth or to what main stream media and the government tells them and would the American people step up to the plate and defend the people being abused. Would the American people take that stand and fight the government, not just with words but meeting force with force?

Coast host fights immigration

By William R. Toler

Radio host Art Bell may never return to the high desert.

The legendary host of  Coast to Coast A.M. told listeners of an ongoing battle with immigration officials while filling in for weekend host Ian Punnett June 6.

Outraged by a lack of cooperation or communication by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Bell sent a letter to Sen. Harry Reid asking him to look into the matter.

In the letter, and on the air, Bell explained how he and his Phillipino wife Airyn had been following all of the rules and regulations regarding her Visa.  In October of 2008,the Bells sent in the required form, evidence of marriage and a fee of $545, the final step of a two-year process.

They sank boat, we drowned truth

By Richard C. Evey
Libertarian/Patriot

In May 1915, the S.S. Lusitania left New York headed for London with 2,000 passengers. A German U boat – that’s undersea boat – put one torpedo into the side of the fastest ship in the North Atlantic.

The Lusitania sank in 18 minutes, with a loss of 1,200 people. One hundred twenty-eight were American citizens. The ship sank between England and Ireland near County Cork, Ireland.

The British quickly accused the “Pirate Hun“ (Kaiser Wilhelm II) of the slaughter of innocent civilians, claiming that the Lusitania was solely a passenger vessel.