Minnesota

(Crossposted at Cocking a Snook!)

Pick a frame, any frame. What is a public university all about, really? Higher Education? Bwahahahahah.
And which is really the right frame for news like this to be understood and perhaps acted upon?

Status of the case

UCF announced Wednesday that it had dismissed the complaint Cook filed against the Catholic Campus Ministry, which sponsors a weekly service in the Student Union. Cook had alleged personal abuse, hazing and alcohol-policy violations, claiming he was grabbed and that the sacramental wine offered during the service should not have been allowed. School officials didn't find enough evidence to pursue his complaint.

Furbush said the Senate will have a special hearing to consider Cook's impeachment.

Apparently this story is now so major that Tom Foley wants the Republican National Convention all the way up in Minnesota to pay for extra security muscle to protect any Catholic delegates from -- um, not sure what -- but if you're not a public university or cable news watcher and you don't read the PZ Myers' science blog Pharyngula, maybe you haven't been following this news?

Haven't heard the battle cry, "It's a Frackin' Cracker!" yet?

Okay then, here's the basic plot so far, but check out some links too; this story's got literally onion-like layers, and you may find most of them test your powers of belief:

I have already discussed at some length the dismal and DELIBERATE Republican failures to maintain America's infrastructure. The Republican Party has a stated policy of "Drowning American in a Bathtub," essentially reducing government to nothing. This is how Republican guru Grover Norquist put it:

"Cutting the government in half in one generation is both an ambitious and reasonable goal," Norquist stated in May 2000. "If we work hard we will accomplish this and more by 2025. Then the conservative movement can set a new goal. I have a recommendation: To cut government in half again by 2050"

We saw the direct and tragic result of that Republican "Drown America" policy in Louisiana and Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, in closed and collapsed bridges in Minnesota, and now...floods in Iowa this month (June 7th).

DFL Women's Hall of Fame Luncheon
May 31, 2008
11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m
St Paul Hotel
St Paul

Event info: Al Franken will be attending this event celebrating this year's honorees into the DFL Women's Hall of Fame. For more information, email womenshalloffame_at_yahoo.com

Dan & Ronnie Burton Dinner
May 16, 2008
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Mankato Alltel Civic Center
Mankato

Event info: Al and Franni Franken will be attending this fundraiser supporting the SD 23 DFL. For more information, contact Judi Gauch at 507-625-3395 or jgauch_at_charter.net.

Women Winning Annual Luncheon
May 14, 2008
11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Depot
Minneapolis

Event info: Franni and Thomasin Franken will be attending this event supporting Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund. Keynote Speaker: Katty Kay. For more information, email info_at_mnwcf.org.

(cross-posted at Liza's suggestion, from Cocking a Snook!)

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.

—Voltaire

Whether or not you ever watched his game show, if you're a Thinking Parent you probably know that the anti-science, anti-human sophistry of Ben Stein is now a movie called "Expelled", on its tightly controlled private propaganda tour prior to its actual "public" opening in the US April 18. [THAT'S DAY AFTER TOMORROW, folks!] My Sunshine State's whole [bible-thumpin'] legislature was invited [to the sneaky preview] but not reporters.

Protecting Our Children" NICWA Conference

Event: Protecting Our Children - NICWA Conference
Date: April 20-23, 2008
Time: See the event brochure below for conference schedule.
Location: Sheraton Bloomington Hotel
7800 Normandale Blvd.
Bloomington, MN 55439

Details: Celebrating 30 Years of the Indian Child Welfare Act: Keeping the Promise

Contact Info: For more information contact (503) 222-4044 or visit www.nicwa.org/conference/

Details: Event Brochure (PDF Document)

Protecting Our Children National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse Neglect

Type of Event: Conference
Hosted By: NICWA
Event Dates: 4/20/2008 - 4/23/2008
Event Location: Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Isla Dane
Contact Phone:503-222-4044
Website: http://www.nicwa.org/conference/

Course Description:This year’s conference will focus on the future of Indian child welfare and how each of us—tribal leaders, ICW workers, and other stakeholders—share the important responsibility in continuing this work. Workshops and presentations will feature innovative strategies to effectively meet the needs of our children and families through strong, collaborative partnerships.

How to Register: http://www.nicwa.org/conference/

Tribal-State Comparative Law

Type of Event: Training
Hosted By: Tribal Judicial Institute
Event Dates: 5/1/2008 - 5/1/2008
Event Location: Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Melissa Johnson
Email: mjohnson@law.und.edu
Contact Phone:701-777-6306
Contact Fax:701-777-0178
Website: http://www.law.und.edu/npilc/judicial

Course Description:Many Tribal Justice Systems can benefit from the examination of how States resolve disputes. Tribal-State forums are important tools to achieve this result. The partners are actively involved in such forums in the Dakotas, Minnesota and New York and will bring these experiences to bear in this one session.

How to Register: Visit the Tribal Judicial Institute website to download a registration form at: http://www.law.und.edu/npilc/judicial/downloads.php

Howard Dean put it this way: "You have the power!"

His brother, Jim Dean, now head of Democracy for America, put it this way: "We have to take ownership of the process."

Since the highly flawed 2000 election, progressives have slowly, ever so slowly been waking up to the need for taking ownership of the political process. At first, in all honesty, we were pretty lame at it at first. As recently as 2005 I saw the progressive grassroots, at least in NYC, largely unable to get its act together in any effective way. But by 2006 we started to see real results from what began in 2000.

The extreme right wing of the Republican Party took some 30 years to take nearly complete control of our political system. They did it by patiently and doggedly focusing on every elected position, no matter how low, in every state. They did it by repeating their agenda, their talking points over and over until people started absorbing it without even realizing it. They did it by taking over the media, station by station, newspaper by newspaper. They did it by focusing on LOCAL politics.

Progressives had lost that connection with local politics. But they have been rediscovering it. And that has led to a wave of new organizations that are revitalizing grassroots politics and reconnecting Democrats with their local community, a connection that should never have been lost.

Democracy for America, Wellstone Action, Blue Tiger Democrats, and Progressive Majority are, each in their own way, probably the most effective of these new organizations. Each has its own focus, its own strategy, and collectively they are making a real impact.