Ernest Willis was convicted of three counts of forcible rape and one count of felonious sexual assault in late May – fourteen years later.

Yesterday, he was sentenced to 15-30 years for his crime. Before the sentence was read, Willis read an apology. While he never admitted to rape, he apologized for “sexual misconduct”.

I am thrilled that this man is finally paying for his crime against Tina. But what about the rest of the church leadership who helped cover up the rape? When will those folks be held accountable for their actions?

If this is something that alarms you, I encourage you to read this.

Taser this…F*ck Bush

The profanity was, of course, spelled out.

From the Rocky Mountain News:

J. David McSwane, editor-in- chief of the Rocky Mountain Collegian at Colorado State University, could be suspended or fired if CSU’s Board of Student Communications determines the editorial violated student media policies.

[...]

The editorial sparked almost immediate controversy. Complaints rolled in, local businesses pulled ads, and CSU President Larry Penley issued a statement saying he was disappointed with the decision to run it.

McSwane said most of the criticism had come from nonstudents and called critics a “vocal minority.”

McSwane said he also has heard from students and alumni who support the editorial.

The Collegian, which is published Monday through Friday while classes are in session, is a self-funded, student-run publication. It does not receive money from student fees, and under state law, university officials are prohibited from censoring or regulating its content.

It has an adviser, but student media policies say advisers do not review or approve content before it is published.

The publisher of the Collegianand other student-run media, and the entity responsible for overseeing them, is the Board of Student Communications, made up of three faculty members and six students. It also includes the leaders of each student media publication, including McSwane, as nonvoting members.

Among the board’s policies is a specific reference to profane and vulgar words. It states that such words should “not be used in news accounts or letters to the editor unless they are considered by the editor-in-chief to be essential to readers’ understanding of the situation.”

“Profane and vulgar words are not acceptable for opinion writing,” the policy also states.

McSwane said he has no plans to resign.

“That would be an insult to my staff, who have supported me,” he said.

The newspaper’s seven-member editorial board agreed on the editorial before it was published. Though it wasn’t a unanimous vote in favor, it “wasn’t close,” McSwane said.

Last night on the news I saw snippets of the “hearing” and there were some good points made, and some really stupid points made. The majority of those against the editorial – and those who think McSwane should step down as editor – claimed the content was “inappropriate” and cost the paper valuable advertising revenue. One student backed up the freedom of speech angle but proclaimed, “Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.” A valid point, certainly.

My favorite argument in favor of McSwane was the student who said, “This lesson is teaching us that if we speak our mind we will be punished.”

And it is for that reason that I support McSwane and do not think he should be punished for expressing his views.

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Charlene Corley could face up to 40 years in prison and was fined $750,000.

My question is why isn’t anyone at the Pentagon getting in trouble? Obviously they weren’t paying attention to the invoices they were receiving. I’m  pretty sure I would have noticed paying nearly $1 million for a washer if I was in their accounts receivable department. Wouldn’t you?

Respiratory therapist Wayne Albert Bleyle was in New York state on a wintry day when investigators called him about allegations he had molested patients too sick to defend themselves.

When they asked how many children he molested, investigators said, he looked out his window and asked, “How many snowflakes are there out there?”

On Wednesday, Bleyle didn’t turn to look as a succession of parents and family members of victims spoke at his sentencing hearing. Some wept; others shook with anger.

As part of a plea deal, Bleyle, 56, was sentenced to 45 years and eight months in prison for molesting five of his young, disabled patients and for taking pornographic photographs of others. Prosecutors said he targeted those who were comatose, brain-damaged or too disabled to talk.

Child molestors are evil. No one could do that to a child and have an intact soul. But this guy took it to a different level because he targeted utterly disabled children who were completely helpless. Ordinarily, I’d be all about the possibility of reform, but this guy just makes me sick.

I hope he dies in prison.

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The Pentagon confirmed to CBS affiliate KPIX-TV it considered a chemical weapon that would turn enemy troops gay.

A watchdog organization that tracks military spending first uncovered the strange military proposal to create a hormone bomb that could purportedly turn enemy soldiers into homosexuals and make them more interested in sex than fighting.

It was part of a military effort to develop non-lethal weapons.

I really have no further comment, except to hope that this is a joke.

…the park would feature Bible stories as part of a cultural history, “with the quality of Disney World and the size of Dollywood.” Entrance will be through the “Gates of Jericho” (presumably depicted prior to Joshua’s fanfare). There will be a pastoral “Garden of Eden” with a Tree of Life and a Tree of Knowledge (no word on Adam and Eve’s wardrobe). Populated with actors dressed as animals, there will be a play area with Noah’s ark for children. A movie about the Exodus will be shown on a “water screen” where Moses will stand before the flames of the burning bush.

I do understand the logic behind the decision. I disagree, but I understand. My concern is one that was voiced in the article:

In response to a question of whether school staff would take Good Friday as a religious holiday in the event that it was changed to an early release day, 41 percent said yes (81 people out of 201 respondents).

Legally, they can’t stop you from taking a religious holiday. It just seems so much easier to make it an actual vacation day than to cross your fingers and hope everyone shows up that day. If I were still in school, <i>I’d</i> take it as a religious holiday. And though it pains me to admit this, it wouldn’t be because I observe Good Friday. It would be because as a Christian I could get a day off school/work. And most people would think the same way.