BMBS

Omaha police shoot man dressed as a pirate who threatened them with his sword

By Associated Press, Published: May 6

OMAHA, Neb. — Omaha police say they shot a man dressed as a pirate who menaced them with a sword.

A police news release says officers encountered 38-year-old Jonathan Martis at a home in southeast Omaha where they had been dispatched to investigate a disturbance Thursday evening.

The officers told Martis to drop the sword but he refused.

Police say an officer fired at Martis with a stun gun but it appeared to have no effect. Martis approached the officers, still holding the sword, so an officer opened fire and shot him.

Omaha television station KETV says Martis is in stable condition at Creighton University Medical Center.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.

Luke Broadwater in the Baltimore Sun:

At the first GOP debate tonight in Greenville, S.C., Republican presidential candidate and U.S. Congressman Ron Paul made the case for legalizing drugs, even heroin.

In an exchange with Fox News’ Chris Wallace, Paul made the point that people should have the freedom to do things to themselves that might seem crazy to others.

“You have a right to do things that are very controversial,” Paul said.

“Are you suggesting that heroin and prostitution are an exercise of liberty?” Wallace countered.

At this, Paul turned his attention to the audience, which loudly cheered most comments he made, despite orders from the moderators not to do so.

“How many people here would use heroin if it were legal?” Paul asked. “I bet nobody would.”

Then Paul invoked a voice of sarcasm.

“Oh yeah, I need the government to take care of me,” he said. “I don’t want to use heroin, so I need these laws.”

At that, the crowd burst into applause.

Even Wallace had to laugh.

“Who thought heroin would get applause here in South Carolina?” he said.

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Authorities say a man who was injured after plunging nearly 200 feet into a rural Nevada mine shaft has died.

You have to look at this whole thug politic tactic for what it is. …  Given that the king of the Delaware political establishment just so happens to be the vice president of the most liberal presidential administration in U.S. history, it is no surprise that misuse and abuse of the FBI would not be off the table.

Some politician or politician’s wife’s priorities. …  Nanny state run amok. …  She is on this kick, right. What she is telling us is she cannot trust parents to make decisions for their own children, for their own families in what we should eat.  She should get off our back and allow us as individuals to exercise our own God-given rights to make our own decisions.

Because the business community wouldn’t stand for [racial violence]. … You heard of the Citizens Councils? Up north they think it was like the KKK. Where I come from it was an organization of town leaders. In Yazoo City they passed a resolution that said anybody who started a chapter of the Klan would get their ass run out of town. If you had a job, you’d lose it. If you had a store, they’d see nobody shopped there. We didn’t have a problem with the Klan in Yazoo City. … I just don’t remember it as being that bad.

“… if ever there was an American Dream story, up from nothing, it’s Boehner’s.”

Now, if that [standing up to GOP demands for massive tax cuts for the super-wealthy] is the standard by which we are measuring success or core principles, then let’s face it, we will never get anything done.  People will have the satisfaction of having a purist position and no victories for the American people.  And we will be able to feel good about ourselves and sanctimonious about how pure our intentions are and how tough we are, and in the meantime, the American people are still seeing themselves not able to get health insurance because of preexisting conditions or not being able to pay their bills because their unemployment insurance ran out.

U.S. corporations just logged their most profitable quarter ever in history — $1.659 trillion (with a T) in profits.  That included a $44 billion (with a B) increase in profits — three quarters of which went to the Wall Street banks and investment houses that taxpayers bailed out two years ago.  Meanwhile, of course, unemployment continued to rise, and workers’ wages continued to decline.

This is an abuse of power.  It’s a miscarriage of justice, and I still maintain that I am innocent. The criminalization of politics undermines our very system, and I am very disappointed in the outcome.