Day: August 30, 2011

Reading Between the Lines: Cowardly Muslims Find 9/11 Coloring Book Offensive

Muslim-American groups are red with frustration over a 36-page “graphic novel” recently released by Really Big Coloring Books Inc. of St. Louis. The coloring book, “We Shall Never Forget 9/11: The Kids’ Book of Freedom,” reportedly depicts colorable scenes from 9/11 to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Kids can color in the twin towers, Navy SEALS, and former president George W. Bush among others in a 12-hour narrative, rated “PG,” saying children 10 and younger probably should use it with a parent or teacher at their side.

Amina Sharif of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations told the Chicago Tribune that the book depicts the events of 9/11 in a “slanted” manner, failing to distinguish the attackers as extremist radicals:

“It’s hateful, inflammatory and completely inappropriate for children or anyone for that matter,” Sharif said.

Dawud Walid takes offense to the book, telling ABC News that nearly all of the mentions of Muslims in the book are accompanied by the words “terrorist” or “extremist.”

“It’s disgusting,” said Walid, the Michigan representative for the Council on American Islamic Relations.

Read more here.

Wall Street, September 17: “Beginning of the Global Revolution…?”

Kenneth Melson, acting ATF chief, steps down

The man who led the controversial Fast and Furious anti-gun-trafficking operation will step down as the interim head of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Justice Department announced Tuesday as it named a new acting director for the agency.

Kenneth Melson, the bureau’s acting director, on Wednesday will move to the Office of Legal Policy, where he will be a senior adviser on forensic science, the department said without making reference to the failed gun-tracking operation that is alleged to have ultimately put guns into the hands of criminals. Dennis Burke, the U.S. Attorney in Arizona who oversaw prosecutions in that state related to the Fast and Furious operation, is also stepping down, the department said.

“Ken brings decades of experience at the department and extensive knowledge in forensic science to his new role, and I know he will be a valuable contributor on these issues,” Attorney General Eric Holder said of Melson in a statement. “As he moves into this new role, I want to thank Ken for his dedication to the department over the last three decades.”

Melson’s replacement is B. Todd Jones, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota. Jones “is a demonstrated leader who brings a wealth of experience to this position,” Holder said. “I have great confidence that he will be a strong and steady influence guiding ATF in fulfilling its mission of combating violent crime by enforcing federal criminal laws and regulations in the firearms and explosives industries.”

Melson took the top spot at the ATF on an interim basis in 2009 and oversaw the execution of Fast and Furious, an effort that was aimed at rooting out gun smugglers selling weapons to Mexican cartels. Ultimately, the ATF lost track of as many as 2,000 guns that were sold during the operation, including two that were found near the scene of the killing of a Border Patrol agent.

In a separate statement, Holder commended Burke’s “decision to place the interests of the U.S. Attorney’s office above all else” in stepping down. CBS reported that Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory Hurley, who worked under Burke on Fast and Furious, will be reassigned to the Civil Division of the Justice Department.

Read more here.

Obama’s uncle tests immigration policies

President Barack Obama’s Kenyan uncle was arrested for drunk driving and remains in custody without bail on an immigration detainer. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, however, declined to comment this morning on whether the president’s uncle will be released because of her cabinet department’s new enforcement guidelines.

Obama’s uncle, Onyango Obama, is the half-brother of the president’s late father. ”His immigration status couldn’t immediately be confirmed, but such orders [immigration detainers] are generally reserved for people living in the country illegally,” according to the Associated Press.

“I know that his uncle has been picked up, but I don’t know the facts of the case,” Napolitano said at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. “I can’t comment on the specific case … I don’t really know about it.”

In the last two months, officials at the Department of Homeland Security have effectively stopped deporting illegal immigrants unless the border-violators have also broken additional laws.

Border security officials are now developing a list of criminal offenses that would be deemed too minor to trigger deportation proceedings against illegal immigrants, explained Napolitano.

Read more here.