On EMU (not the animal):

World News Daily has reported a story out of East Lansing, Michigan, home of Eastern Michigan University, involving a court settlement between that institution and a university counselor. Seems the counselor, who was a student as well, was involved in the psychological counseling of students for various maladies.

During this counseling these students would sometimes refer to same-sex relationships they were having, at which point the counselor would discreetly refer the student to another counselor as affirming her support for a same-sex relationship on the part of the patient contradicted the counselor’s religious beliefs. Upon learning of this, the school promptly expelled the counselor (?). The counselor sued the school for reinstatement and a settlement. The US 6th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed wholeheartedly with the counselor, ordered her reinstatement and an award of $75,000 be paid her.

It seems, according to the school, the counselor was not supposed to transfer the patient, but lie to her patient, affirm her support for a sexual practice she may have abhorred, and thereby violate her own rights in the process. The court agreed (as do I) no harm was done either party in the referral option she instead exercised, and she was in fact in complete compliance with published university procedures. This just reaffirms our institutions of “higher learning” (read “indoctrination”) do not teach critical thinking and are, in fact, working overtime to dispel any notions of mental discipline, independent thought or reasoned self-assertion on the part of their students – especially if those students are conservatives or adhere to Christian principles.

Island Dweller

On DeMint (not the candy):

Your majesty of the steppes:

Esteemed Associate and I have been mulling over the recent action by Senator Jim DeMint, who resigned his post to take up a management position at the helm of a conservative organization. Our hashing and rehashing (we like hash, BTW) of the situation has resulted in the following observations:

1) Someone’s got the goods on him for something, and rather than undergo the public rectal exam this would entail he submitted his resignation and entered the private sector;
2) The foundation he’s taking the reins of truly needs some redirection and perhaps he is the man for the job;
3) The foundation is linked to the Tea Party, which seems to be undergoing a purge from the GOP at the hands of John Boehner and others; it’s possible they are contemplating the formation of an alternative political party and he may have been approached to be its head. He has been closely associated with them in the past. He may have resigned as an act of protest against the actions of Boehner et al. There is an implied threat to the GOP in his actions of taking desperately-needed votes away from them unless they adhere to at least some of the principles of the Tea Party. We can’t say we blame him as right now, like a derelict ship, leaderless, rudderless and without a compass, the GOP is going the route of the Democrat party and before long you won’t be able to tell them apart.

If the Tea Party is to go this route, our concensus of opinion is they better make their move to become independent before the 2014 mid-terms, and then make a strong showing there, or be considered as dead as the Whigs. Otherwise, stay in the GOP but resign yourselves to being permanent, frustrated, disappointed back-benchers at best.

Island Dweller and Esteemed Associate

First, that’s what you get for reading WND. We’ve warned you about them! Second, there is of course 4) DeMint realizes that he can do more good espousing support for conservative government at a private organization since the GOP cannot seem to speak for itself anymore. We tend to lean toward this interpretation as the simplest.

Update: Professor Mondo, with whom one dare not truck, points out that “With regard to Island Dweller’s missive, East Lansing is the home of Michigan State – Eastern Michigan is in Ypsilanti, not too far from Detroit and Ann Arbor.” And that is what Island Dweller gets for reading WND.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.